Chapter One - Elderwood Guardian (I)
/// Grey POV ///
Sparks frizzanted, flying in every direction as my sword came in contact with the scythe of a brutalised woman, its whole body maimed with scars and cuts. Its eyes were empty, devoid of any colour.
"Damn it, Grey! Can't you bring me to a zone which has a hot succubus or a busty demi-human. While I don't mind them sucking the literal life out of me, I definitely don't want to be touched by this lady. Even the word lady is disrespectful." Regis barked out loud, narrowly dodging the scythe that flew like a wind blade, passing just a centimetre away from his flaming purple mane.
The fiend screeched, as it dashed towards Regis. Regis shouted, running away from her,
"Don't touch me....s-stay away from me. I will not let my majestic self be touched by an ugly bitch like you." Regis kept screaming as the flames around him flickered and then started to burn fiercely. I let out a slight scoff but then I remembered something vital.
Caera!
My heart pounded against my chest as I saw her prone form laying on the ground, without even a single movement.
"Uhhh, Grey? You alright buddy?" Regis' voice echoed in my mind, but was muffled by the thundering rage that seemed to churn my insides. My blood boiled, anger flaring and exploding like a volcano inside me. My pupils dilated as my face scrunched up and I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist.
"Stay away from her." I let out a light growl and the other identical looking fiend froze in its track. It's body buckled to the ground as I let the full weight of my aetheric intent fall on them. Letting the aether trickle from my core I let it flow through my forged aetheric channels. The aether followed my will, solidifying in the shape of a sword. The space rippled as the sword came into existence.
"Begone."
With a calculated step, I arrived just in front of the fiend. My sword flew in an upward arc, travelling through its neck like a hot knife through butter. Not waiting to confirm the kill, I god-stepped again, letting the aetheric passageways guide me behind the one that was chasing the exhausted Regis. I plunged my sword into its solar plexus. It let out an ear-splitting shriek but I ignored it as I thrusted it even deeper and tore its body apart, letting aether overflow its body.
"Wow, talk about showoff." Regis' unamused voice laced with sarcasm and scorn reverberated in my mind but I ignored it as I god-stepped back to Caera. Falling on one knee, I slid a hand under her head and raised it up.
"Hey Caera, wake up." I said, shaking her, horrified at the mere thought of something happening to her.
"Never knew you wanted to see them jiggle." Regis said and started rolling on the ground, laughing like a freak. Guiding aether to my palm I blasted him into the nearby wall. The wall cracked, a meteor sized crater formed at the impact with Regis at the centre of it.
"Fuck you Grey, ouch" Regis grumbled, still stuck in the debris as a huge stone fell on his head.
"Mmm, Greyyy.. don't leave me like that- come on." Caera spoke before her eyes shot open. Her eyes squinted as she blinked them a few times.
"Morning?" I asked, trying to alleviate the tension and not burden her with anything. Her face turned red but instead of separating herself she wrapped her arms around my waist,
"I-I thought t-that you l-l-left me...." She said, her voice quivering from the suppressed sobs she had been holding in.
She must've seen an illusion, I concluded.
I felt her warm breath on my neck. As I looked at her I saw her face getting gradually closer to me. Simultaneously a bright light appeared from behind her. The closer her face got, the brighter the light got.
I looked at her close eyelids and approaching lips barely visible because of the blinding light behind her. At that moment I almost lost myself.[ At that moment, I wanted to clutch her tighter to feel her warmth and comfort her that I won't leave her and was here for her.
The light shone brighter- and brighter. I didn't care anymore. I let my instincts take over. Maybe I needed this- a selfish moment. My head tilted as my gaze kept frolicking from her eyes to lips. Her chest heaved up and down, breathing erratic. A mind-numbing feeling of ecstasy filled my core to the brim as I felt her plump lips press against mine. So subtle yet so tantalising. She broke it and looked into my eyes- asking for more.
"Damn it!"
My hand went to the back of her head, my fingers relishing the milky smooth texture of her skin,
"Who are you? What are you doing?"
"Caera?"
Multiple sounds resounded in my ears, echoing. I saw her blink her eyes, her head turning in the direction of the source of voice that had just called her.
Following her sight I looked in the same direction.
I saw Seris.... and the other scythes right behind her. Another man with elk like horns that extended upwards- Agrona, I noted.
Panic overtook me as I saw all of their gazes locked on to me. I was ready to god-step, but that was when I noticed it- This place was devoid of Ambient Aether. I looked at Caera, frightened that she would get in danger because of me.
"Who are they?"
My feet petrified as I heard the voice. The unmistakable voice- how could i not recognise it. Afterall, it was my own voice. I looked back as I saw the younger version of myself looking at me with a curiosity filled gaze and a wary expression over his face. He stood there, in the bleachers amongst mom, Ellie and..... Dad? Is this my past? If it is, why are we here?
I looked around to see three cubical barriers. Inside the first one were my family, Elven, Dwarven and Human royalty, Elijah and many familiar faces.
The second cube consisted of every Alacryan I had encountered.
The third cube was enough to petrify me. I saw Kezzes, his amethyst eyes looking at me, the same usual aura of detachment like he didn't belong here stuck to him like a second skin.
One thing was for certain now- All of this ordeal had something to do with me.
A screen rolled over, its surface was pitch black. As if on cue, two seats manifested out of thin air behind me and Caera.
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SIT
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The words appeared on screen. Seeing there was no way out of this I sat and motioned for Caera to sit too. She sat, casting glances at everyone. She gripped my hand which laid on the armrest. I replied with a gentle squeeze of my own- a silent answer that everything will be ok.
I wanted to go back and embrace my family- Apologise to my daughter and my dad, for not being able to protect them. For failing as a son and a father.
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YOU ARE ALL GATHERED HERE TO REACT TO THE LIFE OF "A CERTAIN BEING"
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I heard dissatisfied murmurs from the asuran cube, but they all went silent by the simple wave of hand by Kezzes.
"And who might that be?" Kezzes spoke out loud.
"Why should we react to a nobody? We are nobility" The dwarven eunuch screamed, the only thing he was good at.
"Silence lessers." Agrona spoke up as he rested his chin over his interlocked fingers. "I have an inkling but let's hear it." He spoke, a smile akin to a mad scientist creeping up his face.
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ARTHUR LEYWIN
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The words appeared on the screen as I felt my heart sink. An amused smile formed over Agrona's face,
"Knew it." He mumbled.
A hysterical laughter boomed in the silent room- Virion, the old bat.
"Of course it's this brat." He said and slung an arm around my younger self with a stupid smirk over his face. Tess who sat with my younger self and my parents who sat juts behind him had worried looks over their faces.
Appearance:
I heard audible gasps from everywhere, clearly confused. I looked to my right- Caera was staring at me, her eyes wide. The slight tremble in her hand was barely noticeable.
"I can explain." I said, ignoring the Simping voices of many girls and women.
"You don't have to. I understand you must have your reasons- but please no more secrets." She said. I extended and removed the tear cascading down her cheek with my thumb,
"I won't." I lied, hoping my past life won't be revealed. I was scared- scared to be abandoned again.
"Why does art look like that?" Tess asked. I felt my younger self shrug,
"I don't have an inkling. Let's keep watching, I'm curious myself. Anyways, you still look handsome." She said wrapping her arm around him.
I felt the rage from caera seething, wanting to burst out as she shot a menacing glance at me.
Scary.
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TALKING OR ATTACKING WHILE THE VIDEO PLAYS IS PROHIBITED. THE PENALTY IS INSTANT DEATH. MOCKING THE SYSTEM IS A TABOO. ASURAS ARE NOT EXEMPT.
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"Tch, who does this thing thinks it is." Lucas spat, disgust evident in his voice.
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"MUTT LUCAS HAS VIOLATED THE RULES. PUNISHMENT REDUCED BECAUSE OF FIRST TIME OFFENCE. PENALTY DECIDED."
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An ear-splitting shriek reverberated. A red stain formed on his pants and continued growing.
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"PENALTY - DELIVERED. GENITALS CUT OFF, HEALING WILL COMMENCE NOW."
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His screams stopped for a brief moment but he started screaming once again,
"It's still not there. You-" His voice was interrupted as Bairon shut his mouth by jabbing him at the back of his head.
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THANK YOU, LANCE BAIRON. ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T NEEDED
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Everything went deathly silent after that.
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THE FIRST VIDEO SHALL COMMENCE NOW. (ELDERWOOD GUARDIAN)
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I grabbed Samantha, who had been petrified from shock, and lifted her up on my shoulders. "Jasmine! Grab Brald and let's run! Lucas, Elijah! You have to try and block any incoming attacks until we can make it out of here!"
Jasmine picked up the one-armed adventurer who was still laughing psychotically and we look back to see that the elderwood guardian was looking directly at us.
"We need to move!" I barked, hurrying everyone. However, just as I willed mana into my body, a blast of fire hit me square in the chest, sending me flying back as Samantha tumbled off to the side.
While my body, reinforced with mana and from the assimilation of Sylvia's Dragon Will, prevented me from sustaining serious injuries, my breath had been knocked out from the almost point-blank spell cast by Lucas, the only one possibly capable of doing this.
Furious and baffled by the sudden betrayal, I had to practically peel my eyes away from the blond brat that was already running away to look for Jasmine. She had been knocked back much farther from the spell and was unconscious, but she didn't seem to be dead.
"Wait, did he just said Dragon's will?" Blaine spoke up, his gaze locking on Arthur's past self. "Why weren't we informed of this earlier? This is betraying your own nation." He spat.
"Varay" He spoke but the ice lance kept sitting, her stoice demeanor not faltering one bit. The video paused.
ANY AND ALL MAGICAL ABILITIES AND ARTEFACTS HAVE BEEN RENDERED USELESS IN THIS VOID.
With the restriction no longer applicable, Varay felt no need to comply with the greedy and useless excuse for king.
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TAKING PHYSICAL ACTION AGAINST ONE ANOTHER WILL RESULT IN SEVERE PENALTIES.
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The human king sweated, his prideful demeanor withering away as he sat back, silently and started looking at the wide screen again.
"What the hell are you doing?" Elijah cried out for the first time, pointing his staff at Lucas who was already almost at the entrance of the cave.
"You think I'd risk my life to help all of you escape? Be honored that you'll be the valiant heroes that stalled the beast enough for me to escape! I'll tell everyone all about your courageous deeds!" he scoffed, turning back just to shoot me an arrogant smirk before conjuring a smokescreen.
Another deafening crash reverberated as the ground split around us from the force of the elderwood guardian stabbing its lance where Lucas had just been. The smokescreen subsided, but Lucas was already gone, closing the door behind him.
"That spineless ass!" Elijah cursed, holding his glasses in place as the cavern continued to tremble from the force of the beast's attack. The endless vines that made up the mana beast's limbs managed to climb out of the crater left from Elijah's spell and approach us.
Suddenly, the elderwood guardian let out a baleful roar, gripping my body with a fear incomparable to any of the other mana beasts I had faced before. Its green eyes turned a menacing red and the tendrils that made up its body turned gray and disassembled to form a tsunami of vines, destroying everything in its path as it made its way to us.
"HAHAHA!" Brald's maniacal laughter faded as a wave of vines consumed his body.
Elijah's usual terse expression was nowhere to be found as his face slackened, turning several shades lighter, while Jasmine was still unconscious from taking Lucas's spell directly. The fact that she was still knocked out meant that Lucas managed to hit her before she had the chance to reinforce herself with mana.
I started calculating the options I had left. Even if I were to use the first phase of my beast's will, I wouldn't last long enough to save everyone and carry them out.
I bit my lip, frustrated that I allowed myself to fall into such a crappy situation. I had no choice but to use it.
I didn't know how severe the recoil of using it would be but I had no choice but to try.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes, searching deep within my mana core for the source of Sylvia's slumbering power. Releasing it, I was met with an almost strangling amount of energy as my body burned.
The world around blurred as a near-palpable aura of different colors enveloped me.
Everyone's eyes widened, the tension in the air growing to a suffocating degree.
"My baby, what's happening to him?" Alice managed to say between sobs. Reynolds wrapped his arm around her and Ellie, embracing them both in a bear hug. "Don't worry, I am sure he will be okay." He replied.
The lances watched with curiosity filled gazes at the child, barely 8 facing a beast mentioned only in legends.
"Ahhh, I'll finally be able to see something that feels somewhat similar to my old flame." Agrona said as he licked his lips. Seris looked at him with a feeling of disgust but managed to hide it.
Caera looked at Grey, "What's happening to you?" She asked, her voice carrying concern. "Keep watching", Grey replied.
Caera interlinked her arm with Grey and shot a glare at Tessia. Tess fumed, her face turning red from rage interlinked her arm with Arthur. Both of them kept glaring at each other, both of them silently screaming that this old man in young skin was their property.
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Women ☕️
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The video paused for a brief second as it showed the text. The asuras and the Alacryans kept silent, containing their laughter, holding on to their dignity. For the first time Kezzes' stoic expression faltered,
"Indeed." He muttered under his breath but was soon horrified as Myre peaked from behind him,
"And I heard that." She spoke with a smile that didn't quite reached her eyes. Kezzes shivered but maintained his façade.
"These lessers laugh like no tomorrow. No wonder they live short and die like bugs." Cadell commented, looking at the noob Dicathians, rolling on the floor.
"At least they give a good show, and pleasure." Uto spat, licking his lips as he oogled Alea, looking at her well-bred form up-to-down. Alea shuddered, as she looked here and there, trying to locate the source of the sinister gaze.
Her gaze landed on Uto. He licked his lips and threw her a wink. Alea averted her gaze with a..... blush over her face. (WTF ALEA). Uto laughed hysterically, "I am going to have my fun with her." He spoke to himself, smirking as he started imagining the agony he was about to put her in.
"What happened afterwards. Mica wants to know." This time the voice came from the Lance's corner, the dwarven lance had her arms crossed as curiosity permeated from her child-like face.
"This idiot. I will definitely discipline you once we get out of here. You are a shame- an infestation for the house of Wykes. You'll have no room among us anymore." Bairon said, hostility seething from his voice as colour drained from his pained face, still suffering from the loss of gential.
"If he has a draconic will, how about I woo him to my side and marry him to my daughter. He will be a good asset for the human royalty." Blaine though and looked down to see Tess being touchy touchy with Arthur,
"Looks like I have to take care of the elven bit- princess before."
Kezzes looked at the screen and then to his side, his amethyst eyes that screamed unrivaled strength scanning everyone,
"If you- who ever you are satisfied with reaction of the lessers present there, why don't you play the video. I want to see if this lesser has been doing justice to my daughter's will." He spoke as the screen went blank for a few seconds.
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"YOU TALK A LOT FOR A MERE WINGED LIZARD."
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"In your face." Agrona spat out loud, a subtle laughter just enough to pop a vein at Kezzes' temple escaped his mouth. Kezzes wanted to shred him to pieces but knew well enough that there was no ambient mana or aether in this confined place. Thus, he remained silent and continued waiting for the video to play again.
The screen made a susurrating sound as the frenzied pixels gathered once again, the paused video playing once again.
"Phase Two," I let out a strained whisper. "Dragon's Awakening."
A chill crept up everyone's spine as Arthur's distorted voice under the influence of his draconic will echoed in the room.
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(A/n Here you go. Its my first time doing reaction fic so bare with it. Next topic has been decided as it will be the next part of this one.
And- for those who don't know I have another fic named, TBATE: Ships and Short Stories. Give it a read if you're interested in only romantic stuff- :) )