The cold night air carried an almost tangible tension as the Seven Sages gathered around the ritual fire.
The summit of Mount Meru was bathed in the faint glow of the stars, and a heavy silence loomed, broken only by the occasional whisper of the wind.
Kent stood near the edge of the ritual site, his bow strung and his quiver glowing with divine energy.
His pets were stationed at their designated positions, ready to unleash their fury at the first sign of danger.
First Sage Paras stood before Kent. In his hand, he carried a small, ornate vial filled with a swirling golden liquid. He extended the vial toward Kent.
“This is the Potion of Life Energy. Drink it. It will sustain you through these seven days. You will feel no hunger, no thirst, and no need for sleep. But beware, Kent. The demons will not relent. Always keep your bow ready, your fingers rested on the bowstring. This entire ritual depends on you.”
Kent took the vial and examined it briefly. The golden liquid shimmered in the moonlight, almost alive with energy. Without hesitation, he uncorked it and drank it in one gulp. A surge of warmth spread through his body, and he felt a wave of clarity and strength unlike anything he had ever experienced.
He handed the empty vial back to Paras and met the sage’s gaze. “I’ll protect the ritual with my life. You have my word.”
Paras nodded, his face unreadable. “Once the ritual begins, I will be in silence, as will the others. Your task will be not only to guard us but also to guard our silence. Do not falter, Kent.”
With those words, Paras returned to the center of the ritual circle. He took out eternal lamp, its flame flickering with a soft, otherworldly glow. With utmost reverence, he transferred the flame to the sacred fire in the center of the circle. The fire roared to life, casting its golden light over the mountain summit.
The Seven Sages took their places around the fire, sitting in lotus positions. Paras began adding cow butter to the flames, the fire growing more vibrant with each offering.
The Third and Fifth Sages chanted in low, resonant tones, their voices harmonizing with the crackling of the flames. The other sages entered deep meditation, their auras intertwining with the fire’s energy.
Kent took his position at the edge of the circle, scanning the horizon for any sign of disturbance.
The first day passed uneventfully, the sacred fire burning brightly as the ritual progressed. His pets patrolled their designated areas, their senses sharp and their presence a deterrent to any potential threats.
By the third day, the continuous hum of chants and the radiance of the fire seemed to cast a protective barrier over the summit. Kent remained steadfast, his bow ever ready, his eyes never leaving the perimeter. Despite the lack of rest, the Potion of Life Energy kept him sharp and alert.
On the sixth day, the fire’s glow reached an almost blinding intensity, and the sages’ chants grew louder, their voices reverberating through the mountain. The disciples surrounding the circle maintained their rythamic chants.
But on the seventh day, just as the Seven Stars of Allegiance aligned perfectly above the summit, the sacred fire suddenly burst outward in a fiery explosion. The sages remained unfazed, their silence unbroken, but Kent knew what it meant. It was a warning.
The first sage Paras gave a serious look to Kent.
Moments later, the sky darkened as two massive figures emerged from the shadows. They were demon elders, Mari and Suha, their demonic forms towering over the mountain.
Behind them, hundreds of demon kings followed, each carrying large pots filled with blood, bones, and human waste. The stench was suffocating, and the intent was clear—they aimed to desecrate the ritual fire.
The demon kings charged toward the ritual site, but as they approached, they collided with Kent’s arrow roof. The spiritual arrows glowed with divine fire, forming an impenetrable barrier. The demons, undeterred, landed on the roof and began stomping and dancing, their massive weight threatening to shatter the barrier. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire
Kent’s divine chakra sprang to life, a spinning disc of radiant energy. It zipped through the air, slicing through the demons on the roof with precision and speed. Heads rolled, and the air filled with the agonized cries of the fallen. The remaining demons recoiled in terror, retreating from the roof’s edges.
Demon elder Mari growled, his voice like grinding rocks. “Foolish mortal! You dare stand against us?”
Kent didn’t reply. Instead, he summoned the inheritance Astra of the Wind God, unleashing a powerful blizzard that swept around the mountain top in a circular motion. The icy winds howled, creating a barrier that slowed the demons’ advance and froze several in their tracks.
Kent then turned his bow horizontally and unleashed a torrent of arrows. Each arrow split into hundreds more, raining down on the demons with deadly precision. Screams echoed through the night as demon after demon fell, their bodies disintegrating under the divine power of Kent’s Nirvanic Flames.
The surviving demon kings, realizing the futility of their assault, fled in disarray, leaving the two elders behind. Mari and Suha rored in fury, their massive forms radiating dark energy as they prepared their next move.
“They’re coming from below,” Kent murmured, sensing their movement.
Just as Mari’s dark form emerged at the edge of the mountain, the baby dragon leapt into action. It unleashed a torrent of dragon fire, the intense flames engulfing Mari and reducing him to ash in moments. Dragon fire is more detrimental against demons.
Suha let out a furious roar, his dark aura intensifying. But Kent was ready with prepared arrow spell. He drew his Phoenix-Astra, the divine artifact glowing with fiery energy, and released it with precision.
The phoenix soared through the air, its cry echoing like a war horn, before slamming into Suha. The impact sent the elder demon tumbling down the mountainside, his massive body crashing through the forest below. His cries were silenced as he was impaled on a bed of sharp forest spikes.
The battlefield fell silent once more, the demonic presence dissipating. Kent stood amidst the chaos, his bow still in hand, his eyes scanning the horizon. The sacred fire continued to burn brightly, undisturbed and pure.
In the distance, a faint rumble could be heard as the remaining demons fled to report their failure to the Demon prince.