An instant later, Thatch regained his bearings.
The world that had turned completely silent to his senses had once again regained its color and life, and the loud booms of the battle behind him finally resounded through his ears.
"Thatch?" Kaeda's gentle voice came from behind him. When she noticed the normally calm and collected Thatch trembling, it was suffice to say that Kaeda was truly surprised.
"They…" Thatch's voice was quiet as raspy as though he was recovering from a sore throat.
By the time Thatch finished explaining what happened to everyone, a cold light was running through each of their eyes. But, they had a battle to fight.
Madeleine, though, had an intelligent light in her eyes. "Forget them. If they come back, it will mean his death. We have to focus on this first."
In any other situation, someone who magically got a celestial to come to their side would have taken revenge on their enemies. And yet, Lionel didn't.
Seeing Madeleine's calm reaction, Ri seemed to have understood something as well.
Without a word, both beauties refocused their attention on the battle field, leaving Lionel's destiny to fate.
Although neither said anything, both understood why they weren't in the mood to speak or even care for Lionel…
Before, they could feel their husband's constant pain, and although it saddened them, it at least let them know he was alive. But now…
They couldn't feel his soul at all…
**
King Belmont coughed up blood so hot that it seared his throat. The domineering golden flames of the Aumen's were threatening to collapse his inner organs entirely. He had lost count of how many smoldering balls of gold had bombarded into him. If it wasn't for the slight resistance to fire his scant phoenix bloodline gave him, he had no doubt that he would be dead already.
If it was just about him dying, he didn't mind risking his life for the sake of his clan. But, the idea of the Belmont line ending because of his own inadequacies as a leader sickened him to his stomach.
How could he think of his son Lionel as a carrier of his bloodline? This was the same son that didn't mind causing the death of his own father! Lionel had a younger brother, a baby sister, a mother! And he had not cared for a single one of them throughout this whole plan of his.
The truth of the matter was that Lionel had already negotiated the safety of those three in exchange for his cooperation. But, at the point of rage King Belmont was feeling, even if he knew that, he wouldn't be calmed.
King Belmont could only try his best to hold on. He knew that if King Aumen grew tired of playing with him and joined the other battles, there would be no hope left… There was no one left to counter him!
Another ball of flames slammed into the bloody mess that was once King Belmont's chest, revealing the charred black of his rib cage and his barely beating heart…
'This is how I die… huh…'
**
In the distance, Patia-Neva's attacks were growing more ferocious. King Clyte's palms began to numb with a biting freeze with every strike that was landed.
He had long since stopped making remarks about Patia-Neva's family. Instead of leading to a pit of despair as he wanted, Patia-Neva seemed to be using it fuel.
Even in the vacuum of space, King Clyte's wind will worked seamlessly. If Dyon had seen the versatility of a supposedly simple will, he would have agreed with his grand teacher calling him an idiot for using it as a simple speed boost.
King Clyte's attacks seemed to take form as wind. They were aloof and almost illusory, but they could turn sharp and cutting in an instant. The flow of strikes all followed the path of least resistance, increasing the potency of his every attack.
And yet, it felt like his tricks were becoming more and more useless.
Icicles formed in the air, glittering along Patia-Neva's arms as he glided through the air. His every thrust forward came with it the sound of cracking glass, as though his very presence was solidifying the air between him and his opponent.
Patia-Neva's hours of focus was beginning to pay off. How many years had he waiting to feel this feeling? The feeling of having your dao anchored in something you believed in, something you would strive to protect with your everything…
He had made too many mistakes in his life. Mistakes he would never be able to make up for. But, that didn't mean he wouldn't try to.
Patia-Neva's fist flew forward. Rings of cold blue sprung from his strike, layering King Clyte in a layer of frost before the hit even landed.
BOOM!
King Clyte was sent flying, his arm freezing over and cracking in an instant. In just one strike, King Clyte had lost his arm!
"You'll never lay a hand on my wife again." Patia-Neva spoke his first words of this battle. The dignified aura of a King finally flew back toward him as though he was snatching King Clyte's fate away from him. Or, more accurately… As though he was snatching back the fate he had given up.
King Patia-Neva's ice will tore through the first intent level, firmly stabilizing itself at one with heart. But, it didn't stop there…
One with body… One with soul… One with will… One with intent…
In a single leap, he reached the 6th intent level, regaining much of the foundation he had lost.
With the acceptance of his wife and daughter, Patia-Neva had gained something back that he thought he would never gain again. And now, he could grasp what it meant to be a true man again.
The reason Patia-Neva was able to climb back up so quickly is because he never changed his path. He was still following the path of the absolute… But instead of absolute coldness, he would seek the ultimate retribution for his actions… The only thing that could truly cleanse him clean… Absolute purity.
King Clyte laughed maniacally as he charged toward King Patia-Neva. But, he was no longer worthy of being his opponent.
There was no pleasure or satisfaction in Patia-Neva's visage once he grabbed hold of King Clyte's neck, slowly freezing him over without remorse.
King Clyte's savage eyes slowly faded along with the last remaining strands of his life. And just like that, another celestial fell…
Patia-Neva stood silently in the air, exuding a dignified aura. But, just as he was about to go and help the remaining celestial, his senses caught onto something sinister. Even more sinister than the life he had just ended.
His gaze fell onto the slowly rotating planet below, focusing on a steadily growing patch of red.
'This…'
Patia-Neva no longer hesitated, shooting for the planet in an instant.
