Fear of Death

Continuation from seris vritra

*****

The black spiritual fire gathered in Cadell's hand began to intuitively revolve around him as the sickly crimson tones passed. Shadows began to rustle and curl around Grey, like a storm wind, as the magic began to swirl and swell; It was ready to explode at any moment.

However, the ether emanating from the Shadows mixed with the amethyst's purple light, filling the arena with a magical light.

This spell, which took on a brutal form, was combined with a meaningful silence spreading around. As Melzri pulled Nico into a safe position, the audience's hearts began to pound as they watched the shadows dance. The intensity of the aether caused tremors beneath the ground as Grey's hand slowly rose into the air.

As the magic swirled, the shadows blended together to form a huge black funnel. As the moment of explosion approached, the glow of purple ether mixed with the ethereal fire, creating a visual feast. Shadows surrounded the arena at the moment of the explosion, plunging the audience into a black fog.

Everything stopped for a moment, then there was an explosion with a huge scream. "Sparks of black fire began to dance in the arena under the influence of Cadell's magic, alternating between darkness and light, filling everything with an enchanting atmosphere."

As the fog cleared, we all continued to look at the field expectantly.

My eyes opened slightly. Cadell's devastating attack destroyed every part of the field except Gray. However, the soul fire crawling on his fabric like a tiny fly resembled a living creature that wanted to destroy everything it saw; At least that's what I knew. The black flames disappeared as a purple aura began to wrap around him like a vine.

While this visual feast dragged me into feelings of uncertainty, the boy continued to surprise me.

As the last particles of fire scattered into the air, the troubled expression on Cadell's face reflected the uneasiness in his eyes. Suddenly, Gray appeared behind Cadell with a sarcastic wink, speed that was impossible to follow. The amethyst light cast a dramatic glow on Grey's skin; The lightning branches made the mysterious atmosphere surrounding him even more provocative.

It was pointless, how could he do this? Speed control that would put even asuras to shame. How many more cards did he have?

Cadell's eyes burned with a mischievous glint, while squid-like arms protruded from his back and opened to protect himself. These arms, along with their shadow, were enough to darken even the brightest light. Combined with Vritran's decay-type arts, the resulting sight was dream-stoppingly impressive.

One of the arms missed Grey's left head, sending a strand of his wheat-colored hair flying into the air. His reaction was fluid. He then created an ether sword with his right hand. His appearance exuded a mystical aura, sultry and blurry.

When two opposing forces collided in the air, the black-violet colors engulfed each other, the flames enough to change the texture of the oxygen. The bright light of the sparks was absorbing the field.

Under the influence of the spell, the high-pitched screams that shook the coliseum deeply began to echo like a chorus. As shield after shield was broken, officers moved desperately to form new ones. While the traces of fear of death became evident on their faces, the folds of their mouths seemed to have begun to move in prayer. This dark atmosphere prevailing in the middle of the Colosseum left the audience in horror

My eyebrows knit together in concern as ether and mana found their limits and began to retreat. His arm was cut into strips of spiritual fire, consuming everything he touched like a hot iron, and his skin showed no signs of cooling.

Cadell was no different. The center of the armor was warped, showing open wounds from his kidneys to his ribs. His jaw began to clench as his hand examined the damage from bottom to top. Meanwhile, the spiritual black energy coming out of his body began to heal by engulfing the purple aura.

The most eye-catching thing was the speed at which Gray recovered. He wasn't content with just that, as the purple particles began to cling to the spiritual fire and dry it out. An extraordinary picture began to emerge. A bone spur formed from his arm, and then the tendons and veins that followed came together to regenerate his arm as if it had never left. In a word, her skin was flawless.

"Unique," Kiros murmured with an amused smile, his eyes carefully following Grey's resurrection. As the eyebrows on his face rose with excitement, he swallowed the grape with one hand and collected the trapped fruit juices with his tongue with the other hand. What gifts could our mysterious wizard's arts bring? His eyes came to life with a mischievous glint.

After Cyrus' words, I started to worry again. Vritra was known as a being, like dragons, who had no sins that they would not add for the sake of knowledge. If Grey's unknown etheric arts fell into the hands of the ruler, he would be turned into a lab rat. Each of his limbs would be cut off and examined, and his body would be used as an experimental material. I hope he can escape from this cage without needing me.

I took a deep breath and shook these wormy thoughts away. Then I listened to the sound echoing in the arena and turned my head in that direction.

"All you have to do is follow the same attack pattern," Gray said with a grin. At this, Cadell looked at him with disgust, taking care to hide his curiosity. "If that's the case, I must end this war early," he added.

As misty black clouds surrounded Cadell, dense enough to disturb his eyes, he spoke in a voice that echoed through the darkness: "I don't know what you've become, but you and your little tricks won't get out of here."

As he said, "We'll see," the magnificent color palette of lavender and gold tones surrounded each other and spread around. Gray was wandering around the arena, shining like a shooting star. Right behind him, Cadell was following him like a shadow in pitch black clouds.

"What are these golden tones?" Then, black granite colored scales began to wrap his body from bottom to top. When the cosmic energy of the ether dispersed into the atmosphere, the lines of the protective layer continued to merge with the golden color in magnificent harmony. Shining marks appeared on the surface of the scales, like thin golden veins. Its horns, which branched upwards from its chin, were enough to make it resemble a basilisk.

As the golden light of transformation faded, I felt as if I had stepped out of a dream world. If I didn't know the boy at all, I might have compared him to an asura. The striking appearance of his armor was enough to put Cadell's to shame, as if it were jeweled armor worn by the gods. This armor, which embodies elegance and power in every piece, continued to fascinate the audience by creating an aura around it.

Gray moved quickly, zigzagging from floor to wall, and every area he passed seemed to be built on a thin thread pattern. Cadell's cautious advance suddenly turned aggressive as black lightning crackled around him and appeared in front of the boy. The sword adorned with soul fire extended out and landed hard towards his ribs.

As the armor's scales began to melt due to the increased mana, sparks of embers turned into blood. While Gray tried to block the attacks with the sword he held in his left hand, Cadell's attacks, enchanted with black flames, were almost brutal.

The ether sword moved towards his head, tracing a horizontal axis in the air, but was blocked by Cadell's red claws. When he tried to grab Gray by the throat with his free hand and push him down, an invisible string of ropes turned into amethyst light and caught him, just like it did with Nico. One of its limbs flew away in a seething motion.

How did he achieve this? Was the feeling of the unknown eating away at my curiosity even more? It was as if he had set traps in the areas where he had secured his position.

While both of their bodies disappeared like smoke, the ether attack in the air met with mana and they put a distance of fifteen meters between them.

******

ARTHUR LEYWİN

As my pulse began to beat like an organism in my head, I put distance between us with a final etheric attack and monitored our situation. Spirit fire was reuniting his severed wrist from the ashes

"Your amateurish attacks will never be found again," he grumbled. Then he said, "This was your last chance," looking at me with his spiteful eyes, and disappeared once again in the smoke of the fire.

His shadowy form appeared behind me, his sword reminiscent of the night sky. In one swift movement, I spun on my heel and my otherworldly ether sword slammed into his. Although each attack deformation resulted in the superiority of ether over mana, the deadly streaks never found their target. He got annoyingly lost and tried to strangle me from different areas.

This time, when it appeared on my left, its killing flames found their direction like a compass. When I realized my vulnerability, I cursed myself. His sword entered between my lung and his diaphragm and began to consume it. I gasped in pain. I created an extra ether sword in my left hand and aimed at his heart. However, it disappeared again, leaving small clouds of dust behind.

I bit my tongue in frustration as I let the ether revive me.

I created a new weapon and fired it after the explosion, but it passed through the shadows as my aimlessly swinging attack added dimension to the void. Cadell emerged from the fiery clouds to catch me once again. His sword tore off a small part of my calf with the force of the wind.

To prevent it from continuing, I touched the surface of space, following the ether path. As the web thread aimed for his shoulder, he disappeared into the burning clouds, as if he was waiting for me to use this spell.

I cursed when he guessed my move. We seemed to have reached a stalemate.

Once all the tendons in my injured leg were in place, I shifted my weight in the air and moved into distance again.

Cadell's changing images echoed in my mind in flashes. From the fall of the castle to the more than tens of thousands of people slaughtered, it was bringing to light the hopes that Sylvian had given me. While I wanted to hold on to the last traces of emotion after my conversation with Agrona, Sylvie's hug was enough to keep a small spark burning in my heart alive.

Because I believed that losing Her would extinguish the last spark and encourage me to follow a path I did not want.

I'm sorry "Sylvie, even if I bring you back to life, I can't undo the regrets, I can only shape them for the future."

"Not just Cadell, but all of them, their deaths will be so painful that even the stories left to them after me will describe me as a revenge monster... I want them to deeply feel the hatred that comes with the loss."

"Blood pressed against my head like a hot iron with rage. No matter how much my asura armor tried to keep me calm, the sheer thoughts were ready to burn everything like destruction."

"Look at your helplessness," Cadell said, as the soul fire receded as if it had never existed, leaving even the slightest scratch on his skin unscathed. "To think that you could trick me with the same attack again. I hope you can do better than that," his voice came out as cold and sarcastic as it could be next to the overwhelming warmth.

Pumping the ether into my legs, I braced myself against the wall and appeared in front of him. I bathed my aether sword in enough purple light to give it a new dimension, its reflection dancing with shadow. In one fluid motion, I made a vertical cut.

Cadell's eyes narrowed in despair, and as soon as he raised his hand, the sword I pointed at his head separated his wrist from his arm. I continued my furious attacks as the clawed gauntlet sent purple flames into the air. Every sound and sweat echoed like the clash of metal, indicating my desperate struggle. I could almost feel my pulse.

While every striking attempt was foiled by both of us, the radiant ether and shades of mana were pictured to the sky.

As I swung my sword again, the black forms turned into shadow, clinging to the hilt and preventing me from moving. When I tried to pull back, Cadell's sword extended and pressed against my chest. I struggled in the air, trying to get rid of his hand. When my wheat-colored hair began to catch my eyes from the howling wind, I realized that I was being pushed towards the ground.

While my stomach was struggling not to vomit blood, the scales on my armor began to peel off. As the power it gave to the sword increased, the flames began to grow brighter and a purple shadow emerged from my core... Wait, is the shadow Regis?

As Regis' form changed from lavender to destruction, its massive blood-starved mouth opened wide as a shark. When his sharp teeth came into contact with Cadell's arm holding the hilt, he first erased the mana from existence, and then his arm along with the sword. He let out a shrill scream as his face contorted with more anger than ever before.

"Good job, furry friend," I said, over Cadell's scream.

As I wobbled like an insignificant object being thrown into the air, at the first opportunity I got, I bent my legs in and hit the ground on two feet. My fall shattered several shields and created a pile of debris that stretched from the wall to the staircase. Some managed to escape in time, screaming.

But I was too damaged to pay attention there. As the ether began to heal my wounds, it caught the flames that were heading towards my core and extinguished them like raindrops. While my heart was beating like crazy in my cage, the cells that started to shrink in my chest covered my skin with black scales.

As my shallow breaths became regular, I inhaled the oxygen of the polluted air once again.

Spitting a pinch of blood on the floor, I wiped the remaining parts with my sleeve. "What about your new pet?" as he was uttering his sentence, the black flames leaping from Cadell surrounded me in a heap, staining the floor. Regis's purple shadow that swirled around my body responded with destruction, wiping out the ash and rubble along with the black flames.

Emotions that I did not want to express, such as disappointment, helplessness, and shame, renewed my past wounds.

From Realmheart to entering the holy tombs to now being a critic of the ether, what was all this for? Was it to cross my boundaries, to see and perform forms of magic that even asuras did not understand, to barely hold Cadell?

As my consciousness was open to rage, my armor began to channel the ether from the atmosphere into my core faster.

Use your Regis ether carefully, I will need you for the final attack. I spoke decisively.

I weighed in my mind the side of the war that had developed so far. My new power had its pros and cons. While Cadell had more versatile weapons than me, I was focused solely on strength. And because he felt that way, he was always using hit-and-run tactics.

My plan was to influence the ether pathways of the atmosphere and attack whenever the clouds disappeared into flames. However, refutation arts combined with wind magic posed a problem in itself.

I think this might work

I jumped fifty meters back as my asura instincts kicked in. The halo of coal-black flame was trying to wash my body within itself. I let my thoughts flow to Regis as I opened the pages of my mind to Regis like an open book.

Cadell raised one hand towards the sun. As the sky began to turn night black, black tips began to emerge from the portal-like mirrors. With a wave of his hand, they were all covered in spirit fire. Then he lowered his hands and they all turned towards me and started moving at full speed.

The wind embodied by the decay arts created a violent flood effect, causing sparks to splash onto the shields. The black tornado made the metal tips move faster.

I adjusted my stance and raised my hand to the sky. The amethyst energy shining from the ether created an earthquake effect with the ripples I sent into the atmosphere. The spear I created began to take form with lavender-coloured drops of destruction from its mouth, which resembled the black hole of Regis. When the spear became powerful enough to emphasize its difficulty in holding it, I threw out this tremendous energy with one last breath.

Black spikes covered with hellfire, like shooting stars, began to strain the shields. They were shaking the Colosseum, leaving little craters at every point they hit. On the other hand, the spear of destruction I created approached Cadell by moving in a single line like a tunnel. He was gnawing and gnawing at everything he touched and moving forward without leaving a trace behind.

While the spear of destruction was enough to dry out even the oxygen, Cadell's artificial vritra arts were suffering helplessly. Cadell's red cloak followed him, as if it were clinging to him. As soon as he disappeared into the shadows, the spear found him.

The enormous architecture of the high lodge was shaken by the unexpected passing of Cadell. While the raven-colored sword was quickly changing direction to avoid my spear, I suddenly stepped in front of it by firing the godstep. The expression on his face was a mixture of surprise and amazement, his emotions were a picture reflected on his face. The ethereal weight of the sword in my hand collided with his sword, but the result of the conflict was unclear. The power of the ether was crushing the mana mercilessly, and his sword, unable to resist in the face of this power, shattered. Quickly grasping the hilt, I got past Cadell's defenses and plunged the sword into his stomach.

Spirit fire began to overflow from where the sword passed, like a volcano. While the cells and organs struggled to hold together, I stubbornly continued to push. I tried to turn the hilt inside and turn it into its core. The flicker in his eyes expressed the emotions Cadell had been suppressing the entire time. His composure had broken, and the claw in his left hand pierced the air, grazing my elbow.

Everything had been going according to plan up to this point; Cadell's attention turned from the spear to panic. ''See you later'', Godstep. When he moved me to another area, the last thing he saw was me staring at him with a wide grin. I watched as the spear slammed Cadell into the ground with tremendous force.

The transparent layer of the shields melted as it was absorbed by the destruction liquid, turning into vapor in the air and mixing with the atmosphere. As an unexpected lightness rises with a hiss, the weight of the high balconies facing collapse, people's settlements are invaded one by one. The screams echoed like an orchestra, creating a chaotic melody.

Under the heavy pressure, the debris slowly began to leak. Shadows began to orbit around a crimson hue in the air as they rose from the ground. As the rubble scattered around, merging with the soul fire, Cadell's terrifying silhouette appeared. His concern echoed throughout the arena as his spiteful eyes focused on me. "No, no! I can't accept this!" His words left a trembling mark in the atmosphere of the arena.

Not holding back, Cadell began to draw mana from the atmosphere like drawing water from the ocean. The damage he sustained from the destruction had visibly dried out many parts of his body. The cells could no longer replace his severed arm and ribs. All he did now was struggle for his last attack with feelings of helplessness. His body had entered a visible process of decay, but the resistance within him could still be felt.

"We embarrassed him in public, princess. Regis's fur was almost brushing against me."

"But now it's my turn to shine," he said. I could feel his excitement seeping through me. I asked strangely, "What are you talking about?" I raised one eyebrow.

"Watch and learn, Godzilla, Lady Caera. She will admire us after this attack," he said. With his words, he entered my sword and his form instantly changed. The sword's energy flickered and transformed into fierce purple flames that reached ten meters high, glowing with lavender essence of destruction.

Cadell's voice became a mysterious melody that filled the arena. He had skillfully adapted the Vritra arts, which control the magnificent dance of the three elements, to his skeletal head body. As he slowly moved towards me, he said, "This time I will erase you and your bond from existence, I will make sure!" she screamed angrily.

As the spikes exploded from the ground, a wave of soulfire spread out, playing like a deadly symphony as each one enveloped me.

I tensed my body, pumping the ether harder as the skeleton with pitch black fire quickly advanced towards me. I rushed forward, holding the hilt tightly. Cadell's eyes began to glow with fear as etheric lightning sizzled through my body, deflecting every attack that came his way. "Don't come any closer, less!" saying, the fire of the soul began to rise.

My pathetic whispers, combined with my lavender-colored awe-filled sword, pierced the soul fire. While each piece of the skeleton was disappearing in the air accompanied by rustling sounds, Cadell was finally standing in front of me, alive and well. As the sword advanced horizontally, bending reality, the burgeoning essence of destruction enveloped his body, enough to burn him. The sword was so pure and light that every sharp blow reminded me that I couldn't even feel Cadell's pain.

The flaming being in skeletal form floated in the air and withered, its body crashing to the ground like a rag doll. While the chaotic energy rising from the ether shook the ground, leaving crevices, the wooden sections where the audience sat were split in two and the irons were bent. Those trying to escape continued to pile on top of each other, accompanied by screams. The arena was lost in chaos, bearing traces of destruction.

Cadell rose shakily from the ground, bent double. I watched him turn around and try to run away quickly. I couldn't help but giggle at this. I started walking, following his steps. My gaze fell on the coming together and parting of each tendon. Destruction continued to consume as the soul fire began to flicker and go out like a candle.

Before he had advanced more than ten paces, his legs weakened from the destruction. His body dispersed like sand, not even leaving blood behind. Then he lifted his head up, trembling.

"What are you looking at, Cadell?" I followed his gaze towards the high hut. None of them bothered to move. "Pfft! So they can help you?" I grinned like a maniac as his fearful red eyes slowly turned towards me. "So tell me, why would they help a trash like you?" As the last sparks of destruction began to smoke, I dealt a few more blows, destroying his entire body except his head.

"That's enough now, Regis," I said, watching the obvious sword of destruction fade away. Even though we were both tired, at least there was enough ether, especially to leave here.

I turned my gaze around

They stared in awe at the spot where Cadell died as thousands of people tried to escape from where several structures were still collapsing. I saw many students, including Mayla Valen, who was sitting next to the associate professors, looking at me with a mixture of admiration and fear. Their jaws were slack and they were under the influence of the impressions in their eyes.

But the fire inside me was still not extinguished. Like a hot iron struck on an anvil, I was burning with my longing for rebirth.

I thought maybe there would be a glimmer of hope.

My thoughts seemed lost in the wind, lost and involved in an adventure from which there was no return.

And finally, a dark laugh coming from me seemed to intoxicate the entire arena. "Are we having fun, Alacrya?" I asked. As my eyes wandered over the watching spectators step by step, my smile became increasingly predatory.

No one still understands what's going on, while they're watching me with question marks on their heads, I bent down and separated Cadell's horns from his head. Then I placed it in my dimension rune, and the pressure formed like a mountain of rows collapsing on my shoulder. I turned my eyes to the High Pavilion

A pair of curious red eyes were looking at me through the dust clouds, as if they had opened a slit in my back.

The being, whose wide robe danced with the wind, approached the balcony with jewels adorned on her sharp horns. As he heard their rattling at every step, the silence of death seemed to strike around. Even the officials who were trying to help those who were under the rubble seemed to be wondering what to do.

He clapped his hands as his eyes widened in amusement, shining more and more in the dim light of the dust. "Definitely!" his laughter matched his words. The clapping of the audience's hands, which kept the ground at intervals, increased as Kiros continued to speak. "The fact that you used even the small favor I offered you to surprise me... I must congratulate you," the pressure of his voice was enough to humiliate us all.

Although the effort I made seemed to be enough to entertain Kiros, unfortunately I could not achieve the same success for the others. While Dragoth's eyebrows dropped and he looked in disappointment at the place where Cadell died, Viessa's unchanging expression was unreadable. As Seris looked into my eyes, it was as if a small curtain had opened in her emotions that she always kept hidden behind the stage.

"She must be worried about how you're going to escape from here," Regis whispered tiredly, curling into a comfortable position in my ether core.

"That was a really interesting show, wasn't it?" Kiros said, a hint of disdain and slight curiosity in his tone. "As admirable as it is-

The transparent oval portal continued to expand as it gained energy.

Kiros's eyebrows knitted as he exhaled with anger from the depths of his nose. The fact that there were too many interruptions today must have caused this reaction.

Two silhouettes stepped into the arena

kiros's eyes flickered slightly in surprise.

There was no room for doubt; The Supreme Ruler Agrona was Vritra himself. His aura was powerful enough to surpass asuras like Aldir and Kordri.

Its antlers were like those of a deer; Its sharp curves started just above and curved towards the back. Its protrusions were decorated with trophies of different colours. Her vivid red eyes reminded me of a bloody sky, or maybe it was their harmonious resemblance to Sylvie that disturbed me deep down.

''Sylvie!

As my thoughts wandered through a foggy maze in my mind, my mind wandered to the battle I was fighting with Cadell and Nico. While Agrona had mastered the tactics she used to make me give up, she had taken no precautions regarding her daughter's presence in the war. In fact, his interest in this struggle had left only a small trace and seemed like an unimportant detail to him.

Even calling himself father was seen as an insult to Sylvia's maternal love.

The other person next to her caused me to experience shock after shock.

Although Tessia Erealith had a similar sense of time to the snowy mountains we said goodbye to, the way she held herself and her aura were definitely different. The dress he wore gave him a warrior vibe, while green accent stitching curled into strange shapes to complete his look.

Her particularly striking eyes had changed from the vibrant color of nature, emerald green, to the mysterious sea green. The turquoise runes reflected on his arms on his fair skin were like a tool to turn every detail he saw into a weapon within himself.

Her hair gently flowed down to her shoulders as it danced with a silver shine. Every time he took a step, the faint mystical light spread around him, reflecting his deep connection with nature. Tessia Erealith resembled a sorceress wandering through the forest; a being that is both elegant and embraces the world around it in a special way.

She was the girl I knew from my childhood until now

However, she was a person with a body that would host new stories, where we blend the past with new memories.

While finding the right decision required me to weigh different thoughts, similar to the scales within me, the merciless look thrown at me was heavy enough to relieve my dilemmas,

Maybe even more.

Considering how cunning Agrona was, his plans had come to a long-term turning point. Preparing Nico to die was just a simple step in the scenario to be created.

Agrona's game resembled a sneaky game played on a chessboard. Nico was an extra in this game, while Cecilia was a deceptive element of the complex scenario, like the queen entering the game after the pawn.

It would be a foolish mistake to think that Nico had let loose after my message. He had already used my presence in Alacrya to his advantage by showing Cecilia that I had injured Nico.

Now the doubts in Cecilia's mind would be known like a sharp knife.

Even if I could save Tessia despite these events, it would be a difficult matter. As long as he has this tyrant by his side.

"By the horned goddesses, you have your revenge. Now what are you waiting for? Let's go!" Regis said, and I felt him tug at my body with his sharp teeth.

He was right, but in the current situation, my plan had to be selfless and dangerous enough to shake Agrona even further from her throne. Now he was standing in front of me, with his lithe body, like a snake ready to advance.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Don't tell me you're going to try to fight her," Regis screamed in my mind.

"Now that we are relieved of some burdens, we will return to Dicathen. Of course I can't fight Agrona. "It felt weird when I was with Legacy, the one with the shiny runes."

And a voice

"kiros's voice booms to the point of crushing heaven and earth, Vechor saluting the Supreme Ruler. All hail Agrona Vritra!"

Everyone stopped their work and fell down on their only savior; a single voice echoed throughout the hall: "All hail Agrona Vritra!"

I intervened in the situation that would disrupt the rhythm. "Look who finally decided to come out of his hole," I said sarcastically.

Her signature smile never left her face, but her eyes crinkled slightly as if my comment had affected her.

He slowly leaned down to Cecilia and whispered a few sentences. Then Cecilia's arms rose, her fingers lowered.

The elemental balls surrounding me relaxed as the mana was drawn into it like a well of nothingness. As if in an atmosphere of magic, they were structured and shaped to take on the volume of a box that would keep me locked away. As the warmth of the inner layer enveloped me, the view outside merged with the rhythm of the waves dancing on the water surface. Winged winds struck with enough force to blend the flames with flying colors.

As the elements played within the clear crystal, its cold surface was enough to give me goosebumps. When my hand touched it, a wave of electricity passed through my body, enough to shake it.

Interestingly, if I could sense mana the way I used to, I would definitely be worried. But now I know I can save it from here. Still, Cecillia is a threat; It was designing the mana differently than Realmheart.

Agrona's wry smile slowly widened, as if she were considering the pleasure she was taking in her own game. "Did you enjoy your little game, Gray? Do you need more than just pride in yourself? Oh, what creative beings you are! I must congratulate you, perhaps you ordinary beings need such simple tricks to get noticed in this complex world." Agrona's eyes narrowed shrewdly as she continued speaking. "Before I tear you to pieces, before I forget, I should appreciate your effort in getting your little ether arts ready for me, right?"

As my eyes wandered around the stadium for the last time, familiar faces caught my attention. The people bowed to the ground in complete obedience before Agrona. There was no room even to whisper. Seth was leaning forward, looking at me with eyes that turned from fear to surprise. Seeing him move determinedly towards his goals despite the limited opportunities life offered him reminded me of King Gray.

As the high boxes passed from my view one by one, I found my fellow students behind the transparent shield, leaning as far as their bodies would allow. Each face full of fear seemed to be etched into my mind.

Caera's only step was on the crumbling floor of the arena. At Agrona's arrival, he was bent over in a fixed position like a statue. As her furtive gaze wandered over me, a flood of emotions passed through her beautiful ruby eyes, filled with fear, panic, and kindness.

Don't do that

Don't look at me so kindly

Our friendship, built on lies, should have been based solely on self-interest. While I was supposed to be a dictionary of information for your curiosity, you were going to provide me with positions where I could move comfortably in Alacrya.

However, when we faced the facts, I realized that the foundation of our relationship was built on slippery ground.

It is better to break off our relations at the moment and look ahead than regrets that will be added later.

But what can we expect from someone like you? Is it a gripping story? "Let's face it, Grey, your life for me is just turning the pages of a novel," she said, Agrona's smile slipping through me with a mocking look as her hand waved to activate the scythe.

Melzri took off first, his spiteful eyes watching carefully what I was going to do. Then his other scythe friends joined him.

They started to circle around me like a ghost

But my main priority was Cecilia. I still didn't know how and in what sizes Agrona would use it. While the thought of leaving with Regis had been lingering in my mind, there was now something like a curtain between a sneak attack and finishing him off.

The inheritance's unlimited growth power would pose a threat even among the Asuras.

Who knew that one day Tessia's death would come at my hands?

As I moved my ether vascular lines to burstep, all the fibers began to separate and contract. As the cage was strengthened by the mana of the legacy, my armor protecting me against the spells of resistance, I allowed my vision to blur and my perception to choose the pores it targeted, transporting me in front of Tessia - Cecilian. 

My aether sword fit perfectly into my hand as it quickly appeared. Its sharp edge combined with the vibrations of the ether around it, making me feel the world around me more clearly. It was as if time itself was enchanted, and even I couldn't fully understand how it passed.

His teal eyes followed the trail I left and focused on my figure appearing in front of him. As the ether sword stood ready to enter his core with force, I watched his bones sear and his lung shatter as he took a step back. His eyes were shining in disbelief and had returned to their former emerald green color.

He was talking with his shallow breath while one of his hands was gently caressing my face. "Art," he said to me so gently, I felt like I was ready to die.

Even though Tessia's voice shook me, I did not give up my decision.

Injecting all my strength, I turned the hilt towards its core, just as I had done with Cadell. But at that moment, when our eyes met again, he maneuvered to protect himself, his sea blue eyes shining with hatred. He combined the compressed mana he had configured in his left hand with the wind and exploded it in front of him.

As I was thrown back by the impact, I crossed my arms in front of me and scraped my feet on the ground. So, slowing down, I turned my attention back to the unfolding event.

"Oh, you finally made it?" Agrona's smile turned wild, she grabbed Cecilian's shoulders roughly and pulled him close. "You see, Grey, you almost surprised me. "You seemed to have softened after he blessed you with a family, but it couldn't have been more natural for you to end up seeing allegiances as a mistake too," he said in a sarcastic tone.

"Tch" I clicked my tongue, ignoring Agrona's words, was I going to come back empty handed?

I desired to win; I also wanted to see what kind of reaction the damage I would inflict on Agrona would create.

"And you did your best, now let's go before agrona bristles, you psycho regis would scream once more from my mind.

"Agrona, with a gesture of his hand, ordered the scythes as follows: 'Take this experimental piece to the castle!'"

"Agrona's playful behavior disappeared as GodStep's amethyst light began to shine on my body. This gave way to a deep frown. As the power in his hand suddenly opened like a trap door, the pressure in the sky was ready to crush me if I was a few more seconds late."

When Ether wrapped me in different ways and carried me outside the Victoria, the last expression she saw was my middle finger raised and me saying fuck you.

Now, for those who ask me, why did I follow a similar path, especially in the last part, because this was the detail that made Agrona look like a real god in front of the Alacrya people?

Of course, no matter how much the story will follow the original, there will be differences, I plan to write examples in future stories because her return will be someone who is determined and does not hesitate to make sacrifices.

Thank you to everyone who has read so far. Feel free to write if there is any confusion or if there is something you would like me to change in the story.

:)