PHASE 99 - THE AETHER CRUSADE MASSACRE

Even if the all-powerful Yog-Sothoth is gone, the Outsider still has one last trump card in his sleeve. It’s a Heavenly Blade, the cultivation of his love towards the Frozen Soul in various timelines. It bears the name of which has the power to control time in different universes.

“Helena!!!” Freyr shouted as he boosted forward and caught the sword princess’s body before she was able to hit the ground.

Helena has this large slice on her chest. There are major arteries that have been cut, and her heart is now puking blood. Freyr immediately used his to repair the wounds, but I don’t think it would do much good.

“Don’t die again!” Freyr cried.

“S...Stupid…” Helena chuckled out blood. “This… is just a mortal wound…. It won’t stop me… from avenging… my brother...”

Helena’s energy started to fade. She can no longer continue the fight because she’s in critical condition. The only good news is, she won’t die anytime soon because of Freyr’s healing powers.

And it seems that The Outsider never had an intention to straight-up kill Helena.

“Alaric, focus on healing Helena!” The Golden God Ra shouted as he magically coated flames on his golden claws. “We’ll take care of The Outsider!”

“Be careful!” Freyr said as he exerted more prana on his palms. The blood vessels are now being repaired at a faster rate, and the blood is now being magically replenished. As he continues to heal, I can hear his mouth saying: “Helena, stay with us. Stay with us.”

<>

“!!!” Hel/Emily surged forward with her bone claws and unleashed blinding scratch attacks, but The Outsider evaded it by leaning left and right.

“!!!” Haliya/Asumi used her halberd to make blinding silver streaks, but The Outsider just jumped back.

“!!!” Athena/Key used her buster cannons attached on her hands to create space explosions in the air. But even though The Outsider can’t see the projectiles, he managed to jump back before he could get hit by such attacks.

All those attacks are fatal, but it just serves as a distraction for Ra to charge his energy and unleash his attack perfectly!

“!!!” Ra/Diadem threw a gigantic pyramid at the Outsider.

Seeing that there is no way he can just evade that ridiculously large projectile, The Outsider materialized his kite-shaped energy shield. “!!!”

The shockwave rattled the Realm of the Frozen Soul.

Ra’s attack couldn’t be reflected for some unknown reason, so the shield continued to be pushed back. Fire flakes showered upon The Outsider’s jacket, which burned it little by little.

“You’re pissing me off!” The Outsider shouted as he used the white sword to slash the raging flame pyramid into half. There was an explosion, and flame dust showered in the area.

Thick smoke ate half of the battlefield, and shortly after, the silhouette of our enemy appeared. The Outsider is still uninjured from that attack, but his morale is now slightly wounded. Even if he’s powerful, he’s clearly being overwhelmed and outnumbered.

“Now!” Ra shouted.

“Right!” Emily/Hel nodded as she flew upwards with her angel and devil wings. The Goddess of Death readied her claws again to make a fatal attack.

“!!!” She shouted once again as she flew like a fighter jet.

“Where do you think you’re going!?” The Outsider shouted as he realized that the Goddess of Death just ignored and passed above him.

The attack spell is not directed to The Outsider, but to the Frozen Soul.

Hel’s is a powerful spell that can inflict instant death to an enemy when hit. We are quite sure that it can deliver a blow that could end the Frozen Soul. And once the Frozen Soul has been scratched by that bony claws, the battle against The Outsider will be over.

Five, four, three meters. Hel’s flight is as fast as a rocket. There is no one standing between her and the Frozen Soul. It will be a clean hit.

Two, one meter. Emily used all Goddess Hel’s powers for her speed. Everything will be over.

...Everything is over…

But… The surroundings became black and white once more. The Outsider stopped time on the last millisecond and appeared on her back. The man with the crimson eyes gave out a menacing smile, and then he stabbed her with his short sword straight to the center of her spine.

The white blade went through the Goddess of Death’s chest. Blood flowed slowly from her ripped breast.

And time resumed its flow once again.

“E-Emily…” I muttered. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“This... won’t stop me! I’m the Goddess of Death! I can’t die!” Hel used her remaining strength to reach the Frozen Soul with her claws.

The Outsider twisted his sword that was stuck on the goddess’s back, and the Goddess of Death was reverted back to the poor dying maid, Emily. is a sword of the Outsider that rewinds the time where Emily's goddess powers are not activated.

Zero meters. The claws didn’t hit its designated target. It was just a soft gentle tap of a fingernail because her claws are no more.

“M-Master Alaric…” Emily cried as blood crawled out from her lips. She made an apologetic smile to the prince charming she never had. “I-I’m sorry…”

“Emily!!!!” Freyr cried as he saw the dying maid trying hard to struggle and hold on for her dear life.

Freyr/Rikkun can’t move. He’s needed on treating Helena’s wounds. If he tries to rescue Emily, Helena will die. There’s no guarantee that Emily will be safe if he tries to recover her back.

The Outsider twisted his sword once again, and the maid’s body was immediately converted into ashes.

“EMILYYYYYYY!!!” Freyr cried out loud.

“Not even a Goddess Core can match the power of a . Now you’re dead, permanently, and won’t be coming back for good.” The Outsider chuckled.

“Don’t be fazed! Continue with the battle plan B!” Ra shouted.

There’s only three of them left fighting The Outsider. Diadem/Ra, Asumi/Haliya, and Key/Athena.

Freyr is being occupied in treating Helena’s wounds, and my father is still unconscious. I’m occupied in canceling the wishes of the Frozen Soul. It hurts Rikkun and I that we’re just sitting ducks in this fight.

“You tried to kill my queen.” The Outsider frowned. “Now let’s try if you can counter my assassination too.”

Everything became black and white.

Time stopped.

When everything recovered its colors and time resumed its flow, fear has completely eaten my nerves. The coldest chill went up to my spine as I saw the crimson eyes of The Outsider, right in front of my face.

Everything went slow in my perspective. The Outsider raised his white sword, charging a momentum to slit my neck clean.

I can’t move.

I can’t move.

If I tried to move and evade the attack, I will go out of focus. The Frozen Soul’s wishes won’t be canceled, and everyone left, including Rikkun, will cease to exist. Even my existence will be deleted.

I closed my eyes.

This is the end.

I don’t want to see the end.

“Tiara!” A loud voice entered my eardrums.

Then it was followed by a swift slash. I heard flesh being cut off, and blood splattering to the ground. I felt warm liquid showering on my arms, shoulders, and legs.

Is that my blood?

No.

When I opened my eyes, I realized that I can never be more surprised. Somebody has to die again, but now, right in front of my face.

“Tia...ra…”

His weak yet masculine voice echoed inside my head. My heart ached as it stopped. My lungs failed to grasp for oxygen. I can’t breathe. I can’t utter any voice.

The white sword slit through the man’s rib cage, breaking his spine and slicing all his internal organs including the lungs, heart, pancreas, and intestines into half. In fact, his body has been slantingly sliced cleanly. Only his right arm was retained on his upper body.

“Tia...ra…” The man crawled and reached for my hands.

Someone dear to me has died in front of my eyes once again.

This is not even a battle.

This is a massacre.