Chapter 4 - Deliora

The snow-blanketed expanse stretched endlessly, the jagged mouth of a cavern looming nearby. Beneath the crescent moon's cold, ominous glow, a towering demon and a small human faced each other.

 

The tiny human appeared utterly lost, yet his calm demeanor betrayed no fear. The demon, Deliora, stared down at the intruder, his monstrous eyes filled with doubt. Why would a feeble human dare disturb him in his domain?

 

Shadow gazed up at the towering beast, his voice calm yet tinged with an almost eerie wonder.

"The sky is white. There is not much time left. The dark shadow of history is awakening."

 

A guttural roar tore through the frozen air as Deliora swiped his colossal claw downward."Bang" The impact shaking the ground and leaving a deep crater. But when the dust cleared, there was no trace of blood.

 

The same calm voice spoke again—this time from behind Deliora.

"The sky is white. There is not much time left. The dark shadow of history is awakening."

 

Enraged, Deliora spun around and clawed at the human once more, only to strike empty air. Shadow moved with calm precision, weaving effortlessly through the onslaught. Deliora's claws sliced through the air, each swipe leaving shockwaves that split the ground and sent shards of ice flying in all directions.

 

Shadow sidestepped one devastating strike after another, the force of the missed blow forming deep craters behind him. Without missing a beat, he leapt over another incoming claw, landing softly atop Deliora's massive arm as if the chaos beneath him was nonexistent.

 

Deliora roared in fury, shaking his arm violently to throw the human off, but Shadow vaulted gracefully into the air. While airborne, Shadow twirled like a dancer, his figure framed against the pale crescent moon. His calm voice cut through the clamor of the battlefield.

"What an unslightly beast"

 

Furious, Deliora slammed both fists into the ground, causing the earth to tremble. Jagged ice spears erupted from the frozen ground, reaching toward Shadow like nature's claws. Shadow twisted mid-air, narrowly evading the lethal spikes, each movement as fluid as flowing water.

 

Shadow landed on a nearby boulder, his feet barely making a sound. Deliora lunged at him with surprising speed for his massive frame, but Shadow vanished an instant before impact. The demon's claws obliterated the boulder, scattering debris in every direction.

 

"You're making a mess," Shadow said, now standing casually on the demon's shoulder. His voice carried a hint of amusement.

 

Deliora snarled, whipping his arm upward to swat the human off. Shadow flipped effortlessly, landing on the ground in a crouch. The instant his feet touched the snow, Deliora lunged again, his jaws snapping shut inches from Shadow's head.

 

The demon's breath was hot and rank, and the sheer force of his attack sent waves of air rippling through the battlefield. Shadow slid backward across the icy ground, his feet steady despite the slick surface.

 

Deliora's attacks grew more frenzied, his monstrous hands pounding the ground, claws slicing through the air. Shadow weaved through the chaos, his movements calculated and deliberate. He ducked under a horizontal swipe, twisted away from a downward smash, and leapt over a devastating tail swipe that shattered a line of ice pillars in its wake.

 

The demon roared in frustration, his breath forming plumes of icy mist in the freezing air. He gathered his energy, the ground beneath him cracking and crumbling as a dense, dark aura surrounded him.

 

Shadow stood unmoving, his eyes narrowing slightly as the snow around them began to swirl violently, drawn into the vortex of Deliora's growing power.

 

The tension built to a fever pitch as Deliora unleashed a massive breath attack, a beam of pure destruction aimed directly at Shadow. The beam tore through the icy plains, carving a path of annihilation, destroying a nearby mountain.

 

But Shadow was already gone.

 

Appearing in a blur above Deliora, he sighed and spoke with quiet finality.

"A powerful body, an immense magic power, a race created for combat... Yet, no control, no fighting awareness, what a disappointing being..."

 

With a flick of his hands, glowing mana threads materialized, stretching outward in an intricate web. Fluttering his fingers, Shadow ensnared Deliora in a mere instant and appeared behind him.

 

The demon froze, struggling as the threads tightened around his massive frame. Shadow's calm voice echoed like a death knell.

"Disappear, unworthy demon."

 

With a final motion, the wires tightened, slicing through Deliora's body. Pieces of the demon fell to the snowy ground, staining the pristine white with dark ichor.

 

Shadow surveyed the endless expanse of white, his expression unreadable.

"Now, how do I get to the Kingdom of Fiore?"

 

Behind him, Deliora's dismembered pieces began to stir. They slithered and fused, knitting themselves back together. From behind a tree, Ultear's panicked voice rang out.

"Look out behind you!"

 

A deep, guttural laugh reverberated through the plains as Deliora's fully regenerated form loomed over Shadow. For the first time, the demon spoke.

"Immortal. Unkillable. That's what I am. That's my curse. Nothing can destroy me."

 

Shadow turned back, raising an eyebrow. "So you can talk."

 

Deliora sneered. "Only now are you worthy of my words. Do you converse with ants?"

 

Shadow began walking toward Deliora. Faint purple lines shimmered in the air, spreading like veins across the snow-covered ground. The atmosphere grew oppressive, the air itself vibrating with power.

 

Deliora hesitated, sensing the weight of the magic gathering around him. Ultear, watching from her hiding place, stood frozen in awe.

 

Shadow's voice, calm and deliberate, carried across the expanse.

"Once, the gods cast lightning upon the earth to punish mankind. Fascinated by this power from the heavens, humans yearned to possess it.

'We must have this power.'

'We must seize it.'

 

"After years of research, humanity finally claimed it. The energy born from the protons and neutrons that make up the atom unleashed nuclear fission. By harnessing critical points, indicators, and functions, a chain reaction was achieved, creating energy of unprecedented destructiveness.

 

"Well, theory hardly matters."

 

The purple lines pulsed brighter, their glow spreading like wildfire through the snow. Shadow's aura grew, enveloping the plains in an oppressive energy.

"Infinite sky. I must go beyond the extreme destruction that plagues this fragile world."

 

He glanced at Deliora, his gaze lost in wonder.

"Watching you regenerate after being torn to pieces, I've remembered what I truly need to do. Let's just say I've returned to the basics. And that's thanks to you—so thank you."

 

With deliberate steps, he moved closer, the purple lines blazing as his magic formed a massive, intricate formation beneath their feet.

 

"That's why now, enough playing around. I'm going all out. Catch this."

 

Deliora's eyes widened in alarm as the overwhelming energy swirled violently around Shadow.

"What is this?! Who... what the hell are you?!"

 

Shadow smirked, his voice calm and final.

"I'm Atomic."

 

A brilliant explosion of light erupted, shaking the entire region. The detonation lit up the night sky in vivid purple, its glow illuminating the snow-covered plains like a second dawn. Distant villages on the horizon were bathed in the surreal light, and windows shattered in the nearby towns from the shockwave. People stumbled outside, shielding their eyes from the blinding brilliance as the roar of the blast echoed like the wrath of the heavens.

 

As the light subsided, the aftermath revealed a massive, smoldering crater in the snow, its depths seemingly endless. The air was heavy with the acrid tang of scorched ice and lingering magic, the ground still trembling faintly from the residual energy.