Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Chapter 313: A Special Kind of Strength

Edgar was lost in a sea of emotions. His head turned to the left and right, his eyes shaking by tension, but his opponent was nowhere to be found. All he saw was visions, fragments of memories belonging to different people. He saw parties, and starry night, and lovers, and friends celebrating togetherbut he also saw death, pain, despair. The dichotomy was so intense it made his heart feel as if two horses were pulling it in opposite directions.

Surrender, a bodiless voice reached his ears. Give in. You cannot win.

Never! he shouted. Gritting his teeth, he once again unleashed an omnidirectional blast of magic, shattering the vision. He was in the middle of a battlefield, panting as he stared down the saphira girl who called herself Vlossana. Walls of fire surrounded them in all directions, the remains of his previous attacks, cutting them off from the wider battle.

With a growl, the elements bent to his will. Air shimmered and froze. Fire spread outward from his feet, following the floor to expand faster. With a tug of his will, the wind obeyed, blowing into Vlossana and forcing her to step back.

It is futile, she said with confidence. The fire reached her boots and climbed them, the cold air froze her hair, but her face remained as hard as ever. You cannot defeat me.

She raised a single finger. The magical energy contained inside it was staggering. The fire was doused by a river of grief. The ice evaporated to burning joy. Edgar roared, as did the elements he commanded, but none was able to touch Vlossana.

Step after step, she approached. Edgar summoned the mighty winds, but she raised a hand and stepped through them, treating them as a mere afterthought.

Why do you resist? she asked. You know you cannot defeat me. Your Dao is weak, as is your heart, and all your titles are useless against my Will attacks.

What do you expect me to do!? Edgar retorted.

Die.

Go to hell!

Edgar brought his hands before his chest, squeezing them in as if compressing the very air. The remains of his summoned elements flew in from all directions. They gathered between his palms, converging into a single dot that shone with every color of the rainbow. It shimmered with pure, unadulterated poweran elemental convergence with the power to blow up a village. The harder his palms pushed down, the stronger this point of power grew, until its glow eclipsed even the flames surrounding them.

Vlossana stepped forth fearlessly. Invisible tendrils of her power spread through the Dao to reach Edgar. He sensed but ignored themhe couldnt push them back, anyway. They reached into his ears, his nose, his eyes. Edgar suppressed his disgust of this foreign Dao to finish conjuring his attack, the elemental convergence. Then, right before the tendrils reached his brain, he shouted and sent it out.

It would evaporate the enemy.

Time slowed down. Edgar saw the battlefield around them disappear, leaving only himself, the enemy, and his slowly traveling elemental convergence. Everything else was pitch-black.

In the next moment, the darkness receded, and Edgar was inside her mind. Her thoughts were outside his reach, but her emotions werent. Her heart wasnt. She hid nothing. Edgar had no choice but to experience the full spectrum of emotions churning inside her. He tasted the darkness and found it bitter, like chocolate that had long expired.

Tears welled into his eyes. How could anyone resist? How could the girl opposite him not break?

Vlossana projected her mind into his own. He felt the boundless joy that once filled her heart be shattered and replaced by bottomless grief. The Dao amplified everything, dooming her to experience the greatest fall possible in a human heart, sinking from the heights of heaven to the depths of hell.

And the effects of that were all too clear. Vlossanas strength hid inside her own heartshe wasnt afraid to bare herself for victory. She showed Edgar her broken mind, her shattered spirit, the festering remains of who she used to be. Her heart had cracked and broken down. She hated herself, despised the world, and desperately sought to externalize her pain.

She did not even possess free will anymore. She was so broken that any path she saw, she followed. Revenge was not her wishit was all she could do. Her heart was swimming in bitterness. The world around her was full of hatred and injustice. Revenge was just the path of inflicting maximum pain, and what else could she do against such an ugly world?

How was she unforgivable?

All these thoughts slammed into Edgars mind, amplified by his own empathy. He felt for her. Understood, even if he didnt approve. Her pain became his, and his heart was filled with infinite pity.

The elemental convergence winked out, robbed of his Daos support. He couldnt attack her. As much as he knew he should, as much as he absolutely had to, he just couldnt do it. His pity for her, his heart of hearts, and his love for her as a person to another warred against responsibility, and the former came out winning.

At the end of the Dao, her Dao was stronger than his fake one, as was her resolve. There was nothing he could do. He deserved what was coming, for he was weak.

Vlossana stood opposite him with an ugly smile, satisfied that her heart was broken enough to crack him. Give up, she said, raising a hand that shone with dark light. Let your heart be taken.

Edgar met her eyes and fell to his knees. He had never been one to hide his tearsnow, they flowed like twin rivers down his cheeks. Every drop carried a tiny bit of pain, but no matter how much he poured out, it was never enough.

Pathetic, Vlossana said with a frown. You are a man. A cultivator. How can you cry?

She was so wrong he didnt even know where to begin. All he could do was cry, not for himself, not for his friends, but for her and her ruined heart. For the ugly world that birthed her.

She came closer, within a step of Edgar. Everything about you is weak, even your Dao, she said with distaste. How did someone like you stand beside Jack Rust?

I was strong once, Edgar muttered between his sobs. Back when I didnt know myself. The weakness you see is recent.

She sneered. A sheep in lions clothing.

Can you spare my friends? he begged.

I couldnt care less about your war. I am only here to kill you.

But why?

You dont need to know.

Her eyes were cold and heartless. Her hand dove for his chest, about to rip out his heart. Edgar felt time slow down around him, as often happened before death. It was only an illusion, of course. A biological response. All it allowed him to do was regret his life more extensively before the end.

I should have never gone to the tournament, he told himself. I am too weak. Too kind. My power would have better served another, someone who could rise to the occasion and help the entire world.

Am I selfish for choosing myself over the others? Yes Yes, I am. I never should have taken up the responsibility. I never should have gone to the tournament. I never should have promised to help, and I never should have given my soul to the devil. Heh. The greatest price, paid for a power I couldnt wield.

Edgar couldnt contain his self-loathing. He had always expected his life to end at one of the devils cruel tricks, a neglected consequence of the contract terms.

Yet, real devils were nothing like folklore. The contracts werent fake. There was no fine print. He had exchanged his soul for powerfor a shell of a different Dao over his ownand thats exactly what he had received. If not for this womans arrival, he could have helped in the war. He already had, to an extent, but it was nothing compared to what he could have done.

I cant believe he never tried to screw me over, Edgar thought with a chuckle. What an odd world we live in Enjoy my soul, you fair fiend. Unless you were the one who sent herbut I guess it doesnt matter, does it?

He didnt want to surrender his eternal soul, of course, but there was nothing to be done. The deal was made. Even if he removed the fake Dao shell around his Dao, which he could do, it would change nothing. He would just die an even more pathetic death.

My Dao he thought with longing. More tears came to his eyestears of betrayal, tears for himself this time. Im sorry, my Dao. Im sorry, my soul. I forsook you, and it changed nothing. Im sorry.

In the final moment, rid of any more responsibilities, Edgar got to experience the truth of his Dao a final time. He remembered how much he loved itthat awe and wonder, that sense of beauty, that breathless wow, what he wouldnt give to spend his life spreading it.

Too bad that the world was cruel.

One final breath, he thought to himself with a sweet smile. One last look. I cannot win, anyway.

With a gentle tug of his will, he ripped away the shell covering his real Dao, exposing the radiant beauty underneath. It was breathtakinga golden, soft globe of light. A long crack stretched down its middle, the price of ripping away the devil shell. He would never be able to advance again, but it didnt matter; he would die within the next second.

Edgar had no desire to change his fate. He deserved it. All he wanted was to die while embracing this beautiful light he had once abandoned. The light that suffered unjustly, just like the saphira woman killing him.

He let himself go.

Yet, the seconds stretched, and his death did not come. No hand pierced his chest, no wicked fingers seized his heart. Surprised, he opened his eyes to find the saphira with her hand extended, paused mid-motion, her gaze filled with wariness.

What did you do? she asked with growing fury. How did you stab my heart!?

Edgar had no idea what she was talking about. Her chest seemed fine; no blood or blade. Nothing had stabbed through her heart. She was completely alive.

So what had given her pause?

Edgar took a deep breathand, as he did, the beauty inside him seeped out. His love escaped, just a tiny bit, coloring the world around him a brilliant gold.

Vlossana hissed as she retreated. You had another power! she exclaimed. You hid it all along! Damn you!

He remained confused. He did possess a different power now, yes, but it was weak. It wasnt even meant for battle. The power it could exude was minimal, and his inability to harm her remained.

Why had she recoiled?

DIE!

Vlossana reached out an arm, her eyes frantic. Invisible tendrils of power filled the air, seeking to enthrall his mind and snuff it out. She could absolutely do ithe had sensed her power. She didnt need to touch him to kill him.

Yet, as the tendrils approached, they dissipated. Like snow in the sun, they melted away, their emotional structure broken by Edgars aura.

His eyes widened in realization. His pity for her shone brighter than ever, as did his love. His tenderness. He reached out and grabbed a tendril before it could melt, sending his mind into it, into hers. He saw the ocean of darkness. The despair. The pain. It rushed at him from all directions, seeking to engulf him, and he let it.

He drowned in her sorrow.

It was hell. One moment stretched to infinity. His heart bled alongside hers for this cruel world. Yet, he had another Dao to support him nowhis real one. A Dao directly related to the beauty of the world, the kindness that this pained soul no longer dared believe in.

A scream resounded in the world outside, but Edgar let it wash over him.

GET OUT! she screamed. GET OUT OF MY HEART!

But she couldnt force him. She had invited him inand now, in the battlefield of her heart, she could only face him with truth and emotions.

In the depths of Vlossanas heart, her pain was a raging river, a stormy sea. Yet, Edgar floated in its midst unblemished, untouched by the dark waters. His eyes exuded a kindness that surrounded him, a shining beacon in the darkness.

The dark waters raged. Sorrow came after Edgar in waves, burying him in the darkest emotions known to man. He felt them all. He endured the pain. Vlossanas darkness was trying to corrupt his heart, to extinguish his hope and make him accept her view of the world, that it was hopeless, ugly, and in vain.

Yet, this time, his own heart stood strong. It was in its element now. Faced with her pain, his magic flared. A soft light spread, pushing back the shadows.

Yes, the world could be terrible. It could be cruel, heartless, and painful. But it could also be warm and beautiful. The dark water crashed into his magic, and all the monsters hiding under the surface screamed. Edgar raised his hands. Beauty and wonder shone in Vlossanas inner world, contesting the despair. A golden star appeared over a vast ocean, tiny but resilient. No matter how many waves fell on it, no matter how the ocean raged, the darkness was burned away. This little star could be hurt, but it could not be extinguished.

Because it represented hope.

Finally, the ocean grew thinner. The waters growled as they receded. Edgars power was lessened, too, but it did not matter. Because, hidden under the receding tide, a little saphira girl was revealed. A girl with her eyes wide open in fear, clutching her own little dress, covered head to toe in darkness.

Edgar smiled at her. He spread his arms again, and all the magic of the world came pouring out, all the beauty, all the wonder, all the warmth. In their absolute truth, he directly refuted her Dao.

The little girl stared at him wide-eyed, not daring to believe.

Edgar felt a cold hand plunge into his chest. This wasnt in the soul world, but in the real one. Vlossanas hand was buried into the center of his chest, stabbing him. He reached out and hugged her, pulling her close, inviting her hand deeper. She froze.

His hand caressed her hair. Its alright, he whispered. Its all going to be alright.

The little girl reached out for the dancing lights, too afraid to believe. His hand appeared through them. It was waiting; and his smile was the most radiant thing shed ever seen.

I know it can be hard, he told her, grinning from ear to ear. Loss is painful, and recovering takes time, but hope never dies! It shouldnt! The world is bright, colorful, wonderful. It is beautiful, and it just waiting for us to explore, as long as you just believe. So, what do you say? He grinned wider. Are you coming?

The little girl reached out her hand. Lightly, hesitantly, she touched his, letting his light wash away the darkness. The ocean and all its monsters screamed as they burned, evaporating in dark smoke. Her Dao was revealed underneath, a warm smile crossed by lines of darkness. These were two forces at an equilibriumbut, with Edgars help, the light advanced by just an inch. The darkness remained, but it was now only a part of her Dao, not its master.

Vlossana cried, shedding black tears that mixed with Edgars blood. She cried and cried, letting it all out while he gently caressed her hair and held her in a tight hug, shielding her from the world.

And the darkness receded. The battlefield returned, and Vlossana was no longer an assassin, but just a girl with a broken heart. It wouldnt pass overnight. Maybe not ever. But the darkness no longer consumed herthe first step on a long road had been taken.

If Jack was here, he could have maybe killed Vlossana. So could Brock, or Vivi, or anyone else. But it was only Edgar, this tender, pained man who once was unable to fight her, that could save her.

As the darkness fell away, the belief was cemented in Vlossanas soul that she couldnt kill Edgar. In that moment, her deal with the devil was broken. The power she had been granted receded, disappearing into nothingness, absorbed by the ambient Dao. The shackles on her soul were lifted.

Just like Edgar, she would never be able to advance again, but that was the extent of her backlash.

Because she wasnt the one who broke the deal.

When the devil offered her the contract, hed claimed that her power would be enough to defeat her targetEdgar. But it wasnt. She had failed. And, in doing so, the devils word was proven false.

In another part of the battlefield, very close by, one soldier suddenly fell to his knees, vomiting black blood. The surrounding cultivators rushed to his aid, but he ignored them all. Impossible, he muttered, panting at the floor. His eyes were shaking. How? The power I gave him was just not enough. How!?

Because how could a devil realize the warmth of human emotions? He never thought that Edgar would remove his shell, because why would he? He would achieve nothing except die faster. In the devils mind, Edgars original Dao was laughable and would never appear again, so he never bothered to calculate its strength.

And thus, at the end of the day, it was Edgars tender heart that foiled the devil.

But devils couldnt break their word. Etsin the devil felt his limbs grow weak, his body attracting the attention of something far greater than himself. No, he growled, jumping to his feet.No! Not again!

He assumed his real form and flew away, breaking the sound barrier while completely ignoring the reactions of everyone around him. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and lightning thundered. NO! Etsin roared, dashing over the sea in hopes that he could escape the clouds.

But how could one outrun a tribulation?

Lightning cracked down, again and again, striking a devil that was flying over the distant sea. His flesh was burned and his soul seared. His screams echoed over the entire battlefield, but it was hopeless. Before long, the lightning stopped falling, the clouds dispersed, and all that remained of the devil was a handful of ash calmly floating in the ocean waters.

All battles paused momentarily, but the remaining cultivators had no idea what happened or how it would affect them. Therefore, as soon as the clouds dispersed, they resumed killing each other.

As for Edgar, the devils smiting had destroyed the chains on his soul. The contract was broken. He was free nowthough unable to ever progress again, his soul remained his and his alone.

Its something, he thought as his vision went red with blood. He still held Vlossana in a tight embrace, and she was still crying, not realizing that her fingers had already clenched around and ruined his heart. It was no longer beating. Only Edgars Dao was keeping him alive, and even that would falter very soon.

Even the greatest of healers couldnt save him now.

Its okay, he thought warmly, clutching Vlossana tighter. At least I achieved something. I saved one person. Heh. What a life.

Slowly, his arms sagged down, and his grasp weakened. Vlossana realized nothing as Edgar died in her arms.

Excepthe didnt. Space cracked open before them. Vlossana saw nothing, so engrossed she was in her crying, but Edgars dying eyes spied a smiling man who looked like he was homeless. He wore a dirty jacket and tattered pants, while his teeth were crooked and yellow. He seemed completely out of place.

The man reached out a hand. It shone a green so bright it momentarily overwhelmed the sun. Edgar felt nothing but an impossible amount of life filling him to the brim, a veritable ocean of energy. His heart regenerated in the blink of an eye, and Edgar was left stunned and alive, still clutching Vlossana in his arms.

Well done, but you cannot rest yet, said the Sage, laughing. You still have a role to play. And now, if youll excuse meI have a show to run.

Edgar could only watch speechless as the Sage once again split space and disappeared. He was left completely spent and with a crying woman in his embrace, amidst a battlefield. Only now did the shock get to him.

What the hell just happened?

In the battle of Edgar versus Vlossana and the devil Edgar won!

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