Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided
Chapter 149. The Challenge of the Night

“Cubie, over there!” Zetius exclaimed excitedly as he spotted a large open area up ahead. Its bluish light cast moving shadows across the ashen soil. He wrinkled his nose as a new scent hit, it stank of sulphur.

They moved quickly toward the light, shuffling with increasing urgency.

The two reached the clearing, the dim surroundings carrying an unsettling tone. Torches perched atop stone pillars stood arranged in a circular formation, casting a faint glow across the space. The chamber walls resembled the dark, gnarled roots of an enormous tree.

Zetius strode across the hall, his boots thudding against the black stone bricks. Strange runes sprawled across the floor, so ancient that he could barely recognise them. Signs of past battle littered the area, scorched stone, deep claw-like gashes, and fallen pillars that no longer emitted their blue glow.

As he approached one of the remaining light pillars, coldness crept through his skin.

“Freezing,” he muttered, shuddering as he hovered his palms close to the blue flame. Cubie floated behind, cautious in her silence.

Then, on the far wall, Cubie spotted the outline of a withered tree. Its imposing grey hue clung to its bark like a shell. The dead branches stretched wide and tall, nearly blending into the darkened sky.

“It’s a dead end…” Zetius whispered, even the faintest noise echoed through the hollow space. He brushed his fingers on the surface, tree bark crumbled to his touch.

“Zetius, there’s a man there!” Cubie pointed, alarmed.

His body stiffened as he stepped cautiously toward the base of the tree. There, he spotted a knight clad in dark armour, seated on a throne which was shaped by the messy tree roots. His visor was lowered, obscuring his face. One hand rested on a long, rusty sword. The figure sat motionless, like a statue left to guard the dead woods.

“Cubie, stay behind me. Don’t engage in combat. I need you to be my rear vision, as always,” Zetius ordered decisively. Cubie gulped and reluctantly nodded.

Suddenly, the knight’s head snapped toward them.

“Are you worthy of the realm, white-haired adventurer? Are you the challenger of the dreamless night?” he bellowed, voice cold and grating.

“No!?” Zetius replied, shifting into a defensive stance, fingers twitching experimentally.

“Then return to where you came from,” the knight commanded.

Cubie floated behind and exchanged a glance with Zetius.

“I can’t do that either!” Zetius shouted. Mana surged at his fingertips, gathering in dense coils.

“Insolence!” the knight roared, rising to his feet with deliberate weight. He gripped his sword and lifted its rusted edge.

“Then let the Sisters of Fate decide your end, adventurer. Either you shall perish by my blade, or I shall fall. I pray for the latter—

For I am the Dark Knight of Nyx, and my oath binds me to this chamber. None shall trespass while I yet draw breath.”

“Zetius! He mentioned the goddess Nyx!” Cubie gasped, cupping her mouth in surprise.

In response, Zetius flashed a smug grin and gave a thumbs-up to her. “Told ya.”

The knight’s helmet emitted a faint red glow from within the slits. His ragged scarf floated to the side. Though clad in battered armour, his long, slender frame stood almost three metres tall. His imposing posture would terrify most, just not Zetius. He had fought ten-metre mobile suits and walked away victorious.

Zetius muttered, “He sure loves to monologue,” whispering aside to Cubie.

“Zetius, behind him, that looks like a door,” Cubie pointed excitedly. Behind the throne, a hidden stone door revealed itself. Its surface was carved into the shape of a sword, etched with the same ancient runes on the chamber ground.

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“How about this, sir Dark Knight?” Zetius tried, raising his palms peacefully. “We’re just lost. We think our exit is behind you. If you could just let us slip through, no harm done.”

“My soul has long deteriorated. My humanity crumbled. But my oath to the goddess Nyx holds me for millennia. It is futile to sway my conviction!” he roared, unwavering.

“Guess we don’t have much of a choice,” Zetius grumbled, abandoning his attempt to talk their way out.

“He doesn’t seem strong,” Cubie whispered.

“Stop scheming, you unholy!” the knight snarled, lifting his blade and falling into a basic stance. “Time to fight.”

“Then I shall grant you a quick, painless death,” Zetius declared, raising two fingers. The wind of mana stirred, whipping at his coat and hair.

“Empyrion~Fire!”

A blast of flame surged forward, compressing the air with force.

The knight moved swiftly, swinging his sword overhead to deflect the spell. The fire scattered and exploded in the distance, fluttering his scarf.

“Damn it!” Zetius hissed.

The knight gripped his sword with both hands, blade pointing upward. The rusty iron glowed a dangerous red, revealing the rocky surface of his helmet.

“My turn. Begone!” The knight bellowed as he lunged forward with incredible speed, his long strides closing the gap.

Zetius sidestepped, keeping outside the blade’s reach. His fingers lit up again, conjuring a glowing red orb.

“Empyrion!” he chanted. Another fiery beam burst forward, blocked once more by the knight’s blade.

Then the knight dashed close, swinging downward in a vertical arc.

“It’s longer than it looks!” Zetius muttered, ducking. The blade cleaved through the air above him, and the sheer force of the swing’s windblast sent him staggering off balance.

“Huh?!” The knight lifted his sword again, this time slamming it down with crushing weight.

“Zetius!” Cubie yelped in panic.

Instinct took over. Zetius kicked off the ground, twisting his body to evade. The sword crashed into the ground beside him, causing a loud boom. Dust spilled outward.

“Now I get it… this is a bad matchup,” he grumbled, rolling clear. “I don’t have Magnetos to counter physical attacks.”

Worse still, the knight’s towering size had thrown off his distance judgment.

The knight parried again with fluid discipline. Even Zetius’s strongest fire spells seemed like child’s play to him.

“I’ll distract him!” Cubie whispered, drifting to the flank.

“No. Stay behind me,” Zetius barked, grabbing her wrist firmly.

Cubie nodded with uncertainty before hovering by his side.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got another plan,” he whispered, keeping his eyes peeled for the knight.

The foe loomed, shifting into an aggressive stance with blade overhead.

“Afraid already?” He taunted.

Zetius’s eyes flared with conviction. One hand slid behind his back, palm glowing red. A massive cone of flame erupted, launching him forward like a thruster of the Armatus suit.

“Die!” the knight shouted, swinging his blade horizontally toward Zetius’s midsection.

Zetius anticipated it. He angled his body and blasted himself sideways. The sword struck air, and the knight began to recoil.

Mana surged into Zetius’s fists. They glimmered with volatile energy.

He rolled forward, bounced off the ground, and launched a furious strike.

“Take this!” His flaming fist collided with the knight’s helm. The impact rang out. Metal creaked under the sheer force.

The impact knocked the knight back, staggering. He struggled to regain control of his blade.

But Zetius seized the moment for another strike. He focused on his footing, then whipped his leg around with force. It reached terminal speed, leaving a fiery trail of light.

Siiinnnnng!

His boot slammed into the dark knight’s helmet. Debris and sparks burst out. The shockwave echoed as the knight’s body spun through the air and crashed across the battlefield, slamming into the dead root-lined wall with a thunderous rumble.

Dark smoke erupted from the impact, obscuring their vision.

“You got him!” Cubie cheered, a smile widening on her blue face.

Zetius glanced at the long sword the knight had dropped. He rotated his shoulder experimentally, his cautious gaze fixed on the wreckage.

“Is he gone?” Cubie asked, floating above and scanning the area.

“I think so. He didn’t seem particularly resilient, only his blade did,” Zetius replied, voice analytical.

As the smoke thinned, the knight’s body lay motionless atop the rubble. The twisted wooden roots beneath him had splintered and collapsed under his weight.

Cubie zoomed in, her hands forming a pair of mock binoculars. “Yay! Zetius, you did it! You beat the knight!” she cheered, grinning with glee.

Zetius nodded silently and stepped toward the stone door.

“Hmmm…” he hummed, studying the runes etched into the ancient stone surface.

Then, without hesitation, he pushed pressure forward against the stone.