by SlyOkami
Erik turned to face the door once more, his fingers twitching with annoyance as it now slammed open to his frustrated will.
Startling the Devil within as Azkel jumped up a few feet to his sudden entrance, quickly then replacing her hands upon the beating bulge of corrupted flesh before her. “You trying to kill us all!?” She exclaimed in equal annoyance, gaining herself a cold glare from Erik as he entered the room.
As he glanced about at the growing tendrils, forming about glowing runes of white and blue which lay carved into each of the walls, the floor and even the ceiling. Creating one massive magic circle.
“How far have you gotten?” Erik then asked, keeping his distance from the hellish heart but retaining his presence as he stared straight at Azkel.
“About thirty percent converted,” Azkel answered in a grumbling tone, “Don’t get ahead of yourself though, the process will slow down as more of the Negative Spirit is converted to Positive, taking up more of my concentration to retain one side from clashing with the other…So, was it another attack?” She then asked after explaining, glancing at him with a raised brow.
And gaining herself a further annoyed glare, “Keep to yourself, Devil.” As Erik hissed back, causing her to grimace in both irritation and amusement.
“Hah, this little Devil can’t help herself, you’re too easy. And spending both days and nights locked up down here isn’t exactly…entertaining.” Azkel mused with a sigh.
“How much longer?” Erik then asked, rolling his eyes at her constant grumbling.
“Five days, give me five days and it will be ready.” Azkel said, closing her eyes to continue focusing on her task.
“Five days…” Erik repeated, grimacing as he clenched his chest, (“Can I last that long?”) he asked himself.
Dread filling him then, he pushed it aside.
(“No, I will. Five days…Just five more days and it’s all over.”) He promised himself.
Feeling then a mixture of both longing joy…
And harrowing preparation.
B2; Chaos - Ch 59; Collapse - Interlude; Messengers and Observers
The Next Day
* * *
The ground quaked as masses of black clashed within the massive hall.
“No fool,” Erik’s voice filled the room, as the two twin Black Drakes duelled.
“Vary your speed, if you keep moving at the same top you’re capable of then your enemy will get used to it and outmanoeuvre you! And you, you’re too aggressive, you’re inattentive. Pay attention to your enemy’s movements, watch, listen, sense, counter!” He’d shout out derogatory exclamations at them as the two massive lean beasts of dark scales simply swiped at each other faster than the air around them could reassemble.
As the rest simply stood by his side, each within their own humanoid form, they spoke not and moved not.
Vemm rushed in as told, varying her speed to suddenly evade to the side as her brother Grylrag charged at her the exact same as he had earlier. Grappling onto one another, the two serpent-like drakes tumbled over each other senselessly.
Already was Erik’s expression twitching from watching their horrid form, thanking whoever opened the doors at that time as he turned to face them. Snapping his fingers, “Take break…” He mused as he walked off, the twins falling limp and exhausted behind him.
Finding Kayle, Nerrick and Ivyieth entering then, “Did you call for me Eldest Brother?” Ivyieth immediately regarded him with a polite bow.
“Just you and Kayle really, but I think it’s good that you came too Nerick…” Erik said as he collapsed into a chair of obsidian, taking a deep breath before returning to them.
He seemed to be growing weaker by the day.
“Why? What’s up?” Nerick asked, noticing now that there was no longer any sign of white upon Erik’s body, all that remained was the slight blue in his eyes slowly being taken over by crimson.
“I have a diplomatic mission for Kayle and Ivyeith, but they’ll be going far, very far.” Erik explained as he glanced at Kayle.
“I…can’t do that unless I’ve been there before.” Kayle mentioned.
“Do not worry about that,” Rising back to his feet Erik then turned to Nerick. “This place I’m sending them to…It might be safe, but it can also be the most dangerous place on Faetera. Nerick, as lord of the Wyvern Knights, I need you here with me. But, if you have any objection-”
“I’ll be going along with Kayle then.” Nerick immediately answered sternly.
Causing Erik to chuckle, even if weakly. “Then take Ivara as well with you, but I must warn you, in this place nothing is what it seems.” Turning to Ivyieth then, “She will be your guide.”
“Guide? Where am I going?” Ivyieth asked with a raised brow, “I’m not going away from brother am I?”
“You’re going home Ivyieth,” Erik answered, “As an ambassador of the Empire, I ask you to deliver this message to the Fae Kingdom of Pepputia.” Handing her a small dark grey envelope, Erik sighed weakly as he sat back down.
“I’ve sent others to Seeri, New Druv and S’Sern already…But you’re my only hope with this.” He mused, his expression growing solemn, Erik briefly lost himself to his thoughts.
Going silent for several moments before returning to his senses.
“If it’s you, then someone might care.” He added.
Ivyieth glanced over the envelope, almost black yet grey with golden inscriptions on both sides. Recognising them as Fae runes, her gaze rose to meet his. “If it’s for Eldest Brother, I will do my best.” She said, pumping her chest and cheeks with both pride and resolve.
“Then, we have no time left to waste.” Erik said as he took another object out from his seemingly infinitely spacious pockets. A bright yet dark feather, almost transparent in form.
“That’s…” Nerick recognised it.
“The Dark Fae’s wingfeather, I found a couple lying about after you were done with it.” Erik grinned widely, “With this, and Ivyieth’s memories, do you think you can?” then asking Kayle as he handed her the feather.
“Maybe…” Kayle guessed, taking the surprisingly rough feather carefully into both hands.
“As a seer, they will respect and be wary of you there, Kayle keep watch on everything.” Erik said before turning to Ivyieth, “You will be welcomed back, but remember what you are, Dragons are rarely welcome there.”
Then finally turning to Nerick, his eyes hardened. “The journey will not be as perilous as the destination, Fae are born tricksters and illusionists, be careful.”
Meeting his gaze, Nerick’s eyes too narrowed. “Give us a moment?” He said, gesturing for the other two, they both stepped away briefly.
As Nerick turned to face them both, he gave his back to Erik who now watched the young Black Drakes at the centre of the hall.
“First Zentha, then Makaela, then Ascal…Now us, why are you sending us all away?” Nerick spoke what he’d been holding onto, unable to put his finger on the answer, he knew something was amiss.
“Because dire times require…dire measures.” Erik whispered, sighing as he did. “Do you trust me, Nerick?”
“You gave me everything, you made the me of now.” Nerick said without a second moment to think, “I’d give my life for you.”
“Then trust me in this…You don’t want to know what comes next.” Erik then said turning to grasp the large Djinn’s shoulder, “Nerick…I’ve sent many to their deaths before…so why is this time so different?” Erik asked, clenching his chest then.
Nerick paused, at first unsure how to answer, he instead decided to let his memories of another person he knew speak in his stead. “Because this time, you’re you.”
-
* * *
High Above Sinroz
A rift opens…
* * *
-
Reality tore, the crack surging with energy as tendrils of white flames pulled it further apart.
Allowing through two ethereal beings, as they continued to h
over all too high up in the sky.
A male and a female, both very similar in appearance to the other. Both had pale skin, snow-white long hair kept almost too perfectly, and two fluffy fox-like tails.
Their ears though, where none of the above, if only pale skinned. Pointed like an Elf’s, their ears grew longer even.
“Welp, here we are, so where’s the party?” The male mused, glancing about at the continent below.
“It hasn’t started yet!” Said the female, giggling with great amusement as she too stared down.
Both of their eyes, previously a bright silver, suddenly shone blue.
“So we just wait?” Asked the male.
“Yeap, looks like we’ll just have to observe from here, Kalix.” The female sighed.
“Yo, Kaisley. You sure we can’t just…mess with a few things?” Kalix grumbled.
“Dad would kill us, bring us back, and kill us again.” Kaisley warned, “We’re just here to watch, report back what happens, so he can decide on his fate after.”
“Hah, shall we start with watching him first then?” Kalix asked.
“Nah, there’s another he told me to check on first when we arrive…” Kaisley mused, turning her gaze then to the north of the continent where a fog of violet and black spread far and wide.
Turning to follow her gaze too, the expressions of both Spirit Beasts then turned into a wide grin.
“Oh yeah, that’s gonna be entertaining to watch.” Kalix mused.
B2; Chaos - Ch 59; Collapse - Part 1; Fairness of War
Kailu faded through the thick jungle, a wisp of shadow silently leaping from crooked branch to branch, as nature all around him twisted and coiled. An amalgamation of trees, he was simply unused to seeing.
Yet adapt he did. It was his duty, after all, to move as silent as the wind.
As part of Ascal’s small task force, his first command was to locate the enemy amongst the thick foliage.
Having no use of his eyes as the jungle’s formation of greenery hid all, alongside the thin layer of mist.
Having no use of his ears, as the jungle’s very sounds rose above anything else.
Kailu could only rely on his other senses, feeling through the terrain with his mana, as he expended the tendrils of shadow out from his over-sized scythe and into his surroundings.
Kailu soared above the jungle, seeming like a rush of pure darkness, he moved unnoticed through the night.
Until, suddenly he paused.
Stopping over one branch, Kailu began retrieving all of his tendrils, two of them pulling with an entangled Bestia. What had caught his attention in the first place.
Eyes wide and wild, the bearman struggled against the darkness.
But his ferocity fell silent, as Kailu took shape.
Wielding his massive black scythe one-handed, it’s very material shifting, as if formless in nature.
The Bestia met this young Xilfir’s cold eyes, as they studied him back.
As the tendrils suddenly tripled and tightened.
“A border watch,” Kailu mused in elven, “Which means that.” Looking then to the direction he had caught this prey from, Kailu knew where the enemy encampment began now.
The crack of bone and tearing of flesh suddenly resounded from nearby him, sending many critters and birds scurrying off below. The Bestia was dead, left limp after the tendrils of raw darkness had pierced into his body.
As they now slowly absorbed him, equipment and all the corpse disappeared into the darkness, leaving nothing behind.
“A mere snack, before the feast ahead…” Kailu grinned, expectation colouring his expression, as he stared intensely ahead. He felt it, the hungering within his weapon, the need for more blood to be spilt.
It urged him forward, it whispered sweetly into his ear.
(“There, they lay. Unknowing, unprepared. Thousands to feast upon, thousands to absorb.”)
He ignored the voice.
Turning away, he felt the scythe enrage within his grasp, as its tendrils now turned and pointed at him.
Yet a single glance sent the darkness scurrying away like the animals below.
Kailu did not take orders from an inanimate object, he was free, and no being was about to change that.
(“I am the master, you the weapon.”) Kailu told it, and it responded not. (“I am in control.”) He thought, resolved, as the tendrils rushed back inside the scythe.
Kailu returned to shadow then, denying the scythe it’s lust for blood as he moved away but kept tabs on the direction.
Moving quickly and erratically as to not be followed, Kailu made his way back to their own camp site.
-
* * *
-
Ascal spread open the blank piece of parchment before himself, a quill and tub of ink nearby, he listened closely to report after report from the scouts he had sent out to the surrounding jungle.
His hand, moving expertly across the paper, he drew what he heard and mentally constructed.
Leaving out most of the jungle’s terrain, Ascal formed himself a very basic map of the enemy’s surroundings in accordance to their own position. Closer than he thought they had come to the encampment’s edge, the enemy knew of their arrival, but not of their numbers or position.
Of that much, he was sure.
Which only meant one thing to Ascal.
“Hah, she did it. No Zrosian shinobi, no counter scouts accounted for.” He mused with a chuckle.
“The General accomplished her mission?” Kailu asked as he stood nearby, alongside seven others, each of them standing within a small cave hidden beneath one of the larger species of trees which make up the jungle.
They had brought little with them, ink, quill and paper alongside their held equipment and some sustenance for the journey here and back. Everything else the Xilfir made out of the land around them, from traps ready to be set down to chemical constructs with capabilities not even Kailu wished to tamper with.
“It seems so,” Ascal answered with a wide smile, unsure of Makaela’s safety, still he fully trusted her in surviving. Turning to his men then, Ascal glanced over them all.
There were only three dozen of them in total, seven capable of quick and silent movement. Some chemists Ascal had hand-chosen, left to their tinkering deeper within the cave. While the rest were mostly hunters and simple soldiers, currently out in the jungle around the cave, gathering key resources or keeping watch.
“This…is what I’ve got to work with.” Ascal mused out loud, as the scouts stood at attention, all but Kailu who leaned his back into the cave’s wall. Seemingly bored, Ascal knew how attentive this child was.
Watching and analysing every little thing around him, Ascal understood why Kyrenic took the boy in as his prodigy.
(“His personality could use some work though,”) Ascal thought, glancing at the moonlit entrance then. (“Nothing better than a mission against impossible odds for that I’d say!”) Grinning widely, he turned to the rays of light sneaking their way through the tree’s roots and into their cave.
“Gentlemen, let’s begin.”
-
* * *
-
Trudging through the remaining bushes and low roots, Dastan groaned as his pike’s blade got stuck in a bunch of vines, pulling and pushing then to retrieve his weapon as the rest of his company marched on.
“Should’ve held it high brother, we told you so.” Chuckled his squad mate, Teni, humanoid in form yet serpentine in appearance. The man marched on, as did the rest of Dastan’s company.
Dastan himself was of the wolvine breed, born and raised under the banners of Keye, he marched not just for his clan but Zidao and Dabangui as well.
Glancing about himself as he recovered his pike, Dastan briefly took in the sight.
Wolf, Snake and Bear, each clan marched as one.
All in the name of Zrosa, all in the name of expanding their country’s power and reach.
It was a sight to behold to Dastan,
young as he was and only freshly entered into the military body, it filled him with pride.
Banners of each clan held high, as companies of beastmen marched in formation around large monstrosities of armour, some large enough to hold entire towers on their backs.
As mages ahead bent the terrain aside, the thick roots and branches bending out of the way as the ground flattened into a path for the soldiers to march upon. The very trees creaking as they were pushed and bent, allowing the large beasts of burden through as well as the cargo they pulled behind them.
“Oi, move it new blood!” Growled one from the next company over, as Dastan now stood in their way.
Being pushed forward by two shieldsmen, Dastan had no choice but to rush away, returning to his unit in a hurry and to re-join the formation. Before his officer in command noticed him.
Yet, suddenly the marching stopped.
Glancing down the long line of rank and file, Dastan could barely make out the small unit of mages, having stopped before two large trees that stood in their way.
He glimpsed the tendrils of magic leaving the caster’s fingers, delving into the earth just like earlier, yet no matter how hard the ground shook…
The trees moved not.
Until, suddenly they did.
As the dark brown bark shifted to a bright marble white.
As roots rose from the ground, branches bent aside and wide…
As the two trees turned, revealing the crooked grins morphed into their sides.
“Treants!” One mage shrieked, a word Dastan and everyone else was all too shocked to hear this far away from the Dark Forest of Zidao.
Only able to watch, as the roots entangled around each mage, piercing through their barriers with terrifying ease.
Blood splattered before them, the entire unit of mages wiped out within a single moment’s breath, as the roots squashed them into pulp.
Dastan froze, eyes wide he stared at what remained, at the pools of flesh and blood still leaking out of the Treant’s grasp.
Horror filled him, as it had occurred so quickly, so simply…