Chapter 1002 Finding Noah
As Michael witnessed the sight of Noah surrounded by the Fusion stage Skyhall soldiers, he noticed a fierce determination in Noah’s eyes. They blazed with an intense, pure white light, a testament to his inner power. Standing there with his muscular frame and bare-chested, clad only in white trousers, Noah exuded an aura of strength.
The Skyhall soldiers, realizing the formidable opponent before them, shouted commands at Noah, their voices tinged with a mix of urgency and authority.
“Stand down, Noah! Surrender peacefully!” one soldier barked, his voice filled with a hint of fear.
“You’re outnumbered, Noah! There’s no escape!” another soldier called out, his tone laced with a mix of bravado and caution.
Yet, Noah remained resolute, his fists clenched tightly. He stood tall, unwavering, as if rooted to the ground. The white light in his eyes intensified, a reflection of his unwavering determination and unyielding spirit.
The Skyhall soldiers cautiously circled Noah, their weapons drawn and ready for any sign of aggression. Tension hung heavy in the air as both sides stood at the precipice of confrontation.
As Noah’s eyes burned with pure white light, he channeled his inner power, snapping his fingers with a resounding crack. In an instant, a powerful wave of light erupted from his fingertips, radiating outward like a brilliant shockwave. The force of the blast sent the Skyhall soldiers surrounding him hurtling through the air, their bodies tumbling and crashing into the walls with a cacophony of impacts.
Seizing the opportunity amidst the chaos, Michael swiftly assessed the situation. He realized that Noah, somehow brought to the Skyhall while he was unconscious, had tapped into a newfound strength, perhaps granted to him by his grace. Though questions and theories swirled in Michael’s mind, he pushed them aside, recognizing the golden chance to infiltrate the Skyhall further while the soldiers were preoccupied with Noah.
With a surge of determination, Michael seized the moment and leaped out of the coffin, his stealth and agility aiding his escape from its confining embrace. He blended into the tumultuous scene, taking advantage of the soldiers’ diverted attention.
As Michael stepped into the corridor, he found himself face to face with Noah, the only two figures standing amidst the chaos. They locked eyes, a silent recognition passing between them. Without uttering a word, Noah raised his hand, and from his fingertips, shot forth a bolt of white lightning, crackling with immense power. The lightning streaked towards Michael, who swiftly reacted by stomping the ground, causing a fallen Skyhall soldier’s shield to soar into his hand. With the shield raised, Michael braced himself as the lightning collided with it. The impact sent a jolt of force rippling through Michael’s body, pushing him back several steps.
In the brief moment of respite, Michael wasted no time. He seized the opportunity and, with quick thinking, snatched up a gleaming golden spear from the ground. Infusing his own energy into the weapon, he hurled it toward Noah. However, Noah responded with another surge of white lightning. The opposing energies clashed fiercely in the middle of the corridor, creating a cataclysmic explosion of light and darkness. The sheer intensity of the collision reverberated through the air, shaking the very foundation of the hallway.
In an instant, the explosion unleashed a devastating impact, shattering the corridor into fragments. The force of the explosion shattered walls, fractured floors, and sent debris flying in all directions. The ground beneath Michael trembled and cracked, and with no time to react, he found himself plunging into the depths below, swallowed by the gaping abyss. The ensuing chaos enveloped the scene, dust billowing through the air and flames licking at the remnants of the shattered corridor, casting an eerie glow amidst the wreckage.
As Michael descended into the depths, darkness enveloped him, and he found himself in a dark place. Looking up, he noticed a small crack above, a reminder of the great distance he had fallen. The realization struck him that he must have plummeted quite deeply for the once sizable crack to appear so minuscule. Contemplating his next move, he prepared to take flight towards the opening when he suddenly felt a hand rest on his back. A shiver ran down his spine, yet his surroundings showed no signs of hostility on his environmental map. Acting swiftly, he spun around and delivered a forceful punch to the figure behind him. To his surprise, his fist met an icy cold resistance as if striking a frozen entity.
It was then that Michael became aware of the hall he stood in, a grim scene that resembled a macabre meat factory. The ceiling above was adorned with countless dead bodies, suspended by hooks like grotesque trophies. Conjuring a small ball of light to illuminate his surroundings, Michael’s eyes widened in disbelief at the haunting sight that unfolded before him. He stood amidst a chamber filled with an unsettling array of corpses. Overwhelmed by shock, he aimlessly ventured forward, his mind struggling to comprehend the reasoning behind the Skyhall’s collection of these lifeless forms.
As he wandered through the eerie expanse for what felt like an eternity, his senses were further assaulted by an even more chilling discovery. Among the rows of bodies, he caught sight of a fallen Guardian Guild member, their silver armor still adorning their skeletal remains. The symbol of the Guardian Guild, etched on the chest plate, stood as a grim reminder of the once noble purpose this fallen warrior had served. The body appeared burnt and mutilated, a missing limb serving as a testament to the brutality it had endured.
As Michael ventured deeper into the hall of death, the air grew heavy with the distinct metallic scent of blood. It permeated the space, creating an atmosphere of dread and morbidity. Each lifeless body within the chamber appeared eerily frozen, preserved in a macabre tableau. Their vacant eyes stared into nothingness, frozen expressions of despair etched upon their faces.
The grisly display of bodies hanging from hooks suspended by bars above was a harrowing sight to behold. The hooks had been ruthlessly driven into the necks of the deceased, transforming them into grotesque marionettes dangling grotesquely in the dimly lit chamber. The cold, lifeless forms swayed ever so slightly, casting ghostly shadows that danced along the walls.
𝗈𝗏𝐞𝐿xt.𝗇𝓔t
As Michael’s gaze wandered among the macabre scene, his heart sank with a growing realization. The fallen Guardians, their armor once a symbol of honor and protection, now served as a haunting reminder of the devastation he had unwittingly caused. It became evident that these were the very Guardians he had fought against, the ones who had perished when he unleashed destruction upon the Guardian Guild.
Michael quickly established contact with his loyal servant, Elidyr. It was unusual for Michael to reach out to Elidyr instead of his trusted demon butler, Azazel. However, Azazel had been inaccessible since his arrival in Itonys, leaving Elidyr as the next best option.
“Elidyr, it’s urgent,” Michael began, his voice filled with a sense of urgency. He wasted no time in relaying the gravity of his discovery. “Use your mirror and witness what I’ve stumbled upon.” With the Spyder on his neck capturing every detail, Michael transmitted the live feed to Elidyr’s mirror, ensuring that his loyal servant could witness the shocking scene.
Elidyr took a moment to process the incoming stream, and as the images unfolded before his eyes, a gasp of disbelief escaped his lips. The sheer horror of what he was witnessing rendered him momentarily speechless. He couldn’t fathom the depths of the atrocities that lay within the Skyhall.
“My lord… Where are you?” Elidyr’s voice trembled, his shock palpable even through the communication device.
“Skyhall,” Michael replied, his tone revealing the weight of the situation. The silence that followed spoke volumes, as Elidyr’s mind grappled with the magnitude of the revelation.
Time was of the essence, and Michael knew it. “We don’t have much time for discussion,” he declared in a resolute tone. “Record everything I see.”
Concern for his master’s safety welled up within Elidyr. “My lord, you must escape that place. The dangers are unknown, and we lack knowledge of the layout and security measures in the Skyhall,” he urged, his primary concern focused on Michael’s well-being.
But Michael’s determination remained unyielding. “No. This is a rare opportunity to infiltrate the Skyhall. Something sinister is unfolding within its walls. They have plundered the Nether Realm, then collected demons corpses from demon graves, and now they amass these corpses. I cannot allow this army of the undead to be raised against me,” he explained, his voice tinged with a sense of responsibility and the urgency to take action.
Michael understood the immense potential the dead bodies held. If given the chance, he could have sent them to Dular, where they could be transformed into an obedient undead army, serving him faithfully. However, without the means to do so, he couldn’t allow the Skyhall to exploit these bodies and create their own formidable force.
“I know the Skyhall all too well,” Michael replied, acknowledging Elidyr’s concern. “They will undoubtedly turn these corpses into undead beings or something even more sinister,” he added with a heavy sigh.
Realizing the imminent threat, Michael was resolute in his decision. “That’s precisely why I must destroy these bodies,” he declared. While he didn’t want to obliterate the demon bodies, given their rarity and potential value, he needed to find a way to utilize them to turn the tides against the Skyhall once the system came online.
Without wasting any time, Michael retrieved a container filled with highly flammable liquid from his system storage. He hurled the container into the air, causing it to burst open, and unleashed a bolt of lightning from his fingertips. The resulting explosion sent the liquid raining down upon the lifeless bodies below, thoroughly drenching them in the volatile substance.
Satisfied that every body had been soaked, Michael sought an exit and discovered a door leading to an unknown hall. Before venturing further, he activated his X-ray vision to scan the next hall, revealing no signs of life. However, the absence of life was not enough to put his mind at ease. This place had shocked him repeatedly, and he remained prepared for any unexpected encounter.
With a firm twist, Michael broke the lock and swung the door open. Simultaneously, he flicked his finger toward the drenched bodies, igniting a slender flame that danced through the air. Upon contact with the flammable liquid, the flame instantly erupted into a raging fire, engulfing the dead bodies in its relentless embrace. The crackling of flames filled the air, accompanied by the acrid scent of burning flesh, as the inferno consumed the corpses with a ferocity akin to a wild wildfire.
The Skyhall was facing a dire situation, with both Noah wreaking havoc from above and Michael setting ablaze the amassed bodies below. Noah’s destruction had managed to disable the defense arrays, granting Michael a chance to venture deeper into the Skyhall undetected. As Michael moved into the next hall, he encountered a stark contrast to the previous chamber. This expansive hall was devoid of any bodies or significant objects; it stood empty, an open space stretching out before him.
Suddenly, the echoing sound of hurried footsteps reached Michael’s ears. Reacting swiftly, he propelled himself off the ground with a single powerful leap, effortlessly scaling the walls to position himself on the ceiling, much like a spider observing its surroundings. From this vantage point, he watched as several soldiers, donned in dark armor, rushed into the hall with urgency.
As the soldiers rushed into the hall, their footsteps echoed through the empty space. Their urgent voices filled the air as they realized the gravity of the situation. The leader of the group, distinguished by the golden lines adorning his black armor, barked out orders with authority.
“Move quickly. We have a fire to extinguish!” the leader commanded, his voice resonating with a sense of urgency.
The soldiers hurriedly made their way toward the next chamber, their voices blending in a chorus of confusion and concern. “How did the fire start?” one soldier questioned, his voice tinged with bewilderment. “Could it be from the battle above with Noah?” suggested another soldier, trying to make sense of the situation.
Amidst the rush, a soldier dared to question the decision of the Skyhall elders. “Why did the elders keep Noah’s presence hidden from us? If we had known, maybe we could have been better prepared!” he exclaimed, frustration lacing his words.
The higher-ranking soldier, displaying unwavering resolve, swiftly shut down any thoughts of questioning. “There is no time for that now. Our priority is to put out this fire and secure the Skyhall. We can’t waste time pondering the elders’ decisions,” he declared, emphasizing the need for immediate action.
Their hurried voices echoed through the hall as they moved closer to the chamber, unaware of the raging inferno that awaited them.
As Michael observed the soldiers rushing towards the chamber where the fire consumed the bodies, a sinister figure entered the room. This man was adorned in a dark gray garment, complemented by black gloves and boots. His appearance sent shivers down the spine, for his face exuded an aura of pure malevolence. The man’s bald head gleamed under the dim light, accentuating his skeletal features. His thin, almost emaciated visage lacked any semblance of flesh, with thin brown skin stretched tightly across his skull-like face.
The man’s yellowed teeth, crooked and stained, added to his eerie countenance. His sinister presence was accentuated by the absence of eyebrows, leaving his eyes cold and piercing. As he arrived in the hall, he took a moment to sniff the air, his senses attuned to the scent of death that permeated the space.
“I smell death in here,” the man spoke, his voice sending a chilling shiver through the air.