Abyssal Awakening

Ria furrowed her brows as she summoned her blade. Hayil was restrained, yes. But those bindings weren’t going to last very long and...

There was another concern.

Ria glanced to her side slightly.

Enris.

That’s what Hayil shouted when glaring at Astrelya. Was it because of the Eclipse energy? Or... Ria shook her head.

There was no time to think about such things.

"ENRIS!!! ENRISSS!!!" Hayil screamed as the world around them began to warp.

A burst of energy so potent that Ria was forced to shield herself lest she got blown out of the building. Astrelya simply stood with a smile on her face.

"Keep an eye on her authorities. But don’t be passive. If you let her control the rhythm of this battle, you’ll lose~" Astrelya gave Ria a quick glance before turning to leave.

Starlight gathered around her, but Hayil wasn’t about to let that happen.

*BANG!!!

Rusted weapons ripped through space, crossing the distance between them in an instant as Astrelya twisted her body, weaving through the attack.

"Where do you think you’re going!?" Hayil glared as blood surged forth like a tidal wave.

*Sigh~

"I’m not your enemy today." Astrelya flicked her finger, splitting the wave in half.

*SHATTER!!!

Hayil broke out of her chains at the same time as a broken white crown appeared above her head. A sword of light converged around her hand and she disappeared where she stood.

*CLANG!!!

Astrelya caught the sword between her fingers, flicking her wrist as she threw Hayil away.

"Why!?" Hayil shouted, slamming her palms into the ground as rusted weapons shot towards Astrelya.

Snapping her fingers, constellations formed, creating a barrier that deflected the weapons, leaving her unharmed.

"I did everything for you! I bled for you! Suffered for you! Why!? Why did you abandon me!?" Hayil clenched her fist. A blanket of black mist rushed toward Astrelya as she revealed a smirk.

Clapping her hands together, ripples in space folded in on themselves, erasing the mist.

"Are you going to keep watching or will you fight your target?" Astrelya reminded her as Ria clicked her tongue.

Lightning crackled across her body as she immediately summoned her weapon.

"F*ck off!" Hayil shouted, flicking her head to the side as she dodged Ria’s sword stab.

She reached out in an attempt to grab Ria, but Ria was already gone in a flash of light.

"It’s me and you, buddy." Ria narrowed her eyes, sheathing her blade before swinging it in a wide arc.

*KRK!!!

A line of raw energy slashed forward, but Hayil simply glared at the woman.

"I’ve come to slaughter." Hayil chanted as red energy appeared in her eyes.

The space around them darkened, pulling the two of them into a world of darkness.

"I’ve come to feast."

Rusted spikes burst out from her back as she let out a gasp of pain before tearing out her own wings.

"I’ve come to corrupt."

Before the arc of energy could reach her, a flash of light appeared from Hayil’s eyes as the slash was transformed then erased.

"Let my blood taint the land. Summon forth a hell of my own making."

Ria wasn’t about to let her finish as she took aim. Lightning coiled around her arm as it was transformed into the power of magnetism. A single arrow aimed at Hayil’s head.

*BANG!!!

Firing the strike, the recoil threw Ria’s arm back as she winced in pain.

But she wasn’t done.

A fragment of Enris won’t be killed this easily!

Slamming her hands down, lightning nodes appeared around them as her entire body started to blur.

Silhouettes snapped into place as her speed was enhanced repeatedly until...

Shinsei Raikiri!

A pillar of lightning struck down as Ria’s fastest strike was overlaid with her arrow.

"Let the Sun, Moon, and Stars weep at my arrival." Hayil glanced up at Ria.

The attacks were inches from hitting her, but she was unfazed.

"Glory to the Eclipse!"

*BANG!!!

A burst of energy crashed into Ria, dispelling her strike as her body was flung back.

She tumbled through the air before twisting herself and landing upright. She looked up. The world around them had shifted.

Though not in the manner of a Second Resonance.

No... This felt far stronger. The kind of realm where even if she used her own Resonance, it wouldn’t overwrite this place.

"Territory creation." Ria mumbled.

Above them, a giant Eclipse hung in the sky, devouring all light. The edges burned with fury. Clouds turned black, lit only by the red glow along their edges.

Below, a land of war and destruction spread around them. Broken fortresses, corpses hanging from trees, jagged pillars with bodies crucified along their sides.

That wasn’t the worst part either.

Ria’s frown deepened as she glanced at her arm.

Her lightning trembled, struggling to sustain itself.

Her energy and output were being drained.

Authority of Famine.

Taking a deep breath, Ria gathered her energy into a single orb before firing it into the sky.

Second Resonance! Crowned Tempest, Heaven’s Rift!

Even if it wouldn’t overwrite the Territory, Ria needed it to reinforce what little she could.

Dark clouds gathered while a lightning halo suspended itself in the air.

Yet... the lightning was affected by Hayil’s territory and took on a crimson glow.

A torrent of energy crashed down on Ria as her form shifted. Her hair turned neon blue, fading off into crackles of lightning at the tips. Her eyes transformed into a purple glow while markings appeared on her shoulders.

Ria glared at Hayil.

With her hatred of Enris, she could have made a great ally. Yet... she could also see the madness in her eyes. If left alone, she would kill every living thing in her surroundings.

The kind of burning rage that could never be controlled.

A vessel that had surrendered herself to hatred.

"It’s just you and me! Don’t think about anyone else right now!" Ria shouted, aiming toward Hayil using her left hand.

She was about to lunge when Hayil disappeared.

"!!!"

Ria widened her eyes. Hayil had already grabbed her by the face.

"I’ll kill you first!" Hayil shouted, dragging Ria against the ground.

Ria let out a groan as the ground scraped against her back. Grabbing Hayil’s wrist, she kicked the angel off her before shattering her sword into countless lightning bolts.

Unleashing a strike around her, Ria forced Hayil to step away.

"Removing restraints!" Ria clenched her fist.

A spear of lightning appeared in her hand as afterimages split from its main body.

One, two... three.

Having reached threefold lightning, Ria didn’t stop.

What used to be her old limit was simply a record she must shatter!

Four Fold Lightning!

Cracks appeared across her body as the power was reaching the limit of what this vessel was allowed to hold.

"Oi! Hayil!" Ria shouted as the angel narrowed her eyes.

Then there was the fifth, and blood burst from Ria’s arm.

Five Fold Lightning Tribulation!!!

Ria threw the spear as all five afterimages snapped forward, combining with the main body. Rings of energy appeared in front of the spear. With each one it passed through, the power would multiply!

Hayil widened her eyes and instantly raised her guard.

Yet a tiny bolt of lightning appeared behind her.

Confusion filled her mind, yet she didn’t bother to guard against it.

What could that tiny speck of energy do?

"What could that tiny speck of energy do? Is that what you’re thinking?" Ria’s voice echoed out as her Sigil activated, swapping locations with the tiny bolt.

"!!!"

A wide grin appeared on Ria’s face as her figure disappeared. In her place...

The Lightning Tribulation!

*BANG!!!

Rolling across the ground from the impact, Ria coughed lightly while glancing up at the cloud of smoke.

Her attack landed.

That she could guarantee. And yet...

An unsettling feeling washed over her chest.

One of her strongest attacks had landed. It should have been good news, yet Ria found no joy.

*CRACK!!! CRUNCH!!!

The sound of bone twisting and snapping echoed out as Ria immediately gathered her energy into a second spear.

If Hayil survived that then she had no choice but to prepare a second!

Lightning gathered as afterimages manifested once more.

"Enough of that." Hayil spoke coldly, her radiant eyes staring dead into Ria’s as the two of them were now face to face.

Ria wanted to take a step back yet her body was stuck in place.

She couldn’t move no matter how much she wanted to.

Hayil pulled back her arm as her palm pressed against Ria’s stomach.

Rusted plates converged into a gauntlet as she lunged forward with a punch!

Every instinct Ria had told her she couldn’t allow herself to be hit by that attack.

Lightning gathered. She wanted to swap locations but it was blocked by an invisible force.

Should she fight back with equal force?

Ria immediately dismissed that thought. She couldn’t gather the power on such short notice.

Instead...

Ria narrowed her eyes and gambled. Right as the fist was about to strike her stomach, she punched, hitting the wrist just in time.

Lightning crackled and activated her power of magnetism!

She didn’t need to change the direction completely. No, she simply had to divert it. To push it slightly off course!

*BANG!!!

As the fist struck, Ria managed to jump back as the invisible force dissipated right before contact.

Crashing against the ground, Ria quickly adjusted herself as blood dripped from her wound. It wasn’t a direct strike but...

She had no direct means of regeneration!

Taking a deep breath, she stared at Hayil, who took slow steps toward her.

This was what it meant to fight against someone possessing the Authorities of the Eclipse. An uphill battle no matter how many tricks she had up her sleeve.

Yet... a smile appeared on Ria’s face.

Perhaps she had been influenced by Astrelya without knowing.

After all...

Her heart was slamming against her chest. Not from fear or exhaustion.

Rather...

Pure excitement. A difficult hunt made the reward all the more worth it at the end of the day.

This bounty would be hers no matter what.