Chapter 255: Kael

Chapter 255: Kael

Fury of the Son

The sun had shone down on the mountain that held their secret base. Kael stood on top of a cliff, his eyes closed and deep in meditation. It had been three years since the night when they had opened the Dome and unleashed its forces on the core. Things hadnt gone exactly the way he had expected them to. The portal was closed, and while the monsters werent defeated, they were almost forgotten.

But there was a silver lining, the core had turned on itself. The loss of many of the leaders had cause unrest, and wars had broken out. It wasnt exactly what he had wanted, but the effect was similar. People were thrown into situations where they were forced to fight, to grow. Many were dying every moment, but those that survived would flourish. He wanted to change things, to give everyone true freedom. The Framework bound them, it made them follow paths that pushed them to be less than they could.

He had no way of changing that. The Framework was beyond his reach, for now. But it was now the time to encourage freedom. He and his people were hunted, yes, but few really had the resources to even attempt to catch them. Not when they were so preoccupied with their petty greed. It was sad. He had painted himself a villain, and they still couldnt unite, not even to punish him. It was why they werent worthy of leadership. He had done hunting of his own, finding and killing those who oppressed others. It was almost easy with all the wars happening all around. His people could move freely.

Most of them were in one of their safe strongholds, preparing for the next mission. Kael along with Maya and Tellisa was the only ones who had stayed back. He knew that it was a risk, staying in one place for too long.

This mountain was supposed to be their meeting spot. Hidden, in between several territories of little importance. Most of his people that had been on missions had checked in, aside from one. Fethum was days overdue, and Kaeliss was getting impatient. He feared that something had happened to him. Everyone in the Unchained knew that death was a real possibility, that they might be called on to give their lives for the cause.

Kaeliss thought of them all as brothers and sisters. He wept for every death that came to those that followed him, but he knew that he couldnt stop. He owed it to everyone else who was exploited by those who held more power. Who were lied to by them and told that they could never reach far.

He knew how damaging it could be to grow up being told that you will never hold power. That you will never make anything out of your life. People followed rules made by leaders who did not deserve to lead. In a world where everyone could become strong, having leaders in the first place was idiotic. They had an infinite world, room for everyone, and yet they allowed others to hen them in. To put them behind fences that didnt even exist.

Sometimes he wondered if perhaps he should just pick a direction and leave. Take his people and make something new for them. But always he remembered walking through the great cities in the core. Seeing resignation on the faces of the people walking around the streets. Trying to convince themselves that their lives were happy and meaningful.Updated from n0velb(i)n.c(o)/m

He shook his head and stood up, stretching his hands over his head and spreading his wings. His body had felt different, ever since he reached the Evolved Realm. It was an adjustment, he had to admit. He felt like every part of his body had improved significantly compared to what it used to be. It was as if he was, for the first time ever, truly one with his aspect. Tranquility filled him, calmed him and his mind. It was incredible.

Footsteps announced a visitor running toward him, and Kael turned just as Maya ran up.

Kael! Quick, she yelled from across the plateau.

Kael tilted his head and yelled back. What is it?

Its Fethum, he is back, Maya said.

By her expression he knew that something was wrong. He spread his wings and flew across, he passed her and went down the pass between two jagged cliffs, falling toward the lower plateau on the other side of the mountain. It didnt take him long to reach his destination.

He found Tellisa kneeling on the ground and holding a bloody and twisted shape. She poured a potion down the figures throat, but it didnt seem to do anything.

Kael landed and knelt next to them. It took him a moment to recognize Fethum. The cthull was covered in wounds, melted flesh and burns covered all of him. His clothes had fused with his skin in places, and the rest was just a twisted red mess. His right hand was gone, only a charred bone peaked out of twisted meat. His face tendrils were all burnt off, and half of his face was unrecognizable.

Fethum, Kael started. What happened?

ry Fethum tried to speak, to say something, but it came out only as a garbled mess.

Kael leaned down, putting his ear near Fethums face.

Sorry, Im so sorry, Fethum rasped.

You have nothing to be sorry about, my friend, Kael said, pained at seeing him so injured.

He realized that it wasnt nearly enough. His opponent stopped in the air, and his eyes met Kaels, glaring with pure yellow light.

In those eyes, Kael saw his death. A moment later he activated his Evolved FormDracogriff. His wings grew, his body shifted as a plume of feathers surrounded his ankles, wrists, and neck. His scales got tougher and larger, covering the majority of his body and he grew. A second set of wings sprung out of his back and his snout narrowed down into a beak. His robe changed with him, His stats increased, and he used Wind Step to come out above his opponent. Tranquility fell from his body, calming everything in his surroundings. Even the air itself stilled, all things came under the effect of his Tranquility.

The light in Heors eyes dimmed and his lids half-closed. Kael beat his wings and swooped down, opening his beak wide for a killing blow.

Just as he reached his opponent, Heors eyes cleared and then...

/Oath of the Sun God: Churning Nova/

Kael barely managed to turn in time, he escaped the initial blast with |Perfect Spatial Evade: As Whisper, In the Wind|. Heat scorched his back, his scales melting by the first wave. The feathers on the rest of his body ignited and burned up. The pain would be crippling, but with his Unyielding he managed to fly. His wings beat and he glanced back. He saw his opponent; a blazing being made out of yellow fire that consumed everything. The liquid in his eyes evaporated and he went blind in an instant. He turned and focused on getting away.

A thunderous sound of blowing fire and straining space filled the air. And then Heor was next to him. The heat itself nearly killed him, his scales cracked from the heat and then started to melt. The shape next to him raised a hand and fire consumed him.

Kaels body burned, liquefying at an incredible rate.

Reject

Kaels body healed, and the fire around him vanished, but only fire that was the result of his opponents bodys effects, not Heors body itself. He still burned like the sun.

Pathetic, the being that shone like the sun said. Die.

Heor reached for him with his hand and Kael used his fruit technique.

{Release All Restraints}

His stats exploded, his body swelled. His tendons strained, his muscles tensed, his mind quickened. In an instant he turned and hit with his tail, using |Perfect Greater Blow: My Fist, Weight of A Mountain| his opponent was blown back even as his tail melted from the strike. A moment later Kael speed away. Flying as fast as he possibly could while his technique fulled him with a calm and allowed him to act far beyond his usual capabilities.

In seconds he had crossed the mountain range, air parting in front of him as if he was cutting it with a knife. Then, words blossomed inside of his mind.

Sun Fall

Then everything turned white.

Kael stumbled, grabbing hold of a nearby rock to steady himself. His body was destroyed. One of his arms was nearly all gone. He had spent all of his items, everything and that he had, and that he had kept and planned on using for greater things. In the end, he had spent his peoples wealth just on trying to save his life. He shook his head, wishing that there was another way.

He was at the bottom of a ravine, a small river flowing next to him. He hoped that he had gotten far enough away from his opponent. Heor shouldnt be able to follow him, Kael had used unique items that were worth a fortune each in order to lose the Beloved of the Sun.

He had been very careful in his actions. He had never attacked anyone who he didnt think that he could beat. But there was a reason why he had never gone after Heor or his father. High Rankers powers varied widely, some were only perceived to be powerful, while others were far more powerful than their ranks indicated. But what Heor had done He had to have been hiding his full strength from everyone. Kael hadnt heard a whisper of what he had seen and experienced.

He was grateful for this, for the lesson. He lacked power if he was going to achieve what he wanted. And now he knew that he had to advance faster than he had ever planned to. And he knew exactly where he could find power that would make him capable of achieving everything that he wanted.

Now, he had a reason to risk it.