Aethelos: The Bastard of Light

Chapter 44: · Eli watched the chaos below. Terrorists screaming, creatures attacking, the ground shaking from the clash of auras. For a moment he thought this was his golden opportunity. If he climbed down the opposite side of the tree and ran in silence, maybe he could get far enough away. · Then the air changed. · A horrifying presence descended over the forest like a living shadow. It wasn’t just power. It was bloodlust. Eli stopped mid-movement. His body refused to continue. He slowly turned his head. · Behind him, between the trees, stood a figure wrapped in a black aura so dense it seemed to swallow the light. For the first time in his life, Eli saw Schulon and Luzlon fleeing in absolute panic, as if even the undead feared true death. · This was a raw Noxian. A level of power Eli had never felt so close. · He was paralyzed. · Zakrom with dreadlocks didn’t look at him at first. His cold eyes fixed on the group of terrorists still fighting the creatures. · “If you were having trouble with things like these… then you die here and now.” · He raised one hand. · “Shadow Roots.” · Black roots, shaped like living tentacles, exploded from the ground. They wrapped around legs, arms, and necks and decapitaed. Screams of pure terror filled the night. · “Please, Zakrom! Stop!” · “Boss, no!” · The desperation was total. His aura crushed any will to resist. In a few seconds the clearing became a silent massacre, broken only by dry cracks and bodies being dragged into the earth. · On the other side of the academy, in the courtyard, Brock, Lygar and Yana stopped at the same time. · The presence was clear. The noises coming from the forest were clear as well. · Lygar clenched his teeth. · “We have to go there. Now.” · Yana nodded immediately. · “Yes. Let’s go.” · Brock raised his voice, firm. · “No. We cannot sabotage his mission. Do not interfere.” · Lygar turned to the tutor, eyes burning. · “He’s going to die!” · “The order is clear,” Brock answered without yielding. “No one goes in.” · Yana hesitated, then spoke more quietly: · “…Then can we at least see what’s happening?” · Brock didn’t answer right away. Silence was the only response he gave. · In the forest, Eli still couldn’t move. His brain screamed at him to run, but his legs felt glued to the tree trunk. The fear was unconditional. For the first time he truly felt the absurd difference in level. · He took a deep breath. Once. Twice. · Then he forced his body to turn his back on Zakrom and jumped from the branch, ready to flee with everything he had left. · The moment his feet touched the ground, the black figure was already in front of him. · Zakrom looked at him with cold calm, like someone observing something small and irrelevant. · “Why are you afraid of me?” · His voice was low, almost thoughtful. · “If it’s death… that’s all we have.” · Eli felt his blood run cold. · The night had barely begun.