Chapter 177: The Battle of Wills

Inside the pocket dimension, Armani and Siegfried continued to wait, watching for the bonding process to finally end.

Zac’s body remained suspended in midair, still surrounded by that same oppressive, ominous aura and a crushing pressure that grew heavier by the second.

Then, without warning, a violent tremor passed through him, as though an invisible current were coursing relentlessly through his veins.

Siegfried’s expression changed instantly, a shadow crossing his face as he muttered, "Something is wrong."

Armani didn’t answer, her eyes already fixed on Zac, unable to look away as the worry on her face deepened into dread.

Within the swirling vortex of reddish-violet energy, Zac’s skin slowly began to transform.

His familiar, lightly tanned complexion slowly faded, replaced by an ashen hue so pale and lifeless he looked like a creature of the night.

At the same time, the veins beneath the surface darkened, standing out like black roots against his pale skin.

Then came his hair, which began to grow longer, strand by strand. Its deep midnight black slowly faded into a ghostly silver before bleaching entirely into a stark, snowy white.

Armani’s eyes widened, the breath catching in her throat as she asked, "What is happening to him, Siegfried?"

"He... he..." Siegfried began, but the words caught in his throat, leaving him speechless for a moment.

Armani’s anxiety spiked to a dangerous edge; turning toward him, her composure broke as she shouted, "Just tell me what is happening!"

Siegfried finally spoke, his voice heavy with grief. "He is losing the battle of wills."

Armani froze, the blood running cold in her veins.

"This transformation," Siegfried continued softly, "means he has given himself over entirely to the will of the blade."

Armani’s gaze snapped back toward Zac, a faint, desperate whisper slipping from her lips. "No..."

***

Inside his mind, Zac screamed in agony, a silent cry lost in the abyss.

The torment tearing through him defied anything he had ever known, a non-physical anguish that was somehow far worse than physical pain he had felt before.

It felt as though an unseen hand were reaching into the very core of his existence, slowly unraveling the boundaries that defined his soul.

His memories began to blur, and the sharp edges of his identity softened into a haze. His thoughts became harder to distinguish from one another, drifting like smoke.

His mother’s face, once a pillar of comfort, began to fade. His sister’s voice, and the cherished laughter of his friends, grew distant.

Everything he held dear began to slip away, swallowed by a rising tide deep within him.

Don’t resist.

The voice returned, smooth as silk and heavy with persuasion.

You implored for strength and desired the power to protect them. So, let me in.

Just let go, if only this once.

This is merely a small price to pay for the greater good.

Zac’s thoughts grew increasingly frail, his resolve beginning to fracture.

"That is right," he thought, a dangerous lethargy taking root. "I just have to let go this once. This sacrifice is to save all of them. I must capitulate."

That’s right, Zac. The darkness whispered coaxingly.

Let it go.

***

Outside, in the physical realm, his transformation was nearly finished.

His skin had taken on a thoroughly deathly hue, while his silver-turned hair now cascaded all the way down to his hips, a stark shroud of white.

From a distance, Armani’s voice cut through the heavy air, sharp with panic. "We must halt this. I care nothing for the consequences anymore; I am going in."

"Armani, no, stay your hand!" Siegfried commanded.

"There is nothing left to wait for, Siegfried!" she cried, her voice trembling with emotion. "If we allow this to happen, he will be lost to us forever."

For the first time, Siegfried was seeing Armani in this state.

He had known her since the day she first became a variant, and from then until now, she had always been a headstrong figure who dominated not only the battlefield but everywhere she went. He had never seen her cry or even show sympathy for anything or anyone.

He knew the only reason she was still standing here, instead of rushing over instantly, was because of how much she cared for the boy.

Looking at her now, he didn’t know how much longer he could keep her still.

But before either of them could take a step, a piercing sound suddenly erupted from the raging mana enveloping Zac.

A shrill, sharp hymn that seemed to cleave the very air in two.

"What is that sound?" Armani asked, catching her breath.

"I don’t know," Siegfried replied, his gaze fixed on the anomaly.

The blade, completely coated in Zac’s blood, suddenly began to emit a brilliant golden light.

One of the intricate seals Siegfried had placed upon the weapon flared, its golden radiance cutting through the crimson veneer.

Then, the mana released by the seal surged outward in a sudden, powerful wave. It traveled through the sword, into Zac’s hand, and raced along his arm until it struck the mark upon his forehead.

"Zac."

Inside Zac’s mind, a new voice reached him, cutting through the encroaching gloom. It was entirely distinct from the insidious whisper he had been enduring until now.

Zac’s deadpan eyes, nearly drowned in utter despair, suddenly flickered with a faint trace of life.

He slowly looked upward with a stirring in his soul. Something about the resonance of that voice felt intimately familiar.

Then, he heard his name uttered once more.

"Zac."

He turned his gaze toward the surrounding darkness and saw a golden light had manifested in the distance, and within its warm glow stood a solitary figure.

Zac’s form trembled, the icy grip of the darkness surrounding him suddenly loosening. Tears began to gather in his eyes, blurring the radiant vision.

"Dad?" he breathed, everything else dissolving from his mind in an instant.

"Is it truly you, Dad?"

"Don’t give up, Zac," the voice commanded, firm and unyielding.

"You are stronger than this. Fight it."

The reddish-violet darkness surrounding Zac began to churn violently, as if angered by the intrusion.

"Think of your mother," the voice urged. "Think of your sister. Do you truly believe they would find joy in seeing you like this?"

"You are all they have, so do not surrender your soul."

Do not hearken to him.

The dark whisper immediately interjected, turning venomous.

He was a coward, a runner. He vanished and left you and your family to suffer the hardships alone.

Place no trust in him. You desire power, do you not? Unlimited power.

Power to ascend to the peak and ensure their safety. Only I can bestow that upon you.

"You are my pride, Zac," the golden voice returned, steady and full of warmth. "Do not capitulate so easily."

"A mere bloodline, or even a mere sword, cannot overcome a will forged in love."

"Do not become the monster you beheld in your dream."

Upon hearing those words, the very first dream he had ever experienced flashed vividly before his mind’s eye.

The horrific creature that bore his exact likeness. One that had brutally slaughtered his mother and his sister.

The grim image seared itself into his thoughts, acting as a catalyst.

Zac’s eyes widened, the fog clearing from his mind. Something fundamental shifted within his core, and the deadness in his eyes vanished entirely, replaced by a clear, resolute light.

"I won’t," he whispered, his voice quiet, yet entirely devoid of hesitation.

The golden figure slowly began to dissolve with its purpose fulfilled. As the light receded, Zac remained standing alone within the vast darkness.

He turned to face the vast, oppressive reddish-violet aura that hemmed him in.

The dark presence lingered, waiting for his surrender.

Accept me.

"No," Zac answered, his voice a shield of absolute certainty.

But you require my aid. You witnessed the fate that awaits them should you lack the strength.

"I am well aware," he replied, staring directly into the abyss. "I also know the creature I would become if I were to welcome you in."

The words carried a quiet, unbreakable certainty. He clenched his fists, feeling the true weight of his own spirit.

"I know I lack the strength at present to shield them." His voice grew firmer, echoing in the space. "And I must attain that power not only to protect them but also to rescue my father."

"But I shall not do so at the cost of losing myself."

"I will protect them all, and I will find my father while remaining true to who I am."

"I won’t surrender myself to you, to the blade, or to any other power."

"My will is my own domain."

"I will achieve my desires through my own strength."

"Now, begone!"

Instantly, like shattered glass, the entire mindscape fractured into nothingness.

***

Outside, all five seals on the sword suddenly erupted with a bright golden light.

Booooom!

A massive pillar of golden mana burst straight out of Zac’s body, tearing right through the reddish-violet storm, blowing it away completely.

The golden light pierced the sky of the pocket dimension, scattering the last of the dark energy in every direction.

Armani and Siegfried stood frozen, watching the overwhelming wave of power in pure shock.

A single word came from both of them at the exact same time.

"Eldric."

They immediately rushed toward the source of the blast.

When they reached the spot where the forge used to be, they found nothing but total destruction. The entire area was reduced to broken rubble, with the platform completely wiped out.

An eerie quiet hung over the ruins, and not a single trace of mana was left behind. Neither the golden light nor the dark reddish-violet energy remained.

Right at the center of the blast radius lay Zac, knocked out cold.

He was completely spent, his body back to normal with no sign of the strange transformation from before. Yet, something else was missing.

The newly forged sword was nowhere to be found.

Armani and Siegfried stood over Zac in dead silence, just watching him as the dust settled around them.