Arc 5: The Heart within
Road to a Hero:
Three chances in another world
Chapter 16. The Litch
Throughout the streets of Capital, hundreds of thousands of people run through the streets. Lincoln, Jong, and Gordon all start setting up small camps and depots to contain the mass amount of people.
Thankfully due to the nature of the Sect, they don’t have that big of an army. But sadly with all the events going on the Leviathan army and the rest of Walgonia doesn't have much of an army either. But with all the fighting going on, and the thousands of soldiers and citizens killing each other, there is something good coming out of it. Humans are forced to be with Demi-humans in the camps located in the slums, pushing them to think of each other as equals. Obviously, some people don't want this, leading to small fights and, in a few cases, the death of either side. Ryo stands guard, leading the protective force, and sadly due to Ryo's personality, he can do nothing to stop the constant arguing.
Ryo feels the air get a bit colder, and a massive amount of mana appears close to him in a closed-off area. He is forced to leave the area to check it out and finds an imposing figure dressed in a tattered dark cloak. The skinny man's eyes glow an intense green, and he stares at Ryo longingly. Ryo slowly approaches the strange man, but the cloaked man shows no emotion to the Goldy figure In front of him. He is standing completely calm whilst in a raid, a raid that could determine the future of the world.
Ryo: "Sir, if I may call you sir, would you please state your business here."
The strange man removes his hood, revealing the face of a young boy. Ryo tilts his head, obviously confused, when suddenly the boy's skin starts to decay. His skin flakes away, blowing into the wind. Then his muscles collapse and melt. Only leaving a standing skeleton. Ryo ready with one of his katanas, prepaid to strike the man down. The skeleton's eyes flash a massive amount of green mana, which waves over its body. It holds out its hand, and a tree branch begins forming out of mid-air while Ryo tries not to give in to his urge to strike down the pure horror in front of him. The wood bends around, forming a strange-looking staff, but a large metal snatch stretches out of the top, transforming into a scythe. The skeleton begins speaking, its deep voice sounds hollow, echoing around the two.
Lazarus: "We haven't officially met yet, I am Lazarus, the Litch of the world."
Ryo is shocked and immediately regrets not striking down the monster when it first formed.
Ryo: "You, you are the man that took not only Musashi's soul, but his body as well, am I correct?"
Lazarus begins to laugh, answering Ryos' question.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Ryo: "You said you wouldn't come if only Gray and his friends fought Arthur. I can only assume that you went back on your word."
Lazarus: "We were going to abide by the rules we set down, but Leo Valentine attacked Arthur. Breaking our contract."
Ryo sighs angrily due to Leo's impulsivity.
Ryo: "I assume that the rest of you are here as well?"
Lazarus: "Hey, we warned you. And now you'll have to die because of it."
Ryo: "I think you greatly underestimate me. I may not be the strongest god of war here, but I am still a god of war."
Ryo quickly strikes Lazarus’ head, a strike which he’s barely able to dodge. Lazarus tries to follow up with a swing of his scythe but Ryo casually outspeeds the attempted blow, and slashes at his side, breaking one of his ribs off. Lazarus panics, and doing so he goes into high gear, striking Ryo with his scythe. Ryo blocks it with his sword and pulls out his other sword to strike Lazarus. Lazarus bends his head to dodge, but the top of his head gets slashed by his sword. Ryo quickly bolts out of the area, he turns around to find himself surrounded by Anarchists. Ryo holds his katanas tightly, as he comes to realize that the Anarchists aren’t just normal men, some are bigger, stronger, and faster. They don’t even look like humans nor do they look like Demi-humans, but they look as if they’re mutants.
Lazarus: “We don’t have a large army, it’s pretty small compared to any army in the world. That’s why your tiny army is winning so easily, but we have taken advantage of our abilities.”
Ryo: “You’ve made monsters…”
Lazarus: “We’ve made ART!”
The army begins to chant and roar with passion. Dirty and savage voices coat the area, growls and howls that would scare any man. Ryo's silver hair sparkles in the night sky, and he looks around thinking of a solution that wouldn’t damage the area too heavily, since people live here.
Ryo {If these monsters get to the camps so many people could die…even if they say they won’t hurt civilians I don't think they’d live up to their rules. Quick and efficient, then I'll run back to the soldiers and assist them.}
The monsters jump down and begin to grow in size. Their white masks fall off, their clothes rip, and their monstrous appearances are revealed. Demi-humans are humans that have developed the appearance and mana of spirit creatures. But these things look as if they were humans and Demi-humans who were forced to mutate into full spirit monsters.
Ryo easily dispatches them, cutting through them before they can even begin to swing their arms. The mutants are a variety of creatures that seemed to be fused with some sort of slug creature. Different colored fur atop slimy pink skin. Tendrils in place of arms, overlapping skin and fur instead of faces, and horrifying mouths with sharp teeth, large and small. Ryo plows through them, but he loses sight of Lazarus. He attempts to use his spiritual senses but he feels nothing, no living thing around him that isn't a monster. He feels the ground start to rumble, and he’s met with hundreds upon hundreds of people trying to run to the camps. People get trampled, children get left behind, fights grow in the crowds, and the monsters begin attacking them.
Ryo tries to assist them by killing the monsters, but he’s unable to save everyone. Gunshots erupt and random people fall to the ground, dead. Red Arrows, Leviathan soldiers, and Walgonian knights try to kill the Anarchists but they’re out numbers ten to one. Ryo tries to kill the beasts and the Anarchists, but he feels something approaching through the crowd. Before he can react Lazarus wipes his face with his scythe.
Lazarus: “NOW YOUR SOUL IS MINE!”
Lazarus pauses but is quickly met with a swing of Ryos' blade. The crowd runs around them, trapping them in an ocean of people. Lazarus begins to panic, deeply confused about how Ryo was able to survive the scythe's soul-stealing ability.
Lazarus: “HOW, HOW!”
Ryo: “I have perfect control of my spirit, so your soul-stealing ability won’t be able to overpower me, not by a long shot.”
Lazarus points his scythe right at Ryo and begins screaming at the top of his lungs, but it’s a deep, echoey voice for some reason. It rumbles to the ground, calling to something.
Lazarus: “I didn’t think I would have to use this…not so soon…but I’m far too weak to stop you…but I know who isn’t.”
Ryo plunges his sword into Lazarus’ skull, but it seems as if it’s too late. The area floods with a thick cold mist, sending an intense shiver of fear down Ryos spine.
Ryo: “Oh…no…it’s…him.”
End of Chapter Sixteen