The War Hero's party charges in like ants about to tear through the colony. Like ants their strength was formidable as Jensen charged on ahead, cutting through them. Their limbs slashed but they did not stop with the charge, refusing as if their bodies were drunk with blood lust. Umbra joined the battle with much anger. Clawing through them, mauling them as fast as he could. The ones that slipped through had their bodies pierced by the wall of thorns. Claiming them as flowers to bloom, empowering the third lord's keepsake.
Aries was blasting off shotgun shells without stopping, taking a moment to reload as a barbarian swung the axe at his path. Where the axe melted before reaching his body, Aries then punched the barbarian's face. Melting the face off completely. Virgo leaped into the air throwing wires into the battlefield, clamming the barbarians together. Tugging the wires with great force to slice the barbarians apart, left hand drawing the pistol to fire off shots into the barbarians with the warhorns. Trying to cut through the influence.
Leo was charging with his shield, bashing the barbarians in a full on charge. Firing the shots multiple targets with fast shots. Aiming for the head to cause the bodies to go limp, reloading a magazine as he kept on firing the pistol without stopping. A mace swung to the head, but Leo's head did not even recoil from the impact. A glare as his left hand swiped the head off throwing it at a barbarian with the war horn. Firing a pistol shot to the head as the shield to his left deformed along with the pistol. Placing his hands to the back of his hip, where his layer of armor had two handles sticking out for Leo to grab.
Now going over to cut through them, going for the limbs to weaken them momentarily. Virgo unleashed his lead storm of bullets that seek out the heads of the barbarians. Piercing through two heads at once before finding a home in the third. The others missed the head, but punch through the limbs and hitting the individual behind them. Jensen was still cutting through the front lines, using the sheathe to act as a block for the other attacks. Sword slash to the right, a sheathe to strike the forearm to direct the attack elsewhere. Stab to the throat, swing to free the blade to slash the people on the right.
An attack from the back, Jensen kicked the leg and went for the head. Then looking at the War Hero who was sitting calmly, Jensen went over to him. IIntercepted by two figures mid-air. Jensen cut the two aside as he charged into the War Hero who stopped it with his finger.
"You're still weak."
"No. I just needed to do this." Jensen said as his left hand grabbed the War Hero, shoving him to the ground. Unleashing a pressure that was enough to cause the barbarians to turn back. Something was coming. A sinister force that was making its way to their path. Something that not even their war horns could handle.
System access granted.
Keeper's old power restored.
Combat capability returned to its original State.
Keeper. Your powers have returned.
The Keepsakes that you have from Silas Glenn, the Third Lord of Thorns and The Keeper's Blades have returned to its truest form.
Gilded by your thoughts for the people.
Jensen felt the surge of power as his hands began to glow black. The War Hero hero's helmet began to shatter as an unrelenting pressure began to unleash itself outward. Creating a blanket of darkness over all the targets.The War Hero was struggling to breathe, Jensen could see his eyes slowly beginning to bleed.
"Sto..Ple..St." Jensen crushed the skull of the War Hero, then turning to look at the barbarians who were in awe of the violence.
Jensen turned to the people that had died on the battlefield. The corpses of soldiers that refused to cry or scream to their deaths.
The souls of the soldiers that died to defend their people.
They await your call.
Your powers as the Keeper will give them life to serve, not as humans.
But as vengeful spirits that are loyal to humanity. To protect their kin and to kill those that harm it.
Please name the legion of soldiers.
"The Keeper's Legion." Jensen called as the bodies of these soldiers burned in a wretched black flame that possessed their bodies. The metal all around them formed, they grew in size. Their weapons changed, they were taller than even the barbarians that were before them. Carrying guns that had been stained in blood, daggers to the hip and multitude of weapons that each soldier wielded was enough to cause the barbarians to turn their attention to the soldiers that stood by Jensen's side. They were taller than the barbarians and their faces covered by a skull shaped helmet. Drawing their blades instead of their guns, they charged at the barbarians.
The gleeful barbarians reciprocated with great force, only to watch as the Keeper's Legionnaires unleash their fury. Crushing the skulls of the barbarians with mere strikes of their weapons. Breaking bones with their fists, these armored goliaths that were bound a black flame was enough to terrify the barbarians. Breaking their morale. Not a war cry, not a scream. Just eerie silence. Merely the sounds of weapons being used. Metal crashing on metal and gunshots that tore through barbarians like they were nothing.
The scale of chaos was different, the barbarians that loved violence were losing the battle as their swings would hit but the intense flames from the black bodies would haunt their senses. Numbing their fingers and messing with their perception of distance. The barbarians would use their warcry to strengthen their bodies but the time and energy spent on such attacks left them vulnerable to the Keeper's Legionnaires who were sniping from the buildings. Not even a single one of them was given a chance to speak as their heads would make a comfy home for a bullet.
The other barbarians were losing stride, their fingers were crushed as their faces were pummeled. The Legionnaires were not hesitating, they were going to keep going until all is done.
Mere rabble in the eyes of the Keeper's Legion, Jensen walked back to see Aries, Virgo and Leo who were calm while Umbra was making his way to the door.
"Heh, The Legion. I had those once. Great soldiers. Seems to me you've given them more power than the past incarnations. Though that does come with you being a Legendary Keeper means that you've got what it takes to keep them."
"Quell your anger, Keeper. The Legionnaires are heavily influenced by such things. I suppose you remember how the Legion system works?"
"More or less. A certain resolve is needed by the ones who perished. Their resolve to fight even after death. It seems the Legionnaires made themselves known and it is my substitute for Familiars. I only have Ancients such as Umbra and the Zodiacs who will join me periodically. You're the equivalents of Seraphs aren't you?" The three Zodiacs nodded.
"Any being that serves the Supreme Being or Supreme Ones directly is on par as a Seraph but the titles differ between us. The Lord of Thorns has Seraphs. That is how we came to be, we are chosen for different reasons. Former Keepers that wish to aide future Keepers." Aries said as Jensen looked at the Keeper's Legion that stood still like statues.
"Wait for my call." They nodded as they vanished in thin air, Jensen then heard the bunker entrance open. Jensen stepped in with Aries, Leo and Virgo. Umbra went into hiding by his shadow. Taking the elevator down where it revealed a civilization under ground. Skyscrapers, apartments, shops and everything one could see in a normal city but the sky was lost. Merely the vast cavern above. What had actually happened here? What was going on?
Jensen headed out to see the people who looked at him with concern. Confusion but some of their eyes showed admiration for Jensen's appearance. A group of soldiers made their way to Jensen, led by a woman in a suit.
"Thank you for protecting us." The woman bowed as Jensen raised an eyebrow.
"What exactly is going on here?"
"Heroes that went missing from our world that returned... They went missing for months and years... They came back and began their assault on everything. Some Heroes stay to help us fight against them, but most choose of them choose to follow the Hero of Light. Someone who chose to smite everything, the heroes that fight with us have been getting fewer and fewer." Jensen clenched his fists at hearing that but at the same time. There must be an actual reason for their action but what could be their triggers?
Either way, Jensen continued on to see the civilians being taught how to fight. Using guns, training with grenades. Seeing a child of 12 years old firing a pistol, that made Jensen feel a bit of unnerved by the sight. Whatever world this was? It had humanity on the brink of fear and even weaponizing the children.
"Please do take a break." The woman said as she led Jensen to a skyscraper, granting him an access card where he would take the lift to the penthouse floor. Inside was a fully furnished space that he would use for a break.
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"How is the flow of time here?"
"One year here is a day in the real world. So you not need worry." Virgo answered as he prepared food with Aries while Leo sat in a corner, putting on a blanket to cover himself.
"Do Keepers head to other worlds like this?"
"Yes. It's how you get Legions and Ancients to serve you. Umbra is the Ancient of Keepers. The beast that serves the Keepers, his appearance depends on you. Whatever means of courage and power that you have. It seems you perceive him as a winged tiger." Aries answered as he stepped over to the window to light a cigarette. Snapping his fingers as a flame lit it as he took a deep drag.
"What will you do now?" Virgo asked as he put the steak into the oven.
"Think I can save these people from the Heroes?"
"You are a Keeper. It is your power." Jensen nodded as he sat down on a sofa, pressing his fingers as he thought about what he would need to do. He needed to learn about this world as a book appeared in his hands. Inscribed within the book of the Keeper's Journey. This world was one where if a person dies due to strange circumstances, they'd be brought to another world and once their errands in the other world had been finished. They would be brought back here where they are given the right to use their powers freely.
The particular God of this world believed that only the Strong will survive. Might makes right at its finest. Yet, in the story. The War Hero's tale was one of a young boy who was orphaned in a world of war. His country's civil war had robbed him of everything. His child hood friend whom he treasured, his loving parents and his sister. The vile acts that had been unleashed was enough to break the child's mind and dying from insanity brought the child to the other realm. Where he had turned into the famed War Hero, conquering lands and defeating a demon lord. Yet, when he returned. He found the same situation. Unleashing his wrath as a means to avenge the people but the fact that everyone saw him as nothing short as a monster? Embracing the title with pride, he would become part of the group that commits the greatest genocides in history. Those that served him lived, those who didn't would be slain.
No matter the age or gender. It was irrelevant to him. Jensen closed the book, and it was as he suspected. They all had triggers, but coming back with those powers? It was a reminder that giving it to children who had not been disciplined was a horrible way of allowing things to continue. The War Hero's relationships were listed in his mind as he had to sort out the information of the War Hero's thoughts.
There were many heroes along with their companions who have agreed to unleash havoc, the ones who have been humanity's shield would falter soon. Even Jensen knew that. His only thoughts was to wonder how much more did he need to wait? Or was he going to fight on?
No. That would be rash, even by Silas's standards. Jensen had gotten his powers back, he may be as powerful as he was earlier but he didn't have the Legions or the Keepsakes. Merely his blades, but the blades that he had. They were not Spirit Weapons like the ones used by his original twin, they had the same power as the Thorn Blades wielded by the Lord of Thorns. The sharpness was the same it had its own class but a Keeper's Blade was different. In the sense that it would fuse the powers of the enemies killed to amplify its abilities. Allowing for greater synergy, it was not just a normal sword.
It can be a conduit, allowing Jensen to amplify the power of multiple Keepsakes at once but would it be enough? The questions lurked in Jensen's head as Virgo set up the table. Leo got up from his nap, heading over to the dining table to just eat. A simple meal.
"You seem to be thinking a lot." Leo spoke up first as Jensen paused when he was eating.
"I'm just... Unsure. Some of these lives are tragic but... The people they kill. They kill them like they're pests. If it was me days ago, I would reason with them but... I don't see the point of being naive to brats who've lost their minds."
"Such conviction but are you sure?"
"It will shock this body at least, even now. Killing the War Hero with my mental state that hasn't matched with my body. It's left my hands shaking." Jensen said as he showed the trembles in his hand.
"But it's different if I view those heroes as nothing short of monsters. I don't feel it." The trembles stopped as a pair of glasses appeared by Jensen's side. Putting it on as the Keeper's outfit formed over him. Ashen suit with gray gloves to match. His hair turned white as his eyes matched his hair.. The back was trimmed nicely but he left his bangs untouched. Letting them part by his right eyebrow as the rest were combed to the left. Virgo snapped his fingers as a mirror appeared in front of Jensen, where he looked at it. Yes this was the appearance of the old Jensen. The Keeper, and his weapons were not a katana but rather a scythe and blades that would accompany him to strike his opponents with his mere thoughts. He stepped away from the table.
The scythe appeared by his hand, pale blue in its colour as the blades glowed azure. The blade itself was made of mana but its sharpness was enough to tear through anything that was short of a God. Jensen felt another scythe appeared, both of them were pale blue and their blades glowed azure. The bottom of the scythes formed an azure glaive which had Jensen smiling.
"It's nice to hold these back. Katanas, long swords. They don't suit me. I prefer scythes, after all.. They're much fun to wield and it allows me to use my tricks as with my many other blades. I mastered most of them thanks to Silas's Keepsake and the Third Thorn's Keepsake but it should let me enjoy things on my own end." The scythes faded away and Jensen sat down by the dinner table.
What more was there to be done? Just cleansing the world of heroes would be one thing, but to change the status quo would be the another. Either way Jensen was going to handle this.
"Alright. I'll clean up the dishes and we can go down and talk to the lady from before. Let's get a read on the situation." Virgo said as they went down, making their way to the base. Seeing the other Heroes who were injured, the woman from earlier came to greet him.
"Oh, I thought you're going to rest?"
"I got restless." Jensen's answer earned a nod as the other Heroes looked at him with a bit of suspicion. The uneasiness was normal, something must have caused all of them to feel this way.
"Director Myung! Who is he!?" One of the Heroes raised her voice, pointing her gun at Jensen.
"He defended the entrance while you guys were gone. It looks like we took a lot of casualties. Who was it?" Director Myung asked.
"It was the White Hero. He's made a castle of ice by his territory. He's not someone who would leave his territory but he appeared during the battle. Took out 20 of our side, we only took out 3 from them. There were a hundred of them.." The hero clenched her fist as she lowered her gun.
"One of the bases in the Western Continent fell because the Heroes on our side betrayed us for them.." Jensen heard their woes but looking at Director Myung who had a document prepared for Jensen.
"We'll be dispatching you for a frontal assault at a nearby base that was taken by the Lich Hero." Jensen flipped through the documents once and passed it back to her.
"Did... Did you even read?"
"I can do this alone. Don't waste your men." Jensen said as he left for the entrance with the three Zodiacs, leaving the entrance as Jensen made his way to the location in the document. It was an old city, just from where he stood. Jensen could see the other Heroes patrolling with the skeleton army that was present. Skeleton wizards, skeleton archers. There was plenty of targets for him to deal with and Jensen was raring to go.
"Sit this one out. I need to get used to this body." Jensen said as he leaped directly to the center of the town, alerting the skeletons over to him. The three Zodiacs and Umbra were watching from the sidelines. Drawing out his pair of scythes, Jensen tore through them like a whirlwind of blades. Breaking the bones and cores that operated them.
"We're under attack! We're under attack!" A hero went to intercept Jensen wielding a scythe, seeing Jensen smile back.
"Ho? Just you? You might die." Jensen said as he pushed the hero back, slashing her limbs off and kicking her down. Stepping on her neck.
"I expected more from the heroes that caused this chaos... Maybe I expected too much!" A strike from the back, Jensen phased through the attack as his left hand went to the neck. Looking at the hero in the eye.
"Ho... You've butchered an entire family for fun. Seeing people as rodents... So how does it feel to be defeated by one?" Jensen's voice entered the ears of the hero, where they see the hero's body went limp.
"Please... Don't bore me." Jensen said as they skeletons charged at his path, phasing through their attacks as if they were nothing.
If it actually hits me. That will hurt, but good thing mana pools are tied to the soul. I've got enough to do this for 10 lifetimes at least. Jensen thought to himself as he dodged the attacks with minimal effort but he was going to maximize their stress and fear.
"Why aren't our attacks working!?"
"Why are you doing this?! Shouldn't you be helping us?!"
"Help you?" Jensen cackled loudly, the kind that a madman had. A nefarious gaze with a grin that showed no remorse no fear.
"You all reek of blood. Even standing here. I can still feel the souls that linger. The souls of the ones that died fighting and the souls of the departed." A somber tone as Jensen could see the faces of the people who had been cut down, hearing the faint voices of what had happened. The Keeper's powers had activated. Allowing his mind to reconstruct the events here in its truest form. Seeing a child be ripped apart by a hero with knives.
The Heroes began with their onslaught to strike at Jensen, only to see markings on their limbs. Jensen began to hum as he put the two scythes down, pulling out a violin. Tapping his feet to make a rhythm. When he started to use the bow on the violin, that was when the limbs started to react. First the skin would peel itself off, then the muscles would violently expand and blow themselves off. Then the bones would fly out to form a seat for as the other body parts would form another skeleton with a violin. A myriad of instruments were used as the skeletons formed to join in.
"Virgo... That's your technique right?"
"Hey, he's the legendary keeper. He remembers how the techniques work. Our techniques aren't Keep Sakes and he can use the fragmented form of techniques he has from all the other Keepsakes." Virgo said as they continued watching until the orchestra of skeletons had been formed. Jensen grabbed his pair of scythes and began his turn. The first slash where a black flame swallowed the hero whole.
"The black flame. Amplifies the attack you have inflicted on everything you had done by ten fold. So you won't die. But you're going to be in a whole new world of hurt." Jensen said as he continued to reap off limbs. Never going for the head, Jensen was going to let them feel everything they had done. Every action they take, they won't die so easily. Heroes don't die as easily but the black flame will stay and it will continue to haunt them.
"Who dares to attack my domain?!" Jensen turned to the Lich Hero, who was in a black suit. Staring at him with her sharp eyes. Behind her were the revived corpses of the peoples as ghouls that were using weapons. Zombies by her side, even a few dead dragons were behind her.
"Oh. Look who showed up? A bit late though." A snarky remark that got on the Lich Hero's nerves as she unleashed her horde over to Jensen.
"Legion." Jensen summoned as gunfire appeared from the ground. A storm of lead that damaged the horde, as the Legionnaire's got out from the ground. Bathed in the black flames as they glanced over to the horde.
"Let's see who will win this fight? Your horde or my legion." Jensen said as the three Zodiacs appeared by his side with Umbra.
"It seems you have returned to the version of you that enjoyed battles." Umbra spoke where Jensen smiled.
"It was the only amusement I had when my world had shattered. Now, let's see what happens next." Jensen said as he shouldered his scythes, awaiting for the next battle.