My eyes burned from running out of tears which flowed like a stream bringing life to desolate plains. Since coming to this dreaded place and finding Jackal all alone, I stayed by his unmoving body hoping for life to once again flow throughout his veins. I ran my fingers through his hair and gazed at the mocking grin he always wore in the face of adversaries who had often underestimated him. A smile that I had grown to cherish over the years which brightened my day after months apart from one another. It was a smile that wouldn't be seen for the rest of my days and forever wanting to see once more.
While the others fought a losing battle and were in desperate need of healing, I couldn't leave Jackal's side and join the ongoing battle even if knowing he would have wanted me to do just that. My mind was in tatters to the point I could only watch Vilra fending off the undead that broke through the feeble barrier in place protecting me while Veronica and the others sought to kill the two undead responsible for killing Jackal. The images of my family massacred once again played before my eyes along with the future I had planned to share. My heart hurt even more because I never got the chance to say goodbye allowing him to spend the last of his moments alone. In the end, not even I could change his fate no matter what was done to prevent it ending like this.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an approaching skeleton wielding a rusted blade slip through the barrier undetected by Vilra who had her hands full with twenty other undead, those of which united becoming abominations. I didn't react to it stopping at my side nor did I when the blade was raised to take my life away. The will to live died alongside Jackal and was replaced by yearning to walk by his side in the afterlife wherever that may be. Making my peace with the world, I buried my face into Jackal's neck as streams of dried tears once again flowed awaiting the blow that would unite us once more. The moments we shared since acknowledging our love that night at the oasis played in a continuous stream and brought a farewell smile to my face as I closed my eyes.
[(I'll find you in the afterlife, my love.)]
After a few moments, I opened my eyes to find that the blade was held at bay by an unknown figure who proceeded to crush the skeleton's skull with his free hand. The man wore a billowy cloak and had white braided hair. Two coiling serpent bodies wrapped around his lower legs until reaching the knee. Though the figure looked human from his outline, I sensed a powerful aura forming around his body taking the shape of a multi headed serpent made from violet energy. Like Jackal's aura, an unseen force accompanied the rampant aura sending chills down the spines of all those around.
A commotion further past the figure caught my attention as the undead dragon bellowed in pain for the first time during the battle. Large roots erupted through the stone floor piercing the body before continuing to tear limbs free and pulling them down into the earth where they belonged, for the time being that is. Another figure caught my attention as it tore the Ghoul's left arm free from its socket allowing Zeke and Scarlett an opportunity to breathe only to be swallowed by the same roots along with Veronica and Orion. Suddenly, the ground around me began to shake and gave way to several roots resembling closed tulips. I watched as the Zeke and the others appeared with the slow opening of the roots that protected them from traveling underground.
"It's nice to feel the air once more," the figure that tore the Ghoul's limb off spoke as it rose from the ground like the roots did.
The white haired figure chuckled as it retorted, "I agree. Now, shall we see what these new bodies can do?"
[(Who are these two?)]
As if hearing my thought, the two figures turned to face me or that was my impression at first as I followed their gaze to Jackal's body. I tightened my hold on Jackal for fear they would try and take him away from me. Seeing my reaction, the figures smiled as the white haired man destroyed several zombies and skeletal abominations without a second glance stopping them from taking an opportunity for a free kill. The sixth serpent head of his aura lowered itself to Jackal and nuzzled the exposed brand while the other heads ran rampant against the undead. Not to be outdone, the Ent beside him stomped his right tree trunk of a foot deep into the stone, sending a wave of roots and vines into the replenishing horde.
"I see why he died fighting this horde," the Ent muttered in a low tone as a wall of roots surrounded us provided a much needed barrier, "no matter how many you kill, they'll just merge together or simply be replaced."
Laughter came from the braided haired figure who had diamond shaped scales throughout his body. "It seems that Erebus was right," the serpent head nuzzling Jackal's arm rose to gaze into my eyes, "he's crazier than he looks."
"Tartarus! Elasar!" Vilra roared as she changed to her true form.
Her multiple voices boomed in the barrier of roots which was surprisingly large enough to house all of us, "What are past Calamities doing among the living once more?"
[(Tartarus? Does she mean the blade Stalo had given Jackal before our departure? Surely she is mistaken then again, didn't Stalo mention something about naming the blade after a previous Dämon Lord? What does she mean by past Calamities?)]
"If it isn't the Lady of Secrets," the Ent bowed his head, "it would be a pleasure to catch up but it seems our guests are growing impatient in our absence. Shall we discuss this further later or do you wish to get in our way?"
Vilra growled as her body lowered to the ground ready to pounce on the two figures as venom dropped from her fangs. Her eight eyes moved from each figure who did not budge from her gaze nor did they seem to fear the primordial's wrath. Her eyes then fell on Jackal and me as the serpent continued to nuzzle Jackal hoping to rile him from a deep sleep like some obedient pet. With a sigh, she changed back into her human form and crossed her arms as her mind began to process our situation and the desperate need of a reprieve. Her chest rose then fell before nodding her answer.
She asked, "Am I right to say that Jackal is confronting Khokbus as we speak? That he sent you here to aid us?"
The two figures didn't say anything as the Ent placed a hand on the roots before him that opened to reveal the destroyed woods surrounding the citadel. Section by section, the roots began their descent back into the earth where they belonged as the blue moon beamed down upon us like a lighthouse for wayward ships to follow. Leaves covered in midnight dew caressed my exposed flesh and felt nice against the skin as an unnatural warmth began to envelop me. Curious, I watched a wide cut on my arm begin to close and the blood begin to disappear. I looked to Scarlett who was the most battered only to find that her wounds were slowly healing.
Though their wounds were healed, I could tell that their minds and bodies were still exhausted from the prolonged battle. I could tell with one glance into each of their eyes that the situation would have become even more dire if the two figures that seemed to be allies hadn't appeared in our time of need. Even Vilra held some exhaustion in her eyes though she tried to hide it probably hoping to keep our depleting morale from becoming fully extinguished. Being an apothecary, I could tell such things with a sideways glance and brew potions to help with such things. Unfortunately, I didn't bring along my usual supply of potions just for instances like this when news of Jackal reached our ears.
A roar came from the cathedral sending us on edge as a decayed clawed hand dug deep into the edge followed by the rotting maw of jagged teeth. An ear piercing screech sounded as the figure of the Ghoul lept from the dragon's back with a disemboweled zombie of a young lad in his twentieth winter in hand. In horror, we watched as it proceeded to rend the zombie's left arm from its body and tossed the undead to the side only to stand without noticing that its limb had been forcibly removed. Brown tendrils began to extend from the left socket and attached to the limb held just over the wound stitching it into place. The Ghoul screeched real loud at such a pitch that my ears began to ring.
Answering the call, rotting hands burst through the earth and clutched the edge of the crater giving way to more undead. Living corpses with missing limbs pulled themselves free from Aquera's grasp while those without legs dug their cracked nails or jagged bones deep into the soil hoping to reach new flesh. Large undead spheres began to form from the masses of misshapen bodies converging together. Towering flesh golems stood tall waiting for their commands to be given as greenish smog escaped through the gaps of bone. More and more undead rose to their feet until an army filled the distance between us and the crater's edge.
[(If this keeps up, we will all die! Then again, would that be so bad? We could simply find one another in the afterlife and continue our journey for what resides there. I could also find Matthias and Rök then introduce them to Jackal. We could be a family once more and carry on without the burdens of this world holding us back like some damn shackles. We could be free to do as we pleased in death.)]
The more I thought about such a dream the more my heart hurt knowing that Jackal would not stand to hear of such ideals. He was always the one to stand for what he believed in whether it affected his image or not. His actions in Siegfried proved such things along with the decisions he made on this journey to bring two foreign kingdoms together and finally acknowledging his birthright to be a king. Though I thought it was a bit much, he willingly severed his arm because he believed that was the only way to regain the trust of the monsters living in the Grotto. An action that resembled his sacrifice to keep this endless horde at bay until we could arrive and take his place.
[(Seeing me in such a way would sadden you I bet. I also bet that you would pull me into your arms and whisper encouraging words in my ear. You have always been the support that I needed in my times of despair such as this. Now, it is my turn to have faith in your return and the future we will build together. Time for my emotions to run free.)]
I stood and made my way to stand between the figures. "If Jackal is facing Khokbus to return," pulling Sylla from her slumber, "then we should give him a proper welcome."
"I agree," Elesar boomed with laughter, "however there is no room for the likes of mortals in this battle. You'll only get you-"
I placed Sylla against his bark covered neck and stared into his deep set eyes with my own cold gaze. "Don't," I muttered in a cold tone, "don't make me kill you where you stand, Sapling."
To my left, I heard Tartarus chuckle as he crushed the skull of a skeleton trying to take advantage of the confusion amongst us. His golden eyes smiled along with his face showing he actually enjoyed my threat or he came to an understanding only known to him. I watched as all six heads of his aura separate from the main body and take a physical form of large winged white scaled serpents with four eyes just like the one found on Tartarus' scabbard. The humanoid Tartarus looked into the eyes of the Ghoul and pointed a clawed finger taunting the beast. The serpents hissed, sending brownish orange saliva to the ground where smoke slowly rose as the venom burned.
"If you intend to fight alongside us," Tartarus hissed, "then keep the lower undead busy while Elesar and myself deal with the other two."
I nodded my agreement removing Sylla from the Ent's neck and willed her blade to come alive with the translucent blue. Looking behind me, I found that the others stood tall even severely exhausted and readied themselves for the battle to come. The rearguards that would stand as the final line of defense would be Vilra who prepared a spell in each hand and Veronica whose blade was surrounded in light. That left the rest of us as the vanguard of the assault against the undead and act as the first line of defense. In a way, all of us were the last bastion of hope to keep this growing horde from spreading throughout the continent leaving destruction behind as it went.
[(If I'm to die here then I shall not hold back!)]
"Mistress," a small voice spoke, " is it time to show our true selves?"
Another voice answered, "Of course it is, Idiot!"
I smiled as two blue orbs sparkled around Sylla and rested on my shoulders where they dimmed revealing pixies at the center. The pixie on my right shoulder had fiery red hair elegantly combed and well maintained. The other had aqua blue hair cut short at her shoulders and combed over to one side. Each wore a dress made from sewn leaves and plant matter that opened up near the bottom allowing them to freely move their legs without hindrance. Their wings were like that of a Monarch Butterfly with splashes of red or blue mixed in with the bright orange and black.
These pixies have been with me ever since I found Sylla hidden away in a seaside cave when I first awakened on Athax Frein's shore that day. It was them that taught me how to steal what I needed to survive without getting caught mostly and how to brew simple potions which lead me on the path of becoming an apothecary. I will admit I was shocked when they first appeared during the night under one of the bridges near Ironclad. I had thought they were the spirits of my family coming to collect my soul only to discover that they had resided in Sylla for a long time by the order of their queen. However, what made these two different from others of their kind was that these were Hixlin or blood pixies.
Hixlin were thought to be long extinct since the fall of the Zeviel Dynasty or close to being eradicated from Aquera. Hixlin are considered the worst kind of pixies that make bargains upon blood which they used to restore their strength and always had the worst intentions in mind for those that make deals with them. Unlike vampires, Hixlin didn't necessarily need blood to survive but used the gathered blood to replace what was used to cast spells just like Blood Magic. This is what frightened people the most about Hixlin even before the Zeviel disaster which consequently drove their extinction further. Knowing her tribe was doomed to be wiped away, the Queen picked these two to dwell within Sylla until a day comes when they could fly free once more.
The red haired Hixlin crossed her arms and stared daggers at her sister, "Who are you calling an idiot, Astren? Last time I checked, I wasn't the one who ate all the pudding that Mistress gave us and complained about a tummy ache!"
"That was just one time Rola," Astren countered her sister's argument, "besides you said that you didn't want any of it!"
[(Just like dealing with children but good practice at least.)]
Faking a cough, the two Hixlin fluttered from my shoulders and hovered at attention before my eyes like the knights assigned to my brother Rök. My smile widened as the thought of them wearing small armor and wielding a sewing needle began to over take my mind. I did once or twice tried to get them to wear such things just to get the curiosity out of my system but they wouldn't budge from refusing even when I offered pudding for a month. I found it even more funny that such a thought made an appearance when the situation was a dire one that could result in me dying and them without someone to watch over them. For far too long, they have lived inside Sylla only coming out when the shop was closed or extremely slow.
Putting my thoughts to the side, I stared past the two and at the five Golems that stared back with darkened eyes. "Tell me," their eyes followed my gaze, "would you two like to cause a little chaos?"
Rola looked to her sister who nodded, answering the unspoken question that only the two of them could hear through their telepathic link to one another. Little sinister smiles began to spread across their soft faces to an extreme point as they turned back toward me. Returning their smile, I placed my left palm around Sylla's edge and cut until a somewhat steady stream of crimson flowed down it. Holding out my palm, I felt their nonexistent weight land on my palm and began to dance as little droplets of blood started to rise in the air. The droplets grew bigger until they were the size of rounded shields until stopping above the treeline.
In all there were seven crimson orbs hovering in the sky which began to swirl on themselves with the fluttering of wings from my palm. As they soured into the sky, the Hixlin sisters continued their dance as my palm began to heal and the remainder of blood moved at the center of their performance. The seven orbs began to converge on themselves when the pixies hovered at the same height and separated into thousands of tiny spikes spiraling around them. Taking a breath, I gave one last look to Jackal's corpse which still held the defiant irritating grin motivating us to continue the fight. I charged forward cutting down all undead who stood in my way as the main performance above finally began.
Like rain, the tiny projectiles came down with the force of falling skyrocks scattering clumps of undead into one another or in the path of the rampaging serpents that spewed their acidic venom against one of the six bone spheres that began to move. I slid between the legs of the center most flesh golem following Orion who lunged at its chest digging both claws and fangs into its rotting flesh. I began to cut down the surrounding undead trying to jab at Orion with rusted spears and swords. In a span of a minute, thirty undead laid at my feet as I continued my dance of death just like the two Hixlin sisters fluttering above. Most were ill equipped skeletons that were barely able to defend themselves, ten were decaying zombies that lashed out hoping to tear me limb from limb, and the last was one of the flesh golems that tried to interrupt Orion's battle with its counterpart.
From the corner of my eye, I watched as Orion turned into a large serpent and coiled around one of the flesh golem's massive right arm until the bones that formed it crumbled under the pressure exerted on them. He then turned to a Iceorotand and breathed a torrent of blue flame that froze all unsuspecting undead it touched where they stood only to be smashed under his weight as he rolled around like a spiked ball. Those that managed to be out of the way were struck down by a massive tail that ended in a round mace formed of hardened ice. For a breath moment, it looked as if the battle was going to turn to the Golem's favor when it dug the multiple broken edges that made its still attached arm deep into Orion's back only to be knocked into nearby trees by his tail. Orion changed into a raven and soared into the sky only to dive at the golem as he changed into a Streguar.
I rolled to the side as one of the bone spheres came rolling toward me only to be struck by a stream of tiny spikes. Pieces of bone flew into the air with the corresponding explosions and flutter of dust showering the immediate area. Through the dust cloud, I saw that Zeke and Scarlett were each fighting an individual flesh golem and seemed to be holding their own so far. Like the undead before, a pale translucent blue hue outlined the golem's body and its movements slowed to the point that it easily fell victim to Zeke's blade which sliced through its legs with little difficulty. Turning my attention to Scarlett, her image was a blur of motion leaving piles of bone and sheared pieces of rot behind as the flesh golem screeched with every failed attempt to strike her mid motion.
Cutting two zombies in half, I looked past the mayhem and found a silken barrier wrapped around Jackal's corpse while the two rearguards slew any walking corpse that got too close for comfort. Vilra was in her Aranea form crushing bones to dust between her massive fangs as several colored orbs representing a magical affinity danced around her while she transitioned from one form to the other. Shards of ice flew from her fingers embedding deep within the center of one of the last four bone spheres which appeared to have no effect only to surround its form and the surrounding undead in a sheet of ice before breaking away in the breeze. Like Scarlett, Veronica was a blur of slaughter that cut down anything in her path with the glowing blade she wielded or a torrent of flames sent out with the simple flick of the wrist. Her glowing rapier struck with an incredible speed that not even I could see fully as she repeatedly pieced a flesh golem's body.
Pain ran throughout my leg like a phantom flame hungry to feed its growing appetite starting from the calf up. Looking down, I found the upper half of a Ursa woman digging the sharpened bones of her wrist deep into my flesh and continued to apply pressure to it as she tried to climb my length. Her lower half was recently removed from her torso as it rested just a yard away from my location buried underneath the remnants of the tiny spikes still falling from the sky with the Hixlin dance. Pulling her free, I tossed her to the side and followed with a crimson bolt that burrowed through her chest where her once beating heart rested. I continued to send bolt after bolt until the undead was reduced to ash.
Ignoring the pain, I continued to clear a path to Vilra, and Veronica who were swarmed by the undead only to be grabbed by the back of the neck and thrown into a group of oncoming skeletons clad in tattered armor. Pieces of bone poked through my clothes as I came to a stop some distance away and caught by a fallen tree. Dazed, I followed the path I was thrown like a child only to find a tower of a knight coming towards me as a decayed green aura billowed around it resembling the smog spewing from the golems. The knight shoved skeleton and zombie alike out of the way with its massive kite shield that was the same height as its body. Black eyes devoid of life burned with bloodlust burrowed deep into my soul.
The creature stalking toward me was one of the strongest undead that could be created not only because of its strength but the retained knowledge it gained while it was alive. Mages called the undead a Death Knight because they are the reanimated corpses of fallen knights brought back by dark magics or by Infernals. Unlike their living counterparts, Death Knights felt no pain during battle and could withstand blows that would result in death without slowing down in their pursuit of mayhem. This particular one looked to stand about two feet shorter than Fang and was mostly decayed flesh barely clinging to long buried bones though appearances vary based on how the Knight died. The lower jaw of the creature was missing and holes caked in dried blood sat where eyes should be.
Remains of what looked to be white plate armor covered the Death Knight's body exposing the bone underneath. Broken spear shafts riddled the fallen warrior's body while the hilts of long rusted blades were pierced through its chest and an arrow shaft sat elegantly between its dark eyes. A rusted gilded gorget held a tattered cloak around the Death Knight's shoulders which fluttered with each step it took. With a broken tower kite shield in one hand, the beast carried a longsword meant to be wielded with two hands like it was a stick as it cut down one of the bone spheres. It roared with a loud guttural tone as it practically walked over three unfortunate skeletons that weren't quick enough to step out of the way.
Grabbing Sylla, I quickly got to my feet only to lunge to the side as the Death Knight's blade came down in a vertical arch hoping to cleave my body down the middle. I lunged forward hoping to strike in between the gaps of armor for the source of its life but was knocked to the side by its shield. Catching myself, I blasted the undead with a crimson orb meant to reverse the flow of blood within the body while causing an eruption of muscles and bone upon contact with a living person. I was hoping to disrupt the skeletal structure underneath the armor and for the limbs to separate from the inside. Unfortunately, the Death Knight shrugged my spell off its shoulders and countered with a flurry of successive strikes cutting down surrounding undead.
With each heavy strike, it became more and more difficult to keep Sylla positioned in front of me while putting distance between the two of us only to have it quickly taken away. The Death Knight would change into a black wisp and quickly close the gap between us before changing back with a powerful strike. Several times I was thrown off balance by the strikes and barely managed to evade in time, turning fatal blows into deep cuts. Truthfully, I knew I was only prolonging the inevitable by fighting but I had to try if it meant seeing Jackal once more even at such a disadvantage. I recall an old mage that stopped by the shop talking about Death Knights in general and about how their weaknesses were silver, divine magic, and magic that affects the soul which wasn't in my repertoire of skills.
[(I knew I should've accepted Sister Alexia's offer to teach me holy magic or some form that complements my blood magic.)]
I didn't have time to think about such regrets as pain shot throughout my side with one swing of the Death Knight's shield. The ground skidded against my feet from the force of the blow like a rock would on a water surface only to stop from an unseen torso crawling toward one of the fallen golems. I scrambled to my feet as the Death Knight cleaved the toro's head from its shoulders with one powerful swing sending ripples of foul mana throughout the ground. I watched as it began to stab the body over and over again for either getting in the way of its true target or to demonstrate what awaited me. Taking this opportunity, I drove Sylla deep into the spine of the undead in an attempt to slow its movements even by a little margin but was met by a blade.
Once again, I managed to turn a fatal strike into a gash across my waist yet my body still fell to a knee as exhaustion had finally caught up along with the long held pain. Since the battle first started, I had been using my own adrenaline to keep up with the others who seemed to be in the same boat as me. We had been desperately fighting a losing battle for over an hour or so now and yielded no signs of victory. For each undead cut down, another would simply take its place, limbs would simply reattach to one another, or corpses would simply gather to form new abominations. Now that the Death Knight was on the battlefield, it seemed that all hope of making it back to Siegfried with Jackal was all lost.
[(No, it cannot end like this. I will not allow such truths to hold me down like before.)]
I pushed my body to stand once more even though it screamed in protest and readied myself for the fight to come. The first objective was to retrieve Sylla from the Death Knight's back and then go from there. I had to let go of her hilt and move out of the way when the blade nearly killed me once more. Focusing on my mana flow and the blood seeping from my wounds, two separate auras surrounded my fists taking the shape of animals that I held dear to my heart as I took the stance my siblings had taught me when I came of age. The aura around my left fist was that of a screaming Leviathan that represented my family's journey for a new life from Vusta while the other aura was that of a jackal which represented His tenacity to survive in difficult situations.
Amusement radiated from the Death Knight's eyes as it drove both its sword and shield deep into the ground so that they would stand on their own and took a step closer to me. I watched as it released its aura around us accerting its dominance to the surrounding undead who gave a wide berth around us. Looking past the Death Knight, I saw that each battle was going nowhere with the continuing growth of undead that not only included humanoid figures but long deceased monsters from flesh-ridden Streguar to blood skeletal Cetopedos. The only battles that seemed to be going in our favor were the ones fought by Tartarus and Elesar. Though from where I stood, it seemed that the two of them were having fun in their individual battle.
I rolled to the side avoiding a surprisingly quick left hook from the Death Knight and charged forward with a jab of my own. My attack was parried to the side with ease and was followed by the world turning upside down only to recenter itself with a painful thud. Dazed, I saw how beautiful the moon looked for the first time this evening and it shined in the crimson sky like a defiant thorn unwilling to be plucked free. That beauty was unfortunately cut short by the growing shadow of an armored foot driven by the desire to crush my skull into pieces. I rolled to my feet as a hole was formed where my head had rested and began my own barrage of jabs while the opportunity was seen.
My knuckles began to sting from the repeated attempts to crack the Death Knight's cuirass so that Sylla would have more ease slipping into place where a weak point should be located. Dodging under a right hook, the Death Knight lashed out with a front kick aimed at the center of my chest before continuing with a backhand. I blocked the hand and drove my right fist at the elbow with extreme force as the phantom jackal's maw clamped down severing the limb. Not wasting time, I used the momentum from the initial blow and spun bringing the back of my left heel across the Death Knight's head only to be grabbed by the ankle. With a roar, the Death Knight threw me over his shoulder and into the ground hard enough that I felt my body bounce once before being stomped on.
I felt bones begin to break and a rush of blood escaping my mouth with each thunderous kick every time an attempt to stand was made. I managed to grab hold of the Death Knight's leg but was easily pummeled into the ground once more as my consciousness began to somewhat fade. Through blurry eyes, I watched as a bright crimson light tore through the sky like a skyrock falling to its final destination only to be hidden away behind the bulky figure of the Death Knight who towered above me. The glint of the rusted blade it wielded loomed high above me as it stared into my fading eyes daring me to continue. Closing my eyes, I smiled at the approaching sound of my death and said my unspoken farewells.
"Mistress," Astren's little voice rung in my ears as a bright light pierced the darkness, "you can't give up yet. Please, open your eyes!"
Doing as the Hixlin said, I opened my eyes and found the sisters hovering above me as a blue barrier kept the blade at bay. A calming warmth began to spread over my body that dulled the pain I felt as a bright red almost white aura danced from Astren's little fingertips. Within seconds, my mind started to become clear once more along with the sudden return of clarity in my vision. In awe, I found that Rola had formed the barrier that protected us from death's wake while her sister attended to my wounds but I sensed she would not be able to hold out long. Cracks were already beginning to form with each blow the barrier took from the Death Knight and the prolonged consumption of mana.
I could only think of asking one question as I watched the two sisters go out of their way for me, "Why? Why would you risk your lives to aid me when you'll finally be free from the contract that bound us?"
Before either of them could speak, the barrier shattered to pieces with the Death Knight breaking through and grabbing Rola. Her small screams filled my ears as the undead menace began to tighten his grip around her and ignored Astren's attempt to save her sister. In horror, the Death Knight's severed arm climbs the length of its body and reattach itself before swatting Astren like a fly. I continued to watch as Rola was tossed to the ground beside her sister who held her unmoving body in her arms. With tears filled eyes, Astren looked into my eyes as the Death Knight positioned its foot above them.
[(No!)]
Fighting the pain, I lunged forward and shielded the two from their deaths and continued to do so as the more blows fell upon my side. I smiled through the pain as I looked at the two Hixlin who I had come to consider sisters since finding Sylla. Cold steel pierced my leg as a warm liquid began to cascade down my inner calf while the urge to scream out was held back with clenched eyes. Again the same sensation penetrated my right side just above the hip making more tears run down my face and drip onto the ground for Astren to see. Blood spewed from my mouth as it became hard to stay conscious once more.
Using the last bit of my strength, I grabbed Rola and Astren as I rolled out of the way of the falling blade aimed for my chest and tossed them into the sky. I placed my hands above one another with the palms facing each other and focused on all the pain I felt during the battle mixing it with the anger I kept hidden away. A small crimson orb formed at the center of my hands which began to grow until the space between was engulfed. Focusing even more on the pain, I stared daggers at the Death Knight who unknowingly came into range of my last spell before all my stored mana ran dry. As its blade rose to finish me off, the orb condensed into my right palm before expanding until a large crimson sphere formed with the Death Knight and me at its center.
Darkness enveloped my sight that was slowly peeled away by a warm light and the small familiar voices of Astren and Rola. I felt little hands smacking my cheeks and listened to their small voices screaming my name drowning out the sounds of multiple battles being waged. Oddly, I couldn't feel my lower half nor could I feel my right arm even though they were still attached to my body. The spell that I used was meant to be thrown at a target but I couldn't take such a chance to be wasted. To be honest, I casted that spell expecting to die along with the Death Knight but it seemed fate had other plans for me whether it was a good or bad.
I sat up with the aid of the sisters and found that I was blown back quite a distance from the initial explosion where now a large circle was burned into the grass with the Death Knight at its center. I smiled as the familiar edge of Sylla had pierced through its chest from the force of the blast combined with the fall that followed through. My smile grew even more as ash piles of the surrounding undead fluttered away in the calm breeze. Once again, I felt the familiar warmth of healing magic coming from Astren and Rola as my eyes never left the Death Knight who remained unmoving. Since the battle started, I finally took in a calming breath knowing that the Ghoul had lost such an essential piece in whatever it had planned for Vusta.
That was until the Death Knight changed into its will form and closed the distance between us with a mighty roar. I watched unable to move as itse blade once again was lifted into the air ready to claim my life. Holding the two Hixlin close to my chest so that they wouldn't see my death, I closed my eyes and pictured Jackal's face in my mind as the last thing I would think about before dying. I remembered the times we shared together and the fights we had only to make up a day later. The times were we would sit on the roof of the shop only to gaze at the dazzling stars that looked on us and talk about the future we both desired in the world like love struck whelps.
The sound of wind blowing through my hair and the feeling of the ground disappearing from underneath me came as a surprise even more so when I looked up to see the entity holding me close. Though hidden underneath a tattered hood, I made out two mismatched eyes glaring straight ahead resting inside an obsidian skull with strange white carvings throughout it. I was guessing that there was nothing but a skull hidden underneath the hood based upon the obsidian fangs and lower jaw that glimmered in the moonlight. Curiosity began to grow when a series of undead seemed to transition through our bodies as if we were phantoms with the ability to pass through solid objects and become physical at will. I didn't say anything as I followed the figure's gaze and found that the others were together once more along with an entirely made of shadows.
Confusion set in as the new undead gently set me down next to Scarlett and placed a hand on my face like Jackal did. The cold steel of the crimson plated left my cheek and moved to my numb right arm as its eyes burned brighter in their obsidian sockets. Its eyes continued to glow brighter as its hand felt the fresh wounds received from the Death Knight before returning to gaze into my eyes. I watched as the undead stood when Elasar and Tartarus rejoined the group with barely a scratch upon their bodies. Instead of fighting, the trio turned and gazed upon the battlefield as the steady supply of corpses was swallowed up by the rattling sound of bone.
[(What is going on? Why did the undead aid us?)]
Puzzlement began to spread even more when I began to observe the unnatural undead in its entirety as warmth came over my body along with the returning feeling of my right arm and lower body. The undead wore an obsidian cowl tucked underneath a dark crimson cuirass carved with strange runes that even I who was taught in such writing didn't understand and had two emblazoned skull clasps which held the tattered cape hanging over its right shoulder. Between the gaps of armor, the figure wore a tattered velvet robe that was much darker than the ones that mages proficient in close quarter combat or the Paladins of Lokdis would wear stopped just above the knees. The right arm was completely covered in armor from the rounded pauldron which sat on the cape to a gloved gauntlet engraved in a mass of thorns. Unlike its counterpart, the left pauldron was shaped in a way resembling that of a jackal's head with pointed ears high on alert and sapphire eyes.
The attire of the new undead was somewhat interesting to behold however the main thing that caught the eye was the shadowy left arm that formed from the elbow down. I couldn't look away from the undead as a growing reprieve began to fill my chest at the possible identity of the creature. Looking to the cocoon where Jackal's corpse once rested, my heart began to race at the abandoned spot and the black flames still burning the remnants of threads that surrounded it. My gaze was then suddenly drawn to the front where the three monsters stood just as darkness began to envelope the very ground we stood on. Fear began to take over such a reprieve as thousands of shadowy skeletons burst forth from the ground and began to pull their brethren back into the ground from whence they came.
[(What is this?!)]
Within moments, the infinite undead horde was sucked into darkness leaving only the undead dragon, the Ghoul, and the Death Knight remaining. No new bodies rose from the ground to replace those that were taken as a sinister aura eradicated from the one responsible for such a needed miracle. The aura was a clash of blues, reds, and whites that ran rampant as a towering winged dämon formed just like Tartarus' aura did before. Seeing such a sight, I involuntarily crawled backwards hoping to flee the danger I felt but stopped as the atmosphere returned to normal. For the first time, I could sense fear within the Ghoul's eyes even at such a great distance which grew even more.
"Protect," the undead warrior spoke with two voices intertwined together.
Before I could ask the one question I needed answered, the trio disappeared and a new battle erupted. "He's awakened," the shadow person spoke as it stood next to me, "the Song of Calamity: The Shrouded King."