Music in the distance

Looking through my stats there was one other thing that drew my immediate attention.

{***: Ratio

Rarity: ***

Description: ***

Access conditions:

100% System integration

***}

I needed the system integration, that was now obvious to me. I then got the message if I wanted to make it a spell of Soul Affinity, then I was asked to name it for some reason, it seems like the system didn't want to name it or something.

{Spell: Soul Analysis added to Soul Affinity. Skill level increased to 4}

We packed our stuff and started moving again. After leaving the forest, a normal grassy plains stretched out before us. Multiple light element creatures roamed around, dark element creatures stalked smaller prey.

I was surprised at how they all seemed to live in a kind of harmony. There was no hatred for each other, just the laws of survival of the fittest.

Entering this field caused me to hear something, although by the time I realised what this was, we were already halfway in. It was music. In the distance, someone was playing music.

The closer we got, the louder it got, and that is what caused the tragedy that happened.

We were nearly at the source of the music when we were ambushed. The people ambushing us were a golden armour, the one that was obviously their leader was ginger and was balding. A long red beard flowed from his face, crowned by the mustache beneath his lip.

This man was Reiner Soryn. He took out a sword, simple in it's design and golden in color.

The moment he saw them, Terry dissapeared. He'd already warned us he wouldn't involve himself with our affairs.

"17 years, 17 long years of trying to get into Shadow Den. Do you know how hard it was to get the people there to turn on Shadow? I really was he didn't inspire so much damn honor in bloody thieves. The slippery bastard even got away."

I whispered to Diana whilst he was speaking.

"Diana, dismount. we're going to have to fight."

"Ah, you must be the princess we're after. You never were given your name were you? Oh well, I think those two full well knew what they were going to name you so I guess it makes sense that they gave you that name. So little Diana, want to end the bloodshed now by handing yourself over to me, is that why you dismounted?"

"I don't plan to give you what you want, but I guess you don't really care either way. You're probably going to try to take me by force, aren't you?"

"Sadly, yes. You know, if it weren't for certain circumstances, I would've joined your adoptive parents and helped keep you safe. I might not be a Ryder but I'm strong enough for that at least."

Nagi, Aella and Markus took out their weapons. They readied themselves for the battle to come. I acted like a weird, blue, unassuming Krisha.

I had already gotten their attention but they just thought that I was a stronger and rarer variant of the normal Krisha.

The group, consisting of 13 soldiers, not counting Reiner, took out their weapons. The knees of the youngest ones could barely hold their weight and even the experienced soldiers were trembling with fear.

The reputation these three had was especially interesting. I moved to stand next to Diana, hoping that they would just think it was a loyal beast staying close to her master.

I stopped casting soul translation and recast it whilst changing it to only create a understanding between a few people, making sure that only our group could hear.

"Diana, the moment you have a chance, you run. You run and you don't look back. Know that we would all die for you, me mostly because of the systme but still, that's irrelevant now."

She nodded, looking in the direction of the wall of music, that was the direction Reiner stood. Looking it him, she felt a tinge of familiarity, although she didn't really know him, shortly before being taken away, he had greeted the new princess.

He did some kind of hand movement and his men attacked, showing a brutality that I hadn't expected from them. The three Ryders took on 3 each, That left 4 for me if Reiner didn't join in.

I quickly tranformed into my human form and punched the first dude that approached Diana in the face, immediately shattering his jaw.

One got past me but that one didn't account for Diana already having maxed out a tree, making her on per with them. Add to that her skill with a knife and the dude was in for some pain.

The others were a little harder for me to take out, for one, although I was already a much stronger creature without a basic statbonus, just like any creature that was classified, the difference in stats was just too big.

I had taken the first one out because I had surprised him, I only had two moves for fighting and the other would leave Diana vulnerable.

Luckily, Aella was already finished with her group of three, they had been young soldiers, and approached to help me.

That's when she noticed Reiner, he had gotten behind Diana and was chanting, preparing for a spell. She moved faster then I could even blink, taking the hit for Diana.

"NO!"

Nagi had seen this and broke out in rage. The shadows around him intensified and he immediately took out his opponents in seconds. Killing them without even giving it a second thought.

Reiner saw him approach and readying his sword. At that moment, both me and Markus rushed him. He had finished his opponents shortly after Nagi. Diana followed what we said and quickly rushed to the source of the music.

Nagi looked at his wife, holding her in his hands. "Aella, hey, stay with me, ok? Pls, just stay alive a little longer."

His voice started to change, turning into something that sounded like a group of cultist chanting a prophecy.

"By the authority of the Ryders,

By the power of the Creator,

I command thee nature

Heal and mend these wounds!"

Magic started flowing towards Aella's body, but it was too little too late.

"Hey, don't *cough* worry about it Nagi, we both know I'm going to a better place."

She started a chant of her own.

"By the power vested in me, I hereby transfer the authority of my weapon to the user Diana Dreghy, the Perfect Hybrid."

Her rapier started glowing and flew away, following Diana.

"Why did you do that? You're going to by fine, you didn't need to do that."

She looked at him, love filled her eyes. Nagi looked into those eyes while the life drained out of them, her last breath left her and the magic in her core drained from her body, shattering the core and leaving Nagi holding her corpse in his hands while he cried.