“Why should I?” Kai asked. “Almost every interaction with you has led to either some kind promise to or attempt to take over my body. The one time you didn’t was because there was a god’s imprint to kill. So why should I”
“Because you can feel the perversion of that creature. It is almost a direct defiance of death. Also because they should not be here. That mark over their breast indicates they are from the Lorthen empire. That suggests that there is something going on.” Seth told Kai.
Kai frowned as he examined them. They had stopped, all of them now paying attention to what the flesh wolf was doing.
One of the men spoke. “Be ready we can’t let anyone find out about the main force. When it picks up the trail we follow swiftly and silently.”
The flesh wolf let out a bark and looked up. Its face rose up just in time to see Kai’s scythe dig into it. Kai landed on the ground and swung it at the closest man wolf still attached.
“Attac-” The man was cut off as Kai’s scythe slammed into him.
The man was thrown back by the force of the hit. The corpse of the flesh wolf slid off of his scythe. Kai turned cold unfeeling eyes on the others. A bolt of flame shot out the small ball. Kai swung his scythe, cutting it in half.
The second man with a sword charged at Kai. Kai lashed out with his scythe cutting the man’s sword and body in half. Blood and viscera splattered everywhere, Kai ignored it as he turned towards the last two men.
The man with a sword charged as the man with the ball began to chant something. Again Kai swung and killed the man charging at him. He turned his attention to the last man. Flesh and bones were gathering in front of him in the form of a vaguely humanoid form. It had four claw tipped arms and its head was that of the wolf.
Kai swung his scythe a black phantom blade shooting out killing the four armed thing and cutting off one of the man's arms. The man fell backwards clutching at the stump of his arm.
Kai set the edge of his scythes blade at the man's neck. “Why are you here?” Kai’s voice was cold and hard and a weight pushed out of his scythe and onto the man.
“We were just scouts, we were supposed to make sure that no one found out about the army. Don't kill me.” The started man babeling on.
Kai allowed his scythe to dig slightly into the man's neck drawing a thin line of blood. “What army? How many are there and why are you here?” Kai asked.
“The emperor sent an advanced force of half a million soldiers and a million body constructs. The goal is to set up a place where we can invade from.” The man said hastily.
“What are body constructs, how far back is the army and where are they going?” Kai asked him
“Body constructs are half undead half construct creatures like the wolf that you killed. The army is five hours behind me. They plan on defeating the response army that was sent by the Terrel empire and then going a couple weeks further in before settling down and waiting.” The man said.
“And what do you plan on doing with Emberwood?” Kai asked, his voice only getting cold at what he had heard.
“Th- they are going to destroy it before moving on.” The man stuttered out.
Kai’s scythe neatly cut off the man's head before he turned around and started running back towards emberwood. It had taken him two hours to get here but he had also gone slowly and carefully. If he ran he should be able to get back in 45 minutes or so. That would leave around four hours to get them out.
***
Zach stood on a cliff looking out over the forest. There was less than one day until the army from the Lorthen empire would arrive at Emberwood and he was still days away. Zach’s fists clenched in anger. He had sent a messenger ahead to evacuate them but there had to be more he could do.
“We just got a report that the messenger has just arrived in Emberwood and will be evacuating it soon.” Connie said.
“And how far away is the Lorthen army?” Zach asked
“We estimate they are around five hours away.”
Zach let out a defeated sigh. “It won’t be enough time for them to evacuate. It seems we will have to go with the back up plan.”
“Zach you can’t do that, its a suicide run.” Connie said worry seeping into her voice.
Zach turned around to look at her his eyes hard with determination. “I won’t allow my citizens to be killed like cattle for the slaughter. Make the preparations.”
Connie bowed her head and then hurried off to prepare everything.
Kir manifested next to Zach. “Are you sure about this? Chances are you will die. You can have a far bigger impact on the war as a whole than sacrificing yourself like this.”
Zack nodded his head “I’m sure.”
As if on cue Zack felt the release of divine magic from his pocket. Zach went stiff as he remembered what he had kept in his pocket for months and what Errol had told him.
Zach shakily reached into his pocket and pulled out the roll of paper. He found that it did not resist his efforts to unroll it this time.
The army will be dealt with but you are still needed. Proceed with your plan but ready yourself to help your unexpected ally. There are some people in this world that have the ability to see the world burn. Make sure that you do not make them your enemy and if you do make sure that you have one such person by your side.
Zach’s mind raced with confusion and hope. He had no idea who this unexpected ally could be but he would take whatever he could. There was a caw from above that sounded like booming thunder and a roaring fire. A bird dove down, its form getting smaller and smaller until it perched itself on Zach’s shoulder. Zach scratched Vasils head.
“Prince, they are ready to leave.” Connie told him as she walked over.
“Then let's go.” Zach said as he hurried towards where he knew the space mages would be setting up.
Zach got in a circle with the other men that would be sent to defend Emberwood. Space distorted around them as they teleported. Zach felt dizzy and nauseous upon arrival but quickly shook it off.
He was about to start directing his men towards Emberwood when he felt the eruption of an extremely powerful aura. It contained the echoing rumbles of thunder, the cold silence and promise of death, the rattling of chains, the faint crackling of fire and a thumping beat he didn’t recognize. It was imposing and demanded the submission of all under it. It was primal and uncontrolled lashing out and defying anything that tried to impose their will on it. Yet there was a core of possessive and protectiveness settled deep within it. The origin of the aura moved shooting up into the air.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Squinting Zach was able to make out the rough shape of a winged humanoid. With a quick exchange thought Vasil hopped off of Zach shoulder and onto the ground. He quickly expanded into his true size of a wagon just big enough to carry two, maybe three people on his back.
“Connie, you come with me, the rest of you go and help with the evacuation of Emberwood.” Zach’s voice was that of a prince absolutely sure that his commands would be followed.
Zach and Connie climbed up onto Vasil and they shot off with the crack of thunder.
***
Kai ran through the door and into the building. Looking around he quickly found Sarah and Bear sitting at a table drinking. Kai ran over to them.
“Where are the others?” Kai asked them his voice having an edge that instantly put Bear and Sarah on edge.
“Kai what's wrong?” Sarah asked while Bear was watching the door as if expecting something to be following him.
“Where are they?” Kai said his voice more forceful than before.
“They are down stairs.” Bear said his voice coming out in a growl. “Kai, why is there blood on you?”
Kai shook his head. “No time, Sarah go and get them.”
Sarah searched Kai’s eyes for a moment before nodding and hurrying down the stairs.
“Kai what is it?” Bear asked him.
“When they get up here we need to get some horses and get some food together and leave immediately.” Kai told him.
“Kai what happened? Why are you acting like this?” Bear said his voice concerned. “If someone is causing you problems we can deal with it.”
Sarah, Tom, Thane, and Nixie came hurrying up the stairs and over to the table.
“Kai what’s wrong?” Tom asked, his voice worried.
Kai set his hand down on the table and then drew it back revealing a bloody patch of cloth with the emblem of a drop of blood crossed with a bone on it. “The Lorthen empire sent an army to invade. They are going to burn the city and kill everyone before moving on. They have over a million people. We need to leave before they get here.” As Kai finished speaking the door burst open revealing an exhaust man in leather armor.
“There is an army coming this way right now and will be here some time in the next handful of hours. The city needs to be evacuated.” As the man finished talking one of the workers ran up the stairs.
Kai turned his attention back to the others. “We have to leave now. They will be here in around four hours.”
Thane, Tom, Bear, Sarah and Nixie all exchanged glances before nodding.
“Sarah you run and grab a horse, Tom you get food, Bear you collect the items.” The three of them ran off as Thane told them what to do. Thane turned his attention to the two remaining people. “Kai, you and Nixie are going to leave. If there really is an army coming this way then we are going to help. We have been talking about leaving for a while and already have a route planned out. You and Nixie will leave while we help out as much as we can here. Some time in the next couple months we will meet up with you.”
Kai’s eyes went wide with horror. “What! No! You have to leave.” Kai practically shouted his voice full of fear. “If you want someone to help them out then I will and you can leave.”
Nixie set her hand on Kai’s shoulder and Thane smiled at him. “Kai when we first met you asked us why we would help you. We told you that is just who we are. We are going to do the same thing here. We are going to help all the people we can.” Thane's voice was soft and kind but full of conviction.
Kai slumped down into a chair as he started muttering to himself. “If you are going to stay and help then the only way to keep you safe is to keep the army away. There is no way for me to get the army to go somewhere else that I know of so the only way to keep them away is to stop them.” Kai reached under his shirt and pulled out his medallion.
“No, Kai you will not give your body to Seth.” Thane said, his voice commanding.
Kai’s mind turned towards a second item he had that might be able to help and two other spells he knew. “I won’t.” Kai said as he got up. Nixie's hand tightened around his shoulder but Kai shrugged it off and ran up the stairs as fast as he could.
Kai heard the others saying something behind him as they followed but he ignored them. Kai ran up to his room and saw Bear in the next room over getting things together. Looking in his and Sarah’s room he saw most of their stuff had already been gotten out.
Kai ran over to the pile of stuff and picked up the large tome that held more weight than it should.
“Kai, no.” Thane said. “Knowledge told you not to use that.
Kai ignored him. He flooded his eyes with mana and opened up the book and began to read. The aura of the book hit Kai like it was a tsunami. Its aura slammed into his with an unstoppable force causing the knot suppressing his aura to come untied. Kai was only hit harder as his aura expanded out. Like a cattle iron the spell started branding itself onto Kai’s aura.
Heat and pain pulsed through him. Kai ruled around on the floor screaming as the book dissolved into motes of mana and then dug their way into Kai branding themselves onto his mind and aura. It was an agony that rivaled the liquid lightning that had been injected into him years ago.
As the spell was branded onto him the fragment of another aura was revealed in the book. It slammed into like the command of a tyrant commanding him to submit, to kneel. Kai stopped screaming as something inside of him snapped. The thunder in his aura crashed, fire and blood raged, chains clanked, and death a deadly silence.
Kai fought the aura commanding it to kneel, forcing it down, making it submit. The fragment of aura submitted, it dissipated becoming one with the spell now branded into his aura. The spells finished branding itself into his aura and basic knowledge of how it worked was left behind in place of the pain.
Kai opened his eyes to see that everyone was looking at him. They were clearly unnerved and slightly scared by something.
Nixie stepped forward. “Kai… are you alright?” She asked hesitantly.
Kai nodded to her and then shifted his gaze to look Tom in the eye. “The most important thing to me is the safety and wellbeing of those that I consider mine. And I will give everything to make sure that they are safe. I will not lose them again.” Kai reached up and grasped the medallion around his neck.
The world fell away and he was enveloped in darkness. Kai landed in a crimson world of blood and death. Kai looked over at the pile of corpses and the throne sitting atop it. Seth sat there looking down at him imperiously. To the side Arthaya appeared.
Kai drew upon his mana and funneled it into his eyes and focused on his bond with Arthaya. He felt it out before speaking to her in his head. Arthaya I grant you a .8% increase in aether and a .3% increase in prawna permanently. The only requirement is that you help me facilitate the binding magic I wish to use today. You will be required to cover a sixteenth of the cost. Do you accept?” Arthaya stared at him for a moment before nodding. Kai felt the effects take place but ignored them as he turned his attention towards Seth
“Seth, you will help me destroy the army that is coming.” Kai drew upon his mana and his shared binding affinity. The magic left him as he spoke Arthaya shaping and defining it. “During this time you will in no way seek to harm, take over or undermine me in any way. In return I will give you a permanent .2% increase in aether and a .1% increase in prawna. You will help facilitate any spells that I wish to cast within reason and pay for an eighth of the cost of any spell I cast.”
Seth snorted. “And why would I ever do that? It is clear you are going to do everything to stop that army even if it means giving me control.”
Kai smiled a sinister smile. “Because if you don’t I will still go into that army but it will not be you that I surrender my body to. Instead I will give the third artifact my body and the only conditions will be that It does not hurt Tom, Thane, Bear, Sarah, Nixie or Arthaya and that it destroys you.”
Seth's face paled with fear before morphing into anger. “Fine.” He spat out through gritted teeth. “But I’m not paying an eighth of the cost, I will pay a sixteenth of the cost.”
Kai looked up at him for a moment before speaking. “Three sixteenths the cost. You will not argue any further on this. Not only will you get to expand the cup that is your power by getting more prawna and aether. You will also get to fill it by filling those perversions of death.”
Seth glared down at him but nodded. “You know my help won’t matter, you will still die?”
Kai simply nodded. “I have the will to sacrifice myself. I have done so once before I can do it once again.”
Seth nodded at him and with that all three of them were wrapped up in chains made possible by their acceptance of the terms.
Kai opened his eyes and the weight of his aura increased. It was now supported both by Arthaya and Seth.
Kai turned to the five people still in his room. “I will wipe out the army. I would appreciate you leaving just in case but you will probably stay and help.” He smiled sadly at them though he was unsure why. “Just promise me that you won’t die.”
Bear moved pushing through Kai’s uncontrolled aura to give him a hug. “I won’t try to talk you out of this. I can see the flames of determination burning in your eyes. Just promise us you won’t die and we promise we won’t.”
Kai buried his face in Bear's chest. “I promise I won’t.”