Blade Over Magic

Deadly Assault V

The appearance of a Behemoth skeleton was shocking. Perhaps even more shocking than the appearance of a living Behemoth.

Like Dragons, Behemoths were so rare that they were quite literally myths to the common person, as most people didn’t even know what a Behemoth looked like. Same as Dragons, which is how Xander had been able to move around with Keir in Landor and no one knew what he was.

This is because, like Dragons, Behemoth exists so high within the conceptual Hierarchy that finding one at all is borderline impossible. But where Dragons are obscene in magic and absurd in physicality, Behemoths are the opposite, possessing such potential physical frames that their bodies alone had their own conceptual weight.

Which is why finding a dead Behemoth was so shocking. A Behemoth’s durability and natural regeneration was so obscene they might as well be immortal, and typically, the only thing capable of killing a Behemoth was something on the same conceptual plane as them.

For example, a Dragon.

But according to Keir, Behemoths and Dragons rarely fought. This knowledge courtesy of the inherited knowledge he naturally had.

So with how rare they are, and with how scarcely they came into conflict, a Behemoth dying is something that wouldn’t even happen in a millenia, maybe more.

And yet in the span on a year, Xander had seen the remains of a Behemoth in Landor, which was what had been sustaining the super massive demonic ant colony that had been there, and now he was seeing the skeleton of one...

’Wait.’ His eyes grew wide.

’We later learned that the ants had been a ploy by the demons to create another Hell Gate, which is how they got their hands on the constantly regenerating flash of a Behemoth to maintain the high food demand of the colony. And now we are seeing the skeleton of one, also likely procured by a demon that seems to be the one behind the Shadow Needle Guild...’ He looked at Aubrey who seemed to have the same realization as him. After all, she had been with him when they first went to scout out the Ant Colony and saw the endlessly regenerating flesh of the Behemoth.

Was the skeleton before them... gotten from the same Behemoth?

Their realization was cut short as a devastating sound no different from a thunderclap rocked their surroundings, followed by a loud roar and a deep rumbling bellow that seemed to shake their very bones.

Xander looked forward and saw that Keir had already engaged the Behemoth, his large body having left the zone of permanence. However, Xander wasn’t worried about the Void affecting him as Keir’s core concept was Invalidation which, while not exactly the same as Void, still encompassed an aspect of erasure which allowed Keir to pretty comfortably exist in the affected area.

No, what made Xander a bit worried was the Behemoth.

Keir’s true was huge. Easily surpassing a hundred meters long. However, the Behemoth was dwarfing entire mountains. As such, it was likely that the thing was fully grown when it was alive as opposed to Keir who was still very young. Sure, he’d developed rapidly under Xavier’s time dilation training, of which he had endured more than even Xander. But it would still pale in comparison to a fully grown Behemoth.

The only thing that caused Xander to calm down somewhat was the fact that this Behemoth was evidently an undead. And it was common knowledge that undead creatures only possessed a fraction of their power compared to when they were alive, and this Behemoth was no different, as if it had even half of its original power, Xander had no doubt that Mia would have immediately stepped in as soon as it appeared.

But even then, as he watched Keir’s Black Flames of Invalidation roar on the Behemoth’s frame while the Behemoth trudged towards the dragon, every step it took reducing the surrounding mountains to dust.

Which is when the Behemoth actually attacked.

Raising on of its massive arms, it swung down at Keir, whose 100 meter frame appeared like a tiny dot near the Behemoth.

The dragon managed to evade, causing the massive limb which was moving far faster than it had any right to, to smash into the ground.

Now it wasn’t really required to be stated, but the space carved out by the Void Cube to allow for this bout was huge. Just the basin alone around 2,000 miles in diameter. Half of which was under the effect of Ben’s formation.

Aubrey had guessed the entire area was roughly double that. Which was incredibly large.

And yet when the Behemoth’s arm hit the ground, the entire place quaked.

Not shook, not tremble. Quaked. The sheer force of the vibration capable of making even the strongest earthquakes on earth seem like gentle tremors.

The sound alone was utterly cataclysmic, and Xander wondered if the loudest sound recorded on earth, the Karakatoa eruption, could even be remotely close to that.

Space itself came undone at the point of impact, and whatever ground had been there was simply erased. Not shattered, not pulverized, but erased. Not through any concept, but just sheer, terrifying physicality.

”Mary.” Xander said without hesitation.

”Yes, Milord.” The beautiful elemental spirit stepped next to him.

”Please assist Keir.” Mary bowed.

”As you wish.” Her body suddenly transformed into a torrent of wind, and a moment later, a massive green eagle shot through the sky.

It only took her a single flap to cross the large distance with a speed that could be mistaken as teleportation, and by the time she arrived, a devastating hurricane wind smashed into the side of the Behemoth, temporarily throwing it off balance, allowing for Keir’s latest attack, his dragon’s breath, to land.

A beam of black flames smashed into the Behemoth, sending it tumbling back as Mary followed up by spreading her wings wide, a giant green magic circle blooming in the sky, and from it, giant chains as thick as buildings with tornadoes for tips shot down en-masse and began wrapping around the Behemoth that struggled to regain its balance, each movement from it shattering dozens of these chains, only for dozens more to take their place.

Watching the apocalyptic battle for a few seconds, and noting that Ben’s artifact was doing a great job at preventing them from becoming collateral damage, Xander shifted his gaze away and looked at the obsidian spire, the eye also watching the battle. And for a moment, Xander thought he saw what might have been unease before the eye shifted its gaze back to them, and at the base of the spire, figures began to materialize, each one carrying a distinct sense of nonexistence as they technically didn’t even have frames. They more or less just resembled blobs that erased anything they touched.

”Well, I guess we still have to destroy that thing.” Falael said as she cracked her neck, and Xander nodded.

”Yeah. And if possible, also try and apprehend the remaining assassins. Specifically the one who contracted the demon. Because there’s a lot of information to be extracted.” Upon saying that, Xander said inwardly.

’Mira, you’re gonna be needed.’ A very dramatic sigh entered his mind as, a moment later, the devastatingly beautiful Succubus materialized right next to him, looking reluctant.

”I’m telling you now, this is not my type of battle. Anything related to the void is naasty to fight. And I’m more of a support fighter so like. Maybe not?” She sounded almost pleading.

Disapproving stare ×5

”Hey don’t look at me like— Hey even the kid?!” Mira clicked her tongue in annoyance and sighed dramatically again.

”Fine, fine. Ugh.” She suddenly spread her wings wide and scattered several of her dark feathers which touched everyone and soon became incorporeal before phasing into their bodies.

As soon as this happened, everyone felt a strange sense of strengthening. Not physically, but deeper.

”Void stuff is good at dealing soul damage. So that should help with that at least a little bit.” Mira said as she looked forward at the approaching Void creatures and scoffed.

”Look at those things. So ugly and tactless. Seriously, no aesthetics at all. How terrible.” Ignoring her rambling, Xander brandished Abscinde as he prepared himself. With how things were going, it was clear that the ensuing battle would really put what the group had gained since their training elapsed.

’Well, Mia said she would only interfere when faced with something we were unable to handle. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that what we can handle will be easy to handle.’ Xander thought. That being said, he didn’t want Mia to interfere.

Training was good. Realizing and comprehending concepts were good. However, Xander realized that the best and most efficient way to grow stronger substantially was through battles. And the tougher the battle, the higher the chance one would gain something.

And it seemed as thought this battle would be substantially tough, which was perfect.

So without further ado, the group moved.

***

A/N: We are so Back!