Servants of Remnant

Chaldea is gone, but the memories remain. A world, filled with fairy tales, monsters and men. A history unlike any other. Sometimes… a hero is needed. From another world, from another time. Not all of them are great, not all of them are 'good'. But when the world needs a hero, these Servants answer the call. Perhaps only one, perhaps many do. These are the tales of many timelines. The 'Servants of Chaldea' who come to Remnant.

Asterios

Quiet… that was what it was. Asterios walked slowly along the dark stony corridor, uncomfortable memories being dragged up, but quashed back down as he continued onward. He had to find his way out of this cave, back home, back to Euryale, back to Master. He had to find them.

The explosion had been bright, Euryale had screamed, others had screamed, Master had screamed, He simply got in front of all of them, and now he was here, alone, in a dark cave. Had he died?

No, he still remembered, he would hold onto these memories. Euryale, Master, his home, Chaldea. He had to keep going. And so he walked forward.

He didn't know how long he walked, but he knew he was walking upward. The incline told him. He'd noticed many things so far. Metal that he had never seen, strange glowing crystals in the ground. He was tempted to pick one up, make it a gift, but decided against it. For now he needed to get out of this cave.

Time ticked by, minutes, hours… until he finally saw light, creeping in from above, a small crack in the ground. He looked up, a mouth opening slowly before he walked forward with renewed pace. He was close, he was nearly free. Euryale, he would find her! He would find Master too!

Which each step the ground tumbled as he picked up the pace, running at a jog… then he heard the shouting, and seconds later, the sound of gunfire. He recognized that sound, it was bad, it hurt, but it also helped. But people were shouting, he couldn't make out their words.

But he would do what Master would if they knew people were in danger. Charge forward and save them! He kept running, and the shouting became louder, the screams, and the growls. He wouldn't get out in time!

Looking up, he saw very little light, a cloudy sky above but it was there, perhaps five feet between him and the surface… that was enough for him to break through, if he was willing to… the screaming came again, and a cackle… no, clicking. And then a sound he was all to familiar with… the crushing of bone.

He clutched his fists gathering what energy he could, his Monstrous Strength, bending down, he gave a roar all his own… and leapt upwards.

Earth gave away, rocks and dirt went flying, as did concrete as he leapt up from the ground like some sort of demon. People were screaming, running, and as he landed, and roared himself, he locked eyes the the monster that had two people in its… arms.

Black skin, a horse when a strange 'man' riding it, no, stuck to it. A demon… a Demon! Both the horse head and the head of the demon turned towards him, Asterios throwing his arms out, growling, before shouting. "DROP! THEM!"

The creature, for even the briefest moment, looked at the two humans it had, one in each hand, before twisting its neck, that cracking and clicking coming from each movement… before it squeezed. Asterios watched at the monster, the demon, killed two people and then laughed about it… to his face.

Anger overtook him, he summoned his axes, before crossing them in front of him. Out of the corner of his eye, as the bodies hit the ground, he saw two children, hiding beneath some sort of stage, they seemed gray, scared out of their minds. They needed a hero.

He would be that hero, he would slay the monster that had killed so many people, the monster even taller than he was. He took one deep breath, before letting out a guttural growl, muscles tensing… before he charged.

The monster threw its arms forward, limbs clicking, bending, stretching towards him, claws going for his skin. This monster was strong, but he was stronger! He would be stronger! As it grabbed for him, he swung both axes roaring as they cleaved through the air in front of him, trying to catch the limbs as they swung at him. But the limbs just changed direction, going over his axes, one grabbing a horn, the other trying to pierce the skin of his arm, and failing, bouncing off his scared, toughened skin.

Dropping an axe, Asterios threw his left hand up as he felt the creature try to tug at his horn. It had a lot of force behind it, but not enough, nowhere near enough. His grip on the other hand, was far greater, and the creature screamed, the children flinching, their colors returning to them for a brief moment… and in that moment both heads of the monster turned towards their location. It could sense them, he could feel their fear, the demon could feel it.

He dropped the other axe, quickly grabbing the other exposed arm while the demon was distracted, bracing himself and growling… before tugging right at the monster's limbs. It jolted forward, a loud crack resounding as it screamed again, trying to pull back its arms, but Asterios kept his tight grip… and then he reared back, lifting as hard as he could, the stretchy yet strong limbs of the demon were to be its downfall as he became to lift it off the ground… before turning himself as he threw the beast.

Despite its weight, and its height, his strength was enough. The beast, however slowly, passed over him, and for the briefest moment, the two heads traded glares with his black eyes, the determined rage within his matching the hatred and want for destruction within the demon's. It crashed into the concrete, leaving behind a large crater as Asterios let go of the arms, grabbing his axes before turning back towards the children for just a moment, only one eye staring at them.

"Hide! Run! GO!" he shouted as best he could, but they were too afraid. Afraid of the two monsters that clashed before them. If they wouldn't run… he would protect them. The cloud of dust was beginning to settle… but the beast charged out of it, the imp on its back limp as Asterios' eyes went wide with surprise. He crossed his axes in front of him, the monster's head ramming right into the heads of his axes, the force behind them a surprise as he was driven back, he feet digging into the concrete and leaving great gashes in the earth as the beast ground to a halt, and the imp sprung back to life, its arms flailing as it scream at Asterios, the sound hurting his head, its limbs snapping at his skin, tearing at his hair, and nicking his skin. Drips of blood starting to fall from the assault.

But it was far from enough to take him down. The stings were merely that, stings. He let go of his axes again, and slammed both hands into the neck of the horse half's head grabbing it, and holding on tight as the beast screamed. He grit his teeth lightning starting to crackle around him. He needed all his power, all his strength, this demon need to die!

"DIIIIEEEEE!" Asterios roared, lifting the demon up by its neck… and beginning to spin in place. The demon's body smashed into buildings, sending brings and glass flying as it screamed. He built up speed, prepared to throw. Hopefully this would kill the monster, it should, it had to! Three seconds, five seconds… now!

When the spin reached its apex Asterios stamped down his lifted foot, stopping the spin and driving all that momentum into his throw, the demon being sent flying, scream as it flew over buildings, over trees, Asterios breathed heavily, waiting… until he heard the dull thud off in the distance… finally allowing his guard to drop, his axes to vanish. He'd spent a lot of his energy doing that… he was starting to run a little low… but the air, the mana in it would be enough… if he didn't push it.

Turning slowly towards the two children, clutching each other in fear under the stage, Asterios looked around the town square, the bodies, the blood… that demon, had it killed the whole town? Was… he late?

No, the children were here, the children were safe. He had saved them. Slowly, he started to walk towards them, trying to make himself as small as possible. He could still sense their fear, but it was less than before. He had defeated the demon, right? He was the hero, right? Master would think so. Euryale would think so.

"Are… okay?" he got on one knee, trying to lean his head forward towards the two children… and slowly held out a hand. "Safe… now…"

The girl flinched away, but the boy, tried to make them turn grey again. Their fear vanished, at least, that is what he felt. They still looked scared. He needed to show them… he didn't want to be the monster…

"Hero. I… am hero… Asterios," he said softly, trying to give the children a smile. The grey dropped again, the green child looked tired.

"You're… a hero?" he'd only ever been called a hero in Chaldea. This wasn't Chaldea, but he would try to be a hero here, to find Euryale, to find Master, to find his friends.

"Yes," he kept his hand out, even as it started to rain. He looked up towards the sky, the dark clouds passing by… but then he felt something in his hand. Looking down slowly, the girl, she was dirty, but the rain was beginning to wash that away. It was beginning to wash away the blood that was dripping down his skin as well. He tried to smile at the girl, and she looked up at him.

The boy was starting to come out from under the stage, when there was a roar again, the ground starting to tremble once more. Asterios turned his head slowly, so not to startle the child as both children started to tense up again in fear. He grit his teeth. The demon lived… he wasn't ready to fight it yet, he need time, friends, he needed… to save the children.

Gently, he scooped up the girl, who gasped as he held her close to his rugged chest. He looked at the young boy, and held out his other hand. Despite the fear in his eyes, he reached up to take his hand, Asterios pulling up gently and putting him in the same arm carrying the girl, before looking back towards where the demon had been thrown, trees shaking in the distance. He needed to flee with the children.

Then he noticed his skin turn grey, the shaking stop as he looked down, the little boy holding one hand to the girl, the other to his arm. He understood, they were hidden. The demon wanted fear, it could not sense their fear. But it had to be tiring, spending that mana. So he turned, and started running, careful to keep both children covered even as the ground shook with every step.

They reached the edge of town when the grey faded away, the color returning, but he kept running, even more careful now despite his speed. The farther away from the demon the better.

He ran long and hard along the dirt road, only when the darkness began to cover the sky did he finally stop running, settling into a gentle walk, looking down at the girl and boy, sleeping in the cradle of his arm. He smiled, before looking up at the parting clouds, towards the stars. There was no moon in the sky tonight, so there was very little light, but that was no problem for him. He just would keep walking, happy that he had saved the children and escaped the demon.

He still had more to do, but now he had even more. To continue being the hero that Master wanted him to be, that he wanted to be. Defending these children would be the first step in that goal. Perhaps he too could hunt the demons that wanted to hurt people? Like the heroes of his time?

But as he traveled through the night, Asterios slowly began to realize… he had to take care of these children somehow… hunting it was then, for animals… tomorrow, for tonight, he walked onward until dawn.

So began the journey of Asterios, and the children he guarded, on a search for his friends and his quest to be a hero.