Paziel's airship was headed back up north. While flying over the ocean, a draconian ship came into view. Paziel sensed that the ship was harboring a Construct warrior also. Paziel commanded to stop the craft mid-air.
The draconian ship also stopped, and a black dragon-man exited. The black-scaled and red horns gave this draconian a distinguished look.
Paziel left his craft to go out and meet the warrior. Flying over he heard, "You can stop there, human."
"Are you here for us, draconian?" asked Paziel. The top forces didn't have many Construct warriors and only sent them out on important missions.
"No."
"Then may I ask where you are headed?"
"To exterminate a pest."
Pest? Were they hunting another race or beast? Paziel wanted to know, but if he pushed the issue too much, a battle would ensue.
"Well, then we shall call it at this then." Paziel turned to leave when the draconian caught him off guard.
"Paziel, the blacksmith, I wish to battle you someday to see whose flames are stronger." The black draconian had a serious face and meant what he said. Both races were proud and rarely recognized each other. Paziel's skills after a battle a year ago spread his name far and wide among the beastmen and draconians.
Paziel turned and smiled at the compliment. "May I ask your name draconian."
"Beodror."
Paziel nodded and flew to his ship. He gave the command to take off. The winged human craft flew off as Beodror looked on.
Beodror clenched his fist. He wanted to battle Paziel here and now, but revenge for his fallen draconians must come first. Beodror turned to look westward where this strange enemy was at.
"Whatever you are, I will kill you."
Beodror flew back to his ship, and it took off to the west.
--------------------------
In Mexico, Lucy and Shadow were heading to a large human settlement. They were cruising in their hovercraft when they chanced upon a dying man. They gave him water and a bit of food.
He told them about a settlement but warned them that the god Xolotl was angered and killed many residents. He fled to escape his wrath. Lucy wanted him to show them where the city was, but he never wanted to return. He would rather starve to death than face his god.
Shadow convinced Lucy to let him go. You can't force people. That night before they left for the settlement something happened. Lucy awoke and walked over to the man.
"You are a vile man," Lucy said in a rough tone.
"Hermana. ¿Qué pasa?"
Death mana swirled around her and enveloped the man. The man couldn't say a peep before he was destroyed entirely into thin air. The dust of his remains floated away in the breeze.
Lucy passed out and fell unconscious. She awoke the next morning from the hovercraft and wondered how she got out there.
Shadow walked over and asked," Why you out here?"
"I guess I walked out here in my sleep."
Shadow looked around for the man. Seeing he left, she figured he must have been afraid they would've forced him to tag along. "Well, let us get a move on to that settlement." By now, Shadow was proficient in sending mana messages.
The two of them loaded up and flew off towards the old city. Seeing the town up ahead, Lucy and Shadow spotted smoke coming from a few areas. Surrounding the city was several destroyed draconian vessels and machinery.
"It looks like a war broke out here. I didn't know you humans had the strength to fight off this many draconians."
Lucy looked on stunned also. Even in the Renegades, no one was strong enough to fight off these many men. "We need to be careful, Shadow."
Shadow nodded. They flew to a destroyed outer building and parked. Shadow and Lucy were covering the hovercraft when Shadow lifted her head. "Is that smell, blood?" Shadow looked around and sensed that smell was coming closer.
"Lucy, hide now!" Shadow jumped under a fallen wall. Lucy didn't even respond, she trusted Shadow and hid between two pieces of debris.
A skeleton with an Aztecan dog mask was drenched in blood. Most of it was dried, but the puppet seemed like it was searching for something or someone.
"The death aura on that creature is powerful. Shadow, I think it's at least at the Avatar level."
Shadow didn't respond, but she agreed. The feeling she got from that thing in the sky, told her that it was strong.
Xolotl floated around for a bit then took off southward. Seeing the puppet fly away, Lucy and Shadow breathed a sigh of relief.
"Do you think Leo came here?" Shadow asked getting up from her hiding spot.
Lucy paused and thought about it. "I hope not." If Leo was here when the war broke out, he probably died a gruesome death.
Shadow, on the other hand, knew how crafty Leo was and wasn't that worried. "I think we should split up and search the vicinity. Let us meet back here in two hours."
Lucy agreed, and they synced the communication devices and ran off.
Shadow executed Shadow Walk and was zipping through the building one by one. Most of the building was recently lived in, but she didn't find any human remains.
Lucy explored a few areas and got the same result. While looking at one house, she sensed someone rush by outside the building. Lucy leaped out the window to see whoever it turned the corner.
She caught the figure dashing and ensnared them easily with roots. "Hold it right there." Lucy ran over to see she found a young boy.
"Oh, a boy. What are doing out here?"
"No. Vaminos. Xolotl will kill us." The boy was freaking out and struggling with the vines. He had blood all over his pants and was very afraid.
"Calm down. I will keep you safe. First, what is your name?"
"Pedro..."
"Alright Pedro, I'm going to release you, but you need to follow me to meet up with a friend."
Pedro agreed, and Lucy released him. They headed back to the building to meet up Shadow. Lucy and the boy talked for a bit. After about thirty minutes, Shadow returned to see Lucy with a tan-skinned boy covered in blood.
"Shadow, we need to leave quickly. This boy knows what happened to this city."
Shadow looked at the boy and asked, "Can you tell me what happened here?"
The boy was startled to hear her in his head, but he answered her. "When El Diablo punished El Grande, El Grande took it out on us."
"Who is this El Diablo and El Grande?"
"El Grande was one of the bosses here. El Diablo was a blind and armless demon."
A blind and armless demon? Did he mean Leo? Shadow and Lucy were thinking the same thing.
"Where did this El Diablo go?"
"He left. He warned me about El Grande being evil, and I didn't trust him." Pedro started to sniffle and began crying. He blamed himself for all the deaths that happened. If he just let El Diablo kill him, then maybe everyone would still be alive.
Shadow and Lucy looked at each other and were relieved. Leo left before this place fell to its current state. The thing that bothered them was this El Grande and his relationship with the creature in the sky.
Lucy walked over to comfort the boy crying. She placed her hand on his back and began to pat it. "Everyone makes mistakes, Pedro."