Chapter 21: The Clash
And now it was coming for him.
"Great," Cruz muttered, drawing his spear and daggers. "Just what I needed."
As the behemoth grotesque Warden inches closer, he finally gets a good look at the creature—a towering, nightmarish figure with a body that is a twisted amalgamation of humanoid and monstrous features. Its obsidian-black skin reflects no light. Towering over 10 feet tall, its arms and legs are long and sinewy, ending in sharp, claw-like appendages. A jagged, armor-like carapace covers its body, but the plates shift unnaturally, as if alive, with a malevolent, pulsating glow emanating from the gaps.
Its face is almost entirely featureless, save for a single glowing eye in the center of its head, which burns with a sinister, deep crimson light. No mouth or nose is visible, yet an eerie, low hum resonates from its presence, sending chills through anyone who dares come near. Spines and tendrils of dark energy protrude from its back, constantly shifting and writhing like living shadows.
Its weapon, a massive spear forged from blackened, cursed metal, is etched with glowing abyssal runes that seem to pulse in time with the Warden's heartbeat. The tip of the spear itself exudes an aura of dread, and any light that touches it is immediately snuffed out.
Cruz snuffs out the idea of even trying to fight such a creature. He tries to run, but luckily, it seems the Warden didn't even look at him, instead focusing on the cathedral, looking past the knight to the pedestal. Its eye glimmers and shines; if it had a mouth, it would be drooling right about now.
The knight now shifts in vigilance, eyeing the Warden, ready to defend the relic.
The Warden is hell-bent on taking the object on the pedestal as it starts walking closer inside the cathedral. You would think that such a massive creature would cause earthquakes with each step, but no—for each step, you hear a small squeak. If you looked closely, you would see small apparitions being stepped on, carrying the huge figure, and with each step, they squeak and shift out of existence. The Warden moves with unnatural grace and speed for its size—a living nightmare in battle.
The knight and the creature clash, but a system prompt appears, and a loud explosion is heard as the knight is sent sprawling, hitting a barrier near the pedestal.
[warning high level being detected]
[World laws activated, world laws oppressed]
[lower world not able to hold]
[dungeon limits detected and adjusted ]
[System interfering ..]
[Suppression imminent]
The Warden starts shaking, scared of what is happening, as black chains emerge from thin air and pierce into its being. It lets out a blood-curdling hum as the souls under its feet fizzle out. The shackles burrow deep into its body, and blood drips from the chains. A few more chains appear as Cruz now sees ghost-like chains from both the knight and the Warden. It is then shackled again. As it writhes in pain, the chains disappear, and it is released, its eye now dimmer and wary.
[Suppression successful]
Cruz is scared stiff. When he tried to analyze the chains, he blacked out, almost killing himself, as the skill Analyze proficiency rose to Rank D immediately. His eyes hurt, and he held his head as a splitting headache came over him. Gong-like sounds ring in his ears, and his hair stands up in fear more than ever before. He is finally washed with dread for trying something so reckless. Blood drips from his eyes as he subconsciously uses Analyze on the Warden again.
[Analyze – Target: Abyssal Warden][Suppressed...]
Strength: 230 (-300) originally (*530)
Agility: 140
Endurance: 90 (-100) originally (*190)
Toughness: 60
Wisdom: 50 (-100) originally (*150)
Intelligence: 90 (-200) originally (*290)
Willpower: 700 (+100) originally (*600)
Vitality: 90 (-90) originally (*180)
Mana Capacity: 200 (-300) originally (*500)
Abyssal Dark Mastery: 900 (-300) originally (*1200)
It turns out the Warden and the knight were creatures not allowed to exist—they were too powerful. Even with the suppression, the Warden was still formidable. Now Cruz could see where the "suppressed" tag came from. It seems the system would not allow just any creature to exist. His bloodline pulsed, quieting his anxiety and pain as its vitality kicked in. He wipes the blood from his face, his azure eyes now bloody red and despondent.
He smiles, mocking himself for his hubris. Having thought hard, he finds himself lucky not to have died. Before he could mock himself further, the knight shoots out of the area as a new clash begins.
Inside the cathedral, the fight intensifies. The air is thick with tension as two beings, whose very existence embodies opposing forces, continue their combat. The Knight of Solara, adorned in his pristine, silvery armor, faces the creature of nightmares—the towering, twisted Warden.
Their weapons collide in a shower of sparks, and the echoes of their struggle fill the cathedral's cavernous space. The holy light of the relic pulses in rhythm with each clash. The two warriors circle one another, the knight's every movement controlled and precise, his longsword a beacon against the shadows cast by the Warden's looming figure. The Warden lunges, its spear cutting through the air with dreadful speed, aimed straight at the knight's heart. The knight parries, his sword intercepting the dark metal, and the impact sends tremors through the floor. Cruz is thrown off by the wind, hitting the hinges at the doors. His health drastically decreases as multiple system prompts appear.
[You have been affected by high-level energy]
[You have been touched by the skill Kiss of Death]
[Losing health fast. Move out of high-energy area]
[Kiss of Death has been repelled by the skill Warmth of Life]
[Health is being restored. Kiss of Death repelled]
[High-energy bodies detected. Please move to a safer area]
[Umbral Embrace curse touches you]
[Vitality decreased to 0]
[Guardian Divinity touches you]
[Vitality reformed. Curse removed]
[High-energy bodies detected. Please move to a safer area]
Cruz is hurt—he feels like he's dying and getting revived multiple times. His courage crumbles as he is injured and scared. He crawls out of the cathedral, using [Shadow Thrust] to move himself to the shadow of a nearby building. Inside the cathedral, the fight continues. For a moment, the knight and the Warden lock eyes—one filled with righteous resolve, the other a pit of smoldering hatred. But the Warden, seeing an opportunity, momentarily abandons the fight. Its focus shifts to the pedestal at the center of the cathedral.
It darts forward, moving with unnatural speed despite its massive frame, the spear clawing the air as it reaches toward the relic. The knight reacts, but the Warden is faster as it uses
[Void Step (Active)].
[Effect: The Abyssal Warden melds into the shadows, teleporting a short distance through darkness. When emerging, it leaves a small burst of shadow energy that disorients nearby enemies.]
Its clawed hand hovers just above the pulsating object. The translucent membrane surrounding the relic casts a bright, divine light that intensifies as the Warden's hand nears. The instant its claw breaches the light's threshold, the radiance erupts into a blinding flash, sending searing pain through the Warden's body. A hum—low, guttural, and otherworldly—reverberates through the cathedral as the Warden wrenches its hand back, smoke rising from its charred claws. The burn sizzles against its black skin, and for a moment, its single eye flares with agony.
The knight seizes the chance, his eyes blazing with the opportunity to turn the tide. He surges forward, his sword swinging in a radiant arc that catches the pulsing light of the relic, making it appear as though he wields a blade of pure sunlight.
The Warden, momentarily weakened by the relic's holy energy, struggles to regain its balance. Its movements are slower, the pain evident as it attempts to lift its spear in defense. But the knight's assault is relentless. He drives the monstrous figure back, his strikes fueled by the divine blessing . Each impact sends vibrations through the cathedral, the light from the relic flaring brighter in response.
The Warden, desperate to regain the upper hand, attempts to lash out with its tendrils of dark energy that protrude and writhe from its back like living shadows. The tendrils whip toward the knight, their edges sharp and flickering with darkness. Yet, the knight is unyielding, deflecting the tendrils with the edge of his blade. but due to its high level the deflected tendrils wriggle and pierce through his armor as black bloody holes appear on the armor and body of the knight
His eyes are fixed on his adversary, unshaken by the Warden's monstrous appearance and the oppressive aura it radiates. With a powerful shoulder strike, the knight slams into the Warden's chest, forcing it backward.
The creature staggers, its armored plates shifting frantically as it tries to maintain its footing. But the knight's next attack is swift and unrelenting. His blade
Divine Crescent Slash (Active)
Effect: The knight channels divine energy into his sword, performing a sweeping horizontal slash that releases a crescent-shaped wave of radiant light. The wave travels in a straight line, dealing holy damage to all enemies it hits. Shadow and dark-based creatures take additional damage, and the wave leaves a trail of lingering light that slows enemies for a short duration.
finds its mark, carving through the dark carapace and sending a shockwave of radiant energy through the Warden's massive frame. but it is deflected
Nightmare Ward (Passive)
Effect: The Warden's dark aura creates a field around it, reducing the damage of incoming holy or light-based attacks. It also instills fear into nearby enemies, reducing their attack speed and movement.
The Warden lets out another agonized roar, its body shuddering under the impact. It stumbles back, its once-intimidating form now cracked and seeping dark mist. Its single crimson eye burns brighter, filled with rage and pain as it gazes once more at the relic it cannot touch. The knight, resolute and unwavering, holds his position, ready to strike again. But the wounds cant let him as the black tendrils writhe under its armor as it sputs dark golden blood charred and hot
The cathedral, illuminated by the holy light of the relic and the radiant aura of the knight, stands as a testament to their struggle now broken yet holy —two opposing forces locked in a battle that echoes through the ages. The pedestal remains undisturbed, its light shining as a beacon of purity amidst the darkness, indifferent to the war fought in its sacred hall.