Chapter 64: Fight With The Anima
Vaelorin nearly lost his mind when he saw the silver-haired Knight hurled across the hall like a broken doll. Just watching the impact alone was enough to make his stomach twist...
Regaleon crashed through a fractured pillar, sending chunks of ancient marble flying in every direction. Stone exploded across the ruined temple floor while dust billowed into the air like smoke from an explosion.
For a moment, nobody could even see his silhouette through the haze of dust...
The failed Pyromancer stood frozen with his grip around his Fiery Staff tightening unconsciously.
Actually... What had he expected?
Somehow, a part of him had believed Regaleon would be able to hold his own against the monstrous feline; perhaps, he could exchange a few blows with the creature, or force it back... Or perhaps, he could reveal some hidden trump card that would surprise them once more.
But reality proved to be far less generous...
The silver-haired Knight had lasted exactly one attack... Just one. That realization struck him harder than the Anima’s roar because if even Regaleon, who he deemed to be the strongest amongst them, could be swatted away so effortlessly... Then what chance did the rest of them have?
The answer was quite simple... None.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING STANDING THERE FOR?!"
Suddenly, Vaelorin’s thunderous shout shattered his thoughts. The failed Vanguard stepped forward with his Shield raised.
"COME ON! ATTACK THE DAMN THING!"
After saying that... He charged toward the feline.
Vaelorin stared at him like the failed Vanguard has suddenly gone insane...
Did he just say attack it?
As in, he should attack THAT?
The enormous predator stood amidst the ruined temple like a living catastrophe. Every breath it exhaled seemed heavy enough to shake the air and it’s glowing amber eyes watched them with the calm confidence of a hunter observing cornered prey...
Yet through all this, Valmyr still charged...
The failed Vanguard roared as he activated "Mountain Stand." The Shield in his hand glower faintly; his muscles bulged, his boots dug into the marble... And then, he slammed directly toward the Anima.
For half a heartbeat, the illusion of hope appeared in their faces; but reality crushed it. The giant feline did nothing but simply moved it’s massive paw...
BOOM!
Valmyr disappeared from his spot.
The failed Vanguard flew through the air before crashing into the ground several meters away. The marble floor cracked beneath him before blood erupted from his mouth in copious amounts...
The entire exchange lasted less than a second... And yet, the failed Vanguard was down.
Vaelorin watched this with slacked jaws and blank thoughts. The difference between their strength and the creature’s wasn’t merely large; it was overwhelming, absolute, and horrifying...
Then slowly, the Anima lowered it’s paw and turned it’s head. Immediately, a pair of glowing amber orbs settled upon the failed Pyromancer and for a moment, Vaelorin nearly stopped breathing as it felt as though death itself had glanced in his direction...
His instincts screamed at him to do something; run... Hide... Escape... Anything but fight back. And yet, there was neither a place to run to nor was there a place to hide in...
So the only option left was to fight. Vaelorin knew that it was going to be a futile effort but still, he raised his Staff. His hands trembled violently as he channelled Aether into his Soul Essence...
At once, golden flames gathered around the tip as he activated "Solar Lance." Then, a concentrated beam of fire erupted outward...
The flames roared across the hall like a miniature sun; the ancient pillars reflected the fiery light as heat exploded outward...
WHOOSH!
The blazing attack engulfed the Anima entirely...
For several seconds, the Inferno continued as the failed Vanguard released flames nonstop...
After several moments, Vaelorin finally stopped. The spot where the Anima stood had become a sea of fire and the failed Pyromancer concentrated on it, expecting the creature to burn to death...
Slowly, after a few seconds, the flames dispersed and instantly, his expectation died with them.
The giant predator remained standing exactly where it had been before. It looked unaffected, unmoved, and uninjured. Not a single scale was scorched nor did a strand of fur appeared singed. It was as though it hadn’t been enveloped in a sea of fire at all...
Vaelorin felt his soul leave his body the moment the creature directly narrowed it’s eyes in his direction. There was a hint of murder lurking within those amber eyes...
GRR!!!
A low growl emerged from deep within it’s throat, reverberating throughout the temple. Ancient pillars trembled while loose debris rattled, as though they were fearful of the creature itself.
Vaelorin gulped down the dread pooling in his chest. In fact, his legs were suddenly feeling weak to the point that all he wanted to do was collapse unto his butt...
Then, the Anima crouched... And pounced.
BOOM!
The marble floor exploded beneath it’s paws and the distance that existed between them vanished instantly...
Vaelorin’s pupils shrank... For something as monstrous in size as this, it was moving fast. Far too fast for him to track...
"Slow!"
Suddenly, a desperate shoot echoed through the hall. Golden light erupted nearby as Kaeloris stood with his Scroll fully unfurled.
Words glowed across it’s surface as he activated "Law Script." Sweat streamed down his forehead as he poured Aether into his Soul Essence.
The failed Gnost looked like someone trying very hard to hold back a flood with his bare hands...
The glowing word SLOW burned brightly upon the scroll and immediately, the Anima’s movements became sluggish...
The monstrous feline did not stop fully, but the effect was enough because the predator’s charge visibly faltered as it’s movements became heavier and it’s acceleration diminished...
"VAELORIN!" Kaeloris shouted, his voice sounded strained as he turned toward the failed Pyromancer. "I CAN’T HOLD IT MUCH LONGER!"
The red-haired Pyromancer snapped out of his stupor, but unfortunately, he had absolutely no idea what to do.
His blazing attack had accomplished nothing against the feline, so what was he supposed to do now?
Throw more flames at it?
Or hit with his Staff while praying that the creature eventually falls?
He was stumped...
Meanwhile, the great predator continued struggling against the Rune’s influence. It’s muscles rippled beneath fur and scales and gradually, every movement was becoming faster as the slowing effect weakened.
The Anima’s amber eyes burned with hot fiery as it struggled hard while glaring at Kaeloris...
Across the hall, Regaleon finally rose from the ground. Pain radiated through his body; blood stained his lips, his ribs ached, and his arms felt numb as he managed to stand on his feet.
There was also a paw-shaped dent embedded into the chestplate of his Count Tier Armour and yet, it remained whole.
The silver-haired Knight bent down to retrieve his Halberd from the ground. The Soul Essence had fallen when he slammed into the pillar earlier.
His golden eyes narrowed as he looked at the struggling Anima...
"We can’t defeat it like this." He said grimly.
Vaelorin almost laughed at his words before replying with a cracked voice. "Oh, really? I couldn’t tell at all."
Regaleon ignored the sarcasm as his gaze remained fixed upon the predator. "We need coordination to bring it down, otherwise, we’d be dead if we fight it one by one..."
"Says the person who literally plunged headfirst into battle without telling the rest of us." Vaelorin retorted.
"GUYS!" Kaeloris’ voice cut through their argument sharply.
The duo turned just in time to see the failed Gnost gritting his teeth as he held his Scroll...
The glowing word upon his Soul Essences flickered disturbingly for some seconds... Then, it dimmed.
The instant the Rune wore off, the Anima moved violently. But this time, it ignored Vaelorin as it changed direction. Instead, it’s gaze locked onto Kaeloris, the one who dared to restrain it.
Kaeloris’ face turned pale as the giant feline lunged at him. A massive paw descended with the full force of an enraged beast...
The failed Gnost froze; his thoughts stopped and his body stayed transfixed upon that spot. For a brief moment, he truly believed that this was the inevitable end.
Death approached him ferociously as the creature seeked to turn his frail frame into a bloody pulp...
Then... Valmyr appeared.
The failed Vanguard planted himself before Kaeloris and activated "Mountain Stand." His Shield rose and Aether surged through his body...
Finally, the massive paw crashed downward...
BOOM!!!
The entire temple shook as shockwaves raced across the marbled floor. Valmyr nearly buckled under the impact; pain shot through his arms, his muscles protested, and his bones felt as though they were being crushed.
He almost faltered, and yet somehow, he held... Barely.
Behind him, Kaeloris activate "Law Script" once again. But this time, a different word appeared on the Scroll. It was DEFENSE.
Valmyr felt a mysterious influence flow into him, and miraculously, the pressure lessened slightly. It was not by much, but it was enough for him to withstand the impact.
Seeing this, the Anima snarled as it’s glowing eyes blazed with anger...
These tiny creatures actually refused to die.
Fine... Then it would simply try harder.
Suddenly, the enormous claws pressing against the Shield began to glow as a metallic radiance spread across them.
Seeing this, Regaleon’s expression darkened instantly. Obviously, the failed Knight recognized what the feline was doing...
In Aetherium, every Anima possessed Extremities; natural outgrowths that were capable of channeling unique abilities called Impulses.
And judging by the energy gathering around those claws, it was clear that the feline was about to unleash an Impulse...
Regaleon burst into motion without hesitation. This wasn’t the time to hold back because if that Impulse was unleashed, both Kaeloris and Valmyr would die.
"VAELORIN!" The Forgotten Knight roared. "EYES. FLAMES. NOW!"
The failed Pyromancer reacted instantly as he activated "Solar Lance" once more. Flames erupted from his Staff...
WHOOSH!
A barrage of blazing fire shot directly toward the feline’s face and fortunately, the attack connected successfully.
The Anima roared in pain as it squeezed it’s eyes shut. The glowing ivory claws faltered and at that exact moment...
Valmyr pushed upward with every ounce of strength he could muster. The giant predator lost it’s balance briefly as it reeled backward...
But that was enough to make an opening for the Forgotten Knight to take advantage of. Regaleon activated "Conqueror’s Momentum" in tandem with "Silver Sheen."
His Halberd left a trail of silver light behind it as he crossed the distance...
Then he swung. The Soul Essence arced through the air with a terrifying force and...
CLANG!
It connected with the Anima...
