Chapter 120: Hazima
Chapter 120: Hazima
The clash was cataclysmic.
A sudden burst of Aether erupted from the point of impact, illuminating the darkness and casting a glow upon their surroundings.
The sound of metal meeting metal reverberated through the chamber, only punctuated by a thunderous shockwave that echoed in their wake, rippling around them, shaking the very foundations of the cavern as it quaked under the strain of their clash, with rocks crumbling and debris raining down.
The Maligorth\'s body convulsed as his daggers pierced through its defenses, cutting through what appeared to be its upper body, from the chest to its abdomen, all gutted, spilling its insides to the ground.
It let out a guttural roar, a mixture of pain and fury, as the power of his strike disrupted its regeneration.
Yet Emir held his ground, his gaze locked with the writhing form of the Maligorth as he pressed his advantage.
His daggers continued their assault, each strike infused with his Weaver\'s Veil aspect. His each cut and thrust sought to distract the monster from his real plan, not caring for its ability to regenerate.
But as Emir\'s daggers struck its body once more, a strange phenomenon occurred.
The creature\'s form seemed to ripple and twist even further, reshaping into an even more nightmarish manifestation, while it also invited his daggers into its flesh appearing as if it was absorbing the impact of the attack without a trace of damage. And with each transformation, it seemed to draw power from the depths of itself.
Undeterred by the Maligorth\'s sudden change, Emir didn\'t relent.
His blades danced through the air, slashing their way through the monster\'s body from all angles as he sought to find a weakness within its ever-shifting form.
He slashed its neck, heart, and tendons, or at least the parts that appeared to be so, as its form kept on changing, no longer human.
The Maligorth, appearing to have turned mad, retaliated with ferocity.
It unleashed waves of its poisonous aura, pushing him back and then manipulated the toxic vapor into becoming tens of blades that slashed at him
Emir skillfully evaded the onslaught, his nimble movements defying the chaotic nature of the attacks, his mind lost in thought.
His smile faltered slightly as he realized that successfully performing the plan he had in mind would require everything that he had, down to the last amount of Aether that he could muster, this Tyrant was even stronger than he anticipated.
So despite the insane amount of pain he was experiencing, he channeled more Aether into his core, which had long since passed its limit, solely relying on his resolve to keep on working.
He then jumped up, leaving the mist and pulled out his Aetherstorm Launcher, aiming it at the Maligorth.
"Aether Blast!"
The shot sliced through the swirling darkness, aimed at the heart of its true form.
A blinding burst of Aether erupted from the point of impact, illuminating the cavern ina dazzling flash, even brighter than his previous all-out attack.
The cavern trembled once again, its walls quaking further under the strain.
Dust and debris continued to fill the air, shrouding the aftermath of their confrontation.
As the dust settled and the blinding light subsided, Emir stood amidst the wreckage, his breath ragged and his body battered.
He calmly watched as the Maligorth stood before him, seemingly unharmed.
Its body shifted and contorted once again, a final transformation, as it returned to its original, true monstrous state.
The Maligorth now towered several times over him, as big as a truck, its grotesque look striking fear into the hearts of the bravest souls.
Its limbs, once resembling human arms, had elongated into long twisted appendages ending in razor-sharp claws.
A tangle of jagged spines protruded from its hulking frame, radiating a sickly green glow.
The face of the Maligorth was the stuff of nightmares.
Its twisted mask had transformed into a grotesque visage, a fusion of jagged teeth, gaping maws, and malevolent eyes that gleamed with a sickly glow.
Venomous drool dripped from its slavering jaws, leaving hissing trails as it hit the ground. Every inch of the creature exuded a toxic aura, with the stench of decay permeating the air around it.
It seemed to pulsate with Aether, its essence that of a dark force that thrived on pain and suffering.
Emir felt a chill run down his spine as he beheld his enemy.
This was the monster\'s most powerful and sinister incarnation.
He watched as the Maligorth\'s visage contorted into a twisted expression, a mix of seriousness and a flicker of joy.
\'So it thinks that it won huh... Good,\' he thought, finally composing himself.
Its voice soon echoed through the cavern, devoid of any mirth:
"...You impress me, human. Your strength evokes memories of the Eternal Star Clan-a
formidable group they were."
Emir\'s face flashed surprise for a moment, bewildered by the Maligorth\'s wish to talk, but he quickly regained his calm, knowing that he use could this to his advantage.
\'It must be talking about the clan my father\'s from...\'
\'Let\'s see where I can go with this, I only need to delay it for a little while.\'
"You speak of the Eternal Star Clan with reverence. Who are they, and what is their
significance in the universe?" He asked.
Its face contorted into a sinister grin, further revealing rows of jagged teeth.
"Ah, the Eternal Star Clan. They were once among the ten great clans in the universe, revered for their unparalleled mastery of Aether. Their powers extended beyond comprehension,
enabling the strongest of them to shape reality itself."
"If they were so powerful, why did they fall from grace?"
As Emir spoke, he subtly shifted his weight, stepping on weakened sections of the cave floor.
He knew that the unstable ground would eventually give way under the weight of his enemy; he just needed to hasten the process.
A hint of joy flashed in the Maligorth\'s eyes.
"They were simply too strong, in fact, if not for them, we would have long since won the war... Their downfall was simply due to the Galactic Federations and the other nine clans..." "They saw their growing power and influence as a threat to their control, their balance, so they conspired to extinguish their light... Although there might be something more to what happened, this is all I know."
"...That is a great injustice. But can you tell me... What happened to their members?"
Emir continued to engage the creature, deflecting its attention from the trembling ground beneath them.
"Of course... You deserve to know this before your death at least... You entertained me
enough."
"You see... The Galactic Federations and the other clans waged a relentless war against the
Star."
"They attacked their factions, slaughtered the netizens of their planets, and sought to erase their legacy from existence... They are more monsters than we are..."
"Those who survived were scattered across the universe, unknown to many of their whereabouts... So I can\'t tell you for sure of what happened to them."
Just as those words left its mouth, the ground beneath them groaned, with cracks forming and widening with each passing second, and at that moment, the Maligorth finally caught on.