In a land far, far away, lies the Kingdom of Avalon, a large war torn nation, and a place filled with vast wonders such as beasts of great might, foul demons, or simply Arcane Users...
Magic.
Found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace, for most, magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, magic is an art, and they have devoted their lives to its practice in order to uncover its vast secrets. These are Arcane Users. People born with large amounts of mana that they can use to cast spells be it to protect or harm.
So the question then must be asked...
In a world where everyone has magic...
What does it mean to be a witch?
"Row Shadow Bend..." A quiet voice said. In a dark alleyway a woman stood the darkness slowly dropping around her showing that she was in a guards outfit.
She peaked her head around the corner finding several men all looking around. All looking for her.
She gritted her teeth and turned away. "I just need to make it to the sewers... I can use them to escape and-"
"Row Earth Hound!"
The wall next to her exploded as hundreds of hounds made of dirt came crashing out slamming into her and knocking the woman back. She flew through the air her eyes going wide.
"There she is!" Several of the guards all turned and began to run towards her. The woman used all her strength forcing herself back to her feet as a hail of flames and wind slammed past her all the men casting spells.
"We trusted you!" One of the guards yelled. "Sera how could you."
"I... I'm not a traitor." She yelled turning and running. "Row Shadow Storm!" Her shadow rose up forming a wave of dark lightning which crackled down and slammed into several of the men who all blocked it with their flames. She ran faster. "Captain Darvin is lying to all of you." She screamed out. "Thats what he does. He used to be kind but after his wife died he went mad. He's claiming anyone who doesn't agree with him is a traitor. Think! I've been in the City Guard my whole life! Why would I be a sudden traitor-"
The building next to her was sliced down in a single motion as if a blade of wind sliced it down. The debris rained down around her as a man came crashing through. He had messy brown hair and one eyes as his other was covered by an eyepatch. He stood at eight feet tall carrying a broad sword in one hand which was slung over his shoulder and his face was twisted into a snarl like smile.
Captain Darvin. The man in charge of the city watch.
"Hello Sera."
***
"They've returned." Someone cheered out in joy.
In a large city a massive crowd of people could be seen all cheering. A large heavy gate rose up as many horses all carrying people could be seen slowly entering the city.
"The Arcane Hunters have returned! And they've found the Holy Grail! Our King is saved!" The people cheered.
"We really came a long ways haven't we Davi?" Oliver asked giving a wide smile.
Davi rested on his horse running his left hand through his messy black hair his two yellow eyes shinning. His left arm not a strange transformed limb. "We sure have." He announced giving a shark like smile. His teeth still fanged and jagged. Davi stared at Oliver, his trusted friend and teammate.
'No matter what! For sure I'll draw that sword. The Holy sword Excalibur! Thank you! Davi Hawker!'
"What?" Davi asked blinking when he heard Oliver's words, and yet Olivers mouth did not move?
"I didn't say anything?" Oliver said confused.
"I could have sworn you just..."
'Davi... Why did you... Why didn't you save me sooner. If you came sooner?'
"What do you mean if I came sooner?" Davi asked.
"I didn't say anything?" Oliver said a frown growing on his face. "Are you alright?"
'Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save? Why didn't you save?'
"I tried to save you but-" Davi was unable to finish as the world around him began to melt and slowly break away into nothing an ocean of black washing over him. "Please. I tried but it was. I just wasn't... And it... It was..."
All that was around him now was a black void of nothingness...
Oliver stood in front of him his back to Davi.
'Why did you let me do it?'
"Oliver!"
Oliver sunk into the black void as five large twisted beings began to rise out of the ground. Each of them had the body of a man and the head of a goat, bat like wings jutting out of their backs, their hands in a strange position.
Five Devils.
Seven beasts rose out of the ground. A lion, a pig, a snake, a sloth, a peacock, a goat, and a fox... The animals stared at Davi the darkness rising above them.
Seven Sins.
In the very back the darkness bent and twisted forming a massive shadowy form, hundreds of hands seeping out of it in a pitch black wave of shadow. Taller than the world, and older as well.
One God.
"Davi Hawker..." A voice chuckled. A new being stood in front of Davi. He was a plump creature. He couldn't be a man. More like a massive egg with legs and arms. He seemed to just be all body, a body shaped like some weird egg. He was covered in a thick long black cloak as well as many cloths that covered his body from head to toe. He had a large top hat on as well as a massive twisted cane. "So you still march forward towards me?"
"Count of the New World" Davi spat out the name when he saw the plump little man. Rage filled his mind for a moment as he went to step forward only to trip and fall towards the ground. "W... What?"
Davi looked down and his eyes went wide as many metal skeletal hands rose out of the ground grabbing onto his leg. Davi's body suddenly burned as he began to change his left arm being sliced clean off as something else began to spill out of his elbow. His hair became snow white, and his right eye burned the yellow in it fading to a red, and then a black...
"S... Stay away!" The hands wrapped around his body and began to pull him into the darkness. "I don't want to live like this-"
Davi's eyes slowly opened as the sun casted down on him the dream slowly fading from his mind. Above him a large blue butterfly seemed to move through the air flying just out of his reach as it always did. He was on his back in a clearing, the still tied up girl next to him. She seemed to have fallen asleep after hours of rolling and yelling.
"Oh... I had that dream again..." Davi said quietly sitting up. He rubbed the back of his head as he let out a sigh his yellow eye looking around. "Well... Oliver. Just wait a little longer. I'm coming. One day."
The girls eyes slowly opened. She looked around and tried to sit up.
"Oh. Awake?" Davi asked letting out a sigh. He reached up removing the bindings on her legs and arms as well as her gag. "Here." He said handing her a walking stick. "Use this to walk with your injured leg. I left the carriage those three used to get here. You can use it to get back to the city."
"...But... What then..." The girl asked staring down at the ground.
"I don't know." Davi stood up throwing his brown cloak over her. "Live. Grow up. Marry. Have kids. Get a job. Go back to being a slave. Or just die. Up to you."
The girl was silent as she held the cloak. "W... What about you?"
"Me. Oh. I picked the last option." Davi smirked turning away as he began to walk into the woods. "I'd love to chat but. I have a dragon to slay."
***
Violet City...
The Interrogation room...
"My sweet little Sera..." Captain Darvin hummed licking his lips.
Standing in a dark stone room of the Guards Base, two people could be seen. The first was Captain Darvin. The man who was in charge of the Guards at Violet city, and a powerful magical warrior who used to be a former Arcane Hunter, a rank held by the best of the best. He was in more casual clothes now. His sword hung at his belt and in his hand he held a notched whip which was stained with blood. The second was Sera. The woman who had been chased. She was stripped down to her undergarments and hung up by her arms chains keeping her in the air. Her body was bruised and battered large cuts all across her flesh.
The room they were in was slick wet, and smells of blood and gore.
"P... Please..." The girl said with wide eyes. "I... I haven't done anything.... I... I served loyal for eight years. Why Darvin. Why did you say I was a traitor. Why the hell do you think I would betray my Kingdom during these war torn times when my loyalty had been earned time and time again? Why." She hissed out clenching her fingers and gritting her teeth as she glared at the man.
"Shh... Shh..." Captain Darvin shushed her gently. "I know you aren't a traitor." He smiled setting the whip covered in spikes down.
"Y... You do." She asked with wide eyes.
"I served as an Arcane Hunter. I served the King of Avalon King La Fay. However several years ago. Nearly over thirty at this point I was there when a Knight in armor of bones took the demonic spawn out of a witches womb. That was the day I quit the Arcane Hunters and instead decided to open up a Guard Station in a nice peaceful village." He mused.
"T... Then why are you killing people now. You changed. Ever since your wife died to a man with foul magic you suddenly grew darker and started blaming anyone you could get your hands on! What happened to you! You used to be so kind. I remember you training new recruits everyday... What happened to your sense of justice."
"My dear." His smile grew sad for a moment. Then twisted into a large grin as his eye lit up with a red energy. "I became a dragon." Blood spilled out in a flash as he drew a knife which he slammed through Sera's chest. Her eyes went wide with fear and shock as she stared into his crazed face. He dug it into her flesh piercing her heart and killing the 'traitor' in a single motion. He pulled the knife out and opened his mouth. It got longer and wider. Coming undone almost. Far wider then a humans should as a black skeletal hand seeped out of his mouth grabbing the woman by her face her body glowing black and slowly breaking into pieces leaving clothes on the floor.
"My, my... You're growing." A voice announced in a smug tone.
"My lord?" Captain Darvin said dropping the knife and turning around as he got on one knee and bowed.
Stepping out from the darkness was a small egg shaped man. The Count of the New World. "My Dragon. Good. My Blight took over the soul of Darvin entirely. After the death of his wife it was far to easy to infect him with my plague and turn him into a monster. Now listen up my Dragon. Soon. Soon one of those Marked fools will be here. I'm counting on you to deal with them. You can do as you wish with them. Make them suffer though."
Captain Darvins mouth closed back to normal the hand sinking back in as he gave a small bow.
Meanwhile on the outskirts of the city Davi Hawker followed after the blue butterfly. His yellow eye shining.