Return of the Fallen Volume 3 Chapter 2
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Author: Blue_Rat
ch2
Garn’s power sprang forth and entered the dome, activating it.
*Cht cht tss cht*
Small sparks barely visible to the eye, skittered across the surface of the dome, like a mass of little roaches frightened by a sudden revelation of light.
A low humming began to spread throughout the city of Tresta as the energy within the dome began building. For the longest time, the opposite was to be done within. All power was to be extracted into the walls and absorbed before being set to defuse such pure energy later on. Now, however, power was starting to rise and condense.
*Cht Cht Tss cht cht*
Only a moment had passed by now but the small sparks had tripled in size, growing bigger and thicker after each passing second. What was barely visible just a second ago now appeared to as thick as human hair. A second later and it was comparable to the size of an average person’s finger.
The size of a stick and then a sword and then a snake. The sparks had now transformed into bluish white arcs of electricity. The dome began to turn an orangish-red as the heat built up at a rapid rate. Because of this heat, although it was fairly cold being so far north, the air surrounding the dome warped like a mirage on a hot summer day.
At this time, most people were wrapped in warm winter furs throughout the city but very soon a few noticed that they were starting to sweat as a heatwave spread out in all directions. These people were a good distance from the dome yet they could clearly feel the heat. Garn had several crystal orbs floating throughout the city observing his people. Seeing a few sweat here and there he nodded to himself.
(Good, it seems my project is still within the limits.)
Just as he thought that, a bird had flown too close to the dome and its body burst into flame.
“Hmpf.”
The electricity grew thicker and longer and pretty soon the entire outside of the dome was covered with this arc of electricity. Garn smiled creepily and nodded.
(It’s ready.)
Twisting his scepter into the odd lock looking hole on the floor next to him, the dome responded in kind.
A small hole opened at the very top of the dome and a metal rod of some kind extended from it.
The rod was golden in color and if one had the sight of an eagle, they might be able to spot several thousand inscriptions layered over one another and connected like a chain embedded on it.
*CHt CHT CHT Tssschtshtch chtshs*
The electricity gathered into this rod causing it to glow bright like a sun before.
*Shztoooooom*
The electricity shot into the sky disappearing into the clouds above.
*CRACK KABOOM!*
The entire sky lit up all at once and exploded. The air was torn asunder and the people below dove to the ground in fright. The noise had been so abrupt and terrible that some didn’t flop to the ground rather they fell face forward as their hearts had stopped due to fear.
The city grew panicked and people ran around screaming thinking the gods themselves were here to deliver their final judgment. Only after the soldiers spread throughout the city and told them things were alright did a few settle down. Still more became filled with anger when they found out the source was the King’s new project. With Garn being their King though, there was nothing one could do.
Back at the throne room, a few crystal orbs floated in front of Garn. An image of a man half Garns age floated in front of him. Garn spoke with a calm demeanor though on the inside he was giddy like a child getting a new toy.
“How is it, did it work?”
The man seemed to be reviewing something before he answered back nervously.
“Yes my King, it seems to be in an optimal state. Shall we continue or will this be enough for today?”
Garn laughed heartily.
“Bwahaha, Enough, not on your life. It worked thus far, we might as well test the rest of it.”
The man on the other side nodded.
“Yes, my King.”
Garn again filled his scepter with power and extended it forth.
The citizens of Tresta who had just barely regained some semblance of calm were alerted once more by another explosion in the sky.
*BANG CRACK KABOOM!*
Their bodies trembled and their knees grew weak. All eyes, young and old alike from toddlers to old ninnies, soldiers, spys, even the animals, all eyes turned to the dome.
Every 30 seconds or so, a mass of electricity would dance across the dome before gathering at the very top and shoot up high into the sky before exploding forth like a bomb.
Every time that bluish-white light would disappear into the sky and explode, people would flinch or hide. They would seek cover, shut their eyes tight and cover their ears as though their life depended on it. Even the soldiers who knew what was going on couldn’t hide their fear. This thing, that their King had them build, they thought it was to simply stop the pre magical energy from spreading out and poisoning the entire kingdom. They were told that it would extract the energy and disperse it high above the world where it could not affect them.
Being told of something and experiencing it first hand however were two different things entirely. Even though they were soldiers and they had fought many a time with their very lives on the line, never had the witnessed such raw power and felt such deep fear. Still, the dome continuously fired up into the sky.
After almost an hour of explosion after explosion out of nowhere.
*Silence*
The dome shined no more and the power surrounding it faded as though it had never existed at all. The orangish-red heat that had built up to a terrifying degree rapidly cooled all at once causing a mist to form from out of nowhere. The temperature drop had happened so fast that any windows that were in a 10-mile radius cracked and broke.
The shattering of thousands of windows and other glass-like products filled the city of Trista for one brief moment and with the appearance of a huge mist like fog spreading throughout the city, an eery feeling overtook the citizens again striking fear in them. As fast as they could these people fled to their homes one after another. Some were too frightened to take to the streets and holed themselves up in whatever business they were already near just to be safe.
Children cried and mothers prayed, while men took up weapons and constantly looked over their shoulder with paranoia. A few couldn’t help but whisper their thoughts.
“This is a demon’s work it has to be.”
“No, King Garn did this. He’s touched some type of dark magic and now he plans to use it upon us.”
“Don’t be foolish. Those words of yours could be counted as a traitor, never let me hear you say that again or I’ll report you to the guards myself.”
“No, don’t you see, this is a curse. Not even the King could do something like this.”
Garn slowly stood up from his throne and pulled his scepter from the ground. Gathering his power once more, a barrier of wind formed around him. Kicking off the ground, Garn floated for a moment before he landed once again and stumbled.
*Haaa*
(I’m still not quite recovered.)
After his fight with King David, Garn had caused the Beast core to explode, killing former King David and destroying a portion of the city. Garn though did not escape unscathed and his body had absorbed although a small amount of pure magical energy, it was enough to kill several hundred people several times over. If not for Garn’s massive amount of experience, knowledge of magic and him being in the 5th stage as a mage, he would have for sure died.
Just like the dome he had built in front of him, which would absorb and defuse the pure energy all around, Garn had done something similar inside of himself. However, where the dome was easy and only cost millions of gold Zeni, Garn’s body was different. In order to extract the energy with the dome, one could inscribe thousands of inscriptions. With layer upon layer of spell that coordinated and worked in unison with one another, there were very few options Garn could use that were similar. He couldn’t inscribe thousands of inscriptions upon his body, nor could he spend millions to solve his problem either.
Garn had to go deeper, think outside the box. If he couldn’t build a physical dome within himself, then he would build something intangible instead. Using his magic power, he formed barriers around the pure magical energy within his body. This wasn’t something like a barrier here or there. Garn had to make thousands, 10’s of thousands of these barriers all at once all over his body. The amount of concentration and focused required, only a master was capable of this and only a select few masters at that.
Even at that point, that would only prolong his life. Afterward, he needed a method to extract that power. The method was connected to his scepter. This was the same scepter that the former King David had used and one of its abilities was used several times during King David’s fight with Garn. This scepter was capable of drawing energy to it. One problem though he encountered rather quickly was where to put all the energy. The scepter could only hold so much power before it was full. That’s when a thought struck Garn.
Pausing for a moment, Garn focused on controlling his power. Once more he pushed off the ground but this time he stayed off the ground.
(Good.)
Garn rose higher and higher and he flew into the clouds. Breaking past them, a large floating island came into view.
Garn flew over to this floating island and landed safely. Right in front of him were several hundred men and women. Mages soldiers and other personnel all lined up. In unison, these people knelt down and offered their salutes and respect.
“All Hail King Garn. May His Reign Last A Life Time!”
King Garn waved them away and entered a building that led downward. Behind him, the shouts continued on.
“King Garn! Welcome To Sky Prison Iselda.”
King Garn entered the sky prison that had now taken on a different shape. All prisoners that were previously held here were either executed or escorted to another prison.
“King Garn, welcome. Iselda is now fully powered and we are ready for the final two test.”
Garn ignored the man in front of him and looked around first. The room he was in once resembled several cells put together, now however it looked like a war room. In front was a large glass window that stretched out around 20 feet. There were a few seats where one could control this floating island and a little further at the back was a large table with maps of the land laid out in preparation. Garn took the commanding chair and sat down.
“It seems this place has really come together.”
The man in front of him nodded.
“My King, shall we?”
Garn looked out the window and observed the calm outside world.
“Eris, It’s time for the last two tests. Activate the teleportation.”
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