Chapter 397: Attack on Abyss(8)

Point-of-View: Bell Fairbairn

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It took me this long, after so many deaths, to realize and accept the truth of the matter...I need to convince the others to see the truth as well... 

"Those who want to throw away their lives, you can stay here and fight by yourselves, for all I care! But make no mistake, such blind resolve is not loyalty...at this point, it is nothing more than suicide! We have been betrayed by Sant A.C. Laus, by being treated like expendable pawns, unnecessarily sent to our deaths, and for what!? I...I have had enough. I refuse to follow a leader than has less sympathy for us than even our enemies do!" I declared at the top of my lungs, my voice cracking towards the end, "Those whose feelings resonate with my words, please, I beg you...if you have the desire to live, then do not throw away your lives in this battle that we were forced into! If you can agree with what I have said...then turn around and leave. Because that is what I plan to do, even if none of you do the same." 

After a brief moment a silence, they began murmuring, and as an opening suddenly appeared in the physical barrier, as if to prompt them, many of them then turned around and walked away, dropping their weapons...I could almost feel it, the sense of relief washing over them. 

I then stiffened as some of the Fairies began protesting violently and starting to attack the others that were leaving...damn it, why are they always like this-...suddenly, a cold chill burst out, and in the blink of an eye, every single Fairy was frozen. 

"I had a feeling that would happen, so I set things up during your speech. You probably don't want to hear this from an enemy, but...you made the right choice, Lightning Sage," Remarked the Water Sage. 

"Hmph...I hope you do not expect me to thank you, because I will not. And this does not change anything," I huffed in response. 

"No, of course not. It'd be way too convenient and easy if this is all it took to establish an alliance between our sides," He replied dryly. 

"That much, at least, I agree with you," I stated, as I turned around and began to leave...

Suddenly, a huge ball of flames and lightning appeared seemingly out of nowhere, directed right towards me. I sprang back in alarm, just barely evading it. 

"Aw, I missed. Guess I'm a bit rusty after all those idle months," Came a familiar voice, as a portal opened and a dark halo appeared, hovering above a head of blonde hair. 

"Ugh...you again," Groaned the Water Sage in exasperation. 

"Belia Lasmodeus," I remarked with a grimace. 

"Aw, thanks for the warm welcome, guys! Oh, the small fry can continue retreating, I've got no interest in them. What I am interested in, though, is fighting two Elemental Sages at the same time! Not the mention the other formidable individuals we've got here," Grinned Belia, as she surveyed the area. 

"We're not going to play along with you, Belia," Responded the Water Sage with a sigh. 

"Oh, but you are! If you head back to Abyss, I'll just follow you! Your barriers won't fully work on me...some of my magic might be restricted, but beyond that, I won't be affected. With that in mind, I'm sure that you won't want me coming into Abyss! How about I sweeten the deal for you? If you can force me to use my Restoration Magic at least twice, I'll help you find Sant!" She proposed with a smirk. 

"Hey, Az, why don't you take it easy for a bit? Let me take her on," Suddenly spoke up a girl with cat-like ears and a tail, long black hair with a few red streaks and red eyes, a confident look on her face. 

"Hm? You sure, Persia? Well, whatever, I'll intervene if things get out of hand, Kuro will be pissed if something happens to you," Replied the Water Sage with a shrug, before stepping back as the girl stepped forward. 

"Huh...I'm actually just a little bit relieved, what a strange feeling," Remarked Belia in surprise, before smirking at the Water Sage, "Well, what do you know, I think I might actually fear you, Az."

"Hey...only my friends call me Az, want me to kill you?" He responded coldly. 

"Oh, lighten up, you're way too serious," Laughed Belia, before shifting her gaze to me with a smirk, "Alright, let's do this, shall we? I do hope you'll put up a better fight than last time, Bell."

"Tch, you talk far too much...this will not be like the last time!" I snapped in response, attempting to enter my Lightning Sage Mode...but nothing happened. 

I need your power, Electro, otherwise-! 

"You shall receive no assistance from me. Never again."

Tch, damn it...!

"Well!? What are you waiting for, come on, let loose your full power, stop wasting time-...woah!" Exclaimed Belia impatiently, before narrowly evading as that girl, Persia, attacked her. 

Her appearance has changed...jet-black fur covered her entire body, Vampire-like wings had sprouted on her back, and her limbs appeared to have gotten more flexible and agile. 

"Don't get too full of yourself, I can take you on by myself," Remarked Persia coldly, as she fired a wind blast at Belia, who used a portal to block it, before flying up higher. 

Persia immediately followed after her, firing out flame and wind attacks, which Belia evaded or absorbed using her portals without too much trouble, but the intensity and ceaselessness of the attacks made sure that she could not counterattack. 

However, Belia is still not using her full power, her Demigod Mode or whatever it is that she calls it. This girl, Persia, is slower than Belia but her movements and agility appear to be sharper, which is allowing her to make up the difference, however...once Belia transforms, Persia will not stand a chance. 

Even without my Sage Mode, I am definitely faster and stronger than she is...and yet, I am not confident that I would be able to pressure Belia like this. This is...frustrating. Why am I just watching? 

"Hey, Lightning Sage, I'm guessing your Elemental Spirit isn't cooperating with you?" Suddenly called out the Water Sage, as Persia evaded a lightning bolt from Belia and countered with a crimson fireball, before splitting into two copies and rushing Belia from either side, though her speed was much slower. 

"Tch, that is none of your concern," I responded with a huff, as the two Persias suddenly combined into one, reappearing above Belia, right as Belia opened two portals on either side to defend against the two copies. 

Before she could react, Persia fired a powerful wind blast at Belia from above, striking her and sending her rapidly plummeting towards the ground. But the instant before she could crash down, a portal opened beneath her, linked with one that opened high in the sky, from which she re-emerged. 

"Hey, that wasn't half-bad, I'd definitely have been forced to use my Restoration Magic if I actually crashed onto the ground, that was some serious force," Remarked Belia with an excited gleam in her eyes, "I see, that cloning Cross, Kuro must have transferred it to you somehow...impressive, and you've certainly gotten stronger. Hehe, isn't this fun?" 

What should I do here, I have no reason to fight her, but if I provoke her by leaving, she may enter the Laus Domain out of spite and do some damage...what do I-... 

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING!? HOW DARE YOU...HOW DARE YOU ALL DISOBEY ME LIKE THIS!?" Laus screeched through the telepathic link, startling me. 

It sounds like he is addressing all of us that are no longer persisting with this suicidal assault... 

"Sorry, Laus, but I refuse to obey commands that treat my comrades as disposable," I responded coldly. 

"BELL!? HOW DARE YOU, AN ELEMENTAL SAGE-...YOU, AS WELL, VOKKEG!?" He screamed in reply, sounding like he was about to burst with rage, "Un...unacceptable! Tch, and Bie is dead, how useless. All of you, listen to me, I command you to obey me! You all belong to me, I may do as I see fit with your lives! Wha-...h-how dare you all speak to me in such a manner!? This is a betrayal, you are no better than the humans!" 

I cannot hear what the others that he telepathically linked with are saying, but I certainly wish that I could...the sheer disbelief in his voice, it was almost comical. 

"You are half-correct, Laus...there has been a betrayal, but it is you that betrayed us, not the other way around. And of what I have seen, you are far worse than the humans. This is the reality of the situation, you stopped being a worthy ruler months ago-...no, I suppose that it is more accurate to say that you never were a worthy ruler, we simply blindly put you up on a pedastal," I stated firmly. 

"Bell, you...you will pay for this! I-I shall have all the remaining Fairies kill as many of the other three races as possible-!" 

"Shut up. I have nothing more to say to you, nor do I wish to hear a word you say. So I shall leave you with these final words...fuck you, Sant A.C. Laus."

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