Endless Evolution: Last Star - Chapter 707

Chapter 707: Beginning of the Fall

While one Phantom arrived in doubt, the other one, gritting its teeth in frustration made the right decision.

“Tsk. Why the fuck did this just happen now?”

An eerie grimace covered Katrin’s face as she bit her lip and pressed her NEP.

“Alan, I’m going home, have the fighter fly to the gorge.”

She wasn’t assigned an SH-L01 fighter like in Adam’s case, but the pilot of her fighter was soaring high in the sky waiting for her mission to end soon and they would return home together.

Ding.

A few seconds later, the pilot received the alert and like a true military man he immediately started to execute the order without wasting a single second.

Soon, the fighter flew out of the dark clouds, heading straight for Katrin, who was about to get out of the gorge to meet her savior.

She moved fast as a shadow, leaping from one rocky ledge to another, her broad black sword staying on her back, it was too big to hang awkwardly from her waist.

However, due to panic and fear of the Eclipse, Katrin completely forgot that she wasn’t alone in the gorge.

More precisely, she didn’t think her soon-to-be opponent would be doing anything, since their fight hadn’t officially begun.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

The bright energy from the shimmering crystals headed in one direction – toward the majestic monster who was the sole ruler of the Crystal Gorge.

The Dormant Lord looked up, staring at the fighter who decided to invade his territory.

Hundreds of bright crystals covered his anthropomorphic body, and on his wrists and knees, the crystals were much larger and sharper than his power source.

The Dormant Lord was quite big and tall like the Solitary Commander but possessed a much more intimidating aura that could easily surpass even the Blind Commander’s.

His physique was not as muscular and massive as the Mighty Commander’s, but unlike the Blind Commander his muscles and taut tendons were clearly visible beneath the white-gray skin covered in a crystalline grid, something that resembled scales but was a much more complex structure with mobility and impressive defenses.

Like the Blind Commander, the Dormant Lord was a Crown Type monster, but it also had full power over every creature in Crystal Gorge. It didn’t have the same effect as a Conqueror Type, but his might and authority made other monsters follow him.

To some extent, this was also indicated by the crystals on his head, which went in a circle to form something like a crown or accessory that only nobles, including lords, could wear.

The Dormant Lord had no face, only a complex crystal covering the front of his head like a mask, occasionally reflecting a bright glare.

Now, the Dormant Lord was about to demonstrate why he bore his name, his title, and why this place was his domain – only worthy ones could set foot here, those who could give him a fight.

Obviously, a fighter piloted by a mere man without enough energy wasn’t one of them.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

In a heartbeat, the energy that the Dormant Lord borrowed from the crystals turned into a bright spear more like an aggressive lightning bolt wanting to break free, yet the Dormant Lord’s grip was powerful enough to tame such a force, if only temporarily.

A glare reflected in Katrin’s corner of her eye, causing her to turn to the side.

Then, her eyes went wide in horror, realizing what the Dormant Lord was about to do.

“No… Why the fuck did he spring into action? Isn’t that bastard supposed to stay calm until someone decides to challenge him?”

Her knowledge of the Dormant Lord wasn’t perfect, though who knows, maybe she was right, but it was the Eclipse that changed everything.

In a rush, Katrin brought the NEP closer, addressing the pilot.

“FUCK! Turn around quickly and fly away!”

Strangely enough, it didn’t take the pilot a moment longer to process her order and do as she said.

Pilots understood the dangers of their work in Dead Lands, so they reacted as quickly as possible in such situations.

The two massive engines kicked into full gear, releasing blue flames, and giving the fighter a high-speed boost.

But, was it enough to outrun the lightning?

The Dormant Lord took a wide step forward, shaking the ground with his pure power, all his muscles quivered, and tendons tensed, holding him in an unconventional stance.

His chest was turned slightly to the side, his right arm brought back so hard that his knuckles were practically touching the ground.

Even for such a strong creature, it was hard, his body trembling, but the Dormant Lord knew what he was doing.

Whooooooooooosh.

In a heartbeat, his hand turned into a shadow, throwing the plasma spear forward.

There was no whistling of wind, no clap from the shockwave that usually occurred in such attacks, just a strange, shuddering, creaking sound from the depths of space at the rupture of dimension.

Before Katrin or Alan could blink, a white line – a ghostly copy of a spear appeared in the air, piercing the fighter through.

Booooooooooom!

Katrin looked up as her black eyes, previously full of confidence, reflected the violent flames from the explosion, pieces of iron embraced in the fire flying apart, crashing to the ground in the distance.

The pilot died instantly, he felt no pain and did not even have time to realize it, everything happened too fast for the impulses to reach his brain.

Along with the fighter and the pilot, something else was lost: Katrin’s way to the Citadel.

Now that the Eclipse has begun, the military won’t send fighters to rescue the Phantoms. It’s not that the government doesn’t want to save them, it just doesn’t make sense.

“FUCK IT! Alan! What am I supposed to do now!!!” Katrin roared furiously, clenching her fists tightly.

Deep inside she wanted to lash out at the Dormant Lord and tear him apart to avenge the pilot’s life, but she was experienced and mature enough to control her emotions.

Alan understood that as well, since soon she heard his voice:

‘Shit, there’s no way you can get back to the Citadel, so you only have one option – you need somewhere to hide.’

Katrin glanced around, she considered killing all the monsters in Crystal Gorge, but… the danger in the form of the Dormant Lord persisted.

‘The best option for this is some sort of Stronghold. It’s easy to keep defenses against monsters there like in some Bastion.”

“Fine, where is the nearest Stronghold? We have to act fast before the waves of monsters flood all around!”

Alan gulped.

‘There’s one Stronghold to the east – Fortress of the Lone Serpent, but… that’s Red Zone.’

Katrin waved her hand with a stern look.

“Fine. When I get there this place will no longer be Red Zone! Guide me!”

Then, Katrin turned into a shadow, quickly walking out of the gorge.