Chapter 309: Ascendance (X)

Chapter 309: Ascendance (X)

Chapter 309

Ascendance (X)

Vines tangled with tall trees and remnants of buildings like lovers, wrapping around them, seemingly trying to drag them into their embrace. The group of five lurched through the steep descent, going even deeper than the gaping pit with a lake. And yet, despite that, their surroundings remained alighted with the gems embedded in the walls.

Furthermore, there appeared to be a whole city buried in the darkness even further below, with them hanging on the roads plastered against the sides of the cliffs. To the side, every so often, theyd see a rotted, cracked building arise, swallowed in vines and trees and greenery.

A distant, yet magnified and echoing roar stopped the group for a moment. Cains eyes drove past the darkness and looked toward the source--but he was unable to see. The entire place was coated in a remarkably thick layer of Mana that even he was unable to see through.

A dangerous thing, he mumbled.

It noticed us, one of the two still coated in mist replied. Its a warning.

... well, its only fair we shoot back, no?

What do you-- Cain drew his palm up and summoned a blistering sphere of light before chucking it out into darkness.

The sphere expanded into a quasi-sun, illuminating the entire world around them. Cains eyes shone in starlight for a moment as he looked about; it was a city buried beneath the mounds of time. Buildings not unlike skyscrapers dominated in a ring-like fashion, growing smaller and smaller as they moved toward the center. What awed him the most was that the tallest of the buildings easily breached five thousand feet in height. They were like spears pointing in defiance at the sky.

What the hell are you doing?!! Quinn grabbed him aggressively and asked.

Its beautiful, Cain mumbled. Humbling, really.

What if it attacks?!

Isnt that why were here? Cain shrugged, glancing at her. Besides, why are we even walking? Lets go.

He yanked himself free and jumped, leaping off the road and over the ruined buildings, using brief bursts of Mana to make himself glide diagonally toward the center. The sun above continued to burn, alighting the world around that stretched on for miles. It was truly a city buried beneath the ground--or, at least, a part of a massive city.

Sure thing, he nodded. I should probably look to see whether there are more like this here... Lear, you should take a step back.

Dont have to tell me twice.

Alright, ready whenever you are, Cain said, summoning back the sun. The light of the world vanished and the darkness returned. The massive, harrowingly beautiful cityscape was swallowed once more, disappearing. Only darkness existed.

Off I go, Quinn said, a spear and a shield appearing in her hands--both were beautiful bejeweled in silver gems, with the spear extending some seven-eight feet in length, its spearhead lined in runic gold. The shield, on the other hand, sported a massive, amnesty-like gem at the center from which lines like veins erupted, reaching every inch of the shields surface.

The duet shone resplendently as she charged it with Mana, descending swiftly and drawing the creatures ire. The twins, not waiting much longer, dispersed into mist and dew, likely stealthing to approach the creature from the side.

Cain remained rooted, unmoving. He had a good overview of the battlefield from this far up, and he wasnt too far away for the effects of his spells to diminish.

Stupid human, what is that? Tegha suddenly crawled out of the inventory, settling himself inside Cains inner pocket, looking at the creature. It is... sad.

... its something that must die, Cain said. For both its sake and ours.

It is not a treasure. Tegha said.

Its not. Did you sense any?

Im still adjusting to Mana. This place is strange, stupid human. Different. Unlike any other Ive been to.

... huh, tell me about it, Cain shrugged, noticing that Quinn had engaged with the creature--the latter lashed out immediately with its numerous limbs, hundreds of them at the time, while Quinn began chopping them down as quickly as she could. You should go back to the inventory. Let me know if you sense anything.

... fine, Tegha said as Cain raised his right arm--he knew that the best way to help was to use a far-reaching and wide-arrayed skills that covered a lot of ground. It would distract the creature the most, forcing it to believe it was being assailed from numerous opponents--especially if it lacked major intellect--which would afford the twins an opportunity to strike.

As such, he summoned over a hundred cyclic vortexes that began spitting out fireballs the size and length of Quinns spear. Individually, they were actually remarkably weak--but, there were hundreds, slowly thousands of them descending, quickly alighting the world again.

Quinn parried a straight pierce of one of the limbs, yet still was forced back due to the sheer force of impact. It was then that she noticed the world alight, forcing her to glance up and freeze in place at the sight--it was raining fire.

T-this... she mumbled lowly. She thought she was even overestimating Cain as he always liked to be on the side of caution, but she was wrong. She also didnt know why she was wrong--why was she unable to assert just how strong he was. He was like a hazy dream, wherein a faint recollection exists, but it is too blurry, too distant to recall perfectly.

The twins felt largely the same emotions, but were quick to understand his intent. As soon as they saw the creature heave many of its limbs into the sky to meet the burning rain, they understood that they were being given an opening that they could only dream of, immediately lurching forward and striking directly at the largely undefended, central mass. If only, they mused, they were afforded this much freedom in every other battle they fought before. Perchance, their glory might have been even grander.