When Ethan crashed through the windows of the Lucent Palace throne room, Viscount Mobius was already on his feet, far from the throne that was swiftly crushed to pieces by the Archon's massive claws.

Ethan's three heads scanned the room, and it took him a few seconds before he even registered the frail looking old man that was standing in the middle of the room.

"I should congratulate you," the little man said. "In all recorded Argwylian history since the time of Krea, no Archon has ever made it to the throne room of Lucent."

Ethan blinked down at the feeble man, faces momentarily struck with confusion.

"…and who are you supposed to be? Lysandus' long-lost grandpa?"

The little man took a swift bow, and it was clear there was energy being channeled through those aging limbs. Ethan could see the telltale signs of Greycloak power flowing through him – the silvery eyes and blue, varicose veins throbbing on his forehead.

"Mobius Gatlok," he said. "Gatekeeper of Caer Krea and Viscount of Lucent."

"So you're the mad King's replacement?" Ethan scoffed. "Figures. Tell me: are all the top Greycloaks old men past their prime or is it just something about this century?"

Mobius rose.

"Be wary of soldiers who grow old in a profession where men die young."

Ethan saw him flex a few of his fingers before he concealed them behind his long, dark robe. The old man was charging something.

Outside, beyond the rushing winds and the fires of war, the people of Lucent could be heard charging the fleeting Greycloak resistance that was left.

"Your theatre downstairs was well executed," Mobius continued. "These people never truly loved us."

"Some protectors you turned out to be."

Mobius smiled up at him.

"We are, both of us, exactly as we should be."

"I disagree."

"Does that matter?"

"Not to a fanatic, I suppose."

The old man threw his head back in a hoarse chuckle that echoed down the glass-filled corridor.

"You are a dog of fate, just like the rest of us. Oh yes, you might have a few more fangs than we humans do. But even those little tools of death have been given to you, Archon. They have been granted to you so that you might come here, so proud and so strong, feeling so noble and oh so very righteous. Then, when the truth dawns, you will see how little your claws and your fangs and all your feeble skills truly matter."

Ethan took one step forward and let out a triplicated [Roar], watching as the pearl-white walls of the throne room peeled away against the sheer sonic strength of his throats.

And when he was done, Viscount Mobius had taken a few steps back.

"You talk a big game, 'gatekeeper'," Ethan tutted. "But you're as human as everybody else. And right now, you're terrified."

Ethan scanned the room again, using his Appraisal to ensure no one was hidden within the now shattered walls.

"I was expecting a little more resistance than this."

He saw the flicker of a grin on the old Viscount's face.

"Sorry to disappoint. I'm afraid you will have to settle for little old me."

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Ethan felt himself groan internally. Outside, more screams of rabid terror raced through the decimated city streets.

He was getting tired of all this. So, he cut to the chase:

"Where is he?"

Mobius blinked up at him. "Who?"

"Don't play coy. Where's the Lightborn?"

From behind his back, Mobius stretched his fingers. A faint blue aura began to emanate from his fingers.

"Before I slay you, I shall tell you everything you wish to know. But first,"

He cracked his neck and the blue aura shifted, forming five massive spectral swords above his head.

"Be a good dog and stand still."

The shimmering blades flew towards Ethan with unnatural speed. He managed to activate [Ethereal Form] to avoid the impact, and the set of blades went flying past him outside the palace window.

He rushed forward, still under the effect of [Ethereal Form], and swiped at the tiny man who didn't even move a muscle.

As his Onixian nails slashed through him, Ethan felt nothing but air between his claws.

[Illusion Dispelled!]

Illusion…clever old bastard.

[Repulsor Shield] activated just in time to counteract another set of spectral blades that had just been sent his way, and Ethan grunted as he searched for where the old bastard was hiding.

Instead, he saw the blades he'd just countered turn in the air and fly back towards him, affected by the same [Homing] property that Ranok had employed against in in Sentinel Bay. Ethan activated [Blink], teleporting behind the blades far faster than they could turn. He then sent five streams of [Spectral Shot] towards each blade in turn, easily dispelling it with his superior firepower.

He braced, expecting another storm of swords to assault him right away from every corner of the room. Yet something else caught his eye: the sight of the suits of armor flanking the walls beginning to surge towards him, blue light shining from within their visors.

He activated both [Storm of Revok] and [Cry of Baphomet], sending a torrent of red-hot fire and chain lightning at both ends of the room, blowing away the advancing animated armors and the remainder of the throne room walls with them. The ceiling split apart, and as it came crashing down he simply reactivated [Ethereal Form] and waited for the smoke and falling debris to subside.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, another flash came.

He countered three of the flying blades with a shot of [Spectral Snipe] and sent the other two flying right back at the caster with [Repulsor Shield], proving that he wasn't going to be flanked and outmaneuvered by this old codger. Even if he did have shinier swords than most.

He saw the old man rise from the ashes of the decimated throne room as the entire palace structure began to wobble and its foundations began to give way. Below, the people of the city looked up and cried out, their voices merging awe and terror in equal measure.

By now, most of them had decided it would be best to simply sprint like hell out of the doomed city. Looters ceased their looting. Manic fighters ceased their fighting. All the common folk had suddenly and inexplicably given up the revolt that they'd been coaxed into. In the end, survival was their basic necessity. They weren't going down with this place.

Everyone, except for the man staring Ethan down, fled from the sight of that Archon atop the ruined palace of Kings.

"You do tend to make such a mess of things, don't you, Archon?"

Ethan was through bandying words. He activated [Sonic Skitter] and pounced at Mobius, who managed only to repel the Archon's assault by summoning ten blades this time and using them to block Ethan's three gnashing jaws. As he tried to push through the sharp defense, Ethan could see the veins on the old man's head were popping, as if he was about to burst from the exertion of this fight.

And that wasn't his only weakness.

For as much as he was concentrated on repelling Ethan as he was attacked from the front, he'd left his rear exposed.

And Ethan took full advantage.

[Summon Shadow Wraith]

A pall of darkness shimmered behind the resisting elder, and from its depths five wraiths emerged, each one at least ten inches taller than the old man they sprinted towards, dark claws raised and ready to rake his back. Mobius glanced behind him and re-directed five of his energy blades to pierce each of them in turn, causing their forms of shimmer and dissolve.

But with their dying breaths, five more wraiths emerged to take their places.

"Is this really how you want to die?" Ethan raged as he broke through one spectral blade. And then another.

Meanwhile, his fading shadow wraiths suddenly realized something. Something was happening that shouldn't have been happening: the ghostly blades that had impaled them were beginning to glow with strange, unnatural power.

And through the last spectral sword that was keeping him alive, Ethan saw Mobius the Gatekeeper smile.

"It is like you say, Archon. I'm an old man. I learned how to die a long time ago."

The entire edifice of the palace rumbled, and Ethan knew that the whole structure was about to give way.

The spires cracked apart, and the ground between both the Archon and the last Greycloak of Lucent began to heat up with the power of a volcano awakened from dormancy.

And in the old man's eyes, Ethan saw such a flame glowing with power, ready to gush forth and set the world alight.

Ethan's claw wavered. He knew what was going on. He'd Appraised the old man's Skill that he'd been charging since before their battle had even begun.

"Don't try it…"

When Mobius spoke next, the word he uttered set the world on fire.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.