by SlyOkami
Erik spun his staff, deflecting a cannonball downwards while knocking the sense out of another vampire’s chin nearby.
He swiftly moved through them, not like an elegant beast, not like Makaela. But instead like a destructive force of nature.
A continuous barrage of strikes, the sound of squashing flesh and shattering bone unending, a sonata that played on a horrifying loop. Blood, limbs and even bodies flew around and off Erik’s path, as he danced with the sound.
Yes, a dance, one of death.
With every step, ending a life.
With every leap or dash, killing several.
Renwick watched in confusion, not an arrow, not a single bout of flame or blade touched Erik. His crew being knocked around like slabs of useless meat before the drake’s sheer martial arts.
Enraged and afraid, “You! You shall not stand before me with some fancy footwork!” the vampire exclaimed, raising his hands forth as a limp body flew past him. He glanced at the beaten and bruised corpse briefly, the man’s expression half way to horror, given no time to fully express his fear.
Renwick turned back around, his eyes falling upon Erik as he suddenly found the drake standing still, eyes wide and staring straight at him. Renwick felt a coldness crawl up his spine, Erik’s face and body were splattered with blood and gore, yet the drake grinned with fiendish amusement.
“D-D-Darkness which rises at my command! Flow and form!” The vampire stuttered into a chant, stepping even further away from the ship’s edge. “Fury and lust be my weapons! Red, red as blood which flows through all but me! Hunger, gluttony, I thirst for which I do not have!”
Erik chuckled, stomping his foot down and causing the few survivors that lay scrambling around him to stumble and fall over. “Light which we earned, brightness which makes us whole.” Erik in response also began to chant in draconic, ”The white of our scales and the gold of our eyes, for we are light and light is us. We neither command it nor it commands us. Blessed we aren’t, imbued we are. Fire and lightning stand aside, as my blood’s true element rises forth!”
“Dark Arts; Hemomancy Vampiric Sub-School…” As Renwick chanted his enslaved and chained women suddenly rose to their feet, forced up by the tendrils of darkness that flowed out of his throne, each of their eyes turning pitch black.
“Draconic School…” And as Erik whispered the first half of the spell, he raised his staff ahead of himself, tendrils of white light growing out of it like roots and slowly reaching out upwards.
“Blood Rage!” Renwick exclaimed, as suddenly each of his slaves raised their heads high, each screaming in pain as blood gushed out of their bodies. The vivid red liquid flowed out from every orifice of theirs, sucking them dry and leaving them to fall unconscious onto the deck floor. The blood then formed around Renwick briefly before engulfing him whole, entering his body rapidly.
Renwick’s form grew, his muscles expanding severely as did his entire body’s length and height. His fine cloths ripping and tearing as he grew in several bursts of sudden size. Out of his back also grew two sets of bat-like wings, much larger than the rest and each of the four wings ending in a clawed hand.
The vampire had grown into a monstrous beast.
Yet before it, Erik could only laugh, a cold chuckle that made the enlarged Renwick shiver. The vampire hissed as Erik’s draconic eyes met his once more, but this time they shone a bright gold. Erik steading his staff, chanting the final phrase of his spell with hysteria.
“Unleash Linage!” He bellowed in excitement, the light that had formed around his staff suddenly bursting up into the sky, dozens of bright white rays of light briefly shining into the clouds above before dissipating.
For several moments, nothing happened. All but Erik lowering his staff as he walked over to the Orca’s edge. He climbed onto the railing, facing a confused Renwick, he opened his arms wide.
Renwick watched him, surprised beyond belief, as Erik stepped off the Orca and fell out of sight.
Right then, pure white lightning struck from the sky. Strike after strike, the light stormed down where Erik fell, the air sizzling with heat as the electricity raged for several moments before dissipating.
But the light did not, as Erik rose back up, hovering in mid-air.
Changed, Erik’s form had changed too.
His skin cracked, as patches of white scales grew out of it. Then veins of pulsating white light formed, flowing from one set of scales to another, covering the rest of his skin.
His nails expanded, morphing into long bladed-claws.
His body grew slightly taller, his muscles expanding a bit too but not by much.
And suddenly, as the sound of something ripping was heard, a scaly white tail grew out of his behind.
Erik stretched out his arms, popping his neck and shoulders as his tail swung from left to right and back. “So,” he spoke calmly, his voice now sounding rougher, “Shall the real entertainment begin?”
“Hah! You stand before a king! You may have killed my subordinates but you shall never equal the strength of a pure-blood vampire!” Renwick hissed back, the tendrils of darkness which flowed between him and his throne growing thicker.
Erik grinned, revealing two opposing sets of fangs. “How cute, the bat thinks itself worthy of the drake.” He teased in amusement, his right hand suddenly bursting with movement as he threw his staff.
It flew at Renwick, the vampire pushing itself to its very athletic limits to evade the weapon, and as it soared past his face Renwick realised what lay behind him. He reached out for the weapon, managing to grasp it with his left hand, with the weapon his entire arm flew off.
Renwick shrieked in pain at the violent ripping of his arm, gripping his now stumped shoulder as he heard a large crash ahead. He glanced up with horror in his eyes, the staff wasn’t aimed at him but instead, it was aimed at his throne.
What was once a throne of bones, was now a measly shattered pile, the staff that destroyed it laying half embedded into the metal floor among the remains. Lightning sparked off the staff, several tendrils suddenly flashing upon the slaves’ shackles and blasting the cheap iron to pieces at its last hoop.
Renwick felt no anger or hatred, his beatless heart lay too cold from fear to feel either, that same coldness then spreading about his entire body as he sensed death approaching from behind him.
The vampire turned, the tendrils of darkness that bound him to his throne slowly dissipating around him, and at the same time his stump burst with blood as a new arm grew out. He faced Erik, the drake now suddenly standing before him, hovering down to the ground.
“You…” He hissed, “You’ll pay for this…” Renwick warned, but his tone was more akin to a fangless dog’s whine.
Erik chuckled, “No, No I won’t. You really thought I wouldn’t detect the large necrotic core you crafted into that chair? Foolish rodent, be grateful for your new arm, it will be the last time you regenerate.”
Renwick snarled with rising fury, then lunged at Erik with abandon.
Erik did not evade, he only blocked. Every slash of the vampire’s clawed wings he deflected with his own blade-like claws, every large jab by the vampire’s hands slapped aside.
Faster and faster their movements grew, with every blink of the eye each having clashed a dozen times. Renwick’s body blurred as he struck over and over, met with Erik’s barely visible arms as he blocked each and every attack solely with his bare hands.
The sound of each collision quaking the air around them.
Seeing no progress, Renwick suddenly disengaged, leaping back and away from Erik.
But the drake left it no room for respite, charging in as the vampire soared through the air. Erik spun forward, his right leg coming down upon Renwick as the vampire enveloped himself with his wings to block it.
Erik’s downward kick broke several things as it bashed through Renwick’s wings, blood trailing behind the vampire as he shot downwards and slammed into the metal floor. The floor itself bending in
wards from the sheer force, leaving Renwick groaning within a large crater shaped off his form.
Quickly coming back to his senses, the vampire rolled to its left as Erik’s fist planted itself into the already bent metal floor. The floor tearing beneath his strength, his fist going right through the metal as the entire ship briefly sunk a few feet.
“Y-You-You monster!” Renwick exclaimed as he quickly rose to his feet, his wings broken as they lay dragging along his feet.
Erik chuckled coldly, ”Monster? Do not mist-” he said while trying to rise but finding that his fist was stuck in the floor, “Blasted damn it!” he swore under his breath. Pulling his hand back with all his strength, his fist did come loose, but the hole he made within the thick metal only widened.
Erik turned to face a shivering vampire, the dark creature taking several steps back as their eyes met. “Where was I? Ah, right. Monster? Do you mistake me for a simple beast? No, I’m far worse,” Erik said, taking a single step towards Renwick to which the vampire took another back, “Far superior to the deadliest of wyverns, far smarter than the vilest of demons, far stronger than any other race upon this world. Monster? No, Ohohoho, you wish I was a mere monster.” He chuckled again.
Renwick’s eyes widened, the shiver he felt before now overwhelming his every sense. Run, his entire mind and body screamed at him to run.
“I am no monster, you oh so simple bat.” Erik snarled, suddenly appearing mere centimetres before Renwick as the vampire turned tail.
Run the vampire did, as fast as it could, it leapt onto the Orca and dashed at top speed towards the other Galleon. Hoping the few living that lay about would slow down the creature he had awakened.
Demon, his mind thought at first, but it was Devil which it later cried as he heard its wretched laughter.
Death incarnate, his mind then settled upon as Erik appeared standing in his path.
“I. Am. Dragon.” Erik worded out, his voice booming out and sending a blast of wind onto Renwick. The vampire was sent tumbling back from the force, quickly coming back to his senses, he tried to crawl.
Run, his mind still screamed. Run, his body tried to do. And laugh in sheer panic, Renwick did. Terrified into insanity as Erik once again appeared in his way.
“To hell, your soul will go I presume. Good, carry a message for me then.” Erik said as he stomped his right foot onto the crawling vampire, quaking the entire ship and bending the floor slightly, ”Tell Xokith and Kurzan, this world is mine…”
Renwick dared a glance, a single glance at Erik’s expression.
He regretted every moment of it.
As he saw the drake’s eyes surging with sparks of white lightning, amusement clear within them.
His mouth wide, a grin like no other, curved wickedly and revealing his perfect fangs.
“No…Please…” Renwick begged, shaking his head, eyes wide in terror.
“I claim Faeterra, in its entirety, as my territory. If they dare set their vile feet upon it, I shall burn hell itself to finish what I started with Azruxan. Tell them, I care not for their plans, I care not for their rank or title as Devils.” Erik snarled, removing his leg from the vampire as his tail curved around to loom over Renwick. “For if they try to take what is mine by draconic claim, then I shall make damned sure they become the last of their race!”
“Mercy!” Renwick pleaded as he continued to try and crawl off.
“Draconic School; Blaze tail.” He chanted in a whisper, his tail bursting afire as it struck down, its tip piercing into Renwick’s head before the flames engulfed him whole.
Erik watched the vampire burn, the draconic flames flowing down his body and turning it all to ash.
“Xilfir.” Erik then said, a dozen dark elves appearing around him. “Clean up the rest,” he told them in elven, the dreadblades then suddenly bursting into shadows.
And the screaming continued, as they systematically went through the survivors, swiftly killing each of them.
Erik turned away from the now pile of ash, he looked up at the sky as it cleared of clouds, revealing the stars beyond. “Well? Have you enjoyed the show? Or will you remain in hiding?” he asked.
A laugh came in response, as the cloaked fox came out of invisibility, “You detected me? Heh, so you’ve regained your draconic senses then?” he asked while floating down to stand before Erik.
“Who are you.” Erik snarled in question, every fibre of his being sensing something completely off with the figure before him.
The fox smiled as he removed his hood, revealing a man in his early thirties, the fox ears clearly part of him and not an aesthetic. “I’m-” he began to say but stopped, as Erik’s eyes suddenly rolled back into his head.
Erik fell forwards face first, falling to the ground unconscious.
The fox groaned in annoyance, rolling his eyes. “Well hell I haven’t even said my name yet! Faint afterwards why would you!”
Ch 33 - Divine Plots
“Wakey wakey, sleeping beauty.” Said an amused voice as Erik regained consciousness, opening his eyes to find himself laying on the ground within his Lair. Thea and Makaela stood over him, glancing around he saw Nerick and a couple dozen xilfir surrounding someone.
Erik groaned as he tried to rise while holding his head, he felt like a mountain had hit him. “What?…how did I get here?” he asked in confusion.
“I got us, and these fools holding me at gunpoint, here.” Exclaimed the fox, Erik recognising the man’s voice from within the circle of dreadblades.
“Erik, what happened?” Thea asked, “Who’s this?”
“I…Ugh, my body still cannot handle too much draconic energy…As for, that, I don’t know.” He said as he straightened himself, walking over to the dark elves and pushing past them.
Finding the fox laying on the ground, hands behind his head as he rested laid back. An amused smile on his bearded face, a well-groomed but strangely too white beard, like a dark elf’s.
“Who…No, what are you?” Erik asked, still unable to comprehend what he was sensing from the being.
The fox smirked before sitting up, “Well let me introduce myself first, Erikathyr.” He stood up and turned to face him as Thea, Makaela and Nerick walked up behind Erik.
The fox gestured at himself with a friendly smile, “You don’t need to know my real name, but acquaintances call me Kyllix. As for what I am? Heh, I guess my kind has long been erased from this realm so not even you would know? I’m a Spirit Beast, more spirit than beast really. Either way, congratulations, drake.”
“Congratulations for what?” Erik asked in confusion, “And what in blasted hell is a Spirit Beast?”
Kyllix pointed at Erik, “Congratulations, you pass. Also, Spirit Beasts are a race similar to Beast people, or Bestia as you call them. Except, we’re connected to the Spirit Realm, the land of the dead.”
“Land of the dead?… Pass what?…” Makaela asked, each of them utterly confused still.
Kyllix sighed, “All questions huh? Well let me cut to the chase then, your world is in apocalyptic levels of danger, and I’m here to help.”
“Continue…” Erik snarled, annoyed at the nonsense this man was spouting, but unable to deny the raw power he was sensing within him.
Kyllix sneered at Erik’s annoyance, “Hell is rising, and it’s targeting the entirety of known existence. Not only this realm but everything else.”
“We sort of already know that?…” Nerick pointed out awkwardly.
“Heh, well let me tell you what you don’t know then.” Kyllix said with a chuckle, “This realm, specifically this planet you call home, Faetera…Is grounds for a massive summoning ritual that will exterminate every single living being upon it.” He said grimly, his eyes widening and his smile seeming more harrowing than friendly now.
“Wha-” Thea felt her speech briefly disappear from surprise.
“Summoning ritual? I’ll garner you mean a Devil King’s doing,” Erik guessed, retaining his calm. “To use up
all living beings on Faetera? What in damnation are they summoning? And how the hell do you know all this?”
“I’m getting to that part, the juicy part. As for how I know…” Kyllix shrugged, “I’m immortal, let’s just say I know someone far and beyond even that.”
Erik grimaced, “Drop the bloody act, who are you really? You’re far from immortal! You’re…”
Kyllix’s smile faltered, turning cold as did his entire expression. “Indeed, I’m a God.” he solemnly said, causing all their eyes to widen. Seeing their expressions, he then laughed, “Oh you should really see your faces right now! Brilliant!” he exclaimed in amusement.
This only annoyed Erik further, “Fine, you’re a God…I cannot deny that. So then explain what you meant by passing, what are the Devils summoning, and what your intentions are from now on.”
Kyllix snickered some more before meeting Erik’s gaze, blue draconic slits met by his pale silver eyes. “I’ve been in the business of ending utter pandemonium from breaking out within the universe, there are more realms out there than you could ever imagine, all differing from one another in some way. And this realm, well…It’s a bit of a hot topic at the moment.”
“What do you mean?” Erik pressed for more, his annoyance being overtaken by his hunger for knowledge.
Kyllix smiled, amused by the drake’s newly gained attention. “I think it’s best I start from the beginning, you see, you’ve all already died. Well you, three times really, so one more than the rest here.”
“Died?” Makaela huffed in amusement, “I think I’d remember that.”
“No, you wouldn’t, because that wasn’t the you that is here now.” Kyllix said, shaking his head dramatically. And confusing them further. “Faetera was destroyed…twice before…No, actually let’s start further from that. Tell me, do you know what Hell is? What it truly is?” he asked,