I can't move, I am dying, my body is weak, my senses dulled yet I can hear a voice, asking me to join it, to become its vessel. I will, I will burn this world down and become the last one laughing.
-Marcus the second hero
I watched as Rose pulls out a greatsword with a hilt designed like a rose. She slashes downwards against the beast legs.
The Monster roars in pain, he looks down slams down one of his four arms at her. She dodges out of their before she got pounded into red paste. I then aimed my Godslayer canon at the Monstrosity at hand and released at a massive beam of energy that hit the the shell of it drawing attention away from rose to me.
Tron was too busy preparing to cast a spell so I had to draw the monster away from him. I put away the godslayer and grabbed the T sword while running away from it.
The beast charged, going on all six limbs to try and catch me, each step sent shockwaves around me, It was catching up. I feel its breathe run up my back then Hera knocked into at full force, the beast was sent back tumbling into the swamp waters, its crafted shell of mangled bodies and bones started to lose some.
I looked at Hera, she raised her flame sword above her and so Did I, I cranked my T sword energy output at big damage, the sword energy expanded and grew from a regular sword to a length of a fourth story house. We both then let our swords come crashing down upon the beast which led to a great explosion of blue and orange fire.
The T sword was out of power, I changed the double A batteries as fast as I can before it gets up. The dust settles, the monster was wounded, one of his arms were missing, blood leaks down from his chest, his body was now blackened from the burn of Hera flame sword.
He gets pissed, he charges again towards us but Rose gets close and slashes the monster leg with her sword once more, the slice left the monster tumbling down on the ground.
"I'm ready!" Tron said. a massive ball of light appeared above him, he sent it down on the monster, the ball eradicated the monsters lower half.
It laid there coughing up blue blood from its mouth, it slowly choked on its blood before finally perishing.
The old man from before approaches us.
"thank you adventurers! you saved us from the baby body snatcher!" He spoke in gratitude" he pats the back of Rose
"The baby?" I asked with concern in my voice
"Yes, the adult ones are four times bigger than this young runt but its alright they don't hunt around here, only their young does." He walks off
"so Rose this is a farewell then." I said
"I guess so, where are you guys going?" she asked
I paused "... I don't know" I look at Hera
"Wait I assumed you know where you were going" she responds
"I don't even know anything in the land! I literally live in a city my entire life with no knowledge of the outside this should be obvious to an angel like you!" I yell
"Oh my Goddess, Why did I entrusted you to lead the way, you're the definition of an idiot" she muttered
"Me an idiot! you stupid angel! I don't even know which or where a goddamn life crystal is!" I yell at her
"An Idiot!? do you know who you're talking to?" she is offended by his insult
"Yes you're an idiot!" I responded
She looks like she was going to punch me
"wait a life crystal?" Rose asked interrupting our heated exchange
"Yeah a life crystal do you know where one is?" I ask
"No but I do know someone who might, he's one of the great 7 mages of Eryndor"
Hera forgets about being mad she turns her attention to Rose.
"Nonsense, the great mages were prosecuted and hunted down for heresy by Arvandor, how does he still stand?" she questioned
"luckily he was offered safety by the neutral nation of Drakonia, he's there at the nations capitol he might know where this crystal is" Rose said
"Thanks rose" I give her a small smile.
"Well I'm also heading there so I guess I'm joining your party then" she said nonchalantly trying to act cool
"I guess so then" Tron replies.
"the trek there will take at least 2 maybe 3 days travel" Hera commented.
I looked back at the village, the many children that cover the street, their parents not caring about them, I hope the rest of this world isn't like this.
We left the village and were already on the road by then, I looked at the screen on my wrist, 5 hours until sunset.
We still were in the swamplands but at least someone here is also traveling on foot unlike the others flying above. We passed by many of the skelts and dredges but we paid them no mind and continue our trek through the foggy swamplands.
Rose looked at me "So you're a lost order boy?" she asked, I was a bit surprised on how she knew.
"How?" I asked
"Easy really, you're equipment makes you stand out. Most of the continent knows that the last order are isolationist that focused everything on progression." she spoke calmly.
"So you must think of us like some sort of weirdos then" I respond.
she laughs softly "No no I just find I find it awesome how you guys managed to do all of this" she then pats me on the back, which would've been comforting if she wasn't inhumanly strong.
I almost stumbled on the weight of her physical compliment.
Hours started to go by, my feet were growing cold from the swamp water soaking into my shoes. The sun is going down and there isn't a good place to call camp.
"We really need to get a good fire started soon" rose spoke.
"why's that?" I asked
"That's when the night hunters come out"
"Night hunters?" I asked
"Creatures with no legs, but have a total of 6 arms. They live under the swamps to protect their fragile skin from the sun's heat and light, their heads only have multiple eyes and their mouths are on their torso." Rose explained
"So were basically dead then?" I said defeated
"No we just need fire, a whole lot of it" She responded with such conviction. We continue to trek the swamplands until a bloodcurdling scream pierces the quiet night
Hera pulls out her hilt, ready if anything comes close, Tron pulls out his wand and I pull out my two pistols. I look at rose and she was praying on the ground while slowly sinking in the mud
"Ah so we're that doomed I guess" I tried to play it off as a joke but it sounded more of a defeated tone.
"Have faith James, I am currently asking for a blessing of the goddess of light" She slowly stands up, and I noticed her greatsword started to glow. She grabbed it out and held it in the air.
"Thank you great goddess" she said softly
her greatsword was basically full of white shining light. I noticed movement in the corner of my eye, The night hunters were here.
I looked around and tried to estimate how much of them were there "32, 48 no 67?" I said out loud clearly terror in my voice.
"Stop counting and start cutting!" Hera yelled at me, she then activated the her hilt and great flames spilled out making an outline of a blade.
The night hunters stayed back and kept the distance, our groups light were enough to ward them off. I looked in the distance, a forest clearing was only 90 yards away.
I pointed towards the clearing to tell the group but at that moment a brave night hunter fling itself and bit down on my arm with its mouth torso. I screamed out of pain as his teeth pierced my skin, I managed to shoot it, killing it instantly.
"James! are you ok!?" Hera asked with concern in her voice, something I never thought of her saying to me.
"Yeah, I can only use my right arm, my left arm is fucked." I responded, I'm so fucking stupid for not wearing armor, all I have on is a goddamn sweater and some pants.
The bastards after seeing this gotten more bold and tried to attack me, I shot at least 3 that tried getting close to me. I grabbed out the T sword and activated it, the bright blue energy crackled alive, it the slowly formed into a blade. We slowly walked towards the clearing, 70 yards away.
Another night hunter jumped at Tron before being sliced in half by Rose's blessed greatsword. He looked at her with a small smile
"Thank you" he said gratefully
She didn't say anything but nodded it response.
Another night hunter lunged at me, I slashed at it but another one jumped on top of me bring me down upon the wet mud, Out of panic Hera grabbed it by its head and crushed it like a grape. She then pulled me up by my sweater. We were only 50 yards away. The night Hunters were getting desperate, the then decided to pounce on Tron and Hera, Tron quickly casted a small wave of fire that burned their paper like skin, Hera quickly slashed the area Infront of her which incinerated the entire area killing over a dozen of them bastards.
With them distracted and noticing we were getting closer I pull out the lightbulb.
"Everyone close their eyes!" I instructed, everyone closed their eyes quickly before a blinding bright light consumed the entire area around us. The night hunters that were Infront of us quickly burned from the light while others from the back were stunned and temporarily blinded in their multiple eyes.
"Run!" I yelled, we then take off running.
40 yards, we were getting through the mud, Night hunters were recovering
30 yards, night hunters recovered and quickly gave chase
20 yards, they were catching up
10 yards, I hear their distorted breathing getting close
we were at the tree line but one of their many arms managed to grab Hera, dragging her down from the air, the impact dazed her and she was left laying there being slowly pulled away.
I used the T sword to cut them off while Rose pulled her to us, Tron casted more spells, mainly fire to singed their skins, they decided this wasn't worth it and ran off into the night.
Tron quickly got the fire started, while rose made sure any stranglers weren't trying to sneak up on us, I check on Hera to make sure she was fine, I gave her some good light slaps before she composed herself.
"F-fuck off James." she muttered out, she looked at my left arm
"Use your goddamn science machines and patch yourself up before I beat you to pulp..." she somewhat threaten. I grabbed one of the repair kits and sprayed it over my wound to close it.
I opened up my inventory to see what clothes I got, A lot of shorts and T shirts, Nothing for long sleeves and pants. I looked at Tron
"Hey Tron do you have any spare clothes that I can wear?" I asked with a slight embarrassment.
"Nah, these are my clothes, besides your tall and lanky body can't fit in them" he flatly said, I sighed and laid down across from Hera. Rose walked back
"alright so I'll take first night shift, since two of you look exhausted, after me Tron will take next shift as he didn't get into much trouble" She stated. I looked at Hera she was already sleeping. I looked through my inventory and pulled out a large blanket for myself. A thought went through my mind, I should share this with Hera ... Nah, I pulled the blanket over myself and embrace my sore and tired body for much needed rest.
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Short tales
The outer Gods.
Little is known about them, Even the Gods know almost nothing about them, but these outer beings exist out of time and space, they existed before concept, before life and before existence.
These Beings were rumored to be the creator of the entire universe, and universes outside of universes, Some say that they are a the creators of a multiverse.
Yet even though they have many universe to their hands, one very Outer being decided to watch us for all of eternity,
all of our actions
our lives
and our deaths.