Chapter 218 – Floor 36: Part 2
Lirael watched the barrier crumbled in front of her with shock. The impenetrable shield protecting the city had fallen in only a matter of moments, from a few spoken words from ‘The Enduring.’
The golden glow of the Guardian faded away, and the darkness it had been keeping at bay immediately rushed forward. A pervasive horror filled the Kelestrians; the dark void above them, combined with the horrific blood moon, drove away any courage or anger that had been in their hearts.
Shadows slithered through the streets like living ink, creeping along the cobblestones and curling around the bases of ancient statues. Each tendril undulated with a malevolent grace, drawing strength from the Blood Moon hanging ominously in the sky.
Its crimson light cast a ghastly hue over the city.
Buildings stood as mere outlines against the dark tide, their windows glowed faintly from artificial lights before they flickered and were snuffed out like dying stars. The shadows pooled in alleys, merging and writhing as if they were alive.
Anyone close to these shadows could hear them whispering to them, describing the fate that would soon befall them. The shadows revealed secrets of despair to those who dared to listen. They seeped into homes, coiling around doorframes and slipping beneath doorways, turning the warm interior into cold voids.
The once vibrant streets, filled with tens of thousands of Kelestrians shouting their defiance again the Harboured, fell silent under the suffocating embrace of the darkness. The atmosphere was so oppressive that many openly wept.
The Blood Moon grew larger above the city, its glow pulsating as if it were breathing and urging the shadows onward. Each pulse sent waves of darkness surging, consuming the ground as they swept forward from the outskirts of the city.
A paralyzing dread clutched at Lirae’s heart, each beat echoing in the growing chaos around her. The sight of the shadows spilling through the streets sent a shiver racing down her spine. It was a visceral reminder of her vulnerability, her mortality.
Memories of laughter and light faded, replaced by the suffocating grip of despair that hung in the air like a thick fog. Her mind raced in an attempt to grapple with the enormity of this situation. The realization that the Guardian had crumbled away from a few spoken words had left her feeling hollow.
It was as if the ground beneath her feet had collapsed, the foundation of their defence was gone. A sense of betrayal washed over her, mixed with fear and anger.
Then, as suddenly as the night had fallen, it was daytime again. The strange Blood Moon had disappeared from the sky and in its place was the warm, yellow sun that drove away the shadows and the cold.
She looked around in wonder, thinking that what she had just experienced had only been a nightmare, when Dominic’s hand on her shoulder drew her attention back to the situation.
“It was real. It seems the effects of this strange magic is quite harsh on its user.” Her mentor sated, his eyes focused on the floating ship before them.
Lirael looked to where he was staring and saw the armoured figure leaning against the railing of the ship while one of the Harboured was steadying him to prevent him from falling. The Enduring seemed on the edge of collapse, his legs were unable to support his weight.
Lireal and Dominic were not the only ones to notice. The crowd far below may not have been able to clearly see what was happening, but the military leaders of the Kelestrian defence forces certainly could. In moments, they were launching a counter attack that drove the remaining fear of the Blood Moon from the citizens.
Balls of fire streaked across the sky toward the flying vessel, bolts of lightning crackled in the air, illuminating the city with flashes of brilliance. The military leaders, resolute in their determination to take down the Harboured flying ship and The Enduring, counterattacked with vengeance.
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In response, the ship unleashed its own defences. A radiant barrier enveloped it like a protective cocoon. The magical shield pulsed with a fierce energy, absorbing the incoming fireballs and dissipating them in spectacular bursts of light.
The Harboured had called upon the memories within the stones of withstand the endless wind and relentless heat of their wasteland home, making a shield that could repel the Kelestrian magic. The air filled with the scent of singed ozone as the blasts collided with the barrier and ignited in brilliant flashes of colour.
Undeterred by the power of the Harboured shields, the Kelestrian sorcerers intensified their assault, weaving intricate patterns of energy in the air. Bolts of lightning erupted from their fingertips, arcing toward the ship in a dazzling display of power.
Unbeknownst to Lirael, her mouth was hanging open in awe. She didn’t know her people were capable of unleashing such an attack.
‘There was no way the Harboured could withstand this!’ Lirael thought in triumph. Her terror was completely gone and she knew it was only a matter of time before the Harboured were defeated.
True to her thoughts, the shield around the flying ship began to show signs of failing. Cracks appeared in the shimmering barrier, white lines that spread out like a spider’s web. When a particularly strong blast of lightning struck the shield, it shimmered violently.
A sound like shattering glass echoed throughout the city and the cracks expanded. The shield pulsed with a fierce light that threatened to give way at any moment.
Lirael felt a surge of exhilaration, the thrill of their impending victory surged through her as the barrier faltered. Her gaze remained locked on the vessel; every crack in its barrier fed her determination. With each moment, the belief that they could overcome the Harboured threat solidified in her mind.
The Harboured, with their twisted ambitions and barbarous ways, were on the verge of collapse.
As another bolt of lightning collided with the barrier, the cracks widened further. A bright fissure split the shield in two and the vessel shuddered. It suddenly dropped from the sky, rocking back and forth, before it caught itself and steadied its flight.
“This is it. They’re finished.” Dominic stated. His tone was a mixture of pride and relief. After the Blood Moon had risen, he had thought his people were doomed. But the weakness of The Enduring had left him with the knowledge that the Kelestrians would win this day.
The military leadership, seeing the Harboured ship was about to fall, ordered a last barrage of magic. Hundreds of fireballs and thousands of bolts of lightning streaked across the sky. This was the combined might of the Kelestrians in action, a final push that was stronger than any magic they had used before.
Lirael traced the arc of the offensive spells through the air, knowing that when they struck, the Harboured would be finished. Their defensive barrier was gone, and their ship was about to tumble from the sky.
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Mathew stumbled and nearly fell as the backlash of using the Celestial magical spell ravaged his body. He felt exhausted; whatever stamina he had in his body had been plucked out by the Words of Power. He felt diminished as if he was somehow less than he had been before.
He could barely stand, and if not for Hilo’s steadying hand on his body, Mathew would have fallen. His head was pounding like a drum; everything around him was too bright and too loud. The deck rocked beneath his feet, and he wasn’t sure if it was him or the world spinning out of control.
Mathew couldn’t hold on, he wanted nothing more than to lie down and pass out. He wanted to throw away the burdens that had been placed on him, the expectations from those around him. The armour he wore felt like lead weights pressing down on him.
He swayed; every sound that struck the ship's barrier and every flash of light intensified the throbbing in his head. The vibrant magical clashes in the air seemed to pierce through him; each pulse resonated like a hammer against his skull.
Mathew felt adrift, disconnected from the chaos around him. It was as if he were a mere observer in a world that was spiraling out of control.
“I’m surprised, Mathew. I didn’t think you would give up so easily.” A familiar voice said.
Mathew snapped his eyes open at the sudden sound, but aside from Hilo, there was no one around him.
“I guess I didn’t really know you at all. I thought you had conviction that you were tougher than you looked. But look at you now. An Apostle, after you said you would never serve the gods willingly. Thinking about giving up and quitting after you earned that title of ‘Enduring.’” The voice continued, its tone maddeningly recognizable, one that he hadn’t heard in decades, possibly centuries.
“You’re pathetic.” The voice finished, and Mathew shuddered. Squeezing his eyes shut, Mathew hissed out a response.
“Shut up, Samuel. You’re dead and gone!”
“Oh? Sure I am. And it looks like you’re about to join me. That’s too bad, I guess we should change your name from ‘The Enduring’ to ‘The Endured.’ Poor Mathew, he’s endured enough. Just lie down and die already.” Samuel whispered in his ear.
It was just his subconscious urging him not to give up. Playing tricks on him by using a voice from his past to motivate him. It was just trying to help. Mathew understood that.
But gods dammit did it piss him off!
When the final barrage of fireballs and lightning bolts was about to reach the Stormrider, Mathew pushed Hilo away from him and stood upright under his own strength. Raising his hand, he pointed to the front of the ship and bellowed at the top of his lungs.
“Sanctuary!”