mousepad-d2 Chapter 418 Begone
Chapter 418 Begone
The golden commander lifted his sword higher. Solstice closed in and the commander swung his sword downward.
As he did, he forced his body to the right, slamming his shoulder into Solstice, who evaded his slash.
His pauldron met Solstice's sword. Sparks flew as the commander followed up with an upward strike, flowing right from the first with greater momentum.
It split the water as it came for Solstice. The dragon knight spun from his back foot and swung his sword, cutting through the commander's abdomen.
With a grunt, the commander staggered only for him to stab his sword into the ground and a bright light burst from the floor. All the water in the pool was blown upward, along with Solstice.
Mountain charged toward them. Solstice somersaulted mid-air, stepped on Mountain's shield and leaped into the sky.
Ice locked the golden commander's feet to the ground. Dax used Gravity Lock to reinforce the bind Lysander placed on the commander while Solstice descended from above, not with his sword as that would put him right in the commander's hands.
Being in the air had a good amount of disadvantages such as being predictable but… it also had its advantages.
Solstice unleashed sunfire from his swords. The massive waves of fire descended with momentum as the commander broke away from the Gravity Lock.
He used a dome to defend himself. Toria, who activated Black-Out, manifested a purple flame lotus around the dome.
It obstructed the commander's vision as Tempest pierced through the dome, his crimson armour matching the colour of the golden commander's eyes.
The golden commander was growing weaker. His dome, his golden light, were not as bright as they once were. This hall made him weaker and he was intelligent enough to return to the other hall.
Their swords clashed, but Tempest swung his foot, sweeping the commander's feet off the ground as he raised his sword and pierced it through the commander's chest, pinning him to the ground.
"Rest… well." His voice rang out as the commander held the sword, the red glow behind his helmet's eyeholes becoming intense.
Tempest plunged the sword deeper and deeper until it reached the hilt, then he let go.
All of them stood around him. They watched the red glow in his eyes grow dimmer and dimmer until it died out, leaving behind an empty husk within the armour.
There was a ceremonious silence. Toria, Dax and Lysander might not have been there when the Order began but they were learning from the Alchemists and had grown to bond with the Order.
This silence was their last respect to a Pathan who once defined the golden armour. A brother in faith.
"It is done." Solstice's voice echoed in the hall.
Tempest pulled out his greatsword, attached it to his back and joined the others who were leaving.
***
"It's here!" A frightened scream made Isolde turn from the candle. She saw it. The creeping darkness, swallowing buildings all around them. A fierce wind was already blowing out the candles. Many were running into the sea of candles, some trying to climb the statue as more people ran toward this place seeking refuge.
A good number of these people watched her dragons breathe fire into this darkness yet nothing happened.
Even Luthor's undying fire vanished into the darkness. The wind grew fiercer the closer the creeping darkness came.
She quickly sent her dragons back to their home. Even if she died, they wouldn't. Another Mother of Dragons would be born.
Seeing the dragons vanish, the people's fear increased.
"Where are the dragons?"
"What are you doing?!"
Some people who were paralyzed with fear raised their voices but Isolde didn't spare them more than a glance.
She understood they were afraid but they held their kids tight. She was doing the same.
"Idris!" A mother's scream made Isolde turn. She saw a blonde woman looking for her son in the crowd, all running for their lives.
"Idris!!" The woman screamed even louder, moving away from the statue instead of toward it. People were running toward safety, she was moving away from it in search of her child.
Isolde paused as she turned her head to the north. There at the far end of the crowd was a young boy no more than seven with blonde hair.
She shot forward, spreading her wings and flapping them. Isolde wasn't certain if that was the woman's son. It looked like she had just arrived here and was searching, hoping her son was amongst those that had been here all along.
That was her thought. And… that was the boy she saw in her vision.
She teleported and reappeared right before the boy, grabbing his hand but the creeping darkness grabbed his other hand, growing to latch onto his body and half of his face at the speed of thought.
Isolde's life flashed before her eyes. Her parents, her dragons, her friends, her duty to her family… him.
Several faces flashed through her mind as her heart drummed. Isolde's hands quivered. Was... this fear?
She took a step back, releasing her grip on the boy as her instincts screamed at her to move back, to run.
The sight of her looking down at the bloody hand that came out of her chest appeared in the darkness. Looking at that image, Isolde couldn't tell if it was real or just her imagination.
Gabriel was right behind her. That feeling, the invincibility she had always felt, crumbled that day.
If she feared death, why was she here then? Why didn't she run and leave these people to their own fate?!
The creeping darkness dragged the seven-year-old out of her weakened grip.
'Because I trust him. I trust my partner and this kid…'
The boy's eyes reflected in her own as he was about to vanish into the darkness…
'... trusts me to save him.'
Strength came to her legs once more as she grabbed the boy's fingers. The darkness pulled him in and drew her along.
"ISOLDE!!!" Isaac screamed when he saw her golden figure being dragged into the darkness. She was too far… he couldn't reach her.
'Hope… I know he'll come.' Isolde said internally the darkness engulfed her and swooshed forth.
But… At that moment, a massive dark silhouette with a golden outline and bright golden eyes flashed in the clouds above.
"Begone… darkness."
A man's voice thundered.