244 Another Time, Another Place (Part 2)
Allevia’s titan slashed at Amari as he retreated through the air while laughing. However, Jor and Vors took that chance to modify their own titans. A mirror-like substance formed as armour over Jor’s titan while a serpent made of clouds curled around its shoulders.
Vors’ titan erupted with magma while the same golden flames Allevia controlled burst over the titan’s weapon! ‘This is insane.’ Exile thought as he watched the battle at that level unfold. ‘Is there a reason the three of them created titans though? It seems like they’d just be a bigger target.’
Exile frowned as he watched Amari nimbly avoid all the weapons as Jor and Vors rejoined the battle. ‘Is this what Amari meant by higher elements?’ Exile wondered as he looked at the tree like titan wrapped in golden armour. ‘Nobody has ever mentioned Allevia controlling plants. I thought she was a goddess of fire?’
Exile studied the situation with great interest. Even Jor and Vors had surprised him with multiple abilities. He wracked his brain trying to understand what he was witnessing. ‘Is this their dual elements and higher elements combined?’ He frowned as he wondered how close to the truth he was.
He even went as far as to wonder whether he was witnessing something else. ‘Allevia mentioned Tier 6 was when we’d become a Law God. Is it possible this is a manifestation of their laws?’ For a brief moment, he thought it made sense.
‘Allevia could be the law of life I guess. While Vors’ titan looks like it represents a number of elements essential in the creation of weapons. But I can’t figure out what Jors would be then.’ Exile suddenly gasped as Amari launched several spells that were swallowed up by Jor’s mirror armour before being fired back from different areas.
Amari was forced into another passive state as the three titans worked together in an attempt to corner him. Golden flames burst from Allevia’s titan swung all six swords at once. The flames washed over Amari and hid from view as the three gods watched to see the outcome of that exchange.
“Enough!” Amari’s voice came from within the flames as a fourth titan appeared in the area.
The golden flames vanished as a titan made entirely of crystal appeared on the battlefield covered in an inky black liquid that looked like armour. Twin swords appeared in its hands made up of black flames and Exile watched the three gods step back with concerned expressions.
‘They’re afraid. But of what part?’ Exile wondered as he felt a strange sensation drawing him toward the jagged structure again. Exile cursed as the sensation grew in his mind. It kept distracting him from the fight and eventually he gave in.
The strange rain had stopped by that point as he raced out of the building. However, he found himself face-to-face with a pack of Stalkers that pounced at him!
Exile swore loudly as he raised his shield and drew his spear. ‘They hit hard!’ Exile groaned as he felt his feet slide on the ground as one of the Stalkers struck his shield. His arm trembled as a solemn expression appeared on his face. ‘These guys should be Tier 2 as well!’
Exile wondered how strong the ground troops of Nar’Kozz could become and felt thankful he had run into a group at his same level. He stomped his foot as a cloak of fire shrouded him, his shield, and his weapon. When he thrust his spear at the nearest Stalker its whole body took fire when the tip pierced its thigh.
The creature roared in agony as it thrashed on the ground under the influence of that spell. The next Stalker got a face full of Exile’s shield as he pivoted to swing his spear in a wide arc to catch the third one. Both of those Stalkers met the same fate as the first one while Exile felt the sensation in his mind grow more severe.
‘Damn, it feels like it’s warning me I’m running out of time.’ He frowned as he glanced around. In the end, he decided to leave the Stalkers in pain and rushed off. ‘I don’t have time to deal with the little guys. I need to know what this inheritance is all about!’
The war continued to rage all around him as gods and golems fought off the Stalkers. ‘Is it just Amari and Nar’Kozz dealing all this damage?’ Exile thought as he glanced around. Unable to spot any other entities who could be on their side. ‘Can those two really fight this size of an army?’
Of course, he knew Nar’Kozz technically had its own army of minions. However, their quality did not match up to the gods fighting in that city. Only their numbers proved to be problematic but there were plenty of gods that they seemed unable to hurt.
‘I feel like there’s something I’m not seeing. But what is it?’ At that moment, Exile caught sight of a God swinging his weapon in an empty alley as if he were fighting something. However, as far as Exile could see, there was nothing there.
As he picked up the pace heading for the centre of the city, he noticed more and more Gods randomly fighting an unseen enemy. ‘I wonder if it’s another God with a power similar to Winters’.’ It would make sense since only the victims would be able to see whatever the owner of that power wanted them to.
The only issue he had with that was that he could not see another high levelled God on the battlefield. Exile quickly ducked as a Stalker leapt at him as he passed by the entrance to an alley. The beast flew over him and crashed into the wall of a building while Exile continued on without blinking.
‘Something is going to happen soon. I can feel it.’ Exile frowned as he pressed on. As he turned a corner, he saw what seemed to be an entrance to the jagged structure. Several battles were raging in front of the building as Gods shouted at him for help as he raced past them. ‘I can’t waste time on this!’ The feeling in his mind had further intensified at that moment.
“No! You can’t go in there!” A goddess roared at him as he dodged around her and entered the structure.
As soon as he entered the dark corridor, an overwhelming cold washed over his body. Even with his avatar body and level, he felt like he could really freeze to death in that environment within minutes. ‘This isn’t natural.’
Exile recognised powerful waves of divinity spreading out from deep within that structure. It forced him to slow down as he wondered if the trial was beyond his level. ‘If I have to fight whatever is giving off that power, I’m screwed.’ He continued to walk at a slower pace now as he studied the corridor more closely.
‘It looks like it’s made of tiny ice shards.’ Exile thought as he continued to walk. After a few minutes, he linked that structure to Jor’s power. ‘Has he trapped something else in here? What am I meant to do here?’
Several minutes passed as he carefully continued down the corridor keeping an eye on the walls and behind him. The sensation in his mind pulsed before disappearing as the entire structure shook as if an earthquake just hit. ‘Did I miss it?’ Exile wondered in panic as he picked up the pace again. ．ｔ
A light appeared in that dense darkness and Exile could make out a huge chamber in the distance. Allevia’s titan was on the ground in there as part of the structure’s ceiling fell in on top of her. ‘Is this why I’m here?’
His eyes adjusted to the light as he neared the end of the corridor. However, before he could enter it and approach Allevia’s titan, he hit an invisible wall. ‘What?’ He placed his hands on it and searched for a way through. However, there was no gap in it.
“Thank you.” An ethereal female voice sounded in the chamber as Allevia’s titan exploded into pieces.
Exile felt a shiver run down his spine when he heard that voice. It sounded calm and peaceful but full of rage and malice. That was when he realised he could no longer move his body. ‘Shit!’ Exile cursed as he was forced to watch whatever was about to play out.
“Lythara!” Allevia coughed as she appeared in the open. She had taken cover inside her titan when it was thrown into the structure. “Help us! Don’t make us seal you up again! You could be the best of us!”
“No,” Lythara’s voice replied from the shadows. “You had your chance. But you just wanted to use me! We were like sisters! But you stole the First Flame! You went on to create your own Pantheon! You left me behind to suffer!”
“You know I didn’t do that on purpose! I was too weak to oppose Jor! Why didn’t you leave his Pantheon sooner and come to me?” Allevia called back as her whole body trembled.
“You know why! You know he would never let me go!” Lythara screamed from still within the shadows. “I had to make deals! Deals with others who were willing to teach me! To hide me until I could grow into my power!”
A wave of black flames erupted from the darkness to attack Allevia who countered with golden ones. Allevia suddenly screamed as a stone spear struck her from the ground as a black shadowy whip ensnared her.