1 A Spectre of The Past

The fallen leaves of autumn rustle gently under the cold night breeze as the untimely crows of a raven echoes through the forest dimly illuminated by the pale glow of city lights in the distance.

"AH this is not fair, why do we have to break our asses guarding this rundown shrine?" cried a priest. "Stop your yapping it's only been three days since you got appointed here, besides it was a direct order from the arch priest, you wouldn't want to piss him off believe me, I know too well" replied his senior in a bone chilling voice "And a while ago during the visit of the arch priest of Dipoya, I over heard their conversation" the novice gave him a puzzled look," sigh... there is supposedly a high tier demon sealed here by the arch priest's ancestors....don't tell anyone understand!" he added whispering in an agonized tone as his eyes frantically darted here and there confirming the privacy of thier conversation. The novice nodded his head in agreement and things went back to as before.

Hours later the senior eyed his wrist watch eagerly waiting for the arms to align towards the twelfth hour that he may be relieved of his duty for the day, "only three and a half minutes and then I'll be on my way to hit the sack I just hope the recruits won't be late this time", he thought but in his disperation he failed to perceive that for every second that passed by the breeze was slowly turning into a gale."What in the world" complained the novice as he reluctantly awoke from his peaceful slumber only to find his master in a state of shock, he stood there motionless staring blankly down the mossy stone steps that lead into the darkness of the forest. His eyes were bloodshot and the blood seemed to have left his body. "Haha what are you afraid o... of a little storm master" joked the novice but was short lived as it was interrupted by the sound of the loud footsteps of a dozen people swiftly approaching down from the steps that lead to the Orion monastery atop Mount Cecil. It was the recruitment for the morning shift but to his surprise, the two priests of the fourth order was among the throng escorting the Arch priest, the novice stood up in respect as he walked to his master's side and stared into the darkness of the forest below.

"So you felt it too, such power, to destroy the fifth tier barrier talisman with not so much as a sound, but it seemed to have weakened as the holy aura would be deadly to any dark beings I suggest we should advance" commented the master, "This it is no ordinary dark being like the ones we've faced before Morjias, can't you feel it? the The scorching presence?" answered the arch priest, Morjias realised what they were up against. The gale subsided leaving the fauna of the surrounding environment in utter chaos as if they were trying to warn them, centuries had passed since the treaty of peace between the realms let alone the war of Armageddon yet why now and what were its objectives were the questions going through the arch priest's troubled mind.

Without any warning, at about 300 feet to the right, the fourth barrier of five was shattered, this time sending a massive shockwave through the ground sending the priest's airborne. "Call the reinforcements tell the second order that I have need of Thier assistance and get that hatchling out of here" ordered the arch mage as the dust settled, looking around he cast an enchantment to enhance the senses of his comrades, at which moment they started to hear the faint sound of chants slowly increasing in magnitude, the magic of the chant felt as though the very energy of the atmosphere was being sucked away. "ZAPHAEL AWAKEN AND LET THY FIRE BURN ONCE MORE" shouted a voice in the distance, before the anyone could react a blazing great sword burning with black translucent flames impaled the arch priest through the chest, "Why did I waste my time with chants, I expected more of a challenge from the direct descent of Zachariah" sighed a youthful yet powerful voice. Morjias wondered how, since there was still three barriers left, as he left the scene following his masters orders.

There stood a superhuman form heavily clad in battle armour, the massive musculature of his body could still be seen from under all the armour and the curious bulge of his belly gave testimony of a ruthless appetite. But the most significant of his features were two horns, like that of a half matured ram, protruding from his forehead and a single left wing like that of a ravens. The very presence of his being seemed to pry at the psyche of his antagonists inducing a paralysing sensation and Thier minds tend to slowly slip away from reality. Realising the magnitude of the situation the Arch priest cast a Powerful binding spell to at least give his underlings a chance to escape. But since he was using his avatar rather than his real body the spell was not as effective. The mortals, in shock, gazed upon a Spectre of the past.

avataravatar