5 years of silence, 5 years of peace, 5 years spent in a dimly lit room with a simple appearance. These small lights managed to be reflected in the red vestments of the only occupant, resting on its center with closed eyes and in the lotus position.
This man of apparent middle age and dark hair looked immersed in the deepest of meditations.
~ Sss
Suddenly the environment stagnated and the small existing air flow began to swirl around him. A piercing glow was emitted from his brown eyes as it snapped open, and he spread his palm out in front of them.
All the tension was converging there, and the space showed hazy deformations as some sort of translucent energy struggled to form, but it hardly qualified as the remains of a small failed shell.
– Ufffff … – he sighed long, releasing that technique – It’s not really like this …
His face instinctively turned north with a determined expression. His established date was approaching impassively, but trust was still far from accompanying him.
– Certain events require your presence …
A deep voice cut through the walls interrupting his musing.
– ……?
He had managed to seclude himself for a relatively long period, but it seemed that those old fossils were in trouble again. He shake his head a little uneasily and sat up slowly until his sturdy hand rested on the door seal.
~ Brum
For the first time in years, a gentle breeze ran through his fingers and invaded his body, along with distant, familiar sounds.
– M-My lord …! You have finally come out!
– Brilliant deduction. Inform…
– Yes! The situation is not good, the old King Badhal reclaims his lands and has formed a large army of rebel factions.
– And that’s it? – raising an eyebrow.
– About that … – serious expression – We were able to contain his group forces, but during the retreat Badhal has managed to reach the outgoing kingdom. The generals can hardly contain it, and as soon as they are defeated … the situation …
– I have it … – he silenced with a wave of his hand.
The news was troubling, but there was renewed emotion in his voice.
– Old dog … have you really come this far? … – he murmured.
The windows announced a sunny and deceptively peaceful day, but this fleeting hint collapsed as soon as his feet reached the nearby balcony, and his eyes took in a panorama 120 meters above the ground.
Far beyond on the horizon over the city limits, hundreds of soldiers and beasts clashed from various fronts like countless conflicting ants, but this was overshadowed by just 4 people, engaged in a brutal and fantastic battle in front of the central gates.
– Heh … – He laughed contemptuously – A fallen king becomes forgetful, unable to remember the origin of his debacle.
~ Tap
He jumped to the very edge, embracing a view as wide and beautiful as it was scary. Crossing his arms, his gaze lingered on the main battle, almost with an expression of longing.
He waited and waited, patiently … standing there on the edge of the abyss hundreds of meters from the action.
Then, a light and a dark sword appeared in his hands. Both had elegant handles with a semi-translucent light blue core embedded.
Throwing one through the air, he placed the dark one on his back and took a sudden step into the void.
~ Ssss
The wind hit his face as he fell unbridled to its end, and he leaned his body forward as he bent his knee as if he wanted to walk in the void. His eyes glimmered and a sudden pressure of air surrounded his feet.
~ Boom!
A second later his body was thrown violently forward, causing a thunderous shock wave. He pierced the sky like an arrow and the images of the city passed in front of him at high speed.
This miraculous journey did not last long, and a few breaths later he stopped his advance in the same way, falling comfortably on the huge and solid front door.
The scene below was worth framing. A woman and a man floated around with visible weariness, as a burning man sped all the way up to hit the wall, gulping blood on impact.
– It seems that someone has been filled with courage. – he announced aloud with a cold tone.
– My Sir!
– Your Majesty! Oh … thank heaven …
– Abraham Désmone! – A powerful voice interrupted them – Finally you show your face …
The origin of the chaos was an older man of stocky build and imposing height. His battle robes were in keeping with the elegant crown on his head. He carried a long scepter and an emerald aura passively enveloped him.
– And you are? – Abraham asked, with his arms crossed.
– Has retirement made you senile? – he scoffed with contempt – I am Armir Badhal, fourth king of Varos!
– Oh yeah. That old dog. – He nodded in recognition – Sorry, the face I remember is that of your butt running away …
– Haha … – clenching his teeth – You haven’t changed … But I have! Today we will pay off debts. The kingdom, and the title of the strongest … will change hands …
– It sounds exciting … – he smiled with a tinge of madness – … let’s give it a try …
In the blink of an eye he took his sword and swung it in a frontal cut.
~ Slash
A blade of wind was instantly thrown toward the enemy, ready to divide everything in its path. Badhal’s eyes lit up in an emerald glow and the base of her scepter hit the ground.
– Hah!
A powerful energy covered him and he managed to restrain the attack while quickly raising the weapon, blocking a dark sword that appeared behind.
~ Boom!
The surrounding earth sank several degrees and a huge shock wave drove out the few unsuspecting who had not gone far enough yet.
– Hahaha…
To the beat of a maniacal laugh the blade and its owner used the remaining momentum to pass over Badhal and attack his back.
Before hitting the ground Abraham had already turned in the air and pierced towards his heart, but again he was intercepted by the scepter at the last moment.
~ Boom
~ Boom!
~ Boom
The invader quickly lost ground to the “lord of the wind”, showing that him was not yet his match in speed or technique.
– Hah!
Multiple exchanges happened in a matter of a breath, until the incisive sword finally pierced the defense and attempted to claim an arm with its deadly edge.
~ Toc
Sensing the contact, Abraham’s eyes narrowed, as Badhal received the blow with a smile and took the weapon from the edge. The cut that would split steel like paper could barely penetrate his shoulder.
His hands bled as he held it, but the blade was unable to advance through his fingers.
– Tsk …
Grimacing angrily, Abraham dropped his precious weapon and propelled himself back on alert, but it was an instant too late.
– ………!
Fine violet roots emerged from the ground and managed to catch one of his feet, taking advantage of that opportunity to tangle tightly and advance the rest of his body. In an instant he had been anchored to the surface from all directions, and even his arms were held back by some extensions.
– Mandraria! – He exclaimed with an icy expression – Well … well … Good! Old dog … you really took pains this time …
– Haha … flattery to hide the shame. Look … – he exclaimed out loud – The pinnacle of a warrior, they said! Well I say it’s just a sneaky crow, helpless without its wings.
– Do not claim victory … I can still bite you to death. Hah!
Abraham’s eyes lit up and powerful gusts began to swirl around. In a magical spectacle, dozens of disembodied blades danced violently and attacked the roots.
Countless marks were etched deep into the ground, but somehow they barely damaged the roots, which tightened further through their reddish clothes.
– A waste of energy. I am an earthly supreme … it will not be damaged by elemental powers under my control, not even yours. No speed or weapons … You have no chance against real force!
He presented a fist to exemplify the overwhelming strength of his cultivation. Then he raised the sword by the handle and looked at him with an evil expression.
– Hahhh !!
Abraham repeated the same futile and desperate technique intensely, while forming two fists and trying to free all the roots from his arms.
– What a disappointment … – Badhal shake his head, approaching and ignoring the cuts of the blades – Even the so-called coldest and most soulless genius goes crazy in his last moments …
In that defining climax, his eyes showed an intense emerald and he stood in front of the enemy, ready to finish him off with his own weapon.
– On this day, I, Armir Badhal, declare the beginning of a new era!
He then raised his sword, ready to reclaim Abraham’s head. The maddened energy of the wind suddenly dispersed, and they looked at each other for a brief moment.
Abraham’s eyes still possessed a piercing gleam, but at the same time an unexpected and chilling calm. Badhal felt an ominous premonition as he saw the corner of his lips rise.
– Heh …
~ Ssssss!
It all happened in a second.
The moment the blade began its fall, a whitish sword struck like lightning from the side. It accurately pierced the largest root in one arm, as Abraham opened the other hand and captured it in time to block the incoming cut.
~ Boom!
The brother edges embraced in a sonorous impact, leaving Abraham on the losing side, but keeping his body in one piece.
– You! – He exclaimed with irritation – Do you think a little trick will give you any hope? You lengthen the inevitable… Neither your weapons nor your hands can harm me!
– Cof … cof … – Abraham coughed blood, after receiving the rebound of the impact – Old dog … you are really opportune …
– As you say? – missed.
– There is no time … – opening the fist of his other hand, which had been released before.
There, a strange point of translucent energy struggled to form, oscillating very unstably.
– ……! What the…
Without hesitation he reached out that palm and struck directly at Badhal’s torso.
~ Crack
An unrecognizable sound resounded as that energy was partially released and for a moment a misshapen crack was created between them, as if the space was about to collapse.
– ………
Abraham’s expression varied between curious and frustrated, as he watched his technique quickly collapse and a great exhaustion invaded him.
– Hugh-…!
A painful guttural sound came from the throat of old Badhal, who in just a moment had lost a good part of his side and collapsed badly injured. The body that he considered to be on top of the world … torn by a simple technique.
His eyes faced the sky and widened in disbelief.
– W-What … the hell … is that … – he stammered with difficulty.
– Actually … I still don’t know. But your help to prove it has been … invaluable … – He smiled between gasps.
Then he looked at his palm and extended it to the north.
– But … still not enough … Eh? – His words froze, and new words came out like an echo – W-What … the hell … is that …?
What his eyes saw was easy to describe, but difficult to express. A colossal dark hand fell directly towards them, and he would even swear that he was the main objective.
– ……… !!
An overwhelmingly stifling and incomparable pressure washed over him, and soon everything went dark.
Darkness.
Silence.
A hand on his forehead.
His eyes blinked with difficulty. Light slowly filtered through his lashes and he could see his outstretched hand again. It was a small, delicate hand reaching up toward a wooden ceiling.
– Bran …
– Mmm? …
Bathed in the warm morning light through the window, the gentle mistress of the hand between his hair called sweetly to him.
– Nightmares again?
– Mhm … – He agreed with a childish but reassuring voice – Something like that …
