The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Bright wisps of dense fire flared on the many ends of Erden's branched antlers. Like the ripe fruits of a tree, they fell and gathered in the center between the antlers and surged out in radiant solar flames. His opponent, who introduced himself as Borinn, neighed loudly, puffing up his broad chest and kicking his front legs in the air. The two horns of the Equsimus shone, dyeing the red glow of the air away into white. Flames arced and coiled along the spiraling structure of the ivory horns. In a single motion from his horns, the air trembled, the cavern ceiling quaked, and the Ein became a chaotic mess, waves of heat emanating from the beast.

A streak of immensely white-hot fire spiraled like an extension of his horns. The red flames of the Prielapos met the white flare of the Equsimus. The primal roar filled the chamber as if the flames spoke to one another. They imploded until the last trails of their blazing heat converged, tiny motes of white and red struggling to devour each other. In the last moment of their passing, the flames screamed a final cry, shockwaves of inferno crashing and burning everything in their path.

Erden rushed past the encroaching fire, his body tinged and smoldering yet unharmed. His ancient rival, Borinn, similarly passed through. Their gazes locked onto each other. Erden's blood grew hotter, his heart thunderously thumped like the drums of war, and so his warcry erupted from the deepest breath of his lungs. Drawing closer, Erden transformed his antlers into a fine sapphire blade, carrying a burning fire along the edges. He knocked his head back and stomped on the air, slashing across to Borinn.

Borinn responded in a warcry of his own, his hind legs kicking off as his radiant wings swung once, stretching to the back in a terrifying dash. His horns, glowing white-hot and focusing an immense amount of Ein, plunged directly into Erden's blade, the horn and antlers screeching as the fires spread behind them to rush away from the epicenter of their clash. Transforming his antlers back to normal, Erden locked the branches onto the horns and brushed them to the side, an opening finally showing. His hoof rammed into Borinn's cheek before the Equsimus could react, his front hoof barely lifted to defend.

Somehow, Erden felt the horns retract, and Borinn spun away in retreat.

'Not bad, Prielapos. Not bad at all.' Borinn's right cheek was maimed, blood seeping from the cracks in the flesh and burned away by the heat of his own flames. Smacking his lips around, he spat out a mouthful of blood and continued in faint neighs of beast-tongue. 'Fate must have brought us here together, two of firstborns and blessed by fire.'

'You are a Mythical Beast, one of the firstborns, as you say. Then why do you serve such a vile master?' Erden snarled, expanding his wings, sounds of creaking branches eerily clear. 'Do you not know what his people have done to beasts? I have seen their foul experiments firsthand, sickening hybrids that deserve only the peace of death. Vile affronts to Talos.'

'You see merely the surface. You have not begun to recall the memories within our blood, the ones engraved by Talos. I cannot help the unworthy and the unprepared to see the truth. There is a greater purpose here, and I daresay if you knew, you would join me.' Borinn chuckled. 'However, I do hate your kind.'

Erden scoffed, 'Even if I knew, I would never serve them as you do.'

'The Blood Transmutation may have given you the edge over me, but it has addled your mind. You deny the blood flowing inside you. Forget it. Perhaps what happens here will let you see the truth. Now, on this stage prepared for us by the threads of fate, by Talos, let us fight!' The flame markings on his feathers glowed, raising the fires around him until they warped his figure into an avatar of fire. Deep, glowing eyes glinted behind the shrouds of flames that waxed and waned to the heart's beating.

Erden realized this battle may take longer than he had thought. He could only hope Oscar and Demon were enough of a match to last longer until he was finished. A flicker of shock narrowed his eyes as they focused on Oscar's figure in the distance. What was the maniac doing now?

…….

'Strange….' Aiden wondered what the perfect Reis user was doing. Two prisons of golden locks latched onto his arms and hands. Masterfully, he twirled his swords along his fingers, slicing through the bindings. Swerving through the falling golden scraps, faint melted surfaces on the new ends formed from his burning slash, Aiden blazed a trail, invisible Reis directing his course toward Oscar. His sword changed angles and slashed upward.

Oscar's double flashed in from the side and stopped his sword. Again, he could not complete a full swing, and without a full swing, his concentrated Shattering Wave would not release properly. Holding in the Reis from escaping his sword, Aiden turned to the double and slashed cleanly where its head should be, but the wily duplicate avoided him again, even though Oscar was occupied by three of his flaming visages.

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'He's aiming for something.' Suspicion rose in his slanted eyebrows. The long years of brutal training and real combat since his birth forced a familiar feeling to creep into his stalwart heart. It irked him. Something seemed familiar, and an answer intruded into his mind: anxiousness. He thought he had purged this uncomfortable congestion a long time ago. He gripped his swords tightly and sliced many times, splitting his concentrated Shattering Wave into multiple strikes. For good measure, he showered the double and Oscar in burning blades, scarlet swords piercing across to meet their targets.

Again, an unsettling feeling shivered his fingertips, but it was unknown. He had not a clue as to what this strange emotion was. Oscar and the double locked their backs together, pulling and pushing each other out of the barrage and into the clear air, cuts and burns coating their figures. Yet, Oscar's onyx eyes remained unwavering, unblinking, and peering straight at him.

"What do you see? What are you trying to do?" Aiden said, noting the time limit of his Guise was still acceptable. His attention turned to Oscar, the strange, perfect Reis user.

"Are you nervous?" Oscar said, brushing off the charred burns and scabs. "I have none of the advantages you speak of, but you're hesitating? For what? Is the self-proclaimed jewel of the Voltens a coward?"

"What a futile attempt at provocation." Aiden shook his head. He wanted this feeling to be nothing, but Oscar's towering figure seemed more imposing. Smirking, he raised his swords and rushed in for another round. Sparks flew between the clash of his swords and Oscar's shield, the faint cuts he had made before now becoming more distinct and deep.

Oscar's Reis was truly formidable. He could not deny that. Out of all the Voltens, none compared to the sheer force behind Oscar's blows, and none met equally against the time limit of the Guise, supposedly mind-numbingly long. Aiden was disgruntled that Oscar was not born into the Volten lineage. However, perhaps Oscar would never have become such a powerful Reis user if he were.

'This double is…too good. He must be well-trained in separating his thoughts.' The shocking coordination between Oscar and the duplicate stumped Aiden. Every move he made would be met with a series of counters. He lost count of how often his swords could not complete a slash, and his back was always in trouble. It felt like fighting two people rather than one—the degree of perfection in controlling the two bodies lay in a realm beyond his understanding.

'I thought I was good at using my swords separately, but he's further than me.' Aiden bashed the pommels of his swords together and spun them around as if they were connected. He leaped into the air and sent arcs of sharp flame in all directions. Many reached the lake, unable to disrupt the surface, and many more surrounded Oscar and the double. Again, despite enduring the slashing fire and being covered in countless burns, barely avoiding a limb being cut off, Oscar continued to watch him, a sudden vibrancy welling up in those dark pupils.

"I see…so it's like this?" A strange phrase from Oscar. Confused, Aiden sharpened his gaze, having his swords at the ready. Oscar retracted his Golden Drill and punched forward, a weird action considering he was far away.

'It can't be!' Aiden crossed his swords and swung, his concentrated Shattering Wave, small as two threads intersecting, slashed down. Vast amounts of Vis(Eirin) burst from the air between him and Oscar, the lake's surface wavering slightly from the immense force of the gigantic explosion. Oscar's look of awe and slight chuckle deepened the unsettling blockage in his chest. The man really did it. He actually accomplished it.

"You…." Aiden's voice trailed off.

Oscar spoke louder against him, "I didn't expect to see this much power behind it. But thanks for giving me time to figure it out. As a gift, here." He raised his hand, and Aiden stared blankly at the scarlet swords, the same metallic sheen coating the corporeal blades. But within the edges, faint golden streaks glinted.

Gold and red. Metal and fire. Not only did this maniac somehow figure out how to elevate his spells to the next level, but he fused the elements further! Aiden refused to believe it. How could Oscar so easily learn one of the core techniques of the Voltens given to the highest scions? He had to fight tooth and nail to obtain the techniques.

'Are you really not coming with us? Your presence is needed for the plan to succeed.' He recalled a conversation he had before enacting this invasion.

'Geez, you are annoying, Aiden. I can't drag my image deeper into the mud. It'll ruin the future.' Sirsi's annoyed voice reverbed in his thoughts.

'Where else will we find a rivaling Reis user? Don't be selfish. You know what that means to our people.'

'Isn't there one already there? The reports say Oscar is heading toward the southern gate. It's perfect timing. Accomplish the task with his help. Geez. You two are such troublesome men.'

'I've seen him in battle. While I am eager to face a perfect Reis user, he is not my match. He cannot resonate.'

'Hahahaha.'

'What's so funny?'

'Idiot. Do you think my eyes are blind? I didn't choose him only because he simply has a perfect Reis body. His tendency to protect others is one, but the other main reason is that he's far more talented at Reis than us.'

'Are you joking? We are the culmination of the Volten blood and efforts. You say he, a person of no noteworthy birth, has more potential than us?'

'Geez, do you want me to repeat myself? It's quite depressing, but it's a shame he wasn't born a Volten. Go and fight him. I'm sure he'll surprise you and even defeat you.' Sirsi's mocking smile stretched across his mind.

Sirsi was right. She was right all along.

Aiden couldn't remember when he last felt this rush in his blood. He placed his hand over his chest, each pulsing heartbeat rippling into his palm. At long last, he knew the name of this feeling, something long since foreign to him and thus cast aside as unsettling. But once it became known, he reveled in it. Excitement. Excitement electrified his brain, burned his blood, and stretched a wide smile from cheek to cheek. Facing the golden-edged scarlet blades, Aiden prepared himself, raised his red burning swords, and shouted, "Come on!"

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