Chapter 262

[Third Person's PoV] 

SCREEEEEEECH!

Beru's bloodlust and power erupted like a tidal wave, sending shockwaves through the ground, which shattered on contact. His wings beat furiously, producing a sharp, buzzing resonance as the earth caved beneath him. Without hesitation, he launched himself towards Yogumunt.

Yogumunt hovered above the ground, narrowly evading Beru's razor-sharp claws that sliced through the air, leaving four massive gashes where he once stood. Magic flared around him as he weaved through the sky, Beru's relentless form hot on his heels.

With a flick of his staff, orbs of crackling magic materialized beside Yogumunt, humming with volatile energy before launching towards Beru.

But Beru was faster. He slashed through the incoming orbs with his bare claws. As he shot past, the spheres split into three parts, exploding into massive red fireballs. Yet, they detonated far behind him, unable to catch up to his blistering speed.

Gamma followed closely, her narrowed eyes scanning the chaos. The wind roared past her ears as she expertly maneuvered through the explosions. Despite being one of the less skilled fighters, her intuition was sharp. A gnawing suspicion tugged at her thoughts.

'Something isn't right. Why would Lord Beru release this much bloodlust? The only reason would be…' She didn't finish the thought. Her grip on her broom tightened, threatening to snap.

Dark, volatile orbs of destructive purple energy formed at her side as she continued to weave through the fiery debris.

Ahead, Yogumunt waved his staff, and the corpses of monstrous creatures twisted together, spiraling into grotesque abominations. Another flick of his staff sent the abominations hurtling towards Beru.

But Beru was unstoppable. He zigzagged through the sky, shredding the monstrosities apart with his claws and mandibles. Gamma, meanwhile, hurled her space orbs. Each orb erased chunks of the abominations, as if reality itself had taken a bite out of them.

Suddenly, ahead of Gamma, flashes of light flared like stars surrounding Yogumunt. They shot forward with blinding brilliance, and everything around them erupted in a chain of explosions.

Both Beru and Gamma darted and twisted through the detonations, narrowly avoiding the blasts.

Yogumunt steadied his staff in front of him, magic coalescing at its tip. Red electric discharges sparked wildly as the stored energy grew unstable.

When the spell unleashed, the sheer power distorted the very air.

TOT! TOT! TOT! TOT! BWHRRRRR!

Beru's and Gamma's instincts screamed. In perfect synchrony, they barrel-rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the searing beam.

Yogumunt swung the energy beam downward in a powerful arc. The ground split in two, a perfect line stretching for miles. Waves of destructive energy erupted from the fissure, followed by a storm of fire and heat.

Beru, undeterred, combined Geppo and Soru simultaneously. He blasted forward, shockwaves rippling outward as his image stretched and vanished.

In the blink of an eye, Beru reappeared before Yogumunt, his claws clenched into a devastating fist. Mana surged from his body, amplifying his strength.

With a thunderous roar, Beru drove his fist into Yogumunt's frail form. The force bent Yogumunt's body unnaturally, his eyes widening as blood burst from his mouth.

BOOOOOM!

Yogumunt's figure blurred as he was sent hurtling to the ground, crashing with explosive force. A massive cloud of dust and debris billowed upward.

Gamma waved her hand, and the dust storm parted, revealing Yogumunt's crumpled body in a crater of shattered earth and rubble.

Groaning, Yogumunt struggled to rise, using his staff for support while wiping blood from his mouth.

Gamma's eyes flashed with resolve. She raised her hand, and the rubble surrounding Yogumunt levitated into the air. With a swift motion, she sent the debris crashing down with crushing force, augmented by her control over gravity.

Yogumunt's mind swam in pain from Beru's assault, leaving him disoriented. The rocks smashed into him mercilessly, blood spurting from the cracks between the rubble.

"Did I get him?" Gamma asked, her voice steady but cautious.

BOOM!

The rubble exploded outward in a shockwave of raw energy, forcing Gamma to shield her face.

"I just had to ask…" she muttered, eyes narrowing as she prepared for the next round.

His form was charred, cuts crisscrossing his body, with blood leaking from every wound.

But just as Yogumunt raised his staff, Beru speed-blitzed in front of him before he even realized it—too late.

BANG!

Beru's fist slammed into Yogumunt's face, lifting him off his feet and sending him ragdolling through the air. He crashed into the ground, skidding across the dirt, leaving a deep trail in his wake.

Gamma flew after him, her eyes sharp with focus. She swiped her hand down, and an invisible force wrapped around Yogumunt in a purplish-blue aura.

CRASH!

Yogumunt was slammed into the ground with crushing force, the surrounding earth flattening under the immense pressure. His face was ground into the dirt, sweat beading across his forehead as he struggled against the weight.

"That… witch," Yogumunt grunted through clenched teeth. "She's controlling… gravity."

Summoning the last of his strength, Yogumunt's aura flared—a black-red miasma rising around him like a dark flame. His muscles strained as he pushed himself to his knees, using his staff as a crutch to stand.

"This is far—"

His words were cut short.

Beru flashed by in a blur. In an instant, Yogumunt's head popped clean off his neck, spinning into the air like a grotesque top.

'Why am I upside down?' Yogumunt wondered in his final moments. 'Is that… my body?' 

His head hit the ground with a soft thud.

A fountain of blood erupted from his neck, his headless corpse dropping back to its knees before flopping forward lifelessly.

The Monarch of Transfiguration, Yogumunt, The King of Demonic Specters was no more.

"SCREEEEEEEEECH!!!"

Beru let out a victorious screech, a tribute to his Monarch.

Gamma dismounted her broom, her eyes narrowing as she examined the corpse. But soon, her gaze darted around, a puzzled look crossing her face.

"…Where's Zeta?" she muttered.

…

Purple eyes shot open, glowing with unrestrained power.

The first thing Cid saw was Zeta's face, her gaze soft as she cradled his head in her lap.

"What are you doing here?" Cid asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I was worried about my lord, obviously," Zeta replied, gently caressing his cheek.

"Oh? Just your lord? Not your husband?" Cid teased with a smirk.

"They're the same to me," Zeta said, her smile brightening. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his in a tender kiss.

Before things could escalate further, a deliberate ahem interrupted them.

Igris stood nearby, clearing his throat. "I hope your sleep was restful, my Liege."

"Oh, hey Igris," Cid said, sitting up and stretching his arms. "Yeah, it was." He rolled his shoulders, feeling the energy coursing through him. "How long was I out?"

"We don't know exactly," Zeta replied. "Time seems to work differently in the void. The best I can say is maybe a day… probably two."

Cid's eyes glowed more fiercely now. He clenched his fists, feeling the surge of power within.

"Well, I've rested enough."

He stood tall, his voice steady and resolute.

"Let's go. We have a war to win."

…

Beta stood in a desolate, frozen landscape that stretched for miles. Snowflakes drifted lazily from the gray sky, settling on the countless ice statues scattered across the land.

Her breath came out in soft puffs of mist. In her hands, she held a glowing, light-blue bow formed from her own power.

Beta nocked an arrow made of pure ice, its fluctuating energy pulsing in the cold air. She closed her eyes, feeling the presence behind her, and fired an arrow over her shoulder without hesitation.

A portal flickered open just in time—Cid stepped out, catching the arrow mere centimeters from his face.

Beta's eyes snapped open. Realizing her mistake, she immediately dropped to her knees, groveling with her forehead pressed to the ice.

"FORGIVE ME, MY LORD! I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE YOU! PLEASE, PUNISH THIS LOWLY SERVANT!"

Cid chuckled, crushing the arrow in his hand effortlessly.

"It's alright, Beta," he said calmly. "My energy signature's a little different now. I understand the confusion. There's no need for punishment."

He reached down, helping her to her feet, and patted her shoulder.

"You've done well. Good job."

Beta's eyes sparkled at his praise, but Cid's next words were even more surprising.

"However, your work here is done. This war…is already won."