Unknown-Time.

further within the valley Zenon, Aster, Lios and Lionard, followed by Damian's units made their way towards the massive wood and stone bridge, each step on the bridge gave out a creaking noise that echoed passed many, many unknown paths.

the only good part about the journey inside this cursed place was the fact that Zenon and his friends were protected by hundreds of killing machines that could turn dragons into red boiling soup.

the bridge itself was about 14 feet wide and who knowns how long, it felt like hours for the four companions, Lionard kept his guard up while the other three were a little less tense, but kept their guard up either way, the sound of footsteps was heard by the traveling group as they all pulled out their weapons and prepared for a fight.

the ASF-Wardens immediately reacted by forming a wall of heavy shields they created out of nowhere, another passive trick from the powerful and quite heavily armored and fast ASF-Wardens.

the FCAD-Drones were also quick to react as they flew high above and prepared their weapons.

Lios: who's there!? come out!

Lios soon threw one of his daggers towards the source of the footsteps, only to be greeted by a deafening sound of high pitched screeching that shook the entire bridge violently as the shockwave coming from the noise slowly pushed them back.

Aster: Zenon! could you shut that thing up please!?

Aster shouted in an annoyed tone while Zenon nodded as he raised his staff and began to shout some sort of incantation.

Zenon: burn in righteous-

Zenon was cut off by Lios as he warns him about the consequences in using fire magic on a wooden bridge.

Lios: Zenon wait! did you forget that we are on a wooden bridge!? why don't you ask those armored guys over there for some help!? it would sure be very convenient you know!

Zenon nodded before turning to face the wardens in front of him, he approached one of the wardens as he tapped its shoulder, causing it to turn around and look directly at him. 

Zenon: could you please deal with the noise good sir, I could've done it myself but fire magic is quite dangerous, would it trouble you if you could deal with it instead? that would be very grateful.

ASF-Warden: understood, eliminating enemy threat.

the warden then turned and charged at the source of the noise, revealing what looks like a mass of flesh, bone and blood, with the many mouths seeming to serve as the source of such irritating noise.

ASF-Warden: die you fiend!!!

with a smack of its massive baton the ASF-Wardens sends the mass of flesh flying towards the side of the bridge and into the bloody pits below, and with the noise slowly disappearing and instead once again replaced by deathly silence.

ASF-Warden: target confirmed killed.

the others soon rallied behind the first warden as they all continued onwards farther down the bridge.

while walking, Zenon and his friends as well as Damian's units encountered what looked like a young half human half wolf male hybrid, only the ears and tail made the difference, the rest is mostly human.

the kid had brown hair, skin and eyes, sharp teeth similar to that of a wolf's or a dog, the kid was about four and a half feet in height wearing some stitched together fur clothing of some animal that somehow lived in this valley.

however the kid's face was not clearly seen because he was on the side of one of the mountains that surrounded the valley, and at a height that was above Zenon and the others who were still on the bridge, fortunately though, they didn't see eye to eye, so only Zenon and his friends, and very much Damian were the only ones able to see the half human, wolf hybrid.

Lionard: is that a Ka-chono?

Zenon, Aster and Lios immediately turned towards Lionard as Lios asks him a question.

Lios: do you know that guy?

Lionard: no, but I do know the species, those are the half Shenari and Wulvein, but I don't remember them living in Death Valley though, or even so much so as getting near this cursed place... strange...

Lios chuckled as he replied.

Lios: yeah, I doubt anyone would want to live in this place anyways, let alone survive.

Zenon: true, however that one is not of the Ka-chono tribe...

Lios, and the other two then turned towards Zenon before Aster crosses her arms and asks for an explanation.

Aster: how can you be so sure?

Lionard: Zenon, would you like to explain?

Zenon takes a deep breath as he explains.

Zenon: the Ka-chono tribe that Lionard referred to is but a part of a larger tribe, the Shattered... they were once a small hybrid of the Shenari and Wulvein species, however, they grey in number and made their own nation, their agile bodies paired with extreme body enhancement taken from the two species resulted in their creation.

Zenon paused for a moment before continuing.

Zenon: though they are not as fast and agile as the Shenari, and not as strong as the Wulvein, they were able to fend for themselves to the combination of both, and were able the make themselves into a powerful nation state.

Lionard: but their numbers dwindled due to the pressure from both the Shenari empire and the Wulvein tribe correct?

Zenon nodded as he answered.

Zenon: yes, however, they were fractured into multiple tribes that had their own separate ideology and hierarchy, and sadly though, the only remaining tribe still left... is the Ka-chono tribe...

Lios: wow... and here I thought that those pointy ears had their reasons but... damn... who would've thought they were such cruel and sadistic... a-am, I'm speechless...

Zenon sighed as he spoke.

Zenon: we're in the past Lios... that's just how it is back then... conditions were worse in medieval times, only after a hundred years or so did laws that prohibit these actions exist.

Lios: but still... this is just cruel...

Zenon: the whole world is cruel Lios, no matter where you are, there is always suffering... no matter how small.

their conversation was cut off by an approaching warden as they all turned to listen to what it had to say.

ASF-Warden: we are nearing the city of Li-Aros, please be prepared to depart once you are ready.

the four companions sighed as they kept their weapons and followed the warden.

after an hour and a half of walking they could see the shining light of the star just ahead and the end of the bridge, the fog subsided, and the area around them became clear as the weather worsened.

but that shining light soon disappeared, it was just a sunset, and the day became night, it was now night time, the skies darkened, and a shadow rose from a cliff at the end of the valley, the monster of Death Valley, Kilomos Deity.

Lionard: it is Kilomos! ready your weapons!

the group once again took out their weapons and prepared for another fight, this time against a monster nearly three stories tall, the massive humanoid flesh monster had no small features apart from its two legs and two arms, as well as a hard, but no skin, nails, a hand or foot, not even a face, but rather, just bleeding red flesh, and a gaping mouth for a stomach.

Aster: damn it's ugly!

Lios: you took the words right out of my mouth!

Lios took the first move by throwing his daggers laced with poisons at Kilomos, but the attack had no effect, instead, the daggers were absorbed and thrown back at him, but was blocked by the shield of an ASF-Warden.

however, that was not all that Kilomos's retaliation, as more attacks were given.

Lios could not believe what he was seeing, a smaller being able to withstand all those attacks from a far larger creature, however he was only seeing one of them, the others weren't so fortunate, the other wardens were being tossed around like toys, although unbroken and undamaged, they still weren't able to deal a single strike, unlike the FCAD-Drones.

the FCAD-Drones flew above Kilomos, striking when the time was right, all the while the wardens kept its company and attention diverted from them, leaving only Zenon, Aster and Lios, who were still doing nothing.

Lionard: what are you all doing!? snap out of it and fight!

Zenon, Aster and Lios snapped back to reality and shook their heads before joining the fight.

Aster: r-right! I'm on it!

Lios: I'll get its attention!

Zenon: I'll be supporting from the back.

Zenon and his friends began their barrage attacks, Lionard swinging his halberd at the legs to weaken them to make Kilomos tumble, Lios, using his daggers to simply annoy it, and Aster climbing atop Kilomos's head and swinging away with her sword to slowly chip away at the head, and finally Zenon, who simply kept casting infernal attacks to blind it.

Lios, while still getting the undivided attention of Kilomos barely managed to avoid its attacks, each strike shaking the ground making him almost tumble, even with the attacks that were being given to the monster, however, while running, Lios noticed that Kilomos was slowly shrinking, he smirked as he kept taking its attention, knowing that this would be over soon.

however, this would prove difficult because already another hour passed, and the night grows older by the hour, their strength slowly slipping from their bodies, but Damian's units had no such weakness, and kept their attacks.

soon, Kilomos was only the size of a single story, and was quickly overpowered by the superior FCAD-Drones who tore the flesh abomination apart, by using their hands to tear off flesh.

Lios, Aster and Zenon soon gathered behind Lionard as they gathered their strength, regenerating mana inside their bodies and calming their minds, watching as Kilomos quickly gets torn apart.

Lios: huff... huff... huff... well, glad that's over.

Aster: hah, right... ugh... yeah...

Lionard smirked as he approached one of the ASF-Wardens as it turned around to face him.

Lionard: uh... hey, we are all very tired, so... if I might ask, may we take a break here?

the warden nodded while Kilomos was no more than pieces of flesh, and the FCAD-Drones began to calm down.

Lionard: good to hear...

sometime later, Lionard and his friends were gathered next to a camp fire, and a massive one too, thanks to Damian's units, don't ask where they got the firewood, just go with it.

Damian's units were doing their idle sitting animations while the four companions were busy gathering their strength and eating fruits taken from the trees, and vegetation nearby.

the camp was next to the end of the valley, farther away, over 25 miles was a forest, AKA the Forest of Fields, the reason why it was called like that is mostly because of the weekly battles between cultivators, hence the fields part.

Lionard and his friends enjoyed the beautiful stars above them, so far, far away, out of reach.

Lionard: I never felt this much peace before...

Lios: what? because you were long dead?

the group chuckled and laughed before taking bites out of the fruits they gathered as they enjoyed the view.

Lionard: you know Zenon, I am starting to think that this dark god you enslaved us to is not so bad.

Zenon raised an eyebrow as he asks.

Zenon: hmm? how so?

Lionard: well... for a dark god his minions sure are nice.

Aster: what? don't tell me you fell in love with one of them?

both Aster and Lios laughed while Zenon chuckled.

Lionard: ha ha, no... it is not like that...

Lionard paused for a moment as Aster, Lios and Zenon paid close attention and listened.

Lionard: of all the commanders I fought with, and all the battles I partake in, there was always a time that soldiers looked down on me as a mercenary, but I felt no disrespect when talking to one of them, maybe it is because they are heartless, but it is better than being evil and cruel, but then I remembered... nothing is always as it seems.

Aster: how's that so?

Lionard smiled as he answered.

Lionard: well... although it is just a hunch... but... there is something off about all this... as if nothing is right, everything is misplaced, for example, where were our gods when we needed them the most? Zenon, this is probably the first time we ever worked with a god, and a dark one at that... if this is what a dark god is really like... then what of gods of light?

Zenon and the others gave Lionard's words some thought, the question rooted deep within their minds, where were their gods, what happened to them, or perhaps they were abandoned.

many questions that were buried were starting to pop up, many of which just as worrying as the last, the camp became silent, the air felt colder, and the once joyful atmosphere now replaced with sadness and disbelief, Lionard took a heavy sigh as he calmed himself, looking at each one of his friends before speaking.

Lionard: I think this is enough talk for tonight, revenge is right around the corner.

Lios: I don't think I'm even doing this for revenge but... I guess I should sleep it over.

Lios then laid down on the soft dirt and rested his head on the log he sat on, while covering his body with his cloak, all the while Zenon and Aster nodded and went to their respective resting place, Aster simply sitting down and resting her head next to the pile of logs while Zenon also sat down but slouched himself, leaving only Lionard still awake.

Lionard: sigh... I spoke too much, maybe those fruits were making me drunk...

Lionard paused for a moment before looking at the stars once more, a shooting star passed, leaving Lionard wondering as he watched three more pass by as he spoke in a low voice.

Lionard: hmm... if only things would be as simple as it was when I was a child...

Lionard then looked at one of the wardens guarding the left part of the camp as he smiled.

Lionard: maybe this is a chance... maybe this is the answer to my childhood wish for adventure...

Lionard looked around at the many wardens and FCAD-Drones that protected him and his friends while speaking, slowly rotating his head as he watched the wardens patrol their surroundings.

Lionard: what a cruel world... painting others as evil creatures while painting themselves righteous... this world has gone insane, corruption is everywhere, greed and envy corrupt the people... such is life...

Lionard paused for a moment as he looks at the horizon, focusing on a small star separated from the rest, glowing faintly from time to time, Lionard opened his mouth before speaking with a smile.

Lionard: but it is our job... to make it right.

the star glowed a bit brighter as more stars appears, Lionard smiled and knew, he was not alone, even if most of the world was against him, he has allies to depend on, and there are more like him out there, doing their part.

he slowly closes his eyes as his mind fell black, his body becoming less heavier and instead lighter, a humming noise was heard by Lionard as a distant female voice spoke called out to him, with a simple hello.