Northbook Court Mall,
Northbook, Illinois,
Terra, Gaea Solar system,
Neutral Free zone,
March 27th 2019
Rosa pushed herself to the limit, her legs moving in a blur as she honed in on Sam's presence. Her body, once weakened, was now regaining strength as her soul core reconnected to the Odyllic, the will of the universe. With every step, she felt energy returning to her limbs, her core steadily absorbing the dense and pure Odic essence from the atmosphere. It was unusual; the Od around them seemed far richer than normal, almost as if drawn to this place by an unseen force. Her core refined the Od effortlessly into mana, which she used to purge the lingering poison from her system. Though the wound at her side continued to bleed, the flow had slowed significantly as her body began to heal itself, the edges of the injury knitting together. Behind her, Callum and Trini followed, their breaths labored and faces pale with exhaustion, yet otherwise unscathed. Rosa spared a glance at them, her voice cutting through the rhythmic pounding of their footsteps.
"Keep up. We're close," she urged, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"Do you think they killed the Beast King?" Trini asked between gasps. The absence of the Infernal dimension gave her hope that their mission had succeeded.
"They must have," Callum replied, though uncertainty laced his words. "It's the only explanation for—"
"It doesn't matter," Rosa snapped, her focus unwavering. "We need to get to Sam."
They pushed forward, nearing Charlie's court when the ground beneath them trembled violently. A crushing spiritual pressure descended, so intense that Callum and Trini collapsed under its weight, their bodies trembling from the shock. Rosa staggered but forced herself to remain upright, her teeth gritted as a wave of searing heat washed over them. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before, a suffocating force that seemed to scorch the very air.
Through the haze, Rosa's eyes locked onto a group ahead. She saw Henry, Rex, and Emily—the latter unconscious and draped over Rex's shoulder. Sam stood at the center of the chaos, cradling another figure. The sight made Rosa's breath hitch.
"Stella," Rosa whispered, her voice tight with alarm. Blood seeped from Stella's abdomen, staining Sam's hands. Sam was eerily silent, her tear-streaked face betraying no sound, though her lips moved incessantly as if whispering a prayer or a plea. Hovering around her was a small, ethereal bird, its feathers shifting between pure white and deep black, a fragile but radiant presence amidst the destruction. Rosa quickened her pace, dropping to her knees beside Sam. The ground quaked again, forcing her to grip Sam's shoulder for balance. Her gaze shifted upward, and her breath caught at the sight of the battle unfolding above them.
Leon Haravok stood as a blazing titan, his armor forged from golden flames and celestial light, radiating an aura of divine power. In his hands, he wielded the crystal Sword of Solus, its brilliance nearly blinding. Opposing him was a figure clad in garnet armor, their face obscured by a horned mask of deep purple. The enemy's long spear exuded a vile energy, its presence like a festering wound in the fabric of reality. Yet, even the spear's malevolence seemed diminished in the face of Solus, whose luminous presence towered over it. The two warriors clashed with titanic force, each strike shaking the very foundations of the court. Waves of energy rippled outward, carving fissures into the ground and igniting the air with a cacophony of light and sound. Rosa could feel the sheer magnitude of the power on display, a clash of wills and ideals that transcended mortal comprehension.
"Stay with me, Sam," Rosa urged, her voice steady despite the chaos. She placed a hand over Stella's wound, channeling what mana she could spare to slow the bleeding. Sam didn't respond, her focus entirely on Stella, her whispers growing softer but no less fervent. The ethereal bird fluttered closer, its presence strangely comforting yet ominous.
As the building shuddered around them, Rosa's resolve hardened. Whatever this battle was, it wasn't just about survival. It was about something far greater: a convergence of forces that would shape the fate of their world. The clash above was more than a simple confrontation; it was a manifestation of light and darkness, ideals and chaos, colliding in a violent struggle for dominance. And in the eye of the storm stood Leon, his light unyielding against the encroaching darkness.
Leon, sensing the gravity of the situation and the need to protect his allies, wielded both precision and restraint to push the battle away from the others. Every move he made was calculated, each strike deliberately aimed to draw the fight further from the fragile remnants of Northbrook. The ground beneath him fractured and splintered, each blow carving out craters as their battle spilled into the desolate parking lot. Here, with open space to maneuver, Leon could finally unleash the full force of his combat prowess.
He activated his signature Combat Art: Heavenly Radiance. The air around him shimmered with an otherworldly glow, the aura of his golden flames intensifying to near-blinding brilliance. The art was a symphony of speed, explosiveness, and raw power; each strike of his blade was a masterstroke of destruction and grace. His movements were a blur, the Sword of Solus carving radiant arcs through the air as it struck with the kinetic force of a runaway train. Each swing was like the dawning of a new sun, its brilliance overwhelming as it bore down on his opponent, Nabu.
Nabu, clad in garnet armor and wielding his heinous spear, was a formidable adversary. His weapon radiated a malignant energy that seemed to corrode the very space around it; yet even its dark power faltered in the face of Leon's incandescent assault. The sheer velocity and precision of Leon's strikes forced Nabu onto the defensive, his movements increasingly desperate as he struggled to withstand the onslaught.
The parking lot became a battlefield of cosmic proportions, the ground cracking and crumbling beneath their feet as shockwaves rippled outward. Leon's blade moved with relentless purpose, each strike a testament to his mastery and unshakable resolve.
As much as I try to break through, I can't, Nabu thought, frustration bubbling beneath his composed exterior. The forcefield of shimmering heatwaves around Leon acted as an almost impenetrable barrier. Each time Nabu attempted to land a decisive blow, the heat distorted the air, deflecting his spear just enough to throw off his aim. The relentless golden flames emanating from Leon's armor and the divine aura of Solus seemed to form a cohesive wall of defense, forcing Nabu to remain on the back foot. Even when he managed to slip past Leon's strikes, his spear was met with oppressive resistance. The light radiating from Solus seemed to sting the weapon itself, the divine energy suppressing the malevolent aura naturally exuded by the spear. It was as though the very essence of Solus was antithetical to his weapon, nullifying its dark power with unwavering radiance.
Nabu's gaze narrowed, analyzing the golden Sword of Solus. Despite its immense power, it had not yet unleashed its full potential. The blade was still in the Evening phase, its sequences dormant. And yet, even in this state, the Power Core at the heart of the weapon was a force to be reckoned with. It pulsed rhythmically, synchronized with Leon's soul core in a seamless fusion of man and weapon. The resonance between them amplified their combined strength, creating a power greater than either could produce alone. Every swing of Solus felt like the weight of a collapsing star, each arc of light burning through the air with divine purpose. Leon wielded the blade with precision and grace, his strikes unrelenting, each one aimed to overwhelm and dismantle Nabu's defenses. The synchronization between Leon and Solus was more than a physical connection—it was a symbiotic harmony of will and energy, their unity forming an almost unstoppable force.
Nabu gritted his teeth, his mind racing as he searched for an opening. He could feel the pressure mounting, the oppressive light of Solus growing stronger with every passing moment. The battlefield was becoming a furnace, the heat searing and suffocating. Yet, even as the divine power of Solus pressed down on him, he refused to yield. If he was to overcome this overwhelming force, it would require not just strength, but cunning. Nabu's body twisted fluidly, his movements a perfect blend of speed and precision as he swerved in a wide circle. His spear glowed with accumulating force, a visible trail of dark energy swirling around its blade as he attempted to slice through Leon's forcefield. Each swing of the weapon exuded an aura of growing intensity, a testament to his mastery of the weapon and his unyielding determination.
[Debuff: Jink Seal]
Leon's sharp eyes immediately caught the telltale sign of Nabu's Ability Factor activating. Through his Internal Sight, he observed the intricate interplay of vitality and mana within Nabu, a distinct spark igniting as the two energies merged. The effect began to take shape, manifesting as a dark brown runic seal that formed ominously within the shimmering forcefield surrounding Leon. The runes pulsed with a malevolent energy, their presence corrupting the protective heatwaves and causing them to waver. The once impenetrable barrier began to flicker, its stability faltering like a candle struggling against the wind.
At that moment, Leon's mind pieced together the puzzle. The appearance of the runic seal was unmistakable. He recognized its unique properties immediately, understanding not only its nature but the lineage it represented. There was a strict classification of Ability Factors, each tied intrinsically to one of the Celestial Houses. By identifying the specific technique and its manifestation, one could discern its origin. This was no exception. The dark seal, with its restrictive influence, confirmed that Nabu was a member of the House of Capricorn.
"Limit Inducement," Leon murmured under his breath, recalling the hallmark Ability Factor of Capricorn. It was a power both feared and respected—the ability to impose restrictions on others by severing the connection between their power and its user. It was not a direct attack, but a calculated disruption, a silent assassin of potential. As the forcefield around him continued to weaken, Leon felt the weight of the seal pressing against his energy, threatening to sever the synchronization between his soul core and Solus.
Despite the growing threat, Leon's resolve didn't waver. He adjusted his stance, his golden armor flaring brighter as he funneled more energy into the forcefield in a desperate attempt to stabilize it. The flickering barrier responded sluggishly, its strength eroded by the persistent influence of the Jink Seal. Yet, in the face of this tactical assault, Leon's mind remained sharp. The forcefield around Leon flickered one final time before collapsing entirely, its golden light dissipating like embers extinguished by the wind. The Jink Seal had taken full effect, severing Leon's defensive connection and leaving him momentarily vulnerable. Recognizing the change, Leon widened the distance between himself and Nabu, his sharp gaze narrowing as he assessed the extent of his restrictions.
"So, you targeted my defensive capabilities," Leon remarked, his voice steady but laced with a hint of frustration. His mind quickly recalled the parallels to Stella's predicament—how Nabu's ability had similarly nullified her healing factor. "If I kill you, the effect should dissipate."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Nabu's lips. "That's assuming you can." His tone was confident, bordering on taunting. He shifted into a poised stance, lowering his center of gravity as his body became a coiled spring ready to unleash. His spear was held horizontally at his side, its blade glinting ominously under the ambient light as though hungering for blood.
[Fang of the Infinite Spiral: Spiral Fang Thrust]
With a sharp pivot on his back foot, Nabu initiated a fluid rotation of his torso, his movements precise and calculated. The spear in his hands began to spin at an astonishing speed, generating a vortex-like motion that radiated raw energy. The spiraling effect turned the weapon into a deadly drill, the whirling motion condensing its force into a single, devastating point. The air around him warped, spiraling into the spear's wake, as if the very atmosphere were being pulled into its gravitational pull.
The apex of his rotation came in an instant, and with it, the accumulated power was unleashed in a concentrated thrust. The spear shot forward, its tip a blur of motion as it drove toward Leon with an ear-piercing screech. The ground beneath Nabu cracked from the recoil of his attack, a testament to the sheer force he had poured into the strike. The spiraling thrust carried an almost otherworldly power, a technique designed not just to pierce but to obliterate anything in its path.
Leon, his golden armor gleaming even in the face of the impending attack, readied himself. His mind raced as he calculated his next move, knowing that evasion alone would not be enough against an assault of this magnitude. The battle had escalated to a point where every decision carried the weight of life and death.
If I can't defend, then I'll just focus on pure attack. That thought struck Leon's mind with a cold clarity. His grip tightened around his sword, the blade glowing with an intense, radiant golden light that seemed to burn with the force of his resolve. Without hesitation, he unleashed an advanced technique from the Heavenly Radiance Sword Art.
[Heavenly Radiance: Stellar Rend]
Leon focused all his energy on his sword, imbuing it with a fierce, concentrated blue light. The light shifted into a concentrated, pure force—a repulsive energy that coursed through the weapon, gathering momentum. With a swift, precise motion, he swung his sword forward, and the blue light erupted from its edge, creating a violent gravitational blade wave that cut through the air in a straight line, its power surging forward like a celestial pulse.
The attack collided with the incoming force of Nabu's assault. The impact was immediate and cataclysmic, the union of blue light and dark brown energy clashing in an explosion that lit up the surroundings. A massive shockwave erupted from the point of contact, sending a storm of debris, rocks, and overturned vehicles soaring through the air. The force was so intense that the ground itself trembled, and the surrounding area seemed to warp, caught in the wake of the battle.
As the thick smoke and dust slowly began to settle, Leon remained poised, his eyes scanning the battlefield. The remnants of his attack shimmered, the residual blue light reflecting off his sword, Solus, as he stepped forward. His gaze fixed on the destruction before him—the once pristine area was now a scene of utter chaos. Nabu was crushed between the jagged remnants of two towering condominium buildings, his form crumpled and battered by the aftermath of the clash.
The damage to Nabu was undeniable. Leon's Stellar Rend had torn through the opponent's offensive, overpowering and neutralizing his attack before striking with the remaining force. It was clear that, even with the reduced power, Nabu had taken a massive blow. The residual blue light from the attack still hung in the air, a testament to the force that had been unleashed in that single moment. The pristine mask that had once concealed Nabu's face shattered into pieces, revealing a strikingly handsome visage. His fair skin contrasted sharply with his disheveled appearance—green eyes, now filled with malevolent delight, glinted beneath strands of purple hair that spilled chaotically across his face. Blood dripped from his shoulder, staining the ground beneath him as he labored to breathe, each exhalation heavy with the weight of his injuries. Despite the evident pain, his lips curled into a twisted grin as Sector Zero agents quickly moved to his side, their weapons drawn, prepared for the next phase of the confrontation.
Leon raised an eyebrow, momentarily distracted by the sight of Nabu's transformation. But before he could react, an odd sensation gripped his body. His muscles tensed uncontrollably, and his legs buckled beneath him, threatening to send him crashing to the ground. He steadied himself, his iron resolve preventing him from collapsing, but the overwhelming sensation of nausea hit him like a tidal wave. Blood surged in his throat, and he was forced to spit it out, the taste metallic and foul. Nabu observed Leon's struggle with malicious delight, his body strained yet stubbornly rising despite the toll the battle had taken. With a chuckle that held no warmth, he pushed past his underlings, each of them giving way with uneasy expressions as Nabu moved with unsettling energy. His eyes, wild with glee, never left Leon's weakened form.
"It looks like Master Mallus's curse is taking effect," Nabu sneered, his voice dripping with cruelty. "How long can you keep going, utilizing mana like this? I bet you can't keep up with the way you're fighting—expending your mana at this rate." He grabbed his spear from the ground, its sharp tip glinting ominously in the dim light. "Before that curse kills you, I'll have the honor of finishing you off. And then—then I'll rip the heart out of the Asha'Yee."
Leon's blood boiled with fury at Nabu's words. Every fiber of his being screamed for vengeance, and he took a step forward, ready to press the attack. But before he could act, something strange occurred. Four small orb-like cans dropped in unison between him and the Sector Zero agents. They hissed upon impact, releasing a cloud of dense white gas that quickly filled the air, obscuring Leon's vision and hindering his movements. The suffocating gas burned his lungs, forcing him to cough violently. Then, just as Leon's breath caught in his chest, his body stiffened. A sudden, amethyst light washed over him, and he felt an unnatural, warping sensation ripple through the air around him. Before he could make sense of it, his body was violently pulled away from the space, as though the very fabric of reality had bent to some unknown force. The world around him shifted, and in a disorienting swirl, he found himself elsewhere.
Leon staggered slightly, still catching his bearings, only to find himself in a dim, circular chamber bathed in an eerie purple glow. Six tall columns supported the walls, and strange, arcane runes glowed faintly along the edges, their symbols both familiar and foreign. He recognized them—symbols he had seen before, though their meaning was still a mystery to him. The space was small but vast in its own way, like a pocket dimension that held its own peculiar laws of reality.
"Pocket space," a familiar voice broke through the silence.
Leon turned quickly to find Rex standing behind him. Rex's usual calm expression was absent, replaced with a rare intensity. He was gently placing Emily on the floor, his movements deliberate despite the chaos that seemed to be swirling around them. The others were here too: Rosa, Henry, and the others, their eyes scanning the room with varying degrees of concern. But it was Sam who caught Leon's attention. She stood beside Stella, her expression a mixture of anxiety and despair. Stella, however, was utterly unresponsive, her body slumped on the floor. Her eyes were open, but there was nothing behind them—just an empty, glassy stare.
Leon's heart sank at the sight of Stella's motionless form. The weight of his failure crashed down on him like a physical blow. He had promised he would protect her, that he would see the task through. But now, staring at her lifeless body, he realized how much he had underestimated the situation. His thoughts spiraled into a torrent of self-loathing. If only he had been more reckless, more willing to burn through his mana without hesitation. If he had given it all, every ounce of his power, he could have defeated Nabu. He could have shattered the curse and removed the restriction on Stella, allowing her healing factor to close the wounds and fix the damage. He cursed himself, his fists tightening, the anguish cutting deeper than any wound. But just as he was about to give in to his despair, a voice interrupted the heavy silence.
"It seems I made it on time."
Freya's voice was calm, but there was a cold sharpness to it that made Leon's blood run hot with anger. She stepped out from the shadows, a dark mask obscuring her face, and she wore a uniform similar to Nabu's, the same insignia emblazoned across her chest. Leon's vision blurred with rage as his muscles tensed, his body reacting instinctively to the presence of someone he perceived as an enemy. Without a second thought, he lunged at her, grabbing her by the shoulders and slamming her back against one of the columns. His sword, Solus, flashed with deadly intent, its tip hovering just inches from her throat, a subtle threat in the air between them.
"What did you do?" Leon's voice was low, vicious with a fury that matched the firestorm within him. His breath was ragged, his body shaking from the surge of anger and frustration.
Freya didn't flinch. The raven-shaped mask on her face looked eerie, its design adding a layer of menace to the calm, unbothered way she regarded Leon's fury. But then, a strange gentleness entered her tone, a softness that contrasted with the ominous nature of her mask.
"I saved your life," Freya said quietly, removing her mask in a fluid motion. Beneath it was a face that was both beautiful and unnervingly inhuman. Her features held a strange elegance, something otherworldly, almost ethereal. Yet there was an underlying care in her eyes, a stark contrast to the dark mask she had worn. Leon hesitated for a fraction of a second, but his rage still burned too brightly. His grip on her shoulders tightened, and the tip of his sword dug slightly into the surface of her skin.
"Nabu was not an opponent you could defeat," Freya continued, her voice steady as she stared into his eyes. "Not in your current state. He is close to breaking into the second phase of Ascension, and you..." She paused, her gaze flickering to the state of Leon's weakened body, the curse still clearly taking its toll on him. "With your sickness, you wouldn't have stood a chance. Unless you wanted to risk damaging your life permanently."
Leon's mind reeled at her words, his anger momentarily slipping away as reality settled in. The weight of what she was saying sank deep. Nabu was nearing an even more powerful form, a terrifying new phase. Leon's condition, both the curse and his own body's limitations, would have rendered him utterly powerless against that transformation. He would have lost—not just the fight, but himself. Freya's words hit harder than any physical blow. He had been fighting for so long, pushing past his limits, but there were forces in motion that he simply couldn't control. Forces that were beyond his understanding. The realization stung—he had failed, and yet, here was someone who had stopped him from making the ultimate mistake.
For the first time in a long while, Leon felt something other than anger. It was a bitter, humbling sort of helplessness. But his pride wouldn't let him yield entirely.
"You think you saved me?" he spat, the edge in his voice not fully gone. "Then what about Stella? The mission was to rescue her. We failed." He gestured to Stella's still body, his voice thick with grief and fury.
Freya didn't answer immediately. Instead, she gave him a look—a look of sympathy mixed with resignation. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "But there was nothing I could do for her, not with the curse already taking effect. Nabu had already damaged her beyond healing. Even with her healing factor, she wouldn't have made it. But you… You still have a chance to fight. To stop him. But you have to stop pushing yourself to the brink."
Leon stared at her, the weight of her words sinking in. He wanted to shout, to rail against the unfairness of it all, but part of him knew—knew—that if he had continued on his current path, both he and Stella would be lost. His body and mind, already stretched thin, would have shattered under the strain.
His grip on Freya loosened, but the tension in his body remained. Slowly, the sword was lowered, though the anger still simmered beneath his skin.
"So what now?" Leon asked, his voice rough. "You want me to trust you, after everything?" He could barely manage the words, his pride, his fear, and his grief were all entwined in a knot too tight to unravel.
Freya's expression softened further. "You don't have to trust me, Leon. But I'm not your enemy. We're on the same side, whether you like it or not. If we want to stop Nabu and Mallus's plan for Terra, we'll need to work together. But first..." She turned her gaze back to Stella's body, her expression darkening.
"Orion," Rex said, addressing the enigmatic figure who had always been at Mallus's side. The realization hit him hard: the same person responsible for assisting Sector Zero in achieving Project Starseed was the one working as a spy for the Fallen Star.
"Krios... or should I say, Rex, since you're Mallus's number three priority for elimination," Freya's voice cut through the tension. Rex blinked, a confused frown crossing his face. Why am I number three? After all, he had betrayed Sector Zero, stolen their secrets, and passed them on to the Fallen Star—Sector Zero's greatest enemy. He couldn't quite understand why he had been placed low on the list.
"Why number three?" Rex asked, his curiosity piqued, despite the situation.
"Because Leon and Sam are ahead of you," Freya replied.
"Is that important?" Leon growled, glaring at Rex, his frustration evident.
"Sorry," Rex muttered, chastising himself for his outburst. He turned his gaze to Sam, still clutching Stella's lifeless form, utterly consumed by her grief. The intensity of the moment seemed to fade around her as if the chaos held no sway over her in that moment of loss.
"Why does Mallus want to kill me?" Leon demanded, his voice thick with urgency. "And Sam—why is he so intent on killing her?" His mind drifted back to what Nabu had said. The sickness, the curse—it was all connected to Mallus. The memories of his father's funeral flooded his thoughts. He could still remember the cold, hollow feeling he had felt when Mallus first appeared. It was a day that had changed everything. Mallus's presence had frozen his mother in despair, making her unable to react to anything. Leon had been just a child, helpless in the face of her grief, but as he grew older, something within him had awakened—without Gratia, without any guidance. At the age of nine, he had been awakened, and it was then that his mother had started to pull herself from her mourning, but not in the way Leon had hoped. She had transformed into someone distant and cold, a far cry from the woman who had once been so full of life. This transformation had shaped Leon into someone else, someone merciless. His mother's grief had shifted into a harsh resolve, and Leon had grown up under her ruthless guidance. It was the only way to survive. But despite the strength that had been instilled in him, a part of him still questioned why Mallus was determined to destroy everything he cared about.
Freya's response was slow, and measured, but her eyes carried a truth that seemed to pierce through the darkness surrounding Leon.
"Mallus doesn't just want to kill you," she said. "He wants to break you, to weaken you. Your sickness? That's his doing. He's trying to drain you, to make you weaker until you can't fight anymore. And as for Sam... well, Mallus has a certain interest in her, one that you don't fully understand yet."
Leon's blood ran cold as the weight of her words sank in. Mallus had orchestrated his downfall, manipulating him with a curse that drained his very life force, while also targeting Sam, someone whose role in all this was still shrouded in mystery. He felt the rage building in him, the desperate need for answers. Freya didn't offer comfort—her expression remained unreadable, but there was an edge to her words that suggested she wasn't entirely without empathy for Leon's plight.
"People like you and Sam are a threat," Freya said, her tone unyielding.
"Threat to what? The Federation?" Leon retorted, his anger flaring. "I am a member of the House of Leo. I am a Paladin of Starlight, dedicated to protecting the Federation and the known universe."
"Not the Federation," Freya snapped, her voice sharp and cutting through the tension. "You're a threat to his masters—the ones he serves above all. The Divine Emperor."