Walking through the enormous and vast trees, our hero was looking for a place to rest for the night. It was already night time and various animal sounds could be heard. It was especially dangerous as there were a lot of unknown noises that were hard to identify as it was the first time that he heard them. The forest was an unforgiving place to the trespassers as once you enter it, there’s a big probability that you would get lost. Along with the nocturnal predators, it would likely you won’t survive alone in the night.
‘Thirsty... if you had told me that you can just read my mind, I wouldn’t have wasted my spit talking to you.’
~well... I thought that we already established that you knew that I could read your mind... te he ;P~
‘Every time we talk, I could feel my brain cells dying. Enough with that; have you located a water source?’
~hmmm... yes, it is approximately 100 meters to the east. I could also conclude that the water is safe to drink and has 0.57% chance cholera, about 0.14% for dracunculiasis... so yeah, more or less it’s safe as long as you don’t drink the whole water source.~
‘... aside from your smart mouth, you’re pretty useful. ‘
~fufu... but of course! Instead of calling you master, how ‘bout calling me your master?~
‘Keep talking and I’ll find the nearest volcano and throw you there.’
~oh! LOTR! Kidding aside, you should camp here as we still have no clue to where we are. And by the way, I know you won’t throw me.~
‘Smartass.’
He looked at his finger on where the ring was inserted; a weak silver light was being emitted from it. The ring was alive or so he thought. He remembered what they talked about after escaping from the war.
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“So... care to explain what’s happening?”
Looking at the ring, he talked to it without having any doubts. If people were looking at him right now, they would think his crazy. He waited for it to respond, but never did. Giving up, he breathes deeply as he was supposed to stand up but...
~...sorry for not talking, I was also looking for an answer. All I can tell you is that you transported to a different world and that was when I also woke up. So I have no clue to where we are and what this planet code is.~
The voice from the ring can’t be explained as it has neither the voice of a man or a woman. It also can’t come from a kid or an old one. It was clear but you can feel emotions from it.
“Huh, so you have no idea? And by planet code, you mean—“
~Yes, yes... parallel dimension. I tried looking it up from your memory archives and there was no record for this planet.~
Without letting him finished, the ring answered immediately. He was surprised at what it told him, that this is a new parallel dimension. He was also curious at what it said and asked again.
“You... just what are you? And what do you mean by my memory archives?”
~fufu... you’re curious as why I can read your mind. Well, even Magnus can’t read you but I’m different. I’m more than just a ring you know? When I woke up, all your memories, be it from the day you were born up to the Manhattan war, it was all shared to me. ~
“What? How? I mean Tao’gul never did say anything about this. ”
~Creator never did mention anything about this. I also don’t know what trigged my awakening but all I can tell you is I only know what you know. ~
‘Creator huh? Tao’gul that bast— no no, never slander that angel. He gave me this as a weapon, but why? I mean, this is a very powerful weapon and it can really destroy lives if I want it to. And with how that orc hit me with that gigantic hammer, I am lucky as how my body is not obliterated by it.’
He touched his side on where he was hit. It still stings if he touched it, but aside from that, there was nothing else but a bruise. He also remembered the fight in Manhattan where he easily killed those demons and had survived those countless punishment. If he was not blessed by that angel, he knew he would had died from the get go.
~...about that, Creator thought that Master would have died from that fight and he would just collect the ring from your body. ~
...
“That BASTARD!!!”
~master be quiet! They might hear us... why are we running anyway? I mean you could have killed them with your guns, but instead you used those primitive weapons. You could have killed all of them, but you didn’t. Don’t tell me you forgot that you had me as a weapon?~
“... why would I forget? I didn’t want to take part of it; if I used my gun it would attract all of their attentions and would be really be bothersome. I just want to get out of their and collect my mind first, but fate has its way as it attracted, I think, two major heads in the war.”
The prince and the orc; It looks liked both was the head of their army and was killed by his hands. He hoped that there was somebody to take their place as commanders and finished that war. He never knew why he was called a demon though, as both parties were trying to kill him.
“Hey, do you know why I was labelled as a demon?”
~hmmm... maybe it’s because of your looks? I mean you look like somebody who would kill innocent people without second thought though. Aside from that, I have no other possible explanation.~
He looked at his ring, shocked, when he was told by its answer. He didn’t know if it was joking or was serious with its answer.
“...Why? I mean aside from my scowl, I still looked human right? There are no horns or tail growing out my body too.”
~It’s true that you still have your looks as a human, but I just told you my answer because when they looked at you, they were really sure you looked like a demon. I mean, have you seen your clothes? All black and they never saw something like this right?~
“You’re right... but can’t they just treat it as some eccentric old man who wandered inside the battlefield?”
When Riot saw the battle, he remembered all the humans were quite young. They were pretty far from his age were you might think he was old enough to see his grandson’s wedding. But even though his old, he can still move and fights like a professional fighter, slower and weaker from his prime age, but still can hold out on his own from a group fight. He only did some reconnaissance and spying in his old days, but when the war happened, he was forced to wear his combat suit and fight again in the battlefield.
~...old? Have you seen yourself in the mirror lately? Why don’t you look yourself up and tell me if you are old.~
Clearly surprised from what the ring told him, he touched his face and found out that they were not saggy but firm. He looked at his hands and saw that they were clearly not like hands of an old man but a young one.
‘What the hell?! No, let’s not think about it first and prioritize escaping further away from this place.’
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
~if that’s the case, why don’t master head deeper to the forest? That way, their cavalry will be useless and the orc’s cannot move properly in this dense area.~
‘...Of course you can read my mind... You’re right, let’s find a safe place first and reorganize our thoughts. That way, we can find a way out of this mess. By the way, what do I call you?’
~I have no name master, but if you want then you can give me one.~
‘hmmmm... then it’s Glendell.’
~... for a very skillful person, your naming skill sucks. But I will accept my name, master.~
“O-okay...”
He then quickly went deeper into the forest...
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Riot found the water source and discovered that it was a stream. Clear from any signs of life, he went and drank to his fill. As his thirst was doused, he tried to remember what happened in Manhattan before he was suddenly transported in this new world.
‘The last thing I remembered was that I lured that abomination and a huge explosion went up. After that, everything went dark.’
~hmmm... maybe a portal opened when the explosion happened and you flew in that direction? So, what do master plan to do?~
‘That’s too convenient to happen. We still have long days ahead of us, sooner or later an answer will come up.’
Riot then sat beside a huge tree, leaning his weight to it as the fatigue hits him hard from the nonstop events that transpired within a span of a day. He looked to the clear and starry sky that shone so brightly, thinking of what will transpire in the days ahead of him. Even though he was tired, he can’t stop thinking about the new discoveries he made and which to his surprise, made him feel excited. Like a boy with a new toy.
‘A fantasy world, with some fantasy creatures, and lots of magic. Akira kept pestering about this, wishing this kind of an ‘event’ will happen to her. Looks like someone would get extremely jealous when I come back.’
~fufufu...~
With that, he slept without a care of his surroundings. Exhausted from all the fighting he had done, he slept like a log not caring if some wild creatures attack him. It was up to his luck to help him that no predators would prey on him.
“Grrrrrrr” - ??
But alas, it looks like something felt his presence and searched for him. It had four big legs to support its body and was bigger than a bear. Claws shining in the night that can clearly slice a man’s body clean. And two long fangs protruding from its upper mouth, which can snap a small tree with ease. If one had to compare it with an earthling animal, then it can be closely compared to the fearsome sabertooth tiger; but only bigger and more dangerous.
“Graaaa!!”
It roared loudly at Riot but strangely, it didn’t wake him up. The creature didn’t care if it did, as it pounced, claws extending, to him.
*Crash!!*
It broke the tree in half as the claws swept through it, destroying everything in its path. It tried to looks for its prey’s dead body to devour it but, there was no body to be found. It was confused as how it disappeared; it tried to search for his smell and there was no sign of him.
~non non monsieur chat. I can’t let you kill my master when he’s sleeping, that would be a very embarrassing way for my master to die.~
A cold voice could be heard from the creature’s back. It quickly turned and looks for the voice but there was nothing there. There was no scent, no sound, even no presence could be felt from the area.
~you’re pretty slow for a cat... or maybe it’s my master’s body that is amazing... Je suis désolé monsieur chat, but I want to test my master’s body even for a tiny bit... fufufu ~
Danger! Danger!
Its instinct kick in very hard as it heard again the voice from its back. It quickly turned and swept its paw very fast; hoping to hit what was stalking him. But there was nobody there, only air. It tried to retreat back into the woods but somehow cannot move. Its body will not listen and was falling to the ground. Its vision was slowly fading and blood was flowing, covering its eyes.
Then, something was slowly walking in front of it, as if just strolling around a park. The thing that was in front of it was the one that was its target a moment ago. Looks like the predator became the prey and the prey became the predator from the situation.
~oh my, to think that you would die from that. Truly my master is strong! Fufufu... Au Revoir monsieur chat. ~
A sword was pierced in the forehead of the ill-fated tiger. The sword slowly turned to light and returned to Riot’s ring. He then looked at the tree and the corpse and smiled wryly as on how to explain to his master when he wakes up.
But before Glendell, who somehow was controlling Riot’s body, could clean up the mess. Loud noises could be heard, slowly approaching on his area.
“”””Grrroooooaaaa””””
~my, oh my... to think it had a pack, looks like it’s going to be a long night.~
Glendell sighed as he saw the pack of gigantic tigers quickly surrounding him. The tigers saw their comrade dead and made their blood boil as they saw the killer still standing before them. But Glendell only smiled at them and light was converging in his hand, forming in the shape of the sword.
~well? Have at thee!~
Glendell charged at the enemy right in front of him, slaughtering anything that threatens his master.
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The battle still rages on after Riot escaped from it. Even when they were tired they still continued to fight, humans and orc, to the death. Countless of bodies piled up and they almost covered all the ground. Chaos was governing the battlefield as everywhere you looked; they were killing each other like everyone in front of them was an enemy. There were times in that battle that they also accidentally killed their comrades but as if it was normal, they continued to fight the next opponent that they can find.
The reason for this was that they saw two figures; figures who were both skewered with a lance. Parties, human and orc, tried to save them but, killed each other as they fought for the bodies. Anger filled both armies as they blamed the opposing army for the death of their commanders. With no leader to guide their army, the battle continued without rest until the victor was decided.
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[Kingdom of Solnaria – Human Settlement]
But with what had happened, where no sane person to lead their respective army, the battle ended with both armies losing. Few survivors from the human army retreated from the war and directly went home without taking any proof or corpse of the body of the prince. The highest ranking left from them, who was only a captain from the rear squad, proceeded to the castle and bear the ill news.
The king, queen, and all nobles who were there were surprised at the news. They knew it was a big battle, a battle that decided the entirety of the human race. All knights, foot soldiers, and even squire volunteered to join in this war but they never would have thought that they would be almost annihilated.
“M-my son? Where is he?” – King
The king, who heard the news, quickly asked the wellbeing of his son. He was clearly agitated by what transpired there but he was more interested in his son’s health.
The captain’s face was drained from its colour when asked by the king. Everybody knew that the king favoured his first son so much that nobody would be surprised if he would be the next king. Resolved, he looked at the audience and answered.
“H-he’s dead Milord. That was one of the reasons why the war all went hell.” – Captain
“Impossible!” – Noble 1
“No way!” – Noble 2
Murmurs could be heard from the audience as how impossible it would happen to the prince. He was fully armed and had an elite cavalry as a security. He was also at the back commanding the army.
“That’s impossible! How can my son be killed when he was at the back?! It is unthinkable that he would charge and attack at the front! I already told those cavalry to not let him be in harm’s way!” – King
People heard the king’s last sentence on how not to let the prince participate in the actual battle. They knew he favoured him so much that he forgot that he had other children as well. For this to happen to the prince, the king would never believe the story.
“U-uhm, about that Milord. There was a report in the midst of battle, it was pretty unbelievable but the prince went and tried to see if it was true. His personal unit went with him but...” – Captain
The people in the throne room were listening closely on what the soldier had to say. What was it that would make the prince move and was not stopped by his guards? People, nobles and soldiers alike, were very curious as what could have happened in the midst of the war that could have totally destroyed their army.
“Well? What was it? The king is waiting.” – Commander
Unable to wait for the answer a commander near the king asked soldier to speak. He too was curious on what could destroy an elite unit.
“It was a Demon Milord.” – Captain
Silence enveloped the throne room. Everybody thought that they heard it wrong. They were looking again at the soldier and he told them the same answer.
...
“Kyyaaaaa!!” - ?
“It has begun!” - ?
“We’re doomed!” - ?
Chaos takes place inside the throne room when the queen suddenly collapsed from the news. Nobles and high ranking soldiers also were talking as how this could affect their futures. Cries could be heard from the ladies that heard it, some of them even collapsed.
Only the king was silent as he was holding his queen. He ignored the noises and looked through the window; thinking of his son.
That day, the news about the demise of the prince and the appearance of a demon spread quickly around the kingdom.
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[Grunkle – one of the Orc settlement]
As same as the opposing party, the orc army suffered also a major blow from the battle. Only a handful of them withdraw from the battle. News about the battle and the appearance of the demon was also spread in their land. But it had the opposite effects for them, made all orcs hungry for blood even more.
“This was a blessing in disguise my people! With the news about a demon appearing, all the tribal orcs would join our cause in this war! Not only would we taste the human’s blood, we can also the elven’s and animalia’s blood. Rejoice! We would not let Jorvic’s death be in vain. Offer up the enemy’s blood to please the gods when we fight!” – Orc Chieftain
“””ROOOAAAAA!!! Krog’tah!!””” – Orcs
Bloodlust could be felt all over the air as the orcs howled to the night. With this news, not only orcs and humans, even the other races would join the fray. Alliance will be made and a huge war would happen, only because of one demon appearing. This made the orcs elated as they can fight a full scale war, and this time, it would be them who will be the one left standing.