Gemini stood next to Aries, scared but prepared. As an A Rank Mortal Realm soldier, Gemini was not the weakest there, but he was not even close to being the strongest. Shaking with fear, Aries put a hand on the kid's shoulder to calm him down.
Lord Achilles signaled for his soldiers to advance, and the two armies clashed.
Gemini had been working on a new skill he copied from Theseus, the Ghostly Projection.
"Skill: Ghostly Projection!" Gemini split into two bodies from one.
"Oi, kid, who taught you that? I invented that!" Aries said in disbelief. How did this kid figure out his extra skill?
"Theseus." Gemini muttered. Aries knew the culprit all along and shook his head. Just when did that brat copy his clone skill?
Gemini split his aura into a separate clone that could use weaker aura abilities and would dissipate upon death. This ghostly projection had a separate mind, but it was ultimately a part of Gemini and wasn't a separate entity. When it died, Gemini lost the portion of the aura used to create the projection.
Although Gemini didn't realize it yet, his foundation was perhaps the deepest on the battlefield. His grueling training with Theseus made him a force that could go toe to toe with soldiers above his current realm. This was the true power of a strong foundation. His aura was capped at the A Rank Mortal Realm, but he could maintain it for longer than his peers and use more consecutive abilities than those above his own realm.
Theseus drove into Gemini's mind that aura realm was just a number and title. A Deity who could maintain their Godly powers for one second was useless compared to a Sage who could maintain their aura output forever. Gemini believed Theseus because of his first encounter with Jezebel. With words, not aura, he subjugated a Suzerain Lord. Aura was a means to an end, and it didn't always indicate true skill.
"Skill: Spirit Rush!" Gemini yelled and moved at incompressible speeds through Achilles's army. His soul power was his strong suit because of the Spirit Cultivation, and he and his clone punched their way in the horde. The Ghostly Projection was extra useful for Gemini to use because of his deep roots. Neither he nor his clone would run out of aura any time soon.
Aries looked at the young apprentice and was impressed. Theseus was secretly training up a monster who would overtake them both someday. That's what Aries thought, but he was also unaware of the extent Oceanus Founder elevated Theseus's own power. If he knew that, he wouldn't dare think Theseus could ever lose to anyone besides the Suzerain Lords at the D Rank.
"Skill: Demonic Slash!" Aries slashed out at a Captain. Theseus didn't want needless slaughter, so Aries tried to maim but not kill as much as he could.
"Face me like a man, Aries!" Achilles appeared next to Aries maliciously.
"All those years as a dog, I thought you would at least become a real Lord, not bow your head to some false Lord!" Achilles mocked. Theseus's policies made most Suzerain Lords think Theseus was a false Lord to be targeted in the future. This was the end of all Lords that broke the Suzerain Treaty outright. Lord Capricorn could get away with it because of the economic value she brought to the table, but Theseus was an upstart who tried to fundamentally change their core values.
"Lord Theseus is a greater Lord than you could ever be." Aries sneered.
"Say that again, fucker!" Lord Achilles roared. After his seclusion, Lord Achilles was now barely at the D Rank, and Aries was on the ropes. Slashing out aggressively, Aries was put on the defense.
"Rumors were that you also reached the D Rank, but I guess that's all it was, rumors!" Achilles continued to mock Aries. One day, Lord Achilles had hoped to align himself with Aries when he inevitably betrayed Lord Virgo, but the neutered dog in front of him was a far cry from the ruthless Aries Achilles knew.
"What happened to you Aries? Did your boyfriend Theseus suck you dry this far that you can't even face a real Suzerain Lord?"
Aries could only grit his teeth and defend. At this rate, he would lose.
Meanwhile, Leo, Centos, Naiad, and Vodyanoi were facing a four on six battle against the other Captains. One of the Captains was injured from briefly facing Aries, but they were still outnumbered.
Vodyanoi yelled out in frustration,
"Why am I so weak? Fuck me!" He was a B Rank Sage, and his foundations and skills were directly tied to his Shade Core. It was more stable because of his tutelage under Aries, but he felt inept compared to the other Captains and was driven back by the opposing Captains easily.
Centos ignored the ramblings of the mad Shade and attacked with his spear.
"Skill: Watery Stab!" A whirlpool of water condensed around his spear and forced back two other Captains.
Naiad, who was an air mage, detained one frustrated Captain, barely.
"Skill: Air Prison!" She created a tangible air barrier in the Ocean of Souls.
The frustrated and detained Captain yelled out,
"Let me out bitch! Control mages might as well not even fight! Face me coward."
Naiad ignored the taunts. She didn't use a weapon and controlled the battlefield from the backline with air and water attacks.
Vodyanoi and Centos were up against two Captains while Naiad detained one, which left three against Leo, who was covered in blood.
However, Leo was laughing manically. The Captains from both sides shuddered at Leo's bloodlust.
"Skill: Tail Swipe!"
"Skill: Whirling Claws!"
"Hahaha!" Leo laughed to himself in the Soul Link crevice. Theseus was busy in his own fight, and the distance between them was large. But, he heard the beast reliving its glory days of Phaunus Forest. Theseus was glad he wasn't there to witness Leo's slaughter.
Never before did Leo get pushed back to this extent! Facing three Captains of similar realm to himself was thrilling.
"What is this beast?" A Captain looked at the blood drenched Leo with fear.
"Doesn't it ever run out of aura?" Another Captain gasped out.
"Focus you two. Beasts usually have stronger foundations than people naturally and can fight longer because of their physiques. Stay alert!" The third Captain facing Leo tried to keep the squad together. Leo was beaten up badly already and was currently fighting on pure adrenaline.
This was a war of attrition, and they had superior numbers. Neither side was looking to kill the other but defeat them. They both knew about the negotiations supposedly happening between Lord Capricorn and Lord Theseus. The fewer casualties, the better. The losing side would be absorbed into the winner's side, and the new alliance would take control. Needless killing was in no one's best interests.
Soldiers in the Mortal and Sage Realms clashed desperately on the battlefield. This was a battle for their respective ways of life. Theseus's army didn't want to lose the freedom they found in Oceanus. The Suzerain Lords' armies couldn't disobey their dictators. An hour flew by, and Theseus's army was pushed back. Their spirit and passion were far greater than the opposition, but they were smaller in number. This was after all, a two on one attack. Lord Scorpius's remnant forces mixed in with Lord Capricorn's and Lord Achille's forces were a force to be reckoned with.
Aries was worried, but Gemini and Leo were not, because they personally witnessed the absurdity Theseus was becoming. Years of skill creation and adherence to the Authority Path accumulated in Theseus transcending the current known limitations of aura with skills that pushed the boundaries of known magical theory.
Leo still felt chills seeing the Authority Path based Summoner Skill that was painstakingly crafted over months upon months on end. With a word, Theseus wielding the abilities of his subordinates and could maintain his aura nearly indefinitely. It was unheard of!
Theseus's past experiences pushed him to the brink of death and depression, but he rose above it. Heaven nor Hell could stop Theseus from his goals now. Skills and physiques were common areas of expertise, but Theseus was above that now. It was all trivial. Theseus saw through the veil; to him, all magic was derived from the Authority Path. The Summoner Path Skill was just another piece of the Authority Path that used imagination to harness power.
Was Theseus right? Only the Authorities above the Deities could have their own reasonable opinions, but even then, the Authorities climbed separate paths to the top of the universe.
The Primordial Authorities were born that strong through their all-powerful physiques alone. They were the true Natural Path followers. Was naturally born aura the Authority Path?
The human Cipher transcended the Deities through his scientific Artifacts. He was a true follower of the Scientific Path. Were Artifacts scientific or were they really just the Authority Path?
The Demon Lord Xana consumed billions of souls and became the strongest Shade to ever exist. She was a true follower of the Shade Path. Was the concept of Shades consuming aura really just derived from the Authority Path and the imagination?
The Authority of Madness commanded an Army of Madness and Insanity, and he became an Authority through his vast army. He was a true follower of the Summoner Path. Were summoners who trained beasts and armies really just utilizing their imagination to fight?
The Eternal Deathless used Runic Seals to exploit his cursed physique. These runes transcended the Deities. He is a true follower of the Runic Path. Did seals and runes rely on language and imagination to maintain their power?
The First Deathless, the Ruler of Hell, mastered Spirit magic, becoming the First Deathless. He was a true follower of the Spirit Path. Was Spirit magic and the communion of souls just another piece of the Authority Path as well?
The Queen of Heaven embodies Life itself. Her Authority over Life makes her a true follower of the Authority Path. Her absolute Authority over Life is the extent of her Authority. Is her path really just arbitrary to the others?
The known Authorities rose through different means, but in the end, they all followed a code or creed that set them apart from the others. They were different and followed one of the Seven Paths to the extreme. Each of them believed their path to be right, but they all arrived to the same destination through radically different means. But in Theseus's eyes, they were all wrong. The world flowed from the Authority Path. Aura in its inception was based on the imagination, upon using Authority to control reality. No Authority nor Deity could convince him overwise.
Theseus was now on a master of the Authority Path, following his own path, different from the masses and the status quo. Leo and Gemini trusted Theseus to come through and win, even if they were to lose the battle for Oceanus.