The Ether chronicles

All eyes turned toward the source of the explosion. When they looked back at Zelda, an uneasy silence swept through the crowd. She lay against the barrier, a thin line of blood trailing from her lips. Her clothes were torn and ragged, the result of the damage inflicted upon her. The barrier itself seemed on the verge of collapse, flickering with instability.

Everyone present, except Sam, wore grim expressions.

Their attention shifted to the source of the matriarch's predicament. A heavy, oppressive bloodlust radiated from the group. Their intent was clear—they were ready to eliminate the intruder.

One of the elders, his voice trembling with anger, turned to address the rest of the family. "We can't stand by any longer. It's time to eliminate this intruder!"

Lara eagerly peered toward the dust. When it cleared, she saw the family estate still standing, and she breathed a sigh of relief, though she noticed the flickering barrier.

Panic evident in her movements, Lara shook Sam urgently. "Sam, do something! The barrier is about to break!" she cried, her voice thick with desperation.

Sam immediately got to work, channeling his energy toward the barrier. A tangible yet intangible gaseous force left his body and flowed toward the barrier, stabilizing it.

"Phew, that was close," Sam muttered. "I didn't expect any attacks to land on this barrier."

Lara, now at ease, remarked, "I told you so. I don't know what makes you so confident that this intruder won't cause any damage to our family."

Sam remained silent, glancing at the intruder who now stood where Zelda had once been, and then at Zelda, who was on her feet atop the barrier, ready to continue the fight.

What are they both thinking? Sam wondered. Aren't they taking this fight a little too far?

Lara noticed Sam's frown as he observed both the intruder and Zelda, her curiosity piqued by what Sam might know that she was missing.

Sam noticed the elder preparing to charge and appeared in front of him.

"I would advise against what you have in mind," Sam said, his voice firm.

"We greet the Grand Elder," the elders, commanders, and all the Cruz family members said in unison.

An elder, looking frail but still exuding immense power, stepped forward.

"How may I assist you, Elder Gary?" Sam asked, acknowledging the elder.

"Grand Elder, I'm curious as to why you stopped us from intervening. We can see the matriarch is losing; we can't afford to delay," Elder Gary said.

Sam looked at the elder as though he had just made a fool of himself.

"Losing?" Sam laughed, his tone light but filled with incredulity. "Do you think if the matriarch were losing, I would still be standing here? I would have gone to assist her."

The elders and others were confused, as if they had missed something. They looked at Zelda, who was covered in bloodstains and injuries, but none were serious. The intruder, on the other hand, had fewer injuries.

"I don't understand, Grand Elder," said Elder Gary.

Sam was tempted to smack the dense elder.

"Our matriarch is one of the strongest beings in the world—far stronger than you can imagine. Apart from the patriarch, she is among the ten strongest in the human domain. Do you really think some nameless intruder could bring her to this state?" Sam paused, letting the words sink in.

An elder, curiosity evident, stepped forward to ask Sam a question.

"Who is stronger, you or the matriarch?" asked Elder Han.

Everyone waited for Sam's response.

"Elder Han," Sam began, his voice laced with confidence. "While the matriarch might look roughly beaten, that's because she has only used the base of her powers. She's a battle maniac, and she's far stronger than you could ever imagine. Just watch the battle and find out."

Some were amazed by the matriarch's power, while others wondered if Sam was exaggerating to downplay the situation.

Sam noticed all this but didn't bother trying to convince them further.

The battle was escalating.

Sam called out to everyone, "All the elders should evacuate the citizens and residents into the barrier."

"Yes, Grand Elder," everyone responded.

Lara appeared beside Sam, who was giving orders.

"So, Mr. Sleepyhead isn't sleeping anymore?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.

Sam turned to face his wife and said, "Not like I have a choice. I don't want to sleep and have nightmares about people I could have saved."

"It's good that you're doing something other than sleeping," Lara remarked, her tone playful.

"After this, I'll go back to my nap. This is the most I've worked since becoming Grand Elder," Sam replied, his voice tinged with annoyance.

"Who told you to become Grand Elder in the first place?" Lara teased, her lips curling into a smile.

"Well, I was tricked into thinking I'd live the rest of my life in the sweet comfort of my bed," Sam said dreamily.

"Too bad for you. That dream will most likely remain just that—a dream—for a long while," Lara laughed.

Meanwhile, Zelda took note of her bloodstains and injuries. She frowned slightly, though she relished the thrill of battle. She couldn't afford to appear weak in front of her family.

She glanced around, seeing the grim and fearful expressions of those watching. Looks like they underestimate me. Well, I can't blame them. It's been a long time since anyone saw me battle, she mused silently.

Her gaze locked onto the man standing alone above. She smirked, and he smirked back.

Then, in a flash, she vanished and reappeared in front of him.

"You've gotten better. I'll give you that," Zelda said, her voice tinged with amusement. "But you're still too weak."

"Weak? Who caused those injuries on your body and made you look this miserable?" the man said proudly.

Zelda's eyes glinted with amusement. "Let me show you what weakness really looks like."

She raised her hand, and an overwhelming pressure surged from her, accompanied by a blue aura that briefly enveloped her. It was as though the very air bent to her will. The bloodstains vanished from her body, though her torn clothing remained. Her skin glowed with vitality, unblemished and smooth, a testament to the depths of her power.

The man's confident expression twisted into one of annoyance. "I forgot she could heal."

Zelda grinned. "You didn't think that was the end, did you?"

"I hoped so," he replied, his voice hopeful yet tinged with disappointment. He raised his sword, which began to radiate with searing energy. 

He slashed toward Zelda, who saw the attack coming. She raised her hand to block it, though many of the elders thought the matriarch was too overconfident. They recalled how it was an attack of this magnitude that had once brought their matriarch to her knees.

When the attack struck Zelda, she flew back with the force of a broken kite caught in a gale. The intruder appeared beside her in an instant, delivering a sharp kick to her abdomen that sent her hurtling even farther. Before she could recover, he materialized above her, driving her into the ground with a crushing stomp. The impact left a trail of devastation—houses crumbled, and the earth beneath cracked and split.

Fortunately, the residents had been evacuated just in time.

As Zelda emerged from the rubble, her appearance stunned everyone watching. Not a single scratch marred her skin, though her clothing was nearly destroyed, leaving only fragments that clung to her form. She stood tall and imposing, resembling a warrior queen with her muscular frame and commanding presence.

Dusting herself off, she ignored the intruder's sudden assault. His blade swung toward her head, but she dodged effortlessly. Unsheathing her own sword in one fluid motion, she parried his next overhead slash with a sharp clang of steel. Her riposte came swiftly—a gut punch that sent him flying through the air.

Without hesitation, Zelda pursued him, closing the gap in an instant. Her fists rained down on him, blow after blow, driving him farther into the destruction. Houses and walls fell in their wake as they clashed, the battle leaving nothing but wreckage behind.

When she reached the rubble where he landed, a flash of light burst forth. Zelda instinctively raised her sword, blocking the incoming attack with practiced ease. From the dust, the man lunged, his strikes aimed at her neck, face, abdomen—anywhere that might leave her vulnerable. But each swing met only the unyielding defense of her blade.

Zelda's gaze hardened. "After all this time, you're still this weak. You disappoint me."

"What did you expect? I went to a battle, not a training camp," the man retorted, panting but defiant. "Someone who could beat you? Sorry to let you down."

The onlookers murmured among themselves, their confusion evident.

"Does the Matriarch know the intruder?" someone whispered, echoing the question lingering in everyone's mind.

Lara turned to Sam, her expression sharp with suspicion. "Is that who I think it is?"

Sam crossed his arms, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Maybe. Why don't you watch and find out?"

Before the man could react, Zelda closed the gap in a flash. Her fist connected with his abdomen, the sheer force sending him crashing through another row of buildings. Dust and debris filled the air as he skidded to a halt amidst the wreckage. Slowly, he pushed himself upright, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth as his labored breaths betrayed his exhaustion.

"Weakling," Zelda sneered. "Real warriors see battle as an opportunity to grow stronger."

The man wiped the blood from his lips, his voice hoarse but steady. "More like a means to an end."

Zelda's eyes narrowed. "You still fail to understand."

She pointed at his face. "Get that pathetic disguise off your face, Aron."

"I suppose you knew it was me all along," Aron replied, a hint of defiance in his voice.

Aron raised his hand to his face, his fingers working carefully at the rough, animal-like texture that had concealed his true identity. With a deliberate motion, the facade began to peel away, revealing the familiar, yet now harsher, features beneath.