With each of the black orbs closing in I had to grit my teeth as I decided it was best to dodge into one rather than get hit by all of them. I stepped backwards as a single orb touched my armor it dissolved as though it was made of paper. My body opened up like a facet as my shoulder exploded with blood, and iron from the armor. Aeolus yelled, "Finn!" He flew over to my side putting a hand on my exposed wound he yelled, "Let me take over he is too strong please Finn." I stuck out my hand, "No.. I cant do that." My shoulder was in immense pain as I grunted trying to steady my breathing. Blood rushed out onto the sandstone bellow my feet. I frowned another blow like that and I was dead for sure.
I looked at Aeolus, "This isn't a matter of pride I made a promise Aeolus that I would take care of this monster." Aeolus lingered around, "Bu-but Finn." I interrupted, "Aeolus please this is something I have to do otherwise I don't think I can face myself even if we do win. Trust me partner." Aeolus sighed, "Alright kid I will trust you, but you have to at least accept my help." Zumiax let out a mad roar, "Just die already you can't win your already too weak, and you don't even have your sword. If you give up now I will make your death painless you have my word." I scoffed, "If I wanted to easy way out I would of just slashed my throat earlier. If you want to kill me you'll have to use everything you have left."
Zumiax seemed to frown, "Very well as you wish." His hands seemed to be conjuring something again as Aeolus gave me a stern look. He spoke up, "Listen Finn I am willing to bet on you. Without you I am powerless just a washed up god with no powers. I don't really like using this because it makes me feel like those old god worms. However I will grant you access to our contracted powers for now." I asked, "I thought the runes were the powers?" He frowned, "No that is just a skill I alone can give us because of my deep ties to the runes. I didn't want to tell you my real power because I was afraid of using it. Listen there is a reason I cast away my old titles for the title of rune god. It was because my old powers were scary even as a god my domain over nature has always frightened me. The dominion over wind was nothing I was proud of either compared to the title of god of magic I felt really small."
I asked, "What? You were scared? Why?" Aeolus muttered, "If you want the truth it was because even I couldn't control nature. That is only something my wife knew. Nature is scary Finn I feared that power, and because of that I felt so weak. I wanted a power I could rely on something that was consistent. Serpahina caught me at a weak moment and that was how I fell as a god into the lowly form you see now. However I think for the first time I want to turn to that power again I can get over my fear if it means we can beat this bastard."
Zumiax finished what he was casting, "I will show you something to truly fear gaze beyond the vastness of my infinite knowledge." Aeolus put his hands on me as he chanted, "Zumiax I only fear one thing that is nature itself. Even with infinite knowledge one can't possibly begin to understand the unpredictable forces that govern the balance of the natural world. No amount of knowledge can shield you from the inherent chaos that defines the primal forces of nature. Nature exceeds even the god's understanding. Finn put an end to this."
Zumiax mocked, "Nothing is more infinite than my mind anything you send at me I will already see coming. Now I will put an end to this with the last of my power." He put his hands together now to create a big ball of light and dark energy. He yelled out, "You only fear the unknown. Let me show you the depths of knowledge you've been too afraid to explore! Everlasting Beyond!" The light converged with a blue energy that shot out towards us like a tidal wave of energy threatening to dissolve us on the spot. I had felt Aeolus channel his new power into my body I formed a stance even without a sword I held out both hands. My mind rushed with this nature energy as I readied my fake sword towards Zumiax. I opened my eyes now, "There is nothing more infinite than the natural universe. Erase the unnatural in this world. Otherworldly Eradication Wave!"
I slashed my hand forward like I was slashing with my blade, and out came this light blue energy that collided with the wave from Zumiax. Before the wave ever reached me it was dissolved into nothing almost like it never existed in the first place. Zumiax couldn't even get another word in before the wave struck him dead on. At first nothing happened he merely stood there almost like he was getting ready to say something. After a second or two though his body began to vibrate he doubled over onto his knees. He yelled, "No what is this my soul, this can't be no I can't lose here not after what that bastard Rayvorn did to me!" He grabbed his head as white soul energy seemed to be flowing out of his body he screamed in pain as his body began to revert into a corpse. Each piece of his body seemed to decompose rapidly as if it has always been in that state.
After a few moment his body collapsed no more words came from Zumiax he had been defeated his soul was cast out of this world. I got to one knee my arm still bleeding Aeolus put an arm on my shoulder as he began to heal my wounds a little. He smiled, "You did it Finn I knew you would. We aren't out of this yet grab your sword we got a party to save." I got to my feet my shoulder still messed up, it wasn't bleeding as badly now thanks to Aeolus as I picked my sword back up putting it into the sheathe. I smiled, "T-thanks for trusting me." He slapped me on the back, "Just promise me not to do that again jeez you always have me so worried whenever we go into battle. Sometimes I really do think your pushing yourself too much." I smiled as we began walking out of the room, "No promises."
I used the walls to steady myself as I had lost a lot of blood how would we carry them out of here though. I could barely manage to walk myself we had to get out of here this place is far too dangerous. The voices had stopped now, but that really was peculiar what Zumiax had said. I asked Aeolus as we walked, "What did he mean by being betrayed?" Aeolus frowned, "It is an old tale among the gods that there was once a god that had it all power, knowledge, and looks. That god was betrayed by a human he held in high regard. That human stole his powers, and killed him. That god was Zumiax it would appeared he used his infinite wisdom to tie himself to the world even after death. He made himself into some kind of lich using the souls of those who wandered too deep in here as a source of fuel. He would of done the same to us if we hadn't beat him here." I asked, "Who was the human that betrayed him?"
Aeolus thought for am moment, "My memories are still pretty cloudy, I don't remember his name however he did say something about a Rayvorn, but the story goes that the human himself used the powers he recovered to turn himself into a new god." Finally we reached the room we left Lucius each of them were in the same position as before. However there were more people here than last time: Lulith, Yuna, and that boy Pilot seemed to have wandered over here. They all paused when they saw me as they seemed to be tending to Lucius, Quinn, and Lysandra. Lulith spoke up first, "Finn!? Your hurt what happened here? What is going on?" I decided to let Aeolus take over he is always better with people than I am.
Aeolus explained what had happened in the time they had been separated it would appear they all woke up after Zumiax had been defeated. Lulith frowned, "I see thanks Aeolus. I guess we owe you our lives Finn." I stuttered, "N-no it was mostly Aeolus I just helped a little." Aeolus slapped my back hard, "Not this time Finn you take the credit it was all you. You should of seen the boy he was a hero today for sure. He took out a god! Finn is a god slayer!" I frowned, "He was just a remnant of a god like you said. Jeez.." With that we all agreed that it would be best to leave this place ASAP because multiple people had sustained a lot of damage. Lulith carried Lucius I told her that he fought his own battle with Zumiax. Lulith mocked, "There he goes again always acting on impulse. Look at where it got you this time." Despite her biting words she seemed both happy and concerned as she stared at his face with a slight blush. That boy Pilot who rarely spoke used his magic to pick up the other bodies.
Pilot looked at me frowning, "Next time I won't need help." He walked away but I could of swore I heard a small, "Thanks," exit his mouth. The eerie woman Yuna didn't say a word she seemed to be contemplative. She had the look like she just got her soul drained out of her body it would appear she had experienced something pretty traumatic. With own burdens to carry our group made our way out of the room, and back into the abyss in order to go back home. I couldn't help but feel like I had attained something special today. One day had changed so much for me. Exiting the dreamlike ruins, I found inspiration in Lucius, realizing that a cause to defend could be the catalyst for my own strength.