Chapter 222 - Upheaval

All around the Aemos, the glowing figures that had been rising up toward the ship plummeted down, unable to even yell out due to the immense pressure that they felt. 

Beyond those Advanced Rank individuals that were flying in the skies, even all those staring up into the skies in wonder on the ground felt an unbelievable pressure forcing them down to their knees. 

The elderly, frail and young children fell unconscious from the strain, unable to take the burden of the pressure that Xurha was exerting over Eclat. 

All those glowing figures in the skies were falling like a meteor shower across Eclat, though their auras remained active, slamming into the ground from this height without being able to brace oneself would injure them beyond imagination. 

Some fell faster than others, those who were more powerful better able to resist the sheer force that Xurha's simple command had thrust upon them.

It was as if the entirety of Eclat itself had been forced to submission by Xurha, utilizing the force of his will alone. 

Kothar could feel the pressure completely weighing down on his man, but for him, the strain was not so severe, since Silane was able to take on the pressure along with him.

But Xurha's assault would not go unanswered, in the depths of the Fidour Mountains, deep under the ground itself, in an enormous cavern that had once been open to the outside world, something began to stir.

There was a faint rumbling sound, and small chunks of rock and showers of dust started to fall from the roof of the cavern. There was a dry, scraping noise, as if enormous sheets of sandpaper were being rubbed against each other.

The complete darkness of the cavern was broken, as a gentle orange glow washed over the inside, an enormous eye blinking open. 

Then, there was a loud whoosh, like a fierce gust of wind, this was the massive creature sighting.

"Right as I was about to really get some decent shut eye." The creature grumbled, shaking loose more and more rocks from the ceiling of the cave, the packed rock and dirt that had filled the mouth of the cavern over the years was being shaken loose.

The enormous eye flicked around, sweeping from side to side, surveying the outside world as if the layers of rock between it and the outside did not exist. 

"Hmmph. What a disrespectful little brat." The creature rumbled as its eye focused on Xurha, thousands of kilometers away.

"Enough." The creature rumbled, and immediately, the pressure weighing down on all the beings across Eclat, suddenly disappeared. Those being forced down to the ground were able to flap their wings and prevent themselves from slamming into the ground. 

While those on the ground were able to come back to their feet, however those that had fallen unconscious remained so, those around rushing toward them and tending to them.

Xurha's eyes immediately widened, the red glow shining bright, beneath his helmet, a savage grin spread across his face, and the hand that was gripping the enormous axe on his shoulder began to open and close in anticipation.

Xurha had no love for his people, for his home, or for anyone or anything in particular, the one exception however, the one thing that he craved beyond anything else, was violence.

Xurha needed to steep himself in violence and bloodshed like a fish needed to be immersed in water, and now he knew a battle was coming.

Far from Aznur, yet still in sight of the enormous ship that hung high up in the sky, in the capital of Ursten, the people who had just come back to their feet felt the earth begin to shake.

The crashing and clattering of fallen items filled every household in the north of the Isle, and the tremors were so violent that the faintest shaking could even be felt in Aznur. 

All those eyes that had been locked onto the ship floating int he sky above, swept to the north, where the shaking was coming from. 

"It's the end!"

"The earth itself is being torn apart!"

"No, please, no!"

"Mother! Help!"

Terrified cries echoed out all over Aznur, the people who had been frozen in shock since the sky itself had split open were now stirred into panicked action. 

Grown men called out for their mothers, and the most stoic and serious had tears running down their faces as they clutched as those near to them. 

[Kothar! You must open a portal off of Eclat as soon as you can. I don't think it's safe here anymore.] Silane's panicked voice roused Kothar, who had been gazing to the north in a trance, as the tower below him gently shook back and forth, like a tree swaying in the wind. 

[Silane. This is my home. I cannot abandon it at the first sign of danger. I will remain, just like the thousands across Eclat remain. Just as my father remained in the sky, ready to defend his home.] Kothar's tone was one of utter conviction, he was determined that he would not disappear without knowing the fate of his home as he had with the Devourer. 

This time, he would know the fate of his home. 

[Alright, Kothar. But don't lose your life over nothing. Your journey is only beginning, and as you are now, you won't be able to do much to whatever is up there.] Silane pleaded with Kothar, she could feel his rage bubbling away, just like she could feel his fear. 

Kothar was terrified of losing everything he knew, once again. 

The shaking grew more and more violent, entire buildings now falling to pieces in the north of the Isle, the people of the north gazing in horror at the Fidour Mountains.

It looked as though one of the towering mountains, that had been there as long as the history of people on the Isle, was shaking itself to pieces before their very eyes.