“Ugh…”

“You’re awake. Thank the Ash Dragon’s vitality!”

Carmyn leaned forward, grabbing her head. Her face touched the soft fabric wrapped around her hand and realized she was bandaged all over.

“Mixrel, the Rozzalian has woken up.” Yizdra announced.

“Rub a layer of Stredhime ointment under her nyose to ease the pain.”

Tama reached in her bag of wares, handing curatives to the Scalemen without so much as to charge them. She shouted orders, passing any necessities the healers requested to treat the wounded.

Carmyn looked forward. Hundreds of bodies covered by layers of dirtied cloth. However, the sight which terrified her was the vast emptiness of structures previously stood tall to provide them cover. She could see the base of the toppled tower and the vicinity levelled by an area attack.

“What happened? Where are the others?”

“Holy Draigh and the Herald’s whereabouts are unknown, but the Oracle, the first Hero and the Vivirian have gone to confront the Tower. Or, what’s left of it.” Yizdra grimaced.

“What about Salith? Have you seen another Rozzalian?”

“She turned on us and with the Vivirian and Herald’s efforts, we have subdued her. And… I’m sorry. I allowed the enemy to reclaim her to save my brethren.”

“Shit…!”

Carmyn foolishly thought her decade long mission to find Salith would end without any problems. What could she do in her state? She could barely be any match against Irvan’s companions.

Just then, she heard murmurs from a crowd of Scalemen and turned around to find a Tortoise Folk waddling through the encampment. Everyone gasped, seeing the all too familiar and radiating reverse scale of the Crimson’s Wrath in his hands.

“I do not believe my eyes…!” Yizdra gasped. “The Herald is carrying Crimson Wrath’s trophy!”

Ainig did not stop to the Scalemen calling him by his title. Despite people reaching out for answers, the Tortoise shied away from the crowd and march through, headed towards the sources of powerful tremors.

“Excuse me, can you lend me a weapon?” Carmyn asked.

“Are you insane? Your kind may be the most durable and boast to have the most endurance of all other races, but even one should know their own limits. You’ve past yours.”

“This isn’t about me. I have to follow that Tortoise Folk no matter what.”

Yizdra reptilian eyes examined the worn pitiful look and silently gestured towards Tama. The Mixrel simply shrugged, unable to offer any generous words of advice.

“You need rest. Believe in the Oracle. He will surely guide us through this crisis.”

“I know Kihet’s able to handle himself, but the one I want to free is my only family. I know she turned against you, but it wasn’t of her own will. She fell into the enemy’s control because of me. I want to save her.”

Yizdra casted her gaze at the causalities then back onto Carmyn. Many lives have been taken and if possible, she wanted to prevent anymore deaths.

Although they were strangers, Yizdra understood what it felt to lose a family.

“You may lose your life in your current state.” Yizdra warned.

“I know. But if I can free her, then it’s worth trying than letting her suffer more.”

“I get it. We will depart and catch up to the Herald.”

“We?”

“I have vowed to look after the Herald at a request of a benefactor.” The Lizardman looked up to the sky. “I may have failed once when he was kidnapped but was fortunate to be given a second chance. Now that the Herald has gained the approval of the Pale Dragon, I must witness and confirm his growth.”

Suddenly, a loud crash took everyone’s attention. At the center, Tama poured all her medicinal goods and common weapons from her bag. The Werecat strapped the half emptied rugsack onto her back, speeding towards the opposite direction where Ainig came from.

Tama’s usual fake merchant’s smile or mischievous grin was replaced by a focused look.

“Mixrel, where might you be going alone?”

Yizdra only caught a glimpse and immediately after confronting Tama, she reverted to her usual greedy smile. “Oh dear, I ran out of supplies. I was hoping to go scavenge for more~.”

“You have only recently healed your broken ribs. I urge you to rest.”

“Nyahaha! What is this? Are you telling me to cancel my contract with the Oracle? No can do! Strays like me live and die through money and contracts. Nyie will not sully the reputation I have built as the wandering merchant especially with an important client~!”

“The goods you graciously provided is enough. You must rest.”

“Listen bud. There’s not a lot of time and Nyie have business out there. Last warning. Do not hound me.”

“I am only acting for your own good.”

“Nyie see? What about that Rozzalian? She took one of my weapons and headed towards the where the battle is. Shouldn’t you accompany her instead of blocking me?”

“She- no!”

“Nyaha! Later, alligator!”

As soon as Yizdra took her eyes off Tama, the Mixrel found the opportunity to slip past her. Tama was long gone, and Yizdra had no choice but to follow Carmyn.

The Lizardman snatched a steel hatchet and a spear from the pile of weapons and caught up to the limping Rozzalian.

“Here, take this.”

“Thanks.”

They eventually caught up with Ainig. The Tortoise moved as quickly as his stubby legs allowed him to, clenching the message and the reverse scale closely.

“Must, hurry…! Must, hurry…! Holy Draigh will be fine. He said he will be fine.”

----------------------------------------

Sparks showered left and right as steel clashed against each other.

As Irvan reached for a new sword held by his [Ribbon], Kihet’s [Chain] pierced the air and snatched it from Irvan’s grasp.

“Fuck you!”

Irvan drew a flintlock pistol and squeezed its trigger. The projectile was slowed down by a magical dome projected from Kihet’s armor giving him ample of time to hop away. Irvan aimed a second firearm only to discover himself the target of an arrow flying at him.

He took a swing to miss. Lily’s [Trick Orb] intercepted her projectiles and made it as though Irvan messed up his timing, forcing him shift out of his stance.

The end of Irvan’s pistol snapped at Lily. An arrow plunged into its barrel, then smoke ruptured out of the pipe. It was a misfire. The arrow scattered his mix of black powder, and the result of the damage mangled the barrel of that firearm.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

He discarded it, raising his sword to block Kihet’s [Tree Feller].

“You dammed coward!” Irvan roared. “You never fight fair! Man up for once and stop relying on tricks and anyone else for once!”

“I’d like to remind you this is a battle, not a duel.” Kihet held one of Irvan’s swords in his hand, exchanging blows. “You either live through or die in it.”

“Oh? That’s only what a coward would say when they think they’re winning.”

Irvan grinned and another weapon was formed from miasma being compressed.

In one hand, Irvan wielded Shibata’s golden sword. In the other, an ominous weapon rolled on his palm. It reeked the same repulsive presence as the Shaman.

“That’s the Acolyte’s weapon!”

Although it took on a shape to imitate a sword to Irvan’s liking, it still was an axe. The beard of the blade stretched halfway down to the shaft.

“Haha! You look pale there! Serves you right, Coward!”

Irvan leaped forward, striking with [Crossing Field]. He unleashed two quick slashes, then doubling, quadrupling, sextupling and octupling his flurry of attacks. By dual wielding, he was able to unleash multiple set of slashes within a span of mere seconds.

Each set was narrowly blocked by alternating between [Full Moon, High Tide] and [Waxing Moon, Sparking Steel]. Even so, Kihet received deep cuts over his shoulder, biceps, forearms and thigh. One slash nicked his wrist, but he was lucky its tendons were intact.

“C’mon! Where’s your spunk? Where’s all that tough talk you had?”

Irvan’s eyes were bloodshot and drunk with power. The power up he received from the Acolyte’s weapon gradually increased his physical feats.

Kihet lit the remaining two fuses of his firelance and aimed down. Dozens of shrapnels pierced through the puff of black smog. Arrows from outside hailed indiscriminately in the cloud of smoke.

Their efforts were batted away in one fell swoop.

“Sei, Pik, Ulos, Larv, Bast, Val!”

Irvan’s weapons sparked with ember, wreathing his blade with a coil of flames. He held one high, delivering a ranged attack by flinging a fiery wave with the other at Lily.

Lily rolled away and looked up at a figure looming over her. Irvan quickly closed the gap and swung down. His sword -stolen from Shibata- bit into Lily’s bow while she pushed with all her might to block it.

“You’re also a thorn. Die!”

Her bow snapped, but her opponent’s blade was stopped by a [Chain] coiling around its handle.

“You know you can’t win so you’re targeting her? Who’s the coward?” Kihet flipped his middle finger at Irvan.

“What did you say?”

Kihet tugged his [Chain], reeling Irvan towards his end. He held his firelance like a bat and swung with every ounce of his strength. Despite the Oracle’s seal granting him significant strengthening boost, Irvan nullified Kihet’s attack and returned a stronger strike with the Acolyte’s weapon.

“What did you expect that would do? You’re weak! A weakling is always a weakling!”

Fortunately, Irvan could not deliver the final blow. He suddenly bent away from a bolt of light Lily released rather than deflecting it.

Lily peppered Irvan with more shimmering bolts. Irvan would either slash at them with the golden blade or weave away, never using the Acolyte’s weapon to defend himself.

“Kihet, use the Oracle’s flames!”

Heeding her call, silver fire ignited over Kihet’s arm. The flames dispelled a layer of magical protection, [Kerse Armament: Repulsion], casted over his armor.

The silver fire offered no protection, but it would burn the Tower’s miasma and its spawns. Irvan immediately dove away, going as far to shield the Acolyte’s weapon with his body.

“How did you know?”

“It was a hunch.” Lily answered. “If it’s the Acolyte’s weapon, it’d be weak to your flames.”

“Did you just say I was weak? You have no right to say that after ganging up on me like this! I’m the real Oracle! I’ll show you losers!”

Was it carelessness or perhaps his tunnel vision of his hatred of Kihet kept him from being aware of his surrounding? He was blindsided swept off the ground by an impact. It sent him and the person crashing into him tumbling across the floor.

Salith’s armor was battered and dented. Pieces of plating hanged off straps of leather. Chainmail links rolled like as if a bag of rings were thrown and left rolling everywhere.

Lidian who supported Salith casted [High barrier] to cage the Shaman. Even then, it plowed through solid walls of magical light and delivered a rib crushing blow into Lidian’s side.

“The Acolyte!” Lily warned.

By the time Kihet turned around, the Shaman flew up to his face. There wasn’t enough time to recast [Kerse Armament: Repulsion] to slow the enemy’s attack.

He crossed his arms, bracing himself to hope for the best. Instead of receiving a sure death hit, his body radiated with light and Kihet found his surroundings changed.

“Salith!”

Due to the nature of Elius’ command to prevent Kihet from approaching the Acolyte, Salith used it to her advantage. The hero’s crest provided her with a spell [Castling], swapping locations with a marked target. She took the brunt of attack in his stead. Her shield arm bent backwards from the megaton of force receiving the impact.

Her body shined and this time, Irvan took her place.

“You’re wide open!” Irvan grinned.

Irvan slashed at the Acolyte with the golden sword. A large gash drew across its torso from one shoulder to the other side of its waist.

“And for the final blow!”

He raised the Acolyte’s weapon and swung down.

But Kihet heard a noise he did not want to hear. Like glass shattering and its fragment bounced everywhere, the Acolyte’s weapon Irvan used against its owner shattered upon contact.

“What the hell?”

“You idiot!” Kihet screamed. “Get away from there now!”

As Enuis, the race who can hear the songs of elementals and screams of curse, Kihet and Irvan heard the latter drumming in their ears.

It was about to unleash a powerful burst of energy.

Daylight suddenly flashed from the horizon. A breath of concentrated light struck the Shaman.

In the distance, four more shinning heads sprout from the Tortoise’s back. The fangs of each Pale Dragon’s head aimed at the Shaman and took turns to unleash their breaths.

Lily and Kihet covered their eyes to avoid being blinded by the intense brightness. They could feel the ground tremble as the Tortoise stomped towards the Shaman while repeatedly firing lasers breaths.

“Brave Rozzalian, I will fetch the first Hero and the Brave Vivirian! You retrieve the Oracle and the other Rozzalian!”

“Got it!”

An arm lifted Kihet off the ground and placed him on someone’s shoulder. While his eyes were adjusting, he saw a person pull up Salith and guided them away from the Pale Dragon’s breath.

Elius, Haku and Justiva also saw the opportunity to retrieve Irvan and Lidian.

“Herald, we have retrieved our allies. We will count on you.”

“I-I’ll do my best!”

Ainig anchored the bottom of his shield into the ground after ending his barrage. The Shaman immediately sprung at him, landing a solid haymaker.

Kihet rubbed his eyes until they recovered. He felt a powerful thump resonated through his body. Fortunately, they were unharmed as the Tortoise was able to tank an attack that was enough to send Giants flying through the air.

A spectral visage of the Pale Dragon equipped itself onto Ainig like a suit of armor. The five heads snapped at the Shaman whose attack was stopped and forced to retreat.

[The Tortoise?] Aten flashed his sign.

“Yeah. He’s come a long way.” Kihet nodded. “Can you two keep on fighting?”

“En! My composite bow broke but I still have my shortbow with me.”

[No problem.]

“Ainig, keep up the defenses!”

“O-okay! But, Oracle. Holy Draigh needed me to deliver a message. Yizdra, could you-.” He paused, blocking another attack. “Tell him?”

Yizdra unfolded a cloth, revealing a warm glowing scale. It radiated with divine power, identical- no. It was Alc’Bruk’s reverse scale.

“It is as you think, Oracle. The Crimson’s Wrath has been defeated.”

“What happened to Draigh?”

“We do not know. By the Herald’s words, Holy Draigh had sent him to deliver a message urgently to you. Forgive its contents since it was written in haste. ‘Strike Acolyte, inject Oracle’s light. Collarbone. Vulnerable point’.”

“No wonder it reacted when I took a shot at its neck.” Lily added. “If it needs to be a big amount, I can shoot a big bolt at it. But, it’ll see it.”

“Which means I have to get close to do it or create an opening for you.”

It wasn’t a matter if he could do it or not. There were no openings to deliver a lethal blow to it. It was possible to slip in a few jabs or cuts. More powerful attacks required more time and long set ups.

Kihet set a hand over the leaf bladed knife and infused it with the Oracle’s flames. While he concentrated on storing purifying energy onto the blade, he felt a puff of hot air blown at his side.

“Get your unworthy hands off Crimson’s scale!”

A surge of anger altered Kaz’Bruk technical strikes into feral sweeps. His attacks were without techniques and focused on raw power. The Dragonkin clashed with Rogus’s broad blade, batting the Lycanthrope out of its way.

Hilaqi casted numerous earthen spikes to skewer the Dragonkin. Kaz’Bruk broke through the growing wall of stalagmites and soared towards Kihet’s group.

“The sacred scale does not belong to Heretics! Return it immediately!” Kaz’Bruk bellowed.

The Dragonkin brought its glaive down, only to be caught by Carmyn‘s weapon. The Rozzalian gestured to Yizdra who had already gone to flank Kaz’Bruk.

Yizdra brought down her acid coated blade. Raging fire coating Kaz’Bruk’s body evaporated the substance before they clashed. Yizdra’s blade snapped and the Dragonkin’s swing aimed for her neck.

“Suffer the same fate as the Crimson’s Wrath, lesssser Dragon!”

The Naga pounced onto Kaz’Bruk’s back, coiling his long tail around. Despite being burned, Hilaqi managed to stab his spear into the Dragonkin and continued to strangle the life out of Kaz’Bruk now he’s gotten a hold on him.

Then their blood flew across the air.

“Hilaqi!”

Kaz’Bruk and Hilaqi found themselves floating. As the Naga thought his nemesis escaped his clutching hold, he looked down.

His tail was missing.

Anyone not behind Ainig’s protection or had not withdrawn from the area was hit by a sharp gust of wind carrying the miasma expelled from the Acolyte. It bisected Kaz’Bruk and Hilaqi who were exposed to its burst of attack.

“The Acolyte is a person…?” Yizdra gasped.

The enemy had long hair, tanned skin. Its sharp eyes glared down at Kihet and the group. its eye whites blackened, pupils glowed golden. its silvery hair turned blood red.

She wore a decorated cloak crafted from a bear pelt. The tattoos over its right side spread throughout its toned body.

The seal, its axe, to awaken its powers broke. Kihet tried heeding the Acolyte of Defiance’s words, but it was all in vain.

“No, Hilaqi! I-I’m sorry, I-I couldn’t…!”

Ainig lost his focus and suddenly, a sharp feeling stabbed the Tortoise through his stomach. The invincible shield was no more as Ainig collapsed on all fours and vomited everything from his last meal.

“Ainig!”

Kihet realized the Acolyte now had armor piercing attacks.

“Aw, what? Already down? I thought this guy could take a few blows.” She cracked her neck. “Oh well. You, Oracle! I am the Acolyte of Fury, Shaman of Frost Craven Mountains. There’s this voice in my head that’s buggin me to kill you. I kinda don’t want to, but I’m losing control. Don’t die easy on me!”