Shroud Arcanum

Chapter 10: - Battle Beckons

The awakening of the Asura was a sight to behold. As it rose, it took a moment to adjust to its surroundings, the air rippling with its immense energy. It was clear that it wasn't accustomed to being disturbed. Its piercing eyes, luminescent and calculating, locked onto the two small beings trying to make a hasty escape.

There was a spark of intrigue in that gaze, a keen intellect assessing and evaluating them.

The corners of its mouth lifted in an almost imperceptible smirk, a blend of amusement and possible intent. One of its more bestial hands began to dance with a display of ethereal runes, weaving a spell that soon coalesced into a tangible form.

A radiant crystal, gleaming with inner light and humming with energy, began to grow in its grasp. In moments, this crystalline creation had expanded to a size comparable to an average house on Earth.

With a nonchalant flick of its wrist, the Asura sent the massive crystal soaring effortlessly through the air. It passed the fleeing pair only to crash down in front of them, obstructing their path and leaving them momentarily dumbfounded.

With a deafening crash, the thrown crystal shattered upon impact, its raw momentum ensuring that it fragmented violently.

As the resultant shockwave hit them, Liam and the stranger staggered to a halt, their gazes fixed on the unfolding spectacle before them. From the splinter of the massive crystal, figures began to emerge.

Like a sinister birth, each shard began to morph and shift, taking on humanoid forms. They became crystalline soldiers, their gleaming bodies refracting the ambient light. In their grasp, they wielded swords made from the same shimmering material, each blade razor-sharp and deadly. Within moments, the landscape was dotted with over fifty of these relentless sentinels.

The Asura, seemingly amused by the display, effortlessly lifted its other massive hand. With an elegant sweep, it conjured a throne, crystalline and ornate. It materialized directly behind him, with facets that caught and magnified the ambient glow. As it settled upon this majestic seat, its eyes never left the scene below.

Then, a voice, deep and resonant, echoed through the expanse, originating from the Asura. "Defeat them, and you shall earn your passage. Show me your worth," its tone devoid of emotion yet filled with an underlying challenge.

As the crystalline soldiers began their encirclement, Liam and the stranger's eyes locked. Without words, an understanding passed between them – a silent agreement forged in the heat of the moment.

They had both faced harrowing trials in the past and knew that hesitation would be their undoing. Now, trusting in each other's strengths and capabilities, they stood back-to-back, forming a united front against the imminent onslaught.

The soldiers closed in, their gleaming swords reflecting the eerie glow of the Asura's throne. Every step they took was synchronized, adding to the unnerving atmosphere of the showdown.

Trick, never one to let a situation get too somber, jesting, "Oh, what a party! You know, I've always wondered what a dance with crystalline soldiers would be like! Maybe after this, you two could join a ballroom class together?" He chuckled.

Liam mentally grumbled, Really, Trick? Now's the time for dance suggestions? Pushing the distraction aside, he swiftly adjusted his stance, preparing himself for the impending clash.

One of the crystalline soldiers lunged forward, its sword slashing downward with a sharp glint.

Liam deflected the blade with his own, sparks flying as metal met crystal.

With a quick, fluid motion, he deftly spun Talonstrike's around, Liam channeled his momentum into spinning, using Talonstrike's other end to make another attempt. As the blade swung around, it struck the soldier's midsection reaching its core. The blade, sharp and precise, bit into the crystalline body but was halted as it met another sword.

In a split second, Liam twisted the staff's midpoint, separating it into its dual form. Grasping it firmly, he executed a slash, harnessing the power and precision of the titan talon-inspired blades.

The crystalline soldier before him was cleaved in two, shards of its once formidable form scattering like broken glass.

As the frenetic dance of battle swirled around him, Liam's every sense was heightened. The rhythmic pulse of the arcane energy in his weapons hummed in his hands, echoing the beat of his heart in his chest.

But even with his heightened awareness, it was Trick's voice in his head that snapped him back to the immediacy of the moment.

"Watch it! Two on the Left and one more from the right!" Trick's voice rang out like a bell in Liam's mind.

Liam's reflexes took over. As the blade descended toward him, he made a desperate attempt to sidestep. While he evaded a direct hit, the blade's keen edge managed to slice across his arm, leaving behind a stinging wound that immediately began to seep blood. The sharp pain was a jarring reminder of the danger he was in.

Simultaneously, another attacker lunged from his left. Liam barely managed to bring up one segment of his dual weapon in time, deflecting the blow.

The force of the attack was tremendous, causing the ground beneath him to crack slightly and forcing him to stagger back, his boots scraping against the rough terrain.

The warm sensation of blood trickling down his arm brought a grimace to his face.

Another crystalline soldier, sensing the vulnerability, lunged forward with a ferocious stab. The sharp, gleaming tip of the crystalline blade drew closer, and Liam realized he was milliseconds away from a lethal strike.

But before disaster struck, a blur of motion intervened. The stranger's staff, swift and precise, slid in between Liam and the oncoming blade, deflecting the attack with a clear, resonant chime. With a deft twist, the stranger used the momentum to unbalance the soldier, making it stumble back before delivering a powerful thrust to its core.

The crystalline figure shattered, its shards reflecting the subdued glow of the environment.

Liam wasted no time. Taking advantage of the opening created by the stranger, he lunged forward. With swift, consecutive strikes, he cleaved through the remaining two soldiers on his side, chipping away their bodies and pushing them back.

Gasping for breath and with sweat beading on his forehead, Liam turned his gaze to the stranger, nodding in gratitude. "Thanks for the save," he rasped out.

The stranger, his own chest heaving from exertion, gave a quick nod, his eyes darting back to the encroaching crystalline soldiers. "Call me Aric," he said, his voice urgent. "And don't thank me yet; we're not out of this." "Liam," he shot back, tension in his voice, his focus already shifting back to the foes surrounding them.

Aric's hand was already moving to a pouch at his side, pulling out a small sphere covered in intricate runes. Without hesitation, he hurled it into the air. "Hide your weapon!" he commanded. "This concoction will weaken their crystal, making them more fragile, but it will affect your weapon too!" As the sphere reached its zenith, it burst, showering the area below with a fine mist of luminescent yellow liquid.

As it rained down, the droplets came into contact with the crystalline soldiers. There was an immediate reaction; sizzling sounds accompanied the appearance of cracks that rapidly spiderwebbed across their bodies, rendering them fragile.

From within Liam's mind, Trick couldn't help but comment, "Ooh, fizzy. It's like watching soda corrode teeth. Fun times."

Ignoring Trick's irreverence, Liam caught movement from his peripheral vision. One of the soldiers, seizing the moment, lunged towards an unsuspecting Aric. Its blade, still deadly despite the corrosive rain, aimed straight for Aric's side.

Liam's quickly reacted, and he dashed forward, slamming into the soldier with all his might, his shoulder connecting with its crystalline form, sending it sprawling to the ground.

As the last droplet from Aric's concoction hit the ground, the sizzling rain ceased. Wasting no time, Liam conjured his weapon back into existence and, with a swift, fluid motion, brought it down onto the soldier's core, shattering it into a million fragments.

Aric's eyes widened, gratitude in his gaze. "That was close, Liam. We make a good team." Liam's response was a curt nod, his senses still acutely tuned to the looming threats around. "We're not out of this yet. Let's move."

With the crystalline soldiers weakened, their bodies brittle and fragile, Liam and the Aric began to move in synchronization, their previous uncertainties now transformed into fluid cooperation.

Liam's blades danced through the air, slicing through the weakened soldiers with ease. Each strike was precise. Each cut a work of lethal artistry.

The soldiers, once a formidable threat, now fell apart under his blades, their crystalline bodies shattering into gleaming shards.

Aric was no less adept, his staff twirling as he engaged multiple enemies at once. It was a whirlwind of motion, his every move calculated and lethal. He struck with force, shattering the soldiers with deft thrusts, and parried their weakened strikes with ease.

The battle became a symphony of destruction, Liam and Aric moving as a team, their every motion complementing the other. A slash here, a thrust there, their weapons moved in perfect harmony, leaving destruction in their wake.

Trick would offer playful insights, his voice echoing in Liam's mind. "Look at you two, dancing like partners at a ball! Just with more slicing and dicing," he would say, or "I must admit, I'm rather enjoying this. It's like a ballet with blades!"

The battle raged on, the numbers of crystalline soldiers dwindling under the relentless assault. The battlefield became a glittering canvas of broken crystals, each fragment reflecting the dance of battle.

Finally, with a powerful sweep of his staff, Aric shattered the last remaining soldier, its crystalline form disintegrating into sparkling dust. They both paused, panting, their eyes meeting in mutual respect.

The silence was broken by the asura's deep voice, resonating across the battlefield. "Nice, not bad" His eyes glinted, and a slow, deliberate smile spread across his face. "But the real test begins now." he extended one of his beastly clawed hands, summoning two small crystals, their surface gleaming with an inner light.

With a casual flick, he sent them gently floating down to Liam and Aric. As Liam clasped the crystal, a voice resonated within, announcing, "[Ascension path acquired]."

"These are your rewards," the asura explained, his voice tinged with intrigue. "You can use them to challenge the real trial or strengthen yourselves." As he spoke, his other hands began to move in, weaving magical gestures that triggered the entire crystal field.

The crystals from the surroundings stirred, responding to some unseen command. Like puzzle pieces meticulously arranging themselves, they began to shift, align, and layer upon each other, each crystal harmoniously fitting with its neighbor.

The process was enchanting; the ground rumbled gently, and a melodious chime echoed through the air as each crystal found its place.

A grand foundation formed, followed by robust walls that rose higher and higher. Massive pillars sculpted from pure, radiant crystal took shape, giving the castle an ethereal presence.

Then, towers spiraled skywards with incredible intricacy, each adorned with shimmering spires that seemed to pierce the heavens. Windows crafted from various colored crystals embedded within the walls created a kaleidoscopic effect that made the castle seem alive, pulsating with its own rhythm.

With the majestic castle now standing before them, the imposing figure of the asura began to move into the Castle. His crystalline throne disintegrated into countless shards, returning to the land from whence they came. He stood, every step echoing power and grace, his crystalline scales and magnificent wings catching the ambient light, adding to the scene's brilliance.

As Liam and Aric, their awe evident, beheld the mesmerizing sight of the newly formed castle, its grand gates, seemingly carved from a single colossal gemstone, began to creak open, inviting them into the heart of its mysteries.