The Clan's End (7)

When there was only a cale of space between the two Sky Realm cultivators, the High Elder stopped.

"Will you not consider sparing my descendants?"

"My apologies, my master has already made his decision. It is not my place to interfere with it."

"Master... I suppose it can't be helped then. But, would you mind accompanying this old man for a little longer?"

"If I must."

They appeared so friendly while talking to each other, but everyone knew that a battle was inevitable. Of the major traitors, Corin and Eclos were the only ones left near Skywind Pavilion. Eclos couldn't even form proper thoughts, which meant Corin held both of their fates in his hands. He could help the bandits take care of the remaining clansmen, but would they really appreciate his unneeded help?

'I guess, this will be my resting place. A better place than I deserve.'

As Corin gave up on living much longer and everyone in the Heaven clan gripped their weapons tighter, the High Elder's voice snuck inside their heads.

"My children, it is time for you to make a choice. You can either run while I hold back these ruffians or you can die in battle with me. I won't criticize whatever choice you make, but once you decide you must see it through to the end."

After hearing what the High Elder said, many looked around them. The clan that they had lived in for most of their lives was now but a ruin with close friends and family decorating the surroundings as corpses. Now that the barrier was gone, the bandits quickly gained an overwhelming advantage and were murdering even women and children. Maybe they would be able to survive if they ran, but by now there was not a single person with a strong enough will to live.

A force with low morale would normally be weak, but that only applied when the force gave up on the battle, not on survival. A force that had given up on living but still fought could be universally described as one thing. A nightmare.

Rather than with words, one clansman used his actions to show his stance. His arms had been cut off and he could only watch as his wife and children were murdered by the same man. Before the High Elder spoke, he had given up on life and hoped to die quickly so that he may join his family in the afterlife. But the High Elder's offer to fight reminded him of something. If he simply died like this, without at least killing the one who murdered them, could he call himself a father or a husband?

Once this notion came into his mind, all pain disappeared, replaced by hate and fury. He ignited all of his remaining vitality and lunged at the killer's neck. The man and his fellow bandits attacked him with all their might, but even when only his head remained his teeth were still sunk into the killer's neck, eventually bringing death to him as well.

"Grrrrr!"

"Ahhhh!!!!"

"This crazy bastard....!"

After giving up on living, he and many others worked towards the goal of bringing as many of the enemy down with them as possible.

Seeing his children devolve into beasts gave the High Elder mixed feelings. He didn't want to see them like this, but it was much better than them waiting to be killed. He spoke to them telepathically once more.

"If you have decided to fight, then accept my support."

The old man fully opened his eyes and showed flashes of lightning in his gaze. As if triggered by him, the sky also got cloudy and the faint sound of thunder rang throughout the battlefield. It couldn't be compared, but both Nalos and Eclos could instinctively sense what this power was.

"The Heavenly Wind Spell!?"

It seemed impossible, but it could be explained. According to the main four element theory, lightning came under wind-attribute like gravity came under earth-attribute. And so there was nothing weird about the High Elder's Heavenly Wind Spell manifesting in the form of lightning.

As thunder clamped, all those of the Heaven clan felt their bodies heating up with power and were even fiercer than before. If the bandits were calm, though it would be more troublesome it wouldn't be difficult to handle such suicidal people, but seeing their comrades literally having their necks bitten off, and the sight of men and women with several weapons stabbed into them still fighting birthed a fear that prevented any calm minds among these bandits.

When the Sky Realm master noticed this phenomenon, he glared at the High Elder.

"Fellow brother, don't you think this is a bit inappropriate?"

"How so? If you can make a supportive domain as well, then go ahead."

The High Elder easily brushed off the Sky Realm master's complaint. A supportive domain was an ability that could be acquired through comprehension and was able to increase the power of allies near to the user. He had a higher cultivation, so he could afford to spare some of his power to support his children, but even if the Sky Realm master did have a supportive domain he wouldn't be able to use it as the weaker side.

With the power surging inside them, Nalos and Bartos had smiles on their faces. If they were going to die, at least it would be after showing off on the battlefield.

"Can I join in?"

At this time, Nate came with the elder that was supposed to be watching him. Both of them had sensed how Kran died so the elder removed Nate's restrictions and they came here.

"Of course."

Bartos picked up Blue Breeze Spear and threw it towards Nate who easily caught it. Nate then looked at Corin and asked, "What about you?"

Corin looked around the battlefield. His hands was stained with the blood of his clansmen that had died in this battle, but he couldn't continue that path anymore. Even though he surely knew what he had done, the High Elder also sent his power into him. It could be because he was still his descendent, but Corin didn't think so. He believed he was given his final chance of dying as member of the Heaven clan.

Corin pointed at the four Earth Realm enemies in the sky and shouted,"Eclos, attack!"

Along with Eclos who enlarged his wind claw and attacked the elder from the Clite clan with it, Corin charged at one of the bandits by the side of Roy. Surprisingly, his attack knocked him back despite the large gap in cultivation between them. After seeing Corin and Eclos jump right into fighting, so did Nalos and the rest.

While those on the ground had fierce battles, those in the sky were having a more, refined fight. Three bolts of lightning struck the Sky Realm master's barrier and then coiled around it. After a motion of the High Elder's hand, the coiling lightning tightened around the barrier and slowly forced the Sky Realm master to use his full power to resist the coiling lightning. The Sky Realm master had much more vitality, but the High Elder's energy reserve and control was far greater than his so he was quickly put at a disadvantage. However, even if he couldn't compare in terms of accumulation and wisdom, the Sky Realm master wasn't helpless.

He purposefully released the barrier and allowed the lightning to coil around him, but he received no damage. Though he liked to dress up like a scholar, the Sky Realm master wouldn't lose to the bandits when it came to being fierce and brutal.

Just by flexing his muscles, the lightning broke away from his body, leaving dying sparks in the air. He smirked and then readied his right fist.

"Try this, fellow brother."

He threw a punch that roared like a vicious beast at the High Elder, but the old man easily stopped it with a barrier and pointed at him. A streak of lightning shot from his finger and pierced through his right fist. The small hole it left was burned to blackness and the Sky Realm master even had to hastily channel his energy to resist the lightning that was left in his hand. Usually, he would be able to heal such a small injury in an instant, but the fact that the small wound remained proved to him that the only way for him to win this battle would be to wait until the old man was exhausted to his death.

As the battle went on, Eclos was killed by the Clite clan elder and Nalos and Corin were left to fight four enemies in the Earth Realm. Both of them could sense that the High Elder was weakening due to their bloodline connection. However, neither of them lost morale. In fact, They used their true full power by igniting their remaining vitality and converting it into power. Once they did so, the gravely injured Bartos and Nate did the same. The other elder that was with them had died, but they had managed to kill three of the first enemy bandits despite the constantly incoming reinforcements.

With his vitality ignited, Bartos knew he would die here.

'I hope Shui's safe. Forgive me, Suiri and Lilia, I won't be able to watch over the kids anymore.'

"Ha Shu Ha SHAAAA!!!"

Bartos shouted the ancient war cry and it resounded across the battlefield.