Chapter 229: Within the Void

Kothar struggled against the Aemos soldier's grip, but he couldn't break free. Thanks to his Plasma Blade, Kothar hadn't had to face the Aemos in the realm they specialized in the most, raw physical strength.

The soldier growled and grunted as he wrestled Kothar to the ground, while he did so, Kothar realized at the angle his arm was trapped at, his Plasma Blade would be ineffective.

So, favoring the stronger shock that it would provide, he cast his Ball Lightning spell, flicking it out with his left hand, and then manipulating the mana, so it curved around the soldier's back, and struck him in the head.

"Bzzzt!" There was the loud buzz of Kothar's spell hitting home, and then the smell of burnt flesh filled the air, and the soldier went limp, his brain fried to crisp by Kothar's.

[We'll have to be more careful, it seems like we've yet to face off against their more gifted fighters. If it weren't for my magic, I'd be done for.] Kothar said to Silane, as he pried the soldier's rigid arms away from around himself, and climbed back to his feet.

[I've got some ideas for some new sensors, as soon as we get the chance we should craft them.] Silane replied, usually she would flash the schematics across Kothar's vision, but she didn't want to distract him while he was in the depths of enemy territory.

Now, rather than the brisk walk he had been travelling at, Kothar paced more softly, still moving as fast as he dared, for he knew that time was of the essence.

[I know you've got a grasp of their language, but what about these inscriptions, what do they all mean, and why do they have them written everywhere?] Kothar traced a finger across the wall as he walked, the lines of the inscriptions forming a bumpy surface on the wall.

[They don't have a meaning in the common sense, I believe they're a kind of circuitry, to operate all those devices that they have.] Silane's had been genuinely surprised as they had seen more and more of Xerev's people's devices. Seeing the magic of Eclat had opened her eyes, but the odd machines of these invaders was even more strange to her.

[Alright, I want you to translate what they're saying from now on, Silane, otherwise I might miss important intel.] Kothar realized that he should no longer be so driven by his anger and guilt, if he really wanted to disable the enormous ship, he would have to use his wits as well his strength.

[Of course, Kothar.] Silane's tone was reminiscent of the constantly warm spoken and clear Ai she had once been. 

They continued down the initial passageway, apart from the first intersection, Kothar had yet to come across any other passageways that branched off the first.

But as he walked further, Kothar noticed that the corridor was slanting upwards, ever so slightly, and as he walked on, he could feel the Spatial Fluctuations from whatever was deep within the ship growing stronger.

-----

The myriad planes were like countless sparkling jewels, on an endless string that stretched all through the multiverse. Most only spent their lives on the smallest fraction of one of these jewels, while a lucky few were able to travel from plane to plane, yet forfeiting their home in the process.

Above all, reigned the Ascendants, they could freely travel from plane to plane, and beyond that, they could tear space apart and step into the Void, the space that laid beneath the surface of and between the planes.

In the Void, two mighty Ascendants were currently locked in battle, a rare enough event, but this battle was even rarer due to the fact that these Ascendants were completely serious in their battle.

They were fighting to kill.

On one side, was a beautiful and graceful beast, its countless white fangs bared in anger, as it spread its shining green wings wide, glowing within the eternal darkness of the endless void.

The luminous orange orbs that were its eyes stared at a hulking humanoid, covered in a brutish dull black armor, the red light leaking from his eyes surrounding him and keeping him aloft within the void. 

Around each of the combatants was a glowing sphere of light, green for Qh'mros and red for Xurha.

The spheres were enormous, from afar, one might mistake them for some sort of luminescent planets floating inside the void. These were their domains, and while each Ascendants path to power was different, they all ended up with this ability to exercise their power completely over a region.

Now they would fight, each of them attempting to weaken the other to the extent that their domain would falter, and the other would be able to exert their will over them, either destroying or consuming the other.

Xurha roared, a voiceless roar, since they floated in the void, but the pure fury that that roar contained was clear on his face, and he lifted his axe high, a towering image of himself appearing around him, that also swung an enormous ghostly ace at Qh'mros.

But Qh'mros didn't falter in the slightest, it simply blinked at that attack, and then flapped its powerful wings, whipping a storm of green energy that completely surrounded it, easily blocking Xurha's attack.

[If that is the extent of your power, puny upstart, then your life is forfeit.] Qh'mros voice taunted Xurha, it's rumble clear in Xurha's mind.

[Really, lizard. I'm sure you saw a glimpse of my true power, when you decided to take a peek into my mind.] Xurha answered, growling as he spoke. 

Staring angrily at Qh'mros, he held the enormous beasts gaze as he slipped off the gauntlet on one hand, and then held it out right in front of him.

Qh'mros realized that Xurha was trying to initiate some type of ability, and immediately sent flurry after flurry of wind blades flying at the leader of the Aemos.