Chapter 34: The Lesser, the Greater

Damon's team continued their slaughter. The belua spires kept on producing the belua through some means. The whole of Gharasu was flooded with the abominations.

"Too many," Damon said, wiping his brows. The rain was their constant companion. It brought them unstable footing. The knee-high rainwater that gathered impeded their movement. The etherians despite their abilities could only slow down while the belua continued rushing at them in packs. The veil of rain made him unable to continue onward. Etherian abilities raised the earth and leveled the ground. Some of the Outriders fought using the boats the transporters carry.

Machinegun fire pour through the spire towers. Emerging from the very ground were the Belua that stood taller than a second-story house. Damon could hear the shells fall down on the ground. Vibrant blade lashes out as giants fell in front of the defense line.

The five crawler-transporters were firing on the tangled roots defending the spire. The walls itself were made of roots. The thickness of the roots however prevented the fire from catching up. Fire did not start with the constant downpour of rain. Damon did not hear some of the death throes due to the pouring rain.

Damon fell down a waist-high puddle. He raised his hand to block the belua's mouth. The belua's head turned into a pulp as round of fire destroyed its brain. Damon looked to his side. Mei extended her hand. She pulled Damon out of the puddle and then lashed her vibrant blade at a four-legged belua.

"Thanks," Damon prepped his vibrant again. He pulled his cloak forward as he gets on board on one of the amphibious vehicles. From their location, Damon saw the belua swim to the crawler-transporter in a crazed manner.  They were truly like beasts whose hive have been disturbed.

The amphibious vehicle continued moving forward. Damon operated the machinegun while Mei guarded her back. Her vibrant blade tore through the beluas. Ralf drove the amphibious vehicle while Ares shot anyone through her pinpoint shooting.

The water started to cool the barrel of the machinegun. As they continued through the fray, Damon saw an enormous figure appear from one of the spires. It stood on its two legs and slammed an arm against one of the cruisers targeting the spires. In that same cruiser, a figure appeared carrying a weapon taller than he was, carrying it on his shoulder, it was a chunk of metal. Damon recognized that metal and seeing it in action lit a fire inside his heart.

"Commander Blackwell," Damon muttered. The giant belua had its head smashed by that chunk of steel. The steel cleaved from the skull to the navel of the belua. With a kick, the belua fell back first on the wasteland. Commander Blackwell of the Recon Korp smashed his infamous Black Liger on the heart of the belua.

His confidant, Anastasia Romani, followed Commander Blackwell. The Witch herself rode the veil of rain as she raises her palms to project a flaming palm that evaporated the veil of rain. She stepped into the very air itself and froze it.

"It's the Half-Step to the Cosmos, the fifth layer of the ether, the layer that only a few could possibly reach."

The climb to the tenth layer was something only a few could dream. Sartorial, the Godfather of the Etherians have reached the final step to the cosmos and brought down the Hive Mother of the Beluas that resulted in the drowning of an entire continent.

Some say that if humans can have the power of the ether. Then what stops the beluas from having one as well? Therefore, the legends tell of Sartorial fighting the Hive Mother until the continent drown. Passed to the etherians through words, the etherians who trained understand the Greater Sacrifice the Godfather of the Etherians have done to bring the mother of the beluas to her knees. In addition, that there was a single truth that the Sons of Sartorial bear. The one truth passed down through their fathers and mothers.

Within the etherian blood is the duty to humanity. The duty passed down in hopes to safeguard the lambs who were involved in the defeat of the Hive Mother. The sin of the Godfather can be atoned, and through their upbringings, the etherian uphold this duty.

However, as time passes the etherians asked the question. Why there is a need for a sin that none of them have committed to be uphold and atoned? Beliefs changed and the times slowly change course. They were powerful. If they have an army of etherian that possessed, the fifth layer of ether. Then, there would be no need to worry about the etherians who threatens humanity, pushing them into cages.

Damon wondered as the rain caresses his hair. As the strongest etherians of the Recon Korp paved their way through the spiral spires, he saw Commander Blackwell's blow meeting the hand of a belua. No, this one look human, and that appearance shook Damon's heart.

"Why the fuck is there a beluaman in this place?"

The beluaman's ether rose the fifth layer. It grabbed hold of the air. Manifesting a gnarly sword with a swirly pattern of flowing roots on it, the beluaman grabbed hold of the sword, slamming it to Commander Blackwell. Commander Blackwell swing his sword to meet with the beluaman's arms.

A shockwave brought forth giant waves all over the field. As the field clears the dominating appearance of the beluaman and the etherian facing it gave Damon another strange feeling. He had seen the power of a human through the appearance of the Ghost. Nevertheless, that feeling seems to fade when faced with power that was absolute in its form.

Can the puny humans fight against those blessed by the cosmos? Damon started to wonder. If the belua can wield the same power as well, then what are humans other than tiny bugs? The feeling fades as the shockwaves hit Damon. His eyes bewitched by the powers of the ether.

He asked the question. How can the humans stand before them?