A hundred meters off the ground, an array of shadows zoomed past over the sea of endless trees and monsters hidden within. The sun glistened as it hung high in the sky way past noon, revealing a fleet of Riders flying towards the Draconic Captial.
The brigade were aligned in an V formation, with numbers existing around exactly 7. A small squadron of elites all flew proudly with plated iron armor, geared with a few pairs of javelins, spears, and throwing axes. How they managed to take flight was their mounts. Legendary beasts known as Wyverns, giant scaled flying lizards with skin as thick as iron and jaws as tough as steel. They were all bred for battle, claded in iron plated armor; their riders much the same.
A sigil was etched onto each chestplate, all belonging to an individual tribe of Wyvern Riders, famously known as the Ironclads. There were many other tribes that rode wyverns such as them, but they were the most known for defending the kingdom's lands. Their role was to protect the mountains that they inhibit, near the canyon cliffside. However the purpose of this specific fleet was assigned a much different task than simply looking out for beasts that might invade the mountains.
A lean-built man with a sharp expression rode with confidence as his dark purple armor glistened against the blue clear skies. Equipped with a purple enchanted spear, he had short azure hair and a stubble on his chin. Scars were shown though his body, known only to be gained through combat and training.
Beside him was a bulkier-man plated with only his head revealing from his armaments. The purple rider then turned to report, "Flight-Captian, we're rapidly approaching the town of Whiteridge."
"Whiteridge? That small miner's town? So we are. What about it Lazarus?" The man who inquired was the captain of the Wyvern Riders. Unlike the rest of his men, he had a sturdier build, was incased with a custom set of enchanted armor, and a legendary magic spear strapped to his back and armor painted in blue. This man was known famously among his men as Irwin Flintblood, and to Lazarus, a respectable leader who's fought on the front for a very long time. He owed him his life multiple times over, an impossible debt he had hoped to repay throughout the course of his life.
"Sir! There's smoke emitting from town of Whiteridge. It seems to be engulfed in flames."
"What!? A town so close to the mines?"
The Ironclad Tribe relied heavily on metal imports delivered by the Draconic Kingdom. In exchange they would guard the natural barrier of the Draconic Mountains to keep the countries of beastmen out. Recently however, they stopped getting such imports, hence why the tribe leader had sent a small political force to discover what had happened. That said force was this fleet: flight-captain Irwin, vice-captian Lazarus, and 5 other renowned men who fought bravely among the Ironclads.
"Perhaps it's a raid? Maybe that's the reason why we weren't getting any imports." the vice-captain presumed.
"No, if that was the reason then this town would have been burned weeks ago. There's something definitely going on."
"Then, should we land near the trees to investigate?"
Irwin stayed silent to contemplate the incoming thought. It was a reasonable form of action, but there are too many disadvantages to this method. Finding a spot to land amongst the trees was more than difficult considering how dense it was. Wyvern riders are only really effective on their mounts. On the ground they were meer combat soldiers. "No, it could be a trap. If it really were bandits, then they could have known about our Wyverns and used the fire to lure us. Landing in the trees, would be at a major disadvantage, especially if we were to land without our Wyverns to protect us."
"Then-!"
"Which is why we need to perform a direct confrontation with the village."
"Flight-captain, but the fire."
"We will handle it. Whoever had done this, we will stop them, and kill them if necessary."
"I won't let you."
Irwin replied in a sudden "What?" in response to the unfamiliar female voice that was whispered within earshot. He turned to see a black nightmare of tendrils escalating about from the forest below. His men were screaming as they were being plucked out of the sky one by one, descending into the darkness below.
"What the hell!?"
The vice-captain turned to one of his men to order a scatter, however he was only met with the sight of them falling to the abyss as well. Overwhelmed by this event, he rushed to tell his commander to flee, but the shadowy tentacles had already reached the Flight-Captain before plummeting downwards. Only his screams were resounded back to his eardrums. "Irwinnnn!!!"
"Lazarus!"
Seeing his most trusted Flight-captain being plucked out of the sky without any warning instilled a feeling of despair and helplessness, but soon replaced with unbearing anger and retribution in his heart. "Damn you!" Irwin unsheathed his spear behind him.
"Huaaahhhhhhh!!!!"
Lazarus unleashed a fearsome warcry as more shadowy tendrils reached out for the vice-captain and his wyvern. The wyvern rider maneuvered to the left, barely dodging the shadowy ropes with the scrape of his skin. Pulling the reins, he darted from side to side in order to shake off the incoming assault of tendrils. Each incoming dodge only led the shadowy tentacles to get closer and closer to Iwrin, causing the vice-captain to make a split decision. Pulling the reins once again, he swerved around to suddenly guide his wyvern downwards, bomb diving towards the shadowy horrors to dispatch the source. His trusted spear in hand, recklessly diving towards the abyss, he had to slay whatever was the cause of this. Just as he drew nearer, multiple tendrils came into view as it all arced forwards like a bolt launched with immense speed. Grasping both hands on the handle of his spear, the tip glowed brightly in a blinding green brilliance as he plummeted towards the earth.
"[Fatal Pierce]!"
It was Lazarus' trademark attack, a martial art that, by pouring energy into their blade, it allows the user to unleash an intense piercing attack. Of course it also had the side effect of draining a lot of mental and physical energy out of the rider, but he didn't see a choice when up against the creature that effortlessly downed his flight-captain. However his valiant effort proved to be made in vain.
A tendril shot right past him missing it's mark completely. His momentum suddenly came to a halt as Lazarus was knocked off his flying mount. His wyvern released an ear-piercing screech as a couple shadow tendrils managed to wrap around it's wings and tail, plunging yet another wyvern down to the incoming depths below leaving his rider meters in the air above it. "Tch! Damn it!" Spear still in hand, he braced for impact.
"[Ability Boost]! [Body Strengthening] [Dull Pain]!"
His body illuminated in a small glow of red then green and green again as he unleashed 3 of damage negating Martial Arts. His body plummeted past the incoming trees and branches as they lessened his fall. Body bruised and scraped by the ferns, he eventually impacted the ground with a large-
THUD!
Before everything went black
----------------------------------------
"You killed him!?!"
"But Hitomu-sama, they were going to intercept you at that town... I didn't want them to bother you..."
My head was still pounding from the impact, my body heating up with an extreme sense of pain. Even with Dull Pain activated, I could tell that I had endured a few fractures in my body. However I was alive. My ears rung with a mix of shouting and noise as my senses slowly adjusted themselves as I endured the pain. Opening my eyes I could see myself bound in chain-like shadows. Struggling, I couldn't seem to break free out of them. I looked around to see my 5 other men also in this dire situation.
Wyvern riders and wyverns, some confused, and all bound in the same chains I had, but most of them were cursing aloud, with chains restraining every movement they could muster. What they could though was to unleash every slur their vocabulary as they could imagine. The reason for this was the body of the flight-captain laying upon the ground with a less than fortunate state than the rest of us.
"I-Iwrin-dono!"
I shouted, but I realized it was too late. My captian who I sworn to protect, is dead. Something dark started to etch into my soul as I shivered in despair, then hatred. In fact, many of the other soldiers followed the same pursuit as I did. All of them shouting the words alike-
"W-What the hell is a beastman doing across our border!?!"
"Is this an invasion!?"
"You won't get away with this!"
"You will pay for killing Iwrin-dono! I swear it!"
An array of offenses were splurged out of the captured knights as the target of their hate seemed to be directed at the 2 conversing voices near me. I looked out at to find two enormous beings infront of me.
No, that's not it. That's only their tails.
Peering across, I could finally see that the two individuals were beastmen. Two beautiful beastmen with features that contrasted what an actual beastman was like. Instead of their usual snouts, fur, and claws, it was more like a human with long fluffy ears and multiple equally fluffy tails. One had the appearance of a maiden and 9 tails, power emitting from her very being. It easily squanched all aggressive thoughts I had and triggered my sense of self preservation. The other was a mysterious beastman covered in black armored attire and tails wrapping around her shoulders. Both appearances were was jarring to behold.
"W-Who are you and what do you want from us?!" I mustered out of my throat, but my voice was drowned out by the screaming verbal abuse my soldiers. It only seemed to get on the 9-tailed beast's words.
"Ah, could you make them shut up first?" She spoke to her subordinate, in obvious disdain for the noise my men were spouting.
"Right away mistress..." the darker one responded by pulling out a dark ethereal dagger out of her sheath, buckled behind her waist.
"What?! No no no, don't kill them. Just silence them with magic, a skill, or something. Even a gag will do." The other quickly clarified.
"Ah...[Mass Silence]..."
The noise ceased all together. Confused looks were plastered on the brigade's faces as all attempts to speak turned vain as no sounds could be uttered from their lips. Even the surrounding noise of wildlife fell silent. After the amiss of confusion, they soon returned fierce glares at both fox girls, struggling about even more so. The queen ignored it and enjoyed the silence.
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I could almost curse my men for their idiocy, as they pretty much effectively shut down all possible negotiations with them. We were at their mercy, and his men's thirst for revenge wasn't helping. Of course he couldn't blame them entirely, but there was a time and place for everything. This isn't one of those.
"That's better..." the 9-tailed expressed her relief through a large sigh. "Anyways, couldn't you have just captured him like the rest of them?"
"...I tried, but I came off a little too strong than intended. He was a level 30, so I thought he could take it. I was mistaken, my apologies Hitomu-sama." The 7-tailed bowed apologetically in response.
The older, apperently named Hitomu, could only express a smaller sigh as she pressed her hands to her sides, nodding her head from side to side before eventually giving out. "All right, I understand Ni-san. You were only looking out for me, correct? However you should tell me next time when I'm available, perhaps even through one of your duplicate selves. Surely that would have been a lot more effective and convenient."
Wait.. that's her sister? They look nothing alike. Unless they're not related by blood that is.
Just as her superior's words were registered, the 9-tailed was met with another bow of acknowledgement and the reponse: "Understood..". The fox queen then turned to the dead flight-captain and spoke "Let's see what we have here then..." the queen reached out to examine the legendary obsidian spear that was dropped from the wyvern rider. However once she had done so, she felt daggers being pierced from the other warrior's gazes, filled with intense hatred and inborn resentment, and it made the kitsune queen a little more than uncomfortable. She paid no heed however and continued to pick it up.
"[All Appraisal Magic Item]...!?! Erk.."
The fox queen wobbled a little in place as her vision became hazy before returning back to normal. "Hitomu-sama..!" Ni mildly exclaimed as she stepped forth to help.
"I-It's alright. I just overextended my mana, that's all.., no, my MP is completely depleted." The kitune queen informed her subordinate as she regained her balance.
"....But how could that be? Was there... a really powerful enemy... that even I overlooked?..."
"No no, I just made a simple blunder I made in that fight, that's all.."
"...A blunder.. that depleted all your mana.." Ni repeated the queen's words as she simply stared back with blank, vacant eyes.
"...Look it was purely experimental. It wasn't as if I was in serious danger. A spell simply backfired on me, that is it."
A spell? So she's a magic user. A beastman that could cast magic. Very dangerous indeed. No wait, the other could cast magic too! She silenced all my men with a simple spell. I've never heard of such spells before. Dangerous, they're very dangerous.
"...I understand Hitomu-sama.." Ni replied with the same expression as before.
Just then, a lightbulb appeared above Shion's head as she fixated her gaze in a relaxing and calming smile. "Ni-san, everyone makes mistakes. While I mistakenly used up all my MP, you also mistakenly killed this human by accident? Is this not true?" She gestured the dead flight-captain with her arm.
"..Ah!" The fox assassin silently exclaimed as she finally understood the meaning of her mistress' words. What followed as another bow as she ingested the words of her immediately. "That is very true Hitomu-sama.. I shall engrave them into my heart."
What words of loyalty.. I- I never heard of such beastmen with that amount of respect and loyalty amongst their own kind. To them, their hierarchy was all about strength, but it seems these individuals value knowledge as well. Just what the hell are these creatures?!
"Hm.. I am glad that you understand." Spear still in hand, she contemplated on something, but she decided against it. Dropping the spear on the ground, she decided it was not worth aggravating the binded group of soldiers. This eased the company of wyvern riders, even if it's just a little bit. I could also sigh a breath of relief if it weren't for this [Silence] placed on me. The kitsune queen was also silently relieved she wouldn't have to bear the stares of eyes with pure hatred any longer than she had to.
She continued pondering for a while on what to do with us. Beads of sweat dripped from my head as she continued dissecting us with her eyes, analyzing us like how one would examine food from a butcher's shop. It filled me with fear, but the rest of my men couldn't sense that and continued to stare back with pure kindled rage, further increasing my sense of survival.
Deciding to put on a show for the beyond aggravated men, she waved the wand around murmuring ancient incantations that I have only to witness unfold.
"Blessed, humble hand of God,
life and breath of Mother Earth,
I pray thee come before me,
show your great compassion to this person and deliver them back to us!
[Revival]!"
But nothing happened.
Silence filled the forest as [Mass Silence] was still in effect. Even without the spell, many could tell that everyone would be silent regardless if it was still in effect. A couple beads of sweat appeared on Hitomu's face as suddenly her face fixed into a different expression. A face that lacked sense of embarrassment as she continued on waving her wand.
"Huah.... [Revive]!"
But the corpse still laid still upon the ground.
"........."
Somehow, the clearing of trees became even more noiseless than before. Complete utter inaudibility as everyone remained still within their places. Her expression changed into something dead and desolate. Needless to say, most of the soldiers there, including Ni, had equal expressions of confusion and faces pity. However, another lightbulb appeared above her head as the 9-tailed then continued, her face was replaced with unbridled determination as she shouted out loud.
"[Resurrection]!"
The wand emitted a sacred aura that appeared and flowed out of it's user's wand. Upon closer examination, the item itself was an extremely beautiful wand made out of ivory, with the front end coated in gold and the handle inscribed with runes that slowly hummed in an increasing radiance as the item's magic accumulated into the sacred spell.
Suddenly the dead man opened his eyes and gasped for breath as the light faded from her wand. Sounds of astonishment and disbelief emitted among the ranks of soldiers as they witnessed the miracle before them.
"Flight-Captain-Dono!", "You're alive!" and other cheers alike soon followed after.
"Ah.. the spell had worn off.." the assassin had said, before attempting to recast [Mass Silence] once again, but with a wave of an arm Shion stopped her. Ni wordlessly understood this as a sign that seemingly said "Stop. Let's wait and see what happens."
However unlike the rest of the men, I was unbridled with with fear.
This beastman has the power to bring back the dead! She cannot exist! Something like this can't possible exist! A magic casting beastman was dangerous enough, but this is impossible!
The power to bring back the dead was only spoken in legends. How only large countries with large ancient rituals would perform on their greatest fallen heroes. It was a spell beyond human imagination. A spell that was used by the 13 heroes 100 years in the past against the Evil Dieties.
Wait.. it can't be.. SHE'S A LEGENDARY HERO!?
Most people are told that the 13 Heroes were all human, however I knew that was only what we wanted to believe. I've always speculated that the 13 Heroes had demi-humans amongst their ranks as the legend was still fresh amongst mankind. My mother had told me this fact back when she lived during the pre-peace era.
I was speechless.
"Ngn......"
Slowly regaining full consciousness, the flight-captain slowly drew up his body as his eyes adjusted to the ground floor around him. Only for his sight to reach the obsidian javelin he held so dearly, then towards his men binded up in shadowy restraints along with their wyvern mounts in similar bindings, and finally his gaze met the reason for his predicament.
Upon instinct, he lept forwards with his spear in pure reflex as all his senses told him of the danger, but wavered as he staggered in eerie exhaustion. Legends has it that after resurrection, the body would be completely devoid of any stamina and required an amount of time to recover. Due to this, Iwrin didn't have full of his motor functions and paid the ultimate price for trying to do so. Mid lunge, he tripped and fell towards the ground, he landed face-first into a jagged rock, causing a loud audible-
CRACK!
Blood poured out of the flight-captain's head as he remained motionless upon the ground once again. His skull was barely intact, limbs lifelessly fell upon the ground as his spear fell out of his hands and on to the bloodied grass get again.
The clearing was silent as the men witnessed the fall of their leader once again. Hitomu stood there along with everyone else as a witness to the death of someone, and for once, one that she wasn't the cause of. Crouching down by the re-dead solider, she proceeded poke him to test for any sign of reaction.
It was at that moment, we knew, he fucked up.
"......................." Shion glanced at the man that asked for a few seconds before nodding. They both exchanged darkened glances as the forest winds blew in across the open clearing, leaves flowing about aimlessly and indifferent to the plights of beastmen and men before them.
Another moment of inaudible noise invaded the clearing as the group of soldiers didn't really know how to respond to such a thing. The fox queen couldn't blame them as she herself was also entirely speechless at the outcome. The silent fox assassin was no different even beforehand, but now the eerie silence was even more further defined to levels not even conceived possible.
The kitsune queen decidedly chose that she had enough of this shit and turned to leave to take another long and well deserved nap.
Wait, she's just leaving!?
Ni wordlessly followed pursuit and canceled the effects of [Shadow Binding], freeing the men before following behind her mistress. Others were pulling themselves back up together in the mass of the confusion and utter lack of speech.
Instantly, I ran towards the leaving queen. "No wait!" I called out.
"Eh? What is it?" The queen turned around with an unamused look. For once, the I didn't feel any bitterness for this beastman since the situation was beyond ridiculous. It was a rare moment in time where racial barriers were completely neglected by both parties, due to the sheer offset of insanity the past few minutes provided. In the amiss of the incoming events, the I introduced himself and bowed my head. "Sorry for disturbing you, but I am known as Lazarus, vice-captain of the Wyvern Riders" and before Shion could return the gesture, he requested something that could only be described as madness.
"Could you, perhaps perform your miracle again?" I pleaded in hopes that negotiations could come through. Unfortunately for me, I was met with the expression of what would a madman met with.
"Eh?! Why in the hell would I do that?"
"W-Well, you did it before... and-"
"And what? Your captain just off an attacked me. Without a moment to speak nonetheless. He also killed himself for it because of his foolishness."
"-but it could just be a misunderstanding! None of ever heard of a beastman with magic that was able to bring the dead back to life. It was a shock to all of us! Surely you must understand it's almost unheard of!"
"So? The first time he died was because of my subordinate. Hence that responsibility goes to me, and I decided to revive him for my own sake. This time, he died by himself. Now I have no obligation to help him. His death was his own."
"Well that may be true, but-"
"It is true! Haven't you seen it with your own eyes?!"
"-But even so.. could you please resurrect him?" This time I was bowing with my face resting on the ground, "I beg you, on behalf of the Wyvern Tribe he is our most prized warrior. I sworn my life to protect him no matter the cost."
"...And what will you offer me in return?"
"The Ironclads will offer you our utmost loyalty and absolute goodwill in return!" Lazarus continued pledging, but he was met with a quickly covered up sneer at the response.
Shion shook her head and clarified: "Sorry, I must have misspoke. I meant material goods, something which can actually be of use to me." with major emphasis on the word 'material'. "I am not the kind of person that goes giving away charity out of goodwill, and most certainly not the power of life over death." The queen rubbed the wand in her hand to show the particular artifact in question.
"I-I." I struggled to think of a response. Everything the fox queen said made sense. I couldn't promise the loyalty of the Wyvern Tribe, as they have fought off beastmen for generations from the mountains. Their prejudice and hatred for beastman would surely get in the way of such promises. In truth, I had nothing to offer. Except for..
"My life."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I can offer life to you. No, not just that, even my soul if needs to be! Just please resurrect Irwin-dono! For Tribe and my own sake! I beg you." I performed a dogeza pose, the most powerful bow of respect and submission. I couldn't look up to see her expression, but she was grinning maddeningly as she has gained a new toy to play with, before reverting to her usual expression.
"Alright, deal. A life for a life isn't it? A worthy exchange for something so pitiful as this." She concluded. My hopes heightened as she started walking back towards the twice deceased corpse. Casting her wand again, she successfully revived the Flight-captain effortlessly, before her wand broke after use.
Amazement of the other men followed as their captain rose from the ground once again. "Laz..." I could hear the vice-captain calling out something. "Lazz-zurouss-ss.." Irwin struggled to get his words out. His body was weaker than before, he didn't have his strength anymore. However I was glad that he was alive. "Captian!" I saluted, the other men also standing with me and some carrying him by the shoulder. "Whaz- happened to me?" The flight-captain muttered.
"You're alive again captain. You've been resurrected because of me." I simply informed him.
"Resurrected? You mean, back from the dead?" Iwrin inquired, slowly getting back to his own feet as his speech slowly returned, fatigue ebbing away from his body with renewed vigor. Hitomu, confirming the resurrection was successful, turned to leave with her subordinate following by the shadows.
"Yes. You've been resurrected due to me."
"Y-you!?"
"But, I have to go now. Sorry captain." I turned to leave my former company behind with great pain in my heart.
"Hold on, slow down for a moment here. Could you explain to me what you just did." The man questioned me amongst the confusion.
"The other men could explain for you. I really have to go now... it's been nice working under you captain. And for once, I saved your life instead of the other away around."
"Lazarus wait!"
I couldn't wait. I sold my soul to a beastman to save him. He wouldn't understand even if I did explain. Once the men informed him what's happened, he would scorn me for aligning with the enemy. I couldn't stay behind, for I had a new captian to protect.