A figure in dark tattered robes stood in the air with countless wounds on his body, his blood gushed out at an alarming rate, yet he stood tall radiating pride originating from within his bones. His bearded face let out a calm smile yet his amber eyes emitted stubborn determination, his eyes at this moment were like deep attracting pools that one could be entrapped in if they stared for too long. An archaic rune situated right above his right eyebrow was giving off a faint orange glow.
The wounded man looked around and saw himself surrounded by five majestic figures. Their bodies emanated a variety of different colored auras, their power fully unleashed bringing with it a boundless pressure exuded in their surroundings. The murderous intent they unleashed would make those weaker lose consciousness if not outright lose their lives.
Their eyes were filled with disdain and apprehension aimed at the one clad in tattered robes. Even with the group fighting together they still suffered some injuries fighting him, and he was a single person. But despite all that, he knew that his loss was inevitable. After all, their wounds were not life-threatening while his were. He was alone, while they fought together.
The one thing everyone had in common was the existence of a glowing rune present somewhere on their body. There were some with a rune on their face, while others had one on their torso, arms, or legs. These are called Aetheric Runes, they are what differentiates a mortal from an Ascendant. They can appear on any part of the body from an early age, essentially needed as a medium by Ascendants to cultivate and absorb Aether to reach a higher existence and level of strength. The Runes themselves hold a Talent that the user can imbue with Aether to bring about miraculous effects.
"Emir, do you not know that you have lost? Just calmly accept your death and stop resisting!" A tall man with long silky blonde hair and feminine features stepped forward and fully unleashed his aura, attempting to intimidate Emir into surrendering. His name was Rex, and he held a lofty position even among his peers. He was the only one in his group with no wounds on his body, he seemed relaxed and in complete control of the situation. Emir suspected that he was not giving his all and was simply feeling out the situation.
It was he who lead this group to assault Emir, and their main objective was to kill him and retrieve the godly item he possesses, they did not particularly know what it was, but any godly item was a paramount treasure that would surely be wasted in the hands of someone like him. However, they also fear Emir's potential, or rather the potential he had to disrupt the status quo using the godly item. Essentially, they viewed him as a threat.
Emir stood in the air as his body continued to bleed, he felt his life force nearing its end. He was going to die, and he knew it. There was no escaping from this predicament. In this cruel world, even the strong and mighty are not invincible. Just look at Emir's situation right now, a mighty being capable of doing what he wished was reminded of that cruel reality this day. There will always be those better and stronger than you.
However, at this moment Emir did not feel bitter nor sad about his impending doom. He suddenly looked up, with a serene yet mocking smile plastered on his face as he looked towards the figures surrounding him. The two deep and profound pools on his face aimed at all those present sending chills down their spines and causing their muscles to momentarily tighten. A hint of anger and disdain flashed on their faces.
This weakling caused them to feel fear? He caused them to be intimidated by a mere look? This was completely unacceptable! If they did not kill him today, they would live the rest of their lives in shame, always to remember this moment. It is quite ironic that these thoughts ran through their minds, it is as if they have forgotten that it is them ganging up on a "weakling".
"Don't you dare look at us like that!"
"You will die here today. We know it, and so do you. With what little respect I have for your pathetic resolve, any final words?" Rex gazed down at Emir with a smile on his face. He was looking forward to wiping his existence from this world and then seizing the godly item.
Emir was reminded of a tune he used to hear often as a child as he started humming. He currently felt satisfied and happy despite the hopeless situation. It should be said that he lived through life always being a step away from death, it followed him wherever he went as he was always at the risk of dying in all his endeavors, and he gifted death to those who got in his way. And now death has come knocking on his door, it seemed only fair in his eyes. As the saying goes, what goes around comes around.
An ugly look was plastered upon the faces of all those present, excluding Emir and Rex of course. They felt inferior and insignificant to the two main figures of this clash.
"This bastard is not taking us seriously at all! As if we are not even worthy of hearing his final words!" This was the thought running through the minds of the majority.
"Hmph. If that is how you want to play it, so be it." Rex raised his arm above his head, the Rune present in the center of his palm glowed light yellow as fragments of light were coming together and concentrating until they formed a spear of light emblazoned with symbols, Rex had finally decided to take this seriously and end it quickly. The other figures stood in the surroundings with their hands held behind their backs, with mocking smirks plastered on their faces.
But Emir did not care, to fully accept his death is to feel no fear even when death is about to take you in its embrace. If he were to die, he would simply be returning to the cycle of reincarnation, all his soul's memories will be wiped clean, and his soul will be reincarnated into a new living body to start a completely new life.
However, Emir was not just going to await his death like a chicken for slaughter and do nothing at all. He still held some fight in his eyes and a final hope in his heart. In the eyes of the assaulters, he also had his hands held behind his back. They were sure it was just his way of showing defiance in his final moments. But they were wrong.
He was holding a peculiar Gem hidden behind his back. This Gem was oval-shaped and milky green in color like fine jade, giving off a warm glow. It was incredibly beautiful but also had some rather strange characteristics; it looked both transparent and vivid, physical, and spiritual, and as if it somehow existed and did not exist at the same time. It also seemed like the space around it was being slightly warped and bent. In its very center was some sort of symbol which was too blurry to perceive.
Emir uncovered this Gem yesterday when exploring some remote and well-hidden cave systems that he somehow found by chance on the side of a large mountain which always seemed to be covered in mist all year round.
The cave systems opened up to reveal desolate ruins with architecture he had never seen before. It was filled with strange monsters and clever traps, he almost lost his life numerous times in that forsaken place but rather than discourage him it motivated him even more. Hence, he trudged on because even he knew that the higher the danger the higher the reward.
After much trouble and numerous close calls, he made it to the center of the ruins where he uncovered this very Gem. He knew it was extraordinary the moment his eyes lay on it, but he had no idea what it was or what it did. The moment he touched it the Gem produced a ripple through space travelling outwards. His only hope was that the ripple did not travel far for fear of attracting bad actors. Obviously, things did not go the way he hoped.
He took his spoil back with him and preliminary studying of this Gem told him that it was closely related to the concepts of space and time; it is as if space and time revolved around it. But as for its function, he had no idea what it was.
However, the fact that he was ambushed just a day after finding it spoke volumes of its value. Maybe he could use it to teleport far away? Or go back in time and know exactly how the future would go? He remembered reading a story like that a long time ago. Although that was just wishful thinking and seemed too farfetched.
Emir was cursing in his mind, he had been trying to activate the Gem throughout the entire duration of the fight by injecting his Aether into it. But the Gem rejected every single attempt so far.
"Why won't it activate? Is there a special condition that I must fulfill first? At this rate I might die before finding what it is..."
He racked his brain and could only come to a single conclusion.
"Maybe... Soul Essence?"