Northern and Ascendant Zion stared upward, their expressions crumbling like ancient ruins. Ascendant Zion's face had blanched to a shade whiter than Northern's.
Since night had fallen, the sky was already dark, but normally stars glittered like scattered diamonds against the blanket of the sky, and the twin moons—each a crescent carved toward the other—would cast a shower of pale light upon the world.
During winter, night was usually not as dark as in autumn or summer. Even the cold wind had a way of illuminating its surroundings with a crystalline quality. The sky shouldn't be as dark as it was right now.
But darkness had swallowed everything, as if a thick blanket of shadow had spilled from the rift and engulfed the entire sky in one hungry gulp.
Northern and the Ascendant did not need to be told what was going to happen next.
"Crappy rain... could have really chosen another time," Northern muttered, his voice tight despite the casual words.
Ascendant Zion chuckled forcibly, the sound brittle as thin ice.
"I find it unbelievable that you still have room for humor in this importunate situation."
Northern, dark lines forming on his face like cracks in marble, glanced at the Ascendant.
"Importunate... I am quite enamored that you still have the luxury of thoughts to conjure such peculiar words in this… importunate situation." His lips curled into a grin that never reached his eyes.
Ascendant Zion froze with shock—not quite surprise. He was rather amazed and found it hard to comprehend the young man before him, whose courage stood defiant against the coming storm.
"...but that's not quite the word you'd use in that context."
Northern fixed him with a deadpan expression, his eyes cold as winter stones.
"Tell me... do I look like I care?"
The Ascendant shifted his gaze away, unable to hold that penetrating stare.
Northern exhaled, his breath a small cloud in the chill air, and looked around. Paragon Raizel was dealing with yet another Destroyer, crashing the burnt thing into the ground with his leg. The impact sent shrapnel of debris flying through the air like deadly confetti, before he stomped on it ruthlessly.
He still had several more Destroyers lined up, like crates of eggs waiting to be cracked and fried for a hearty, satisfying dinner.
Northern returned his attention to the sky.
"We can't afford to let this get to the Paragon. We have to take care of it before it lands."
Ascendant Zion's voice cracked with panic.
"...we? Take care of it before it lands? Even when it lands, we can't even fight a Behemoth! How do we take care of it before it lands?!"
Northern turned to the Ascendant with a confused frown folding his brows.
"Who was talking to you...?"
Ascendant Zion trembled with embarrassment and stepped back, looking around to see who Northern could possibly be addressing.
Behind Northern stood a lady with a red spear. Her hair was short and brown, her eyes hollow as if she was sleep-deprived.
She wore sleek silver armor that accentuated her body and curves, gleaming faintly in the darkness. She stared upward with intensity etched into the serious frown on her face.
There was another man next to her with ashen, rough hair and a face contorted with rage. Ascendant Zion almost felt he could suffer bruises just from looking at the man's expression.
But those were only the beginning. A shadow of dark flame expanded beneath Northern's feet, and within its sinister depths, things began to crawl out.
Ascendant Zion did not know what a goat was, but the creature that emerged first from the dark flames was both absurd and unsettling—its rectangular pupils fixed on the sky with an intelligence no ordinary animal should possess.
Its silver body gleamed beautifully under the light cast by the destruction raging through the city and that emanating from the gate of the Illusionary Haven.
Ascendant Zion almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the voice.
It was a funny and eerily casual sound. He had never heard a creature sound so unserious before.
But before he could dwell further on the goat, another creature emerged.
This one carried itself with more dignity and pristine elegance than the goat.
His white cloak flowed out like a river of moonlight carried through the air by invisible currents.
He carried a silver sword, his golden gauntleted hand resting atop the hilt as he walked out of the dark flames with a regal air.
The next was a lithe black creature with slit eyes and lean muscles. Jagged white lines traced across its body, and it stood with a sinister presence that made Ascendant Zion stagger back involuntarily.
Black Mamba did not care a bit about the weird human staring, or at least did not seem to.
He simply walked to Northern's back, positioning himself closest to his master.
Some words slithered from his mouth with effort.
Northern smiled and glanced back.
"It's nice to see you getting better with speech."
Then he returned his gaze to the sky. The darkness that veiled it rippled slightly, and Northern suspected the creatures would start dropping any moment now.
But Black Mamba was rather preoccupied, his lips curling upward in an attempt to mirror the exact smile he had caught on his Liege's face.
Other summons had already crawled out as well.
Revant, Bairan, and lastly Night Terror, who took position at Northern's right side, his crimson devilish four eyes gleaming with silent madness.
The dark flames retreated and disappeared completely.
Mt. Fluffy was not joining the battle today. Northern wanted to give him and Corpse Eater enough time for recuperation.
These ones were quite healed already.
Northern's expression hardened into grave seriousness.
"Okay, the plan is simple. All of them. Kill them before they land... use whatever means you can, but they must not land."
An insane and daring grin formed on his face. He glanced back to see all of his void summons gleaming with such menace that he almost got the chills himself.
He turned forward again with renewed confidence, his grin widening.
"Dedicate your hearts."