Chapter 35: Battle In The Sky
The void quakes, the void gates, and the zealots changed the world. Not only did it affect the current world's geography; it also forced humanity to adapt to the rapid shift. Those who lagged behind became a mere part of history. Gone into the shadows, their story destined to gather dust in the cold annals of history.
The catastrophe led to massive migration. Each man seeking security before food. What's the use of good food when you're bound to be a dinner of a zealot the next day, right?
The first year came with its own theme of survival of the fittest. No. It followed the concept quoted by the famous naturalist Charles Darwin. "In times of great peril and change, it's not the strongest who survives, nor the most intelligent that lives. It's the ones who do a great job in adapting to the change who survives."
The individuals who do their best to move on with what they have had a greater chance of survival. Those who got drunk and wallowed in the old times, refusing to adapt were the first ones to dies. The second group to die were the fools who feel they're the chosen ones. Their stupidity and arrogance invited trouble towards themselves. Then, destruction followed. Like a giant tree that invites the wind. The bigger they were the greater their fall.
Such cruel endings were as common as weeds even in various historical stories. Yet, most of humanity always tend to seek the hard way. The repeated ones. The ones paved in blood and rotting bodies. If history had proven something again and again - it was humanity's stupidity.
…
Eye-blinding light and booming vibrations echoed within the night sky. The sight flung shivers to the wide-open, fluttering eyes below. Everyone's attention zeroing on the source, the two beings floating along with the clouds. One was a massive winged flying tiger – a zealot of lightning and thunder. The second was an old man whose beard swirled along with the twisting winds. The world around him silent and still – the current city lord of Trent.
"Tsk, this is why I hate dealing with zealots in cities." The city lord gazed below, his lips pressed firmly together. Two soulful eyes glinting with caution and wariness. The snail-like and chaotic evacuation below made him pinch his nose.
After a brief look, he shifted his eyes towards the zealot with regret and aloofness. "I should've killed you earlier. This is on me. I shouldn't have played with food. The saying is definitely true."
"Roar!" The zealot growled as if the monster had understood the city lord's short monologue. Rumbling thunder and lightning emerged from the wings of the zealot. It flashed towards its enemy. It sensed the troubling power trapping it within the sky was coming from the old man.
The zealot wanted to run but it couldn't. Every time it tries to fly away, a type of irritating wall would block it, making it dizzy. The sturdy invisible wall would even release an irritating buzzing sound. The zealot wanted to kill and eat the unique human in front but as of now - all its effort got thwarted one by one. That human was powerful.
Boom!
A streak of lightning blitzed towards the city lord. Even so, the fiery light was met by some kind of wall, rendering the explosiveness of the rod of heaven useless. Not even the sounds of rumbling thunder were able to pass through.
"That's a good shot. I feel all tingly now. Show me more," said the old man, a mocking smile flashing on his aged face. " Come on, don't be shy."
Wariness and irritation boiled on the zealot's eyes. A glint of intelligence showing in its two silver-colored eyes. Evolution doesn't simply mean an increase in strength and power. In some cases, it also boosts intelligence. If it was a human, it would be nothing but a good thing. But if it's from a zealot, that's a different story in itself.
The zealot flapped its wings before looking down at the alluring meats below. It hated the feeling of punching through cotton. After failing to catch the delicious fly, it shifted its attention below. A lot of food! Its saliva dripped on the sides of its wide mouth.
"So…I'm being ignored now, huh?" Catching the flashes of intelligence on the zealot's eyes, the city lord's brows twitch. His mocking smile, gone. He sighed. "This beast must die here. I hate to level the whole slums but now is not the time to scrimp on it."
The city lord slowly moved his arms wide open as if he was embracing the whole skies. The eerie thunders and lightning above serving as his background. Then, there was silence. Not even the fiercest of thunder
All of a sudden, the zealot sensed the threat of death and danger. Its two big eyes constricted in caution as it caught the sight of the old man. It's salivating face crumpled like a piece of toilet paper. "Roar! Roar!"
A foreboding sense of crisis filled its throat. Bolts of lightning fell on the earth. It was like armageddon. Most of the raging streaks were blocked, though a few lightning streaks escaped to the ground. Lightning up slum houses, all under the mercy of the flames kindled by the bolts of light.
Yet, none of its golden bolts reached the old man. The muffled invisible walls crafted by the city lord had insulated its power. It merely felt like light tickles to him.
Anger and rage overflowed in the zealot's eye, it ignored the ants below. It flapped its wings towards the dark clouds, diving into the deep puffs of shade.
"Heh, smart-ass." Even so, the old man had already achieved what he wanted. To buy time. A grating noise was gathering towards his fingers, it sounded like scratching. "Men and all the city wielders, help all the citizens move away now! I can't kill this thing with you lying around! Save those who can be saved! Set the warning alarm to the highest degree!"
The city lord shifted his gaze towards the sky, he could see the dark clouds rolling into one place. A ball of lightning was starting to appear. It looked like heaven's were opening one of its eyes.
"It seemed like I'm not the only one who has secret skills. That's great! That's great, I got nothing to hold back then." He licked his lips, finding the battle exciting and fulfilling.
The face of the city lord turned red, veins appearing on his forehead and arms. He slowly moves his two hands which were set like a claw. The grating sounds turned louder and louder around the skies. The people below felt their soul thumping as they watched the two unique powers battle in the sky. Space was shaking, a shrieking sound boomed as if space was being torn by vibrations.
…
"Hah, hah, move faster! One at a time! Don't push. Don't push." Even the officers below could feel the danger looming above their heads. If they don't get out of here soon. They could only have one end – death.
Many of them had already run away, leaving only a brave few. Even among the wielders, only a few had stayed after seeing what has happened above their heads. A few even wetted their pants upon the sight. A normal reaction once you see a massive ball of lightning above your head, shining like a sun. Or seeing space getting ripped and twisted like a piece of paper.
"Someone, help, help! Hic, mom, mom where are you? Hic, somebody help." A little girl shouted yet the chaotic crowd muffled her voice.
All the running people only stop and turned to look at the girl before running again. Their time was running out. In front of chaos, human selfishness is bound to arise. It's a normal fight or flight reaction. And most of the time – humanity's choice is flight. Who can you help and you can't even help yourself?
"Chief, we must run away now! I can't handle the stress anymore." A young officer shouted towards his superior. His teeth chattering as if some natural predator was eyeing him. "I feel death looming above us. Heck, it makes my whole scalp shiver! We are going to die here if we stay any longer. Hey, chief. Chief! Do you hear me!"
"Darn brat Don! Shut up! Go now, assist the people as you go. I'll stay and save as many as I can." The chief bellowed as he runs around the raging house fires. He halted his steps for a moment, then gave the young man a deep look.
"If I die. Take care of my family. Tell them I love them so much. The chief dashed again ignoring the shuddering young officer named Don. He braved through the screams of help and raging fire.
"Ha! Damn! The young officer clenched his teeth before turning his back around. His hand was bleeding due to excess grip. He tried to calm his nerves and lifted his chin in the sky. He quacked and felt his voice dry. "Damn!"
Don froze for a moment. Still, his shivering leg moved according to common logic. He decided to run away. "Fine, fine. Thank you. I'm sorry chief. No, Uncle. I-I still don't want to die yet. I'm still young!"
Many people tend to claim that they're brave. Yet, only when disasters strike could one prove it. A lot of these boastful claims usually end up as pure hubris. Words of boast were easy to say at times of peace but their meaning becomes different at the time of disaster.
Nothing more than a load of bull. Though there were rarities of gold among the dung, the majority were still pure dung.
Such is human nature in the era of wielders.
