Chapter 119
Wretched Woods(903 years ago)
Weapons clanged and clashed as man and beast roared inside the Wretched Woods.
"CUT THEM! TURN THEM INTO SKINWALKERS!" A large brown ram skinwalker yelled, "Kill the knights!!"
The skinwalkers mainly focused on cutting and transforming the marines into skinwalkers but the Secret Order knights were killable. Ju Peter and Richart fought hard.
"They're turning my men into those beasts!" Ju Peter said, his back against Richarts.
Richart cracked a tall, jack rabbit, skinwalker in the ribs with his hammer, sending it flying through the trees.
"I-I know! They're infecting those poor men with their curse, we won't be able to change them back!" Richart said.
Without turning around Ju Peter spoke.
"It's not about changing them back, it's the fact they're increasing their numbers over us the longer this fight goes on!" Ju Peter yelled, forcing a ram skinwalker off his sword and kicking the beast away.
Richart turned his head to look at Ju Peter.
"You... do you care about your men at all!?" Richart asked as he was grabbed by his head and thrown through trees and further into the woods.
"Get your ass ova dere!!!" Norog's gurgly voice squealed.
Richart stood up slowly and looked up to see Norog walking towards him slowly, slobbering, and licking his lips.
"I's been waitin' on yous for a long time Richert!" Norog squealed.
"N-Norog! You're under arrest!" Richart yelled, grabbing his hammer.
"What'd I do?!" Norog yelled.
"Murder, kidnapping, extortion, robbery, just about any crime you can think of!" Richart said.
"Oh yeah! I did do all dat stuff! But I ain't going down for none of it!" Norog said, getting in battle stance. Norog held his mace to his side and held his shield up.
"You's remember my power... don't ya boy?!" Norog laughed.
Richart smiled under his helmet and reached up to remove it. Norog smiled disgustingly. Richart revealed his face was burned all over. Norog's body and mace began to let off severely hot steam as Richart's hammer began to turn into ice. The man and pig beast then clashed their weapons against each other.
Back at the main battle Ju Peter and his marines were outmatched; if not for fighting with the Secret Order and their life force abilities, the marines would have already been slaughtered.
Ju Peter punched away another ram skinwalker. Ju Peter sweat lightly.
"Richart told the truth... these things are unbelievable.. and they keep increasing their numbers with that curse!" Ju Peter said, becoming frustrated.
TROT TROT TROT TROT!!!
Ju Peter turned around to see a horse skinwalker, Marcus "the triumphant," making a beeline straight towards him! Ju Peter turned and thew a hardened punch.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
The entire woods shook as the two clashed. The horse using his lance, and Ju Peter his fist. Lighting-like energy zapped over the battlefield, destroying trees, the landscape, and even killing a few skinwalkers, knights, and marines. Marcus was shocked! Marcus and Ju Peter forced themselves away from each other.
"Who-Who taught you that?" Marcus asked, a little nervous.
Ju Peter stood tall and opened and closed his hand.
"It looks like life force isn't so exclusive to you all after all.." Ju Peter said.
Marcus blew hot air out his nose and smirked.
"This power has clearly affected you as well, that's for sure, but you really think some newbie like you can master it so easily?" Marcus said, lifting his lance to block.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
Ju Peter's fist slammed into the lance and shook the battlefield again.
"Then let's stop yapping find out." Ju Peter said as he and Marcus forced each other away.
Great Wall of Nroc
Collector finally made it out of the blizzard and into an extremely dry field littered with geysers. The air stank of blood and bodies but neither could be seen laying around. Smog filled the sky making it appear like night time. Collector held his nose as he held his lantern high.
"This place is disgusting! This can't be the way to the Highland Forest... I must have taken a wrong turn..." Collector said, scratching his head.
Collector looked over to see two guards patrolling. Collector was uneasy.
"I've got a really bad feeling inside about those guys seeing me! I need to hide!" Collector yelled, whipping out a blanket that appeared to blend in to its surroundings. Collector smiled has he wrapped himself in the blanket and hid in plain sight.
The two guards continued walking and talking. The guards looked like humanoid alligators, they carried torches and wore armor that was clearly taken off soldiers from other factions and fashioned into their own style.
"Be serious. Why would anyone in their right mind come to Nroc, especially an intruder? This patrol is pointless." The first guard said.
"Well then maybe you should go say that to Lord Raizin's face." The other guard said.
"I'm not that crazy! I'm just saying... the great boom from earlier sounded over the Highland Forest... you know the rumors... any intruders that ended up over there have to be dead by now." The first guard said.
"Rumors? About the Highland Forest? Just what the hell is going on over there?" Collector said to himself as he noticed the two guards standing in front of him, staring.
"Ummm... you smell that too don't you Kleph?" The first guard said.
"I do... Phlem..." Kelph said.
Collector's eyes widened underneath his blanket.
"Oh no! Lord Cyclone warned me about a time like this!" Collector yelled to himself.
Flashback
"And stop putting so much faith into that camouflage cover you found. An enemy with a great sense of smell can still find you."Cyclone said.
End of Flashback
Phlem took out an alligator toothed knife and got ready to swipe at where Collector was.
WOOOOOSHHHH!!!
Phlem swung with everything he had but missed!
"What? Wasn't something here?? I smelled it!" Kleph yelled.
"Oh great, now look what you've done." Phlem said.
"Me?! Over there!" Kleph yelled as Collector climbed the great wall of Nroc.
Collector climbed as fast as he could with magic gloves as he breathed frantically. Kleph and Phlem ran up to the wall and looked up. Collector looked back with a smile.
"Ha Ha! Of course these buffoonish alligator guards can't climb walls! I'm home free!" Collector said as the guards began climbing after him.
"AAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Collector yelled.
"HALT! INTRUDER!" Phlem yelled.
Kleph opened his mouth as Collector turned his head.
PEWWWWWWW!!!
Kleph had fired a beam from his mouth! Collector barely dodged in time.
"THEY CAN SHOOT BEAMS?! That beast almost took my head off!" Collector screamed as he continued climbing, Kelph and Phlem gaining on him.
"Just how high is this damn wall?!?" Collector yelled.
Kleph opened his mouth to fire another beam as Collector took out a golden mirror from his bag. Kleph fired the mouth beam just as Collector rose the mirror, sucking the energy blast into the mirror.
Kleph and Phlem were completely shocked as Collector smiled sinisterly.
"Goodbye alligator man." Collector said as he licked his lips.
"Medusa's Mirror!!" Collector yelled.
PEWWWWW!!!! BOOOOOOOOM!!!!!
The mouth beam, amplified 10 fold by Collector's mirror, shot out the mirror back at Kleph and swallowed the alligator guard, shooting down the giant wall and blasting into the ground below.
"KLEPH!" Phlem yelled.
"HAAAAAAA!!" Collector yelled, throwing his hell bolas at Phlem, wrapping him up.
"Wh-What the hell is this?!" Phlem angrily yelled.
Collector pulled Phlem up the wall towards him with the long chain attached to the bolas.
"Wrangle and wiggle all you want alligator man; you cannot escape my hell bolas, which are enchanted with magical energy." Collector laughed.
Once Collector was able to grab a hold of Phlem, he dragged him up the wall as he continued climbing.
"What's the deal with the Highland Forest alligator?" Collector asked, "What do those rumors you mentioned earlier say about it?"
"You really think I'll talk after I just witnessed you murder my colleague?" Phlem asked.
Collector smiled.
"Heh heh that should be even more of a reason for you to cooperate alligator. I'll get the information I need out of you soon enough." Collector said.
Collector continued climbing until he finally reached the top of the great wall of Nroc. Collector slung Phlem on to a walkway atop the wall and then climbed over himself.
Collector dusted himself off and couldn't believe his eyes when he raised his head.
The city of Nroc looked like something out of a post apocalyptic nightmare. Nature had not only taken over, but had grown wildly out of proportion. Muchrooms towered over the ground, giant vines wrapped around buildings, cars and other buildings were destroyed.
"What the hell happened here?! Alligator! Answer me!" Collector yelled.
Phlem looked up at Collector, still wriggling, trying to escape the bolas. Phlem smiled.
"It doesn't even matter.. your presence on this island was noticed hours ago.. you'll be dead very very soon." Phlem said laughing.
Collector sat on top of Phlem and held his face.
"I don't think you're really in the position to say that!" Collector yelled, "What's going on here?! And what are the rumors of the Highland Forest?!!" Collector yelled, slapping Phlem.
WOOSH WOOSH
The sound of flapping wings interrupted Collector's interrogation. Collector gulped and slowly looked to his side as Phlem smiled.
A man sized yellow dragon with a red band over its eyes, religious jewelry, and a golden staff flapped in place staring at Collector. The creature wore a silky read cloth over its lower body.
"It's Heirophant Altir! (Alt-eer) Save me!" Phlem yelled.
Collector let Phlem go and put his hands up, his magic climbing gloves still on.
"Please! Don't kill me! I didn't mean to intrude!" Collector yelled as Altir stared him down.
Collector licked his lips.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" Collector yelled without warning, blasting a high powered beam straight for Altir.
"These gloves store the energy used in climbing and can be released in a massive attack!" Collector yelled.
Altir let the blast get close before he swiped it away with his golden staff, turning the attack to bits of light.
"IMPOSSIBLE!!!" Collector yelled as Altir charged his golden staff and pointed it at Collector. The entire sky shone bright like it was day time as Altir attacked. Collector put his hands up to block the light.
GLEAM PEWWWWWW! BOOOOOOOOM!!!!!
Altir's staff glowed and blasted a beam of light at Collector's position. When the smoke cleared, Collector was dead, burned to a crisp, his body was hardly recognizable. Altir sniffed the air and looked to the side when he hear a voice.
"Amazing Mr. Heirophant! You completely burned that creature up." Phlem said, walking into view. Phlem looked at Collector's charred body and licked his lips.
"His death freed me from those damned bolas!" Phlem said.
Altir flew over and landed by Phlem and Collector's body. Altir sniffed a little, smelling the charred body of Collector, confirming his death. Phlem walked behind Altir.
"It's a great thing you showed up when you did sir. I didn't know how I'd get out of this alive." Phlem said smiling. Altir sniffed around and reached for Collector's bag. Altir lifted the bag only to find it was completely empty.
Before Altir could do anything else, "Phlem" had conjured a shadow bow and arrow and was ready to fire. Phlem's appearance swapped from Collector to Phlem as Collector laughed. Altir readied his staff.
"IT'S TOO LATE FOR THAT! SHADOW STRIKE!" Collector yelled, blasting the shadow arrow at Altir, shooting through his chest and slowly draining Altir of everything. Altir's body shriveled up, losing muscle mass, and becoming increasingly skinny and weak. Altir fell on his hands and knees and looked up at Collector as the 6 armed creature calmly walked over and grabbed Altir's staff.
Collector picked up the staff and looked at it thoroughly.
"This is a very powerful staff sir! It will do me good as I make my way through your disgusting city." Collector said as Altir reached his hand out towards Collector. Collector raised the staff, preparing to stab Altir.
"Goodbye sir!" Collector laughed as Altir took off his eye wrap and light beams instantly shot out of his eyes, blasting Collector through the chest.
SPLAT!!!!!!! GUSH!!!!
Collector lost consciousness as he was blasted off the great wall. Collector's eyes were closed and his mouth opened slightly as he fell thousands of feet towards the ground below.
Altir weakly grabbed his staff and charged himself up with it. Altir returned to normal after a few minutes and stood up slowly, using his staff to walk over to the edge of the wall and look down. Nobody would be able to be seen from this high up, but with the combination of a shot through the chest and falling from this height, Collector had to be dead, for real this time.
Altir looked back at, what was Collector's charred body, but it had transformed back to the real Phlem. Altir walked over to Phlem's body and kneeled next to it. Praying and sprinkling holy water over the body before finally eating Phlem's corpse.
Wretched Woods
Blood dripped from Ju Peter's armor and body as he limped through the Wretched Woods. The entire marine transport group he brought with him had been killed or turned into skinwalkers. The marines had lost the battle and the skinwalkers retreated.
Ju Peter was trying to get back to the boats, but forgot his way there. Ju Peter eventually set his back against a tree and breathed in and out heavily. Groaning until a voice got his attention.
"Ju Peter! Holy Knight Ju Peter can you hear me?" St. Topman said.
Ju Peter's eyes shot open.
"E-Elders?" Ju Peter asked, shocked, "How-How?"
"Never mind how this telepathy is possible! What is your status?" St. Topman asked.
Ju Peter breathed heavily in and out.
"We-We were ambushed by skinwalkers... the entire transport party was killed or transformed into those things..." Ju Peter said.
"Transformed?! What sorcery is that?" St. Topman asked.
Ju Peter continued to breathe heavily in and out.
"A-Another side effect of "his" power..." Ju Peter said, "They're beasts that have the consciousness of men and the traits of the animal they've been changed into..." Ju Peter said, sitting down now, fixing up his leg.
"Fascinating... and you said those other insects were transformed into those things?" St. Topman asked.
Ju Peter nodded slowly, in pain.
"Y-Yes..." Ju Peter said.
"...Is there... any way to switch between man and beast?" St. Mars asked.
Back at the Holy Manor, St. Topman looked at St. Mars.
Back in the Wretched Woods, Ju Peter shook his head.
"Not to my knowledge... but we've captured one. They should've been on their way to you ages ago..." Ju Peter said.
The elders all looked at each other.
"A ship actually just docked in our port not long ago..." St. Mars said.
"Send for the skinwalker on that ship, I will begin studying it immediately." St. Saturn said.
"Apparently they've just arrived. We knew you were the right tool for the job." St. Topman said.
Ju Peter slowly stood to his feet.
"What do you want me to do next? I don't know where Richart is, and my entire squad is dead." Ju Peter said.
"Take your time Ju Peter, you've got three whole years. Find yourself somewhere safe to heal up and we will send another group to your location tomorrow morning." St. Topman said.
Ju Peter nodded and looked up to see Richart looking at him, his clothes half burned off and his arm red from steam burns. Richart breathed in and out heavily. Ju Peter stared back.
"So, you heard everything..." Ju Peter said.
Richart was enraged.
"You never cared about meeting King Joy Boy... you never cared about this island..." Richart said.
"Think about your next move very carefully... Mr. Richart." Ju Peter said, breathing heavily.
"Just tell me one thing... Mr. Ju Peter... "no" is out of the equation isn't it? You're not prepared to give King Joy Boy a choice in whether or not he opens this island to outsiders..." Richart said, "And... you said "his" power... who's power is the reason for life force?"
Ju Peter stared seriously.
"That's right, If Joy Boy said yes, we'd take over. If Joy Boy says no... we'd still take over... It'd just be more of a hassle... and you shouldn't concern yourself with what the source of life force is... that information will be meaningless in a few minutes..." Ju Peter said coldly.
Richart laughed and cried softly.
"All of this was about reconnaissance... to use what this island had against our king if need be... I'm crushed..." Richart said.
"Ubois was meant to be the spokesman for us... since he's a freak of nature... like the rest of you, but he got killed. They then sent me im his place..." Ju Peter said, catching his breath.
Richart gripped his hammer and looked up at Ju Peter.
"I think... it's time... I said something I should have said... a long time ago..." Richart said, breathing heavily himself, readying his hammer. Ju Peter reached under his chest plate.
"You are hereby banned from this island.." Richart said, dashing at Ju Peter. Ju Peter pulled out a pistol and dashed towards Richart.
CLING!!! POW POW!!!!!
Crows and other birds flew out of the trees at the loud sounds.
Dubois Castle (Present Day)
"I didn't hear about what had happened to that party for a long time... I was just arriving at the Unwelcoming Desert by the time the fight between skinwalkers and marines popped off..." Dubois said.
"Richart sounds like such a great man." Sakura said.
"He surely was." Dubois said softly, tears falling, "I..." Dubois choked on his words.
Everyone stared with empathy or sadness at the giant man's tears.
"I never got to say goodbye.." Dubois finally said.
Wretched Woods (903 years ago)
Ju Peter slowly limped through the Wretched Woods in even worse condition than he was before. Ju Peter's armor was completely destroyed, leaving Ju Peter in his torn up suit underneath the armor.
Ju Peter had small flashbacks to his fight with Richart moments ago as he walked. Eventually, Ju Peter came across a tavern in the middle of the woods, the name of the place read, The Hog Cabin. Laughter and fighting could be heard inside.
Ju Peter stared at the place with a serious face as he walked towards it.
Back into the forest, Richart laid on his back with a few shots in his body and chest. Richart rested peacefully as the sun broke through the trees and shined on his face, a butterfly flying down and landing on his nose. Blood was on Richart's mouth and all over his body from the gunshot wounds.
Richart opened his eyes slowly and thought of Dubois being on the island.
"It looks like... my... story ends here.. Mr. Ubois... I-I'm so sorry... I failed you... King Joy Boy, Lord Jambavan... please forgive me..." Richart said, his hand relaxing and opening up and his eyes closing slowly. Richart had passed away from his wounds.
With Richart's death... this was the beginning of the end for this island we know as "The Mainland."