A Promise of Warning

Arriving at the point Kiarae told me, I approach slowly. Watching and waiting as a silence stretches over the area. As I crest a hill, a familiar roar comes from nearby, and a shiver runs down my spine. Turning towards the sound, I see a Demonic beast walking through a battlefield of fallen soldiers. Watching from my vantage point, it swings its club against a white shield. A group of soldiers cowering behind it. Racing down the side of the hill, I draw Thorne and Aetheris, concentrating my magic.

"Fifty Cal rounds." Waiting for a moment for the cylinder to elongate and the rounds to slam home, I pull a round from Aetheris and jump into the air.

"Shadowstep." Appearing above the creature, I throw the round into the air and aim down Aetheris's sights.

"Aces High." The round tears free from Aetheris, and I twist to land lightly on the creature's shoulders, windmilling my arms to regain my balance. Before it can start bucking, I point Thorne down at the creature and slide the hammer back.

"Arbalest." A loud boom comes from Thorne as the round tears through the creature. Leaping from its back, I land heavily on the ground, my shoulder rolling across sharp stones as a hailstorm of fire rains down from the sky, engulfing the creature. Getting to my feet slowly, I watch as the creature collapses into the dirt, its last breath escaping its body. Holstering my guns, I walk over to the group huddling behind the shield. Letting it go, a young elf man steps forward and bows deeply to me.

"Thank you for your help, Human. If not for your help, we would surely have died."

"You're welcome…" at my prompt, the young man jumps visibly.

"I am terribly sorry. Where are my manners? I'm Eric." Holding out his hand, I take it in the warrior's grip that works for a handshake in this world.

"Well met, Eric. The queen sent me to reinforce your area. Do you have wounded?"

"We do. This way." Leading me to the back of the area where the shield was moments before, he leads me to an area with around a dozen people lying on the ground. Looking at the wounded clutching multiple wounds, a thought comes to me. Pulling Aetheris from its holster, I concentrate on changing the element of the rounds/ For a moment, green light emits from the cylinder as the rounds change. Aiming at a nearby wounded person, I pull the trigger. Watching as green light covers their bodies and their wounds begin to heal. Breathing a sigh of relief, I slide a round from the chamber and throw it into the air.

"Aces High." As the rounds connect midair, green light rains down on all the wounded. Turning back to Eric, I holster Aetheris.

"They should be fine for now. Some may need more attention. After all, what I did is mostly first aid as opposed to fully healing their wounds."

"Thank you, Human."

"Oscar. The name is Oscar."

"Thank you, Oscar." As battle horns sound nearby, I take a few steps back as a magic missive comes hurtling from the sky and stops in front of me. Opening it up, I read the message.

"King has arrived. Come on back to the command tent if all is stable where you are. We march on the gate.

Ella."

Sliding my hand across the missive, I scrawl my response and flick it away.

"Roger. Be back soon." Watching the missive as it flies away, I turn to the elf.

"Alright, I've been called back. You guys be alright here now?"

"Well, with the behemoth gone, we should be fine. You've healed our injuries, and reinforcements should be here momentarily. Head back to the Queen. Let her know everything is good here." Nodding to Eric, I turn and head back towards the Queens tent. Making my way over the rise, I stop as a branch snaps to my left, drawing Thorne. Walking out of the bushes, Saetaen comes out, a sword in hand.

"Well, looks like you came, Oscar. And I see you destroyed my toy. No matter. It is all going to be irrelevant in the end." Pointing Thorne towards him, I slide the hammer back. Smiling, he holds his hands up.

"Now, now, there will be plenty of time for that. I just came to give you a friendly warning. Leave this place, or I will kill everything you hold dear."

"Sounds more like a threat than a warning."

"Oh, it is a warning. A threat implies that there's a possibility that it will not occur. No, you can consider that a promise, Oscar. That I can assure you. See you soon." Taking a step to the side, he vaporizes into smoke, leaving me standing there on the battlefield. Holstering Thorn, I pick up the pace, racing across the battlefield in a blur, arriving at the tent in a cloud of dust and breathlessness. Walking inside, I see Ella, the King, the Queen and Hannah huddling over the table. The three generals sitting off to the side with unhappy looks on their faces. At my entrance, all four turn to look at me.

"How did you go?" straightening up from the table, the queen addresses me.

"Your people are safe. The ones left alive anyway. Behemoth killed a few. Sorry, I couldn't get there in time to save them all."

"Thank you for saving the ones you did. I am grateful. Now, on to more pressing matters. Saetaen is gathering his forces in front of the gate. He has pulled all of his remaining men. If we want to break through, It will be the battle of our lifetime. They will not give up The Hall of the Damned lightly. We also can not confirm if Saetaen is even here."

"He's here." At my words, Ella gives me a sharp, knowing look. Her eyes boring into me.

"Please tell me you did not do it again, Oscar."

"I didn't do a damn thing. He did." With a sigh, she shakes her head. Looking on in confusion, the Queen raises an eyebrow.

"Can someone please enlighten me?"

"Oscar met with my father. Again." Turning on me with a surprised look, the Queen opens her mouth to speak. But I cut her off before she can say anything.

"Look it's not my fault your father keeps seeking me out. I don't understand the man's infatuation with me."

"It is because you stand up to him, Oscar. Saetaen thrives on the fear that people have of him. He maintains an air about him, and he thrives on that. From what I understand, you are the first person to See through that illusion and call him out in a very long time. To him, you are not just a force to be reckoned with, your very existence is a thorn in his side. He will seek you out more and more until one of you is destroyed. There can be no other way for a man like him."

"Great, so he's going all swim fan on me. Great. Just what I need." At my reference, Hannah burst out laughing, and everyone else just looks at me strangely.

"So, when do we hit the gate?" Looking over the map, I see the armies in a spearhead formation positioned above the Hall of the Damned.

"We leave at once. Everyone ready yourselves. We go to War."