Ethereal Ascension

Chapter 4

~ Calvary ~

Even with his eyes closed, he could see the hellish intensity of the ocular blasts, their heat threatening to peel off his skin. His clothes shrunk on him in response to the heat.

But then came a sharp swish, immediately followed by darkness. Yes, that was all Alan could see with his closed eyes. The red light that shone bright just a second ago, was now shielded by something... Or rather, someone?

He felt himself falling with the Armoured Tusk’s hand still gripping him.

However, before he could make a full descent, another swish sound came and the hand crumbled around him. Someone now carried him in their hands and they descended slowly.

This prompted him to gradually open his eyes. Under his blurry vision, he could see the figure of a man standing before the sun, his hair swaying behind him as though they were riding the air currents.

‘An Angel? Is this how spirits are carried to the afterlife?’ Alan couldn’t help but ask himself. He felt he had died again, just with no hope of a resurrection this time.

The mystery man’s hair dropped on his shoulders as they finally touched the ground. He dropped Alan and stepped back, his chin raised.

With two successive blinks, Alan’s clear sight returned. He could see the man much better now. The man’s hair was so blonde that one would think the strands were made of gold. He had an impeccable jawline, so much so that Alan feared it could cut through steel.

He gazed down at Alan like a giant before an ant. He was after all over seven feet tall — a very unnatural height for a human. But he was no regular human.

Alan felt a shiver run down his spine. He wasn’t scared but his body responded to this immense... This belligerent aura spewing from the man. Like his height wasn’t enough, he was donned in full armour, a broad sword sheathed behind him.

As Alan made to thank the man for saving him, the latter’s face dissolved into a frown, “But of course, it’s Alan Hermolith.”

Alan stared blankly at him, ‘He knows me? Well, I guess I’m kinda famous around here.’

The man shook his head, “Just step aside and don’t get in the crossfire. Or maybe you should. Being alive isn’t profitable to you or anyone anyway.”

Alan frowned slightly, “Tch.”

But then he saw the Armoured Tusk storming at the man in rage. Its left hand had grown back. It got close at a whim and raised a fist, swinging it down with ferocity, aiming to squash his target.

Alan’s eyes went wide, “Behind--”

It was already too late. The distance was too short.

“Heh,” the man scoffed, reaching for his broad sword behind him. He casually unsheathed it halfway.

Bam!

Scales met iron. The scales on the Armoured Tusk’s right fist, blew apart as soon as it punched the hilt of the man’s sword. The man sheathed his sword and the beast was blown away for metres.

Alan’s lips quivered, his eyes dilated, “W-What?”

The man laughed, “That face you make... It never gets old.”

“Hey, Captain, leave this one for us. With you around, we haven’t had any fun since the gateway break,” a girlish voice complained from above. The owner of the voice soon landed before the huge man, gazing at him with much familiarity.

She was two feet shorter than him, her hair brown and short. She was only clad in half armour to protect her chest, shoulders, elbows and shins.

The Captain smiled, “Alright, Sophia...” he stepped back, letting her see the Armoured Tusk crawling out of its crater. “It’s all yours.”

She smiled back, adjusting her hair as she trotted toward the scaled-beast, “Finally. Come on, Liam, you heard the captain.”

Calmly seated on the rubble that was once Alan’s room, a young man with black hair let out a sigh, “Do I really have to? It’s only mid Myriad 4.”

“Shut it! You never want to do anything!” Sophia rolled her eyes, cold white fumes escaping her lips.

The captain looked at Liam with a raised brow, “Come on, go help your squad member.”

“Aye,” Liam saluted reluctantly. He stood up, rubbing his fades. He sighed once more, pulling out a pair of revolvers from their holsters, “Let’s make this quick. I have a date.”

Sophia scoffed, “Yeah, right.”

The Armoured Tusk was on the run again, more scales forming over its body. It also seemed to have grown a foot taller.

She conjured a spear of ice in her right hand and shot it forward. It tore through the air like a missile, piercing the beast’s left shoulder in an instant. It didn’t just bore a hole in the joint, the force carried along with it exploded on contact, completely severing the arm from the shoulder.

The Armoured Tusk groaned.

Liam was right behind Sophia, twisting the barrels of his revolvers.

...

“Hunters...” Alan muttered in wonder, staring at the fight with an unfettered gaze. “Real hunters... Unlike me.”

As he said that, a young lady came into his view and crouched before him. Her lush white hair was without blemish, her crystal-blue eyes mirroring the constellations.

Alan was enthralled by her presence. She was beyond beautiful. He had no worldly feelings toward her; her presence just made him feel at peace.

“Alan, are you okay?” she asked softly, raising her palms toward him. They glowed white as she moved them around his body.

“Y-Yeah... I think,” he nodded.

“Hmm, you’re not hurt at all. That’s a first,” she said, smiling afterward. “It seems you won’t be needing me today.”

“Um, yeah... I guess,” he rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Most of my memories of Oratoa, of the people, they’re still blurry. I need to get them back.’

She helped him to his feet, “You should take cover. I’ll be back in a minute.”

He simply nodded.

As soon as she left, a familiar apathetic voice resonated across Alan’s head.

[Alan.]

Alan frowned, ‘Oh, now you’re back, huh? I almost died and you just disappeared! Aren’t you supposed to protect me?’

[I was about to warp you out of the scene when Captain Beaumont and his squad arrived. I realised you’d be in safe hands.]

‘Tch. Yeah. I feel safer with them than with you.’

[Don’t get emotional. A good thing came out of this.]

Alan raised a brow, ‘What?’

[You have completed a secret quest.]

‘Huh?’

The green tab appeared before him immediately, and he scanned through its contents.

[Secret Advancement Quest: Courage of the Weak >>> Completed.]

[Rewards: 1x enhancement potion, +10 XP, +5 MP]

Alan’s frustration watered down a bit, though he felt he should have been given more, ‘A skill boost would have been nice. Come on, I almost gave my life away.’

The System remained silent.

He just let out a sigh and sat on some rubble. At least he didn’t die and still got to make some profit out of it. It wasn’t a total loss.