Arc 5: The Stars Against Anarchy
{Am I dead?...Did…did it work?}
He stood in the darkness. Roughly seventeen, with shaggy dark red hair, a frail build, and a face filled with fear. Wearing a dirty black hoodie and torn jeans, with his hands held like he had a gun in his hand right against his head. But then, he finally opened his eyes to take in the new reality. The sky was black over a village near the Capital of Valatroctius. The land surrounding the tight civilization was muddy, with putrid rivers and tall grass throughout. A wasteland filled with Spirit Beasts lurking throughout, as are a lot of the outer districts of Valatroctius. But still, there were more soldiers and guards than people. Looming over the farmers in their tall stone towers, while the rest of the buildings were made of rotting wood and crumbling brick. Torn from the harsh weather, the ever lasting clouded sky, Spirit Beasts, and currently, the Sect of Anarchy.
"IG -
The boy instantly fell to his knees. Scuffling through the mud without any chance to think, speak, even breathe. He just had to listen to the screams, shake and shutter to the quakes. His mind trailed in every direction, fading and fading like he was going to pass out. While the civilians ran screaming with their children, wearing torn and dirty clothes, the soldiers huddled together to survive the horde. And while it was only a few anarchists moving through the streets, the group had a few power members along with them. Whether it was magic torching the guard towers, sword slashes that caved in homes, or simply powerful fighters taking on whatever soldiers came at them. And in the center of it all was one boy, who had appeared completely out of nowhere.
"SHIT!"
Screaming out of fear was a large Pig Demi-human soldier, twisting around to crush the lone boy. Until he froze, with his blade right over his head.
"...."
With tears in his newly opened eyes, the first thing he'd seen in this world was horror. Hatred. Fear. The boy was ready to piss his pants, puke, pass out, maybe have a heart attack from the impossible stress and confusion of everything around him. Monster people? A Medieval village? Waves of flames, water, even earth. It had to be magic. It had to be some fantasy. But right now, all he knew was that he was in a warzone. The screams of injured and dying families running all around. A sky of complete dread, filling with the torrents of smoke being taken in. Deafening sounds of crashing blades strong enough to destroy homes, and rip up the mud streets. But before he could scream, those frozen Demi-humans veins pulsed. Tightened. With all of the blood rushing together, before it expanded. Causing the man to burst into a pool of blood like crushing a cherry, except the blood froze around the boy. Until it sharpened, almost like it was frozen. With a glimmer across it reflecting the burning flames across the streets, until they unleashed in a flash to peirce the throats of a few soldiers.
"Ahh..aaahh..AAAHH -
The boy had finally broken. Grabbing his face, his hair. Kicking back against the mud with all he could. And screamed complete nonsense. Until the figure reached his long, white skinned, and black veined hand forward. Yet, the boy could only quiver in absolute, utter, ever lasting, burning fear. Digging at his muscles, his skin. Drying out his eyes, his mouth. Locking him completely frozen like a statue. Then with a sniff, the figure couldn't help but smile. As he'd instantly recognized the scent of his mana.
"Now, this is interesting. May I ask your name, young one? And please, don't be afraid."
His face was wrong. So much so the boy had to look away, look for anything that could help. But all he saw were roads leading to more horrors, screams, massive waves of fire eating away at the few homes in the village. So he had to look at the only thing without any malice toward him. He was incredibly frail, like a skeleton with skin laid over him. Along with dark purplish blue lipstick, and marks over his eyes like make-up. His hair pushed backward like a wild dying flame, with a mix of dark blue and black coloring. An undead jester? A creature? A disgusting man in make-up? No matter who or what he was, he knew it was wrong. Corrupted. Like the devil himself. But when he looked at that hand, his black eyes, all he felt, was like he was alive for this. That this new world around him, the madness of it all, and this was all he had. The only way he thought he could live. And so, filled with complete hesitation, his quivering and sweating hand pushed through the cold wind.
Arthur: "...Arthur, Arthur Williams…and please, please help me…"
"Don't worry, from here on out, you'll never be alone again."
Over twenty five years ago, Arthur Williams joined the Sect of Anarchy. And now, everything in his life had led to the entire country of Walgonia being left on the brink of collapse. The North of Walgonia and its towers were under a vail of Sin. The West is frozen cold by the unseen Litch. The South is torn down by the endless arms. And the East soon to face the head of Anarchy. Walgonia's Capital was entering what may be its darkest hour. As their mana, stamina, and forces drained. As every street, building, corner was caught up in some kind of battle. With anarchists ranging from trained fighters, regular people, Demi-humans, criminals, patients, experiments, with random affinities, curses, marks, fighting styles. With every eccentric anarchist that fell another one appeared. Including the Potential Anarchists sprinkled throughout all of their ranks, fighting even harder than usual to prove themselves in the battle for the Capital.
Servers: "IT ACHES IT ACHES IT ACHESSES!!!"
From the South, the anarchists that were getting pushed out. Killed or defeated in mass. Breaking and slowing as their victory seemed more and more impossible. The same was found everywhere, but like those following Severus, the west, the North, even the East began to rise again. Instead of being forced into the front line, the Sect began acting like they always had. Cogs, shadows, the lowest Pillars possible. Who fought, moved, stole, captured, with anybody or anything for their Pillars. Weapons to be sent out and fight within the chaos. To clear out anything getting to their masters. Rushing through the streets, over gaps in rooftops, across the wooden bridges and paths built around some of the districts like black shadows. Pivoting, sprinting, pushing themselves to move as quickly, as violent as possible. But then the flames started. Some of them finally stopped fighting, and sank back into the shadows. To group together, to recuperate, maybe to flee entirely. But others began using the last of their strength to scream out -
"IGNUM!"
"DIGNIC!"
And so on, for balls of fire, earth quakes, anything they could use to destabilize the buildings around them. Small or not, they'd burn. From the deepest corners of the South, to some Towers in the North, even a few mansions in the East. All plumes of smoke to illuminate the battle from a birds eye view. However, the birds that flew over the flames. The smoke. The streets turned into nothing but debris, like a missile strike had hit, all circling the Castle that looked over it all. A castle erupting with its own flames, earthquakes, even lighting. Where Walgonia and the Sects strongest forces fought around, fought for. But the castle itself was a dead zone. Knights, soldiers, rebels all rushed up the road's connection toward the Castle. Facing Anarchists using bows and magic to hold down the rising hill, taking cover in the thick sets of trees and near the connection streams separating the districts and the Castle. But inside the castle, the same soul Warriors took on a few hundred, maybe thousand or so anarchists cramped inside.
What used to be an enormous building filled with nobles, knights, elites, royal guards, even the king himself constantly moving around. With what felt like endless turns, rooms, paintings, sets of armor, and limitless history to be found. But so much of it had been torn up by hands, claws, swords. Destroying and tearing up so much of it before the battle had even begun, just because they could. It was where The Lower Pillars planned, where Commanders and Potential Pillars were being trained and looked over. Aside from wherever the Sects true home is, it seemed to be the true heart of their operation. And every Warrior inside was ready to rip that heart out with their bare hands. Dashing through the halls head first into battle. Aside from one lone boy trying his best to stay focused, to let his burning rage guide him, instead of quivering and screeching in fear like always. He still couldn't kill, maybe he'd do it by accident and hate himself, maybe he would be forced to in order to survive, but to directly take life after life when they could have been spared, it was impossible. And it made it even harder to see his friends coating the halls in crushed bodies and splattered blood.
Gray: "Can't you guys be less lethal!? And stop fataliting everybody!?"
Edward: "YOU FIGHT HOW YOU FIGHT AND I'LL FIGHT HOW I FIGHT!"
Gray: "That's not a good answer!"
Soku: "Just don't get mad when the anarchist you let live burns you alive!"
They continued charging up throughout the castle, trying to hold off the anarchist and slowly work their way to Leo. Edward and Julius had left a good pile of bodies on their own throughout the halls like a trail, but along with Sokus slashes and Rosemary's hefty strikes, they were all bringing down the anarchists in one way or another. Right now Edward was still leading the charge through an open hall, heading to the next flight of stairs while swinging toward the small group of anarchists trying to plan their next attack.
"SHIT"
"WATCH OUT -
With a stone cold glare on his face, with only a hit of rage to be found, his Dragon stone blade cleaved deeply into a chest. Breaking the bones, cutting right into the heart, before instantly flashing toward the sky. Where he brought it down on another's skull, swung it to the right to break through a dagger and another chest, before kicking the two behind him into the stone wall. Knocking them out with ease, and headed right up the stairs. Leaving Gray to stare on their bodies in a cold silence, until he noticed he was once again behind everyone. And had to keep reminding himself to keep up the pace, to focus, focus, and keep that endless determination he woke up with. Instead of falling to the reality of it all.
Gray {COME ON! I DON'T HAVE TO KILL THEM ALL TO SAVE EVERYBODY! I JUST GOTTA DO MY PART! CONTROL MY MANA! I WON'T EXPLODE AND BREAK MYSELF! I'LL FIGHT HOW I FIGHT, RIGHT EDWARD!? I can do this, can't I!?}
The Siege for Gray didn't feel climatic. It didn't feel like this massive build to the end of an era, his arc of a Hero. It just felt like another battle. Another day they might all die. He could scream these speeches and ideals, force himself to stand harder than ever every time he fell, but he'd just fall back. He may be angry, serious, focused one second and in the next he was screaming out in fear. Controlling his mana as best he could, or blasting his foes away with overdrive. It was control over himself, his power. The Gray Kyojin he wanted to be. He just still hadn't decided. A scared boy? A Knight? A Warrior? Maybe a Hero? A Killer? Or a savior? In the end, he'd answer he was Gray Kyojin, but he didn't feel like he even deserved that. But he wasn't a cog of Walgonia either. A blade to be used, mana to explode, corruption to destroy. He was just whatever he was, living his life the best way he could, even if what he thought was best changed over and over again.
Gray {Alright alright! If I won't kill, I can still save them! A real hero is supposed to save first anyway! So I'll play support! They're all stronger than me anyway, no point in trying to stand out! I'll just make sure they survive, and if I can, maybe the anarchists too!}
He raced up the stairs with a low flow of mana mixed with Spirit mana, maintaining a minimum powered Spirit sense. Rosemary held the third stage tightly, Soku abstained from her Mark as best she could, Julius was hardly using his monocle, and even Edward was holding back his full strength. All to make sure if they had to fight Arthur, they'd have as much power as possible. But the moment Gray got up those stairs, they'd be whittled away bit by bit. Where he saw Rosemary duck under a slash of ice and break a jaw, spinning into a deep kick toward an anarchist stomach, pivoting backward to smash her elbow across a face. Where Soku slid around the hall from floor, wall, ceiling, wall, and floor. All with a slash on each side to take out some anarchist around the hurricane of slashes that was Edward and Julius. Leaving Gray to look on and only hope some of them could survive their wounds, before he was forced to grab hold of a shelf with the Cloak and yank it down toward a few anarchists racing up the stairs behind him.
Gray {SHIT!|
Surprised to see them lunge forward with daggers, he pulled the Cloak back around their feet. Swinging as hard as he could with the tendrils stretched tightly, he slammed them into both sides of the wall.
Gray {AGAIN!?}
Then a flash went through his mind from the Spirit sense, allowing him to barely dodge a slash to his back from another anarchist. He was ready to slash down with his wrist talon, until the anarchist was sent flying down the stairs by a dense burst of bright green winds.
Soku: "Stay back if you don't wanna put everything into this!"
Rosemary: "Stop arguing! If Gray used everything he'd be broken, like I would if I was trying to use my fourth stage the whole time! We have to hold back for as long as we can! And focus on yourself! We look toward each other to help or be helped, but to drag them down!"
She spoke like a commander, with heft behind her words that shined just as brightly as her golden stages. Snapping Soku, Gray, and even Edward out of their heads to push them deeper into the castle. The massive castle, with almost forty floors to push through. With halls that went in every direction, with what felt like endless rooms for endless things. Courtyards, balconies, even unique parts of the hall that shifted and changed on each floor itself. ALong with the forest of spires atop it, the building was the true bastion of Walgonia. But now it was covered in holes, flames, grime. Banners of the Sect, random wooden walkways around the sides and between the halls. To turn it into a true fortress of anarchy. Where black flames and lighting erupted from the top floors north side, while Gray's group ran near the top floor on the west side. And in the center of the castle, bulldozing through room after room and floor after floor, was one of Walgonia's Head Leviathans. Facing off a seemingly endless swarm of anarchists.
Yui: "CAN'T YAH HIT ONE PERSON!?"
She was trying to force a smile, even if they couldn't see it under her cracked mengu mask. But she had to keep herself in top shape for the same reason the others needed to. Because the second she was finished, or she felt the signal, she'd have to use everything she had to take Arthur down. Right now however, she had to keep slashing through a few walls of the castle to land into a larger common room. Taking a breath to let her bruises and cuts rest, her burning OD rest, her constantly shifting mind. While they all began funneling through.
Yui {At most I've taken out what, almost half!? They've cramped as many anarchists as possible in this damn place! Should I go to Leo!? No, I have to hold out, for a while longer! Until I can abandon ship and head up stairs!}
The door blew open in the dense space. Wide, but filled with tables, chairs, couches, and a few podiums that were all knocked away by the horde. Where people leapt, flew, with magic and arrows behind them to light the sky. All falling, rising, and rushing toward Yui. But she held her ground, using her curse to unleash a dense wave of corruption. Turning the Spirit mana in the air a bright purple, while sending the anarchist flying back with the pressure. The room, the Sect, the walls all erupted under the dense wave of mana. For Yui, it was just to set up a denser charge around her trembling blade.
Yui {COME ON!}
And slammed it down, sending out a dense slash of bright purplish black mana into the anarchist. They were still falling, recovering, or pushing past the toppled forces to try and get their turn. But they were all caught in the attack. Wider than most of their bodies, where they expanded in a flash with the attack. Others were sent flying yet again, now with deep cuts they held and screamed desperately to survive from. And behind them ran and screamed even more, across the halls, across the floors. Although they were fading. With her clearing out the majority, and Gray's group taking out a fair some up stairs. They were also taking some of the heat off Yui, but that made her even more worried about just who was in the Castle. What abilities, or people could turn the tide in an instant.
And from the walls bursting from below shaking the castle, lighting and flames rushing into the sky from the top floor, and the sight of so many anarchists charging through the halls, the entire castle was truly anarchy. Between some spires of the castle near the top floor he sat trying to screw something on a new gadget inside his satchel, quivering with fear and screaming with every sound. It was Peter. Protected by Dema, left to stare out at the collapsing capital.
Peter: "....Oh man oh man oh man oh MAN!!!"
He shook his head away from the bursts of wind pressure and debris in the distance, collapsing towers, lines of burning homes and shops. But when he closed his eyes, all he saw was Athens. Lit in its own flame, with magma consuming the entire country. A fate Walgonia would likely share if the Sect are victorious.
Peter: "UUUGH! I CAN'T SIT UP HERE CAN I!? DOIN NOTHIN!? No, I'm on rescue though! I need to hold my ground! Oooh but what if they can't call for help or something!? What if I need to look around and it'll get me killed if I don't! Real fighters or warriors or heroes would do it right!? Am I any of those anyway!? HELL NO!"
Even in his panic, Dema moved over the short square space they had found inside the spires. Looking down over a balcony, to see a few members of the Sect huddled together. While she was ready to pounce to protect Peter, Peter yanked her tail to pull her back. Trying his best to shush her with tears of fear in his eyes,until he heard them speak.
"Dude we can't run! They need us man!"
"I joined this shit for food, cash, hell maybe a wife! But this!? I ain't sign up for this!"
"It doesn't matter what you signed up for! Right now we either fight, or we start setting up seals to burn this place down! So what's it gonna be!?"
"You better answer quickly, being a traitor is worse than being a Walgonian."
While they argued against themselves, blades claws and wands drawn, the only thing Peter could do was walk in circles over and over and over again -
Peter {NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! SETTING UP SEALS!? THEY'RE GONNA BURN DOWN THE WHOLE CASTLE! Did Arthur order it!? Or is the Sect acting on their own!? Are they betraying them!? I NEED TO TELL SOMEBODY! BUT THAT'S MEANS I GOTTA LEAVE THIS ROOOFFF!!! AHHH I SHOULDA STAYED IN GREENVALE, OR BURNED IN ATHENS, THIS IS TOO MUCH TOO MUCH -
On his knees holding his chest, ready to puke, ready to pass out, he saw them all. The Red Arrows he lived with, fought with. Toll, his family, his home. Everything he'd failed to do something about. And there the Sect were again, ready to burn away anything he could call a family for the second time in a row.
Peter {I was able to help in Athens right!? That's what they said! I don't gotta fight! I just gotta warn somebody! YEAH YEAH! Okay okay okay - Use Dema, fly in, fly out! NO BUT HOW DO I FIND THEM!? Maybe burst through all the hall shouting!? AND DIE!? Or sneak? AND DIE!? UGH I SUCK AT THIS! MY POPPERS AREN'T GONNA DO SHIT TO A DUDE IN ARMOR, A DEMI-HUMAN, EVEN SOME MANA! I GOT NOTHING!}
While Peter rolled back and forth in fear, his thoughts, even his memories, everyone moved. From Gray and the others down the hall through another short battle, just to get up a flight of stairs slightly closer to their destination. And yet again confronted by anarchists waiting, charging, or screaming at their arrival. Yui sprinted away from hordes of anarchists with more waiting ahead of her with blood, bruises, a blade, and a curse. Along with a cocky grin under her mengu mask to face them. And the black flames, the bright lighting emerging from the top of the castle's front end. But there Peter was, alone and away from it all. With only his weak gadgets, his tricks, his brain, and the only real option he had.
Peter {If they're gonna burn this castle then they win right!? The Sect don't wanna lead this country! They didn't take over Athens! They're just gonna destroy it. The Castle, the Capital, anything Walgonia represents! THE ENTIRE COUNTRY WILL BE ON FIRE, JUST LIKE ATHENS!}
And that crackle in the sky. The Lighting of Athens ideals. Their love, their passion, their strength and will. Athens is the Land of Warriors, but also the land of resources, a land that used to represent a true community. A place where strength could come from anyone, but at the same time, it wasn't a place where physical strength was the only thing that matters. In Valatroctius, you use whatever you have to survive. And that's wealth, land, nobility, from any race. While Ravoria lived within its nobility. Casting out the people they think shouldn't have been born with their might, their magic, unless they were deemed worthy. Lastly, Walgonia rested in between it all. A breeding ground for chaos in its desire to protect its people, while fighting against its own people. They didn't cast out people they deemed inhuman like Ravoria, whether they be Demi-human, cursed or corrupted, or a distasteful Mark, but their systems block people from getting into higher power unlike Valatroctius, yet allow so many different kinds of people and abilities to flourish, away from Athens focus on physical might.
So large, with so many cities, towns, villages. Families, races, abilities, ideals. Maybe to fight for Athens' ideal, for a country where it matters most. Being a good person, a representative of their home. But for those of different races, the only thing they had was their strength to be accepted by the masses. Where Nobility was built around strength, and had families like the Helsings, armies like the GoldenKnights, in power for its entire existence. But across the entire continent of Saga, what set you apart from the rest was your ability to stand. Not to fight, but for yourself. Against Fear, Rage, Pain, Trauma, and lend a hand to another. Where people could be real heroes. The people of Walgonia are stubborn, a bit arrogant, but an unwillingness to fall unlike anywhere else. Athens had destroyed itself through civil war before the Sect finished the job. Ravoria has lost so much of its country to wars, along with its strength and population due to their laws. Valatroctius is a torn land with everyone trying to step above another, separated by the many Spirit Beasts and Spirit biomes throughout the land. But when Athens fell, they came to Walgonia. Ravoria's ideals pushed so many away, and again they came to Walgonia. The same with Valatroctius. To rise and rise.
And now, at its darkest hour since the Demi-human war was at its worst, even those who felt like they had no power at all would ball their fist. Grit their teeth, maybe scream a bit in pure terror, and then focus their eye on the ball. For the endless families, history, homes, purpose found in every person. Whether it be the civilians running in mass through the city streets, still reaching out a hand to the ones fallen behind. To the soldiers, guards, knights, Leviathan soldiers, Rebels, Gods of War, fighting to protect them all. Then sat the short, skinny, messy haired fourteen and a half year old boy, who was just about ready to charge head first into a multi-centry old cults captured Castle of a Country just as old, amidst a war across that country. Just because that's what he thought every other person fighting alongside them would do. Because, even if it killed him, he thought as long as he did his part, saved at least one person, then he had to. That's why Walgonia is the Country that never falls, why its people have survived under the Sects hold, and why Peter wasn't even born here.
Peter {...I'M NO HERO! I'M NOT LIKE GRAY OR ROSEMARY! I'M NOT GONNA KILL MYSELF FOR THIS!!! SO…SO I WON'T DIE! YEAH THAT'S RIGHT! When it comes down to it I'm not the type of guy to save everybody, I'd probably die fighting for one person! I don't know if I'd be able to jump out and save a kid from a runaway carriage or somethin! But, I always scrape by right!? Leo found me after…mom and dad, I made it out of Athens! And I'm here! There's no way I'm dying right before the finale! I just have to look around! Wait for somebody I can scream at! Throw a message or somethin! Right it on Dema and send them to her! Yeah yeah! I'd die in a second against somebody with a weapon, but if I just use my brain for a second I can crawl my way to a victory!}
So, on Dema, Peter just had to get a wider sight and listen closely.
Peter: "Alright…Just gotta get Dema to go forward. Take a breathe, another, okay a few more -
The moment Peter gripped her reins with fear, she took off. Leaving him screaming into the sky, before she quickly curved widely around the castle. Letting him take in the scale, the chaos of its construction, and a wide enough view to spot his only way to help. Not by sneaking around taking out anarchists, putting himself in harm's way trying to find his friends, but by waiting for the next time Yui came bursting forth. So he could warn her instead. He wouldn't sit around doing nothing. He wouldn't be useless. But, he wasn't dumb enough to get himself killed just because he wanted to help. It was survival, the Peter Day way of being his own Hero.
But throughout the castle, mainly around its corners were anarchists. Leaving talismans of flame, the magic of the Dark elves. Others knew how to use seals, set up explosive powder, even Demi-humans could use acids or sheer strength to start breaking away at the supports. But most of the damage came from the flame mages, unleashing hell randomly throughout the halls. Already breaking away at the castle, and still they were moving. Spreading their plan. And only time would tell if they would be stopped or not. Yui was still taking on anarchists down below, Gray's group rushed closer to Leo, and Leo was ready to be on his last stand against the Black Dragon, King Arthur. And moving through the castle together, having spread the message to burn the castle in the first place, were the Lower Pillars of this Castle.
Donte: "They're close, so get ready. Rumors are they're quite the sturdy group. They took out Symbol, survived Pandora, their mission even took the life of Togi. But aside from Arthur and my mother, we're the only true Lower Pillars left. I don't know who the Masters have spread throughout Valatroctius and Ravoria, but as far as things are considered, if we fail here, the Lower Pillars of anarchy will be crushed completely."
The tall, cloaked, cracked mask, and as frustrated as ever Donte held his spear firmly. With a blind rage pulsing through his veins, with a single face in his mind. Gray Kyojin, Gray Kyojin, Gray Kyojin, and anyone else? His fallen brothers Jeremiah, Conroy, and Charlie, as well as his sisters Anubis and Carla. All corpses screaming to be avenged. He was speeding ahead of the Bird Masked Pillar who had called the Upper Pillars to the Capital, and Conna. One armed, covered in small bandages and stitches, with a dead look in her eyes behind her cracked eye mask. Like Togi, she had only been recently elected a Lower Pillar, out of complete desperation. Still, they all had to stand together. And collect as many of the Potential Pillars scattered across the Castle as they could on their way toward their target. They ran as quickly as they could down the halls, pulling forth a horde of regular anarchists while dodging the constantly erupting flames in the halls.
"I've been a Lower Pillar for decades! The best way to get through this is to survive! Why should we rush into battle!? Don't you think Arthur could handle this!? He's supposed to be the strongest Lower Pillar in history!
The old woman masked in her plague doctor aesthetic spoke with a deep rage in her voice, but she still drug her fingers across any anarchist she thought looked capable. Causing their veins to bundle with intense, bright green and glowing purple pain, before their eyes went completely dead. Nothing but mindless zombies running and moaning to mix in with the anarchists, and four Potential Pillars they had already found. But Conna drugs are far behind. Looking toward the burning paintings, even the bookshelves and armor stands that had stood for centuries all scorched in the chaos. But mixed throughout, burning alongside it, were countless bodies of anarchists. Whether they were from Gray's group or Yui's hand, whether Yui had destroyed the hall or the Sect, where this chaos was reasonable or not. It was all fading into that same zombie-like daze of the other Pillars "babies".
Whether it be the upper floors with these Lower Pillars and monsters, the lower floors and the horde of anarchists chasing Yoru as they destroyed the castle in the process, and the many other anarchists across the castle planning the burn it to the ground, the entire capital was in a complete Chaos. Anarchy. And still, at the head of it all, waiting for any help at all, was Athens' last son. Lit with sparks of yellow lighting, flickering to blue in the heat of his attacks, he roared with all his might through the pain and toward the King.
Leo {I HAVE TO HOLD OUT, AS LONG AS I CAN!}
Rushing forward, thrusting his spear as fast as he could, Leo tried his best to keep himself overwhelmed. But Arthur only smiled, spun to dodge, and countered with a dense fist of flames.
Arthur { A FLASH FIRE!}
While Gray and the others were thinking of the future battle, while the Lower Pillars thought of Walgonia, while Leo thought of Athens, Arthur began to see his past. From his first day in this world, and to his training that got him here.
Leo {DAMMIT!}
The dense sphere of flames in Arthur's hands swirled forward as he struck, sending out a dense blast of fire that slammed against a dense flash of lighting. While the lighting and Dragon stone armor guarded him, Leo's body was beginning to slow. However, he could feel Arthur doing the same. His massive attacks had begun to shift to true techniques, ones taught to Arthur by the King of Valatrocitus. The strongest user of the Absolute Flame affinity in History.
Arthur {I can't waste time trying to blast him away if they've got others here, so thanks Cornelius! You're finally being useful to me!}
From the time Arthur was twenty two getting blasted back by flames over and over, in shapes of blades, shields, dragons, beams, and so many more complicated uses of flames. Those memories would allow Arthur to maximize his power and his efficiency, to push back what might be the actual strongest person in this castle. Still they were relative, but even if Leo had superior strength, Arthur's flames would eat him on top of his lighting. Stacked with Arthur's insanity, Leos might not be able to outlast the anarchy.
Leo {Focus, they'll be here any -
Mid thought Arthur continued his momentum, spinning once again to bend toward the ground. Using flames from his legs and hands to send a dense wave across the floor. Rising as it condensed together, curling around Leo like a dome, and would have erupted right against Leo's skin if not for Leo's spear rocketing through the attack. Arthur saved himself from losing his shoulder by blasting fire out of his hand like a thruster, forcing himself to the side, and then used a pulse of fire from his feet to launch forward. Lastly, he let flames flow against his body like a raging bull, and slammed right against Leo. Erupting his flames across Leo to scorch his skin, his mustache, even the ends of his hair, before he rolled across the broken stone floor. Choking and coughing as Arthur did the same.
Arthur: "You did pretty good, and you were pretty fun too. Just like that horse chick I fought in Athens! You guys had a great fight, but you did better than her. She was one of yours right, the Red Arrows? I'm surprised you all didn't get wiped out! But I guess that's my fault for not making sure I killed all of you, when I ordered Athens' destruction."
Arthur's robes were scorched on the top half of his body, showing deep cuts, burns, and bruises. And yet he walked forward like he felt no pain at all, speaking down to Leo with as much spite he could manage. Causing all of Leo's wounds to worsen, his spirit to fall. As his thoughts of Athens began to take over his entire sight.
Leo…olll…"
Arthur: "Ehhh? If you're gonna say some last words, I got shit to do. I gotta kill the rest of your friends, remember?"
Arthur stepped over Leo with his fingers pointed like a gun, ready to send a dense bullet of black fire through Leo's bleeding skull. And through his swollen eye, his cracked jaw, his screaming body, he leaned forward.
Leo: "HER NAME WAS TOLL! MY BEST FRIEND….THE LEADER OF ATHENS WARRIORS! AND A HEAD IN THE RED ARROWS DAMMIT!AND SHE SURVIVED YOUR BATTLE….SHE FOUGHT TILL THE VERY END, AND SURVIVED ATHENS FALL! THE PEOPLE OF ATHENS ARE ALIVE! ACROSS WALGONIA! AND WHEREVER WE LIVE, ATHENS WILL SURVIVE! YOU CAN KILL ME, YOU CAN -
Arthur: "Okay -
The moment Arthur felt bored he shot. In that flash of flames, Leo saw Toll. Athens in its beauty, will have streets filled with diverse people, with a family that was all together. But after that flash, he saw his spear, slashing through the side of Arthur's leg as it returned to Leo's hand.
Arthur {SHIT -
In an instant Leo stood, tripping Arthur with his spear, and pulled his body back. Unleashing everything he could as fast as he could, to send a massive stream of yellow lighting forward. Arthur quickly crossed his arms, using another technique to rapidly unleash flames against the lighting to burn it away. Still the flames sent him flying backward into the already crumbling wall, putting enough strain to cause it to begin collapsing around them.
Leo: "COOOMEEE ONNN!!!"
For just a moment Leo managed to turn the lighting blue, breaking past Arthur's shield to leave him screaming in pain. But right after Leo's Mark cried out in pain, bursting with a small amount of blood, before his lighting faded into the sky. Once again leaving them both huffing and puffing, but still ready to keep going. The battle was ready to shatter the King's bedroom, as almost everything within was turned to ash, while the stone laid shattered. Shaking and shaking under the weight of their battle, and yet that battle would soon end. And it seemed Arthur was going to come out on top.
Yet, hope soared from each of this chaotic castle. Especially outside, as Peter rushed alongside the windows atop Dema. She sped forward, focused like a black bullet, while Peter held on with dear life screaming into the sky. Trying his best to see if he could see anybody through the windows that weren't just confused or occupied anarchists. Then, after racing down across the side of the castle, Dema rushed right back up to begin diving between large Towers and Spires. Leaving Peter swaying side to side under the soon to rise sun, the deep blue sky, and between the harsh stone of the castle. Only his screams could be heard flying by, as Dema blasted through the sky in a flash. He needed to get closer, to anybody, but he had to think Dema was looking just as hard. She could already understand Grays mana when he uses it like a signal, and now she just had to sense anyone she could.
Peter: "SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SLOW DOWN PLEASE PLEASE I'M GONNA DIE OH MAN OH MAN!!!"
As she got closer to Gray however, she sensed another slightly familiar aura, and one far larger than the others in this castle. It was running through the halls, dragging her soon to crumble blade through the bodies of any anarchist in her path. Flashing left to right over and over, letting her corrupted mana grow with power with each swing. That charging aura allowed her to reach the end of the hall with only bodies behind her, leap upward through a few floors, and begin sprinting right down another hall. But that aura also acted like an even bigger signal for Dema's long pointed ears to tremble with, until she dove down through even more Spires to lock onto her location.
Peter: "PLEEEEAAAASSSEEEEE -
She shot past a few anarchists looking over the balconies, spun against a few stray bolts of magic and arrows shot against her, all while Peter spun spun and spun in circles along with her. Bracing for impact as she neared a large stained glass window.
Yoru {What are you doing!?}
Speeding past the window just as Dema burst through was Yoru, having left another train of destruction and Sect bodies behind her. In shock she almost swung backward to kill the two in a single shot, until Peter fell right into the floor choking and screaming. Kissing the floor out of pure despair, until he looked up with tears in his eyes to face an aggravated Yoru.
Yoru: "The hell are you doing kid!? You're gonna get yourself killed!"
Peter: "I'm supposed to be on look out and that's what I did! And the Sect are planning to take down this castle, no matter if Arthur wins or not! We gotta stop them before it's all lost! Or we gotta evacuate, push out to the Capital!"
He screamed all he could as fast as he could, pleading and kneeling his head without any idea of what to do or how to help. He just knew he had to do something. And so he was here, on his knees in the ruble, pleading and fighting against his fear. However Yoru just put her hand against his shoulder and shoved him back toward Dema.
Yoru: "Then you did good, now get outta here and leave the rest of this to us. I've tried to take out the most I can, but if we need to end this fast, then I think I need to go somewhere fast!"
Peter: "Wait but what about the Anarchists!? They're everywhere aren't they!?"
Yoru: "For the most part I've cleared a bunch, and most of them are scattered! The best chance I had is to clear the horde on my way to Leo! I'LL SEE YOU WHEN THIS IS DONE WITH!"
She expelled a small aura of violent flame like purple mana, similar to Grays but far more explosive than condensed. And with a sharp strike of pain against her weakening body, she took a breath, and vanished from Peter's sight.
Peter: "....Alright then…."
The hallway narrowed, everything faded around her, and all she felt was the wind. The crumbling stone, brick, and wood under her rapid steps. Kicking forward every chance she could to fly down the hall, then to pivot to the left, then to the right, then again to the left to pinball up three flights and then slide back into another hall filled with anarchists. Without stopping her momentum, she curved around the room to slash the anarchists in front of her while repositioning herself, so she could blitz past them all. Slicing her blade every which way, any angle or through any attack she needed, all while ducking, flipping , spinning and turning through the crowd like a seamless dance. A butterfly, with bladed winds cutting through the limbs, throats, and chests of any anarchist human or Demi-human, powerful or not, kid or elder, she just swung and ran. Ran ran, ran up through the floor by slicing at the ceiling, then back through another hall. Rushing as fast as she possibly could, while cutting down entire groups any time she got the chance. Dropping five, ten, twenty, thirty, fifty anarchists. Again again again, faster faster faster -
Yoru {COME ON!}
With that breath still held tightly, she had almost made it up the castle, but she had to stop for just a second. While she leaned against the wall patting at her sizzling white coat, she had to beat on her pounding heart. Then she removed her Mengu to take a deep breath, looking out through a large oval like broken window that stared out toward the west of the Capital. Far out past the forest surrounding the Capital, down the hill, and through the broken streets, she saw their Heart. The Life line of the Knights, and she could only reel back in fear as she saw flickers of a blinding blue light emerging from between the crumbling buildings. Ryo Hollis, facing something that pushed his hand.
Yoru {What the hell is happening in this Capital!?}
The sounds of nearby quakes distracted her, sounds of crashing lighting and roaring flames. And fists, throwing harder punches than anything else in this Castle. Aside from Yoru of course.
Arthur: "JUST BACK DOWN!"
A wheel of dense black fire spun against the stone, destroying a small line in the floor as it curved toward Leo. It even curved to follow Leo for just a second mid pivot, before another flash of lighting let him dodge it.
Leo: "WOULD ATHENS BACK DOWN!?"
And with another jolt, he tried his best to close the distance.
Arthur: "HAH! DIDN'T IT!? I DON'T SEE IT ON ANY MAPS, HELL I DON'T THINK YOU CAN SEE IT AT ALL!"
So Arthur moved past it, spinning to throw a dense flash of fire against Leo's back.
Arthur: "UNLESS IT'S THAT PILE OF MOLTEN ASH! HA -
Leo just pushed through instead, and let out a punch covered in lighting. It let out a dense discharge of power that let Arthur open for another punch, but Arthur just responded with his own to Leo's side. Then Leo kicked Arthur's left leg, for Arthur to hit Leo's arm. Over and over they responded, using Lighting to push past the fire while the fire ate away at the lighting. It left the two men in a dead lock of impressive blows, shattering the already broken floor with each one, until Arthur finally managed to move around Leo. Dragging his elbow as hard as he could down, against Leo's back. Smashing him into the stone, and leaving him groaning in pain while Arthur's other hand gripped tightly.
Arthur: "I'M SO DONE WITH YOU AND YOUR DAMN PEOPLE!"
A massive smile formed against Arthur's bleeding, bruised, and burnt face. Darkened by his black flames, until the room was lit with purple instead. Faster than they heard the noise of it getting closer. Faster than the doors blew open. Almost faster than Arthur could react.
Yoru: "YOU KNOW HOW IRONIC THAT IS RIGHT!?"
He instantly changed that fists of flames into a beam strong enough to begin sliding him back. Forcing Yoru to dodge, and so she did, but far harder than Arthur expected. Dodging his second shot of flames, and the entire room. She landed against the broken ceiling, unleashing a wave of dense corruption that shot her right back down. It caused the room's roof to shatter against them to rain down rubble, but her blade followed in its power. Rising with so much mana that Yoru's arms shriveled, cried, begged to hold on a little longer. It even began to break away at her blade, but she still swung down on Arthur.
Arthur {Not another one -
All he could do was mindlessly unleash fire. Yet he held it against himself, trying his best to create an aura of fire like a shield to eat away at as much of Yoru's mana as possible. In the fraction of time it took for her blade to swing through the aura and reach his body, it had already been halved in power, along with melting her blade. But the force of the attack still managed to smash Arthur through the floor, and finally broke the rest of the room. Making not only the ceiling, but everything to begin collapsing to the space below.
Arthur: "WHERE NOT DONE!"
Mid-fall Arthur shot through the air like a comet, punching Yoru with a rush of flames to send her down through the stone and against the tiled floor. Leo on the other hand threw his spear through the air to slash against Arthur's back and distract him from Yoru, only to get targeted right after.
Arthur: "YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST CALL FOR HELP!? YOU THINK YOU GET TO SURVIVE ME!?"
And with another quick shot, Arthur closed the distance with a harsh strike. Leaving both Yoru and Leo against the floor, with only short bursts of lighting and corrupted mana to save them from the raining debris. Stacking atop each other, breaking through the next floor, or erupting near Leo and Yoru to fly across the room. Arthur however used his fire to burn it away before it reached him, staring them both on like a devil.
Arthur: "I've still got a hell of a lot of fight left, so let's see how long you can drag on with your lives. But not to spoil the fun, but as far as I'm concerned, you're already ash."
The Leader of the Dragon Army, Valatroctius' version of the Leviathan Army, Athens Elites, or Ravoria's Imperial Army. The Leader of The Dragons Horns, their version of the Head Levithans, Top Elities, or Wings of Ravoria. Who was to be considered the second strongest person in Valatroctius, under the King himself. The strongest Lower Pillar in the Sect, and maybe the strongest Lower Pillar to ever exist. In twenty five years, Arthur climbed the ranks of this world. The tall, muscular, rugged, and scared crazed beast of a man. His memories of being a boy, of being at a loss at life. When all he could ask himself, was why? Why did he go on? Why didn't he want to live a normal life? Why did he want to leave everybody behind? And dammit, why didn't he care? Why did he want to die, why did he want to leave that world with everything in his body. Why was his life's greatest hope, to die?
Now, this man, he was truly Arthur Williams in name only. Because now he could only laugh at those cries. Because he did have a purpose. And that was to prove why he deserved to live. He would take the hand of the Sect. He had to get beaten for weeks just to muster a flicker of fire. He had to train with the Sect for five years to become anything competent. He had to earn his way through the Knights, the Dragon Army, the Dragon Horns of Valatrocitus to work his weight to the top for twenty years. And through every session, mission, war, he became the Black Dragon more and more. Both an honored member of Valatroctius, somebody the King was willing to represent the country as King of Walgonia, and maybe the Sects greatest asset outside of the Upper Pillars. He was truly a being of pure anarchy. And under his orders, under his flames, he would destroy this castle. He would burn everything in it to the ground. And keep Gray Kyojin alive, to see his entire life crumble to ash, so maybe then he could see the light of the darkness.
Arthur: "We're so close to the beautiful fire Prometheus promised. This country, and this continent, this entire world will burn. And damn whoever tries to restart it, even the Sect themselves."
Disconnected from absolutely everything, there still managed to be a hole. He didn't care about them, but he knew they were here, and he knew they had a good chance of never leaving this castle. At least with their body anyway. A young man in the shadows, watching closely through his mask as a beast clad in Dragon stone slashed through three anarchists. Followed by a rush of golden light, green flowing winds, a streak of speed, and a sporadic blue glowing boy.
Edward: "THIS WAY! WE JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RUMBLES!"
Rosemary: "MAKE SURE TO CONVERSE YOUR STRENGTH!"
Soku: "STOP SCREAMING IT'S HARD TO FOCUS!"
Gray: "EEEEK!"
Soku: "DUDE!"
Julius: "My goodness, you all are far, far too much."
The young man could feel vomit at the back of his throat, from the pure sickness inducing rage he felt looking at them. But what followed was a smile, even more blood lusted than Arthur. Yet, it could have been generic.
Gray: "GUYS!"
Amidst a small crowd of anarchists in a light brick hall, Gray felt something wrong. A darkness, something rotten. And it was ready to unleash its putrid around them. Rosemary, Edward, Julius, and Soku were all too distracted by the small crowd to worry, but with Gray's Spirit sense he couldn't help but feel it. The corruption of that young man. Arthur's son. A man with far too much history with these "Heroes".
Donte: "THIS TIME I'LL AVENGE MY SIBLINGS, YOU MONSTERS!"
Gray and the others all moved together, and they really shouldn't have. SO close to joining the fight against Arthur, so close to the fight in the Capital, to saving this castle, and now they were closed in by a transparent purple dome. Donte's Domain, where Donte stood outside with his spear. He held his hand out to keep them locked tight, while the Plague mask wearing anarchist and Conna stepped forward. And a small mass of the Mask anarchists zombified anarchists begin to fill the tight hall around them. With the remaining Potential Pillars in the Castle, accompanied by any Sect members they could find, the Lower Pillars were ready. Arthur was ready. The Upper Pillars were ready. The Stars of Walgonia were falling, separating, and the Stars of anarchy were rising to form their own constellation.