Chapter 17: Chapter 17 - Triple Threat
[Each desire to begin and each desire to end shall call forth the third extreme.]
The grand magic collides with each other. Even the arena barrier starts to crack due to the high mana density. The sky rumbles and the ground trembles. The melee combat turns into a contest of sheer mana power, where the one with better mana control and resource shall prevail.
Halius keep pouring his mana into his art until he feels a sudden dwindling resistance from Zalros. He knows there's something not right, thus he swerved the course of his art to the ground, creating a blast of energy that ruin the ground where they stood upon.
His judgment was right. Zalros used the rift and instantly travel beneath the king's feet. Thanks to the massive seismic that his art has made, Halius unintentionally lose his footing and stumble backward, saving him from Zalros's rising blade that was aimed at his neck.
Failed to land the decisive blow, Zalros immediately went for a retreat but Halius won't let him. The king slams the ground with his palm, utilizing the force to propels his body up like a spring coil. He then quickly lands a powerful-explosive strike with an elbow charge. And again, sending Zalros flying towards the barrier's wall.
" I'd almost forgotten about how nasty is your fighting style. "
Zalros lift himself with a strange power, calmly floating in the air as if it was water. Or rather, it was as if something is forcing him to keep fighting. He can't hide the pain, but he can't tap out either. Tottering in his feet, Zalros grasp his swords like there's no tomorrow.
" Why... "
Zalros uttered some words. His voice sounds so weak; it can barely be heard by Halius.
" Why would a person as aimless as you have so much power...
so much strength...
so much blessings... "
Black tears poured down from his face. The scar in his blinded left eye glows with blackish colors, like cracked glass. And again, Halius witnessed the evil eye for the second time. Seeing it as it emerges as Zalros's left eye.
" Zalros! "
" If only... it was me... instead of you... "
Darkness overflows from Zalros body. It was clear to Halius that his brother is giving more control to the other being inside of him. Almost as if the proportion of their shared consciousness changed, the presence of mind switch up to 60-40 from 90-10, where Zalros still has the majority of control.
" I'm sorry brother. I have no choice. " Zalros's hands throb as if they have their own will.
From afar, Zalros lifts up his sword, and when he was about to swing it down, suddenly Halius was moved from his position in a blink of an eye. the king was on the other edge of the arena just a breath ago and now he's standing in front of Zalros, right within the sword's reach.
" ...!? " Halius startled by the sudden teleport.
Witnessing the glistening dark edge, Halius needs to think fast. He had cast aside his shield aside earlier, and it would also be too late if he is about to swing his sword to contest the coming slash. Hence, he relies on his footwork to step in, getting himself closer to Zalros.
The king performs a joint lock, quickly hurtling Zalros to the ground, before cleanly cutting off his arm without any hesitation.
" I will stop you at any cost, brother... Even if it means I have to tear all of your limbs. "
Zalros didn't groan nor curse in resentment. He just stepped back with a poker face, as if he was induced insensitivity to pain. Unforeseen by Halius, Zalros's hand instantly grows back like it was before.
" ...What price have you paid for such power, Zalros? "
" .... "
They walked in a circle, staring and waiting for each other to make the first move. Halius had two things in his mind, first is that he has to get back his shield, and second, is that he has to be on guard in case that strange occurrence happens again.
They walk in a circle for almost a half-minute. It’s only a few steps more before Halius can fetch his shield. Yet, Zalros already realized his intention. Thus, he charged forward, dashing faster than he was before.
Halius stomped the ground, sending an earth spike to toss up the shield towards him. But when he was about to reach his shield, a rift appears between him and the shield, swallowing and teleporting it to the other side of the arena.
" As if I'd let you. " Zalros said as he runs towards Halius.
Leaving with various openings, along with his vision that is starting to blur due to the wound in his chest, the king couldn't do much to withstand Zalros assault. Slowly but surely, Zalros flurry of attacks started to sink in.
Suddenly, a dark-burning ray came down from the sky. Piercing the upper part of the infamous unbreakable barrier, and forcing the leftover of it to disperse. Driven by their surviving instinct, Halius and Zalros both withdraw from each other, saving themselves from the vicious attack.
The wind is howling and the ground is shaking. The quarreling brothers feel a very heavy pressure on their bodies. They experienced the very same thing that the assailing party had encountered. The mighty dragon descends at a high speed and crashed into the battleground, sending forth a tremendous impact. Zalros cloaked itself in a dark aura, sheltering him from the gush of wind and its rubbles. While Halius stick his sword to the ground, resisting the powerful force that dragged him.
The dragon appears before them all. Even the courageous knights of the Silver Legion were left in silence, in the face of such a glorious calamity. There's not a single soul that's not surprised by the arrival of the great scourge.
" I expected only the true heirs. But who would've ever thought that I found another piece of the past." said the dragon.
Yet unexpectedly, instead of being mesmerized by his majestic form, Sargaroth was immediately faced with resistance. Halius fearlessly charged first, aiming to land a blow to the dragon's leg. Although it was fruitless, as Sargaroth can only be wounded either by his own kin or by the weapons which have been blessed by the dragons, this has caught him off guard. Sargaroth vigorously sweeps his wing, sending Halius flying so far, back to where his army is standing.
" So bold...! and careless... You would be dead by now if I wished for it. "
Healers of the Silver Legion immediately tend to their king's wound. Restoring his strength is vital to deal with the upcoming fight. Not to mention some of them beginning to lose heart, witnessing how the king was sent flying by a simple brush of the dragon’s wing. To the point that their steels clatter from their shivering.
" Those who are afraid are free to leave this place. Flee and see your beloved burned to death by your deserting! "
One sentence is enough for the captain to regain his knight’s composure. The clattering steels stopped and their heart is back in stout. Meanwhile, Zalros and Sargaroth stand on their ground, carefully observing and judging each other.
" What are you? and what do you want? "
Zalros confronts the dragon in a different way than his brother's, as he concludes that it is too powerful to be taken on brute force all by himself.
" You... "
Sargaroth stares into Zalros eyes for almost ten seconds, as if he is trying to confirm something. Unexpectedly, the dragon took a step back and pull his head away from Zalros, like he was alerted to something.
" How could this be possible?!
Tell me your story, child of Lorentheus! "
Zalros is surprised. He knew that dragons harbor great intelligence after hearing it speaks in his language, but he didn't expect the dragon to possess the knowledge of the founding father. Yet, he is under no obligation to answer its question.
" And what if I refuse? "
" It matters not to me. For it doesn't change the end of the line. You will die regardless. "
When Sargaroth was about to let out a burst of flame, waves of energy hit his back. It was Halius and his army, marching towards the black dragon. If it is their death that the future desired, then so be it.
Because joy and happiness never come without a price.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone