Chronicles of Legends

Volume 6 Chapter 10 - Shattered Hope

|Lancelot|

My body tore through the blazing forest, leaving a trail of destruction in my wake as I fought to maintain my bearings amidst the chaos.

The emerald glow of my halberd shattered, unable to withstand the strain of my waning mana.

'What was that?' I demanded answers from Bell, frustration mingling with the trickle of crimson blood seeping from my nose.

'I'm not certain, Lancelot," she responded with a hint of helplessness. 'It possessed a power akin to aether, yet its utilization was unnaturally twisted.'

Even in my heightened Mana Sovereign state, the world before me was a swirling tapestry of mana and aether, but his attack eluded my senses.

Either his mastery of aether far surpassed even Gary's expertise, or he employed a cunning trick to conceal his true technique.

"Now, now, don't keep me waiting," he jeered, his words sending a shiver down my spine. I spun around, only to find him leering down at me with a smug grin.

With haste, I raised my hand, unleashing the fury of Spirit Storm toward him. Yet, it proved futile as he effortlessly extended two fingers, summoning a legion of ethereal blades that converged and halted my assault in its tracks.

"I won't keep my dear Cecilia waiting, so let's bring this to an abrupt end," he sneered, launching a relentless barrage of hundreds, if not thousands, of swords hurtling towards me.

In response, I activated Spirit's Hushed Dance, my movements honed to perfection by the augmented power of the Mana Sovereign state, allowing me to flawlessly detect and evade each incoming strike.

'Bell, it's time to go all out,' I declared to my spirit, steeling myself for what lay ahead, before activating my mana zone.

[Mana Zone: Neverland]

Though lacking the perfection of star magic in this realm, it would suffice for now.

A flicker of concern flashed across my enemy's face as he sensed his movements hampered by the atmospheric mana bending to my will.

Closing in on him, I prepared to strike him down with my blade, determination burning within me.

"How intriguing," he murmured, summoning a physical sword at his side. Suddenly, my advance was halted as he unsheathed the weapon, revealing a dark silver curved blade adorned with enigmatic markings.

In my journey, I had witnessed numerous extraordinary swords. Gary's Dusk's Shadowfang, Alistair's Faithkeeper and Argentum Fang, even Arthur's Dawn's Ballad to a certain extent.

All of them remarkable weapons.

But what stood before me now...

It was unlike any blade I had encountered before.

An essence of pure malevolence emanated from its very core.

"Quite macabre, wouldn't you agree?" he chuckled, his emerald gaze fixated on the sinister sword. "Even I was taken aback when Agrona bestowed this blade upon me. But why would I refuse such a gift?"

In that moment, it felt as if time itself had frozen, the world holding its breath, anticipating the Vritra's tale.

"This blade..." he spoke, his voice dripping with a sinister allure. "It is forged from the feathers of a phoenix, the scales of a dragon, the bones of a pantheon, and even the horns of a basilisk. Four of the eight Asura species. Why not all eight? Well, too many cooks spoil the broth, as they say. But I digress."

His piercing emerald gaze locked onto me, sending shivers of dread coursing through my entire being, as he continued with a chilling revelation.

"And do you know whose scales were used to fashion this very sword? Someone with whom your fellow Paladin shares a bloodline. The scales of the most formidable Asura to ever grace existence, Lady Saphira Claxter."