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Shadows Amidst an Empire

we are the law within the discord

The gleam within the gloom

The seekers of shadows

The heralds of equilibrium

We are

The Lightbringers

Shadows Amidst An Empire

“Diana.” Whispered The Obsidian Wraith to The Goddess of Light who was sitting in the balcony of her throne room, brushing her bleached long hair while contemplating the evergreen gardens of Sessrúmnir.

“What is the matter old friend?” Enquired, calmly, The Goddess as she stood up for her ocean blue eyes to meet her anxious friend’s.

“Villimaður is refusing to cooperate. They managed to hold a Vanir soldier hostage within the fortress of Villimaður’s king.” Explained The Obsidian Wraith before Diana, gently patted on her shoulder, gracefully fixed her waist cape and proceeded to make her way towards her seat of sovereignty.

The enormous room was drenched in the sunlight that slipped through the various diaphanous murals adorning It, each one depicting the triumphant rise of Vanaheim from the bloodstained ashes of Odin’s malefic Conquest and paying a solemn tribute to those who paved the way towards Its long-fought-for-freedom. At its end, stood four pillars surrounding a platform that held on top of It a throne of glistering silver. On which throne, lied Gleamstrider; the first crescent blade of The Elegy for The Baleful Whilom, whose edge shaped the rebellion’s every victory and severed the fates of those who defied It.

Diana proudly put her sheathed weapon on her back, turned to her old and only friend then said. “Withdraw every single Gleamguard in the vicinity of the king’s fortress, close all trading routes we established with Villimaður and deploy The Lightbringers.”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

Upon a field whose soil gave in to the corruption that long festered within, a towering fortress, built from charred stone and molten steel, stood high. Before Its seemingly impenetrable gates, a force of one hundred Villimaðurian soldiers stood watch, alerted by the presence of a few Gleamguards stationed on an abandoned watchtower deep into the woods that lied not too far away from the mighty edifice.

Suddenly, a beam of blinding Light struck the center of the forest and from It emerged two silver-haired figures, each clad in glimmering platinum armor bearing an insignia, which the sight of never failed to strike fear into the hearts of even the most courageous of warriors.

“Go back to Vanaheim. We got this now.” Ordered The Chained Undoing the remaining Gleamguard as she walked in on them.

Despite her seemingly feeble body and small shape, this Lightbringer was and still is the most feared assassin in The Nine Realms with a body count double that of her buffed partner; The Veiled Steel, who silently stood watch at the highest point of the building.

“Infiltrating this fortress won’t be easy Nerthus.” He told her as soon as the soldiers were transported back to Vanaheim.

“When was anything we did easy, Alvis?” She replied taking her place next to him.

“So, what’s the plan?” He enquired as they spotted a supply cart make Its way towards the entrance of the fortress.

“Get inside that cart, apprehend the king and free the hostage.” She answered before descending the watchtower and donning her helmet.

“Good, let’s make It quick then.”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

Stealthily, The Chained Undoing and The Veiled Steel managed to catch up to the cart, stick to Its bottom and eventually infiltrate the heavily guarded edifice unnoticed. As they reached the courtyard, they quickly took down the first two soldiers who got into the back of the cart and put on their dark-green armor.

“This is degrading. I am positive my body is rubbing against decades of ass sweat and unwashed cloth.” Whispered Nerthus annoyed as the duo prepared to blend in with the battalion nearing them.

“Then degrading is an understatement.” Chuckled Alvis who did not mind how uncomfortable the armor was and solely focused on reaching the main hall of the fortress.

“If you’re acting this serious you must still be oblivious to what you should gift Sandra on your anniversary.” Murmured The Chained Undoing after the two successfully got inside the hall.

“Yes…” Retorted The Veiled Steel disappointed.

“As your adopted sister and Sandra’s twin sister, I think you should finally pop the question.” She uttered as they both kept a watchful eye on all the closed rooms whose doors opened on the main hall.

“It’s still early. Plus, I don’t think she’d agree.” He responded fixing his Pauldron nervously.

“Early?! Are you fucking serious?! You’ve been together longer than I and my will to live have. Pop the question before I kill you both in your sleep and spare our enemies the trouble.” She mocked him.

“HEY YOU TWO!” Scolded them, suddenly, a tall gray-haired Villimaðurian commander as she approached them.

“Enough with the chitchat. One of you go get some food for the prisoner.” She added, her emotionless eyes fixed on theirs.

“Would you be so kind to tell me where this prisoner is residing sire? We are new recruits.” Enquired Alvis for her to growl in anger and signal for him to follow her.

“Find the king.” He then gestured to Nerthus who immediately vanished like a mist.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

Quietly, he followed the commander down a spiral stairway that led directly to the cell where the Gleamguard was kept. He was planning on sparing her life as soon as he gets to his kin but the moment, she unlocked the metal door and violently kicked the weary soldier who was completely naked, beaten up and frostbitten by the unbearable stone-cold shackles, he abandoned every thought of mercy he once entertained.

“So, this is how you treat the people who got you out of the gutter?” He asked her, his voice turning colder than ice.

“You do not scare me traitor.” She retorted as she heard the unsheathing of Acerbic Damnation, The Veiled Steel’s hidden wrist blades.

Swiftly, she ducked to avoid him and reposition herself but as soon as she felt like she made some distance between her and him, a numbing pain brought her to her knees for her throat has already been slit.

“You should’ve been scared.”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

The deafening sound of clanging steel echoed throughout the field as the Villimaðurian vanguard rallied before the gate of the fortress, alarmed by another two unexpected guests.

“Are you sure they’re in Baldur?” Whispered the first who had a striking resemblance to Nerthus despite her hair being braided and her right eye being scarred.

“Yes Sandraudiga!” Murmured the second annoyed by the thousand dumb questions his partner asked in mere seconds.

“I love annoying you. It’s honestly more rewarding than pissing off Helin on her birthday.” She chuckled as the tall dark-haired male shook his head in disappointment

“Lightbringers, you are no longer allowed here. You are to leave this place immediately or we shall take action.” Interrupted them suddenly a confident commander of the vanguard

“We’re actually here to deliver a message from her majesty, the queen of Vanaheim.” Told him The Sardonic Edge as she deftly swung her sword, Vitriolic Desolation, to cut the soldier’s head in half.

“The message is to go fuck yourself. I just did It for you so thank me later.”

Following Sandra’s engage, The Calamitous Sublimation ran his right hand across his armored left arm for dark matter to gather and solidify within his palm thus forming his polearm, Requiem of The Sundered. Swiftly he pierced through the first rank of enemies facing him for The Sardonic Edge to lunge forward clashing with the second.

Despite not only being surrounded but also outnumbered, they encountered no problem in taking down their foes as with every successful parry from Vitriolic Desolation, Requiem of The Sundered tore to oblivion all those who still managed to find their footing again.

“SHOOT THEM DOWN!” Screamed the few guards stationed at the two watchtowers of the gate for the archers to knock their poisonous arrows and aim at The Lightbringers.

Baldur, being the most observant, instantly commanded his weapon to morph into shackles to chain and push away those who blocked his sight of the marksmen. He then mustered two additional blades that curved around his left wrist to meet at the tip of his fingers only for Darkness to concentrate at their edge for a moment then burst forth to decimate both structures.

Such a sight of brute force sent shivers down the spines of those who were fortunate enough to still exist, every thought of resistance and defiance was nullified, nothing remained but utter terror.

“FALL BACK!” Screamed one of the five soldiers who were surrounding Sandraudiga after witnessing their kin’s bones being crushed mercilessly by Requiem of The Sundered.

“Not so fast you fat ugly fucks.” She smirked as she jumped over to block their path then immediately slashed forward decapitating all of them at once.

No one but The two Lightbringers eventually remained.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“She predicted all of this. She knows what she’s doing. You just deploy every last soldier we have there on the battlefield. Keep those two monsters busy.” Ordered the anxious king his general as he made his way towards to secret underground room that he made especially for such an occasion.

“Yes, your highness.” Bowed the general before taking her leave.

Stepping inside it, he greeted the crown guards who occupied its every corner then made his way towards his seat only to find The Chained Undoing already there waiting for him.

“King ‘I’ll never be able to remember your name even if it kills me’ long time no see.” She mocked him while twirling the first chained dagger of Lament of The Fettered, Duskcarver.

“Guards aren’t you going to protect your king,” He spoke calmly but none of them came to the rescue.”

“Adorable!” She chuckled before pointing at her second dagger, Gloomreaver that was stuck to the ceiling.

Looking closely, the old, weary-bodied Villimaðurian discovered the fine chains that sprung from the dagger’s hilt and wrapped around the corpses of the crown guards like strings to puppets.

“She did not tell me about this.” He told Nerthus as he stepped forward only to feel the cold steel of Duskcarver pressing against his neck

“Who is this woman you keep talking about?” She enquired her mint-green eyes fixated on his.

‘She is Vanheim’s end.” He laughed hysterically as Shadows, abruptly, surged from every corner of the room enveloping the old man and turning him into a 6-armed abomination.

“Ugh!” Rolled The Chained Undoing her eyes before It charged at her.

Gracefully, she jumped over It, wrapped Duscarver’s chains around Its neck and plunged the dagger’s blade into Its head.

The creature stopped for a second then roared in anger. As it battled to get The Lightbringer off its back, she clung to one of Gloomreaver’s tethers and swung away from It getting back the dagger in the process.

Now with the full Lament of The Fettered between her hands, she dashed once more towards the 8-feet-tall monster, slid under it the moment It bowed to catch her and gashed both of its legs.

“You don’t like that do you? Well, I do!” She scorned the abomination as it growled in pain.

“NO!” It roared before turning to her.

“Noted your highness.” She muttered after getting back on her feet.

In spite of Its injuries, the monster was still able to fight back and resist every blow Nerthus directed at It until she noticed a diamond shaped stone inside its gaping mouth.

“That must be the weak spot.” She whispered to herself after grabbing Lament of The Fettered by the chains.

She taunted the monster once more for It to foolishly attack her again then, instantaneously, leaped and twirled allowing the blades of her weapon to shave off its upper jaw thus exposing its vulnerability.

Landing between the startled creature and the room’s end, Nerthus, quickly scaled the wall behind her then lunged at her foe only for The Veiled Steel to appear out of nowhere and deal the killing blow in her stead.

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?” She shouted furiously as the Shadows dissipated and the unconscious king resumed his previous form.

“You were taking way too long, and Baldur and Sandra got hungry.”

He chuckled after putting the king in shackles.

“You’re adopted. Never forget that you ungrateful fuck.” She smiled before hitting him on the head.

“I won’t.”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

Within the walls of her throne room, The Lightbringers gathered, the culprit bent the knee and she stared at the abused Gleamguard who was too broken to even stand properly.

“King Derjin what made you go against the contract Villimaður had with Vanaheim,” Enquired The Obsidian Wraith and the leader of The Lightbringers, who was standing right next to Diana.

“She promised me the greatness your queen denied me. She showed a Villimaður far mightier than Vanaheim. I believed in her, yet she failed me.” He responded ashamed.

“Who is this ‘she’? Is she the same one who turned you into the monster The Chained Undoing fought?” Asked him Sol again but Diana seemed unbothered by everything the old man revealed.

“She is no one and everyone. Every time she comes to me, she bears a new form.”

“So, you chose to believe an imposter over the realm who got Villimaður out of the dark and into the light?” Uttered Sol enraged.

“You needed us as much as we did you. Everybody knows that Vanaheim’s weakness is food security since only Lireigh’s lands are fertile enough to produce what your realm needs yet It belongs solely to The Asgardian empire even though It is a Vanir province.” Spoke the Villimaðurian before raising his head to look at Diana.

“Villimaður was your Lireigh, but we aspired for more than just your allegiance. We coveted your seat.” He added for Diana to finally stand up from her throne and walk down towards him.

“One last question.” She said her eyes no longer fixed on the Vanir soldier but on the renegading king.

“Were you the one who ordered that this Vanir gets mistreated?”

“Yes.” He muttered in horror after getting a glimpse of her eyes that conveyed only malice and bale.

“A Vanir’s life and safety are upheld as sacrosanct, yet you dare defile It.” Retorted The Goddess of Light calmly as Light gathered around the palm of her right hand forming a hilt that she grabbed with her left one to draw the second crescent blade of The Elegy For The Baleful Whilom, Lightforger.

“For all that is worth-

He stuttered at the sight of her judgement before his fate, his life and his head were severed all the same.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Another old fart bites the dust!” Muttered Sandraudiga with a mocking tone as she and her fellow Lightbringers made their way down the gleaming white hallways of Sessrúmnir and towards The Ethereal Onding’s laboratory.

“And another kill steal for Alvis to shamelessly celebrate!” Added Nerthus while giving a mean grimace to The Veiled Steel.

“It’s not the first time I do it. Plus, it is not a competition. We all work for the greater good of Vanaheim, right Baldur?” Uttered The 4th Lightbringer before patting on The Calamitous Sublimation’s back who immediately stopped, turned to him and said emotionlessly “Keep me out of it.”

“Well said!” Retorted Nerthus proudly after giving the middle finger to her twin sister.

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“You know where to shove it!” Chuckled Sandraudiga before they all stopped in front of their elder sister’s laboratory.

It was a giant door made of fortified Silverum bearing at its center the large insignia of The Lightbringers. Alvis tapped the password on the tiny screen on its side for the lab to reveal itself to the team.

The place was surrounded by gigantic holograms and screens that displayed test results, combat reports of both Gleamguards and Lightbringers and even blueprints of weapons both made and unmade. At the center of all of this, stood a fairly tall lady whose short white hair failed to hide her ocean blue eyes and the bad habit of biting on her lips whenever she notices she messed up something.

“Helin, we’re here!” Announced Sandraudiga already starting to think of ways to annoy The Ethereal Onding.

“If You want a prize, go kiss someone else’s ass. Mine’s at capacity.” Responded Helin as she buried her head deeper into the reports.

“Why cause It’s too flat?” Joked around The Chained Undoing after playfully smacking her elder sister on the butt.

“NERTHUS!” shouted Helin perturbed by the sudden act.

“Sometimes I really doubt the maturity of these 3.” Spoke Baldur leaning on the now closed door.

“Trust me they’ve come a long way from just smacking each other’s butts.” Chuckled Alvis.

“So, what are we looking at?” enquired then Sandraudiga as Helin pulled out a hologram displaying test results of Derjin’s corpse dissection.

“whatever made him go through that temporary metamorphosis was some kind of a force that can change its form on the atomic level. It also seems to possess sentience to some degree, one that concentrates within the diamond-shaped crystal that Alvis shattered to end the transformation.” Explained The Ethereal Onding after tapping on one of the screens in front of her to demonstrate to her fellow Lightbringers what she has just deduced from the research she has conducted.

“I think it is related to whoever Derjin was hallucinating about. He said that she came in various forms and could somehow tell the future or influence it.” Added The Veiled Steel.

“Did you encounter such a creature before?” Asked them Baldur closely observing the report.

“Actually, during my fight with him, the kind of power he exuded reminded me of yours a bit. I can’t quite put my finger on what aspect of it resembled yours though.” Spoke The Chained Undoing.

“But Baldur can only influence the atomic rearrangement of his battlesuit’s Silverum, he cannot command Darkness to sublimate other matter at will.” Responded Helin trying to connect the still vague and dispersed clues.

“Calamitous Sublimation, Ethereal Onding to me now!” Announced Diana as her hologram appeared before The Lightbringers.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“With Villimaður out of the picture, we need a new ally. The food supplies we have can only last us for 3 months.” Spoke Eta Brennadottir, The Custodian of Victual as her and the other 4 Custodians gathered with the queen around the long table erected at the center of the throne room.

“The Abode of Affluence can provide a budget to the purchase and storage of food supplies from Asgard.” Intervened The Custodian of Affluence, Fé Asmundson displaying the latest report of Vanaheim’s treasury for the queen.

“The genetically modified seeds The Varsity of Enlightenment has provided The Dwelling of Victual with, may serve as a temporary respite for Vanaheim, if they are to sprout of course.” Joined in The Custodian of Erudition, Visindi Darbydottir adding her report to Fé’s.

“While these plans may be efficient at averting such a crisis, I see that the best alternative if these are to, Light forbid, fail is to reave whatever crops our deal with the late king Derjin entitled us to. The Quarters of Sovereignty is more than able to secure the quick acquisition of the resources.” Suggested then The Custodian of Sovereignty, Einvaldi Fellson slightly nodding at the queen as she and Sol Veradottir, The Custodian of Aegis contemplated the options and weighed the odds.

“Forcefully stripping The Villimaðurians of their resources after executing their king wouldn’t make us any different than Asgard. We are not conquering them we are sending a message to those of them who would dare to threaten Vanaheim and harm its people.” Uttered The Goddess of Light with a calm but reproaching deep tone that indirectly forced The Custodian of Sovereignty to lower his head and ask for forgiveness.

“We also cannot and will not solicit The All-Father’s help. If Vanaheim is to starve let it starve. A Vanir without pride is nothing more than a pitiful Asgardian. We will find a way to brave this storm if and when it comes.” Added The Obsidian Wraith before Diana stood up to finally give out her orders.

“Custodian of Erudition and Custodian of Victual, as soon as this meeting is adjourned, join The Ethereal Onding and carry out your plan. The rest of The Lightbringers and I will take care of the rest.”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

Confined by the walls of his room, the young prince sat on his bed. Various thoughts and recollections crossed his mind and tormented his soul. He is expected to fill in his late father’s shoes, but he is neither ready nor capable of fulfilling such an arduous task. He has never seen eye to eye with the king for he was weak of soul and keen of submission. He was never a fan of The Vanir. For him their twisted words and seemingly beneficial deals were coated with nothing but lies and corrosion. However, his hands were tied, and his mouth was closed shut for his opinion mattered so little to his father and his court. The Lightbringers’ reach was unfathomable and their queen’s grasp over Villimaður was tightening by the minute. He valued his life, so he accepted such a reality and welcomed the grim fate his father’s actions sealed for him, with open arms but a closed heart.

He ran the fingers, that have only ever known the texture of a flower’s petal and the feel of a book’s paper, across his blood-red hair in an attempt to calm himself down, to try to see things clearer. He is but a burgeon in the world of wars and battles. His opponent on the other hand is an expert in the only art he lacks knowledge in. He detests the color of his locks for he despises the scent of gore and the sight of brutality. They have grown accustomed to such vulgarity for they are conquerors. He has always opted for peace through concords. They value his principle and only resort to violence once the line they have drawn is crossed. Derjin has crossed this line and spat on it. He desecrated what is most sacrosanct for Vanaheim, its people’s safety.

Now, the young prince is to ascend the throne and face this cacophony. The Vanir’s wrath is inescapable. It is one that shall resound the end of his dynasty and the untimely doom of Villimaður. Just 4 Lightbringers were able to desolate 1/3 of Villimaður’s forces and breach a fortress that once withstood two civil wars and an all-out foreign invasion. What is he and Villimaður to do before such an unrivaled vehemence? What are they to do once The Goddess of Light descends to deliver her Empyrean Subjugation and sanction their end?

“My liege, we are ready to escort to the fortress. Please follow me.” Announced his most entrusted crown guard as he entered his chambers and pulled him back from the madness he was about to descend into.

“I will be right out.” He replied.

As the new fortress’s garrison marched through the barren fields leading to where his throne is situated, he witnessed the massacre The Lightbringers left in the wake of their wrath. He has almost frequented all 6 of them. They all scare him despite how good they welcomed and treated him. They all respect and hold him at a high regard. However, such moralities have undoubtedly died off now.

“Their voracity is righteous.” He murmured to himself.

“The Villimaður of now owes its progress to Vanaheim. The queen kept nothing from us. She enrolled our brightest into The Varsity of Enlightenment without charge and eventually returned them to us after they were recognized. She respected her part of the deal and offered more than what was promised. Therefore, I stand no chance before her. Any argument I might entertain will be nothing but futilely baseless. What have you done father?!” He then added before his guards stopped before what was left of the gate.

Abruptly, a ground-shuddering, sky-splitting cry echoed around the field. Colossal wings unfurled from behind the towering, molten edifice and the leaden dragon, the prince thought was just the object of exaggerated tales, finally emerged. He slowly scaled the fortress, eyeing every and single one of the Villimaðurians before leaping before their uncrowned king sending forth powerful ripples that split the earth open knocking up those who stood upon it and sending cold shivers around the spines of the few petrified who are still barely standing.

“What does the queen demand of us?” Spoke the prince, fearlessly looking straight into the beast’s eyes.

The dragon growled in response lowering his head for The Goddess of Light to dismount it and walk towards the stunned Villimaðurian.

“The queen demands that you sit with her and state your query.”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

Within his father’s throne room, he sat opposed to the queen of Vanaheim. No amount of slow breathing techniques and hair fondling could hide how stressed he was. He was in the presence of she who slew his remaining parent. She whose glory and virtue proceeded her. She who founded The Lightbringers and is the only living proof that The All-Father has never been and never will be the omnipotent being he boasts himself to be.

“Vanaheim shall not taint you in the blood your father has spilled but It is my duty to see whether or not you are worth being our ally.” Informed him Diana with a reassuring look.

“As you know your grace, Villimaðurians are not keen of politics and logistics. Unfortunately, the majority of our population is still far from being cultured, despite our efforts, and that was reflected in my father and his authority. If I am to survive this meeting, I would like to review the deal we have struck and, if possible, implement some changes to it.” He replied with a quivering, stuttering voice.

“Granted.” She nodded with a smile.

“Much obliged your grace!” He smiled back in content, breathing a sigh of relief and seeing at last a flicker of hope carrying Villimaður’s future on its wings, before a shadow appeared behind him and tore his chest open, forever snuffing out such a reverie’s light.

“So generous of you to visit us here, Diana Osmundottir!”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Shouldn’t you go check on the king?” Whispered one of the crown guards to his colleague, as the dragon rested on top of the watch towers’ ruins.

“Go check on him yourself. I’m not moving an inch while that thing is there.” Uttered the Villimaðurian annoyed.

“The queen’s words were clear and his majesty’s too. We follow their orders not our own’s.” added another.

Suddenly, the winged beast raised his head and breathed flames as dark as the night at the direction of the forest behind the garrison alarming them in the process.

“what’s going on?!” Yelled one of them after the dragon took flight and headed towards the forest.

“It probably sensed something. Dragons are intelligent beings!” Explained the Villimaðurian before their shadows merged beneath their feet and from them spikes that impaled them took shape.

“How amusing!” laughed a distorted voice hysterically as its featureless figure emerged from the cracking of bones and the agonizing screams of the victims.

It strut around the field contemplating the leaden dragon as he soared high into the sky, becoming one with the thick gray tapestry of gathering clouds. It let out a revolting yet eldritch chuckle and started making its way towards the fortress only for its foe to emerge from the chalky mist that beclouded him. Engulfed in a charring dark inferno, he crashed right into it.

An eerie silence washed over the battlefield while the stench of death and anguish roamed it. A scenery the Shadow rejoiced with and healed its wounds from.

“As expected!” Smirked The Calamitous Sublimation as he stepped out of the dark flames he brought about.

“Such power Baldur! I covet more though.”   

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Ready for another round Einvaldi?” Teased The Chained Undoing The Custodian of Sovereignty after besting him for the 5th time.

“You are a force to be reckoned with Lightbringer.” He grinned, signs of exhaustion filling his face.

“You need to do way better than that if you wish to best the queen at The Trials of The Fimm this year.” She added, extending her hand to help him up.

“Being The Custodian of Sovereignty is more than enough for me. I have long realized my potential and fulfilled my dreams. The Trials of The Fimm are for those who are still striving to attain both.”

“I get it. The Lightbringers are too scary for you. I know but you can’t blame us, we’ve got a reputation to uphold.” She simpered.

“Your status was cemented for all eternity the moment The Calamitous Sublimation knocked out the previous Custodian of Sovereignty leaving him bedridden for a month.” He uttered cleaning up his armor before a Gleamguard recruit came rushing to him all sweaty and out of breath.

“Sire, Herleif is acting crazy. He’s attacking other soldiers.”

“Herleif? The soldier The Lightbringers rescued from Villimaður?” He enquired intrigued.

“Yes sire! We do not know what has gotten into him.” Responded The Gleamguard before he  exploded into bits, his blood splashing all over Einvaldi.

“Ugh...”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“The Lightbringer of Origin herself standing right before me. Impatiently waiting for me to reveal myself to her. I’m onto you.” Creaked the featureless figure as Diana contemplated the slain prince drowning in his own blood while his hazelnut eyes brimmed with tears.

She paid no heed to what the monstrosity said. She bent on one knee, caressed the dead prince’s still-warm cheeks, closed his eyes, mumbled a prayer for him then stood back up and unsheathed Gleamstrider.

“Go on, satiate my curiosity.” Taunted it The Goddess of Light for it to lunge at her with spikes erecting from every corner of its body.

Gracefully, Diana dodged all of its uncoordinated attacks as if anticipating its every move. Unlike her opponent, she used her weapon to cripple the movement not cut the flesh. Gleamstrider followed her commands, its hilt dancing around her fingers while its arced blade broke The Shadow’s spikes and curved around its many limbs, temporarily shackling it.

The Shadow was hellbent on defeating its enemy and merging with her flesh. However, for every impulsive move it made, an opening was allowed for Diana, one that would’ve ended the fight in an instant. Yet The Goddess refused to cease such an opportunity in fear of causing an unwanted contact that would doom her to the corrosion of this mysterious enigma of a foe.

“Why so afraid? You’ve never fought a shadow before?” it crackled eerily but Diana did not answer.

“Fine! I’ll step up my game then.” It then whispered extending its tendrils towards the prince’s corpse and consuming it.

Instantaneously, it grew in both size and ferocity an opportunity it took advantage of to put all its weight on Gleamstrider and break it.

“Huh!” Gasped The Lightbringer of Origin as the first of The Elegy For The Baleful Whilom was reduced to mere shards of Midgardian steel.

“How feeble! How pathetic!” It cackled uncontrollably at the sight of Diana’s shock.

“HELIN!”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

Every hit from Requiem of The Sundered shook the battlefield’s foundation to its core but only managed to bruise The Shadow and aggravate its hunger.

“Our powers are quite similar you know. Shadow is but a Darkness unrecognized. However, both are at Light’s feet. This can change and should change. You and I can achieve such a feat.” It suggested for Baldur to glare at it confused.

“I liked you more when u just eliminated those soldiers.”

“I’ll make you love me then.” It cracked with a creepy smile whose teeth were the cleaved tongues of the Villimaðurian garrison.

“Sandra would’ve adored this.” He grinned with a smug before wrapping his right hand around the thing’s neck and severing its body with the left one.

A strange, viscous matter oozed from the gap and clutched onto The 6th Lightbringer’s feet seemingly siphoning The Darkness radiating from him.

He felt his power getting drained, but he worried not, instead he allowed the upper part to swaddle his torso and further feed on his Darkness.

“HELIN!”

 ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

To the halls of Sessrúmnir’s throne room, the headless corpse crawled, its gash leaking shadow all over the translucent floor. This one was silent but the hissing it caused was more irritating than its vexatious chuckles. Its sole desire was not to consume like the others but to sit on the throne. To fulfill its, or Derjin’s wishes. The thing itself could not reach a consensus on such a thought so It crawled and crawled until it could lay a hand on the stone-cold seat.

“I’d keep those hands to myself if I were you.” Told it The Veiled Steel as he leaned on one of the stone pillars and The Sardonic Edge approached the corpse.

“I’m in love with you!” giggled The 5th Lightbringer.

“You’re so gross I’d kiss you!” She added before piercing The Shadow’s chest with Vitriolic Desolation and tossing the body to the ground, away from the throne.

“I’m getting jealous.” Retorted Alvis, readying Acerbic Damnation.

Without hesitation, it split itself in two and attacked The Lightbringers. Back-to-back, the couple fought it, paying extra attention to the tendrils it grew while also trying to locate its weak point.

“I lowkey want it to attach itself to me.” Whispered Sandraudiga through her earpiece after Vitriolic Desolation successfully tore open The Shadow’s guts revealing nothing but the rotten intestines.

“Please take this seriously. You could die from this thing’s symbiotic infusion.” Reproached her Alvis with a worried tone as he called back his wrist blades after they pierced the thing’s heart.

Faced with their surgical moves, The Shadow had no choice other than to keep splitting itself until it overwhelmed The two Lightbringers.

“HELIN!"

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Almost done!” Yelled The Ethereal Onding through her earpiece while chasing after The Chained Undoing and The Shadow that consumed The Gleamguards.

“Just take the freaking shot, I’m going to throw up my lunch in any minute now and I swear to The Light that I will unload it all in your face!” Yelled back Nerthus irritated.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!” It roared hysterically as it twisted and turned to dodge The 3rd Lightbringer’s chained daggers.

Despite its enormous shape it was outrunning The Lightbringers without breaking a sweat, so Helin found no option other than asking Nerthus to do to her what she used to do to Alvis’s bullies when they were kids.

“Sister, time to throw the garbage.” She whispered.

“With pleasure!” Chuckled The Chained Undoing after wrapping Duskcarver’s shackles around The Ethereal Onding’s waist and launching her in the air..

Now with just several meters away from her target and while inverted mid-air, The 2nd Lightbringer pulled out her bow, Veracity of The Spindrift knocked a frozen arrow, took a deep breath then released it.

In spite of its various attempts to catch it, The Shadow failed, and the arrow hit its mark triggering a beep sound that forced it to freeze in its place. For a mere second it fell silent, as artificial ice ate away at its figure, then it let out another distorted laugh.

“I am not that stupid!”

“Yes, you are!” Grinned The Ethereal Onding before tapping on her wrist device.

“what?”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Bionic sentient beings. They resemble the living but lack the will you need to dominate in order to retain your powers.” Smiled The Lightbringer of Origin as The Shadow froze between her and the shards of Gleamstrider.

With one gesture of her fingers, Light engulfed them, and they raced to reach the crescent blade’s hilt, penetrating the things body and pushing it towards Diana’s hand.

“You may be special, but Shadows are cast by my Light and vanquished by my will.”

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“A simple command from Helin is sufficient to terminate the flow of memories implanted within the artificial minds of the bionic beings thus rendering your tricks obsolete.” Explained Baldur to The Shadow before his Darkness burst out of it tearing its insides.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“You seemed to be able to split your consciousness across all these near-identical replicas of yourself. Replicas that are linked to each other meaning the moment one suffers the others do too. So, in order to cripple you, all of your clones have to come in contact with the same substance.” Uttered The Veiled Steel.

“And this is where the genius comes in, me not Helin. The prince of Villimaður has been dead for almost 4 years now so were his garrison and the 6 Gleamguards you devoured with the exception of Herleif of course who was your only victim. The bionic replicas of garrison and the prince did not provide enough substance for us to assert dominance over you, so we had to make you a big feast. What’s more appealing than 6 succulent Gleamguards right?” Added The Sardonic Edge with her heel pressing on the neck of Derjin’s shadow-corrupted corpse.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Unbeknownst to you, such a plan was in the making the moment you descended upon Villimaður. After all, your presence exuded a new form of power we couldn’t just ignore. Herleif’s capture may have not been accounted for, but it served us more than it did you. He had a bionic arm and a will much stronger than that of the prince and his father. The conclusion you’ve drawn from consuming him set you up for failure. Accustoming you to the scent of the bionic was what our plan lacked so thank you for doing our job for us.” Explained The Chained Undoing after Lament of The Fettered shackled The Shadow.

“We also knew that you’ve observed us enough to know that Baldur and mother are the biggest threats The Lightbringers pose to you which is why we delivered them to your doorstep. Yes it’s not where the real you resides but it is where the biggest percentage of your split consciousness lies. However, we were well aware that you wouldn’t risk exposing your weakness to them. That’s why, I chose for the trigger of the bionic termination to stay with me and be knocked onto my arrow to guarantee that the signal reaches the bionics, since the matter you produce blocks all kinds of waves.” Said Helin.

 ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“And like every virus and infesting disease, you had a contingency plan. You relied on Diana decapitating Derjin to establish a back-up in case things went south and this is where I come in.” Announced The Obsidian Wraith as she pulled the rotting head out of the gutters beneath The Domain of Aegis (Sessrúmnir).

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Your power remains a big mystery to us, yet it matters so little for nothing can withstand the petrifying Light.” Provoked The Goddess of Light The Shadow as her grip tightened around its neck and Gleamstrider pieced itself back together.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“No one can remain resolute in the face of the scorching Darkness.” Said The God of Darkness before Requiem of The Sundered became one with his armor again.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Rest assured, we will find you.” The 1st Lightbringer.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“And once we do, there will be reckoning.” The 2nd Lightbringer.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Herleif’s life will not go in vain.” The 3rd Lightbringer.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“For a Vanir’s vengeance is ubiquitous.” The 4th Lightbringer.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“In other words, you’re more screwed than Derjin.” The 5th Lightbringer.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Darkness, The End of All. The Beginning of Nothing.” The 6th Lightbringer.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

“Light, The Genesis of Life. The Inception of Death.” The Lightbringer of Origin.

ᛊᚺᚨᛞᛟᚹ

Within a secret Vanir outpost located in Midgard, the true threat resided. She did not anticipate such an outcome, yet she wasn’t incensed.

Gracefully, she descended the throne of The Gleamguard corpses she modeled herself and muttered with a vile smirk.

“I may have underestimated you. But you know nothing of the web The Shadow Empress has woven around your fragile lives Lightbringers!”

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