Rising smoke blocked out the starlit night sky... The crackling of nearby fires blocked out all other sounds and granted fleeting light to the desecrated scene. The smell was putrid and vile, swelling into a mix of smoke and seared flesh. A fateful night where screams had remained unheard to the outside world and were snubbed out by the hand of a scourge. And that scourge indulged in its own carnage…
Footsteps were swallowed up in the fires of settling chaos, approaching the sole cause for such cruelty. The figure stopped at the scene of the final crime, gazing upon a ghastly sight that would drive most to step in or retreat. Underneath their donned hood of their robes, they saw a crime against humanity.
A body was laid on its back, unrecognizable amidst the blistered and seared skin that scarcely remained. There was no hair, no eyes, no nose, and any semblance of flesh remaining on the face was crisped to black. The charred remnants of its ribs were pulled apart from the center, pointed outwards…
But there appeared to be something in front of its midsection as it was laid out to the side. Lips smacked, jaws cracked and gnawed audibly. The mysterious figure peeled and tore at the flesh within akin to a starved beast. The cloaked man stared onward. The anomaly appeared to be a human, hunched over a corpse as if it were a gremlin of sorts.
It suddenly stopped. The being twisted and craned its neck around to spot the intruder. Their gazes met and locked. A young boy made his face seen... His light blue eyes glowed with a primal and animalistic hunger. His teeth were crooked, misaligned and drenched in blood with bits of flesh stuck on his teeth. His mouth hung agape... His entire face was covered in gore, dying the bangs of his blonde hair as well.
The cloaked man smiled...
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Tch! Damn!" Ventrix had hit the ground and let his sword leave his hands.
He watched the next events unfold right in front of him within a fraction of a moment. He found himself unable to immediately spring back into action as he inched his legs and knees forward. Pushing himself up to his knees, and then his feet, Ventrix reached his left arm around his backside. He was able to feel it... Something had completely torn through his armor and cut him...
Worse yet, there was very little blood when he brought his hand in front of his face. The texture of his skin and flesh around the cut was dry and rigid, but hot to the touch.
Still, it wasn't anything he should continue to dwell on. Ventrix took a step towards his sword...
"Oy, you probably can't fight without this... Right?" Addle stomped his foot onto the handle of Ventrix's sword and stood in front of him. He grinned, tilting his chin upward while he gloated...
Then, unprompted... A flash of light fashioned into a thin beam sliced through the air, starting from the ground and traveling upwards. Addle had leaned back, reacting much faster than the attack. However, he felt odd... He gazed down, noticing that his foot was severed in half at where the handle of the sword was.
Ventrix held his hand out, and the sword fluttered off of the ground and launched itself into his grip. Addle ignored it, seeming more intrigued at the injury he got.
"Oh?... Huh." Addle's face lost its smile as he tilted his head to the side. Crossing his arms, he maneuvered his leg to make both sections of his foot realign.
Ventrix watched in awe and confusion as the temperature suddenly rose between the two of them. It appeared as if molten lava bridged the gap between his sliced foot, pulling the pieces together before they perfectly reformed...
"This is too uncanny... It reminds me of a few days ago..." Ventrix held his sword up. Memories of that short time ago where he watched Meius reattach his own hand effortlessly flooded his mind.
"So... Before I kill you and decorate this worthless place with your entrails... Tell me how you knew." Addle stared at Ventrix with confidence, his head partially facing away while he sported a smug grin.
"Knew what?" Ventrix was already brainstorming ways to deal with the current situation at hand... He needed to stall out for an idea... Addle's speed made Ventrix believe that there may be no way around him.
"Pf. How'd ya know about the cult thing? Something gave it away, right?" Addle shrugged and rolled his eyes.
"... You could say it was just a hunch." Ventrix lamented the current affair of things. Everyone was split up, and he was face to face with someone who had the ability to tear through his defense. But... The more he thought about it, the more Ventrix realized that this was probably more ideal than trying to fight alongside someone. If this guy was able to make Ventrix's own speed look laughably slow, then it would have been nothing short of disastrous to unintentionally drag him into the range of his allies.
"Bullshit." Addle pointed at him, fully facing him with his face now. "You don't strike me as the type of guy to do things on a whim. Let's hear the honest truth. In fact, that truth might spare you from being my next meal... Who knows?"
"Well... Let's just say I had heard the name Korkolo before..." The double-edged sword of that one encounter with Meius struck again... The knowledge helped him confirm his suspicions, but cursed him to know how underhanded his superior truly was. "It came straight from the mouth of Meius himself in reference to a cult... That, along with a conversation I overheard the night before... And it confirmed my suspicions."
"Hah!... Okay. I see." Addle shook his head, placing his face in the palm of his hand before glaring at Ventrix from in between his fingers. The orders from Meius had all made sense to him now... "So, you must think Meius has your well-being in mind, right?... Bah-Hah!... He told me to kill you. Process that information however you want, cause you're not leaving here alive. You'll be lucky if anyone recognizes the half-eaten carcass I leave behind!"
"I guess there's no way out or around this. Fine!" Ventrix poised himself.
Raising his sword up, pointed outward with a two-handed grip, Ventrix hid his casting... Within a moment, Ventrix was on the other-side of Addle and had his sword held down to his side. It was a quickdraw of sorts, something simple and fast to easily put an end to any possible battle. Ventrix prided himself on his speed and precision, utilizing Refraction to a high degree and piercing through Addle's heart...
Ventrix turned to face Addle... Only to find Addle looking at him with a confused expression and no visible damage on his body.
"I was sure I hit him..." Ventrix stared wide-eyed at Addle.
"Man. You're slow. What a shame..."
Addle grinned, his teeth being exposed and bore like a wild animal craving its next meal. The heat in the area rose as sparks jumped off of Addle's body. He sprang forward towards Ventrix. Seeing this as an opportunity to truly strike him, Ventrix made a swing towards the direction Addle approached.
However, Addle raised his arm up, his arm colliding with Ventrix's blade. Despite his skillfulness and strength, Ventrix's swing appeared unable to even cut through Addle's skin... With a quick bump, Ventrix's swing was parried...
The slaughter began.
Addle had deflected Ventrix's attempt to catch him in the middle of his landing and countered with a quick right jab to his face. Ventrix was essentially defenseless in this scenario, not being fast enough to prevent Addle's attack nor being able to use his sword to block the punch in any way. The hit hadn't stunned him too much, nor hurt badly, but left a visible burn mark across Ventrix's left cheek.
Then Addle swooped back in with a left punch, crashing his knuckles directly into Ventrix's face and spilling forth blood from his shattered nose. The force of the attack sent Ventrix backwards. He bounced off the side of a house's wall, coughing up what air was in his lungs. Ventrix tried to recover, but Addle was already on top of him once more.
It was a right punch into a left jab that pressed Ventrix back into the wall. Another swift right hook followed by a left swing... Addle giggled, nearly squealing with delight as he struck Ventrix again and again without pause. Not only was it face shots, but body attacks as well that Ventrix endured. He found himself unable to do anything with the sheer pace Addle was able to keep up. It was a blinding volley of attacks, much faster than anything he had ever personally witnessed.
And the lightning quick strikes piled on further with Addle refusing to let up. His squeals turned to full-on cackling as the intensity turned up. Each hit opened up a new gash on Ventrix's face while leaving residual burns from the lightning and fire practically leaping off of his fists. The force of his attacks further increased with each hit, beginning to shatter the bricks behind Ventrix and sinking him in. At the same time, the splatters of blood Addle knocked out of Ventrix decorated the crumbling structure along with the both of them.
"This one is a true brute, use any sort of two-step strategy and he's as good as dead... That basically describes me! And yet, here you are!" Addle ferocity exponentially increased as he recalled the methods Ventrix described for killing the two puzzle solvers. "If it's that easy, then show me! Aren't you a Felsta?!..."
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"It's said that those with bad omens, or who bring bad omens, are the most suitable hosts for Ozix... These types of people are naturally born into the world under various circumstances and exhibit some degree of dysfunction." Meius sat in a chair within a dark, stone room. The area was lit by a few blue candle lights that decorated the area. His elbow sat upon the table and his face rested in his hand as he watched the figure a few seats down... "And dysfunction can mean any sort of lack of normalcy to a noticeable level... I think. Of course, otherwise, how would one find them? However, that lone distinction makes these kinds of individuals hard to discern from others..."
The figure sitting down some seats away from Meius had his face buried in a meal. The way he ate was seen as nothing more than frantic and beast-like. The meal itself appeared to be just meat...
"After all, to be a player on the world stage, one must be some sort of mentally deficient or insane. Great power comes from completeness or severance. The latter being more easily attainable than the former... Of course, spotting the truly ill ones is very easy when you do see them. They're always some form of... Addled I suppose..."
"What are ya looking at?" The eating had ceased as the figure's face became illuminated by the blue flames. A teenager with blue eyes and blonde hair... He stared directly at Meius...
"Oh, I just came up with a name for you is all. Don't think too much about it, okay?" Meius smiled and tilted his head down as he lowered his arms.
"Tell me later. A name isn't important." The teen was about to return to its meal...
"Oh, but it is." Meius locked back onto the boy in front of him. "A name is very important, Addle."
"Addle?... Whatever." He was about to indulge in his meal, once more, when he was interrupted again...
"Your circumstances are very interesting to both the cult and I. However, I don't wish to let the rest of them get their wasteful hands on you." Meius thrust himself up off his chair while stretching. He released a sigh filled with relief as he strutted past the famished Addle. "So, you'll remain as my subject within the confines of my lab until you're more mature..."
"... Will I be able to feast more?" Addle picked apart the meat in front of him, severing connections as he tore off a red and pink chunk.
"Of course, of course." Meius brought his hand to his face, watching with a sickened curiosity as Addle tore through the raw flesh. The ease at which he ate such an unsightly meal, knowing it was of his own kind, piqued Meius's interest. "Either an involuntary Pact forced onto him at birth... Or an Inherent Ability imprinted onto him... He is truly born of misery... The craving of human flesh with the ability to consume it without complications, resulting in accelerated growth... That, along with him gaining a portion of power from the consumed..."
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"Ha... Ah. Really?" The resistance Addle felt when striking Ventrix seemed to give out as the boy's head slumped down. Addle took a few steps back. Ventrix's body slid down the wall until he fell over to his side on the ground. The small stone house had a large indent on the side covered in his blood.
Ventrix's face was smeared with his own ichor. The bangs of his blonde hair drifted to the side and covered his eyes. The Felsta didn't seem to budge or twitch at all...
"All done then... Makes me wonder..." Addle turned his attention outward. To his left was the prison Avures and Korkolo were at. Roughly to his right were the areas where Kataline and The Sergeant were battling at. "Heh... I wanna save the best meal for last... But that's if I can mess with any of the others. Interfering with those two would be easier and more fun than Korkolo... I wonder if I could kill and eat that mask guy along with the person he's with. I doubt Korkolo or Meius would get mad since he's got nothing to really do with us anymore... Ha-Ha! What do you think-?"
Addle twisted his body around, sporting a malicious smile as he entertained his cruel joke. However, what he hadn't expected was Ventrix to be standing straight up once more with his sword in his hand. His head was slightly bowed down, allowing his bright blue eyes to pierce through his blood-dampened bangs and stick out among the gore covering his face. His stance was much more loosened compared to the rigid posture he held before...
"Uh... Could have sworn I killed you..." Addle squinted his eyes, deciding to fully turn around just to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him... Sure enough though, Ventrix was staring directly at him.
"As if." Ventrix took a long, deep sigh as he tilted his head off to the side. He made sure to mitigate the damage to himself by preemptively self-healing beforehand, despite the ineffectiveness of it. Though he was severely damaged regardless, it had not been enough to put him down. "My bare sword isn't enough to pierce his skin... He's also faster and stronger than me... I think if it were anyone else in my shoes... They'd have died."
"Pf. You're made a little tougher than the average piece of meat... Good! I like when they fight back." Addle flexed his hands as the ravenous hunger twisted his expression into that of a fiend.
"I think I get why he's so fast. If I can confirm it, then I know how to kill him..." Ventrix rolled his head, craning his neck around as well as a series of cracks and pops sounded out. He took his free hand and brushed his bangs back. "I won't be able to avoid getting hit... And that's fine. He probably thinks he's already won too... A strike when your opponent is convinced of victory is the deadliest."
The two stood at a standstill, neither a twitch or blink between the two of them... Then the fighting broke out once more. Addle had closed the gap within a single moment and a lightning-fast leap from his right foot. Ventrix braced himself, keeping his sword ready but off to his side. A yellow glow encapsulated his body as Addle reached out with his left fist. It was simply too fast for Ventrix to dodge, but he already planned for that. His aura took the brunt of the attack, only allowing Ventrix to be knocked slightly off-kilter.
As he recoiled to his left from the blow, Ventrix managed to recover quickly enough to slip out to the other direction. He ducked under Addle's fist using his own speed and strafed to the side. Addle shifted his face to where Ventrix now stood... And as they locked eyes, Ventrix deduced it.
"The heat coming off of his body... The bolts flying off of his skin with each movement. These things all work in tandem..." With the world seemingly passing in slow motion, Ventrix enveloped his sword in a bright yellow flash. His magic spread out over his blade, covering every inch of its sharp edges and point in a cleansing light. "His speed functions off of quick, jerky movements. When he utilizes his left side, it must be followed up with his right to maintain that extraordinary tempo... But that is also terrifying..."
Ventrix flicked his wrist upward and sliced through Addle, just before he managed to fully turn his body towards him and strike again. The light bounced from off his sword and helped carve through the madman's body, cleaving directly through him in the blink of an eye. Ventrix hopped backwards immediately after, not wishing to risk getting hit again after successfully dealing a blow to his opponent.
Addle's body was severed from the bottom left side of his torso up to his right shoulder, making a diagonal line through his stomach and chest. Addle's face was emotionless with his eyes widened. Blood began to seep from the point of severance as his top half began to slide down the length of his lopsided cut. However, it ceased altogether as a scalding heat erupted from his body. The areas of visible flesh began to take a molten-like form as his upper body seemingly readjusted itself back into the correct position. Then, the heat blended and fused his body back together, making it as if the slice had never happened.
"The sheer resilience of his body isn't human at all. No person, Fire caster or Lightning caster, can withstand such insane temperatures without destroying themselves. Same thing with the way he jerks his body around to utilize that superhuman speed. If he were normal, his body would rip itself apart from that motion alone..." Ventrix clutched his sword with a tighter grip, his hands turning white as he clenched his jaw as well.
"Are you really so surprised? You saw me do this earlier." Addle's expression built up from the plain face he held to a frenzied grin and gleeful eyes. He flexed his chest out and took pleasure in stretching out once more. "Alright! Let's play!"
Addle jolted ahead and gave a mighty uppercut to Ventrix. He reeled his head back just in time, the knuckles of Addle grazing against the skin on the tip of his nose. Ventrix was fleet of foot enough to weave to Addle's swinging side, unleashing another crescent of light from his sword that tore through Addle's body once more. However, unlike before, the remedial process of superheating his body to fix it was much faster than before. It was as if Addle was merely showing it off before.
He leapt off his opposite foot and returned back into Ventrix's range with a downward swing towards his head. Caught off guard by Addle's hastened recovery, Ventrix's skull took the full force of the attack. He was knocked to the ground head first, his cranium aching with a rattling pain as he thudded off the ground. But that was not the end of it.
Addle plunged his hand down, grabbing Ventrix by the head and repeatedly slamming his face into the ground again and again... Blood splattered out from the gashes on his head. Ventrix coughed and gasped each time he was pressed into the ground.
"W-what's happening?..." Ventrix was hardly able to keep himself together as the onslaught continued. His vision became blurry. And though he continued to support his body with whatever Healing Magic and Protection he was able to muster... It was a fleeting endeavor.
Addle soon became bored of this simple motion and glanced around... However, the entertainment was yet to cease. Addle lifted Ventrix by his head and dashed ahead. Moving at a near blinding speed, Addle positioned Ventrix in front of him as they encroached a building. Bracing for impact and using his strength, Addle used Ventrix as a battering ram and tore through the wall of the building. Stone bricks were sent tumbling to the ground as the two of them entered the vacant house.
Addle grinned with a wild and untamed joy in his heart, running Ventrix through every piece of furniture in their path. Wood broke and splintered apart as Addle began to cackle with happiness in his heart. Flames emanated from him and spouted outwards, coating the walls and Ventrix in a ball of fire. Addle then pressed him through the next wall separating them from the outside world. Back into the open air, Addle's flames grew and spread out further. All the buildings in the immediate area were suddenly lit ablaze.
Then it was another building he dragged Ventrix through... And another... All the while, Addle's laughter grew to outrageous levels. There was no letting up. It wasn't until a few more buildings until Addle changed it up. Essentially going in a big circle, Addle changed games. He instead slammed Ventrix's face against the side of another building and scraped his body against the rigid stones for the entire length of the wall.
However, as soon as he ran out of wall to continue tormenting Ventrix with, Addle held him up straight. Ventrix was gasping for air, his eyes were growing lazy and his body's resistance to his grasp was weakening. Taking extreme pleasure in Ventrix's active demise, Addle reeled back with his arm holding his enemy. Grinning ear to ear and with his eyes full of life and sparks, Addle planted his opposite foot forward and released Ventrix in a great forward heave. The swordsman ripped through the air out of Addle's hands, soaring much faster than most people could probably see.
Ventrix crashed into the side of a building, sinking the stone wall inward. The building trembled as the rest of the stones making up the wall above him crumbled downwards on top of him. The roof soon fell in too, burying Ventrix in the rubble of the house. His body was covered and unseen by the world. Addle giggled to himself as no noise emanated from below the scene and not a single piece of the wall moved.
"Hm..." Addle tilted his head, looking perplexed at the scene he created. Burning buildings, destroyed buildings, and a dead Felsta buried in rubble. He was surprised... Rain began to trickle down. Then it came in droves and started a downpour as a wave of thunder rang out.
"What's going on?... Why am I... Weak?..."
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My father is the head of the Felsta family. The one all branches look to. Velix Felsta is not only the strongest and most respected member of the family, but is also considered to be one of the pillars of the world. A being whose mere presence commands obedience and respect.
And I am his son.
Felsta is not a rare or uncommon lineage, but the name itself is only lent to those granted positions within one of the branches. One can be part of the Felsta line, yet hold a different name. This holds true for those who are used as wives and husbands for the branch families who stay in the lower echelon of the Felsta name.
Essentially, these people hold a position where they are constantly evaluated by servants in terms of compatibility with those in the main branches. That is to say, which partner gives a higher likelihood for a prodigious first born child who can inherit both the Eye of Felsta and the respective branch family technique.
However, when selecting a mate... My father ignored this process. He put no weight in that tradition that birthed much excellence, including himself. Though he married one of the women within the echelon, he did it out of love and not necessity. Such a thing was unheard of. Something I clued in on very early in my life... Was how apathetic the entire Felsta family was to its own blood... Except for my family.
My father was a happy man. And my mother was filled with whimsy and kindness. And to boot, I was born with the ability to still use the powers afforded to firstborn Felsta children. The Eye of Felsta, and the Light branch's Light of God.
But it was fairly obvious early on... That I was weak for a prestigious Felsta child. And though I was still considered a prodigy later on as I furthered my progress and got onto the Lancer Academy program... These things never changed.
When sparring against the other children from other branches... I never once won. And these matters and shows were never close. Though my father never seemed to mind, and my mother was always supportive...
That was, until she passed away.
When that happened, I had watched the change take hold in him. The distance... The sudden attitude shift... He put a lot more emphasis on my growth and strength, even if I never amounted to beating another Felsta...
No matter what, I was weak.
I have the answer to why I'm weak...
I loathe fighting...
Yet it gives me no closure. If it were only that, I wouldn't be dying to someone like this... There's something wrong with me. Everyone seems to think I'm powerful... I even fooled myself... I just don't get it.
"A man does not wallow in misery, lest he lead a truly miserable existence."
I know... But I could improve everyday and still not meet the mark. Iola isn't even a firstborn Felsta... But she still outclasses me to this day.
"I wonder how you can think yourself weaker than your cousin... Even she falls victim to my power."
"It's a difference in fighting styles."
"Iola is highly aggressive. She will fall victim to a trick, and not take time to read the situation. But me...I'm patient."
My patience won me that battle against Malia. But has it given me anything else? Has it made me stronger? Has it made me more victorious?
"Do you not feel any urgency? Any push? Drive?"
"I'm cautious. Jumping into a situation head first is a great way to make yourself look foolish. The moment I throw caution to the wind and step forward, is the moment I realize the ground below my feet has given way."
It doesn't make sense to me. I considered it one of my strengths.
"The only bad thing I can say is that you don't seem to take any real initiative."
"Besides, it really only could be you or Avures. No one else here has the intellect or initiative."
I never considered my lack of initiative truly bad because I've seen what happens when you rush into things.
But ever since our first contract, I regretted not being more assertive or aggressive. That man... Yuval... The way he wasted no time in attacking nearly got me killed because I was playing with that patience.
Come to think of it, despite the pedigree that I have... I have nothing to show for it, just like always when it comes to the other branches. Olicia nearly beat me. Malia nearly beat me. And Yuval had severely wounded me.
I think the truth is... I only hold onto my patience because of the disconnect I have with fighting as is...
"But, you agree...right? You have a dream too, don't you?"
"...I do..."
"Then throw caution to the wind, and go all out."
"A dream is only worth the merits of the one who has it. If you can't bring yourself to follow through...it's nothing."
"I told you why I can't throw caution to the wind...I told you why I wouldn't...the moment I plunge forward...unaware of what's around me...it's all over."
"What good is a dream, what good is stepping into uncertainty...if nothing is there?...my caution doesn't hold me back. It's an end to a means..."
And yet the past contradicts more events. I took initiative and threw caution away... Threatening violence when I don't even endorse it myself. I only employ it because of my lineage. And now here I am... I got us all into a mess that I'm not sure we'll get out of...
But I was still being cautious when fighting this freak, wasn't I?... Was it just reluctance to make good on the threat I had made? If so then why did I do it in the first place? What am I doing? My thoughts are all over the place. What should I do? Why can't I do anything? At this rate...
"Very rarely should you look back on things with any emotion or thought... Nothing other than "How does this get me ahead?" or "How does this set me back?"... The same goes when considering the actions or words of someone else. Things tend to make more sense that way. That is simply, life."
I still have my dream. I still want to see her again... And have her seen how far I've come. I want her to see how I cherish them...
But even that is contradictory considering I threatened to throw two of them away...
But I didn't mean it...
Maybe the reason why I can't grasp my own weakness and become stronger... Maybe the reason I'm still not close to my dream... Is because they've made me complacent...
Ironically, in my efforts to strive for both my dream and cherishing my allies, I find myself torn. I'm living between two extremes.
I don't become stronger hanging around my friends. It doesn't get me ahead, though I strive to prove it otherwise. I do care about them.
But I've left my dream in the hands of someone else... Something I should be seeing to myself.
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In trying to stick with them, I've left my goals in their hands and allowed myself to weaken. But if I take it into my own hands, I can't be around them... Otherwise I won't be strong enough to reach it. To try and play the middle ground is failure, that's all I can see...
My patience is me trying to make this work out with all of them. The part of me that despises battle.
My initiative is me trying to take this into my own hands. The part of me that accepts battle as reality.
I think I understand now. Both my goals are being pulled in two opposite directions. And rather than taking hold of one of them as my truth... I'm just waiting... No more.
I think I understand what this all means. I have to take initiative in a way that matters. Not putting off the inevitable, but being the force that holds them together by will alone!... I can be both!
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"I can feel it. That fighting going on must be pretty crazy! I gotta drop in on the red-head and mask guy! But I'll target the girl first. Gotta eat her and use her while she's warm..." Addle braced his knees, preparing to leap off into the woods... But a sudden tugging feeling from off to the side stayed his feet. He glanced back over to the rubble pile, refusing to believe that Ventrix was still alive.
A glimpse of rays flickered out from tiny openings in the collapsed wall. Immediately following that, the rocks and bits were blasted away and into small pieces. Addle covered his eyes, shying his face away from the sudden beams of brilliance shining outwards. When the illumination faded back out to the dim flames still raging beneath the roofs of other buildings, Ventrix was left standing atop the rubble with his sword in hand. His head was tilted downwards and his eyes glaring out towards Addle. His bits of armor and cloth still intact were smothered by his own blood, practically making him appear crimson.
"The truth I have been denying so far... Is that combat is a means to an end that cannot be ignored. But I refuse to be swallowed by it. I refuse to be swallowed by the deluded thoughts!"
Ventrix raised his sword upward, brazenly tilting his head up and straight ahead at Addle. His eyes solely focused on the cannibal as they rattled around, straining from the sheer focus. Three golden rays of luster converged on a single point... The tip of his sword. The dim radiance twinkled and sparkled, swirling into a fearsome sphere with overpowering luminescence. Even the stormy night sky found itself being bathed in a glorious heap of illumination as the shining orb perfected its form.
Addle shot into action, refusing to allow anymore of this to continue... But...
"Light of God!"
Ventrix pulled his sword down and pointed it outwards towards the encroaching Addle. The swirling fortress of light remained in air, showering the immediate area with golden beams.
Ventrix brought his sword back and swung outwards. Addle threw out his swing, putting all of his speed and force in. The attacks clashed at their apex, sparks of light and fire dancing at the collision and signaling the struggle. As if in sync, both of them pulled back at the same time...
Without missing a beat, Addle unleashed a barrage of blows. Right, left, right, left... All within a mere moment at blinding speeds and all directed towards Ventrix.
Ventrix followed in suit, hacking away with his sword at his own top speed. Though he was considerably slower than Addle was at the moment, his swings were still deflecting and parrying the fists. That, with help from a shower of slices and cuts intercepting Addle's attacks as Light of God assisted Ventrix.
Though even with the help of his ace, Ventrix only found himself evenly matched with the destructive output Addle was capable of unleashing. The two stood at odds, furiously attacking at the other in the hopes of creating an opening. Yet there was no give on either side. Addle seemed to still be in perfect condition. Ventrix was the exact opposite, looking like he was about to drop dead any moment...
Whether it was out of desperation or uncertainty of how to proceed, Ventrix upped the rate of his strikes from Light of God. He adjusted his strategy, freeing his sword up. Ventrix took a prodding swing at Addle... Directed at his arm, Addle placed importance on the weapon rather than the ace. Addle's fist clashed with Ventrix's sword... But the sheen of light enveloped his sword and assisted Ventrix to slice through his fist down the middle of his hand and arm.
But Addle continued to follow through anyway, using the same trick as before to reform his arm. Beginning with his hand, his flesh turned molten and shaped itself back together. The process traveled down his arm further as his fist grew closer to Ventrix's head. Not even the unguarded strikes from Light of God stopped Addle, only forcing his body to remold itself after each severance.
Ventrix was unable to pull away or make Addle stop. The cannibal's fist cracked against Ventrix's skull once more...
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"As I said, names are important, Addle." Meius had his arms planted down on a stone table, his finger scrapping and dragging along the surface. A myriad of strange shapes and lines took form as his finger dug into the stone as if it were soft. "Names are indicators of one's being and status."
"And?..." Addle sat on the cold floor, repeatedly tilting his head back into the wall with the thuds ringing out.
"Regular people and combatants are typically of lower levels and potential than someone with a reputable family name. Your average Lancer couldn't be expected to compete with any head of a Felsta branch. The same goes for the Numidis name... Lakentos... Kolisti... Very rarely does an exception to these rules appear."
"Okay..." Addle rolled his eyes, continuing to partake in his time-wasting habit.
"The reason this all matters... Is because your consumption of any individual who bears these names would boost your own abilities tremendously." Meius grinned, ceasing in his etchings and spinning around towards Addle.
"Is that right?..." Addle slammed his head against the wall one final time, the impact reverberating throughout the dark laboratory. His eyes glanced around and shifted to lock onto Meius.
"Mhm. And in consuming the most exceptional of those names, you would likely achieve the final evolution you require to be a perfect host for Ozix..." Meius squinted his eyes at Addle, still smirking as he watched the lanky boy's body twitch and spring to life with excitement.
"So? What are we waiting for?!" Addle rolled forward from his sitting position and onto his feet. His body pulsed with anticipation.
"Now now. Patience. Truth be told, I think the heads of those families would easily best and destroy us in any sort of confrontation." Meius shrugged his shoulders as he closed his eyes. That very statement quelled Addle's fire and made him growl with displeasure. "Aside from that, there's no merit in giving you assistance in that endeavor. Ozix loves tribulations and suffering. He would reject your form if I held your hand the entire way."
"... Then why bother telling me?" Addle crossed his arms and shook his head, taking the statement akin to a dejected child. He took a deep breath... "What if?... What if I ate a child belonging to that name? Or a woman?"
"Now now, Addle. It'll do you well to remember that the women of those families are hardly pushovers. Not only that, it must be one born of pure value within the family. Meaning, only those born from exceptional individuals within those clans will give you the power you need. And usually, the gifted children are sheltered until around thirteen years old. After all, the body and blood of those born into great families are worth a fortune."
"So... I go and find a child who just turned of age within those families. No big deal..."
"Oh. Eager Addle. Take no offense to this. But I doubt you would even stand a chance against a thirteen year old Felsta kid."
"Are you fucking serious?" Addle stormed forward and reached for Meius's neck. Meius grabbed Addle's wrist as the two locked into a stalemate. Addle's teeth were bore outwards in their twisted and animal-like shape. Meius maintained his calm and joyful demeanor.
"Trust me. If it were that easy..." Meius disarmed Addle's anger and tension, slowly lowering their locked grips downwards as he sighed. "What I can do is eventually set you up for that kill. But you must remain patient for the time to come..."
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Addle ripped through with his attack, sending Ventrix hurtling towards the ground. But then he rebounded the Felsta upwards with a blinding uppercut to the head. During those moments, Ventrix's sword slid out from inside of Addle's body as it continually morphed and reformed from the flurry of Light of God. Addle followed through with another punch and another beyond that. Right to left. Left to right. His jolting and jarring movements created speed and force that defied logic and the body itself.
"I see it now, Meius!" Addle's mouth widened out to the absolute extreme, showcasing an otherworldly smile that could make demons look normal. His teeth gritted and clenched against each other, the sheer enthusiasm of what was to come overrode any other emotion he had in the moment. "He might be a Felsta! But he's a very weak Felsta! My metamorphoses begins and ends with this battle!"
"... Unluckily for you, I've decided to embrace this battle..." Ventrix's body stiffened and froze. One final punch from Addle rang out as it crashed against the noble boy's head... But the result was the exact opposite of what was expected. Raindrops trickled down and bounced off of a shimmering golden aura surrounding Ventrix's body. The same aura stood as a wall between Ventrix and certain demise. "I own my mistakes. Everything will be fixed by your death!"
"What?" Addle shook and struggled as the golden aura somehow prevented his attack entirely. He knew that Ventrix's offensive magic wasn't able to beat out his own attacks... But that also meant any of his magic shouldn't have been able to withstand his force. Yet suddenly...
Light of God radiated even brighter than before, making the area around them appear as if it were a sunny day outside. A series of strikes all cascaded and crashed against Addle's back, ripping his body to shreds. At the same time, Ventrix bumped Addle's fist off of his body and sliced upwards at that same arm. His arm flipped through the air... But the blood between his body and the arm fired out from the point of severance and connected. Addle took a tiny retreat, hopping backwards as he reeled his arm back in... Ventrix's aura dissipated away...
But Addle intended for it to be a feint. Ventrix was solely focused on him. As he began his assault forward, the arm in the air stiffened. The heat of the blood rose with a great intensity. Drops of rain crashed against the superheated stream of blood, causing steam to sizzle out in the air. The hand curled into a fist and sprang to life, hurdling down towards Ventrix. At the same time, Addle began to move out to his left.
Ventrix noticed the attack coming. But, in continuing with his assault, he dodged forward to avoid the attack and continued to close the distance. The fist crashed into the wet and muddy ground, splashing up chunks of sloppy dirt everywhere within a ten foot radius. Temporarily impairing Ventrix's ability to track him, Addle took this moment to speed ahead. When Ventrix was able to see again in the next moment, Addle was no longer in the same spot... As he went to turn and face Addle's new position...
The arm and fist sprang to life once more, soaring up from the mud and striking Ventrix's head from the side. The Felsta recoiled, totally unprepared for that attack. He lost his balance and footing, struggling to stay up on both feet. At the same time, Addle crossed over from the opposite direction with his remaining arm and fist. Another crack against Ventrix's head rang out amidst the pouring rain. With his arm and himself on both sides of Ventrix... His final assault began...
The hardened tether of blood from Addle's Blood Boil sprang upwards and formed circles that fell down and around Ventrix. The crimson connection then tightened and bound Ventrix's body. Addle turned the heat up as high as he could, attempting to hurt Ventrix in whatever way he could while trying to maintain his Fire Magic amidst the rain. The rising temperatures singed against his skin and cut through his armor...
Ventrix struggled against the searing bloody restraints to no avail. Addle began to cackle aloud as Ventrix was lifted off the ground by the crimson whip. The blood unfurled from his arm, granting length to the tether that held Ventrix. Then, Addle twisted and threw severed limb around, swinging Ventrix through the air. the noble boy kept hold of his sword, even with the insufferable burns being applied to him.
Addle ripped downwards, sending Ventrix crashing into the ground. Mud and dirt was flung everywhere as the wind left Ventrix's body and left him gasping for air. Then Addle twisted to the side, throwing Ventrix into the nearest building. He slammed against the stone bricks, sending another structure into disarray as the debris fell around him. Ventrix coughed up blood as Addle swung him around yet again. He was thrown into another wall, making the building fall down as he felt his life force slipping away. Finally, Addle bent at his knees and thrust upward. The blood tether extended with Ventrix, allowing him to gain incredible height from the launch. Then, with the length tightening, Addle thrust him downwards one final time...
A loud, roaring boom sounded out one final time as Ventrix was ripped out of the air and forced back down to earth. His body was launched downwards into one of the few remaining structures. Ventrix crashed through the roof and brought the house down around him, all the walls caving in on his crater and burying him once more...
"There... That should do it. Ha!..." Addle's arm and fist retracted as the tether unfurled and returned to his body. In a rare sight, it appeared as if the cannibal found himself a bit exhausted. "Damn Felsta! Making me work this hard for my meal!... Oh well... It's all over n-"
Addle remembered. He spun around, noticing that the shimmering brightness from Light of God had never faded during that assault. In fact, it had only increased in intensity. There wasn't enough time between Addle realizing what was to come and it happening...
The orb unleashed a torrential volley of light, hundreds upon thousands of individual slices of light that pierced through the air on Addle's position. He raised his arms up, trying to mitigate and block what he could. But the Light of God's rays tore through his body with ease. Each blip of light was akin to the small cut of a knife... But there was an overwhelming amount of them. Addle's body appeared to be getting sliced up at nearly every square inch of his body. The small cuts began to tally up, threatening to dismember his entire body.
But with each instance of a slice unleashed, the light from Ventrix's ace dimmed more and more. Until, a final wave was sent out... Over the course of six seconds... Addle's body had been torn asunder. Light of God weakened to a stage of illumination that resembled a flickering candle...
Meanwhile, Addle's skin had been shredded apart. Much of his outfit and body was completely unrecognizable. Bits of muscle, flesh, and bones were exposed to the world. The only piece of his outfit left was his pants, but each cut revealed a portion of the damage down to his lower half. Addle's arms dangled on by threads. The skin of his face had been reduced to strips of tiny skin fragments buried in the rain and mud behind him. His skull had scar marks, and hardly any flesh originating from his head remained...
The debris from where Ventrix had been put down shuffled. Bits of stone and wood were thrown aside as the blonde-haired noble rose from the remnants of the building Addle intended to make his grave. He was beat up even more badly than before. His armor and outfit were unrecognizable and he was soaked in his own blood. Streaks of rain were made visible by the faint washing away of the crimson fluids. Yet... He stood once more...
Ventrix inched his way out of the destroyed building, stepping foot on the mud once more... And losing his balance as he planted his arms in the ground to break his fall. He gasped for air, his throat was hoarse and his chest sore. Everything felt like it was fading... Ventrix managed to stand up once more, staring over at Addle's body which somehow remained on its feet...
Ventrix shook his head and wiped his sword clean of any blood or mud on his outfit. Then... He caught a glimpse of something that made him freeze in place.
A soft red and orange glow all around Addle's body emanated. Small fires sprung up despite the downpour. The tiny, warm colored bits surrounding his remains took a molten like shape, and tethered to his body without warning.
"Just... What is this guy?!" Ventrix's eyes twitched as he realized that he wasn't out of this just yet.
The lava-like pieces flung onto his flesh and bones, pulsating and traveling down the length of what was still standing. It then took shape and form of muscle, flesh, and/or skin... Whatever was missing...
In just a few moments, Addle stood once again as if he had never been struck in the first place. He faced the opposite direction of Ventrix, flexing his hands and muscles as he chuckled to himself.
"Nice try, meat. Unluckily for you!... That ain't enough to kill me." Addle took a step towards Ventrix as he turned himself around to face him one more time. That crazed look he had earlier took shape on his face once more. "As if I could die here! Destiny is at hand! Ventrix Felsta, you are my prey! And once I consume you, I will achieve the power needed to become a true vessel for Ozix!"
"N-No way..." Ventrix gritted his teeth as he tried to recapture the adrenaline of battle into his body. He was running low on everything. Blood, Mana... Willpower... However, he was not afraid. Nor was he clueless on what to do...
"It isn't true Healing... or regeneration... But it is tiring to do it over and over again, especially in the rain. So, I'm just gonna finish you off with Lightning! How does that sound?!" Addle slammed his arms and hands together. He opened his palms outwards with his wrists touching. Between the palms of his hands, an orb with tiny bolts of electricity took shape, bouncing off of his body and arms. The magnitude of power grew with every passing moment. To Addle, Ventrix appeared incapable of moving enough to dodge this attack...
Even Ventrix himself had thought that.
But as he took a few deep breaths and raised his sword upwards, an unknown sensation made itself apparent within him. Both in his current feelings and memory...
"I thought he would have killed me twice already... And yet, here I am..." Ventrix held the tip of his blade towards Addle, holding steady in his stance. "His attacks haven't been dealing as much damage... But I'm unsure if it's because of this weird feeling or if he's been wearing down..."
"Speechless? I thought so! Ya probably thought I'd be outta juice by now! You're dead meat!" Addle's body trembled and shook as the intensity of the energy held within his hands grew larger in size and potency.
"Maybe... No! Something is definitely different! I feel as if I'm overflowing with potential! With a little bit of imagination... I can pull this off! I just have to go for it!" Ventrix's sword arm fell limp to his side, his grip still holding as his face visibly gained the resolve he felt within. His left hand rose up to his face, lazily carried along by his arm until hovering over his bloodied forehead and left eye. He cupped that hand over that eye, his right pupil shrunk and took a more focused look with it seemingly vibrating in place. "A myth passed down in my family talks about a destiny that entangles all Felsta. Every Felsta is said to undergo three major battles in their life! One to show their path in life! One to sway their resolve! And one to cement their legacy!..."
"What is this brat yapping about?" Addle felt a tinge of unease. So far, Ventrix had appeared to remain cool, calm, and collected during the battle. Even when that demeanor faltered, he reset back into it. Yet... This was different. Ventrix's lips curled into a smile.
"But legends are all bullshit anyways!..." Ventrix bore a full grin, unsightly and unusual for one of his usual attitude. His crimson painted mouth was on full display as drops of blood escaped his maw... But once again, his normal way of carrying himself resurfaced. If anything, it intensified more than usual. His middle finger and ring finger covering his eye parted an inch, allowing a shining gleam of radiance to pour outwards. "All of them... Except for the one I'm about to show you."
The glimmering of holy light emanating from Ventrix's hidden eye froze Addle completely. His mouth hung slightly agape. The ball of lightning within his palms lost all composure and form, sparking out and fading entirely. Addle took a step back as his eyes remained glued to the Felsta in front of him. He had hardly even noticed the Light of God giving way as well, falling to the ground and outstretching itself. Like Addle's attack, Ventrix's ace seemed to fizzle out. However, instead, it was coating the ground in white and yellow with shimmering golden rays inching out like swaying grass.
"N-... No! You wouldn't! Not for a battle like this!..." Addle's body tensed up, every part of his being was telling him to run away. It was unthinkable that someone like him, who mercilessly killed and indulged in the flesh of the deceased, was feeling real fear.
"A battle like this? It's life or death anyways... Right?! I choose life! Whatever happens to me after... Is the price I pay for my dreams!" Ventrix's fingers slowly slipped away from his eye, revealing its newfound presence with every bit uncovered. The iris of his eye revealed a gold color... Followed by a strip of black... And then one of red, blue, bright yellow, brown, gray, and an ice blue to top it off... Eight strips of varying color across his left eye's iris, like a strange rainbow... "Behold! The Eye of Felsta!"
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"Family lineage is important within our world as many high level members of each major family name have great power and respect within society. And this comes from exceptional individuals who pass their talents and abilities down through their blood." Meius held a tiny bottle of blood within his right hand and swirled it around in front of Addle. Addle watched the vial swing side to side in front of him as he sat in a chair, not amused him at all. "For example, the Lakentos line is noted for their extraordinary espionage skills... The ability to erase one's presence entirely to the point of being invisible and ethereal..."
"We've been over this already!" Addle reached back and grabbed the backside of his chair. He stomped and climbed out of the seat, pulling the chair over his head and smashing it onto the ground in front of him. The wood splintered out and left only a snapped plank in his hand. "You just love going on and on about this shit! Get to the point!"
"Easy!... Easy." Meius put his arms up and took a step back. Hushed giggles escaped his lips as he placed the vial back on his table behind him. "To add onto the thought of even a Felsta child being able to kill you, and to finish this discussion, allow me to explain something very simple."
"... Well?" Addle flicked the plank out of his hand and off to the side.
"Out of all family lines that dominate the combative and political fields within society... Felsta are the most dangerous and powerful. Why is that? Well... It all goes back to sometime after the appearance of the first Magi. Legend has it that the first Felsta head, as history would know it, met The Architect and was endowed with an esoteric knowledge of bloodlines." Meius hopped up on the table behind him and swung his legs back and forth. There was something he always found a little distasteful about old knowledge and legends. "Using what he learned, that Felsta enacted and placed a Pact upon himself. No one knows what that Pact entailed. All that is known from it is that the first two Felsta children born within the main family are placed under an Involuntary Pact."
"Like mine? Or?"
"No. While the details aren't important, it's what results from it that concerns us. Because of all of that, firstborn Felsta always inherits two abilities. One is that branch's signature Inherent Ability... And the other... is the Eye of Felsta. Let me be clear, the latter is the more terrifying of the two."
"Eye of Felsta?... It doesn't sound all that bad or scary. Tell me about it."
"Oh, Addle... I'll tell you about it. But you need to understand. If you are fighting a Felsta and they use it... Your only option is to retreat. If you don't... They will kill you..."
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"They will kill you..."
"I doubt you would even stand a chance against a thirteen year old Felsta kid."
"Your only option is to retreat."
"They will kill you."
"W-Wha-No! No! No!..." Addle's breaths became short and wispy as his lips quivered. His palms became sweaty and meek, his cruel and dominant demeanor melting away. "I can't die here! I can't die here! I need to move! But..."
The rays of light continued to rise and fall from the splotches of gold resting on the ground beneath him. The winds howled on with a sky-piercing bolt of lightning appearing off in the distance, soon followed by a roar of thunder. The constant drizzling of rain battering against his being, cold and discordant. And yet... One thought rang out through Addle's mind.
"Ozix loves tribulations and suffering. He would reject your form if I held your hand the entire way."
"No! This is just a test! His body is weakened! If I can just get to him one more time, he's dead! And I'll indulge in the greatest feast of my life!" Addle balled his hands into fists, squeezing as tightly as he could. He restrained the trembling within himself as he reinforced his body with an aura made from lightning. The magics condensed inwards, seldom sparks flying out that arced across individual raindrops. "C'mon! Show me this Eye of Felsta! I'll pluck it out of your skull and fuck your socket till it shatters!"
As the light from his rainbow-like eye pierced out amidst the dark of the stormy night, Ventrix gripped his sword with both hands. His fingers slowly curled around the handle and bound it to his will. A sheen of godly light enveloped the blade. The remnants of Light of God expanded over to Ventrix's feet with a motion similar to ooze. As it encircled the noble, thick, individual beams of light rose from the pool and danced around his position. The full fury and boundless power within his eye seemed to pierce straight through Addle. Ventrix took in a deep breath, hardening his stance with a small bend in his knees and rearing his sword back to his right. Then, he released that breath in a manner contrary to the buildup he had been doing.
"Psh... As if."
The rainbow light from Ventrix's left eye vanished without any sign or warning, returning to its usual color. But even as Addle took sight of it and rejoiced in its disappearance... The next few moments had occurred much too fast for him to take full advantage of it. For in the very next second... Ventrix was no longer directly in front of him.
Immediately, Addle had felt a disconnect of sorts. The sensation on the left side of his body, particularly his left arm and chest, disappeared entirely. He veered his head towards the left side, gazing behind him. Ventrix was seen pivoting off of his right foot and turning to face Addle once more. His blade was pointed outwards from his waist as if he had just swung it.
Addle tried to swing his left arm back... But his arm wouldn't budge. His blood boiled as strands of crimson flowed between both the area of disconnect and his own body. But it wasn't fast enough to retaliate against Ventrix.
Instead, Addle swung with a backwards attack from his right arm, pivoting back towards the Felsta. But even that was too slow. After all, Addle had no way to jolt back and forth with attacks with his left arm reattaching. So this time, that same disconnect sensation traveled all the way from his right elbow. Addle glared at his arm. A line was visible spanning in a circle around his elbow as blood seemed to sprout out from the origin slowly.
With his left arm almost reattached, and his right needing to be repaired as well, Addle focused back front and center where Ventrix stood. There were no thoughts bouncing around his head that allowed him to ascertain the position he was in. Ventrix had gone from being overwhelmed by Addle's speed, to easily outpacing him altogether. It was so spontaneous, so sudden, that Addle was unable to comprehend it and hardly even able to perceive it.
And had he been able to fully perceive it and understand Ventrix's attacks... Addle would have noticed that it wasn't speed guiding Ventrix's attacks...
"Ya can teleport to a given object with a little effort!..."
"Identical auras are naturally attracted to each other."
"Teleportation is usually a costly maneuver."
"But with this?..."
"Ya could say I cheated the system."
"Now that ya get it, let's see ya figure it out, Blue-Blood..."
Ventrix disappeared from sight in front of Addle to being around his backside again, once more severing the connection that Addle's magic had been trying to fix. A singular moment where Addle tried to turn his head ensued, but was interrupted by Ventrix appearing in front of him again. This time it was his right leg where the connection was severed leaving Addle unable to feel or move that limb. Another slice was made directly through the lower left side of Addle's abdomen. Then it was through his right elbow again before it could repair. That, followed up by one last strike that cleaved through his entire midsection, separating his upper and lower half by his waist.
The lack of connection immediately made itself known through his remaining nerves. Though Addle's body appeared to remain intact... The lining of cuts around those areas of his body began to ooze the essence of life. The sheared muscle fibers and tubes of blood slid apart, Addle's flesh sliding apart.
In a quick, decisive move... Ventrix appeared at Addle's backside and delivered a powerful kick to the cannibal's torso. With the madman separated from the rest of his body, Addle's dismembered upper torso flew out several feet away from the rest of his form. Whips of crimson life unfurled from his torso and shot out towards his dissected body, aiming to reform him in one desperate move.
However, Ventrix was ready to finish it all. Bringing his leg back down to the ground, Ventrix held his sword horizontally with the blade resting on his left bicep. His left arm trembled as his magical focus magnified. Using his sword to keep himself steady, Ventrix bent his left arm upwards with careful concentration.
The pool of light from his ace swirled around with the rays of light feverishly springing out and circling around the area. Then the area shrank in size several times over within moments. Each time the pool compressed, the bright lights within increased in magnitude. It culminated in a blinding, sacred light just below where Addle's severed body parts were falling...
Light of God was still bound to the ground, tightly bundled up in front of Ventrix. His left arm was fully curled upwards, holding his final move together as both his physical and mental abilities worked in tandem to keep his focus from breaking. With his wrist bent downwards, his left palm facing the sky... Ventrix flipped his index and middle finger upwards...
The concentrated light erupted, rising from the earth as though Ventrix had been restraining it the whole time. The individual beams of radiance all fused together, manifesting as a force of holy cleansing. Sheer destruction arose from the ground and pierced through the clouds, lighting up the village for a few moments as Ventrix's power flared to tremendous heights. Addle's attempts to reconnect his body together were in vain. The moment his controlled blood touched the pillar of radiance, it was destroyed on all levels. His dismembered body shared in that fate from being at the epicenter of Ventrix's final attack, the true purpose of his all-out gamble.
After a few, furiously blinding yet silent moments among the thunderous roars of Ventrix's light, the phenomenal light show ceased altogether with glints of light slowly rising to the heavens. The rain continued on with the wind, all of it seeming much more quiet after being drowned out by the beam of destruction Ventrix weaved. Not a single word or breath escaped Addle or Ventrix's lips...
Ventrix stood up straight, letting his left arm fall to his side. As he glared ahead, there appeared to be no traces of Addle's severed body parts... Only his torso with his head...
Victory...
Ventrix let out a sigh of relief, twirling the blade and handle of his sword before placing it back in its sheath...
His eyelids felt heavy, and his body ached. Compared to his previous battles and scuffles, Ventrix had truly felt outmatched and more exhausted and weakened than ever... But...
"I'm not sure what that feeling was... But it's almost as if it gave me the ability to overcome that freak's incredible power..." Ventrix flexed his left hand in front of his face. That sensation which flowed through his body before was noticeably absent now. Not only that, he was drained of Mana as well, causing him to ache all over even worse. "I practiced teleportation with Lylas... But that part with the Light of God?... I never even attempted it before. It's like that feeling helped me perfect it on my first try."
When it came to adapting Lightning Lure to his own abilities, Ventrix had an immediate way to use it. Refraction was an easy technique to incorporate with it. Rather than using the speed of the technique to shuffle him over, Ventrix was able to tweak it to merge him over to the projectile. Still, it had been much too predictable for his own liking. However, had it not been for Lylas's intuition and clever thinking, Ventrix would never have figured it out. And because of that, he theory-crafted his own way to use it...
Because Light and Lightning have similar casting properties, like movement and output, techniques like Refraction and Lightning Lure can be altered to work across both elements. Both Lightning and Light can be stretched thin to increase velocity... And while Lightning can act as and with an attractant based on conductivity with great speed to boost... Light can travel at a speed which only few can comprehend or match, but does not have the same conductivity property as Lightning for the purpose of something like Lightning Lure. That makes the transitioning of Lightning Lure to a Light casting technique impractical as Light users cannot control the way light moves while also keeping up with the speed. It would have to be teleporting in a straight line...
That was, unless someone had a way to control light in an absolute manner...
Light of God is an Inherent Ability passed down through the Felsta line to the firstborn of the Light family branch. As these abilities span generations, their true properties are kept secretive in order to remain as powerful tools for the families. Like Light of God being said to simply be able to "strike anything within its light"...
Light of God offers its user total control over the movement of light within its own range under the stipulation that the light cannot be removed from the zone of influence... A Pact within an ability granted from a Pact. Thus, the light within it can be weaponized by the user by granting them total control over individual photons. To make effective use of the ability, the user has to utilize countless photons at once. This seemingly gives the users of this ability the power to strike without striking.
With the orb, Ventrix was unable to fine tune his control to utilize Lightning Lure with his own abilities. It was simply too difficult. However, it was another friend of his who helped him to realize another way of attempting it...
By watching Avures use Perfect Dark... And seeing how effective it can be as a baseline for casting Dark techniques... Ventrix came up with the idea of molding Light of God into a similar form in order to help him understand and control his own ability on a deeper level...
However, he had never truly practiced it. Ventrix had only thought of it a few days ago before they came to this village. And yet... That feeling within him made it come alive...
With the Light of God pooled on the ground like that, Ventrix was able to teleport himself anywhere within its own bounds...
Ventrix glanced around the area... His mind was much too tired to make out the signatures of Mana in the distance. His body was beaten and battered to the extreme, and he had hardly been able to keep himself alive as it was. However, he was able to remember the area Korkolo had stormed off to. Avures was there...
"Please... Be okay, Avures... I still need you... We have promises to keep to each other..." Ventrix planted his foot ahead of him, slightly wobbling as he tried his best to maintain his balance. Then he managed another step... "If I can just recover a little bit... I'll make sure we both leave here alive. I just-"
"Damn you, Felsta!" A loud, yet raspy voice called out... Ventrix was jolted and stunned by the fact that he was still able to talk.
"How unsightly..." Ventrix was hunched over a tad as he craned his neck over to what remained of Addle. His head rested against the mud with the rest of his torso laying there. Despite the fact that Ventrix removed all of his limbs... He persisted.
"You're gonna die!... You... Your allies... The whole lot of ya... As much as I hate that fucking dwarf... I'll be happy when he tears you apart!" Addle still found the strength within him to gloat, smiling ear to ear. He suddenly coughed, spitting up clots of blood that were quickly washed away by the rain. "He planned all of this..."
"Ventrix, I have no intentions on murdering Headmaster Xilvas for either a cult or the Forsaken."
"In the grand scheme of things, everything I'm doing is for the sake of the Academy..."
"If I remember right, this was supposed to be a peaceful mission. Either Meius fully planned for a peaceful transaction, or he intentionally planned for it to get bloody. For what purpose?... No. It wouldn't make sense for him to throw us into a dangerous situation if what he said to me was true. But if they got that artifact without issue and Meius ensured it, then how would that be for the sake of the Academy?..." Ventrix ignored the taunts of Addle, instead trying to piece together the reasons for everything. There was something clearly missing and Meius stood at the center of it. Not a single one of the theories he came up with matched the words of Korkolo or the outcome of all the actions. Something had gone wrong... Or someone was lying...
Addle began to cackle, his vocal cords fading with every laugh that left his mouth. Ventrix turned away and continued to lurch towards the direction Korkolo had gone. Avures held the crux to his dreams... And Avures was the only one yet to spurn him for a play made out of desperation... A play made from information only Ventrix knew. Information that needed to be kept quiet for everyone else's sake... Ventrix limped on, needing to get to Avures as soon as possible...