CHAPTER 74 #6
Matapos nilang matagumpay na mapabagsak ang mga lower demons sa pamamagitan ng pag-target sa kanilang mga leeg, wala na silang ibang kinailangang harapin sa sandaling iyon.
Their attention was now focused entirely on the massive black tornado raging across the battlefield.
The lower demons began to turn into ash after their heads were severed, their bodies slowly dissolving into dark particles that scattered into the air.
Then, in an instant, the fallen angel Lucy Pearl spoke with a commanding voice that echoed across the battlefield.
"I... reject the power of Valroth, an Upper Demon, a Demonio Venticinco!"
Matapos niyang banggitin iyon, biglang naglabas ng malakas na alon ng demonic mana ang dalawang itim na magic circles sa kaniyang mga palad.
Ilang sandali ang lumipas, tila natahimik ang buong paligid habang unti-unting humihina ang napakalaking itim na ipo-ipo.
Ang malalakas na hangin na kanina ay patuloy na umiikot sa buong battlefield ay biglang bumagal, habang ang itim na dugong nakapalibot dito ay nagsimulang mawala.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Valroth.
"W-what...?"
Hindi na niya nagalaw ang kaniyang mga pamaypay bagkus dahan-dahan din itong naglaho.
Kasabay nito, unti-unti ring nawala ang kaniyang kapangyarihan na bumabalot sa kaniyang katawan. Hindi dahil naubos ang kaniyang mana at hindi rin dahil natalo siya sa isang ordinaryong pag-atake. His power was simply being rejected.
Isa-isang nawala ang mga itim na ahas na nabuo mula sa kaniyang dugo. Maging ang napakalaking ipo-ipo ay tuluyang nawala, leaving the battlefield quiet once again.
Tahimik na tiningnan ni Valroth ang kaniyang sariling mga kamay.
"M-my p-power..."
Dahan-dahang ibinaba ni Lucy Pearl ang kaniyang mga kamay. Nanatiling kalmado ang kaniyang mukha habang nakatingin siya kay Valroth.
"You may possess the power of a Demonio, Valroth. But your power has no authority over me."
Hindi lamang ang kapangyarihan ni Valroth ang tuluyang nawala.
Ang itim na enerhiya na nagmumula kay Lucy Pearl ay mabilis ding kumalat sa buong paligid, reaching everyone across the battlefield.
At habang kumakalat ito, unti-unting nagsimulang maghilom ang mga sugat ng mga taong tinamaan ng labanan.
Napatingin si Caspian sa kaniyang sariling braso at dibdib. Ang mga sugat na kanina ay malinaw na nakikita ay unti-unting nagsara, as if nothing had happened.
Rejection?
Napatingin siya kay Lucy Pearl.
No... it's not a healing ability.
Mas lalo siyang napakunot-noo habang pinag-aaralan ang itim na enerhiyang patuloy na kumakalat sa paligid.
That demon within Rassia has the ability to turn back a phenomenon or a state to its original form...
Caspian slowly looked at the wounds on his arm and chest as they continued to disappear.
It isn't healing. Healing would simply repair the damage. What she is doing is different...
His eyes narrowed as he watched the black energy spread across the battlefield.
She is rejecting what happened to the target.
That means she can reject an injury and return the body to the state it was in before the injury happened. She can reject a spell and make it as though the spell had never taken effect. She can even reject another person's power, just like what she did to that demon.
Napatingin si Caspian kay Lucy Pearl.
She didn't destroy his power. She rejected its existence...
If that is really the extent of her ability, then Rejection isn't simply a power that can heal people. It can interfere with the very state of something...
Which means...
Can she reject a person's life itself...?
Sandaling tiningnan ni Caspian ang kabuuan ng paligid. His eyes moved across the battlefield as he searched for Rassia's figure, but he could not immediately find her among the other soldiers.
"Damn... you're becoming more powerful than I expected, Rassia Saint Quentin..." he smirked.
Unti-unting nagsidating ang mga healers ngunit huli na ang lahat. Wala na silang gaanong magagawa dahil ang mga sugat ng mga sugatan ay naghilom na.
Nanginginig si Valroth habang nakatingin kay Lucy Pearl. Sa unang pagkakataon, malinaw ang takot sa kaniyang mukha. Mabilis siyang tumakbo palayo upang makatakas, ngunit agad siyang hinabol ni Lucy Pearl. Their movements became so fast that the others could no longer see where they had gone.
Mahigpit na nagkiskisan ang mga ngipin ni Valroth habang patuloy siyang tumatakbo.
"H-hindi maaari..." bulong niya habang pilit na nililingon si Lucy Pearl. "H-hindi maaaring matalo lamang ako rito! N-ngunit ang aking kapangyarihan... ay tuluyan nang nawala. W-wala na akong kakayahang lumaban s-sa kanila!"
Lalong bumilis ang kaniyang pagtakbo.
"That Lucy Pearl... she is that powerful?! hindi man lang ako binigyan ng sapat na impormasyon tungkol sa kaniya, at maging tungkol sa Orythea!"
Napakuyom ang kaniyang mga kamay habang patuloy na tumatakas. "Damn it! Argh!"
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Valroth nang bigla siyang makatapak sa isang bagay na tila sobrang init sa kaniyang paa.
Ngunit bago pa man siya makatingin dito, mabilis na sumulpot ang ilang fire spikes mula sa lupa at tumama sa iba't ibang bahagi ng kaniyang katawan, dahilan upang bigla siyang mapatigil sa kaniyang pagtakbo.
May tumama sa kaniyang balikat, tagiliran, braso, at binti, habang isang napakatulis na spike ang tumama sa kaniyang leeg.
His body became completely still, unable to move as the fire spikes held him in place. Pilit niyang igalaw ang kaniyang katawan, ngunit wala siyang magawa. The Eternal Flame surrounding the spikes made it impossible for him to escape.
Unti-unting may nabuong apoy sa kaniyang harapan. The flames slowly gathered together, forming the silhouette of a person.
Maya-maya, unti-unting lumitaw ang pigura ni Rassia mula sa apoy.
Valroth stared at her, unable to move. For the second time in his existence, he felt an emotion he rarely experienced.
Fear.
And Rassia Saint Quentin was the one who made him feel it.
T-this c-can't b-be...
"I am a woman of my word, Valroth. I already made it clear to you that you will die at the hands of the Orythea."
Dahan-dahang lumapit si Rassia habang nananatiling kalmado ang kaniyang ekspresyon. Hindi na niya kailangang itaas ang kaniyang boses. Her presence alone was enough to make Valroth remain still.
"Sagutin mo ang aking tanong. I will ask you one last time. And if you refuse to answer, I will not give you a peaceful end."
Saglit siyang tumigil sa harapan nito. Her eyes remained fixed on Valroth.
"Where is Erishkigal?"
In Valroth's eyes, Rassia was terrifying. Her normally black eyes stared at him coldly.
Yet, he could see Rassia's true form. To his eyes, Rassia's appearance was similar to Lucy Pearl's, with phoenix wings spreading behind her back. He could not help but feel small in her presence.
Mas lalong nanginig si Valroth at dahan-dahan siyang napatingin sa kalangitan. His heart was beating so fast because of the overwhelming presence of the Sovereign Spirit in the sky.
Anastacio, in his true form as the Eternal Phoenix, was flying high above the sky while looking directly at him. Napakalaki nito na tila natatakpan ng kaniyang katawan ang buong kalangitan.
Even the Empire's squad guardians who had followed them suddenly stopped and looked up at Anastacio.
"The Eternal Phoenix... the true form of Anastacio..." one of the Holy Knights said in amazement.
Some of them were left in awe, while others kept their attention on Valroth.
They were about to rush forward and attack, intending to target his neck, but Lucy Pearl quickly gave them a sharp look.
"Go ahead, subukan ninyong lumapit at makialam. Interfere, and you'll die with that demon in the flames of the Eternal Phoenix."
Mabilis na natigilan ang lahat at hindi na gumalaw.
Nagkatinginan lamang sila bago muling ibinaling ang kanilang atensyon kay Rassia, silently letting her handle the final blow.
Wala nang sumubok na lumapit o makialam.
Even the knights who had been ready to attack Valroth moments ago remained where they stood, watching the scene unfold in front of them.
"The summoner of the Eternal Phoenix asked you a question, Upper Demon." Anastacio's voice was deep and filled with authority, echoing throughout the forest.
Tila magsasalita na sana si Valroth, ngunit bigla siyang natigilan nang may isang bagay siyang naalala. He knew what would happen if he spoke about where Erishkigal was. That name was the one he feared the most.
Bigla siyang nagsimulang sumigaw, tila nawawala na sa kaniyang katinuan. Kumunot ang noo nina Rassia at Lucy Pearl habang nagkatinginan. Maging ang mga kawal ay natigilan sa biglaang pagbabago ng kaniyang reaksyon.
"N-no! H-hindi! hindi maaari! argh! no! no! no!"
Biglang tumigil si Valroth nang makarinig siya ng isang pamilyar na tinig. Only he could hear it.
"Try, Valroth! or the curse will activate! kill them all or else I will kill you myself! Why are you hesitating?! They are suffering, and you still choose to let them live in fear and pain! End their suffering! Save them from this miserable world! Do not let the Orythea stop you! Kill them all,
Valroth!"
Muling napasigaw si Valroth nang napakalakas, as if he were struggling against something he could not escape. His entire body began to tremble as the veins beneath his skin became more visible.
Right... right... I must kill all of them! so their suffering will finally end!
Mabilis na lumayo sina Rassia at Lucy Pearl mula sa harapan ni Valroth. Rassia quickly raised her hand, stopping Anastacio from attacking.
Anastacio remained in the sky, watching Valroth carefully.
Rassia did not take her eyes off the Upper Demon. She wanted to see what Valroth would do next.
"Argh!" sigaw ni Valroth.
Then, a dark black energy began to appear around his body. Biglang sumabog ang enerhiya mula sa kaniyang katawan. Tumalsik ang lahat sa lakas ng pagsabog, forcing the soldiers nearby to quickly brace themselves as the black energy spread across the area.