Well it is not everyday this will happen in warfare...One side gains the advantage even with a terrible disadvantage in numbers only to finish all the generals and proceed to the final part only for a member of the attacking leaders family to try and stop the carnage and find a way to make peace..It is cruel what they both must be feeling at this moment having to fight your blood is not a nice event but it can cause the greatest of improvements...I wonder how Nomadir's fate will be decided? What side of this family will stand victorious over the battlefield? And how far are they willing to go against their kin to achieve victory.
The engulfed coliseum was now burning even hotter from the cradle of black flame Willabaar made, making the rest stare on and wonder what to do. hearing the sounds of crashing and cracking from inside. Kyu took a step towards this and went to bring his dagger up then down, tip first into the cradle before Bee grabbed his hand,
''Ya think trying to break Willabaar's magic, is a good idea?''
Kyu looked confused before speaking,
''Ah you are right...Yoru let us help our friend in his battle''
Orelia looked at the angel, shaking her head and moving the others out of the way before she barked her orders,
''Right the royal is fighting for us ya know! We got to do our parts while he's in there! Bumble Bee you set the big finale off, Bird you stay with me, I'm going to need you and Wilt I need you to be ready with some type of diversion for when the angry cleric see's us and not his brother got it?!''
Wilt looked confused but Kyu and Bee moved quick doing as she told making the goblin think,
''Thank all the gods..We have someone who can give out orders other than that arrogant asshole...Ya way to strong to lose...I don't care if ya blood...Show him your strength!''
Orelia and Kyu looked at the goblin and smiled at his words while looking at the growing sphere still ringing with distorted metals hitting and woods snapping along with bones crumbling under the pressures.
Willabaar slammed into the ground back first, taking the breath from him and sending his upper torso bouncing up only to meet afoot at his neck forcing back down and pushing his head even deep into the ground, he brought his arm around his brothers leg and strikes, making the taller buckle and letting the younger slide out from under him only for a fist to slam into the back of his neck and pull his now almost limp body up six feet in the air before letting the body go, bringing down his foot faster than a hawk honing in on it's prey, making the prince slam into the floor viciously, his left arm broken and facing two different ways and his elbow bone popping out of his skin, he tried to scream in pain before he felt himself being pulled up through the hole, being grabbed by his brother again, his cradle of black flames now gone making Jericho's voice sound more disappointment than anger before he spoke,
''The voice of my god...Still so weak...The second prince...The king of Recocto is right...You need to be striped of your duties''
Willabaar's limp body raised its broken arm and placed it sloppily on the cleric's shoulder, letting out a misshaped smile through his broken face and spoke,
"You can have it...But I will be the one to decide when.''
The elder one closed his eyes and huffed only to not be able to open his left one, now with the bone that pierced from his brother's arm going through his eye. He lifted his arm making the elder take defence only to feel his breath leave him with a sharp kick to his ribs in his now blinded left side, the built half-mix was sent back ten feet but making his stance stay true and not leaving the ground before spewing up a putrid green blood, seeing a shadow from his vision he lifts his arm in front of his face only for it to smack into his nose, breaking it and sending him up and back both ten feet, hitting a tree before grabbing the branch and crawling up to a stance looking down and not seeing his brother, smiling before he shouted,
''Okay so you are not weak! Still that does not mean you have the strength to forge your own path! Accept returning home to your duties and I will stand by you in the tri-''
Jericho Price. This tree is your home. You will use all your might to let it survive but the sky serpent demands this place burn...Allow his will to be done.''
His eyes, matching those of Willabaar go hazy as he slowly sits into a meditative stance.
Willabaar went to stretch his arm only to be filled with immense pain before Orelia grabs his arm, undoing the healing bandages,
''You really are an idiot, you know? We could of just stopped this beating you took...We have to care about you know so stop only thinking of yourself...People worry!''
Willabaar laid down letting her do the, smiling with his answer,
''A monk does have his honour you know...I'm sorry ''
''Aye...And someone who can tap into both powers is close to a god if we really want to talk old wives tales...You ain't forgiven either.''
His eyes opened back quick to see her smile smile before he spoke,
''You are right.''
She did not expect him to admit so easily and it was shown on her face when he looked at her,
''I can trust you now...I've already told Bee and...Otto...Think it is time I told you not as well.''
Wilt and Kyu who had just got to the broken half-mix spoke firstly the angel,
''Save your strength Willabaar, You are quite badly beaten to a pulp.''
Willabaar looked and smiled while Wilt spoke after,
''Ya really should be more sensitive ya know!''
''I literally stabbed him with a bone that was poking out my body...face it Wilt the bird is right.''
The goblin laughed before it was interrupted by Orelia,
''So tell us Willabaar...What is your really name?''
The two others looked confused before Willabaar looked towards the black flames he had made, still engulfing the city around them and spoke,
''Seirei….Seirei D. Price...the rest of the title is the same...Pleasure to meet you.''
Bee now was in the centre of the main tree, directly under the thrones and made his way deep down quickly before entering the core. A large dome like room, The walls adorned with rolls of fungi and segregated resin almost looking like mix between webs and glow ribboning the floors as the demon marches through each step like walking through thick muddy sand small pockets of gas being released with every movement making the dwarf smell like a musky bog mixed with ripening rot of a decaying corpse, The demon saw in the centre, now a bright green orb floating in the air with the ends of the overgrowth all seeming to grow towards it, he looked at this orb before pulling the hammer from his back of his fallen friend,
''A good name...Orb cracker?...Ah fuck it time to end this shit! Try and burn me I dare ya!''
He brought his new hammer down again with the searing white brimstone head now forming and cracking the small orb clean in two in a single hit making it drop to the ground and splintering into a thousand pieces on each side,The plants all turned to dust and flew out of sight, the floors became crackly with every step as he knew he had down what he needed, putting back his hammer and uttering his incantation,
''The fires I made are where I must be, Take me to them so I can stoke their heat!''
In a inferno that spouted and left in seconds along with Bee, chamber now empty we see that all the tree starting to fall to the test of time that seemed to accelerate in this place before we see the of hand of a ghostly figure place his hand over the broken orb and speak one last sentence before blowing away with the nature,
''Thank you..Our time...Had come...To it's greedy end.''
speaking softly, His vision passed over the lights fading into black void of rest.
The demon found himself in the coliseum centre again grabbing at his two hammers on his hips before seeing what was going on, The fires were spreading and the prince was sitting down with his bandages around him with the rest of the party sitting around each other and smiling at the mixtures of flames before noticing him running over shouting with joy in his face,
''Oi Willabaar! Got the shit kicked into you by ya brother? Same here!''
Orelia stood and smacked the dwarf on the head before scolding him,
''Willabaar?! You mean Seirei right?!''
His eyes widened before looking at the prince smiling,
''It's okay Bumble Bee...They know..They know Otto knew as well''
His eyes relaxed and sat looking at the flames,
''Then what does it matter? Ya all now know so everything its sorted aha!''
Kyu interrupted while still stuck staring at his brilliant white flames,
''You should not lie about your name...I will forgive this transgression this once Willa...Seirei...That is religious is it not?''
''Aye...A old god...Ya probably wouldn't know much about him he was a sun god''
The angels eyes filled with anger,
''Seirei...please do not try to tempt my lady.''
''Try it birdie..I'll kick ya ass quicker than I did Wilt's!''
Wilt and Orelia stopped and laughed making everyone stop before the goblin spoke,
''Oh…'Ya'? Ya becoming a commoner ya majesty ahaa!''
The group continued to laugh until Seirei stood and spoke,
''Well our trails...Are almost complete...One last thing to do.''
Orelia's face now twisted as she knew and pulled her white aura out only for it to drip in black summoning Otto's insectoid body, All his eyes darting around at the multitude of beautiful flares before the girl grabbed one of his hands and spoke,
''Otto...Is this a great bonfire that you feel is good enough?...Why am I asking..''
''Y--Yes..''
The creature pulled all the group in close with its feelers and embraced them as they all did they same, tears of all kinds can be heard streaming, some only a whimper and some just nothing. The creature looked towards the coliseum edge, a wall completely engulfed and roasting away before jumping in and almost immediately incinerating to a crisp, The group looks on with tears still running before Seirei speaks,
''Come on...We should go.''
He waved his right arm in circles making a portal of a black cloud, the crew all looks over the city burning down to the ground one last time as they walk through then Seirei looks at his brother and clicks his right hand snapping him free just in time to see his brother jump through as well and then disappear leaving him looking over the almost completely burned down ancient city making him look in both disarray and pride before he spoke,
''Well...At least father would be proud right Seirei...You enjoy what little time you gained...I will bring you back or..The first crowned prince will.''
The pack all walked out of the swirling black cloud to see their new surroundings, Far in the west they could see a monstrous mountain range stretching far into the clouds, to their south they see the forest they were in moments ago now with plumes of billowing black smoke coming from the tops and mixing with the clouds, The east was just a long dirt road stretching along till the tree line went off but the road went on and on out of sight and to the north was the border to the Seven Sands, The largest stretch of arid lands around most of the continent, not just the badlands, A small little merchant town laid around a two hour walk between the border and them, Orelia looked in awe at the long stretching road While Bee and Wilt were the same for the mountain range, Seirei and Kyu just looked at each other.
''Birdie...How are you doing on reserves?''
''Not great if I'm honest with you.''
''Then we rest in that town for the night, We should be able to get their and still have around four hours of night left to sleep.''
The angel nodded in agreement before they started grabbing and dragging the two shorter ones while Orelia walked slightly behind still looking down the long road as they moved threw the darkness with haste after almost a week of moving constantly had finally started to take their toll as all of them were arguing as usual about the ability to take a good rest, a nice warm bath or even just to sit in a place that was not trying to kill them, their argument continued with all but Orelia who's face still seemed to look down at the ground as she dragged her feet and only looking up to see the crew were all still close as they travelled to this small little market town and hoped that they will be able to be normal for a day.
Only a few hours past through the constant bickering as they saw the bright lanterns of the small town, stalls all still bustling loud enough to be heard even where the group was, as they got closer they saw what this place actually looked like, brick walls around five feet tall cobbled together from the arid stones of the local area surrounding what looked like red corn stalks stretching around nine feet into the air brimming with life compared to the dead landscape, the houses seemingly made from mostly darker timbers and pines all lined up to make beautiful cabins but the rest of the permanent buildings were more made from smaller woods and more local stones lining their small walls seemingly being fixed and modified over the years with both shabby materials and hard work.
The exhausted pack moves in, walking though the old wooden doors into a small inn covered in dust and cobwebs and creaking as it moves open. Inhabited by some simple folk dressed in cloth padded with hard leathers, Seeing the bar man casually whipping down his counter with a damp rag, the man looking towards the warn out heroes gesturing them to a table and says,
"Ah manage to survive the festival from the looks of it. Take a load off and rest awhile, not anything close for miles."
The man's face was now clear to the pack, A half-elf, spawn of a human and a full blooded elf, not the same as half-mixes as they always consist of one half human but that part of him was miniscule at best, his skin a dulled gold with what seemed to be cracks replacing wrinkles on his face, hair tied back with the shade of a whitened blonde and eyes to match dressing in long flowing robes of darker colours, now scanning the group as they sat one by one before Seirei turned and asked the older man,
''Evening friend! Do you serve Sand Storm? Even some Desert Dust would do at this point!"
The old man laughed before placing his hand down below the bar and pulling out five litre bottles of Sand Storm making Seirei droll before the barkeep spoke,
''Aye five Sand Storms, That'll be five Titans''
The princes eyes widened at the sound of this and smiled,
''Well twenty rounds it will be! Send some to any who walk in you like dear barkeep!''
His face did not know how to react to this news before gulping and placing ten down on the table, two at each head before bowing repeatedly till the prince waved him to stand before asking,
''So what is this place? We stumbled upon this by chance you see and would love to know where we are to make our next move.''
The owner turned to them then the window of broken and cracked glass before smiling,
''This place is called Perimeter Cross...We sit on three boarders so it is a apt name in my mind, Smugglers and true salesman come to peddle their wares from all of the east side of the Badlands for good prices...I would suggest getting rest before you start your shopping though and after your healthy contribution to the establishment I would like to offer you three rooms of the highest quality! I'm sorry but they are all I have available.''
The bickering began between the crew before Kyu broke in,
''Well shouldn't the single room be given to the female? She would not want to sleep with men in the same room now would she?''
The crew all nodded in agreement before Orelia spoke,
''I really don't care...Ask Bumble Bee. I've been camping with men for a decade already.''
The men all looked at each other before Wilt broke in,
''Well...Okay but realistically that still means we need to decide who gets the single room...Kyu has been healing non stop for the last week...Willa..Seirei has been fighting non stop at full strength for the same amount of time so I think one of them should get it.''
Orelia laughed a obviously fake chuckle before retorting,
''Oh? Ya just trying to get me alone in a room ya old dog? Ahaha!''
The crew all joined in on the laughter before Seirei spoke,
''Well let's just give it to Kyu..Now we just need to figure this rooming out...Bee and Orelia have been camping together for a decade so that makes this easy''
''Not happening...The dwarf is a night life creature..I actually want to sleep.''
Orelia looked determined when she said this before Wilt spoke,
''Fine then it is settled,i will bunk with Bee and you can try and move closer to ya future husband aha!!''
The crew all laughed while Orelia blushed grabbing one of the keys from the elf and turning back shouting,
''Room six ya royal asshole!''
She stormed up the stairs while Seirei grabbed her open bottle while Bee grabbed the unopened one and drank for another ten minutes before they all went to their respective rooms to rest.
The crew all made their ways up the creaking staircase up to their respective rooms before nodded a good night to each other, Seirei opened his door with quiet and peering in to see Orelia asleep on the bed and breathed out a sigh of relief and walked over to the seat and desk of oak near the bed and pulled out a bundle of parchments, some older than the entire party and some newer than their parties formation, he seemed to study the older ones and moving his fingers on the desk in weird shapes only to be broken from his concentration by a thud of a hand slamming next to the writings of Orelia now awake and looking rather angry before she spoke,
''So tell me Ya highness...Why does my Onomancy still not work on you?..At first I believed your family had just built up a immunity to it but then your brother fell rather easy even in a weakened state...What is special about you that makes my ladies power nothing?''
Seirei let out a sigh and stop from the seat and moved over to the bed and sat,
''I believe you know already...You just have not accepted it is possible.''
Her eyes widened as she thought that there was no way her theory could be correct but she asked anyway,
''So...Both at the same time possible?''
The half-mix smiled and responded,
''Not sure...Never tried because of the after effects that could happen..Happy now you know?''
''Who else have you told in the crew about this?''
The prince looked back at the table before her again,
''No one...I assumed you all worked it out..Can I please get some sleep now?''
The girl swallowed to try and clear her dry throat but nodded in acceptance before the half-mix fell into a slumber within seconds, snoring with a stupid smile on his face is what the caster thought before smiling and also turning in for the night hoping that the worst had finally passed.
The pack has now left their worries behind them in smouldering ashes. Oh to think on the commonality of how these kind of events are with the adventuring types, engraving their laws of the backs of the fallen or the weak, leaving what remains to grow anew, But alas these False Heroes will not see the fruits of these efforts not that I believing they care having exacted their just revenge. Then again are these actions justifiable? Sure you have seen their reasons but the people whom lived there were all deserving of this scouring hmm well that's up to the scholars to decide.