Chapter 20 – Life vs. Death

Atilius extended his hand. Light gathered in his palm, condensing into an emerald-green orb laced with golden veins that pulsed slowly, as though it had a heartbeat of its own.

“Just like you… I have a mission,” he said, his tone grave. “This orb was entrusted to me by my life partner.”

The artifact’s core vibrated, spinning with a mesmerizing rhythm.

“Ancient elven weapon… Gaia. First form—Gaia Sword.”

The orb flared with a verdant glow. In an instant, its shape shifted: twin blades sprouted from the sphere, joined by a central edge, until it became a double-edged sword. Atilius held it as naturally as if he had been born with it in his grasp.

Phantom observed in silence.

“I see…” he murmured. “We’re the same… fighting for a legacy left behind.”

No more words were spoken.

Atilius surged forward like a whirlwind, his sword carving a lethal arc. The clash with Phantom’s katana rang out like muted thunder, the impact forcing the specter three steps back, heels digging into the stone to keep from yielding further ground.

Atilius didn’t let up. The double-edged blade spun in his hand as if the steel itself was an extension of his will, striking from angles meant to pry open Phantom’s guard.

Phantom parried each blow with surgical precision. He didn’t counter. Not yet.

“You’re not striking back,” the elf noted, sliding Gaia’s edge along Yukihana’s white blade. “Or is it that you’re afraid of doing more than wounding my pride?”

Phantom caught another sideways slash and shoved hard, forcing space between them.

“I’m not afraid of hurting you… I’m afraid of what would be lost if I did.”

Atilius frowned but didn’t press the question. The orb shifted again—the sword dissolving into green particles and reforming in his palm.

“Second form… Gaia Bow.”

The bow emerged like living branches, its string drawn from pure light. A magical arrow formed between his fingers, and before Phantom could close the gap, Atilius loosed it. The projectile curved mid-flight, chasing its target.

Phantom twisted his katana, deflecting the shot in a burst of light.

“Impressive,” he said evenly. “You control the arrow’s path even after it’s fired.”

“Life is motion,” Atilius replied, drawing another. “And death… is the end.”

“Sometimes, death is the only fair judgment.”

The second arrow flew—but Phantom was already moving. Yukihana’s blade cut the air, and the bow reverted once more to the orb.

Atilius stepped back, never breaking rhythm.

“Third form… Gaia Spear.”

The spear unfolded, its tip blooming like a flower before snapping into a perfect blade. With a wide sweep, Atilius forced Phantom to lean back, right to the edge of his balance.

“If you keep running…” the elf said with a faint smile, “you’ll just wear yourself out, Phantom. I’m only warming up.”

Phantom caught the second strike and stepped back.

“I’m glad Urus has such a formidable defender…” His voice was almost cordial. “But you’re still lacking a dose of realism, Atilius.”

The elf narrowed his eyes.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

Phantom held his gaze for a moment.

“What I can’t understand… is how you can keep defending the very people who killed Eleine.”

The name fell like a hammer.

Atilius’s muscles tensed. His gaze turned to ice.

“Don’t… you dare… say her name.”

Atilius lunged at Phantom with a fierce burst of speed. The spear came down in a vertical arc—but steel met Yukihana’s white blade. In an instant, frost spread from the point of contact, creeping over the shaft and tip in jagged, deadly veins.

“Damn it!” the elf growled, struggling to free the weapon.

Phantom didn’t move. His voice pierced the silence like a needle.

“Did you really believe a couple of demons could defeat two elves this strong… and wipe out an entire village?”

The color drained from Atilius’s face.

Phantom stepped back, easing the pressure between them, and added in a near whisper:

“You should visit Umbra. There… you’ll understand perfectly.”

The orb in Atilius’s hand began to spin again, flashing with a deep, vivid green. This time, its form compressed and lengthened, reshaping into a book with golden covers and pages that shimmered like pure light.

“Gaia Ray.”

A green magic circle bloomed before his left hand. From its center, a beam of pure energy roared forth, cutting across the plaza and slamming into Phantom. The blast hurled him through several facades, shattering walls until his body dropped—amid dust and rubble—just meters from the Monteverde mansion.

“Don’t try to change things,” Atilius said, voice edged with steel as he advanced. “I was there…”

From the wreckage, Phantom rose slowly. His coat was in tatters, a thin line of blood tracing his face. Calmly, he slid his katana back into its sheath… then shifted into a different stance, his body tilting slightly forward.

“Dimensional Slash… Ice Chamber!”

Ice surged forward in a razor-straight line toward the elf, fracturing the ground with a sharp crack. Without breaking eye contact, Atilius kept his codex open and raised his hand.

“Dispel!”

The frigid magic dissolved into the air as if it had never been, leaving only a cold breeze to stir the elf’s hair.

Phantom didn’t move after the Dispel. He simply adjusted his grip on the sheath, as though waiting for the next attack.

“Is that all?” Atilius asked, stepping forward with a newly-formed spear. “If you don’t fight with everything, you’ll never stop me.”

Phantom said nothing. His eyes—hidden behind the mask—held no rage, no fear… only calculated patience.

The elf’s next strike came like lightning. Phantom caught it with the barest motion, deflecting the blade by mere inches. His counter didn’t aim for the body, but the weapon, forcing Atilius to step back.

“Come on, come on… Show me what you’re really capable of,” Atilius goaded.

Phantom’s gaze drifted for an instant—just long enough to barely raise Yukihana in time to block the next blow. But it hadn’t come from the elf.

A figure dropped from the mansion’s rooftop, landing with feline precision. Her sword clashed against Yukihana, sparks bursting on impact.

“Monster!” cried the young Aseina, eyes burning with fury. “Give me back that katana! Yukihana isn’t yours!”

“Aseina… what are you doing here?” Atilius’s voice carried sharp authority. “Get back to the Count! That’s an order.”

But the girl didn’t stop. Her strikes rained down, each one carrying something deeply personal.

“This man…” she hissed between blows. “This man isn’t working alone.”

“What?” Atilius frowned.

“A shadow!” she gasped. “A shadow took the Count!”

The elf froze, the realization sinking in.

The whole fight. The measured blocks. The openings Phantom had left untouched.

He had never intended to defeat Atilius.

He’d only been stalling him.

At that moment, as Phantom crossed blades with Aseina, a dimensional rift opened behind the young Yuki. She had no time to react—Phantom shoved her off-balance with precision, sending her tumbling inside.

“Aseina!” Atilius roared, his voice a mix of fury and shock.

“I’m sorry, Atilius,” Phantom said, never taking his eyes off him. “I have other matters to attend to… but I promise I won’t harm her.”

“Damn you… What are you planning?”

Phantom tilted his head slightly, as if accepting the insult.

“I’d love to keep dancing, but time is short. And don’t worry about the Count… he deserves what’s coming to him.”

Without waiting for a reply, the specter stepped through the portal. It snapped shut behind him, leaving the elf alone at the silent entrance of the Monteverde mansion.

Atilius clenched his fist.

“Damn it… He had it all planned from the start.”