Chapter 606: Empires Invasion [24] (1/2)
”How presumptuous,” groaned the salivating aedric beasts. It pounced looking for blood, the claws struck to no avail, the immediate rock face crumbled into boulders. Blades stained by the life of many others slid off the sheath, the figure blinked to reappear beside the creature, a brazen upward slash cleanly beheaded the monster. No turning back nor standing on guard, the blade returned as quickly as it entered the battle. No mercy nor emotions, the tall figure promenaded in to stand before the crowd.
”NO, JONAS!” cried the supposed leader, ”-HOW DARE YOU SLAY ONE OF OUR BROTHERS.”
”Lady Rouge,” Tharis left its holster, ”-a question, mind entertaining this humble traveler?”
”What is it?” her eyes narrowed to say, '-what a fool.'
”Vane's cult,” he leaped onto the precarious edifice, '-her back has been burnt and inscribed with many curses. Can't quite get the read on their intent.' Rivaling her one more,”-what's there to accomplish?”
”My revival,” cackles echoed, ”-the girl who's so diligently worked as our slave will soon bear the embodiment of our struggles and pain. She'll give birth to a demoness, the reincarnation of lady Vane.”
”In comparison to the ancient demon Draconis, how does her strength measure?”
”Why would you ask that… hell, where was that blasphemous name even heard. Lady Vane is second to our greatest goddess, the Curse Princess, Lady Akina.”
”I see,” the face hung low to stare the captive, ”-what about the townspeople. I've seen them suffer tremendously…”
”Devotees,” exclaimed lady Rouge, ”-look at the murderer, he's realized the foolishness in his actions.” The lips murmured a few words, the captive's eyes and mouth widened; her face flushed, a few words were exchanged.
”Tis our god's work, the afflicted illness is a conduit for my goddess's rebirth. The ceremony is over, today's the day of celebration, nothing can be done to undo what we've accomplished,” her arms climbed to celebrate confidently.
”About your rebirth?” wondered he.
”Doesn't matter, my duty as a servant has been accomplished,” her exalted visage dropped to a daring stare-off.
”Last question,” Tharis's barrel locked onto the crowd below, ”-would thee consider peacefully leaving this cave?”
”…” Silence and perplexed thought tremored the room, ”-leave peacefully?” snickered a bystander, ”-we're heretics, the worst of the worst. Tis a matter of time till our deaths. We've served our purpose; the rest is in lady Rouge's hands!”
*Astral Aspect – Disintegration.* '-Time to clean up the trash.'
”YOU'LL NEVER WIN, NOW MY SERVANTS, ATTACK.”
”Heard that one a lot of times,” *bang,* an instant hit, the impact imploded to swallow her arms, the striking pain knocked her mind out of consciousness. 'So much for that,' he floated down, '-a single shot, and my mana goes haywire. Whatever,' the stance lowered, '-guess I'll do it the old fashion way.' *Blood-Arts: Bloody Mary.* An imaginary voice of Adete said, '-on it,' flash images of her controlling the blood lingered.
'She's still at my side.'
”Toggled to battle-mode,” said Éclair, ”-go give them hell.” Orenmir's aura alone chilled the already freezing cave. Instinct cried. The participants altered their forms to demi-demons borrowing powers from Balone, the realm currently ruled by Lucifer. Hordes of tens darted for vital spots, '-I feel it,' he smirked, the crimson eyes dulled into a tranquil lake, '-the weightlessness of a fight to the death. My muscles, my mind, my reactions,' each strike, albeit faster than normal humans felt slow, '-the cries of the battlefield,' memories of the childhood crept from the darkest part of his mind. '-No one deserves a fate such as mine.' Orenmir sprawled into action, heads, limbs, minute movement ending in sprouts of speed, one moment before the enemy, the next behind. Blood soaked the ragged walls, in a matter of minutes, the numbers plummeted to the remaining ten. *cling,* the crimson halo sparkled in the dim lighting.
”Wait a moment, this fight is over,” they begged.
A monotonous reply said, ”-no, it's not.”
”Yes, we yield,” they knelt, ”-no more fighting.”
”Impossible,” returned he, ”-fighters who'd give up the fight are not worth my time,” he vanished leaving a timid afterimage, ”-be ready for thine execution.” A seamless stroke beheaded the last of the cultists. Half of the visage was drenched, '-such a pleasant feeling,' Orenmir cried in ecstasy, the energy took material form – an ascending white flame. 'Those slain by my blade are subject to never-ending suffering,' wisp-like critters levitated from the corpses, '-forever trapped in the hell of slaughter. The blade returned; as did the spirits who flocked onto the scabbard.
'W-what happened here?'
”Perfect timing, Lady Rouge.”
”What… my p-people, t-t-the humble f-followers of my f-faith. T-they w-were all granted with the boon of beast conversion, how c-could t-they be defeated.”
”Simple really,” returned Igna nonchalantly.
”You,” she stood and turned, laying her eyes on the result. ”Drenched in blood, an aura of a demon, canines of a nightwalker and a shadow as dark as the abyss. You're him, the harbinger of death.”
”Correct,” he left the kind cover of shadows, ”-Igna Haggard, heir to death, how might I be of service?”
”I didn't expect it to happen so promptly,” she laughed maniacally, ”-my quest's accomplished,” the posture and mien drowned into insanity.
”Do drop the crazed behavior.”
”Never,” she giggled, ”-I'm the apostle of Vane, lady Rouge. She foretold on the day of her awakening; an inconspicuous man would arrive to take her hand. Her revival is complete,” the fingers trembled towards the edifice. A surge of Aedric energy blasted the area, '-nearly lost my footing,' complained he.
”It begins,” she leaped, ”-IGNA HAGGARD, WE'RE SERVANTS OF LUCIFER,” the body splattered against the mossy canvas.
A beam of dark aura shot out the cave and into the clear sky. White clouds drenched in the color of woe, the weather altered, jovial to sorrowful, rain and thunder strewed across the land. Bullet-like raindrops showered, the forest and hill whimpered anxiously.
”DRACONIS, come back.”
”Can I look now?” the horns innocently side-glanced. There, in the corner, Igna furiously signaled. *Woosh,* fire spewed off the soles.
”Got you,” they twirled to a stop, ”-don't burn off the shoes…”
”Sorry pops,” returned a brash apology, ”-it's her, my friend, I can sense her presence. She's going to awaken soon, just like me.”
The body hovered, a greenish light imploded to purple, the lady disintegrated. Rotten petals spiraled to a sizeable tornado. Jolts of electricity sparkled; a ravenous growl beckoned the age of torment. The elements intertwined. Tremors snuck into the neighboring villages and towns. An earthquake or the eruption of a volcano. One after the other, the piled-up events reminisced of what the end of the world might be like. The clouds turned red; the lightning flashed in purple. The curious caught glimpses of Svein's hill, the epicenter clouded in a deluge of cursed power. 'Are we going to die?'
Inside, the remains of what Blood-Arts failed to assimilate amalgamated in a hefty orb. 'There's some serious power.'