Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 375

Chapter 375: Interception VII

Alaric laughed, though it was tinged with desperation. “You think you’ve won because you’ve cornered me? I am the High Inquisitor! My will is absolute!”

He raised his blade high, golden energy coalescing around him in a desperate bid to turn the tide. But Aiden was faster. Channeling the authority of the Lord of Pride, he unleashed a devastating counterstrike, the sheer force of which sent Alaric’s sword flying from his grasp.

The High Inquisitor fell to his knees, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. His aura flickered like a dying flame, the once-imposing figure now reduced to vulnerability.

Aiden stood over him, his sword poised for the final blow. “This is your end, Alaric,” he said, his tone devoid of mercy.

But before he could strike, a voice echoed through the battlefield, cold and commanding.

“Enough.”

The air grew heavy as a new presence descended upon the scene. A figure cloaked in shadow emerged from the treeline, their aura suffocating in its intensity. Aiden’s grip on his sword tightened as he turned to face the newcomer, his senses immediately on high alert.

The figure stepped closer, revealing piercing silver eyes that seemed to see through everything. “You’ve proven your point, mortal,” they said, their voice like a dagger wrapped in silk. “But Alaric’s fate is not yours to decide.”

Aiden didn’t lower his weapon. “And who are you to decide that?”

The figure smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach their eyes. “Someone far beyond your understanding.”

Aiden’s eyes stayed locked on the shadowy figure as he took a measured step forward, his blade never wavering. The storm overhead had begun to subside, but the battlefield still crackled with residual energy, the aftermath of clashing wills.

“I don’t care who you are,” Aiden said, his voice steady yet sharp. “Alaric’s crimes won’t go unanswered. If you’ve come to protect him, you’re making a mistake.”

The figure tilted their head, silver eyes glinting with faint amusement. “Protect him? No, mortal. I’m here to ensure balance. Alaric has played his part in the greater scheme, but his time is over. Whether he dies by your blade or my hand is irrelevant. What matters is what comes next.”

“Balance?” Aiden scoffed, his grip tightening on his sword. “Don’t lecture me about balance while protecting monsters like him.”

A flicker of something—annoyance, perhaps—passed through the figure’s expression. They raised a hand, and the air grew heavier still, pressing down like an invisible weight. Even Myne, usually so composed, staggered under the pressure.

“You misunderstand your place, mortal,” the figure said, their voice carrying a dangerous edge. “You’re not the only one waging a war here. The Celestial Court is merely a piece on the board. The true conflict lies beyond your comprehension.”

Aiden refused to be cowed. He took another step forward, his sword glowing faintly with the power of the Eternal Forge. “If that’s true, then maybe you should explain before throwing your weight around. Because right now, all I see is someone protecting a murderer.”

The figure regarded him in silence for a moment, as though weighing the worth of a response. Finally, they sighed, their silver eyes dimming slightly. “Very well. A glimpse of the truth, then.”

They extended a hand, and the air shimmered as a vision unfolded—a sprawling battlefield, far larger than anything Aiden had ever seen. Beings of immense power clashed in the skies, their strikes splitting mountains and igniting seas. At the heart of the chaos was a swirling vortex of energy, black as the void and radiating malice.

“This is the true enemy,” the figure said, their voice devoid of its earlier condescension. “A force that threatens to consume not just your kingdom, but all realms. Alaric was but a pawn, his actions guided by those who seek to awaken this ancient chaos. Killing him now serves only your vengeance—not the greater good.”

Aiden’s jaw clenched as he processed the vision. The scale of the conflict was staggering, and the weight of the figure’s words pressed against his resolve. But he refused to be swayed so easily.

“So I’m supposed to just let him go?” Aiden demanded. “Let him walk away after everything he’s done?”

“No,” the figure replied, their tone softening. “Justice will be served. But it must be on my terms, not yours. His death must not fracture the fragile threads holding the realms together.”

Aiden hesitated, his mind a storm of conflicting thoughts. The vision had shaken him, but the anger burning in his chest refused to be extinguished. He glanced back at Myne, whose expression was uncharacteristically somber.

Finally, Aiden lowered his sword, though he didn’t sheath it. “If what you’re saying is true, then prove it. Take him and show me that justice will be done.”

The figure’s silver eyes glinted again, this time with approval. “A wise choice.”

They extended a hand toward Alaric, who was too weakened to resist. Shadows coiled around the High Inquisitor, binding him in chains of pure energy. As he was lifted from the ground, he cast a hateful glare at Aiden.

“This isn’t over,” Alaric hissed. “You’ll regret sparing me.”

Aiden didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the figure as they turned to leave. Before disappearing into the shadows, they spoke one last time.

“Prepare yourself, Aiden. The storm you’ve faced is but a whisper of what’s to come.”

And with that, they were gone, leaving Aiden and his team standing amidst the ruins of the depot, the weight of a new war settling on their shoulders.

The quiet that followed was suffocating. The storm had passed, but the air felt heavier than ever, laden with questions and uncertainty. Aiden stood motionless, his sword still glowing faintly in his hand, as he stared at the spot where the figure and Alaric had disappeared.

“That was…” Myne broke the silence, her voice unsteady for once. She trailed off, searching for the right words. “That was something else. You sure about letting him go? That bastard deserved worse than death.”

Aiden finally sheathed his sword, the faint hum of its power fading. “I’m not sure about anything,” he admitted, his voice low. “But if what they showed us is real, then killing Alaric now wouldn’t solve the real problem. It’d be a hollow victory.”

Myne frowned, her arms crossed tightly. “You’re taking their word for it? That silver-eyed creep could’ve been spinning some grand tale just to save their pawn.”

“Maybe,” Aiden said, turning toward the others. “But if they’re telling the truth and we ignore it, the consequences could be catastrophic. We’ve fought in the dark for too long, Myne. If there’s a bigger threat out there, we need to know what we’re dealing with.”

Her frown deepened, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “Fine. But I’m still not letting my guard down. If this ‘greater enemy’ turns out to be a ruse, I’m dragging you back here to finish what we started.”

Aiden allowed himself a faint smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Deal.”

Behind them, the team began regrouping. Liam emerged from the shadows, his spectral form flickering as he approached. His usually serene expression was tense, and his voice carried a note of urgency.

“I’ve analyzed the energy signature of that entity,” Liam said. “It’s unlike anything we’ve encountered before. They weren’t lying about their power—it’s… vast. Comparable to the gods of old, perhaps even stronger.”

Aiden nodded grimly. “And the vision they showed us?”

“It aligns with some ancient texts I’ve studied,” Liam replied. “The vortex they described is known as the Abyssal Maw, a primordial force of destruction sealed away eons ago. If someone is trying to awaken it, the ramifications could be disastrous.”

“Great,” Myne muttered. “So now we’re fighting a myth. Just what I needed.”

Aiden ignored her sarcasm, his focus unwavering. “What’s our next move, Liam?”

“I’ll continue investigating the Abyssal Maw,” Liam said. “If there are any remaining records or artifacts tied to it, they might give us a clue about who’s behind this and how we can stop them.”

“Good,” Aiden said. “We’ll need every advantage we can get. In the meantime, we can’t let up on the Court. Even if Alaric’s gone, their operations are still a threat. We’ll hit them again, harder this time.”

The team exchanged determined glances, their earlier uncertainty replaced by a steely resolve. The road ahead was murky, fraught with dangers they couldn’t yet comprehend, but they trusted Aiden to lead them through it.

As they prepared to leave the depot, Myne fell into step beside Aiden. “You’re not thinking about going after that silver-eyed freak, are you?”

Aiden smirked faintly, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “Not yet. But if they’re playing me, they’ll regret it.”

The return to the base was subdued. Even Myne’s usual sharp quips were absent as the group trudged through the dense forest under the cover of darkness. Aiden walked at the head of the formation, his mind far from the path before him. The vision of the Abyssal Maw played over and over in his mind, the swirling vortex of unimaginable power threatening to consume all in its path.

Could it really be true? A force beyond even the Celestial Court? The thought unsettled him more than he cared to admit.