Chapter 20 :: Treachery of the Black Phoenix

"Divine Storm Blade!" Kratos and Mithos shouted together, striking the door down and crushing the soldiers on the other side. Yuan and Solstice sprinted out behind them.

"Filthy half-elf scum," the commander, a tall human with a gold helmet and silver armor, muttered as the falling door smashed two of his soldiers.

"Procyon," Kratos said.

"Lord Kratos, there's no way you could be here. The report said you were killed at Heimdall," Procyon responded.

"Lord Procyon, most of the city is now under our control," a knight in black armor said.

"Excellent, burn everything to the ground," Procyon ordered. "Kill any half-elves on sight."

At this point, Lord Sirius appeared from his house. He still had on the same clothes from earlier that day.

"What's the meaning of this, Lord Procyon? The Black Phoenix Knights are not allowed to enter cities," Sirius said.

"The king and his chancellor have granted me an exception when he found out you were harboring agents of Enigma's Ghosts," Procyon answered. "I knew you were soft on half-elves, but who knew that the honorable doctor would actually aid terrorists."

"Enigma's Ghosts isn't a terrorist organization! That's just propaganda that you ignorant humans created to justify starting the war," Yuan angrily shouted. He took a step forward, but Kratos stopped him.

"Lord Procyon is the one who taught me the technique Divine Storm Blade. He is known as the God of Destruction and has never lost a fight in real combat," Kratos said.

"So now you have sided with these halflings too, Kratos. Good, I will be able to dispose of both traitors in one excursion. Lord Sirius, if you value the lives of your subjects, you will forfeit your own."

"We can take him together," Mithos said.

"Clear out and observe, soldiers. You are about to witness the true power of Lord Procyon. Kratos, you will have wished you stayed with me."

Procyon's black sword radiated with an aura of darkness when he took a few swings through the air to demonstrate its power.

"I regret nothing," Kratos answered, drawing Dragon's Tear.

"Rising Phoenix!" Procyon called. The aura around his sword changed to flame and released a firebird that scorched its way across the field to Kratos. It lifted him into the air and struck him from behind, sending Kratos crashing into the hard ground. "I don't think so, kid." He predicted that Mithos would attack and intercepted him before he could swing his sword.

"It's like he can read our every move," Yuan said, just as Procyon reflected his Raven spell into the villa wall.

"Terra sirr zephos, ralf tal arthos! Atlas!" Solstice called, summoning terrible cutting winds to slash all around Procyon. Unable to escape, he held his ground until it faded off.

"I would have expected more from a dragon, or has your time on the surface weakened you?" taunted Procyon. "Watch this... Sword of Tartarus." Drawing on the inferno in the deepest level of Hades, Procyon's sword stabbed into the ground and sent streaks of black fire in every direction.

"Guardian!" Mithos called, creating a barrier around him so the flames brushed past him.

"Attacking in sequence will do us no good," Kratos said.

"Divine Storm Blade!" At the same time, Mithos and Kratos dashed forward and vanished into a blur.

"Divine Storm Blade!" Procyon countered, disappearing also.

"Where are they? I can't see them," Yuan said.

"Neither can I; their movements must be extremely fast," Solstice replied. They heard the clashing of steel to mithril and then saw a flash of light. Mithos was tossed clear of Procyon by the broad side of his sword.

"Ha, is that it?" Procyon boasted, before realizing his fatal mistake. Kratos materialized behind him and stabbed his sword through the weak spot in the back of his armor, nailing his heart. "Die, Lord Sirius!" Too late to stop him, Procyon hurled his black sword into Sirius, slaying him instantly.

"I will take it from here," a deep voice said. Appearing out of a glowing blue magic seal, a man in a black cloak with glowing red eyes took hold of Procyon's body. The rest of his body, including his face, was hidden in his garments. A few of the Black Phoenix Knights approached him, but he held out a single hand. "Apocalyptic Prophecy." They screamed in terrible pain as he pulled the life right out of them so all that remained were their skeletons.

"And just who the heck are you?" Yuan demanded.

"An attack on Meltokio will begin in two days. You have until then to stop Delthis," the mysterious figure coolly answered. He slipped back through the magic portal with Procyon.

"The village?" asked Mithos. Of the several hundred people living there, only twelve survived the attack from Procyon's knights. No building was left to stand save for the villa and even the next morning, the city was still in flames. As the sun rose, the smoke made it seem like nighttime. Throughout the night, Mithos could only rest for a bit on the grass.

A city will fall to the flames of injustice and a champion will be slain.