1 The Fall (2/2)

”No!”

”The Great King!”

”Dragon Lord!”

Cries of horror and terror shook the human army as they saw one of their legends die. Tens of thousands of voices cried out.

”How dare you! Die, you vile cretin!”

The Blue Queen had never been on fair terms with the Black Dragon King, yet she still rushed up into the air, wings made of ice surrounding her as she launched freezing cold attacks of her own. Beautiful crystals and frozen snowflakes swarmed the air, surrounding her like a beast from legend. Against a single opponent, other allies would merely get in the way.

SHKKK

WHOOSH

The General's arm twitched.

The Blue Queen fell, killed instantly, her body ripped to shreds.

”No!!!” More screams from the crowd.

”I will not allow this to continue!” The Sundering Swordmaster rose into the air, the bright blue Aura that covered him fluctuating. He saw the deaths of the other legends, the power the Morian General held, yet fought all the same, doing everything he could to stop the attackers.

SHKKK

SHKKK

WHOOSH

The Sundering Swordmaster fell to the side, killed. This time, it seemed to have taken slightly longer than with the other two legends of humanity, yet he still died all the same, from an attack that Micheal could not even make out.

”No!”

”It's too much!”

”Retreat back to the Sixth Layer!”

The Last Army of Humanity seemed to fall apart as expert after expert tried to challenge the General. Dozens of powerful Ability users all rushed forward, some as unique Adapted Humans while others focusing with pure power. Some attacked in groups, while others attack on their own.

The Morian General floated down to the ground, taking all comers.

One after another, all the challengers died.

Those that tried to retreat found their way cut off. The portal that had led them here was locked, unable to transport them backwards. All that awaited them was the jeering Morians, throwing deadly boulders, arrows, or bolts of energy.

”The battle is lost, Shin.” Micheal's voice was quiet as he looked at his comrades, his brothers in arms. He looked down at his blade and then back up at the Morians. Now that their General had landed, the Morians seemed to take that as a cue to attack. Several hundred of them were rushing forward, wielding an assortment of weapons.

”I-I…” Shin stumbled over his words as he looked at this scene, his arms trembling. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

”I guess you're right, Micheal. I was wrong in the end.” Shin's voice was small, his usually cheerful and optimistic demeanor nowhere to be seen.

”There was no hope for us.” His voice broke as he looked at the charging wave of death, his blade limp at his side. His shoulders hunched, making him appear small and fragile.

”We have failed. Humanity has failed.” Micheal closed his eyes as well, tears threatening to leak.

He had done everything he could. When everything began, so many years ago, the people of Earth had been transported to the Seven Layers in waves. As someone that was part of the 4th Wave, far behind those firstcomers, it was only because of his sheer determination that he managed to catch up to this point.

And despite everything… he proved useless. He couldn't even help those vaunted geniuses, let alone stand anywhere near their level.

”How could we have known, Micheal?” Shin muttered quietly, watching as the last hope of humanity died out.

”How are we supposed to fight Gods?” Shin fell to his knees, his hands trembling.

CRUNCH

THUD

Noise echoed out as a figure landed down near them. The figure of the blue skinned Morian that had wiped out all the geniuses of Humanity.

The figure of General Kelleth, covered in his resplendent, oppressive white Aura that indicated he was a God Tier warrior. A true Deity representing an entire Tribe of Deities.

”To struggle from being the weakest race all the way to the Seventh Layer, it is truly something to be commended! Allow me to send you on your way!” The General loudly proclaimed.

”Die!”

”Kill it!”

The fighters near Shin and Micheal rushed forward as one, more than a dozen powerful warriors all at least King Tier throwing themselves forward. Black lightning, bright red flames, powerful energy bolts, a deluge of attacks smashed down towards the figure, full of chaotic might.

BOOM

With almost a casual wave of his hand, the General dispelled and blocked the attacks. His body then blurred as he began to unleash a slaughter, killing everyone that attacked him.

In less than a second, more than 50 warriors died.

The General's body blurred and then stopped in front of a kneeling Shin, looking down at the fighter curiously.

”Ah, has despair taken you, warrior? Alas. If our survival did not depend on this, perhaps we would spare your kind.” The General shook his head sadly.

Shin looked up, his eyes bloodshot, but, at the same time, conveying a feeling of acceptance. The General raised his sword above his head, the white Aura bursting around him as he prepared to take Shin out.

”Die!”

Micheal's voice was full of passion as he rushed at the General, swinging with all his might. He unleashed everything, his blade moving in an intricate and skilled arc, red energy surrounding it as it cut through the air itself.

WHOOSH

SHKKK

CLANG

Micheal felt as if he had been punched in the chest. A stabbing pain filled his body as he was flung backwards, his sword knocked from his grip as he sailed through the air until he crashed down hard on the ground. He felt his Ki fluctuate, the red Aura that surrounded him shivering.

”No…” He croaked, blood spattering from his lips as he looked down.

A huge hole in his body could be seen, punched directly through his heart.

As Micheal's vision wavered, he could just barely see the General return to stand in front of Shin, raising his blade once more. His body went into shock at the gaping injury it had received, making everything around him appear surreal.

WHOOSH

SHKKKK

The world around Micheal seemed to move forward in slow motion. .

Slowly, ever so slowly, he watched as the last friend he had in this world, a man he loved as a brother, slid to the ground.

Dead.

'NOOO!' Screams tried to rip free from Micheal's failing throat as he watched Shin die, commanding his body to stand and fight. Pulling forth every iota of willpower and strength, all the years of training and dedication, to try and make himself rush forward, to try and save Shin.

All to no avail. His body was failing, his heart already still.

All he did, everything he tried... It was all not enough. It had been a waste. Humanity had still fallen.

'Sorry, Shin.' Tears streamed down Micheal's face as he collapsed, his vision turning black.

'I let you down.'

'I was useless in the end.'

As Micheal's body fell still, a small, unassuming, purple ring on Micheal's finger flashed.

A ring he had stumbled upon through random chance and luck, acquired in a place he had long since forgotten.

Micheal died.

But as he died, that ring vibrated with power. Words began to resonate, contained purely within the ring. Words full of desire and longing, passion and need.

'If only I had a chance to start over, to fix everything.'

”…”

'If only I had a chance to start over, to fix everything.'

”…”

'If only I had a chance to start over, to fix everything.'

”…”

'Divine Artifact: The Wishing Ring activated. Wish has not exceeded the maximum range of values.'

”…”

'Wish granted. Transporting memories through time.'

”...”

WHOOSH

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