"Wha.."
A city lay in cinders, its walls crumbling, with those furthest from the gates being mostly intact. Old stains of blood cakes the ground from the gate to the city streets. An eerie atmosphere having fallen across its abandoned halls, dead streets and those who stand here now in awe at the sight.
Riel was the first to mutter, but his words never reached their conclusion. Instead he tried to feel for the souls of man to fuel his future minions. Yet all he found for miles, was dead air and the whispers of Ace, one of the loyal men.
"A great battle happened here. It has been sometime since i've laid eyes on this destruction."
Though it wasnt to the scale that they back in the hay days witnessed and even helped destroy. It was a first, after centuries of sleep.
That didnt stop Riel from scowling though, he rubbed his face in annoyance.. Where were they to gain human souls easily?
He felt an unease rise in him. If Bael gets out they are royally screwed.
"Soulss…"
Riel blinked, glancing at his henchmen. "Who said that?"
The vampires frowned, but then a whisper made their veins chill to ice.
"Soulsssssss… soullssss offf thee dead…sssshall workk forr.. Now.."
Riel glanced at the book, he knew it had some semblance of a conscious, but it should be sealed by the books seals. Apparently not, Riel reckoned no harm would come of this for now.
"The soul realm is closed off, we cant even breach the realm less we draw anger to its Keeper."
To be honest even to vampires grabbing anything from the soul realm was down right taboo to the highest degree. There was no crime greater than to steal from the dead.
We aren't talking about vampires, ghouls, or the likes. All of that is a physical plane. No.. We are talking about actually breaching and STEALING from the soul realm itself. There was a hardline difference between the undead and the dead.
The undead were the living dead, limited by only their vessels, by the physical laws in place to stop amy taboos from being broken.
But the dead?
What is holding them back? Nothing, whats to say you wont be swarmed the moment you poke the realm? Or something so much more powerful gets agitated. Before Riel could adamantly deny any possibility the book shook and spoke with a hushed tone that multiplied.
"I.. Cann forge youu.. Into.. A lich! I cann command the dead and i am their lord, i can see them here lurking, take it. Or I will devour them instead."
Riel shivered, he felt the book could carry that out. How long had the seal been eroded? He inhaled. Losing his own men to this book is out of the question.
"How?"
"Opeen.. Meee"
Riel scowled, but followed through. Upon opening the book muttered in whispers. A necrotic field spreading outwards. The film of the necrotic feild gave Riel and his men a look at what the book saw. A world of twisting energies, whilst wisp floated, the soul realm wall here was weakened!
Necrotic hands reached out, snatching the wisp. Making them screech and wriggle!
The book chuckled, a sickening crunch echoed as it feasted. Riel felt his body strengthen, the other vampires felt this way too! Yet that lasted hardly seconds!
The book screeched, whilst several vampires having glanced in a direction were spooked by what they saw for a moment. A shadow unseen by the naked eye stepping towards them. The shadows were incomparable to any size. They could find no depth, see no end, their new sight was crushed. The film popped and the book closed swiftly.
Pain? But how did the book get..
Riel turned to the source. Two figure draped in maroon cloaks, dark grey plated pads on their shoudlers, darkness seemed to swell aroudn their feet. Leaving a huanting image. They looked human enough, yet their silky cloaks gave off an eerie feeling.
Their hoods showing no more than black darkness. Whilst these figures wielded a curved sword. Their design jagged.
The figures hissed. "How bold.."
The book uttered a sharp whisper. "Run! They are too strong for us!"
Riel slid his foot back.. Realizing he was the only one to hear the book now.
Yet how would these figures wait for him to run?
At first they would have savored it, but the books taboo actions have pissed them off. Let alone their master, who could see, hear and feel through them.
They felt an ebbing boil twitch across that bond their skin burning at the mere inkling. Therein they moved, enraged themselves.
So now they emerged drawing out their blades from a hellish portal, revealing themselves. They wouldn't need to wait. Upon the book speaking, they already leaned in and shot forward, a trail of wisping shadow a mere echo of where they were.
They surpassed two vampires who began to activate their arua. However jagged blades fell, piercing the top of their head, running down their throat and striking the heart. This alone wouldn't kill a vampire, yet a searing pain followed the blade's path moments later.
Both vampires burst into a searing hot flame. Immediately turning to ash on the spot!
The time that passed by was no more than a blink of an eye.
Riel blinked, turnibg tail at the danger he received. His arua billowed, th'uming at his feet and launching him away at mach speeds!
Ace clapped his hands, exhaling before he pulled his hands apart. A blood red lightning flashing between his palms. He stomped forward causing a rumble to echo!
He pulled his palms apart, dropping to a knee and slamming both palms into the ground!
[Blood Dragon Lightning!]
The ground cracked racing towards the two figures as they blitzed through the vampires cutting down those who could not react and twisting amongst each other's attack pattern for those who tried to fight back!
Blood lightning burst from the ground before delving back into the forming cracks, coiling between them before bursting up!
Both figures grasped their blades with both hands, parting the lightning at its seams!
Yet the lightning now split crash into the ground before turning heel and biting back! Striking one figure from behind!
Pushhhi!*
The figure exploded into blood mist!
Ace roared out!
"Your not all powerful!"
He regathered his aura, going to finish this off in a hail of blood lightning!
Yet to his horror, he heard laughter!
Boots walking towards him without legs or even a body to control them. The blood and bits were reversed!
Drawing back towards the boots, and the floating blade!
Legs reformed with cloths attached, then torso, arms and even the head which was bleached into darkness again, but this time the figure had returned from death!
Ace's eyes were bloodshot as he drew up his hands. Who didnt know those abilities?!
They were-
Ace screamed, two jagged swords pierced his shoulders from above. Searing hot flame burning him from inside out!
The two figures collected their swords, swishing them to shake off the dust. The glared in the direction of Riel, but before they could give chase.
"Leave him be. Our lord will rid him. We have other matters to attend to."
The figure faltered their swords dissipating.
They bowed their heads as shadowy darkness envolped them. Making the two vanish as if they were never here.
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Howdy, how are you guys doing? i myself ain't doin great. just last week i was down for the count. stomach virus planted me in bed for 5 days. tried to get myself back into gear on Saturday. and i did. but pulled a muscle in my left leg(or three..) cant much move. went to the hospital and now i gotta work with said knee. which is gonna be hell on earth. but ill deal, how bout ya, life treating you well?