The 11th God

Battle of the Factions Arc: The Moon with Black Light II

[Elio]

I thought we’d be able to win this by destroying the crystal of the remaining faction; Lightshades. However, we were too excited that we totally forgot how strong they actually are. The fact that their crystal is the only remaining crystal aside from ours got me all hyped to the point where I forgot that Lightshades is the number faction here in Hergrinct.

“Total Suppression Art of Nature; Flesh-Eating Chomper!” Lilly Ambre, the main support of Lightshades casted.

Even though Lilly is just a support, who would have thought that she can actually pull something this unexpected. The ground rumbles where later on a giant chomper appeared from the ground.

What is a chomper exactly?

A chomper is a monster in Ylgaea that grows through seeds. It is basically a nature affinity monster that lies in forests as its guardian from monsters that recklessly destroys the nature. They are known to be the guardian of nature and said to be as strong as an actual beau.

But this one is stronger than those regular ones. This one is called by a beau, a big one with its teeth exposed outside. It drools with something liquid, a saliva of the plant itself perhaps but that’s not the main point here. The point is we totally got way too careless.

“I- impossible.” Diether said.

I immediately glanced at him and later on towards where he was looking. My eyes widened in shock as I realized what had happened.

Our crystal broke into pieces.

But how? I didn’t see anyone attacking it nor feel any energy coming right towards us.

Except,

Except from the ground. The chomper is big that its root also appeared right around us. The roots are bigger than us and so is the chomper. We saw one of the chomper’s roots covered in light-refracting pieces, not just any normal pieces but crystal pieces, our crystal’s pieces.

“This will definitely be the end of us.” I think to myself.

But after a few seconds, the chomper immediately fell into the ground, towards us, crushing us with its weight that is greater than of a monster.

Their crystal broke in just a second after the chomper fell into the ground. It looks like Lilly still can’t control her total suppression much right now. The weight of the chomper is slowly crushing our bodies, it fell not only on our crystals but also directly at us, we are all currently under it, suffering from the weight it has.

The moon shines aesthetically along with the black figure blocking with, giving light as least as it can whilst the black figure – smaller than it, it is – covers partly of its body. This has never been something I had seen, definitely not. This is the first time I saw something like this. I have never heard of events or announcements that are related to it but it is just right there right now, scarcely being seen by everyone in Ylgaea – I assume.

This is odd, very odd. I never recall myself experiencing something like this. It’s like my body’s taking in something peculiar, unexplainable and unknown.

My eyes are tired. Slowly, it tries closing but I keep on unceasing, fighting against it. I can’t give up now. We’ve travelled a very long path and we’re finally near the end, I can’t let my eyes rest, neither should Diether.

“Diether, don’t rest now kid. This isn’t the time.” I told him.

I glance at him while his body is also being crushed by the chomper. I can’t do a single thing; my whole body is trapped underneath the chomper’s gigantic roots. Slowly my body is getting numb as if every part of it has already rejected the flow of blood throughout my body.

I close my eyes.

Should I rest now?

[Aljinn]

His power is immensely unmeasurable. I can’t seem to get ahold of the power that can match his. No matter how much I try to match his strength, he continues to increase his own strength as if there is no limit to where can he possibly get it.

If strength is not going to work against him, then geek is the only way.

While our weapons clashes against each other, his strength continues to increase until I couldn’t hold it anymore. I immediately teleported behind him and tried hitting him but it was no alas, he immediately casted his armor spell

I immediately went back away from him because in my position I’ll definitely get hit. I thought I’d escape but I just saw him in front of me. It’s like I never went back away from him.

He immediately lifted his right arm in front of me. I swing my sword directly in front of me to block his punch but it was no use, his bare fist is able to fling my swords away, making me completely open.

He didn’t hesitate after seeing me helpless, my eyes widen as I see him lift his battle axe: Sunshine. I step a few steps back while trying to block his weapon with my bare hands.

Then I know I definitely lost.

He swings the back of his weapon directly at my chest, making me fly back away from him while I take serious damage from that single hit. His strength is just too much for my own strength to fight. He also thinks really fast, the way his brain process is either equally matched with mine or even greater I just can’t calculate.

My body flies some studs away from him but that didn’t stop him from attacking. I saw him in front of me again as my whole body lies down the floor, scathed. I tried moving my head and tilting it properly in order to look at him. I see his eyes with madness in it and his body flaming with his will and strength

Now I know definitely why Lightshades is the number one faction in Hergrinct. Who would’ve thought that a support can actually destroy our crystal along with theirs? Even I alone won’t be able to do that much damage. She was even able to destroy the remaining people from other factions

The moon still shines even though it’s covered in darkness like a person trying to fight against something possessing them, something odd and unfamiliar, trying their best to show them that they are who they are and that they couldn’t just be defeated by something they know they can’t defeat themselves.

I love it though, I really love it. A lunar eclipse, an event where the moon is directly aligned with the sun and the planet, thus causing the moon to be blocked by something black, shadow as is.

“This is the end.” Johann said in front of me.

I smiled while my face lies on the floor.

It’s the end, isn’t it? We have come a long way but no matter what we do, this really is what’s destined for us. This is really what waits for us.

Johann lifts his hand with the sunshine in it, the edge of the blade directly pointing at me.

Death. I thought.

We have come a long way haven’t we? We have survived every battle that came on our way but things will really end up as how fate decides it to be.

A long way, a very long path that we have taken.

I remember everything clearly, how we have reached this point. How all four of us are lying down on the floor: Percisca, Diether, Elio and I.

I have met the four of them months from now starting with Elio. I just saw myself standing in an open field while I innocently walk straightly in front of me, scarcely knowing anything starting with what to do. I just walk there in the field towards the very first thing I saw when I realized I was already standing on my own: Hergrinct, the central kingdom in Ylgaea.

I heard a voice when I reached the high walls protecting the kingdom, “Duck!” it says.

I immediately looked behind me as I saw a dark figure coming right towards me and then in just a blink the figure vanished – a shade as what the guy who saved me said. And moments after that something oddly akin to what had happened occurred again, during the time where Elio – the wizard that saved my life – and I trained along with the event: Island of Abilities. We met a kid – sort of. He is oddly small for someone who thinks maturely though: Diether, the descendant of the light god Suthain.

And that’s also when I first met Percisca, another person who saved my life from dozens of shades coming towards us. All of them, all the three of them are sole reasons I am here right now, fighting for what we wanted. Fighting for hope and will, fighting for something we wish we have.

They saved me, three times each one of them I have been saved.

But shouldn’t now be the time when I return the favor?

Elio wishes for something and so does Diether. I might not completely know what is Percisca’s goal but she is already a part of this team, and she will remain to be a part of it until she leaves. Those reasons are enough for me to give it all my best, for me to fight for someone who had fought for me before. The people who saved me.

These are the people who saved me.

The moon shines still, partly covered with something black. It’s funny though, I know that something is blocking the moon but I have no idea what to call it.

Nevertheless, I should fight.

“At night, my power becomes stronger because of the moon.”

I suddenly remember the words that Elio said. He has a source of power, a period where his strength is increase.

The moon. I thought

I looked at the moon carefully.

“You should be standing up.”

I heard Elio’s words again. I gazed at his position from where I am, I can’t completely see him but I totally heard him.

“Is this how you should really look right now?”

I heard Diether’s words too.

“A god right?”

Lastly, Percisca’s words followed towards my head.

I smiled.

“I know I should fight, you don’t really have to remind me.” I told them.

“What are you saying?” Johann said.

I gathered the energy around me as much as I can however these are just magic energy that can’t really heal up my wounds and give back my physical strength.

“Just use the moon then.” Elio whispered.

“He’s not like you, idiot.” Diether replied

Is it really possible? For me to use the moon? The lunar eclipse? But that won’t make any sense, how can illusion actually be affected with the moon?

“They are related.” Percisca said.

My eyes widened from what she said.

They are? I thought to myself.

I just did what I can, I immensely focused on the moon to gather energy and slowly, I felt some of my physical energy coming back.

Johann continued swinging his axe towards me but right after it almost hit me, I blocked it.

With just a single finger, I blocked the axe.

“What?!” Johann shouted in front me.

“It’s quite pathetic that I have to lie in front of you.” I told him.

“You know, it doesn’t really matter at this point whether you know or not, but I’m completely free to show myself when I am in battle because that is the only rule given to me.” I bluntly told him.

“What do you mean?” Johann replied.

“Let’s stop with the acting, Johann. We all know I’m actually a god.” I told him.

His eyes widened from shock and immediately looked around him.

And then he smirk.

“You really have time to say such things? I guess those are your final words then.” he said.

“Art of Pantheon Flame; Engulfing Pantheon Flames!” he casted.

In just a matter of seconds the sky is filled with multiple gigantic meteors that are all aimed towards me.

I smiled.

“These flames are forged by the sun itself as a gift for a soldier’s undying will. You should be the first one to taste it.” he told me.

“I remember you saying something about being on the right side.” I told him.

“But this isn’t the right path anymore Johann. You find entertainment in death, don’t you?” I continued.

He smirked.

“I never mentioned being in the right path, but I mentioned being a part of justice.” he replied.

“But killing is never really a part of justice.” I said.

“You decided to spare the others while you try to kill me.” I said.

His eyes widened again.

“Die!” he said.

“Art of Lunar Eclipse; Forbidding Dance of the Shadows!” I casted.

Art of the Lunar Eclipse, an affinity I never thought I’d actually be using.

I asked myself earlier, how is illusion related to the moon? Which is absolutely wrong. I should have asked, how is illusion related to the lunar eclipse?

Lunar eclipse is related to illusion. You see, your eyes are tricking you by what you see. People say it’s a black figure trying to block the moon’s light but it isn’t actually a figure. It’s never something solid nor touchable in fact, it’s something you can’t feel.

It’s just purely shadow striking along with the moon. The planet’s shadow aligned with both the sign and the moon, creating a vision as if something is actually blocking the moon. That’s what an illusion is, a true illusion.

The floor is immediately covered in something purely black.

“Wings.” I casted.

These are all very unfamiliar to me but something is inside me that lets me flawlessly cast these spells and possess the affinity of lunar eclipse. The world isn’t just composed of major affinities, there will and will always be infamous ones, hidden somewhere waiting for someone to find it and actually possess it.

Wings appeared on my back, half of it is black while half of it is white.

“You have wings?!” Johann said in surprise.

My lunar eclipse spell: Forbidding Dance of the Shadows is a spell that negates magic energy from flowing towards where it faces. The whole battlefield was wrapped in something purely black for a few seconds and then it immediately vanished.

So that explains it.

Elio did gain power at night however, he didn’t gain much. It is because the shadow blocking the moon blocks the moon from releasing its energy as a whole but instead, the only left part of the moon or the “white ring” is the only part of the moon that releases energy.

But ignoring that, I have to win this fight now with this power I gained.

I called both of my edgelights again. I expected them to be the same but I guess my new affinity just changes not only my spells but also my weapons and my clothes. My edgelights are summoned and they are the same in figure but definitely not in energy and color. The edgelight on my right hand is purely white while the other one is purely black, representing the figure of the moon right now. My whole body represents the current image of the moon, partly white and black. My clothes also changed its look, suddenly instead of just being white its color is divided into two: black and white but my pants remained being brown.

Nevertheless, with the wings behind me, I rushed towards Johann without hesitation. I should be able to fight him now.

The chances of winning are still unknown; who knows what tricks he still has in him.

He swings his sunshine as I rush towards him with my edgelights directly aimed at him. I never thought he’d still be able to put up a fight against me in this form but I know I am in an advantage here now.

Not all of my wounds are fully healed but my clothes are repaired and they seem to be doing a perfect job concealing what scathes I have under these clothes.

I continue to s***h him with every strength remaining inside me, each s***h seems to shake him off more and more until he dropped his axe.

I pointed my sword at him.

“This is the end, Johann.” I told him.

He laughs while his knees fell on the floor.

“Quite a turn of events huh?” he said.

I am amazed by the fact that he still have the courage to laugh along with the fact that he’s losing.

“I mean no harm.” I told him.

I have numbers of spells enough to put him on conscious.

“But sadly, I do.” he said.

He opens his arms and flames appeared on it.

“Total Suppression Art of Pantheon Flame; Regulus Roaring!” he casted.

He finally casted his total suppression spell. I have been waiting for him to use his total suppression this whole time that we have been fighting but I just couldn’t seem to make him use it on me. It looks like I have to be in this form in order for him to feel threatened enough.

But is he really threatened which is why he used his total suppression? Or is he just desperate enough to kill me already?

“Your spells mean nothing at this current point Johann.” I told him.

“Remember, the moon still exists and I am in this form. With the moon present, I can take energy as much as I can.” I told him.

The thing about this form is that it doesn’t use me the common energy that I normally use. It is as peculiar to how Percisca can use her midnight eye ability. I have no idea what kind of energy this is, but it feels very warm unlike the common energy which is quite cold. The energy is inside me and can’t be normal absorbed anytime and anywhere. Basically I can only use this form – my current guess – only if there is a lunar eclipse else, it will be totally concealed.

“Art of Lunar Eclipse; Forbidding Dance of the Shadows.” I calmly casted.

His soon-to-be-summoned spelled immediately vanished in thin air just like earlier.

He became silent for a whole minute.

“Art of Lunar Eclipse; Whispers of Shadows.” I casted.

In just a blink, Johann fell asleep, lying on the ground with his body facing upwards and his weapons, Sunshine, lies beside him with blade stuck on the ground.

We have won Elio, Diether and Percisca. We did it. We finally did it.

“Edgeseekers has won this year’s Battle of the Factions!” Dio announced through the whole screen.

I can hear the whole Hergrinct shouting and cheering with excitement.

My body feels numb and tired, slowly, I felt myself running out of energy – the common one – and my equinox form vanished, all that’s left is my body and torn clothes.

We’ve won, we did it everyone. All your hard works paved way for us to win.

I smiled.