The dome stood silent for a heartbeat, the dust still settling from the destruction Caelus caused. The remnants of the shattered barrier hung in the air like floating ash. The open battlefield of the ruins stretched endlessly around them, flat, barren, and stained by the long war. No stones, no pillars, nothing but emptiness and raw power clashing in the center.
Tzarkhul's body changed again, rising like a monster born from disaster itself. His Elemental Cataclysm Form was terrifying. Fire curled behind his back like burning wings, each flame twisting as if alive. Stone wrapped his arms and legs like jagged armor, glowing cracks running across them. Water flowed around his torso in a spiraling shield, while violent winds spiraled around him, tearing the air with a constant howl.
His presence alone made the air burn and the ground tremble. Even the space near him felt distorted.
Yet Caelus wasn't afraid.
He stood quietly, sword lowered but ready, feeling his breath shake inside his chest. His body hurt everywhere, but his eyes remained clear.
Far from them, Hugo finally arrived within sight of the place. The moment he saw Tzarkhul's monstrous form, his heart dropped. His fingers trembled around his bowstring. Even from that distance, he felt a pressure like something was squeezing his lungs. Still, he didn't step back.
Without further delay, the fight resumed.
Tzarkhul's voice echoed across the ruins, booming with confidence and a cruel joy.
"Are you ready to face your end?"
Caelus didn't respond. He simply tightened his grip on his sword and focused. His mind raced, thinking of every way he could survive this. There was no room for fear. There was only the next move.
Tzarkhul sank both of his stone-covered hands into the ground.
"Tectonic Marionette."
The moment he spoke the words, the entire terrain responded like it was alive. Massive slabs of ground tore upward, rising as if summoned by invisible strings. Some rose like giant limbs, others twisted into arms, each moving with Tzarkhul's will.
The first strike came down hard.
Caelus jumped aside, the heavy limb cracking open the earth where he stood a second earlier.
The next one came instantly.
Then another.
And another.
Tzarkhul controlled them like a puppeteer playing with toys, the huge stone limbs smashing down in rapid swings. Caelus kept running, rolling, and sliding under each attack, but the speed kept rising. Even with his agility, it felt like dying was only a matter of time.
Hugo, seeing the danger, kept pulling back his bow and fired an explosive arrow toward the closest limb. The arrows burst on impact, slowing the limb only for a moment, but that moment was enough for Caelus to slip through the gap. Still, it was too much.
It felt as if Tzarkhul was toying with them.
Caelus gritted his teeth.
"Petal Flash."
His body blurred, and his sword glowed faintly. He moved through the limbs, each slash leaving behind drifting dream-like petals. Those petals floated for a moment, silent and still… then burst like delayed explosions.
One after another, the dream bursts shattered the rising limbs, tearing them apart from within.
Tzarkhul pulled his hands out of the ground.
"Congratulations," he said with a small grin. "You survived. But you only delayed the inevitable."
Caelus didn't answer. There was no point wasting breath. He pushed forward and swung his sword.
"Remnant Sever."
His blade moved in controlled, sharp arcs, each strike carrying a fading remnant of energy behind it. Tzarkhul parried most of them with ease, using his stone-coated arms like shields. Sparks flew each time they clashed, the ground cracking under the pressure.
But then, one cut slipped through.
A thin line of blood appeared on Tzarkhul's arm.
Caelus instantly backed off. He didn't even attempt a second swing. Landing one hit was enough for now.
Tzarkhul wiped the blood with his thumb and chuckled.
"Are you scared now?"
Before Caelus could answer, Tzarkhul suddenly swayed. His vision blurred, his focus slipping.
Caelus had expected this.
The strike he landed wasn't to wound, it was to destabilize Tzarkhul's senses.
Seeing the moment, Hugo didn't hesitate.
"Doom Arrow!"
He pulled the string with every last bit of strength left in his arms. The arrow shot forward like a streak of light. In mid-air, it expanded, its aura growing dense and heavy, crackling violently.
It pierced through Tzarkhul's chest with a loud tchk.
Caelus moved instantly.
"Fallen Leaf Waltz."
His body split into drifting afterimages, moving like scattered leaves caught in the wind. Tzarkhul couldn't tell the real one from the illusions, and in that confusion Caelus struck him from multiple angles, sharp cuts, quick steps, leaving no time for counterattacks.
This time, Tzarkhul was truly on the defensive.
When Caelus landed back on the ground, breathing heavily, Tzarkhul stood still for a moment. His eyes narrowed… then he smiled again.
"You and your underhanded moves… you make me laugh. You think this is enough to stop me?"
He grabbed the arrow in his chest, ripped it out, and then punched his own torso once, as if restarting his body.
Cracks of elemental energy flared across him. "So then… let's continue, shall we?"
He raised all four arms at once.
"Planetary Pulse Rupture!"
Two arms punched the air with such force that the sky itself seemed to ignite.
The other two arms slammed into the ground, sending a massive shockwave beneath the surface.
A vertical line of destruction shot toward Caelus, from above and below at the same time. There was no chance to dodge. The blast hit him full-on.
Caelus flew nearly a hundred meters back, rolling across the ground before he came to a stop. Blood dripped from his mouth. His vision spun, and every breath burned.
When he forced his eyes open, Tzarkhul was already standing in front of him, smiling calmly.
Hugo screamed and unleashed every arrow he could, trying anything to draw attention away from Caelus. Explosive shots, magic-infused arrows, even simple rapid-fire shots, none of them worked. They didn't even slow Tzarkhul.
Hugo knew he had no strength left, but he still ran forward, firing as he charged.
"Look at me! Fight me!"
But Tzarkhul's eyes stayed locked on Caelus.
Hugo's last bits of magic gathered into a single arrow. He emptied his tank for one final shot, filled with magic and hope...
"Arcane Shot!"
The arrow shone bright as a star, flying straight at Tzarkhul. He dodged it and stepped back slightly.
"How amusing. To think you had that trick left."
Hugo stepped between Caelus and Tzarkhul, raising his bow even though he knew he had no arrows left, no magic left, and almost no strength left to even stand. His whole body trembled. His instincts screamed at him to run. He wanted to live. He wanted to escape. But he stayed. And faced Tzarkhul.
Tzarkhul laughed. "That attack was strong. If it hit me, it might have actually hurt. But you're finished now. You're useless. Step aside."
Hugo's hands shook. But he lifted his bow and fired a single weak arrow, knowing it would do nothing. Tzarkhul caught it easily, snapped it in half, and let the pieces fall.
In a flash, he appeared in front of Hugo and punched him in the gut. Hugo spat blood as the impact threw him into the air. Before he could even fall, Tzarkhul stepped behind him, driving an uppercut into his back, launching him higher. Then, appearing above him, he used all four fists at once and smashed Hugo into the ground.
Hugo layed there, barely conscious, bones broken, breath shallow. Tzarkhul didn't kill him. He didn't need to. He could no longer stand and he never interested Tzarkhul as much as Caelus did.
Tzarkhul turned his attention back to Caelus, who struggled to stand, legs shaking, vision fading. He had seen Hugo get nearly killed in front of him, and yet… he could do nothing.
Tzarkhul approached slowly, step by step.
To Caelus, it felt like death itself was walking toward him.
Even now, with his body failing, he didn't feel fear. Instead, he felt guilt. Heavy guilt crushing his heart. Not because he was about to die… but because he hadn't done enough. He wanted to at least stop Tzarkhul from continuing this war. Even if he couldn't kill him, he wanted to do something... anything... to prevent more people from facing this monster.
Tzarkhul grabbed Caelus by the chin and lifted his face.
"You are a strong man. Anyone else would have fallen long ago. You only lost because you faced me. And even at death, you don't show fear. So I will give you a grand farewell."
He stepped back and gathered all four elements into a single massive fist of destruction. Fire, water, earth, and air merged into a swirling force of raw annihilation.
Caelus could only watch.
Then he heard it.
A strange, soft, melodious voice.
"Can you hear me?"
The world around him faded. Light swallowed everything.
Caelus found himself standing in a bright empty space, peaceful and warm, "…So this is the afterlife?" he whispered.
The voice spoke again, gentle yet trembling.
"Fear not, my child… chosen by the Dreams themselves. This is not your end. This is your beginning."
Caelus blinked. "Who are you? Where am I? And… shouldn't I be dead right now?"
"A dream may end," the voice answered, "but a dreamer never truly dies. Dreams are limitless. Dreams shape people. Dreams shape the world. And you… you are chosen by the dreams themselves. You cannot end so easily."
Caelus stayed silent, listening.
"I am sorry I could not reach you earlier, bearer of dreams," the voice continued weakly. "My strength is being held against my will. Please… save me."
Caelus sighed softly. "I think I understand a little. And I'd like to help you. But I'm about to die. I won't be much use. Can you call my friends? They're strong too... they'll help."
The voice replied with fading strength, "I am the spirit of this place… the Spirit of the Ruins of Never-ending Dreams. This is the land of dreams, and how can the bearer of dreams die in the place he holds authority over?"
The light pulsed.
"You are not who you think you are. You are more. These ruins chose you long ago, the moment you lifted that sword, the sword chose you. This moment was dreamt far in the past. And now… it is time."
Caelus felt warmth spreading through his chest.
"Oh protector of dreams… rise. Fight. This is your home. Your duty. Those who harm dreams shall face their nightmare, you shall became their nightmare"
The light faded.
The world returned.
And as soon as he opened his eyes again he saw the massive elemental fist aimed at Caelus…
…turned into a cloud of glowing butterflies that scattered into the sky.
Tzarkhul froze.
Caelus stood.
His wounds glowed faintly. His eyes were calm. His presence felt different, like the air itself recognized him.
Tzarkhul grinned, excitement filling his expression.
"So you've finally shown something much more interesting."
Caelus lifted his sword once more.
The their battle...
…began again.