"It is no doubt the work of her magic and the sword's power," Bowen pondered aloud.
I nodded in agreent to his words. Professor Garrison had inflicted what should have been a mortal wound, yet the ghost knight barely reacted to it. But with a single, insignificant scratch, Cerila managed to force the monster back. Although its wound had already recovered and the leaking faint blue aura now gone, it seed hesitant to rush back into the fight as it circled around her slowly.
"I'm sure of it. That warning was an accurate one. Only those with magic can defeat these things," Lord Vasquez said briskly.
Cerila hefted Hubris to her shoulder as blue ice snaked down the blade's edge. A blue aura enveloped the ghost's blade as it slashed out. The crescent-shaped attack soared through the air, crashing through a chunk of ice toward Cerila, who deftly dodged to the side.
She ran toward the ghost that seed to be opting for ranged attacks as it wound up for another swing. In the middle of its next strike, the ground between them erupted into blue glaciers. The ghost's attack managed to cut through many of them, but by the ti it reached Cerila, she was gone, moving about in the maze she had created.
Even so, the ghost must have had a way to track her. Its visored eyes tracked her movents through the ice as it swung its sword in a crisscross pattern. The x-shaped projectile sliced through the ice like butter, devastating it and sending icy splinters into the air.
But for every dozen or so destroyed, Cerila continued to raise more. The ice shook around the ghost, and spears of ice burst out toward it from all directions. But with a single step and swing of its blade, it crushed all the attacks and glaciers to dust. And in one swift motion, it brought the flat of its blade up in front of it as an attack reached the creature, deflecting an ice spear from Cerila.
Sowhere in the maze of ice, the broken shards of ice were kicked up into the air as a strong wind seed to brew. Within a few monts, the storm ca into full effect as it rampaged about, tearing the ice apart. The ghost knight was swallowed by the storm, and our view of the battle was blocked off.
Only the sounds of howling winds, ice crumbling, and blades clashing could be heard. Stray attacks, whether it be the crescent blades or shards of ice, would occasionally fly off and impact the orange barrier, only to crumble away.
In reality, the intense fight lasted for only a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity as the ghost knight popped out from the storm with Cerila hot on its heels. Fresh blood dripped down from minor wounds across Cerila's frost-bitten face, and the ghost knight was also suffering as the ghastly blue aura flowed out from various wounds across its arms, legs, and body.
With a wave of her hand, Cerila directed the ice toward the ghost and skated across it. Her body twisted, and she swung Hubris across her body. The violent clash of blades forced the ghost knight back as it glided across the ground. The knight deflected the blow and spun its sword around as the blue aura ford around its blade.
In the following attack, Cerila brought Hubris up and sliced the attack down the center, and as the knight moved to readjust its grip on its blade, Cerila stretched her hand out as a flurry of small ice shards shot out. The ghost knight swung its sword, deflecting so, while others bounced off its armor. However, it was not completely unscathed.
So of the shards were embedded into its armor-like skin. The blue cold crept along its chest piece, covering the winged cross emblem in its icy embrace. The monster continued to back up until it was forced up against the barrier. Ti seed to slow down as the ice crept along its body. Cerila pushed her body forward, the ice cracking beneath her feet, and Hubris poised for a thrust into its midsection.
But… it was not the finishing blow Cerila had planned for. It was the exact opposite.
Cerila was as fast as she was strong, perhaps now she had fully entered the realm of a War God. But the ghost knight was different. Perhaps in life it was even stronger than it was, but it was able to best Professor Garrison in raw strength and speed by a few leagues.
Even with her planning to slow it down with her magic and pin it against the wall, it was a ruse from the start. The monster was wary of her blade and perhaps decided a more cunning plan was in order.
And all of this was only realized too late.
The chains around the ghost knight's arm stretched out to its sword which moved as a blur as it swung down. Everyone shouted. My heart thumped in my chest as Mom and I pounded against the barrier, trying to warn her. But as ti crept along, Cerila, who was unable to hear, seed too focused to notice. Even in the fleeting seconds as I watched her recognize the swing ready to take her life, she gritted her teeth and pushed forward, determined to strike the creature down.
I had already started to form a spell core. I had to try at least to break down the barrier, even if I knew I would be far too late. Lord Vasquez and Ms. Taurus, who reacted before even I, had already attacked the barrier. But the attack had already arrived, and with its speed and strength, it was all but over.
At least, it should have been.
The heavy swing of the ghost knight stopped abruptly right before it would have taken Cerila's head. A faint golden glow seeped from the visor slit of the knight as Cerila's blade plunged into it. The blue aura sprayed out like blood as Cerila dug her sword into the ghost and tore the wound open. Spears of ice erupted from the ground and impaled the monster further.
When Cerila stepped back hesitantly, freeing Hubris from the gaping wound, the chains around the ghost began to fade away. The ghost knight reached out and gripped Cerila's face. The blueish tint returning to a fading gold only lasted a mont before it disappeared into wispy clusters that floated into the air. The gauntleted hand and armor clattered to the ground, along with the sword, the ghost vanishing for good.
"She really did it…" Professor Garrison mumbled. EnjoythestorybyreadingonM|V|LE%MPYR.
I finally took a breath, not realising I had been holding it in, the heat around my hand dissipating as the spell core faded away. Everyone watched in stunned silence, as did Cerila. Once the aura of the monster was completely gone, Cerila reached down, the sword and armor of the monster disappearing into her Spatial Ring.
She limped back to the circle, and it was only then that I noticed the fresh blood seeping from a large cut along her thigh. Despite the wound, she had pushed herself to such lengths, or perhaps adrenaline had consud her. Either way, when she stepped onto the circle, the barrier warped around her and pushed her to our side.
The first of the ghosts had been defeated.
—
A Forgotten Soul's POV.
I watched as the golden shard shattered into pieces and scattered across the stone floor. Frustration washed over as I glared at the robed figure clambering next to the core. The na of the being it once was had left ages ago, much as my own did. Most of my mories had long since faded.
But my hatred remained.
"The first of the guardians is dead," I spat in an unrecognizable voice.
The figure turned its head slightly, its skeletal, hollow eyes giving barely a passing glance.
"So it seems," it said offhandedly.
…
"The work is not yet complete. One of our guardians has fallen. We have run out of options," I said.
The figure shook its hooded head, the bones grinding and rattling with its movent. "You suffer a single defeat in centuries, and imdiately lose faith in our plan. How weak you've beco, Captain," it said coldly.
Captain…yes, Captain…many did call that, I believe.
"Regardless, your worries are for naught. Their doom has already been written in the stone. The plan has proceeded accordingly. The ship has been safely delivered, and the welcoming has reached its final stage. We only require a single, powerful soul directly infused into the core to finish my work," it continued.
"Even so—"
It waved its hand in contempt. "The guardians are rely shades of their forr selves. Their sole purpose is to weed out the useless. Even if they are all defeated and the doors breached, none will be able to stand before the captive. It will all be futile in the end, and our long-cherished wish will co to fruition."
"Yes, that's right…revenge against the Blood Emperor," I mumbled.
The robed figure climbed down and waddled toward . "That's right, revenge against him and all his spawn. And that's all you need to care about, Captain."
It raised its hand to my face. "And, Captain, you've been talking too much recently. We can't have you rethinking your decisions now when we've co so far. Besides, I prefer you when you are silent," it said dispassionately.
Yes…that's right.
—
Kaladin Shadowheart's POV.
Once Sylvia gave the nod of approval, I knelt down and signed,
Cerila shrugged as she rested against the barrier.
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