Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 359

Chapter 359: Trap III

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.”

“Understood,” Aiden replied. “Keep monitoring. If you pick up any changes in the leyline flow, let me know immediately.”

“Will do,” Arlen said. There was a pause before he added, “And, uh, Aiden? Be careful. This place… it’s older than anything we’ve faced before. Who knows what might wake up when you start poking around.”

Aiden acknowledged the warning with a curt nod and gestured for the team to move out. The spire came into view minutes later, rising like a jagged claw from the earth, its surface glinting faintly in the dim, ash-filled light. Around its base, the remnants of ancient ruins lay scattered—crumbled stone walls, shattered statues, and faint, glowing glyphs etched into the ground.

Reia let out a low whistle. “This doesn’t scream ‘trap’ at all.”

Myne rolled her eyes. “Every mission is a trap. If we waited for a safe one, we’d never leave camp.”

Cyris chuckled darkly. “Fair point. Still, I’d rather not end up as some ancient monster’s snack.”

Aiden raised a hand, silencing the chatter. “Focus. Reia, take the high ground and keep watch. Cyris, Myne, you’re with me. We’ll scout the perimeter and find their entry point. Stay sharp—if the Court’s here, they won’t let us get close without a fight.”

Reia nodded and disappeared into the shadows, her movements silent as a ghost. Cyris and Myne flanked Aiden as they approached the ruins, their weapons at the ready. The air grew heavier with each step, the oppressive energy pressing against them like a physical weight.

Near the base of the spire, they found what they were looking for—a shimmering barrier of pale blue light, humming faintly with arcane energy. Beyond it, faint figures moved, their outlines distorted by the barrier’s glow. Celestial Court operatives, their robes marked with the sigils of high-ranking casters.

Myne tilted her head, studying the barrier. “Looks like a standard warding field, but it’s layered with something else. Could be a pain to crack.”

“Then we’ll make them drop it,” Aiden said. He turned to Cyris. “How many can you take out before they notice?”

Cyris grinned, his blades gleaming faintly in the dim light. “Give me ten seconds, and I’ll thin the herd.”

Aiden nodded. “Do it. Myne, you’re on suppression. I’ll handle the rest.”

As Cyris vanished into the shadows, Myne readied herself, her hands glowing with dark, writhing energy. Aiden drew his golden sword, its blade humming with barely contained power. The storm was coming, and this time, the Celestial Court would feel its full force.

From within the barrier, the faint sound of chanting began to rise, an eerie, guttural rhythm that sent a chill down Aiden’s spine. Time was running out. Whatever ritual the Court was attempting to complete, it had to be stopped—and Aiden was prepared to do whatever it took to make that happen.

Cyris moved like a shadow, his steps silent as he approached the outermost guards. The Celestial Court operatives, clad in their ornate robes and enchanted armor, stood oblivious to the storm about to descend upon them. With a flick of his wrist, Cyris unleashed his first blade, a crescent of silver light slicing through the air. The strike was swift, deadly, and precise—one guard fell, his throat slit before he could make a sound.

Two more followed in quick succession, their bodies crumpling silently to the ash-strewn ground. Cyris moved with lethal efficiency, his twin blades dancing in his hands. The faint glimmer of the warding barrier cast eerie shadows across his form as he stepped closer to the group clustered near the spire.

Above, Reia’s bowstring sang. Arrows tipped with gleaming runestones streaked through the air, striking key targets within the barrier. The enchanted bolts didn’t pierce the barrier outright, but the impacts sent shockwaves rippling through it, destabilizing its structure. Aiden smirked. Reia never misses.

Within moments, the Celestial Court operatives realized they were under attack. Shouts of alarm echoed through the ruins as they scrambled to form a defensive line. Myne stepped forward, her hands wreathed in shadows. She muttered a string of arcane syllables, and tendrils of darkness erupted from the ground, snaking toward the barrier. The tendrils coiled around its edges, pressing against the magic with relentless force. Sparks flew, and the barrier flickered.

“They’re reinforcing it!” Myne shouted, her voice strained as she poured more energy into the spell. “I can break it, but I’ll need a few seconds!”

“You’ll have it,” Aiden said, stepping in front of her. His golden blade gleamed in the dim light, and his voice carried the calm certainty of a man who had faced worse odds and survived. “Reia, keep them distracted. Cyris, cover Myne. I’ll handle the ritualists.”

Without waiting for a response, Aiden charged. The golden energy of his sword crackled as he swung it, unleashing an arc of light that slammed into the barrier. The shimmering field groaned under the assault, cracks spidering across its surface.

Inside the barrier, the chanting grew louder. Aiden’s sharp senses picked up the details now: four ritualists in the center, their hands raised toward the spire, surrounded by concentric circles of glowing glyphs. Energy pulsed through the ground, converging on the spire, which began to hum with an unnatural resonance.

“This isn’t just a warding barrier,” Myne said through gritted teeth. “It’s tied to the ritual. They’re using it to channel power into the spire!”

Aiden cursed under his breath. “Then we end this now.”

With a final burst of energy, Myne’s shadow tendrils shattered the barrier. The resulting shockwave threw several of the Celestial Court operatives off their feet, and Aiden surged forward, his golden blade cutting through the remnants of the barrier like a hot knife through butter.

The Celestial Court guards moved to intercept him, their weapons glowing with enchantments, but Aiden was faster. His sword danced in his hands, each strike a precise, devastating blow. He weaved through their ranks with practiced ease, his every movement a blend of power and grace. Guards fell one after another, their enchanted armor useless against the sheer force of Aiden’s strikes.

Behind him, Cyris darted in and out of the fray, his twin blades flashing as he cut down any guard who got too close to Myne. Reia continued her barrage from above, her enchanted arrows finding their marks with unerring accuracy.

The ritualists, realizing the threat, turned their attention to Aiden. One of them raised his staff, summoning a cascade of fiery meteors that rained down toward him. Aiden raised his hand, and a golden barrier sprang up around him, deflecting the attack. He closed the distance in an instant, his blade slicing through the staff and the ritualist holding it. The man fell with a scream, his blood spilling across the glyphs.

The energy in the spire faltered, the humming growing erratic. The remaining ritualists panicked, their chanting breaking as they scrambled to maintain control. But it was too late. Aiden’s team was relentless. Cyris took down another ritualist with a clean strike to the heart, while Myne’s shadows ensnared the last two, dragging them to the ground.

Aiden drove his blade into the center of the glyphs, channeling his energy into the corrupted magic. The ground beneath him shook, and the spire let out a deafening wail as the ritual collapsed. The leyline energy, no longer bound by the ritual’s control, erupted in a blinding explosion of light.

Aiden’s team regrouped outside the ruins, breathing hard but victorious. The spire was shattered, its power neutralized, and the Celestial Court’s operatives lay defeated.

Myne leaned against a crumbling wall, wiping sweat from her brow. “Well, that was fun. So, what’s next, fearless leader?”

Aiden sheathed his blade, his golden eyes still glowing faintly. “We move fast. This was just the opening salvo. The Court will know we’re coming now, and they’ll retaliate. ”

Reia descended from her vantage point, her boots barely making a sound as they touched the ground. She pulled back her hood, revealing sharp, calculating eyes that darted to Aiden. “That explosion will draw attention. Reinforcements could be here in less than an hour.”

Aiden nodded, his gaze lingering on the wreckage of the spire. The shattered remnants pulsed faintly with residual energy, a stark reminder of what they had just destroyed. “We’re done here. Fall back to the secondary position. Cyris, take point. Reia, watch our six.”

Cyris gave a curt nod, his twin blades now sheathed but his posture still alert. Reia disappeared back into the shadows, her sharp eyes scanning for movement.

Myne pushed off the wall, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. “Admit it—you love it when things go boom.”

Aiden’s expression didn’t shift, though there was the faintest flicker of amusement in his eyes. “Not when the boom paints a target on our backs. Let’s move.”