《Trinity Mage》 Prologue/Chapter 1 Prologue ¨C Trinity Mage¡¯s Proclamation (revised) On a desolate plane, a lone figure stood high above while he stared down at the mortal kingdoms and reflected on his past. Around him, lightning continued to fall as thunder shook the heavens. Within his shadow death slept and waited for a new victim to play with. This being watched the world and with his gaze, the lands beneath him were filled with a warm light that healed whatever it touched. "Master we must leave soon, time is almost upon us." hissed a being hidden in shadows. Nodding in agreement the man stopped reminiscing about the past and turned to leave, he had things that had to be done for even now his fight was not over. However, before he left the man approached a giant stone that stood erect. ¡°This should do nicely,¡± he whispered to himself. With a single finger, the man released some sparks from his index finger and pointed it at the stone. After a moment with a grin of satisfaction and without warning he disappeared, all that was left to testify that the man was ever there was a stone engraved with power.
Not long after the man departed from the mountaintop a group of adventurers passed by. One young mage sensed traces of magic that lingered around the solitary stone. Curious he drew closer to the monument and noticed words etched into the stone. ¡°Light shall always find a way to bring forth life, Death will never cease to stalk in the shadows. From the Heaven''s, judgment will rain down forever!" - Trinity Mage Beneath the words a picture was etched it was a trinity symbol with lightning in the top loop, the sun in the bottom left while the two moons and stars filled up the bottom right. For generations to pass this monument would be known as the Trinity Mage¡¯s Proclamation! Arc 1: Apprentice Mage Chapter 1: Death and Life (revised) What is death? To many, it is the one part of life feared the most, but what is death? Is it the ending of a mortal life in exchange for a spiritual one or is it the chance for a second life? To Aaron death was simply a sweet release. His weary soul longed for freedom and so he yearned for death. Though even with death there was no pleasure for his torment seemed to know no bounds as he went from a world of darkness to another. ¡°No! This can¡¯t be I am still blind, I can¡¯t move. Were all those stories about the afterlife a lie? Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Tormented by fate Aaron went from a life as a cripple who could not see nor speak to a world of everlasting darkness where he would be alone for eternity. To him fate was a cruel being, this had been the case when he was alive as Aaron Pendragon he was the son of a noble on Earth. Talented beyond comprehension with looks that caused any heart to be swayed. At first, it seemed like his destiny was meant to be great. However, that soon changed on his sixteen birthday. On that day he had lost it all and from then on his world had become nothing but a dark lonely place. Surprisingly enough Aaron carried on with his life for fifteen more years. This was due to one person who had strived to bring joy to his world. The stories of adventures and fantasy worlds that were read to him kept his weary heart aglow. Though fate had not given up on its endeavor to bring hell to his miserable life and soon the stories were no more. With his only escape from reality gone, he too soon followed as his flame died out.
¡°I know I died then why can¡¯t I see nor move!¡± In the cold darkness that Aaron was in, he contemplated on his twisted fate. Yet soon he felt as though a strong pressure was bearing down on him. ¡°What is going on is dying and being left to an eternal darkness not enough? Now I must suffer through my own soul being crushed into oblivion too?¡± However, soon after the pressure came Aaron felt relief as it dissipated in its place something different could be felt. The air was no longer cold it was warm and even though he could not open his eyes he was sure that there was light evading his darkness. ¡°What is going on?¡± Confused Aaron contemplated about the changes yet in the next second he felt a pain rise inside his chest and then a noise broke past his lips. Whaaaa! ¡°Did that noise come from me? It can¡¯t be it sounded like a babies cry. Could it be, could I have been reborn?¡± With the thought floating unanswered within Aaron¡¯s mind he soon found himself tired and unable to fight the sleep that overcame him and so Aaron drifted off to sleep.
As Aaron slept his mother gently held him in her arms with a warm smile plastered on her face. From the nearby room, a large man strode in after hearing the baby¡¯s cry and neared his wife. "Brom look this is your son!" The man peered at his son. As he gazed at the child, warmth seeped into his heart. His eyes softened and then he looked at his wife and proclaimed. "Mary he shall be called Trint!" Under a bright moon, a child who had finally been blessed by fate was born. While his family celebrated their new addition, he slept with a confused mind. Yet, unknown to all of them the wheels of fate began to turn. And while the child slept, the essences of this world flowed unhindered into him. So began the journey that will turn a broken man used by fate, reborn into a young boy who will become a legend destined for greatness. Chapter 2: A New World Glilia a world filled with mystery and magic, where heroes are born and legends are made! It is the 105thturn in the Laneros Era, in the cycle of Rohth. On an early zeops (spring) day the great morning sun has yet to kiss the kingdom of Epela, and so while the two sister moons still grace the land a young boy tosses and turns in his sleep. In a small villa within the city of Woruc a boy of seven or eight turns old slept soundly. Yet while he slept, a young beautiful woman strode across his dreams. The young maiden was dressed in a long white gown that seemed to have a slight golden glow to it. Though she had a beautiful body her face was covered by a hazy fog. Though even with the veil any who saw her would know she was beautiful beyond compare. As she walked through an open meadow filled with multitudes of flowers the lady in white began to sing. "When the chains break, The world will shake, And blood will pour forevermore. So awake Great Sage, For fate is stirring. Awake, awake, And meet thy fate. All life will burn, While heaven will scream, For the Forgotten One will return. So awake Great Sage, For fate is stirring. Awake, awake, And meet thy fate." --- ¡°Trint wake up time for the morning drills.¡±From the hallway outside of Trint¡¯s room Rodrick his older brother yelled for him to wake up. The Great sun had already risen into the sky and warmed the land of Glilia yet Trint had been lost within his dreams. Stirring from his slumber Trint got ready for the morning practice. As he sliped on his wool clothes he tried to recall the dream he had, though only fragments of a song and a blurry image of a woman popped up in his mind. ¡°Such a strange dream, I wonder who she could have been.¡± With these thoughts floating through his head Trint rushed out his door and down the stairs toward the back yard. It had been seven turns since he was reborn into the world of Glilia, during the past seven turns Trint had grown more accustom to his new life. At first, it was quite troublesome since he could not understand the language but with each day he learned more and more. Luckily thanks to having his previous life¡¯s memories still intact Trint was able to learn faster than it would normally take. This was not due to some useful skill or anything from his past life but more because he had the mind of an adult in the body of a child. After he learned the Ayethi language things began to ease up for Trint, he was now able to learn more about the new world around him. This world was nothing like Earth, for one in Glilia magic was not fantasy it was actually reality though this was a huge shock to Trint¡¯s mind it was not the only one. Many things that he could only fantasize about in his first life was now real and it was hard to grasp for a while. Other than learning the language and the fantastic things that made up Glilia, Trint began to learn martial arts. The martial arts Trint learned was not the same as what could be learned back on Earth, these fighting styles were much more advanced and more profound. They were also meant for survival more than for show. The reason for why he started learning martial arts was because his father was a warrior and so being the son of a warrior it was only fitting that he learned the family arts. --- Stepping out the back door Trint squinted his eyes as the morning sun fell on him, after blinking his eyes for a bit to adjust to the brightness two people appeared within his view. Near a wooden dummy stood a tall stocky boy who was in his mid-teens, his hair was cut in a military style and was plain brown. While his eyes though a dull brown color had a strength that could cause a weaker man to quiver. He had a face that was neither plain nor ugly yet was not overly handsome either, though when he smiled most woman¡¯s hearts would race. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. This boy was his older brother he was named Rodrick Von Dracos a strong name fit for a warrior to be. Off to the side stood an older man in his late thirties early forties. He was built like a soldier, sturdy and unyielding. Muscles bulged beneath his wool clothes and from them a soft dangerous aura could be perceived. His eyes a crimson red were like a savage beast sharp with a hint of bloodlust. His hair was also cut in a military style and was crimson in color. Though he had a faced that was chiseled and strong he wore a scar that traversed from his right eyebrow to his cheekbone. While though this man could send shivers down his enemy¡¯s spine, he was still what you would consider handsome. However, even though the man had a body like a war god, when he walked he would slightly limp while he also sported a missing left arm. This man was none other than Trint¡¯s father Brom Vym Dracos, his father was a Spell-Blade who could control the fire affinity. In the world of Glilia, magic was a powerful resource, many people could manipulate magic and were known as Magus. Those who could use magic would have the ability to manipulate one or more affinities. Magic was split into three types, which were Elemental, Spirit and Special Magic. Of these three types, Elemental had the most magics along with being the most common magic. Elemental magic consisted of Fire, Earth, Water, Wind, Lightning, Metal, Light and Dark magic. While Spirit magic consisted of Necromancy, Life, and Summoning Magic. The last type of magic is the Special Magic class which consisted of Enchantment, and Void Magic. However, other than magic the world also had another power that was sought after. This was where warriors came in. Though being a warrior was different than being a mage it was still a very amazing resource of Glilia. This is because just like mages not everyone can become a warrior either. Yet, there are those who are more blessed than others and are both a warrior and a magus, these people are known as Spell-Blades. --- For three hours Trint and Rodrick practiced the basic sword fighting training that they had always doneeach day. However, today was the last day for Rodrick since tomorrow he would officially enroll in the Warrior School of Legarts. ¡°Okay you two can stop, it¡¯s time for breakfast go get cleaned up,¡±with a warm smile Brom dismissed his sons. With big smiles, the two dashed away as their stomachs began to growl. --- As Trint hopped into the bathtub the warm water began to soothe his sore muscles, it had been only two turns since Trint began warrior training. Though in the two turns his body had grown a lot. When he first began to train even though he was excited to train he was unable to do a lot of the workouts. For one he was hardly able to even lift the wooden swords and so was only able to do swing practice for a few minutes each day. Though with his father¡¯s guidance and many cycles of hard work he began to gain some solid muscle. Now two turns later though he still could not compete with Rodrick he was able to at least complete the workout. ¡°I wonder how much longer it will take me to reach my brother¡¯s strength,¡±Trint sighed as he whispered the question. The reason he was so was eager to catch up to his brother was because when he did he would be able to learn his father¡¯s fighting style known as the Ballad of Chaos. Though for now, that was far in the future and so he could only sigh and wait. --- After, Trint washed up and changed he headed downstairs for breakfast, as he neared the kitchen the smell of food crashed into Trint¡¯s nose and caused his mouth to water and his stomach to ache. Descending the last few steps Trint walked into the dining room and sat next to his brother and father, both his father and brother were also drooling from hunger as they sniffed the air. ¡°I wonder what moms made for today?¡±said Rodrick with a greedy look emerging on his face. ¡°Whatever it is, it smells great,¡±replied Trint. As they waited their stomachs began to protest in hunger, thankfully though they did not have to wait much longer because shortly after a woman appeared from the kitchen. The woman was in her mid to late thirties, yet her beauty was undeniable and could probably still give younger women a run for their money. Her hair was a lavish light blue and it hung down past her slender shoulders. Her face was angelic, to say the least for she did not have a single blemish. Her skin was pure and white as snow and her eyes were as blue as sapphires. This was Trint¡¯s mother, Mary Elena Dracos. She was a talented Water Magus and a beauty within Glilia. She used to serve the Kingdom of Epela alongside Brom but now with her two children she changed her career from Magistra to a mother. ¡°I hope you boys brought empty stomachs because I made lots of your favorites," said Mary with a bright smile. After setting the food down on the table the four begun to devour the food especially the three guys however as they ate a group of men approached their front door. ¡°Bang¡­Bang¡­Bang!¡± ¡°Open up in the name of his lordship!¡± From the front door came an arrogant voice. Chapter 3: The Tournament Interrupted from eating Brom grew angry at the arrogant voice, leaving the table he made his way to the door. With a smile that did not quite reach his eyes, Brom opened the door to greet his guest. ¡°How can I help you dear sir?¡± asked Brom. In front of Brom stood a tall stalky man dressed in leather and plate armor, he had the look of a royal guard. Though there was no color insignia that could tell Brom which house he was from. The guard had an arrogant face with eyes that scrutinized Brom as if he was less than a man. ¡°Are you Brom Dracos?¡± In a harsh demeaning voice the guard asked Brom. However, though most people would cower in fear when meeting this guard while showing him due respect. Brom was no such man, as he heard the question he first showed a slight annoyance on his face before responding. ¡°Aye that is my name. Now if you do not mind can you tell me what business you have in disturbing my breakfast?¡± Hearing Brom¡¯s reply pissed off the guard who always expected respect wherever he went. ¡°How dare you¡­¡± Before he could continue his sentence Brom¡¯s eye¡¯s flashed with anger and from his body came an aggressive aura. Around his body rose a light red aura that emitted a slight heat, for those who saw Brom they would say that it looked as if there were a great fire surrounding him. As the guard stared into Brom¡¯s eyes a sense of dread seeped into his bones. His body began to shake while sweat started to seep from his brow. Never had he met someone with such an overpowering presences as the man before him. ¡°Clap¡­ clap¡­clap.¡± ¡°Ha...Haa¡­Haaa¡­ That¡¯s enough Hartley you can back down. Brom it seems your personality has not changed.¡± From a black carriage came a hearty voice while a man who was built like an orc with bulging muscles and a body that reached to the sky stepped out from the carriage. He was dressed in fine aristocrat clothes and walked with a beautiful black cane that had a dragon head atop it. Though he walked with a cane he did not have any disabilities in reality he walked as if the world belonged to him. Seeing this man Brom¡¯s aggressive aura changed while a bright smile appeared on his rugged face. ¡°Zorin you old fool is that you? Damn of course it¡¯s you, only you would play a dirty trick like this.¡± As Brom laughed he grabbed the royal looking man and tightly hugged him and even though he only had one arm the other man felt his body ache as if he was being squeezed to death. The guard Hartley felt his jaw drop as he watched this brotherly love between the two go on. He was badly startled, prior to coming here he was ordered to receive this man Brom even if it meant to take him by force. Never could he imagine that his orders were meant to be part of a silly prank. ¡°Zorin come inside and eat. Mary has just made a delicious breakfast.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not too much of an inconvenience than I will definitely have some. It¡¯s been too long since I last tasted her food.¡± After agreeing the duo headed into the house for some breakfast. ¡°Hartley you did a good job. When we get back you will be rewarded, but for now please wait for me out here,¡± yelled Zorin as entered the house. ¡°Yes my lord!¡± Hearing that he did a good job and that he would be rewarded Hartley could not stop smiling as he responded. --- As they ate Brom introduced the guest to Trint and Rodrick. He explained that this man was his best friend from back in the day and that they used to serve together under the king. While Brom told fantastical stories of their exploits Trint scrutinized the man his father treated as a brother. Zorin was in his mid to late forties though he was older he still had a wild air about him. Though at the same time he held himself with a type of authority that could not be learned, it had to be bred into the person. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Zorin was an earth mage from what Trint could guess due to his hair and eyes being forest green. What Trint was not sure about was how strong of a Magus he was. Finally as breakfast was coming to an end Zorin remembered why he had come in the first place. ¡°AH! How could I forget, silly me I meant to invite you all to the tournament that is being held tomorrow. What do you say Brom this is a good chance for your boys to see what real fighting looks like. Plus your son Rodrick will soon be old enough to enter a tournament so he should see what one is like, this way he can have a goal to aim for. ¡° ¡°That¡¯s tomorrow ha¡­ha I totally forgot about it. Hmm if it¡¯s alright with Mary I see no reason why we can¡¯t go. What do you think honey? ¡°Of course! We should go look at our sons they won¡¯t be able to sleep a wink now.¡± Replied Mary as she smiled at her children. ¡°Good since it¡¯s decided I will send my driver early in the morning to pick you all up. Well now I must be off I am sure my wife will be wondering why I have yet to return.¡± With that, Zorin stood up to leave. At the door he looked back and said, ¡°Thanks again for the wonderful meal Mary and I will see you two youngins around.¡± For the rest of the day the two boys could not help but day dream about the coming fights. Especially Trint, he was already impressed with this world¡¯s combat prowess. Yet he had only seen his father demonstrate a few moves, never had he seen a real fight between warriors. --- Early the next the day Trint and his family readied themselves for the tournament. Trint and Rodrick did not have to do morning practice this morning, besides today other than the tournament it would be Rodrick¡¯s first day of warrior school. As the family got ready a knock was heard at the door, rushing down the stairs Trint flew toward the door. All night he tossed and turned in anticipation for the tournament, this was the most exciting event for him since being reborn. Opening the door Trint was greeted by the tall guard from yesterday. However, unlike yesterday the guard was all smiles today. ¡°Young master Trint I presume, are you and your family ready to depart?¡± Before Trint could reply he heard footsteps arriving behind him. With them all ready the Dracos family entered the carriage while Harley ordered the driver to set off. Since the tournament was being held within the city it did not take long for them to reach the tournament. However, long before they could see the arena the noises of people yelling and weapons clashing could be heard. All around outside the carriage were tons of people from all over Woruc and even from neighboring towns that were heading to the tournament. As they drew near to the arena the carriage driver veered off toward a section that was reserved for honored guests. Waiting off to the side was Uncle Zorin and beside him was a stately woman who was quite beautiful for her age. While on the other side of Zorin was a young boy around Trint¡¯s age. However, next to the woman was a beautiful young girl. When Trint gazed at the girl, the young girl seemed to have sensed his eyes because she turned toward him. Though it was only for a moment that their eyes met, Trint could feel his heart beat faster as he lost himself for a moment in her eyes. Chapter 4: Fluffy Tiny Cats! Slap¡­ ¡°Hey, Trint it¡¯s rude to stare like that at a lady.¡± Slapping Trint on his head Rodrick scolded his brother for being rude. Blushing Trint turned his head away from the pretty girl and drew in the sights of the gigantic Colosseum, it was twice as large as the Colosseum in Rome back on Earth. The Colosseum was constructed out of a type of obsidian colored stone that Trint could not identify yet engraved all over the stone where thousands of glyphs that glowed a multitude of colors. This caused the Colosseum to look as if it was crafted from a rainbow, it was truly stunning yet the most important aspect of the glyphs was the purpose they played. Unlike on Earth where there was no magic a normal stone colosseum would have been adequate but in Gallia, if there were no glyph runes then it was likely the place could be destroyed. Many attacks that would happen within could easily demolish stone constructions. On top of preventing the collapse of the Colosseum the runes also had the purpose of protecting the audience as they enjoyed the show. Trint was told this by his mother while they were on their way to the fight. However, seeing the extent of the glyphs used blew his mind. As Trint observed the Colosseum and watched the different people herd into the arena, the young girl watched him with playful eyes. She had obviously seen him staring at her before blushing and turning away. Though he was not the most handsome boy she had ever seen but he was cute, on top of that her father had praised Trint¡¯s father as one of the most formidable battle mages in Woruc. This, of course, would mean that his sons would be strong fighters if not now but one day. She was like many other young girls who dreamt of having a heroic husband that made others shake in fear at his name. This was not to say she had no ambition for her own life, but if she was to choose someone one day then that was, of course, her dream guy. These thoughts flashed through her mind as she watched the boy who lost himself in amazement at the colosseum. ¡°He he¡­¡± Giggling at his childish look she confronted Trint while her father was busy getting reacquainted with Brom. ¡°Did you know that this was built by a Sage class earth mage over three hundred years ago?¡± While Trint was lost in the sights a small cute voice sounded out beside him. Unaware of when she approached him Trint panicked for a moment as he stuttered his answer. ¡°Um N...N. No, I ah did not know that.¡± ¡°He¡­he¡­¡± Giggling at Trint stuttering she carried on taking the lead of the conversation. ¡°Yep apparently not only was he a Sage class earth mage but was also a master at rune magic, this is why the Duke of Cravas, had requested him to build the colosseum. Not only was the Duke willing to pay him gold, he had even offered an earth dragon egg that the mage had wanted.¡± As the girl spoke of the history of the colosseum Trint pulled himself together, he felt like a fool for how he had acted since coming in contact with the girl. Though she was pretty and even though he had little experience with girls in his past life. He was an adult even though now he was in the form of a child his mind was still that of an adult so even if she was pretty to him she was still only a child. Because of this, he felt foolish for his actions, ¡°Geez here I am acting like a child and getting nervous around a little girl.¡± Thinking up to here Trint was able to regain control of his childish behavior and reverted back to a calmer demeanor. With his emotions under control, Trint focused on the girl''s story and was surprised by the actual history behind the colosseum. ¡®Jeez I can¡¯t wait to be that powerful and one day I am definitely going to own a dragon!¡¯ Thought Trint as he lost himself in the story.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. While learning more about the colosseum Trint also learned some new facts about where he lived. Though he already knew that the city he lived in was the city capital of Cravas he was unaware that this world held a monarchy similar to his previous world. This was something he seemed to have missed in his learning of his new life. ¡®It is quite odd how to worlds could have the same system in place.¡¯ thought Trint as he brushed it off as coincidence. Returning from his side track thoughts he focused his attention on the cute girl in front of him who seemed to be a wellspring of knowledge at least on this subject. She was shorter than Trint by a whole head but she held herself with an attitude of noble that made her seem older than she was. Her hair was brown yet it was braided in a cute way with a bow made by the hair before flowing down her head with a normal braid design. Though Trint could not tell what the style was it did not stop him from being able to appreciate the added beauty it gave. Her eyes were brown too but this was a normal occurrence for children at Trint¡¯s age up until their awakening if they were so blessed to be awakened. Though her cheeks were dotted with freckles that added more beauty to the already adorable young girl before him. Trint had to admit that she was cute for her age and most likely would grow up to be a real beauty though for now, she was just an adorable young girl who was the daughter of Uncle Zorin. Brom and Zorin smiled to each other as they watched their young son and daughter getting along. Zorin approached Trint while they were talking he stopped and listened to his daughters story for a moment and smiled before he interrupted the little tale, ¡°so Trint are you becoming good friends with my daughter Melody.¡± Looking up from Melody Trint smiled at Zorin and replied, ¡°Of course Uncle Zorin Melody was telling me about the colosseum.¡± ¡°Is that so, well that is definitely a great story. But it seems she has missed an important fact that is in this tale.¡± Fascinated Trint questioned, ¡°Is that so Uncle Zorin?¡± Zorin simply nodded at Trint¡¯s question as a grin grew on his face, he could tell he had the boys attention. Seeing as Zorin only nodded yet did not seem to care to elaborate further Trint started to grow restless with curiosity. ¡°So what is the important fact about this story?¡± Asked Trint with a yearning look drawn upon his face. ¡°Well let''s see what was it again.¡± mumbled Zorin as he tried to grow the anticipation in the young lad. Upset that her father stole her spotlight Melody crossed her arms and pouted though she too grew interested in what her father was going to add. ¡°Ah right that''s it the important fact was¡­¡± he stalled his sentence for a moment to drag the curiosity out more. ¡° That the Sage was in fact an avid collector of¡­¡± he paused for dramatic effect as he stared into Trint¡¯s and his daughter eyes while he also noticed that even his wife and son along with Trint¡¯s family had looked over with interest. ¡°Cats! Fluffy tiny cats, he simply loved them so much that he was also nicknamed the Sage of the felines.¡± With the last sentence left to processes through his avid audiences mind Zorin stove to hold back the mighty laugh that was building up inside of him. ¡°Ha...Haa...Haa!¡± Trint began to laugh as well as the rest of the group that seemed to feel funny that they were so easily fooled by Zorin. ¡°Hmph.¡± snorted Melody in annoyance that though the joke was funny he stole her limelight from her new found friend for a joke. ¡°Ahem.¡± Zorin cleared his throat before he quickly changed the subject since he noticed his daughter¡¯s annoyance at his intrusion. ¡°Anyway Trint other than my daughter Melody who you have met let me introduce you to my son.¡± With the attention drawn away from the joke, Zorin waved his hand towards a young boy who though similar in stature to Trint obviously was a bit older. ¡°Hi my name is Vincent it is pleasure to make your acquaintance!¡± Chirped Vincent as he greeted Trint with a slight bow before standing up and presenting a warm smile that was slightly goofy. This slightly mimicked his father''s trademark grin. Vincent was a handsome boy for his age though he stood only about as high as Trint who was a turn younger than him. After introducing himself in a noble but charming way Trint bowed in return as a smile too grew on his face. ¡°It too is a pleasure to meet you.¡± Seeing Trint return his greeting with equal joy Vincent felt more excited to make a new friend and with that his smile only grew even goofier. After Trint greeted the two siblings Rodric followed suit and soon the two families were properly introduced. With the meet and greet out of the way it was now time to head into the colosseum, passing through the vip entrance the roars of the crowd could be heard as the opening entertainment was underway. The hall leading to the viewing area was dim even though the walls depicted scenes of heroic battles between warriors, mages and beast. While more colorful glyphs danced around the scenes and added an effect that felt as if one was walking through a kaleidoscope. While in the distance the slightly muffled sound of the roaring crowd added an odd mystical feeling to the path. Soon the two family¡¯s reached the private viewing area which was reserved for the Grey family. The light from the arena blinded Trint while the roars of the crowd grew louder. As his eyes adjusted to the light he was now able to see what the crowd was going crazy for, within the ring, there was a bunch of men and women fighting against a gigantic beast. Around the beast and all over the stage where torn bodies of fallen contestants. At the moment that Trint saw the beast another unfortunate human was swept away into huge jaws of the beast before being crushed to death and thrown aside. Chapter 5: Harsh World ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls feast your eyes on the last few moments of this fierce battle between man and beast!¡± As everyone was engrossed in the starting show that was taking place before the actual contest, the ringside entertainer pumped up the crowd with his fanfare. Everyone listened to his words as he commentated on the vicious battle taking place, this amused Trint for it reminded him of sports back on Earth. ¡°Remember everyone that from these slaves only one can be victorious, whichever one slays the beast or is left standing will be freed and returned. Of course, there is always the chance none will come out as a victor!¡± Laughing the entertainer made light of this battle and jested at these poor fools who fought for their lives. Hearing the announcer and seeing the explicit carnage caused Trint, Rodric and the two Grey children to cringe while Melody let out a scream and ran to her father. Who hugged her and chuckled, while this somewhat was out of Trint¡¯s expectations upon arriving it was, however, a normal situation. This world was not Earth and for Trint or anyone from Earth seeing people being torn apart by a beast for sport was definitely cringe-worthy. And though Trint felt nauseous he forced himself to calm his nerves. ¡®Glad I did not see this when I first came to this world, I think I would have died from freight.¡¯ Thinking this Trint felt glad that his father¡¯s training and teaching about the uncaring aspect of the harsh world over the years had helped to mentally prep for this. This kind of viewing would hardly be acceptable on Earth but in this world, it was part of life and those who could not cope with death would probably die young. Luckily or possibly unluckily Trint¡¯s father had shown them killing up close when they started training. Usually by killing a small beast in front of them. Though this was nowhere near as close to being as gruesome as someone being torn apart, it did give them some help and thickening their skins. After he calmed down a thought had dawned on Trint other than the gruesome sight. ¡°Father?¡± ¡°Yes, what is it Trint?¡± Gathering his thoughts Trint looked once more at the slaves before replying. ¡°I thought that the Kingdom of Epla was against slavery. So why is it that we have slaves being forced to fight to the death?¡± Brom chuckled at his cute son before replying, ¡°Those are battle slaves Trint and they chose to be.¡± While Trint listened he learned that these people were either bandits or pirates that were captured. When criminals are captured there are two fates they can choose from other than death which is given to those who do not deserve redemption. The first choice is prison, those who chose this choice are sentenced to life in prison for varying lengths of time. They are also put to work with hard labor until their release, though this does not sound like a horrible outcome. The truth of the matter is those who are sentenced to prison end up staying in it for many turns and possibly for life. ¡°Listen, boy, if you ever face this decision, though hopefully, you won''t. Make sure you choose to be a battle slave!¡± Chimed in Zorin as he listened to Brom¡¯s explanation. Hearing this shocked Trint as he gazed at the slaves dying left and right, why would he choose this over imprisonment. Curious Trint could not help but ask, ¡°Uncle Zorin why do you say that? From what I can see here to choose that route would be to just dig my own grave.¡± ¡°Ha¡± with a short laugh Zorin replied, ¡°For those who chose the prison sentence after their time is up they will gain their freedom again, yet for many of the prisoners'' freedom will never come.¡± ¡°Prison my boy is truly a death sentence, sure as a battle slave you will have to fight and you may surely die but at least there is hope. Though normally if you are sentenced to prison for any major crime you will nine times out of ten never leave until you are dead. ¡°So these people choose to fight for their freedom even if it is slim? ¡°That¡¯s right Trint.¡± Chimed in Mary, ¡°In with it comes a better life for them even if they never gain freedom.¡± Hearing his uncle and mother Trint was shocked though he chose to believe them, ¡°Hopefully I never have to make this choice.¡± Mumbled Trint before continuing to listen to his parents and uncle speak about battle slaves perks. From his mother, he then learned that even though it was not guaranteed when you could gain freedom or if you would live to see the great sunrise the next day. There were perks such as more freedom during sentence due to magic branding that kept the battle slaves in check while letting them roam the city. The seals acted as a leash that keeps them from escaping or causing harm to others. With these seals, the slaves did not have to worry about constantly being chained up or stuck in cells.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. So for the criminals of the city, both choices are chosen with care for neither is guaranteed to give you freedom. Learning new knowledge from his parents he felt excited for he no longer had any guilt at enjoying the show since it was their choice and their crimes that lead them to this fate. ---- Today the battle slaves were given the chance to earn their freedom by killing the beast or remain alive when all others died. At this moment during the gruesome battle, only five slaves remained out of thirty. However, the beast was no better off than the slaves while it was much stronger than them it had still acquired countless wounds while killing. ¡°I wonder what kind of beast is that they are fighting.¡± Trint was in awe of the mighty beast and could no longer hold in his curiosity as he watched the behemoth fight. Never in his life had he seen such a creature, on Earth no creature like it existed and since being too young now he never had the chance to see one before. The beast was about 5 meters tall and just as long, it was covered in dark shiny scales that shown with a strength that could compete with the toughest of metals. Littered across its back was countless spikes that were stained with blood from past victims. Two horns protruded from its forehead with a sharpness that could best a sword, while etched into its face were two sanguine eye¡¯s that caused fear to bloom in one''s heart. This was beast right out of horror movie, even though it had to weigh over a ton its speed was nothing to scoff at and had the agility of a small animal. While with each attack it caused explosions in the air, if not for the magic barrier that surrounded the arena many people would have been injured. ¡°It''s a Thorny Behemoth at Earth King Realm it has no special ability other than powerful attacks due to its strength while it also has an almost impenetrable defense!¡± Answered Rodrick as he too stared in awe at the beast. Off to the side sat Trint¡¯s mother who beamed with pride at her eldest son¡¯s knowledge. ¡°Very good Rodrick it seems your studies have not been neglected. Make sure to continue for the Warrior school will not support your training if you cannot pass their class.¡± ¡°Look do you see the two horns on its head that is how you can tell that he is at the Earth King realm as a beast. Make sure if you ever face one to target its underside for it scales at the bottom are weakest.¡± These were a common beast within the kingdom of Epela and in Brom¡¯s mind, both his sons would one day venture out into the wild to grow stronger and so needed to have knowledge on all the beasts. Listening to the description Trint nodded his head in understanding as he was filled with awe for the beast before him. While Trint had been learning about the beast the battle drew closer to its end, for now, there were only two slaves left alive. One was a young man in his early twenties with a tattoo of a serpent on his neck, he had black hair which showed he was classified as a shadow mage or otherwise called a dark mage. These mages were notorious for assassination or other sneaky endeavors though not all of them used their powers for evil. This was something he remembered his mother teaching him during one of his mom¡¯s study sessions. He used two short blades that were crafted from some black metal that gave off a sinister feeling when observed. Opposite of the young man was an older looking fellow who stood at least 3 meters in height there were no distinguishing features about the man. Yet his eyes held a coldness to them that made one feel as if to him all life was nothing. Trint felt a chill run up his spine when he viewed the man¡¯s eyes. For some reason, Trint had a bad feeling about this man though he could not guess why. Other than his height or his eyes there was nothing else strange about him, his hair was a dull brown that showed he was not a mage, yet his body was quite thin for his height almost to the point that it felt like he would die quicker to malnutrition than to the beast. Yet, he was one of the two to survive up till now which meant he was at least somewhat of capable fighter. ¡°That old man is a pretty skilled warrior, look at his stance with the lance. Though I cannot sense much battle qi from him.¡± Muttered Brom as he glanced at the arena. As the battle drew to this point the crowd grew restless to see the outcome, many people began cheering for the beast to kill the two. However, at the moment that the two disengaged from the beast, the young man swiftly disappeared before reappearing behind the skeleton of a man. Without a moment''s notice and to the astonishment of the crowd the young man rammed his blade through the other''s heart. The crowd grew silent as he removed the blade from his victim¡¯s heart. ¡°Ha¡­ It seems we have a daring slave. Though my dear audience do not fret he may be the last one standing but since he used an underhanded way he must still kill the Thorny Behemoth.¡± With that, the audience cheered louder for the beast to destroy the last slave. ¡°Rip him to pieces.¡± yelled one man in the audience. The beast seemed momentarily confused at the change of events but since no one came to stop, it readied itself for another rush towards the last of the annoying gnats that had caused it pain. ¡°Bloody hell with friggin dead rats to boot!¡± Cursed the young man as he readied himself for the beast. Though with almost the same move the bold man with jet black hair appeared beneath the beast where like Trint¡¯s father said was the weaker scales. With a quick jab of his dagger and some type of shadow magic that Trint could not recognize he stabbed the core of the beast. Before reappearing away as if nothing happened while the behemoth took one more step and fell down dead. The crowd was even more stunned this time then even when he killed the other slave. For the fight had been going on for some time and only now did this man dare to show his actual power. ¡°It would seem that he is no ordinary criminal like most the rest where. From the two spells, he just demonstrated he is most likely a High Mage.¡± Gasped Trint¡¯s mother as she frowned at this slave who just won his freedom. ¡°Not only that, but he is also at the True Warrior level in the warrior ranks.¡± Added Zorin while he stroked his chin in thought. Hearing the breakdown on his skill Trint grew intrigued at how such a powerful criminal was caught in the first place. While Trint¡¯s party seemed to break down the slaves'' abilities a loud laugh began to erupt from the stage while everyone in the audience was still awestruck. ¡°Ha¡­Haa I have finally won bastards! Freeedommm!!¡± With the crazy yelling of the battle slave, everyone seemed to snap out of their shock. With the announcement of a victor, the crowd came back from their stupor and some cheered while others booed, yet with the victor of the slave battle concluded it was now time for the true tournament to begin. The staff began preparations for the main event which meant getting rid of all the dead bodies, when they moved the old man¡¯s body Trint felt some hidden danger in his heart yet he could not figure out why he felt this way. Chapter 6: Blood Moons
From a different perspective though Trint could .
truly a force to with. Her powerful earth magic that could crush a man sent a shiver through the crowd. While she devoured groups of fighters with large sinkhole magic and so much more.
Trint had seen how she acted shy and timid throwing off the majority of contestants in the first battle royal event. Most of the stronger fighters could care less about her and ignored her to focus on bigger prey. . This of course cost a lot of them in the end since she was not the only one that hid their strength.
be understood that Trint¡¯s father was a powerhouse when it came to combat and such. His father was one of the honorable elders of the Warrior Academy and many had come from far and wide to learn from him. No one who knew anything about Trint¡¯s father would belittle the man due to his handicaps. Since in reality they were not much of a hindrance in his ability to fight.
Throughout the tournament the contestants began to learn the hard way that she .
During the third round there was one man who was . He had a slender frame with muscles that had looked to on to his body. Not an ounce of useless weight on his body, each muscle seemed to have a purpose. .
slightly distracted when the fight began.
Thankfully.
Honestly, this should have been the finales. But nothing is ever perfect. , it was an unforgettable fight.
are known for their reinforcement magic. That could not defend against the sharp blades of wind magic. There was little an earth mage could hope to do against a sky mage.
This was of course the same for pretty much all the counters that occurred in the elemental magic spectrum. Though this was the case it did not mean that one could not beat someone who countered them. .
She was very skilled and had learned many advanced spells one of which was particularly difficult to counter.
was bombarded with blasts of air nonstop. Kalic hovered above the arena out of reach of any earth magic that could trap him. Sending his last condensed air blast toward his opponent he waited for the dust to clear. Sure that he had won this dual, there was no way a simple earth mage could withstand Kalic the wind demon. .
patiently.
was wielded. Due to the dust that rose none had seen what that power had down to the stage.
was found.
extremely quick spear of stone shot out of the ground. It pierced through half of his left shoulder before pulling him towards the arena.
quickly called the dual over causing the crowds to go crazy. It was an amazing fight and Trint could only dream of one day standing tall hearing his own name .
probably the best food Trint had ever tried since his rebirth! This was not to say his mother¡¯s food was not good. Trint knew better to let her ever think he thought way. But the quality of the food was the best money could buy and the chefs were top class. The outcome of the food could when you factored all the information.
was dumped into. Thinking back to his other life he was pretty much a loner and so was not the best in these types of situations. His older brother had no issues with the situation.
Apparently, Vincent and Rodric¡¯s fighting spirits had .
However, before he could get far a soft noise broke his stride.
Behind him the little princess crossed her arms and huffed at him with a pouting face that sent a shiver up his spine.
was obsessed with him. Though that could be his own misguided notions he was not sure. , Trint turned to the grumpy little girl and smiled.
just leave her all alone.
just follow me!¡± with a bright smile on her face Melody acted all mysterious as she instructed Trint.
just like them. Of course one of his biggest idols was actually Trint¡¯s and Rodric¡¯s father. Which made him envious of the two brothers who got to learn from him day and night. Though if he knew the regiments they had to go through he might feel .
simultaneously cast two buffs on himself. Green mana surged around him and made his presence intensify.
just what ifs because it came down to each situation.
Rodric though had a heart of steel and nothing could shake his conviction in himself and the way of the sword his father had taught him. No one knew how much he trained and how hard he pushed himself past what of him. Even Trint was unaware of his brother¡¯s dedication to being the best warrior even one day hoping to surpass his father.
was destroyed. One black bird hopped over to the old man¡¯s body as it readied itself for the succulent meal it was about to enjoy. The last drop of blood seeped from the body and with it a shriek echoed into the night.
¡°Hey, Trint did you know that they say that when two¡­¡± Melody .
just say so you don¡¯t have to try and scare me away!¡±
truly off Trint grabbed Melody¡¯s hand and was in a rush to find his father. , his feet froze as the light that blanketed him changed from a soft warm white to that of a cold blood red. Chapter 7 - Rise of the Undead Silence invaded the city at the moment the two moons turned red, not even the sound of a cricket could be heard. The only noise Trint heard was his own heartbeat thump faster. There was something evil in the air that could be felt throughout the city. In the distance sounds of panic erupted and broke the silence that had arrested the night. The noise woke Trint from his own fear and before taking the time to think he was already running with Melody dragging behind him. She was still locked in fear unable to shake the feeling free. Rushing down the roof Trint almost tripped but thankfully his quick reflexes had saved him and Melody. Back on the ground, Trint made his way toward the library were his father and uncle had been. Though before he ever got there his father appeared and without saying a word grabbed Trint and Melody. The next moment the two of them were sitting in a safe room along with his mother, brother and his uncles family. Trint wanted to ask his father what was going on but he and his uncle disappeared after securing the door. "Mom, what''s going on?" Asked Melody with a shivering voice. Melody''s mother was just a regular person and so her world view was quite small and so with a shake of her head, she answered. "I am not sure honey, but whatever it is I am sure your father and uncle will be able to handle it. So just sit still and wait everything will be okay, we will be okay." Mary sighed at the answer that Kathleen had given but she decided to leave the topic at that. It was better not to worry the children, some times ignorance was bliss. Trint though was not a fool and so when he saw his mothers reaction to the answer Melody received he knew the situation was dire. Father be safe. Thought Trint as sat and waited in silence. -0-0-0-0-0-0- On the other side of the city, mist shrouded the world, all that touched the mist was bathed in a bone-chilling coldness. From the mist came shadows that moved with odd and creepy gaits. The bodies slowly spread out into all directions and as if they were some sort of magnet the mist seemed to follow them. Hiding within a side street a group of hoodlums coward in fear as they held their breaths. Near them sat a woman whose clothing had been torn revealing her silky skin and the parts that only her lover should see. Tears soaked her face as she shivered in fear along with her attackers. A moment ago her fear and tears had come about due to them and the horrible situation she was about to face. Yet, in the next moment as if the world had somehow turned upside down, her fears no longer came from the hoodlums, a new enemy had appeared before her. When the moons had turned red the world had seemed to freeze for but a moment. Her attackers and herself were all frozen in fear at the change in the moons. The momentarily frozen reality broke when shadows followed by an eerie fog appeared at the entrance to their alley. At the entrance to the alleyway crept forward a horde of mangled bodies. A stench fouler then any smell the group had ever smelt before assaulted them. The shadows that covered the street seemed to grow darker and colder as the two groups faced each other. One of the guys who moments ago relished in the enjoyment of harming and scaring others began to pee as he looked into the eyes of the creatures that approached. "Goddess if you spare me from this fate, I promise I will turn my life around. I will never harm another soul so long as I live!" "Goddess save me!" Each of the corrupted fools began to pray and cry as they watched the abominations grow closer. This is was too much for them to handle and even with their hardened personalities they too began to break down. But no matter how much they pleaded the things from hell continued to draw closer toward them. It was ironic they had been a nightmare to many, and many had begged and sobbed for someone to save them. Yet, never had it happened for their victims and now the heavens were giving them a taste of their own medicine. Seeing no hope in surviving the leader of the group began to panic, "I can''t die, these fools can die but I have too many unfulfilled dreams!" Fire lit in his eyes as his desire to live ignited, this was not going to be the place he died. Not to some damn abomination hidden away in a back alley. "Shav lir ta rezil..." Rhythmic sounds echoed in the alley as the leader of thugs began chanting. Magic circles appeared in the air in front of his hands as he willed the tiny amount of mana he owned to its maximum strength. The others were filled with hope for a moment as they watched their leader ready a spell. Though it was a short lived hope as they realized their boss was eyeing them as he cast the spell. Ice began to creep up the underling''s legs freezing them to their spot. The ice created chain links that wrapped tightly around their bodies. This was the boss''s notorious Ice chains water spell, though they were made of ice and looked fragile they were definitely not.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. "Fuck you Rezian, you think to use us as bait? If I am to die you will be joining me too!" Hollering like a lunatic the thug pulled out a scroll, as soon as the scroll appeared the Rezian knew he was in trouble. Scrolls were no laughing matter, they could be used by pretty much anybody even those who could not practice magic could activate the lower leveled scrolls. But even though they were tools that anyone could use, they were still useful and pretty much very hot commodities. This was due to the number of resources needed to make a single scroll on top of the fact that the spell that was inscribed would not lose much of its power. This spell was most likely his subordinates life-saving investment that he was now being forced to use. "You fucker if you had such a valuable item you should have let us know, I would have been able to help us escape." Replied Rezian as his fury reached the sky. He would never have betrayed his brethren if he thought there was a way for them all to survive. But now it was too late, though the abominations moved very slowly there was no exit and he was the only one that could escape using his magic. Yet, if he knew, they could have made an escape but now was too late for regrets. Two giant sythes of wind sprung forth and sped toward Rezian. The spell was directed toward his legs, the thug who cast it desired his boss to have slow and painful death just like them. Unable to avoid the spell Rezian realized his point of view was changing as the world grew larger. "AHHH! Fucking hell..." A bloody scream echoed out into the night as Rezian fell to the ground. His legs fell to the side while a puddle of blood began to pool around his body. Screams continued to escape his mouth unabated his mind had forgotten the situation he was as its focus was squarely on his loss of body parts. "Rawwr..." From the other side of the alley came the dreadful noise of a demon, the blood had ignited a passion in the lifeless bodies that slithered toward them. Now they came like a tempest with their maws opened wide spewing sickness from their gaping holes. Soon the wails of one became many before all was quiet again in the small alley. Though more and more cries of pain followed soon after turning the quiet night into a hellish orchestra. 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 "What manner of evil is this?" Standing on the roof of a nearby home, a man garbed in fine clothes gasped in horror. Across the way was the entrance of the fifth ward this was the outskirts of the city designated to for those of lower status. Mostly those who could barely make a living and degenerates lived in this ward. That was not the worst part about this particular ward, in fact, the real reason for its shambled countenances was due to the massive graveyard that connected to the ward. No other ward had a graveyard connected to it they all used the churches grave site that laid to the west of the city on top of a hill. That grave site was much nicer and better kept, while this one was meant for those who could not afford the cost to bury themselves in the main site. Along with those from the slave battles or criminals who had no one to come claim their bodies. Now this once unsightly area not only became the center of attention to the rest of the city. But it also turned in to something much worse then it had once been before. If the man could describe it in words to him it was like the nether world had opened its gates and took up residence here. As far as the man could see were tons of mutilated and half decomposed bodies that scuttled to and fro throughout the streets. Screams would echo out into the night''s sky constantly harmonizing with the low skin crawling moans that would surround the undead. "I must find the necro who orchestrated this!" Growled the man as his eyes began to glow. Mana began to seep from his pores dancing in the air, swimming through the sky as he scanned the area looking for the evil mastermind. While the man scanned the ward two men drew closer and landed on the same roof. "Eziek can you explain what''s going on?" Questioned one of the men that had joined the mage. Drawing his mana back Eziek eyed the newcomers, "Apparently we have a brazen necro playing games in our city. Unfortunately, I have yet to find the bastard so thankfully you two showed up." Replied Eziek before turning back toward the ward that was falling into chaos. He massaged his temple as he took in the situation, they needed to act fast or all would be lost. Things could have been easier if he found the bastard responsible since killing the necro would weaken the undead and stop more from being born. Now things would get messy and more danger would be in store for the city if they could not contain this. Thankfully the barrier he had cast was still holding up else the situation would have already made a turn for the worse. "Brom, Zorin thankfully the two of you showed up so fast. I will need you two to head inside the barrier and try to help all those still alive." Looking both of the men in the eyes Eziek made his request. There really was no other way around it, at the present moment he had to stay where he was to maintain the barrier and let others in. Else he would have been the one to push forward and save the wretched souls inside. "Ha... If Inquisitor Eziek has a request this broken warrior of course will heed it." Answered Brom as he smiled at the man before him. There were not many men that Brom respected but those who could reach Eziek''s strength were definitely those he would respect. "Now, now Brom stop kissing ass and let''s go help those poor people." Remarked Zorin as headed towards the barrier. Brom shook his head and smiled as he followed his friend. Eziek willed his mana and an opening in the barrier materialized before the two. As they passed through the barrier closed behind them ensuring the safety of the rest of the city. "Keep an eye for that damn necro, if you can kill that bastard we may end this quicker." Yelled Eziek while he regulated his mana withing his body. The barrier was a costly technique that drained a ton of mana and at the moment he had a major leak of mana due to this barrier. Of course, that was because it was spread out all around a city ward, any other mage of lesser strength would never be able to replicate this size. Soon the two disappeared into the maze of streets time was not on their side and so the two had split up before darting into the abyss. Seeing the two on their way Eziek waited for others to show up. There were quite a few experts that called Woruc home and though they were slower to the party, they would without a doubt show up. Chapter 8 - Evacuation The sun was slowly rising into the sky, marking a new day had begun. However, the city that had turned quickly into a scene from hell during the early hours of night, still raged on with no signs of stopping in sight. Inside of the large dome shaped barrier a cacophony of growls and screams welcomed the new day. A mixture of decapitated bodies along with torn bodies littered almost every street and side alley of the inclosed portion of the city. Down one of the streets deeper in the heart of the infest area came the sound of explosions reverberating in the air. Mixed with the noise was the soft hum that the air made when split. "Kalit get those people to the barrier!" Yelled Brom while he sidestepped a claw that was aiming for his head. His sword flashed and the air hummed again bringing with it another undead''s head that added to the pile of corpses at his feet. Brom let out a haggard breath as he watched Kalit and the survivors escape to the edge of the barrier. From his right another burst of explosion rang out which caused a shower of body parts to rain over the street. "Six hundred and thirty-three!" Shouted Zorin as the fifteen undead he had smacked with earth magic exploded around him. With a grunt, he killed another six in the span of a moment before flashing Brom a huge grin. "I think you will be losing this bet brother." Brom shook his head as he killed another group of undead before responding to his muscle brained brother. "Dumbass I have already said ten times I am not going to compete with you, this is not the time for games Zorin." "Ha just admit defeat and I will drop the matter altogether, don''t try to play me as a fool. We both know you have not stopped keeping track of your kills." Earthen spikes sprung up from the ground and pierced another ten undead which caused Brom to groan as he watched his friend grin at him foolishly. In return Brom swung his blade while barking a short incantion, his sword ripped the air apart which caused a few undead around him to split in two. However, before his blade completed its arc, a gush of intense heat sprouted from the tip of his sword. The flames morphed into the shape of a dragon before flying after a group of undead that was closing in on their position. Giant flaming teeth of the fire dragon greeted the undead beings and without warning the jaws opened before slamming shut around the group. The fire dragon burned for a bit longer after eating its fill bringing a lull to the non stop battle. After the mana that created it ran out, so to did the flames. In the fire dragons wake all that was left was a pile of ash as testament to its power. That was another twenty five undead under Brom''s belt which was why he had no way to refute the statement. Of course he did not plan to play the game out loud which would only prove Zorin''s words to be right. Instead he kept the number to himself, it was not that he was trying to play the game or anything of the sorts. Instead it had just become a habit that stuck with him over the years. Back when he was full of piss and vinegar and cocky beyond measure he had always made a competition out of killing his enemies. Zorin was always his toughest competitor, but this was seriously not the time for those types of games. This was their city that was in danger and their families that would be affected. Brom had no desire to play any game, all he cared about was wiping out this damn never-ending horde and saving as many people as he could. Though if he was to tell this prideful bastard that he already reached the mid-eight hundred in kills he knew he would only ignite the fire under Zorin''s ass. Ignoring the fool of a brother Brom continued to move through the horde killing all in his path while he searched for survivors.
From the graveyard, the old man''s body began to light up with all sorts of magical symbols. They glowed with a dull green light that reflected off the fog eerily. Mana converged on the glowing dead body and like a piece of tinder the mana ignited and spark energy invoked an ancient spell. All around the body shadows from every direction converged toward the dead man''s body. Each shadow slithered and wormed their way into the corpse. With a sudden jerk, the body now stood ominously in the shadows. "Harani sen fearli leacex no..." A grinding voice echoed from the man''s mouth. The spell called forth more shadows from the night though this time they did not reach toward the man. Instead, they began to merge themselves together infront him. The shadows created a circular spinning vortex with pulsating runes around the edge of the vortex. "Tap, tap, tap." Footsteps rang out from the void of the portal bringing with them a sense of dread. As they grew louder a multitude of hooded figures appeared from the vortex. At the head of the hooded figures stood a being a bit taller than the rest, around his cloaked body floated a dense foul fog that caused the other figures to stand a few steps away. With the last of the hooded figures through the portal the one surrounded in the miasma croaked out a single command. "Initate the second plan!" Without further discussion, the rest of the hood figures departed into the shadows of the city. The last remaining figure looked toward the shadow puppet and a soft sigh escaped his mouth. "You have done a great job so far my old friend, the master would be pleased." The hooded figure spoke softly to the shadow puppet that was the old man. Raising his arms toward the shadow puppet, a pair of spotted and wrinkled hands emerged from the darkned void of his cloak. The hands that were stained red for some unholy reason trembled slightly while mana flowed through them. Between his palms a ball of condensed blood red mana formed, and from his hood the soft mumbling of an ancient spell echoed in the night.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. The mana twisted and contorted, transforming and shaping itself based off the man''s command before all that was left was pulsating obsene object. The hooded figure had no clue as to the orgin of this item or even its name, but even for a man like himself who had commited atrocious and unspeakable acts, this thing not only caused his stomach to turn but his heart to stutter and his body to sweat. Repulsed by the object the hooded figure placed the item inside of the puppet with haste. The final preperations were complete as the object rooted itself deep inside of the puppet. The shadow puppet''s eyes flashed red before the he disappeared into the shadows. "Finally!" Hissed the man before he left to do his masters bidding.
The sun caused the blood shot eyes of Eziek to tear up as he squinted through the blinding light of a new day. Though the world greeted a new day, the portion of the city trapped in side his barrier was devoid of sunlight. Normally when dealing with necromancers, if they could not defeat you by dawn then the battle would be won. However, the black fog was a new strategy that annoyed Eziek to no end. He had hoped to let down the barrier once the sun rose and pass out from exhaustion. Unfortunatly the necromancers had some how created this black fog that lingered inside of his barrier. He thought at first that the sun light would still effect the undead even with the barrier filled with the fog but in the end his prediction was proven wrong. Still convinced that the battle was over as soon as the light of day reached the horde. Eziek opened the top of the barrier for a moment to allow the fog to disperse. This had a opposite effect that only increased the bags under his eyes and the grimace on his face. Instead of dispersing and allowing the light to end the battle. The fog though it did spread out pass the barrier a bit, in the end it did not dissapate nor did it allow light to pass throug. "Stupid fucking necros and their putrid stench!" Grumbled Eziek to himself after closing the lid of the barrier once more. A deep sigh escaped his chapped lips while he rubbed his eyes in hopes of revigorating them. It was fruitless effort but that did not stop him from constantly trying. Of course he was not the only one rubbing their eyes or stretching their tired muscles. Those that returned with survivors sported similar darkened eyes as himself, though all of them also always came back a bit more haggard then the last. Some would come back with torn clothes and others would have ugly wouds that would accompany their drawn faces. Thankfully during the night a group of apprentice magus and warriors showed up with food supplies and other useful items. One such item was the mana stone that Eziek had just pulled from his storage ring, it was the fifth stone he had gone through in the last few hours. As he placed the stone before him where the last had sat another deep sigh escaped his lips, which was becoming a recurring trend for the elderly mage. Regardless how he felt about the situation in the end this was unavoidable. Normally he would never waste mana stones in such a way. However, relying on the excess mana from the stones was the only thing that allowed him to continue to hold the barrier in place. Of course he wished someone else could take his place, but that was just wishful thinking. Though there were other magus close to his level of power, none though had actually achieved the level he had. There were those who were close enough in power and also could make a type of barrier just like him. Nevertheless they were more suited in other areas, which left him as the sole person who stood in the way of the advancment of the horde. With the new stone in place he felt his tired bones revitalize even if only for a bit. This would still be enough to keep him going for a few more hours at most. After that he could only pray to the gods that the horde would be dealt with, otherwise without his barrier the city may surely fall. Eziek let out another sigh as he watched a new group of survivors escape his barrier with a few injured. Thankfully none of the mages or warriors had died or were seriously injured. That in of itself was the only silver lining in this whole event. For the most part undead were fairly easy to kill and those inside were more than powerful enough to handle the unslaught they were presented with. Which gave the weaker ones who would farry the surviors out of the barrier the protection to do so. Of course they would sometimes still have to fight, but as stated before undead were easy to kill. The only real threat that came from the undead was when there were to many for one magus or warrior to deal with. Outside of that scenerio the only other danger was from higher level undead. That was though an unlikely event since to have a higer level undead the caster would have to give up having a larger horde in exchange. Even if the necromancer was relying on a mana stone he would still only be able to maintain a horde of around fifty while also controlling a higher level undead. What confused the old magus was that the last report from inside said that there had been well over ten thousand undead that had been raised. This was counting those already killed but even so that number was unfathomable, the most he had ever scene a group of mages raise was little less than five thousand and that was with around hundred necromancers at the time. They probably could had summoned a bit more but they had also chose to have a few elite undead spread among the horde. Eziek was sweating as he thought about the report while his throat clenched and unclenched constantly, he could not recall the last time he felt this way. Even when he faced a group of wyvern he had felt much calmer, recalling that fight caused him to sigh again as he wished he was there instead of in this hopless battle. Shaken from his thoughts a bit of blood dripped from his lips, he had suddenly felt his barrier being attacked. This was not the first time but it was the cause of his growing headache. About three hours ago he had felt the first of the many soon to come attacks on his barrier. They were spread in every direction but overall they did little harm other than exhaust his supply of mana at a faster rate. Thankfully he had help on the inside that could take care of the disturbance fast enough so as to not cause him to much trouble. Eziek wave over one of the runners to his side, "Go and tell Jial to take care of the... " Blood splashed on the young man while listening to his new directions. His eyes widened as he watched the old master turn deathly pale while his viens began to bulge. "Inquistor! What happ..." The boy was interuppeted by the sound of glass breaking. His head swirled away from the injured magus to the barrier where the sound had come from. However, the barrier that had stood firm for hours now was dissapating while it shattered. Eziek could feel himself lose conciouness as his eyes started to roll back to look at his brain. He was about to tell were the new disturbance was located when another attack struck the opposite side of his barrier. The issue was not that multiple attacks had happened since that was common during this battle. Instead the problem was that the attack was much stronger than any of the other attacks combined. To add insult to injury it had happened just as he had diverted more of his already depleting mana to the first location. This caused a massive backlash to happen when his barrier broke, unfortunatly that meant this could be the last time he closed his eyes in this world. "Quick! Flee!" Huffed Eziek to the boy who had froze from the sight of the barriar breaking. Eziek though was greeted with darkness as he passed out before the boy could respond.