The destroyer had been stronger which called for her to think and plan before trapping and killing it. Molliwag had been weaker but she also had to think outside the box. First was skilled, dominating their battle even if she held her own. Yet his skill failed to her plans.

Cole had mentioned and praised, her ability to see things that weren't said but hinted at.

She didn't exactly dislike the praise but she hadn't thought much of it before either. Until now though.

Her mind at the very moment of panic had seen something that pushed all the puzzle pieces into place with a mental click.

The Joundk had grabbed at her divinity and she had aided in forming them into what they were now. She'd purified the Gursers and formed the Unborn.

Yet she couldn't bring them in to fight an opponent that was way above her in skill. When skill, strength, and tactics failed then what was left?

Drowning your enemy in foes till you either weakened or found the gap to thrust your blade.

At least that was what she thought had to be the grand idea.

Then the Elf had reacted to her tantrum. His head tilted to reveal the menacing gaze of the Royal Aswingnir guard helmet. Empty and hollow just like the elf. Yet the elf was controlled just like her living armors in the Lunar Castle.

It wasn't the best plan but she already knew it was her saving grace at least if she had no intention of listening to Akasha's rants about using aether. So she rolled the stones to halt his advance, focused her mind on keeping him there, and then ran for the closest armor. The aether had been her last gambit if she didn't make it in time. Then maybe it would grace the field and get Akasha to shut up.

Hildelith was so glad that became unnecessary, and now, the battle continued and hopefully the favor was on her side.

*****

Thirty minutes, that was how long the fight had been ongoing. The Holy Flame armors had proven to be resilient due to their creation with Great shards. All four were made using the Great shards gotten from the purified Unborns.

They all had their flames burning hot but restrained into their armor and their swords. The single one with a shard from an Unborn was aflame. Its armor blazed with the golden fire that burned within its kind. It could even for an extension create a thin slash of fire about ten meters ahead of it by slashing out with its sword.

Hilde skulked about the hall like a thief retrieving her weapons. The Vulkan Prize unlike its former self remained equipped. She wasn't relinquishing the little defense stats it offered.

'Maybe...'. Akasha shared an idea. It made sense. Since Nothingness could erase anything from existence, just like it erased her wounds then maybe. The black mist poured from her body and encompassed her armor. Once it retracted the armor once damaged and bloody was as shiny as a pearl and unblemished.

"Well. I now have a cleansing skill".

'Careful how you use it. You've not yet learned any skill to replace what is damaged". She understood Akasha's point. While it didn't matter with inanimate objects. Erasing a soul was bad. Even she didn't know the intricacies of one or how it could be made.

'Something iI'll learn from Tora it seems'.

With her weapons now gathered she took stock of the situation.

It was bad.

Her health while up could just as well go down from another strike of the Elf. Her little entourage of just over 14 armors encircled the elf. Yet none had done any serious damage to it. A cut and a meager injury here and there.

Hilde was drained. Her mind was blank. She stood watching, awaiting the end. Her Holy Flame armors stalling what she assumed was the inevitable.

She watched the elf redirect a thrust into another armor. Spartan kicks another, fists an armor, and stomps on one's feet before kicking it away. His eyes were always on her, yet his movements remained hindered and locked down no matter how he tried to escape their circle. He was unable to break loose and they were unable to beat him.

None untiring, both sides unwilling.

An eternal battle it could become if there were no changes. Then an armor went low and cleaved a blade behind his knee. A little wound, just a little. But the elf smiled, his hollowed eyes locked on her.

'That's it'.

The elf, since the start of their battle, had shown something different from the other Gursers she had defeated. Free will. Or atleast a bit of it.

The unholy flame had taken his body and imprisoned the soul within. The flame had control of him and just like it had done with the Gursers purged his attempt to fight back through a hellish torment.

Yet it was unable to truly break him. His mannerisms showed the elf within who sought a way out of his hell. His smiles when she got a chance and brief battles with the flame when she was on the losing end were a quick giveaway.

It was obvious his desire for her victory, for his freedom from his torment. Which was why Hildelith moved her head now alert once his smile played out.

All foes no matter how great were weak when their agility dropped. For an elf whose greatest boon was his reflex and precision, cutting a limb was tantamount to weakening him.

Yet the destroyer came to mind. Not all wounds meant victory.

'Weaken the point.' The Ice Spear vanished and the Harbinger replaced it, her hold tightening and her right fingers drawing back the string to form a pale arrow. Then it dissipated as she frowned.

If it missed she lost energy from the bow. Plus the soul was something she didn't want to harm with this Elf. So that ruled out Culler. Bane of Heroes depending on which would only affect the Holy Flame armors movements, be dodged by the elf, or...

The other arrows. It could dodge them but it was worth a try. Especially if at least one hit. With the injury, it could be a chance.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Hold him in place". her yell reached both sides. The elf always watching broadened his smile even more while his eyes smoldered. It was creepy to watch two different opposing desires on one being.

Either way, the Holy Flame obeyed. Each armor pitched itself closer locking the gaps and closing the space around them. Shoulder to shoulder they stood, swords forward taking the beating and strikes while ensuring all links were sealed.

Bane of Heroes settled in her grasp while she waited. Watching keenly, seeking the perfect moment. She didn't know it but she felt it was close.

The elf kept bashing at the enclosing Holy flame armors the red flame in his eyes burning frantically and erratically while the elf gave off a peal of mad boisterous laughter.

She could see why he was deemed the Fettered one.

Then suddenly the elf's laughter froze as horror etched onto his features. His blade turned an incandescent red that had Hilde frowning. Why it hadn't been used since made her suspicious. Either the ability or skill had a cooldown or used up too much energy or something. Regardless she notched an arrow with its glistening red head notable as the shaft rested on the point between bow and finger.

Then she drew and waited even as the elf gazed up at her. The flame within his eyes now burning out and smoking his face. Warts and little boils appeared as the flame intensified its heat.

" Arghh" he roared in defiance. Or was it the flame roaring? She remained unsure as she stared.

His sword now a glaring white was raised high and then with a horrified look etched on the elf's face it descended. The next moment was instantaneous even to her. Her legs and arms, torso, and back warped and shifted with a creak of muscles, flesh, meat, and bone. Feathers sprouted over her skin and Vulkan Prize parted to let out magnificent wings. Her eyesight changed and her stance became perfect. It was like she could see all the ways to shoot and all the places to possibly target.

Yet there was only one spot she needed to hit. The track of the bow string releasing echoed. Even with the sounds of swords flashing, armor gratings and boots stomping it was the only sound she perceived.

The sound of metal rending flesh echoed. The sound of the squishy explosion of meat and liquid spreading. One smiled even as ice spread through flesh and the other exhaled a rushed breath.

"Thank you"

The silent appreciation reached her from where he stood. The hollowed face of a man with a dimming flame. The unholy fire was unable to do anything as the hole in his chest stole the last of his life Primordial Ice creeping off the hole and through the man's veins. With his heart t or core blown up and damaged the fires couldn't fight the element of dual creation. It just had no fuel.

Hildelith watched, unsure what to tell a man who had been bound in his own body for an unknown period. All she could do was cast an encouraging smile as the elf's body slumped. His corpse went up in flames, and at the same time, ice crept up quickly. He burned and froze before falling as nothing but cold snow and gathering on the spot he once stood.

> [You have slain Gurser - Flame Ruler(The Fettered One)]

> [You have gained a Shard of High Divine Fire]

> [You have gained +100 ORP]

> [QUEST UPDATED ]

> [The Tower]

> It was taken. It was lost. Shattered from the others and separated in a mist of ash and waves of red. Ascending or descending?

> If there are gods. Save us. But if you can't or are unable. Then avenge our mortal husks. We pray thee. - Alezk, Lord of the Tower.

> Conquer the Tower.

> [Rank - A]

> [Rewards - Unascertained]

> [Failure - 10 ORP

> - 1 level ]

> [The Throne of Aswingnir]

> It was taken. It was lost. Shattered from the others and separated in a mist of ash and waves of red. Ascending or descending?

> You answered. You heard or not, you answered. You purified our mortal husks and released us from the insanities of the flame. Now I beg thee, end thou broken thoughts - Alezk, Lord of the Tower.

> Conquer the Tower.

> [Rank - S]

> [Rewards - Higher Shard Of the Flame Divinity]

> [Failure - 50 ORP

> - 2 levels ]

> [YOU HAVE CLEARED QUEST - THE THRONE OF ASWINGNIR]

> [RECEIVE REWARDS]

> [Y/N]

'Yes' even her mental voice was tired. Her back rested on one of the pillars as the golden weaves lit up her dirtied but still beautiful features and something dropped into her waiting palm.

'Well. At least it looks worth it'.

It was the largest shard she'd ever seen in the game. Needing both hands to grasp. It like all other shards had a standard diamond shape. With a white but transparent crystal shell around it that entrapped red energy within.

> [Higher Shard Of the Flame Divinity]

It dissipated and returned to her inventory. Head leaning back on the pillar Hilde rested. Not her body, she had unending stamina, but her mind. It was just like the Lost World again. A fight that had been almost unending.

It had ended now. Or was it?

She had conquered the tower. Hadn't she? Yet why was the prompt only about completing the second phase? Hilde scowled as she looked at the ash on the floor making sure that the elf would not rise suddenly from it.

Don't trust games and their morbid capacity to shock you.

'Especially this one'.

Then her eyes drifted to the sword lying by it.

Unharmed. Unmarked. Flawless.

The gold of the sword handle remained as did the black of its blade. Slowly her body pushed off the floor her mind asking her to stay some more but she had to know. She had to find out. The sword was all that remained of the elf. Such a weapon that changed colors had to be special.

Her feet halted by the ash and cautiously she picked up the sword. It gave no reaction in her hands. Just remained as it was. Hilde sighed.

"Can't a girl get a little system assistance here" she muttered with a bland face. She was too drained to even attempt a scowl.

"Fine be that way" She turned to go rest only to spot the stone. A momentary thought had her shrugging.

"Worst case scenario it holds the sword" she mumbled to herself before heading straight for it. "Or releases a hidden boss" she added.

Around her, the Holy Flame armor stood by the sides of the room each one at its former position before they were brought to life. Some though now stood closer to the throne.

Without noticing this she stepped onto the round platform in which the stone sat cautiously. There she found the stone to be quite small. A cube not wider than her hips. A little slit on the top was where the sword would go. Connected to the platform at the base as it disappeared into the ground.

With a little hesitation, she set the sword facing tip down.

"Long live the king. No. Me. Long live me".

With a deep breath and prepping herself for what would come she pushed it in. The sword slid in smoothly with a spark of steel grating against stone before it halted halfway clanging into what was likely the base. Another spark and it ignited.

Its half-exposed blade was aglow with the same red incandescent light that the elf had tried using. This time though there was a difference. The light unlike before gave off mild sparks like a current of electricity running through its steel.

The current or light, maybe both, shone brightly on the cube, and then its illumination hit the platform. It lit up the ground to show four symbols. Three of which were deep red and the fourth illusionary, almost non-present. Each symbol was interlinked together but somehow bound by the illusionary one. Its symbol was familiar not by looks but by the feeling it exuded. Another thing that was eluding her senses and evading her memory.

Like a string slipping her grasp, the knowledge avoided her. The light from the sword spilled into the stone like a stream and spread around rushing for the runes. With a snipping sound, the strings connecting the runes were cut.

The light grew from the stone and almost blinded her. Like a pillar of white it spilled up and around washing the great hall in its light. The runes hidden within the light all shattered.

The room quaked. Stones and dust falling from the ceiling. A rumble sounded deep in the earth right before a clank echoed to the side of the great hall.

Then the light was gone. Silence reigned for just a minute.

Then the voice of the system resounded, not in her mind not in words but loud and clear for all to hear.

> [CREATOR 79 HAS CONQUERED THE TOWER OF ASWINGNIR]