COI C207

Words got through, the city guild, the Saint Heroes guild, are spreading like wild fire in social media. Not because of them being missing during the rest of the night, but it was about the strange phenomenon happened. The government already know, the Enders they could’ve find them, are along with them. Either which side they are on, they have to agree they are just a third faction wanting the loots of the remnants of their enemies and the looters that follow through.

The moment it starts to spread, Fuku City had reached the news and the cult leader is listening very carefully about it. His hands grips and crushed the glass in frustration. No blood spilled from the edges of the broken glass. His enduring internal rage is obvious from what he had in mind. The runaway demon, he solely tried to get rid have returned. Calming himself down by abusing the elven magic harmony to himself and replaying his past successes in his own vision. A yakuza, the thrills of his accomplishment going through again from his organized crime.

He clears off his head successfully once again after countless complains from the residences of Fuku City. He brings out his telepathy and called out to him “Spy, is there any update about Azin?”

“No Sir, he is clearly well protected with many security systems made by you with the head of security’s best staff”

Cult leader laughs at the irony “You!? Her best staff”

“. . .”

“The silent you respond to me is as sad as I could expect from her. She is indeed surrounded by this district’s incompetence. Fine, let her play her reality for a while, her best staff. Laugh*”

Spy wakes up from his telepathy as if he had a bad dream. It was late at night and the head of security is bringing some coffee.

She offered “Drink this, you’ll need it for the rest of the night”

“Ah Ma’am, yawn* This man is really been useful after the report of those glowing lights. Why can’t we cooperate with him once more?”

“We can’t! can’t, no, not right now”

The head was a scared to hear Azin going back out there. After what he had done to get rid of them and the following days at there was rumor of genocide. It was back then she realized how she needs him to go against the cult leader.

She knew though, she can’t do it alone and even with only her best staff is right in front of her. There are many staff in her headquarter can do better than him, but he is one of many able to find Azin, surrounded by cult leader’s gangs. That alone she couldn’t lose such a valuable asset.

She continues “We need time, I know you are the most up front among the staffs and being a guard here”

The spy looks offended “Huh? well I . . .”

“Not like that, ahem* I was trying to say that you are the only one got in and out from the gangs without causing trouble. It feels like you doing alone was a stupid idea, and I feel like you’re their spy or something”

Spy didn’t react, he just raised his eyes and gives her the look like he was used. She had forgotten what her staffs did to him.

“You know you’re my top superior. You took me in because of their taking advantage of my skill”

“I never forget, but I never ignore their concerns as you were a newcomer too. I already see them abusing you at that time. I couldn’t let you go because of that treatment. Even I put my trust you alone with Azin here”

“Sigh* Saying like that makes me wonder the head is truly trustworthy to her staffs”

That sighs made her feel insulted at the same time not wrong about his origin. He lived among them, gangs and other secret groups even before transferred into this world. The head sees him opening the cell gate for her and said

“So, your nightly meeting with him. Would you talk to him before the night is getting late?”

The head gently punches him at the shoulder. That personality of his will truly getting him kicked off the security group, but she can’t, she didn’t bother by it though.

She walks inside, and look at all the cells around her. It is a sad for her to see such cells empty. Fuku City can’t able to catch any troublemakers. She knows about the gang and they were bailed out from the organization. The irony of the circulation of the expenses and spending will forever circle around Fuku City. The suspects jailed by the securities. They were bailed after by some strange groups funding for their release. She used these funds to strengthen the security, leaving no extras. Yet, it continues. She then realized. The expenses they have gotten were the same groups offering their service.

It was a humiliating cycle. Like if, they are just testing the securities and them being the test subjects. She starts to figure out how the yakuza grow powerful. Creating a problem that was solved by the same person making the problem. An endless loop until it reaches its peak. She has no way to stop this cycle as it grows in alarming rate. Her hope, and daringly walked close to it. Right in front of her, the man who can removed such problems. Not by killing them, but by removing such given power. There she can find a solution and the curse to those who have no power left to protect themselves.

“Azin”

She spokes at his cell. In such a small place where he continues to work out, he is the only exception to bring so many things he needed and his own devices to learn about the city’s life and culture. The head is desperate to cut this cycle. Azin is speaking her worries

“I have already planted the beginning. You witness their rise and downfall, because cannibalism practices. Your own city, fighting to the top and oblivious about the dangers. I am just here to convince your people to leave this world”

The head of security heard what she wanted to hear. To leave this world, but think it would be better to remove the higher ups in power who convince this city to stay. Worse than she could understand what happened to the mayor. It is clearly that this stories about the summoner from the local have said to them in many different tales and version. Yet this is convincing enough after her long investigation with him. Only she wants from him is

“Here, as of now, there is a threat that someone is getting through the foundation. Do you think why that man wanted them to stay? I know you are here for that”

Azin sees her eyes determined of wanting everyone to get out of here, even the bad guys as well. She asked him from what he had learned from his guild. The Not Worthy Guild’s hidden archives kept forever in secrets as every detail they took were all key eye witnesses of many generations survived or bringing the truth before it tainted. He didn’t make it too complicated. He answers

“Of course, and this is not the time to reveal the truth. Not yet, even if I can’t provide you, losing your chance to know. There are other people out there, your people, had already searching for it. You’ll get your share, safe enough without the threat noticed you”

“Yes, I know. For that I want to ask, to make evidence that they were scammed by the idea”

The head security had spoken her intention. Azin didn’t believe it and kept looking at her. This kind of interactions shouldn’t be him involving the city’s matter. Because of that, he has to be her accomplice. It is been like this. Wanting to stop without knowing the cause of it. What they talked about before is as noble or reasonable from what their heads had thought. If he interferes, he is nothing but a demon’s pawn already planned for them.

The head returns back to the gate another failed attempt. “This is going to take forever. How come he can help us when it comes to one member of my old community? Hey, did you hear me?”

The spy lies on the wall “Huh? It’s late, and the key should be put away for your nightly visits. I think you should be sleeping. It’s been weeks or so, I can’t say whether you can convince him. Rather, he did it because they don’t need to live in Fuku City’s abusive lifestyle”

The head feels troubled and admitted “I . . . You’re right, like you said before. He can’t get out even I secretly let him. You’re here, I feel like I can handle it”

The head of security left, leaving him guarding the cell for another hours for the next shift comes to take his place. A security woman comes with her own personal device to distract herself. Fuku City security is something, a staff bringing her own personal things inside the cell without worrying that the cell mate might escape. Spy said to her

“Again?”

She replies with a bored face “Uh huh, he is no danger. We know he is not a problem. Although, you being our boss’s little dog. You’re really take this job seriously”

She smack talks him as he leaves. Her bored expression turned into an amusing face, such a teasing look as her little ego only boost so little. She returned to her device and continue on her lazy duty. The spy left the gate, and pulls out his device and sends a message to Azin before the signal cuts off. Every night, he made contact and every day he received Azin replies. Their communications were separated from the head security and him. Azin knew about it, and he tries his best to understand both of their situation.

Inside of his cell, given by many equipment needed for him to learn. Larger than any cell that is a violation to most facilities. This called tech, computer, had contacted him again. Not from the head security, but the Spy himself. He read the message

“Rumors about two Enders, part of the looters or criminals alike. Are they looking for you?”

Azin expects such people like them. Enders are not perfect than they thought they are. They are as the same as them, and the difference are any less from the traitors of this city heading to the east coast.

He can’t answer that question if they targeted him. Or they have their own agenda to search a specific demon they wished to destroy. Enders true purpose was supposed to fight against the demons’ faction. It is clear, but less so to whom those Enders are. Azin, no matter how they sealed him from contacting them from the outside world. Tonight, or even before that, he senses the glowing light. His guild mentioned about sensing the glows. Lost and need to be found, the voices are older than he had listen to, and the voice told him as Azin whispers

“Alright, that woman. I must let her do it”

The rain never ceased within the ruins. The Raker Mawns didn’t stop and keep moving on. Leaving the recovering city adventurers to their own inside the safe rooms. There they prepared again. Voldemyr and Haw received Guildmember’s magic into them. Because of the adventurers will weigh them down when the fight began. It was their disadvantages, and now they left them as soon as they challenged them again. Ironno was the last to get out and able to close the door. Sealed and baited to send them to the island, there will be no more worries as they must continue.

Voldemyr told Ironno “Did I told you to send them into the island?”

“As you’ve instructed”

“Thank you, they will not spread words of us here and probably come looking for us”

“I am surprised that you know how they will react when it something dangerous will happened”

“Don’t be fooled by their naïve actions. They too are looting the spoils of the demons’ army. When I entered this place, there are many people are collecting samples to the massive tree falling inside their city. They are cutting it as we speak”

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Guildmember’s magic is now flourishing to each and everyone. Boosting their abilities and skills needed to search who are they looking for. Voldemyr is leading them, as soon as he got what he wanted he will leave. Even the guildmember himself, this cross meeting was never intentional as he had concern of Ironno’s training. In truth, he knows that Ironno lacks being a teacher, but for Haw, he has his own. Lady Coheld is indeed making him human. But Haw’s flaws are better left unchecked.

Once more, Enders tracks returned and seemed to be away from the city. Voldemyr uses Guildmember’s magic to extend further to the past to where and when did those two go. A vision shows him where they go and something is chasing them, a dangerous essence come across and he stopped before even to get closer to the vision. He breaks the tracking and quickly rub the muddy dusts and shards where he traced it.

“Grumble* That’s why they go here. The rebellious demons are not done. Their collections are roaming and hibernating into the ruins”

Guildmember responds “That means they can only be found in the second moon cycle. A clever way to escape though, and it is also a nice distraction when those creatures from the sea will rise from the sea shore transforming from fish to beasts”

Voldemyr shakes his head “That is not the issue, the contact between them and their masters have already severed. Only for those puppets to be controlled again with another demon. It means we are safe for now. Until the second moon cycle, they will wander as much as any mindless creatures we faced at the undergrown”

Sometimes, not everyone will understand how those creatures persist on existing. Guildmember sends this information to Myrrkei. Myrrkei let him read his thoughts and discovered multiple hypotheses and theories, then lead to the results of it all. Guildmember told his team.

“Natural neutral mana stages . . .”

Haw corrected him “Demonic natural chrysalis”

“. . . Pardon, yes that what I meant to say. I always get lost to someone who has so many thoughts in one segment”

Ironno recognized that word, with his runes found something hiding in thin air. He hits the air and shattering the illusion. Demons’ puppets are moving from place to place searching to where they could hide. That small glimpse where they could feel the presence from the previous encounter. Ironno feels it

“It is the same feeling where we found the puppets and the unknown citizens”

The Raker Mawns were nearly surprised how Ironno found it, and all they could see are the same puppets from the undergrown. The presence of demonic energy though, they are not the same.

As they watch the puppets passing by, mindlessly going to where it must rest. The sight of other puppets is in chrysalis, holding off the dusts before it could consume them.

Guildmember explains it to them “Such a mysterious way to use magic naturally, it is making it harder to differentiate the norm than become an artificial weapon. These creatures for now acting like animals, as if, there is another demon active in the city, and that demon has no interest. It put them those mindless creatures into her own void. Because in this cycle, the original creators can’t reach them and left into the hands of this other demon. Be careful, they look like infested sharded monsters”

Voldemyr recognized those creatures while he ventured to the depths, along with Haw who had seen them before with his Dexter Guild team.

Haw confirms Guildmember “He’s right, most of these creatures will consume any mana it finds. They look rather pale and starving, you can only see their trapped souls forced into this world wandering to no end”

Guildmember agrees “Yes, I can explain more of this creature, but they seem to be inoring us. Do you think they will still behave like this when they recovered at the second moon cycle?”

Haw shakes his head “Certainly not, the demons are the one who are responsible of their creations. These remnants are the collections they have left wandering around. Lost and maintain in top condition. I’d say it will be the next problem for this city. Or they will properly clean this city before it ever come”

Ironno continues destroying the illusion as the puppets are going their way. “I let them see this. Let’s move on, we need to deal with the brigands”

Guildmember took a few seconds looking at Ironno revealing the puppets as they go. Across the far distance where he could hear their thoughts, it was their gleaming stare attracted by those creatures. Then the thoughts went silent or separated after a second. He found them

“There!” He pointed to the direction where they are.

Voldemyr whispers the name of his target “Hulyir, Ka’zei, neither mortals nor blood descent. Everyone, treat them as any old ones of the elven lore”

They ready themselves and set out going through the harsh rain. Protected by the suits they wore from the Rune Isles. Guildmember connected their thoughts and hear and sense the environment from anything suspicious. It wasn’t quiet; the noise of the rain, muddy tracks from their steps, nor the shattering shards all around. They hear the voice of the dead. The spirits have granted them what they could not hear. Hulyir and Ka’zei are purging the dead.

The looters had finally got caught. Their souls are being consumed by Hulyir’s blade. The baits they set off because of the demons’ army puppets are mindless going around exposing themselves. Infested by shards and crystallization, it is hard for them to ignore the materials it had. It is their chance to get more functional magic runes. They failed, and left to the death and imprisoned by the brigands of Rune Isles. They silent their wailing screams and keep them into an old magic item. Trapped once again in their eternal slumbers.

Ka’zei brought his puppets and forged the souls they caught into them. The puppet becomes alive and casts it down into materials made by him like cement and rebar scraps found in the ruins. It transforms magnificently as if his puppets were fully refined with a human form. The flaws acting up as the souls were not willing to combine with it, then it turns worse as it becomes disform and broken. Ka’zei in his gruesome eyes show relief that he collected these souls and still under his control.

“Ugh! These are from Agatheus City. Where’s the souls connected by Hivites’ old allies”

Hulyir wipes off his blade dripping with specter like fluid, both texture of water but behaves like smoke. The smoke forms little human faces screaming to escape this curse. His blade shakes it off like they are nothing but water. The crystallization on their spectral bodies is sticking to them. The remains of their victims are real along with the souls.

“It is always impossible to take the souls from the demons’ collections. For now, we hold it by the grip of our weapons and magic. I don’t think it will last long until the next moon cycle”

They hear a group of people marching their way. Ka’zei’s puppets are going around randomly to prepare itself. They can hear other looters are on the moves as well. Ka’zei said to him

“We need to leave, there is no need to face our Enders here. They will always leave us alone where there is no acknowledgement from their Lord”

Hulyir stays silent

“Hulyir, are you willing to face here?”

“Then ready your spells when the time comes. We won’t survive against four of them. Escaping is near impossible”

“But it is not impossible enough with the almighty”

“The gods are still enraged because of the summoner”

“Because of that, we have the powers we needed”

“It still means nothing, this power only be used against the summoner, not them”

A bolt flies close to Ka’zei’s head. His puppets come to his rescue and catches it before reaching his face. It holds the bolt but ripped at its pointy edge twisting to the side nearly hitting him but it’s shaft.

“Desecraters!”

Voldemyr spoke out as their surroundings turned bleak. All around them is prepared to enclose themselves. No interference, no escape, and fight to the death. The barrier is formed and Ka’zei forces to send the code of word.

“Mohur Billet!”

Voldemyr readies his second shot, then there were flashes on his head forces him to stop. Guildmember disrupts Voldemyr

“Respect the code”

Mohur Billet, a bizarre word that they thought to be a name. Yet, it is a known form of code of words to all humans. They will immediately stop as the words of the gods put into judgement. Break it, then the defender will survive anything what will come across. If they preserve it, then nothing happened to stop them. The Raker Mawns had decided to hunt them down, and these two Enders accepted it.

Guildmember said to them “You have your last words, desecrators. You are here in the city without prior words form the Lord, and he will always lead to your deaths”

Ka’zei nods “Neither will you after our talks. A fight is still a fight. I vow the code to pass down a message”

“What message?”

“You know we are after demons. Collections of souls who are willing to go against their kind need to be punish, however. It was already fruitless from the start after what happened”

Haw knows “We already know, you can’t even find your cure for me”

“That’s a different topic. We don’t know who you are or able to know about the “cure””

Haw tries to step in, but Ironno stops him “We need to make it quick. Look!”

Haw sees Hulyir is holding the spirits into his blade, merging desperately as it gets sharper. It is clear that they are using the code as their advantage. It also happens with Voldemyr himself. Ka’zei sees him already bringing out the powerful bolts. Ka’zei have to say to them

“Then we face judgement, please continue our legacy to end the influence of the demons”

Guildmember vows theirs “Then death reached us, then honor our loyalty”

Hulyir and Ka’zei thought this would happen. But an honor is an honor. They must accept it. Yet they seem not to devote to it. They can see that they won’t agree to it either except termination. A lie is form as the gods on their side are wishing for it. Voldemyr and Guildmember are the only two are faithful to their beliefs. Ironno and Haw though are not. The gods are looking down or up to what directions of its supernatural origins. The Mohur Billet is shamed, but it keeps its virtue. Haw keeps it with ease as if he is willing to do it. Ironno don’t believe it with his enemies. Voldemyr’s enraged because of their lie. Guildmember takes this advantage to upraise the gods’ judgement.

Hulyir’s and Ka’zei’s gods are eyeing on them as they are pleased of their deceptive actions. Easily revealed as they are cornered. But the powers they are provided were forsaken. Enders fighting among Enders will received the powers of the gods. The remnants of their bodies marked by them. The day will come for their souls to return to their blood origin, and those gods are waiting for the path for them to leave this world. Even though it is what they believe in, these powers, however were always stolen away by from the unknown entity.

The bolts fired, extreme amount of force at their direction. Hulyir slices it off before it lands on to them. Ka’zei sends his puppets to flank them. Ironno and Haw takes the flank as Guildmember is channeling his spell. Their broken code had made Voldemyr daring as he rapid fires only to Hulyir. Fast shots as he cuts them all down without a chance. A flurry of shots never ceased as it combined both magic and real bolts. The damaged bolts were recollected to Voldemyr’s side. Haw takes it and repair it.

The puppets tried to stop him but soon countered by Guildmember’s magic. The puppets are passing through his defenses and pierces it through with its mouths consuming the magic barrier. Closing into them, Ironno raises his pickaxe and takes all of them down as soon as Ka’zei reacts. All of his puppets fell in one swoop. Ka’zei forced to use his magic, channeling together by his hands. He releases a torrent both arcane and dusts mixed with together. It explodes in scattering shards at them

Haw gives the bolts to Voldemyr. “Shoot it with this”

Voldemyr grabs it and fire at the spell. It pierces through his spell then ricochet in between the shattering arcane and dusts. Ka’zei falls back and splintered all around him. The stings inject inside of his body, corroding his very flesh into clear hardened gem. It stops him to cast his spells. Hulyir slices Ka’zei limbs before the corroding flesh spread further. Shattering it all down leaving him bleeding with his torn off arm. He gritted his teeth as he continues casting spells.

Hulyir charges first. Haw throws his potions around them. Fluids filled with powerful concoction decaying any source of magic it touches. Hulyir keeps going where the moment he touches the fluid on his feet, he levitates before contacting it. Voldemyr sees he is evading and brings out his chains and hook trying to hold him before he reaches to them. Guildmember helps him by given supports where his chain is wrapping around it. Voldemyr guides him where he wanted to hook it up. Ascend to the air as the chain is raised.

Hulyir reaches closer to them, and what follows from his back is Ka’zei’s blood surging closer to him and mix with his blade. Tainted with souls and his blood together forming a horrific spell, he moves to the air slices though the floating chain. One fast strike, but he misses. Then descends down at them as they about to split the group. With a wide slash down. A large wave of blood and souls corrupting all around them, spreading horror and decimating powerful auras. He swoops down as fast as he could, then he was yanked off where Voldemyr’s hook caught him.

Pulled from Hulyir’s back, he can’t go closer and continues slashing at them like crazed animal. Haw uses the last of his potions to block all the horrors before it reaches contact to them. The horror spells transformed as soon as it reaches to them. The souls taken from their bodies screeching out like mad men searching to someone to destroy. Mindless souls with aggressive mindset. They feel into the potions’ effects and melts down to the ground in spilled blood.

The wailing screeches loudly as Haw tries to shield them. A monstrous flesh come out of nowhere. The waves of Hulyir’s strike turned into magic, a horrible creature formed fused together with the souls freshly taken by the demons’ collections. It wraps him as it rips through his armor. Hard as leather, written in runes, broken cleanly like cloth. The sounds of getting ripped mix together the horrors of its screams. It tears his flesh as he fights against it.

Ironno tries to retaliate it, able to break through the spell but didn’t last long as Hulyir keeps slashing close to them. He tries to raise up his weapon, but was kick at its pickaxe head and away from its pointy edge to Hulyir’s limbs. Too fast for him to use his scrolls, one slash to his body and his hidden scrolls torn first before reaching his skin. The wails further into his flesh trying to tear him down deep into multiple cuts. Ironno uses his bare fist to hit Hulyir. Hulyir counters by using on his hilt to his fists.

Hulyir stops moving his sword, where Guildmember holds his blade. The magic is being disrupted, ruining the flow of his horrific magic. The souls are going wild and hit all three of them. It rips them by Ka’zei’s decaying blood. The blood quickly pulled into Ka’zei with his remaining spells still channeling through. Then a bolt came and pierces through him with a chain attached. Voldemyr appeared behind Ka’zei and reeled in the end of the chain with the hook from Hulyir.

The sounds of the clanging of his reloading crossbow, detached and connected together both Ka’zei and Hulyir. He wraps the chain into Ka’zei’s bones and flesh stopping him from doing anything. The pulls of the chain through Ka’zei’s flesh leaving him screaming and the magic of the spells cursing him to keep himself alive. Hulyir was getting pulled, pull and pull, while Ironno and Guildmember is holding him tightly. Reaching closer as Voldemyr pulls out his melee weapon, marks by the weapon of the manhunt. One loud thrust to their flesh, throwing putrid and guts. The two had made their end.

Voldemyr mangled their flesh together, cursed to merge together as one. Forged like a monster in the most disgusting way. Hulyir’s body is inside of Ka’zei’s chest, forging their flesh together. The sounds of dripping blood are still there, causing a bad scene to anyone who see the usage of these monstrous weapons. A world that continues this never-ending restoration. This is the only way to stop the pitiful healing, a transformation into the abomination.

Hulyir opens his UI, and set his settings. As the notification opens for him, they quickly disappeared leaving all their things behind.

Guildmember thought so “Hulyir will never be taken away that easily. He was the living creation of the Code Red Virus”

Then he ironically sighs “I don’t even know if we are still the Hero’s Faction”

Voldemyr don’t believe what Guildmember said to them. The wounds he did to them are the same to his team, but he seems not giving up the hunt.

The damage from the Raker Mawns are already in critical conditions. As they reopen to the outside, rain or shards falling into them feeling their skin as they still bleed. That moment it crystallized. it also includes their very flesh. Voldemyr gives them a potion

“Take this and leave this place. I’ll return myself out into the wilderness”

He left as he continues his hunt. Meanwhile they were left behind with their whole body left into crystallized state. Left to their own abilities, they have enough to call for help.