Ery had never intended to sacrifice Atlas. As part of the preparation for their daring escape, he had ticulously followed Master Borin's procedure. He copied all of Atlas's mories into a specially-prepared device, then proceeded with the delicate process of transferring Atlas's spirit soul.
To further deceive the enemy, Ery inserted random dark elf souls into what was left of Atlas's body to throw the enemy off their scent and order it to operate the ship and leave.
Once this subterfuge was in place, Ery placed the device containing Atlas's mory and soul into his storage ring. With Atlas's imprinted soul well hidden, Ery could now set his attention to the next phase of his plan.
The location he had chosen was strategically close to the elf citadel. With a determined glint in his eyes, Ery transford, utilizing every enhancent and buff at his disposal. His body thrumd with energy as his battle rating soared to an incredible 600. Every muscle, every fiber of his being, was focused to traverse the vast distance and landing at the citadel's gates in less than ten minutes.
Thanks to the information he had extracted from captured dark elf souls, Ery knew the layout of the citadel like the back of his hand.
Upon his arrival, without a mont's hesitation, he invoked one of his most formidable spells, [Jade Warrior]. the advanced version of his mineralized warriors. Drawing upon the energy of Khaos, he conjured 30 of these formidable summon to confuse the few dark elves that reside in the citadel.
Ery's footsteps echoed against the stone floor of the citadel. While his jade warriors clashed fiercely with the dark elves, serving as a diversion, Ery utilized his knowledge of the citadel's layout. He darted through shadowy corridors, avoiding main pathways, and sneaking through secret entrances known to only a select few.
His destination was a room, a place at the very heart of the citadel. Pushing open the ornate, heavy doors, he stepped into a chamber illuminated by eerie, pale blue light. It was here that he ca face to face with a solitary figure: a dark elf bearing the marks of a half-moon magus, clothed in a shimring silvery robe that cascaded around him like liquid rcury.
The magus's piercing eyes widened in sheer disbelief as they landed on Ery. "What?!" he exclaid, voice trembling with a mixture of fear and astonishnt. "How did you get here?!!"
While Ery had anticipated multiple guards or perhaps traps, the sight of just one dark elf caught him off-guard. Nevertheless, recognizing the insignia on the robe, a smile slowly crept across Ery's face. "Ah," he drawled, "You are the warden aren't you!"
The warden's fingers twitched, moving towards a device that hung at his side - a tool known to give him control over the citadel's prisoners. But to his astonishnt and growing horror, the device had no effect on Ery.
"The... imprint... how?" he stamred, his eyes darting around the room, searching for an escape route.
Ery had no intention of providing explanations. With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged at the warden. The latter, in a desperate bid for defense, quickly conjured a spell, creating a tallic shield around him. The shield glimred and sparkled, but its beauty was short-lived.
Ery's overwhelming power made short work of the shield. It crumpled and shattered as if it were made of parchnt. The dark elf's face drained of color, realizing the futility of his defense. He turned on his heel, thinking of fleeing.
But Ery was faster.
With a roar that resonated through the halls of the citadel, Ery lunged, his claws finding their mark on the warden's shoulder. As they pierced the elf's flesh, a chilling power emanated [Spirit Devour].
The warden's once proud posture sagged. He could feel his very essence being drawn out, a sensation so terrifying and yet so srizing. His strength was waning, and with every passing second, the reality of his predicant sank in deeper. He was trapped in Ery's grasp, powerless and at the half-blood's rcy.
"Stop... please..." he begged his voice no more than a raspy whisper. Every ounce of pride and arrogance had been stripped away, replaced with raw fear.
The air was thick with tension as Ery's claw glinted nacingly in the dim light. With a swift motion, he drove another claw into the dark elf's other shoulder, dangerously close to the vulnerable skin of the neck. "Listen" Ery's voice was low and dripping with nace. "If you value your head, you will obey every word I say."
Gasping from pain and fear, the warden nodded frantically. "Yes... anything you want... just don't...," his voice trailed off, too choked with terror to finish.
Using his impressive strength, Ery yanked the warden to his feet and shoved him towards a massive machine panel, its interface glowing faintly. "Connect to the fortress. Now."
The warden's eyes darted from the panel to Ery, confusion apparent in his gaze. "What are you planning?"
Ery leaned in, his voice cold and sharp, "I can operate it myself if you don't want to"
Swallowing hard, the warden realized that Ery's statent was more a threat than a statent. He began to input a series of commands, his fingers shaking, while Ery watched closely, ensuring the dark elf followed the steps as revealed by the female dark elf in the spirit realm.
Monts later, a communication line was established. At Ery's insistence, the warden ordered the space fortress Umbra to stand down and not to target any departing ships. It was aiming to buy the Nephilim ship the extra chance it needed for a safe escape.
Once the order was relayed, the warden, sweat glistening on his brow, turned to Ery, defiance flaring montarily in his eyes. "Whatever you're planning, it won't work! You'll never leave this place alive!"
But Ery wasn't interested in threats. He stepped closer, locking his cold gaze onto the warden's. "Tell ," he hissed, "did you enjoy torturing the prisoners?"
The warden's facade of bravado crumbled under that icy stare. Before he could formulate a response, Ery's blade moved in a swift, blinding arc, severing the warden's head cleanly from his shoulders.
A chilling silence enveloped the room. Ery stood there, his face void of emotion. "That was for the life you took."
But Ery wasn't done. He knelt beside the fallen warden, extending his hand to capture the warden's escaping soul. With a sinister whisper, he promised, "The torture will co later"
With the ssage sent to the fortress, Ery's task was completed, and now he has one last thing he needs to do, hopefully, he still has ti for it.
Ery swiftly turned his attention to the next task. He ventured further into the depths of the citadel, drawn towards a door adjacent to the chamber he was in. With a fierce kick, he shattered the imposing steel barrier, revealing the room beyond.
"The Spirit Vault," he whispered, a hint of reverence in his voice.
The room bore a striking resemblance to chambers he had seen in human citadel. Two towering glass containers stood side by side, shimring with a mysterious ethereal light. One pulsed with the souls of humans, the other with those of dark elves. A mory flashed in Ery's mind, reminding him of the intel he'd received about this place. The vault had beco a cornerstone of his plan.
He counted quickly. Thirty human souls, a dozen dark elves. The numbers were lesser than he had anticipated, but each soul represented a life that had been unjustly taken or imprisoned.
Drawing his claw back, he struck the containers in rapid succession. The ethereal glow intensified as the seals were broken, and without hesitation, Ery began to channel the souls into his storage rings, ensuring their safety and preservation.
However, as he worked, a chilling realization dawned upon him. The spiritual feedback from his clones grew weaker and weaker. Which an most had been defeated and its ti for him to leave.
Using his exit strategy, the one unique only to him. To enter Khaos gate, beco its champion, and use the power of Khaos to leave the planet.
Yet, a burning desire for battle surged within him. He wishes to stay for more kills.
The feeling only intensified when a taunting voice, one he recognized all too well, echoed through the vast citadel corridors.
"Half-blood! Co and face !"
Pausing montarily to assess his surroundings, Ery strode confidently into the citadel's open courtyard. Arrayed against him were four dark elves with dark ornate leather armor, they were the elite unit, the Voidstalkers Magus. Among them stood a figure that sent a jolt of recognition through Ery - Kieran, the dark elf assassin he promised to kill.
Their eyes t a silent challenge passing between them, promising a clash, to see who was finally the last one standing between them.
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