My whole life has been horrible.
I liked the simple things in life. You know I wasn't too complex.
I like reading books or seeing flowers blossom in first light.
Even watching a simple ladybug cross the bridges between my fingers.
—I got bullied at school a lot. It was even worse with me being the only noble there.
Nobles were typically frowned upon.
Due to the events that took place 28 years ago
You would think a land named "the last the land of peace" and after all that time the land was healing up, maybe people would be able to let go of their hatred.
No. Instead they kept grudges within their hearts and passed it on to their descendants.
Some scars never heal, I guess.
But I never cared, because I got to go home to my only peace every day.
My family.
They never judged me, never picked on me.
None of the negative stuff.
They cherished me.
They understood what I went through as they went through the same…
They truly loved me and I was able to feel joyful because of them.
But…obviously it couldn't last forever.
For grievances born of our ancestors' will continue to shape our fate. ~ As mother always says.
Every noble house controlled something and my noble house was responsible for the town's land.
Each noble was given a standard to uphold for their land. These standards were given by the regional master and a few approved by him, from the people who resided in that land.
During that period in my life, it was very common for people who had nobles controlling them to make obscene demands, and when they weren't met they would cause problems intentionally within the land, to hurt the noble house's reputation.
Within the region. This caused a lot of problems for my mother as being the head of the house, she had to take it all upon herself to handle.
She wouldn't accept help from any of us.
Me, father, the maids, butlers. None of it.
She was a strong woman. You see her whole life she strived to revive our noble house, especially when her parents died. On their grave she promised them she would…
At least this is what my father told me, she even made him use her surname oleander.
No man would go near her because of her big personality.
My father on other hand explained it as, She had the kind of energy that could wake the dead even make a weary old soul feel like they had purpose again.
He could spend hours to days on end just listening to all her ideas of how she would change the reputation of her noble house and nobles in general.
He loved her so much….it broke him that he couldn't support her the way she deserved but she was happy with him regardless.
They found peace in each other and hope in me…
But continuing on.
She didn't want any help, she wanted to prove something here. Prove something to herself.
That all of it wasn't for nothing, she was desperate to make sure she didn't leave the world without leaving a mark.
I could never understand why she tried so hard to appease people that could never be appeased.
People that used her, exploited her kindness and—she knew—she knew they were doing this but she bared it.
Just to keep a noble title and reputation.
I know it meant a lot to her but it always felt like a nuisance to me…
—We tried to help as much as we could but she continued to shut us out.
So we just watched her deteriorate and when I turned 13 soon after the stress got to her and drove her to an early grave.
She died.
We didn't get final words nor a letter. Just her cold body.
It broke me and my father but we told each other we would stay strong for her.
My father took on the mantle of head, he wasn't the best at it as many maids and butlers started to leave due to finances with all this stress and the recent death of my mother.
He was distraught but he kept on going like we promised we would or so I thought…
After 2 years I had finished school and it was now my time to choose my direction in life.
My father supported me heavily through it all
But I decided to wait until I could decide. I was never fond of fighting or the harsh learning of a scholar even though I was offered a plethora of high standing schools and academies to go to because of my intellect.
I didn't have the most potential, but I had an innate intelligence, I had always been smarter than all my peers. Maybe that's another reason they hated me.
Either way I enjoyed and cherished the peace I had left.
That meant not leaving my father.
Another year had passed, and he slowly started to disappear from my life; our long talks turned into brief hellos, and our daily activities became distant memories.
Also around this time I found out he was leaving the house at late hours, along with finding out he would come home during the early hours in morning.
When I went to his monastery later in the day, I would always see him fast asleep.
This, with everything else, had me deeply worried.
So. Afraid of what this could lead to, I decided to follow him, one of the nights.
All the way into the town.
As we lived in a mansion just uphill outside of it
I tracked him on foot
Slowly trailing him with a black cloak my father had gotten me.
I ended up losing him
Then giving up.
But as I was walking past a bar I briefly heard a familiar voice within the building.
So I simply grabbed a wooden bucket nearby and used it as a stool as I peeked through the window.
I saw him.
With multiple women drinking a large bottle of ale.
My heart dropped.
I fell off the bucket hitting the ground.
And instead of standing up and dusting myself off… I just lay there.
Disappointed in him but it all came out as tears.
I fell asleep shortly after.
I suddenly—Woke up hearing shouting behind me.
It sounded like a fight was taking place.
So I lifted myself and looked.
My father was in a fight with multiple men.
They were shouting about money he owed them.
I immediately stood up, shouting and running toward them.
He turned around shouting my name but before I could get to him one of them tackled my dad to the floor.
And the other two started to stomp on him wildly. Until he bled.
I desperately tried to pull one of them off him but they kicked me away and I ended up hurting my arm.
My father saw this and actually got up—then a glint of iron unsheathed out of one of their pockets
I shouted "father!"
As one of them pulled a knife out and stabbed him in the stomach with it.
They ran away. I ran towards my father. I cried.
Barely able to get a word out, as he died.
Again. No letter. No last words. Just a cold body.
Then
Leaving his body, there was no way I could carry it, I thought.
So I went home. It was now abandoned with no one to steward it. From time to time something would break randomly or I would stumble upon a mischief of rats.
I walked the halls of this home continuously.
Tears flowed down my face at times but I didn't realise till I saw puddles under me and from time to time I would feel unnaturally cold even when I was covered up.
Walking around the home also reminded me of my promise with father. That I would be strong for mother but now for him too. So I tried not to shut myself in.
And thought to get a few things, as I was hungry after being in those ruins for so long.
I scrouged from some money and grabbed a black cloak that was laying around and basket for food.
The cloak itself was made to keep me warm as a gift from my late father but I still felt cold inside.
After I had found affordable food and managed to fill the basket.
I began walking back and I was, I heard some people in an alleyway talking.
"You heard about the noble that died to a bunch of commoners"
"hahah no way!"
Hearing this, I naturally stopped just nigh of the alleyway out of curiosity.
"Yeah apparently he owed them money"
"Oh but I've heard something different, I heard that he didn't owe them anything, it was all just planned out by everyone in the bar. So they could get rid of the nobles atop the hill for good."
I don't understand why but I just panicked, dropping my basket and running away. Back to that house. Shutting and locking myself away.
No more I didn't want any more of this!
I crashed inside: falling, tripping and slipping as i ran toward that room—My old room—I reached it and crashed down to the solid wood floor.
I gripped my chest and body in a panic attack as a mixture of intense emotions swelled within me for a few days, a large part of me felt bitter, wrathful, contempt, abandoned and powerless. Another part of me wanted to do something about it..but logic got the better of me; what of me. I had never felt so lost and inadequate in my whole life.
So I sat in silence staring at a crumbling wall… with the sound of my panicked breaths echoing through the empty estate.
How did it get like this so fast?
At that time I also wondered why I wasn't crying this time.
Maybe deep down I didn't care? Maybe I had already used all my tears already and hadn't realised it.
The more time passed the colder I felt. It kept growing and it never stopped. Until I no longer felt anything.
I stayed locked away for a year,
Empty as the cold enveloped me, frosting my own heart.
—Then one day the pain kind of—subsided.
So I decided to take a stroll. Lost, I walked through town with my cloak.
Then I found it. Purpose. I finally found purpose again.
Purpose that filled the hole in my heart.
It started from a simple book, A secret stall at the end of the town that sold illegal items. I felt a calling to it. Then it transformed into a desire and obsession—A passion!
I wanted to bring her back to life Alana the dark divine saint so I can take revenge!
On all those who wronged me and my family.
I wanted to be a vessel and gain the power of chaos, the power of necromancy!
I will show them all!
I worked tirelessly for 4 years trying to find a good vessel.
The most fulfilling years of my whole life.
I killed many. I cannot lie—it was all in the name of good. The world also hurt Alana. Is it not fair that I bring her back so that we can take revenge together!
I fell in love!
But all that work.
Just be shown up by a mere child.
A 14-year-old at that.
He showed me up at every turn.
He took everything away from me.
Even Alana, the one I praised, looked down on me because of him.
After I resurrected him. Clothed him. Fed him. And gave him all the hospitality.
He betrayed my trust. Humiliated me. And killed me all in front of my mistress.
I thought. I really thought that I could trust him. I thought I gained an actual friend and an accomplice. But I was foolish
I was an idiot to believe that it could ever work.
Because now I am this CHAOS CHILDS! servant, he even provoked me to anger.
I WANT TO END HIM FOR GOOD!
No NOT. Just kill! I want to… make him suffer! like he did me!
But alas.
I have no choice in the matter for my own foolishness has caused my defeat.
I really do hate him but for now it seems…
Augustus appeared in a dark purple lit room with Zero appearing in front of him back toward Augustus.
Augustus kneeled in obedience
"Have you chosen Augustus?"
Augustus lowered his head
"I am at your command, my loyalty belongs to you, master."
I must obey… to obtain the most fulfilling victory
"Good… so what do you request of me?"
Zero turned around facing the humble Augustus
Augstus head still down, expressed his desire.
"I got overwhelmed with foolish emotion in my first endeavour master. So, your servant comes humbly before you to ask for a second chance at redemption in your eyes."
Zero grinned widely and extended his hand to Augustus skull.
Placing it on his skull "Don't let me down"
The room faded to black.
Krog crushed Augustus skull under his feet.
"Safe." He cheered
"Are you sure we don't need to destroy its body krog?"
"Yeah" krog answered blunt
"how do you know?" Volka questions.
"killed a few earlier"
"Oh ok…"
She replied as they began walking back, then—realising something she grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Wait.. didn't I tell you to not attack back at the gate?"
"Must've missed that." he said, sarcastically.
She laughed as both continued back to the others.
Berner and Joldwin sat in victory.
"Can't believe we actually did—" Joldwin began.
"Stop talking! Dammit, they're dead, we won, let's stop thinking about it!" Berner yelled.
Joldwin chuckled, "Alright, alright, I will"
Two captains appeared from the right side of the town and one captain from the left side.
A single captain from one side shouted "Commander!"
"Oh." Joldwin stood up steadily. "Captains what's the condition report on your posts"
Berner stayed down in exhaustion.
One captain from the right side stepped forward and answered "We have cleared most of the skeletons on both of our posts, with only a few casualties sir"
"Same here Commander!" the single captain said, from the other side.
Berner stood up, hands behind his head yawning, "Welp.."
"…It seems the battle has been won!—Time for a celebration and some well earned rest." Berner said while stretching his body.
All captains cheered, and started discussing plans.
Joldwin looked around at everyone and smiled.
"Hey! Captains, Commander!"
Everyone waved at them
Krog and Volka waved back with cheerful faces.
"Condition report!" Joldwin commanded
Volka nudged Krog, he perked up and saluted.
"Monster slain sir!"
"Who dealt the final blow?"
"Um...uh" Krog hesitated
Volka nudged him again.
"Um. Uh.. Me-Me! Sir! I caught him after the lieutenant created an opening for me in the rhythm and I ended things by chopping off his skull, crushing it under my boot."
"Wow, you two did a lot of valid work. From now on you will both be captain Volka Venderbush and lieutenant Krog."
All the captains clapped their congratulations, except one…
Berner squinted one eye sharply.
Cough cough
"mmm sorry my throat."
Joldwin, ignoring him, continued.
"Might have to give you two warrior titles in the form of a ceremony of honour the nobility way because you were both just so exceptional."
—COUGH COUGH! Berner again clearly.
But Joldwin ignored him again.
"Thank you so much commander but there are no places left, all posts are taken." Volka said
"Don't worry you can have the west post," he said playfully.
"Wait what!" Berner raised his voice.
Everyone laughed, as Berner began bickering.
Further away from them....
Purple mana swelled up, into a focal point above the parts of Augustus head as they got sucked up into it and rebuilt his skull then all the bones from his body got sucked up and rebuilt attached to his head.
When he was fully reformed, his enchanted cloak floated round his body.
Magically finishing off his new refined look.
Now completely refined. No longer a mindless berserker. Now fully in control.
Augustus stood up straight, cold air escaping his maw.
One of his sockets goes a reddish pink and the other goes a blue.
His lance started to float in the air, beside him.
Now shorter in length giving it nimble speed in the air.
Augustus's sockets glowed dimly as he scanned the battlefield.
Faint auras of everyone on the battlefield appeared.
In total about 200 bone walkers left. That's Impossible my hex eclipse spell didn't work? We lightly reduced their forces from 687 to 487 soldiers. Scarcely diminished them.
Whoever destroyed my hex will pay. But first I need my grimo—
He locked on to all 7 individuals standing far into the town square beside Arcaeus's crumbled head.
Augustus's sockets ignited furiously, burning and about to cause a scene..
—Then a sharp memory rang
Don't let me down.
He hesitated
"Maintain yourself Augustus"
Augustus's eyes glowed softer, two different colours still lighting his sockets.
The enchant on his cloak glowed purple. He charged a soul flame bolt in his hand.
As he stepped.
He disappeared leaving a small gust of wind which then turned into a large gust .
"OK! everyone back to your posts, lets finish off the rest"
Joldwin said as greenish black flame flew past them all hitting Berner no one noticed till he stumbled back.
"Mmmh?"
Berner looked at his hands, not understanding what just happened
One of the captains realised Berner bent posture and asked, "what's wrong captain Berner?"
"I don't know, I just felt the weirdest sensation, kind of hot like fire."
Joldwin assessed Berner, "You will be fine, the healing potion you drank probably didn't heal your wounds fully. We will get you another one later."
"Right…" Berner said, straightening his posture, while checking his body for any leftover injuries.
"Did you not all hear me? We need to go, get moving!" Joldwin repeated
"Yes sir!" they all said in unison
Everyone started to go their own ways.
Suddenly
ARGGH !
Berner dropped to his knees on the ground holding his stomach—green flame pouring violently from his mouth each time he opened it to scream.
"BERNER WHAT'S WRONG!" Joldwin yelled in a confused panic
Everyone turned back hearing the noise.
In that moment, of panic.
Augustus appeared behind Krog.
And instantly backhanded him to the side, sending Volka with him as they crashed through multiple buildings toward the right side of the town.
Augustus walked forward calmly.
Joldwin held Berner as he continuously vomited green flames,
The two captains on the right of him tried to lunge but they were instantly binded by soul chains which wrapped both together, paralyzing them, unable to move.
Once the green flame stopped coming out of him.
Berner sweat all over his forehead. "Joldwin focus dammit!" he grunted.
Joldwin turned around, his face tensed.
Running toward Augustus with immense rage.
"YOU!" he roared.
He rushed with just his long sword
Trying to slash horizontally at him it reached past Augustus's neck..
Augustus lance rushed in by itself blocking it fully.
"what?"
Augustus threw a right hook that shattered a piece of Joldwin's helmet at the cheek, the force sending him crashing through several buildings on the other side of town.
The single captain beside Berner started to shake with fear as Augustus walked up to Berner, who was bent on his knees, holding his stomach.
When Augustus reached him, he merely looked down coldly.
"The grimoire! Take it!" Berner shouted, trying to toss the book the two steps to the frightened captain. The captain opened his arms, but the grimoire never made it—roots, like skeletal hands of blackened bark, had already snaked around it, pinning it to the ground.
Predictable, Augustus thought.
Berner tugged at the grimoire.
"What the heck?" Berner muttered, tugging at the stubborn roots.
Augustus began to speak. "You..."
Berner screamed.
"Why... won't it... come undone!" Berner kept tugging at it.
The frightened captain two steps away finally shook off his fear, unsheathed his sword, and jumped at Augustus trying to slash at him.
Augustus just kept looking down coldly at Berner, who helplessly tugged on the book.
Augustus's lance immediately impaled right into the captain's armpit, through the middle of his chest—only the tip came out of the other armpit.
Blood dripped in front of Berner as he finally pulled out the grimoire.
"Finally," he huffed.
He then saw the sword drop and blood covering the ground as he looked up.
Berner was petrified as he saw his fellow captain impaled, the body slowly going limp.
The body slid off the lance, slumping onto the ground—then a sharp and cold voice cut through Berner's fear.
"...Fool." Augustus grabbed his throat.
Berner struggled to breathe while getting choked out.
"Arcaeus didn't get to say a single thing before you ended him, so I won't let you say a single thing either."
His grip tightened.
Berner's face turned purple.
Then Augustus loosened his grip, giving Berner a breath of air—but only to tighten it again. This time, Berner's flesh began decaying rapidly.
Berner didn't get to say a word as his neck completely decayed.
Augustus crushed the rest, separating his head from his body.
Berner's head fell to the ground.
The ripped roots disappeared like shadows in light.
"How kind of you for dieing."
Before picking up his grimoire
Augustus went over to Arcaeus crushed head, and kicked away the large great axe.
Then crouching he placed both hands over the remains.
Purple mana-like ooze travels from his body to his palms then into Arcaeus body coating it in his purple mana. "Arcaeus, come back to me my friend."
"Arcaeus came back to me, my friend."
He then stood up picking up his grimoire and watching as his purple streaks of mana swirl around Arcaeus as his head started to rebuild and his body started to animate his sockets burning crimson.
"Glad to see you again, my loyal stead." He said petting him
Pointing to the two captains who were binded by the ghost chains he said "After you deal with those two, pile the corpses here."
Arcaeus ran over rearing up for a cursed stomp.
Thud!
Creating a large tremor all over the town.
As this happened Augustus cloak glowed, and immediately he rocketed up to the top of the mansion, soaring 25feet into the air.
Once he reached the top, he spun around mid-air to face the whole town.
Hovering in the air, he raised his hand toward the sky, with the other holding his grimoire open.
"Time for my main plan to go into effect," he said…
In the battlefield, a squad of soldiers had just finished an ambush of bone walkers.
One footsoldier slashed the neck of a bone walker, killing it. She then took off her helmet, letting down her long hair.
Huff huff
"This bunch is done!" she said, with a sigh of relief.
Another female soldier with no helmet and short hair walked up.
"Been a long night, huh?" She put her hand on the long-haired footsoldier shoulder.
She was about to answer, but caught something with her eyes, up into the sky "Yeah, it has... But hey, why does it look like the barrier is cracking?" she said while squinting in confusion.
The short-haired foot soldier also squinted.
"Yeah... you're right."
Then the barrier shattered completely, letting the curdling blood-red mist in, re-inflicting everyone with the hex as it shrouded them.
Back to square one.
Shards from the shattered barrier were still falling and slowly fizzling out in the air around Augustus, his hands held high with his grimoire floating in front of him as if conducting a symphony of terror.
As his arms descended to his side, he looked on with satisfaction, his reddish socket pulsing crimson for a moment before reverting to normal.
Arcaeus's sockets turned an even brighter crimson red with a nightmarish screech.
The screech sent a crimson mana wave throughout the town.
All remaining bone walkers reacted to it as their sockets burned the same colour. They were all sent into a frenzy.
Everyone in town was showered with the obscuring blood mist and its debilitating effects.
Both female foot soldiers turned around in panic!
The short-haired one tried walking forward. "Hey! Where did the squad go?!"
"Hey, stay close, L!" the long-haired one shouted as she failed to grab the other soldier walking away grabbing only mist as she disappeared, "No!" But before she could ready herself, a bone walker latched onto her back, its sockets blood red as it chomped on her exposed neck, taking her down. It then stood up and ran forward, leaving her bleeding out.
L turned around. "Amy?" but only blood mist was left surrounding her.
Then she heard the voices of soldiers screaming:
"Sergeant! Help me—ackk!"
"I feel... I feel way weaker."
"Stop! Ahhh, they're biting me!"
"They're too chaotic—run!"
Blood-curdling screams could be heard through the mist.
L stepped back in fear, then stopped in her tracks, afraid of what might jump out of the mist.
Fear almost overtook her as she shifted her stance in direction.
Many voices and screams continued to echo around her.
Then—a bone walker jumped in front of her. She held her sword in front of her as it took her to the ground, its teeth scraping off her sword.
Dammit, where did all my strength go? L thought.
The bone walker slowly pushed closer. Before she knew it, another bone walker lunged at her face from top.
A minute later, she was left bleeding out, consumed by the fog.
The bone walkers started to appear from random places, jumping on people's backs and biting their necks and shoulders. They were random and wild.
The fog kept reeling.
Joldwin made his way toward the town's square facing Arcaeus.
Arcaeus neighed softly.
This alerted Augustus atop the building, he quietly floated down, cloak flailing in the gentle gust.
Joldwin stood ready, thinking to himself,
How is that Nightmare horse still alive! Joldwin advanced, forward carefully.
But stopped his advance as he saw blood pooling behind Arcaeus
"Wha…whos blood?" Joldwin staggered.
Then Augustus elegantly floated between them and directly in front of Joldwin's view, blocking him from Arcaeus with his cold demeanour.
As his feet planted on the ground.
Joldwin's expression soured.
He rushed in but the fog reeled in completely.
Covering Augustus and Arcaeus.
Joldwin held his long sword and took his helmet off.
"This will have to do as a shield, for now, until I can get my actual shield."
He then heard galloping around him.
Joldwin focused on sounds around him. As the blood red fog covered him, inflicting him with weakness, he glanced around in slight confusion.
Drat! this weakness has come over me again…and this fog has gotten thicker. I can barely see where I am standing.
At that moment, Augustus appeared through the blood fog behind him with fog rushing from his gaping mouth and hollow eye sockets, curling behind him as if he was bleeding smoke.
His sockets ignited as he tried to grab Joldwin's head.
But Joldwin felt the chills in his spine and instinctually rolled forward.
As soon as he got up Augustus Lance tried to stake him from above, but he rolled to the side avoiding it.
Retaining slash on his exposed cheek only.
The blood fog spread out creating a path directly to Joldwin.
As Augustus appeared walking towards him his different coloured sockets burned with calculated certainty.
His lance hovered beside him.
Joldwin rushed at Augustus.
With his longsword in one hand and a partially broken helmet in the other.
The lance also charged towards him.
It makes a very faint hiss as it soared toward him.
They clashed.
Pushed each other back.
Running in again.
Joldwin bashed it with his helmet. Pushing it back.
Then they both went for another strike clashing with metal and bone.
They kept on striking.
Through the fog as Augustus stood and watched as they both got lost in the fog clashing.
Joldwin used different manoeuvres to try and get past the lance but no matter how hard he hit it or what he tried he couldn't break away from it.
So, he was stuck battling it through the blood red thick haze.
Metal on bone rang through the blood fog like a hammer on iron.
Further in the town.
Volka stood up steadily spitting some blood.
All she could see was the blood fog.
"Volka you ok?" twitch asked
"Yeah, just tell me what's going on with all this mist." She asked.
"No idea it seems like the barrier has broken releasing this blood red fog that is hexing everyone again."
She looked to the side in confusion
"Wait, how did this happen?"
"Not sure but It seems to be that hex spell in the sky that has affected the mist too, turning it red and even thicker."
"So we are not just in this hex field we are also in an extremely thick magical fog."
"No. I meant how did he break the barrier!"
"Oh. No idea…" twitch replied calmly
"I need to go back and stop this madness!…" She readied herself.
"Twitch power now!"
Twitch manifested in front of her meeting her eye to eye.
"No."
Face turned confused
"huh? What do you-"
"Volka, what you are feeling now isn't just the hit you took earlier it's also the penalty."
She lowered her head.
"You know your own situation."
"Your affinity had always been low and due to this you couldn't hold my power. If you were somewhat stronger in power, soul or affinity it would be different but you're not."
"In simple words. Your body, your soul can't take it."
She bit her lip, her fist balled up.
Shaking with emotion.
"But… if you just trusted me and trained with me, you would be able to go longer even with the penalty stacked against you."
She burst.
"DAMMIT WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY TWITCH! HUH?"
"DO YOU NOT THINK? I know that I am weak? Huh?!"
"Do you not think I KNOW THAT IT'S MY FAULT?!"
"Are you trying to say that I am not capable!"
Twitch stayed calm and spoke again.
"Exactly."
"if I were to give you power right now especially more. You would get an extreme mana backlash that would put you in a coma or worse…"
Her eyes widened in realisation
"…Just outright kill you"
She dropped to her knees.
As Volka grasped the truth of her situation.
Back to the square.
Joldwin is pushed back.
Panting.
But the bone lance just floated undeterred by Joldwin's attempts.
Then two different coloured sockets glowed behind the lance through the blood fog.
Then the blood fog opened up as Augustus appeared walking up beside the lance.
He stood there looking at Joldwin.
I can't keep this up but I have an idea. he thought grimly
Joldwin clashed with the lance and held it in this meet while pushing it back to Augustus.
Then pushing it away and as the lance attempted to charge in again.
Joldwin flipped the helmet to the inside facing out and caught the bone lance in there.
Then Augustus realising lunged with his hand going for Joldwin's face but he crouched instantly while slamming the trapped lance into the ground, the also lance penetrated through the helmet slightly and scarped his fingers.
Joldwin kept going and he followed up swiping at Augustus making him back up.
They face off.
Joldwin taking few breaths while streams of blood curl down his fingers.
Smiling widely, determination blazing he lunged. As the lance struggled under his helmet he used it, as leverage to jump as he got into the air he slashed his sword horizontally toward augustus but Augustus just bent backwards to dodge the long sword reached past augustus skull, seeing a opening Joldwin didn't stop there, as his sword went across, he grabbed Augustus skull.
And raised his long sword to stab his neck.
"THIS IS IT!"
As he stabbed his sword in Augustus's neck…
What?
Augustus's body disintegrated into the bloody fog
Augustus suddenly appeared behind him.
Joldwin spun around and slashed—only for the figure to dissolve into bloody fog.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught another glimpse of Augustus lurking in the haze. He lunged, blade tearing through the phantom, but again—only fog.
Breath ragged, Joldwin ran in circles, hacking at the shifting illusions. Each cut only birthed more red vapor.
Then—impact. A fist struck at his side. He caught the arm, wrenched it—only for it too to unravel into mist.
Augustus emerged again, now multiplied, his forms scattered in every direction. The fog swirled with their movements, closing in.
Joldwin screamed.
"What madness is this?!?"
"REVEAL YOURSELF UNDEAD!
A voice sliced through his spiraling thoughts.
"Sure."
He spun, too slow. Augustus loomed for an instant—then vanished.
Before Joldwin knew it the ground flew rushing up, and he crashed into a mound of corpses.
Staggering, he looked up just as Augustus turned his back, one hand raised, fingers poised to snap.
Among the pile, Joldwin's eyes caught something that froze his blood.
Berner's severed head. Lifeless.
"Berner…?" he gasped, eyes wide.
Augustus clicked his fingers.
"Die."
The corpses erupted at point-blank range. The explosion consumed Joldwin, as blood exploded everywhere, the fog curling around it.
Augustus walked away
Well that's dealt with. What now… Arcaeus is away right now killing off the rest of the soldiers.
He stood, quietly contemplating.
Then lightning streaked behind him scorching the ground.
He stopped and turned around.
There she stood Volka, still clad in her armour, with her shield and her short sword.
Flashback
Volka hands and knees on the ground.
Words ring in her mind
Don't be a coward, Volka! If you don't do it, who's going to do it?!. So, lift your head up and face it head on!
Her ears perk up. Without hesitation, she grabbed her short sword and drove it into her thigh.
"What's wrong with you!!" Twitch shouted, in dismay
Pain. Adrenaline. Clarity.
She breathed out, eyes snapping open with predatory slits.
She's back to her senses.
"I'm not done yet!"
Primal side of her forcefully awoken.
Her hair stood on its ends.
She grinned standing up.
She began running back to the square
I knew she would act like this, twitch sighed
"Alright then well I can't just let you walk into your own grave without helping."
Volka spoke up "you've got a way?"
"Yeah, I will explain as we head back"
Present.
She didn't say a word as she entered her stance.
Augustus charged a soul flame bolt in his hand.
As he was about to fire it. She blitzed him, appearing behind him in electric fury.
A coat of spectral mana washed over Augustus.
Augustus dashed away in that moment, as she tried to send a clean cut at his back but it missed and phased past him.
He fired a soul flame bolt.
She easily ducked it, electricity sparking around her for only a second as she did.
She's fast…very fast. Without this barrier she would've got me,
He thought, as he brung his grimoire out while backing away into the fog.
Multiple versions of himself appear
I need to be careful of her.
She simply smirked at this.
As she imbued her eyes searching for Augustus's real body.
A memory of Twitch's method reverberated in her head.
This method: is were you pulse into your elemental state, for only a second.
Once Volka located Augustus, she pulses, blitzing all the clones.
Then pulse back to your normal state as all you need is a boost of power to overwhelm it.
Pulsing back.
She appeared behind him again, slashing right through his cloak and scaring bone, this time.
Augustus jumped back
How did she find me?
Confused.
As she dashed toward him
Remember since you're in a critical state, any longer than a few seconds and you will face backlash.
Augustus casted skeletal hands of shadow from the ground using his grimoire.
I call this method Pulse break.
But Volka sees it, coming smiling crazily.
She disappeared as the skeletal hands grabbed the air.
Appearing In front of him this time. Slashing him.
Then she kept pulsing around him reappearing, and disappearing as she slashed his cloak and continued to scar his bones.
With each slash she became wilder.
As she did this Augustus stood enduring.
Eyes dimmed.
Augustus clicked surrounding his hands with mana and snapped his fingers creating a bone rattling snap which echoed through the area.
Causing her to stagger a bit in pain but she pushed through with her attack.
He used the moment to make space between and to conjure a tiny shadowy orb.
He then threw it.
Fury in her eyes she dashed past, ignoring it entirely.
"Naïve" Augustus said as he saw this.
She pulsed with power, zipping toward him in a blur. Augustus sprang aside, with ease as she hit the ground.
"What? How—?!" She was frustrated.
Volka slashed again and again, but Augustus slipped past every strike, each dodge fluid and precise. To him, her movements were as easy to read as an open book. To her, it was maddening.
So naïve, Augustus thought. The orb I planted binds to its target for one full minute, while it tracks, it reveals your every move—the sound of your steps, the direction of your breath. Through it, I see every strike before you make it. I don't even need my eyes on you.
He relished her struggle.
Volka's desperation grew.
Frantic, she broke the rhythm of her pulse technique, holding it longer than a few seconds. The backlash hit her instantly.
There it is, Augustus murmured in his mind, sidestepping her faltering strike.
Her body locked in place, helpless. Augustus planted his foot and drove forward, his fist aimed square at her face. The ground cracked beneath the force he gathered.
Stop! Volka's thoughts screamed as fear seized her. Augustus's red socket burned like an inferno.
His punch connected. Blood sprayed as Volka was hurled backward, tumbling through the air—until a massive orc's arms caught her.
Another one?
"Don't worry captain, I'm here.."
She can barely open her eyes, with her face bruised and bloody.
"Li-Lieutenant no—don't—go…" she goes unconscious
"Rest now..i will handle it."
He puts her down gently.
Krog holds his dual axes and breathes out heavily, focusing intensely.
His pupils enlarged
Augustus staring him down thinks....
"I remember that this orc is not as strong as the other but I won't take him lightly."