457 Come Back To Us
The world seemed to slow down as Asher watched the scene unfold before him. Rowena, consumed by her rage, directed Flaralis to charge at the Moon Guardian with a fiery glow in its belly, a sign that it was charging its devastating breath.
However, to his utter disbelief, Lupus's figure suddenly shifted into a blur of crimson lightning. The speed was so blinding that it left behind afterimages in its wake, followed by a thunderous boom.
With a force so powerful that it sent violent shockwaves rippling through the very fabric of reality itself, the crimson lightning struck Flaralis's vulnerable belly, causing the space around them to warp and undulate under the sheer impact.
The dragon roared in agony, its fiery breath dissipating into the air as it lost its balance and began to plummet to the ground.
Before Asher could even process what had just happened and before Flaralis's body could even crash to the ground, the same crimson lightning bolt struck Rowena, Isola, and Ceti within just a second.
They were all sent flying in different directions before they crashed down onto the ground along with Flaralis, their bodies motionless.
"No…" Asher's heart leaped into his throat as he scanned the scene before him. Miraculously, he could see that everyone was still breathing, albeit unconscious, except for Ceti, who groaned in pain. He couldn't help but be shocked by Lupus's monstrous speed and precision. It was as if they were nothing more than toys to be swatted away at their leisure. Even though he knew they were all exhausted and injured, he couldn't shake the chilling realization that even at full strength, they may have still been no match for Lupus.
As the shock began to wear off, Asher's veins pulsed with a mixture of rage and pain. He tried to force himself to his feet, desperate to protect Ceti as Lupus approached her fallen form, but his body betrayed him. His muscles were shredded, and his organs were gravely injured, leaving him barely able to move his hands. It was as if Lupus knew how to perfectly incapacitate him.
He watched helplessly as Lupus loomed over the fallen Ceti, the Moon Guardian's intentions unknown.
Ceti, coughing out blood, had to take a few moments to let her mind process what had just happened.
One moment, she was sitting atop Flaralis, and the next moment, she found herself lying on the ground, her body trembling with pain.
As all her senses quickly came back rushing to her, she gritted her teeth, summoned every ounce of strength she had left, and pulled herself up to her elbows.
But her eyes widened in horror as she slowly looked up and laid eyes on the Moon Guardian towering over her. Fear and determination warred in her eyes, and despite knowing she was in no condition to fight back, she weakly raised her trembling fists, "Why…Why are you doing this…You are supposed to be our protector and not bully those weaker than you."
His voice, deep and resonant, carried the weight of centuries, "As the Moon Guardian, I only need to concern myself with our people. Whatever happens to the rest is none of my concern."
Ceti, bloody and breathless, glared up at him, her eyes burning with fury, "I-If that was true...you wouldn't have sat still after coming out of your seclusion and not help me, my brother, and my mother. We were turned into outcasts by the people of your own clan and almost got killed for it. You are the worst Moon Guardian in history. You aren't even supposed to be alive."
Thinking about everything she lost and the pain she and her family suffered for so many years, Ceti felt even more angry, especially when all this happened while the Moon Guardian was still alive.
She had never felt so disappointed and angry at someone of her own kind.
Lupus, unfazed by her accusations, maintained his stoic demeanor, "How can I die when my successor isn't ready yet to take up my title? That is the exact reason why I can only help you if you accept my help by coming back to us, to me. I will show you what you truly are and what you were born for. It's far beneath you to be the servant of your mortal enemies. It pains me to see you reduced to that when you are destined for so much more, child."
Ceti's spirit, unbroken despite the odds stacked against her, shone through her eyes, her resolve hardening even further, "I don't know what you are talking about, nor am I interested in listening to any of this. I won't let you hurt my people or my kingdom. Bloodburn Kingdom is my only home and my only people, even if we do not share the same bloodline."
Lupus, with a sigh that spoke volumes, closed his eyes briefly, a gesture of resignation to the inevitable, "It seems you are still refusing to come out. I have no other choice then."
"Yargh!" The air tensed as Ceti, fueled by a mix of desperation and courage, charged at the Moon Guardian with a fierce cry. But before anyone could blink, Lupus's fist shot out, connecting with a sickening crunch to Ceti's stomach. Bones shattered, and she doubled over, gasping for air as blood gushed out of her mouth.
"NO! No…no…" Asher yelled, in his mind, struggling to get up as rage and despair surged within him.
His heart clenched at the sight of Ceti taking labored breaths, her lifeforce dwindling as the reality of their situation crashing down upon him with the weight of a thousand suns.
Lupus raised his foot high above a dying Ceti, about to crush the last ounce of life out of her.
Feeling that this was his last chance, Asher, on his last legs, mustered every ounce of his remaining mana to heal himself rapidly as he scrambled to his feet. His heart burned with determination, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he rushed towards Ceti, prepared to try and save her no matter what it took.
However, as Asher closed the distance, his effort to reach Ceti was abruptly halted.
Lupus's hand shot out with an uncanny speed, grasping Asher's neck with an iron grip, "So you care about her that much? Why?" Lupus inquired, his tone sounding as if he was really curious.
Asher, struggling against the vice-like hold, managed a strained reply through gritted teeth, "It's none...of your business, old man."
The air around them seemed to still as they waited for her next breath, but it never came. Panic surged through Asher's veins as he saw Ceti's eyelids flicker and her chest remain motionless. "No...no...Ceti!" he cried out, his voice cracking with anguish.
Asher's cry of despair was cut short by the sudden tumult in the skies above.
*RUMBLE!*
The skies themselves trembled as a powerful crimson bolt, as if summoned by the very Seven Hells, struck down, targeting Ceti's lifeless form with devastating intent.
Amidst the chaos, Lupus vanished, leaving only Asher standing alone against the tempest. Blown off course, he tasted grit and dirt as he collided with the ground, desperately trying to gain his bearings amidst the storm.
Gathering every shred of resolve left within him, Asher staggered back to his feet, steeling himself for whatever new horror awaited.
To his dismay, the barrage continued; crimson bolts poured relentlessly upon Ceti, obliterating everything in their path. Each strike brought a fresh wave of terror and destruction.
As the storm cleared up, a figure that bore Ceti's likeness was standing, yet exuded an otherworldly presence. 12:06
Her hair, once a fiery red, now cascaded down her back in waves of radiant white. She radiated a vast, bottomless aura, her stance that of a deity of war, both majestic and formidable.
Asher's vengeful eyes searched for the source of the crimson assault, expecting to find Lupus orchestrating the maelstrom. Yet, the Moon Guardian stood aloof with his hands behind his back, his mana undisturbed, a silent witness to the spectacle.
Then, as abruptly as it had begun, the storm of crimson lightning ceased while Asher was relieved to hear Ceti's pulse, which was astonishingly stronger than ever.
As the storm cleared up, a figure that bore Ceti's likeness was standing, yet exuded an otherworldly presence. Her hair, once a fiery red, now cascaded down her back in waves of radiant white. She radiated a vast, bottomless aura, her stance that of a deity of war, both majestic and formidable.
Her complexion, unmarred by battle's scars, gleamed with an ethereal glow, her features refined beyond mortal semblance. Blood-red eyes, mirroring those of Lupus, scanned the horizon with a newfound power. The transformation was profound, leaving Asher in stunned silence, his mind grappling with the reality before him. Even if the face looked similar, he couldn't help but wonder if he was really looking at Ceti since he didn't feel so.
Why did she bear so much resemblance to Lupus? As far as he knew, Ceti was from the Darkmoon Clan and not the Moonbinder Clan.
It was impossible to possess two bloodlines. It was the main reason why even Drakaris told him that there was no point in giving him the power of his bloodline.
In a dramatic flourish, Lupus took center stage, stepping boldly into the clearing beneath the thundering crimson skies.
His voice boomed, resonant with subtle emotion as he uttered words never expected, "Finally... you came out, Luna... my granddaughter. It feels like centuries since I last saw you, even though it hasn't been long."
The revelation hung heavy in the air, thicker than smoke from a thousand pyres. Asher stared transfixed, mouth agape, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of this declaration. Shock washed over him like a tidal wave, threatening to drown him in confusion and doubt.
"G-Granddaughter?" he managed to mumble, struggling to comprehend the bombshell that had just been dropped.
Whoa...Granddaughter? :#
