The week flew by fast. Every day we would go to the market or to the training grounds for the guards that were located on a large overhang overlooking the entire city. We also visited Ivara's and Larkan's old home in secrecy. It was a large house belonging to the noble that governed the city of Hirmal.

And at the end of the week, when it was time to get ready for the upcoming battle, we gathered at the plaza. It was filled with mercenaries and soldiers of the Ionien army that belonged to the noble of Hirmal. We were cautious, even though there was no way that they would know about what really happened up at Ulva Mountain.

The commander of the Hirmal army was a large man, clad in heavy armour.

"For the past two weeks we have been recruiting many mercenaries," he said. "The upcoming battle will be a hard one. The army of Avalon sent a fleet that will land at the stone beach. And that is where we will meet them and strike them down with everything we have!"

The soldiers and mercenaries around us began cheering.

"Oh yes, the one who brings me the enemy commander's head will get one hundred gold coins on top of the normal payment!" the commander said.

As soon as he said it the cheering became even louder.

"Guy knows how to get mercenaries on his side," Hiba said.

Once the commander finished his speech we followed him along the main street and out of the city. We walked along a path leading around the mountain and through a forest. If I had to guess we were probably around twenty thousand soldiers and mercenaries.

But was this really enough to repel an entire Avalonien fleet? I asked myself.

As we marched through the forest I could hear the singing of birds and the rustling of the leaves in the wind. After we marched for a while we reached the shore. This was the first time I had seen the famous stone shore of Hirmal, one of the only places where the land and the ocean were on the same level in Ion and no Harbour had been built.

"This how you imagined your first visit here?" Hiba asked Larkan.

He shook his head. "Let's just get this over with," he said.

We waited for about an hour until we could finally see the ships appear in the distance.

"Alright men, prepare yourselves!" the commander yelled.

Shortly after the ships were already close enough to the beach to hit us with their cannons. Large cannonballs hit the stone beach. Stones were hurled up and hit either the ground or people.

"Well then, we'll go to the archer unit," Hiba said as he dragged Ivara away.

"Be careful Z!" she yelled.

I smiled and turned towards the enemy. The first ship had reached the shore and soldiers were jumping off it.

"Alright, let's go," I said.

I ran towards the enemy, sword raised high. Again, I was feeling free. Cutting through enemies with ease. Larkan and Mark were doing the same. It seemed almost as if we were dancing. I looked around for Rey but all I saw were soldiers falling and a figure disappearing in the small bushes scattered around.

"Looks like she learned quite a lot," I said to myself.

The next ship hit the shore and more enemy soldiers entered the battlefield.

"Sending in more cannon fodder, huh," I heard Larkan say from somewhere behind me.

With the help of many other mercenaries, we managed to wipe out nearly all the soldiers that came from the first ship.

"Alright let's help the others!" one yelled.

But as soon as he began running towards our allies he was stopped by a massive wall of fire.

"I wouldn't go that way if I were you," someone said from behind one of the ships.

A large woman stepped out from behind it. She wore light armour and carried around a long club. I saw fire rising from her entire body.

"So you must be responsible for that wall," I said while slowly backing away.

I let out a loud whistle, and shortly after an arrow nearly pierced the woman's head. She managed to grab it mid-air but the arrowhead exploded and she was surrounded by a smoke cloud. In shock, she deactivated the wall of flame and I rushed past her, slashing her leg at the same time.

I heard her scream in pain as I quickly rushed to where Mark and Larkan were.

"You two alright?" I asked them.

"Yeah, we're fine. But shit what's an Aura user doing here?" Larkan said.

"No clue but this is bad," Mark said.

By now the woman had gotten out of the smoke and was looking at us angrily.

"You know compared to Vindictus this isn't so bad," I stated. "Think she's the commander?" I asked.

Both Mark and Larkan nodded.

"So any clue how we kill her?" I asked.

"Nope," Larkan replied.

The woman came closer to us and began to burn. Flames erupted from her entire body. But before she could hurl it at us she seemed to stop for a second and then reached behind her back with both hands, screaming all the while.

"What happened?" Mark asked.

I noticed a small dagger in her back as she turned.

I began laughing. "Seems like Ray got her."

"We should get away from here before she burns everything down," Mark said.

As we ran we heard the third ship bump into the shore.

"Perfect, three ships," Mark said.

We ran towards where the commander was. And just in time. I felt a sudden wave of heat behind me and once I turned around I saw fire engulfing everything and everyone.

"Rey!" Larkan yelled.

"I-I'm fine," she said as she came running out of one of the bushes next to us.

Larkan embraced her. "Good," he said.

The flames slowly disappeared and once they did the soldiers jumped down from the third ship.

"Archers!" the commander yelled. "Fire!"

A large volley of arrows hailed down on the enemy but most arrows were burned by the woman's flames.

"Is that the commander?" I asked.

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Our commander nodded.

"Alright then," I said while licking my lips.

"Zane, what is your plan?" Larkan asked.

"I'm gonna kill her, what else would I be planing," I responded.

I opened up one of my satchels and took out a small round object.

"You have bombs?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, got them at the market," I said.

Enemy soldiers started running towards us. Many of the mercenaries tried to keep away but Mark, Larkan, and I began running. Only a few others followed us.

A few arrows flew past us and hit enemy soldiers. As I started cutting through soldiers again the feeling of freedom returned.

It was getting warmer as I got closer to the enemy commander.

I positioned myself behind a large bush and threw the bomb at her. In response to seeing something being thrown at her, she summoned fire again and tried to burn it. The small package exploded the moment the flames touched it. Together with the explosion came a smoke cloud that engulfed the commander.

I used it to sneak up to the commander but to my surprise, I was grabbed by someone and thrown into the air. My sword fell out of my hand. As I flew I felt a feeling of desperation. All I saw was that woman burning soldiers left and right. Once I landed I lost my consciousness.

"Would you like my help, little one?" I heard a gruesome voice ask. A voice that did not belong in this world.

"What?" I asked.

I felt as if something was moving very close to me. "My help . . . would you like it?" the voice asked, now whispering in my ear.

"Your . . . help? Who even are you?" I asked, sceptical.

"Who am I indeed . . . but does it truly matter? All that's important is that I can give you the power you need," the voice said, sounding more distant this time.

"The power I need? For what do I need power?" I asked.

"Let me show you . . ." the voice said.

At that moment I could open my eyes. What I saw next shocked me. I saw Mark and Hiba kneeling in front of me, their blood dripping on the ground. I saw Rey lying on the ground, not moving at all. And I saw Larkan, his sword directed at the enemy commander who held Ivara by the neck.

What happened? I asked myself as I got up.

"Zane, you're up," Hiba said, with a weak voice.

"What happened?" I asked quickly, but I got no response.

I noticed that we were surrounded by a wall of fire. There was a large puddle of blood on the floor, where the blood of each one of us had combined and become one.

I looked over to the commander who still held Ivara.

"Let her go!" I demanded.

But the commander just began laughing.

"Are you sure you don't want my power?" I heard the voice say.

But none of the others could hear it. Larkan charged at the commander but was hit by her club. He flew over to us. He landed next to me and looked up at me. There were tears in his eyes.

"Save her . . ." he said before closing them.

I charged at the enemy commander, completely forgetting that I didn't have my sword anymore. She swung her club at me. I barely managed to avoid being hit by it. She grinned at me.

"So you have a death wish as well!" she yelled, tightening her grip around Ivara's neck.

"Let go of her!" I yelled.

The next thing I felt was heat engulfing my body and something heavy hit me. The pain was nearly unbearable. I was thrown backwards.

"Accept it," the voice whispered in my ear.

I slowly began to think that it might not be a bad idea to just accept. But deep down I knew what exactly was calling out to me. I shook my head, stood up, and faced her again. I looked around for some way to attack her and get Ivara out of that situation.

After a short while, I spotted a knife lying on the ground, next to Rey. I quickly picked it up and charged at the enemy. I dodged her club and rammed the knife into the side of her neck. She stumbled backwards and dropped Ivara, but before I could pull Ivara away the commander kicked me away. It was almost like she had inhuman strength.

I found myself back where I started. The enemy commander raised her club again and swung it down at Ivara. I screamed out but time around me seemed to slow down and eventually stopped.

"Will you now accept my power?" the voice asked.

It came from directly behind me. An abyss had opened behind me from where the

voice came. I stared down into it and despite not seeing any eyes I knew, I knew that it was staring back at me.

I could also feel an oppressive force coming from the abyss, it was like the time Vindictus had appeared behind me, just amplified by many, many times.

I looked back to Ivara, the club had nearly reached her, no matter what I tried now there was no way I would reach her.

"I accept," I said quietly.

I saw that Larkan, Mark, and Hiba suddenly began moving again.

"What is this?" Larkan asked. "What's happening?"

"I'm sorry," I said, with tears rushing down my face.

A massive skeletal arm emerged from the abyss behind me. The three had pure fear in their eyes.

"Zane, don't. Please," Hiba pleaded. But it was already too late.

"Wait!" Larkan screamed as he began crawling away from the skeletal hand reaching for him.

Hiba and Larkan began screaming. Mark on the other hand smiled at me.

"Make sure to save her . . . Z," he said before the hand grabbed him and the other two and dragged them into the abyss.

I felt a sudden feeling of power surge within me, all I wanted was to save Ivara. I began screaming and the moment time began to move again I saw how the large puddle of blood on the ground began to move. It formed into countless spikes and pierced the commander. Her club fell to the ground.

I was happy, I had saved her.

"Ivar-"

At that moment I noticed something. Ivara's body. It hung above the ground, pierced by countless blood spikes. It just hung there, like a lifeless doll.