G'raha wished there was an answer, a clear course the people of Eorzea could embark upon, wanted to believe that the coming crisis could be averted, that they only needed to follow in the footsteps of the scions. Yet even he saw his friends fall to a monstrous enemy, a hero the Exarch thought unbeatable, a beacon of hope and aspiration. He failed against the one who saw the Final Days and failed to end them forever. But no failure was as great as G'raha's. How many lives has he put on the line? How many has he harmed in his pursuit of triumph?
"Are you alright?" - He heard Lyse's concerned voice, grappling the man back into reality. The discussion continued with leaders exploring the strategies they could take, as well as how to reveal this information to their people. The Exarch himself was too consumed by his thoughts to pay much attention, even though he knew he should.
"I'm fine, thank you." - He responded as the realization crept up his spine. It was as if the ephemeral dream of reunions, victory, and sorrow he entered for a few days was slowly wearing off, forcing him into oblivion that was their reality. How ironic was it that it wasn't an ascian hand that brought him here but his own.
"I suppose there is the matter of dealing with questions that will arise…" - Hien spoke to others. "As honest as we may be, the fact that our knowledge of the situation is rather limited may incur even more fear in them…"
"Your Grace!" - The meeting was unceremoniously interrupted by two men of the immortal flames rushing into the room. The guards carried their weapons with their entire appearance radiating shock and the sheer surge of adrenaline. Somehow, instinctively, G'raha knew that this was the moment. The day they expected to come later and prayed for it to never come at all.
"What is the matter?" - Nanamo asked suspiciously.
"The Steps of Nald… They're overrun!" - The younger soldier shouted, combatting his own terrified breath. "That thing appeared out of nowhere, it, it…"
"The beast emerged from beneath the ground…" - An older and calmer warrior spoke, though even he was not able to hide his terror. "A monstrous winged serpent, it began attacking our men and civilians. We have squads to battle it, and we are here to warn you."
"A beast?" - Raubahn interjected. "How did you allow one in the bloody city?"
"It wasn't…It appeared here, from beneath. Ravaged a few houses before anyone could even grasp what in the seven hells was going on." - The description matched perfectly.
"It has come." - G'raha spoke quietly, yet everyone could hear his words. The Exarch raised his head and looked them in the eyes; as painful as this was for him, Lyse was the first one to recoil.
"Seven hells…"
Silence befell the hall. Each of them knew exactly what was happening, the first wave Hades spoke of, the first terror, a myriad of agonizing deaths, and an unprepared city at the heart of this chaos. G'raha felt the cold wind blowing as if whispering in his ear that the end has come.
"We need to evacuate the city, now." - Aymeric stood up and attempted to take charge, a noble goal but ultimately futile.
"It would not help. We cannot organize an evacuation when the beast is already here, especially when they will form wherever we go." - G'raha noted. "If we allow this fear to spread, the situation will only get worse."
"Calming them down hardly seems possible…But we cannot afford to stand aside and do nothing." - Senna said.
"Only one way I can think of." - Merlwyb said with bravery. "We show them that they are protected by slaughtering that creature."
G'raha wasn't quite confident in the thought, but this was indeed the best course. They were no Edwin, but together they stood a chance against this monstrosity.
"What do you say, G'raha? You know the most about what's going on."
"The Admiral has the right of it. Those of us who can fight will handle it." - G'raha looked at lord Lolorito, hoping that now he would finally understand the need for defense. The lalafell nodded and spoke quietly, getting directly to action.
"Very well. I shall have my men escort her Grace, myself, and general Aldynn out of the city while the others take care of this mess." - He said, taking the first opportunity to remove himself from danger to nobody's surprise.
"Are you insinuating that I cannot fight?" - Raubahn yelled at him. "Those people were under my protection not so long ago, and if you want me to just give up and run…"
"Be reasonable for once, general." - Lolorito shook his head. "One has only to look at you to see in how bad of a shape the wounds left you. Were you to go into a battle, it would be a glorified suicide."
"Now listen here…"
"Please, Raubahn." - Sultana begged him. "I know that you do not fear harm or death, but I want you to do it for me. I want there to be a day when you will be able to fight again, and that is why you need to go with us."
"I…" - Raubahn gazed at the floor with an expression full of shame. "If we encounter envy things on our way to the gates, I will not hesitate to break them with a bloody cane if I have to."
"I expect nothing less." - Nanamo smiled with relief. "Thank you. Lord Lolorito?"
"Follow me."
The trio was swift to leave the hall along with most of the guards, leaving G'raha along with Lyse, Aymeric, Merlwyb, Hied, and Senna.
"Nothing to doubt now." - Lyse uttered and looked at the halls.
"Whatever this wretch is, I ain't suffering it to live much longer." - Merlwyb took her revolver out and charged to the outer halls, and the others soon followed. G'raha saw their expressions change from shock to determination and desire to end this, they wanted to believe that it was as simple as slaughtering another monster. They have not seen it.
When they entered the outer halls, the heroes were greeted by dozens of citizens running around in sheer terror. They were all heading to the Steps of Nald, screaming and praying as they did so. None dared to look back, and even the sweeping state leaders among them did little to quench this terror. G'raha felt a horrified lalafell bumping into him before running to the side.
"Run, run while you can! It's over, it's all over, Thal saves us…"
"Please, calm yourself." - Senna said in a soothing voice. "We know of the beast, and we will deal with…
"A beast? You don't understand it! They're everywhere, everywhere, we're everywhere!"
"They?" - Lyse wondered, but the lalafell had already gone past them, merging with the crowd.
"Bloody hell…" - Merlwyb looked at the crowd with a momentary doubt gleaming in her eyes. It did not last for long; however, the Admiral quickly turned it into a display of her confidence and eagerness. "They're our people, for heavens' sake! It wouldn't be the first time we fought some abominations, come on." - She took charge and led others towards the outskirts.
There were no enemies in sight, but G'raha felt the demonic presence arising around them. Lyse ran beside him, at times looking at the Exarch with the hope that he might have a solution. G'raha would give anything to provide, but he could only hope that showing a display of protection and heroism would allow the people of Ul'Dah to reach a semblance of solace.
When the heroes found themselves amidst the cowering crowd under the sky, the scope of terror that engulfed them became clear. The skies have been consumed by a crimson aura, covering the clouds and dropping the devastating shade over the entire city. The fires raged above them, falling from the hellish reaches and plaguing the land around them. It was identical to what G'raha saw in Amaurot, the same doom that took everything from their precursors.
But it was nothing compared to the nightmare that unfolded on the streets. The people gathered there in hopes of escaping, but they were ravaged by the beasts that emerged out of nowhere. There was no one serpent that the guards mentioned but dozens of deformed and malicious creatures. Faceless, dirty, and spiteful, they flew, crawled, and rushed towards anything that could be considered prey. Defenseless merchants have fallen to their claws, screaming and crying as the creatures mutilated their bloodied bodies.
And even this was not the end of the extent this atrocity has reached. G'raha witnessed a young man who was surrounded by the three malformed beasts, distantly resembling birds, yet their wings were sharp as claws, and their eyes exuded the rage only true predators would unleash. The man did not even resist, his knees shivered, and the small knife he held fell to the stone floor as he grabbed his head and screamed. Was it agony, terror, both? G'raha was about to charge and save him, but it was too late. A dark aura emerged around the citizen, and the waves of hopelessness radiated the same rot those monsters spread.
His essence began to twist, spreading it onto the body. A cloud of darkness consumed him as his scream turned into a ravenous roar. A monstrous worm-like creature emerged with but one crimson eye on its head and an ebony body, with its mouth becoming an abyss where its victims would drown. The sight was the one to make even the strongest hero recoil in disgust and despair, but they had to do as much as they could.
"To arms!" - Merlwyb said in her commanding tone as she witnessed the newly formed worm approach a nearby man who was trying to run but was petrified at the sight of another turning into a beast. This was even worse than what G'raha witnessed; in the world of the Ancients, the beasts were created out of their own magics, but those were people transformed by the unknown source of energy that permeated their souls.
"We fight together!" - Aymeric was the second one to rush into the fray. He and Merlwyb arrived moments before the creature plunged its teeth into a horrified man. The temple knight stood between the beast and its victim, slicing the worm's mouth with his sword. An earth-shattering shriek pierced the chaotic streets as the beast recoiled. Aymeric looked at the fallen man before him, extending a hand while Merlwyb distracted the monster.
"Thank…Thank the Twelve!" - The man sighed in relief, trying to calm himself down as quickly as he could.
"Run to the gates as fast as you can, do not try to hide." - Aymeric commanded, and the man obliged, running towards other people who managed to escape. Some of them might still fall to fear, but it would be easier to run outside. G'raha joined the fight, unleashing some of his elemental spells to burn the monster's skin. Merlwyb concluded their battle with a couple of precise shots, eliminating the threat. The beast fell before them and dissipated, leaving no trace or body.
"That's them…The people themselves become monsters." - Aymeric said quietly and looked at G'raha. "Did you know about that?"
"No, it was different in the recreation…"
"Too late to think of that now." - Merlwyb said, overlooking their allies and the streets. "Go to the eastern side of the city; people will need help! We'll take the west!" - She yelled to Senna, Hien, and Lyse, who went along with the plan. Soon the three silhouetted charged into their own battle, saving a few citizens that were attacked by the winged monstrosities. G'raha remained with Aymeric and Merlwyb, who ventured into the eastern streets.
"I pray we're not too late!" - Aymeric said.
"I don't care how many of those bastards appear, we'll end them all!" - Merlwyb was eager, but G'raha was worried about her determination.
"This might as well end with us killing everyone in Ul'Dah! We need to focus on those that remain, show them that we'll protect them."
"Aye, we can always do both!"
The trio found themselves amidst a plaza where chaos was unveiled. The beasts emerged one after the other, all created by corrupted souls that twisted the citizens beyond any recognition. They took many different forms; some resembled animals, others were horrors beyond one's imagination, and even voidsent or sin-eaters paled in comparison. For a split second, G'raha doubted whether there was any point in fighting now when everyone could become the enemy, including yourself. But those thoughts became clear soon. Those who survived deserved help and protection, and those who succumbed needed to be put out of their misery.
The heroes had to spread to fight as many as they could; most of the beasts with obvious weaknesses, be it their physical capabilities or limited sight, could be defeated by them with some effort. G'raha's gaze fell on a hear-wrenching clash near one of the burning houses. A lone man was battling a pale, goblin-like creature that was bouncing around and attempting to strike its opponent. The man carried a blade in his arms, but he was hesitant to use it and fight back. A little girl hid behind him, sobbing and shivering, looking at her protector get overwhelmed.
"Inga, run! "- The man shouted in a hoarse voice, but the girl remained there, petrified and unmoving.
"No, daddy, I won't leave you!" - She cried out in despair. G'raha charged and stood between a man and a monster.
"Stay behind me!" - He commanded after unleashing another destructing spell. "Take your daughter and run to the nearest gate!" - G'raha said before beginning another cast, focusing on the creature.
"Like hell I will!" - The man pushed the Exarch aside. "That's my beloved; you're not taking her away!" - Now G'raha understood. The shock and pain of such a sudden loss must have taken hold of him, but a horrified husband refused to believe that his wife had perished. Just like anyone would in his situation, G'raha could hardly blame him. He saw the man's body was beginning to get itself surrounded by a dark aura, similar to one he had witnessed before the transformation. He had to get it under control.
"You must understand; there is nothing left of her! This is just a monster born of her aether. Killing it would help you, and everyone else in the city!" - G'raha said, causing the citizen to slow down, unsure of what he should do. He gazed at the floor, shaking and gasping; G'raha knew he understood. "You need to save yourself! Your daughter needs you. Your wife would not want to see you die…Do it for your sake and theirs."
The man heeded G'raha's words and breathed deeply as the dark aura before he disappeared. He rushed to his daughter and picked the girl up.
"Come on, we need to go." - The man carried her away, trying to stay in the shadow. There must have been soldiers on the other side to help them. Meanwhile, G'raha unleashed another destructive spell, piercing the monster's flesh and seeing it dissipate before his own eyes.
Before attacking, the Exarch attempted to find Aymeric and Merlwyb on the battlefield. The two have been fighting alongside, bringing one powerful beast down after another. Perhaps G'raha should have helped them; the crystal man ran to his allies, seeing that they were finally getting the upper hand.
That, however, did not last long.
"Look!" - The Admiral shouted as she pointed to the inner city. One of the walls above the chamber of the rule was shattered, and a gaping hole emerged on its surface. Put of the shadows emerged the largest creature yet, a demon reminiscent of a serpent flying on dragon wings. The trio watched in awe and horror as it rode the winds towards the city streets. Aymeric, in particular, had clearly noticed its uniqueness.
"A winged serpent…" - He spoke. "That is the creature that those men described."
"The first to transform." - G'raha prepared his blade in case the monster would come close.
"And the strongest one!" - Merlwyb raised her revolver. "Let's bring that bird down, eh?"
They saw the serpent glide above numerous houses, spitting black corrosive poison from its mouth. The acid rain fell atop the nearby houses, burning them to ash and destroying the hideouts many citizens attempted to utilize. They had to finish it while there still was a chance to minimize damage. The moment it was flying over their heads, Merlwyb prepared to strike.
"Now, let's see how you like that…"
The bullets flew towards the beast's eyes, hitting one of them. The serpent raged and poured more of its poison downwards; G'raha was prepared and immediately created a protective spell around Merlwyb and Aymeric. The Admiral shot once again, this time hoping to bring the beast down by wounding its wings. However, her might wasn't enough to bring the serpent down, at least involuntary. It was enough to anger the monster and attract its attention.
The serpent descended while eyeing the trio. The monster's ferocious face emerged before G'raha as he stared into the eyes of the creation of true despair and fear. One's darkest fears, taking up a broken and twisted form like this. None of them recoiled, however, for defeating the monster would bring the people calm they desperately needed now.
"I shall protect you. End it!" - G'raha prepared more of his barrier spells while Aymeric and Merlwyb were on the line.
"Have a taste of the finest Lominsian lead!" - The Admiral distracted the beast with her bullets while Aymeric tried to pierce its skin in the places the creature was weakest. G'raha tried his best to aid both of them, but even the strongest spells were not enough to offer perfect protection from this. Had they known that the first beast would attack here, G'raha had no doubt that they would not have split up, but it was too late for that.
Aymeric's attack was swift and merciless; the knight pierced the monster's skin with his blade, causing the serpent to shriek. Ebony blood poured out of its veins as the beast shivered. G'raha aided the elezen with a few spells of frost magic, attempting to slow the monster down. It soon became clear that the trio overestimated their capabilities. Aymeric's attack was enough to inflict a hurting wound, but it only served to make the beast more furious.
The serpent turned around and spat its poison at Aymeric, which the elezen was unable to evade. The templar fell on his knees, momentarily succumbing to the pain. G'raha's spells eased his suffering, but even so, he could see Aymeric clenching his teeth in agony as parts of his skin were corroding under the weight of the rot.
Merlwyb attempted to defend her ally by opening fire once again. G'raha was about to tell her to wait, but it was too late. The monster did not turn around as Merlwyb likely expected. It raised its tail and pierced the Admiral with extreme precision. The woman coughed with blood and looked at the beast with shock, barely holding onto her pistols.
Soon she was raised above the ground as G'raha's heart sank. The monster wished to eat her. Another destructive spell emerged from the Exarch's staff, and a destructive wave of fire burned the serpent. The beast remained no more scathed than before, but such an attack forced it to drop bleeding Merlwyb onto the ground. The miqo'te rushed to help her get up, but right before his eyes, the monster's tail landed on Merlwyb's head, crushing it into a puddle of blood before the woman could catch a single breath. G'raha froze as her mutilated corpse was drenched in crimson color akin to the skies, and he was left alone against the beast.
The winged serpent scouted for its next prey, and the lone G'raha was the most obvious candidate. Its preying eyes focused on the crystal man as he stood bravely despite his heart shattering, crack after crack. Perhaps this was his punishment; this was their destiny. G'raha's staff burned in a bright azure color, calling forth to the deepest powers of Tycoon's heart.
He was ready for whatever shall follow.
…
The transformation happened so quickly that even the former Azure Dragoon found himself shocked. Right in front of his eyes, a grieving man was consumed by a dark aura after seeing his wife dead, another victim of Fandaniel's malicious manipulations. Estinien wished that he was able to slay the monster where it stood, but he had no time. The house around them collapsed, forcing the elezen to the side. The stone walls fell on him and buried the dragoon beneath the rubble. A few stones managed to hit Estinien's head, forcing the man to lose his conscience. All he could see was a distorted silhouette of a winged monster rising into the skies.
When Estinien opened his eyes, he could barely breathe. The walls of the house came down and enclosed him beneath a shattered pile. He tried to concentrate and analyze the situation, trying to let go of the initial shock. Estinien found a few small holes that allowed him to pique at the skies. Something was different about them; they grew darker in a single instant, an unnatural hue.
Much worse were the screams. He could only hear faint echoes from above, but they were enough to paint a picture. The slaughter had already begun; people ran away in terror while stalked by something Estinien could not yet comprehend. The beast that Wilfred turned into was unleashed, but it seemed like it was not the only one anymore. They needed help. Estinien attempted to move only to feel the immense pressure above him. He clenched his teeth, feeling the stones weighing on his armor, stealing what little air Estinien could grasp.
"Hah…" - He breathed, but the polluted air only caused Estinien to cough more. He needed Nidhogg's aid once again. The dragoon called upon the soul that rested inside him; feeling the crimson fire rage, he clenched his spear with a strength of an unbending warrior. When the dragon's soul was freed, the echoes of an enemy long gone taken to the skies once again. The rubble was pushed aside, and an armored warrior stood atop those stones,
Some believe that ascension leaves to heaven, but judging from what he saw, Estinien knew he certainly didn't rise too high. A hell of torment and slaughter unveiled on the streets as grotesque beasts ravaged the homes and stores, searching for every last soul they could find. Men, women, and children sought a way to escape, but very few succeeded. Soldiers of the Immortal Flames scoured the place to find any survivors and guide them away, but they were horrified at it, as well. And in the distance, the winged serpent circled above the city, unmistakably the monster Estinien saw form. This must have been the catastrophe Emet-Selch told about, and Estinien found himself proven wrong in the most soul-wrenching way possible.
There was no time nor necessity to dwell on the past; all Estinien cared for now, was aiding those in need. The dragoon witnessed a clash between three men of the Immortal Flames, slaughtering minor creatures that attempted to attack. Two of them focused on defending, while the third one was with two horrified young women, who had the shades of darkness dance around them, just like Wilfred before he turned. This must have been the way those beasts were born, through transformation and succumbing to pain.
"They're coming!" - One of the soldiers shouted and pointed at the approaching bat-like monsters. His two comrades stood in a line, protecting the women from danger. However, Estinien saw that the civilians became the aim of another beast that was creeping from behind. This was small and had only one eye, but its teeth were sharper than Estinien's spear.
"No, get away!" - One of the women screamed at the monster, unable to confront her terror. The creature charged at the two, eager to plunge its teeth into their frail bodies. Estinien jumped from above, intercepting the monster. The piercing scream that it let out when a spear had torn its flesh sounded satisfying for the lone warrior, as he knew that his actions helped to save the innocents, even if only a few.
"Is everyone alright?" - He asked; the women nodded. Before they could say anything, another agonizing scream echoed in Estinien's ears. One of the soldiers that guarded the other flank has fallen to a hound-like rabid monster. The man screamed in agony as his face was mutilated by a monster, but it did not stop there.
Moments before it could wound the two women, Estinien pushed it aside, wounding the creature with his spear. It roared from pain, but the scent of blood, including its own, only served to enhance its hunger. The soldiers attacked from behind, aiding Estinien. Eventually, the wounds it bore from the dragoon and the two men were too much and slowed the monster down. Estinien cut its throat, forcing the creature to dissipate.
"That will do it." - He said sharply and looked at his new companions, who in turn focused on the two women they were protecting.
"Go to the gates. The city isn't safe! When you are there, just try to find a safe place to hide and calm yourself; we will deal with them!" - One of the soldiers commanded.
"May the Twelve bless you!" - The woman said through her tears, looking at the warriors that covered them in the face of despair. She helped her friend get up, and the two ran through the streets.
"You're from Ishgard, right?" - A man beside Estinien wondered. "I thought you were with Aymeric!"
"I decided to take a walk…" - The dragoon said quietly. "I assume we are here to find survivors?"
"And distract the beasts while they escape."
Before they could move further, a blast of corrosive poison landed on one of the soldiers, burning his armor and skin.
"AAAARGH!" - The wounded man screamed in pain. Estinien was on his guard, looking for the threat. It turned out to be a few bird-like monstrosities that encircled them from above. The three of them landed swiftly, attempting to grab the prey. The wounded soldier could not resist; he was taken up from the ground. The other man was more resilient, but the claws had sunk so deep that he screamed and let go of his blade. The beasts took above, consuming those soldiers like pieces of meat.
Estinien wished he could help, but he had to deal with an opponent of his own. Thankfully, the beast was not intelligent and failed to realize that his armor was impossible to pierce even with its claws. This gave the elezen a chance to wound the monster with his spear. Others flew away instead of helping him, likely searching for simpler prey. Estinien wouldn't allow this monster to leave; he clenched one of its wings as the bird attempted to ascend and plunged the bloodied lance into one of its eyes. The weapon had sunk so deep that Estinien barely maintained the hold of it. Only when the monster finally dissipated was he finally able to breathe in a slight reprieve.
This slaughter saw no end, and Estinien knew that even he needed aid. Hiding in the shadows of the ruined houses, he scoured the streets in search of someone who did not look like a beast, and this time luck was on his side. Estinien noticed a couple of familiar faces, a man and two women, near one of the nearby buildings. They stood at the door, guarding it against minor beasts as more people escaped.
Estinien rushed to help them, and Lyse was the first one to notice his coming. Taking out a few more little monsters on his path, Estinien eased the trouble for other heroes.
"Look, it's Estinien!" - Lyse pointed at the dragoon. The other two were leaders, Kan-E-Senna and Lord Hien. Aymeric was not with them, making dragoon feel the icy chills on his back. No, he did not believe that the righteous knight would fall to those spawns of hell; he must have searched for another way to help the people.
Lyse jumped in to help Estinien. With their combined might, they were able to force the monsters to retreat. Senna and Hien opened the door in the house, releasing a woman in a torn dress and two men who guarded the building.
"We've come to help you. Is everyone alright?" - Hien asked.
"We have children…Please, I beg of you, is there any safe place to hide in?" - The woman pleaded, and Estinien noticed groups of boys and girls cowering behind their protectors. This must have been a school. Senna looked at them with compassion and regret.
"There are gates nearby; take everyone there. I promise we will take care of the beasts."
The woman nodded and gestured for the children to leave, one after another. The heroes remained on guard, giving Estinien an opportunity to ask Lyse the questions on his mind.
"Where are the others? Where is Aymeric?"
"We split up to free as many as possible; he's with Merlwyb and G'raha… I'm glad to know you're alive."
"Many others are not."
"It all happened so quickly! Here we were, discussing our plans, and then the whole city goes down in flames!" - She spoke with anger.
"Fandaniel was here. He forced a man to see the corpse of his wife and break before it. That was the first transformation…"
"Him again? That bastard! We should've killed him when…
"Calm yourself; remember the price for losing it."
"I know, I know…" - Lyse looked to others. All children safely left the building, following their caretaker. The two men followed behind, but one of them looked back at the four warriors.
"There are still children in there…" - He pointed at the burning building opposite them. "I know it's dangerous, but don't leave them!" - The man pleaded.
"We are not leaving anyone." - Senna said with confidence.
When everyone left, the quartet turned towards the building engulfed in flames before them. Estinien doubted whether there was any point in trying and find anyone alive there; very few would be able to survive such a fire. Hien, on the other hand, was determined.
"I will need protection." - The samurai said, looking at Senna. She nodded and cast a protective aura around him. Estinien and Lyse were prepared to jump at the moment anything arose. They could only hope that there would be some survivors, no matter how minuscule those chances were. Before Hien could reach the hall, Estinien heard a loud trembling in his ears.
"Watch out!" - He warned, but it was too late.
The walls were torn apart by a faceless beast that ripped them like a cage. The stones fell at the heroes; Senna's spells were hardly enough to soothe the pain. The beast was not alone, as dozens of others followed. Small, pale creatures danced around the monster in unison, weaker but no less hungry.
"By the gods!" - Lyse recoiled, she was ready to fight, but the despair in her eyes suggested that she didn't want to. All of them understood who those were.
"The children…They…" - Senna gasped in horror. Innocent lives are twisted and taken away so early in a single day, like in life, still following their caretaker even after they become a beast.
"We need to bring them away from here, somewhere with less rubble around!" - Estinien shouted, trying to think of ways to make those monsters vulnerable and open.
"No, there is still someone there!" - Hien shouted. The samurai avoided the beasts and focused on the burning ruins. He saw a young boy buried beneath the rubble but still occasionally moving despite the terrible toil it took.
Without hesitation, Hien charged into the fray. Estinien wanted to follow, but he was surrounded by beasts to fend off. The samurai trudged through those ruins with determination and willpower matched by none. His skin burned, and his teeth were clenched as Hien resisted the blazing agony. One burn after another, he was able to snatch the boy from the ruins. The child was still alive, although he was in shock due to the horrors he had just witnessed. Hien limped with pain; when they were out of the flame, he released the boy.
"Go…The others are at the gate."
The boy ran without looking back, he was too terrified to even cry and scream, but those instructions were very clear. Hien attempted to rejoin the fight along with others, but the pain forced the samurai to crumble on his knees.
"Damn it…" - He coughed, desperately trying to get up. Lyse and Estinien attempted to reach him, but the giant beast emerged before them, blocking the way.
"Hold on, I will help you heal!" - Senna shouted and began casting her spell, but the white mage was interrupted by a lone winged beast flying from the nearby house, ogling more prey for itself. "No, no!" - She resisted, mitigating the monster's strikes with barrier spells, but this was the limit of what she could do at the moment.
Hien was left alone while his allies were not able to afford it.
The samurai tried to stand up, but two of the small beasts jumped on his shoulders, plunging their teeth into the man's flesh. Hien did not scream despite the pain, he silently raised his blade and attempted to cut the monsters, but another joined the fray, biting Hien's arm.
"Aargh!" - The Samurai shouted and dropped his katana. This was a perfect indication for other monsters that he had become easy prey. One after another, they grouped on Hien's body, sucking his blood and tearing his flesh. The samurai attempted to fight, but he was overwhelmed. His nightmarish screams echoed through the streets.
"HIEN!" - Lyse shouted and rushed to the rescue, she managed to bypass the large beast, but before she approached her friend, one of the smaller ones bit her leg. Lyse shouted as blood poured on the floor, and the monk was forced onto her knees. She was fighting to get to Hien, leaving a trace of crimson blood behind her. Before her eyes, more and more former children attacked Hien; there were so many that they began fighting each other for pieces of flesh and drops of blood. She could not even see the samurai.
Eventually, the screams stopped. Like moths, they began to flock aside to look for other prey, while Estinien, Lyse, and Senna were left to watch the mutilated body drenched in blood, intestines spilling out, eyes gouged, the heart torn out, and limbs broken.
And amidst the terror, a serpent's roar echoed behind them.
…
G'raha hoped that his power would be enough to fend the monster away, but he overestimated the length Beq Lugg went to maintain his might even away from the tower. When G'raha unleashed a shockwave, calling the Tycoon's might, the trembling caused him to fall and the world around him to shrink. He entered a trance, forcing everything around him to go silent, and the images mixed into a single blur before dissipating into darkness.
When G'raha opened his eyes, he was surprised to still be alive. The Exarch lay in a half-destroyed house with his staff nearby. The echoes of battle still raged outside, plaguing G'raha's hearing. He did not remember coming here, but too much time couldn't have passed.
"Look, he's awake!" - A young boy's voice echoed towards the entrance. G'raha got up carefully and noticed two children at the door who looked at him with caution. The younger boy recoiled with worry.
"It's alright; I won't hurt you." - G'raha promised as he picked up his staff. "Is this your house? Can you tell me how I got here?"
"I…" - One boy spoke. "The armored man brought you here after you scared that monster off, said that you should rest and that he'll return once he found a way out." - He said meekly, reminding G'raha of the battle he had to endure. Aymeric took care of him, and G'raha was relieved to know that the knight was still alive.
"Why didn't he take you with him? There are gates, surely he…"
"We can't go, not yet." - Another boy spoke. "We can't go without mother!" - He let out his inner pain and agony, and a tear fell down his face.
"I can help you find her; where is she?"
"Here." - Another boy pointed to the nearby collapsed wall. A bloodied and pale hand was sticking out from those stones, completely stationary. The Exarch felt the sheer horror and agony that pierced his heart. He walked towards the rubble, knowing the truth that the boys denied with their hearts.
"Can…Can you heal her?" - The younger boy spoke in a quivering voice. "I heard you were from another world. Can you help her? Please!"
"I…" - A few tears fell from G'raha's face as he felt his complete and utter helplessness. He was seeing children who desperately cringed to the thought of there being a way to help their mother, that someone could still miraculously bring her to life. They wanted him to do it, and there was nothing G'raha would not give to oblige. If only he could turn the currents of time again, back to the moment when he destroyed Zodiark.
The moment when he murdered all of those people.
"I'm sorry…I truly am. But…She is no more; I cannot help you." - He spoke quietly, realizing that those words were akin to swords for those children. They stood frozen and listened to him, consumed by despair and hopelessness.
"No…No…She must be alive! Mother is strong; she can handle it, I know! She…She…" - The boy swallowed words as he spoke them, on the verge of breaking down into crying. His brother attempted to offer him an embrace, but he was as broken as he was.
G'raha could not bear himself to watch; he turned around with shame overtaking him, and walked outside. It became suspiciously quiet in the burning city. Houses were shattered, corpses laid around with grimaces of fear on their faces, if they had a face at all, that is. The ashes were flying around, spreading through the land by the southern winds. A few small beasts continued to search for prey, finding nothing but bones and body parts left by bigger predators.
"But mark my words…You will see this world die. You will see the flood return and consume all of the life on it. The same fate awaits the remaining shards."
Those were his words. His prophecy was always destined to come to fruition with a single cruel twist. It would not be painless annihilation; it would be rot that corrupts their world slowly, killing one by one until it is barren. It is a poison that will turn some into monsters and suffer others to be torn apart by their loved ones. The unluckiest ones will live the longest, knowing that their world has gone beyond salvation. A century in the making, the power to transcend worlds and generations, all to suffer a fate far crueler than his world has never known. G'raha felt his heartache, the shards of the dark aura swirling inside him at the realization that it was his doing.
"G'raha!" - Aymeric's voice broke his trance, allowing the crystal man to compose himself. He looked at the armored elezen, half of whose face had been scarred by the poison, but he continued to fight. To G'raha's surprise, he saw a few familiar faces. Nanamo and Lolorito followed Aymeric, Raubahn, and two men of the Immortal Flames followed. "Thank Halone, you are alive."
"Where were you…Why are they here?" - The Exarch feared the worst. Lolorito was the one to speak.
"Because all the tunnels have been breached and are now filled with monsters! There is no way out of the city bar the gates." - He complained; Aymeric continued.
"Which are, in turn, either collapsed to block one's way or ravaged by the beasts. They seemed to learn that this is where people would be going."
"There's no end to bloody bastards!" - Raubahn scoffed, he could barely stand, but despite this, the general still clung to his sword, ready to fight any creature that appeared. "We should've all gone and killed the serpent together while we could! Merlwyb would have still been alive!" - He shouted into the void.
"Please, Raubahn!" - Nanamo begged. "Don't give to your emotions; I am not going to lose you!"
"I…"
"Look, here are the others!" - Lolorito pointed at the trio that approached from the east. It was led by Senna with a look of unmitigated trepidation on her face. Estinien was behind her, carrying Lyse, whose leg was drenched in blood.
"Thank the heavens…We were worried!" - Nanamo exclaimed, though she was quick to notice that not everyone was present.
"Where is lord Hien?" - Aymeric asked quietly; no one wanted to hear the answer because they knew.
"He saved the life of a young boy…We couldn't save his." - Senna's lips quivered. G'raha saw Lyse on Estinien's hands. She was crying, not in sorrow, but in hatred directed inward, a cry filled with shame and rage, a familiar occurrence to G'raha, too familiar.
"We are not without losses, as well." - Aymeric forced himself to speak. "We attempt to kill the serpent, and the Grand Admiral gave her life for it…"
"Merlwyb…Is gone?" - Senna said with a voice filled with shock. Silence befell them, with nothing to break it except Lyse's screams. G'raha felt this nudging feeling within him, the rot that changed his nature, slowly turning him from man to monster. One breath of relief, of weakness and acceptance, and he will succumb to the aura and become the beast he swore to fight against. The pain others felt must have been the same.
Two brave heroes have been lost today, and they were far from the only ones. G'raha knew his hands were drenched in blood, a sin that will forever continue to drown him, the sin he had to resist, for there was still tomorrow for him to witness.
"We shouldn't have split up…" - Senna shook her head.
"It doesn't matter anymore." - G'raha said harshly, surprising even for himself. "Every second we continue to stand here and do nothing is another soul destroyed. If there is aught we can do at all, that is to kill the monster that birthed all the others. If the gods have as much a slither of justice for mankind, we will delay it…We will."
"The boy has the right of it." - Estinien said. "We end here and now, or it won't be us who end it at all."
Sometimes, one needs to take charge to see things done. G'raha despised the role that was enforced upon him by the sheer force of destiny, but it has become a part of him that he will never shed. His was the power of a machine that transcended time and space.
"The beast is wounded after our last struggle; we can defeat it." - G'raha said. "I will use all of my power to slow it down and entrap it here." - This would likely take a toll on his body, but physical pain has stopped scaring him long ago. As he spoke, the Exarch witnessed his companions looking at him with hope and a flicker of determination. "All I need is for you to fight."
"Then I shall be your lance." - Estinien announced.
"And I your shield." - Aymeric added.
"Count me in." - Raubahn said to Nanamo's worry.
"Remember what I told you."
"I remember, Nanamo…I also told you that I would fight anything that stood in our way. And this goddamn thing stands between us and ending this nightmare." - He spoke with pride, but after catching compassion and fear in her eyes, Raubahn switched his tone to a one of reassurance. "I promise, I will not die here. I will return to you victorious."
"Very well…You have never broken a promise before." - She smiled with pride and love.
"The non-fighters can hide in the house there." - Aymeric suggested. "Its outer walls are quite strong; there are a few children still unscathed in there."
"I can only hope that this insane plan of yours will work…" - Lolorito said with skepticism. "Come, your Grace. Seems our fates are in their hands once again."
They entered the house, and Estinien followed to put wounded Lyse there. The woman gave in and accepted that she became a liability that had to be put aside. It took courage to accept this without breaking. Raubahn was of a different sort; he would not stand back, whatever went his way. Now, only those who could fight remained.
"I shall support you with white magic, but I will need you to stay in range." - Senna said; Estinien nodded his head.
"From my understanding, we're bringing the beast right here. That would not be a problem."
"Indeed." - G'raha said, raising his staff. "I will let out a surge of aether that will attract the serpent; it won't be as strong as the previous one and make it see me like easy prey. When it is here, I will slow it down as much as possible…"
"And then we put an end to it." - Raubahn finished. "Simple enough task."
"Ready when you are." - Aymeric said with eagerness to slay the beast before it claimed any more lives.
G'raha gave the command, and the staff's heart responded in a mighty blast that surged upwards in a pillar of light. Visible to everyone in the city, and yet very thin, giving out no radiation of the true power that was on their side. This might attract lesser beasts as well, but few were able to fly, especially as swiftly as the winged monstrosity.
"Here it goes!" - Senna pointed at the monster circling above them, trying to snatch the prey. Its wounds were still fresh, and the body weakened; they had a chance to do this quickly. G'raha felt the protective aura forming around him moments before the beast descended. It looked over its victims, trying to pick the first one. Now he only needed time to prepare a spell to slow it.
"Now!" - Estinien charged at the monster, and the two soldiers of the company followed him. The beast reacted quickly despite its weakened state, piercing one of the men with its tail and throwing a bloodied corpse to the side. It then focused on the second soldier, who was able to offer some resistance. A regrettable sacrifice, but Estinien used it as an opportunity to climb onto the beast's back. The dragoon leaped atop and pierced the monster with his spear. The serpent roared and battled its pain, trying to throw Estinien off its back.
This was where G'raha's spell came in. A novel concept, but it was executed perfectly. Having Tycoon's essence inside gave a few of the machine's properties. One of them is the ability to slow time. The area it could affect was small, but just enough for the monster. The serpent was frozen in stasis, bound by invisible chains that held it back. Estinien was affected by the spell, too, no matter how clearly G'raha tried to avoid him.
"Let's finish this!" - Raubahn shouted and charged into the battle. Along with Aymeric and the last soldier standing, they began wounding the monster; their blades were cutting deep into its essence.
"It won't last for long, be quick!" - G'raha commanded, but the warriors knew what they were doing. Blood flew from each and every cut, even though the monster was still standing. It might have been truly remarkable; the first transformation created the mightiest beast out of all that were born here.
In the next instant, G'raha felt his grip slipping. The beast began to wave its tail in an attempt to break free. The fighters tried to ignore it and finish the monster off as quick as possible, but soon its jaws were freed too. The monster bit a soldier of the immortal flames before he could respond, consuming the man utterly and wholly. Aymeric and Raubahn did not react, continuing to break the monster's will.
"Why won't you just die? "- The general said with anger moments before the monster broke free. It hissed at the heroes before it, forcing both men to retreat to a safer position. The monster began to crawl in an attempt to claim another victim, but Estinien was freed as well.
The dragoon plunged his spear into the monster's head, forcing it to let out a final hiss and fall to the ground as blood streamed from its broken corpse.
"And don't think about getting up." - The elezen said with disdain as he watched the creature's body dissipate. G'raha's soul was filled with relief as he witnessed their victory. Five heroes looked at each other and the beast's ashes that were scattered in the wind, finally able to breathe.
"And that was it?" - Raubahn said with slight sarcasm, still swayed by the disbelief that they managed to end this monster.
"That was it." - G'raha sighed. "At least we can hope that it did something."
"The others will be easier to deal with, that's for sure." - Estinien claimed, already thinking of their next steps. However, before they talked again, a fearful voice of a lalafell man rang from behind.
"Aldynn!" - Lolorito shouted to the general. The heroes looked at him, running swiftly.
"What happened?" - Aymeric asked."
"The boys transformed…They became monsters, as well!" - Lolorito said. "I managed to escape, but Sultana and Lyse are still there."
Those words were enough for Raubahn. He charged to the house without any hesitation.
"And you left them there?" - Senna asked Lolorito with disappointment.
"I am not going to perish over some unnecessary heroics; it's you who can slay them."
G'raha followed Raubahn to make sure that Nanamo and Lyse were safe. The monsters to come out of those children were unlikely to be strong, but those two could barely offer any resistance to Lyse's state.
When G'raha entered the house, he was met with a grotesque picture. The boys have morphed into one-eyed creatures, with only one corpse remaining; it dissipated as soon as G'raha laid his eyes on it. Lyse lay near one of the walls, breathing heavily with her shoulder gleaming with a bloodied wound. Raubahn stood in silence further down, looking at another stained wall. After G'raha approached, he could see exactly why that was. Her throat was pierced with sharp teeth, and an emotionless, broken gaze was eternally frozen on her face.
Even G'raha felt Raubahn's heart shatter.