Chapter 133 – The Valoran Subjugation (7)

A wave of brilliant divine power surged across the desolate wasteland beneath the darkened sky.

The incomplete Masters, touched by the divine energy, dissolved into shimmering motes of light, their monstrous screams fading into nothingness.

At the heart of the divine tide, a violet aura raged, creating ripples of destruction.

Hermilla, deftly evading the flurry of attacks, pressed forward, her body a tapestry of wounds, but her gaze unwavering, burning with fierce determination.

Suddenly, the incomplete Masters surrounding Rubia turned, their attention now fixed on Hermilla.

“Ha.” Hermilla’s jaw clenched, her body a blur as she launched herself forward.

Blood-matted hair swirling, violet eyes narrowed, she became a whirlwind of destruction.

Crunch!

Heads exploded, bodies shattered under her relentless assault.

“Die!” A guttural roar, and [Desolation] surged, twisting and tearing the incomplete Masters apart, leaving a gruesome trail of carnage.

Spells rained down on her. Rubia reacted instantly, channeling her divine power, erecting a massive barrier around Hermilla.

BOOM!
The spells dissipated harmlessly against the divine shield.

“Kuh…ngh…” Rubia’s body, drained of power, was riddled with arrows and spears.

Blood welled in her throat, but she raised her trembling arms, reclaiming her divine power and unleashing it upon her attackers.

With each sweep of her frail arms, incomplete Masters fell, their bodies dissolving into light.

Clearing the immediate area, Rubia ripped the projectiles from her flesh, her gaze fixed on Hermilla.

Hermilla, having slaughtered the last of the incomplete Masters surrounding her, reached the sorcerer.

A single, devastating punch obliterated the sorcerer, leaving nothing but a faint shimmer of dissipating magic.

Rubia waved her arm, clearing the remaining incomplete Masters near Hermilla.

Rumble!

The divine power released from their dissolving forms merged with the surging tide, amplifying its power.

It was the perfect battlefield for Rubia, a conduit of divine energy. If not for the crimson barrier looming behind her…

Hours passed.

The last of the incomplete Masters on the mainland fell. Rubia collapsed, swallowing the last of her elixirs.

“Haa… How long…?” she gasped, pulling the remaining projectiles from her body as Hermilla approached.

“Fifty-two hours,” Hermilla replied, her voice strained. She wrapped strips of torn cloth around her bleeding hands, her gaze fixed on the distant sounds of battle. “At least…the Temple of Memories is still standing…thanks to Serr.”

Rubia followed her gaze.

Above the Temple, spirits still battled, their numbers dwindling, but still a formidable force.

“Is…Noah…alright?”

“…Alive. For now.” Rubia’s hand tightened around the thread connecting her to Noah, her eyes closed. “But…she’s…suffering…”

The emotions transmitted through the thread were a swirling vortex of despair.

“…I see.” Hermilla gritted her teeth, examining her wounds. She pulled out a potion.

Rubia sat up, channeling healing energy into Hermilla.

“You can use the potion…”

“Scars.”

“Right… Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

Once Hermilla’s wounds were healed, she pulled a piece of dried jerky from her pouch.

“You can’t…turn this into a steak…or anything…can you?”

“Of course not…”

“Just checking. You know…gods and all…” It was a weak attempt at humor, but Rubia recognized the intent and smiled faintly.

“I suppose it’s…within the realm of possibility…” She took the jerky, infusing it with a touch of divine power.

“It’s…slightly warmer now.” She chuckled, taking a bite.

“Taste any different?”

“Warm garbage.”

“Oh dear. I’ll stick with cold garbage, then.”

The sound of chewing echoed in the desolate silence.

“Still no word from Ursphere?”

“No. They must have encountered resistance. Whether they’re alive or…” Hermilla trailed off, pulling out a cracked communication crystal. “…dead…remains to be seen.”

“They’re not easily killed. And once they arrive…the tide will turn. Though…it might be too late…”

Rubia hugged her knees, her breath trembling.

“Honestly…if we went now…”

“True. But Serr would throw a fit.”

“Heh… She’d probably say something like, ‘I’m a genius! Do you think I can’t handle this? Are you insulting me?! Get back there and bring Noah!’”

“Remarkably accurate.”

And then…

…a surge of power erupted from Serr’s location.

A true Master.

Not a fabricated one. The real thing.

“Two…”

“…Indeed.”

Two
true Masters. On Serr’s battlefield.

“They must have just arrived…” Hermilla trailed off, looking at Rubia.

Rubia nodded. “Go.”

“…Are you sure?”

“Of course. Even Serr wouldn’t argue with
that
.” She smiled, pulling a roll of bandages from her pouch and offering it to Hermilla.

“Take this.”

“…What…?”

“Someone I know…uses bandages. I brought extras. They’re clean.”

Hermilla tilted her head, then smiled. “Ah… I see…”

“I taught them how to tie those knots, by the way. Are they any good at it now?”

“Yes. Quite…resourceful, actually.” The thought of Noah’s clumsy efforts brought a pang of longing to Rubia’s heart.

“Go. And…be careful. Stay safe.”

Hermilla nodded, taking the bandages. She stood.

“If anything goes wrong—”

“Nothing will go wrong,” Rubia interrupted, her voice firm. “Noah will win. I know it.”

“Very well.” Hermilla wrapped the bandages around her hands, glancing at the crimson barrier. “I’ll be waiting.”

“Yes.”

Hermilla’s footsteps faded into the distance.

And then…silence.

A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the divine barrier Rubia had secretly maintained.

Humanoid. Clad in crudely stitched leather. Mouth sewn shut with wire.

Three completed Masters.

Rubia took a deep breath and stood.

She would hold this line. For as long as it took.

With her undying body. Her monstrous resilience.

No matter the cost.

Splash.

Three figures.

One step.

The other two—

Swish!

A spear thrust. Rubia raised a divine barrier.

CLANG!
The spear stopped mid-air. She turned, her hand reaching for the sword flashing towards her.

Slash!
The blade sliced through her skin, grating against bone. She poured divine energy into the wound, halting its advance.

Agony, blinding and overwhelming.

She bit back a scream, gathering her scattered divine power, focusing it, then unleashing it with a stomp of her foot.

BOOM!

A wave of pure divine energy washed over the incomplete Masters, dissolving them.

She launched a divine arrow at the distant sorcerer, guiding it with a flick of her wrist, weaving it through the air, past barriers and defenses, shattering spells.

KABOOM!

The arrow exploded as Rubia clenched her fist.

A cloud of dust and debris. She raised a barrier against an incoming spell, then launched another arrow.

Clang!
The spear-wielder deflected the arrows, then vanished.

And then—

Thud!

“Gah…!”

A spearhead protruded from her back, piercing her lung.

No warning. Just…there. Spatial manipulation.

Slash!
A blade tore into her shoulder.

Sizzle!
Lightning coursed through her veins.

Agony, with every breath. The sword in her shoulder twisted, grinding against bone. Every attempt to summon divine power was met with a jolt of searing pain.

Her vision blurred. Her knees buckled. Her mind, a fog.

But she had to endure.

For Noah. Who would be waiting. Alone. Perhaps injured. Perhaps…despairing.

She gripped the thread connecting them, summoning her divine power.

Pain, tearing through her body. Her teeth shattered. Her lungs burned.

Blood poured from her wounds, from her eyes, her nose, her mouth, her ears.

But she endured. She healed. She strengthened her faltering limbs. She focused her fading mind.

And then…she unleashed her power.

CLANG!

A blinding wave of divine energy washed across the wasteland, illuminating the darkness.

The three incomplete Masters dissolved. Her wounds vanished.

And then…

Splash.

Splash.

Splash.

Splash.

Splash.

More completed Masters.

Twelve.

Walking towards her. Running. Vanishing. Reappearing.

Closing in.

Swords flashed. Spears thrust. Arrows rained down. Hammers fell. Greatswords crushed. Halberds swung. Daggers darted. Spells ignited. Fists struck. Spikes erupted. Curses activated. Harpoons launched.

Death, in all its forms, descended.

And then…

Crack.

The barrier behind her shattered.

Screech. Thud.

Time seemed to stop.

“I missed you, Rubia.”

A voice, the one she loved above all others.

“No…ah.”

“It’s me. Noah.”

A gentle voice. But her eyes…burned with a chilling intensity.

Her gaze swept across the frozen tableau of death, and then…

Noah swung Frey.

And the world…turned upside down.