The squad travelled through the plains and towards the forest. They were ready for the imminent battle. They have been running and escaping. Now the time was to fight and end it.
As they entered the forest, it felt real. The trees, their placement, their texture, all felt real. They rode through the fake terrain and soon found themselves at its centre. An arrow came from their left and landed in front of them. They immediately stopped. Soon, the Morl Riders emerged from all around them and surrounded them. In front of them stood Deris Hasflin. He was smiling.
The squad got off their horses and patted them. The horses moved away and deep into the forest. They drew their swords and looked at their enemies. Now the squad and the Morl riders stood face to face. Ready to finish each other.
"We meet after all," Deris said aloud.
"Indeed…" Elna replied. Her sword was out of its sheath as well.
"I will give you a choice," Deris smiled. "Surrender and hand us the badge."
"And if we don't?" Elna cut him off.
"Then…" Deris said and pulled a chain.
The squad heard loud thuds, and as the ground shook, a beast emerged from the forest. He looked at the squad and snarled and growled.
Felmer looked at Melfer. "This is cheating…"
"Yeah…Unfair…" Melfer followed.
Deris smiled and looked at them. Lelix held a double-sided axe in his hand, and tied to the other end of the axe's chain was a double-sided hammer. He held his weapon tightly and snarled. He was losing his patience.
"Fine then…Let the show begin." Deris announced. "Kill them!" He ordered his men, and the riders rushed at the squad.
"Attack!!" Elna shouted.
The squad charged their weapons with magic and ran towards the riders. The war had broken out.
Deris immediately rushed at Felmer. But the captain stopped his assault and faced Deris.
"You are fighting me." The captain said.
Deris chuckled and attacked. The captain defended and struck back. They exchanged numerous blows and fought with finesse. Both were in par with each other.
A rider attacked Felmer, but Felmer stepped aside, grabbed his wrist, and stabbed him in the gut. Melfer was attacked as well, and he killed the attacker.
Lelix looked at the two of them and ran towards them. Elna fired an arrow at his head. But the arrow was unable to penetrate and stop the monster. Lelix lifted his axe and attacked Felmer. Felmer gathered magic in his feet and escaped the attack.
"Leave this thing to us!" Melfer said.
"Fine!" Elna responded.
"Let's see what you got," Felmer said and imbued his sword with magic. Tree branches appeared and glowed brightly. His cyan eyes were shining. Melfer concentrated his magic, and golden lines appeared on his sword after a golden flash.
Lelix waved the other side of his weapon and attacked them with the hammer. They jumped aside and dodged the attack. Lelix didn't stop and followed with an attack from the axe. Felmer dodged the attack, ran around the monster, charged his legs with magic and rushed at the monster. Lelix defended with the weapon's chains and stepped aside. Melfer followed with an attack on his legs. But Lelix defended it with his hammer.
They joined up and looked at the monster. The monster was trained and had a working mind.
"He is good," Melfer said.
"True…"
They attacked again from two sides, but Lelix defended against the attack. Felmer jumped, and Melfer attacked from below. While in the air, Felmer tried to attack, but Lelix moved his hand backwards and hit him. Felmer was blown back, hit a tree, and fell. Lelix tried to trample Melfer under his feet, but he instantly moved aside and dodged.
Felmer got up and stretched his body. He let out some cracks and joined Melfer.
"Fine?" Melfer asked.
"Yep…"
Felmer stood, gathered an immense amount of magic, and rushed at Lelix's neck with immense speed. Melfer attacked Lelix again. Lelix got distracted, and Felmer's green blade cut through the metal collar. He was unable to damage his neck. Melfer imbued his sword with more magic and cut Lelix's left hand. But the hand instantly regenerated. They swiftly moved back and looked at Lelix.
As the collar fell, the source of the red light was revealed. It was a small red jewel stuck in his neck and glowing with an intense light.
"I think…This is the first jewel we are looking for." Felmer said.
"How?"
"I can feel a magical wave from it. The badge is reacting to the wave. It's just a hunch."
"It's regenerating very fast. We have to think of something." Melfer said.
"We have to cut off his head or gouge out that jewel." Felmer gave an idea.
"Fine…Let's try," Melfer said and attacked.
Melfer ran towards Lelix. Lelix attacked with his hammer. Melfer stopped, and the hammer hit the ground with immense pressure. Melfer gathered a large amount of magic in his right foot and stomped on the hammer. The hammer was pushed further into the ground and stuck. Felmer attacked with power and cut the chain between the hammer and the axe.
Meanwhile, Elna and Flexin were holding their ground and finishing the riders. Flexin wasn't the weak kid from two years ago. He had learned a lot and fought despite his injury. Elna killed as many as she could and instilled fear in the riders.
The captain and Deris exchanged countless strikes and did everything to injure each other. They tried everything against each other, but they were equal.
Lelix held his two weapons and stepped back.
"Let's try that trick again," Melfer said and began to focus an immense amount of magic in his sword.
Felmer understood and attacked Lelix's leg. He attacked with intense speed and power and cut his leg. Lelix lost his balance and fell. He began to regenerate and tried to stand. But he was slower than Melfer. Melfer gathered enough magic and rushed at Lelix's neck.
Deris saw his monster losing. He attacked the captain with more magic and was able to throw him back. The captain hit a tree and coughed. Deris then rushed towards Felmer.
Melfer rushed at Lelix with immense speed, followed by a golden flash and cut off Lelix's head. Felmer was about to attack his neck and take the jewel when suddenly, Deris intervened and kicked him back. Felmer fell and grabbed his nose. The kick was powerful enough to break his nose.
Deris stabbed the neck of the dead monster and took out the jewel.
"No, no, no…You are not getting this." Deris took out the badge and stabbed his chest. He placed the jewel in his wound and began to transform.
Red veins emerged and filled his chest. His eyes turned red, and his magic increased tenfold. He had changed.
Flexin and Elna slayed the remaining riders and walked towards the captain. They stood up and looked at the lone remaining enemy, who had changed.
"How!?!?" Felmer was shocked.
"You are shocked how I can control this jewel?" Deris laughed. "The jewels can be controlled by anyone who has enough magic. I have that power, so I am controlling it."
Melfer took an attack stance. But Felmer stopped him.
"I will deal with him."
Felmer stood straight and gathered an immense amount of magic in his sword and legs.
"Oh…You wanna fight? Fine then!" Deris said and rushed at Felmer.
Felmer rushed at Deris with a flash. As the two men were about to reach, the sky turned red, the ground grey, and time stopped.
They were suspended in the air. Between them, a red orb appeared and from it emerged a man. General Irfika. His crimson eyes glowed, and he had a light smile.
He grabbed Deris's wrists and Felmer's collar. Then he tapped his left foot on the ground. The time resumed, then he swiftly threw Deris away and stopped Felmer. Felmer fell on the ground and coughed. Deris flew and hit a tree. He stood slowly and looked at the general.
"Huh? General, you?" Felmer asked.
"Yes, Felmer…" He replied.
Deris looked at the general in shock.
'The Devil's Master? What is he doing here?' Deris thought.
"Deris Hasflin. We meet after all." The general said.
"The Devil's Master. What brings you here?" Deris asked.
"The Devil's what?" Felmer was stunned.
Deris stood still and looked at the general.
'Devil's Master. The only person in this world who can fight the Mad King. There is no way I can fight him. I need to run away somehow.' Deris thought.
He stood and looked at the general's sword. He saw his reflection, and fear struck him.
'My reflection! How can I forget this!?!?' Deris thought. He tried to run, but he couldn't
But he had been transported to hell. It took him a minute to realise he wasn't in that world.
"I don't talk much. I only kill." The general said.
They were in a red realm. An endless hell. Deris had forgotten that he didn't have to look at the general's sword.
"Eat, devil," The general said.
Deris felt a devil on his back. Deris was stunned; he was paralysed. The devil looked and smiled at Deris. He licked his neck. And in the next blink, Deris's head was on the ground, and he was back in his world. He saw his body fall to its knees, and the world faded around him.
"What the heck!?!?" Felmer asked, afraid and stunned.
The general looked at Felmer, smirked and chuckled. His eyes were glowing with intense light.
"Fabulous,"