Chapter 694 - Book 6, Chapter 86 – Ashfall (1/2)

Book 6, Cloudhawk rushed forward alone.

“You’re throwing yourself into the fire,” Ash growled. One person’s strength could only go so far!

Cloudhawk could single-handedly defeat thousands, but tens of thousands? A million? He wasn’t some infinite machine, eventually he would run out of energy. Appearing in the middle of Skycloud, soon he would be beset on all sides by Elysian forces.

“Don’t worry. I’ll have plenty of time to play with you before more friends come.”

Cloudhawk’s words were an affront. Soon demonhunters and other elite would rush in to spoil their confrontation, but Cloudhawk was insinuating that he would flatten this prideful Commander-General before that time came. It was an open insult.

“Such a young man, so full of himself. If you knew me – knew the weapon I wielded – you wouldn’t say such boastful things.” Ash wasn’t irritated by Cloudhawk’s bravado. He brandished his spear, ready for the fight. “At any rate, I commend your courage. Come, discover the truth for yourself.”

What did he mean?

The various Elysian lands were all isolated. Skycloud knew nothing of Praelius or its people. The reality was that Ash was a mirror image of what Skye Polaris had been in his youth – the very pinnacle of human achievement among his people. Such a person was highly confident in their abilities and would not tolerate such disrespect. So Ash decided to accept the challenge – only one of them would walk away from this fight.

Perhaps Cloudhawk really did underestimate the man. Could such a person rise to the top from humble beginnings, as he did, and not be a man of quality?

The Arbiter’s staff was held tight in his left hand. Ruin crackled threateningly in his right. With both weapons brandished, Cloudhawk rushed in to attack. But Ash reacted quick enough to deliver the first blow. As he thrust forward with the spear in his right hand, with his left he pulled a sword from his back. It was a black, two-foot shortsword that looked to have been carved from crystal. The crimson runes etched on its surface made the blade look like a work of art and lent it a sinister air.

Whoosh!

Ash’s arm was a blur as he flung the weapon toward his foe. It cut through the air like a dart until suddenly it vanished. Half a breath later it reappeared aimed just in front of Cloudhawk’s face.

An assassination relic? Cloudhawk paid it no mind. Effortlessly he knocked it back toward its owner

The Commander-General charged ahead with both hands on his spear and launched into a fierce offensive. In his bull-rush he collided with the black sword and what followed took Cloudhawk by surprise. Ash thrust the spear into the hilt of the sword and the two became one. Dark power gathered through the spear, traveled along the haft and then burst from the sword.

“Die!”

As Ash lashed out with the combination weapon it birthed a storm of energy. The area was flooded with afterimages of the spear as it struck in a deluge. Cloudhawk, taken aback, switched to a defensive posture.

Spear strikes fell like rain against his pale white shield, causing it to dim. The final one finally managed to pierce through. Buildings behind him collapsed. Even the ground beneath Cloudhawk’s feet split, birthing a crevice several meters deep. Some invisible power had torn through the split and cleaved it in two. A few tears appeared in Cloudhawk’s clothing, but his empowered constitution was not threatened. Ash’s mighty effort caused him no harm.

Not bad, both men mused of the other.

Ash reached back and drew a second sword. This one was a long sword that belched an arc of purple electric energy. When it struck, it forced Cloudhawk back a few steps. Ash slapped it against his spear, affixing it as well. Threads of purple lightning danced across its surface.

Cloudhawk could feel its power surge. This weapon was starting to look problematic.

There were more than ten swords strapped to Ash’s back and each one of them was a high-quality relic. Shockingly, the very different blades were all part of a single legendary tool of destruction.

“Ashfall!”

The Commander-General’s voice boomed through the city. As he charged into a full attack the other weapons burst from their sheaths. As though with a mind of their own, they joined the blitz. With no evident power controlling them, they whipped through the air and sliced toward Cloudhawk.

All at once the wasteland leader felt like he was facing half a dozen enemies.

While Ash continued his barrage of attacks, his swords latched onto the spear as though drawn by magnetic force. Each time a sword joined it grew in strength. The process lasted only a few seconds before all swords were affixed, completing the relic.

Its true form was revealed.

Strictly speaking it was not a spear, but a massive sword imbued with tremendous energy. [1] It was as long as a spear and had a bladed head, but once the swords combined with the haft it became a dual-edged sword like any other. Complex and confounding, it was beyond a doubt an incredible weapon.

The Commander-General’s name came from the weapon he wielded – Ashfall.

It was a relic composed of eighteen other relics. In addition to utilizing several different kinds of energy, it was also possessed of powerful destructive force. This suited Ash’s indomitable style. Once complete and in the hands of the Commander-General, it was a power to be reckoned with.

Ashfall lashed out. Heat, fire, pressure, tearing, smashing!

Before the weapon even drew near, Cloudhawk could feel no less than ten different kinds of power reaching for him. That was in addition to Ash’s own martial abilities. Any defense would be hard pressed to ward off this dauntless assault.