Abyssal Awakening-Chapter 665: Nyzel’s Curse

*Rumble!

Within the field of lightning, two figures could be seen flickering back and forth between different bolts of lightning.

Their positions ever changing, narrowly dodging the might of heaven striking down from above.

"Ria!" Luke shouted, activating castling as the two of them switched places.

Diverting the lightning using her decoys, Ria clashed against the weakened bolts and pushed them off to the side.

Cold sweat dripped down her face as she could feel the strength of the lightning increase.

With each step they took closer to the centre, the speed of which the lightning would charge increased drastically.

What could be considered somewhat of a simple stroll earlier was now a battle between life and death with each step.

Having just parried a bolt, Ria didn't waste any time and teleported herself forward once more.

'Just a bit more!'

They had already traversed roughly 80% of this field while making sure the lightning wouldn't strike them at the same time.

By carefully planning out the intervals, they were able to make it this far without any damage.

But the safe intervals were beginning to disappear with the increase in charge.

At this rate, Ria estimated that reaching the 90% mark meant that each bolt of lightning would constantly strike at them.

Meaning that last 10% had to be done in an instant!

Activating her resonance, energy surged within Ria's body as she created two blades.

Shinsei Raikiri!

Destroying the next arc of lightning, she stabbed the blades into the ground before using them as a foothold.

*BANG!!!

Her entire body transformed into a singular bolt of lightning, rushing forward and splitting the earth in half.

Behind her, Luke snapped his finger.

Castling!

Swapping locations with Ria, he guarded himself with the knight piece as she created new tethers towards her blades now that she had teleported behind them.

The final 10%.

A distance that had to be traversed in an instant or else it meant death!

'Do I turn back? Do I go forward?' That split moment, Ria felt as though she was facing a crossroad.

She could tell that the next strike would kill if they didn't dodge.

After so many close calls with death in her life, she was distinctively aware of her own mortality.

But.

If they turn back now, there was no guarantee that the power of the lightning would weaken.

What if on the way back, the charge persists? And they had to survive this kind of storm for the rest of the 90% back.

In which case, there was only one clear answer.

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Forward!

Do not hesitate, do not falter. Keep charging forward!

Coils of lightning manifested in front of her as she blitzed towards Luke.

Several orbs of condensed lightning converged towards her body.

Naturally, this meant the charge was gathered in an instant as lightning crashed down from above. But Ria wanted this!

This final stretch of power that she needed.

She'll borrow it from the storm!

Clenching her fist, she twisted her body and kicked the charges towards the Knight's shield.

*BANG!!!

As the lightning struck, an explosion sent Ria crashing back while Luke and the knight was propelled forward.

Castling!

Swapping Ria and the knight's location, Luke quickly shielded her with his body as the two of them were thrown past the final stretch of the storm.

They could see the charge of lightning preparing to strike but it never came.

Letting out a sigh of relief, the two of them laid on the ground for a moment to catch their breath before sitting up.

"I do NOT. Want to do that kind of crap again." Ria panted.

That last moment, if they were any slower, that final strike would've landed and both of them would become char.

Sitting up, the two of them stared towards the eye of the storm.

It felt as though air was forcefully extracted from their lungs as they sat in awe. Suspended amidst the sea of golden light shining down from above, a verdant city revealed itself. An array of floating islands, each with their own forest above and ruins of what seemed to be a prosperous civilisation.

Waterfalls that cascaded towards the ground before being recycled as rain, rainbows that hung above the rivers and lakes.

Each island bore intricate towers with icons and statues that overlooked the city. Some were broken and some in good condition.

And on the main island, flashes of purple lightning could be seen striking the centre.

"Seems like this is the Sky Sovereign's home. Or at least what seems to be its old home." Luke mumbled as Ria nodded her head in agreement.

She recalled the stories she saw of the beast.

Had. . . Had the sun church not involved themselves, perhaps this city would be a cornerstone of the world. A symbol that reason can be spoken between man and beast rather than a few exceptions like Rosalyn.

But all of that was in the past now.

The reality of the current situation was that the Sky Sovereign was now killing everything and anything.

Taking a deep breath, Ria calmed her mind.

Do not hesitate. She chose this path.

Resolving herself, Ria made her way towards the closest island with Luke following behind her.

###

I dreamed of the past. A period of time that is irreplaceable. My friends, my family.

All of it, reduced to cinders.

I'm tired. . .

I have killed countless. I have gotten vengeance. But the church still stands for the foundation of their doctrine lies in the divine throne of the Gods.

. .

I cannot kill a god.

For I am a mere mortal.

Oh Venaris. . .oh Halric. . . What should I do?

You two were the ones to give me council when I needed.

I may be the first of the guardian beasts but you two made it possible to get to where we were.

Was this my punishment for going against my design?

The dark mother wished a Lord yet I played house. I created a family, looked after the humans whom I consider my children.

Was it my actions that brought them to ruin?

There is no more village to look after yet I carry its ruins with me.

There is no one here to enjoy this oasis yet I maintain the verdant forests.

There is no one left to kill yet I cannot fill this void in my heart.

There is nothing left.

This pain. . .

This sorrow. . .

It hurts.

The feeling of a knife tearing apart my chest, I hate it.

Why must I know love is the world tears it out so brutally?

I should just end it all.

I should just follow my purpose.

I shall become the Sky Sovereign and bring death as I was designed to do.

These wings do not bring life, these talons cannot protect.

I can only kill.

I weep for my dearly departed for I am alone in this world.

I wake, I kill, I sleep.

I wake, I kill, I sleep.

I wake, I kill, I kill.

I kill, I kill, I kill.

I will keep killing. I will follow my design.

Forgive me dark mother. I will not rebel against you again.

I will do what I am told, follow the commands I am given.

So please. . .

Give them back to me.

I beg.

My family. . . They shouldn't have died like that. Their death was unjust.

So please, anything, I will do anything.

Just give them back to me.

On deaf ears do my prayers fall.

For I know the time had long pass.

Had I become a Lord, had I follow my design, maybe I could've protected them.

But the dead cannot return.

A gentle touch I feel on my tattered wings and I force my gaze to open.

A faceless silhouette caressing my feathers. The image of the boy that believed in me with everything he got.

After all these years, the faces have begun to fade.

I cannot remember their voices.

I cannot remember their expressions.

I can't even remember Venaris or Halric.

I can't remember any of them anymore.

But I know. I know they existed. Even if I forget their faces, even if I forget their voices, I know what must be done.

Will they be disappointed with my slaughter? Their beloved guardian beast reduced to nothing but a killing machine.

Will their gazes of reverence be turned to disgust and disappointment? Perhaps it's better that I don't remember.

I rear my wounded head.

Two souls have entered my home.

Invaders. . .

They have breached the boundary that I have set.

One. . . Holds the aura of the dark mother.

I see. . . My time has arrived.

She desires that my soul be returned to the soil.

But I will not fall so easily. Dark mother o' dark mother, you have taken everything from me.

Why must you reject me once more? Why must you call for my death?

Why must you authorise this human to come claim my head?

So many if's and why's. Questions that never receive an answer.

But perhaps this is not so bad. I sense the divinity of chaos on her. The Cult of the Eclipse that detests the Sun.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

If my death is unavoidable, let it be by the hands of a worthy soul.

I will curse thee that claim my head.

Kill! Maim! Burn!

Raze this realm to the ground!

Reduce it to cinders!

Tear the head of the Sun's followers from their bodies and mount it on the highest peak!

A river of blood for the God who burned my home to the ground!

A throne of bones for the God who took my beloved!

He will witness the despair of his believers as they realise their god cannot save them from my wrath!

He will witness as his legion crumbles to dust!

I am Nyzel! The Sky Sovereign!

And I will bring about endless chaos against the Sun.