Location: Land of Madness
The landscape was made of jagged crooked trees. Upon these trees were king thorns and vines. Some of these trees took on a humanoid form as they walked through the forest. Their big glowing orange eyes scanning for life. Upon their massive thorns was bodies decaying or skeletons that had already gone through the process. Vines wrapped around them hugging them to the body of the giant tree monsters. People in wooden rectangle masks with paintings of jagged smiles ran through the forest and ignited torches. They threw them at a tree monster as it erupted in flames. They began to shoot arrows with strings on the end. The monster roared at this pulling men using their own weapons against them. Masked men flew through the air. Other tree monsters appeared grabbing the men and skewering them on the thrones. Men screamed in pain as they were impaled hanging in place.
The men then put javelins with lit ends making the monsters erupt in flames. Victims on them were not spared. Their screams echoed through the woods as the monster screeched. It fell down as men then jumped on hacking with hammers and axes.
The monster screeched. The second monster came in grabbin men impaling them. More masked men appeared through the trees; it was an army of jagged smiles painted on wooden masks. They all were armed with axs, javelins, and scythes. One of them was dawned in a mask, black armor, and held a big scythe. He jumped up cutting one tree monster in half with one swipe. He used it as a springboard. He intercepted another tree monster. Wind blade shot from his scythe cutting through the next tree monster. Men rushed hacking at it. While setting it ablaze. Another warrior emerged with a giant battle ax making it spin at a monster like a boomerang. It came back to him he caught it mid air.
On the horizon was a large old castle, it black and glowing green. Flying around it were winged humanoids. They turned from the castle flying towards the disturbance. They swooped down transforming into female warriors with black markings on their arms. Black lips, black eyes and raven feather collars.
They wielded chained blades and began to attack each masked man. Scythe user jumped into a fight with one as he dodged each chain blade that came at him. He slashed wind blades at her. He flipped and dodged bouncing off trees.
He then slashed the woman in half. He then had a chain wrapped around his neck pulling him backwards. He slammed into a tree and slammed into another. He fell to the ground limp. The owner of the chain was a tall woman with a headdress of black feathers. She wore skin tight armor of black and silver. Chains wrapped around her arms in her hands a wide blade with a curved handle. Scythe user shot it and began attacking the two locked in battle.
She was fast and agile with her reflexes. Scythe was no slouch. He kept up dodging each blade and sending wind blades every time he had an opening. She dodged and then approached impaling him with both blades. She then cut him in half sending both parts flying. His scythe fell to the ground. She picked it up rushing to engage more enemies.
"Retreat!" The ax man said. Men then ran for their lives. The woman with a headdress huffed, "Just when it was getting fun!" She said smiling with rows of jagged teeth. She heaved the scythe over her shoulder. She turned to fellow warriors. "Mistress Crow. Seems you finally killed Taive the Reaper finally!" A short warrior started giggling. Mistress Crow looked at the scythe smirking, "Yes, bastard killing many of our sisters with this very weapon. Mine now!" She kissed the blade.
"We should chase after them! This has been the third attempt by this new resistance group the Smiling Demons?" Another warrior said. She was tall like Mistress Crow and had a serious look on her face. "Result of the King's Test. They are mere copy cats following the Red Demon's footsteps Sister Willow" Mistress Crow stated. "We can't let them continue this though Mistress. We should go on the offense and find their hideout!" Sister Willow stated. "Witches we go back to the castle. But I will permit you to take a squad sister to follow?" Willow nodded and gestured to five to follow. They turned into demonic wraiths with black wings with feathers. They took off and pursued.
Mistress crow and the others headed back to the castle.
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Mistress Crow and the others walked up a silver staircase that leads to the throne room. Upon the walls glowed magic circles. The throne was a swirl of thorns and barbs. It was maroon and black. Sitting upon it was a tall woman with tight armor accentuating her figure. She had a silver mask that had gender-less static faces with a crown of thorns over the forehead. She had long silver hair, gray skin, and black feather collar. She had a staff that had thorns braided in a circle on the top.
She stood, "Smiling Demons attacked again I see?" She asked. "Yes Witch King. They are getting bolder" Mistress Crow stated as the witches bowed. "See you have a souvenir?" She said looking at the scythe with glowing silver eyes. "Yes the Reaper is no more my lady" Mistress Crow presented the scythe. The Witch King nodded. "Good. But we have more than one Cultivator in the Smiling Demons that we need to eliminate. They are bolstered by this Red Demon. He has been a formidable opponent. Seems I was told by members of our faction that he has taken down the Moon King. Whereabouts are unknown now" she stared out a round glass window overlooking the woods crawling with tree monsters. "We have sent a guard led by Willow to follow the Smiling Demons fleeing the BriarWood your grace" the Witch King nodded in approval. "Good. Well seems the Dreaded Faction is dwindling. The Void faction isn't faring better. Position familiars by the Gate. Keep your distance the Gate can be finicky and sees all '' Mistress Crow bowed at this and exited with her witches.
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The Smiling Demons were scattered in the Briar Wood. The ax man could see one witch trailing them. He stopped with a group he stuck with and hid from sight with them. The witch passed by them unaware of their position. "We have to regroup and take the long way back till we lose them. Anyone right now could be followed" he said agitated. He set his ax down and the weapon shrank to normal size. He put it on his back. "Drake did the Reaper fall?" One member asked. Drake nodded, "I saw him ripped apart. They even took his soul weapon. Best course of action is to play their game!" Drake suggested. "Which is?" Female member asked. "We follow the witches and pick them off. We do the same to Briar Giants, why not the witches?" Drake was enthusiastic. No one shared his positivity. "You're insane! Even in the Land of Madness you're the crazy one!" Drake shook his head. "We fight crazy with crazy! Now! Let's go!" He led the way.
All the members looked hesitant. Anyone could see that even with their masks on. They all followed a second later. Drake used his chi sense to follow the witch that was flying not far from them. He made himself bait, his ax grew large and he threw it like a boomerang. The witch quickly dodged and dove down at the threat. Two arrows then pierced her wings making her crash. Drake was ready and brought the ax down, killing instantly. The group kept running as they searched for another.
They were almost out of the woods when they came upon another. They used the same tactic only this witch was Willow. She hesitated flapping in place as she assessed the situation watching the ax travel back to its master. 'Shit this one isn't adventurous!' Drake thought. He gestured to his group who were hiding to be ready as he kept himself in sight. Witch touched down and the two were face to face. "Your not very bright are you?" Willow stated. She had her chain blades in hands. Drake laughed as he darted forward as out to the side. The two met locked in battle when an arrow whizzed past her head. She moved like a blur killing the member that shot it. She scanned the woods with her black eyes. "I can see all your chi!" She was not enthusiastic as she darted for another victim. Drake intercepted and attacked with a slash of his battle ax. She dodged wrapped her chains around the shaft of the ax. Drake smiled under his mask using all his might to pull her close. He then drove the ax into her gut. She looked shocked as he did this in a second. 'He didn't look strong…' she thought as she watched the ax come at her head. She was decapitated. Drake heaved a sigh and the group kept moving.