Chapter 376 A Monster [Part 1]
Raven's transformation left Afkon momentarily stunned.
The golden aura surrounding her body pulsed with power, her white hair floating as if suspended in water.
The ring of light hovering above her head cast an otherworldly glow across the desolate landscape.
Afkon's earlier smugness evaporated, replaced by a grim determination. He knew the tides of this fight were about to shift.
"So, the little bird had talons after all," he growled, his black markings writhing around him like agitated serpents. "Let's see if they're sharp enough."
Without warning, Afkon's markings shot towards Raven, morphing into razor-sharp spears.
Raven's form blurred as she dodged with inhuman speed, leaving afterimages in her wake.
The spears embedded themselves in the ground where she had stood just moments before.
Raven reappeared behind Afkon, her sword materializing in her hand.
She struck with lightning precision, aiming for his neck.
Afkon's markings coalesced into a shield, barely deflecting the blow.
The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the air, kicking up dust and debris.
Afkon spun, lashing out with a whip-like tendril.
Raven ducked under it, feeling the wind of its passage ruffle her hair.
She countered with a series of rapid slashes, her blade leaving trails of golden light in its wake.
Afkon was forced on the defensive, his markings forming a constantly shifting barrier to parry Raven's relentless assault.
Each clash of sword against living ink sent sparks flying, the air crackling with energy.
"You've been holding back all this time," Afkon snarled, frustration evident in his voice. "Playing the helpless little bird while hiding such power."
Raven's expression remained impassive, her glowing white eyes fixed on her opponent. "I told you, Afkon. You can't kill me. I've died too many times to fear death anymore."
Her words only seemed to enrage Afkon further.
His markings erupted outward in a frenzy, forming a forest of writhing tentacles that threatened to engulf Raven.
She danced between them, her movements fluid and graceful, her sword flashing in deadly white arcs.
Wherever Raven's blade touched Afkon's markings, they sizzled and recoiled as if burned by holy fire.
Afkon grimaced, feeling each cut as if it were inflicted on his own flesh.
"What are you?" he demanded, genuine fear creeping into his voice for the first time.
Raven paused, her sword held at the ready. "I am what I've always been, Afkon. A survivor. Someone who's seen too much death and suffering to stand idly by while people like you destroy everything and everyone in your path."
She lunged forward, her speed almost too fast for the eye to follow.
Afkon barely managed to dodge, feeling the heat of her blade as it grazed his cheek.
A thin line of blood appeared, and he stared at Raven in disbelief.
"You... you actually hurt me," he muttered, touching the cut with trembling fingers.
Raven didn't relent, pressing her advantage. Her sword became a blur of motion, forcing Afkon to concentrate all his markings into a dense shield.
Each impact sent tremors through his body, the strength behind Raven's strikes far beyond what her slender frame suggested.
Afkon channeled his markings into the ground, causing them to erupt in a circle around Raven.
She leaped high into the air, somersaulting over the black spikes that threatened to impale her.
As she descended, her sword trailing golden light, Afkon saw an opening.
He focused his markings into a single, massive spear, aiming for Raven's unprotected back.
Time seemed to slow as the spear hurtled towards her, promising a fatal blow.
But Raven's words echoed in Afkon's mind: "You can't kill me."
At the last possible moment, Raven twisted in mid-air, her sword cleaving through Afkon's spear as if it were made of smoke.
She landed gracefully, her white eyes locked onto Afkon's stunned face.
"How?" Afkon whispered, his confidence thoroughly shattered. "How can you predict my every move?"
Raven stood straight, looking at Afkon with an indifferent expression.
"Reading you amongst many others is a very easy thing for me to do. I can't just read you, Afkon, I can read anyone I set my mind to."
Her eyes grew distant and chagrined for a while.
"Well, except one person. But once I fought you before, I figured I could bait you easily if I wanted to. This whole thing, you going after Lotheliwan, the Empire finally making their move, you think you were in control all this while."
Afkon's eyes were fixed on her for a couple of seconds, he scrunched them and said:
"What do you mean?"
"What I meant, Afkon, is that you have been playing right into my hand from the moment I left this stronghold and you didn't even realize it."
He chuckled.
"Yeah, that's easy for you to say, when destruction is being heralded your way by my stronghold. This is me playing your move by destroying something I know you built."
Raven smiled at him.
"This was the only way I could go about it."
At that point, Afkon became wary in his demeanor and words.
"You're bluffing. What possible good could this do to you?"
Raven exhaled then raised her hands, she folded her thumb.
"One. I needed a way to cause a civil war. Indeed, I brought everyone together, but it was only to make us stronger, not everyone has the capability of growth and some certain situations have to be fulfilled for one's innate ability to blossom. We cooperated when we needed to and I am glad it worked, but there was only so far that would take us."
She sighed.
"With some certain traitors in our midst, there's only so much we can do."
Afkon looked at her with a slight frown.
"And by traitor, I am not talking about Braham. He's not even worthy enough to deserve my attention, I just needed to let Braham be Braham for this to happen. I am glad that he didn't disappoint me. Oh well, nobody ever does... Except that guy."
"What are you even talking about? You are spitting nonsense."
"I let Braham betray us, because I knew you have been looking for a way to overtake Lotheliwan. When that time came, I knew there was going to be civil war because Sage Gilbert would never let you, and then I separated three other trusted allies of mine to pick a different side from either of you two."
"This will cause a major division in the forces of Lotheliwan. You would only be able to have Braham's and some other stupidly weak drifters amongst us."
Afkon shook his head in disgust.
"So you played chess board with your own teammates to what end?"
"Afkon, aren't you way worse? You killed one out of every student Rughsbourgh sent here, to prove what point to the man, that he can never throw you away? And guess what his response was to that."
Afkon narrowed his eyes.
"Rughsbourgh didn't send a link this time around. He sent you all here to die. Simply to die!"
Raven smiled.
"Is that what you think?"
Her words immediately set him off such that he grimaced darkly, exuding an aura of malevolence.
"What do you mean?"
Raven looked at him and spoke confidently.
"Rughsbourgh sent a link this time around. He sent someone you wouldn't be able to kill, let alone know was a link."
Afkon backed away in disbelief, his face contorting.
"That's impossible. There's no one..." He suddenly paused and narrowed his eyes at Raven.
"Gilbert and his crews... That's why you needed us to break away from them. Because you couldn't trust them."
Raven nodded, and smiled.
"To move to the next phase of my plan which is the most important before leaving this Desolation, I needed to cut away those I can't trust."
Afkon's face became entranced, but horribly.
"And you have been planning this since you left my stronghold." His voice was laced with a sublime fear. "You monster, manipulator."
"I am not a manipulator, Afkon. I just want to help everyone go back home."