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Saga of the Twin Spell-Blade
Chapter 91 : Paths To Immortality

Chapter 91 : Paths To Immortality

In the heart of the battlefield, where legendary figures of the world converged and titans in life clashed, the Pillar of the North found himself amidst the thunderous roars of Valicar and her formidable allies. Yet, as sorrowful cries echoed from the remnants of mortal armies, another monster had appeared, mortal souls now harnessed by a new horror emerging from the depths of the underworld. Zaltheral, the dreaded necromancer, rode atop the colossal form of Averox, the undead father of Kraken. Twisted by dark magic and fueled by unholy rage, Averox unleashed its writhing tentacles, each strike sending shockwaves of dark energy rippling through the air.

Facing this monstrous foe, the Pillar stood unwavering, taking the beast head-on. Averox, infused with the necromantic essence of legendary beasts, attacked with ferocious intensity, its tentacles tearing through flesh and bone with relentless abandon as it ravaged the surrounding army with its colossal form, the size of a small mountain. Dark magic surged around the creature, enveloping the Pillar and his army in a maelstrom of death and decay.

With each strike, the Pillar felt his strength waning, yet he persevered, his determination unyielding. With each cleave of his blade, he carved through the decaying flesh of the beast, each blow cutting away house-sized chunks from its flesh, only for it to be healed by the dead bodies of the corpses it absorbed. His divine powers were pushed to their limits, but he found strength in his resolve to confront this undead horror. Blood sprayed from his wounds, yet like the monster he faced, he was simultaneously healed by holy might, covering him in blood and ichor, as he left devastation in his wake.

Refusing to falter, the Pillar summoned his divine powers with a mighty roar, unleashing torrents of holy energy upon the necromancer and his monstrous mount. Columns of light seared through flesh and bone, inflicting deep wounds upon the monstrosity. Despite the onslaught, Averox pressed on, driven by an insatiable hunger for destruction.

Meanwhile, amidst the chaos, Sophia and Mike seized the opportunity to prepare their most powerful spell yet. As the undead horror continued its relentless assault on the Pillar, they focused their magic with unwavering determination, weaving intricate incantations and gestures in preparation for the spell to come.

As Zaltheral taunted the Pillar, hurling spells from his mount of the undead, the Pillar responded with righteous indignation. "I'm proud to be the one to slay you after all these centuries, necromancer. It seems you are no longer merely nipping at my brothers' heels!"

Zaltheral's lips curled into a cruel smile. "I'm proud to be called a necromancer, but your pantheon of gods is the true horror here, enslaving mankind to the whims of celestials. Yet your brother shares your blood with these monsters making you two the same," he retorted, unleashing a barrage of dark magic. Zombie minions and pillars of dead flesh rose from the ground, clawing and tearing at the Pillar from below. The air thickened with the stench of decay as the undead minions relentlessly assaulted their target, their grotesque visages twisted by the horrors of war. Meanwhile, Averox, the undead horror, descended from above, wielding tooth, claw, and an arsenal of deadly spells ranging from corrosive acid to scorching fire.

The battlefield crackled with arcane energy as these monsters of a bygone age clashed, their personal history fueling the intensity of their battle. Each strike reverberated with a sickening squelch as flesh was rent asunder and bones shattered. Averox, fueled by the souls of the fallen, absorbed the nearby troops into its undead mass, their agonized faces etched with despair as their essence fed the creature's insatiable hunger for power.

Zaltheral's eyes gleamed with malevolent amusement as he acknowledged the impending fight. "Thank you, Master! Together, we can defeat him!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the tumult like a blade. The golden light of the Pillar clashed with the darkness of Zaltheral's magic, casting grotesque shadows that danced across the blood-soaked ground, a grim testament to the horrors of the battlefield.

A burst of golden light narrowly missed Zaltheral, the beast moving with surprising agility despite its immense size, evading the attack. "Focus, fool! You are nothing compared to my brother to even dare to begin taking me lightly!" The Pillar of the North roared in rage, his voice reverberating with fury.

As they continued their fight in the sky above a lone survivor from the cult staggered towards Valicar, a twisted grin etched on his face. His tattered robes fluttered in the wind, and his eyes gleamed with a fervent zeal as he approached, his voice raspy yet filled with an eerie sense of triumph.

"Master," he hissed, his words dripping with both malice and devotion. "You truly are the greatest necromancer. The Kraken you released in the underwater city returned home after your escape, and with our command, it was able to poison the great Averox from the inside of its domain."

Valicar's gaze sharpened as she listened, a mix of curiosity and concern evident on her face. "Explain," she demanded, her tone urgent and commanding.

The cultist grinned, revealing stained, yellowed teeth. "We dragged the mighty beast back from the depths of hell after you vanquished it with your creation. Then, with the sacrifice of the entire cult and thousands of Imperial citizens, we pulled it back from beyond the veil, much like the demon that followed Easton Von White. In doing so, we weakened the fabric of reality, but that won't matter once you take control of the world."

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As the cultist's fervor intensified, his voice dripped with malice as he continued with a sinister grin, "To aid in the downfall of the demigod obstructing your path, we infused the beast with the power of other legendary creatures, harnessing the essence of the creation wars and the souls of our fallen brethren. It is now a force to be reckoned with, a monster more formidable than any elder dragon."

Sophia swiftly absorbed the information, a chill running down her spine as she recognized the magnitude of the cult's achievement and the horror it unleashed upon the world. "That thing is supposed to be as strong as Ignial.... how did they kill it?" she muttered, her mind racing with the possibilities of how they had managed to create such a monstrous being.

"Well, it definitely makes him harder to kill, but the fucker also provides a great distraction," Mike remarked grimly as they continued their preparations for the incantation. His gaze fixed on the abomination before them, a mountain of rotting flesh being torn asunder and refilled with the organic matter from the surrounding battlefield, both living and dead. Animals and men alike were ripped from the nearby forest by the monster's long tentacles, adding to its grotesque form.

"Shit, are we really the good guys here?" Sophia muttered sarcastically, a pang of guilt tugging at her conscience as she grappled with the reality of their alliance with such a monstrous entity.

"He came through... I'm still gonna kill him if the Pillar doesn't get to him first," Mike said plainly, his sense of morality long past redemption as he was willing to work with their murderer. The forces above, including the Pillar of the North, a half-god, and Zaltheral, the leader of the cult Death Tooth, atop his mount, represented two of the strongest individuals on the planet—a clash of titans amidst the chaos. The Pillar, an immortal demi-god from another dimension, stood firm against the relentless assault. Meanwhile, their ally Zaltheral, a necromancer riding an undead horror, served as a grim reminder of the dark path they had chosen in their desperate struggle for their souls.

Finally, the cultist's revelation concluded, and a steely resolve settled over Valicar. With a silent nod to the cultist, Sophia and Mike knew what they had to do.

With the distraction provided by the undead horrors reaching its peak, they seized the moment to cast their spell. "'Gads hasu mae ta!'" Sophia chanted through Valicar's lips, her voice echoing with unearthly power as the spell took shape. With each word, the air crackled and shimmered with magical energy, building to a crescendo of power that threatened to tear the very fabric of reality asunder.

As the spell reached its climax, a blinding light erupted from Valicar's outstretched hands, illuminating the battlefield with its radiant glow. The very earth trembled beneath their feet as the spell surged forth, its power unleashed upon the moon in a beam of white light. An image of them was cast, a massive screen for the whole world to see, fueling Mike's power to lengths never seen before as the emotions of the world filled his demonic pact with Anna Sha, their sword blazing with violet power.

"We can fucking win this!" Mike smiled as he rushed forth, the beat of Valicar's wings carrying him forward toward the demigod and undead horror, his power surging to new heights.

"We only have about five minutes, so make them count," Sophia said, struggling to hold such a powerful spell. She would be unable to cast anything else, but with Mike's swordsmanship and their armor, they could only hope they could end this with their combined might.

Spellweaver teleported ahead of them, but Mike shot past him, ignoring his cries to stop. "Wait, Sophia! You must not take that traitor's help!" The archmage yelled a name he should not have known, catching Sophia by surprise. But Mike, consumed by his determination to battle, brushed off Spellweaver's warning, whispers in his ear urging him to fight.

"How did you know..." Sophia began, but her words were cut off as they struggled to see the wolfkin. However, Mike carried them onward, his focus solely on the impending battle.

"Wait, Mike," Sophia said hesitantly, trying to reason with him to slow down and assist the situation.

"Time's short, remember! Ignore the distractions, we have a god to gut!" Mike's voice echoed with a sinister edge as they surged forward, driven by the rhythmic beats of Valicar's wings. With each powerful flap, her form glimmered in the moonlight, her wings and tail adorned with scales of crimson and sapphire, casting an eerie reflection from the flashes of cannon fire erupting above the islands. Her presence ensnared all who beheld her, holding them in a trance-like grip. Amidst this captivating sight, Sophia's intricate illusion spell enveloped them, though the strain of its power weighed heavily upon her. Her face contorted with effort as she fought to maintain the illusion, her resolve battling against the overwhelming force of the spell.

Their shared body of Valicar had undergone a dramatic transformation over the years, twisted into a monstrous hybrid form by Sophia's draconic magic. Now, they appeared as a small girl with vibrant red and blue hair, adorned with wings, horns, and a tail—a sight both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The consequences of her magic had already taken their toll, yet they pressed forward as the world looked on in astonishment at this legendary dragonkin, a race thought extinct for millennia.

As they moved closer to their target, Sophia's vision blurred, her consciousness fading as she struggled to maintain control over the spell, forcing her to forget about Spellweaver. The strain was overwhelming, threatening to consume her entirely. Despite the danger, she held on, knowing that this was their only chance, trusting Mike to lead them through the darkness ahead.

Valicar's figure illuminated the moon, the world watched in horror and awe, their emotions feeding into Mike's demonic pact, amplifying his power with each passing moment. With every beat of their wings drawing them closer to their foe, Sophia's magic surged, despite Zaltheral's attempt to counter it. However, this power-up came with severe consequences. Zaltheral's spell, meant to keep them in human form, waned in the face of Sophia's overwhelming draconic essence. As a result, the world witnessed her sprout another pair of horns, a visible manifestation of her struggle to maintain control.