The Forgotten Slayer

Chapter 41 - Retribution

The one year anniversary was arriving of Clyde's arrival. The progress in the war was so significant that the alleged final battle was occurring. Maeve was currently fighting her father on the other side of the battlefield. Meanwhile, Clyde was currently struggling against Tank.

Their fight was going nowhere, each blow was exchanged ferociously. The current problem was that Clyde didn't do much damage to Tank. On the other hand, Tank could barely land a blow on Clyde. They both realized that between the two of them, the victor didn't matter. Most of the army had stopped fighting with their hearts as they focused on the outcome of their leaders.

All things considered, this fight was out of spite. But Clyde had another reason. He could feel it, the breakthrough he had been seeking.

Clyde saw an opening and took it. Slamming his fist into Tank, something different happened. Usually Tank would reel back a little bit, but Clyde felt pain in his fist. Tanks face was also unmoving. Whenever Clyde retracted his hand, Tank had an incredibly wide grin.

"You felt it, didn't you? The gap between us has drastically widened."

Clyde spat at the ground.

"What do you mean?!"

Tank stepped forward toward Clyde, not guarding himself at all. Clyde decided to attack him, but his fist bounced off. Unchanged, Tank grabbed Clyde by his head.

"I've awakened again."

Clyde's eyes widened for a moment before being slammed into the ground. This was not supposed to happen.

'If tank attained the third stage, then even if Maeve wins...'

Before receiving another blow, both of them were sent flying. A massive shockwave of darkness, from Maeve's clash most likely. The currently problem was that Tank didn't let go.

Eventually they hit a hard surface. There was no time to recover, his body was pulled out and slammed into a wall.

'No...'

He was slammed again, this time the air was knocked out of him.

'No...!'

When he was picked back up, something changed. His entire body was circulating electricity. From head to toe, sparks were sent flying. Naturally, Tank's hand was singed, causing him to jump back.

'Authority... I see it now.'

From Clyde's perspective, everything had changed. Movement was clear and absolute. The enemy before him was nothing anymore.

Striking at his neck, Tank had no time to react. He didn't just use his fist though. His entire arm had turned into a sword of energy as it sliced through Tank.

On the ground now, Tank coughed up blood.

"Back to square one."

Tank raised an arm up stopping the next blow.

"You are impressive, Stormrunner. Finally letting me see what your about."

Tanks body changed to the same material as the ground, no... It was more than that. He had assimilated completely. Striking at him was no different than trying to destroy all of Hell.

Too bad he was outmatched. Clyde saw everything after all, nothing escaped his grasp.

Clyde obliterated the idea of Tank's authority. He realized that the two of them were newly third level awakened. An authority needed to be absolute, if a person didn't uphold it, then it would shatter. Unfortunately, Tank couldn't understand the concept as he didn't have countless sparring matches with a third level himself.

Clyde no longer held himself back, doing so would only lessen his authority. Strike after strike, an unending wave of attacks. Thunderous cracks were sounding off simultaneously. Across the battlefield, every stopped in their tracks, including the Queen and King.

Above a storm cloud appeared, something that wasn't possible. Lightning tore through the battlefield, killing tens of thousands of soldiers.

Maeve couldn't help but smile, her star pupil managed to pull it off. All she needed to do was win her own fight. Luckily, her father was a pushover as he ever was. He might have created the darkness, but she was born in it.

Taking his suprise from the storm, she appeared behind him and slit his throat. Maeve saw that he was about to speak, and so she shoved a knife down his mouth.

"Goodbye bastard."

Looking across the battle, only her side remained. It was over.

The clouds disappeared as fast as they appeared. Right now, Clyde was standing over a pile of ash. Each second felt like an eternity, and he couldn't turn it off. His own heartbeat was pumping faster than it ever had. A voice was calling out to him, but Clyde was in a trance like state.

That's when the shadows overtook his mind and calmed him down. Something Clyde was used to and longed for by now.

When they disappeared, Maeve was in front of Clyde. She came to him and hugged him.

"It's over."

Clyde didn't say anything, a realization appearing in his mind.

'I can go home now. But...'

Letting go she looked into his eyes.

"Do you still wish to leave here. If you stay, you'll be by my side forever. I also imagine you have much more going for you here than up there. Additionally—"

Clyde cut her off.

"I must go."

Her facial expression became drained.

"So that's how it is..."

She turned away from him, only her back was in his sight.

"Now that you have awakened, you can go back on your own. All you need to do is imagine it in your heart. Will yourself back to another reality. But I must tell you now... if you ever return here. I might just kill you."

Clyde didn't know what to say. And before he could think of something, she was gone. A part of himself was lost, strengthing his resolve. Her instructions weren't that clear, which made Clyde believe it was a simple matter.

He close his eyes and began the process. His soul started to crack and build pressure. Pain and swelling took over his body. All of his essence was draining until there was nothing left.

'Did it work?'

Opening his eyes, Clyde was in a small crater. At first he thought that he arrived in a random location, but in the distance he saw the familiar architecture of Maple. Something had happened here.

In the moment, his body felt weak and powerless. That wasn't Clyde's concern. After all of his trial and tribulations, it was only the beginning. He had reached the third level of awakening, but he was sure it would be enough. Only a few days had passed in the human realm. With no other plan to go with, Clyde began the journey to Avalor.