Destroying The Lair (10)

Feeling Chloe in my arms, I felt at peace for the first time since we came here. My tense muscles relaxed as well. Granted, rather than her presence in my arms, this could be attributed to the wonderous sensation evoked by her bite. Nonetheless, I welcomed the serenity that rushed through me, doing nothing to resist.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Several shockwaves raised dust and flower petals curtain, I drowsily looked toward the two monsters duking it out still letting Chloe drink. They were moving so fast, that they left several afterimages. Tracking them with my eyes became difficult at one point, forcing me to use my willpower to boost my ocular prowess. 

It did the trick. In my eyes, their motions slowed down by several frames. I was also able to see something I couldn't previously. Shadows that moved on and about. These were the source of the ripples I perceived previously. They finally revealed themselves before my enhanced sight. Glamour was observable now. 

Wooooshhh!

Instantly, I saw a dancing fire orb blooming next to Eric, blasting toward his opponent. In the next second, a bowl-like water screen blocked the flower-shaped fireblast giving rise to a heated, colorful mist that disappeared shortly. But not before reducing grass, flowers, and the fake decorative trees into ash.

Thankfully, my barrier was holding out. It was less of a strain on my will too. I just needed to watch out for the strays coming our way and briefly exert myself at the best time to block. The alternative would be to fully exert my will continuously. Something that wouldn't be sustainable in the long term.

They weren't just fighting with their glamour, they also exchanged physical blows, flesh meeting flesh and bone meeting bone in dull toe-curling sounds. I'd never seen such a graceful fight before. Instead of the chaotic mess that human fights were, theirs looked more like a dance. 

I watched each of their moves intently, trying to burn them into my brain for later. 

Ha...

A finger softly touched the middle of my eyebrows. It was Chloe's, she sighed contentedly looking vibrant after finishing her meal (me). Despite the situation, her looks seemed elevated beyond perfection. A raw charm exuded from her figure. It was like every single cell of her body was renewed.

"Stop frowning, you'll have wrinkles." She spoke playfully.

"I can't have wrinkles, My skin will heal before time or repeated facial movements can leave a trace" I replied, amusement dancing in my eyes.

Chloe chuckled before leaving my embrace. She stood up and stretched then headed toward the rest of the team. The previously healed Kelia was already tending to their wounds. She made them lie down and was sitting cross-legged between the two men (Arum and Lorn). The twins were sleeping naked free of any traces of battle.

Their healing factor is no joke, apparently.

Lorn looked fine when I first woke up on Chloe's lap but it seems like he was putting up a front. Internally, he must have been pretty messed up as he passed out not too long after I fed Kelia.

Kelia's hands were now hovering above them. A scarlet mist shifted between her fingers turning into threads. The treads pierced through the chest of both men and weaved through their skin, muscles, organs, and bones. She was stitching them back to health with her blood energy.

I guess what she was doing wasn't so simple as Chloe looked impressed and astonished in equal measure.

Chloe crouched next to Kelia and asked,

"How are they?"

"They were frankly broken up but I am mending them well. No issues with their healing. They should regain consciousness soon. But they are both extremely exhausted both in spirit and body. As for the twins, their natural regeneration is, as you know, insane already, added to my healing spell they are fully recovered, just sleeping. I bet they will also wake up soon, feeling very hungry."

"Good. Now, we need Eric to finish the bad guy and we can call it a wrap for the night!" Chloe said pointedly, side-eying the battle.

"On it, princess!!" Eric voiced while fighting, his hearing sharp even amid the ruckus of battle.

As soon as he answered he took some distance from the enemy. His body defying the laws of gravity, came to a stop in mid-air. With a smooth motion, he seemed to draw something from the void.

Come forth Kingslayer!!!

A spear was unsheathed from the ether. It looked unbelievably old but radiated with a terrifying amount of power. At first glance, the spear blade seemed rusted but closer observation and a will-enhanced sense of smell showed that it wasn't rust but dry bloodstains.

Upon sight, the ex-Royal Guard paled. Big drops of sweat formed on his forehead and his upper lip twitched violently.

"This-" Eric interrupted his exclamation.

"Yes, this is exactly what you think it is, the Royal Armament - Kingslayer. How? Don't behave like an amateur. I guess you thought I wouldn't be able to summon it since I am exiled now... That must be it. If not you wouldn't have given me such an attitude. What can you do? Not only I can use it, but the power didn't weaken. How sad... For you that is."

The ominous weapon glowed as a sliver of its power slowly awakened. 

"Prince, can we t-"

Eric became a flash. For an instant, the night sky was broken and one could almost think that the morning had arrived unexpectedly. When the searing light finally vanished, Eric was behind the ex-Royal Guard. They floated back to back. 

"Were you that impatient for the final rest? I just wanted to incapacitate you." Eric broke the silence, sounding annoyed.

"Prince, the one I serve now has big plans for the world. He will become the first among mortals and immortals alike not of divine descent to achieve godhood, opening the path for all beings. I can't be the one to let his secrets slip."

Sigh.

"I would have liked to see it, that inevitable day but alas. Fate is a fickle mistress. I have to leave first. It's how it should be." As soon as he finished he vomited an ungodly amount of blood. His blood wasn't red like normal human blood. It was purple and there were golden symbols akin to spirited fish swimming in the purple liquid. However, the more blood he lost, the less spirited they were.

Golen cracks also appeared all over his body. He was dying.

Next to me, Chloe sighed, "I guess we won't obtain the mastermind's identity now. Who can command such devotion on a being as powerful and old as that Fae?" She was lost in thoughts her head tilted. 

"Although, I didn't accomplish my task here... " He looked briefly at Chloe, "I learned things that will be of help to my master. In this way, I paved a bit of his path toward godhood. Nothing can be more glorious than that. Hahaha..."

As he was laughing, Eric tsked and flourished his spear, in a motion full of dexterity he twirled the shaft before striking the delusional fanatic like a watermelon. 

He broke like a fragile porcelain vase. His fragments then turned into thousands of multicolored ghostly butterflies that faded into glowing ashes in the void. The scene was beautiful and soul-stirringly sad somehow.