Ascension of the Nephilim

On a dark region full of huge mountains...

The Emberdon Champions, along with Mezal, flew in their magic carpet and watched the region.

"It's too quiet. There has not been one trace of an army marching. Are we headed in the right direction?" Demerus asked.

"This planet is our enemy! Anywhere in the right direction. But it is worrisome that not even my magic can sense movements here. Where are they?" Triona frowned.

"The most obvious answer is that it sensed us and have been preparing a trap..." Mezal thought for a bit.

"A trap?" Faye had not yet gotten over the sinister plot to kill them when they moved out of the portal. The Commander they fought was too strong, and that she even thought that they would die.

"Most likely."

"Is there a plan to escape the trap?" Triona asked again.

"I'm not like my grandson. In fact, I'm trying to be. That kid managed to create a plan that utilized all of our powers properly. Right now, we don't have a plan or the power to kill a Commander easily. So you guys have to think of a way to get stronger too."

The Champions were silent.

"I bet you guys are starting to regret this whole alliance thing?" Mezal laughed.

"We don't have a choice in this, do we?" Faye sighed.

"We are Champions of the weakest region in the Planes World. All of a sudden, we are here fighting Champions and Commanders and possibly Cardinals! We know... that this might be our last adventure." Demerus declared.

"As Fate willed it," Mezal explained.

"You have reached a mighty stage in your life. It seems that Fate had spared you for some reason. And now, you are being brought into this place where you may not survive. But of course, we also have to face the horrors here."

"Why? Why are we destined for such harsh trials?" Ressi asked.

"I believe that as my family and me, you are Fate's champions. We were selected to aid the Nephilim, my grandson, in to fight against Destiny. It's just Cardinals. As we have the blood of some gods in us, this battle is between gods and fallen. It is something that we cannot comprehend now." Mezal explained.

"You said that you can turn us into Fate Challengers. What exactly is that?" Triona asked.

"A power that I had all my life. From what I understand, Fate and Destiny are real. We are all Fated to go through and live our lives in certain limitations. We are also destined to live and walk a path to reach a certain destination. Fate Challenger is what we have, and our enemies have the opposite, Destiny Challengers. The two seem to be different. For some strange reason, we have to struggle to survive, while those of Destiny live a life of having everything being offered or given to them."

"So we are like the underdogs that have to fight and struggle by the skin of our teeth, while our enemies have all the advantages?"

"Exactly. It was obvious to our previous enemies. Champions who have Commander potential. Some even had Cardinal potentials. They are the elite who seem to have it all. While Destiny helps his Champions, Fate Challenges hers. Kyros and my family had to go through a lot to learn Fate Challenger. Fate always puts us in very dangerous situations that force us to grow. Of course, you have the advantage of fighting with experienced people like us who can guide you. But our current plight isn't quite advantageous, isn't it?" Mezal gave a sad laugh.

"Then we have to prepare for the fight of our lives. Sisters. Fate is binding us with the Steele family in blood." Demerus said boldly.

"It's good that you know that. Fate has a very cruel way of doing things. But I guess if we are to fight Destiny, this is the bare minimum. How else can we surpass the cruel limitations imposed on this world? How can the lowly Champions of the Lowlands surpass the monstrous beings that can slay gods and fallen?"

The four were silent as they heard it.

"Sister Stellya will soon be facing those giants that Master Kyros allowed moving into the portal..." Ressi recalled.

"Don't think she has it easy. From the words of master Mezal, all of us will have our fair share of hardships."

"But it seems... ours is a bit more complicated. I'm sorry, guys. I'm not sure what happened. This could be Fate's work... But it also could be that Destiny deceived me somehow."

"Deceived you?!" 

"I was searching for a place where we can train you. But, if Destiny deceived me, he may have taken advantage of my Foresight and made an insidious redirection."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember what I said about our discoveries of Foresight? If we have a question, Fate will try to guide us towards the answer. I have been looking for a place to train you. So either Destiny got wind of that. Or Fate is just a damned masochist..." Mezal frowned.

At that moment, everyone felt it. 

It was a cold fear that paralyzed them. Then, at the front was a darkness that hovered over the sky.

"What is that...?!" Demerus shouted.

"An army of wraiths. We are fighting a flying army." Mezal frowned.

"What?!" Triona, Demerus, and Ressi shouted together in shock.

"That feeling. I've faced wraiths before. I know the cold, shivering sensation they bring. And if we can feel it from here, then it must be that there are so many of them."

Demerus suddenly turned around and shot a beam to the back.

BOOM!

Although it was in the air, it was as if it struck something.

A magical wall had been erected.

The Champions quickly launched several attacks on it, but the attacks couldn't break.

"Impossible! What magic is this?"

"Wraiths that can cast magic?" Mezal frowned.

"No, wait.... That barrier! It's not made of ordinary magic! It's a magic formation of some sort! Someone created the barrier here! It allows entry but prevents people from leaving! This is a massive trap prepared for us!"

Demerus and the Champions began to attack the outer area and were shocked by the size of the magic force field.

"Impossible! This large field is too huge! It will take several Champions to erect a force field of this size! It's too big!" Triona continued to send attacks everywhere, including above them, and could see the great heights of the magic force field like a dome.

"Our enemy created a massive force field to trap us. Since it couldn't tell where we would pass, they created this massive net to catch us!"

"But how are they maintaining a force field of this size and power?! It would take dozens of Captains to stop an attack from a Champion! Even Commanders would require at least two or three!"

"Either that... or they performed one of the darkest and strangest magic of all. This is the magic of a shaman! Our enemies probably sacrificed two or three Champions to erect such a force field. It will stay up for a time."

"That is correct." A charming voice resounded around the area.

The Champions and Mezal began to look around but could not find an enemy.

"Greetings, Champions of Fate. Allies of the Nephilim. I congratulate you in being able to slay two Commanders." The beautiful voice laughed. 

"Did... Destiny ambush us?" Faye asked.

"That's probably it. It seems that Fate didn't know of this chess piece of Destiny. And here I thought Fate was being cruel... Or could it be that Fate knew what was here and sent us?" Mezal pondered. 

The fact that this Commander had been watching their previous battle indicated that the mysterious woman who erected the massive force field had a strange power. Even Kyros was not able to detect the eyes of this woman.

"Destiny masked the power of this enemy. That's why I never felt Fate's warning. I was a fool!" Mezal cursed.

"It's only now that I sense the great crisis before us." Mezal cursed.

"What is that woman? How is she doing this?"

"Since she commanded an army of wraiths and produced this massive trap, she must be a Shaman, and she is harnessing her powers to send an Apparition which is an invisible, intangible ghost that moves around. It can't attack, but it's the perfect spies. I've met a Shaman in my adventures, and it was through that power, Fate lost track of my family for a time. This is the same thing. So our enemy must be a Shaman." Mezal guessed.

"Correct! And my Apparition has been following you since your fight with Commander Shellcross. I was confused why you began to split up. But now, I can see the wisdom of the Nephilim. Unfortunately, my Apparition can only follow one. Did your leader do that so that it would be difficult to track of you?" The voice answered.

"It can hear us!" Demerus was horrified.

"How can we communicate in this situation?!" Faye cursed.

"Just bid your goodbyes now." The charming voice chuckled.

BOOM!

Mezal released a powerful Force of energy.

"Master Mezal?"

"I don't have much time, so listen up. This is a poor imitation of my son's Push. But it should do well against the shaman's ability to listen. I'll explain to you her power and the plan. Be ready to fight for our lives. Destiny has sent this Commander to kill us. It sent the strongest enemy that we can possibly face to kill you, the immature allies. We thought we would fight ground forces but directly met with the air support of the arm of Destiny. And not only that, they trapped us!" Mezal explained.

"Sending an army to kill a dog?" Triona cursed.

"Be a bit more confident. We aren't dogs. We are the Champions of the Nephilim. We are Fate Challengers."