Long ago, the land of Alkebulan was ruled by the mighty Gods. Mortals lived at the mercy of these divine beings, who decided their fate and wielded the power of the elements. When angered, the Gods would shake the heavens and earth with their mighty power, leaving mortals trembling in fear. But then came the discovery of the Supreme Power of Jok - a force that allowed mortals to harness the power of the Gods and connect with their own Ori, or inner spirit. With this newfound power, humans began to thrive and rise to levels of strength and ability that rivaled even the Gods themselves. They took control of their own fate, harnessing the spark of destiny embedded within their very essence. But such power was not for everyone. Only the truly talented and skilled could go against the natural order of the heavens and claim their own fate. It was a rare gift, but for those who possessed it, the possibilities were endless. **Disclaimer:** The concepts, names, and themes presented in this book, are entirely fictional and created for entertainment purposes. They do not represent real deities, belief systems, or cultural practices. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental. This content is a product of creative imagination and does not reflect any existing religious, cultural, or historical beliefs. Readers are encouraged to enjoy these imaginative elements within the context of fictional storytelling and to respect the rich diversity of real-world cultures and traditions. Please note that the information provided here is for entertainment and creative purposes only and should not be considered factual or authoritative in any way. Alex Matarirano 2023 All Rights Reserved
The tempest unleashed by the Paragon had quieted, but tremors from the clash of Hegemons still echoed in the distance. Sword flashes and elemental magic flickered like dying embers, each a microcosm of destruction. High above the academy, Dean Omari stood resolute, his crimson hair whipped by the residual gales as he faced his monstrous adversary.
Valkor, his form stood tall, without an inch of humanity, loomed opposite the Dean. Dark mist swirled around portals at his command, disgorging a grotesque legion of demons. Some sported leathery wings, others slithered on serpentine limbs, their roars a cacophony of malice.
"Foolish mortal!" Valkor boomed, his voice a rasping challenge. "Watch as my legion devours your precious students! You can't hope to fight me and protect them simultaneously!" A cruel amusement flickered in his dark red eyes.
Beneath them, the students witnessed this exchange, a flicker of fear momentarily dimming their defiance. But then, Dean Omari's hand rose, his astral energy crackling around him. With a surge of power, blue flames erupted from his palms, coalescing into massive hammers that dwarfed his own body.
"You underestimate not just me, but the spirit of my students!" Dean Omari roared back, his voice laced with righteous fury. "Now face me, demon!" The students erupted in cheers, their trepidation replaced by a surge of unwavering loyalty. "How dare a demon defile our home!" one student bellowed, his voice echoing with newfound courage.
Dean Omari wasted no time. With a roar of "Blazing Hammers: Purgatory Strike!", he swung the colossal hammers in a wide arc, the points meeting in a deafening crash. A blinding flash of blue light erupted, followed by a thunderous boom that shook the very heavens. A wave of searing blue fire surged outwards from the impact point, incinerating the air itself as it charged towards Valkor.
The demon, however, did not flinch. Instead, a manic grin split his handsome face. He charged forward to meet the flames head-on, his demonic essence crackling with a chilling counter-aura.
Dean Omari watched, a grim certainty settling on his features. "Your arrogance is your downfall," he muttered.
As if to punctuate his words, Valkor's triumphant roar turned into a bloodcurdling shriek. The seemingly harmless blue flames engulfed him, transforming him into a living torch. His screams of anguish echoed across the battlefield, a horrifying counterpoint to the cheers of the students below.
"So, this is the power of the Jorin Middle Heaven Astral Realm," a professor remarked, his voice tinged with awe as he felt the sheer power radiating from the Dean. Just a touch of those flames could turn him to ash.
"Impossible! How can such flames hurt me?" Valkor roared, his voice choked with pain and disbelief. The realization that a mere human could inflict such agony sent a sliver of fear through him. But more terrifying was the feeling of his demonic energy being devoured by the flames. He was being cut off from the Hells Order Realm, his source of infinite power. As his demonic energy sputtered and died, so did his ability to resist.
Dean Omari, his face devoid of emotion, raised the blazing hammers high. The blue flames intensified, burning with an otherworldly brilliance. A colossal sigil, composed entirely of blue fire, descended from the heavens, encasing Valkor and binding him in unbreakable flames.
"Release me, you pathetic human!" The demon lord roared in frustration, the sound of a caged beast. The flames severed his connection to the demonic realm, leaving him stranded and powerless.
The Dean, his eyes locked on the bound demon, spoke with chilling finality. "This technique," he declared, his voice resonating with power, "is called Lawkeeper's Judgement. I am the Law in this domain. And you," he continued, his gaze hardening, "will answer for your desecration."
The Main Academy square pulsed with a tumult of emotions. Nervous energy buzzed among students, their white-knuckled grip on weapons evident as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder with mentors. The air crackled with a blend of fear and defiance, an intoxicating mix fueled by the looming horde.
Lesser demons, grotesque nightmares given form, writhed mere meters away. Their hatred, a tangible miasma, choked the air. Each demon a shard of obsidian honed on fury, poised to shatter the fragile peace. The wind, heavy with anticipation, whispered of the coming storm.
Amidst the frantic tremor of hands gripping weapons and the rustling whispers like wind through dead leaves, a figure emerged from the shadows. Not a whisper, not a breath dared escape as all eyes locked onto him. His hair, the color of a moonless night, cascaded down his back, framing a face that seemed carved from obsidian. Dark eyes, like pools of molten onyx, held a fire that wasn't warmth, but a steely resolve. It was fixed on the approaching tide of darkness – a writhing mass of snarling, grotesque demons.
The clang of steel on leather ripped through the suffocating silence. With a single, fluid motion, the figure unsheathed a blade that gleamed with a cold, malevolent light. He lunged forward, not with brute force, but with the deadly grace of a panther stalking its prey. His stance wasn't textbook; it spoke of unorthodox battles fought and won, of a warrior who wrote his own rules in blood. A voice, surprisingly young but laced with the icy command of a seasoned general, sliced through the tension. "Are you waiting for their numbers to swell like a plague boil? Attack now! Reserve your most potent spells for what lurks behind. This is war, not a playground!"
A harsh scoff answered him. A broad-shouldered man, all brawn with a face that betrayed a flicker of fear beneath his defiance, stepped forward. "Easy there, Farai," he sneered, the word dripping with disdain. "These hellspawn cower before the kiss of flame, and by some fortunate twist of fate," he brandished a gauntlet crackling with vibrant energy, "fire happens to be my specialty. Let's see who carves the highest tally of demon entrails, shall we?"
Farai ignored the taunt, a flicker of something akin to disgust crossing his features.
"Hmph, just kill as many as you can Hajin." stopping for a bit too catch his breath as he responded.
In a blink, he was a blur, a whirlwind of steel and fury. His blade became a ravenous beast, carving a bloody swathe through the demon horde. Black ichor stained the ground crimson, yet somehow, impossibly, Farai remained untouched, his movements a chilling display of practiced efficiency.
His eyes, devoid of warmth or pity, were those of a predator, a reaper culling a field of weeds. Heads tumbled, limbs flew, yet the demons pressed on, a mindless tide surging against the immovable rock that was Farai. They clawed at him, their guttural roars echoing in the night, but their touch never found purchase.
Seeing their champion's dance of death, a roar erupted from the students' line. It wasn't a fearful cry, but a primal battle hymn. A young woman, her eyes blazing with a power that seemed to crackle in the air, took a deep breath. Her form crackled with energy as she coiled, then launched herself skyward. The distance between her and the ground seemed to shrink as she defied gravity, a living projectile hurtling towards the demon mass.
Her gloved hand, adorned with intricate patterns shimmered with astral energy, poised to unleash a devastating blow. Hajin not want to be outdone followed on the ground, two flame sabers pulsing with heat that burned the very air materialized into his hands, and with two swings a flame tornado swept through the demons, burning them to mere ashes.
Shock spread onto the students face, but Farai just nodded his head, "You have improved." then focused on his prey. Hajin snorted, "I don't need you to tell me that!" as cut down another swathe of demonic spawn, yet they seemed to keep flowing out.
A student held in awe, watching the goddess of death couldn't help but exclaim "Is Anya so powerful already ?"
Anya landed with the force of a meteor, a cloud of dust following with the gore of limbs splattering everywhere, Anya was a killing machine as she threw blow after blow each methodical and fatal. The demons stood no chance as she unleashed wave after wave punches and kicks, blasting through them like a ravenous goddess of death. Her smiling face made the demons pause as they watched her kill with joy.
"You demons dare invade us?" she cackled with mocking glee. "Come on then! Show me what you've got!"
The demons, instilled with a sliver of fear by her bloodthirsty joy, hesitated. "Who exactly is the demon here?" they wondered, their initial bloodlust wavering.
As the enigmatic Farai led the charge, students visibly relaxed. Some shed their apprehension, joining the fray with blades, spears, or shields. Others conjured flames, ice and water weaving elements into the chaotic dance of battle.
"Kill these demonic spawn and leave none alive!" a student roared. "The portals looked to be getting smaller and fainter we just have to hold our ground!"
Hi, its been awhile since I uploaded. Started college and have been busy with back to back tests and exams. I will try to be consistent but its gonna be tough with my schedule hope you like this chapter