60 A Journey Down The Stream (2)
As the danger would escalate the longer he stayed immobile, Zel took to his feet while keeping a close eye on the gigantic claw that hovered above him. His memories regarding Heftpounds were returning, but it was clear to him that this one was different. The golden scales that covered the claws were proof enough that this was a different creature, but it was still hunting him nonetheless.
Thoughts ran inside Zel's head as he considered his options. First would be to fight back, either incapacitate the opponent or make it back off through force. Assessing the situation through a single bout would make it possible to see if it is a viable solution.
Zel raised his hand towards the golden claws and unleashed a vast amount of mana towards the flames around him. As soon as the mana was delivered, the blacks flames unfurled to their original forms and became a countless sea of threads that flew around the claws. Splitting in half midair, the threads bound the claws, trying to force them down. But as soon as they touched the scales that covered the claws, they burned. As soon as Zel saw the smoke coming from his threads, he immediately took another course of action, run away.
He took Emilia's book into his arms while the mana crystal was still stuck to it. He looked around to see where he could go and saw two directions. One that coincided with the path the lights take and the one that it moved away from. Not remembering where he was facing beforehand, Zel decided to go for the one right in front of him. Following the source of the lights looked like it would be a better choice at the time. He was going back in time, so the lights he should follow might be going back too.
Activating 'Full Cloak', Zel ran faster than he ever had before. Full Cloak was the process of loosening the membranes of the paths in between mana nodes. Effectively making the whole body experience a bath of concentrated mana that allows a significant improvement in physical capabilities. But now that Zel had no body, it did more than make him faster. He was practically flying at this point.
'Faster!' Zel whose body had long turned to dust didn't realize that while his speed was increasing at a breakneck pace, cracks had formed on the surface of his soul. Even though the removal of a mortal body allows a soul to be free from any shackles, it also loses the protection it would otherwise have. But there wasn't any room for a concession for Zel, as the claw had already been retracted.
"Screech!" A pair of golden eyes appeared at the hole the claws created, staring daggers at Zel's retreating back. It gave off a cry that shook Zel's body, causing more cracks to appear as Zel felt that it was getting harder to open his eyes.
"Bang!" But just as he was about to lose consciousness, the floor beneath Zel split into two. Zel jumped into one side of the two and looked behind him for a second, to see what exactly happened.
Two claws were now passing through the tear in the lights that embedded themselves on the white floor. A golden aura came glaring at Zel from the gigantic claws as they pried open the ground. more fissures appeared as the floor started to shatter and fall, leaving only a gap that expanded at a rapid rate.
'Damn it!' Zel didn't dare to dally anymore and continued his escape. More cracks appeared on the surface of his soul but when they were about to reach a dangerous level, the mana crystal that was now embedded on the book glowed brightly.
Wherever the light reaches, the cracks that covered Zel's soul mended themselves. Though it seems to be taking a toll on the crystal as it had visibly shrunk, even though it was only a slight change that was barely visible. But if Zel doesn't do anything about it any time soon, those small reductions in size for each time it heals him will certainly add up.
'I can see it!' But just as trouble came finding him unexpectedly, salvation seems to be just as breathtaking as Zel felt his pores open up when he saw it. The end of the tunnel showed multiple portals that all had different settings.
One of the portals depicted a chaotic scene, with what looked like bodies burning on the ground. A battlefield where aggressive screams occurred endlessly, ones that could be heard even from the other side. With how fast he was going, he'd reach it in fourteen more seconds.
Another one was more peaceful, it had a white wall from where Zel could see, it was the closest to him right now. A lone altar stood within the portal, holding a chest that Zel was quite curious about. As it would take him twenty seconds to reach that portal, it was the second closest to him. But it doesn't look like the exit he is looking for.
But the one portal that caught Zel's attention was a crisp blue. If he was right, then that should be the sky of 2006. Since he started in a building that has yet to exist, then it would be possible to assume that he'd arrive midair. The problem was how long it would take for him to reach it.
'Forty seconds!' Zel mentally counted the time it would take for him to reach the exit. With the way his soul was falling apart, he'd be lucky to last for thirty more if he keeps up this pace of wasting his mana. What's more, the crystal was now only a quarter of its previous size, possibly the worst thing that could be happening right now.
Zel didn't know how to survive the last ten seconds it would take, as the claws were only slightly behind him in speed. Even though he had made quite a distance in between them, it would only take a moment before the claws can reach him. One solid hit from that creature will not only hurt him, it would probably kill him.
But when Zel was about to pass along the first portal his way, his attention was caught by a familiar aura. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was someone on the other side that he felt like he knew. In fact, it was making his whole body feel a shiver when his eyes wandered to a certain person on the other side.
Sounds of metals clashing rang out from the portal as a young man looked at Zel's way. He wore a luxurious battle armor that snuggly fit his physique, allowing for a nimbler combat ability. The armor was an eye-catching gold with crimson engravings, a symbol of a golden bird was on his chest. His face was hidden behind a golden, medieval helmet that revealed only his stunned eyes.
But it was enough for Zel to identify the man's rank, as his Violet eyes had easily revealed. His sword was easily handling five men that reached Indigo rank. The men wore a different set of armor, going with a silver sheen with a black sun as their crests instead. They weren't the only threat to the man, however, as a dark as black arrow was already on its flight towards the man's forehead.
'On your left! Tilt your head a little to your right!' Although the young man looked like he was distracted, so Zel quickly shouted for him to dodge the arrow. Though he didn't have a voice to begin with, so he couldn't speak to the man.
The golden armored man, however, didn't seem to miss his words as he followed Zel's instructions. Barely dodging the arrow that was sent his way, the man was looking at the gigantic claw that was chasing after Zel. What was unfortunate was that the arrow he had just dodged passed through the portal and into the time stream. Having just been saved, the golden armored man was about to return the favor.
As a Brovnan owes nothing, not to anyone.
'Shit!' Although Zel could clearly see the arrow, he didn't have enough agility to dodge it. He was moving too fast and placed all his speed into one direction, making one small change in direction would certainly make him fall flat on his face. The first thing he did was to slow down greatly, just so he won't die from tripping himself up. It would also allow him to have more time to dodge since he won't be moving towards the arrow.
"Many thanks, kind stranger!" It was after he did so that a voice sounded out from the other side of the portal. Along with a gift that would certainly make the man's father puke blood when the man tells him what he did.
Just as Zel was about to harden the air in front of him with mana, a ring came from the portal in front of him. The ring stood in between Zel and the arrow, creating a barrier that didn't even cause a sound when it caught the arrow.
Though the danger in his front was averted, the one from behind was closing in. Not knowing whether it would work or not, Zel took the ring and placed it behind him while running forwards. Initially, the ring resisted Zel as it flew around as if trying to escape his clutches. But when it had absorbed a little of Zel's mana, it became as docile as a dog.
"What?" The man on the other side of the portal sensed that his connection with his artifact was broken. He tried to make it come back to him, but it wasn't listening. What was worse that when he looked at Zel who was holding on to the ring on the other side, he saw that a barrier he hadn't made was shining brightly.
'Fuck off, you beast!' Zel sent half the mana in his body to the ring when he sensed imminent danger from behind him. After the ring finished creating the full body barrier, a claw came from behind Zel took a swipe.
"Bang!" The immense force knocked Zel out as his body flew at a pace that would be missed after a blink of the eye. The book in his hand vanished into thin air, it was at the same time as the ring glowed. His unconscious body passed through another portal, though he wouldn't know which one until he woke up.
Meanwhile, the portal showed that the man from before was stunned at what he just saw while also flying backwards. The force created by the claw made a huge crater in his battlefield, stopping its expansion only after the portal was forcibly shut by the dimension itself. But even though it didn't reach its full potential, the damage created was enough to end the battle.
