Chapter 167 Skip.....I am SORRYYYYYY!!!
[So looks like you were quite fast in reading,well all I can do is apologize and for the reason please read the note I left in last chapter.
Anyways I'll mass release chapters to make up with this mistake and... I am sorryyyyyy]
At the peak of the mountain, where the jagged cliffs kissed the heavens, a perpetual storm raged. Dark clouds swirled and churned, obscuring the battlefield below in a haze of relentless tempest. Rain poured relentlessly, drenching the landscape and mingling with the blood-soaked earth.
*Whoosh*
The storm's ferocity unleashed gusts of wind that whipped through the air, carrying with it the wails of lost souls and the mournful cries of fallen warriors. Thunderclaps boomed and echoed, shaking the very foundations of the mountain and reverberating through the hearts of those who dared to ascend.
At the edge of the battlefield, the remnants of the tower masters' expedition lay strewn across the rocky terrain. Countless corpses, clad in tattered armor and broken weaponry, bore witness to the immense sacrifice that had taken place. Lifeless faces, frozen in expressions of pain and determination, spoke of the heroic struggles and unwavering resolve that once coursed through their veins.
The mighty storm's relentless assault intensified, its fury blurring the very fabric of reality. Gripping the cold steel in my hand, I pressed forward, the chilling winds biting at my exposed skin. The frigid air seemed to seep into my very soul, numbing my thoughts and amplifying my resolve.
Before me, Astralyn, the fallen dragon, lay in a sprawling heap. Her colossal form, clad in scales that shimmered with an ethereal glow, stretched across the cliff's edge. Tinged with crimson blood from the wound I had inflicted, her immense presence dwarfed the battlefield itself.
As I approached her, my footsteps left faint imprints on the untouched snow, creating lines in the pristine white canvas. Astralyn's eyes, pools of shimmering gold, still held a glimmer of defiance amidst the pain. She had fought with unparalleled ferocity, a testament to her indomitable spirit.
"HUMAN... WHY DO YOU WISH TO DO THIS?" Astralyn's voice echoed through the roaring winds, a deep growl that resonated in my bones. Her question cut through the tumultuous air, challenging my resolve in the face of such a formidable opponent.
Step by step, I climbed atop her colossal forehead, finding a vulnerable spot where the dragon's skull was thinnest. The gusts of wind intensified, threatening to hurl me off balance, but I stood firm, my gaze fixed on the storm-ravaged sky above.
"He's preparing," I whispered, knowing the malevolent force that lurked within the storm, orchestrating a ritual of unspeakable power.
Looking down at Astralyn, a mix of admiration and defiance coursed through my veins. Dragons, mighty creatures beyond mortal comprehension, were not meant to be mere pawns. They were demi-gods, one step lower than the almighty deities themselves.
With a surge of mana, I infused the blade with pure white light, icicles forming along its tip. The storm raged on, growing fiercer as if sensing the impending climax of this cataclysmic encounter.
"I have a mighty dragon beneath my feet," I chuckled dryly, a mix of awe and trepidation woven into my words.
Slice*
"Grrr." Astralyn growled in pain as I slowly pressed the cold metal inside her skull. It's good to see powerful beings struggling once in a while.
"You asked me why I am doing this, right?" I asked, amused. Soon, a clouded emotion blurred my heart as I continued, "Why don't you ask your master about why he did this? Why was there so much slaughter? Why were these people forced to lay down their lives in the path of life for others?" The dam of questions burst forth like a flood, and with each passing question, I pressed the metal deeper, witnessing the dragon's struggle.
*Sling*
****Roar****
"Why was I robbed of all my happiness?" I asked, but it was too late. The blade was already inside the skull, and the light faded from Astralyn's eyes. She... was now dead.
My vision blurred as numbness washed over me. My ears began buzzing, and my footing became unsteady.
Thut*
"Hup." I limply jumped down from the forehead to the ground.
As I stood there, the lifeless body of Astralyn before me, a whirlwind of conflicting emotions swept through my being. The cold metal of the blade in my hand reminded me of the weight of my actions, the sacrifice of countless lives in this perilous expedition.
"Why?" I whispered, the words carried away by the biting wind. "Why did it have to come to this?" The questions echoed in the desolate landscape, unanswered and lost amidst the snow-covered expanse.
The realization of the immense loss and the futility of the battles waged overwhelmed me. My heart felt heavy, burdened by the weight of sorrow and regret. The silence that followed the dragon's demise seemed to amplify the haunting echoes of the fallen warriors, their sacrifice forever etched in the unforgiving terrain.
Fighting against the numbing chill that seeped into my bones, I staggered, my footing uncertain on the icy ground. The buzzing in my ears persisted, drowning out the howling winds and further disorienting my senses.
I mustered the strength to free my leg from the grip of the snow, stepping forward with unsteady resolve. Each movement felt sluggish and disconnected, as if the world around me had slowed to a crawl.
The remnants of the fallen tower masters and the brave souls who had ventured alongside them lay scattered across the battlefield. Their lifeless forms, now embraced by the frozen embrace of the weight of their sacrifice bore down upon me, the weight of their unfulfilled dreams and the shattered hopes of loved ones left landscape, were a testament to the price paid in pursuit of a higher purpose.
I stumbled towards the fallen warriors, my hands trembling as I knelt beside them. Their faces, frozen in expressions of determination and pain, stared back at me with empty eyes. The weight of their sacrifice bore down upon me, the weight of their unfulfilled dreams and the shattered hopes of loved ones left behind.
*Woosh*
As the storm raged on, the howling winds carried whispers of their names, their stories, and their unwavering courage. I couldn't help but feel a profound sense of loss, a solemn connection to those who had fought alongside me, now lost in the annals of history.
"But those tower masters were all assholes," I murmured, the bitterness of their treatment still lingering in my memory. Disappointment washed over me as I realized I wasn't the one who killed them.
"Except for her," I reminisced. The single tower master, my mentor, was nowhere to be found in the graveyard of this battlefield. They had already sacrificed her long ago. Now, reflecting on it, I'm relieved she's not here. Witnessing her death would have shattered me if I were present.
"Now, it's time to interrupt his ritual," I declared, struggling to rise to my feet. Each step feels like trudging through a never-ending winter.
My gaze shifted eastward, drawn to a small temple perched atop a rugged mountain plain. The surrounding snow appeared thicker there, casting an ethereal veil of frigid isolation over the landscape.
With deliberate steps, I approached the edge of the mountain I stood upon, allowing my mind to wander. Thoughts of Astralyn's immortal body lingered, contemplating the eons it would take for her form to decay. Absurd notions flitted through my mind, envisioning her remains repurposed for unknown tools. Such whimsical thoughts accompanied me as I reached the precipice, peering into the seemingly infinite depths below. The whistling wind that rose from the chasm served as a constant reminder of why this place earned the name "The Last Abyss."
"I must reach that temple," I resolved, preparing myself for a leap into the unknown. Uncertainty gripped me, questioning whether I could make it to the other side of the mountain in a single bound. Yet, I could not afford to hesitate. The ritual had to be stopped, no matter the cost.
One, two, and three!
With an internal countdown, I propelled myself off the edge of the mountain, striving to reach the side of the cliff.
"Huh?" Surprise widened my eyes as I felt my body freeze mid-air.
The Last Abyss gazed back at me from below, seemingly waiting for my descent. But I... I was going nowhere, suspended in the air like a puppet tangled in invisible strings.
"What -!" Before I could even articulate my confusion, the snow halted in its tracks. Not that the storm ceased, but rather, the snowflakes hung motionless in the air, mirroring my own predicament.
"!!" The world around me began losing its vibrant colors, succumbing to a desaturated grayness. I glanced behind me, only to witness the fading bodies of fallen mages slowly disappearing.
"What is happening?" I pondered, though a part of me hesitated to uncover the truth. Regardless, I had a mission to accomplish — to halt the ritual.
"Curious, aren't we?" A voice, ethereal and resonant, rang in my ears.
"Huh?" I strained to turn my head, attempting to locate the source of the voice, but my efforts proved futile. I remained immobilized.
*Swoop*
"Fear not, Kai. I am no adversary but rather a benevolent ally," the mysterious voice assured, its frigid breath grazing my neck.
"Reveal yourself!" I demanded, my eyes fixed upon the materializing orb of darkness, from which a shadowy figure emerged.
Emerging from the depths of obscurity, an enigmatic figure materializes, veiled in an aura of darkness and secrecy. Its imposing form reaches a height of approximately 10 feet, commanding attention and instilling a sense of awe. Draped in a flowing and tattered garment, its attire seamlessly melds with the encroaching shadows, undulating with an otherworldly essence. The absence of a discernible face within the depths of its hood leaves behind a void that evokes uncertainty and an overwhelming sense of dread.
Its skeletal hands, elongated and bony, extend like talons from within the folds of its cloak. With an ethereal touch, these appendages hold the power to instill terror, invoking an otherworldly sensation that transcends mortal comprehension. A frigid coldness accompanies its every movement, enveloping its surroundings and engulfing all traces of hope and light in its path.
"I am your well-wisher, Kai," the being's voice resonates, its words echoing through the shrouded darkness. It circles me from all sides, encircling me in an ever-deepening abyss of obscurity. With each step, the darkness grows, consuming the very essence of light and leaving me engulfed in its impenetrable embrace.
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