Aiden exhaled, flicking blood off his dagger. His body ached, his muscles screaming, but he remained standing. Yet, he felt indifferent. He hadn't expected to land an attack so early, but given his own injuries, it made sense.
He moved first because he had no choice. He can be hurt. I have to evolve.
As Aiden was about to connect. Master Callin growled. "Too slow."
"BOOM!"
Callin's mouth snapped open, releasing a sonic roar. The force struck Aiden like a sledgehammer, lifting him off his feet and hurling him backward. He barely twisted in time to roll upon impact, avoiding a brutal landing.
Pain flared through his ribs. "Definitely cracked."But before he could regain his footing, Lord David on the side decided to intervene.
This fool, he should already be dead.
A second roar this time it was blast of searing fire, that erupted from David's throat, covering the area in a wave of orange heat. Aiden dove to the side, feeling the flames scorch on his skin.
At that moment mist appeared. Pale Requiem. He stood between them, David and Callin the tension like lightning.
He also saw a moment of hesitation in David's golden eyes. A mistake, Pale Requiem moved.
In an instant, he closed the distance.
His hand caught David's wrist mid-swipe. Then, with effortless strength, he twisted "SNAP!" a sickening crack his bones were shattered.
David howled, but Pale Requiem's follow-up was already in motion. He drove his fist into the his gut, folding him in half, then twisted his arm into a spinning backhand that sent the David skidding across the ground, the sharp stone, tearing up his body.
Callin froze, his eyes widened, at how swiftly his father had been taken down. Then, rage overtook hesitation. He attacked from behind.
His claws slashed forward only to meet empty air.
Pale Requiem had already sidestepped, his coat flowing. He countered. His elbow struck Callin's throat, cutting off his roar before it could fully form.
Then came his sword. Strapped to his back a massive sword of an ancient design, their golden hilts wrapped in silk and inscribed with runes.
Pale Requiem drew his blade and, in a single flash, cut through Callin's shoulder, severing muscle from bone. Blood sprayed into the air.
Callin roared in pain, stumbling back. He had really underestimated, the Pale Requiem reputation.
Aiden at the side still recovering, saw Lord David forcing himself back to his feet, his eyes locked onto Pale Requiem dashing toward him.
Aiden dashed forward, his used his spacelock ability by having felt the connection in the ground, it was like circuit board line, he flowed through.
At that moment, David's body dropped low straight into a hole that hadn't been there a second ago. He didn't even have time to process what had happened before…
Aiden's knee smashed into his skull.
David's head snapped back, rattled by the sudden impact. But while he was dizzy, Aiden wasn't much better off he clutched his knee in pain, hopping on one foot.
Damn… Even through the sharp ache, Aiden couldn't help but acknowledge it. He's tough. But using my ability like that… it makes me really feel like I can do more.
In the mist of Aiden distracted, he heard a roar when he his snapped to the roar he saw. David jumped out the hole, his maw wide open, glowing with forming power.
His jaw shifted, ice crystallizing along his fangs. In an instant, jagged spikes of ice launched toward Aiden, tearing through the air.
His eyes widened. He had no time to dodge, so his instinct took over. He reached out…not physically, but through the terrain itself. And something new happened.
Beneath David's feet, a rift tore open black as the Phantom Dimension, pulsating of unstable energy. A burst of multicolored light shot upward, covering him.
A chain reaction ignited dozens, no, hundreds of chaotic energy blasts exploded in rapid succession, hammering David keeping him midair.
Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the rift sealed. David's body plummeted, landing near Callin, who barely managed to escape another of Pale Requiem's sword slashes.
Aiden stared at where the rift had been, his breathing uneven.
"Is that what Kurt meant… when he said it will come to me?"
Callin helped his father up, he glared at Aiden. 'I should've killed him long ago.'
He spat. "If it weren't for the Pale Requiem, you'd be dead already."
David recovered, panting heavily, his claws dugged into the dirt. His gaze flickered to his son.
"We end this. Now."
Both attacked together, even with Callin half destroyed shoulder, he had previously and now still put up a good fight.
David unleashed a vacuum roar, the air around Pale Requiem distorting, crushing inward.
At the same time, Callin howled, sending a ripple of pure sonic energy through the air like a banshee's wail of destruction.
The attacks collided with Pale Requiem. For a moment, nothing moved. Then the dust cleared.
The Pale Requiem was still standing there. Unscathed.
David's eyes widened. "What…?"
Pale Requiem exhaled. His hand brushed against his coat, adjusting it. Then he spoke, coldly. "Your powers are wasted on me." And then he moved.
He swung his sword the placement right at, Callin it connected before he dodged it exploded off his body, knocking him back but also opening multiple wounds on his body.
David barely had time to react before Pale Requiem was already in front of him. He raised his arms in defense, he made it a perfect strike.
He gasped, blood spilling from his lips. Callin who was about to attack stood, froze in horror.
Pale Requiem twisted his sword, his grip he even started deeply into David eyes, that when David gaze trembled he looked away, in fear.
He coughed. He had lost.
But before he fell, he turned to Callin his son. His voice was hoarse, weak, but filled with commanding authority.
"Run."
Callin clenched his fist. "No! We can still—"
"I SAID RUN!"
Pale Requiem pulled his blade free, and with one final, brutal motion slashed across David's throat.
His werewolf's body slumped to the ground. Lifeless.
Callin's breath hitched. My father… the one who had always been stronger… is gone. The strongest man I ever knew!
Aiden, still injured, he was about to chase after. "Callin…"
But Callin was already gone.
He turned and ran into the darkness of the forest. While doing so he swore. I will have my revenge I know about the trouble you caused it will come crashing down on you!
Aiden exhaled, he forced himself forward. His gaze shifted to Pale Requiem.
Who sheathed his sword, stepping over David's corpse without a second glance. "He dead…go get your group."
Aiden swallowed hard. He really questioned his usefulness. 'To easily do that what was the use of having me?'
Just how strong is he… compared to them?
In the moment of silence was the Callin Clan Stronghold, it became apparent to him, that all the other wolves had already left before the fight even started.
Pale Requiem's gaze swept across the empty ruins, expression unreadable. 'They should all be happy now.'
The pack had abandoned their leader the moment they sensed his end. Cowards. But Pale Requiem didn't care. They were meaningless to him. They didn't have what he wanted.
Without another thought, he turned and walked away. Aiden, however, had no time to dwell on the aftermath. He sprinted through the stronghold, his heart pounding.
Mira. Riven.
He searched every room, every corridor, but there was no sign of them. Were they never here to begin with?
Just as doubt began to creep in, he found it, a hidden cave entrance. A staircase leading down into the dark. Using a already, placed lamp and nearby keys he entered the dark underground.
Opening eerily sounding, steel door he heard nothing and saw nothing. Where realy are they…did Lord David doesn't have them.
He turned to leave, he was hit onto the side slamming into the ground.
"Riven, stop it's Aiden!"
Suddenly, there was a voice while in pain, he recognized it, he looked to see. Mira looking down at him and Riven, fist raised ready to strike again.
"…Aiden?"
Aiden coughed and pushed himself up.
Mira gave him a nod, waiting for him to recover. Then she asked, "Aiden, what are you doing here?"
He wasted no time, giving them a quick rundown of everything since he had left the jeep his search for them, the battle, and most notably…
His fight alongside Pale Requiem, that last part made Mira and Riven exchange glances, of skepticism and shock.
Among the Exodites, fighting alongside Pale Requiem was unheard of. He was a ghost, a legend whispered about in the dark. A man whose true motives were unknown.
It's dreams of many Exodites also, for him to help someone else it had to be a special reason. Especially after the legend cause that some heard for his reasoning on becoming a ghost… Pale Requiem.
While leaving the stronghold, and seeing what there of there use. He came across something that felt very powerful that touching can boost his power.
"What is this…?"
He looked, at the floating swirling shard. Having glass-like surface glows with shifting celestial runes, emitting a soft harmonic hum. When charged, arcs of midnight-green lightning dance between its fragments, scattering star-like particles into the air.
"It's the zone crystal…it's keeps certain zone alive only thoses powerful enough can protect it." Mira explained.
"Wait… aren't these what Exodites are supposed to destroy?"
"Yes," Mira admitted. "But this one… we can't destroy. You've seen its power yourself."
Zone Crystal are often used as power sources and have their own energy signature, and mainly be used as zone holder keeping the zone together.
Their power and purity grow with time by absorbing world energy, and they have the ability to endlessly replenish themselves.
So this is have been used on my before…it will give me strenght if I take it again. Aiden thought, staring at the crystal. Still, I can't do that to Mira, even if my willing to do what it takes.
After gaining more explained about it from Mira, he had to agree to not take the crystal nor destroy it. So they left the stronghold and headed back into Kaven Town.