The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

It happened so fast. Lying in Avril's embrace, Oscar witnessed the explosion engulfing everything around the palace, ruining parts of the streets and houses around it. The explosion rose like a pillar of white light, illuminating the night sky away. Light traveled everywhere, casting away all the shadows and showering everyone in its radiance.

All of Convecia City shook under the force of its explosion. From the blinding light, fearsome earthquakes wreaked devastation and fast crept away from the explosion. The buildings and coliseum were torn down and collapsed into rubble before the cataclysm neared the icicles. In response, the cold pillars linked to each other and unleashed a blizzard. It froze and encased everything in an icy tundra, holding back the destructive force. As the earthquakes destroyed, the icicles rebuilt. Ice glued the broken together and held back the earthquake's momentum until it finally halted.

Oscar squinted and struggled to keep his eyes open. A final blinding wave of light flashed across Convecia City before the explosion finally ended, leaving only a constantly spewing and growing cloud of smoke and flames. Then, the winds picked up, and Avril held him tighter while Erden pulled her with his antlers while digging his hooves into the road. The explosion had forced away every bit of air, and now they rushed back to reclaim their space. His eardrums nearly tore off from the cruel winds that ignored the plight of the people, the indifference of nature tearing through the city in reverse of the explosion.

It all came to an end. The winds killed the clouds of smoke and flame, and Oscar beheld the land in awe and fear. The once-glorious palace and lively streets of the markets surrounding it were gone. Nothing remained of what was once there, not even a speck of rubble. Only a deep crater served as a reminder of what had occurred here. Everyone stared out into the crater, looking listless and lost, their eyes filled with confusion.

Helen landed on the ground with Hector and addressed the masses. "Aldric was a good City Lord, but none of us knew his true motives. Everyone has questions, and I promise I will get the answers. But for now, let's help each other and ensure our safety."

She shot Oscar and Avril a look and nodded. She directed her alchemists to distribute elixirs for injuries while Hector ordered his fabricators to clean up the wreckage and help find survivors. The remnant forces of Aldric were rounded up and surrounded by strong wanderers and soldiers of the guilds. After all, there was no telling who could be a spy for Aldric.

The hour fell late. The moon carried on without a care for what happened below. Oscar was carried on top of Erden, still reeling from the side effects of the Guise. Avril walked alongside him, stopping every few minutes to distribute grade-one elixirs to the non-Exalts, helping them recover with a bright smile to relieve their pain. No one was asleep. Many cried while hugging their families, some stood guard for any potential attacks, and others ran around to assist in clearing the rubbles or helping others. They roamed further until they entered the makeshift headquarters, a large tent where Helen and Hector were directing the rescue and relief efforts.

"Excuse me. Let us through, please." Avril said, holding out Helen's token. The guards on the tents bowed and allowed her through.

Inside the tent, Helen and Hector were resting on a long chair, reading the stacks of papers on the table; their deep frowns said enough about their thoughts. They noticed Oscar and Avril's arrival and raised their heads. Sighing, Helen gestured for them to sit on the opposite side, seeming to have aged decades in a night, her wrinkles far more pronounced than before.

They both stared with raised eyebrows when Avril carried Oscar over to the long bench and rested his head on her lap. They chuckled helplessly and shook their heads in unison, bringing some liveliness to their forlorn faces. Oscar sighed and wished he could move, but Avril kept humming and had a cheeky smile, certainly loving to tease him.

"First. I want to apologize." Oscar said, lying on Avril's lap. "I disguised myself as an alchemist, abused your token, and tricked your alchemists into fighting without your permission."

Helen closed her eyes and said lowly, "It's what you had to do. Otherwise, I might have made the wrong decision and been tricked by Aldric…."

"Aldric…I still can't believe it. What could have made him betray everything and us? What on earth was he up to?" Hector coughed, clutching his stomach, which was wrapped in thick bandages.

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"I think our friend here has the answer to that. I need to make a report to the guild once this is over." Helen reached her hand over Hector's stomach and sent in a cool air that relieved Hector's pain.

"Can I ask that Avril and I be taken off the records?" Oscar asked. He worried that if his and Avril's involvement were written down, the New Dawn might now, but even worse, her so-called mistress might coincidentally pick up the trail. For Avril's sake, he needed everything about her to remain ordinary on the records, nothing that might attract the attention of higher powers which her mistress was from.

"Alright. We swear. For both your safeties." Hector raised his hand and tapped it against his bandaged chest, smiling through his scruffy beard.

Oscar talked at length about the New Dawn and how they worked. He went over his previous experiences with them and the vile experiments they did. Helen and Hector's faces grew grimmer and more alert the more he talked. At the end of it, there was only silence permeating the tent. The torches fluttered from the slight summer wind laced with the smell of ashes. The two Marshal Exalts had thousands of questions squirming on their expressions but were kept speechless. Oscar expected this reaction and closed his eyes to let them ponder.

"That would explain Aldric's strange power. We're all Grade Eights, but his strength surpassed ours. His movements were strange, and his spells and techniques had more strength and speed than usual." Hector said grimly.

"An organization named New Dawn….There's no way they could exist in secret for so long." Helen's wrinkles deepened. Her face darkened. "Someone high up must be supporting them or allowing their activities. The Primal Council should not be ignorant of their activities…."

"But the Primaeres don't bother as long as the rules are kept. You know how they are, Helen. They'll only act if it has a widespread impact on the world, their personal factions, or their created order. For the visitors to a city like ours or losers of a war…they wouldn't care if they were given to the New Dawn." Hector drank from his mug, spilling the drink all over his bandages and beard.

The Primaere. Oscar remembered meeting the Phoenix Primaere Solara. Her lofty countenance and otherworldly presence were still clear in his memories. Indeed, anyone, even King Exalts, was a mere ant before her power. In that realm of power, how could lowly people like him and others register in her eyes? The only reason she showed up was because of his connection to the Ancients, who appeared to be above the Primaeres. Do not disappoint the Ancients…Solara's last words to him echoed from his memories. Fallen Heaven…New Dawn…Home. Everything overwhelmed him.

"Excuse me. Can we leave now and rest? I think the Hilrest Tower is still standing." Avril rubbed his forehead, giving him a worried look. She understood something was bothering him. Oscar smiled back at her, feeling blessed to be with her.

"You may leave and rest. Even with these recent developments, the portals will still open in a few days. Enjoy the rest of your time here, and go home." Helen said, giving Hector a napkin with a cold expression while Hector sighed. Oscar realized at last why he and Avril sparked their interest. Those two had a story of their own, no doubt.

Avril carried Oscar over to Erden and ventured outside. They retreated to the Hilrest Tower, where many people rested in the lobby. After a flight of stairs, they reached their rooms and entered the comforting sight of the beds and couches.

"Let's take a bath. I'll help you." Avril hoisted Oscar on her back and took him inside the bathroom. She removed his dirty and bloody clothes, placed him in the heated bath, and joined him shortly after. Feeling her tender care, Oscar became lost in the pleasant comfort of her scrubbing on his back and head,

After drying Oscar off with a towel, Avril put on fresh nightwear for him and her before tucking themselves into bed. Her arms tugged him inside her warm embrace, resting his head on her chest.

"Are you alright?" Oscar asked, feeling her arms shaking like a child in fear.

"I'm scared….She's so afraid she can't stop trembling. If it weren't for Helen and Hector…if it wasn't for everything working out…we could have lost each other." Avril buried him deeper in her embrace, her arms still shaking.

"Did you see your mistress again?" Oscar was worried for Avril. Being locked and in chains might have sparked her trauma back to the forefront of her mind.

"I did…but I also saw you…That's why I'm so scared. If something happens to you, there will only be her. She doesn't want that, not at all." Avril said, her voice shaky as if it would break out into sobs soon. "She can't stop shaking."

Oscar bit his tongue, the acute pain spreading down to his fingertips. He breathed in while being embraced and mustered every ounce of the nonexistent strength in his body. His arm followed his will, the muscles tearing as it did.

Somehow he managed to do it. He placed his hand on her head and gave it a warm caress, and she held her breath and brought Oscar up to look at him. His hand died and stopped moving, and Oscar smiled at her, peeking through her moist golden eyes. "See. I shouldn't be able to move, but I did it for you. No matter what, no matter the circumstances, I will live and return to you no matter how impossible it seems. I promise."

Avril widened her eyes. Then, she smiled, her eyes curling closed as tears leaked down to the side. She leaned in for a soft kiss and said, "Thank you. I promise I will do the same. Thank you."

Oscar and Avril fell asleep in the warmth of each other's embrace, fulfilled by their loving words and fulfilled to the depths of their soul.

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