Chapter 109: Chapter. 94: A Vision of Wings & Flames

I looked at my surroundings, danger was ever present. The cave was similar to the one we were in, both of them were glued to each other as if they were originally part of the same chamber. Looking up, it was almost a pillar-like cavity. I could see the original entrance, but the diameters of each chamber were almost identical. The walls were smooth and clouded with sparkling dust, it was a peculiar place; markings lined the walls and there was a leaf bed that shone in pale blue light.

Sun had gone to a corner, which confused me. We had places to be after all, things to deal with⁠— granted. Perhaps it was best to simply run away, far away from here, abandoning the Settlement, just everything in general. If the Guardian of the Full Moon had evolved to C rank, then… Things were going to be bad. A sigh left me as I turned towards Sun, it was definitely better to not even fight it, if things had gone like I expected them to.

At the same time, it was weird to hear it had evolved. Shouldn’t it have been harder? Sun was touching a glowing stone, and just as I was about to speak it shone brightly; like a flashbang my vision became nothing but white. A warm buzz traveled through my ears, as I became disoriented⁠— and then, came a blood curdling scream. Almost as if it was on command, my eyes readjusted as I saw Sun begin to thrash, his fur was melting away, his body was cracking and he couldn’t even move or glance properly.

My heart skipped as I grabbed onto my necklace. I wanted to save it, but if he was just going to die like that then⁠—

“NO!” Sun screeched, his crimson eyes locked with me for the briefest second as he let out another pained howl.

My hands trembled, and I felt a weird sense of impending doom grip at my heart. It was⁠— it reminded me of things, I suddenly felt scared and helpless. No⁠— fuck it! If he was dying, then I had to use the Blessing to save him!

As I approached once more, he let out a grunt and his body shone with another bright light. It was warm and disorienting. I faltered mid step, afraid of tripping and making things worse. As I opened my eyes once more, Sun was laying on the ground panting, but his body was⁠— different.

His fur was a radiant orange, and I could almost see mana swerve through it as if it was burning. His claws still remained a crimson crystalline color, and his eyes were a mix of crimson and orange. But, he still felt so familiar.

What had happened to him?

[Sun, Guardian of Radiance, Guardian of the Deep Dark. Lvl. 55]

He had definitely changed, and now it showed me two different titles on his tag. His level was higher than what I remembered, but he also had probably killed a couple of Moonfangs along the way.

I approached feeling unsure of the circumstances, we were still deep underground with the Guardian of the Moon quite literally around the corner. I found it strange that we hadn’t heard its voice or any movement just yet, nor from Moonfangs nor from the Guardian itself. Sun seemed weird too.

“So that’s how it is…” Sun spoke with a long drawn out sigh. “A calling to control, and a calling to help. Both to achieve harmony.”

“Sun?”

His eyes met mine for a moment. “And yet, even though I’ve grown stronger I can’t say with confidence that I would beat you.”

I felt a weird sense of insecurity. “Are you alright?”

“I am,” he said with a breath. “Just rueful, that is all.”

“I don’t… trust it.”

He stood up, his eyes meeting mine. “Blair, I’m happy that you are willing to go to such lengths for me. So I too am willing to help you. I can promise you that.” As he said that, he lowered his head. “I will protect the Deep Dark⁠—”

“I will change the name,” I interrupted, suddenly understanding that Sun just felt weird. “You’ve already helped enough. But, ignoring all of this, now there is the problem of… What happens now?”

“You mean?”

“Can we even kill the Guardian of the Moon?” I asked with a sigh.

Sun stared at me and then off into the distance as silence filled the chamber. Minutes passed of doing nothing as he seemed to ponder.

“I can’t say we don’t have a chance, but it won’t be easy either,” Sun said with finality. “I just need you to trust me… if that is alright…”

“I’ll trust you.” I sighed. “Admittedly, I also feel like it’s pretty hard to escape as well.”

I’d need to climb to the exit, plus climb through the ravine, through the lake⁠— through the cave system, only to still have to climb down the mountain. If the Guardian decided it didn’t want us alive, then it was impossible to escape, or at least that’s how it felt to me.

“It is,” Sun agreed. “Then we will do the following. I’ll explain the contents of my new calling, and hopefully, everything will go well⁠— we only have one chance at this.”

I nodded with utmost seriousness. I’d be lying that I wasn’t excited about fighting the Guardian of the Moon, but at the same time at the very back of my mind I felt a mental block.

I had just evolved, and now the Guardian has become a herald… Could I even do it?

Sun began to explain, bringing me back to reality.

I had to do it.

◇ ◇ ◇

I walked right next to Sun, slowly but deliberately. I had three arrows prepared already, and was ready to frankly just annihilate the Guardian, though there was a grim atmosphere. It had evolved after all. As we got closer to the main chamber, we saw blood and the occasional Moonfang corpse.

It reeked of death.

We entered the main chamber, where a field of blood and entrails met us. Not a corner was untouched by gore, by marks of death, whether it was legs, heads, innards or the occasional full body. It felt as if I had just walked into a different dimension, a place where only death existed. Radiant dust fell down, shining under a beautiful moonlight as if we were under the mantle of the night, it would’ve been almost calming if it didn’t feel as if I had just walked into the after-life instead.

There were hundreds of corpses filling the chamber. At the center, full of blood and standing proudly was the Guardian, its body was slightly bigger but it looked largely the same. Standing tall and dignified, behind it there was a towering pillar that eclipsed everything on its wake.

The Guardian slowly opened its haunting yellow eyes to regard us. And that’s when I finally decided to look at its level.

[Herald of the Supreme Moon. Lvl. 93]

I suppressed a long sigh. We were just walking to our death it seemed. Sun nudged me forward, much to the Guardian’s⁠ bafflement.

“I see you’ve accepted the Sun,” it mused. “It’s a bit too late to change your mind.” It spoke coldly.

“I didn’t do it for you.”

There was a silence as both of the monsters stared at each other. I felt a bit suicidal, but it didn’t matter really, all I could do was try my best⁠— I had to try my best. I closed my eyes and switched mindsets. Even if it was the last thing I did, it was going to die.

It’s going to die.

It was Sun’s revenge, and it was also my desire.

I took a long breath.

“Elf.” It spoke. “I see you’ve given up, I’ll cut you a deal. If you teach me that⁠— that instant attack of yours. I will let you live, how about it?”

“Blair, are you ready?” Sun asked me, causing the Guardian to frown.

“I am.” I pulled back the string, aiming at the Guardian in front of me.

“Now!”

I touched upon the enhancement of my bow and imitated it.

[Mimicry Enhancement: Immediate Fate.]

Sun howled and a second notification came as I pulled back the now purple colored arrows.

[Radiant Enhancement: Enhancement of Dawn ⁠— The sun has just emerged. +30% to all your attributes for as long as this enhancement is in place.]

My body felt warm, and the Guardian’s expression twisted in an ugly manner.

It was do or die. I tensed the string and took a deep breath.

“Until the very end you defy me⁠—”

A vine coiled around its neck, another vine held onto its face, and a third vine ran from my arm to the Guardian. It let out a small grunt of surprise, but that wasn’t all⁠— I detonated the coiling vine around its face as the entire thing became a string of red fire.

[Activated: Mark of Death.]

[Radiant Enhancement: Enhancement of Fire ⁠— In the presence of the sun. All fire rages. Doubles the spread of fire, doubles the damage of fire. Fire enhances your attributes by 10%]

I activated frenzy. At that moment, my attributes hit a high never seen before. A calling to help you, that is what I wanted⁠— D rank calling; Will of Radiance. He could’ve gotten a C rank one and he downgraded it for me⁠— I screamed as I pulled onto the vines, the Guardian screeched and tried to fight it, but Sun ran to its side with impossible speed and tackled it⁠. Using the footing, I spun and holding the durable vines, I threw the Guardian against the nearest wall.

A painful crack resounded as I let out a long breath. The green mist around me disappeared as I prepared three more arrows and put a crystallized bead of nectar in my mouth.

It cracked open as I rapidly aimed all three arrows. I fired all three of them at the same time. Red flowers exploded onto its face, spores covered it, and tendrils wriggled onto its skull once more.

Sun dashed to my side, evidently also enhanced.

“Ready?”

I nodded as I set my bow aside and grabbed my spear.

Enhancement of Fire ended and a new one came.

[Radiant Enhancement: Enhancement of Courage ⁠— The Sun gives you courage. +50% to Agility and Strength attributes.]

Strength swelled within me as Sun lifted me with his head, and threw me⁠— like a catapult I went flying towards the Guardian who was now falling of the wall and trying to erode the plants inside its head. It was bleeding profusely still⁠—

I activated frenzy once more as green mana began to leave my body.

It barely managed to look towards me as I aimed my spear towards its torso. It shone on a powerful purple light, as its golden eyes widened in horror⁠— the spear curved on its own and aimed for its windpipe.

“Yo⁠— Ugh!”

Bones broke, its chest caved as the spear instantly melted its insides⁠— and then, I shifted my mana and exploded it within it. The Guardian let out a miserable sound as we both slid down the wall. Its head was almost amputated and its limbs thrashed. The moonlight on its body gathered towards its neck as it rapidly stopped the bleeding but it didn’t matter. I shifted my spear and aimed it at its torso, I stabbed it with utmost strength as I felt its body give way and its bones break. Once more I exploded my mana into its body, its organs and innards were destroyed in an instant and it vomited blood.

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I let out a snort as its eyes held nothing but the desire for revenge. I pulled out multiple seeds from my ring that were shifted instantly and jabbed onto its wound. Bloom⁠—

Dozens of Royal Azaleas sprouted inside of it, it happened almost instantly as its body was drained of blood and vitality, and finally, its gaze shifted from hatred to pure one-sided horror. I let go of its innards and shifted my spear once more⁠— the Guardian had evolved and it was strong, but I had also gotten boosts.

I dislodged the spear, the Guardian’s body was tough, but it wasn’t enough. We finally hit the ground as I re-gripped and lodged it into its neck once more. I aimed for its spine but the Guardian grunted and with a burst of moonlight, it passed through my body. I felt as if thousands of needles prickled at my skin, and blood began to ooze. At the same time however, my Vigor was high enough that the attack just grazed me with pain.

I took a deep breath, and rushed towards the Guardian once more, shifting the mana on the spear to sharpen the shaft, I readjusted my grip and swung down⁠— the spear cleaved through its face with a splatter of blood⁠— again. I swung down smacking its skull down, as it hit the hard ground. The Guardian became nothing more than a bloody mess as its vitality dwindled. The Guardian gritted its teeth as it ate dirt.

For the kill⁠— I re-gripped my spear and slammed down the tip into its skull⁠—

“Gah!”

With a grunt a radiant explosion of Moonlight covered my entire body, it passed and echoed through the room as a notification resounded through my head.

[The mantle of night coalesces and claims a territory. All enemies inside the territory will be afflicted by Lunar Stasis.]

[Lunar Stasis: Movements slowed by 80%]

My spear almost stopped mid air as it slowly traveled towards the Guardian. My entire body felt sluggish as I pushed. The Guardian moved as if nothing happened and quickly dashed out of the trajectory as the spear lodged itself onto the ground. It panted as its body slowly regenerated, its tissue combed itself back as fur slowly grew in places. Though it struggled to even stand up.

“A surprise… attack…” It choked out through its badly damaged vocal cords. “Impressive…”

All I could do was grunt as I watched its neck regenerate before my very eyes.

“I’m gonna give you a slow and painful death as payback… I don’t know what you put in my body but…” It vomited more blood. “I cannot get rid of it as easily as I wish to. You really almost killed me.” It laughed before it began to cough. Red splattered forward as it was clear it was grievously injured.

I gritted my teeth, lamenting my lack of strength. The Guardian walked around me⁠— No, it was no longer a Guardian. The Herald walked around me. Its eyes pierced through me as it held nothing but hatred.

The mana whips that had been nothing but immobile the entire time, slowly slithered towards my neck, and my heart-rate increased. They caressed my flesh as I felt a small nick go through my skin, it felt warm and painful.

“You almost severed my head⁠— I would’ve died if I hadn’t evolved!”

My mind panicked as its whips traced around my neck.

“Blair…” Sun’s weak voice entered my ears, and at that moment I felt an indescribable sense of dread overwhelm me.

I was going to die. No amount of using the necklace would stop my fate. I am going to die.

I had to do something⁠— everything was still ongoing, but I could barely move. Something⁠— anything. If only I could move faster⁠— quicker.

The whip trailed around my neck drawing surface level blood.

“You are very interesting indeed.” The Herald spoke, glee in its voice. “But you’re also too dangerous to keep around.”

I wished for a revelation from the bottom of my heart⁠— a skill that could help me overcome things. But there was nothing⁠— I couldn’t rely on The System all the time. I gritted my teeth feeling anger with myself, if I had done something better, anything⁠— this wouldn’t be happening.

And now. I was at death’s door.

I flare my still responsive mana across my body. If only I could move faster⁠— My mind paused⁠— memories passed through me as pain passed through my neck. I was going to die. My modified mana passed through my muscles.

If I enhance my body with immediate fate⁠— if I manage to⁠— No, I had to do it.

I pushed my mana through my arms, deciding to try to only enhance muscles⁠— I vividly pictured how it felt to swing the spear, all of the actions necessary to hit the monster that was in front of me, taunting me with its gaze as its bloodthirsty grin grew wider. My mana passed through my shoulder blades, through my biceps, triceps⁠—muscle groups, hands.

“I will be killing you off now, that is a nice expression.” It cackled at last, and the whips shone with blue light.

Do it! My mind screamed as I exploded my mana. Purple. My vision became slow for a moment, I felt a ripping pain pass through my entire arms, and saw with my own eyes the whips stop mid air, my arms moved on their own and ripped through the air and swung the spear onto the Herald’s jaw⁠— I felt it break apart as it slammed it upwards.

Time resumed as blood exploded from my arms, the Herald let out a shriek of pain as it flew mid air with a splatter of blood. I felt the effect of stasis wear off as my body felt nauseous from pain. I could barely move my arms anymore, but still, I forced myself to walk forward and rush towards the Herald.

It slowly stood up, shocked and hurt, its eyes turned to me as I loomed over it. My mana coarse through my muscles once more⁠ and its eyes widened.

Chance⁠—

It whimpered.

I felt my entire body scream at me. The Herald went flying once more as its head became nothing but a bloodied mess. My spear almost dropped as I could barely feel my hand. I could do it once more⁠— maybe.

“Blair!” Sun cried as I felt a gust of wind behind me. My legs gave way as my entire head felt a painful headache. I stopped frenzy, and even though I still had some mana, my body was battered⁠—exhausted from what I had just done. “Let’s run!”

I bit my lip, feeling humiliated. “Please, take us out of here. I can’t move properly…”

Sun nodded and lunged me over him onto its back. I felt its fur shift and become coarse, offering enough resistance for me to not fall over. Sun turned and ran towards the pillar, where I saw a glint of light⁠—

The exit.

He ran at wind-shattering speeds, but at that moment a booming voice echoed through the chamber. It was coarse and pained, but full of power.

“FREEZE!”

[The Herald’s will echoes through its territory. Its land becomes frozen in Lunar Stasis.]

Sun’s speed dropped to nothing, and I heard a maniacal laughter spread through the chamber.

“So long as we are here, I am a god. It doesn’t matter how much you beat me up. It’s my territory that I claimed. It’s all mine!” It chanted with glee. “I can dominate it with my will!”

I heard footsteps dully echo behind us, as I forcefully craned my head back. The Supreme Moon, the Herald, the Guardian, it walked with a wicked grin. It’s face was nothing but red, and I could see bone at the start, but both of its eyes were intact. And they stared at me with burning hatred⁠—no, indifference. They held no significance as its mangled jaw moved, producing impossible sounds.

“You’ve fought well, but this is my victory. I am the Apex Predator of this world! A herald!”

I closed my eyes, and with resignation. I accepted my fate.

“That is a nice face,” it spoke. “That’s right. You can’t do anything!”

It came closer and closer. I felt Sun’s muscles relax as it spoke towards me, its voice was slow.

“Blair… I’m glad to die by your side.”

“I…” I couldn’t speak.

I am too…

I felt myself become teary eyed as I could do nothing to win. The Herald clicked its tongue.

“Disgusting, I will be sending the two of you off now⁠—”

A mighty roar shook the entire cave. One that shook the reality itself, and interrupted everything and everything at the same time. Lunar Stasis lost effect as we and Sun fell to the ground. The Herald was shaking.

“Territory contested?!” It shrieked. “Who dares?!”

Contested? My mind whirred as the cogs turned, and I realized.

There was another Herald before this.

“Sun! Please get us out of here, as far away from here!” I called in a craze. Sun stood up and its mana boiled as it lunged me over his back once more.

Its paws dug onto the ground and it lunged at speeds that I could never reach.

“Oh you don’t. STOP.”

[The Herald⁠—]

We froze next to the pillar. It was black in color and seemed to be made out of stone. But at that moment, I felt shivers go through my spine as my perception detected danger⁠— danger like never before. I panicked, and spurred my mana forward once more, I needed to stop the stasis⁠— throw, spear throw. I imagined it, and in an instant I forcefully commanded the full range of motion, my brain and mana going into overdrive.

A burst of pain went through my arm, as I threw the spear⁠— loaded with mana. It hit The Herald on the head, impaling it and breaking its skull. Its eyes widened in shock as it stared at me, with the spear in between its eyes blood flowed down its body as it was drained of life. The stasis broke and I felt notifications go off in my mind. Resounding, a myriad of rewards flashed through my mind⁠—

I killed it.

Grand Feat?

No, we had to run.

But it was too late. Sun must’ve felt it too as he stared in horror towards the now dead Herald, towards the sky. Sun shifted and placed himself in front of me as I struggled to keep watch⁠⁠— my hair stood on end as I felt the temperature rise.

An explosion broke through my ears as my entire vision became nothing but a fiery torrent. One that came from the sky and broke through the mountain. One that was like a smite from god, a beam of nothing but white light, one that melted through everything and anything. It hit the Herald along with the ground, exploding into an explosion of incandescent white flames. Ones that would burn anything, and consume everything.

All aimed towards the now dead Herald.

Sun hugged me tightly as I felt the temperature rise around us. but Sun simply stared at me and said something that I barely heard, and yet I couldn’t forget.

My entire vision became nothing but white.