Chapter 30 - Bow Down to the Neon God! - The Unforgettables: A ZeroYear litRPG (end of 1st volume)

  Before Adarian had a chance to rise, Frank leaped over him, delivering a powerful blow that was utterly mitigated by Adarian's potent energy dome. The aura seemed to crack under Frank's brutal onslaught—powerful enough to cleave mountains in half—but it survived, still offering some protection. Frank fell back to the ground upon the monolithic vein, circling Adarian and delivering another precise lateral blow as fast as he could, this time completely shattering the remaining aura around his foe but still without reaching him.

  Immediately after perceiving his protection being breached, an aware Adarian, still on his knees but slightly faster than Frank, raised another energy aura with a subtle hand gesture and calmly stood up, taking the time and tranquility to brush the snow and dust from his already heavily injured body. He pressed his hands together, forming a triangle with his fingers while closing his eyes and concentrating. Frank and Petra felt a static energy rising in the environment. Adarian smiled, secure within his protective halo, saying, "So, are you tired? Is that all you have to show me?"

  Frank realized Adarian was buying time to recover his energy despite his powers being almost imperceptible to any senses. Frank concentrated on delivering powerful blows as quickly as possible with his weapon, maintaining simplicity to achieve a paired cadence. The moment a blow managed to break Adarian's energy aura, Frank spun his body, using the momentum of the first blow to deliver another accurate strike. However, Adarian was attentive, and as soon as his aura fell, he raised another to replace it, canceling the second blow and demonstrating that unless Frank could be faster, he wouldn't get an opening in his defenses alone, no matter how strong his blows were.

  Petra perceived Adarian's defensive strategy and tried to hit him from behind with her Flexoclava; however, the protective aura enveloped him completely. There were no weak points on his back, and Petra's strength wasn't enough for her to penetrate her opponent's defenses. Adarian didn't attack but concentrated on restoring his energy and used a technology device on his waist to heal some of his injuries. After the attack attempts slowed down, Adarian renewed his protective aura even before it was broken by Frank while saying in a threatening tone, "Don't worry; this combat won't last long!" Adarian was interrupted by a flash of light that was also deflected by his aura.

  Silas landed a direct hit with one of his energy rays; however, Adarian's protective aura not only canceled the ray but prevented its target from being thrown away. Adarian completely ignored Silas and Petra with a contemptuous side smile; without turning, he continued talking to Frank, "What is there in the North that interests you so much that you risk your lives?" He tilted his head toward Liora, completely paralyzed, and continued, "And especially, why do you need my new weapon over there so much?"

  Frank thought quickly and responded, "We don't leave anyone behind," looking at Petra. He continued, "Warden, let's do it like in the King's arena." Frank then spun his Flexoclava rhythmically; Petra perceived the synchronization and prepared herself. Frank delivered two blows against Adarian—the first to weaken the aura and the second to bring it down. Immediately, along with the second blow, Petra advanced and grabbed Adarian by the neck, already in stone form, immobilizing him before he could raise another aura.

  Frank wasted no time and took advantage of his opponent's surprise to deliver a blow that hit him squarely, with Petra holding him from behind. The blow brought Adarian to death's door again, and Petra's defenses were more than sufficient to cancel any collateral damage that Frank's brutal movement might cause her. But Adarian also thought quickly and raised an energy aura around Frank, but in the opposite direction, causing Frank to be confined within an energy cell.

  Petra tried to suffocate her already heavily injured opponent while Frank spent precious time freeing himself from his cell with two blows at maximum power. Adarian resisted Petra′s choke but remained stone-grappled; he whispered to the wind, "Kill them!"

  Liora, who had until then been paralyzed, merely observing, took her weapon and entered the maximum timeframe. She said with great difficulty to Silas, "I can't control myself!"

  Silas shook his head and said, "Do as he ordered, using your best weapon, Stardust!" Then, he sent a message to Petra via comlink: "When the missiles arrive, distance yourself from Adarian and position yourself between him and Liora!"

  Liora fired almost a dozen missiles toward Petra. When the weapon's trigger was activated, Silas reacted, "Now!"

  While the missiles traveled the short trajectory toward Petra, she released Adarian, who raised his energy aura almost reflexively. Petra jumped back, and all the missiles that had her as a target deflected at the last moment, hitting everything around except Petra and Frank, who emerged unscathed from this massive attack.

  Amidst the curtain of dust and smoke that had risen throughout the region, Silas realized that Liora was still under mental domination and immediately warned via comlink, "This isn't over; let's take advantage of this and escape with a portal!"

  Frank jumped toward Petra to carry her near Silas and Liora; however, as soon as he left the ground, he realized his movement was suddenly interrupted; he was hanging in the air and felt pressure around his neck as if he were being strangled, the enemy senses pierced the fog somehow.

  Suddenly, all the smoke in the air dissipated as if it were being pushed away radially. Adarian was floating with one arm raised toward Frank as if holding him from a distance. Adarian's eyes emanated a grayish energy; this same energy also emanated from the various wounds spread across his body. With his other arm, Adarian pointed to his cloak, lying nearby on the ground, as if he was dragging something, and took a small staff via telekinesis, which flew toward him. As soon as he grasped the staff, it transformed into his deceased master's shadow energy blade. The weapon′s energy also pierced the wielder's hands when turned on, causing him to bleed violently and painting the snow around him with dark red droplets. He said in a deep voice, facing his blade, "Everything in the world has a price, except for dreams. And yours has come to an end!"

  Frank choked out, "That little stick didn't save your master; it won't save you either!" Petra, meanwhile, began to work on a magic spell.

  Adarian couldn't hide his laughter. "That's something I would have said years ago!" After pausing to tighten his grip, he continued, "Stardust, you know so much about me and my master. Tell me what you're after."

  Liora, unable to control her speech devices, struggled unsuccessfully for a few seconds and then said, "Seneca."

  Adarian looked surprised and shook his head. Turning back to Frank, who was being choked, he said, "That doesn't matter to me. How unfortunate! You could have left instead of dying. Regarding that weapon, let's see how long you survive her bite."

  Adarian retracted his raised arm and brandished his blade with both hands, pointing it at Frank. Frank's clung body was pulled toward the blade's point. Seizing the distraction, Petra created and activated a new portal stone, opening a two-way portal in front of her and another one between Frank and Adarian. She stepped through her portal to intercept Adarian's telekinetic pull against his blade, allowing Frank to pass through the other side and immediately free himself from his phantom grasp.

  Petra's Flexoclava completely nullified Adarian's blade, pulling him forward when his telekinetic target unexpectedly changed. Both weapons crossed as Petra remained in the air, above her opponent, pressing down with her weight. The shadow blade slowly began to penetrate Petra′s Flexoclava. Noticing this, she used her stone body mass to gain momentum to one side before landing. Her Flexoclava remained functional, but the cut made by the blade on the weapon remained.

  Adarian also regained his balance, standing near Petra and saying with a smile, "Well, well! Do you also know how to use magic? What a coincidence! I inherited the extermination tomes my master stole and just started learning myself." A furious Frank wasted no time listening and jumped into the fray again, unleashing a flurry of blows with his Flexoclava. Adarian changed tactics, dodging Frank's attacks. He kept his eyes on Petra, slowing down his time frame and drawing his blade backward, holding it horizontally with both hands. He focused, dodging Frank's attacks at the limit of his abilities, while Petra studied him, trying to decipher his new combat strategy. Adarian shouted at Petra, "Begone!" moments after unleashed a powerful strike as if unsheathing his blade.

  Petra, attentive and prepared, managed a perfect block, but not enough to cancel the blow, merely deflecting it upward. The shadow blade tore a deep wound in her left shoulder, even in stone form; she recoiled, experiencing excruciating pain; to her growing despair, her new wound did not regenerate.

  Seeing this, Frank realized his frantic attacks were ineffective and went to Petra. "Get out of here; I'll hold him!"

  Adarian retorted, "Don't be ridiculous!" But he turned his gaze to Petra, who was groaning in pain. "A human who survived the Shadow Omen's bite? Most impressive! Perhaps I made a mistake thinking about inviting the wrong human to be my apprentice; it's a shame I spoiled you; this wound will never heal, and now you're useless! So, Goodbye!"

  Adarian immediately increased his timeframe a bit and raised his weapon diagonally. Frank used his willpower to land a perfect blow, but no matter how hard the hit, it was only able to break the protective aura, not injuring its target. Adarian wasted no time delivering two precise blows against Petra's sides, which she partially blocked again. Those lethal bites were sufficient, however, to wound her until she fell to her knees, nearly unconscious and completely exhausted. The pain was so intense that she could no longer lift her Flexoclava, dropping it and lowering her head.

  Despairing, furious, and with berserking tears, Frank missed several Flexoclava strikes but landed a powerful, accurate kick to Adarian's abdomen before Adarian changed to a full defensive posture and raised its protective aura again. Nearby, realizing the critical situation, Silas flew with his ray toward the ship, which was still floating above.

  Adarian turned to Petra, kneeling, gently nudging her head sideways toward the snow as he spoke. "Don't worry; I'll be merciful to those who provide me good training. When I put you in the freezer, the pain will cease." Frank didn't give up the fight, realizing he could land some kicks if his opponent depended solely on dodging. Frank paused the attacks, trying to calm down, noticing Adarian wasn't reacting to Silas; he circled his opponent carefully, silently waiting for a final chance to achieve victory.

  Adarian retrieved his weapon and transformed it into a staff. He said, "Finally realized you never had a chance? Or not? It seems your friend just betrayed you."

  Frank raised his Flexoclava. "He didn't take me this, at least!"

  Adarian grew enraged, continuing the dialogue. "You want to die so badly? Thinking of staying behind to protect that slave's escape? He was never your friend! If you knew what I saw…"

  Frank smiled. "Lies? Is that your pitch for an apprentice? The problem is, you believe everyone’s as rotten as you are—that no decent people exist anymore."

  Adarian smiled back. "How I wish I were lying," Adarian made a pained expression that didn't seem feigned. "I once thought like you, but that young Bo full of dreams died a long time ago; I don't care about anything anymore. If you had a little more strength right now, I would have fallen dead in this fight; I never cared." Adarian looked at Frank, pausing briefly before continuing, "Is it different for you? You're not afraid of dying? Or worse, of ending up in eternal suffering like your friend lying beside you in the snow?"

  Frank looked at Petra, terrified. She was now unconscious, breathing with difficulty, her face lying on its side, half dug in the snow, bearing a mask of indescribable pain. Frank struggled to look back into Adarian's eyes without showing his inner fear; Frank tried to seek help in reason. "I lost hope in the world once, and in myself too, but I didn't choose to make other people's lives as miserable as mine."

  Adarian laughed loudly and spoke in an aggressive tone, "You're weak! This childish thinking will lead you to the same fate as your friend. Come with me, and I'll train you to become something extraordinary. If you want to keep that inconsequential dream, I don't care; if you don't want to follow the fast path to power that I chose," Adarian said, showing his sheathed weapon and bleeding arms. He continued, "I also don't care; the only rule is to obey me when we're on a mission."

  Frank perceived the proposal and noticed the ship maneuvering. Slowly, it moved away to the South, moving backward as if seeking a vector of aim. He continued the conversation, "Okay, Adarian. And what would that make us? Two happy puppets for Biggus to play?"

  Adarian continued, now stopping laughing, "No, my dear, I intend to kill Biggus and take his place. And you can be sure I'm not lying to you." He paused, noticing Frank thinking, "What should I call you?"

  Frank paused and walked around Adarian as if in conflict. Finally, he turned to Adarian and said, "Firebreaker! Remember this name, Adarian." Frank waved one arm while firmly holding his Flexoclava with the other. Two colossal lightning balls emerged from the ship's lower tower. Frank continued speaking when he realized there was no way for Adarian to escape: "Because it will be the last thing you hear!"

  Prepared as always, Adarian let his protective aura absorb the first blast while raising his left arm toward the ship using his telekinesis. At a tremendous speed, he grasped the ship and threw it to the ground with ease. However, the second blast scorched him brutally. Frank used his willpower to take advantage of the opening in Adarian's energy aura and deliver his final blow with his Flexoclava. Frank jumped and made a short, precise, and lethal vertical arc.

  The schrogae ship fell to the ground, onto a slope aside to a vein, and partially exploded. The light of the explosion illuminated the scene further ahead on the monolithic vein; two warriors stood still, with their weapons raised, drawing a picture of their final blow; time seemed to stop. Adarian didn't turn around; with his back to Frank, he activated his blade, pointing backward, while Frank raised his Flexoclava above his head with both hands and advanced.

  Frank looked at his abdomen; the shadow blade pierced him while his Flexoclava flew toward Adarian. But it was too late; his strength was exhausted, and his weapon slipped from his hands. Victorious and furious, Adarian, almost scorched to death, said, "I told you I was once like you, and I still keep some of my willpower for moments like this; you would have been my only apprentice! Why? From what Stardust said a while ago, we would walk together on the same path that Seneca's son forged to become perfect Jufeis; that's what you were seeking, right? But your glorious future isn't going to happen; you were also wasted, consumed by the Shadow Omen, and while she exists, you two will be useless." Adarian let a tear escape, unsure if it was for having lost a potential apprentice or for having lost some hope that his past dreams might somehow be resurrected.

  Adarian retrieved the shadow blade and let Frank fall to the ground; he continued talking, unsure if Frank was still hearing anything. "Firebreaker, I expected your attack; your hopeful eyes revealed that to me when you saw the ship. I didn't expect that slave to really sacrifice himself. Now I'm going to see if he's really dead, and then I'll be back there to put you two in the freezer."

  Adarian moved away from Frank, lying unconscious in the snow, calmly walking toward the burning ship, noticing lots of scattered debris while the ship slowly tried to regenerate itself. He ignored what was happening around him and searched for signs of life with his virtual monocular; when he found Silas amidst the debris, he lifted him with his telekinesis, squeezing his neck to prevent him from speaking but trying to avoid killing him since he already seemed mortally wounded.

  Adarian brought Silas within inches of his face, looking intently at him in the eyes. He said, "I didn't understand anything about you, but I'm not even going to ask you; I sense the smell of the Lady of Tempus on you; you are her property, and I don't want to interfere any further with that."

  Silas shook his head in denial, trying to think with his remaining strength about what his executioner was saying. It made no sense, and he realized that Adarian might already be delirious, like Dukliasse.

  Adarian continued, "I'm going to do the following. This is going to take a while and will give me some work, but I will not bring you with me." Adarian landed himself on the ground. He then concentrated a ball of dark blue energy in the palm of his other hand while speaking, "I'm going to freeze you in time because you only have a few minutes to live now, so technically, I'm saving your life."

  Silas continued to shake his head in denial, but he began to concentrate to avoid falling unconscious.

  Adarian noticed Silas's faltering eyes; he manipulated his body via telekinesis, jolting him awake briefly, then releasing the pressure and positioning him on the ground facing South, next to a long vein near where the ship had fallen. While continuing to concentrate energy in his other hand, he said, "I just need you not to die for a few more seconds. Time will start passing slowly for you, almost stopping, to the point that you'll have difficulty perceiving what's happening around you soon; your mind will become lethargic, and the pain you feel now will lessen. But I think you'll perceive the Golems of your mistress when they arrive from the South—in a few years for me and a few seconds for you. I also ended up gaining one of these Golems on my tail; it should still be behind me, but at least I didn't make a pact with that thing. I only hope it was worth it for you."

  Adarian touched Silas with his deep blue energized hand, and Silas became rigid as a statue as time stopped flowing for him. Adarian left Silas alone, slowly walking back to grab his mantle while he ordered Liora, "Stardust! Bring the two to my ship and place them carefully in my cryogenic device; be careful not to injure them. After that, remove all your energy cells and enter dormancy inside my ship until further orders." Liora, furious, perceived her body compelled to obey Adarian's orders; in despair, she created a new, extremely simplified copy of herself, placing it inside her comlink's memory cache and loading only two video-to-text and audio-to-text models, with orders to record everything the comlink captured in text and maintain the record also inside the cache. The last thing Liora remembered was turning herself off, already inside Adarian's small ship, after having put Petra and Frank into cryogenic sleep.

  Meanwhile, far away in the South, Laetilia finished repairing the airbike with the speed-up devices and took a break from a day of work that had absorbed her entirely. She still had the active telepathy enchantment as if nothing had happened, but she hadn't noticed the others for some time. She tried to open a communication channel and managed to enter into Petra's universe's network but noticed that nobody was there and that the ship was incommunicable. She even sent a message to Mosh that same day asking if he knew anything, but the response didn't arrive.

  Laetilia remembered Liora making her promise that if she weren't cursed with the Golems, she would return to Rocatrista and help from there because, according to Liora, her destiny would be much better. She kicked her modded airbike into gear, the bad feeling in her chest burning like fuel. Whatever mess was going down, she’d pretend to find it out soon enough.

  After a few minutes of flying South, still far from Rocatrista, it became clear to Laetilia that the silence in all communication meant trouble. She thought to herself, "Well, now I'm the one who decides my destiny. Technically, when I promised, I was another person. Sorry, Mom, but I'm going to disappoint you already."

  Laetilia skidded her airbike to a halt, flipped it around, and gunned for a higher altitude. Ignoring the risks, she pushed the throttle to the max, tearing northward. “Alright, show me what you’ve got!” She said with a wicked grin while reaching top speed and heading to the distant tower.