It's been probably a day or so since that fish guy came to my master's territory and perished by my hands and his own arrogance. In the time not much had happened, the only big thing I would say is the sudden disappearance of my clones. It didn't happen that long ago, but just right now.
From what I saw in their eyes before their disappearance, they had seen three people walking towards this cave and were about to speak to them. When their vision suddenly went dark and they disappeared. That is a bit concerning. I probably should inform my master of these events before I step in, just in case.
"My master" I said as I kneeled in front of my master, "some of my clones have been killed by some outsiders, what do you wish for me to do?"
My master opened her left eye, revealing a single pair of yellow eyes underneath, and stared at me for a bit, "go and see where they are, and if they are interesting, then allow them the right to come and face me if they are here for combat. But make sure to test them before you give them the right."
"Yes master" I said as I quickly called every nearby clone to head towards the area where I saw those three individuals.
I probably should make more clones, just in case. I quickly stabbed some of my fingers into the ground and allowed them to spread out into roots and generate more clone bulbs. I wait like this until there are a total of about fifty clone bulbs being made.
"Oh, that was quick" I say as I change my vision to one of my clones. My clone was currently standing in front of the three individuals. The three of them were standing in a straight line going from left to right, and their mix up is a bit shocking.
The one on the left was your average Shaper frame, humanoid. It stood hunched forward, its hands long and dragging on the sand, its face was like a face you would see on a lizard, but this one had three slits on its cheek, its skin was primarily orange with a bit of brown on its shoulder, and its eyes were yellow. Also it had a giant bulge on its back, probably the reason for its hunched shape.
The one on the right was the average Shaper frame with a bit of a difference. Instead of walking on two feet, this one walked on four very long spider-like legs that were covered in sharp bristles. Its hands only had three fingers, instead of five, that all ended in sharp claws. Its body was sort of female, from its face and chest, though I can't really say for certain from how bulky it is. On its head it had a sort of horn-like crown that wrapped around its head, its skin was red with the crown and hands being the color pink. Its two eyes were also yellow, meaning it also was born in this region.
But those two were not the most shocking thing about the group, and instead it was the final member who was between the two. They weren't a shaper and instead were something else. Just looking at them makes my head a bit fuzzy since it feels like I have seen them from somewhere. It's like I can sort of remember them, but at the same time it's just out of my reach. It's so annoying.
Human!
The middle person was a human girl to be more specific. Though from my fragmented memory humans don't wear what she is wearing. She wore what looked like an outfit similar to a mage, from the white dress, to the golden crown on her head, to the giant golden staff in her hand. Her eyes were green and her hair was brown. She was far smaller compared to the two Shapers, probably only reaching the smallest waist, the hunched one. Also she seemed confident for some odd reason.
"Another one of those varmints" the hunched one said in a broken and raspy tone, "I'll take care of it."
The hunch one was about to walk towards me, but was stopped when the human girl put her hand in front of her. "Hold on, this one seems to have a bit of intelligence in its eyes unlike the others" the girl said as she stepped forward.
Ah, so that's why they wiped out my clones. I never really told them to speak to any intruders and to just watch and act if they try to attack them. I probably should do that next time.
"You there, Shaper, I am Elizabeth A. Grayson, a member of the Vermillion Empire Royal Mage Corp. I ask for you to speak, if you do not speak, then I will have no choice but to allow me colleagues to take care of you until we make it to the Lord of this territory" the girl, now Elizabeth, said as she pointed to the two Shapers that stood behind, both ready to lunge at my clone.
How do I want to play this out? I could always just attack them, the two Shapers I could take on, but that girl is unknown. I know she is human, but she doesn't act, speak, or dress as a human from where I am from. Instead she acts with superiority and the Vermillion Empire is something that I can't recall at all.
How annoying.
"I am here, so speak" I say, through the clone, as I look at her. The girl and two Shapers seemed shocked by my response, probably due to my previous clones that didn't speak. Speaking of my clones, didn't they take out five of them? Did they not have the patience to wait long enough for the clones to speak, since at the fourth in fifth one they disappeared literally seconds upon seeing these individuals.
"Ah, so this one can speak," the spider shaper said, in a voice that sounded like a thousand squeaky girls were talking, as it walked forwards, seeming wary now that it knows I can speak.
"Yes, I can speak and much more than that" I say as I look at the spider for a bit before turning back at the girl, "you killed five of my brothers, my only mute brothers, so speak before I kill you all." I don't truly see my clones as brothers, but those three don't know the five they killed clones, so it's best to at least gain some advantage in case I have to call all the nearby clones that are hiding in the sand.
The girl seemed scared and embarrassed about my declaration of my mute brother, "I-I am truly sorry about that. But none of your brothers responded to my calls nor did they show signs of even responding, and so I, no we, thought that they were just Wild Shapers" the girl said as she bowed in front of me.
From their position, I can sort of see that as a possibility. Since in my five, or so, years of living in this land I have seen my fair share of Wild Shapers. Wild Shapers are Shapers that only act by instincts and take a couple seconds before they actually follow with their instinct since they still hold a bit of their intelligence of a Shaper.
"They were told to stay still and wait for me, since other nearby Shapers would usually not attack Shapers who don't usually appear threatening. But it no longer matters, so speak your words before I rip out that tongue of yours" I declared "angrily" as I stared at the trio.
"Yes, I am once again sorry for my mistakes, but I am here to speak to the Lord of this territory, can I say that you are the so called leader" the girl said as she stood back up, no longer bowing, and looked at me.
"I am not, for that would be my master, but you may speak to me and I can transport your words to my master" I said as I looked at the girl. I should probably point out that I am not standing in front of the girl, but several meters away from her on top of a small sand hill.
"If you can then I wish so" the girl said as she stood upright, "I Elizabeth A Grayson wish for you to transport this message to your master. As a messenger of the Great Emperor of the Vermillion Empire, we wish for your lord to show supreme loyalty to our Empire or face our Empire's wrath."
Just as she finished it, a giant invisible wave rushed off of her and washed itself around my entire body. It felt suffocating and terrifying whatever this wave was. I could feel this clone's body trembling and shaking from this wave, as if a powerful Shaper stood just before it. I looked at the girl for a bit, "I shall transport your message to my master."
I quickly returned back to my original body and walked towards my master, who was now sitting down on the floor with her legs crossed. I kneeled in front of her and spoke "my master, the intruders-"
"I heard" my master said as she looked at me with her yellow eyes, small red sparks of electricity bouncing off her body. She was mad.
"How do you wish for me to respond?" I asked my master as I waited for her response.
"Annihilate and butcher them" she said as she closed her two eyes, red electricity still bouncing on her body.
I quickly nod my head and walk away from her, before finding a spot, sitting down and said spot, and reentering my clone.
"I have told my master your message and have received her response" I said to the trio.
The trio seemed a bit shocked and for good reason. "But I didn't see you move or even show fluctuations in your Magic," the girl said.
Magic? I think I heard about it? Yes, I remember now. Magic was some sort of mystical energy that allowed people to do weird stuff, I think. But wasn't that just make believe? How strange.
"You do not need to concern yourself with that, for I have received my master's orders" I said as I slowly created a small spike in my palm. Ready to use it if nec-
"!!!"
I quickly jumped away as the giant suddenly appeared at my position and did a stab motion at the ground I stood in not that long ago.
"What are you doing, Arachni" the girl shouted, shocked at her colleague's action.
"This one message wasn't going to be good" the spider said as she reappeared next to the girl and handed her something. What she handed her was my spike, "especially if that one was going to try to kill us."
The girl went wide eyed for a bit before turning back to me, "if that is how your master wishes to respond, then so be it."
The two shapers charged towards me, both ready to strike me down.
I quickly changed both of my hands into blades as I charged towards the two. The hunched one launched a punch at my face while the spider readied her right hand to pierce my stomach. I launched a strike at their hands with both of my swords.
The spider pulled her hand back, not wanting her hand to be cut in half, while the hunched one met my blade head first. My blade and his hand made contact, and a shocking thing happened. When both of the two were about to touch, his hand somehow just phased through it and landed a square punch to my chest.
"What!" I said as I was launched into the sand, tumbling on its surface for a bit before I used my two swords to stop my motion. I looked at the two, both of them were standing on the surface of the sand ready to strike once again.
The spider seemed to have something related to speed, since she was able to quickly appear and to my spike and reappeared next to the human. While the hunched one had an ability that allowed him to phase through my blade.
"How interesting" I said as I stood back up and looked at the two, my blades turning back into hands. I quickly charge at the hunched one. His ability, out of the two, is the most dangerous for it was something I could not understand.
I got inches close to the hunched one and was prepared to throw a punch. When my punch was about to land, another shocking thing happened. Instead of it phasing through, my punch landed on his face, launching him a couple feet away. Although confused, I couldn't stop for one second. I quickly dashed towards him and was ready to strike him once again.
The hunched one quickly got up and launched a kick at me. My fist phased through his body, but his kick phased through me as well. Once his leg was fully out of my body, he quickly launched a punch and in response I quickly launched a kick of my own. His punch connected and my kick also connected. Slash and a punch, connect. Kick and headbutt, phase. Stab and grab, phase.
We continued throwing blows to one another for what felt like minutes, but was in truth just seconds. Our attacks either connect with one another or just phase through each other. We kept launching barrages at one another, our bodies getting more bruised and bloodied. The spider tried to jump several times, but I quickly sent spikes or slashes, by turning my hand into a blade, at her.
Before long we both decide to jump away from one another, both of us panting heavily. I examined my body, my right hand seemed to be broken while my left leg was missing flesh. There were also some cuts on my skin as well as bruises, but that's alright for now. I looked at the hunched Shaper, both his legs had chunks of flesh missing the right part of the face had been caved in a bit.
"I think I understand your ability" I said as I looked at the hunched Shaper. The hunched Shaper looked at me for a bit before saying, "then say it."
"It's a 50/50 ability ain't it" I proclaimed as I looked at him, still panting heavily, "your ability allows you to phase phase through your opponent's attack and vise versa, but whenever you activate it, it has a 50/50 chance of either allowing you to phase or not. So in a sense, you're putting your attacks into fate's hands."
The hunched Shaper grinned as he just nodded his head, "you are right, but there is another part of the ability you didn't state. When I activate my ability, I know if my body will phase a second after it activates."
I just smile as I look at his bruised body, "then you have my respect, since even though you know when and when you aren't going to phase, you still meet my fist head on. Not even showing a single sign of pulling away or stopping your attack. Please, tell me your name."
"My name is Cret, a name given to me by the Vermillion Empire" Cret said as he got ready to fight once again. I nodded my head as I also quickly got in a fighting stance. We both looked at one another before we charged at one another.
And so our battle once was sparked again, but this time under a new flame. A punch and punch, phase. A kick and kick, phase. We both grabbed each other's head and slammed them together, connect. We both moved back a bit, but quickly launched a punch to each other's face, connect.
As my face and his was squished from our fists, he and I could tell the other was just having just as much fun as they were. We kept launching blows after blows, not caring if it connected or not. We both were put in a sort of trance, none of us wanted this moment to disappear.
A punch to the face, connect. A slash at our throats, phase. A Chop at our elbows, phase. A kick, phase. A Punch, phase. A headbutt, connect. A punch, connect. We wanted this to continue on forever.
"Gah!"
But it couldn't last forever.
"Forgot about me" the spider said as she stabbed my back with her hand. I forgot that there were two shapers and not just Cret. The spider pulled her hand from my back and I collapsed onto one knee and looked at the spider.
"What did you just do!" Cret shouted at the spider, his voice boiling with rage. I too was angry, I knew I wouldn't die since this wasn't my main body, but she didn't know and yet still did it. She interrupted this perfect fight that we were having!
"Elizabeth was getting bored and wanted this to end" the spider stated as she looked at him as if he was a moron.
Cret was boiling in rage as he looked at Elizabeth. I also looked at her and saw she was yawning as she was standing there looking at us. I looked at Cret and said, "Cret, you serve someone who has the audacity to interrupt a sacred battle between two Shapers! Is that who you truly are!"
Cret looked at me shocked and scared. He wanted to say something, but couldn't. I knew why, for whatever the Vermillion Empire is, is strong enough for someone like Cret to not speak back to. I looked at him sorrowfully, I saw him as a wild animal that wished to go back to nature and so close to it, to only remember that it was chained.
"Cret, if I were to kill Elizabeth and the spider, will you swear loyalty to my master. A master who will allow you to fight however long you want without having a single thought of interrupting your fight" I said as I could feel this clone's body almost to death.
Cret looked at me shocked before standing still for a couple seconds and "yes."
He had said yes and that was all I needed to hear, "then allow me to handle the rest."
The clone died and I had quickly taken over the body of one of the many clones that were hiding nearby. This one was hiding in the sand not that far away from the trio. I sensed how many clones I had here and I had a total of about 50 clones all ready to strike.
"All clones attack the spider and human, but spare and protect the one called Cret. Begin the attack when I give you the ok."
The clones began to swim through the sand towards the target and once they had circled them they all awaited my orders. I began to swim to where Cret was at and quickly burst out of the ground.
When I got out I saw Elizabeth next to Cret, holding her staff, ready to do something and the spider standing next to Elizabeth. Cret was on the ground looking at my corpse and stood in front of it. When the trio saw the sand explode, they were all shocked, but when they all saw me come out of it soon after, their shock turned into that of confusion. The three looked at my corpse for a bit, before looking back at me.
"You missed me" I said as I looked at the trio, before focusing on Cret. I raised my right hand and blocked an attack punch made by the spider, "I said just leave it to me, didn't I Cret."
Cret looked at me shocked, before realizing what was going to happen. "So just leave it to me" I said as I gave my clones the ok to attack.
Soon all the nearby sand exploded as all my clones charged at the human and the spider. The trio were shocked by the amount of clones that had suddenly appeared, but the human and spider quickly got ready for a battle. The spider disappeared and reappeared in front of the swarm of clones. She launched several stabbing attacks at the clones, but they all either dodged or created bone armor.
The human on the other hand began to chant and suddenly create a giant ball of water and shot a giant stream out. The clones caught in the stream were all pushed away, their bodies heavily damaged.
But their attacks didn't stop the swarm, as the spider was slowly getting overwhelmed. The attacks from the clones cut and bruised her body. One of her legs was ripped off by five clones, who were all decapitated soon after by a slash from the spider. But that single major injury had made her end set and stone. Her cries were soon heard as the clones began to attack her body brutally.
The human girl watched in fear as she quickly looked at me, "stop this attack at once or else you shall face the might of the Vermillion Empire!"
I looked at her, side-eyed, for a bit before just raising my hand at her head, opening my palm, and just let a spike shoot out and stab her in the head. A blue barrier formed and my spike attack bounced off its surface. I didn't expect that.
"You dare attack me, a member of the Vermillion Empire Royal Mage Corp!!!" Elizabeth said as she took a couple steps forward and pointed her staff at me threateningly. I don't know why, but seeing a person who doesn't reach my waist, pointing a golden staff at me threateningly is quite funny in my opinion. It was so funny in fact, that I actually chuckled in real life.
"How dare you laugh at me" Elizabeth said as she was about to chant but stopped when she saw me doing something. I was currently pointing to her right. She looked at where I was pointing and went pale. For she saw the head of the spider being held by one of the clones. That wasn't the part that scared her though, for the clones weren't standing around, but were slowly walking towards our position all laughing like maniacs.
"Ah, ah, ah" Elizabeth tried to say something but couldn't. She then slowly looked up at me with fear. I just simply waved my hand at her while smiling.
"Eeeeek" Elizabeth squeaked as she pulled something from her staff. It looked like a blue gem of sorts. Suddenly her body turned entirely blue before she disappeared. Was the gem some sort of teleportation thing? How interesting.
I looked at Cret who was looking at the spot where Elizabeth stood not that long ago. He seemed to have sensed my gaze as he turned his head towards me. I just simply put my hand on his shoulder and said, "let's go greet my master."
...
In a tower, a group of individuals holding various kinds of staffs and wearing outfits of scholars were currently reading log books. They all were reading and writing down whatever knowledge they had read onto the air using a pen that had a blue feather at its end and a white gem in its center. Each stroke they made in the air created white words that would float for a second before flying towards a giant sphere that was in the center of the room. The giant sphere was made of said white words and those words were slowly being dragged into a very large book with a white cover.
Suddenly a blue flash filled the room, all the scholars stopped their writing as they all shielded their eyes from the blue flash. Once the flash was gone, they all looked over and saw a girl with green eyes and brown hair. She looked at the scholars for a bit before passing out. Several of the scholars quickly put their pen and books down and rushed to the girl.
...
An hour had passed and many individuals were inside a giant room. The room was made cylindrical and had six stone thrones that all placed in a circle like formation. The thrones had an imposing figure to it just alone and had markings on the top of the throne. A flower, a Sword, a Shield, a Eye, a Staff, and a Crown. And on these thrones sat six individuals.
On the flower throne sat an old lady who had pink hair and wore a cloak that wrapped around her body. She had blue eyes and had a sort of aura of a sweet grandmother.
On the sword sat an old man who wore a full set of silver armor. His armor made him seem very imposing and his sharp glaring face made his image increase more. A grand sword resting just beside the throne. The old man had white hair and sharp blue eyes. Just from his imposing figure you would think that this man could live for a hundred more years.
On the shield sat a person wearing a full set of very heavy silver armor. Just by the armor alone made this figure seem like nothing could ever pierce their armor. The armor had several writings on it as well as medals oriented around its surface, showing the many stories this individual had faced.
On the eye sat a man who appeared to be in his thirties. He had Gray hair with blue eyes. He wore a suit, leather gloves on his right hand, and a black hat that had a small golden eye symbol embodied on the front. His outfit made him seem like a security guard. He had many medals adorned on his chest and wore a black feathered cape on his back.
On the staff sat an old man wearing a blue cloak that covered his body. His face had a long white beard growing down and white hair along with it. His blue eyes seemed to hold knowledge untold. Next to his throne was a large bulky golden staff that seemed to have been made from nature itself.
Then on the last throne sat a young man who was in his teens. He had golden hair with blue eyes and wore clothing only royalty, and as if to confirm this, he wore a golden crown on top of his head. The child, young, seemed to hold a sort of authority in front of the others.
"Play it" the teen said as he looked at the old man with the blue cloak. The old man nodded his head before snapping his finger. The room went dark out of nowhere and a giant blue screen played in the center of the room. Soon it showed scenes of a dessert and of the hunch Shaper and spider Shaper walking on either side of the scene.
They traveled for minutes before stopping when they saw a figure standing on top. It was a white figure with only two yellow eyes on its face. The person behind the scene talked to the figure and it talked back to them. They chatted between one another before the figure stopped talking for several seconds and returned with a message.
Soon the spider appeared next to the figure and attacked them. The person was about to reprimand the spider, but stopped when it was revealed that the figure was going to attack them. The figure gave the ok to attack, and the two shapers charged towards the figure.
The two fought the figure, before the fight turned into a one on one with some outside interference. In the middle of the fight, the figure called out the hunched back shaper's ability and the hunch agreed, but gave more info about its ability. The figure proclaimed its respect and asked for the hunch's name. It gave out its name and the two continued fighting.
The fight was soon put to an end by an attack by the spider and the hunch shouted at her. Just before the figure had died it asked the hunch a question of its morality. The hunch didn't answer, but when the figure asked it if it would pledge loyalty to its master if it killed the person and spider. The hunch didn't respond but soon said yes. The figure spoke before dying.
The person went up the hunch and berated it for its traitorous act against the Vermillion Empire. The person was then about to send the corpse of the figure back to the Vermillion Empire, but the hunch stood in front of the corpse.
Soon the three got into an argument and the person was ready to cast magic at the hunch. But soon an explosion happened right next to them and the white figure appeared out of the sand. It said a few words to the trio before speaking to the hunch.
Soon after all the nearby sands exploded and more copies of the white figure came out and charged at them. The spider and person tried to fight back, but the spider was quickly dealt with. The person tried to threaten the figure, but realized it was useless and used their teleportation stone to return.
The scene ended there and the lights returned.
"..."
The six individuals sat there for several moments not saying a word.
"Tell those that wish to explore the new lands to get better equipment and to make sure to only bring very loyal Shapers" the teen said as he spoke to the five, "it seems that the Pillar Worlds hold more creatures than simple barbarians."