Alexanders' eyes spread open. Above the golden portal in the skies, he saw a huge shadow descending towards them from the outside.
"Outside…? Is it outside the World…?"
Despite the massive size, the object was advancing very quickly. – "Sword of Gods." – Snickered John. The sword wasn't pointed towards them but towards this whole land.
"More like Sword of Destruction…" – Commented Willmar.
"Same stuff, Old man."
"Yeah, probably."
[…]
When the swords' tip touched the ground, it immediately opened a gaping kilometric crack and like a heated knife cutting through soft butter it went on, unstoppable and irresistible.
More and more cracks spread around the impact point.
*BRRRROUUUUUUM*
The ground quaked as fire mixed with cursed energy and some silvery-gray specs sprayed from the just-opened fissures.
'Already reached the core…so fast…' Thought Willmar. Something else came to his attention then. 'May as well explain that to the boy. Not as this will be useful to him in the near future, but anyway…'
He pointed towards the wave of destruction rapidly spreading from the sword and said to Alex. – "Normal Worlds all have cores. The three energies that you can see there are the ones that compose the core of this specific World."
Alex still shocked by the apocalyptic events outside the ship immediately had a guess. – "Fire, curse energy like the one Esprits use, and…space energy?"
Willmar nodded. – "You know about space energy? Anyway, yes, you are almost correct."
He extended his hand to capture a wisp of fire. – "This is not exactly a component, but the product of the cores' burning."
"Simply speaking, once you compress too much matter into one point, the space natural runes will appear to stabilize the whole thing. And the burning will be the product of the stabilization process that releases too much energy. If on top of this you add some more specific energy, like the curse one in this case you get a fully functioning World core."
The boy wasn't paying attention but still remembered everything.
'The end of the World is a bit more interesting thou…' He thought.
[…]
Due to his strength, what Captain Blake saw was slightly different from Alexanders' perspective.
He could feel the tremor of the outer sphere of the world being shattered like a piece of glass. The whole world screaming from pain. All the remaining natives began crying from desperation.
He saw a flood of golden energy that scattered the cursed energy of esprits. The pressure he felt was terrifying.
But his whole attention was on something else. Something unfathomable. Someone who created this sword used to destroy the whole world.
He saw a sun of burning golden energy.
For a split second, even John had the urge to praise this divine being. Then he unsheathed his black sword.
His energy spiked and then continued to increase even further. John was already pushing his limits to force back the golden waves.
The whole ship began creaking from the pressure. The crow returned and sat on his shoulder. Immediately two black wings spurred from Johns' back.
Helena and Willmar at the same moment stepped forwards and poured all their energy into Captain Blake. After a few minutes, both slumped on the ground. Powerless.
*BROOOOMMMM*
From the giant sword appeared new golden soldiers. 'These are stronger than before…' Sensed Alex.
John didn't care and only looked towards the sky.
As if to answer his gaze a golden radiance filled the already split sky, like a silent hymn.
It was a person. Golden short hair was brushed backward. Red-golden eyes looked down on all creation. Clad in an imperial robe, he held a massive sword. What should have been a two-handed weapon now was held in only one hand as it was nothing.
Above his head, there was an exquisite golden crown.
"I WILL GIVE YOU THE PRIVILEGE OF THE FIRST MOVE, OCEAN LORD." – Alex closed his ears, but the voice was still there, booming inside his head. He fell to the ground.
"Heh." – John smirked. – "An avatar…No…a second body…such an honor…" – Wings moved, and he was immediately propelled towards the enemy.
"AAAAAAAAAAAR" – His whole body started emanating strands of black energy. – "CRAAAAAAW." – Crows' screech mixed to his scream.
[…]
Alex stood up and looked towards the sky. – "That's my Captain." – Some unknown to him pride sprout in his soul. He suddenly felt something warm, sliding on his face.
He touched it with his hand. – "What…tears?" – His whole subconsciousness felt uncomfortable and…sad?
"He will obviously win…Right?" – The boy turned towards Helena and Willmar. They stayed silent.
Willmar sighed – "Just watch…Alexander."
The boy looked up. *CLANG*
John's sword shattered the protective barrier that surrounded the enemy leader and slashed his chest. Alex was about to say something when he froze. The sword shattered upon touching the body.
'Impossible…'
Captain Blake apparently expected this result. He immediately caught the longest shard of his weapon and stabbed the enemies' eyes.
This time the resistance was far less impressive, and the metal pierced the flesh. Golden blood spurted on Johns' face. – "Still not enough…"
The golden emperor stood still, completely unbothered by the injury. – "Impressive."
John suddenly coughed blood.
"Not many can damage my second body even after burning their life-energy, Ocean Lord." – He paused. A hint of appreciation flashed through his emotionless eyes. – "Do you have anything else to show me?"
John stepped back. His face was calm. '[Sorrow…]'
"Hohoho, a curse? That is unexpected." – Golden Emperor laughed.
Captain pointed towards him. '[…and Death]'
The ship Alex was standing on suddenly quaked and… 'Aged?' Thought the boy. Every sing piece of wood suddenly lost its luster and menacing aura.
Some pieces directly fell off.
Many small wrinkles covered Johns' face. In only a few seconds his beautiful black hair became gray.
"Such a strong curse…" – Muttered the golden man as his body began disintegrating into ash. – "Worth of being your final technique." – A quick gust of wind claimed the final hit and his body shattered in a cloud of grey ash. – "Even my original body is affecte…"
Johns' eyes lost their light. His back became curved.
Anyway, Alex was about to smile. – "Told ya, that the captain is the stronges…" – When a familiar voice flooded his head with pain for the second time.
"I WILL GRANT YOU A QUICK DEATH, CAPTAIN JOHN SAMAEL BLAKE, LORD OF THE BROKEN OCEAN."
*Cough*
Captain coughed other blood and his old face paled. – "Can you spare my crew?"
"DENIED."
John smiled. – "Yeah. Gods have no mercy, right?" – He muttered. Then he took his black ring off and threw it towards Alexander, who was still wriggling in pain on the deck. It fused with the boy's body. 'Sorry Young Man for the burden…hehe…'
"I WILL REMEMBER YOU."
Another golden sword pierced the already half-broken world membrane. John just looked at the incoming death. –"O mighty Deep, of the broken ocean, for the first time I pray to you…"
When Alex shook off the pain and looked up, he gasped for air. "No…"
He saw Johns' body being shredded and obliterated by the second giant sword.
"…captain…no…"
The weapon of destruction went down towards the already wrecked ship. Suddenly he felt someone's hand placed on his chest. – "L…Lord Willmar…what…" – "After that followed an irresistible push back. – "Use your life fire."
For a split second, Alexander felt as if the time slowed down. He didn't know if this was an illusion, but he saw all the crew members looking at him.
[…]
James was unrecognizable. His once fat body was as skinny as a twig. One arm was missing, and he was riddled with holes. He raised his thumb up.
"For the glory!"
More enemies pounced on him.
[…]
Bandages that normally covered Old Hounds' face were soaked in blood. His azure mist was no more. He was fighting with two daggers instead of his crossbow. His left leg was severely injured.
"Be a good hunter."
[…]
Doctors' true body was pinned on the ground with big siege-like spears. But even so, no enemy could go near him since his webs were as deadly as always.
"That's for you. We will meet again…maybe."
The spider spat a drop of twitching and wriggling blood that fused with Alexander.
[…]
Loranne was fighting with only one sword. He had no energy to condense more, and his arsenal was broken right in the middle.
"Our ship is named Sorrow, but always remember that it's our enemies' sorrow, not ours." – He smiled.
[…]
The area around Klein was a much more massive battlefield since his golems were fighting alongside him.
"Just destroy all the constructs you can."
[…]
Helena was on her knees while watching the sky. Her fists were clenched, and a drop of blood fell on the deck.
"John…John…"
[…]
Willmar was crying while magic symbols danced around him. Tears of an old man were always the most painful.
"Don't let us down."
[…]
The sword broke the Sorrow of the Black Sea in two while Alexander suddenly had the same sensation as when they passed through the Battlefield Road.
His vision went black.