The dying screams of an entire village echoed in the night. No man, woman or child spared from the bloodshed.
"Death, blood and destruction. On a throne of blood the father shall rule over us!", a manic shout filled with obsession cut through the screams, "You impure animals, be glad that you may be of use for the ascension of our god!"
As a muscular brown haired man rushed the cultist with a dull short sword that didn't look like it had seen much use, his head burst a few steps before he got to the robed man, spraying a slurry of blood and brain matter over a blond haired woman shielding a child, presumably hers, behind her.
"Just wait your turn. Whether you run, hide, cower in fear or fight, you will die by The Reapers scythe and become a step for the great lords ascension." He said while waving his scythe as if to punctuate every word he said.
The woman ignored him, simply pulling out a sword from seemingly nowhere while ensuring she was in a position to protect her daughter. Her green eyes dyed in a deep hatred as she said a short prayer. "Alyssa, hero of the goddess, the chosen of fate, asks for the loving protection you give and divine strength upon your children." The moment the last word left her mouth, a light that could only be described as holy enveloped her, her eyes shifted from their usual emerald green to a sparkling gold, the cultist looked on with amusement, as her daughter went through a similar transformation behind her.
Time seemed to pause as Alyssa inhaled sharply, before it abruptly resumed its flow as she materialized behind the Reaper, sword already at his neck. Shock filled his eyes as he quickly leaped back before a field of hands made entirely of shadow clawed their way out of the ground and attempted to weigh down the woman.
"It seems this will not simply be a massacre of dogs, but a slaughter of slightly bigger dogs." the man laughed condescendingly.
"Do not call him a dog!" She shouted as the shadows were blown away by a pulse of light. Once again she disappeared only to appear in front of him, sword pointed downwards at the cloaked figures heart, though this time slower than before. Hmm, interesting. Perhaps a time limit of some sort?
A disc of solid shadows materialized in the air between the man and the sword swallowing it before it could reach him. However this only lasted for a moment before the holy power dispelled the darkness, allowing for the thrust to land. Although it missed his heart the sword had still managed to pierce his vitals.
"Perhaps I took you too lightly.” He spat, along with a few drops of blood, his distaste of the situation obvious. “But before you start thinking you have a chance, I'll end this quickly. [Wrath of the elements]"
Soon after, the hero was trapped within a miniature tornado that sliced every patch of exposed skin, the very earth itself seemed to want her dead, clawed hands made of sharp, jagged rock gouged at her skin and snapped her bones while a bloody rain fell from the pitch black clouds of smoke and ash above seared her skin and drained her strength with each drop that touched her skin. And when the spell was finished, a mangled, burnt and torn corpse that somehow managed to keep its life fell to the floor. After a few moments a pale glow surrounded the prone woman, closing her wounds, however the wounds reopened faster than the glow could close them, until eventually the glow faded entirely.
In her last moments Alyssa reached a hand that was in the process of falling apart out to the most important thing on her mind, the small child. “I’m sorry Alice, I’m so sorry.I couldn’t protect you. Just remember that no matter what, mommy loves you more than anyone else in the world.” She muttered to the horrified girl who had tears streaming down her face. Almost drowning in tears Alice felt a strange strength spread through her, starting from the very core of her soul. It spread through her, flowing through everything from her hair to her fingertips, before rushing out of her pores and into the air; she felt as if she could run up a mountain and still have the strength to take on an army. She felt invincible, untouchable even. But when she attempted to avenge her parents and everyone else she knew, her legs wouldn’t budge, looking down she saw the hands of darkness snaking up her legs and grabbing hold of her torso.
"Hmm, seems you have potential to be a greater sacrifice if given the time to grow. I shall let you live today little mouse go and when you return as a bear that can swallow tigers whole, you will be slain by horrors you could never imagine." An increasingly sadistic smile creeping up his face, "You shall return. I'm sure of it, and when you do, I'll be waiting."
As the man vanished into his own shadow, Alice was left alone in the silent death he left behind.
