Arc 5: The Stars Against Anarchy
Gordon: "...Even the Kings during the Demi-human war didn't have to deal with this. Shouldn't we be out there fighting? Too many have died for me to just stand and give orders, anybody better could do that."
Inside of the boiling pot that is Walgonia stood it's highest commander and their strongest soldier. Aside from Lincoln of course. Standing in the snowy Greenvale amidst the melting frost for the coming spring, looking over the mass of Knights and Leighton army flooding into the streets of the village, the forests, along with the sister village near this one on Godrick Mountain. Inside the red wood palace looking residence of the Leviathan Armies Commander was the Commander Gordon, along with the quiet and focused Ryo in the middle of the day sipping on tea after talking to so many lower commanders. A moment of peace between meetings to strategize, understand, organize, and outmaneuver the Sect over and over again.
Ryo: "That should fall onto me. But I know we can do this without mass death, if we really cannot, then I guess I'll have to break my vow and draw my blade once more. I'm ready to do so…esspecally if the news of Athens is true."
Gordon: "If they know you're out there then they might organize something like they did for Kioshi again. Our element of surprise, our ability to grab hold of Walgonia without forcing the Sect to the brink is our best chance to win without destroying everything. We won't end things even close to their terms, and after, we have to rebuild even stronger."
Ryo: "Well then we need to move. I have a large number of Knights that need to grow their affinities waiting on me."
Gordon: "Alright, I guess all we can do now is work."
Ryo vanished to move across the village and Gordon stepped toward the Leviathan Soldiers training in the field. All while the Sect continued to move, to burn, to fight against Walgonia. And it's New Hope faced them head on, to face their might without a second to breathe. The Burnt town was cornered by a various number of infected and decaying Spirit Beasts of all tiers, filled with Pillars and Potential Pillars, and shook by the clash of a Legend and a God of War.
"MOVE MOVE MOVE LET'S GO!"
"GET YOUR THINGS!"
"GET THAT DIRE WOLF, PUT YOUR THINGS ON EM!"
Dershia: "EARTH, ICE USERS WE NEED WALLS!"
Jong: "AND MARK USERS TO THE FRONT, ARCHERS AT ARE SIDES, SHEILDS AT CORNERS! FIRE, WATER MAGES TO THE CENTER FOR COVER!"
Jong lept to the front of the wide wave of soldiers pushing forward, south of Walgonia in the direction of Godrick Mountain. They needed to get through the collapsed streets to the gate up ahead, opening up to the grass and woodland surrounding the town. So he sprung his Enchanted Guandao at the charging Orange Pursuer. A Mid-Tier Spirit Beast build like a larger, orange colored, V shaped eyed lion with a wide jaw of long teeth known for it's incredibly sensory abilities. Able to sniff out ins prey from miles away, along with understand just how injured, old, hungry, it was. But here it just ran as hard as it could amidst the decaying purple tumors sinking into it's sides without a mind to be held, slamming into the burnt rubble before lunging up to a nearby building and right over Jong.
Jong: "EL-WIGGO!"
The seals on his weapon instantly pulled forth a surge of water spirit mana along side Jong, increasing the power and speed of the large spike of ice he shot right through the Spirit Beast. Only for a torrent of air pressure to cloud the area with ash from the street left of them, the result of Shioreta and Lincoln rushing in around each other.
Shioreta: "Have you seen Zhao by chance?"
Lincoln: "HE'S NOWHERE NEAR HERE! SO JUST GET OUT DAMMIT!"
His pivots along side her seamless running caused the broken buildings to break down in an instant, before the swipe of his hand sent even more homes behind them to the floor. It also sent Shioreta flipping backward wildly before dragging her blade into the street to stop, and get face to face with Lincolns instant movement. She could only guard as he struck with his built up momentum, and endured an outlandish wave of force that collapsed the entire back end of the street, the buildings, and engulfed the area with even more ash. Yet Shioreta stood in the small crater her body created leaking a wave of bright Red and black mana. Snapping her legs around, her neck, her arm back into place while some fingers and teeth stabbed out.
Shioreta: "You're trying to end things far too soon, that's not fun, as age finally made you more focused?"
Lincoln: "What happened to you?"
Lincoln stood over her, in complete confusion at how she could even regenerate in the first place. Let alone get ready to face him again.
Shioreta: "A lot's changed in twenty years. You all left me broken in Oni-mas, and my curse is yours to bear along side me. Zhaous as well. Don't breathe easy, Valentine."
Not too far from the action was the collapsing Tower sliced in half by Shioreta, where Gray, Edward, Rosemary, and Soku all rushed to save the many mages and healers inside. Soku pushed wind above them to block the rubble from crushing Leo and Peter, Rosemary ignited the second stage over her injured body to leap between the rubble with mages in her hand, Edward tried to grab hold of as many hands as possible, and Gray pushed Spirit mana into the Cloak to send tendrils toward everyone around him. Creating a web of people inside the collapsing half, before they landed down on the opposite. The rubble of the floors crashed into the survivors and Spirit Beasts below, leaving the roof nothing but the sky above. Staring down at the survivors who rushed to join the evacuation along side the rest of the building, leaving Gray and the others all frantically trying to figure out just what to do.
Gray: "We need to save as many people as possible!"
Edward: "We're barley recovered, at least everybody but you. I think we might need to find Dema and Julius and just leave."
A handful of healers rushed with Leos bed in a journey behind them, accompanied by Peter and Soku rushing to the small their circle in the middle of the hall.
Soku: "That's best. If I push myself too much, use my Mark too much then all my wounds will reopen."
Rosemary looked down at her fist, before looking out at the windows behind them overlooking the already collapsed city ready to fall to nothing. Winged Spirit Beasts flew through the air, buildings collapsed one by one in bursts as Lincoln and Shioreta zig-zagged across the city in a long line of smoke and debris, and down below magic fired on all sides.
Rosemary: "I hate to say it but I can't do much here either. If I push to the fourth stage across my body it might collapse way faster than normal, it'd be more of a glass cannon then I already am. And if we grow any weaker it'll make escaping, surviving so much harder. We're needed, our mission isn't to fight the Sect here, it's to go to Godrick Mountain."
Gray wanted everybody to be safe, but that extended to so many Knights, Red Arrows, even Warriors down in the streets trying to help. Screaming in fear or with vigor, anger at the monsters smashing toward them. Or the bulldozer of force that landed in the center of some Knights to send them all flying into the rubble around them, Togi. The large purple barrier trapping those closest to one of the gates created by Donte. The knives that bounced across alley walls, burnt or ash, landed just off mark in the sides of Red Arrow necks from Marker. The corrupted Sacrificial blade that cut down Warrior after Warrior from Conna. Or the small broken path created by Titan, who quietly hunted down his targets with his extreme strength waiting to be unleashed.
Gray: "You all can leave, but I've recovered most of my strenght. I won't make the mistake I made with Ceasar and go after the Sect. We need as many people as possible to survive this! If they die then all of Athens would have been for nothing!"
Edward: "Lincoln is here! We just need to hold out and stay safe! I want to fight but we can't rush into battle if it's not necessary! Remember what you told me about Moro! Listen to yourself!"
Gray: "Well what if I was wrong!? I need, we, somebody has to try. If the backup isn't here then it'll have to be us -
Julius: "That is a little selfish, no?"
Julius sudden appearance with Dema in hand left Gray and the others gasping in fear, but they were getting used to him anyway. Even if Gray had a wave of rage flow through him the moment he saw Julius smile, solely able to see Olivia, Lorraine, and Gracey on the floor with their necks snapped. An image forever burned into his brain, and a core screaming truth to stand his guard.
Gray: "But isn't it true? You guys go, and I'll leave when I'm ready!"
Rosemary: "The doctors keep telling you to stop or you'll be broken forever! This is the time to heal, to grow, and when we're ready we can go all out! But please, let's go! Now that Dema's here it's time to go!"
Peter: "GUYS GUYS!"
Amidst the group speaking was the trembling Peter watching on in complete horror through the window, as that bulldozer leapt into the sky with her metal arm held high.
Peter: "WATCH -
Gray leaked mana and pulled back while his Cloak stood on end. Edward braced for impact with his hand tightly gripped around his hilt. Rosemary put up her bandaged arms ready to unleash the third, or even fourth stage. Soku pushed Peter away with a burst of wind while pushing her arm forward. And Julius sunk backward with Dema to protect her, all as Togi bashed the window open. Throwing out a wave of pressure that crushed the center of the room, barley missing them all but Edward. Who took the torrent of air head on with his sword as a shield before staring down the stern beast, and swung without a thought.
Togi: "Filthy Helsing!"
Her fist flashed against the flat end of his sword, pushing it into his face before sending him flying back. Yet when Rosemary, Julius, Soku, and Gray leapt to attack she just spun. Generating a pulse of pressure similar to Lincoln, Garly, Toll or Raylice. A true level above the rest in control over their strength, weaker than Raylice but far more controlled. Sending them out of the window she came in through, including Dema, while Peter and Edward had to brace for another attack.
Gray: "NO NO!"
He sent his Cloak forward to pull back into the battle until he heard the screams of his friends, and snatched Rosemary and Julius hands instead. Yanking them towards him as Dema scooped them up mid-air, leaving Soku to float with wind onto the saddle right before Dema aimed up into the sky past the Tower.
Gray: "I guess we have to leave then!"
Soku: "We told you!"
Julius took hold of the reins and aimed her back toward Edward and Peter, but Togi closed the distance first. Clapping her hands against Dema to send a shockwave that once again pushed them all back. Under her Edward took Peter and rushed towards the stairs, fleeing the soon to crumble tower with the rest of the ocean of spiders trying to escape in the streets below. Leaving Togi to fall back down toward the town and slam her fists against the street as hard as she could, to push back every surrounding soldier with her might. Up above Dema flapped her wings harshly and quickly against the air to regain a hold, but the others had already fallen off once again. Separated too far by the air, before they quickly had to recover alone below. Julius slid down a large pile of rubble, Gray struggled to glide down to the large burnt roof below him, Soku spun with wind around herself before calling out in pain and crashing across an alley, and Rosemary landed right on her feet in the second stage. All looking up at Dema, who burst back toward Gray first.
Gray: "Go help Peter and the others first! Get me last okay?"
Like she could understand him she continued flying past him before aiming around toward Julius, who awaited her arrival instead of joining in on the fight below. Diving over the waves of magic, hit a few smaller flying beast down with her shoulder, and allowed Julius to leap onto her saddle before moving to find another.
Edward: "Do you see Leo? I wanna make sure he's makin it out!"
Edward pulled Peter by the hand down the crowded street, between all the chaos. They ran with all the surrounding soldiers and looked at the many wagons, covered wagons, carriages and spirit beasts caring so many of them. And then, far in the distance moving to the exit currently blocked by Donte's shield was a mass of Red Arrows, and Leo in the middle of them. Asleep and still being treated in a covered medial wagon.
Peter: "He's over there!"
Peter leaned in front of Edward for a second to point, striking a smile between both of them, before a large hand in a thick black leather glove burst from the brick wall beside them and grabbed Edward by the face. Pulling him right through the wall and sending him rolling across the destroyed bar, to face whatever mountain feeling man just grabbed him.
Edward: "STOP! I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE SECT OR NOT BUT STAND DOWN!"
Edward shook without any idea of what to do, other than strike. But the dense, looming figure. Titan himself. Stood strong, silent, and just started walking forward at an intense pace.
Edward: "I said stop!"
He kept walking.
Edward: "DON'T TAKE ANOTHER -
Titan thrust his first toward Edward, yet Edward dodged. So Titan tried to stomp Edwards leg in half, dodged again. Edward moved around the large constantly swinging cannon of a fighter as best he could before he was finally struck in the face. It shook his vision and sent him into a daze, yet he knew it was weaker than Moro. Maybe denser, faster, more focused, but Athens had set their new limit. So Edward instantly took a step forward and swung. It went through Titans iron like forearm and yet there was no blood. He just looked angry instead of focused, and swung again like a pure brawler. A zombie that would crush Edward no matter the pain, how much Edward began to roar as his Warriors Spirit sparked alive.
Edward: "HAVE IT YOUR WAY!"
Amidst his rage Titan thrust with surprising speed, but a small burst against his back distracted him. Peters popper, with a burst only strong enough to put some holes in his coat, and yet Titan still looked back to defend. And it gave Edward the chance to try and push everything out like he did against Moro, and use the Dragons fist.
Edward: "NOW BEGON!"
His body tightened, his blood felt like it was going to boil, and then nothing happened. His internal mana hadn't lit aflame, but he still cut right through the hand Titan tried to use to stop his cleave.
Edward {ARE YOU SERIOUS! NO WHITE WHITE HAIR, AND I DIDN'T EVEN MASTER IT!? WHAT WAS IT ALL FOR!?}
Peter: "WE'VE GOTTA RUN MAN NOT FIGHT! COME ON DUDE!"
Peters scream pushed Edward to strike, but Titan was just more furious. He swung down and broke the floor Edward stood, as Edward curved around Titan to cut his back. Forcing him to turn and confront Edward once again putting all his might into his swing.
Edward {COME ON DRAGONS FIST DRAGONS FIST!}
His internal mana was silent once again, yet Titan faced the blast of pressure that went across his chest head on without it. He was even sent back against the stone floor from Edwards slash, left to grasp his only fist so tight he dug into his own hand. Titan squirmed, bubbled, almost burned inside from what looked like pain. He never even made a sound. After their short scuffle he had shed no blood under his deep gashes, or the half of a hand laying on the ground. His torn open back, chest. He just stared at Edward with his black eyes more and more and more, to drown him in his pursuit.
Peter: "EDWARD COME ON THEY NEED YOU!"
Edward {EDWARD COME ON THEY NEED YOU!}
He leapt, and Titan tried to strike, but Eward pivoted to dodge and sunk his blade forward. Into the side of Titans throat.
Edward: "I TOLD YOU TO STOP!"
Edward felt desperate, consumed by rage almost instantly. At the same level Moro pushed him to without any connection, any word spoken. He fought for Walgonia, but how he fought, the horrific and brutal nature of Edward grew more clear to him ever battle. Conroy was the first man Edward ever killed, and he did so without wavering for a second. Now he has no idea how many Gravestone Pirates he killed, Warriors or Anarchists. It's what everybody in the Knights had to so, what every Helsing had to do, but he may be more Helsing than any Helsing.
Edward: "...I told you to -
Titan took hold of Edwards throat with surprising might, instantly pushing Edward back towards the floor before lifting him high into the air. The hold over his throat, even with the Dragon stone armor was growing to crush it. Titans breath erupted in eruptions, harsh, almost embarrassed, but Edward and Peter just watched in fear as Titan grew larger. Not a Demi-human transformation, but the unique trait of the Titan Spirit Beast. His hand, his gashes, even his cracked bones and torn muscles were laird over in a thick black flesh. It grew over itself, adapting, replacing, turning his left arm longer larger and with claws ready to swipe at Edwards face. Yet once again Peter threw Poppers, this time it was all of the few he had made during their short time since Athens. Against the side of Titans face in a flash of fire, soot, and dust. It dazed him for a second, where Edward was able to saw at Titans neck. His sword was stuck inside the swollen and oozing pitch black flesh before finally ripping out the side, giving Edward the leverage to stab right into Titans shoulder.
Edward: "PETER JUST RUN!"
But Peter instead called for some help, the people they were trying so hard to stall for.
"El-Wignis!" "Digvup!"
Edward saw a Warrior and a Red Arrow rush with a wand and a hand, yelling with mana toward the spirits for a stream of ice and an uproar of earth beneath Titan. The earth carved up around his body to let Edward push back while the surrounding ice slowly surrounding his growing body.
Peter: "IF YOU WANNA END THIS DO IT NOW!"
And Edward did, stepping forward to thrust his Dragon Stone blade directly into Titans frozen skull, before pulling back and slicing off his head. Right after he gave Peter a focused, then happy look, before spitting out some blood and teeth he could regrow.
Julius: "Do you need assistance?"
Peter: "EEEP!"
Julius slid behind them on Dema, drawing Edward smile. They moved to climb atop and fly forward, threw and over the crowd before twisting back to see where to move next.
Yoru: "My babies our dying left and right! This isn't fair this isn't fair!"
She stood far off walking back and forth. Desperately swinging her arms, flickering between views of her Spirit Beasts, stomping on the burnt rooftop between the monsters movements. The pick flesh grew across them while their bodies burned away from acidic blood; her control was becoming the end of the Spirit Beasts, and something new entirely. An Ogre swung his large arms through a building below before it stomped at some Knights trying to cut its leg, all controlled by her. In it's glowing pink veins, decaying flesh, and its scream of rage as a golden light leapt to punch it across the face.
Rosemary: "Please everyone just evacuate! Move to wherever you were supposed to go! Don't turn back, we can't give them any time!"
Then her mind switched to a Deep Bat Gray used to swing with across a rooftop before pulling it into the side of a burnt home to stop her from swooping down below. To a dashing Spirit Beast that tore through the backs of two knights before getting sliced by a Leviathan soldier's long sword. It was an Armored Blitzer, a High tier and incredibly dangerous beast headed right toward a lone elf moving to her friends.
Yoru {Dammit!}
Yet she lost control thanks to Lincoln, having rushed right threw it in his pursuit for Shioreta. She swung her blade up, down, across, back and forth, in a loop randomly in quick succession. Throwing out a rain of long ranged slashes through pure sword master, all to counter Lincolns rapid barrage of punches. They slicked through the center of each of the strikes, separating and destroying them enough so she'd only be blown backward instead of beaten to shreds.
Shioreta: "I sense you're putting a lot of effort, using the Dragons fist here and there like I can't sense it. Don't be sneaky now."
Lincoln: "Whatever! I'm old and you're stronger than before! Not quite the challenge! If I were you I woulda won by now, but since I'm me I'll just kill yah here! You shoulda shoulda away from me like you did with Musashi and the others! Maybe you're Spirit will go back to Oni-mas!"
He was on a hot pursuit, kicking her across the street before appearing right over her head. She went to stab right threw his skull, to force him to stop his attack, but he pushed forward. Allowing her to cut the side of his left arm while his right arm slammed down into her with the built up momentum. Creating a massive burst of air and dust into the air that made a deep crater in the city street. And when he tried to end Shioreta without giving her a chance, her Great Blade of Oni-mas lit bright in its bleeding seals. The two deep cuts and minor scratches she left all began to glow a bright red, instantly taking the feeling away in his left arm. He still moved to kill her, and yet she unleashed everything she had gained since her last defeat. Her true Curse, of the Banshee.
Lincoln: "WHAT IS THIS!?"
Yoru watched from afar in pure awe, and a hint of fear, as Shioreta unleashed a deafening wave of screams against Lincoln. It was a powerful and continuous, haunting whale of a grieving woman long dead. For a life long lost, and a last soul ununited, like a ghost trying to find its purpose. But all Lincoln heard was the cries of Athens, the sounds of Mount Yelira, of the island falling silent for the centuries to come. Then he saw himself drinking, Leo fighting, Beauregard growing up, and Lilith.
Yoru {If this works I may take that bitch Azalea's spot and be an Upper Pillar!!!}
Lincolns veins lit with the same purple as Shioretta's cries, her never ending scream. Her cale, still face had torn open for a pitch black and broken jaw unleashing the chaos. The purple wave broke and filled the destroyed crater they stood in, leaving Lincoln surrounded in his own sadness. Slowly breaking through his skin, into his only working eye full of blinding purple light.
Shioreta: "Facing Mount Yelira broke you, did it not? So much strain you're scared to try against me. The cracks in your body have grown so much deeper since we last met, and these were times of mostly peace. The Worlds strongest man, brought down by himself. You should laugh, it is pretty humorous."
Around them everybody broke forward, ran towards each other. From Soku leaping and complaining about her pain before blasting a handful of Moth Huggers from taking hold of some fleeing Knights. Low Tier Spirit Beasts that look like chest sized spider-moths with teeth inside of itself that latch onto your body and drain your very OD away. Weak and easy to kill by itself but insanely deadly in the group Yoru had flying around. Still they were blasted backward against the Armored Blitzer suddenly appearing to kill them. It was A short, sleek green skinned creature with curved legs, crooked arms, and a diamond shaped head with thick eyes on the bottom of it's chin. With an incredible ability to pinball through space, moving faster than a lot of people can think.
Soku: "GET OUTTA HERE GO GO!"
They all swarmed the High Tier Beast, distracting it while it slashed at them so Soku could pull her hands together. Swirling more and more wind tightly into a compressed shot before pulling back and slamming it forward as a beam of wind like she did against Ju'stone, creating enough pressure to break the beast stance and get swarmed by the twenty or so swarming creators completely.
Soku: "So gross, and scary! The Spirit Beast are worse than these Pillars!"
Like Edward Julius landed Dema right beside Soku just as she was ready, which she rushed to sit beside Edward while they moved back into the sky.
Soku: "Dema's gotten bigger since the castle -
She was quickly silenced with an annoyed squawk from Dema amidst the action, causing Soku squeeze with embarrassment and guilt for making Dema feel insulted.
Soku: "She's grown up since the castle! Sorry - but will it be alright for her to carry all of us? Even if you have lost weight Edward. She's still got our bags, it's kinda tight now!"
Peter: "You guys could drop me off with Leo or the Red Arrows if you need! I don't mind I THINK FLYING IS TERRIFYING!"
Peter closed his eyes and sung to himself to distract from the panic of flight, but Julius just pushed forward to the nearby Golden light without worry. However Dema couldn't feel a little uncomfortable with being so hardly controlled by him, especially compared to how Gray lets her just go forward without much command at all.
Edward: "We can think about it once we get out of the city!"
Julius: "While this place is large, and once considered a city, it is referred to as a the Town of Shells, yet those Shells seemed to burned across the bay."
Edward: " alright, I guess."
Edward couldn't help but stare back, wherever Gray might be, and why Lincolns quaking movements had suddenly stopped. As just a flew blocks over, deep in a drill shaped crater was the constant wail of Shioreta The Black Flash. A Half-Elf born in Oni-mas, trained by the Kami of Oni-mas, the Black Flash. One of the Best Swordsmen in the Word, with skill on par with Musashi himself, without the sheer strength and supernatural abilities of the retitled Master Swordsmen Kami. She was truly a Legend, and now a cursed being seemingly crushing Lincoln. Forcing him down to his feet.
Lilith: "What happened to you? Why were you even called a God of War? How did a drunk piece of shit become the King of a damn country!?"
In her consuming screams he saw a lifetime of failure. He saw his failure. Of his family, his mother, what he remembered of his father. But Lilith. Her laugh, her cries, they stuck out amidst Raylice and Garly. His sons, his life, his strength never matters amidst his days walking with her. Talking. The days were the world, his dreams didn't matter anymore. And he could just sit and smile, and take a drink whenever he wanted. So he cried. He cried for Athens. For his dear Lilith. His broken son, and the son he swears isn't dead.
Lincoln: "You seem to misunderstand…my sadness is my family…and my family is the only reason I'm who I am -
Amidst her absolute control, one that took everything she had to try and crush his OD, he grabbed her head.
Shioreta: "What do you think you're doing!?"
Lincoln: "If you ain't gonna fall then I'm not dealin with yah! Twenty years without you, I could go twenty more!"
With a smile on his face he swelled with might, as his Dragon Spirit lit flame across his entire body. It made that quake Edward was waiting for, smiled toward, and gave him the strength to stop Shioreta. As the crater broke down, he created a torrent of wind around the,. Spinning rapidly round and round, no matter how much Shioreta tried to resist. And right when she tried to rip her own head off and regenerate, he sent her flying into the sky with all he could. Tearing her to pieces against the violent wind, smashing through rooftops until she went high into the blue sky. Over the crumbling Athens to fall who knows where.
Lincoln: "I should do that more often! She'd probably gonna life but whatever! Now who needs me!?"
In a flash in moved into the air and brought down two decaying Spirit Beasts to an even larger own below. Yet he moved to the next juggernaut, Togi, who has killed about fifty, now sixty people in her slaughter. Until she looked over, and saw the fist of Lincoln bash her against the ground. It sent out a pulse of force, and a message that sunk into every member of the Sect in the Town, and yet they didn't stop. Leaving the newly appointed Togi to lay against the ground for Lincoln to step over and begin breaking for any information he could get as quickly as possible.
Rosemary {What is happening in this place!?}
Across the city Knights, Leviathan Soldiers, Red Arrows, and Warriors were leaving in waves. Yet a few hundred were getting closer to the closed off gate, held tightly by Donte in the middle of a fight between a mix of Knights and Warriors. Where he pushed the air, lifted and took hold of the earth like pillars or streaming spikes. Or simply stabbed into their hearts with his spear tightly laired of mana. Leaving many people stopped and attacking his slowly cracking dome, ready to crush the lone Pillar. Although the blasts of fire, walls of ice, earth quakes all from magic combined with the strong, fast, and flash Demi-humans was quickly breaking through whatever control his domain gave him. And he hadn't even gotten to Gray yet, which was making him most angry of all.
Donte {I can't hold this forever! Should I leave by myself or with them!? Oh hell I can leave Yoru to die, hell those new recruits were just for muscle! AND WHERE IS OUR MASTER!?}
He swung threw a head as he stepped back to burst wind behind him.
Donte { WHY IS THIS HAPPENING!? WHY DIDN'T ATHENS KILL THEM DAMMIT WHY WHY WHY!? HE KILLED MY FAMILY AND HE STILL GETS TO LIVE!? WHY DOES THE WORLD MAKE IT SO HARD FOR US TO SAVE IT!?}
He flipped over a large Demi-humans jab before getting hit by a large magic stone piece of rubble in the chest. Watching a large crack shatter right down the center of his dome due to the crowd, and promptly struck across the face by a speeding Cat Demi-human knight.
Donte {I JUST WANT TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT FOR MY SISTERS, MY BROTHERS! SO MOTHER CAN REST EASY, SO FATHER CAN TAKE WALGONIA!}
The domain was soon to fall, filled with cracks amidst the building mix of soldiers and races, and there he finally saw Gray jumping in the sky.
Donte {AND WHY WHY WHY IS IT ALWAYS YOU!?}
Gray saw the dome but was too focused on the two story, wide and burnt Art Museum filled with chaos. His eyes were black with the Spirit Sense, focusing deeply on the many rushing souls against the corrupted beasts. All things he somehow knew while looking at different lights, feelings, and whispers. He swung with a sweating panicked face right over the building, threw the shattered glass sections in the roof before barley landing on his feet between rushing Knights and a few Leviathan Soldiers.
Gray: "Does anybody need hel -
He was pushed aside by the many Knights. Lifting bandaged people, swinging swords at Spirit Beasts, screaming over top his worried voice; They were trying to move all of the injured soldiers and refugees in the middle of a Spirit Beast attack barley held away.
Gray {ALRIGHT MOVE!}
Over the Knights reassuring the hurt men and woman laying on the floor was Gray lit with a mix of corrupted and Spirit mana, in a mix of his old and new world attire, using the Cloak of Darkness to save as many as possible. The upper story was half the size as the lower, as there was a large broken stair case down the center. The large broken windows loomed over them all, under Gray punching a decaying Dire wolf away from a lone injured boy.
Gray {I feel bad for hurting these things but how do I stop the sickness? Can I? Ryo probably could! What do I do!?}
His choice was made for him by an arrow and a greeting. Shooken by a hand on his shoulder, until he realized who it was.
Gray: "Carlos!?"
The young owl Demi-human, Walgonias Knights best Archer smiling amidst the burnt world surrounding them. At Grays face filled of sorrow after lighting up at the sight of him.
Carlos: "Nice to see you but we gotta move man!"
Carlos took Gray before Gray could worry any longer by the Cloaks hood, yanking him down the stairs before throwing him to the large and hardly pieced together Multi-Bear roaring between some Knights. It's twin heads snapped back and forth at Knights, at themselves. Due to their melting brain, they just swung and swung toward their targets. Carlos sent out a handful of arrows into one of it's two left arms, while Gray jumped toward one of what should of been two right arms. As the claws swiped forward Gray moved up, running across the arm before jumping behind the Spirit Beast with the Cloak around its necks. Then, with a burst of a Full Power Aura, yanked it against the shell and diamond patterned floor. Giving the other Knights the chance to brutally swing at it's already burned open chest, to it's heart to end this monster. Against both its heads, it's pulsing tumors.
Carlos: "Nice! Now let's -
Between the stands of burned paintings, across the stair rail, the rubble, even the rusty knives and broken daggers themselves to slash Carlos arm - the neck of a knight beside Gray - almost cut Gray twice - stab another knight right across his thigh - Impalie stabbed, stabbed, even more so had he rushed in to throw a handful of knifes that bounced across the floor.
Gray: "ENOUGH!"
Filled with rage Gray burst mana toward the Spirits, as he knew exactly who this was. Facing Marker head on, who'd leapt from the upper floor in his attack to face Gray. But Gray broke that eye line instantly.
Gray: "CENIC!"
The space around them swarmed and rushed with black smoke from the air around them. Marker stumbled, twitched, before crying out in a rage while sending his knives out in despair. Yet Gray pushed the Cloak forward and past him to take the knives as he ran, clearing the distance with a leap and his arm dragging through the air.
Marker: "Where's your gear!? No sword!? Mask!? Did I catch you with your damn pants down!?"
Gray: "I don't need that to deal with trash like you! And I didn't have time to ask for spare gear yet, I keep breakin mine!"
Marker pushed back, letting Gray crush the stone floor and throw out another punch toward Markers cracked mask, then another strike with the other arm followed by the Cloak.
Marker: "GET BACK!"
The Cloak grabbed hold of his right arm, leaving his left arm to throw out a handful of knives that bounced around themselves to cut Gray's face to pieces. Yet he only increased his flow by taking in a burst of Spirit mana to stabilize his Spirit sense, blowing away both Markers Knives and Cenic's thick cloud. Marker just closed his eyes in a panic, right before his left leg was grabbed by the Cloak. Gray then pulled him into the air with his duel hold, watching as the Cloak moved and tightened around Markers body without any command before slamming him face first against the floor.
Gray: "Stand down! I don't want anybody who dosen't have to die die today! Please dude I let you guys go before! I saved you!"
Marker: "YOU RUINED MY LIFE! I'LL NEVER THROW MY KNIVES THE SAME BECAUSE OF YOU! MY FOOT WILL NEVER WORK THE SAME! AND IT'S GOT AN INFECTION SO BAD I'D NEED A MAGICAL SPECIALIST TO HEAL THE SECT WON'T GRANT ME! HOW IS THIS SAVING ME!? WHAT IS THIS THIS!? DO YOU THINK YOU'RE SOME KINDA HERO!? YOU'RE THE PHANTOM KNIGHT, THE KINGS BOUNTY! GARBAGE!"
Under his words Grays memories of Athens grew, of Caesar, of Jeremiah, everybody else he's hurt. He had to draw his line, he had to stop, so he took in spirit mana to turn his bright purple corruption blue, and fed the Cloak. Rising Marker into the air for somebody to put him in chains.
Gray {NOOO!}
His rising Spirit Sense felt a shutter of power from behind the burnt wall behind him, causing him to rise his hands before his words could save the few knights in the way. A bright red slash broke through the wall, spirling toward Gray before he moved backward. Getting the cloak cut in two, sizzling away into corrupted mana while he dropped to the ground in a rage. Shuffling for all the knives around his body to take on the knights rushing toward him, even with his rushing support.
Conna: "Stand down!"
Connas attack burst against a few Knights behind them, but around her swarmed more that she had to deal with using her single arm. Ducking over and over one before kicking him into another, dodging a slash to spin and cut right through a fire ball. Cutting, slashing, and pushing the Knights away from the fight without killing or massacring them. But she still gave up a chunk of hair, stamina, finger nails, eye lashes to charge her blade. Not to unleash the large pulsing red mana in a single burst, but push Gray back and back. Where he had to push away from Marker and face the barrage of knives that still did nothing. Carlos on the other hand pulled back his bow string to force Conna's energy to waste, giving Gray a short opening to rush toward Marker. Pushing past his spiraling, flipping, redirecting blades before landing a clean strike against his face.
It sent him flying back, it almost completely shattered his mask, and it left Conna stepping forward to protect a man she had so much distaste for. Ready to sacrifice whatever it took to stop them.
Gray: "EVERBODY JUST GO GO GO!"
The Knights trying to help finally grabbed the finally few injured, leaving Gray and Carlos while they joined the massive crowd pushing to Donte. Who's shield finally broke with a loud cry, forcing him to sprint filled with panic over the army. Trying his best to let them flood out behind him while saving him self, racing toward Gray. Rosemary did the same, trying to find any of her friends amidst the chaotic crowds still filling the city between the dead Spirit Beasts. It seemed like they were actually winning, so a trigger had to force them to the brink.
Gray: "YOU TOO CARLOS RUN! I GOT IT!"
Conna pushed Gray back with slash after slash, before Marker tossed out knives around Gray still unable to break through his mana. It just made Conna move out of the way, setting her up to get grabbed by the Cloak across her face before being slammed to the ground and drug over against Marker. Tumbling them into each other, and lit with even more mana.
Gray: "NOW GO AWAY FOREVER DAMMIT!"
His arm pushed and surged to a Full Power flow no matter how much his arm shook, boiled, tore at his jacket and burned his flesh. Overwhelmed by his sea of mana, overwhelmed their eyes, before he punched Conna right in the chest. Throwing them both back into the burnt painting on the wall. And while Conna stood, Marker struggled to pull himself together. Drooling a mix of dark red and black blood onto the floor mixed with teeth and a haunting cry of pain.
Marker: "It hurts it hurts! DAMN IT BURSN IT BURNS IT BURNS!"
Marker grabbed, scratched, tore at his screaming OD. Letting Gray see his face under the broken mask, bits of skin taken by violent glowing green veins. They stretched around his fingers, over his heart. Pumping quickly, taking it all without a choice. Marker just screamed, spun, fought with himself all while Conna went to sacrifice years of her life to cut Gray down.
Rosemary {Where are they!?}
Inside the second stage Rosemary sprinted. She ran with all she had with the rushing soldiers, away from the stacking bodies of dead Spirit Beasts melting away to Yorus poison. Right under a soaring flash that slid right beside Rosemary, catching her in time for them to see Rosemary punch a Dire Wolf foaming with acid in its decaying mouth.
Soku: "Did you see Gray!?"
Rosemary: "No but I think I felt his mana rise! He's nearby!"
Rosemary swung onto Dema, pushing her down with the handful of people she was already caring. Making her a bit slower, and worse at flying, forced to soar over to Gray at what felt like nothing compared to her normal speed. It let Peter finally breathe easy after almost losing his voice in fear. They moved over a wave of earth, a ball of fire, and Jongs ice that shot to a fleeing Donte. Then inside of it was Lincoln, flying over tall buildings in a single bound to take down the rest of Yoru's beasts.
Lincoln {Not to long from now everybody's gonna be outta the town! I'm clear to focus on the Sect! SO WHERE ARE YOU!?}
Everybody was quickly rushing toward the end of this sudden battle, but the Sect needed their victory. It needed more, and it had prepared for more. It showed itself through Markers cries of pain, heard by Gray and Conna amidst their scuffle. Where Gray swung up to the second floor to jump right down behind Conna, then dash around Conna again. Looping to trip her up before kicking her legs out from under her, and leapt to tackle her down. Landing a clean shot to her face, until her body cracked open with corruption.
Conna: "I'LL SACRIFICE EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU KILL A SINGLE ANARCHIST! YOU WON'T STOP US EVER AGAIN I SWEAR TO THAT!"
She gave up all she had to the blade, or would have, if Gray didn't instantly put everything he had into pulling it away. The Cloak pushed and wrapped around Conna without any command from Gray, allowing them to stop her sacrifice. Separating the two before Gray sent the sword flying away, and the Cloak threw Conna out of the ceiling. Causing Gray to feel a bit scared of the tool, until it just drooped back into back at his command. Allowing him to face the screaming Marker. He clawed at the sky, this throat, taking out his knives to stop Gray onto the drop them all ahead of himself.
Marker: "...I was supposed to kill you first…but it aches…IT ACHES IT ACHES IT ACHES IT ACHES! I CAN FEEL IT CRYING IT'S SCREAMING IT'S BLEEDING!"
Gray was frozen in panic, without any idea of what to do. Should he get help? Help Marker himself? Stop Marker? Scream for help? Just go to his friends and leave Marker? But Marker made that choice, and tried to tackle Gray without any strength left. Gray just pushed him back with the Cloak to wrap and immobilize him, however it was too late for Marker.
Gray: "What's wrong!?"
Marker: "MY SOUL IT ACHES MY SOUL ACHES IT ACHES!"
That phrase, something he'd heard before. But he didn't remember until he saw Markers mask finally break away, and show off his pitch black eyes. Amidst a chance, to ones of a snake. As green as his veins, veins that finally broke open to coat his body. Drawing him in mana that sunk into his now scaly skin. Those scales grew thicker, larger, all across him, before new teeth took place of his missing ones.
Gray {YOU'RE SEARIOUS!? NO I'VE GOTTA GO GET LINCOLN!}
Gray was frozen in fear, but everyone around the museum felt it. The sudden overwhelming corruption. It sent Lincoln kicking towards them from the sky, sent Dema flying faster in hopes it was Gray, and caused Gray to collapse to his knees in pure fear.
Servers: "IT ACHES IT ACHES!"
Markers wild light brown hair, his more square jaw, broken nose, even his wounds all broke down and faded away. His hair longer, wavey, white. His face and body broke to become more slim. His wounds sunk into himself. Before his cries of pain turned into screams of belief, and his head broke away from his body. Gray squealed in fear as Serverus, an Upper Pillar of Anarchy here in the flesh, stretched his head between them to bite at his shoulder.
Lincoln: "GET OUT! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! RIGHT NOW DAMMIT!"
Lincolns words appeared as suddenly as he did. Blasting threw the roof to crush Serverus head, grab and throw Gray threw the open front doors into the crowd, and turned to face the erupting Pillar.
Serverus: "MY DEAR VALENTINE! PROMETHUES SENDS HIS REGARDS!"
Gray tripped over his feet, about to run back inside, yet the Museum erupted right when he stepped back. Serverus arms swung toward Lincoln as a mass of even more arms burst out of them, out of his back. Forcing Lincoln to flick his arm forward with the Dragons fist to break them all, to send Serverus flying back, and crush the already destroyed Museum down onto itself. Allowing everyone to sense Severus, even the Lower Pillars. Before they saw his arms rise into the air like a tree, stacking from twenty to fourty, pushing toward a hundred. Yet Lincoln let to face them all, clapping his hands together for a shock wave that broke most of them.
Gray {WHERE ARE THEY!?}
Gray stepped out into the screaming crowd for less than a second. He was smashed in the stomach and flung back, by Dema herself, caught on the saddle.
Rosemary: "Are you okay!?"
Edward: "Whats going on!? Is that one of the Upper Pillars!"
Soku: "THAT DUDE FAUGHT KIOSHI AND MUSASHI!"
Peter : "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! THIS IS SO UNFAIR!"
Gray was overwhelmed by the bombardment of voices. Although, he was too busy staring at the clash of titans behind them with a face melting with absolute terror. Without any idea of what to do Julius took them toward an escape, but Gray dug for another. He looked in his bag desperately, before taking hold of the Sects communicator.
Gray: "Maybe we could talk it out, or I could contact whoever set this up! Or try and get them to flee!"
Julius: "I do not think it is a good idea to use something we have no idea about."
Gray: "I've used it before! It justs needs mana and it seems to connect to the others nearby, or maybe all of them? I don't really care we just need to do something! I'm not just gonna leave Lincoln! I don't care if he's the Strongest Man in the World! He needs our help, and so does everybody in this Town! We don't have to leave it like Athens! We can still help!"
With the device in his hand, he pushed mana toward it, thinking of Greenvale.
Gray: "We could still go home -
He wanted to fight a way. He wanted to stop this. To save at least one person. The device lit with Red mana like circuits, before those circuits cracked into a splurge of Red and Black mana. Grays eyes went blind with fear, until the device ate itself into nothing. Expanding as a burst of mana in the shape of the Sects crest, and left them all nothing but that same mana.
Peter: "IS THAT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!?"
Julius: "Oh my."
Edward reached toward Gray in a panic, but Rosemary was faster. Soku tried to just shoot it away with wind. Peter screamed to the sky. And Julius just dropped his head with a sigh. Because they were all to slow to stop the mana from absorbing them in a flash. Up their bodies, around the sky between them and Dema, before fully consuming them in a sphere of pure corrupted mana. Of the Dark Arts. Vanishing into the sky mid-flight, away from the battle, without any idea of what just happened.
Serverus: "MY SOUL ACHES FOR ALL OF YOU!"