Chapter 220 Third Trial Final
Perhaps it was due to his split personality, but Lucas was confident in himself that he had the upper hand now. And while he felt that his calculations were perfect, there was this foreboding sense creeping up on him, and he knew why.
There were moments in battle where he let go of rationality, allowing his aura to completely take over. While risky, those times had always been backed by his remaining mana, giving him the fuel to rampage. Without it, he wasn't sure what his aura would consume instead.While he looked like he had won, the chaotic aura was still coming out from the other Lucas, pressuring him into the ground. The doppelgänger raised his arm as he lowered his defenses. Grabbing a jagged rock from the crumbling pillars, he started to roughly cut up his own wrist.
The sharp edges bit into flesh, blood spurting instantly, coating his arm in crimson. The sheer agony only intensified as he raked his fingers across the open wound, widening it.Lucas saw the madness unfold but had no time to process it. The oppressive weight of his twin's aura turned his mental sphere into a battlefield of its own, making it nearly impossible to think clearly.He had to swap his control over since his other side was more used to controlling the chaos in his mind. His aura caused madness while being fueled by it, so his aura was itching to come out as well.
His twin raised his mangled wrist above his head, the blood pouring freely, carried by the last vestiges of energy he had left. He was staking everything on one final act. The heavy scent of iron filled the air, the pain forcing his body into a state of delirium. Fuel—fuel for his own madness that sought to consume him whole.Lucas knew what his clone was doing, but couldn't believe it. 'Why did it have to be us?', he thought bitterly.
He sighed. If there was no escape and death was inevitable, he wouldn't beg or plead. He wouldn't try to negotiate or surrender. No, he would make sure they both perished.'That crazy son of a bitch! He's...!'
Lucas had barely kept himself rational as he realized the grave situation he entered. He didn't even have the strength to respond in his mind.
"I know, he's letting his aura take over his entire body, using his blood as medium. He'll turn into a monster soon."
'We could do that?'
"Trust me, we wouldn't want to.", as Lucas said that, the aura that was pressuring him down vanished as it concentrated around his clone. This was the best time to use a Dark Beam, but even he didn't have the energy left nor would it have any effect.
Lucas's blood was already special since his entire body was capable of carrying mana, like a pathway would. This resulted in his blood naturally adapting to the mana and eventually containing some mana by default. Creating more blood through his Light magic, it's connection to mana only deepened.
Now, his clone was pushing the limits, fusing the last of his mana into his own blood, saturating it with raw willpower and chaotic aura. Lucas had seen bizarre effects from aura-infused spells before—like the spiky tentacles—but this… this was different.For the first time in a long while, he was afraid.His twin wasn't just fusing aura into a spell. He was fusing it into himself.
Lucas had gone mad before, but his aura had only controlled his mind. His body had still been his own. This time, his twin's aura would consume everything.
Lucas tried to gather as much energy as he could, but he wasn't preparing to fight. He was only looking for a way to escape! There was no point in fighting himself when he is consumed by chaos, there's no strategy or tactic that's worth thinking of. There was but one thing on his mind. How long would he have to run?
His doppelgänger's body convulsed violently, the transformation beginning. His organs and mental sphere darkened to a deep crimson, his eyes and core turning pitch black. His arms elongated, grotesquely twisting into monstrous appendages, fingers morphing into massive, serrated claws. His body expanded, his flesh turning dark red as his blood thickened into a solid-yet-flexible hide.Tentacles erupted from his back, the sickening crunch of bones and tearing flesh sending shivers down Lucas's spine. The sheer weight of his presence suffocated the air around them.
Suddenly, it's aura spread out once more, this time so much deeper and concentrated than before. Lucas felt the fear dwell up in him, he wasn't fighting against a human anymore, whatever it had become had risen to a new stage of life. Just by experiencing its aura Lucas knew that it had almost reached Rank 3.
The only reason he still had a small glimmer of hope was the fact that its aura didn't instantly bring him down. While the monster was transforming, Lucas knew this would've been the best time to attack, but he didn't have the energy left to use a Dark Beam, and whatever else he could conjure up would be a waste of mana.
The transformation was complete, whatever it had become, it was no longer human. Lucas locked eyes with the abomination. No screams of agony. No howls of rage. Just the quiet before the inevitable storm.He raised his arms, preparing a flight spell and an explosion to propel himself skyward. But the moment he moved, the beast was already charging. Its speed was unreal—Lucas could barely keep up. Forget about attacking it, running way become his first priority.
He launched himself upward, detonating an explosion at his feet to propel him higher. A Blood-Red Beam tore past him, slicing through multiple pillars, sending tremors through the entire space.Lucas wasn't skilled enough in flight to maneuver sharply, so he zigzagged, abruptly changing direction whenever he sensed another beam forming. Debris from the collapsing pillars rained down, forcing him to crash into structures repeatedly, each impact leaving him more battered. But stopping meant death. The beast was relentless, tearing through anything that stood between them.
Explosions and crimson beams filled his vision. His defensive shields shattered on impact. He was hanging by a thread, running purely on survival instinct.
Lucas tried everything to shake the beast, even drilling through pillars, recklessly diving into falling debris just to stay ahead. But the relentless chase showed no signs of stopping.The sweat was long forming on his forehead, his mouth dry as he couldn't hold out a lot longer. But the same was true for the monster chasing him, using so much energy, no matter the cost it paid, couldn't be held for long.
The attacks started to slow down as the blood that kept the beast together was starting to fall apart. Lucas had a moment to catch his breath, but as he scanned the place with his willpower, besides all the falling debris, his heart skipped a beat as he gathered all his remaining energy.
Forming a shield so thick he used up all the energy left to up his defenses to the absolute limits he was capable of. The reason for his sudden panic was because the monstrous being was doing the exact same only with another goal.
A massive explosion erupted, engulfing everything in a sphere of flames. Heat vaporized the air, pillars crumbled to dust, and the entire battlefield was swallowed in white-hot destruction.Lucas's defenses crumbled instantly. He was on the verge of being incinerated, his heartbeat slamming against his ribs as the sheer force of the blast overwhelmed him. Without any energy left, Lucas lost consciousness as he recuperated in the white light.
An unknown amount of time passed as Lucas woke up in a field of grass. Staring into a blue sky with a few clouds, Lucas felt tired even after resting. He heaved a heavy sigh of relief, he had survived. Whether by luck or his shields didn't matter anymore, he was saved.
'What in the actual fuck was that!?'
'I... don't even know..', Lucas felt exhausted, sighing openly in the field, not even bothering getting up.
'We can do all that? Using blood for magic? Why was it so powerful?'
'I always assumed if we fused enough of our aura into our blood we would turn into a mess of tentacles and flesh... but now.. I can't even tell if he was conscious or not.'
Lucas tried to enjoy the time on the somehow soft ground. The blades of grass had left impressions on his bare skin. The smell reminded him of his childhood when he had nothing to worry about, just living out his life however he wanted.
He had succeeded in the third opponent, only a single one left. It filled his heart with hope, whoever was next couldn't compare to the absolute horror like existence he just encountered.
Eventually he stood up, taking a look around. All he saw was a field without end, and a single hill in the distance. On top of the hill was a large tree, providing some shade. The hill was white, covered in white flowers, Lucas started to walk towards the hill.
'Who the hell is it this time? Can't be much worse than ourselves.'
'Considering the theme, the first was a physical fight, the second a magical one, the third was indeed focussed on aura. The only thing remaining for a mage is willpower.'
'Ah, then it's the goody two shoes, can't be anyone else.'
'Why do you think that?'
'That priest shone like a beacon while being surrounded by fanatics. He's the one who held up the church by himself in the slums, he's a man with a ton of determination. And this place seems fitting for him.'
'That... was actually a good analysis, I didn't know you paid anyone any attention.'
'Shut up and move forward, will ya.'
'A fight against Micheal.. he is going to be a difficult one.'
Lucas never really fought against him or even saw his powers in full, yet the mere presence of him was enough to calm anyone down. He was but a priest, but Lucas didn't dare to underestimate him. He had heard of the rumors back in Avesta, where a single priest called his Goddess to strike down some demon or monster.
He found it laughable, but after visiting the place himself, he did find the aftermath of that spell to be extremely powerful. Micheal was a friendly man, but that didn't mean anything when it came to his combat power.
Reaching the hill, he started to walk towards the top, where the tree stood tall. The white flowers all around him looked picturesque, even if he had to step on them to continue. Only a part of him could appreciate the beauty.
As he got close to the tree, a figure appeared. Blond hair swaying in the wind, a sweet smell was brought over to him. His heart stopped for more than a moment when he realized who it was. His body refused to move, his heart was screaming to run away while his brain lost control over his rationality.
The figure turned around after noticing someone behind. "Oh? Is that you, Lucas?", a velvety voice warmed his heart while also tearing it apart. Frozen in place, Lucas could only stare at the figure with tears in his eyes.
"Marie?"
"Hahaha.", her smile broke his heart as he struggled to breathe properly. "Who else would I be dummy?", each word was like a stake being plunged into his chest. He wasn't able to give her a reply, even if he wanted nothing more.
"Wow, you really grew tall! How did I miss that, you should teach Tris that. Or else she'll nag you to death.", a warm and gentle smile flashed on her face, making Lucas unable to hold it in anymore.
Tears that he had been holding back all started to pour out. All the words, thoughts, ideas, dreams, sufferings, desires all collapsed as he fell to his knees, crying out loud. Marie stood still for a mere second, before coming close and lowering herself as well.
Taking Lucas in a warm embracing hug, she whispered softly, "All will be well, Lucas. Sister Marie is here to take all the pain away." Lucas cried his heart out as he desperately hugged her back.
"Everything is going to be fine.", the words were so simple, yet it broke the walls around his heart. Feeling her warmth as he hugged her tightly, the blond hairs that covered his vision and the scent he had almost forgotten all brought him to tears.
They stayed there, hugging one another, for a long time, yet Marie didn't complain once. She kept on a soft smile as she comforted her precious son. Marie lowered herself more, laying in the grass, pulling Lucas with her. They both stared at the branches of the tree above. The cool breeze was perfect for the temperature.
Enjoying that moment of silence, Lucas kept tearing up, for he knew what he had to do.
"Seeing you so big and strong, it makes me think Mother Nature is playing a prank on me. I don't recognize this place, but it sure is nice. We should bring the whole family here."
"Yeah.", Lucas had trouble speaking things out loud. Should he tell her what actually happened? If he recounted his past, would she sympathize with him, or hate him for his actions?
Knowing Marie, she would undoubtably scold him, and yet even realizing that, he didn't dare lie to her.
"Marie, you... aren't real... This is all just an.. illusion.", she didn't reply as she stared at the perfect blue sky.
"Everyone... is gone, even you.", his words barely escaped his lips before he started to tear up again. His throat got stuck, his breath became unregulated as he tried his absolute best to keep his calm, but nothing worked.
"What happened?", Marie didn't seem all that worried as she started to play with Lucas's hair. Her calm demeanor and kind smile gave Lucas the energy to explain what happened.
Starting from the Scarlet Moon, Lucas described how the village was overrun by monsters. They had to run away, leaving their friends and neighbors behind as they were feasted upon. Yet they kept running, Rast, Jack, and Gregory had to be left behind as well. Just by mentioning their names, a flood of memories appeared in his mind.
Korian's death and abandoning Tris, Lucas cried over his own decisions. He forsook one of his family members to save another. Perhaps it would've been better to all die in that hellhole. The worst of all was how he would have to describe Marie's death.
There was a single scene that kept haunting him whenever. "When I saw those crows.. they kept..", Lucas felt like he would burst out in tears only for Marie to hug him once more.
"Shh, shhh, it's all going to be okay.", they laid there in silence intermittent by a sob or two. Marie was surprisingly calm and collected. Even after hearing about her death, she didn't feel anything.
"Remember what I once told you? The ghost of our past can haunt us, but can't hold us back. You're more than what your history made you. Look at you now? You've grown tall and strong, like you've always wanted. I bet you can make the money to go to some school and even study magic."
Lucas couldn't help but laugh a little through his dried up tears. It was a bittersweet smile, but at least he wasn't crying anymore. "Think about it Lucas, once you learn magic, you'll get to meet so many people. You'll travel around the world and see beautiful places you've never even thought of."
And while it sounded all so pleasant, especially coming from her, Lucas felt sad because while he would be able to do as she said, he would have to do it without her or their family.
Suddenly a voice appeared in the space.
[Emergency alert; if my calculations are correct, you have a few more minutes before your brain will cease to function. More testings are underway to figure out the exact time. If you can finish it in time, please do, else you'll become fuel for the next one.]
Lucas felt the happy illusion crack as he was forcibly shaken awake. He would die if he stayed here a lot longer. But the only way to get out would be to...
Closing his eyes, being embraced by Marie, Lucas started to think about what he should do. Should he stay here and simply pass away while laying next to Marie? Perhaps this wasn't the worst way out.
What awaited him when he would succeed this trial? A world where he would have to fight for his life all the time? A world of deceit and betrayal, where humans were at each other's throats for most of the time?
What was the point? No, it would've been better to lay under this tree, letting everything pass painlessly.
'Shut up.'
Everyone is meant to die eventually, death is but a natural part of the universe. Would it have been better to die on a battlefield where you would be in disastrous pain? Or perhaps you would get sick and die slowly while being tied to a bed. If you're unlucky, you'd grow old and see all your friends and acquaintances die before you.
'Shut up.'
In the end, this ending here is pleasant, relaxed and soothing. Dying without any kind of pain while being with the ones you love. Isn't that a more fitting end?
'I said, shut the fuck up!'
Lucas opened his eyes in a blind panic. Everything was still the same as it was, the somewhat warm temperature with a pleasant breeze. The warmth of Marie who was hugging him. He didn't know how long he had been thinking about it, but his time was short now, but that only hurt him so much more.
"Marie.. I.."
Marie opened her eyes and looked at the depressed Lucas. His face was anything but brave. While Marie didn't know what Lucas had to do, she did know that he would have to leave her behind.
She had been thinking about her life, but didn't have any strong memories, only ones where Lucas was present. She realized that she wasn't a real person. Perhaps that soothed her, perhaps not.
"Lucas, as a member of the Order of Nature, while we may be gone, our spirit never vanishes. While my body might be gone, I still live on in the trees around you. Each blade of grass holds my presence. Even inside you, I still am present, I will never truly leave you. All of us stay alive as long as you remember us."
She slowly got up, pulling Lucas by the arm. "What happened is terrible, but you have to keep on living. Giving up here would mean that nobody would remember us, that's when we truly die."
She embraced him, one final time. "Don't stop here, go out there and enjoy the beauties of life. As long as you remember us, we'll enjoy those things together."
Taking a few steps back, Lucas reached out to her to no avail. The comfortable warmth left him again. Seeing her stand there, blond hair swaying in the wind, with such a beautiful smile, Lucas didn't know what to think anymore.
Summoning his magic, Lucas started to prepare a spell, but the magic in his body wasn't listening to his orders, merely rampaging around in his body. As if the magicules themselves realized what they were about to do and didn't want to.
As his Dark Beam started to form, despite the struggles from the mana itself, Marie looked amazed. "Hihihi, so you did it. I'm so proud of you, Lucas.", her smile was so infectious, but Lucas could only cry.
A Dark Beam shot out of his hand, creating a hole in the middle of her chest large enough to remove most of her lungs and heart. Her death was instant, as a normal human, she never had any powers to begin with. The last thing Lucas saw was her kind smile before everything around him turned into a combination of black lines and white space.