How many years has it been?
Since he stood upon that bloodied earth.
How long had he been waiting?
For a chance to exact a bloody injustice of his own.
The scent was nauseating, as Basil looked up at the sky. The sun looked upon him with an unholy disdain for his continued breath, and his child body buckled under his own weight as his undeveloped muscles strained and roared. He fell to his knees, sobbing as the reality of what was upon him came crashing down.
“Is this supposed to be fair?” He yelled, his heart thumping as the water that kept his nerves responding shuddered, and he nearly lost feeling once more. That helplessness threatened to drown him, to suffocate him within its depths. “Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!” He rose to his feet, stumbling left and right as he continued to scream the accursed word.
“Is that what you want me to look for? Revenge?!” He cried out, smashing his fist into his chest, he fell over onto the crimson blades of grass, as the sun beat down upon him mercilessly. He thrust his arm to the sky, trying to grab ahold of the sphere of light and perhaps smother it within his grasp. “I…” His tears flowed gently from his face, bringing a tingling line of sensation to his dried cheeks.
He wasn’t going to let himself be drowned, as he rose onto his feet another time, and directed his furious glare straight at the burning sun. It hurt his eyes, but that didn’t matter. “I will… I will… kill him.” His eyes upturned, as his sorrowful expression twisted into that of a crude smile. “Kill Ether.”
His body was barely upright, but he still screamed as he felt his mind struggle to remain concrete. Reality was screaming back, but his voice was louder. The wind howled, but his outcry was beyond the forces of nature. His mind threatened to silence him, but he had more power.
Basil screamed with all the rage in the world. At age eight, he swore vengeance.
Yet.
Yet he thought he had at least let all of that ugly energy leave him.
Yet as he stood before this legendary beast, his arm rebounding back into a state of helpless nothing. He couldn’t help but scream once more, his voice going hoarse as a feeling of pure terror cascaded through his head. It was happening again, his body was giving up, had his magic failed? Was his body no longer able to keep up with the stress? Had his nerves decayed beyond his magic’s help?
All the questions rolled through his mind, but an overwhelming pit in his stomach threatened to rip through his chest. He barely had time to think as the wyvern’s claws smashed square into his chest, the talons cutting deep into his abdomen while sending him reeling into the rock walls ahead. He couldn’t even wince, the physical pain like a windy breeze compared to the mental anguish he suffered.
The wyvern roared, having recovered from its surprise and demonstrating triumph as it danced mystically through the air before him. He didn’t know how it flew without wings, he didn’t care, its slender and sleek body was like a feathery wyrm, as golden scales dotted its underbelly. It was an unbreachable defense, Basil heaved and heaved as he looked upon the beast, watching as it slithered through the sky. He was mesmerized as his mind held the beautiful display as a distraction from the past that kept trying to drag him back.
He was so enthralled his sword barely raised to block the next strike of the creature’s claws. The knife-like extrusions even cracking his silver sword as he was slammed into the rock behind him once more, he cried out as his back smashed into the earth, bones beginning to snap as well. If this kept up, he was going to die.
All Basil could see however, was the endless cacophony of memories. It was a chaos that ran through his head, and every strike from the wyvern caused it to grow louder. Like a choir of screams that begged for his pleas.
Yet his body unconsciously stood up from each blow, and the wyvern continued to slam him into the earth, his blade continued to crack under the pressure. His eyes were glazed over and lost, as the monstrous legend roared with victorious might. Its roar echoed through his mind, adding to the banquet of terror that victimized him.
His body couldn’t keep up.
His body couldn’t stand.
What would give out next?
It was at that moment, that Basil slightly returned to himself. As he glanced down at his sword arm, despite having exhausted his limb by constantly blocking the wyvern’s blows, it remained responsive. He pushed off the cave walls, feeling his spine turn and twist even slightly, it continued to be felt. He felt his limbs relax and tense all at once, with only his left arm continuing to be unresponsive.
Only one limb had gone slack?
Basil’s mind raced, as he chose to instead dodge the next strike. The wyvern’s claws cut clean through the rocky walls, deepening the caverns as Basil’s body sluggishly rolled to the right of the attack. The screams were present, but his mind had managed to calm from them for a moment’s respite. Why would only one limb be numb? His magic manipulated all of his limbs at once, there was no reason for just one to fail.
He tried to think back to what could have caused this disability, as his stomach roared with increasing pain. The sick feeling from before coming back tenfold, to which Basil’s eyes widened ever so slightly.
Since he had woken up in Minerva, he had been getting an odd feeling from his stomach. The only instance of eating anything before that was at Minerva’s Mark. The fish? No, the bartender wouldn’t go out of his way to poison somebody he had just met. That old man was too kind. Basil’s mind raced as he continued to weakly evade the attacks, as the wyvern grew more impatient. Its snout spewed smoke as it began to grumble and roar, if he was a gambling man, that meant fire.
“The water.” Basil spoke gently, as he looked down at his arm. Avar. The quest. Her group. The camp. The food. The water.
He tightened his grip on his sword.
The wyvern roared with rage as it coiled back like a snake about to strike, flames brewing within its maw. Its sleek white shape unraveled forward as it prepared to breathe fire upon the bewildered Basil.
Basil roared.
The wyvern shrunk back, flinching as Basil yelled out. His body shaking as he bellowed at the beast itself, his body straining to keep up with his throat as he roared with a pure fury. He had not felt this angry in a long time, after all, betrayal cuts deep. To be used for a false revenge, that cut deeper. The legendary beast began to cower slightly, finding itself intimidated by the lengths Basil’s lungs went to.
He kept roaring until blood spewed from his throat onto the ground before him. He felt his voice disappear, as he smirked and wiped the red from his lips. He’d have to finish this quickly, as he raised his sword arm up to the wyvern. It snarled, but didn’t approach. Basil’s smile grew wider, as he concentrated.
The water from his faltered bubble flowed towards him, surrounding his form as he glared up at the beast. He held no ill will to it, this was likely its abode after all, and his intruding on it was likely not the first of trespassers. He was sorry for it. Some of the water flew into his mouth, which he swallowed down, it flowed throughout his veins, leaving the blood clean and pure once more.
He would kill it.
He applied some of the water to his other arm, encasing it in a bubble of its own. With some increased difficulty, he found it moved freely. He rolled his shoulders as he inhaled and exhaled deeply, feeling his calm return to him, he was back in control of himself.
“You know, I’ve been careless since coming here.” He began to speak, knowing his words fell upon deaf ears. The wyvern shook itself free of its fear, as it began to coil for another attack, the spiral of white and gold a beautiful display as its steel talons glistened. Basil didn’t care. He raised his sword, pointing its edge downwards. “It’s time to stop being so confident, and use all my tricks and plans from the very start.”
All he needed was to land a blow on the inside of the beast, but that was easier said than done with a silver blade. So instead, he’d need something even sharper. He smashed his blade into the earth with all his might, causing the already decaying edge to shatter into a hundred fragments. The little bits of silver dotting the cave floor to the wyvern’s brief awe. It didn’t last as long as before however, as it took this as an opportunity and charged.
There was a lot of room in this cave, Basil would have to use that to his effect if he wanted to win this battle. He sighed and closed his eyes, concentrating on the handle that remained in his hand. The remaining water condensed atop it, as he twisted his grip to hold the blade up once more. The wyvern’s claws struck his head.
The wyvern’s talons were cut off, as it roared in pain and reeled back. Basil walked forward, as he brandished his blade once more. From the guard, a blade of gushing water erupted, moving so fast back and forth that it was as if the blade was simply a bright azure. He tensed his body, lowering his form as he stared the wyvern dead in the eyes.
Handling this technique on its own was one thing, but he also had to manage the upkeep of his body’s movement. He wouldn’t be able to keep this going for very long. He began to run forward, feeling his exhaustion give in to his overwhelming adrenaline. The wyvern cried out, ignoring its pain in favor of the same emotions. It flew forward, planning to drive itself head first into Basil.
He raised his blade, grabbing hold of it with both arms in preparation to cut its majestic head wide open with a single blow. The water covered arm empowering his grip and reinforcing it. The beast’s eyes stared holes into his, and he did the same to it as they approached at an alarming rate. The wyvern roared, Basil roared back.
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Closer. Closer. And closer still.
Yet at the moment it seemed blade and flesh were about to come to a clash. The beast swerved straight upwards, its string-like body flying up and beyond his reach. He didn’t waste a moment, thrusting his sword into the beast’s underbelly as it flew above him, taking advantage of its long shape to leave a deep gash across its form. It could’ve been fatal, but the beast’s tail smashed into his side resoundingly, he felt ribs break as he tried to turn his waist and minimize impact.
Even as he avoided severe damage, the sheer force of the strike sent him flying upwards alongside the majestic creature. He nearly hit the cave’s ceiling as he began to freefall, searching urgently for the beast’s head. The wyvern’s roar echoed, but in the coiling mass of its body, he couldn’t find its piercing gaze anywhere. He hefted his blade as he prepared to simply throw it at the mass’ center.
As he did so, the wyvern’s head emerged spewing orange and red flame that flew straight towards him in plumes. He grimaced as he threw his sword, his aim obscured by the flame before he crossed his arms. The fire smashed into his body, licking at his form as it threatened to eviscerate his blood and flesh all at once. He winced and cried out, but remained steadfast as he landed on the ground. The water encasing one arm had spread to the other, having created a brittle but effective defense.
The wyvern cried out as well, but Basil couldn’t see if he had hit his mark in the smoke. At the very least it had stopped breathing flames. He stood firm, keeping the water encased arms crossed in caution of another plume of flame. When none came, he lowered his guard and glanced through the fading smoke. The majestic beast was bloodied, but breathing, his blade was lodged within one of its eyes, the water edge beginning to fizzle without anybody to focus mana into it.
Basil fell to one knee, heaving slowly. That defense and manipulating the blade had begun to take its toll, as his body threatened to give up on him, he didn’t have much mana left now until his movement completely ceased. He would have to bet everything on the next exchange, he glanced back at the pieces of silver that had fallen upon the ground behind him.
He raised one of his arms, noticing as they were now shaking slightly. The blade flew from the beast’s eye, small droplets of water propelling it back into his grasp. The wyvern barely flinched, as it had entered its own state of adrenaline. Basil managed to pull off a weak smile. “Looks like you and I are nearing our limits.” The water blade reignited its speed, flowing at high speeds as he channeled his focus into it once more.
The wyvern snarled, as it flew further back, clinging to the furthest walls of the cave basin. With its claws useless and limited sight, it was likely going to rely solely on its flames. All it would take is taking out the other eye, or one more good blow to its head or innards. That would be it. Basil tried to feel confident, but his conscious shattered that expectation immediately. He couldn’t lower his guard yet, there was no telling what a cornered animal might do.
He glanced back at the shards of silver again, it was time to employ every trick he had. He began to walk, and then run forward, showing reckless abandon as he sprinted for the wyvern. It roared once more, its bellows growing more furious and desperate as it unleashed a vast plume of flame that stretched across the entire cave. Basil didn’t smile, but it was to his expectations.
He leapt up, as geysers of water shot him further into the air. He felt his back twinge with heat as he soared over the onslaught of beautiful fire. “Father, it really is as majestic as they say.” He glared at the beast, as he aimed his sword backwards. “Dragons are incredible.”
His sword spewed a plume of its own, icy water spewing back and propelling Basil forward through the air, sending him rocketing towards the wyvern’s recluse upon the cavern wall. He was getting pretty close now, he had to prepare himself for anything. He breathed in deeply.
No room for mistakes.
He shot the blade’s geyser to his right, swerving past a boulder that flew beside his head. The beast was now tearing rock out of the wall, chucking it at him with its declawed limbs. Its grip strength was still more than intact. He grimaced as he continued to evade the projectiles to the best of his ability, propelling himself all about as he continued to surge towards the wyvern’s head. The fact that it chose this path meant that it was unable to see clearly, and as such wasn’t going to move from that spot.
“Final round.” He whispered as a boulder smashed into his chest, a smaller one that he could barely see before it knocked him down towards the flame. The water upon his blade dissipated, as the cycle of spewing water and it flowing back was disrupted. He was about to burn alive.
He cried out, as water flowed from the alcoves of his spine, his body began to threaten to give up on him as he sacrificed part of his movement. His legs and arms became stiff as water spewed from his mouth towards the blade, restarting the geyser and causing him to only burn his foot slightly upon the waves of fire. He shot forward, glancing back briefly to see that the flames were unable to reach the other end of the cave. He nodded as he let a little confidence flow, and began to descend towards the beast’s head.
It stopped spewing flames, and instead aimed straight for him. Its maw opened, as it prepared to unleash a new onslaught of fire upon him at point-blank. Basil aimed his sword forward, as he shot the pressured and fast moving water straight into the beast’s innards. It growled in pure unrelenting pain as blood poured from its maw, the fire within dying out altogether. The wyvern cried out in pure desperation, as it pulled another boulder from the wall. Basil continued to freefall, as his sword had been depleted of its water. He raised his open arm, dropping the blade to the cave floor as his muscles screamed at him to stop.
He wasn’t going to, not yet. It wasn’t over yet.
The wyvern growled as its former claw gripped another rock, about to throw it.
It cried out as its limb was almost instantly battered into a bloody mess. Crimson spouted from hundreds of tiny holes upon its body, mainly its limbs, as it roared in confusion and dying adrenaline. Basil pulled his arm back, as the fragments of silver receded from its body, being carried on drops of water.
“You’re out of tricks.” Basil exclaimed weakly, as he fell to the cave floor gently. Water barely breaking his fall, the wyvern fell to the ground with a far less clean drop. The earth shook as the beast fell lifelessly upon the cave basin’s grounds. Basil looked upon it with sorrow and regret.
“I wish it didn’t have to be like this..” He remarked. Reaching to pet it’s snout gently. He had always loved hearing about dragons and the ike, to think that the first he would meet would be one he had to slaughter. It hurt his soul.
The wyvern twitched.
Basil leapt back, but he was too late. The wyvern’s maw shot open as it snapped at his body, enclosing around him. Basil let more water flow from his spine towards his limbs, as he empowered them to hold the beast’s jaw open. He grimaced as its overwhelming strength threatened to bite him in two, his left leg already being shredded by the fangs as they dug into his heel. His body had been pushed past the point of limits, but Basil couldn’t focus on that right now.
He squinted as red began to flare up from within the wyvern’s body. It was still capable of breathing fire. The plumes began to erupt through its form, surging towards him as he did everything he could to stop himself from being crushed within its jaw. Even still, he let the water he was using coalesce into his hands.
The flame nearly reached his eyes, and it boiled painfully.
Yet he managed to step away from the beast’s maw. As a bubble of water overlapped it’s snout and jaws completely. Before it could simply rip it open, multiple layers overlapped the first, as Basil brought the water he had expended across the arena to him. He grimaced as he reused a technique of his father’s. “Aquatic Seal.” He proclaimed weakly, as he fell backwards onto his back. Of course, his version wasn’t as polished, it didn’t let the victim breathe. Something Basil hardly minded as the fire within the wyvern’s maw never got past that point.
It flailed slightly, as it could no longer inhale or exhale. It couldn’t voice anything, it couldn’t scream or roar. The cries that had nearly broken his ears had all but faded. Basil slowly stood up, watching as the majestic and mystical creature of myth had begun to suffocate within the seal. He recalled his own time, unable to scream or beg, or plead with his father as he suffered in silence within the seal.
Yet this beast wouldn’t get an after, it would die within that same seal. Its eyes were bewildered and wide, confused and afraid. Basil stood eye to eye with the monstrosity for the first time, and all he saw was a child’s fears. It had no idea what was going on, he had intruded upon its home, and it was going to die to this intruder.
He sighed. He was really going to regret this, huh?
He waved his hand, as the suffocating wyvern was freed of its seal. Giving chances was what he was used to, but to something like this? Could it even appreciate a chance? He glanced at it with a guarded position, preparing to continue fighting. Even though as he did so his body finally gave in and fell. The numbness was all about him as he fell forward.
The wyvern surged forward, and Basil willingly fell into it’s maw.
Or so he thought, as instead he felt himself atop a soft and comfortable bed. He glanced down at the feathery scales that adorned the wyvern’s back, as his own back laid atop them. The majestic beast growled lightly, but with a never before seen calm. Basil slouched, as he gave himself time to recover. “I’m sorry.”
“Harbinger.”
Basil flinched, as the wyvern’s single word echoed in his ears. A beast capable of speech was something beyond him, he glanced down into its eyes. They were full of mystery and intrigue. It repeated the title, and Basil nodded. “Yes.” It still didn’t seem to process his words, instead opting to repeat the title continually. It stopped after Basil gently smacked its forehead(?).
“Well. Still got one more problem to deal with, and with my body in this state? This isn’t going to work out..” He glanced down at the wyvern’s eyes, which stared back at him with curiosity of its own.
This was going to be fun.
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When he arrived at the camp once more, it was still active, Avar sat eating some of that same food she had consumed before. Her back to him as he limped towards the site. When she heard his movements, she tensed and twisted around to face him. “Y- oh.” Her eyes were alight with worry as she stepped forward. “What happened to you?” Basil laughed, shaking his head as he held his still numb left arm with his right.
“Is there a point in lowering my guard? You could already take my back or front when I was alert after all. Avarice.” The girl’s green eyes lit up with hunger, not that of revenge, but that of amusement. Of greed. “If you knew all that, why come back here, knowing death was upon you?” She disappeared.
He flinched as a dagger dug lightly into the back of his neck. Avar now stood behind him as if she had never even needed to move. “You could’ve gotten me reported, gotten rid of my quest and prevented others from ever suffering the same fate? No?” She scoffed and twirled the dagger in her hand, cutting lightly upon his nape with the motion. “I guess that wouldn’t matter, with the wyvern dead. I’m impressed.”
“I just want to know, was it real?”
“Hm?” She tilted her head, planting her chin atop his shoulder as she looked him in the eyes. “Was what real?”
“Your revenge. Did you make it up?” Basil queried, to which Avar laughed softly. “Who's to say? Is that really the last thing you want to know before you pass on?”
“I plan to ask a lot more, and do a lot more before I pass on.” Basil exclaimed gently, to which Avar looked into his eyes with bewildered amusement. “Gone mad? I’ve got a dagger to your neck.” Basil laughed, causing the cut into his nape to grow slightly.
“Yeah, and I’ve got a ballista to yours.” He turned around slowly, and Avar nearly struck him down before perking up at the loud roar that echoed through the forest. She froze, slowly repeating his own turn.
“You’re kidding me.” Avar said out loud, as the wyvern landed before the two of them. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Basil walked towards the campsite, entering one of the tents. After a moment of silence, he returned to the open air with a rope in hand. “If you wouldn’t mind tying yourself up nice and well, and we can have a long chat.” Basil smiled innocently.
“I…” Avar tried to protest, but the wyvern’s low growl in her ears caused her to sigh. She seemed to hold no regard for the actual danger she was in, as she shrugged and grabbed ahold of the rope. “Give me a minute.”
“Take all the time you need.”
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