Ethan watched the Magi collective summon their great ball of fire and launch it right at him. Within that flaming coalescence, there was enough power to eradicate half of all life in the city itself, never mind just his form.

And with a quick Appraisal, he discovered that not only would the fireball deal over 1000 DMG, but it also had the [Tracking] property. There was no running away from this, and that went for the Greycloaks currently fighting among themselves in the dark cloud that spread out from under Ethan's feet.

The Grey Magi know that, Sys scoffed in his mind. This is their desperate last attempt to stop you.

And unfortunately, Ethan thought. I'm going to have to disappoint them.

The Magi on the spires of Castle Lysandus watched as their spell flew towards the demon hat and his Host, each of them focusing all of their efforts on guiding the orb so that it flew true and would strike the Archon right at his core.

But just when they thought for sure that the sunblast hit Revok square in his face, the ball stopped dead still, hovering above the entrance to the city.

The Magi looked to oneanother, then attempted to reassert their control over their spell. The effort was in vain – even the combined strength of the fifty Magi couldn't counteract what had just occurred, mere seconds before the fireball had touched the tip of the Archon's hatty form.

Ethan had swallowed hard, summoned up a blizzard between his lungs, and then let it gush forth from his three mouths:

Winterbreath (Grade S)

Release a cone of winter air from your lungs, extinguishing any {PYRO} spells within melee range and freezing non-resistant enemies for 5 seconds.

Grade B Upgrade: Winterbreath now freezes enemies for 10 seconds.

Grade A Upgrade: Winterbreath gains the [REACTIVE] property, allowing it to be activated whenever the User is threatened by a {PYRO} spell.

Grade S Upgrade: [Winter's Rebuke] Unlocked! Winterbreath changes any {PYRO} spell it counters into a {FROST} based equivalent under your direction.

MAXIMUM UPGRADE LIMIT REACHED

The great ball of fire spun slowly in the air as it was transformed into an abominable snowball the likes of which the world had never seen. And Ethan, in a touch of wicked genius, decided to add a few [Ice Barrage] crystals and [Thorn Hail] stones to the ball for good measure.

It was said that the first Magi to scream had been the one who had coordinated the spell. But, in truth, there was barely even a sound uttered as the Magi looked at the spinning ball of frost that was quickly approaching them and leaped from the spires of the Castle Keep just before the power of an avalanche crashed into its side.

The Magi who survived scrambled around on the now snow-covered ground, their bones chilled and completely giving way under them. Many who survived the blast staggered forward in desperation, their hands flailing as they summoned up all Pyromancy spells they had in their arsenal to try and stem the deluge of frost that was slowly filling up the Nobles Quarter. Yet, as soon as they attempted to summon even the tiniest flames in their fingertips, their bones crystalized and turned to ice within their arms.

And the citizens of Lucent, who were currently cowering within the main castle's halls, looked on in horror as their divine protectors were frozen to death.

In the market square, Ethan's Twilight Edge miasma was beginning to recede, and the Greycloaks woke up to alleys filled with the blood of their own. Those men who didn't go mad at what they'd been forced to do turned out to be the unlucky ones. They looked up to see the three jaws of the Archon roar at them and completely shatter their armor apart before they could even lift their blades to assail him. Those who did not immediately start fleeing ended up crushed under the Archon's feet, while those who turned tail and tried to make it to the walls were caught by Ethan's Onixia-coated claws. He'd let them fly just before taking off towards the center of the city. He had business to attend to.

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The Greycloaks on the bloody streets, meanwhile, fought against his claws as they flew towards their naked bodies, slicing them apart and spilling the contents of their stolen blood across the corpse-laden streets. Those same pavements the Lightborn himself had once walked down now ran red with the life-fluid of Krea, and those who tried to resist the Archon Appraised his claws as they ended their lives.

In the end, they'd realized that there truly was no escape:

Blade of the Sword Saint (Grade A)

For the duration of this Skill, one [Melee] weapon you wield functions as a ranged weapon and has the [Returnal] property.

Weapons with the [Returnal] property always return to the bearer's hands at the conclusion of any attack.

Grade A: [Homing] Property unlocked.

Blade of the Sword Saint will now track an enemy until it makes contact with them.

There was nowhere to run. They were trapped in the city that should have been theirs. Now, it was to be their tomb.

Ethan kept up [Repulsor Shield] as he strode through the streets, looking absent-mindedly at the houses and dilapidated market stalls that had been abandoned by the people as they were evacuated.

He knew they couldn't have gotten far, and his upgraded [Appraisal] showed him exactly where the citizens were hiding: there, just beyond the inner wall section that protected the Nobles' Quarter, was the entrance to the Lucent Palace.

And inside, he could see the skeletons of thousands of humans cowering at his approach.

"PROTECT THE PEOPLE!" came the cries of the archers and ballistae operators on the walls. "FOR KEADMON!"

Ethan couldn't help but smirk.

If only you knew what's in store for you.

The ballistae fired a hail of bolts towards his bat-like wings and he brushed them away with a casual wing-buffet. The Magi who hadn't yet given up the fight on the ground, meanwhile, kept blasting their spells at him, trying to decimate the spherical shield that had formed around his massive bulk.

But their efforts were useless once again. Ethan's continual Spirit Core increase was going all towards upgrade after upgrade:

Repulsor Shield (Grade S)

Grade B Upgrade: Repulsor Shield now has the [REACTIVE] Property, allowing it to be activated whenever the User is threatened by any spell.

Grade A Upgrade: Repulsor Shield now covers the User from all angles.

Grade S Upgrade: [Absolute Immunity unlocked!] Grants total [IMMUNITY] to all Magical DMG for 5 secs.

MAXIMUM UPGRADE LIMIT REACHED

He simply allowed the shield to re-direct all their damage back at him, and watched out of the corner of his eyes as they were repulsed by their own spells – burned, frozen, or electrocuted by the powers they'd stolen from the angel and her servants all these centuries.

Seeing them die beneath his feet, he had to admit that it felt good. He almost felt like his predecessors were right here with him. Karfanng, Gelsadra, Moratavious and Gyko were all looking at this wondrous sight through his eyes.

But as that thought occurred to him, he was suddenly gripped by another one: remember, they all came tantalizingly close to victory before the end.

Ethan smiled as he stopped before the last wall in his way, his three mouths licking their bloody lips in anticipation of what was coming next.

You're having doubts, Sys? That's very you.

Don't you mean that's very you?

Greycloak warriors spilled out of the castle halls, each one employing their silly little singular skills against him. Ethan brushed them off by activating [Albionic Authority] and forcing the walls of the houses nearby to split apart and wrap themselves around them. He commanded chairs to splinter and fly towards the Greys as a distraction, and even forced the roots of the earth that were curled up underneath the city to rise and choke the soldiers as they tried to reach for their blades.

Spirit Cores gained: +650

Spirit Cores gained: +1000

Spirit Cores gained: +1365

With every Greycloak that died, he felt his power only grow.

For a moment, he considered that perhaps his long-game plan here wasn't even worth it – that he could just fly to the top of that central tower and take down his old foe. He could sense old Artorious waiting for him up there. He could feel the eyes of Kaedmon's champion biding his time, maybe saying some final prayers while the city burned all around him.

So much for being the people's hero…

But Ethan tore the thought from his mind. No, he had something else he needed to do here.

He focused his attention on the humans who were cowering inside the palace halls.

Are you sure? Sys asked over the din of the dying Greycloaks all around his paws. Are you…are you really sure you want to do this?

Ethan breathed deep, drawing from the flame of Revok that was bubbling within his breast.

Storm of Revok (Grade S)

Manifest the rage within yourself into material form: you spew a gout of molten lava at your enemies.

Effect: 200pts Fire DMG for 5 secs

Grade S Upgrade: [Consuming Flames] unlocked! [Storm of Revok] can now melt any solid surfaces of any material.

MAXIMUM UPGRADE LIMIT REACHED

Then, he opened his maw and fired.

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