Chapter 33: The Usurper Ouroboros versus Belial's Scholar

He encroached upon the place where the final battle would happen. Iskatl sigh softly as he met up with not only Astalon, but the others as well. This was it; the battle to decide humanity's fate and if they could continue to exist or if they would cease to be. Dragonkind, and humanity were approaching the dawn of a New Era.

There she was; Velika. Her Dragon Priests were present, along with an army of dragons. Not only that, but his sister was there, as well as the twins from before. Velika outstretched her hands and laughed loudly, before her voice erupted.

"ASTALON. I give you this opportunity! Pick a Champion, and only they need to die in your place! In fact, pick four! I will pick two champions myself, and it will be a three versus four battle!"

Izalith stepped forward, her metal staff clinking against the Earth as she pointed it at Velika.

"Tell me, woman. What's your game here?"

"Was I speaking to you? Knife ear?"

Izalith looked unamused, as the sun replaced the moon and then the moon linked over the Sun. Izalith's lip curled with annoyance, as she tilted her head.

"Tell me, Velika. This entire war was to please your master, but I saw it - you know I saw it. You stole her power. You've made yourself a Usurper; Thief of Divinity."

"Usurper? What a beautiful title. Very well. Astalon! Three champions! The knife ear wants to fight me really bad!"

She'd laugh as Astalon raised a hand. Amani and Kouga stepped forward from the crowd, and Iskatl made his way over. Valkyr... Rin, was gone.

"Kouga. Where's Valkyr?"

Kouga sighed softly and shrugged. He never could find her. Velika sauntered over before looking at the four. Two Lunar elves, and two beastkin. One a special boy, the other a behemoth.

"Eh, terms changed. I want the dogs versus me, and the knife ears versus the other two! Markole, Fushi! Get them!"

Combat began immediately! A slash through the air with a combination of wind, and shadow flew towards Iskatl, and he dodged it! He could tell by how sharp her attack was, he had to focus on dodging, or he'd die. Another slash of darkness flew past him, and Iskatl dodged quickly. Eyes widened as Kouga used that opportunity to slam an armored fist into Velika's side.

Amani, as well Izalith both combined their Lunar Resonance to rain forth, only for Markole to hold his hand out, and absorb all that light before cracking his neck. Fushi slapped him on the back of the neck as she looked to him.

"Mother said to hold back. What the hell are you doing?"

"Right, right."

The moonlight burned, and surged as Izalith infused sunlight into it, and caused what Markole absorbed to explode.

"Huh? Hold back against me? Are you slow?"

Izalith was an adventurer of legendary proportions. Nobody in the world didn't know her name, and Fushi was intent on holding back? It didn't feel real to her. Izalith slammed her staff into the ground and the world began to rumble as the moon got closer, and closer to the ground. Her staff surged and pulsed with divine mana, as Izalith looked at the twins.

Fushi looked up, and sent forth her mana to stop the moon from getting closer. Lucid mana which reflected light and shadows equally. There was a bottomless amount of it which would solidify to stop the moon from getting any closer.

"Quite interesting, Envy. What will you do about the next celestial body?"

Immediately after, the sun crashed down into the moon, causing the battlefield to erupt with heat. The chill from the moon suppressed some of the heat, but both celestial bodies would crash into the twins, and squash them underfoot. This was what she did with her staff hand, with her free hand, space would begin to warp around any that wasn't her targets, rendering the effects of what she'd just done inert. The strangest part? Izalith didn't break a sweat. This was something she did effortlessly.

Iskatl blinked twice as she watched Izalith's display of power before Velika went to slash her claws at him. Again, and again she'd slash her claws, and darkness clung to her attacks. Iskatl couldn't get a single moment to attack. She was so much faster than he was! Kouga slammed a fist into the dragon's back, and there was no reaction; she wouldn't even lose her footing, as she laughed.

"Is this all you have?! I thought Vyarra only produced strong children! What's this?"

He'd dodge, and in his place he left behind a geyser which erupted with magma before Shamash's armor formed on him, and a crimson red cloak formed behind him. Then, a crown of red mana formed atop his head.

"Sanguine Raiment enabled. Enabling Chain Extension. Activate the Core of the World?"

He'd nod before his blood ran boiling hot, and he felt his body begin to move faster. Dodging an attack from Velika, before offering a counter-attack. Kouga tried to keep up, but to no avail. Iskatl slashed his blade into Velika and actually drew blood, his golden flames erupting behind her after his blade struck true before she smirked.

"Alright. Time for a difficulty tweak."

A sharp toothed grin, as she opens her mouth to speak. The language unknown, yet its meaning struck true.

"Collapse."

Her mana surged, as the Dragon Priests all melted. One even screamed out moments before dying, begging not to die. Everything returned to the Goddess, Usurper, as she'd twitch violently, and laugh. Her mana surged viciously a second time, only increasing, as the plantlife, and everything inanimate around began to wither as if her mana was devouring it all. A soft smirk.

"Equalizer Activated. All stats and mana become equal to your opponent's. You're welcome, Sovereign."

The Reliquary chimed in before Iskatl breathed easy. He slashed at her as Kouga backed away, the force from Iskatl's slash caused the air to erupt with flames as he cleaved her in two. Iskatl slashed her again, and again, before effortlessly cleaving Velika in twain, only to find out he was slashing at a shadow. He felt her claws impale him, only for glass to shatter in his ear, and he'd turn and slash at the Goddess.

"Die, Velika! Die already!"

Velika laughed as she punched his blade, the blade slashed through her fist, and slid through her forearm as she gripped him by the neck. Glass shattered, only for the exact scenario to repeat itself. He felt her claws dig into his neck as she smiled.

"You're quite strong. I actually have to use a portion of my power beyond ten percent of it."

The ground would rumble, and quake as he slammed his blade into her stomach, to which she'd laugh. His blade drew blood, and Iskatl felt that. She threw him away from her, and his blade would follow suit. She'd send her darkness slashes forward again, as he'd dodge each one before counter attacking after each one.

Chaotic mana erupted behind Iskatl as he went to turn, only to see Kouga behind him, falling down... His helmet was split in two and its pieces fell to the ground, as Kouga coughed up blood. Iskatl's eyes widened, as tears fell down his cheeks.

"Are you alright?.. Iskatl?"

"Kouga! No, Kouga! No, no, no!"

Glass would shatter in his ears, and Kouga took the attack again. Again, the attack struck true against Kouga.

His eyes began dripping blood, as he tried to save Kouga.

Coughing blood as he screamed.

"KOUGA."

His vocal cords felt like they were going to snap.

"Kouga, please! Kouga! Kouga! Kouga! Come on, you're okay!"

Kouga felt his chest. He wasn't okay. Blood dripped down his mouth, staining his beaten and battered cuirass as he closed his eyes.

"I shined the brightest... Didn't I, Iskatl?"

One ragged final breath escaped Kouga as Iskatl screamed.

"KOUGA."

He looked, and saw Valkyr, who had tears dripping down her cheeks. She was shocked that Kouga had blocked the strike. His sister's hatred for him ran that deep? That she wanted to kill him? Tears fell down his cheeks, and he looked to Izalith, who was protecting Amani with various spacial and light barriers. Kouga was dead, and Valkyr killed him. He froze. This entire journey was to avenge Rin, and she hated him enough to become a murderer.

At this moment, he faltered, and darkness and orange light coalesced on Velika's claws, and he felt his body tear apart under the weight of her mana. Her claws slashed through his body and he felt his blood run cold as he reached for his arm to grab the stinging pain in it, only to look down. There was nothing except for air. A hole in his body where her claws had struck, as if her magic ate away at his chest, and his arm. Much like Kouga, he felt blood begin to drip from his mouth as his legs lost their strength and he collapsed.

"Rin... Why do you hate me?"

Was the last string of words that escaped his lips, as the abyss took him. Everything felt so cold, yet his mind ran hot. Everything hurt, yet nothing did. He felt darkness take hold, as Velika knelt down, and whispered to him.

"Are you going to give up like this? Surely there's more. I find myself dissatisfied with your performance, boy."

He looked up at her, and closed his eyes as everything went black, and he clenched his fists weakly. Amani couldn't die too. He wouldn't forgive himself if she did... But what more could he do, aside from lie there and die?

As his eyes closed, his sight was overtaken by fire.