Chapter 85: Metamorphosis (VII)
Hisssss—
The spherical mass of dark red bl**d flowed like it had suddenly been split open by some unseen force at the top, a terrifying dead smoke gushing from the crack, mixed with sparkling ice crystals and flickering scarlet flames that danced like tongues erupting from the sun, the air suddenly becoming uncomfortably hot, the bl**d bubbling and boiling with increasing intensity.
Sizzle!
Carlos squinted, and in an instant, his body transformed into lightning, retreating to a spot several dozen meters away, standing atop a burning, dilapidated shack. Once he felt the temperature was no longer searing his lungs, he quickly looked up, fixating on the sky above.
He then slowly widened his pupils.
“What is this…?”
Boom!
Yellow sand swirled in his field of vision, scarlet lightning cracking with a roar, the once-clear sky quickly turning dark, as black clouds rolled in like a curtain, swirling downward like a vortex, getting thicker and lower, everything seemed shrouded in a layer of shadow, sinking into a murkiness as if a greedy demon were trying to engulf the entire world.
Boom boom boom boom boom…
In the next moment, with a thunderous sound, a bl**d-red beam shot out from the crack at the top of the fireball, akin to a scorching fireline splitting the heavens, shooting straight into the clouds, black dead smoke entwined with countless glimmering frost, swirling around the beam.
The intense light made the man instinctively raise a hand to shield his eyes.
“Little Shay…”
He muttered, and then his face became solemn, “Zzzt!” His body transformed into lightning once more, darting upward in an instant, appearing just four or five meters away from the fireball.
As his form crystallized from the lightning, the man faced the searing heat like he was in a furnace, his few strands of hair immediately wilted and curled. He strained to open his eyes, peering into the crack of the fireball, and see a figure curled up within the glaring red light, which was so bright it was hard to look at— a girl.
Carlos immediately recognized that silhouette.
“It really is you…”
In that moment, his heart jolted violently, an inexplicable mix of anger, anxiety, and fear surged within him, filling his psyche with an urgent emotion.
“Who did this to you…?”
The unbearable heat pressed in too long, and after that brief moment of recognition, Carlos transformed into a streak of lightning yet again, flashing to the burning ruins thirty meters away. His feet barely landed before he flipped up the gray cloth cloak enclosing him, revealing gleaming silver light armor beneath. With a swift motion, he drew his longsword with a sharp “clang.”
“What have they done to you…?”
Swoosh—
The blade cut swiftly, aimed at the flame beam shooting skyward from the sphere, the unseen blade of light slicing through the air with a resounding whoosh. It cleaved through the towering walls of rubble, slicing apart the swirling ice crystal dead smoke, severing the scarlet fireline cleanly in half!
…But it had no effect.
The fireline merely flickered for a moment before seamlessly reconnecting, its tongue of flame swaying in the wind as if nothing had happened, continuing to sh**t skyward.
Above in the sky, the black clouds rolled ever darker, scarlet lightning streaked across the heavens once more, with the tumultuous sound of thunder blending with the swirling thick clouds. Pulsing flashes of red glimmered from within the depths of the clouds as the beam from below was sucked into the swirling vortex, vanishing into what looked like a bottomless black hole, making the glowing red light within the clouds even more blinding.
The apocalyptic scene reflected in the man’s narrowed pupils, adding a further layer of anxiety to his solemn expression.
Buzz—
Carlos swung his sword again with a sharp echo, this time, he didn’t aim to cut the fiery stream but instead sent a visceral strike straight towards that flaming bl**d sphere!
However, in that very moment, countless bloody tendrils twisted outwards from within the bl**d of the sphere, coiling together into a massive, stout flow, blocking the incoming blade of light just as it was about to strike.
Thud!
Carlos’s second strike cleaved through innumerable writhing tendrils, a cacophony of flesh and bl**d exploded in a shower, raining down in a “pitter-patter,” while simultaneously, the man transformed into an arc of lightning again, vanishing into the deluge of bl**d, resolutely darting straight for the fireball.
At the same time.
To the west of the town, the sounds of explosions and intense heat waves continued to spread, amidst the booming clashes, a rotund old woman, face contorted in disgust, cackled maniacally as she swung a heavy hammer, bringing it down upon the female heretic engulfed in flames before her.
But faced with the gust of wind akin to a tiger’s roar, the female heretic dared not confront it head-on, dodging quickly to the side, transforming into a streak of fire, flashing behind the old woman. Her right arm was covered in a bl**d-red, bizarre-scaled armor as she grasped the old woman’s shoulder just as the hammer slammed down, the ground cracking with a “boom,” sending up a cloud of dust. In the next moment, amid the swirling debris, the female heretic’s face hardened, her bloodied hand clenched into a fist, smashing into the old woman’s back.
Bang!
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom—
The old woman had no time to dodge, sent flying like a cannonball by the punch, crashing through walls and rubble, she soared dozens of meters away before barely coming to a stop, dust rising from her landing site. The female heretic paid her no further mind, showing no interest in pursuing, instead gazing towards the center of the town, where the beam was ascending. She looked at the dark, ominous clouds and the bl**d-red light rising within them, contemplating for a moment, then noticed a bright blue lightning flash near the beam.
…Someone is coming.
An enemy.
In the next instant, surging infernal fire erupted beneath Ailna’s feet, an intense heat wave lifting her skyward, as she shot rapidly in the direction of the town’s center.
Outside the town.
The black clouds rolled in, casting a gloomy shade over the yellow sands that had been glimmering with bl**d light.
The Knights Order began to stir uneasily, and the Bishop Aresta, previously engaged in a quarrel with the old man, abandoned that thought entirely as both their attentions were drawn towards the beam rising from the town center.
“What is that…?”
Aresta trembled, mumbling.
“……”
The old man did not answer, his gaze was firmly fixed on the direction of the beam rising. The calm demeanor he had earlier faded, slowly replaced with a furrowed brow, a hint of concern creeping in.
“Aresta.”
He called out to the young bishop, “You and your knights need to retreat three kilometers… no, five kilometers away.”
Aresta froze for a moment, then showed a bit of anger, “Old man—”
“The heretics seem to be a step ahead of us; the ensuing events cannot be handled by you lot.”
The old man paid no mind to his outrage.
He unsteadily dismounted from his beast, taking a couple steps forward through the yellow sand, and then his loose robes began to rustle in the wind. That thin, hunched figure gradually lifted off the ground.
“Child. Your task is to coordinate with my actions, and you’ve done well. I know what you’re thinking, don’t seek glory and don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment. From here on out, just ensure you and the First Knights Order can return safely. That, then, will be your contribution.”
The old man said, as his form began to slowly float towards the town.
