TRAILING SHADOWS

Elder grimaced, his face contorted with rage. He took a step forward, sending webwork of cracks as thunder bellowed above.

Taking another step, a shockwave rippled out, forcefully exerting his aura in an all out offensive stance. Immediately, Maerius boosted into the air,propelled by the concussion winds erupting violently at his feet.

In his mind, he made one resolve.

It was the same resolve he had made when they faced Trixius.

Act now or Regret it all.

His whole life had being bound by that principle. Some called him aggressive or even arrogant. But he knew that, once only was he to live.

And that once, he was going to Make it count.

Just once.

The aura rocked the air progressively, whipping more dust storms and clearing off all the Alphas before they could react.

However Anu was faster, her wings suddenly expanded.

"Ino Agbara: Perfect Body" She Yelled, as bluish lights encircled her whole frame, forming a dense barrier of light. The Aura blasted into her, rippling against her body frame energy shield.

Elder's eyes widened.

He hadn't meant to make that move. No, not when he was still in Prime's Wrath:First Transcendency.

He had only being infuriated by that exiled brat and unknowingly expelled his aura.

He looked onwards, watching Anu's shield hold for a while. He watched as she began forcing more energy into her shield, as she moved to position herself in-between Maerius and the Younger Irunmole--.

The aura roared on violently, tearing down upon Anu's Body Frame Shield. Upon getting resistance, the aura seemed to condense at a particular person, Anu, forcing her into submission as she fell to her knees with a Yelp, drained of energy.

Then it rushed onwards, tearing through space with a mind of it's own as it bore down heavily against Maerius.

"Inu Agbara: Temporary Boundary Seal" Maerius dropped down immediately he got into range, dropping a hand down to the hardened ground, he let essence flow through his fingers, expanding outwards.

This time, he released much more than usual. And this time, he knew he was right.

After all, now was the time to act or Regret later.

Just like during the time of Trixius.

Yelling now, veins ripped across his arm, his aura flooding out violently to clash with the oppresive, seemingly conscious aura of First Prime as Energy walls bursts out of the ground, surrounding himself and the wards he had to rush to protect within.

For one thing, Sunday was absorbing a demon beast. Now he couldn't just possibly let First Prime's unchecked rage tear apart the only friend Sunday had.

He knew... He couldn't deny of how they looked at each other. The friendship they both had found.

But, Sunday, was destinied to bring ruins and shame to the irunmole legacy. And because of that, his Father, The Elder had being very touchy about him.

Even to the point of isolating him from the whole Orun.

That was surely what had droven him into the trouble seeking and adventurous exile, Niniola.

And his relationship with her, had further worsened things.

Not that he blamed her. Perhaps, if Elder had seen things from his point of view.

Had seen that Prophecies were not Almighty. If that had happened, he was sure, all of this wouldn't have been happening.

And Sunday would have been absorbing a Rare Classed Demonic Beast.

Maerius's muscles bulged, contracting and bulging again, pain like never before cutting across his mind like a hot knife to butter. He clenched for the earth, only to claw on raw hardened rock.

If only, if only there was another way to fix Sunday.

If Only.

At that, Maerius's eyes mistened.

____

Niniola herself didn't understand what was going on. She was dumbstruck. Seeing the Alphas get knocked down by a single eruption of Aura.

She had spent most of her time in Orun Apaadi--Abode of the unpure. She had faced demons, beasts and whatnot.

But in all of the times, she had never faced an assault of Aura on this scale.

She marvelled. But not for long. Another cry erupted from Sunday, accompanied by Energy waves pumping out of him into the atmosphere.

Her eyes widened as she soul eyed Sunday.

"No, no, no, no ,no..."

"Do what you must, I am Counting on you. That beast is trying to rupture Sunday's mind. Save him, I'm counting on you. " Maerius crunched on the ground, trying to repel the overwhelming sentient wave of Aura that rocked against the boundary seal.

"What do I do?" Niniola asked in desperation as she wringed her fingers.

"J-just tell...tell him not to give up..."

"How???" Niniola asked again, tears running down her eyes.

"JUST S--SOULGAZE" Mearius roared as he jerked up, a heavy boom of his own aura slashing through the oppresive aura of First Prime.

He rose to his feet, eyes all white, as energy streamed from him.

He growled, two point tearing out through his scapels. Flooding his being with another surge of pain hit him, followed by an accompanying relaxing wash of essence.

Maerius Ascended.

He Ascended into the pseudo DemiGod class. He grinned, watching in the heat as Anu rose to her feet, turning her gaze from him to Elder, The First Prime.

"Shey e ti ri?(1). You put us under strain of keeping you, favored of the Gods in safe conditions. Yet this is all we are worth for... Eh... This is what we are worth for? "Anu voiced boomed.

She was angry,

And even Elder knew it too. And that, she wasn't one to be on her bad side.

He exhaled, his mind a maelstorm of several thoughts. The most Paramount, his Son, Sunday.

He wanted him to live. That was all he could ask for. If only the Orishas would oblige.

________

Name: Sunday

Soul Status: Early Messenger Class(Pseudo)

Energy level: 5 /1 003

_________

Deep down , in his soul, he was losing it. The beast he soulbonded with was trying to allow despair rip apart his host's mind.

Such an ungrateful behavior from a creature that Sunday had saved.

Right now, Sunday was hitting Soul decline. And there was nothing she could do.

She felt useless...

'No, I can't allow despair take over me. ' At this, she sensed an unfamiliar wave of resentment crawl into her mind.

She shrugged her shoulders, closing her eyes tight.

Not not her mind

'Sunday, when there is a will, there is a way.' She sniffed in, wiping of her eyes with the back of the palm before grabbing both hands of Sunday.

'Listen to me, Sunday. Look deep down and find my voice. Don't let that beast drown it. Remember our friendship. Don't leave me alone. Don't you dare, Sunday. I need you.'

Warmth sparked through Sunday's body.

She felt it too as she opened her eyes.

Shocked , she gasped as Sunday began fading off into essence gradually.

She checked him out again.

Name:Sunday

Soul Status: Pseudo Messenger Class

Energy level: 1/1003

'No..'

She shut her eyes tightly again as hot tear resumed their flow.

'I... I ... I need you.' she sniffed again

"You know, when we met. I thought it was me, just going to be stopping a gang of rogues from bullying you everytime. That's what I thought. But I was wrong.

I thought I was the one giving you a reason to stick around. But now, looking back at it, I realise...I realise that it had been you all along.

Remember those times, I felt so lonely.

So useless.

You would hold my hands and tell me that the choices of others should never really determine that i should live a life of nothingness and emptiness.

You taught me, what it meant... What it meant to stand up for what you want.

You are my inspiration.

Son of the lineage of Primes, descandant of last DemiGod. You were so much more than others could see.

You, Sunday, you are my hero.

Your enthusiasm, your refusal to call it quits.

That's what attracted me to you. That's why I found it hard to leave you.

Because, it was I, I was the one , drawing strength from you, Sunday.

I... I need you. " Niniola broke down to profuse tears.

The loud screech of a huge bird like creature, a gryphoon, rent the air, arresting the focus of the Primes and The Alphas who were just starting to get themselves.

It swooped down, dashing at breakneck speed, faster than anyone could react, it's claws extended.

This time, the Irunmole has recovered out of the initial shock , the Alphas First.

Although weakened, Ralia and Sena dashed forward, each releasing a surge of fiery energy towards other.

"Marun-ina Ina(2)"

"First form

Second form

Third form

Fourth form

Fifth form"

Energy erupted from their bodies, powering up their every move as they trailed along.

All about them, heat burned and glazed, increasing the orange hue they had on as they propelled themselves on a headlong collision course with the bird.

"Alpha's Rage: Diverging Storm"

Their feet left the ground, gingerly bursting through atmospheric ressitance as fueled by the Alpha Rage Impetus-- A less condensed form of Prime Class Transcendency.

Fire exploded all about them, encirling the Alphas in a whirlwind of flames. Their fists swept out in a wide arc, orange flames widening their strike accompanied by miniature concussion blasts that covered up for the range the flame sword could not reach.

However their Acension to the Fifth Form was slow, weakness brought upon them by the oppresive aura Elder had expelled previously.

Seeing this, The Bird tilted sideways, totalling avoiding going in-between the two female Alphas as it' back missed barely, Ralia's fiery tornado.

The impetus of the female Alphas was over and they crashed down to the ground below. Gazing down at the falling Alphas, it screeched satisfactorily as if glad to have escaped them.

But that Joy was short-lived.

Balogun was right in front of it, propelled by a leap of vicious strength.

"Ijakadi(3): Rumbling Boulders" he Grinned, Shooting out his fist at the oncoming bird as an image of a boulder formed over his hand.

..

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(T/N) 1.have you seen it?

2. Five fire cycles

3. Fist of destruction