Thank you for visiting and spending your time on this. With that, you made me already happy :D
I hope this chapter will give you a good first impression of what you can expect in the future.
Full summary:
They heavily underestimated the cunning mind of the Lord of Cyslodia, Ganabelt Valkyris and the first attempt of bringing him down ended in complete failure. Now they try to retrieve what they lost on that day as Law, Shionne, Alphen, Hootle and Rinwell search for ways to come to terms with what has happened but they find more than they initially thought. Things change and maybe now they will be able to take down the evil mastermind of Cyslodia.
A mixture of rewrite and AU, beginning with the events occurring in Cyslodia.
A million snowflakes floated down from the nightly sky. They danced with each other, exchanging soft touches while they moved around each other before they switched their individual partners. The slow dance started anew, repeating over and over again until they joined hands with their countless siblings covering the large mountains and endless forests of Cyslodia, patiently waiting for the time they could welcome the others with open arms.
On rare occasions the ever-present clouds embracing the world below in their warm hug would split, opening the path for the aurora shimmers swaying across the canvas crafted solely for them and them alone. The arctic light reflected on the surface of the frozen droplets of water, changing their slow fall in appearance that it looked like as if stardust was raining down.
Cyslodia really honours its title as the realm of light with sparkling radiance. The view is beautiful, magnificent even. Almost like a story from a fairy tale has become an aspect of reality. But whenever there is light, there will be shadows as well. Lurking in the persistent darkness where the encompassing brightness cannot reach they wait for the right moment to pounce or they have done so already and are in complete control over everything that is happening.
A man fitting this description sat on his throne inside his castle, enjoying the sight outside while nipping from time to time on the finest of wines served in an even finer glass. In a faraway distance, he saw clouds as black as the night itself covering the sky, an indicator for a hefty storm raging across his realm once again, the domain he was ruling over as none other than Ganabelt Valkyris. Only a few days earlier he was able to bring a carefully lain out plan to fruition and taught his slaves the reason, why they were not more than slaves and why he was the Lord using them as he deemed fitting best for his plans.
Being nothing but tools has been the sad and devastating status quo for every Dahnan ever since the large-scale invasion from outer space three hundred years ago by the Renan civilisation. Suppression, torture, slavery and death. These were the only gifts they received from the highly advanced race from beyond the stars. In the beginning, they rose up against the aggressors. They wouldn't allow anybody to rule over them without their consent! As a result, they were beaten down brutally and without mercy. Many Dahnan perished during the fruitless attempt to repel the invasion and those who survived suffered a fate worse than death – for long three hundred years by now.
Generation after generation of Dahnans was forced to do the bidding of their cosmic lords and if they couldn't they were recycled like trash so at least the Astral Energy dwelling inside of their bodies could be harvested like precious, juicy fruit. With time progressing the will to oppose their masters dwindled from a raging fire to mere embers, always in threat to be blown out any moment.
However, by a stroke of fate one of the few remaining organisations fighting against the overlords managed to turn around the situation that had persisted since the invasion. In the land of fire Calaglia, the ruling Lord Balseph was successfully overthrown and for the first time, the Dahnan people could taste the sweet nectar of freedom.
Moving with the momentum of the events in Calaglia and drunken from their victory the small group responsible for the coup d'etat invaded Cyslodia in hopes they could free the Dahnan from slavery there as well. Unfortunately, they underestimated the cunning and intelligent ruler of Cyslodia Ganabelt Valkyris greatly as they played right into his hands.
Cyslodia may be the realm of light but he is literally the physical manifestation of the shadow pulling the strings behind the scenes like a mastermind without being noticed as long as he doesn't want so. What better way to get rid of any rebellious people at once than collecting them under the same banner of an organisation you have founded yourself?
As repulsive as it may have been for him be to be the leader of mad street dogs the plan worked brilliantly and Ganabelt succeeded to annihilate almost every member of the Silver Swords in a mere day and therefore fastened his position as the rightfully Lord of Cyslodia, without having to fear with an uprise. He wouldn't make the same mistake as the incompetent fool Balseph!
The only downside of the otherwise satisfying result was the survival of the key members. But having a Master Core at their disposal made it obvious that there would be unforeseen occurrences. Hence it was only mildly surprising that they were able to escape. Otherwise, the game for the throne would not entertain him in the slightest even though this time around the opponent was not one of the other Lords but mere ruffians with hopes and dreams. Regrettably for them, these two forces, making people want to move forward, behave exactly like lies – they crush down in the most vital of moments and leave behind only dread and despair, much to his amusement.
Still, Ganabelt has to admit it was rather... refreshing, this change in the natural order. The attempt of the dog to bite the hand which feeds it. From time to time they tend to get snappy but one only needs to give them a good spanking and they will return to their obedient self.
Knowing already what they desire, after all, one of them is the treacherous accursed witch, he only needs to wait patiently. Nothing more, nothing less. Sooner or later they will return and run straight into another of his well-prepared traps. So for now he will bid his time and wait for the prey to come to the hunter on its own. While he does so he will continue to enjoy his luxurious life and the sight offered to him every day in this land of beauty.
Each step forward was one step further towards the awaiting embrace of death. He was in the depths of a forest but the only thing he saw was white. White and white wherever he looked, nothing else. No green from the needles of conifers, no brown from their steady trunks, no blue from frozen rivers – only white, endless white disturbed by red, the colour of blood and death.
It was a perfect epitome for his current situation in life. A few days ago his whole world crumbled down and shattered into million shards. It would never be the same as it was before. Not that he could say it was much beforehand anyway. He was a Dahnan and despised every Renan with every fibre of his being but still played the role of the loyal lapdog as a member of the Bureau of Observation.
Until his old man - whom he despised probably even more than the Renan for what he did or rather didn't – alongside his buddies, decided to show up in his life again. Feelings he had suppressed for years resurfaced again and caused havoc inside his mind and heart. Soon he found himself in the middle of a poorly planned uprise and the result was not an unexpected one, at least not for him.
It was a crushing defeat. It was no surprise for him since he knew the cunning tendencies of Lord Ganabelt. But playing the leader of the rebel organisation Silver Swords by himself? The Renan Lord made them believe they could pull on some strings but in the end, they only pulled on those he allowed them to. They were mere puppets and Lord Ganabelt the puppeteer toying with them as he liked.
Almost all members of the Silver Swords died this day and only a few witnessed the next day but he couldn't say that he cared that much. His heart was numb from the pain of great loss, not permitting any further pain no matter how dire the events were.
Among the victims of Ganabelt was his father Zephyr and as if to torture and mock him he even went so far as to take care of this matter personally with a stab of a poisoned dagger from behind. Just when Law thought his father and he could reconnect their relationship, after Zephyr had opened up and revealed his true thoughts and emotions residing in his heart, they were ripped apart once again, when Zephyr's lifeless hand slipped through Law's waiting hands.
Life as a Dahnan is cruel, has ever been and will always be. And if there is even the tiniest spark of hope it will be snuffed out mercilessly by a booted stomp of a Renan, be it a foot soldier, high ranked officer or a Lord. It always ended the same way. Looking back with this common knowledge he had to ask himself over and over again why he accompanied the rebels as they stormed towards Ganabelt's palace, inspired by his father's speech and enraged by his death all the same.
Maybe it was the reassuring presence of the man known as Alphen with the broken mask, swinging a pure blade of fire crafted inside a Master Core? Was it because of the fact they had the Renan woman Shionne on their side as well who could heal their injuries? Or was it because of the little yet powerful magician girl Rinwell, shooting with all existing elements around her? Or was it because they outnumbered the Renan forces? No, all of these assumptions are false.
They charged the castle because they were dumb.
Law still remembers the events vividly, playing in front of his inner eyes like a broken record. When they arrived the Central Plaza in front of the castle was empty, completely devoid of life. No guards nor Zeugels, the guarding pets of the Renan. Only an eerie silence greeted them. They should have fled at that very moment but they didn't and instead moved further down the lion's throat, right into Lord Ganabelt's trap.
When he and Alphen had pushed open the massive gates of the tower-like castle, Law had barely enough time to pull Rinwell, standing right next to him, to the side. Alphen did the same with Shionne.
A torrent of gunfire greeted them from within the entrance hall of the fortress. The noises of innumerable gunshots and the stench of gun powder filled the air as the bullets ran through countless members of the Silver Swords who swarmed the plaza behind them.
Screams of death and agony followed up next, blood raining down on the plaza in a hellish display of Renan superiority over the Dahnan people. Law heard Rinwell gasp and cry at the same time as she saw how her friends were massacred right in front of her eyes. This, however, has only been the beginning of the nightmare.
Alphen, not able to watch this onslaught any longer, was mad enough to dash into the castle but he wasn't able to take a single step inside. A large ornate shield stopped him in his tracks as it was smashed against him, easily covering his full body which didn't lack in size.
He flew backwards and landed in the pool of Dahnan blood. Shionne retreated as well, as a large spear was aimed at her and Law followed suit, taking a shocked Rinwell with him. If he hadn't done so, she would have been dead the next second, cut in half by a large greatsword.
The path to the castle interiors was blocked now by a small army of Renan soldiers. Gunners were positioned in the back rows, some of them kneeling to clear the line for their comrades from behind, effectively doubling their firepower. More of them appeared on top of the roofs of the houses surrounding the Central Plaza, acting as snipers, thirsty for Dahnan blood.
Renan soldiers equipped with long spears and large shields formed a line in front of them and protected the gunmen behind them, making it impossible to get rid of the long-range fighters any time soon. And even if they would manage to break through the wall of steel there were more obstacles they had to overcome before they could take down the enemy's firepower.
Renans calling great swords their weapons were at standby behind the spears and shields. They lacked defence but therefore were more mobile than their brethren and could easily cut those down blocked by the wall of steel.
The biggest of Law's concerns were the three soldiers leading the line though, their red armours epitomes for the rank they held. Ganabelt's best soldiers, three in number, stood in front of the other soldiers. Two were equipped with spear and shield as well but the difference in the gear's quality was as clear as the difference between Calaglia and Cyslodia.
In the middle, the third one waited with his arms crossed over his plated chest for his Lord's orders. Unlike all the others he wore a white cape as white as the snow Cyslodia was always covered in. Two broadswords were attached on his back, always at the ready to cut down the foes of his beloved Lord Ganabelt. Having worked for Lord Ganabelt, Law knew this man... no this monster! Only known as the White Flash of Cyslodia he is the best soldier in the army serving the Renan lord ruling over this realm. Whenever Law saw this Renan he immediately felt fear and dread taking over his body. That embodiment of evil was everything every Dahnan feared the most!
But he couldn't despair just yet because Ganabelt's trap was not completed yet! From the entrance of the Plaza hoards of vicious Zeugels entered the battlefield, famished and ravenous for their next meal. Among them was a gargantuan dog-like Zeugel, his size that of a small house. If he wouldn't miss one head he could start a career as the new guarding hound of hell, Cerberus. But even without a third head, the hell hound was more than enough terrifying.
Among the Dahnans enclosed inside the Plaza, panic broke loose. They were surrounded from all sides with no hope of escaping. All of them were going to die on this execution ground, slaughtered like the street dogs they are.
Suddenly loud steps echoed through the chilly air. Each of them was like a command and demand for silence at the same time. Whomever these footsteps belonged to made it crystal clear that he and he alone is the centre of attention right now.
Fancy doors of one of the many balconies parted and revealed the figure of the arrogant bastard. It was none other than Lord Ganabelt himself who grazed the impending massacre with his filthy presence. His eyes roamed over the Plaza, lingering a little longer on Alphen's sword of fire before his gaze crossed Law's one.
Even from afar Law could see how a small and humble smirk formed on the lips of the sadistic piece of shit! He knew of the connection between Law and Zephyr and took delight in how things ended for both of them.
Law's gut and heart twisted madly. He feared he would be overtaken by the forming fury inside of him but his attention was drawn back to the Renan lord as he raised his hand.
He snapped his fingers elegantly and hell broke loose. Upon hearing his Lord's command the White Flash dashed forward. Alphen had barely enough time to draw his sword before he had to engage in close combat with Cyslodian's best soldier. From the first clash, it was obvious that Alphen did not stand a chance against the overpowering enemy.
Law's memories of the exact events from this moment on are foggy and an overall blur. Probably an attempt of his survival instincts to keep him sane. Cries of death and war, spurting blood from afflicted, steel clashing against steel, bones crushed to fragments, gunshots and the mad howls of pleasure from the Zeugels were mixed together into a concert of madness.
Alphen was swinging his swords in his one-sided duel against the mighty Renan soldier. Shionne was shooting with her rifle and cast healing Artes in hopes of turning the favours to their side. Rinwell was kneeling on the ground, covering her ears with her eyes closed, crying. The brutality around her was too much for her even with all she had gone through already. And he himself?
He doesn't remember much, only that his fists and feet flew around him, most likely making no difference between ally and foe, desperately trying to stay alive as long as possible. How he was able to survive is a mystery to even himself.
He still sees the memory of how Alphen was cut down easily by the White Flash and he swears one of Alphen's arms was cleanly severed from his body. Strangely there was no scream of pain from him only confusion written all over his face before he lost consciousness and dropped to the ground.
The next moment Shionne screamed Alphen's name and something happened with her Master Core. The world turned into fire and covered the whole Plaza. He knew this was the only chance they would get. Throwing the nearby and motionless Rinwell over his shoulder he fled. Dodging dead Renans, Dahnans and Zeugels lingering across the floor alike he found himself following the few survivors to a hideout before he passed out as well from terror and exhaustion alike.
When he regained his place in the awake world he didn't know what to do so he simply followed along with whatever the remaining rebels would do. He was traumatised by the events and his heart was now frozen solid by the cruel grip of horror and grief and more than anything by his burning rage. He couldn't think for himself anymore and clung to the one person who had not given up yet.
Alphen.
By some miracle, his arm was reattached to the place it belonged. Maybe it has been only another nightmare visiting him in his dreams? Or was the Renan woman responsible for this? He couldn't say and had no intention of filling this hole in his memory.
The man with the broken mask was confident that they could defeat Lord Ganabelt even after everything that happened. A hopeless idealist but listening to his words encouraged all of them ever so slightly. He said they needed better equipment and that's how Alphen, Shionne, Rinwell and he himself have ended in the depths of these godforsaken woods.
For the moment they had formed a team, not because they wanted to but rather out of necessity. All of them wanted to take down Ganabelt for their own reasons. So working together would be the best shot in achieving this goal, especially now with the highly decimated Silver Swords.
They were searching for some missing members of the rebels. Bregon, the new leader, had sent a small scout party into the forest. They were tasked to track down a specific Zeugel and if possible take it down. He did so in preparation for the battle which would come sooner or later but apparently, it was all for nought because the fight had already taken place.
Nevertheless, Alphen offered to look for them. Bregon was opposed to the idea at first of having to rely on the help of a total stranger but with a bit of convincing on Rinwell's side and the fact, that Alphen had battled alongside them, Bregon finally agreed.
He shared the details of why the scouts were searching solely for one Zeugel. The beasts from Rena offer a wide range of useful materials, some higher in quality than others but this Zeugel was different.
For many years now there have been rumours about an albino ice wolf, his fur purer than the snow it lived in, roaming through the woods. The majestic creature was like a ghost. Some people said they had seen it and others denied its existence. Some adventurous hunters had set out to hunt the ice wolf down but none of them returned. The only thing indicating what happened to them was the howls of Zeugels emitting from deep within the forests.
In Law's ears, it was nothing more than a spooky fairy tale to scare off little children but apparently Bregon was convinced otherwise and Alphen happily followed suit like an oversized child and with him the others as well.
And now they were stomping through knee-deep snow, following a trail of blood they had found earlier nearby an abandoned camp. It had belonged most likely to the Silver Swords they were searching for. Not only was it in the middle of nowhere, the discovery a pure streak of luck, but it held also the insignias of the rebellious group. The fact it was nowhere near any settlement showed the members of the small expedition force took their task seriously. Where else but a place no one else had stepped foot into before would a fictional creature hide?
Above them, a storm was brewing and turned stronger and stronger with every passing minute. The wind picked up and whipped them from all sides without a shred of mercy. Normally soft snowflakes turned into sharp bullets of ice and bombarded the group of four with relentless force.
The temperature felt even more chilly than normal, the wind making it stronger than ever before. Even their thick and warm winter clothes provided almost no protection against an onslaught of such magnitude. It felt as if the cold was creeping through their clothes and invaded their bodies, wanting nothing more than to freeze all of them solid and make them living snowmen.
Needless to say, it didn't improve the already tense mood. If Law wasn't so busy with shivering he would actually try to cut it with the survival knife in his pocket, which was attached to his belt. One thing he had to admit about the Renans as much as he was disgusted by this thought. Even if it was the most basics of gears, it was still high quality and provided everything for a night or two in the wilderness.
But under these harsh circumstances, even the most advanced technology would fail sooner than later. They should return to the camp from earlier and call it a day. It might not be the best idea, considering the droplets of blood they were following but it was still better than to continue the way they did. It would only end with all of them morphing into human-sized popsicles!
Alphen, leading the little group deeper and deeper into the raging blizzard, seemingly didn't share Law's opinion. After seeing the blood he was adamant about finding the missing members of the Silver Swords and would only stop after he found them – naturally alive and doing well.
Shionne didn't say much as she followed behind. She didn't say much, to begin with, but now she was even more reluctant to open her mouth than before. If Law has to take a shot she is too busy clattering with her teeth seeing as she walks through a land of winter in nothing but a dress. It might be a concept for battle but still. Law doubts it offers any form of warmth. But at least she didn't complain that could be good or bad. Good because she had a natural resistance to cold and might be able to share a bit with all of them or bad because she had died already and was now a marching zombie!
Rinwell was the most silent one. Law could understand the reason behind this quite well. After all, she lost almost every friend she has ever had and on top, she was betrayed by the pillar of hope she looked up to. Ganabelt really surpassed even the wildest imaginations with the stunt he pulled back there in Cyslodia.
And Law felt like the fifth wheel of the cart, walking a short distance behind them. With no Zeugels nearby and only white surrounding him, there was not much for him to do and this was bad. Because if you have nothing to do, your body will bridge for that lack and send your brain into high motion and that was the last thing he needed right now. He knew what was going to invade his head but he hadn't the strength to deal with the memories filled with nothing else than pain and madness.
Luckily for him, Alphen chose this moment and pulled Law's attention in before it could drift who knows where. It sounded like a curse but due to the howling winds Law wasn't sure about it. Only when he saw that the group had stopped because the trail of blood had ended he assumed it was indeed a curse.
It's rather funny. He hasn't known Alphen for long but he already took him for the kind of guy who only cussed if the situation called for it. And right now this was one of these situations because they found themselves in the middle of nowhere and the only trace they had disappeared beneath the never-ending snow.
Rinwell didn't say anything but Shionne covered more than enough for her part as well.
"What now?" It sounded like a question but resembled more of a statement.
"We gotta search for them. They must be close by." Alphen's voice sounded shaky as he answered the dreading question. Under normal circumstances, Law would have blamed it on the freezing temperatures surrounding them but since he couldn't feel anything physically it was clear his voice trembled because his resolve began to break apart. Shionne, being the Renan she is, took the opening gladly, fully intended to crush it completely.
"There's no point in doing so, Alphen. I'm pretty sure you've realised by now that there's no hope for them. If we find them we will only find their corpses nothing else."
"Shionne! How can you say something like that? We can't simply giv-" Alphen tried to argue back but Shionne wouldn't have any of it.
"Of course we can because they are dead! They are as dead as all the people on the Central Plaza!" she screamed with a quivering voice. Whether it was because of the chill or the terror of that day, Law couldn't say.
Alphen, being the stubborn idealist he was, retorted only for Shionne to shut him down again. Soon a heated argument raged between Dahnan and Renan as they switched from speaking to screaming. At some point Rinwell collapsed on her knees, clutching her head in a desperate attempt to block out the contest of who could scream louder. Tears streamed down her cheeks and froze when they fell from her chin. Apparently, Law was not the only one who was traumatised by Lord Ganabelt's massacre. Each of them lost something precious on that day be it family, friends, conviction or dreams.
This was bad. The tension from earlier began to snap and they were falling apart as a group. If this continues they will be added to the count of hunters who set out for the hunt of the fairy tale Zeugel and never came back.
Law took one step forward, not knowing why he did so but he noticed it was a grave mistake of his. His foot was caught by something, sending him off balance and so he fell face-first into the frozen water and ate snow.
"Fuck!" he cursed as he coughed and rubbed his face up and down to get rid of the fluffy flakes clinging to his skin, making the chill even more effective than before.
"Hey, you alright, Law?" Of course, it was Alphen who wished to know about his well being.
"Never have been fairing bet-" he grumbled a bit snappy but stopped mid-sentence when he turned his head to see what he has tripped over. At first, he thought it might have been a thick tree root or a bigger stone but the glassy, lifeless eyes staring at him proofed him fatally wrong.
The snowstorm had covered most of the body but there lay a human buried underneath.
Startled, Law gasped and crawled backwards, wanting to bring as much distance as possible between him and the corpse. Alarmed by his weird behaviour Alphen hurried over to him and upon seeing what was the reason for Law's distress called out for Shionne as he dug out the dead body.
"Shionne, we need your healing Artes here fast!"
Law remained where he was. His ragged breath came out in misty gasps as the fluid in his breath froze the moment it left his mouth. He has seen enough death in the last days so he didn't want to see more but he stared nonetheless.
And while he observed his eyes soon had found the insignia imprinted on the fur cloak identifying the human or rather the woman as a member of the Silver Swords. He cursed his activities as a member of the Bureau of Observation because he automatically scanned the woman's body for every information accessible and took it apart during the process.
The first thing was the overall recognisable form. What is normally a good thing was weird in his eyes in this situation, because this means no Zeugel could be the cause of death. If it had been the woman would have been ripped into shreds. Seeing as her body showed no signs of a fight against the frost, like purple lips or solidly frozen limbs, the freezing chill didn't take her life away either.
From what he could see, her face spouted several ugly bruises as if someone had given her a good beating. Has there been infighting between the scouts? Did they kill each other? Law got his answer when Alphen straightened the body upwards so Shionne could have better access. Instantly he realised there was no helping her anymore because her neck was lay, too lay. It must be broken. Everything else doesn't make any sense.
Shionne realised this as well and refused to waste her energy on a hopeless case. Cruel as it may be, nature doesn't forgive foolishness. Alphen, however, was enraged by her denial of help and both continued to argue again.
Rinwell, being fed up by those two, linked herself in as well. Now it was a contest of three. Law didn't understand a single word, too jumbled up was the argument between swordsman, gunwoman and magician girl. He regretted that he tagged along but didn't blame them. He only blamed himself because if he wasn't the worthless piece of shit he was, Zephyr would still be alive. He would easily be able to rescue this situation in a blink of an eye.
But Law is not his father. He's weak, utterly useless and an overall loser, a fact that will never change in his life. Thinking of his father reminded him of how large the difference between the two of them is. Some years ago he couldn't endure it any longer and he fled from Calaglia and was stranded in Cyslodia.
But even here the shadow cast from his father found him and with it came back the desperation. He was tired of everything, mentally tired from the gruesome death of countless Dahnans and the lasting senseless argument of the people in front of him.
It was too much for Law so he screamed as loud as he could. He cried and raged at the same time. The tears falling down his cheeks were a mixture of sadness, grieve and wrath about his own patheticness. He trashed around, hitting the snow relentless accompanied by his blood-curling screams of emotional torture. And at last, he roared the forbidden thought, hidden in the deepest depths of his soul towards the heavens.
"I should have been the one dying instead of my father! I don't deserve to live at all!"
Having screamed it out aloud brought him some relief. It felt like a lump in his throat has finally disappeared. At the same time, his chest felt tight, his heart beating faster than it should. His body is designed to keep him alive but his mind right now tells him he would be doing better if he was dead. A paradox that trashed inside him, causing a nauseating turmoil inside him.
Law launched over and vomited whatever he had in his stomach. Coughs and gurgling noises impregnated the air as he was fighting the most difficult battle in his life so far.
The battle with himself.
He didn't even give a flying fuck anymore what the others were thinking about him, seeing him as the pathetic piece of shit he is. Most likely they didn't even notice and were still engrossed in their meaningless argument about whether the dead could be raised back into living or not. Out of his curiosity, he lifted his face. Trails of saliva and vomit ran down his chin, dripping down and tainting the pureness of the snow below. Snot and tears had mixed at some point, showing the world just how utterly pathetic he is.
To his surprise, they had stopped at some point and looked at him. He couldn't make out their individual emotions but he knew something was off. Alphen and Shionne were not looking at him but past him. Only Rinwell's gaze lingered on him, indicating that they witnessed his outburst in all its glory but soon her view followed the direction of the others.
Immediately his time in the Bureau of Observation surfaced in his mind and with it the teachings and techniques he learned. When dealing with a group, pick out the weakest member, not physically but mentally. This person will be the key to retrieve the information you desire by reading their gestures and facial expressions. And in most of the cases, it was the children bringing demise for their parents or caretakers.
Applying this to their group, Law observed Rinwell intensively. She was the youngest of them and probably the most shaken one even before him. Something must have caused this sudden shift in the air.
She took a small step backwards, her hands clenched, her nails digging painfully into her skin as if trying to ground her in reality. Her lips quivered and her jaw lost all tension, threatening to drop open any moment. The most valuable pool of information is the eyes though. Someone once said that a person's eyes are mirrors to their soul. Reading them correctly will reveal the person's most inner thoughts. So when Law saw how Rinwell's pupils widened he knew only one emotion could cause this.
Fear.
Without a second thought, fully trusting his most primal survival instincts he rolled out of the way. Just in time as he realised a moment later.
Snow exploded and was everywhere, blocking his vision with whiteness. The blizzard intensified and the chill was stronger than ever before. For a moment he thought winter himself had brushed him just yet. Never had he felt this cold in his life. He feared he would freeze on a monocular level any moment. The chill he endured so far was in comparison like a hot day in Calaglia. What could possibly cause a phenomenon like this?
Suddenly there was a sound that was growl and snarl at the same time. It emitted right from where he had crouched seconds earlier. Then he saw red piercing through the white. It took him a few more seconds before he realised the red was actually a pair of gleaming red eyes staring at him.
Rumours often are based on some sort of urban legend and like every legend, the one about an albino ice wolf had a true core as well. And that very core was currently glaring with feral aggressiveness at him, its razor-sharp teeth bared at him, thirsty for his blood and flesh, enraged that he dared to jump out of the way.
'I should have been the one dying instead of my father! I don't deserve to live at all!'
He said this earlier but now he regretted it greatly. Death had heard his plea for salvation and send its majestic reaper to collect the deed in form of a Zeugel, resembling more a ghost than a Renan beast.
The wolfish Zeugel was at least double the size of a regular alpha ice wolf, easily towering over Law and probably even Alphen. Its fur is purer and whiter than everything he has seen before. The snow around his paws froze over an epitome for the dense Astral energy dwelling inside its body. This Zeugel was a true creature of winter and so beautiful that Law felt bad that he and the others had set out to hunt it down. But somehow he got the feeling it was quite possible that they would end up as the prey.
A war cry ripped him out of his train of thought. Alphen charged with his sword in hands at the Zeugel, seemingly not enticed as much as Law was. The wolf averted his attention to the man dashing towards it with full intention to deliver the killing blow and did nothing but standing still.
Out of a sudden Rinwell called out but it was already too late. The blizzard, which had calmed down a bit, returned with feral rage. The snowflakes had somehow sharpened and created small cuts on every patch of skin uncovered. This Zeugel was able to use Artes and has prepared one as it stood still.
The icy storm was causing enough damage already because it highly reduced the field of vision but it was not the actual attack. Being the closest, Law could see the intention of the wolf and again he acted on pure instinct. Thanks to the wolf's presence the snow on the ground were frozen solid by now. Not much of a good foothold but perfect for sliding, especially if you would stand knee-deep into snow otherwise. Putting his hasty fabricated plan into motion, Law jumped on the ice and slid forward but not towards the wolf but Alphen instead.
"What are you doing Law?!" Alphen asked aggravated but Law didn't answer. He shifted his position and kicked the masked man against his legs and tripping him. At the same moment, the wolf twisted its whole body so its tail, encased by razor-sharp ice, sliced through the space Alphen had occupied literally a second earlier.
If Law didn't do what he did their strongest fighter would have been cleanly severed into two! Now it was only the tip of Alphen's sword suffering this fate. However, the wolf wasn't happy about the missed kill and charged. This time at Law and since winter was its ally, the Zeugel didn't suffer any disadvantages like all of them did.
Still sliding, Law only saw one way possible to not get his throat torn open in his current predicament. From the corner of his eye he saw how Shionne had trouble with her rifle, probably having jams due to the relentless cold and Rinwell was still in the middle of conjuring an Astral Arte. None of them would make it in time because the wolfish Zeugel was faster, way faster. He had already jumped and was ready to slaughter Law.
He placed both hands above his hand and angled one leg. He stretched his other leg out and when the Zeugel was close enough he dug his fingers into the ice, used his angled leg to catapult his whole body upwards in a somersault kick. Being a martial artist granted him the necessary flexibility and strength to use his own body as a weapon. It also heightened his reflexes so he wouldn't mess up his only chance.
However, Law's animalistic opponent was different from other Zeugels. It was superior in every aspect. That much should have been obvious by the difference in appearance. When Law's kick was about to connect with its snout, the wolf pressed all of its four paws into the ground and countered Law's somersault with its own! Law's eyes widened at the acrobatic performance of the Zeugel. It was not only a mere dodge. It was done perfectly and elegantly with not a single movement wasted and served as preparation for its next strike.
While Law was still in the air, the Zeugel had already landed and used the momentum of the prior attack. The ice cracked beneath its paws this time with the added centrifugal force on top and then it rushed forward. There was no way for Law to escape from this attack so he gave in to his fate.
Using its whole body like an icy battering ram, the beast hit Law with the force of an iceberg. It would have been an instant kill with his bones breaking and their fragments causing fatal internal injuries, killing him in one of the cruellest ways possible.
But martial artists are not only confident in using their bodies as weapons. They are also able to turn them into shields even though this is way harder. Normally Law relies on his speed and nimbleness to dodge incoming attacks but this time that was no option. The trick is to not harden your body but instead to make it as soft as possible.
A punch that is able to crush a boulder is totally useless if directed into a pond of water. It will only splash and ripple before it returns to its prior calmness, all the force lost and diverted into nothingness. The same principle forms the foundation for turning one's body into a shield, a shield so soft that every attack is rendered useless as long there's not enough force and speed poured in.
And that's what Law did, hoping it would be enough. When they made contact he felt as his flesh and muscles absorbed most of the impact, diverting most of the damage away from his vulnerable organs and bones. But the attack was too strong to render it completely ineffective.
The air was knocked out of his lungs when he was flung away like a rag doll, ragged inhales followed as he desperately tried to make up for the loss of valuable oxygen. And there was the pain as well. His whole front hurt like hell but he was still alive – at least for now. As far as he understood the signals of his body no bones were broken and no organ suffered damage.
That doesn't mean he can simply jump up and continue to fight. At the comers of his eyes, blackness formed and before he passed out he could see the triumphal expression on the Zeugels face, almost as if it had an understanding of what just happened and mocked him for his failure.
'Great, even Zeugels are making fun of me now.' It was his last thought before his consciousness slipped away into darkness.
When Law opened his eyes again someone was in his field of vision. He couldn't say who it was because they were nothing but a blur, moving way too much. That, someone, was also calling his name.
"Law! Law! Law, wake up already you dummy!" they screamed at him but he only groaned in response. His head felt dizzy and with every passing moment he was awake, his perception of his surroundings started to work better and better. That's why he realised that not the person was moving but it was himself. Someone was shaking him violently and without mercy.
' How nice of them. Just shake me some more to make sure I really end up with a fracture.'
Blinking several times his vision fully returned to him and he could identify the person in front of him. It was Rinwell and right next to her was Shionne, her hands emitting a faint light, indicating she was using an Arte on him.
Seeing when he was back in the world of the present she stopped her actions.
"Finally back with us?" she asked him and Law had to wonder. Was that relief in her voice? Certainly just his imagination right?
He couldn't dive deeper into the topic because someone punched him across his face!
"Ow!" he exclaimed as he touched the skin where he has been hit. The culprit was easily discovered.
"Rinwell, what the hell was that for?!"
"Hmpf!" More of an answer he didn't get from the pouting magician, who was not even looking at him to show some regret.
"Now, now Rinwell. Don't be so harsh on him. Whatever he did made it possible for him to survive. Besides, if he hasn't intervened when he did I would be dead now. All of us would be."
It was a much calmer voice and could only belong to Alphen. He stood a bit away. It seemed like he was on watch for something and when this thought crossed his mind. Law remembered what happened before he passed out.
"What happened to the Zeugel?!" Law asked as he straightened himself up with the help of his arms.
Shionne next to him pointed in a certain direction. Letting his eyes follow the silent order he saw a trail of blood venturing deeper into the forest.
"It got away but Alphen managed to get a good hit in. It was insanely fast and strong but thanks to Rinwell's magic and Alphen's stubbornness we came this far."
"Don't give us too much credit, Shionne," Alphen warned. "Rinwell and I only got lucky hits. That's all. It seemed like something was distracting the Zeugel during the battle."
"I agree." Rinwell chirped in. "Something was off and besides," she pointed at Law "without this dummy's monkey display none of us would have been able to predict its movements in time."
Several seconds passed until Law had connected the dots to what Rinwell was referring to. "What the hell do you mean by 'monkey display'? That's called material arts damn it!" Law whined.
"So as I said 'monkey display'."
"Stop calling it like that!" They glared at each other before they turned their heads in different directions, pouting.
Shionne released an annoyed huff at the bickering between the youngest members of their party and Alphen laughed nervously, not sure what else he should do in this situation.
A howl in the distance ended the loose mood, reminding all of them where they currently were. Alphen left his post and kneeled before Law as he addressed him and offered his hand in assistance.
"Law, thanks to your outburst earlier we were able to overcome our differences. All of us have lost something precious on that day but we also got something in return. Us. We are not alone in this mess so let us fight together against our fears."
Law looked in awe at Alphen. He couldn't understand where this man took all this will to continue from but it was contagious. He still had his doubts but seeing the expression on Alphen's face he knew he would only accept one answer.
"Alright, let's hunt this Zeugel down," he answered and took Alphen's hand.
The blood led them deeper and deeper into the forest. They hadn't seen any other Zeugels around. Most of them were probably scared off by the albino Zeugel. Somehow Law had the feeling they were close because the blizzard had picked up once again in intensity.
He had lost track of how much time had passed by now and if they would actually be able to return safely. They must have wandered for at least half a day already since they started their hunt. All of them were exhausted so they need to end this quickly. Otherwise, there's no telling what will happen to them if they run out of strength in the middle of a Zeugel infested forest. Their bodies were already numb from the cold, the heat from their earlier battle all but vanished. It had only zapped their strength.
Again a howl echoed through the freezing air. It was close by and the pain that resided within was quite noticeable. The Zeugel must be close by, so all of them readied themselves for the final strike.
Law only hoped they would find the Zeugel fast. He may have said earlier something about hunting it down but his claim lacked conviction. Honestly, it would be a shame to kill this Zeugel in his opinion. Feral and dangerous as it may be it couldn't be denied that it was beautiful and majestic at the same time. Further, there were no reports about it endangering any settlements or streets used by Dahnans and Renans alike. That's why it felt wrong to kill the Zeugel only because they needed some good materials. His gut twisted at the thought.
This was the first time he felt like this about a Zeugel. Those who served the Renans had slaughtered millions of Dahnans over time but something about this one was different. Law couldn't put it finger on it though.
"Found it!" Alphen suddenly said and pointed at a small clearing. And indeed there the albino ice wolf lay in front of a small ledge, crimson blood tainting its white fur. Shionne was right when she mentioned Alphen got a good hit in. There was a deep cut on its belly near one of its hind legs. A bit further and the limb would have been cut off completely. This means its mobility must be greatly reduced. Honestly, it's a wonder it managed to cover all this distance in its current state. The battle was some hours ago after all. It was a display of how much strength it has.
Law felt terrible for seeing the Zeugel in this condition, even more so when it tried to stand up only to fall back. His guess about the reduced agility was seemingly correct and hit the bullseye. In silent agreement they surrounded the Zeugel as much as possible, cautious for any unexpected actions. Even a mouse will turn into a feral monster if cornered. This applies even more so for a Zeugel.
Alphen readied his burning sword, prepared to deliver the final blow. Shionne and Rinwell were ready to offer backup should something happen and Law was just standing there. He fought a battle with his conscience inside his mind. The part of his soul, which wanted to see Lord Ganabelt covered in his blood, beaten to death with his very own fists and hence desiring the means to do so, fought against the other side of his soul screaming and trashing that killing this Zeugel is wrong.
Suddenly a sharp pain invaded his brain. He groaned and clutched his head. Someone said he should get a grip on himself but more easily said than done. Pictures of his past raced in front of his inner eyes.
Calaglia, his father, despair, his getaway, Cyslodia, him freezing to death on a similar day like this. Where did this memory come from? Was it even one? Or just a dream his mind messed up to be reality?
He remembers the cold, shaving off his life bit by bit until he collapsed. The last thing he saw on that day before his memory fails him was a pair of gleaming red eyes appearing out of nowhere, similar to the ones staring at him right now! But there is more. There was something else, another pair of eyes starring at him but whether this is the truth or some imaginary thought, Law can't say. The next thing he remembers is waking up in a warm bed, belonging to a rebel group. They said they found him in front of the entrance of their hideout but that couldn't be possible. He was lost inside the endless forest with no caves in sight.
But slowly everything connected in his mind and he realised why he was so reluctant about killing this Zeugel. For whatever reason, this ice wolf had most likely saved his life once and now it was his turn to do the same as strange as it may be for a Dahnan to protect a Zeugel.
As he was about to voice out his protest he saw the Zeugel's ears twitch and hope sparkled in its red eyes. And then there was a noise coming from behind him, coming in fast, approaching insanely fast, too fast!
Could that be? Another one? This would be their end. But it was not the sound from paws on ice. It sounded more like something was jumping from one tree branch to another one or simply plain out using the mighty trunks to catapult itself through the woods like a monkey on steroids.
Law couldn't warn the others in time because in the next moment something stormed in raging fury right past him, the force of the wind strong enough to send him on his arse. Shionne and Rinwell suffered the same fate and Alphen was kicked out of the way and crashed against a sturdy tree.
The landing of whatever this was stirred up the snow covering the ground, making it impossible to see what has just happened. The group of four took their stances, ready to meet this new threat head-on but lowered their weapons when they saw what – no, who stood between them and the Zeugel!
That Night in The Blizzard the group who fought to liberate the Dahnan civilisation would either meet their end or a new adventure would begin as the wheels of fate stopped and began to run into a new direction.
Phew! This turned out waaaay longer than I anticipated. Never thought I would manage a 9k monster in such a short time but the game is simply so amazing I couldn't help myself. I simply needed to get this out of the system!
Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Response of any kind and form is very much appreciated ️ ️:D