Beyond Human Limits

The battlefield was a hellscape of smoldering debris and blood-soaked earth, the air thick with the acrid stench of smoke and iron. Count Aumale's forces had disintegrated under my relentless assault, and his lifeless body now lay in a twisted heap near my feet. I thrust the Aetherblade into the ground, its faint hum a reminder of its unspent power, and turned to the surviving soldiers.

"Your leader is dead!" I roared, my voice cutting through the cacophony of battle. "Surrender, or you'll join him in the dirt!"

Weapons clattered to the ground as fear consumed the remnants of Aumale's thirty thousand men—now reduced to a mere nine thousand. These soldiers had no loyalty; they were merely pawns following orders. Cowards. Smart cowards, but cowards nonetheless. As they knelt in submission, my gaze swept across the battlefield. Amidst the dying embers of combat, one fierce duel still raged—a fight I couldn't ignore.

Galen.

He was locked in a savage struggle against Fausto. Even from this distance, I could see the strain on him. His swings with his Titan's Might sword were slower, more desperate. Each move screamed exhaustion, and his once-taunting voice was ominously silent.

Fausto, on the other hand, was a storm incarnate. The Stormrider sword crackled with lightning as he moved with supernatural speed, each strike more precise and brutal than the last. The Amulet of the Berserker's Rage had transformed him into a monstrous force of destruction, and Galen was barely holding on.

A surge of anger and adrenaline shot through me. I didn't hesitate. Activating the Aetherblade's Spectral Strike, I felt the familiar surge of energy flood my body, heightening my speed and sharpening my reflexes. In a blur, I crossed the distance and intercepted Fausto's blade just as it was about to carve Galen in two.

Steel clashed against steel, sparks flying as I forced Fausto back. "Who the hell are you?" I demanded, my voice a thunderous growl.

Fausto's lips twisted into a cruel smirk. "You already know my name," he sneered, his tone dripping with mockery.

"That's not what I'm asking!" I retorted, my voice seething with fury. "Who do you serve?"

"The Holy Empire," Fausto said, his smirk widening. "And you, Eisenhart, are exactly what we've been searching for."

His words were like a slap to the face. The Holy Empire—the shadow that loomed over my family's existence. My heart pounded as I realized the depth of their involvement. Before I could respond, Fausto's smirk deepened.

"Your sisters," he said casually, his voice laced with venom. "Lovely girls. The Church was quite thorough in ensuring their safety. They're alive... for now."

The world seemed to freeze. My sisters. Taken. Held captive by the Holy Empire. Rage unlike anything I had ever felt surged through me. My vision blurred, my body trembling with fury.

"Where are they?!" I roared, advancing on him. My Aetherblade sword pulsed in my hand, responding to my unbridled anger. "Tell me where they are, or I'll rip the answer from your corpse!"

Fausto chuckled darkly, his calm demeanor unshaken. "Do you think threats will work on me?" he said, tilting his head mockingly. "Even if you succeed on killing me, you'll never find them. The Church doesn't make mistakes. They're far beyond your reach."

"You bastard!" I lunged, my blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. Fausto dodged, his movements unnaturally quick, his laughter echoing in my ears.

"Oh, I love it," he taunted, his eyes gleaming with malice. "That fire in your eyes. That desperation. It's exactly what the Church predicted."

"Shut up!" I bellowed, launching another attack. But his speed was far greater than mine.

"You're a fascinating specimen, Eisenhart," Fausto sneered. "The last remnant of Avaloria, bearing the unique gift of aether refinement. The Church trembled at the thought of your power—terrified of what you could become. So they orchestrated everything: your kidnapping, Aumale's war, this entire war... all to confirm our worst suspicions."

His words only fueled my rage. My strikes became faster, harder, each one aimed to silence him forever. But Fausto was no ordinary opponent. He met my attacks with calculated precision, his Stormrider crackling with power as it clashed against my Aetherblade.

"You'll tell me where they are," I growled, my voice low and deadly. "Even if I have to break every bone in your body."

Fausto laughed again, the sound grating against my ears. "You think you have the time for that? While you waste your energy on me, your sisters remain at the mercy of the Church. Perhaps they're praying for you now, hoping their dear brother will come to save them. How tragic."

Something inside me snapped. I drove forward with a ferocity I didn't know I possessed, forcing Fausto onto the defensive. The ground beneath us cracked under the force of our battle, the air thick with the clash of aether and lightning.

"Where are they?" I demanded, my voice a deadly whisper.

Fausto's lips curved into a wicked smile. "Even if I wanted to tell you," he rasped, "it wouldn't matter. The Church always wins."

Fausto grinned, his movements unrelenting. The combination of his artifacts made him an almost insurmountable foe. I could feel the strain in my arms, the weight of every blow he forced me to block.

A shadow flickered to my left, and I caught sight of Arnold. Silent and lethal, he emerged from the chaos, his daggers—'Phantom's Embrace'—aimed for Fausto's back. With the precision of a predator, he phased through Fausto's protective barrier, his blades biting deep.

But Fausto was faster than we'd anticipated. He spun, the 'Stormrider' unleashing a burst of lightning that forced Arnold to retreat. The steward's face remained impassive, but I knew him well enough to see the frustration in his movements.

"My lord, you're hogging all the fun," came Galen's voice, ragged but defiant. He staggered to his feet, gripping the 'Titan's Might' like a lifeline. Blood streaked his face, but he managed a grin as he joined us.

The three of us circled Fausto, our weapons glowing with the power of their enchantments. Together, we launched a coordinated assault, each of us pushing our artifacts to their limits. But Fausto didn't falter. He met every strike with terrifying efficiency, his movements almost mocking in their precision.

For the first time in a long while, I felt the sting of doubt. Even with all my knowledge, my strength, and my strategies, Fausto was proving to be more than a match.

But I wasn't about to give up. Not now. Not ever.

"Keep him busy!" I barked at Galen and Arnold, already forming a plan. If brute force wasn't enough, then I'd have to outthink him. And if there was one thing I excelled at, it was turning the impossible into a reality.

The air crackled with tension, charged by the unrelenting presence of Fausto. His 'Stormrider' hummed with latent energy, arcs of lightning licking its blade. The amulet hanging around his neck pulsed with a primal red glow, and his every move radiated an unnerving calm.

Arnold, Galen, and I had him surrounded, but that smirk on his face told me he wasn't worried. Why would he be? He held all the cards—or so he thought.

"You came all this way," Fausto said, his voice dripping with mockery. "And yet, this is all you have to show for it? You're outmatched."

I didn't waste my breath responding. Fausto thrived on ego, feeding off the reactions of his prey. I refused to give him that satisfaction. I needed to stay composed.

Arnold flickered into motion first, his 'Phantom's Embrace' daggers glinting in the dim light. With a movement that was almost fluid, he phased through the ground and reappeared behind Fausto, aiming for the gap in his armor.

Fausto turned at the last moment, his blade intercepting the strike with a burst of electricity. "Predictable," he said, swinging his 'Stormrider' in a wide arc. Arnold phased just in time, vanishing into the shadows once more.

Galen took the opening, charging with a roar that echoed across the battlefield. His 'Titan's Might' came down like an executioner's axe, shattering the ground beneath them. But Fausto sidestepped, faster than should have been possible, and countered with a flash of lightning.

The force of the strike sent Galen skidding backward, his armor scorched and smoking.

I gritted my teeth, gripping the hilt of my 'Aetherblade' sword tighter. Fausto wasn't just strong; he was calculating, his movements efficient and deliberate. He didn't know who I was or what I had been before this life, but that ignorance made him dangerous in a different way—he wasn't afraid of what he didn't understand.

But he would be.

"Stay close, but not too close," I barked to my companions, activating the 'Aetherium Band' ring.

The artifact's purple light pulsed as I reached out with my mind, manipulating the rubble scattered across the battlefield. Shattered weapons, broken masonry, and even chunks of earth rose into the air, forming a swirling vortex of debris.

Fausto's eyes flickered to the movement, his smirk fading just slightly.

"Oh? This trick again?"

"Let's see how you handle it," I muttered, propelling the debris toward him.

The storm of rubble surged, forcing Fausto to shift into defense. His 'Stormrider' sword came alive, arcs of lightning disintegrating fragments mid-flight. But the relentless barrage kept him rooted, preventing him from launching an offense.

Arnold used the distraction to close the gap, his twin daggers slicing at Fausto's exposed sides. Galen joined in, his strikes wild but powerful, each one forcing Fausto to adjust his footing.

I waited for my moment, watching for the rhythm in Fausto's counters. He was fast, yes, but every action had a tell—a split-second pause before he shifted his weight, a flicker of his eyes to where he expected the next attack.

"Now!" I roared, channeling aether into the 'Aetherblade'. The weapon pulsed with light as I unleashed an 'Aether Slash', the shimmering arc of energy cutting through the battlefield toward Fausto.

The strike collided with his defenses, forcing him to stagger. It wasn't enough to bring him down, but for the first time, the smirk on his face was gone.

"You think this changes anything?" he growled, his voice laced with anger.

"No," I said, stepping forward. "But it's a start."

Fausto swung his 'Stormrider' sword, sending a bolt of lightning toward me. I activated the 'Heart of Elysium', its radiant barrier absorbing the strike and converting it into a surge of healing energy.

As the battle raged on, I realized brute force and strategy alone wouldn't be enough to take down Fausto. His speed and agility were unmatched, and even with Galen and Arnold fighting by my side, we were barely holding our own. I needed something more—something that would give me the edge I desperately craved. Then it struck me—a spell I had used countless times before, one that could enhance my speed and agility beyond what the Aetherblade alone could provide.

The 'Accelerate' spell.

But there was a catch. The spell would consume a massive amount of aether, and with my current reserves at just 30 percent, I'd be lucky to maintain it for three minutes. It was a risk, a huge gamble, but one I was willing to take. I had to end this fight quickly, or it would be our end.

"Galen, Arnold, buy me some time!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the chaos of the battlefield. They both acknowledged my command with a nod, their weapons flashing as they redoubled their efforts to keep Fausto at bay.

I took a deep breath, centering my mind and channeling the aether within me. The chaos of the battlefield faded as I focused on the ancient Lunari spell. With a sense of urgency, the incantation flowed from my lips like a force of nature.

"Seri kin, vras kin, raris kin, toran! (Accelerate!)"

As the final syllable left my mouth, I felt a surge of power coursing through my veins. The world around me seemed to slow down, every movement of Fausto's blade becoming crystal clear. I could see the individual arcs of lightning crackling from the 'Stormrider' sword, the slight shifts in his stance as he prepared to counter Galen and Arnold's attacks.

The surrounding enemy troops stared in disbelief, their eyes wide with shock and fear. "What kind of monster is he?" one of them muttered, his voice trembling.

"That's not humanly possible," another enemy soldier whispered.

My own soldiers looked on with a mix of awe and pride, their morale bolstered by the display of power.

"Our young Lord is unstoppable!" one of them shouted, his voice filled with renewed vigor.

With the 'Accelerate' spell active, I moved like never before. The 'Aetherblade' felt like an extension of my arm, its hum growing louder as I channeled more aether into its abilities. I dashed forward, my speed leaving afterimages in my wake. The enemy soldiers gasped, their faces paling as they witnessed my newfound speed. Even my own troops couldn't help but stare in amazement, their voices rising in a cheer of support.

"Go, Young Lord! Show them what you're made of!" a soldier from my army yelled, his fist pumping in the air.

Fausto's eyes widened in surprise as I closed the distance between us in the blink of an eye. His blade came up to block my strike, but I was already gone, circling around him with a burst of speed. I unleashed a flurry of 'Aether Slashes', the shimmering arcs of energy cutting through the air with precision.

Fausto countered each strike, his movements still fast but no longer overwhelming. The 'Stormrider' sword crackled with lightning as he parried my attacks, but I could see the strain in his eyes. He was being pushed to his limits, and I wasn't about to let up.

Galen and Arnold fought alongside me, their weapons a blur of motion. Galen's 'Titan's Might' sword came down with crushing force, each swing amplified by his immense strength. Arnold's 'Phantom's Embrace' daggers flickered in and out of existence, striking from unexpected angles as he phased through solid matter.

Together, we were a whirlwind of destruction, our coordinated assault pushing Fausto back. The enemy troops watched in horror, their resolve crumbling as they saw the champion sent by the Holy Empire struggling. My soldiers, on the other hand, were invigorated, their cheers growing louder with each passing second.

"He's too fast! There's no way we can win against that!" an enemy soldier cried out, his voice filled with despair.

"It's a good decision that we surrender," another enemy whispered, his eyes darting nervously between me and Fausto.

But I knew our advantage wouldn't last forever. The 'Accelerate' spell was draining my aether reserves rapidly, and I could feel the strain on my body. I had to end this fight now.

With a final burst of speed, I dashed forward, the 'Aetherblade' glowing with intense energy. I unleashed a powerful 'Aether Slash', the arc of energy cutting through Fausto's defenses. He staggered, his grip on the 'Stormrider' faltering for the first time.

Seizing the opportunity, I activated the 'Heart of Elysium', its radiant barrier enveloping me as I closed in. The barrier absorbed Fausto's desperate counterattacks, converting the damage into healing energy that surged through my body.

With a final, decisive strike, I drove my 'Aetherblade' sword through Fausto's defenses, the blade piercing his armor. He gasped, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. His 'Stormrider' sword clattered to the ground, its lightning fading as Fausto's grip on it loosened.

"You...you can't..." he stammered, his voice barely a whisper.

"I can," I said, my voice cold and unyielding. "And I did."

The enemy troops stared in disbelief, their faces a picture of defeat.

"It's over," one of them murmured, his shoulders slumping. "We can't win against that."

My soldiers erupted in cheers, their voices filled with triumph and relief.

"Our Lord is victorious!" they shouted, their fists pumping in the air.

As Fausto crumpled to the ground, defeated, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. The battle was won, but the war was far from over. I turned to Galen and Arnold, their faces etched with exhaustion but also with triumph.

"We did it," Galen said, a grin spreading across his face.

Arnold nodded, his expression serious but satisfied. "Indeed, my lord. We did."

With Fausto defeated, we turned our attention to the remaining enemy forces. The sight of their leader and the inquisitor's fall had broken their spirit, and they surrendered without further resistance. The battlefield fell silent, the only sounds the distant echoes of our victory.

"We surrender!" an enemy soldier shouted, throwing down his weapon. "Please, have mercy on us."

"Mercy!" another enemy cried out, his hands raised in surrender. "We yield to Lord Eisenhart!"

As I stood there, the 'Aetherblade' humming softly in my hand, I knew that the Holy Empire is still out there.

There will be more challenges ahead and more enemies to face. I need to become stronger.

The war was far from over, but for now, we had won the battle. And that was enough. The surrounding troops, both enemy and ally, looked at me with a newfound respect and fear. They had witnessed something extraordinary, something that would be etched in their memories forever. And I was ready to face whatever came next, no matter the cost.