Chapter 8: Life in the Final Moments of the Doom 1

~~Elise POV~~

Seeing him sleep calms me down. I had been worried when he used that state. I had taught him my technique as he taught me his. So much so that our 'Hero time' and 'Hero Mode' has combined completely. Not just increasing our perception but also increasing our physical limits.

This was a problem I faced when I used 'Hero Mode'. I was moving at great speed and strength that my attacks are always overcharged and too excessive. I was more a kin to a 'Berserker' than a Hero. So I asked him for help about it.

He created my newest acessorie. A golden Circlet. The item is enchanted with complete control of magical flow. Like a circuit. It helps me use Hero Time along side Hero Mode with lesser penalties. Mainly cause the first time I did it, I suffered through a headache that despite being healed left a throbbing senstation on my head for two more days. The circlet was working perfectly, and it had helped in the fight against the weaker dragons even by myself.

But the same cannot be said of him.

His whole body is the one that suffers and since he has only used it three times so far. He hasn't gotten used to it yet. And the only fix we know is to heal him afterwards.

So all I could do was let him rest. I decided to explore the vast manor. Finding nothing of note. Even the vault that we came for. Just two daggers, but with all we have, it should be enough for one longsword.

It's already late at night when I saw him walk into the kitchen as I was preparing dinner.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Far better, I don't know how you deal with that."

"It had hurt at first for me too you know." I said with a knowing smile.

*groan* "..stop.... please."

"hahaha" I laighed as he pouted with his chin on the table.

"So, what did you find?"

"Sorry sweety, only a couple of daggers." I replied apologetically.

*sigh* "It was a long shot anyway. We were warned not to get our hopes up but still... Anyway! What's for dinner?"

"What else but what we have, Dragon meat."

"uhk... That does it, let's finish this mess so we can settle down, and you can cook some decent food." he said with laugh, one we both shared.

We soon had our dinner and slept afterwards. Morning came and we took stock of our inventory.

We had expected this outcome. So we thought to finish this journey across this ruins . We had been in here long enough. It had been months for sure, but with the constant darkness we don't really know how long.

As soon as we were ready we begun our journey to the gigantic tower in the middle. As we were crossing the land we were attacked by another set of shadow demons.

'Damn, I guess we really got their attention.' According to Tanwen, they were created by shadow binders to scout or steal in these ruins. Killing them causes a backlash to it's witches, which meant we got their attention the last time.

I immediately pulled my hood up as did Ronan. It was enchanted to hide our face. A battle insued between us. Though this demons would have been deadly to any man in this world due to their versatility and endurance. They were fodders to me and Ronan. Our magic, equipment, and skills are superior in every way. Killing them was easy with the Holy Element due to them being defenseless. Even when they guarded with bladed arms, to us was still just arms.

The fight carried on for only a few minutes, with me and Ronan killing them one by one. Any surprise attack they had was useless against our armor. Soon they began to flee.

We ended up chasing them. We can't let them loom over us, not when we were about to make our final confrontation so to speak. Once dealt with we continued to the tower.

I will admit, I was a bit scared. We don't really know what to expect from this. Tanwen, herself can't see the tower. Nothing but pitch black.

Looking at it now, I can't help but snicker at it.

"Don't say it." he said. I on the other hand is barely holding on to my laughter. It looks just like Barad dûr.

I can already imagine what's inside. Once inside we saw what would have been a grand place. Even through all the soot and grime, the glitter of gold is still there. It's decor shows opulence. The walls despite the cracks still shows depiction of valyrian history. Soon we reached a great hall.

On the sides stand thirteen statues. Each one holding different weapon. "If these things move I'm gonna lose it."

I laughed at that. But it is to be expected just by looking at it. After all the hall looks more like a fighting ring than anything else. We were standing at the edge of the circle, which is obviously a magic circle. We started casting spell blades at the ready and our swords drawn. He looked to me for confirmation, I replied with a nod. He took a deep breath, and then stepped forward. As soon as he did, the circle glowed and the statues begins to move.

We were ready, as soon as they engaged, I released the phalanx that we had on standby. They dodged all of it. They were fast. Ronan created a greatblade in his other hand and rushed forward.

Six of the thirteen went for me. My opponents fought less like warriors and more like killing machines. Not caring about allies and just simply attacked. I was able to take advantage of this. Using them against one another to give me breathing room to fight. Keeping up with dodging and parrying, but they happen to be capable of regenerating. So I ended up using explosive attacks. Like a wind charged fireball or fire fist. With those two I suceeded in taking out three of my six opponents. Then they jumped back and stopped.

I held my sword at hand. And readied myself, feeling the tenseness in the air. And then they, much to my surprise, took a stance.

The first one to attack is the one with a Glaive in a diagonal swing from my left. I stepped back with a small burst. I tried to close the distance when the weapon planted to the ground, but the second weilding a rapier went for consecutive stabs against me from my right. I dodged the first three stabs then parried the third, before I could act on it a Glaive came at me from above forcing me to guard. But with my sword from occupied I was then punched in the gut by the third with gauntlets on it's arms. I was sent sliding back ten feet.

'Strong.'

Our fight went on like that for a few minutes. With me unable to take advantage of any openings because of the other two. To make matters worst they aren't 'alive', going so far as for them to continue attacking despite being imbalanced. So far I had lost 47% of my armor's integrity already.

Our exchange was disturbed when a dozen spell blades hit them from the side making one lost an arm, another enemy lost a leg. As always they showed no reaction and continued to fight.

I immediately parried the fist of the only one intact coming at me. And then destroying it's torso with a fire charged punch, I heared something shatter. It to stop moving, I then returned my attention to the other two.

In the corner of my eye I can see Ronan has summoned his spell swords. A set hovering behind him and another set spinnin around him. And he still has three opponents.

I see him glance my way. He showed relief when he saw I was fine. I've decided to throttle him first before rewarding him later. Looking forward I saw my last two enemies The one with the rapier has one leg lost and the one with the glaive has lost one arm.

I returned to the fight. A sudden fire burst sends me foward instantly. I did a horizontal swing at the two. The glaive blocked me and the rapier sends a jab, expecting it I ducked down the attack, closing the distance. Sword in hand I cut it in two with a diagonal swing, starting from it's hip to it's shoulders. Again a shattering sound.

I turned to the glaive user, and saw it has started to rebuild itself from the rocks of the others.

My breath was even. Honestly I don't know if they were fine warriors, not knowing any other to compare. But even if they were, we should be able to bridge the gap. Our physical prowess afterall is beyond any human here, curtesy of me.

Before it could completely recover. I rushed it channeling fire into my sword. I released a blood red sword beam, cleaving it in half. I attacked four more times just to be sure.

I released a deep breath. Doing said technique doesn't cost much magic but it was mentally taxing. Even with the supporting enchantments. I heared a whistle and then looked to Ronan. Seeing him smiling while covered in soot gives me relief. Looking in the same direction he is I ended up laughing a little too. The floor was severely damaged along with my enemy, which was complete destroyed beyond recognition.

I was then held softly. Looking at my beloved, checking me for injuries makes my heart swell. So I just held his cheek and gave him a peck on the lips. He looked hesitant at first but nodded in acceptance.

Ronan then picked something from the rubble, a crystal.

"A sucessful attempt at automatons. Impressive, but the method is vile. At least we know they have a weakness."

Turns out the Valyrians put their prisoners to better use. Their souls sucked out of them to fuel a magic crystal.

"Should we destroy them to release the souls?"

"No my love, there is no more soul in here. They had died when the soul was removed from their body. What they actually took was the innate magic inside them."

"So they are mere batteries now then?"

"That they are."

"Let's take them then. They might prove useful along the way." I asked.

He nodded at that. Though shattered the crystal can be repaired with magic, successfully recovering much of it's magic power. But not all of it's power. Great thing about it is that the crystals are blank. No runic matrixes or any other enchantment other than storage. The commands for the statues to move was carved inside them. Which makes this a great find. We then turned to head for the stairs at the end of the hall.

We traversed the towers next four floors, each one possessing the same enemies with different weapons. Fighting them was easier, knowing we don't have to decapitate them or anything like that. Their crystals were all located at the center of the chest, so dealing with them came easy. And now here we are, at the fifth floor. At the center of the hall before us is a giant statue with four arms, Three heads and four legs. The arms has a sword, a spear, an axe and a shield each. It's five meters tall. But we knew this was going to be easy. The crystals are for some reason, located outside of it's body. We would have just shot it from a distance but the past floors showed a magic barrier that is triggered when they were attacked from outside their circles. But this is the only passage to the top. And we have a feeling we can't miss this fight. Victory would be a rewarding for us.

Ronan prepared his bow and a dozen spell greatblades floating behind him. I held my sword with both hands, and set it a flame. Stepping forward together, it's eyes glowed the moment we got close enough.

I charged ahead as arrows was let lose against each joints exploding, leaving a layer of ice. It attacked with the spear, I slide to the side still closing the distance. The sword came raising up to sweep from the other side, but it never reached me.

*shink!* Seeing a spell blade pass by, then the Giant's sword began to fall with the hand still clenched around it, it's wrist cut clean. Jumping as high as I can I bought down my sword on it's forehead forcing the shield up. Several arrows came at it's left shoulder. And so the spear fell with the entire arm.

Jumping off the shield before it could shove me back. I landed on the right shoulder, another 'fire burst' sends me towards the head facing the right shoulder. I was about to stab the crystal on this one's forehead when it vanished.

'huh...?' my perception hightened seeing just beside me, the giant with it's axe raised high already. Ready to cleave me in half. All I could do was look.

I felt fear. I was suddenly pulled sideways. Completely numb, I didn't know what happened. I was then laid down somewhere. I simply sat there unmoving. I felt cold. I nearly died. For the first time.

~~~GENERAL POV~~~

With Elesis taken out of comission. Ronan rushed against the Giant. His sword extended with his Carian Greatsword. He ends up in an exchange against The Giant. Their fight was one sided, and Ronan was losing. He was kept on the defensive, and despite being hit only once, he had lost 53% of his armor's integrity.

Parrying for an opening, Ronan went for an upwards strike, the Giant dodged sideways while bringing around down it's war axe downward. Ronan then rolled away but he was bashed by the shield. He then released the spellblades behind him taking advantage of the opening, flew towards it's shoulders and landed a hit. The Giant's shield arm went limp.

The Giant then raised it's Axe and cleaved the shield arm clean off. It then rushed with a downward swing. Ronan side steped then guarded against a sweeping strike. His sword arm along with his shoulder went numb from the impact. The axe then decended again and Ronan diverted the attack by striking the flat side of the axe bringing it to the floor. But the axe hid an attack he wasn't expecting. A kick from the the the other side of the axe as it rose. He raised his sword against his right shoulder to guard.

*BANG!* Sending him against a pillar. bringing his armor to zero levels. He's right arm broken. And for the first time blood flowed down from his forehead over his right eye.

Elesis, struck speechless at what she was seeing began to cry silently. She saw The Giant walk towards Ronan dragging it's axe across the marbled floor. A spike of fear and above all desperation, flowed through her.

With a fearful cry she channeled fire and wind in her sword and unleashed a flurry of sword beams against The Giant. Not expecting the attack, the Giant shielded with the flat side of the axe. The flash of attacks continued relentlessly. A stray attack cleaved off a leg, but soon began to regenerate back to place, albeit slowly. As the Giant was busy defending, Ronan had healed himself. He then used his 'Hero mode' and with a heave, raised the fallen spear and threw it at one of it's heads striking the crystal true. It buckled as a leg went unusable and another still recovering. The Giant still was able to stabilise itself on two legs.

It saw the Blue haired man raise the fallen sword and threw it at great speed again. In desperation the Giant parried away the sword leaving him open from the barrage of blade beams. And then it fell on it's knee as one of it's legs was cut through by the knee. Unstable on one hand and one knee. It still saw the Greatsword sized spell blade coming for it's other forehead, it dodge by leaning it's neck sideways but Ronan was infront of it and ready. With a sword thrust it broke it's primary crystal. It's dying and it knew it, so it changed crystal. In an act of defiance it let go of the axe and then grabbed Ronan. It's head turned like a cork and then realited in place and then smashed Ronan against the floor.

"NOOOOO!!!" Hearing a yell from the side he turned in time to see a red beam cleaved it face and in turn it's last crystal in half. With a resounding *BOOOMM!!!* the Giant fell.

Elesis could be seen crawling desperately towards Ronan. The relentless use of her 'Sword Beam' in tandem with 'Hero Mode, had left her physically weakened. She could feel her conciousness slipping away.

"no... please, you can't leave me here..." She in desperation used the every last one of her reserves of her magic to heal him. She soon lost conciousness not being able to check if it worked, leaving one last whisper. "Don't leave, please... you promissed us."

She fell asleep as she held him against her chest. Not seeing the Red and Blue glow from their respective scabbard.