by SlyOkami
As she walked forth, Makaela stopped a few steps ahead of the Dragon Knight’s small formation, where before her lay a groaning Fiend. Half-dead but still struggling to fight, a growl rising up its throat as she came before it.
The demon tried to rise, snarling ferociously as it met her face.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6G5OX4ztpg
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Then its expression froze, as Makaela’s hand suddenly lay inside its throat.
“Remember now, always clean up after yourselves.” Makaela said, “Other than that? Let’s have some fun~” She giggled, feeling as if a weight had been taken off her chest.
As finally, after the confusion, the anger and frustration.
After the guilt and fear she felt before.
Makaela finally felt free.
She finally, as she pulled the demon’s throat out and poured blood all over the ground, Makaela finally felt like herself again.
Smiling coldly, as her Dragon Knights charged to face the army of demons that still poured out of the rifts and into the camp ahead.
As Pyra’s form faded into a rush of bright light, searing a path through the demon’s numbers.
As Zentha disappeared from sight, and her serpentine summon of golden smoke, suddenly burst into existence amidst the rifts at the very back.
Makaela grinned, as her gaze rose to meet the first Daemon.
She chuckled, as she sent her whip ahead. The weapon elongating impossibly, reaching the creature’s chest and piercing into the molten hide. Then suddenly, the weapon began to shrink back, pulling Makaela up as a blade of golden ethereal energy formed in her free hand.
Makaela laughed now, as she pierced through the Daemon’s chest, coming out on the other side and soaked in violet blood.
Yet still, she laughed.
“My sharpness is unmatched. My balance un changing. First a tool, then a weapon. I am the origin of murder, the beginning of the sword and the end of death’s scythe. Who am I? I am the blade.”
Chanting as she descended down on her next prey.
“Soul School; Custom Cast; Blade Queen!” She exclaimed with fervour, as golden spiritual energy rushed out of her body and engulfed her like a raging blaze. The flames though, then suddenly warping as she landed, taking shape and forming hundreds of jagged ethereal blades all around her.
The blades, moved to her will.
Spinning and slashing, rushing a stabbing. A whirlwind of golden sharp ends and violet blood surrounded Makaela as she ran through the army of demons, alone, and like the incarnation of death itself. Her ethereal blades slicing through both flesh and bone, and her blazing draconic whip breaking and burning what remained.
Her laughter, reverberating along the battlefield, as she tread it like it was her playing field. Every step, she slew demons by the dozen. Her frustration and annoyance were all but forgotten, as she smiled and laughed.
Amused by the destruction she rained upon those who dared stand against her, wickedly Makaela laughed.
And that laughter.
Her voice, her power.
The very sight of her.
Brought out a primal fear within the demons, as they fled her wake.
And surfacing a fearful respect within those who watched.
For Makaela, the Xilfir Priestess.
The DreadBlade Commander and General of this rebellion against Sinbeni.
The Queen, of Thieves.
And now, the Queen, of all Blades.
Was a bloody, and un-ignorable sight in everyone’s eyes.
Ch 53 - Poking the beast
Erik stood motionless, meeting the Spirit Beast’s calculative gaze.
Neither moved, neither spoke a word.
For several moments, silence filled the hall, as each other’s mana clashed.
Each of them was sizing up the other.
Each of them, was analysing their opponent and picking the best approach.
And as the sound of battle from down the corridor reached them, Hayato stepped forth.
A thin, cold smile on his face as he walked across from Erik, not coming any closer nor moving further away. “So, what should I call you?” He asked calmly.
“Your allies are out there, dying, falling one by one at the hands of mine…And you ask for my name?” Erik responded with amusement. “What game are you playing at, Spirit Beast?”
Hayato’s smile widened ever so slightly, “Ah…everything I do is a game. Every word, every step…I’m the calculative sort you see. As for those fools out there? I care not for what happens to those demons, nor the Fae for that matter. What I’m really interested in, is what is in front of me right now. A member of the most prideful race, turning his back on his kind’s law and form. Your story…It intrigues me.”
“You serve a Devil, but I sense no Hell upon you. What is your goal, your purpose here? You’re not from Faetera, that much I can tell.” Erik continued to question Hayato, whilst keeping an attentive eye on him.
Hayato chuckled coldly, “My purpose? Ah, well I have many of those, I guess it depends on the moment…And at the moment? My purpose here is…well, understanding you. As I will move on to understand Druvia, and Seeri…and Pepputia…and S’Sern. One cannot defeat what they do not understand after all.”
“A limited line of reasoning, with enough force anything can be defeated. Else the word ‘Overwhelm’ wouldn’t exist.” Erik argued.
“Only a Dragon would consider that in any way logical. I guess it doesn’t matter from which realm, what shape or form you take. Species alternate across every universe you see, but within they all remain the same, as you remain just another Dragon.” Hayato sighed.
“Just…another Dragon?” Erik repeated with an annoyed smirk, “I would be very careful of what you say next.” He then warned in draconic.
Causing Hayato to chuckle again, as the Spirit Beast stopped walking, then turning to face Erik with a wide smirk. “Haha…Careful of what? Do you think I fear you, Dragon? Do you know what I think of your kind? Foolish monsters, with more power than you know what to do with. In my home world, we enslaved your people. We bred you with other creatures, like the animals that you are, we forced you to birth farm beasts with your tough hides, useful wing netting and magical cores. Those beasts are all that remains of your blood, for the rest…we killed them all.” Hayato explained in a cold, indifferent tone.
Erik’s eyes widened with further annoyance, but he held his ground. For he knew, the Spirit Beast was only trying to provoke him.
“Hah…I guess you aren’t as easily provoked as most.” Hayato said, as his indifferent expression returned to one of amusement. “Then I’ll get straight to the point…I’ve been searching for someone…something…to compare myself with. Something powerful enough to give me a scale for my power, and since my people have killed everything else back home…I’ve travelled across realms to find that one thing. For a time, I had…and I sense his magical tracks here…Where is he? Where is Kyllix?”
Erik’s expression hardened, sensing the Spirit’s rising energy. “He’s not here.”
Hayato chuckled, “Then you’ll have to do.” He mused, spreading his wings wide and suddenly summoning forth a raging wind.
Winds on par with that of a hurricane, assaulted Erik, as he held his ground. As the very air attacked him, like sharp blades they slashed at his tough body.
“I guess I will.” Erik hissed back, as a mass of dark clouds formed overhead, spreading even more quickly as the wind blew them about.
The two of them disappeared, as a natural disaster formed within the cavern around them. A storm raged, as their forms seemed like nothing more than a harsh wind clashing with a tongue of lightning.
Followed by the distinct and overruling sound of thunder.
No magic but what they unconsciously released.
No spells and no chants.
Neither had time for either, as with every punch came back another, with every kick a co
unter.
They spoke not either, the time for words had long passed.
As Erik met Hayato’s overextended punch with a grapple, only to be lured into a counter, which he then turned into a counter himself…
All this occurring all too fast for the naked eye. Each of them moving at speeds beyond the human norm, as with every second they moved three to five steps.
With every moment, a fist clashed with an open palm, immediately moving into a counter or grapple only for it to fall apart and for each combatant to pull away into safety. Before the clash begun once again.
Neither outmanoeuvred the other, the both of them were matching in speed and where Erik had the upper hand in physical prowess Hayato matched it with the spiritual energy that naturally covered his body.
And while Hayato’s movements were fluid and unpredictable.
Erik’s attacks were the embodiment of power, ravaging his foe’s defences with raw strength while also holding a mountain’s steady defence.
As Erik’s fist extended forward, forcing Hayato to side step and avoid the unblock-able attack which warped the very air in its path. Hayato then continuing his movements into a spin kick, which Erik blocked with his other hand, the collision causing a clap of thunder.
For several long moments, they fought, a relentless motion of martial arts.
As finally, the fight unbalanced.
Hayato evaded Erik’s shoulder bash and ending up behind him, he then raised his hands up high and clasped them together before bringing them down harshly onto Erik’s back.
Hayato smiled, knowing that it must have hurt his wings and spine horribly. But Erik also smiled, as his tailed wrapped itself around Hayato’s left leg, turning the Spirit Beast’s smile into surprise.
Erik raised Hayato off the ground, as he himself spun, meeting the Spirit Beast’s face with his clenched fist.
Hayato was sent flying back, and suddenly the raging winds around them dissipated, leaving only a furious storm of raining lightning and bellowing thunder. The thunder blocking out any sound Hayato’s light body made as he tumbled over the shattered ground, but managed to regain his balance mid-flight.
He came to a sliding stop at the edge of the cavern, close to the broken gateway. Steadying himself, Hayato rose to meet Erik’s wicked grin with his own. “Not bad…for a Dragon…Where did you learn how to fight like that, in that form?”
Erik chuckled, “You probably wouldn’t know since your people killed everything…but this world has something called Lizardmen, and their martial arts with the use of a tail are exceptional. I’ve lived a long and eventful life, it seemed interesting, so I gave it a few hundred years of attention before growing bored.” He explained with disinterest.
“Hah…it seemed interesting and you just learned it? Living for so long must be so fruitful, if only my people made it past a couple hundred.” Hayato shrugged, as he wiped the blood dripping out of his nose.
“Yet you look down upon us. If anything, you should look up to us as if met with a God, you shortlived beasts.” Erik mocked.
“Gods? Creatures who are just as egotistical, greedy and simply vain? The only difference between you and a God is that one cannot be killed, only destroyed.” Hayato argued with great amusement. “You’re both equally foolish. You both fear our kind, and because of that fear we suffered…And because of that suffering, we destroyed them without mercy.”
Erik’s mouth froze open, he couldn’t argue with that. He himself knew just how selfish his people could be. He knew also, how Gods saw mortal beings. He couldn’t argue with those facts, but he wasn’t about to just stand and let him say whatever he pleased.
“You’re right. Gods and Dragons, both of us are vain. Both of us, are greedy and selfish. But then again isn’t that everyone? That’s just how the world works, that is how it has always worked…It just took your people longer to realise just how unfair life can be…It took me a while to come to that conclusion myself.” Erik sighed, “Yes, I’m selfish…So what of it? After all the shit I’ve taken, why the hell should I not be selfish? I deserve it, I deserve to be greedy. And I’m long done sulking about it.” He said with a wide grimace, as he spread his wings, his left lagging behind briefly as the sound of bone snapping back into place resonated out.
Erik grasped his sword’s grip, as his eyes suddenly shone a bright gold. Unsheathing the Underblade, released a green fog of screaming figures which engulfed him.
Hayato’s eyes widened as he gazed at the black blade, as he sensed each of the millions of souls which lay trapped within.
Erik raised the blade towards him, “You sense them, don’t you? The wicked and the warped within this blade…You’re about to join them.”
Anxiously Hayato chuckled, “To own much less wield such a weapon…Oh how you’ve gained my attention now…” He laughed, grinning widely as his eyes glowed a dim ember. “But I’m afraid we’ll have to finish this another time, my mission here is complete.”
“Mission?” Erik mused, changing his stance from being ready to evade to one ready to go on the attack.
Hayato opened his arms wide and shrugged, “Killing the uncharmed of course, I said I didn’t care for the demonic minions nor that weak Fairy, but I never said I wasn’t pushing for the same goal…” He chuckled, as a burst of wind spun nearby him, out of which two figures appeared.
Another Spirit beast with similar features to Hayato, but seemingly younger and female, held Shizuka at feather-point and restrained before herself.
“She was listening in from outside, brother. How should I proceed?” She asked.
Hayato glanced Shizuka over, “Oh…you were holding out on me, Dragon. I didn’t know you also had one of us on your side.” He said with a smirk, walking over to Shizuka to stand closer. “Well done Quinn, but she’s not of our tribe nor bloodline…I guess we can take her along, maybe convert her back into her place.” He said, glancing back to see Erik’s eyes narrow and his expression grow cold.
Hayato’s smile widened, “Oh, is she important to you? Ah…I know how to make an impact on you now then. My sister has your friend, and we will be leaving with her now…Our comrade, Dearil though is after the uncharmed…and whoever is with her.” He chuckled, sensing the flow of emotion within Erik and knowing that he had finally hit a nerve. “So either the uncharmed or someone who is with them…is important to you as well? Good…good. I love these sorts of games, so let’s play one! Which will you choose, Erikathyr? This tribeless Spirit Beast here before you now? Or them?”
Erik faltered briefly, staring a terrified Shizuka in the eye before returning to Hayato’s amused gaze. “Choose? I’m not choosing anybody, you stand before me right here and now, threatening my comrade…I will kill the both of you where you stand.” He warned with a furious tone, taking a step forth, but stopping as Quinn’s blade like arm-feather lightly cut into Shizuka’s neck.
“Dammit Erik…Don’t be a fool!” Shizuka suddenly exclaimed, grimacing as she tried to stand absolutely still. “The choice is obvious! Go to them! Go help Thea and Kayle!” She told him, then forcing a smile although her eyes were filled with fear. “You’ve done enough….you’ve done enough for me.”
Erik met her darkening gaze, but she looked away, unable to meet his eyes. “You’re the one being a fool.” He said, shaking his head. “I trust my allies, as you should trust me. So now…stand still…” He told her, her gaze rising with tears to meet his feral eyes. “While I burn these two into an ashen crisp.”
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At the same time
Ivyieth reached the corridor’s end, putting Thea down but keeping the still unconscious Kayle within the cocoon of vines she dragged with. And as they came to a stop by the large locked doorway, sounds from the battle that lay on the other side came through.
“Damn…the camp is under attack too?” Thea asked as she took a kneel by the door, listening in to the battle. “We need to go hel-” she was about to say,
but suddenly the entire row of rooms on their left were engulfed in a ray of pure darkness.
The battle between Nerick and Umbra was still underway and the three of them were still within range of the Fae’s attacks, although they at least knew that one wasn’t targeting them.
The walls and doors on the left were completely disintegrated alongside with whatever else lay inside those rooms, leaving a massive tunnel of stone that slowly regenerated itself.
Thea stared through the hole the darkness had made, seeing a raging battle between the rebels and a seemingly unending army of minor Demons. “I can’t just sit around…Dammit.” She said, standing up as she gripped her weapon more tightly.
“And do what exactly?” Ivyieth asked, rolling her eyes in annoyance. “The first hit you take will knock you out cold, Chosen or not you still need rest. Distracted and tired as you are now? You won’t survive a single minute out there. Elder Brother would want me to keep you alive, so you’re not going anywhere.”
“Bu-” Thea was about to argue.
But Ivyieth cut her off, “I will knock you out myself if I have to, I said I would keep you alive, not uninjured.” She warned.
Thea grimaced, frustrated at the thought. “Let’s…Can we at least look for Shizuka? She just ran off…” She tentatively asked.
“The beastie is with Elder Brother, that’s unarguably the safest place at the moment…” Ivyieth reasoned.
Thea sighed, “You’re right…it’s just that…Fuck I hate feeling so bloody useless!” she exclaimed, slamming the butt of her weapon into the wooden door behind her.
“Be appeased, Human, you won’t feel anything at all soon enough.” Hissed a deep voice from everywhere at once, as a crimson blaze suddenly lit alive before them.
A third Spirit Beast stepped out of the flames, a very tall male with dark-brown scaly skin, a bulky and densely muscles body, long dark red hair held up with a black string, crimson reptilian eyes and a thin black tongue which was barely noticeable as it would quickly slither out through his lipless mouth.