Shirtless and sweaty, Ashton swung Thanatos through the air with practised precision. The twin-sided sword cut through the simulated enemies created by the guardians, as he wanted to mimic the train that he had done with Vulcan and Flintmace all those years ago.
After all, that was the training that made him who he was, and he hoped that training and Thanatos would be enough to deal with the new threat.
In the anti, the guardians responded to Ashton's every strike with agility and speed, creating more difficult enemies to deal with wherever he slayed one.
They mimicked real combat scenarios, testing the newly forged weapon's capabilities and training Ashton to turn him into sothing more than a precursor warrior.
However, no matter what they threw at him, Thanatos, with its dual blades, cleaved through the holographic adversaries. But it didn't an the training wasn't giving Ashton so trouble.
Ashton's breaths were heavy, his muscles strained from the continuous onslaught that had lasted for more than four days. The guardians had left no stones unturned and pushed him to his limits, their movents calculated and relentless.
He parried, dodged, and counterattacked. It was a challenge, but he was doing anything he could to end each fight quicker than the previous one.
As Ashton focused on the combat training, a sudden call interrupted the rhythmic clash of the sword against tal. The holographic enemies dissipated as he deactivated the training program and accepted the incoming call.
"Ibis?" Ashton answered, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. His shirtless form glistened in the artificial light of the training room. "Did sothing happen?"
"I just heard about the new weapon," Ibis's voice crackled through the communicator. "Is it everything you hoped for?"
Ashton glanced at Thanatos, still glowing with the residual energy of death as he swung it. "Yeah, it's living up to its na. It's no scythe, but it'll do."
"Yeah, I can see you're wasting no ti," Ibis chuckled on the other end, glancing at his body as it reminded him of when she and Astaroth used to train together. "Well, don't overexert yourself, Ashton. We need you in one piece."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Ashton grinned. "Just getting a feel for the new gear."
"Also... I know what you're planning to do."
Ashton raised an eyebrow, not sure what she ant by that. Or, at least, that's how he wanted it to appear. As per the initial plan, Ashton was supposed to craft the weapon on Euphoria and then promptly return to Earth where they would face the precursor together, like before.
However, it had been quite so ti, and yet there was no sign of him going to Earth, and there was a reason for it.
The plan that Ashton laid out in discussions with the others was fake. In truth, he only intended to return once he had handled the new threat by himself.
"What gave it away?" Ashton sighed and admitted.
"You did," Ibis replied. "Normally, when you went off the planet, only one or two Guardians would go with you. But this ti, even though the danger was low, you brought four of them to Euphoria, leaving one to stay and watch over Anna and your kids."
She continued, "The signs were there. Waiting for soone to piece it together."
Ashton smiled, scratching the back of his head. Every word out of Ibis's mouth was accurate. He had intended to take the fight to Euphoria because it was already a dead planet, unlike Earth.
The last ti they brought a precursor there, all hell broke loose, and entire nations and empires were wiped out. That was the case when both Astaroth and he were fighting together.
Now that Astaroth was gone and took the scythe with him, Ashton didn't want to risk anything. Plus, he was aware that Euphoria had planetary defences like the Verge.
If things got really bad, he could bring down the new Precursor-like entity with him on the planet and deal with it there.
"I had hoped everyone would buy my excuse," Ashton shrugged. "But I guess I was wrong."
"Of course you were," Ibis responded. "But, if that's how you want to handle things, then... I'll make sure no one else finds out about your stupid plans. Especially Anna, god knows what she would do if she learned about it."
"Thanks for watching my back. Now, if you'll allow , I've got to train."
"Sure, go ahead."
As the call ended, Ashton sighed, glancing back at the holographic combat arena. The guardians patiently awaited his return, their robotic forms ready to resu the relentless training routine.
"I know, I know... freaking robotic bastards," Ashton sighed. "God, I wish I had infinite stamina like you lot."
Having taken a break, Ashton readied Thanatos once more. Soon, the training room beca a battleground, and he imrsed himself in the combat practice.
Only there were no holograms this ti, but Ashton faced the guardian simultaneously. The twin-sided sword sliced through the air, eting the guardians head-on.
Ashton's focus intensified as the clash of tal echoed through the planet. Each strike brought him closer to mastering the complications Thanatos posed as a weapon of the dual polarity of Balmond and Raphael.
It seed Ashton's will did sothing to the guardians as they beca his relentless sparring partners. They showed no rcy to their master and kept attacking him. Even cheap shots were thrown at Ashton because he didn't want any stone left unturned in his training.
The sweat continued to flow through Ashton's skin, acting as a witness to the physical exertion of the training. With each swing and parry, he felt the synergy between himself and Thanatos deepening. Slowly, the dual blades beca an extension of his will, a force to be reckoned with.
As Ashton got used to the weapon, the guardians responded with increasing complexity of the training, adapting to his every tactic. Before Ashton knew it, the guardians had adapted to the fighting styles of the four strongest beings he had ever encountered.
Ashton felt Astaroth, Vulcan, Flintmace and even Kro'Han were attacking him imdiately. Yet, sohow, he was managing on his own against them.
The training was intense, but Ashton welcod it. With every mont, he sharpened his abilities with Thanatos, pushing himself to the max and getting ready for the danger that was just days ahead.
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