Asahi harshly coughed, wiping dirt off his face. The immense pressure of the impact was enough to pop his skin off. However, somehow he was able to keep himself intact. In severe exhaustion, Clover collapsed onto the floor, trying to recollect what happened when Asahi attempted to use The Soil.
She rested her head next to his shoulder, staring at the bright sky hovering over the tall green treetops. The sun pierced through the leaves and shone on both Asahi and Clover's faces. A comfortable silence formed around them, giving off the sound of pure nature at its best.
As Asahi's eyelids parted away from each other, he slowly whispered to himself. "What just happened?"
He took a deep breath and tremblingly tilted his head to Clover. Her bright green hair was stained by the thick dirt the shockwave produced. Her eyes were half-open, and her face was drenched in sweat. Asahi whispered.
"A-Are you okay?"
Clover whispered while she spread her arms out along the harshly paved dirt ground.
"I have never seen anything like that before. That massive beam of light wasn't supposed to spawn when you dissolved the dirt. There were supposed to be leaves popping out of thin air and relaxing on your skin. I can see why you claim you're a god now. You definitely harness some sort of ability, even if your powers were stripped away."
Asahi painfully chuckled and nodded his head.
"Y...Yeah. If I can do this, maybe Aletha can follow?"
Clover stared at the drifting clouds popping out from the massive circular hole on the treetops. She then gave off a faint chuckle, whispering as they rested peacefully among the moonlit hills.
"Haha. I don't think that would be the most fantastic idea."
As Clover and Asahi stared at the beautiful cloudy sky, the sound of faint hums sounded near them. It was a mechanical-sounding hum, like the sound of an ambient fan blowing softly against the ground or the sound of an active humming air refrigerator.
Asahi and Clover swiftly lifted upwards, turning their heads left and right, trying to find where the robotic-sounding hum was coming from.
"What is that? It sounds..." Clover mumbled. "Like a faint hum..." Suddenly, her glistening green eyes broadened, knowing precisely what the sound meant. She pushed Asahi away from the circle and behind a thick trunk of a tree. They leaned their backs against the surface and sat still, hiding their presence away from the sound. As they held their breath, Asahi questioned Clover.
"What are you doing--"
"Shhh! Be quiet. I know what that sound means. I have encountered them before."
Asahi muttered confusingly "--Them?"
Clover slowly nodded her head and stealthily peered behind the trunk. Her breathing quickened, seeing the bottom of a hovering cube-shaped device encircling the perimeter of the crater. Clover's emerald eyes widened in fear. She frustratingly whispered to Asahi as the device examined the area.
"See what you did? You attracted The Promise."
Asahi raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
Clover slapped her forehead and sighed.
"The Promise are wanderers who come from the nation of Wraileza. They roam everywhere in groups of four or groups of thirty. They seek to find anything that could destroy, gathering information, and stealing resources from nations. They are anything BUT friendly.
"So, you're telling me... that this world has advanced technology?"
Clover nodded her head and shivered, hearing the ambiance of the mechanism approach closer to them. She faintly responded to Asahi as they hid from the advanced device.
"Wraileza is way more advanced than all the other nations. They use their own type of magic."
Asahi scratched his head.
"Wait, there is a nation that doesn't use the power of The Soil?"
"Yes, but that isn't the only one. There is another clan that rejects the power of The Soil, and that faction is known as The Ending. The Ending is a massive rebellious group of individuals, including cursed humans, monsters, and non-cursed humans. The faction roams around the land, trying to destroy everything they can. It is said that The Ending is ordered by a being known as 'The Princess' that wishes to banish the entire world into oblivion completely. They use their own wicked ways to form their own magic."
She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, remembering endless thoughts flashing inside her mind.
"Sigh, not only that, but both of the two factions want to destroy the world. Fortunately, the world can fight back, and they can draw the factions away by using their Queen's power."
Before anymore got revealed, a giant dark purple beam pierced through the trees, forcing many to topple and crash onto the ground. The pace in Clover's heart quickened panically, hearing the ambient loud hums of the mechanism gradually grow louder and louder.
"D… Don't move." Both of their chests tightened in fear with the purple light drawing closer and closer to them. But despite the situation that stood from them, Clover clutched Asahi's hand and whispered.
"I know this isn't the right time, but... we might not be around to say it. So I just have to say. Asahi, thank you."
Asahi gripped her hands tightly, seeing the luminescent projecting light lowering down to them. Although Asahi wanted to answer…
"Clover, I--"
Their bodies froze as they saw the box-like mechanism float in the air. After a few moments of silence, the device screamed out.
[Intruder! Intruder!]
Precipitously, Clover and Asahi watched as the obsidian black box slowly unfurled its steel parts from its luminescent core, revealing two dark arms, and three hardened bulky legs. The mechanized golem growled and snarled, stepping over and hollering as Clover and Asahi slowly backed away.
[Intruder! Intruder!]
Suddenly, the sounds of screaming missiles resounded over the forest, blasting a tree into purple flames. As the massive mechanized golem charged and trembled the earth at full speed, Clover shrieked at Asahi, pointing to a small hole buried deep underground.
"Asahi, over there!"
(Click)
Without thought, Asahi bolted and dodged the shrieking missiles, hearing loud explosions sound just behind his back. The mysterious dark-haired woman turned away and gasped, seeing the metal golem shred and tear the trees around.
The device stood still and peered its blazing mechanical blue eye out for Asahi and Clover.
[Scanning for potential targets]
The gears attached to its eye twist and wound, clicking as the mechanism tilted its head up, down, left, and right. Clover shuddered in fear, hoping for this not to be the end. She never wanted this, all she wanted was a peaceful life, just like Asahi. And yet, she couldn't even have that.
Just as the robot could catch the two, suddenly, a mildly deep feminine voice screamed out to the device.
"Goodness, Sectorfobian Mechanism 402, you are absolutely worthless when scanning the area. You know, The Queen would be really disappointed when they find out about your rusted gears."
Who stood behind the torn device was a woman with long dark hair, beady purple eyes, and fair skin. A large purple ribbon was tied on her collar, a blend of blue hovered at the tip of her straight bangs, and at the epicenter of her eyes, an azure luminance shone like a star. Her attire was cluttered with steel devices, knives, and weaponry. But what topped her appearance off, was a bluish-violet rose on top of her head.
While the woman approached the steel golem, the mechanism sighed as if it was a living organism, replying to her as smoke flooded the forest.
"Master Lyssa, there were intruders detected here."
Unexpectedly, the woman forced her fist through the device, releasing sparking wires out of it like water. Immediately, the mechanism collapsed onto its knees, begging, and hoping not to be abused by this woman any longer as if it was a human being.
[Please, I was only doing my duty.]
Again, the relentless nature of the woman got the best of her sanity. She released another ruthless slap, crushing the golem with just her bare hands. Lyssa frustratingly screamed as her high heels crushed its metal.
"Since when did I say that you should speak?! Don't you dare bark orders at your master, you here? You worthless piece of junk! You would disappoint The Queen if she ever saw you like this."
She powerfully kicked the device's legs once more and chipped away its metal piece by piece. Lyssa muttered and gave the device a disgusted look. "I knew you were a mistake when you were born in her factory."
Clover and Asahi's eyes broadened while Lyssa slowly walked over the hole with her long slim black high heels. Her nearly transparent indecent leggings shimmered under the harsh sunlight while her servants walked behind her, awaiting command.
Her long black-painted fingernails dragged on the dirt, tossing each pebble away like a tool.
Lyssa shook her head and screamed at her servant.
"Servants, dispatch from me. I smell something off within this area, and I would like to be ALONE! Do you understand?!"
The servants bowed and replied with a threatening tone in their voices.
"Yes, Master!"
Lyssa nodded her head and pulled out her long black whip. She elegantly strolled on the ground with her black high heels, knowing well that Clover and Asahi were hiding inside the hole. After minutes of antagonization from the woman, Lyssa viciously yelled.
"Idiots! I know you are in there! Come on out. You can't hide from me all day!"
Clover and Asahi froze still as a rock, hearing Lyssa's direct screams underneath the ground.
"I hope we are safe..." Clover trembled.
As the silent minutes elapsed, the patience of Lyssa started to burn away. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fingers with her fierce black glove, brutally stomping on the ground, and directly yelling at Clover and Asahi.
"Get up now! I know you are in there! Fine, since you won't jump out on your own, I will just do it for you."
At a blink of an eye, she swung her whip at the ground, unleashing a powerful gravitational force with it. The impact of her swings were almost powerful enough to toss rocks into the air. The tip of it latched onto the brittle ground beneath her feet, and then with potent force, she ripped apart the ceiling of the ground, exposing both Clover and Asahi. A grim smile came from her manipulative face, whispering.
"There you are." Lyssa said menacingly.
There was no more hope of hiding anymore, they had to take action. After a second of thought, Asahi and Clover vaulted out of the hole and charged at the woman. Lyssa harshly chuckled and mocked them as a purple barrier fabricated into thin air.
"Ah, and who must you be? Are you from our nation?!"
Asahi clenched his fists and shut his eyes, angrily gritting his teeth and refusing to be talked down. He yelled as his eyes blazed with fury.
"Yes, I am a god from the old world! Of not, I'm one of the Adtraic Gods! The survivors who have endured a fateful calamity. Don't do anything, or else..."
"Adtraic Gods? I haven't heard that term for so long. I thought that was some sort of myth.
As a silent gust brood upon the air, Lyssa threatened.
"Or else, what? What can you possibly do to a powerful woman like me? Are you just going to stand there with your weak green-haired peasant? If you are a God, then prove it to me!"
Clover gritted her teeth in anger. She simply refused to be identified as that. Although she was feeble in her powers, the burning adrenaline flowing through her veins urged her to defend Asahi. Yet, at the same token, just as she was about to throw a fist at the woman, Asahi stopped her and whispered.
"Don't make the situation worse than it already is."
"B-But… Asahi, you were…"
Lyssa mockingly laughed as she stared at the puny white-haired boy, falling into disbelief of the claim that he was one of the ancient gods of this world. She shook her head, her glistening aqua eyes peered straight through Asahi's, and answered with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh? Is the "supposed" ancient God of this world challenging me?! HAHA!"
Asahi unhesitatingly replied.
"Yes."
"Ooo, a determined soul. Well, this will be fun."
At that moment, she kicked her legs off from the ground and backflipped. She landed her two feet on top of the shattered steel, clutched the end of her whip, and threw her whip into the treetops. To make the situation fair, Lyssa offered.
"Hmm, I'll be generous. Let's make a deal, like the tradition of my home country. If I win, I get to capture the boy and kick his peasant away from him. If you win, both of you are free to flee and act like nothing ever happened here. If you don't accept the deal, I will shoot both of you with this."
(SWIPE)
With just a slight movement from her hand, an obsidian-colored pistol came out from her pocket. It was trailed with sharp edges, strong enough that with just a melee hit from the pistol could knock someone out. In exchange from the sudden reveal, Asahi and Clover gave a fearful look on their faces, unable to think of any alternative. Asahi whispered as he saw a smug smile curl up from Lyssa's glossy lips.
"Strange."
As Lyssa awaited for an answer, Clover tilted her head to Asahi and questioned.
"Asahi, are you really going to accept this? We could just run--"
He shakes his head and sighs.
"No, that would result in our death. Clover, just trust me. There is no other choice. It's either we win this duel, or we get killed."
As Asahi and Clover discussed their intentions of the battle, Lyssa hollered out to Asahi as she dragged her whip across the brittle ground.
"Time's ticking, "ancient god `` !''
Asahi angrily gritted his teeth and grabbed Clover's shoulder, knowing that he was stuck in a hopeless predicament. No matter what he could think of, there was no possible outcome that they could do that would let them escape. And so, corresponding to that, Asahi stared at Clover's green eyes one more time and whispered to her softly.
"Don't worry Clover. If I don't win, flee from this forest while she is distracted."
Clover's eyes broadened.
"B… But Asahi, I don't want to leave you behind! What would happen to you? Have you ever thought of yourself?"
Asahi shook his head and sighed, responding with a strong voice.
"Yes, I do… all of the time. It's just, I feel like you deserve a longer life than me. Besides, if we do lose, at least your life will be spared.
Clover clenched her fists and pushed Asahi away from her, gritting her teeth and screaming.
"You know, sometimes I hate how you think Asahi. Why do you care so much about others, when you, yourself, are not even human?"
At that moment, Asahi clutched Clover's wrist and answered.
"Because I want to repay what happened to humanity."
"Huh?"
Before he could finish his sentence, Lyssa interrupted Asahi.
"THAT'S IT I'M--"
The sun shone on his head and his back, refracting on his white hair and bouncing back into the sky. The shadows of the forest covered the three of them, he stepped forward to Lyssa and agreed, while Clover sneered at him with a look of doubt. Facing an unknown threat, Asahi would happily sacrifice his life for another.
"I agree to your duel.!"
Lyssa silently chuckled and smiled, having full confidence that she could win.
"Hm, Hm. You actually DO have the confidence to face me."
What Asahi never factored as he thought about this offering, was what would happen if his sister found out. He couldn't imagine the horror and hopelessness she would feel if she found out that she was the only one left of the Adtraic Family. The thought itself gave shivers down his spine. But despite his concerns, Asahi ignored it, all for the life of Clover.
"I am the original god of this world!" He exclaimed as he hung his arms into the air. "I refuse to be defeated by a mortal such as you!"
Lyssa sneered at Asahi with a wrathful look of disgust, doubting him
"An original god? Oh please, this must be some sort of joke. I can't wait to end your miserable life."
Lyssa angrily gritted her teeth, swung her black whip on the center of the ground and formed a combat-ready stance, ready for battle. She threatened Asahi as
"That's it! You have angered me far more than much! Time to suppress your blasphemous claims."
One second, Lyssa swiftly charged at both Asahi and Clover with a burning face of hatred. She didn't want to capture Asahi for herself, she never cared for him. The reasoning on why she wanted him was to give him to someone else, but Asahi doesn't even know who they were.
Preparing for the attack, embracing the uncertainty that was this fight, Asahi and Clover stood still and awaited for impact.
"COME HERE YOU BRATS!"
. . .
But just as soon as Lyssa could get any closer to the two, a massive cyan shadow formed in front of the two, deflecting the attack and knocking Lyssa into the air. Never in all his years, would Asahi have ever thought that an outsider would intervene with this battle. He quickly backed away from the silhouette and stood in front of Clover, staring as the dust unveiled the shadow.
They were not even a shadow at all.
Instead, who met them was a tall young man with long dark hair, wearing otherworldly armor all over his chest. Although he was close to them, Asahi couldn't make out much of his appearance because of the dust covering his eyes.
But even though his sight had blinded him, he couldn't help but be thankful for this sudden event. Lyssa, on the other hand, was even more thrilled then she was previously.
Instead of sinking into anger, Lyssa clutched her whip, squinted her eyes, and charged at the mysterious man, screaming as her hair flocked into the air.
"Oh, someone plans to interfere with me? Fine, three is better than one."
Suddenly, with just one sound of the shadow's deep voice, Lyssa's body was knocked up into the air while Asahi and Clover stood there, clueless.
"Divine Suppress."
"H… Huh?!"
And just like that, the tides of the fight against Lyssa shifted with the mysterious man intervening along with them.