Abel leaped from the back of his horse into the gnashing of teeth and blades. With his axe, he cleaved through those who dared to fight him. The dragons roared and charged at him with hatred in their hearts. They wanted to slay the king of man, to devour the father and leader of those they abhorred.
Wyverns swooped down from the sky, biting and clawing at the humans with tenacity. Two dark green wyverns pounced at Abel, striking with their lower two legs and maw. With two swift strikes from his axe, he left egregious wounds in their bodies. The wounds bled wildly, dousing the king of man in blood.
The dragons howled,
"DRAGON SLAYER! MURDERER!"
From behind, a frost giant slung a rock across the battlefield, sending it tumbling through the crowds. Before Abel could turn, a giant red dragon landed before him, towering above even the giants. Its massive body shimmered in the sunlight, exposing its scarlet scales that grew brighter around its throat.
The boulder struck Abel's hand, sending his blade away and onto the ground. The dragon viciously smiled and bellowed as it lowered its head. From its mouth came a scarlet flame that scorched the earth. The flame crashed and swirled, consuming everyone in its path. Ogre's and humans cried out as they were incinerated. Their flesh was eaten away, and their bones turned to ash.
However, Abel watched as the flames consumed his body. In the bath of fire, the dragon was surprised that not even his hair was tinged by the fire. Its quotidian mana intensified as it continued to pour its reserve into the fire, increasing the temperature by threefold. Yet, Abel remained untouched.
Abel pushed forward into the sea of flames before him without his axe. The king of man's eyes never closed. They stared intently at his opponent, who had killed his brethren. Abel reached up and grabbed hold of the red dragon's jaw, and with one swift pull, he slammed the dragon's head against the ground.
The dragon's jaw slammed shut, and the flames ceased. Its body cried out in agony, and every bone in its body told it to scream. However, before it could open its mouth, Abel raised his other hand and brought it down onto the head of the dragon. Its skull shattered like glass under the weight of the king's hand, and the ground shook. As its head caved, blood splattered from its holes, forcefully shoving itself through the only exit it could find.
After defeating the dragon, Abel retrieved his blade and looked at the battle raging around him. His people were being slaughtered in mass by the Knight of Orthos belonging to house Scorpio. The knight's blade whipped around, slashing the flesh of those who dared to approach. Immediately, the humans fell, collapsing onto the ground, and their hearts flame extinguished.
"Judgment."
Abel's eyes shifted to gold. His mana surged in a swirling unseen field that could only be felt as heat. The judge spoke, declaring his authority to all. Then, from behind Abel, two angels appeared. Each celestial being's aura shined in the sunlight like beacons of purity. They wore white robes that draped loosely across their bodies, and from their backs were beautiful wings that stretched wide, catching the attention of the monsters.
The left spoke first,
"You have committed the crime of murder, a vile act that must be punished. The law demands the highest degree of punishment."
Then the right spoke, gently pressing his hand onto his brother's shoulder,
"Wait, we cannot judge only by the law, for thieves may steal to feed their starving families. Although wrong, it may be cruel to impose the highest degree. Let us see."
The right angel gazed upon Scorpio, and his face twisted in disgust. His voice darkened. The words spoken from his lips were cold and filled with disgust,
"There is no remorse, no guilt... only pleasure. He relishes in evil and wears it like a cape to display his wicked acts to the world! UNREDEEMABLE!"
Abel and the two angels pointed at Scorpio, who was oblivious to the matter and slaughtered without concern for his opponents' lives. Abel spoke another single word, and his mana intensified once more threefold. Those who stood near fell to their knees, crushed under the weight of righteousness and justice,
"Conviction."
Abel lifted his axe to his side and prepared to swing. The mana coursed through his weapon, and the metal roared as the mana ignited the blade into a silver flame that condensed into a blinding light. Abel sunk the blade deep into the earth with one mighty overhand chop. The heavy blow split apart the battlefield into ravines that stretched like massive cracks spreading from the blade's point of contact.
Those who belonged to the ogre and human kingdom were spared, pushed to the side by the rocks that split from the ground. From the ravine came a light that erupted as if a sun were buried beneath their feat. The silver rays of light shot up into the sky, burning all those it came into contact with. The dragons flying above fell as their bodies were cut and scorched. The unfortunate giants and dragons that fell in met their demise quickly as it evaporated every inch of their bodies.
Scorpio tried to escape his demise, but the events unfolded at a speed no mortal could escape. His scream was cut short as his body was consumed by the silver light, feeling every second of pain as it ripped him apart by his molecules.
Abel spoke one last word,
"Mercy."
As Scorpio fell, the dragons hesitated, and the giants drew back. Fear plagued their ranks after witnessing the display of strength. No one amongst their ranks could face such an adversary. The other Knights Of Orthos drew back, terrified after watching their comrade be killed without even a chance to fight back.
Asura smiled, his heart beating rapidly with joy. "We won! We pushed them back!"
However, the dragons had only retreated enough to stand clear of something... As the humans pushed forward, filled with pride and courage, Asura whipped his head around.
"WAIT! WAIT!"
Asura shouted at the top of his lungs, but no one listened. The roaring of flapping wings emerged from his left. The ogre raced to the front line, trying to scream and warn those pursuing their enemies. Asura shoved, pushed, and flung the corpses of giants or dragons to knock them down and prevent anyone from aggressing.
His efforts were in vain as the wings grew louder. To his left, he watched as a red four, four-horned, scarlet dragon swooped by in the blink of an eye. It doused the army in flames from its mouth. Its roaring wings sounded like a fighter jet flew by at an incredible speed. It felt unreal as Asura watched those who couldn't put up protection have their flesh melted from their bones. Ogres, orcs, cyclops, goblins, and humans all collapsed and fell to the ground in a pile of charred bodies.
The haunting sight and cries echoed in Asura's ears. Asura watched as the dragons charged once more into the ranks, crashing against the wave of humans and enraged ogres. The ogres' hearts, filled with tenacity and a resolute will, only became bolstered by the attack. To watch their brethren and sisters die infuriated the kingdom.
To the dragons' surprise, they were met with a force that no longer cared about their own death. Ullrac slaughtered them in mass, cutting down every foe he could see. However, before the orc landed, the massive four-horned dragon slamming down from the sky like a meteorite. Its body was coated in the scarlet flame, rippling and crackling as the mana surged outward. Ullrac showed only determination when facing the largest of the dragons.
Asura tried to race towards Ullrac to help against the dragon but stopped as a call erupted from behind,
"BROTHER!"
Asura turned, finding a cyclops racing through the battlefield. He desperately pushed through, slashing and hacking at the beasts that tried to attack him. A drake was Leaping from the crowd with its wide maw, ready to bite at the cyclop's neck. The cyclops was left surprised by this act, unprepared for the emerging attacker, and closed his green eye, accepting his fate. However, an arrow sunk deep into the drake's head before reaching the cyclops, killing it in one blow. It fell to the ground at the Cyclops feet, laying limp as its life fades from its eyes.
Asura screamed out,
"BRONTY!"
Racing towards his friend, Asura pushed through everything. Slicing, hacking, punching, he did whatever it took to slay any foe between him and his friend.
"RUN BROTHER! GO!"
Asura's eyes narrowed, confused by his statement. He studied the fights behind Brontes but found no pursuers. Desperation filled his friend's eye as he sprinted with every fiber of his being. Before Asura could ask, his answer came from the earth trembling. The rocks shook, and the metal clanked on the corpses as an earthquake began. However, unlike the previous ones, this one was cataclysmic. The earth separated throughout the battlefield and consumed every soul it could. There was no regard for ally or foe.
Then, the disaster emerged. The earth's crust exploded as the massive head of a serpent forcefully pushed through. Boulders the sizes of houses and chunks of rock were sent flying in all directions. Each one crushed dozens, splattering their bodies with ease against the soil. Their blood soaked the earth as thousands died from the Apocalypse arriving. It rose into the air, pulling its body like Jormungandr's from the earth.
Its body was larger than Jormungandr, bearing more stone armor as if it had lived under the rocks longer than any being. Moss decorated the ancient rock, forming spikes down the large serpent's spine. The brownish-gray coloring was a distinct characteristic of Jormungandr's kind. It bellowed the same guttural roar, declaring its dominance and shaking those around. The air became thick, burning as its mana conflicted with Abel's blanket of mana.
Asura ran towards his friend, knowing the destructive force such a serpent could unleash. His eyes began to tear up as the wind blew against his face. He leaped over everything he could, jumping from the back of horses and dragons blocking his path.
"BRONTY KEEP RUNNING!"
Brontes turned back, looking up at the monstrous serpent behind him.
"Oh Lord, forgive me."
Brontes turned his back to the serpent and ran towards Asura. His clumsy steps caused Asura's heart to ache as he watched his friend stagger towards him in desperation. "RUN FASTER DAMN IT!" Asura urged himself; every step he took felt like miles. Until now, he had never hated his lack of mana; now, he was disgusted with himself. "USELESS!" He screamed in his head as his heels struck the earth. Asura roared,
"COME ON BRONTY! BUDDY!"
Spit slung from his mouth as he clenched his teeth. His breaths became heavier, blowing out aggressively from his lungs.
Brontes smiled at Asura. His heart dropped. From behind, the serpent descended onto the earth. Devouring those in its path, it slammed its head against the world, scooping every living being it could into the endless void of its throat. Asura never blinked as he watched Brontes get sucked into the mouth of the beast. However, Brontes entered the side of the serpent's mouth near the teeth.
Asura screamed with every bit of his soul a deep, heart-wrenching cry,
"JUMP BRONTY!"
The serpent closed its maw, and Asura watched Brontes be sawed in half by its gigantic razor teeth. Brontes screamed in pain after having his lower left leg and a portion of his stomach devoured. Falling to the ground with a thud, Brontes lay still against the corpse of a frost giant.
Asura pushed past the serpent, uncaring for whatever destruction it may reek. He leaped into a slide, coming into a kneeling position next to his half-dead brother.
"Bronty, you are fine. We will get Abel to heal you. I-"
Brontes weakly grabbed hold of Asura's hand. Brontes smiled at his brother, his eye almost shut.
"No. Do not worry. Don't waste on me."
"ABEL! ABEL! Bronty, do you hear me?"
"Yes, I hear brother. Do not fret. I could have never helped. I am crafter, forger, carpenter. I no belong-"
Brontes heaved,
"Silence, save your strength! ABEL!"
"Go fight, fight for our brothers. You wasting time. More may die."
"YOU MIGHT DIE BRONTY!"
Brontes cracked a faint smile and coughed up a laugh,
"I hate that name."
Asura put his hand to Bronte's head, clasping it with his arms. He pressed his thumb against Bronte's red skin, wiping away the dirt and tears. Brontes' weak voice softly whispered,
"Brother, I only regret I leave you alone in war..."
The blood poured from Brontes' wound, and his organs began to slip out from his gut onto the earth. The sight made Asura turn away. He couldn't bear to watch his brother die like this.
"I wish we forged one last blade together... Do not let anymore die... Harden your heart a little... You were always too kind."
Asura bit his lip, ripping open his flesh, and grabbed hold of his brother's hand tightly as his final words took his last breath from his lungs. His voice quivered as he uttered his final goodbye,
"Brontes, brother, may God love your soul."
Asura rose, with blades in hand, ready to slay the beast that took the lives of his loved ones and family. His heart hardened from the war, finding the resolve to slay all those who declared his family an enemy.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Wain's voice awoke Asura from his memory, returning him to the present.
"Provoke him and hit him hard."
Asura turned to his friend, who breathed out a cloud of smoke and formed it into a large ring. The ogre tossed Kane next to Wain, freeing up his arms, and turned around to face the serpent.
"That's what I do best."
Asura wiped the tears from his eyes and pointed up at the large serpent as its blood poured onto the earth,
"Hey, fucking worm! Your father's corpse was mutilated and taken as a prize from the victors. His scales were forged into a weapon, now wielded by the very people you detest. And his eyes were plucked out from his skull and stolen by the king of shadows! His legacy has been reduced to nothing more than tools. Like father like son, I'd say."
Asura stepped out with one foot and pulled his two arms back in a stance, prepared to strike. Holy mana swirled and surged inside, coursing through every inch of his body like a torrenting river. From the tattoos of holy runes, holy flames shot forth in sequence along all four arms. Like pistons of a car, with each one that sparked, the intensity of the fire grew brighter. The white flame doused the buildings and street in a white aura, devouring the colors and leaving only the white light and shadows.
"The Lord despises all that is evil. Through Uriel, allow me to be your blade that strikes down the wicked."
Behind Asura, the fire swirled and manifested. The white flames swirled into the shape of a figure with six wings. All recognized its armor, and all bathed in his glory. Rose and Mel couldn't help but be in awe from the rooftop as they laid against the metal roofing,
They had only ever seen the Archangel depicted with statues. Yet, behind the back of the demon formed from its flames stood Uriel, the Archangel unseen for decades. The Archangel, with its right hand, wielded his beloved spear next to Asura's arms, providing more mana to the monster than his body could handle,
"Behold, my chosen. An untamed sun."
Mel had only heard of an Angel manifesting a few times, but the captain ensured the information was drilled into her skull. "An Archangel only appears if his blessing has found its true heir..." She whispered as she looked down upon the ogre.
Jormungandr channeled his purple flame within his throat and struck down at the ogre, ready to end the drawn-out battle. Asura stared down the belly of the beast, watching as the fire erupted from its throat. The maddening rage filled Asura's heart as the voices of his kind echoed in his skull,
"You let him kill us."
"Your inaction caused our deaths."
"You tried to save Brontes... we all died in the end."
"Throughout all the battles and wars, you've failed. Let us down."
Asura scowled, pulling back his lips, and hissed,
"Not this time. This is for Bronty."
Uriel's six wings exploded into jets of fire, shooting out behind the two. To Wain's surprise, he was unharmed by the flame and coated with a warm feeling of protection as the mana bathed his body. As the serpent approached, only a foot away, Asura thrust his arms forward, unleashing the fire swirling inside with explosive force.
Two points of a spear formed and shot forth from the knuckles of his fists as he drove them toward Jormungandr. The recoil of the explosion scorched Asura's skin, sending him to his knee from the pain. Gripping his hands against his body, he watched the two pointed flames harmoniously swirl around one another, causing them to intertwine. The flames carried the spearheads like thrusters of a rocket, propelling it into the mouth of Jomrungandr.
The purple blazing fire within Jormungandr's mouth burst out like raging water freed from a dam, colliding with the two spearheads and initiating a battle of mana. Its intense conflict sent shockwaves and intense heat that even scorched the inside of Jormungandr's mouth.
Shielding their eyes and body, the priests blocked their faces to cover themselves from the radiation. Everyone could only stare and wait to watch for a victor to emerge.