'Wha-'
Before the sword could make contact with Darrel, he moved with astonishing speed. He was one second away from injuring him- but his adversary had disappeared. Pivoting on his heel, a fist encased in a shell of glowing green energy slammed into Argo's stomach. The power of the attack pulverized Argo's split second [Hex Barrier].
'What the hell is this speed?!' Argo was shocked, barely registering what was happening.
Exploding into green shards, the punch pounded into his body like a battering ram. A Grade F shield was reduced to dust, like it was made of tissue paper. The [Embrace of Gleneus] groaned, as the metal attempted to absorb the ferocious attack.
Overwhelming pain caused Argo to black out for a split second. Waves of suffering undulating his body. Blood spewed from his mouth, and an intense nausea permeated his soul. The raw strength from the attack sent him back into the intersection.
BOOM!
Argo could feel bones shatter. He collapsed in a heap, the stones behind him stabbing into his skin. He could barely make out Chloe and Aria in an intense duel. Compared to before, Chloe's liveliness had disappeared, replaced with a hollow, incessant bloodlust. Her eyes were empty, devoid of light just like Darrel's. Spinning dual daggers, enshrouded by an orange light, she moved at a speed hard to follow with the naked eye.
However Aria remained placid. Her sword moving with ferocity as she parried the flashing daggers. Her swordsmanship displayed a stark contrast to Faye's style. While Faye exhibited a swift and crushing river, Aria's could be described as a merciless demon. Seamlessly adapting to her opponent's strikes and style, delivering ruthless strikes using minimal effort. A baleful battle art that contrasted her heroic disposition.
Faye had left her original spot, watching the duel from afar with a pained expression. She still hadn't recovered from her encounter with the granite knight and was in no position to fight. She had saved his life by summoning the squire earlier, letting it tank the full force of Darrel's attack.
Argo cursed the Abhorrent or being responsible for this as he tried to rise to his feet. His breaths were labored, coming out in wheezes as his body refused to respond to him. Judging by the strength of that blow, Darrel's stats would be E+ pushing D-. Anything weaker and the [Embrace of Gleneus] a Grade D armor would've mitigated most of the damage.
'Damned bastard is that strong? I have Grade D armor and I still can't move?' Argo complained inwardly, finding his situation very dire. He was still too weak to go up against the average adventurer.
Argo weakly coughed, blood splattering on his armor. He felt his body get colder, like it was being submerged in ice. Even if he had good armor, his endurance was still low. It was like giving a toddler a steel shield. A powerful blow would still inflict lethal damage if the wielder was inept.
Whatever monster was responsible for this he'd crush with his own two hands. But he had to survive this ordeal first. If he could survive it.
He felt so weak and muddle-headed, he could barely keep a thin coat of mana around himself. Even [The Miracle] was unresponsive, either he lacked the energy or strength required to utilize it. Even a miraculous power isn't omnipotent.
Aria was unmatched, her demonic swordsmanship forcing Chloe into a corner. With her orange aura fading, and wounds bleeding profusely, she was on the verge of collapse. Before Aria could finish her, Darrel burst through the dust with his axe held overhead.
"Damn it, watch out!" Argo yelled, warning Aria of the impending doom.
The girl had seemed to predict his actions, immediately leaping backward with the aid of mana. Argo failed to realize it earlier, but she wasn't using mana! During the duel with Chloe who was bursting with orange energy, not once did Aria utilize mana reinforcement.
'Is she unable to? Impossible, with her current strength she should have some knowledge about mana.'
What shocked Argo out of his thoughts was the amount of energy coalescing around Darrel's axe. In the split second he burst into the intersection, his damaged axe started humming. Green mana erupted in a storm of verdant light around the man, releasing a dense pressure into the air.
Argo's eyes widened, "He's aiming for the floor!"
In a split second, Aria had arrived before the axe. Her expression dyed in seriousness as a boundless azure energy flooded the space. It was like a galaxy full of stars had engulfed the clearing, boundless and brimming with cosmic power. Her sword left its sheathe in an instant, approaching Darrel's neck with unprecedented speed.
'Too late.'
Darrel's head flew into the air, blood flowing in a curtain. Yet, his body continued obeying his commands, as if it was a marionette on a grand stage about to conclude the final act.
Argo's heart pumped as he watched helplessly.
The axe pulverized the floor, the enormous energy contained within shattering the stone floor effortlessly. A shockwave swept through the surroundings as the ground beneath shook with devastating intensity.
The whole room shook, skulls and dust raining from the ceiling. The ceiling began to cave in, the floor collapsing revealing an endless pit below him.
'A trap?!' Argo cursed his luck, attempting to crawl away from the endless hole that was sucking everything in. His body screaming in pain and mind buzzing, he scraped at the floor like a wounded animal. He could only watch helplessly as Aria disappeared into the endless hole.
'Dammit!'
Rocks pelted his face, skulls slamming into him as if they were exacting vengeance for his trespassing. He couldn't see where Faye had went, the orange light of the lamp replaced with eerie darkness.
The structure of the corridor groaned, its final beams of support giving out. The already fragile catacombs received a devastating blow, and everything started collapsing into the abyss below. Powerless, a stone tomb slammed into Argo sending his mind reeling, and his body weightless.
One moment he was frozen in the air, gazing at the endless darkness below. Next, with a somber expression Argo passed out, the white hue enshrouding his body extinguishing like a snuffed candle.
He plummeted into the abyss.
***
Rolling green hills, a clear blue sky, and an incandescent sun painted a picturesque landscape. A slender youth lay on a grass hill, absorbing the sunlight with his eyes closed. The light warmed his bones, and soothed his soul. Sighing contently, the boy unconsciously smiled as he heard the birds chirping, and leaves rustling around him.
Despite the pleasant atmosphere, his thoughts were troubled. He had a nightmare of being in a dark, narrow place filled with death. All he could recall were feelings of fear, and visions of dancing light. No matter how much he tried to grasp at the fragments of his dream, they would slip through his fingers like water.
"Hey! Argo, you're supposed to be helping your father!" Waking the boy out of his reverie was a strict voice. Scrambling to his feet, a captivating women appeared at the top of the hill, her red hair fluttering in the calm breeze. Her eyes mirrored his, which were currently filled with irritation.
'Crap, she found me,' Argo muttered inwardly. His mother wasn't too happy when he avoided doing his chores. If she got his hands on him, he would be dead meat.
Before he could dart away, a devastating aura shook the surroundings. All sounds and movements in the vicinity froze, bending to the domineering will that encapsulated the hill.
"Don't try it," A voice commanded. An air of supreme authority smothered Argo's will, as he gave up on resisting. She was truly scary when she wanted to be.
Argo tried to nod, almost falling to his knees under his mother's devastating pressure. She must've been going easy on him. If she was serious, he would be gaping like a fish out of water- with his face in the dirt.
The tremendous aura faded, and his mother called out before turning around. "Let's go." Such a simple phrase carried an authoritative tone that left no room for debate.
He could only reluctantly follow, as they made their way across a verdant meadow. In the distance, a large lake filled the valley. A sizable cottage nestled near its shore. The waters mirrored the beautiful blue sky, a flat surface unmoved by the winds.
The boy and his mother caught sight of a man by the shore, casting a fishing line into the waters. His hair was a stark white, highlighted by his colorful surroundings. With boundless patience, he watched the calm waters as if he had all the time in the world.
Nearing him, he turned, smiling brilliantly. "Ah, Argo! There you are." He didn't seem remotely fazed that his son had ran off somewhere.
The man was taller then the youth's mother, but compared to her elegant demeanor, he exuded an aura of slothfulness. His hair was tousled, like he had rolled out of bed with his shirt inside out. His shirt was also full of wrinkles.
Despite appearing like a slob, his silver eyes seemed to contain boundless wisdom that had seen the vicissitudes of life. His messy hair couldn't hide his handsome features, as if a master sculpture and chiseled them with unparalleled skill.
"Your son was slacking off again." The women complained, seemingly trying to attribute his laziness to her husband's traits. Waving her hand, she set out to prepare lunch, heading towards the cottage in the distance.
Argo let out a quiet sigh of relief. He loved his mother dearly, but she displayed terrifying power when she was angry. Despite her intense will, Argo still loved to slack around. He knew at the end of the day his mother would lightly admonish him.
As the son and father duo turned to the fishing line, they watched the still lake that mirrored the heavens above. Dragonflies would sometimes skip along the surface of the water, gently creating ripples over the glass surface.
"Take a seat." His father pat a nearby rock, in which Argo complied. The two sat in silence for a couple of minutes, enjoying each other's company and the beautiful scenery presented before them.
The line twitched, before an unknown force pulled at the line. In a split second the man was at the line, reeling in the line furiously. He had abandoned his sluggish demeanor- working the line with a light glowing in his silver eyes.
Eventually, a fish broke the surface, disrupting the calmness of the lake. Once it had grown close enough, the man scooped it up with a net watching it flail around inside. It tossed itself around in a frenzy, but his father remained unfazed.
"Ah what a beauty, a little on the small side," the man observed. Argo wasn't familiar with fish, but it looked to be what his father referred to as a bass? It had scaly skin, with a silver luster. Glistened in water, it looked crafted of metal.
His father returned the fish to the lake, much to Argo's dismay. "Why did you release it?"
Last time he checked, his mother had berated them when they returned empty-handed. She was already angry enough with him after today's escapade. He was not ready to endure another beating, trembling at the mere thought.
He smiled, glancing back at the youth. "It was still young, there's still plenty of time left to catch a bigger one."
Argo's thoughts wandered to his parents. With their own distinct, and contrasting personalities he was curious about how they had met. From what he could tell, his mother was strongheaded and lively, possessing a fire that wouldn't bend or extinguish. On the other hand his father was like the lake splayed out before them, unbendingly calm and experienced while possessing a soul that loved inaction.
"Hey dad, how did you meet mom?" He cautiously asked, trying to broach the subject gently. Whenever he had brought it up before, he was blown off. Apparently it was really embarrassing, and they refused to divulge the secret to him.
His father's expression froze. He began scanning their surroundings as if fearing something. Letting out an awkward laugh, "Don't tell her about this, she thinks its embarrassing."
Argo's interest was piqued, for some reason his father had given up on hiding it. He started listening intently.
Recasting the line, he continued "The first time we met we were actually sworn enemies. Pitted against each other by our clans, we were sent to kill each other."
Argo frowned, unfamiliar with the term 'clans.' He could only deduce it was maybe a large group of people? Oblivious to his son's confusion, his father continued.
"We were both at the zenith of our strength, heralded as prodigies of our respective lineages. It had been awhile since I'd been forced to go all out. Yet, we still couldn't kill each other. An even match." A grin cracked his chiseled face, like he was remembering a funny memory. Despite the words depicting a dire battle, his face made it seem like it was a beautiful stroll through a forest.
Argo was taken aback by this newfound knowledge, his parents were enemies at one point? They were that powerful? Enemies to lovers? What the hell was that?
"After our most devastating duel we were left empty, laying on the ground without an ounce of energy left. With nothing else to do we talked." His expression shifted. Argo watched as his father unconsciously gripped his right forearm.
Argo felt his father's expression soften as if bathing in nostalgia. "Despite being enemies, our fights allowed us to gain a deeper insight into each other- after all we carried similar burdens. We shared our life, finding out we were both fools. Used as pawns to wage war for the sake of power, burdened with what they claimed 'glorious purpose,' it was quite the shock."
"I won't go into your grandparents or your blood, its still way too early for that. Just know they aren't exactly the best of people." His last statement left Argo somewhat disappointed. If his parents were such powerful figures, could he hope to match them in the future?
"Do you think I can become as strong as you, dad?" Argo voiced his question aloud, genuinely curious. He had never swung a sword in his life, nor utilized mana. He had never crossed paths with the so-called beings called 'Abhorrents' his parents spoke of. Becoming stronger to him at the moment seemed like a hobby, a simple pastime to alleviate the boredom.
"Hmm, I'm not too sure. I don't think you'll ever need to become stronger, you're fine the way you are." His father spoke pensively, "You only need strength to protect those that you care about. Anything else is secondary."
"What about protecting yourself?" Argo asked, feeling like he was leaving out a crucial point. Shouldn't someone be able to protect themself before trying to protect others?
"Anything else is secondary," he reiterated. It left Argo feeling more confused then ever, and couldn't help hiding the skepticism appearing on his face.
Chuckling, he watched the sun slowly make its way down from the sky. "Your mother won't be happy when we return empty handed. Grab a rod and get going."
***
Seated at a dinner table constructed of dark wood, Argo stared at the steaming plate of food before him. Seared venison, combined with roasted potatoes and carrots drenched in dark gravy exuded a mesmerizing scent. Sprinkled with a variety of herbs and spices, the flavor was tantalizing. Argo quickly wolfed down his meal, much to the surprise of his parents.
The venison was cooked to perfect, its smoky and crisp flavor accentuated with the dark gravy. The vegetables perfectly balanced out the flavor of the protein, while adding new flavors to the dish.
"I've never seen you enjoy my cooking so much," his mother remarked. With a suspicious look on her face, she scrutinized him with a dangerous intensity. Argo gulped, laughing in a bid to lighten the tense atmosphere.
Contrary to his mother's words about preparing dinner, she only did the preparation work. His father had described her as a terrible cook, and he only allowed her to do the simpler tasks. It surprised Argo, his father displaying such good cooking skill despite his lazy demeanor.
And after spending the afternoon fishing, their didn't catch anything large enough for a meal. Instead, they had used some venison from a deer they had hunted the other day. Argo was glad they had food in reserves, he wouldn't know what to do if he incurred his mother's wrath.
"It's delicious." Argo stated bluntly, trying to ignore the scrutinizing gaze of his mother. She must've picked up on him avoiding eye contact with her. After learning about how they had met, it still left him in confusion.
'Do opposite sides really attract? I thought people would be more attracted to those like them,' Argo mulled over in his head. He had only known his mother and father his whole life. He lacked social interaction with other people, so such ideas left him curious. He wondered about how other people were like.
"What did you guys talk about?" His mother asked curiously, forking a piece of meat into her mouth. "You guys seem awfully quiet."
Argo froze, his eyes involuntarily twitching before looking at his father for help. Apparently he was terrible at hiding his feelings. He could only seek assistance. This man was previously some powerful person, it was within his realm of capabilities to create a convincing smokescreen!
His father's laidback demeanor instantly held signs of cracking as he whistled, staring at the ceiling. He rubbed his chin in deep contemplation, as if he was pondering deep philosophical questions. But what came next was anything but.
"Huh, the ceiling sure is a ceiling."
Argo's mouth gaped, dumbstruck. Was his father always such an idiot? He sincerely hoped he didn't inherit any of the genes that dictated stupid behaviors.