Lord of the Mysteries:Voice of the Stars

"Who's there?!"

Vahar's heart tightened as flames surged around him, swiftly coalescing into a fiery barrier that expanded outward in an instant. Swarms of fire crows erupted, scattering in all directions.

A light chuckle echoed near his ears. "Why so serious?"

Vahar's expression shifted dramatically. He abruptly realized that his control over the flames had inexplicably vanished!

"This… How is this possible?!"

In the blink of an eye, the flames surrounding him dissipated entirely. Losing his balance, he plummeted from midair.

Just as he was about to crash into the ground, a gentle glow enveloped him, catching his body and lowering him safely to the ground.

colic's eyes dimmed slightly as the light faded. Without sparing a glance at the grounded Vahar, he raised his right hand abruptly. A radiant spear of pure white light materialized instantly, blazing with intense heat.

He fixed his gaze on a specific point in the void and hurled the spear with all his might.

With a sharp whistle, the incandescent spear cut through the air, tracing a brilliant arc before piercing its target. A scorching fireball erupted upon impact, illuminating the entire City Lord's Manor and the surrounding streets.

"Unshadowed Spear !"

"Did it hit?"

Watching the blinding explosion, Vahar, who had struggled to stand, turned to colic with uncertainty.

His powers over flame had vanished inexplicably, disrupting his senses and leaving him unable to confirm the result.

"No…"

Staring at the dispersing flames, colic did not hesitate. He lifted both arms, adopting a posture as if embracing the sun.

"Solar Flare!"

In an instant, a massive golden fireball formed out of thin air, hurtling towards the previous impact site!

However, something bizarre occurred—the moment the radiant fireball manifested, it twisted unnaturally and gradually faded into nothingness, as though devoured by the void.

"Retreat!"

Realizing that his attacks were ineffective and that their enemy had yet to reveal themselves, colic made a swift decision.

With a swift motion, his aged hand grasped Vahar's arm. Behind him, two luminous wings of pure light unfurled, gathering power to propel them skyward.

At that moment, a young male voice, tinged with amusement, resonated in the darkness.

"Trying to leave? Heh… You cannot. Haven't you realized? From the very beginning, this space has been isolated by me."

"You are now within a sealed dimension, cut off from the real world, the spirit world, and the Astral world."

"Even if you pray to the Eternal Blazing Sun now, He will not hear you."

"Surrender. I have no desire for meaningless slaughter. After all, two living demigods are far more valuable than mere Beyonder characteristics. I could negotiate a handsome price with Intis."

Hearing the disembodied voice, colic's body stiffened. His eyes blazed as he surveyed the pitch-black world that had engulfed them.

As a demigod of the Sun Pathway, the dark of night was no different from broad daylight to his eyes.

And yet, in his urgency, he had failed to notice—the world that should have been illuminated in his vision was instead swallowed by endless darkness.

A primordial fear welled up within him, an emotion he had not felt in an eternity. The abyssal blackness surrounding him whispered of lurking horrors, of monsters unseen that threatened to rend him apart and drag him into an unfathomable void.

"I… I feel fear?"

"This is impossible!"

A tremor ran through colic's heart, but he swiftly reacted. Pure, golden light surged from his body like a tidal wave, coalescing into armor of radiant brilliance that encased him entirely.

The warmth and purity of the light seeped into every fiber of his being, dispelling the long-forgotten fear.

Beyond the confines of this isolated dimension, in the interstice between worlds, Ael observed the Unshadowed, now clad in golden armor, with a slight frown.

"Hm… So, the fear induced by Nightmare abilities is this ineffective against a demigod?"

"Perhaps, only by replicating the level of fear wielded by the Dread Archbishop could I break his mind instantly, crushing his will to fight."

While colic fell silent, the Iron-Blooded Knight, Vahar, grew increasingly grim. He scanned the surrounding void before speaking coldly.

"I don't know what trick you used to trap us in this space, but I must admit—your ability to cower and skulk like a rat is impressive."

"If those Councilmen could hide as well as you when sneaking around with their lovers, they wouldn't be caught red-handed by returning husbands."

"And frankly, I doubt you possess the power to kill us so easily. If you did, you wouldn't be hiding in the shadows, avoiding a direct confrontation."

"If you truly have the strength, come out and fight us fairly. If you can defeat us, then state your demands—we will listen."

As Vahar's voice rose, an inexplicable sense of irritation radiated from him, as though inviting someone to deliver a well-placed punch to his face.

"Heh… Such a clumsy attempt at provocation. But since you wish to be defeated in open combat, I shall grant your request."

In the void between worlds, Ael chuckled lightly. His figure rapidly faded before materializing before Vahar and colic.

He was clad in a black, vintage robe, a pointed multicolored hat perched upon his head. Beneath his raven-black curls was a strikingly handsome face, and over his left eye, he wore a single crystal monocle.

"Amon?!"

The moment they saw him, colic and Vahar gasped in horror, their breaths hitching in their throats.

"Haha, do I look that much like him? Even I couldn't keep a straight face when I first saw myself in the mirror."

"If I could replicate more of Amon's abilities, I might truly be able to cosplay him."

"Well, now that I've shown myself and had my fun… it's time to end this quickly. I wouldn't want to be late for that certain someone's descent."

The smirk on Ael's face vanished. He adjusted his monocle, and in an instant, his entire body distorted, growing translucent and surreal.

Countless luminous worms, engraved with intricate runes and brimming with star-like brilliance, wriggled out from within him, coalescing into an immense form.

Within mere seconds, Ael's human figure was replaced by a massive, radiant worm.

Its body shimmered with blinding starfire, and its surface flowed with ever-changing, incomprehensible sigils that exuded an overwhelming aura of celestial mystery.

"Mythical Creature Form!"

Without hesitation, Ael directly unleashed the Mythical Creature Form of the Gate Pathway's Angel—Planeswalker.

The moment they laid eyes on the colossal star-worm, colic and Vahar felt their minds flood with chaotic information, their spiritual senses spiraling out of control.

Their very bodies seemed to rebel against them—every limb, every organ, every cell fought for dominance, each trying to assert itself as the master.

Agonizing pain wracked their forms. Unable to withstand it, they let out anguished screams before collapsing unconscious to the ground.