Kai tightened his grip on his sword dimming with light as he stabbed it into the ground and kneeled, ignoring the pain that flared through his wounded shoulder. He watched as the Margax leader approached. A massive figure clad in dark, jagged armor, he moved with an unsettling grace. Unlike the other generals, this leader bore no visible scars, his scales smooth and black, as dark as a starless night. A heavy mace, its head carved with intricate symbols, dangled from his hand, scraping against the stone with a sound like bone on bone.
"Impressive, human," the leader said, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the air, as he stopped within a few feet of Kai, his yellow slit-pupils gleaming with an unnerving intelligence. "You've managed to defeat my generals, though they were quite useless. Your fight ends here." He paused for a moment and smirked, baring his sharp, teeth. "By the way, I'm the great Neroxos. And I am most certainly intrigued by your combat ability. Humans are usually too weak for magic, and yours is different."
Kai pushed himself up, gripping his sword hilt with his weak hand. His gaze drifted to the fallen generals, their bodies mangled and blackened, then back to the leader.
There has to be a way. A weak spot, anything.
What was he going to do. He really wanted to save the Kowxlicui Tribe. He saw how most of them just lived day to day. They were peaceful. But he needed to come up with a plan!
He shook his head. No, it wasn't important right now. He had a mission, to save this village. He was so different just a few days ago.
"You are about to destroy my village." Kai said, his voice hoarse but steady despite the pain. "I will stop you." He slowly rose to his full height, despite his shaking legs.
Neroxos chuckled, a dry, humorless sound coming from his mouth. "You? A single, bloodied human with no army of material to back him? What arrogance. I thought humans were supposed to be logical and weak beings." He swept a clawed hand, gesturing to the remaining Margax forces. "Look around you. This village will fall. Your life is forfeit just like any other human."
Kai's grip tightened on his sword, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He knew his time was limited. His body was reaching its breaking point, his magic waning. He had to do something, but what? He scanned the chaos behind him in the distance. Kowxlincui warriors fell left and right, their lines faltering. The tide of battle was turning against them. Even if he defeated Neroxos, it would be too late to save the village.
"You do not understand," Kai said, his voice filled with a strange calm, even though inside, he was terrified. "I really don't care if I die at this point, I've lost too much. And I've already experienced things most couldn't." He wasn't sure who he was talking too anymore. The truth was he really didn't want to die. He really did want to experience the world, not worrying about when death will meet him. He wanted that for his friends, family, and all humans.
Neroxos laughed, a harsh, mocking sound that seemed to echo through the battlefield. "Very well then, human. Let's see how far your will can take you." He raised his mace, the runes on its head glowing with an ominous light. The underbrush at his feet wriggled. The leader was using magic. This was going to be tough. "I'll make sure you are remembered as the one who tried to stand against me."
With a terrifying roar, Neroxos charged, his mace smashing down at Kai with incredible speed. Kai barely managed to parry the blow, sparks flying as crimson and black metal clashed. Neroxos' strength was immense, his attacks coming with the speed and power of a battering ram. Kai's injuries, coupled with his depleted energy reserves, put him at a severe disadvantage.
He twisted to avoid another strike, sending a blast of Nebula at the Margax leader. But the magic seemed to have little effect, as Neroxos stepped right through the shimmering cloud without even slowing down, his yellow eyes narrowed with a predatory intensity.
He swung at Kai with insane speed. Kai could barely block, the blows pushing him back.
Theres no way I can win this! Who in the world is this guy!?
He tried to Aberration of Light, but it was too weak , the attack barely even making the Margax warrior flinch.
"Hah, what kind of tricks are these. You have strange magic, human. It made me feel funny."
Neroxos pressed the attack, his mace a blur as he continued his assault. Kai's blocks grew weaker, his parries slower. He could feel his body screaming in agony, his vision blurring.
The leader was obviously playing with him.
This was not the same as the other generals, Neroxos was something else. His strength felt inhuman. Well, because he wasn't.
Kai had no time to react. Neroxos' mace struck him squarely in his chest, sending him flying through the air, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs. Kai's back slammed into the stone of a nearby building. The force of the blow caused him to cough up blood, and for a few moments, he was dazed. His sword slid from his grasp, clattering onto the ground, out of reach. He had little energy left, the Nyctophyte was dematerializing from his cloak. The gold tips now dirtied with grime.
Neroxos stalked towards him, his mace raised high, his yellow eyes gleaming with a savage satisfaction, and his claws digging into the earth. "It's over, human. Your pathetic struggle has come to an end."
He raised the mace, preparing to deliver the final blow. Kai lay on the ground, unable to move, his body screaming in agony. He looked to the sky, the battle was lost, no point in denying that. The villagers were so doomed.
"So....", He coughed than continued softly. "That was my limit I guess."
His was voice barely audible. Was this what the world held for him? Failure, defeat, and finally, death?
Who was he kidding, that was every human's life in this world.
As Neroxos raised his mace, a familiar sense of warping and distortion filled Kai's senses. The sounds of battle faded into the background, the images of the Margax leader seemed to twist and bend as time itself slowed. He felt a strange tingle within his body. The magical book he obtained before the ordeal appeared before his eyes, its pages turning with impossible speed.
No... I don't need to be babied before I die by this stupid book.
Text shimmered into existence:
"Your mortal body cannot contain the power required to turn the tide. One final ability you can use as my gift, a desperate measure, before sleep overtakes you. Use it wisely. The power shall be given, but you will not wake for many weeks. Kugelblitz."
Kai's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What in the world was a "Kugelblitz?"
His eyes widened as he continued to read the book, trying to comprehend what was written:
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Cosmic Magic: Kugelblitz [Tier 4]
Description:
Harness the power of super-condensed heat, light, and radiation. By warping a small, microscopic area of spacetime, energy is released in the form of immense radiation of all types, including gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet and heat. The radiation will instantly decay upon release.
Kai still didn't understand all these terms. Radiation? X-rays? Ultraviolet?
He continued reading.
How to use:
Step 1: Use your hand as a catalyst.
Step 2: Imbue a singular point in front of you with all of your remaining cosmic magic.
Step 3: Implode the point.
Step 4: Release with your mind.
Extra info: When using the spell with full power, the energy decays immediately, use quickly, and never go past the microscopic point you initially warped. If not released in time, it could potentially kill you. Or erase existence space all around you. However you don't have to worry about this. You are not strong enough to use it's full potential. All your spells are weak.
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Psssh, I'm even being made fun of. Great.
However the last two words made Kai freeze. Erase existence!? All the sudden his "primordial magic" sounded more like a curse than a gift. But that didn't matter anymore, he had one last job, and he would see it through to the end.
The text faded. Kai felt a strange sensation, a force unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was as if the entire universe was compressed into a point within him, the power of countless stars flowing through his veins. He felt it in his soul. This was it. He had nothing else to give, so it was now or never.
Time resumed.
With a deep breath, Kai extended his hand. He reached deep into his soul, pulling forth every last drop of energy. A small, pulsating point of light appeared in front of him, a small dot contorting everything around him, but with a blinding light. All the remaining energy and cosmic power he had flowed into it, warping the area even more. Everything seemed silent. No wind, no fire, nothing.
He looked up at Neroxos. "This... is my final attack, stupid lizard!"
His voice was weak, but firm. He had nothing to lose really. If he killed everyone around him, he couldn't care less. He just wanted this leader dead.
He pulled all of his mental energy, and released the spell. The small point detonated with a blinding flash, releasing a powerful wave of energy that filled the whole battlefield. He then lost consciousness, his body slumping onto the scorched earth.
The air crackled as the Kugelblitz spell detonated.
The microscopic point that was created instantly grew as space was compressed. A burst of energy and radiation exploded outward in all directions. Neroxos, who was right at the edge of it, had no time to react, his black, jagged armor instantly vaporized, his body caught in the blast wave. The surrounding area was reduced to ash, while the Margax warriors that were approaching the area all fell to the ground, their bodies blackened, some limbs torn apart from the concussive force.
The wave of energy expanded out, instantly vaporizing the nearest trees and buildings, and even some of the Kowxlicui. The battle fell silent, as both the Kowxlincui and Margax forces stared in absolute awe and terror. The sky itself flickered with a strange, distorted light, as the radiation washed over the earth. But it was all for naught, because the power was immediately used up by the surrounding area, leaving nothing but a deep crater.
Then silence once more. The radiation faded and Kai's body lay motionless on the ground, he was unconscious. Time resumed its course. The Margax leader, was gone. Hardly anything remained.
The Kowxlincui defenders, who had witnessed the display of power, were filled with a mixture of fear and awe. Some cowered, while others fell to their knees in reverence at the sight. The Margax forces, their morale shattered by the loss of their leader, turned tail and fled, their war cries replaced by screams of terror. They retreated from the village, leaving behind their fallen comrades. The war, was over.
Kai's unconscious body lay there in the center of the devastation. A crater surrounding his body with all the ash. The silence was deafening, broken only by the crackling of embers.