Searing hotness spread throughout the dozens of meters around Allan. Orb of Red was pushing itself to his chest. Its mass was 1/8th of the way into his chest. Red cracks spread around Allan’s chest, destroying his shirt in the process. Allan's body went through shocking and terrifying changes, and everything was caused by the Orb of Red. Its power drilled into his body, bearing an unknown purpose.
Destruction of the region stopped, but another one took place. A shaking earthquake with Allan at the core.
Valleys and remains of the mountains collapsed from within. Tall cliffs were pulled apart as massive landslides took over the area. Crevices spread around as if they were the claws of a tiger. Allan was the core of everything as crevices steadily appeared below his collapsed body.
Not so far away, Skoll was reaching this section of the region according to his sense of smell. Stopping in fright, he was taking the brunt of the sheer sense of danger all this time. However, it didn't make him stop, since Allan's body was basically his biggest priority. Pushing himself against the dreadful feelings, Skoll saw the sight that made him unable to move an inch forward. His body didn't listen to his command, his mind screaming at him to flee. Death's feelings spread to his body, making him tremble, for the first time in his life.
“If I move forward, I will die.” He told to himself, yet he couldn’t recognize what was happening. His instincts shouted mad with terror.
For some time, he was unable to see the raging torrents of the red sky. There were still some residual things from the Orb of Red. Redness was less pronounced, making the lighting more apparent. That was not the only thing he could see. He felt the most important thing ahead. A sight that screamed him to storm off.
A few hundred meters in front of him, Allan was lying there with a cloth in his hand. His bag was at this point pushed a few meters away because of the force that Orb of Red caused. The area affected by the earthquake was not around him, even though he was at the center.
Skoll felt the tremors, but he was strong so it didn't do much to him.
Skoll could see the bloody sight of cracked skin, and the undying undulation of the Orb of Red. It kept penetrating Allan’s body albeit rather slowly.
“This? What can it cause? What is that? Allan?” he asked himself, wondering about all sorts of possibilities.
“There is no way this feeling could come from this boy. Does something extraordinary happen? Something not even me or anyone from higher plains can understand?”
Skoll was left with no choices in his wonders. He could only accept his inability to move forward. His life was important as the request that Clayton gave him. But a request was a request. It could be forsaken as long as another one could replace the former. Even though this was a life mission that he was willing to risk his body for, life was different.
“Allan… I am sorry. It is not that I am not willing. I just can’t push myself against this... thing.” Skoll muttered, watching as the sights changed. Orb of Red was getting halfway through him with its mass. Allan was as unconscious as one would guess. Blood was dancing in his chest wounds, sharing a familiar color scheme with the Orb of Red.
“Is he trembling? Is it painful? What is that orb or red?” Skoll uttered another 3 questions, unaware of another thing that was brewing far in the sky.
Above the residual force of the former storm, lighting was forming a new incoming power. There was an incoming foggy region of light and lighting. Beneath it was a region of bloody clouds. Its enemy.
Inside the foggy region stood indistinct figures who were watching the planet down below from a lofty place in space. Observing the situation down below and around them, they appeared like powerful immortals. Space distortions and cracks littered this light region where no life should be, yet it posed no troubles to these figures. No aura was leaking inside or outside either. It was well firm and developed independent space.
There were 2 beings in this space. One was an older gentleman with a scholarly feeling to him. His appearance was old, with white long hair and a long white beard. Gentle eyes and weirdly shaped eyebrows made him appear unfamiliar in terms of mortal appearance. As for the clothes, he wore a white robe with long sleeves and gold outlines around many fabric lines.
Beside him was a young-looking lady in her 30ies. Wearing a similar clothing style to the old man, her aura of dominance was opposite to her helper. She had a stunning slim nose and bright blue eyes with blue wavy hair that was unobscured, running across her back and shoulders. She was a beauty to behold, but the surrounding aura wasn't, nor was her face. Her oppressive gaze was filled with malice, focus, and desire for unknown intentions. She gazed down with unknown thoughts in her mind.
Sighting, the old man stopped the silence. “You could say that I did warn you, but in this case, you are you. I am me,” he said nonchalantly.
The lady appeared indifferent, still gazing down at the planet. “I would never say that. I just did not trust your information. That is all about it, friend.” she said, uttering the last word with quite an annoying tone.
The old man smiled. “It is in my interest to interrupt this madness. Would you say that this was a bad thing to do, friend?” he said, telling the last word with clear humility. “It is mostly inevitable at this point. Moving against this. Interrupting this madness. We have no choice.” the old man said with clear resolution in his eyes.
Lady remained silent but her increasing aura of anger and disappointment came from her gaze. It was unknown who this was aimed at, or what.
“How many fools from the Council would even consider this situation, or even be willing to take these risks?” She asked in a cold voice.
“I could not care less about others.” the old man said. “It could be a risk only for now, but over time, it could lead to something entirely different. I do not wish to see such a future myself. Not anymore, no longer.” He answered.
“I am sorry for you.” lady turned her gaze upon the old man, appearing a bit more apprehensive towards him. “I am willing to make it up for you, in place of those fools. I am sorry.” she apologized, yet her face wasn't sincere as her words.
“But this situation is not simple and you are aware of it. I still left some things, as I am not aware of everything myself. So, are you willing to share the burden, unlike those fools?” asked the old man.
“Liar... I know you know a lot, so don't even try this thing on me.” she sternly looked at him. “This burden is something that I will share. It is something that we can fight against. Especially considering the primordial rules that are... forgotten, yet important.”
“Do not worry. I will take the full brunt of the initial hit of these burdens. Consider it a courtesy to myself. You will follow up shortly after or later depending on the results of our choices. So, with that said, let the lights decide, lady of azure flames.” He said, nodding in a light bow.
“Let the lights decide.” She sighed to herself.
Down bellow.
The lightning storm started to increase in intensity shaking the crimson clouds and forming many lighting sights. The fight began against the crimson and the light above, while the tremors below caused massive damage to the earth. Such a sight looked like the end of the world that some ancient religions believed.
An apocalypse where the sea would dry up, the skies change, and the earth to split apart. That was the precise end of the world that the past believed in. A meaningless loss of lives, fleeting as far away as possible to the underworld. It was an oppressive and depressive belief.
Skoll was still standing there, watching the sights above and in the front. In silence at his own helplessness, his whole body trembled. He was not the kind who was willing to go against his words. Let alone against a promise to someone according to the pact involving his pride and promise. Today, his heart ached with heavy feelings. His body was itching to move, but his mind told him not to.
Suddenly, he felt something behind him. A figure of the old man emerged from the distant hill. Annoyance, fear, tiredness, and a questioning gaze were on Lord Gao's face. He was looking towards this sudden situation of the destructive force of wide-scale magnitude. Skoll could not hide, nor he dared to move. Perhaps this old man no longer wanted to fight as well. Considering this shocking development, it wouldn't be surprising.
Lord Gao walked forth, unbothered by tremors as he glanced at the sight hundreds of meters before him beside Skoll. It was the same scene of utter disaster, and a mortal boy was at the center of everything.
He wasn't one bit more confident than him either. His previous annoyance took a sharp turn into fear. This place and situation turned out to be quickly visible on his face.
He looked at Skoll. “D-do you get what is happening here? What is this?”
“I am unaware of any... of this. That kid is a catalyst of what is going on… perhaps?” Skoll said.
“I thought this was some impossible-to-meet situation of treasure forming or material hiding in this world from incredibly distant planetary constellations member? Am I wrong or right? I wonder what this is this… and why now?” Lord Gao wondered. He held some power and position himself, and he knew how far the world was looking like.
However, This sight before him wasn't something he had ever seen. He heard or read about some seemingly similar scenes, where planets were lost, and beasts, individuals, devils, demons, and creatures in-between unleashed such destructive powers. Though power was one thing, and another was these primal feelings upon one's soul and being.
Legends such as this were common since the world that Lord Gao knew was vastly different from this one.
The scene changed once more, becoming increasingly savage.
Lighting storms above the sky penetrated deep holes into the crimson clouds. Pillars of lighting struck and moved downwards, right from space outside of the planet. The clouds were fighting against this force but they weren't firm as the lighting, so they dissipated. The crimson appearance was no longer in the sky.
Bright light penetrated deeply into the planet’s atmosphere. Gargantuan storms slowly retracted into mountain-sized storms. Everything turned serene as light illuminated the ground and everything on it.
Orb of Red which was around 6/8th of its mass into Allan stopped. A fierce glow around his chest appeared dozens of meters around him, shrouding him in the clutter of energy waves. In everything, unsurprisingly, the crimson color always remained. Though, upon these waves that traveled from the Orb of Red, the dark shadows appeared as well, running along the crimson into this vortex.
The vortex was becoming faster, glowing in the crimson light. The dark shadows made an interesting contrast, but the redness was stronger. Perhaps it was a shield that the Orb of Red needed. If it wants to remain in its purpose, it should also protect it.
Clash!
Deep thunders echoed in the sky. Within a near-instantaneous time frame, a pillar of lighting and azure streaks of energy struck the glowing vortex.
Invisible pressure went just enough against this vortex, making Skoll and Lord Gao speechlessly look from safe distances. The ground shook under the powerful pressure of this attack but the vortex stayed strong below this pillar.
Soundless. There were no sounds in this clash of the peak of Immortal powers. No sounds were heard by Skoll or Lord Gao. Though, they wouldn't care if they would, or wouldn't hear a thing. They watched this silent scene with no words between them. This clash shattered the boundaries of their knowledge. It was as if a vast lighting tower, so strong in terms of intent, power, and complexity, wanted to devour and shatter the world itself. It was small, yet they believed they were the ants before this pillar.
This went on and on. They lost track of time amidst their shock. Perhaps this series of clashes happened in a moment or a few minutes already.
Waves upon waves of this light pillar crashed down towards the grounded vortex. It kept going. Never stopping.
Slowly, visible distortions could be seen in the vortex's surface. Some parts of the waves appeared in twisted colored lines which pushed the half globe to the edges. The pillar of light was winning the tug of war, although one was in defense and the other was in the offense.
There was a crevice that appeared on one side of the vortex. It split apart into further cracks, dissipating deep colorful energy particles into the world. The scene below the vortex came back to view since through that thick vortex, Allan's body was gone underneath.
Everything in that region was the same as before. An Orb of Red was trying to push itself into Allan’s chest, but this time, it wasn't moving. It couldn't do more things twice. It was either defense or going with the insertion. Not both at the same time.
Cracking sounds spread upwards, as another pillar came upon the vortex.
A direct clash between two forces went on, making lighting and red matter collide.
Clang. Bang! Cling!
The red endured this for about a minute, but the previous cracks meant it was weakening. Lighting pillar flooded to the ground, making a final, big crack into the vortex.
Successfully destroying the outer layer, it traveled down, smashing into Allan in full force.
Alas, through the vortex and lighting, it was hard to tell what was happening inside of it. There, physical things were not hurt in any shape. Allan was still lying there with a piece of cloth in his hand. The bag on his side was equally undamaged as well, by some miracle, that is.
Orb of Red was twisting inside of his chest, forming lines, and colorful twists and shimmers of energy. They traveled to the sides, enveloping the ground, and the rest of Allan's body. Another forceful decision came, empowering the defensive vortex. This time, Orb of Red used more power, making the vortex denser, faster, and stronger.
The lighting pillar was thus disintegrated, but it didn't mean another won't come. In fact, it did, less than 3 seconds later, which was faster than the ability to repair this vortex.
Pillar flew onto a half-open vortex, hitting everything, but hurting nothing as every inch of strength was aimed just at the few dozen centimeters wide spaces in the middle of Allan's chest. By this point, the Orb of Red became smaller but denser in the richness of crimson feelings.
However, the powerful strikes didn't damage Allan, but they also did nothing much against the Orb of Red either.
In the distant space. In a vast field of lighting where two figures stood.
They maintained their unknown and unfathomable force, using their own experience, power, and plot to push their power to their cause. The old man’s expression was twisted as his glowing body within this region slowly dimmed.
Lady with azure hair still remained the same as before, indifferent and angry looking.
“Will you do it? Or do you want me to start as well?” she asked.
“I-I-I shall be a full witness to this. It will be by my own hands as I fear it won't be that simple. Wait.” He muttered.
“Then I am thankful. This will be of no consequence to us. I trust your judgment.”
“It may not be the best, but every effect has some cause. With enough causes, you can start endless sources of effects which can change the core of some beliefs, rules, and so on. It is an excellent philosophical teaching.” the old man said.
“Trying to act mysterious and meaningfully now? I took you for a more serious person when the stakes are so high. Consider me surprised.” the lady said, giving him a light smile.
“Of course.” the old man sneered. “It is my path and belief to be unwavering as my age. You and many are different. It is what makes this universe such a chaotic place. Age and our experiences can significantly differ, thus, making variable effects on their own.
“Stop spouting nonsense. I am not one to appreciate it.”
“Liar... I will do it now… ”
Back down.
The Orb of Red was still struggling to rebuild its vortex. Still unwavering in its internal position, its structure was yet to take any significant hits against its source.
Swoosh!
Yet, a change occurred again, as the old man above turned the tides of his strategy.
The massive lighting wave came to the region around Allan, enveloped it, and locked everything between the vails of lighting.
Thud!
A striking beam appeared from the lighting facade, hitting the energy defenses, which protected Orb of Red's purpose. It continuously defended, but the power of this force kept going. The beams were stronger in terms of penetrative power than the pillars.
The defense was no longer so good under this barrage. The distorting Orb of Red's vortex weakened before a much wider section opened up than before. This time, the attacks no longer differentiated between anything. Apart from the destructive force which intensified around Allan's chest, the rest of the things weren't any better. The energy beams fell to Allan's flesh, forming bloody wounds on his body in lines that could not be called natural. The wounds resembled no human weapons. It looked more like the lightning itself that, after hitting the ground, traveled in mysterious patterns.
Orb of Red noticed the bad news, so it flared up its energy and ended its defensive vortex. Instead, it pulled the shattered matter into a new meaning. Storming balls of crimson matter pushed against the beams of lighting. It was trying to counterattack the rain of attacks with equal power and mass.
Alas, it had questionable results, since the situation didn't turn to victory. It was a matter of time before another beam stepped down on Allan. With a thud, it crashed to the ground, and this time, it made Allan's body tear and twist. His bloodied cloth still remained in his hand, but the hammer in the corner cracked a little.
An audible cry suddenly sounded from this lightning strike. A storm of orange and red twisted the space, forming a powerful rise in pressure that dissipated all incoming beams.
The Orb of Red went insane, or it already was, long before coming here.