Chapter 28 – Return of the Invasion
The dawn arrived quietly, almost too quietly. It wasn't supposed to be peaceful—not after the clash with the Hollow Marchers and the destruction of the Bishop of Hollow Grace. Yet, the academy's walls felt oddly calm, as if the battle had been a nightmare, fading with the first rays of sunlight.
But Elric knew better. The calm before the storm.
As the academy's grounds slowly returned to their usual bustle, with students trying to regain their composure and the instructors beginning to regroup, Elric couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Grandpa, as usual, was lounging in a corner, sipping his morning tea as if he hadn't just obliterated an undead bishop. He wasn't in a rush to go anywhere.
"So, Grandpa," Elric said, leaning against the wall. "You… uh… didn't mention the whole 'dark artifact sword' thing before."
Grandpa raised an eyebrow, his voice nonchalant. "Didn't think you'd need to know. What's the point of telling you everything?"
Elric frowned. "I think I have the right to know if you're secretly a legendary artifact wielder."
"Well, kid," Grandpa chuckled, "maybe you're just too young to handle it. That sword's only a part of my collection."
"Collection?!" Elric blinked. "What else do you have?"
Grandpa leaned in close, whispering like they were sharing a secret. "Stuff I shouldn't have. But you'll learn about it eventually. No use rushing it."
Before Elric could respond, a loud bell rang across the academy, signaling an emergency assembly. Students began to hurry toward the central courtyard, murmurs and whispers filling the air.
---
The New Threat
Elric and Grandpa joined the throng, making their way toward the grand hall. The air felt thick with unease.
Inside the hall, the headmaster stood at the front, his face grave. Behind him, the familiar figure of the Bishop's Reanimated Corpse—one of his undead allies, still partially intact—stood with a new, ominous presence about it. It was clear something else had arrived with the morning light.
"Students," the headmaster's voice rang out, echoing across the hall. "The Hollow Marchers are not the only threat. A new enemy is coming. One unlike anything we've ever faced."
The students shifted uncomfortably. Elric's eyes narrowed. This was no longer just a small-scale invasion. This was something much bigger. Much darker.
"They call themselves the Aether Legion," the headmaster continued. "A new force from beyond this world. Not undead, not demons, but something in between. Their leader—an entity called The Arbiter—has already claimed territories in other worlds. They're coming for us next."
Elric felt a chill run down his spine. He glanced over at Grandpa, who was unusually still.
"The Arbiter?" Elric asked quietly.
Grandpa's face hardened. "Never heard of it. But if they've got an arbiter—that means they're connected to some higher power. And we've already made enemies with more gods than I can count."
Elric felt a mix of fear and determination rise within him. "We can't just sit back and let them take over, can we?"
Grandpa sighed, rubbing his temples. "Kid, you're learning too fast. We'll do what we've always done. Fight back, find their weak spot, and tear it apart."
---
The Aether Legion
Days passed in tense preparation. The academy mobilized its forces, but the sense of dread was palpable. Every night, the skies seemed to darken unnaturally. The world felt off-balance, as if something enormous was watching from beyond.
Then, on the fifth day since the headmaster's warning, the skies split open.
A massive rift tore through the clouds, revealing a swirling black vortex that pulsed with a sickly green glow. From it, legions of shadowed beings began to pour forth—men and women wearing dark, intricately designed armor that seemed to suck the light around them. Their weapons gleamed with the same ominous green energy that surrounded the rift.
The Aether Legion had arrived.
They moved like a single entity, coordinated, precise. But most unsettling of all was their leader—the Arbiter.
A towering figure, dressed in flowing robes that seemed to distort the air around them. Their face was obscured, a mask of polished black steel. But Elric could feel the pressure—the weight of their presence. A presence that seemed to mock the very laws of nature.
The Arbiter raised a hand, and in an instant, the rift closed, cutting off the only escape route for the academy.
"This world is now under our judgment," the Arbiter's voice echoed, deep and resonant, though it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "Surrender, or be erased."
---
Elric Takes Action
"Elric," Grandpa said, his tone serious. "This is no time for jokes. You want to protect your little school? You'll have to fight."
Elric nodded, the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders. He didn't have the luxury of sitting this one out. If the Aether Legion was as dangerous as the headmaster had said, then he couldn't afford to waste time.
"Summon the Bonebreaker," Grandpa added, nodding toward Elric's golem, "and prepare yourself."
Elric gritted his teeth. "Alright, Bonebreaker—it's time."
With a snap of his fingers, the golem emerged, roaring to life at Elric's command. Its skeletal fists slammed into the ground as Elric quickly assessed the situation.
The Aether Legion was too many to take on all at once. They were well-organized, a unit that didn't just fight—they conquered.
"Let's take them down piece by piece," Elric muttered to himself. He had a plan, a crazy plan, but it was the only option.
Grandpa slapped him on the back. "That's the spirit, kid. Time to turn the tide."
Elric smiled grimly. "Let's see what you've got, A
Chapter 29 – The Arbiter's Challenge
The academy was in chaos, the streets filled with students and faculty scrambling to prepare defenses. Elric's heart beat louder than ever, the pressure mounting as he stared at the rift above the academy, the gaping wound in the sky from which the Aether Legion poured forth.
The Bonebreaker stood beside him, its skeletal form gleaming with a cold, unsettling light. Elric gripped the hilt of his sword, a faint glow pulsing from the blade. The time had come to face the threat head-on.
Grandpa, as usual, was calm, leaning against a nearby stone pillar, eyeing the incoming legion with a bored expression. "Don't just stand there like an idiot, kid. They're not going to wait for you to figure things out."
Elric couldn't help but feel a mixture of dread and excitement. This was the moment he had trained for, even if he never expected it to come so soon.
The Arbiter, standing at the forefront of the Aether Legion, raised its hand, sending an eerie ripple through the air. The atmosphere thickened as the Arbiter's masked gaze locked onto Elric. The world seemed to hold its breath.
"You… the one who dares to stand against us," the Arbiter's voice boomed, each word reverberating in the minds of everyone present. "This world will be erased. Nothing you do can change that."
Elric smirked, feeling the weight of the Arbiter's gaze yet undeterred. "You really have no idea who you're dealing with, do you?"
Before the Arbiter could respond, Elric gave the signal. "Bonebreaker, charge!"
The golem's massive form charged forward, its feet shaking the ground beneath it. A guttural roar escaped its jaws as it hurled itself toward the incoming wave of soldiers.
The Aether Legion moved as one, a sea of dark-armored warriors that closed in on the academy's defenses. But in the midst of it all, Elric's mind sharpened. There was something more to the Arbiter than just brute strength—something unnatural about it.
As if sensing Elric's thoughts, the Arbiter raised both hands, and the shadows around the battlefield seemed to twist and warp, pulling energy from the very land itself.
"Weaklings. You are nothing compared to the power of the Aether."
The sky darkened further, the rift expanding, and Elric's vision blurred as a surge of dark magic flooded the air. Elric's hands tightened on his sword as he steeled himself.
"You're not the only one with tricks," Elric muttered, slashing the air with his blade. The Sword of the Shepherd—an artifact granted to him by the gods, though still hidden in its true form—glowed brighter than ever. The energy from the sword shot outward in a blinding wave of light, crashing into the dark aura the Arbiter summoned.
The collision of light and darkness echoed across the battlefield, a shockwave rattling the academy walls. Students screamed, ducking for cover, as the two forces clashed with a fury that shook the very foundations of their world.
Elric pushed forward, using his newfound strength and the power of the Shepherd class to augment his abilities. The Bonebreaker fought alongside him, smashing through Aether Legion warriors left and right. But it was clear that the Arbiter was no ordinary opponent. As Elric pushed deeper into the battle, the Arbiter remained unmoved, its mask glowing with an eerie light.
Elric's eyes narrowed. He could feel it—the Arbiter wasn't just using power; it was drawing from something else. A hidden force.
Grandpa, still watching from the sidelines, suddenly yelled, "Elric, you're not going to win with brute force alone. The Arbiter is using a connection to another world! You've got to sever it!"
Elric's eyes widened as the realization hit him. The Arbiter's strength wasn't just magical—it was tied to the rift itself, connected to an unknown power source that fed its very existence.
"Great," Elric muttered to himself, then shouted to Bonebreaker, "Cover me!"
The golem roared and charged into the fray, pushing back the Aether Legion soldiers. Meanwhile, Elric dashed toward the Arbiter, the intensity of the battle surging around him.
He raised his sword high, channeling his Shepherd energy through the blade. "This ends now."
With a single, sweeping motion, Elric plunged his sword into the ground, sending a pulse of energy through the earth. The rift above seemed to shimmer, its grip on the academy weakening. The Arbiter's masked face tilted, a hint of surprise flickering within its glowing eyes.
"No…" The Arbiter's voice faltered as the connection between it and the rift began to unravel.
The sky rumbled as the connection wavered, and for a split second, the Arbiter staggered backward, its form flickering like a projection struggling to maintain its shape.
With that opening, Elric lunged. He swung his sword in a powerful arc, striking directly at the Arbiter's chest. The impact sent a shockwave through the battlefield, and for a moment, everything fell into a deep silence.
The Arbiter's form flickered again, and then—crack—a sudden shudder ran through its body, and it collapsed, its body disintegrating into shadow and dust, leaving nothing behind.
Elric stood panting, the weight of the battle still heavy on his shoulders. The Bonebreaker halted, the last of the Aether Legion warriors scattered or destroyed.
For a brief moment, everything was still.
But then, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. Elric's eyes widened in disbelief as the rift began to reopen. Larger now, more violent.
Grandpa stepped forward, his voice grim. "This isn't over. Not by a long shot."
---
Chapter 30 – The True Enemy Revealed
The battle had not ended. In fact, it had only just begun.
Elric stood with his back against the shattered walls of the academy, breathing heavily. His sword glowed faintly, its energy still buzzing in his hand. His eyes were locked on the rift, which had begun to pulse with an even more intense light, expanding and contracting like a living thing.
Grandpa's voice was grim as he approached. "That was too easy, kid. Don't celebrate yet."
Before Elric could respond, a low, rumbling voice echoed from the rift itself. It was deep, distorted, and it carried with it an undeniable sense of authority.
"So, the Shepherd dares to interfere," the voice boomed, sending shivers down Elric's spine. "You may have severed my connection with the mortal realm, but you will not escape the consequences of your actions."
Elric's grip on his sword tightened. He knew this was only the beginning. The Arbiter had been just a fragment, a mere pawn. The real enemy was much, much more powerful.
From the depths of the rift, a figure emerged, cloaked in a dark aura that seemed to suck the very light from the air around it. It was tall, its form a twisted amalgamation of shadows and fire, its face hidden beneath a dark hood. The figure's presence alone made the ground tremble.
"Who… what are you?" Elric demanded, his voice shaking with a mixture of fear and defiance.
The figure tilted its head, the shadowy hood shifting to reveal a faint, glowing red eye beneath. "I am the one who pulls the strings. The one who has been watching and guiding this world's destruction from the shadows. The true master of the Aether Legion."
Elric's stomach churned. This was the true power behind the invasion. Not just a mindless army, but something ancient, something that had been waiting for the right moment to strike.
Grandpa stepped forward, his eyes narrowing in recognition. "You're the one they call the Aether King, aren't you?"
The Aether King chuckled, a sound like grinding metal. "Very astute, old man. I am the one who controls the rift, who commands the Legion. I have been bound to this world for eons, but now, the time has come for me to reclaim my throne."
Elric's mind raced. Eons? This being had been planning for centuries, maybe millennia. His thoughts were interrupted when the Aether King raised one hand, and the ground beneath them cracked open, sending shards of stone flying into the air.
"You may have defeated my lieutenant, but you will not stop me," the Aether King hissed. "The rift is my gateway to all realms. And once I break through fully, no force in your world can stand against me."
Elric's heart pounded in his chest. The academy was in ruins, the students and faculty were barely holding their ground against the remaining soldiers of the Aether Legion, and now this... this monster was about to unleash untold devastation.
But Elric wasn't ready to give up. He wasn't going to let his world fall apart. Not when he still had the strength to fight.
Grandpa placed a hand on his shoulder, a rare, serious expression on his face. "Listen, Elric. There's a way to stop him, but it won't be easy. The rift—it's tied to his very existence. We have to sever his connection to it."
Elric's eyes widened. "How do we do that? He's... he's too powerful!"
"The rift is not just a portal—it's a prison. The Aether King is bound within it," Grandpa explained. "But every time he gains control of the rift, he grows stronger. We need to reverse the flow, push him back into his prison before he can fully manifest."
"But how?" Elric asked, his voice desperate.
Grandpa gave him a knowing smile, his usual cocky demeanor returning. "Leave that to me. You just need to keep him distracted."
Elric didn't question it. He had no time. The Aether King was already summoning more of his legion, shadows coiling around the academy like serpents. Elric's mind focused, sharpening his resolve. He had to fight. To hold the line.
With a roar, he charged forward, his sword glowing brightly, sending waves of light crashing into the darkness around him. The Aether King's servants tried to stop him, but Elric cut them down with ease, his sword glowing with divine energy.
But even as he fought, Elric knew the truth. He wasn't strong enough. Not yet.
The Aether King raised his hand again, summoning a storm of dark energy. "Foolish boy," he hissed. "You think you can stop me with your petty tricks?"
Before Elric could react, a blast of dark energy shot toward him, and everything went black.
---
When Elric awoke, he was lying on the ground, the world spinning around him. His head throbbed with pain, and his body felt as though it had been shattered. The sky above was dark, swirling with violent clouds, and the academy was barely standing. The Aether King stood before him, his figure towering over the ruined battlefield.
"You're too late, Shepherd," the Aether King sneered. "I am already free."
But then, a loud crack echoed through the air. A surge of power washed over Elric, filling him with an overwhelming energy. Grandpa appeared beside him, a glowing artifact in his hand.
"It's time," Grandpa said, his voice filled with determination. "I'm breaking the seal."
The Aether King roared in fury as the ground trembled beneath them. The rift was closing—slowly, but surely. The energy was shifting, the flow of power reversing. The Aether King's body flickered, his form weakening.
"No… NO!" the Aether King screeched, but it was too late.
With one final pulse of energy from Grandpa's artifact, the rift snapped shut, trapping the Aether King within its confines once more.
Elric stood up, gasping for air. The battlefield was silent. The rift was closed, the threat of the Aether King subdued—for now.
Grandpa chuckled, wiping sweat from his brow. "Told you it wouldn't be easy, but we made it."
Elric let out a relieved sigh, feeling the weight of the battle lift from his shoulders. But deep down, he knew this was just one victory in a war that was far from over.
---