Ch 32: Hopeless.

Hiro was both terrified and unable to look away from the unnerving figure—a haunting crescent-shaped mask standing amongst the metal scaffolding above and blocking their only way out.

The Moon Priest?

The Cult of Worship was a fanatical group that worshipped the first human to ascend to Godhood, comprised of three sects, each with three priests. In Scaria, the Sect of Celestia had the Moon, Sun, and Star priests. So, what was the Moon Priest doing here?

What does the Cult of Worship want with an abandoned crystal plant? What are they hiding down here?

Hiro turned to look at the other Spearhead members. Faces besmirched in terror.

If they can hold him off long enough, I can get out of here.

His first thought was to run. There were only a handful of beings he knew that could stand against such a monster. And none of them were here. There was no point trying to fight it; they wouldn’t survive.

The Spearhead looked up in horror, frozen in place. Just from the amount of aether, they knew this was going to be a one-sided slaughter. But they wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Hiro’s eyes widened at the first person to act. Firing a bolt of lightning straight at the Moon Priest, Ace set the battle into motion. His aim was on point, but when the bolt struck and the smoke cleared, there was only charred metal.

Where’d he go?

A tap on his shoulder. Ace turned, the creepy mask inches from his face.

“I feel like…” His voice was high-pitched and nasally. “I KNOW!” He pointed his finger, tapping Ace right on the nose. “I’ve seen you somewhere before!” The way he spoke was joyous, like a clown, as if he were an entertainer putting on a show. Yet something about him struck Ace as deeply disturbing. Ace stumbled back, tripping over his own feet.

“You smell like…A star-crossed.” His murky cloak flaying as he gestured his arms in the air, “HOW INTRIGUING!”.

BOOM!

The metal panels where the Priest had stood were lacerated with deep cuts. “Don’t you know it's RUDE to interrupt someone when they're talking?” The Moon Priest leaped back, but Shell was in pursuit.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Zipping from platform to platform, Shell released a flurry of attacks tailing the Moon Priest, shredding metal as he went. Pipes burst, releasing fumes. Panels rained down, the echoes of Shell’s attacks reverberating through the chasm.

He was the fastest and strongest of the Spearhead. The other members watched in awe as the Priest evaded the flurry of attacks while laughing out loud. Not a normal laugh, but the kind of cackle that made your stomach hurt from all the manic giggles.

That’s when Ace understood that this guy was on a whole different level. It wasn’t even comparable. He was enjoying himself, playing around with them. He hadn’t even used an attack yet, but the Spearhead was already losing hope.

Keeping an eye on the Priest and Shell, Hiro began making his discreet escape. Hoping no one else would notice. But when he blinked, the creepy mask suddenly appeared in front of him.

No way. He was across the Chasm with Shell a moment ago.

“Leaving the party so early?” The Priest shrugged his shoulders. “The fun has only just begun!”

Hiro swiped his knife in a downward arc. But the Priest caught it between his fingers, releasing a little giggle.

Yeah. This is hopeless.

CRASH!

Oden slammed his axe down, breaking the platform Hiro was standing on, but too slow to catch the Priest.

Hiro clutched the phone in his pocket, breathing rapid breaths.

No. I can’t. Here? It would be too risky. That’s a last resort. But aren’t we running out of options? He won’t let them see him. If they do, he’ll kill them all, too.

Snow and Mira followed with spells, but the Moon Priest admired each attempt as if he were watching them like a firework display.

“Now, submit to the Ascendant.” He gestured his hands upward to the sky. “Or die right now.”

Oden leaped towards the Priest, leaning back, ready to swing his axe down with all the force he could muster. From the handle to the tip of the blade, the runes lit up with a purple hue as it cleaved downwards, shooting a purple slash through the air. It tore through the chasm, tearing a crack through its tall walls, causing the network of platforms to tremor.

The priest reappeared in mid-air and in one smooth motion, sent Oden barrelling through the air, bouncing between platforms and tubing.

“ODEN!” Mira screamed as Snow ran towards him.

Shell gritted his teeth. The aether around him stewed and intensified as he walked towards the Priest, slowly. Burning the image of the haunting mask in his memory.

“OHH, what do we have here? Is that…” The Priest burst into a little giggle.

Shell removed the hood from his head. In place of black pupils, blue irises on a white sclera, his eyes had turned a blinding yellow. Emanating light, the aether around him distorted.

“Lucky me. An Aetherian. And here I thought you guys were extinct.” The Priest held his arms open, as if waiting to accept a hug.

Snow gripped her frilly dress upon seeing Shell, raising her voice louder than she ever had before, “Everyone. Quick! Cover your ears!”

Then, a cacophony of booms and blasts. The Spearhead grimaced through the pain as the explosions scratched their eardrums and reverberated in their heads. Ace could barely track the battle with his eyes. They zoomed, from platform to platform, cluttering his vision with sonic blasts, metal shrapnel, smoke, and colourful particles.

Now, the priest was fighting back, casting and defending with bursts of blue and purple coming from his hands.

“Come on, is that all you got?” The Moon Priest waved his arms in a circular motion, and the air around him seemed to move and distort as runes materialised and convulsed with energy. Bubbling particles forming miniature dying stars floated around him before condensing in his palms and blasting forward.

BA-BOOM!

Shell collided head-on with the impact with a blast of his own, rupturing the air around them. Ace gripped the sharp metal grating, cutting into his fingers, to not get blown away by the impact.

CLANG! CLING! CLANG!

Shell ricocheted between the metal structures, his body falling into the chasm.

“How disappointing.” The Moon Priest held his head in his hands.

There an opening.

Uncovering his ringing ears, Ace lined his sights. Just before he was about to pull the trigger, a voice whispered in his ear.

“What an interesting weapon.” The Priest said, with an audible grin. A playful kick, and the rifle plummeted down into the abyss, clanging as it bumped against the metal structures on its way down.

Ace looked to the remaining members, Mira, Snow, and Hiro, who were all visibly shaken and watching in fear, understanding that they were helpless, facing something much greater than themselves.

We’re all gonna die here.

Ace closed his eyes, picturing the one sight that calmed his mind—a girl with blue eyes and blonde hair with the personality of an angel.

Then, the Moon Priest took a step back, raising his gaze upwards to the surface.

What’s he looking at?

A regal, majestic figure descended into the chasm. Sending a wave of aether from the entrance. Just the sight of her elegance revived the Spearheads' hope like a phoenix from its ashes.