[A/N: THIS CHAPTER LONG!]
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Cheryl watched as the beast was blasted through the wall and over into distant. Repeatedly melting and crumbling away whatever obstacles that appeared in its wake.
The area where it had been shot through was entirely burned down. Having the metal making up the side of the room completely turn into red viscous liquid. Oozing down onto the ground.
"Not even an imperial beast should be able to withstand that attack. The original user of the [Northern flames] elemental art was recorded to have even battled primordial level monsters to a stand still."
Xalder suddenly appeared next to her. Patting her back while smiling proudly, having the saber resting on his hip.
But even after hearing him, Cheryl kept looking into the direction Michael traveled through. Not moving an inch.
The captain beside her seemed a little confused by her course of action. And rather than trying to ask about the other guy's well being, he just talked about their efforts.
"Your bloodline really lives up to the legend, Mrs Cheryl. The ability to command space itself is truly more terrifying whenever witnessed at a close distance."
"If I remeber correctly, was it not a gift granted by the five overlords who passed their blood over to us humans?"
Xalder still waited for the absent minded Cheryl to respond and just continued after taking in a deep breath. Quickly following up where he left off.
"The Autrarch clan, The Tetrarch clan, The Anarch clan, the Etnarch clan and lastly, the Monarch clan."
"Under the unrecorded time period in Farleng's history known as the "Abscence of the seven", the Five overlords ruled. However, due to the limits this world supposedly hold on it's inhabitants, they all set out to the sealed void above the heavens. Leaving the lesser divine beings and ascended mortals to bicker amongst themselves."
"The first and most powerful clan promised to guide the others through the barrier, and as a result, the four weaker clans swore servitude to the first and strongest one. Or the one which eventually degraded into the royal family we know today."
Xalder realized that he had kept talking without stop and looked over at Cheryl. The girl was still bloodied up, and could still be found starring into the hole he made.
"Mrs Cheryl...?"
He tried shaking her back up, but the moment his hand made contact with her lab coat, she violently slapped him. Imprinting a red handprint over his already scarred cheek.
The impact was even imbued with part of her space bending bloodline power, and forcefully sendt him backwards. Making the blood vessels in one of the nearby green eyes rupture and bleed.
After fully regaining his footing, Xalder angrily glared at the girl who held him down with her hazel eyes.
Their venomous looks made the surrounding temperature drop by a small degree, and Xalder almost felt like pulling out his saber. However, that thought was quickly abolished when he received two bits of information.
The first was the recollection of the Zell clan which would hunt him down to the ends of this world. And the second was Cheryl's sudden bashful comment towards him.
"You damn idiot!!"
He wasn't able to quite get what she meant and wanted to rebute her. But sadly, her voice shook him back out of his prideful state of mind.
"Look where you sendt him!!!!"
Xalder finally had enough and just looked over through the scorched hole in the wall. Slowly feeling his anger surface up.
However, when he further eyed down the endless passage made by his attack, Xalder finally realized what he had done.
"I..."
He wanted to apologize, but luckily, Cheryl stopped him. Shooting a snot of blood out of her nostrils with a grunt.
"Don't worry too much, really. THAT thing hasn't been recorded to do anything since the first days of this facility. Forget about whatever may happen to THAT and just help me finish off the strange beast."
Xalder watched anxiously as Cheryl rouse up from the red floor and whiped away the blood from her face with her powers. Not feeling to good at the moment.
"But an artifact from one of the seven gods...." Xalder kept trying to insist, but Cheryl continuously brushed him off. Not wanting to bicker about it any longer.
"First of all, it's is only for show. The higher ups of my clan don't even bother with it any longer....And second."
This time she turned towards the Captain. Firmly looking him in the eyes while locking her eyebrows togheter.
"You don't know what my ability is, so don't go around throwing useless guesses."
Xalder wanted to say something more, but Cheryl just walked off. Not bothering with him any longer.
He felt a little angry at her act. However, the man quickly followed in her footsteps. Running towards her at her.
"Well, that monster shouldn't have been able to withstand that attack. Even while being at the first emperor layer, my charged flame whip shouldn't have any problem dealing with anything below the exalted realm."
'But it's rather strange. It felt like my aim was off for a second? I am sure I didn't mean to hit him this way...'
....
Deep within the scorched hall of metal en flesh, silently twitching in the dark metal corners resting deep within the doors of life laid a giant. half mutilated monstrosity.
It was no different than a block of coal, having parts of its body forcefully torn and hacked away by some sharp object.
And this steaming burnt potato which occasionally twitched back and forth was the current Michael. Grunting and exhaling out hot steam from the flamed opening that was once his mouth.
"My...."
And while lating there, fighting his way back into the world, he uttered something through his charred vocal cords. Hoarsly coughing out each word with great difficulty.
"My head..."
His limbs were smattered away, his eyes were burnt, and of course, he was incapable of moving. Only able to sense the world aeound him with the bestial powers. However, that was not the only thing which bothered him. For as of now...
"Why...am I unable....to regenerate..?"
Michael kept twitching from side to side, hoping it would spark up his immortal healing and the vampire physique. But what he didn't know was that even with the mighty regeneration, he was not immune everything.
The attack which had crushed his body into a pulp was not one of the normal ones he usually faced. For it contained within it residual energy.
This kind of power only ever starts appearing when one manages to reach the master tier in one of the arts they train, or easier said, exceed the 50% mark which bounds its power outside your body.
When one trains, the practiced tecnhique will slowly integrate with your body. Morphing and changing the very cellular structure which holds you togheter.
In the search for arcane power, your body will become charged with the elemental energy of what you study, elementiumizing it. Meanhwile, a martial art will directly power up your body with it's principle. Wethever that may be form an element or a body art.
"Dammit..."
Michael kept trying to ignite his regeneration into effect, and even forced his chaos power to flow out. However, it all proved to be useless in aiding his recovery.
"Dammit....Dammit..."
Even with the numbing pain hammering into his soul, he kept cursing. Not wanting to accept that he may lose his life for real this time.
"DAMMIT!!!" Michael growled out into the dark hall he found himself in. Doing the only thing he knew how to do.
From the depths of his heart, he called upon the power to change. And with it, a half burnt, blue feathered spike shot out from his charred back.
"I....cannot...cannot fall here..."
Despite the pain, Michael forced the spike to pull him across the floor. Diggin into it and pulling him away.
"There, that thing keeps calling for me.." And with his struggling, he managed to pick up the faint yet familiar signal he had felt before. The one which had kept pulling on his soul.
He tried to send out his senses towards the direction it came from. But sadly, all he ever got back was the shape of some large orb.
Mabye it was instinctively, but Michael further pushed himself forwards. Rolling off away towards the weird beacon.
However, the closer he came, the more he felt like giving up.
While sliding away, his ashen body would deteriorate further and further, crumbling into powder whenever he met any of the friction originating from the floor.
"Almost there..."
With his senses guiding him, and the bendt spike pulling him forwards, Michael eventually managed to reach whatever the object was. Relieving him of the stress he felt by a small margin.
"I have...." However, despite his efforts coming here, nothing seemed to have happend. And with his last piece of strength drained, Michael's body eventually curmbled appart. And with the departure of his material body, his consciousness also dissipated away.
...
Deep within a black void, where both time and space were locked away from, a small human could be seen hovering away into the depths of it's chambers.
"Where am I...?"
And from the small body came a hardy and masculine voice. Belonging to no one other than Michael.
He looked around the void and grunted. Tightening his sharp black eyebrows togheter, and twitching his mouth to the siden Displaying a disappointed and wrathful anger in himself.
"Great, did I die again?"
Unsure of how he got here, he just tried spinning a little around. Trying to find a way to steer his body in a desired direction.
However, even with his efforts, Michael was left with nothing in returned. Just forced to wander away.
"Great! Absolutely f***ing great!" Upon realizing he was stuck caused him to violently trash around. Wanting to vent out this anger onto at least something.
However, as he struggled against the forces of this new place, a brilliant voice shook him back up.
"What are you doing here?"
A mighty roar, only capable of belonging to someone of unmatched power echoed into Michael's head. No, not only that. It dispersed the black space around his body and forcefully stopped him in his tracks. Pinning his naked body in place.
"Who said that?!" He was both shocked and fearful. The vibration generated from the shout had activated all the danger receptors inside his soul. Sharpening his essence to the limit.
But even with his preparation, he could do nothing other than frantically spinning around. Searching for the origin of the voice.
And surely, he was granted another round of audience from whatever spoke.
"Worry not child, it was I."
While trying to pinpoint where it had come from, a blinding white light shot up before his eyes. Forcing him to shut them off for a second.
'What the hell?!'
The glow was strong. So strong in fact that even a if he was placed before a real sun, it would not hold a candle to it. For the light even seemed to penetrate his eyelids like they were no different from freckles of translucent ice. Melting away when faced with the unrivaled radiance.
But the beaming glow slowly died down, allowing him to eventually see again. Yet, as Michael opened his eyelids, he was greeted by yet another strange sight.
A face hovered before him. Having the same size as his body, and made up of some bright white lines. Stiching and intertwining together to create the face of a handsome middle aged man.
"Here f**ing again are we? Did some god scoop me up as I passed?"
Not knowing what to say, Michael just cursed. However, even with this rude display, he received a heartwarming smile and a deeply felt round of gratitude from the small head.
"Veldem... You are still alive....after all this time."
It started to speak once more. But this time, the voice was toned down. Refined to a tune which Michael managed to handle.
However, even with this heartfelt answer and the gentle speech, he was only left more confused. What was this thing talking about?
"....my name isn't Veldem?"
Michael just blatantly answered it. Not really feeling too good as of now.
But even so, it continued to thank him. Talking to not only his body, but something resting deeper within.
"Thank you, my friend. I was almost about to lose hope.."
Michael looked at the small head and felt a little confused. However, just as he starred at it, a familiar sight entered his head. Shaking him up.
"Wait, you mean that old head, right? Well, you two kind of look alike, so that's my guess."
Left without anything, he just gave it the best shot he had. Wanting to know if this guy knew that old man whicb had brought him here.
But yet again, it ignored him. Just blatantly talking to itself like there was no one here.
"Veldem is not the only one inside you...I can also sense Fenral, Milium and Candrin."
Again, Michael was just left to stare at the head. Now feeling a little annoyed at the mindless monologue which kept going on.
"Hold on, my guy. I don't know who those people are." He didn't want to waste any time and forcefully shattered the state of mind of the head. Wanting to get some real answers.
And it looked like it worked, as the small face turned back towards his head. Holding a shocked expression now carved into the handsome face.
"You don't?" The head asked him. Not knowing what to belive anymore.
"I don't."
And with his answer, Michael finally felt the conversation turn in his favor. However, right as he finished talking, a warm flow rolled over his brain, or what was left of it. Sending down a shiver through his ghostly body.
"Yes, I can see in your memory....he did not tell you much, other than about THAT which you must retrive..."
Even with his mind jumbled up by the sudden scan, Michael quickly retrieved himself. Wanting to get some useful information out of this guy.
"Yeah...but enough about me, we don't have all day. Who are you, old man?"
He formulated himself as insignificantly as possible and pushed all the talking over to the head. Hoping he would give off anything useful.
And to his question. the head lit up. Sending the rays of white light making it up all over the small boy. Displaying the incredible dominant energy rolling off his being.
"I am the first of seven. The one. The leader. The prospect. Andev of the Source!"
However, even with this grandiose show, Michael couldn't see anything other than a small face prideful looked up at him. It was kind of comical actually.
"Mind giving me some more details..?"
The middle-aged head just continued to look at his dumbfounded face, retracting its radiance while slowly giving a more understandable answer.
"I am one of what you may know as the seven gods of origin. Wielder of the source of all living. All creation. All reality."
Michael looked at the guy and felt a little better. Happy yet even more interested in the answer he received.
"You are a god?"
The ancient face rouse further up above him aftwr he spoke. Sending out a torrent of energy from his being, and causing Michael's body to float back.
"That is right, child."
But even with the display of power, Michael just stood where he was. Keeping on his hardened pocker face while starring back up.
"Truly?"
"That is right."
He continued to eye down the bundle of light, however, only now with a smile. Further questioning Andev while trying not to spill any answers.
"Then you must know of Jesus, right?"
Mabye it was due to the stiff expression he held, but Michael managed to hold in his laughter. Evident on his locked espression which was currently turning bright red.
"Naturally!"
Andev's voice boomed out once more. Sending a shockwave of light rolling over the boy's frail figure.
However, Michael still did not yield. Continuing where he left right as the shining face finished another round if his display.
"Tell me about him then."
And surely, the god shrunk down to meet him. Toning down his voice as to not harm him, and gently whispering over.
"What's a jesus again? Sorry, it's been a while."
Hearing the answer made Michael released the tension holding his face. Covering the fading red hue with a satisfied glint sparkling from within his eyes.
"Nothing! Nothing at all! Anyways, you said you know the guy who gave me these powers?"
He hopefully looked at the white figure. Wishing for a cooperative attitude now that he had broken the ice.
"That is right. I know him very well."
And luckily, the head answered him. Displaying neither annoyance nor anger at the little play made by the boy.
"Wll, your buddy didn't really tell me a lot about himself, and neither was I given much detail before coming here.. So I wondered if you would pass me some information. I mean, you guy's are friends, right?"
Michael kept trying to push his luck. And it looked like his efforts were not in vain.
"Child, for your valiant efforts in coming all the way here, I will naturally help you. Just tell me what you wish to know"
The head nodded at him and lowered itself down. Restraining any of the power it may exhibit, and allowing Michael to freely talk to him.
"Please, tell me about my powers. They are easy to use, yet I struggle to handle them efficiently."
The head blinked at him for a second, sending a warm force over his body before quickly retracting it and speaking.
"I can see that you hold the fragments from four of them. Good, and they are even set up in a very compatible form. However..."
The news he relayed semmed good. But at the end of hos answer, the head hesitated for a second.
"However?"
He felt a little shook when he heard the abrubt stop. But still wanted it to finish.
"Truly, they seemed to have been jumbled around. Limiting their potential by a great amount. No, wait, it lookes like they have..mutated too? how fascinating..."
'Limited?'
Michael kept starring into the white outlined eyes. Not completely satisfied by the answer his got.
"Can you please tell me what you mean by 'limited?"
The head, or rather, Andev, noticed his dissatisfaction and continued. Making sure to give the child a satisfactory answer this time.
"They have been tuned a little weirdly by an unknown force, most likely the system engraved in your body."
'Must be from when Jenkins rolled around with my display..'
Michael rapidly came to a conclusion while pondering about it. Wanting to try his luck with the one before him once again.
"Can you fix it then?"
"Yes, I will do some tweaks before we depart."
'Sweet! I better try and see if I can get some more info out of here..'
With his main problem now fixed, he tried pulling out more knowledge.
"Thanks! And can you tell..." However, right before he finished, Andev interrupted him. Laughing while finishing his question for him.
"Tell about what kind of powers you hold? Surely, that is no difficult task."
Michael felt a little embarrassed as he looked over at the guy. But he just remained silent while listening. Now wanting to interrupt him.
"You have four powers from four gods of origin. Each having a different ability to them."
"The first is from Veldem, which you have met before. Holding the power of evolution. The power to adapt, and to grow."
"Then comes the one from Fenral, who holds the power to construct. To create life from the lesser forces, and to shape and build them into existence. Allowing the weak to grow!"
"Then we have a fragment from Milium. She who holds the power to fuse! To mix togheter those of difference, and to create and enhance! Combining everything unstable and make it whatever she wished!"
"And lastly, the strand from Candrin. She who holds, or rather...once held the power to seperate all creation. Pulling it appart with her will, and forcing change to occur amongst it!"
Andev breath out a long sigh of relief after finishing. Smiling stupidly as he reminisced of the times he spent together with his companions.
"Any more questions?"
With all his questions answered, Michael only felt one residual thumping left that bothered him. Wanting to come into existence and be freed from the hind side of his head.
"Why are you here?"
It had not been the first time he had been sendt away to a place like this. And now, he sincerely hoped to know the mystery behind why he always had to appear here every time.
"I was originally in the fabric of reality where your soul previously rested in. However, the moment I sensed my companions within your body, and that you were on the verge of passing, I pulled your consciousness into the astral plane. Allowing for us to temporarily communicate."
Andev seemed more than willing to talk about how he ended up here. However, a hint of hesitation kept resurfacing on his face. Dimming the white lines exponentially.
"As for why I was staying there, I belive there is a reason Veldem didn't tell you everything. But sadly, it wouldn't help you much in your pursuit without knowing why to traverse."
But even so, he made his decision. Starting to explain his current circumstances.
"I was sealed by IT. The universal will of our world. Forced to eternally stay locked away until the prophecy was over."
Michael eyed down the being. Feeling that he was in store for more than he asked for.
"Prophecy?"
Andev closed his eyes for a second. Taking a minute to fully remember a faint sequence which played in his mind.
"Yes, a prophecy. There was once a time foretold by an ancient oracle that this world was destined to fall. However, even with such a threat, the universe did nothing. Refusing to belive in something it did not manage to see for itself."
His expression soured a little. Yet he still continued on despite his clear unwillingness. Filling Michael in on the last bit.
"But we, the seven children of creation all refused to allow what we had built to end, and so went against IT's wishes. Too bad that..."
He was just about to finish his story telling. However, the astral space around them suddenly gave of a hard shake. Ripping and tearing it away right before their eys.
Michael felt his vision of this place grow hazy while at the same time feeling a deep pressure engulf his body. Frantically pull on it.
He looked over at Andev who currently held a bitter smile over his mouth. Looking straight up above him as if meeting eye to eye with a being he was far too familiar with.
"Anyways, Michael. This is as far as we can converse."
Regretfully, he only shook his head towards the child. Wishing to talk more with him.
Michael looked at the disappearing white figure and screamed. Wanting one more thing put of the man.
"WAIT!!!"
Andev heard him loud and clear. Glanced over to his fragmenting body one last time while smugly smiling at him.
"You wonder if I will grant you my power?"
Michael felt himself slowly burst apart, having his last recollections of this world being his body turning into glowing dust and Andev's faint whispers enter his ears.
"You haven't even finished the other's and yet you still want mine...."
"But even with that being the case, why would I, Andev, refuse to aid the one promised to liberate us?!"
"My power, The Source, is from now on, yours to wield!"
....
Back in the real world, Xalder and Cheryl both stood inside a brightly lit room. Covered by a bunch of old blue tiles which made up most of the walls and floor.
Several kind of inventions laid displayed all over the place, some shaped in animal skeletons, and some not much different old machines usually found on earth. Was this perhaps some museum room?
Either way, that did not matter. For right now, they both had their eyes set on two things.
The first was the ashen remains of Michael's body. Spread around in a straight line leading towards one of the objects for display.
And this, which was the other thing that had their attention, was a giant white orb.
It was no different than a tire sized pearl, giving off a white glow whenever the lights from above hit it's body.
However, despite this fancy appearence, it was quite special. For it was said to be an artifact left by the seven first gods which created the multiverse.
"That thing really didn't get any further."
Cheryl suddenly said out loud. Ponting at the black corpse before their eyes with her leg. Satisfied that the beast was unable to touch any of th attractions.
"Surely nothing would come unscathed from that attack."
Xalder stood beside her resting his hand onto the saber sheated beside his hip. Stiffly lined next to the girl, yet silently releasing an aura of confidence.
"Whatever, let's just pack up the dust and leave.."
Cheryl stopped bothering with the orb for a second and went over to Michael's body. Angrily looking down at it.
"Wish I could have had the last hit..."
She silently mutter while starring at the pile of powder. Not too happy that the captain would get the props for this one, as she would most likely loose some favor.
Xalder walked over to her and smiled. Unsheating his saber while stepping over. Planning on brushing his saber in the ash as a sign of disrespect.
"As you said, Mrs Cheryl. Let us clean up this mess and..."
However, right as he was about to speak, a loud cracking sound reverberated into both his and Cheryl's ears. Shaking their brains back and forth.
It was as if someone violently scratched their fingers against a chalkboard, pushing the noise into the very essence of their being.
"WHAT THE HELL XALDER?!"
Cheryl immediately turned towards him and shouted at him. Wanting to blame something on the guy. But just when their faces connected, she witnessed the horiffied expression rolling over his scarred face.
Unable to properly get what he was doing, she turned towards where he looked. And with that, the same shock coiled itself around her heart.
The large white pearl, the artifact which had been so securely guarded throughout these years was breaking appart before their eyes.
Like broken pieces of ice, it fell appart. Leaving only some crumbling white pieces which eventually turned completely black and disappeared.
Not long after it started, it finished. Having the entire pearl disappear into thin air.
"Wha....What in the..."
Cheryl was about to say something. However, she suddenly sensed a small bundle of movements behind her.
Swiftly, she turned around with Xalder on her tail. Finding themselvs both looking at the pile of grey sand.
Unable to find anything calmed Cheryl down. However, Xalder instantly pulled his saber out and shouted at it.
"Come out!"
Cheryl was about to ask what he was doing. But right before she spoke, a figure rouse up from the ash.
"This body has too many impurities in it. However, there seems to be quite the amount of bloodlines available here and in the surroundings. I will use those as a base."
The familiar frame of the red beastmaster stood up from the powder. Basking in the radiance of the room without any care for the other two.
"What did you do to the orb?!"
Cheryl was the first one to speak up. Barking at the monster in hopes of getting some answers.
Interrupted during his speech, and also feeling the angery rays emitted from the duo seemed to put the beastman in a bad mood. Making him turn his red eyes towards them with an indifferent glance.
"I am only here for a quick walk, little girl of the Autrion subspecie. Besides, how dare you speak to my champion in such a rude way?"
The beastman's fangs grinded together in anger. And each word he spoke was filled with an unparalleled dominance, even making the two before him unconsciously step back.
"Wh...What did you call me...?"
Cheryl had her eyes almost fall out of her skull when she heard what he said. How did this man figure out the name of her progenitors?
However, even when faced with her questioning, the beastmaster just looked over his furry body with disgust. Knitting his brows togheter to a degree where one could even possibly knit a scarf.
"I SAID ANSWER ME!"
The obvious lack of attention sparked her anger up to the limit and removed any cool she had. Yet, even with the usually proud girl throwing a tantrum in broad daylight, the besst gave her nothing.
"Too weak."
The beastmaster silently whispered something to himself. Completely catching Xalder and Cheryl off guard with the emotions held within it's words.
"This body is too weak..."
It tightened it's claws togheter into fists. Regretfully closing both the yellow eyes while seemingly channeling something through its body.
"Who...are you?" Cheryl tried once more to talk with it. However, again it just faintly looked over at her. Answering her with no care at all.
"Me? I am but a loser. Not worth mentioning."
Once more, it returned to looking over its body. Still not satisfied with it's progress, and wishing to finish fixing it before leaving.
"But you two..."
In a split second, it stopped caring about it's body and refocused itself onto the duo. Grinning as it turned towards them with it's back arched forwards.
Cheryl and Xalder suddenly felt a sea of bloody danger slam into their minds. Almost pulling their souls out of their bodies.
Both of them tried to move away. But sadly, all they could see before the endless mist of red was the two blinking eyes sizing them up.
"I can't let the two of you live now that I have revealed myself, can I?"