by Pirateaba
Ilvriss’ rings flared as he caught a bolt of red-lighting. He shouted as he charged the [Mage] and his sword cut through the illusionary Ikriss. Again. Zel cursed and looked for somewhere else to hide. They couldn’t kill the mage and he was trying to cut off their space. Sooner or later he’d be hit, and when that happened, there were ways to kill him, even with his resistance to spells.
And in the meantime, people were dying. Ikriss’ spells had burned one building. People had leapt to their deaths rather than die in the blaze. His other spells were blasting holes in the city. Two of the summoned constructs were battling the Watch. As Ilvriss and Zel met up again, crawling under a collapsed building, Zel spotted an arm buried in the rubble. It had scales, yellow, covered in dust. And it was far too small.
It was too much. He was a [General of the Line], a protector of his people. And they were dying while he took cover. Zel clenched his fist.
“We’re ending this now, Ilvriss. I’ll distract him. You try and locate the mage with your amulet. I’ll take on his spells.”
“Are you insane, Shivertail? He won’t bother with magic—he’ll crush you!”
“I’ll dodge. People are dying, Ilvriss.”
The Lord of the Wall hesitated. Then he nodded.
“Don’t die.”
Zel nodded. He walked out from behind his cover. All of the projections of Ikriss looked at him.
“Giving up, Zel Shivertail?”
“Give me your best shot, mage.”
The Drake bared his teeth. His tail lashed the ground as he saw Ikriss pointing. The levitating boulders angled themselves towards him. Then Ikriss paused. All of his projections suddenly looked left. Zel looked as well, and saw blue.
Her carapace shone in the moonlight. It sparkled. Unlike the other Antinium with their brown bodies, the pigmentation of Xrn’s body had a luster of its own. It was surpassed only by her eyes. They shone green and blue and red, colors mixing together and swirling in the darkness.
“The Small Queen.”
Ikriss inhaled. His illusions shifted their grip on their staffs, suddenly nervous. Zel stared warily at Xrn. She had a staff of her own. She raised her other hand in greeting.
“Zel Shivertail. I did not expect to see you here. But this situation makes more sense the more I see.”
“Why are you here? This doesn’t concern you. This Drake is your enemy.”
Ikriss’ voice sounded worried and panicked by turns. Xrn looked at him. He raised his staff threateningly. She only nodded towards the devastation around her.
“I thought I sensed someone casting destructive magic. Klbkch refused to believe me at first, but he is on his way with many Soldiers.”
Zel wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or worried. Ikriss was certainly unhappy. He shifted, staring at the ground, and then glared at Xrn.
“I have no quarrel with you, Antinium. Stand aside and I will rid your people of Zel Shivertail. Get in my way and I will destroy you.”
His words made Zel tense. Ikriss was clearly his enemy. But Xrn was an unknown quantity. If she teamed up with him—
The Small Queen regarded Ikriss with a tilted head. She sighed.
“You killed children and innocents with your spells. You, a Drake. I do not understand it. The Antinium are called monsters because we sacrifice our own. But we do not murder each other.”
Both Ikriss and Zel stared at her. Xrn turned her head away from the image of Ikriss she was staring at and began talking to the air next to her.
“My orders from the Grand Queen are not to use force unless attacked first. Especially not against groups like adventurers to avoid starting a war. So I will not cast any spells. Unless you hit me with one. Please, do.”
The Drake shifted his grip on the staff. He didn’t move. Xrn nodded. Zel looked at her warily. If she wasn’t going to fight, but just stand there—
Stand there. Xrn was speaking and staring at a blank patch of…nothing, although she’d clearly been addressing Ikriss. She was staring at it intently. Zel’s heart pounded. He abandoned his position and charged towards Xrn. Not at her, but a bit to the left. At the patch of air.
The [General] rushed past Xrn. She didn’t budge. His claws opened and he aimed for the exact spot where she’d been looking. For a second he thought nothing was there, and then he heard a sound. Something cursed and shifted. Zel lashed out. His claws were sharper than steel and he caught something—
Ikriss appeared, stumbling, his side laid open, but bloodless. He glared at Zel and spoke.
“[Lesser Teleport]!”
He vanished. Zel whirled around, saw nothing. He stared back at Xrn. She glanced at him, and then casually stared up. Zel looked up and saw her gaze was on a rooftop two buildings over.
“Lovely night, isn’t it?”
He didn’t respond. Zel charged towards the building. Halfway there he heard a cough. Xrn’s gaze was now on a building collapsed by rubble. Ilvriss ran towards Zel, sword drawn.
“The Ant’s looking—?”
“That’s right.”
Zel grinned and Ilvriss stared at Xrn before gripping his sword with both hands. The Drakes advanced. Zel muttered to Ilvriss.
“Hard target. I felt like I was cutting into armor, not flesh. Go for limb amputations and use force.”
“Got it.”
They circled the rubble. Nothing was there. Ilvriss gripped at his amulet. There was a flash, and Ikriss blurred into place. For a second Zel thought he saw something else, something black and shiny—but then the Drake shot up. He threw fire at both Drakes, retreating. He vanished as Ilvriss leapt at him, sword swinging.
“This isn’t fair!”
“Life seldom is.”
Xrn carefully turned her head, staring at an open patch of ground across the street. Both Zel and Ilvriss charged. This time Ikriss raised his staff and Ilvriss threw something. There was a screech and whatever spell the Drake was trying to use failed. Zel and Ilvriss tore into him from both sides.
Zel ripped part of the mage’s arm away, slicing through…something hard. Ilvriss grunted as he cut through the mage’s leg. Ikriss fell, grabbing at his leg. He wasn’t bleeding.
“Got him!”
Ilvriss put a foot on the mage’s chest and ran him through. He twisted the sword, pulled it out, and stabbed it in again. The body beneath him convulsed, and then the corpse, the thing that should have been a corpse, muttered a spell.
“[Aerial Burst].”
Both Drakes flew backwards. Xrn raised her staff and held her ground, a bubble of violet light appearing around her. Ikriss got up, holding his leg, using his staff for support. He was babbling, and his voice was…changed. It was suddenly feminine, and echoed slightly.
“I’m going to die. Me. Oh no. Master, help, help…!”
Zel ran at him…her? Ikriss turned to him, and there was genuine fear on his face. Zel slashed at his head, and felt a connection. Then there was light. Ikriss vanished.
“Damn!”
Zel roared and spun to Xrn. She was looking around. She shook her head.
“Nowhere. He vanished. I could have sworn I felt someone else’s magic there. That was a powerful teleportation spell, far beyond what he could have used. An artifact? Hm. Shivertail, why was that Drake trying to kill you?”
“No time. Ilvriss! The inn!”
Zel roared. Ilvriss pulled himself out of a collapsed wall, swearing. The two Drakes raced for one of the walls Ikriss had raised. They got over it after Xrn blew a hole in it for them to cross. They found two destroyed Earth Golems, at least sixty [Guardsmen], Watch Captain Zevara, and an army of Antinium Soldiers behind them.
“Hey, it’s General Zel!”
One of the Guardsmen, Relc, called out. He had a spear in hand and he was standing on top of one of the fallen Golems. He leapt down as Klbkch and Zevara both strode towards them. Zevara’s eyes flicked towards Xrn. She looked warily at Klbkch.
“General Shivertail? Is the Antinium—?”
&nbs
p; “No. We were attacked by Ikriss. He and Regrika Blackpaw are murderers. I have reason to believe they killed Brunkr. We were teleported here and Regrika is back at the inn!”
The Drake’s eyes widened. She looked at Zel, and then towards the gates.
“Regrika Blackpaw? But—”
“I want everyone with a level higher than twenty at that inn, now! Erin Solstice and two Gold-rank teams are there, but a Named Adventurer might be too much for them.”
“Erin? Wait, what’s—”
“The inn! Go!”
Zel roared it at the confused people around him. Relc’s eyes widened. He turned and began sprinting down the streets. Klbkch was already pointing and shouting. Antinium streamed out of the city, and Zel ran after them. They found Revi and Bird fleeing towards them. And in the inn—
Death. And no Regrika. She was already in Celum. And by that point, they were too late to catch her.
—-
Venitra strode through the city of Celum, blade at the ready, closing in on Ryoka Griffin’s position. She knew where the Human girl was exactly, thanks to the magic Ijvani had cast. The Humans in the streets cried out and ran when they saw her approaching with blood splattered across her armor. Venitra cared not.
She was unstoppable. The Gold-rank adventurers had damaged her. Her. And the Antinium had—soiled—her form. The form her master had given her! Venitra had burned him into her memory. She would tear him apart slowly. But she had a mission. It trumped all things.
Ryoka was in a little inn called the Frenzied Hare. Venitra strode through the door, hearing conversations stop. She spotted the Runner at a table with four other adventurers. The Horns of Hammerad looked up. They froze when they saw Venitra, or rather, Regrika Blackpaw covered in blood. Ryoka slowly got up, her eyes wide.
“Miss Blackpaw, what’s—”
Venitra lunged. Her sword shot across the table towards Ryoka. The Human—dodged. She twisted in her seat and threw herself across Yvlon’s lap. As Regrika cursed, she cut left. She was trying to cut straight through Yvlon, but her sword slashed across the woman’s breastplate instead. Yvlon shouted and Ryoka ran for the door.
“Come back here and die, Ryoka Griffin!”
The undead woman roared, not caring that she was ruining her guise as Regrika Blackpaw. She was too incensed to care. Ryoka disappeared out the door in a blur. Venitra ran after her and felt something slowing her. She looked down.
Ice was covering her lower half. She saw Ceria pointing, and walls of ice rose in front of the undead woman, blocking her way. Venitra raised her shield and punched through the wall of ice, shattering it. She swung her sword and the ice binding her broke.
“Stop!”
The Horns of Hammerad spread out around Venitra, looking afraid, but determined. Venitra longed to cut them all down, but she ran for the door. Ryoka was more important.
“You are attacking our comrade. I would advise you to surrender, Named Adventurer or n—”
Her shield smashed into Ksmvr as he tried to bar her way. The Antinium fell. Yvlon lunged for Venitra, sword flashing.
She had no time for this! Venitra ignored Yvlon’s sword and accessed a part of her she seldom used. Her master had done more than create her body. He had imbued her with certain enchantments.
“[Mists of Madness].”
The spell erupted from her body in the form of a cloud which engulfed the inn and spilled out onto the street. She heard the other adventurers shout, and then the inn went insane. The cowering Humans suddenly turned on each other, some clawing at each other’s faces, others grabbing weapons and hitting each other, themselves—some sat in corners and gibbered, or became different people.
“A simple matter.”
Venitra strode out of the inn, sensing which way Ryoka had gone. She began to run as the insanity-causing mists began to affect the entire street. The [Guardsmen] who’d come running became crazed killers themselves.
Venitra. What is taking you so long?
Her master’s voice. Venitra cowered internally as she ran.
“I am pursuing Ryoka Griffin right now, master! I was delayed but she cannot escape—”
The Runner was moving fast. Venitra was faster. She barreled through the wall of a building and out the other side. Ryoka turned, eyes wide, and reversed direction as she ran down a street. Venitra ran after her. Az’kerash’s voice thundered in her head.
Where? No—I see by the spell you are close. Hurry, Venitra. Ijvani has retreated due to her wounds. Ryoka must not escape!
“Yes, master! I am almost—”
Someone stabbed Venitra in the back. She paused, turned, and lashed out with her sword. There was a blur of motion and her sword cut through air. She saw the blur resolve itself into a figure standing several feet away. He had a flaming rapier in his hand and crackling magic lightning in the other.
Pisces coughed, waving away the madness-causing mists that still clung to his robe. He was frowning, but the spell hadn’t affected him. He smiled weakly and nodded to Venitra.
“A mental attack is only half as efficacious on the second attempt. I am afraid…I have already experienced my own insane delusions once.”
His rapier was at the ready. His stance was set, his eyes watchful. Venitra turned away in disgust. As she did, Pisces blurred forwards and stabbed her in her arm. He seemed astonished when his rapier did nothing but slide off Venitra’s bone body.
“Begone, pest!”
She lashed out at him. Pisces blurred away, using the [Flash Step] spell. She turned to run, and he appeared next to her, rapier dancing across her side. Stab, stab, cut. Three precise strikes, all failures. Then he vanished. Venitra roared in Regrika’s voice, irritated by his futile attacks.
Venitra, stop paying attention to him and pursue Ryoka Griffin!
Her master’s voice made Venitra turn and immediately begin running. Pisces struck her twice more in the back as she did, and then blasted her face with lightning. Venitra swung her sword, trying to catch him, but he was a gnat, buzzing around her, too quick to catch!
But he could not harm her either. His rapier, enchanted with magical flames, was weak, and his spells were laughable. Venitra had been enchanted to withstand spells from Named Adventurers! She could not be so easily—
“[Bone Fracture].”
A hand on her arm. A sensation. Venitra felt her arm, cut slightly by Seborn’s knives, crack. She stopped and stared down in horror at her arm. Running along her perfectly shaped arm was the tiniest, most miniscule of breaks. She stared at Pisces. He disappeared as her shield swung at his head. He appeared at the other end of the street. He stared at her.
“You are no Gnoll. What…what are you? Who made you?”
He knew. In that moment, Venitra knew he had to die. She ran at him. Pisces became a blur, dodging away. He was faster than Ryoka Griffin thanks to his magic!
“You will not escape!”
Venitra roared at him. She tapped into the enchantments on her body, about to use another one. Her master’s voice halted her.
Hold, Venitra. Ryoka Griffin is getting away.
“But master, he knows!”
So I have witnessed. I will deal with him. He is…different. Hunt down Ryoka Griffin, now!
Her master’s words were never wrong. Venitra turned. She saw Pisces appear in front of her. He raised his hand, about to use the spell again, when his eyes went wide. He touched his hand to his head.
“Who is speaking to me? Who—?”
Venitra ran past him. She envied Pisces. He was speaking to her master. There could be no higher honor. She ran down the street, no longer hampered by anything or anyone. Venitra ran straight to Ryoka Griffin, charging through walls, running over anyone she encountered in the street. The Runner was too slow to evade her.
She burst through a wall and there was Ryoka Griffin. The Runner’s eyes widened and she turned. Too slow this time. Venitra’s hand shot out and she grabbed Ryoka’s arm. Then her face.
“I have you now.”
Venitra’s fingers tightened on Ryoka’s head as the young woman lashed at her chest, punching, kicking. Venitra felt nothing but satisfaction as she tightened her grip. Then she remembered her master’s injunction and stopped before she fractured Ryoka’s skull.
But her arms. Venitra could start with them. She seized Ryoka’s arm and grabbed one of her fingers. She bent the pinkie finger of Ryoka’s right hand back, back, and then tore it off. The girl screamed. It was the sound Venitra had waited for all this time.
Venitra, what are you doing?
She flinched as Ryoka convulsed in her grip. Venitra’s voice was sulky, reticent.
“Master, I was only—”
I told you to find Ryoka Griffin, not waste time! You have disobeyed me once. Why are you wasting time with nothing when—
“Master? I have Ryoka Griffin!”
What was going on? Venitra stared at Ryoka. The girl was sobbing in her arms, blood running from her detached finger. Az’kerash’s voice paused in her mind.
What?
“I have Ryoka Griffin. In my hands.”
Venitra repeated herself slowly, disbelievingly. Was something wrong with her master’s spell? Inconceivable. And yet, he did not see Ryoka Griffin through her eyes. Either he was wrong or the spell was wrong. Either way, it was impossible.
Venitra. What are you looking at?
Az’kerash’s mental tone was slow, quiet. Venitra hesitated.
“Ryoka Griffin, master.”
No. You are not. There is nothing there.
The world paused. Venitra turned and stared at Ryoka Griffin’s face. She saw tears in the girl’s eyes, an anguished face—and then a smile. Ryoka straightened. She looked Venitra in the eye and laughed as her hand bled and Venitra held her pinkie. Then she spoke.