MATURE: Chaos Rising: Legacy of Heroes (Season 5) Series Finale up!

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the final season of Chaos Rising. Will the Heroes prevail over Infinator? What does the great demon want with Nyx? How will the Heroes overcome it? Tune in to find out. (Warning: contains mild violence, mild language)

Spoiler: Chapter 1) The Dark Continent

The Dark Continent

​

It had been a few days since the executions of the followers of the Church of the Four Stars. The people were still talking about it, praising the Heroes and their allies at finally eliminating the problematic faction. However, everyone knew that there was a looming threat hanging over them. Infinator was surely going to make his next move soon, and the Heroes and their allies were working hard to prepare for that day.

Inside Infinator’s prison the Demon Generals waited by the energy vent. When it flared up, revealing Infinator’s eyes, they all went into a bow.

“So, are the preparations complete?” Infinator asked.

Bronwen nodded, “Yes, Master Infinator. Everything is ready for us to turn the Dark Continent of Nyx into our lab rat. And since the ‘Heroes’ managed to get rid of the Nightmare Seven, who were pretty much the last inhabitants of Nyx, outside of monsters, obviously, that means we have no one to get in our way while we turn Nyx on its head.”

“And what have the Heroes been doing lately, as they’ve been quiet since the fall of the Nightmare Seven?”

Sylph replied, “They were busy dealing with the Church of the Four Stars. From what I’ve learned they’ve succeeded in eliminating the Four Stars Church in one final battle and have since executed all of the followers. However, that was a few days ago, which means they must be preparing for our assault. They also recovered the Karma Diamond that the Templar Robert had obtained, meaning that they have four Karma Diamonds. And, from what my sources tell me, they’ve located the Master Karma Diamond.”

Infinator’s eyes narrowed, “The Master Karma Diamond?! That could potentially complicate our plans. Hopefully they won’t figure out that the Master Karma Diamond could reset all our recent progress to zero again, just like when they used the regular Karma Diamonds to restore the dimensional walls. Bronwen, I’m counting on you to ensure that they won’t figure that out.”

Bronwen replied, “I’ve already taken that into consideration, Master Infinator. While stealing the Master Karma Diamond isn’t feasible, as the Chaos breed Shroud Hero keeps it on his person at all times, I have managed to find a way to at least mitigate any attempt for the Master Karma Diamond to ruin our plans. It’s not fool-proof but it will still allow us to move ahead with our projects regardless of its interference.”

“You never fail to impress me, Bronwen. Good work. At least this means we can proceed with our experiment for Nyx. Kalaraja, is everything in place?”

The Magician Demon replied, “Yes, Master Infinator, everything it ready. Our project will assuredly make those Heroes unsteady. The device for our grand plan is fully functional and ready for action. We’ll be sure to eliminate the Hero faction.”

“Excellent. Begin the operation immediately. We must strike while the iron is hot.”

All the Demon Generals bowed, “At once, Master Infinator.”

Meanwhile, at Delgunner’s capital King Alvin had called for a meeting in the throne room. The Heroes and their allies were all present. King Duskbane was also present, donning his royal armor. After taking a moment to ensure that everyone was in the room King Alvin cleared his throat.

“Heroes and allies, the time has come,” he said. “Our sources indicate that Infinator is ready to make his next move. Whatever he’s been planning for Nyx is about to be put into motion. It is time for you to head for the Dark Continent Nyx to find out what he has planned and stop it. King Duskbane and his ShadoKnights will be escorting you to ensure that you’ll come back alive, as we don’t know what we’re going up against. We need to stop Infinator’s plan for Nyx before he turns the already hostile land into an even more dangerous one.”

“Yessir!” everyone said in unison.

King Duskbane stepped up, “It is time, my young friends. We will begin the operation immediately. At least with the Church of the Four Stars finally vanquished we can focus all our attention and resources on Infinator. Time to move out! If everyone is ready we can begin the operation.”

Everyone exchanged nods, allowing Celtic to say, “Let’s do this.”

King Duskbane nodded, “Very well, then. Hold down the fort, King Alvin, as we will return. Shadow Warp!”

King Duskbane, the Heroes, and all their allies vanished in black portals, leaving the Delgunner royal family behind.

“Godspeed to you, Heroes,” King Alvin said. “Whatever Infinator has planned for Nyx must be stopped before anything else happens.”

Everyone reappeared in a certain location on Nyx. They all looked around to get their bearings.

“So… this is Nyx…” Gram said grimly. “It looks just as bad as everyone says it is. Hard to believe that anyone used to live on this continent, not just the Nightmare Seven.”

Celtic replied, “Yeah. Drab and dismal meets feng shui. But I give anyone who did live on this continent props, as surviving such a landscape is no small feat.”

Skye’s ears started to twitch, “Hold on, gang, I hear something.”

Lucas readied his Spear, “An enemy, perhaps, Skye?”

Everyone looked around, trying to spot what Skye was hearing.

Zuzu then said, “Hey, look over there to our right. Behind that large set of rocks. I see a whole pack of Spiria.”

Everyone turned to see where the Succuryn was pointing. Sure enough, there was a fair sized pack of Spiria in all different shapes and sizes huddled together inside a rock formation. They seemed to be terrified. The Spiria then noticed the group, looking at them with wary yet curious eyes.

Ryan asked, “What should we do? Should we leave these Spiria alone or should we attempt to win them over?”

Celtic replied, “Winning them over is more ideal. Not only as it would protect them from monsters and Infinator’s Generals, but they would be able to bolster our power for the fights ahead. But approaching them might spook them, as they’re pretty scared.” An idea popped into his head, “I know. I’ll have Gust speak to them and try to convince them to help us.”

Jerry looked confused, “Why Gust?”

Leon explained, “Gust is sort of the unofficial leader of our Spiria, as it was the first Spiria discovered. So it tends to take the lead when it comes to certain subjects like helping other Spiria or directing them. Plus, Gust has the most experience with people out of all the known Spiria so it could convince the other Spiria that we’re not enemies.”

Celtic nodded before holding out his hand, stating, “Gust, come forth!”

A sphere of energy floated out of his hand and landed on the ground, taking the form of Gust. Gust’s sudden appearance made the other Spiria more curious.

Celtic knelt down to his first Spiria, “Gust, I need you to talk to those Spiria over there. Try to win them over to our side, as we can protect them in exchange for their power assisting ours. Think you can do that, little buddy?”

Gust nodded, saying something in its native language before turning around and hopping over to the other Spiria. One of the Spiria, which was a pure white one with an almond-shaped body, spade-shaped feet, a long tail ending in a bell shape, angel wings, a round head with a trident crest, with the middle crest curled into a semi-halo shape, and bright pink eyes, waddled out to meet Gust. The two Spiria started talking in their native tongue, seemingly discussing about the Hero faction. As they talked it out, the other Spiria waddled out a bit from their shelter out of curiosity. After a good few minutes of talking the white Spiria nodded at Gust, who floated back over to Celtic. Celtic held out his arm like a falconer, allowing Gust to land on it.

“What’s the story, Gust?” he asked.

Gust replied in its native language to him, but Celtic understood what it was saying. He gently stroked Gust on its head.

“Good work, Gust. I knew you’d be able to do it.”

Gust wagged its tail happily at the praise.

Eric looked hopeful, “Does this mean we’ll be getting more Spiria?”

Celtic turned to him, “Yeah. Gust managed to convince these Spiria that we’re friends and we’ll take care of them in exchange for them loaning us their power. It would be for the best to take them with us anyway, as it’ll protect them from Infinator’s Demon Generals and such. Gust also mentioned that these Spiria fled from a certain place here on Nyx, as they felt a very ominous energy forming and wanted to get away from it. That’s why they’re so scared. But Gust reassured them that we’re the good guys and we’ll look after them in exchange for the needed power boost to fight our enemies. Now, as you know, it’s best to get down to their level and let them come to you, especially since they’re rather scared. Let’s give it a go.”

Nodding, everyone knelt down on their knees, awaiting the Spiria to make their move. The Spiria chatted amongst themselves, looking the group of people over before cautiously approaching the Hero faction. After a minute or two of scanning the Hero group the Spiria scattered from their cluster and started to make their way toward certain people. The other Heroes, Gram, his harem, and King Duskbane all received one Spiria, much to their joy, while the Shroud Hero party got two apiece. After gently reassuring the Spiria that they were now safe the small energy beings turned into spheres of energy and fused with their new masters, increasing their powers and stats.

King Duskbane shivered in pleasure, “So… this is the power that a Spiria grants. It’s magnificent.”

A ShadoKnight said, “Congratulations on obtaining a Spiria, Your Majesty.”

Lucas looked overjoyed, “Yeah, we got another Spiria! Now Bubbler has a new playmate. This is so awesome!”

Ryan smiled, “I’ll say. And we’re much stronger as a result. It’s a total win-win.”

Celtic gently stroked Gust’s head again, saying, “Yeah. Good work, Gust, on getting these Spiria onto our side. Now we’re better equipped for the fights ahead and we can protect them from Sylph and the like.”

Gust looked proud as Celtic praised it before turning into a sphere of energy and fusing with him.

Suddenly, the ground started to shake, startling everyone.

“What was that?!” Wendy sputtered.

Rupert’s sharp eyes narrowed as he looked into the distance, saying, “I see something. Something is emerging from that floating chunk of land in the distance.”

King Duskbane’s eyes narrowed, “That would be Infinator’s prison. It would appear that our acquiring these Spiria is good timing, as he’s making his next move. Be prepared, my young friends, as all hell is about to break loose.”

Suddenly, whatever was protruding from Infinator’s prison released a geyser of rainbow-colored energy. The “droplets” from the geyser struck multiple locations, including near where the Hero faction was standing. To everyone’s horror, wherever the droplets landed caused gateways to the Demon Realm to open up. The ShadoKnights quickly ran up to the closest gateway and tried to seal it up to no avail.

“Dammit!” Celtic spat. “It looks like Infinator’s big plan for Nyx is to turn it into one giant gateway to the Demon Realm! And it appears that whatever energy he used to coat the last portal with is being used again here! That’ll prevent the Shadokor from sealing them back up!”

King Duskbane grimaced, “Even if we could seal them back up it would make no difference, as Infinator could just repeat the process indefinitely, creating a never-ending cycle between us. Unfortunately, the only way to stop this permanently is to get inside his prison and destroy whatever he used to create these gateways. But, as you know, we can’t do that because of the damn Light Elves in ancient times using whatever spell they used to imprison him instead of letting us Shadokor destroy him for good.”

Skye sighed sadly, “Once again my race screwed up. It makes me wonder if I was the only Light Elf born with a functioning brain in the history of the race?”

Viola replied, “Sadly, that seems to be the case. But we need a plan to deal with these gateways, as you just know that it’ll cause more invasive species of monsters to invade Zakota.”

King Duskbane turned to a ShadoKnight, “You there. Go into the nearest portal and report back to us where it has opened up to. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re targeting Purgatory again as a means of mocking us.”

The ShadoKnight saluted, “Yessir!”

He ran over to the nearest portal and jumped into it, vanishing from view. After a few tense minutes he returned and ran up to King Duskbane.

“Sir!” he said. “This portal doesn’t lead to Purgatory. It leads to another location in the area outside of Purgatory.”

King Duskbane scratched his chin, saying, “So do all these portals lead to the area outside of Purgatory? Or could it be that these portals have opened up in virtually random locations in the Demon Realm? There’s too many to check if they’re all opening up places outside of Purgatory or if some are and some aren’t. But let’s assume that these gateways have opened up to random locations in the Demon Realm. What would Infinator gain from them?”

Celtic then noticed something, saying, “Hold on. I think I see some energy particles emerging from the gateways and heading toward Infinator’s prison. You can’t see them too well, but they’re there.”

Everyone focused on the nearest gateway. Sure enough, there seemed to be energy particles emerging from it and making their way toward the floating chunk of land that was Infinator’s prison.

Zuzu said, “I think I know what’s going on here. These gateways are designed to release the powerful energies in the Demon Realm. That way Infinator can syphon them out and use them to boost his revival, as he should be approaching the point where he’ll be able to take a physical form again. He doesn’t really need these portals for anything else. He just wants the raw energy flows from the Demon Realm to increase his power and potentially revive him faster. Anything else that these portals grant, such as more monsters and demons, will just be gravy for him.”

King Duskbane’s eyes went wide, “Miss Zuzu, that’s brilliant. And it makes a lot of sense, as demons become more powerful if they feed off of our native realm’s energies. That’s what Infinator is gunning for. And like you said, anything else these portals grant, such as monster minions, is just icing on the cake. Considering that Nyx now is pretty much abandoned outside of the native monsters, along with it being the location where Infinator was imprisoned, means he can turn the entire continent into one big energy mining facility.”

Gram then said, “Hey, hey, gang! We’ve got company!”

Everyone turned to see a group of the jellyfish with large brains emerge from one of the portals.

“Those are the same jellyfish-like creatures that Kalaraja summoned!” Eric stated.

“Those are Nijilas,” King Duskbane explained. “They’re highly intelligent monsters that use their large, electricity-laced tentacles to paralyze their prey before eating them. These are just the basic version, as later versions are stronger and smarter. They’re also of the Lightning element, so Nature and Earth techniques work really well against them.”

Celtic said, “I have an idea on how to deal with them.” He started to channel energy before stating, “Grass Bomb!”

The same green capsule appeared in his hand which he then threw into the area in between the Hero faction and the Nijilas, causing grass to form. Then, giant blades of grass emerged and ensnared the Nijilas, making them screech as they tried to break free.

“Now, time to try a little neat trick. Spice Powder!”

The grassy area started to produce clouds of yellowish pollen-like energy that engulfed the Nijilas, making them screech as they were hit by this attack. It then caused them to fall to the ground, still ensnared by the giant blades of grass, not moving.

“Are they dead?” Ryan asked.

Celtic shook his head, “No, they’re asleep. Spice Powder can either induce Blind, Hallucination, or Sleep status ailment. This time the dice rolled in our favor and induced Sleep. Which gives us the opportunity to attack them while they’re out cold.”

Gram stated, channeling energy, “Then let’s strike while the iron is hot! Bamboo Spears!”

He released the energy, causing spears of bamboo to appear and skewer the Nijilas, though they didn’t wake up nor were they dead.

Rupert started to channel energy, “Time for me to get a lick in! Crescent Leaf!”

Sharp leaves slashed the Nijilas, cutting them deeply. The Nijilas were starting to move again.

Tyroe stated, channeling energy, “I’ll help! Stone Spears!”

Spears of rock appeared and slashed away at the Nijilas, severely weakening them. They were starting to come to their senses.

Celtic turned to the other Heroes, “You lot take them out before they recover from the Sleep status ailment! Quickly, as it’s starting to wear off!”

The other Heroes nodded and primed their Legendary Gear.

“Specter Flame Slash!” Ryan roared.

“Firestorm Thrust!” Lucas shouted.

“Beetle Bomber!” Eric stated.

“Blizzard Arrow!” Jerry yelled.

The barrage of attacks ravaged the Nijilas, with Ryan’s and Lucas’ techniques also having the side effect of burning away the grass, which also seemed to increase the damage dealt. The Nijilas screeched in agony before they were destroyed, leaving behind only scraps of themselves. Everyone relaxed as the threat was gone.

King Duskbane gained a grim expression, “Now we know what Infinator is up to. He wants to open up more gateways to the Demon Realm to absorb its energies and hasten his revival. He’ll probably also use this opportunity to gather other materials from the Demon Realm while he’s at it. Anything else that these portals grant will be a bonus to his plans. Since we still don’t know what energy he’s used to coat the gateways with to keep us Shadokor from sealing them back up we’re left with few options. We need to find a way to get into Infinator’s prison itself so we can finish him off once and for all. For the time being, let us retreat back to the continent Iselina so we can gather up our allies for a meeting and discuss what to do next. I’ll have some of my ShadoKnights and scientists try to decipher what this energy is that Infinator has been using to keep these gateways open so we can find a way to counter it more effectively. Even though we know that Shadogon can counter it, we don’t have enough of the element to close up all these portals. We need something with a much bigger punch that can completely erase the problem. For now let’s fall back and discuss things with King Alvin. We might even need to enlist the Dragon Emperors’ help in this case, as they have vast amounts of knowledge that could potentially help us.”

Celtic looked at the various gateways that had been opened, saying, “I hate to leave Nyx in this state but we have no choice but to fall back and figure out a better plan. Just staying here spinning our wheels won’t solve anything. Let’s go back and see what we can come up with.”

Nodding in agreement, everyone vanished in black portals, returning to Delgunner to plan. While they knew they had gained more power in the form of various Spiria, they also knew that the war was starting to reach a critical stage.

Next Chapter: The Dragon Emperors’ Gift

That's it for now, folks. What a way to start off the final season of Chaos Rising. Tune in next time to see what happens to our Heroes.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising. (Warning: contains mild language)

Spoiler: Chapter 2) The Dragon Emperors' Gift

The Dragon Emperors’ Gift

​

It was the following day after Infinator made his move, opening up dozens upon dozens of portals to the Demon Realm on Nyx. The leaders of each nation had gathered for a meeting in order to discuss how to combat Infinator’s latest plan. They knew it was only a matter of time before Infinator would be revived.

The Heroes and their allies were on standby, waiting for when they’d be deployed to fight against Infinator’s forces. As they waited for any news or progress on the meeting they discussed possible strategies and ideas.

Ryan said, “So, as far as we know, Infinator is using those gateways to the Demon Realm to supercharge himself so he can regain his physical form. We need to stop that before it happens.”

Eric nodded, “Agreed, but we can’t get past that barrier that the ancient Light Elves erected over Infinator’s prison. If that wasn’t an issue we would’ve already trounced him.”

Skye sighed sadly, “As always my race makes a royal mess of things. Instead of helping stop Infinator they basically gave him the means to safely bide his time until he recovers enough to become the same threat level he was 2,500 years ago. Why does my race never think things through? Times like this I’m ashamed to share common blood with them.”

Gram pondered, “But what I want to know is how Sylph and the other Demon Generals can freely enter and exit his prison? Maybe we could exploit that to infiltrate his base and finish the job our ancestors started all those years ago?”

Celtic replied, “I had brought that up a while ago with the Shadokor. There is a secret entrance where Sylph and her fellow Demon Generals can enter and exit, but it’s in a place where we can’t get to. Even Shadow Warp won’t be able to get us there, as the barrier surrounding Infinator’s prison disrupts teleportation magic. No, we need the actual spell that was used to break the barrier so we can get into Infinator’s home base and finish him off.”

“Damn,” Lucas cursed. “It’s frustrating that we know where our target is but we can’t touch him because of some dumb barrier that Skye’s ancestors made to whitewash their involvement in starting the Great Demon War.”

Jerry suggested, “Maybe we can just fly up to the secret entrance and go in from there?”

Leon replied, “The Shadokor thought of that, even using their Sky Rays to see if they could infiltrate Infinator’s prison with that. They couldn’t find the entrance, as it appears to be camouflaged. Plus, somehow the lower area of the floating prison has automatic defenses that prevent aerial attempts to get in. Given how Sylph had 2,500 years to be Infinator’s errand girl, she had plenty of time to build both the secret entrance and the defenses. No, we’re stuck outside until we can get past that barrier.”

Zuzu gave a heavy sigh as she floated lazily above them, “That barrier is such a pain in the arse. Even the Karma Diamonds can’t break it. Looks like we have no choice but to either wait for Infinator to regain his body and emerge from his prison himself or scour Zakota in a vain attempt to find the forgotten spell that the Light Elves used to erect that barrier.”

Tyroe suggested, “Maybe we can ask Tiamat if he knows what the spell is?”

Celtic replied, “It’s worth a shot. We don’t have many other options available to us right now so it might at least give us a lead.” He tapped the Shroud’s core, “Hey, Tiamat, I hate to bother you but we have a question for you.”

The Shroud’s core glowed before projecting a flaming energy in the form of Tiamat’s head.

“I’m already aware of what the question is you seek,” the Dragon Emperor said. “Sadly, last I checked; the Light Elf king of the time era took the knowledge of that spell with him to his grave. Even us Dragon Emperors don’t know what the spell is. What I do know is that the spell was on an ancient tablet but that disappeared after the war ended. While I doubt that slimy Light Elf king has it with him in his coffin, he was the last one I’ve heard who had it. He probably hid it somewhere so he could claim to be the ‘hero’ of the Great Demon War. Granted, I’ve been a bit disconnected with a fair bit of knowledge that my fellow Dragon Emperors have, thanks to Sylph and the Sword Hero putting me into this state…” He glared at Ryan, making the Sword Hero flinch, before continuing, “My fellow Dragon Emperors might have a bit more info on the subject than I do but that’s not a guarantee. If only I could talk to them directly and ask, since they are most likely trying to find a way to stop Infinator, too.”

Suddenly, a female Shadow Sentinel appeared, startling everyone.

“Don’t do that!” Eric protested. “What are you Shadow Sentinels? Ninjas? Give us a warning before you suddenly appear!”

The Shadow Sentinel replied, “It’s just the way of the Shadow Sentinels. Get used to it. Anyway, I have a message to deliver to Prince Avalar.” She turned to Celtic before stating, “The Dragon Emperors wish to see you and your party in person. They have finally finished getting a new body ready for Tiamat and they want him back in their ranks again. They also want King Duskbane to bring Kei along with you, as Gigalyth wants to finally keep her from abusing her status as a protected dragon anymore.”

Lucas asked, “What about us? Can’t we meet these Dragon Emperors, too?”

The Shadow Sentinel shook her head, “No, as they specifically requested the Shroud Hero party. Besides, you need to remain on standby in case something happens, as we are dealing with the results of Infinator opening up multiple gateways to the Demon Realm. You might be needed to protect the people if something goes awry.”

Gram replied, “She’s got a point. Plus, the Demon Generals could attack us while our defenses have been thinned. It would be wise for the rest of us to remain here while Sir Celtic and his party go and see the Dragon Emperors. Besides, they might not be too fond of having Ryan around, since he did kill Tiamat when he was weakened by Sylph’s virus.”

Ryan gained a sheepish expression, “Sorry… I didn’t realize at the time that killing Tiamat could have a major domino effect regarding the Dragon Emperors.”

Tiamat growled, “Yeah, well, be thankful I’m willing to put most of the blame on Sylph for that incident, as it was her virus that resulted in the event snowballing out of control. I’m still not fond of you, but I have a bigger bone to pick with Sylph, so I’m willing to be reasonable. But I was wondering if and when my fellow Dragon Emperors would finish my new body. Looks like I’ll be able to finally get back to work, as I’ve gotten a bit too comfortable in the Shroud’s core. This also means my ‘partnership’ with the Shroud Hero is coming to an end.”

Celtic nodded, “Yeah, it’s best that you return to your fellow Dragon Emperors, Tiamat. It would be wise bring you back to where you belong as you’ve got more important stuff to tend to than being a power source for my Shroud.”

Tiamat looked up at Celtic, “I will say I’m grateful for what you’ve done for me, Shroud Hero. If it hadn’t been for you and your party Sylph could’ve done something horrible to my soul crystal. You kept my soul crystal safe within your Shroud’s core, where Sylph cannot touch it, keeping me preserved until my fellow Dragon Emperors could get me a new body. For that I’m grateful. I would’ve liked to have killed Sylph before this ‘partnership’ ended, as you can bring her to me more easily. But it will be nice to get a new body so I can continue my work as a Dragon Emperor. I wouldn’t be surprised if my fellow Dragon Emperors rewarded you with something for keeping my soul crystal safe. And I, too, shall reward you by letting you keep the power of the Dragon Rage Shroud. But, for now, we need to focus on getting me home.” He turned to the Shadow Sentinel, “I assume that King Duskbane is aware of this request?”

The Shadow Sentinel nodded, “Yes, he is. He’s not too happy about having to leave the meeting but he knows the Dragon Emperors wait for no one; he and some ShadoKnights are already retrieving Kei from the castle dungeons. I was instructed to bring the Shroud Hero party to where the Dragon Emperors reside.”

Celtic stood up, “Okay, then. Team, we’d better get moving, as we don’t want to anger the Dragon Emperors by making them wait for us.”

Nodding, the Shroud Hero party quickly gathered up their stuff. Celtic gave the Shadow Sentinel the signal.

“I will take you to the Dragon Emperor’s castle now,” she said. “Shadow Warp!”

She and the Shroud Hero party vanished in black portals, leaving the other Heroes and Gram’s party behind. They then reappeared outside a humongous castle in some unknown mountains. The Shadow Sentinel then pulled a lever by the castle gate, which caused the bells in the tower to ring. A few moments later the gates opened, revealing eight mighty-looking dragons. One of them, a whitish dragon with large wings and a rather majestic appearance, stepped up and looked over the Shroud Hero party.

“So, this is the Shroud Hero party?” he said via telepathy. “Pretty interesting assortment of allies, but then again the Shroud Heroes of the past all had a variety of races in their parties so it’s nothing new. I take it you have Tiamat’s soul crystal, Prince of the Shadokor and Druids?”

Celtic nodded, “Yes. He’s inside my Shroud. Give me a moment to get him out.”

He opened up the Shroud’s menu and started to work on it. After a minute or so the Shroud’s core glowed and slowly ejected Tiamat’s soul crystal, which gently fell into Celtic’s hand.

“Here he is, safe and sound,” the redhead said.

The one Dragon Emperor looked the soul crystal over before replying, “You have done our comrade a great service, Shroud Hero. The soul crystal is in perfect condition.” He turned to his fellow Dragon Emperors, “Bring out Tiamat’s new body.”

Two of the Dragon Emperors retreated back into the castle. After a minute they returned with a ninth dragon. This one looked nearly identical to Tiamat’s old body, only it had darker colored scales and what looked like more armor plating on it.

“Shroud Hero, place Tiamat’s soul crystal on this dragon’s head,” the Dragon Emperor stated.

Celtic complied, walking over to the new dragon, which lowered its head, and placed the soul crystal on top of its head. The soul crystal glowed and was absorbed into the new dragon’s body. After a brief pause the new dragon looked itself over.

“Very nice, Solagon,” he said in Tiamat’s voice via telepathy. “Very, very nice indeed. This body will most certainly do. I thank you.”

Solagon replied, “No problem. We’d do anything for one of our own.”

Just then King Duskbane and a handful of ShadoKnights appeared, holding Kei in shackles.

“My apologies for being a bit tardy,” King Duskbane said. “I was in a meeting with my fellow leaders regarding Infinator’s latest plan. I had to hastily pardon myself in order to meet your request. Speaking of that, here she is: Kei.”

Solagon replied, “We’re aware of the meeting you leaders are working in, trying to solve the crisis that is Infinator’s latest plan. We’ll forgive you for being a bit late, as I know the meeting is important. Gigalyth, you handle Kei, as she’s under your jurisdiction.”

Another Dragon Emperor, who looked like a rather craggy dragon made from sharp stones, nodded. He reached out and grabbed Kei in his large claw, from which she was struggling to break free. He glared at her, making her freeze.

“You’ve been a thorn in my side for a while now, Kei,” he growled via telepathy. “It’s time I set you straight once and for all.”

Solagon turned to the Shroud Hero party, “Shroud Hero and friends, I thank you for taking care of Tiamat until we could give him a new lease on life. Now he can help us in solving some of the problems we’re facing.”

Tiamat turned to him, “That reminds me, Solagon. The Shroud Hero and his allies want to know the whereabouts of the stone tablet that the ancient Light Elf king used to seal Infinator away. Do you know where it might be after that damn Light Elf used it?”

Solagon replied, “I’ve heard of that tablet. All I know is that it was broken into five pieces and hidden in various secret corners of the world. I don’t know where those locations are and thus I cannot say for certain where they would be able to find the tablet. They’ll have to figure it out for themselves. Now, with that out of the way, Shroud Hero, because you kept Tiamat safe from the clutches of Sylph and Infinator, we have prepared for you a small gift as thanks. Blizzacane, would you mind getting it?”

Another Dragon Emperor, which was an ice blue one with a body that looked like it was composed of ice and snow, replied in a smooth female voice, “Certainly. Give me a moment to get it.”

She returned into the depths of the castle. After a few moments she returned carrying what looked like a small bassinet with an egg in it. Everyone’s eyes went wide as they saw the egg.

“You’re giving Celtic a dragon egg?!” Rupert sputtered.

Solagon nodded, “Yes. We won’t reveal what type of dragon is in this egg, but we are gifting you it as thanks. It should be close to hatching, so you’ll have a new comrade very soon. Take care of it.”

Celtic gingerly took the bassinet with the dragon egg, replying, “T-Thank you for such a generous gift. I’ll make sure it’s well taken care of.”

“Music to my ears. Now, we are done here. You may return to your meeting with the leaders of each nation in order to fight Infinator. My fellow Dragon Emperors and I are doing the same. Farewell.”

Everyone bowed, saying, “Thank you very much.”

King Duskbane said, “I’ll get us back to Delgunner. Avalar, make sure you take good care of that egg. Now, with that out of the way… Shadow Warp!”

Everyone vanished in black portals, allowing the Dragon Emperors to return to their castle in order to resume their own meeting. The Shroud Hero party and King Duskbane reappeared at Delgunner’s front gates. The guards there lowered the barrier in the gate to allow them to pass, with the same guard flirting with Zuzu. After quickly making their way back to the castle King Duskbane returned to the meeting room to continue as planned while Celtic and his party returned to the other Heroes and Gram.

“Hey, Celtic, how’d it—” Eric started to say before he and everyone else noticed the bassinet with the egg in it.

“Is that… a dragon egg?” Gram asked, stunned.

Celtic gained a sheepish expression, “Yes. The Dragon Emperors gave it to me as thanks for keeping Tiamat’s soul crystal safe from Sylph and Infinator. I admit I’m surprised they would give me a dragon egg as thanks but I guess I did do them a big favor by saving Tiamat’s soul crystal. Now… how am I going to explain this to my parents? I’m not sure if coming home with a pet dragon will go over well with them. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get there, as we have Infinator to deal with first.”

Skye examined the egg, saying, “I’m really curious to know what type of dragon is in here. There are some breeds of dragon that can be domesticated, especially if they’re raised from eggs, so I really want to know if this egg contains a Grassrunner Dragon or Galewing Dragon. For all we know it could be something as rare as a Thunderunner Dragon or a Frostfang Dragon. Ooh, I’m really excited to know what’s in here.”

“I guess we’ll find out when it hatches,” Viola said.

Everyone nodded, eager to see what type of dragon the egg will produce.

Next Chapter: Down to the Weyr

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see what emerges from the dragon egg.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising.

Spoiler: Chapter 3) Down to the Weyr

Down to the Weyr

​

It was the following day after the Shroud Hero party had met the Dragon Emperors. Everyone was curious to know what type of dragon was in the egg the Dragon Emperors gave Celtic. Even King Alvin and King Duskbane wanted to know what dragon would hatch. At the time the ShadoKnights and Shadokor scientists were still researching the gateways to the Demon Realm that Infinator had torn open, trying to find out what was the strange energy that coating them, was along with fighting any denizens of the Demon Realm that crossed through the portals.

Sylph bowed in front of the energy vent when Infinator’s eyes appeared. He looked rather pleased.

“Sylph, how goes our little ‘project’?” he asked.

“Swimmingly, Master Infinator,” she replied. “The gateways to the Demon Realm are serving their purpose. According to Bronwen, it’s only a matter of weeks before you’ll have absorbed enough demonic energy from the Demon Realm to regain a physical form. And the Shadokor are working overtime to stem the flow of any monsters that try to cross between the two worlds. That’ll keep them busy while we finally get you back on your feet unopposed.”

“Excellent, Sylph. And I can feel myself slowly strengthening and rebuilding my body. It’ll be as strong as it was centuries ago, maybe even more powerful. It’s just a matter of time. Hopefully those lousy Heroes don’t get in the way.”

Sylph replied, “Even if they try, there is little they can do to stop our plans. Even if they use the Master Karma Diamond on the gateways it won’t be enough to stop us, as Bronwen really cooked up a winner with the device she made.”

Infinator chuckled, “Excellent. I thank you greatly, Sylph, for locating Bronwen after all these millennia. She has been invaluable to us. Now, we just have to wait until the sands of time run out for those foolish Heroes and the entire universe will be mine. Keep monitoring the gateways, Sylph, and stop any attempts to seal them back up. Even though the devices Bronwen built will just simply make more if that happens, we cannot allow our enemies to gain any sort of foothold while we turn Nyx into our breeding ground for death and destruction.”

Sylph bowed, “As you wish, Master Infinator.”

It was the following morning. The Shroud Hero party were sleeping in their beds, as the sun hadn’t quite risen yet. Suddenly, Celtic heard a noise. He opened one eye and looked over to the desk on which the bassinet holding the dragon egg was sitting. After a moment his eyes widened as he saw cracks in the egg. He quickly jumped out of bed to take a closer look.

“Hey, hey, gang!” he sputtered. “Wake up! The egg is hatching!”

Everyone slowly awoke, trying to process what Celtic said until they heard the cracking noise, their eyes becoming wide. They quickly scrambled out of bed and gathered around the desk. They watched with anticipation as the dragon egg gained more and more cracks. They could see something from between the cracks. After a tense few minutes the top of the egg burst open, revealing a dragon hatchling. It stumbled out of the egg, its eyes still closed, allowing everyone to get a good look at it.

“It’s a Weyr!” Skye stated.

Celtic turned to her, “What’s a Weyr?”

Leon explained, “A Weyr is a breed of dwarf wyvern. They’re very rare. I can’t believe I’m actually looking at one. They say only the best and most worthy are allowed to raise one, as they’re considered symbols of nobility and heroics. They are often used as steeds for aerial combat. Despite the fact that wyverns are known for being temperamental, Weyrs are actually rather tame, especially if raised from eggs. They can be aggressive but they’ll listen to whoever raised them without question. The fact that the Dragon Emperors felt we were worthy of a Weyr is quite the honor.”

Everyone took a good look at the baby Weyr. It had a rather standard wyvern build, with its body consisting of mostly red scales with a cream-colored underbelly, thick wings with two sharp black claws on them, strong legs ending in sharp black talons, what looked similar to blue yin-yang like patterns on the back of its wings, a thick tail ending in a trio of blue fins, a moderate-sized neck, and a rather typical dragon head with black horns. It still hadn’t opened its eyes yet but it gave a tiny screech as it fumbled around, clearly not used to its legs, using its wings as secondary legs. Finally, it opened its eyes, revealing them to be a brilliant jade green, and looked up at Celtic. The Weyr tilted its head as it looked at Celtic before giving a small screech and stumbled toward him. Celtic gently scooped it up in his hands, allowing the Weyr to look up at him endearingly, giving another small screech.

“Aww, he thinks you’re his mother,” Skye smiled.

Celtic turned to her, “How do you know it’s a boy?”

“Simple. The tail fins and markings on the back of its wings are blue. Male Weyrs have blue tail fins and markings while females have yellow ones. But this means we have to think of a name for him.”

The redhead replied, “I’ll leave that to you lot, as I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not good a coming up with creative names.”

The Weyr then clutched its stomach before looking up at Celtic, giving another tiny screech.

“Looks like he’s hungry,” Tyroe said.

“What do Weyrs eat?”

Viola replied, “They’re omnivores, like all dragons, so they’ll eat pretty much anything. But for his first meal I recommend something consisting of meat, as the protein is good for developing strong wing muscles.”

Celtic nodded and gently put the Weyr down. He then walked over to his Tek-Pak and took out some things, before placing it near the Weyr, revealing it to be a plate and a chicken leg. The Weyr looked at the chicken leg with curious eyes before gently climbing onto the plate. He sniffed the chicken leg before taking a small bite out of it. His brilliant jade eyes widened at the taste and it quickly started to devour the chicken, using the claws on his wings to hold it steady.

“Well, it’s safe to say he likes it,” Zuzu chuckled.

“How long does it take for a Weyr to become fully grown?” Celtic asked. “And I assume that, because it’s part of the wyvern family, it can breathe fire, right?”

Skye replied, “Weyrs take about two and a half months before they’re fully grown, give or take. But given the fact that you’re a Hero it might take less time, as the magic of the Legendary Gear has been known to somewhat speed up the growth process of certain creatures that act as pets for Heroes. And yes, they do breathe fire, but it takes a while for their flame sacs to develop, so he won’t be breathing fire for a while, even if his growth will be accelerated due to the Shroud. And in case you’re wondering how big he’ll get, he’ll be roughly the size of an Ogre Scorpion, maybe a bit bigger, depending on certain factors. But he will easily get big enough for at least two people to ride on him. Also, I suggest you have the Shroud absorb his discarded egg, as it might help in the long run.”

Celtic nodded, gathered up the eggshell and placed it on the Shroud’s core. The Shroud absorbed it, creating a new skill which he took a moment to read over.

“Hmm… ‘Dragon Tamer Shroud’, huh?” he said. “That might come in handy when raising this little fellow.”

At the time the baby Weyr had torn off virtually every piece of meat he could find on the chicken leg. He nudged the chicken bone, trying to see if there was any last scrap of meat he could eat before concluding that he had eaten every bite. Satisfied, the baby Weyr slowly hobbled over to the bassinet, climbed back into it, curled up, and fell asleep.

Rupert chuckled, “Aww, so cute. And that should keep him full for a while, as dragons have slow digestive processes. But wow, we have a pet Weyr. That was an extremely generous gift the Dragon Emperors gave us. Sure, we did take care of Tiamat’s soul crystal and kept it safe from Sylph but still… giving us a Weyr, which are known for being very special dragons, is quite the honor.”

Celtic took the chicken bone and plate away, disposing of the bone in a special slot in the Tek-Pak, before saying, “We still need to think of a name for him. Any ideas, gang?”

Everyone started to ponder, trying to think of a good name for the baby Weyr while he slept. After some debate and discussions they settled on a name.

“Heatblast is a fine name for a Weyr,” Skye said. “I think it fits perfectly.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Okay, from now on this Weyr will be known as Heatblast,” Celtic said. “I just hope he’ll recognize his own name quickly enough so we don’t confuse him.”

Viola nodded, “He should, as dragons are very intelligent. It may take a bit of getting used to but he’ll come to know his own name soon enough. At least much sooner than most pets, anyway.”

They then heard a knock on the door. Leon opened it up, revealing a maid.

“Begging your pardon,” she said. “But breakfast will be served soon. Oh?” She then noticed the sleeping Heatblast, her eyes sparkling, “The dragon egg hatched! And its adorable! If I’m not mistaken that’s a Weyr. Wow, an actual Weyr. King Alvin will be most excited to see it.”

Leon chuckled, “Yeah, he just hatched this morning. We named him Heatblast. Anyway, thank you for letting us know that breakfast will be ready. We’ll be down shortly.”

The maid bowed, “Don’t keep King Alvin waiting, as he’ll really want to see the Weyr. I’ll inform the other Heroes and Sir Gram’s group. Please make your way to the dining hall. If you’ll excuse me.”

She then walked away. The Shroud Hero party got ready, gathered up their stuff, and walked out of the room for breakfast, with Celtic gently carrying the bassinet containing the baby Weyr. As they sat down at the royal dining hall the Delgunner royal family went wide-eyed as they saw the dragon hatchling.

“I-Is that a legendary Weyr!?” Cray sputtered.

Tyroe nodded, “Yeah. He just hatched this morning. Celtic already fed him so he won’t be a bother. But we now have a Weyr as part of the group.”

King Alvin smiled, “Magnificent. I’ve always wanted to see a Weyr due to their special status as one of the most noble and prestige breeds of dragons. I can’t believe the Dragon Emperors were willing to give you a Weyr egg. That’s a very generous gift even though you did do Tiamat a big favor by keeping his soul crystal safe from Infinator. Did you give it a name?”

Skye nodded, “Yes. His name is Heatblast.”

“A solid name for a Weyr,” Karl nodded. “And it’s a male Weyr, too.”

Queen Amelia added, “The fact that the Weyr is male will make it even better, as male Weyrs seem to have better temperaments than females. Males tend to be calmer and gentler than females, and are more likely to listen to orders, though they’re also more curious, so you’d better keep an eye on him.”

The other Heroes and Gram’s group suddenly appeared, quickly locking eyes on the bassinet with Heatblast in it.

Gram’s eyes widened, “So what the maid told us is true. You have a Weyr in your ranks now. That’s a very special gift the Dragon Emperors gave you. They must have high faith that you can raise it. And judging by its tail fins it’s a male. I’ve only seen pictures of Weyrs in books so actually seeing one in person is quite a treat.”

Ryan turned to him, “Weyrs are that special?”

May nodded, “Yes. Only the most elite and noble are allowed to raise one, as they’re symbols of heroics and nobility. You pretty much need the Dragon Emperors’ blessings if you want to raise one. So the fact that the Shroud Hero party is allowed to raise one is quite the honor. And when it grows up it can become an aerial mount to ride on.”

Jerry looked at Celtic, “So you’ll eventually become a dragon rider? Man, I’m jealous. I’d love to ride a dragon at one point or another.”

King Alvin chuckled, “Well, Bow Hero, you can still do so, as we here in Delgunner have raised Grassrunner Dragons for our military. They’re not quite as impressive or special as Weyrs but they’re still dragons that we have bred for our soldiers to use. So you still have a chance to ride a dragon.”

Eric looked excited, “Really? Awesome! I’d love to ride a dragon sometime, too. Thanks for telling us that.”

“Heheh, indeed. Now, take a seat, as breakfast will be served momentarily.”

The other Heroes and Gram’s group sat down at their designated spots. Moments later carts of food were brought out, filled with all sorts of good stuff. The maids also took a moment to gush over Heatblast, who was still sound asleep despite the smell of good food surrounding him. Everyone tucked into the delicious breakfast foods. Before long the last scrap of eggs was gone, leaving everyone full and satisfied.

Celtic looked down at the sleeping Heatblast, saying silently, “I hope this new addition to our team will help us in the fights ahead. I’d hate to bring a baby into this war with Infinator but Heatblast might be needed when he gets bigger. I just wonder what he’ll bring to the table. And I wonder what it would be like to ride on him. Guess only time will tell.”

Next Chapter: Winging It

That's it for today, folks. Tune in next time to see how this new baby dragon will contribute to the fights ahead.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Been meaning to post this for days but I've been very busy. Anyway, here's the next chapter. (Warning: contains mild violence, mild language)

Spoiler: Chapter 4) Winging It

Winging It

​

It was the evening after Heatblast had been born. Word had spread quickly about the baby Weyr now in the Shroud Hero’s ranks, much to everyone’s excitement. The populous was eager to see how the new dragon would contribute to the fights against Infinator.

It was dinner time in the castle. Everyone were seated in their spots, enjoying their meal. Heatblast was sitting on Celtic’s right shoulder like a parrot, eyeing his master’s meal, which was a large duck breast with sauce, mashed potatoes, and rice. Celtic could sense Heatblast’s interest in the meal. Humorously, every time Celtic would look at Heatblast the dragon hatchling would turn away, pretending not to be interested, though the Shroud Hero knew otherwise.

After a few more moments of this Celtic sighed, “Okay, okay, Heatblast. I’ll give you one piece of Icefield Duck Breast in Sapphire Raspberry sauce, but that’ll be it until I give you dinner later.”

Heatblast looked eager as Celtic said this. Celtic cut a fair-sized chunk off of the duck breast and held it out to the baby dragon. Heatblast sniffed it, gave it a small lick, then greedily snatched it, quickly devouring the piece of meat. Everyone couldn’t help but chuckle at this.

“You’re just like a parent, Cel,” Skye smiled.

“I’m surprised you brought him to the table, Celtic,” Lucas said. “Wouldn’t be better if he stayed in your guest room?”

Celtic sighed, “Sadly, no. If I leave the room without him, even if I’m just going to the bathroom, he pines for me, making a bit of a fuss. Though he does respond to Skye, and she can calm him down a bit. And as Queen Amelia said, he’s very curious about everything around him, thus he could easily get into trouble if no one is paying attention to him. So I had to bring him along to keep him out of trouble. It’s just like raising a toddler that knows how to crawl: you gotta keep an eye on him otherwise he’ll get into some form of mischief.”

Skye giggled again, “Spoken like a true parent, Cel. I can’t wait to see how you handle raising our kids.”

King Alvin chuckled, “Still, he has a point. That Weyr is your responsibility now, especially since the Dragon Emperors entrusted him to you. But, from what I’ve seen, you’re someone who takes responsibility seriously, Prince Avalar, so I know you’ll do a good job. Besides, I feel that the Dragon Emperors want that Weyr to help fight Infinator, which is another reason why they gave the egg to you. At least that’s what I believe.”

Celtic finished his bite of duck before replying, “Probably, though I don’t know for sure. And I’m a bit uneasy bringing this newborn dragon into battle with Infinator’s forces but Heatblast may be needed down the road. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

The group resumed eating their dinner, wondering what role Heatblast is supposed to play. After dinner they returned to their rooms. Celtic presented another piece of chicken for the newborn dragon, who eagerly scarfed it down. After he had picked the bone clean Heatblast climbed into the bassinet and curled up to go to bed. Celtic and his party spent a bit of time chatting and planning before they all retired for the night.

Two weeks had passed since Heatblast had been born. The Heroes and their allies had been busy fighting off the various denizens of the Demon Realm that had crossed into Zakota via the gateways. They knew it was only a matter of time before Infinator would be fully revived, and thus wanted to find a way to infiltrate his base and destroy whatever machine Bronwen had created to open up the rifts between the two worlds. During that timeframe Heatblast had been growing rather rapidly, much to everyone’s surprise. By the time the Heroes and their allies had returned from another long slog with invading enemies Heatblast was now quite large, easily as big as Viola.

Celtic looked Heatblast over, amazed, “I can’t believe Heatblast grew this quickly. He looks big enough to ride on now.”

Skye circled Heatblast briefly before saying, “I know I said that the Shroud’s magic would probably accelerate Heatblast’s growth, but I wasn’t expecting this. I mean, he’s only been alive for roughly two weeks and he’s already the size of an Arachne, who are slightly smaller than Ogre Scorpions. I know Weyrs can get about as big as an Ogre Scorpion so he might be nearly fully grown at this point. He’s even able to breathe fire now, which means his growth was significantly enhanced, as Weyrs can’t breathe fire until they’re at least three months old, since it takes that long for their flame sacs to develop.”

Tyroe scratched his head, “Do you think that Dragon Tamer Shroud had something to do with it? I mean, Celtic did get it from Heatblast’s eggshell, so maybe that particular Shroud power has another passive effect that really accelerated Heatblast’s growth?”

Celtic opened up his Shroud’s menu and examined the effects of the Dragon Tamer Shroud. He took a moment to read everything over before closing the menu.

“Well, it does say that any dragon raised by me would grow a bit faster than normal,” he replied. “But I don’t think the Shroud’s magic would be that powerful to cut pretty much more than two months out of Heatblast’s growth and development. A month, maybe, but not a bit more than two. At the same time… I’m not really complaining. Every time we went into battle he was on my shoulder, thus I always worried about him. Now that he’s pretty much fully grown means I don’t have to worry as much about him getting hurt. Although his bigger size could also make him a bigger target. Though it also means he’s no longer allowed to sleep in the castle. King Alvin made it clear that Heatblast now has to sleep with the military’s Grassrunner Dragons in order to avoid any accidents.”

Viola scratched her chin, “Do you think Heatblast will accept that?”

Celtic sighed, “He’ll have to. At least he obeys my orders without question, so that somewhat alleviates the issue. We shall see if he’ll obey this command or not.”

Gram said, “Considering how loyal he is to you I have faith that he’ll obey. I mean, according to the knights, who hand-raised the Grassrunner Dragons in their own homes, they said that those dragons adjusted to their new sleeping areas well. I do have an idea. Why don’t you let him have the blanket that was in his bassinet when you got him from the Dragon Emperors? It has your scent on it so maybe that’ll be enough to reassure him you’re not far away.”

Celtic smiled, “Good idea, Gram. It’s exactly how I trained my pet pygmy hedgehog to recognize me back when I was kid. I still miss the little cute ball of quills… but that’s a good idea to ensure Heatblast won’t get into trouble.”

Leon added, “Not to mention that dragons are very intelligent, thus even young ones can understand such concepts. But the blanket idea is very smart, as it’ll reassure Heatblast that you’re not far away from him.”

Later that evening Celtic was escorting Heatblast to his new sleeping area. He was also carrying a basket of food for him. They eventually made it to the stables where the Grassrunner Dragons, which looked like a cross between a dragon and a velociraptor, resided. Celtic escorted Heatblast to a new, empty spot in the stables.

“Okay, Heatblast, you’re going to have to sleep here from now on,” he said gently to the Weyr. “I know you’d rather sleep near me but King Alvin won’t allow it. I won’t be far away, so don’t think I’m abandoning you. I hope you understand this.”

Heatblast looked at Celtic with sad eyes but nodded. He walked over to a spot with a lot of warm hay and laid down. Celtic then placed all the food in front of him, along with taking out the blanket from the bassinet.

“I’ll be back in the morning, Heatblast,” he said with a sad smile. “For now, stay here. At least you won’t be alone, as you have all these Grassrunner Dragons around you.”

Heatblast gave Celtic a lick on the face before he started eating the food. Celtic gently placed the blanket on the Weyr’s shoulders which seemed to comfort the dwarf wyvern before he walked away, giving his new pet dragon a gentle pat before doing so. Heatblast quickly finished off the food before curling up to rest. It was clear he wasn’t too happy with the arrangements but he willingly obeyed. By the time the sun was starting to set he had fallen asleep, awaiting the morning when Celtic would return.

Morning broke the following day. Heatblast was resting comfortably in his stable. Suddenly, he smelled something, opening his eyes eagerly. He looked up to see Celtic and Skye heading down to his stable, carrying food for the Weyr. His master’s return excited the Weyr who waited both patiently and eagerly for Celtic to come to him. When Celtic opened the stable door Heatblast jumped on him and started licking him.

“Woah!” Celtic sputtered. “Heatblast! I’m happy that you’re happy to see me but give me a warning before you do that!”

Skye giggled, “He’s just so happy to see you, Cel, you can’t really blame him. After all, this was the first time he’s had to sleep away from you. But the fact that Heatblast obeyed and didn’t cause a fuss is something you should praise him for. He’s such a good boy.”

After thoroughly licking Celtic Heatblast stepped back to let his master up. As Celtic wiped himself dry Skye presented the food, which mostly contained fish and chicken.

“Here you go, Heatblast,” she said cheerfully. “We got you two Lyra Hen Chickens, some Icefloe Sweetfish, a couple of Cherry Loaches, and one chopped Moonshadow Pumpkin. Eat up.”

Heatblast eagerly dug into the food, quickly scarfing the various foods, allowing the duo to watch. After he had finished eating he gently nuzzled against Celtic and Skye, who both stroked him soothingly.

“You did good, Heatblast,” Celtic said. “You obeyed me and stayed here. While this will be the arrangements for you from now on I’m glad to see that you didn’t cause a fuss while we were separated. Besides, we’ve got work to do today so we need you to be ready. Plus, now that you’re big enough, it’s time to outfit you with a saddle so we can ride you, as we’ll be needing your aerial prowess for the fights ahead.”

Heatblast nodded, understanding completely, his eyes becoming fierce. Celtic and Skye escorted him out of the stable and to the front of the building. King Duskbane was there along with a few ShadoKnights. He smiled as he saw Celtic, Skye, and Heatblast.

“Looks like Heatblast managed to survive the night without you, Avalar,” he said with a chuckle. “Good, that bodes well for the future. Anyway, since Heatblast grew a lot fast than expected it’s time to outfit him with a saddle so he can be ridden more easily. Let’s take care of that now.”

He gestured to the ShadoKnights, who approached Heatblast, carrying a saddle that looked big enough to hold two people. Celtic kept Heatblast calm while the ShadoKnights gently strapped the saddle to his back, taking care to not get in the way of his wings. After a few minutes the saddle was secured. Heatblast looked it over and gave his back a shake, clearly unsure of it.

Celtic gently stroked his face, “You’ll get used to it in a little bit, Heatblast. Just try to tolerate it, okay?”

Suddenly a Shadokor scientist appeared, startling everyone, stating, “Your Majesty, we’ve just had a breakthrough regarding that strange energy that’s coating the gateways to the Demon Realm! It appears it is partly composed of the Karma Diamond’s energy. While there is a secondary energy mixed in, most likely Bronwen’s doing, this means at the very least the Master Karma Diamond can shrink the gateways down to a much smaller size, thereby keeping denizens of the Demon Realm from crossing over and reducing the energy flow to Infinator.”

King Duskbane nodded, gaining a serious expression, “Excellent work. Now we know that Bronwen managed to use her Karma Diamond to assist in Infinator’s schemes. And since we have the Master Karma Diamond we can throw a wrench in the works. While it won’t completely solve the issue it will mitigate it to more manageable levels.” He turned to the ShadoKnights, “Alert the other Heroes and King Alvin about the discovery. The Heroes and their allies need to be deployed immediately so we can execute this strategy and slow down Infinator’s recovery.”

The ShadoKnights saluted and quickly ran into the castle to report the news. After about 10 minutes the other Heroes, the rest of the Shroud Hero party, and Gram’s group appeared.

“We heard the news,” Ryan said. “So the Master Karma Diamond we have can help reduce the problem with the dimensional gateways to the Demon Realm? That’ll be a huge asset to us.”

Gram nodded, “Indeed, as it’ll lessen our workload and keep any more invasive species from getting into Zakota. While it may not outright stop all possible invasive monsters it will stem the flow to more favorable levels.”

King Duskbane nodded, “Indeed, Sir Gram. That’s exactly what we want, at least until we can identify the secondary energy Bronwen mixed in with the Karma Diamond’s energy. It’ll also reduce the energy flow from the Demon Realm so Infinator won’t be able to power himself up as quickly. While he may just simply open up more gateways- -at least with the Master Karma Diamond we can mitigate the flow of energy and monsters. You all need to be deployed right away so we can slow down Infinator’s recovery and stop the invasive monsters.”

Eric nodded, “We’re on it.”

Celtic stepped up, “I’ll get us to Nyx so we can execute the operation as quickly as possible. If everyone is ready let’s get going.”

Everyone nodded, with Leon stating, “No time like the present, Cel. Let’s do it.”

“Right. Shadow Warp!”

The Heroes and their allies vanished in black portals, leaving behind King Duskbane and his Shadokor. They then reappeared on Nyx. There were dozens of open gateways to the Demon Realm nearby. Celtic took out the Master Karma Diamond.

“Okay, let’s do this,” he said. “Everyone, be alert, as I know Infinator won’t take kindly to us messing up his plans. I wouldn’t be surprised if he sent out a Demon General to stop us, so be ready for anything.”

Everyone nodded and got into a defensive pose. Celtic started to channel energy into the Master Karma Diamond, which caused it to glow. After a minute of charging up energy Celtic held the Master Karma Diamond high in the air, causing it to release a massive rainbow-colored energy wave that washed all over the place. Upon striking the gateways the energy wave caused them to start shrinking until they were only a fraction of the size they once were. The energy wave continued to sweep over the landscape, causing each and every gateway to the Demon Realm to shrink. Celtic lowered his arm and placed the Master Karma Diamond back in his Tek-Pak.

“Okay, that should ruffle Infinator’s feathers,” he said. “Be ready as he may make a move soon.”

At the time of this event the Demon Generals heard Infinator bellow furiously. They quickly approached the energy vent and bowed. Infinator’s eyes appeared, clearly showing rage.

“That damn Chaos breed Shroud Hero!” he spat. “He figured out that the Master Karma Diamond can slow down our plans! While it didn’t outright hard-counter them, the energy flow has been greatly reduced and now only small monsters from the Demon Realm can cross between the two worlds! Adelram! You go out there and deal with those pests! Don’t come back without the Master Karma Diamond!”

The demonic Mountain Roc bowed, “At once, Master Infinator.”

Infinator’s eyes vanished from the energy vent while Adelram quickly made his way outside and headed in the direction where the Hero faction was. It wasn’t long before he came into view.

“You were right, Cel,” Rupert said, narrowing his eyes. “Adelram is coming. Looks like Infinator did not take our meddling well.”

Celtic nodded, “As expected. Prepare for battle!”

Adelram appeared before the Hero faction, his eyes narrowing, “So, you dare get in the way of Master Infinator’s plans? This time you’ve gone too far. I will deal with you personally, and I’ll make sure you can’t use the Master Karma Diamond anymore! Hmm?” He then noticed Heatblast, who was snarling viciously at the Demon General, “A Weyr!? You now have a Weyr in your ranks!? Since when?! Master Infinator won’t be pleased! I’ll just have to kill it as well as you! Prepare to die!”

He gave a screech and the battle began. He started to channel energy in his beak before firing a beam at the Hero faction. Everyone scattered to dodge the attack. Leon and Jerry both primed their bows for battle.

“Have a taste of this, bird brain!” Leon stated. “Sacred Arrow!”

“Time to fry this turkey!” Jerry spat. “Thunder Arrow!”

Both fired their attacks at Adelram, striking him hard with intense energies, making the trans-mutated Mountain Roc screech in pain. Zuzu took the air and raised up her fists.

“Close Combat Combo!” she stated.

She started to repeatedly whale on Adelram, punching him with increasingly stronger strikes while zipping around to avoid a counterattack. After building up enough power she raised her fist up and slammed it onto the Demon General’s head, causing him to crash to the ground, dazed. Heatblast then spewed red-hot flames at Adelram, making him screech in pain and quickly get back into the sky.

Celtic turned to Skye, “Skye! You get on Heatblast’s back and hit the wind!”

Skye nodded and ran over to Heatblast. Understanding what Skye wanted, Heatblast allowed the Light Elf to jump onto his back and position herself on the saddle. After securing herself she gave Heatblast a gentle kick, which signaled to the Weyr to take flight. Heatblast flew into the air with Skye, joining Zuzu and preparing for an aerial battle.

Adelram spat, “That won’t stop me! Airstream!”

He fired the vacuum of wind at Skye, Heatblast, and Zuzu, who all dodged the attack. Heatblast then did a backflip to build momentum before ramming Adelram, knocking him back. Celtic then gained an idea.

“I’ve got an idea!” he said. “Shield Wall!”

The wall of shields appeared. He then clustered them together and positioned them behind Adelram.

“Blood Needle Shield!”

The giant cluster of shields transformed into one humongous Blood Needle Shield. Skye and Zuzu realized what Celtic was up to, exchanged nods, and quickly charged at Adelram. The dragon-riding elf and Succuryn slammed into the demonic Mountain Roc and pushed him onto the giant Blood Needle Shield, impaling the Demon General, making him screech in pain.

Zuzu started to channel energy, “This’ll keep him pinned! Dark Chains!”

Chains formed around Adelram’s wings and legs, further impaling him to the giant Blood Needle Shield.

Celtic turned to the other Heroes and Gram, “You guys finish him off! I’ll keep him steady with the Blood Needle Shield while you deal the killing blow. Remember, he’s weak to Lightning, so exploit that weakness!”

The other Heroes and Gram nodded and started to prime their final attacks on the Demon General.

“Thunderbolt Slash!” Ryan stated.

“Lightning Spear!” Lucas shouted.

“Thunderbolt Slam!” Eric roared.

“Thunder Arrow!” Jerry spat.

“Bolt Slash!” Gram yelled.

The five Lightning-based attacks flew toward Adelram, combining into one massive attack. The Mountain Roc Demon General could only look on in horror as the combo attack slammed into him, pummeling him with intense Lightning energies. He screeched in pain as his body was ravaged by the attack before going silent. When the attacks waned, everyone waited to see if Adelram would move, but he didn’t. Everyone then gained a lot of EXP, informing them that the battle was over. The Dark Chains and Blood Needle Shield vanished, causing the now-dead Demon General’s body to crash to the ground. Moments later his body started to fossilize, further concluding the battle. Celtic then thought of something.

“Zuzu!” he called. “Smash his body open and recover the Inferno Core and Flame Shards! We don’t know for sure but Sylph may still need them, so let’s get them before she can!”

Zuzu nodded, floated down to Adelram’s body, raised up her right fist, and started to channel energy.

“Dark Strike!” she stated.

She slammed her fist down on the fossilized Demon General, causing his body to shatter, revealing the same purplish Inferno Core and Flame Shards. She gathered them up and presented them to Celtic who placed them in a sack. Heatblast then landed on the ground, allowing Skye to jump off him.

“Hopefully that’s the end of Adelram,” she said as she gently stroked Heatblast on the neck.

Wendy asked, “Can’t Infinator just simply clone him again?”

Gram turned to her, “That was a concern before, but remember, the cloning process has a serious flaw that causes the clone to become more and more insane with each process. And that’s not helpful to Infinator. Remember Akuji? He had been cloned three times until he became a psychotic, insane, rampaging beast, where Infinator sent him on a suicide mission to both rob us of Shadogon and remove a minion that is no longer useful. Adelram has been cloned at least twice now, so if he were to be cloned again it would result in him going insane and Infinator needing to dispose of him so he doesn’t hamper his plans. I doubt Infinator will clone him again, as he’ll want to avoid that outcome, so I think it’s safe to say Adelram is gone now.”

Celtic nodded, “Agreed, Gram. I think we’re finally done with Adelram, as Infinator won’t be able to use a Demon General who has gone insane. He proved that with Akuji. Besides, he’s got three new Demon Generals to work with so he’ll probably simply cut his losses and just shift the workload onto the others. After all, he still has more Demon Generals now than when he started out, so it’s not a huge loss. It’s a loss on his end, yes, but Infinator is intelligent enough to know when to cut his losses and move on. Besides, as long as he still has Sylph and Bronwen he doesn’t have much to worry about, as they are the most dangerous. Anyway, we should report back to King Alvin about what happened. The Master Karma Diamond succeeded in stemming the energy flow from the Demon Realm and Infinator is now down one more Demon General. I’d say that’s a win for our side. Skye, if you’d be so kind?”

The Light Elf smiled, “You got it, loverboy. Let’s head back. Warp!”

The Hero faction vanished, returning to Delgunner to report their success. With Adelram gone they knew that they had just gained a large foothold against Infinator’s plans.

Next Chapter: Blaze of Victory

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see what our Heroes face with their new ally.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Spoiler: Chapter 5) Blaze of Victory

Blaze of Victory

​

It had been a few days since the defeat of Adelram at the hands of the Hero faction. Word had spread that another Demon General was gone, much to everyone’s joy and relief. They knew, however, that Infinator won’t take the loss of his General lying down.

Inside Infinator’s prison the remaining Demon Generals were bowing before the energy vent. Infinator’s eyes appeared from the vent.

“The loss of Adelram is a blow to us,” Infinator stated. “While we still have more Demon Generals now than we did when we first started it’s still a loss on our end. And, as you all know, cloning Adelram isn’t feasible anymore, as he’s already been cloned twice now, which means cloning him again will result in an insane minion. That’s not helpful to us. So, as a result, we’re going to cut our losses and move ahead without him. Bronwen, have you completed the device I asked you to make?”

Bronwen bowed, “Yes, Master Infinator. I just finished it this morning. It’s fully operational and ready for action.”

“Excellent, Bronwen. Alastor, you will be the first one to receive the effects of it, as I want you to avenge Adelram. Use what the device will grant you to crush those Heroes, especially the Chaos breed Shroud Hero.”

Alastor bowed, “It would be my pleasure, Master Infinator.”

Sylph then asked, “Should I accompany him to act as backup, Master Infinator?”

“No, not this time, Sylph, as I have another job for you,” Infinator replied. “While that does increase the risk factor I have a very important task for you to attend to. Bronwen will give you the details after she’s done with Alastor. The rest of you remain on standby until further notice.”

Everyone bowed, “Yes, Master Infinator.”

Bronwen turned to Alastor, “Alastor, follow me back to my workshop so I can ‘outfit’ you with what the new device I’ve built can offer.”

Alastor rubbed his hands together, “I can hardly wait, Bronwen. Anything to avenge Adelram and make those Heroes suffer is good in my books.”

Meanwhile, at Delgunner, the Heroes and their allies were going over possible plans on how to get into Infinator’s home base and destroy the machine Bronwen created.

Skye gave a heavy sigh, “It seems that no matter what we plan we just can’t figure out a way to get inside without it running into a snag or two.”

Ryan nodded, “Indeed. Be it the barrier, the automatic defenses, and/or the Demon Generals themselves we just can’t seem to come up with any sort of idea on how to infiltrate Infinator’s home base and wreak havoc.”

Gram added, “Even King Alvin is at a loss on how to get inside Infinator’s prison and he’s a well-regarded strategic genius. The Light Elves really complicated everything by putting up that barrier and then hiding the information on it in various corners of the world. If only we knew where those corners were maybe we could find the tablet, restore it, and then use the spell on it to remove the barrier and get Infinator right in the heart of his operation.”

Skye gave another heavy sigh, “That’s my ancestor for you. The Light Elves never think things through, which often causes more problems. The Great Demon War itself was one such incident of them not thinking their plans through, and most definitely their apex disaster. Though summoning and stabbing Celtic in the back proved to be just as bad, and just as costly, as summoning Infinator to this world. At least in Celtic’s case he proved to be an ally to Zakota compared to Infinator, even if he’s more of an anti-hero. A handsome anti-hero at that.”

Celtic gave her a look, “I’m not handsome. But the fact of the matter is we need to find a way to infiltrate Infinator’s home base and give him hell. But we can’t do that without either finding the secret entrance or lowering the barrier, both of which are difficult to execute due to various factors. If only the barrier didn’t disrupt teleportation magic we could simply use Teleport or Shadow Warp to break in and finally remove Infinator for good. The fact that Sylph is somehow able to use her Teleport spell when within range of the barrier and not be affected only further adds to the mystery of how we’re gonna do the same.”

Suddenly, a male Shadow Sentinel appeared, startling everyone.

“Forgive my unannounced arrival, but we’ve got trouble,” he said. “Alastor has just left Infinator’s base and is heading here. From what we’ve discovered, it appears he’s been enhanced somehow, as his aura is much stronger than normal. He also has a large army of various bat monsters, including what look like more powerful Gengar Bats. You’re needed to defend the city right away.”

Zuzu’s eyes narrowed, “What about Sylph?”

“She’s not with him this time. Our sources saw her head out alongside Alastor but she headed toward the eastern continent of Arkata instead. This means Alastor is fighting alone, not including the bat monsters he has with him, so this is a chance to eliminate him for good like you did Adelram, as Sylph won’t be around to bail him out of the fight.”

Celtic nodded, “Right, then let’s do this. Go get Heatblast, as he might be needed, especially since he can provide aerial support. And the fact that he’s a fire-breathing dragon, and Alastor is weak to the Fire element, makes him a good counter. Hurry, while we still have some time to work with.”

The Shadow Sentinel bowed, “At once, sire.”

He then vanished like a phantom.

Eric said, “Looks like we’ll have to put our plans to infiltrate Infinator’s base aside for now, as this is a golden opportunity to destroy Alastor for good while he’s alone. We have to take advantage of the fact that Sylph isn’t around to babysit him and take him down once and for all.”

Celtic nodded, “Agreed, Eric. Let’s hurry. Skye, if you’d be so kind.”

Skye smiled, “You got it, loverboy. Warp!”

The group vanished from the room they were in. They then reappeared outside of Delgunner’s gates. There were several soldiers and mages already present, ready to fight Alastor. A few minutes later the Shadow Sentinel appeared, escorting Heatblast, who didn’t seem fond of being led by someone other than Celtic or Skye. The moment he saw Celtic he quickly flew over to his beloved master, who gently rubbed him under the chin in response. It wasn’t long before everyone saw the swarm of bat monsters approaching alongside Alastor.

“Today we have to get rid of Alastor once and for all,” Celtic instructed. “Those various Nightmare Bats and Gengar Bats will complicate the battle, but we need to focus most of our attention on Alastor. Area-of-Effect attacks will be extremely useful here, as the various Nightmare Bats and Gengar Bats aren’t very durable, even if they’ve been enhanced somehow. We need to capitalize on the fact that Sylph is out on a different mission and eliminate another Demon General from Infinator’s ranks. Everyone, prepare for battle!”

The various soldiers and mages cheered in response, preparing themselves for the fight ahead. As Alastor and his bat monster army came within range he gained a twisted sneer.

“So, they’ve all come to face me?” he smirked. “How noble of them. But let’s see if they can handle the newly upgraded me! Hmm?” He then noticed Heatblast and his eyes widened, “A Weyr!? When did you Heroes get a Weyr in your ranks!? Master Infinator HATES Weyrs! They’re the one thing he’s truly afraid of! Fine, I’ll just have to kill it as well! Minions… attack!”

The various members of the Nightmare Bat family and Gengar Bats screeched and began their attack. The various soldiers and mages retaliated, cutting and blasting the bat monsters down as quickly as possible. This tactic allowed the Heroes to focus on Alastor, who gave them a sneer.

“So, you mongrels think you can take me on? Especially after Bronwen gave me a much-needed power boost? You’ll find out that I’m not so easy beaten now. Eat this! Sonic Crush!”

He released a massively powerful sonic attack at the Heroes, making them all flinch as the soundwaves disrupted their charge.

“Gengar Bats, use your enhanced powers against the Shroud Hero! You need to disable him before he gets a chance to retaliate!”

The Gengar Bats gave a screech and started to release the reddish mist, indicating they were using their special ability. Celtic’s pupils became slits as he glared at the red mist.

“I know what’s coming next and I won’t let it beat me again!” he snarled.

Suddenly, the red mist started to produce what looked like screens all around him, much to his confusion. To his horror it showed him various painful memories, causing his courage to falter. This display was followed up by the usual hallucinations of his friends and loved ones bombarding him from all sides with insults and threats. This brutal combination caused Celtic to fall to one knee, clutch his head, and tremble like a leaf as he tried to block it all out. Alastor could see Celtic’s reaction to the Gengar Bats’ assault, making him smirk.

“Good, my pets,” he grinned darkly. “Crush his spirit with your hallucinations and bring me to victory!”

Suddenly, he heard a fierce roar, looked up, and saw Heatblast flying above him. The dwarf wyvern had a look of pure hatred on his face. He opened his mouth and started to channel intense fire energies. When he had charged up enough power he fired it as a highly condensed beam of fiery energy that engulfed Alastor. The Shade Wing Demon General desperately tried to resist but the attack was overwhelming him. He then screamed in agony as his body was completely torn apart by the attack, burning away to nothingness, leaving only scorched earth in his wake. Alastor’s defeat caused the various bat monsters to stop attacking, which also caused the effects of the Gengar Bats to end. This opening allowed everyone to quickly retaliate and killed the remaining bat monsters, closing the battle. As the battle ended Celtic fell to his hands and knees, very visibly shaken, his body drenched in a cold sweat, his eyes wide with horror, and was panting heavily.

“Celtic!” Skye cried out as she ran over to him.

The other Heroes were shocked to see Celtic on his hands and knees.

“How?” Ryan choked. “How could those Gengar Bats force Celtic to his hands and knees?”

Jerry nodded, “Yeah. I’ve never seen him this shaken. Even his fear of clowns wasn’t enough to force him down. So… how?”

Viola turned to the other Heroes, “You see, in order to compensate for their low power, certain monsters, such as Gengar Bats and Ghost Mages, rely on a tactic that allows them to disable their prey by using illusions and other such mental attacks. Celtic is, unfortunately, very vulnerable to psychological warfare. This is because of his horrid life and the fact that he still harbors trust issues and paranoia. Basically, those types of monsters will force the target to hear the last things they want to hear from the last voices they want to hear it from. But it appears that these enhanced Gengar Bats had a few new tricks to execute against him, as this is the worst we’ve seen him since he was first introduced to that ability. Alastor learned of this weakness, which is how he managed to get the Karma Diamond away from us that one time when both our party and Lucas’ fought him. He obviously passed it onto the other Demon Generals, as they’ve taken any opportunity to try to use it as a means of disabling Celtic. It’s a very unfortunate weakness Celtic has. While he has built up some resistance to it and is wearing a Mind Ring to further reduce the effects, it’s pretty clear that Bronwen enhanced those Gengar Bats to make their effect even more potent than normal.”

Gram looked surprised, “So, despite Sir Celtic’s impressive defenses, his mind is his weak point because he’s had such a horrible life? That’s terrible. I mean, I knew what Sludge and Wench had pulled on him with that false rape allegation and all, but I was not aware that there were more events before that. But I guess that explains his cynical, jaded, and foul-tempered personality. It’s clear that this weakness to mental attacks is quite an Achilles’ heel to him. But to see him on his knees is quite a shock. I almost wonder what he saw this time that could shake him this badly.”

Lucas said, “So, it’s because Alastor discovered this weakness to the effects of Gengar Bats that he got away with the Karma Diamond that one time. That explains a lot. But why didn’t you mention something before?”

Zuzu gave him a cold look, “Like we were going to tell you that Celtic is vulnerable to psychological attacks. Especially in front of Wench. She’s already exploited his fear of clowns twice before she was finally executed, and you weren’t exactly a saint yourself for a time, either. Do you really think Wench would’ve NOT passed up the chance to try to cripple Celtic with his biggest weakness of all for her sick amusement? Now, granted, her finding a way to control Gengar Bats, or any other monster that can use such tactics, would be difficult, but she would’ve been determined enough to try, given the mutual hatred she and Celtic had for each other. It was best to keep that weakness under wraps and only deal with it when it cropped up so that way other enemies wouldn’t learn of it.”

Eric turned to Lucas, “She has a point, Lucas. You and Wench did exploit Celtic’s fear of clowns with the Fun Box incident, which Wench later followed up on during her time with the Four Stars Church. Do you really think it would’ve been smart for Celtic to reveal that weakness while Wench was still alive? Granted, it getting revealed this way isn’t ideal, either, but it’s probably better exploited by a Demon General instead of Wench, who did cruel things purely for kicks. But to think that such a tactic could force Celtic onto his knees is rather frightening. Hopefully with Alastor dead now that’ll be the last we’ll see of Gengar Bats and their ability.”

Rupert replied, “Under normal circumstances, yes. But remember, Bronwen created a Monster Generator, which allows the user to create a mini wave and summon any monsters they want. Plus Kalaraja can summon monsters as well. So as long as both Kalaraja and the Monster Generator exist, it’s possible for Infinator’s faction to keep exploiting that weakness. But it is possible that they won’t be able to enhance them like they did this time around: that’ll make dealing with their effects more manageable. We’ll just have to wait and see if the Demon Generals will continue to target that weakness or not.”

Skye was still comforting Celtic, who was still quite shaken. Heatblast was also gently nuzzling the Shroud Hero, trying to help any way he could. After a few minutes Celtic was able to stand back up, though he still looked pale.

“I’m sorry for crumbling so easily this time around,” he said. “Those enhanced Gengar Bats threw a new trick into the pot. They showed me several of my most painful memories alongside the usual effects. That combo was just too much, as it unearthed too many hateful and depressing feelings that I had finally moved on from. Now those memories and feelings will haunt me for a while. I knew what to expect, as Gengar Bats are becoming the bane of my existence, but I wasn’t expecting to be hit that harshly. But… on the bright side, we finally eliminated Alastor. And seeing how Infinator hasn’t cloned Adelram it’s safe to say that we’re finally done with both of those Demon Generals.”

Leon nodded, “Yeah. And to think that Heatblast was the one to deal the killing blow to Alastor. Plus now we know that Infinator is afraid of Weyrs. No wonder Adelram and Alastor were shocked to see Heatblast. Looks like the Dragon Emperors knew what they were doing when they gave you that egg, Cel. They provided us with another weapon, one that he fears, against that diabolical demon.”

Celtic nodded weakly, “Yeah. Looks like helping Tiamat really paid off in the long run. But time for that later, as we still have some work to do. Have any healers go around and restore those who got hurt in the struggle. We should also clean up these bat monster corpses and perhaps sell them to dealers who purchase dead monster bodies. Also, Ryan, Lucas, Eric, and Jerry should absorb a Gengar Bat for your Legendary Gear, as this is the first time you’ve encountered them. Afterward we’ll head back into the capital and report our success to King Alvin.”

Everyone nodded and began their assigned tasks. The other four Heroes took some Gengar Bat corpses and absorbed them into their Legendary Gear, unlocking new powers. Celtic took the time to rest, using Heatblast for support to keep him upright while Skye, Rupert, and Tyroe gathered up some monster corpses to sell. After everything was finished they returned to the city. Celtic and Skye escorted Heatblast back to his stable. After getting the Weyr settled they returned to the castle to report back to King Alvin.

Later that evening Celtic was looking over a castle balcony, his eyes focused on the sky. It was clear he was still very shaken from the events of the day, as old feelings and emotions swirled around his head. He then heard something and saw Skye walk up to him.

“Hey, Cel, how are you feeling?” she asked gently.

“Better, I guess,” he replied. “Though the fact that these memories and feelings that I had long buried are now haunting my mind is making me feel rather depressed.” He gave a heavy sigh before continuing, “I’ve always lived a life of regret and hatred, and thanks to being forced to see those memories again have only reminded me of just how hellish my life has been. I live a very dark existence, my hearts full of hate and regret. I sometimes wonder if it would’ve been better if Sylph had killed me when I was an infant.”

Skye grabbed his arm, “Don’t say things like that, Cel. It’s because of you we actually have a fighting chance against an evil force like Infinator. And it’s because of you that other prominent enemies have fallen. And it’s because of you that we now have competent Heroes fighting for our futures. You’ve done so much good for everyone. We’d be lost without you. Your very existence has ended up becoming a beacon of hope for everyone on this world. Without you… there would be no hope for anyone. Out of all the Shroud Heroes… no, out of all the Heroes, period, you’ve been the one to completely unite everyone under one flag and bring everyone hope for a bright future. Even your ancestor, the Shadow Prince, wasn’t as influential as you are. I mean, you alone got the Light Elves to change their ways for the better. No one, past or present, has been able to do that. And I’m proud to stand by your side as your right-hand woman and fiancée. I know it’ll be you who will bring Zakota to a new, shining era. So, please, don’t talk like that. I can’t stand to hear such words come from your mouth. You’re too good for that, Cel.”

The two of them looked deeply into each other’s eyes. Celtic could see and feel the torrent of warmth and love that Skye’s beautiful blue eyes were emitting. He gently touched her cheek with his metal hand, which she responded by placing both hands on her shoulders, and slowly closed the gap between them. After a tense moment the two closed their eyes and locked lips with each other. They gently kissed each other, feeling their love and respect for one another as their spirits danced with joy. After what felt like an eternity but was only just a few minutes they broke apart and looked at each other lovingly.

Celtic chuckled lightly, “You work in very mysterious and wonderful ways, Skye. It makes me so happy, which is an emotion I haven’t felt in years. I hope I was able to satisfy you, as that was my first kiss ever.”

Skye wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling, “Yeah, well, you must have some pretty powerful dark magic yourself, as you’ve got me completely under your spell. And that was my first kiss, too, which is considered sacred to an elf. Sure, I’ve given you a few pecks on the cheek in the past, but not a real kiss like this. And I must say you’re a damn good kisser, Cel, as I want more. I… I love you, Celtic. Never leave me, as you are the master of my heart.”

“I love you, too, Skye. Please stay by my side until the end of time.”

The two continued to look at each other lovingly before they untangled themselves and returned inside the castle, their spirits high as the stars above.

Next Chapter: The Belly of the Beast

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see what happens to our Heroes.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Spoiler: Chapter 6) The Belly of the Beast

The Belly of the Beast

​

It was the following day after the battle with Alastor. Celtic had since recovered from the effects of the enhanced Gengar Bats, though it was obvious that the memories he saw were still haunting him. The Heroes and their allies were still trying to figure out a way to get inside Infinator’s base but were having no such luck in the endeavor.

Meanwhile, the remaining Demon Generals were discussing the loss of Alastor.

Sylph picked up a machine, saying, “I can’t believe our newest toy: the Monster Magnifier, failed to enhance Alastor high enough to defeat those Heroes. And now he’s dead.”

Bronwen replied, “True, but it wasn’t a total loss. From what my sources indicated Alastor did take the Shroud Hero out of the battle pretty quickly through the enhanced effects of the Gengar Bats. That’s progress, as usually Celtic is either the one to deal the killing blow or is just so sturdy that it’s impossible to knock him down. And we can still summon Gengar Bats through both the Monster Generator and Kalaraja’s powers, so we have options. They probably won’t be as effective as when they were being controlled by Alastor but it’s still something we can use against him.”

Caym nodded, “Aye, that’s true. And at least we know the Monster Magnifier works, too. While it wasn’t enough to win the battle it was able to knock that miserable Shroud Hero out of the fight, especially since he’s normally impossible to defeat outright. We just need a new plan.”

Suddenly, they heard Infinator’s voice calling, “Sylph! Come here!”

Sylph sputtered, “R-Right away, Master Infinator.” She turned to her fellow Demon Generals, “We’ll finish this discussion later. Bronwen, you try to figure out a new plan on how to deal with those Heroes.”

Sylph quickly scampered over to the energy vent where Infinator was waiting for her. She went into a bow and awaited her orders.

“Sylph, it has come to my attention that a recent cache of Dark Matter, Zolu, and Crimzonite has been discovered in the Terakian Mountains,” Infinator stated. “You are to go there and harvest as much as possible before anyone else gets their mits on it. I especially want as much Dark Matter as possible, as I’ve found a very interesting use for its powerful Dark energies. Seeing how your last harvesting mission was successful I want you to go. But go quickly, before those blasted Heroes get in the way.”

Sylph nodded, “As you command, Master Infinator. I will prepare some sacks and be on my way pronto.”

She quickly retraced her steps to a certain point, grabbed two large sacks, and took off toward the Terakian Mountains. Her actions didn’t go unnoticed.

Minutes later the Heroes and their allies had all been gathered in King Alvin’s throne room. After ensuring that everyone was present King Alvin cleared his throat.

“Heroes and allies, we’ve just gotten wind that Sylph is heading toward the Terakian Mountains,” he said.

Lucas looked confused, “Why is she going there?”

Gram’s eyes widened, “Wait, wasn’t there a recent discovery in those mountains? I think it was a large cache of Dark Matter, Zolu, and Crimzonite. Is Sylph still hunting for materials for Infinator?”

King Alvin nodded, “That is indeed correct, Sir Gram. While we don’t know for sure why Infinator wants those materials, especially the Dark Matter, it’s safe to say it’ll have something to do with his revival. So you all are to go to the Terakian Mountains and intercept Sylph before she gets away with bags of rare ore. You’ll need Heatblast, too, as the area where the cache was found is rather rocky. I’ve already sent a knight to retrieve the Weyr and he should be waiting for you outside the castle. Once you pick up Heatblast you are to head to the Terakian Mountains and stop Sylph before she can harvest any of the materials.”

“Yessir!” everyone stated.

Celtic then said, “Let’s get outside and rendezvous with Heatblast so we can begin the mission. Quickly, as Sylph can now use Teleport, so she can get from her base to any location without needing to fly, thus cutting down the time it takes to travel back and forth.”

Everyone nodded and quickly dashed outside. Heatblast was waiting for them alongside a knight. The Weyr wasn’t too happy being escorted by the knight but instantly perked up when he saw Celtic. After ensuring that everyone was ready Celtic took a deep breath.

“Okay, time to go to an unknown location for us,” he said. “Let’s rock! Shadow Warp!”

The Hero group vanished in black portals, leaving the knight behind. They reappeared in an unknown location. Zuzu floated up a bit to get a feel for the area.

“Yeah, you did it, Celtic,” she said. “These are the Terakian Mountains. I was here once before about 100 years ago so I recognize the area.”

Skye nodded, “Indeed. As you know, these mountains are found in the Exodia Kingdom on the eastern continent of Arkata, so this is new territory for us. These mountains are said to be rich with various ores and gems, so they’re quite valuable. That said, the terrain is rather rough, and some of the monsters here are fierce, so not too many go here even to harvest the rare materials. Considering that the large cache of Dark Matter, Zolu, and Crimzonite was just discovered yesterday it makes me wonder if that’s where Sylph went when Alastor attacked us? After all, according to the Shadow Sentinel, she did go to Arkata while we were busy with Alastor.”

Viola replied, “Maybe, or maybe she had another assignment on this continent. Hard to know, especially since if she’s here now it possibly means her faction wasn’t aware of the newly discovered cache of ore at the time. Either way, we need to stop chin-wagging and track her down before she makes off like a bandit.”

Leon nodded, “Leave tracking her to me. My aura reading skills will sniff her out, as she gives off a pretty big energy signature due to her high Level and powers. Now, give me a moment.”

He closed his eyes and started to concentrate. A glowing aura appeared around him. Everyone waited tensely for him to finish. After a minute he opened his eyes, the aura vanishing.

“Okay, I got a lock on her,” the Templar Knight said. “She’s not far from us. She’s two miles northeast of us, though the energies from the Dark Matter are slightly masking her aura. But she’s here, as there’s no mistaking that stench of an aura she produces. Let’s go before she gathers too much ore and makes her getaway.”

Everyone nodded and quickly headed northeast toward the direction Leon had instructed. It wasn’t long before they came to a large open area nestled inside the mountain. They could see countless chunks of Dark Matter, Zolu, and Crimzonite protruding from the walls and floor. They then looked ahead to see Sylph mining for the ores, with one full sack and a second one being filled. She hadn’t detected their presence at the time, giving the Hero faction a chance to sneak up on her. However, she suddenly sensed them and quickly turned around, gaining a snarl.

“Dammit!” she spat. “I can’t believe you goons followed me here! Hmm!?” She then noticed Heatblast, eyes widening, “No way! A Weyr!? When did you get a Weyr!? Is that how you defeated Adelram and Alastor?! Master Infinator HATES Weyrs!” She then started to channel energy, “I don’t have time to play with you so I’ll just give you this sendoff gift and be on my way! Ballistic Bombardment!”

Energy meteors rained down upon the battlefield, forcing the Hero faction to hastily dodge. Sylph used this distraction to quickly gather up the ore she had just harvested, threw it into the second sack, and grabbed both sacks.

“Later, Legendary Zeroes!” she stated smugly. “Tele—”

However, at that exact second Celtic transformed his arm into Yo-Yo and fired it. The disc and cable wrapped around Sylph’s legs, much to her shock.

“—port!?”

She, the sacks, and Celtic all vanished from the battlefield, much to Skye’s and Heatblast’s horror. Sylph’s disappearance also caused the Ballistic Bombardment spell to end.

“C-Celtic!?” Skye cried out.

“Why would Celtic do something like that?!” Ryan sputtered.

Eric nodded, “Yeah, Celtic never takes such risks. Now he’s going to be taken right back to Infinator’s base.”

“But what does he hope to gain from that…?” Jerry asked.

Suddenly, it all dawned upon them, making them go wide-eyed.

“He… he isn’t going to do what we think he’s going to do?” Rupert gulped.

Tyroe nodded, “Looks like that’s the case. He’s taking a very huge risk with this stunt. But if he pulls it off then it might eliminate a lot of our problems.”

Gram said grimly, “Yeah, but he’ll be dealing with five Demon Generals, too. There it little to no chance he’ll get out of Infinator’s base unscathed when he’s dealing with five demon powerhouses. And I doubt Infinator will take this infiltration lying down.”

Skye gained a worried expression, saying softly, “Please, Celtic, come back safely. We can’t lose you now, not when we’ve made so much progress. Please, return to us… return to me alive.”

Zuzu placed a hand on Skye’s shoulder, saying gently, “We’re just going to have to have a bit of faith that he’ll make it out okay. For now, let’s retreat back to Delgunner and let King Alvin know what has happened. He’s not going to be happy about this reckless maneuver of Celtic’s but if it works out we may gain several footholds against our enemies. I never thought I’d see the day Celtic would pull such a stunt, as he’s usually very cautious, but at the same time it’s a rather brilliant move. Let’s just hope everything will be okay.”

Skye gave a sad sigh, “Okay. I’ll get us back to Delgunner. I just hope Celtic comes back intact, as he’s already lost some pieces of himself. Let’s go. Warp.”

The Hero faction vanished from the area, worrying about Celtic as they returned to Delgunner.

At the time Sylph had reappeared inside Infinator’s base, with both the sacks of ore and Celtic in tow. Celtic’s presence alarmed the other Demon Generals.

“You’ve got a hitchhiker, Mistress Sylph!” Caym sputtered.

Before anyone could react Celtic sharply snapped his robotic arm back, causing the still-captured Sylph to be thrown around on the Yo-Yo’s cable. He then threw Sylph into her fellow Demon Generals, knocking them all down like bowling pins, quickly retracting his Yo-Yo and transforming his arm back to normal. He took the opportunity to quickly bolt deeper into the base while the five Demon Generals untangled themselves from each other.

“STOP HIM!!!” Infinator bellowed.

Bronwen cried, “He’s heading toward my workshop! If he gets in there he can cause all sorts of havoc and chaos! Quickly! After him!”

The Demon Generals started to pursue after Celtic. Celtic saw this and slammed his palm on the wall as he ran.

“Wood Tower!” he shouted.

This action caused several Wood Towers to emerge, blocking the path as he continued onward, creating multiple barriers as he ran.

Kalaraja raised up his scepter-like arms, “The situation is very dire. But these Wood Towers will fall to my Magic Fire!”

Eventually, after making several blockages from Wood Towers Celtic made it to Bronwen’s workshop. He quickly looked around before spotting a large machine with the Karma Diamond in it. He ran over, ripped the Karma Diamond out of the machine, taking chunks of the machine with it. He then transformed his arm into Break Saber and started to viciously slash and hack at the machine. After enough punishment the machine exploded. Celtic then spotted the Monster Generator, the Monster Magnifier, and the claw-like device on one of Bronwen’s stone work tables. He quickly took them, placing them and the Karma Diamond in his Tek-Pak. Just as he turned around he saw his last Wood Tower barrier get burned away by Kalaraja’s Magic Fire, allowing the Demon Generals to corner him.

“End of the line, Shroud Hero!” Sylph hissed.

Celtic gained a dark grin, “Is that so? Allow me to prove otherwise! Shield Wall!”

He summoned the orbiting shields and started to charge at the Demon Generals. The five Demon Generals fired their attacks at Celtic, only for the orbiting shields to block them. With a wave of his hand the shields all clustered together to create a large shield that he placed in front of himself. He then transformed his arm into Giga Knuckle and punched the back of the shields. This tactic caused the massive wall of shields to plow into the Demon Generals, flattening them underneath it, allowing him to jump on the backs of the shields and leap over the Demon Generals. This action caused the shields to vanish, allowing the Demon Generals a chance to untangle themselves from each other again before pursuing after Celtic again. Infinator could only watch as Celtic ran past the energy vent pretty much unopposed. His four eyes widened in horror as Celtic snagged one of the sacks with his robotic arm and fled with it, the other Demon Generals chasing after him. After getting to a certain point Sylph slammed her hand on a button in the wall.

“He won’t get away from our automatic defenses!” she spat.

As he ran Celtic found the secret exit to the area, smirking as he did.

“Time for me to fly!” he stated. “Sky Ray Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed, now taking the form of a Sky Ray’s wings and back, with the “mouth” encircling the Shroud’s core and a stingray tail. He leapt out of the exit and took flight, taking a moment to observe where the secret entrance was, noticing it was behind an illusion, before quickly bolting. As he did several mortar cannons appeared and opened fire at him, trying to shot him down.

“Elec Aura!” Celtic shouted.

He was encased in an electrified aura. Some of the mortar cannon shots struck the aura but were unable to break it, making Celtic smirk as he flew further away.

“I have to put enough distance between me and Infinator’s base so the barrier’s energies don’t disrupt my final escape tactic.”

Just then he heard a voice bellow, “YOU’RE NOT GETTING AWAY FROM ME, CELTIC!!!”

He turned to see Sylph rocketing after him, closing the gap between the two of them.

Sylph snarled, “Your resistance is futile, Shroud Hero! Infinator WILL rise again!”

Celtic gained a dark smirk, “In that case, let me give Infinator-and you-further to fall!” He started to channel energy before stating, “Shadoganger!”

A flash of black light temporarily blinded Sylph, causing her to stop briefly. When her vision cleared she now saw five Celtics, her eyes going wide. The five Celtics then started to swarm around her like angry bees, preventing her from figuring out which was the real Celtic. She fired spells erratically, trying to hit at least one of them, but was unable to do so. Suddenly, all five Celtics stopped, transformed their robotic arms into Gatling, and opened fire.

“You’re not the only one who can produce barriers!” Sylph spat. “Reflect!”

She was encased in a protective barrier the shielded her from the energy bullets.

Suddenly, a voice stated, “That won’t stop me!”

She looked up to see the real Celtic rocket down toward her. He had transformed his arm into Break Saber and viciously slashed Sylph with it. The Break Saber easily shattered the Reflect spell and severed Sylph’s wing, causing her to plummet. As she fell she fired off a long tirade of profanity at Celtic, making him smirk.

“Consider that payback for what Alastor’s enhanced Gengar Bats did to me yesterday, Sylph!” he laughed.

He then noticed Seth, Kalaraja, and Caym approaching, though they were horrified as they watched Sylph fall.

Celtic gave them a mocking wave, “See ya! Shadow Warp!”

He vanished in a black portal, causing his copies to disappear.

“Piki pika kiki ku pika pi!” Seth spat.

Caym huffed, “You said it, Seth. Damn that Shroud Hero. He’s more clever than we thought.”

Kalaraja said, “Let’s first recover Mistress Sylph and her wing. Otherwise she’ll put us all in slings. Then we’ll decide on what to do next. Master Infinator will be most vexed.”

The three other Demon Generals flew down to where Sylph, who was livid and badly injured had crashed, muttering and cursing under her breath. They gathered her and her wing up and took her back to their base where Bronwen was waiting for them. As she saw Sylph she could only sigh defeatedly.

“Put Sylph in one of the recovery chambers,” she said. “She’ll be out of commission for a few days in order to heal from those injuries. I’ve surveyed the damages… it’s not good. Master Infinator will be most displeased. I’ll be the brave one and report the damages to him. You three take care of Sylph and get her back on her feet.”

The other three Demon Generals nodded and carried Sylph to the section of the base where the recovery chambers were. Sylph was still muttering under her breath as she was placed in one of the chambers alongside her wing, the chamber sealing up behind her. Seth then worked on a control panel nearby and the chamber started to glow, indicating it was taking effect. They then heard Infinator’s angry yelling, making them all flinch.

“Poor Bronwen, she’s gonna get an earful from Master Infinator,” Caym sighed. “And it’s obvious that he’s beyond livid at what the Shroud Hero did.”

“Sad, but true,” Kalaraja nodded.

“Piki pika kiki,” Seth replied.

Meanwhile, outside of Delgunner’s gates Skye and Heatblast were waiting for Celtic to return, both extremely worried. Suddenly, they saw Celtic emerge from a black portal before landing on the ground, transforming his Shroud back to normal. The duo’s eyes lit up as they saw him safe and sound.

“Celtic!” Skye shrieked happily!

She and Heatblast tackled Celtic as he approached, clearly happy to see him. Skye hugged him tightly while Heatblast licked his face. Celtic merely smiled at this display of affection.

“Hey, you two,” he chuckled. “No need to worry. I’m okay and unhurt. It was quite the ride but I really gave Infinator’s faction hell. So you can rest easy knowing that I’m okay and Infinator’s plans have been seriously derailed.”

Skye cried, “You had us so worried, Celtic! We were fearful at what those Demon Generals would do to you! I don’t know how you did it but you somehow came back unscathed. Please, don’t do something like that again! You had me worried sick! And Heatblast, too! Don’t do something that risky again, loverboy, please!”

Celtic gently pat her head, “Take it easy, Skye. It all worked out in the end. It also allowed me to get a little payback for what happened yesterday. And I did more than just wreak havoc in Infinator’s base. I got a lot done in my little adventure. Now we have several advantages over Infinator. Anyway, can you please let me up?”

Skye and Heatblast reluctantly got up, allowing Celtic to stand up. He wiped the dragon saliva off himself before holding up the sack.

“I also managed to get a few souvenirs while I was at it. Granted, I would’ve preferred to steal both sacks of goodies, but I at least got the larger one. Plus the extra weight would’ve slowed the Sky Ray Shroud down, as I didn’t have a chance to put it in my Tek-Pak. But at least now Infinator’s plans have been seriously hampered.”

Skye gave a small smile, “Good. In any case… um… King Alvin wants to speak with you about your little stunt. Spoiler warning: he’s not happy.”

Celtic merely replied, “After everything I did today to Infinator’s side, it’ll be worth getting a lecture for my recklessness. And you can’t argue with the results, either. So, let’s put Heatblast back in his stable and I’ll go and see what King Alvin wants to say.”

After a few minutes Celtic was in the throne room with King Alvin. The Delgunner king was giving him a lecture for the stunt he pulled. The rest of the party and the other Heroes were waiting outside, though they could hear King Alvin’s voice from their spot.

Lucas looked giddy, “Finally, Celtic is getting yelled at. And it’s about time, too.”

This remark earned him a smack on the head from Tyroe’s tail, nearly knocking him over.

“Watch it, Lucas,” the Naga growled. “Celtic’s stunt may have earned him a lecture but it at least produced great results for our side. Now we have several footholds against Infinator. Even you can’t argue with that.”

Ryan sighed, “Tyroe’s got a point. Celtic’s stunt may have been a very risky gambit, but he managed to take care of all the problems we were facing in one swoop. Plus, he totally schooled those Demon Generals and came out completely unharmed. That’s quite admirable. While he obviously couldn’t do much to Infinator himself, he still managed to solve several problems in one gambit. Now Infinator has lost several advantages and we’ve gained a sizable amount of ground against him. Pulling a stunt like that is not something Celtic is known for, but at the same time it produced spectacular results for our side.”

Gram nodded, “Indeed, Ryan. As risky as it was, and as rightfully angry as King Alvin is, Sir Celtic’s quick-thinking and fast actions granted our faction some impressive results and advantages. Even His Majesty can’t argue; Sir Celtic’s plan solved many of our problems in one go. If anything, King Alvin will probably let Sir Celtic off with a warning, as the end results of his plan gave us a large number of footholds against our enemies.”

Zuzu, who was floating lazily above them, added, “Aye, that’s true. It was a high-risk, high-reward tactic Celtic performed. And he certainly got the high-reward side of the bargain. Plus the fact he managed to sucker punch Sylph and knocked her out of commission for a bit is an added bonus, something that I’m particularly happy about. It wasn’t a tactic Celtic tends to use but it still got us the results we needed. Knowing Celtic, he’s probably taking the lecture in stride, as the results of his gamble were outstanding for our faction.”

As soon as she finished her sentence, King Alvin’s voice got calmer, though they were now unable to hear what was going on in the throne room. After another few minutes the throne room doors opened and Celtic emerged. He seemed quite satisfied, much to everyone’s surprise.

“How’d the lecture go, pal?” Rupert asked.

“So totally worth it,” Celtic chuckled. “King Alvin let me off with a warning to not pull that stunt again, as even he couldn’t argue that my gambit granted us several strategic advantages over Infinator. In this case the ends justified the means, as now we have badly crippled Infinator’s plans and got a few trophies out of it to boot. Even King Alvin admitted that, despite the methods, my gambit provided us spectacular results against Infinator. Granted, I wasn’t able to steal back all the ore Sylph had gathered but I did get the bulk of it. And with Sylph grounded for a while until she recovers from our fight we won’t have to worry about her going after that cache of ore for a bit. Hopefully by then the Shadokor will have harvested most of it, as Uncle Duskbane was also in the ‘meeting’ with me and King Alvin and has plans to send his various ShadoKnights after the ore to keep Infinator away from it. I gave him the various devices that Bronwen created so his Shadokor scientists could study them. In the end, not only did I play Infinator’s faction for fools but I granted us some much-needed tactical advantages. So the lecture was so totally worth the endeavor.”

Eric chuckled lightly, “I gotta hand it to you, Celtic. While that stunt was crazy, you managed to succeed in your task and we now have several advantages over Infinator. By the way, what about the ores you stole?”

The redhead chuckled, “I know where you’re going with that, Eric. King Alvin is letting me keep the stolen ore as sort of a reward for what I did. And, yes, I will distribute it around to the rest of you, don’t you worry. That way you can power up your Legendary Gear with new forms and whatnot. Meet me back in my party’s guest room after dinner. I’ll hand out the ores then. Right now it’s time to feed Heatblast. Skye, would you mind helping me?”

Skye smiled, “Not at all, loverboy.”

Celtic turned to the rest of his party and held out the sack of ore, “Here, gang, you go back to our room and start sorting through this ore so we can divide it up evenly later. Skye and I will return shortly.”

Viola took the sack, smiling, “Will do, Cel. Leave it to us.”

With a nod Celtic and Skye left the group to feed Heatblast while the rest of the faction decided to take the chance to rest. Celtic felt proud at his actions against Infinator and his Demon Generals, knowing that they had just made some major progress against him.

Next Chapter: Spellbound

That's it for today, folks. Tune in next time to see what happens to our Heroes.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising.

Spoiler: Chapter 7) Spellbound

Spellbound

​

It was the following day after Celtic’s “rampage” inside Infinator’s prison. News had spread fast about the event and people were ecstatic that the Shroud Hero caused so much damage to Infinator’s faction with his wild gambit. They were singing his praises at such a bold yet effective infiltration. Celtic had also relayed the information he got about Infinator’s base to King Alvin and King Duskbane, allowing the two kings to start mapping out a battleplan.

Celtic and Skye were heading to Heatblast’s stable. They were carrying food for the Weyr consisting of various meats and produce. When the Weyr detected the duo he got excited, eager to see them. Celtic gently opened up the gate to the dwarf wyvern’s stable only to be tackled by his loyal pet dragon and licked lovingly.

“Heatblast!” Celtic chuckled. “Is this gonna be a recurring thing? Every time I come down to your stable you’ll tackle me as a greeting? It’s not like I’m gone for long, you know.”

Skye giggled, “True, but it’s obvious he loves you, Cel. As do I. He’s just happy to see you, so he’ll show you his affection any chance he gets. I guess you just have good animal magnetism.”

“Very funny, Skye,” the redhead huffed.

Celtic gently pushed Heatblast off of him so he could stand up again. Skye then presented the two baskets of food to the dragon.

“Here you go, Heatblast,” she said cheerfully. “We got you a Lyra Hen Chicken, some Boar Sausages, a couple of Jungle Yams, a handful of Heat Tomatoes, two Blue Sea Breams, and for dessert one Seafoam Passion Fruit. Eat up, as you’re still a young, growing dragon.”

She placed the food down on the stable floor. Heatblast eagerly dug into the food, scarfing the goodies down with gusto. Celtic and Skye watched with amused, yet affectionate smiles as the dwarf wyvern made quick work of his meal. After the last crumb was eaten Heatblast nuzzled against Celtic and Skye, giving off a gradual growl of affection. The duo gently stroked the dragon on the head and neck. After a minute of this Heatblast returned to his stable, allowing Celtic to close and lock it. Heatblast curled up to rest while the duo made their way out of the dragon stables and back to the castle for their own dinner.

It was the following morning. The Heroes and their allies were eating breakfast with the Delgunner royal family, engaging in idle chit-chat and discussing various topics.

Suddenly, a female Shadow Sentinel appeared, saying, “Pardon my unannounced arrival, but His Majesty, King Duskbane, requests Prince Avalar’s presence right away. Do not worry, it’s not an emergency, but he wishes to talk to Prince Avalar about something important. However, only Prince Avalar can go, the rest of his party and other Heroes are not permitted.”

Ryan quirked an eyebrow, “Why?”

The Shadow Sentinel replied, “King Duskbane has something private to discuss with Prince Avalar regarding certain personal subjects, among other reasons. Simply put, from what I’ve been told, it involves future events that need to be addressed.”

Celtic quickly finished his breakfast before saying, “Okay, let’s go. Knowing Uncle Duskbane it must be very important if he wants me to come alone. Gang, I’ll be back whenever I can. Hold down the fort while I’m gone. Hopefully the damage I caused for Infinator’s faction will keep them out of our hair for a bit, allowing us any time we need.” He turned to the Shadow Sentinel, “Okay, take me to Shadoria so I can see what Uncle Duskbane wants of me.”

The Shadow Sentinel bowed, “At once, sire. Shadow Warp.”

Celtic and the Shadow Sentinel vanished from the dining hall. Skye gained a slightly dejected look on her face.

“I hate it when Celtic goes off somewhere by himself,” she sighed. “Especially after his stunt with Infinator’s base. I guess it’s something really important that only Celtic is allowed to know about it. Hopefully he’ll be back soon, as I really don’t like him not being around me.”

Eric smirked, “You sound kinda clingy, Skye.”

She gave him a cold look, “After everything I went through with my traitorous family and race, of course I’d cling onto the first person who not only showed me compassion, but had the same goals, views, experiences, and desires that I did. And this was despite the fact I was his slave at the time. And ever since Celtic performed that demon heart transplant to resurrect me my devotion to him has grown considerably. So, yeah, I would be a bit clingy to him, as he saved me as much as I saved him when we were both at the lowest points of our lives. Got a problem with that, Eric?”

The Axe Hero replied meekly, “N-No! No problem with it at all, Skye.”

Zuzu couldn’t help but chuckle, “Skye can certainly strike fear into anyone’s heart if they get her riled up. Keep that in mind for next time or your crotch might pay the price like Lucas did when he used to antagonize Celtic.”

Both Eric and Lucas instinctively covered their crotches as Zuzu said that remark, making everyone else chuckle.

Viola said, “Be as it may, it does make one wonder what King Duskbane wants with Celtic that he needed to see him right away? Maybe we’ll find out later?”

“Hopefully, unless it’s a rather sensitive subject,” Leon stated.

Meanwhile, Celtic and the Shadow Sentinel reappeared in Shadoria’s castle, inside the throne room. Sitting on the thrones were King Duskbane, Queen Wuya, a teenage prince, and a preteen princess.

“Your Majesty, I have brought Prince Avalar as you requested,” the Shadow Sentinel bowed.

King Duskbane stood up, “Thank you. You are dismissed for now. I’ll take things from here. Wuya, I’ll leave anything else to you, as I’ve got some business to attend to with Avalar.”

Queen Wuya nodded, “Leave it to me, dear.”

King Duskbane turned to Celtic, “Avalar, I need to speak with you regarding future events. But not here. We need to speak in a private location. Please follow me.”

Celtic nodded and followed King Duskbane out of the throne room. After traveling through a sizable portion of the castle they arrived at a door in the lower floors of the castle. King Duskbane gently pushed them open and gestured Celtic to enter. The redhead entered the room, which was fairly dark. Then, torches were suddenly lit, revealing the inside of the room. Inside was some sort of shrine or altar, confusing Celtic. King Duskbane then closed the door behind him and walked up to his nephew.

“I apologize for having to summon you here so abruptly, my dear nephew,” he said. “But I have certain matters to discuss with you, and I’d rather not have unwanted ears cluing in. We can talk freely in this room, as it’s protected by a magical barrier. Not even Infinator would be able to listen in on us in here, so we’re free to discuss anything we need to.”

“In that case, can you tell me what you want?” Celtic asked. “I mean, if you’re going to such lengths to keep our conversation hidden then it must be something important.”

King Duskbane replied, “Yes, it is. There are a few topics of discussion I want to talk to you about. For starters, one subject is what will happen after the battle with Infinator. I have confidence that you will lead us to victory like our ancestor before us. But that leaves the aftermath of the war. Avalar… I have a request of you. …I want you to ascend to the Shadoria throne when the war is over.”

Celtic looked stunned, “Y-You want me to become the King of the Shadokor?! Why?”

“For starters, it is your birthright. You are the oldest of your generation of the Shadoria royal family, thus claiming the throne is your heritage. Remember, your parents were the former King and Queen of Shadoria. They wanted you to ascend to the throne when the time was right. But, obviously, their ill-timed deaths at the hands of Sylph and your disappearance complicated things, thus Wuya and myself took the throne. But now that you’ve returned to us we want you to take the throne when everything is said and done, just like your parents wanted you to. It’s what you were born to be, and it would make your parents’ souls sing if they knew their son had ascended to his rightful place as the King of Shadoria. And I mean both sets of parents, but mostly your birth parents. Now, just so you know, you don’t need to give me an answer to this request immediately, as we have more pressing issues to deal with. Just let it stew in the back of your mind until Infinator is dealt with for good. But I hope that you’ll accept this request and become our new King. And since you and Skye are engaged she will also become the Queen of Shadoria alongside you. Considering she was going to be the Queen of the Light Elves anyway, before all those dumb events in Lumestia took place, it would be fitting for her.”

Celtic stumbled a bit as he tried to process what King Duskbane requested of him. After a few long moments of debating he gave a heavy sigh.

“I’ll have to get back to you on that one, Uncle Duskbane,” he replied. “It’s quite the bombshell you dropped on me so it’ll take me some time before I can give a conclusive answer.”

King Duskbane nodded, “That’s fine, Avalar, as I know it’s a lot to ask of you now. Just keep it on the back burners of your mind for now. Anyway, moving on, another reason why I summoned you here is to teach you two particular spells. One of which is the reason why I brought you to this room. The spells are Libera Dragon and Pandora Cannon.”

“Libera Dragon and Pandora Cannon?” Celtic quirked an eyebrow. “I’ve never heard of them. And why these two particular spells?”

“I’m not surprised. Libera Dragon is a Legendary-level spell that summons an energy dragon to attack a target. The spell’s raw power makes it only marginally more powerful than a Level 5 spell like Dark Meteors or Napalm, but it’s real power comes in its side-effects and versatility. As for Pandora Cannon, it’s the ultimate Demon spell. The reason why I want you to learn these two spells is because they have a surprisingly high amount of synergy despite them originating from different worlds. In fact, it was this very combo of magic that allowed our ancestor, the Shadow Prince, to win the Great Demon War.”

Celtic’s eyes went wide, “You mean to tell me that the Shadow Prince used that combo to destroy Infinator?!”

King Duskbane nodded, “Yes, and that’s why I want you to learn these two spells. When one combines Libera Dragon with Pandora Cannon in that order the attack becomes a guaranteed kill, as Pandora Cannon has questionable accuracy. When our ancestor used it he was able to destroy Infinator’s body, but he didn’t have enough power to completely finish him off with the combo. However, since you’re more powerful than the Shadow Prince due to being a Chaos breed I have faith that you’ll be able to use this combination of magic to destroy Infinator for good. However… I do have some conditions that you need to follow, Avalar.”

“And those would be?”

“For starters, you can’t talk about Pandora Cannon to anyone, not even Lady Skye. The most you can say is that you acquired a powerful last-ditch spell in case everything else fails. You see, using Pandora Cannon is a high-risk, high-reward strategy: if the attack fails to kill the target it’ll leave you vulnerable to retaliation. That’s why it’s often considered the ultimate last-ditch strategy. I would rather you defeat Infinator with your Assault Mode form but if that fails you’ll have to resort to the Libera Dragon/Pandora Cannon combo to ensure the deed is done. Secondly, you can’t use Pandora Cannon until that very event when you are fighting Infinator and your Assault Mode form isn’t enough to win. I have faith you’ll lead us to victory which is why I want to outfit you with these spells for extra security. As for Libera Dragon, you’re free to do whatever you want with the spell’s usage and knowledge, as that’s not as important as Pandora Cannon’s need to be a last-ditch surprise attack. Do you understand, Avalar?”

Celtic nodded, “Yes, I get it. If I don’t say a word about Pandora Cannon and don’t use it until the very moment it’s needed then I can learn this combo of spells. Right?”

“Yes, that’s correct, I’m glad you understand. Now… let’s begin teaching you the spells you need to learn. While I hope that your Assault Mode is enough to win the war having this spell combination will provide us with a back-up plan if all else fails. Now, let’s get started.”

A few hours later Skye was sulking at one of Delgunner castle’s balconies. It was clear she was pining for Celtic, awaiting him to return from Shadoria. The other four Heroes were surprised at Skye acting this way.

“Man, she’s really upset that Celtic’s not around,” Ryan observed.

“Yeah, you said it,” Jerry nodded. “I wonder why she’s like this? This isn’t like her.”

“I’ll say,” Eric replied. “She’s usually very perky and feisty. But now she’s rather depressed.”

A familiar voice then said, “Love will make you do really strange things, boys. Especially when said love is a major emotional crutch to someone.”

Lucas looked around, “Viola? Is that you?”

“Yes, and I’m up here.”

The four Heroes looked up to see Viola on the celling. She seemed to be carrying something.

“What are you doing up there, Viola?” Ryan asked.

“King Alvin requested that I fix a crack in the celling,” the Arachne replied. “It was either me or Zuzu but she’s training with Granny. Apparently Zuzu has a rare innate talent for the Kaguro Iszu style. So much so that Granny wants Zuzu to become her successor in teaching the art of Kaguro Iszu. While Cel and Skye have taken to Kaguro Iszu quickly, Zuzu has outstripped them- -almost like a fish takes to water. But we’re getting off-topic here. You see, the reason why Skye is pining for Celtic is more than just love. It's a psychological need for her because she’s an elf.”

“A psychological need?” Eric quirked an eyebrow. “And because she’s an elf? So her actual species has a hand in this, too?”

Viola nodded, “Indeed. You see, elves are highly social creatures. They require some form of companionship to keep themselves emotionally healthy. Remember, Skye made no loving connections with anyone back in Lumestia, especially her family. Celtic was the first person she ever properly bonded with despite it being initially a master/slave relationship, so she developed an emotional need to be around him, or at least be in the same area as him. That’s why they’re pretty much always together, and why she always feels a bit dejected whenever he goes off on his own for whatever reason. She’s rather clingy to him because he provides her with that necessary emotional support she craves. It’s also why she’s extremely protective of him, as anything she deems a threat to him is a threat to their bond. Especially ones like Wench. The two share a lot in common. They naturally forged a strong bond with one another. Especially since they met each other at the lowest points of their lives. Consequently, Skye pretty much needs Celtic to stay happy and healthy on an emotional level. Now that’s not saying she’s not happy with the rest of our party, it’s just Celtic became her very first form of emotional support and bond, he means more to her than anyone else. And, again, falling in love with him certainly helped. It’s just part of an elf’s natural wiring.”

Jerry scratched his chin, “It seems Skye has a psychological need for Celtic? I guess that really explains why they’re almost never apart. Does Celtic know about it?”

“He does. That said, he knows that there are some factor that force him to be apart from her, like when he was first training in Purgatory to unlock his hybrid blood. Celtic also has similar separation anxiety to Skye but he copes with it better because not only demons and Druids, even the more sociable Shadokor, are able to handle being alone or separated from a loved one for an extended period of time; but he’s been alone for a long time due to his antisocial nature along with his hatred and anger. So, he’s more accustomed to it than she is despite the fact she’s just as big of an emotional support to him as he is to her. The two of them need each other and will stop at nothing to ensure they’re together but at least Celtic can handle being separated from Skye for a bit if push comes to shove. Hopefully I’ve enlightened you on why Skye is acting like this whenever Celtic isn’t around.”

Lucas looked back at the sulking Skye, saying, “Jeez, we didn’t know that Skye really needed that kind of emotional support, considering her personality. I guess it paints a grim picture of how her upbringing was if the first person she’d latch onto is the equally emotionally fractured Celtic. No wonder she can’t stand being separated from him, as it’s obvious he gives her the very support she craves. Thanks for telling us this, Viola, it certainly explains a lot.”

Viola nodded, “Good, I’m glad you understand. Now, I’ve got one more crack to fix so let me tend to that. Hopefully Celtic shows up soon so Skye can stop moping, as I really don’t like seeing her like this.”

A familiar voice then said, “Is she pining again? Some things never change.”

They all turned to see Celtic walk up to them.

“Cel!” Viola smiled.

“Hey, Viola,” he replied. He then turned to the other Heroes, “So, Skye is upset that I left her again, huh? I’m not too surprised, given how she needs the emotional support on numerous levels. Guess that means I need to fulfill my role as her fiancé and give her what she needs.”

“Before you do that, what did King Duskbane want from you, Celtic?” Ryan asked.

“A few things, one of which I can’t talk about. But one of the main reasons he wanted me was to teach me some special magic that may come in handy later down the road. And before you go and complain about special or preferred treatment, I actually have an offer for you lot.”

Lucas quirked an eyebrow, “An offer? Does that mean you’ll teach us the same magic?”

“Right on the head, Lucas,” Celtic replied. “While I can’t teach you the second spell I was taught due to its more… unique nature, I can teach you another very useful spell that I learned. The spell in question is Libera Dragon, a Legendary-level spell.”

The eye of the other four Heroes lit up like a kid’s a Christmas.

“Sounds super cool!” Eric stated.

Viola chuckled, “So, King Duskbane taught you Libera Dragon, huh, Cel? That’s a very useful spell to have under your belt. While its raw power is only so-so for a Legendary-level spell, its side-effects and versatility are what earn its status as a Legendary-level spell. And it’s good of you to be willing to teach it to the other Heroes. But will King Duskbane mind?”

Celtic replied, “He said I can’t talk about the second spell he taught me due to certain factors but he said I’m free to do what I please with Libera Dragon. So, I figured, since I have no restrictions on Libera Dragon, I’d teach anyone who wants to learn it. That way no one can complain about special treatment or whatnot.”

“So, what is this Libera Dragon spell?” Jerry asked.

“Well, as stated before, Libera Dragon is a Legendary-level spell, which summons an energy dragon that strikes down a target, among other things. The interesting part about this is the spell is a Neutral element spell in its base form, but it’ll change its element depending on the caster. The effects will change in response to the corresponding element as well. So, for example, in my case, Libera Dragon turned into a Dark element spell with some extra effects such as power negations. The element depends on the user’s affinity, or at least the element they’re most associated with. So while in some cases, like my own, the element it takes is pretty obvious, in others, like say you four, it’ll be more ambiguous. That said, regardless of what element is taken the spell is extremely handy and has a wide range of uses. Are you four interested in learning it?”

Ryan nodded, “You bet we are. Sounds like a sweet spell. When will you teach us this spell?”

“It’ll have to wait until tomorrow, as I’m a bit drained from everything Uncle Duskbane put me through. If Infinator’s group doesn’t make a move tomorrow then we can devote any time we want to Libera Dragon. Just so you know, Viola, the offer extends to you and the rest of the party. If you want to pick it up or want to pass on the offer to Leon and the others feel free to tell them.”

Viola smiled, “I’ll pass on learning Libera Dragon myself, as I’m more built for white magic over black magic, but I’ll inform the others about your offer. I’m certain at least Leon and Zuzu might take an interest in the spell. In any case, you’d better comfort Skye before she gets any more depressed.”

Celtic nodded, “Okay, I will.” He turned to the other Heroes, “If everything works out then I’ll teach you Libera Dragon tomorrow. It’s surprisingly easy to learn. I got it on my first try, though it did take a few attempts to get it to a more desirable state, so I have faith you four will pick it up pretty easily, too. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to tell Skye I’m back before she gets any more depressed at my absence.”

Ryan nodded, “Okay. Hopefully we get one more free day before Infinator strikes again. We can learn Libera Dragon and arm ourselves with another weapon against him. I wonder what element our versions will take?”

Eric replied, “Guess we’ll find out tomorrow if everything works out. Come on, let’s go and give Celtic and Skye some privacy.”

The other Heroes walked away, allowing Celtic to approach the moping Light Elf. Her ears perked up when she heard his footsteps, turning her head eagerly to see him.

“Cel!” she cried happily. “You’re finally back!”

Celtic chuckled, “Yeah, I’m back. And I’m here to stop you from moping.”

Skye blushed, “Yeah… I know I mope whenever you’re not around. But you know I need you, Cel.”

“I know, and I need you, too, Skye.”

“So… what did King Duskbane want from you?”

Celtic leaned on the balcony railing, “A few things. Mostly he wanted me to learn a few new spells for the upcoming battles. I can’t talk about one of them in order to keep the enemy from learning about it, but I can talk about the spell Libera Dragon. I’m actually going to teach that spell to the other Heroes and anyone else who’s interested. Care to try your luck with a Legendary-level spell, Skye?”

Skye smiled, “You know it, Cel. But was that all?”

“No. He… wants me to take the Shadoria throne when the war is over. With you by my side. In short, he wants us to become the next King and Queen of Shadoria.”

Skye’s eyes went wide, “He wants us to become the next rulers of Shadoria?! That’s awesome! But how do you feel about it?”

Celtic gave a sad smile, “I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, my experiences on Zakota have been quite the grab bag of events. But, then again, my experiences on Earth have been pretty much the same. That’s what I’m conflicted about. Staying here means I’ll be leaving my adoptive family but going back to Earth means I’ll be leaving my biological family and friends. I… I just don’t know yet. Granted, Uncle Duskbane said I have time to decide, but he seems pretty insistent on it, as he claims it’s my birthright as the eldest prince of Shadoria. And… he says it’s what my birth parents would want. So, as you can see, I’m a bit conflicted about it. I don’t know what I should do. I was initially pretty adamant about leaving Zakota once the war ended but now I just don’t know anymore. It’ll be a long time before I can finally come to a conclusive answer to that request.”

Skye gave him a warm smile, “I understand, Cel. It’s a pretty big decision for you to make. But whatever you decide I’ll accept and follow you to wherever it takes us. Count on it.”

Celtic gained a small smile, “Thank you, Skye. Knowing I’ll always have you in my corner is such a huge relief to me. Hopefully we can face together whatever decision I make. Now, I’m getting hungry. Let’s go and see if lunch is ready. Then tomorrow, if everything holds up, I’ll be giving the other Heroes, and anyone else who wants to learn, a lesson on Libera Dragon.”

Skye nodded and followed Celtic back into the castle to see if lunch was ready. In both of their minds King Duskbane’s request was stewing away, wondering what the final answer will be.

The next morning after breakfast the Heroes and several others had gathered in the knight’s training area. There were some special targets that the knights had set up upon request. Celtic took a moment to observe everyone present before clearing his throat.

“I must admit I’m a bit surprised that so many people wanted to learn Libera Dragon from me,” he said. “But I’m not really complaining, as it means those who are here want to ensure that Infinator will fall. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s begin. Libera Dragon, as you know, is a Legendary-level spell that takes the form of a dragon. The spell’s element also changes depending on the user. Now, while it is a fairly easy spell to learn, it does require a more unique train of thought when casting it. I’ll demonstrate.”

He positioned himself at a certain distance from one of the targets that had been set up.

“Okay, here’s the deal. Unlike regular magic, where you channel energy in between your hands, Libera Dragon uses a different method. Instead, you channel energy through your arm, as Libera Dragon uses your arm to form and extend from. You can also channel the energy through a weapon, which can make the process a bit easier, but you still need to use your arm as the main base for it. Also, try to envision the dragon when channeling the energy, as that’ll make it easier for it to form. Now, watch me.”

He started to channel energy into his robotic arm, causing it to glow. Everyone watched with intense eyes, wanting to absorb as much information on the spell as possible.

“Libera Dragon!” Celtic roared.

He thrust his robotic arm forward, causing a swirling energy to form around it before firing forward. The energy took the form of a dark purple, translucent, serpentine dragon that had a distinct Chinese appearance. The dragon roared as it rocketed toward the target before slamming into it, destroying the target instantly. After the smoke cleared the target rebuilt itself, allowing Celtic to go into a more relaxed position.

“And there you have it. As you could see, my Libera Dragon took on the Dark element, hence its color. Also, depending on the element it takes, will determine any extra effects it has, such as ability negation or inflicting status ailments. Now, since we only have four regenerating targets you’ll have to take turns. Okay, with that out of the way, let’s begin practice.”

Over the next hour the various individuals that wanted to learn Libera Dragon took turns attacking the regenerating targets. Celtic would sometimes step in to help someone to properly cast the spell. After a few rounds of practice Celtic stepped up.

“Okay, that’s enough for now,” he said. “For the most part you all picked it up pretty easily, which is good, as having this spell available will be helpful. Some of you still need a bit of practice in getting the spell finalized but King Alvin is going to leave these special targets up so you can have a go whenever you want. After all, practice makes perfect. But good work all of you, as now you have a powerful weapon at your disposal, along with a powerful tool to use against Infinator’s forces. That’ll conclude the lesson.”

Lucas clenched his fist, “Sweet, now we have a cool new move to use against Infinator. He and his Demon Generals won’t know what hit them.”

Ryan nodded, “Let’s hope, but it does inspire confidence.”

Celtic said silently, “Yes, let’s hope it’ll do the job. Having a powerful, versatile spell at our disposal is a good start, but we still have work to do. But here’s hoping that having Libera Dragon under our belts will be the start of our victory lap.”

Next Chapter: The Spirit Eye

That's it for today. Hopefully this new additions to the Hero faction's arsenal will help tip the scales in their favor.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising.

Spoiler: Chapter 8) The Spirit Eye

The Spirit Eye

​

It was the following day after Celtic taught several of his allies how to use the Legendary-level spell Libera Dragon. He was currently training in the Kaguro Iszu style, alongside Skye and Zuzu, trying to get in as much practice as possible. The other Heroes were also practicing how to use their weapons in earnest with their tutors, no longer uttering a single complaint about the training.

After a bit Granny smiled, “Okay, I’d say that’s enough for now. I gotta hand it to you three, I haven’t seen anyone pick up the Kaguro Iszu style so readily as you three in decades. But especially you, Zuzu. You’ve got a really rare natural talent for it. I hope you’ll consider my offer about becoming my successor in teaching this legendary martial art, especially since you’ve got at least another 300+ years left in you due to being a demon.”

Zuzu brushed her hair out of her face, replying, “I’m still considering it, but I won’t deny that it is a very temping offer. It would give me a purpose after the war with Infinator is over, as I have faith we’ll win. And it would beat going back to the ‘survival of the fittest’ lifestyle I had previously. I haven’t quite made up my mind but I do admit it would be a worthwhile endeavor after the war ends.”

Granny smiled, “I’m glad to hear that you’re seriously considering it, Zuzu. Now, go and wash up, as you’ve worked up quite the sweat. If everything holds out and Infinator doesn’t make his next move I’ll be seeing you in two days. Take care.”

The trio bowed and went to the knight’s showering area with the rest of the party. Leon and Viola stood guard of the respective shower areas to ensure that Skye wouldn’t try anything, much to her protests. After a solid scrubbing and washing the trio emerged feeling refreshed.

“So, what now?” Rupert asked.

“Well, we worked up an appetite with that workout so lunch seems to be in order,” Celtic chuckled.

Tyroe licked his lips, “Sounds like a plan to me.”

Suddenly, a female Shadow Sentinel appeared, stating, “Sorry, sire, but it’ll have to wait. King Duskbane requests you and your party’s presence at Shadoria.”

“What for?” Leon asked, puzzled.

“He wants to show you something special. He said it’ll help ease some of the stress and worry from Prince Avalar’s mind, as he knows that Prince Avalar has been rather conflicted about certain subjects. In exchange His Majesty is inviting you to have lunch with the royal family afterward. And don’t worry, he’s having the chefs prepare a more ‘normal’ meal for you, so it'll be demon meat-free, even though he’s still trying to encourage you to embrace our lifestyle.”

Celtic’s eye twitched at the thought, replying, “I may have come to accept my half-demon heritage and all the quirks alongwith it, but I will NEVER eat another demon, no matter how hungry I might be. I draw the line on cannibalism… and some of the other questionable eating habits demons have. I’ll go as far as to eat monsters but anything past that is off the menu. But enough of that, let’s get to Shadoria and see what Uncle Duskbane wants. I’ll leave that to you.”

The Shadow Sentinel bowed, “Of course, Your Majesty. Let us proceed post-haste. Shadow Warp.”

The Shroud Hero party vanished in black portals. They reappeared in the Shadoria Kingdom throne room where King Duskbane and his family were waiting.

“Ah, excellent, you’re here, Avalar and friends,” King Duskbane said. “I’ll take things from here. You are dismissed, my loyal Shadow Sentinel.”

The Shadow Sentinel bowed before vanishing like a phantom. King Duskbane then walked up to the party.

“Avalar, I’ve got something I want to show you and your party. Please, follow me.”

Everyone nodded and followed King Duskbane through the castle into a large room. To their surprise there was a massive machine in this room, with what looked like a large black diamond in the center.

“What is all this?” Viola asked, amazed.

“This is called the Spirit Eye,” King Duskbane explained. “It is a Shadokor-crafted machine. To put it simply, it’s an interdimensional telescope and portal generator. It allows us to open channels between worlds to either send messages or create dimensional gateways. Granted, we can’t keep the channels open for long, especially depending on how much power the Crimson Star that acts as the key has, but it often has enough power to complete the task it’s been assigned to. Avalar… this machine would’ve allowed us to track you down and bring you back. But, as I’ve said before, due to Earth being considered ‘sacred’ we were forced to overlook it. However, given the current time, as we now have our chosen Legendary Heroes, we can freely open up dimensional gateways between Earth and Zakota. And I think you know why I’m showing you this.”

Celtic’s eyes widened, “Y-You’re going to use this to contact my adoptive parents, aren’t you?!”

“That is indeed correct. I know you’ve been rather conflicted about certain things, and I know you’ve been worried about your beloved adoptive parents despite the ups and downs. So, I figured, with the current situation, it might be time to relieve you of those feelings and stress by allowing you to talk with your parents. That way you can reassure them that you’re alive and safe, as I know that’s been a concern on your mind for quite some time. However, sadly, we won’t be able to keep a communication line operating for very long, as the current Crimson Star is low on power.”

He gestured to an object resting in the control panel. It looked like a capsule-shaped red crystal with a star-shaped gem inside it. Its color was fairly pale and it seemed to be giving off very little energy.

“That thing looks pretty worn out,” Zuzu said. “Why haven’t you made another one yet? Especially if you’re going to be offering Celtic the ability to at least see his parents again.”

King Duskbane gave a heavy sigh, “Crimson Stars are hard to make, and making one takes a month even with the best materials. And since I only just thought of this idea to help Avalar we haven’t put any effort into making a new one. Granted, once in a blue moon you can find leftover Crimson Stars in our territory of the Demon Realm from the Great Demon War but recent events have prevented us from searching for some. So this one will have to do for now.”

Celtic then reached back into his Tek-Pak, saying, “Not quite, Uncle Duskbane. I think I have the solution.”

To everyone’s surprise he pulled out a fresh and fully powered Crimson Star from his Tek-Pak.

“W-Where did you get that?!” King Duskbane sputtered.

“During my solo trip through Purgatory in order to properly awaken my hybrid blood I stumbled upon this. I didn’t know what it was but I figured it might be valuable so I stuffed it away inside the backpack you gave me and transferred it into my Tek-Pak when I got back. I was going to sell it but due to the Myria Archipelago activation event I forgot all about it. I frequently forget what’s squirreled away in this Tek-Pak of mine. Now I’m glad I didn’t sell it, as this’ll make the Spirit Eye fully functional, which means we can have a communication line open for a longer period of time.”

He presented it to King Duskbane. The demon king gingerly took it, looked it over, before handing it over to one of his scientists. The scientist took it to the control panel, removed the worn-out Crimson Star and placed the fresh one in its place. This caused the Spirit Eye to start humming with more power and all the circuitry to light up and the black diamond to glow. After examining the control panel the scientist gave a nod.

“The Spirit Eye is now 100% functional,” he said. “This’ll allow for a communication link to be established for a good 30 minutes, give or take.”

Leon shook his head, chuckling, “Leave it to Celtic to stumble upon the exact thing we needed when we needed it.”

Skye giggled, “That just proves how reliable he is. But now Celtic can talk to his family for much longer. And we can meet his folks for the first time, too. While 30 minutes might not be enough time to tell the full tale of our adventures it will at least allow us to give them the highlights and other important information.”

“Let’s just hope we can get them both,” Tyroe said. “From what Celtic has said his father works at this Sci-Tech Labs place, so he might be at work right now.”

Celtic replied, “He doesn’t work on weekends like most working people on Earth unless he’s needed for a specific task. Granted, I have no idea if it’s the weekend or not, as my sense of time is STILL thrown off, even after everything that’s happened. If anything my sense of time has been thrown off because of all the crazy slag that’s happened since my summoning. To this day I can’t tell if today is a Monday or a Saturday, that’s just how bad my sense of time is now.”

King Duskbane chuckled, “You can rest easy, Avalar, as today is a weekend on both worlds, so we should have no problems contacting your parents. Especially now that we have a full-powered Crimson Star. That’s why I summoned you all here today, since your memories showed me your family’s work patterns. Now, enough of this, let’s begin the process. Begin powering up the Spirit Eye and lock into the pre-determined coordinates.”

“Yessir!” the Shadokor scientists stated in unison.

They began working away at the machine, activating the control panel and causing the giant black diamond to start glowing. They typed some information into the control panel, causing the black diamond to project something cloudy. At first it was a static-laced screen but then it cleared, now showing a picture of Earth. It then zoomed in on a certain area before locking onto a specific home. Celtic gulped as he saw the home, feeling his nerves become tense.

“This is it, the moment of truth,” he said silently.

At that exact time, in the Pulsar household, Rayler and Valerie were looking depressed.

“It’s been several months since Celtic disappeared…” Valerie whimpered. “And we’ve found no traces of him… You don’t think he’s… dead, do you, Ray?”

Rayler gave a heavy sigh, “I don’t know what to think anymore, Val. I can’t help but feel guilty as the last thing we did was fight over him attending college. And now… it’s like he’s just vanished from the face of the Earth. I’d do anything to see his face one more time and know that he’s alive.”

Just as he said that several sparks could be seen in front of them, startling them. Then, without warning, a black portal opened up, much to their alarm. Valerie quickly ducked behind the couch while Rayler got into a defensive position. The portal then transformed into a screen-like structure filled with static but before long it became clear. As soon as the screen stabilized an image appeared, showing Celtic and the others, while on Celtic’s side the image showed his parents.

“W-What is this?!” Rayler sputtered. “Huh?! Is… Is that you, Celtic?”

Valerie popped her head up from behind the couch, “Celtic?!! Really? But… how?”

She slowly emerged from behind the couch and rejoined Rayler. Both of them gingerly approached the magical screen.

“Is that really you, Celtic?” Rayler asked.

“No, I’m a different snarky redhead with a robotic arm,” Celtic sassily replied.

Valerie couldn’t help but giggle, “That’s Celtic. Can’t mistake that sass.”

Rayler reached out to touch the screen, “What is this?”

King Duskbane stated, “I wouldn’t touch that if I were you, Sir Rayler. Not unless you want to be shocked by a large amount of magical energy that could put you in the hospital and cause our connection to end.”

Rayler quickly retracted his hands quickly as he heard this piece of information.

“Celtic?” Rayler asked gingerly. “Is that really you? Where are you? And… who are all those people with you?”

Celtic gave a heavy sigh, “It’s a long story but we have bit of a time limit right now so I’ll just give you the highlights. In case you’re wondering, I didn’t run away. I was essentially kidnapped by another world to become one of its Legendary Heroes via a summoning ritual. That’s why I disappeared without a trace, as the summoning was very abrupt and before I knew it I was in another world. This world, Zakota, is currently fighting a war with an interdimensional demon named Infinator, and I was summoned, alongside four other individuals, to become one of the five Legendary Heroes to lead the charge against him.”

Valerie sputtered, “Y-You’re fighting a war in another world!? But why you? Why couldn’t someone else take your place?”

King Duskbane replied, “The ritual used to summon candidates to become Legendary Heroes is… complicated, to say the least. While there are some factors that are almost set in stone when it comes to selecting a new Hero, such as pragmatism or loyalty to friends, the rest of the factors are difficult to explain. If anything, Avalar was selected because of a bevy of factors which we’re not 100% sure of, though we can guess at least some of them.”

The two humans looked confused, “Avalar? Who’s Avalar? And who are you?”

King Duskbane gave a polite bow, “Ah, yes, I haven’t introduced myself. I am King Duskbane Darkstar, King of Shadoria and the ruler of the Shadokor, who are a race of demons. Avalar is Celtic’s birth name, and he is my nephew, as his father was my older brother. As a result of this I, and several others, call him by the name he was born with while others, such as his party and the other Heroes, call him ‘Celtic’, as he’ll accept both.”

Both Rayler and Valerie took a moment to process this before both sputtering, “WHAT?! CELTIC IS YOUR NEPHEW!? HE’S ROYALTY?! AND HE’S A DEMON!?!”

Celtic gave a sigh, “Yeah, that was… quite the surprise to me as well. Turns out that my birth parents: Noir and Gardenia, were the King and Queen of Shadoria. Although to be technical, I’m only half demon. The other half is Druid from my mother’s side, so I’m what’s called a Chaos breed due to having both the Light and Dark attributes. My unique mixed heritage has its pros and cons. But let’s get back on track, as we only have a limited amount of time to talk before the Spirit Eye that we’re using right now stops. In short, I was summoned to become one of the five Legendary Heroes alongside four other young males. I became the Shroud Hero. But I was stabbed in the back by the Light Elf royal family, framed for atrocious crimes I didn’t commit, and went on the run for a time.”

“You were framed for crimes you didn’t commit?!” Rayler snarled. “How dare they do that!”

“Indeed. Moving on, upon suggestion from Skye, who was my first party member, I went to Delgunner Kingdom, as the kingdom I had been summoned to: Lumestia, had grossly overstepped its boundaries in summoning all five Heroes for themselves and stabbing me in the back. I got my name cleared of all crimes, but you can bet that experience really embittered me. I ended up performing questionable acts in order to survive and get justice for the lies the Light Elves were trying to spread about me. Not to mention the core source behind it, the former Light Elf princess Veronica, aka Wench, pushed my trickery and betrayal berserk button, so that set me off even more. While trashing the throne room probably wasn’t the best idea at the time it turns out most everyone considered it karma except the Light Elves, who are notoriously known for various underhanded yet poorly planned schemes in order to make themselves the top of the food chain in political power. You can guess that what they did to me didn’t sit well with the other nations, as the Shroud is worshiped by them alongside the other four Legendary Heroes. So, after a lengthy journey, complete with various battles against Infinator’s forces and cleaning up various messes, I got to Delgunner Kingdom and had my name cleared.”

Rayler said, “Judging by your tone of voice I’m guessing that things didn’t improve from there.”

Skye stepped up, “It varies, but for the most part, while there were some improvements to Celtic’s life, the other Heroes certainly complicated things.”

“And who are you?” Valerie asked. “You’re quite the babe.”

Skye smiled, “Hey, when you’ve got it you’ve got it. The name’s Skye, Celtic’s right-hand woman, former princess of the Light Elves, the dagger to his cloak, and his loyal, loving fiancée.”

“HIS FIANCÉE?! You’re engaged, Celtic?!”

Celtic gave a small chuckle, “Yeah, I am. Skye is my fiancée. How we got engaged is kinda… unique, but she is the love of my life, so it works out. And the rest of my party are Rupert the Beastman, Viola the Arachne, Tyroe the Earth Naga, Leon the Templar Knight, and Zuzu the Succuryn, who you can see are with me. I also now have a pet dragon name Heatblast. But let’s keep going before we run out of time.”

Skye nodded, “Right. You see, the other Heroes treat this world, Zakota, like one of their RPGs. This is because this world has various RPG-like mechanics, such as Levels, EXP, and so on. This is because Infinator warped Zakota when he was first summoned by my idiotic ancestor, starting the Great Demon War. Celtic is currently cleaning up that very same mess that started 2,500 years ago. But getting back on track, the other Heroes saw this world as just a game leaving easily avoided disasters in their wakes because they never put any real thought into their actions. We have a laundry list of problems they’ve caused because they had that stupid RPG mentality. They almost became lost causes to the world due to how stupid they were acting and how flimsily they tried justifying their actions. Our party spent most of our time cleaning up after them like maids or janitors, and in general just babysitting them due to how unreliable they were. Considering this: their thinking Celtic was the ‘useless one’ due to him getting the defensive-based Shroud as his Legendary Gear and yet he was the only competent Hero speaks volumes about how bad they were.”

Rayler asked, “What are these Legendary Gear, anyway? And why is the Shroud seemingly the lame duck?”

King Duskbane explained, “We Shadokor created the five Legendary Gear: the Sword, Spear, Axe, Bow and Shroud. Zakota copied it during the Great Demon War, as when Infinator was summoned by the ancient Light Elves he unintentionally brought the needed information about the Legendary Gear with him. However, they only copied the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow, as they deemed the Shroud useless only to realize their mistake too late. However, when we Shadokor were summoned, we brought our generation of Legendary Heroes, including the Shroud Hero, with us, and turned the tide against Infinator’s forces. As a result, the Shroud was properly adapted into Zakota’s versions of the Legendary Gear. The Shroud is more defense-oriented, although it’s really a Jack-of-all-Trades depending on how much effort goes into it. It’s also designed to be a conduit cable to empower the other Legendary Gear, allowing them to function at full power. The problem is that certain people saw the Shroud as useless , especially the other Heroes of this current generation, because it was focused more on defense. Avalar proved otherwise, though it was still an uphill battle in getting the other Heroes to accept this. Eventually Avalar succeeded in getting the other Heroes to not only respect him and the Shroud but also accept him as their leader.”

Celtic snorted, “Yeah, and all it took was a continent-wide disaster that they caused, followed by them nearly going mad due to the side effects of Wrath Fire, thus needing sense almost beaten into them to change their ways. But I guess better late than never, even if it did cost over 1,000 lives.”

“It was that bad, huh?” Rayler asked.

King Duskbane nodded, “Indeed. And it didn’t help matters that a certain faction wanted Avalar dead due to hypocritical prejudice against the Shroud to begin with. We’ve since dealt with that faction once and for all but it was a long road. Avalar has done tremendous work for us all and has become a beacon of hope for this world, especially after the Chaos Chimera incident. We wouldn’t have gotten this far in the war against Infinator and defeated the Four Stars Church if it wasn’t for him leading the charge.”

Valerie asked, “Not to change the subject, but if Celtic was born on… Zakota, then where are his biological parents?”

King Duskbane gained a depressed look, “Both were murdered by Sylph, Infinator’s right-hand demoness, when Avalar was just an infant. This is because Infinator realized Avalar’s birth could spell his doom due to his unique mixed heritage. Avalar ended up in your care, all the way on Earth, because Gardenia’s teleportation spell got botched when Sylph killed her mid-casting. And the fact that you took him in and raised him as your own I cannot thank you enough. You would’ve liked Noir and Gardenia, as they were good people, sharp as whips and possessing the same sass as Avalar does, especially Gardenia. But their deaths were a hard blow to both Shadoria and Wichwoode, the Druid Kingdom, due to Gardenia being their princess, and truly brought both of our races together. I spent years searching for Avalar only to come up empty-handed, so I’m grateful you took him in and raised him into a fine, if snarky, young man, despite the hardships.”

A Shadokor scientist then said, “Sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty, but you only have five more minutes before the Spirit Eye’s signal ends.”

Rayler hastily asked, “W-When Celtic is done with this war he will return to us, right?”

Celtic gave a heavy sigh, “That… has yet to be determined. The reason being is because I’m very conflicted about certain factors. Both worlds have been a grab bag of various good and bad events for me, just spaced out differently. Both worlds have things that I desire and love on them. As a result, I’m very conflicted about either staying here or returning to Earth. So… I can’t say for certain what will happen when the war with Infinator is over. Especially since Uncle Duskbane has given me one hell of an offer if I stay. Or I guess the word ‘request’ might be more accurate.”

“And what would that be?” Valerie asked.

King Duskbane replied, “I guess there’s no point in keeping it a secret. I requested that Avalar and Lady Skye take the Shadoria throne after Infinator is finally slain for good. Naturally I don’t want an answer right now, as we have more pressing issues to deal with, but I put it on the table for Avalar to consider. It would be what Noir and Gardenia would want, as they always desired him to become the next King of Shadoria and lead us to prosperity. Considering he’s been leading all of Zakota to new heights of prosperity during his time as the Shroud Hero it would be fitting with such an impressive résumé for him to claim his birthright and become the next King of Shadoria. But that is, and always will be, up to him to decide.”

Rayler and Valerie looked disheartened as they heard King Duskbane declare this statement.

“So… we might never see Celtic again?” Rayler asked in a depressed tone.

Celtic replied gently, “That has yet to be determined. But since this Spirit Eye is up and running again if I do end up staying I can still contact you via a very long distance call. Again, I don’t know for sure what path I’m going to take after the war ends but this won’t be the last time we see each other.”

Suddenly the screen started to gain static, startling everyone.

“Signal strength at 5% capacity and falling,” the Spirit Eye’s control panel stated.

“Looks like time’s up,” King Duskbane said.

“Celtic!” Rayler stated. “Before we lose you we have news to report. The rest of the family, sans the obvious Leena and Reena, have turned over a new leaf in regards to you. They now realize the error of their ways and, after a massive chewing out from their own kids, have come to see you as family and are truly sorry for how they treated you. They even contributed to the search for you when you suddenly disappeared, coming to see just how badly devastated Valerie and I were when you vanished. Now Leena and Reena are the pariahs of the family due to those hags celebrating your disappearance. We just wanted you to know that your disappearance has sparked a massive change in the family for the better. And… just know that the fact you’re fighting for possibly all our futures makes us very proud of you. We knew you were something special when we found you. So, please, stay safe and come out of this war alive. And… I’m very sorry for the argument we had before you were essentially kidnapped to the Call.”

Celtic, who was fighting back tears, nodded, “I will, I promise. As long as I have this wacky yet wonderful group of friends by my side I can’t lose. So… goodbye for now, mom and dad.”

The screen then turned into pure static before vanishing, leaving a somber feeling on both ends. Valerie started to cry into Rayler’s chest, who gently comforted her.

“There, there, Val, it’s okay,” he said soothingly. “Be proud of Celtic, as he’s doing millions, if not billions, of people a great service by fighting in this war. It’s just like having a child enter the military here on Earth. We need to keep our heads up high knowing that Celtic is fighting for the futures of countless people, possibly even us. And you have to admit he looked rather dashing in that armor. And he’s certainly got an interesting group of friends by his side, especially that babe of a fiancée Skye. I just wonder how we’re going to explain this to the rest of the family… hmm?” He then noticed something and gained a smirk, “Actually, I may know exactly how to prove to the rest of the family this conversation really happened. But be happy for Celtic, Valerie, as he’s proving what real heroes can do.”

Valerie said in between tears, “I know, and I’m so proud of him. But I cannot help but fear for his life. I just hope his friends and that King Duskbane keep him safe. I always knew he was destined for greatness, but this was something I don’t think we ever thought would happen to him. I’m not the praying type but I beg the heavens keep him safe.”

Rayler nodded as he gently embraced his wife, tears threatening to leak out of his eyes. Both felt pride, sorrow, and fear at what they just learned.

Meanwhile, back in Shadoria, the mood was depressing. Everyone was looking at Celtic, who was clearly fighting back tears. Skye gently embraced him from behind.

“Cel, I know that must’ve been tough for you,” she said soothingly. “But hopefully you can now put part of your impressive mind at ease knowing that your family is doing fine and that your abusive aunts and uncles have turned over a new leaf. Well, except Leena and Reena. But it’s obvious that your parents are proud of you for all the hard work and great deeds you’ve done. They believe in you. As do we. We promise we’ll help you win this war once and for all. And whatever path you take we will follow.”

Celtic nodded solemnly, “Yes, I know. That’s why you lot are the best friends and party members I could ever ask for.”

King Duskbane stepped up, “It’s obvious that you miss your parents, Avalar. They are clearly good people and raised you with love and care. I will make sure that this meeting won’t be the last time you see them. But, for now, let us carry on with our fight against Infinator. I’d say it’s time for lunch, as you all deserve it. Then I suggest you head back to Delgunner, as we don’t know what might happen next.”

Everyone nodded and followed King Duskbane out of the Spirit Eye’s room. Celtic took one last look at the Spirit Eye before following the rest of his party to the dining hall to eat. His hearts felt heavy but he knew what he had to do.

“For everyone’s future, including my parents’, I cannot fail,” he said silently.

Next Chapter: Karma

That's all for today, folks. Tune in next time to see what happens to our Heroes.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising. (Warning: contains violence, blood, mild language)

Spoiler: Chapter 9) Karma

Karma

​

It was the following day after the Shroud Hero party had used the Spirit Eye to contact Celtic’s adoptive family. The Hero faction knew that Infinator’s group would make their next move soon, as they were starting to be backed into a corner by the Heroes. It was only a matter of time before Infinator would be revived and the Hero faction needed to win before he could acquire his new body.

Inside Infinator’s prison Sylph was leaning against a wall, muttering to herself. She had since been healed from her embarrassing defeat at Celtic’s hands and was clearly furious about it. Bronwen saw her fellow veteran Demon General in such an angry state and sighed defeatedly.

“Sylph, I know you’re upset,” she said. “But you have to not do something reckless. We’re already in a critical state thanks to what Celtic did and we don’t need any more setbacks. I know you want revenge for your humiliation, especially since, from what I’ve heard, ever since you crossed paths with Celtic as the Shroud Hero your ‘invincible’ reputation has gone down the tubes. I know you take great pride in the fact that you were virtually untouchable for countless years but I also know that when you get upset you tend to do rash things. Please, Sylph, don’t do anything foolish in order to reclaim your pride.”

Sylph huffed, “Yeah, yeah, I know that. But I won’t stand for this, either. That damn Chaos breed Shroud Hero has humiliated me too many times now. And his annoying party, too. I will not allow him to keep drawing breath, for both my pride and for Master Infinator’s sake. I will reclaim my glory and help Master Infinator by eliminating that troublesome pest. Master Infinator was right to be worried about Celtic when he was born, as he knew that little brat would grow up to be his biggest threat if left unchecked. If only I had finished him off years ago we wouldn’t have to deal with him. I have every intention of righting that wrong once and for all, no matter what it takes.”

She then gave a huff and walked past Bronwen deeper into the floating island prison. Bronwen could only sigh, slumping her shoulders defeatedly.

“That’s the problem with demons…” she said to herself. “When they crave revenge for being violated they will take it to obsessive levels in order to get what they want. While I’m a Lesser Demon due to my species categorization, I am smart enough to know not to allow such obsessions cloud my mind. I may want revenge on Celtic for ruining so many plans I also know that getting blinded by it will only cause more problems. Sylph, I know you very well and your pride has always been your biggest weakness, especially since you built up a reputation for being untouchable since the end of the Great Demon War. Considering that Celtic will also crave revenge if violated but he won’t pursue it until an opening presents itself is commendable. I wonder if his Druid heritage keeps that in check? Or maybe he’s just smart enough to not obsess over it until an opportunity arises where he can capitalize on it? Either way, considering that Sylph has violated his loved ones yet he hasn’t gone out of his way to kill her does show great restraint on his part. I just wish Sylph could take a page from his book and not do something stupid in her quest for revenge.”

It was dinner time at the castle. The Hero faction was enjoying their meal, making small talk between themselves.

Ryan finished his bite of food before saying, “I am surprised that Infinator hasn’t made a move since Celtic ran rampant in his base.”

Lucas smirked, “Maybe Celtic did just that much damage that they’re still picking up the pieces in the aftermath. While I enjoyed Celtic getting lectured for once I won’t deny that his stunt really crippled the opposition and gave us several advantages. So, maybe they just haven’t recovered yet.”

Gram replied, “As much as I’d like to believe that, knowing Infinator’s group, or at least Sylph, they’re not going to take this humiliation lying down.”

Zuzu swallowed her food before saying, “I agree. Especially considering Sylph’s pride is even higher than mine, and I represent the Sin of Pride in the party. And remember, she’s a demon: demons will pursue revenge for being violated to the point of obsession, which I won’t deny is our race’s biggest flaw. Considering that Sylph has personally violated Celtic’s life multiple times yet he isn’t relentlessly chasing after her proves the level of restraint he has even though he has very valid reasons to want revenge against her. Hell, even I’ve lost interest in hunting Sylph down for what she did to me and she and I are counterpart species, thus are natural enemies. But knowing her she’ll find a way to come after us in order to reclaim her previous ‘untouchable’ status that she’s held for 2,500 years.”

Just then Ike ran into the dining hall carrying a crystal ball, stating, “Your Majesties! We have a direct transmission from Sylph herself!”

Everyone went silent at Ike’s words.

“Let’s hear it,” King Alvin growled.

Ike nodded and activated the crystal ball. This caused a projection of Sylph’s head to appear. She looked around before narrowing her eyes on Celtic.

“Celtic Pulsar, or Avalar Darkstar, whichever you prefer, I challenge you and your precious party!” she spat. “I intend to rectify the mistake I made years ago when you slipped through my fingers as an infant. Meet me at Nigh Plains by the Gala River tomorrow at noon sharp. You can bring your allies if you want but only you and your party may participate in the fight. At least then they’d have a front row seat at your demise. Do you accept?”

Celtic’s pupils became slits as he snarled, “Count on it, Sylph. Let’s end this once and for all.”

Sylph smirked, “For once we’re in agreement. Fine, I’ll see you then, Shroud Hero. Enjoy your last sunrise as when the curtain of dusk falls tomorrow the curtain will have come crashing down on you. Until then.”

She then vanished from the crystal ball, causing it to stop glowing.

King Alvin turned to Celtic, “Prince Avalar, are you sure this is a wise idea? While you and your party have been the ones who have knocked Sylph off her pedestal multiple times she’s still a very dangerous demoness. You should probably reconsider.”

Celtic shook his head, “No, we need to end this farce once and for all. I’m not going after Sylph for revenge unlike her, as that’s clearly her motivation for going this far to outright challenge me. It’s because Sylph is a massive player in this wargame and if we take her out then Infinator will have just lost his most trusted fighter in this game of chess. If we eliminate Sylph tomorrow we’ve effectively taken Infinator’s Queen away from his chess set, and that’s not something we can pass up on. While I won’t rule out the fact that there could be other elements involved, such as monsters acting as mooks, and other potential traps, we need to capitalize on this opportunity. And if we take out Sylph it’ll demoralize her faction, as she’s their most powerful ally and Infinator’s right-hand demoness. We need to go after her. And since she said we can bring other allies with us we’ll make good on that in case of any other factors possibly cropping up. Don’t you want her gone, too, Your Majesty?”

King Alvin gave a heavy sigh, “I do. I want Sylph dead as much as any of our allies. She’s been the biggest thorn in our side for centuries. Taking her out now would certainly give us a huge advantage over Infinator. Very well, I approve of this measure. If you can kill Sylph tomorrow then we’ll have dealt a serious blow to Infinator’s faction, and we need to strike at every possible opening in order to take that demon and his Generals down once and for all. I just expect all of you to come back alive and intact. I’ll inform King Duskbane about this after dinner so he can have ShadoKnights at the ready under the guise of Cloak in case of any unwanted developments. The other Heroes and Gram’s party will also accompany you for good measures.”

Celtic nodded, “Yes, I was thinking the same thing. We need to jump on this opportunity to eliminate one of our biggest enemies. And we’ve got a few new tricks since the last time Sylph has seen us, so that’ll provide us with a useful surprise tactic.”

Skye rubbed her hands together, “Finally, we can get rid of Sylph. She’s been a massive problem for everyone, not just us. So giving her a taste of karma for all her crimes will be very bitter medicine for her. So, what’s the gameplan, loverboy?”

“We’ll start mapping it out tonight after dinner so we’ll have at least the baseline strategy down. We’ll make any modifications to it that we think of in the morning. The rest of you can contribute to the plans, too, as even if an idea doesn’t seem like a good one at first it could end up a linchpin if planned correctly. And having some flexibility and varied tactics will make dealing with her easier, since she tends to be very unpredictable. But if there’s one thing I know about demons and their obsessive desires for revenge it’s that they tend to let it cloud their judgment and start making exploitable mistakes.”

Leon nodded, “Agreed. Given Sylph’s pride, and the fact that her sanity is probably starting to slip from all her past defeats, I can see her pulling desperate yet sloppy tactics in a vain attempt to come out on top. But we still need to remember the Number 1 rule of combat: Never underestimate your opponent. That can be very costly, as we’ve seen in the past, so we need to keep Sylph’s skill, power, and Level in mind when dealing with her. She didn’t survive the last 2,500 years for nothing, after all. And demons are survivalists, resorting to any tactic to, at the very least, come out alive.”

Zuzu crossed her arms, “Aye, I can confirm that. I used to live by the ‘survival of the fittest’ mantra for nearly 400 years, so I speak from experience that we demons will resort to any and all tactics needed in order to survive, much less win. But I can also confirm that obsessive demons will make sloppy mistakes in their haste. Mistakes that we can take advantage of. Once we fill our bellies let’s start the strategy meeting. I hope we can get some sleep tonight, as anticipation can be brutal. Especially if it’s to close the book on a powerful foe that has harassed countless generations with evil deeds.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. They resumed eating, trying to think of possible strategies while they did. After the dinnerplates were clear they gathered up in the map room to discuss ideas and tactics that might come in handy. After an hour of strategizing they returned to their rooms to rest, knowing that tomorrow could bring about the end of a powerful and hated enemy.

The following morning was met with anticipation. The Hero faction was eager to put an end to Sylph once and for all. They were reviewing their plans on how to deal with her, having come up with a variety of situations that she might pull. After a filling breakfast and more strategizing they knew the time was upon them.

“Okay, it’s roughly 11:30 now, so we should head for Nigh Plains,” Viola suggested. “It’s a big place. And the location where we were asked to meet Sylph: Gala River, is very large, which means we could very easily end up in the wrong meeting place.”

Celtic nodded, “Right. And I’ve gotten positive confirmation this morning that the ShadoKnights have been placed all over that area under the guise of Cloak if need be. We’ll also take Heatblast with us as he might be helpful. So let’s gather up what we need and head on out.”

Nodding, the Hero faction went outside to collect Celtic’s pet Weyr. Once they had gathered up everything they might need they turned to Celtic.

“Okay, here we go. Shadow Warp!”

They all vanished in black portals. They then reappeared in a new location. It was a wide plains filled with grass and the occasional tree. They were standing near a large river. There were some monsters roaming around but they paid the Hero group no mind.

Gram looked around before saying, “Yep, this is Nigh Plains. And that’s the Gala River. Hopefully we’re in the right meeting place.”

Celtic replied, “If not I can get Sylph to come to us. With a few tweaks to my Cannon arm mode I can turn it into a flare gun. When we get closer to the meeting time I’ll fire off a shot to attract Sylph to us. That way it won’t matter if we’re at the spot she wanted or not, as this area is quite vast. And I can sense the ShadoKnights in the nearby vicinity, so we have our backup in case things get a bit out of hand. So, let’s review our plans one more time while we have the chance.”

They quickly went over their battleplan again. When the time was drawing near Celtic transformed his arm into Cannon, made a few modifications to it, pointed it to the sky, and fired a shot. This caused a flare gun-like fireball to emerge from his Cannon and race upward into the sky. It then blew up in a large burst. Celtic transformed his arm back to normal.

“Hopefully the message was received,” Rupert said.

Not a minute later Sylph swooped down at them before landing. She narrowed her eyes menacingly at the Hero group.

“I’d say she got the message,” Jerry stated.

Sylph smirked, “So, you came after all. I admit I was wondering if you’d chicken out, but it appears you want this whole ordeal to end as much as I do so you decided to show up. Big mistake. And thanks for firing off that blast, as it made it easier to track you, since I forgot how big Nigh Plains are. Now, remember, the other Legendary Zeroes and that pretty boy knight can’t interfere. This is between you seven and me. And trust me, you’ll need all seven of you if you have any hopes of coming out on top. I made sure to pull all the stops for this one, as I’m not taking any chances. When I’m done with you Master Infinator will have no problem in conquering all worlds in existence. So, prepare to die!”

The Shroud Hero party got into a defensive position, ready to battle it out with Sylph. The other Heroes and Gram’s party backed up a bit to give them space, knowing that this battle will be a big one. After a tense minute the battle began.

Sylph started to channel energy, “Let’s see you handle this! Ballistic Bombardment!”

She fired her attack, which caused meteors to rain down upon the battlefield.

“Meteor Barrier!” Celtic stated strongly.

The Meteor Barrier formed, shielding them from the attack until it waned. Zuzu then quickly zipped out of the barrier and slugged Sylph in the face, causing the Succulite to stumble in midair.

“You’ve been a thorn in my side for a while, Zuzu,” Sylph hissed. “I should’ve killed you when I had the chance! I’ll rectify that mistake today as well! Hell Whiplash!”

She fired off a powerful energy wave at Zuzu. However, the Succuryn effortlessly dodged the attack, showing just how far she had come since their first battle. While Zuzu distracted Sylph, Celtic started to channel energy into his arm.

“This’ll limit Sylph’s options!” he stated. “Libera Dragon!”

He launched the dark purple, translucent energy dragon at Sylph. By the time Sylph realized the attack was coming her way it was already upon her. It snapped its jaws around her before detonating, striking her with intense Dark energies, making her scream in pain. She fell to the ground, sparks crackling around her, before getting back up.

“Libera Dragon!?” she growled. “Looks like you learned a few new tricks since last time we squared off, Shroud Hero. No doubt King Duskbane’s doing. And I can sense that this version, due to the Dark element it has taken, negates various powers and abilities. You may have limited my options to fight you with but that doesn’t mean I’m powerless! I’m still dangerous no matter what, and this effect won’t last forever! And I’ll prove that right now!”

She jumped up into the air, did a few flips, and started to perform a powerful drop kick. Skye quickly retaliated with her own high-powered kick reinforced with Kaguro Iszu energy. The two attacks collided, creating a surge of power. Skye’s side of the struggle ultimately prevailed, sending Sylph flying back, crashing in a heap on the ground. When she got up she stumbled, clutching her leg in pain, her eyes narrowing hatefully.

“So, you’ve been practicing the Kaguro Iszu style, huh, little elf? I already knew you were a martial artist specializing in kickboxing but it appears you’ve also outfitted yourself with the legendary Kaguro Iszu style. I’d recognize that energy anywhere, as I’ve seen many practitioners of the style in my life. Once I’m done with you seven I’ll be sure to pay your teacher a visit to ensure that no one else can learn the powerful fighting style.”

Zuzu smirked as she zipped right into Sylph’s face, “She’s not the only one. Observe!”

She slammed her palm against Sylph’s chest, causing a massive energy burst that sent the Succulite flying, severely damaging her and leaving a singed mark that was slightly smoking. Rupert, Tyroe, and Viola all nodded before channeling energy.

“Bamboo Spears!” Rupert stated.

“Stone Spears!” Tyroe hissed.

“Iceblast!” Viola yelled.

The trio of spells struck Sylph, making her scream in pain. She quickly flew up into the air to avoid any more attacks.

“You little worms!” she snarled. “I’ll make sure you all die painful deaths for this!”

On the sidelines, Ryan observed, “Looks like Sylph is really losing her cool.”

Eric nodded, “Yeah, and that’s a good thing. Just like we had hoped she would.”

Lucas smirked, “Indeed. Which means she might start making sloppy mistakes soon that Celtic and his crew can jump on.”

“Not to mention that Celtic’s Libera Dragon is preventing Sylph from using Teleport to escape,” Jerry pointed out. “So that gives them the chance to finish her off for good.”

Gram replied, “Yes, that’s true, but the effects of the Dark form of Libera Dragon won’t last forever. They either need to fire it again to reset the timer of how long the effects will last or finish her off before she regains her powers. Either way, this is boding well for our side, as Sylph is clearly losing it.”

Meanwhile, Zuzu had locked hands with Sylph as both struggled against each other in the air. Celtic then gained a smirk.

“Shield Wall!” he stated.

He summoned the multiple shields. He then positioned them around Zuzu and Sylph, boxing them in. Zuzu realized what this meant and started pushing the Succulite toward one of the shields.

“Blood Needle Shield!”

The shield that was now directly behind Sylph transformed into a Blood Needle Shield, much to her horror. Zuzu then gave a hard push and impaled Sylph onto the shield, making her scream in pain. Celtic then started to channel energy into his arm again.

“Libera Dragon!”

He fired the energy dragon attack again directly at Sylph. Zuzu quickly got out of the way as the dark purple, translucent dragon rocketed toward the Succulite, her eyes widening in horror. She was struck by the attack, making her scream, causing the timer that was restraining her powers to be reset. Heatblast then took the opportunity to spew red-hot flames at her, severely burning her. She managed to painfully pry herself off the Blood Needle Shield, crashing in a heap on the ground, fresh wounds and burns all over her body.

“T-This can’t be happening!” she sputtered. “This wasn’t supposed to happen! I was supposed to win, not you! I’m outta here!”

She started to take flight only for Heatblast to jump up and pin her to the ground with his talons.

“Get off me, you overgrown iguana!”

Rupert and Viola quickly dashed in, weapons held high, before lashing out at Sylph, severing both her wings. Heatblast then jumped off Sylph, knowing that his task was complete. Sylph struggled to stand. Just then she felt something grab her left arm. She turned to see Zuzu looking at her with a dark smirk. With tremendous strength the Succuryn ripped Sylph’s arm clean out of the socket, making her scream in pain.

“An eye for an eye, don’t you think?” Zuzu said darkly. “Although in this case an arm for an arm.”

Before Sylph could retaliate Skye ran up and severed her other arm with her naginata, making Sylph’s eyes widen in horror. Leon then loaded up an energy arrow and took aim.

“Sacred Arrow!” he stated.

He fired the enlarged energy arrow at Sylph’s leg. It pieced her through the kneecap, coming out the other side, before detonating, tearing her leg apart from the knee, causing her to fall to the ground. Tyroe then raised up his warhammer and slammed it down on Sylph’s other leg, shattering the bones to bits. Celtic walked up to her, who looked up at him with both fear and hatred.

“M… Master Infinator… will avenge me… and end you all forever…” she said weakly.

Celtic gained a dark look, “That’s assuming he survives long enough to fight us. Now… it’s time to say goodbye, Sylph, as your warranty to avoid karma has just expired. Giga Knuckle.”

He transformed his arm into Giga Knuckle. He then reared it back before slamming it down upon Sylph’s head, shattering her skull and dealing the killing blow to the Succulite, finally ending her reign of terror. Everyone else present was very disturbed by how brutally the Shroud Hero party murdered Sylph.

“Yikes!” Eric gulped. “That was just brutal.”

Lucas nodded, “Yeah. Now that looked like something straight out of Mortal Kombat.”

Jerry added, “To say the least. But it’s not like she didn’t deserve it.”

Ryan nodded, “Indeed. She’s been committing atrocious crimes for centuries, so she got her long overdue karma, even if it was rather gruesome.”

Gram’s harem were hiding behind him, having covered their eyes, clearly terrified at what they saw.

“I-Is it safe to open our eyes, Sir Gram?” May asked timidly.

Gram replied grimly, “Not yet, as I think Sir Celtic and the others still have one last thing to do with Sylph’s corpse. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to look.”

Celtic washed his Giga Knuckle in the river before turning to Zuzu, “Zuzu, I know you want to eat—”

Zuzu huffed, “She’s not worth the calories. Back a long time ago, yeah, I wanted to eat her, just like any other Succuryn would want to do to a Succulite. But not anymore. Let’s just burn her remains and have Leon use Exorcism Eraser to ensure she’s gone for good.”

Celtic nodded in agreement. He, Zuzu, and Heatblast stepped up, having gathered Sylph’s remains into one pile.

“Wrath Fire!” both demons stated.

The cursed black flames erupted underneath Sylph. Heatblast then spewed flames from his mouth, making the blaze even bigger. After a few minutes all that was left of Sylph was a scorched section of earth. Leon then stepped up.

“I’ll handle the rest,” he said. “Exorcism Eraser!”

He summoned the sacred circle around the scorched area, which then fired a massive amount of Holy energy. Sylph’s soul appeared within the sacred circle, screaming before shattering into nothingness. Afterward the spell’s effect ended.

“There, it’s done. She’s gone for good.”

Tyroe huffed, “And it’s about time, too. She’s had this coming for a very long time and finally she’s gone. All the lives ruined by her will be able to be at peace now that she’s paid the price for her evil ways.”

Rupert nodded, “You said it, buddy. And this’ll send a clear message to Infinator’s side that we’re stronger than they think we are. If we could beat Sylph then we can beat the rest of them. It’s only a matter of time.”

Celtic nodded solemnly, “Indeed. But let’s not get complacent, as even though we gained a massive advantage against our enemies by killing Sylph we still have Bronwen and Infinator himself to deal with. But this is still a large victory on our side. It was worth the risk of accepting Sylph’s challenge in order to eliminate her. Now, after years of causing atrocious crimes she’s finally gone. Karma has been delivered. A bit overdue but I’m not complaining. And I’m certain our allies will feel the same way. Now, with that taken care of, let’s head back and report our success to King Alvin. ShadoKnights, please return to Shadoria to inform King Duskbane of what happened.”

Several ShadoKnights suddenly appeared, gave a bow, before vanishing in black portals.

Gram turned to his harem, “It’s safe to look now, girls. It’s all over.”

The three females gingerly uncovered their eyes and looked at the aftermath of the battle.

“That… was brutal…” Isabelle whimpered.

Ryan nodded, “Yeah, but it certainly proves why Celtic’s party has always been considered the ‘darkest’ Hero party.”

Jerry added, “True, but, at the same time, they’ve always brought results. They’re the ones that tend to bring in the victories, be it against Infinator’s forces, against the Four Stars Church, or in guild quests. They always bring home the bacon, so it’s obvious that whatever they do works.”

Celtic replied, “That’s to be expected of the Shroud Hero party. Now, if everyone is ready, let’s return to Delgunner.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Warp!” Skye stated.

They all vanished, leaving behind the scorched earth where Sylph’s remains once were. The Hero faction knew that they had gained a huge advantage over the enemy with Sylph’s death.

Meanwhile, in Infinator’s prison, Bronwen was looking over a crystal ball. She gave a heavy sigh as she saw the events in it.

“I knew this would happen…” she said sadly. “Sylph let her pride and ego get the better of her and now she’s been erased from existence. I better let Master Infinator know what happened. He won’t be happy about this. Looks like I may have to pull out my last-ditch plan in order to revive Master Infinator. It’s not a perfect solution but it should do the trick. I’ll talk it out with him and see if he’s willing to go through with it.”

Next Chapter: Where it All Began

That's all for today. Brutal stuff, not that she didn't deserve it. Tune in next time to see what happens to our Heroes.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising.

Spoiler: Chapter 10) Where it All Began

Where it All Began

​

It was the following evening after Sylph’s death. Word of her demise at the hands of the Shroud Hero party had spread like wildfire among the forces that were fighting against Infinator. The world was in joyous celebration at her death, knowing that Infinator lost a vital piece of his army. While they knew that Bronwen was still a major threat the fact that Sylph, who had been harassing countless generations with her evil, was slain brought such joy to the people. The Kingdoms of Shadoria and Wichwoode in particular were overjoyed with her death, knowing it was their long-lost prince who ended her, avenging the deaths of Noir and Gardenia in the process.

At Delgunner’s castle King Alvin had thrown a banquet in celebration of Sylph’s demise. People and nobles from all over had come to participate in this major victory. Other kingdoms, especially Shadoria and Wichwoode, were also throwing parties, knowing that one of the world’s most hated and most powerful enemies was finally gone for good. They were singing the praises of the Shroud Hero party, as they knew it was they who tackled Sylph’s challenge head-on and came out victorious. While the other Heroes weren’t the center of attention this time they still got credit for being on standby in case of an emergency.

King Alvin raised a glass of wine, stating, “My friends and allies, tonight we celebrate the demise of one of our most hated enemies: Sylph. For centuries she has terrorized our people and committed unspeakable crimes, including the deaths of Shadoria’s previous King and Queen: Noir and Gardenia. Now, with her body, mind, and soul eradicated by the Shroud Hero party, we can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Infinator’s most trusted and most powerful ally is gone. While Bronwen is still a threat, Infinator’s faction has been pushed into a corner with Sylph’s death. The end of the war with Infinator is within our grasp. A toast to the Shroud Hero party for bringing us this victory over one of our longest-running enemies.”

Everyone raised their glasses in toast, cheering as they did. Everyone was clearly happy. Except for a familiar grouch in the corner.

Like normal, Celtic sat in a corner, being his usually broody self, trying to avoid any attention as he looked out one of the castle windows. Skye saw this and gave a sigh, walking over to him.

“Same broody self as always, huh, Cel?” she cooed. “What have I said about sulking in the corner during parties? You really need to lighten up and enjoy yourself, as you don’t want any extra stress to eat away any more years off your lifespan. You in particular should be happy, as you avenged the deaths of your parents. Not to mention you paid Sylph back for when she killed me, forcing you to sacrifice a heart, and a chunk of your lifespan, to save me. I know you don’t like drawing attention to yourself but this time you should enjoy the spotlight, as you made sure that one of our most hated enemies was finished off for good. How about it, loverboy?”

Celtic sighed, “I know I should but I can’t help it. Ever since that fateful barbeque when I was a kid parties have become nothing but painful events to me. That’s pretty deeply rooted into my system by this point. It’s not something I can overcome easily, especially when I’m the center of attention. After all, that’s how my adoptive aunts and uncles broke me. I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up like it at our own wedding, given my mentality and temperament. I know I should be happy, as we avenged the deaths of many, not just you and my birth parents, but I can’t get myself to enjoy this celebration. It’s just who I am at this point.”

Skye gained a sad smile, “I know, Cel. You’ve suffered immensely for extremely petty reasons, resulting in your current broken state. But that’s why fate brought us together, so we can help each other heal, as I, too, know how it feels to be discarded by those you’re supposed to call family for selfish reasons. So, please, Cel, try to open your hearts to the healing energy that we all are trying to give you. You really need it, as it’ll help you overcome your pain and past, allowing you to have a future.”

He looked into her soulful blue eyes and could feel the warmth that they were emitting. After a minute of enduring her endearing look Celtic gave a defeated sigh.

“I’ll try, Skye, but I can’t make any promises,” Celtic said. “I’m not the person I once was and I doubt I’ll ever return to a healthier state of mind. But I’ll try for your sake.”

Skye grabbed his arm, saying, “No, try for your sake. Thanks to you I’ve managed to resolve a lot of issues I’ve had and healed considerably from my own pain and abuse. Now you need to tend to your own wounded hearts and soul. It’s the only way you can move on. After all, you and I both learned how to forgive, something that would’ve been impossible for either of us if we hadn’t met and became allies. So, please, Cel, you need to help yourself heal, otherwise you’ll never free yourself from your shackles.”

Celtic replied, “I’ll try, Skye. But don’t expect any miracles.”

“I’ll take that. Now, come, let’s rejoin our party. The food should be coming out soon and I heard King Alvin got some rare goodies in celebration for Sylph’s death.”

She gently pulled Celtic away from the corner and back to where their party was seated. The gang flashed the duo warm smiles as they sat down. Before long the food had been put out for everyone to enjoy. There were several types of elegant dishes to try out.

“Man, King Alvin really went all-out,” Leon smiled. “We’ve got some pretty exotic delicacies here. Stuff like Oily Tuna Tartare, Gold Lemon Flank Steak, Ghost Shrimp Cocktails, Tanglebloom Fruit Salad, Snowberry Salmon Fillets, Broiled Emerald Lobster Tails, Lyra Hen Dumplings, Roasted Marshland Bison with Candied Custard Apples, and Stuffed Starbolt Roast with Mixed Vegetables. Lot’s of good stuff here.”

Viola smiled, “Indeed. Cel, you in particular should try out the Stuffed Starbolt Roast with Mixed Vegetables and Oily Tuna Tartare, as their primary ingredients: Starbolt Roast and Topaz Tuna, boost one’s lifespan. If memory serves, they boost your lifespan by 6 months and 3 months, respectively. After all the sacrifices you made to your lifespan you could use a few extra months to replace the ones you lost.”

Celtic nodded, “Okay, I will, especially if a medical expert like you thinks I can benefit from it as much as you say.”

Skye smiled, “That’s the spirit, Cel. And save some for me, too, so I can spend more time with you.”

“Assuming you can put up with me for the next 500+ years.”

“You’d be surprised. I know you’re flawed, I won’t deny that, but I’ve seen the good in you. I’ll always love you, warts and all. Now, enough chat, let’s dig in.”

Meanwhile, inside their apartment, Sludge, Jade, and Wimp were having their own little celebration for Sylph’s death.

Sludge held up a wine glass, “A toast to Sylph’s death, with Infinator hopefully following shortly after.”

The other two Light Elves raised their drinks up in toast.

“It’s a shame we’re not really welcome to join the rest of the city in celebration…” Wimp sighed. “I hear there are some really nice treats being served.”

Jade replied, “It’s probably for the best. We’re still not well-regarded by the public yet due to our past crimes. It’ll be a good, long while before the Light Elf race as a whole earns back any form of trust or respect from the rest of the world. Remember, our race have been coming up with various nasty but poorly planed ‘get-more-power-quick’ schemes for centuries. If anything, Skye was trying to keep us from sinking any lower by stopping us… only for us to betray her and earn her hatred. Granted, we’ve managed to win her back, but we’re probably still on thin ice with her. If we want to have any chance at finally earning our redemption to the world we need to find a way to help stop Infinator, as it was our ancestor who brought him here in the first place.”

Sludge sighed, “If only we knew how to lower the barrier around his prison that our ancestor put up… Maybe then we’d finally be considered acceptable people again… especially to Skye.”

Just as he was about to take a sip from his wine Sludge’s eyes widened in shock. Jade and Wimp noticed this reaction.

“What is it, honey?” Jade asked. “Do you have an idea?”

“I… I just remembered something my grandfather told me!” Sludge stated. “He said that our ancestor, the one who summoned Infinator, hid a secret inside the castle. Maybe it’s the secret on how to lower the barrier around Infinator’s prison, allowing the Heroes to finally take him out for good!”

Jade and Wimp exchanged excited expressions.

“You mean to say we might have the answer everyone’s been wanting back at the castle!?” Wimp said excitedly. “Then maybe we should find it and give it to the Heroes! That could earn us our redemption!”

Jade stated, “Hold on. We’re not allowed to go back to the castle. And by now the castle has been picked clean by our victims and their families. There isn’t much of a chance that the secret is still in there.”

Sludge replied, “I know, but maybe we can convince King Alvin to have the Heroes escort us to Lumestia Castle in order to search for it. There’s still a chance it might not have been found. After all, no one in the royal family after our ancestor has found it, so it must be in a very well-hidden spot. The only other clue I know is that the secret is hidden inside one of the royal bedrooms. But even my grandfather, who was the last one who knew about it, never found it. There’s still a chance that the secret is locked inside the castle’s walls. We have to take that roll of the dice and help the Heroes find it, as it could not only end the war, but it could earn us at least some redemption in the public eye.”

Jade took a moment to think before replying, “Okay, I’m in. It could be the very chance we need to regain some form of respect, as well as give the Heroes the means of ending this war. It’s worth a shot. It’ll have to wait until tomorrow, as I doubt the castle staff will let us in to see King Alvin now, especially given our disgraced statuses. But maybe, just maybe, this’ll be the chance we need to not only rectify our ancestor’s sin, but also allow the public to give us another chance. We’re tolerated at best around here, so maybe if we can help the Heroes find that secret then it might grant us a chance to be more accepted. Let’s do it.”

The three disgraced Light Elves nodded in agreement before continuing on with their modest feast. They had a strong feeling that this action would tip the scales further into the Heroes’ favor in the war against Infinator.

It was the following morning. The Hero faction was enjoying their breakfast, still talking about the feast from last night.

“Man, that was good stuff last night!” Lucas said cheerfully.

Ryan nodded, “I’ll say. And it was well-deserved, as getting rid of Sylph is a huge blow to Infinator. Now, we just need to figure out a way to get to him directly.”

Jerry suggested, “We now know where the secret entrance to their base is, so maybe we can just infiltrate them from there?”

Celtic replied, “We still have the mortar cannons to deal with. Plus, according to Uncle Duskbane, Caym seems to have put up a crystal barrier around the lower half of the floating island, thereby shielding the secret entrance from infiltration. While the crystal barrier can be broken, it would take too much effort to do so. Plus, again, we’d be harassed by the mortar cannon automatic defense system, making getting close enough to destroy the crystal barrier very difficult.”

Eric sighed, “So, we’re back to where we started, huh? Figures. Just as soon as we catch a break something gets thrown into the mix and complicates things again.”

Suddenly a soldier walked in, saying, “Begging your pardon, Your Majesties, but the disgraced Light Elves: Sludge, Jade, and Wimp, wish to speak with you. They say they may have a solution to getting past the barrier surrounding Infinator’s prison but they require the Heroes’ help.”

Skye quirked an eyebrow, “My family may know how to lower the barrier? Considering that information was lost when my ancestor died I find it hard to believe.”

King Alvin scratched his chin before saying, “Tell them to wait for me in the throne room but keep an eye on them. We’re nearly finished with breakfast so it’ll be a few minutes before we can speak. But if they truly have an idea on how to lower the barrier around Infinator’s prison then it might be worth looking into.”

The soldier bowed, “Yessir, Your Majesty.”

The soldier walked out of the dining hall to retrieve the former Light Elf royal family.

Leon turned to Celtic, “What do you make of this, Cel? Do you think that Sludge might actually have knowledge on the barrier?”

Celtic replied, “Hard to say, but we’re running out of clues and options. I’m willing to take a roll of the dice and bet on Sludge possibly having an idea rather than us wandering around like headless chickens. It’s a long-shot but better a long-shot than no-shot at all. So let’s see what he and his family have to say.”

Everyone nodded and quickly finished their breakfast. They then made their way to the throne room. Inside Sludge, Jade, and Wimp were awaiting them, being under a tight guard to ensure they didn’t try anything. King Alvin and his family sat down on their thrones to face the disgraced Light Elves.

“So, Sludge, you claim to have information on how to lower the barrier surrounding Infinator’s prison?” King Alvin asked.

Sludge replied, “I, myself, don’t have the information, but I remember my grandfather telling me something that might lead us to the information. My grandfather told me that there is a secret hidden within the Lumestia Castle walls, one that involves our ancestor and the barrier he created. Granted, I don’t know for sure if the secret is really there or not, but I know you’re looking for any possible sources of info in order to get to Infinator before he revives. So, my request is this: allow me to accompany the Heroes to Lumestia Castle in order to search for this secret.”

Queen Amelia narrowed her eyes, “You do realize that your castle has been picked clean of anything of worth by your victims and their families after your trial. What makes you think this ‘secret’ might still be there?”

“I’m aware of that, but it might still be worth a look. It’s a shot in the dark, I know, but there’s still a chance it might be there. The only other clue I know is that it was hidden in one of the royal bedrooms. Please, let us return to Lumestia Castle and search for it, as it could potentially turn the war completely in our favor.”

King Alvin pondered for a moment before saying, “Even though I harbor doubts about it, you do have a point that there is still a chance that it might be there. After all, your ancestor hid that secret very well, even from his descendants. Very well, then. The Heroes will escort you back to Lumestia Castle in order to search for this ‘secret’. I still harbor doubts but we’re running out of time and options so we need to take this gamble and hope the dice roll in our favor. This better not be a fool’s errand or scheme, though, Sludge, or you’ll be in hot water.”

Sludge gulped, “Yes, I understand, Your Majesty. I promise we’ll bring back results in some form or another.”

Rupert scratched his chin, “So… we’re heading back to where it all began. Back to where this generation of Heroes were summoned… and back to where Infinator was first summoned.”

Viola nodded, “Agreed, Rupert. It probably won’t be a pleasant trip for Celtic or Skye but any chance at getting to Infinator before he revives might be there.”

Celtic closed his eyes, saying, “Yeah, back to where all this nonsense began. Let’s get moving while there’s still light in the day. I’m not gonna like going back to Lumestia, much less the castle, but it has to be done. If everyone is ready I’ll get us there.”

Everyone else nodded in agreement.

“Okay, here we go. Shadow Warp.”

They all vanished in black portals, leaving the Delgunner royal family behind.

“Godspeed to you, Heroes,” King Alvin said. “Hopefully you can find our solution back where this whole story began.”

The group reappeared in the center of Lumestia. They could see the Light Elves roaming around, all of whom were startled to see the Hero group and their disgraced royal family. It was clear by their expressions that they were not happy to see them but they dared not cause a scene and just went about their day.

Celtic huffed, “Looks like the Light Elves are still sore about what happened.”

“And whose fault is that?” Sludge growled.

“YOURS!!!” everyone else spat, making Sludge jump.

“You’re forgetting who backstabbed whom, Sludge!” Zuzu snapped. “This is all your doing! Well, you and that slimy prostitute, Wench, to be exact. Your so-called kingdom was stripped of everything because of your own actions. So watch where you go pointing fingers at.”

Skye summoned her naginata and held the blade under Sludge’s throat, growling, “She’s right, ‘father’, as this kingdom’s downfall was all yours and Wench’s doing, not Celtic’s. I’ve been trying for years to get you to see sense that your schemes would eventually cost you everything. That’s exactly what happened when you framed Celtic for crimes he didn’t commit. Be thankful he spared you the death penalty, as your crimes were bad enough to warrant it. I suggest you remember that, otherwise it’ll put you in a very bad spot. And if you blame Celtic for anything it’ll reset your status to me. In other words, you’ll lose the title of ‘father’ to me again. And I won’t give you a third chance to redeem yourself in my eyes.”

Sludge gulped, “Yes, yes, I’m sorry. I just blurted that out without thinking. Please, Skye, put that weapon away. I’ll be good.”

Skye left her naginata’s blade hovering under his throat for a few moments longer before making it vanish, allowing Sludge to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Celtic growled. “And just to ensure that we don’t have any issues… Cobra Hydra Shroud.”

The Shroud transformed into the Cobra Hydra Shroud, making Sludge and Wimp gulp in fear.

“There, that’ll keep you in line. Now, let’s get to the castle and begin this search. Hopefully there is still a chance that our target is sleeping inside the castle’s walls.”

The Hero group made their way to the castle. It had a large padlock on the doors. Rupert stepped up and picked the lock, causing it to unlock and open the castle doors. Inside the castle was deserted, with not a scrap of anything valuable left inside it. Sludge, Jade, and Wimp all lowered their ears as they saw this.

“Our once beautiful castle… now a shell of what it once was…” Sludge sighed.

Skye huffed, “Yeah, well, that’s what you get for trying to hog all the Heroes to yourself and hamstring one of them out of pettiness. I’ve tried to warn you for years that this could happen if you kept those schemes up. You never listened. But enough of this. Let’s just see if we can find this ‘secret’ that your grandfather mentioned.”

The Hero group ventured into the castle and made their way to the royal bed chambers. There were four bedrooms, all of which had been picked clean of anything valuable.

Skye looked around what was once her room, saying, “Well, it’s safe to say that anything valuable I had was plucked by Wench, only to be plucked by victims of our family. Frankly, I’d rather my valuables go into the hands of the Lightwave family’s victims over Wench’s, which seems to be the case.”

Wimp replied timidly, “That’s pretty much what happened after you were sold to slavery, sis. Wench immediately raided your room, taking anything of worth for herself.”

“Doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.”

The moment Tyroe slithered into the room he stopped suddenly, his eyes widening.

“Sometime wrong, big guy?” Viola asked.

“My scales are detecting something,” he replied. “You see, whenever I slither over stone, rock, or earth my scales can sense things, such as cavities, energy veins, and more. Since Lumestia Castle is made of stone it’s allowed me to get a feel for any possible hidden locations. And I can sense such a location here in Skye’s room.”

Everyone got excited as Tyroe proclaimed this statement.

“Really!?” Gram asked. “You can sense there is something in here, Sir Tyroe?”

Tyroe nodded as he slowly slithered around, “Yes, I can feel a hollow cavity in this room through my scales. Let’s see…”

He slowly slithered around the entire room before coming to a stop at a certain point. He then gently poked the stone floor with his tail tip before narrowing his eyes.

“Yes, I can feel that this stone block has a hollowed out section under it.”

Skye took a moment to observe the area before saying, “That’s where my old bed use to be. So… maybe what we’re searching for is under that stone block?”

Tyroe felt the block with his hands, with everyone noticing that it was loose. He tried to dig his fingers into it but couldn’t get enough space to do so.

“Yeah, this stone block is loose,” he said. “But I can’t get a grip on it. Maybe I can use my geokinesis to move the stone block. Let’s see…”

His eyes started to glow, along with his palms, releasing pulses from them. He positioned his hands over the stone block and started to concentrate. The stone block glowed, shifted a bit, and then started to levitate out of the floor. After a minute Tyroe had managed to remove the stone block, revealing that underneath it was hollowed out. He gently put it aside, deactivated his powers, and reached inside. He pulled out a small chest that was coated in a barrier.

“Paydirt!” Eric said happily. “Looks like we may have found what we’ve been searching for all this time!”

Celtic replied, “Don’t get too excited, Eric. I doubt the stone tablet is in that box. It’s never that simple. Plus, there is that barrier to deal with.”

Skye walked up, “Let me see that chest, Tyroe.”

Tyroe handed the chest over to Skye. The moment she touched it the barrier dropped. She took it and gently opened it up, revealing a piece of paper and what looked like a journal. Celtic walked up, took the paper, and opened it up, revealing it to be a note.

“What’s that paper say?” Ryan asked.

“It’s a note left by Skye’s ancestor,” Celtic explained. He took a moment to read it over before saying, “It appears that Skye’s ancestor left the instructions needed to find the stone tablet inside his old journal, as he was hoping that the Light Elves could use it later on to win the war and ‘claim their rightful place as the most powerful kingdom in the world’, in his words. Figures he’d say something like that. Considering the Light Elves no longer have a kingdom then it’s safe to say his final ‘wishes’ won’t be granted.”

Skye opened up the journal and started to flip through the pages. She eventually came to a certain spot.

“Okay, I’ve found the entry log that has the same date as the end of the Great Demon War,” she said. “Give me a minute to look through it and see what I can find.”

Everyone waited as Skye read the journal silently. She had to flip through a few more pages before her eyes widened.

“Wait a second, gang! I think I may have found what we’re looking for!”

“Well, what is it?” Jerry asked.

Skye took a moment to read it before growling, “Damn, I knew my ancestor was a scumbag, but I didn’t expect this. Turns out he tried making a deal with the Karma Beasts to whitewash his role in the war and asked them to help him claim top kingdom status. Needless to say the Karma Beasts cowed him into submission. But according to this the stone tablet he used to erect the barrier around Infinator’s prison was broken into five pieces and hidden inside the temples that the Karma Beasts were guarding.”

“Wait…” Leon said. “You mean to tell me that the stone tablets we’ve been looking for are back at each of the Karma Beasts’ domains?! So, when we were searching for the Karma Diamonds we could’ve possibly gotten the five tablet chunks at the same time!?”

Skye nodded, “Apparently so. But we didn’t know that back then so we wouldn’t have thought to search inside the temples that each Karma Beast was guarding. Looks like we have to head back to each Karma Beast domain and search the temples there.”

Celtic gave a heavy sigh, “In the end, the fact that our party had to escort all the other Heroes and their parties to each Karma Beast ended up being more beneficial than we thought. Because we know exactly where each Karma Beast domain is, where each temple is; thus we can simply teleport ourselves back there and search the temples.”

Zuzu snorted, “I think the word ‘babysat’ would be more accurate.”

The other Heroes shot her annoyed looks, making her smirk.

“Well, she is right,” Rupert pointed out. “You four couldn’t even find your respective Karma Beast and Karma Diamond without us. We had to work overtime just to give our side an advantage because you four weren’t reliable back then.”

This remark made the other four Heroes sulk, clearly ashamed of their past performances.

Celtic sighed, “Forget about it. Let’s just get this information back to King Alvin. Looks like we’re gonna have to pay the Karma Beasts’ home another visit. Hopefully the temples aren’t elaborate labyrinths, as we need to find those stone tablet chunks pronto.” He then turned to Sludge, “Well, Sludge, I’ll give you props for this. You may have actually redeemed yourself to a certain degree by remembering what your grandpa said about this secret. I’ll make sure King Alvin rewards you for this, as you may have just solved all of our problems regarding that damn barrier your ancestor created.”

Skye nodded, “Color me impressed, father, but you actually did something right for a change. Don’t let it go to your head, though, as you still have work to do in order to fully redeem our family, and by extension our race, in the eyes of the world. But I will say this is a big feather in your cap. Keep it up and you might actually be considered a welcome addition to the world instead of a hated man.”

Ryan said, “Looks like coming back to this castle ended up working out for us. We now know where our targets lie: back where the Karma Beasts previously resided. We need to get back to King Alvin immediately and apprise him of this information.”

Lucas asked, “We won’t have to travel through the entire area where each Karma Beast was, will we?”

Celtic shook his head, “No, as that was before we knew where their domains were. Since we know exactly where the temples that they were guarding are, we can simply use any teleportation spell to get us right back there, cutting out any additional time or distance needed to find the stone tablet chunks. Now, let’s lock the castle back up and return to Delgunner.”

Nodding, the Hero faction left the castle, locked it back up with the same padlock, and returned to Delgunner to report what they found to King Alvin. They knew that victory was within their grasp.

Next Chapter: Return to the Karma Beasts’ Domains

That's if for today. Looks like the Heroes may finally have the solution they need soon.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising. (Warning: contains mild violence, mild language)

Spoiler: Chapter 11) Return to the Karma Beasts' Domain

Return to the Karma Beasts’ Domain

​

It was the following day after the Hero faction and the former Light Elf royal family discovered the whereabouts of the stone tablet that contained the spell needed to lower the barrier around Infinator’s prison. The Heroes and their allies were gathering up their stuff, as they knew they had to track down the stone tablet pieces before Infinator managed to revive himself. It was mid-morning by the time they were ready.

King Alvin stated, “Heroes and allies, good luck on your search to find those stone tablet pieces. I will admit I was pretty surprised when Sludge’s request to return to Lumestia Castle actually produced results. But with that in mind it’s time to return to where you fought each Karma Beast and find those tablet pieces. If we hurry we may be able to unravel the secrets behind the nature of the spell used to imprison, yet at the same time unintentionally protect, Infinator. Prince Avalar, I’ll leave the situation in your hands, as I know you’ll get us good results.”

Celtic nodded, “Right. Hopefully the temples aren’t labyrinths, as it would be best to get this hunt over with as soon as possible. We’ll just have to wait and see. Moving on, if everyone is ready, we can begin the hunt.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“So where do we go first, Cel?” Leon asked.

“We’ll go in the order we took during the Karma Diamond hunt. So our first stop will be the Karma Boar’s domain. That way it’ll be easier to keep track of where we’ve been and can help us organize our plans better.”

Skye nodded, “Good idea. And I expect the resident monsters that served the Karma Beasts might try to attack us when we get there, so everyone needs to be ready to fight at a moment’s notice.”

Celtic nodded, “Okay, here goes nothing. Shadow Warp!”

The Hero faction vanished in black portals, leaving the Delgunner royal family behind.

“Godspeed to you, Heroes,” King Alvin said solemnly. “This is a critical mission that could make or break the war for us. You must succeed in your endeavor.”

Moments later the Hero faction arrived at the Karma Boar’s domain. They took a moment to look around to get a feel for the place.

“So, this is where you guys fought the Karma Boar, huh?” Eric asked.

Viola nodded, “Yeah. It’s also where a ton of Metal Boars make their homes.”

Rupert then stated, “Speaking of Metal Boars, here they come!”

They all saw a pack of various Metal Boars charge at them, clearly unhappy at the Hero faction’s presence.

“Meteor Barrier!” Celtic stated.

He produced the energy barrier in front of everyone. The various Metal Boars ran head-long into the Meteor Barrier, stunning them in the process. This gave the Hero faction the opening they needed to retaliate. Before long several Metal Boars were dead, causing the remaining ones to realize how dangerous the group was and fleeing. Everyone retracted their weapons as the Metal Boars turned tail and ran for their lives.

“I’ll give those Metal Boars props: they knew when to retreat,” Gram said.

“They probably also recognized us as the ones who beat their boss: the Karma Boar,” Zuzu said. “Monsters aren’t dumb, after all. I wouldn’t go as far as to call them ‘smart’, though, but they have enough sense to recognize a familiar enemy that’s beaten them before. I have a feeling that the other monster mooks of the Karma Beasts may attack us as well when we arrive at their respective domains, so be ready for that.”

Tyroe was licking is lips as he looked at the various Metal Boars, making Celtic chuckle lightly.

“Okay, Tyroe, we’ll gather up their corpses for later since they are edible. And, besides, I’ve got a gut feeling that we might need the extra food. I can’t really explain it at the moment but call it an educated guess that we might need travel food. But we’ll clean them later, as we need to get going. We need to find those stone tablets as quickly as possible. So, I’ll just store the Metal Boar bodies into my Tek-Pak for now and we’ll being the search.”

Celtic scanned and digitized the various Metal Boar bodies into his Tek-Pak before he and his faction entered the temple. The temple wasn’t very deep, which allowed enough light to filter in through the cracks of the ruins, and it only seemed to have one path. Eventually they came to a dead end with a massive chest sitting in the middle.

Eric’s eyes lit up, “Look at the size of that treasure chest! I bet it has a bevy of goodies in it!”

Celtic transformed his hand into Fighter Sword and held it up to Eric to keep him from going forward, making the Axe Hero gulp in fear.

“Hold your horses, Eric,” Celtic warned. “That’s not a treasure chest. It’s a Dungeon Mimic, the basic version at that. Watch.”

He reached into his Tek-Pak and pulled out a Cherry Loach. He tossed it at the large treasure chest, causing it to gently smack it before landing in front of it. The lid opened up, revealing a pair of gleaming eyes and knife-sized fangs along the rim. It lashed out a long tongue, snagged the Cherry Loach, and quickly scarfed it down, followed by giving a light burp.

“That could’ve been you, Eric,” Zuzu said bluntly. “Watch the greed or you might end up as feed.”

Eric went pale as he heard that statement, gulping and backing up a bit.

Lucas readied his Spear, “So, all we have to do is take it out, right? Piece of cake.”

Skye then noticed something, “Hold on, gang. I see a real chest just behind the Dungeon Mimic. That might be where the stone tablet is hidden. Which means this Dungeon Mimic is guarding it.”

They looked a bit past the Dungeon Mimic and saw a smaller chest sitting on a stone altar.

Jerry turned to Celtic, “Hey, Celtic, maybe you can use that Mag-Bolt mode to get it without needing to fight the Dungeon Mimic? Normally I’m not one to pass up on some easy EXP but maybe keeping things simple might be better here.”

Celtic replied, “I’ll try, but I doubt it’ll be that easy. Mag-Bolt!”

His arm transformed into the Mag-Bolt form. He pointed it at the chest and activated it. However, a barrier suddenly appeared around the chest, preventing the Mag-Bolt from moving it. The barrier also caused the Dungeon Mimic to open its lid again and growl menacingly, as if it could feel the effects of the Mag-Bolt. Celtic deactivated the Mag-Bolt, causing the barrier to vanish, though the Dungeon Mimic was still growling at them.

“Figured it wouldn’t be that easy,” Celtic huffed. “Looks like we need to kill the Dungeon Mimic in order to lower the barrier around that chest.”

Lucas readied his Spear again, “That should be easy. Let’s get it!”

Celtic grabbed Lucas’ shoulder, “Keep your shirt on, pretty boy. It’s not as easy as you think. Dungeon Mimics cannot be hurt while their lids are shut. If they close themselves up then they become impervious to attacks, even defense-piercing ones. The only way to deal damage to a Dungeon Mimic is to attack it while its lid is open. Fortunately, they cannot move from their spots, but unfortunately their defenses are quite high even when vulnerable to attacks. They’re basically steel walls with built-in barriers. They don’t have a huge amount of HP, but that doesn’t matter when they’re not taking damage anyway. I’ve got an idea on how to approach this situation. I’ll force it open, giving you four the opportunity to attack it. Use one of those Hammerhead-based powers you have like Elec Aura Bash or something, as the extra defense-piercing power will help take it out quickly. Also, stay at least a good four feet back, as that tongue it has can reach that far. Now… let’s begin.”

The other four Heroes nodded and primed their respective Gear for battle. The Dungeon Mimic could see that this group meant business and started taunting them by sticking out its tongue mockingly.

“We’ll see who taunts whom,” Celtic grinned darkly. “Taunt Pulse!”

He released an energy wave that struck the Dungeon Mimic, enraging it, causing it to open up its lid more, revealing more of its insides, while also flailing its tongue at them.

“Sword Missiles!”

The floating scimitars appeared, took aim, and fired at the Dungeon Mimic. However, when the Sword Missiles reached the Dungeon Mimic they didn’t explode like normal. Instead they wedged themselves in between the upper and lower “jaw” of the monster, jamming its lid open.

Celtic turned to the other Heroes, “Now!”

The four other Heroes nodded and pointed their Gear at the Dungeon Mimic.

“Elec Aura Bash!” all four shouted.

They fired the Volt Hammerheads from their respective Legendary Gear while also getting coated in an electrified aura. The four attacks rocketed toward the Dungeon Mimic, who was desperately trying to close its lid, only for the attack to plow into it, exploding upon contact. When the smoke cleared the remains of the Dungeon Mimic were scattered all over the ground, followed by the group gaining EXP and the electric auras vanishing. They then noticed the barrier lowering around the other chest. Celtic gingerly approached the chest. He transformed his arm into Fighter Sword again and lightly tapped the chest, expecting a response. Nothing happened, so he turned his arm into Mag-Bolt again and activated it, causing the chest to latch itself onto the giant magnet. He then stepped back a few feet.

“Hey, Celtic, why are you being so cautious?” Jerry asked.

Celtic turned to him, “Ever hear of—”

Suddenly a massive stone weight came crashing down upon the altar and a few feet around it, narrowly missing Celtic.

“—booby traps? I figured that there might be at least one more defense put in place, and I was right. Again. Now… before we claim our prize, I suggest we grab a chunk of the Dungeon Mimic for our Legendary Gear. Might come in handy.”

The other Heroes nodded and picked up a piece of the destroyed Dungeon Mimic, allowing their Legendary Gear to absorb it, gaining a new power. All five them looked the new power’s effects over, grinning.

“Sweet!” Eric said. “We now get an extra drop item from defeated monsters, and a higher chance of getting better items, too. That’ll come in handy for getting those rare goodies.”

Celtic rolled his eyes before saying, “There will be plenty of time to gush over that later. Let’s see if this chest contains one of the stone tablet pieces.”

Everyone nodded as Celtic removed the chest from his Mag-Bolt, transformed his arm back to normal, and opened the chest. Inside was a segment of a stone tablet, making everyone smile.

“Excellent!” Rupert said, clenching his fist. “Then what that journal said is true. So we just need to go to each Karma Beast domain and find the remaining stone tablet chunks, put them back together, and discover what the spell is that created the barrier that unintentionally protects Infinator from us. One down, four more to go.”

Celtic closed the chest back up and placed it in his Tek-Pak for safekeeping.

“Okay, let’s get moving,” Celtic said. “We need to find the other four pieces before nightfall, so let’s move out. If you’re all ready to go I’ll get us to the Karma Ox’s domain next.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Shadow Warp!”

The group vanished in black portals. They reappeared in the Karma Ox’s domain. Ryan looked around and gained a depressed expression.

“This is where my party and I worked alongside Celtic’s to get our Karma Diamond…” he said sadly. “I wish I hadn’t let my jealousy get in the way, otherwise they might still be alive…”

Skye stated, “It’ll have to wait, as we’ve got Battle Oxen charging us!”

The group saw several types of Battle Oxen charge at them.

“Meteor Barrier!” Celtic stated.

The barrier was erected around the group, causing the Battle Oxen to ram into it, becoming dazed.

“Spice Powder!”

Yellowish pollen fluttered around the grassy area surrounding them, striking the Battle Oxen. To the other Heroes’ surprise the Battle Oxen started attacking each other.

“Why are the Battle Oxen attacking each other?” Eric asked. “Not that I’m complaining.”

Gram explained, “Spice Powder can either inflict the Sleep, Hallucination, or Blind status ailment. In this case it looks like they’ve been afflicted with the Hallucination status ailment. This means they’re seeing each other as us. As a result, we should attack them while they’re unable to tell friend from foe: the effects don’t last forever.”

Everyone nodded and quickly launched their own attacks. After a few short minutes most of the Battle Oxen were dead. The ones that had come to their senses realized this and fled. Celtic scanned and digitized the Battle Oxen bodies into his Tek-Pak.

“Looks like every time we show up at a Karma Beast domain we’ll get a monster welcome wagon that’ll try to run us over,” Jerry said.

Celtic nodded, “Not surprised. But time for that later. Let’s go into the temple and find the second stone tablet shard. And expect something guarding it like last time.”

The group nodded and entered the temple. It wasn’t long before they found what they were looking for. They saw a Dungeon Mimic sitting in the middle of a room with another chest sitting on an altar behind it. The Dungeon Mimic could tell that there was visitors, opened its lid slightly, revealing its eyes, and growled threateningly.

“Okay, same as before. I’ll get it to open up while you four use the Elec Aura Bash or whatnot to smash it while it’s vulnerable.”

Ryan, Lucas, Eric, and Jerry nodded and primed their Legendary Gear for battle.

“Taunt Pulse!” Celtic stated.

He released an energy wave that infuriated the Dungeon Mimic, causing it to open its lid and flail its tongue at them.

“Sword Missiles!”

The scimitar swords appeared and rocketed toward the Dungeon Mimic before wedging themselves in places that prevented the monster from closing its lid. The other Heroes stepped up.

“Elec Aura Bash!” they all said.

They fired the Volt Hammerheads from their respective Gear, gaining electric auras in the process. The Dungeon Mimic tried to close itself up only for it to realize the Sword Missiles prevented it. The four Volt Hammerheads slammed into the Dungeon Mimic, killing it easily, allowing everyone to gain EXP, followed by the electric auras vanishing. The barrier around the chest then vanished as well.

“Okay, now for the chest,” Celtic said. “Mag-Bolt!”

He transformed his arm into Mag-Bolt and activated it. The chest flew off the altar and latched itself onto the Mag-Bolt. No more than a minute later a slate with spikes came crashing down upon the altar in response.

“Another booby trap,” Tyroe observed. “Guess we’re gonna have to expect that with each stone tablet chunk. At least this one was different.”

Celtic opened up the chest, revealing the stone tablet chunk. He closed the chest back up and placed it in his Tek-Pak.

“Two down, three more to go,” he said. “Let’s get to the next Karma Beast domain quickly. Are you all ready?”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Next stop: the Karma Cobra’s domain. Shadow Warp!”

They all vanished in black portals. They reappeared in the Karma Cobra’s domain. The moment they arrived the Stealth Cobras and Camo Stealth Cobras hissed and started their attack.

Gram turned to May, “May, let’s take a page from Lady Skye’s and Sir Leon’s book and use a combo!”

May nodded, “You got it, Sir Gram!”

Both started to channel energy.

“Typhoon!” Gram stated.

“Hydro Tower!” May shouted.

The two attacks combined into a massive waterspout that effortlessly swept up the Stealth Cobras and Camo Stealth Cobras. When the attack waned, the snake monsters that were caught up in it had been killed, with any surviving ones quickly fleeing.

Celtic then said, “I suggest that Ryan, Eric, and Jerry absorb some of their corpses for new powers, as they might come in handy later on. But do it quickly, as we still have work to do.”

Ryan, Eric, and Jerry nodded, collected one corpse of each Stealth Cobra for their Legendary Gear to absorb, unlocking new powers. The group then entered the temple and eventually found what they were looking for. They saw another Dungeon Mimic and a chest with a barrier around it behind it.

“Same as before,” Celtic said. “I’ll set it up, you four knock it down.”

The other four Heroes nodded and got into a battle-ready pose.

“Taunt Pulse!”

Celtic released the energy wave again that struck the Dungeon Mimic, causing it to be enraged.

“Sword Missiles!”

The Sword Missiles were fired and wedged themselves in places that would prevent the Dungeon Mimic from protecting itself.

“Elec Aura Bash!” the four other Heroes shouted.

The fired the Volt Hammerheads from their respective Gear while also coating the other Heroes in electric auras. The Dungeon Mimic tried to pry the Sword Missiles off itself but it was too late as the Volt Hammerheads plowed into it, killing it effortlessly. This caused both the barrier around the chest to lower and the electric auras around the Heroes to vanish.

“Mag-Bolt!” Celtic stated.

His arm transformed into Mag-Bolt again and activated it. The chest flew off the altar and latched itself onto the giant magnet. No more than a minute later the floor underneath the alter opened up, revealing a pit trap, causing the altar to fall down into the trap. Celtic removed the chest from his Mag-Bolt and opened it up, revealing the third stone tablet piece.

“That’s three done, two more to go,” Zuzu said. “And I’ll give the Karma Beasts props on using different traps each time. But let’s move on to the next area while we still have daylight to utilize.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Celtic closed the chest and placed it inside his Tek-Pak.

“Okay, our next stop is the Karma Beetle’s domain,” he said. “Let’s go. Shadow Warp!”

The group vanished in black portals. They reappeared in the Karma Beetle’s domain. As soon as they did several Beater Beetles charged them, making them all sigh.

“Meteor Barrier…” Celtic huffed.

The barrier formed around them, protecting them from the beetle monsters.

Skye turned to Lucas, “Lucas, let’s do our own combo to barbeque those Beater Beetles!”

Lucas nodded, “Right, let’s do it, girl!”

Both started to channel energy.

“Flame Tower!” Lucas stated.

“Typhoon!” Skye yelled.

The two attacks combined into a massive flaming tornado that swept up several dozen Beater Beetles, killing them with ease. When the attack waned their charred remains fell to the ground. The remaining Beater Beetles quickly turned around and fled the scene.

“Same as before,” Celtic instructed. “Ryan, Lucas, and Jerry should absorb the various Beater Beetle corpses for new Gear forms, as they might help later on. Then we’ll head into the temple and find our fourth stone tablet.”

Ryan, Lucas, and Jerry nodded and quickly gathered up some of the Beater Beetle corpses and had their Legendary Gear absorb them, gaining new powers. They then ventured into the temple. It didn’t take long before they found the Dungeon Mimic guarding the chest that they seeked.

“Time to lather, rinse, and repeat. I’ll set it up, you four knock it down.”

The other Heroes nodded and primed their weapons for battle.

“Taunt Pulse!” Celtic stated.

He released the energy wave that aggroed the Dungeon Mimic, causing it to angrily lash out its tongue at them.

“Sword Missiles!”

He fired the scimitar swords at the Dungeon Mimic, wedging them in place. The other four Heroes stepped up.

“Elec Aura Bash!” they shouted.

The fired the Volt Hammerheads from their respective Gear, gaining the same electric auras as before. The Dungeon Mimic tried to pry off the Sword Missiles like the last one but was unable to before the Volt Hammerheads rammed into it, destroying it effortlessly. The barrier around the chest vanished while the auras around the Heroes disappeared.

“Mag-Bolt!” Celtic stated.

His arm transformed into the giant magnet and activated it. The chest flew off the altar and latched itself onto the magnet. Shortly afterward the altar was crushed between two of the walls that surrounded it. Celtic removed the chest from his Mag-Bolt and opened it, revealing the fourth stone tablet.

“Just one more left,” Rupert stated.

Celtic placed the chest with the tablet inside his Tek-Pak before turning to the group.

“Last stop: the Karma Crab’s domain,” he said. “Let’s get going. And, as always, expect a welcome committee when we get there. Now… Shadow Warp!”

They all vanished in black portals. They reappeared in the Karma Crab’s domain. As soon as they arrived the various Crushtaceans that occupied the area charged at them.

“Meteor Barrier…” Celtic said in an exhausted tone.

The barrier was erected, protecting them from the various crab monsters.

Skye started to channel energy, “Time for some crab cakes. Giga Volt!”

A massive thunderbolt rained down upon the battlefield, striking several Crushtacean monsters, killing them instantly. The surviving ones quickly fled the scene, realizing they were out of their league.

Celtic said, “As always, I suggest that Ryan, Lucas, and Eric take some of the Crushtacean bodies and have your Gear absorb them for new powers. Then we’ll go into the temple and get our final prize.”

Ryan, Lucas, and Eric nodded and quickly gathered up some of the various Crustacean monster corpses and had their Legendary Gear absorb them, creating new powers. The group then ventured into the temple and soon enough found the Dungeon Mimic guarding the chest with the final stone tablet chunk.

“Time for the last kill of the day,” Celtic said. “Same as before, so get ready.”

The other Heroes nodded and primed their weapons for battle.

“Taunt Pulse!”

The energy wave struck the Dungeon Mimic, causing it to roar and lash out its tongue at the Hero faction.

“Sword Missiles!”

The scimitar swords appeared and rocketed toward the Dungeon Mimic, wedging themselves in place. The Dungeon Mimic realized what this meant and immediately tried to remove the swords.

“Do it now, guys!” Celtic instructed.

The other four Heroes stepped up and stated, “Elec Aura Bash!”

The fired the Volt Hammerheads at the Dungeon Mimic, gaining the electric auras in the process. The Dungeon Mimic had managed to remove one sword but was struck down by the four Volt Hammerheads, destroying it. This destruction caused the barrier around the chest to lower, followed by the auras vanishing around the other Heroes.

“Mag-Bolt!” Celtic stated.

He transformed his arm into its magnet form again and activated it. The chest flew off the altar and latched itself onto the magnet. A minute later the floor underneath the altar shot up and crushed it on the celling.

“You gotta give the Karma Beasts props: they were certainly original with their traps-of-choice,” Viola said.

Celtic removed the chest from his Mag-Bolt and opened up, revealing the final stone tablet piece.

“Paydirt!” Eric smirked. “We got all five stone tablet chunks!”

“Should we reassemble it now?” Leon asked.

Celtic shook his head, placing it in his Tek-Pak, “No, let’s head back to Delgunner and do it there, as we don’t want anything attacking us or damaging the tablet. Skye, I’ll leave that part to you.”

Skye smiled, “You got it, loverboy. Warp!”

The group vanished from the temple. They reappeared outside of Delgunner’s front gates. The guards let them in, with the same one flirting with Zuzu, who ignored him. After a trek they reached the castle and entered it. The Delgunner royal family’s eyes lit up as they saw the Hero group.

“Well?” King Alvin asked. “How did it go?”

Celtic took out all five chests and opened them, revealing the stone tablets.

“What the journal said proved to be true,” he explained. “We got all five stone tablet pieces from each of the Karma Beasts’ domains. Now, we just need to restore them and we should be all set.”

Tyroe thumped his chest, “Leave restoring them to me, pal. They’re made of stone so I can manipulate them and restore the tablet back into perfect form.”

Everyone nodded and allowed Tyroe to slither up to the chests. His eyes started to glow, followed by his palms. The five stone tablets floated out of the chest and started to spin like they were in a small tornado. After a minute they all reassembled themselves into one large tablet, now in perfect condition. The stone tablet gently floated down into Celtic’s hand.

“Good work, Tyroe,” the redhead said. “It really pays to have such diversity in this party. Now…”

He took a long look at the tablet and gained an annoyed scowl.

“What’s wrong, Cel?” Rupert asked.

“I figured it might not be this easy,” he growled. “This tablet is written in magic writing, which is a style of writing that, according to the textbooks, went out of style roughly 1,900 years ago. It’s considered a lost art at this point. Translating magic writing is very tricky, especially since several characters can have the same spelling but different meanings, which would drastically alter the spell’s nature. And, unfortunately, I don’t have any knowledge on magic writing, as most information regarding it has been lost to the sea of time.”

“Don’t tell me we wasted all that time for nothing!?” Lucas protested.

Leon stepped up, “No, we didn’t. I can read magic writing.”

Zuzu stepped up, “So can I, although I might be a bit rusty, since I picked up the skill about 175 years ago.”

Everyone was stunned to hear these words escape Leon’s and Zuzu’s mouths.

“Y-You two can read magic writing?” Queen Amelia asked. “How?”

Leon replied sheepishly, “Well… the Four Stars Church abbey I was living in previous had… um… as they put it, ‘borrowed’ a book about magic writing from a Five Stars Church abbey in order to teach us how to read and use magic writing. I may have not been the best student but I did pick up how to read and translate magic writing. I know all the characters and their meanings, though, like Cel said, there are several characters that are spelled the same but have different meanings. Let me have a look.”

Celtic handed the stone tablet over to Leon. He and Zuzu looked it over a few times.

“Tricky but doable,” the Templar Knight said.

Zuzu nodded, “Agreed. And since Tyroe restored the tablet to perfect condition it makes reading it easier. Leave this part to us. We’ll translate this tablet for you.”

King Alvin nodded, “Do so. We’re counting on you two. But why don’t you wait until tomorrow? You all had a busy day today so why don’t you eat and rest so you can tackle it tomorrow with full energy.”

Leon nodded, “Yeah, that would be the best idea. Hey, Cel, you wouldn’t happen to have a spare notebook on-hand, would you?”

Celtic nodded, “I do. I’ve got a few. I think I know where this is going. You want to borrow one of my notebooks to jot down each character and their meanings so it’ll make translating the stone tablet easier. Right?”

Leon nodded, “Exactly, right on the head.”

“Consider it done. Now, let’s get some food in our bellies and recharge our batteries so we can tackle this stone tablet tomorrow.”

Everyone nodded, knowing that they had a big task ahead of them.

Next Chapter: Stone Code

That's it for today. Tune in next time to see if Leon and Zuzu can crack the code.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising.

Spoiler: Chapter 12) Stone Code

Stone Code

​

It was the following day after the Hero faction returned to the Karma Beasts’ domains in order to recover the five stone tablet pieces needed to remove the barrier around Infinator’s prison. It was a terrible day, with torrential rain and high wind. The Heroes and their allies were grateful to be inside on such a rainy day as they ate their breakfast.

King Alvin said, “Not the best day, to say the least. But at least it’s a good day to try to decode what the magic writing on the stone tablet says.”

Leon finished his bite of food before saying, “Yeah. Let’s just hope we can decipher it, as magic writing can be very tricky. Especially since several characters can have the same spelling but different meanings.”

Zuzu nodded, “Aye, that’s true. Especially since each meaning can completely change the spell’s nature. If only we had a way to keep track of every character.”

Celtic replied, “Don’t forget, Zuzu, I’m giving you and Leon one of my spare notebooks so you can jot all the different characters down for easy reference. That should make cracking this code easier.”

Leon smiled, “You really don’t mind us using one of those notebooks you have, Cel?”

“Not at all. It’s what they’re there for. Especially if they’ll help crack the code of this magic writing. Feel free to do what you want with it, as I’ve got a fair few stashed away. Anything can be a useful tool in this situation, so I don’t mind giving you one of my notebooks for this task. Better that than it sitting unused in my Tek-Pak forever.”

Skye smiled, “That’s a good point. Might as well make use of something that we have on-hand to make this process easier. After all, magic writing isn’t easy to both learn and decode, so anything that can help would be welcome.”

King Alvin nodded, “Indeed. And I suggest Sir Leon and Miss Zuzu use the castle library to do the needed work, as it’s quiet and has plenty of space to spread out any notes or info you have or need.”

Leon nodded, “Okay, we will. I just hope we can crack this code before Infinator makes his next move.”

Lucas replied casually, “You probably will, as the loss of Sylph is a huge blow to his faction. It’ll take him quite some time to recoup from that loss. While Bronwen is still a threat she’s not really a fighter like Sylph was. She seems to prefer sitting in the background and acting as the brains and tech expert of the operation. So, even though she’s smart she’s probably not as dangerous on the battlefield as Sylph was.”

Gram turned to him, “Don’t be so sure, Lucas. Bronwen may have been Infinator’s strategist in the Great Demon War but she’s no slouch on the battlefield. Granted, she might be a bit rusty after her 2,500 year slumber, but I wouldn’t count her out as a force on the battlefield just yet. She’s well-known for being quite tough. And, like Kalaraja, she can summon monsters at will to fight alongside her. From what the old history books state, she can only summon her own kin: Wrath Iron Maidens and their variants, due to being their ‘boss’, but those monsters are not easy pickings. Even experienced warriors and knights have trouble with them. So I wouldn’t dismiss her combat capabilities so readily, Lucas, otherwise you might get caught in the jaws of her iron maiden lower body.”

Ryan nodded, “That’s a fair point. And it makes sense. So, while Sylph, who was Infinator’s strongest, is gone, that doesn’t mean Bronwen can’t pick up the slack and show her chops in battle. We haven’t seen her fight but I wouldn’t be surprised if she packed a mean wallop. Plus the Wrath Iron Maidens and their ilk aren’t pushovers themselves, thus are good indicators that Bronwen could be quite the force on the battlefield herself. Best keep that in mind in case we actually have to fight Bronwen.”

King Alvin stated, “Bronwen was a force both on and off the battlefield. She didn’t go into combat herself too often, but when she did she was quite a powerhouse. Remember, it took the first generation of Legendary Heroes, sans the Shroud, and their party members to simply seal her away. Granted, without the Shroud Hero the Legendary Gear weren’t at full strength. But that’s still a good indicator of her strength if it took pretty much everything the first generation of Legendary Heroes and their allies had to simply seal her away, much less outright defeat her. So don’t underestimate Bronwen. She may not need to go on the battlefield too often, but when she does she can be a force and a half. Now, enough of this. Let’s focus on getting that stone tablet translated since breakfast is basically over.”

Celtic stood up, “I’ll meet you in the castle library, Leon and Zuzu. I’ll help get things set up for you so you’ll have an easier time translating the stone tablet. Hopefully we can figure out its secrets before Infinator’s group causes more problems.”

He walked out of the dining hall and toward the castle library, taking his Tek-Pak with him. About five minutes later Leon and Zuzu arrived at the castle library. They saw Celtic at one of the large tables. In front of him was the stone tablet, a blank notebook, some pens, and some extra paper. The duo approached him, making him turn around.

“Good, you’re here. I’ve gotten everything set up for you. Hopefully this’ll be enough for you to work with. I’ll leave the rest to you. I’ll check up on you two in a little while. Good luck.”

The duo nodded and sat down on some chairs in front of the stone tablet while Celtic left them in peace. Leon opened up the notebook, activated one of the pens, and began writing down the various characters of magic writing and their meanings, with Zuzu assisting him. After a good 30 minutes they had finished jotting down all the different characters.

Leon wiped his brow, “Sheesh, I forgot just how many characters there are in magic writing. Nearly 200 characters is a lot for one style of writing. But we got them all down. Now… time for the real work to begin.”

Zuzu nodded, “Yes, indeed. The easy part is done, now it’s the hard part. Let’s get going. At least this gives us something to do on such a rainy day. Now, onto the nitty-gritty.”

The duo nodded and began working on translating the stone tablet. They took their time, as they knew that this task would take a lot of effort to get right. After a good hour they stopped to take a break.

“Okay… so far so good,” the Templar Knight sighed. “We’ve gotten about 67% of the stone tablet translated. Even after Tyroe restored it to perfect condition it was still somewhat hard to read. But we’re making progress.”

Zuzu nodded wearily, “Yeah… though we still have a sizable chunk more to do. At least jotting down all the characters and their meanings has helped simplify the translation efforts, as it allows us to weed out certain characters from the spell.”

Celtic then walked in carrying two mugs of liquid. He gave his two party members a warm smile.

“You two are working very hard, I see,” he said. “Here, I brought you something to drink.”

He placed the two mugs down, allowing the duo to look at the contents. It was a brownish warm liquid.

“What is this?” Leon asked.

“Hot cocoa, a very popular drink from Earth. Especially on cold days with rain or snow. I made it using Silver Monster Milk and Emerald Cocoa powder. I hope you’ll like it.”

Zuzu looked the drink over, “Hot… cocoa? I’ve never heard of it. And you say it’s a popular drink on Earth?” She gave it a sniff, “It does smell very inviting, I will say.”

Celtic smiled, “Yes, it’s a very popular drink. So popular in fact that it has several variants of it. But classic chocolate is the most common version. Too bad I didn’t have any marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream to put on top but it’s still good on its own. I figured you could use a warm drink on such a cold, rainy day. Hopefully it’s not too hot or too cold.”

The duo picked up their respective mugs and took a small sip of the hot cocoa. Their eyes lit up as they tasted the drink.

“It’s delicious!” Leon stated. “And just the right temperature, too. Thanks, Cel!”

Zuzu took another sip before saying, “Wow, this is really good. Makes me feel like a kid again, and that was a few hundred years ago. And this is really a very popular drink on Earth? I can see why. Just the right blend of flavor and creaminess. Thanks.”

The duo quickly downed their respective mugs of hot cocoa, their faces glowing with pleasure. After they finished their drinks Celtic took the mugs back.

“I’m glad you two liked it,” he said with a sincere smile. “Hot cocoa has always been a favorite of mine, especially as a kid. And since this world has all the needed ingredients for it I figured I’d give you two a nice treat that you’ve probably never had before.”

Leon smiled, “No, we’ve never heard of hot cocoa before. You should consider marketing that idea, as I’m certain other people on Zakota would love the stuff. Especially kids. Thanks again, as we needed that pick-me-up.”

Celtic nodded, “I’ll consider the idea, Leon. And you’re welcome. I’ll check up on you again in a little while. Don’t overexert yourselves in translating the stone tablet. See you in a bit.”

He left the room, taking the empty mugs with him to clean them. Feeling more energized, Leon and Zuzu went back to work on translating the stone tablet. After another hour they put their pens down and leaned back in their chairs.

“There… done…” Leon sighed.

“Well… almost…” Zuzu replied. “That last character at the end of the spell has five different meanings, all of whom change the nature of the spell entirely. But we don’t know which meaning is the correct one in order to lower the barrier around Infinator’s base. If only we had a way to test the five different spells without any risks.”

Celtic walked in, asking, “Is everything okay, you two?”

Leon turned to him, “Well, we’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that we finally finished translating the spell on this stone tablet. The bad news is that the final character on it can have five different meanings, which, in turn, changes the entire nature of the spell. And we don’t know what the correct one is. If only we had a way to test it safely, as the effects can vary depending on the actual spell.”

Celtic took a moment to think before replying, “I think we may have a way to test each spell and their effects without much trouble. I was informed by King Alvin just a little while ago that, while we were gone yesterday, the Shadokor scientists upgraded the Shadow Simulator. Now it has a special mode called ‘Practice Mode’. It pits you against a Red Demon but the Red Demon doesn’t do anything. It doesn’t move, attack, or defend. It’s basically designed to be a punching bag to practice spell combos and techniques safely. Granted, it doesn’t give any EXP when defeated, but the fact that you can use it to safely practice various training methods and strategies is what it was made for. So, if tomorrow is a nice day, I suggest you use the Shadow Simulator’s Practice Mode to test out which spell does what.”

Zuzu chuckled lightly, “Leave it to the Shadokor to have a solution planned before we even needed it. That should do the trick. But which one of us should be the one to test it?”

Leon replied, “I’ll test it. I’ve got more MP than you, and this spell requires a decent amount of MP. Plus, I regenerate MP faster thanks to both these gauntlets Celtic gave me and the Magic Crystal Shroud’s passive effect working in harmony with each other. While you also benefit from the Magic Crystal Shroud’s power my MP is still higher, thus I have more room for error before I run out.”

“Fair enough. But I’ll keep track of which spell does what so we can weed out the incorrect character meanings. I’ll use these spare pieces of paper to write down each spell and the five different definitions so we can ensure that we get it right the first time.”

Celtic nodded, “That’s a good idea, Zuzu. Jot down the spell on those pieces of paper and when you’re done I’ll collect everything so you two can have a well-earned rest. If tomorrow’s weather holds up then we can test the different spells on the Shadow Simulator’s Practice Mode. But thanks to you two we are now at least one step closer to winning the war.”

Nodding in agreement, Zuzu and Leon quickly jotted down the five different possible spells that the stone tablet could have. Once they finished Celtic gathered everything up and put it back in his Tek-Pak for safekeeping.

“There, that should do for now. It’s almost time for lunch and I think you two deserve it. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow until we can test anything but that’ll give you a chance to relax for a bit after all your hard work. Times like this I’m proud you two are part of my party.”

Leon smiled warmly while Zuzu turned her head away, trying to hide her blush; both pleased at Celtic’s kind words. They got up and made their way to the dining hall for lunch, knowing that they were a step closer to their goal.

The following day was beautiful. The sun was out, birds were chirping, and the people of Delgunner’s capital were out and about. The Hero faction had gathered inside the knight’s training area. Celtic was working on the Shadow Simulator while Leon held the stone tablet. Zuzu was holding the five pieces of paper that had the translations on them, a pen in hand, ready to write down the effects of each spell.

After a moment Celtic finished working on the Shadow Simulator, saying, “Okay, I’ve set it to Practice Mode. Whenever you’re ready, Leon, step into the training simulation and we can begin our final steps in decoding the stone tablet.”

Leon nodded and walked up to the newly projected training simulation. After entering it the area lit up and a Red Demon appeared.

“Commence Practice Mode simulation,” the Shadow Simulator stated.

Leon took a deep breath before saying, “Here goes nothing.” He looked at the tablet before stating, “Aberuhauke Tarutoudari Isabebe Risutouru Aburuze Sutoumanu Aberuge Uru Mahoraba Kiel!”

The stone tablet glowed, followed by the Red Demon glowing. At first nothing happened then the Red Demon started to dance, much to everyone’s surprise.

“Is that Red Demon… dancing?” May asked, perplexed.

“It looks like it’s dancing a jig…” Eric said.

“Actually, it’s an Irish Stepdance…” Celtic said grimly. “I know this because of two factors. First, the family on my adoptive dad’s side is Irish, thus they know a lot about Irish customs, folklore, and the like. That’s where they got my adoptive name of ‘Celtic’, which has Irish connections. And secondly… dad sent me to Irish Stepdance lessons when I was 11… Not a fun experience, to say the least. I still sometimes have the nightmares about those horrid dance lessons. Let’s just say I’m not very graceful on the dancefloor…”

Skye giggled, “You claim that but you and I did a pretty good waltz way back at one of the previous celebration parties. I’d say you’re pretty graceful.”

He turned to her, “That’s because I let you do the driving. If it’s me leading it’ll lead to a disaster.”

Lucas snickered, “Looks like you’re not the greatest leader of all time, Celtic, if you can’t lead a dance.”

The redhead sneered, “Considering I can lead this pack of hyenas, I do just fine. You, on the other hand, can’t even lead a parade.”

Everyone else snickered at this remark.

“He’s got a point, Lucas,” Ryan chuckled.

“Yeah, especially when Wench was using you as her puppet,” Jerry smirked.

“Considering the rest of you Heroes weren’t much better with your parties, you don’t have room to talk,” Tyroe sassed.

The four other Heroes lowered their heads, groaning, clearly annoyed at being reminded of their past failures. After a moment the spell wore off and the Red Demon stopped dancing. Zuzu quickly jotted down the information on the spell before turning to the next one.

She said, “Okay, Leon. Let’s try variation Number 2. This one has the word ‘Horpa’ at the end.”

Leon nodded and started to cast the next spell, “Aberuhauke Tarutoudari Isabebe Risutouru Aburuze Sutoumanu Aberuge Uru Mahoraba Horpa!”

He glowed for a moment before the Red Demon glowed. The Red Demon then suddenly exploded, vanishing from view. A new Red Demon then appeared to replace the one that was just destroyed.

“Okay, it appears that one causes the enemy to blow up,” Ryan observed. “Not the spell we’re looking for but it might come in handy sometime.”

Zuzu quickly jotted down the information on the second piece of paper before saying, “Okay, Leon, let’s try the third one. This one has the word ‘Claranara’ at the end.”

Leon nodded and started to read the incantation, “Aberuhauke Tarutoudari Isabebe Risutouru Aburuze Sutoumanu Aberuge Uru Mahoraba Claranara!”

He glowed briefly but this time the Red Demon didn’t glow or react. Celtic then noticed something appear on his stat vision. A footnote appeared underneath Leon’s name that stated, “Spell Equipped: Prevents user from losing balance all day. Effects expire at midnight.”

He quirked an eyebrow before saying, “Okay, this spell is interesting. Apparently it has the power to prevent the user from losing their balance for the rest of the day until midnight.”

Zuzu quickly jotted down this information before saying, “Okay, time for the forth version. This one has the word ‘Tsurezaza’ at the end.”

Leon nodded and stated, “Aberuhauke Tarutoudari Isabebe Risutouru Aburuze Sutoumanu Aberuge Uru Mahoraba Tsurezaza!”

He glowed for a second before the Red Demon glowed. Suddenly, a barrier formed around the Red Demon, exciting everyone.

“Could this be it?” Jerry asked hopefully.

Celtic replied, “It could. Leon, cast the spell one more time. If the barrier lowers then we know we’ve found the correct spell.”

Leon nodded and stated, “Aberuhauke Tarutoudari Isabebe Risutouru Aburuze Sutoumanu Aberuge Uru Mahoraba Tsurezaza!”

He glowed before the Red Demon glowed. The barrier dropped around the Red Demon. Everyone’s eyes went wide in excitement.

“We found it!” Viola cheered. “We found the spell that’ll lower the barrier around Infinator’s base!”

“After all our hard work we’ve finally found the correct spell!” Gram smiled.

Celtic then stated, “Just to be on the safe side, Leon should cast the final version of that spell. That way we can be absolutely sure that this version is the one we seek.”

Skye nodded, “Yeah, that’s a good point. We need to be absolutely sure that this variant is the correct one.”

Zuzu nodded, “Yeah, good call. Okay, Leon, cast the final version. This one has the word ‘Tsunioki’ at the end.”

Leon nodded and stated, “Aberuhauke Tarutoudari Isabebe Risutouru Aburuze Sutoumanu Aberuge Uru Mahoraba Tsunioki!”

He glowed followed by the Red Demon glowing. Suddenly, the Red Demon slumped over, snoring.

“Okay, this version puts the target asleep,” Tyroe observed.

Rupert nodded, “Yeah, but it was good to check anyway, just in case. So now we know which spell is the correct one to use. That means Infinator can no longer hide from us. We can finally attack him head-on while he’s still a disembodied spirit.”

Celtic nodded, “Yes. I’ll let Uncle Duskbane know so he can start preparing an army to attack via his Sky Rays.”

Lucas gave his Spear a spin, “Yeah, baby! Look out, Infinator! Here we come! This will be the final battle!”

Viola turned to him, “Don’t get so cocky, Lucas. This is Infinator we’re talking about. For all we know he may have a back-up plan ready for us. While I do agree this is our big chance to finally end him, I still harbor doubts it’ll be that easy.”

Celtic sighed, “Sad, but true. We can’t get our hopes up just yet, as Bronwen could potentially pull a nasty surprise on us. But I do admit this does bode well for our side. Now, I’ll get in contact with Uncle Duskbane, then we’ll start a strategy meeting with King Alvin. Hopefully this will be the end of all this madness.”

Next Chapter: Equal Measures

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see if the spell the Heroes have learned will turn the tide in the war.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising. And look, another Beast Wars related title. (Warning: contains mild language)

Spoiler: Chapter 13) Equal Measures

Equal Measures

​

It was the following day after the Hero faction had discovered the correct incantation needed to lower the barrier around Infinator’s base. They, alongside King Alvin and King Duskbane, had prepared a battleplan to attack Infinator’s faction head-on now that they were armed with this knowledge. Everyone hoped that this would be the final battle with Infinator’s forces.

Standing outside of Delgunner’s walls was an army of soldiers and mages alongside the Heroes. They were making final preparations for their attack on Infinator’s base. Heatblast was also present, clearly wanting to fight against the evil demon. Leon was carrying the stone tablet needed to lower the barrier.

Ryan gave his Sword a swing, stating, “So, we go in there, lower the barrier, and give Infinator hell, right?”

“Fast and final,” Skye said. “We cannot allow Infinator a chance to fight back. If we can take him out before he gains a new body then we can end this war in one swoop.”

Celtic stated, “We need to watch out for the mortar cannons, but from what I saw they are positioned on the bottom of the flying island he’s imprisoned in. Which means we attack from above where they cannot reach us. I also know that they have a decent range so we need to be wary of that when we approach his base. Now… our rides should be here shortly.”

As if on cue they heard several screeches. The group turned to see a huge pack of Sky Rays approaching, each of them equipped with armor.

“Right on cue,” Zuzu chuckled.

The Sky Rays circled around the area before landing, revealing King Duskbane and his ShadoKnights on their backs.

“So, are you all ready to end this once and for all?” he asked.

Celtic nodded, “Yes, let’s finally bust down Infinator’s front door and take him out for good. We’re ready.”

Everyone cheered in response, eager to defeat the great demon once and for all.

King Duskbane nodded, “Good. Everyone, get on the Sky Rays’ backs. It’s time that we finish what we should have done centuries ago! Today we will make sure Infinator and his Demon Generals fall!”

Everyone cheered again before climbing onto the Sky Rays. Celtic and Skye jumped onto Heatblast’s back while Zuzu flew using her own power. The Sky Rays gave a screech and took off into the sky.

“Onward to the final battle! Shadow Warp!”

The flying army vanished in black portals. They reappeared on Nyx and proceeded to head toward the center of the continent where the floating island that was Infinator’s base resided. After a few minutes they reached the floating chunk of land. They stopped at a certain point, allowing them to stay out of range of the mortar cannons.

King Duskbane turned to Leon, “Sir Leon, if you’d be so kind?”

Leon nodded, “Yes, Your Majesty. I’m on it.” He cleared his throat before saying in a strong voice, “Aberuhauke Tarutoudari Isabebe Risutouru Aburuze Sutoumanu Aberuge Uru Mahoraba Tsurezaza!”

He glowed briefly before the floating island glowed. Suddenly, the barrier dropped, exposing the inside of it. The Demon Generals inside realized that the island was now exposed.

“Dammit!” Caym spat. “They actually found the spell needed to lower the barrier!”

Bronwen floated out, stating, “Yes, their timing is impeccable. But…” She then pulled a lever on the wall down, “…So is ours! Outside, now!”

The four surviving Demon Generals nodded and quickly escaped the floating island, as it was starting to rumble. The army awaiting them noticed that the island was starting to shake and vibrate as the four Demon Generals emerged from it.

“What’s going on?” a soldier asked.

“Why is the island shaking?” Isabelle asked.

Bronwen stated strongly, “I commend you for spending the time tracking down and translating the old stone tablet that was used to seal away Master Infinator. But you won’t be getting the drop on him. Not today, not ever! Behold! Master Infinator will now rise again!”

To everyone’s horror the floating island began to break apart. After several minutes of the island cracking it burst apart before being consumed inside what looked like a white vortex. After the entire island was swallowed up by the white hole a single sphere of energy appeared in its place. It then took form. To everyone’s shock and horror a figure formed from the sphere of energy. A large flash of light followed, blinding everyone, before the figure revealed itself.

“No!” King Duskbane stated. “Infinator has been revived!”

Everyone looked Infinator over. His body structure was that of a very muscular human, about the same size as Viola, with a large red gem in the middle of his torso filled with white swirling energy, two pairs of tendrils protruding from his shoulder blades and hips, two pairs of wings that looked like large, flat crystals, sturdy legs ending in bare feet equipped with large talons, a mane of long, flowing white hair, and four red eyes. He was dressed in a rather regal-looking open vest, pants with hip and knee guards, shoulder armor, and gauntlets that extended from his upper arms to the base of his long, clawed fingers.

Infinator took a moment to look himself over, smirking, “Bronwen, my girl, you have done me proud. Your timing was also impeccable, as you completed the necessary procedures to complete my new body just as these ‘Heroes’ and their pesky allies had found a way to attack us head-on. I am most pleased.”

Bronwen bowed, saying, “I appreciate your praise, Master Infinator, but you need to remember that this newly created body isn’t complete. It’s more of a stopgap measure to give you the needed ability to take form. You need to feed on energy in order to fill in the blanks and restore you to full power. And, as fate would have it, Nyx has several planetary energy veins close to the surface for you to leech off of. Once you have consumed enough energy you’ll be back to your old, familiar, and powerful self, just like how you were during the Great Demon War. It’s a shame Sylph is no longer around to see you revived but she paid the price for her ego and pride, as much as I hate saying that. But now it’s time, Master Infinator, to turn this world into your domain once again.”

Jerry primed an arrow, stating, “We won’t let you! Meteor Shot!”

He fired the Meteor attack at Infinator. To his horror Infinator merely swatted the attack away before wagging a finger.

“Tisk, tisk, tisk, Bow Hero,” he taunted. “You should know better than that. Even if my power isn’t complete it’s still more than enough to block your pitiful attacks. While I can obviously see that you and your fellow Heroes have gotten your acts together, all thanks to the Chaos breed Shroud Hero, you’re still no match for me even in my current state. But I don’t have time to play with you right now, as I’m hungry. It has been 2,500 years since I last had a meal. While I would enjoy devouring one of you Heroes or your allies, I need something a bit… smoother on the stomach right now. So I think I’ll go and feed on some energy veins first before moving onto more solid food. Have fun trying to find me!”

In a flash of light Infinator vanished, much to everyone’s horror.

Bronwen turned to the group, “Looks like all your efforts failed, Heroes. Master Infinator has risen again. Now it’s only a matter of time before he’s regained his full strength. And when that comes… heheheh… you won’t live to see another sunrise. Demon Generals, we’re out of here! Teleport!”

She and the remaining Demon Generals vanished from the battlefield. King Duskbane cursed badly.

“Damn him!” he spat. “Just when we finally had him cornered he goes and pulls this stunt on us! Now we have to track him and his Demon Generals down.”

Lucas turned to him, “So are we just going to take these Sky Rays and scour the entire continent?”

King Duskbane shook his head, “No, sadly that’s not what we have to do. First off, we need to map out where the planet’s energy veins that are closest to the surface here on Nyx. Then we’ll have to go from vein to vein to see if we can track Infinator or his Demon Generals down, as I doubt the Demon Generals will be taking vacation time now that Infinator has been revived. We have to do all this the hard way. If only there was a way to narrow down our searches.”

Tyroe said, “Well, what if you recruit users of the Earth element, Your Majesty? Then you can have them manipulate the earth and force the energy veins down further until they’re out of range of Infinator. That way you can ensure that his options would be limited, as well as ensure that he can’t just go to one of the veins our groups were just at.”

King Duskbane’s eyes widened, “Sir Tyroe, that’s brilliant! We’ll gather up various Earth magic users to manipulate the energy veins so that they’ll be forced further underground until only one vein is left. That way we can force Infinator’s hand and narrow down the possible locations he can feed on to just one. While we’ll still have to scour the continent by foot and we can only manipulate the energy veins when we’re on top of them this’ll give us the means of forcing Infinator into our favor. Brilliant!”

Tyroe smiled, “I may not be the smartest but I do have my moments.”

Celtic smiled warmly, “You do just fine, Tyroe. Everyone contributes to the cause in one form or another. This is why having party diversity is useful. In any case, it’s safe to assume we need to fall back so we can map out our plan to track down the locations of the energy veins and gather up enough Earth users to execute our plan, right?”

King Duskbane nodded, “That’s correct, my dear nephew. I also need to inform the various world leaders that Infinator has been revived so they can prepare for any possible attacks. For now we need to fall back and create a new plan.”

Zuzu snapped her fingers, “Dammit, we were so close. Now we have to play a continent-wide game of Hide-and-Seek with Infinator’s group. And Nyx is the second largest continent on the planet, just after Iselina, so that’ll be a lengthy process.”

Eric sighed defeatedly, “You can say that again, Zuzu. We had him in the palm of our hands and Bronwen pulls a fast one to help him regain a body and flee, forcing us to chase after him. And how will we know where the energy veins are, anyway?”

King Duskbane replied, “Don’t worry, we have a method of doing so. Remember that tracking device that Avalar, Ryan, and their parties recovered when they reclaimed one of the Karma Diamonds from Akuji? We have since finished decoding its secrets and have made our own versions. We can use those to track each energy vein so it won’t be as difficult as one would think. And we’re not expecting you all to do this mission alone. We’ll create several search parties equipped with any Earth users we can find, alongside soldiers and ShadoKnights, so we can divide the workload as evenly as possible between us. That way no one group will have to shoulder this responsibility by themselves. We’ll also keep in contact via communicators in case of any issues or emergencies. We’ll also equip each group with those Eject Bracelets that we designed during the Karma Beast hunt as an extra layer of caution. It’ll be a process but I know we’ll succeed. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and we’re tougher than Infinator’s faction.”

Everyone cheered in response, clearly inspired by King Duskbane’s plan.

Celtic nodded, “Okay, then, we have a real plan to work with. Let’s head back to Delgunner so we can begin the needed prep work. We should also stock up on food, medicine, and possibly back-up weapons, as we don’t know how long this’ll take. Once we’ve mapped out our battle strategy we can begin this elaborate game of cat-and-mouse. Hopefully Infinator’s goons won’t be too much of an issue for the other search parties, as the monsters of Nyx alone are tough nuts to crack.”

King Duskbane nodded, “Yes, indeed. That’s why I plan to have some of the best soldiers and ShadoKnights guard the search parties, as they’ll stand a better chance against the monsters and Demon Generals. But it’s also why I want to equip them with the Eject Bracelets as an extra precaution. It never hurts to have a few extra layers of security, especially when dealing with Infinator. Now, let’s head back and start formulating our plan.”

The Sky Rays and Heatblast turned around and flew back toward the opposite direction before vanishing in black portals. They reappeared outside Delgunner’s gates before landing. King Duskbane jumped off his Sky Ray before turning to his ShadoKnights.

“You lot head back to Shadoria and relay the information to Queen Wuya. Tell her I’ll be back once I’m done here. Hurry, as time is of the essence.”

The ShadoKnights saluted, “Yessir!”

After everyone else had gotten off the Sky Rays the ShadoKnights took the giant flying stingrays back into the air and headed toward Shadoria. King Duskbane then made a beeline for Delgunner Castle in order to speak with King Alvin. The rest of the group returned to their homes or posts until they knew it was time to mobilize again. Celtic and Skye led Heatblast back to his stable. The Weyr gave Celtic a friendly lick as the redhead opened the stable gate for him.

“I know you wanted to get some action in, Heatblast,” he said. “But that’ll come soon enough. For now we need to map out our next plan, as this one will be quite the haul. So just hang tight, my fine, fire-breathing friend, as you’ll get your chance to give Infinator’s group some serious burns.”

Heatblast nodded and walked over to a comfortable spot to lay down on. Celtic closed the stable gate as he and Skye walked away. They knew that the war had just entered a critical stage with Infinator back and they needed to prepare for it.

Next Chapter: Going With the Flow

And that's all for today. Tune in next time to see what our Heroes will do to stop Infinator.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Been meaning to post this for some time now but for some reason I haven't. Anyway, time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising.

Spoiler: Chapter 14) Going With the Flow

Going With the Flow

​

It was a few hours after Infinator has been revived. Word had spread far and wide about his revival, causing all the nations and lands to begin preparing for the worst. Various individuals were being recruited or volunteering to assist in the plan to search Nyx for Infinator’s faction and help find ways to reduce his options from regaining his full power.

At the time Celtic and his party were out shopping for supplies. They knew that their next mission would be a long one so they wanted to stock up on as much food, medicine, and other supplies as possible. The party had broken up into three groups in order to gather up the needed materials and supplies quicker. Gram’s group was also doing the same while the other Heroes were collecting what they could carry. It was clear that everyone was contributing to the cause, and it was also clear that the fact that Infinator had been revived inspired dread in the hearts of Zakota.

Celtic and Skye were at the marketplace, purchasing as much food as they possibly could. They had been bartering with various vendors for the best deals they could find. After a while they found a bench to sit on, taking a break.

Skye wiped her brow, “Whew, we’ve been checking out every single shop, stand, and market in the city. You were even willing to barter with some butchers by using some of the Metal Boars and Battle Oxen we had gotten during the stone tablet hunt for better deals on other high-quality foods, while also saving plenty for us. Hell, we even managed to nab several rare treats like Topaz Tunas, Golden Mandrakes, Dream Melons, Gold Prime Roasts, Gold Monster Milk, Diamond Dust Bread, Dusk Oranges, and Marshland Bison Steaks. But I worry if even that’s enough?”

Celtic replied, “It might just be enough. But we can still hunt, forage, and fish if need be. After all, I doubt Nyx is as deprived of natural food sources as the Demon Realm is.”

“Yeah, that’s true. There are plenty of places to fish, hunt, and forage, and despite its hostile environment, there are several types of foods that grow there. So we do have options to work with. But considering we’re bringing Heatblast with us for extra firepower, we’d better make sure we have more than enough right out of the gate. Plus we have to take him with us for another reason: he won’t accept food from anyone but you and me, so if we left him here he’d starve out of protest. So after we finish this break let’s resume the hunt for more types of food to pack. Afterward we’ll meet up with the gang back at the castle. Hopefully Gram’s group and the other Heroes are faring okay.”

Celtic turned to her, “I had assigned a knight and a Druid medic to accompany them so they’d get the best stuff needed for this mission. That way they wouldn’t get conned, buy the wrong item, or waste their funds on trivial things. I also plan on giving them one of my custom-made accessories for back-up. They still have the Deluxe Guard Barrier Charms but I figured they could use a little extra support. And I want to give them Magic Crystals so they can have their Gear absorb it in hopes it’ll create a new form that’ll help them constantly regenerate MP, just like my Magic Crystal Shroud. Every little bit counts. Now… let’s press onward, as there are still several stands and shops left to check out. And knowing our party’s greedy guts we’re gonna have to visit all of them, much less the fact we have to cook for the other Heroes and Gram’s group. Especially since Uncle Duskbane said that our little cluster of characters would be one of the search parties. Let’s get going.”

The duo nodded and resumed checking out each and every market and stand to buy as much food as possible. After another hour of bargain hunting and bartering they returned to the castle, exhausted. They were greeted by the rest of the party in their guest bedroom.

“Oh, hey, you two,” Leon said. “Did you get everything we might need in terms of food?”

“That and then some,” Skye said, flopping into one of the chairs. “And on your ends?”

Viola, who alongside Mint was busy crafting potions using herbs she got replied, “Yeah, we got everything on our list. And in fairly large quantities, too. We don’t know how long or how many resources we’ll need so we made sure to gather as much as our purses could provide. It helps that we had plenty of funds due to Celtic stockpiling as much as possible. He’s not thrifty, but he is smart when it comes to money. Plus we sold a few things that we had gathered over time, like monster parts and various drop items like weapons and the like. I know you and Cel had the biggest list to tend to, as we have to feed not only us but the other Heroes and Gram’s group. Plus Heatblast. I hope you got enough.”

Celtic sat down, saying, “We visited every single shop, stand, and market to ensure we’d get as much as possible. I even bartered with some butchers using a couple of Metal Boars and Battle Oxen we had gotten recently for better quality cuts of meat. We even managed to nab some rare goodies, too, so we should have enough. Plus, we do have the option to hunt, forage, and fish on Nyx if push comes to shove, as I know it’s not deprived of natural food sources like the Demon Realm is. But even with nine extra mouths to feed we should have enough.”

Zuzu, who was lazily floating above them, replied, “That’s good to know. And you are right, as Nyx does have its fair share of natural food sources like various fish, edible monsters like Cattkill, and wild-grown fruits and vegetables. We should be able to make do with what we’ve got, especially since we still have some leftover Metal Boars and Battle Oxen from our most recent outing to work with. I just hope this mission will work out, as we’re dealing with the second largest continent on the planet, so that’s a lot of ground to cover. And we have to cover it by foot to ensure we complete our task.”

Rupert sighed, “Sad, but true. But at least we’re not the only ones doing the heavy lifting this time. There are gonna be other groups scouring the continent for the energy veins, so it’s not like the job solely rests on our shoulders. Granted, we are the ones with the best possible chance of shutting down Infinator and/or his Demon Generals, but at least we’re not the only ones doing this task.”

Celtic was rummaging through his Tek-Pak, stating, “Yeah, which is a help. Even if they don’t actually encounter Infinator or his Demon Generals at least they can use Tyroe’s idea to use Earth magic to force any energy veins they find further underground, thus limiting his options to restore his full strength. Now… where are those other Heroes? They should be back by now.”

A knock was heard at their door. Leon walked over and opened it, revealing the other four Heroes.

“Speak of the devil,” Tyroe said with a crooked smile.

Ryan said, “You wanted to see us, Celtic? Something about letting us have one of your special homemade accessories, right?”

Celtic chuckled lightly, “Yeah, but before we go into that, I want you to absorb something into each of your Legendary Gear. Give me a second to find it, as I know they’re in here…”

He kept working on the holographic screen that was being projected from the Tek-Pak. After a minute he found what he was looking for, tapped the icon, selected a certain amount, and four Magic Crystals were ejected.

He held them out, “Here, have your Legendary Gear absorb these Magic Crystals. Before you ask why, I’ll tell you. As you know, Magic Crystals fully restore a single target’s MP before breaking. However, if my theory holds true, then if you have your Legendary Gear absorb these Magic Crystals you’ll gain abilities that’ll allow you to have constant MP regeneration. I know this because I had my Shroud absorb a Magic Crystal a long time ago, giving me and my party the passive ability to regenerate MP continuously. Even though your Legendary Gear are made of different materials than mine, I theorize that absorbing a Magic Crystal should grant you the same effect. This way you won’t run out of MP while we’re on this mission.”

The other four Heroes nodded, each taking one Magic Crystal, and had their respective Legendary Gear absorb them, causing a new power to appear. They took a moment to look the new power over before smiling.

“You were right on the money, Celtic,” Eric said. “Now we have the ability to passively regenerate MP continuously. That’ll come in handy, especially in longer battles.”

“Good, glad to see my theory was correct. Now, let me get my boxes of accessories so you can choose from them. You can only take one for now, but I’ll let you take whichever one tickles your fancy. Give me a moment.”

After going through the holographic screen again Celtic ejected all the chests of homemade accessories he had. He placed them on the coffee table, activated the chests, allowing them to unfold and revealing dozens of different accessories, much to the other Heroes’ surprise.

“Jeez, you’ve made this many accessories, Celtic?” Jerry asked, amazed. “And from what we know these are all your excusive ideas, thus you can’t find them anywhere else. You must have a lot of spare time to work with.”

Celtic replied, “Not really, but I enjoy working with my hands… even if one of them is made of metal. And it is rather profitable since magical accessories are pretty popular. Granted, when I first made the special accessories for my party members I didn’t think about actually making more, as they were just gifts to show my gratitude. But then I decided to dabble in it a bit more on the side and, well, this happened. Anyway, browse my wares and see what looks interesting to you.”

The other Heroes nodded and took several minutes to sort through all the different accessories. They were amazed at the quality of the hand-crafted items. After a bit they had decided on one accessory each and showed their choices to Celtic.

“Okay, Ryan is taking a Beast Eye Ring, Lucas is taking a Life Ring, Eric is taking an Alligator Bone Pendant, and Jerry is taking a Marble Bracelet. Enjoy your new accessories, as they might come in handy.”

Ryan nodded, “Thanks.”

Lucas asked, “They do work, right?”

Celtic replied, “I test each and every one of my creations to ensure they work properly. You can rest assured that they work just fine. Now, let me put the rest away so you don’t get tempted to take more. I also assume you finished your shopping, right?”

Jerry nodded, “Yeah. And asking that knight and Druid medic to help us was a good idea, as they were able to sniff out the best quality stuff for the best price. We should be equipped with enough but we can see that Viola and one of her Spiria are making more potions, so that is reassuring: to know we’ll have extras.”

Celtic put the chests of accessories away before saying, “I’ll be helping her make more potions in a moment, I just need to get out my herb grinding equipment. That way we’ll have plenty of back-up potions. Hopefully Gram and his party got what they need, since this is a big mission ahead of us. We’ll probably hear from Uncle Duskbane soon about when and where we’ll be starting the mission. Let’s hope we can get one more good night’s rest before we’re deployed, as Nyx isn’t exactly a luxury resort.”

Eric snorted, “Ya think? Hopefully we do get one more night in a real bed, as we have no idea how long this mission will take.”

Skye smirked, “Hey, no one said the Hero business was an easy job, Eric. Heroes gotta make sacrifices for the good of others. That’s just part of the gig, so you’d better get used to it. But time for that later, I suggest you four head back to your rooms to get as much rest as possible, since we don’t know if we’ll be deployed today or tomorrow or whenever. Take any opportunities to rest when you find them, since this mission could take a week or so, depending on various factors. It’s a roll of the dice if this mission does what we need it to or not but we need to take that gamble in order to shut down Infinator’s faction once and for all.”

Nodding, the other four Heroes left the room to return to their rooms to rest. Celtic gathered up his herb grinding tools and started to help Viola make more potions for the trip ahead. After a while he and Skye left to feed Heatblast before joining the rest of their group for dinner. After having their fill the Hero faction went straight to bed, knowing that they needed all the rest they could get.

The following morning the Hero faction was having breakfast. The air in the dining hall was tense, as everyone knew that this could be the day to begin their search. As soon as the plates were cleared a female Shadow Sentinel appeared.

She said, “It is time to begin the operation, Heroes and allies. I hope you are all prepared.”

Celtic replied, “We’re as prepared as we’ll ever be. Let us gather up our stuff and we can start this elaborate game of Hide-and-Seek with Infinator’s faction.”

The Shadow Sentinel nodded, “I will meet you outside the castle with your steed: Heatblast. Be quick, as time is of the essence.”

She then vanished like a phantom.

King Alvin said, “Good luck, Heroes and allies. I wish I could offer more but the rest is up to you. Godspeed to you and I expect you to come back alive.”

Celtic nodded, “We will. Now, let’s move and meet that Shadow Sentinel outside. No time like the present.”

Everyone sighed before getting up and returning to their rooms to gather up their gear. The Delgunner royal family gave them one final sendoff as they regrouped and met the Shadow Sentinel and Heatblast. The Weyr wasn’t too pleased to have someone else escort him out but immediately perked up when he saw Celtic.

The Shadow Sentinel said, “If you are all ready to go, I will take you to your starting point.”

Celtic replied, “Let’s do it. Work your Shadow magic.”

“Shadow Warp!”

They all vanished in black portals. They reappeared in an unknown location on Nyx. Everyone took a moment to get a feel for the area.

The Shadow Sentinel held out a device, saying, “Here is the tracking device that’ll help you locate the energy veins. King Duskbane has decided that it will be your group that’ll leave one energy vein exposed for us to use as a trap against Infinator. I recommend clipping this device onto your belt so it’ll be easier to access when it starts going off.”

Celtic took the device and clipped it onto his belt.

The Shadow Sentinel then took out a headpiece and map, saying, “This headpiece will allow you to communicate with King Duskbane. Every time you either reroute an energy vein or have an encounter with Infinator or a Demon General report back to him. And this map will show you where you need to go and where your target energy veins are.”

Celtic took the headpiece before saying, “Give Viola the map, as she’s the best when it comes to directions and navigation.”

The Shadow Sentinel nodded and gave Viola the map, who took a moment to look it over. The Shadow Sentinel then held out a bag.

“This pouch contains Eject Bracelets,” she said. “While we doubt you’ll need them, as you’re our best fighting chance against Infinator, it never hurts to have an extra layer of protection when dealing with him. We have given the same equipment to the other nine search parties. Your goalpost is the center of the continent, where Infinator’s old base once was. When you meet up with the other search parties there contact King Duskbane so we can begin planning our trap. Good luck, sire, as this’ll be a lengthy process.”

Celtic took the pouch, replying, “To say the least. But at least we have a plan on how to limit Infinator’s options. Though I do wonder why we’re not keeping an eye out on planetary energy veins elsewhere? Wouldn’t those be targeted too?”

The Shadow Sentinel replied, “That would normally be a concern but those energy veins are in places near various civilizations. While Infinator isn’t one to pass up on causing chaos, he knows that, given his new body isn’t perfect, he needs to maintain a low profile until he regains enough strength to actually become a real threat. As such, he’s using Nyx as his feeding grounds because this continent is no longer inhabited by people, only monsters and animals, thus it’ll be easier to rebuild his strength without any interruptions. We have taken that concern to the higher-ups, however, and everyone is keeping a sharp eye on those energy veins in case Infinator pulls a fast one or resorts to them out of desperation. Nyx also has the most energy veins exposed compared to other continents, thus Infinator would have more options to feed off of. But we are going to keep an eye on the other areas where planetary energy veins are to ensure that he doesn’t attack those locations.”

“I see. At least that concern he might resort to other energy veins in other lands has been considered. Very well, then. Let’s begin the operation.”

The Shadow Sentinel bowed, “Contact us Shadokor with the Shadow Caller Flute if need be, sire. Be safe, as Nyx is a hostile no-man’s land that has gotten even more hostile due to Infinator’s revival. I will take my leave now. Good luck.”

The Shadow Sentinel vanished like a phantom, leaving everyone else behind.

Celtic turned to the group, “Okay, it’s time to get to work. Viola, which direction is our first target?”

Viola looked at the map, looked at the position of the sun, did a quick calculation, and observed the surrounding area.

“Looks like our first target is to the northeast of us,” she said. “Our current position is near the southern tip of Nyx, and according to the map we have five energy veins to chase after, with the fifth being only a few miles away from Infinator’s old base location. By my calculations, we should reach that first energy vein by midday tomorrow at the earliest. We need to be careful, though, as Nyx is known for wild weather, which could stall us if we get caught by it. But if everything works out we should be able to reach our first target by roughly lunchtime tomorrow.”

Skye placed a hand on her hip, smiling, “That’s Viola’s skill with navigation for you. You can count on her to get you to wherever you need to go. Now, enough chin-wagging, let’s move out before anything happens.”

Nodding in agreement the party proceeded onward, following Viola’s lead. They knew they had a big job ahead of them, especially with the lingering threat of Infinator and his remaining Demon Generals hovering over them. But they were determined to end him and his Demon Generals once and for all.

Next Chapter: Getting Ahead of the Enemy

And that's all for now. Hopefully I can get past my writer's block soon so I can continue this series. Until then.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising (about time, too). (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Spoiler: Chapter 15) Getting Ahead of the Enemy

Getting Ahead of the Enemy

​

It had been a few hours since the various search parties had begun their mission to hunt down Infinator’s faction and the planet’s energy veins. The groups of warriors and soldiers were hard at work trying to track their targets in hopes of ending the war once and for all.

Celtic and his group were traveling down the rather barren landscape of Nyx. Viola was in the lead, holding the map that they were given, guiding the Hero group to their destination.

Lucas asked, “How much further do we have?”

She turned to him, “A good day before we reach our first target. At least we haven’t run into any of Nyx’s infamous wild weather yet.”

Jerry sighed, “Yeah, but we have run into various monsters. Things like Cactikills, Armorkillos, Blood Eyes, Swampers, Blast Bots, and Serpent Wings. They’ve kept us busy, that’s for sure. But they’ve also given us some nice new powers so I guess it’s not too bad.”

Eric asked, “Do you think we can stop for lunch soon? After all the fighting we could use a refueling.”

Celtic replied, “Let’s first find a fresh water source like a river or stream. When we do we’ll stop for lunch, as I think we all could use a little extra energy in the tanks.”

Nodding in agreement the group continued onward. After about 15 minutes they found a fresh water river. Celtic took a sip of the water to be sure.

“Yeah, this water is clean. It’ll do nicely. Okay, then, I’ll start getting lunch ready.”

Lucas looked around, “Too bad there aren’t large enough rocks to sit on.”

Celtic grinned, “Actually, I picked up an interesting trick from Aunt Wuya a little ways back. Watch. Grass Bomb.”

The green capsule formed in his hands, confusing everyone.

“What good will that do?” Ryan asked.

“Give me a minute, I’m not done yet. Bio Plant Shroud.”

The Shroud transformed into the Bio Plant Shroud. A screen then appeared over the Grass Bomb capsule, allowing Celtic to start modifying it. After a minute of tweaking the effects he lowered the screen and gently tossed the Grass Bomb ahead of him. The capsule sank underground and before long the area was covered in lush grass. But then giant blades of grass emerged and wove themselves into tables and chairs, much to everyone surprise.

“How did Queen Wuya teach you that?” Leon asked, stunned.

“Aunt Wuya also has an affinity for Nature magic alongside the Shadokor’s usual Dark, Shadow, and Poison elements,” Celtic explained. “She told me that Grass Bomb can be manipulated to have the giant blades of grass take new forms using additional magic, though she said my Bio Plant Shroud and Bio Orchid Shroud would be able to do the job better. So, as a result, I figured out how to rework the effects of Grass Bomb to create pretty much anything I want. And the grass ‘furniture’ is sturdy enough to hold even Tyroe’s weight, so this’ll allow us to have an easier time eating. Speaking of Tyroe, would you mind using your Earth powers to set up a spot so I can start a campfire and not accidentally burn all the grass away.”

Tyroe nodded, “You got it, pal.”

His eyes and palms glowed, causing a chunk of earth to lift up a bit, followed by rocks forming around it, creating a space for a campfire.

“Thank you, Tyroe, that’ll do nicely,” Celtic said.

He then took out some firewood, lit it, and started to rummage through his Tek-Pak for ingredients for cooking. He also took out his new cooking notebook and had a large blade of grass hold it like a stand while he gathered up his materials. After deciding on a recipe he began cooking. As he did, however, Heatblast and Rupert noticed something in the nearby river, walking over and looking with intense eyes.

“Spotted something, Rupert?” Zuzu asked.

Heatblast then lashed out his head, dunking it into the water, before retracting it, revealing he caught a fish.

“That’s a Lightning Bass!” Skye stated.

Heatblast greedily scarfed down the fairly large Lighting Bass, licking his lips as he polished it off. Rupert then started to quickly lash his hands in sweeping motions in and out of the water. Within the span of a minute he had caught a decent-sized pile of Lightning Bass.

May giggled, “Should we be surprised that a cat would catch a bunch of fish?”

Wendy asked, “You didn’t catch an entire school, did you? As that’s a lot of Lightning Bass.”

Rupert chuckled, “No, I only caught the tail end of the school. But it was a large school. Hey, Cel, let’s take these Lightning Bass with us. They’ll be good extra food sources, since we don’t know how long this mission will take.”

Celtic, who was working at the large cooking pot, replied, “Sounds like a plan to me. Plus I did get a couple of recipes for Lightning Bass so it works out well. I’ll let you clean them, as I have to tend to our lunch. Afterward put them in my Tek-Pak for safekeeping. Maybe I’ll make fish n’ chips for dinner tonight. Now, back to work for me.”

Rupert nodded and started to clean the Lightning Bass while Celtic continued to cook lunch. After a bit all the Lightning Bass were ready, allowing the Beastman to put them into the Tek-Pak, despite the fact that Heatblast was very interested in the fish. Skye then got out bowls and utensils from the Tek-Pak and handed them out to everyone. The group was starting to drool at the smell of Celtic’s cooking. After a bit Celtic took a sample from the pot, ate it, and mentally debated if it was ready or not.

“Hmm… yeah, I’d say we’re ready,” he said. “One Oxen Stew with Mixed Vegetables is ready to eat. Line up, everyone.”

The hungry Hero group eagerly lined up for their lunch. Celtic served them fairly large portions of the stew, including a bowl for Heatblast. After everyone had gotten a serving they sat down at the grass tables and began eating. The eyes of Gram and his party lit up like headlights as they tasted the food.

“This is incredible!” Isabelle said.

“I’ll say!” May nodded. “This is probably the best stew I’ve ever had!”

Gram turned to Celtic, “I’ve gotta hand it to you, Sir Celtic, you’re a mighty good cook. This stew is delicious. How are you such a good cook?”

Celtic replied, “I learned how to cook from my parents, though the Shroud enhanced it further with various passive effects that I got over time. Now, you’ll gain various effects like permanent and temporary stat buffs, self-regenerating HP and MP, and boosted EXP gains for a few hours. And that stacks with other bonuses that the ingredients alone grant. But I’m glad you like it. There’s plenty more, so if anyone wants seconds you’re welcome to it. After all, a good leader knows when to feed and rest his troops.”

Everyone returned to their food, clearly happy about the quality. After the entire group, including Heatblast, got a second serving of stew the food was gone.

“Okay, who’s on dish duty?” Celtic asked.

Rupert and Tyroe stood up, stating, “It’s our turn. Leave it to us.”

The duo gathered up the dishes, utensils, and pot and began washing them in the river. After a few minutes all the dishes were done, allowing Celtic to put them back into his Tek-Pak.

“What should we do with the grass tables and such?” Viola asked.

“Leave them, as they’re not causing any damage to anything,” Celtic replied. “Besides, I wouldn’t be surprised if some wild animals and such decide to munch on them, which would be fine, since the effects are harmless. It’s not like we’re littering or anything. And it wouldn’t hurt to give Nyx a little extra greenery. For now, let’s continue, as we need to cover as much ground as possible before we run into trouble.”

Everyone nodded, packed up their stuff, and continued their trek deeper into Nyx’s harsh landscape. Viola was in the lead again, holding the map, guiding the group to the first energy vein. Along the way various monsters attacked them, forcing them to stop and deal with the vicious beasts that were looking for what they thought was easy prey. After a few more hours they stopped near another river.

Viola looked up at the sky before saying, “Let’s set camp here, as we’re not gonna get any further before it gets dark. Plus everyone is getting hungry, so we’d best eat while there’s a lull in the action.”

Celtic nodded, “Right, let me set some more grass tables for us to eat off of. Give me a sec. Grass Bomb. Bio Plant Shroud.”

The green capsule formed in his hands, followed by the Shroud transforming into the Bio Plant Shroud. After making the necessary modifications to the Grass Bomb he gently tossed it into the area in front of him, causing it to bloom with grass, followed by giant blades of grass weaving themselves into tables and seats. Tyroe then used his Earth powers to lift up a chunk of the ground and surround it with rocks to act as a campfire. Celtic placed some logs in the spot and lit them, allowing the flames to grow while he took out his cookbook, decided on a recipe, and began making dinner.

Eric asked, “So, what’s on the menu tonight, Celtic?”

The redhead replied, “Fish n’ chips.”

Everyone except the other Heroes looked confused.

“Fish… n’ chips?” Wendy asked. “What’s that?”

“Technically the recipe here is Fried Bass Fillets with Potato Strips, but on Earth it’s called fish n’ chips,” Celtic explained. “Granted, Earth-based fish n’ chips usually use a different fish like cod but the concept is the same: fried fish with fried potatoes. The term and dish originates in England, hence the ‘chips’ part of the name, as that’s what they call fries in that country. But, in short, it’s fried fish with fried potatoes, just under a different name. Now, let me get to work.”

He took out several Lightning Bass, many potatoes, and two large strange green, square items.

“Hey, what’s that green thing?” Eric asked.

Skye replied, “That’s an Oily Cube Nut. Like the name states, it’s a large nut that has a hollow cavity that is full of oil. The oil is often use for frying but it can be used for other things like salad dressing, baking, and topping. Remember that Oily Tuna Tartare we had during the celebration party for Sylph’s death? The oil from an Oily Cube Nut was used to act as the vinaigrette-like dressing on top of it. The body itself can be ground or grated to act as a topping or seasoning, too. Now, despite it being technically a nut, both the body and oil are closer to a fruit than a nut, so those with nut allergies won’t be harmed by it, unlike something like Tiger Peanuts or Saltwater Almonds. And, surprisingly, the oil is rather healthy, containing lots of vital nutrients. In this case, Celtic is using the oil inside the Oily Cube Nut to fry the Lightning Bass and Mountaintop Potatoes in.”

As Celtic prepared the dish everyone watched with interest. Skye took the opportunity to hand out plates and utensils. After getting the oil from the Oily Cube Nut to a desired temperature, Celtic added in the bass fillets and cut potatoes. Heatblast in particular eyed the frying fish with interest, having never seen such a dish, along with eyeing the remains of the Lightning Bass Celtic used. The redhead couldn’t help but chuckle as he saw his loyal pet Weyr look at the fish.

“Okay, Heatblast,” he smiled. “You can have the leftover bits of fish. Better you than letting them attract local monsters.”

Heatblast’s eyes glimmered happily and he quickly started eating the leftover Lightning Bass bodies. Within the span of a minute the last of the fish was eaten, the Weyr licking his lips contently. Celtic continued to cook the fish n’ chips, the smell getting everyone’s attention. After a little bit he checked the food.

“Yeah, I’d say we’re good to go. Line up with your plates and I’ll serve you.”

“No need to tell us twice!” Tyroe said cheerfully.

Everyone lined up for the food. One by one Celtic served them a Lightning Bass fillet and some fries. After the last person was served he gave himself some while also putting out a plate for Heatblast, since he knew the dragon was still hungry. Everyone sat down and began eating the fish n’ chips.

“Mmm!” Rupert said. “I can’t remember the last time I had Fried Bass Fillets with Potato Strips… or I guess I should say fish n’ chips. Well, either way, it’s as good as ever, Cel!”

Ryan nodded, “Considering that we Heroes got to sample Celtic’s cooking during the Karma Diamond hunt really clued us into how good he is in the kitchen. And I will say it was a very smart move to create at least a form of midway point between us, given all the animosity we had for each other back then.”

Jerry replied, “Agreed, it was a very smart move to start building trust. Unfortunately we didn’t make as good use of it as we should’ve… which lead to the Chaos Chimera incident… and our brutal falls from grace… but at least we’re now on better terms and have made amends. And sharing good food certainly helps build that up.”

Celtic merely ate his dinner, though he was smiling inwardly, thinking, “Finally. It took a hell of a lot to get those four to not only take me seriously but unite us under one flag. But it ultimately happened… even if it took a continent-wide disaster to do it. But I’ve gotta stop dwelling in the past, as learning to move on has been part of my own journey. Otherwise I won’t have a future. The question is… what future do I want?”

The group continued eating their fish n’ chips. After a second serving of the delicious fried fish and potatoes the group was well-fed.

“Okay, who’s on dish duty this time?” Celtic asked.

Skye and Zuzu stepped up, saying, “It’s our turn.”

The two females gathered up the dishes, utensils, and other cooking tools and began washing them in the river. After a short time everything was clean, allowing Celtic to put them back in his Tek-Pak.

“Okay, now with that taken care of let me do a quick modification so we’ll have at least a semi-comfortable place to sleep,” the redhead said. “Everyone, please get off the grass tables.”

Everyone did as they were told, getting off the grass tables and seats.

“Okay, let’s try this. Bio Orchid Shroud.”

The Shroud transformed into the Bio Orchid Shroud, causing another screen to appear. Celtic worked away on the screen, causing the giant blades of grass to sink back into the large patch of grass they were standing on. The grass blades then reemerged and wove into a different form, this time taking the shape of several beds, with a large nest for Heatblast. Satisfied, Celtic deactivated the screen and returned his Shroud to normal.

“Okay, that should do it. It’s not the most luxurious but it should still be comfortable enough to get at least a decent night’s rest.”

Ryan chuckled, “Sheesh, you sure are a wiz with that Grass Bomb spell. I kinda wonder how Queen Wuya taught you how to manipulate it like that. But at least we won’t be sleeping on the ground while we’re on this mission, so I’ll take any form of comfort we can get.”

“Yeah, though one of us will need to do the first shift of the night watch,” Eric pointed out. “Otherwise the local monsters may get opportunistic and attack us.”

Celtic replied, “Under normal circumstances, yes. However, while preparing for this trip I spent a bit of time making a modification to my Tek-Pak. Watch this. E-Shield, online!”

The Tek-Pak beeped before releasing a sphere of energy from the top of it. The sphere of energy then transformed into a large energy shield that was composed of honeycomb-shaped segments. The shield easily covered the entire area, protecting the group from harm. Everyone looked at the energy shield with wide eyes.

“Wow!” Skye said in awe. “Now we have a shield to protect us from harm while we sleep!”

Celtic replied, “It’s not a foolproof strategy, Skye. The E-Shield has a limit to how much punishment it can take. But it should keep us safe enough, especially since it’ll at least buy us some time to retaliate if we are attacked. Anyway, I suggest we all call it a day. Tomorrow we’ll reach our first energy vein so we best be prepared for that.”

Nodding everyone climbed into their new grass beds, with Heatblast curling up in his nest. It didn’t take long before everyone fell asleep under the starlit sky. They knew that tomorrow was the first major step in their plan to stop Infinator.

Morning came soon enough. After a nice breakfast the group resumed their trek toward the first energy vein. Viola was in the lead, holding the map, guiding the group toward their first major objective.

“Okay, we should be getting very close to the energy vein,” the Arachne said.

Tyroe nodded, “We are, as I can feel it through my scales. We’re getting really close, as the energy flow is pretty strong.”

Suddenly, Heatblast looked ahead and started growling, surprisingly everyone.

“Heatblast?” Skye asked. “Do you sense something?”

Heatblast suddenly tossed Celtic onto the saddle, much to his alarm, and immediately flew toward the direction they were going. The rest of the Hero group raced after the duo.

“Heatblast!?” Celtic sputtered. “What’s going on!?”

He then looked ahead and his eyes widened. Infinator was standing at a certain spot, his back to them, with his tendrils having dug into the ground and energy flowing through them. Celtic’s eyes narrowed and turned his arm into Gatling while Heatblast primed a fireball. Before Infinator noticed them he was bombarded by attacks from the Shroud Hero and his pet Weyr, forcing him to stop feeding off the energy vein.

“Dammit!” he spat as he defended himself from the attacks. “And I was enjoying my meal, too. Looks like I’ll have to find a different spot to feed. Mark my words, Shroud Hero, I will succeed in regaining my strength! And when I do… I’ll rip you limb from limb! Farewell for now!”

He vanished in a white portal just moments before Heatblast’s talons could stomp down on top of him. The Weyr looked around with fierce eyes and bared fangs before concluding that Infinator wasn’t nearby anymore, slowly calming down. A few moments later the rest of the Hero group arrived.

“What happened?!” Leon asked.

“Heatblast detected Infinator feeding off the energy vein here,” Celtic said as he got off his pet dragon’s back. “Somehow he was able to immediately detect Infinator and charged right at him. We managed to get a few good shots in before he fled. The fact that he was forced to flee instead of fight means he still hasn’t regained his full strength, so we do have some time to work with. But we managed to get in some early damage on him, as Galvaton Demons are well-known for being damage sponges, having some of the beefiest HP out of all demons. Though the trade-off is they have lower defenses. But, either way, we managed to chase him off and got some early chip damage on him. It wasn’t a huge amount but every bit counts.”

Zuzu nodded, “Aye, that’s true. And that damage is going to stick around for quite some time. You see, Galvaton Demons are well-known for being immensely powerful. However, during their evolutionary process they traded one of the key aspects of demons for more raw might. That aspect being mass regeneration, or rapid healing if you will. Demons are tenacious creatures, and part of that is because we can heal off most damage with ease within a certain timeframe. Certain breeds, such as Shadokor, can heal much faster than other demons. Galvaton Demons, however, traded that ability for more raw might. As a result of that exchange, Galvaton Demons, while the strongest of all demons in terms of raw power, are not the top link of the food chain because they cannot heal off damage as easily as other species. Infinator will eventually heal, but his healing process is much, much slower than other demons. If anything, it’d be closer to that of a regular human. That’s the price Galvaton Demons paid for in exchange for more power, but even that extra might wasn’t enough to establish them as the top breed of demon.”

Lucas looked hopeful, “So, if we can at least chip away at Infinator anytime we encounter him then that damage will carry over and make fighting him easier? I’m all for that.”

Gram replied, “That appears to be the case. So with repeated damage over time, especially before he regains his full power, it’ll make defeating him more manageable. That’s an opportunity we cannot pass up on.”

Celtic nodded, “Indeed. But time for that later. Let’s focus on our primary mission. We need to manipulate the energy vein that we’re standing on top of further down into the planet so it’s out of reach for Infinator. Let’s take care of that first. Then I’ll report to Uncle Duskbane about what happened.”

Nodding, everyone stepped back as Tyroe and May stood over the location where the energy was at its strongest. The duo nodded and began channeling energy into the ground. Celtic took the tracking device off his belt to watch the progress. After a few tense minutes Tyroe and May stopped, slumping over.

“There… it’s… done…” the Earth Naga panted.

“We… managed to… push the energy vein… down far enough… to keep Infinator from… reaching it…” May panted.

Celtic looked at the tracking device before saying, “Yes, you two did an excellent job. The planetary energy vein has been pushed down a good three miles underground, making it too far for Infinator to reach. That’s one vein down. Now, let me contact Uncle Duskbane and let him know what happened.”

He placed the tracking device back onto his belt before pulling out the communicator. He placed it on his head, adjusted the microphone, and activated it.

“King Duskbane, it’s Cel… er… Avalar. Do you copy?”

After a brief pause a reply was heard, “This is King Duskbane. I read you, Avalar. What is your status?”

“We’ve successfully rerouted one of the energy veins. We also had a run-in with Infinator himself, as Heatblast detected him and attacked him, forcing that demon to flee. But we managed to get some clean shots on him, inflicting damage, which should carry over, thus making it easier to defeat him later.”

“Excellent work! Getting a few potshots on Infinator is splendid news! That’ll make dealing with him easier over time. And since he’s not able just yet to fight back means that damage will linger even longer, thus creating long-term problems for him. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Heatblast would detect Infinator. After all, Weyrs were bred specifically to hunt Galvaton Demons.”

“Woah, woah, woah, woah!” Celtic sputtered. “You mean to tell me that Weyrs were specifically bred to hunt Galvaton Demons?! So that’s why the Dragon Emperors gave us Heatblast: so we’d have a natural enemy to use against Infinator. Then that means Weyrs were first bred after the Great Demon War, right?”

“That is correct, my dear nephew. The Dragon Emperors felt the need to specifically breed a dragon that could detect, hunt, and kill Galvaton Demons, as out of all demons they are the most problematic. With some help from our ancestor, the Shadow Prince, Weyrs were bred for that task. So the fact that you have Heatblast is no coincidence, as the Dragon Emperors gave him to you specifically to fight Infinator. Granted, I had forgotten about that little fact when you first obtained your new pet but while researching for this mission I stumbled upon that information. Now I can pass it onto you. So Heatblast will be vital in getting the drop on Infinator, especially since Galvaton Demons are afraid of Weyrs due to how they were bred to counter them. But, in any case, good work. I got wind from three other search parties that they also rerouted an energy vein to prevent Infinator from feeding off it. So that’s good progress. Report to me when you have taken care of the next energy vein. Good work and good luck. King Duskbane, out.”

After ending the conversation Celtic took off the communicator and placed it back in his Tek-Pak.

Wendy pondered, “So because we have Heatblast we have one of the best counters to Infinator? That’s extremely convenient.”

Gram replied, “No, it was good thinking on the Dragon Emperors’ part. Because Sir Celtic had done Tiamat a major favor by protecting his soul crystal they rewarded him with a powerful beast that was specifically designed to hunt Infinator. They were probably wanting to use Weyrs themselves but since they owed Sir Celtic a favor for taking care of Tiamat they decided to give him a Weyr. Especially since Sir Celtic is on the frontlines against Infinator. So that was very good forethought on the Dragon Emperors’ part, since we now have a major weapon against Infinator.”

Celtic gently stroked Heatblast under the chin, making the dwarf wyvern purr, saying, “Either way, we still managed to get some chip damage on Infinator and forced down an energy vein. That’s a major step in the right direction. Now, let’s go find a spot with fresh water so I can make us lunch. Afterward we’ll resume the hunt for the next energy vein.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and proceeded onward to find a place to eat. They now knew that they had a powerful weapon against Infinator.

Next Chapter: Weathering Heights

That's all for now, folks. Tune in next time to see how our Heroes fare.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising. (Warning: contains violence, mild language, and technically gore)

Spoiler: Chapter 16) Weathering Heights

Weathering Heights

​

It had been only half an hour since the Hero group had chased away Infinator and rerouted a planetary energy vein. They had stopped by a shallow but fast moving river. Celtic had used Grass Bomb again to create another picnic area out of the giant grass blades while he made lunch for the hungry warriors. The group was eagerly awaiting their meal, feeling pretty good about the progress they’d made so far. After a bit longer Celtic sampled the food in the pot to see if it was done.

“Hmm… yeah, I’d say were ready,” he said. “Everyone gather up so I can give you a serving of Spaghetti Neapolitan. Which, in this world, translates as Mountaintop Wheat Pasta with Boar Sausage and Drizzle Onion in Heat Tomato Sauce. Make sure you have your napkins ready, as this one’s a bit sloppy.”

Everyone eagerly gathered around as Celtic served the special Spaghetti Neapolitan to everyone. Celtic also served a sizable portion to Heatblast, who looked at the food with curious eyes. Everyone had also taken a roll and some butter to eat alongside the meal. The group eagerly tucked into the meal.

“Mmm, delish!” Leon smiled. “I’ve never had Spaghetti Neapolitan before. It’s cool that you’re combining various food ideas from Earth with Zakota’s normal menu, Cel. Adds a nice bit of flare to it and makes it more special.”

After Celtic finished his bite of food he replied, “Considering that most dishes here in Zakota are relatively the same as the ones on Earth, just using different, and quite frankly unique, ingredients, it’s not that difficult to modify it to, at the very least, sound more interesting. Especially since Zakota really needs to work on making their recipe names sound more special and creative. But I digress. I’m just glad you’re enjoying my cooking.”

Skye smiled, “It’d be pretty hard to not enjoy your cooking. Anytime you cook something it’s bound to be delicious.”

Celtic merely chuckled before continuing to eat his food. Everyone else was enjoying the meal as well. They were also quite pleased that they had not only successfully rerouted a planetary energy vein but managed to damage Infinator, giving them hope that they can beat him. After a second serving of food the plates were clear. Leon and Viola then gathered up the dishes and cooking equipment and washed them in the fresh water stream. After that Celtic packed everything up and they resumed their quest.

After a short time Ryan said, “Hey, I think I see something up ahead!”

Everyone looked ahead to see what looked like the skeleton of a large monster. Curious, they all ran up to it to investigate.

“This is a King Gunthor Leviathan skeleton,” Viola observed.

Zuzu took a closer look before saying, “Yeah, and it appears to have been a victim of Infinator.”

Jerry looked stunned, “Wait, Infinator did this? How?”

She turned to him, “Galvaton Demons feed using those tendrils on their bodies. Their mouths are only used for talking and breathing. First, they inject their prey with a paralysis poison via the tendrils. Then, while their prey is immobilized they drain every drop of flesh, blood, and nutrients from their prey, leaving nothing but bones. And even the bones will have suffered from this consumption, as they become brittle and unusable. Watch.”

She gently tapped the skeletal remains of the King Gunthor. The bones and tusks suddenly disintegrated into a fine powder, much to the other Heroes’ shock.

“A shame, really,” Rupert said. “As King Gunthor tusks fetch a pretty penny. But, as you saw, they too were drained of all value and nutrients by Infinator, thus rendering them worthless.”

Celtic nodded, “Yeah, but that’s just how Galvaton Demons feed. Either Infinator consumed this King Gunthor prior to feeding off the energy vein that we caught him at or he ate it as a substitute after we chased him off. And don’t bother trying to have your Legendary Gear absorb some of the leftover powder, as it won’t be compatible nor will it create any new powers or skills.”

Eric asked, “Can we at least try? After all, we didn’t get a chance to take a sample from the King Gunthors that Maleagant sicced on us a while back.”

“Be my guest, but you’ll find out the hard way that it won’t work.”

The other Heroes walked up to the remains of the King Gunthor and took a handful of powder. They held it over the gems of their Legendary Gear and sprinkled the dust onto it. To their surprise the remains were not absorbed by the Legendary Gear’s cores, instead getting deflected, while what looked like a warning symbol appeared in their stat vision, stating that the powdered remains were not compatible.

“Well, I guess that proves Celtic’s right,” Ryan said simply. “Again.”

“It was worth a try,” Lucas sighed.

Gram looked at the remains of the King Gunthor, grimacing, “Still, to think that Galvaton Demons feed like that. It’s rather grim and disturbing.”

Zuzu nodded, “Yeah. It’s one of the reasons why Galvaton Demons are not well liked even among other demons. They take everything negative about us demons, remove anything positive about us, and crank up the cruelty, megalomania, and destructiveness several levels. They’re basically the worst kind of demon even for demon standards. In their minds, you’re either with them or prey, simple as that.”

Celtic replied, “Even so, this means Infinator is trying to use any source of energy to restore his strength. His main target are the planetary energy veins, as that’s pure energy for him to feed off of. The fact that he has to resort to regular Galvaton Demon feeding habits, which his body probably can’t totally handle right now, means he’s getting pretty desperate. This is something we cannot pass up, as it means he’s unable to recover his full power quickly enough to face us properly.”

Leon nodded, “Agreed, Cel. He must be scrambling to find power sources he can leech off of to quickly regain his strength. We need to find him and take him out while he’s still in a weakened state.”

Viola then turned to the west, stating, “It’ll have to wait, as I see one of Nyx’s infamous flash storms approaching us.”

Everyone turned to see a fast-moving massive storm approaching them.

Celtic jumped into action, “Grass Bomb! Bio Plant Shroud!”

He summoned the Grass Bomb capsule while transforming his Shroud into the Bio Plant Shroud. He then quickly worked on a screen that had popped up, making the necessary adjustments to the Grass Bomb. After completing his task he lightly tossed the Grass Bomb in front of him, causing it to sink into the ground. Grass then sprouted all around them, followed by giant grass blades appearing and weaving themselves into a large building shaped like a barn.

“Inside, quickly!” he instructed.

Everyone dashed into the newly constructed grass building, followed by more grass blades weaving themselves into doors to seal them in. A few moments later the storm struck the area, releasing pelting rain, thunder, and wind. However, to everyone’s relief, the grass barn managed to endure the storm, keeping them safe from the vicious weather.

“Whew… that was pretty close…” Lucas said, wiping his brow.

Jerry nodded, “I’ll say. We’d be drenched if it wasn’t for Celtic’s clever use of Grass Bomb combined with his Shroud.”

Tyroe smirked, “And here you Heroes thought the Shroud was useless.”

The other four Heroes groaned, lowering their heads, clearly still upset that their past failures and attitudes continued to haunt them.

Celtic sighed, “Forget it. It’s not worth it anymore. What matters is we’ve gotten past all that and we can move on from it. It took a lot but in the end we managed to put all that nonsense behind us. Anyway, I wonder how long this storm will last?”

Viola replied, “Depends. It can be a few minutes to an hour, depending on the size and speed of the storm. Nyx is well-known for such storms. I’d be willing to bet this storm won’t take more than half an hour, as it’s moving at a pretty steady clip. So let’s just hunker down and wait out the storm.”

Not knowing what else to do everyone just sat down and waited for the vicious storm to end. After a good 30 minutes the storm moved on, allowing the Hero group to emerge from the safety of the Grass Bomb shelter. They all took a look around to ensure that the storm was over before walking back outside.

“Sheesh, that storm was fast,” Eric said. “And yet it left it’s mark, as the whole area is drenched. Hopefully we won’t run into too many of those types of storms.”

Gram nodded, “Agreed, Eric. But at least Sir Celtic knows how to keep us safe from Nyx’s infamous weather. Now, we should resume our quest.”

Viola took the map out, looked at the position of the sun, and did a quick calculation.

“Okay, if we get going now we should make it to the next energy vein by midday to early afternoon tomorrow,” she said. “Though that’s not factoring in things like monster encounters, weather, and possible Demon General attacks. We should at least try to find a fresh water source before it gets too dark. Now, follow me, as we still have a distance to travel before our next energy vein.”

Nodding, the group left the area, following the Arachne toward their next target. Suddenly, the wind picked up, becoming quite vicious, stalling everyone to a stop.

“Where’d this wind come from!?” Ryan sputtered.

“Is this another one of Nyx’s infamous weather patterns?” Jerry struggled to say.

Zuzu looked up, growling, “No! We’ve got company!”

They all looked up to see Seth float down from above. Everyone’s eyes narrowed as the Demon General became level with them.

“Pika ki ka pi pika ki kiki!” Seth stated.

“Translation, please, Zuzu,” Lucas asked.

Zuzu replied, “He said, ‘I hope you’re ready to die, as I have orders to eliminate you’.”

Celtic transformed his arm into Fighter Sword, stating, “Let’s knock the wind out of this blowhard! Battle Formation: Gamma 13!”

Everyone took a set battle formation, drawing their weapons and glaring at the Demon General. Seth got into his own battle-ready pose in response. After a tense moment the battle started.

Seth rotated the ring on his back before stopping on the blue orb, turning him dark blue in color. He then fired a tidal wave at them.

“Leave this to me!” Skye stated. “Lava Wave!”

She fired a wave of lava as a counterattack. The two attacks collided, canceling each other out and creating a wall of steam.

“Attack now before he can use that steam as a means to ambush us!” Celtic instructed.

Heatblast flew into the air and started to flap his wings, creating a strong wind gust that blew away the steam. Just as he did it was revealed that Seth had changed elements under the cloak of steam, now being bright yellow. He raised his hands up and fired lightning down upon the party. Everyone quickly scattered in order to dodge the attack.

Rupert started to channel energy, “You’re mine, now, Seth! Gaia Force!”

He released the energy he was charging. This caused giant roots to emerge from underground and started slamming Seth, making him roar in pain as he took extra damage from his current elemental weakness. He quickly shifted the ring on his back around again, this time landing on the red ring, turning him red in color. He then raised his hands up and flaming meteors rained down upon the Hero group.

“Meteor Barrier!” Celtic stated.

The Meteor Barrier was erected. Seth’s meteor attack hammered away at the barrier but was unable to break it. As this barrage was happening Leon and Eric were channeling energy, both exchanging nods.

“Torrent Wave!” both shouted.

They launched a joint attack, causing their two tidal waves to merge into one massive one. It swept over Seth, making him roar in pain as he took even more extra damage, causing him to stop his attack. He quickly shifted the ring on his back again, now landing on the white ring, causing him to turn white. He then fired several tornados at the Hero group. The attacks slammed into the Meteor Barrier but were unable to penetrate it.

Skye turned to the other Heroes and Gram, “Hit him with Lighting!”

The other Heroes and Gram nodded and primed their weapons.

“Thunderbolt Slash!” Ryan shouted.

“Lightning Spear!” Lucas roared.

“Thunderbolt Slam!” Eric stated.

“Thunder Arrow!” Jerry yelled.

“Bolt Slash!” Gram stated.

The five attacks charged toward Seth before striking him, making him howl in pain as his body was ravaged by the attacks, forcing him to stop his assault. It was clear he was on his last legs, as he was staggering to stand. Gram and Ryan exchanged nods and charged in; swords held high. The two jumped and gave Seth powerful slashes. Gram’s attack sliced off Seth’s left arm while Ryan’s broke the ring on the Demon General’s back, making Seth’s eyes go wide.

“Piki pika ki ka kiki!” Seth sputtered before quickly vanishing.

“Did he just use Teleport?” May asked.

Zuzu nodded, “Yes, he did. He beat a quick retreat, as he knew we were going to win. After all, ‘He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day’. But he’s in critical condition, which means unless Bronwen or any other Demon General can heal him he’s gonna be spending a lot of time in hiding while he recovers. While, unlike Infinator, Seth can just heal off the damage due to possessing the power of mass regeneration, it will take some time.”

Celtic walked up to Seth’s severed arm. He raised up his Fighter Sword mode and slashed the arm into five pieces, making the other Heroes smile.

“Okay, Heroes, take your pick,” he said. “Might as well see if Seth’s arm gives our Legendary Gear any useful powers.”

The other Heroes nodded and after a few rounds of Rock-Paper-Scissors they each took a segment of the Demon General’s arm and had their respective Legendary Gear absorb it, creating a new power.

“Sweet!” Lucas said. “This new power that Seth was so ‘generous’ in giving us is quite a useful one. We should ‘thank’ him next time we see him.”

Jerry nodded, “Agreed, Lucas.”

Celtic then stated, “We need to keep moving, as I doubt Infinator or any of the other Demon Generals will take this lying down. We need to find a place with fresh water to set up camp so we can rest while we can. Then we’ll tackle the next energy vein as soon as possible.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Viola led the group forward, map in hand, as they continued their journey across Nyx’s wasteland.

Meanwhile, Seth had reappeared in an isolated location. He was clutching his severed arm and weakly walking toward what looked like a cave for shelter. However, just before he could reach the cave he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Infinator, making his eyes go wide.

“Pika piki ka kiki!” Seth exclaimed in a happy tone.

Infinator replied in a rather cold tone, “Seth… I’m disappointed in you. Those lousy ‘Heroes’ really did a number to you. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure they pay for what they did to you.”

Seth replied, “Kiki ka ki pika piki!”

“You want me to heal you so you can help me crush those termites? I’m sorry but that’s not possible. But you will still serve a valuable purpose to me, Seth.”

His eyes gleamed and his face twisted into a diabolical sneer, making Seth’s eyes go wide in horror. Infinator raised up his tendrils and impaled Seth with them, injecting his paralysis venom. Seth’s body froze as the poison took effect. Infinator then started to drain the body his Demon General of everything, causing Seth’s body to shrivel up. After a few minutes of this, Seth’s body was reduced to frail bones that clattered to the ground. Infinator licked his lips.

“Be thankful, Seth, as your power will serve a great purpose to me. Thank you for your service. You won’t be forgotten.”

He then disappeared in a white portal, leaving Seth’s remains behind.

Next Chapter: Shattered

That's all for today, folks. Tune in next time to see what our Heroes face.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising. (Warning: contains mild violence, mild language, and technically gore)

Spoiler: Chapter 17) Shattered

Shattered

​

It had been a few hours since the Hero faction had defeated Seth. They were not aware, however, of what happened to him at the hands of Infinator. They had set up camp for the night by a pond. Celtic was working on dinner, his recipe book next to him on another giant grass blade while everyone was seated at the grass tables, eagerly awaiting their meal. After a while Celtic took a sample from the pot and tasted it.

“Hmm… I’d say we’re ready,” he said. “The Fried Garlic Pheasant Breasts in Dusk Orange Sauce with Striped Leeks is ready. Gather up.”

Tyroe said cheerfully, “No need to tell us twice, pal!”

Everyone got a serving of the delicious food, with Heatblast getting a large plate of it. They all sat down at the grass tables and began eating their meal, gushing at the quality.

“Mmm!” Skye said blissfully. “Another excellent meal, Cel. You sure are a wiz in the kitchen. We eat really well thanks to you. I can only imagine what the other search parties are eating. Most definitely not the same quality as what we’re eating.”

Ryan nodded, “Yeah. Not to mention all the bonus effects we get from it really makes it even more enjoyable.”

Celtic chuckled lightly, “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. There’s enough for seconds if anyone wants more.”

Zuzu grinned, “We may just take you up on that offer, Celtic.”

Everyone continued to eat their meal in bliss. After a second serving the food was gone. Rupert and Tyroe washed all the dishes and cooking equipment before Celtic activated the Bio Orchid Shroud and went to work on it. The grass tables and seats sank back into the ground before reemerging as grass beds, with a nest for Heatblast. He then activated the E-Shield function of his Tek-Pak, creating the honeycomb-built shield, allowing everyone to settle in for the night. They knew they had more work ahead of them so they wanted to get as much rest as possible.

Dawn broke soon enough. After another filling meal the Hero group started to make their way toward the next planetary energy vein they were tasked with dealing with. Viola was in the lead, map in hand, guiding the group to their target destination.

“Okay, after doing a quick calculation, we should reach the next energy vein by roughly 1 PM, give or take,” she said.

“That works for us,” Gram nodded. “Lead the way, Miss Viola.”

Suddenly a voice stated, “Not if I have anything to say about it!”

They all looked ahead to see Caym appear. The group got into a battle-ready pose.

“So, you decided to show yourself, Caym!” Lucas growled.

Jerry primed his bow, stating, “This time we’ll shatter you like glass!”

“In your little pathetic dreams!” Caym snarled. “I’m aware of what you did to Seth. While I haven’t heard from him since he retreated from the battle I do know you’re responsible for his loss. So I’ll not only rectify his mistake but also make sure Master Infinator doesn’t have to deal with you anymore!”

“Let’s see you try, prism punk!” Eric taunted.

“You’ll regret those words, Axe Hero. Light Beam!”

Caym fired a beam of Light energy at the Hero group. Celtic got in front of the attack.

“Not happening!” he stated. “Soulavore Shroud! Soul Energy Syphoning!”

The Shroud transformed into the Soulavore Shroud. Celtic then closed it around himself, allowing the two halves of the Soulavore head to join. The Soulavore’s eyes lit up, opened its mouth, and started to inhale. To Caym’s horror his attack was eaten by the Soulavore head, causing sparkles to form around Celtic as his MP was restored.

“If you think that’s good, I’ve got another trick up my sleeve for you, Caym,” Celtic grinned. “Elemental Shift Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed again, this time into the Elemental Shift Shroud.

“Element Change: Lightning!”

The Shroud released a large amount of energy, causing everyone within range to gain electrified energies.

Caym looked at Celtic, confused, “What good will that do you?”

Celtic gained a large grin, “So I can give you something to worry about. Now, let’s try this new spell I learned. Cactus Bombs!”

Several round cacti suddenly appeared, much to Caym’s confusion. Suddenly, they detonated in large blasts, engulfing the Demon General, making him howl in pain as he took extra damage. When the smoke cleared everyone noticed that he was riddled with needles which seemed to be dealing extra continuous damage, albeit very little.

“W-What happened?!” Caym sputtered. “Why did I take extra damage like I had an elemental—” It then dawned on him, “You rat! You forcefully changed my element so you can deal extra damage to me! Just like what you did to Seth!”

Celtic clapped his hands sarcastically, “Congratulations, you win the booby prize. Now, thanks to me shifting your normally neutral element to something more favorable we can now take advantage of that! Anyone who knows a Nature or Earth attack let him have it!”

Tyroe, Rupert, Gram, May, and Eric all gained almost evil expressions, making Caym sweat.

“Bamboo Spears!” both Rupert and Gram shouted.

Caym was stabbed by spears of bamboo, making him howl in pain.

“Quake!” May and Eric said in unison.

The ground viciously shook underneath Caym, striking him and causing him to stumble.

“Stone Spears!” Tyroe yelled.

Jagged rocks appeared and rocketed toward Caym, striking him very hard. This attack also caused chunks of him to break off. His eyes flared dangerously as he barely managed to recover.

“You’ll pay for that!” he spat. “Prism Shield!”

A barrier made of crystal appeared in front of him.

“Stone Spears!” Tyroe shouted again.

The jagged rocks appeared and rocketed toward Caym, but to everyone’s shock the Prism Shield managed to endure the attack. However, Celtic noticed that it had gained a few cracks in it, although Caym didn’t notice this.

“You’re not getting me that easily!” Caym sneered. “And don’t try to use attacks that come from behind or whatnot, as the Prism Barrier can adjust itself to block incoming attacks from all angles. Think of it like my version of your stupid Shield Wall, Shroud Hero!”

Celtic then gained a diabolical look, much to Caym’s confusion.

“You shouldn’t have told me that, Caym,” Celtic said smoothly. “Because I now know how to break it. Ricochet Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed into a new form. It looked very similar to a Ricochet, even having the same hammer as one.

“Breaking Air Puck!”

The hammer on the Shroud form raised, causing several Air Pucks to form. Celtic then gave a wave of his arm, causing the Air Pucks to race toward Caym. To his horror the Air Pucks effortlessly shattered the Prism Barrier before striking him, dealing him damage. Celtic was already channeling more energy.

“Let’s try this little trick out for size,” he said. “Vine Leech!”

Thorny vines erupted from underneath Caym and ensnared him, making him scream in pain as they held him in place and seemed to be draining his strength.

“Hit him now, gang!” Celtic stated. “Quickly, while the Vine Leech spell is holding him steady!”

“Wood Tower!” Rupert shouted.

Caym was impaled by the pillars of wood, making him roar in pain.

“Rock Cube!” both May and Eric shouted.

Two giant cubes of rock were summed and hurled at Caym, shattering upon impact, dealing impressive damage.

“Bamboo Spears!” Gram stated.

Caym was impaled by spears of bamboo, making him cry out in pain.

“Seismic Shock!” Tyroe shouted.

He slammed his hammer on the ground, sending a shockwave toward Caym. The attack struck him hard, causing the Demon General to go limp in the vines.

Caym weakly opened one eye, “This… is not… over… Heroes… Teleport!”

He vanished in a burst of light, causing the vines that were holding him to disappear.

Lucas snapped his fingers in frustration, “Damn, we almost had him, but he pulled a runner like Seth did!”

Zuzu nodded, “Aye, but on the plus side he’s in no condition to challenge us again, at least not for a while. He’ll recover eventually, but giving him an elemental weakness for us to exploit allowed us to deal significant damage. Prism Demons are not the fastest healers among demons, though they heal faster than Galvaton Demons, as their prism crystal bodies are designed to be extra durable, thus damaging them is harder than normal. But since Celtic used the Elemental Shift Shroud to give him an actual weakness allowed us to bypass the fact that Caym’s natural physiology would’ve lessened our attacks. Now, with him in such bad condition he won’t be able to challenge us again for quite some time, allowing us to make it to the next energy vein and reroute it without any more interruptions.”

Celtic walked over and picked up the chunks of Caym that had broken off. He gathered up the crystal pieces, noticing that there were five, and handed them out to the other Heroes, who all smiled.

“You know the drill,” he said. “Have your Legendary Gear absorb that and see what you get. Every advantage we can get is crucial in this wargame, so don’t pass up an opportunity to gain a new power or stat buff.”

The other Heroes nodded and had their Legendary Gear absorb the chunk of crystal, gaining a new power.

Viola then said, “Okay, with Caym out of the way let’s get back on the mission. He delayed us so it’ll take slightly longer for us to reach the next energy vein, so we need to get moving in order to make up for lost time.”

Everyone nodded and continued to make their way toward the next planetary energy vein, determined to keep Infinator from gaining any more footholds against them. After a while they reached a spot with a fresh water stream.

Celtic suggested, “Let’s take a break here and have lunch. We could all use some refueling, especially after dealing with Caym.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Celtic used the Grass Bomb spell in conjunction with the Bio Plant Shroud to set up the picnic area, while Tyroe used his Earth powers to give him a cooking space. He then went to work on making lunch, with everyone eagerly awaiting his latest meal. Celtic allowed Heatblast to eat the remains of the Frostbite Rabbits he was using for his recipe, much to the Weyr’s delight. After a while Celtic took a sample from the pot and tasted it.

“Hmm… Yeah, I’d say it’s ready. The Tanglebloom Honey Roasted Rabbit with Plum Rice is done. Gather up.”

“You don’t need to tell us twice, Cel!” Rupert said cheerfully.

Everyone got a serving of the food, with Heatblast getting a large plate of it. Everyone sat down and started eating, gaining expressions of bliss.

“Mmm!” Tyroe said. “It’s been ages since I had Tanglebloom Honey Roasted Rabbit. Tastes even better than I remember it.”

Skye smiled, “I gotta hand it to you, Cel, you’re cooking is getting even better with each meal. And you’ve become so skilled at cooking our world’s unique cuisines. I dare say you could probably cook anything at this point.”

Celtic merely chuckled, “You think so, huh, Skye? I appreciate it. Now, if anyone wants seconds you’re welcome to it, as there’s enough to go around.”

Everyone looked delighted at the thought before resuming their meal. After everyone got a second serving of the food the meal was over. Skye and Zuzu gathered up all the dishes and cooking tools and washed them in the stream before putting everything back in Celtic’s Tek-Pak. The group then resumed their mission to find the energy vein.

After a while Viola looked at the map, stating, “We should be getting pretty close to an energy vein, gang.”

Tyroe replied, “We are, as I can feel it through my scales. We should be reaching where it’s closest to the surface very shortly.”

Leon said, “Hopefully we don’t run into Infinator at the energy vein like last time. While I’m all for getting chip damage on him we did just get out of a battle with Caym on top of all the monsters we’ve encountered. So I’d rather we don’t have to deal with him right now.”

Celtic replied, “Yeah, I’m with you, Leon. I’d rather not have to deal with Infinator right now, as we had enough excitement for one day. Let’s just deal with the energy vein and move on.”

After a short hike they arrived at their destination. Celtic looked at the tracking device before nodding.

“X marks the spot, we’re here,” he said.

“Leave this part to Tyroe and me,” May said.

Nodding, everyone stepped back to allow the Earth Naga and mage to prepare their powers. After a moment of preparation they released their energies into the ground. Celtic watched the tracking device as the duo manipulated the earth itself to reroute the energy vein. After a few minutes the duo slumped over, exhausted.

“It’s… done…” May panted.

“Yeah…” Tyroe said in an exhausted tone. “We’ve managed… to push… the energy vein… three miles… underground… That should… do it…”

Celtic looked at the tracking device before saying, “Yes, you two did a good job. The energy vein is now out-of-reach for Infinator. I’ll report to Uncle Duskbane to let him know.”

He put the tracking device back on his belt before taking out the communicator. He placed it on his head, adjusted the microphone, and turned it on.

“King Duskbane, come in. This is Cel… err… Avalar. Do you read me?”

After a brief pause there was a reply, “I hear you, Avalar. What is your status?”

“We’ve rerouted another planetary energy vein. We’ve also dealt some serious damage to both Seth and Caym when we fought them. They’ll be out of commission for a while, giving us less to worry about.”

“Excellent work, my dear nephew,” King Duskbane replied. “I also heard from the other search parties. They’ve all managed to reroute at least one energy vein, so we’re making progress in our mission. Good work so far. You just need to reroute two more energy veins before your side of the mission is complete. While you’ve been tasked to deal with five energy veins, you have to leave the last one alone so we can use it to lay a trap for Infinator. It’ll be slow going but we’re making progress. And as you say, ‘progress is progress, no matter how small’. A fine saying, my nephew. Let me know when you’ve successfully rerouted the next energy vein. Take care and good luck.”

With that the conversation ended, allowing Celtic to take the communicator off. At the time Viola had handed out two potions to Tyroe and May, who gratefully drank them, regaining their strength and energy.

“Okay, then,” the redhead stated. “Let’s keep moving. Viola, where’s our next target?”

Viola checked the map, looked at the position of the sun, and did a quick calculation.

“From what I can assess, the next energy vein is a good one and a half to two days from here. And that’s not factoring in any attacks from monsters, Demon Generals, or Infinator himself. So we’d better get moving while we can. Though we’re gonna have to set up camp eventually.

Celtic nodded, “Right, so let’s get moving while there’s still light in the day.”

Everyone nodded in agreement before heading in the direction of the next energy vein.

Meanwhile, Caym was resting in a shallow cave, trying to recover from the brutal battle.

“That damn Shroud Hero!” he spat. “He really gave me a runaround with that Elemental Shift Shroud forcing a weakness onto me. He’ll pay for that!”

A familiar voice then said, “Bee in your bonnet, Caym?”

Caym looked ahead to see Infinator appear, making him sigh in relief.

“Master Infinator! Am I glad to see you. Yeah, that damn Shroud Hero got me good. But when I recover I’ll be sure to pay him back. With interest. But are you here to help me, Master?”

Infinator replied calmly, “Actually, Caym, I have a new ‘mission’ for you. One that requires your ‘expertise’.”

Caym nodded, “Sure. What is it you need, Master Infinator?”

Infinator gained a diabolical expression, “I need you… to empower me!”

He raised up his tendrils before impaling them into Caym, injecting his paralysis poison, making the Prism Demon gasp in shock. Infinator then proceeded to drain Caym’s very body, much to Caym’s horror. Before long Infinator was finished, reducing Caym’s body to brittle crystal that shattered upon impact with the ground. Infinator licked his lips after he was finished with his minion.

“Delicious. Thanks for your continued support, Caym. I’ll make sure your powers don’t go to waste. Now, it’s time to find another energy vein to feed upon. Farewell, Caym, you have done me a great service.”

He then vanished in a white portal, leaving the shattered remains of Caym behind.

Next Chapter: Masterful Magic

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see what our Heroes face.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising. (Warning: contains mild violence, mild language)

Spoiler: Chapter 18) Masterful Magic

Masterful Magic

​

It had been a few hours since the Hero group defeated Caym and rerouted another planetary energy vein. The group was unaware of Caym’s final fate. They had stopped near a fresh water pond to set up camp for the night, with Celtic having used Grass Bomb again to create the picnic area for them to sit at. Celtic was cooking their dinner, with everyone’s hungry eyes on the food. Heatblast had eaten the leftover bits of fish from Celtic’s recipe but was clearly hungry for more. After a little while Celtic sampled the food to see if it was done.

“Hmm… yeah, seems good,” he said. “The Riverbed Carp Fillets with Sliced Quick Cube Fruit in Lemon Rainbow Cream Sauce is ready. Gather up.”

Everyone eagerly picked up their plates and gathered around Celtic. He gave each of them a serving of the food, with Heatblast getting a large serving. Everyone sat down and immediately dug into the food.

“Man, oh man!” Eric said cheerful. “Is there nothing Celtic can’t cook that isn’t delicious?”

“I’ll say,” Jerry nodded. “Even on the road we eat really well thanks to him. If the other search parties knew what kind of food we were getting they’d be so jealous.”

Ryan added, “Yeah, to say the least. Even the strangest food combination from this world taste divine when Celtic makes it. I mean, who’d think that fish like Riverbed Carp and Rainbow Cream would be such a good match? I know I wouldn’t think so until Celtic makes it.”

Celtic merely chuckled, “Glad you like it. I admit some of the combos this world, pardon the pun, cooks up do strike me as odd. But, given the fact that the food of this world all has some sort of effect, bonus, or benefit means that even the oddest mix of foods can be surprisingly good. Even I’m a bit stunned at how some of the strangest ingredients can come into such harmony, and I’m the one cooking it.”

Everyone resumed eating, clearly happy with their meal. After a second serving the food was gone. Leon and Viola gathered up the dishes and cooking tools and washed them in the pond, allowing Celtic to put them away in his Tek-Pak. He then used the Bio Orchid Shroud to transform the giant blades of grass into beds, with a nest for Heatblast, followed by activating the E-Shield function of the Tek-Pak. Everyone climbed into the grass beds and quickly fell asleep.

The sun rose over the horizon when morning came. After a filling breakfast the Hero group continued their quest. It wasn’t long, however, before they ran into a snag.

They came to a chasm. It wasn’t large but it was fairly deep. Viola took a moment to look the map over, trying to get a better feel for the area.

“According to this map there should be a bridge that we can cross in order to get over this chasm,” she said.

Zuzu looked to her left and said, “Correction. There was a bridge, but not anymore.”

Everyone turned to see where she was pointing. Sure enough they saw the remains of a wooden bridge.

“Now what do we do?” Lucas asked.

Celtic took a moment to observe the surrounding area before walking over to where a tree was growing at the edge of the chasm. He then did a quick calculation before turning to the group.

“I can get us over this gap,” he said. “My Yo-Yo mode can double as a zipline, so we can use it to get us across this chasm. Watch. Yo-Yo!”

His arm transformed into the Yo-Yo form. He then took aim and fired the bladed disc on the strong cable directly at a tree across the chasm. The Yo-Yo wrapped around the tree twice before locking into place. Celtic then wrapped the cable that was protruding from his arm on the nearby tree. After ensuring it was sturdy he turned to the group.

“Okay, we should be set now. Zuzu, you hover underneath the cable to catch anyone who might fall. But we can use the Yo-Yo’s cable as an impromptu zipline. So, who wants to go first?”

Skye stepped up, “I’ll go first. Looks like fun, to be honest. Zuzu, you get into position.”

The Succuryn nodded and flew underneath the Yo-Yo’s cable, now in a position to catch anyone who might fall. Skye summoned her naginata, positioned herself under the cable, looped her weapon over it and grabbed a section of it, took a deep breath and jumped. Using her naginata she effortlessly slid down the cable to the other side safely.

“You okay, Skye?” Leon called out.

“You’ve gotta try this!” she called back enthusiastically. “That was a blast!”

Everyone nodded and began their trips over the chasm. One by one the group slid down the cable to the other side. Viola merely scuttled over it while Tyroe had to shimmy across due to his heavier weight. After a while everyone was on the other side except Celtic. He removed the cable from the tree and positioned himself at the edge of the chasm. He then made a motion with the Yo-Yo’s base and was launched across, being reeled in by the cable. He didn’t quite make it to the other ledge, stopping just underneath it, but the Yo-Yo’s strong cable reeled him over the edge and onto safe ground. He then retracted the blades on the Yo-Yo’s disc, which allowed him to untangle it from the tree and returned it to his arm, which transformed back to normal afterward.

“I gotta admit that was fun,” Ryan said.

Eric nodded, “Yeah, just like those zipline attractions back on Earth. What a rush.”

“And they said learning the yo-yo is a waste of time,” Celtic chuckled. “Now you can see why Yo-Yo is my favorite arm mode. It’s very useful. But enough of that, we have work to do. Viola, lead the way.”

Viola nodded, took out the map again, and guided the group forward. Suddenly, she stopped, confusing everyone.

“Is something wrong, Viola?” Leon asked.

She pointed to the west, “Yeah, we’ve got another one of Nyx’s infamous flash storms heading our way.”

Celtic sighed, “Leave it to me. Grass Bomb. Bio Plant Shroud.”

He summoned the green capsule, followed by the Shroud transforming into the Bio Plant Shroud. After making the necessary modification he gently tossed the Grass Bomb in front of him, causing it to sink into the ground. Giant blades of grass emerged and wove themselves into a shelter shaped like a barn. Everyone quickly scrambled into it, followed by more blades of grass weaving themselves into a door to shield them from the weather. No more than a few minutes later the storm struck, causing torrential rain and vicious winds, but the grass shelter stood strong.

“Guess we need to just wait it out again, right?” Jerry asked.

“Yep, so get comfortable, as we don’t know how long this storm will last,” Rupert replied.

Everyone settled down in order to wait out the storm. They could hear the wind howling and the rain pelting the shelter but neither were able to penetrate it. This allowed the group to take the time to get a small break as they waited for the weather to dissipate. After about 40 minutes the rain stopped and the wind died down. Celtic opened up the grass doors to look outside. The sun was out but the ground was very wet.

“Okay, we’re in the clear,” he said. “Let’s get back on track.”

As soon as everyone emerged from the grass shelter a voice could be heard.

“Magic Fire!”

The group quickly dodged an incoming attack. The magical flames struck the grass shelter, quickly setting it alight and burning it to ash. They all turned to see Kalaraja float down from above.

“Quick thinking, Heroes, that was an impressive dodge,” Kalaraja said. “But my Magic Fire sure put an end to your Grass Bomb lodge.”

Everyone drew their weapons, getting into a battle-ready pose.

“Looks like we’ll be snuffing you out today, Kalaraja!” Lucas growled.

Kalaraja replied, “That’s what you think, you little punk. When my minions and I are done with you you’ll be sunk!” He raised up his scepter arms, “Monster minions, come forth!”

Several portals appeared, allowing a menagerie of monsters to appear. One group looked like Hornet Bombers, only they had blue and yellow bodies with a red honeycomb bottom. Another group, menacing robotic soldiers with a blood red eye, and twin swords, was rolling around on a single leg with a wheel. Another set were monster-like eggs with glowing eyes. And the last group were giant purple leeches with large fangs.

“We’ve got Quick Hornet Bombers, Mech Solders, Egghouls, and Blood Suckers!” Zuzu stated. “They’re all monsters from the Demon Realm.”

“That’s correct, Succuryn, these beasts are from the Demon Realm! And these monsters will soon have you overwhelmed! Attack!”

The monsters charged in, ready for battle. The Hero group began their counterattack. The Blood Suckers and Egghouls were easily dispatched, as they lacked the needed power to fight back effectively. The Quick Hornet Bombers zipped around before launching their attacks, which consisted of sending tiny hornets from their honeycomb lower bodies to repeatedly sting their targets. However, they were easily dispatched by Fire-based attacks. The Mech Soldiers, however, possessed both the offensive and defensive ability to survive multiple hits. They would often launch a ball of electricity first in hopes of stunning a target before swiftly charging in and slashing them with their twin swords. Only Celtic’s defenses were able to resist both the electric ball and the sword slashes, thus he kept the Mech Soldiers busy while his allies attacked. By the time the last Mech Soldier was defeated Kalaraja raised his scepter arms again.

“Not bad, not bad at all,” he said. “But can you make the next batch of monsters fall? Monster minions, come forth!”

Several more portals opened up, allowing more monsters to appear. One group of monsters looked like demonic wooden dolls with psychotic expressions wielding bloodstained axes. Another set were giant carnivorous plants with sharp teeth and thorny bodies. One group looked like floating suits of armor powered by ghostly energy and wielding fiendish swords. The last group were zombified hawks.

“Now we’re dealing with Doom Dolls, Mantraps, Living Armors, and Zombie Hawks!” Zuzu stated. “Once again these are all monsters from the Demon Realm.”

Gram stated as he cut down a Zombie Hawk, “We need to take out Kalaraja otherwise he’ll just keep spawning monsters until we’re exhausted!”

Lucas started channeling energy into his arm, “This’ll give him a rude awakening! Libera Dragon!”

He fired his attack, creating a flaming red translucent dragon that rocketed toward Kalaraja. The attack struck the Demon General, much to his surprise, but he managed to recover fairly quickly.

“Not bad, Spear Hero, you learned a new trick,” Kalaraja stated. “But it isn’t enough to make any damage stick! For you see, your Libera Dragon is a Fire-based move. While I, too, am of the Fire element, as your failed attempt to stop me proves.”

Eric gained a grin, “In that case, allow me to dampen your spirits.” He started to channel energy into his arm, “Libera Dragon!”

He fired his own version of Libera Dragon, this time a watery blue translucent dragon appeared. This one struck Kalaraja much harder, knocking him back. The Magician Demon managed to shake off the energy of the attack and got into a stronger defensive position.

“So, Axe Hero, you also know how to use that Legendary Spell,” he said. “Your Water variant was much more effective at making me compel. But it’s still not enough to stop me for good. For I have more tricks under the hood. Magic Fire!”

He fired his attack directly at the Heroes. Lucas started to channel energy into his arm again.

“Time to fight fire with fire!” he said. “Libera Dragon!”

He launched his version of Libera Dragon. The flaming red dragon charged ahead before colliding with the Magic Fire. However, to Kalaraja’s surprise the Libera Dragon consumed the Magic Fire, becoming stronger and taking a more defined form in the process. Lucas’ Libera Dragon continued on its mission to strike down Kalaraja. However, at the last second a Living Armor jumped in front of the attack, taking it on Kalaraja’s behalf, getting destroyed in the process.

“Dammit!” Lucas spat. “Just when I had a good shot that Living Armor took the hit for him!”

Kalaraja replied, “You’re getting better at this wargame: you almost scored. Having your Libera Dragon consume my Magic Fire to turn it against me has never happened before. Looks like I may have to take you lot more seriously now. You’re getting too strong for Master Infinator to allow. Monster minions, come forth!”

He opened up more portals, summoning more monsters. There were a few familiar faces, such as Candevils and the haunted, ghoulish candles, but there were a few new monsters mixed in. Some looked like fiendish centaurs with lizard-like heads and wielding spears. Others looked like anthropomorphic fish wearing armor. And some were little pear-shaped creatures wearing ninja clothes and having kunai for hands.

“On top of the remaining monsters we now have Candevils, Haunted Candles, Centaurs, Vish Troopers, and Ninjerks,” Zuzu stated as she crushed a Doom Doll with a darkness-enlarged claw.

“Indeed you do, you’ve got your hands full,” Kalaraja stated. “Your situation just got more dreadful. I’ll leave you to play with my little pets. That way I can leave you Heroes without regrets. Teleport!”

Before anyone could say anything Kalaraja vanished in a flash of light. Frustrated, the Hero group had no choice but to let him go, as the monsters he left behind needed to be dealt with. After a few more minutes the last one was slayed, allowing them to catch their breath.

“Damn that Kalaraja!” Jerry spat. “He managed to weasel his way out of defeat by keeping us busy with his monster pets.”

Celtic sighed, “Frankly I’m not surprised. Out of the remaining Demon Generals Bronwen and Kalaraja are going to be the most problematic. After all, they can summon other monsters with their own power to keep us busy, thus allowing them to get potential potshots on us. While Bronwen is said to only be able to summon her own kind we cannot forget that Wrath Iron Maidens are tough nuts to crack, even just the basic version. At least we now have some new monster parts to give us new Legendary Gear powers. Oh, speaking of powers. Lucas, Eric, good work with your Libera Dragon spells. You’ve definitely gotten the hang of that spell. While Eric’s Water variant was a bit more effective than Lucas’ Fire version, the fact that you two still managed to get a few nice shots on Kalaraja is proof of how far you have come.”

Lucas gave his Spear a spin, “Yeah! And thanks for teaching us that spell, Celtic. It certainly came in handy today.”

Ryan then said, “Let’s gather up parts from these downed monsters to feed our Legendary Gear and see what new powers we get.”

The five Legendary Heroes went to work in collecting any monster parts from monsters they hadn’t already faced to unlock more powers. After they had gotten a few new skills and abilities from the downed monsters they continued their trek toward the next planetary energy vein.

Infinator was looking through a crystal ball, having watched the battle with it. He gave a smile as he deactivated the crystal ball.

“Well, well, it looks like Kalaraja managed to fare much better than Seth and Caym did,” he said. “I guess I’ll spare him from my dinner plate. For now, anyway. And now I’m aware that those ‘Heroes’ have Libera Dragon under their belts. They’ve got a very useful spell to use now. No doubt that was Duskbane’s doing. But it matters not, as I’m nearing full strength. Once I get the necessary energy to become my old, familiar self once again I’ll make sure those ‘Heroes’ and their allies are erased from existence.”

Next Chapter: Fangs of the Iron Maiden

That's it for today. Tune in next time to see what our Heroes face.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Time for the next chapter of Chaos Rising. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Spoiler: Chapter 19) Fangs of the Iron Maiden

Fangs of the Iron Maiden

​

The Hero group was continuing on with their mission. They were busy fending off some enemy monsters that had attacked them while traveling. As they tore through the monster horde they could only wonder how strong Infinator would get if he regained his true power.

Ryan sliced down a monster that looked like a black, red, and copper colored version of a Thunder Eye, asking, “How much time do you think we have before Infinator reaches his full power?”

Celtic bisected a cactus-like monster with fangs, tentacles for legs, and a single glowing red eye with Fighter Sword, replying, “We probably don’t have a lot of time left. While Bronwen managed to restore Infinator’s body, she said herself it was more of a stopgap measure and thus he needs to feed on pure energy in order to fully stabilize himself. But seeing how he devoured a King Gunthor Leviathan despite the fact that he needs to feed on pure energy more means his body might be more stable than we thought. If so, then time may not be on our side right now.”

Skye performed a roundhouse kick on a silver colored Egg Soldier, spilling its contest all over the place, added, “We still need to worry about Bronwen herself. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s been siccing her Wrath Iron Maidens at the other search parties. While they do have the Eject Bracelets in case of emergencies, we cannot forget about them, as they’re more vulnerable to enemies like Bronwen and Kalaraja than we are. We, at least, have experience in dealing with Demon Generals and their tactics like summoning monsters to do their bidding. We can only hope that the other search parties are doing okay.”

Gram slashed a Jellyfish to bits, replying, “That’s a good point, Lady Skye. Hopefully they haven’t run into any major obstacles that would force the activation of the Eject Bracelets. We really can’t afford that right now, especially now that Infinator has been revived. We’ll have to hurry and find the next two planetary energy veins so we can force Infinator to play by our rules.”

After a little while the group had slayed the monsters. The Heroes took samples from the ones they hadn’t faced before to unlock new Legendary Gear powers before moving onward. They eventually reached a fresh water stream.

Viola turned to the group, “Let’s set up camp here. We’re not going to get much further today so we might as well rest and eat while we’re near fresh water.”

Celtic nodded, “Right. I’ll start making dinner. Let me just do my usual routine with Grass Bomb and take it from there. Grass Bomb. Bio Plant Shroud.”

The green capsule appeared in his hands followed by the Shroud transforming into the Bio Plant Shroud. A screen popped up and he began working on it. After a few moments he gently tossed the Grass Bomb in front of him, causing it to sink into the ground. Before long the giant grass blades appeared and wove themselves into a picnic area. Tyroe then used his powers to raise up a small section of earth, summoning rocks around it to act as a campfire pit. Celtic then started to make dinner, allowing everyone to take a seat while they waited. Celtic took out some of the Frostbite Rabbits and started making a stew with them. He then noticed that Heatblast was eyeing the remains, chuckling lightly.

“Okay, Heatblast, you can have the remains. Better you than the local monsters.”

Heatblast eagerly scarfed down the remains of the Frostbite Rabbits. Skye took out some bowls, utensils, and rolls as the group waited for dinner to be served. After a little while Celtic took a sample from the pot to see if it was ready.

“Hmm… yeah, we’re good to go. One Frostbite Rabbit Stew with Mixed Vegetables, ready to eat. Gather up.”

Everyone grabbed their bowls and eagerly lined up. Celtic gave each of them a serving, while also filling a large bowl for Heatblast. After everyone had gotten a bowlful of stew they sat down and began eating in bliss.

“Mmm!” Tyroe said happily. “Another excellent meal! And it’s been ages since I last had Frostbite Rabbit Stew. Great work, as always, Cel.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Celtic replied.

“Man, we eat really good when we’re with Celtic,” Jerry said.

Eric nodded, “I’ll say. Even though we’re on the road we still eat almost gourmet meals. I doubt the other search parties are eating as good as we are.”

Ryan replied, “Most likely that’s the case. But we’d best not rub it in, otherwise it might… complicate things between us and them. While we Heroes have managed to reestablish a foundation of trust and respect with the people of Zakota, we’re still not super high on their good lists. Except Celtic, obviously. So we’d best not jeopardize any relations we’ve managed to establish by gloating about things like having better meals. That might rub some people the wrong way.”

Gram nodded, “Yes, that’s true, Ryan. While the four of you have managed to redeem yourselves to the world it would be wise to not lose that trust a second time, as I doubt the people of Zakota would be willing to forgive you twice. It would be in your best interest to not jeopardize those newly forged bonds of trust through things like getting better meals, as you don’t need any more discord forming between you and the people.”

The other four Heroes nodded in agreement before returning their attention to dinner. After everyone got another serving the food was gone. Leon and Viola stepped up, took the bowls and cooking equipment and washed them in the stream, putting them in Celtic’s Tek-Pak afterward. Then Celtic modified the Grass Bomb spell to create beds while also setting up the E-Shield so everyone could rest safely. They all turned in for the night, knowing they had more work to do tomorrow.

Around midnight Heatblast raised his head up, his eyes gleaming in the night, and started growling. Celtic, realizing what it meant, quickly jumped out of his grass bed. Leon’s eyes also snapped open as he detected something.

“Everyone, wake up!” Celtic stated. “We’ve got company!”

Although a bit dazed from the sudden awakening the Hero group quickly stood up. They looked around the dark night, trying to find the source of the threat that Heatblast was detecting.

Leon said, “We’ve got a powerful enemy nearby. I can sense its aura.”

A voice floated down, “So, your pet Weyr and the Templar Knight were able to detect me? Doesn’t surprise me.”

They all turned to the east to see Bronwen suddenly appear out of thin air. Everyone primed their weapons for battle, with Heatblast climbing out of his nest and snarling.

“How’d you turn invisible?” Lucas asked.

Bronwen replied nonchalantly, “Your little sexy elf isn’t the only one who can use Illusion magic. I, too, can use Quick Hiding, although it appears that my scent and aura could still be detected. Doesn’t matter, as I’m here to put an end to you all and finally get you out of Master Infinator’s hair.”

Jerry primed his Bow, stating, “You can’t touch us in here, Bronwen, so we’re free to pummel you.”

Celtic replied, “Actually, no, Jerry. I’ll have to lower the E-Shield in order for us to attack her. It doesn’t matter which side of the E-Shield the attack is coming from; it’ll still damage the shield. If I had the time I would’ve modified the E-Shield to allow us to attack freely from within it but I didn’t, so we’ll have to do this the old fashioned way. Everyone, get ready. E-Shield, offline.”

The E-Shield dropped, with Celtic quickly snatching up his Tek-Pak. Bronwen raised her hands up into the air.

“Let’s see how you mongrels handle this!” she said. “My fellow beings, come forth!”

Several Wrath Iron Maidens, a few Wrath Steel Maidens, and what looked like a handful of a new version appeared. The various Wrath Iron Maidens cackled as they saw the Hero group prepare for battle.

Zuzu stated, “So, we not only have Wrath Iron Maidens, but also Wrath Steel Maidens and a handful of Wrath Titanium Maidens.”

Bronwen nodded, “That’s right, Succuryn. Let’s see if you can handle my fellow Wrath Iron Maidens.”

“This’ll be like taking candy from a baby!” one Wrath Steel Maiden laughed.

“Yeah, we’ll make sure that they’ll regret fighting Master Bronwen,” a Wrath Iron Maiden smirked.

“I’m all for a late night snack!” a Wrath Titanium Maiden cackled. “Let’s get them!”

The various Wrath Iron Maidens floated toward the Hero group. Celtic immediately started channeling energy.

“This’ll give us some help!” he said. “Aura Boost!”

Everyone in the Hero group was coated in powerful boosting energies, giving them strength.

“All right!” Eric said. “A full stat boost! This’ll make picking these metal monstrosities off much easier!”

Zuzu started channeling energy, “Just to be safe, eat this! Mega Guard Crush!”

The various Wrath Iron Maidens and Bronwen were hit with debuffing energies, causing their defenses to drop.

Bronwen said, “Not bad, but it won’t be enough to topple us. Time for a midnight snack!”

The Wrath Iron Maidens started to channel energy, stating, “You’re not the only one with magic! Observe! Nightmare Blast!”

The fired their attacks as a group, causing powerful Dark energy to strike the Hero faction. However, the Deluxe Guard Barrier Charms activated, protecting them from the attack, much to the Wrath Iron Maidens’ surprise.

Bronwen merely said, “I had forgotten that you got custom-made accessories from the Chaos breed Shroud Hero. But I also know that those Deluxe Guard Barrier Charms need some time to recharge. Now’s your chance, girls!”

The Wrath Steel Maidens floated up, charging energy, stating, “Gladly, Master Bronwen! Airstream!”

The fired their attack, creating several swirling vacuums of wind that raced toward the Hero group. Tyroe slammed his hands onto the ground, causing a wall of rock to appear in front of them. The Airstream attacks struck the rock wall but were unable to penetrate it, causing it to disperse harmlessly. The rock wall then lowered back into the ground; its task complete, allowing the Hero group to begin their counterattack.

“Meteor Slash!” Ryan stated.

“Meteor Thrust!” Lucas roared.

“Meteor Slam!” Eric yelled.

“Meteor Shot!” Jerry shouted.

The four Meteor attacks raced in and struck various targets. However, the female monsters were largely unhurt, although some did show signs of damage.

Skye started channeling energy into her arm, stating, “You need something with more oomph, boys! Like this! Libera Dragon!”

She fired her attack, creating a pure white translucent energy dragon. The dragon roared as it charged at the various Wrath Iron Maidens. It then struck two Wrath Iron Maidens and one Wrath Steel Maiden with tremendous power. When the smoke cleared the two Wrath Iron Maidens had been destroyed, only their lower bodies remained, which also showed signs of heavy damage, while the Wrath Steel Maiden survived, albeit badly damaged.

Gram started to channel energy into his arm, stating, “Follow Lady Skye’s lead! Libera Dragon!”

He fired his attack, creating a mud brown translucent energy dragon. The Libera Dragon struck Bronwen, causing her to shield herself from the attack as it exploded. When the smoke cleared Bronwen looked largely unhurt. However, to her annoyance, she was stuck, as part of her lower body was now trapped in heavy mud.

“Not bad, pretty boy,” she said. “Your Earth variant of Libera Dragon has locked me in place. It’s also sealed my iron maiden lower body shut for now. But I’m far from defenseless. Observe!” She started to channel energy before stating, “Dark Meteors!”

Dark energy meteors rained down upon the battlefield, causing the Hero group to take evasive measures. This diversion allowed the various Wrath Iron Maidens a chance to retaliate.

Rupert began channeling energy into his arm, stating, “You’re not getting the drop on us! Libera Dragon!”

He fired his Libera Dragon, creating a forest green translucent energy dragon. It struck a handful of Wrath Iron Maidens. When the smoke cleared it revealed that they were now trapped in thorny energy vines, unable to move. This maneuver allowed the Hero group to launch attacks unopposed, destroying the handful of monstrous maidens.

A Wrath Titanium Maiden started to channel energy, stating, “Big mistake. Eat this, ‘Heroes’! Icicle Missiles!”

Giant icicles rained down upon the Hero group. Celtic jumped in front of the attack.

“Rook Defense!” he shouted.

Two Rooks appeared and positioned themselves in front of the attack, creating a barrier in between themselves. The giant icicles hammered away at the Rooks but were unable to penetrate it, much to the Wrath Titanium Maiden’s surprise.

Leon started to channel energy into his arm, stating, “I’ll make sure they’re all washed up! Libera Dragon!”

He fired his Libera Dragon, revealing it to be the same as Eric’s. It roared before striking the Wrath Titanium Maiden. When the smoke cleared the Wrath Titanium Maiden felt her stats drop harshly, making her snarl angrily.

“You’ll pay for that, pretty Templar boy!” she spat.

Leon loaded up an energy arrow, stating, “You’re about to find out why I’m such a lady killer! Sacred Arrow!”

He fired the attack at the weakened Wrath Titanium Maiden. She was unable to block the attack in time and it pierced through her stomach. The Sacred Arrow then exploded, destroying her entire upper body, leaving only a heavily dented lower body behind.

Bronwen started to channel energy, stating, “Not bad, but let’s see you stop this! Moonshadow Cannon!”

She summoned a black energy sphere before firing a powerful beam at the Hero group. Celtic positioned the Rooks in front in order to shield the group from the attack. The Moonshadow Cannon struck the Rooks but were unable to damage them, much less penetrate them, causing the attack to disperse harmlessly around them, making Bronwen grit her teeth.

Zuzu then started to channel energy, stating, “I’ve got a little surprise for you, Bronwen! Shadowalk!”

She vanished like a phantom, much to the Demon General’s surprise. A moment later she reappeared and struck Bronwen with a powerful Dark attack, making her scream in pain, before Zuzu vanished again and reappeared back in her original spot.

“Didn’t like that, did you?” the Succuryn smirked. “As you know, Shadowalk ignores the target’s Defense, allowing it to strike at full power. And since you Wrath Iron Maidens and your ilk are very heavy in the defensive power it makes for a good move against you.”

Ryan started to channel energy, stating, “Time for me to perform a follow-up! Shadowalk!”

He vanished from the spot before reappearing in front of a Wrath Steel Maiden. He gave her a powerful slash with Dark energy, making her scream before vanishing and reappearing in his original spot.

Celtic turned to Lucas, “Lucas, didn’t you learn some anti-demon magic?”

Lucas nodded, “Yes, I did. Specifically Demonsbane and Sacred Lightning.”

“Then use it here, as they’re also extra effective on Lesser Demons like Wrath Iron Maidens!”

The Spear Hero nodded and started channeling energy, stating, “Eat this! Demonsbane!”

He fired a powerful blast of Holy energy that took the form of a spear. The attack struck a Wrath Steel Maiden, making her scream before the attack blew her up, leaving a badly damaged lower body behind. At this point Bronwen managed to dislodge herself from the mud that had trapped her and opened and closed her lower body a few times to ensure that her iron maiden half was now free. She then took out a chunk of crystal and looked at it, eyes narrowing.

She stated, “You lot certainly are quite a problem. No wonder Master Infinator wants you dead. Sadly, I’ll have to have my midnight snack another day, as I just got a call from Kalaraja requesting my help against one of your stupid search parties. I’ll leave you with this parting gift.” She started to channel energy before stating, “Giga Volt!”

A massive thunderbolt rained down upon the Hero group. Fortunately, the Deluxe Guard Barrier Charms blocked the attack, annoying the Demon General.

“Very well, then, but now your Deluxe Guard Barrier Charms need recharging, so that grants my younger sisters an opening. My fellow Wrath Iron Maidens, I’ll leave these goons to you. Farewell for now, Heroes. Teleport!”

Bronwen vanished, leaving the remaining Wrath Iron Maidens behind.

“Let’s devour these chumps for Master Bronwen!” a Wrath Titanium Maiden stated.

“Yeah, and I’m getting pretty hungry,” a Wrath Steel Maiden nodded.

Jerry started channeling energy into his arm, stating, “The only thing you’ll be eating are our attacks! Like this! Libera Dragon!”

He fired his Libera Dragon, revealing it to be a whitish-blue translucent energy dragon that had wind swirling around it. It roared before striking one of the remaining female monsters, destroying her.

Ryan started to channel energy into his arm, growling, “My turn! Libera Dragon!”

He launched his version of Libera Dragon, revealing it to be an electric yellow version that crackled with energy. It roared before striking a Wrath Steel Maiden, destroying her upon impact.

Celtic started to channel energy, stating, “Time for one last boost! Aura Boost!”

Everyone in the Hero group gained more power as their stats increased again. Now with much more confident smirks the Hero group charged in. Before long the last of the Wrath Iron Maidens was destroyed, leaving their broken bodies scattered about. Everyone took a moment to ensure that their enemies were defeated before sighing in relief.

“Whew…” Eric panted. “Those various Wrath Iron Maidens sure are tough nuts to crack. Even with our stats getting boosted by Celtic’s Aura Boost and their defenses getting lowered by Zuzu’s Mega Guard Crush they still gave us quite the workout.”

Skye gained a worried expression, “Still, we now know that Bronwen is going to attack one of the other search parties alongside Kalaraja. I hope they’ll be okay. While they have the Eject Bracelets to send them to safety I still worry they might get knocked out of commission because of being ganged up on by two Demon Generals.”

Celtic nodded, “Yeah, that’s true. And that’ll complicate our mission. The Eject Bracelets will protect them from life-threatening damage, but it will still knock out one of our groups from the mission, thereby giving Infinator more opportunities to regain his strength. And since we don’t know which group is getting ganged up on we cannot go and assist. Hopefully Uncle Duskbane will have a backup plan in case that group ends up in the hospital.”

“We can only hope,” Viola said solemnly.

May yawned, “Man, I’m exhausted. Let’s get back to bed before anything else happens.”

Ryan turned to Celtic, “Hey, Celtic, mind putting up that E-Shield again? Now that the enemy is gone we can rest more easily.”

Celtic nodded, “Yes, I will. But first we Heroes should collect samples from the various Wrath Iron Maidens for new powers. Then we’ll hit the sack.”

Nodding, the five Heroes gathered up some samples from the various Wrath Iron Maidens and fed them to their Legendary Gear, gaining new powers in the process. Afterward Celtic activated the E-Shield again, allowing everyone to curl up in their makeshift beds and they quickly fell asleep. They were worried about the search party that was under attack but they had no choice but to leave it be, hoping that the Eject Bracelets will be enough to protect them from death.

Next Chapter: Fear and Loathing in the Dark Forest

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see what our Heroes face.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Been meaning to post this. Anyway, here's the next chapter of Chaos Rising. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Spoiler: Chapter 20) Fear and Loathing in the Dark Forest

Fear and Loathing in the Dark Forest

​

Dawn broke over the horizon. The Hero group were stirring from their slumber. Slowly but surely they got out of their grass woven beds and started to come to their senses.

“Man, what a night,” Lucas yawned. “Bronwen sure gave us a workout.”

Celtic rotated his left arm before saying, “That’s why you shouldn’t underestimate her. She may tend to work behind the scenes during the war but that doesn’t mean she’s a pushover. And the fact that she can tank our hits with ease proves that her defensive prowess is even better than her offensive abilities. There is that old saying about the first rule of combat: Never underestimate your opponent. And it holds true. Just because Bronwen doesn’t fight often doesn’t mean she can’t fight at all. Hopefully now you’ll take her battling ability seriously instead of dismissing her. Enough of this. Let me start breakfast.”

Skye said, “I just hope the search party group that she and Kalaraja attacked are okay. I know they have the Eject Bracelets but I can’t help but worry if they’re alive or not.”

Viola yawned, “We’re just gonna have to hope that they’re okay even after getting double-teamed by two Demon Generals. And Celtic could just contact King Duskbane with the communicator to see if those people are alive.”

Celtic nodded, “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I’ll do it after breakfast. Now, let’s get on with the day.”

After a filling breakfast and contacting King Duskbane, who confirmed that the search party Bronwen and Kalaraja attacked are alive and safe, the Hero group started to make their way toward the next energy vein. Eventually they came to the outskirts of a dark, creepy forest.

Viola looked at the map grimly, “Yeah… this is where we’ll find our next energy vein. I was afraid we’d end up at the Dark Forest.”

“What’s so bad about the Dark Forest?” Eric asked. “I mean, it’s just a forest, right?”

Gram turned to him, “I’ve heard about the Dark Forest. They say anyone who enters it will be plagued with hallucinations, visions of death, and haunted with their greatest fears. It’s a pretty hostile location. No one has ever entered the Dark Forest and come out completely unscathed and unrattled. It’s considered one of the more sinister locations on Nyx, even for Nyx’s standards, as no one knows what lives in the forest nor why it can produce such issues like hallucinations and visions of death. It’s easy to be afflicted with the Dark Forest’s curse, so one needs to tread carefully while in there.”

May shivered, “I can’t believe we have to actually go in there. Its reputation is pretty infamous. Are you sure we have to go in there?”

Celtic took out the tracking device and looked it over before saying, “Yeah, we do, sadly. We’re near the exposed energy vein but we’re not close enough to it to reroute it.”

Tyroe nodded, “I can doubly confirm that, as I can feel the energy vein through my scales. But we’re not in a position where we can move it to a safer distance. No, we’re gonna have to go in there and find its epicenter so we can push it down further and keep it away from Infinator.”

“Sounds like fun,” Zuzu said, completely deadpan. “Let’s just get this over with. The sooner we go in there the sooner we can leave. So stop griping and start marching.”

Leon nodded, “Zuzu’s right. The sooner we get this over with the sooner we can get out of that accursed forest. Just keep your wits about you, as we don’t know what we’ll face in there.”

Everyone nodded reluctantly before entering the infamous Dark Forest. Viola was in the lead, guiding them through the dense forest. Everyone was tense, keeping their eyes and ears open for any signs of threats. It wasn’t long before something would make its move.

Suddenly, red mist formed around them, causing everyone to bunch up. Celtic immediately recognized the red mist.

“Stay frosty, people!” he said. “We’re dealing with monsters that can use psychological warfare. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re dealing with Gengar Bats, Ghost Mages, and other such monsters. Keep your wits about you and don’t let the images you’ll soon see get the better of you.”

Before anyone could respond they were all swallowed up by the mist, leaving Celtic alone. His gold eyes darted back and forth, both trying to detect the threat while also trying to find his allies. Suddenly, images of his friends and loved ones appeared and began bombarding him with words of contempt, hatred, and insults.

Celtic’s pupils became slits, growling, “No! I won’t let this take me down again! I won’t allow these false voices deceive me! They are not real! And I’m not afraid to fight back! Tornado!”

His arm transformed into the cyber fan. He positioned it in front of him and launched the attack, creating a small but strong cyclone in front of him. He could hear screeching as creatures were sucked into the vacuum of wind. This tactic also had the added effect of thinning the mist quite rapidly. Before long the mist was gone and everyone was regaining their bearings. They then noticed Celtic’s Tornado and watched as several creatures were being hacked and slashed apart within it. Celtic eventually deactivated it, causing the corpses of the monsters to fall to the ground, revealing them to be Gengar Bats.

“I knew it: Gengar Bats,” the redhead growled. “I’m starting to really hate Gengar Bats.”

Jerry shook his head to clear it, saying, “And I don’t blame you. They’re weak monsters but those illusions they produce sure pack a wallop. Hard to believe that such low powered monsters could do this much damage in a metaphorical sense.”

Celtic then suddenly fell to one knee, drenched in a cold sweat, panting heavily.

“Celtic!” Skye cried.

She quickly rushed to his side, gently calming him down as he experienced the aftereffects of the Gengar Bats’ powers.

Zuzu gave a small sigh, “Looks like Celtic still gets affected by the Gengar Bats’ powers. Granted, for him it’s now more of a delayed reaction, and he’s able to fight back instead of letting it overwhelm him; but it’s safe to say that psychological warfare is still the biggest hole in his defenses. Nevertheless, the fact that he can fight back against it, even outright killing all the Gengar Bats that had attacked us with one Tornado, is proof that he’s slowly getting stronger at resisting it. That Mind Ring probably also helps, giving him a bit more resistance to such tactics. But it’s obvious that it’s still his biggest weakness.”

Rupert nodded, “No surprise, given how horrid his life has been. Anyone who has had to endure as much as Celtic, especially for incredibly petty reasons, would develop several issues that could make them vulnerable to psychological warfare. I’m just impressed that the images that Gengar Bats and the like produce don’t plant seeds of doubt into him. Either he’s too smart for that or his faith in us is strong enough to resist such an outcome.”

Celtic panted, “It’s a bit of both, Rupert… But it doesn’t stop the hallucinations from rattling me to my core… Give me a minute…”

After a few moments of calming breaths Celtic eventually stood up. He looked a bit pale but he steeled his nerves before turning to Viola.

“Okay, Viola, lead the way. Hopefully we’re nearing our target. Let’s go before we’re ambushed by something else.”

The Arachne nodded and guided the group forward. Eventually they came to a small clearing in the middle of the forest.

Tyroe stated, “Yeah, I can feel it. We’re right on top of the energy vein.”

Celtic took out the tracking device, saying, “Yep. X marks the spot. Let’s get to work on rerouting the energy vein so we can get out of this place.”

Tyroe and May nodded and walked up to a certain point. They both started to channel energy before releasing it into the ground. Slowly but surely the energy vein descended deeper into the earth. After a few minutes both slumped over, exhausted.

“It’s… done…” the Earth Naga panted.

Celtic took out the tracking device again and nodded, “Yep, you two did a good job. The energy vein has been pushed down three miles, well out of reach from Infinator. Let me report back to Uncle Duskbane and let him know our progress.”

He put the tracking device back on his belt before taking out the communicator. After adjusting it a bit he turned it on and took a deep breath.

“Uncle Duskbane, do you copy? It’s Cel… err… Avalar.”

A brief pause before a voice replied, “I hear you, Avalar. What is your status?”

“We’ve successfully rerouted the third planetary energy vein. It is now safely out of reach from Infinator.”

“Good work, Avalar. You and your group have proven to be the most effective out of our search parties. Also, you can rest assured that the search party that Bronwen and Kalaraja attacked are doing okay. The healers have managed to patch them back up and they’ll resume their part of the mission soon. Those Eject Bracelets completely saved their lives from the jaws of the Wrath Iron Maidens and such. They’re a bit rattled but nonetheless fine. I just want to ask you which planetary energy vein did you reroute?”

Celtic replied, “The one in the Dark Forest, which is the third one that we’ve been tasked to deal with.”

“I see, I see. Even we Shadokor aren’t fond of the Dark Forest, and it pales in comparison to the Demon Realm. So the fact that your group has successfully entered that atrocious place and managed to complete your task is commendable. I hope you didn’t get into any trouble in there.”

“We had an encounter with a colony of Gengar Bats but we dealt with them, though not unscathed. We got a little shaken but not stirred. Shall we continue on to our next target?”

“Yes, do so, Avalar,” King Duskbane replied. “Good work to you all. Now, I suggest you get out of that forest and into safer territory. Well, comparatively speaking, anyway. Good luck and keep safe. King Duskbane, out.”

The conversation ended. Celtic took off the communicator and put it back in his Tek-Pak.

He turned to Viola, “Lead the way, Viola. Let’s get out of this place before something else happens. Then we should find a place to rest and so I can make us lunch.”

Viola nodded, “Right, let’s get going. Follow me.”

She led the way toward the opposite end of the Dark Forest. The rest of the group followed her, keeping their eyes and ears open for more threats. After at least another hour they emerged from the other side of the Dark Forest.

Ryan dusted himself off, “Whew, glad we’re out of that creepy pit. While the monsters we ran into on the way out were no problem, the whole hallucination tactic they use sure can ruffle one’s feathers.”

Isabelle nodded, “I’ll say. They weren’t tough in terms of power: they sure made up for it in numbers and their use of hallucinations. I’m just glad we never have to step foot in there again.”

Skye walked up to Celtic, saying softly, “You okay, Cel? You probably took the most ‘damage’ out of all of us due to those hallucinations and such. You’re not too rattled, are you?”

Celtic gave her a weak smile, “I’ll survive. I sure hated all that but I’m as tenacious as a demon can get. At least they weren’t enhanced versions like the ones Alastor used on his last stand, so I’m not as badly shaken as I could’ve been.”

Heatblast gently nuzzled against Celtic, giving him a friendly lick in comfort, making the redhead smile.

Viola turned to the group, “According to my map we’ll hit a fresh water source in about an hour. We should use that place as a pitstop so we can rest and have lunch. After that, it’ll be at least another day and a half before we reach our final target.”

“Final?” Lucas asked, puzzled. “I thought we were tasked with five energy veins?”

“Technically that’s correct,” Leon said. “But remember, we’re tasked with leaving the last one exposed so we can use it as a trap for Infinator. With us and our allies forcing energy veins further down it’ll limit Infinator’s options, thus allowing us to set a trap for him. If everything works out we should be finally able to rid ourselves of him for good. Granted, not everything goes according to plan, but we should be able to get the plan mostly in place by that point. We can only hope that the other search parties are doing okay and are not getting picked off by Bronwen and/or Kalaraja.”

Lucas nodded, “Right, I forgot that bit about setting a trap for Infinator. Thanks for the reminder, Leon.”

Celtic stated, “Now that we’ve gotten that ironed out again let’s keep moving. The sooner we reach that fresh water source the better. Then we can take a break and refuel our tanks with food. Lead the way, Viola.”

Everyone nodded and progressed onward, heading toward their next rest stop. They knew they were getting closer to defeating Infinator, but they also knew that time was against them.

Next Chapter: The Day the Magic Died

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see what our Heroes face.