Proceritas

Nick watched as the cracks traveled towards Hati, splitting the disc in two. He grabbed her and pulled her off to the other side, the slab falling down into the abyss. They looked up to see a mandible coming down at them. They scattered as it hit the stone, sending a shockwave that knocked them off their feet. He slid on the stone until he reached the edge, hooking himself on the ledge with his Kusaris. He pulled himself up as another mandible came down at him. He rolled out of the way as it struck the stone, cracking it. He helped Hati to her feet as Mahdi ran up to them, sword in his hand.

"I told you we would have to worry about this!" She yelled. It chomped on the part of the disc as it's mandibles circled the other side, hooking the plate in place. Nick looked around as he tried to find a way out, but there was none. He looked at Lacrimae, who was smiling evilly. He looked at Mahdi as he looked at him, holding his sword in front of him.

"What do we do?!" He yelled and Nick didn't answer, because he didn't know. He looked at Hati as she backed away from the mouth, going next to Hati. He held her as the mandibles rose in the air, ready to strike them down.

"I'm scared," Hati said and Mahdi rubbed her head, dropping his sword. Nick felt rage pump through his veins. No, he wasn't going to let them die. He screamed and ran forward, catching a mandible. It pressed him to the ground but he pushed it up, pulling out his blade. He wrapped the chain around the mandible and pulled, the chains igniting on fire. It burned through the flesh and he cut it off, making it roar. He ran towards the end mandible and threw his blades at it, wrapping around it. He pulled and snapped the mandible off, throwing it into its eye. It roared as black blood pooled out of its wound and it flung the disc in the air, sending them towards the guard tower. They crashed through it and he was sent across the cobblestone floor, stopping at the edge. He got up to see the head of Proceritas roaring, it's mandibles flailing everywhere. He sighed and went towards the head when Hati stopped him, grabbing his arm.

"Are you crazy?!" She yelled. He looked at Lacrimae and then at Hati before he set forward. Hati tugged on his arm as he looked at her angrily.

"Let go of me," He said, dangerously calm. Hati shook her head.

"We barely survived and yet, you keep going?! We need to stop and bail. He's to powerful for the three of us," She said when he pulled his arm away.

"We need to kill him," He said.

"But we need to survive. Live to fight another day," She said when suddenly, the head of Proceritas collapsed the wall, his head fifteen feet in front of them. They backed away as its mandibles crashed down on the cobblestone. He turned around and saw a statue behind them come to life, roaring at them. He looked back and forth, death surrounding him.

"Now what?!" Mahdi yelled, pointing his sword at Proceritas. The statue charged them as they scattered, slicing the cobblestone floor. Then, the mandibles came crashing down at them and the three of them scrambled as they crashed down. Nick looked at the statue as it charged him and he ducked as it sliced off a mandible. Proceritas roared and shook his head, black blood pooling out of the wound. Suddenly, Nick had an idea.

"Distract Porceritas, I have an idea!" He yelled to Mahdi and Hati, who looked at him, confused.

"Oh boy, is it like last time?!" She yelled when he rolled his eyes, charging the statue. It swung at him and he ducked, the blades stabbing into a pillar. He jumped up on the blade and threw his blade, hooking it in the eye. It screeched in pain and stumbled as Nick charged it, stabbing it in the other eye. Then, he flipped over its head and landed on its back, tugging on the chain.

Alright, my turn!" He yelled, tugging on the chains. He stabbed it in the back of the neck and it flailed, cutting the mandible off of Proceritas. Then, he stabbed it again and it cut off another mandible. Finally, he yelled and the blades lit on fire and he stabbed it in the back of the neck. It screamed and stabbed Proceritas in the cheek, right next to Lacrimae. He pulled his blades out and ran up its arm, landing on the opposite part of Proceritas's eye. He then threw his blade at Lacrimae and it landed right in his belly. He screamed in pain as Nick started to slash him across the face, yelling.

"This is for my sister!" He yelled, cutting Lacrimae across the face.

"And this is for Pax!" He yelled, stabbing him in the belly. Finally, he lit the blades on fire and stabbed him in the gut, making him scream as he looked Nick in the eyes.

"And that is for Stella," He said and he pulled Lacrimae off the side of the face as they fell. He pulled his blades close to him and yelled, landing on top of Lacrimae, impaling him into the stone floor five feet from Hati and Mahdi. His spider limbs curled up around him as Nick stepped off of him, grabbing the amulet of Prophetia from him.

"My amulet," He said, spitting on Lacrimae's face. He turned to Hati and Mahdi as they looked at the dead body of Lacrimae.

"You... actually killed him," Hati said, shocked.

"I had to do what must be done," He said, slinging his blades on his waist. Mahdi nodded and looked down the wall, seeing another building with a staircase leading down. Nick made his way there as Mahdi and Hati followed him. As they made their way down the stairs, they came to a door, boarded up.

"That looks inviting," Hati said as Nick pulled the boards off and kicked it down, revealing an extravagent hall, covered in gold and jewels. He watched as people started funneling in, clapping and cheering for him. Suddenly, Arogian warriors came out of the crowd, swords out. Nick pulled out his blades when they lined up on the opposite sides of the hall, swords against their chests. Then, a mighty king walked in, covered in silk and gold. He nodded at Nick as he made his way down the carpet, approaching the king.

"I have watched you over the years, Nick. Even when you were a boy," The king said, everyone silent now.

"Uh, Nick-" Hati said when he raised his hand, silencing them.

"Even the loss of your sister and the horrors of the Dungeon did not sway you. The tradegy only improved you. You have my honor, warrior, now I grant you my promise of greatness," The king said, turning around. He then turned back to reveal the Blades of Bellum, resting on a pillow.

"You have brought glory to us and today, we give glory to you. All hail Nick Blackheart, the true warrior of Arogia!" The king exclaimed, cheers rising from the hall. Nick grabbed the Kusaris and looked at them, seeing the etching in them. The king clasped his hands together and Nick saw a ring around his finger.

The ring in the shape of an eye.

Nick kicked the king in the chest, the illusion around them dissapearing to reveal an empty street and in all of her glory, was Sangius. She shook her head and started to fly as she smiled at them.

"So there is something you value more than glory," She said, smiling. She tried to fly away when Nick threw his blades, wrapping around her ankle. She tugged on the chain as Nick slid, Mahdi grabbing his shirt. They pulled when Sangius's shoe flew off, the oath stone hitting the ground with a clank. They watched as she flew away, towards a tall castle made of black marble. He looked at it as Mahdi let go of him, dissapointed.

"I was hoping she was ready for a fight," He said when Nick sighed, pointing at the castle.

"They must be in there," He said.

"No, really? What gave that away?" Hati said sarcastically. Nick looked at her as he started walking towards the castle. Hati staying behind.

"I'm not going there, no way!" Hati said, crossing her arms. Mahdi smiled and nodded at her.

"Well, I'm pretty sure there not going to let a prisoner roam free," He said, walking away.

"On second thought..." Hati said, following them.