Finally, the true plot of this fic kicks in. I've been working towards this for now, so enjoy.
Before that, however, I want to thank LordVoldios and Tical Calrissian for their assistance, as well as Kuzosama for beta-reading. I couldn't have done it without you guys.
And of course I also thank my reviewers who had such faith in my work. So please, read&review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. I also don't own the charactefrs or locations of "By Our Blades". But I do own my characters, my plot and almost everything in this chapter.
Chapter eight: Shadow of the past
The city was gigantic! Hundreds, thousands of buildings, all build of stone, stretched before them. The closer they were to the other end of the cavern, the more impressive they looked. Each of them was decorated with black gargoyles resembling Remobras. Never before had they seen something similar. Not even Dondruma was so huge.
The city was dominated by the massive palace that towered over it. Its walls were pitch-black, but countless giant braziers illuminated every bit of it. It stood higher than the rest of the city on a plateau. A long, narrow stairway led to it. It was the only way.
Ezakiel marvelled at this sight, while he looked for another exit. Unfortunately, he didn't find one. The only way out was behind them, and that one was out of the question.
His thoughts were spoken out by Dalmin. "That's a dead end for crying out loud!"
"We can't possibly go back", Reena said certainly, but afraid.
Zeshen crossed her arms. "Then what can we do? There is no other way."
Ezakiel looked around again, and then an idea struck him. "Maybe there is one." The others looked at him in surprise. "Just take a look at the palace. The plateau and the stairway make it a perfect bastion on its own. The stairs are narrow, and together with the difference in height, it makes it almost impossible to take it by storm. In fact it would take only a few defenders to hold it for a long time, even when they are horribly outnumbered."
"What's your point?" Zeshen asked. "You're up to something, aren't you?"
Ezakiel nodded. "Whoever built this cared a great deal about safety. So they will not have depended on the stairway alone." Zeshen seemed to understand, but the others were still clueless, so he continued. "If this defence were to be overcome, they would need an escape route. If we manage to find that, we can get out of here without having to deal with Akantor."
Reena seemed quite relieved. "You're right. That should work. Shall we get going?"
He looked around once more, but couldn't see any threats. "Okay, but be careful. Something's wrong with this city."
They slowly moved out and followed the main road that led directly to the stairway. While they came closer to the palace, they could examine the gargoyles up close. They were built quite realistically and all took in the same position: They sat on wooden beams that stuck out of the buildings. Their wings hung down, their heads lowered and their eyes closed. For some reason, Ezakiel felt uneasy when he looked at them. He could barely keep himself from touching one.
Eventually they reached the forecourt of the stairway, a semi-circular area. Strange runes were engraved in its borders. More than everything else did these appear strange to him. After all, even though they were somewhat decorative, they were barely visible even in this relatively good light, making him wonder why they were there in the first place.
Hesitatingly, he stepped over them and instantly realized that this was a mistake. The runes started to glow in a sinister red. In the next second they heard a deafening screech. Startled, they turned around.
The gargoyles had risen from their positions and approached them, many thousands at once. Stunned, the hunters watched them still increasing in number.
"Oh, shit", Dalmin mumbled. Then the paralysis faded out. "Let's get outta here!"
Ezakiel drew his sword and looked around hectically. The monsters came from every direction, except from the palace, blocking the way back. They had only one chance: Ascending the stairway and seeking shelter in the palace.
"Quick, up the stairs!" he shouted, shouldered his weapon and ran upwards, taking several stairs with one step. The others followed close behind.
Reena drew another flash-arrow, inserted it and turned around while ascending backwards. She warned the others with a short shout and fired. The arrow pierced the Remobra that was nearest to them and unleashed its light. The Monsters cried in pain, some even fell to the ground or collided with each other, but they recovered only seconds later and continued their pursuit.
When they had crossed the stairway about halfway up, Reena turned around and focused on running as fast as she could. The screeching behind them grew louder every moment.
Ezakiel whirled around a few seconds later, taking a small, yellow ball out of his pocket. "Flash bomb!" he called, stroke out and hurled it towards the enemy. Again they stopped, but not for long.
Then they reached the end of the stairs. A vast forecourt stretched before them. It was about three hundred feet until the palace gates, but the monsters were very close now. Furthermore, Ezakiel realized that he made a small, but possibly deadly mistake: The palace gates were closed, and he had no idea how they should open them in this situation.
In the meantime the monsters had closed in on them. The hunters turned around and raised their weapons, but continued to walk backwards. Only Reena still ran all out.
Ezakiel struck the first wyvern that came in range, and severed one of its wings. But several others took its place and even more followed in their wake. He hacked and slashed fiercely at them like a madman, killing the monsters as fast as they came, but there were just too many. Dalmin used his wyvern-fire and scorched many of them, while Zeshen just hacked away.
The Monsters died in dozens, but even this carnage did little to decimate them. They were attacked time and time again, and only their armours kept them from being torn asunder. Zeshen didn't have such protection, but her evasive skills made up for that. But Ezakiel was worried about what would happen when they couldn't retreat any more.
It was in this moment that he realized that they would die. They were not simply fighting against a pack of Remobras, but literally against a legion. Of course, these creatures were quite frail and thus easy to kill, but in such numbers they were, in their own fashion, just as dangerous as Akantor.
He looked back over his shoulder. They had almost reached the gates. Reena was closest to them. He also saw that there was no way to open them from outside. However, they were covered in the same runes they found in front of the stairway, so he wasn't really eager to reach it.
He turned his attention back to his enemies. They seemed to have increased in numbers again. Resigned, he engaged them again, ready to sell his life as costly as he was able. His friends followed suit. They were just a few feet away from the gates, so their escape was almost over anyway.
Reena prepared her bow and inserted an arrow. She fell back a bit more to keep some distance between her and the monsters and then began her assault. She didn't even have to aim, since the monsters were so close together.
It was hopeless. The wyverns surrounded Ezakiel, Dalmin and Zeshen. It was as if they were standing in a whirlwind of claws and fangs. Ezakiel had taken to simply whirl his sword around. They caused a horrible bloodbath, but the end was at hand.
A few hundred of them left the rest of the group and headed for Reena. Panicking, she retreated until she touched the gates with her back.
The runes on it illuminated in the same colour like those on the forecourt of the stairway, but this time, something strange happened. The Remobras seized their attacks all at once and started to howl in unison. They didn't even fight back when the others attacked them. After a few seconds, they moved again - and fled.
Before Reena could feel relief, the next miracle happened: The gates opened on their own, not making a sound.
Ezakiel still held his sword at the ready, even though there were no enemies left to use it against. Dalmin and Zeshen looked around in bewilderment, completely taken aback by the sudden turn of events.
"What was that? What's going on here?" Ezakiel asked. He was glad that the onslaught was over, but didn't like the fact that such surprises occurred without his control.
"I don't know either", Reena admitted. "I just touched that gate. Then it started to glow and the Remobras left." She looked quite confused.
"Maybe that means that the palace is safe", Zeshen assumed.
"Well, I ain't gonna take that for granted", Dalmin replied.
Ezakiel looked at the glowing gates with doubt. They were wide open, as if to invite them, but it could just as well be a trap. But he was also aware that they had no other choice. If they went back, the Remobras would kill them, and if not they, then Akantor. "Let's go in. But don't let your guard down."
The others didn't look happy about this, but they knew that it was the only way. So they readied their weapons and entered the palace.
But they already stopped in the entrance hall, this time out of amazement. The walls and floors, in fact everything was pitch black, for, as unbelievable as it was, the whole palace consisted of obsidian. The hall was gigantic, easily able to contain all their houses and the Guild Hall as well. To their left and right were gates, similar to the one they just went through, but significantly smaller. The room was dominated by a huge stairway that almost covered half of the space on its own. It led to another gate that was almost as big as the first one. The only sources of light were the countless braziers that engulfed everything in a sinister red. In this light, Ezakiel could make out more stairs beside the large one, leading down into the darkness.
Dalmin looked around cluelessly. "Where should we go? Left, right, up down or back?"
"Up", Reena said.
Ezakiel looked at her in wonder. "How do you know?"
She returned his gaze, but her eyes seemed clouded, as if she was half asleep. "I don't know. Or rather, I do, but not why." She wasn't only unusually dazed, but quite ill at ease as well. "Ezakiel, I feel strange. Ever since we encountered Akantor. Something's wrong with me, and even more so with this place. I'm afraid."
He put a hand to his chin in thought. "This place really seems fishy to me, but we have to proceed. I'm sorry, but there is no other way."
Reena nodded, so they ascended the stairs and stood in front of the gate. Ezakiel saw that there was no handle or anything like it either, so he touched it, but nothing happened. He tried to push harder, and even asked Dalmin to help him, but to no avail.
Reena came closer and examined it. She raised a hand and touched one of the runes. It immediately flared up, followed by all others, and the gate opened.
They were surprised by that, but Ezakiel understood. All they had to do was to touch the runes. He stepped forward and looked at the room before them. It too was huge, but almost completely empty. Only another set of stairs that led to a gate was built on the other side of the hall. Hesitatingly, they walked forward.
A few steps later they saw that there was a line of runes on the ground, stretching from one wall to the other. In order to reach the stairs, they had to walk over it. "Even more runes", he said worriedly. "Listen. We have to cross these, but it might trigger another trap. Are you ready?" They all agreed. "All right, then here we go." He took a deep breath and stepped over them.
To his relief, nothing happened. The signs stayed dark and lifeless, as if they were nothing more than they seemed to be. Reena, Dalmin and Zeshen followed him with the same result. They eyed the runes suspiciously, but came to no conclusion. Since it was futile to simply stand around, they went on.
Another such line was right in front of the stairs. Unwilling to let himself being stopped by mere paintings, Ezakiel simply stepped over it. Nothing happened this time, too. He took that as a good sign and touched the rune on the gate Reena had touched on the one before. But it stayed closed. Lacking any idea, he stepped back and glared at it.
Reena approached it again. Her gaze seemed distant. As if in trance, she raised her hand again and touched it. It began to glow and opened. Ezakiel was astonished. "How do you do that?"
"I don't know", she mumbled. It was clear that she didn't fully perceive her surroundings.
Slowly but surely he started to really fear this place. Something was wrong with this building, with the whole city. First they meet the not-so-dead Akantor, then they activate some strange runes, are chased by thousands of Remobras, which retreat without any reason when they opened the gates. And now they learn that Reena is the only one who can open them in the first place, with a mere touch to boot, even though she didn't even know why. He didn't understand anything anymore.
But pondering wouldn't help them either, so he just continued. Behind the gate was yet another hall, almost similar to the prior one, except that the gate at its end was a bit smaller. Even the rune-lines were at the same locations, but didn't react as well.
Again Reena opened the gate with a simple touch. Behind that was not another hall, as they had expected, but instead a long, wide corridor. Contrary to the rest of the palace, however, it was richly decorated. The heads of monsters they knew, such as Rathalos or Kushala Daora, hung on the walls, but they were also made of obsidian. Especially outstanding were the banners that were placed on the walls every few meters. Each of them was flanked by two braziers. They showed a stylised flame and a mighty dragon coming out of it. The background was black, the symbol crimson.
Ezakiel felt uneasy when he looked at these banners. Fear rose in him, like a hazy prospect of an impending evil - or a threatening shadow of the past.
They crossed the corridor and reached the gate. It was the largest one they encountered so far, including the one at the entrance. "Behind this should be the throne room", Ezakiel said. "There could be our way out as well as a deadly trap. Are you prepared?" Dalmin and Zeshen nodded in agreement, but Reena just approached and touched it.
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A strange sensation hit her. It was like her body didn't completely obey her, as if it acted of its own accord. Her hand found its way to the emblem of the realm carved into the obsidian of the gate. It didn't glow like the others, but rather, it started burning. Then the whole gate was set ablaze. Startled, the hunters stepped back.
A moment later it opened and revealed the throne room. It was enormous. The walls were quite low, and decorated with several braziers, while the ceiling was a canopy of flames. The floor was polished, mirroring it, so they felt like they were walking on fire. That was most likely the reason for the walls not being as high as in other castles, where they give the impression of greatness. At the end of the vast hall, a small gate was placed behind a large dais, most likely the escape route they were looking for, and on top the dais stood the throne.
They all froze when they laid eyes on it. It was massive, carved out of black granite. The backrest was decorated with numerous dragon-heads of the same material, which seemed to be hollow due to the fact that fire emitted through their open mouths and glaring eyes. The armrests were fashioned in the same way, and Reena could clearly notice the heads at their ends to resemble Akantor. But it wasn't the martial aura of the throne that shocked the hunters.
It was the man who sat on it.
He sat perfectly erect; his arms placed on the armrests, and looked every bit like a ruler. He wore a sleeveless, black leather breastplate that was decorated with the realm's emblem. His lower arms were wrapped in fingerless, black leather gauntlets, with red chains slung around them, forming a strange geometrical pattern. His attire was completed by a light, armoured tasset and heavy greaves, also in the colour of the night. He was very muscular, without looking the least bit clumsy.
The most remarkable thing, however, was his face. He looked only a few years older than them, definitely not older than thirty, but his wild hair that fell on his shoulders was as white as snow. His skin was very pale, like that of someone fatally ill. His eyes were white as well, with almost no pupils. For some reason, his features seemed familiar to Reena, but she was sure she never met this man.
Even though his eyes made him seem blind, he pierced them with an icy glare that sent shivers down their spines even at this scorching place. "It has been a long time since I last saw humans." His voice was deep, but as soft as silk, his articulation razor-sharp. A strange undertone resonated within, but even though she could not put a finger on it, she sensed the danger emanating from this stranger.
"Who are you?" Ezakiel asked after regaining his composure.
"Who I am?" the man replied. A trace of anger entered his voice, maybe also amusement. "I could ask you the same thing. After all, you entered my realm."
"Your realm?" Dalmin asked, confused. "These are just ruins. You're the only human we met since we came here."
The man chuckled. "Human..." He shook his head, then rose and descended the stairs with a slow, steady gait. "You are truly bold. You enter my realm, intrude my palace without my consent and even dare question my rule? I should burn you to ashes, you impertinent rats! But that would be rude, considering the occasion we have to celebrate!"
"Celebrate?" Ezakiel asked. "What are you talking about?"
The ominous stranger smiled, but this gesture missed everything a smile should have. On his lips it looked like the smirk of a cold-blooded murderer. "I am talking about our glorious reunion, of course. Wouldn't you agree... Reena?"
She was shocked to her very core. He knew her name! She never met him, let alone introduced herself to him. Where the hell did he learn that!?
He laughed loudly, making her flinch. "You are wondering how I know your name, are you not?" He calmed down again, but still smiled mockingly at her. "Only three people in this world are able to open the gates of my palace. The first is you, the second is your father and the third is I. Well? Do you understand what I mean?"
She couldn't say a word, but at least managed to shake her head. He sighed disappointedly, but that seemed as false as his cheerfulness. He's toying with us!
"I really should introduce myself, then..." He stood erect, glaring them down with indomitable authority, and spread his arms. "I am the second body of Astot, the high king of Nofresc, this realm of fire. I rule over the flames, and soon the entire world as well." A cruel grin appeared on his lips as he stared deep into Reenas eyes.
"My name is Mordecai."
Mordecai! That's absolutely impossible! Paralyzed, she looked at the eerie man who claimed to be her long lost grandfather. Now that she was looking for it, she could easily make out the resemblance. He looked almost perfectly like her father had ten years ago. But it couldn't possibly be him. This guy seemed a lot younger than the man whom he claimed to be his son.
"You're lying!" she yelled. "The real Mordecai would be about sixty by now. Besides, he is dead. Akantor killed him fifteen years ago."
"My youth confuses you. I understand that. I will soon explain this to you, but before that you need to know about Nofresc." He sneered at her again. "After all, as my granddaughter you are also a princess of this realm. You have a right to know its history."
"I'm a princess?" she asked puzzledly.
"Of course, only by blood. You dishonoured your legacy, as well as your father. I would never grant you a claim to the throne of fire. How could I, when you do not even know your realm?"
Reena decided not to press on this matter. Although she had dreamed of being a princess when she was a little girl, she surely hadn't imagined it to be like this. "Then tell me. I want to know what's going on here."
The king nodded. "To understand what has happened to me, you first need to comprehend the past - the past of Nofresc." Even though they considered themselves to be in danger, they were eager to get some answers.
"Nofresc, the kingdom of fire, was founded here, in this very mountain. Due to its connection with the land, it soon controlled the entire region. But it was not unchallenged. Look." He pointed towards the ceiling, and as they lifted their gaze, the flames became sort of transparent, showing a great and beautiful castle surrounded by a gigantic city, bustling with life. "The kingdom of Schrade controlled the entire world. Only Nofresc remained independent. Unwilling to stay caged inside these caves, it decided to spread out into the rest of the continent. It kept colliding with Schrade, and minor skirmishes took place, most of the time started by Nofresc. Soon Schrade had enough." The picture above their heads changed, showing a gruesome battle. They could even hear the cries of the wounded and dying as burning arrows and shining swords hit their mark. "They attacked them and drove them back deep into their territory. Soon they had them cornered inside their capitol." He spread his arms again. "This place."
"So Schrade destroyed your realm," Zeshen assumed.
"No. They were but a step away from doing so. Indeed they already besieged its gates, but then fate changed in Nofresc's favour." The flames above them started to shine in a glaring white light. They could see a man with short, dark hair, wearing almost the exact same clothes as the man in front of them. He was rising from his throne, which didn't resemble the present one at all, but clearly stood in this room, and approached the light. "An almighty being calling itself 'The Ancestor' descended from the heavens, appeared before Astot, the high king of fire, and promised him a power that could bring Schrade to its knees. The only prize it demanded for that was his soul."
"His soul?" Reena asked, appalled.
"Yes, his soul. He had to swear absolute allegiance to the Ancestor, so in order to guarantee it, it took his soul. In exchange for that it gave him a grail, filled with its blood." They could see said grail appear in front of Astot. He took it and brought it to his lips. "The king drank it and was rewarded with powers you could not possibly imagine. Not only was he able to fight with the strength of many men, he could also create an unstoppable army, consisting of warriors no human could hope to overcome." Again the scene changed. To their horror it showed various monsters attacking their enemy with unparalleled fierceness. They could see Rathalos', Rathians', Monoblos' and almost all other species they knew. The king grinned at them. "Schrade soon dubbed these warriors 'monsters'."
"So this king is responsible for all the monsters and the suffering they caused?" Ezakiel asked in bewilderment.
"Precisely. This army effortlessly breached the enemies' lines and even crossed the sea to rid this world of them. Unfortunately, Schrade managed to find the means to put up a successful resistance. Thus, Astot was forced to create even more powerful servants. And so came the gatekeeper to be." The image of Akantor appeared, rising from the molten rock and plowing through the Schradian soldier's lines with little to no resistance. "It wrought havoc and brought death and despair to the enemy, but eventually he was defeated as well, when Schrade created a sword that could hurt it and sealed it away inside the northern ice."
Again they were startled. So the blade Dante wielded was an old Schradian secret weapon.
The king continued. "But one day he gave birth to the ultimate beast: The black dragon, the death bringer, Fatalis. Schrade tried everything to stop it, but all their efforts were in vain. Fatalis wiped them out and laid waste to their realm." Above them, the total destruction of the once beautiful city was shown. Fatalis flew over the houses, igniting them like tissue paper with a mere breath. Soon the entire city was set ablaze, and the dragon stood on top of the castle, roaring in rage and pleasure, surrounded with fire.
"But if Schrade was destroyed..." Ezakiel started "...why did Nofresc fall as well?"
The man made a face. Apparently, this topic was unpleasant for him. "Because Astot made a mistake: He underestimated Fatalis. Even though he could control it at any time, he had no idea how unstable it was. He could only keep it in check because he never gave the dragon a reason to resist him. After all, it craved for destruction and massacre, and he showed it where it could fulfil its desires. But when its work was done, that desire remained, and the only place left to fight was Nofresc." This time, nothing happened, most likely because he didn't want to see the events that ensued.
Dalmin couldn't stifle a laugh. "He whupped himself? What a ridiculous way to die."
Mordecai glared fiercely at him. "Even though you would be wise to watch your tongue, you unfortunately are right. Astot was unable to tame Fatalis, and Nofresc was annihilated. But that was not the end. By that time, Astot had achieved a power even death could not overcome. He remained in this world as a ghost, gathering strength to prepare his return. Centuries passed, until finally he found an opportunity. A curious woman entered this realm. He immediately assaulted her in order to claim her as the vessel for his rebirth. However, again he made a mistake, for the woman was pregnant, and instead of her, he possessed the soul of the unborn child. Thus, he was damned to wait idly, and the boy became a man." Again, he smirked. "You have probably already surmised it: I was this child."
"But still, Mordecai was a lot older back then than you are now," Reena called, not willing to believe such a twisted story of her bloodline.
"Patience, my darling. I will get to that. I was born with Astots power, due to my bond with him, and by using it, became a fabled hunter. Unfortunately, Astot had no possibility to force my will into submission, for he was too far away from the centre of his power. But since he couldn't stand having the descendants of Schrade to walk his realm unpunished, he used his might to summon back Fatalis, and ordered it to attack the world yet again. I take it you know what became of that plan."
Reena nodded. "My father repelled it."
"That is correct. My wretched son inherited some of my power as well and learned to use it. You as well received this power, because he was your father."
"Me too?" she asked cluelessly. That couldn't be true. She had never felt something even distantly resembling something like that. "You must be mistaken. I don't have such powers."
"Then answer me this: Why are you the only one capable of opening my gates? Why did my guards retreat to their posts when you touched the entrance to my palace?" To their surprise, on the ceiling they could see themselves being chased up the stairs by the Remobras. Reenas hesitation obviously was enough of an answer for him. "The reason is this very power. Even though you do not perceive it, you can still work Nofrescian magic. Of course, your blood has run thin due to the inferior blood in your lineage, so you are no match for me, but royal blood still runs within your veins. Even without my consent, you still are a member of the old royal dynasty of Nofresc."
Reena didn't know what to say. She had awakened this morning with the firm belief of being a regular hunter with a special heritage, but this was just too much.
"I speak the truth. What reason could I have to lie? And about my age, you will understand everything when you listen to my story."
"Then continue!" she demanded through gritted teeth.
"So be it. After Fatalis had failed, Astot knew that he could only be successful when he returned to his former greatness. So he gathered his power, waiting for an opportunity to lead me to Nofresc. Four years later a hunter from the Village of Pokke was kind enough to release the gatekeeper." A young Dante appeared above their heads, standing in front of the frozen calamity. He marvelled at a beautiful sword, grabbed the hilt and drew it out of the Akantors claw. Then the scene changed again, showing the mountainside collapsing and the Black God breaking free. "Astot made it cause some trouble so I would volunteer to face it. But it still took a year for the Guild to pin it down. Of course I relied on my powers when I fought it, but he suppressed them this time. Instead of letting me fight to the death as I had planned, he influenced me to escape and led me here. I reached this hall, the absolute centre of his reign, and sat down on the throne. With that he gained control over me and made me the new king of fire."
"I don't believe you!" Reena shouted once more. "My grandfather was a noble man. He would not have stooped so low."
"Indeed I resisted him for a long time, as foolish as it was. But in the end I came to realize the wisdom behind his words - and the power he offered. Just take a look at me: He even granted me eternal youth! I will stay young and strong, even in a thousand years, when all of you are long since reduced to ashes. From that day forth, he did no longer have to control me. I became his willing servant, his incarnation."
"But why?" she called desperately. "Why all the dead? Why all this evil? What reason do you have to cause so much suffering?"
"You want to know the reason?" he asked quietly and threateningly lowered his head. "Because you are vermin!" he roared. The hunters flinched. "Worthless insects! You are the loathsome descendants of our enemy! The human race has lost the right to walk over Nofrescian soil." He spread his arms. "I have ascended to something higher - something better, and abandoned the weaknesses of humanity! Together with my warriors I will punish the sins of your ancestors. Humans are but cattle, they are prey to us!"
"You're one of them!" Reena yelled.
"But my king has purified me!" Mordecai's gaze became hard. "The power Nofresc once had shall be renewed. All shall bend their knee in front of me and accept me as their rightful ruler, before I execute my just Judgement! My wrath shall sweep across this world like a firestorm! Not a single mortal shall dare to resist! For their insolence to oppose me, they shall receive the ultimate punishment!"
Ezakiel drew his weapon and pointed it at the crazed monarch. "You've lost your mind, Mordecai. We won't let you realize the madness you're talking about." The others prepared for battle as well.
"You cannot possibly imagine the power you step up to. I will show you the might of the King of Fire!" The cruel smile vanished from his face, as well as the amusement in his eyes. He stretched his right arm to the side and spread his fingers.
A glaring red beam of light emerged from his palm, grew to about four feet in length and solidified, until it became a broad, red-glowing sword that sprouted flames a moment later.
Reena couldn't believe what she saw. The weapon had simply appeared out of thin air! She decided to wonder about it another time, for the king stepped closer to them, still holding his weapon to the side. "How long I have waited for the day a child of mine would come to give me what I deserve."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Zeshen asked.
"Do you really think I will fight you because you challenge me? Fools! I had already decided to kill you the moment you entered my palace. Just look what a powerful present you bring me: A fragment of the power of the Ancestor." He raised his left hand and clenched it to a fist. "All that is left for me to do is take it."
Reena stepped back in fear, whereas Ezakiel and Dalmin stood in front of her protectively. "Over our dead bodies", they said in unison.
The burning blade was pointed at them. "Then so be it. Take your predestined place... inside the eternal flames of my vengeance!"
He charged forward with superhuman speed and covered the distance between them in mere moments. Immediately he slashed his weapon around in a wild arc. Ezakiel and Dalmin could parry just in time, but the brute force of the blow hurled them off their feet.
Zeshen jumped at him and attacked him fiercely, but he blocked every strike. Eventually he uppercut her with his left fist, hitting her chin. She stumbled backwards and was sent to the ground by a concluding kick.
Reena fired an arrow at his head, but he simply raised his hand. The crimson chains on his Gauntlets started to glow, and in this very moment the arrow burned to ashes in mid-flight. Then he thrust his still glowing hand forward and fired a red sphere of light at her. It hit her square in the stomach and sent her flying backwards, screaming with pain.
Barely five seconds had passed since the fight started, and they already lay on the ground. Breathing and grunting heavily, they tumbled back up on their feet. Reena looked at Mordecai. He wasn't even out of breath. "You are just as pathetic as I assumed. What a pity. And here I thought you would be able to make my blood boil."
"This is far from over," Ezakiel said defiantly and raised his sword again. Dalmin and Zeshen stepped to his sides, ready to flank the king when he attacked next. Reena stood behind them and prepared another arrow.
"Well said, hunter, and true too. Even though you can not challenge me, you can at least be of some entertainment." He bent his knees, and dashed forward again, this time preparing a hefty thrust that could have easily skewered Ezakiel. The hunter batted the weapon aside and used both their momentum to ram his elbow into the kings face, while the other two attacked him from both sides.
At least, that was the plan.
However, instead of stumbling forward and into Ezakiel's attack, as they expected, Mordecai stopped on the spot and did a swift backward somersault that carried him several feet back. Dalmin and Zeshen were caught off guard by this move and ran into each other. Their enemy used this opportunity to hurl a fireball from his palm at the group.
Reena shot an arrow at him again. It flew over the magic fire and rushed towards the king. But he disappointed her again and evaded the projectile with stunning ease, as if he had done such things all his life. Meanwhile, Dalmin whirled around and managed to block the fiery sphere at the last possible second, but the impact shoved him several steps back.
Without granting them any respite, their opponent charged at them again. Ezakiel and Zeshen somehow managed to defend themselves against his strikes, feints and counters, while he either evaded Reenas arrows or set them ablaze. Dalmin assaulted him from behind while Reena drew her sabre and came at him head on. But even with their combined efforts they could not overcome Mordecais defence. He wielded his sword faster than their eyes could follow and successfully defended himself against their attacks from all sides.
The King of Fire tore his weapon upwards, slamming Reena back and on the ground. Then he jumped about eight feet into the air, spread his legs and simultaneously kicked Ezakiel and Zeshen in the face, before he landed and pushed Dalmin back with another kick. The giant regained his footing and thrust forcefully at Mordecai's chest. This time, however, the king made no attempt to parry or evade.
Instead he grabbed the weapon with his free left hand and stopped his hulking opponent where he stood. His sneer made Dalmin furious. He pulled the trigger and held it. "You like fire, don't ya?!"
"What do...?" Mordecai couldn't finish this sentence. The wyvern-fire connected at point-blank range, hurled him several meters through the air and slammed him against the wall. He fell to the ground and remained motionless.
Dalmin reloaded his weapon and took a deep breath. The others came to his side and looked at the fallen king.
"Is it over?" Reena asked out of breath.
"I hope so," Ezakiel answered.
"Why didn't he try to evade?" Zeshen wanted to know.
Dalmin put a hand to his chin. "Well, it's been fifteen years since he last got out of here. There were no gunlances back then. Maybe he didn't know he should evade."
"So he is dead?"
"He should be. No human can survive that."
"Human..." The hunters flinched when they heard Mordecais voice. "I told you... I am no longer human." He rose again and pierced them with a furious glare. Blood poured out of a small laceration beside his right eye and ran down his face.
He noticed it a moment later and put a hand to his wet cheek. Holding his bloody hand in front of his eyes, he looked surprised for a second, but then a twisted grin appeared on his lips. "It has been a while since I last saw my own blood. Maybe I underestimated you after all." Then his smile vanished, and something in his gaze seemed to die out. Playtime was over. "I will not make that mistake again."
A sinister red light engulfed his body, bristling with energy. "Prepare to become one with eternity!" Then he charged.
Even though Reena hadn't thought it possible, he was even faster now. His fighting style had changed as well. While he was fighting nimbly and artfully before, he now relied solely on his physical superiority and pummelled them with horribly powerful blows in quick succession. Zeshen was sent flying to the throne when he smashed his blade into her guard with a two-handed strike. Dalmin was hit by a kick that cracked his armour and shoved him to the ground. He didn't seem to be able to get back up again. Ezakiel and Reena were left standing, but they were hopelessly outmatched. Soon Mordecais blade slammed into the Gaelic Flames hand guard and hurled it up. While Ezakiel was able to keep a hold on it, his guard was wide open. The king used his momentum and grabbed the neck of his armour, lifting him up and throwing him towards Zeshen, luckily missing her by inches.
Now only Reena was left. She held her sword in front of her, knowing that she stood no chance against this almighty opponent. He knew that, too, and nonchalantly paced towards her, making her retreat slowly but certainly. "Have no fear, my dear child. It will all be over very soon." He charged at her without warning and slashed away at her blade, knocking it around and ultimately out of her hand. It slid to the wall, clearly out of reach. One second later a horrible pain shot through her body as he rammed his fist into her stomach. She had to resist the urge to vomit and fell limbly to the floor. Then Mordecai straddled her and abandoned his weapon. It dissipated in a small halo of light and fire. He pinned her shoulder down with his left hand and raised his right. "Now, surrender to me what is rightfully mine!"
He grabbed her face, and the world became pain. Immense agony coursed through her veins, as if every single nerve in her body was set ablaze. The worst, however, was the strange feeling she experienced. It felt as if the life was torn out of her, slowly being drained away. She could hear his voice in her mind, and a life- and genderless one resonating within it.
GIVE... His grip on her soul tightened.
ME... She could feel a strong pull, tearing it out.
YOUR... Without a doubt she knew that she was experiencing death. The next instance she would die.
But death never came. She could hear a shout, but it wasn't Mordecai. It was Dalmin. Through the fingers holding her face she could see something white flying at the king. His reactions and speed were far beyond anything humanly possible, but this time he wasn't fast enough. Dalmins shield brutally connected with his head and slammed him off her.
The pain ended abruptly, only a strange feeling deep inside her remained. She wobbly stood up again and saw the giant approach Mordecai at full speed. Knowing that she was in no shape to fight, she stumbled over to Ezakiel and Zeshen.
She could hear Mordecai's voice behind her. "You insolent maggot! You will pay for that!" Dalmin didn't answer, but instead roared, making her turn around to look.
He was still charging at the unmoving king, preparing to ram his fist into his face. A moment before the hunter had reached him, Mordecai raised his arm to counter the punch. However, Dalmin didn't hit him, but instead simply charged onwards, catching his opponent off guard and tackling him to the ground like a 300-pound smithing hammer. When he jumped up again, he was immediately grabbed by his arm and lifted into the air. Dalmin started to spin around, the way he had done it with a Genprey a few days ago. Mordecai's powers and speed were useless now. The giant whirled around faster and faster, and after a few seconds he used the great momentum to slam his opponent on the ground with massive force.
Mordecai let out a distinct gasp of pain, but instantly tried to get up again. However, Dalmin jumped on him and sat down on his stomach, punching his face like a madman. "Get out! Now!" he roared.
"What are you talking about!?" Ezakiel asked. He and Zeshen had just managed to get back up on their feet. They were quite bruised from the beating they had endured, but already held their weapons again. "We won't leave you!"
"Of course not", Mordecai interjected. He raised his glowing fists and slammed them into Dalmins chest. The breastplate shattered, and its wearer stumbled backwards and fell on his rear. The king stood up and summoned his weapon again, pointing it at Dalmins face. "You will all stay here and die." Then he lifted his sword high above his head, grinned at Dalmin again and cleaved it down.
"RUN!!!" That was the last word their friend said before he threw a handful of gunlance-shells at the incoming blade. It was sharp enough to cut through them with ease, and due to the fire, it ignited them. A terrible explosion shook the palace and engulfed the two combatants, followed by several more when the uncut shells were hit by the fiery blast. The noise was ear shattering, but they didn't care about that.
"DALMIN!" Zeshen screamed, while Ezakiel became grew pale. She tried to run towards the smoke, but Reena grabbed her arm.
"No! We don't even know if that worked. Dalmin gave us an opportunity to escape, but we have to get out now!"
Zeshen was furious. "How dare you! He is our friend! I will not leave him here!"
Before she could blow up for good, however, they heard a grunt. Bewildered, they turned around and saw Dalmin, lying on the ground motionlessly. A chill ran down her spine when she looked at him. Dalmin, the big, hot-tempered joker, the friend and comrade, was dead.
The one who had grunted, however, was Mordecai. He was down as well, but clearly alive, already trying to get up.
"Let's go!" Ezakiel said. "We can't defeat him now." Zeshen looked at him as if he was out of his mind, but Reena could see the expression in his eyes and flinched. He was on the verge of madness. Only his fear and the worry about his friends kept him sane. Zeshen seemed to notice it as well, for she simply lowered her head, then nodded.
"Follow me!" Reena ordered ran towards the gate behind the throne. Not waiting until she had reached it, she stretched out her hand and pointed at it. To her surprise, it opened. She didn't know that she could do something like this, but quite frankly, she didn't care. They ran through it and reached a small chamber. Shocked, they looked around.
It was a dead end.
The room was completely empty, except of a circle of runes carved into the floor. Ezakiel and Zeshen were gasping in bewilderment and disappointment, but something inside Reena resonated. She calmly walked into it, again as if her body was moving on its own. "Join me", she said blankly, with no intonation at all.
The others looked at her in wonder, but came over. She felt that she knew what this place was, but her mind was empty. For some strange reason, however, she knew what she had to do. So she imagined Dondruma, its streets and houses, and most importantly the residence of her father. Then she did something she didn't understand, nor could she describe it. But whatever it was, it caused a red, swirling storm of light to engulf them. In that very moment, the gate burst open and Mordecai charged at them, obviously unharmed.
He had almost reached them when they vanished.
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Finally, it is done. This chapter came from an idea I had a few months ago, and it was also what made me write this fic in the first place. Everything I wrote before was to lead up to this. Please tell me what you think about it, and how you liked the battle. It was my first non-monster-combat, so I was somewhat insecure writing it.
I think there's nothing more to say right now, so please review. The next chap might take some time, so sit tight.