Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 414

Chapter 414: Abyssal II

Aiden emerged from the forge, the glow of the seal radiating in his hands like a miniature sun. The resistance fighters, worn but resolute, paused in their tasks to watch him. Hope flickered in their eyes as they saw the artifact, sensing the power it held. For many, it was a symbol that their sacrifices might not be in vain.

Rick’s second-in-command, Lila, approached him, her face pale with tension. “Aiden, we’ve received word from the front. Myne and Rick are holding off Vassago’s forces, but they’re being overwhelmed. They can’t hold out much longer.”

Aiden’s grip on the seal tightened. He had poured his very essence into its creation, but wielding it against a force like Vassago was a task no one had attempted before. The seal wasn’t merely a weapon—it was an anchor of light, a beacon meant to challenge the corruption of the Abyss.

“How far are they from here?” Aiden asked, his voice calm but laced with urgency.

“Less than a day’s march,” Lila replied. “The Black Tide’s advance slowed, but it’s relentless. Rick and Myne are stalling them, but they’ve taken heavy losses.”

Aiden nodded. “Gather everyone. We’re moving out. This seal won’t work if we wait for the Abyss to reach us. We need to confront them directly.”

Lila hesitated. “Are you sure? If we lose here…”

“If we lose here,” Aiden interrupted, his gaze like steel, “it won’t matter where we are. The Abyss will consume everything.”

The march to the battlefield was grueling. Aiden led the resistance, the seal’s glow guiding them through the darkness that seemed to creep ever closer. The further they traveled, the more signs of the Abyss’s destruction they encountered—scorched earth, twisted remnants of trees, and the eerie silence of a world consumed by corruption.

By the time they reached the front, the scene was a chaotic nightmare. Myne’s shadowmancy lashed out in tendrils, striking down Abyssal monstrosities, while Rick fought with ferocious determination, his strikes imbued with elemental fury. But even their combined might seemed like a candle against a storm.

Vassago stood at the center of the battlefield, his presence a black hole that seemed to pull light and hope into its depths. His crimson eyes locked onto Aiden as the resistance arrived, a low, menacing laugh rumbling from his armored form.

“So,” Vassago said, his voice a chilling echo, “the forger of light has come to face the darkness. How poetic.”

Aiden stepped forward, the seal held aloft. Its radiance pushed back the encroaching shadows, creating a sanctuary of light around the resistance. “Your corruption ends here, Vassago.”

The Abyssal general tilted his head, mockery evident in his stance. “Does it? You bring a trinket to a battlefield, mortal. Do you truly believe it can stand against the Abyss?”

Aiden’s voice was steady. “It’s not just the seal. It’s the will of everyone who’s stood against you. Their hope, their sacrifices—it’s all here.”

Vassago’s laugh deepened, his massive blade materializing in his hand. “Then show me, forger. Show me the strength of your resolve.”

The battle erupted in a storm of light and shadow. Aiden activated the seal, and its power surged outward in waves, dispersing the Black Tide wherever it touched. The resistance fighters rallied behind him, pushing forward with renewed vigor.

Vassago’s strikes came with terrifying force, each swing of his blade distorting the air and threatening to shatter the ground beneath them. Aiden met the blows head-on, using the seal to block and counter, its radiant energy clashing violently against the Abyssal blade.

Nearby, Myne and Rick continued their assault, keeping the Abyssal minions at bay. Myne’s shadows intertwined with the seal’s light, creating a delicate balance that repelled the corruption. Rick’s elemental strikes acted as a shield for the resistance, buying Aiden precious moments to focus on Vassago.

But even with the seal’s power, the battle was far from even. Vassago’s strength was overwhelming, his connection to the Abyss deepening with every clash. “You can’t win this, mortal,” he sneered. “The Abyss is eternal. You are not.”

Aiden gritted his teeth, his body screaming in protest as he channeled more energy into the seal. “Maybe not,” he said through labored breaths. “But if I fall, it won’t be in vain. It’ll be with a light so bright it burns your darkness to ash.”

With a roar, Aiden unleashed the full power of the seal. A column of light erupted from the artifact, piercing through the battlefield and into the heavens. The Black Tide recoiled, its advance halted as the light burned away the corruption.

Vassago stumbled back, his armor cracking under the force of the attack. For the first time, there was hesitation in his eyes. “What… What is this power?”

Aiden advanced, his determination unwavering. “It’s everything you’ve tried to destroy. Hope. Courage. Unity. And it’s stronger than you’ll ever be.”

As the seal’s light grew brighter, the resistance surged forward, their combined strength pushing the Abyssal forces into retreat. Vassago roared in fury, his form beginning to unravel under the relentless assault.

But Aiden knew this wasn’t over. The seal was holding for now, but its energy was finite. If they didn’t finish Vassago here and now, the Abyss would recover, stronger than ever.

With one final surge of strength, Aiden raised the seal high, its light consuming him entirely. “This ends now!” he shouted, slamming the seal into the ground.

The resulting explosion of light engulfed the battlefield, banishing the darkness in an instant. When the light faded, the Black Tide was gone, and Vassago’s shattered form lay motionless.

Aiden collapsed to his knees, the seal’s glow dimming in his hands. Around him, the resistance began to cheer, their cries of victory echoing across the battlefield.

Aiden sat on the scorched earth, his breathing labored. His body ached, and the glow of the seal had dimmed to a faint flicker. The explosion of light had drained nearly every ounce of his strength, leaving him on the edge of collapse. Around him, the resistance fighters worked quickly to tend to the wounded and secure what little ground they had gained. The battlefield was eerily quiet, the absence of the Black Tide leaving a void that felt unnatural.