"God? What are you on about?" Trojan asked.
He was stopped when Ash stepped between him and Duke Phoenix. The female mage leaned her staff towards Trojan, a silent threat.
Trojan stopped.
"Do you know the reason why I have researched the Phoenix for all those years?" Duke Phoenix asked, looking Trojan in the eyes. "There's something mystical about the Phoenix. It does not die, yet it does not live, do you understand me, Duke Trojan?"
"You're making no sense," Trojan told him, keeping an eye on Ash.
"A Phoenix is a creature that is neither alive nor dead. It is immortal!" Duke Phoenix exclaimed. "No sickness pursues it, no injuries last! That is a Phoenix, forever in existence and forever alive!"
Trojan reached back to his pocket, preparing to jump either Duke Phoenix or Ash.
"I am going to harness that power! And I'm going to become immortal!" Duke Phoenix shouted.
In the distance, a sound could be heard. The first to turn around was Trojan, then Ash.
Ash extended her staff in front of her, and everything was engulfed in orange.
Trojan saw as Ash was thrown backwards from the force. She had attempted to block the spell, and had gotten thrown back as a result.
Duke Phoenix stepped away, looking back at Ash.
Trojan reached and grabbed the knife in his pocket, not pulling it out yet.
Alastor landed on the ground some distance away. He glanced at Ash before looking over to Duke Phoenix, then Trojan.
Duke Phoenix cursed and threw a small knife at Alastor, who knocked it aside with his staff. The mage had a burning anger in his eyes.
Trojan stepped back, still keeping his knife in his pocket.
Alastor faced Trojan.
"Call your mage over this instant, Duke Trojan," Alastor told Trojan. "If you value your own life, as well as this old man's life."
Around them, the city burnt on. Soldiers started appearing, armoured soldiers who were no as affected by the heat. The gathered around them, some of them already charging Alastor.
Somewhere else, Alastor had left the rebellion alone.
The remaining troops of Duke Phoenix's army got their gear and approached the peasants who were still confused as to what was happening.
The soldiers started hunting and killing all the peasants they saw. The peasants were confused and unable to do anything, only getting killed off, their blood staining the ground.
It was as if fate determined it.
That same night, the soldiers deployed at Ether's borders rang the alarm that sounded throughout Ether.
Earl Sichal stood there, looking out towards the night sky, or what was supposed to be the night sky.
"My god," Earl Sichal muttered to himself.
The defences started firing their arrows, bows, crossbows, ballistas. Some tried using catapults as they attempted to fight off the monsters that had appeared.
A wyvern, a bipedal scaly creature with large wings swooped down and gripped one of the soldiers in its legs.
Some soldiers tried to shoot it down, but it was simply too fast. They continued firing, and after a few seconds, there came a scream which got increasingly louder.
The soldier which was picked up landed with a splat, blood splattering everywhere. The soldiers had no time to grief as they attempted to fight back.
Eventually, a mage sent a lightning bolt into the cloud of monsters, taking a few down.
There was simply too many.
The moon was hidden behind the monsters, and the defences were barely able to do much about it.
At the centre of Inner City, Trojan heard the alarm.
"I told you to summon Domino," Alastor told Trojan. "That was not a request, that was an order."
Alastor walked towards Duke Phoenix. The soldiers charged at Alastor with screams.
Alastor casted a spell, and a row of flames swept across the soldiers. The horses died, and so did the people on the horses.
Some tried firing projectiles, but it did not connect with Alastor.
Alastor reached Duke Phoenix and knocked him to the ground. Duke Phoenix landed on the ground hard, a crack being heard.
He was old, his bones were surely fragile. Duke Phoenix looked like he was in pain, but did not show it.
Alastor made eye contact with Trojan, the fire in his eyes growing by the second.
He grabbed Duke Phoenix's hand and snapped a finger, making Duke Phoenix scream. Alastor not only broke the finger, but grinned it between his fingers, making sure the bones became as broken as possible.
To Alastor, it probably looked like Duke Phoenix and Trojan were still working together. Trojan had no obligation to help Duke Phoenix, it would actually be beneficial if Duke Phoenix died.
"The monsters are invading!" Duke Phoenix exclaimed.
"And? It's not my job anymore. This place can burn in Hell for all I care," Alastor said to Duke Phoenix, breaking another finger.
Alastor looked back to Trojan.
"Summon Domino. If this man's life does not matter to you, perhaps your wife's life does?" Alastor asked. "The wife that is hiding in that house of hers?"
Trojan clenched his fists and walked towards Alastor.
Alastor stood up before kicking the old Duke Phoenix aside.
"This is your last chance," Alastor warned. "Summon Domino."
Trojan walked up to Alastor, reaching into his pocket. He pretended that fumble around with it, acting like he was finding something.
"Hole on, there's something he gave me which can summon him," Trojan said.
When he reached in front of Alastor, he grabbed the knife firmly and pulled it out. He aimed for Alastor's neck, but Alastor had moved, so the knife only got him in the shoulder.
Alastor stepped away, clutching his bleeding shoulder.
"You're dead," Alastor scowled.
Trojan tried to run away, but a wave of fire ran past him. Trojan closed his eyes, but nothing happened.
Ash, lying on the side and clutching her stomach, extended her staff. She was bleeding, but managed to cast a spell.
She wiped the blood from her face as Alastor glared at her.
"They're not… supposed to die… yet!" Ash said, breathing hard.