The clearing erupted into chaos, the night air filled with the scent of blood and smoke. Shadows shifted unnaturally, and the sound of metal clashing against flesh rang out like the drumbeat of a death march.
Idwala, the Earth Reaper, drove her short spear deep into the soil. The ground trembled, and a resounding crack split the air. Stone spikes shot from the earth like jagged claws reaching from the underworld.
The Incubi barely had time to react. In the blink of an eye, two of Urath's men were impaled, their bodies hanging in midair as the blood poured freely from their wounds, soaking the dirt beneath them.
The ground quivered again, and the earth swallowed them whole, leaving nothing but a hollow silence.
Zima, the Ice Reaper, glided through the chaos, his form a blur against the dark backdrop of the forest.
His movements were swift, too fluid as if he were part of the cold, unnatural wind that whipped through the trees. Every step left a trail of frost in his wake.
The air around him turned brittle, freezing the very breath from his enemies' lips. One Incubus froze in mid-step, his body locking into a crystal cage, the sharp chill biting into his skin.
Zima's sickles gleamed in the moonlight, arcing gracefully through the freezing air. A single strike shattered the Incubus into a thousand jagged shards of flesh and ice, leaving nothing behind but a scattering of broken glass.
Kaile'a, the Water Reaper, moved with elegance, her taiaha spinning in her hands like a living creature. Its jagged leviathan teeth caught the light of the stars, reflecting the deep blue hue of the sky.
With a fluid motion, she summoned a serpent of water from the weapon's apex. It coiled and hissed, the sound of rushing water growing louder, like a roaring tide.
The beast was a creature of pure terror, its coils wrapping around an Incubus, dragging him into its suffocating grip. His eyes widened, pleading, as the water surged into his throat, choking the life out of him.
His body jerked uselessly as the bubbles escaped his lips, but the water claimed him fully, dragging him deeper into its serpent body with a final, gurgling gasp.
Feng Li, the Air Reaper, was little more than a wisp, darting through the battlefield with the grace of a striking hawk.
His twin shanzi flashed like silver streaks, cutting through the air with lethal precision. His form blurred with each movement, a deadly wind barely noticeable before the kill.
His next opponent never had a chance to react as he summoned his bat-like wings to take flight. Just as he lifted off the ground, he turned to see the shanzi spinning like wraith-silver discs toward him.
In an instant, his body was cut clean through, the pieces falling to the ground without a sound, like a broken puppet in a bloody heap.
Al'Sahra, the Sand Reaper, was unmoved by the violence unfolding around him. Two Incubi charged at him, their claws outstretched, but Al'Sahra stood still, calculating.
His polearm axe gleamed in the dim light as he raised it. With a swift motion, he sliced the earth beneath him. The ground rumbled as a wave of sand erupted, surging forward with the force of a tsunami.
The Incubi screamed as they were consumed, their bodies swallowed by the endless tide of grains. The sand muffled their agony, the sound fading as their struggles turned into nothing but muffled echoes.
Eldingar, the Lightning Reaper, was a flash of power. His twin short axes crackled with raw energy, arcs of lightning jumping from the edges.
His muscles coiled like springs, his body a blur of strength and speed. He rushed forward, every movement precise, every strike fueled by electric fury.
His axes swung with the force of a storm, cutting through the air and tearing into two Incubi. The first fell to the ground, twitching violently as they were reduced to nothing more than charred husks.
The stench of burning flesh mixed with the acrid scent of ozone hung heavily in the air as Eldingar landed, his feet cracking against the earth.
Yamiko, the Shadow Reaper, was the quietest of all, as if she was a part of the night itself. She stalked her prey like a wolf, closing in on its kill, her movements fluid and deliberate.
The wakizashi in her hand shimmered faintly as she moved closer, silent until her opponent never even saw the blow coming.
With a quick flick of her wrist, an Incubus' head separated from his neck, falling to the ground with a sickening thud. His body crumpled seconds later, and Yamiko was gone as quickly as she had appeared, her presence fading into the shadows.
Venin, the Poison Reaper, stood far from the fray, watching with cold detachment. An Incubus, desperate and full of arrogance, summoned his wings and charged toward Venin, believing him an easy target.
Venin's sword cane flicked, and a toxic green mist poured from its point, thick and cloying. The air grew heavy with it, the scent of decay filling the space.
The Incubus fought to dodge it, but the mist was relentless, burning his skin. Venin's blade then struck with precision, cutting deep, and the poison began its slow work of disintegrating the body from within.
The Incubus collapsed, writhing as the toxin tore through him, his body shaking with spasms before going still. Venin, unaffected by the mist, stepped over him, watching the slow death with measured curiosity, the victim's cries fading into a gurgled rasp.
Sach'a, the Plant Reaper, called upon the power of the undergrowth with a wave of her hand. Her cholla staff hummed with bright energy, its spiked point shimmering.
The Incubus rushing toward her grinned wickedly. His long tongue slithered from his mouth with a perverted glee as saliva spurt around in microscopic droplets.
Sach'a gave a look of disgust. She raised her hand slowly and clenched her fist.
A great thorny vine erupted from the ground, the same one that killed Kelesh, like a tentacle, reaching out to ensnare the nearest Incubus again.
Instead of stabbing like before, the vine wrapped around him, its thorns impaling into his flesh, pinning him in place.
His screams echoed, but they were futile. The vine tightened with each movement, and his body slowly stilled. His life drained away as the thorns pierced deeper, and soon, he collapsed, lifeless, tangled in the embrace of the earth.
Urath stood frozen, mouth agape, watching as his pack was slaughtered with a ruthless precision. Each Reaper moved with a mastery of death, their powers devastating and effective.
The ground beneath him seemed to tremble with the force of their wrath, as his men fell one by one, leaving only twisted and ruined bodies in their wake.
It was clear to Urath, their repuatution was never inflated as he hoped to believe. Together these Reapers were a symphony of death, playing their instruments with cold perfection.
Before him, his very pack was dying. The men he had carefully itnegrated and trained now nothing more than carcasses and husks.
His heart ached. But grief would come later. He couldn't afford to mourn yet. His men had died for nothing if he didn't avenge them.
His rage burned hotter, turning his focus inward. Redemption could only come with retaliation.
His gaze locked on Agni, the Fire Reaper. She stood in the center of it all, her crimson eyes unblinking, unwavering.
The chaos around her seemed to fall away, as if she were untouched by the bloodshed. Her expression was cold, hard, as though the carnage was beneath her.
Urath's jaw clenched.
To good to get your own hands dirty, Reaper? How much more pathetic can you be.
Without a second thought, he charged, his sword raised high. He swung with all his fury, every blow driven by the desire for vengeance.
His muscles screamed in protest from the exhaustion, but his rage drowned out the pain. He didn't care. Not yet.
Agni would pay for this slaughter.
Her eyes locked on him, a serene center in the midst of his storm. He swung again, faster, his blade cleaving through the air with more fury.
But time and time, she dodged, parried, or blocked.
And yet still, Agni looked unimpressed with every swing.
Do not mock me, I will make you submit! You will give your heart to me. His vision blurred with bloodlust. I will claim you power. I will make her beg for mercy.
Agni never flinched.
Her katar flashed in her hands, moving with a grace that made his strikes seem clumsy in comparison. Sparks flew as steel collided with steel, the sound sharp in the night air.
"What gives you the right to rob us of our lives?" Urath screamed, his anger building. "We have existed long before you! So why must we be forced to fight for every breath?"
"You're finished, Urath," Agni's voice cut through his fury. "Submit now, and you will earn a swift death."
"Never!" Urath screamed, desperation creeping into his voice. "Die Reaper!"
He swung again, but his movements were slower now, his muscles betraying him with every stroke. They were reaping their revenge.
His strength was waning. His muscles trembled. His breath came in ragged gasps. Memories of his fallen men flashed before his eyes—their last cries, their pleas for help, their blood staining the earth.
You will pay for this. He hissed in his mind. You will pay with your blood.
Urath swung again, but the strike was sloppy and aimed lower than intended. Agni didn't even parry or block, but side stepped causing Urath to fall from his weight to the ground.
"Pathetic for a Pack Leader." Agni said. "I expected better."
"Shut up!" Urath snarled, his body twisting as he forced himself to his feet.
His vision blurred, but his rage burned brighter than the pain. "Your mockery... it's nothing more than the arrogance of someone who knows they're losing!"
His voice cracked, hoarse and raw from the strain, but the fury behind it was unyielding. "You can't stop the Torva!" he shouted, each word laced with a mixture of desperation and defiance. "We will rise again—we will tear you down and burn everything your pathetic master believes in!"
Urath charged again.
"You talk too much," Agni murmured, her voice soft as she sidestepped. Instead of dodging, Agni struck with the hilt of her weapon, slamming it into his chest with such force that the breath was knocked from his lungs.
The world around him spun as his back smashed against a tree. The pain seared through him like fire, sharp and unrelenting.
He stumbled back, his vision fading at the edges, but the fire of his anger refused to die.
Even as his body screamed in agony, he gritted his teeth.
"Is that all you've got?" he spat, blood trickling from his mouth, his voice dripping with venom. "You'll have to do better than that to stop me."
Agni said nothing, but her gaze remained hard as she watched him struggle to rise.
Urath gasped for air.
His body wasn't responding properly. But he couldn't let go of the anger, couldn't let it slip away. It was the only thing that kept him from collapsing. But even it was fading. Slowly, like smoke in the wind.
"I won't die like this…" he said. Not yet.
With great endeavor, Urath managed to drag himself up. His sword trembled in his hand, and he was amazed it was still in his hand.
He glared daggers into Agni's eyes.
"I'm not finished yet, Reaper."
"You've already lost," Agni said. "This ends with you."
The words hovered in the air.
Urath's knees trembled as he fought to stand tall, his body a burning wreck of exhaustion and pain. His sword wavered in his grasp, his grip slipping. His breath came in ragged gasps, every heartbeat a pulsing pain.
A sneer twisted his bloodied lips. "Never," he muttered under his breath, the last of his strength channeled into a final, reckless lunge.
His movements were slower, his body betraying him with every step, but the rage—the fury that had carried him this far—pushed him forward.
This was his last chance.
He would make her bleed. Even if it was the last thing he ever did.