The Inner Odyssey-Chapter 159: Price

As was often the case in such intense battles, time slowed to a crawl.

Alden sensed his surroundings slowly fade as his mind spun furiously, trying to figure a way out of his current predicament. He was quite confident he could escape the metaphorical noose that Varnel and Caelum had placed around his neck.

The only question was...

’What price will I have to pay?’

Alden knew that it was foolish to assume he could emerge unscathed, especially after his momentary slip up. And although it wasn’t exactly his fault that he had lost concentration - it was more of an unintended consequence of Morrigan’s Art than anything else -, the fact remained that he couldn’t just shrug off Caelum and Varnel’s attacks.

He wasn’t that strong.

A pity.

The Keeper’s Apprentice gritted his teeth, before exhaling slowly and removing any distractions from his mind. In this state of extreme focus, Alden was able to track the speed demon’s blistering frame.

Varnel wore an impassive expression, no hint of emotion on his cold, indifferent, and weathered face.

...Only intense concentration, and a desire to hit his mark.

To his left, Alden sensed a strange energy surrounding Caelum which pulsed and writhed, as if it couldn’t wait to devour him. Space seemed to fluctuate around the illusionist.

For a heart-stopping moment, Alden thought it would tear. However, much to his relief, it seemed the green-robed youth couldn’t achieve such a feat yet.

’...That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t help me out of this situation.’

Alden cursed, his mind whirring even faster.

His temple throbbed.

His sole eye darted across the arena, hoping to find some way to avoid the impending doom. Unfortunately for Alden, he found no such method.

And by the time he came to that realisation, Caelum and Varnel were already upon him.

***

The crowd observed the enthralling bout with bated breath.

At the start of the duel, it seemed like the Keeper’s Apprentice had constantly been on the back foot. To those who were perceptive enough, however, they would have noticed the slightly glassy expression on his face, which explained why he had been so passive.

In their eyes, it was impressive enough that he managed to endure the intense assault of two insidious foes hellbent on defeating him, all the while also enduring a mental attack, let alone breaking out of it and fighting back.

Would such an impressive youth really lose?

And so easily, at that?

A tense silence gripped the Theatre of War, clinging to every spectator like a haunting spectre. It was thick, suffocating; as if a massive blanket of anxiety had descended on all those present.

Some twitched, others fidgeted nervously, while most held their breath.

...They couldn’t help but be restless.

And soon, it was time for his reckoning.

Had the Keeper’s Apprentice bitten off more than he could chew, or did he have what it took to back up his words?

There was only one way to find out.

Down below, the illusionist and speed demon slammed into their foe.

A cloud of fine dust kicked up, veiling them from view. It was only for a brief moment, but that was enough to test the crowd’s nerves.

Once the shroud of dirt faded, the spectators gasped.

The mundane stood up, while those who had ascended wore grim expressions, sighting the Keeper’s Apprentice’s damaged figure. As crimson lifeblood dripped onto the well-worn earth below, he stood there, right arm coated in a stygian energy, which everyone now knew was his fabled decay.

That abyssal energy seethed, fighting its own battle against Varnel’s purple lightning. The two energies flashed, as if they were part of a Festival display. Peering closer, the crowd noticed that the Keeper’s Apprentice had blocked the speed demon’s hand destined for his stomach.

That wasn’t what shocked them, though.

...It was the price he had to pay that caused their insides to squirm.

The left side of the Keeper’s Apprentice’s dark crimson tunic and sleeveless black mantle were shredded and torn beyond repair. Consequently, that also meant the white-haired young man’s left side also did not remain unharmed.

A large, gruesome wound dominated its expanse, seeping an alarming level of blood.

Suddenly, the gazes of the Paladins and experienced warriors in the crowd narrowed.

The Keeper’s Apprentice’s frame slackened imperceptibly, while his slightly strained expression turned glassy once again.

Caelum had attempted another mental attack!

However, unlike the previous time, the white-haired young man promptly escaped the mental trap. And before any of the spectators could react, eight abyssal tentacles burst out of his back, racing towards Varnel.

At first, the appendages seemed relatively harmless.

That was... before the tips of the tentacles sharpened and an alarming abyssal flame flickered across its dark swathe. A purple bolt of concentrated lightning collided with several of them, but to the crowd’s surprise, instead of growing weaker, the abyssal tentacles wreathed in stygian fire grew stronger after consuming the purple bolt.

Just then, Varnel’s expression changed.

The spectators witnessed him erect multiple [Shields], their outline quickly turning transparent as the dark appendages devoured them like an insatiable beast.

Varnel scrambled.

The crowd observed the Keeper’s Apprentice press his sudden advantage with tense anticipation. The abyssal-black tentacles raced towards the speed demon, who abruptly disappeared from his spot in a bright, purple flash.

...Just before the tentacles smothered him in their horrifying embrace.

Those who cheered for the purple-robed youth breathed a silent sigh of relief. However, their relief was short lived. In the next moment, Varnel materialised, and an audible hiss resounded within the Theatre of War as the crowd took notice of the speed demon’s sleeves, or the lack thereof.

That was not all.

Varnel’s expression seemed shaken, as if what he had experienced was more of a close call than anyone could have possibly imagined.

Just how powerful was this white-haired young man’s decay?

The Keeper’s Apprentice did not stop there.

He shifted his attention towards Caelum...

And suddenly, all those who supported the illusionist began to sweat.