The Amber Sword

Back in the Black Forest, Mephisto’s power was far from what it is today. He could barely hold his ground in front of Andersha back then.

However, after his fight with Andersa, he had a deeper understanding of his Elemental Power: World of Ashes. He broke through the peak of Elemental Activation and entered the ultimate level.

In the history known only to Brendel, the genius Sword Saint would not reach that level until about five years later. If he progresses at this pace, he should be able to reach the Sage Realm during the Glorious Era.

The Five Elemental Realms.

Elemental Activation, Elemental Enlightenment, Peak of Laws, Ultimate Realm, Sage Realm.

After Awakening, the Planeswalkers who transcended the Five Elemental Realms, will be in the ‘Final Realm’ mentioned by Marsha. Since the beginning, this code was listed down on the Laws of Worlds and Magics ‘Tiamat’.

The first realm, Juvisto’s Truth. It was only until one broke through this obstacle that they could enter the Elemental Activation phase.

The second realm, Olivia’s White Tower. It was said that the White Tower supported Vaunte’s Laws. It was the beginning of all the Laws that ever existed and ended. The center where all the Laws revolve around. It recorded all the Laws Marsha wrote on it and was the place Planeswalkers climb in their search for the truth.

Like a guide leading a child, it was known as the realm of Elemental Enlightenment.

The third realm, Yuktra’s Mountain, also known as the Spiral Peak. Legend has it that all the Laws that ever existed came from here. It was placed exactly on top of the White Tower, coexisting with the White Tower. Known to be a murky place, it was Marsha’s hometown. It was here that Chaos merged with Order, where the dark coexisted with the light. Littered around the place were the fragments of worlds that ever was, and planted in the soil was Vaunte, as well as its past, present, and future.

Grasping the Laws, one would enter the Ultimate Realm.

The fourth realm, the final world, the Residence of the Gods.

It was the beginning where Marsha created the world. But all that remained was a bleak white plain full of the Primordial Energies and Elements. Up in the skies were a sea of Mana so wide, so deep and flows in one direction, along with all of time and space and energy.

The lowest level fo Vaunte’s world, also known as Vaunte’s Shadow.

Finally, the fifth realm, the lake of beginning. The birthplace of everything. Legends had it that this place had close ties with Goddess Elaine of Abyss Lake. A place that held the answers to all the questions, even if it was about the future. Only by arriving here that mortals relieve their mortal selves and become immortals, entering the true Sage Realm.

Of course, there was no need to enter these realms. As one’s power grew, they could envision such a place, just like how Brendel touching the invisible Elemental Barrier. It may be unseen to others, but in his mind, that wall did exist.

Back when he fought with Andersha, he began to understand the meaning behind the third realm, the Spiral Peak and was about to break through to the Ultimate Realm.

The ultimate meaning behind his Elemental Power, Ash.

And now he was standing there, the huge sword strapped to his back yet to be unsheathed. Before he were two high ranked Bishops, two Paladins and Archbishop Moros who was smiling silently, trapped in his Elemental Power, World of Ashes. Here, there was no distinction, no opposites. No dark and light, no such thing as existence nor extinction. Everything was traversing between two polar opposites.

And there was no such thing as offense or defense here.

In his boundary, the dead and the living were meaningless and meaningful at the same time. Moros felt fear. Standing before Mephisto, he could imagine the Grey Sword Saint turning him to ash with just a look.

Moros’s face twisted, “The Ultimate Realm?”

“Moros, I believe you know why I am here,” Mephisto asked.

“I know where you were when my country was being destroyed.”

It was that sentence. The sentence that made Moros want to kill that man.

“Mephisto, you still have a chance to change your mind,” he ordered while gesturing to his subordinate.

The Paladin received the order and struck Mephisto. The Grey Sword Saint did not defend, but allowed the blade to cut into him.

“Your wits are not going to save you from your doom today!” said Moros.

But all of a sudden, Rokshbe hall that was still in front of them suddenly disappeared. In fact, the whole world blanked out before them. Mephisto stood in the center of that circle, and the Paladin’s blade seemed to cut at nothing. In fact, it felt like cutting through paper or a phantom.

Oddly enough, the ‘phantom’ spoke, “Aidenrant, the Wind Paladin. Your reputation transcends you.” And he drew an arc with his sword. It looked so surreal, but the sound of a blade cutting rang, and an arm flew across the air.

Blood spurted and the Paladin screamed awfully, while using his other arm to shield himself. Azure colored lines drew around his body, weaving a large shield protecting himself.

The wind shield was soft but hard like steel. Yet, it was not enough to save his life. With another slice, his shield crumbled like sand.

“If time did not flow, nor will the wind move.”

He then stabbed the Paladin. Before two thirds of the sword embedded itself in his body, the tip had already appeared from the back of his body. Aidenrant was like a struggling lobster. He began to froth and then his body went limp. He was dead.

A Paladin in the Elemental Realm was killed with one hit. Everyone, besides Brendel, gasped.

“Now’s the time!!” Moros shouted suddenly. “I bear the Holy Commandment with me! In the name of Diphis, the King of Blaze, I shall use this power to cleanse all sins!” said Moros.

He pointed forward and the temperature in the hall began to rise. The floorboards began to crack open, puddles of water turned to steam. The ground shook, and golden light seeped out of the crevices on the ground. The pillars crumbled into the abyss and golden magma began to leak out.

In an instant, the hall turned into a scene out of hell.

“The Commandment Flame!”

Brendel and the Grey Sword Saint cursed silently at the same time. One of them had experienced two lives while the other had been fighting against the Kirrlutz people and the Holy Cathedral of Fire for years. It was natural for them to understand the Divine Art Moros just cast was a tier ten spell, the Commandment Flame.

Anderla Cathedral was destroyed after the spell was cast. Shit!

But it was not the time to do so, he thought as he dragged Gryphine and Maynild away. Seeing as the cracks spread across the tiles, engulfing everything into the magma underneath and turning them to dust.

Brendel was lucky to have responded quickly, but the nobles on the other side were not that fortunate. Most of them fell into the fiery magma, screaming awfully as they melted away.

The Highland Wizard, Ciel, immediately put up a defense spell to protect the people around him. However, it did not stop it from inching closer. Sooner or later, they were gonna be fried like the others-

“Ciel!” Brendel shouted, “Destroy the Anderla Cathedral!”

“What?” Ciel stunned and said, “My lord, are you sure? The Anderla Cathedral is a priceless treasure. It had been built by masters for a few centuries, it’s invaluable to Aouine!”

“Mr Brendel, you can’t do that!” Princess Gryphine rebuked angrily.

“Shut up! Just do it!” said Brendel. At this point of time, even if we don’t destroy, Moros will. We will be killed by him if we don’t do that. Brendel thought.

“Yes, sir,” Ciel replied.

Ciel turned serious. Looking at the dome of the Holy Cathedral, Ciel raised his hand and said, “Law of Destruction, War Dragon Tiama’s Special Authority, Dragon Strike!”

A ball of light appeared in his palms and it extended up to the Rokhshe Hall’s dome, connecting from Ciel’s palm to the dark clouds above.

The next moment.

The flow of time slowed down. Space shrank by a ridiculous degree in his palms, coagulating to a tiny particle before it expanding instantaneously as a ball of white light-

Then came a powerful shockwave.

Those who were not affected by the fiery magma raised their head subconsciously. The dome of the cathedral was gone. Every bit of stone, wood, tile, glass, and crystal blew apart and the entire structure collapsed.

“Boom!”

People from miles apart witnessed the explosion and were stunned.

The Cathedral had turned into a roofless mess. Everyone looked at Brendel, shocked at the outcome of his decisions.

“Brendel, you …” Princess Gryphine nipped her lip and was about to faint.

Brendel held his forehead and said, “Ciel, I was asking you to destroy Rokshbe Hall, not the whole building of Anderla Cathedral…”

“But you said to destroy it just now, my lord,” said an innocent Ciel.

“It’s all a misunderstanding,” said Brendel and looked at Princess Gryphine.

But she just stayed silent in rage.

Anderla Cathedral was built over the King Erik’s palace in the past and was an important cultural heritage to all of Aouine.

“It’s okay, the other half is still there,” said Ciel optimistically. But then a thunderous boom rang out, and melted pillar gushed out, as well as magma from the spell. In just a blink of an eye, Anderla Cathedral turned into a sea of flames.

The ground shook. It seems like the tier ten spell is still active and is ready to engulf the area around the cathedral Brendel thought as he yelled, “Quick! Leave this place!”

But there was no need to order them. Everyone scattered away in a hurry.

“Wait, how about that man?” Dilferi asked.

Brendel looked at the flames. The flames had already engulfed Moros and the Grey Sword Saint’s silhouette. But he shook his head, “Don’t worry. Moros will not be his opponent. We should be the ones worrying…”

“We?”

Brendel nodded his head seriously.