Chapter 11: Retribution for the fallen. Blood mist.

Opening 3: Casey Edwards - Bury the Light


Shadow and Mary arrived with a despondent expression on their faces. The Gandàlfr looked numb and almost zombie like as if he wasn't responsive to anything around him. The half-elf looked depressed, silently wishing revenge against the hunters. Alysia noticed the pair and their current mood. She quickly became concerned upon laying her sight at their faces.

"By nature's embrace, what happened back at Eos…?" She reluctantly questioned.

Shadow soon moved his face in a near robotic fashion. His mind was already dead due to the horror of the massacre.

"The remaining population… They're all dead…" Shadow reluctantly spoke.

Alysia gasped softly in response. She could see the inner strife of Shadow's emotional state.

"How terrible of them… They were never this bold to attack our home." Alysia spoke in anger.

"They were coordinated from the hunter group. I killed their leader in retribution, but this group needs to end right here and now." Shadow spoke in hatred.

"I agree. They've gone too far this time." Maria followed.

"I share your grief and hate. However, this hunter association has been elusive since their first appearance years before the Great Lift." Alysia spoke.

"The Great Lift… The time when the lands became what we know… That's an event that happened almost a thousand years ago." Maria clarified.

"Due to the windstones within Halkeginia. The same Vent stones are used to keep the continents in Mistral afloat." Shadow surmised.

"The only catch is, we don't know where the elf hunters are located. We haven't found their headquarters since they're a secretive group." Alysia spoke, hinting her disdain.

"I think this item might help." Shadow spoke, procuring a card-like item.

"That's an elf hunter plate. They're laced with magic that can be tracked to where they are stationed." Alysia said.

"All the more reason to find a chance to raid these bastards. They're barbaric to the point of killing children for their sick pleasures or from false beliefs. Either way, the attack on Eos proved them to be irredeemable." Shadow spoke in anger.

"You're able to take them all on? It'll be near suicide to do so." Alysia questioned with uncertainty.

"I have to, to keep the elves safe. They don't deserve this ruthless bloodshed." Shadow spoke.

"I can see that you care for our kind quite deeply. Does it pertain to your friend or a lover?" Alysia asked.

"A lover, whom I've been separated through time. I've chose to endure the harsh lands of this timeline so I can acquire the items needed to make my way home." Shadow answered.

"What items are you seeking?" Alysia questioned.

"These items." Shadow answered, showing the red Chaos Emerald.

"You know of these mysterious stones? They brim with a powerful source of energy unlike any I've seen." Alysia noted.

"This is a Chaos Emerald. There are seven of them to gather. Once gathered, they enable the user to be granted power with the strength of a god. These items have performed various miracles from where I came from." Shadow spoke.

"They sound too precious to be left alone." Alysia admitted.

"They are. Sometimes they're kept either as a lucky charm or a fashion jewel. Regardless, they are the reason why I have been journeying in this timeline. The more I gather, the more my chances to reach my current timeline grow. I can't make it back with just one." Shadow explained.

"You have been displaced from time for how long?" Alysia asked.

"Over 1000 years." Shadow answered.

"By the spirits of nature…" Alysia exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes… This is the distant future for me. It's too far ahead for me to go back. Plus, I have a fight to settle with. An entity caused me to be left here and caused the events in the future to happen." Shadow said.

"Does it pertain to the darkwind creatures?" Alysia asked.

"It's part of the reason. I know that once I go back, this future would change. I'm uncertain as to how the changes would be." Shadow admitted.

"Either way, I hope the future changes for the better. Since Mistral was formed by Halkeginia rising to the sky, there must be a way to change it. However, I did notice that below the skies, the true surface is literally turned into a molten wasteland." Shadow admitted.

"The flames that cause uproars from deep below. We do possess a form of runic magic to keep the flames from touching the lands. However, we don't know the causes as to how they came to be." Alysia followed.

"I know what they are. The flames come from a being whom is immortal. It's called Iblis and is known from where I come as the Flames of Disaster." Shadow spoke.

Alysia paled in response upon hearing the title. She could see how much of a threat the being Shadow was explaining about is.

"The reason now I can recall about it is due to his counterpart whom marooned me in this future, Mephiles the Dark. He's the reason I'm here and I have to stop him first before going back to the past." Shadow declared.

"Mephiles the Dark… Sounds like he may have done more than just sent you here." Alysia thought.

"It appears so… Those dark wind creatures boast not only the aura of wind, but also his essence. It's a corroding dark force that threatens to poison any whom are afflicted. The treatment for the elves family here in Dawn's Touch proved it was part of his ploy." Shadow explained.

"You're able to theorize this considering you know of this ancient enemy?" Alysia questioned in wonder.

"His power may also be like mine, but I can feel an intangible darkness of its own league that threatens to consume all. Everything he copied from me, he can do the same with the darkness." Shadow answered.

"What does it have to do with the darkwind creatures we have been fighting against?" Alysia asked.

"It's a likelihood during the Great Lift, he may have absorbed the windstones from underground. I don't need to be a scientist to figure this out, but he has been using the energy from the windstones to create the darkwind creatures. The same stones that become Vent stones are the same thing." Shadow answered in explanation.

"When you put it that way, it sounds reasonable enough. You've fought this being before arriving here, but I'll ask about it later. Right now, we need to deal with the Elf Hunter Association. This group has proven to be a problem for all elves." Alysia reminded.

"The Elf Hunter Association… Yeah, we'll need to fight them off. Once they're dealt with, we'll focus on the bigger threat after." Shadow spoke.

"Spoken like a soldier… I'll see what I can find with this elf hunter plate. You two should rest, considering what happened today." Alysia said with concern.

Shadow nodded, his face showing little emotion. Mary felt concerned for him as she followed the Gandálfr out of Alysia's home.


(Play Zero no Tsushima OST - Tragic Memory)

In the past, Tiffania was looking dull. Her thinking of Shadow has left the elven girl in a state of catatonic denial. She had an expression of a dead person, whom had seen too much in war. Louise and Saito were with her to console her for the loss of her beloved. Silver and Charlotte also joined in to help.

"This never gets easy, no matter how often I see it…" Saito commented with lament.

"We just need to overcome the loss, but I hope Tiffania soon gets better. Even though she became my real friend when Shadow came in, I find it difficult to see her like this." Louise admitted.

"Shadow was willing to go through it all to protect us from what happened. If only I wasn't so weak willed…" Silver spoke in disdain.

"Don't blame yourself. It's not good for your mind." Charlotte spoke with concern.

Silver nodded with reluctance as he felt the very atmosphere feeling cold and sad. Everyone soon heard the window sills open from Tiffania. They soon watched the elven girl climb on top, forcing Saito and Silver to hold her back.

"Let me go… I want to be with him…" Tiffania spoke in a depressed tone.

"Stop Tiffania! We don't know if he's out there. It's still a chance for him to show up!" Silver spoke.

Tiffania held the vase of the magic flower close to her body. The plant was still dead in appearance as she held it close. Her mentality soon broke the dam as fresh new tears began to flow from her eyes. She began to sob quietly in a heavy loss. Knowing of her pain, the group held her close, sharing their feelings of loss.

"Shadow… Please… Come back to me…" Tiffania spoke in a silent prayer.

Unknown to the group, the magical flower soon had a faint glow of red pulse on its body. They didn't notice the glow yet as they held Tiffania to alleviate her pain. All they could do in Shadow's place is to prevent her from ending her life so suddenly.

(Tragic Memory OST ends here)


Shadow and Mary were resting in Dawn's Touch. The Gandálfr was reluctant to speak, finding it difficult to remain calm. Mary noticed his tension and wisely kept quiet.

'He's in so much anguish in his mind… After seeing what happened back in Eos, no one can blame him…' The elven girl thought in concern.

Shadow soon found himself lost in thought. Depressed and mentally exhausted, he collapsed on the floor to his knees.

"Shadow…" Mary sympathized.

"It never ends…" Shadow spoke in disdain.

"The indiscrimination from the humans… I know. I've endured it worse after being called a Dark Elf." Mary said.

"Your father… Did he raise you well to survive?" Shadow asked.

"My father was a human, but he was a trusting person whom helped me. I did not know about my real parents, except my mother whom was entrapped in a crystal prison." Mary admitted.

Shadow soon pondered on what Mary said. It quickly made him realize whom she was referring to.

'No mistake about her… I'll reveal myself to her when the time comes.' He thought.

Exhaustion overtaking his mind, Shadow soon fell asleep. Mary soon noticed Hien channeling water elemental energy, washing his body from the blood.

"He has been through a lot since we've seen the horrors back in Eos… It's the least I can do to help calm himself." The fire spirit spoke.

"It's fine, Hien… After seeing what we've seen, I don't blame him for acting this way or even becoming cold. I'll have to agree on one thing. This Elf Hunter Association has to be stopped at all costs." Mary spoke.

"I agree. This act of barbarism speaks nothing of anything that preserves humanity's spirit. It's a defiling act driven by a corrupt person." Hien spoke with disgust.

"I can attest to that. Let's get some rest for we have a long day tomorrow." Mary said.


The next morning, Shadow was awake with a glum expression. The massacre of Eos was still fresh in his mind. It made him feel disgusted as to how far humanity would go for their own beliefs.

'I'll never forgive those people whom hunted the elves for whatever reason. They're going to pay for this and I'll make sure their payback is returned tenfold.' He thought.

Mary soon walked from behind Shadow, noticing his eyes and expression. She couldn't fault him for anything after what happened.

'The events from what happened are still fresh in his mind… No doubt today will be a relentless hunt against the Elf Hunters. He's ready to let loose.' The dark elven girl thought with concern.

Shadow soon gripped his sword in an angrily fashion. Veins and muscles were seen bulging, showing his inner rage. Mary wisely remained quiet as her friend soon slid Zenyōso into its scabbard. The sword made an audible click. On his left hand, Aragon manifested in a silver flash. The spirit weapon noticed the turmoil Shadow was enduring.

"So… You've seen the Elf Hunters' brutality… I do not blame you for feeling this mental tempest. I too despise them, but don't let your anger and hate make you forget your friends." Aragon spoke.

This managed to soothe Shadow, though his face didn't show he was calm.

"Thanks Aragon, and Mary." Shadow spoke.

Mary was surprised of Shadow thanking her. She didn't know what to say, despite hearing the spirit weapon's calming words to the Gandálfr. She soon gathered her courage to speak to him.

"Shadow… We will find them and make them pay. Of that, I have no doubt." Mary spoke with a determined expression.

His expression soon softened. His grip on Zenyōso soon got loose, leaving it in the scabbard.

"We might as well get prepared to find their headquarters and put an end to their genocide. "I'm sorry if I end up slaughtering them ruthlessly, but I can't let them take anymore innocent lives." Shadow spoke with a sorrowful tone.

Mary didn't realize why he was apologizing till she briefly saw a visage of a young girl holding Shadow from behind. It was a comforting embrace, though she had a feeling the visage was a dearly departed friend. She remained silent, not wanting to break the moment.


A few days have past in Dawn's Touch. Shadow and Mary were now heading east of the town, having retrieved coordinates for the Elf Hunter Association. It was over 50 miles away from the outskirts, but Shadow knew well to presume.

'They're closer than we realize… This is a chance to redeem the elves and put an end to this hunting group. I won't let them get away with this.' The Gandálfr thought.

Mary followed behind, keeping up with Shadow's speed. She remained silent, knowing of the inner turmoil that was in Shadow's mind. She held her bow, ready to fight off the hunting group.

'I know this won't redeem me due to my title and appearance. However, I won't stand by and let them hunt my brethren down for their sick beliefs.' She thought with determination.

Both were now seeking redemption and vengeance for the elves. Making their way across the vast lands, they didn't encounter any darkwind creatures. It brought no sense of solace as the road that they took was paved with conflict awaiting to happen.


The headquarters of the Elf Hunter Association was at last found. It was a large, neoclassic castle with magical defenses meant to handle a large siege. Large turrets were shown, ready to fire. Shadow noticed the weapons and formed a plan to sabotage them.

"I'll go ahead to disrupt their turrets. That'll leave them open for a frontal assault on their headquarters. I'll send a spear of energy to the sky to signal that we should commence the siege." Shadow explained.

"What should I do?" Mary asked.

"Sneak your way in from underground and find any survivors. If you do, have them vacate the premises so they don't get caught in the crossfire. This fight will be very bloody and I don't want any innocent blood being spilled anymore. Once all the survivors have evacuated, meet up wkth the troops and await my signal." Shadow answered.

Mary nodded in response and snuck her way in. Shadow began his plan, destroying the turrets lining the headquarters, leaving it defenseless. This alerted the hunters, whom were now alerted from the rampage.

"What the hell!?" Male elf hunter #1 asked.

"Who did this?" Female elf hunter #1 questioned.

"I did. Now die." Shadow announced.

The Gandálfr wasted no time and dealt swift lethal slices on their necks. The two hunters gurgled as their blood flowed out of their bodies in increasing amounts. His eyes were now glowing red, anger laced in them.

"Is this all they have? Pathetic…" He snarled.


Deep inside the headquarters, Mary descended deep in the prisons. She found several survivors, but some were maimed beyond recovery. The dark elf could only give a sad sympathetic look at the ones whom are barely clinging to life. Knowing this, she was able to provide a healing potion that managed to heal the maimed elves, restoring their bodies and life. She got to work and destroyed the chains that bound them.

"We must leave immediately… Use this transport crystal to head back to Dawn's Touch. All of you will meet with Alysia." Mary spoke.

A portal to Dawn's Touch was created. All the survivors were able to flee from the headquarters. As soon as the last line left, the portal closed. This allowed Mary to rejoin with the elf soldiers, sneaking her way through the halls before exiting the headquarters.


Shadow raced his way through the castle, destroying the turrets that lined in the walls. This left sections of the castle defenseless. He continued his reign of destruction, destroying the turrets and any elf hunters whom came by.

"Pathetic hunters… The lot of them." He spoke with venom.

He was walking calmly through the halls of the castle. Each time a turret came to point at him, he destroyed them with his chaos spears, leaving them unrepairable. Chaos Energy was seen surging on his body as he was using his anger to fuel his powers.

"Out of my way!" Shadow snarled.

He soon channeled wind elemental energy and began hurling blades of wind. The blades were seen slicing through the hunters, bifurcating them. Some were literally split in half from head to toe. It was a bloody mess as every hunter that came to him perished. Despite the losses, the headquarters still had plenty of hunters.

"Time to bring in the army." Shadow spoke.

He channeled a great deal of Chaos Energy and created a large Chaos Spear. He hurled it in the sky to signal the elf forces from Dawn's Touch arrived and began raining their magic and weapons to the headquarters. Knowing he may expect heavy resistance, he summoned Aragon on his left hand.

"Time we could use the help we need." Shadow said to the spirit gun.

"So you're raiding the headquarters of the Elf Hunt Association. It's about time this group has been put down for good." Aragon agreed.

Shadow noticed several elf hunters coming. He began shooting them down with deadly precision. He noticed how the bullets pierced through multiple victims, allowing him to take advantage of the hallways.

'This will come in handy.' Shadow thought as he took careful aim.

He soon fired a well aimed shot that pierced through multiple victims at once. Having run out of bullets, he was able to procure more bullets from the fallen elf hunters. The bullets were magically reloaded into the gun as the ejected shells were pushed out of the reload cylinder when Shadow used the top break feature to reload. The bullets magically affixed in each hole of the cylinder, allowing him to reload hands free. He then pulled the front back in place.

"Arjean, Aragon, I'm going to go all out in my assault to lower their numbers. I'm not asking much, but I'll need both of your help to prevail." Shadow requested.

"No need to ask further, Shadow. I will help." Aragon agreed.

"I will help you, Daddy. Please find the way back to Mommy." Arjean spoke.

"I will, Arjean. We will make our way back to my timeline." Shadow promised.

Having sword and gun ready, Shadow charged forward. He encountered more hunters and used his left arm to shoot at the distance hunters. The ones that got close were cut down by Zenyōso in its fire elemental form. Seeing more hunters coming out, Shadow channeled his fire energy into Aragon. The gun flowed with a bright orange red color before he fired.

"Fire Bullet!" Shadow shouted.

The bullet raced its way to the hunters before exploding with the force of a thermal bomb. It killed the large crowd of hunters that gathered.


Outside the headquarters, the army of elves gathered with Mary in tow. They noticed the rampage Shadow was causing, evident by the fiery explosion he caused.

"Looks like Shadow has been busy." Mary noted.

"He may be one man, but no doubt that guy may be the legendary Gandálfr we heard in legends thanks to his heroic stand in that historical battle." Elf soldier #1 spoke.

"I recognize that sword he wields. No doubt that's the legendary mythril sword, Zenyōso." Elf soldier #2 noted.

"Alright everyone. No time for talk. We raid this place since I managed to get all the survivors out. It's time we destroy this place and put an end to their genocide." Mary announced.

The elf soldiers roared in agreement. They were all ready with their magical weapons and guns aiming at the headquarters.


Shadow noticed the elf soldiers and smirked. Now that the army arrived, his task was done in thinning the enemy numbers.

"My role here is done. The rest of you enjoy the show…in hell." Shadow spoke to the surviving hunters.

The hunters were confused as Shadow gave a smirk. He teleported away from them, leaving the survivors confused.


Shadow soon held Aragon out. He made the gun shapeshift into a rifle, a function he understood the weapon had. Though it resembled a sniper rifle, it still held its revolving chamber. He noticed several snipers in the headquarters, causing him to quickly take aim and fire at them. Each round caused him to use the pump action handle to move the next bullet in the revolving chamber. Having shot down the snipers, he was able to press the reload button to cause the revolving cylinder to swing out and eject the spent rounds. Shadow caught the unspent ones and began reloading the rifle with bullets. The bullets were magically changed into rifle rounds as he reloaded the revolving cylinder all eight rounds before locking the cylinder back in place. Soon, the elf soldiers had their weapons ready and fired at the headquarters, causing immense damage that destroyed it.

"Stand back everyone… I'll ensure the coup de grace is delivered." Shadow warned.

He began charging his weapon with wind elemental energy.

"Wind Bullet!" He exclaimed.

Soon, he fired his rifle, creating a tempest of compressed wind roaring on the destroyed headquarters. The wind began to gather around the area of the headquarters like a mini black hole, swallowing them up in its vortex before it began compressing itself. The entire headquarters was no more. None of the survivors were left as Shadow made sure none were left alive.

"Our work here is finished… Let us return…" Shadow spoke with reluctance.

The elf soldiers knew he was feeling guilty of causing such a relentless rampage. Mary walked up to him, knowing of his pain.

"You did the right thing, Shadow… The Elf Hunter Association is long gone." Mary reassured.

"It doesn't alleviate my causes for doing what I did… I wonder if I'm becoming less of myself and becoming a monster…" Shadow spoke.

"You are not a monster, Shadow. You helped in my role in saving the survivors that were held captive here." Mary spoke.

(Play Sonic 06 OST - The Resurrection of Mephiles)

Shadow sighed as he looked at the horizon. The sun was blocked by the clouds in the sky but he knew it was a solemn day due to the fighting. An elf soldier offered the pair a ride back to Dawn's Touch. They did so and left the premises of the fallen headquarters. After the last person left, Mephiles arrived at the site of the destroyed headquarters. He merely laughed in response.

"Yes… All you are doing is spreading chaos and destruction… Keep fighting, Shadow… I owe much to you for sealing my fate on my home dimension. And now I will reclaim what I lost. My place in the timeline that I once existed." Mephiles spoke.

He noticed the destroyed headquarters. Laughing in response to the destruction that happened.

"You may have eliminated an obstacle I created, but that won't hinder my efforts to regain my place and claim what was lost from me. I will return with Iblis in possession." Mephiles spoke with evil.

The dark entity soon disappeared in the shades. His laughing was heard as he vanished.

(The Resurrection of Mephiles OST ends here)


On the way to Dawn's Touch, Shadow couldn't shake the feeling off from his mind.

'I can't help but think we were used to destroy the Elf Hunter Association… It's as though someone orchestrated its creation to hinder the elves for something.' Shadow thought.

Mary noticed Shadow's silence, prompting her to ask him. She was worried for him.

"What's the matter, Shadow?" She asked.

"I can't get this feeling off of my mind… It feels as though we have been used to clean up someone's mess." Shadow revealed.

"Really? Do you think someone orchestrated the creation of the Elf Hunter Association?" Mary asked.

"It's possible. I already have clues for the distant past to find the precursor. The real threat is who kept the thought of the elven genocide running." Shadow explained.

"Generations of humans have caused this belief but some decided not to follow that belief. The ones that chose not to fight the elves ended up being secluded away from the cities, forming their own wind barriers from the safety of the darkwind creatures." Mary described.

"I can think of one being responsible… And he's out there somewhere…" Shadow realized.

"The being called Mephiles…" Mary followed in realization.

The pair now realized and shared the same sentiment. They knew Mephiles was out there and was responsible for the elven genocide.

Ending 3: Play Cold Bullet Blues by Kurosaki Maon

Note: Sorry it took me a while. I got a load of ideas to make with the next chapters.