'betrayal is not a matter of love but of profit, if they offered you a cure to your brother's terminal illness for betraing your best friend what would you do?'
-Alkshan the pact master
Rinnar was surrounded by armed red demons and imps. His weaphon lost.
The silent wait before the start of the battle was quite as the death, causing the demons to be more get agitated.
Rinnar looked at them, searching for a weak spot in their formation.
It was rather a dull formation with imps at the rear armed with ranged weaphons and red demons at the front. The ranks were clearly confused and mixed togheter.
A bigger being stood among the demons. The lower red demons were outshined by the mid-tier demon that commanded them.
The boss walked forward Rinnar with swagger. His weaphon on his wide shoulders was dark as the night itself.
"Human, this won't do. I know you're angry but... Wait, you look rather familiar..." He said.
"Are you the ones? The ones who exploit the people here?" Rinnar said with words that sounded like barks.
"Are we? Luck is fair, is it not?"
"Luck is not fair. It is not meant to be."
"Well, uh, we didn't force them tough..."
"Does that mean you didn't try and make them all become addicted to it?"
"Ugh... Look, i don't have to stand up to you. Just, well, scram."
"No. This ends today." Rinnar said calm.
"Fine, guys rough him up."
The red demons closed up on Rinnar.
They were all lower demons exception made for their boss. All of them armed with old or rusty weaphons.
When the first demon got as near as half a meter from Rinnar he smiled, oblivious to his fate. Rinnar used his skill 'conjure blade' to cut him down.
Rinnar's blade was a long and refined one resembling a great sword often used by knights but he did wield it with only one hand.
As Rinnar took care of the first the others charged in enraged.
"Stop you hot-headed bunch!" Their boss tried. They ignored him.
It was not long before Rinnar stood victorious over the battle remains. Only the mid-tier demon was left unscratched.
He looked at Rinnar with his red and fiery eyes.
"They all died... What is your name human?" The demon asked.
"I am Rinnar"
"As in 'Rinnar the empire's sword'?"
"Yes. I guess so."
The air was dense with killing intent.
Rinnar assumed a strange pose as he waited for an attack. The demon wielded the giant sword he had with both hands, preparing to strike.
The demon rushed at Rinnar trying to strike him with his sword but he felt something was off and jumped back.
Touching his face he noticed several small cuts on it.
"So this is it." The demon said touching his throat before falling to the ground.
After giving a last look to the enemy's corpse Rinnar left searching for Vanat.
Meanwhile in Mivia, at Mivia's main magic school, a student was enjoing his lunch alone. Eating his perfectly cooked sausage he looked at the nearby river who was overflowing.
Watching it close he saw something stange in it: a woman-like log. He looked closely.
It was no log! It was a woman! He jumped down out of reflex and landed on a rock.
The river seemed to punch the rock with each of his powerful waves while he was trying to grab the woman.
Pulling her out of water he then jumped rock to rock until he got out of danger.
Leaving the woman laid on the ground he then checked her body temperature.
She was a bit cold but still alive. Covering her with his jacket he felt relief, it was not too late.
The woman had long dark hair and was really pretty. Her clothes were damaged and soaking wet.
On her hand a black wyvern was drawn inside a triangle.
The student then took out a paper sheet.
There were complex drawings on it who formed a flame-like shape. It was a skill scroll.
Skill scrolls are an extremely complex form of magic who does not rely on one's skills, it allows one's to use a skill he does not possess.
Holding the skill scroll in his left hand the student reached for the woman with his right hand and casted a fireball.
It was a small sphere resembling the sun that the student keeped near the woman to warm her and dry her clothes.
Time passed and the woman got stable.
Then, after a bit, the vice principal reached for the student seing him not too far from the river.
"Are you ok young one?" The vice principal said while landing.
"Oh, hello professor Lial. Yes, i am fine." The student responded.
"Hello Mivr, what about her? Who is she?"
"I have no idea, she was in the river. Now that she has become more stable i would be glad if you could use your fly skill to bring her to the infirmary." Mivr explained.
Mivr decided to stay by the river while the vice principal transported the woman with his skill.
Mivr was currently studying his magical encription book when he felt something in the air.
It was a gentle smell who reminded him of roses and other flowers.
Another woman appeared from the trees dressed in an elegant but revealing outfit.
Her blonde long hair ran down to her hips, her red and charming eyes looked gentle but careful, her skin was light.
She was tall and slim but her body was still attractive. Her chest was not small and her butt surely not flat.
Her lips were red and her skin delicate.
Mivr watched her with utmost caution, she was likely to be dangerous.
The woman looked at him briefly then she watched the river, turning back to Mivr after no longer than a few seconds.
It was clear now. She was really dangerous.
Returning back to Rinnar he had found the place where Vanat was.
It was an old pub named the 'dragon slayer' opened in Vanat's honor.
That must have been long after his tenth beer becouse clearly he was not in a good state.
Rinnar approached him in the crowded pub.
Vanatar was unreachable, totally unable to reason. In a semi-conscious state he reached for another bottle of beer.
Rinnar tried to touch him but Vanat could not even feel his touch.
"It's no use. He is been like this since the last two months." Someone said.
Rinnar looked at the source of the voice, it was a little and scrawny girl.
She looked at Rinnar with pity and caution, it was clear that Rinnar was a Vanat's old friend.
"What is your name little girl?" Rinnar asked.
"I have no reason to tell you, stranger." She responsed.
"I get it. Do you know what to do to make him sober up." Rinnar asked.
"No. Now, please, go away." She said in response.
"Why? Is there-" Rinnar tried to ask when the door of the pub was opened with a great slam by a great and monstrous demon spawn.
The little girl grasped.
The demon spawn walked over the pub counter where Vanat was.
His face had a smirk on it.
While being looked by everyone in the pub the demon spawn pushed Vanat to the ground and started kicking him.
He was not just beating down someone for fun, it was personal.
Rinnar punched the huge fiendish abomination sending it to the ground three meters away.
The gigantic fiend was stunned by the sudden punch and the sheer strenght of it.
As the spawn got up the fiery eyes looked at Rinnar with rage while the demonic beast prepared to charge.
The pub had got emptier so fast, only the little girl and some drunk ones remained.
The demon spawn charged toward Rinnar but found himselm midair instead.
Rinnar held his position with might while the demon spawn tried to attack him again and again.
Rinnar, finding himself unable to fight back, did his best to withstand to the flurry of strikes but still began to slowly lose his ground.
The attacks of the demon spawn were both heavier and quicker now.
Soon Rinnar was cornered with his back to the wall and began to falter.
One last strike from the demon spawn broke trough the wall giving Rinnar a chance to counter with his skills.
Due to the place he was in he could not fight with a sword so he used 'aura' instead.
The 'aura' is a rare skill who imbues the user body or weaphon with mana to amplify strenght and resistance.
Rinnar's counter landed swiftly on the demon spawn's face, tough this time it did not as much damage as before.
The demon spawn grabbed Rinnar's arm with his claws and Rinnar screamed.
With his arm torn Rinnar landed another punch at his maximum output, draining his mana, and the demon spawn fainted.
Rinnar checked Vanat's condition despite his exhaustion, he was badly injured.
Meanwhile Miko made a small rest during training and returned in the hut but something was off, he could not see Exar.
Searching where Exar was when he left he tried to find any clue when something grabbed him from behind.
It was kind of... soft?
Miko tried to free himself but the humanoid who grabbed him held on his chest, feeling uneasy Miko tried to push it against the wall.
As Miko felt something big and soft of round-like shape pressing against his shoulders tears began to drip on him and he heard someone cry.
"Miko... Don't leave me alone, please." Exar said holding on her grappling-like piggyback.
"Exar!? It was you? Why are you-"
"I don't want to be alone. Don't leave me. Don't leave me please." Exar muttered.
"What about you let go of me? Then we can-"
"No! If i let you go you will leave me alone!"
"Fine. Can we at least lay down a moment?"
"I won't let you abandon me."
"I- Just why are you like this!?"
"You will abandon me like the others. I don't want to..."
"Exar... Let go of me now!"
"No! I don't want to!"
"What about we gently lay down? You can hold me but, at least, let me rest."
"I... I will hold on you all the time, ok?"
"Sigh... Just let me rest."
As Miko laid down Exar placed herself on him hugging his chest, Miko felt unease.
"What happened? Why the sudden crying?" Miko asked.
"I... I don't like to be left alone. It feels bad after... after..." Exar tried to say breaking in a loud cry instead.
"It's ok. I'm here now. You can let me go, i won't-"
"No!"
"Look, this position is strange and you are squeezing me a bit too tightly." Miko replied.
"I won't let you go." Exar said holding on Miko even more.
"I get it. Exar, do you want to play something or-?"
"I am no kid."
"At least i tried. Then what about you stop rubbing your whole body against me like that and just grab my hand?"
Exar climbed on Miko strenghtening her grip and blocking Miko's flanks with her legs.
"I. Won't. Let. Go." She said.
"Exar... This is... Okay, can't we just talk?"
Exar loosened her grip for a brief moment and placed herself sitting on Miko's chest, she was rather light.
"Okay, we can talk." She said.
"Ugh... How was your... day?"
"Like hell."
"I am... sorry to... ear that. Can i do something for you?" Miko said breathing with a bit of fatigue.
Exar looked at Miko, tough her 'chest' was almost totally covering him, and replied "i want a massage."
"Anything else... i can do... instead?"
"No."
"Ok... Will you... lay down for it?"
"No, massage me like this."
"What the-!? Look i... can't massage... you... like... this..." Miko replied barely breathing.
"I don't car-" Exar tried to say when Miko grabbed her hips to breathe.
"Miko... If you touch me so suddently i..." Exar said while Miko pushed her back to his ankle.
"Air... I can breathe..." Miko said.
Exar's soft skin, her soft, provocative body and her big chest had no effect on Miko.
Exar, tough Miko didn't want to, was now placed on a dangerous spot.
"I... I kind of like... this..." She said blushing right before Miko moved her away.
"Don't say anything like that!" Miko said blushing.
Exar was now lying near Miko, watching him in the face from very close.
"Miko..." She said.
"I think this is enought rest, i go back to training. Do what you want." He said while Exar slowly surrounded his neck with her arms.
"I kind of like to stay like this... Just a little longer."
"I- fine then. But tell me about you"
"I... Even tough i am a royal i have a restricted set of abilities. One is healing, as you saw when i treated you. Then there are 'haste', 'farsight' and 'liar's bane'. But i can't still use them very well."
"What is 'liar's bane'?"
"Oh, it is a rare ability. Rare abilities are very strong and to have even one means to be a cut above the rest. 'liar's bane' can discern lies and create a zone where no one can lie."
"It is kind of strong for a monarch."
"Yes, i guess so. But 'aura' or 'seduction' are far stronger. They are often finded in the ranks of an army, most likely at the top."
"I guess you lucky guys have it easy."
"There is a woman who is currently in possession of three rare abilities and one unique ability. She is the leader of the revolt in Gillio."
"Unique ability, what is that?"
"It is an ability that appears for the first time or is so rare to be seen at most once every century. That woman ability is 'army of the undead' a dreadful ability who allows mass creation of lower level undeads."
"Tricky. But i guess is easy countered by a wide effect attack. What about her abilities, how many has she?"
"I just know about some. 'army of the undead', 'seduction', 'command army', 'improved growth' and 'blood tracker'. She is supposed to have more but no one ever lived to tell."
"What about abilities more rare than unique, do they exist?"
"Yeah, there are legendary, mythical and prophetic ranks. The legendary rank barely even appears in history and is powerful enough to outmatch any other ability. There are only two Mythical rank abilities known and they showed up only three times, as for prophetic rank tales tell that it could annhilate someone who holds the power of every other ability of Mythical rank or lower."
"So legendary rank is super strong and rare, Mythical rank is an historical event and prophetic rank has never been reported in humanity's history but only appeared in tales and the like, am i wrong?"
"Yes, you could say it like that."
"So you are special."
"Well... Rare abilities are rather easy to find. What about you?"
"Oh, i have three abilities but i don't know about their rank."
"Is that so? But i guess you have at least a unique ability to be able to stand up to Rinnar."
"Why is that?"
"Rinnar's strongest ability is 'mana slash' who is added to his 'aura' skill to perform an earth shattering slash who can penetrate most defenses. Tough he can use it only once a day or so."
"That sound like overkill."
"Not really, it is kind of slow and it uses up all of Rinnar's mana so he faint right after it."
"That is a bad thing for him."
"The highter the rank of an ability is the harder is to use it. Control, expenses and conditions can be really cruel."
"I guess so. What about non-humans? How do they fare with skills?"
"What? You mean elves? Oh, right, i don't really know about the other two races who can use skills, only humans."
"Two races?"
"Yes, elves and dwarfs. They are the only one who can use skills like humans, not even demons can do that."
"Well, thanks for the info. Now i should train more."
"You know, it is kind of strange. Rare and normal skills should be so easy to use as breathing."
"Well, it depends on how much you ever used them i guess."
"Well, i used skills before i said my first word, so i guess not."
"Look, i should get going." Miko said in a rush to leave.
Exar grabbed him saying "tell me, what are your skills".
"There is 'conjure bow' among them. That's all i should tell"
"You're lying. My skill tells me."
"Whathever. Bye."
Back to Rinnar had took Vanat out of the pub hiding him in a alley under some dirty sheets and leaves.
Looking at the little girl who had followed him he said "why is him like this?".
"Demons work like that. They bring you down."
"I know this already, but how?"
"He was betrayed by his wife who had an affair with a lust demon and his very own daughter was... right in front of him she was..." The girl tried to reply.
"Enough. I got it. What do we do now?"
"We hide. General Phaal of lust is no easy foe and Vanat can't be bringed to him. He hate him too much now."
"Wait his wife had an affair with Phaal!?"
"Yeah."
"That blob of a demon!?"
"Yeah."
"How!?"
"He is a lust demon after all. He had to do something in order to survive so he did."
"So now he is better looking?"
"He is. But his personality is... Well, the same sh*t it was before."
A big shadow obscured them.
They not only slaughtered a demon spawn, a rare and valuable one at that, but also caused unrest in the city and Rinnar took out a gang who was under the demon's protection so this was the obvious result.
Rinnar looked at the source of the shadow and said "Ehy kid, we better run now."