Solomon encounter revision. (Patreon)

A/N Tweaked it a little bit enough that I felt like it warranted a revision post. Better or worse than the previous one? Let me know.

***

I slammed onto some sort of marble flooring. I didn’t even consider where I was going before jumping through, maybe my anger was clouding my judgement, but I couldn’t stop. I had to see that bastard die with my own eyes.

I took in my surroundings. It was as if were in the void of space, nothing around but floating pieces of earth, the biggest being the one I stood on. Immediately my eyes found a large staircase and they traveled up towards the top.

There was a man, sitting on an ivory throne, looking down at me.

Next to him was Flauros. He body writhed and continued to disintegrate at visible speeds, though it appears like the Grail was fighting the effects.

“My king!” Flauros looked up, pleading. It seemed like he was doing everything he could not to be on the ground writhing in pain.

The man on the throne.

He had long white hair and a single braid, and tan skin as if he lived in the desert for all his life. He eyes lazily opened, upon my entrance, a single hand propping up his hand that held on his armrest. His clothes were extravagant, showing off someone of wealth.

But that was all overshadowed by the danger senses blaring in my head.

Strong.

Very, very strong.

It was giving me the same warning signs that Ophis did at a minimum.

The man held up his free hand and snapped his fingers. As if an invisible shockwave pulsed out, and things shifted.

I looked at the Magical Effect, and the number of spells cast in that instant made my eyes dilate. It’s not that he simply countered it with a snap of his finger, but that numerous spells attacked it from every angle. All of them that didn’t work simply faded away in contrast to the Power of my Sword. No, what I picked up near the end was Time Reversal.

Flauros’s body stopped disintegrating and started healing instead.

I know that my Sword of Destruction wasn’t beyond reproach. It was created for the intent of Humans to wield, so it couldn’t reach the level of Slaying Gods by itself. However, the ease in which it was overcome set me even more on edge.

“You allowed someone to follow you back, Flauros.” The man on the throne opened his mouth.

“M-my apologies, my king. I don’t know how he was able –“

“The Kaleidoscope.” The man interrupted. “A Magician of the modern age.”

“Who are you.” I stood up fully, not backing down from his intense gaze. I held my hand to the proverbial trigger in case things went south. I had several cards to play in an emergency. However….this place was odd. It didn’t place anyone on the World-Line nor the Time-Line. I was fairly sure we were somewhere in the sea of imaginary numbers. “What is this place?”

A soft smile appeared on his lips. “I am Solomon.”

The words were like thunder to my ears. It all made sense then, Flauros, one of the 72 Demons of the Ars Goetia. The name attached to them was Solomon.

That name it filled me with utter dread. If there were any Mages in history that I would absolutely not want to tangle with, he’s sitting right at the top of the list.

“…..it was you then. You planned everything?”

“Correct.” He said with clear nonchalance. “ I—”

“Then you can die.” I pulled upon the Kaleidoscope. I wouldn’t give him the opportunity. Spell Circles swirled around Mirage and I pulled on an obscene amount of Magical Energy in that few moments. With my Boosts still holding, I jumped up right infront of him. He didn’t move, he didn’t react, even with the sheer immensity of Magical Energy that was barely contained around my sword to the point where it was flowing off. “Ether Canon!” I released it, right infront of him.

A Translucent shield appeared around him. Just from eyesight alone, I could see layers upon layers interwoven beautifully inside of it. The lattice of spell work, I would call it superior to my Shield of Asgard without hesitation.

However, this Ether Canon of mine was only inferior to the one I launched against Siegfried when I competed in the Holy Grail War. If I had more time, I could have accumulated more, but I decided that a quick hand was a necessity here.

Yet……his shield held.

No it didn’t simply hold. At first, it shuddered and threatened to shatter, but he did something and the lattice of spells that condensed the entirety of the spell work shifted. It unwound and realigned itself, then my Ether Canon started to cascade off it. The vast majority of its power looked as if it unraveled at the seams upon collided with his defense.

“Using the Dimensional Refraction Phenomena to gather Magical Energy from parallel worlds. Then through a series of Magical Circles designed to integrate the Fifth imaginary Element into a solid shape and further igniting it with a continuous supply of Magical Energy, facilitating the observed reaction.” My spell dissipated, having run out of juice, and his shiel didn’t show any signs of wear. “How novel.”

“…..how?”

“True Magic you may possess, but the spell is merely Magecraft.” He shifted in his seat, crossing long leg over the other. “I am the foundation for all Magecraft in the world, thus all Magecraft is beneath me. I am Solomon, and welcome to my workshop.”

His workshop….

Panic set in at the implication. I felt this place was odd, cut off from the normal flow of both time and space. It existed outside of both, and I had no idea about its existence normally. Nor would I have confidence in breaching it the way I did unless Flauros hadn’t opened a path for me to follow.

I walked right into his seat of power, his domain. Who knows what sorts of protections and enhancements he receives by simply existing here.

One does not fight a Magus within their Workshop. It was an ironclad rule known amongst every Magus in the world.

And I wantonly jumped right into the workshop of the supposed King of Magecraft.

With my heart beating faster, I gathered all the power I had onto my left hand. The Boosts I had manifested before all sinking into one ability. “Penetrate!” I lashed out.

“Dragon….” Solomon raised an eyebrow, seeing through the source immediately.

The shield infront of him lit up again, my attack touching it. The shield finally warped, my Draconic energy pushing at it and it pierced right through, like a balloon that had a hole blown out. Several more Barriers met the same fate before Solomon Raised his hand up.

“A conceptual penetration of all defenses.” He muttered as the blast slammed right into his open palm. He shifted again, I could see dozens upon dozens of spells fail beneath the ability of Ddraig. His facial expression finally changed noticeably; a frown formed as he seemed to focus.

He let out a snort, and a Magic Circle formed. Before, every hint of Magecraft he’d performed had been nearly instantaneous and without any build up. But now, he was forced to fall back on something else.

His arm stiffened, and he twitched slightly, but the Spell Circle took in the Penetrate and dispersed.

He paused, looking at his palm. “I am injured….”

The skin on his Palm had been destroyed. Mangled and bleeding from the collision.

“I can understand why Flauros was defeated, how peculiar. And your existence, yes, an odd thing that confused him as well. An understandable mistake on his part. However, you are not one of us.” He raised his hand up, and my vision was filled with light.

Instinctively, I activated my Semblance. My body turned to Lightning and I moved far enough away, sliding down on the ground at the base of the stairs.

“Hmm, a resistance to Magical Effect?” He raised an eyebrow. “A secondary Elemental Transformation?” He tilt his head in confusion. “Not fueled by Magical Energy. Curious.”

I wanted some distance so I could take a moment to reorientate my thoughts. He caught Ddraig’s Penetrate, and it merely caused a flesh wound on his Palm.

[Brat, look up to the sky!] Ddraig shouted, breaking me from my stupor.

My head immediately jerk upwards, and I trembled upon seeing it. A massive ring of light appeared far above, but it wasn’t just a light show.

“You noticed.” The man calling himself Solomon mused. “The sum total of Magical Energy by burning away Humanity from your time period. It’s still incomplete, but it is still a substantial amount.”

It wasn’t just a ring of line. It was composed of smaller strands of light, each one holding an immense amount of Magical Energy. Each one probably more than the amount I used to cast my Ether Canon a few minutes ago. And there were thousands upon thousands of them all flying in a circle, enough that it looked like a solid shape.

“You……” I whispered, having trouble finding the right words. “You’re using human history as fuel!? This was your goal? And why you destroyed Chaldea.”

“Humanity should be thankful that they have some use.” He waived his hand dismissively. “And Chaldea was never of any consequence. Merely an annoyance that entered my eye and was dealt with. Its existence makes no difference to me.”

“An annoyance?” I repeated his words. So many people dead, many of which I knew, and it was just because they were an ‘annoyance’. “Strun Bah Qo.” The words like a roar as they echoed out into the void.

I saw his eyes widen, the vibrations of my words sending a quake throughout this realm. Surprise flash across his face as his head jerked upwards. “Clouds!?”

Thunder and Lightning answered my call. The lights so far above became obscure from my summoned storm. The shout that probably had the most affinity with myself after I became a Campione.

It could even be called a minor application of my Authority without summoning it forth.

“Come lightning!” I commanded as it crackled far above.

It dropped down at my command, right atop the supposed King.

“Ridiculous!” He scoffed, standing up from his chair for the first time. His hands raised to the Sky. “I do not know what manner of Divine Words these are, but this is my Domain! I command you to cease!” His voice raised and a monochromatic sphere exploded outwards.

His hands wrenched and pulled, the Lightning that was coming down collided with his spell, and it disappeared. As if it were willed out of existence, the Authority that I used to call it forth was overridden.

My summoned Storm began to disperse.

He looked at me smugly, making me even angrier.

I held up my hand to the sky, and my Divinity was unsealed. A massive torrent of Magical Energy enveloped me as it exploded outwards.

“It was here, at this place, that Susanoo led a thousand unruly deities in rebellion! A thousands swords standing upon the earth, used as city walls to defend against the enemies. Here, namely, the Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi! The Steel that breaks a thousand blades!”

The words of power left my lips, the chant completed, and the void shifted once more. The dispersing storm immediately filled with life once more. The Thunder Clouds multiplied and were filled with a substantial amount of energy as they swirled around above.

A single bolt of lightning fell downward, right into my hand.

The feeling of a Sword between my fingers.

The Divine Sword I had acquired after defeating the Storm God.

My Authority.

With it fully out, I could feel the boundaries of this place more thoroughly. I could feel how my Authority was scraping against the rules here, how this place belonged to someone else and I was an intruder. I was being suppressed, even now by these laws.

As my Authority reached out, with every moment, it was being eroded. I sent it to combat this erosion, but it was a losing battle.

Instead, I focused on the one who called themselves Solomon.

He stared at me with utter surprise. “You possess an Authority.”

“Come Lightning, come Thunder.” I held my sword up high, and the surrounding storm answered my call. As If connecting Heaven and Earth, Lightning flowed downward continuously. It enveloped my blade, enlarging and encompassing the sky.

If my storm wouldn’t be able to hold for long, then let it accompany a single swing of mine.

The entirety of the storm I summoned had gathered. Just as Susanoo had done to me when we fought. Just as a swing of his could reach the horizon and sunder the sea itself, I swung my sword.

For the first time Solomon looked hesitant. He had to brace himself. His Shield was brought up immediately, but that was all I could see before everything was consumed by my Divine Lightning.

The torrent of Lightning intertwined with Divine Power and Magical Energy shot off into the distance. It disappeared unto the ends of whatever void existed in this place.

It was but a moment to withstand, but not many could. However, A figure still stood once the attack had ceased.

No longer were his clothes pristine, nor his skin flawless. His eyes were red, pupils demonic in a way that matched Flauros.

Chunks of his skin was missing, but blood did not seep out. Instead, things began to wiggle and wreath underneath. The biggest wound was across his chest, seared flesh revealed a singular menacing Eye, larger than my head.

It locked eyes with me and I felt a shiver go down my spine.

Despite the ‘damage’ that I had caused, he didn’t look the slightest bit unwell. No, he scowled, his jaw opened up unnaturally, and sharp teeth filled his mouth, but not the slightest indication of pain. “Impudence.” He sneered.

“….you’re not Solomon.” I breathed out, gripping my sword tighter. “Solomon wouldn’t do something like this. There are enough records left to know that he was a defender of humanity.”

As if to agree with me, I felt the Spear inside start to vibrate in anger.

“That fool saw all the wrongs of the world and let them continue unabated. Defender of humanity? A laughable notion. ” He scoffed, voice raised, scowling deeper. The most emotion I’ve seen him give off thus far. “I would have allowed you to wait for death like those other misbegotten fools, but you have earned my ire.”

He held his hand up to the sky, and I felt death approach.

What remained of my clouds were immediately dispersed without the slightest indication that they were there.

“Begone from my presence.” He waved his hand downward.

An uncountable number of lights from the sky above obeyed his command. They intertwined and shot right at me.

“Avalon!” I shouted out immediately, panic rising within my chest. The Ever Distant Utopia enveloped me right away as the lights collided with the defense.

Artoria’s Sheath had fended off Excalibur without any problem. It didn’t waver in the slightest, yet, under this onslaught, Avalon started draining the remaining stores of Artoria's Magical Energy quickly to sustain itself. I've never had to use it for this long before, and the upkeep was substantial.

What I would call the strongest defensive Noble Phantasm, was losing in a prolonged engagement. I did not have any thoughts about the shield breaking, but the power behind it was going to run out any moment. 

The ground I was standing on was annihilated, the Collison rocketed me off my feet, carrying me off of the marbled flooring that remained. Avalon's source of power was flickering, maybe only one or two breaths more of time were left as I was slammed into the dimensional barriers of this domain.

It didn’t stop, the sheer power was enough to shatter the fragile barrier. The void between worlds – the imaginary Number Space greeted me with just emptiness in all directions.

Avalon finally began to rescind its holy protection.

I brought up My Divine Sword protectively, but the intense power pushed through my defenses. My Aura surged outwards, but it shattered completely. The Scale Mail around me followed suit, barely holding out for a few breaths before shattering as well.

I struggled to keep myself even conscious. It was only with a sudden eruption of golden light around me that I felt a miniscule amount of breathing room open up. Large White Wings sprouted from my back and enveloped me protectively.

I used that single moment to yank myself away. Between the void of worlds, I could only pull towards a vaguely familiar location and use all my remaining strength to force a path open, yanking my body out of the path of the hostile light.

My last thoughts were relief as the holy light around me faded away. Any longer and I would have been completely incinerated.

I could only see the barest sight of moonlight before my body collapsed completely and my consciousness faded.