I, Rias, took a step forward together with the girls, it felt instinctive... to protect the light. The way he, that creature, was holding that delicate soul... I wouldn't say I liked it. He waved his hand casually, throwing her on the ground like trash in front of us.
'DEFEAT THE BOSS!'.
Those words appeared in front of me, they were prominent, repeated, manifested... they rubbed on my face with such insistence, showing that beautiful blue-skinned woman like she was a threat even as she crawled asking for help and the darkness sucked her over.
"Defeat the boss and endless rewards await. What is your answer, Elyseum?" The
creature spoke straight to Ray, seemingly ignoring our existence. We didn't make a move, even when she was right there, pitifully clinging to life and staring at Ray with hope.
As for him, Ray frowned in confusion, "Elyseum? I don't know what you're talking about" He asked, stoping us from making a bold move.
My bishop wanted to head straight to the centre and rescue that blue-skinned elf, but It felt like the moment we moved, it would begin an altercation of vast proportions.
"Oh? You don't know... that explains things" The void-man rubbed his chin with some sort of amusement, his voice still deep and frightening. When I looked at him, he reminded me of old Grandpa Zekram Bael, although way older and way more powerful.
"If you know something spit it, if you have seen me, if you know who I am, if you know what I represent... you should know what action I'm going to take next".
*RUMBLE!*
I felt Ray's aura blazing up, it was heavy... compared to this creature that expressed an unprecedented depth, Ray was an unprecedented fullness; but from him, there was no fear or intimidation, only amusement.
"Hmmm... Humanoid primordial star cores aren't common in the multiverse, boy. At the very least, I only know one. Wouldn't I know who you are? You are an Elyseum, I have put my eyes on you since you arrived in this dungeon and had your servants obliterate thousands of years of effort. It is a bit disappointing, however... I haven't been able to see witness your capabilities... in any case, a choice stands before you".
*WHOOSH!*
The darkness spread from that man's body, transforming into five beings.
*GROWL!*
Five dark beings were so massive and frightening that I didn't know what to do or say for a second.
"..." Ray didn't look concerned, instead his face was pensive. I stared at Akeno, Anna-chan and Anna Blair, we all knew what was going to happen, so we got ready. This creature's objective is Ray, and I won't let him no matter what!
**
**
This creature knows... he knows a lot. He knows who I am, he knows what I am... in fact, he perhaps knows what I am better than me.
"Do you know who Elysir is?".
"Hahahahaha! So you DO know something... what void warper in this vast multiverse wouldn't know that monster's name? You on the other side, compared to her... you are rather lacklustre, a mere Overgod still bound by a material plane" He ridiculed me with a voice that spread like shocking echoes in the cave. Still, I cared not for his insults, I only wanted answers.
"I haven't waited thousands of years to exchange words with the ones beneath. So I shall put it simply for you as a favour to her, a fellow void warper... there are only two types of stars in this multiverse. Those who shine and those who don't" Two of his fingers rose, and from one a sparkle of light shone and I could finally feel the energy emanating from him, on the other finger, there was a black hole that sucked the light out of the other finger.
"..."
"Those that emit light, those who suck the light. In an ancient civilization long lost to the multiverse, the world Elyseum once stood for: 'Full of light', they were the multiverse's most ancient stars, nowadays those sparkles of light can't even compare to the original light of Elyseum. Now, boy... what do you think Elysir stands for?".
"... Lightless" I answered, although I myself didn't quite believe that answer... light-less is not what she was for me.
"YOU GOT IT!~" He confirmed and smiled creepily, pointing his finger at the midnight elf which crawled towards me with an expression full of hope, a soul from which I could feel my own energy.
Whenever I restored an elfic core, I assisted her. More accurately, I was assisting her body, but her soul was corrupted, he had control over her.
The man walked forward, followed by those five humanoid shadows that he cast by his side and that were by no means weaklings. He adopted a more humanoid yet demonic form with pitch-black skin, horns and yellow eyes.
"Souls are quite complicated they represent everything that exists and have no contact whatsoever with the nothingness. I would have to wait thousands of years before I can exact my revenge, thankfully you are here, Elyseum... kill her for me".
"..."
"Slay her soul, we could work together and take over this plane and perhaps... then you shall attain what you are after~"
"What do you even know about me?".
"I know you are after her".
!!!
He knows too much.
"It is not that difficult to put the pieces together, boy. What I know from the past, what I am seeing. Come, work with me".
He extended his hand forward. It was... a lead.
Far away from me, deep into the existence of this multiverse... Elysir is waiting for me. And this individual in front of me knows about her. He may even know who she is and where she is, but...
I saw that elf, I saw Anna Blair's helpless countenance asking for my help, she wanted to save her. I saw the reaction of the girls, I saw the shadows, I saw everything and I came to a simple conclusion.
This person is evil.
"No" I answered. I am willing to compromise to find her... but I won't stop being me to find her. Because the one I am now is the one she loves and gave her life for.
I will find her by myself.
The void demon sighed "... I see, a pity".
He extended his hand forward, but so did I.
*RUMBLE!*
*BOOMMMM!!!*
Two powerful intents clashed, light and darkness... void and infinity.
*GROWLL!!*
I saw a gargantuan creature manifest from his back, it looked like a gigantic darkness salamander but at the same time, something majestic growled within me; Ophis manifested from my body in the form of a gigantic eastern pitch-black dragon.
Both lizards growled at one another, I was shocked to see that this salamander wasn't much weaker than Ophis!
I knew I wasn't going to be able to focus on someone else other than him. So I had to trust the girls. He wanted to pull the midnight elf's soul back, but I stopped him. He may have corroded that Elf's soul, but she also has a wisp of my energy within her.
We both pulled at the same time.
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!"
That midnight elf screamed in pain, her soul was being torn in half as we both pulled... so I grit my teeth and let go.
*BOOMMM!!*
I kicked the ground and lounged at him for a frontal confrontation, a flaming fist ready to rock n' roll.
"Girls, I won't be able to help you... you know what to do!" I said to them what they had been expecting.
"YES!"
*BOOOOOMMMM!!!*
From the corner of my eye, I saw Ophis head collide head-on with the Salamander's head, it produced a shockwave that shook the world, but this boss arena seemed to be completely sealed by some sort of majestic array.
"That's just perfect!"
He shucked and jumped towards me like a haze of darkness, "Do you think you're the only one?".
In his hand manifested a pitch-black flame that emitted no energy at all!
*BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!*