Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 358

Chapter 358: Trap II

“I’ll break them,” Aiden said, his tone cold. He extended his hand, summoning his Golden Sword Martial Spirit. The blade shimmered into existence, its radiant light a stark contrast to the dark energy swirling around them.

The caster’s eyes widened as Aiden charged, his sword slicing through the air. The barrier cracked under the force of the blow, but it held. The caster snarled, his hands weaving a counterspell as dark tendrils lashed out toward Aiden.

Myne stepped in, her own shadows intercepting the attack. “Keep going!” she shouted. “I’ve got your back!”

Aiden didn’t hesitate. He struck again and again, each blow weakening the barrier until, with a final, resounding crack, it shattered. The caster stumbled, his spell faltering as Aiden closed the distance.

The Golden Sword gleamed as Aiden drove it forward, piercing the caster’s chest. The man let out a choked gasp, his hands clawing at the blade before his body went limp.

The vortex shuddered, its energy destabilizing as the chanting ceased. Arlen’s voice came through the comms, triumphant. “I’ve severed the leyline connection! The whole thing’s collapsing!”

“Fall back!” Aiden ordered, his voice cutting through the chaos. “Now!”

The team retreated as the vortex imploded, the energy collapsing in on itself with a deafening roar. The shockwave knocked them off their feet, but Myne’s shadows cushioned the worst of the impact. When the dust settled, the courtyard was silent, the air heavy with the scent of ozone.

Aiden pushed himself to his feet, surveying the aftermath. The ritual circle was nothing more than a charred scar on the ground, and the fortress lay in ruins. His team was battered but alive—a victory, albeit a hard-won one.

Myne brushed dirt off her armor, a wry smile on her face. “Well, that was fun. Let’s never do it again.”

Aiden chuckled, though his expression remained serious. “Good work, everyone. Let’s regroup and get out of here before reinforcements arrive.”

As they moved to leave, Aiden couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The Celestial Court wouldn’t take this loss lying down, and whatever forces they had been summoning… they weren’t gone. Not entirely.

The storm outside had passed, but Aiden knew another was on the horizon. And when it came, he would be ready.

The team retreated into the cover of the dense forest, moving swiftly and silently, their movements coordinated despite their fatigue. Aiden led the way, his senses sharp, constantly scanning for signs of pursuit. The Celestial Court’s forces would undoubtedly investigate the destruction, but for now, the silence worked in their favor.

Reia fell in step beside him, her bow slung over her shoulder. “That lead caster wasn’t a small fry. If they were willing to use someone of his caliber, they’re desperate.”

Aiden nodded, his golden eyes fixed ahead. “Desperation makes them dangerous, but it also makes them reckless. They overreached tonight. If we keep pushing, they’ll crack.”

Behind them, Cyris muttered something under his breath as he adjusted his bloodied blades. “Still, I didn’t like the look of that vortex. They weren’t just summoning something—they were anchoring it. Whatever was on the other side might still be out there.”

Arlen, trailing the group with his portable console tucked under one arm, chimed in. “I’ve got a recording of the spellwork. Give me some time, and I’ll figure out exactly what they were trying to bring through.”

Aiden glanced back at him. “How much time?”

“Depends on how complex the spell is,” Arlen said with a shrug. “A day or two, if we’re lucky. Longer if it’s as old as I think it is.”

“Do it,” Aiden said. “But we can’t linger here. The Court’s reinforcements will be swarming this area by dawn.”

Myne, who had been walking a few paces ahead, turned to face him, her hands resting casually on her hips. “So, where to next, boss? Another depot? Or do we start hunting down their ritual sites?”

Aiden paused, his gaze shifting to the night sky, where the stars were just beginning to peek through the fading storm clouds. For a moment, the weight of leadership pressed heavily on him, the enormity of their fight against the Celestial Court looming large. But he pushed the doubt aside. There was no room for hesitation.

“We need to regroup first,” he said. “Replenish our supplies, patch up injuries, and analyze what we’ve learned. After that…” His voice hardened. “We go after their ritual sites. We can’t afford to let them finish what they started.”

The team murmured their agreement, and they pressed on, the forest swallowing them in its shadowy embrace.

By the time they reached the hidden camp, dawn was breaking. The safehouse was nestled deep within a rocky ravine, its entrance camouflaged with layers of illusion and natural debris. Aiden’s operatives filed in, their exhaustion evident but their morale high. Despite the danger, they had succeeded, and that victory bolstered their spirits.

Inside, Arlen immediately set up his equipment, his fingers flying over the keys as he began decoding the spellwork. Cyris and Reia busied themselves with cleaning their weapons, while Myne leaned against a wall, her emerald eyes watching Aiden as he paced the room.

“You’re thinking too hard again,” she said, her tone teasing but not unkind.

Aiden stopped, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “I don’t have the luxury of not thinking.”

“Sure you do,” Myne replied, pushing off the wall and walking toward him. “You’ve got us, remember? We’ll watch your back, even when you’re busy plotting ten moves ahead.”

He looked at her, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “I know. But this fight isn’t just about us. The Court’s reach is growing, and if we don’t stop them now, no one else will.”

Myne tilted her head, studying him. “You ever think about what happens after? When this war is over?”

Aiden’s smirk faded, replaced by a more somber expression. “I don’t let myself think that far ahead. Not yet.”

She nodded, her own expression softening. “Fair enough. Just don’t forget—you’re not carrying this alone.”

Before Aiden could reply, Arlen’s voice cut through the room. “Got something!”

The team gathered around Arlen’s workstation as he pulled up a projection of the decoded spellwork. Lines of arcane symbols glowed faintly, shifting and morphing as Arlen manipulated the interface.

“This isn’t just any summoning ritual,” he said, his voice tense. “It’s a binding spell tied to something called Xerathar. Ever heard of it?”

Reia frowned. “Xerathar? Sounds familiar, but I can’t place it.”

“It’s a name out of legend,” Arlen continued. “An ancient entity that was sealed away ages ago, supposedly because it was too dangerous to be left unchecked. If the Court was trying to summon and bind it, they weren’t just playing with fire—they were juggling lit torches in a room full of explosives.”

A heavy silence fell over the group. Even Myne’s usual smirk had vanished, replaced by a rare look of concern.

“Do we know where it’s sealed?” Aiden asked, his voice calm but edged with urgency.

Arlen nodded slowly. “The ritual’s leyline patterns point to a region in the Ashen Wastes. If they’re planning to try again, that’s where they’ll go.”

Aiden straightened, his golden eyes blazing with determination. “Then that’s where we’re going. Pack up. We leave in an hour.”

As the team dispersed to prepare, Aiden remained by Arlen’s workstation, staring at the glowing symbols. Xerathar. The name lingered in his mind, a dark omen of what was to come.

The Ashen Wastes stretched out before them, a barren expanse of gray and black, as if the land itself had been burned hollow and left to rot. The air was thick with a dry, acrid scent that clung to the lungs, and the only sound was the faint whistling of the wind across the cracked ground. The desolation was unnerving, even for Aiden’s seasoned operatives.

Reia pulled her scarf up to cover her mouth, her eyes scanning the horizon. “No life. Not even scavengers. This place feels wrong.”

Cyris, walking beside her, tightened his grip on his blades. “Wrong doesn’t even begin to cover it. The energy here… it’s oppressive, like it’s trying to choke the fight out of you.”

Aiden walked ahead of the group, his golden eyes narrowed as he studied the terrain. “That’s the leylines. They’re twisted here, warped by whatever sealed Xerathar. It’s no wonder the Court chose this place. It’s a natural nexus of power, but one tainted by centuries of corruption.”

Myne fell into step beside him, her usual smirk absent. “And what happens if they actually manage to unseal this thing? Do we even have a plan for that?”

Aiden didn’t answer immediately. His jaw tightened, and for a moment, he looked every bit the man burdened by the weight of impossible decisions. “If they unseal it, we stop it. Whatever it takes.”

“That’s not much of a plan,” Myne muttered, but there was no mockery in her tone, only grim acceptance. She knew as well as anyone that there was no room for failure here.

As they advanced deeper into the Wastes, Arlen’s voice crackled over the comm crystal embedded in Aiden’s gauntlet. “I’ve pinpointed the strongest leyline convergence in the area. It’s about two klicks north of your position. You should be able to see it soon—a spire of obsidian, jutting out of the ground. That’s where they’ll be.”