Chapter 4119: Ring of Space (Part 2) Jorl’s reply came in the form of two bolts of silver lightning, one for the Ring of Space and the other for her host. ’Yes!’ The cursed ring felt her pseudo cores brim with power, and wondered if she would always experience such ecstasy if she had a power core. ’This is how I should be. Invincible!’ ’Tista, cover fire!’ Lith said, hurling a river of bright violet Origin Flames. ’On it!’ She did the same, and the two streams of fire merged into a burst of Primordial Flames the size of a freight train. The remaining Demons, instead, joined their Origin Flames into Thousand Flames and shot them at the Upyrs from every direction. Much to everyone’s surprise, the Upyrs didn’t react, nor did they alter their flight path. Salanoth bolted forward at the Primordial Flames, activating Captured World when the roaring white fire was a little more than 100 meters (330’) away. ’Got you!’ The Ring of Space thought as the Primordial Flames, Thousand Flames, and Lith’s group jolted to a halt while the rest of Mogar kept moving forward. The Upyrs Blinked out of the Flames’ way and behind the enemies, outside the area of effect of the Full Guard spells. Captured World also jammed the Ears of Menadion, leaving Lith and the others blind to the Upyrs’ position and helpless against their next move. ’What is going on? We can still think and talk via the mind link, so time has not stopped.’ Lith said. ’Then why can’t we move?’ ’Time stopping is a ridiculous concept!’ Phillard snorted. ’Where-’ ’The problem is not with time.’ Friya said, cutting the Lindwurm short. ’This is a matter of gravity and space. Take a better look at your Flames!’ The Primordial Flames moved slowly, but their speed was noticeable to the naked eye. ’The cursed ring must have been crafted by a dimensional mage and is using a spell or enchantment to seal the area around it. Yet Primordial Flames still burn whatever energy the ring is conjuring and advance by filling the gaps they create.’ She said, and she was right. If Uragar’s creator had crafted the Book of Knowledge to be the apex of the spell-holding rings, Salanoth had been created to be the ultimate dimensional ring. The only one of her kind who could not only store anything in her pocket dimension, but could also project her containment field outwards. Living beings and anything carrying significant amounts of kinetic energy couldn’t be stored, but the dimensional field projected by Captured World hyper-compressed the space surrounding its victims, achieving the next best thing. Gravity and dimensional magic enveloped everything and everyone within Captured World’s area of effect, applying an equal force with opposite direction that locked even energy in place. The enchantment, however, was far from flawless. Salanoth couldn’t stop something that possessed an energy or carried a force above her own. Moreover, since she was the source of the hyper-compressed space, she always suffered the effects of Captured World as well. She had dashed forward to get away from her allies, or they would have been captured by her enchantment along with the enemy. Even with that precaution, the Upyrs couldn’t attack until she recalled her ability. Otherwise, once their spells or weapons entered Captured World, they would be stopped as well and drain Salanoth’s mana. Her enchantment trapped its victims, but also protected them, isolating them from any external danger. Despite its limitations, Captured World was an amazing tool. The surprise effect paralyzed Salanoth’s enemies’ minds just like the enchantment paralyzed their bodies, while the cursed ring’s allies were free to move to a favorable position. ’Two kinds of mystical flames are too much to handle.’ The Ring of Space cursed. ’I can’t hold them for more than a second, or I won’t have enough mana for another Captured World. And that if I consume all the Life Maelstrom!’ She dispelled her ability and Blinked away, but the white fire had gotten too close. Half of her body turned to ashes despite its Upyr mass, but since it wasn’t the half carrying the Ring of Space, she didn’t care. ’I can regenerate my host as much as I want, but I need the others to buy me time for tonics and Invigoration, or I’ll be useless.’ She thought. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞 Jorl didn’t disappoint. The Upyrs and their prey started moving at the same moment, but while the Upyrs attacked from the high ground and had prepared spells tailored for that situation, Lith and the others had to improvise a strategy, cross their fingers, and hope for the best. ’Use spells to cover your advance and use Thunder Soul for the killing blow.’ Sickly yellow lightning arched across Jorl’s body first, quickly followed by the rest of the Upyrs. ’No Frost Soul or we’ll hinder each other. ’If we cut off the world energy, Salanoth and the Black Throne won’t be able to help us either. Keep our options open!’ ’I knew that following Jorl was the right move.’ Akhton inwardly grinned. ’I’ve learned more by standing by his side in the past few months than in the centuries I spent with my foolish, peace-loving clan!’ The Storm Griffon charged at Lith, and Akhton focused on Crank while Uragar and the Upyrs would take care of the non-Divine Beasts and Tista. A savage joy coursed through the corrupted Divine Beasts as they looked down at their smaller, helpless opponents who scrambled just to turn around and face them. ’Friya wasn’t supposed to fight! She is too vulnerable.’ Nalrond looked at his wife and swallowed hard. ’A glancing blow is enough to kill her, and even if the Hydra blood saves her, what about our children?’ He wanted to jump in front of her and Blink her away, but with Life Vision exposing his exit point, Friya’s demise would be delayed by a split second, and he would die with her. Friya had barely the time to drop to one knee and shapeshift into her Harbinger form before the Wisp of Will-Upyr was upon her. A wave of her right hand unleashed the tier five gravity magic spell, Distortion Field, while a flick of her left conjured a simple dimensional array, Restriction. Distortion Field amplified gravity tenfold and changed its direction, while Restriction limited shielded Friya and her allies from Distortion Field’s effects. The Upyrs stopped in mid-air for a second before being sent flying. Then, Thundercrash fired, punching a hole the size of a car in the Wisp of Will-Upyr’s chest. The impact made the Awakened Firefly stumble while the shockwave produced by the bullet damaged his organs, but it wasn’t enough to kill him. Yet it was enough to make the corrupted Divine Beast lose his focus and allow Friya to lunge at the open wound with her rapier. She used Phloria’s tier five Mage Knight Spell, Master Sword, to release all the spells she had at the ready from Dreadnought’s tip and inject them into the already injured Upyr’s flesh. ’Thank you, my babies.’ Friya thought. ’I’d never be able to handle so many spells without you. You saved Mommy’s life.’ The Awakened firefly died instantly, reverting to his original size before his dead body collapsed to the ground.