Chapter 669 (2/2)
Randidly’s eyes glittered. Suddenly he smiled. As the Ashen Image rose again to lash out, a great force smashed down on it from above. There was a soundless rumble, and the Ashen Image’s strength faltered for the first time.
Tall and proud, Randidly’s Progenitor’s Influence gathered to strike again. Its attacks were fast and depleted itself, but there were many benefits to being worshipped as a god. These people provided mixed images, but it was numerous beyond belief. For several seconds, it was possible to smother and overwhelm the Ashen Image.
Deciding to risk it, Randidly removed his perception from his inner world and twitched in the real world. The Patron of Ash, in the form of Ulaat, was standing before Randidly. He regarded Randidly curiously.
“Have you given up? Boy, I did not waste my-”
The sickle slid cleanly into Ulaat’s chest. Randidly intimately knew this sickle. It was a brittle weapon, but it was one designed to poison a connection between two things. In practice, it was difficult for such a brittle weapon to make it near enough to a vulnerable target to inflict damage. Perhaps that was why the Creature felt comfortable providing Randidly with this tool.
When he struck the Patron of Ash, when he struck Ulaat, there was no resistance. All that made the Patron powerful was now consuming Randidly from the inside out. There was no substance on which the sickle could be broken. So Randidly aimed for the consciousness of Ulaat and struck at the body. Immediately, Randidly felt something inside the Patron sever. He staggered, confused. “What? This… ah……”
“Fuck you,” Randidly said, relishing every word. To think he didn’t believe he would find the opportunity for this..
“Foolish boy,” Ulaat said, as his body collapsed in an explosion of ash. Within, there was a glowing ember. The sickle had sunk cleanly into the coal, and it flickered feebly. “I have not yet revealed the third secret. And I will not, until-”
“Fuck,” Randidly enunciated clearly, gripping the sickle tighter. Then he wrenched it to the side, splitting the coal in half. “You.”
The remnant of power that had seized the two severed things could no longer hold on, and it faded. With a sigh, the body in front of him disappeared. Above, the giant face collapsed. Randidly’s eyebrows rose. With somewhat shocked eyes, Randidly looked at the sickle. Had it truly been that simple? The Patron of Ash had obviously made himself vulnerable on purpose so he could cease to be, but-
Congratulations! You have reached Level 35-
Warning, due to internal damage, Level ups are currently unavailable-
Recalculating-
Ignoring the notifications, Randidly felt his instincts flair. Absolute Timing rushed down to his hand. His emerald eyes narrowed. There was a choice here, a split path. A strange and incredibly complex bit of Aether detached from the split coal and began to float up into the air.
I can take that, the gauntlet seemed to whisper. But Randidly knew if he were to do so, it could no longer be used to control the Ashen Image. But looking at the complexity of the Aether Construct, Randidly had a good guess what it was. Possessing such a thing would definitely be useful down the line.
A spear only advances.
Without any remorse, Randidly reached out with the gauntlet and seized the construct of Aether that was split in half by his strike with the sickle. The motion was all fluid and easy. As he examined the construct, the remorse in his heart trickled away. No use regretting it now. The construct wriggled in his hand like a fish, attempting to get free. Portions broke away to disintegrate, but Randidly had a firm grasp on the main piece.
“The mantle of a Patron, huh…?” Randidly whispered. The gauntlet tightened, and he felt some part of it become his. It was claimed. But a surge of physical pain similar to his esophagus being hit with dozens of flaming arrows reminded him time was of the essence, so Randidly left the examinations for later. Instead, his focus once more turned inward.