Chapter 447: Fighting a Demigod

Golden rings spread from Veyran’s spear and linked together around his body. An enormous armored figure formed around him until its weapon could reach Caelus’s chest.

"A large body won’t save you!"

The giant spear came forward as Caelus gathered lightning between his claws. He caught the blade between them and twisted, dragging the armored figure toward him.

[Spell Activated: Jirasad.]

Black lightning ran along the spear and spread across its golden surface. The weapon began breaking down where the spell touched it, forcing Veyran to release the damaged section.

His armored figure drove a fist toward Caelus’s jaw. Caelus blocked with one claw and formed white fire against its knuckles.

[Spell Activated: Refla.]

BOOM!

The flames blasted through the hand and exposed the light beneath its armor. Caelus followed with Origin Lightning, tearing the damaged arm away at the elbow.

Veyran retreated through the scattered gold and raised his remaining hand. Dozens of circles opened around Caelus and fired toward the gaps between his scales.

[Spell Activated: Iris.]

A barrier spread over him and swallowed the first beams. It strained under the rest as Veyran brought the circles closer and poured more power into them.

Caelus could handle several spells at once now, and he put Divine Calculation to work. While Iris held off the beams, he formed swords outside the barrier and aimed them at the circles.

[Spell Activated: Ferra.]

The first wave cracked their glowing rims. More swords struck the same points until the circles shattered and their beams went wide.

Caelus pushed through the broken formation with lightning gathering around his claws. Veyran raised a golden shield, but the swords were already hitting it from behind.

With each strike they cut deeper. Then Caelus drove his claw into the damaged shield and knocked the armored figure backward.

"How are those spells hurting me?" Veyran demanded in disbelief. "They’re basic spells!"

"It’s magic. Duh."

Veyran’s expression made it clear the answer had explained absolutely nothing. Caelus had no intention of being helpful while the man was trying to stab him.

His Ender power was doing the real work. He had ignored the rule that stopped those spells from harming a Demigod, and it was working even in this universe.

Veyran rebuilt his spear and swept it across Caelus’s claws. The edge cut through the lightning around them and forced him to draw back as golden chains rose from the broken circles.

They wrapped around his forelegs and pulled in opposite directions. Caelus tried tearing free, but Veyran drove the spear toward his exposed chest.

He turned his body enough for the blade to scrape along his scales. Pain spread through the wound as he caught the spear beneath one claw and held it there.

[Mystic Code Activated: Earth.]

Stone formed around the chains and locked their links together. Caelus pressed the growing mass against the spear while Veyran tried to pull it away.

[Spell Activated: Tecta.]

Thunder burst through the stone and shook it apart. The violent force snapped the trapped chains and cracked the spear along its length.

Caelus sent the broken stone forward with wind. Veyran covered his face against the storm, giving Caelus a clear path to the center of the armored figure.

[Mystic Code Activated: Origin Lightning.]

He drove a lightning-covered claw through its chest. Gold burst from the wound as Veyran struggled to hold the giant body together.

Caelus pulled his claw free and gathered another spell in the opening. He had been waiting to use this one since it returned.

[Spell Activated: Volcra.]

A blazing sphere shot into the damaged chest and burst deep inside it.

BOOM!

The armored figure split open from within. Its shoulders and head broke apart as the spell spread through them, destroying the gold instead of letting it gather again.

Veyran fled from the collapsing body with half his armor gone. Caelus reduced his size enough to follow and struck him across the side with a claw.

The blow sent the Demigod tumbling through the wreckage of his own attack. Caelus caught him on the next turn and pinned his spear beneath a talon.

"Are you ready to tell me where your king is now?"

Veyran tried lifting the spear, but Caelus pressed it down until the shaft cracked.

"Enough."

Space locked around them and the drifting pieces of gold stopped moving. A huge projection appeared beyond the fleet, showing a man in dark robes seated beneath a silver arch.

Caelus felt the restraint against his body and stopped pressing on the spear. Sylvia came to his side as the man addressed them.

"Visitors from afar, I know neither of you came here with bad intentions. Please release Demigod Veyran."

"Sure, but you should have done this much earlier."

"That was my oversight. Please visit my palace so we can speak properly."

Caelus released Veyran and returned to his human form as his Power Index settled back at seventy-eight. Sylvia took his hand and smiled as the pressure around them faded.

"You finally got your invitation. Let’s hope they don’t ask us to surrender at the door."

The projection turned toward the fleet.

"Escort our guests to my palace immediately."

The captain bowed so quickly that Caelus wondered whether his neck hurt. Within moments the leading vessel had opened its entrance and moved beside them.

Nobody mentioned seizing their belongings this time. Caelus entered with Sylvia while Veyran remained outside to gather what was left of his spear.

The fleet carried them toward a vast ring suspended between the stars. Its center opened as they approached, revealing a realm within the universe beyond it.

Caelus watched from the bridge as the ship passed through. Rivers of light flowed between floating lands, and enormous bridges joined towers beneath a bright silver sky.

At the center stood a palace surrounded by smaller worlds that moved around it in slow circles. Ships large enough to cover cities passed beneath its gates.

Their vessel followed a clear route through the traffic and settled beside a broad landing court. Caelus stepped out with Sylvia as the palace doors opened ahead of them.