The Lost Kingdom | Nova Terra Chronicles

The sand still whispered from the echoes of battle.

As the medical drones flew overhead, healing fields radiating across the wounded, Hoshina stepped off the battlefield--her body trembling, not from fear, but from adrenaline fading. The burn in her muscles paled in comparison to the weight she had just carried.

And there he was.

Rikushi, eyes wide with pride and worry, opened his arms. She practically fell into his embrace.

"You did amazing out there," he whispered.

She looked up, her cheeks flushed with warmth. Then, gently, she kissed his cheek.

"You're up next, so win for me, alright?" she said, a smile dancing at the corner of her lips.

Rikushi nodded. "I will."

The roar of the crowd returned, a tide of voices that shook the heavens.

Now, it was their turn.

NTG1:

Rikushi - The Main Damage of the Team, great for taking down powerful foes.

Valentine - The Main Tank of the Team, great for taking hits.

Kaide - The Secondary Damage of the Team, great for follow-ups.

Rumoto - The Secondary Tank of the Team, great for suppressive attacks.

Para - The Ranged Backup of the Team, great for splitting the enemies up.

They walked as one onto the grand arena of golden sand under the smoldering sun, cheers rising like a wave. But the energy shifted the moment the announcer's voice crackled through the air:

"Uh, Hello? Um... And now, their opponents... A new... team?--unknown to the world--led by a man who... well, no records exist. Zavren of the DOMAIN?"

The moment that name struck the air, Rikushi, Rumoto, and Para froze mid-step.

Toren, in the infirmary watching on the projection screen, dropped the mana-crystal in his hands. "No-..."

Kaide's playful smirk disappeared. Valentine stood upright, fists closing.

Out of the shadows of the gate, they emerged.

Zavren, a Daemon Brute that could rival the Gods.

Varkok, the toxic archer with bone-masked eyes.

Frothurm, dragging a blade of frozen void along the ground.

Seryxa, chains licking the sand behind her.

And behind them all--

And a walking nightmare.

Nexivoros.

Lumbering, twisted, stitched together by forgotten gods and terrible rituals. Its ribcage flexed open and closed like breathing jaws. A dozen arms hung at its side--some moving, others still--its face a cracked helm of polished bone and oozing black muscle. It's like it was an old god that started to hunger for not just power, but living, breathing flesh.

Rikushi's face paled. "...I've seen it before. When Zavren experimented on me... it was across the room, with pipes and tubes sticking out of it, just like me..."

Rikushi's eyes ignited with a red-gold flare. "I'm ending this. Here and now."

Rumoto lowered his axe's head to the sand with a thud, gripping the shaft tightly. "Then we finish this, together, and redeem ourselves from the last time we stood here together."

Para's hands glowed with radiant light. "No healing. No backup. We hold till it's over, I'll try my best to support from afar."

Rikushi looked to his team and shouted over the crowd:

"Valentine, Kaide--take down the beast."

"Rumoto, Para--handle the minions."

"Zavren... is mine."

The crowd hushed.

The bell rang.

Rikushi surged forward, his feet skimming the sand as flaming arcanic wings erupted from his back, lifting him off the ground like a missile of divine fury.

Rumoto sprinted across the field, dragging his axe in a serpentine trail of sparks. At the last second, he spun--hurling the weapon like a comet of ice-fire into Frothurm, who grunted as it crashed into his ribcage.

Para jumped into the sky above and fired holy bursts at Varkok, forcing the archer to leap back with acidic arrows aimed in response.

Meanwhile--

Valentine stepped forward, raising his arms to block the blow of Nexivoros.

CRACK!

His forearms split open with long, shallow slashes from three of the beast's claws. But he held firm.

"Go," he growled. "I'll hold it."

Kaide flipped through the air, wielding his Phatomchain sword, which gleamed in the light as he slashed across the monster's face, leaving a shallow gash.

But..

Nexivoros grinned through its stitched flesh.

A tongue of flesh slithered out from the maw and licked the blood on its blades.

SSSSHHHCK.

The wounds closed in an instant.

Valentine's jaw tightened in revulsion.

He threw a punch.

Caught.

One of the monster's arms--larger than the others--wrapped around his fist like an iron vice.

Another arm lashed out and grabbed Kaide mid-flip, stopping his momentum.

Two more arms exploded from the creature's back, wrapping around their limbs like tendrils.

Then the beast screamed--a screech of ancient gods being devoured alive.

The claws of Nexivoros gripped Kaide like chains forged from a dead god's ribcage.

The ancient beast sneered as blood and magic dripped down its jagged maw.

But Kaide, ever the edge between calm and fire, grinned even as his ribs cracked under the pressure.

"VALENTINE!" he shouted through gritted teeth. "It's not just blood--it's Magic! It flows through its veins!"

And with that--

Kaide launched his Phantomchain sword into the sky.

It shimmered as two spectral rings burst from its hilt, splitting it into two curved blades, one burning in Fire Magic, the other cloaked in Anti-Magic, a void-slicked edge that pulsed with hunger.

"DUAL PACT!" Kaide roared.

The Anti-Magic blade plunged downward, slicing clean through the creature's arm.

SHHHHINK!

The limb released Kaide instantly, smoke rising from the cursed wound.

At the same time, the Fire blade struck another limb, catching fire that quickly began spreading.

Kaide landed, twisting the blades in his hands. In a flash, they fused again into a single glowing weapon.

Then he dropped into a stance, a bright circle forming under his feet.

"By Vow and Virtue, let Fate Defend..."

"Judgement's Calling, Shield to the End!"

"NOW, VALENTINE!!!"

Valentine's necklace clicked.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The runic dials snapped into place--and everything changed.

A violent crack of energy burst from his chest as his aura erupted in Fire, Wind, and Void Magic, becoming a three-fold storm of relentless judgment. Blackfire licked across his fists like angry chains, wind roared behind his steps, and the sky seemed to pulse with the void.

"Unleash the burning desire within... Let my foes experience what truth is when followed through..."

"FULFILLED PROMISE!!"

The burst of flame, void, and wind alike hit Nexivoros like a crashing comet, blasting the beast away and off its feet,stunning it momentarily, the arms twitching, the blood-magic inside boiling.

Valentine didn't hesitate.

"Let my Will become my Strength, and my Heart turn to Steel--"

"CRIMSON BLESSING!"

He dashed.

Faster than thought, and Harder than steel.

A fire-infused fist pierced through Nexivoros, carving a clean hole in the midsection, sizzling with searing embers. Blackfire scorched the inside, preventing the beast from regenerating.

Kaide followed the motion instantly.

"SPIRAL SEVERANCE!"

His six spectral swords circled around him like falcons. With a flick of his wrist, they all struck at once--shhht--shhht--shhht--shhht--shhht--shhht--embedding themselves across the beast's torso.

Kaide ran up the beast's hunched body, gripping the hilt of the highest sword.

"GUILLOTINE WALTZ!!"

He launched himself over the beast's head, and in a mid-air spin, delivered a blinding downward slash. All five of the remaining swords exploded with concentrated Fire Magic, erupting inside Nexivoros' body like igniting oil-combustion.

The creature stumbled, body smoking, parts melting and limbs falling off--but it still wasn't dead.

It laughed--guttural, wheezing, hateful.

"Y̶o̷u̴ t̶h̷i̴n̴k̶... y̷o̶u̵ c̶a̴n̵ k̵i̶l̸l̷ a̵n̴ O̷L̶D̵ ̵G̷O̸D̵...?!"

But Valentine's feet scraped the sand once again, fire growing brighter in his fists.

"FORTIFIED HEART!"

He launched his fists forward--four quick jabs.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Each strike thundered with molten momentum, exploding with impact as chunks of the beast tore away.

For the fifth and last punch.

It glowed like the sun's core--shining gold and white with a heart-seeking fury.

Straight into Nexivoros' chest.

A flash.

Then a thunderclap.

Then silence.

The body convulsed...

...and began to fall.

Kaide dashed once more, appearing above it mid-fall, slicing a finishing blow through the top of its broken skull.

SSSHHHHINK!

Split. In. Two.

Smoke coiled into the sky. The crowd was speechless.

And Rikushi--who watched them inflict the killing blow--smiled and grunted "right on time."

Valentine landed next to Kaide, blood trailing from his lips. "Well... I think that was a 'promise kept'."

Kaide smirked, leaning on his sword, adrenaline and energy leaving his body. "Yeah... but next time, you get thrown first."

The two fist bumped and joked about eating ramen together later, then they both starting limping forward to help Rumoto and Para.