Chapter 4

Solvar slowly descended into the center of the square, his dark-gold eyes full of mockery.

"The Aetherfall Order? Nothing but vermin."

Just then, a blinding flash of steel erupted from the forbidden grounds on the back ridge.

Aldric, who'd sealed himself away in meditation for ten years, broke free.

His hair and beard bristled. Carrying the terrifying might of the Ascendant tier, he drove his sword straight at Solvar's brow.

"Vile beast! How dare you attack my Order!"

The strike drained every trace of ambient aether for thirty miles around, and its force tore into the heavens.

But Solvar didn't even try to dodge.

He simply raised his right hand and, with two fingers, caught the sword that was supposed to finish him.

"Early Ascendant tier? Too weak."

Then he slammed a palm squarely into Aldric's chest.

BOOM!

Aldric didn't even have time to cry out before he was sent flying.

He smashed through three great halls in a row and was finally buried deep in the rubble. No one could tell whether he was still alive.

"Master!"

Cassian's eyes went red. He looked like a man possessed.

He burned his own lifeblood and poured himself into his sword until the two of them became a single blood-red streak that slashed wildly at Solvar.

"Die!"

Solvar sneered and casually flicked out an arc of dark-gold demonic light.

"Pointless."

The instant the demonic light met the blood-red streak, Cassian's bonded sword shattered inch by inch into worthless scraps of metal.

He coughed up a huge mouthful of blood and crashed down beside Seraphine. The crack of breaking bones was clearly audible.

Laughing wildly, Solvar strode forward and looked down at my two gravely wounded seniors.

He licked his lips, his face full of undisguised greed.

"Such exquisite aether vessels. It'd be a shame to just kill you.

"I'll take you back to the demon clans and drain your power day and night. You'll be exactly what I need to break past my limits!"

He reached out with a hand tipped in sharp claws to grab Seraphine's collar.

"Stop!"

I couldn't hold back anymore.

I rushed out from the shadows of the ruins, threw my arms wide, and planted myself in front of my seniors.

My legs were shaking violently, and my heart was pounding.

When Cassian, who'd been on the verge of passing out, saw me, his eyes flew wide with horror.

"Aurelia! What are you doing out here? Get out of here!"

He struggled to get up, but Solvar's pressure pinned him to the ground.

"Don't you dare hurt her!"

Seraphine and Elowen panicked too.

They threw themselves toward me without a thought for their own safety, trying to shield me with their bodies, their voices pure begging.

"Ashwing King, I'll go with you willingly!

"She's just a powerless nobody. She's no use to you at all. There's no reason to hurt her. Let her go!"

Solvar paused, watching the scene with great interest. Then he burst into piercing laughter.

"Hahahaha! Interesting. How very interesting!

"The more you care about this useless girl, the more I want to crush her to a pulp right in front of you!"

Before the words had even faded, Solvar raised his hand.

A beam of dark-gold demonic light powerful enough to tear through space itself shot straight at my chest, carrying the force of total annihilation.

I watched the terrifying attack close in and knew I couldn't dodge it.

So I quietly closed my eyes and waited for the agony of being torn apart.

A violent shockwave sent every paving stone around us flying, and a cloud of dust blotted out everyone's view.

I stood there and waited for what felt like forever, but I didn't feel any pain.

Confused, I opened my eyes—and froze.

Solvar's full-strength attack hadn't even broken my skin.

The dust slowly settled.

The laughter froze on Solvar's face. He stared at me, completely unharmed, in disbelief.

I slowly raised my head.

My body, which had been trembling with fear a moment ago, was now strangely calm.

A terrifying power I'd never noticed before was boiling wildly inside me.

In that moment, everything became clear. I'd never been useless. My path was just different from everyone else's!

I met Solvar's stunned stare and slowly clenched my fists.

The grinding of my bones rang out clearly across the square.

I looked at him and grinned.

"Hey, mangy bird.

"Think you can take one of my punches?"