The entire orbital station had been cleared of ascenders in the few moments it took Josh to give the order, this close to Ibere, the security was at an all-time high, which was on display with the number of vessels that trained their guns on the orbital station, waiting for the lord of the Valoris to give the order. Josh honestly doubted he’d see the chance even attack as his frame dented a wall of mithril, silencing the lance of pain that ran through his body and rolling out of the way of the next attack that sought to slice him in two perfect pieces. Head ringing, he tapped into his force aspect, feeling the power boil from within him as he prepared to enhance it with the aspect of the titan.

He stopped, gripping his aether blaster as he channeled force aspect into it as well to put an extra kick to the intent attack. Josh cursed silently, watching the blur that were Ajax and the unknown man battle it out. Precision could do nothing for him here, not even his force skills, the offensive ones included, this was a battle of pure speed and brutal talent. The both of them went at it like demigods, blinking all across the orbital station in a heartbeat, intent bleeding into the air as Josh tasted both aetheric and chaotic powers in the mix. The only reason the orbital station wasn’t in shredded pieces was the aspect of the titan blade infused into the Aserite that served as its skeletal structure holding it together.

Everything made of mithril was in pieces, and if Josh wasn’t careful, he’d be among them in no time. It made him wonder how Ajax expected him to prove his worth, when the difference in skills was so blatantly displayed in the way both sides clashed with blades. his eyes could follow their movements, at least, some of their movements, and it spoke to the level of swordsmanship they both held. feeling the orbital station shudder again, his communication device crackled to life.

“Lord Josh, the preparations are complete” the voice of an ascender said.

It was probably one of the ship masters or mistresses of the legion cohorts that surrounded the structure, Josh could care less.

“Hold, not one shot till I give the order” he growled in reply as his eyes followed their almost comical bouncing across the station.

He was waiting for the right moment to fire, he was sure it was coming, it was just a matter of time. He felt something change within the current battle, like the flow of the battle had shifted to the favor of a combatant. This was followed by the unknown assailant slamming into the ground in an attack that shook the orbital station to its core, Josh had no idea how his legs and arms moved before he did, fight bunched tight as he channeled the entirety of his core into that one attack, layering it with his skill.

Titan's Wrath: Josh channels the raw power of the Titan aspect, enhancing his physical strength and striking force. His attacks become infused with energy, allowing him to cleave through enemies and break through defenses.

He had channeled the aspect of the titan subconsciously as well, preparing to drop a punch that would leave most masters either incapacitated or flat out on the doors of death. He felt the kick hit his midsection as he was shot backwards faster than a bullet, slamming into a pillar as he groaned in obvious discomfort, his eyesight dancing. It took his mind a few seconds to realize the kick had come from Ajax himself, the man giving a ‘tsk’ of disapproval. Josh wanted to order the bombardment immediately, Ajax had betrayed them, but then, his eyes drew him to the point where he had stood a few seconds ago and he froze with fear. A straight line had been cleaved clean on the mithril ground, it had run straight through where his body had stood a few seconds ago, understanding going through him like a light bulb.

He’d had been dead if Ajax hadn’t kicked him out of the way.

Getting to his feet as he wobbled, his body stabilizing, he knew right there and then, his warrior’s mind processing what just happened. He shut the aspect of the titan to nothing but a trickle, his own aspect had breached the rank of master during the war, so with or without the aspect of the titan, he was a master now. He finally saw what Ajax had been trying to say, like the hammer he wielded, he had been a blunt tool, he had taken the defense of the titan so literally, that it echoed in his fighting style. What he needed to become was a sharp blade that defended, one whose greatest defense was offense, a naked weapon that was sharp enough to cut through those who got past the true blade of the titan blade, Idris himself.

Asides from that, the only moment the assailant had noticed him was when he channeled the aspect of the titan, as if he had suddenly become a light bulb flashing around, drawing attention. He stilled himself, with his bare hands, he ripped a piece of mithril pole from a section of the destroyed wall, coating his hands with force aura. With enforced fingers, he compressed the pole into a thin straight line, its edges sharper than a normal average blade. He pushed his aspect through it, using his willpower to endure it wasn’t the boisterous and blatant hammer-like technique he usually used.

What he got was a weapon with force aspect shimmering at its edges, enforcing and empowering the weapon, intent infused as well. He watched as both combatants, Ajax and the man prepared to attack, and with his authority, he swung the weapon, the mithril pole turned blade shattering with the force he wielded. Still the attack moved the moment the man attempted to clash with Ajax again, eyes wide as he had to compensate for the attack that came out of nowhere. He swatted it away, a gesture that bit at the ego of Josh, watching as his attack was slapped away like a fly. Still, it gave Ajax the chance he needed, the man taking a cut to his shoulders as he growled.

Josh smiled as he imitated the attack he just made all over his form as best as he could, letting the power line his mantle and armor, Ihamora Ashe, the armor forged for him by Moyo. It hadn’t taken a dent, despite the initial attack done by the man on his body, it shone like polished gold, gleaming, a testament to the forge skills of his lord. He thought of removing it, to push his level of danger and harm to unknown levels, but he resisted, even without the armor, he’d die if he was facing the man one on one, the still steaming line drawn on the ground was a testament to that.

Still, the lord of the Shieldborne found himself smiling, staring at the man whose eyes flicked to him during milliseconds of attacks.

“Better a fly than being non-existent” he thought to himself and he readied himself to attack again.

Ω

Ajax had thought of smacking the young ascender when he had activated the aspect of Moyo, despite its dangerous and definitely lethal nature, it was like a bright beacon in a darkened room, it was too flashy to be used in a battle with a foe at least ten times stronger than him. Moyo was another case entirely, he could activate his aspect and he was sure Rohan would have no choice than to dodge or defend with everything he had and pray to whatever dark existence he worshiped that at least a piece of him survived. The titan blade was a mithril mountain compared to the sandcastle the leader of the Shieldborne was, the difference was astonishingly clear and Rohan had seen that and attempted to take advantage of it.

He had saved the child, incurring the damage that would have been fatal to the Valoris as he was called, pure death, no other option could had come from that attack, not even the armor he wore would had saved him from a horizontal slash, at best, he’d be two halves held together by the armor. Then he had seen the boy take the lesson to heart in the few seconds the attack had happened, using an ordinary mithril pole infused with his own personal aspect, a force path if Ajax was correct, the attack coming out of nowhere to distract Rohan.

It wouldn’t had caused him nothing but a bruise, but it had distracted the bastard and Ajax had taken ample use of it, attempting to relieve him of one hand, his blade burning with the cosmic aspect and chaotic aspect as well, fusing into something that was totally new and confusing as well. Both aspects should repel each other, the aspect of the cosmic dragon was the second most powerful path he had ever come across, aside the bizarre but lethal aspect of Moyo. Where that of Eses was like a slow acid, doing its best to melt the aspect of chaos, Moyo’s was like a raging fire, burning everything, scouring it clean.

He berated himself for the attack, the chance had gotten to cleanly decapitate the skull of Rohan, ending the fight. Even now, he could feel the powers that gathered around the orbital station, he knew Rohan felt it too, and he knew just what the bastard would attempt to do next. He raised his blade, unsure of what command to use, he didn’t even have an edict any longer, so he infused the weapon to the best of his ability and he swung, the power a careening light of pure power that tore its way towards Rohan.

The moment Rohan unleashed his chaos aspect, the orbital station shuddered as the aspect of the titan blade swelled around, slamming down on Rohan who coughed in shock, wide eyes staring in confusion. Ajax watched Josh slam a kick into the skull of Rohan, wincing at the force, both literal and aspect wise that slammed into him. He was sure the brain of the former leader of the undying hand shook within his skull, if it hadn’t fractured for that matter as his head slammed into the mithril ground before rebounding. Still, it would take more than that to bring down Rohan who prepared to face Josh, Ajax moving to intercept the attack.

He saw them come out of nothing, one minute the space between Rohan and Josh bare, and the next minute two figures were there. One in a mask with a spider carved into it and the other in a long flowing gown of purple, eyes burning with raw titan aspect, although diluted to impossible levels. The only reason it worked was because Rohan had been caught completely offguard, and Ajax knew just who had planned it. Rohan suddenly found manacles slamming across his throat, hands and legs as he slammed to the ground, an upward swing from the man in purple who was infact a diamond ranker shot him upwards with a loud crack.

Not sure of what was going on, he watched the man in the mask open his hands as long poles of the metal known as Aserite, again, something Moyo had created slammed their way through the shoulders of Rohan who screamed in rage, his chaotic aspect fizzling and popping impotently before passing out. Ajax blinked at the sequence of actions that just happened, watching as a pathway opened up and that infuriating woman stepped through, arms folded behind her.

She took a minute to survey the carcass of an orbital station, a frown marring her face that made Ajax want to grumble and blame it on someone else like a child. Her gaze landed on Josh.

“Good work” she said.

Turning to Ajax, she gave him a once over.

“Glad you’re still alive” she said.

Ajax was short of words.

“I saved the little kid!” was all the reply he could give after her.

The gave no inclination of reply, Josh walking close to him, picking up his hammer that again held the aspect of Moyo. It was getting totally ridiculous just how much of Moyo’s aspect they used, it was like they couldn’t do anything on their own. He eyed Josh.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Like I didn’t do enough” Josh replied.

“You didn’t” Ajax said bluntly.

“But it’s good you can admit that, you know what to do next, don’t you?” Ajax asked.

Josh nodded, wincing as it pained him to admit it, but Ajax applauded the kid, he would learn fast. He turned his eyes to where Martha was staring at the body of Rohan.

“Rohan, lord of the undying hand cult” she murmured.

“He doesn’t look like much to me” she continued.

“You wouldn’t be saying that if he was awake and at full strength” Ajax put in.

He wasn’t sure why he defended the piece of shit, perhaps it was because of the way the scales of power were inconsequential to the members of Moyo’s house, but something irked him. Martha glanced at him for a second.

“Oh, I know, he stinks of the aspect of the end, same as you, just a bit thicker, like he had been swimming in it far longer than you” she replied.

Ajax narrowed his eyes at her.

“I brought him down for you, and this is what I get?” he asked.

The insults at first were something he took because they were related to Moyo, but they were mere masters for Archailect’s sake, there was a limit to what he’d take. Martha turned to him with a sigh, snapping her fingers at the ascender in purple who nodded and grabbed Rohan roughly, raising him up. Another pathway opened up, and from it came a coffin looking item, large enough to take a full-grown human.

To take Rohan.

Along with it came a golden-haired woman, another master, evidently house titan blade swam with them. She glanced at him, then at Martha who nodded.

“he’s friendly” she said.

Ajax itched to prove her wrong, the woman shrugged and tapped the coffin, runes of sealing and strength glowed from it, its lead opening up. Ajax turned to Martha.

“I’m guessing those manacles and coffin were forged from Aserite?” he asked.

“Consecrated by the herald of the titan himself, I had them made in advance” she replied.

“As if you knew you’d need them” Ajax said accusingly.

“One can’t be too careful these days” she replied offhandedly.

Rohan was deposited within the coffin, another set of chains wrapping themselves around him, sealing him within as manacles gripped the poles still passing through his shoulders, holding him in an upright position. The cover closed up with a still sealed Rohan, the runes glowing as chains wrapped around the coffin again, locking together in an intricate knot.

“SEAL” the golden-haired woman said, the coffin glowing before the man in purple robe placed one hand on it, turning to Martha,

“To the last level of the Confinium, no one sees him except with my direct orders, written along with voice command as well” she ordered.

The diamond ranker bowed.

“As you will it, lady Martha” he said, his voice somehow deeper than Ajax expected.

He turned to Martha, watching the coffin go through the pathway.

“you’re taking him to the planet?, right within the heart of Moyo’s territory?” he asked surprised.

“You do know that was what he was after, right?” he said.

She nodded, watching the pathway close up.

“And now he’ll be getting it, in a dark place, devoid of all sensations and sense of time” she replied.

“This was all your plan, wasn’t it?, you knew he was coming, damned oracle” he murmured.

“I’m not sure if I should feel insulted or praised” she replied as she nodded to the diamond ranked man in a spider mask, matching his movements.

“you’re invited to Ibere Mr Ajax, I believe that even if Moyo would sooner decapitate you than talk to you, you’re still our guest” she said.

Ajax paused, watching as she spoke with the rest of the ascenders from the legion that poured into the wrecked orbital station.

“You say it like you know him well enough” he bit back in defense.

She turned to him; one eyebrow raised.

“You were the master that discarded him, we were the family that raised him, don’t place us on the same pedestal Ajax” she replied.

That hurt, a lot, and Ajax felt it, still, he said nothing, grinding his teeth together in rage and hurt. She paused, even as vessels came from the planet, carrying supplies to begin work on the orbital station, to get it back in shape. Turning to him, she spoke again.

“Do you know why Moyo trusts us as much as he does?” she asked.

“Because you’re family?” Ajax bit out.

She nodded.

“that’s one half of it” she started.

“The other half is that we put him over ourselves, a symbiotic relationship” she said.

“we’d die for him, we’d bleed for him, we’d kill for him on his say so, every single one of us who was there when house titan blade was nothing but a single bastion” she said.

“He trusts us because he knows that if he faced down oblivion, then we’d face it with him, but you broke that promise Ajax, he trusted you and you shattered him” she finished.

Her eyes glowed, and Ajax felt his sense of equilibrium shift.

“Perhaps in time, perhaps, all will be revealed to you, assuming you’re worthy in the end” she said with a smile.

She blinked her eyes and the feeling was gone, Ajax fighting his sense of vertigo.

“Those coffins” he asked.

“You have more than one, don’t you?” he said.

She smiled as she turned, passing through a pathway.