Unknown time, Khalingar, the great forest 2 miles from the city, some dirty human's 1st person pov
"Come on! Faster!" "He's too strong!" "My skin! It's melting!"
Those were the screams that echoed through the great forest we were hiding in, we were to travel to another tribe's stronghold, the chieftain said the quickest route there took us very close to their home, i voiced my concerns for that plan, they would not simply miss a tribe's worth of humans so close to their city, but the chief would not hear it, and now we were paying the price.
Two days ago, we entered the forests, immediatly after, a fever set in amongst our group, it started with the eldest men, then the younger ones, then women and even the children, we thought nothing of it, we simply thought that their accursed snow was finally getting to us, but it was so much worse...
As we traversed that unholy forest, our sickness grew worse, the eldest among us started dying off, one by one, right now only the young men and the children were left of us, but we reached the end of the forest! We were safe now! Or so we thought... We reached the end, the forest's end, but also ours.
Our death was in the shape of one of them, just one, but that was all it really took, it was roughly six feet tall and rather bloated, it's plates were rounded and rusty, and it looked like it was dragged through an acid bath, it's belly was very round, like a human that has eaten too much for too long, and little holes were present in some places, we didn't see it's back at the time, but there were four short pipes present there, pumping out a sickly green fog, it's helmet was vaguely in the shape of a rhino, it was round at the back, and narrowed into a horn-like shape in the front, two fist sized holes were present in the sides.
As for the weapon it wielded, it was a halbert, a big, decrepit looking, rusty halbert, it had no decorations, and the blade and pike looked like their glory days were long past, this weapon, like that thing, had a sickly green fog wafting off of it.
We heard rumors of this thing's existense, this was Kargul, the plaguebringer.
It took one swing at our armed men in the front, the attack itself claimed no lives, but the ones that were wounded were already doomed, for their skin rotted, their eyes whitened, and their teeth blackened. Out of the pipes on it's back came swarms of flies that, wich each sting, doomed yet another of our people, it took another swing, and claimed three more lives.
And then i was alone, i wanted to run, but it wouldn't make a diffrence, i was already dead, it's disease woulde kill me soon enough, it stepped up to me.
"YoUr LiFe, FoR ThE kINg oF KHaLiNgAr!" It bellowed, it's voice sounded like it spoke through thick layers of mucus in it's throat, i still understood it, but i wish i didn't.
"Monster!" Was my last word as it took a swing a swing at me, and thus ending my life.
Same time, same place, Kargul 1st person pov
And that was that, another cattle of humans fell to me, i have struck yet another blow to the enemies of our godly King, our Kingly god, i only hope it would please Him, i was about to travel back to His dark city when i sensed another cattle of humans had entered the great forest, this one had a mage with them!
Killing these humans would surely please our good king! And so i ran further into the wood, i could smell the humans, their stench was as strong as ever. Eventually i found the human cattle, and their mage, they had already exprienced the first stages of my self-cultivated disease, wich i dubbed "Ravik's touch"
the humans looked fearful at me, and their warriors charged at me, uncaring for their own fate as the mage began reciting a spell, i took a swing and claimed the lives of four humans, but still they charged me, even as their skin disolved and their hair fell out, i took another swing, and claimed the rest of their warriors, only the mage was left, she had finished charging her little spell as she pointed her staff at me, and i sent my swarm after her, as she cast her spell on me, her body started swelling up, boils started sprouting on her skin, wich turned a sickly green color, the spell takes effect, and the last thing i see is her malformed, dead body hitting the snowy forest ground.
1 day after the events of chapter 10, Halkeginia, academy of magic, classroom, King Ravik 1st person pov
I was standing beside Kirche as she was feeding Saito some strange looking food, eating was one of those things humans needed to do to survive, so impractical... Saito seemed to be enjoying it if his face was any indication, Louise however, not that much, wich was evident as she decided to vent her frustrations on Kirche "what do you think you're doing!? Go feed your own familiar!" She shouted, before Kirche could reply i said "i'm not like you, human, i have no need of impractical things such as food." Louise was taken aback and was about to reply when Kirche decided to change the subject "anyway! Have you heard? Apearantly people are blaming the princess for the attack on the academy" to this, louise looked shocked "why is that?" She asked "it seems that the princess came here despite many protests from her advisors, and that what few guards we have were diverted to protect her." Was Kirche's reply "princess..." Louise muttered softly
Just then, the door of the classroom opened to reveal Colbert, the human mage "miss Vallière, miss Tabitha, please follow me to the headmaster's office." He called out, and so we left the classroom, and so we departed to the headmaster's office.
5 minutes later, same world, same place, headmaster's office, King Ravik 1st person pov
I later stood in the headmaster's office, "old osmond" as he was called by student and teacher alike, he was a withering human with long white hair, and an equally long white beard, he had a long, black robe with several metal clasps running along it's length, it looked quite distinguished.
"Why are you here!?" I heard louise shout, i turned my head to see she was refering to Kirche "hey it looked interesting" was her answer, to wich louise started pouting.
It was then that i heard a woman speaking "while i was questioning people around the city, i was informed of a suspicious figure who goes in and out of an abandoned house deep withing the forest" this woman had green hair, fair skin, and wore a short, greyish blue dress under a long, purple cloak, this was miss Longueville, the headmaster's secretary.
"As swift and diligent as always, miss longueville!" Praised the headmaster, to wich the secretary simply nodded and continued "based on that testimony, i was able to draw this" she then proceeded to show us a sheet of paper with a crudely drawn image of fouquet, the woman that i fought on a golem's head.
The group of studends huddles around drawing, with me standing at the back. "What do you think?" Asks the headmaster "That's fouquet, i'm sure of it!" Answers louise, to wich the rest of the nobles in the room start fidgeting nervously, most of them were old, withering humans "let's report this to the palace, we will ask the knights to depart straight away" Colbert, who was also present, proposes, to wich the headmaster disagreed, saying "if we take too long, fouquet will get away. We will reclaim the staff of destruction, and the academy's honor with our own hands! Those who wish to volunteer, please raise your wands!"
Nobody raised their wand, like i said, they were old, and withering, i couldn't blame them, but the headmaster could, he said "well? Are there no nobles in this room who wish to gain fame by capturing fouquet?" After hearing this, Louise, of all people, raised her wand, saying "i'll go!" the headmaster looked shocked, proclaiming "miss Vallière?"
Kirche raised her wand as well, saying "i'll go as well!" Wich did not surprise me, not inthe least. "Zerbst?" Louise asked, surprised "i can't lose to a Vallière." She proclaimed smugly, before she looked behind Louise and adopting a surprised expression as well "Tabitha?" She asked, wich prodded Louise to turn around, and seeing that Tabitha had a wand raised as well "you don't have to, you know, this is our problem" Kirche said, to wich Tabitha responded "worried about the two of you" this surprised Louise and Zerbst "Tabitha..." "thank you" they both said.
The headmaster chuckeled, saying "then i'll leave the matter with the three of you" he then indicated Tabitha and Louise while speaking the rest of his cattle "these two have seen fouquet, also miss Tabitha, despite her young age, is a knight with the title of chevalier." Chevalier... Must be a great honor, if the surprised looks from everyone is any indication, Tabitha simply nodded, and the headmaster turned to Kirche "additionaly, miss Zerbst is from one of Germania's famous military families and i've heard her flames are quite strong as well, her familiar, too, is not one to be trifeled with, as He fought fouquet by Himself ontop her golem!" This surprised the rest of the headmaster's cattle "and he's the legendary mjö-" Colbert wished to say something but interrupted himself.
Osmond then turned to Louise, though he seemed to hesitate, and went as far as to fake a cough "and lastly... Well... miss Vallière is a direct descendant of the Vallière family, wich has produced many fine mages, and.. What should i say..." Louise started to look irritated and the headmaster was using a hankerchief to wipe away sweat, yet another impractical human trait "and... Has a bright future... Yes! That's right! I heard her familiar is a swordsman that overpowered Guiche de Gramont, son of Marshal Gramont!" Louise looked rather... Displeased "ah yes! And he's the legendary gan-" Colbert wished to announce something yet again, but he stopped himself from revealing what, again, wich prodded a curious look from Longueville.
"The academy of magic looks forward to seeing you commitment and effort as nobles!" The headmaster said as all the students raised their wands, it was then that Longueville stepped up "old osmond, i'd like to acompany them as a guide" she said, "will you do so, miss Longueville?"
"I had planned to do so all along..."
Half an hour later, same world, road through the forest, 3rd person pov
The carriage in wich Kirche, Louise, Saito, Tabitha, Longueville, and King Ravik were riding on groaned under His weight, but it held fast. "Zerbst!" Louise called out "your familiar is nearly crushing the carriage, make it walk!" She demanded, Kirche faked shock, and responded with "absolutely not! My dear familiar deserves better than to walk while we ride!" It was about to escalate into a full argument when Saito interrupted.
"Hey" Saito called out to louise who prodded him to speak "if Fouquet can use magic, she's an aristocrat, right? Why is a noble stealing stuff?" Was his question, to wich Longueville surprisingly answered with "not all mages are nobles, there are many nobles who became commoners for their own reasons, among them are those that devote themselves to becoming mercenaries or criminals, i ,too, have lost the title of noble"
This prods some surprised looks from the occupants of the carriage, sans King Ravik and Tabitha, Kirche decides to speak up. "But you're the secretary of old Osmond!" To wich Longueville answeres "he doesn't play favourites with commoners and nobles."
"How did you lose your title, miss Longueville?" Kirche asks, not recieving an answer "come on, i want to know!" She presses on, but is stopped by louise, who says "you're being rude, Zerbst!" The two then go on to bicker with each other as they usually do, dragging Saito into the argument as well, the good king and the bookworm had better things to do than to listen to it.
30 minutes later, same world, near Fouquet's hideout, King Ravik 1st person pov
Finally, we had arrived, i grew weary of having to be near the bickering mages, at one point Kirche decided it was apropriate to compare me to Saito, seeing as how we both had two swords on our person now, i fixed her with a hard glare, to wich she dropped the subject.
We were now at the shack we suspected to be Fouquet's hideout, it didn't look like much, but that's why i had to be cautious, humans, however primitive, were very crafty creatures, and this one had magic. Saito and i were checking the inside of the shack through the windows, when we saw that nobody was there, we beckoned the rest of the group, Tabitha then walked over to the shack and checked it for traps by using a spell, "there are no traps." was her answer, to this, we headed inside, while Louise stood guard with Longueville.
It was cramped for me due to my height, and incredibly dusty, wich was further proven when Saito sneezed, and dust flew everywhere, "haa! There's nothing around here! Tabitha, Saito, Ravik, let's go back outside!" Kirche proposed, i wished to protest, we hadn't checked everywhere yet, but Tabitha beat me to it when she said "staff of destruction" we all turned to see Tabitha holding a big, purple case, it was easily 2 feet taller than her, and just as wide.
Kirche extended a hand to open the lock on the case, but we all turned our heads when we heard Louise scream, and the roof was smashed away by a giant golem, it was similar to the one that Fouquet used to attack the academy, so i could only assume this was her handywork as well.
Tabitha steppd in front of us and used a her magic to summon a tornado against the golem, it had no effect, Kirche tried next, using a large stream of fire, the golem staggered, but was unharmed by the attack. Saito and i saw Louise standing behind the golem, wand raised, and then she used a spell, it hardly had any effect other than draw the golem's attention, Saito was yelling at Louise to run, but she stood her ground and tried, but failed, again.
Now the golem was taking a swing at her, the runes all over my armor begin glowing as i dash to Louise and block the golem's fist with my straightsword "listen to your familiar, girl, and run." I spoke calmly, wich didn't fit this situation "why should i listen to the familiar of Zerbst?" She asked with an air of hostility, i was about to answer when Saito pushes her out of the way of the second hit that the golem launched at us, seeing as how Louise was out of the way, i simply sidestepped, and continued to do so until Louise and Saito finished their little talk in the middle of battle, after wich, Louise got on Tabitha's dragon, wich she called during that fight, and flew off, leaving Saito and me to fend for ourselves.
Saito drew his golden sword, honestly, a golden sword, how impractical, and charged at the golem, the sword broke on the first hit, as expected. Deciding i had enough, i walked towards the golem, but not before i heard Saito's other, rustier, sword talk. i was surprised at this, a talking weapon, i have never seen anything like that. drawing the rusty sword, Saito charged at the golem, it cut flawlessly, this mildly surprised me.
Louise, having seen the whole thing, decided it was a good idea to jump down from Tabitha's dragon, the staff's case had fallen to the ground, revealing a...
A halbert?
It was most definetly not a staff, but a decrepit, rust covered, halbert. To any human, the "staff" might have looked like an ordinary piece of junk, but any Khalingarian would recognise it as "death sentence" the weapon/catalyst of Kargul, the plaguebringer, how did it get here? I had not time to ponder as the golem launched another attack, Louise was swinging death sentence around like one would any staff, it was, ofcourse, unknown to her that only an armor spirit could use a Khalingarian catalyst, so she swung, and swung, until Saito pushed her out of the way, and grabbed death sentence himself, he took a few swings at the golem, it was damaged, ofcourse, seeing as how death sentence was part weapon, but only a khalingarian could bring it's full might to bear.
Deciding i had enough of this sacriligeous display, i called out to Saito "boy! The weapon! Throw me the weapon!" Saito looked confused, but did as he was told, and death sentence landed in my hands, it felt good to have a true Khalingarian catalyst in hand again, using it, i would bring death and decay to this foe and all those that follow after!
I held death sentence in front of me, horizontally with an outstretched arm, i felt my inner power flow through my armor runes, and then through the catalyst, death sentence's iconic green fog oozed from the blade, it recognized a true armor spirit's soul!
Pointing death sentence's pike towards the golem, i spoke one word "decay" there was a brief ripple across the fabric of reality, originating from death sentence's pike, and then the golem crumbeled, and it's stones turned to dust, the grass around me dried up and died, and some trees near me lost their leaves.
The group was looking at me in great surprise "h-how..." Was the most common muttering among a myriad of others that escaped their mouths. "This weapon, death sentence, belonged to one of my subordinates" i didn't get much farther than that when death sentence was wresteled from my grasp, it was now in the hands of Longueville, who i had now deduced to be Fouquet "well, well, you are quite the powerful mage, aren't you? To take my golem down with one spell, no matter, you'll be powerless without this!" She said as the indicated death sentence, i resisted the urge to laugh "try it, human, i dare you." I challenged, she pointed death sentence, wich had stopped oozing it's fog, at me and said "decay".
a moment passed.
then another.
and then Fouquet tried again "decay! Decay! Decay! Why won't it work you stupid rusty piece of junk!" She pointed at me "you! You did something! Tell me why it won't work!" She said, to wich i responded "that is a Khalingarian catalyst, it was made for beings like myself, armor spirits, and it will only bend to one such being's will, you are human, death sentence will not obey the likes of you" was my answer, she then screamed as she took a swing at me, i easily caught death sentence and ripped it from her grasp.
(What follows may require me to bump this story's rating to M, but i'm not sure, someone tell me if i need to)
I swung at Fouquet, purposly scratching her cheeck, she cringed, but then looked amused and said "is that all? i expected a better swing from someone wit-" was as far as she got as she suddenly got on all fours and puked on the ground, the flesh around the wound made by death sentence started to turn green, and her veins turned black "what did you do to me..." She uttered weakly, i responded with a hint of malice in my voice "there is a reason why death sentence is named the way it is, you'll discover it soon enough." Death sentence, truly it was a fitting name, once you were so much as scratched by it, your fate is sealed, you've been sentenced to death (i'm not sorry for that unintentional pun)
Those were the last words Fouquet heard as the disease ran it's course, her body bloated, her skin turned a sickly shade of green, her hair fell out, her eyes whitened and her teeth blackened, boils covered her skin that leaked white-ish pus, and then she perished, her lifeless, malformed body hitting the dead grass.
I turned to observe the reactions from the group, Saito looked disturbed, louise found a nearby bush to vomit behind, Kirche looked ready to join Louise, and Tabitha looked indiffrent, though her eyes slightly widened.
"It's called death sentence for a reason"
Same time, Khalingar, Queen Annabelle's castle (formerly King Ravik's castle), throne room, Annabelle 1st person pov
I sitting on my throne, fantasizing about my life at the side of my beloved King Ravik, until i was suddenly ripped from my thoughts by an echo, but not one that would occasionaly haunt the throne room, no, this echo came from across the fabric of reality, i felt it, "decay" the echo sounded softly, but that sheer intensity, that could only have been my beloved Ravik! He was still alive!
And i'm just gonna end it right there, so if you haven't noticed, i based Kargul the plaguebringer on the death guard traitor legion from warhammer 40k, specifically Typhus, host of the destroyer hive, just thought it'd be a nice idea. As for why i didn't pick Brimir's staff as the staff of destruction like i said, believe it or not, "disease ridden armor spirit that was transported to another world and leaves his weapon there" was easier to explain than whatever i could have used for Brimir. One last thing, i was thinking about adding little codex entries on the Khalingarians, stuff like notable figures in Khalingar history, traditions, armor spirit reproduction, that sort of thing, at the end of each chapter, lemme know what you think, ta!
