Alister, who had been silently watching, finally rose to his feet. He dusted off his robe, his golden eyes sharp as they narrowed at his generals.
“Enough,” he said, his voice silencing them instantly. “I will not tolerate infighting.
Alzuring, Mar’Garet, stand down. Now.”
Alzuring’s jaw tightened, but he bowed his head. “As you command, my lord.”
Mar’Garet smirked, but a small glance from Alister wiped the smug look from her face. She sighed and bowed as well. “Of course, my lord.”
Satisfied, Alister turned his attention back to the towering city on the horizon. His eyes lingered on the spires of the castle before speaking again.
“Now,” he said, his tone firm, “tell me what has been happening in my absence. Twelve days is a long time, and it seems much has changed.”
Terra stepped forward as she adjusted her glasses. “While it may have been twelve days to you, my lord, it has been 36 days here. The Mindspace has adapted to the fragment of Restria you’ve obtained, granting new abilities to us and the wyverns.”
Alister raised a brow. “New abilities like…?” he asked.
Mar’Garet smirked, stepping forward. “Like this, my lord,” she said with pride.
Alister redirected his gaze toward her as she extended a hand. “Alter Space Law,” she said, her crimson eyes glowing faintly.
A small crack appeared in the air before her, swirling with a crimson aura. She plunged her hand into the void-like fissure.
A moment later, her hand emerged far above them, enormous in scale, as though piercing the heavens themselves. The massive hand dwarfed the wyverns soaring through the sky, its shadow stretching across the vast field.
Alister’s gaze shifted upward, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the phenomenon. With a thoughtful hum, he placed a hand under his chin. “Impressive,” he murmured.
Mar’Garet retracted her hand, the spatial crack sealing itself as though it had never been there.
Turning to Alister, she flashed a sly smile. “I live to impress, my lord. I have gained the ability to alter laws, to change how they work, but not all laws can be altered,” she said, bowing her head slightly, her crimson eyes glinting with satisfaction.
Alister turned his gaze to Draven. “And you, Draven?” he asked. “Show me what you’ve gained.”
Draven stepped forward. He nodded respectfully. “Understood, my lord,” he replied.
He moved a few paces away from Alister and the others, creating a safe distance.
His helmet seemed to vanish in a burst of purple lightning, revealing his face.
Then, without a word, his eyes shone brightly, crackling with lightning as a crackling aura of purple lightning began to form around his body, the air itself seeming to vibrate violently. Sparks arced across his armor as he slowly began to rise into the air, levitating without the aid of his wings.
Above him, the sky began to churn and darken, clouds gathering ominously. A low rumble of thunder echoed across the field, growing louder with each passing second.
With a sharp wave of his hand, Draven spoke softly, “Be reduced to nothing… Thunder Clap.”
CRACKLE
BOOM!!
His words summoned a massive bolt of lightning from the heavens. It struck the ground with a deafening roar, the sheer force of the impact obliterating a large swath of the grassy field and reducing it to a smoldering patch of ash.
The ground hissed with heat as Draven moved, his body now shrouded in his aura.
Soon, smaller bolts of lightning began to rain down in rapid succession. With each strike, Draven vanished, only to reappear at the exact point of impact.
He moved like a phantom, each burst of lightning bringing him closer to a new location. His movements were so swift and precise that it seemed as though he was teleporting.
Finally, Draven reappeared before Alister, his purple lightning dissipating into faint sparks around him. He landed gracefully, bowing his head. “My lord.”
“Does this demonstration meet your expectations?” he said with pride, the look of excitement as he awaited his lord’s praise practically visible on his face.
Alister smiled. He leaned close to Draven and gave his shoulder a firm tap. “You never fail to impress me, Draven,” he said with pride.
Draven straightened, his face lighting up with satisfaction as he bowed deeply. “Thank you, my lord,” he said, stepping back to join the others.
Suddenly, the scorched field where the lightning had struck began to heal itself. The blackened patches of earth shimmered faintly, and the grass regrew in a matter of moments.
Alister then turned his attention to Alzuring.
“Alzuring, step forward. I wish for you to put your abilities on display as well,” Alister called out.
Alzuring chuckled softly, stepping forward with his white bow in hand. “I fear I may disappoint you, my lord,” he admitted. “I haven’t gained a new ability per se, but my old one has been refined and greatly improved.”
Alister tilted his head slightly, an amused smile gracing his lips. “Even so, I wish to see it,” he said firmly.
Alzuring nodded. “As you command, my lord,” he replied, raising his bow slightly. “However, I will need a target a large one.”
Alister glanced into the distance, his gaze sweeping over the horizon. With a simple wave of his hand, a colossal boulder materialized in the field. It was a challenge worthy of a master
archer.
Alzuring gazed at the boulder and smirked. “Yes,” he said, pulling back his bowstring as a faint glow of white energy began to form. “This will do sparingly.”
Alzuring raised his bow, a serene yet determined expression on his face. The energy forming at the string began to condense, drawing the surrounding winds into a swirling vortex.
As he focused, the energy compressed into a small, dense arrow made entirely of wind. It shimmered faintly, trembling with pent-up power.
With a sudden motion, Alzuring let the arrow fly. It streaked through the air, nearly invisible except for the faint trail of rippling distortion it left in its wake.
The moment it struck the colossal boulder, there was no grand explosion, only a sharp, high- pitched sound as the arrow’s force unleashed itself.
CRACK!
The boulder shattered instantly, fragments scattering in every direction as if struck by an immense, unseen force. Dust filled the air.
Alister observed with a small smile, his eyes glowing faintly. “Remarkable,” he said. “Your control and destructive power have truly improved, Alzuring.”
Alzuring bowed slightly. “Thank you, my lord. Your praise is an honor,” he said before stepping back, his gaze turning to Terra.
