Meiga waits for the celestial being to resurface.
The others look on as the creature nears. The clouds pop with electrical pulses as if the being is manipulating the weather. A steady rain begins to fall as Meiga gazes above. Within his massive cloak lies the essence of valor, humility and hope. His mind darts as he remembers the warning. He goes over his strategy once more and nods to himself.
He studies the clouds and watches for signs of hostility.
Before he can fight, he does his traditional bow and heads to the center of the field of soldiers. Formations would be pointless according to his dreamburst. So, he arranges his comrades in a circle. This way he will be able to execute his plan without having to take his eyes off of the monstrous beast.
With his talisman in Geferus' care, Meiga prepares the kaiyalu. Kerelia aids in its summoning as the massive beast awaits its mission. With a heightened sense of urgency, knowing what's at stake, he begins his assault. There's no need to hold back this time. The others wait to do their part as the kaiyalu lumbers toward the incoming threat and charges the air particles around it. The air is still as the oxygen is absorbed. The mighty kaiyalu slowly raises its head...sparks of energy pop and bound about its massive mouth.
"Now..." Meiga calmly commands as he raises his hands. The kaiyalu readies an attack and lower its head as the energy builds inside it. Its eyes are pulsating with an overwhelming bluish hue of pure mana. Meiga looks about the field and gives each warrior precise instructions.
"Forcefields on the right...now, the left!"
The celestial being slowly emerges from the heavens. It can sense the others below but notices none are running or fearful of its approach. Sending an opportunity, it makes its descent. While gliding towards them, it unleashes an enormous array of concussive blasts. The forcefields cause the blasts to ricochet; right towards the kaiyalu that stands between the group and the abomination.
As before, Meiga steadies his breathing. The kaiyalu shakes violently as it readies to unleash the power stored within.
"Patience..." Meiga warns.
"Our shadowy friends aren't here...yet."
As Meiga awaits the enemy soldiers, the grounds begin to tremble.
Suddenly, the earth beneath the warriors collapse.
Meiga quickly lowers his hands.
The kayaks quickly raises its head and releases the huge burst of energy. The blast, as before, cracks the forcefields.
However, with the energy being funneled, the fractures are less severe. This time the shockwaves roll around the circle of warriors, as if boomeranged, towards the descending creature.
The kaiyalu, firing from the center, watches as the blast, not far behind the repurposed shockwaves, incinerates the beast as before. The minions can only look on in horror as the blast engulfs them all.
The kaiyalu, satisfied with their extinction, shrieks in delight. The attack was successful. The fight, however, is not over.
The forcefields start to weaken from the initial attack.
"Rea? You're up."
Rea steadies her stance.
Her eyes glow a crimson red.
Time stops as the sky is charged with her overwhelming aura. The winds begin to swirl around her and the group. The pressure from her attack is so intense the remaining forcefields shatter like glass.
Exchelion and Mateilis vigorously place new forcefields around the falling warriors.
The ground rises and crashes against the remaining beasts: smearing them amongst the surface. "Don't let up! Again!" Meiga urges. Rea, soaring above the kaiyalu, unleashes a tsunami of energy that causes the horde to fracture like glass.
The warriors look in amazement. Never had they seen anything quite as powerful as she. Except, Meiga.
"Is it done, Rea?" Meiga inquires. His vision is distorted when using multiple attacks.
"That should suffice for now." Rea smiles as she rejoins the group.
The battlefield clears as the land beneath them mends as before.
The kaiyalu grunts as it disappears until only its eyes can be seen behind the mist.
The others cheer on as the children are safe and the campaign was a clear victory.
Meiga, wobbles a bit but regains his focus.
Rea nods and turns to Meiga.
"Before you depart, Rea. I would like for you to rendezvous to the temple."
"Sure. But only for a moment. I have other matters to attend to."
Meiga, understanding her power is greatly needed, decides not to question her.
"Fine."
The ground is returned to its original state as if the fields have been renewed or rebuilt somehow. The group, now able to travel again, set out to the temple. Meiga has something on his mind and it troubles him still.
"Rea...before you were queen, you were a soldier, yes?"
"Yes."
"How did you become queen? I always thought warriors couldn't take the role of royalty. Not to mention, your powers..."
"Hmmm? Curious are we? Why the sudden interest?"
"It's just that when I wanted to be a celestial knight, I was turned away. All of my years of training, the countless wars...how?"
"I thought all warriors had access to scrollsmen?"
"We do."
"Well, have you ever asked them to share information with you?"
"Of course! Your point?"
He turns towards her.
"My point is you didn't ask the RIGHT questions, yes?"
Rea nudges Meiga.
"Well, isn't that convenient..."
Meiga rolls his eyes. All of his conversations with his scrollsman centered on battle strategies. He never thought to ask much more of it. It was odd enough in its appearance. Or its true purpose. The thought that she knew how to gain this knowledge was a credit to her impressive abilities.
Laughter and joyous noise fills the still air as the caravan of warriors head off.
The group meets up with Tannon. He and the children prepare for the journey to the temple. The path is long and arduous. Along the path are many different starving beasts that ignore the rules of the Holy Path and risk death to attack the caravan. Tannon and the other warriors killed any would-be threats along the way. The bodies of fallen beasts burned upon touching the path. The children turned their heads as they cried for comfort. The younger into the arms of the older as they longed for this journey to end. Some bravely watched and winced with each blow delivered to the enemy. After several days, they finally reach the fields known as "Death's Door". It is the last stretch to reach the temple.
The landscape is mostly grassy. It's filled with a variety of odd creatures that roam the hillside. They forage for stray hunters and unfortunate travelers. Most are small, in nature, but attack in packs. They can be quite vicious when approached. All travelers are warned to stay on the narrow path as long as they can. The path of holy light is a bit narrower. Entering these grasslands with lesser protection is certain death.
While walking, Kereila uses her interpretive-skill magic to determine each warriors strength. Kereila gazes at:
Exchelion
body type (steel)
warrior rank (18)
warrior ability (motion manipulation and forcefield generator)
crest type (Domanjan)
Biped
Battle IQ (average)
Survival rate (90)
Body build (two arms, two hands, head shaped liked a steel cube; actual face unknown)
Height (5'9")
Weight (164 lbs)
Vocals (teenage)
Mateilis
Body Type (metallic in nature)
Warrior Rank (16)
Warrior ability (sound manipulation and forcefield generator)
Crest Type (n/a)
Biped
Battle IQ (intermediate)
Survival rate (93)
Body build (two arms, two hands, humanistic head)
Height (6'7")
Weight (274 lbs)
Vocals (adult/ male)
Geferus
Body type (light reflection/mimic)
No warrior rank
No warrior ability (being is able to summon the magical book of histories)
Crest (unknown)
Levitation
Battle IQ (strategist/no battle experience)
Height (5'3)
Weight (weightless)
Vocals (cryptic)
Rea
Body type (humanistic)
?
?
?
?
?
Vocals (tuning fork vibrations as if she is singing when she speaks)
"What the-"
Kereila quickly turns to get Meiga's stats:
Meiga
Body type (ethereal composition of light and dust)
Skin type (leathery like that of a dragon)
Warrior rank ?
Crest (Carna)
Battle IQ ?
Height 7'3"
Weight (298 lbs)
Biped but has hidden appendages about the body
Several arms, two massive hands, thick head and neck like a mushroom found in the thick forest to the east.
"Rea? You still with us?" Meiga asks.
"I...I'm fine..." she replies.
"My energy took a bit of a dip." She takes a sip of several different potions."Be ok in a sec."
Random eerie noises can be heard in the brush. The creatures grow restless with the passing caravan. The mere presence of living beings drives them wild.
"Eyes open everyone…" Meiga warns.
"We're about to be tested."
Believing the long journey wore them down, the creatures grow bold; creeping about the group.
"Should we fight, Meiga?"
"No...keep moving, quickly. Geferus, I need some help here."
Geferus emerges and glides towards Meiga.
"Are you ready, sir?" His voice is dark and raspy. As if he is walking through deaths' door.
"No...not yet. Can you use your cloaking ability to hide our position from these creatures?"
"No. My ability has no strategic use. I am simply an emissary...to end all ends. My time...is infinite...yours shall be that of legends...be proud and fight no more."
Meiga looks at his hands again. He is often looking at them these days. He remembers how youthful they use to look. But time is no ones friend. He notices a small rhythmic jump in his heartbeat. He notices his movements are slower. His stamina tends to fade from battle to battle. His crest is war-torn and tattered. No longer is the fiery-red crest worth its weight in gold. He tires easily and must rest to finish the journey.
Just then. He remembers. He remembers his friends. The wars. Those he cared for and lost. The food and drinks...that made the fights worth it. The glorious victories...the sacrifices...the thrill of the hunt.
A surge of energy courses through his body. His fighting spirit is building! The mission isn't complete. They need him now. He can deal with his wounds later. His crest burns a bright red. His eyes are now crimson. His chi has tapped into his Capre'ne (Cap ray nay): bloodlust.
Meiga lowers his head and touches the earth. His hidden appendages are hidden no more. Each now possess various sharp weapons. He draws the power of Capre'ne to his core. His torso and appendages are now a fiery red. They ache and thirst for blood to regain his strength. He targets the incoming menaces one after the other. He tears into their flesh and absorbs their blood and the chi within them.
Ten...now thirty-six, seventy-one, 203, 566, 2316...17...18. As the onslaught continues, Meiga can barely control himself. He ramps up the effort to clear the path. Downing foes of various ferocities. The blood spilt is repurposed into his glowing body. It's a massacre. Saliva oozes through the teeth of Maiga as he unleashes the crest's first deluge: Blood song.
A mighty pulse of energy intensifies within Meiga. He raises both hands...charging the atmosphere about the battlefield.
"Run!!!" Kereila cries.
The group charges ahead.
Meiga unleashes his fury with one decree: "BLOOOOOOOOOOD SONGGGGGGGG!"
The sound of small meteors embrace the battlefield...crashing towards the predators in the brushes. He falls to his knees and screams to the heavens.
"ARRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Larger meteors fill the air. A volley of unhinged energy deviates from the crest of the Carna. His body shakes as he cries out in rage.
"ARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
The ground shakes from where he kneels...it is one with his chi. The vibrations, from the falling meteors, causes the creatures to scatter. His Blood Song attack expands 200 meters. His body releases the remaining blood of the fallen. The crest shines no more. The area is cleared.
The ever-present Geferus looks on. Standing amongst the bloodshed.
"I still await, Meiga. I am ready..."
Meiga drops. His body is now a third lighter than before. He wipes his mouth and looks about the field in awe and horror. He lost track of his comrades as none are to be seen.
"Geferus!!! I...I didn't-"
"No...you didn't. However… I tire, sir. Shall we commence the ritual?"
Geferus can sense his story coming to an end. Was Meiga's as well? Meiga looks up at the sky. He's spent, but able to stand. His many years of fighting allows him to use different attacks with the crest. Blood song is one of several. The crest attacks, however, come with a heavy price: a few years are taken from ones lifeforce.
The idea of merging his story was met with such ebullition that he began to sob uncontrollably.
It cannot end now, he thought. But perhaps he should refrain from such attacks in the future.
"Geferus? What will my legacy be? Am I destined for more bloodshed? I feel…so lost, now. My purpose is still unknown. I don't understand why you're here. I know what you do but...are you...death?"
"I am an elder scrollsmen. My mission is to preserve the stories of the most powerful beings that roam this world. I am appointed by the All-Fathers. The beings that began the age of power and magic. Such power fades as time wanes on...such records are necessary to keep track of those worthy to have their story enshrined into the stars."
Meiga walks slowly.
"So, I am to be honored...why me, Geferus?"
"I do not know, Meiga. Can't know until your story is imprinted into history."
"What can you tell me about Rea?"
"I cannot."
"Why not, Geferus?"
"Such information is forbidden. We scrollsmen cannot elaborate on other beings. Their knowledge is imprinted in the Great Book of Knowing. It is the final book that cannot be read by ordinary beings. The honor is for the All-Fathers."
"Why didn't you share this knowledge with me before?"
"You never asked the RIGHT questions. Hmmm?"
Geferus speaks no more and cloaks himself again.
With the area no longer a threat, Meiga walks alone.