MarshalSolgriev
Cao the Exiled
Grijs
Enzayne
Lord Zee
Frettzo
DracoLunaris
Vec"Aurum"
The fight had broken out quickly after Kri’Tral’s words, with Mortas launching himself towards the two, screeching a most wretched screech which put the hain onto his knees. Orphan had time to rush in front of the old man, her cloak forming a wall of ash to stop Mortas, or at the very least delay it. Yet, Orphan knew there was no contact, and suddenly Mortas was above them, diving to meet them, yet the cloak expanded the wall and eventually just decided to envelop the both the child and hain. Even then, Orphan could hear the muffled screeching of Mortas, wanting to just break down from the pain.
She heard a spear lodge itself into the ground, turning to see Kri’Tral attempting to pull himself up in order to do battle. However, his old body was something that could not keep up with a battle between two beings such as Orphan or Mortas, being but a mere mortal with a drive for revenge. Her eyes held tears for the hair, not wanting himself to be pushed too far, especially in this situation.
“Kri,” she began, moving towards him only for him to raise a hand.
“Orphan, do not worry about protecting me. Right now, ugly is planning to kill the both of us and, frankly, you are the only one who even has a chance to fight him,” Kri’Tral stated in between breaths. His eyes met Orphan’s and he gave a chuckle, “You need to do what Keriss trained you to do. Rip and tear until it is done.”
Orphan only looked at him, not believing that he had told her to give into what Keriss stood for. Her hands went to the strap of her cloak, unhooking it in order to give it to the hain. The dome of ash crumbled away the moment that she put it around Kri’Tral, she was left with only her arm and will as a defense. Her eyes came up just in time to see Mortas coming at them from the sky once more and without hesitation she launched her hand to meet him.
She felt her hand slice through his shoulder, however he continued through and swooped onto the child, forcing her to the ground. With a single kick, Mortas launched Kri’Tral back, however, doing no damage as the cloak protected its wearer from such attacks.
”Valiant effort, child, but Keriss did not teach you well enough!,” Mortas growled, raising a claw, only for his hand to be caught by the ashen hand of Orphan, with much effort she threw Moras off to the treeline, struggling to her feet as he began screeching once more.
”Fool, I wil-” suddenly a large white being with massive hands charged from the treeline. Mortas could only turn to briefly see the form of a white giant wrap two massive hands around his body and effortlessly ripping the being in two. Blackened blood leaked from the two ends and splattered all over the ground before the white giant threw the two halves to the side. It’s massive form lumbered towards Orphan before lowering its featureless head to the child.
“Alright I’m up and ready to fi-,” Kri’Tral was running up, his head initially down at his spear to make sure it was in fighting condition before looking up to see the mangled body of Mortas as well as the White Giant, “Well nevermind then.” Almost instantly the White Giant ran up to Kri’Tral and lowered its head to the hain, its smaller arms simply touching and poking the hain. Kri’Tral was more than uncomfortable towards the situation, and if his beaked face could contort into something of shock and uncomfortableness, he most definitely would.
“Ugh, stop,” the hain said simply taking a step away from the white giant, simply staring at it for a few moments before stepping to look at Orphan, “You know this thing?”
”Not at all.”
Kri’Tal could only make a long winded sigh for a few moments.
“Welp. Ugly thing with wings, check. A child with a badass magical arm, check. And finally a giant behemoth of thing that snapped the ugly guy in half, but not killing him, and writing in the dirt check. I will chalk this day up as ‘slightly above average’ until something spontaneous comes out of the sky.”
”Look! Something spontaneous coming straight toward us!” Orphan exclaimed, pointing to a streak of white light head towards the group.
“Ah, now it’s above average!”
In a moment the being landed in front of them, it’s form was that of a woman with light brown hair that ended in curls just below her shoulders. Her body was lithe, and her toned arms were apparent, though the rest of her body was covered by a white dress, and along her body seemed to be a golden glow. She was confident, looking down upon the child and the hain before her eyes went to the behemoth for of the curious white giant that simply looked at her.
”Hello. Orphan, acolyte of Keriss. Kri’Tal, the Wandering Soul, it is good to finally meet the both of you” the being greeted with a smile, giving a curt bow, ”I am Avulus.” Her voice was calmed and radiated a politeness about it, however, it was apparent she was nervous from how her eyes constantly shifted to the white giant.
“Erm, hi there. How do you know us?,” Kri’Tal asked, as Orphan moved to hide behind him though it did not do much.
”I have met you all before, though you may not remember it. I shall relay it to you at the city, there I shall reveal all to you as well as restore you to proper health. Come,” Avulus commanded, still in the same polite tone, before she turned and began walking. Her arms were folded in front of her as the three looked amongst each other before silently deciding to follow.
“Where are you taking us?,” Kri’Tal asked.
”The City of Aurum, though it was not always called that. In fact, it was recently renamed to that when the people decided to honor me with their position of Queen.”
“You are a Queen? And you can fly and mystically know our names? Something tells me you are more than just a standard human, I mean, you glow. I don’t know many who physically glow. Orphan here has a physical ash arm though that was was given to her by Keriss, who you also know,” Kri’Tal began to ramble on for a bit before Orphan decided to walk up to Avulus.
”How do you know Keriss?”
Avulus looked up into the air, a look of regret came upon her face as she did not stop walking, and other than the rambling of the hain, there was silence. ”It is difficult to say, especially since Keriss has left a mark of pain and destruction. I suppose you can say that I know her from reputation,” Avulus stated, though her voice betrayed her. A bad actor that was reading from a horrid script, however, Orphan did not press the issue of her adopted mother.
“...To be honest, getting your own city to rename itself despite coming into power is strange. So why not tell us about that?” Kri’Tal said, finishing his rambling in time to change the subject.
”Ah, then it allow me to regale you the tale of Aurum.”
There was once a city, destitute and in mourning, besieged by a band of demons. The people were demanded to give tribute to these demons, a live sacrifice to satiate their hunger for a month before their inevitable return. Soon their populace began to dwindle further and further before they were a mere hundred, yet the demons continued to demand more than the people could provide. Once they were warned, they would return in two months and if they could not provide then they would raze the town and move onto the next.
Between this time, as the people were preparing for the worst, a stranger would pass through. With a holy glow, the people would look unto her and tell her of their plight, warning her to leave. Yet, she did not fuss nor give in to cowardice. The woman would stay and promise to make all right from the wrongs that the demons had caused. The people did not believe her, but decided to pack what they could and began to leave, one by one until there was only one blind old man who stayed with the woman, begging her to leave.
However, his pleas would not change the mind of the woman and instead, she would say that so long as he would remain in the city, she would defend it even if it would cost her life to so. She gave the old man a kiss upon his forehead and restored his eyes. The old man, out of gratitude and joy would bow to divine, seeing now that she would save them. Then she would request him to find the people and bring them back to the city so that they may resume their lives.
After that, the divine would wait for the demonic band to come, standing in one spot until she saw their blight coming forth. And so the army saw her and laughed, a singular woman would dare to challenge what an entire city of men feared?
Then, the battle begun, the woman charging the army and killing twenty in a single blow, not even breaking a sweat over such an action. The demon began to fight her all at once, but not even their crude swords or claws could break her skin. Their kind began to run for the cover of the city, but the divine did not care, instead destroying any building that house a demon in one fell swoop. She would not rest until every demon had been killed, only allowing one to retreat and tell of what happened so that all may be warned of her fury and mighty strength.
Her duty was not yet done, as she used her godly powers to reconstruct the city into a paradise, with building strong enough to repel any mortal attack. Going forward she ripped open the fabric of life and death in order to bring back those who had wrongly died by the hands of the demons, giving them life anew.
These people, reborn and reunited with their loved ones would look upon their savior and bow, proclaiming her queen to rule over all they knew. She would accept on the condition they revoke their worship of Sin and instead worship the true divine of above her, those who had granted her life; Vestec, Teknall, Vakarlon, and Vulamera. Though some of the gods be dead, she would not tell them, instead allowing them to worship as a memorial for those she lost.
“Wow, sounds like you are a divine being.”
”Yeah, couldn’t tell at all. Especially not with all the flight and glowing.”
“You never now, she could be some form of mutant human. You know, like the dagon.”
”Are you saying she is a dagon?”
“That’s not at all what I said.”
Avulus could only sigh before stopping the two who were talking to each other. ”Behold, Aurum, the city of New Life!” she exclaimed gesturing to a city that looked as if it were lined of gold. From their point of view, they could see the populace bustling and tending to their daily business with a joy that neither Orphan nor Kri’Tal knew.
”This is where your lives start anew!”
