Void Spawn - A litrpg adventure fantasy

The people murmured as they watched the smoke falling from the punch. At this point, the evacuations were underway, though severely stunted.

Nearly all watcher outposts were attacked simultaneously. It was a coordinated attack. Not only that, the enemy also targeted a few vital points of Erudicio, such as the plaza.

Icarius walked up to the woman as he tried to grab her shoulder, only for the oracle to raise a finger, stopping him midway. "Don't... touch me."

Icarius put his hands down with a sigh. "Are you still mad—"

A loud snap echoed in the air as Icarius's face whipped back, a red mark forming on his jaw. A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "I missed you too, Amelia."

"Bastard", Amelia, the oracle, hissed, a frown present on her face. "You dare ask me if I'm mad after you threw me in the countryside?"

Icarius scratched his head. "You know I had to, especially after they tried to atta—"

Another snap echoed in the air as Icarius's face whipped to the other side. Stretching his jaw, Icarius resumed. "... especially after they tried to kill you."

Amelia's jaw clenched as she ground her teeth. "You know I could have seen it!"

Icarius sighed. "I was worried—"

Icarius's eyes widened as he wove fast, leaving a tendril of lightning as he swiftly caught the woman's wrist, ensuring a light grasp to not damage her skin.

Pulling her closer, the woman dropped onto Icarius's chest as she gripped his flesh tight. However, Icarius simply chuckled as he whispered in her ears. "Caught you."

"Bastard!" Amelia growled as she kissed the man tightly. "I was worried for you...!" Her clenched jaw slowly softened as her voice nearly cracked. "Who would take care of me if you're not here anymore?"

Icarius's smile dropped as he held the woman's cheek. "That won't happen."

Amelia's eye bind began to be stained with tears. "You don't understand, Icarius. I can see what happens next, and for a moment I saw you and my death."

Icarius's brows furrowed. "When...?"

"Just now," Amelia said in a hushed tone. "But it never came; it suddenly appeared... blank."

Icarius's eyes narrowed as he shifted his gaze to Samael. "I think I know why..."

Following his gaze, Amelia looked at the man. Once again, there it was. That vast emptiness that blocks her sight as he looks at him. It was as if her clairvoyance simply ceased to extend further.

Yet, Amelia held no fear of him but rather intrigue. He was able to change that which should have happened next.

Amelia wasn't an elemental by any means. She wasn't an awakened echo but rather the disciple of a woman who called herself a witch. One of the things she was taught was the ability called clairvoyance.

Clairvoyance wasn't fully foolproof. But it allowed her to see the most probable future ahead of her. Over time she tuned to master it, allowing her to control and see depending on her needs.

But never before had her senses betrayed her.

This man... He was certain of it. He was hated by the fates. Yet, that, whatever that is, protects him.

Amelia grabbed Icarius's clothes, her grip tightening. Somehow, it reminded her of the words of her master before. Something she mentioned only once.

Fear that which our eyes cannot see through. For the only reason it is so...

"...is that they are a child of that which is nothing." Amelia's voice left trails of echo in the air.

Aphemis, Lilith and Ajax all shot a look at the woman, their eyes narrowed down. A single question lingering in their mind.

Nothingness.

How did she know Samael was connected to it?

Samael looked at the woman, his brows furrowed as he returned his gaze upon sensing movements in the rubble ahead. He had questions, but now was not the time.

"He is soon to rise," Amelia spoke as everyone tensed up again. "I shall go now. You know where I'll be."

Icarius nodded as Amelia activated an artefact that threw her in a rift. "That shit better work; I spent a fortune on it," he whispered to himself.

The Cardinals remained fixed in their positions, stunned by what they had witnessed. Snapping out of their stupors, they stared at Samael with a looming emotion the man could read.

Uncertainty.

His message got across.

As Gladius finally stepped out of the rubble, the Cardinal's faces frowned as they watched the man grab hold of a nearby pillar to stabilise himself; the mask beneath his veil was completely shattered and fused with his flesh.

Through the torn cloth, Gladius shifted his gaze towards Samael with unflattering hate and rage, his breathing deep and ragged as his bloodlust rampaged, causing the Cardinals to take a step back.

However, it was only fuelled even further as he watched the other high table leader stand in between him and the boy. But looking at the condition of the golden flames, a crooked smile formed on his lips. "No matter..."

Icarius's gaze narrowed. "Olaf, Mendez and Nova! What are you doing?! The kids!"

"We can't!" Nova roared back. "Something's dragging them!"

"What are you talking about? Drag them back if you must!" Icarius screamed as he ignited his hand with lightning.

"You don't understand! A force is binding them!" Nova roared as he looked at the golden cocoon surrounding the children.

"It's the holy fire," Samael's voice echoed. "I'm sure of it."

The Cardinals felt a shiver run down their spines as they looked at the small, almost wound-like slit on the man's forehead.

With the help of the all-seeing eye, Samael could see the golden threads linked to the chalice of fire over the altar. It was dragging the kid back.

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"Can you do anything?" Icarius asked.

"Buy me time," Samael replied as his hands and feet glowed black. "I'll cut them one by one."

"You heard the boy! Let's get to work!" Icarius roared as the cardinals frowned and unsheathed their armaments.

"Don't let him near the children!" Gladius roared in a visceral tone.

The other Cardinals sprang into action as they charged with blazing speed, shattering the stage they once stood on as they simultaneously cast their abilities.

But not against the watch of the High Table leaders.

Charging forth, the leaders blasted forward as metal, time, lightning, blood and hellfire shot in the air, clashing in a mix of lights and destruction.

The entirety of the castle shook violently as the sanctuary itself felt the tremors. The clash was violent enough that clouds began to brew in the sky, affecting the weather itself.

However, Samael remained unbothered as he blitzed in the air, hacking away at the thin golden threads connected to the altar. As he did, the children freed from the mind control fell down with a soft thud, knocked unconscious by the recoil.

Seeing Samael's advance, Glaidus roared at the top of his lungs as light seemed to condense around him, forming a circular sphere of golden energy.

Sensing the charge up of energy, Icarius braced as he put himself in between Samael and Gladius. "Try me."

"Subzone!" They bellowed in unison.

"Blinding Penance!"

"Thunder Grounds!"

As the two domains erupted, lightning began to rip through the ceiling and the floor as it appeared as though pillars of thunder formed around the man, turning all it touched into nothing but ashes.

Meanwhile, Gladius's subzone caused the surrounding area around him to be consumed by light as multiple golden blades appeared hovering in the air, crashing down like rain on a stormy day.

As the two collided, a faded blue point exploded from the eye of the two subzones, destroying everything it touched in a form of shockwave.

Icarius grunted as he held back the effects of Gladius's subzone, ensuring the children behind were safe as Samael continued to rip through the threads. Gladius felt the same as his groans escaped his lips.

They kept cancelling each other while the other Cardinals were halted by the leaders.

Illial and Nova kept clashing without stop, with Illial simply regenerating the wounds he received, frustrating Nova further.

Mendez and Orias, the Cardinal of compassion and charity, traded blows after blows as Mendez cut the man with his daggers, and the Cardinal utilised a whip to slice him.

"You foul mistake!" Orias roared as he looked at Mendez with a scowl.

Mendez remained dead silent, his rage boiling over the lid as he attacked with utter ferocity, mending the dark to his advantage in a tug of war against light.

Revan and Olaf did the same as the two hammered each other nonstop, their blades clashing and producing sparks in the air. Their battle was calculated and sharp, unlike the chaos Orias and Mendez gave off.

Ezekiel and William were pushed back by Ishkar along with the assistance of Ajax, forcing the two on the defensive due to Ishkar's domineering techniques.

Looking around and seeing no progress made, Gladius gritted his teeth. "ILLIAL! WILLIAM!"

Illial's ears perked up as he looked at Nova with the same seductive smile. "Time's up, lover boy. I have things to deal with."

Like a snake, Illial avoided Nova's chrono orbs as his figure vanished, ripping through the air as he bypassed Icarius's defence and went unto Samael.

As Nova tried to make chase, William, the cardinal of peace, disengaged as Ezekiel kept Ishkar busy. Instead, he focused his efforts on Nova as a staff smashed before him, cutting his advance short.

"We meet again," Illial muttered as he blocked Samael's march, solidified light forming claws on his hands.

Samael stared at the man as he felt something burning rise in his chest. However, shifting his gaze to the children approaching the fire, Samael gritted his teeth as he held back.

"Oh? You're not focusing on me? That's rude," Illial said as he sent a wave of light forward. However, his eyes soon widened as Samael chanted.

"Void Cleave."

Illial's eyes widened as he wove out of the way, the Void arc clearly bisecting his arm in half as it fell to the ground before disintegrating.

"Aw, I loved that arm," Illial smiled as he looked at Samael once more. Finally you're looking at me.

Samael's fist tightened as he looked at Illial blocking his path. He knew he needed to end it fast.

It was time to try his new skill.

Samael's figure turned to a blur as he clashed weapons with Illial, causing the ground beneath to shatter to pieces as Illial's chuckle echoed.

"You've tried that before; it won't work again," he taunted as he sent a plethora of strikes forward.

Samael's eyes widened as he wove and tried to counter, but Illial's speed was far too much as small, shallow wounds appeared on his body.

Illial was playing with him.

Samael felt his blood boil further as he ducked out of the way and sent Void spikes upwards, but Illial simply sliced through them.

However, Samael was not done yet, as the pieces Illial cut off morphed needle-thin as they descended to hit the cardinal.

Unfortunately, Illial simply regenerated.

But the seed had been planted.

Stepping back, Samael groaned as he looked at the Cardinal.

"You finally calmed down," Illial said as he looked at Samael's hands manifesting a black orb of pure energy. "Very well..."

Doing the same and putting his arms crossed, Illial spoke as Samael did.

"Subzone."

"Dying Light".

"Ever-changing Light."

The two subzones clashed as Icarius and Gladius did. However, the result was expected as Illial steadily pushed back Samael's subzone.

Yet even at that moment, Illial's smile dimmed a little as he himself felt the intense strength of Samael's domain. If it weren't for his rank and experience, he would've been overwhelmed fast. Now he understood why so many of their saints died to his domain.

But that was it. Samael was simply too weak to fight off the full power of a cardinal.

Samael's feet began to slide back as Illial steadily advanced. Samael could feel his bones rattle under the recoil of the clash as the man began to tear away at his subzone.

But he only needed to hold for a while. That was all he needed to do. So Samael began to count.

One.

Illial's chuckles echoed as he pushed Samael even further, causing the man to dig his feet into the marble floor.

Two.

As Illial took a few more steps, Samael smashed Void Raven unto the floor, using the blade as an anchor.

Three.

Intensifying the effects of his subzone, Samael felt his breathing begin to restrict as it felt as though a titanic weight had crashed upon him.

Four.

A cough echoed in the chamber, taking everyone's attention towards Samael and Illial.

As the Cardinal looked down upon his hand, he saw only one thing.

Blood.

Touching his lips, Illial felt the warm liquid trickling down his mouth and staining his white cloak.

"What...?" Gladius muttered, asking the question everyone had at that moment.

Looking at Samael, Illial could feel his insides begin to churn as he felt a burn unlike anything before. He tried to regenerate the damage, but it kept advancing and advancing, eating away at his very strength.

"What did you do...?" Illial asked as the whites of his eyes began to turn crimson, the blood vessels popping one by one.

A smirk made its way to Samael's lips as Elyria whispered in his ears.

Rising to his feet, Samael marched one step at a time, each stride pushing back Illial's domain that had significantly weakened.

The cardinal grasped his chest as he felt as though his heart was being gripped. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

A smile formed at Nova's lips as he stared at the bleeding man.

"So you do bleed after all," Nova whispered.

Samael advanced further as Illial's domain began to crack.

Looking Illial in the eye, Samael strode further as he stood before the cardinal, his domain devouring his light.

"I became better."

Illial's eyes trembled as his domain dropped completely.

Gladius's and the rest of the Cardinal's eyes widened in horror as Samael's domain smashed against Illial's body, consuming him as his flesh began to rip away under the intense effects of the subzone.

"FUCK!" Gladius roared as he disengaged. "ACTIVATE IT!"

"But it's not complete yet!" Caesar replied as he looked at the children. Only half had gone close enough.

"IT DOESN'T MATTER; ILLIAL WILL DIE IF WE DON'T GO," Gladius roared. "ACTIVE IT. NOW!

Icarius and the rest of the leaders exchanged glances as they tried to halt the enemy's plan but to no avail.

Gathering his essence, Caesar broke free from Aphemis's hellfire as he chanted.

"Guiding Light".

All the Cardinals glowed golden as they locked eyes with the leaders of the High Table.

"We'll see you all again."

A blinding light consumed the entire castle as the Cardinal's presence vanished without a trace.

Samael felt the figure of Illial vanish as he cancelled his subzone, a frown forming on his face. Azerel used it before. It seems he learnt it from that man.

As his gaze shifted forward, Samael's face dimmed as he realised half of the children had been taken away.

The battle was over. Both sides took severe damages. It was apparent. This encounter was...

A draw.