Runic Ignition

With a serious gaze, Laryn stares down her pupil.“Susanna, he just wants to make sure you're safe. It has nothing to do with your fighting capabilities. Get a grip, this isn’t a situation kids should be having to deal with in the first place.” Susanna raises her arm in defiance while Layrns gaze grows cold, her sclera turning black.From the sheer pressure alone Susanna is left frozen in place.

“You’re the weakest member of your squad; he doesn’t want anything to happen to you. Do you understand?” Clenching her fist weakly Susanna looks down, ambivalent in her feelings. As Layrn distracts Susanna, Wilhelm and Vilhelm run out of the camp. Wilhelm off towards the plains area while Vilhelm races over to the location he left a marker.

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Reaching the bottom of the mountain, Joshua races into Blackwood towards a growing blue light. “ORTHON!” He calls out, as his friend is busy dodging strikes from Gytha. A black blast of mana races by his head, strands of red hair falling to the ground. “Brat, what are you doing? Just stay still and die.” The captain's voice was clearly distorted by something. A green ethereal tattoo slowly rises upon her neck and around her collar bone, like an ethereal maw consuming her mind.

“Hell no, you psychopath, do I look stupid. You always treated me and my comrades like your punching bags, I’m not just going to lay down and die when there are people I'm fighting for.” Gytha’s eyes flicker green as a sick grin stretches across her face. Reeling her left arm back, she unleashes another set of sen-bon styled blades towards him as way as unconsciously he releases a concentrated strike of aura from his blade, rendering disintegrating them.

Unable to process what he just did, he stands in a guarded stance. Looking down to his hands, he’s left in shock. “What did I just do?” Running onto the battleground, Joshua slides back-to-back Orthon as they stare down Gytha. Joshua’s eyes blazing.“She’s under his influence, Joshua.”

“I can tell that from the eyes.” Leaning forward, Orthon grips his blade, ignoring his own questions as he gets into a defensive stand. “The answer is obvious, Orthon; we’ve got to knock some sense into her.” Joshua cracks his knuckles as Gytha lunges towards him, the two boys splitting off. Whipping his blade out in front of him, Joshua catches her strike as he’s enveloped by a thin red light.

“Come to your senses you psychotic bitch, you're being controlled by Andric. Is that really what a mage like yourself would want? Being controlled by an arch-demons pawn? Maybe it's fitting for someone bearing those bastards blood.” Taunting the corrupted captain, Joshua lets out emotions that he long buried. Back flipping out of the way, she scowls. “Shut your damn mouth. You don’t understand shit.” Pulling her left arm back, mana circles spin around her wrist and palm as a black torrent of magical energy pushes Joshua back. Twisting her blood shot eyes around her gaze falls on Orthon.

“This is what you get for running away from me brat, I’ll show you what cowardice gets you.” Lunging towards Orthon, she thrusts her blade forward, nearly piercing his side as he barely avoids the slash. She grazes his skin, exposing the metal plating underneath. Her curved black blade trails along the ground as he turns around swinging back at her. “Cowardice, is that what you think this is. I could say the same about yourself. Living in misery from your own lack of talent.”

Gritting her teeth, her gums start to bleed as she clutches her hair. “SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP. You brats don’t know the hell I’ve lived through.” Her battle dress starts to sway with the magical energy reverberating across the ground. Her blade coats itself with black mana, like shadows dancing across its edge. “Waltz of the shadows.” her voice trails off.

One step, two step, she seemingly teleports towards Orthon who steps back in shock unsure of what to do. Swaying her blade around trails of shadows shallowly cut across his face. Blood trailing down his face, his eyes widen.

Eying this, Joshua watches for an opening. “Shadow magic!”. Rushing forward, he jumps into the air with a downward slash. “ORTHON DON’T LET HER HIT YOU.” Jumping back, a red cyclical blade launches from his blade. Side by side, Joshua looks to his ally. “She’s using magic. Cut through it with aura and try to predict her movements. If you get hit, it’s over.” Understanding the situation, Orthon’s aura lights up, light blue aura ruminating off his body.

“She strikes fast and precise, we have to wear her down as soon as possible. Don’t let up, Orthon.”

“Yes sir.” Orthon shakes his head up and down as the both rush her way, their red and blue auras bouncing off one another. She glares down, a grimace on her face.

“Die, pests.” Her voice continues to get more distorted by the minute. Swinging her blade down a green and black blast of energy flies from her sword as they roll out of the way of the blast ripping through the ground. Side stepping, she lunges at Joshua. “Distortion.” The mana circles swirl around her eyes.

Scrambling back to his feet quickly Joshua rushes back into towards her biting down on his left thumb as his blade ignites into flames. Swinging his blade towards her , his blade passes through as Orthon jumps in the way blocking a lethal blow to his black. “Joshua, you alright?” Spinning around his body, he ignores his allies' words as he clashes against her, raging fire burning against swirling darkness.

“That's all you have ‘Captain Joshua?” mockingly , she taunts him.

“If I was alone maybe, don’t forget that this is a two on one.” Just as he finishes, Orthon charges up behind her swinging his blade across her back. His blue aura cut through her dress, digging through her flesh.

Blood begins to trail across her back as she reels in pain, a massive amount of black and green ripples from her body as she jumps back, throwing her sword towards Joshua. It moves unreasonably fast as it cuts through the top of his shoulder.

Wincing in pain he draws a runic circle with the exposed blood, a red light wrapping itself around the wound. “Damn it, any lower and my arm would have been severed.”

“Do you need any help?” Draxis snickers. Growling back, Joshua snarls his nose.

Standing back up, his breathing turns ragged, exhaustion kicking in. Orthon’s gaze widens watching Joshua’s state. “NO.” Shouting out, his eyes flash blue and white. Full of rage and a desire to protect, he lunges towards Gytha who starts to walk towards Joshua. His aura crackles, blue sparks fire into the air as he breaks through to the 4th node himself. Nearly impaling her through the heart, a man dressed in a familiar purple ronin outfit jumps in the way, knocking his blade from his hand as it skids across the ground. Chopping Gytha in the back of the neck, she falls over unconscious as he takes a deep breath. His club now cracked to hell from the impact of Orthon’s aura.

Losing the grip on his sword, Orthon chases after it, summersaulting over it grabbing it with his right hand before spinning around ready to face their new foe. But it’s only Weil. “Well hello boys, fancy seeing you two here. I assume you know who is behind this mess.” His face looks down in a mixture of annoyance and pity

Joshua nods his head as he clambors back up straight. “Yeah, it’s Andric; he’s a servant of Astaroth.”

“Hmm, so demons’ are involved. Well, I won’t be of much help then.” Weil scratches his chin in realization as he kneels down, picking up a wounded and unconscious Gytha.

“Wait, what do you mean you won’t be of much help? You knocked her out with ease, and blocked my strike.” Orthon stammers as walks back up to the pair.

“One needs spiritual power to harm demons and I’m quite lacking in that department; my specialty is pure physical strength.” Turning towards his cohort, he sighs. As for her, well… Let’s just say this isn’t the first time I’ve had to knock sense into her.” He pulls his cloak down, flexing his arms, as a look of genuine compassion draws to the psycho instructor.

“Where are you going to take her? Nowhere in Blackwood is going to be safe, as you can see.”

“Gyles informed me of your safe haven, Captain Joshua. I’ll be heading there with the remaining cadets, it’s a pity I already lost two to those strange beasts, but I took care of them no problem.” Over in the distance was a large mangled pile of reanimated corpses, their fur, blood, and gore spread all over the place.

“He hasn’t been drinking, so his senses aren’t dulled right now. I guess this is for the best, we’ve got to get going anyhow.” Looking up to face Weil, a stoic look crosses the bearded man’s face.

“Thank you very much for taking care of her, she lost her cognitive abilities a few hours ago and started throwing a tirade.” Weil bows and makes his exit, leaving Joshua and Orthon confused as they turn to each other. “Is that it? You think he’s into her, Joshua?”

“I guess so, let’s get a move on, we don’t have any time to waste.” Joshua reiterates, his skin crawling thinking about the two being in bed together.

“Yes sir.” Orthon bows as the two of them race their way around the massive fissure, jumping over fallen debris whilst heading towards the place they marked on the map. Right underneath the large blackwood tree, which stands tall miraculously. Pulling a runic cube from his coat pocket, he tosses it over to Orthon as he feels it around in his hands taking in all its unique details and etchings.

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Off in a different part of Blackwood, Gyles and the commandant face down a six headed stitched together chimera with Andric standing on top of its middle head. Different beast and monster parts held together by Astaroth’s essence. Green ethereal fluid leaking from its pores as it stands eleven feet tall.

Glaring down with malice towards Ghislaine, Andric screams. “Serves you right, now it’s my turn to be on top, Mr. Bloody Fang.” Psychotic laughter rings out as Gyles shakes his head looking towards his boss.

“What is this about Ghislaine? Clearly something happened with Andric for a demon to use it as a trigger.”

Dodging the question, Ghislaine detracts. “Hell if I know, as far as I understand he was fine until he was sent on that mission to subdue that damn lich.” Reaching to his side he closes his eyes, grasping the whistle around his neck.

Gyles shakes his head having listened to the two men bicker long enough. “Seems like young Joshua was correct, hell literally broke loose.”

Chuckling for a moment, he drops his coat to the ground, leaning his head forward as he lifts his right arm and grasps his katana from the scabbard on his back. Lowering it in front of himself, he grasps it with both of his hands, slowly tightening his grip as he takes a deep breath. Soon after an orange aura envelopes the blade as his eyes begin glowing. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. His aura nodes ignite.

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Bringing the whistle to his lips a piercing ring echoes out throughout Blackwood as a massive force crashes through a nearby wall growling viciously towards the commandant.

“FENRIR, OBEY YOUR MASTER. Destroy this demonic abomination.” He waves the whistle around taunting the large beast.

A deep growl can be heard as Fenrir turns towards Andric and his abomination. Seeing his kindred stitched together like this makes his blood boil as liquid fire leaks from his mouth.

Instantaneously The commandant and Andric launch into each other mid-air as they clash alongside their respective beasts. Gyles starts cutting down all the lesser chimera as a sick green liquid spills out all over the place. Easily severing and bisecting the fallen creatures, he lets out a sigh. “I hate cleaning up other people’s messes.” Bags under his eyes, he launches forward into another herd of monsters.

In the midst of this, a green spectral blade clashes with the commandant's scarlet rapier as a shock wave of red and green energy ripple through the air. Andric’s sickening green eyes glare into Ghislaine’s calm and collected blue ones.

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Wilhelm finally makes his way to the plains, where a multitude of blackwood trees strewn about. Looking around, he sees a mixture of smaller beasts spread around. Some normal and some with that sickening green substance from earlier.

As the two kinds of beasts fight around him, he quietly slips by making his way over to a small mound of stone. Approaching his destination, a large growl bellows from behind him. “Crap.” Quickly drawing his mace and his shield, he turns to face the beast. Like the corrupted wolf from earlier, a similar looking arctos approaches the boy.

“Didn’t this thing get eaten? We have its damn hide!” Wilhelm jumps back confused and panicked. “Well then, I guess it’s time for round two.

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His aura flares to life as he’s coated in his own green light. Staring down the beast, it roars. Readying himself for its pursuit, he lifts his shield high, throwing himself forward. The undead Arctos swipes its left paw forward as Wilhelm blocks it. Staggering back, he feels the beast's force ripple through his body. Lunging forward, he slams his mace down, however the beast doesn’t stagger back at all.

“How the hell?” Jumping out the way of another strike, the two circle each other. “I don’t think killing this thing is going to be easy.” Rushing towards the beast, he brings his mace down tearing through its shoulder.

The beast bares its fangs attempting to tear at his flesh only to be blocked once more. Rushing away from their current position he makes his way to some trees off in the distance. Using them to keep his distance.

The beast charges forth, knocking some of them over as it ramps up its pursuit. Jumping out of the way his metal armor clanks around as his breath becomes heavy. “I really should have spent more time wearing this armor plating. I’m not used to it weighing me down.” Panting, he tries to catch his breath.

In the moment of pause, another smaller creature enters the fray swiping its claws against his side only for the sound of its metal to ring out. Quickly spinning his head, he swings down on the imp like creature. Its head explodes on impact. “ Oh yeah, there's more than just the arctos.”

The ‘arctos’ starts spinning its head around to locate Wilhelm when it becomes distracted by another creature passing by. Lowering his body to the ground, Wilhelm begins sneaking back around to the mound he needed to go. Each and every step is carefully accounted for as he makes sure to not make any noise.

Eventually he makes it back to his destination, pulling out the cube Joshua threw his way earlier with strange symbols etched into it. Placing it down on the ground, he carefully lays down out of sight of the beast as he begins fiddling around with it with mild confusion. “What did he say to do to activate these things?” Wilhelm questions under his breath.

As he spends the next little while trying to activate the totem, Vilhelm is busy dealing with a mess of his own creation.

Spinning around, blade in hand he backs up to a mountainside wall, the dirt crunching under his feet. Back against the mountainous wall, he looks down as a pack of corrupted wolves surround him. “Damn mutts, why did I try showing off?” As one of the beasts lunges at him, he jumps to the side using his aura to stick the landing, nearly stumbling forward.

Pulling himself back, he swipes his sabre at the beast as it cuts through one of its eyes. Green blood spewing out oozing across its manged pelt. It reels back in pain, howling. “Sucks to be you, wolfy.” Vilhelm bellows out in confidence.

Arrows shoot down from above impaling the wolves as they keel over. 1, 2, 3, 4, seeing this Vil steps forward swinging his blade down killing the last one before turning his head up and around.

“Need some help Vil?” A young girl stares at her squad mate, crossbow in hand; her eyes crystalline with yellow tattoo’s trailing her form. Her black and red blazer swaying with the wind. “Susanna, didn’t we say to stay at the campsite?”

With a deadpan, she pinches her brow in annoyance. “Clearly, you’re not doing too hot. Anyhow, the camp should be fine. Weil and Layrn are up there now alongside the other cadets. I came down here because our lovely captain dropped this on his way out.

Holding up a small cube with symbols on it. She shakes her head waving her hand asking Vil where he needed to go.

“Oh, just over there.” He points over to a strange rock formation lower on the mountain. “Knowing where I’d be heading, I made it obvious so I didn’t forget.” Vil cheekily smiles. “What do you think about everything going on?”

“Well clearly he knew what he was talking about.” She motions her hands out to the current hellscape around them. “I just wish you guys would have included me in your discussions. I’m not just some weak little girl. I’m a member of wolf squad too.”

Vilhelm chuckles nervously; since it was him who had talked Joshua out of including her. “Nonetheless, let’s get going, I’m sure Wilhelm is nearing his destination as we speak.”

Making their way across the mountain, the two of them kill any creatures scavenging around. As they reach his destination Vilhelm pulls out his own runic cube, Placing it in his hands, he closes his eyes. “Joshua said to just fill it with aura right… I hope this works.”

Clasping his hand tightly a cyan blue light shines brightly around Vilhelm as he begins forcing it into the cube, brilliant sparks shoot out around them as Susanna looks towards him in confusion. “That’s what’s supposed to stop this mess?” Shaking her head, she turns around readying herself, as she starts protecting Vilhelm from any stray monsters.

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Back to Orthon and Joshua, As they stand under the giant blackwood tree, Joshua passes Orthon his runic cube. “Fill the totem with your aura. I’ve got your back, since you’ll be vulnerable until it activates.” Orthon nods his head as he sits crisscross under the tree, holding their salvation. His right arm above it and his left below as a blue energy begins reverberating outwards, attracting some unwanted attention.

Sensing the pressure, birds of prey begin swooping down towards the pair as Joshua swipes at them with his sword. Blasts of aura, shooting out as some are split in half. “Where the hell did these things come from, they aren’t native here?” Looking around he groans in annoyance. “ I guess I should prepare plan B.” As he continues ‘dancing’ around Orthon, he starts vaguely drawing runes into the ground as more and more creatures pile up around them. Joshua mumbles aloud. “Maybe I should have requested more help here.” As a vast multitude of beasts surround the pair, Draxis pipes up. “Need some help kid, for real this time?”

“Not yet, watch this!” trailing his left index finger across his blade, the blood drips down as the runes light up with a red glow, The numerous symbols on the ground raging to life underneath their closing in foes.

A sick smile crosses his face as she slams his hand down as a massive explosion rings out, an inferno of blood red fire shoots into the sky as Orthon cries out in shock, the explosion ringing his ears, “What the hell just happened, are you okay Joshua?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little tired from doing crowd control.” Mangled and scorched body parts fall to the ground across the place as a blue barrier forms around Orthon. Turning to face his ally Joshua smirks. “Orthon, you should be safe now. Just keep pouring your aura into the ritual. I’ve got to get going to the forest okay.

Sweat pours down Orthon’s face as he nods. “I trust you Joshua, get going and stay safe.” As Joshua stands back to his feet a cheerful voice echoes in his mind.

“Now that’s what I'm talking about, kid.” Draxis screams out in excitement, the chaos itching a nerve from within the primordial dragon.