The Infinite Bk. 05 Ch. 12

What would it look like if she accepted his proposal? The power of Zodiac combined with the might of the Profane, augmenting all her skills and abilities, launching her to an even higher level. Even without her brother in the equation, it was a chilling thought, darkly seductive. What kind of warrior would she be? What could she accomplish with all that power?

"I... I..." she stammered, not knowing what she was even trying to say.

"Just say yes and all your dreams will come true," Tysinger replied.

Valia looked up at the sky. Welindar was on fire, and the air was filled with smoke, but still, she could see the stars.

'Someone, please, help me.'

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Snarling with every movement, Kaisen rampaged through Welindar, leveling buildings and pulverizing all who got in his path, whether friend or foe. Archers atop buildings were raining arrows upon him, trying to end his destruction, but their efforts accomplished little. The arrows lodged in his astral form without slowing him down or causing pain. Then, all he had to do was roar, and the arrows would be shot back out, mowing down the archers. On the ground, Noah and Lupin were likewise struggling.

Though their blades could damage the apparition and dig deeper than regular swords and arrows, they could not actually wound him. His colossal body was made of compressed mana, so there were no ligaments to sever, veins to cut, or flesh to carve. Noah was using his clone to try and distract Kaisen while he attacked his legs, but it was like slashing at water. Even if his blade cut deep, any opening immediately closed. His bullets had the same effect, causing a splash and ripple, but leaving no lasting damage in the apparition. Lupin was using his whip to try and slash Kaisen's face, but he was fairing no better.

Annoyed by their futile efforts, Kaisen opened his jaws and fired a beam of corrosive mana, like a flood of acid pouring down into the street. Noah and Lupin were forced to flee, while anyone caught in the flow disintegrated. They ducked into an alley, as out in the street, Kaisen continued his rampage.

"Please tell me you have an idea of how to stop this," said Lupin, wincing from a burn on his arm.

"I'm working on one, but I'll need help and time. But mostly, I need--"

"My Lord!"

"Shannon!"

Shannon galloped over, splattered in blood from battling fiends in the street.

"My Lord, what is going on? What is that thing?"

"It's Kaisen, but that's not important right now. Listen, I need you to run to the palace and bring back Nell."

"Are you trying to get her killed?!" Lupin exclaimed.

"It's the only way!" Noah shot back.

"I don't want anyone other than you or Lady Valia on my back, but given the situation, I'll do it."

"Good girl, now go, and give me your bow." Shannon leaned down and kissed Noah, then turned around and galloped towards the castle.

"So what's the plan?" Lupin asked.

"We can't kill Kaisen unless we pierce that body he's created for himself, and regular bows and arrows aren't going to cut it. That's why I'm going to make something that can. While I'm doing that, I need you to keep him distracted. He's powerful and invulnerable in this state, but his size has made him clumsy and slow, probably because he's not fully acclimated to his new power. Keep running, keep his focus on you. Don't bother trying to wound him, just stay alive. Hide if you need to. The more time he spends looking, the better."

"Don't take too long."

Lupin ducked out of the alley and ran towards Kaisen, who was searching for his prey.

"Where are you, prince?! Hiding like a pathetic little mouse! You should be ashamed!" Kaisen boomed.

"I'm down here, you mangey cat!" Lupin shouted, running around Kaisen's legs while slashing him with his whip.

As Lupin drew Kaisen's attention, Noah went to work. First, he prepared a strong ink and began inscribing Shannon's bow, boosting its strength and the penetrating power of its arrows. It was rough work, but it would hopefully get the job done. Next, he went to work preparing an arrow that could pierce all the layers of mana protecting Kaisen. One of his Carthace blades wouldn't work, simply due to size and shape, but he had something from her that would, and he just had to get it ready.

While he busied himself with runecraft, Lupin was running for his life, ducking in and out of buildings with Kaisen smashing through everything in his path like it was nothing.

"Scurry, little mouse! It's all you can do! Fight for every breath, every moment of life! Flee, like the shameful coward you are!"

While he searched for Lupin, Shannon arrived at Noah's position with Nell.

"Excellent timing, well done."

"What do you need me to do?" Nell asked as she slid off Shannon's back.

Noah handed her a freshly inked scroll. "I need you to cast this spell with every drop of mana you have."

"What will it do?"

"The sky is full of smoke and moisture, the perfect conditions for rain. This alchemy spell is going to speed it up. Lupin told me that you've been sanctifying the royal wells to purge corruption; this is the same principle. The rain will be temporarily infused with holy energy and fall on Kaisen, weakening his defenses. Once that's done, Shannon, you'll shoot him with this." He handed her back her bow and a special arrow with a black spike on the end.

"What is that?"

"Carthace's stinger, enchanted to pierce Profane energy. You're a better archer, so I'm trusting you with this. You have to pierce his real body, which is in the head of that massive apparition. We only have one shot, so make it count. You can do it."

"I will," she said shakily.

"Nell, come with me."

He led Nell out into the battlefield just as Lupin was sent skyward by an explosion from Kaisen. "Your Highness!" she fearfully exclaimed.

"I'll help him, you focus on the spell! Molecular Construction! Get in close, but leave yourself room to escape!"

Noah ran off to help Lupin, and Nell kneeled down, laying the scroll before her. She clasped her hands together and murmured a quick prayer to Lumendori, then channeled all of her mana into the scroll. A magic circle appeared around her, turning into a pillar of light that shot up into the smoky sky. Above the city, oxygen and hydrogen gathered with all the existing moisture and condensed into rain. Then, in a great deluge, a concentrated downpour slammed down on Kaisen, with every drop infused with holy energy.

Kaisen's mana body was coming undone and losing shape. Smoke was rising as if he was being burned with acid, and he roared in pain, feeling the holy energy searing him as if it were his own flesh. He screamed and thrashed, shaking the city with every stomp. While he was distracted, Noah pulled Lupin to safety.

"Shannon, take the shot!"

Shannon had her bowstring drawn back and was staring down the arrow shaft, but between Kaisen's thrashing and the enormous black mass surrounding him, finding his real body was impossible.

"I can't! I can't even see what I'm aiming for!"

Behind Kaisen, Nell collapsed, having used every bit of strength she had and now unable to run. The rain stopped, but Kaisen was still racked with pain and fueled by rage. "You sneaky little bastards! Your little tricks and schemes can't kill me! I'm going to bring this whole city down upon your heads! Starting with the castle!"

He turned and began lumbering towards the palace, but his movements were slow and unbalanced. His apparition had not recovered from the holy rain, and was melting like a wax statue beside a bonfire. Still, he pressed on. Left in his wake, Noah forced Lupin to drink a healing potion and gave him a wake-up slap.

"Nell is over there. The two of you look after each other."

"What about you?" Lupin asked woozily.

"I'm going to finish this. Shannon, let's go!"

Shannon rushed over, and he climbed onto her back. She took off, galloping back to the castle. She overtook Kaisen, but with little time to spare. As the behemoth approached the palace, Noah directed Shannon inside, holding onto her as she raced up several flights of stairs.

They reached the terrace as Kaisen arrived at the castle. His mana form was coming apart and losing its shape. By now, he looked more like a slime than a lion, barely able to maintain the head and forelegs with the rest now an amorphous blob. Regardless, he heaved himself up the side of the castle, trying to reach the highest point. Noah and Shannon stared him down, and he snarled in fury.

"Wandering Spirit! You bastard! I'll kill you!" he roared through a mouth that could no longer form teeth.

"My Lord, I still can't see him. There is too much mass in the way," Shannon said, looking down the arrow shaft again.

"Leave that to me," he said as he climbed off her back.

Noah stood atop the edge of the terrace and held out his hands, forming an illusory minigun. He had never conjured something with such firepower, but if there was ever a time, it was now. He pulled the trigger and unleashed a hellish onslaught of bullets, blasting the head of Kaisen's apparition. Already deforming, the monstrosity splashed and rippled as the bullets chipped away at the layers of mana.

Every shot took a chunk of Noah's strength, and he was firing 6000 rounds a minute. Before Kisara Island, such a thing would have been impossible, and even now, he struggled to keep up. His mana was draining fast, and it wouldn't be long until he had to pay the price in blood. Still, he kept firing, carving away at Kaisen's apparition, each second bringing him closer to destruction.

Kaisen snarled and raised one of his arms, trying to crush Noah, but he, too, felt his strength failing. Finally, Shannon could see his silhouette in the center of the melting head. Noah had peeled back his defenses enough for a clean shot. "For my tribe," she whispered before releasing the arrow. Her aim was true, and the arrow pierced the mana shroud, courtesy of Carthace's stinger, before striking Kaisen in the heart. Upon hitting its target, a payload of acid was released, and an explosive charge detonated, ripping Kaisen apart.

The apparition halted its movement, the melting arm stopping before it could crush Noah and Shannon, and the giant mass slid down the side of the castle like a lump of tar. It was over, or so they thought. Instead of disappearing, the apparition reformed into a giant sphere, inflating like a balloon, with Kaisen's voice echoing across the city.

"You think you've beaten me, but though you've destroyed my body, my will remains, forever unbroken! I will live on, and Uther will know my wrath! This is the beginning of the end!"

Then the orb exploded, shrouding Welindar in darkness.

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