A mob of hooded folk crowded around a large wooden cart which was being pulled by an unseen force ahead of them. The Renard family sat in the middle of the cart, bound by chains and huddled together in fear. The youngest and only child of the Renard family clung to his parents, tears soaking his golden fur, his tails tucked behind him. The mother holding their child whilst cowering behind the large size of her husband, and while he did his best to keep a strong face for his family he shivered with fear, tears also soaking his golden fur. One of the hooded figures silenced their whimpers with a powerful blast of magic, which the husband of the Renard family absorbed entirely by utilizing their strengthen ability to harden his body as if he had trained for thousands of years. However, not without damage. The husband coughed up drops of blood, staining his face and golden fur. His wife and child screaming at the sight of it. The rest of the hooded crowd moved slowly and silently, stealing the family away.
The sky above the village darkened suddenly, as storm clouds obscured the shining sun, almost as if the world was warning of the events unfolding. A cold wind followed, and the mob of hooded figures halted in their tracks. The Renard family’s eyes darted around, searching for the cause of the sudden halt. The figure who had attacked the family moments earlier stepped to the front of the crowd, turning his head back and forth, also searching for something. But, there was nothing to be seen. It was as if they had stopped for no reason.
The hooded figure at the front lifted his gaze to the storm clouds above, squinting as if he had never seen clouds before. Suddenly, the clouds began to swirl together before splitting apart, and a storm of white arrows pierced through the sky.
“PROTECT THE REN—”
BOOM
A storm of arrows rained down upon the crowd of hooded figures, sending clouds of dirt and dust into the air, obscuring everyone's vision. Bloodstains sprayed across the village's green grass.
“DON’T YOU MOVE!” A woman’s powerful voice yelled, a distance away.
Perched on one knee atop a small cliff outside Aster was Nilsine, armed with a gleaming white bow and an arrow she conjured seemingly out of thin air. She pressed the end of her arrow against the string of her bow and slowly pulled back, ready to attack again. The piercing cry of the Renard child echoed through the air. Nilsine, hearing the scream, struggled against the urge to rush forward and rescue them, unsure of the hooded mob's fate.
The dust cloud that had enveloped the cart and the crowd began to dissipate, granting Nilsine a clear view of everyone she had attacked. Bodies dressed in black robes lay scattered around the stalled cart, their blood spilling over the dirt road. Among the fallen, some still stood, protecting the others and the Renard family with a solid blue dome that emanated from their hands. Nilsine furrowed her brows and spread the fingers that held the end the of her arrow, creating three more arrows that aligned with her fingers.
She released the arrows, letting go of the bowstring. Like an explosion, they burst from her fingers, speeding across the field. They pierced and shattered the blue dome the hooded folk were using for protection. Some of the hooded folk exchanged shocked glances, taken aback by her skill. They scrambled to mount a counterattack, but Nilsine was already on the move.
With astonishing speed, she dashed towards them, closing the distance in an instant. As one of the hooded figures raised a hand to cast a spell, Nilsine swiftly shot an arrow into their hand and followed up with a magically charged kick to the neck. She spun to strike another, but a powerful gust of wind slammed into her back, forcing her to drop to one knee.
“I didn’t think I’d find an elf attempting to go against the Old Order but I shouldn’t be surprised by the actions of those who followed the White Dragon.”
Emerging behind her, the hooded man who had attacked the Renards and absorbed most of Nilsine's blow revealed a face and body marred by severe burns. His robe in tatters, his teeth exposed through charred holes in his cheeks.
“The Renard’s don’t belong to you!” Nilsine yelled, though another gust of wind slammed into her, causing her to gasp for air as the painful force vibrated through her body.
“If you care so much for them, then why don’t I take you right along with them?” The burned man lifted his hand and aimed a pointed finger at Nilsine. A faint glow emanated from his fingertip as he readied to strike. “Even if I kill you, you’ll still make a great sacrifice for the black dragon.”
“I’d like to see you try.” Nilsine raised her hands over the dirt road and swiftly cast a wind spell, propelling herself into the air and over the burned man.
The burned man reacted swiftly, spinning to unleash a powerful kick. However, Nilsine anticipated his move, using her magic to lift a sturdy slab of rocks from the ground to shield herself, blocking his magic-imbued kick. She conjured a magic arrow in her right hand, driving it into the burned man’s shoulder. Following up, she slammed her shoulder into his chest, forcing him to stagger back. Then, she swept his feet from under him and delivered a forceful, magic-imbued kick to his chest, sending him flying aggressively over the dirt road, before landing a few feet away from Nilsine and the cart.
But the scorched man quickly rose to his feet, his laughter echoing like that of a deranged soul. “You’re quite strong Elf, I think killing you will be a lot of fun.”
In an instant, the scorched man closed the gap Nilsine had put between them. Caught off guard, Nilsine furrowed her brows as she raised her bow to defend herself, but the scorched man was too quick. He elbowed her in the stomach, seized her by the neck, and forcefully slammed her into the dirt road. A loud gasp escaped her lips.
Nilsine's fingers clenched, her nails digging into her palms as she fought against the scorched man's hold. Suddenly, a bright light behind him captured his attention. "Is that a sign of help?!” he shouted, turning his head to see a familiar storm of white arrows rain down upon them. Smiling, the scorched man exposed his decayed, blackened teeth as the white arrow's shine caught his eye. He raised his other hand, conjuring a barrier similar to the one he had created earlier to shield himself, deflecting the onslaught of arrows.
“How long’s it been since you stretched those magic wings of yours? This can’t be all that you’ve got elf.” Leaning his distorted face closer to Nilsine’s, the scorched man taunted. “I wonder how pretty your skin will look after I take your life.” The palm of his hand, which he had pressed against her neck, began to heat up, causing Nilsine to scream as her skin started to burn.
The scorched man laughed as Nilsine flailed her arms, dirtying her hands as she slammed them onto the dirt under her. Unbeknownst to the scorched man, Nilsine had summoned aid. The ground trembled, and he released her, bewildered by the unfolding events. Roots from the surrounding trees shot out from under Nilsine, empowered by her magic. They ensnared the scorched man, freeing Nilsine. As the roots tightened around him, Nilsine caught her breath and checked her neck, finding no pain, indicating he hadn't been able to burn her properly.
“I guess you won’t get to see my dead pretty skin after all.” She conjured a white arrow, her arm pulsing with magic, and aimed to stab the scorched man in the chest. But before the arrow could find its mark, he opened his mouth, revealing his blackened teeth, and let out a piercing whistle, a long, overbearing tune that screeched into Nilsine's ears.
The Renard’s in the cart huddled together, covering each other’s ears. Nilsine stumbled back but maintained her balance as the scorched man shrieked, until abruptly falling silent. The air around them filled with an eerie quiet as the scorched man struggled against the tree roots, which tightened their grip in response. Unfazed by his predicament, he set his body ablaze, burning through the tree roots.
“What’re you doing?!” Nilsine shouted.
“Burning myself free!!”
His words echoed as there surroundings began to shake. This time Nilsine stumbled and fell as the rumbling intensified. From the forest behind them emerged an ogre, wielding an oversized stick with an iron axe affixed to its end. Shocked, she gasped at the sight. Scrambling to her feet, she aimed her bow at the approaching ogre, but the relentless rumbling made it difficult to get a clear shot. As the ogre drew closer, it raised its axe and swung down at Nilsine with all its might.
She shut her eyes and shielded her face, bracing for the end. Instead, she heard the clash of metal against metal. Opening her eyes, she saw Aiken, wielding his oversized sword, his legs anchored in two unexpected craters, blocking the ogre's attack.
“L-l-looks like I m-made it on time.” Aiken’s face covered in sweat and his legs struggling to keep still.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been more glad to see a swordsman.” Nilsine breathes a sigh of relief.
“At least the fight’s fair now.” The scorched man yelled as he broke free from the tree roots' grasp, his fire finally cutting through them. “But are you sure you can kill my ogre friend?”
Aiken gritted his teeth, summoning all his strength to push the ogre and its weapon. With a fierce yell, he drove the creature back, away from Nilsine and the burned man. Aiken wrested the ogre's axe away, diverting it toward his side. He then positioned his sword, its wide blade resting against his side, before swinging it across his chest and into the ogre's hand. Yet, he was met once more with the clash of metal. Aiken's gaze dropped to the ogre's hand, noticing the glint of what seemed to be armor that covered its entire body.
“Like I said, do you think you can kill my ogre friend?” The burned man chuckled. Nilsine raised her bow, aiming at the ogre, but before she could attack, the burned man kicked her hand, knocking it into the cart holding the Renards, causing her to scream in pain. “I hope you didn’t forget about me so quickly.” He whispered to her.
Nilsine’s scream jolted Aiken’s focus, but before he could react, the ogre delivered a crushing punch, sending him sprawling and leaving him gasping for air, blood trickling from his lips.
“Aiken!!”
The burned man, crouched, delivering a fierce punch to Nilsine’s stomach, sending her reeling. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. Despite the pain, she quickly regained her footing and went on the attack. With one arm cradling her aching stomach, she raised four large slabs of rock from the ground, positioning them around her defensively.
He laughed, and utilized his magic to charge forward, smashing through the first slab. However, to his surprise, Nilsine had vanished. He halted his advance, scanning the immediate area whilst surrounded by the remaining three slabs, but to the burned man’s dismay she was nowhere to be found.
“Killing you, is no fun if you hide away with your tail tucked between your legs.” The burned man taunted.
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Without warning, the three remaining slabs sprouted menacing spokes, grabbing the burned man’s attention. Simultaneously, a potent arrow pierced his chest from behind, propelling him into the waiting spikes. Taking advantage of the moment, Nilsine clapped her hands, causing the spikes to slam shut, ensnaring the trapped burned man. Once more, she prepared her bow, taking aim, only to be startled by the ogre's roar directly behind her. It had crept up unnoticed. Using her magic, she leaped over the ogre to evade it, but it seized her foot. Despite being swung around, she managed to aim her bow at the ogre's face. However, the ogre's movement caused her to lose her grip, and her arrow struck its hand instead, shattering the gleaming armor that Aiken had encountered. Unperturbed, the ogre lifted her high above his head and then brought his arm down with force. Nilsine screamed, but as she plummeted towards the ground, her fall slowed. Once again, the ogre's bellowing filled the air.
The loud thud of something big hitting the ground resounded in Nilsine’s ear, and after realizing that she was indeed still alive she opened her eyes and saw the ogre’s hand had been cut clean off of it’s arm.
“DON’T REST! YOUR FIGHT ISN’T OVER YET!” Aiken yelled.
Glancing back, Nilsine saw the burned man, his blood staining the dirt road, still struggling to free himself from her trap. Despite her exhaustion and injuries, she stood firm, ready to continue the fight.
“They’re coming, hold out until they show up.” Aiken mumbled through his bloodied lips.
With a nod, Nilsine grasped the meaning behind those words, preparing herself for another round of battle. “You owe me a drink after this is over.”
Aiken chuckled. “You’ve got my word Lady Nilsine.”
Enraged by its injury, the ogre let out a deafening shriek of anger and pain, its cries reverberating through the smoke and flames of Aster. Tightening its grip on the giant axe, the ogre unleashed its fury, swinging at Aiken.
However, Aiken met the ogre's axe with his own sword. The ogre pulled back its axe and attempted another powerful swing at Aiken, but once more, Aiken countered with his blade. Despite Aiken's efforts, the overwhelming strength of the ogre caused craters to form under his feet with each blocked attack, the craters growing larger and larger.
Aiken once again deflected the ogre's attack and swiftly went on the offensive. He dashed between the ogre's legs, positioning himself behind it. Digging his feet into the dirt, he pivoted his body to face the ogre's back and swung at the back of its feet. However, his strike was thwarted by the familiar shimmer of armor. Undeterred, Aiken maintained his grip on his sword and struck again, this time with even greater force, but once more, his attack was deflected. Enraged, the ogre let out another shriek and slammed its axe against the ground, laying it flat. It then began to slowly spin its body, attempting to sweep Aiken with its oversized axe. Aiken quickly jumped away from the sweep, but the ogre followed, closing the distance almost instantly.
Acting swiftly, Aiken poised himself and raised his sword over his shoulder. With a powerful swing, he slammed his broad steel blade against the sweeping edge of the ogre's axe. The clash of metal echoed loudly, forcing the ogre to recoil and drop its weapon. Seizing the opportunity, Aiken charged at the ogre and struck at its feet. Despite the absence of any audible impact or recoil from the shimmer's deflection, Aiken persisted, swinging at the ogre's feet again and again, yet failing to inflict any damage. As the ogre attempted to strike him with its arm, Aiken countered with a swing of his own, causing the ogre's arm to recoil. Tightening his grip on the sword's handle, Aiken jumped, raising his sword overhead and bringing it down with all his might upon the ogre's head.
Another agonizing shriek resounded from the ogre's mouth. As Aiken's sword struck, its steel revealed blue markings etched into its metal, a sight reminiscent of his battle with the griffin alongside Selina and Luna. The vibration sent through Aiken's hands as he pierced the shimmer was intense, but he managed to breach it, causing the ogre to writhe in agony. Its blood stained the blue markings, a moment of relief for Aiken. However, in his momentary lapse of focus, the ogre seized the opportunity and delivered a powerful blow to his side, sending him sprawling several feet away from the ongoing battle. His consciousness going dark almost instantly.
“AIKEN!” Nilsine screamed.
“DON’T LOSE FOCUS! YOUR FIGHT IS HERE!” Injured and bleeding, the burned man appeared beside Nilsine, delivering a magically enhanced kick to her side. She crumpled to the ground, this time finding it difficult to rise again. With a snap of his fingers, the burned man summoned a purple portal behind him. Several hooded figures emerged, similar to the burned man and his companions. "Deal with the Renards," he ordered. The followers nodded and quickly moved towards the Renards to carry out their leader's command.
“I… won’t l-let you!” Nilsine shouted but she struggled to stand on her feet.
Nilsine was rendered speechless by the loud shriek of the Renard child. "DADDY!!!" the child screamed, as the hooded figures under the burned man's command used their magic to restrain the father and drag him out of the cage, separating him from his family. They forced him to his knees, and one of the figures stood in front of him, holding a death crystal.
“Don’t worry, you’ll serve a greater cause.” A slow, raspy slur of a man’s voice, spoke to the father. His lips touched the death crystal, igniting a soft, translucent glow as if seeking to be fulfilled. Raising his hands high, he thrust them into the father's chest. A cry of pain escaped the father, echoed by his wife and child. The golden hue faded from his fur, life vanishing from his eyes. Collapsing into the crystal, his body transformed the light into a radiant gold.
“DADDY!!!!!!”
The child screamed at the top of his lungs, and the wife wept. Their agony echoed in Nilsine’s ears, compelling her to struggle to her feet, though she could barely move. She bled where she stood, her body aching, as the burned man rushed toward her, seizing her by the neck. Nilsine’s body thrashed, her arms weakly flailing at the burned man’s head.
Helplessness lingered in the burning air of Aster. A losing battle was obvious but never expected. In Aiken’s unconscious space of darkness, eventually came an image. A wave of blue water riding the tide and overtaking Aiken’s feet. Across the water stood a tall, dark-skinned woman with a sword tucked away at her waist. A familiar woman; she turned her body to face him, smiling with endearment and care. Aiken reached out but he was too far in the water.
“I never expected for it to manifest in you.” The familiar woman spoke. “The phoenix, typically make’s its choice after the previous wielder dies but I guess in our family things are different.”
Aiken tilted his head, confused by everything happening. “Mo—”
But his words were cut short by the Renard child's screams. Aiken scanned the area, trying to find where it came from, but all he saw was the endless expanse of the blue sea. He glanced at the woman, who had turned away again. He attempted to call out to her, but his voice was drowned out by the screech of a bird flying overhead, its shadow passing over him and the tranquil blue waters.
Aiken lifted his gaze, attempting to discern the source of the looming shadow. Suddenly, the tranquil blue waters transformed into raging flames, obstructing his view. Panic surged through him as he tried to navigate through the inferno, calling out to the woman for help. The flames seemed endless, offering no respite or escape. Aiken's screams went unanswered as he struggled, flailed, and gasped for air within the fiery turmoil. Then, a howl pierced the air, adding to the chaos of the flames consuming him before forcing Aiken into darkness again.
The once-familiar burning smell from their conflict had diminished, unbeknownst to the burned man and his followers. Despite the dire situation for those supporting the Renards, there was a noticeable change. It was sudden but evident to anyone not solely focused on ending Nilsine's life. A bright orange light illuminated over the burned man as he tightened his grip around Nilsine's neck.
“It seems the gods are giving me the spotlight as I kill for my own master!” The scorched man laughed hysterically. “How does it feel elf?!”
“I know she’s beautiful but you’re focused on the wrong thing!”
Another woman’s voice answers his redundant question, catching his attention instantly. A fiery rain descended upon them. The burned man erected a barrier for protection, but from beside him, a flash of white light streaked into his barrier, shattering it and tearing through his arm, freeing Nilsine. Luna, transformed into her enlarged form from her battle against the griffin, was by his side. Nilsine grasped onto Luna's fur and quickly retreated from the fiery deluge.
“H-help Aiken…” A weakened Nilsine whispered to Luna.
Her ears pricked up, a surge of protectiveness engulfed her, and she hastened to Selina's side, leaving the injured Nilsine with her.
“Luna I’ll handle things here… make sure Aiken’s alright.” Selina said.
Luna dashed toward Aiken, who lay unconscious as the ogre, wielding its oversized axe, drew nearer. With just a few steps separating them, Luna expended her energy, propelling herself forward. The ogre, poised to strike Aiken, raised its axe high. Luna realized she wouldn't reach him in time, so she quickly searched her mind for a solution. She decided to howl. With all her strength, she let out a loud, distracting howl, capturing the ogre's attention. The ogre turned toward her, bellowing in response, but the distraction bought Luna the time she needed. She leaped at the ogre with incredible speed, driving into its weapon and shattering its wrist, causing it to drop the axe.
Aiken snapped awake, a deep breath filling his lungs. A surge of energy coursed through him, revitalizing his body. His eyes instantly locked themselves above him. He saw Luna and the injured ogre exchanging blows, and prepared to join them. Moving swiftly, he circled the ogre and aimed a sword swing at the back of its feet, but the shimmering magic shield protected the ogre once more. Undeterred, Aiken stayed composed. Luna adjusted her position and, using her enlarged form, charged into the ogre’s chest, forcing it to its knees. Aiken’s body reacted instinctively, rushing toward the hurt ogre. The blue lettering etched onto his sword gleamed brightly as he neared the ogre’s broken wrist, lifting his sword and striking at its injured arm with incredible speed. As his sword came down, it ignited into roaring flames, slicing effortlessly through the shimmer for the first time in this battle and severing the ogre’s remaining arm.
A painful scream escapes the ogre’s ugly mouth.
“LUNA!”
A flash of white light appears and hurries by the ogre’s mouth. A gaping slash from Luna’s enlarged nails ripped away its mouth and tongue, hushing its screams. Aiken raises his flame engulfed blade once more and cuts through the ogre’s neck, killing it.
Luna howled triumphantly before dashing towards Selina, recognizing that their battle wasn't yet won. Aiken, his sword still ablaze with roaring flames, followed closely behind her, ready to continue the fight.
Nilsine sat behind Selina, channeling her magic to heal her wounds. However, due to her exhaustion and internal pain, likely from a few broken bones, the healing process was slow. Selina unleashed a barrage of spells at the burned man, yet despite her efforts, she couldn't banish him.
Laughing, the burned man remained protected by his own magic barrier. “I haven’t had the benefit of killing a mage worth anything in a very long time but you’ve peeked my interest, just like that elf behind you.” With a snap of his fingers, the burned man summoned a row of purple portals behind Selina. Hooded figures, led by the burned man himself, emerged from these very portals he had used before.
Despite her weakness and pain, Nilsine struggled to rise and defend Selina's back. However, she ultimately toppled over, unable to lift her arms or wield her magic. As Selina attempted to focus on the burned man, she also strained to conjure a spell with her free hand to fend off the hooded figures behind her. However, the distraction caused the rain of fire on the burned man to cease, giving him the opportunity to counterattack.
Using his magic to increase his speed, he dashed toward Selina, his hands charged with magical energy as he prepared to strike. Selina attempted to conjure a shield or barrier quickly, but her efforts were too slow. The burned man was already upon her, readying his attack. However, a glimmer of hope appeared—a flash of white streaked across her vision and collided with the burned man's side, sending him sprawling. A surge of powerful magic followed, prompting Selina to turn her head in search of its source. Aiken swiftly arrived, his sword ablaze, cutting through the hooded figures that emerged from the burned man's portal.
“Aiken?” Wide-eyed, Selina felt a shiver of surprise course through her body. The man before her was powerful—she didn't need to see him swing his sword to know it. It was a familiar feeling, one she had experienced before back in Salem.
Aiken reacted swiftly, moving in front of Selina to block the burned man's follow-up attack. The fire from his sword seared through his robe, blazing against his already charred skin.
“I smell the flames of a phoenix.” The burned man laughed. “Isn’t this quite the surprise.” The burned man pulled away from Aiken. “I’ve wasted a lot of time with you and even though I didn’t get all three Renard’s, but I at least got the strongest one.”
Aiken poised his sword, Luna prepared herself for another round of attacks. However, the burned man turned his back on them, a familiar purple portal materializing in front of him.
“Consider yourself spared elf but I guarantee you won’t get the same luck, the next time we meet.” He stepped through the portal, vanishing from the battle.
“Aiken?” Selina called.
Aiken breathed heavily, as the roaring flames he conjured settled. “Are you oka—” A surge of pain rippled through his body, forcing him to his knees as his chest constricted, making it difficult to breathe. It felt as though his flesh was burning from within. Aiken screamed in agony, bewildered by the sensation. Luna rushed to his side, whimpering, equally unsure of what was happening.
“AIKEN!” Selina yelled, also hurrying to his side.