Chapter 35: Ascension

I released my grasp on the officer's burnt body, and then I looked at the enemy soldiers afterward. Approaching them, they flinched and stepped back, pointing their spears towards me. Their shield wall proved an inconvenience, I thought how my powers would fare against them. The demonstration of my new abilities against them would be interesting. 

I levitated the corpse of the officer earlier and hurled it towards the formation of soldiers before me. The body landed on the shield wall, and I rushed towards them, bracing for my onslaught. I imbued my attack with electricity and kicked the enemy, hoping it might cause damage. 

"Clever, huh!" I commented and furiously threw another lightning attack.

"It's no use, attacking with their shields won't do." I said and thought of another strategy. 

While fighting against the fifty soldiers around me, the general decided to increase my opponents. Another fifty soldiers joined their ranks as they surrounded me with their shield walls and long spears. 

"Cowards, anyone strong enough to face me!?" I taunted looking at my opponents before me. 

The enemy maintained their discipline, their formation looked unbeatable if I will attack them head I won't be able to destroy them. The goddess Shentilah suddenly appeared in front of me. She looked terrifying as she descended before. An arrow from the enemy's soldier suddenly landed on her chest. She groaned with annoyance seeing her dress ruined by the arrow. She broke the shaft by her bare hands and looked at the general who was at horse back. 

"I demand we keep this civil until my champion is prepared to face you!" She scolded the general who looked indifferent towards her. 

"Kill the woman!" The general ordered his archers to rain down arrows at her.

"Fools!" Shentilah suddenly drained the blood from ten human soldiers before me. Afterwards, she transformed their blood to her liking, taking the form of feral beasts. The beasts were released and ravaged through the enemy formation and broke through. The general's horse seeing the carnage and feeling the malice of the goddess' minions threw him to the ground and fled.

Shentilah smiled and then talked to me. The wound in her heart suddenly healed and covered the part with her scarf. "Listen to me carefully! I never thought you were fighting these many. I am preparing an ace in your sleeve!" 

She whispered unknown words to my ear which suddenly calmed my mind. "Unleash your feral beast inside!"

After hearing her words, I did not know what happened next. I lost control of my body, and my mind went blank. My senses and hearing were the ones left. Horrifying screams and the feeling of dread were the only things I felt. I was imprisoned in my body while seeing the dreadful bloody moonlight. 

"This is not right!" I felt my conscience knocking inside of me.

The goddess Shentilah, still around in my head asked, "What's wrong Elios?" 

"I... feel something is not right!" I replied to her, hearing the screams of the rampage and from the wounded.

"Humanity is a disease that needs to be wiped out. The longer they'll exist, the more your kind will suffer. It is your kind or them!" Shentilah explained.

"I understand that humanity had it's flaws, they were misguided!" I suddenly protested the goddess' motives for annihilating the army.

Hearing my words, she ridiculed me, "This is a war they started. You haven't realized why they waged this conquest, do you?" She continued, "This world cannot provide for needy humans. They were always hungry. For knowledge that does not exist. Greed for gold they cannot have after death. Lastly, the eternity that forsook them! These beings deserve no mercy!"

"NO!!!" I rejected the madness presented before me.

My younger self. Who is unable to understand the goddess' words and intent. Seeing my mistake of my untapped potential, I would have chosen a different path, knowing how humans screw their world. 

Opening my eyes, I saw the general's sword penetrating my heart. I felt the sharp pain penetrating my back. He kicked me and threw me to the ground. Blood gushed from my chest, and unable to move. The goddess hovered in the air and looked disappointed at me. She almost turned away and left when the color of the moon changed. 

Looking at her face, I noticed that she saw something strange about me. Unable to move my body, I can only move my eyes. The goddess Shentilah could not believe what she saw. Looking at her mouth, I can read that she said 'No' in disbelief and didn't want what she saw.

"You don't have the right to take him away from me!" She screamed at the heavens angrily. It was as if something took me away from her. "I demand the soul of this Elf to be mine, and he belongs to me!!"

"Awake, Elios!" A thunderous voice called me, "I shall cleanse you from your corruption!" 

The wound in my chest had healed, and my strength returned. The greatest of the elven gods called my name, and I bowed before him. I could see his face clearly from where I was standing. He was wearing his white robes, wrapped with a powerful aura. 

I felt a warm energy purifying me, and the essence of corruption seeped from my body. The elven god looked at me, "You will be the bastion of hope for your kind. You may face uncertainties in your path. However, salvation and promise will be your calling. During this life and beyond, my words will hold!"

The goddess Shentilah left, and with her disappearance, the great elven god told me, "She may return to seduce you! Whatever your decision in the future rests on your shoulders. I have no say in it." He continued, "Only a few have ascended to immortality, and being the destined few, remember that your power has a purpose!" 

"Thank you!" I humbly bowed and praised him.

"You still have to fight them, prove the might of the elvenkin! Fight for your people." The elven god faded and disappeared into nothingness. 

Looking at my white robes, I was amazed. It shimmered with a bright light with intricate elven runes inscribed. I took a step forward, and electricity flowed from my feet. I felt my eyes emitting energy as I focused on my enemies. 

What seemed to be an orderly formation of soldiers earlier became a maelstrom of carnage. The wounded were scattered on the ground while the others reformed their shield wall as I approached them. This time, I can feel their discipline shake, with the hesitation of the soldier's eyes. 

Lightning suddenly painted the sky, followed by the rumbling of thunder. The sight caused fear to the enemy's ranks. I felt my affinity for lightning increased with the weather. It allowed me to summon lightning, which I used to disorganize my enemies. 

Lightning crackled in my hands, concentrating the energy towards it. I released the concentrated lightning energy to the formation that broke them. The general, seeing the events, was frightened. He ordered his men to cover him and ran away, throwing his armor to the ground. Running away, the morale of his army broke down.

"Oh?" I sounded as I observed the collapsing lines of the human army.

Soldiers scurried away and saved their skins for themselves. As they ran away, I decided to spare them to spread the news of what transpired. It would make them think twice about attacking eleven settlements in the future. 

As the last soldier ran, I observed him intently as he abandoned his equipment. With the goddess Shentilah or the great elven god gone, I was clueless about what to do next. I knew the goddess may come back for me. Whatever happens on her return, I prepared myself. 

I closed my eyes and prayed. Praying for my brethren who died and also my enemies who perished for the glory of their cowardly leader. With the enemy army routed it would take some time before the news of reckoning transpired last night to spread. 

The sun began to shine from the mountains, signifying a new beginning for me. The new dawn symbolized a new birth for a being like me. I took the necklaces of my brethren for their identification. I had to do this for their families to be notified of their demise. 

The gentle morning wind blew to my face, comforting me from the harrowing fight. I realized that night that I would travel the world instead of being tied to the strict culture and dogma of the elven kind. 

I realized that my ignorance costed me an open mind and accepting heart. Closing myself like the rest of my kind did will never grant me a promising future. Despite ascending to immortality, forsaking violence for peace would be meaningful. The time I draw my blades for the defense of elven kind ended that day. 

Violence and death only spread more hatred. The only way for it to end is by accepting change and striving for progress. Unless my kind sees it, there's no hope for them. Defending them with my newfound powers would enable them to continue their dormancy. I decided to keep out of it and find my own path.