Chapter 437: Hollow Realm’s attack
Caelus checked Ayame’s condition before giving her the Faith Power she needed.
Her training and the changes in her transformation had brought her to this point. He would make sure a shortage of Faith Power did not stop her now.
"Finish preparing your Divine Body first. We’ll move somewhere safe before you begin the trial."
Ayame nodded and accepted the transfer.
Candy stayed nearby while Caelus helped Ayame complete her preparations. After that, they left the settled islands and traveled far enough away that her ascension would not threaten anyone below.
Golden light gathered around Ayame as she began.
While they waited, Caelus returned to something he had wanted to ask Glaciana for a long time.
"Back when you came to our world, why were you looking for Hollow Beasts?"
"We needed their power to seal entrances from the Hollow Realm. Leaving those openings alone would have allowed more creatures to cross over."
"So that was why you wanted them so badly."
Glaciana nodded as thunder began forming above Ayame.
"The beasts are dangerous, but their power is useful when you know how to handle it."
Caelus watched the first bolt gather while thinking about the Hollow Realm.
That was where Hollows and Darkspawns came from. He had already dealt with enough of them to understand why Glaciana would want those entrances closed.
BOOM!
Divine Lightning fell toward Ayame, cutting off his thoughts.
She met it with her blade as golden fire spread around her. The strike drove her backward, but she recovered before the next bolt reached her.
Caelus watched without interfering.
The flames around her grew brighter with each exchange. Then she rose to meet the final strike and disappeared within a burst of gold.
BOOOOM!
When the light cleared, a cocoon had begun forming around her.
Candy finally took a breath beside him.
"She could have warned me it would look like that."
"It looked worse when he did it," Glaciana replied.
Caelus decided not to argue with her.
They waited until the cocoon opened and Ayame emerged. Her flames had settled, but the warmth coming from her body remained as she returned to them.
"Are you alright?" Caelus asked.
"Yes. It feels strange, but I’m alright."
"And your memories? Do you remember being Amaterasu?"
Ayame shook her head.
"Some of what I saw was clear, but I still can’t remember everything. There was a red sky above my people, and another faction was attacking them."
"Did you recognize who they were?"
"No. I kept trying to see them, but the memory ended before I could."
Caelus nodded without pressing her further.
She had only just finished her ascension. There would be time to sort through what she had seen once she rested.
Right then, John’s distress signal appeared.
Caelus accepted it immediately.
"Star King, portals are opening across the world. They’re connected to the Hollow Realm!"
Shouts came through behind his voice, followed by a loud impact.
BOOM!
"Our people are holding them back, but more entrances keep appearing!"
Caelus turned toward Glaciana.
"I thought the Hollow Beasts let you seal those portals."
"They did, but the Hollows can open new ones. We bought time by sealing the old entrances."
Caelus sighed and sent John a reply.
"We’re coming back. Keep everyone away from the portals until we arrive."
Then he opened a path through space and led the others toward the Star King World.
[Authority Activated: Origin Lock.]
They emerged above a world covered in dark openings.
Some hung over empty land, while others had formed near cities and roads. Darkspawns poured through them in thick waves, forcing the defenders to keep falling back.
Caelus found his companions through his senses.
Gorn smashed a creature away from a road while Valerica helped move the wounded behind the defense line. Farther away, Freya cut through a group trying to surround the guards.
𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦
Sylvia was already fighting above another city.
[Skill Activated: Sanguine Genesis.]
Her blood formed long blades that swept through the creatures approaching the walls. Immediately after that, her shadow summons rushed forward and held the ground she had cleared.
Caelus contacted her as he flew toward the nearest portal.
"I’m back. Keep them away from the cities while I deal with the entrances."
"Be careful. Some of these things are stronger than the ones we fought before."
A huge Darkspawn forced its shoulders through the portal below him.
Its first claw struck the ground beside a group of retreating guards. Caelus reached it before the second could fall.
[Talent Activated: Celestial Barrier.]
A golden shield caught the claw and stopped it above the soldiers.
BANG!
The creature pressed down, but Caelus drove his fist into its jaw and forced its head backward. Then he caught its arm and dragged the rest of its body through the opening.
He threw it into the swarm gathering beneath him.
BOOM!
The impact crushed the smaller creatures and cleared a path for the guards. Caelus moved above the fallen Darkspawn as it tried to rise.
[Skill Activated: Star King’s Sword Vault.]
Golden portals opened behind him and sent starlight swords into its body.
The creature roared as the swords pinned it to the ground. Caelus sent the remaining blades through the swarm before any of it could reach the road.
Glaciana arrived behind him and joined the defenders while Ayame and Candy moved toward another group.
Golden fire spread across Ayame’s blade.
She cut through the creatures blocking the road, allowing Candy to guide the trapped players toward the city. More Darkspawns rushed through the portal before the last group had reached safety.
Caelus looked toward the opening.
Killing them would accomplish little while more could cross over. He needed to sever the connection before the defenders were buried beneath them.
[Authority Activated: Origin Lock.]
The concepts surrounding the portal appeared before him.
Caelus followed the connection beyond its edges and reached toward the link holding it open. He had cut the passages to the God Domain, so he knew what he was looking for.
Then the world shook.
The portal split into several overlapping images as the ground beneath him flickered. Caelus pulled back, but the cracks had already spread across everything he could see.
Even the sky broke into shifting pieces.
For a moment, he could still hear the battle below.
Then the noise stopped.
Caelus found himself facing a throne.
The Hollow King sat upon it, watching him with an indifferent expression.
"Oh? Are you this generation’s Ender of Origin?"