In the frenetic chaos of the battle, Claw's judgment was swallowed by desperation as he realized the dove's power grew with conflict. In a dark decision, he turned against his own, his massive ax claiming the lives of several Lances, his own group.
"Claw?! What are you doing?!"
"Stop!"
Claw roared, "Shut up! Shut the hell up! This is the only way we're gonna survive! I have kids back waiting for me!"
Claw then cried, "They're waiting for me…they're waiting for me…I only do this to get material and things they need to survive, those royal bastards are everywhere! Fake gods! Let's face it, we're just Lances. We can't beat them. There was only a certain group who killed ONE of them. And who knows how many more are out there."
With a brutal heave, he hurled their lifeless bodies towards the dove. As they fell at its base, the dove's eyes glimmered a sinister red, its mouth curling into a hidden, grotesque smile. It spoke with a chilling calm, "More…"
Klade's heart dropped, saying, "It talked…"
The room froze for a heartbeat; the shock was palpable. Everyone's soul quivered under the weight of Claw's grim betrayal, and their combined horror at the dove's unyielding hunger.
Seven clenched her fists, saying, "It's gonna do something."
'I hope I can react fast enough…'
Then, without warning, the dove's gaze locked onto Klade. In a blink, it vanished, reappearing instantly beside him, its tail wrapping around him with a speed that defied sight. Klade was yanked violently into the dove's ethereal body.
Klade exclaimed, "Fuck!"
'It was too fast!'
"Klade!" Seven's scream tore through the air, echoing off the stone and crystal walls. Not hesitating a moment, she shifted into her astral form, a ghostly streak of light chasing after the swiftly disappearing figure of the dove. She merged effortlessly into the dove's body, the transition from the physical to the ethereal disorienting yet driven by the urgent need to save Klade.
Inside the dove, Seven found herself in a vast expanse of blinding whiteness, the space around her devoid of any distinguishable feature, as if trapped within an endless void illuminated by a soft, unsettling glow. She materialized into her true human form, and Beside her, materializing out of the surreal white mist, stood Klade, his expression a mix of bewilderment and resolute anger.
Klade was on his knees, his eyes pure white, and his nose bleeding with black liquid, and his ears also.
Seven kneeled in front of Klade, saying, "Klade…wake up…wake up.."
'It's no use. The only way to break him out of this is by entering his body. But I can't do it right now because that bastard dove..'
Floating before them was the heart of the dove, pulsating with an eerie white light. It began to split apart, revealing a figure of surreal beauty and serene grace. A woman, red and white golden hair that was unnaturally long, her eyes blindfolded by a cloth marked with gold and red runes, emerged. She wore a flowing white robe, her presence as enigmatic as the ambiance that surrounded her. With four arms, she gestured with an unsettling elegance, her lips parting into an enigmatic smile as she spoke, "This is what I want…"
Seven took heavy breathes, saying, "To think we'd run into a royal family member…here…out of all times!"
"Scared?"
"No."
"I'm not saying you should be, but yeah."
"Go to hell."
The revelation was as cryptic as it was chilling. Seven, finding strength in her spectral form, drew closer to Klade, her eyes locked on the strange figure. Blood and battle were left behind but a new fear lurked in this ethereal reality.
The woman's smile widened, but it was devoid of warmth. "I am Aethereal, the Heart of Conquest. You and your allies, embroiled in conflict and bloodshed, have fed the cycle that sustains me. But I hunger for the essence of heroes, not just any blood." Her arms spread wide, encompassing the void around them. "Here, in my core, you will challenge the very essence of your beings. Survive, and you become legends. Fail, and become nourishment for eternity."
Seven was prepared, thinking, 'She's doing what Klade mentioned earlier. Those killed by the royal family get sent to Carnage, and their bodies and souls feed the corrupt Ember tree which sustains the immortality of the royal family…'
Seven said, "You're looking for an embryo for the future child of Rothgar, aren't you..?"
"I was planning on leaving until I saw humans coming this way."
The threat was palpable, hanging heavy like a blade above them. Seven, reeling from the depth of the deception and the stakes now revealed, steadied her breathing.
'Mother told me fear was just a mindset, nothing more. My legs won't stop shaking. I never battled a royal family member face to face. It has the power of gods, and it's immortal. I have to try…I can't give up. I do everything for my mother and father. And as for Klade, I can't let him die. I was charged with watching him. I can't fail them. Even when I feel like I always fail myself..'
The world inside the dove trembled as if reacting to her resolve, the white space bending subtly around them. Whatever came next, it was certain that the sacrificial cycle had drawn them deeper into a conflict far beyond the physical realms they understood, into a battleground where the stakes were not just their lives, but their very souls.
As the confrontation escalated, Aethereal's ethereal visage hardened, the serenity replacing itself with the grim cadence of a seasoned warrior. She slowly approached Seven, her posture poised and deliberate. Pulling a radiant white stick from her chest, it shimmered fiercely, betraying its lethal intent. As she advanced, her eyes glinted both with wisdom and an ominous light.
"This realm... your realm is sustained by the energies and sacrifices of countless others. I am the emissary, the arbiter for the Rothgar family—a royal lineage from another dimension where old gods became desperate for survival. They discovered the secret to leech life from one reality to sustain another. By sustaining this world, they indirectly wage war against countless others, drained silently across the cosmos."
"What are you talking about?"
"The Oracles of Light and Shadow, they leeched energy and power from our own realm to create this one and the old world. Leaving our dimension in an destroyed state. They conquered many other realms, and they thought there would be no repercussions. But I was the one who found a way to kill them all and take back our power combined with theirs."
"How..?"
"I've explained too much. You seem strong, I'll let you fight."
Seven gritted her teeth, and With a sharp motion, she summoned forth a colossal spectral toad, its form flickering and unstable. Reaching into the cavernous mouth, she pulled out a jagged, spectral sledgehammer, thrumming with cackling spectral energy.
Aethereal chuckled, "Astral projection…nice. But it's not to its highest degree. Human…you will die."
KATHOOM! Seven dashed forward at light speed.
Seven swung her spectral hammer in a wide arc, aiming to overwhelm Aethoreal with sheer force. The ethereal being sidestepped gracefully, her white stick weaving a tapestry of golden-red runes in the air, deflecting each blow with precise, balletic movements. Aethereal retaliated with several rapid thrusts, her movements a blur. The runes flashed dangerously with each motion, cutting through the air with the sharpness of a blade. Seven parried, her sledgehammer alight with green spectral orbs that exploded on impact, sending razor-sharp spectral blades slicing toward Aethoreal.
Aethereal, understanding the threat, vaulted back, flipping elegantly in the air. The runes created a shield around her, absorbing the spectral blade's energy, converting it into a shockwave that she directed back at Seven. Seven dodged to the side, her roll tight and controlled. She thrust the hammer downward, slamming it against the ground to create a seismic shock. Aethereal, quick on her feet, launched herself forward, stick aimed at Seven's heart.
With immense force, Seven swung her hammer horizontally. Aethereal caught the blow with the side of her stick, the impact resonating like a thunderclap, reverberating through the void.
Aethereal said, "You're fighting too hard. You'll tire yourself out. All of you Lances are the same."
As the duel intensified, Seven manipulated the weight of her hammer, enlarging it for a devastating overhead crush. Aethereal, anticipating the move, countered by condensing her own weapon's force, enhancing its defensive capabilities. Seven launched her hammer like a boomerang; it spun through the air, a deadly wheel of spectral energy. Aethereal danced beneath it, her movements a fluid series of devastating counters, striking at Seven with a rapid succession of blows, each marked by a splash of blood where they landed.
Each combatant bore marks of the conflict, Seven's clothing torn, bleeding from shallow cuts, Atheros's robe shimmering with the gathered energy of their battle. The fight was a whirl of motion, excruciating in its intensity and precision. Aethereal accelerated, her strikes becoming almost imperceptible. With a painful thrust, she pierced Seven's shoulder, causing her to stagger back, pain etched on her features.
Wincing in pain, Seven swung her hammer in a desperate, wide sweep aimed at Aethereal's head. Aethereal ducked under the swing, closing the distance between them and unleashing a barrage of enchanted strikes aimed at critical points on Seven's body. Aethereal's relentless assault found Seven's knee, a calculated strike that brought Seven crashing to the ground. Blood spurted from the wound, staining the white void crimson. Despite the debilitating pain, Seven pivoted on the ground, swinging her hammer to create a defensive perimeter. The spectral energy lashed out like whips, aiming to ensnare Aethereal and pull her into the range of attack.
Aethereal, enveloped in the golden-red runes, absorbed the spectral energy, using it to boost her own speed. She appeared behind Seven, delivering a debilitating strike to her spine. With a cry of anguish, Seven fell forward, weakened and wounded. Her spectral hammer clattered beside her, its energy dimming, she bled all over, coughing up blood.
She looked up, saying, "I'm not done yet…"
Back to where Klade was, Klade could hear everything, but couldn't see anything. He saw himself floating in a dark void alone.
'I can hear her…the loud noises…the battle…what's happening to me? Oh yeah. Being sacrificed. She's draining me. My soul? I think. The thoughts are creeping back into my head, telling me I was too weak again. I won't let it. Not this time. Seven is fighting for her life, against a royal family member! I can't leave her alone…that'll be so lame. I can't imagine her dying like this, while in this state. I'll look super weak then, and Halgrim..her own father…he'll be disappointed in me, probably even pissed off. I see he drinks a lot to get drunk, and in any case, it's probably to keep him from going insane after losing his wife. I don't blame him. It's his way of coping. I can't let him deal with any more trauma. I already had to see Elgard fight and die against his own wife for the sake Rothgar's insanity and obsession with the future child, the avatar of light. Seeing Elgard die standing up, I don't want to see nothing like that again. Especially when I can do something about it..
Seven, in immense pain, reached for her hammer, gripping it tightly. With a roar, she propelled herself up, swinging with the last of her strength towards Aethereal. With an almost gentle precision, Aethereal caught Seven's wrist, twisting it painfully, forcing the hammer to drop once more. She then used her stick to deliver a strike that sent Seven sprawling back next to Klade, her body shattered and spirit broken. The fight left the void stained with blood, both spectral and real. Aethereal stared down at the defeated warriors, her expression unyielding.
As the spectral weapons fade into the void, Aethereal and Seven face each other, raw power radiating from their stances. Aethereal, with a swift motion, absorbs her glowing stick into her fists, now crackling with contained energy. Seven, bruised and battered, clenches her fists, determined. They clash in the center, fists flying. Aethedral's first punch is a hammer blow, catching Seven right in the jaw, snapping her head back amidst a spray of blood. Seven retaliates with a quick succession of left and right hooks, each landing with a wet thud against Aethereal's face, who merely grins and wipes blood from her lip. The exchange is brutal, bones crunch, as they grapple, seeking dominance.
"You are trying too hard. Seems you've run out of mana." Aethereal said.
"Not yet…"
Aethereal finds her rhythm, her attacks punctuated by the eerie echo of her enthused fists. She unleashes a barrage of strikes, each empowered by the runes that flicker around her knuckles. Seven tries to block but several blows break through her defenses, cracking ribs and drawing sharp gasps of pain. She counters with an uppercut, catching Aethereal off-guard, sending her staggering back. Quick to capitalize, Seven follows with a spinning kick, but Aethereal ducks under it, slamming her elbow into Seven's back, driving her to her knees. Grounded, Seven desperately swings her fist towards Aethereal's knee. With a precision born of countless battles, Aethereal sidesteps and responds with a devastating knee to Seven's face, a sickening crunch sounding upon impact. Blood flies, dotting the otherwise pristine battlefield. Reeling from pain, Seven rolls away, narrowly dodging another strike aimed to end the fight. Spitting blood, she scrambles to her feet, eyes blazing with fury and defiance. They lock eyes, and in that brief moment, an unspoken acknowledgment of their respective powers hangs palpably in the air. Aethereal lunges, aiming to subdue, but Seven, drawing on reserves she barely knew she possessed, catches Aethereal's wrist, twisting and pulling her into a knee strike to her abdomen. Aethereal coughs, winded but not beaten, smirks, and hooks her arm around Seven's neck, dragging her down into a brutal chokehold.
Locked in the chokehold and fading, Seven's training kicks in; her fingers find pressure points, pressing hard. But Aethereal's grip tightens, Seven's eyes tearing up at the same time, blood running down her head and face.
'I'm sorry…father..mother…' Seven thought as another tear dropped.
FWOOSH!
"Seven!"
Klade, fueled by desperation and adrenaline, dashes into the fray, wielding his optimized weapons, the Maw of Perdition and his Spectral red Ax, shimmering with malevolent energy. As he swings the ax with all his might towards Aethereal, she catches the gleaming blade between her palms with astonishing ease.
"That's not enough to stop me—."
Reacting instantly, Klade releases the weapon, using the momentum to twist and land a solid kick directly across Aethereal's face. The impact whips her head to the side, a thin line of blood trickling from her mouth.
She straightens, wiping the blood away, and a cold smile plays across her lips. The air around her seems to chill as she locks her gaze onto Klade, her voice low and menacing, "I'm gonna enjoy this. I see you're the one who defeated Grendell. Master told us all about it."
The tension spikes as the scene cuts off, leaving their fates hanging in a delicate balance, the promise of a fierce confrontation brewing in the silence that follows.
Seven, on the ground, looked up, saying, "Klade…don't fight her..fool. You'll die. Get behind me..she's a royal family member.
Klade replied, "Seven. I'm gonna need you to shut up this time. You're in no condition to fight. I know you try you try hardest to respect you father because you don't want to lose him. Even after you mother, you don't want to feel disconnected from the only family you have left around you."
"Klade…"
"I'm not as strong yet, but I can't sit back and see this happening. You're gonna make it home to your father, even if I don't come back with you. Use your astral projection to leave, and I'll hold her off."
"….You fool…" Seven was flustered, her cheeks red.
She thought, 'He's willing to die over this..to make sure I escape…what is wrong with him? Damn fool. I hate being proved wrong…but I guess he's a true fighter.'
Aethereal asked Klade, "How did you break out of your draining? You should be dead."
"I got too much I have to fight for. Your shit was weak, bitch. And it's not even your real power, but stolen.
"Tch! Don't try to make us the villains!"
Aethereal dashed towards Klade, and Klade got ready.