The Exalt Cultivation Fantasy

Act 4: Fallen Heaven - Chapter 736: The Light Of Hope

The nodes shone, the lines shimmering to and from every place. Auren took out three bottles and poured out their contents in the center. One contained the collected blood of everyone in their encampment, the loyal soldiers and followers of his Lord. The second dripped a single drop, the blood he collected from Lysander. The last bottle, given to him by one of the Brilliant Drake Empire, released the blood of the princess and her retinue. The blood of all coalesced into an orb that floated above the central node. Light pierced it and separated it into all the individual drops, one for each person, shining like the red stars above.

The world, no, the dark tower below, shuddered. Ein streamed forth in rapid tides, coursing to the disks and climbing up to reach his formation. Engulfed by the swell of Ein and a flood of light, Auren looked at his hands and watched the gashes and cuts close up, with a healthy color returning to his skin. The warmest of lights touched his cheeks and embraced him as if it were a mother holding her child. Exhaustion left him, and renewal began. His core spun in joy and was filled to the brim with Ein. He rose and raised his hands, pumping his fists up on the highest point in all of Talos, staring upward at the vast bed of stars.

"I did it!" Auren shouted, proclaiming to everyone and anyone who could listen. "I am the greatest formation master in all of history!" His laughter rang out. The light pulsed and spread out as a great tide of starry mists, rippling down and coursing to everyone who had given their blood. Auren grinned and thumped his chest, wishing the others could see the moment of triumph.

……

Marcus caught Cel's spear in his claw and gritted his teeth, enduring the shockwave of terrifying Ein that imploded in his grip. Cracks covered every inch of his black scales, splitting the red, fiery patterns of Eve's flames. Swinging wide, he extended his other claw and caught Cel's shoulder, burning off parts of the cloak to reveal fine, glossy skin of metallic sheen. Smoke sizzled upon contact, the immense heat in his palm attempting to melt Cel's iron body. Marcus's throat fumed smog and began to emit a red glare, readying a true dragon's breath.

Cel tried to jab his spear forward, but Marcus held it tight, refusing to let go further, pointing it away from harm. Cuts and fresh scars riddled his scaly form. Molten blood popped and forced itself out of them, unable to withstand the rising pressure, and smoldered as it seeped everywhere. The last reserves of his Ein had been for this moment, and to squander it for naught would be an insult to himself. A dragon roared in Marcus's heart and tremored the air around them, bearing down on Cel, who shuddered and buckled his knees.

At the moment the dragon's flame departed from his mouth, the sharp cry of screeching metal banged in quick succession. The ground caved in several inches. A platinum foot, bearing a spearhead at its toes, snapped forward, glinting red-hot as it opposed the dragon breath. That damned Integration made Cel's attacks far more formidable, almost in the same manner as his Lord's Reis. Marcus couldn't hold on and was flung away to the nearby wall, crashing on and deepening a hole in it. Panting, he fixated his draconic gaze on Cel, noting the Ancestral Mark blinking and flashing before the shining crown shattered apart. Moreover, one of Cel's legs had been burned to a crisp, forcing the Divine Enforcer to limp on his one good leg.

"Not bad. It is almost displeasing to kill one so skilled. I wish we could have fought under different circumstances. But you are now spent, and I must kill you." Cel raised his spear, pointing it at Marcus. Blood dripped down his fingers and slicked down the shaft to the tip.

Marcus groaned and tore himself free from the wall, leaving behind a few black scales on the stone. His Ein was spent, and his body no longer listened to his will. All he could do was stand and wait for Cel's move. Suddenly, the dark tower shuddered, and both turned their gazes up. Marcus smiled as he sensed a small, unique Ein mixed in the ocean weighing on his head. It was Auren's. The damned rascal finally succeeded. A mist of light and Ein flooded the broken room and entered Marcus.

"Thank you, Auren." He gladly received the gift and emitted a strong light that layered over his form, patching together the cracked and missing scales and replenishing his depleted Ein. Cel looked surprised, or rather, Marcus felt he was underneath that mask. He raised his claws and smiled fiercely, baring his rows of sharp teeth. "Now, it's a fair fight, o'Divine Enforcer."

"You and your Lord. You are full of surprises. I can never underestimate anyone related to him. Thank you for the lesson." Cel removed his cloak, wearing a sleeveless armor that clung tightly to his skin. His spear glinted dangerously, reflecting the light Marcus had received. "Not bad at all."

Marcus flapped his wings and dashed toward Cel, intent on slaying the Divine Enforcer. Auren's aid had come at the best time for him to enjoy this battle to the fullest against Cel.

…….

'Kragg!' Restel screamed in his ears from the shadows, her trembling voice grating on his nerves.

Anger flared and filled his vision red. Why did she sound so worried, sad, and afraid? He awoke and gasped, realizing he was staring at the floor, half of his face drowned in his own blood. Restel screamed again in his ears, and he roared, smashing his claws on the ground to force himself up. With that, his head cleared. He remembered what had happened as he studied the streams of blood gushing from his mangled flesh, chunks of skin and muscle missing as if torn or bitten off. A loud stomp diverted his attention toward it, the Sweeper's roar blaring out with bits of flesh dangling between its sharp teeth.

"Experiment 23, you continue to outperform my calculations. Perhaps the Index might fully grasp your new ceiling, but it is astonishing, nonetheless. Maybe we have been mistaken in our approach. Evolution comes from necessity and will for survival. Neither of which we had instilled in you and the other failures. Incredible what a firm-rooted determination and loyalty can do." Faust smirked, still bleeding from the eye Restel had stabbed. He glared at the shadow with a hateful gaze. "It's a pity she can't do anything for you anymore. What use is a shadow if the body can no longer move?"

"Shut up. Come closer!" Kragg roared, clenching every fiber of his being to stop the bleeding. "My teeth are as sharp as ever. We both die, or I win."

The Sweeper was bleeding from several spots where he had taken bites out of him. Claw marks and charred skin that crackled with sparks of lightning could be seen on every naked skin of the monster, deep wounds that revealed the white bone inside. His victory was so close, very close. The lion in him accompanied him in a resounding roar. It, too, felt the victory nearby and growled, deciding to strike at the creature at the risk of its own life, unwilling to put down its pride and honor. Kragg laughed heartily and staggered forward, smiling fiercely. He couldn't disappoint the beast in him, for they were one and the same.

Out of nowhere, a dense light flooded the grand hall, covering the ceiling of gems and art, brushing past the statues without care. Kragg looked up, as did Faust. 'Auren made it….Auren made it!' Restel's cheer and sobs of joy made Kragg sigh in relief at his sister's brightening mood. In a way, he now owed the damned brat. The light surged in great rivers and concentrated on him, the flesh regrowing and resewn in new veins, muscles, and skin. The few wisps of lightning clinging to his fur trembled and burst, now coating his regrown fur in an immense amount.

"What is this? How absurd. How can such an occurrence happen? No spell should have such an effect." Faust stammered, then went mute, seemingly shaken by Kragg's revival.

"I don't know how. But I know now I can kill you, Faust!" Kragg charged and streaked across in a trail of lightning, swiping his claw. The Sweeper retreated, but he had taken its arm and raised it, wagging it as a taunt toward Faust, who finally showed hints of fear in that paling face. "Thank you, Faust. Thanks to you, I met Lordy and the others. Restel and I are safe. And you are dead."

"You damned defective–" Faust couldn't finish the rest of his insulting words.

Kragg zapped and pulled out Faust's head, separating the foul scientist from his prized experiment and crushing the frightened man under his foot. Blood and brain matter splattered on the ground, mushed under his soles. It was his victory. Kragg released a victorious roar and thumped his chest while staring up. "Nicely done, you weak brat."