"I FEAR THE 3RD BLEAKNESS WILL NOT BE THE END. ANOTHER WILL COME, I'M SURE, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IT TO BE THE FINAL. NO MATTER HOW MUCH HUMANITY REBUILDS AND FORGETS ABOUT THE 3RD, I CAN'T IMAGINE SURVIVING MORE THAN ONE MORE. THE ENDING OF ENDINGS WILL COME."
- THE HELLFIRE CHRONICLES, HOLY BOOK OF TRAGSXT
7th of Jirath, 1012 on the War Calander, Day of Destiny:
Oreklad stared down the Elevated Ones as the King of Hellfire rose off the ground. Four of the strongest Devildealers in the world teaming up. How shameful.
"WarThunder?" Etheail asked. Oreklad nodded,
"Hellfire has returned in you, hasn't it?" Oreklad asked. The king nodded. Etheail held his hand out. Flames appeared in his palm before resolving into a spear Devilblade, but it was in bad shape. The tip was flowing into golden mist; it wouldn't last much longer.
Orekladed turned his attention back to the Elevated Ones. Lady Rose scowled at him. With him there, this would no longer be an easy victory. If only they knew how little of a chance they stood.
"King, Cloudsummoner, we only have to last a few more minutes," WarThunder informed them. They looked perplexed but nodded.
The three charged the Elevated Ones.`
.
.
.
Helandrin was in shock; WarThunder was fighting on their side! The Tidebringer undid Karim's stranglehold with newfound resolve. He threw the burly man over his head with a Devildealing powered throw.
The slaver rose with anger in his eyes. "Damn Draiths!" He screamed before charging towards Helandrin. The Ocean's sword lunged, stabbing the Elevated one with his trident, piercing his armor.
The Tidebringer felt the Arcane of Ocean rushing inside him. He stocked the waves and grabbed them, summoning a massive focus directly on him and Karim. Helandrin stabbed and slashed as the wave carried them to where Etheail and WarThunder were.
.
.
.
Oreklad fought with Lrai, keeping him away from Etheail and Odith the Cloudsummoner. Etheail used waves of fire to ward off the Lady Rose, Aided by the Cloudsummoner to make the flames larger with oxygen.
A tidal wave rushed through the grass, atop was a Tidebringer fighting with Karim the Slaver. WarThunder recognized the Tidebringer, it was The Ocean's Sword! He'd escaped? There was no time to think about it.
The Tidebringer stabbed Karim with his trident then glared at Oreklad and nodded. There was still hate in his eyes, but he would be civil as long as they fought on the same side. It was more than Oreklad deserved.
The WarThunder slammed Lrai with his hammer. The Elevated one rose, a smile of sadistic pride on his face along with a glint of bloodthirst in his eyes.
Oreklad scowled. He'd faced off with all the Elevated Ones before, but Lrai had always unnerved him. The man seemed to worship fighting and bloodshed.
The archer, Lady Rebbeca, fired arrows at them, but it seemed that the few that landed were able to tank.
Lrai slashed with his sword,
"Come on, WarThunder! You're my favorite opponent!" The Cloudsummoner screamed.
The two traded blows, the rest of the fights happening around them. Sparks flew from all directions as soldiers cheered their leaders on. The wind gusted, both from the enemy and from their allies. Waves of salvation erupted through the battlefield, and flames of myth burned the Yjraith.
It was a scene like Oreklad had never been a part of before; the strongest Devildealers of the age gathered and attacked one another.
.
.
.
Enjin rose into the sky and watched the battle. Most soldiers stood slackjawed watching the fight between the Elevated Ones and their enemies.
Most surprisingly of all The Elevated Ones were losing. In the chaos of the battle, nobody even seemed to question Enjin only observing.
At that moment, he knew that the Yjraith couldn't win this battle. He couldn't give the slightest explanation, but in his heart of hearts, he knew that if the Yjraith were allowed to win this day Kraetez would not survive.
Rebbeca stopped firing and looked at him, as if realizing for the first time he wasn't fighting.
Enjin met her eye and shook his head, mouthing the word "Stop." Rebbeca looked distraught, but obliged, disappearing into the crowd, no longer a part of the fight
CLOMP CLOMP CLOMP.
Enjin looked over the horizon and passed the castle with amazement.
.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
.
.
Etheail was fighting with Odith against Lady Rose when the furious clompings began. The king released a wave of fire which the Elevated One had to dodge, giving him time to glance back.
From behind the ruined castle came an army of soldiers on horses of different colors waving the flag of Sali.
WarThunder fell back next to Etheail, hammer held in front of him defensively, "Ocean's Sword and I aren't the only ones who decided to do the right thing." He said a smile on his face.
The army was led by Grimmor, The King of Sali, accompanying him and his men were around 500 civillans in armor, weapons in hand, led by Uria. It was his people. They'd come back for him, Etheail realized with misty eyes.
Then Oreklad rose in the air, making a joint announcement with The King of Sali.
.
.
.
Grimmor overlooked the battle. It was much as WarThunder described during their short conversation on the war here. A battle between a few key figures with enough soldiers left gawking to ensure Yjraith's victory, regardless of who wins. That was until he arrived.
In the fight was the King of Hellfire. Grimmor could've picked him out of a crowd of a million if it was needed. He had an aura much stronger than the rest.
The King of Sali held his hand to the side and Linora formed a large scythe in his hand.
"Sali will not stand by and watch the world be torn apart by Injustice! Yjraith will not prevail this day, and I have brought an army of 500,000 to ensure this!" He declared. Rain pelted on his armor as lightning struck, illuminating everything in the dark sky.
He was finally fulfilling his pledge. Finally, the King was doing what was needed of him.
A figure of bright azure flew up to the army. Oreklad.
"The Blood war ends here! No longer shall Draith fight a war of nothing. We will make peace with all nations. All we need is cooperation, and this bloodshed can end now!
Three nations have come together under one cause, even Hellfire itself as returned; this and will end!" With that, WarThunder charged back into the battle. Somehow, the vye for peace seemed to enrage the Elevated Ones more.
Grimmor held his scythe high in the sky, "Charge!" He screamed, Linora cheering in his mind.
In unison, all 500,000 of his men rushed toward the battlefield, forcing the idle Yjraith to attack.
Clinks and clangs of chaos rang in Grimm's ear as he ran toward the center of the action. Somehow, he knew that beyond being King of Sali, he was needed.
.
.
.
Oreklad had fought many battles and taken many lives, but this was the first in a long time when the chaos of war fully hit him.
Thousands of soldiers attacked, somehow changing the tide of battle in an instant. The blur of swords and men that encircled the battle between the Elevated Ones was mesmerizing if only he had time to appreciate it.
Oreklad fought with Lrai at a standstill. WarThunder was stronger, but the Elevated One's skill and grace were unmeasured. Only Lady Rose could beat him in a one-on-one.
The King of Sali came down on his steed, scythe in hand.
Etheail held his blade forward, summoning a massive arch of flame that pushed away all of the Elevated Ones.
"Enough!" he called out to them, "Four have come to my aid! A Tidebringer, a Stormforger, an Earthshaker, and a Cloudsummoner! You're outnumbered; This day is ours!" Etheail declared,
"The time for pretty squabbles has passed. It is approaching! The ending of endings, the final war, humanity's last struggle, the absolute apocalypse! The 4th Bleakness arrives in a matter of months, perhaps sooner. We can't stay divided if we wish to survive!"
A chill down Oreklad's spine. Many had spouted jargon about the end of days before, even going so far as calling it the 4th Bleakness, but to hear it from a Hellfire warrior was different. It was true.
For a moment, all was still. The message permeated through the minds of all who heard it.
Lady Rose did not feel the full gravity of the situation. She charged through Oreklad's defenses and rammed her Devilblade through Odith's heart before escaping into the air.
Etheail ran towards Odith's body as it fell limply, dead. The boy held the corpse with anger and tears of sadness in his eyes. It only then dawned on Oreklad how young the king truly was, only 22.
The boy exploded into pure light and fire. So much of the Arcane manifested itself around Etheail that he was almost imperceptible, save for being revealed in the feint flickers of the flame.
Rose cursed softly. Etheail bent his knees, ready to jump and attack the Elevated One when a wall of cloud separated them.
.
.
.
Enjin's mind was so far removed from participating that he was waiting for someone to call retreat instead of doing it himself.
The other Elevated Ones would never pull back; they were too prideful.
"Retreat! We have lost!" Enjin declared. The other Elevated Ones grimaced but complied. The Holy One tried to chase after them but fell to one knee instead, all of the fire around him burning up and his Devilblade turning into golden mist.
WarThunder held the king back, "None of us are in any shape to fight anymore. Take the victory." He advised.
The Holy One had a fire of vengeance in his eye but agreed. The other Elevated Ones sped passed Enjin.
Etheail called out to him as he was leaving, "Cloudsummoner!" He called.
"What?" Enjin asked.
"10 years ago, who was the one that attacked Learu City? The women who destroyed our defenses and slaughtered our people?" The question was asked with a burning hatred that could have only been festured through years of contemplation.
"All hail her majesty, Queen Azia," Enjin replied grimly.
Etheail settled back, letting Oreklad help him up. "The Queen is my enemy." He muttered weakly.
Enjin flew passed the battlefield and towards his retreating men. The Elevated Ones flew in silence.
Beyond all odds, on the 7th of Jirath, 1012, New Learu City won the battle.