SHATTERED REALM: FORGOTTEN ECHOES-Chapter 180: Even At The Crystal Gate, You’re Weaker.

Aramith tapped the ground with a foot. It felt thick and strong.

He looked into Elira's eyes.

"Why are you serious about getting your hands on me?" he asked.

Elira looked exasperated. "I'm not the one who wants you. I'm just following orders."

Aramith thought back. His mind swam till he remembered Serephene clearly.

"The oldest princess on the Bone Kingdom sent me," Elira added before he even asked her.

"What does she want with me?"

Ellira shrugged. "You expect me to know? I'm just following her orders. She might want to torture you, or maybe she likes you."

But Aramith clearly saw the sarcastic smile she hid.

"You don't plan on answering my questions," Aramith stated.

Elira shook her head. "You wanted answers, so I gave you answers." Then she let her smile appear freely. "I never said I was going to answer honestly."

Boom!

A loud explosion resounded behind him, and heat exploded outward.

Aramith didn't flinch, only turning calmly to see the leopard dodge the fireballs Mozrael shot at it.

"She's still not going to win," Elira said.

Aramith ignored her comment and asked her, "If I left this place, would I still be in Yumari?"

"You're right, but you won't be going anywhere from her, unless you deal with me. But," she pointed at Mozrael. "My pet will kill her, then I'll take you away. That's the only way this will end. I guess I'll end her faster."

She reached to take out her—

"Do you need this?" Aramith asked. Holding her bell.

"What? How did you—" She frowned, all playfulness disappearing for a second, before returning to normal.

"You can't do anything with that. It's infused with my intent, so even if you ring it, it'll only listen to me."

Aramith rubbed his finger over the dents and incisions all over the bell.

"What if I destroy it?"

Elira scoffed. "Are you stupid? Unless you're more powerful than me, you can't damage it."

Aramith formed a fist, then—

Crack!

The handle broke, then he applied more pressure and—

CRACK!

Elira froze in shock as she watched Aramith effortlessly crush the bell and drop the pieces on the ground.

She couldn't believe her eyes.

The moment the pieces hit the ground, the leopard let out a strange screech. Its body twitched as it convulsed, cracks spreading from its forehead to the rest of it.

When it was fully covered in cracks, the light in its eyes died out, then—

BOOM!

Bits and pieces of bone shot out like bullets, denting and cracking the ground.

Mozrael quickly shielded herself with flames, confused as to why it suddenly self-destructed.

"What trick did you use?" Elira hissed. Her voice was cold and dangerous.

Mozrael turned to see her glaring dangerously at Aramith with a gaze powerful enough to shoot swords into him.

She looked at Aramith, noticing how calmly he looked at Elira.

"Which artifact are you using?" Elira asked. "Waste my time, and I'll kill you. I can just say it was a mistake."

Mozrael felt a shiver. She's not joking about this. But what did Aramith do?

"I broke it," Aramith said to Elira. "You should know what that means."

"You want me to believe you're stronger? I'll eat dirt before I believe that nonsense!"

She prepared to attack.

Mozrael panicked. "Aramith!"

Aramith just raised his hand, and darkness exploded from his hand like ropes. They came together to form a mirrored hand.

Being her first time seeing this, Elira hesitated to attack. She dodged the hand, letting it slam into the ground.

The impact cracked the ground and sent tremors through the whole place.

In that moment, Elira felt fear like never before.

That would have been bad.

She barely settled before the hand reappeared behind her.

She felt its presence before turning around to see it open like a mouth, ready to grab her.

"Impossible." The aura emanating from the arm felt like a whole mountain. Sweat beaded her forehead, her face paled, and she couldn't move.

Even at the Crystal Gate, how is he more powerful than me?

Aramith clenched his fist, and the arm grabbed her.

Elira screamed as bone cracked under the pressure.

She struggled in vain, looking like a worm in an eagle's beak.

The reality was too hard to accept. He can't be more powerful than me!

But he was, and he wasn't going to let her off easily.

Mozrael stepped back, the immense pressure from Aramith making it difficult for her to breathe.

"How is he this powerful..." She was being reminded once again how distant Aramith had grown.

While she was afraid Aramith would get killed, he knew he could end this quickly.

Elira vomited blood; her organs had taken damage.

And it didn't make any sense.

"What...Artifact are you...using..." She forced out between breaths.

"Artifact?" Aramith asked coolly. "This is all my power. I'm not like you to rely on artifacts."

He applied a little more pressure, and it squeezed her harder.

She screamed again, sounding more like an animal now.

Her mind was breaking from the impossibility.

He was doing it all too effortlessly.

The only way to defeat her as such was if he was at least at the Dark Gate.

He can't be! How could he?

He'd totally overpowered her, and she couldn't even muster any strength.

"Where is the exit?" he asked, reducing the pressure to let her breathe.

He had to wait a few minutes before she'd fully regained her breath.

And when she did, she refused to tell him.

"I'm not kind to enemies," he told her. "If you want to suffer even more, I can help you.

A smaller hand grew from the side and wound itself till it was under Elira.

Aramith turned to Mozrael. His eyes had turned a shade darker, and his expression held no emotion. "You shouldn't look, Mozrael."

Her heart beat faster, and her eyes darted between Elira and Aramith.

Aramith didn't let her reply.

He was commanding her, not asking.

He turned to Elira, and the smaller arm grabbed her leg.

SNAP!

The sound flowed far too clearly.

Elira's scream tore out of her throat like an animal as her body twisted in the shadow's grip, the shattered leg, bending at an angle no living person was ever meant to take.

Her other leg kicked instinctively, scraping uselessly against her suppressor.

Mozrael froze, her hands trembling. This was too brutal. Even with Aramith's warning, she couldn't take her eyes off. Who could do that when the screams were this loud?

Aramith didn't blink.

His arm remained outstretched, fingers loosely curled as if what he held was no heavier than the still air in the room.

The massive hand tightened again, not enough to snap her, but to remind her that it could be done.

"If you don't answer my question," he said quietly, "your other leg follows."

Elira gasped, blood sliding down her chin. Her eyes, which were once playful and confident, now darted wildly in their sockets.

"You're insane…" she choked.

"I asked you something very simple," he replied. "Where is the exit of this place?"

"I—I already told you—"

She won't answer.

He closed his fist a little more.

Crack.

He didn't break her, but was on the verge of doing so.

Blood dripped from where the crack had appeared. This was a warning, and he expected her to understand that.

Elira shrieked again, her throat going hoarse.

Mozrael flinched, her heart hammering wildly. Aramith… this isn't you…But deep within, she felt the truth of him, and that she had to accept it. They were her own thoughts, but felt distant at the same time.

This is exactly who he is.

"You've made a mistake," Elira snarled through the pain, fury flickering in her eyes even now. "Serephene will—"

Aramith stepped closer.

The shadow arm forced her closer, so they were eye to eye.

"Try threatening me with a name again," he said softly, "and you will not leave here alive."

For the first time since this began, Elira went silent, her breath hoarse and heavy.

"You are not in control here," Aramith continued. "You lost that when you pointed a weapon at her."

His eyes flicked, just once, to Mozrael. Her heart twisted painfully in her chest.

"You have ten seconds to decide how much of your body you leave behind," he said calmly, which felt horrifying. "One...where is the exit?"

Elira's jaw clenched.

"Two..."

Afraid, Mozrael whispered, barely audible.

"Aramith..."

He heard her, but didn't acknowledge it.

"Three..."

Elira's breathing turned shallow, panicked now. She had never been afraid like this. Had never felt this small.

The smaller arm grabbed her other leg, preparing to act.

"Alright!" she finally broke. "Alright! I'll tell you!"

His fist stopped closing and it stopped.

"Speak."

She laughed weakly, half-mad. "You're not going to like it"

"I asked for an answer."

"There is no physical exit," she wheezed. "This isn't a normal dimension. The only way out is if you'er a space user."

Aramith's brow furrowed the slightest bit. "A space user..."

"I was only suppposed to hold you in here till Serephene came to find you." Her eyes tilted toward him.

The place became silent the moment she finished.

Mozrael stared at him now, breath caught, a cold chill crawling up her spine.

"You can't leave this place, Aramith," Elira continued, a twisted hint of satisfaction in her broken voice. "That's why Serephene allowed this."

Aramith's expression did not change.

But the arm rippled softly, looking unrestful and angry.

"And if you kill me, she'll know," Elira rasped.

His gaze hardened.

"I don't believe you," he said as the hand lifted her higher.

Mozrael's eyes widened in horror.

"Aramith, wait—!"