The shadows in the area surged towards the carriage with malevolent intent, crashing into its side and causing it to topple over from the impact as it slammed into the nearby trees. The sudden force detached the horses from the carriage, prompting them to flee in panic, driven by instinctive fear.
2nine and the other Carriers were hurled out of the carriage, their group frantically scanning their surroundings for any sign of the attacker as they regained their footing after the crash. However before they could detect anyone, a malevolent shriek, infused with an aura of death and depravity, sounded out from the depths of the forest, causing two of the Carriers to instantly lose consciousness.
2nine and his companions sensed an unsettling chill creeping over them from the aftermath, temporarily immobilizing them as cold sweat trickled beneath their masks. Demonstrating his experience and resilience, 2nine managed to overcome the malevolent pressure first, with the other two Carriers gradually regaining their senses amidst slow and sluggish movements.
"Where?"
The cold yet urgent voice of 2nine echoed as he surveyed the scene, calmly directing one of the Carriers still conscious to secure and safeguard the container of Oddity - 999 - IV. Acting swiftly upon the command, the Carrier dashed towards the battered carriage, their frantic search amidst the crash debris illuminated by the radiant glow of the silver moon.
A circular cyan-blue clock, segmented into three equal parts, manifested on the forehead of one of the Carriers as she swiftly gestured toward the left side of the forest. Her eyes transformed into a swirling storm of light blue hues, imbued with an enchanting aura of fate and destiny.
Without speaking a single word, 2nine dashed towards that side of the forest as eight spear-like projectiles coated in blazing red hot flames circularly surrounded him, resembling an ever-spiraling ring of fire. As he pressed deeper into the forest, two swift shadows swiftly passed him with remarkable speed, their forms perfectly blanketed by the ambiance of the night.
'Shit. They are too fast!'
One had to note that 2nine wasn't slow in the slightest as he was an Apostolic Priest of the Echelon of Ruination, an Apostolic group of individuals who pride themselves on their exceptional physical prowess such as strength, agility and endurance. The fact that the shadows matched his speed suggested that their assailant was either his equal in strength or, worse, even stronger—possibly an Apostolic Bishop!
With adept concentration, 2nine spun around and unleashed two blazing hot spears at each of the two shadows. They effortlessly dodged the attack, causing an explosion that filled the air with the smell of ash and burning wood to ring through the air as they lunged at their intended targets. One shadow subdued the female Carrier from earlier, while the other headed straight for the carriage, clearly aiming for the box!
Before 2nines had the time to offer more assistance to his helpless subordinates, a third shadow pounced on him from the darkness, throwing an onslaught of attacks of different types at him as he tried to frantically block and dodge.
'A Shadow Bishop? What type of bad luck is this!'
There was no longer a doubt in his mind, the attacker was a Shadow Bishop, an Apostolic Bishop from the Echelon of Death which was one level above his current self!
'If only 3two wasn't knocked unconscious, I would have been able to temporarily fight on the same level as a Bane Bishop.
'But now I have to fight a Bishop as a Priest, isn't this just too unfair?'
2nine hurled spear after spear at the shadow, only for them to veer off course or miss the target entirely, causing him to furrow his brows as he jumped back for a moment of respite.
'Damn it. They must have used Cipher lock on me, that's why my attacks are straying off course!
'Seems like I have to dispel this Invocation and try another one. Thankfully I have just one spear left so it isn't a waste.'
2nine then canceled the invocation of 8-Rings of Holocaust, causing the spear hovering around him to disappear as the fire tattoo on his forehead lost one of its six segments. He then released a circular burst of flames around himself, which caused the shadow to be pushed back, Its suffocating gaze fixed upon him. Despite its indiscernible facial features, he couldn't shake off the feeling that the shadow was smirking at him, which irritated him slightly.
'The shadow doesn't seem intent on taking me out, if it wanted to kill me I would be dead already.
'Is it just trying to keep me busy?'
2nine then looked back at the area where the crash had happened and where his two subordinates were fighting the other two shadows. What he saw caused the blood in his veins to run cold, his heart skipping a beat for a fleeting moment.
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He beheld the gruesome sight of his subordinates head being held aloft by a pitch-black hand, their severed spine dangling gruesomely at its ends with crimson-colored blood dripping onto the floor, the same subordinate he had tasked with safeguarding the box. Across from them, the lifeless form of the other female Carrier lay prone, her cracked mask discarded as her eyes bulged grotesquely from her face, her strangulation evident as a dark rope encircled her neck.
The images of the lifeless bodies of his two subordinates caused his heart to ache with rage as he straightened up his posture, suppressing the turmoils in his mind and activating a new Runic Invocation;
The King's Armory!
The King's Armory is a Runic Invocation available to an Apostolic Priest of the Echelon of Ruination and above, which allows them to summon any weapon-type artifact from the armory of the deity overseeing the Echelon, as long as they have adept and sufficient knowledge about it. The power of the weapon is forcefully lowered to the level of the summoner and if properly known, can be quite lethal to targets stronger than the user!
'I was too complacent. Why did I totally focus on this one shadow and assume that my subordinates would be able to hold off an aggressor that is difficult for even me to handle?'
'The aggressor must have a supporter that's able to affect my thoughts subconsciously. Maybe a Thought Deacon or a Psyche Priest. I can't believe I made such a rookie mistake!'
'Damn it, I need to at least protect the box!'
A majestic brass gate engraved with numerous sword and flame-like symbols materialized in the sky above 2nine, its form carrying an air of grandeur and majesty. The gate appeared blurry, its state fluctuating between a corporeal and illusory state, its structure instantly placing the environment around them in scorching red heat.
Upon sighting the gate the three shadows simultaneously halted, their movements, seized by fear as their actions conveyed their terror at the sight of it's imposing structure.
The shadow closest to 2nine made a desperate attempt to strike, while another shadow beside the carriage lunged toward the wooden container, clearly intent on seizing the box and fleeing. However, it was evident that 2nine wasn't about to give them the opportunity.
His hand extended upwards, a rumbling echo sounding through the forest as the majestic gate slowly swung open, an air of oppressive and scorching heat bursting out of from within its depths, causing the shadows to once again halt in their tracks.
A clear white blade which glistened with a luminous hue slowly extended out of the gate, Its mere image bathing the dark scene in a pure white glow. The sword had an engraving in its center, going from its tip to its hilt, which gave off a holy and grand feeling.
This was the Sword of Light, the most effective weapon choice when it came to battling shadows and wraiths!
2nine hadn't originally used this invocation because he wanted to be totally sure that it was shadow apparitions he was dealing with, as well as to draw them into it's effective range. His over-precaution had cost him the lives of two of his subordinates, causing him to grit his teeth as he slowly received the lustrous blade.
The beautiful white sword calmly landed in his hands, the majestic gate slowly fading out of the sky as it closed soon after. This process seemed to last for a while but in truth, had only taken no more than a few seconds.
The shadow closest to 2nine gave up on attacking, the mere sight of the sword causing it to hesitate and flee in panic. The other shadow darted away with the wooden container within it's grasp, with the third shadow following closely behind him.
2nine calmly took in the image of the fleeing assailants, his form betraying no sense of urgency as he calmly inserted the Sword of Light into the ground.
BOOM!
A beautiful burst of light rippled out of its center, the light drowning the three escapes, causing them to lose their form and reluctantly fade away into the night. The wooden container slowly landed on the floor, the only sounds persisting in the forest being the burning woods and leaves as well as the rough breathing of 2nine.
The white luminous blade slowly faded out of his hand, while the red flame symbol on his forehead lost yet another segment. He calmly studied his environment, red flames cackling in his hands as he remained alert and focused, as if expecting another round of assaults. He slowly relaxed after a couple of minutes of silence, a breath of relief silently escaping from his lips.
He slowly walked to pick up the wooden container, his battered and bruised body trailing in the soft and silent darkness. He resembled a lonely hunter going to retrieve his prey, a prey that came as a result of numerous strains and sacrifices. As he took hold of the wooden box, his burnt hands scraped the lid as he opened it and slowly peered inside.
He finally relaxed after seeing the mysterious ornate box still safely stored within it, as he closed the lid and slowly walked back to the place of the crash.
His gaze lingered on the lifeless bodies of his two subordinates, his hands clenching into obvious fists as his once stoic demeanor threatened to break. His back looked as lifeless as the dead bodies spiraled before him, his face beneath the mask taking on a sad and sorry expression.
"I should make sure that the other two are okay before I try to find my way back into town."
As he walked back to the bodies of the two collapsed carriers, his perception seemed to suddenly wane as an immediate sense of alertness surged within him, causing him to spiral around and take on a guarded position.
Suddenly numerous images leading up to the death of his subordinates flashed in front of his eyes in quick succession, constantly repeating itself like an ever-spinning clog wheel.
The scenes then abruptly shattered like a glass mirror, its shards imploding like a bomb within his mind, causing an immediate feeling of inadequacy and despair to spread across him which caught him totally off guard. Smooth crimson blood flowed out of his nose as his consciousness, amidst his reluctance, seemed to slowly but steadily extinguish with time.
Just as he began to slip into unconsciousness, he glimpsed a figure cloaked in black, its features shrouded by a hood slowly approaching him from the depths of the forest.
The figure had a haunting amulet depicting a skull playing a flute suspended by two decrepit hands dangling from its chest, their mere silhouette causing the shadows in the area to instantly run deeper and the night sky to take on an extra shade of gloom.