Sorry for the delay everyone! Getting ready for senior thesis also means looking for a career after you graduate so... Anyways, enjoy this update to Template!
The crisp morning air felt refreshing as the Veteran Commander stepped out of his meager residence and inhaled through his nose. The chill of the morning dew lightly jolted the nerves in his nostrils and he felt a burst of energy well up from within him. And just in time, too. He was just starting his normal routine.
It started with a course of stretches to get his muscles primed for the later exercises. Biceps, triceps, abdominals, hamstrings, they were all stretched for about thirty seconds each. Once he felt each fiber of muscle brimming with energy he started to jog down the foggy path.
All around him, the mist clung onto the trees that bordered the road into town and the rustic fence wooden planks served as his guide. Occasionally, he would encounter other early morning joggers and they would give him a friendly wave as they passed. In the span of five minutes, he rounded a corner and finally saw his destination.
Velder.
Or at least what Velder would look like when it was recovering from a massive demon invasion several months ago. The palace was, of course, among the first structures to be rebuilt. The surviving nobles likely saw to that. Raven rolled his eyes at the thought and then he swept them over the rest of the city.
The Hope Bridge was also a priority to be reconstructed, as the Veteran Commander could see several scaffoldings and cranes along the length of the behemoth structure. Commercial Area 1, being the heart of business in the city, was also being prioritized. The last time the mercenary walked through the area, there were already vendors selling their wares out of the burnt holes in the walls and the cratered sidewalks.
Now his golden orbs fell on Residential Area 3, and his stoic expression darkened.
The area was still in disrepair. Most of the maintenance had been done by the returning residents who just wanted a roof over their heads that was not charred supports. With the majority of the reconstruction effort being focused on other areas throughout the city, Residential Area 3 was on its own. The Red Knights tried to patrol the area often, but they were often roped into guard duty for the same nobles that allowed corruption to spread and preventing Residential Area 3 from getting back on its feet quickly.
That is where he came in.
In the span of time it took Raven to think on the state of the city, he was crossing the threshold of what used to be the West Gate. Standing at attention amongst the rubble were a trio of rough looking men with great swords slung across their backs and grey bucklers strapped to their arms. One of them made eye contact with the Veteran Commander as he approached and his already straightened back became even more rigid.
"Captain Raven! Welcome back!" At his exclamation, the other two soldiers went to attention and snapped off crisp salutes, their right hands came to their foreheads at a sharp 35 degrees. Raven came to a stop and jogged in place in front of the men, returning their salute and greeting.
"At ease, Zed, Craig, Sid. Any trouble this morning?" Raven inquired between deep breaths.
"Nope, nothing unusual came through on our end. Ellie and Brad are patrolling the district and seeing as we haven't heard any cries or clanging steel, the streets are probably clear of trouble." The one that engaged the Veteran Commander in conversation gave a brief report, earning a satisfied nod.
"Good to hear. Keep it up, Crow!" Raven gave off one last salute as he resumed his run, this time into Residential Area 3, the three men from before saluting him as he left. As the man at the front of the group began to turn back to the ruined gate, the morning sun glinted off an object around his neck.
It was an emblem in the shape of a bird with its wings spread and its black luster shining in the light. It was a symbol Raven saw often in the past.
It was the mark of the Crow Mercenary Knights, the band of independent soldiers Raven himself lead so many years ago. The group of men and women who gave their lives to save his and started him down a path of vengeance. And then after he was freed from his rage by the ElGang two years ago, the leader in him began to slowly awaken.
Normally, Velder military protocol, which Raven had drilled into him, demanded that the commander stay to the rear. However, in the ElGang, who met otherworldly perils on a daily basis, it was necessary to be at the front, aiding allies. So, Raven had made the decision to turn his nasod arm into a powerful weapon without allowing it to evolve all those years ago. This meant the majority of the strain would be shouldered by his body, but if that was the price to pay for greater power, so be it.
It was then he became what he called a Weapon Taker. As a Weapon Taker, he blew open enemy formations with his overwhelming fire power and his allies would then charge forward and finish them off. This often resulting in his body suffering some back lash from the overloaded attack, but it secured victory for the ElGang through most of their journey.
Of course, the constant overclocking of the arm's power core wore it out, and maintenance started to become more and more frequent, almost to the point where it was becoming detrimental. So, with the help of the Pongos of Altera, Raven forged a new arm that could handle the strain of the intense energy in the core and still be capable of dishing out even more carnage than before.
After that upgrade, Elsword often complained that there were almost no enemies to fight because Raven had already incinerated them. But this is where his skills as a leader really showed. He would charge into the fray and scatter the enemy and identify their commander. From there, they would improvise and crush the enemy. Though Elsword was still considered their de facto leader, Raven was widely accepted as the battle commander. A grizzled veteran that commanded respect and inspiration through his experience.
A Veteran Commander.
Raven returned as the blazing officer to Velder, only to see his home being burned to the ground by the demons' flames. He had fought so hard at the time, scorching scores of Glitter demons at a time, cleansing them with his fire. But it was not enough, the demons were already dug in and weathered the ElGang's and the Red Knights' assaults. Once they were spent, the enemy launched a counter attack. What was supposed to be an operation to take back the city became a struggle to survive as the heroes fended off wave after wave of demonic attacks, being pushed through the city and eventually forcing the ElGang to hold their ground as the remaining civilians were evacuated from the South Gate.
Raven could still remember the orange glow of Velder as they fled the burning city still being visible as the metropolis shrank in the distance. He swore he would return and set the city free. And after expunging the demonic presence in Hamel and Sander, he was given that chance. The Red Knights were joined by the Hamel Guardian Knights and they rushed over the demon ranks like a red and white tsunami, crushing the Glitters and finally forcing them back through their portal. Then, the Water Priestess Sasha and the Wind Priestess Anudran combined their magic to destroy the gateway, ending the invasion of the Lurensian continent.
After settling down in the ruined capital, Raven resolved to maintain the peace he fought so hard for. The Veteran Commander reformed the Crow Mercenary Knights, recruiting only the best fighters he could find. What he created was something that the residents of Velder recognized: a symbol they thought lost to the ashes of the old Velder.
The Crow Mercenary Knights were reborn and returned stronger than ever. Even in a city ravaged by the flames of war, they stood as a representation of perseverance and integrity. They would police the streets and guard food stockpiles from those trying to take advantage of the chaos. A couple of rumors even suggested that the nobility tried pinning several crimes on the new group, but those words died quickly among the depraved populace.
Now that he thought on it, ever since the ElGang had rid Sander of the demonic presence, things had been looking up. Aisha had been able to master her powers. Elsword was finally given a chance to join the Red Knights. Chung returned to Hamel only to find it mostly restored after the demon attack. Ara, though without her brother, left for Fahrmann with Eun. Eve resumed her efforts to restore the Nasod kingdom and Add followed Eve, of course.
Elesis had gotten the short end of the stick unfortunately. During a skirmish in Feita, she and her Red Knights were ambushed by Glitters and were slaughtered, and the Red Haired Knight was left on death's doorstep. However, when Elsword arrived carrying the Dark El that empowered Conwell, her will to live and her drive for vengeance resonated with the darkened energy, restoring her life. Raven saw her cut through the enemy lines with dark, blood colored energy and a seemingly lifeless stare as the demons' blood splashed over her. She was almost like Raven when he was being controlled by the Nasods, except she wanted nothing more than to see the Glitters dead at her feet. So after the demons were purged from Elrios, she became lost, her target for revenge gone.
But this is where her little brother came in.
"Okay, let's try that again sis. Smile." Raven heard a familiar voice and grinned at the sound before rounding the corner of a decrepit structure. He was then greeted by the sight of the two Sieghart siblings, Elesis with her flat expression and Elsword tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Sis, you need to turn the corners of your mouth up. Up."
Raven finally came to a stop and brought a hand to cover his face when he realized that Elsword was talking like one would to a grade schooler. Elesis did not show any change in her expression except a slight cocking of an eyebrow.
"Elsword, why are we doing this again? We have other things we should be doing, like continuing our patrol." Her voice was just about as flat as her expression, earning a sigh from her brother.
"Come on, sis! Here, let me help you." With that, the Infinity Sword grasped the Crimson Avenger's cheeks and attempted to pull her face into a smile. What he got was something that would not be out of place in a shop of horrors and a knee in the gut. The Veteran Commander did his best to stifle his laughter as he approached the two red heads, though one had a dark streak in his.
"Hey, you two. Out on patrol?" He giggled and promptly cleared his throat of the guffawing.
"Ah, Raven. That is what we are supposed to be doing, but this brat is putting it off just to make me smile." Elesis scoffed as her brother coughed at her feet.
"Elesis, maybe I am trying to make sure you don't go out on patrol. Last time, you nearly cut down a kid who stole a piece of fruit." Now Raven was completely focused on the conversation.
"Elesis, is that true?" His answer was swift.
"Justice must be meted out no matter the crime or the criminal. That is the creed I now follow."
"That doesn't mean you kill a starving little boy, Elesis! The leader of the Red Knights does not pull shit like that! That is what makes people hate you!" Elsword's yelling was getting nervous stares from the nearby pedestrians, leading to Raven putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Elesis, I understand that some things cannot be tolerated, but if that child stole from the food stores, that falls under the Crow Mercenary Knights' jurisdiction. You should not be passing judgement on something we are supposed to handle. I respect you as a commander, but if you overstep your boundaries, I will not overlook any actions you take." His voice was stoic and threatening. The fact that she tried to kill a child in broad daylight was news to him and it concerned him greatly. The Red Knight leader's cold expression finally changed, darkening further than before.
"Are you trying to give me orders, Commander?" Raven caught a glimpse of blood-colored light emitting from her palm when...
WHAM!
A boot met her shin, dispersing the energy and causing her face to contort in pain. After dropping to one knee for a few seconds, her eyes, now filled with murderous intent, focused on the red haired perpetrator.
"..."
"... Haha?" With a nervous laugh, Elsword broke out into a sprint with Elesis giving chase, her dark powers pulsing around her. There were no profanities thrown as they disappeared around the corner and Raven let out a sigh of relief. Though unconventional, Elsword found a peaceful resolution to the problem by turning his sister's ire onto him. Leave it to that brat to come up with the craziest ideas. He would talk with Penensio later about the Crimson Avenger's behavior.
"Ah, looks like I just missed her." Speak of the devil and he shall appear, Penensio strode up to Raven in full gear, watching the corner that the siblings turned.
"Yeah, so I guess you heard what happened?" Raven inquired, his gaze on the same spot.
"Unfortunately, it is the first I heard of it. The Red Knights are really grateful for what the Crows are doing here and we are trying to keep our leader in check but..." The Cross Guard Captain's voice started to trail of at the mention of his superior.
"Not going well?" Raven's prod earned him a shake of the head.
"Sadly, that is the case. She has become so merciless ever since the demons left. Without a target for her rage, she just lashes out at the people. I think she is aware of what she is doing, but I think she is helpless to stop it. It is like an urge, as she describes it." The Rune Slayer sighed.
"Which means if she is going to change, it needs to come from her own heart." Raven finally looked to the man, who returned his gaze with his own and a nod.
"I think so. But, she still needs time. For now, we will see if we can get another squad to patrol here so you don't have to worry about her murdering someone in the open." Penensio offered the Veteran Commander a way out, which was readily accepted.
"I would appreciate that. On another note, it wouldn't kill her to try and smile." Raven chided, resulting in the Captain bringing a thoughtful hand to his chin.
"Come to think of it, there was an elf with you before who seemed to have the same problem. Have you heard anything from her?" Penensio immediately regretted that question when the Crow leader's face fell at the mention of his companion. "Sorry, forget I asked..."
"It's fine. No I haven't heard anything from her. Hopefully, that just means she is busy." Despite Raven's outward evasion of the topic his mind had already wandered into those recollections of the elf in question.
Rena, the Night Watcher. How he missed her, even if her trademark smile was now only a memory. She was the one who saved him from his rage towards the world with her bright smile and cheerful personality. For a while, the two had grown close, close enough that Raven could only think of her whenever his deceased fiancé came to mind. But then she was introduced to the Night Savers, a group of assassins from the Elven dimension that watched over Elrios from the shadows.
At first, the changes in her were subtle, brief moments of cold calculation in the heat of battle, but still the same motherly Rena that the gang loved outside of it. Then, the changes became more drastic. Suggestions of leaving civilians so that military resources could be saved, isolation from the rest of the group when not in combat.
And she stopped smiling.
Raven wanted to reach out and bring her back, but she always said it was her duty to the world and that she did not have room for such feelings. As much as he wanted to bring back that smile, he wanted to see his home again just as much, so he chose to allow their relationship to fade so he could focus on the bigger picture. After the capital was finally liberated, the Night Watcher vanished into the shadows and was never heard from again.
"My apologies, I did not mean to bring that up. But while I have your attention, Commander..." Penensio's voice snapped Raven from his stupor and his eyes focused on the Rune Slayer, giving him his full attention. "There has been a bit of a problem with the garrison in Elder."
"Elder? What is happening in Elder?" From the tone of the Captain's voice, it was clear that something had him concerned, which meant that the Veteran Commander should be concerned.
"We received a couple of reports from the garrison about a week ago of sighting... something massive on the outskirts of the city. No descriptions as to its appearance, except that it was huge. Also, some of the homes outside of the city limits have apparently disappeared." His voice was grim and his eyes narrow.
"Disappeared? Not destroyed?" At first, Raven was thinking it could have been a dragon, but since when do dragons make homes disappear? They would burn them down, yes, but that would leave traces. What the Cross Guard Captain was saying was that there were no remains.
"Yes, disappeared. We sent a small unit to investigate after getting those reports, but they have not returned yet. They were supposed to have come back two days ago. And the Elder garrison has gone silent. We haven't heard anything else after those last communications." Now the topic got a lot more grim. It was one thing if the unit was running late, but if the garrison of a whole city was not making its regular reports that would mean...
"You think the demons have another portal up north?" Raven asked the first question that came to mind.
"It looks like that is a strong possibility, but we can't take any chances on this. I am assembling a small legion of knights to investigate what is going on over there. Think you can lend us your expertise on this expedition?" It seemed that Penensio was already sorting a solution and needed Raven's assistance. This greatly concerned him as well, so he was in no position to refuse.
"I understand. When do we leave and how many are we taking with us?"
"We leave tomorrow morning on Cockatigles with a forty man legion from the North Gate. Elsword and Elesis will be joining as well, I will inform them later. Also, Chung Seiker and Ara Haan will be rendezvousing with us at Bethma." The Rune Slayer laid out the plan and some the details surprised the Veteran Commander.
"Chung and Ara are coming? That is a surprise." Raven shook his head to clear the distracting thoughts as he gave the Captain a nod of acknowledgement. "Understood, I will be there. I will inform my men that I will be taking on this assignment. Zed will be left in charge while I'm gone."
"Thank you, Commander." Penensio gave a salute to the Veteran Commander, which was returned before turning on his heel and walking down the sidewalk.
Little did they know, that this was far more then what they had ever imagined...
There we have it! I wanted to make everyone in this story their transform paths, so I am grateful that Crimson Avenger came out in time for me to see it and add it in. I still have to wait to see what Add's is before I insert him in the story, but that should not be too long, as he is being released next month. So, please Read and Reveiw. Until next time!