A First Day Filled with Anarchy -
It was only a handful of hours since Gray first opened his eyes in this world. Just as long since his first fight. His improper casting of Cenic. Meeting Rosemary. And now his heart was beating rapidly, he was sweating and screaming with every squeak, and completely unable to act due to fear. Facing the Sect for the first time, and most likely not the last if he's luckily enough to survive. The home was quaking out into the still, silent slums of Walgonia. But on the inside, Gray struggled to free himself, Rosemary was surrounded by anarchists, and Soku was falling from a hole in the celling. Building and building bright green mana through her blade as she moved out of the night sky and into the battlefield, throwing out that blade through multiple of Jeremiah's claws. It erupted beneath his feet, causing him to rush upward and clamp onto the celling and backwall like a spider.
Jeremiah: "THE SECT OF ANARCHY IS THE NEW WORLD ORDER! WE CAN SAVE YOU FROM LIVING HERE, IN A PLACE LIKE THIS! HELD DOWN BY THE KNIGHTS AND SOIDLERS! NOBLES! EVEN THAT POOR KING! PEOPLE LIKE YOU, IF YOU TRULY RESPECTED THE SECT, THEY WOULD SURLEY LET YOU IN!!! WE COULD ALL BE ONE BIG POWERFUL FAMILY!!!"
Rosemary: "I HAD A FAMILY, A BAD ONE OR NOT, AND YOURS SLAUGHTERD THEM! SO FORIGIVE ME, BUT I THINK I HAVE TO DENY THAT OFFER! AND SHOW YOU JUST WHAT YOU SHOULDA KILLED A YEAR AGO!"
Gray: "COME ON GUYS RELAX! WE DON'T HAVE TO EXPLODE OR WHATEVER PLEASE!!!"
With ten other anarchists spread through the room, Rosemary and Soku had to defend the arms crashing all around and the flickering shadows. Forcing Rosemary to dodge a dagger, before grabbing the cultist by the arm and swinging her over her own shoulder and into another anarchist.
"IGN -
Mid-spell cast, Rosemary kicked at the ground to send debris right against the anarchist head. Soku on the other hand was pushing out her mana without any control. Kicking forward off the air to send out another slash of wind, then another, over and over again no matter how weak they were. So Jeremiah's arms would split, crack, burst open and fade away under the barrage. But as she neared closer to him, his arms just connected together again. Almost all his together, into one massive arm almost the size of the first floor. With a single one still holding Gray down like it was nothing.
Gray {CAN I REALLY NOT DO ANYTHING!? NOT EVEN MANA!? JUST A LITTLE! FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS! In out, in out, in out!!!! FLYYY! UP UP AND AWAY MANA! SHAZAM! GO MANA GO! COME ON!!!}
He tried his best to think of his arms, his hands, even his fingers. Anything that he had he tried to use, and yet it was all just as worthless. So he had to keep scratching, clawing at Jeremiahs claw, and watch with horror on his face as the massive arm crashed against Soku mid-air.
Soku: "You're all fucking insane! Breaking to my house!? TRYING TO HURT MY SISTER!? ME!? I KNEW YOU GUYS WERE CRAZY, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS!"
Jeremiah: "I think the more insane person would rather fight to the death instead of understand them!!! Talk to them!!! Respect them!?!"
Rosemary: "YOU'RE THE ONE THAT SAID WE NEEDED TO BE CULLED!"
Down below, Rosemary broke past two anarchist before lunging toward Jeremiah. Trying her best to distract him and the massive black shadow trying to crush her. Soku on the other hand was thrown through the second floors railing. Left choking, coughing, in a daze, and suddenly attacked by an anarchist vaulting over the railing.
Soku {SHIT! THESE GUYS HAVE ACTUAL SKILL!}
The anarchist moved quickly, bending low into a high deep kick against Soku. She'd manage to block with her blade, but was only thrown further back. In front of her locked door, ready to fight until she died to make sure it didn't open. And she would, screaming at the top of her lungs to unleash all she could in a sudden burst. Causing the bookshelves, the floor boards, the two anarchists sprinting toward her, and the window behind them to all freeze under the pressure. Connected in bright green winds, until they were sent flying out of it. Screaming, flinging their arms side to side, and smashing into the street below.
Soku: "COME ON!"
Immediately after more arms slammed down toward her, quickly encasing her in the thin tangling claws.
Gray: {Dammit, why can't I muster up any mana!? ANYTHING AT ALL!? IF YOU'RE SO WEAK, THEN YOU CAN TAKE A SINGLE HIT! DISTRACT HIM! YOU CAN DIE FOR THEM! Please, please, PLEASE! IF THIS IS MY PUNISHMENT, IF MY PARENTS WERE JUST WARNING ME, I UNDERSTAND! JUST LET ME HELP THEM!!!}
Jeremiah: "What about you sir? You don't seem very talkative!? Lost inside those dark eyes! That oh too somber face! And you seemed quite arrogant and confident before!? What happened young Pillar!?"
Gray: "JUST GET OUTTA HERE! I'LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING! OR JUST TAKE ME DAMMIT! TAKE ME AND RUN, RUN SO FAST THEY CAN NEVER CATCH UP! AND YOU'LL BE FORCED TO LEAVE THEM!"
Rosemary: "Quit trying to give yourself up!"
Rosemary broke past one, two, three arms with hefty strikes. Reaching out to save Gray, and yet more arms slammed against her. Wrapping her arms, moving around her leg, before Jeremiah could slam Soku into her. To leave them both on the ground staring back up at him, still swaying his eight long arms round and round.
Gray {....if it's all I have, then I have to use it, no matter how much it hurts.}
Thinking back to the only times he was able to use mana, one thing stood out. Watching Soku and Rosemary getting squeezed tighter and tighter. Watching the few anarchists left drag themselves forward. Watching Jeremiah laugh and wheeze and scream and sing under their pain, he had to scream out -
Gray: "I'M FROM -
In his attempts to speak of earth, only a sudden flash of bright purple mana came up instead. Around, through, across his body in a flash. Erupting Jeremiah's arm, and causing Jeremiah to instantly sent arms toward Gray. Weakening the hold on Rosemary to make a hand large enough to crush Gray with ease.
Gray {NOOO!}
The pain. It burned at every inch of his body. Stretching deeper and deeper, like an acid drizzling deeply into his veins. Reality, Jeremiah, even his fear was all broken under the flash of pain. Unable to brace, unable to move at all, and was forced to watch as Jeremiah's arm came rushing toward him. Until a kick of winds came flying toward him to throw him to the side, and cause Jeremiah's arm to blast through the brick wall.
Jeremiah: "DAMMIT! YOU -
Sweating, distracted, both Rosemary and Soku broke free with a burst of force. But Jeremiah only screamed. Screamed screamed screamed in circles, with his arms spinning along side him. Where Soku and Rosemary jumped out of the way, and Gray was smashed in his side. Thrown through the hole in the wall, and right over the table in Soku's loot shelter. He could here the rubles, the loud whistling of Sokus winds. Until he just focused on his horrible breathe. Horrible arms. Horrible face and strenght and thoughts and voice. All he could do was try not to puke from the pain of the mana surge. Try not to fall over and wait to die under his fear.
Gray: "HEY BUDDY DID YOU KNOW THAT I'M FROM -
Mana surges through Gray's body, causing the arm to pop, freeing him. Soku flows a massive amount of wind mana around her body, breaking free. She goes to free Rosemary so Jeremiah decides to take Gray out of the fight. He combines two of his arms and punches Gray into the wall, which he hits so hard that he goes through it l. Gray gets knocked back into the loot room and lands behind the counter.
Gray: "GAH OW, DAMMIT UGG!"
Soku flows as much mana around her as she can and starts rushing toward Jeremiah. The wind mana cuts through the mana arms, causing Jeremiah to combine them while dodging her attacks. He uses his arms to jump but being in midair hinders his ability to dodge allowing Soku to throw a large amount of wind mana at him He tries to block with the mana arms but the sharp gust of wind slashes through the mana arms giving him deep cuts in his flesh. Soku tries not to fall to the ground due to exhaustion. Rosemary on the other hand stands back up, ready to fight. And Gray struggles to get up, looking around for anything to allow him to fight back.
Gray: "It's all junk! Or shit I have no idea how it works!?"
Rusty sword, rusty sword, a broken shield, random armor, potion or elixer. Across the shevles, the boxes, random corners. Whether it be a crystal or wand Gray couldn't use, a blade or weapon he couldn't lift.
Gray: "Anything good is too heavy for me to carry!"
He moved side to side holding his screaming body. Through each self, desperately looking up down and all around. Until he hit his knee on a thick chest, unable to shut from how filled it was.
Gray: "ooooh man."
Rosemary flows mana from her body once again hearing the three clicks. Even with all the strain on her body, she rushes towards Jeremiah. He summons ten arms, long and think before combing them into two far larger ones. She tried to block his sudden jab, thrown back into the kitchen. But they just kept coming, spitting off and breaking the home around her as she sprinted right through it. Under Sokus wind blades, while holding up her fist with everything she had. Trying to force it further and further, to spark and flare her Golden Mana to it's limit. Enough to pull Grays eye, to freeze the anarchist, and pull Jeremiah deeper into the fray. So much so he even leaned forward as she pulled her first back, trying his best to unleash his arms point-blank.
Jeremiah: "PATHETIC PATHETIC PA -
They were dense, thick, yet to separate. And yet it bent, flexed, bubbled against Rosemary's fist. And popped. Allowing her to bash her fist across his face, and almost knock him out in one hefty strike. Until he just kept screaming, crying, roaring to the hevans. And sending out his arms to smash her against the back, across the face, even try and twist her arm to break it. But she had Soku to cut the arm in to, even if it left Soku with a few cuts across her own body.
Gray {Come on! This is gotta be something!}
Gray wipes dust off the front of the crate, revealing a strange and hard to read label.
Gray: "It kind of looks like English. Though the letters look sharper and longer! Must be some weird translation thing, whatever, if I'm right this may translate to flame crystal!!! Oh please be right!"
Filled to the brim with brightly colored and heavy crystals, Gray instantly screamed behind him.
Gray: "HEY SOKU HOW DO YOU USE THESE!?"
Soku struggles to respond, especially with a few arms smashing into the floor beside her. But with the small sight she got, she couldn't help be surprised and filled with fear from Gray's insanely dangerous idea. Although, dangerous didn't mean weak, not at all. And she'd make sure they got their chance to survive.
Soku: "FOCUS MANA INTO THEM AND THROW THEM, THEY LIGHT ON FIRE!"
Gray: "Dammit of course!"
He held his chest tight, bracing for the pain, and shouted once again.
Gray: "I'm from! -
Feeling the surge of mana come from his chest, something shifted. Like a crack ready to form, break open, like it's about to burst. Slamming against his chest, trying and tearing and screaming to get out. From small surges of mana from his chest, his hand, his neck, until it seemed to seep back into him. However, that surge followed with a surge of strenght. Enough to lift the hefty crate while his mana drizzled across it intensely. From red crystals of all shades deep and light, they began to shutter. To shine brighter and brighter, so much it felt like a flashbang. Though, he still had to swing it with all his might through the hole and as far as he could throw it.
Soku: " GRAY THROW THE DAMN CRATE!!! STOP CRYIN EVERY FIVE SECONDS AND ACT!"
Gray: "ALRIGHT ALRIGHT!"
With arms rushing toward Rosemary, Soku. With Jeremiah's laugh drooling out across the room. They had to stop, and look toward the young dirty and bruised boy screaming at the top of his lungs. His mana faded where only pain would reside. But if it was just pain, pain he swore he deserved, he could handle it just enough to stand.
Gray: "HEEEAVVE HHOOOOOOOO!!!"
Throwing the crate through the hole in the wall, right beside Jeremiah, everyone scurried. Soku let out all the wind she could as she leapt, smashing into Rosemary's back to force them out of the home. Skidding across the street, while watching on in horror. As Jeremiah pushed against his own soldiers to get toward the door, and yet, it was too late. Soku grabs Rosemary and uses her last bit of strength left to use her wind mana and leap out of the house.
Gray: "DAMMIT NO NO NO!"
Jeremiah: "NOT LIKE THIS!"
The crystals went from glowing, burning, to cracking. Filling and filling, brighter and brighter, before erupting entirely. Giving Gray only enough time to pull a shield off the wall, before it all came forward.
Jeremiah: "Uh oh."
It instantly erupted, sending a massive shockwave along with a burst of flames throughout the small two story house. The windows, walls, and floors all shattered under the force. While the flames seeped through the cracks, the celling, before washing back down over the home. Destroying a good portion of the house and lighting it aflame.
Soku: "...Oh man....at least Ophelia got away...."
Rosemary: "Where is she!? I can -
As Rosemary tried to stand, her body froze under a shock of pain. Unable to get off her knees, forced to stare at the crackling fire. While inside, Gray lifts the shield off of himself. Moving the debris, the dust, while he coughed his way toward the loot house's door. As he moved his eyes focused, and his ears to stop ringing before he does anything.
Gray: "Did .. Did it get him?"
In the burning debris, Jeremiah creates arms to lift himself, and due to his proximity to the explosion his mask and cloak were destroyed and burned to cinders. Revealing his long black hair, and some broken rusted chainmail. With burns on his body and the gashes on his shoulders still bleeding, he looks like he's about to die, he almost looked like a zombie. Blank eyes, a burnt bruised and bleeding form, with shadowy claws to pull him forward.
Rosemary: "YOU WON'T TOUCH THEM!"
Rushing forward with her golden mana surging, she pivoted between a few weaker arms. Closing the short distance in a flash, to use everything she had. Causing her arm to once again spike with power for just a moment. Destroying the thick right arm of her sweater, crunching her bones, stretching her muscles, while she drove her fist deeply into Jeremiah's chest. Causing him to roar out in pain, before his arms rushed out from around him.
Rosemary {MOVE! MOVE MOVE MOVE -
Holding her bruised and burning arm in intense pain, all she could do was watch on as the arms reached toward her. She tripped, falling back right in front of Soku. Forced to watch as he drug his body forward. Hardly able to speak. And yet his arms twisted into each other, growing thicker and stronger by the arm, until four stretched toward Rosemary and Soku.
Gray {MOVE GRAY MOVE!!!}
Beating his trembling leg down, he rushed to grab anything he could. Finding an old heavy shield he could hardly hold, and a short blade before dashing out into the street. Still, as he curved to run straight toward him, somebody else moved before he did. With a brick against Jeremiah's head, causing him to toss the girls to the side in a daze.
Jeremiah: "DAMMIT! WHY WON'T YOU JUST QUIT ALREADY!!?? THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE EASY! I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RESCUING YOU! WHY DID YOU DO THIS!? WHY ARE YOU ALL SO AWFUL!?"
Jeremiah held his already bleeding head with his burnt hand, lifting himself with his arms as he couldn't stand any longer. Where he stared at the trembling, rage filled Ophelia. Ready to fight for her life to save her family.
Soku: '...no...run....RUNNN!! NOWW!"
Gray: "YEAH GET OUTTA HERE!"
And then Jeremiah looked to his right. Seeing Gray Kyojin sprinting with all he had, and sent his arms smashing against the ground. Forcing Gray to barley leap to the side with everything he had, and still got sent tumbling across the street from the burst of pressure that came along from Jeremiah's two arms. Where Gray had to push himself up off the ground, and stare on the impossible. Jeremiah slowly moved forward with his arms, with two to move and another to crush Gray. And Gray, could only do one thing in response.
Gray: "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? YOU'RE JUST SOME KID! SOME CRAIZED PHYSCO CULTIST! SOME GENERIC VILLIAN! THE FIRST BOSS!"
Jeremiah: "HEH!?"
Like in the alley, he screamed in an overly dramatic way to both ease his fear and distract the foe in front of him. But this time, he had a plan.
Gray: {If I'm right his ability allows him to summon ten short weak arms made out of mana, he can then combine them into stronger and longer arms taking quality over quantity! And right now he's on his last legs! This is the best chance I'll have! I just need to land a single hit, one crital blow! I JUST HAVE TO FORCE IT OUTTA ME!}
Jeremiah: "You're not Kioshi, you're just confused! So come with us, let me -
Gray: "Let you nothing! I'm not leaving, and you can't make me! I'LL DIE ON THIS STREET BEFORE I LET YOU GET ANYTHING CLOSE TO A VICTORY!"
Gray smirks at him and Jeremiah turns his attention to him making his two arms separate, becoming four arms that he shoots towards Gray. Gray stands there scared but doesn't move an inch, instead biting the inside of his lip so hard it bled. However he had to act, and so he screamed from the bottom of his heart, bracing for impact.
Gray: "I'M FROM!!!!-"
Like before, a tsunami of dark purple mana emerges in a quick surge. But this time, after weakening his OD earlier that day, caused a crack to form. Then the pain which used to only last a second and is now on a continuous flow. Gray feels his muscles ache, and bones begin to crack. And even with tears flowing from his eyes due to the pain, he remains standing.
Gray {IT WORKED! NOW THIS JUST HAS TO!}
The arms come blasting towards Gray, but he stares them down, waiting.
Gray: "NOW! CENIC!"
A cloud of black mana erupts around them consuming them both in a fog of darkness.
Gray {"Baby spell" my ass! I can't see anything! Ahh whatever! I may be blinded, but he's still right in front of me!}
Jeremiah: "SPIRIT MAGIC!?"
Jeremiah combines all his arms into Goliath's arm, and it comes barreling towards Gray. With the mana coming off Gray's body the sword starts to be consumed within it as well, causing its attack power to rise, allowing him to slash through the Giant mana's arm. The arm explodes giving Gray an opening. Gray grits his teeth, jumping towards Jeremiah! The sword was overwhelmed by the power of the mana turning it to dust. so he plans on hitting Jeremiah with his bare fist. Jeremiah for the last-ditch effort spouts all then arms. Sending them rushing forward all around each other. Gray uses his shield to block some of the arms, and since the arms are so weak they pop by just being near Gray's aura of mana. However that aura was sending horrid shocks of pain through Grays body every second. Pushing him closer to complete failure with each passing moment. But burnt and exhausted was Jeremiah, forced to combine his arms. The enormous arm blasts forward, tearing up the street as it closed in on Gray.
Using his quickly fading strength he leapt to the side, bracing with the shield as he moved. It broke, but he made it. He didn't skip a beat, leaping forward while he drug his blade through the arm.
Gray {LIKE IN THOSE SHOWS! FOCUS ON THE SWORD!}
Trying his best, he flowed his fading mana into his sword. It was done suddenly and without any proper form, breaking the blade. But it worked, for just a second, ripping the arm and causing it to pop like a massive balloon.
Gray: "NOW, DIE!"
His body was aching, his mind filled with pain and fear, but the people that had been so nice to him were still in danger. The feeling of living, that want was absent, but what flowed through him was the flaming desire to push forward if only for a moment. That was seen in his fist, flying toward Jeremiah's face. Without mana, it was only his latent strength to guide him, landing a clean blow. It knocked the boy down, giving Gray the chance to smile with disbelief.
Gray: "...Hey, I -
But before he could finish his sentence, people surrounded him in an instant.
Gray: "Huh?"
Before Gray even fall over five men dressed in black robes all holding daggers stopped Gray in his tracks. However the steam and mana coming off of his body, along with his horrific screams of pain were gonna stop him anyway. The mana had sounded like violent whooshing winds, looked like a bright purple light, and left his blood boiling and his muscles churning. He cried and cried while experiencing the worst pain he could think of, or had ever felt up until this point, but instantly looked through the pain when a screaming child came charging forward.
Ophelia: "GRAY THERE'S MORE RUN! GET -
One of the men ran off and slammed Ophelia down, resisting her volley of quick kicks. Gray tries to put his arms back up to fight but the mana had left him, his OD leaking bits of mana and lots of pain. What was worth was that adrenaline went along with it. Falling flat on his face.
Gray {NO! I HAVE TO GET UP! COME ON, I LIVED FOR A REASON RIGHT!? I GOT SAVED, SENT HERE, FOR SOMETHING! I HAVE TO GET UP! PLEASE!}
Tears from the pain and his powerlessness poured, his ears drowning in the sounds of crackling fire and the screams of his friends. With his muscles shredded, his bones cracked, and his mind fading, he was left unable to do anything.
Soku: "Gray... you have to get up, and save her..."
Soku, without energy, spoke out as she laid on the cold cobble road. Gray tries to speak but is interrupted by one of the Sect members.
"Young sir, we meant you no harm. We just need to take you to our leader."
Gray: "...WHY!? WHY ARE YOU HERE!? WHY DID YOU FIGHT!?"
"You attacked first with that kick against Jeremiah, we only wanted you to join us, as that is the mission we have been given. You are not the clear victor here, and your friends alone are not good people."
Gray: "What are you talking about..?"
Another member speaks out, looking much larger and not very human by it's build.
"That elf girl she's a thief, a well-known one at that, and that girl with the golden hair belongs to the Golden Knights, a group of people that live to kill... Though they all died out, by our hand. So it's strange that she is here at all."
Gray: "Just! Just take me, leave them and I'll go."
Out of nowhere, a cold fog starts to roll in only covering the group of people.
"Fog?"
A member screams out with fear in their hearts while the mist grew rapidly.
"No, IT CAN'T BE! IT'S THE RONIN'S FOG, WE MUST LEAVE AT ON-!"
An abundance of cold mist flows around them, with all Gray can hear is five sword slashes as blood splashes on his motionless body.
The Ronin: "You are interesting. "
Jeremiah: "NO PLEASE DON -
A smack is heard as Jerimiah's body tumbles to the ground.
Gray tries to speak, but alas, he finally loses his battle for consciousness, passing out, ending his first day in another world.