Chapter 450 Final Cards
Vangel, his once-confident demeanor now shattered, found himself overcome with a cold sweat as he beheld the majestic cosmic entities that surrounded Aion. His eyes darted anxiously from one ethereal figure to another, their imposing presence sending shivers down his spine. The immense weight of their power pressed upon him, leaving him feeling small and insignificant in comparison.
As Vangel stood in the presence of these cosmic beings, he felt an overwhelming sense of vulnerability and unease. The realization dawned upon him that his schemes and manipulations paled in comparison to the vastness and primal power that emanated from these embodiments. At that moment, his hubris and self-assuredness crumbled, replaced by a deep-seated fear of the unknown and a gnawing uncertainty about his own abilities.
"Well, I guess it makes sense that we lost," Aion said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I guess it also makes sense that this dumbass is scared shitless."
"On my travels, I dealt with countless enemies that tried to use time magic," Malon declared. "Apparently, my actions were against the natural flow of order, and then they found me. They tried to talk with me at first, but I didn't listen to them, and then eventually, a fight broke out. They are the aspects of time, space, darkness, light, and void. All planets have the aspects of earth, fire, wind, and water on them, but only those five exist of their kind. Since they absorb the power of the aspects that eventually evolve to become copies of them when the time of their planets ends. Together, they are invincible."
"Usually, I would say that this sounds like a challenge, but I guess I would be foolish to believe and say that," Aion said.
To fight against those beings was Aion's final ordeal… he had some time to plan that, but he couldn't think of a single idea on how to do that. Each embodying a fundamental aspect of the universe, these entities radiated a power and wisdom that far surpassed his own.
As Aion took in the awe-inspiring sight of these cosmic beings, he couldn't deny the vastness of their power and the timeless knowledge they possessed. He realized that his own understanding of magic and the realms of existence was limited, merely scratching the surface of what these ancient forces encompassed. It was a humbling revelation that pushed him to seek greater mastery and delve deeper into the mysteries of the universe.
In the end, the battle against those beings ended in a matter of minutes. Against the embodiment of Time, Aion found himself entangled within the ever-shifting fabric of temporal energy. But with his own command over time manipulation, he deftly navigated the intricate web woven by the ancient sage. The creature made him instantly older and weaker, and Aion used his power to return back to normal.
Facing the cosmic force of Space, Aion confronted the boundless expanse that threatened to overwhelm him. But with his own command over spatial manipulation, he manipulated the very fabric of reality. He was teleported to the void of space, where he began to freeze instantly. Still, he used his magic to create something akin to an atmosphere around him and canceled that.
Against the embodiment of Darkness, Aion found himself enveloped in a shroud of malevolent shadows that sought to consume him. A small black hole appeared in front of him and began to push him with its tentacles. Still, Aion used time magic to speed up his thought process and then cancel the dark hole by sending it to another dimension.
In the face of the cosmic force of Light, Aion battled against blinding radiance that threatened to overwhelm his senses. He was impaled time and time again by spears of light that numbed his senses, but he healed himself faster than the damage piled up.
Finally, confronting the embodiment of Void, Aion stood against the insatiable hunger that threatened to consume all existence. The creature just made chunks of his body disappear time and time again and ate it… Aion could only heal himself faster than he could be devoured.
"Wow, this is worse than I had imagined," Aion said while he was receiving the full power of that version of him.
"How can you watch this and not lose spirit?" Cailena asked.
"Because I leave my future problems to the future me," Aion replied. "Anyway, while I don't have any plan in mind on how to deal with them yet, it will be easier with your assistance. Your souls belong to me now; there is no point in resisting."
"Don't talk like you are the villain here… you are starting to sound like Tenebres, and that isn't a good sign since you have some of his fragments inside you," Cailena said.
"Oh well… I guess it is time to end this, Vangel," Aion said. "I am as strong as I was there now, perhaps a bit stronger. It is time to test if you can fight them better than me."
Vangel's eyes widened in shock as he witnessed Aion's fearless demeanor, despite knowing that his own death was imminent. It was a level of madness that Vangel couldn't quite comprehend. Aion's calm and unwavering resolve in the face of his own mortality left Vangel speechless.
Vangel couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration, confusion, and a hint of fear. How could someone confront their own impending death with such unwavering courage? It was a testament to Aion's unyielding determination and strength of character. The fact that Aion willingly embraced his own demise to pursue his goals was both astonishing and unsettling.
As Vangel processed the implications of Aion's actions, a whirlwind of emotions churned within him. He found himself questioning his own beliefs and the depth of Aion's character. Aion's refusal to back down in the face of death presented a formidable challenge, one that transcended mere physical prowess.
"This is personal, now," Aion declared while clacking his fingers. "So, I will use my fists only. I will not use magic unless you use it, and I will just copy you to defend myself. It is high time for you to learn the best lesson of your time… that you picked a fight with the wrong person."
Vangel clicked his tongue and then used Force Slash to stop Aion when he charged at him. Still, Aion just punched the blast with a fist version of the attack. Vangel opened his eyes widely before jumping backward at supersonic speeds and then escaping toward a time rift and closing it.
Vangel found himself back on the original dimension that connected all the others; he had to study what Aion did and what changed and learn from it to make himself stronger again. Despite that, Aion suddenly appeared in front of him and then punched his face.
Vangel's body spun through the air, his limbs flailing as the force of Aion's powerful punch propelled him backward. With a startled expression etched across his face, Vangel fought to regain his balance, his mind racing to assess the situation.
As his body soared through the air, Vangel's eyes darted around, searching for an escape route. He knew that staying within Aion's reach could mean certain defeat. In a desperate bid to elude his adversary, Vangel focused his energy, channeling his mastery over spatial manipulation.
With a burst of energy, Vangel's body blurred as he swiftly traversed the fabric of space. The air crackled with residual energy as he crossed through a spatial rift, vanishing from Aion's immediate vicinity. The rift closed behind him, leaving no trace of his presence once again…
Vangel landed on a land of fire… probably a period where he messed with the fragments too much that the world became like that, surrounded by rivers of magma. Still, before he thought or did anything, Aion appeared out of nowhere again and kicked his face.
"... How…" Vangel asked while he was spinning air.
"Dumbass, you are great at copying others, but your schemes are as stupid as they could be," Aion said. "Your power and Tenebres are inside me as well; I can tell where you are in all periods of time just by stirring that energy a little bit."
That made sense… it was only natural. Still, Vangel didn't consider that… he didn't think that Aion would be able to chase him that fast since he also didn't think that he would recover his powers that fast and the same powers at that when he died. Still, Vangel took a deep breath and calmed down. Things happened a bit differently than he had expected, but he still had some cards up his sleeve.