The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Moments before the explosion, Oscar hid from plain sight, following Lady Alkemar's carriage from the Alchemist Guild until she arrived at the City Lord's palace. He spotted several alchemists wandering around and mingling with the others a short distance from the palace, close enough to react if anything happened. Everything was set up on her end down to the letter, but the issue remained on whether she would commit.

He had to force her hand whether she would agree to it or not. Inside an alleyway, a group of people gathered and whispered until they saw him approach. Oscar nodded to the people; all of them were homeless, who he paid to have cleaned and hired to do a job. "Scatter around the city and toss up these flyers. Pretend to be someone who had their loved ones kidnapped and accuse the City Lord. Each of you will receive ten thousand coins. Don't worry about being arrested." Oscar held up the two tokens of Hector and Helen. "I have a firm backing to ensure your release."

The homeless, easily seduced by the money and the assurance, agreed enthusiastically. Twenty homeless, cleaned and garbed in casual clothes, took their portion of the flyers, and ran off to different places around the City Lord's palace. Oscar wasted no time and put on the large blue robes of an alchemist, sneakily taken out by Avril in the morning, placing the hood to hide a good portion of his face.

'What a devious plan. You're absolutely insane.' Erden said.

'The risks are great, and you might end up fighting everyone.' Demon scoffed.

'It'll work, and even if it doesn't, their attention will soon turn to the exposed prison. Just focus on your task, Erden.' Oscar said, putting on his shield, and waited in the shadows of the alleyway.

Soon flyers, hundreds of papers, flew around. Many people picked them up, clearly confused at the contents Oscar wrote on them, and expressed their disbelief and rejection. It was expected as Aldric worked hard to gain the confidence of the people, almost everyone…except the homeless. His paid actors started to shout on the streets, crying out for retribution for their missing loved ones. People gathered around them with flyers in their hands, some listening while others scolded and heckled. All the while, Oscar saw a guard enter inside with the flyer, certainly reaching the City Lord's hands in a few seconds.

Before the other guards could detain the homeless, Oscar sent the signal to Erden to begin the upheaval. Inside the hidden room, Erden scrunched his stomach and spat out a space pocket. He took out several vials of grade-three explosive elixir, placing them near the second door. Focusing, his friend enlarged and reassumed the majestic form of the Mythical Prielapos. Erden stepped back a few steps and enlarged his flames, heat swirling around him. The hot flames condensed into a ball and shot toward the vials, the liquid inside quickly catching fire.

A burst of violent flames exploded and tore down the section of the walls. Erden melded with Oscar's anima and shielded himself in all the antlers on his body, withstanding the explosion. The room was destroyed, and the entrance to the prison had been opened. 'Opened.'

Oscar witnessed the process and snapped back to his side. He charged ahead to the City Lord's palace, wearing the alchemist's robes and brandishing the token of the branch head. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Alchemists! Bring them to justice!"

In a single punch, he burst through the gates and tossed aside multiple guards, their armor breaking apart like brittle clay. Several more came to stop him, but he bombarded them with golden rods, not using too much of his Ein. The weaker ones couldn't avoid and got injured, while the stronger ones managed to block. Oscar rushed aside to preserve as much Ein for future battles. Besides, he wasn't alone. Several alchemists and soldiers of the guild let out rousing cries, joining him in battle. His actions had forced them to act.

'Will they fight?' Oscar retreated back into the thick of the guild's forces and glanced up to the palace. Suddenly, the entire palace was torn asunder by a powerful Ein, and another rose in response. Helen and Aldric burst from the shattered roof.

"Alchemist Guild! All of Convecia! Aldric is a traitor and is indeed behind the kidnappings. Help me bring this man to justice!" Helen shouted, using a flurry of ice spells to deter the rampaging City Lord. At her words, the rest of the Alchemist Guild forces joined the battle, no longer holding back. Some of the City Lord's soldiers appeared shaken by her words, their blades slumping by their sides as they turned to Aldric in the sky.

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The Alchemist Guild overwhelmed them at this moment, subduing the confused soldiers. They tore down the walls and entered the City Lord's palace. Several flew into the air to fight in the sky but kept their distance from the Marshal Exalts above.

Oscar used all the chaos to slip past into the fiery inferno scorching the clouds black. Inside, Erden undid his shield of antlers, his Meld form far more imposing as a Prielapos. The blue sapphire armor covered everything from head to toe, antlers to wings to hooves, and burned with bright red flames roaring mainly on the antlers on his head, back, and hooves.

From Erden's single stomp, the raging flames around them parted away, sticking to the walls to reveal the exposed opening. Oscar walked through the burning path. Several rushed steps hurried toward him, a group of Exalts, ranging from Elites to Lower Knight Exalts. Their signets of the dual-pupil eye, flashing and flickering on their chests, caught the burning light of the flames. These bastards had Avril in their hands. The mere thought of it flared his anger over the limit. His golden drill formed on his hand, a vortex of flames following its spin, and stabbed into several Exalts, leaving naught by ash. On the other hand, a golden dragon head opened its maw of razor-sharp metallic teeth, spouting large flames, and devoured several others into charred meat.

Ever since Erden had evolved into a Prielapos with the element of fire in its bloodline, Oscar realized he could tap into the element when he melded his anima with Erden. A sharing of elements between man and beast was not the norm, impossible even. Many melded their animas into their beast to no special effect. Perhaps it was because they evolved out of the Pools of Ascension together, the Blood Transmutation, or all of the factors put together. Oscar didn't know, but right now, burning with the flames of fury and fortified with a mind of metal, he was confident in destroying anyone in his way.

Erden flew deeper into the path, flapping its burning antler wings. Metal hooves stomped mercilessly, antler wings sliced apart their heads, and his antlers stabbed into several more. Their screams became lost to the engulfing flames.

"Where is my wife?" Oscar glared, the others freezing before him with fear laced over their faces, leaped ahead, and punched out with Shattering Wave, his flames riding along the shockwave. The Shattering Wave broke apart their bones and skin, and then the flames entered through the battered bodies. The red-hot flames fizzled over his body into wisps of smoke as he traversed the path with Erden.

He removed the alchemist robes while watching dead ahead for anything else. A long set of stairs led him deeper into the earth, everything well-lit by the lamps. The large stone blocking the exit was a mere pebble, broken apart by a kick. Rubble clattered and fell into the next room, and he emerged from the cloud of dust and dirt. The room was rather large, with a high ceiling reaching a hundred feet and floors stretching far and wide. A crowd gathered around, staring him down with hostile gazes, five in total.

"Desmond Grant. Or is that not your real name?" Arinn Flint sighed and rubbed his head before his hostility spilled to Oscar's side.

"It's just a man and a beast? But how promising….a Mythical Exalt Beast, the Prielapos!" A man shouted, grinning from ear to ear. His shaved bed of red hair was unusual, along with his pair of white eyes that resembled a dead fish's. "What a rare find! Don't ruin the body too much."

Oscar glanced around. The other three were unknown to him. He lifted his hands and said, "Are you the only high-level combatants in this place? Quite a poor showing for the New Dawn to have only four Greater Knight Exalts here."

"Hoh…you know of us? Change of plans. We have to take him alive." The white-eyed man sent a piercing gaze toward Oscar. "Still, are you wishing for death, barging in by yourself?"

Oscar snapped his attention to the empty air above and lifted his diamond shield. Indestructible Gold protected his body and resonated with elemental powers within the shield. Quick, successive slices scraped along the sleek shield, winds rushing around and covering the floor underneath in cuts.

"A shield and a deer…the way you blocked…." Gail Wunther said, her fingers and smile trembling. She burst into maniacal laughter and retreated back to Arinn's side, not before slashing out several times, which he blocked. Her heavy breathing didn't match the innocent smile she put on. "Is that you, Oscar Terr?"

"Oscar Terr?" Arinn frowned.

"It's been a while, Gail Wunther." Oscar undid the elixir's effects, his hair and eyes returning to their obsidian glow. Gail's expression turned more and more twisted, a creepy grin extending to her eyes.

"Ah…ah….I missed you!" Gail shouted, rubbing her arm from which a blade replaced the forearm."I wanted to see you sooo much! You're so interesting! How did you get out of Ashen Grove?! Weren't you a Grade Four Exolsia? How is it a Grade Six? Ah, wait!" Gail giggled, making an adorable face. "I forgot I have to defeat you first. How about we remove your limbs first? Questions can come later."

"You're as crazy as ever. You damned maniac." Oscar said coldly, his Ein rising with his murderous intent. His body burst into the shroud of Eirin, the Guise, blue antlers extending from his head as Eirin expanded all over his figure. He raised his Eirin-covered hand and waved all of them to approach. "Well then. Come, all of you. I'll kill you all."

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