-I am the last one standing, who is dedicated to <****> of the Black. Grada you truly have no clue how you asked for all of these ramifications. Did your father educate you on why you were killing my people??
Grada just stared helplessly into the eyes of BlackBlood from upon his back... His eyes bloodshot, his breathing heavy but shallow, and his look was one of dire despair and desperation...
-Don't look at me in that manner, bastard!!! Answer my fucking question you insolent piece of shite before I let you die right here...
(Grada) A... Ar... Aren't you going to ccrrhhmmpphh... kill me...? After all that babble about taking back what's yours...
-That is an offering to you, for allowing this event to take place in your home...
Ogren and Boppa stepped off their perch and flew to the half of Grada that was sliced off, and with a tug split it in half and scarfed it down until nothing was left...
-Oh. You're done, but just appease my curiosity for a bit, I'll even help you out for a little while... {Zest of the Oni} BlackBlood spewed out a shadow of black flames covering Grada and the flames flickered and danced, spreading over his body peeling away everything down to the meat layering the bone...
Grada felt pain like never before, balling up the sand in his hand from gripping the soil under his palms. He was breaking off teeth, grinding and gritting while whaling out, attempting to control it. He soon calmed down and realized his pain had been dulled to the point of feeling easier to breathe.
But his body was mutilated to the point of no return. The flame still kindling along his body, he realized this was his life preserver. Once the flame extinguished so would his life. He decided that nothing could be gained by holding it in...
(Grada) My father warned me of your lineage and how it needs to be snuffed out root & stem.... He mentioned how corrupting your clan of Hornheads had been in past dealings... How cccrrmmphh... How detested the faction of your ancestors were before developing into Tieflings.
Lastly he mentioned how dangerous the Abyss would be if power tilted in your favor. We sullied our hands in the blood of many so we could form alliances. We didn't want anyone to get away. Your clan killed so many to fulfill your selfish needs. At least our deaths were to preserve the balance, but here you are. A damn world disaster, all because of our errors...
-Your father was right to take action. We were killing young ones in your towns. Same with the young Cyclos. But he thought too little of our plan. We were all warlocks and our great Patron wants something from here in this realm...
We were a group of pure occultists, not just any warlocks. And since our bond is through Blood magic, it is the strongest Lineage Bond in this Quadrant of the Abyss...
(Grada).... Wha...!!???
-Yes, knowledge that deep is something that wasn't passed along to your little band of merry men... I guess that's the cost of being attached to a low-grade flock of necromancers...
Grada couldn't respond because this was all new to him. Now he was being haunted by way of his own memories and experiences with his elders and allies... Pondering...
(Grada) Wha??? What??!! My father wouldn't dare stoop so low... But, his father would have. There was a silly rumor once about the head seat being stolen by the Strongwood clan. It was short lived...
-Your Grandfather was the one who traded a life for your rule now. Made a pact with the necromancers of the first first floor within the inferno realm.
~The black flames start to slow down in movement. Grada's very tips started to whiten and turn to ash... A few specks started to dissipate into the wind...~
(Grada) You have the Oni Forest Magus, it's a demonic relic. Who are you?? You're a warlock just as bad as a slave.
-And yet you're dying and I'm standing here looking down upon you. My patron hates those who fall in with the Necros. I am the living testament of his will here in Nova.
This Magus was taken off the body of one of the demons, but that's neither here nor there... Grada I do have one more use for you. See your father did pass on the family's Soul Core to you... I saw it when Nimra was in control of me...
So I have one more delight to serve you. While we're speaking of the Magus, let me put it to use. I have met the requirements for the extraction of the core process...
This took the sacrifice of my own kin just for this moment. I watched the young, the old, righteous and kind, the menacing and evil, all of them gone. Hell I even killed some of the higher ups who tried to hide in my chambers. This day will light the embers to the path of my triumph...
-BlackBlood pulled out the Magus and it flapped its pages fiercely for two whole seconds and stopped. The book now levitating, started to crackle and light up bright orange. The sky grew dark gray, the black flames covering Grada were now white and over forty percent of his body was ash. His leg, up to his thigh was gone in the wind.
-BlackBlood chanted-
Nocturnal is the heart, everlasting dream of horror, penetration and form, agony of the Oni...
-SsssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhPPPPPPPOOOOOPPPPPP-
A bolt lightning shot down from the sky upon Grada with a speed so fast it hit him before his burned body could turn to ash. Even before his life had ended, the strike caved in his head pulling everything into a ball of flesh which crystalized and condensed as it cooled down to the size of a marble throwing stone..
-Aet, ThreeScar come down and get this core. I'm going to need you to hold on to it.
ThreeScar pressed down upon the branch they were standing on, breaking it and angling down toward the direction of BlackBlood. Causing them to slide down to her...
Aet was tumbling uncontrollably at a high rate of speed until ThreeScar scooped him up and held him under his armpit while sliding down the branch...
They arrived before her within the arena, and she could barely stand holding onto the Core.
-Here, take this out of my hand, I can't hold it much longer as I am drained from this battle. I must recuperate for some time. I didn't think he had that much fight in him, but this was the way it had to be. The Weak Get Eaten…
The Oasis has been pretty bloody and now it's all over. BlackBlood and company will make their exit next chapter…
To be Continued...
Next chapter 42...
~Blood Oasis~