Sickening... absolutely sickening.. In a massive dark castle, a demon lord lamented his problem, a problem he couldn't ignore, a problem that left him sick to his stomach, fit to vomit the magma that burned in his very core.
The castle itself was immense, towering to the very sky, one of the ancient strongholds that the great ones used in days of old to rule over the sniveling lower races. Massive, black, made of obsidian, it rose thousands of feet into the sky to accommodate the original residents who ranged from 100 to 300 feet tall.
The demon lord Zephyrax sat upon one of the dozens of empty thrones within the grand cathedral room of the Fortress of Shadows. The thrones encircled a great glowing orb that hovered over the blackened floor, where Zephyrax's brethren once sat with him to observe the sickening tiny beings that were like putrid ants infesting their beautiful world.
His skin was black, charred like sizzling charcoal, with interlocking burning plates on his shoulders and hips. His form resembled a human, except his forearms were long, with claws so extended that if he stood up straight, their tips would reach his clawed toes. His face was that of a terrible grimacing gargoyle with smoldering red eyes, long straight horns, and pointed ears. On his back were massive leathery bat-like wings that burned with flames on their edges, spreading with a vast diameter.
Zephyrax's size placed him among the highest ranks of the scattered great ones who roamed the planet, standing at around 400 feet tall when not counting his horns. His blessed black flame magic also elevated him above many of the great ones whose territories overlapped with his.
But...
This particular god of flame, destroyer of civilizations, eater of man, had a bit of a pest problem. In the seeing globe hovering before him, Zephyrax could see it: a town, a large one, sitting right in the middle of one of his territories. A town of humans who had just finished their trivial ceremony of glades.
They were vermin, a pesky nest of ants that liked to bite and chew and ruin the appearance of his backyard. He had been meaning to eliminate them for a while, but it had constantly slipped his mind, like a gardener intending to spray a wasp nest with pesticide but never getting around to it.
"Ugh... I should have taken care of it earlier," grunted Zephyrax, tapping a claw against one of his horns. "It's an absolute blemish on my territory. At this rate, the neighboring fortresses will be laughing at me."
Zephyrax stood up, his wings spreading wide as flames burned from his claws. "Very well, I will do away with it myself... and perhaps I should burn some sage afterward to wipe out that disgusting stench of human blood... heheheheheh..."
Jackie stared at the building before her as she followed Varden along the large bustling path.
Favorn Town was a famous city for adventurers. It was small, in fact, not much bigger than the large town Skyrendor, which Jackie and Varden had left after their marriage. But it was always bustling, where the main offices of many different Adventurer Classes met to discuss business and train their successors.
The Main Church was owned by the Paladins and Priests who practiced the worship of the Golden God Of The Three Martyrs. And the Market was run by the head overseer for the Trade Lords.
The Monster Mages Management building for International Management was one of the largest buildings in town, a towering mansion with a massive crest resembling the hungry dragon emblem that was Jackie's talisman.
"What are we here for?" Jackie asked.
"First, to grant you your monster power," said Varden. "And to get you officially registered as my apprentice. You didn't think that Monster Mages could automatically transform into any beast they wanted, did you?"
Jackie frowned. "Well..."
"Monster Mages have access to only ONE monster essence which they keep for the rest of their lives, hidden in their bodies," said Varden. "When they use their magic, they transform into a Reflection of that monster and themselves. You become what you would be if you were that monster. It is a complex process. Even more complex is learning to use the beast's form. Natural instinct allows you to learn to move and understand the basics, but learning to consistently fight off monsters who have spent their entire lives as monsters requires more than that."
"So what monster do you transform into?" Jackie asked.
"I am one of the three Dragon Lords of the West," said Varden. "My sister Ven is one of them too. You could say we're among the few Dragon Monster Mages."
"Why aren't there more?"
"Because.. Little Alpha.. to get a big monster's essence, you need to kill it.. " said Varden. "And dragons are damn tough to kill.. even for a Celestiorn Mage.. right up there next to Demon Lords. Come on.."
Varden guided Jackie through the oaken doors, and they immediately found themselves in a massive entrance hall, filled with all manner of mages.. dressed in armor.. practical clothes.. some of them even dressed like paladins.. But they all had one thing in common. They carried no weapons.
"Oi! Varden! What's shaking!?" said one of the mages, a large barrel-chested man dressed in full plate mail, with a bald head and a massive handlebar mustache, grinning. "When are we gonna finish that Poker match we had been so dead on settling?"
"Later Schooner.. I'm here on business." said Varden.
"OHO! I.. is that... an APPRENTICE!!?" said Schooner gleefully, grinning at Jackie. "Hey there lass.. you should know.. your master there.. he's never taken on many students.. you're only his second.. so where'd you find her, Varden?"
"An orphanage.. didn't have any adoption authority.. so I married her.." said Varden.
"HA! You're up there with Lady Seraphina then.. she married her apprentice too.. found him at Arthurian Academy.. they wouldn't give him up for anything less than marriage!" said Schooner, jabbing a thumb at a couple of people behind him.
A woman with a rather voluptuous chest, dressed in a purple dress, with dark black shoulder-length hair.. an immense beauty.. walked over. Her lips were apple red, her skin pale, her violet eyes kind but also sharp and intelligent.. and she wore a wide-brimmed witch's hat over her head.
"Seraphina.." said Varden with a nod.
"It has been too long, Varden." said Seraphina with a lovely smooth voice. "Is that your new.. wife?"
"Jackie," said Varden, nodding at her. "That's her name.. I'm here to get her registered and get her monster.."
"I just finished getting George's monster myself.." said Seraphina, smiling and nodding at the boy standing next to her. He looked to be in his early 20s, dressed in full knight's armor, with the visor up so his face could be seen. A handsome young man with chiseled features and blonde hair.
"Sir George!" said the knight, standing straight and at attention. "I.. I am Lady Seraphina's Husband and Apprentice in the ways of Celestiorn Mages, SIR!! I.. I am pleased to serve M'lady at any cost! Her wonderful kind heart is under the very protection of my blade!!"
"Jeez.." Varden muttered. "Don't tell me he actually WANTED to marry you.."
"Ufufufu.. he was quite eager when I told him I wanted to make him my apprentice.. he didn't hesitate to use marriage as a loophole to get out of the Arthurian Academy.." Seraphina winked.
"IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT SIR!!" yelled George, standing at attention again.
"That body.." Schooner muttered, frowning and blushing as he looked Seraphina up and down. "It's a dangerous thing.. that's what..? Like the 12th apprentice you've managed to convince to marry you?"
"Well.. I do.. add.. certain benefits to people who become my apprentices.. you know.." said Seraphina, smirking as she twirled a finger under George's blushing chin. "Jackie dear.. you shouldn't hesitate to welcome your husband to your loving bed.. I know from personal experience.. Varden has some rather.. lovely moves."
"Wh.. whaaa?" Jackie stammered, feeling her face go red with shock and embarrassment. "Th.. that is.. EWW!"
"Have to agree with the kid on this one, Seraphina," muttered Varden. "Gross.. plus.. I was young and stupid back then.. and so were you.. and another thing.. I can assure this kid is an absolute romance repellent.. shoulda seen the way she glared at me when I first saw her.. thought I was marrying her into prostitution.."
"And is that bad?" said Seraphina. "I enjoyed my time as a prostitute.."
"You.. are one very sick person, Seraphina.." Schooner muttered.
"Anyways.. what monster did you manage to get Mr. Devoted over there?" asked Varden.
"The Armored Titan.. Forgoth.. The Noble Golem," said Seraphina.
"What!? A Disaster class monster? And he managed to get it?!" said Schooner, his jaw dropping. "My, my, Seraphina.. you've found yourself a real devourer of an apprentice!"
"Well.. in celebration of this most fortuitous picking in apprentices.. why don't I help yours get hers, hmm?" said Seraphina, winking at Varden.
"You better not be attempting to molest her, you sex-starved hound.." grunted Varden, his eye twitching.
"Oh, Varden, you fiend.. these accusations hurt.." said Seraphina, feigning a swoon as she chuckled and guided the group over to one of the many large desks sitting in the entrance hall. The desk had many drawers on it.. as well as what appeared to be a pair of candles and a magic ritual circle drawn in blood and chalk on the surface.
"This desk has a lot of good parts in it.. many of our mages brought back a good haul of Great One body parts.. what with the increased slaying.. many high-class Quake Class or Caution Class monsters to choose from.."
"How does it work?" Jackie asked, eyeing the pentagram curiously. "Like what? Abracadoodle and boom, I'm a monster?"
Seraphina laughed. "Oh my.. you picked a rather interesting one, Varden. How is she in bed?"
Jackie edged away from Seraphina, eyeing her nervously. That... was one woman with an insatiable appetite.. scary..
"That woman is like a beast in heat.. humans are so disgusting.."
"Oh shut up.. if you find it disgusting, then you can vomit in a corner without bothering me.." Jackie growled.
"Hmmm? Excuse me..?" said Seraphina.
"Wasn't talking to you.." Jackie muttered as she opened a drawer to find many different bottles with various body parts and labels. Some vials had dried preserved flesh.. scales.. blood.. one extremely large bottle even had an eye..
Jackie picked a vial that had the name "Sunderia the Degrader" and a piece of bone in it.
"Good choice.. Sunderia actually managed to kill several titan hunters before she was brought down.. but will it be compatible with you..?" muttered Schooner. "Place it in the circle.."
Jackie placed the vial on the circle.. and immediately it began to glow. "I.. it's working?"
"Yeah.." said Varden.
But suddenly the vial toppled over.. the glowing stopped.. and silence persisted.
"What happened..? She was compatible right? She should've absorbed that part into her body and gained a monster essence.." said Schooner.
"That only happens.. when a monster essence is already inside a person.." murmured Seraphina. "Tell me.. Varden. Was she perhaps?"
"Yeah.. she's the survivor of a monster attack.. I think a Great One killed her family.. probably would've sparked the necessary mana receptors to unintentionally gain the beast's essence.." Varden said.
"Wait.. I.. already have a monster inside me!? Or monster powers!?" said Jackie.
"Looks like it.. happens.. you have brilliant magic potential... and your mind was in a stressed situation.. your body will have absorbed the essence of a monster somewhere.."
"Th.. the one that attacked me-..?"
"No.. magic is weird like that.. it's random.. rather, your mana will pull from the Afterlife.. the realm of souls and any kind of random monster could be in you.. unless.. the monster who attacked you dies at the same time or near the same time you were at your breaking point.. which isn't likely," said Varden. "We just have to find out what kind of magic potential it has and then we can go from there in training you to use it.."
"Okay then.." Jackie said, her breath bated. Boy, she hoped to God she didn't have something like a Giant Hamster.. or God forbid.. a Bunny..
"Now.. let's check the magical potential.." said Seraphina as she waved a hand over Jackie's head, and it glowed with strange eerie purple light. "Hmmm.. ah.. yes.. I found it.. the monster essence in her.. it's.. unusual.. I can't discern a body type or elemental type that I've ever seen before.."
"A unique creature, huh?" muttered Varden.
"Is that bad?" Jackie asked.
"Nah... just rare," Varden replied. "Alright... what's its potential, Lady Seraphina?"
Lady Seraphina nodded. "Its potential... in magic is... hmmm... if it reaches 9000 like dear Sir George, we'll know it's quite remarkable. Now, let's see... it's..."
Lady Seraphina's eyes widened. "Th-this can't be real... it's... it's..."
Everyone in the entrance hall watched with curiosity, astonished that something could unsettle Lady Seraphina, especially regarding magic.
"What!?" Jackie exclaimed, feeling an excitement rise within her. "Is it powerful?! I-Is it more incredible than Sir George's?!"
"It's... zero," Lady Seraphina said. "This... creature... has no magical circuits whatsoever... it's... an ordinary, enchantless beast."
Silence followed... then, laughter erupted from the entire room.
"OH GOD!" laughed one mage. "Don't tell me!! Her town was probably attacked by a herd of wild boars, right!? And she was SO scared that when one of the town guards killed the boar at the same time she snapped... she absorbed the boar's essence!! AHHAHAHAHA!"
"Maybe not a boar! Perhaps it was a squirrel that got angry because she poked it with a stick, and it attacked her, causing lasting trauma before its death!!" another mage laughed.
Jackie bit her lower lip, fury boiling inside her from the ridicule surrounding her.
She had heard words like this before... when her father presented his scientific findings to the Committees at his university, and when the children of her father's coworkers saw her in passing.
She glanced briefly at Varden, who sighed.
"A pity... but once you bond with your creature... you can't trade it in... oh well," Varden muttered. "Sorry, kid... you had so much potential too."
"VARDEN!" Lady Seraphina snapped angrily. "That's—"
"Harsh, I know... but it's the truth," Varden said. "This kid... got dealt a bad hand and ended up with a worthless creature..."
"SHUT UP!!" Jackie screamed.
Silence followed as Jackie burst into tears, glaring at her foolish mentor. "I'm tired... of people telling me... and my family... HOW USELESS WE ARE!! All of you are the same... my world... this world... ALL THE SAME!!"
Jackie ran out the door, teeth clenched... throwing her medallion to the floor as she went. What was the point of trying anymore? What... WHAT was the point?!
As Jackie ran into the street, she overheard a few mages talking in urgent voices...
"D-did you hear...? Skyrendor just sent out a distress call... A great one is attacking one of the towns... Skyrendor, I think... the Devourer... Zephyrax..."
Jackie felt a chill wash over her as she turned to face the men, eyes wide. "What...?"
"Yeah... the distress call went out... but no nearby Mages are responding," muttered one mage. "They say Zephyrax ranks high into the Disaster Class... no way am I going anywhere near that either... poor Skyrendor..."
"Yeah... nobody wants to face Zephyrax... Skyrendor's doomed," said the other mage.
"Lucy..." Jackie breathed. "No... no, no..."
Jackie ran to the stables near the Celestion Mages' building, grabbing the reins of a horse and mounting it. Her father had taught her to ride plenty during weekends, once her homework was done.
She steered the horse out of the barn and headed straight for Skyrendor, several miles away.
"HEY!!" roared Sir George, running out of the building, waving his arms. "THAT'S MY HORSE!!"
"SORRY! PUT IT ON MY TAB!" Jackie shouted back.
"Oh no..." Jackie whispered as she stopped her steed on the hill overlooking the town... night had just fallen...
Flames towered over ruins, and screams echoed through the air as cinders floated up into the sky.
And towering above the town, wings spread wide, flames flickering from his claws and gushing from his mouth and fangs, was him...
"Pathetic... human insects," growled Zephyrax, his voice booming. "Always such a blight. It'll take weeks of scorching this place to ash before I can rid it of their stench..."
"Not again... not again!!" Jackie leaped off the horse and sprinted into the burning town, dodging the debris that littered what had once been a vibrant square. "LUCY!? LUCY! WHERE ARE YOU!?"
As Jackie ran through the town, terrified townsfolk and children raced past her, screaming, until Zephyrax finally took notice.
"Oh... not so fast, you little ants..." Zephyrax grumbled, lowering himself to one knee and slamming his palm down on the fleeing families like a man swatting a fly.
Jackie was thrown off balance by the shockwave of the impact, landing hard as blood and remains splattered across the street.
Zephyrax lifted his hand to inspect his work... human blood dripped from his palm, some of it spattering onto Jackie's terrified face.
"And that's done... hmmm... any more?" Zephyrax mused, miraculously not noticing Jackie before rising and continuing his path of destruction.
Jackie stared at the shattered remains of the small children lying only a few feet away... she fought the urge to vomit, and instead scrambled to her feet, rushing to the orphanage, which was engulfed in flames, its structure collapsing.
"LUCY!?" Jackie screamed. "LUUUUCYYY!!"
"M-Marie...?" a voice rasped.
Jackie cried out in horror and agony as she saw Lucy, trapped under the debris... her face bruised and burnt, one hand reaching out in desperation...
"I'm coming... I'M COMING!" Jackie shrieked, rushing to the burning boards and grabbing them, only to scream and pull back as the intense heat seared her palms.
"I'm not strong enough..." Jackie whispered.
"But I am..."
Suddenly, Jackie's hands began to steam... her skin healed itself instantly, and with newfound strength, she returned to the debris, smashing the boards away with ease.
Without hesitation, Jackie pulled Lucy from the wreckage and laid her down on the grass.
"Jackie... I... I can't feel my legs..." Lucy rasped.
"Just hold on, Lucy..." Jackie sobbed. "I'll get help... just hold—"
"Oh... two more, huh?"
Jackie froze, slowly looking up to see the massive, smoldering red eyes of the Devourer glaring down at them, filled with annoyance.
"I thought I got them all..." Zephyrax muttered. "Oh well... just die quickly, then."
Zephyrax reached down toward the girls.
"ROOOOOAAAAAARRRR!!" Suddenly, a massive, winged form collided with Zephyrax, sending him staggering back.
A colossal dragon towered above the town, with four powerful legs, immense wings, a face with lion-like features, and ruby-red scales that shimmered with fire. Flames gushed from its mouth.
"JACKIE! RUN!!" roared the dragon, sounding remarkably like...
"VARDEN!?" Jackie stammered. "WAIT!"
The towering dragon clashed with Zephyrax, tearing into the demon with its talons and spilling magma-like blood.
Zephyrax laughed. "HAHA! I recognize you... one of the Three Dragon Lords formed by you cursed humans... you used the essence of Hexaria... but even he couldn't defeat me."
Zephyrax smacked the dragon aside, sending it crashing into nearby buildings, the shockwave reverberating through the town.
The dragon quickly got back on its feet, unleashing a torrent of flame from its maw, but Zephyrax walked through the inferno unscathed. "A demon of deep fire like me is immune to dragon fire... boy, you've chosen a losing battle."
Zephyrax grabbed the dragon by the neck and stabbed his claws into its belly.
There was a burst of light as the dragon fell to the ground... and in its place, lay Varden in his human form, blood pooling around him.
"Ugh..." Varden coughed, trying to crawl away.
"And another pest dealt with..." Zephyrax muttered. "This will be over quickly..."
Jackie clutched Lucy in despair. It was happening again... all over again...
"Jackie..." Lucy whispered, her hand on Jackie's cheek, smiling weakly. "I'm... glad you found happiness..."
"E... Lucy... no... please, Lucy, stay with me..." Jackie cried. "Lucy..."
"I just... want you to be happy..." Lucy whispered, then slowly closed her eyes, her body going still and cold.
Jackie's heart shattered with grief and rage. She remembered her parents... Varden... Lucy... no.
No... NO MORE.
"This... THIS HAS TO STOP!!" Jackie screamed. "THIS HAS TO END!! THIS CYCLE OF DEATH HAS TO END!!"
"Then end it..." a voice whispered. "Destroy it... destroy everything."
At that moment, Jackie felt her rage and grief explode all at once, and suddenly, a massive towering cyclone of light erupted from her, towering into the sky.
Varden stared up at the tower of light. "What? No other Mages have made it this far yet... unless... wait... Jackie...?"
The light disappeared, replaced by a massive cloud of dust and smoke.
"Oho?" Zephyrax stood up, staring at the cloud, his claws flickering with flames. "Another one of those silly Celestiorns Mages has come to challenge me? Hmph... well, I was getting bored after taking care of that pest problem."
Zephyrax narrowed his eyes at the smoke. "But... I sense no magic energy... could it be... that this creature is a weakling? Oho... perhaps this will only take a few-..."
"ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR!"
A roar resounded from the din, a roar that came from another world. Had Zephyrax been a human from the world of Jackie Shenwu, he would have immediately felt dread and fear unparalleled.
That roar was not just the roar of a monster; it was the roar of Nature's Fury.
It was the roar of a King.
A colossal dark form began to materialize from the swirling dust, lumbering forward with immense, deliberate steps. Its vast form loomed high above the wreckage, supported by titanic legs.
As the beast emerged fully from the haze, Zephyrax took an instinctive step back, his jaw hanging slightly open in astonishment as he realized the creature stood a full 100 feet taller than himself.
"In the name of Hexaria?" Varden murmured, his voice filled with awe and disbelief.
Out of the dust, illuminated by flickering flames, appeared the form of Goridezula, the tyrant of the Enchantless Domain. Its body resembled that of a massive upright dragon, clad in thick, nearly impenetrable scales, with red, armor-plated legs that resembled enormous reptilian pillars. Its black-clawed toes were razor-sharp, and each massive arm bore four lethal, sharp claws. The creature's snout twisted into a menacing scowl, with eyes that radiated nothing but pure rage. Its irises blazed with smoldering red energy, glowing ominously.
Its colossal tail dragged heavily behind it, muscular and armored, smashing apart the few buildings that remained standing in its wake. Down the length of its spine, enormous flame-shaped spines glowed, their white plates pulsing with bursts of red light, as though some hidden power lay within.
"No... MORE!!" Goridezula bellowed in Jackie Shenwu's voice, her eyes burning with fury as she stood towering at over 400 feet tall. "NO... MORRRREEEEE!!"
Zephyrax extended his claws and let out a cruel laugh. "A NEW BEAST! One I've never encountered before! How... EXCITING. Why you wield not a speck of magic, I do not know, but this will be a day to remember, Celestiorn Mage!"
With a swipe of his hand, Zephyrax summoned forth dark power. "Shadows of the Abyss, Flames of the Void, RISE and ENGULF, NIGHTFIRE OBLITERATION!!!"
A massive beam of golden fire shot from Zephyrax's claws, crashing into Goridezula and sending it skidding back, its scaled hide searing under the impact. Jackie roared in agony as Zephyrax charged forward, slamming her against the mountain with an earth-shattering BOOOOM.
"JACKIE!!" screamed Varden. "NO!! RUN!!"
Pinning Goridezula to the ground, Zephyrax slashed mercilessly with his claws, tearing into her tough hide. "Such resilient flesh!" he cackled. "Were I not the Demon Lord of Pain, even magic itself would falter before this armor! But in this world, where you wield no magic, you are WORTHLESS!"
Blood seeped from Goridezula's wounds, glowing with superheated radioactive red energy, hissing as it met the ground. She roared in defiance.
"Get up, you fool!" bellowed a voice from within. "You're embarrassing us! Even Grandros would mock us now!"
"Sh... Shut up..." Jackie, in her Goridezula form, growled through clenched teeth.
Suddenly, Goridezula's spines flared a vibrant red, and with a thunderous roar, a nuclear shockwave erupted from her body, blasting Zephyrax backward.
Zephyrax crashed through several buildings, but quickly rose, shaking the debris from his body. "What... what was that!? There's no magic in that attack! What sort of power is this?"
"Magic is everything here, right?" Jackie growled, her scales regenerating, closing over her wounds as steam hissed around her body. "Let's test your theory... YOU STUPID HORNED FREAK!"
With blinding speed, Goridezula charged forward.
Screaming in fury, Zephyrax rushed to meet her. But Goridezula's massive, muscled body collided with his smaller frame, sending him flying back with the force of a cannon. As he staggered, trying to regain his balance, Goridezula smashed a powerful claw into his skull, the blow creating another shockwave that left the earth trembling.
With a bone-crunching impact, Zephyrax was driven into the ground. Goridezula lifted her massive foot and brought it down with a deafening KAAABOOOOM, slamming into Zephyrax's back.
"GRRAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Zephyrax screeched, beating the dragon's foot off him and staggering to his feet, blood dripping from his wounds. Rising into the air, he flapped his wings and conjured a seething orb of fiery power between his palms. "**WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN CHALLENGE ME, HUMAN!? WHAT MAKES A CREATURE WITHOUT MAGIC SO SPECIAL!? I'll tell you... NOTHING! You've survived this long on LUCK! Now, PREPARE TO DIE... DARK NOVAAAAA!"
The fiery sphere expanded into a colossal blast, large enough to swallow a city, aimed directly at Goridezula.
Jackie snarled, her teeth bared. "You ask what makes us think we can stand against you? Don't give me that nonsense. We humans... have every right to EXIST, just as much as you!"
The spines along Goridezula's back slowly brightened, glowing brighter and brighter until the entire length of her back shimmered. Her jaws opened wide, nuclear energy building up deep within her throat.
"KAAAASHEEEEENNNNNN!!!" A massive red beam of nuclear fire tore through the air, slicing through the Dark Nova as though it were nothing, and crashed into Zephyrax's body with devastating force.
"IMPOSSIBLEEEEE!" Zephyrax screamed, but before he could react, the beam exploded, disintegrating his entire torso, leaving only his flailing arms, legs, and his torn wings in its wake.
When the dust finally settled, Varden gazed in awe as his student's titanic dragon form stood tall over the smoldering remains of the Demon Lord Zephyrax.
"This is where the bloody cycle ends, monsters," Jackie panted, her voice filled with grim determination. "THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS FOR GOOD!"