The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Oscar walked the dirt-ridden path, newly dug on the ancient streets no longer plagued by overgrown grass with old bricks sparsely laid out to outline the edges. Apparently, Serit started the process of restoring the ruins to a defensible state, preparing for the first true night in the eleventh land later today. Many of the old unused buildings had vanished overnight, and new walls had propped up out of nowhere, reaching five feet tall, not the tallest, but suitable enough. At least there was enough stone to accommodate the efforts. Several of the workers from the Defiants halted their work and turned to him, bowing slightly before resuming.

Right now, however, he could not focus more on the ongoing defenses as his gaze flickered with a hint of shame toward Adam beside him. He struggled to keep a straight gaze, finding his sight moving back and forth between Adam and the path, afraid of asking the burning question in the back of his thoughts. The mere thought set his lungs ablaze as if trying to force the air out to speak. Suddenly, a hand gripped his wrist, and delicate, soft fingers tapped reassuringly. To his other side, Avril seemed to understand his woes, and she nodded, beckoning Oscar to ask.

"How?" Oscar paused, then exhaled sharply. "What happened to Sevon and Quinn?" It always weighed on him. Saul knew about Sevon, Quinn, and Adam because he had told him decades ago. Many may consider it a mistake, and Avril told him so, but Oscar couldn't shake off the feeling he had betrayed them, leading the New Dawn to their doorsteps. He felt sick to the core and slowed his steps, but a powerful grip smacked his shoulder, Adam's laughter ringing through the air.

"We all missed you two ever since you departed. First, let's settle down, then I'll tell you what happened after." For a second, Adam's usual wicked smile flattened, and Oscar saw a twitch of somberness in the slight winces. But the smile returned, and Adam kept laughing.

In the main building, where the brazier still burned fiercely, Serit shouted orders to others, including a few Azure Sea Company captains. His brother-in-law noticed his arrival and walked towards him, his red eyes sizing up Adam with caution. Of course, the intelligence officer of the Defiants would be unnerved by the presence of a new face outside of their records. Adam bared his teeth in a vicious smile and retreated to the back of the group, obviously not putting Serit in his eyes.

"Oscar, who the hell is that?" Serit seemed less than displeased, practically growling out his words.

"He's Adam. Don't worry, he's on our side." Oscar gestured for Auren to step forward, and the young man, still with an immature expression, boldly strode toward them, nearly prancing across. He patted Auren's shoulder and said, "You know Auren from your reports, I presume? Take him along and have him work on setting up defensive formations. Everything you'll need is here." He placed a space pocket in Auren's hands. Last night, Demon had placed a good number of ores and the crystallized Ein they found in the glacial lake.

"In the service of my Lord, I, Auren, will do my best!" The lad saluted and gave a cheeky smile.

With that, Oscar waved the others over. "You can take Kragg, Marcus, Renn, and Gloria. Work them as hard as you want. I have to discuss matters with Adam."

Gloria grinned and dashed ahead, hugging Serit. "Hello, uncle! Nice to meet you!"

"I–hello, Gloria. If you don't mind, I must talk with your father." Serit pointed at Oscar.

"I've been dying to meet my Aunt Avila. Where is she? Can you take us to her?" Gloria pleaded with a face of longing.

Gloria had a strong knack for interrupting the focus of others, a trait she undoubtedly learned from that Claude woman. Avril laughed at her antics. Oscar watched Serit become more wrapped up in Gloria's trap, her words constantly speaking over his, and he chuckled and shook his head, deciding to leave with Adam and Avril. Turning, he gripped Renn's arm and looked into his son's brown eyes. "Your mother and I will talk with you later." He still disliked the fact Renn had learned Reis. Renn nodded and went ahead, pulling his sister off Serit and scolding her.

Leaving behind the others, Oscar welcomed Adam in his temporary residence, one of the few buildings not stripped of all the stone it possessed. He sat beside Avril, facing Adam on the other side. A dreadful silence consumed the air, stifling and heavy. For a moment, they sat there, wondering who would speak first. Adam's smile flattened again, even curling down into a rare frown. Unable to bear it, Oscar spoke first, "What happened to them?"

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"Quinn…is fine. I think." Adam stretched the suspenders on his shoulders and let go, a clear snap resounding as they retracted. Oscar didn't know much, but he could tell a nervous tick when he saw one; it was shocking to see Adam have one. "He should be somewhere in the eleventh land. But I have not caught an iota of his presence or ashes on my way here. I expect he's lurking low, waiting for a good opportunity."

"A good opportunity? She doesn't understand." Avril said.

"Revenge. That's what I'm here for." Adam brushed his hair back again, a chilling gleam in those gray pupils. "Master is dead. He was killed seventy years ago."

…….

Seventy years ago. Adam leaped backward, lighting coiling from the tips of his shoes as a shadow filled his vision. A pillar of darkness had descended from the sky, breaking through the small floating islands in its destructive path. The rubble hissed like snakes as black steam wafted from the surfaces until nothing, not even a piece of dust, remained. Clenching a right fist, Adam gripped the wrist with his other hand, charging it with tremendous lightning, thunder booming from the mere cracking of his knuckles. His skin turned dense white.

He swung his fist downward, unleashing a lightning Omnireus. The erupting darkness fared no chance against his sheer might, light overtaking the shadows in a brilliant flash. The ground caved in first, then lightning burst and scorched the land, rising to the sky. Then, the loud cry of its blow finally resounded, assaulting his ears. Adam landed on the ground, gasping as he failed to readjust his hair, the spiky bangs pricking into his eyes.

"Not bad, Adam. You're far stronger than reported." A simple Ripple Shroud quelled the smoke and dust away, unveiling the accursed Volten, a man of black hair and white eyes who wore a warrior's white robes with a black cloak. He bore a sharp face with a pointed chin. Cursing inwardly, Adam scanned the surroundings, eyeing the distant battle that broke apart a large floating island in a single blow. His master was fighting Kais Volten, yet he couldn't help. This bastard stopped his attempts to interfere at every turn.

"Foul bastard of Kais, you're weaker than I expected. Though, having that man for a father doesn't help much in your chances." Adam spat on the ground, slicking his hair back. Luckily, he managed to send Quinn away in the chaos. Though he talked down on him, the truth was not kind in reality. The son of Kais was faster, stronger, and well-versed in a higher level of techniques than him. At this rate, the outlook of the battle seemed bleak, his Guise nearing its limits as well.

'But, he's not in the best shape either.' Adam noticed the son of Kais clutching his side, a portion of the white robes dyed red. Bashing his brass knuckles together, he lifted his fists and took a strong stance, intent on finishing it off in one final move.

"Oh, I like that spirit. There are too few with that these days. Too bad. I'm not interested in a suicidal dual exchange. Find someone else to die with." The son of Kais's voice grated on Adam's nerves, the cruel voice of a joyful killer in a massacre.

Adam gritted his teeth and stomped forward, using his little brother's self-made Reistand to save his stamina. However, he stepped back as two figures crashed between them. Enliven by the presence of his master, Adam was about to call out, but the smoke cleared, and his eyes went wide. It couldn't be, but it was. His master, Sevon, looked skinnier than before, withered to the bone as blood leaked from his chest. "Master!" Adam roared. Sevon didn't stir. There was no life in the old man, the eagle-like eyes dulling.

"Sevon!" An old man gasped, cackling over his master's corpse. He walked with a hunch and a limp, spitting on Sevon. "That is the fate of those who don't understand the true way. Those who can't see are useless. We were brothers once. Sadly, you never saw what I could imagine." Kais tilted his head, a hint of confusion as he gazed over Adam. "You…why do you look like…."

As Kais drew closer, Adam dug his toes into the ground and readied to charge. Screw reserving strength; he had to kill this man right now. Tears dripped and wet his cheeks. But a splurt of blood landed on his face, and he witnessed a hand piercing through Kais's chest. The old Volten screamed in clear agony, choking on some blood. Kais looked down, confused as Adam was.

"Finally, I've been waiting for this chance." The son of Kais stretched an unsettling smile from one corner of his eye to the other, similar to the monsters from horror stories.

"You…you're me! You're supposed to be me!" Kais roared, trembling as he tried to grab the hand protruding from his chest, but his fingers lost strength, slipping off his own blood. "Have you gone defective?! Or did that bastard, Saul, trick me?"

"Foolish. I am Kais. That's why you're no longer needed. You've reached your limits, nay, you've gone far beyond, but now that left you as nothing more than a dead man walking long overdue its expiration. At least, you'll have use for a good Reis core." The son of Kais smirked, blood dripping from his lips. "I will be the true Kais and achieve the perfect Reis body. As Kais, you should understand, right? If not, then you've lost sight of who you are."

"You–" Kais stared back, eyes bloodshot and quivering, fear overtaking those white pupils. A hand sliced down, cutting from the shoulder. Kais went silent as his upper body slid off. Was it regret that flashed in the old traitor's gaze? Adam didn't know, but he saw the light fade and the last breath escape the dusty throat. There in the pool of blood rested Kais, the great traitor and master's enemy, struck down in such a pathetic manner. He couldn't even laugh about it as a greater threat loomed over him.

"So. What shall I do with you?" The son of Kais, or rather, now the self-proclaimed new Kais, collected the blood and corpse of old Kais. The maniac's gaze turned to his dead master. "I can't let good specimen go."

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