A crowd gathered around the newly built fountain marking the center of Siegfried.
Like moths to open flames, the commotion was tantalizing to those gathered hoping to glimpse the carnage.
I gently pushed past those who didn't notice my presence while others subtly stepped aside and gave a small bow.
My eyes remained on the dwarfing image of Ogga as he continued to protect Lilliana and Orion.
Ogga had skin stronger than common steel and his healing factor often made him a powerful force but he too would fall if nothing was done.
My gaze shifted to the monsters and humans working tirelessly aiding those caught needlessly in the crossfire.
Stone crushed underfoot with every step of the once smooth street that took months to finish while building debris laid strewn throughout it.
The ground vibrated with a loud thump when Ogga finally fell to one knee.
Hurrying my pace, I stopped just in front of two paladins hoping to keep any bystanders at bay while Nathaniel fought valiantly.
An explosion of flame soon outlined his flailing figure as he soared backwards into the gathered audience.
The two paladins rushed forward only to be knocked off their feet.
Shadowy tendrils bound Nathaniel mid flight before placing him gently on the ground, "Rest Nathaniel."
I copied a spider on a web and used the conjoined shadows like silken threads to search the collapsed rubble for anyone caught underneath.
There were several people stuck underneath collapsed buildings and large sections of brick yearning for aid to come.
With a relieved sign, a pack of shadowy wolves howled marking where each was located.
Spit shot out of a Dökkálfar's mouth hoping to kill me while my attention was elsewhere when I plunged my knee deep into her gut.
Her body was soon sprawled on the ground at my feet unconscious after receiving a blow to the back of her neck.
[(One down…)]
The two Ljósálfar that made short work of Nathaniel soon challenged me with gleeful smiles at the prospect of another fight.
A tall masculine Ljósálfar dressed in bronze plated armor carrying a double-sided axe stood beside a small nimble woman dressed in plain leather and dark cloth.
The woman soon vanished from sight as the burley elf charged forward with immense speed.
He lunged into the air with axe held high overhead while his counterpart closed the distance behind me.
It was quite admirable in a way about how both seemed to attack simultaneously without need to speak.
Knocking a blade to the side, I spun behind the woman bringing my right heel across her neck as the ground where I once stood shattered.
I lunged to the side of the man dodging underneath his axe as it grazed my hair and swept his feet out from under him.
The woman roared in anger as each attempt to kill me had struck air to my amusement.
My amusement soon died when bulky arms soon wrapped around my neck and instantly lifted me off my feet making the hold tighter.
I felt my consciousness begin to fade as the faint image of the woman lunged forward to end my misery only to be wrapped in my legs and used to break free.
I wasted no time and shrouded their faces in shadows when they got back up before driving Poena across their chest.
"Koma Framr," the three remaining Dökkálfar roared in unison when their comrades fell.
[Evocation?!]
Soon three rings of inscriptions overlapped one another spouting particles of mana into the air.
I watched inquisitively as writhing tentacles erupted from the bluish circle before four clawed hands pulled a towering body of scales through.
The abomination was followed by an equestrian creature dawning an avian head and trailed in serrated spikes roared loudly as it leapt from the purple arcane circle.
A large oval flame soared from the center circle before powerful wings extinguished its cloak revealing a two-headed wyvern with piercing gold eyes.
Each creature had powerful auras outlining their bodies that quickly enveloped the surrounding air sending chills down my spine.
[(This looks like it'll be some trouble.)]
The creatures were known as Fylgja or contracted beings bound to summoners through the act of evocation.
Each one roared in unison upon their masters' commands.
A foul stench drifted through the air when the wyvern opened its maws allowing streams of green flame free.
There was a series of shrill screeches that boomed and fade like popping bubbles before a jet of thickened ink poured from a beaked orifice.
Large globs of greenish orange sludge shot forward with a profound neigh.
Though the green flame engulfed me while the sludge and ink bound me, I remained standing where I was.
My focus was fully locked onto the unmoving pale figure of Nyxis as she sat slumped against the Ljósálfar that held her.
Dazzling emerald eyes were now dimmed to a dull green and hidden behind strands of loose hair.
There were thin lines of a blue powder marking the corners of her mouth while the center was gone from being wiped away.
It was obvious that she still lived from the slight movement of her chest but something had happened to make her unresponsive.
"Mongrel!!!" the Little Fox's voice boomed louder than the engulfing blaze.
I searched the crowd of shocked faces and found her being held tight by Theo as she desperately tried to reach me.
Sapphire eyes watched in horror hoping to glimpse my figure between dancing flames.
She managed to break free from Theo's grasp and made it several steps before being grabbed by Nathaniel.
He whispered something to her before appearing to pass out.
After Nathaniel was carried away, our eyes met in a brief second and she mouthed an order I could not turn away from.
[(This act has gone on long enough! Don't you agree, Poena?)]
I smiled when the familiar hiss boomed in my ears silencing the delighted laughter of the three Dökkálfar.
Holding the jackal figure pommel before my eyes, "Devoro."
Like their masters, the three Fylgja had turned their murderous eyes to Ogga as he readied himself for the battle to come.
He let out an unwavering battlecry as Orion and Lilliana stayed behind him.
I watched each Fylgja take in a large breath of air before unleashing their full fury upon the naive ogre standing before them.
Suddenly, a wall of shadow rose just in front of Ogga taking the full force as it continued to curve at the very top until a domed ceiling blocked out the very sun.
The ground followed the sky until the misshapen circle was covered in a cage of shadows and those chosen held within.
I allowed my anger filled aura run rampant extinguishing the flames and destroying my bindings.
"Now then," I spoke in a symphony of voices when all confused eyes were on me, "it's time you return my Queen and tell me who sent you."
Darkness filled my vision when the undulating floor began to coil around me like the constricting serpents squeezing air from their prey.
There was a faint chill throughout my being when the shadows seeped into flesh commencing the transformation into a wraith.
Cloth and sections of flesh changed into the dark crimson plate armor laced in macabre engravings tinted in dusted gold.
The coat I wore became a tattered epaulette hanging over my right pauldron and displayed the VonKnight crest.
Soon an absolute chill surrounded the nub of my left arm as a shadowy limb formed.
The Ljósálfar holding Nyxis tightly by the waist nervously screamed for the Dökkálfars to attack.
Wyvern wings gave one mighty flap before taking to the sky churning nauseous breath in its maw before spouting a vicious stream.
Inky orbs grew above each clawed hand until boulders were formed before being hurdled forward while broad tentacles followed.
Ground reverberated when taloned hooves leapt forward curling into a quilled ball meant to crush and pierce.
I remained cloaked in shadows watching as the devastating assault came.
When the attack came, protective shadows faded into mere wisps as fire pressed through small gaps while tendrils made large gaps allowing each orb a ink to pass through.
I felt the force of the equestrian Fylgja slam into the wall of billowy shadows and watched a volley of spells shot from unseen hands adding onto the struggle of focusing quickly depleting mana.
Laughter boomed in the void of infinite shadows when an explosion erupted sending the pillar of darkness throughout the area leaving nothing behind.
Such laughter became gasps of fear when three white serpents erupted from nowhere toward each Fylgja.
With a cavernous maw, the three Fylgja were engulfed by an infinite void where they would stay.
"Do not fret," I boomed looking down on them from the ceiling, "you'll be reunited soon enough."
It took them some time to find me among the shifting shadows that surrounded them.
Their legs could be seen shuttering under the weight of their bodies as one fell on their ass in an attempt to back away from the piercing luminous orbs gazing back.
I allowed myself to fall free from my perch and soon stood before each one with a blanket of shadow rising like dust from the sudden impact.
Holding Poena so that the blade ran up my arm, my eyes stared past the frightened Dökkálfar toward Nyxis who's eyes seemed to regain their dazzling emerald.
Her captor roared out distressed orders for the Dökkálfars to regain themselves and strike me down.
"Elta ykkar hervápns or andask," I muttered in Dökkálfar tongue.
There was the slight tug on the thousands of strands forming the shadowy web as mana converged before the middle Dökkálfar disappeared.
Long silver locks of hair trailed in glistened grace when spectral blades were easily blocked.
The woman gave a low grow before continuing her rabid assault as I admired the willpower to concentrate what mana remained into weapons.
From experience, I knew that such a maneuver was quite taxing on not just mana flow but the body as well.
Thinking this, I went on the offense hoping to glimpse the extent of such magnified concentration.
The woman lunged forward with a diagonal strike only to twist her body the moment I went to parry it aside and brought the smaller of the two mana blades upward to pierce my gut.
I disappeared and pounced from the shadows with Poena in hand only to be interlocked for a brief moment before the two of us vanished once again.
Sparks of colliding blades could be seen throughout the cavern of shadow as the other two Dökkálfar and single Ljósálfar watched on awaiting a certain victor.
In each moment when we collided, there wasn't much room for error as several attacks managed to graze against the hard armor before plunging into the desired mark.
Mana was draining at an extreme pace making it harder to keep up and the woman took full advantage of this as she pinned me against the barrier surrounding Nyxis.
Confusion glimmered in the woman's eyes when the thin mana rapier was easily driven through my right breast just before and below the shoulder.
A surge of black flame poured from my open maw grazing the woman when she used my body to leap backward from the full force of the sudden attack.
An arch of blackened flame effluxed from Poena's blade forcing the woman to dodge backwards.
Blades of shadow tore through the sky behind the arch as the woman stood her ground with an orb of pale green in front of her.
Soon a tranquil roar burst forth when the first attack made contact blanketing the area in a wall of flame.
[(I hadn't forgotten about you two.)]
My mind was taken aback when a volley of crimson spears spiraled through the thick cloud of black flame as it trailed behind.
The first three were easily cut down before reaching me while Flash Step helped to dodge the second volley.
Pain rushing throughout my let leg was the first thing I comprehended before looking down to find a javelin of light pierced just below the knee.
The sudden force of something striking my right shoulder sent my top half backward before another force boomed in my gut.
It was at this moment that I noticed that a strong radiant light began to swell around me from each javelin until a full sphere was formed housing numerous projectiles.
Green blood spattered on a mound of shadow was the first thing I saw after blurred vision finally cleared.
My head throbbed with each futile attempt to climb the mound as shattered bone and teeth littered the green trail.
At the apex, I once again tried to get to my feet but was soon kicked hard in the side sending me back down.
The two Dökkálfar were like a pack of rabid wolves fighting to tear flesh from bone after days spent without food.
Bone crunched in places made brittle by the shower of light while hidden blades found gaps between metal.
[(Is this it?)]
"Miserabilis Orm," the blue skinned Dökkálfar spat in my face.
The brute continued to insult me and lashed out while the summoner of the salamander Fylgja held tired arms behind me.
My eyes not once wavered from glaring up at the Dökkálfar wretch each time his fist came down hard against bone.
I would show them that they could not break my will even when death is coming to collect what's his.
I found myself half grinning between blows as my eyes met the proved warrior of the trio who looked on with an unease held deep within her gaze.
Everything was going according to my plan without them realizing what is truth and what is false.
A faint laughter echoed from the shattered maw as my body soon became specks of ash fluttering to the ground.
"Such cruelty," my voice boomed from every direction sending my prey on edge.
Unbeknownst to them, I had switched places with a shadow when blackened flame clouded their vision with relative ease.
I lurked between the confines of shadows while they continued to play in my hands.
My eyes became full delight when discovering that the bottom of the clear blue barrier holding Nyxis was utterly defenseless.
I watched as the two other Dökkálfar continued their beating of my shadow until it looked that the moment had arrived.
I moved through the darkness like a fish does in water and lunged out of the floor to gather Nyxis while attention was elsewhere.
My gamble paid off when the Ljósálfar walked over to the edge of the barrier hoping to see my death up close.
Feeble arms coiled around my neck when I appeared beside Nyx and held her close at the waist.
The Ljósálfar cursed when he looked back to discover that I had somehow broken through such a strong barrier.
A sickly blue ball fluttered from his outreaching hand but it was already too late for him to intervene.
By the time the orb struck, Nyxis and I were already standing among a surprised crowd awaiting orders.
"Nyxis!!!" Ashe roared when she saw me gently rest Nyxis on a nearby step.
I grinned watching her practically dive into Nyx's chest with tears flowing freely. "I," her words got caught in her throat, "I was so worried."
After giving them both a quick kiss, I turned my full attention to the mass of shifting shadows where faint lights could be seen flashing as those inside tried to escape.
They were so content on forcing their way free that I thought they deserved the prize of working things out with the Fylgja they once controlled.
I felt their presences fade from the Hunting Grounds as they charged into the parallel space in front of me.
Each one lived peacefully in the deepest of forests, mountain ranges, and oceans before being bound like cattle.
It was an understatement that they gleefully agreed after realizing that I wasn't like their former masters.
"Lord," Ogga's voice boomed beside me, "forgive my incompetence in protecting the city."
I turned and looked the kneeling Ogre in the eye.
Placing a hand on his shoulder, "It's alright old friend. The enemy were strong but I believe you proved to be strongest by protecting Orion and Lilliana."
His face held no change as he gazed at the ground between us.
"Ogga!!" Lilliana's voice boomed before I attempted to cheer the old Ogre up.
I half grinned when Ogga gasped in surprise when she took his hand into hers.
Her voice was a sadden tone, "I hope you're not hurt because of me and Orion."
Ogga put his free hand on the back of his neck, "Nothing that won't heal in a few moments Lady Lilliana. I'm just glad the two of you are ok."
It was quite surprising discovering that Ozog and Ulah towered over the captives alongside Isho while their mother Ghouta worked on healing Nathaniel.
Each elf had infuriated expressions as they listened to the siblings' banter.
The sight was even more tasteful when Isho freely bound their silken bindings together before leaning against her halberd while Duval tried his act as a negotiator to no avail.
It was tempting to allow Kuval to feast on their blood to gain much needed answers but that would be as a last resort.
Right now having them alive was the better option if more guests decided to come see what happened to their allies.
[(The Dökkálfar are most likely in league with one or more of the Houses. Hold on, what's this?)]
I made my way over to the center two Dökkálfar and Ljósálfar.
Crouching down, I reached out and pulled the gleaming silver draped around the Ljósálfar's neck before holding it in my palm's center.
A rune of some sort hung from a thin silver chain that I realized had some similarities to the old Dökkálfar rune meaning peace.
The difference was that this rune had a crescent emblazoned in the background.
Acting upon a whim, I discovered the inverse triangles dangling around the Dökkálfar's neck that held two foreign intersecting lines at the center.
I gazed at each individual rune in my palm for several moments before looking at each elf.
"Tell me," I allowed each rune to dangle freely, "what is the meaning of this?"
"Stultus fatuus," the Ljósálfar chuckled before looking at her snickering counterpart.
The Dökkálfar chimed, "Heimskr halfr Dökkálfar kan ikke lese runic."
Laughter boomed when snot ridden spittle splattered on my face hoping to receive some kind of retaliation.
Isho grabbed the elf by the collor of his jerkin and proceeded to lift him off his feet but stopped when I placed a hand on her shoulder.
Pulling a handkerchief from my breast pocket, I swatted the spit from my face before telling her to release the whelp.
She dropped the man with a loud thud before taking several steps backward.
The man chuckled as he muttered profound language towards Isho suggesting that she was some whore to the amusement of his peers.
Smiling, I wrapped my hand around his mouth and began to squeeze.
While he tried clawing my hand free, "Svefn innan myrkr!"
His eyes had a newfound fear beset into them when tendrils coiled around him and began to pull him into the street.
Such horror had spread to the others just like I planned as they watched the man be swallowed up until empty space was left.
Masks of fear replaced their jovius laughter trying to understand what had happened without warning.
Their reaction exceeded the ones I had hoped for and proved they would be a little more obedient.
Everything was quickly falling into place for a more orderly interrogation after the subduction of those caught within my web.
I toward my hidden prey, "I'd watch what I said and did while in our care if I were you."
A fierce battle continued to be waged within the confines of my altered realm as I looked on from an obsidian throne with Poena coiled beside me.
My full attention was on the Ljósálfar who casted powerful ice magic coincidentally with the protective barriers.
Faint green eyes shimmered to life in the swallowing void each time a spell was casted while medium length silvery hair tied in a tight ponytail fluttered about.
The gray suit he wore hung loosely over the medium frame with trims of satin silk along the edges.
His pale snow white skin made it easy to keep track of the movements taken to avoid certain death.
The image of my father came to mind as a shield of ice formed from outstretched hands to hold off a torrent of green flame.
Many years were spent silently mourning in dark corners.
Countless times were spent standing in the heart of scorched earth now taken back by nature imagining what could have been.
The moment when introducing Nyx to them and seeing their reaction upon knowledge of our engagement had been one of the many phantasms played out.
Those tears shed were all for nothing when I found out that my father had escaped death using a ritual that former peers in the Paladins of Lokdis would deem blasphemous.
[(Even after threatening to end his life, Father still chooses to keep an ever watchful eye through mirrors and other reflective objects.)]
Sighing, "Poena release our captive please."
The pale serpent opened its left crimson orange eye to gaze at me before flicking its forked tongue tasting the air.
Scales shined with the movement of his rising head allowing the smooth underbelly to be barely seen.
Imprints of hands and a face pushed forward near the soft center after noticing the mundane movement hoping that muffled pleas would be heard.
Muscles could be seen tensing along the smooth path that led to a fanged maw before saliva and other grotesque masses were regurgitated.
I chuckled watching the disrespectful Dökkálfar from earlier shiver in a feetle position for a few moments before noticing my amused eyes.
Anger burned to life in his cold red eyes as he slipped on the pool of stomach acid before finding balanced footing.
Ignited flames swirled above his right palm until a fireball the size of my head brought light to the surrounding void.
Shadows danced to the small movement of my hand and swallowed the sphere along with the hand that casted it.
A mild explosion occured when the focus needed to keep such a spell under control was lost sending gusts of hot air throughout the space.
He fell to a knee holding the mangled remnants of his limb scorched in burned flesh and dyed crimson where bone could be seen.
"As you just discovered," I rested my head on my fist gazing at the man with a bored expression, "I control what happens here."
I ignored his pained remarks before rising to my feet, "You will answer all my questions starting with who sent you and why did you try taking away one of my Queens."
"Just to let you know," I began to walk around him while Poena looked on, "I have very little patience to discuss things in Sfèndee so you will answer in common tongue."
I grabbed the top of his head and pulled back hard until his throat was fully exposed, "Do you understand?"
"Yes," he whispered after swallowing the accumulated spit.
Barbed chains buried deep within the flesh of each Fylgja before turning on themselves making makeshift nooses that tightened with forceful strength.
It was almost mesmerizing to see faint outlines matching each individual Fylgja being pulled from their bodies bound in ice toward faint magic circles holding the elves within.
Evocation was one of the magics barely known too me but it was clear some sort of tug-o-war was being played.
For a time, the three Dökkálfar looked to be winning only to be somewhat pulled from their bodies before reversing the roles once more.
Such a battle instantly appeared to me that it would carry on for a number of minutes until one side or the other gave in and that was time I didn't have to waste.
Silent ripples fluttered through the floor as bulbous orange hued eyes glided beneath the surface.
Jagged fangs frozen in a visceral smile laid underneath an elongated snout hard enough to break bone.
A long stalky tail lined with barbed fins thrashed violently from side to side propelling the beast forward.
Webbed taloned frail hands latched onto the rear most elf in a tight vice before plunging teeth into flesh.
Pained screams rang out when the Kepirn tore chunks of meat from the equestrian summoner's collar bone before plunging into darkness once more.
A trail blood trailed between the man's neck and shoulder drenching the refined clothes he wore as his allies turned in surprised horror. Hands quickly plunged against the wound hoping to stop the bleeding or at least slow it enough until there was time to treat it. Nervous eyes searched between them hoping that at least one of them saw where that creature had disappeared. A cacophony of howling beasts sent their bodies n edge as the noticed the multitude f crimson eyes dotting the wall of flowing shadows. Soon all manner of creatures soon staggered from the darkness until surrounding the elves on every side.
Snarling fangs glinted beneath crimson orbs while taloned feet hovered on powerful wings.
Spiked feet clicked against the ground moving segmented bodies in a veracious dance guided by twitching antennae.
Heavy feet shifted in place avoiding the small creatures moving about them while their owners pounded their chest in a rhythmic drum.
Howls soon joined the rhythm as a path was made in front of the elves leading to the farthest void.
With Poena and Orion at my side, I followed the path as the rambunctious creatures grew louder with each step.
I raised my hand silencing the commotion so that my words could easily be heard.
"Magistrate Aquarius," the Ljósálfar's ears perked when I called his title, "come take a walk with me."