Focalor, Witch of Arcanum
Focalor sat quietly, staring down at the world below, from the top of the tower-like Schola. She heard a voice behind herself, “Are you alright?” Looking back she saw the familiar feline tail, and warm black coat with a black hood and glowing blue gem in its center. Her staff sat on her back, and her smile could be seen, warm as usual. The ears she had seen only once, sat poking into the hood, indenting their shape in the fabric. Focalor smiled, and spoke, “Yes, I am. How are you, Clover?” The Feline woman approaches, and takes a seat on the edge as well, she speaks with an exhausted tone, “Learning is hard.” Focalor chuckled slightly, before putting a hand on her head, “I remember how you looked when you were fighting Baal. If you can face him, then you can face this with no issue, aside from scores perhaps.”
Clover grins happily before answering, “And you, I never expected one of the Demon Lord’s generals to abandon him. Why did you?” Focalor is silent, her smile fading, before she speaks, “That’s a story for another time.” Clover starts to kick her feet slightly, while saying, “Oh come on, you know you wanna!” Focalor looks at her, and raises an eyebrow, before stating, “Another time, Clover.” Clover frowns and looks forward again, off to the sunset, as she says, “Fine, then how about we talk about something important. People’ll not trust you.” Focalor nods silently, while Clover continues, “So I was thinking about ways to change that. The name Focalor is tied to the Demon General Focalor, so why not change your name?” Focalor looks at the other Felinekin, confused as she asks, “Yes, but what name would I choose? I have used Focalor for so long that it is ingrained in me.” Clover grins happily, as she speaks, “I think I know one. How about-”
Kaede
Kaede didn’t quite understand why she had thought of that at the moment, but her thoughts went back to the encounter with those two adventurers earlier. Perhaps? No, it couldn’t be. That made no sense, but at the same time, it made all the sense in the world. She shook her head, knowing it was a useless thought at the moment. She could hypothesize all day, but right now, she had an objective. She reached a slave ring, and watched as a group of nobles began to leave with slaves in tow. Two carriages sat silent, with only a handful of guards. Kaede brought the casting focus to the rapier, and connected them, casting a spell that would garner quite the attention. She raised the rapier to the sky, and a dark pillar rose from the carriages, causing the strange mole-like horses to panic, and run, only to find they could not.
She then casts another spell, causing the moles to lose their will to flee, and instead rip free, attacking the confused and startled guards. The Nobles were panicking, and backing away, confused and scared, as the moles looked at them, slowly approaching with the blood of their guards on their claws and mouths. They pushed the slaves towards the moles, causing the slaves to panic and cower in fear of death, only for its embrace to not come. Instead, the moles ripped the nobles to shreds, and stood still, watching the entrance to the slave ring.
Releasing the pillar, it rose and burst out, having condensed at its apex. Kaede could see some guards already approaching the situation, and some curious citizens were approaching as well. It was time to quickly bring this situation to the fore. She raised the rapier once again, casting a massive gust of wind, which ripped the tent up and into the air, revealing the cages and startled slavers. Kaede then pulled the cages towards herself, shifting the earth under them. Guards began entering, along with some concerned and curious citizens. She broke the locks and then threw herself to the wind, flying towards the slavers, and landing between them and the cages and onlookers.
Kaede called out, “I am Focalor! And you shall release all enslaved in this city! Or I shall do worse than I already have! Your walls will come down! The mountain itself will fall from above! And those who continue this deplorable trade, shall find only the embrace of death to comfort them! See my resolve! And see that of my Master’s order!” Raising the rapier once again, she cast a spell. They all stand in silence, and the slavers seem to have a moment of relief, until a bolt of lightning strikes one of the closest to her. The Guards call out, running forward, yelling for Focalor to surrender. With a simple wave of the rapier, the Guards slam into an invisible barrier. Confused and disoriented by the sudden ceasing of movement, the Guards soon start attacking the barrier, attempting to get past.
The Slavers began to cower, terrified, as Focalor approached, and Kaede yelled out, “See my resolve! See my Master’s order! See freedom!” She aims her rapier forward, allowing a flame to sprout around the blade, as a pillar of flame engulfs the slavers, burning them alive. She was no longer going to hold back, it was time to set everything straight. The onlookers watched in abject horror and fear. As the flames subsided, Kaede called out, “There is only one way to ensure I do not do more to this city! One way to ensure we leave you alone! Outlaw this practice! Free those stuck within it! Create a better world! One that does not kill and destroy its weakest! One that allows them to reach as high as they can!” Then she turns, seeing a familiar group of three approaching the scene. She simply jumps backwards, using her spells to carry her to the rooftops, as she calls out once more, “I will be watching!” She casts one final spell, hiding her from any and all forms of detection.
Jazak Forgeson
Rushing to the scene, Jazak could see Focalor leaping to the rooftops again, as he calls out, “I will be watching!” With a wave of his rapier, he was gone. Approaching the scene, they found thirteen slaves each wandering towards where Focalor had been. They stare up at where he had once stood, clearly confused and baffled by what had happened as well. Stopping behind the guards, they could see the remains of many a Dwarf. Alais called out, “Out of the way, Guards! Why the hell are you just standing there!?” Alais runs forward, slamming into something none could see, causing Jazak to speak, “That’s why, Elf. Get back here.” The slaves before them looked around, each confused and concerned. Each unwilling to have to go back to their cages.
Jazak watched the rooftops, wanting to catch a glimpse of Focalor, and be able to attack. He found nothing though, and could see nothing ahead of him aside from that which he had already seen. Quite the magic, but he would need to find a way past it. He could hear the citizens nearby speaking in hushed tones; confused, scared, worried, or even in awe. Jazak approached the barrier and placed a hand on it, only for it to pass through. They each attempted to go through the barrier again, including the Guards, only to find Jazak was the only individual capable of doing so. He entered the barrier, much to the worry of the slaves. He had no interest in them, however, and simply watched the rooftops, as he approached the slaves.
The slaves began to back away, with only one seeming to try to stand their ground, only to flinch and not throw an attack as Jazak neared him. Opening his eyes, he finds Jazak simply passing by him. The other slaves began to simply step to the side, and watched as Jazak did not change his course. Everyone began to realize where he was going, as there was a ladder set to the side. He picks it up, and places it against the wall, then climbs to the rooftops. As he reaches the rooftops, he draws his axes, approaching where Focalor had once stood. Nearing the spot, he simply swings, finding nothing in its place. He puts the axes away, and calls out, “Focalor left!” He heard a response from one of the guards, “No shit, Hero! Of course the fucker left! Now can you stop doing that and help us corral the situation!” Jazak frowns and jumps back down, rolling and then walking towards where the Guards were now dispersing the citizens.
Kaede
Kaede had already left the area, and she began to think of ways to scout for the next ring. She begins to remember Clover, her closest friend in the Arcanum, and one of the Hero’s Party. From the protective Zephyrus, to the destructive firepower Clover could unleash in a lapse of care. She realizes why she had thought of the younger Felinekin. She begins altering her form once again, bringing her rapier back to a staff. She began changing how she ran and stood. She tried her best to imitate. She began to run with a purpose, bringing her staff against her chest, in a somewhat possessive way. She had her next goal, to find and demolish another slave ring. It was the same as back in the Ral Wastes. Hit the convoy, free the slave, and return. The only difference is that she was alone, with no rebels to back her, unlike Clover had at the time.
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She quickly moved through the back alleys, and then out onto a crowded street. A group of carriages, that she immediately recognized from the first ring she ended, were heading down the street. She took a second to silently close her eyes and cast a spell, checking the interior. Finding a Nekomimi, an Inuhito, and a Kitsune, each in chains and rags. The guards were small in number, and only in the second carriage, with the Kitsune, who was unconscious on the floor. Kaede smiled at her luck, and stepped into the road, causing the lead carriage to slow. The driver called out, “Oi! Damn Nekomimi! Get out of the road!” Kaede looked at them, and quickly decided on her next course of action.
She was a Dark Mage right now, so she may as well live up to that reputation. She raised a hand, palm towards the driver, who yelled out again, demanding she leave the road. His yell was cut short as a bolt of darkness slammed into him, ending his pathetic life. Panic immediately swept over the nearby onlookers, and caused many people to begin running for their own lives. Only a few remained, startled into complete silence and immobility. The two Moles panic and begin running opposite directions, cut free by a slice of Kaede’s hand, sending a wave of darkness to cut the ropes holding the moles to the carriage. Kaede runs forward, leaping up and onto the carriage, using a gust of wind to reach the highest point she can.
She runs over the top, seeing the carriage drivers of the other carriages trying to turn around and escape. Kaede simply leaped over the second carriage driver, and then cut the ropes of the third carriage, stopping it from escaping. The third carriage driver immediately begins to attempt to bail, but finds his legs cut clean through by another slash, leaving him immobile on the bench. The back of the second carriage was bursting open, as the guards were coming out to defend. She simply jumped down, hitting one with her staff, and blasting another away from her and back into the carriage with a bolt. The other two swing at her as the carriage begins moving around the first carriage, missing as they are pulled just out of range.
In response, she raises a hand up to the sky, causing a barrier to appear before the moles, spooking and causing them to try burrowing. The carriage follows, but catches, unable to follow the moles down into their holes. Kaede slings two more spells, knocking back and impaling the two final guards. The carriage driver was running, and she let him escape. A message. She cast a spell, breaking open the back of the first carriage. She quickly moved back to the third, opening it in the same fashion. The two slaves had been cowering, but as they saw freedom, they took their chances, running, while Kaede cast a spell to destroy their shackles without them noticing. She approached the second carriage, and entered it, bringing her staff down onto the shackles and breaking free the Kitsune. She picked up the unconscious fox-man, and stepped out to see Jazak and his group approaching the scene at a rapid pace.
They stopped, and raised their weapons towards her, only for Jazak to yell out, “Put him down!” Kaede responded immediately, in a vein similar to Clover, “Shouldn’t a Hero know what is right versus what is wrong? Why fight those who are doing the right thing?” Jazak seems to become angered by this, as he yells out, “Taking lives and endangering others isn’t the right thing!” Kaede nods in response, “True, but in some cases it is the only way for change to happen, because no side wishes to compromise or listen to the other. It would be that case now, if both sides could coexist.” An arrow is launched, and Kaede barely manages to dodge it. It nicks her hood, and rips it down. Kaede immediately becomes furious at the elf, and sets the unconscious Kitsune down with care. She speaks as she sets him down, “Elf, do you know what you have just done?”
The Elf answers, a smug tone in her voice, “Shot an enemy, so give up already, we have you outleveled and outnumbered.” Kaede was done with the games, they dared rip the hood off of her friend, even if it were just an illusion. Kaede stood, and tapped her staff on the ground, as she spoke in a deadly cold tone, one she had not used in a long time, “You ripped my closest friend’s hood off.” She turns to look at them as two bright circles appear behind her, and her illusion fades completely, turning her dirty blond hair back to its normal long black. “And I will not forgive it. You die here, but your friends have one chance to leave and survive. Because you face Focalor, Demon General of Baal. You face Kaede, the Black Witch. You face Kaede, student of the Schola de Arcanum, and servant of the Dungeon Codex. You face a Hero of another world.”
The Elf begins to laugh, clearly amused by the seemingly preposterous words spoken to her and the pitiful lights behind the Nekomimi. “You? Don’t make me laugh, you don’t even have golden eyes!” Jazak calls out, “Shut it! This is more dangerous than you think, Elf.” The Elf looks annoyed at the Hero, but realizes what he means as the lights fade, and two more appear. In the place of the first two lights, a man in light armor, with a sword at his hip stands. His form was ghostly, but still showed what he was, a Human with a deadly glare. The other was the Nekomimi Kaede had been illusioned as. Kaede spoke, “Well spotted, Hero. May I introduce you to the Hero’s Party: I am Kaede the Betrayer of the Demon Lord, to my left is Victor Flare the Hero, to my right is Clover Alpenglow the Dark Mage. Behind them comes Zephyrus, Clover’s father, a former Lupus Arcani and Dark Knight. To his right, Archsage Lance Marillis of the fallen Xulenia Empire. We slew Demon Lord Baal, as the Heroes before us slew their own. From the first in the year 1000, to the latest in 1348. You will not survive, as these simulacrum may not be the same strength as the real thing, but are far stronger than you are.”
The Elf laughs again, “You think you can scare us with numbers? You’re just bringing in stuff we can easily kill.” Jazak calls for her to be quiet again, and then speaks to Kaede, “So it was all a trick originally, there is no demon?” Kaede smirks, and then holds out her hands to her sides, “You’re looking at her.” Jazak asks again, with an annoyed tone, “There is no demon?” Kaede shakes her head, then answers, “In the traditional sense, no. But in the sense of my world? Absolutely. We Felinekin, Caninekin, Elves, all of the others as well, are often seen as demons by the much more abundant humans. Only after the first Hero defeated his Demon Lord and ascended to his heaven, did we even gain a modicum of rights. So you should understand why I fight you now. I and everyone within my party, are living proof that even the weak or feared can become strong and respected. So surrender. Or should I give you proof to back my claim of being stronger? Though that would require you to reveal your own statuses.”
Jazak stands silently, debating internally, while Kaede prepares for their answer, and the spell ends, revealing two more individuals, Zephyrus was in extremely similar clothes to Clover, but stood far taller, with his own ears poking out of his hood, revealing him to be an Elf instead of Felinekin. Lance stood silent, his priest-like robes flowing in the non-existent wind, with a book in his hand, and rabbit-like ears perched atop his head. Jazak revealed his status, causing the other two to do so as well. The Elf looked extremely smug about her level, expecting Kaede to be lower than her, and not almost double. Kaede revealed her own status, and those of her simulacrum. Each was at level 100, while Jazak was the only person even close to them, at 91.
Jazak stood stunned into silence, and the Elf yelled out that there had to be a trick of some kind. The Orc was beginning to break out into a cold sweat. Jazak on the other hand, remained stunned, watching as Kaede spoke again, “As you can see, you are outmatched. Give up, and surrender. You will not survive.” Jazak regained his composure, and raised his axes again, speaking, “No. I will not ever surrender.” Kaede smiled as she continued, “Not even if you were to learn that a certain Human is looking for revenge at your betrayal? Perhaps you could even apologize for how you wronged her, before your death.” Jazak remains silent, and confused for a brief moment, as the Orc looks at him and the Elf laughs in fearful panic.
Jazak spoke, his voice wavering slightly, “What do you mean by that?” Kaede smiled and held up a hand, before bringing it down past herself, changing into Luné. “You don’t mean that you forgot, do you, Betrayer? You could have protected her, if you truly believed what you were spouting earlier.” She returns to her normal form, as she continues, now beginning to mock him, “‘Taking lives and endangering others isn’t the right thing’, oh how hypocritical. You did nothing to stop Proudmaul and the rest of your party from trying to kill her. You even joined in. Are you sure you wish to continue with this line of questioning? Or is it time to run, little Hero?” Jazak could definitely see the Orc lower his weapon, and sheathe it. It was clear who was in the right to him, and the Orc began to walk away. Jazak cursed under his breath, and ran back down the alley he came from, leaving just the Elf.
She looked to where the Orc was walking and Jazak had run, begging them to return to help her. Kaede smiled with vim and vigor, she had never felt so good aside from a few other times. The look of despair, the fear and anguish. She oh so loved it, though she knew it was wrong. She spoke, “Zephyrus, if you would like to. You always protect her, after all.” The Elf backed up into the wall as the Dark Knight approached, the large spectral greatsword suddenly forming in his hands. It was over in a flash, as the Elf’s screams of pain and fear echoed in the area. The storm was here, and Kaede was done playing around. She would simply demolish all rings, and then threaten those who were in her way. It would be sweet, simple, and quick. She let the simulacrum fade, as she left the area, leaving the unconscious Kitsune to his own devices.