Chapter 2
Alexia
I wasn't sure how long I'd been tied to this table. A whole day at least, possibly more. There wasn't a window in here and without access to daylight it was impossible to tell how much time was passing. Deprived of any other options I tried to measure the time by how often they provided meals. But unfortunately for me my captor didn't exactly have keeping me well fed as one of his priorities.
Oh he certainly wasn't about to let me starve. It's a tad difficult to receive a renewing supply of blood from a corpse after all. But that's about all I can say for him. Mostly I just had to content myself with eating whenever he remembered that even involuntary blood donors need food as well.
Still, I had it easy compared to another.
Glancing to the side showed me my fellow captive. I hadn't seen anything like it, it's skin was bulging and looked to be rotting. Its hair was wide. And parts of its oversized body had fused together. I could admit that had I encountered it on the street I would be afraid.
However judging by its actions it wasn't a monster as much as it looked like one. It never acted aggressive and when our captor entered the room it huddled in the corner and whimpered. If anything it acted more like a scared little girl than a monster like its appearance suggested.
I was broken out of my thoughts by the door slamming open as my captor barged into the room muttering to himself.
"Back for my blood?" I hazard a guess.
"No no no can't get blood now even though I don't have nearly enough yes not enough blood I needed more blood why couldn't I take more blood?"
"That's awful," I deadpan. "You seem agitated."
"Yes yes it's awful they've come to stop me from taking more blood they're attacking now to kill me and if they have their way I won't be able to get any more but I need more blood more more more I haven't taken enough yet!"
A surge of hope swells in my chest. "The knight order is here? Well looks like this is the end of the line for you. If you unchain me now and surrender peacefully they won't execute you on the spot."
"Who the fuck gives a shit about the knights? There won't be anything left of me for the knights when they're through with me!"
"You aren't not talking about the knights?" My hope subsides slightly at the news it isn't Iris coming. But a rescue is a rescue.
"Nonononononono they don't leave anyone alive they just kill everyone but before I die I have to take the blood alive I have to take all the blood I can and escape before they kill me!"
"Either way you should turn yourself in."
He turns to me with a look of utmost condescension.
"I will not be surrendering to those… those… luddites!" He digs in his pockets for a few moments before pulling out a syringe. He looks at it with a grin that sets my skin on edge. "I haven't been able to get enough of the Royal Blood just yet so I need to buy myself some time only a bit more only a bit….
At first I thought he was moving towards me with his syringe. I tried to edge as far away from him as I could manage. Not far, the steel chains held me to the chair. There was no chance for me to escape from the approaching sharp instrument.
Instead he's heading for my cellmate.
"Hey, leave her alone! If it's my blood you want shouldn't you take this last opportunity while you can?"
He ignores me, just shuffling forward while chuckling creepily.
Then the next I register is the sound of shattering glass. My tormenter is clutching his hand and screaming in pain as blood drips from it. But not from the shattered syringe. I vaguely see the blade of a knife sticking out of his palm. It happened so fast I don't even realise my bindings have been cut until I'm clutching my own head.
I hastily look up to see my captor now with a look of utmost shock upon his face clutching his throat. He's stopped screaming and instead seems to try to gargle something out, before his legs give out beneath him. It isn't until the first few moments of shock are over that I realise I'm watching a man die for the first time as in futility he tries to gasp out his last few breaths.
There is a woman standing next to him. She's wearing an outfit of white, red, and gold. She's unmistakably human, and has long blond hair that almost seems to be glowing. She turns to look at me and I see she's wearing a mask that matches her outfit and frames a pair of scarlet eyes. It's difficult to guess, but I'd say she's a couple years older than I am.
So fast, I didn't even see her kill him.
My heart beats in fear when I realise she's scowling at me with clear dislike.
"I have freed you from your bindings Princess Alexia. You may escape now." She almost seems to spit the words before turning away to regard my cellmate.
I blink for a few moments before catching myself, then shake my head to clear it. I'm not about to back down just because she saved me.
"Hold on. Who the hell are you? If you aren't with the knights then why did you save me?"
She looks back at me, still scowling.
"Must one need a reason to rescue a young girl trapped in a place like this? Regardless, my name is Solaris. She who shines a light on even the vilest shadows. The rest doesn't regard you now that you're no longer restrained. So run to your sister," she commands.
"What the hell do you mean by that?"
"Only that Princess Iris is running around dealing with the chaos engulfing the city and could use another hand." Her words are punctuated by the sound of a far off explosion. "So you should go help her with that instead of continuing to waste my time."
I glance at the creature who she's studying. Her actions still remind me of a young girl so my instinct is to remain her and protect it. But with the news of my sister I'm torn to go and help her. Eventually my decision is made by the fact that she hasn't harmed the creature already and so might not be planning to hurt it. And the fact that I'm weakened and without a weapon so it's not like I could do anything to stop her if I wanted to.
"Fine," I climb off the table I was strapped to and stumble my way toward the only exit.
"Finally," I hear her mutter under her breath. Just what could she have been waiting for?
Outside I see the corpses of what look to be guards. Not knights, thankfully. I glance around, but don't see anyone else that could have been with Solaris. Did she kill all these people by herself?
Bending over I relieve one of them of their sword, not like they're going to need it anyway, and move towards what I hope is an exit. The sword isn't of the best quality, maybe somewhere around the level of what a count could afford. Still, just having it on me makes me feel better than I have since I arrived here.
The entire facility is filled with recently slain corpses. And I'm just now realising how big it is. I'd only seen two living people since being brought here, but there were at least two dozen guards.
Every couple of minutes I hear the sound of something big going on outside and increase my pace. I'm coming Iris.
When I next turn a corner I see a familiar figure marching forwards over the bodies of the slain soldiers.
"Alexia," Instructor Zenon scowls. "You're not supposed to be wondering about. I suppose they reached you and released your bindings. No matter, you'll just have to go back in them after I've slain our assailants."
"So you're involved in all this?"
"Of course. This is my facility after all."
I point my sword at him.
He looks surprised, then chuckles. "Come now Alexia. You don't really think you can beat me now, do you? You aren't Iris. "
I clench my teeth and try to force the surge of anger down. He's just trying to get a rise out of me.
He laughs. "See, you know you're outmatched. Now be a good girl and return to your cell."
"I always knew there was something wrong with you. Now I'm going to drag your bleeding, bruised corpse before my sister so she can lock you away."
With a yell I charge forward and swing at his throat. He holds up his sword and blocks it, pushing it away when the metals collide causing a spray of sparks. He follows it up by swinging at my arm. All the while wearing a lazy smile.
I hastily block his attack. Instead of countering as I'd like I'm forced to defend again as he moves for another strike. Sparks fly once more.
I grit my teeth, but he's still just got that damn smile like this isn't taking any effort for him. I want to wipe it off his face.
With a yell I flood my sword with magic and charge in, going for speed rather than power. At the last moment I switch directions and try to make the swing hit with as much strength as I can manage in my current state. It makes contact and I feel a bit of resistance I definitely slice through something.
Zenon's infuriating grin has been replaced by one of shock. I'm grinning victoriously. That is until he holds up the end of his cloak which has been cut through. There's no blood. I didn't manage to cut through to his flesh.
"Well would you look at that," he mutters. "Guess I wasn't taking the runt of a princess seriously enough. Very well." He points his sword back at me and readies a stance. "Feel honoured, you're actually making me put a little effort in."
His magic power flares and I instinctively take a step back. He's got more power than Iris. How… how is this possible?
"Scared? You might have Iris to train with, but I have recently gained a sparring partner that makes even her look like an untrained peasant. It's almost a shame he won't live to see my ultimate victory"
He steps forward twice as fast as he was moving before and swings at me with more power than anyone should have. I barely raise my sword to block in time, but I shouldn't have bothered. It didn't make a difference.
There's a gut wrenching sound as my sword shatters and I'm sent flying backwards. I collide with the wall which knocks all the breath out of my lungs.
I try to rise unsteadily to my feet, only for Zenon to knock my legs out from under me with the flat of his sword.
"I'd apologise, but it would be a lie. I am going to enjoy this after all," he says as he brings his boot down on my leg. There's a sickening snap and then blinding pain. Whatever breath I had that wasn't knocked out by my collision was screamed out.
Zenon steps in and slowly raises his sword to my chin. I glare up at him. Even when strapped to the table I hadn't felt so helpless. So weak. So powerless.
"Now we need you alive for your blood. However don't expect that you'll get off easy for this little escape attempt," his grin turns sadistic. "After all you won't need your arms and legs to give blood."
"Get away from her!" There's a woman's yell and then Zenon is flying backwards.
Where he was is the woman from before, Solaris. Her sword is drawn in one hand, and in her other arm she's carrying something underarm. It's… a girl my age in rags? Where did she come from?
The power she's holding is unbelievable. Enough to make Zenon's look like a pale imitation.
Solaris isn't looking at me. She cautiously lowers the girl to the ground and moves her behind her. "I'm sorry about that, are you alright?" She asks the girl in a gentle tone.
The girl nods slowly as if she's in pain. "I'm fine don't worry about me," she says in a soft, shaky voice.
Solaris turns to me and glances at my leg. "And you?" She asks in a significantly less gentle and rather uninterested tone.
"Never better," I respond through clenched teeth. 'Arsehole, like you care,' I think to myself
"Enough of your prattling," Zenon says having climbed to his feet. He takes a step forward. "I'll admit you took me by surprise. But now you've wasted your one chance to beat me. It's over."
Solaris laughs. "Even protecting this girl and this waste of space of a princess I'm more than a match for you, Zenon Griffey of the Cult of Diablos."
Cult of Diablos? What's she talking about?
"Oh, you're aware of the Cult? You must be the mutt that's been nipping at the Cult's heels. What was your little group called? Garden of Eden was it? Very well then. Your head shall make an excellent trophy for my ascension to the Rounds."
"How entertaining. I would also like to join this fight."
A man's voice echoes throughout the room. Solaris tenses, suddenly wary, and shifts most of her attention to a spot of darkness where a shadow cloaked figure I hadn't spotted before is now emerging.
He's wearing a black cloak with gold trims that seems to blend in with the shadows around him, making it difficult to tell where human ends and shadow begins. His face is obscured by magical darkness, leaving only his eyes visible which glow with an ominous red light.
A shiver runs down my spine. Friend, or foe?
Zenon's face immediately pales, his overconfident smirk gone. He swivels around to face the man. "S-shadow? How did you escape?" His eyes widen and he raises his sword with a shaking arm. "You- you're here for revenge against me for betraying you, aren't you?" His voice has gone shrill.
Shadow merely chuckles. His expression impossible to see in the darkness.
"So you're Shadow, attack dog for the Cult of Diablos," Solaris says. Despite her stance there's an edge to her voice. She grits her teeth and glances at the girl in rags. Now that I look closer that girl is weak and tired, barely able to stand without leaning against Solaris. Then she looks at me. I don't know how I look but I don't believe it's much better since currently I can't even stand.
He laughs. "Indeed, I am Shadow. He who lurks in the shadows and hunts from the shadows. My apologies but this dance is mine tonight. Leave now while you have this opportunity, hero."
Coming to a decision she scowls. "This is a rescue mission not an assassination," she mutters quietly to herself. "Let one of them take the other out, one less cultist for us to kill later."
Then looks back at Shadow. "Fine. You escape justice this night Shadow. But we will meet again. And when we do, I'll put an end to your misdeeds myself."
He holds his hands out and chuckles. "Be my guest. You're correct of course, we will meet again. I look forward to testing your mettle when that day comes my lady. Until then," he raises his sword and points it at Zenon. "Sir Zenon and I have business."
Before I can watch more of the fight Solaris scoops the girl up under her arm, then grabs me under the other and starts dashing away.
"So we're just leaving?" I ask.
"My main priority is to get the two of you out safely, killing high ranking cultists comes secondary. I'm confident I could take them if I was by myself, but I can't do that and keep you both safe at the same time. So I'm getting you somewhere I can drop you off."
"Who even were they? What's the Cult Zenon was in and who's that Shadow guy."
"Look, all you have to know is the Cult are the ones that kidnapped you. They're both high ranking members of it, but they're backstabbing each other as Cultists normally do. We, of the Garden of Eden are the only ones bringing the fight to them and dragging their secrets into the light."
I'm about to ask more questions when we clear the underground facility and Solaris jumps to a nearby rooftop. I gasp at the sight of the city in chaos.
Solaris dashes to a nearby alleyway and drops me down. Not roughly, but I don't get the impression my comfort was her highest priority.
The next moment she's gone.
"Hey! Come back!" I yell.
A familiar voice shouts out from a nearby street. "I heard something over here. This way!"
I look to the opening of the alleyway, relief pouring into me at the sight of the person who is currently running up to me.
"Iris!"
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Shadow
I watch the blond woman as she leaves. She actually has a pretty decent amount of power, fitting for a hero. Another couple of encounters to build the tension, and she might make for an interesting fight. I'll have to make sure she gets stronger before then though so it's not too easy.
I look back to Zenon who is hastily pulling out a vial of pills from his pocket. To be completely honest I'm a little confused about what's going on.
I had originally shown up to back him up in his fight against his opponent. As much as I like the guy, I could immediately tell he was no match against that woman in a fair matchup. But instead he started ranting about how I was here for revenge against him and so I decided to just run with the storyline he was setting up and agreed to fight him instead.
Maybe this was his way of getting out of a fight with her without looking like a coward since he knows I'll go easy on him.
By the looks of what I saw when I showed up, he had just arrived to rescue Alexia. Maybe that woman arrived at the same time and they decided to fight over which of them gets to do the big rescue scene.
Now as annoying as Alexia is I don't actually want her to suffer. And she looked to be in a lot of pain. Really bad timing for a fight guys. I get that they both wanted the credit for rescuing her, but fighting over who gets to rescue her while she's suffering like that is just low.
So I was going to step in on Zenon's side and end the fight quickly. It would have given the woman some great character motivations, as she sees that she still has a way to go to reach the pinnacle and redoubles her training efforts ready for our next match.
But like I said Zenon had something else in mind and the first rule of improv is 'yes and'. Personally I'd have used it as an opportunity to establish the Cult of Diablos in the public's eye as a shadowy organisation with a flashy fight against the protagonist but that's me.
Zenon holds the vial up and gives it a shake. "You know what these are."
Uh, no dude I don't have a clue. Sugar tablets for dramatic effect?
"With these I'll finally be able to surpass even your power!"
He downs the entire vial. Suddenly his power surges to a height I know he shouldn't possess. His body warps and mutates.
Buddy. Buddy. Come on. Borrowed power? I expected better of you Zenon. Sure, it fits with the cult theme we've got going on but you shouldn't be the one guy in the friend group that has to take enhancer drugs just to keep up with everyone else. If you wanted to get stronger you should have just asked me for training.
"Yes!" He screams. "Tremble before my new might. Bow before me and I will let you serve me. For with this almighty power I have shot past you and now match the Rounds!"
I let out a dramatic sigh. "Such disrespect against the Rounds. This mere pittance is what you deem almighty?"
"Huh?"
"If this level of power is the height that our Lords will settle for then they aren't worth my time. Personally however I doubt they would accept this measly showing. You'll have to reach higher than this."
"Enough of your insufferable arrogance! I've put up with you refusing to take this seriously for years. Years of fearing you would take my rightful spot amongst the Rounds. Years of knowing I could never match you in a fight. But no more! Now I'll demolish you and prove my superiority to Lord Fenrir!"
"Are you finished?"
"Die!" He dashes forward and swings at me with all his might. I dodge it easily and sidestep around him. To an outside observer it's as if I simply teleported behind him.
"Well? I thought you were going to prove your superiority? What are you waiting for?"
"How? How are you still this strong?"
He swings his sword but I bring up mine to block it. He might as well have struck a brick wall for all the good it does.
"Because unlike someone else I don't settle for borrowed power."
I move forward and with an open palmed strike send him flying. He crashes into the wall and bricks the rock down on top of himself. He shakily gets to his feet and shakes the dust off, clearly injured but still ready to fight.
I meanwhile take the opportunity to say something I've always wanted to say.
"Heh. Impressive. You managed to survive 0.1% of my power."
"That… that wasn't even your full power?!? No, I refuse to believe that!"
"Perhaps it's time to show you. Increasing output to 1%."
Our surroundings become bathed in a purple light.
Zenon looks around in a panic. "What… what is this?"
"Time for me to show you just how vast the ocean is between us."
I raise my sword as my power courses around us in an array of glowing purple lines.
I
"What are you doing with all that power?!?"
AM
"No. Shadow! I won't let you." He rushes forward and stabs me in the chest, only to be stopped by my slime. He doesn't have enough force to pierce through, the sword stands as motionless and unmoving as if he were trying to stab a rock.
ATOMIC
The world is consumed by light.
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I hand Milia over to Beta and turn ready to rush back to where the cultist-dogs are fighting. Hopefully I can get there in time to kill the winner before they slink off back into the darkness.
Instead to my surprise I feel the intense build up of a truly obscene amount of magical energy. More than anyone should be able to wield unaided. In the distance I can see the facility swirling with purple light.
It hits me, there's only one intended purpose and one possible outcome from such a blatant build-up for energy.
"Get down!" I order and gather my own magic in a desperate attempt to defend us from what's coming.
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Shadow
When the dust settled I alone was standing in the centre of a crater that had formed in the centre of the city.
I was the only one standing of course, because Zenon was on the ground with his hands over his eyes to shield them from the bright light.
After a few seconds he looks around himself in a hurry, then pats his body all over as if he's looking for something.
"I… I'm alive! You let me live?" He asked.
"Of course," I say. Blinking in confusion. He didn't actually think I was going to kill him did he? We were just roleplaying. That was a pretend fight, I didn't go all out after all.
He laughs. Softly at first, then building. Until it's a full chested laugh like a madman. I'm about to step forward to help him but he starts speaking first.
"I see. I've seen the pinnacle of power now. You've shown me how far above me you truly are. There's only one reason you would do all that and bother sparing my worthless life. To rub it in my face."
I let out a dramatic sigh. "I'm disappointed in you Zenon."
"Huh?"
"Do you know why you lost to me tonight?"
"Because your power is like the mountain and your skill like the river. I never stood a chance."
"No. It's because you believed you were close to the summit of power and got content. When faced with an enemy beyond you, instead of breaking through your limit you resorted to borrowed power."
"Borrowed…?" His eyes widened "The diablos cells. You're saying they're a crutch, something to hold us back. Of course. The Knights of Round don't want us getting strong enough to challenge their dominance."
"Now you see the truth," I say. Walking forward I offer my hand to help him up. "Join me. I'll show you how to reach true power."
He accepts my help to climb to his knees and bows his head. "Very well. I have been defeated. I therefore swear myself into your service Lord Shadow as your sworn underling. Please tell me how I can be of service to you."
Man his improv skills are off the charts today.