Gamodren looked at the corpse of the creature that brought him here then made his life a living hell. There was no guilt, no grief, no happiness, he felt nothing, not even a sense of loss. The feeling was jarring when compared to the two people who’d fought him head-on.
The cheering and parading of the dragon's corpse felt sickening, mostly because he was a half-dragon himself. Though he wouldn’t say the results were surprising. Everyone here was a monster among monsters, a titan among giants, It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if they told him that they had surpassed the gods a long time ago which made something concerning.
“How strong are the one and two in this world if Maldain lost?”
“One is gone while two is relentless when motivated. Though seeing the kids you helped train fight things stronger than them makes me wonder if you’re of the same ilk. Just a slightly older brat. Seeing as you were her son, as well would make us step-brothers to some degree. I’m sure you’re fiance would be glad for you to gain a promotion into our ranks, we may even offer her one ourselves. What’s her name?”
“Suzen, she’s a librarian in the order. We’ve been somewhat together for ten or so years.”
“Su-Zen? My Su-Zen?” The purple spiral irises seemed to speed up until they seemed normal for a brief moment then the left one shifted to red.
“Hmmm?”
“So… You're that bastard, eh?” A hand grabbed Gamodren by the collar for a brief moment.
“What are you going on about?” Gamodren seemed somewhat concerned as he saw the insanity of the magic this man used.
The younger Maldain sighed and put a hand on his cousin's shoulder. “Listen, this man is a friend. He’ll make your Su happy, or die trying. I’ll make sure of it for you.”
“You better.” The red eye faded back into the spiral of souls that lived within him.
“Still, how is a practitioner capable of that much concentrated damage?” Gamodren looked where his mother's neck should have connected to her head and shivered. The impact hole was about as wide as a ballista and the area around the attack was covered in tree-shaped burns, but the exit was enough to decapitate a neck thicker than most homes.
“Ummm…Ander, where did you learn to do something so destructive?
“Same place as you. I’m not as versatile as you or Kyrion, if I’m not teaching my abilities are more suitable for killing than yours. My utility is somewhat limited, and I’ve tested the limits of wind. I see, this is why you didn’t fight Damian in the finals, your spirit evolved.”
“A second awakening. The headmaster helped with that, unintentionally.“ Ander partially lied as the stripes on his form faded and disappeared. Pulling back into the art piece on his back.
The headmaster had done it intentionally but it was more akin to a reawakening, the difference isn’t too great in the grand scheme of things.
“I see.” Gamodren didn’t press further.
“Can Kyrion beat that Gios fellow?”
“If Everyone has eight shards, and he’s encountered five of eight and he’s the sixth, what do you think the other two are really up to? I doubt Gios was little more than a Bishop in this grand scheme. Meaning…”
“Meaning?” Maldain asked.
“It means that there is a chance that we may have stronger entities to fill the power gap. For Kyrion to be this good at predicting their actions means that they haven’t surpassed him in that regard. Which means our true enemy is a much bigger mastermind, pulling the strings from behind the curtain.”
“The Cult of Yat the Betrayer. One of the strongest deity level beings in the universe, one that was sealed in a realm between this one and the next one in line. The place known as the Ginnungagap, an endless void where the only thing present is a entity feasting on souls torn away from reincarnation.”
“Oh…That thing.”
“What thing? Maldain asked.
“While in the other world Kyrion accidentally absorbed way too much power to contain and used it to smite a giant entity. Apparently the gods saw what he was doing and lent their power.”
The old man sighed. “They may not get along but everyone knows Yat must not come back to this place or it will spell ruin. Any god, good standing or otherwise would lend power to smite that creature down since they can’t do it directly.”
Gramodre ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “This still doesn’t feel real. I never imagined getting rid of my mother would be this easy.”
“Uh…She likely isn’t completely gone. Weakened for another millenia or so, but she’s likely reincarnated into one of her many daughters. On rare occasions she’ll choose to take over her strongest child regardless of gender, but one has severed her curse while the other has had his life absorbed despite not being dead. Choosing either of you would be impossible.“ The older Maldain sighed.
“So this isn’t over?”
“She’s lost all but one blood tie and until that form reaches adulthood she won’t be able to create any more meaning if she is found in this state then she can be killed.” The old man sighed.
“You don’t live that long without having contingencies. It’s one of the first things we learn.”
“I imagine. It’s a defense mechanism for when one of her children manages to kill her, she’ll possess that child right after. Before she completely loses her mind. Had you not found a way to unlink yourself before arriving we’d have had to kill you.” The older Maldain grimaced as he eyed Gamodren closely.
“Fine. Should I leave this place?”
“Dragons don’t have shards thus are immune to being called. So returning to your plane will fix quite a bit.”
Birdion, formally known as Kyrin, grimaced as he held an unconscious Viole. A shard of wood protruding from her stomach had pierced her from behind while she was running towards the source of the conflict.
When he tried to apply his healing magic it failed to trigger, proving that he was either too late or it was beyond regeneration. The injured didn’t have enough mana or stamina to heal the wound, and in Kyrin’s current form, he couldn’t access his magic. It was as though everything was being punished.”
Suddenly another red-haired man appeared in front of him, covered in burns and various wounds that appeared to carve themselves on his flesh from the inside. The words glowed in gold and red, carved onto his core being.
Did you think I would let you escape after putting me through all this? This is where you die, Gios. You will be reborn as a mindless olive tree and enjoy being an immortal, soulless punching bag for Divine Retribution.
“Rin! You have to save me! If you don't, you'll never get to see your wife again.”
Rin looked down and then back up at the man who manipulated them, brainwashed his friend, and forced him into this predicament.
“He’s right. This is where you die.”
“Don’t fall for his lies. I’m the good one. I’m the hero that will lead us back on track! He’s corrupted!”
“He’s the liar? You have manipulated my mind for years!”
“To best that great Evil. You don’t know what we’re trying to stop!”
“You killed millions of innocents between the nine moons. You, not him. The real question is how he managed to remove the hold so quickly.”
“And he will be the end of this universe! It was for the greater good Rin. If he survives, everything we fought for will be annihilated!” Kyrgios scratched at his throat as the skin became rough like the bark of a tree.
“Ah you must really be in a pickle, poor Gios?” A man shrouded in grey robes with a fox mask appeared between the two shards.
“Who are you?” Birdion took a step back.
“You may refer to me as Val, the Observer.”
“Poor Gios has failed to live up to my expectations. Thus I would like to offer you a chance at redemption. Kill Gios, then use the power from that to kill Kyroin when he slips up.
“I don’t want power from him. I’m satisfied with my current master shard.”
“You won’t change your mind? I know he offered you something, like a fool you took it, but it would be a shame to waste the potential of this loop’s Gios.”
“What are you?”
“I am That Which Observes the Cycle of the Beginning and End. Gios did have potential, but due to an early run in with that Devil, his life was cut short. What I'm here to offer you is a chance to finish what poor Gios has started and summon the one true lord of the multiverse.”
“You’re insane. Why would I give up freedom for some insane cult?”
“Me? Insane? You must be deaf, because I’m certain I told you to call me Val.” The eyes behind the mask glowed red and multiplied as ten glowing eyes grew from the mask and looked about. Then at once they all fell onto Gios. Red light engulfed Gios but did nothing immediately as Val let out an exaggerated yawn.
Blood erupted from Gios like a fountain from all over his body leaving behind a shriveled-up corpse that fell to the ground as spikes of blood pierced through multiple places on Kyrin’s body. As roots connected with his brain began to expand outward turning the remains to dust an Olive tree appeared where he died.
“Guess I need to retrain you.” Val took off their mask revealing a face that matched Kyrion’s down to the last detail down to the faint scar over where his prosthetic eye rested. Two more sets of eyes rested below the first giving him six crimson organs.
“What?”
“Burn this face into your retina. For it is the face of the man who has killed your wife. She was delicious.” Val stated as the thousands of geometric stars pushed through his body and forced his head to look down at a currently deceased Viole, her form destroyed in his arms.
“No! No! Kyr! You bastard! This isn’t!”
“Yes. The trick to planting memories is simple. If you have people who share the same memory, by consuming the mind of one, it's easier to fool the other by replacing targets. Give into the rage and take this power as your own. Or I will consume your mind and I’ll be back at three.” Six bloody tendrils flowed through his form as it was reduced to ash and saturated with sanguine mana and Divine Essence. As Kyrin reformed his body looked quite a bit different, his hair was darker and his features were much more human and angry.
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
“I’ll! Kill you!” Rin moved forward to kill the strange iteration.
“You will make an excellent pawn, now then go train in the Wild lands until you're strong enough. And find that shard of ours hidden in that world. If you get it first then we can still fight back. How he managed to pull the soul of the second Ari back here is a bit of an annoyance but within my expectations.”
“What have you?” Kyrin looked down to see Viole’s remains, a small ring glowing where her body had been.
“I’m on your side Kyrin, believe me. This doesn’t have to be the end for you.” Val took out a device and threw it to the ground, opening up a portal that Kyrin seemed forced to walk through.
Watching as the portal closed Val reached to pick up the ring when a foot with enough power to split a hill in two was stopped by a shield made from bone.
“Well that was rude.”
“You just tried to take one of our shards.” The much older shard of Kyrion pulled out a flask and proceeded to take a long drag before placing it into their domain.
“What was that? Some high grade potion?”
“99% Divine tier Alcohol, with a drop of dragon blood and special leaves for flavor.”
“Why would you drink before fighting me?”
“Fighting someone like you sober would be a pain. Val servant of Yat, and the traitor that got us into this mess.”
“So you figured that out. A shame. Now I need to erase you before you can get back to the main body. What are you even called?” Val asked as he reached for the blood around him.
“Me? You may refer to me as, "The Drunken Hero.””
“Hero? Why would you go so far as to call yourself a Hero?”
“A hero is destined to die. And that is my destiny. My one job is to die taking the big bad with me, wielding the Sword of Purification.”
“That false prophecy. I’ll Kill you before you get the chance.”
Spears of blood flew towards the Hero.
Through luck or some sort of precognition, the hero evaded each of the attacks and landed a jab against Val’s temple.
The blow was meant to scramble his thoughts and force him to retreat only instead of causing Val to stutter and fall apart as though a puppet had lost its strings.
A wooden head rolled across the ground much to his irritation. He kicked the head into the stratosphere and watched as it turned into dust before making it to space. “This is why I can’t fight you sober. Kyr isn’t going to like this.” The drunk hero then pockets the ring and takes a long drag from their flask quieting the pain in their core.
Kyrion felt the connection with Birdion ripped away and let out a sigh of relief. “I knew Gios was a pawn, but to think that they would be dumb enough to take the bait. Also, don’t his powers seem oddly familiar?”
“Similar to yours. Almost a perfect match.” Kyrie asks from his current position. His head poked out of the ground like a weed.
“Just life, and in a more focused form than my skill. Anyway, to think he’d kill Gios and Viole, only to blame me. Isn’t that right Nicole?”
“My name is Novalie. Why do you insist on getting it wrong?” Dog-eared Nicole asked.
“You look like Nicole, but with dog ears, thus Dog-Eared Nicole.”
“Why does your Nicole see in you?”
“Hopefully nothing. Now then, what I showed you was through one of my new KVD’s, plants that record and play back video.”
“I saw, what do you want from me?”
“Peace and quiet.” Ari rolled their eyes.
“How will I accomplish that?”
“Well first off. I need you to hate my guts with the passion of the sun.”
“Done.” There was no visible change.
“We’ll test that soon enough. The other Nicole is getting close to ground zero. I need you to fuse with her and that ring the other picked up.”
“So you want to make me hate you while making me stronger.”
“Yes. See, you're smart when you try. I need to balance out that obsession she has with me with hate and loathing.”
“Or you can do that thing where you alter people’s memories with a touch.”
“I can only erase recently made memories, and It isn’t detail oriented. I can also repair damage to a brain and restore someone else’s changes.”
“Are you always so disrespectful to your betters?” The pincer hand man said in irritation.
“How irritated are you? That can’t be healthy for a man as old as you.” Kyrion didn’t turn to look at him directly as an eye appeared on the side of his face and pointed directly at the emperor.
“Where am I?”
“One question at a time. Sheesh, also I believe I get my manners from my mother. Don’t tell her I said that or I’ll need to flee to another universe.”
The man clamped his claws shut and scowled as his hand disappeared, after getting sucked into a portal.
“...”
Kyrion sighed, “We are at the Elven capital, in the center of the Goskin continent. I am a student of Drisil and the captain of our soon to be winning team. Now, remove your hand, before I desire a curious taste of that crab hand.”
“Why am I here?”
“The parasite in your body thought you were getting too old and thus tried to upgrade to a younger fresher model.” Kyrion sighed as he took a few steps back and sighed.
“And you didn’t kill me?”
“I won’t be the one to explain to The Death Tyrant, that I killed her brother, when I could purify the parasite possessing him. I am 25% sure the reason the Beast Blood Empire hasn’t been purged is due to this possesion.”
“Enough Kyrion. Aren’t you supposed to be skilled in attending to people who woke up right after a long battle?” Kyrion’s mother said from behind, a skeletal vulture the size of a SUV beneath her flapping wings of bone, that sounded more like whips cracking in the air than a bird flying.
“Cordelia?”
“[Redacted」”
Kyrion scowled as a name was stated in front of him and yet he couldn't understand it. Rolling his eyes, Kyrion turned.
“Anyways, your granddaughter was kidnapped by that bastard son of yours. I don’t like the cut of his jib, and so, bye-bye!” Kyrion hopped through the portal before his mother noticed the facade he was putting on. He wouldn’t let her see him step away from death again.
As Kyrion arrived where he sensed Milo’s presence, three corpses littered the ground. Asela appeared to have bled out, while Milo’s head had been removed. Oddly enough Sinbad had also been here, though two sharp blades had pierced where his heart should have been.
Standing above the trio was a figure in green armor, their body metallic and powerful alien to anything Kyrion had seen before.
“Cosmic Rend!” Kyrion yelled as blades of dimensional power surrounded the entity, as well as his thorns and in seconds the creature was smeared across multiple planes in chunks.
Moving to Asela, Kyrion placed a hand over the wound and attempted to heal it to no avail. Kyion continued to use his magic on the corpse and even reached for his resurrection spell. Only for his body to react negatively towards it. He didn’t have enough power left to cast his resurrection spell directly, and if he used any more life force in this state then he’d die.
“Tch. You shouldn’t have come here. Though I guess it was unavoidable eventually. Though based on the current situation I guess it was necessary. They did tell you that you could get your spirit back if you won the tournament. You did win so I should give you your reward.” Charles moved over to Asela and placed a hand on his forehead as a mark resembling the sun began to glow as it was pulled out of her body. His face was dejected as he held an orb of power at the end of his fingers.
“I will offer you a choice. Look at it first.” Charles held out the orb.
Kyrion examined it, sensing that it was incomplete. “This has a piece of my soul. You made me into her patron?” Kyrion sensed the power in the orb, all of it was damaged, lacking the heat and nurturing abilities he had recently gained himself.
Charles raised an eyebrow as Kyrion tinkered with the core and placed it back into the mark on her forehead.
“What have you done?”
“Self Resurrection and regeneration. She should…” Kyrion watched as flames erupted from her corpse and formed a chrysalis made of burning flower petals her body was covered in fire as she returned scowling as she looked around in confusion.
“Kyrion? What's going on? No, why is he with you?”
Charles didn’t react as a sword was leveled at him. “To offer the winner of the tournament his prize.”
“Whats wrong?”
“I saw him. He’s the one who attacked us!”
Charles’ face fell as he looked at Kyrion with horror. That means this isn’t a regular incursion. Did you break things when you passed through the multiverse?”
“On second of limbo is enough to throw everything to hell isn’t it.” Kyrion scowled as the realization hit him.
“Kyr…I can hold him off for at best ten years. But that version of me is mad, and wild. I will need help.”
“What’s the plan?” Kyrion stated.
“Gather everyone you can onto Noah’s ship.”
“Why does Noa have a ship? You're in a landlocked country.”
“It’s a sky ship. Cecil helped make it prior to the tournament, well he helped with the designs for enchantments and tech applications. Then I went back in time and gave it to him to improve as though he’d never seen it. I repeated that until we got a ship that can ferry people through time. It was a last resort as once it’s used…”
“Got it. What about my wish?”
“When you see me again, tell me something I would know.”
“You intend to send me ten years back in time?”
“Just about but only for around one of those years then you will jump forward four, repeat another year then come back to our time right after the matches. You will have three years to prepare but I will be out of commission. Doing something like that will put eyes on me and likely send me away. Failure will lead to what you see above. From their I’ll give this universe five whole years. Gather everyone you want to take with you. You can't take your mother or uncle for legal reasons..”
“That sucks. Am I going to be a kid again?” Kyrion rolled his eyes.
“No. You’ll be as you are now unless you don’t want to be.
“Ugh… I’ll have to build my home on the continent again.” Was Kyrion’s only response.
“You won’t have to. As part of the spell I’m casting the whole continent the fight was on will be taken with the ship. That’s where it's resting after all.”
“Why would I do that anyway? I can fight.” Kyrion clenched his fist, his fingers cutting into his palm causing blood to flow relentlessly.
“There’s more I didn’t want to inform you about. Your father has also been killed in this attack. He was slew one of the Elder dragons and died soon after. Minah was attacked by the enemy while she was resting, and Everest was caught attempting to assassinate an enemy.”
“Why are you offering me this choice when you can just do it?”
“I’ve seen the level of plotting you can do, if I can get you to pull strings in the background I’m sure the others can grow enough to surpass themselves. Though you will need to be someone else for a time. Revealing yourself could be troubling.”
“What do you get out of it? Wait, am I shaggy?”
“If you are out of the picture, making plans for the future will be easier. Yes and no, that one was quite a bit older.”
“So your saying, my presence makes things complicated.”
“Yes, it’s in your nature. This is the 274th version of this day that I’ve gone through and so far it’s gone the best, and yet Asela still manages to get killed.”
“Quit talking about it like i’m not here!” Asela demanded.
“Two hundred and seventy four? Why don’t I recall?”
“I am a master of this form of magic, I control who keeps their memories and thus I will offer you all of yours, including the reason behind the disappearances of [Redacted」and their brother.”
“So, this fight will be avoided and all I have to do is disappear?”
“For at least 4 years, what you do in that time is up to you. I’ll inform the headmaster of this after you find me.”
“My friends are going to be pissed.”
“That's expected, but they will also have a chance to survive if you can protect them.”
“I didn’t really like Minah, but I don't hate her either. If you said Lin died I may have jumped at the proposal.”
“No. You’d try to kill me, fail, then end up trying to take me down with the planet. Besides, little you will be running around making the same decisions over and over. So long as you don’t interact with him. It should be fine.”
“I can resurrect everyone!”
“If you tried that, Imala would be forced to get rid of you. I tried sending other people before but it hasn’t gone well. If you fail this time. That's it.”
“Allright, I agree to that wish, turn back time you damned devil. gather all my living friends, Dwen, Chiyo, and. If it's time to break time then I’m doing it right.” Kyrion cracked his neck.
“As you wish. On a side note you’re uncle will be under possession. Save him and get back his name.” Charles pulled out his Violin and began to play.
Kyrion teleported away chaining his jumps along the way as he appeared in his house on the continent he created. Moments later his friends and allies appeared along with a giant ship that seemed to rise from the ground. Tiffany, however, was not present and when Kyrion sent his senses to her tracker he found that it was missing.
“Damn it!” Kyrion punched a hole in the air. The sound reverberated outward.
Max looked up. Resolve in his expression as he resembled his father in many more ways as his golden hair and eyes looked directly at him. “What's the plan?”
“Time travel. We’re going to fix this one way or another. The goal will be to get as strong as we can in nine years then launch a direct assault on the other planets and unify them. Ander and I will destroy the beast blood empire the second we appear.” Kyrion stated.
“I’ll go as well. I need to take care of some business as soon as possible.” Gamodren stated.
“Ah, Dwen, hold these for me.” Kyron tossed Dwen one of his emergency trackers. With her abilities, she would be instrumental in keeping track of the other
“I’ll need to stay far away from myself.” Cecil scowled.
“You could just go back home. That should help your timelines add up. Humanity will be in danger. You're the vice commander when you go back.” Kyrion stated.
“I’d appear in my world before we left.”
“Better not to think about it.” Kyrion looked away before focusing on Brion.
“Someone killed Everest, I'm sorry I didn’t look out for the two of you enough. But now I ask that you refrain from getting involved in their madness.
“Is that so?”
Then up in the sky, it turned black.
A bubble of green surrounded the vessels as an eye the size of a sun appeared in the sky. The Eye looked directly at the bubble and fired a beam of power at it.
A small figure with a black cloak appeared in front of the beam, hands held out redirecting the attack as the ship and everyone in its radius disappeared.
Deep in a hatchery, a small body erupted from an egg. It was a scaled humanoid figure covered in an orange membrane. The child had eerie green eyes and inky black hair. He looked around, noticing six others who looked just like him of differing sizes and slightly different shapes.
The small child sensed a pang in his chest as a voice echoed in his head. A sickening desire.
“Kill everyone present then feast, if you wish to live. The strong succeed and the weak get eaten.” The voice echoed with disinterest.
As though the command was absolute the newborn dragons transformed into small lizards and began to fight.
Everyone except for Kyrion and Lin appeared on the airship over the old continent. Only the environment hadn't died again. It was as though the land had grown and prospered despite time moving in reverse. The area was teeming with life but empty of monsters making them wonder what happened.
Asela let out a breath. “Who did he anger, this time?”
Cecil sighed as he moved toward the fortress they built.”I’ll get a map and some satellites up and running. Should take a week to get the continent mapped out. I recommend exploration and securing food for an extended stay since our fridge is gone.”
“So. This is ten years back?” Dwen asked as she pulled out a square mushroom and planted it.
“Yes. Why?”
“This is an emergency teleportation shroom. With a little bit of mana it can get up to three people to the nearest teleportation circle. The issue is, we don’t know where that is and splitting up is likely more trouble so I ask that each of you take a tracker so that we all stay alive. No one here is weak but it's better to know where we all are.”
Ander scowled. “I thought we were going to deal with the Beast Blood Empire.”
Volain sighed. “Change of plans. This doesn’t seem like ten years in the past. Train and hunt monsters. Then when the ship is ready we leave.”
Gamodren grew prismatic wings on his back and began to flap them rising into the air as he began to transform. “Unlike you all. I really need to go. There is something I won’t let happen this time around.”
For all present, this was the first time they saw his draconic nature. Then the transformation ended as a dragon of many colors appeared, he was the same size as the airship which was over 1000 feet long from head to tail, his body was denser and the limbs were long and muscular. Gamodren’s golden eyes landed on Ceres as he flapped his wings, shaking the air around him in moments he burst forward accelerating past the sound barrier.
Ceres had not known the nature of her master's teacher. Though the sensation of suppressed bloodlust when he looked at her this time was gone. Something about him had changed greatly.
Kyrin awoke in his room he hadn’t been there in six years. His body felt younger and weaker but his mind was there. He’d been given power from that odd incarnation and told to rebel. Kyrin knew better than to do that. As he groomed his red feathers, the bird boy left the room and came face to face with his servant.
A fox girl with white fur held his scepter and crown which sat atop a large pillow. Both were polished.
“Ah this is right after my coronation. But before the revolt. Meaning I have another year or so. That works.”
“Master? Are you feeling ok?”
“No. But I have work to do. As ruler of the Aviarcus I will end the enslavement of those below.”
“So sudden? But master.”
“I’m a changed man today, the only way things will end if we go down the old path is desolation.”
“Yes my lord.”
Kyrin winced. “We are a theocracy are we not?”
“Yes. The people here believe in the god Icaron. Why do you have that look in your eye.”
“What has Icaron done for us?”
“Uhh. My lord.”
“I say we should offer up our requests to Kao.”
“Who is that?” The fox asked curiously.
“You’ll learn soon enough, Jala.”
The fox squinted as Kyrin addressed her by name. Something had to have drastically changed for that to happen.
A hawk-faced man, with a strong jaw clad in fine silver robes, and glasses entered his home with a stricken look. “Ashleigh, grab our son! We need to hurry!
A young-looking woman with brown hair ran into the room carrying a sleeping child around three.
“Eldan, what's wrong?”
“A trap, it was a trap! I don’t have much time. The two of you need to run. This city is infested. If you don’t.” Eldan held his gut and coughed causing blood to leak onto the floor from where he held his stomach.
“Eldan?”
The hawk-faced man looked pale as a white worm shot out of his stomach towards the woman.
Eldan caught the worm with his left hand and squeezed it, crushing it into a paste as it died. But that split in focus caused a vessel in his right eye to bleed and then vanish as the mouth of another parasite ate it from the inside. “You have to hurry!”
Eldan slammed his body into the wall and drew a runic symbol on the wall with his blood. He then carved a second rune into his forehead. The combination would use the rest of his life force to create a flame that would burn himself and the estate to ashes in a matter of minutes.
The child awoke from the yells and screaming. Confused he watched as his father burned himself from the inside. A parasite screamed in pain as it was taken with him. Unable to escape it moved around the empty eye socket and skull looking for a way to escape mutilating the corpse to no avail.
The young boy screamed.
“It’s ok Edwin. We’ll get out of the city. We’ll hide in the forest while this blows over. We’ll survive together. Ok?”
The boy didn’t stop as he was carried out of Invan. He saw the people of the capital turn into monsters and then return to their human-like shapes as they attacked their former friends, family, and neighbors.
The image of the devastation burned into the child's mind along with the sound of his mother's heartbeat. And the look of terror on her face when he saw its reflection in a window stall as she ran past it.