Parallel (A Virtual Gamer's Story) [Vol.1 - Vol.4 Complete]

Chapter 47: Proud Kings

Riven.

2:03 a.m. 10th Maha, 1092.

Crackle! Boom!

The heavens exploded with drums of war, galvanizing the soldiers on the earth who danced to their maddening tune.

The streets of Riven piled with bodies of the damned as the fierce war raged on, neither side willing to give an inch. The Riven soldiers, vitalized by the promise of victory, fought like men possessed, ripping through enemies they'd once found terrifying.

The drakuls responded with defiant roars as they morphed to hulks. Their blows mashed metal and bone, reducing several Riven soldiers to naught but bloody mush.

Into this maelstrom of madness and blood walked a hooded mage clad in red armor, wielding an ancient magic staff. His name was Absalon, and like the man he was named after, he was a creature of war.

"Raah!"

Three drakuls charged the newcomer, weapons at the ready.

Absalon looked at the warriors with disdain. "Worms." The mage snorted and then raised his right hand.

Woong!

A mandala appeared beneath a drakul's feet. Boom! A suction force pulled the drakul to the ground. The remaining drakuls flanked Absalon and attacked from either side.

Clang!

The dumbfounded drakul stared in shock at he revolving mandalas that had blocked their strikes.

Absalon glanced at the drakuls. "[Repel]"

Boom! An explosive force sent the drakul crashing through the walls of a nearby building.

Absalon returned his attention to the drakul trapped on the ground. The drakul's companions watched helplessly as debris levitated off the earth, hovered over, then crushed it.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, ice spears zipped through the resulting smoke.

Absalon's gaze remained even, however, as the spears crashed into a mandala. Tak! Absalon tapped his staff against the ground. Shin... As if lifted by invisible strings, weapons floated off the ground and then began floating around him.

Just at that moment, a host of drakuls burst through the smoke.

Absalon sidestepped the first attack and then tapped the drakul with his staff. He half-assedly parried the blow of the second, causing it to stagger forward under the lack of resistance. He spun around and hit its back, then struck the third in the stomach with the butt of his staff before it could bring down its sword. As the drakul doubled over, Absalon righted it by smashing its chin upwards. He then rubbed a circle on its exposed mid-riff.

"General!" "Watch out!"

Cries from behind alerted Absalon to the returning attacks of the two drakuls he dodged.

"[Implode]." Absalon said. The drakul froze in place as mandalas appeared where Absalon touched them. Boom! The drakuls were blasted onto the onrushing drakuls. The collision tripped the first wave, but three brutes wielding large axes jumped over and swung down at the commander.

Clang!

Sparks shot out as the weapons crashed against an invincible shield.

Absalon's heated gaze glared at the brutes through the sparks. "Kneel."

Crash!

Through no will of their own, the brutes let go of the weapons. Thud! And then, a tremendous gravitational pull forced them to their knees. The brutes struggled to stand, but all efforts proved futile.