Chapter 748: ‘-here Ie, ravish for I shall bath in thy blood,’


    Lightning strikes, electricity charges through the growing mist. Intherna, restricted by the sudden rush, waits, the expression borders between anger and fear. The wounded warrior, stricken with an immobilizing wound ws to a stand – the poor archer tasked into standing guard had the outfit pulled.


    “Why would he rush in?”


    “We don’t have time to ask whys,” she replied, “-there are moreing.”


    Surely enough, the mist epassed their position, no sky on an upward nce – vision, only a few meters to the front, had the path vanish.


    “Stick together,” said an archer.


    “Let’s make for the tree,” said another, “-tis a better vantage point.”


    “Understood,” the figures leaped into the foliage, growls, and snares scattered below.


    .....


    ‘Igna, what in the hell are you thinking?’ she gritted. Beside sat the first warrior against the tree trunk, the injured leg dangled, the pain tightened the tense facial features.


    Amidst the carnage, a man stared a giant wolf, thetter, postured in a defensive stance, growled in wait, “-Fenrir!” he eximed, “-it’s me, Staxius.” The name seemed to harbor no reaction, the beast but intensified its re, heavy paws dug onto the mildly snow-covered path. ‘My words aren’t getting to her,’ he brandished Orenmir, ‘-feels nostalgic, we met on a simr path. You’re still alive,’ the resolve firmed, ‘-I thought I lost you,’ the stance lowered, ‘-not going to happen again.’


    *Woosh,* ws met against sword, “-you’re not Staxius!” echoed mentally, the shock scattered his equilibrium, it capitalized on the opening and dug, broke aside his parry, and tore into clothes. A w mark quickly filled with blood, he leaped to no avail, the wolf followed and wed sideways, *crash,* he ended inside the forest after flying through multiple stern tree trunks. What remained was broken bones and pierced skin, ‘-not a contest of strength,’ he thrust Orenmir into the ground and pushed himself up, the posture dropped, ‘-Fenrir’s a legendary beast. She outmatches me from the very beginning, we fought a battle of attrition during which I died and doubled my powers. Won’t be possible,’ *Vengeance, go forth,* he called, the knees buckled, the world tipped, he dropped headfirst onto a rock, ‘-shit.’ shes of light (from Vengeance and Fenrir’s battle) sparked the clouded area, ‘-I can’t see,’ blindness filled his world, ‘-did I hit my head too hard, my eyes are open...’


    “Rise and fight,” said an unknown voice, “-my prodigy, no need to despair, I’m here, you have my blood, you have my blessings, and you have my trust. I don’t need to remind you what thee stand for. The only race capable of reaching divinity is ours, reach in deep, focus, and more importantly, trust in thine blood.”


    ‘Adete,’ vision regained albeit in a single eye, ‘-the best defense is a strong offense,’ he pulled himself up, the wounds healed at an astounding pace, broken bones fused, the muscles reattached and the skinyered, ‘-I’m the first progenitor’s direct descendant, there’s no way I’ll forget.’ Orenmir flew into his open palm, a shot of transparent body crashnded in a loud explosion.


    “Master,” said Vengeance, “-the wolf is very strong.”


    “Testament to Fenrir’s strength,” he replied, “-forget overpowering her,” the grip firmed, “-we can’t. Return to me, I’ll handle the fight from here on.”


    “Understood, master,” he shifted into a brief veil of ck.


    Igna fired a strong nce to Fenrir’s general position, it seemed to switch marks, ‘-calm the breathing and focus,’ bleached white pupils trickled into blood-red, the alteration proceeded in increments. ‘-There’s one way out of the mess,’ he inhaled, ‘-I’ll have to use Nevermore, my mana won’t regenerate, here I thought to save it for a better day. Well then, to defeat a legend, I ought to pour what remainder of powers I have.’


    The suspended location wasn’t much favorable, a brutally vicious mien fell onto the first warrior, “-it’sing,” he whimpered, “-my blood must have given it away.”


    ‘Screw this,’ her palms clenched, ‘-Igna’s aura has dwindled, sorry but I have to step into the battle,’ fire lit her crimson hair, the eyshes intensified by a blue me.


    *Death Element: Unleash Aura,* ‘-what the-‘ an outburst of energy halted and dowsed her fire, ‘-this energy,’ she smirked, ‘-Igna’s gotten serious.’


    “What’s happened?” gulped the warrior, “-I’ve never sensed such a dark energy before,” the stomach churned, ‘-I c-can’t,’ he hurled down the side, nausea struck hard.’


    *Deep slumber, deep rest, awaken for the chance at retribution. Gate of which stands before mine way, open for thy master hase: Nevermore – Hell’s Gate,* the bushes rattled, the wolf’s target swapped, “-Remember me now?” they crossed weapon, the shock rattled through the bone, the elbows and shoulders nearly blew. *Span across the ages, fear is what held peace, fear is what caused War, fear is the root of evil. I, the harbinger of the ultimate fear, havee to spread and reim what is mine of right: Nevermore – Terror Gate,* leaped backward, the beast followed, angered by the damage inflicted, he sidestepped, increase in power meant an increase in speed, the movements grew predictable, ‘-fighting a monster is easier than a human,’ he ducked and hurried under its belly, she tipped to the side and wed backward, ‘-no you don’t,’ he spun, ‘-this will mark the end of my internal mana supply,’ *Unbound by thews of Heaven to Hell; unshackle mine power: Nevermore – Annihtion Gate,* and met the attack straight on; the aura took material form, a massive skull indicative of death howled across the ins, “-FENRIR, LISTEN, IT’S ME,” he cried. *Click,* a tinge of white held the battle in suspense, ‘-I’ve won,’ the index finger, bloodied by thest blow, ambled to the furry underbelly, ‘Mana-Cancetion,’ an outburst of energy lit the forest and surroundingnd in an electrifying yellow tint till a massive explosion – the increase shot upward into a spire, broke through the somber sky, scattering clouds and sting across the heavenly realm, so thought many in the lower worlds.


    “Igna,” her heart sank, “-are you dumb,” she dropped from the foliage, the mist dissipated slowly, ‘-where’s he?’ forceful scans showed naught, ‘-where are you,’ walk turned jog, she nced to no avail, ‘-where are you,’ jog turned sprint.


    *Huff, puff,* a small hemisphere kept the fog at bay, before she sat a nudedy who held Igna’s close to her heart, light blue ran through her hair, she bore wolf ears and tail, “-who stands there,” it turned menacingly to Intherna, “-are you an enemy of my master?”


    “Enemy...” fire shaped into arrows, “-YOU CRAZY, WOMAN?” a barrage flung to her side.


    “You are an enemy,” she rose, nude as could be, and summoned a concrete wall of wind, lightning conjured, “-getaway,” she growled.


    “Woman,” a fire barrier halted the jolts, “-that boy is mypanion, you’ve got the wrong person.”


    “No, this is Staxius Haggard.”


    “Wrong, Staxius Haggard is dead, that boy is his reincarnation, Igna Haggard,” the animosity wavered, “-you knew him in the prior life?”


    “Can’t be,” the wind wall dropped, “-my soul is linked to his, the soul in this man is my master’s. The scent may have changed, the man is still my master.”


    *Cough, cough,* blood dribbled, ‘-overdid it,’ the eyebrows knotted in pain, ‘-my mana reserve’s extinguished, the trees on fire,’ he caught a few nces,’-wait, why are we at nearly the same height as the trees... dragons?’ he squinted, ‘-well, if I can’t help,’ *Go forth Vengeance, protect they who protect me,* the arm rose momentarily and dropped lifelessly.


    “Open the gates!”


    “THE WINTER GUARDIAN!” scattered across the dense tree line.


    “RUN FOR YOUR LIVES,” eximed others, bows, and swords dropped in the infamous creature’s appearance. Elemental projectilesnded around, few trees caught fire, a world-ending menace rose in behind, a tsunami of disaster made its way for Intherna and the others.


    “OPEN THE GATES!”


    Tribal warriors ran about a stone-build wall, messengers wrapped inside the settlement to call on the chief, “-what’s the matter,” he wondered perched atop a watchtower deep inside the walls.


    “Chief,” hurried the messengers, “-the winter guardian was spotted rushing for our vige, it’s running from dragons and wyverns. What are your orders?”


    ‘Dragons and wyverns,’ a brass spyss magnified towards the area of caution, ‘-isn’t that the first warrior?’ there, through the lens, a familiar face waved atop the giant wolf.


    “OPEN THE GATES!” he ordered, “-and be at the ready to use the canons.”


    “But chief, if we attack the dragons, they may ravage the vige.”


    “Can’t be helped,” he gritted, “-have the women and children evacuated to EJu Lake, board the boats, we’ll ride downstream to Lord Enok’s shipping town. Able fighters gather at the entrance, I’ll be there in a few moments.”


    “UNDERSTOOD!”


    ‘Not worth staying and fighting. Life around these parts is hard enough. Good job, little brother, tis the perfect excuse to return. We of the Eael tribe won’t be outsmarted so easily.’


    “Legendary wolf, head for the settlement, the gates are opening. We’ll fight them there.”


    “Are you sure?”


    “The Eael tribes lived through worse, trust me, we’re travelers by nature.”


    *ROAR,* echoed the wind, Fenrir leaped over the wall, the gate was much too small – theynded in a giant puff of dust, “-brother,” said the first warrior, “-I’vee defeated and with bad news. Shame me for my weaknesster,” Fenrir’s size diminished.


    “Who are these people you bring with?” fired the chief vested in rustic colors, a hat, guns strapped to the belt, and mat brown pants with high-boots.


    “Travelers,” said Intherna, “-myrade was injured gravely in the battle against the winter beast.”


    “You don’t say,” he took a nce at the unconscious body, “-we’re leaving the settlement, I’m afraid the boat isn’t big enough to hold a beast and itsrade, understand what I’m saying?”


    “Yes, I do,” red Intherna, “-natural selection. Fair, take your people and leave, myrades and I will stay and fight the iing wave.”


    “That was the n,” he held the warrior by the cor, “-weakling, I said to not attack unless threatened. Most of the gremlins have perished, what a shame. Priestess,” he called, “e here and heal my foolish brother.”


    “Yes sire,” said ady covered from head to toe in a religious outfit, *Heal.*


    Cannons atop the stone walls fired in the distance, each shot resounded across the empty settlement. A lonesome three-room house further into town gave straight onto the northern exit. Igna and the first warriorid in ufortable beds, the priestess used all her strength on the first warrior.


    “Good luck,” said the chief seeing the healed injury, “-if you make it out alive, head downstream to the port-town of Ventia; who knows, might have some job for tried and tested fighters. Legendary winter beast,” he scowled, the hands tapped his revolver, “-for the countless lives you taken of my people, I ought to shoot thee right here and now. Sadly, would be a waste of bullets. Consider this my appreciation for saving my brother, our encounter ends here, goodbye.” Strangers are strangers, a cross-armed Intherna, stood in the shadow of the house and watched thest of the vigers hurrying onto horses. Behind rose a threat of immense proportion, the true face of Draeb, creatures on par to angels and demi-gods in terms of strength.


    “I’ve returned,” said Vengeance, “-my strength has been exhausted,” he said to Intherna, “-monsters are circling the settlement. I bested the strongest wyvern – the others retreated soon after, a brown-scaled dragon’s rampaging through the forest, killing animals and monsters alike. Not long until it veers towards us.”


    “Thank you for buying time,” she smiled, “-I’ll handle the battle from here on,” she nced Fenrir, “-take care of Igna.”


    “I’ming with. Goddess or not, there’s no way such a horde will be beaten on bravado alone.”


    “D-Don’t count me out,” said a shaky voice.


    “Igna?” strong hands grasped her arms, “-you’re awake?”


    “I’m not dead,” he rose, a little tipsy in the motion, “-just shaken.”


    “Master?” said Fenrir telepathically.


    “I’m d to see you,” returned a smile, ‘-let’s keep the reunion forter – tis time to fight, I’m rusty, my swordsmanship needs a head start.’


    “Alright then,” exhaled Intherna, “-let’s fight,” she patted his head, “-next time, don’t rush in headfirst without warning, understand?”


    “Yes.”


    ‘Great,’ she smirked, the trio barged out the house, flying beasts rushed their position, creatures of unknown origins filled the paths, around each corner stood threat level of apostle and higher, ‘-here Ie, ravish for I shall bath in thy blood,’ the pupils dted in pure bloodlust, ‘-die.’