[Burble]
Steam rises slowly as water falls into the hot spring through the stone statues carved within its walls. the clear water surface of the pool reflects the beautiful sight of the moon illuminating the veiled sky.
[Ripples]
We see a woman bare-naked slowly walking into the scene. her long white hair sways away the reflection as she makes it toward the center. She brings up some water into the air with her pair of hands and observes the reflection in it.
"Beautiful..or is it just because it seems?" the woman muttered softly. "For ages..our clan has been flourishing under your guidance. But how long shall we keep on hiding under someone else's shadow?" saying that she gently pours down the water
"Yet. The heavenly chariot, Taotie, or any of the divine beasts always remain silent...just what are we exactly to them?"
The moonlight then falls into the woman as if the moon itself is comforting her.
"Ah, sorry Taichi, you can continue delivering your report"
"Yes ma'am..I mean Luna onee-sama". Taichi flustered. He stands beside the edge of the stairs leading to the hot spring and currently is carrying out a private mission that none of the members of the Huxuan clan even the four Jade knights are allowed to. Taichi is not only an S-rank wizard but works as an emissary to the divine priestess of the Huxuan clan.
"*cough* So I was saying Sir Louis along with his knights has returned from his successful campaign. He has rescued all the villagers and now they're being sheltered temporarily somewhere inside the city."
"Successful..hmph... houses have been burnt to ashes, people have gone missing, a dragon has been loose to run rampage across a village. I won't count that as being called a "successful campaign" Luna responds
"Sorry onee-sama..."
Luna turns towards Taichi and starts walking to the stairs with her side hair covering up her big breasts.
"So what has become of the dragon?"
"The thing is Scorched wing has been reported missing. shortly after arriving the Northern light regime surrounds the perimeter and tracked down any traces left by him"
[Pitter-patter]
Luna dripping down with water from her naked body slowly climbs up from the pool. She grabs the kimono from Taichi's hands and dresses up.
"All they can conclude is that there could be a serious fight breakout in that arena, there is not a concrete proof but-"
"hmph," Luna chuckles.
"a dragon appeared out of nowhere..destroyed a whole village, and vanished into thin air..that could make such a fascinating story, isn't it Taichi?"
"Onee-sama what are you-?"
"Enough, tales of Louis's incompetence will only question the lord of retainer's leniency towards his failure. Taichi, give me the actual report"
"yes onee-sama, I have investigated thoroughly on that matter and I can hundred percent guarantee, the magic energy we have been sensing in the city truly belongs to him and every day his presence becomes near to us."
Taichi clenches his fist. "there is no way I can forget that sensation even after a whole 10 years."
Luna remains silent for a while then replied "I see."
"Call in the elders even the jade knights as well under the name of a crucial meeting, I don't want any slackers. Do you understand Taichi?."
"Understood onee-sama" Taichi quickly obeyed. "I forgot one more thing...Onee-sama, Kuro came back"
Luna suddenly stops walking after hearing the news
"I see, good for her then" Luna replied in a cold tone
"But one-sama...I understand things were not supposed to go as they should be in the past but-"
"Taichi, we can talk about that later. You have a task that needs to be done, don't you?"
saying that Luna heads towards the shrine without showing the response that Taichi hopes for.
"Understood Onee-sama..."
Kuro, nee-san, I hope you are doing well
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Somewhere in the depth of a thick shrouded forest, We see Abyss and Zyun found walking side by side.
"Abyss you sure we are heading in the right direction?" Zyun asked.
His eyes move around to every inch-darkened corner of the forest. The crooked trees, the howling wind between the leaves, and the eerie sensation of feeling being watched ever since he entered the forest start to creep Zyun out.
"Oh yes, definitely" Abyss replied "Oya...are you starting to get scared?~"
"Huh?...N-No..No..what do you mean by that-"
"ofufufufu little elf boy is chickening out"
"Oi...Abyss you mother-" Zyun gives up halfway knowing very well if it goes on, he is going to fall into the trap that Abyss wanted.
"sighs..."
It has been almost 3 days since the destruction of Gardania by the Scorched wing. Shortly after we left I heard, the northern light regime has taken in all the refugees. Fanny, Fyo, Kzu, and Kuro you too I hope we cross paths together at some point in the near time.
The future is still uncertain for all of us right but let's believe in ourselves and keep on moving forward.
"Eeeeeeeek!"
"Sorry, I was lacking some attention" Abyss condone his action with a straight face.
"Stop it already! This is already the 5th time"
"then you should stop spacing out" Abyss replied.
"I have told you already, whatever happened is already long gone, be a good or bad, all we can go do is take up that experience so we don't the same mistake again. What is important right now is the present moment."
"But Abyss you seem to be overly relaxed considering he got killed. Are you really ok with it?
"Oh, I just remembered something!"
[Stomach growling]
"I am hungry..."
"Ughhhh"
"that's it let's have a picnic right here..." Abyss clapped his hands.
"picnic...in this area...you do realize there is a cemetery right ahead of us."
" that is the part of the vibe, Zyun. Don't you love this beautiful haunted scenario"
"No."
" weird looking trees near an abandoned cemetery. Then there is a huge vine running across the door and not to mention it is full of tombstones, I am sure many people have died there!"
"Abyss stop being weird"
"All we are missing is a zombie creeping out from the tombstone shouting-"
"H-e-lpppp"
"Ahhhhhhhh!" Both Zyun and Abyss jump up, frightened by the horrifying sight before them.
A man comes out crawling from a gate tethered with dark murky coalescence all over his body.
The only part of the body that is not covered is his face and the right hand reaching out to Zyun and Abyss.
"Please...help me..." the guy begs in agony.
Zyun immediately rushes to the guy. He summoned his sword and throw it right near the guy.
"Activate ward of Sanctification" Zyun yelled.
The ground starts growing near the corrupted person but for some reason, the coalescences didn't disappear
Wait..why didn't it disappear?
"Help me..please-"
Suddenly the guy gets pulled inside the cemetery. Zyun immediately rushed inside to rescue him.
Where did he disappear ...where is he.
Zyun looks around desperately for the poor guy
[Squleching]
Just a few distance from his right side, the young man is seen getting devoured by murky coalesce...
"Don't...do it....help...."
"Hold on!" Zyun run hurriedly toward him
But as he reached out his hand, the guy get completely enveloped into the quenching foam.
[Quenching][Roar]
A giant abomination arises slowly from the core of the essence, dripping with dark murky foam.
What..the heck is happening? No..there is no time for hesitation I can still sense that guy's presence..if I can somehow beat this thing up. I can save him.
With a real in his hand, Zyun jumps right next to the monster
"Hah!" in the next step Zyun brings down the monster's left arm with a powerful stroke.
[Quelching]
But the abomination quickly regenerates its arm.
"Azox, activate ward of sanctification" Zyun throw the sword at the monster in the mid-air
To purge the evil essences.
But to his surprise it didn't work..the sword just slipped down from the body
Again? What is the meaning of this?
[Raor]
Huge pointed spikes proliferate outs from the back of the abomination in the heat of rage.
" I said don't interfere!" The monster slams his fist on the ground erupting several spikes.
Before the spikes reach him, Zyun lunges back and dodges it in the nick of time.
Azox should be easily able to purge it..hmm..if that is the case then...
"All weapons deploy!"
In his command, all 4 divine weapons appear next to Zyun and attack the monster.
The divine swords parry and attack the monster from mid-air as if they have control of their own.
"Art of confinement, Hall of Valhalla"
under shimmering light, we see the monster engage inside the holy light like how Scorched got imprisoned.
The monster looks around bewildered as the pillar of lights surrounds him.
Did it work?
[Roar]
The spikes from the monster backlash out and break down Zyun's confinement magic easily.
"what-"
Before Zyun could finish..in the next second he find himself dodging the spikes...but some of the dark lashes manages to hurt Zyun reaping out some of his shirts.
The monster completely overwhelmed Zyun in just a few attacks.
nullifying the ward is one thing but destroying my confinement in just one attack, even Scorched Wing has trouble dealing with it.
"tsk, tsk"
Abyss enters the scene with a sound of disappointment trying to add more injury to Zyun.
"Haven't you realized it by now, Zyun?" Abyss asked in a composed voice.
"the thing right in front of you is neither an evil spirit nor a demon but an amalgamation"
At that very moment, the monster continues to transform further..the mud's foams commence and then develop into a more defined body with glowing blue eyes and horns from its head.
"amalgamation?"
"Yup, in fact, what you see in front of is none other than an amalgamation of death."
"Amalgamation of death?"
"to be precise, the essence left behind by the god of death himself collects themselves together to form this monstrosity."
Abyss chuckles.
" And if you are thinking about it, then let me tell you, the god of death, Grim Reaper does exist in this world."