Level Up Legacy

Communication flowed freely through the shadow channel Arthur had forged. Relief surged through him as Marvi relayed his position from within the other dimension.  And then…a revelation.

"There was an artifact, my lord," Marvi rasped. "Something the King used to access this dimension.  I seized the brief opening it created, followed Emma when she was cast through."

Arthur and Lucian exchanged glances.  This was the key, the answer to their desperate puzzle.  "Marvi," Arthur said urgently, "do you know what this artifact is? Where it might be kept?"

"Alas, my knowledge is limited. The King guards his secrets well.  I saw only a shimmering disc, etched with strange runes upon a dais in his chambers."

The plan was already forming in Arthur's mind, a daring gamble fueled by equal parts desperation and adrenaline. He began outlining his course of action - a full-frontal assault on the Yalen King, a swift strike to claim the artifact...

Lucian, however, cut him off. "Arthur, a direct confrontation… it's too risky. We need a subtler approach.  If the King even suspects your intentions..."

Arthur, however, merely shook his head, a familiar reckless light gleaming in his golden eyes.  "Lucian, I respect your caution, but remember – I have slain the Empyrean already. This King, while cunning, is a lesser foe."

A flash of realization crossed Lucian's face. Of course, Arthur's perspective was colored by his past triumphs.  The shadow of the Empyrean loomed large, casting an illusion of weakness over the Yalen King.  Yet, Lucian knew this was a different battleground, one fraught with hidden dangers.

He took a deep breath. "Arthur, there's something else you haven't considered. The Agard family. They're still within the King's grasp.  If your attack alerts him... if he decides that they are a liability, their lives might be forfeit."

Arthur paused, the flicker of recklessness momentarily extinguished.  Uncertainty clouded his eyes. "So you suggest…what?  Infiltration? Subterfuge?"

Lucian nodded, determination sparking within him. "You are still an outsider, unknown to the King and his court.  We should use that to our advantage.  Think of it, Arthur, a strike that emerges from the shadows.  If we act swiftly, we might have Emma back before he even realizes she's gone."

A plan began to crystallize in Lucian's mind, a risky gambit born of desperation. "The execution," he breathed, his eyes catching Arthur's with newfound fierceness. "That's our point of entry. The day the King intends to eliminate the Agards, that's when he'll open the portal to their prison. You, or one of your loyal followers, could enter under the guise of taking them to their deaths. Then, once you're inside…"

He let the words hang, the rest of the scheme unspoken but clear. Infiltration, rather than confrontation. A stealthy raid, instead of an open declaration of war.

"My father was foolish," Lucian said bitterly, pacing the room. "His obsession with this trap… his pact with the other nations… all because he feared you. But the Empyrean is dead. There should've been no purpose in this pointless bloodshed."

Arthur remained silent for a long moment, his golden eyes narrowed in contemplation. Then, an unexpected grin spread across his face. "Not entirely foolish, your father," he mused. "And perhaps I should thank him. He's setting a stage worthy of my return. After all, what good is an audience if there isn't a grand show?"

"Practice.  Hone the skills my cruel inheritance has given me," Lucian replied. "And you, Arthur?"

A predatory gleam sparked in Arthur's golden eyes.  "Why, fight a giant crane, of course."

Lucian stared, his expression blank with confusion. "A… crane?"

Grin widening, Arthur stood. "The monsters within the Giant Garden have evolved, Lucian, some beyond their natural limits. It's time I tested myself once more.  Growth is necessary, lest I become stagnant before a greater threat arrives."

***

A pulse of golden mana, and Arthur stood within the heart of Giant Garden. The air crackled with untamed energy, the very essence of the warped beasts surrounding him. Ancient trees towered over him, their roots pulsing like monstrous veins.  And there, rising above the twisted canopy, was his prey.

The crane was enormous, its feathers a shimmering obsidian that seemed to swallow the light. It stood perched on a single leg, its great wings folded, overlooking the valley like a macabre sentinel. Even in its stillness, Arthur could feel the raw power emanating from the creature. This would be no easy hunt.

With a roar, Arthur charged, Nightmare shimmering in his grasp.  The crane, awakened by the challenge, stirred.  A single, crimson eye opened, fixing upon Arthur with a malevolent intelligence.  The battle for the Giant Garden had begun.

The crane let out an ear-splitting shriek, a weapon in its own right as nearby trees shuddered, leaves scattering like withered confetti.  In retaliation, it unfurled its gargantuan wings, the force of the motion whipping up a hurricane-strength blast that flattened a swathe of the ancient forest.

Arthur weathered the storm, bracing himself against a defiant tree trunk as the crane lashed out with its razor-sharp beak. It carved trenches into the earth, each impact displacing enough soil to create a small hillock. He needed to disrupt its rhythm, turn that overwhelming power against it.

Seizing a fleeting opening, Arthur dove beneath a sweeping wing. The feathers lashed at him, each quill capable of piercing steel, but he reached his target - the monstrous leg. Nightmare flashed, cleaving a deep gouge. The crane shrieked, faltering, but Arthur's victory was short-lived.

The severed flesh began to writhe, a grotesque display of regeneration. The mangled limb reformed with unnatural speed, knitting flesh and bone, and the crane stumbled back into its fighting stance. Fury blazed in its single, beady red eye, promising retribution.

Arthur needed a greater gambit. Darting and weaving between snapping strikes from the monstrous beak, he channeled his mana. The air hummed, the very world around them seeming to shift with the raw power he gathered.

Just as the crane lunged, ready to crush him beneath its feathered bulk, he unleashed the pent-up energy. A torrent of golden light erupted, not directly at the beast, but at the ground beneath it. The earth buckled and ruptured, a sinkhole forming instantly.

The crane, momentarily caught off-balance, lost its footing and toppled sideways. The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, uprooting ancient trees and creating a crater where the garden floor had once been.

Arthur, panting from the exertion, surveyed the devastation. The crane was a testament to monstrous evolution, but the rules of nature still applied. Disrupt its terrain, disrupt the very foundation beneath its feet, and its size became a liability. Now, while the monstrous bird struggled to find purchase in the newly formed crater, it was time to deal the decisive blow.