The red of War’s blade turned black, increasing its destructive power by several folds and its aura matching the Sword of Saefel’s.
The Void focused the spark of Chaos coursing through his body on the fringes of the blade, using a layer of light and darkness to insulate the Adamant from the destructive side effects of the Cursed Element.
War felt its whole being rejuvenated as the black aura fixed the cracks on its surface and generated violent sparks at the point of contact between the two swords. A hard-light construct enveloped the Adamant blade, allowing it to hold its ground against the Davross of the Royal Sword.
Everyone stared in awe and horror as Sylpha was now quickly being pushed back.
‘Dammit, all elements but light and darkness are locked by the Palace’s arrays since otherwise healers wouldn’t be able to do their job. Yet they give an Abomination who’s also a Light Master an advantage I can’t overcome.’ The Queen thought while deactivating the defensive system of the Throne Room to become capable of using magic as well.
Her eyes brimmed with red and yellow mana as she conjured the tier five battle mage spell, Blazing Storm. Two of Derek’s white eyes sparked as well, locking not only the blades but also their wielders in a battle of will.
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Yet even with her enhanced body boosted by the fusion magic of her violet core, the Queen was no match for the raw strength of the Abomination. She activated the elemental crystals embedded in the Saefel Sword to regain control of Blazing Storm and put an end to the fight.
The Sword’s power reinforced her Domination while the crystal’s aura eroded the Void’s control over the Chaos and the light construct. War felt the very power that was supposed to protect it switch sides and ate at its metal.
The angry blade was close enough to study the Sword of Saefel and its semi-sentience did the rest. Every time Lith wielded the weapon, it would learn from him and sometimes teach him in return.
War weaved his Devour, World Mirror, and Counterflow enchantments together to mimic its opponent. Devour allowed the blade to absorb part of the enemy’s power, World Mirror granted it mastery over the elements, and Counterflow to overwrite a spell’s energy signature.
The violet aura of War’s mana crystals turned into the color of the six elements, countering the Sword of Saefel enough for the Void to regain the upper hand. Surprise disrupted the Queen’s focus and created the opening he needed to dispel Blazing Storm.
Sylpha was flabbergasted by her equipment failing her and so were the member of the Council who had witnessed War’s prowess with Life Vision.
‘Lith’s eyes might not be colored, but that’s Domination alright.’ Faluel inwardly cursed. ‘I need to stop him before someone understands what’s happening.’
The Hydra shapeshifted into her hybrid form, resembling a humanoid being about three meters (10′) covered in dull green scales with seven long necks and as many heads.
Faluel’s clothes turned into their armor form but she didn’t take out any weapon. Her aim was to restrain Lith, not kill him.
All the Void could see, though, was the Royal Guards standing up, the Queen increasing the output of the Saefel Sword to overpower War again, and a friend turning traitor.
“So be it.” A flap of his wings plunged the entire Royal castle and most of the city of Valeron into darkness.
The Call of the Void eclipsed every source of light, be it natural or magical. Not even the midday sun nor the enchanted chandeliers of the Royal palace could pierce the blackness.
Life Vision was blinded as well, forcing the rest of the members of the Council to act.
‘This is bad. I have no idea what’s going on but if Verhen is truly going berserk, once he’s done with the Royals, we might be the next.’ Raagu said via a mind link while casting a darkness sealing array.
‘Agreed.’ Lotho the Treant replied while using Earth Vision to find the Abomination via the vibrations of the ground and sharing the information with his peers.
‘On top of that, we can’t allow the Royals to die. The ensuing chaos and power vacuum until the next ruler is chosen would cripple the Kingdom. Thrud would have an easy time winning the war and we would lose any hope of defeating her.’
‘I don’t think we have the luxury to worry that far.’ Feela said while shapeshifting into her hybrid form, that of a humanoid feline covered in crimson-colored fur and with a set of violet feathered wings coming out of her back.
‘Don’t you remember what happened every time Lith uses his bloodline ability? He’s going to fight quality with quantity.’
The Behemoth was right, but also wrong.
Usually, when conjuring Call of the Void, Lith would also summon the souls that followed him around and turn them into Demons by infusing them with darkness and Spirit magic.
The Void, however, was different.
He wasn’t an Abomination hybrid but the primordial force that Lith called upon every time he needed to use his Tiamat’s bloodline abilities. The Void had spent almost twenty years sealed between the human and the Divine Beast life force.
During that time, he had practiced a lot. The reason a soul turned into a Demon like Locrias was aware of their newfound abilities wasn’t a supernatural instinct but caused by the link that the chains created between them and the Void.
‘I have no need for a bunch of mobs and I doubt that goody two shoes like the members of the Queen corps would help me. I need some heavy hitters.’ The Void thought while sending the chains coming out from his chest to plunge into Sylpha and into all those who were turning against him.
The black fetters searched among the souls following the powerful Awakened for someone strong and knowledgeable enough to be their match. Someone whose hatred for them rivaled the Void’s and who wouldn’t miss the opportunity for a rematch.
The moment the chains found a suitable Demon, they infused them with all the power that usually would be split between the legion of souls conjured by the Call of the Void. Only eight Demons of the Darkness received the call, but each one of them had six eyes.
‘Bah, you worry too much.’ Inxialot, the Lich King replied. ‘No matter how many flies he conjures, we can swat dozens of them with but a-‘
His train of thought was caught short when a powerful fist struck at the Lich’s head out of nowhere, releasing the tier five Battle Mage spell, Dark Dimension.
The darkness of the Call of the Void spread throughout the Throne Room suddenly had become so thick that the Council representatives had a hard time moving even one step forward, as if they were tight-deep into the mud.
A mud that seeped inside all of their orifices, flooding their bodies with darkness magic and sucking away both their vitality and mana.
