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As the horrifying events of the harvest festival began to play out, everything in Auron's being screamed that he had to do something. He demanded his internal supply of mana to flare to life as he activated stealth. Rushing forward, goosebumps formed on his neck. Two piercing holes were burning their way into him. Looking up and searching the area, he locked eyes with the woman clad in red on the stage. She was tracing his every movement. Auron doubled his speed.
He had to do something and then flee.
Moving around toward the front of the massive Spirit, he looked into the eyes of the creature. When he did so, he found an ancient and profound intelligence staring back at him. Looking around, Auron noticed crimson sentries posted above the crowd on rooftops and behind the Royals up high on balconies. He needed to move more quickly.
Running forward, Auron realized he did not have a plan. He rushedly decided to push mana through his Onyx bone rod and inject it into the collar. He hoped to interrupt the flow and free the creature. As he moved, King Thune announced something that went unheard by Auron.
To his horror, the crowd began to swarm over the smaller spirits, ripping them apart with weapons, their hands, and even savagely using their own teeth. Auron and the large Spirit both screamed in rage and sorrow as he reached its collar.
Pushing blue mana through his tool and into the chains, he used everything he had as the brutality continued.
The collar began to crack as he heard movement up on the stage in front of him. The woman in red had called over a man Auron recognized. He did not have any attention to spare as he continued to pour mana into the Spirit's restraints. His stealth deactivated, causing shouts from the crowd and royals alike.
The man with a red bandage over his eyes reached Auron first. The woman on stage in red must have seen through his stealth the whole time and sent him over. Running forward, the man shouted at Auron, "I serve the king." He says as he closed the distance between the two. Auron frantically continued moving mana into the neckband as the cracks expanded. The Spirit seemed to know what he was attempting as it moaned at the attack on its children. Auron came to this conclusion because it did not thrash in a way that would push him away.
Calling to Zander, he doubted his familiar will come out in the Royals' presence, an astounding fear was evident over their link.
The man with the eye bandage reached Auron, tackling him just as an arrow the size of a man's leg sunk into the cobblestone next to them.
Auron, shocked that this man helped him was about to thank the strange Archer when the surprising savior pulled out one of his arrows.
"Heal this," He whispered as a crooked, evil smile spread across his face. Grabbing the arrow's shaft, he stabbed Auron deep in the stomach; the weapon's sharp head tore quickly through his armor. Ripping it out, he repeated this process, cutting deep into Auron's flesh.
Using all of his willpower to continue channeling mana to the rod, he ignored the pain, focusing instead on his goal. He just needed to get closer to one of the chains.
Tossing the man off, he shakily stood.
He slipped one hand under a row of massive metal rings to support his weight. While struggling to remain standing, he realized the sharp tip and part of the weapon's shaft was still in his gut. Gripping it, he pulled it out.
Attempting to tear the arrow out of his stomach almost made him blackout from the agony as he sent another plea to Zander. Leaving it in, he wobbled in place. His vision took on black spots as red entered the corner of his vision.
Another tackle from the evil smiled archer preceded another great arrow smashing into the street. The deadly projectile missing Auron by a fraction of an inch made him once again question the young man fighting him and his motivations. Struggling on the ground, the blindfolded fellow gripped the arrow still inside of Auron.
The young rogue felt the terror in their link harden into something else. The arrow was ripped out of him again, but his mind was elsewhere. A clarity stuck him to his core as the ocean of emotions from his partner turned from a mixture of fear and rage to solely the latter.
The truth of his partners emotions came through.
Zander was never afraid of the Royals. His fear was rooted in self-doubt.
Zander. No. Do not come out.
Auron sent the mental plea now that he finally understood his familiar's internal turmoil.
The emerald spirit was not afraid of the Royals and their strength.
He was terrified of himself.
His wrath would destroy them all.
The crowd, now very aware of the fight, began to wail at the sight of Auron trying to free the larger Spirit.
"Guards stop that man!" The king ordered.
Zander materialized out of Auron's tattoo a living Hurricane. Every person, royal or not, within a 40-meter radius, were blasted back by a wind wall.
Keeping himself aloft with a small whirlwind, Zander whipped his tail at the man with the red bandage.
Spinning scythes of wind manifested and cut deep into the Archer as he was thrown hundreds of yards through the air.
An extensive line wounded the earth following the man's flight. The street, buildings, and everything else in the path of the magic was hewn through.
Auron recognized the way the land was left scarred. It was identical to the mountain that was sliced nearly in half.
What had he unleashed? The question echoed through his mind as he watched his familiar wreak havoc.
A cyclone formed around the Emerald master of wind, and the air began to thin.
"Zander! They are being controlled. There are also children in the crowd. Please! Do not harm them." Auron begged with what little air he could take in. He tried to crawl back toward the Spirit, slipping on the blood that spilled out of his gut. Around them, people began to collapse from the lack of oxygen.
Taking a healing pill from his pouch, he popped two in his mouth and crunched down. The healing was immediate as green mana flowed through him and sealed the wounds. The young rogue did not notice the faint green glow that now flowed through his veins.
Auron tossed another in his mouth but did not use it.
Arrows began to whip through the air fired from all around as Zander summoned an orb of air around himself, Auron, and the Spirit.
Auron heaved as air returned to the area in his proximity. The opaque wind barrier blocked his view of everyone else, but he knew they still were losing air.
"Zander, release your magic! They are under the control of the blood magic just as you are!" Auron shouted frantically as he brought out his dagger and continued to chip at the collar. Switching to his onyx rod, he began to charge it with blue mana.
As Zander finally released his pull on the air, the citizens affected immediately shot up and resumed attacking the young spirits. Zander began to glow a deep and menacing green as he charged up a more powerful attack magic.
The sounds of death ripped through the air as People began to tear what looked like glowing shards of gold out of the ravaged body of one of the spirit’s children.
Auron was overtaken by the horror not just from the display of brutality, but from one of the participants. He recognized one of the people ripping through the body as Thatch. Kind, caring, always friendly Thatch. Covered in the blood of a defenseless creature.
Bending over, he retched on the cobblestone and lost his control of the mana he was attempting to charge into the collar.
Forcing himself to recover, he continued to pour in mana from the wand to the shackles, trying desperately to free the creature.
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The death throws of the fledgling creature seemed to shred through Zander's fury. As it dissipated he looked around at his victims.
Zander dropped the barrier surrounding them as he realized what he had done, not only to the enthralled and innocent citizens, but also the results in letting them free. He collapsed onto Auron's shoulders as he looked at the corpse of the spirit child.
The old man dressed in white stumbled out of his chair toward the platform's center as the other royals recovered from the unexpected lack of breathable air.
He deftly touched the faces of some of the others he passed. After he did so, they looked outraged and felt around as if they could not see.
Wobbling forward, he seemed to lock eyes with Zander, and he made a surprisingly sober movement with his hand. To anyone else, it would have been meaningless, but Zander understood somehow. Auron watched the events as he continued to push mana into the collar. The Spirit seemed to be gaining strength by the second.
It was attempting to stand as Zander Summoned a great rectangular box of sharp wind covering the stage. Right before he did so, prince Logan jumped forward, barely beating out the impenetrable wind barrier.
The wall took all of Zander's attention as the prince charged forward at Auron. "Who the hell do you think you are," The man said as he punched Auron in the jaw. The impact caused Auron to crunch down on the third pill he had thrown in there earlier. He had expected to take damage while trying to break the runes, but he did not expect the medicine to work so perfectly.
The blow that generally might have knocked Auron out was reduced to almost no damage as the pill healed immediately. The glow of green mana under his skin increased slightly. In the light of day, it was nearly invisible. The Spirit then took its antlers and smashed them down toward the prince. As his limbs became tangled in the mess of crystallized horns, the Spirit flicked its head upwards and sent him sprawling into the wind. His face being the only part of him not armored, was torn up to pieces. Auron could tell the Spirit wanted to inflict more pain on the main, but even the small movements of its neck seemed to drain it of the energy it was slowly regaining.
The townspeople frantically began to tear into another fledgling spirit. Tears began to flow down Auron's face as he looked over and saw that two of the beautiful creatures now lay dead and emptied out. Calling forth everything inside himself for the first time, he intentionally reached toward his absolute center. Everything he had ever been, and everything he wanted to be screamed out at the atrocities being committed. If he could not stop this, then he did not want to live in a world where this was possible. He would save this Spirit and its last child. He would sacrifice anything and everything to do so. Auron grabbed the radiant light within himself and pulled out his cape.
Auron's kaleidoscopic cape now flowed over his shoulders. Through the box of wind holding back, the Royals Auron saw a slew of reactions. Rage and confusion from the King and Queen and several of the others. Oddly enough, it looked as if the man in white was crying. A smile split his face as he looked down at Auron. Stumbling around and tripping up anyone attacking the barrier. It was hard to see through the wind, but with their reactions, he understood they saw his multicolored magic.
Auron continued to push what was left of his mana into the restraint. Now he felt he was almost through it, the band of metal now more cracks than runes. He then felt his feet lift off the ground. Gregory's soulless gaze stared into Auron's eyes as he tossed him up and winded back his sword.
With everything he had, Auron willed the chains to break. Heading his call, his cape flowed through his body and into his wand.
Ignoring the incoming blow, Auron screamed as he forced the concentrated power forward.
"Break, gods damn you!" He screamed with a resounding refusal of the events.
A blast of light shattered the Spirit's restraints.
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Arete was overjoyed. Today was the day of the Festival. In a drunken stupor, he watched over the crowd with his paired Archer. Jealousy was the only negative emotion he currently felt in his dazed mind.
He wished he could be close enough to see the King, make him happy by tearing into the foul spirits, and genuinely praising their benevolent gods. He sat humming to himself as the Festival continued. Then the worst happened. A filthy person trying to free the Spirit. Arete wished he could go down and snap the offender's neck, but he was happy to see his partner line up a deadly shot with his Great-bow. The guardsman and Archer Howled in rage when the shot barely missed. The intruder was tackled. They wanted the glory of taking down the evil person.
Arete drooled as he became distracted by the smaller spirits being ripped apart. Inside, they had golden fragments filled to the brim with mana. The meat would be roasted, and a feast would occur shortly.
A brilliant flash of multicolored light grabbed his attention.
Brought back to his senses momentarily, he was disgusted by the brutality and bloodshed in front of him. Arete needed to something, anything to stop these festivals. These celebrations were a crime against nature, he needed to remember that, but it was so hard for some reason.
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An enthralled Guild leader spotted Auron and charged forward with deadly intent. Sliding out his great sword he reached Auron with a few leaps forward and swung it at his center.
Continuing out from the chains, an unfettered eruption of multicolored light washed over the crowd. As the force passed through each one of them, their zombified expressions disappeared.
Those with their hands scraping through the spirit corpses fell backward, disgust twisted its way onto their faces.
As Auron released his aura magic Gregory made contact with his sword.
Despite at the last moment, the Guild leader regained his sanity and tried to hold back, his sword was already beginning to push Auron away with great force.
The young rogue soared through the air, separated from his familiar in the flight, he felt the bones of his chest transformed to dust by the massive impact.
His health bar was decimated.
Auron crashed through hundreds of people who, fortunately for him, slowed his journey through the air. Unfortunately, a stone house stopped the journey abruptly. At this, Auron could only watch and listen to what happened next.
Zander rushed over to Auron, glowing like a bright green sun. If Auron could move or speak, he would have begged Zander to aid the Spirit.
Gasping and choking on his own blood, he drilled his eyes into the emerald healer. Silently begging him to use his magic on the spirits. The young rogue paid no mind to his health bar flashing between 1/2% back and forth, or the slight green glow under his skin from the pellets he had been taking.
Zander, caring not for anything but his partner's broken decimated body, summoned the greatest concentration of mana healing he could manage. Thrusting it forward, everything in a twenty-meter radius was thrown asunder as the life carrying hurricane was directed at Auron's chest.
Used all of his remaining mana to heal Auron. Even that was barely enough just to keep him conscious.
[Auron, you need to run.] Zander shouted into Auron's mind before he was forcefully turned into mist, heading back into Auron's tattoo. An arrow narrowly missed his green head as he dissipated.
As Auron continued to choke on blood, he realized the healing was not enough. Looking forward along the path of destruction, he spotted Gregory staring at his hands and back to Auron to horror his own actions.
The Spirit, now free, leaped backward toward its surviving child. A golden glow wrapping around it, and causing it to levitate at an insane speed as it traveled. Its first moments seemed slightly awkward, likely due to its wings' absence, but its magic seemed to correct any imbalance. Auron's hopes for the spirits' survival were dashed as it arrived in tandem with the King.
Leaping off of the Dias, the man glowed with an abundance of purple mana, unlike anything Auron had ever seen. Yellow bands of gold draped over his arms seem to fuel his speed as he moved inhumanely fast. The Regal man raised a massive double-bladed sword. Holding the center pole connecting the two blades, he twirled it over his head and swept it down through the shoulder of the Adult spirit and into the child's chest. A sickening crunch confirms the extent of the damage. The Spirit screams in pain and emotional agony as it sagged forward, now only having three legs. The sound washing over the crowd and elicits a return in its sorrow from the now aware populace.
The King turned his attention to the prone Auron next.
As the regal man began to glow with mana, Auron heard a monstrous scream of rage.
Launching forward, the King hefted his blade in the air. Auron tried to move, but his body was beyond the point of ruin. His mana fizzled as he tried to activate it. He was in striking range.
Auron looked up at the man, defiance burned through his expression as he coughed up more blood.
Auron felt the earth shake as a repeated rumble rocked the area.
"Stay the fuck away from my family Thune." Gregory roared as he swung his sword at the man who was preparing to kill Auron.
The head royal managed to get his bladed weapon down in time to block, but Gregory's generated force sent him soaring back through several homes.
As the people mourned their actions, and the collective of guild members rushed to aid Gregory against the King, a massive flash of purple emanated from one of the cathedrals. Lining the kingdom's upper levels, one of the grand old buildings was flooded with lavender light.
The Queen raised her arms in the act of summoning power.
"Enough!" She raged as she activated her magic. Auron watched in horror, still unable to move as a wave of energy he recognized from the dungeon washed over the crowd and returned them to a mindless state. He now knew for certain where the blood magic originated, and who was the cause. As guards converged on him, he locked eyes with the wounded Spirit. "I am so sorry I failed you," Auron whispered through gritted teeth. Unsure if the creature understood how heartbroken he was for failing them.
The message reached the Peryton as it seemed to make a decision. Glowing more fiercely than its natural light, one of its horns began to crumble. As that happened, it lifted off the ground, and a hum shook the air. Auron felt the hairs on his arms rise.
All around the creature in a complete circle, every human was pulled off their feet and slid forward several meters, including the King. As the head of the Pertyon house called his Golden armored assassins, the Spirit moved toward Auron in a flash, bowling over the approaching guards as the Assassins moved to pursue.
Auron felt the hairs on his body lift up again as the magic in the air then pulled him gently to the Spirit. Static seemed to cling him to the creature as it charged both of them toward the gates.
His hood fluttered back as the assassins and Assassin knight struggled to catch up to them. With a great leap of its three legs, the Ancient Spirit clears the Kingdom pit and walls. Coming through the portal, the deadly golden mana users followed. Auron locked eyes with their leader Walter.
The head of the Pertyon house begins throwing sharp metal stars at Auron and his mount. The stars struck deep into the Pertyon spirit's flesh, and one hit Auron on the shoulder. His life bar still flickered at a low level. A thudding begins shaking the air.
The thudding was so loud Auron's ears felt as if they would burst, and the projectiles thrown by the man chasing them were knocked down as they sped over the terrain. An earth-shattering roar pierced the air, as a winged creature larger than anything Auron had ever seen, flew down from a nearby mountain.