My body finally came to a stop after flying through nearly a hundred feet of space, crashing through debris, broken walls, and whatever else was in my path.
I didn't even bother counting how many times I tumbled and bounced along the ground and in the air.
I landed flat on my back, half-buried under crumbling chunks of stone and twisted metal.
My ribs ached, my head throbbed, and my lungs burned with each breath. I let out a low groan and slowly pushed myself up. Dust clung to my skin and clothes.
Unclasping the mask, I yanked it off and opened my mouth to cough, blood splattered on the floor. I wiped it off with the back of my hand, clicked my tongue in annoyance, and stored the mask in my ring.
I did a quick check of my body. Some bruises, a few cracked bones, maybe.....but nothing too serious. Compared to what I went through during the gravity ride, this was almost manageable.
I exhaled and rolled my shoulder with a grunt, then stepped out of the collapsed structure I'd landed in.
My eyes scanned the area, looking for my staff.
"Looking for your staff?" a voice said from behind me, rough, deep, and clearly disguised.
I turned around.
There he was. That cloaked man again, casually spinning my staff in one hand like it belonged to him.
"Who are you?" I asked, eyes narrowing.
"Oh, finally in the mood to talk, huh?" he replied.
I tilted my head slightly, studying him.
There were a lot of things racing through my mind. It was obvious now, he was stronger than me. How much stronger? I had no idea.
He stood just five feet away.
I made my decision.
[Seismic Burst]
I launched forward in a burst of speed, closing the distance in an instant.
I knew he could follow my movements, probably read me like an open book but I wasn't aiming for a direct hit. I needed to faint. Trick him.
My right fist shot forward, aiming at his chest.
At the same time, I moved my left hand behind my back and activated [Havoc Sfera]. Essence surged into my palm, forming a tight, spinning sphere of purple light.
As my punch neared his chest, I saw him move, raising the staff to block.
Clenching my jaw I activated [Seismic Burst] again.
My body twisted midair and spun. My left hand snapped forward, bringing the spinning sphere of chaos straight toward his head.
For an instant, I thought it might work.
Then I heard him scoff.
"Naive."
He tilted his head slightly, locking eyes with me. And suddenly every danger signal in my body flared at once.
Without hesitation, I willed the Essence sphere to explode.
The sphere expanded—
But I didn't get to see the result.
Something smashed into my chest. My breath left me in a single gasp and my body went airborne again.
Behind me, I heard the blast finally go off.
But before I could process anything, several smaller booms went off, inside my own head, when I slammed into the ground again and then again and….
I lost count, but my body finally slid to a stop.
I groaned.
"Went better than I expected," I muttered.
And then, right on cue, his voice echoed from somewhere above me.
"Yes, because I allowed it."
I blinked several times, trying to clear my vision.
My head throbbed, and dust clung to my face. As things slowly came into focus, I saw the man standing above me. Calmly, he raised the staff in his hand and pressed the butt of it against my chest.
"Now stay down," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Or I might have to break your legs."
Despite everything, a small laugh escaped me.
He tilted his head slightly. "What's so funny?"
I gave a weak shake of my head. "Nothing. I just liked the line."
"Oh? Thanks," he replied with a chuckle of his own.
We stared at each other for a few seconds.
My chest still ached, and my back felt like it had gone a few rounds with a mountain, but I pushed through the pain and asked, "So… who are you?"
He laughed again, louder this time.
"Really? Can't you tell I'm covered head to toe? I'm not doing this for fashion points. It's to hide my identity."
"Fair enough," I said. "Then tell me why you're here."
He shook his head.
"What makes you think I'll tell you anything?"
That's when another voice spoke up from behind him.
"What if I ask the same question?"
The man jolted in surprise, his body tensing. I tilted my head upward slightly and there he was.
Arkas, floating silently just behind the man.
"Sir Arkas," the man said, but this time it was his real voice: deeper, calmer, and completely different from before.
Then everything went quiet.
A soft wind passed through the broken debris around us, kicking up dust that swirled gently in the air.
I stayed still, glancing between the two of them. When no one said anything for a while, I raised my hand slightly and said, "Umm... knock knock?"
Arkas gave me a brief look, unimpressed, then turned his eyes back to the man.
"I asked why you're here," he repeated, his voice calm.
The man hesitated for a moment, then coughed lightly into his hand. "I... I can't tell you that, sir."
Arkas didn't raise his voice. He didn't even move. He just spoke again, slowly.
"Are you sure you can't?" he asked. "Think about it. Really think. Are you absolutely certain you don't want to tell me?"
There was no threat in his words but something about the way he said them sent a chill down my spine. Like he didn't need to threaten. Like just being Arkas was enough.
I heard the man swallow hard beside me.
Even without turning my head, I could feel the tension rolling off him.
The man lowered his head, staying completely silent.
Arkas scoffed. "Fine."
Then, in the blink of an eye, a blur of golden lightning flashed across my vision. The man disappeared.
I pushed myself onto my elbows, twisting around just in time to see the aftermath. A series of explosions rang out in the distance as his body tore through multiple buildings, each impact shaking the ground.
A grin spread across my face. "Payback, son," I muttered.
I let out a slow breath, picked myself up, and sat cross-legged on the ground. My muscles still ached, but for now, I just watched.
I turned my head toward Arkas, but before I could say anything, he silently began to rise into the air.
He spoke no words, gave no expression and yet, the tension in the air grew thick.
Arkas halted his ascent and spoke.
"I know you're watching. Why don't you come out so we can have a chat?"
My brows furrowed.
'Someone else is here?'
I held my breath, waiting for a response, but the area remained eerily silent.
Arkas spoke again, this time with a sharper edge.
"No need to play dumb. Your man isn't strong enough to break into my seal without your help. So let's talk, like the civilized men we are."
But once again, there was no response.
Then, Arkas grinned.
"I've already given two warnings, old man. Whatever happens next, don't blame me."
Suddenly, the entire lightning dome that covered the area shuddered. Lightning erupted across its surface, each strike cracking through the sky with a force so loud I felt like my eardrums were about to burst.
Then Arkas raised his right hand.
A vortex of swirling lightning formed in front of it, golden and violent. He slowly reached into it, and when his hand emerged, it held a gleaming trident.
Golden lightning danced along its surface like living veins of power.
My eyes widened in awe.
"Awakened Weapon."
The weapon in Arkas's hand was his Awakened weapon, a six-foot-long trident crackling with power. Lightning coiled tightly around its dark shaft. The outer prongs curved slightly inward, sharp and gleaming.
Arkas hovered in the air, holding the awakened weapon, looking every bit like a man prepared for war. Above him, the dome of lightning rumbled like distant war drums.