Chapter 66. Cheating death.
Several days later
Molten Frontier
A frontier separating the two kingdoms: Dominus to the north, Vulcan to the south.
As it was in the past and still remained.
A frontier which was once simply a regional border separating two dukedoms within the same kingdom, now a battlefield to claim territory.
As the saying goes,
’the only constant in life is change’
At the start of most wars, its always a large powerhouse against a relatively smaller house, irrespective of power levels.
The strong preying on the weak.
And in most, if not all cases, the larger powerhouse comes out victorious, absorbing the smaller house, yet this battle had raged on for seven years and counting.
The smaller house, the Vulcan Dukedom, now a kingdom, had yet to be absorbed.
No, more like they were the ones doing the absorption.
Territories around them had joined their side, their size growing to rival that of the Dominus Kingdom.
A few had joined out of respect, most out of necessity, as Vulcan was the industrial powerhouse in the south, even once supplying metalworks to the Capital.
From simple farm tools to heavy armour, House Vulcan had control over every smithy and tower related to metallurgy.
And metal was the backbone of the economy, from the very currency they used to mythical artifacts worth the treasury of a great kingdom.
They had no other choice but to join, increasing the chances of victory for the Vulcan Kingdom.
The King of this young kingdom stood atop a collapsed mountain. Lava flowed down it, bursting into flames in contact with any fauna and flora unfortunate enough to stand in its path.
One might think of it as a volcano, yet it had no volcanic vent, a regular mountain flowing with lava, its culprit standing a few metres away from Alaric.
Valentin Agni.
His golden armour was broken, tainted crimson with his own blood, the skin underneath battered and bruised, Lichtenberg figures running across his left arm, parts of the armour flickering with black flames, black lightning crackling underneath the Lichtenberg figures.
He held his limp arm, his expression pained, teeth gritted in frustration and indignation, face covered in dirt, blood and rage.
"How are you so much better..." he hissed, his neck muscles taut with rage, red eyes glowing.
Aiden looked at him calmly, his expression, though indifferent, seeming gentle, which felt even more insulting to Valentin.
Aiden’s crimson armour barely had any breakages, the shoulders slightly dented, the armor’s radiance dulled by the flying dust.
He wasn’t the strongest Fifth Resonance for nothing.
"HOW ARE YOU STRONGER THAN ME?!" he roared. The lava rolled behind him like a tsunami, falling upon Aiden like a viscous waterfall.
Glug... Glug...
The lava fell.
Sizzle... Crack! Crack!!
It burned the moisture in the air, cracking the stone beneath.
"No..." Valentin sharply turned to his left, Aiden standing there unscathed, his body crackling with black lightning.
Before the lava fell, a clap of thunder reverberated as Aiden leaped out of the way, appearing before Valentin in an instant.
"..." He didn’t bother to comment on Valentin’s state. He had caused it, brought his enemy to such a state, yet he didn’t gloat. He looked down at him not with contempt, but indifference.
" DON’T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT..."
Aiden ignored him, as he raised his right hand, black lightning falling like a thunder storm.
KRA-KOOM!!
Lightning fell upon him like a thunderstorm, his screams muffled by the raging storm.
Armour melted, hair burned, flesh charred, blood evaporated.
Within seconds, he was reduced to dust.
Seconds that felt like an eternity of torment.
Black lightning crackled around the dust left behind, seemingly looking for any organic matter left.
"This is getting old..." The black lightning ceased. Aiden turned his gaze from it, fixing it far into the distance.
In the distance, deep within the territory of the Dominus Kingdom, a few counties away from the capital, stood a lone cathedral.
A giant architecture of stone and stained glass, somehow built into the side a tower,
It stuck to the base like the opening into a mountain.
Within it were the bodies of different officials of the Dominus Army, laid upon stone beds, their bodies covered by white plain gowns, irrespective of gender.
A few of such people were even royalty, the King himself present, his eyes closed breath seized.
The strangest thing was that each individual seemed to have more than one body, like clones lined up in a factory.
Several figures walked around in the cathedral dressed in long tunic tied with a belt, wide sleeveless cowl, a mantle, and a layered headdress consisting of a white wimple and a black veil.
Their faces obscured.
Their jobs was to tend to the bodies, yet given such a job, they moved slowly, ankles cuffed by fetters.
They were chained, like criminals.
Looking after the bodies of such high ranking people.
No Soul Transfer Vessels, legendary artifacts considered exceedingly rare, used to grant a second life, no, a third and even more, to several officials numbering in the thirties.
"Haaah..." One of the bodies opened its eyes, letting out horrific screams.
His screams echoed through the cathedral, his body convulsing upon the stone bed as though the black lightning still coursed through his veins.
His eyes darted wildly, sweat soaking the plain white gown.
He could still smell burnt flesh.
Still hear the deafening thunderstorm that had swallowed the him.
The priest did not flinch.
As though accustomed to such scenes, they silently restrained him, pressing him back onto the bed while another calmly placed a hand upon his forehead.
A green glow enveloping his form.
"...Again?.." he muttered, staring blankly at the vaulted ceiling.
He had regained his senses.
Three times.
Three humiliating defeats.
Not once had he forced Aiden to reveal the limits of his strength, he was battered and bruised Aiden dirtied by flying dust.
The gap between them felt less like a river and more like an endless abyss.
For the first time in years, the thought crossed his mind.
"...Ca... Can I win...?"
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A/N
10 golden tickets = 1 extra Chapter.
100 power stones = 1 extra Chapter.
Goal: G: 0/10
P: 16/100