The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

A corner of Oscar's mouth rose into a bitter smile as he watched the others barricade the entrance in the new wall, now reaching ten feet tall. These Exalts from Haven Academy dug deep, and soon, great pits, their bottoms black and unseen, dotted the perimeter. Light boards lined over the gaping holes, and dirt and grass piled on top, covering the existence of the pits. Seeing the ongoing efforts to prepare for a siege, Oscar gripped his knees, overwhelmed by the memories of vast fleets ramming on the barrier of a vast city, the ivory towers of silver and gold covered in soot and black fumes.

"My Lord, our section is now prepared. Any adjustments?" An Exalt in gray armor pounded his armor, the metal clacking in affirmation.

"No. Follow Serit's plans." Oscar gazed over the bright horizon, the same scenery as the morning greeting him. But soon, the place would turn to night, and hell was about to awaken. Boots stomped to and from as the Haven Academy Exalts leaped onto the walls, brandishing their weapons with Ein igniting outward. Some coughed and tapped their fingers constantly in a weak grip. He couldn't blame them for being afraid, for the nights in the true eleventh heaven were merciless to the weak. He glanced toward the left, finding Marcus at the next entrance, and the half-dragon knelt deeply upon receiving his gaze before directing the few under his command.

"Calm yourselves. Don't lose before the battle has begun." Oscar advised them.

"True. Focus only on killing the enemy before you. One at a time. Isn't that right, Oscar?" Erden joined him, currently wearing human form. His presence brought a warm smile to Oscar's lips, the bitterness drawn out like poison. Some things never changed. Erden clasped his shoulder and patted reassuringly, "You should follow your own advice. It won't be like last time. We're far stronger now than ever before. There are no King Exalts or Primaeres here. No bastard to whisk you away while others fight."

"Perhaps," Oscar returned Erden's kind gesture. "But at least I still have you with me." Indeed, it had been far too long since they fought together. He hadn't seen his friend and beast brother in several decades, left to communicate in thoughts, but far from the companionship he craved. Now, in this eleventh land, before hell descended, he found his brother again.

"To complete it, we need Avril by our side, no?" Erden said, understanding his thoughts. Memories of their long journey from Shattirma to Vallen, with just the three of them merrily traveling, welled up fondly in his mind. Oscar smiled and looked behind near the main building where Avila had set up her group of long-distance fighters, Avril standing by her sister's side. For a moment, their gazes met, and they shared a knowing nod, and he couldn't help but be reminded of when they parted at the portals of Convecia City. Not this time, Oscar told himself. He wouldn't allow that to happen.

"My Lord!" One of the men on the walls shouted, sweat covering his face. "Night is almost upon us."

Oscar stood up and gripped his left hand. But it lacked a familiar weight and feel, his shield no longer tightly bound to his arm. In the tundra, he lacked the proper tools to create a furnace, but here, with the trees as fuel and grass as sparks, he had a chance to craft a new one. Though, he would have to wait and survive the night. Wearing the helmet crafted by his departed master, Oscar stopped right on the edge before the pit trap near the entrance. Fires burned brightly on the braziers built on the walls, awaiting the fall of night.

Suddenly, the ten orbs dimmed, mimicking moons as the sky turned dark. Stars plotted the vast fields of the night as the plains became shrouded in darkness. Not surprisingly, the moonlight was far dimmer than before, telling of the great danger approaching. He sought to peer deeper, but the night held a special sway over one's vision, reducing his peak sight to a dullish blur. Someone breathed audibly, followed by the others, silence enveloping the encampment. Oscar narrowed his eyes and leaned closer. Faint shadows strode closer, slowly emerging from the far distance.

They walked with two legs, their forms closer to human, but the strange way they limped and dragged their feet unnerved him. The accursed, they were called. Radiant arrows streaked across the night, imploding into numerous sparks that rained down like a meteor shower. The sparks stretched into arrows and impaled the accursed, the bright light revealing their true forms.

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"Monsters…." One of his men murmured.

The arrows of light merely stuck out from the ghastly forms. Withered human faces with pale eyes, lacking any pupils, looked at the arrows and opened their mouths, their cheeks stretching and tearing like ragged cloth. Screeches and gargled roars erupted from the impossibly large gaping jaws. Their pale bodies with streaks of shadow and darkness as if drawn from ink, devoid of any color and substance, picked up the pace, sprinting full force. Their stampeding shook the walls, nearly toppling some of the guards off their feet.

From the main building, a beam of light fired into the air, expanding from a singular point at a high point and descending onto the perimeters. The walls, receiving the light, shuddered slightly as a barrier coated the piled stones. Auren had done a fantastic job creating a good barrier in a very short time, less than a day, in fact. Oscar felt it was a pity they didn't have more time, as a few gaps had to be created in light of the incomplete formation. Still, not anyone could have accomplished such a barrier in a few hours. Nevertheless, it was enough, and now, he had to protect one of the gaps.

The accursed drew closer. They were the ghosts of the battles fought here long ago, never granted a peaceful rest as the mechanisms of Fallen Heaven raised them to fight. Their expressions of anguish, the ghostly faces of black and white, howled a gut-wrenching cry as if they desired to die. Oscar called upon Demon in a Duality body and entered the Pseudoguise, ready for a fight. The accursed jumped, swarming above the walls. The barriers rippled and distorted harshly as the accursed failed and bounced off the protective Ein.

Many clawed on the barrier as they fell, but Auren's cleverness added a slipperiness to the formation, a mocking of the foul woman who captured him, so he said. Oscar watched slews of the accursed falling on the ground, a loud crack resounding from the hidden boards breaking. The pits opened their gaping mouths and swallowed the accursed into the deep bottom. The Exalts on the walls acted fast, throwing small bags down the pit, red liquid spilling out. Instantly, a great blaze erupted, loud explosions quaking the ground as the infernos raged in the pits.

The accursed shrieked, circling the perimeter. Many mindlessly battered on the barrier, pounding on the wall of Ein. The drumming of the countless efforts to break through soon quieted once one of the accursed jumped across and reached the entrance. Oscar bolted forward and impaled the first accursed, a scarlet-platinum drill protruding from its back. A fist rammed into his head, the Edureisclad and flame barrier absorbing most of the impact, but it still shook his skull. Evidently, these accursed boasted immense physical power.

More accursed leaped over the burning fumes of the pits and rolled to soften their landing. Erden shouted and rushed out, receiving Oscar's Anima and performing the Meld. In human form, a dense sapphire armor encased Erden. In the dead of night, his blue knightly form nocked his arm back, enlarging into a steely fist of a giant, and punched out. The sheer force rendered most of the accursed's efforts moot as they fell into the pits.

"Form up!" Oscar shouted. Demon rushed ahead, uncaring of the injuries brought upon by the lashing of the accursed. Two of the Exalts remained on the wall to deter as many of the accursed from ramming onto the barrier, and the other three lined up behind him. He swept his gaze past the smoke, his heart stilling at the sight of hundreds or thousands of accursed marching toward him. They had to hold on for twelve hours until the day returned. He faced the men, their expressions full of fear. "They can't use spells. They aren't wielders of weapons. They have no Anima. Fight on."

"Yes, my Lord!" The Exalts stomped their feet.

Right on cue, a flurry of ranged spells bombarded the area past the pits, halting the advance of the accursed. To his left, Marcus tore apart his foes with his claws and sliced many into pieces from a single beat of his wings. Oscar had nothing to worry about on that end. He raised a fist high and fired several scarlet-platinum orbs, the magnetic force toppling dozens of accursed as the explosion of bright flames swallowed them whole. That didn't halt them much. Burning, the accursed crossed the pits.

Oscar stood his ground, Erden to his left, Demon to his right, and his retinue behind him. The first night was well underway, and he'd be damned if he let them through. He couldn't allow a single danger to be near the ones he wanted to protect, not ever again. In a single punch, his Shattering Wave carried an immense shockwave that repelled the accursed. The few stragglers remaining on their side of the wall were quickly culled down by the three Exalts.

"Hold fast! Reserve your strength! We're surviving tonight, got it?!" Oscar shouted, and the others cheered back.

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