His blade sliced through another one of the monstrous creatures, the crimson steel setting its grotesque flesh alight and sending tendrils of acrid smoke curling into the air — a dance of fire and chaos amidst the tumultuous battlefield. The successor's movements were a symphony of grace and precision as he continued his ascent, his body a blur of swift slashes and agile dodges. Each swing of his weapon carried the weight of determination, fueled by the resolve to overcome any obstacle in his path.
Dozens of winged abominations swarmed around him, their screeches reverberating through the air like nails on a chalkboard; their wings beat furiously, stirring up a maelstrom of wind that buffeted the successor, threatening to throw him off balance — his coat billowing around him, undeterred by the gusts that was about to engulf him.
With a lightning-fast lunge, the revenant closed the distance between himself and his next adversary; the creature dove at him, its claws gleaming with a sickly green hue. Anticipating such a move, the successor twisted to the side at the last moment and delivered a devastating counterattack — his blade arced through the air like a comet, slicing cleanly through the creature's neck, severing its head from its body.
A silvery serpentine appendage unfurled from the depths of his stinger-type blood veil, its blade-like tip glistened with an otherworldly sheen as it moved through the air, cutting down several of the winged monstrosities before it plunged itself into the wall of the abyss, serving as an anchor to support the successor's weight as he swung from side to side with astonishing agility, avoiding the relentless assaults of the remaining creatures. The stench of decay assaulted the successor's senses, a noxious mixture of rot and sulfur that seemed to permeate the very air around him. His scarlet and azure eyes shone with a fierce intensity, scanning the battlefield for the next target, his keen senses attuned to every subtle movement and rustle of leathery wings.
With a burst of raw power, the revenant propelled himself upward once more, defying gravity with an effortless grace; his ascent was akin to a phoenix rising from the ashes, a symbol of rebirth and unyielding resilience. The monsters lunged at him from all directions, their razor-sharp claws slashing through the air only for them to meet with a stalwart orb of ice — its surface a freezing sheen that encased the successor's body, warding off their attacks. The clash of ice and claw created a symphony of shattered frost, each collision sending crystalline shards scattering in all directions before they coalesced into numerous spikes of icy beauty that impaled the hapless creatures, rendering them motionless and frozen in their failed attempts to strike him down.
'Fionn' — a blood code that boasted incredible strength and mind power — surged through his veins, enhancing his every movement and granting him an uncanny advantage over his foes; it spoke of an ancient tale long forgotten, a bittersweet legacy that imbued the revenant with the untainted prowess of a pure, young knight.
His code flared as he weaved a symphony of ice and destruction, creating a carnival of death that engulfed the battlefield in a breathtaking display of ethereal beauty; frozen spires sprouted from the walls and pierced through the air, reaching toward the heavens like crystalline spears, while tendrils of frost snaked across the walls, leaving trails of glittering ice in their wake.
The soles of his boots found purchase upon one of the icy pillars that jutted out from the wall, allowing him to push off with a renewed burst of energy, propelling him even higher into the vast abyss. Dozens upon dozens of monstrosities fell unto their death as he continued his ascent; his claw raked across one of the beasts' chitinous exoskeleton — the resulting sparks illuminating the darkness of the abyss with a mesmerizing radiance — while his stinger moved and grabbed ahold of another creature, spinning it around like a macabre puppet before flinging it into its brethren, causing a domino effect of chaos and disarray.
Sheathing his blade, the revenant reached for the pristine halberd slung at his back, its blade glimmered with a faint luminescence; his gloved hand tightened around the weapon's grip, feeling the cool metal against his palm as he prepared for his next onslaught.
With a resounding battle cry that echoed through the cavernous expanse, the successor plunged into the midst of another swarming horde, his weapon sweeping through the air with lethal precision — each swing was a masterstroke of calculated force, cleaving through the creatures with a brutal efficiency that left no room for error; the clash of steel against sinew filled the air, accompanied by the screams of the winged monsters as they met their demise at the hands of the indomitable revenant.
----------------------------------------
The putrid stench of decay lingered in the air, permeating every crevice of the dimly lit sewer, where three children huddled together in a small alcove. Their threadbare clothes barely protected them from the dampness that seeped through the cracks in the walls, hungry bellies growling in protest, a constant reminder of the meager existence they endured.
Two boys — their faces smudged with grime — scavenged through a pile of refuse that lay strewn across the sewer floor. Discarded food containers, tattered scraps of cloth, and remnants of what once resembled a meal were their meager treasures. An even smaller girl, her matted hair falling loosely around her dirt-streaked face, held a moldy loaf of bread in her hands, inspecting it with a mixture of hope and despair.
"We can't eat this," one of the boys muttered, his voice barely a whisper, as he examined a container filled with expired rations. The contents had long turned into a putrid sludge that emitted a foul odor. "We need to find something else."
His words hung heavy in the damp air, the weight of their situation pressing upon them. The crystals that marred their skin marked them as one of the infected, condemned to live in secrecy and squalor beneath the city; their families, like countless others, had sought refuge in the sewers, away from the prying eyes of the society that both feared and shunned them.
"B-but this is all we found..." The girl's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she clutched the bread to her chest, her voice tinged with desperation. "If we don't bring back more, then Mama and Papa won't get to eat anything again..."
"I-I know," the other boy — his young face etched with lines of worry — interjected, his voice quivering with determination as he continued to rummage through a pile of discarded wrappers and empty cans, hoping to find something salvageable. "We... we just have to keep searching. There has to be more... somewhere, even if it's not much."
Their conversation ebbed and flowed like the trickle of water as their small hands delved into the refuse, seeking sustenance amidst the filth and despair; each item they discovered brought a mixture of disappointment and fleeting hope — the sewer's cold embrace seemed to seep into their bones, amplifying their discomfort and reminding them of their dire circumstances.
Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a distant echo that reverberated through the dank tunnels. The sound — muffled yet distinct — reached their ears with an unfamiliar intensity. It was faint at first, like the distant rumbling of thunder, but it grew louder with each passing moment, drawing their attention away from their plight.
"What's that noise?" The girl asked, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and curiosity; she craned her neck, trying to pinpoint the source of the commotion.
The boys exchanged wary glances, their eyes reflecting uncertainty. They had been warned time and again to steer clear of the lower levels of the sewer, where dangers were said to lurk. The tales whispered by their parents painted a grim picture of the unknown horrors that awaited those who dared to venture too far; their voices had been filled with both worry and a touch of fear when they had urged the two to stay away from the unknown depths that hid untold perils.
"It's... it's probably just the noise from another group of infected," the eldest among them reasoned, his voice laced with hesitation. "M-maybe they're also trying to find some food? We, uh, we should... we should stay here. It's safer, okay? Remember what Papa and Mama said."
A few moments passed as the three stood in silence, the distant echoes of steel and explosion growing louder and more insistent. The girl chewed on her lower lip, her gaze fixed on the source of the sound, as her curiosity battled against the caution ingrained in her young mind.
"But... what if there's something good out there? Something we can bring back for Mama and Papa?" She finally spoke, her voice tinged with a glimmer of hope. "They've been so sick lately, and the food we find is never enough. Maybe... maybe there's a chance."
The two boys exchanged a wordless glance, the weight of their responsibility heavy on their young shoulders. They understood the risks involved, but the hunger that gnawed at their insides pushed against their fear, fanning the flames of curiosity within them.
"Alright, but... we'll be careful, okay?" The eldest boy sighed, defeat mingling with determination in his eyes. "We won't go too far. Just a quick look, and if it's dangerous, we'll come right back."
The girl nodded, her expression brightening with a mix of excitement and relief as she clutched the moldy bread tightly — as if it were a beacon of hope in the dark reality of their existence. With cautious steps, the trio ventured away from their small alcove, their eyes adjusting to the dim lighting as they navigated the labyrinthine tunnels; the distant echoes of battle grew louder with each passing moment, reverberating through the stone walls and resonating in their chests. Their feet were taking them to unknown depths all the while unaware of the eyes that followed their every move from the shadows, their pitch-black orbs glinting with malice…
----------------------------------------
He allowed the cold, sharp talon to pass through his ethereal form, the crimson mist of blood — dense and swirling — coalescing and condensing back into his corporeal self, his body reassembling itself with swift precision as he emerged from his empyrean state; the remnants of his transformation lingered in the air for but a few moments, dissipating into the void. The revenant's scarlet and azure eyes glimmered with a newfound intensity as his blood code flared, the sigil that symbolized both preservation and dedication that is the God of the Forge transitioning back seamlessly into the script of the shadowy one; powers surged through his veins, their 'gifts' intertwining with his very essence, amplifying his already formidable abilities and filling him with a predatory instinct that resonated deep within his core.
With a deft flick of his wrist, he summoned forth dozens of flaming orbs, each radiating a searing heat that distorted the air around them. The orbs hovered before him, like a legion of fiery sentinels ready to be unleashed upon the battlefield. A swirling pool of vibrant crimson surrounded him as he proceeded to release them with a primal roar, sending the projectiles hurtling through the air with a resounding force — their blazing trails leaving streaks of incandescent light in their wake. The scorching spheres scattered throughout the abyss, seeking out their targets with an unerring accuracy, exploding upon impact in a cascade of fiery destruction that engulfed the surrounding enemies, their blazing heat consuming them in a tempest of seething flames.
As the last of the grotesque creatures writhed and disintegrated in the inferno, the successor reoriented himself, his feet landing gracefully upon another frozen spire that jutted out from the wall of the abyss; the icy pillar provided a momentary foothold, its smooth surface cool against the revenant's boots as he surveyed the area with a keen gaze. His eyes locked onto a small alcove in the wall as he spun his weapon with a practiced ease, the silver blade reflecting the glimmers of light as the crystalline mass beneath him cracked and shattered; the strength that he used to propel himself through the air sent shards of ice cascading around him like a storm of glittering diamonds.
With a graceful arc, the revenant descended swiftly into the alcove, his boots landing softly on the slick ground that glistened with a thin layer of moisture. The walls surrounding him were rough and cold, their jagged edges biting into his palms as he steadied himself. He peered around, taking in the dimly lit tunnel that stretched before him like the maw of some ancient beast, its walls slick with moisture and patches of luminescent moss that cast an eerie glow upon the surroundings — the air within the tunnel held a damp chill that prickled against the his skin, carrying whispers of forgotten echoes and the distant drip of water.
In a reflexive motion, the revenant's left hand instinctively rose to sweep back his hair — a gesture ingrained in his muscle memory — only for his limb to halt mid-air, frozen by the realization that his hand was no longer the appendage he once knew.
A pang of melancholic acceptance swept through him as he slowly withdrew his hand, shaking his head in a mixture of resignation and determination. The successor's gaze shifted, his scarlet and cerulean eyes narrowing as he glanced back toward the area above the abyss from which he had emerged. Beyond the gate that led to what he assumed to be the surface, his heightened senses caught glimpses of flickering light and the distant symphony of civilization — car horns blaring, the chatter of voices, and the rhythmic hum of machinery.
.
.
.
'Could it be? It's almost as if...'
The sounds, so foreign yet strangely familiar, stirred a curiosity within him, igniting a faint spark of longing for the world that exist beyond the confines of the red mist... even so, the revenant knew better than to indulge in such yearnings, for he was acutely aware of the cold reception that would surely awaited his kind… if any of them are even aware of their existence to begin with.
Regardless, the fact that the deafening sounds of explosions — an unmistakable sign of battle — did not seem to disrupt the ordinary lives of those who dwelled above perplexed him. He knew for certain that he wasn't exactly subtle in his previous confrontation with the creatures; the cacophony of steel against flesh, the explosive bursts of his blood arts, and the reverberations of his battle cries should've echoed through the air with an undeniable intensity... and yet, the denizens of the surface seemed to pay no heed, their indifference — or ignorance — adding to the enigma that shrouded the situation he found himself in.
Taking another few moments to observe the grated exit, the successor turned his gaze away and back to the tunnel that lay before him — its darkness beckoning like hidden secrets waiting to be unraveled. He could detect the presence of several beings lurking in the depths, their existence a mere whisper on the edge of his consciousness; their spectral auras mingled with the damp air, a chorus of faint echoes that reached out to his heightened senses.
With a solemn nod, he made his decision. In a city unfamiliar with his kind, it was better to err on the side of caution. Avoiding crowded places seemed wise, as the fear and prejudice he might encounter could hinder his progress or even lead to a confrontation... an outcome he would rather avoid.
The revenant took a step forward, his boots echoing with a soft thud against the damp ground; his blood pulsed with restrained power, urging him onward as if it too sensed the presence of others lurking in the shadows. He moved with a silent grace, his lithe figure navigating the tunnel's twists and turns with ease, the ambient glow of luminescent moss casting shifting shadows across his path.
----------------------------------------
They should've listened... no, he should've listened.
The weight of responsibility bore heavily on the eldest child's shoulders as they crouched behind a small stack of wooden crates, his face etched with lines of worry and regret. Their desperate situation seemed to gnaw at his soul, like a relentless beast that refused to be appeased. A mixture of guilt and frustration seeped into his every pore, staining his young features with a weariness that belied his age — the burden of being the eldest weighed on him, causing his chest to tighten with a suffocating heaviness. His thoughts were a whirlwind of what ifs and regrets, each one a blade that pierced his heart. Shoulders slumped, he cast a fleeting glance at his sister and younger brother, his eyes filled with a blend of determination and desperation, as if silently vowing to shield them from the harsh realities they faced.
As the unknown horrors drew closer, his instinct kicked in, propelling him into action with a strength born out of necessity. Swiftly, he scooped up his younger brother in his arms — his muscles straining under the weight — and clasped his sister's hand tightly within his own; they were his precious family, one of the few fragile flames of hope amidst the darkness that had stained their life. With each stride, his feet pounded against the uneven ground — the reverberations echoing in his ears like whispers of despair — while his heart hammered in his chest like a captive bird desperate to break free. His arms wrapped protectively around his sibling as he ran with a resolute determination, his mind focused on a single goal — to keep them safe, to outrun the terrors that pursued them through the treacherous labyrinth of the sewers.
Blood stained the fabric of his younger brother's tattered pants, a stark reminder of the danger that lurked in the shadows; a deep, jagged slash marred his pale skin, glistening with a sickly sheen in the dim light of the sewer. The gash oozed a viscous mixture of crimson and grime, the stench of decay mingling with the metallic tang of blood that tainted the air. Each throb of pain seemed to have sent a shiver down the young boy's spine, a constant reminder of their vulnerability and the price they had paid for their escape.
The slash wound gaped open like a wicked mouth hungry for more; the edges were inflamed and angry, radiating heat as if the wound itself breathed with a malignant life of its own... and yet despite the pain, his younger brother simply continued to grit his teeth, his wide eyes filled with a mixture of fear and resolve; his face was contorted in a grimace, his brows furrowed in pain as he limped alongside his elder sibling.
Gasping for breath, the three children pressed on, their footsteps a frantic symphony against the damp stone floor, a rhythm of fear and resilience that echoed through the tunnel. Words tumbled from their lips, breathless and urgent, mingling with the echoing chaos of the distant battle that resonated through the labyrinthine sewers.
"We can't stop... w-we have to keep going!" The voice that came out of his lips cracked with a mix of desperation and hope, each syllable punctuated by the sound of their hurried footfalls. "D-don't worry! Big Bro is here!" His words were a lifeline, a fragile thread of reassurance that he wove for his younger siblings in the midst of their shared terror. "I-I promise that we'll find a way out of this... we have to!"
"Are... are you sure, Big Bro?" His sister's grip tightened around his hand, her fingers trembling like fragile leaves caught in a tempest; tears welled in her eyes, reflecting the dim light in shimmering trails, as she glanced between him and their wounded brother. "I-I'm scared... I don't want to be here anymore. I-I want to see Mama... Mama and Papa."
"I know it's scary, Sis, but we have to keep moving. We'll find a way out, I promise." Sweat trickled down his brow, his muscles aching with the strain of carrying his brother and guiding his sister through the labyrinthine maze. "We'll find somewhere safe, then we can go home... back to Papa and Mama, okay? W-we just... we just have to keep going."
The youngest brother winced with every step, his injured leg dragging limply behind him; his face was ashen, his brow damp with sweat as he fought to keep up with his determined siblings.
"I-I'm... fine, Big Bro. Just... don't worry about me... you can just go faster..." His little siblings spoke through gritted teeth, his voice strained with pain.
"... I know. We'll get through this together." A bittersweet smile tugged at the corners of his lips, a flicker of pride and concern intermingling within his gaze; he squeezed his sister's hand tighter, his grip firm yet gentle, conveying an unspoken vow of protection. "Yes... no matter what happens, as long as we stick together, we'll always find a way."
And so... their desperate flight continued, the tunnel stretching endlessly before them, a labyrinthine maze that seemed intent on swallowing them whole. The stench of decay and sewage mingled with the dampness, assaulting their senses and threatening to suffocate their resolve; shadows danced upon the walls, their movements mimicking the unseen horrors that lurked just beyond their sight, amplifying the children's unease.
Unfortunately for the children, the monstrosities that pursued them seemed to relish in their fear, toying with them like predators toying with their prey. The dim light of the tunnel flickered, casting fleeting glimpses of grotesque forms in the corners of their vision; misshapen, twisted creatures with pitch-black eyes and gnashing teeth. Whispers — disembodied and chilling — slithered through the air, planting seeds of doubt and despair in their vulnerable hearts... yet they pressed on, their footsteps quickening, driven by a mixture of hope and desperation. His muscles burned with exhaustion, his arms trembling as he fought to maintain his grip on his injured brother, who limped alongside him with unyielding resilience; their sister's sobs — muffled but ever-present — echoed throughout the tunnel, her fear threatening to engulf them all.
He himself didn't know how much time had passed, but in a sudden, bone-chilling silence, the horrors that pursued them ceased their taunting game. The air grew heavy — pregnant with anticipation — as if the very darkness held its breath; with a malevolent presence that crawled under their skin, the horror materialized before them — a grotesque amalgamation of flesh and crystal, its form a nightmarish fusion of abomination and originium. They loomed over them, towering like a vengeful deity, their eyes radiating an ethereal malevolence that sent shivers down the children's spines; the putrid stench of decay wafted from their hulking form, mingling with the dampness of the sewer and assaulting their senses with an overpowering wave of revulsion.
The children's breath caught in their throats, their limbs frozen with terror, as the horror unleashed a guttural growl that reverberated through the tunnel, rattling their very bones like a sinister lullaby — the sound that followed out of their maws a gravelly rasp that seemed to echo into the depths of the abyss itself. He tightened his grip on his sister's hand as his heart pounded against his ribcage like a wild beast desperate to break free; fear and determination waged a battle within him, but he refused to let the former win. Summoning every ounce of courage he possessed, he stepped forward, shielding his siblings behind him as he faced the group of abomination.
"G-go away!" His voice trembled, but his words rang out with a resolute defiance that belied his youth. "I won't let you hurt them!"
The creatures seemed to chuckle in response, their voices a sickening blend of guttural growls and whispers that slithered like serpents through the air, sending a chill down his spine; their eyes narrowed, glinting with an otherworldly malice as they regarded him. With a flick of its massive arm, one of the monstrosities struck out at him, its grotesque appendage a blur of motion that connected with his side like a battering ram, sending him hurtling through the air. Pain erupted in his body as he tumbled across the rough stone surface, his senses momentarily overwhelmed by the sensation of impact and disorientation; the world spun in a dizzying whirl, his vision blurred as tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. The force of the blow seemed to reverberate through his very being, stealing his breath away and leaving him gasping for air — stars dancing in the corner of his vision like ethereal specters.
He lay sprawled on the cold, damp ground, his body aching and protesting with each labored breath; the taste of blood filled his mouth — coppery and bitter — as he struggled to push himself up from the ground, only to be met with searing pain that shot through his arm like bolts of lightning. His vision blurred with tears as he tried to steady himself, his broken arm hanging at an unnatural angle, the bone jutting out from his elbow like a grotesque shard of ivory — stained with the crimson hue of his own blood. It was a sight that sent a wave of nausea surging through his already overwhelmed senses; a strangled cry escaped his lips as the stark realization of his injury crashed down on him like a merciless wave.
"M-mama! Papa!" His sister's screams of terror pierced the air, a symphony of fear and desperation that clawed at his heart; through blurry vision, he glimpsed her huddled form, her slender frame quivering with terror as she backed away from the towering horrors, her sobs echoing through the tunnel like a mournful dirge. "H-help us!"
His sister's wails reverberated throughout the tunnel, a desperate plea for help that lingered in the air like a haunting melody; her voice trembled with raw fear, her cries echoing off the damp walls of the sewer, carrying with it the weight of their despair into the unseen depths. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her fragile frame wracked with sobs as she clung to her injured brother, her grip tight and distraught. Her pleas were a desperate attempt to reach out to any glimmer of hope that might lie beyond — her voice a beacon of vulnerability amidst the encroaching darkness.
The raw, unfiltered fear in her voice pierced his heart like a thousand needles, eroding his last remaining fragments of composure. He had always been her protector, the one she looked up to, and seeing her overwhelmed by terror...
"S-stop..." He whispered, his voice strained and choked with pain as he tried to crawl towards his siblings, his movements slow and labored, like a wounded animal desperately inching ever onward. "G-get away... get away from them. Leave them alone..." His words — a strained plea — carried on raspy breaths, his broken arm throbbing with agony; the world around him started to fade long before he could reach his siblings, the pain consuming his every thought. "S-someone... anyone... help us..."
His consciousness wavered like a candle on the verge of being extinguished, his vision growing hazy and dim as he lay helpless on the cold, hard ground, disappearing into the darkness as the pain and exhaustion overwhelmed him... Yet through the veil of his diminishing awareness, he caught a glimpse of a radiant blaze descending from above — a starfire cascading in a breathtaking display of ethereal light.
Their brilliance illuminated the tunnel, casting vibrant hues of gold and azure upon the surroundings; the monstrous creatures recoiled, their unearthly screeches piercing the air like a symphony of agony as the starfire engulfed them in its divine radiance…