The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

'How far does this tunnel go?' Oscar blinked under the cover of his Ein Shroud. A simple layer of Ein protected him from nature's consuming fire. Warily, he looked around, finding no signs of the intruders, the cavern's walls smooth as if something had dug cleanly through. There was no spot or area for an enemy to hide and ambush them, but Oscar remained vigilant, knowing this place was the perfect kill spot to disrupt one's concentration, break their Ein Shroud, and let them drown in flames.

Erden nudged him from below, his beastly senses catching the coattails of their enemy. Oscar signaled to the others to pick up speed, delving deeper into the smooth, unnatural cavern. Strangely, none of the fire elementals had shown themselves, but he recalled none ever emerged from the center caldera. With the New Dawn directly intervening for this passageway, there definitely was something amiss.

The cavern curved upward. A few minutes later, they neared the exit. Oscar surged his Eirin, already in the state of Pseudoguise, and emerged from the surface, shaking off excess magma from his Ein Shroud. Gavir and their combined forces joined him above the bubbling magma pool and bore witness to the same unique landscape. A molten wonderland was what he could call it. Magma flowed like waterfalls, splashing onto great searing lakes, a few rivers intricately connected and streaming forth from the lakes.

Oscar landed on the charred ground, his feet sizzling as faint wisps of white smoke trailed up from the webbed cracks that shone with molten flare. Not only that, the Ein within this place was dense, far stronger than the norm in the outside world. For Marshal Exalts, who held the elemental spark of fire, it would be a paradise, full of natural fiery Ein and resources. Red flowers that bloomed flames grew along the shores, perfect ingredients for elixirs, and he, as a fabricator, could tell that the glowing red rocks with countless rubies embedded in them were flame elemental ores.

"This place is a miracle. How have we missed it for hundreds of years?" Gavir whispered, barely in earshot of Oscar, removing his helmet as his eyes widened, taking in the full splendor of the molten reaches. "If we had found it, we could have cultivated powerful generations of Flame Exalts."

Oscar couldn't respond because another voice, so clear and sharp that anyone from a mile away could hear clearly, replied to Gavir's question, "But you did not. It is the folly of your ancestors to miss this sacred site. Did they never question why so many dragons roosted here long ago? Even before your paltry empire came to be, the powers before remained ignorant, all led astray by dragons but forgetting that dragons always safeguard a treasure."

Several black-robed New Dawn members appeared out of thin air, close to the largest lake, the mouth from where all the magma flowed to the other pools and lesser lakes. The one in the front, carrying the most dangerous presence, removed his hood and cast off the cloak, wearing fine red clothing. He was certainly handsome, his eyes sharp and gleaming with white pupils rivaling the full moon. His red hair had faint orange and yellow streaks, resembling a beautiful flame. Two swords hung down from his waist, sheathed, yet staring at them gave off an unsettling feeling as if he was already slicing them in two.

Patting his chest, the swordsman bowed and said in his sharp, cutting tone, "I am Aiden Volten. It's a pleasure to meet the famed Oscar Terr."

"A Volten…you all come crawling out of your holes only to scamper away. What treasure rests in this place?" Oscar said, surging his Ein, the Eirin roaring along his arms and legs. Erden roared and melded with his anima, already ready to battle. Gavir and the others all prepared themselves for the battle.

"Follow me and find out. I wonder if you'll stay here and fight alongside your friends or let me run amok." Aiden said, unsheathing his two swords. The craftsmanship was admirable. Fiery patterns adorned the blade in great artistry, almost alive, the light catching on the edges granted it a molten glow. He slashed his swords together, crossing them into a great fiery intersecting attack.

The glow from the strike burned brighter than the magma around them. Squinting his eyes, Oscar focused the Eirin and countered with a flaming Golden Drill, the ground underneath breaking in half as magma flowed to fill in the new chasm. His Golden Drill broke into four parts, cleaved so easily by Aiden's slash, which continued until his artificial arm was blown back. His sense of danger intensified. Aiden flashed a smile at him and twirled his swords arrogantly in the air.

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"Os!" "Oscar!" Fred and Emily shouted.

Oscar placated his friends' worries and shook off the flames on his exposed artificial arm, faint molten scratches lining the plating. That attack showed him everything he needed to know. Aiden was a dangerous enemy. Fighting in this place with his allies all around, he had no confidence in stopping Aiden from killing a few others as collateral damage. The others behind him seemed anxious, staring back and forth between him and Aiden.

The other black-robed men nodded to Aiden, and he flew with one strangely shaped black-robed figure, nearing the center of the great lake, the heart of the molten cavern. Oscar didn't hesitate despite the danger, ordering everyone to charge. The other black-robed men rushed toward them, Eirin emanating from their figures. Altogether, Oscar and Gavir had sixty men while the New Dawn had thirty, but with their mastery of Reis and Eirin, they required at least two to defeat. Fred and Emily veered away and fought against a powerful Reis user.

His worry deepening. Oscar wanted to turn and help, but Aiden stood above the lake, hands clenching the two swords. A single moment was all the swordsman needed to cleave some of his friends and allies while he would busy himself with the others. Every fiber of his mind told him it was a trap, an invitation to follow their plan. Why else would they ignore him, creating a clear path for him to reach Aiden?

'Bastard.' Oscar cursed inwardly. 'Fine, if this is your plan, I'll follow along for now.'

'You could slaughter the rest of their forces and attack him all out with the survivors.' Demon said coldly, his opinion as cruel and callous as usual.

'Shut up. Be ready to fight with Duality.' Oscar flew across the smoldering ground, blowing away the white smoke of sulfur and ash, and stopped above the great lake. He inspected Aiden, the Prinstyct and Eliren Breaker gleaming through his vision, prepared for any and all outcomes. A glance at the strange figure next to him revealed it was a beast since a beast's eidolon shadowed and obscured the figure.

A Volten well trained in Reis and a beast companion….Oscar thought the battle would be hard before, but now it became clear that it would be costly. Even against the Three Winds during the battle of Delvar Fort, he never felt this suffocating pressure until the very end when he lost his arm.

"Why didn't you go massacre the others and fight me with superior numbers?" Aiden asked, his swords relaxed by his sides, an open stance that welcomed any attacks to approach. "Even I would be forced to retreat from your combined might."

"Would an organization like yours be so daft to have nothing prepared for that possibility?" Oscar glared and raised his fists. Erden expanded his wings and roared at the beast opposite him.

Aiden grinned and chuckled, "It's as she described. You're a strange one."

"Of course," Oscar rolled his eyes. "Obviously, you know that wench."

"Quite an insult to the jewel of the Voltens. I can imagine those words enraging many of the lessers in our bloodline, hapless fools who think they deserve her attention." Aiden said, pointing one sword at Oscar. "Did she ever tell you there are two gems, one being her and the other is me? If we follow tradition, I'd be the one by her side and siring children."

"Am I in your way?" Oscar said, paying attention to the battle behind him. So far, they were locked in a stalemate.

"No. In fact, I'm also curious if the true Volten will emerge from the two of you. Whether it's you or me, I don't care what happens as long as our long-awaited wish comes true." Aiden raised his swords and entered Pseudoguise, leaning a knee forward into an offensive stance. He smiled widely and said, "For now, what I desire most is to fight you. As one of the two jewels of the Voltens, I wonder how I will match against a perfect Reis user." His face cooled, not a speck of emotion left, only a devastating stare that burned with great fervor.

The beast beside him roared and showed itself. Two white wings stretched out, the feathers tinged red at the ends. It snorted out flames from its nostrils and tapped its hooves together in clear sounds, stomping as a fire burned from its head down its spines and to the end of its tail. Two horns extended from its head, one short and right between the eyes and the other long and directly above the smaller horn, resting in the middle of the forehead. These two white horns spiraled from the base to a fine, sharp point.

Its imposing figure matched Erden's. The identity of the beast became clear. None other than the lord of horses, the first of the stallion-kind, matched the majesty and mythical presence it imposed, the Equsimus. Erden roared back at its mythical rival, and the two beasts locked horns, the cavern quaking from their power. Oscar tried to rouse Erden but was overwhelmed by the instinct taking over his friend.

"The Equsimus and the Prielapos have a rivalry deep in their blood, stemming from the primordial days of Talos. To see this ancient battle recreated by their descendants is quite a sight." Aiden exhaled and glared at Oscar, gripping his swords tightly. "Now it's our turn. Don't disappoint me."

Oscar summoned Demon in the Duality body, and Aiden shifted his stance, spreading his swords. There were no other options. The Eirin engulfed his body and Demon's body. Blue antlers of pure Eirin extended out from their foreheads, and the Guise took hold. Bursting with incredible speed, he flashed behind Aiden and swung his Golden Drill. "There will be no grave for you. Burn in the flames."

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