The blizzard reaches its zenith, obscuring the sun as Zabriel and Kelgade face off in the unyielding snow, each movement reflecting their deadly intent.
Zabriel, his figure melding into an almost ethereal shadow, wields his scythe with an unworldly grace. Each swing is not just a mere physical movement but a dance of elemental chaos—fire, ice, and wind wrapping around the blade's arc. He slices through the air, each strike aimed at Kelgade's vitals, but despite landing lethal blows, Kelgade's spectral essence remains, his physical form a mere decoy. Kelgade, not to be outdone, shifts form like a blood-shrouded phantom. He manipulates his own spilled essence to divert Zabriel's relentless assaults. His sword movements create a barrage of blood shards that harden in mid-air and shoot towards Zabriel. Swiftly, Zabriel uses a burst of wind to steer clear, circling back with increasing ferocity.
Zabriel thrusts his scythe into the stormy ground, absorbing its raw energy. He becomes a conduit of elemental fury, his body crackling with an amalgamation of lightning and frost. He launches forward, the very air around him supercharged as he slashes through Kelgade's blood armor repeatedly, each hit resonating with the thunder's roar. Though struck critically, Kelgade's armor absorbs the elemental outbursts, channeling them back into the bloodied ground. He counters with a gravity-defying leap, his blade aimed straight for Zabriel's heart. With a rapid pivot, Zabriel's shadow form splits, evading the deathly strike, his half-physical form remerging post-assault.
Kelgade thought, 'There's gotta be a reason he's continuing the fight with me…before, even as kids, he never paid attention to when I wanted to fight him, and when he did, he kicked the shit out of me. He's planning something.'
Kelgade said, "I hope you know why I have a vendetta against you."
Zabriel replied, "..Does everyone hate me?"
"You were supposed to be the one to take my position at Kalhalla, but because you didn't want to, the Elders just listened to you and sent me. And if they hadn't sent me, I wouldn't have ended up inside of a hollow piece or armor. I got fucked up, but got revived in a piece of armor. Nothing feels the same, I can't even eat, piss, shit, spit, nothing!"
"Sorry."
"Sorry?! That's all you have to say?! I had to be saved by the royal family! I was so damn scared…but they saved me. That little girl, Amarisa, she's the one who cried for me. And after that, I realized what love and care meant. Those elders didn't care about it, they just turned us into killing machines."
"…."
Merging completely with his shadow, Zabriel becomes untouchable for a moment, his form blurring into a dark mist. His scythe, now a part of his shadowed essence, extends its reach, swirling around Kelgade in a fierce tornado of mixed elements. Ice shards and fire bursts emanate from the whirlwind, targeting every gap in Kelgade's spectral armor.
Kelgade, realizing physical attacks are futile, attempts to escape the maelstrom. But Zabriel, predicting the move, dives into his own elemental storm, propelling himself forward with a fiery blast. He reappears directly in front of Kelgade, delivering a series of accelerated, brutal scythe slashes infused with shadow magic, each hit echoing through the spectral knight's core.
Zabriel said, "I'm sorry."
"You don't mean it. I know you don't. You don't know what it's like to feel empty. The only thing keeping me leaping into a lake of lava to devour me is Amarisa. But I can't shake this damn feeling so empty. I hate it, Zabriel."
"…I feel empty, Kelgade."
"How?! You?! You're an assassin! Feelings are banned, remember?!" Kelgade said sarcastically.
As they reached and darted into the frosty air above, Zabriel, burning with elemental fury, clashed with Kelgade, whose sword dripped with translucent, ominous blood. They darted and dashed, their speeds supernatural, their movements mere blurs to the mortal eye. With each clash of Zabriel's scythe against Kelgade's sword, a shockwave sent ripples through the heavens, colorful bursts of elemental energy and dark blood-red clashing audaciously.
Zabriel continued, "Ellie had feelings. Our friends that died in missions had feelings. Remember when we held them when they cried, they didn't wanna die. Ellie didn't wanna die. Watching Gill save me, taking insane damage to pull me from the pit Father sent me through, watching him train in a blizzard because I forced him too…watching Arshan battle, seeing him set morals for himself, and was even willing to die in battle for what he believed in. They all acted out of emotions, emotions that made them feel honorable. I'm..ashamed. Ellie died because of me, the shame I'm feeling takes over all my emotions. I don't even have room to express my other emotions because of it. I see someone down, I make sure they're okay. When they're feeling an emotion after I help them, I can feel it. I feel it through them just by looking at it. It gives me a small hint of hope that maybe I can know what real love and happiness is, not shame, defeat, and my own hollowed self. Once I see people experience and show emotions I can't show because of my own problems I need to fix, it..inspires me."
"…..Tch."
With unearthly speed, Zabriel spun, his scythe slicing through the cold air, creating a spiraling torrent of fire and ice. Kelgade countered, swinging his blood-soaked blade that left a trail of sanguine mist, forming patterns in the sky that resembled the violent weave of a tempest. Every contact between their weapons produced a metallic clang that shattered the silence of the storm, the force behind each blow enough to distort the very fabric of the atmosphere. Ascending higher, they wove between bolts of lightning, their battle dance intricate and deadly. Zabriel harnessed a bolt, channeling its raw power into his scythe, swinging it toward Kelgade with a thunderous roar. Kelgade, not to be outdone, absorbed the essence of his own spilled blood mid-air, reforming it into shields that burst into bloody shrapnel upon impact with the electrified scythe.
With a synchronized flip, they plummeted back towards the earth, their descent marked by a spiraling dual vortex of fire, ice, and blood. The ground below cracked further, anticipating the destruction their landing would bring. Kelgade, enveloping himself in a swath of spiraling blood, took the form of a crimson drill, his entire being spinning with destructive intent. He shot forward, his sword extended and rotating furiously, carving an exploding furrow in the shattered ground as he moved like a bloodied missile toward Zabriel.
Zabriel, his eyes ignited with a dark inferno, prepared for the final confrontation. As Kelgade neared with his blood drill, Zabriel summoned the last of his elemental and shadow essence, merging it into his scythe. With an explosive release of power, Zabriel darted straight through the crimson tornado, his scythe cutting cleanly through Kelgade's form. The impact split the ground beneath them, creating a canyon as the sound of their collision resonated like a sonic boom across the blizzard-covered landscape.
….
Standing aloof amidst the blustering chaos of the high snow-capped mountain, a figure robed in unfathomable darkness observes the dance of snowflakes and despair below. This figure, known as Helsong, a name whispered with both reverence and dread, gazes into the turmoil of Kanaan with eyes that have seen centuries unfold.
Beside him stands Benny, a towering cult member whose formidable presence is announced not just by his towering height but also by the red arcane tattoos that mar his body, tracing tales of allegiance and power. His spiky black hair is streaked with gray, tied into a long, bushy ponytail, while his piercing gray eyes observe the domain beneath them. His beard, intriguingly adorned with dagger-like adornments, speaks of countless battles faced and won.
Behind them, a resplendent figure of radiant authority and elegant poise surveys the scene — a Diamond Monarch. This centaur, composed entirely of shimmering diamond, embodies the purity and serene wisdom granted by Aurelia, the Goddess of Light and Wisdom. Crafted from the essence of winter's first frost and resilient diamonds, she stands as a guardian of her icy domain, reflecting the divine brilliance of her creator amidst the severe beauty of her frozen realm. But she was conflicted instead of blessed with the Red Flame, red flames flowing off of her form.
Above this majestic group, the spiraling branches of a large, sinister tree stretch towards the sky, its bark black and red, glowing ominously with a red outline. Above it, a large, spiraling eye watches over the land, its gaze penetrating and all-knowing.
Helsong, his voice a low rumble against the howling wind, "Two powerful titans clashing with each other. I can barely see who they are. We're so far away."
The Diamond Monarch, named Rylin, said, "I will get rid of the blizzard."
"No. Don't. It doesn't matter, the tree is almost forming one of the eyes of Zepharion. They're too busy trying to kill each other."
Benny sighed, "I'm bored. Can I join their fight?"
"You need to stay and guard the tree with Rylin. If you run into Zaeya at any time, tell her to meet back with Father."
"Ugh. Fine. It's so boring here. Think maybe after Perfect Order is established, everything will be boring. The adventurers who are already trying to stop us will all be dead or blessed or conflicted with the Red Flame.
Helsong said, "It's more than Adventurers and guilds trying to take us down. The Witches, masters of the arcane, disrupt Fabel's undertakings with their covert sorcery, safeguarding the balance nature demands. In shadowed corners and hidden enclaves, they battle silently, their potions and curses flowing like whispered threats. The Executioners, often seen as mere enforcers, play a duality of roles. Some align with Fabel, employing their blades without question, while others, sickened by the perversion they witness, turn their lethal skills towards aiding Fabel's enemies, liberating the destined sacrifices. Shamans, deeply connected with the elemental spirits, strive to cleanse our lands from corruption. In places like the Whispering Forests and by the banks of Sorrow's End Lake, they heal the scarred earth, opposing Zepharion's twisted vision of order with fervor."
Helsong walked around slowly, continuing to speak as he let his words sink in, "Among the fractured nobility, Kings and Queens of realms such as Etherinu Valley and the Silkhane Kingdom choose their sides. Some, blinded by promise of control, endorse Fabel; others, valiant in spirit, foster sanctuaries and support the rebels, adventurers, and guilds that arise like phoenixes from the ashes of tyranny. Vagabonds exploit our chaos, thieves and rogues trading secrets and relics through the shadows of the Merchant's Quarter and the back alleys of Gallowmere. Yet, not all are mere survivors; some believe in the cult's delusional promise of a new order. Adventurers and guild members, those heroes of old and new, are pivotal. Commissioned by the hidden dissenters among royalty and disillusioned cultists, they venture into haunted groves, face beasts in the Forgotten Wilds, all to thwart Fabel's grasp. Hunters, ranging wide from the Frostfang Mountains to the deserts of Miradorn, ensure our safety, their skills essential in countering cultist incursions and tracking down cursed artifacts. Visionaries and Saints, thinkers and spiritual leaders, stand robust against the stifling conformity proposed by the cult. They sway the public with their dreams, paintings, and divine rites, serving as beacons of free thought and liberty."
Helsong then finished with, "Some might stick around even after Father completes his goal, i'm just naming the bastards you should have fun with if you ever come across them. Ahh, it seems the fighting between the two Titans have stopped. Stay on guard, go down there and finish them off before they get too close to the tree. I'm leaving. I have to meet with Father."
FWOOSH!
At that moment, Zabriel and Kelgade dashed in, making everyone gasp at their speed.
Helsong made eye contact with Zabriel, and fear rushed all over his face, saying, "You're-You're alive?!!"
Zabriel yelled, "Helsong!!!"
Benny laughed, "Haha! I like strong prey! This must be the Zabriel bastard you cry about all the time!"
Benny smashes his fists together, and glowing dark gray spiked gauntlet gloves form on his hand, and he throws a powerful punch at Zabriel. Zabriel twisted fast with his scythe, slashing his arm off, and Zabriel flipped behind Benny, healing Benny's arm at the same time as he flipped, and Zabriel used that to steal his skill. Zabriel had a larger form of the gauntlet on the end of his scythe, and smashed it downward, bashing Benny's head into the ground, blood shooting in the air.
Rylin formed a massive Diamond bow and arrow, and was shooting at Kelgade, the arrows hitting the ground causing massive destruction. Kelgade dodged it all, and he slid in the ground, stabbing his sword in the ground, and red swirls if destructive blood pulsating theme shooting Kelgade in the it, making him flip sideways, and she launched the sword at Rylin, making it get stuck in her throat, and Kelgade double kicked the end of the blade, splitting Rylin in half. And the blizzard was calming down because of her death.
Zabriel screamed again, "Helsong!"
Helsong screamed, "L-Leave me alone!"
Helsong ran to the large red and black tree, touching it, saying, "Go ahead! Attack me! Do it!"
Kelgade scoffed, "Fine by us."
Zabriel stopped him, stretching his arm out.
"I see what you did, Zabriel. You wanted us to be a distraction, us fighting helped us get closer to them without being attacked on sight. You tracked them during our fight, studying them when we were close. You fucking USED me!"
"Be proud. But now, Helsong must die. He killed Ellie."
"He did…?"
Kelgade clenched his fists, gripped his sword tighter, "Let me do the honors then."
Zabriel replied, "No. Don't do anything yet. That tree is dangerous. He's lurking near it to keep us from attacking."
"We're assassins, this is easy:"
"Remember, studying the enemy before engaging is a must. Helsong is more powerful than he was before. He could do anything once we get close…they know more about the trees than us."
"Tch! We have to do something."
Helsong laughed, "Haha! You idiots! I don't know how you're still alive, Zabriel the Healer, I don't know how! But I've had nightmares of you every night, scared you'd return. And here you are. I'm supposed to contact Father if I see you, but he's in a place I can't reach right now! Fuck! Why me?! Why today!"
Zabriel scoffed, "You're gonna pay for what you did to Kenshire..Ellie..Holt…the maids..Arshan…everyone!"
"Haha..you don't understand. It's always been about salvation for me. Arshan was the first victim of delusion. Not following Zepharion when he's the head of all deities, the All-Seer! That's the only way this world can be fair! Nothing was ever fair for me as a child, as the oldest child I was treated differently, less loved than the others. I hated it! I ran the hell away, got accepted by the Kenshire kingdom. And then that day, when you defeated me, it wasn't fair! I became powerful to enact justice and fairness through the excerpts of Zepharion! But I was surrounded by mad men and delusional evildoers like Arshan! This is the only way I'll be able to be treated fairly!"
At that moment, the ground rumbled, and Helsong started to cry blood, saying, "I just wanted fairness..I just wanted fairness…I just wanted fairness..I just wanted fairness…"
As he chanted, the tree pulsated with a bright red and black light, and Helsong's hands had black and red veins in them. And his voice got deeper, and his hair got longer as he continued, "I just wanted fairness! Why didn't have to be treated unfairly by the world! Why did I have to be surrounded by fools who weren't fair to Zepharion or the kingdom itself!"
Zabriel said to Kelgade, "His power is rising.."
"No kidding. Look at him! He had to die now!"
Helsong chanted, "As long as I am blessed with the Red Flame, let the tree bond with my soul!"
Zabriel thought, 'That's another layer to the Red Flame exposed..he's allowing the power from the tree merge with his power which has been consumed and bonded with the Red Flame..it make sense, since the trees hold Zepharion's power, and that eye high up there is one of his eyes! That goes to show that the trees are like baby plants first, then the seeds grow them into full trees. It already had power.'
Helsong screamed, "Hahah! Haha! I will exact perfect Order, and Justice!"
BLIIIING!
Above him, a large bright golden scale formed.
"Let there be perfect order and judgment! I decree and declare that all evildoers be purged from Zepharion's presence!"
Standing before them, Helsong's frame gruesomely elongated, stretching upwards until he towered over the frozen landscape at a staggering 20 feet tall. His muscles bulged and tore, reknitting into a horrific, wolf-like hybrid. Groans and cracks echoed through the now rising again blizzard as nine massive tails unfurled behind him, each one armed with red and black crystal swords that shimmered with a baleful light. His face, once human, now twisted and split, the bones rearranging into a monstrous visage with a disfigured, snarling muzzle. Strands of a thick, red and black mane exploded around his head, whipping wildly in the storm's fury, his body red and black and red crystal spikes sticking out.
"Let..let there be true justice! Thank you, Zepharion! Thank you Father, for the Red Flame!"
From what could only be described as alchemical or mystical, Helsong's right hand fused grotesquely with a mammoth hammer made of red fur-like crystals, emanating heat that melted the nearby snow, sending up clouds of steam. As the transformation completed, the air itself seemed to crackle with the raw, untamed power that Helsong now exuded, his new form a testament to some dark, unfathomable magic.
With his scythe in hand, reflecting the chaos of the storm in its metallic gleam, Zabriel steadied himself. Beside him, Kelgade, embracing his spectral beast form more fully, crouched on all fours. A spectral bloodhound tail formed, undulating ominously, while dark blood seeped and froze in rivulets from the joints of his armor, creating a stark contrast against the pristine snow.
Just as Helsong, now a behemoth of nightmare and rage, dashed forward with ground-shattering force, a sudden series of thuds announced the arrival of Raiya, Zaeya, Gill, Tazmel, and Kailan. They landed deftly near Zabriel and Kelgade, each taking a moment to gaze upon the monstrous apparition before them.
Raiya, her blindfold fluttering in the violent wind, chanted a quick mantra blessing. Zaeya readied her dual blades, their edges catching the light of the storm in a deadly sparkle. Gill mentally prepared himself, his toned muscles bulging under his battle gear as he eyed the colossal enemy. Tazmel, eyes narrowed, adjusted his stance for better agility, and Kailan, despite the cold he had cursed earlier, now seemed fired by the heat of the battle.
Zabriel asked them, "You guys.."
Zaeya said, "I'm not leaving you Zabriel, remember what we are. And I'm not leaving you either, Kelgade.
Kailan said, "Guys, I just wanted to say, it was an honor meeting you!"
Tazmel said to him, "Don't give up yet, dammit! We're gonna fuck this doggie up!"
Raiya looked over at Zabriel, and Zabriel looked back at her, but Raiya looked away fast as soon as he looked at her.
Gill said, "Okay, okay, I'm ready."
As Helsong roared, a sound that blended agony with fury, the ground beneath them all vibrated. A collective resolve hardened in the eyes of the group as they faced off against this monstrous adversary.
Then, with a primal shout from both sides, the two groups charged. Zabriel led with a swift, slicing arc of his scythe, yelling, "Helsong!!!!!"
Kelgade bounded with lethal grace, and the rest followed, blades and weapons poised for a clash that would resonate through the bones of the earth. Screams of rage, roars of fury, and the clashing of metal filled the turbulent air.
Each warrior's cry melded into a symphony of battle, their voices rising over the roar of the blizzard that was seeming to pick back up again due to the power surging throughout, no matter if Rylin was dead, embodying the raw essence of survival and defiance.