Rise

A crash of thunder was heard just after violet bolts of lightning lit up the sky, the darkness pierced for just a fraction of time itself. A lone figure lurched along slowly on a dampened, dirt-laden path, carrying over his shoulder a large object concealed in cloth. As he neared the top of a foot hill he lifted his head, gazing out into the horizon with two different coloured eyes at the village that lay so close.

"Vale…" He spoke in a cold, monotone voice; wizened sounding even in his short lifetime.

A crack of thunder was heard rolling in the distance as the clouds seemed forced to break. A pale, cold moonlight washed over the surrounding area and illuminated the figures target. The silver beams seemed to attract directly to this town, informing him as the densely forming fog thickened that his targets were near.

"Soon, poor fools. Soon your lives… will be laid to waste before my wrath."

One of his eyes glowed a demonic, fiery red colour while the other sparkled coldly like ice. He removed his cloaked hood and pushed it back, but just then everything went black around him. A dark energy surged through the fog and made it murky and almost stale. He waved his arms about in a guided fashion as if to contort the mess and send it streaming towards the village. Slowly, the goopy fog made its way to the houses and it's poisonous, rank stench was smelt by all.

Isaac, the biggest fool of all, rose from his bed, confident that he could care for the problem with just his sword and the alchemy promised to him by The Wise One. Unfortunately, this Wise One wasn't as 'wise' as he thought, and his power would soon fail him.

He rushed outside, throwing his flowing yellow scarf over his shoulder and making haste to cast a large, status protecting barrier around Vale. A thick, golden light forced the fog to flow away at a great speed while neutralizing all of it within the barrier. Vale was saved; at least for now.

The black mist poured past the figure atop the foothill, lighting in the distance flashing about in the clouds. Isaac could see, or rather feel his energy close by; knowing he was within the range to be a threat. Unsheathing his sword, he gave a chant and teleported to the charged area, appearing behind the man with a sense of advantage in his mind.

He approached the dark figure, its cloak now covering it once again and raised his sword. However, a small voice passed over his ears and he felt a cold gust of wind rush by. A chill ran through his spine and the person before him crumbled away to dust on the ground, a pile of black ash in his face.

"You didn't… think… it would be so easy…?"

Isaac looked around for a source but saw none, instead turning his attention to the pile. Kneeling down before it he removed the glove from his hand, touching the substance with his bare fingertips. Instantly he withdrew his flesh from the source. It was poisonous, and ice-cold to the touch. There must have been some powerful alchemy in this… Or was there?

A ringing noise; a loud, piercing screech of something moving at a rapid pace coming for him, and time seemed to stop for Isaac. Just as the blade was guided to him, its silver was put to an abrupt stop by rings of golden light. Isaac's power over alchemy saved him; but just this once.

Quickly hopping to his feet, Isaac held his sword in a stance, glaring towards the true figure behind this. A black, murky fog poured from the creature's body as it held the blade in its hands, a smirk crossing its lips. The strangest thing of all to the blonde was that this man seemed to confident, not bothering to flinch at the sword wavering so close to him.

The smirk fell and with a flash of silver he swung his sword, the black energy rushing forward in a chaotic manner. All of this seemed to distract Isaac, but he still managed to block the blow with is own legendary blade. Azure eyes stared into the mixture of blue and red before him, and instantly he recognized his old foe.

His grip weakened for but a second as he realised this, but that second was just enough. Swinging around in a counter strike, the man sliced his Godly blade through the neck of the blonde boy, blood staining its heavenly, rune-engraved surface.

The Great Swordsman gave a flick of his blade to remove the blood before sheathing it. With a blank look on his face, and his left hand outstretched in a welcoming manner, he absorbed with haste the energy left behind by Isaac's vessel of a body. Now, he had gained immeasurable power, and yet there was still more to absorb.

More than ever before, the Great Swordsman was a threat, and he headed slowly down the foot-hill, his eyes glowing with golden energy, his blade clutched with might. He would reduce his foes to ashes, and become the sole power in this world.

Like it or not, I will continue.