And it Begins

Alabaun turned away from Darius, his eyes turning skyward as a pillar of flame and smoke rushed into the sky, a blast of wind emitting from it as the explosion burst.

"Damnit!" Alabaun cursed, his eyes widening as he leapt into the sky. He was aware of Darius being left behind, but at that moment he didn't have much a choice.

"Not so fast." Came a voice as a masked man blurred into existence, black chains sweeping through the air as Alabaun manifested a blade of ice, blocking the attack as the chains tore through his sword, sending him slamming back to the ground.

Etto alighted upon the castle, staring down at Alabaun as chains slowly twisted about his body like coiling serpents.

"So, you've finally played your move." Alabaun growled. "In broad daylight, nonetheless. That's a bold play."

"Ah, but I don't think it is that bad of one. The surprise factor seems to of worked well." Etto spoke, as his arm reached for the daggers strapped to his body.

"Was that explosion from you?" Alabaun asked, worried for the denizens.

"Naturally." Etto hissed. "Who else?"

"Then you came alone?"

At those words, assassins flashed into existence beside Etto, one after the other.

"Now, why would I do that?" Etto asked. "Get him."

The assassin dropped from the castle, rushing at Alabaun. He held out his sword, a bolt of lighting crashing down from the sky and ringing through the ice blade as the electricity blasted through the earth, tearing it apart as the assassins dropped around him.

"These weaklings will not be enough." Alabaun spoke. "You are just wasting the lives of your men at this point."

"Am I?" Etto asked, tossing out a dagger that landed deftly at Alabaun's feet.

Alabaun looked at one of the corpses, seeing a dagger in their back. He grit his teeth, trying to jump away as black chains burst from the daggers, coiling outwards and flying at him. He threw out his hand, a blast of flames consuming the chains, but most of them made their way through, striking him and leaving cuts across his skin as he managed to minimize the damage.

Etto appeared behind Alabaun, chains enveloping his sword as he slashed it across Alabaun's back, blood spraying over the grass as Alabaun hurtled through the air, but the chains had already grabbed hold. The wisps of black straightened as Etto tugged the chains and pulled them over his head, their sharpened edges tearing at Alabaun's flesh as he flew skywards before slamming to the ground on the opposite side, sending dirt up in clouds.

Etto dashed towards where Alabaun had landed, his sword raised over his head, but Alabaun's hand came from within the clouds of dirt, his palm crashing into Etto's mask as he grabbed the assassin by his head. Heaving him over the shoulder, Alabaun slammed him to the ground, which shattered under the massive force.

Black chains rose up, coiling around Alabaun's arm before tightening as their edges cut deep, blood flowing down Alabaun's arm. But he didn't let go, instead, his eyes flashed and a pillar of flame rushed up from the back of his hand, spiraling about before crashing to the earth, causing it to bend inwards, a crater forming beneath them as the flames flew outwards in a vermillion storm.

Etto's legs came up, wrapping around Alabaun's arm as he held tightly, pulling him down and rolling on top, his sword's tip plunging into Alabaun's hand, pinning it to the ground as the flames burst, the earth quaking as it became molten. A shockwave flew out, the clouds giving way as the earth ruptured, magma blasting into the sky as Etto roared, the tornado of flames enveloping him and burning his cloak. The flames suddenly ceased, condensing to a thin light before fading. The sky became gray then as frost flew across the earth, coating everything in a thin layer of ice before a frozen blade plunged through Etto's shoulder, lifting him up into the sky.

"Ah.." Alabaun sighed, getting to his feet while the assassin continued to be sent skyward. "That hurt. I'll say you grew up." He held out his hand, a heatwave being released from his feet as the ground melted. "But you've still got quite a ways to go before you can ever hope to face me."

The black clouds dispersed, a flash of light gleaming in the sky. The ice pillar shattered as Etto hovered, blood flowing from his wound before a stream of lightning and flame descended down on him, rushing to the earth like a spear upon it's target, crashing down like a meteor as huge cracks split across the ground and waves of arcana spiraled in a riveting storm.

From within the pillar of light, a spiral of black could be seen as chains rushed about Etto before flying out, dispersing Alabaun's spell.

Etto stood within the crater, clutching his shoulder. His cloak was tattered and torn, dirt smeared across his body. Half of his mask had been shattered, his wrathful eyes locked on Alabaun. The chains about him rose up from his shoulder blades like shadowy wings.

"You really want to continue this?" Alabaun asked. "It would seem to me that you've already lost."

Etto lowered his arm, looking down at the blood in his palm. Then he began to laugh. He touched his blood coated fingers to his mask as he leaned over, the laugh becoming more mad by the second as he smeared the dark liquid down his mask.

"Oh, Alabaun.. so high and mighty, just like the rest of them." The chains suddenly retreated back into his body, his skin now beginning to turn black as it shifted. "I hate you all.. so much I can't see straight.. I feel it consume everything inside until it's all eaten up.. the amount of people I've killed means nothing to me, no matter how much blood I coat my blade in, it's never enough.."

"Oh, here we go." Alabaun spoke.

"But you mages.. your blood.. I desire to see it flow across the dirt, to shower in it.. maybe then this all consuming hatred can stop torturing my shattered mind..." And then the chains warped around his body. Etto screamed as his blood spilled across the chains while they constricted around his body before he went silent and still. He lowered his head, staring at his hands. Crude blades extended from the entirety of his body at every odd angle, his fingers ending in warped talons. He lifted his head, standing straight as his head cocked to the side. Soulless, hollow eyes peered at Alabaun, who quickly realized it was no ordinary spell.

"What are you doing?!" He shouted in surprise. But Etto didn't seem to hear, the ground shattering at his feet as he flew at Alabaun, his knee crashing into Alabaun's palm as he narrowly blocked. Alabaun pushed the attack aside as Etto's body twisted unnaturally, his arm extending out like a chain, flying across the air as his talons tore through the mage's back. Flipping and landing behind Alabaun, he spun about, his fist flying.

A shield of flames flew over Alabaun, but it quickly flashed out of existence as it gave way, Etto's fist slamming into Alabaun's chest, leaving a deep gouge where it hit, before another combo of blows followed, hitting Alabaun in the shoulder, chest, and finally the head, each in a blur of speed as Alabaun stumbled back.

Etto drew back his arm, which clinked as it extended, before shooting back and plunging through Alabaun's chest, blood spewing from his mouth.

Etto hissed, his dead eyes twisting as he grinned.

Alabaun grit his teeth, twisting his arm so that his palm pointed upwards, a crest flashing across his hand. Etto's smile faded as a shockwave of blistering flames crashed down on him, slamming to the earth in a tidal wave as the ground seemed to bend inwards before shattering, the rubble flying up into the sky as Etto emerged from the flames, leaping into the air.

Beneath the flames, Alabaun raised his hand to cast another spell, but a flow of blood gushed from his wound and he grunted in pain, keeling over as he clutched the wound. His maimed arm hung limply at his side.

'Damn!' He thought, 'at this rate..' he looked down at his useless arm.

As the flames faded, Etto came to land upon the ground looking at the wounded Alabaun, whose eyes were trained on Darius. As Etto approached, the sky became dark, streaks of electricity flying through the air, the first crashing down at Etto's feet. From within the lightning, Nira's glowing eyes met with the assassin's, a javelin of light streaming across his head as he was knocked to the side.

Etto growled, swinging for the girl, but she disappeared in an instant, a second bolt of electricity crashing down behind Etto as she emerged from it, a blast wave of lighting slamming him in the back and launching him forwards, and as he flew, the earth rose up, the jagged rock blocking his trajectory as he crashing into it, the rocks shattering beneath him, sending bouncing across the ground.

Nillan stood atop the castle, glaring down at Etto, his arms crossed.

"I suggest you vacate this place, assassin." His eyes flashed as his sister appeared in a veil of lightning beside him. "Unless you'd rather lose your head."