Chapter 313: Envoy Of Nothingness

The next morning was uneventful. We got up and readied ourselves for battle. The crew was inspected and so was the rest of the ship.

A small, elite group of fighters was picked to deal with our enemy.

Isabella, Cassandra, Stella, Aldaril, Nasuria, Vakra, and myself.

I saw no point in adding anyone else.

More bodies meant a higher chance of someone getting eaten.

I wouldn't tolerate that.

Finally, we prepared to depart...and made our way to Delvandal using the surprisingly-still-intact anchor platform.

We arrived on Delvandal and I looked at the landscape below.

First, the sky was gray and overcast.

On the ground, was a ruined city of what had once been Elysium.

Everything looked like it had been completely annihilated.

And the worst part of all...

Everything was dead silent.

We exited the ship and began walking around the city.

"What happened here?" I asked.

"You already know," Vakra said angrily.

I could tell beneath his mash that he was in his skeletal form. His voice was dripping with hatred and malice towards Valtheim.

"This isn't..."

"The only ghost town? No. Not at all. All life on this world has ceased to be, Mizik. I had ample opportunity to look at this world from afar while you were dealing with things..."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. Pity isn't something I ever expected to get from you of all people. And I have no use for it. But...your sentiment did not go unnoticed..."

I simply nodded.

There was nothing I could say here.

As awful a person as Vakra was...he wasn't actually evil. He cared about these people and genuinely wanted to protect them.

Delvandal was his home. And now, there was nothing left but dust and echoes...

Eventually, we reached the palace and Vakra stopped us.

"Before we enter...let me just say thank you for agreeing to this. I know you planned on it already but...still. I have every reason to believe that vile monster is within the throne room, mocking the memory of his Majesty and the Empress... Let's get this over with. If you are ready..." Vakra said.

I looked around at our group.

"Are we ready to die?" I asked.

They all nodded. 

I steeled myself and we entered the palace.

Vakra led us through the ruined, gray-tinted halls and I kept a light for everyone to see.

Finally, we entered the throne room.

The dim light filled the wide space through several massive holes in the walls and ceiling of the once-great, futuristic castle.

And on the exact position that the thrones once sat, stood a figure cloaked in darkness.

A beautiful woman with long gray hair...

Her eyes were as black as the Void she came from.

"I brought him, just like you asked. But be warned...we did not come here to to die, Valtheim. We came here to destroy you," Vakra said defiantly.

Valtheim seemed to lock her gaze on all of us at once.

"Death...I...am death. I...am nothingness... I...AM...VOID!!!!" Her voice shook the ruins as she spoke.

I stepped forward...but not to speak with her.

I knew there was no point.

"Do your worst...VOID ABOMINATION!!!" I roared.

Valtheim's face twisted in rage.

"YOU!!! YO...YOU!!! HARMED MAS...MASTER!!! DIE IN...NOTHINGNESS!!!" She shouted.

I felt chill run up my spine as Valtheim moved towards us.

"GET READY!!! DON'T LET HER TOUCH YOU!!!" I shouted.

I scanned her with my new magic to get a feel for her power.

{Name: Valtheim, Avatar of the Void.}

{Class: None}

{Abilities: None.}

{HP: 0}

{P.atk: 0}

{M.atk: 0}

{P.def: 0}

{M.def: 0}

{Acc: 0}

{Eva: 0}

DAMN IT ALL!!! STILL NOTHING!?!?

"PERISH...DEVOUR...!" Valtheim said.

Her right arm changed into a gaping maw with rows of teeth. She shot forward at me and tried to clamp down over my entire body.

I dodged back and fired a blast of pure creation magic at her. 

Forcing matter to come into existence was taxing, but I had no choice.

Her form dispersed and reappeared several feet away.

"...Useless..."

"STELLA!!!" I shouted.

"Yes!"

Stella moved in and began trying to hold her in place with her magic.

"Remote...remote....FORM!!!"

Valtheim stood motionless. Her form shifted and a second Valtheim appeared, absorbing all of the magic from the first.

"She...she can still do that... I see..." I said uneasily.

"It's okay, darling! Let's fire our magic into her to keep her from moving!" Cassandra said.

"EVERYONE ATTACK!!" 

At the same time, everyone in our group began launching as much magic into Valtheim as possible.

It had absolutely no effect.

"This is pointless, Mizik! We need to draw her true form out! Any ideas!?" Vakra said.

"Think...think..."

Valtheim disappeared and reappeared in front of Isabella, who moved away from her immediately.

Cassandra flung several daggers and blades of of shadow magic into her, but all that did was lock her in place.

"She stops while 'eating'. Her true form is in the Void... We have to draw her out somehow. Make her use a large portion of her power..." I said.

Valtheim summoned several eyes above us. They came crashing down and we just barely managed to avoid them.

Then...

"AAHHHHHH!!!! MY ARM!!!" 

"ALDARIL!!!" Nasuria shouted.

I looked over and saw Aldaril clutching his arm in pain. It was completely gone.

"Shit!! ALDARIL! GET BACK!!!" I shouted.

Valtheim lunged at him immediately.

Meanwhile Nasuria made a mad dash for him as well.

Aldaril was completely helpless...

I prepared for the worst as Stella summoned Faith to grab Aldaril and pull him from harms way.

Faith flung him behind the group as Valtheim was hit with another blast of magic from Stella.

Nasuria ran to him immediately and stood ready to defend.

I moved in close and constructed a sword from nothing. I slashed Valtheim's throat and she simply looked at me.

The sword ceased to exist...even though I had charged it with the power of creation, it did nothing.

"Useless...I am...NOTHINGNESS!!!"

Valtheim's mouth split open as two eyes appeared behind me.

She lunged forward as both of the eyes opened like mouths to bite me.

"Tch..."

I managed to teleport out of her trap and reappeared behind Isabella.

"This really feels hopeless... How do we make her use more power!?" I said angrily.

"Let me take Cassandra! Let us figure it out up close while you and Stella support us!" Vakra said.

"Do it!!" I said.

Vakra and Cassandra rushed in and got to her sides as Faith and Stella stood at her front and back.

"Take this! Power of Creation!" Stella said.

Her and Faith both raised their hands and locked Valtheim in place again.

Vakra held out his hands as he began channeling his azure magic into Valtheim. Cassandra surrounded Valtheim in wires and began channeling magus stream.

Valtheim seemed unbothered by all of it.

"Tactics...worthless... I am...unaffected. Done...playing games..."

Valtheim slowly raised her hands and a black field appeared at everyone's feet surrounding her.

"DAMMIT!!!" Vakra roared.

He used his gravity magic to fling everyone except himself away...

And not even a second later, he disappeared into the field.

"VAKRAAAAA!!!!" I screamed.

"All of you...you...perish. FALL...FALL... FALL INTO NOTHING!!!"

A massive field of darkness appeared at our feet. 

Before any of us could do anything I stop it...we were pulled down into it.