Chapter 13:
"THE ARCANUMS ARE POWERFUL. TRULY THE BEST PEOPLE I COULD HAVE SELECTED."
* THE HELLFIRE CHRONICLES, HOLY BOOK OF TRAGSXT
7th of Jirath, 1012 on the War Calander, Day of Destiny:
Enjin didn't want to fight the King of New Learu City before he gained an Arcane of Myth, but now, his reasoning was both the same and different.
He still didn't believe destroying the city was justice, but now there was another emotion. It was fear.
He raised his sword regardless.
"I do not want to fight him! He is the King! Tragsxt has returned!" Glass protested in Enjin's mind. He was sure that every other Devildealer was experiencing the same reservations from their Pledgeborn.
"I don't want to, either," Enjin replied.
From the corner of his eye, Enjin could see a hooded figure perching on the ruined castle, observing; The Voidwatcher. He was in Draith territory just a few days ago; he must be a Devildealer to travel so fast.
The King of Hellfire lowered slightly from the air, matching Enjin's level.
"Tell me your name!" The King demanded.
"Enjin!" The cloudsummoner shouted. The King nodded,
"I'm sure you already know mine," Etheail said before charging towards Enjin, feet held back, spewing fire to propel him.
Enjin slashed away the the attacking spear from Etheail's hand, a thrill like he had never experienced before filling him.
The two traded slashes and parries, sparks painting the sky. Enjin pulled back and danced around the King, who started maneuvering himself also. He moved differently to a Cloudsummoner, Enjin quickly realized. Etheail moved in arches, almost like he was jumping in the air rather than flying in it.
The two charged each other, their Devilblades meeting, causing an explosion of brilliant red sparks.
"You're not my enemy!" Etheail declared though nobody else could hear over the sounds of cheering that came from below.
Fire exploded from the King, pushing Enjin away. The Elevated One pulled back. The wall of flame didn't stop. Enjin swung his katana, summoning a gust of wind, making the fire stay in place before evaporating away.
"What do you mean?!" Enjin screamed to the King.
"Four will come to my aid, one for each Arcane. You're my Cloudsummoner. You don't want to fight me, and neither does your Pledgeborn."
The Host of Tragsxt put his spear to the side and held his hand out, "Join me, fight for Justice!" Glass made a cheer of encouragement.
Enjin scowled. "I may not agree with Yjraith, but I will never betray it! I know the one who you speak of, Holy One! He will come to your aid soon enough, I'm sure!"
Etheail frowned curiously as if he was just called wrong on the most fundamental aspects of life.
Etheail nodded respectfully and charged the Yjraith soldier again.
Enjin swung his blade with fury. How dare he! How dare he even assume that Enjin's loyalties could be so easily changed! Who does the Holy One think he is- Enjin had to keep himself from stopping in place.
He had called the King of New Learu City Holy one without even thinking about it. Enjin was loyal to Kalendi most of all, of course, but Jirath and Tragsxt were respected. He was fighting the second coming of an Arcanum...Was this the side he wanted to be on?
No! Enjin screamed at himself. I will not question myself!
He purged himself of thought and apprehension, fighting as if justice itself depended on it, which, it did.
If Enjin could beat the king, then surely his justice was weaker than the justice of Yjraith?
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Etheail attacked Enjin with half-hearted vigor. He was sure that he was the one. But if the Elevated one was to be believed Etheail's Cloudsummoner was someone else.
Etheail swung again, fire burning into existence around him. He could feel himself getting stronger by the second.
Enjin swung his blade at Etheail, knocking him back with air pressure alone. The cloudsummoner attacked the air again, making a gust of wind so strong that Etheail could see it.
The King of Hellfire summoned a wall of flames which exploded from the oxygen breathed into it. Etheail jousted his spear forward sending the the wall of flame forward to burn his enemy.'
Enjin spun his blade around him, splitting the wall of fire in half. Etheail charged through to fire to ram his spear through Enjin's chest.
He ripped the spear free from the flesh. The wound healed, but slower than usual for a Devildealer.
Etheail dropped his Devilblade which dissolved into golden fire. The king of Hellfire grabbed Enjin by the head and slammed the Cloudsummoner into his knee.
Enjin reeled back but managed to hold on to his Devilblade. He swung with eyes closed, but Etheail had already flown away. When Enjin managed to rip his eyes open, he found nothing but clear skies.
Etheail kicked Enjin to the ground from behind. The Cloudsummoner sputtered and looked up, rage filling his eyes.
FIGHT WELL, ETHEAIL
The two traded blows again, though at this point it looked as if Etheail might be winning. The King of Hellfire raised his spear, ready to deliver a final attack. Enjin slashed upwards, imprinting a massive wound on Etheail.
Etheail stumbled back. His connection to the Arcane started to falter. He was no longer weightless.
Etheail plummeted to the earth. Death was imminent. He could no longer feel Tragsxt, but he could feel the Pledgeborn's anxiousness.
"NO!" Etheail screamed. Fire exploded back out of him. The king of Hellfire rose back into the air, his death avoided by will alone.
The other Elevated Ones, apparently growing bored of standing around jumped into the battle simulatniously.
Enjin stood frozen behind them.
Etheail tried to dodge the arrows and swords, but even with his advantages, there was only so much a single man could do.
You are not alone; they will come. Tragsxt whispered in his mind.
Etheail steadied himself, holding out his hand and managing to spare the 10 seconds it took to summon his blade.
He charged his enemies, hoping to Tragsxt, or well, talked to Tragsxt that whoever was coming to help would do it soon.
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Enjin watched the rest of the Elevated Ones charge Etheail without doing anything. It would be an injustice to team up against the Holy One, but it would be an injustice to turn on Yjraith. So Enjin did nothing. He watched.
Rebbeca stayed a good distance away, firing Devilarrows while carefully making sure none hit her allies. Her allies; not Enjins.
Rose led the charge against in the melee Karim and Lrai following suit. The King of Hellfire did his best to fight, but hope was dead. The Elevated ones slowly started gaining on him, pushing him farther and farther back.
At least the Holy One's companion was safe, missing an arm and leg, sure, but now untouched as the soldiers looked on breathless at the history being made in front of their eyes.
Etheail screamed a primal scream, fire exploding out of him. The Elevated ones summoned a gust of wind so powerful it nearly knocked Enjin out of the air, but the fire still came.
Rose slashed with her claymore, making the flames subsided as they reached her face.
Enjin had to do something. He couldn't let the Holy One die, he had to save him, he had to fight, he had to betray-
Enjin couldn't.
In the end, this was the day Enjin broke his pledge. He didn't fight for justice. He just watched as the world crumbled around him.
Glass groaned, urging Enjin to act.
"I can't." The Cloudsummoner muttered. His bond with the Pledgeborn should have ended there. It should have found a new host, but it didn't. At least Enjin wasn't fighting for injustice was Glass's thoughts, he was sure.
So, Enjin waited for the would-be savior of Kraetez to die.
"He won't die, Enjin" Glass reminded, "He shall be aided by four. A Cloudsummoner, An Earthsplitter, a Stormforger, and a Tide-"
The river that sat a medium distance from the battlefield exploded upwards in a giant pillar that reached the clouds. In the middle was a man in dirty clothes, a rugged face and scarred face, long unkempt hair reaching his shoulders, and the brands of slavery going up his arms and down his back. Enjin recognized the man, but he was supposed to have died a year ago.
Helandrin Flax, The Ocean's sword; A Tidebringer.