The woman who'd introduced herself not just as a Hellspawn (the scourge of this world) but also as a general of them stood there, her aura backing the grandiose introduction she'd given. It wasn't as if the one's before her didn't want to doubt her words, as a Hellspawn was a liar before everything else. Though if that part of their brain had wanted to doubt it, that went out the window with the display of power she showed. The display even catching the [Hero] Elara Fey off guard leaving her little time to react. There was no time to doubt—-the woman before them was a Hellspawn General.
Rowan: "A Hellspawn General?! What are you talking about!? I've never heard of that!"
Rowan was the first one to point out the gravity of such an existence. In all their travels as the [Hero's Party] it wasn't uncommon to find a Hellspawn. In fact, that was expected as the Hellspawn's were a stepping stone to the adversary that was the [Devil's Spawn.] But through all those travels they'd never encountered the enigma before them now. The existence of a "Hellspawn General" went against everything they thought they knew about Hellspawns.
It suggested Hellspawn's had some form of a unified front. That there was some organization between the race, which had previously been speculated but left unclear. The [Devil's Spawn] had been the only one the world claimed to be truly organized. Though if the existence of such "generals" was to be confirmed, then the organization spanned farther than what was initially thought. The [Hero's Party] stared down the Hellspawn waiting for an answer.
Maia: "Of course you haven't! Our existence was kept secret as a trump card! A force only to be used when absolutely necessary!"
Maia kept her eyes on Elara Fey, only momentarily looking at the [Weapon Holder] Rowan Agoul. In that fraction of a second when their eyes met, Rowan saw only disgust a disgusts that deemed Rowan a weakling. Maia scoffed as she continued.
Maia: "A weakling like you could never be worthy of our presence!"
Her hellfire surged as she spoke, affirming the disgust she'd felt for Rowan—-no weaklings in general. She'd seen him as completely beneath her. No it didn't just extend to him, it extended to the entirety of [Geonosia] and the [Hero's Party] as well. The only one she'd seen—-the only one reflected back in her eye sight was Elara Fey [The Hero of Geonosia.]
Mika: "If that's the case why show your face now? If we're so weak you shouldn't even need to show up for us!"
Mika smirked as she spoke but anyone could tell the tension that was in her body betrayed that smile. Maia Astroud had no problem seeing this causing her to smirk at the human standing before her.
Maia: "Please, you tremble in fear and speak to me? You're better of letting Elara Fey handle this. She is the one I'm here for after all."
The look in her eyes as she said that was certainly intimating as the intensity of her hellfire paled in comparison to the ferocity in those pupils. But what shook the [Hero's Party] and subsequently the people of [Geonosia] was the revelation that she'd been looking for Elara Fey. It was to their understanding the woman known as [The Hero of Geonosia] had become a name the Hellspawns feared. If the truth was that these generals existed and were seeking her out, doesn't that mean they have no fear of her? If she can't defeat the generals can she defeat the [Devil's Spawn] at all. This thought surged through the crowd who'd now became spectators to the spectacle.
Elara: "What do you mean you're here for me?! What do you want with me?!"
Maia: "To kill You of course."
It wasn't as if that answer was a shock, and that part of the revelation wasn't all that jarring. She hadn't been the first to make such a threat and certainly wouldn't be the only to do so. But what should be the last? This thought compounded upon everyone present taking more precedence in the [Weapon Holder] Rowan Agoul. Was this Hellspawn capable of killing Elara Fey? The fact that young man didn't know if she was or not, was the driving force for the uncomfortableness of such a question.
The [Hero's Party] tightened their guard. Even Rowan who knew he was incapable of helping in this situation in any way tensed in a way indicative of hostility.
She wants to kill Elara?! Is that possible?! And if she's really a Hellspawn General can we afford to take her threat lightly?!
Princess Sylphine: "Oww Rowan that's too hard! I'm safe now so you can let go of my hand!"
Rowan: "R-Right! Sorry!"
He let go of her hand, turning back towards Elara Fey who aimed her sword at the Hellspawn General.
Damn it Elara! Be careful!"
Maia Astroud made no other moves as she stared down Elara Fey, then she eventually smiled and clapped her hands together. At this, about ten portals made of the same hellfire around her body opened up. Out of those portals came what were undoubtedly Hellspawn's clad in armor their malicious intent descending upon the citizens of Geonosia. There were about thirty or forty of them pouring out and they didn't seem like they would stop coming out anytime soon.
Maia: "Well now let's have some fun shall we?"
In an instant faster than most on the battlefield can perceive Maia launched herself toward Elara Fey, Elara herself responding as she drew her sword. Power which was behind the General's advancement was displayed as the force of legs blew off that portion of the castle immediately. Her army who was still behind her took to the skies while the citizens present there began to fall. The speed at which this action took place was undoubtedly the "speed of light" if such a thing was possible. Elara Fey in turn simply drew her sword with speed greater than that, the world around the two who'd engaged significantly faster then the world she'd left her companions behind in, as Elara Fey deemed she'd needed all her speed to negate such an attack.
Many moments later, the rest of the world caught up as Elara Fey's words reached them.
Elara: "Guys!"
Without saying a word the rest of the [Hero's Party] sprung into action. Particularly Tarran who'd aimed his magic at the falling citizens with the urgency expected of such a practitioner of magic.
Tarran: "I'm on it! Gol Valista!"
A bright light began to emanate from the staff he'd carried in his hand, the light connecting to each citizen like a game of "connect-the-dots." As it touched them it'd ceased their moment and descent to the ground, stopping them in mid-air.
Tarran: "Mika! Leo!"
Mika: "Right!"
Leo: "On it!"
The two behind him wasted no time settling into their roles as well, with Mika charging towards the army of Hellspawn's with no hesitation at all.
Mika: "Divine Supremacy!"
A green light swirled around Mika freely as she raised her hands toward the Hellspawn's. The green light swirled around them, then as if a surge of gravity had hit their bodies pushed them into the floor, a trend of craters popping up around the castle floor.
Hellspawn's: "Damn it! What is this?!"
Mika: "LEO!"
Leo: "YEAH! YEAH! I KNOW!"
Leo the biggest of the group, replicated the feat of the Hellspawn General before them as he slammed into the castle ground. With no hesitation or struggle the man pushed an enormous section of the castle off with his leg strength alone. The Hellspawn's still reeling under the weight of the Archpriest attack, falling to their doom as the foundation crumbled, Mika's attack rendering them flightless. The spectacle of this took place within such a quick time you'd have thought no one made any effort to do such a thing at all. Such was the efficiency of the [Hero's Party] and the trust they'd gained on their journey.
Maia: "Impressive seems your friends aren't weak after all!"
Elara: "You should be keeping your eyes on me!"
Elara broke the clash they'd been engaged in, going for a slash at her head. It hadn't been that though, as with the quickness she'd displayed she'd revealed her true intentions as a feint and quickly went for a slash at the general's gut. Her speed at close quarters increasing several fold as her blade flowed like water. Maia Astroud simply followed this her hand grabbing Elara's Fey's blade as she shrouded it in Hellfire. Her muscles flexed at the silver haired woman's strength.
Maia: Impressive speed, the only thing you're lacking is physical strength. Little more of that and you'd have broken my guard. It's not as if you'd beat me though!"
Maia raised her hands as if chanting to the heavens, and a ball of fire came crashing down. While it was undoubtedly aimed at the [Hero] the size of it encapsulated the entirety of the castle they stood upon. Elara Fey squatted down seeing this and rested her sword at the side of her hips.
Elara: "Quick Draw!"
With extreme quickness (if you could call it that) her sword cut through the ball of fire its embers dispersing as the sword of the [Hero] struck them down. As the same time as this, the girl had left herself undefended Allowing the general to land a kick on her chest,which cause her feet to skid cross the courtyard floors as she flew back.
Elara: "Rowan!"
Rowan Agoul who'd been a mere spectator to the action before him was finally called into the fray. His heart reaching in a cowardly way to Elara Fey's call which he quickly discarded as he refocused himself ok the task at hand. He'd stood up ready to do whatever came from Elara's—-no. The [Hero of Geonosia's] mouth, steeling himself for whatever happened.
Elara: "Get the royal family to safety then help the others evacuate the citizens! We can't have them here while we fight!"
Rowan nodded but couldn't help but let his mouth run longer than it needed to at the moment.
Rowan: "Okay, but what about you?! Don't tell me you're gonna fight her alone?! She's too powerful! And you haven't even landed a hit yet!"
Elara Fey didn't turn her attention away from the foe in front of her. Her voice echoing back to the Rowan Agoul as she didn't want to take her eyes off Maia for a second.
Elara: "I can't let her hurt anyone else and if she's focused on me that gives the rest of you time to evacuate! Besides I'm the only one that can fight her head-on!"
Rowan: "I know that! I know that but..."
Rowan's mind couldn't help but recall the words Elara had spoken to him earlier. In which she referred to herself as simply a [Hero] and how that was all she needed to be. His mind had just now started to understand the gravity of those words and the implications behind what they meant. And in the face of an adversary like this: what did it mean to be cast everything aside and be a hero? To battle against a foe just as powerful as you, and risk your life to slow them down?
What did that mean for Elara Fey?
Elara: "I'll be fine Rowan..."
Elara Fey quickly looked back and smiled.
Elara: "I'm the hero after all."
Rowan's eyes were in shock as she spoke these words and as he'd wanted to reply Elara Fey turned her attention back to her foe. The energy of her body completely taken into the battle once more, leaving Rowan's reply with scare places to go. So he simply replied the only way he could in that moment.
Rowan: "Right! Come on Sylphine let's go!"
Princess Sylphine: "Y-Yeah!"
Rowan started to run towards the rest of the royal family who'd still been recovering from the Hellspawn's initial first attack. Rowan however did not think of this, simply thinking of Elara Fey's last words to him before he'd left.
Those words...…were supposed to make me feel better….
He grit his teeth his mind replaying the conversation they'd had before the wedding.
Then why did they make me feel worse?
Rowan and Sylphine traversed the castle grounds headed towards the king and the rest of the royal family. They seemed to be in bad condition grimacing form the burns of the hellfire. Though the damage was kept to a minimum due to Elara Fey who'd blunted the initial attack Maia had launched on them.
Princess Sylphine: "Mom! Dad! Brother!"
Rowan Agoul while being the [Weapon Holder] was still a member of the [Hero's Part] the group who was the closest to defeating the Hellspawn's. And although his position wasn't one that required fighting,the sense of danger one got from being on such a team was something he'd contracted in spades. Maybe that was why the reaction he'd given in this situation was the appropriate one. And the one that proved his status as a member of the [Hero's Party.]
Rowan: "No Sylphine! Stay back!"
Rowan grabbed her arm and stopped her taking from another step, as if she'd taken the next one the princess would've surely experienced an early [death.] A Hellspawn came crashing down in front of them at that moment with a force so great Rowan and Sylphine slammed into the walls behind them, Rowan shielding Sylphine from most of the blow. The figure before them was red with devilish horns that spoke of the origins of such a creature. The claws on them always
scared Rowan immensely as he knew they had the power to slice into a human body with ease, and had done so on several occasions.
Rowan: "Tch! A Hellspawn!"
Hellspawn: "Well! Well! Well! Well! Well! Whatdowehavehere?! A member of the royal family?! How long I've been waiting to killsomebodyimportant!"
He eyes Rowan down with a devilish look.
Hellspawn: "Of course Icoulddowithoutthesmallfry! But I'll gladly kill you both if I get to hear your screamsasyoudie!"
Part of the reason humans and Hellspawn's never communicated was due to Hellspawn's jaded use of English. Many of them, while capable of speaking it, often slurred words together which led to a lack of comprehensions. While one could attribute this to them having to learn an entire new language the reason which they adopted the language in the first place (to intimidate) was distasteful in and of itself. Which only fueled the discourse between the two races. That and of course the Hellspawn's violent dispositions they rival or even surpass that of humans.
Rowan: "Dang it! Looks like Mika and Leo let some get away! I'm not strong enough to take on this thing! What do I do?!"
Hellspawn: "What's witthatlook?!"
Before Rowan could even contemplate making a move the Hellspawn's breath brushed across his face as he'd closed the gap instantly. And even faster than that had poked open a hole into Rowan's body. Rowan himself was a bit slow to realize this as he first felt a warm sensation radiate from the middle of his body. Causing his late eyes to trail to the source which was the abdomen that had let the contents of the intrails begin to be thrust out of it. The intrail being held in the hand of the Hellspawn whose grip was an entirely different section of pain that Rowan had imagined but not lived—-until today.
Rowan: "GAAAAAH!!!!ithurtsthurtsithurtsithurtsithurts!"
Princess Sylphine: "Rowan!"
His intrails had hung from the inside of his body, the pressure from his head causing his nose to bleed. His mouth quickly filled with blood which he'd wished he could drown in at that very moment. He no longer had any pride as the tears in his eyes puffed up as he desperately tried to stuff his intrails back into his body an action that he'd regretted as they screamed at his hand for their insolence. He wanted it to end, he'd wanted to die.
Sylphine quickly rushed over to him a green light humming over the hole that had been Rowan Agoul's abdomen. It'd been trespassed into so easily. A reminder on why Rowan Agoul was simply the [Weapon Holder] within the [Hero's Party.] The light's hum began to grow even louder as if the state of Rowan's life was slipping away from him. No it was slipping away from him, it had to be or else the Princess of the country wouldn't have been shedding tears that fell onto Rowan Agoul's body.
Princess Sylphine: "Rowan! Rowan! Stay with me! Stay with me please!"
Hellspawn: "Oi Oi Oi! Who toldyouyacouldlookaway!?!"
The Hellspawn lunged at Sylphine and Rowan with Sylphine's tears falling even faster as Rowan Agoul started to die. But Rowan's mind was elsewhere, elsewhere in a place that he often spent his time. Self-pity, self-pity as he looked at his life that was flashing before him as if confirming he was going to die. In each moment he'd witnessed there was one constant one thing that was the same. And that was Rowan Agoul's utter failure to be of any help to the situation whatsoever.
In every memory, in every moment, he was always where he was now. On the sideline watching other's get hurt or being an object that people felt they needed to protect. Rowan Agoul had never been "strong" in any sense of his life. A fact that his [death] was keen on revealing to him. And it was fact he'd began to accept.
How could I ever think Elara would love me? Pitiful. Now I'm going to die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.
Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Please die.
The Hellspawn as if he could hear Rowan's wish lunged at the pair aiming on doing just what Rowan wanted. Sylphine made no moves to defend herself, focusing all her energy onto the dying Rowan. Rowan tried to protest this but simply had no voice to do such a thing. It was pathetic, even in that he found himself failing—losing. Letting everyone down as he always did.
He simply welcomed death, accepting he'd failed for the last time. But death hadn't come had it? He could still breath, he could still move. And the strike that he'd expected to feel any second had not come, and didn't feel as if it was going to anytime soon. He hadn't understood why until a familiar voice snatched him by the soul and placed their lips to his ears.
???: "Jeez, why is it me bailing you out? You'd better pay me back good time for this! You hear me Rowan?!"
Rowan looked up weakly his eyes not wanting to cooperate with him as he searched for the originator of the voice. He looked up to see a young man, a young man who'd known very well the predicament Rowan Agoul was facing. He stopped the Hellspawn's attack creating a barrier around the three of them.
Rowan: "M-Matthew….."
Matthew: "Omur! Geralt!"
As he yelled that Rowan caught glimpses of the two warriors he'd met just earlier. The two swiftly came up from behind the Hellspawn and without moments hesitation swung their blades toward the creature.
Hellspawn: "Whatthe?!"
In an instant Omur chopped the legs that had propped the beast up and caused him to fall towards the ground with great speed. The Hellspawn's thought accounted for this and began to secrete an attack from his mouth, Rowan once again accepted death as he saw this attack's aim was him. But in an instant the Hellspawn's head was lopped off before the entirety of its corpse reached the ground. It rolled across the area painting the courtyard with a foul black look that emanated an aura of darkness. Rowan who'd been spectator to his own saving once again began to use this as fuel for his own inadequacy.
But the things he felt drip down his face betrayed the feeling he'd felt a moment ago. Without a doubt tears—tears of relief fell down Rowan Agoul's face. Tears of a man who hadn't wanted to die after all.
The tears of Rowan Agoul.