When should one take action?
Action should be taken when a moral dilemma has come about face. Whenever faced with a moral or personal dilemma it'd be wise to act, speaking out would get you nowhere as actions more so than any speech or suggestion bring about the greatest change.
Even more so. Action should be taken when you're left with no other options.
If you're rock bottom, the only direction you can go from there is up.
Wandering about in a abandoned mine monsters prowled about. The stench of blood was high and putrid in the air.
Faint bask of wind made this worse as the smell would wisp into your nostrils. Faint lights from ore dimmed in the mine as they were faintly cast about in blood splatter. A massacre had just occurred, it was arguable whether this massacre was lead by a human threat or nature taking its course and acting against a majority who happened to have dealt unfavorable cards.
The bodies of one had been torn open and dragged all over leaving a trail of blood and viscera. His eye had been popped out of his socket. Battered, bruised, and mauled his face was indistinguishable from the rest. The beastly monsters snarled in spite with blood covering their snouts, eventually they'd find themselves leaving along side the presence of 8 dark cloaked figures. As they treaded the ground, a mist eluded from the bottom of their cloaks. If you peered inside you'd see nothing was inside the cloak to begin with.
If you happened to provoke them, you'd find your life sullied and drained slowly. You'd fall cold to the ground as each of your senses died away one by one. Fading to darkness. The persuasive clutches of death were upon you.
As if nothing ever happened your body would've been engulfed by the beast.
Apostles sent down from a place above, all in order to eliminate any sparks of Ragnarök. For alas they were looking in the wrong direction but would soon be met with their target.
Dashing throughout the sky with each step making a boom, every thrust even greater than before I finally landed. Falling from the sky gracefully without a worry in mind I'd make my way to the Hansmen headquarters. The look on my face was tired, it wasn't nearly as prim from when I first arrived to this world. And then, it just came across to me.
time flies.
I walked in the hansmen building scratching my ass then wiping it on whoever walked past me. It was our newest recruit henry, I don't really like him but he's gonna die tomorrow so it doesn't make much of a difference either way. I went down the hallway as a large mirror laid before me, peering into it I saw more or less a different person. My hair grew out a lot more coincidentally being replaced by my more natural black hair. My eyes seemed really stern as if I could kill somebody with just a glance. I looked scary and kind of badass on top of the muscle I put on.
I caressed my hair and twirled it a bit before realizing I should probably cut it a tiny bit. It was a little out and bat shit crazy.
I picked up a nearby broom as slowly but surely, in my hand sparks of lightning circumvented from it and slowly changed the dollar tree broom into a pair of clippers.
I walked into the bathroom where I stood in front to the mirror and took a long stare at myself.
I clipped a bit of my hair and adjusted my bangs a tad bit. They had grown quite a bit since the last time I cut them. I needed a bit more of a new look as in a day from now things will be changed considerably.
Once I was done I treaded out the bathroom. My head felt a little bit lighter and this was good. I adjusted my glasses before walking towards the main living room. And you might be wondering "when the fuck did she get glasses?"
I was wearing contacts prior and lost them shortly into day three of training with Zel so I ended up having to make some glasses through magic to "magically" adjust my vision. I've even made it to where they can zoom in as much as I want, it's quite redundant when I'm using my divergent eyes however.
Over the course of two years I've changed considerably, at least that's what I'd like to assume anyway. I've gauged and studied every one of the Hansmen day in day out, I've learned the vast majority of what they're capable of. Some refuse to reveal their secrets to anyone and it's completely fine as I've advanced enough to where I should just be able to overpower them with my skill.
Each of them have trained periodically as well and I observed their methods from afar, same went for Uriel as he's been honing himself further in general swordsmanship to come face to face with the Royal Inquisitor. The Inquisitor is basically the head of the royal squadron protecting the king. I've had little to time gathering information on them since they're not apart of my plan with murdering the Hansmen.
"Sumire, we've got a mission..— oh wait did you cut your hair?"
From within the hallway I heard a familiar voice still slightly timid. It was Luci, he bulked up a tad bit and started combing his hair. And he's slightly taller than me now, I don't mind that but we used to be the same height so it's a bit aggravating.
"Is it a assassination or transport? Leave me out of those, I'm tryna take the day off. And yes, I did."
"I think it looks really nice! And I'd say the mission is more so we've got to deal with a couple Vidiels, along with check out a scene where some miners were reported missing."
"Missing miners? Them bitches were probably gold diggers."
"I, I don't get it—"
I looked at him straight in the eye before realizing the joke probably wouldn't have made sense to many of the people here. Actually, I don't anyone would be able to get the joke.
I didn't even get it.
"Don't worry about it Luci, let's just head out."
I tapped the ground with my heels twice before a strange lightning sprouted from the ground, deconstructing various material in the ground and using sparse amounts of magic I reconstructed a outfit for me to wear while dawning the Hansmen cape.
"I really do envy your Sacred Arts ability!"
"Hm? I know— yours is a bit more convenient as far as battle goes."
We'd both exit through the window jogging in the sky not exactly observable to people down below given the speed we were traversing the sky.
The mine itself was located someplace outside the capital near the border, it doesn't usually get attacked much less cause no one really monitors it as much nowadays. I've been there twice with Luci to ward off some beast but that was generally the most I've had to do. The more I think about it the mine always felt rather peculiar. This feeling would've been put into confirmation the closer we got.
Eventually the smell of blood was caught in my nose, we were put on guard immediately as we landed at the mines entrance. My senses were telling me danger was about.
We looked around as our eyes widened a bit.
"A massacre occurred here, it looks like one side struggled but ultimately was overpowered with either superior nun— you know what scratch that, all I'm seeing are the tracks of some sort of beast, from their indentation they're quite heavy so it's understandable that they lost."
We grazed the walls as there was blood splatter everywhere. It was still fresh, it only occurred a few hours ago seems like.
I looked towards Luci with concern as he was on the ground trying to figure everything out from the ground up. The whole place gave me a really eerie vibe. Luci however seemed to be taking things a bit differently, his composure was on and off as I could visibly see his worry for once.
Luci analyzed the area further following up with initial his analysis, but one thing that bothered me was that there was no bodies left. And there was no sign that they were dragged away.
"We might need to stay here for a little bit longer if we really wanna figure out what happened.." exclaimed by Luci
"Ehhh— I'd rather not, every horror movie to date has told me to just leave and have some dumb white couple handle it as they go through a serious of frivolous and redundant events before the whole thing is either solved or left on hiatus until a either dumber or just as good movie comes o—"
Before I could finish my rant a weird sound came from behind me. I felt like a idiot because of how corny this was, dumb girl and a boy stumble upon something they shouldn't and strange creature happens to creep behind them.
It snarled. A wisp of wind came from its movements, I couldn't feel that it was there whenever I tried to sense forcefully. But instinctually I knew someone or something was there.
I could feel imminent danger, I felt as if my life was in jeopardy.
"m a g i —…. . . . d I e..—"
Luckily in the instant that utterance came out, a sudden electrical crackle goes off from my hand as a magic circle appears in the air in front of me.
The magic circle protrudes energy momentarily before a multitude of different magic circles big and small take form and spawn different forms of artillery, guns and launchers. Each of them with a steampunk-esque appearance. I snapped my finger almost the moment they appeared causing them to take aim at whatever and whoever was behind me nearly instantly.
Just the one shot setting off a chain reaction which would've made them all fire rapidly towards it using pure condensed energy from their natural surroundings.
This sheer amount of fire would've sent anything to oblivion at this point. Despite this clear show of destructive power, Luci reacted immediately with a happy and chipper response.
"That's what I mean by your ability being so cool! Sumire I doubt I could've reacted to that if it was me—"
"I'm aware."
Unfortunately the intruder was unscathed and I had no idea since I was still turned around. It slowly went up towards me.
What I assume to be its face crept up next to my cheek before exhaling creepily. Everything felt cold and my body felt weak. It sparsely caressed my check and almost murmured something else to me.
Before anything else could happen Luci rushed in instantly with a grand burst of speed and struck them down with one of his daggers. Using sacred arts he was able to interact with these ghastly creatures who had appeared behind me.
I immediately jumped back and turned around to see who I was supposed to be fighting now. I didn't notice but I had stopped breathing, it was really strange and even when I tried to catch my breath it took me a moment.
"Th-thanks.."
"I've got your back remember?.."
I nodded in response as I slammed my hand into the ground to use my sacred arts technique since that seems to be the main to use to defend myself. Magic wasn't exactly working the way I wanted as my artillery didn't seem to phase them.
But.
What I like the most about my Sacred Arts Technique is that the technique itself isn't limited to anything as far as offense goes. For example, Luci would've noticed the strange creatures had been perforated from all sides by earth reconstructed or in different terms: transmuted by me. I was taken aback at their general disfigured nature. The silhouettes of their body was inhuman and everything they touched gradually froze. I checked my cheek and it was still cold from just them being near me.
I took a step back eventually after that slight brush with whatever the fuck that was.
I stood there a little surprised as to what they really were, they had no recognizable facial features nor did it seem like they could speak. Right when I was about to get closer to them their joints popped spastically. Every portion of their body which had been perforated immediately phased out and healed.
Luci rushed in to attack them the moment they got free and rushed them with a flurry of punches up and down sending each individual cloaked individual into the sky however he'd get pressed backwards as if some invisible force sent him flying. One of them got sent into the forest and retaliated with a strange attack before ducking.
One of ghast screeched before opening their opens and pointing the towards us. Within their cloaks some miasma bubbled and surged as it eventually took physical form. Rabid beast of different forms and nature came sprouting out. All of them towered over us menacingly, a drip of their slobber melted the ground. It was quite iconic in my eyes. I rubbed my chin a bit to think before snapping my fingers. A spark let out before lightning came bustling down to strike the head of the beasts. The sheer force blew a hole in their head and caused them to fall over instantly.
Luci patted my shoulder momentarily before jumping up in a single leap towards the cloaked figure. He reeled in his fist as they crackled with lightning just a tiny bit.
Energy coursed throughout his entire body then finally he sent it flying out in a single point, condensed and precise at the very tip of his fist. He struck the cloaked figures with a lightning strike so large it bellowed throughout the sky and travelled for miles before actually dispersing properly.
"TAKE THIS YOU DAMN GHOST!"
The power from that strike alone travelled from one to another surging and causing them to implode from the inside out.
It was quite awe inspiring, possibly one of our better joint attacks. If you're confused as to how he used the lightning, his sacred art technique; Avarice, it let's him stack the power of whoever he touches momentarily with his own. This let him for the time being take on the lightning I had just constructed on top of whatever general fighting power I had into his own which was already large in volume. As of right now he can only momentarily take it on but given some more training he'll be able to take on attacks that are directly being thrown at him.
We developed it with his complete and utter lack of talent in mind so instead it'll be him taking whatever talent someone else has ontop of the skill he's gained himself.
He'd eventually float down to the ground to greet me.
"One of them got away."
I had to give it to him plain and simple, he sent one down into the forest and the rest into the sky and forgot about it.
Dejectedly he looked down as I patted him on the back.
"Just when I thought I finished everything perfectly with just the ri—"
"Yeah no, better luck next time bud. Also we're gonna have to report this cause as far as I've heard or know. Something like that had never existed prior or came about."
"Right.."
After surveying the area just a bit more before we'd head back the base. I was rather concerned with how the thing interacted with me. The whole experience gave me some major DeJa vu.
I rubbed my head a bit before regaining my composure. Strangely enough unlike any time before, I slowly began to notice the sun was setting afar. The sky dimmed a bit as the sky hinted orange slightly. It was a beautiful sight to see while in the sky.
As we headed back to the main headquarters I noticed troops gathering nearby the South Gate of Yventia.
It was quite interesting to see as they're cloaked using a barrier but the troops in question come from all over the world. It really goes to to show that Uriel is serious about taking over the throne. And speaking of Uriel, while we were traversing through the sky I saw him in the very top of the Hansmen headquarters talking to some scruffy looking dude with a sword on his waist but with no armor. They were several miles away but with how high we were in the sky I could locate the headquarters and pinpoint them more or less cause of the glasses zoom in feature I instilled.
I saw the man with a scruffy look and seemed a bit puzzled cause he seemed to have what mightve been a katana on his waist. And to my surprise, the man with a pony tail immediately looked my direction despite the fact we should've been too far and moving too fast for any real or natural human to notice us. It was only a moment later that he appeared in front of me and Luci.
Before we even had the chance to react he had his blades against our throats.
"What might a little miss and mister like you two be doing perusing the skies at a time like this? Might you be..— ooops. You're apart of little El's band of bunchkins."
He drew his blade back in after noticing our uniforms, I was still astounded at his movement speed and the time it took him to cross the distance.
He scratched his head a bit before diving down to the Hansmen headquarters roof with us along with Uriel who happened still be there sighing in disappointment.
"Sumire, Lucifero, this is Koto. He's my brother by rite of passage. I've been through thick and thin with him, he's leading the main Bayard Unit when we take over the capital tomorrow."
"Yeeeahhh.. this little runt has put me through hell and back when we were kids but that was ages ago. You know he used to get all the girls? I see he's settled with double D Mary down there.."
Koto would've chuckled a bit before getting knocked on the back of the head. Koto had rubbed the back of his head pretending to be in great pain putting Uriel as the bad guy.
I just stared with a blank face.
"So, Uri— I see you've got really everyone to help you take over the capital once things are started?.."
Luci said this surprised, clearly he's been left out as far as information goes.
"Yes, from the time I was 7 until now I've fostered relationships with nearly every country in the world to some extent while the fat pig known as our current leader sets off petty quarrels with his own hurt pride. I intend to correct this upset, I'll forcefully abdicate him from the throne."
We all looked at Uriel, his determination was admirable without a doubt but now it was a matter if he could get the job done.
But, after looking at the mass of soldiers which still grew rapidly outside it was clear that thousands of people had faith in him as a great power.
"Alrighty, everyone. Resume preparations then find yourselves getting some rest, the big day is tomorrow."
Luci and I nodded before heading down into the main room.
We both floated down slightly before being met with all of the Hansmen assembled in the hall. This was a rare occurrence as there was 13 in total, including me. Over the course of two years 3 died/went missing so of course we had to replace them.
I peered around and didn't exactly have much of a vendetta against the newest Hansmen but come tomorrow I'll decide if I really wanna deal with them or not.
I brushed passed Selene and his older brother Gawain, his brother was a more refined person who only recently was on level with Mary and Zel but overall I've got him figured out. Selene, I've figured I'd handle him by borrowing a little something come tomorrow.
Gawain was relatively kind but I haven't forgiven him for the first year I was here. Selene remained the same the entire time as a condescending pretentious prick.
I was trying to get to the kitchen but I found myself trying to get Luci out of trouble cause he kept bumping into everyone by accident. Eventually on the floor, I felt something creep up on me. My ankles got fucking gripped.
I fell to the ground randomly as I saw a green blur.
"SHUMIIII COME ONNNN!!! My. Darling!..~"
Everyone looked at Zel who clearly was drunk, but the funny thing is that she needs around 20 shots before she's even buzzed so it was concerning who really let her drink that much in the first place. She ended up dragging me outside while I was merely a victim to her crime.
"OH GOD NO PLEASE, NO MORE! LUCI HELP!"
"SUMIRE..— ILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU FONDLY!"
He waved towards me with a tear in his eye as if he was departing with a lover but knew exactly what he was doing by not getting involved with Zel. In fact everyone knew since she'd just drag them in if they made contact.
For the most part because of how often Zel dragged me off people thought we were in a masochistic abusive relationship where I took the beatings while it was more or less the reverse.
We aren't in a relationship, she just likes to get beat. But eventually, Zel did drag me off and at the speed of light we'd go all the way from the base to our usual training spot where a little house had been built. We figured since we'd be out here the entire time why not try to enjoy it a tad bit.
However, I don't think we'll ever be enjoying it again after this.
"Sumi. Our time together is just about up, I hope you know this. Actually, I'm sure you know this better than anyone."
Zel said this solemnly with a serious look on her face.
"I do.."
"Don't look sad my dearest, know you'll be pumping with love with each and every attack."
Zel put her hands towards her chest, she closed her eyes and smiled.
"I want you to know that through our battle all of our emotions, our spirit and the very thing that defines us will come out. The greatest emotions known to us will come shouting out. I truly do appreciate and hold you dear for what you're doing for me Sumi. I appreciate everything you've done in these past two years and I truly did love the time we spent together even if it was just me chasing you around and swinging foreign and possibly dangerous objects at you the entire time."
"Yeahhh…"
I said that yeah knowing for a fact I was tormented in that first year but understood the assignment shortly afterwards. Eventually a tear was brought to my eye as we'd eventually come face to face again. A lot of memories came flooding to me, not all of them were bad but not all of them were particularly good.
"Now.. I really want you to put me under Sumi..~ GIVE ME ALL YOU GOT! SHOW ME EACH AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE LEARNED THESE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS MY DEAR!—..~"
"OF COURSE YOU DAMN MASOCHIST!"
She opened her arms wide with a psychotic smile bearing all of her teeth for me see. Her stance was wide ready to anticipate anything I was going to send at her. This fight wasn't meant to be one sided but both of us giving it all we got, all of it banking that she'd die in the process.
At point blank range I'd open my palms towards her as in mere moments before even she could react a barrel formed over my hand with other barrels interlocking over it. Using magic and my Sacred Arts I could theoretically create anything I put my mind to.
I'd jump back ever so slightly as a massive discharge came from out the barrel transmuted onto my hand. By transmuting and using magic as a further supplement to create a massive blast of furiously condensed energy which still took up a massive surface area despite it being condensed. When it shot out almost everything within its line of sight got evaporated, atomized down to the smallest speck imaginable.
As a result I got pushed back quite a bit from the recoil but when I looked down to see if there was anything left all I could see was a giant pit. I pressed myself into the air treading on it to survey the area only to be slammed down into the ground.
"SUMII..! MY DARLING YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TRY MUCH HARDER THAN THAT IF YOU REALLY WANNA KILL ME! But.. OH YES DID THAT FEEL SIMPLY AMAZING, MY FLUIDS EVERYTHING..!"
I'd slowly dredge myself up as blood dripped from my forehead. I looked at Zel who had half her face missing and much of her body falling apart at the seems but I knew she wasn't gonna croak anytime soon if that's all I did. Probably a second later did steam slowly rise from her body and it reformed naturally. Not her clothes however, those were gone.
We were gonna just fight with her naked but I'm sure with how much she's been through it's a normal thing to happen. But that wasn't the worse of it, the equivalent of damage she took was multiplied by two into how much power she'd have to fight with, this not only stayed with her but gradually increased over time making her physically the strongest Hansmen currently.
She's trained me for the past two years and I couldn't let her down.
I slammed my hands to the ground as a electrical current ran across the entire earth. A large amount of magic circles spanned across the entire area as several rifles big and small began spawning from them. This would continue for the next few minutes. Currently 50 rifles have been created.
Each of those rifles would've began aiming towards Zel.
"Ah yes, I remember when you created this one. I never quite figured out what these pole things are but with they way you use them they're quite effective… on everyone else."
Zel had been fired at repeatedly but she gradually and gracefully evaded each shot while in the air.
While naked flinging everything everywhere for all of us to see.
This was all as if she was dancing on ice and preforming in front of a crowd of people while she traversed the sky. Eventually she'd cast a Magic circle over her arm which resulted in a energy based ligament drawing forth from her.
This ligament was dangerous as Zel has mastered elemental effects and creation based magic so at any moment it could change from being made out of pure energy to water or fire.
I watched her carefully as I continued to shoot at her. In just the split second I closed my eyes she was in front of me reeling her arm getting ready to strike me down.
I reached out instinctually not knowing what to do or how to react all but causing several rifles to be drawn towards me shooting her at point blank range but the energy sprouting from her arm merely shifted and protected her letting her make a full jab towards my face.
She didn't stop there as she used the fact I couldn't react to send another punch towards my gut then my chest. She continued to pummel my body before kicking me off sending me flying for about a mile.
"SUMI… come on, I was so hot before but now.. you're really killing my expectations! But something tells me you'll pull through some how. I know this cause the night sky is shining down on us so brightly, a truly amazing thing is to happen tonight!"
I saw fluid dripping down but..
I managed to stop myself from flying any further but the moment I caught myself I began spitting out fluids. My body was aching so much as each punch would've immediately killed me two years ago. I had to start revising my strategy or I'd be in a deadlock with her.
I'd spawn a flintlock from the ground before casting literal literary.
"This gun is just like Excalibur, it's luster and prominence resemblances it so."
The gun would shift and morph gradually as it grew a blade around the barrel and handle which shifted to become a gun or sword at any given moment should I choose it. The difference in this Excalibur was that it was truly magical, holy compared to the last time you saw it.
I swung it once and the force split the sky, the clouds had bisected in half along with the land that was in the way. No one could truly tell how far the sky was split.
Eventually I'd be met with Zel who hopped the mile she sent me flying.
"I'm ending this with my Excalibur."
I announced this confidently knowing the sheer force of it was something no one could behold besides me.
"I see, it seems like you modified your initial weapon, I can't say I'm not impressed. In fact the power I feel from it is really.. MAKING ME EXTREMELY HOT.. I SIMPLY CAN'T CONTROL THESE FEELINGS COMING FORT-—.."
I slashed down towards her.
"Please— I'm not playing around anymore."
I said this as I slowly saw her body split apart, her organs fell out on the ground only for her face to smile proudly.
"You we're playing before? I assumed it was just a quick warm up."
Her body twisted together and came back before shifting the ligament on her arm into a blade in form and functionality. We stared each other down before taking off and clashing. The force alone caused the ground around us to level. Cracks opened from under us and caused everything to slowly break down.
I slashed downwards only for her to meet me exactly matching the force perfectly. I slashed to the side only for her to parry me and punch me square in the face. I grit my teeth as I took it, I was pushed back a bit before I aimed my blade towards her with the barrel facing her.
My vision was partially shrouded with blood as my body was beaten. I figured the Excaligun towards her and the sheer force of it leveled its surroundings leaving a black ravine. I looked around knowing it wasn't going to be that easy and eventually saw a head flying with a tiny bit of flesh dangling. It reformed almost immediately into Zel before perforating my kidney and then my arm using her magic. She'd smile a bit with this crazed look in her eyes. I had been pinned to the ground but this left me at a good position since my guns had finally stopped spawning. Almost 15 minutes had passed and my 2.5 million guns were officially finished. They all gathered around us before I mentioned something.
"My body is like the mist, elusive and deceiving."
I faded away along with my initial piercing wounds she inflicted. Had I said that a second later I'd be a goner. My guns all gathered around me and pointed towards her while I was reappearing in the sky far away from her. Before I could even say fire she jumped at me with a great tenacity.
"COME ON SUMIII YOUVE GOTTA BE FASTER THAN THAT..!" I was thrown aback her willpower, the monstrous amount of bloodlust she had but on chance I was able to urge my body far beyond its own reaction speed to shoot her down once with the Excaligun. A large shot had been set off leaving her body partially torn apart and immobile.
"I TOLD YOU ONCE I WAS DONE PLAYING..— I've got things to handle you're the first hurdle to me handling them."
While I was caught up in that I faintly heard something from her.
"Thank you."
Despite that, while she was stunned momentarily the valley of Guns and artillery I had spawned finally fired at her. Initially all that could've been seen from afar was a giant blinding light that went on for ages. Some could say that night the loud echo of banging or popping is all they would hear from afar instead of the crickets.
After a minute my assault ended, I checked around the desolate landscape for any remnants of her body. It was finally done, my actions had paid off.
I fell to the ground from exhaustion but I kept my composure.
"Finally, step one is done…—but at what cost." I looked back and realized I just got rid of someone I actually started to grow fond of despite their antics. She pulled me from that pit along with Luci, I was wondering aimlessly and I finally started making progress when she stumbled into my life.
I was stricken with a moral dilemma, I for a moment regret the actions I had taken to this point but in order to achieve my goal I must continue to persevere. Until I got drop kicked across the head.
"You've disappointed me."