Tale of Eldramir

The spiritual high of growing stronger, as minor as the increase in power might be, tended to disorientate the mind, and often caused a person to take actions that they usually would not have. So, when Ezekiel’s fist impacted on Wolken’s arm, held up and across his body to block, the first thing that went through the Void Hunter’s mind was regret.

‘I did not think this through.’

A moment later, his entire body passed through several trees as he was blasted backward by a horizontal twister. His [Domain] meant that the force was nearly halved, but that just meant that he wasn’t thrown more than a hundred meters back before landing on the ground.

Wolken’s arm, previously held up to block Ezekiel, was now extended out to the side. The mere swing of his arm had been enough to throw Ezekiel dozens of meters back through the forest.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood and staggered into a standing position once more. His mana flowed through his body freely, reinforcing and enhancing his natural healing. Bones snapped into place via his telekinesis, and in just a few seconds, his body was only bruised with a few small scrapes that were previously large cuts.

“Are you clear headed now?” Wolken called from his starting position.

A flare of warning blared through “Ezekiel’s mind. He leapt to the side, the sudden vibration of the air where he was standing shattered the ground. If not for his enhanced senses due to his [Domain] he would not have noticed the mana that Wolken had channeled through his voice.

“Good!” Suddenly, Wolken moved, and was right in front of Ezekiel with his fist reared back.

His punch hit nothing, and the force of the blow threw a gale force wind that ripped up the ground and the trees with it. A large swath of land was now nothing more than upturned earth and broken wood.

A moment later, Wolken stumbled as the gray tinted wind that surrounded him shifted. However, the punch thrown by Ezekiel, from half a kilometer away, was not enough to break through the Exalt's elemental armor. Let alone the enchanted armor that he was wearing.

It was more like a rough pat on the back than an attack that warped space to strike down his enemies. Worse yet, the attack gave away his position.

Wolken swung an arm, and another wave of wind ripped up the area where Ezekiel’s shot had come from. But nothing happened. He had disappeared, and Wolken spun around trying to find him.

“Interesting,” Wolken muttered, this time he didn’t infuse his voice with mana, “you’ve managed to improve your stealth capabilities by combining them with your [Domain]. Not even the wind can feel your presence right now.”

From only a dozen meters away, Ezekiel crept closer and closer, intent on landing at least one direct blow to his opponent. He could tell that Wolken wouldn’t bother wasting mana to attack in random directions. The man was far too smart to do that. Especially when he knew that Ezekiel was skilled enough to dodge.

“I’ll just attack everywhere!” Wolken yelled and threw his arms to the side.

A small orb of wind condensed around the Exalt’s body. Seconds later it shrank inward, only to explode outward in all directions at once. The force cratered the ground and ripped up everything that wasn’t bedrock.

Beneath his [Shroud] Ezekiel’s eyes widened, and he found himself [Slinging] backwards to escape the sphere of wind that spread out in all directions. It wasn’t enough, and he found himself caught up in the mana rich maelstrom that Wolken had created.

His [Shroud] was shredded, and he was covered in cuts as the reinforced winds and debris whipped by him. Tears formed on his armor, and he could feel the protective enchantments fading away. He reflexively [Enhanced] his body’s natural toughness.

The vague realization that his position was revealed once more passed through his mind, but he was somewhat distracted, and failed to recover fast enough.

“There you are!” The Exalt charged directly at Ezekiel, who was still tumbling through the air.

His senses were somewhat twisted, as Wolken had nearly broken his [Domain] with that last spell. The feedback from so much foreign mana assaulting him was also disorientating. So much so, that he knew that [Jumping] in this instance would be a bad idea.

However, his danger sense flared up in warning, so he knew he had to do something.

‘Dammit! This’ll have to be enough,’ Ezekiel cursed as he threw a massive chunk of his mana into [Empowering] and [Reinforcing] his body, along with [Redirecting] the force that was being aimed at him.

His movements stopped as all external forces, including acceleration ceased to affect him. But only for a moment, before Wolken’s punch hit him in the gut.

Most of the force was redirected outward, from the cocky smirk he saw on Wolken’s face, he knew that it was not enough. It also wasn’t anywhere near as much power as Wolken could bring to bear. Even if direct melee combat wasn’t Wolken’s specialty.

The sheer pressure from the impact folded him in half, and his [Empowerment] spell, supported by his [Domain], faltered. For a second, time seemed to slow down for the reeling Void Hunter. His limbs flung forward, and the contents of his stomach were expelled.

‘Crack!’

Then the sound barrier broke as he went flying. If it wasn’t for his overcharged [Reinforcement], he had no doubt that Wolken’s punch would’ve torn him in half. Instead, he simply crashed into a mountain several kilometers away. More than a few of his bones were broken, and he could tell that he was bleeding internally. Not enough to keep him from moving and fighting. But enough to be debilitating.

“There goes that option...” Ezekiel muttered as he pulled himself out of his newly formed crater.

Taking the minor reprieve for what it was, Ezekiel took several of his daggers out of his Void Pouch. Along with one of the spare blades he kept for Shine in the even their current blade broke.

A sense of inquiry passed through his bond with Shine, but he waved it off with a reassurance that everything was fine. It wasn’t even a lie, not as far as he was concerned. He’d been through far worse than this, after all.

A sudden pressure that pressed down on his [Domain] made Ezekiel throw himself to the side. But rather than avoid the incoming Wolken, he formed several [Void Panes] that he threw at the Exalt while infusing [Nothingness], [Empowerment], and [Void Slash] into the spell.

Wolken slammed into the ground, greatly expanding the crater Ezekiel had just exited. Since they weren’t [Shrouded], he could sense the constructs that Ezekiel had launched at him, alongside the specially enchanted daggers. But rather than dodge, he reinforced his wind armor, intent on blocking the attack directly.

As a shield of wind formed between him and Ezekiel, his eyes widened in shock as Ezekiel’s spell cut through his first few layers of defense with ease. Followed by his daggers disappearing and reappearing on the other side of the shield.

The following [Void Panes] then shifted to follow directly behind the first. Ezekiel had made use of the opening his first construct had created, and now half a dozen more broke through.

For the first time since the fight had begun, Wolken was forced to dodge. Yet that still wasn’t enough to avoid everything. The shock of his defensive barriers being cut through was surprising enough that he was too slow to avoid them all. Three large gashes appeared on his body. One on his side, one on his arm, and one on his leg.

The daggers that came late also [Jumped], but this time to the side. A small connection maintained between these daggers and Ezekiel allowed him control the direction they moved in.

They only managed to give Wolken a couple of nicks and scrapes. Nothing compared to the minor damage caused by his [Void Panes]

Rather than become more defensive, however, Wolken just began laughing.

“Yes! That’s it, Ezekiel! You’re so close to breaking through that I can basically guarantee that it will happen.” Wolken’s laughter filled the air alongside his mana.

Ezekiel found himself flinching with every guffaw that Wolken let out. The shockwaves were like a hammer alongside his head. He could tell that Wolken was about to increase his power.

Channeling his mana into a thinly compressed layer around his body, Ezekiel prepared for evasive maneuvers. From how his danger sense was screaming, he knew that he wouldn’t be getting another opening anytime soon.

A second after he increased his defenses and readied his evasion, a tornado formed around Wolken. One that had several twisting tendrils reaching out from it like whips.

“Ezekiel! I give you this one warning,” Wolken said in a quieter voice than before, yet Ezekiel still heard him without issue, even over the howling tempest that was forming around them both. “Dodge!”

The sky immediately lashed out at Ezekiel, and it took all that he had to just keep moving. Swinging his sword to sever the wind whenever it got too close.

----------

Off in the distance, well away from the battle taking place, several makeshift stands and platforms had been created by the Hunters and Mages that were watching the fight between Ezekiel and Wolken.

The towering pillar of twisting wind and reaching tendrils was causing a draft to pass through the assembled army, even as far away as they were. Many of them had also been forced to hold their ears in pain when the shockwaves from the battle had passed over them.

Exclamations of appreciation and awe were made by those that were watching. Most of whom were Legendary themselves. Adepts and below found themselves unable to keep up with most of what was happening and had to accept only being able to see the aftermath of several explosions and overpowering impacts that would’ve turned any one of them into nothing more than crimson mist.

“I had no idea that the young Vice-Leader was this powerful. Most of his battles were away from the center of the fighting, so I never got to see him going all out before.” One Legendary with glowing gold eyes said as he held his chin while focusing on the fight. “Why has he not fought like this before? From what I had heard, he was having quite a bit of difficulty taking on multiple opponents back at Sanafalls.”

Riley, who was standing nearby, remained silent as she held a comforting hand on Wendy’s shoulder. The question had not been directly aimed at either of them, but only they would’ve been able to answer it correctly.

Wendy looked away from the fight for a moment to gaze at Riley. Eyebrows raised in curiosity.

“... It has to do with his [Understanding] of the Void. Much like my power comes from my [Understand] of Flame. The fact that he can now form a [Domain] that will supplement his power, means that his spells are more powerful, but cost less to cast.” Riley didn’t raise her voice, and directed her response to Wendy, but from the reactions of several nearby Hunters and Mages, it was obvious that other people heard her. “This is why, when your soul is powerful enough, you need to begin studying and comprehending the secrets of your element. The fact that you have that [Mantle of Darkness] spell, and records from the Shroud family, means that you have a leg up already.”

Wendy turned back to the battle, her expression dropped in concern, but a hungering desire flickered in her eyes that wasn’t there before. One that was mirrored in the eyes of Kare, who was roosted on her shoulder once more.

The massive multi-limbed tornado began lashing out at a much faster pace. A small figure that flickered in and out of existence began flitting about as it avoided the increased attacks.

Every now and then, one of the tendrils would disappear. Cut in half by an unseen force, only to reform a moment later as the wind gathered once more.

“Will Ezekiel be, okay?” she asked with a small quiver in her voice. “He’s taken a bunch of hits... I think...”

She wasn’t strong enough to truly make out what was happening in the battle. But from how it was clear that a figure was constantly being launched away from Wolken whenever there was a large pulse of power, it was safe to assume that it was Ezekiel that had gotten hit.

Though, the fact that Wolken was slowly getting more and more covered in cuts and flinched from something hitting him from time to time, gave some hope, to those watching, that Ezekiel was holding his own.

Riley sighed, “He’s not doing terribly. Especially when you consider the fact that almost all Adepts, and most Legendaries, can’t even move in the presence of a Mythical being that doesn’t want them to. Even if you take into consideration that Wolken is holding back quite a bit.”

The Hunters around the two glanced over at Riley again. This time in shock. But she remained silent while watching the fight. Her hand clenched around Wendy’s shoulder, but not enough to hurt her.

The two stayed silent as the Hunters around them focused on the fight once more. Their faces were mostly calm; however, both their hands trembled every time Ezekiel took a hit.

----------

Ezekiel was exhausted as he gazed across a small canyon that had formed between him and Wolken. He was inside yet another crater, while Wolken floated in the air high above.

His mana was running low, and his body was running on fumes. The energy that it took to heal from most of his wounds was creating massive amounts of fatigue to build up.

Raspy gasps of air were the best he could do as he tried to breath in the stormy winds that had nearly subsumed his [Domain].

Shattered remains of several Artifacts that he had painstakingly crafted laid spread out around him. A small number, when compared to his full arsenal, but a painful reminder of how expensive this match had been for him.

His clothes were nothing more than barely held together rags. The enchanted armor he’d been wearing was shattered, and the only protection he had was from the thin barriers that he had surrounded himself with. Yet even that was flickering from the lack of mana he was able to power it with.

“It seems like you’re almost done,” Wolken said with a calm and neutral tone. “This battle was fun. A wonderful break from the tedium of politics and leadership.”

The sky trembled as Wolken channeled his mana, still brimming with power that showcased how little the fight, and the damage Ezekiel had done, affected him.

Ezekiel straightened his back as he faced Wolken’s newest spell. The Tempest that had surrounded Wolken compressed itself into the form of a massive hammer. It showed no weaknesses in its form. The solid pressure that was built up inside it was enough to make Ezekiel feel heavy, even though he was nearly a kilometer below it.

His legs shook as he strained under the massive weight. For a moment, he felt like the world itself was sitting on his shoulders. It was infused with Wolken’s [Will], and Ezekiel could tell that this was still not his full power.

If he wanted to, Wolken could’ve ended this at any point.

‘If he wanted to, he could’ve leveled this entire geographical region, and scoured the land with a relentless maelstrom.’ Ezekiel grimaced as he forced himself to stare at the Exalt flying above him.

“Here is my final blow. I know it’s a bit much, but I feel like you deserve this much respect.” Wolken raised a hand, grasping the construct physically, and swung down. “Now, focus on your magic, on yourself, and tell me what you found when you wake up.”

“... I feel like this is overkill...” was all he could say before he was slammed into the ground. The feeble defense that he had raised did little in the face of the overwhelming might that struck him down.

Consciousness left him in an instant, and the world turned black as he passed out.

----------

The first thing Ezekiel noticed was that he was alone.

The second thing he noticed was that he was surrounded by stars that looked very familiar.

“... The Milky Way?” His voice came out in a whisper filled with longing as he felt his chest tighten up. He had long since accepted that he was never going back to Earth again, but it seemed that, in this near-death experience, he couldn’t help but long for the first home his soul had ever known.

But mixed in with the longing, was a sense of confusion. Why was it the Milky Way, a sight that he couldn’t even see from the cities on Earth, that he thought of now.

While he pondered this sight, the stars began to move.

“No,” he said. “I am the one who’s moving.”

His perspective shifted, and he realized that this was yet another memory that he had forgotten. Sped up so as to not take over ten thousand years.

Space warped, and he felt his connection to the Void become stronger. It wasn't a significant change, but it was still noticeable. Yet, the thing he felt most strongly was a pull that came from behind him. He couldn’t turn, but he could tell that Earth didn’t want to give him up.

It was as if the planet itself hadn’t wanted to see his soul be taken away.

Caught between two massive forces. One that had traveled the cosmos, and the other, which had given birth to his soul, and nourished it for twenty years. Then, he felt something inside of himself snap as the distance between his soul and his previous home grew too great. The connection between himself and Earth was gone. Now, a disorientating sense of loss, and emptiness was all that remained.

Like a bolt of lightning, a thought struck Ezekiel. One that he hadn’t considered. Not since he was still struggling to deal with his new life as an infant over twenty years ago.

“Is that it? Is that what I am?” he called out into the Void that surrounded him. “You brought me here! Am I not welcome? Am I not a child of Eldramir?”

By this point, he had fallen into somewhat of a stupor. Screaming his heart out as his emotions ran wild. He knew it was pointless. He knew that nothing would hear him. That nothing would respond.

Until something did.

Ezekiel found his vision filled with a new world. One he could vaguely recall from another instance where his memory had been stimulated.

“Eldramir...”

His soul floated in the Void, just outside the barrier that he could barely perceive which surrounded the planet. He was trapped. Adrift among the stars. Unable to live or relate to anything, or anyone, else ever again.

“Hello, Ezekiel,” the voice he barely remembered from the time’s he’d been addressed by the Ancient Void. “Welcome to my world. A life of greatness awaits you. So long as you do not fail to grasp it. Now, enter, and fulfill your promise.”

The next moment, Ezekiel saw a circle of light form in front of him, and a connection not unlike the one from Earth formed. Like a welcoming embrace, he was pulled forward, and his soul felt as though it was doused in cold water.

This shift in sensation nearly made him lose focus, but he held on. But as he moved further and further into the world, he felt the connection between himself and Eldramir solidify. Alongside what felt like a binding on his soul. Tied to the promise he had made to save the world.

The feeling of welcome remained, but now, Ezekiel could tell that it was also conditional.

“So... I’m still an outsider. One that is bound to his word.”

Silence was the only thing that answered him. But even so, the quiet left him feeling cold and empty. He didn’t give in. The reminder of his promise. His purpose in this world was nothing new. But the fact that Eldramir was so cold to him when he was doing so much for it was hurtful.

The fact that his welcome was entirely conditional was even worse.

A memory pinged at the back of his mind. From when he was still a child living in Harkem.

“Is that why they went insane?” Ezekiel asked. “Did some of the souls you brought here, before you found me, forsake the deal they made with you?”

He couldn’t know for certain, but he knew that there must’ve been another catch of some sort. If there wasn’t, then there was no way that Drake could have made a deal and become one of the first Broodlords. Like the Spirit in the Ancient Legacy has told him.

“I’ll keep my promise to you. But I’ll be sure to take my well-earned dues when my welcome runs out.” He felt a pressure on his soul. Just as great and all-encompassing as the pressure left in the memories of the Ancient Void that remained int eh Ancient Legacy.

He knew that, if he wasn’t at the peak of Legendary, with one foot in the Mythic Tier, his soul would’ve shattered. A presence far beyond his own was watching him, and it was not pleased.

“You brought me here to live and save the world! This life, and this power, are things that I earned, through my own actions! You have no right to take them away from me!”

A pulse of energy filled him, and he felt a ‘click’ in the back of his mind.

“I am not just some outsider that exists to be used by you, or anyone else!” he screamed into the Void. “I am a wanderer! A Pathfinder! One whose story has yet to end!”

With that declaration, Ezekiel felt something inside him snap. And his vision of Eldramir faded away. A sensation like he was rising into the air overcame him.

He woke up. With only the vaguest recollection of what he had just experienced.

----------

When Ezekiel returned to consciousness, half buried under a pile of rubble and trees, the first thing he heard was the voice of his Spirit. He knew that he was having trouble remembering something, but given his current headache, he figured that that was to be expected.

‘Ezekiel! Are you okay!?’ Shine’s frantic voice traveled through their bond and filled Ezekiel with a foreign sense of panic and concern. ‘Hold on! I’ll be right there!’

‘Wait! Don’t-’ But Ezekiel’s words were too late. Shine had [Jumped] to his position by locking onto him via their bond.

Wolken appeared a second later. Shine floated between him and Ezekiel. The Exalt raised an eyebrow at the defensive Spirit.

“You didn’t tell them?” The man asked Ezekiel. Who was now crawling out of the rubble he was partially buried under.

“I wanted them to rest. They did the brunt of the work when finding my fifth Chakra.” Ezekiel grabbed Shine and pulled himself up. He leaned on his Spirit for support, even as he slowly forced his body back together.

‘What are you talking about?’ Shine’s confusion was evident as they let their emotions flow freely through their bond. ‘Why are you fighting with Wolken?’

Ezekiel didn’t respond with words. Instead, he just sent his memories of the events that had occurred through his bond with his Spirit. It took a few seconds for them to process the information. But when they did, they [Jumped] out of Ezekiel’s grasp and let him fall to the ground.

‘Stupid! Even if you weren’t going to include me, you should’ve at least told me what you were going to do!’ Shine gave Ezekiel a rough slap to his back. ‘I woke up and you were in pain! What was this even for? You know you’re no match for a Mythical Hunter!’

‘I’m sorry... I knew in my head that I wasn’t strong enough, but I still wanted to test myself. I should’ve told you, but I trusted Wolken to not hurt me too badly.’ Ezekiel’s remorse flooded his soul as he apologized, significantly calming Shine down. “I think that’s enough, unfortunately...”

Wolken just grunted in what Ezekiel could tell was frustration.

“Just when it was getting good,” he muttered before turning back to the camp that was in the distance. A wave of his hand brought Ezekiel and Shine into the air, and the two Hunters and one Void Spirit flew back with a gust of wind.

Ezekiel found himself unceremoniously dropped off at the healer’s tent. Where he was quickly set upon by Riley and his sister.