The smug look on Adam's face wavered; his eyes flickered toward the fallen heart. For an instant, his skeletal army was frozen in their track, its attacks slowing down as if it lost their connection to its master.
Azrael's system jumped into frantic activity, the voice so enthusiastic.
[Incoming idea. Expanding Domain. Ooo Azrael, forcing me to act against my code of existence.]
Azrael groaned-so his patience was worn out. "What the heck are you even saying? Speak proper English! I don't understand a single thing coming out of your… whatever-you-are!!"
It audibly sighed.
[Shut your mouth and listen. At level ten, there's an ability that's supposed to unlock called Domain Expansion.]
"Okay… so?" Azrael grumbled and tried dragging himself closer to the dragon heart.
[But here's the thing: we can cheat. If you get hold of the dragon heart, we can focus and absorb all its magic to temporarily unlock Domain Expansion.]
Azrael's brow furrowed. "Temporarily? At what cost?"
The system seemed to hesitate, almost as if it were loath to answer.
[.Sex. A lot of it. But let's deal with this bastard first, then we'll talk logistics.]
Azrael blinked, completely bamboozled. "What?! That doesn't even-never mind. Fine. What do I do?"
[Simple. Get a hold of the dragon heart! Move, Azrael, move!]
Gritting his teeth, Azrael gathered every last shred of energy his beaten body still contained. With a sharp exhalation, he sprang from the ground and began to sprint toward the dragon heart.
Adam's eyes slitted in the direction of the movement. "You are relentless, I'll give you that," he sneered. "But you will be sorry."
He lifted his hand, and two skeleton warriors hurled towards Azrael, swinging their rusty swords aloft.
Azrael dodged the first swing by a desperate leap, narrowly avoiding the blade in a wide slash of air. The second skeleton thrust its spear toward him, but he twisted his body, the tip grazing his side. Pain flared, but he didn't stop. He reached out, his fingers brushing the dragon heart just as the skeletons closed in again.
With a surge of resolve, Azrael snatched the heart and rolled away from the skeletal warriors. He huddled the pulsing artifact tightly against his chest.
"I got it! Now what?" Azrael shouted, his heart pounding.
[Place it against your chest. Quickly!]
Azrael didn't need to hear another word. Clamping the dragon heart against his chest, he could feel a surge of scalding energy course through him. His vision blurred, and his ears rang, till finally, the voice of the system boomed in his head.
"[When the creation creates, it illustrates a brand-new fate. Wipe clean the slate. Paint strokes drip when imagination takes shape! Now, say it, Azrael!
His lips moved of their own accord, and words flooded from him, as if etched in his soul.
"Domain Expansion: Abstract Gate!"
The moment the words had left his lips, his eyes flashed brilliant white, shining like twin stars. A blast of light exploded from the space between him and Adam, taking the shape of a huge otherworldly gate that towered over them, shining like liquid gold. Its surface shimmered with carvings of celestial beings and swirling galaxies; raw power humming in the air around it.
The gate yawned open, showing inside a chasm of fire.
Beings came from the dark recesses of the Gate unlike any they had ever seen: creations of pure fantasy, ever-twisting as from some hidden artist's pen. Some were as giants among fire-wings across stone bodies; others, quick, agile on gray-shrouded and light-stricken bodies.
The creatures let loose a roaring charge into Adam's skeletal army in a frantic, epic melee.
One of Azrael's creations was tall, molten lava running through his veins, and with a wide sweep of his enormous arm sent a dozen or more skeletons smashing into bits in one move. Another serpent-like, with a glow of ghostly blue luminescence slithered amongst them, fanged jaws chomping across bony limbs.
Adam screamed, the distortion of anger twisted across his face, hands rising "You think this would change a thing?! My army is endless!!
He planted his rod in the ground, and a wave of new skeletons scratched their way into the world. They only surged forward until some of Azrael's beasts started getting buried under the weight of all these numbers.
Azrael was staggering, full of the power of the dragon heart; he felt the strain yet refused to give an inch.
Continue, Azrael! Do not slack! the system exclaimed in excitement.
Azrael nodded, his teeth biting hard. "Not yet!" His hands rose a little higher as more creatures kept flowing from within, their shrieking filled the field.
Lysander, till then hypnotized by the bizarre scene before his eyes clicked himself out. "He is doing it… This fuck is really pulling it off!"
The All-Mother nodded gravely. "Not-over-yet thing. Supposed to be backup support."
Spirits renewed, the defenders readied themselves. Spells flew overhead, clearing skeletons to create a free lane for Azrael's minions to push further.
But that didn't faze Adam. "Your creations mean nothing but dreams that last for the blink of a second! See it for yourself while I turn them to dust!
Dark energy burst from his fingers and hit the shining gate. It shook, fissures spreading across its face.
Azrael's heart was racing as he felt the gate weaken. "No! Hold together!
[Focus, Azrael! Pour your will into it! The gate reflects your imagination-don't let him destroy it!]
Clamping his fists, Azrael closed his eyes, focusing, and he could feel the gate grow stronger, the light burning inside it brighter; and with new strength, the cracks sealed up while the gate roared in renewed vigor and fought Adam's attack back.
The battlefield had become a chaotic mess, a showcase of ruin everywhere: Azrael's creatures, brutal in relentless war, against Adam's skeletons. With every clash, it seemed the grounds shook and rattled, the very earth holding its breath as the atmosphere darkened around them.
Azrael hunched, finally feeling the results of the dragon's heart coursing through his body, but he couldn't give in now.
Adam snarled, his composure slipping. "You're just delaying the inevitable, boy! You can't outlast me!"
Azrael smirked despite the pain. "Maybe not… but I can make you bleed."