Colonel Fier Jayce read through a report that lay in front of him, he sat at his desk of dark green wood inside his similarly designed office. Jayce is an Elf, a Wood Elf with short brown-green hair, brown eyes and a muscular appearance. For an Elf he was within his middle age, his appearance though showed nothing more than being in his late 20s.
He wore a refined military uniform of black trimmed with bright green, his pauldrons were lined with medals for his service to the Elven Forest Court. On his trench coat was a single insignia, a golden pin shaped like a spiky reptilian head.
He sighed after finishing reading the report and stood up “Foolish Darks and Frosts, can’t get off their asses yet. No matter, we will give them their proof soon enough.”
Jayce walked over to the door and exited his office out to the ship’s higher deck, he glanced around the ocean around them.
The Empire’s naval armada was spread out around Ruk’s north, a vast fleet of fifteen thousand ships lay to his left and right. Each ship was either a full rigged ship armed with cannons or a three masted schooner carrying squads of mages and archers.
The ships all sported the same dark green wood that seemed to shift and change, Elfwood being masterly controlled by mages.
Jayce walked up to the higher deck’s edge and looked down at the main deck, a squad of fourteen armoured Elves stood at attention around three men that lay on their knees. Another Elf wearing a similar uniform to Jayce’s stood with the three prisoners.
“How goes the interrogation?” asked Jayce from up top, he moved towards the stairs.
The Elf below looked up at him with a grin “Two broke. The other…well see for yourself colonel. No fun, no fun at all.” The man exclaimed with glee in his gruff voice.
As Jayce descended the stairs he studied the other high ranking Elf “Might you have gone too hard on them Fleet Admiral Zelt?”. Unlike Jayce, Zelt was a thin skinny Elf sporting a bald cut and brown goatee. His crimson eyes gave too much away, filled with bloodlust and enjoyment.
Jayce held back a grimace as he walked through the parting soldiers, their backs to the act of torture happening behind them as even they were unable to stomach it.
Chained up and on their knees the three prisoners were entirely naked and varied in race.
One a Wood Elf with long brown hair, his eyes too bloody to tell if they were there or had been gouged out.
The second a Beastkin by his bloody greying hair, his ears had been chopped off so Jayce couldn’t tell what kind.
The third lay on the ground unmoving, a Castanic Demon with red horns and blueish hair. The other two had their fair share of torture from the bruising and bleeding but this one had the worst of it all. His skin had been peeled off entirely, from top to bottom and it lay to his right in a pile of blood and flesh.
The Wood Elf prisoner stared at the Demon with wide terrified eyes as the Beastkin stared down at the wooden ground, both trembling in either fear or anger.
Jayce covered his nose at the stench of death “What have you found out Sir?” he asked the Fleet Admiral, a cruel relentless man who enjoyed the sea almost as much as he enjoyed his personal interrogations.
Zelt wiped his bloody hands in a piece of cloth, he stared down at the two prisoners as he spoke “Exactly what the court requires Colonel, although we’ll require you and your men to go get first hand proof of it all.”
Jayce frowned at Zelt’s tone “What has happened Sir?”
“The Dezol have begun a Grand Quest.” said Zelt with a sigh, he turned to face the Colonel and spoke sternly “Colonel Fier you are requested to ride to Barik and retrieve information on the current situation at all costs.”
Jayce stood at attention and saluted “The Dragon Riders accept this mission, we shall leave immediately.”
Zelt nodded “We won’t be informing the alliance, blasted cunts should have informed us first hand.”
Jayce feeling the conversation over turned around and walked to the edge of the ship, he looked down at the sea below and whistled. Jayce then leaped off the ship.
The flapping of wings sent blasts of wind into the ocean as a large reptilian mass of scales and wings glided down from the sky. The creature was most definitely a Dragon, unlike a Wyvern it was three times as large and had four feet while it’s wings were much thicker allowing for powerful movements.
The Dragon was enormous, even without it’s wings that spanned six times it’s torso and tail that was twice as long, it was still double the full rigged ship’s length and just as thick.
Spiked green scales covered most of it’s body and wing limbs, it’s wing netting was thick and dark yellow. It’s head was the spikiest of all with six long crown like spikes growing out.
The green scaled Dragon flew by the ship allowing Jayce to fall onto it’s wing and slide down towards it’s torso, the Elf barely larger than the Dragon’s emerald eyes.
Jayce reached the Dragon’s back and ran up to it’s head as sea water splashed all over while the Dragon flapped it’s powerful wings to re-ascend into the sky.
“It is time my friend.” said Jayce as he expertly made his way to the Dragon’s forehead, a saddle of wood, metal and leather lay strapped to it. He sat down on the saddle, legs straight in front of himself and back laid to the back-slanted leather seat.
“Let’s go Rekshar” Jayce raised his right hand forward “We ride to Barik!”
Rekshar roared out as it flew over the fleet, the resounding roar sent waves of mana blasting forward making the very air ripple with energy. A dozen more roars cried out as several other Dragons and their riders joined it in the air.
The squadron of thirteen green Dragons flew in arrow formation heading towards their destination west.
Heading towards the continent of Barik.
----------------------------------------
Helix defence camp.
2 days later
Jacky glanced at the ground below as he crouched down on the branch he lay on, up high a tree he picked far away from camp. He waited patiently as the suns set, the bright light from the descending suns making the trees and their surroundings darker than at night time.
Three figures stalked below and once he knew that nobody else had followed them Jacky leaped down, two of the figures flinched at his sudden appearance but the third was un-moving.
Jacky landed crouched down “What’s up?” he asked while standing up and clearing snow from his black coat. Jacky glanced at each of the three adventurers, three people he knew very well from their time in Rune Shock. Each either an information broken or spy trained by Birse and after Jacky retired controlled by Birse.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“Scared the shit outta me that’s what’s up!” exclaimed the cloaked Dwarf in a whisper.
Jacky smirked as he inspected the three of them.
VainSanity [Monk]-[Lightbringer] (Holy Smiting) (BW Smith) Level 94
Vain grimaced back at Jacky, the Dwarf no taller than the assassin’s waist but muscular and wielding a pole-hammer. With a dread-bread and dreadlocks the Dwarf was actually a craftsmen in Rune shock but with their current situation he was forced into becoming a combatant.
JaneRekless [Rogue]-[Dark Bowmeister] (Sniper) (ETE Sargent) Level 107
Jane remained passive and expressionless, patiently waiting for the usual meeting to start. Beneath her hood greenish scales were visible on her cheeks showing her Mer linage even if she had two legs and not a tail. Her long braided blonde hair flowed down her left, her jade like light green eyes attentive and calculative.
Rico [Spearman] (Meat Shield Prime) (LOST rank 3) Level 109
A dark elf with dark purplish skin, short light blue hair and violet eyes. Rico rolled his eyes and sighed “Stop your bitching dwarf, let’s get this started.” he stated with an annoyed expression.
“Pfft, you backed off too!” exclaimed Vain.
Jacky sighed “Cut it out, let’s get this over with. He wants to hear from us before the day is over.” These three were the only ones Jacky trusted with spying on the guilds, their personalities being which didn’t get them into the guild aside, their goals coincided with the guild’s.
Each wanted to either go home and had friends who wished to stay or wanted to stay themselves. As such the alliance’s path to war wasn’t helping, making it more difficult for the Dezol to progress through and prolonging the war as the stalemate with the Elves remained. Neither did they like the idea of the racist and tyrannical leadership of the Elven Empire.
“Eternium hasn’t really moved but…” Jane began to share her collected information, her voice quiet almost a whisper “The top brass are picking among themselves for something, some mission.”
“I can explain that.” Offered Rico before continuing “The alliance offered us the same mission, they produced some kind of biological and chemical weapon against the barrier. They only have eight batches of it, two will be transported by force to the barrier by the alliance’s army in two platoons. The other six will be given to the guilds, one to each guild that accepts to help.”
Vain shook his head “Haven’t heard nothing about that, BW mustn’t be important enough for that attention.”
Jacky scratched his chin “I was chosen for APOK’s delivery party, haven’t been told much except that we need to get to the barrier quickly. Rico can you give time?” he asked the elf.
Rico nodded “Tomorrow at night fall we move, during the day we should see the alliance moving their forces around for the push. The general told each guild to send no more than four of their fastest members, keep the squads small to lower the chance of detection and whatnot.”
“Any idea as to what this weapon does?” asked Jane.
“Apparently it’s some kind of plant.” replied Rico “Drench the dirt with the vial of liquid and the plant grows, it then begins to attack all mana in it’s surroundings which will include the barrier.”
“Are we sure they only have eight batches?” asked Jacky.
Rico’s eyes trailed off for a moment “Not definitive, we were shown the eight vials and that’s it. Apparently it requires some very rare resources to make.”
“Then they probably have more, going as far as to show and tell and all…” added Vain with a grimace.
Jacky nodded in agreement “Yeah probably, anything else?” none of them responded “Alright, gather more about who’s on each party and see if you can find out anything about the alliance’s movements. There is probably a squad being formed by them for a ninth of even tenth batch. Also I want to know who made this weapon, full name and associations.”
“On it.” Replied Rico with a smirk.
“Sure.” Said Jane sternly.
“Aight.” Grumbled Vain.
“Dismissed.” Declared Jacky as he disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.
----------------------------------------
Devil’s Eye
Three hours later
The entire guild of RHD- or Blood Pack as they were privately known- gathered inside the throne room of the Dezol’s fortress. Each member looked either tense, worried or anxious except for the leader. Birse stood calm and collected as he looked forward at Lucifer shaking Asmodeus’s hand.
“Safe travels brother, we shall keep holding on no matter what.” said Lucifer.
“Indeed Lucy, once our lady wakes up from her slumber we shall contact you.” replied Asmodeus raising the VCD in his right hand to point it out. Birse had shared the existence and use of the device as Death was fully capable of replicating it.
Asmodues turned to them, more specifically he turned towards Sly who stood by his guild looking resigned. “Come little Devilling, we shall warp to the castle first and see if she is awake. We leave for Satan’s camp later today, you have time before the meeting so worry not right now.” He said with a friendly smile that bordered far over creepy and almost reaching bad-touch.
Sly nodded and straightened himself before turning to face his guild, his friends, his family. “I’ll stay in touch.” He told Birse and raised his right hand towards him in a fist.
Birse met Sly’s fist with his own “Yo don’t get raped there k.”
Sly snorted “I’ll leave the succubii to you, maybe I’ll finally get rid of your ass.” He turned to the others “Don’t get trashed just cause I won’t be around.”
Kyle chuckled “Don’t go get yourself killed, can’t carry your ass with my respawning dungeon from here you know?”
Death forwarded his hand “Yeah watch yourself Sly, don’t do be charging into battle alone.” he said with a grin.
Sly shook his hand briefly “Yo but that’s like, my thing you know?” he replied with an equal grin.
Soren sighed “Well prepare the hole, if we get a body back to bury that is…” he said before chuckling soon after.
“Yo watch it.” Replied Sly as he pointed at him “Or I’ll be burying your ass soon.” He turned around to face the Devils, his grin faltered into a weak smile.
“Don’t be afraid…” said Reyna as she approached him from the side “He’s eccentric but not that bad a person…the sin of wrath that is…” she said with an awkward smile.
“Aight.” Sly replied simply as he glanced back at the guild and smirked, he turned back towards Asmodeus and approached him “I’m ready.”
Asmodues nodded and laid his right hand over Sly’s shoulder, reality shifted around them as a rift quickly engulfed them both and collapsed on itself like a bubble of reflective liquid.
Death glanced at Birse “Does this mean I’m entirely second in command now?”
Birse tapped Death’s shoulder lightly “Whatever you say b.” he then turned back to Lucifer “Now with them gone there is something we need to share with you.”
Lucifer turned to them and raised a brow questioningly “I’m a busy man, speak up.”
“I’ve received reliable intel that tomorrow night the alliance will make a push to the barrier’s edge with their biological weapon.” explained Birse “I didn’t mention it earlier as to not worry my guild member on his departure.”
“I see, how much do you know?” asked Lucifer having caught his attention entirely.
“Supposedly only eight batches of the weapon are available to the alliance, a ninth is in actuality available and will be delivered by Rin Darkness herself along with a squad of elites from the churches.
Two of the batches will be delivered by two separate platoons, the alliance’s main force while the remaining six have been spread among the adventurer guilds and will be delivered by small squads from their respective members.” Birse fully explained.
Lucifer held his chin thoughtfully “Interesting, my agents haven’t came by this information at all. I commend your people, resourceful as always. We will meet the alliance’s platoons with our own, if I had to guess they will make use of you adventurers in that push so we will be outnumbered and unable to deal with the small parties well.”
“We will deal with the adventurer squads, my members can take care of them easily enough. How will we deal with Darkness though?” Birse asked as he began to setup plans in his mind.
Lucifer shrugged “Legion will be enough to deal with her, heroes aren’t powerful enough to be any threat to us after the quest has ended.” he dismissed the question with a simple answer.
“What do you mean?” asked Kyle suddenly.
“When a grand quest ends heroes lose favour with the Gods and their backing, all skills and perks included. Draxxer in his prime would never have been defeated by you, he’s also grown old and weak over time.” Lucifer explained with disinterest as he walked off towards a side corridor “Speak with Xien, make your preparations immediately.”. Lucifer walked out of the room with Reyna, Lilith and Legion following behind him.
Birse turned towards the commandant “Well?”.
Xien looked up at the Wolfkin. The commandant was an Imp, two feet tall with crimson red skin and short red stubs for horns. The Imp had no hair and his eyes were redder than his skin. He wore heavy black plate armour and carried a battlestaff on his back.
“I’ll assign three shades to each of you, that’s the best I can do with this situation.” Said Xien with a high pitched voice and stern tone.
“What’s a shade?” asked Soren trying to cover for Seren barely able to hold back her giggling at the creature’s voice.
Xien rolled his eyes “Hellborn trained in the arts of assassination and covert ops, they’ll be at your disposal but please be merciful with their lives. I’d rather not lose men.” he told Birse pointedly.
“Worry not little guy, your people are safe with us. Unless they are not, then they’re on their own.” said Birse with a smirk “Let’s go guys.” He lead the guild out leaving Xien to stand on his own.
“Fucking mercenaries…” Xien cursed under his breathe.