章 57: Phase 2. Evolution (4).
The entire floating island groaned as if it were alive, its foundation cracking and splitting apart under the overwhelming pressure of the battle. Pieces of the terrain broke free, floating helplessly into the air as gravity struggled to keep hold of them. Massive chunks of rock tumbled into the abyss below, disappearing into the swirling clouds that shrouded the lower atmosphere.
Ethan, bloodied and barely able to stand, glanced around in panic. The once-stable island was now crumbling beneath their feet, and the realization hit him like a hammer—if they didn't move fast, they'd plummet with it.
"We're out of time!" Ethan gasped, clutching his chest where blood still oozed from Estril's earlier blow. His aura flickered weakly around him, barely holding together.
Trevor, on the ground with his limbs trembling, was equally battered. He looked up through half-lidded eyes, struggling to maintain consciousness. The smoke that usually swirled protectively around him was now thin, weak. Apole, his spirit beast, was barely more than a silhouette in the fading mist.
Elder Estril hovered effortlessly in the air, completely unfazed by the destruction. His wings beat lazily as he watched with a sadistic grin. "Running out of ground to stand on, little insects?" he mocked, his deep voice echoing ominously through the air.
Estril raised his hand again, and metallic filaments extended from the earth, ready to crush them once and for all. He wasn't in a rush, though. No, he was savoring every moment. He had them right where he wanted, broken and on the verge of death.
"Trevor!" Ethan called; his voice strained but filled with desperation. He forced his body to move, limping toward his friend. "We've got to get out of here!"
Trevor coughed, his body wracked with pain, but he nodded. "I… I'm not sure how much more I can take," he admitted, wiping blood from his mouth.
Ethan wasn't sure how much longer either of them could last, but they had no choice. With a deep breath, he extended his hand. Boost activated again, sending painful jolts through his legs as yellow lightning crackled weakly around him. He reached out, grabbing Trevor's arm.
"We have to jump," Ethan said, looking toward another floating island in the distance. It was smaller but intact. "That's our only shot."
Trevor blinked, following his gaze. "You… you can't be serious."
Ethan tightened his grip. "It's either that, or we die here."
Estril's cruel laughter filled the air as the ground beneath them splintered further. "Planning your escape, are you? Go ahead. Run. It'll be more fun when I catch you."
With a final surge of strength, Ethan activated Boost once more, this time channeling it into Trevor as well. The lightning crackled between them, weak but enough to give them a burst of speed. Ethan's serpent, Angitia, hissed, coiling around them protectively, while Galeno, despite his injuries, dug his claws into the ground and prepared to leap.
"Now!" Ethan shouted.
With a mighty effort, they launched themselves off the collapsing island. The wind roared in their ears as they hurtled through the air, their bodies barely holding together. Trevor's scythe spun in his hand, releasing tendrils of smoke that formed into a makeshift platform beneath them, guiding their trajectory.
Behind them, Estril watched with mild interest, his eyes gleaming with sadistic amusement. "Interesting," he mused, "but futile."
As they neared the next island, Ethan used his telekinesis, gripping the air around them to slow their fall. The strain on his body was immense, his vision dimming as he struggled to hold onto the energy, but it worked. They landed roughly, skidding across the rocky surface of the new island, barely managing to avoid tumbling off the edge.
Trevor lay still, gasping for air. Ethan collapsed beside him, his entire body screaming in agony. Galeno and Angitia landed close by, both beasts battered and exhausted from the ordeal. Apole's smoke form wavered, flickering as if ready to vanish entirely.
"That… was close," Trevor said between ragged breaths.
Ethan nodded, trying to gather himself. But their reprieve didn't last long.
With a thunderous flap of his wings, Estril descended onto the new island, his laughter echoing through the air. "You think you can escape me so easily?" His wings extended wide, casting a massive shadow over them. "I'm not done playing with you yet."
Estril's sadistic smile twisted as he lifted his hand. The metallic fragments from the destroyed island followed him, swirling in the air like a storm of blades. He was toying with them, dragging out their suffering.
"You've shown me a little more fight than I expected," Estril said mockingly. "But now, I think it's time I stopped holding back."
He thrust his hand forward, and the metal storm rushed toward the boys. Ethan and Trevor scrambled to their feet, adrenaline surging through their veins despite their injuries. Trevor's scythe swung wildly, and Apole released more smoke, trying to shield them from the onslaught, but it was no use. The metal pierced through the smoke, cutting into their skin, sending them reeling backward.
Estril's eyes gleamed with sadistic joy as he approached them slowly. "Does it hurt? It should."
Trevor screamed as one of the metal shards sliced deep into his leg, causing him to fall to one knee. Apole tried to pull him back into the safety of the smoke, but Estril's storm pierced through everything.
Ethan wasn't faring much better. His body was riddled with wounds, his aura shield all but shattered. His war hammer, once a symbol of his strength, now felt like a burden in his hands.
Estril relished every second of their agony. "I wonder how long your little bodies can hold out. I haven't had this much fun in centuries."
Ethan's vision blurred, but through the haze of pain, he saw Trevor struggling to rise again, his scythe shaking in his hand. The sight sparked something within him—a refusal to give up, even when faced with certain death.
Ethan forced his body to move, raising his war hammer despite the overwhelming pain. Boost flickered weakly around his legs, and for a moment, he felt a surge of energy. His eyes burned with determination.
"Not… done yet," Ethan growled through gritted teeth.
With one final burst of energy, Ethan and Trevor charged forward together, their spirit beasts at their sides. The ground beneath them crumbled as Estril laughed, his metal storm closing in for the kill.
But just before the metal shards could tear them apart, the boys unleashed everything they had left.
Ethan swung his war hammer with all his remaining strength, the force of Saber combining with his telekinesis to hurl debris and rocks at Estril. Trevor's smoke wrapped around his scythe, forming a swirling vortex as he slashed toward their foe.
Estril's smile faltered for a moment as the combined attack hit him, forcing him back a few steps. But the damage was minimal. He brushed off the debris and smoke, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure.
"Is that all you've got?" he asked, his voice filled with cruel delight.
Before they could react, Estril's metal storm surged forward with deadly precision. Ethan and Trevor screamed as the metal shards tore into their flesh, cutting deep, drawing more blood. Their bodies were ravaged, their vision fading as they collapsed onto the ground.
Estril stood over them, his wings casting a shadow over their broken forms. "You've amused me long enough. Time to end this."
With a twisted smile, he raised his hand, preparing to deliver the final blow. Metallic energy swirled around like a massive storm. It formed a huge drill-like structure that was half the size of the island they were on. It seemed Estril planned to destroy them along with the island, showing complete disregard for the consequences of his actions.
The drill-like structure began to spin, creating a deafening roar that shook the floating island. It was a spectacle of raw, destructive power, its metallic surface glinting menacingly. Estril's eyes gleamed with a frenzied hunger for destruction as he directed the drill toward the boys.
Just as the drill began its descent, Estril felt a sudden, unsettling chill. It was as if an unseen guillotine had been placed above his head, threatening him with imminent death. The sensation was alien and terrifying. His eyes darted around, searching for the source of this new threat. His gaze fell on the lower-ranked beasts and Ethan's team, but he couldn't pinpoint the cause of his fear.
A voice echoed distantly in his mind, soft yet chilling. Estril's vision started to blur, and he felt his strength waning. He saw four pairs of red, gleaming eyes in his vision. These eyes were lifeless, cold, and filled with an insatiable hunger for blood. The eyes seemed to pierce through the very fabric of his being, and before he could react, darkness closed in.
Estril fell into unconsciousness, the drill-like structure hanging in the air as a swirling mass of metallic energy. The drill slowly dissipated, its destructive intent fading as Estril's power faltered.
Elder Reed and the other Gargoyle Elders arrived just in time to witness the aftermath. They found the floating island in ruins, its surface scarred and broken. The head of Estril lay amidst the debris, his once-mighty form now a shattered relic of his former grandeur. The island itself was a shell of its former self, its surface cracked and fractured, floating precariously in the sky.
The Elders stared in shock and disbelief. The once formidable 6th Elder, Estril, was gone, and the boys along with their spirit beasts had vanished. The pieces of the island that had once been their battleground now drifted aimlessly in the void, a haunting reminder of the battle's ferocity.
Elder Reed, his face twisted in a mixture of anger and disbelief, roared in frustration. "How could this happen?!" His voice echoed like thunder across the devastated landscape. The remaining Elders exchanged uneasy glances, their confidence shattered by the sudden and inexplicable turn of events.
One by one, the Elders began to sense a powerful aura emanating from the space where Estril had fallen. The intensity of the presence was palpable, a foreboding sign of something immense and formidable. It was clear that they had underestimated the situation, and their powerful adversaries had unleashed a force beyond their comprehension.
As the Elders prepared to investigate further, the once-thriving floating island, now little more than a fragmented ruin, began to break apart completely. Chunks of rock and debris floated away, falling into the abyss below. The scene was one of utter devastation, a testament to the ferocity of the conflict that had taken place.
On a distant floating island, Ethan and Trevor lay unconscious, their bodies battered and broken. Galeno, Apole and Angitia, their spirit beasts, were equally injured but had managed to shield their masters as much as possible. The new island was a far cry from the chaotic battleground they had left behind, but it was still a precarious place, floating high above the ground and equally battered. How it came to be, no one know.
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