The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

The outlook of the battle was not looking good. As sweat beaded down her cheeks, Avila ignored it and nocked her bowstring back, aiming at the accursed. The foul creatures skittered along the barrier, ripples forming underneath their limbs as they climbed like spiders. Her radiant arrows met their marks and felled several accursed, forcing them off. Panting, Avila bit her lip, grimacing at what her internal clock informed her. That only an hour had passed. The others below couldn't see it, but from above on the highest building, Avila saw it all and felt her heart stop to a chill.

From one end of the horizon to the next, forward and back, far and close, the accursed rose and dragged their withered bodies toward the ruins. Those on the walls and entrances could only see what lay before them. The endless tides of the accursed surrounded them, no way out. Avila drew back and let the others take her place, but fear seemed to have gripped their hearts as their flimsy spells either missed or barely injured the targets. It couldn't go on like this, or else they'd fall here. Avila looked at Serit, who directed the defense of one of the entrances with a few Defiants and the burly man, Kragg.

For many years, her husband seemed to have the answer, whisking both of them away from tricky situations and emerging victorious. However, upon glancing at her beloved, she knew there was no answer, no trump card to play, no wily scheme in that smart head of his. Her thoughts turned to her sister, who invoked all manners of wood element spells, summoning roots from afar that coiled around several accursed and spreading pollen that latched onto the skins to slow their steps. At the very least, she needed to get her out if the night turned for the worst.

"More are climbing!" One Exalt shouted.

Avila cleared her throat and shouted back, "Keep firing!" She loosened more arrows, their radiant forms streaking through the dark. For maximum effect, she lowered the amount of Ein for penetration and set them to detonate, enough force for the accursed to fall off the already waning barrier. It was her best bet to conserve as much Ein as possible. She cursed inwardly and screamed in her mind, unwilling to scare her sister and infect her with fear. By her best estimates, they'd all run dry of Ein even with Ein Awaken before the break of day.

"Avril!" Avila called out. Her sister turned to her, hair disheveled and chest heaving up and down. She cupped Avril's face and whispered, "If there is no chance, run, little sister. I'll force a way through for you."

"No," Avril flatly refused.

"Sister!" Avila noticed she gripped too harshly and let go. In the most desperate plea, she said, "I can't face our parents if I let you die. I failed to protect you once; I won't allow it."

"I won't leave him. She stomps her foot. I can't leave you!" Flustered, her sister resumed the quirky speech.

Avila gritted her teeth. Even though she knew this response was coming, the pain of her sister's insistence still struck hard. In the years since their parting, Avril seemed to have gotten more independent, and she was proud of her sister for growing up from the crying young child who always clung to her back. But right now, she wished it wasn't the case. Avila found no retort against Avril's resolve and could tell there was no swaying her. Gripping her bow, she decided she would knock Avril out and carry her out of there when the chance arose.

"Look!" Another shouted and pointed, face wearing an expression of sheer shock.

Following the pointed gesture, Avila narrowed her eyes at the bright light, wondering what fool took it upon themselves to disrupt the delicate balance. A powerful light like that would blind others and could result in the loss of lives. Peering deeper, Avila stared widely, stunned that her sister's husband, Oscar, held a shining, uniquely shaped sword like a torch in the night. Why would he leave his post? Her frustration built up in her, stemming from the fact her sister married someone so entrenched in danger and attracted the attention of several dangerous figures. She cast a glare at Oscar's original location and wasn't sure what exactly she was seeing.

A good number of accursed were tearing apart the others, protecting the entrance and the barrier. These accursed moved with great precision and speed, their arms cleaving across like blades. She blinked in shock and could swear they had lined up in a defensive formation, somehow knowing tactics in defense battles. Block, push, and attack, the repeated motions culled scores of enemy accursed. She let out a chuckle of disbelief, unable to tear her eyes away from the amazing sight. Accursed fighting on their side was impossible, even though it was right before her.

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She turned back to Oscar below, who arrived at the next entrance where the dragon man, Marcus, chewed an accursed between his sharp teeth. Light flared from the blade, surging into a tide that washed over the ranks of the accursed. One creaked and moved its limbs like a broken puppet, gnarled like branches; then others copied the strange behavior. Suddenly, these accursed roared and started to rebel against the others. Again, it was astonishing, and heat welled up and flowed through her veins as the realization struck her. The tides of battle had changed. They could survive.

As Marcus, clad in dragon scales, bowed deeply, the others protecting the entrance knelt and humbled themselves, prostrating at his feet. Everyone else on the broken roof erupted into resounding cheers, the young formation genius, Auren, chanting for his lord over and over as if in a trance. A few laid on the roof in deep reverence. But her sister frowned, Avril's brow knitting as clear distress wrinkled her fair face. She seemed worried.

"Sister, what's wrong? Your husband has saved everyone." Avila hugged her and caressed her head.

"He…doesn't look happy. Why does he look so sad?" Avril choked on her words in a near sob. Avila studied the man again. The bright light washed over everything, showering him with a holy radiance. A frown stretched across her lips as she finally saw it. The light was bright and seared the eyes yet deepened the dark lines along his brow. The shadows of the contortions of his face became more distinct. 'For all the brightness light casts, it merely brings more attention to the shadows that remain.' Lord Ollanar's words rang in her thoughts. What burden did he bear?

Oscar remained silent to their cheers and bows. He circled the wall, bringing light to the entrances and controlling the accursed to fight for them.

…….

"Gloria!" Renn shouted, and light swirled under his feet. His sister's spell hastened his speed, so he flashed behind an accursed and swung hard. His sword landed on the grotesque creature's back, sounding an audible clang. Renn roared, veins writhing underneath his skin, and summoned Reis into his sword. Forcibly, he drove his weapon deeper and severed the accursed. Gasping, he grasped his chest and stumbled back, having reached the one-minute limit Uncle Adam had set for him.

"Renn!" Gloria held him up and poured a warm light from her palm. His breathing calmed and slowed as the shallow wounds on his shoulder healed. Seeing her worrisome, wet eyes, Renn gripped her head and playfully shook it, smirking as a big brother should.

"What happened to that brat who loved to cause trouble?" Renn could barely hear her over the pounding in his ears. Her lips moved, but the words were inaudible. Weakly, he assessed the situation at the entrance. His father's loyal follower, Santen, the strange lanky man with curly green hair and a long face with fish-like eyes, fought three large accursed. The long arms swiped across in awe-inspiring power, forcing away two, and a simple palm deflected a blow from the third. The accursed seemed to roar in anger, but no matter how they lashed out, Santen stood firm, a single arm felling several accursed.

'Amazing.' Renn picked himself up and dragged his foot forward, but he felt a tug on his wrist.

"Stay back. You can't fight. We're only Lower Marshal Exalts." Gloria tugged harder.

"Remember what Gramps used to say?" Renn chuckled and exhaled sharply. "It doesn't matter how strong a person is. What matters is the strategy, the tactics, the moment. Just keep healing us all. I'll leave my back to you." Before any retort was thrown his way, Renn rushed in and stomped, generating Reis and releasing a shockwave of slicing darkness, which pitter-pattered on the steely husks of the accursed as if they were walking through rainfall. "Shit."

"Young master, watch out!" Santen shouted.

Renn heard a low growl heading toward him. To the side, an accursed sprinted, somehow reaching a few feet away. Its jaw opened wide, pale eyes glowing in the night. For the first time in a long while, the foul taste of death stained his mouth, and his body grew cold as if it knew it was dying and prepared itself. He glanced at Gloria for a moment and gritted his teeth, facing the accursed head-on, light glaring across his sword, a boon from her. 'Come on!'

However, a pillar of flame rose and pierced deep into the night. The accursed shrieked and ran out, but the fires coiled around it and hissed as it crumbled into ashes. The soft feeling in the embers that touched his cheeks brought a smile that crossed his mouth. Renn sensed heat from above and saw a woman wreathed in flames, red wings gracing her back as a shower of embers spewed from every beat. Her white hair flowed freely as the ruby eyes gleamed sharply toward him.

"Idiot. I told you many times to mind your back." Aunt Maia scolded.

"Aunt Maia!" Renn and Gloria called out.

"Enough talk. I'll take the lead." Aunt Maia, garbed in a fine white dress that freed her shoulders, descended into the middle of accursed that managed to get past the flaming pits. The air distorted around her as the ground melted into bubbling magma. She spun like a graceful dancer, her flaming wings cutting through the surrounding accursed. Flames roared and burst from the fresh wounds and engulfed all of them, condemning all to a fiery grave. She winced and clenched her teeth, staring toward the right. "It seems I was unneeded."

Curious, Renn followed her gaze and saw a bright light approaching. "Father?"

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