[The Outer Sector: Kingdom of Corzox]
[The Jotun] armada had nearly reached the inner city of [Corzox], with [Hermes] flying right beside it being pestered and attacked by the Dragon King Varcielle and the [Demon of Famine-Gaki].
He was casually drifting inside the gray fog he was trapped in, at least it seemed like he was. With [Gaki's] bodies crawling all over his physique, desperately trying to impeded his movement.
[Hermes] would periodically enter the realm between frames, to observe [Phobos'] condition. He was steadily recovering remarkably well.
Varcielle had stopped blasting the gray fog with ethereal beams of energy as none of them seemed to affect [Hermes] in any manner or form. Instead, Varcielle and his clones simply circled around the fog forming a barricade, as [Hermes] hadn't shown any intention of escaping the fog for now.
[The Jotuns] were sailing smoothly as well, with no misfortunes. The Rift-borne didn't attack them, the invading factions continued tailing them but no assault. Everyone's focus was on [Hermes], anxious of what he might do next.
For a moment, the battlefield was blessed with tranquil peace. A highly volatile and delicate stalemate.
Of course the situation wasn't same in other regions of [Corzox]. Away from [The Jotun] armada, there was a brutal war going on. Invaders savagely ravaging the realm around them, The Rift-borne hunting and demolishing the Invaders and [Aerico] just slaughtering everyone.
It was a cesspit of carnage and chaos, with four dragon sentinels committed on suppressing [Aerico's] wrath. And, the rest of the combatants focused on ripping each other apart.
The Dragon Sentinel Balrog commanded his battalions, effectively managing them to keep most of the invaders at bay. He wouldn't let the invaders settle down and plunder, he would always keep them moving. Consequently, trapping the Invaders in a vicious cycle of exhaustion and death across the warzone.
Meanwhile within the inner city, Dragon Sentinels Typhon and the now recovered Malgus fortifying the city, by hoisting its defenses. Soldiers, battleships, defense arrays, ballistics, so on and so forth, ready and trained. The remaining Dragon Sentinels Genma and Sherpa continued coordinating with Balrog further securing and eluding the entrance into the [Ancestral Planes].
Civilians were being rapidly evacuated from the city. Rift-borne soldiers concentrated themselves at the perimeter of their city, with the Dragon Sentinel Typhon leading them. Typhon bravely faced the ominously approaching [Jotun] armada, with his friend the Dragon Sentinel Malgus stationed within the Dragon palace at the center of the inner city.
The Rift-borne army stood rooted with bated breath, their spirit quivering with anticipation and zeal.
Shrouded in the gray fog of [Atrophy], [The Jotun] armada had reached the boundary of the inner city.
"MIJAR AL VALTORUK!!!", Dragon Sentinel Typhon roared in his glorious might rallying the Rift-borne to strike.
"|| MIJAR AL VALTORUK!!!||", The Rift-borne viciously began their assault, invoking the glory of their guardian [The Pioneer].
(Xyrak: Some remember him as [The Purge]. Especially supreme factions like, [MYRIAD], [HELL],..)
The entire city was doused with an ominous spectral light, a halo of blue eyes doused in shadows appeared behind every Rift-borne.
Manning the ballistic artillery and the battleships, the Rift-borne barraged the invading armada of [Jotuns] with storms of arcane magic, ethereal beams, elemental beams, so on and so forth, augmenting every attack with the ominous spectral aura.
[The Jotun] armada gradually began descending into the inner city, with the Rift-borne artillery capsizing their formation. Ships began falling from the sky crashing against the walls of the inner city.
And as the armada descended, [Gaki] continued consuming everything around him using [Atrophy], steadily making his gray fog heavier and denser. He formed more bodies around [Hermes] further binding him.
Dragon King Varcielle prepared for [Hermes'] eventual outburst once [The Jotun] armada crashes. A portion of his clones overdosed themselves with surplus energy from the surrounding realm.
These clones entered the gray fog, warily circling around [Hermes].
Meanwhile, [Hermes] was inside the realm between frames. [Phobos] had substantially recovered by now. He was feeding [Phobos] with information using frames, allowing [Phobos] to slowly feed on the fear of the combatants in the battlefield. [Phobos] was using this information, this fear to triangulate the [Source].
Aboard [Naglafar]...
"Is the situation still under control Halibaard? Does fate still abide by us?", [Lothaar] warily questioned.
"Yes... Of course she does, my liege.", [Halibaard] graciously bowed, his mind rotting with insanity and faith. "You shouldn't dare question the design of fate, my lord... Have faith, our benevolent mistress will bless us with her grace."
"Lothaar, listen to me. We should ditch all this and save what's left of us.", Mubong rebuked with frustration. "I know we have come too far for that, but think rationally for a second. Running away is the best option here. Even if we find the entrance to the [Ancestral Planes], [Hermes] will slaughter us for it."
"Mubong...", [Lothaar] glared with indignation, vexed at [Mubong's] suggestion. "...shut up."
"My prophecy guarantees safe passage, my liege.", [Halibaard] assured. "At least one Jotun will manage to enter the [Ancestral Planes]."
"Do you know who will enter?", [Lothaar] enquired, exhausted.
"No, my lord.", [Halibaard] answered giggling like a maniac. "Fate speaks in riddles, all we can do is clasp her caring hands."
"Do you know where to land the armada?", Lothaar sighed. "Because, I don't believe our enemies would allow us to reposition after we crash."
"Of course, my liege.", [Halibaard] smiled, raising his hands in a grand gesture.
{"An Ethereal Gateway,
Four brave frost giants,
One makes it in,
Three are left behind."}
Gently ruffling the wind, [Halibaard] echoed the prophecy across the realm of [Corzox]. A spectral gate flickered within the inner city, this was the beacon planted by the Dragon Sentinel Genma and Sherpa.
"There!, my liege.", [Halibaard] yelped with glee, pointing at the flickering spectral gate. "Nest the armada there!"
[Lothaar] promptly nodded as he commanded [The Jotuns] to crash near the flickering spectral gate. Simultaneously, a similar gate flickered in front of the Dragon Sentinel Malgus within the dragon palace.
Right in this moment, Varcielle's clones within the gray fog circling around [Hermes] unleashed the surplus energy stored in them, instantly exploding apart with tremendous wrath and power.
BOOM!!!
The gray fog voraciously consumed matter and energy, it's mass growing heavier and denser. The fog managed to contain and concentrate the explosion around [Hermes].
[Hermes] simply teleported out from one of his orange circular constructs, but he was still tagged by [Gaki's] bodies. Just as [Hermes] escaped from the Gray Fog of [Atrophy], the bodies clinging onto him flared up screeching like Banshees.
The fog abruptly opened up directing a highly concentrating beam of ethereal energy at [Hermes].
He simply raised his palm at the beam casually splitting it into two streams. An ominous spectral aura viciously shrouded him.
Growl...
[Hermes] tensed up on reflex, as he heard echoes of ominous snarls slithering around him. The ethereal beam dissipated and disappeared, while [Hermes] mostly remained unaffected. But, a few segments of his skin had been peeled from his palm.
"Hmmm... You're still a mindless beast, huh Pariah?", [Hermes] mused, scoffing at [The Purge],
as he examined his scuffed palm. "Your influence is so muddled..."
Dragon King Varcielle and [Gaki] resumed swarming [Hermes] like hornets by commanding their vast army of clones and bodies. The gray fog of [Atrophy] was steadily growing in size, gradually consuming [The Jotun] armada.
The armada had successfully crashed into the inner city of [Corzox], with the giants quickly encircled [Naglafar].
"Jotuns!, heed my command!!!", [Lothaar] bellowed, as he barked one order after another.
"Armada, form a barricade around [Naglafar]!"
"Mubong, prepare [Naglafar] for the incursion into the [Ancestral Planes]!"
"Halibaard's Oracles begin decrypting the Spectral Gate!"
The remnant ships of [The Jotun] armada assumed a dome like formation, constructing a spotty yet sturdy barrier of revolving ships around [Naglafar].
[Halibaard] summoned his oracles, except [Hrimulfr], and immediately began conditioning and altering the Spectral Gate using his prophecy. Their ominous chants echoing within [Naglafar]:
"||ᚢᚱðᚱ, ᛏᛟ ᚤᛟᚢ ᚹᛖ ᛒᛖᛩᚢᛖᚨᛏᚺ ᛟᚢᚱ ᚨᛗᛒᛁᛏᛁᛟᚾᛋ.
ᚡᛖᚱðᚨᚾᛞᛁ, ᛏᛟ ᚤᛟᚢ ᚹᛖ ᛒᛖᛩᚢᛖᚨᛏᚺ ᛟᚢᚱ ᛚᛁᚡᛖᛋ.
ᛋᚴᚢᛚᛞ, ᛏᛟ ᚤᛟᚢ ᚹᛖ ᛒᛖᛩᚢᛖᚨᛏᚺ ᛟᚢᚱ ᚹᛁᛚᛚ.||"
The spectral gate begins churning and morphing, gradually chiseling into an ethereal white orb. The orb gradually began crumbling, as [Halibaard] was hit with a vision mural:
{"4 brave giants stand tall for an opportunity,
Justice sacrificed for a dying cause,
Faith betrayed by a mistress and a rogue,
Cunning flees... Insurgence triumphs,
The innocent are led to sanctuary..."}
"What?..", for the first time [Halibaard's] fanatism cracked, visibly confused. "Fate!!! Guide me, my mistress!!! Fate!!! help your lost lamb!!!"
[Halibaard] screeched like a fanatic, clearly frantic and panicked. The revelation he had received was immensely ominous and cryptic.
Meanwhile, the ethereal white orb had completely morphed into a portal. But, the portal didn't lead to the [Ancestral Planes], instead it opened into a throne room, the very throne room within the Dragon Palace.
The Dragon Sentinel Malgus was standing on the other side, coldly facing [Halibaard] staring at him. With a quick motion, Malgus lunged at [Halibaard] from the portal.
[Lothaar] immediately rushed towards [Halibaard], drawing his Long Sword strinking at Malgus.
Malgus quickly spun around, nearly avoiding [Lothaar's] strike as he morphed his hands into dragon claws, slashing onto [Lothaar's] back.
"Aaurgh", [Lothaar] groaned as his knees buckled, his flesh was ripped open by Malgus. His navy blue blood dripping on the floor below.
"No... No... no, no, no, no!..", [Halibaard] was dazed. His mind spiraling to insanity, as he saw Malgus completely transform into a ginormous dragon right in front of him.
"... Insurgence Triumphs,..", this memory echoed inside [Halibaard's] head. Malgus kept slashing and ripping [Lothaar] apart before grabbing him up and chucking [Lothaar] into his dragon maw.
"RRRAAAANRGHH!!!", Malgus let out a triumphant roar as he completely swallowed [Lothaar] and digested [Lothaar], spewing fire everywhere.
"...ha ha ha ha ha HA HA HA!..", [Halibaard] laughed, his mind had shattered, his eyes wobbled with insanity.
"...we have been duped, WE HAVE BEEN DUPED!!!", he roared with madness. While, Malgus continued burning [The Jotun] armada from within. The giants tried to desperately hold on, but the formation started crumpling. The barricade was falling apart.
The Giant Admirals Goro and Nerjil were fighting for their lives, but to no avail. Malgus kept pushing the giants into the gray for of [Atrophy], while the Dragon Sentinel Typhon kept pressuring and suppressing [The Jotun] armada with his Rift-borne army.
It was not long before Goro was pushed into and consumed by the Gray Fog, while Nerjil was skewered and killed by Typhon.
Only [Mubong] and [Halibaard] remained among the Admirals. [Halibaard's] oracles had been consumed by Malgus' fire. [Halibaatd] lay on the deck of [Naglafar], exhausted and defeated, he was relapsing from shock. [The Jotun] armada was now an inferno of carnage and destruction.
Without sparing a glance, [Mubong] quickly commandeered [Naglafar] and his fleet, preparing them for escape.
Meanwhile, [Hermes] continued battling [Gaki] and Varcielle. He was simultaneously coordinating with [Phobos] and [Thanatos]:
"The entrance is not here.", [Phobos] concluded, as scanned through the frames that [Hermes] was feeding him. "Through Gazeera's vision, I have deduced that the Entrance is beyond a portal into [Oblivion]. At least, conditioning this realm with his vision led to that conclusion."
"I have sensed a breach in space, far from here.", [Thanatos] informed. "It seems like someone has managed to rip open a channel into an unknown realm."
"Tag onto my [Presence]", [Thanatos] politely instructed, as he flared up a pitch black beacon signaling [Hermes].
Brushing off Varcielle and [Gaki], [Hermes] promptly flew towards it without wasting any time. Simply appearing right next to the dark beacon.
He quickly warped into the channel opened by Akelus, and slipped into the mysterious realm that Akelus had entered.
Varcielle panicked quickly chasing after [Hermes], with [Gaki] tailing behind him.
"This is bad... very bad.", Varcielle desperately flew as quickly as he could. "They managed to triangulate the [Tomb of Hashfalhan], I have to get there before they breach into the
{Ancestral Planes].
Thus the Battle for the Spectral Gate ended, with the Rift-borne finishing off the remaining invaders.
[The Jotuns] were fleeing away, their faces distraught and traumatized. All of them shared a sullen, distant look. All of them exhausted and defeated.
All but one, the mad oracle [Halibaard] was dancing on the deck grinning, giggling and singing his prophecies. He still had faith in them.
[Mubong] approached the old mad giant, trying to pacify him, to break his delusions, to bring him back to reality. But, [Halibaard] desperately clung onto him:
"It is you, Mubong!!!", he spoke with immense joy, he raised his hands in a grand gesture. "You are the brave giant who enters the [Ancestral Planes], please find a way in for our collective future!!!"
[Halibaard's] remarks were met with scorn and disdain from the giants, they sympathized but didn't forgive.
Nevertheless, he took out the [Heart of Ymir] and entrusted it to Mubong.
"You are our final hope, Mubong.", [Halibaard] spoke with tears, tears of madness, joy, rage and grief. "I... don't know what to feel, right now. But, I know my mistress will save us."
"Ha ha ha ha!!!", Mubong laughed grabbing the cold [Heart of Ymir], he was genuinely amused by [Halibaard's] faith. "There are few as commited as you are, you bloody fanatic. Look around you, you oaf, you fucking crackpot. You!.. and your prophecies led us to our demise. So for now at least, spare us from your depraved and mad rumblings."
[Mubong] snarled with disdain, trying to intimidate [Halibaard].
Staring at [Mubong], he fell silent. He heard the giants jeering and mocking him and his faith, he saw them sneering.
His eyes were empty, his mind hollow without purpose. He watched the burning [Jotun] armada, the corpses of his brethren, skewered and burnt, bubbling and coughing.
He watched as he walked till the edge of [Naglafar], embracing the fall and ending his torment...
******** ******** ********
[The Outer Sector: Kingdom Of Corzox]
Within an unk-krz-(Xyrak- Within the [Tomb of Hashfalhan]...)
Few moments ago...
"Akelus, are you feeling alright?", Xylus questioned with concern. "You look a bit distraught."
"I am alright kid. Just woke from a bad dream, is all.", Akelus nonchalantly shrugged.
Akelus observed that Xylus was glowing, embraced by a rich shade of ethereal and spectral aura. The realm around this young dragon seemed to share a mysterious resonance with him.
"How long has he been curled like that?", Akelus sighed, pointing at the twitching Hrimulfr.
"Ever since we were pulled out of your ring.", Xylus innocently replied. "Maybe he is having a nightmare..."
"Oye! get up!", Akelus stomped his foot, violently jolting Hrimulfr up. His eyes immediately snapped open, but almost fainted again seeing Akelus' menacing nemean face.
"Whoa there buddy, don't go dosing off again.", Akelus violently shook Hrimulfr, smirking at the fearful oracle. "Just stay close to me for now, promise won't bite."
"Now where are we?", Akelus mused as he scanned his environment.
The entire region was packed with an extremely dense fog riddled with arcane storms.
"I don't know...", Xylus answered a bit dejected.
"But, I remember being here. I feel awfully familiar to this place.", Xylus chimed with a bright smile, looking up at Akelus.
"Hmmm... what about you?", Akelus switched to Hrimulfr.
"I-I feel suffocated.", Hrimulfr blurted out nervously, as he desperately pleaded. "...please don't leave me here..."
Akelus heaved with exhaustion-
"Hraa!.. Adrian? Adrian, do you know what to do next?"
No response,-
"Adrian?.. Ah great, comms are down again...", Akelus sighed with frustration. "This domain is isolating us."
"Uhum... Akelus? This is Dongfang Kongbu. Don't bother replying, this is a passive message. Seems like we have lost connection, but don't worry. You are in the right place, all I can say is trust your instincts. Trust in our sovereign's prophecy, we have made it this far. I believe you will succeed, you always had a knack to beat against all odds."
"Akelus?..", Xylus spoke.
"Kid, wait a moment. Let me gather my damn thoughts...", Akelus said, gently pinching his forehead.
Yun's dead face kept surfacing inside his head. Weeping and bloody...
After a moment, Akelus sighed-
"Sorry kid, what were you saying?"
"Oh right, I was hit with a lot of visions. One of them pulled me out of your ring.", Xylus smiled.
"I can still see the vision, though the rest have faded away."
Confirming that Akelus was paying attention, Xylus continued-
"The vision always revolves around a dragon... a man wearing flowing white robes, guiding me through the fog. He keeps calling me out through the fog, drifting away from me with a cane in his hand."
"I can still hear him calling out to me, I can still see him, Akelus. I think he is trying to lead us.", Xylus concluded.
Akelus took a deep breath, scanning his surroundings again. His eyes gleaming gold-
[Pathfinder]
There was no path shown to him, just a bulk of gray arrows forming and getting destroyed.
He sighed-
"Where do you see him now?", He asked Xylus.
Xylus promptly pointed at the gray fog. Akelus heaved as he grabbed Xylus' and Hrimulfr's hand-
"Seems like we don't have any other choice, stay close to me and don't let go of my hand. I won't lose you in this fog, both of you.", Akelus assured, firmly clasping their hands.
Turning to Xylus, Akelus spoke with a confident smile, brushing of his trauma and exhaustion:
"Xylus... Lead the way."
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