VII - Ferrum's Beginning
It was midnight and the group arrived at the entrance of a cave. Everyone descended the cave and after a while, they all arrived at a massive cavern.
The crystals on the wall glowed a vibrant teal color and so did the little puddles. As they walked through, they heard the sound of a horse neighing, though it was severely distorted and deep.
"What was that?" Ferrum asked, gripping his sword. Mairi placed her hand on his shoulder, assuring he was safe.
"That's what a Deathfire Stallion sounds like. We are getting closer."
The group continued on and eventually ended up in a much bigger cavern. There stood a fiery horse galloping around, leaving trails of blue flames. It eventually stopped as it noticed the group. It huffed out flames and neighed at them.
"So that's a Deathfire Stallion?" Ferrum said, astonished by its beauty.
"Who wants to try and take their shot?" Mairi asked. Eranheart scratched the back of his head and Gerald fiddled with his fingers. Cerana groaned and drawed her spear. She darted forward, sending a wave of ice at the horse.
The Deathfire Stallion neighed and stomped the floor, sending a wave of fire towards her.
Cerana dodged the wave and fired multiple ice spheres at the horse. The horse dodged the ice spheres and fired a fireball at Cerana from its mouth. Cerana dropped to the ground and thrust her spear at the horse, the horse bursting into flames before appearing behind her. Cerana quickly turned and shielded herself with her spear. The horse deliver a kick which knocked her into a pool.
The horse neighed in a weird manner, as if taunting Cerana. Cerana groaned as she exited the pool.
"Fucking…"
Mairi snickered before turning to Eranheart and Gerald.
"Come on now. If Cerana has the guts to do it, then you guys definitely should have the guts too."
The two awkwardly fidgeted around. Ferrum stared at them before looking at the Deathfire Stallion.
He walked forward and everyone stared at him.
"Ferrum?" Mairi said and Ferrum drew his sword.
"I've only ever spared with three people. My father, my brother and my sister. They are the strongest people I know. I didn't spar with them just for fun."
He wrapped his blade in flames, staring at the horse. The horse neighed as it charged towards him. He ran forward and swung his sword. The horse dodged and shoved him to the side. Ferrum caught himself and fired a bullet of light at the horse, making impact.
"First blood?" Eranheart said, not believing it with his own eyes.
Ferrum charged at the horse as it stumbled from his light orb. When it got its senses back, it quickly rammed into Ferrum, the latter blocking the attack with his sword.
Ferrum flipped back before charging at the Deathfire Stallion, delivering a flurry of devastating slashes.
The stallion neighed as it backed away from him. It eventually burst into flames and appeared behind him, though the latter had already predicted this.
Facing his palm behind him, he unleashed a powerful blast. Engulfing the horse in light.
The stallion neighed, stumbling backwards. As it regained its composured, it let out a loud demonic neigh which soon formed into a predatorial roar.
Spikes started to grow from the stallion's back and its face morphed, growing horns and becoming scarier looking. Its majestic blue flaming mane grew violent and flowed epicly like it was being blown by the wind.
"Did it just-?" Cerana began.
"It Mythicized!" Gerald finished.
"So this is what happens if a Deathfire Stallion possesses an Elemental Myth. The element of fire." Eranheart said, amazed at the Deathfire Stallion's new look.
Ferrum entered a stance and charged towards the horse. The horse charged forward and fired a wall of flames. Ferrum rolled to the side and fired a bullet of light at the horse's side. The light seemed to dissipate upon contact, causing no effect to the horse.
The horse turned and fired a barrage of fireballs at Ferrum which the latter managed to evade. Though instantly the horse appeared beside him and rammed him into the ground. It tried to stomp him but Ferrum managed to roll away.
The beast continued to chase after Ferrum as he ran around while firing light bullets at it. Eventually the beast burst into flames again and Ferrum looked over his shoulder.
The beast didn't appear and Ferrum was on guard, ready for its next move.
Suddenly he felt a presence above him and he looked up. The beast plummeted towards him and Ferrum was too late to dodge.
Suddenly an invisible force knocked the beast aside. It crashed into the walls, shaking the cavern.
"For your first fight against an A-class beast, you fought well." Mairi complimented him, lending a hand.
"I believe though you are a Mythic, you don't know how to manifest its powers, do you?"
Ferrum nodded and Mairi smiled.
"After this, I can help you with that. Though, I'll see if I can make space in my schedule." She said before approaching the horse. It got up and roared at her.
Mairi drew her blade. It was a long single edge curved blade which displayed strange patterns on the edge. She whispered something and the sword began to glow.
"Contort."
The sword began to grow more edges and when the light dissipated, in her hands was a weird deformed blade.
The horse roared and charged at her and she smirked.
[Hizumi-Raiken]
With one swing of her blade, the air seemed to emit a strange sensation and started to twist.
Mairi turned around and walked away as the Deathfire Stallion roared. Suddenly it was cut into several pieces and erupted into ash. Only its horn was left uncut.
"I believe we are done here. Let's head back." Mairi smiled as her blade returned to normal before sheathing it.
Eranheart ran forward to collect the horn.
"Good thing she's on our side." Gerald mumbled, Cerana nodding her head in agreement.
"The power of Rashakane… though as gray as the Great Ones are, none can match her deadliness."
"Who is Rashakane anyways?" Ferrum, who had caught his breath, asked.
"Rashakane is a Legend that is recognized in the Imperial Empire of Ulram, considering we are above her territory. She is a Wyvern Born. She is the Monarch of the Distorted Realm."