Ch 5

Claire did not have the strength to suspect the voice, all that she wanted was to survive. That's why she answered amidst her fuzzy thoughts. 'Yes...I want to live!'

"Good, you got the determination. Now you must say the following incantation to summon me."

Areth taught her some random phrases that sounds cool. To be honest, he was a little embarrassed and guilty. 'It can't be helped. This... This is necessary! I have no choice! I'm saving a life!'

After receiving the incantation, Claire's mind cleared up a little, she regained her spirit and was now full of hope. 'This incantation seem to refer to a powerful being.'

Claire opened her mouth and began to chant according to what she was taught.

"I call upon the oldest star of heavens, to let thy light shine upon this desolate world! Lend me your strength and vanquish my foes, descend from thy throne! Lord of Light!"

The warrior who was carrying her could not help but tremble. This was the first time he had heard of such summoning chant. It was too overbearing and lofty, he thought that she was about to use her life as a sacrifice to summon a god.

Areth's mind blanked out for a second. Why did her voice got louder and seem to have become a sincere plea towards the end?

Despite his embarrassment, he did not delay and caused a special effect immediately.

The dark gloomy sky parted and a beam of light was allowed to pass through, like the sight of the sun after a storm.

Even the weird monster looked up and wondered where the light came from, since there was no sun in this place, the only source of light was the mysterious glowing snow.

Suddenly, they saw an entity descend from the parted clouds. It had a human figure, but it was glowing all over like it was made of pure light. Even directly looking at it was difficult.

The presence of this unknown existence immediately turned the dark place into day time.

The hunters were all looking up in awe, and the warrior who was carrying Claire stared at her in amazement. She had indeed summoned a god like entity. Maybe she should switch to become a summoner?

The monster grew furious. "Who the fak are you?! How dare you intrude upon my domain!"

A voice that sounded like a boy responded, it was laced with arrogance.

"I was hoping to to at least get some exercise, but it seems that all I need to do is to squash some bug."

The monster could not bear it any longer. It opened its mouth and congealed a ball of dark energy and fired it to the visitor.

Before the energy ball could reach the mysterious entity, it bursted and a bright sword tip appeared on its center, piercing through and heading directly towards the monster.

The monster summoned more skeletons, and they all congealed dark energy in their mouths.

"Daring to be so arrogant, I'll show you what power is! Fire!"

The attacks created a massive disturbance in the air. Blacks streaks covered the sky and soon after, there were loud explosions occurring simultaneously. The shockwave even reached the ground below.

"Not good." The leader sensed that it would be dangerous to stay longer. He urged his team to gather and escape towards the rift.

The two beings engaged in an apocalyptic battle, one was in the sky and the other in the ground.

The leader's decision proved to be wise as the land they were standing in was beginning to crumble.

"Hahahaha! How did that feel you pesky insect?!" The monster felt satisfied at the explosions.

There was glint in the sky and a sword made of light made its way to the monster.

The monster sent its skeleton soldiers to block, but the sword pierced through them like butter and they turned to dust.

The monster frowned and lifted its hand, catching the blade before it could reach him. The monster crushed the sword into tiny dots of light.

"Is that all you got? I thought you would be more stronger!" The monster mocked.

"Oh?" The dark energy from the explosion receded and finally revealed the sky. The light entity remained unscathed, protected by swords of light.

However, the scene behind him dumbfounded everyone including the monster.

The hunters felt that it was brighter than usual so they glanced behind but was awed by the scene.

It was an array of countless light swords. There were hundreds of thousands hanging midair and they filled up the entire sky like they were stars.

"You...how could this be?" Even the monster could not remain calm anymore.

"Let's see how much you can endure."

Said the voice.

Since the beginning, the entity had never moved from its place, and it's hands remained behind its back.

It was the same when the swords start to rain from above. The swords left bright streaks behind like meteors and mercilessly crashed to the ground.

The monster was beginning to feel despair, but rage burned in its eyes. "You think you can stop me?!" It howled and skeletons immediately materialized mid air. It was no longer a play.

Skeletons appeared one after another, some blocking the swords, other intercepting them with a ray of dark energy coming from their mouths.

The swords were too numerous and many of them reached the monster, covering it with numerous cracks and cuts in its bones.

The skeleton soldiers went berserk and unleashed death rays indiscriminately. They destroyed mountains and swords alike.

The monster glared at the entity with hatred in its eyes. It opened its mouth again and congealed dark energy. Even as it was charging an aoe attack, its three pairs of eye sockets shot out laser beams to intercept the swords coming at it.

"Take this!" The skulls on the side of the head did the talking.

A powerful blast escaped from its mouth, pushing its body against the ground. The dark beam travelled very fast and there was no way to dodge. The swords along the way were obliterated.

Areth's avatar did not lift a finger. The beam collided with his barrier and was split into two rays.

The hunters reached the rift entrance and they used some device to reopen it. The rift was opened in no time. The leader told the rest leave first, only him and those who was confident to live without immediate treatment remained to watch the earth shattering battle.

From this distance, one could only see streaks of light raining down and some occasional black beams crashing against the bright existence. They tried to look at the epicenter but could only see a tremendous heat haze distorting the view.

The monster was panting and the flames in its body seemed like a candle amidst a storm. Its bones were repeatedly cut and cracked and it had to repair them again and again, exhausting his powers.

One cause of its fatigue was the fact that its attacks could not land a clean hit, and this drive him to despair.

It attempted to congeal another dark energy.

"Let's end this here." The lofty voice declared.

Areth noticed that it was almost his breastfeeding time. He had to return to his body soon.

The congealed energy suddenly exploded in the creature's mouth as a sword pierced its head from behind and out to its mouth where the energy gathered.

"H-how?" The monster roared furiously.

The light entity raised his chin slightly, and the swords seem to have taken this as a command.

They no longer aimlessly fall to the ground and instead pointed their tips towards the monster.

The monster was horrified at this sight, feeling that death was near.

"Farewell."

The swords released a buzzing sound as they flew at a terrifying speed. Some flew to a straight thrust while other swords spun their blades around.

The monster seem to have given up resisting, the red wisps on its eyes that were full of madness turned into blue.

The monster regained clarity. He murmured, staring at the swords continuously stabbing and cutting him. "Forgive me...Sariel.."

The light entity descended, the horrifying number of swords halted and disappeared as though they were never there. The giant monster looked like a porcupine with glowing needles, sprawled on the ground.

Areth landed on the ground behind its head, and stared at the monster.

"Remember...my name...Azarel..."

The monster left those words before the light in its eyes died out, leaving only a pile of bones behind.

The remaining hunters noticed that the battle has ended, they were conflicted whether to escape now or to check the battlefield.

"L-lord Light!" Claire called out as the entity made of light approached them.

Areth was really ashamed being called like that but he maintained his pretentiousness since he had already started it.

"It's over." He said and looked towards Claire. "I have to thank you for allowing me to enter this realm. Nonetheless, I must go now."

"No, we should thank you instead for saving us." Said Claire.

Areth acknowledged the rest before cancelling his soul projection.

The mage leader and the rest of hunters stared at Claire, waiting to hear her account.

"Eh, I-it's like this..."