Sly roamed the streets looking for the palace, unable to tell buildings from another except for the single large tree that seemed to overshadow the whole city. Until a thought came to mind (“The tree…”) he stopped and gazed up the massive trunk leading up to an even larger mess of branches and golden leaves.
(“Maybe there’s an entrance around the bottom?”) He thought while heading towards the tree’s bottom, masses walking all around him. He twisted and turned through the streets making his way to the large tree until he found himself staring down a street that lead straight to it.
Not as packed as the others he still could barely see through the number of people walking around. Sly pressed on as he awkwardly looked around the street, strange shops and stalls all around him. Distracted by sightseeing he bumped into someone, the resounding *thud* snapped him out of his curious gaze “Huh?” making him look down at who he had knocked down.
A sort of Demon lay on the ground rubbing the back of his head, dark violet skin, short curly purple hair and crimson red eyes. The Demon would have looked like a human teen if not for the strange colouring.
“Oh s-” Sly was about to apologise but was cut off.
“YOU LITTLE!” Two voices spoke in unison as two destructive auras crashed down upon Sly’s own as he defended himself from the assault, a moment later two massive blades clashed with his own daggers as he parried each.
Taken aback by the attack and literally pushed back by the force Sly was confused as he glanced between his two assailants which confused him even further. Similar to the young Demon the two had long curly purple hair, dark violet skin and crimson red eyes with the exception of being female and both looking exactly the same as the other.
Sly expanded his aura to it’s limits pushing back the other two almost identically coloured aura, forcing the two warriors back allowing him to fully inspect them. Unlike the young male who wore fine noble clothing these two wore black plate armour lined with a crimson red trim and dark purple decorating the plates looking either like fangs or claw marks.
Both of them sized him up as they continued to scowl, either twin looking in their late twenties. Sly’s attention was more caught by their choice of weaponry. One wielded a massive chunk of black metal shaped like a blade about three times her own size while the other wielded a similarly as large spear.
(“Fuck…I knocked down someone important didn’t I?...”) Sly guessed as he studied the young Demon once more as he stood up, an expression of fear on his face while not meeting Sly’s gaze.
One of the twins -the one with the sword- turned around to check on the young Demon “Zeiken are you alright?” she asked with a soft voice while patting the young one’s shoulder.
Zeiken nodded while holding onto his right arm, noticing this the twin gently removed his hand to see a slightly bloody bruise. Another wave of aura assaulted Sly’s followed by the other’s as the sword wielding twin stood up and faced him again.
“Do you have any clue as to who you just injured!? Or who we are!?” the sword twin exclaimed with both a furious tone and expression.
Sly shrugged “Some noble? Look miss I’m late f-”
Both twins lunged at him in unison, their massive weapons clashing with his aura-clad daggers creating sparks as metal hit metal. Sly aura surged a few steps back giving himself room away from the massive weapons’ range.
The other twin spoke this time “This is Lord Zeiken! Blood brother to the Lord sin of Wrath!” she exclaimed.
“Ohhh shit…” whispered Sly as Kali laughed hysterically in his mind.
The blade wielding twin spoke again “I am Delila Ragnarok Blaze, Devilling of the Wrath legion!”
The spear wielding twin continued “I am Aria Ragnarok Blaze, also Devilling of the Wrath legion. We will have your head for this transgression!”
Both twins readied their weapons while entering their own stances as their aura flowed around their bodies in a chaotic dance.
“Speak your damned name fool, at least you will be known as one to have fallen by my spear!” declared Aria.
Sly grimaced while glancing around the street, people had ran off from the scene and hid around the street to watch while the guards on duty simply stood ready far away from the fight.
He held back a sigh (“I fucked up…”) he thought while sheathing his blades. Sly kneeled down with his face to the ground “Please forgive me for this accident, I meant no offence.” (“No matter how it hurts my pride! There’s somethings I still need to do!”)
Aria and Delila glanced at each other while lowering their weapons, a smirk on both their expressions. “Well, I didn’t expect you to be a coward. Run off…Sly?...Not that I will remember your name.” said Aria while inspecting him as her sister snorted
SlyOkami [{ [Master] Lord of Aurei}] (Cursed hero of the wicked dagger) (RHD Aurei) Level 129
“Go back to your little guild, maybe I’ll come by and give you a bloody visit once I find out where you live He…Her…” the word got stuck in her throat as she fully read the title. “Hero!?” she suddenly exclaimed causing Sly to look up.
“This flea!? A Chosen!?” exclaimed Delila as she laughed whole heartedly.
Joined by her sister Aria “How?! What foolish Deity would take in such a cowardly Hero!?” she exclaimed while leaning against her weapon.
(“See! Even they agree!!”) exclaimed Kali in Sly’s mind while also laughing.
“Not even a word of retaliation! He just bent his knee instantly!” said Delila as she continued to laugh.
“This is glorious!” exclaimed Aria “Now I really want to meet your flea guild!”
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Author: Do I even need to say anything here?...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9NStVkSCuk
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Sly rose to his feet as two long daggers fell out of his sleeves and into his hands, he gripped them tightly while glaring at the both of them coldly. His aura formed all around his body and began to thicken “Engulf the maddened warrior…Unleash the relentless beast of war…Aurei form…UNLEASHED!”
Sly’s Aurei body formed all around his person as he charged the twins with abandon, his swords formed in each arm as he began to slash at them in savage repetition. The two twins skilfully parried each attack as thick bladed tendrils grew out of Sly’s Aurei body’s back and joined the assault.
Sly spoke through the relentless clashing of blades and aura “Insult me…all you wish…” his voice layered with aura as he spoke “But do not…speak of my guild…” his assault accelerated causing Aria and Delila to briefly retreat and take Zeiken away from the fight.
Aria snorted as she glared at the monstrosity of Aura down the street, it barrelled towards them like a crazed beast. “Sister take Lord Zeiken to safety, I shall deal with this beast.” She told Delila who followed her sister’s instructions and retreated further with Zeiken in hand.
Aria raised her spear toward the incoming Sly, her aura flowed out of her body as she chanted “Play the drums of war, resound the tune of battle. Let it flow through my being as the first blade meets blood! Aureitic Wrath!”
Her body was engulfed by the aura as tendrils of crimson aura grew out of the violet, both flowed around her entire body before melding into her armour and weapon. Aria’s armour glowed a fierce red hue as her weapon gain a bladed violet glow, she moved to hold it with both hands before disappearing from sight causing the ground beneath her to shatter.
Sly intercepted the lightning fast charge with every single blade at his disposal but the spear pierced through his aura like a heated blade cutting butter, not even having time to surge to the side as the spear pierced through his actual body.
Aria smirked while taking a step back to inspect her work, the Aurei giant’s lower right body had disappeared along with Sly’s leg and most of the blades. The giant on the other hand didn’t relent, lowering his posture to keep balance Sly slashed downwards with his left arm and two remaining blade tendrils.
Aria leaped back with equal speed completely evading the attack, taking the same position as earlier she prepared for another charge.
Sly immediately surged to the side not even bothering to parry as the Devilling’s Aura charge went right past his previous position.
Aria couldn’t stop her charge and went through with it before turning around to face Sly again, she grinned at the sight of the Aurei giant using it’s arms and remaining leg to leap at her. “At least you’re stubborn.” She joked while lunging at the incoming mass of Aura, her spear clashing with the three blades.
She held her ground as it cracked below her, the sheer mass of the Aurei body weighing her down. Skilfully she twisted her spear and sent the blades to the side leaving Sly’s body entirely open, relentlessly she then lunged forward.
Her spear pierced through the giant’s torso tearing apart both Aura and flesh as the massive spear tore through Sly’s belly, she retreated back again in preparation of a counter attack.
But none came as Sly fell to the ground, the Aura dissipating around him. With his right leg gone and belly torn open and through he lay face up on the ground and quickly bleeding out.
Sly bit his lower lip as the pain washed over him, he took in a deep breath only to cough allowing blood to leak out of his mouth.
Aria approached the dying Hero “Be grateful foolish Hero, you die by my spear.”
Sly coughed out a wet chuckle “I…am the…incarnation…of…destruction…”
Aria raised a brow “You wish to continue? Fine by me.” Intrigued by his incantation she stood her ground a few feet away.
Sly continued his chant, his passing consciousness caused by his injuries and bleeding turning it into a whisper “I…depiction…of…end…”
Aria sighed as Sly fought to simply stay conscious, she stepped forward fully intent on taking him out of his misery.
“Deus…Ex…” Sly’s right hand clenched as he held his side causing the pain to wake him from the deathly slumber “Machina!”
Aria instinctively stepped back as what she at first thought to be a simple Demon and at death’s door changed right in front of her.
Sly’s body cracked with aureitic lines of violet that flared to life all over his body, his skin shattered and turned to dust revealing the flesh beneath as it changed to a darker violet. His eyes emptied into pure black as his body expanded and repaired itself. His only horn grew longer as it was joined by two more while violet lightning surged through them.
Zeokul stood up, his repulsive Devilish form looming over a gawking Aria. “It is…Not over…” he hissed at her, raising his clawed hands he lunged down with his right. Aria immediately re-entered her stance and lunged with her spear.
“Yes it is.” Declared a voice that resounded throughout the entire street, Asmodeus appeared in between them. Black smoke drifted around his entire body as he blocked Aria’s spear by grabbing hold of the tip and Sly’s claw by expelling smoke from his hand.
Aria panicked at his sudden appearance and let go of her spear before kneeling down “Lord Asmodeus!”
Sly glared down at Asmodeus but otherwise leaned away.
“End this foolishness immediately!” exclaimed another voice from above them, Liliana descended gracefully to the ground next to them making Aria pale several shades.
Although Sly’s black eyes and armoured face didn’t show it he was studying the Fae curiously (“Great, who the hell is this now?”)
Delila appeared in a burst of shadows at her twin’s side with Zeiken between them, she also kneeled down. The Lord Devil remained standing but was also slightly pale and staring up at the Fae.
Liliana sighed “What has happened here?”
Delila spoke “Mistress Liliana! This fool trampled our Lord master! Sister Aria was only-”
Liliana raised her hand flat towards the Devilling before turning to Sly “Was it on purpose?”
Sly shook his head “No.”
Liliana crossed her arms “Then that’s that, it was an accident and you both took it too far.” she stated while staring intently up at Sly still in his Devil form Zeokul “Have I made myself clear?”
“Yes mistress!” replied both Aria and Delila in unison.
“Normally one would demand an apology, but I’ll let it go.” said Sly as he bared his black fangs in annoyance.
Aria looked up at him “Mistress please allow me to tear this fool apart…” her previous rage had returned.
Liliana snorted in amusement “Have you not figured it out yet? You’d tear apart your own kin? Is that it child?”
Aria glanced at her in confusion as her twin also looked up with just as confused an expression, both of them turned to Sly and inspected him.
Liliana reared forward and laughed “Your!-Your faces!” she exclaimed in-between gasps of laughter.
Both of the twins were staring up at Sly with pale expressions and gawking in disbelief.
Sly raised his right claw up in greeting “Sup?...”
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Barik
Cursed land
Real-time
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Zaahr gazed forward into forest, the darkness of night making it difficult for her to see far. She sighed and turned back towards the assortment of adventurers laying about behind her. Her guild, Apokalypse, a mixture of small guilds from different games joined into a single community.
Not many of them had played MMOs before or even RPGs but all had done their best to keep up.
But somehow, this one person was much further than any of them and supposedly survived alone. Zaahr glanced over Jacky as he stood with his back to a tree, the adventurer made her hair stand on edge every time he was around. She didn’t trust him.
Looking around the camp her eyes fell upon a single tent (“She’s still asleep huh…”), she was thinking of her friend and guild leader Karnage. Who had given their spot in the squad to Jacky saying that he was better equipped than her.
But Zaahr knew better, something was on Karnage’s mind and she couldn’t continue on like this. (“That guy…What did he tell her?!”) she grimaced at the bitter memory of losing consciousness when she was needed most, over doing it with her magic.
Zaahr didn’t understand, Karnage had barely said a word since then. One thing was clear to her though, she would find Kyllix and make him talk. No matter what she had to do, even if she had to beat it out of him.
“Adventurers!” A soldier shouted out to gain their attention as he approached “You have been given permission to start, the platoons have already left.”
Zaahr nodded at the soldier and turned to her guild, she called out the names of the three members she would take with her, if only based on skill alone. “Jack, Silent, Kir. Let’s go.”
Jackykill [Assassin]-[{ [Master] Lord of Wraiths}](Sneaky-Beaky) (APOK Scout) Level 132
A Beastman with brown feline ears, dark green short hair and brown eyes with yellow slits. He wore a black cloak and hood mostly covering the black leather armour beneath, no weapons were visible on his person.
SilentFlare [Bard]-[Aquamancer] (Siren’s Song) (APOK Support) Level 87
A Dark Elf with short brown hair and dark blue eyes, he wore light clothing with a mage’s dark blue robe and some thicker clothing beneath to fight the cold. On his back he carried a long dark blue staff with a blue crystal shard embedded into the very middle.
Kiritoohh [Warrior]-[Pirate] (Dual arms) (APOK Scout) Level 96
A Human wearing grey hard-leather armour over normal clothing, jet black short hair and yellow eyes. A longsword was sheathed to his right waist while a flintlock was strapped to his left.
Silent stood up from where he was dozing off and Kir stepped away from where he was taking bets of his survival through the other side of Helix, his guild mates didn’t think very highly of him.
Jacky appeared behind them in a burst of shadows, his hood down and expression solemn. The other two adventurers leaned away slightly gaining them a smirk from Jacky.
Zaahr rolled her eyes “Form up, Kir and Jacky at the front, Silent second line with me.” She ordered giving no room for complaints by gesturing for them to move.
Jacky stepped through the other two and moved forward, Kir jogged up to catch up with him while Zaahr and Silent followed.
“I don’t like this Zaahr, why isn’t the boss coming?” asked Silent in a whisper as they approached Helix’s wall, a soldier was waiting for them by it.
“She’s not feeling well, don’t worry too much about it.” Zaahr replied barely giving him a glance as she kept her attention on Jacky’s back.
“Well I am worried!” exclaimed Silent “This shit’s all gone too far! We’re in the middle of a fucking war! We’re not soldiers! We’re a bunch of lazy ass casuals and some hardcore video game players!”
Surprisingly it was Jacky that turned to reply “Do you want to go home?” he asked solemnly.
Silent flinched and took a step back “Ye-yeah?...”
Jacky’s eyes narrowed as he spoke harshly “Then stop bitching and fight, pick a damn side already. There’s nothing worse than a soldier that doesn’t know what to fight for, because that is what you are now, a soldier. Whether you like it or not.” He turned around and continued forward.
Zaahr glanced between the two of them not knowing how to respond to either, she held back a sigh and pressed forward while pushing Silent by the shoulder to move on as well.
Their group approached the soldier by the glowing ethereal-like but very physical wall, he saluted before glanced to his right and left.
Zaahr did the same to see the other adventurer parties far off on either side of Helix, looking through the wall to her right she could barely make out the back of one of the platoons already moving into the forest.
“Are you ready?” asked the Helix guard.
The four adventurers glanced at each other before Zaahr responded “Yes.”
The Helix guard turned to the wall and pressed his spear to the energy forming it, it parted like a waterfall opening a wide gash for them to pass through.
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Kyle stood surrounded by trees and snow, Soren stood to his right with his massive battleaxe ready. The three Shades had already disappeared, roaming about the trees searching for their quarry.
Kyle closed his eyes and lowered his [Slime Scattershot]s to focus on his detection skills, he stood motionless as his mind raced to process any and all information gained through the strange sensation that was detection magic.
Taking quiet and controlled breaths he waited, processing through the animals and monsters that roamed the forest trying to find any party trying to go past their defences. Briefly he detected a large amount of movement to his left, Legion moving with his riders to intercept the alliance’s forces.
No sound came from the passing army, the darkness their friend as their monstrous steeds galloped at surprising speed over the snow. Using their claws and flexible bodies to easily move around the trees, leaping from them if need be.
He continued to wait long after they left his range, the minutes ticked by as the sound of battle echoed through the forest. Night battles where the worst in his opinion, so chaotic that commanders easily lost control.
Sure the chaos made it easier for his guild to sneak by and do their thing but this was a defence mission, and the perimeter they had to watch was enormous. They were on the problem side of the chaos, if any large group from the alliance’s platoons got past Legion’s then it would spell trouble for them.
As the time passed he began to fear that Birse hadn’t thought out the spacing of the enemy party’s right, that one of their own parties was in combat with more than they could handle. Until a small party of four entered his detection range, off to his right he sensed their approach.
Kyle glanced down at Soren and gestured for him to follow, he prepared his weapons ahead of himself and began to move into a better position. Soren heaved his axe over his left shoulder and followed closely behind.
They stopped in the party’s path as they approached their position at a steady normal speed, running towards them but not fast enough to incur the both of them to hurry.
Kyle laid his back to a tree as Soren stood to his left, he waited for the party to move closer before gesturing for Soren to move.
The sound of footsteps crushing snow entered his ears and Soren leapt out into action, his armour glowed alongside his battle axe releasing heat and steam. He charged straight ahead releasing a massive burst of steam as he crashed through snow and cold air, cries and curses sounded off alongside the sound of flesh being ripped apart.
Kyle moved out of his hiding spot and surged into action, he appeared behind the party as they had turned to face Soren who had charged right through them. He couldn’t make out their gear or appearance very well but he could tell one of them was already on the ground and chopped into two.
“Ambush!” shouted a male voice as they turned towards Kyle but it was too late, as quickly as his reload speed allowed him he sprayed them with [Corrosive rounds] as they tried to evade and move around him.
A scream of agony told him his projectiles hit a mark as one of the figures fell to the ground, it rolled and shook before going still giving him a notification of a kill. Ignoring the confirmation he turned to give chase as the other two successfully evaded his attacks.
Soren charged past him and chased after the adventurer to his right, clashing blades with them as they turned around to fight. The dagger wielding adventurer kicked Soren back and turned to flee but was intercepted by Kyle as he surged to his left.
Jacky’s grimace entered Kyle’s line of sight as he aimed both weapons at him, he fired [Corrosive Rounds] knowing full well Jacky could easily evade them.
But Jacky didn’t, instead allowing himself to be hit. The acid ate through his armour as Soren stood up and charged the assassin again, cleaving his head from his shoulders.
Kyle turned away from Jacky’s dissipating corpse and dissipated his cannons.
“Yo Kyll where’d the other one go?!” exclaimed Soren in a panic.
“Caught, looks like the Shades did their part.” Kyle explained as he sensed the fourth adventurer struggling nearby. “Search their drops, I’ll see if they need assistance.”
Soren nodded as he walked over to one of the fallen adventurers, the one Kyle hit with his [Corrosive Rounds] first hadn’t died by simply passed out from the pain. Soren raised his axe up before bringing it down onto the adventurer’s chest causing a mess of blood all around and over himself.
“Chop the head off bro… easier and cleaner…I mean you got a damn axe for fucks sake, not exactly a heart piercing sword!” Kyle exclaimed while shaking his head.
Soren shrugged “Hey it killed him see? Did it’s job it did, don’t matter as long as it does!” he retorted with a chuckle.
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Zaahr struggled as the three shadow figures made passing lunges at her, holding up a thin arcane barrier to prevent ranged attacks she turned on the spot waiting for them to close in on her before firing off a sphere of concentrated mana.
The assassins expertly evaded her attacks while testing the durability of her barrier with their short swords, each attack visibly weakening the greying barrier of violet mana.
Party member [Kiritooh] has been killed!
Zaahr grimaced and glanced back the way she came (“Kir had the vial…”) she thought, having given the member the vial for safe keeping as her higher ranking made her a bigger target than the scout. She didn’t trust Jacky to give it to him and Silent was their healer which made sense to her why he died first.
It had all happened too quickly, the charging Dwarf caught them entirely by surprise as he cleaved Silent in half with a single swing of his massive weapon. The gunner appearing out of nowhere further sent them into chaos and getting Kir knocked out by his attacks.
She was forced to retreat and didn’t expect for there to be so many, they appeared out of nowhere and began their assault. Although their attacks were weak she couldn’t keep up with their movements, she was surrounded.
Suddenly all three figures stopped moving, surrounding her in a perfect triangle they gazed off at her. Their forms were entirely engulfed in shadow, black smoke that constantly flowed around their body and swords.
“Well well, what do we have here?” the insufferable voice entered her ears causing Zaahr to immediately spin around and take aim at the adventurer, raising her right arm she formed the pure black-purple sphere of arcane mana and fired it.
The projectile flew at arrow speed but the adventurer easily evaded it by disappearing from sight and reappearing a moment later a few steps away, from her perspective it seemed like he had teleported.
“Is that how you greet all your friends?” Kyle asked with a smirk as he glanced back at where the projectile flew off.
Abandoning hope for the mission and her own survival she released the barrier “Ancient powers form and contort to my will, arcane energies bend to my control! Unleashed Arcanium!” she would at least take this man down with her.
Fire blazed alive in a ring around her, followed by an outer ring of water, one of flowing wind, moving earth, surging lightning and flowing darkness. Each elemental ring merged into the others becoming a single pitch black ring of pure mana, the ring enclosed around her before stretching out and engulfing her entire form.
The mana merged with her body changing it. Her entire appearance, skin, hair and eyes changed to mirror the mana’s utter blackness dotted with several thousand bright lights. As if made of the night sky, her body became mana in it’s purest form.
Kyle glanced away with a grin “Uhh…cool form and all but…you’re kind of standing naked there.”
Zaahr was very conscious of this form’s unclothed appearance but didn’t care “Shut up…Just…Shut up!”.
Kyle faced her fully, his expression cold and empty “Why? What exactly let’s you continue fighting like this? You’ve lost, you’re surrounded and outnumbered. No more need to die today, just give up and go back.”
Zaahr’s went wide as she raised her arms up towards him “No more need to die!? After everything you’ve done!? After all the people you’ve tricked and killed!?” two black spheres formed in either of her palms, they lost their form and swirled around each other forming a long staff. Zaahr grabbed the staff and twirled it briefly as a blade formed at one end, finishing the halberd’s appearance.
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Author: Eyyy two fights in one chapter! Very Happy [https://forum.royalroadl.com/images/smilies/biggrin.png]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPSHjV0YTSc
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Zaahr rose up and began to float, holding the halberd in both hands. Her hands trembled as she clenched the weapon, she glared down at Kyle briefly before charging at him. Her speed was much too fast for a caster class, her mastery form switching her magic stats for physical ones.
Kyle raised his hands as a sword of pure blue fire came alive from them, he surged to the side evading her charge then lunged at her himself. Moving low he stabbed upwards at her leg.
Zaahr quickly turned and slashed downwards to parry the attack, the two mana weapons clashed causing a burst of blue flames to clash with a surge of white lightning. She pushed with all her might to overpower him, the sword’s blade sliding off her halberd’s and onto the staff yet still it didn’t cut through.
She put as much mana into the weapon as possible, putting everything else into her form to push him off balance. Zaahr was winning the battle of strength, pushing Kyle lower.
But the flames were overpowering the lightning, the Frostfire suddenly engulfed the lightning devouring it and encased her halberd in frost forcing her to fall back. The fire didn’t relent and followed after her retreat, she let go of her weapon and raised her arms towards the coming flames before firing several spheres of black.
Her projectiles went through the fire visibly doing nothing to it, the flames pressed on engulfing her entire body in white-blue fire.
Instinctively she screamed expecting burning pain to overcome her, nothing but a slight chill followed. The ethereal flame flowed through her sapping away at her form, her mana bar quickly drained as she lost her arcane appearance.
Zaahr gasped as gravity suddenly pulled on her again causing her to fall out of the ball of Frostfire that had engulfed her, she hit the ground cause no small amount of pain to her ass as she hit the cold snow.
She glanced up as the fire dissipated then down at her body, no injuries were visible other than a few bruises caused from fighting off the Shades. The cold immediately hit her making her realise that her armour and clothes were gone, right after exhaustion hit as the after effect of running out of mana.
“Yes I killed and tricked many in my time on Chaoz, but never have I done so without knowing they would come back.” said Kyle as he threw her his cloak.
Zaahr quickly took the dark cloth and covered herself before standing up and stepping away, her expression wary.
Kyle gazed off to the side and into the forest around them “I have many sins Zaahr, murder may be one of them but none have anything to do with this world or you and your friend. You don’t see what is happening around you, the forces at play are much larger than either of us combined. We’re nothing but pawns in a game of Gods and Deities.”
He sighed in exasperation “You’re smart, Zaahr. Your magic itself tells me that, a combination of all the base elements…who could have thought of that? Or been able to make it work in such a short amount of time?”
Zaahr huffed “Don’t think this excuses you of what you did! What you are still doing! Siding with these monsters! Do you not want to go home?!”
Kyle glanced at her causing her to hold the cloak closer “Monsters?” he asked in disbelief before turning away from her. Kyle walked over to one of the shadowy figures “Can you reveal yourself?” he asked the shortest Shade.
It seemed to glance up at him briefly before silently nodding, the black shadow like smoke engulfing their body dissipated revealing a cloaked humanoid. The Shade lowered their hood revealing their face, having strange colouring and even stranger features due to the mask.
“This is Seria.” Kyle introduced the Shade before gesturing at another “That is her brother, Seriet. Tell me Zaahr, do they look like monsters to you? They only look different to me, does that mean they’re not worth life? Because they are Demons? Because they aren’t human?”
Zaahr gazed at the young Demon child in disbelief, she had been fighting her only moments earlier.
Kyle studied her surprised expression as he continued to speak “I won’t hold your hand and tell you what to do. Hell if you’re too dense to even comprehend the alliance’s lies to begin with…” he shook his head and held his face “Unlike us, unlike the people of Barik. Demons do not respawn, when they die it is simply the end.”
Zaahr took another step back as the information hit her like a slap to the face “T-they…don’t?..”
Kyle gestured to where he was gazing at before “Out there Demons and Devils are fighting for their lives to retake their home, this home. Barik was once their land, stolen from them by the races of the alliance. Risking their lives so those that come after them don’t have to. Do you honestly think the alliance could have produced such a vast army if it wasn’t for you adventurers and their ability to also respawn?
The Avians would never have joined in, the Mer would have also stayed in their waters and watched. The Fae would have hid in their mountain out of fear for their own hides. A battle would have still occurred but nothing on this scale, a clear victor would have been apparent.”
Kyle thought back to Lucifer’s cold gaze as Birse explained the situation to him, it was small and brief but he felt it all the same. The hint of worry, a slight flinch caused by fear. Worry for how many would have to die, fear of how many graves he’d have to dig.
He looked Zaahr straight in the eye, his own expression frigid “Do you blame me for choosing? Do you blame me for not holding your hands and showing you the way? For not risking my own and my friend’s lives for you strangers?”
Zaahr clenched the cloak close to her face as her expression calmed, not turning solemn but instead downcast and full of regret. “Is this…what you told her?” she asked in a quiet voice.
“Yeah.” Kyle replied simply as he turned away, hearing Seria sneeze he glanced at her and patted her head. She swatted his hand away and put her hood back on causing him to smile weakly.
Zaahr closed her eyes in thought as the cold continued to berate her, she now knew why her friend was so depressed. Zaahr herself didn’t know what to do with this information (“Can I really give my back to a whole people and choose another?...Just cause it was once their home? It’s someone else’s home now...”) she contemplated briefly until the sound of movement.
She opened her eyes to find herself standing on her own, Kyle and the Shades where gone from sight.
A blast of wind flowed through the entire forest causing her to hold tightly onto the cloak, she gasped feeling the mana permeating the wind. The sheer thickness of the mana causing her to fell to her knees as the wind died down.
The wind was followed by a piercing sound, an echoing roar that forced her to cover her ears. The roar itself was imbued with mana, causing her vision to shake and her entire body to tremble in fear.
The roar was followed by a dozen others, aiding each other in creating a cry of raw power that inflicted sudden terror upon any that beheld it.