Mundane lives: Survival

[Kingdom of Corzox: Inner City]

"AFTER HIM!!!", Typhon roared along with Adanis as they chased after Akelus.

Akelus zoomed across the island at an extremely high speed with Typhon and his platoon of rift-borne soldiers giving Akelus a relentless chase. Adanis had a frantic expression over his face as he desperately led the platoon after Akelus.

RRHEAANRGH!!!

Typhon roared, rallying every guard and soldier on the floating island. The rallied rift-borne army promptly responded by swarming after Akelus. The civilians frightened and startled by the commotion, frantically ran amok on the floating island. The forge-masters, industrialists, and the workers helped evacuate the civilians off the island.

The entire island shut-down, factories, industries, forges everything. All that remained was Akelus and a ferocious rift-borne army swarming him.

Ignoring the angry mob of guards and soldiers behind him Akelus kept speeding towards the edge of the island. The rift-borne guards behind Adanis dispersed increasing their pace as they charged after Akelus, who was grinning mad. He gripped The Stygian Blade preparing for battle still flying towards the edge. Typhon raced before Adanis. Leading the charge of the rift-borne army against Akelus. The rift-borne army unleashed arcane magic and elemental powers on Akelus.

Adanis dove down, landing on the island and unleashed his power. Several tree like vines and roots sprouted from the ground targeting Akelus trying to bind him, but to no avail. Akelus meticulously maneuvered around the rift-borne army such that they got in the way of Adanis' vines and roots. And the ones that even managed to get close to Akelus were just torn apart by him.

"AAAHHH!!!", Adanis let out an immensely powerful cry. Unleashing torrents of arcane magic, every inanimate object on the island sprung into life, chasing after Akelus along with the rift borne army.

Akelus kept deflecting all these attacks wielding his Stygian Blade. The whole island was consumed in a flurry of sinister arcane, flames, ice, water, lightning, thunder, so on and so forth. And amidst that ferocious storm of magic, right at the heart of the battle was Akelus pummeling the rift-borne army. He would refrain from fatally wounding any of the rift-borne. He would not chase after them relentlessly. He did not brutally slaughter them. He just kept defending himself while making his way towards the edge. Silently enduring their onslaught, and yet the mighty rift-borne army could not falter Akelus.

His eyes gleaming bright gold.

[Pathfinder]

Several grey arrows formed around him. And in that cloud of grey arrows an ominous black arrow manifested.

" Mijar Al ValToruk (I invoke the Guardian).", proclaimed Typhon, as he unsheathed his sword. A sigil of a blue eye doused in shadows appeared over his head as a spectral aura shrouded him.

Amidst the swarm of rift-borne, he charged forth striking at Akelus, plunging his sword forward. The ominous spectral aura engulfing his blade.

The sword plunged close to Akelus' face but he promptly deflected it using the Stygian Blade. He then spun around and kicked Typhon on the back of his head, striking him away.

Groaning Typhon turned around facing Akelus with a smug smile on his face. There was small clean cut on Akelus' neck with gold ichor dripping out of it. Akelus glared back at Typhon grimly, slightly stunned. He thought as he rushed at Typhon-

"How are these people injuring me!?! Something is wrong here, seems like I have underestimated them."

Typhon was prepared as he swung his sword again engulfed with the ominous spectral aura, sending forth an arc. Akelus casually ducked, gracefully dodging the attack. Charging his fist with pure Golden Qi, he struck Typhon's gut with immense might.

BOOM!!!

Typhon was sent crashing down, striking the island. The impact formed a crater. Typhon's stomach was caved in and he was bleeding from his eyes, with blood pouring out of his mouth.

Akelus ignored him as he dismissed the Stygian Blade, lunging down towards the inner city. Typhon groaned as he climbed out of the crater simultaneously healing his wounds. Adanis rushed towards him.

"SOUND THE ALARM!!!", He roared at Typhon, rage burning in his eyes. Typhon nodded as he shot a beacon of spectral energy towards the sky. 

BWREEN!!!

As the beacon distorted and blew itself apart, the entire Inner City of [Corzox] shuddered. Every rift-borne was running amok in the city. Frantically looking for a shelter to hide in. The forces of [Corzox] became active. The soldiers flew over the city led by the Dragon Sentinel Malgus. They charged at the plummeting Akelus. The guards quickly circled around the city, while quickly guiding people to available shelters and making sure there were no civilians out in the open.

As Akelus dove down towards the inner city below, he morphed into a magnificent white lion with golden fangs. He was huge in size with mighty claws. His head adorned a regal white mane with a menacing face having black stripes across his eyes. The Jester Mask covering his face adjusted to his transformation by neatly layering across his face completely hiding it. The robes that draped him unfurled even further covering his regal lion body with large pieces of obsidian black fabrics, properly sewn together.

Gazing upon Akelus' huge nemean form, magnificent but terrifying, every rift-borne was left in awe and shock. The suffocating presence that Akelus unleashed across the battlefield made everyone shudder in fright. The civilians started praying in their bunkers. The guards gulped in anxiety, tears forming in their raging eyes. The soldiers charging at him, flustered and fearful.

"[Corzox] will not fall today!!!", roared The Dragon Sentinel Malgus morphing into a mighty Dragon charging forward undaunted. Rallying everyone, boosting their morale. "We shall repel this God from [MYRIAD] and prove our might!!!"

"YAAARGH!!!", the rift-borne army yelled as they swarmed Akelus, trying to barricade him.

Akelus ignored them shrouding himself with Golden Qi, as he rammed through their barricade, crashing down on the inner city.

BOOM!!!

He unleashed torrents of pure Gold Qi. Sweeping every guard and soldier in the resulting shockwaves from the impact, overwhelming them with his Qi.

RAAAANRHH!!!

Typhon roared as he descended from the island in his dragon form, followed by his army.

Malgus casually flew towards him.

"So are we repelling him or killing him?", he asked Typhon.

Typhon ignored Malgus and spoke in a deep grim tone ,"Invoke the Guardian."

"INVOKE THE GUARDIAN!.. MIJAR AL VALTORUK!!!", Malgus roared.

"!!!MIJAR AL VALTORUK!!!", The rift-borne army chanted in a terrifying chorus invoking their Guardian, their chants reverberated across the inner city. Several sigils having a blue eye doused in shadows appeared, shrouding the whole army including their Sentinels in an ominous spectral light.

Akelus' eyes gleamed brightly.

[Pathfinder]

There was a shocking amount of ominous black arrows that appeared around him, with a very few red ones. A single trail of gray arrows leading a way out.

An ominous spectral aura engulfed around the armor and weapons of every rift-borne soldier, guard. Led by their brave and unrelenting Dragon Sentinels Malgus and Typhon as they charged at Akelus.

"FOR THE GLORY OF OUR ANCESTORS!!!", roared Typhon as he unleashed his presence.

The mighty rift-borne army rallied behind him unleashing their presence as well alongside Malgus.

Akelus stunned and a bit fearful, his eyes gleaming bright as he witnessed a huge wave of ominous black arrows approach him from all sides.

He charged himself with more Golden Qi shrouding him in Golden light but hidden by his robes. He temporarily countered the presence unleashed by the rift-borne. Small sliver of this light kept leaking out of his robes.

"That lizard has tampered with my robes.", he thought, his eyes searing with hatred for Adanis as he retracted his aura, the shining golden light. "It was as expected, he was not one to be trusted. At least I got what I wanted from him."

He gazed upon his golden ring as he prepared for battle. Arching his body upwards he slammed down on the ground sending forth shockwaves in all directions. He lunged along the gray arrows leading to a way out.

Relentless, the soldiers chased after him barricading his escape while surrounding him. Akelus shrouded himself in a Qi shield still bolting towards the barricade. Malgus and Typhon dove down in their draconian form lunging at Akelus trying to pin him down. Akelus hopped and slid across the pavement of the city, lunging from building to building as the two dragons gave him an unrelenting chase. Their claws glowing ominously.

Malgus swiped at Akleus almost slashing his ankles while Typhon tried to tackle Akelus from above. Typhon grabbed Akelus by his stomach and tried to flip him over by lifting him up but Akelus quickly turned his head facing Typhon as he charged his breath with pure Golden Qi and unleashed a beam of golden light at Typhon.

Typhon quickly let go of Akelus but could not avoid the attack. It charred his skin and burnt his face. The Spectral aura around him protected him from the full brunt of the attack helped him survive. It healed him.

Ignoring Typhon, Akelus bolted towards the barricade of rift-borne soldiers ramming into them, following the grey trail of arrows leading outside. The barricade did not fall, the soldiers held strong. Akelus with his patience wearing thin started bashing and thrashing the soldiers, tearing through their ranks in his huge white lion form. Malgus quickly rushed in to defend his soldiers from Akelus' onslaught, facing the brunt of his attacks. The spectral light shined brightly over Malgus' bruised body healing it, as he relentlessly fought against Akelus not giving him any ground.

It was bloody and brutal fight where both of them snapped at one another, slashing each other with their claws, biting and tearing with their maws, barraging each other with terrible, horrifying and powerful blows. Sonic booms reverberated across the inner city as their fists collided. Both of them fought like feral beasts trying devour one another. A cesspool of ichor and blood around them.

Malgus eventually began to falter as Akelus started dominating the fight, his army left aghast. Akelus repeatedly pummeling Malgus with his blows, blasting him with his beams of energy, bashing his head against the ground. Using his maw, Akelus grabbed Malgus by his neck. He dragged Malgus' bloodied body across the floor and flung him away, for all to see.

BOOM!!!

Malgus crashed into the pavement of the city, where he lay tired and defeated.

The spectral light was shining brightly upon Malgus, healing him. He weakly glared at Akelus who broke through the barricade and escaped the inner city. He heard Typhon roaring his name and saw his army charging after Akelus with rage and hatred, as his conscious... faded away.

******** ******** ********

[Kingdom of Corzox]

Akelus raced across the vast expanse of [Corzox], chased by the enraged rift-borne army led by Typhon.

Typhon was seething with rage and shame. Anger because he let a God run rampant inside the capital city of [Corzox] and shame because of his inability to help his friend Malgus. He furiously led his army after Akelus.

Adanis was flew beside him.

"Why don't we unleash all our forces on him.", he spoke, searing with hatred towards Akelus.

Glaring at Akelus, Typhon replied in an eerily grim and calm tone-

"That would be excessive. We are not just fighting a single God. There are two more [Incarnations] from [MYRIAD] at war with our king on the frontlines.-"

Increasing his pace gaining on Akelus-

"And there are other factions waiting at our frontiers, biding their time. All waiting for the right opportunity to strike and overwhelm us all."

"Tsk... ", Adanis grimaced.

As the army closed in on Akelus. Typhon warned Adanis-

"Don't be reckless, if you are worried about the boy-"

"Xylus will be fine.", Adanis spoke in disdain, interrupting Typhon. But his eyes betrayed him, filled with apprehension as he thought.

"He has to be... for he knows a way to summon our Guardian, he knows where his tomb lies."

Typhon sped towards Akelus without sparing Adanis a glance.

"Adanis... Return.", he commanded.

Adanis sighed in frustration as he made his way back to the inner city.

Akelus continued flying along the gray trail of arrows which was slowly turning gold. His sole intention right now was to escape. Glancing at the approaching rift-borne army, he steeled his vision, boosting himself forward. Summoning the Stygian Blade.

But the rift-borne army was relentless, slowly gaining on Akelus. The ominous spectral light shining brightly over them, as they engaged Akelus in battle again. Another battle ensued as the rift-borne army converged around Akelus. This time Typhon personally engaged Akelus in combat.

"Shou... Project my conscious into the ring.", Akelus instructed as fended off against Typhon and his relentless army. While Bangshou simultaneously produced a construct inside the golden ring resembling Akelus.

The domain inside the ring was very distorted and warping, with several golden constructs drifting around inside it. Each construct had many valuable resources stored inside it. Jewels, minerals, ores, weapons, utilities, animals, creatures, etc. There was one construct that remained rooted in place glowing faintly blue. This construct had the shape of a truncated octahedron, behaving like a prison. This prison held the child dragon, Xylus. He was whimpering and shivering, shocked and frightened. The spectral steeds revolved around the octahedron construct in the form shadows.

Akelus' conscious approached the prison. The spectral steeds morphed back to their original form, still revolving around the construct. Staring at the approaching Akelus, Xylus cornered himself further into the prison. Akelus hovered before the prison construct gently tapping one of it's surface, making it disappear.

Mustering his courage Xylus lunged out of the prison, trying rush past Akelus. Akelus effortlessly grabbed Xylus by his throat, holding him in place. Staring at Xylus menacingly, he spoke-

"Do not be afraid, child.", his voice thundered within the warping and distorting void of the ring. "I will not hurt you, nor will I let any harm come to you. I need your help."

Terrified, Xylus cowered within Akelus' grasp, not daring to look at his vicious and menacing nemean face.

"Your realm will soon fall at the hands [MYRIAD], [Jotunheim], [HELL] and countless factions of [Yggdrasil] unless you help me.", Akelus continued. "I promise to ensure your survival, even if [Corzox] falls."

"Adanis t-told me t-that you are e-evil.", Xylus stuttered with an innocent but afraid tone, mustering all the strength he could to speak. "T-that you would bring an end to my home."

Outside the golden ring, Akelus was fighting a ferocious war against Typhon and his army. He kept rushing towards the border of [Corzox], following the gray trail of arrows. Battered and bruised, riddled with many wounds and scars, Typhon was desperately trying to contain Akelus, but to no avail. 

Akelus sighed, as he assured Xylus, "I have nothing to gain by destroying your home. I cannot ensure [Corzox]'s survival, but I can assure yours. Help me, Xylus. Help me find a way to summon your Guardian [The Pioneer]. Help me and survive. It will all be good as long as you survive to live the next day."

Xylus still shuddering, remained silent. Akelus sighed yet again.

He placed Xylus back inside the Octahedron prison. Snapping his fingers he locked the prison construct.

"Think about my offer.", he told Xylus, as his construct within the ring disappeared.

Akelus finally broke through the relentless rift-borne army, escaping [Corzox]. The rift-borne were about chase after him yet again, when-

RRREEAANRGH!!!

Typhon roared in rage halting the rift-borne.

"Retreat!", he commanded his army, with frustration and disappointment. "We cannot expose ourselves this early."

He went back towards the inner city of [Corzox], his army following behind him.

Akelus rushed outside immediately crashing into a gray arena. He gazed above seeing two [Incarnations] from [MYRIAD] locked in a vicious battle seven huge dragons. Recognizing one of the [Incarnations], Akelus quickly hid himself. Startled and anxious, he thought-

"[Hermes] of all people... Shit!, the invasion has begun."

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