Without A Fourth Stage

Northan twirled his guandao and carved it forward. Igneel leapt back while guarding himself with his arms, the edge of the guandao slicing through his forearms. Landing softly he took several steps back and felt a golden light heal his arms. Yemm lowered his Priest staff, "Careful, I don't have much Prayer."

"Of course!"

Gan flicked underneath Northan and kicked upwards, his Flow empowering his actions. The steed of Northan flailed through the air before managing to land. Galloping forward he swung his guandao towards Gan, however Immen jumped towards the swing and placed his shield to block it. The moment before the guandao hit, Immen's shield flashed and the swing bounced off the shield!

Northan's horse cried out as it raised its legs and whinnied. Stomping downwards it aimed to crush Immen, but Iyh slid and placed his own shield in its path. As the horse stomped on the shield a huge indent formed on its side, causing it to stumble.

"Fools!", Northan cried, "Your pitiful attempts to take on us will prove to be fruitless!"

The undead reached forth in unison to drown Northan's enemies in their numbers. A thick lightning bolt crashed through their numbers and caused them to fall. Quol spun his staff and flung a fireball into another group. 

Immen ordered, "Time's running thin! Quol will do his best to hold off the undead, so we have to find out a way to deal with this!"

"That's easier to say!", Iyh brandished his shield.

Stepping next to Iyh Immen placed his shield next to the other. With a pained smile Immen responded, "I agree unfortunately."

Igneel slid his foot forward into a stance, one that mimicked the one Wrock used. What had he done to breach the way past the ravine? That sort of lingering strength, that technique! What was it from? If he could summon that strength again, if he could break past this sort of limitation! 

Gan mirrored Igneel's stance, "Any idea on what we could do?"

Igneel shook his head, "I don't. . ."

A wave of ice formed in the undead horde, Quol sipped another MP potion and made a pained expression. If the Territory didn't exist! If only!

Uyu cast a large AOE healing Skill and most of the undead found their legs disintegrating. Quol raised an eyebrow, "Shouldn't you be helping the others?"

"They're capable, you won't be able to hold them off though. That's what I'm here for."

"Appreciated."

"Of course."

It was this close! The assault on the undead was this close to succeeding! If they could only get rid of the Territory, the rest would fall into place!

~ ~ ~

"Or so they say.", Averoth walked up to the barrier and placed a palm onto it.

"Rid the Territory and the undead shall fall.", Travis echoed Averoth's previous words.

"A powerful Territory like this comes at a cost. To keep still things moving, a moving thing needs to be still."

"Territory. . ."

Averoth fell backwards and rested as if in a hammock, "To push your powerful ideals onto the world. A show of your Prominence. You state your rules to match your ideal, and if it is accepted the World will lend you some of its power to morph the ground into your Territory.", Averoth scoffed.

"Yet?"

"Yet? You want me to say more?"

"You speak of it with a disgusted tone. As if there's an issue with Territory."

"There is no issue with Territory. It is a mighty ability indeed. Those who can pull it off successfully are few, and mighty."

"Must I repeat myself?", Travis urged Averoth to speak his mind.

"It's restrictive, no matter which form you use. An individual's Territory must abide by the rules governed by the World. The Territory summoned by Synced Nexus cannot be altered to your needs. A power like that is fickle, not to be relied on."

"You never used Territory."

"Once, I have used it once before. It became clear to me that it was something I did not need. That power is not of oneself. Do not pursue it."

"So you say.", Travis decided Averoth's words weren't worth listening to any further.

The World's greatest warrior. Naturally a title like that came with weight. However the more Travis listened to his words, the more he began to understand that Averoth's words were not ones spoken from the greatest warrior, but rather words spoken of Averoth's own opinions. His words on becoming stronger were worth listening to, but he made it clear that some of his words weren't saint given advice.

"None shall enter, all undead within are to rise again, and of course all can leave.", Travis raised an eyebrow.

He wanted the assault to proceed enough before he made a move. There wasn't a need to be tangled up on this sort of conflict. Now, as for the rule of 'none shall enter', he needn't worry about that.

[Truth Twofold: Existence].

Travis looked behind him, the barrier of the Territory continued to pulse. This form of teleportation bypassed the rule of 'none shall enter'. Rather, it was more like he never entered, but was always inside.

It was a Truth. With the Eyes of Trinity, Travis controlled three Truths, at least when it was related to himself. Now having entered the Territory Travis surveyed the ongoing of the war. Averoth made a dramatic movement to look about before commenting, "Hey! It's those golems."

"Machines, mechanical creations."

"Oh? That reminds me of that one crazy guy, wonder if they're related.", Averoth crossed his arms, "Anyway the next piece is inside the castle itself. As for how you can get in. . ."

Grinning Averoth turned to Travis and shrugged. Rolling his eyes Travis stepped forward. Getting to the castle was easy. Since there currently was a war taking place the castle itself was shockingly empty. Only guarded by the Undead King itself.

"To keep still things moving, a moving thing needs to be still.", Travis echoed.

The one thing guarding the castle, the undead king, was unable to move. An incredible opportunity for Travis. One he intended to take. 

Averoth jumped in the air and rotated upside down. Moving his hands to mimic binoculars he targeted a few in the war that caught his eye, "Mhmhm, very nice! Incredible talents all around, the new generation is not one to be doubted!"

"New generation.", Travis spoke with a hint of venom.

Slowly moving his mimic binoculars from his face Averoth rose an eyebrow, "Okay, now that's an interesting comment to make."

Hovering over Averoth crossed his arms while still staying upside down. Coming eye-to-eye with Travis he asked, "And what did you mean by it?"

Travis remained silent as he traveled across the battlefield. Remaining with his pace to stare at Travis Averoth asked, "Not going to say anything?"

Making a face Averoth raised his hands, although they pointed towards the ground. With a scoff he said, "Fine! You win. I hereby promise to not tease you with vague mentions of things I may or may not know. In exchange can you not pull the same stunt?!"

Travis shook his head, now wasn't the time nor the place to reveal something like his regression. Especially not the unknown variable that was Averoth. So instead Travis spoke, "Keep true to your promise, and perhaps I'll speak."

"Bah! No fun! Grab my piece, I no longer wish to speak with you.", Averoth harrumphed and walked out of Travis' vision.

The anomalies known as Six Lights. Everything they touch is different from what he knew, and as he grew closer to the moment of his regression, the future only became more unknown. Until the moment everything fell into place. He would figure out who they were first.

Of course, Averoth's piece had priority. Travis warped using [Truth Twofold: Existence] and found himself on the top of the wall. The treasure vault of the undead, it should be somewhere underneath everything. Pushing against the doors Travis opened them to the main hall and immediately an overbearing presence fell onto his shoulders.

The undead king's presence. . . Travis fought against it, targeting it with his War Sight. It pushed back enough to not be suffocating, but still hindered him greatly. Walking through the halls Travis heard laughter. The undead king's voice followed after, "And what gives you the confidence? You may be of royalty, but that does not give you room to not bow to a King!!"

Travis lifted an arm and braced against the suffocating presence of the undead king. His knees began to bend and Travis fought back doubly with his War Sight. With a frown he listened closer. The voice the undead king was speaking to. . . was Akiol?

That. . . idiot! It was immediately clear to Travis what Akiol was trying to do. He was trying to get the undead king to move! By doing so he would disable the Territory and allow his army to advance, but that would also unleash the undead king! That alone would spell the end of this assault! 

Especially since they didn't have a Fourth Stage!