Chapter 203: Oath
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Chapter 203: Oath
Vir spent the next days charging Ashanis other core and meditating. While he wanted to spend every free moment he had in her simulated world, the action drained her energy at an alarming rate.
So instead, Vir contented himself with conversing with the goddess and improving his bloods prana capacity.
He had mixed feelings about his newfound strength. On the one hand, he was positive his Balar Rank easily exceeded five hundred, given the range of area-damaging abilities he now had. Furthermore, he easily dispatched three Shredders, each of which was around Balar 400.
On the other hand, his power gains were all temporaryboosted by the Ashen Realm. He held little doubt that hed be weakened significantly in the Demon Realm. Cirayus had confirmed that prana there was even more scarce than it was in the Human Realm, after all. That would affect everyone, of course, but itd affect him more, given the relative dearth of Ash prana.
Still, there was a big difference now. He now had an advantage that no one in the Demon Realm wouldthe ability to store prana inside his body. Enough to make a difference.
If it was safe, hed have loved to spend as much time as possible deeper within the Realm, increasing his capacity further. But even with Ashanis help, the monsters that lurked there made venturing any deeper far too dangerous.
That Janak had shown no sign of himself only proved the pointVir wasnt ready, and he suspected it wasnt simply a matter of prana capacity.
As much as it irked him, hed uncovered no leads on how to contact the god. If he could even be contacted. If Janak was in the central spire of the city as Vir suspected, it was possible he couldnt get out.
Just like how I cant get in. Is he trapped? Is he hoping that I save him? Vir thought. If so, he definitely wasnt ready.
Vir walked over to the Ribbon, hard at work on crafting his new weapon. Hed found that his productivity was inversely correlated to the progress of the bar; the closer it got to finishing, the less he was able to get done.
It was difficult to see what exactly was happeningthe swarm of pranites obscured the working. Which, of course, only heightened Virs anticipation.
According to Ashani, the process was nearly complete.
After a quick stretch, Vir sat down to finish charging Ashanis other core when the goddess appeared in front of him.
We may have an issue, she said.
Why? Whats wrong?
The Wyrm is chasing one of my wolves. The small one.
The runt leader, Vir thought. The wolf had aided Vir several times already.
Is this the wyrm thats been hanging out nearby? he asked. The one that fought the Yaksha?
Ashani nodded, a look of great worry on her face. Indeed.
What can we do? Vir asked. Can we hide the wolf?
Wyrms never abandon their prey. Not unless they are gravely injured.
Vir recalled Cirayus saying the same.
So the choice is to abandon the wolf, or to fight, Vir said with a frown.
We cannot fight, Vir. Not even I would survive.
Except, this isnt any ordinary Wyrm, Vir said. Its barely alive.
Ashani paused. True. Ive never seen one this small before. But even so
You said it yourself, didnt you? There is no hiding from a Wyrm.
Actually, I could, she said, placing a hand on her chest. I can hole up in here and outwait Wyrms for years or decades. They do eventually grow bored. However, Im afraid that is not an option for you.
Hmm. True. Unless Vir said, thinking of another plan.
Yes, Ashani said, nodding. I could send him away through my Ash Gate.
Alright, then thats our backup strategy. Lets first see if we can fight this thing, Vir said. If not, we hole up in here until my chakrams ready. Then well both leave.
The Wyrm slinked through the street, bent on destroying Ashanis wolf. What the poor animal had done to offend it, Vir didnt know. But given the broken mental state of the beasts in this realm, it didnt take much to set them off.
Katar Launch ripped through the air, crashing headlong into the Wyrm. It tore through the beast, killing dozens of tiny worms as it did but the beast hardly even noticed. It immediately reconstituted, not even slowing its chase.
Vir Blinked to Ashanis side on a roof of a short spire nearby.
Well, the good news is your simulation was accurate, he said. My attack really was that powerful.
And the bad news? Ashani asked, her lips taut.
Your simulation was accurate. Wyrms really are godlike. Even ones that are half-dead.
Vir now wondered how much of the Yakshas battle had been put on, and how much had actually been fighting for its life.
Its not as small as I remember, Vir said.
And yet, Ashani said, it is the smallest of its kind I have ever laid eyes on. My turn.
Ashani slammed her rod into the roof. Her rod glowed with a blinding amount of Lightning prana, and a tremendous bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky.
It didnt so much as hit the Wyrm as skewer it, instantly setting it ablaze.
Woah, Vir breathed. Its power was simply incomparable to any attack hed ever seen. Even the Mejai of Realms A Grade Lightning spell hadnt been on this level.
Thousands of its constituent pieces fell away, dead, and the Wyrm screeched, thrashing in agony.
A few more of those and itll be dead! Vir said, feeling his excitement growing.
Ashani was grim. If only I could. My rod cannot sustain a rapid succession of such powerful attacks. It will overload.
How long until it can fire again?
Another five minutes for such a powerful blast. I can manage small bolts more quickly.
Got it, Vir said. Ill keep it distracted until youve had enough time to cast it again.
Be careful! she said.
Vir cracked his neck. I got this. Trust me.
Finally. Time to let powers loose.
Simulated enemies were nice, but was there anything quite like testing a slew of new powers against a real foe? Especially one so almighty?
The world slowed around Vir as Haste activated. He launched off the rooftop, straight down at the wyrm below.
Prana Current lit. Vir extended his arm, and a barrage of deadly Ash Prana darts short forth, bombarding the Wyrm.
Given the beasts composition, the darts were more effective than a single, powerful attack. The darts didnt just take out constituent wormseach pierced through several at once, skewering them. The barrage felled them by the dozens.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Each constituent worm could only generate a thin layer of prana armor, which meant that unlike most Ash Beasts, Wyrms were more vulnerable to weaker attacks.
Just that there were usually millions of themlosing a few thousand was but a small flesh wound to them.
Those features might not function once he left the Ash, but the metal it was made of was a composite that Ashani assured him was as tough as Imperium Steel.
The Wyrm shrieked from high in the air, and Ashani suddenly appeared at Virs side.
You need to leave. Now! she said.
Why? Vir asked. We drove it off!
Ashani stared at the sky.
It has summoned its brethren.
Vir paled. Its brethren? You mean other Wyrms?
Ashani nodded gravely.
I thought you said they dont come out this far from the core?
I thought so as well. But look. She pointed off into the distance.
A half dozen full-size Wyrms descended from the storm clouds. Their mile-long bodies cast shadows upon the already-dark city.
We cant fight that, Vir whispered to himself.
Ashani shut her eyes in concentration and extended an arm.
Reality cracked, like a shattering mirror.
Spiderwebs spread out in front of her, expanding into an oval that looked into a deep nothingness.
Then the image shimmered, and an image took shape. The edge of a forest, and a small valley beyond.
The Mahakurma! Vir laughed.
What is it? Ashani asked.
Never thought the day would come when Id be happy to see those Domain Lords, Vir said, stepping through.
Oh, wait, he said, turning around. We still need to get your other core um, Ashani?
Ashani waited on the other side, staring at him with a somber expression.
Why Why are you looking at me like that?
I never believed it, you know? Not truly. Yet everything I have wished for has happened. Everything it told me would happen, happened, she said, smiling despite her tears.
I dont understand. What
You extended my life, Ashani said. You showed me that there is still hope. I will remember you for the rest of my days.
Panic filled Virs stomach.
What are you saying?
Oh my dear friend, I cannot cross through my own Ash Gates. If I could have, dont you think Id have left to seek my people?
Virs blood ran cold.
Ashanis wolves crowded protectively around their mother, baring their fangs at the approaching Wyrms. It would not be long before they arrived.
Thats no, Vir said, his words barely more than a whisper. I-I was going to show you the Demon Realm! We were going to travel the world together! Were those hopes of yours a lie?
I had hoped, she said. Id held hope that you might know a way. But you do not. Do you?
Virs words caught in his throat. What could he say to her? Maybe if hed practiced his chakras. Maybe if hed opened them, hed know more.
But he didnt. He hadnt. Vir didnt have the slightest clue.
My apologies, Ashani said. Tis presumptuous of me to ask for such a thing.
No! Thats not it at all! Vir thought, furiously trying to come up with a solution. But sometimes there just wasnt an answer.
The Wyrms were close now.
Vir started forth, but the gate wobbled in front of him. Ashanis image distorted.
Lad! Cirayus roared, bounding up to him. The giant grabbed him with all four arms, locking him in place.
Let go! Vir cried, fighting the demon with every muscle in his body. I need to go back. I need to help her!
Dont you dare! Cirayus thundered. That gate is no longer stable. Youll be cut to pieces! I'll not lose you again!
Ashani! Vir roared. I wont leave you to die!
Ashani smiled coyly. Oho? Who said anything about dying?
You cant fight them.
No. But theyve yet to track me. I shall do what I have always done to deal with such threats. Hide. And hibernate. In time, they will bore and leave.
Ashani urged her wolves along, and they disappeared into the nearby buildings, whimpering.
But now, she continued, I have more life than I ever could have hoped for.
This cant be happening, Vir thought. Hadnt he just grown stronger? What use was that strength if he couldnt even protect the ones he cared about? How many times would he have to lose those precious to him?
Vir scowled in fury. Cirayus released him only when hed exhausted himself, and he slumped to his knees.
I refuse to accept this. I cant lose her. I wont.
So Vir did the only thing he could. He swore an oath.
I will return, Ashani. Vir locked eyes with the goddess. I will come back. Ill find you. And Ill show you the world. I swear it on my fathers name. I swear this oath to you now. I will return.
Ashanis smile lost its sadness, turning beautiful, like a blossoming flower.
Then I shall eagerly await that day. My friend.
The gate winked shut, and she was gone.
Vir drove his fists into the ground. Prana Current surged, and a maelstrom of deadly black prana coalesced around him like a storm. A visible storm of prana, billowing furiously around his body. Nowhere was safe.
Cirayus backed away.
Vir looked up to the sky, and he roared. In anguish. In defiance against Fate itself. Swearing to the gods that he would return for her one day.
Consumed by his emotions, Vir never noticed the black blur that had slipped through the gate before it closed.
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Chapter 203: Oath
Vir spent the next days charging Ashanis other core and meditating. While he wanted to spend every free moment he had in her simulated world, the action drained her energy at an alarming rate.
So instead, Vir contented himself with conversing with the goddess and improving his bloods prana capacity.
He had mixed feelings about his newfound strength. On the one hand, he was positive his Balar Rank easily exceeded five hundred, given the range of area-damaging abilities he now had. Furthermore, he easily dispatched three Shredders, each of which was around Balar 400.
On the other hand, his power gains were all temporaryboosted by the Ashen Realm. He held little doubt that hed be weakened significantly in the Demon Realm. Cirayus had confirmed that prana there was even more scarce than it was in the Human Realm, after all. That would affect everyone, of course, but itd affect him more, given the relative dearth of Ash prana.
Still, there was a big difference now. He now had an advantage that no one in the Demon Realm wouldthe ability to store prana inside his body. Enough to make a difference.
If it was safe, hed have loved to spend as much time as possible deeper within the Realm, increasing his capacity further. But even with Ashanis help, the monsters that lurked there made venturing any deeper far too dangerous.
That Janak had shown no sign of himself only proved the pointVir wasnt ready, and he suspected it wasnt simply a matter of prana capacity.
As much as it irked him, hed uncovered no leads on how to contact the god. If he could even be contacted. If Janak was in the central spire of the city as Vir suspected, it was possible he couldnt get out.
Just like how I cant get in. Is he trapped? Is he hoping that I save him? Vir thought. If so, he definitely wasnt ready.
Vir walked over to the Ribbon, hard at work on crafting his new weapon. Hed found that his productivity was inversely correlated to the progress of the bar; the closer it got to finishing, the less he was able to get done.
It was difficult to see what exactly was happeningthe swarm of pranites obscured the working. Which, of course, only heightened Virs anticipation.
According to Ashani, the process was nearly complete.
After a quick stretch, Vir sat down to finish charging Ashanis other core when the goddess appeared in front of him.
We may have an issue, she said.
Why? Whats wrong?
The Wyrm is chasing one of my wolves. The small one.
The runt leader, Vir thought. The wolf had aided Vir several times already.
Is this the wyrm thats been hanging out nearby? he asked. The one that fought the Yaksha?
Ashani nodded, a look of great worry on her face. Indeed.
What can we do? Vir asked. Can we hide the wolf?
Wyrms never abandon their prey. Not unless they are gravely injured.
Vir recalled Cirayus saying the same.
So the choice is to abandon the wolf, or to fight, Vir said with a frown.
We cannot fight, Vir. Not even I would survive.
Except, this isnt any ordinary Wyrm, Vir said. Its barely alive.
Ashani paused. True. Ive never seen one this small before. But even so
You said it yourself, didnt you? There is no hiding from a Wyrm.
Actually, I could, she said, placing a hand on her chest. I can hole up in here and outwait Wyrms for years or decades. They do eventually grow bored. However, Im afraid that is not an option for you.
Hmm. True. Unless Vir said, thinking of another plan.
Yes, Ashani said, nodding. I could send him away through my Ash Gate.
Alright, then thats our backup strategy. Lets first see if we can fight this thing, Vir said. If not, we hole up in here until my chakrams ready. Then well both leave.
The Wyrm slinked through the street, bent on destroying Ashanis wolf. What the poor animal had done to offend it, Vir didnt know. But given the broken mental state of the beasts in this realm, it didnt take much to set them off.
Katar Launch ripped through the air, crashing headlong into the Wyrm. It tore through the beast, killing dozens of tiny worms as it did but the beast hardly even noticed. It immediately reconstituted, not even slowing its chase.
Vir Blinked to Ashanis side on a roof of a short spire nearby.
Well, the good news is your simulation was accurate, he said. My attack really was that powerful.
And the bad news? Ashani asked, her lips taut.
Your simulation was accurate. Wyrms really are godlike. Even ones that are half-dead.
Vir now wondered how much of the Yakshas battle had been put on, and how much had actually been fighting for its life.
Its not as small as I remember, Vir said.
And yet, Ashani said, it is the smallest of its kind I have ever laid eyes on. My turn.
Ashani slammed her rod into the roof. Her rod glowed with a blinding amount of Lightning prana, and a tremendous bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky.
It didnt so much as hit the Wyrm as skewer it, instantly setting it ablaze.
Woah, Vir breathed. Its power was simply incomparable to any attack hed ever seen. Even the Mejai of Realms A Grade Lightning spell hadnt been on this level.
Thousands of its constituent pieces fell away, dead, and the Wyrm screeched, thrashing in agony.
A few more of those and itll be dead! Vir said, feeling his excitement growing.
Ashani was grim. If only I could. My rod cannot sustain a rapid succession of such powerful attacks. It will overload.
How long until it can fire again?
Another five minutes for such a powerful blast. I can manage small bolts more quickly.
Got it, Vir said. Ill keep it distracted until youve had enough time to cast it again.
Be careful! she said.
Vir cracked his neck. I got this. Trust me.
Finally. Time to let powers loose.
Simulated enemies were nice, but was there anything quite like testing a slew of new powers against a real foe? Especially one so almighty?
The world slowed around Vir as Haste activated. He launched off the rooftop, straight down at the wyrm below.
Prana Current lit. Vir extended his arm, and a barrage of deadly Ash Prana darts short forth, bombarding the Wyrm.
Given the beasts composition, the darts were more effective than a single, powerful attack. The darts didnt just take out constituent wormseach pierced through several at once, skewering them. The barrage felled them by the dozens.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Each constituent worm could only generate a thin layer of prana armor, which meant that unlike most Ash Beasts, Wyrms were more vulnerable to weaker attacks.
Just that there were usually millions of themlosing a few thousand was but a small flesh wound to them.
Those features might not function once he left the Ash, but the metal it was made of was a composite that Ashani assured him was as tough as Imperium Steel.
The Wyrm shrieked from high in the air, and Ashani suddenly appeared at Virs side.
You need to leave. Now! she said.
Why? Vir asked. We drove it off!
Ashani stared at the sky.
It has summoned its brethren.
Vir paled. Its brethren? You mean other Wyrms?
Ashani nodded gravely.
I thought you said they dont come out this far from the core?
I thought so as well. But look. She pointed off into the distance.
A half dozen full-size Wyrms descended from the storm clouds. Their mile-long bodies cast shadows upon the already-dark city.
We cant fight that, Vir whispered to himself.
Ashani shut her eyes in concentration and extended an arm.
Reality cracked, like a shattering mirror.
Spiderwebs spread out in front of her, expanding into an oval that looked into a deep nothingness.
Then the image shimmered, and an image took shape. The edge of a forest, and a small valley beyond.
The Mahakurma! Vir laughed.
What is it? Ashani asked.
Never thought the day would come when Id be happy to see those Domain Lords, Vir said, stepping through.
Oh, wait, he said, turning around. We still need to get your other core um, Ashani?
Ashani waited on the other side, staring at him with a somber expression.
Why Why are you looking at me like that?
I never believed it, you know? Not truly. Yet everything I have wished for has happened. Everything it told me would happen, happened, she said, smiling despite her tears.
I dont understand. What
You extended my life, Ashani said. You showed me that there is still hope. I will remember you for the rest of my days.
Panic filled Virs stomach.
What are you saying?
Oh my dear friend, I cannot cross through my own Ash Gates. If I could have, dont you think Id have left to seek my people?
Virs blood ran cold.
Ashanis wolves crowded protectively around their mother, baring their fangs at the approaching Wyrms. It would not be long before they arrived.
Thats no, Vir said, his words barely more than a whisper. I-I was going to show you the Demon Realm! We were going to travel the world together! Were those hopes of yours a lie?
I had hoped, she said. Id held hope that you might know a way. But you do not. Do you?
Virs words caught in his throat. What could he say to her? Maybe if hed practiced his chakras. Maybe if hed opened them, hed know more.
But he didnt. He hadnt. Vir didnt have the slightest clue.
My apologies, Ashani said. Tis presumptuous of me to ask for such a thing.
No! Thats not it at all! Vir thought, furiously trying to come up with a solution. But sometimes there just wasnt an answer.
The Wyrms were close now.
Vir started forth, but the gate wobbled in front of him. Ashanis image distorted.
Lad! Cirayus roared, bounding up to him. The giant grabbed him with all four arms, locking him in place.
Let go! Vir cried, fighting the demon with every muscle in his body. I need to go back. I need to help her!
Dont you dare! Cirayus thundered. That gate is no longer stable. Youll be cut to pieces! I'll not lose you again!
Ashani! Vir roared. I wont leave you to die!
Ashani smiled coyly. Oho? Who said anything about dying?
You cant fight them.
No. But theyve yet to track me. I shall do what I have always done to deal with such threats. Hide. And hibernate. In time, they will bore and leave.
Ashani urged her wolves along, and they disappeared into the nearby buildings, whimpering.
But now, she continued, I have more life than I ever could have hoped for.
This cant be happening, Vir thought. Hadnt he just grown stronger? What use was that strength if he couldnt even protect the ones he cared about? How many times would he have to lose those precious to him?
Vir scowled in fury. Cirayus released him only when hed exhausted himself, and he slumped to his knees.
I refuse to accept this. I cant lose her. I wont.
So Vir did the only thing he could. He swore an oath.
I will return, Ashani. Vir locked eyes with the goddess. I will come back. Ill find you. And Ill show you the world. I swear it on my fathers name. I swear this oath to you now. I will return.
Ashanis smile lost its sadness, turning beautiful, like a blossoming flower.
Then I shall eagerly await that day. My friend.
The gate winked shut, and she was gone.
Vir drove his fists into the ground. Prana Current surged, and a maelstrom of deadly black prana coalesced around him like a storm. A visible storm of prana, billowing furiously around his body. Nowhere was safe.
Cirayus backed away.
Vir looked up to the sky, and he roared. In anguish. In defiance against Fate itself. Swearing to the gods that he would return for her one day.
Consumed by his emotions, Vir never noticed the black blur that had slipped through the gate before it closed.
Chapter 203: OathVir spent the next days charging Ashanis other core and meditating. While he wanted to spend every free moment he had in her simulated world, the action drained her energy at an alarming rate.So instead, Vir contented himself with conversing with the goddess and improving his bloods prana capacity.He had mixed feelings about his newfound strength. On the one hand, he was positive his Balar Rank easily exceeded five hundred, given the range of area-damaging abilities he now had. Furthermore, he easily dispatched three Shredders, each of which was around Balar 400.On the other hand, his power gains were all temporaryboosted by the Ashen Realm. He held little doubt that hed be weakened significantly in the Demon Realm. Cirayus had confirmed that prana there was even more scarce than it was in the Human Realm, after all. That would affect everyone, of course, but itd affect him more, given the relative dearth of Ash prana.Still, there was a big difference now. He now had an advantage that no one in the Demon Realm wouldthe ability to store prana inside his body. Enough to make a difference.If it was safe, hed have loved to spend as much time as possible deeper within the Realm, increasing his capacity further. But even with Ashanis help, the monsters that lurked there made venturing any deeper far too dangerous.That Janak had shown no sign of himself only proved the pointVir wasnt ready, and he suspected it wasnt simply a matter of prana capacity.As much as it irked him, hed uncovered no leads on how to contact the god. If he could even be contacted. If Janak was in the central spire of the city as Vir suspected, it was possible he couldnt get out.Just like how I cant get in. Is he trapped? Is he hoping that I save him? Vir thought. If so, he definitely wasnt ready.Vir walked over to the Ribbon, hard at work on crafting his new weapon. Hed found that his productivity was inversely correlated to the progress of the bar; the closer it got to finishing, the less he was able to get done.It was difficult to see what exactly was happeningthe swarm of pranites obscured the working. Which, of course, only heightened Virs anticipation.According to Ashani, the process was nearly complete.After a quick stretch, Vir sat down to finish charging Ashanis other core when the goddess appeared in front of him.We may have an issue, she said.Why? Whats wrong?The Wyrm is chasing one of my wolves. The small one.The runt leader, Vir thought. The wolf had aided Vir several times already.Is this the wyrm thats been hanging out nearby? he asked. The one that fought the Yaksha?Ashani nodded, a look of great worry on her face. Indeed.What can we do? Vir asked. Can we hide the wolf?Wyrms never abandon their prey. Not unless they are gravely injured.Vir recalled Cirayus saying the same.So the choice is to abandon the wolf, or to fight, Vir said with a frown.We cannot fight, Vir. Not even I would survive.Except, this isnt any ordinary Wyrm, Vir said. Its barely alive.Ashani paused. True. Ive never seen one this small before. But even soYou said it yourself, didnt you? There is no hiding from a Wyrm.Actually, I could, she said, placing a hand on her chest. I can hole up in here and outwait Wyrms for years or decades. They do eventually grow bored. However, Im afraid that is not an option for you.Hmm. True. Unless Vir said, thinking of another plan.Yes, Ashani said, nodding. I could send him away through my Ash Gate.Alright, then thats our backup strategy. Lets first see if we can fight this thing, Vir said. If not, we hole up in here until my chakrams ready. Then well both leave.The Wyrm slinked through the street, bent on destroying Ashanis wolf. What the poor animal had done to offend it, Vir didnt know. But given the broken mental state of the beasts in this realm, it didnt take much to set them off.Katar Launch ripped through the air, crashing headlong into the Wyrm. It tore through the beast, killing dozens of tiny worms as it did but the beast hardly even noticed. It immediately reconstituted, not even slowing its chase.Vir Blinked to Ashanis side on a roof of a short spire nearby.Well, the good news is your simulation was accurate, he said. My attack really was that powerful.And the bad news? Ashani asked, her lips taut.Your simulation was accurate. Wyrms really are godlike. Even ones that are half-dead.Vir now wondered how much of the Yakshas battle had been put on, and how much had actually been fighting for its life.Its not as small as I remember, Vir said.And yet, Ashani said, it is the smallest of its kind I have ever laid eyes on. My turn.Ashani slammed her rod into the roof. Her rod glowed with a blinding amount of Lightning prana, and a tremendous bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky.It didnt so much as hit the Wyrm as skewer it, instantly setting it ablaze.Woah, Vir breathed. Its power was simply incomparable to any attack hed ever seen. Even the Mejai of Realms A Grade Lightning spell hadnt been on this level.Thousands of its constituent pieces fell away, dead, and the Wyrm screeched, thrashing in agony.A few more of those and itll be dead! Vir said, feeling his excitement growing.Ashani was grim. If only I could. My rod cannot sustain a rapid succession of such powerful attacks. It will overload.How long until it can fire again?Another five minutes for such a powerful blast. I can manage small bolts more quickly.Got it, Vir said. Ill keep it distracted until youve had enough time to cast it again.Be careful! she said.Vir cracked his neck. I got this. Trust me.Finally. Time to let powers loose.Simulated enemies were nice, but was there anything quite like testing a slew of new powers against a real foe? Especially one so almighty?The world slowed around Vir as Haste activated. He launched off the rooftop, straight down at the wyrm below.Prana Current lit. Vir extended his arm, and a barrage of deadly Ash Prana darts short forth, bombarding the Wyrm.Given the beasts composition, the darts were more effective than a single, powerful attack. The darts didnt just take out constituent wormseach pierced through several at once, skewering them. The barrage felled them by the dozens.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.Each constituent worm could only generate a thin layer of prana armor, which meant that unlike most Ash Beasts, Wyrms were more vulnerable to weaker attacks.Just that there were usually millions of themlosing a few thousand was but a small flesh wound to them.Those features might not function once he left the Ash, but the metal it was made of was a composite that Ashani assured him was as tough as Imperium Steel.The Wyrm shrieked from high in the air, and Ashani suddenly appeared at Virs side.You need to leave. Now! she said.Why? Vir asked. We drove it off!Ashani stared at the sky.It has summoned its brethren.Vir paled. Its brethren? You mean other Wyrms?Ashani nodded gravely.I thought you said they dont come out this far from the core?I thought so as well. But look. She pointed off into the distance.A half dozen full-size Wyrms descended from the storm clouds. Their mile-long bodies cast shadows upon the already-dark city.We cant fight that, Vir whispered to himself.Ashani shut her eyes in concentration and extended an arm.Reality cracked, like a shattering mirror.Spiderwebs spread out in front of her, expanding into an oval that looked into a deep nothingness.Then the image shimmered, and an image took shape. The edge of a forest, and a small valley beyond.The Mahakurma! Vir laughed.What is it? Ashani asked.Never thought the day would come when Id be happy to see those Domain Lords, Vir said, stepping through.Oh, wait, he said, turning around. We still need to get your other core um, Ashani?Ashani waited on the other side, staring at him with a somber expression.Why Why are you looking at me like that?I never believed it, you know? Not truly. Yet everything I have wished for has happened. Everything it told me would happen, happened, she said, smiling despite her tears.I dont understand. WhatYou extended my life, Ashani said. You showed me that there is still hope. I will remember you for the rest of my days.Panic filled Virs stomach.What are you saying?Oh my dear friend, I cannot cross through my own Ash Gates. If I could have, dont you think Id have left to seek my people?Virs blood ran cold.Ashanis wolves crowded protectively around their mother, baring their fangs at the approaching Wyrms. It would not be long before they arrived.Thats no, Vir said, his words barely more than a whisper. I-I was going to show you the Demon Realm! We were going to travel the world together! Were those hopes of yours a lie?I had hoped, she said. Id held hope that you might know a way. But you do not. Do you?Virs words caught in his throat. What could he say to her? Maybe if hed practiced his chakras. Maybe if hed opened them, hed know more.But he didnt. He hadnt. Vir didnt have the slightest clue.My apologies, Ashani said. Tis presumptuous of me to ask for such a thing.No! Thats not it at all! Vir thought, furiously trying to come up with a solution. But sometimes there just wasnt an answer.The Wyrms were close now.Vir started forth, but the gate wobbled in front of him. Ashanis image distorted.Lad! Cirayus roared, bounding up to him. The giant grabbed him with all four arms, locking him in place.Let go! Vir cried, fighting the demon with every muscle in his body. I need to go back. I need to help her!Dont you dare! Cirayus thundered. That gate is no longer stable. Youll be cut to pieces! I'll not lose you again!Ashani! Vir roared. I wont leave you to die!Ashani smiled coyly. Oho? Who said anything about dying?You cant fight them.No. But theyve yet to track me. I shall do what I have always done to deal with such threats. Hide. And hibernate. In time, they will bore and leave.Ashani urged her wolves along, and they disappeared into the nearby buildings, whimpering.But now, she continued, I have more life than I ever could have hoped for.This cant be happening, Vir thought. Hadnt he just grown stronger? What use was that strength if he couldnt even protect the ones he cared about? How many times would he have to lose those precious to him?Vir scowled in fury. Cirayus released him only when hed exhausted himself, and he slumped to his knees.I refuse to accept this. I cant lose her. I wont.So Vir did the only thing he could. He swore an oath.I will return, Ashani. Vir locked eyes with the goddess. I will come back. Ill find you. And Ill show you the world. I swear it on my fathers name. I swear this oath to you now. I will return.Ashanis smile lost its sadness, turning beautiful, like a blossoming flower.Then I shall eagerly await that day. My friend.The gate winked shut, and she was gone.Vir drove his fists into the ground. Prana Current surged, and a maelstrom of deadly black prana coalesced around him like a storm. A visible storm of prana, billowing furiously around his body. Nowhere was safe.Cirayus backed away.Vir looked up to the sky, and he roared. In anguish. In defiance against Fate itself. Swearing to the gods that he would return for her one day.Consumed by his emotions, Vir never noticed the black blur that had slipped through the gate before it closed.
