Balls of fire rained from the sky, scattering about and tearing apart the street. Shards of the ground flew into the air and destroyed building after building. A bloodied and terrifying shade of red filled the sky, accompanied by the sounds of people running and screaming. Some of them had their weapons drawn, guiding the others away. And alongside them stood Dall and Veral, who faced down the young man.
The young man standing in front of them sneaked a glance at Veral and looked at his waist. He smiled, “How did you get here?!” Dall yelled loudly, his veins popping out of his skin, his hands trembling and his eyes teeth gritting viciously, “We had defenses! Everything!”
“Oh, those things? Taken down.” The young man smiled. “Your villages were also pretty weak too. We gave you guys so long to get ready, and you don’t even try to put up a fight?” He took out a small blade from his pocket. “We got the girls, though. They should keep my boys fed for another few days.”
Dall launched at him. He swung his blade down swiftly, but the young man stepped aside. “I’ll kill you, Elran,” Dall hissed through his gritted teeth. “I’ll fucking kill you, you bastard.”
Elran smiled gleefully, as if he’d never heard something so fantastical and wonderful before in his life. “Kill me? Oh, wow, that’d be awesome.” He bent down, licking the tip of his dagger. “Come on then, Greatsword. Show me what you can do!”
This time, Elran initiated the battle, throwing his dagger ridiculously quickly towards Dall. He blocked it with his blade, but wasn’t prepared for Elran throwing his entire body onto him.
Elran punched and jabbed at Dall’s stomach and arms so fast that Dall didn’t have time to process what was going on.
Dall leaped back, breathing heavily. He readied his stance and tried to swing at Elran, but he stopped it with another blade.
Elran shoved the greatsword aside and got even closer to Dall. He panicked and tried to block the punches, but they were too fast.
“What’s wrong, Dall?! I thought you were gonna kill me!”
Veral, after watching for a little while, tried to approach the two stealthily. Elran and Dall pushed up against a burning building, Elran’s back facing him. Veral twirled his blade and tried to throw it silently, but the ground beneath him shook and he fell. It liquefied and swirled around his legs. He tried to get up again, but the ground solidified, locking him in place. Veral beat at the earth with his fists to no avail. “The hell?!”
“You stay put there, Mr. Knightblade.” Elran turned to look at Veral, who glared daggers at him.
Dall seized the chance and put a fist straight into Elran’s neck.
Elran screamed in agony and fell backwards.
Dall quickly moved over to Veral and used the hilt of his sword to break at the earth holding him down. After a couple of hits, the earth broke apart, and Veral swiftly stood up. Elran rose slowly, so Dall turned to Veral and said, “Go look for Ava.”
“Not your father?” Veral growled.
“Everyone in the mansion should be fine! But we don’t know where Ava is, and if anything happens to her, that’s my responsibility.”
“Dall, are you su-?”
“Just fucking go!” Dall yelled loudly, forcing Veral to run off.
Elran, rubbing his neck, glared at Dall with cold, heartless eyes,
“You’re dead, Dall,” Elran snarled. “But not before I have my boys get to that house of yours…” Seemingly out of nowhere, soldiers flooded in behind Elran. They all wore the emblem of the Eldreds on their shoulders. Dall stood a distance away from them, in the middle of the street. The soldiers all looked rugged and wild, their faces all perverse and disgusting. One man on a horse pushed himself toward the front. His hair was graying, and his white skin sagged slightly. The Eldred emblem - the stem-daggered rose - shone on every piece of his shining armor. “Captain Solace,” Elran frowned. “This is a one on one… Don’t you fucking get in my way.”
“You…!” Dall yelled.
“Worry not Young Lord... I will spare a few of my troops to protect you.”
“Protect me?! Who the hell do you think you are?!” Elran bared his fangs.
“I mean no disrespect,” Solace bowed. “I’ll go ahead and prepare the way to Lupin.” He whipped his horse and moved forward, past Dall.
Dall tried to reach out and attack him, but his feet were stuck to the ground. He watched as countless soldiers sprinted by, some taunting him and spitting at him. He looked at Elran and forced his way out of his constraints. Elran smiled, “Let’s go, Greatsword.”
Veral dashed down the street, rushing to the spot where they had left Avice. As he continued running, he looked around and noticed that people were running towards the mansion, and that some of the guards stopped panicking and moved firmly and swiftly when a blaring horn boomed through the city.
He continued forward until finally coming upon the alleyway to Sami’s shop. He glanced around for a moment. No sign of her, “Come on…” He growled to himself.
After following along with everyone retreating, he found himself face to face with a defensive line of men in tattered, leathered armor. Simon, who stood at the front, called out to him, “Veral! What’s going on?”
“It’s the fucking Eldreds… They’re attacking…”
Simon tightened his fist. “Where are you going?”
“Looking for a girl. Dall’s orders.”
He eyed Veral warily, “You’re looking for a girl instead of fighting?!”
“Yes, I am. Now move.” He pushed his way past Simon. “Dammit…”
He continued forward, ending up in front of the Fountain Square, where seemingly every citizen in the town gathered together. Many shook, their eyes swirling with tears, and some tried comforting the people around them. Some were rendered unconscious, some their limbs torn apart and their bodies gaping with holes. Everyone called out to the mansion in desperation - called out for Lupin.
Veral moved his way through the crowd and finally found Avice, collapsed in front of the fountain.
“There you are.” He picked her up, and started for the stairs towards the mansion when the doors burst open, revealing Lupin clad in simple, white armor. In contrast to his honorable stance, blood rising in his face, his cheeks flushed with anger.
“Everyone, inside.” He growled. At his words, the crowd cheered and all ran upstairs, storming through the mansion doors. Veral who still had Avice in his arms, looked up at the fuming Lupin. “Where is Dall?”
Veral rested Avice on the steps and knelt and bowed his head. “Milord. Dall is fighting against Elran Eldred… Simon and the other guards have formed a defensive line on the main street… I suspect that enemy soldiers should be pouring in soon…”
“Grab the girl and bring her in. I will need you to assist me.” Veral nodded and moved along.
Hundreds of people now filled the once empty hallways. The maids and servants tried to keep everyone calm. A young girl moving around sporadically giving people towels and water caught Veral’s attention. “Liliana.” He approached her.
She frowned as he grew closer to her, “Veral Altrix… What are you doing here?” She stared at him with grim eyes. “Why aren’t you fighting out there?”
“I’m busy.” He rested Avice in front of her. “Watch her. I have to help Lord Lupin.”
“Where’s Dall?” She asked impatiently.
He glared at her. “Busy.” He said firmly and walked away.
Once he exited the door, he took his spot next to Lupin, watching over the street. Ash and smoke filled the air, the taste of the charred wood tingling on his tongue, the crashing of the collapsing buildings falling one after another…
They watched on as enemy soldiers came in to view, one by one, ten by ten… eventually the horizon was filled with at least hundreds of soldiers.
With a furious war cry, they charged forward against the defensive line.
They aggressively threw themselves on the soldiers, who stood fast and strong.
Swing after swing blood spurted and danced in the air. Simon stood at the front, taking on more than five soldiers at a time.
Captain Solace strode closer on his horse, watching from the back, a frown planted on his face. He took out an orb - the same one he used on Avice. “Ifrit, grant me power - Salario!” A blinding light flew across the battlefield.
The soldiers' armors burned, the silver metal glowing bright orange. They panicked and started to throw their armor off when the enemy soldiers took the opportunity and mowed them down.
Lupin finally stepped forward. The moment his foot touched the ground, everyone stopped. Veral watched in awe, following closely behind him. Every movement - every footstep, the soldiers cowered and trembled. Captain Solace stood tall.
“Step back,” Lupin said to his remaining troops. He patted Simon on the back, whose hands pulsed red, his body weak and tired. He moved in front of all of his soldiers and stood proudly. “You have made a grave mistake stepping into my lands.” Lupin spoke through his gritted teeth.
Many of the once ferocious and vile soldiers fell on their behinds, pissing their pants.
“Oho… Didn’t think they’d actually make tha first move!” The boisterous voice of Sami bellowed from the mansion’s doors. Veral turned to see him marching down the steps, brandishing a gigantic hammer sporting spikes on both of its ends. He sidled up to Lupin’s right. “Now, then...”
“Where has your valor gone, soldiers of Eldred?! Unwilling to fight?!”
“Unwilling? No. Incapable? Yes.” Captain Solace trotted forward atop his horse.
“The Captain of the Southern Armies...” Lupin growled. “I am unfazed at your betrayal, Solace.”
“It isn’t betrayal, Lord Lupin.” He gracefully unmounted his steed and moved closer to him. “It is the mere fact that my loyalty to the venerable Eldreds far surpasses my loyalty to the Emperor.”
“Then I will show you the consequences of such a mistake.”
Within a single second, Lupin stood directly in front of Solace, who faltered back a little. Lupin raised his fists and jabbed at Solace’s stomach.
Sweat dripped down his cheeks as he unhooked a chain from beneath his robe, revealing another magical orb. “Guide me Ifrit and help me overcome my weakness.” As he said this, he unsheathed a sword from his back and traced his finger along its blade slowly. The blade began emanating a dark orange glow, archaic and strange characters appearing on it, and eventually the steel melted and became a blade of fire.
Lupin stepped back warily, but kept his fists up.
Solace lunged at Lupin, the flaming blade in his right hand and another orb in his left. “Ifrit, grant me speed, Haste!” He shouted, his speed increasing significantly to the point where he seemed like a blur.
Even the trained eyes of Veral could barely make out his blurred figure, so it was much to his surprise when Lupin, too, dashed forward and slammed his fist against Solace’s face.
“W-Wha?!” Veral cried out as he watched Solace collapse to the floor.
“As expected of tha’ General.” Sami snickered.
“Does anyone else wish to fight me?” Lupin turned to the hundreds of men who cowered and fell even further into despair.
“Yeah, I do.” Elran’s voice echoed from behind his soldiers
Lupin’s fists shook violently, grasping at the Greatsword on his back. Veral, confused by his sudden outburst, saw Elran moving closer, dragging Dall along by his collar. Blood covered his face, his body so brutally bruised that one of his arms bent in the wrong direction. Blood painted the ground where he was dragged.
“Y’know, I really thought Greatswords were supposed to be really strong. Is that title ‘The Greatest General of Cervil’ for show?” Elran came forward, standing in front of the soldiers - directly opposite of Lupin. “And if what my Father said is true…” Elran grinned. “That means you’re just like him.” He nodded to Dall.
“Release my son,” Lupin growled. “Release him now, you spawn of evil.”
Elran shrugged and threw him forward so that he was between the two of them. “How about this, Mr. Greatsword.” Elran moved closer. “Let’s make a wager. If I beat you under one minute, then you’ve gotta give up everything. And if I don’t, my soldiers and I will leave. C’mon, a good old fashioned one on one.”
Lupin’s eyebrows rose and he stepped forward. Veral watched with unease swirling in his stomach. “What does he mean…?” Veral said quietly.
Lupin readied his blade, its metal shining brilliantly against the dark red sky. “You will not be leaving alive.” Elran pranced forward, and moved playfully.
Elran and Lupin both stood inches away from each other. Lupin appeared to be ready - his stance set, his blade straight, and the fury in his blood boiling at the maximum degree.
However, Elran just stood there.
Straight, tall… not even a weapon on his person. He had a broad smile - one so terrifying even the battle-hardened Lupin felt uncomfortable. The air around them intensified.
Veral stood a few feet away, his hands on his blades, sweat dripping down his cheek. He took a peak at Dall, who had been moved over. He inched closer to him when a loud explosion threw him off.
Using it as the ‘go’ signal, Lupin immediately swung down his sword, and it appeared that he was going to cleave him perfectly in half from what Veral saw, but he stopped mid-air.
“H-How do you…?!” Lupin’s strength fell apart and his sword collapsed to the ground, his body trembling violently. Veral gaped at the sight. “You bastards… You bastards!”
“Lupin!” Sami yelled out worriedly.
“That’s right, Ol’ Lupin.” Elran cockily approached him and said loudly. “We found her! That whore of an elf. We finally. Know. Where. She. Is.” He sung, still smiling.
Lupin grasped at his sword and wearily stood. “I will not fall for your lies,” He said. "For years I have made sure no one would know. Someone such as yourself cannot truly know whe-"
“Condol’ Shi.” Elran snickered. Lupin staggered backwards.
"It cannot be..."
“Those filthy animals’ve ratted you out.”
“Lies!” Lupin cried.
“Oh, you really think that I’m lying, huh? Situation’s pretty bad, Lupin.”
“I will cut you down.” Lupin growled as he tried to take his sword, but Elran opened his mouth once more.
“The Northern Tree.”
At his words, Lupin stopped, tears streaming down his cheeks. Veral watched in horror as Elran raised his blade.
“Impossible… Impossible…” Lupin turned to Veral and Sami, and said, “I am sorry…”
And in that instant, a cloud of blue smoke swirled around Lupin, encompassing him whole. The smoke flew across the battlefield. Elran coughed and waved it away, only to find that the spot where Lupin stood so proudly was empty.
“L-Lupin…?” Sami trembled.
Elran cackled loudly. “We’ve won!” He turned swiftly to his soldiers and proclaimed loudly, “We’re going to the Forest tomorrow morning, so you better have fun tonight boys. Don’t worry about sleeping and take as long as you all want!”
“What did you do, you bastards?!” Sami cried as he leaped towards them.
The earth jutted out of the ground and impaled him straight from the bottom. Veral’s heart raced and his muscles tightened. “Shit!” He yelled loudly.
But he couldn’t afford to just stand there, so Veral quickly grabbed Dall and ran towards the staircase. Some of the men tried to catch Elran’s attention, but he was still bragging and jeering.
He locked the door behind him, panting heavily. How...? How?! He thought. Pasia's fallen.
