The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Countless red roots and vines exploded from the sides of the craters. Debris spread everywhere, crushing into clouds of dirt and dust, which blanketed the crater in a horrid fog. Within the fog, screams and cries echoed until they ended abruptly with only the sounds of chewing.

Oscar leaped upward as chaos spread over the crater like a disease, and fear ran amok even in the most stalwart Greater Elite Exalts. No one had time to think about fighting each other with the deadly red roots at their heels. Despite the overwhelming situation, Oscar felt calm even as the full pressure of a Knight Exalt permeated the area.

More red roots erupted from the rocky walls. Maws of razor-sharp teeth crunched on the rubble like candy. Oscar's mind and body became balanced and focused under the effects of his Demon Deer Eirin Mantle. He sped up and dodged, reaching the halfway point.

'Where is everyone?' Oscar thought, glancing around the crater with his blue moon eyes. When he threw Celestina up after her state of confusion, the red roots emerged everywhere, dividing and scattering everyone. Hearing the anguished cries of the unfortunate victims, Oscar hoped the best for his friends.

Suddenly, all the roots and vines stopped lashing and eating, remaining still and allowing people time to escape. All the maws opened wide and groaned, acting as a soft chorus. Following up, a new voice joined the bloody harmony, a bellowing cry that Oscar had heard before in the Grovekeepers' sacrificial chamber.

'Damn!' Oscar tried to keep moving, but the power behind the final voice was as oppressive as before. His legs felt uncomfortable, like walking through a swamp. Even his Demon Deer Eirin Mantle couldn't help against the effects.

'Just a few more!' Straining his body, Oscar leaped up, landing on shaky legs. He had only a few more stones to climb. The trembling increased as the crater started to shake violently, making Oscar nearly slip off the edge. A hand reached out and caught him.

"Got you!" Frederick shouted with a pale face. "Why am I always saving you from a cliff? Focus up, Os. We're getting out of here."

"Where's everyone else?" Oscar asked, seeing the wretched state of his best friend. Frederick's body had several cuts, some very deep, shoddily seared shut by fire. Gail hadn't lost her mastery of wind and blades, even with a missing arm.

"We all got scattered after these red roots started to attack. I don't know where everyone else is, but I waited for you." Frederick said as he jumped up.

"You should have ran. I'd feel bad if you died because of me." Oscar said solemnly.

"Says the one who's worse off than me. Do you not feel pain in that form?" Frederick patted Oscar on the back and revealed a hand full of blood.

"Oh…when did that happen?" Oscar coughed and spat out blood. Looking down, he noticed a bright red blood patch near his stomach. He took a healing elixir and drank it, but the wounds were so severe they required more attention.

"It happened when you rushed in to grab the Divine Essence. You dodged them, but the residual powers still tore into your body." Gol-4 explained.

"Ah…." Oscar seared his stomach wound shut with a grunt. "Let's hurry up out of here."

The red roots started to stir again, and a sickening smell filled the room. Strong stenches of blood, even more than before, and rot became an ocean, drowning everyone in it. From the very center of the crater at its lowest point, something emerged.

A ball? That was Oscar's first impression. A bright red ball with vines and roots extending from its surface lifted off the ground. Four large mouths writhed around until settling into place, having long, thin teeth.

"Gi-gi-gi-gi." A ghastly laughter came from the disgusting mouths. Eight smaller maws opened up above each larger mouth on every side. Four faces gazed in every direction, with thirty-two eyes in total.

Oscar and Frederick were close to the surface and escaped the crater, hearing the bone-chilling screams of those lagging behind. Red roots also emerged on the surface, trying to cut off their escape. As they entered the hallways through one of the hexagonal entrances, Oscar took out the map to find the closest teleport pad.

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"Astounding. I never knew such a creature could exist. Oh, my poor stone garden. The years had not been kind to you, allowing such a monster to make you into its home." Gol-4 cried from Oscar's waist, lamenting over the loss of his favorite place.

"Not the time for this, Gol-4!" Oscar glanced behind, seeing the red roots giving chase from the stone chamber. Hot splashes of lava spilled over from the moats, nearly melting Oscar, erupting into large molten pillars. Dripping off the lava, the molten pillars revealed more red roots.

The floor became uneasy as mounds formed erratically. Tiles clattered and shattered into a mess. The walls started to collapse as cracks spread like a raging fire. From the tiny openings, red roots started to burst from the floor and walls, leaving behind only destruction in their wake.

'One minute thirty seconds….' Oscar took Frederick by the hand and dragged his friend with him. Frederick's Gust Steps complemented his Silver Burst. His speed helped to avoid the destruction of the palace for now.

"My palace!" Gol-4 screamed. "How can this be?! I suppose you can't avoid the deterioration of materials over time. Moreover, this creature must have been building pressure from behind the walls and underneath the floors for hundreds of years. Anything will bend over to pressure over time."

"Shut up!" Oscar and Frederick shouted. Sweat covered their faces.

Oscar was in worse shape. Blood trailed down his eyes, dripping down his chin. With his Demon Deer Eirin Mantle closing in on its end, intense pain spread across his back and stomach. It didn't help that the countless maws were laughing at them like an audience of cruel hunters watching their prey struggle.

So far, he had done a good job of staying ahead of the red roots. He noticed their speed was not their strong suit, relying on their numbers and far reach instead. Rechecking the map, the teleportation pad was only a turn and a straight run into a room.

Oscar nearly slipped. Blood covered his feet from how much he had exerted them. The tips of the antlers on his head started to disperse, fading away, and his blue moon eyes started to flicker back to black. Turning the corner, Oscar saw the open room for the teleport pad, wide and like a gateway to paradise.

"We made it, Fred!" Oscar shouted in delight, not minding the many wounds on his body. The pain faded away, replaced by joy.

"Just a little more!" Frederick focused his Ein onto Oscar's feet.

However, the halls were wide and long. It was a long trek to the other side where the teleport pad resided. Oscar dodged the splatters of lava and continued to outpace the red roots until they reached the halfway mark.

Then the ground shook like a bell. Oscar couldn't see straight from how his eyes rattled from the constant shaking. To his horror, red roots erupted further ahead, closing in and about to seal up any escape paths. He understood right away. The strange creature had already spread to the entire palace and decided to move its distant roots upward to block their path.

In a mere second, the gaps would close, and he and Frederick would be hapless prey. His mind coursed through an ocean of thoughts and ideas. Their current speed wasn't enough, not fast enough to break through before the gap closed. Without a single thought, Oscar swung Frederick forward.

'Don't. You could live if you use him instead…' Demon finally whispered.

'No…That's the difference between us. I can't do such a thing easily. Fred's my good brother.' Oscar started to cry. Tears dripped, washing away the trails of blood on his cheek.

'Even if it's at the cost of your life!!' Demon roared.

'Haha. Finally, I get to see you get emotional. You may be twisted and depraved, but you care about me in some strange way. You'll do anything for us to survive, whereas I will do everything for the people around me. Now shut up.'

"Bye," Oscar kicked Frederick. Frederick flew across the halls, escaping past the closing gap between the red roots. Oscar gave a weak smile to his friend, who was injured from his kick. Even if he used his deer anima to kick off, it wouldn't have been enough with the two of them. However, if he put all his power into one person, that person would survive. He chose the person to be Frederick.

"Os!" Frederick widened his eyes and shouted as he flew the entire distance, falling into the teleport pad. Light flashed as the teleportation activated, and Frederick disappeared. Oscar could no longer see the light, only a wall of red roots.

"It was a good time with you, lad. I would have preferred to live on, but such is life. You made a good choice, and I am proud to have known you." Gol-4 laughed and cried.

"It was fun, Gol-4. Maybe next time, you should find someone less reckless." Oscar smiled as the red roots closed in on him. He summoned his deer anima, who trotted sadly.

"I don't think I will. It has been a satisfying time." Gol-4 sighed.

With the last seconds of his Demon Deer Eirin Mantle, Oscar poured everything into his foot, smashing it onto the floor. His deer anima swung along with him.

'Eirin Omnireus'

The last thing Oscar saw was the shattering of the floor and the red roots being forced back from his Omnireus, now combined with the full concentrated power of the Demon Deer Eirin Mantle. The walls collapsed around him, and he fell along with the rubble.

His memories came to mind. He was eating with his parents, enrolling at the Blue Ocean Pavilion, meeting Frederick and Emily, learning under his master, reading with Celestina, feeling helpless under Serena's pursuit, fighting Phillip, forging with Aunt Rosett, and everything which occurred in Ashen Grove.

He smiled fondly at these memories. What a life he had!

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