Arnimos sat on the cold stone roof looking up at the sky, it had been a strange week. He had helped farmers harvest wheat and put up fences, he spent most of his nights training with their Lieutenant and tomorrow he had an outing with a village girl. She was nice, it seemed like it would be well. As he stared at the sky some of the stars began to vanish, clouds passing in front of them. It was getting late, so he should go back to his room. As he was about to stand he heard someone running up the stairs, he looked over and saw Hilmas burst into view.

"There you are," Hilmas said.

A second later Milhas arrived.

"We have missed you like a drunk man in an archery competition," Milhas said.

Arnimos gave a hefty sigh.

"You never change," Arnimos said. "How was your patrol?"

"We had to camp in the wilderness for 3 days," Hilmas said. "I feel as though my back will never recover,"

"I had to sleep on a pile of twigs and leaves," Milhas said. "About as comfortable as a Noctilusk in a desert,"

"Well, at least you get the day of their harvest festival off," Arnimos said. "What about Ronja?"

"She's got patrol tomorrow from what I heard," Hilmas said. "She'll be working while we're partying,"

"And we'll be partying," Milhas said.

"I'd love to join you but I promised to go with someone tomorrow," Arnimos said. "A local, she seemed pretty nice,"

Hilmas and Milhas shot each other knowing glances.

"Arnimos has a date," Milhas said.

"We'll have to see the lucky lady ourselves," Hilmas said.

"It's not like that," Arnimos said. "She just wanted to show me around,"

"Oh, I'm certain she wanted to show you many things," Hilmas said.

Arnimos glanced away from the two, his face grew a bit hotter.

"Well then, we'll be sure to stop by and see you two on your date," Hilmas said. "See you tomorrow,"

"Talk to you-" Arnimos said.

As he spoke the alarm bell began to ring, Arnimos shot up and the twins looked at each other. The three looked over the top of the walls from their perch and saw fire and smoke rising in the night.

They dashed down the stairs with surprising speed taking only a few minutes to grab weapons and slip on armor before arriving outside. Outside men were readying the Gallorend and quickly donning their weapons and armor, all 2 dozen men from the city were preparing while the ten or so normally at the fort were helping them. Arnimos approached Kalis-Fijki who stood at attention barking orders.

"What's happening?" Arnimos said.

"Someone has set fire to the village," Kalis-Fijki said. "I believe it to be the bandits, get your Gallorend ready we ride as soon as possible,"

Arnimos nodded and went over to his Gallorend. He set the saddle and quickly checked it over to ensure everything was alright before hopping onto its back, as he hopped on he felt the connection between beast and rider form. He moved into the hastily formed formation, he took a position at the front beside Kalis-Fijki. While a single shout the gate was pulled open and the riders kicked into a furious gallop.

They split into 3 groups of eight as they approached the village, each man drew sabers except for Arnimos who drew the Fear-Made hammer. As they got closer they could see parts of the town consumed in a blazing inferno with figures moving in the smoke. A man came running out of the smoke and into view, he had 8 eyes and a strange set of spider-like limbs on his back. He glanced back towards the smoke as three arrows pierced through it, two found their mark while the third struck the ground some distance away. The man fell as three bandits stepped through the smoke, they looked up and saw the soldiers.

They hadn't the time to scramble away before the men crashed into them, a squad of cavalry-men charged past, slicing the bandits down. Arnimos brought his Gallorend to a stop next to the injured men and hopped off, he knelt down next to him.

"Are you alright, sir?" Arnimos said.

The man pushed himself to his knees and pulled the arrows out, the wounds began to close.

"I'll survive," The man said. "Thank you for the help,"

"Do you have any information on these bandits attacking this village?" Arnimos said.

"I saw a man with scales and eyes like a dragon," The man said. "He lit the fire,"

"Thank you for your help," Arnimos said. "Get to the manor, if you can, and shelter there,"

Arnimos stood up and turned to leave but the man grabbed him by the wrist.

"Wait," The man said. "I saw that man heading towards the farms on the northside of town,"

North side of town... Towards where Hijki-Kal lived... His expression darkened.

"I understand," Arnimos said. "Don't worry, I'll save them,"

The man let go of his wrist and began to make his way towards the manor. Arnimos mounted his Gallorend quickly and set off northward. He passed Hilmas and Milhas who had stopped to help another civilian, Milhas was still on his Gallorend so he kicked off after Arnimos.

"Stay with them!" Milhas said. "I'll keep up with him!"

Hilmas gave a nod. Milhas followed at breakneck speed till he was close enough to Arnimos to speak.

"What is wrong?" Milhas said.

"The bandit leader went this way," Arnimos said. "I'm going to get him,"

"Shouldn't we get the rest of the squad then?" Milhas said.

"There's no time," Arnimos said. "He might hurt someone,"

"I see," Milhas said. "I ride with you then, let us go save some people,"

The Gallorend passed empty fields and houses for a time until they reached the small farm of the Kal's. It was eerily silent and no lanterns were lit on the property, a terrible sign. Arnimos leaped off of his Gallorend and Milhas followed right after. He marched up to the door of the house which sat slightly ajar and pushed it open. Inside it was dark, he reached to his waist and clicked on the Fear-Made lantern he had. It bathed the room in a dull white light revealing a slaughter.

In the living room there was the body of a woman and a child, her younger brother and mother. It looked like she was trying to shield her child from blows but now they both laid torn apart like an animal had gotten in. His stomach churned as his eyes followed more trails of blood. He found lying against the door to Hijki-Kal's room were the top halves of one of her brothers and her fathers bodies, they had an axe in their hands but its blade looked to have chipped off.

His mind screamed to look away as everything was hitting him at once but he drove it down, there was no time. He walked forward paying no heed to the blood that got on him and pushed open the door to her room, it was empty with only an open window. The two men stood there staring then looked at each other. Arnimos was teetering at the edge.

"GO!" A voice screamed.

They heard a faint voice outside, they rushed out of the house. As they arrived outside they saw Hijki-Kal running out of their barn with her brother standing in the doorway with an axe at the ready.

"Hijki!" Arnimos yelled.

She looked at him.

"Thank Nexei-" Hijki-Kal said.

As she spoke then her brother let out a scream as something struck him in the chest sending him flying. His body landed a dozen feet away with a crushed chest, he was dead. She looked over at him and before she could scream a man stepped out of the barn. He looked to be in his mid-30s with no hair and wearing simple leather armor, his eyes were orange and had a slit down the middle while parts of his white skin was covered in scales. An Arbeross.

"People are always ruining my fun," The man said.

The man moved with unnatural speed towards Hijki-Kal, he raised a hand which turned into a strange draconic claw. He brought it down quickly but before it struck the boom of thunder echoed. Milhas grew slightly thinner as a bolt of lightning burst forth from him and struck the man in the chest, the man recoiled and his body writhed for a second. Hijki-Kal took this moment to rushed towards Arnimos.

"Don't try anything," Milhas said. "I'll fry ya,"

Hijki-Kal practically fell into Arnimos's arms.

"I'm so happy to see you he attacked in the night and got mom and my dad and my brothers tried to protect me and-" Hijki-Kal said.

"It's okay, I'm here now," Arnimos said. "He won't hurt you,"

She looked at him with teary eyes.

"Thank you, i-" Hijki-Kal said.

It took them too long to notice, Milhas should have kept firing. The man brought his head up as his muscles stopped twitching and formed a tight o-like shape with his lips then fired. A beam of flame as wide as someone's head shot forth vaporizing everything in its path, even Hijki-Kal's head. One moment she was looking up at him thankful and the next her body slump as all that was left of her head was a charred stump.

"NO!" Arnimos shouted.

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He fell to his knees desperately clinging to her body, hoping that it would bring her back. A moment alive the next dead, his mind raced. He was an Archon, why was he so weak as to not be able to protect one person? Why did this happen? Is this cruel joke from some Devil Author Devil Author Devil Author Devil Author, some cruel Writer who desired for nothing more than to see him suffer? His eyes grew wet and he wept, was he really an Archon?

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Milhas looked at Arnimos seeing his friend crying over a lost love, oh this man would pay. He looked back at the Arbeross who held a sick grin.

"If I can't have her, I won't let anyone else," The man said. "Now i'm feeling nice, run off now and i'll let you live,"

"You think that's the kind of game we're playing?" Milhas said.

Lightning began to leap from Milhas, he was gonna destroy this man.

"You better start praying," Milhas said. "Cause you ain't leaving here alive!"

A bit of his body shrunk as it was consumed to fuel his Dichotomies. His senses sharpened and his body felt primed to explode, lightning crackled up and down his body. 'Second Skill,' He took a breath in, 'Lightning Veil'. He dashed forward with blinding speed and drew his sword, he delivered a slash along the man's side then slid to a stop a few feet behind him. The man grit his teeth and looked back to see Milhas point his sword at him. 'First Skill,' Lightning travelled along his blade, 'Arc Lance'.

A bolt of searing light struck the man, he let out a low screech as it burned his flesh. Milhas wrapped himself in Lightning Veil once more, feeling as more of his body was consumed. Another blitz, this time an arm fell to the ground as he slid past, he dug his feet in and turned to face the man who was now in front of him. He had reacted far faster than Milhas had expected. The man brought his fist down which turned into a draconic claw. Milhas raised his arms to block but they pushed through, the claws, unnatural as they were, cleaved through his steel breastplate and left large gashes along his chest.

Milhas coughed up blood and before he could dodge back he saw something move out from behind the man's back, a dragon tail like a mace struck him in the stomach. The man then grabbed him by the head and slammed Milhas to the ground. The man opened his mouth in a wide o-like shape.

'Skill Three,' His body lost more, 'Static Embrace'. Lightning arced directly from Milhas into the man's body, his muscles writhed beneath the skin. Milhas kicked him in the stomach forcing him back then stood up and held his blade high, the man took only a few more seconds to recover.

"Annoying little Truth," The man said. "A Truth of Lightning, I presume?"

"And you're an Arbeross of Dragons," Milhas said. "You don't have much room to talk,"

"No matter," The man said. "I'll burn you to a crisp then the rest of that sorry town with it,"

"Why'd you come out here then?" Milhas said. "Why not finish burning the town,"

"■■■■■■■" The man said. "Because I wanted to,"

Of course this man just wanted to burn down villages, what other reason could he have. Milhas probably couldn't win this though, he had to eat too much of his body to win especially with his new wounds. He looked back to Arnimos who still wept, they needed to run.

----------------------------------------

Arnimos wasn't watching the fight, he was staring blanking at the stump as tears fell from his eyes. Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Nothing made sense. How could this happen? Why could this happen? As his mind raced for any answer his ears suddenly sharpened, he heard what he had the day Galtz had called the Author a Devil. A terrible wrongness pervaded his mind, he looked at the bandit. Whatever he had just said was for some reason stricken from the world and something else levied in its place and he wasn't listening to hear it.

It looked like the next bout of fighting was about to happen when Milhas suddenly wheeled around and bolted into Arnimos picking him up and running, the bandit chased after but he was slower. Arnimos reached out towards her body as they raced back towards the village.

"NO!" Arnimos said. "We have to-"

"We can't," Milhas said. "She would have wanted you to live and I'll be damned if I left you die,"

More and more of Milhas's body shrunk with minute that they ran. They arrived back in the village after many minutes, they had a good lead on their pursuer. When they got back they saw a handful of other soldiers lying dead on the ground while most were in various states of injury, many of the bandits in the town were dead or dying. Hilmas rushed over to the two as they arrived.

"What happened?" Hilmas said. "Brother, are you alright?"

Milhas put Arnimos down.

"Arbeross... Dragon..." Milhas said, catching his breath. "Strong..."

"I understand," Hilmas said.

Kalis-Fijki approached them, behind him men were evacuating what civilians survived.

"What do you know?" Kalis-Fijki said.

"My brother says a Dichotomy wielder," Hilmas said. "Arbeross of Dragons,"

"Just our luck," Kalis-Fijki said. "Get them on Gallorend and head back to the manor, we are pulling out,"

"But what about..." Arnimos said.

Kalis-Fijki looked at Arnimos, he seemed almost saddened.

"Don't worry," Kalis-Fijki said. "We'll come back for them,"

Just as Hilmas reached down to help up Milhas, someone burst through a bank of smoke, the man. One hand was turned into a draconic claw, he brought it down towards Milhas. Arnimos watched as the world seemed to slow, the claw inched ever closer threatening to kill his friend. Why was he so weak? Why couldn't he save anyone? Wasn't he an Archon? Shouldn't everything in Shale tremble before him?

He was scared of losing more people, scared of his friends or himself dying. Yet even now they refused to Imprint, they just remained feeding on his fear. Why did he let them? They were supposed to obey him, Dichotomies are to be commanded. He watched as inch by painful inch it crept closer, he forced his Dichotomies to heel and pushed their energy inwards.

Arnimos moved with a speed never before seen. Faster than he had ever had before, faster then perhaps even Milhas had he jumped at the man and brought his hammer down.

It struck with force far above what it should be able to knock him back, Arnimos's hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat before tossing him into a burning building. Hilmas and Kalis-Fijki had just begun to draw their weapons as he slammed into the building.

Seconds passed and the man stepped out of the burning rubble.

"Finally woke up little Archon," The man said, he spat out some blood onto the ground. "Suppose I should be getting serious,"

The man's body twisted and deformed growing to a massive scale. His skin became entirely replaced by scales and he fell to four legs and great wings burst from his back. After a few more seconds it finished and he fully Became a dragon, it was likely his Ultimate.

The man opened his maw and prepared to spit fire but then a flash of lightning moved along his jaw as Hilmas appeared on his head.

"Nice try jackass," Hilmas said. "I'm gonna kill ya for hurting my brother,"

Kalis-Fijki stepped up beside Arnimos with a single eye closed.

"I'll help as well," Kalis-Fijki said, drawing a Fear-Made knife from his hip.

The dragon shook Hilmas from its head, he leaped to the ground then ducked below a tail swipe. He was much faster than Milhas. The difference between them was always very simple, Milhas focused on his Taniberas Dichotomy and Created lightning while Hilmas focused on his Arbeross and truly Became lightning. He brought the sword up as the tail passed overhead and left a nasty cut along its underside.

The dragon stepped forward and swung its claws towards Arnimos and Kalis-Fijki, Kalis-Fijki grabbed Arnimos and pulled him back. The claw passed mere inches from them. He then slashed the air, and a similar cut appeared along the dragon's arm.

Arnimos raised the hammer and brought it down with all of his Fear-Enhanced might. Despite not connecting, a massive crack formed along the dragon's chest. It roared then let out a burst of flame towards the two. Kalis-Fijki dodged out of the way a second before the fire even came out but Arnimos took it head on. It seared and burnt his flesh yet the energy within kept repairing it as quickly as it was destroyed. He took a step forward as the fire washed over him.

Hilmas dug his feet into the ground and launched himself at the dragon's mouth, striking it with such force that it was forced to move and blasted a nearby home with the last of its breath. Hilmas then brought his sword back and thrust it into the dragon's eye, it roared and thrashed, throwing Hilmas to the ground and leaving the sword embedded. As he struck the ground the dragon swatted him with its tail, the strike threw Hilmas through a wall and into one of the many burning buildings.

It glared down at the only two remaining seeing Arnimos looked unscathed and Kalis-Fijki stood with a knife at the ready. The two rushed forward. Kalis-Fijki dodged each strike levied at him, avoiding each seemingly perfectly. Arnimos took each hit that came his way, his body seared with pain but he pushed through each section blown off by a strike healing a moment later.

A quick flurry of slashes and a handful more appeared along the dragon's body, it turned towards Kalis-Fijki and let out a burst of flame which he dodged. A swipe from the tail was ducked under and a slamming of claw masterfully rolled away from. Arnimos raised the hammer and struck the air thrice, three more great cracks appearing along its scales. It roared and brought its great wings back then flapped them once.

Dust, fire and smoke surged through the air obscuring vision, Arnimos coughed as hot air and smoke assailed his lungs. He faintly saw Kalis-Fijki through the smoke, a moment later he dodged suddenly but not quickly enough. A claw came down and tore off an arm, the stunning from this allowing a tail strike to slam him into the ground. He heard the wings flap again driving away the smoke and dust the beast itself had brought.

Arnimos stood alone against the dragon, it stared down at him with one baleful eye. It raised a claw and brought it down, Arnimos swung his hammer towards it. It was slapped aside, another swing and the leg twisted. It brought it head down in a quick motion and snapped at Arnimos but before it could close its mouth around him he struck the hammer so hard that its jaw came off. Horrid blood splattered everywhere as the beast reeled. Arnimos stepped forward and delivered another strike, scales shattered and blood began to leak. It swiped again, Arnimos ducked below it then slammed his hammer directly into the leg. It broke.

It brought its wings back again, Arnimos slammed his hammer into the air. Dust and smoke obscured what happened but he felt blood splatter onto him. It was silent for a moment, as his Dichotomies began to wind down, he was exhausted. He lowered the hammer but as he did the man burst through the dust in a sprint at him. Arnimos brought the hammer up swiftly with the last of his Dichotomy enhanced strength and the man's chest caved in, he fell to the ground coughing and sputtering.

Arnimos watched the man for a second before looking over to Kalis-Fijki who was slowly rising, he looked over towards the building where Hilmas was struck and saw him clambering out with burns covering most of his body. Arnimos rushed over to Kalis-Fijki first and offered a hand down to him, he looked up at him with a genuine fear in his eyes.

"Don't let him..." Kalis-Fijki said, pointing back at the man.

Arnimos looked back and saw the man had brought out a small piece of torn paper from a pocket. It felt strange, like it shouldn't exist in this world. As though man were never meant to have it. A Partial Page. The man's mouth twisted and words no man should ever be able to speak left his mouth, he did not know the words yet he understood them.

Unlight The Fires, Bring Night And Send Them To Dark Far From Here.

All the fire, all the smoke just vanished. There was barely any light here. Arnimos looked towards the sky and saw no stars above. He looked back at the man who was only faintly lit by the lantern at Arnimos's waist.

"I DIDN'T WANT THIS, LET ME BE FREE ■■■■■■" The man said. "Fuck you,"

He heard it again, words struck from the records yet for some reason he still knew them all except the last one. A name maybe? Something to tell him what was happening. Arnimos stepped forward and raised the hammer but then he saw something in the dark.

It was as tall as a man with skin as black as ink and a form that leaked. It was a half-formed nightmare. The monsters you thought you saw in the dark. The figure in the chair that turned to clothing once you turned on the lights. That scratching on the window you know wasn't a branch. The creature under your bed that would drag you under were it not for your blanket.

It was a monster in the dark that all men had once sworn to see, perhaps it looked different to everyone but they had all seen it. This was a Fragment. A Fragment of Night, Personification of Darkness.

It dragged him from the lantern's light, screaming into the dark where he then went silent. There was no sound, there was nothing beyond his lantern light. Something creeped just out of sight, just beyond the something he could see. His lantern began to flicker, shapes stood at the edge of the light. Monster in the dark he had stopped being scared of, amber eyes one could swear they saw watching from the window, a figure moving in the corner of your vision. None were real yet here they stood, just beyond his sight.

His lantern flickered once more and a man appeared for a moment. He was dressed in robes as black as coal and had skin like a cloudy night sky, his eyes were limitless pits where light had never been seen. With every flicker he grew a step closer, his Dichotomies wailed to run. To flee what was coming. To flee Night.

But he couldn't.

His courage was great but there was nothing any could do against a Personification. With every flicker it grew closer and closer until it was but a step away. Another flicker and it raised a hand, two more and the hand hovered in front of his face. And at the fourth the world went dark, a dark so great you wondered if light ever could have been real or if you had just misremembered.