Why do those older than us know what’s right?

  Perhaps it is not that they know, but that they ‘should.’

  You see, when one is born, they begin in a certain state.

  It is not smart, stupid, or dumb.

  But ignorant.

  For lack of knowledge is, in itself, ignorance.

  And ignorance is the base of us all.

  We are all a blank slate at birth,

  the duty of our elders to build upon and shape.

  To school and learn, and became as they will.

  Or are we?

  For in modern society, with modern science and knowledge,

  things like genetics give us new insight into who we are.

  Not to mention, why we are.

  We may begin ignorant,

  but we do begin with a… sort of template.

  A shape, skills, perks, and cons.

  History, race, class, stats, and skills, if you prefer.

  Though in the beginning…

  At level zero…

  There are far too many variables to know for sure.

  Yet, through life we go, skilling and leveling.

  And if those skill points we acquire through life are not spent optimally,

  do we not squander our maximum potential?

  Who cares? For does not everyone desire the cookie cutter?

  Does not every parent want their child to be society’s perfect cog?

  Fools.

  We go against our very selves, and fight against our class and nature!

  We ignore our special racial traits, and instead foster hatred!

  Or we rebel against what we are, demanding a class change!

  Sometimes we may even have a class forced upon us that is not our optimum.

  Pardon me, I derail myself so easily.

  My own creative use of metaphors amuses me too greatly, I fear.

  The POINT, and question, is what happens when those that should guide and raise us,

  epically fucking fail?

  Well, you get a gimped character, with little to no hope of a re-roll.

  It is up to those that are above us in life, in age, to help us get there.

  To where we are supposed to be.

  Because, it is assumed, with age comes experience, and with experience…

  come levels.

  And with levels, come a higher probability of success.

  Heh, bloody slim chance of that.

  Most people don’t know who they are any better than those that raised them.

  Yet, we as a society are forced to assume they do.

  To assume that the gray-haired fools ruling over us, know what is in our best interest.

  Assume.

  Who but God can truly knows what is best?

  Who but God, knows what was designed and intended for each?

  God does not assume.

  For I highly doubt he wants to make us and Him the likeness of an ass.

  Not himself at least!

  He does have a sense of humor, after all.

  So then, do all those older possess greater experience?

  Greater levels, and knowledge, than those younger?

  No.

  HOWEVER

  This does not mean the younger are therefore greater than their seniors.

  The ones creating the child shall be required to raise, nurture, and train.

  The ones created shall bow heads to the ones before, until the appointed time.

  The coming of age, whatever age that may be.

  And we all know, there is infinite room for fuck up in this equation!

  On the part of the guardians, as much as the rebellious youth.

  The chain reaction of failing our youths, generation after generation…

  only gets worse.

  More… expected of them.

  More… base.

  Eventually, we finally forget why we even do it.

  For as we fail, and teach our failures, they and we get more, you guessed it:

  ignorant.

  More and more until naught is left but the repeated rantings of tradition.

  The ways to live. The ways to act. The ways to be.

  Why? Because that’s what we were taught.

  It is what’s accepted and expected. Most do not even know why.

  All they know, is if you let your spirit die…

  like they let theirs…

  Then you won’t manage to survive, in the same bitter world that they do.

  So, they try. At least the good ones try.

  Could the evil ones that beat, molest, and cage us…

  be children that had previously failed?

  Or… were they before us, also failed?

  Stats and skills so underdeveloped, they simply rolled too low against the madness?

  Failed to resist the brainwashing attempt known as society?

  Cogs in the machine of stupidity and ignorance?

  Maybe they truly are evil. Maybe just shitty adults.

  But, are they all as we judge from their words and actions?

  Perhaps we should trust why God alone can know the human heart.

  Why he is infinitely forgiving and patient.

  And probably why our tears will need to be wiped away.

  For with it will go the memories of all the pain and grudges.

  As will the cause of such, in those forgiven and forgiving.

  So is it not the very least we can do…

  for the Father of us all…

  to know He can never be ignorant, nor wrong?

  Has He not already explained revealed the Word to all?

  Should we not do our best to teach as He would teach us?

  He even came to us in Christ Jesus, to show us how!

  AND WE TORTURED AND KILLED HIM!

  Yet… He says I forgive you…

  I would have probably been more than a tad vindictive, myself.

  So why don’t we break the cycle? Why don’t we teach what’s right?

  End the ignorance and stupidity?

  Break the cogs in the infernal machine of society?

  Because if we did, more would need to take their place.

  More cogs. More society. More foolish rule.

  My friends… just because you die to change the world,

  does not mean it stays so changed.

  You could be dead ten seconds before some ass capitalizes on it.

  Then, those few you saved,

  were outweighed by the millions your death crushed.

  Though surely, it wasn’t your fault, right?

  Was and is it Christ’s fault, all the murders in his name?

  The psychotic religious zealots that judge and massacre the masses?

  Remember, God can’t be ignorant.

  The devil can’t cast out the devil.

  So why would wisdom beget foolishness?

  Teach those in your house. Save those you spawned.

  Love your neighbor, and be respectful to those around you.

  Keep to and care for you and yours.

  Though, I myself like to think of it as mine and me.

  For, unless you have trained your family to match your level…

  How can they be your family?

  Why leave them to stale? To level the masses, neglecting your own name and house?

  Ah, why do I bother!

  No one will ever listen. All will still butt-in to the lives of others, as they should not.

  All the while ignoring their own.

  And ignorance will continue its eternal game of telephone.

  It won’t for all of us, however.

  For some of us have a Teacher, far above our own level cap.

  And He actually wants to share his knowledge. His wisdom. His inheritance.

  For He does not play telephone.

  He teaches all equally, and all at once, Word never degrading.

  For He is the Operator.

  Now if I could only get the messages right more often!

  ~Why are the older supposedly wiser? - a musing

  ~Feldyn Goldchord, the Endless Bard

  * * *

  'Will you listen to me?!'

  Caleb didn’t know how he was still even conscious, and the angel inside of him wouldn’t shut the fuck up! After getting out of the valley, the angel praying all the while, so loud and overpowering in his thoughts, it had been impossible to think. So he ended up running blindly into a power pole. Who knew you needed to think to see where you were going? The madness as the breath of Hell washed over him complicated matters. Feeling like he was having the worst trip of his life, Caleb curled into the fetal position.

  All of this that was happening… Everything that had occurred… All the people that had died… Jessie… Was it all because of him? Was it his fault? If he had not been alive, not existed, would these Terrors have even come here? No, they would not have. He didn’t need to think to understand that. He was the Dragonheart. Some mythical hero with a stupidly generic title, destined to save some mystical world from some stereotypical bad guy.

  His life had always been so mundane, dull, and boring. But he had been happy. Content, if not a bit impatient for some type of excitement at times. He played his games, read his books, watched his anime, hung out with his friends. Life was lame, but it was life. It was real. And despite their complaints, it was good. All this fairy-tale JRPG bullshit was fine and dandy in principal, but in practice it was NOT OKAY!

  Being a hero was supposed to make you feel, well, like a hero! Not like some pathetic douche that does nothing but cause suffering and make mistakes! All he had been doing since Feldyn showed up was acting stupid, getting knocked out, dodging, and trying to not die. Well, also thinking about girls a lot. And being redundant in his complaints… He had to be the worst hero in the history of heroes ever. He sure was emo enough to fit some stereotypes... Could even spike his hair, given some hair gel… but UGH, in real life you needed to act, not pout and fill yourself with self-loathing!

  Heh…

  Much easier said than done, as he lie curled in a ball, while the nekomata crashed past, and his friends all acted to save him and others. He wanted to die. He gave up! He had just watched his child, his literal actual baby, get sliced open; still beating heart taken from her chest, right in front of him!

  'If you just die, many more people will suffer much worse! So get UP!'

  Caleb knew he should care. He was a hero! A hero with no power, and no skill, and no talent. Why him? Why not someone worthy? He was just a horny dumbass, that wanted to have fun and fight monsters. Well… he guessed he could do without the monster fighting part. He could tell himself he could do without the hormones too… but knew better. First time he saw a cute girl, and all his problems would vanish, her being the only thing on his mind, until another cute one showed up.

  'Should I find an attractive young girl, and have her cheer for you? Hmm? Will you move THEN?!'

  'Just leave me alone!' he snapped at the angel, or whatever the fuck was in his mind! He wasn’t listening to the demon; he couldn’t even hear it right now. See! Another sign of his patheticness! He was possessed! Had an actual demon in him AND an angel! The fuck is wrong with him?! Why had he done those horrible things?! Why had he turned into some kind of deranged sex monster?!

  He just needed to… He just needed… to lie here. So that is exactly what he did. Lie there and feel sorry for himself.

  * * *

  “You think they’ll get her?” Suzie asked, referring to the fleeing imp. If Iiyni’jeari’eea somehow survived and escaped… “Probably not.” The reply made Suzie spin on the vampire queen. X’al’antra shrugged, not looking terribly amused. “She’s resourceful. Unless the two of us were to die, I doubt she will weaken enough for them to defeat her.”

  “But you said-”

  “I know what I said. Nobody's perfect.”

  Shuzariel stared at Xal, mouth open like an idiot. X'al'antra was always so confident! “The important part is over,” Xal continued, this time giving a smile. “And in that, we succeeded. What is important now is to prepare for our guest. After that, the rest is...” X’al’antra waved a hand around in a whatever type of gesture, and walked over to Larry’s destroyed bookshelves.

  Sigh. She had really wished to salvage more of his work. When they returned to the mansion -large house, really-, she would have to go over his remaining documents and see if any were worth keeping.

  Iiyni'jeari'eea fleeing had not been the only disappointment, of course. Another was how much Xal had been hoping the lycanthropeire would bring back the homunculus’ body. At first, she hadn’t cared. After thinking on it longer, X'al'antra had decided she wanted the doll. Philosopher Stone knowledge would always be helpful, though that wasn’t the main curiosity. What X’al’antra wanted to know was how a man-made thing could not only have the Mark of Christ, but another soul mark as well. It was blatant as the mark of a priest or a prophet, yet it was neither. And that power she used? It felt like a fire of judgment.

  She had felt herself being crushed and judged, under that assault of that energy. How it had burned. If Larry, or even Shuzariel, had been hit with it, they would have likely disintegrated. Just what the fuck had Larry created that God chose to bless in such a manner? Xal figured, if anything, she could hand the doll’s body over instead of the Aetherian. Now, she had neither.

  Looking at some fallen paperwork, she smiled; catching a whiff of Caleb’s scent. It was very faint, of course. Concentrated mana was such a neutralizer to the olfactory. At least the part of the plan involving the Dragonheart had worked. More or less.

  “When will he arrive?” Suzie asked, looking at the Rock a bit nervously. “I only know what the prophecies say,” Xal answered absentmindedly. “Yeah, but you wrote it!” Suzie whined. “I dreamt it.”

  “Then you wrote it! You’re saying you don’t know more details? Aren’t we supposed to have the half-elf?”

  Now Xal looked pissy, glaring at the witch queen. “There is ample room for change and error. The important parts, the main parts, have happened. Next, he will arrive. And we will be here to greet him.”

  “You still don’t know who is coming?”

  So many fucking questions… “No,” she almost snarled at the blonde, “but I can guess.” Resuming her search through books, and papers, X’al’antra was about to yell at the pacing witch to go do something productive, when they heard shouting in the distance.

  "HEY TERRORS, COME AND GET US! OR ARE YE TOO COWARDLY TO FIGHT YOUR OWN BATTLES?!"

  Both queens looked off at Feldyn’s voice, a bit puzzled.

  “COWARDS! FOOLS! CHICKENS! SHOW YOURSELVES!”

  Chickens? “Seriously?” Suzie groaned. That Aetherian was an idiot. Sighing loudly, “If he wants to fight so badly, feel free,” X’al’antra told her partner.

  “Wait, me?”

  “Yes you! Who else would I be talking to!”

  “SHUZARIEL! COME AND GET US, YOU OLD HAG!”

  “See, they want you,” Xal empathized. Suzie frowned. “What? Are you worried about losing?” Xal’s voice changed mockingly to a tone you would use to encourage a frightened child. “Did you forgot about the barrier? You can fight uninhibited, in your true state.” Now, the air-headed witch queen began to brighten up. “Even if the thrall’s there, you should have it easily.”

  “X’AL’ANTRA! WHY DON’T YOU COME SUCK ON THIS?!”

  Both frowned slightly at the ridiculous taunt, but kept their focus. “Should have it easy?” the witch queen smirked, confidence in her voice. “I’ll annihilate the lot of them.” She seemed to realize something, and added, “Should I try to keep the elf alive?”

  “THE ZOMBIE KING COULDN’T MAKE A POTION TO SAVE HIS LIFE!”

  “No,” Xal droned. “Just kill the fool. Kill them all. I’ll wait here for their, for his arrival.”

  “One more thing,” Shuzariel said, with a wicked grin. “Caleb. Don’t give me that look! You are going to hog him all to yourself, and that’s not fair! I want him too! You can have have him, I just want to get to play sometimes...” The vampire queen did not look amused. “And you too,” Suzie added, confusing her. “All three of us, I mean. All these years, and never once have you let me touch you.” Suzie‘s eyes looked a bit carnivorous, and nervous. One didn’t demand things of the queen of the vampires, lusty or otherwise.

  X’al’antra was... amused. She supposed she could share Caleb’s body. If it kept the witch loyal and happy, why not? After all, what man (or boy, in this case) isn’t happier with two women at once? And if Caleb began to prefer the witch, X’al’antra would kill her. “Fine,” she agreed. Shuzariel squealed loudly. “Oh my gawd, this is going to be amazing, Xal! I promise you won’t regret it!”

  “OLD, UGLY, AND STINKY, ARE SCAREDY-CATS!”

  “Go kill him. Now,” Xal ordered calmly, with a sigh. “Before I do it myself.”

  Hands elongated into claws, floating up and out of the canyon, “I’M FUCKING COMING!” Suzie screeched, hoping the bard heard her so he would shut up!

  * * *

  Pazely and Bryan were still gasping once the Hell madness passed. Paze realized soon as she opened her eyes, that she was holding Bryan’s hand, and snatched hers away. Bryan didn't even notice the diss; first thing his eyes saw upon opening was a wave of monsters coming from around the amphitheater-like pit, and others flying into the sky. He didn’t move or say a word, out of fear he would startle Pazely.

  The incoming monsters on the ground either hadn’t sensed, or were ignoring them, and instead crashing over and through the enemies that lie below the duo on the dike; ripping to shreds the zombies, ghouls, and animated boulders. Hardly slowing, the monsters continued in their rush, not climbing up the dune where Paze and Bryan lie on their bellies, but around it to their right, towards the river. The flying things had dispersed in all directions.

  Now there was a commotion from the area the creatures had emerged.

  Paze noticed the nekomata and harpies a bit after Bryan. And where Bryan focused on the horde of nekomata, Pazely had been staring at the harpies. The small, tailed monster things on the ground, she had no clue what they were. Those bird-women? Those she had a pretty good guess! And for some reason, she was way more unnerved by the flying away from them demons, than the rather close mini-horde on the ground.

  Not wanting to freak out, she acted more hasty than she should. “Let’s go!” she said to Bryan, who was just now noticing the absolutely destruction of plant life and ridiculous amount of bugs. Without waiting for an answer, she rolled over the edge and tumbled down the steep slope of sand and silt. Hair still in a ponytail, Paze managed to tangle her legs in it -DAMMIT, I’m out of practice at this!- stumbling at the bottom of the slope. Her right shin hit a rock, she tripped, and tumble-rolled, landing in a small mud puddle. Wonderful.

  “C’mon, we need to keep moving!” Bryan urged, already down the hill without incident, and moving towards the Rock. Containing an irritated shriek, she followed. 'He could have at least asked if I was okay!'

  Hurrying alongside, it suddenly registered her how much everything had changed. How different it all felt as well as looked. The sky being purple, or whatever, was weird enough. Now there were bugs everywhere. Like, icky annoying bugs. Clouds of gnats, hundreds of flies. And all the plants and trees looked dead. Also, the bugs weren't just in the air- on the ground were tons of maggots, worms, and beetles! Not a carpet of them, but still more than enough to be smashed all over her from when she rolled, including smushed between her toes. Pazely was not the squeamish type, but she couldn't fully suppress a gag.

  Both looked over towards the the area the monsters had come from, when they heard a commotion. Could the others be fighting? Pazely was now acutely aware of the sounds of combat, much farther farther into town. She could see columns of smoke rising from where the city shop should be.

  Painfully grabbing her arm, Bryan violently yanked her to the right, causing her to yelp. “Ow, wha-” she went silent when she heard a kid yelling something. No, not a kid, it must be that imp Caleb was obsessed with. Still, why yank her like that! Bryan had caused them both to fall to the side, behind a large split boulder that was scored everywhere with deep claw marks. Then she saw Bryan’s face. His eyes… He had seen something over there while she had been looking the other way. And the disbelief, the horror in his expression, Pazely spontaneously began to shiver.

  Staying quiet, and behind cover, Iiyni darted past them, running super freaking fast, but slow for a demon.

  And nightmare itself followed.

  The large red and brown demon, with the horns on its head and a giant sword on its back, scared Pazely so badly she dry-heaved, and her abdomen spun. The evil of the thing! Any movie with something that looked like that, and she would have needed to sleep with the lights on for a week! And this wasn’t a movie!

  The ground shaking steps of the giant that ran by next, filled Pazely with such a horror, she let out a cry of despair - Bryan clasping both hands over her mouth from behind, and pulling her tightly against his body. “Shhhhhhhh,” was all he could manage.

  Bryan had briefly seen a gigantic head when looking in the direction of the commotion, and general area of their intended destination. What he saw had been so otherworldly, his mind processed nothing other than hide.

  Looking up at the monstrous creature as it passed, it was easily the most terrifying (and largest) being he had ever laid eyes on; its lipless grin somehow worse than the overall size. Bryan’s heart was cold, his mouth full of bile, and he was trying not to run screaming and crying. No panic attack, not even the worst one he had ever had, came close to what this moment felt like.

  Trio of enemies out of sight in the same direction the nekomata had gone, Pazely elbowed Bryan three times in the ribs, each progressively harder, until he let go, Paze gasping for breath. “I couldn’t breathe, you asshole!” she coughed, squeaking, but not screeching. “I’m. Sorry,” was his odd, robotic response. “Bry... an?” Pazely was once again filled with dread, her friend just sitting on the ground, eyes blank, face frozen. “Bryan, what’s wrong?” Paze asked the stupid question, voice surprisingly strong. “I.” That was it. He only said: ‘I’.

  Bryan was spazzing out, and henceforth freaking the fuck out of Pazely. Wasn’t enough going on without him adding spazz-out to the list? She was trying to not think about those monsters, because if she thought about them, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to move either.

  Not knowing what else to do, panic overriding her thoughts, she acted the way Pazely generally acted when freaking out: with violence. Punting Bryan under the chin. The teen boy grunted, his head knocked back forcefully enough that he fell on his back. His debilitating fear was quickly replaced by the concern Pazely may have just killed him.

  “Get up,” he heard his friend hiss. “Get up and fight!” She sounded absolutely furious, now replacing his concern with confusion. “Or just die here!” He tensed on the ground.

  The tone in her voice was so hateful! Was this… an effect from where she had been sent by her parents? What… had really happened to her there?

  “We knew we might die, right? So get up and quit being your uncle!” Okay, now Bryan was irritated enough to sit up and frown. And immediately feel -more- terrible. Pazely was crying. And… “You peed yourself,” Bryan told her, his mouth filling with blood, which he spit out, along with a tooth. “You knocked one of my teeth out,” he mumbled, staring at one of his bottom front teeth in disbelief, letting the blood run from his mouth onto the ground near it. “I did not pee myself!” Pazely defended. Least, she didn’t think she had. “And I’ll knock out the others if you don’t get up! Do you think Caleb is just lying around feeling sorry for himself, or frozen in fear? Huh? No! And we don’t get to either!”

  “You’re right,” he agreed. Like Pazely, Bryan was mistakenly sure Caleb would never just give up and lie there. Pain or fear, the cause didn’t matter; Caleb would always fight, and Bryan would too. Standing and spitting more blood, “Let’s hurry over to that structure near the Rock. Caleb must be inside, or nearby at least.”

  Pazely was glad he had snapped out of it. She hadn’t exactly been expecting him to so easily. Good thing he wasn’t pissed. That kick could have actually killed him! A bit beyond a ‘whoops’ on her part. “Reba should be able to fix your tooth thing,” she said, and Bryan knew that was her form of an apology. He spit more blood. “My fault. If I hadn’t been spazzing, I could have easily dodged such a pathetic kick.” She scowled at him while he spit even more blood. “C’mon, pee girl, we need to hurry!”

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “I didn’t FUCKING PEE!” she shouted, then quickly covered her mouth with both hands, mortified, and looking around expecting for something to attack and kill them both because of the inability to control her volume. “Listen!” Bryan snapped, hardly paying attention. Paze didn’t have to stand listening long until they heard faint shouting. It was really hard to hear, but she was pretty sure it was Feldyn... and it almost sounded like... “Sounds like Feldyn. Think he’s taunting them…” Pazely said quietly, concentrating. Bryan was surprised she could hear the voice so well. He had barely make it out at all, other than it being a control tone versus screams. “But that’s good, right?” Pazely smiled. “That means everything is going as planned!”

  “Huzzah,” Bryan said an unenthusiastic sigh. Pazely giggled and thrust her fist in the air, “Charge!”

  The two ran fast, only slightly crouched. First, straight on towards the Rock, then veering their run to the left a bit, directly at the flat roof covering of the amphitheater-pit-thing. They had almost reached it, when a female screeched: “I’M FUCKING COMING!” from fairly close by. The two fell to their bellies gracefully, if not a bit uncomfortably. When a pig-tailed blonde’s head rose into view, still a good ways away, but clear as day; Pazely had to abruptly roll to the right, to break of sight. “I had to roll through your blood!” she complained in a barely controlled whisper at Bryan, now kneeling against the Rock, hidden from whomever she had just seen.

  Ignoring her, Bryan crept up to peak around the corner. Floating away from them now was the blonde, a good amount of her butt was showing; mini skirt hiked up inappropriately. Bryan would have been distracted by the view if one; she was closer, and two; he hadn't notice the freaky, long, black hand-claws, before she floated down and out of view.

  That must be the witch queen. The one Bryan had seen regrow an arm… He shuddered. “My butt’s better,” Pazely scoffed. She had moved over to look in time to see butt cheek. “It is,” the boy agreed accidentally. “Was that a question?” Paze asked, murder in her voice. This time, he chose not to answer. “There’s an opening over there. Follow.” Successfully dodging the situation, Bryan was thankfully still focused more on the task at hand that his own embarrassment. Hormones were a confusing thing indeed.

  Where were the other two Terrors? Were they at the Hell gate, and busy? Walking out on the pit's partial roof, he quickly located an opening near them, and could tell from here the large ridge on the far side of the roofing, must have been where the witch queen had come from, and likely where the other bad guys were, if still around. He hoped they weren't, as this close, no way at least Rashelle the vampire hadn't sensed them.

  Heading to the opening in the roof, Bryan found it led into a spiraling stone staircase. “I ain’t going first…” Pazely complained. Like he would make her go first. Especially after how cowardly he had been… Desire to show he could be brave was currently overriding a bit of his common sense. Without a word, Bryan started down the staircase, glancing at the odd stone-like ridge as much as he looked down, until finally too low to see it. The passage was dark, but there were actual burning torches in sconces along the wall, like they were descending into some medieval dungeon. Pazely thought it enhanced the creepiness nicely.

  It didn’t take long to reach the bottom and exit the stairwell. The room they entered was made of -what looked like- plain concrete. It was featureless, the exit doorway having no door.

  In a hurry to continue to make progress, Bryan cautiously exited the room, looking around at the featureless hall, and other side rooms. Neither the hallway nor the rooms reached the ceiling of the half-covered pit. The side rooms were instead constructed like individual boxes. Door-less concrete boxes, with nothing or little no nothing, in them. Silently moving from room to room, Pazely in tow, Bryan could not figure out the point of this structure.

  Ending the hallway, Bryan exited to the left, into the non-covered part of the pit.

  And he froze.

  It was… some type of macabre workshop. Or… something. It seemed to be divided into several sections, by the same concrete walls. Just smaller, like office workspace dividers. There was no door, or even a wall, on the far side, just open air, like it's amphitheater shape implied.

  None of that mattered to Bryan. To be honest, he wasn’t thinking or feeling much of anything right now. Because while he was still taking in the room... he saw... something horrible... Something that nothing could have prepared him for. Pazely pushed past him, as he stood frozen in the doorway, thinking he was freaking out again.

  The room she walked into looked like a scene from Hell. There were tables and chairs and things like torture equipment and tools, covered in blood. Corpses hung on walls, severed arms and legs set on tables. There were shelves of feet, hands, heads; even jars with eyeballs and God only knew what else. Pazely had sorta been expecting things to be like this. One of the bad guys literally made zombies! At least the corpses and parts in here weren’t moving! And they didn’t smell that bad either… Nothing smelled as bad as it should, now that she thought about it.

  Feeling queasy regardless, she turned to look up at Bryan's frozen expression, and chose to just follow his gaze to see what he was staring at- Oh no. Among the mutilated corpses hanging on the wall, were Bryan's parents, very much not alive.

  Mr. and Mrs. Golston were so mutilated, she had not even recognized them. In fact, she couldn't even fully identify them now, if not for Bryan's reaction. They were hanging from something in their backs, presumably large hooks. Both of them were missing their jaws, and their hands and feet were cut off. They were naked, bellies cut open, guts hanging out for all to see. Their eyes had been removed as well, and they were covered in cuts, and blood, and had holes in them... Paze couldn’t really tell if they had been tortured before death, or torn apart after. It wasn’t even apparent if it had been for study, or some sick sport.

  Pazely scanned the room again, paying better attention. Not far from where Mr. and Mrs. Golston hung, was a bench against the wall, lined with heads. She immediately recognized two of them. The head of Fake-Father Shiplin, and the head of Jessie. There were dozens of other heads and corpses, but none that she immediately recognized.

  “Well, this is pretty fucked up,” Bryan said, sounding perfectly casual. So casual, that it actually made the Japanese girl whimper a little. “This, I didn’t expect at all,” Bryan continued, and laughed nervously. “Not at all…” his voice trailed off, as he walked to the side, and pushed a bunch of severed feet off of a low table, and sat on it, hanging his head.

  Pazely had no idea what to say. No idea how to console him. She knew they needed to keep moving, but this was all just too horrible! How could anyone see this and just keep going? Her eye inevitably moved back to Jessie. To her one pretty face... And Pazely fell to her knees, and sat on the ground, holding her hand as tightly over her mouth as she could to stifle the sobs.

  * * *

  Iiyni was not accustomed to feeling fear, let alone -borderline- panic. She had seen it hundreds of times in the eyes of others; both human and demon. Her life had been in peril before, and she had felt doubt, fear or worry, more than once. But not like this. At least, not that she could recall.

  With the gate closed, Larry dead, and her sisters back home, she had lost three of her summoning links. Three fucking fifths of her power! FUCK! That, and the not feeding long enough to be practically starved? Fuck times a fucking LOT!

  She could not die here! Her sisters alone likely wouldn’t be able to get her sexy ass out of the fire in time. Iiyni ('Iiyni'jeari'eea! My fucking name is Iiyni'jeari'eea!') had made so many enemies in her quick advancement to tyrant, there would be literal armies to assure she remained in the Fires until nothing was left of her sanity, and all she knew was pain and suffering for the rest of eternity!

  It had taken her so long to achieve this level of freedom! She wasn’t going to lose it all now, let alone burn, just because of one scheme from that evil cunt, whore, snatch, gash, butt-fucking-faced BITCH OF AN AUNT!

  Dammit! Humans had it fucking easy! They had a choice of who to follow! Demons were fucked from birth, forgiveness and salvation not even an option! Iiyni may be evil, but she was not stupid. If given the free choice, why the holy fuck would she pick the losing side? Just because moronic humans chose to deny God, with the truth right in front of their faces, did not mean that she would! Iiyni’jeari’eea hoped her unique standpoint made the Creator just delete her soul to Oblivion, instead of sentencing her to eternal suffering. She didn’t exactly want be to a bad guy. She just was. And she was fucking good at it, too! So with no choice given her, by God Himself, why not enjoy the ride?!

  Clearing the sand dunes, Iiyni kept running at a painfully slow pace. Dammit, she was even gasping for breath! At the river, she jumped - barely making it across. Chancing a glance behind her, the balor was bending knee to follow suit, the gigas right behind him! Raaaaaaa! Why are they so fucking fast!

  She wasn’t going to get a chance to clear much more distance. Iiyni was going to have to fight. Even two fifths should be enough to go toe to toe with the trash chasing her, she would just have to use minimal chakra, and not do anything too flashy.

  Risking a dead sprint, the little demon ran halfway to and around the largest dune she could see, and stopped; before running back the way she had been coming, intercepting a shocked balor. Rolling right between his legs, she uppercut him in the balls; enough force behind it to smash them to pulp, and pick him up off of his feet, landing the fucker on his back.

  Iiyni then turned to intercept the gigas that had been going over the nearby dune before noticing her, and stepped back down behind her. She jumped atop its right kicking foot, and jumped again to grab onto the waistband of the brown cloth diaper it was pointless wearing. Well, not pointless. Gigas poop was nasty.

  The featu'thuntu gigas, fast and agile for its size, tried to grab her, and yelped when she climbed straight up his naked torso, piercing into his flesh easily with her sharp finger and toenails. She couldn’t tear too deeply without putting more oomph into it, but this depth was enough to scurry up him fast as a squirrel. When nearing his collarbone, the imp risked jumping out, and spun like a top, in chakra fueled kick- breaking a couple fingers on the gigas’ left hand when he tried to grab her. The hellbeast stumbled back a couple of steps from the sudden pain; Iiyni, unable to grab the giant, fell gracefully back to the ground.

  Right in the path of an angry, charging balor - dripping all types of gross from under the loincloth. Setting her stance wide, she stood her ground. Leaning back, she avoided a swipe from the greatsword. Spinning left, the blade chopped open air. Spinning back to the right, bent knees and ducking her head, she avoided another swipe. Right foot - she kicked him inside the right calf, then the knee, then inside the thigh. Needing then to use chakra to jump back fast enough to avoid his rapid advancing counter.

  Faking a charge, Iiyni'jeari'eea dodged right instead. Rolling to miss the smashing fist of the gigas behind her, Iiyni grabbed a handful of sand. On her feet again, she ran forward, then rolled, dodging another swipe of the large blade. A few more steps, and she set her heels, hopped, and twirled, hitting the flat greatsword in a powerful chakra-fueled side-kick.

  Her leg went numb, but still supported her weight and responded. The balor, however, dropped his sword from the sudden jarring impact. Too close to the brown and red demon for the gigas to attack her, she took the opportunity to flying kick the balor in the chest. He grabbed for her ankle and missed, but one if his claws raked down her exposed leg, deeply enough she almost cried out.

  Iiyni was beginning to seriously doubt her battle plan. Hopping back to avoid another incoming smashing right punch from the gigas, she was taken completely by surprise when it ended up being a feint- and took the full brunt of the left cross, that the gigas threw itself forward to hit her with. The impact was so powerful and sudden, she hadn't even felt it, instead it was like she had been instantaneously buried in sand. Confused for a moment, Iiyni quickly realized the punch had launched her deep inside the sheer faced dune they battled near. Least she was still alive enough to be fucking confused!

  Digging out of all this silt-sand-shit was not so easy using strength alone, but she had to be smart with her energy expenditure! Emerging on top of the dune, the balor was slicing the ground with his blade, quite near to where she was, trying to locate her. Yeah, he needed to die. Now.

  Which meant she was going to have to amp shit up a bit. Iiyni was sure she still had the strength for a teency weency special attack. The small amount of chakra used so far hadn't made her feel any worse for wear. And her body was still healing normally. Would have just preferred to save the energy for a larger threat. Like her fucking aunt. Oh well, a cunt hairs worth of power wouldn’t drain her too much.

  Standing atop the dune, the balor turning to her, the not far off gigas seeing her as well - she absorbed mana like a quick deep breath. Legs wide, elbows bent, hands in fists; Iiyni easily noticing the feeling of physical and mental strength within her body- willing it to condense in a single point.

  The balor was charging, almost on top of her now. The gigas was to her right, smiling the grin of the thoughtless.

  With but a thought and a twitch, she released the chakra she had bottled in her chest, pushing it into her arms, intertwining it with the mana she had taken in. Opening her fists, palms facing together, a glowing bluish-white ball of energy appeared. The balor lifted his blade up and around his head in a swing.

  With natural skill, and practiced precision, Iiyni quickly twisted her palms behind the ball of energy, and hit it with the heels of both hand, thrusting the last bit of mana and chakra into it.

  A beam blasted from the ball of infused chakra, expending it, and going clean through the balor. The imp, easily avoiding the incoming sword, stood behind the mercenary now, panting. Iiyni had taken out his heart and enough of the area around it, he was definitely fucking dead.

  And she was far more exhausted than she should be. It was true, that without her sword, she had a difficult time focusing her energy into a controlled attack, but what the fuck? One, just one pathetic chakra beam, the weakest she could muster, had drained her this much? Iiyni had expected to be able to fire off at least a few at that level!

  Gasping and coughing, she tried to run, and fell.

  Enraged at the death of one of its masters, the gigas jumped, landing gracefully just shy of the imp, who managed to get clear of it's initial blow, as the gigantic opponent starting punching into the ground so furiously that the dune was being torn up, sand flying everywhere. Tucking, rolling, jumping, tumbling, the imp’s heart was slamming, her breath impossible to catch from all the sand in her mouth. Eyes scraped and pained from the sand in them as well. She couldn’t get out of the stupid area of this gigas’ pummels!

  When a fist almost hit her, and she felt the whoosh of it rush past, Iiyni jabbed her fingers into it, curling them immediately upon puncturing flesh. Tensing, the yank when the gigas pulled its fist back ripped her shoulder quite painfully out of socket, but the purpose was served. Iiyni was ejected from the cloud of sand, the gigas not even registering the new finger pain as it kept punching the sand, with a low humming growl.

  Trying to not cry out, Iiyni’jeari’eea still let a few squeaks escape, hitting the ground and rolling on her dislocated shoulder. Feet under her again, she sprinted a good few yards before falling. Almost panicking, and quickly stumbling back to her feet, she expected to be crushed by a fist. But the gigas was still pounding away in the same place.

  With a snarl of determination and will, Iiyni'jeari'eea snapped her arm back into place with a single powerful shimmy. See someone do that with tits! Fuck, she seriously needed to wrap up this fight. Sure, her body would heal. But if she took a mortal wound? She’d be knocked the fuck out. Also known as, vulnerable enough to be killed.

  Okay, what were her options to end this fight? Physical strength was no help. Fucking gigas had way too much surface area to punch and kick. The only sure way to kill one quick was to take out their brain. Brains that were about human sized, and sloshed around in their skulls, so a precision shot with chakra was out too. Ugh, that left mana. She couldn’t even well enough to do anything worthwhile with it right now! Magic never had been her strong suit, but...

  Hmm. That might work… With a crooked frown, she tried to see if she could well up enough mana for the spell. Yup.

  The gigas had quit raging now, and had climbed out of the hole.

  She wasn’t a wizard, or any type of caster, really. But the purple spells she knew, she was absurdly good with; beginning the cast as she ran back towards the gigas was easy. With a tick of will, she let the mana start pooling. Focusing her mind on the bound, the trapped, and the burn of spreading poison, she closed her eyes. “Defixi demone’ o serui-na’vitis!” Iiyni clapped her hands together and reopened her eyes, pointing her palms towards the gigas.

  Brown vines thick as rope, with green and yellow leaves, burst from her palms in a spray of blood, coiling outwards towards the enemy. When the vines hit the giant’s legs, she kept running past it, the vines pulling from her hands feeling like they were uncoiling her from the inside out. When Iiyni felt the wet snap from the last of the vines leaving her, she skid to a halt, looking back.

  They had wrapped the gigas so tight and thorough, it couldn’t even cry out as it crashed to the sand, fully bound, poison burning its skin.

  “Hah, got you now, cockface!” she mocked, and her world spun. A weird humming sensation overtook the imp. Dropping to her knees, she tried to fight it. To stay conscious. C’mon bitch, you got this! Shake it off. C’mon!

  Dizziness passing, Iiyni'jeari'eea, still on her knees, stared at the struggling gigas. Those vines should hold it for a while. Poison likely wouldn't kill, though she had pulled the spell off at a higher level than expected. Now what should she do...

  Iiyni grinned when an idea came to mind.

  The Dragonheart. He would help her. He would get the others to protect her. If she went back, and pleaded to them for mercy, they would surely keep her safe until she could get the fuck out of this mess. Where better to take shelter from the Echoes of Aethra than next to the Dragonheart himself, right?

  If he was still alive, or even actually the Dragonheart. She still couldn't fully accept that scrawny pathetic teenage boy was a mythical hero. Though the gate did open, and not an angel to be seen.

  Standing with a groan, feeling a bit like she imagined an elderly human to feel, Iiyni started heading back towards the Rock. She worked through her aches and stiffness, body restoring fast, letting her pick up a jog in no time.

  Iiyni was done tolerating her aunt. Done. That cunt was dead. After she fed, that was. The demon smirked at the thought of whom she would be seducing. Esseff? Talk about a notch in her belt. Especially if she targeted the Dragonheart himself! A sensation overcame the imp that she had never felt, and her body got warm. The sensation itself wasn't completely bad, yet it also was. It made her feel... vulnerable. And... anxious? Whatever it was, she didn’t like it. Okay, maybe she would avoid feeding on the Dragonheart...

  Barely clearing the river, Iiyni slowed some in her run, looking towards the Rock. She had to make sure, one hundred percent, that it was safe for her continue forward. Cautiously approaching the area, something caught her eye off to the right. High in the sky she could make out two individuals. Her eyes were not quite strong enough right now to make out who, but it was clear that they were fighting. Interesting.

  Reaching the Rock, she barely caught the scent of two humans. Taking that as a good sign, she took a bit longer trying to detect the scent or presence of anyone else in the area. Satisfied the coast was clear, she hurried out onto the roof of that stupid workshop area of the zombie king's. Why in the hell did her aunt let him build this thing if she planned on killing him? And why not just kill him herself? Silently walking to the edge of the roof, the imp looked down - at the Japanese girl with the unbelievably huge ponytail.

  Iiyni’jeari’eea hated that whore. Logically, she had no reason to. Nah, that wasn't true. The imp was jealous, and she knew it. A stupid fucking human girl, and she gets hair that any imp would envy? And blue eyes?! Why the FUCK does she get to have blue eyes?! Nope. This girl wasn’t natural. Yet, she was. To top it all off, the bitch was a Christian. Saved. It was just too much! Just too fucking much!

  The image of Pazely floating by on Cocoapuff flashed in her mind.

  Yeah, fuck allying with these fuckers. Her aunt was nowhere around anyway - nor Suzie, or anyone else. Just this cunt, and the pathetic nerd boy.

  Ra-ra’s warning to not kill any of them crossed her mind.

  Watching the girl with the beautiful hair, wiping her eyes, as she had obviously been crying, Iiyni was about to turn and leave, respecting her sister’s cryptic warning.

  Then Pazely turned and bent over, looking at something, and all Iiyni could think of was how nice her butt looked. She was wearing ripped and soiled leggings. Not yoga pants, mother fucking black leggings. And no visible panty lines. From the large rip under her left hip, it was clear she wasn't wearing any.

  Presumptuous slut. That was it, Ra-ra’s warning be damned. Flexing her fingers, and clenching her jaw, Iiyni'jeari'eea jumped off the roof and into the amphitheater's main room.

  To kill Pazely and Bryan.

  * * *

  Sitting on the bloodstained bench, Bryan was at a loss. He was not sure at all what to… What to even be thinking. He knew the reason he felt nothing was due to being in a type of shock. And shock was probably the only thing that was helping him to keep hysteria at bay. He knew he needed to keep moving, to not think too hard. Much easier said than done. He finally looked up to Pazely, having no idea how much time had passed since he sat down. She had been crying. He wondered who else in here they may know, and scanned the severed heads that were in front of him.

  … Oh. Jessie. Well, that’s fucked up. Seeing the head of Shiplin near her, he was glad at least someone here deserved their death. But why his parents? They were so kind! So absurdly clueless! Why did they meet such a horrible fate? Such a gruesome death?!

  Shit, he was starting to lose it. He… He needed a way to focus. Something to snap him out of this...

  Feeling like he had zoned out again, eyes focused again on Pazely, who was now bending over to look at something.

  The lead imp landed in front of him, and just behind his friend. She appeared to be wearing the same ridiculously skimpy outfit Bryan had seen her sleeping in at Rashelle’s. Her hair was loose, and she was covered in various colored viscous fluids, and dirt. The imp glared at Pazely, eyes full of hatred. The demon child looked over at him, and her rage changed. It changed to a look of cruelty, before grinning a crooked smile. Bryan's managed to finally shake his shock.

  “Pazely, run!” he warned, standing right as Iiyni lunged for her. As expected, the imp was faster. Grabbing Pazely painfully by her ponytail, she slung her around one-handed, towards the far wall - which she never hit, smashing into a concrete divider with a grunted squeak. “PAZELY!” Bryan shouted, then was doubled over; the imp having punched him in the stomach. She stepped back and spun, hitting him with a twirling heel to the face. He made a loud gagging-grunt type of noise, and fell, unmoving.

  Smirking, Iiyni casually walked the distance to where the Japanese girl struggled to get to her hands and knees. Reaching the still struggling Pazely, Iiyni grabbed a handful of her hair near the scalp, lifting the girl enough to smash her face into a wooden table near them. Pazely’s nose busted, blood pouring everywhere. She groaned. 'The fuck, still conscious? I’m weaker than I thought.' Iiyni was about to bash her face into the concrete divider wall, repeatedly, until nothing was left but pulp- then changed her mind.

  Yanking her head to make her tip backwards, Iiyni evaluated the girl. Bitch knew how to dress, slut or not. Had a nice belly too. Tucking a finger into Pazely’s sports bra, Iiyni tore it off. No tits either, but definitely a feminine chest. Dammit, this girl’s a lolicon’s wet dream! But she ain’t no loli, is she? Dropping Pazely to the ground on her side, she flipped her to her stomach, Iiyni-jeari-eea slapped the girls ass, laughing, before kicking her to her back. "Pissed yourself, huh? Trying to cover all the bases, ain't ya?" The imp wanted a good look at this girls body properly before killing her.

  Why? To prove that no matter how hot this human girl was, she would always be inferior to herself. An imps body would never age, or grow body hair, unlike this dumb bitch. Girl was Japanese too, and what, like fifteen or something? Probably could grow a bush to put the eighties to shame! Leaning down, Iiyni grabbed hold of Pazely's leggings- and froze mid yank. Smooth. Her fingers were on skin as smooth and stubble free as an imps. That wasn't possible.

  Pazely lunged, and crammed her finger into the imps right eye, poking it out. Iiyni had not expected that. Nor the pain that went with it. She screamed, mostly from anger, triggered by the pain. It made her lean back, throwing both hands over her gouged out eye; letting Pazely kick her in the chest, knocking the imp off of her feet, landing with an ‘oof’ on her back.

  Having no idea why the imp was trying to kill and strip her (Pazely’s money was on some type of guro-yuri-rape thing), she did know she was going to die if she didn’t fight back! Bryan was lying on his face, not moving. “You better be alive!” Pazely told him, standing, feeling a simultaneous wave of relief and guilt that Bryan wasn't conscious to see her topless. She felt something in her mouth, and spit it out. A tooth. Great. Screw you karma!

  “You’re dead,” the imp growled, in that over childish squeaky voice, standing, right eye closed, hands in fists. “Bring it, BITCH!” Pazely screeched. Iiyni grinned, “If you say so.” She opened her right eye, which was already fully restored, if not bloodshot.

  The imp was suddenly suddenly behind her, grabbing her ponytail again, and yanking. Pazely reflexively grabbed her own hair was well, as she was taken off her feet, and spun. And kept spinning! 'She’s gonna throw me into a wall! I’m dead! I’M FUCKING DEAD!' But Iiyni’jeari’eea didn’t throw her into a wall. No. She wanted to put even more force into the spin.

  Foolishly using chakra, Iiyni jumped straight up, clearing the pit, continuing her violent twirl. Wind whipped and swirled around them. The centrifugal force made Pazely feel like her body was about to be ripped apart. Her arms couldn’t hold on any more! They were about to fail at any second!

  Then, with a squeaky shout, Iiyni’jeari’eea let go, and Pazely flew, crashing at an angle into what remained of the trees on this side of the Rock, closer to the area overlooking the canyon. Iiyni had intended to follow the Asian girl and finish her off, but as the imp dropped back to the ground, she noticed the gigas, just reaching the edge of the amphitheater-pit.

  “FUCK!” she yelled; no chakra left to alter her course- the gigas’ swinging fist clipped her leg, turning her controlled drop into a violently tumble.

  Why had she done that?

  Legs tingling and arms numb, her will alone let her roll out of the way, missing the crushing stomp; a wall crumbled over her in an angle, and wedged.

  Iiyni had again let emotions, jealousy of all things, control her. Why? Why the fuck had she cared?!

  A kick from the gigas, and the imp was clear from the rubble, sailing into a wall, upside down - blood forcefully shooting from her mouth, and probably elsewhere.

  Trying to curse, the imp choked on blood instead - but at least her legs worked now! Springing a roll forward, then rolling back, hitting rubble, her no longer numb arms pushed her off, spinning, dodging another kick - rolling, tucking - another punch dodged. She kept moving, barely missing getting pulverized, the kicks taking out chunks of this concrete-shit like a wrecking ball.

  Bryan had luckily roused in time to narrowly avoid getting stepped on. Attempting to flee out towards town, his way blocked by the gigantic demon that defied logic, forcing the boy to stumble the other way, back towards the spiral staircase. He tried to call out for Pazely, instead coughing on the clouds of dust; then had to dodge as a large chunk of a whatever the place was made of crashed past him, taking out walls, and collapsing the ceiling farther in, blocking the way to the staircase. Dammit! There was no choice now but to go the other way, past the warring demons! Where was Pazely?!

  The imp was only alive because of the gigas’ size. It was having trouble maneuvering in this sunken room. Why shouldn’t it? It was a good deal taller than the fuckin’ thing was deep! Yet, even so hindered, Iiyni couldn’t get past to get out. Throwing herself into a roll under the monster’s lifting foot, it turned nimbly, punching the ground as she rolled past. After missing her with the punch, it backhanded her with the same fist that had impacted the ground. She was knocked up and into the far wall of the amphitheater hard enough that she ruptured a few organs again.

  Getting her heels against the wall quickly, she blindly sprung off, avoiding getting smashed again. Iiyni landed on her knees not far from where Bryan, on hands and knees himself, was peeking out from behind a slab of the concrete wall. The teen boy put on his -now cracked- glasses he had found, just before the imp ungracefully landed near him. Scrambling to his feet, Bryan retreated into the crumbled structure, as Iiyni dodged back towards the gigas, making it clear of another kick, but tripping - her face bouncing hard off a chunk of a divider wall

  A kick caught her and knocked her farther into the amphitheater, and the rest of the roof finally came crashing down around her and Bryan. Iiyni knew she was about to lose. To die. Moving only by instinct, getting hit almost as much as she was dodging, she somehow kept avoiding getting killed.

  Getting to the top of the pile of rubble, she saw that stupid four-eyed faggot looking at her while she struggled for her life; now standing by the exit to the pit. She was so weak she couldn't even jump. “Help me!” she yelled to Bryan before getting punched back into the rubble.

  This was bullshit! Fucking bullshit! Not pinned or buried, fear now energizing her, Iiyni'jeari'eea quickly got clear of the rubble pile. I don’t want to die! Fuck, shit, crap, I DON’T WANT TO DIE! Risking a sprint to the exit, clearing a fallen wall, she saw Bryan again, still standing in the same spot, staring at her. He looked… confused. She instinctively ducked, feeling air whoosh over her head - but now the gigas was in front of her again. “PLEASE,” she shouted, “HELP ME!”

  Bryan was stunned. Was this demon seriously asking him for help? Was she insane?! Still... she looked … actually terrified. Her eyes - fuck, why did he care! She may have killed Pazely while he was unconscious! Hell, she had just tried to kill him!

  “I said help me, damn you!”

  He frowned at her snotty demand. Let her die. The pain she had caused, all the deaths, she had a part in all of it! This entire town, the county, his own mom and dad! If anyone deserved to die, this demon did!

  “BRYAN!”

  The way she wailed his name… Watching her face while she dodged… That pure terror in her childlike face... No! She is a demon! Do not feel sorry for her! Though... she had let him live more than once. But, what if she really had killed Pazely while he was knocked out?

  “HE NEVER GAVE ME A CHOICE! I NEVER WANTED THIS!”

  Who was she referring to? God? Was she trying to say that- She worked for the devil, dammit! An imp! It would kill, and slaughter, and burn them all! Besides, what could he do to help even if he wanted to? If a super powered demon couldn’t fight that big thing, neither could he. It wasn’t like… like he cared what happened to-

  Tears. She... was crying? Could... a demon cry? In a situation so perilous, could a demon fake tears? And why... Why the hell did he feel like he was watching one of his friends beg for his help?!

  “Please, Bryan, I’m sorry!” Iiyni sobbed, and was thrown through a wall, with a pain she had never felt, crashing into something solid enough to stop her momentum. She coughed on the dust and fuck only knew what else. This was it, wasn't it? Dammit! She wasn’t going to die begging and sobbing! If she was going to burn she was going to go out with some fucking pride!

  “FUCK THIS!” she screamed. “I’M NOT SORRY, YOU FUCKING PRICK!” she shrieked to the boy she could no longer see. “I just don’t wanna fucking burn!” she surprised herself by sobbing that last. Regardless of wants, it was time to go into the fires. If she had only been given a choice. Iiyni closed her eyes.

  In a gust of wind, Bryan was suddenly in front of her and scooping her up in his arms. She felt the wind whipping past her, as he quickstepped them out of the pit, and again around the corner, to the opposite side from the canyon.

  “I’ll be damned, that Trell physics thing actually works,” Bryan said, dust covering his face and broken glasses. “Wh-wh-what the FUCK?!” Iiyni’jeari’eea stammered at him from where he had dumped her on her ass. The gigas made a loud angry noise in the pit behind them.

  Iiyni was fast to her feet - and Bryan punched her in the face, using Trell physics to power the attack. It about ripped his shoulder out of socket, and yanked him off his feet, and to the ground. He guessed it wasn't supposed to be used like that. Either way, it had the desired effect. The force of his punch was so great, her skull caved in, face all but imploding, and she hit the ground, unmoving.

  “Don’t get the wrong idea,” Bryan said to the unconscious -no way that killed her- imp, gingerly examining his definitely broken fist. “I mean, at least you were honest there in that last shout,” he, through gritted teeth, then sighed heavily. “And if I had just ignored you, Caleb would kick my ass.” Bryan was disgusted with himself for saving the demon. Yet… he felt like it had been the right thing to do. And he had punched her with the full intent to kill, just to be safe. Her survival was now in the hands of fate.

  Also, when the idea of quickstepping crossed his mind, he hadn’t been able to resist trying it out. Or seeing if he could power an attack with it. Neither had been that hard to do (though he had failed to think about what he was hitting at mach freaking ten...). Living with panic and anxiety, you eventually learned how to just do what you had to. Or you failed. Bryan had chose to move like Feldyn. With no doubt, he just decided to do it. And it worked.

  Suddenly, a flash lit up the sky, and the sound of cracking, stressed glass, came from everywhere; cracks indeed appearing in the barrier-sky far above him. Great, now what?

  * * *

  After the the initial flash, and cracking of the shield, a great earthquake hit, and manastorms began to rip through the air and across the ground. Most of the side of the Rock on the side of the amphitheater fell away in a landslide, the gigas not noticing in time to dodge, burying it to its chest. The gigas roared in defiance at the Rock, like it had buried him intentionally.

  The the quaking stopped. And dead on the top of the Rock, easily visibly due to the landslide, stood what seemed a large puddle of water, or perhaps an oil slick, yet shaped in a perfect arched doorway. It glimmered and rippled, some twelve feet high and seven feet wide. Its surface both brilliant blue and the deepest of blacks; other colors were, and were not, rolling across its surface.

  A portal.

  For moments, it stood like some timeless testament to all that makes us wonder. The curiosity of what else is out there, and what may lie beyond. Beyond our world, and beyond our own imagination, it stood begging to be asked and to answer. Then, the surface shook. Surged. Trembled, broke and tore, while also not moving at all.

  One figure stepped through, appearing to stumble for a brief moment, before walking out a ways to lean on his large staff. Then, seven more came through behind him, and they did stumble, as if abruptly ceasing from a great momentum.

  Recovering quickly, all but one took up flanking positions. The one who did not, moved to stand almost beside the ancient elf, who stood staring out from the Rock in his elaborately simple, and alien, deep brown and black robes, trimmed with gold and silver markings. The staff the elf held was taller than his own height, and topped with a large red crystal. The wood at the top in the shape of a claw, to clutch and hold the crystal tightly.

  The ancient-looking Ilcai elf surveyed the scene before him. His skin, which should be black as night, was instead pale as chalk. Thin white hair hung long, unbound, and past his slumped shoulders. Eyes sunken, his wrinkles heavy, as if this elf's time to die had long since passed. Even his ears, longer than Feldyn’s, were wrinkled and drooped. Yet, his eyes, irises deep red, displayed a youth and intelligence that defied his elderly appearance.

  His robes were not just trimmed in the archaic and arcane symbols, but also lined the inside. Runes were delicately written on the hems, and more could be seen along the length of the staff. Several pendants hung around his skinny neck, earnings in his drooping ears, and rings upon bony fingers.

  The ones which had followed him through the portal were taller than he, and wore full body-encasing, dark red, shiny armor. The six behind him had on polished helmets of the same color that completely encased their heads, with only two dark slits for eyes. Each held in a gauntleted hand a large spear; the silver bladed tip seemed an ugly contrast to the wicked red encasing on their bodies.

  Next to the elf, the figure wore almost identical armor, though his helmet was adorned with three blade-like ridges, and on his back hung a short red cape, reaching only to the the small of his back. He held no spear, but instead had a black-hilted sword hanging from his hip.

  The robed elf frowned. The view before him was not what he had hoped for. Even the cracked violet sky was a bore. He had seen enough rudimentary shields in his day, to wonder how something so primitive was even erected. The land before him was clearly Hell-touched. There was even a featu’thuntu gigas, extricating itself from where it was half buried by a landslide at the base of this... hill.

  How very dull.

  Traversing the portal, the sensation, he had hoped...

  “Sir, orders?” the caped soldier asked in the new cold language of Akur, standing rigid, heels clicked together, as he gave a small bow at the verbalized question. The old elf sighed. All this military rigidness grated his nerves. Antioch was such a stickler for cold, hard military order among the troops…

  “Send three down on either side. We shall remain here,” the elf replied, using the common tongue. He had no reason to tickle Antioch’s ego in this place. Besides, the convoluted trade tongue calmed him. Seeming hesitant for a moment, the red-caped captain turned and snapped at the legionnaires, who split into two groups, then filtered off the Rock, one heading down towards where Iiyni and Bryan were, the other towards the artificial canyon.

  “Forgive me sir,” the captain spoke again, though this time in common as well, and without the heel click or the bowing, “but would you like me to handle the beast?” he asked, referring to the gigas. “No, I would like to test something.” The elf stood his ancient form taller, glancing again at the cracked sky. The captain nodded. “As you wish, General Tch’tlegion.” Another heel click and bow, then he stepped back, still facing out towards the gigas.

  There was something... odd, about the atmosphere. It felt almost like the cracked barrier in the sky... was effecting the mana... condensing it... Why? Did that mean this world had naturally low mana? And if so, was it intentional or natural? If natural...

  Darlothz held his staff in one hand, wondering if the captain noticed the faint tremble in his hand, and poured his will deeply into the red crystal adorning it. Needing no chant, and using naught but will.

  The air in front of and slightly above him, suddenly blazed, and numerous basketball-sized comets rocketed at the gigas, blasting it to pieces and hitting the ground so hard that a cloud of dirt shot high enough into the air to cloud the entire pit. The comet storm also caused enough magical disturbance that the air lit up with manastorms so thick, it was blinding, ground again quaking.

  Startled, Darlothz actually recoiled slightly, squinting at the curious arcs of burning energy in the air, then looked back to the sky, to see the cracks had grown, burning electric looking energy ripping in and out of the cracks.

  The flashing burning arcing energy continued.

  “Captain, have the legionnaires take whatever or whoever they come across first. And to make haste if they wish to return at all,” Darlothz stated, and walked back towards the portal, ignoring the chaos of the ongoing storms all around. The captain bowed, and tilted his head, accessing the link he had installed in his brainstem to allow the sending of orders to his troops, magically, scientifically, and psionically, at once. Darlothz had designed the device, so had made sure the sent signal had as close to one hundred percent accuracy as possible.

  Reevaluating his evaluation, the shield covering this town was impressive indeed. Darlothz was almost positive the flashing arcs of energy were manastorms. God’s countermeasure to magic use.

  This was Earth.

  Terror seized him, freezing him to the bone, remembering that sense of change while traversing the portal. Staying calm and not grinning like a joyous child was difficult. He shouldn't be here. He needed to return immediately! What were any of them without mana?!

  Darlothz sighed. No, he would not flee- instead drinking in this delightful fear, continuing to follow orders. As insane as those orders might be. Antioch was all powerful, but also quite mad. How nice would it be, however, if the Dragonheart was truly nearby, just waiting to be brought back to Aethra?

  Ah, prophecies, the whimsical belief of the uneducated. And his Lord. Though Antioch did not simply believe the fairy tales, he knew the truth behind them. A truth he only shared with them in bits and pieces. Not once had he claimed the Esseff Codex to be truth, yet many of his edicts involved the prophecies within.

  Squinting, and leaning close to the portals surface, Darlothz grunted, and turned back to the captain. “We have time,” he said dismissively. The Ilcai had no idea why the portal was weakening so quickly. It should be able to remain open for hours, yet it was quickly destabilizing. the Necromancer refused to allow a portal to close behind him. He learned from the mistakes of others, and their standing protocol was simply to cross, gather, return, preserve, and report. That was all.

  Darlothz sighed, outwardly appearing bored to death, inwardly a ball of pure panic and delight. Returning to look back out at the landscape before him, his emotions began to fade, the outward boredom rapidly becoming truth. As it always did. The fear never lasted... Nor would his visit here.

  With a sigh, his mind drifted to thoughts of prophecy, and was reminded of one very troublesome Esseff. One who, with the help of a tikirin, fled through a portal. A supposed link, destined to travel to the original world of Earth, and find the Dragonheart. Preposterous. Yet, standing here, looking at actual manastorms... Was it so impossible?

  “Are you out there, prince?” he muttered under his breath. “Hiding like the coward you are?”