Eternal Elysium

This is the worst.

Deprived of my sight, I felt a cold wind hit my face. I shuddered slightly and took a cautious step back.

Two furious red eyes were still visible in the dark; even their bloodlust had become even more furious, as I could sense it like a repulsive force.

We held our breath, waiting to see who would make the first move. While I plunged deep into thoughts on why the lights had stopped working.

'No, right now that's not important.' I pushed the reasoning aside and pulled my blade out from the sheath and adopted a defensive stance, keeping the blade not far from my body. Even the sharp crystal blade was not visible to my eyes, as it had perfectly blended with the darkness present in the room.

Then the temperature dropped seemingly at a fast pace.

I again shuddered, my breathing caught up in my throat.

The two furious eyes suddenly glowed with dark intensity.

Chris, unlike me, didn't wait; even if I couldn't see him, I still saw a white light move in an arc cutting through the space between the eyes.

The moment I saw the movement, I saw the light of his spear. My world, even in this darkness, slowed down to a crawl. I saw the two eyes twitch; the subtle movement was more than enough for me to become aware that they would be able to dodge Chris' strike.

Since I could not see them, using [Static] was out of the question, as its condition was to be aware of the target location, its presence, and its concrete shape. Or at least that's what I had managed to understand by now.

My mind had subconsciously filtered that information till today and after some practice I had understood its principle, albeit a little less than what I had thought.

But that was alright with me.

What I needed to do right now was not stop the furious eyes. Instead, I needed to make sure Chris could hit them. [Kairosflow] was perfect for this. Since it gave me more freedom of power than [Static], on which I relied mostly on subconscious work.

The key for this now relied on imagination.

The two eyes, blazing red… What lies beyond the darkness?

If it has eyes, then it should have a head. If it has a head and a neck dark enough to not be seen. A body holding all the pieces together… A shape not so comparable to humans.

My mind finally drew a picture and surely the effect took place.

The two eyes twitching to move slowed down.

Thud!

Chris's spear made contact with a sleazy sound. My lips curled up as I saw the two eyes fall down with a strong thud; Chris' foot made a tapping sound as he stepped back.

"Is it dead?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Chris opened his mouth only to mutter three words.

"I hit nothing."

Ah… Shit.

The two eyes that had fallen on the floor rolled away.

They separated, splitting from each other.

The red eyes gradually expanded.

I took a strong step forward and plunged my blade forward in a stabbing motion.

Sparks flew in the air as the eyes glowed intensely, halting me.

Before the blade tip could reach them, they vanished in darkness.

Swing!

I again moved my blade in a curved arc and so did Chris. In an unprecedented march of speed our attacks rushed toward the red sparks fleeing in the air. Momentarily they slowed down but before we could reach them they once again splitted apart causing our weapons to clash with a deafening sound metallic clash.

Ting!

Ting!

"Make space."

I ordered, letting Chris move back.

Even if we can't see each other, we need to avoid getting in each other's attack reach. The obvious answer to do that was to make distance.

Rumble!

The lone eye, now a giant orb of red, crackled as red sparks started to dance around its curved surface.

Boom!

The red sparks flew in my direction like lightning smiting the place I just stood.

'That… That was close.'

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

I again moved forward with firm steps, planting myself to the ground. And then lunged forward with incredible speed—again my blade glistening with darkness cut through nothing as the orb vanished from my sight.

"Tch," I clicked my tongue in frustration as I almost felt a strange sense of vulnerability within the darkness.

From the corner of my eyes I again saw sparks flying mid-air. It was Chris's spear cutting through the wind and striking the red sparks of the other red flying eye.

Suddenly my ears perked up.

I heard a sizzling sound not far away. Turning my head to look at my right. I saw the eye had come dangerously close to me.

I raised my arm along with the crystal sword in defense as another bolt of red flew across my face.

I promptly took a rapid step forward, avoiding the attack at point-blank.

At the same time I again moved my blade in a curved arc, slashing through the wind.

I was near.

I could strike it.

Almost.

The eye was now in range.

I could kill it.

My heart raced as the blade came closer to the flying orb. It flickered briefly but I didn't let it get away.

Time slowed down briefly for the eye as it flickered like a firefly.

Cling!

My blade hit something—striking like a thunderclap.

Yellow sparks flew around as Chris' face became visible briefly before vanishing in the dark.

My face hardened instantly as I let out a surprised sound.

"Huh?"

"Asher…? Step aside!" Chris yelled in a panicked voice.

I ducked below, bending my knees.

The air seemed to bend as I saw Chris' spear move above me. An invisible slash followed after as the walls made a webbing sound.

Behind me another red bolt flew, getting blocked by Chris.

My lips twitched slightly as my heart beat at a fast pace.

Ah… I see.

I turned around and rushed towards the eye levitating above. Just as I reached near a striking distance, I turned to my left and stabbed my blade forward.

A red spark emerged, pushing my blade back.

"Ah, so this is where you have been hiding, coward!"

I said excitedly.

I didn't bother with pushing my blade back as the other orb floating beside me again threw a red bolt in my direction.

I craned back, bending myself backward with my arms spread.

Two bolts came above me. Striking each other, nullifying each other.

Before I could stand up straight and take a proper stance, Chris had arrived near us.

He swiped his spear horizontally above at a fast speed.

Eeeek!

A strange sound came as the one on my right was hit, getting itself pushed back.

I raised my leg and kicked the other one before it could vanish in darkness.

A squishy feeling spread through my leg, making me shudder in disgust.

"Ugh, I am not touching that thing again." I muttered, frowning slightly.

"Haha." Chris, seeing this, laughed with a nebulous smile.

I tore my gaze away from Chris and looked at the eye that had just been kicked and was landing on the ground. Another spark crackled and then a bolt of red was fired our way.

Red flashed in my silver pupils.

Time, which had already slowed down, started to move even slower.

Just by a hair's width, I stepped aside on time and moved my blade forward with a twist of my arm.

Like a storm had formed inside, a booming sound occurred as I reached near the eye. My strike finally landed, making the eye bleed.

The eye shuddered, blinking vigorously as if enraged. The red light intensified; the previously dark room was now ignited with red lightning dancing around.

I stared at it in disbelief and found myself frowning even deeper than before.

Zap!

Zap!

I dodged again, raising my blade to thrust it forward with adrenaline already rushing through my veins. The scar left on the eye flashed with a deep shade of crimson, almost blinding us. The floor started to look uneven as more destruction followed.

Swish!

The other eye, being stopped by Chris, rushed forward like lightning coming down from the sky. It soared through the air, pushing everything away with its red sparks.

"This is getting annoying to deal with." I muttered, with a hint of desperation.

Tak!

As I stepped forward, something touched my foot, making my brows shoot up in surprise.

"Huh. Isn't this?" I whispered, seeing the flashlight that had fallen before it stopped working.

I kicked it lightly and raised it in the air, catching it with my free hand. I pushed the button trying to start it again, but to my utter disbelief, it didn't work.

'But really, why?' I cursed my luck and placed it in my bracelet. The thought of pulling out another flashlight never entered my mind, as I knew the old one was fine. The beast has done something that made it useless. The other will also turn useless if I use it carelessly.

"Hey, Asher. Sorry to disturb you, but do you have any idea what we should do?"

"I do. I certainly do. First let's separate those eyes again."

"Alright, if you say so."

Chris replied doubtfully but didn't question me any further.

It's not like he had any choice to begin with. We both were currently blind; the only source of light was the red sparks when the enemy attacked. One wrong step and we might fall somewhere and never stand up again.

In the blink of an eye we both pushed forward. Cutting through the red bolts. Chris moved ahead as I saw him raise his spear like a lever and push it down; the sharp tip, like a sword, came down like lightning. Both eyes floating around shivered slightly, with a dangerous glow of red; we were left stunned as the room was filled with lightning.

I saw Chris' silhouette in the dark just as the lightning was about to hit us.

"Sorry." I said, hiding behind Chris, using him like a shield.

"Wh—"

Chris couldn't hide his despair, as he blurted some words out. But I didn't let him complete it. My powers surged. His time froze as he was put in an eternal state that will not change unless I allow it.

Then I saw it. The red light of the bolt came down on us like heaven's judgement, roaring through the dark and illuminating the surface. Then it hit Chris as I stood behind. The land below us trembled, but Chris didn't move.

I didn't let him move.

Since I need to move.

I leaped ahead, using Chris as bait as he remained still; the eyes' focus didn't waver as they continued to rain bolts of lightning upon him. The land surrounding him was charred, turned darker than coal. But he remained unscathed; nothing harmed him, nothing touched him.

I clicked my tongue, grimacing as I used the sky like a ladder, sky-stepping letting me move closer.

As I reached them, one of the eyes finally noticed.

But it was already too late.

The one I had made bleed turned to face me; the scar I left made it quiver back in despair. Its time slowed down momentarily as I plunged my blade deep inside it.

With a loud thud my knees hit the solid floor, along with the eye now stuck in my sword. I pulled my sword free as the eye fell on the floor with a wet sound.

I grinned as the eye finally stopped moving.

It was dead.

Eeeek!

The other eye finally turned to face me as I grinned back at it, my left arm raised toward it. A flash of light appeared from my side as I turned on the lights by summoning the torch.

The pupils shrank back as I saw its visage. The veins popping on its back, the clear surface of its curve and the murderous lust it emitted all registered in my brain and then—I stopped its time.

The room fell silent; the sparks stopped flying around. The white light remained as I held the torch close to myself.

I let out a sigh of relief, standing up as the monstrous eye remained unmoving.

Then a spear shot up toward it.

I gazed at it as it came closer to the giant red orb, piercing its body and nailing it down on the floor.

Blood—or something like it—spilled across the stone in a steaming trail.

I turned to face Chris and gave him a thin smile as he scoffed at me.

"I hate you so much."

He muttered with a frown plastered over his face.