"You know, since coming here... I have really enjoyed hanging out with you. This whole experience has really been fun. I haven't-"
"Are you really getting sappy with me in this situation? We have a huge serpent chasing us, and you're over here telling me how great a friend I am..."
Asura laughed as he ran for his life, Kane slung over his shoulder.
"Hahaha. Well, what else are we supposed to do?"
"I don't know-"
Wain took deep, heavy breaths as he ran. Exhaustion took its hold on Wain's body, but his legs couldn't stop. Sweat profusely dropped from his brow as he ran alongside Asura.
"- maybe focus on surviving!"
Asura laughed again. He tossed a glance behind him and watched as Jormungandr slammed his large body against the ground. The buildings shook, and a massive earthquake caused the ground to tremble beneath their feet.
"He's recovered!"
Wain almost lost his footing as he ran across the broken street. The asphalt had split and been carved from the nearby rubble tumbling across. Large rocks made it difficult to traverse, but he had no other option.
"How far?"
"Close."
"Alright."
The golem trudged behind, keeping up with the two. Ash groaned within its grasp because the heavy movements were jarring.
"Let me down."
Asura rolled his eyes.
"You should've listened when we told you to move."
Ash tried to spit out an insult, but his consciousness started to fade,
"You f-"
Jormungandr screeched, releasing a violent ear-piercing scream that caused those around to cover their ears from the pain. Mixed with agony and rage, it rattled the skulls of every living being. Asura turned to look at Wain, finding him focusing solely on sprinting. His ears began to bleed as the noise pierced his ear drums.
The blood ran down the sides of Wain's head, and he made no effort to wipe it away. Every fiber of his being told him to keep running. His legs were numb for so long that he began to forget the last time he could feel them. Asura's respect for the priest had grown tremendously as he watched the priest fight for the lives of his comrades and the civilians.
Purple lightning bolts shot down from the heavens all throughout the road, slamming onto the ground and erupting into explosions. It would take a miracle not to be struck by one, but they were left with no other options but to push through the raging storm.
Asura watched as a bolt struck a nearby building, casting rubble down upon the two in a rock shower. Thankfully, the bolt was strong enough to vaporize most of the rocks, sending only hail-sized pieces down onto them.
"Wain, if all goes to shit. Run away. I'll grab his attention."
"Asura-"
The sound of buildings collapsing and slamming into one another echoed down the street. Behind, he could hear a low rumble and the glass shattering from the fall of people's homes and businesses. Even if they had survived, if they hadn't bought into The Temples insurance... "How would they live?" Wain thought as he sprinted. Wain never thought he'd get accustomed to the sound, but as each one fell behind, he understood what it meant. Jormungandr had begun his pursuit again.
Wain turned his head to Asura,
"He's coming."
His low voice echoed once more in their minds. It hissed in their skulls as if nails were being driven into their heads.
"You wound me in such a cowardly way. Is this really the proud Asura? Is this the way a warrior fights? Truly, the once-great warrior has fallen to the ranks of a common thief. Where is thy pride? Ha! I understand why you were cast out. It is clear why your kindred abandoned you. You have no worth even to your own kind."
Asura clenched his fist,
"I really want to fuck him up... A fucking worm talks as if he knows something. You know nothing about what happened."
The holy fire swelled in his mouth.
"Oh, but I do. Were you not cast out? Do I lie? You know I speak only the truth. You became weak. Your heart softened. Disgusting. Where is thy king? Did he spare you? There was no pardon. No, you were discarded."
Wain called out,
"Don't fall for his taunts!"
"I fucking know."
Asura's lips pulled back, and he clenched his teeth. The fire within his mouth seeped through the gaps of his teeth. To Wain, he resembled a wild beast, ready to tear at its enemy's throat. The ogre's body tensed, and his arms began to squeeze. Kane groaned in agony as Asura tightened his arms, squeezing him.
"Egh-"
"Asura, you're hurting him."
Asura relaxed, but the burning anger in his heart remained. He wanted to turn back. He wanted to face the monster, but he knew that was what the serpent wanted. A serpent's tongue excelled in all manners of persuasion.
Before Asura and Wain, a large blockade had formed from cars, rubble, and metal. The large pile sat about three times their height, enough to slow them down. Asura opened his mouth to express his opinions on going around but stopped. The large golem pushed past the two and swung its boulderish leg back. With one swift kick, it blew an opening for the two to continue their race against the serpent.
"Man, you're really handy."
Wain laughed. His broken ribs ached from the pain.
"Don't make me laugh, you bastard! It hurts!"
The low rumble behind grew louder, and it became apparent to the two that Jorumgandr was growing close. The stench of quotidian mana overwhelmed Asura's nose, causing him to wrinkle it in disgust. Asura looked back, finding the purple flame in the back of Jormungandr's throat again.
"Shit."
A bolt of purple lightning shot down, striking the ground between Asura and Wain. Upon reaching the ground, the bolt exploded, ripping the earth apart from the force. Its large explosion shot the two apart, sending them tumbling across the ground. Asura lost his grip on Kane, sending him tumbling into the wall of a building. The golem continued its sprint down the street, carrying Ash to safety.
Wain grabbed his ribs and groaned as he pushed himself back onto his feet. Upon standing upright, he coughed, and blood erupted from his mouth. His vision had blurred, and he was left with a constant ringing in his ears. Wain pushed toward Asura, who immediately jumped to his feet to grab hold of Kane again.
Jormungandr's mana swelled within, raging like a storm of flames inside the throat of the large serpent. Asura looked directly into the throat of the beast and then at Wain. Wain watched in determination.
Suddenly, water welled up underneath Jormungandr's head. The serpent flinched. His eyes twitched from the liquid bubbling up underneath. Its eye shot up at a nearby building and found Rose standing near the edge, with Mel right beside. Like a geyser, the black water erupted into an explosive force.
The water forced Jormugnadr's head upward, snapping his jaw shut. Its head pointed up to the sky, and as Jormungandr gazed at his storm, he pulled his lips back into a snarl. Baring his fangs, he let out a guttural roar and pulled his body farther into the sky. Although his fire was extinguished, his rage surged.
"I grow tired of your antics. I loathe your existence. Disgusting creatures, clawing a path to survive. There is no God to save you. I am your God, a god of death. I shall give you the mercy you desire."
The storm swirled above, intensifying as if its will was his own. From his mouth, the fire ignited once more. They prepared for the Apocalypse to condense the flame, but this time, Jormungandr unleashed it. The purple flames consumed the buildings, enveloping them in it. Rose and Mel's eyes widened while Wain turned away with an unfaltering gaze.
Wain pulled another herb from his pocket, smoking it for the last time. Wain whispered,
"Brother, I only regret that I will leave you alone in this war. I wish we forged one last blade together..."
The flames melted the buildings into a molten sludge as it passed over. Mel lifted the portal high as the flame grew closer, ready to throw it at Jormungandr's long body. The Paladin sent a wave of mana into the rock, causing it to ignite. With every bit of strength left in her body, she threw the portal at the Apocalypse.
The portal piece soared through the air at Jormungnadr's underbelly. However, the serpent pulled its body back as the piece separated. The lightning arced between, and a blinding light caused everyone to look away. Then came the large explosion that shook the buildings and consumed everything like a blinding sun. It pulled at the building, trying to stabilize the world.
Mel screamed as the purple flame touched her flesh. The right arm became scorched from the pure demonic mana, and the heat left third-degree burns on the entirety of the right side of her body. Rose pulled Mel from the fire as it consumed their building. With determination to live, she raced against the flames. An opening on the left side led to the roof of another building, away from the explosion and flames. Before Rose could jump, the fire pushed into her back.
Rose screamed in agony but managed to jump with Mel in her arms. The two Paladins slammed into the roof of the building. The sloped roof was slipper from the rain, and the two began to slide. Desperately, they tried to find a grip but found nothing. Rose slung her arm up, sending forth her weapon onto the roof. The large metal ball slammed against the roof and sunk deep into the metal. She used it as an anchor, gripping the chain with one arm. With the other, she grabbed hold of Mel, narrowly saving her from falling off.
Asura witnessed Mel and Rose being torched by the flames. His eyes took in his surroundings as Wain's familiar words echoed in his ears. It felt like they had been repeated hundreds of times, like an unforgettable memory burnt into his mind that kept replaying in his mind.
Jormungandr reeled in agony as he snapped his mouth shut. The bomb had clipped his underside, revealing scorched flesh and muscle. Down his stomach, his ribcage was exposed within the dangling flesh and muscle still attached to his body. Blood poured down the street from the wound, creating a river of blood underneath the serpent.
As the words echoed in Asura's head, a long-forgotten memory emerged. It was as if he were forced to forget. The walls within his mind cracked, and waves of emotions flooded the ogre as he relived his past.
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Asura stood on a battlefield, wearing enchanted leather armor that covered most of his body. The light armor allowed for nimble movement, and the quotidian enchantment provided great protection against most blades. In his four hands, he held two different types of weapons. In his upper hands, he held two one-handed axes, and in the lower, two long daggers. On his back, a bow was slung with a quiver that would never release the arrows unless pulled by a hand.
Asura looked around, confused by his surroundings, as the swelling feeling of determination and an unfaltering will to defeat his foes emerged. He watched as ogres, orcs, cyclops, and goblins fought vigorously against an army of dragons, giants, and shadows. The dragons swooped down, grabbing hold of his orcs and digging their claws into their flesh.
The cries of orcs dying sent shivers down Asura's spine as they were crushed under the mighty strength of the dragons. Upon landing, the large red dragons released a flame that consumed the cyclops and goblins, who were steadfast with determination. They were unwilling to give up any ground, even if it meant their death.
The dragon scorched the earth, leaving no living soul behind. However, the orcs roared with rage, and the largest amongst them sent a spear into the dragon's eye. The large beast screamed as its head flailed with the spear in its socket. Before the dragon could flee, the orc jumped upon its back. With a large sword in hand, it swung with all its might, cutting through the dragon's throat.
The dragon's body fell to the ground, separated from its head. The orcs cried out,
"DRAGON KILLER ULLRAC!"
The large orc had braided black hair that went down his back. It wore the same armor Asura wore, but around its waste was a belt of orc horns. To many outsiders, it was appalling to carry your own kind of teeth with you. However, to the orcs, it was their way to carry their ancestors into battle to protect them. Their ancestor's spirits were believed to give them strength to slay their foes and protect them from harm. Ullrac shouted,
"FOR OUR KING WE FIGHT!"
The orcs rallied behind Ullrac as he fought with all his strength against the dragons. Then, the giants pushed forth. Asura identified two types of giants belonging to their own clans. Half had black skin like his, wearing red metal armor covering only their chest and head. The fire giants believed it was shameful to cover their arms and legs. If they lost a limb in battle, it was due to the ineptitude.
The other half were the frost giants. Their blue skin seemed frosted over as their mana leaked from their bodies, leaving a thin white layer over their flesh. On their bodies, they wore tattoos of their accomplishments. Many had images of dire wolves and mammoths along their arms. Their armor consisted of leather and wool, displaying the type of climate they were accustomed to.
With each step, their mana was unleashed onto the earth. Puddles of lava erupted at the feet of the fire giants, and underneath the frost giants, the ground became permafrosted. They towered over the ogres, cyclops, orcs and goblins. With each swing from their weapons, ten fell. Large hammers crushed ogres who fought against the enormous giants. Others were cut apart from axes.
Asura sheathed his blades and pulled the bow from his back. The long, black, polished wood felt natural in his hands. He pulled forth an arrow from his quiver and aimed it at the head of a giant. He let go of the arrow, sending it soaring into the head of a fire giant. It pierced its helmet and skull. From the other side, the arrow emerged and struck another, this time a frost giant. The two collapsed and fell to the earth.
Asura's kindred roared and celebrated. Their will seemed unbreakable as they pushed against the tide of blades and teeth. The enormous battle seemed to have no end as Asura looked around. Thousands of his people fought against an unending wave of dragons and giants. The clashing of blades echoed throughout. The cries of the slain became indistinguishable.
Blood was spilled on every inch of the soil. Both sides were unwilling to yield to the other. The dragons fought furiously from the sky and ground. Swooping down and clawing at the ogre kingdom's army. Asura pulled another arrow, aiming it at a white dragon trying to swoop down on Ullrac.
The arrow pieced through the wing of the dragon into its skull. The thunk of it sinking into its bone and head made it clear he had killed the beast. Its wings folded as it fell to the ground on top of a giant. Ullrac took advantage and slammed his spear into the giant's head, killing it in one blow.
As the battle raged on, Asura lost count of how many he had slain. His blades had tasted the flesh of many dragons and giants. Using his nimble body, he climbed several giants and chopped through their necks. Leaping from the giants, he would take his daggers and sink into the necks of the dragons flying by. The blades tore through the necks, leaving two gaping wounds. Some managed to continue their flight, but their death was inevitable with those grave wounds.
The slaughter continued, and the battle began to feel winnable. However, then came the shadows on their horses. The knights of Orthos had arrived. The three knights and their horses tore through the battlefield. Their bodies seemed to be created from nebulas, swirling matter, and stardust, which formed a cloud shaped into a humanoid body.
One wore red and black ethereal armor. Within the metal were the stars in the sky, each shining brightly, declaring what house the knight belonged to. Ares. It held a red flaming spear in its hand, stabbing it into the flesh of those it charged past.
Another wore black and brown armor, wielding a chain with a blade attached. The stars in its armor revealed that it belonged to the house Scorpio. The knight slung its blade, cutting through the chests of many. Their cries were cut off as the venom in the blade took hold. His people fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth.
The last knight wore dark blue and seafoam green armor. It wielded two daggers and seemed to dance as it fought in the crowds. Its blade cut through the flesh of those struck with awe as the knight dodged effortlessly with grace. Even the succubi would lose their concentration when faced with the beautiful dancer. However, its dance felt mournful, as if it slaughtered his people. As if it regretted its actions or was forced to obey a command. The stars revealed it belonged to house Pisces.
Ullrac engaged with the Knight of Scorpio, blocking his blade with his spear with skilled precision. The orc laughed, and the two engaged in a long battle that tied them in a battle of concentration and skill. To Asura, they seemed on par with one another, showing no signs of the other gaining an advantage over the other.
Behind Asura, a cyclops called out,
"THEY HAVE ARRIVED! THE HUMAN KING HAS COME!"
Asura turned, finding a large army emerge from behind. Their golden armor glittered in the sunlight, which intensified as if Judex Divinum had declared the arrival of his appointed king. Upon a horse's back, a flag bearer sat, the flag embroidered with Judex Divinum's symbol. Asura's eyes widened at the sight.
In the middle of the entire army sat a man in unimpressive copper armor. Its scratches and blemishes told the stories of the battles it had endured. It was never polished but maintained as if to show respect to his equipment, not boast. In his hand, he wielded a two-handed axe with a long handle. In contrast to the armor, this weapon was silver and shone beautifully in the sunlight.
His short brown hair and beard swayed in the wind, and in his blue eyes was an unfaltering flame. The man raised his axe into the air, and he spoke,
"GO FORTH! GIVE AID TO THE OGRE KINGDOM, WHO FIGHTS FOR OUR CAUSE! THEY FIGHT FOR OUR FAMILIES. FOR OUR MOTHERS AND FATHERS. FOR OUR SIBLINGS AND CHILDREN! EVEN AGAINST THEIR OWN KIND, THEY SHOW THEIR RESOLVE TO FIGHT AGAINST THE WICKED! THEY DO NOT FALTER AND FLEE BUT INSTEAD PUSH ONWARD FOR OUR SAKE! DOES THAT NOT MAKE YOU FEEL ASHAMED? THEY FIGHT WHILE YOU ENJOY THE SAFETY THEY PROVIDED! THEY FIGHT WITH UNYIELDING LOVE SO THAT WE MAY LIVE. SO THAT WE ARE NOT SLAUGHTERED LIKE ANIMALS! GO FORTH! FIGHT FOR THEM AS THEY FIGHT FOR US! FOR JUDEX DIVINUM AND HIS GLORY!"
The humans roared and charged forward, raising their blades high and pushing into the chaos of the battle. The stopping hooves from their horses felt like drums of war in the hearts of the ogre kingdom's army. Invigorated, the armies joined hand in hand to push against the tide of monsters invading human land. Without hesitation, the man joined the charge, and as he drew close, Asura recognized the human.
It was Abel. The king of man.