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MATURE: Chaos Rising (Season 1: Heroes Rising) Final Chapter up

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Okay, after much debating, editing, and testing the waters on another hangout of mine, I've decided that now I'm going to start posting Chaos Rising here. It'll eventually make it's way to my DA account, where I post most of my stuff (including more mature stuff), but only after I get some more feedback on it, as I want to improve it as much as possible. Season 1 is complete, but I'll be posting each chapter gradually so not to spam or unintentionally "promote" my stuff (plus real life tends to sucker punch me at any given moment). Also, because this series has darker themes and situations (ie: nudity, language, blood, violence, etc), I'm rating it "Mature" for good measures. Also, eagle-eyed individuals will notice various references in its structure, which I'll just flat-out say it's inspired by a combination of "Rising of the Shield Hero", "Dragon Quest" (most notably XI), and, albeit by accident but I ran with it, "Seven Deadly Sins", so that's out of the way. Without further ado, let the Chaos commence!

The Shroud of Shadows


“My name is Celtic Pulsar. I am the 19-year-old adopted son of Dr. Rayler Pulsar and Valerie Pulsar. My adoption process, however, has been far from smooth, and the circumstances surrounding it are rather murky, as is my very nature. But, over the years, I’ve gotten used to it. I’m also an inspiring inventor, having made multiple revolutionary items since I was 14… including my own prosthetic arm. Yeah, my entire right arm had to be replaced with a powerful robotic one of my own design after I performed an act of heroism. It’s like the old saying goes, ‘No good deed goes unpunished’, which seems to apply to me the most. This is my tale of how my life got turned upside-down… all because of a magical shroud, which led to an adventure of a lifetime, whether I wanted it or not.”

Inside a moderate-sized house in a suburban area near the mountains was a family of individuals. One was brilliant-looking man with glasses, short mud brown hair, soft blue eyes, and an average build. His wife was a rather youthful-looking woman with long blonde hair, green eyes, an hourglass-like build, and a sweet face. The man was talking to a teenage boy with a mop of red hair, gold eyes, sharp facial features, a strong build, and a metallic right arm.

“Celtic, why won’t you go to college?” the man asked his son. “College will give you all the tools needed to get a great job.”

Celtic gave him an annoyed look, “Wrong. You make is sound like getting a college degree is an instant guarantee for any job, but it isn’t. Mom never went to college and she became a very formidable businesswoman. She only had to retire early thanks to medical issues, some of which were caused by her own sisters, Hag 1 and Hag 2. College doesn’t instantly grant you the best job in the world, all it does is give you a better chance, not an instant guarantee. Besides, dad, college is expensive, and we don’t have that kind of money. Even though both you and I get good pay from your work as a scientist and engineer and my inventing and freelance work, a lot of it goes to helping mom’s medical issues, so we can’t spare the cash. And getting student loans is just a recipe for disaster. So, please, just drop it already. I already have an advanced regents diploma from high school and that should be enough. I’m not going to college and that’s that.”

Before his father could say anything, the mother stepped in, “Rayler, Celtic is right. I never went to college and look how successful I was. And he’s also right about our money issues. My medical bills, even with insurance, eat up a lot of our funds, and college costs hundreds to thousands of dollars, making it a very costly investment. Celtic may have some lazy tendencies, but he is right that college doesn’t instantly guarantee you the best jobs around. Plus, like he said, he does have an advanced regents diploma, which is already on-par with certain college degree, so it’s not something you should dismiss. I think it’s fine for him to search for his own path, with or without a college degree, as he has the right to choose what he wants to do with his life. So, please, Ray, don’t pressure him, as you know how defensive he gets when pressured.”

Rayler gave an annoyed sigh, “Valerie, this is for his own good. A college degree is a ticket into the high-class world. I know you didn’t go, but I feel that Celtic should, as it would open new possibilities for him. Why should he stop with just an advanced regents diploma when he can have things like a bachelor’s degree or doctorate? Just think of what it could do for him.”

Celtic turned his back to him, “Wrong. I’ll choose my own path, thank you, and college isn’t on that path. Dad, I know you’re trying to help me, but I do NOT appreciate this unnecessary pressure to go do something that is both too expensive and too time-consuming all so I can get a decorated piece of paper. I’m not going and that’s final. I’ll carve out my own path on my own terms. So, just drop it.”

Rayler looked annoyed, “Celtic, you’re only going to hurt yourself if you don’t go. You’ve got an IQ of 500, why let that go to waste? You could eat those college tests for breakfast and get the highest degree possible, so why are you so stubborn about not going?”

“I’ve stated my reasons, dad, and I’m not repeating them. College isn’t for everyone, including me, so why should I waste hundreds of dollars on something that’ll only somewhat increase my chances of getting great jobs? I do just fine with my inventing and freelance work, so it’s not like I’m without income. Dad, just give it up, I’m not interested in college and would rather spend my time doing my own thing over sitting in more classrooms just to get a decorated piece of paper. I’ve made up my mind and you won’t change it. This conversation is finished. Besides, don’t you have work to go to? And I need to go run some errands for mom. So, just drop it already. College is overrated and overpriced and is not something I want to do. That’s final.”

Rayler gained an annoyed scowl, “You’ll regret that, Celtic. You’ve got the talent and the brains, so why are you wasting it? But so be it. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’ll see you both tonight at dinner.”

With that, Rayler stormed out of the house, taking a set of car keys as he left. Shortly afterward, the car in the driveway pulled out and drove off. Celtic merely huffed as it did.

Valerie gave a small smile, “Celtic, I know you have your reasons, and I do agree with how you feel. But, you do know your father is only trying to help bolster your chance of becoming successful. I won’t pressure you like him, as you have the right to choose your own destiny, but don’t hate your father for wanting what he thinks is the best for you. Okay?”

Celtic merely replied, “I don’t hate him, but I hate the fact that this whole college thing comes up at least once a day. I have my reasons and he should accept that. I’ll do things on my own terms. Now, enough talk, I have errands to run. I’ll see you later, mom.”

After gathering what he needed, including a metal backpack, Celtic put his shoes on and left the house.

A short time later he was walking down the street toward a large town, in his hand a list of what he needed to get. He was still fuming about the previous conversation but pushed it aside for the time.

“Okay, let’s see… seems to be pretty basic fanfare that I need to pick up. Let’s see… I’ll get the non-perishable stuff first, like mom’s meds and the parts I need for my work. Then I’ll get the stuff like milk and eggs. Fortunately, my Tek-Pak can preserve any food put into it for much longer periods of time than anything out there. Shame I couldn’t market it, but it had too many risks, especially in this day and age. Now… huh?”

As he walked over a certain part of the sidewalk, he noticed it shift and shake under his feet.

“Hmm? That’s strange. I thought I felt the sidewalk move. Probably nothing… huh?”

He then noticed light starting to leak out from the cracks.

“What the…?”

Suddenly, the sidewalk burst open, he plummeted into a golden portal of some sort, much to his shock and horror, causing him to vanish. Moments later, he crashed in a heap on the floor. Shaking his head, he heard other grunts of pain nearby. He looked to his sides and saw four other males around his age grunting and groaning in pain. A few moments later, one of them spoke.

“Ow… what was that all about?” said a teenage boy with short black hair and a lithe build.

“Hey, what’s the big idea?” asked another teenage boy with dark brown hair in a ponytail and an average build.

“Man, what just happened?” another young man stated with dirty blonde hair and a broader body structure.

“Better question… where are we?” said a short teenage boy with messy ash colored hair and a rather feminine build.

The five of them looked around. They were in what appeared to be some sort of sacred circle with robed men surrounding it. Standing before them was a regal-looking elven man in robes decorated with gems and a crown.

“Welcome, Chosen Ones,” he said to them. “I am King Lumesto Lightwave, King of the Light Elves. Forgive the sudden situation you have been thrust into, but we are in dire need of heroes to save our world. We have summoned you here to become the Legendary Heroes and save this world from destruction.”

The five males looked puzzled, “Us? Legendary Heroes? Why us?”

“The selection process is difficult to explain, but you have been chosen to become the next generation of Legendary Heroes because you are well-versed in the art of fantasy worlds. This world, Zakota, is a magical world filled with monsters and various other beings. However, we have reached a crisis. The great demon known as Infinator has begun his uprising. He has started to release his waves of minions upon our world in order to conquer it. As such, we have summoned you here to fight off his waves, destroy the great demon himself, and bring this world to a new era.”

The black-haired boy then said, “So… this world is one big fantasy world? Like in RPGs and light novels? And you want us to fight against a great demon? But how are we going to do that?”

“You each will be given one of five pieces of Legendary Gear,” King Lumesto stated. “They are the Sword, Spear, Axe, Bow, and Shroud. However, you do not decide which of the Gear you get, it chooses you instead. Now, come, you need to obtain your respective Legendary Gear to begin the fight.”

As the King led the five young males away, Celtic said silently, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”

After following the King back to his castle, which was an impressive building made from stone and marble, they were guided into a room with a large table. There, sitting on the table were five items: a sword, spear, axe, bow, and cape-like shroud. The King walked behind the table and gestured to the five items.

“These are the Legendary Gear,” he stated. “Each of you will receive one of them. Let us begin the selection process. Why don’t you, the young man with red hair, start things off?”

Celtic quirked an eyebrow, “My name is Celtic Pulsar. And fine, although I’m not going to beat about the bush. I know exactly which of these five items I’ll end up with, so I might as well get it over with.”

He immediately walked over to the shroud, much to the surprise of the other four males. The shroud was a long and wide black cape with silver lining and a sapphire blue gem in front. Celtic touched the shroud, causing it to glow, levitate, and suddenly equip itself to him, the sapphire blue gem glowing as it latched the front of the shroud together. As it did, much to the redhead’s surprise, he could now see what looked like stats appear, including the phrase “Level 1”, only visible to his eyes, with the name “Celtic Pulsar” appearing above them. However, as he touched the newly equipped shroud, he could only scowl.

“I knew it. This is gonna suck. Looks like this shroud will turn me into a defensive tank, judging by the insane Defense and Magical Defense stat, high Hit Points and low Speed I’m seeing. Great.”

As he walked back over to the group, he noticed that the Light Elf King was glaring at him but ignored it.

“Well, it appears that you, Celtic Pulsar, are the Hero of the Shroud,” he stated.

“Yay,” Celtic said, totally deadpan.

“Now, then, let’s move on. How about you, the young man with black hair. What is your name?”

The black-haired boy replied, “My name is Ryan Albert. Let’s see what’s in the cards for me.”

He first walked over to the spear, touched it, but was repelled by a magical shock. He then touched the sword. The sword was a white and gold double-edged blade with a green gem in the hilt. As he touched it, it glowed, levitated up, and attached itself to his back.

“Well, it appears that you, Ryan Albert, are the Hero of the Sword,” the King stated.

“Sounds good to me,” Ryan stated. “And judging by theses stats I’m seeing, it appears my Attack and Speed is through the roof, but my Defense looks poor. But that shouldn’t be an issue for me.”

“Now, let’s move on. You, lad, the one with the blonde hair. What is your name?”

The blonde replied, “I’m Lucas Harrison. Let’s see what I get.”

He first walked over to the axe, but it repelled him with a magical shock like what happened to Ryan. So, instead, he tried the spear. The spear was almost as long as he was tall, primarily dusty gold in color with blue accents and a red gem in the spear head. When Lucas touched it, it glowed, levitated up, and latched itself onto his back. He did a fist pump as it did.

“Nice! I was hoping for the axe, but I think I like the spear better anyway. It appears that all my stats are about equal, though Attack looks pretty high. Sweet! Looks like it’ll be great for showing off to the ladies.”

Celtic’s eye twitched as he heard this, thinking, “Great, sounds like we’ve got a Casanova harem seeker here. And he doesn’t seem too bright, either. That’s not a good combination.”

The King smiled, “Well, it appears that you, Lucas Harrison, are the Hero of the Spear.”

“Yeah! This’ll be awesome!” Lucas smiled.

“Now, moving on. You, lad, the one with brown hair. What is your name?”

The brown-haired male replied, “I’m Eric Jackson. And I think I know which one I’ll end up with.”

He walked over to the axe. The axe was broad and double sided, navy blue in color with red accents and an orange gem in the center of it. When he touched it, the axe glowed, levitated up, and latched onto his back.

“I knew it, and I’m not complaining. And judging by these stats I’m seeing, my Attack is pretty high, but my Speed seems a bit low. Oh, well, no biggie.”

The King nodded, “Indeed. So, you, Eric Jackson, are now the Hero of the Axe. That leaves one left. What is your name?”

The short, rather feminine-looking boy replied, “I’m Jerry Thomason. So, it looks like I’ll be getting the bow.”

He walked over to the remaining Legendary Gear. The bow was dark green in color with white accents and a gold gem above the hole where the arrows would be fired from. As he touched it, it glowed, levitated up, and latched itself onto his back.

“As I thought. And it appears my stats show that my Attack and Speed are relatively high with slightly lower-than-average Defense. Not bad.”

“Very good,” the King stated. “Now, with all five Legendary Gear having been selected, it is time to begin your mission. But I have to inform you of a few things first. To start, while you each possess a Legendary Gear, you can not possess any other weapon. So, for example, Ryan cannot wield something like a spear while he has the Sword, and Celtic cannot hold any weapon due to the Shroud. Secondly, the Legendary Gear generally repel each other when it comes to obtaining EXP except during Infinator’s attacks, so you will need to form parties of your own in order to survive. Having parties is crucial, as the more allies you have, the easier it becomes to handle Infinator’s attacks. Finally, this kingdom, Lumestia, will be your base-of-operation. Every time you successfully repel Infinator’s attacks, you will be rewarded for your efforts. To start you off, we present you each 3,000 silver coins and 2,000 copper coins. Spend them wisely, as you’ll need them to buy armor and other such items.”

Several knights walked up and handed each of them two pouches of coins, though Celtic noticed that the knights seemed a little more hostile to him than the other four.

“Now, with that out of the way, it is time to begin. You know what you must do, right?”

Ryan nodded, “We’re to stop Infinator’s waves and destroy him. Sounds like a very cut-and-paste RPG adventure. This shouldn’t be too hard.”

Lucas nodded, “Yeah, we’re gonna be heroes. Well, except for Celtic, given the fact he got the useless Defense-based Shroud. But I guess not everyone can be as great as the rest of us.”

Celtic gave them a look, “You do realize this isn’t a game, right? Even if this place has RPG mechanics like stats and Hit Points, it is very much real. Don’t treat this world like it’s some big video game, otherwise this world will be doomed because of you and not Infinator.”

“Quit your whining, Shroud boy,” Eric stated. “We can breeze through this. It’ll only be hard for someone as useless as you since you’re stuck with a worthless shroud.”

Jerry nodded, “Yeah, we can handle this. You just sit in on the bench and keep it warm for us.”

A nerve in Celtic’s temple twitched as he replied acidly, “You do realize that if you don’t take this seriously, you’ll be killed. And, for the record, I’m no benchwarmer. Fine, dismiss the seriousness of this situation. Just don’t come crying to me when it turns out I’m right and you’re wrong. I guess I’ll be the smart one and take this task seriously while you go and cause catastrophe in your wake with that detrimental RPG mindset.”

The King ignored the argument before stating, “Now, I suggest you go out into the city and start recruiting party members. And maybe while you’re at it, try your hand against some of the monsters outside the city walls. They’re not too tough around these parts, mostly Ballooners, Slimes, and Goblins. They should give you a taste of what to expect. Dismissed.”

As the King walked past them, he gave Celtic a glare, something that the redhead took note of.

“Something tells me that his Majesty doesn’t like the Shroud for some reason,” he said silently. “The knights seemed to reflect that, too. I think it’s safe to say that I’ll get the short end of the stick, as always. Well, not like I have much of a choice right now, so I might as well go outside and see what I can do. According to my stats, my Attack isn’t dismal like I thought it would be because of the Shroud’s Defense focus. Seems about average to me. But since I can’t hold a weapon, I’ll have to rely on my fists. Joy. Well, I guess I should get cracking and see what this Shroud can do.”

As the five young males went outside, all but Celtic were swarmed by the people, most of them being Light Elves, shaking their hands and treating them like celebrities. Celtic merely huffed as he headed toward the front gates to see what the monsters would be like. As he passed the guards, they glared at him, only solidifying his feeling, making him angry, but he continued on into the open area.

The surrounding area was mostly grassland with some pockets of forests here and there. Celtic took a look around, observing the situation. Suddenly, he felt something chewing on him. Looking down at his leg was a yellow ball-shaped creature with red eyes gnawing on him. The special vision he now had revealed what it was.

“So, this is a Ballooner,” Celtic observed. “A Level 1 monster. It’s trying to bite me, but not only do I barely feel it, but I’m not taking any damage at all. It appears my Defense is high enough that, even at my current Level, something like this can’t hurt me.”

Suddenly another one appeared and started gnawing on his left arm. Annoyed, Celtic grabbed it with his metal hand and crushed it, causing it to pop. As he did, he saw something appear before him. The number “+5” appeared on a screen-like structure before another number, this time a 0, increase to 5.

“So, this is how the EXP thing works. Just like in an RPG. But I know that this world is real. And yet… it seems somehow familiar. I’ll worry about that later, first let me get this pest off of me.”

He grabbed the Ballooner on his leg with his metal arm and crushed it again, causing it to pop, followed by another “+5” to appear, causing his EXP to increase to 10. As he did, however, another two Ballooners appeared and started gnawing on him, annoying him.

“Is there no end to these pests? Fine, let me deal with them.”

He crushed them with his metal hand, causing them to pop, followed by two more “+5” to appear, increasing his EXP to 20.

“Well, at least this is easy enough, but these waves that Infinator produces will be a problem unless I can get stronger, as I doubt those four halfwits will take this seriously. If only I had a weapon, as just using my fist isn’t going to be enough. But, according to what his Majesty said, I can’t hold a weapon because of the Shroud, so that…” However, as he said that, a thought popped into his head, “Wait a minute. He said I can’t hold a weapon. But… what if I turn part of myself into one?” He looked down at his metallic arm, gaining a grin, “Looks like I may have found a loophole. And, as it so happens, out of boredom back home, I designed a few programs for this arm and stored them in my Tek-Pak. Now might be a good time to use them. I didn’t plan on using them, I was just bored that day, but they’re about to come in handy.”

He took off his Tek-Pak and placed it on the ground. He then tapped on the front of it, causing a digital screen to appear. After pressing a few buttons, a cable with a USB port popped out. Celtic then started to fumble with his right arm. After a moment, it seemed to shut down, allowing the lower arm to open up, revealing a very sophisticated interior. He plugged the USB cable into a port, started to tap away at the holo-screens with his left hand, and then waited. What appeared to be a download screen appeared, seemingly installing several programs into his arm. After a minute, the download was complete, the screen vanishing, allowing Celtic to disconnect the USB cable from his arm. He then pushed a button inside of his arm, causing it to close up again, sealing it, followed by a light hum, and his arm seemed to reactivate. He flexed it first to regain feeling in it before returning the Tek-Pak to normal and latching it onto his back. He gained a grin.

“Okay then,” he said. “Let’s give this a whirl. Let’s start with something basic. Cannon!”

His arm lit up, then started to transform and change shape, seemingly reorganizing its components into a new form. After a moment, his lower arm and hand were replaced by a somewhat box-like cannon with cylinder structures and a rounded nozzle. He looked it over, smiling.

“As I thought. The Shroud prevents me from holding a weapon, but it doesn’t prevent me from becoming one. Let’s test it out, see if it works.”

He then noticed a new monster appearing. It looked like a short and stout green gremlin with a wide mouth, long ears, and tiny limbs.

“So, that’s a Goblin, also a Level 1 monster. Perfect. Time to see if my little plan worked.”

The Goblin started to charge in, but Celtic held out his newly formed cannon arm and fired it. The blast struck the Goblin instantly, blowing it up, causing a “+7” to appear before him, increasing his EXP to 27. This made him grin.

“Yes! I love abusing loopholes. This’ll make things easier. Now, along with all the tools already installed into my arm, I can turn this bad boy into a Swiss Army Knife appendage. Looks like my getting this mechanical arm paid off after all.”

He then heard footsteps. Turning around, he saw Ryan approach him.

“I heard something like a gunshot,” he said. “Did a monster shoot you or something?” He then noticed Celtic’s arm, eyes widening, “W-What?! Y-Your arm is different! B-But how?”

Celtic grinned, “For starters, my right arm is a prosthetic. I lost it back when I was 15 doing an act of heroism. I saved a life, but at the cost of my entire right arm. However, as I had designed and built this arm, along with a matching leg, for a science fair project just the year before, my parents decided to have it grafted onto me to replace what I lost. A bit ironic, I admit, but because this arm is of my own design, I’ve made some personal modifications to it to help with work… including, as of this day, weapon programs.”

“Wait… that arm is robotic? And it’s of your own design? And you installed WEAPONS into it just now?!! But the Shroud prevents you from using a weapon.”

“Wrong. It prevents me from holding a weapon. It said nothing about turning part of me into a weapon. Simply put, I’m exploiting a loophole. Sure, I can’t hold any weapons, but what does that matter when I can turn this robotic arm into a virtual Swiss Army Knife. It already has a bunch of tools installed into it for my work, so giving it weapon programs was easy enough. Guess losing my original arm and getting a mechanical one grafted onto me as a replacement actually had a plus side to it. So, what you heard was me using my first weapon attachment: Cannon. And I’ve got plenty more where that came from.”

Ryan gave him an odd look, “Isn’t that cheating?”

Celtic returned the look, “This isn’t a video game. It’s life-and-death. We’re in a war for survival, so one needs to be pragmatic in order to overcome the odds. So, it isn’t cheating, as there are no cheat codes on this world. I’m just using whatever resources I have access to in order to survive this world. You can whine all you want about it being called ‘cheating’, but I’d rather cheat death than take my chances. And you should consider that, too, lest you end up in a coffin.”

“If it’s not a video game, then why does it have RPG mechanics?”

“We’re in a fantasy world, which means anything is possible. For all we know, Infinator could’ve warped this world with his presence or something, as I doubt this is his first go around with the people of this world. We don’t know the full story of this planet nor Infinator’s origins, so anything could be possible, including the origin of these RPG-like mechanics. But, I’m going to take this seriously, as I know this isn’t one big game. Like I said at the castle, don’t come crying to me when you realize that this world is very much real and your actions here have real consequences. Hmm?”

He then looked down to see another Ballooner gnawing on his ankle.

“Damn ankle biters. Fighter Sword.”

His arm transformed again, this time into a long, sharp, double-edged cyber sword, much to Ryan’s surprise. He then simply poked the Ballooner with the tip, causing it to pop, causing another “+5” screen to appear, increasing his EXP to 32.

“Hmm… I wonder how much EXP I need before I Level Up or whatever. I guess I’ll find out soon enough. But the point stands. Take this seriously or you’ll end up in an early grave. Now, I’m going back to the city and see if I can pick up some decent armor. But I strongly suggest you take this seriously, Ryan, otherwise you’ll be sorry. Revert arm.”

As he said that, the Fighter Sword transformed back into his normal arm. With a final huff, Celtic walked back to the city.

Inside the city he looked around for an armory. As he did, the various Light Elves he passed glared at him, only annoying him further. Suddenly, a cheerful voice called.

“Yoo-hoo, Shroud Hero!”

Celtic turned to see a beautiful elven female approach him. She had long silver hair with green eyes, a well-cut figure, and a pretty face. He quirked an eyebrow as she became level with him.

“A Light Elf? I thought you weren’t interested in the Shroud Hero,” he said.

“Oh, don’t mind those grumps,” the girl stated. “They’re just old-fashioned about certain things. Not me. Oh, my name is Veronica. I know who you are, Celtic, aka: the Hero of the Shroud. Looking for a party member? I’m your gal. I’ve always heard that the Shroud Hero was mysterious, so now that a new generation of Shroud Hero has appeared, I’m curious to know if that’s true or not. But, in any case, I was wondering if you’d do me a favor. Since we’re gonna be working together, I need some armor. I know of a good armory in town, so would you be so kind as to buy me some. I’d buy it myself, but I don’t have a lot of money. The stuff the armory has shouldn’t cost more than 20 silvers or so, but I’m just a few silvers short. So, how about it?”

Celtic pondered for a moment before replying, “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. I was going to pick up armor myself, so this makes things easier. Fine, lead the way.”

Veronica smiled, “Great! Follow me, handsome.”

As she led the way, Celtic was having mixed feelings about this.

“I’m having a few conflicting feelings about this,” he said silently. “From what I’ve seen so far, the Light Elves seem to hate the Shroud Hero, but this girl doesn’t. And she’s offering to become a party member without fuss. Seems a bit too convenient. But… I could just be overthinking things. I rarely catch a break, so maybe it’s really nothing and I’m just finally getting some help. We’ll see.”

Veronica led him to an armory. Inside was a human man, who smiled as the duo approached.

“Hello there. Looking for some armor or weapons? I may not be the best, but I’ve still got some good stuff. Take a look around and see if anything catches your interest.”

Veronica nodded, “We’ll do just that.”

After a few minutes of searching, both Celtic and Veronica chose two sets of armor. It came to 45 silver, which Celtic paid, making Veronica happy. She then asked for dinner, which he complied. As they ate, however, a feeling of dread started to well up inside Celtic. Finally, night fell, and both fell asleep at the inn. However, it wouldn’t be long before something would happen. In the dead of night, while Celtic slept, suddenly the door burst open, startling him. Light Elf knights surrounded him, pointing their swords and spears at him, angry expressions on their faces.

“You! Shroud Hero! You’re coming with us!” the captain stated angrily.

It wasn’t long before he was in the throne room of the castle. Standing before him was the King, Veronica, and Lucas, who seemed to be shielding her.

“We brought the fiend,” the captain stated.

“What’s the big idea?” Celtic spat angrily.

The King hissed, “How DARE you try to violate my daughter, you despicable fiend!”

The redhead quirked an eyebrow, “What? Violate? I haven’t violated anyone. And I don’t think I’ve met your daughter before.”

Lucas spat, “Don’t play dumb! Veronica came running to me, telling me you tried to take advantage of her! You swine!”

Celtic gained an annoyed expression, “I didn’t do anything of the sort! All I did was… wait… Veronica is the Princess?! And you didn’t tell me that before?! I KNEW you were up to no good!”

Veronica hid behind Lucas, “You vile fiend! How dare you treat me that way!”

“I treated you to armor and dinner and did nothing else!” Celtic roared. “YOU’RE the one who deceived me! For that matter, I noticed that the armor I bought is gone! You stole it from me, didn’t you? YOU’RE the vile fiend!”

“ENOUGH!” the King bellowed. “If you weren’t the Shroud Hero, I’d have you executed for such despicable behavior. But, as fate would have it, if I were to execute you, it would only allow Infinator’s attacks to become drastically stronger, so you’re unfortunately, too important to be executed. But make no mistake, you will pay for what you did! I intend to make you suffer and pay in a multitude of ways for this heinous crime, you sewer rat!”

Veronica walked over to Celtic, gaining a nasty smirk, “Oh, you’ll pay, all right, you Devil of the Shroud.” She then whispered, “It was all too easy. Let’s see how much of a ‘hero’ you’ll be now.”

As Celtic heard these words, his rage reached a breaking point.

“You vile fiend!” he roared.

With a swing of his metal arm, he sent one of the guards flying, startling everyone present. When another guard tried to restrain him, Celtic bit him, revealing a mouth full of fangs. His bite was so hard that a sickening CRACK could be heard from the guard’s wrist, causing him to yell in pain and release Celtic, holding his now broken wrist with vicious teeth marks in pain and blood pouring out from the bite marks. This alarmed everyone present as Celtic glared daggers at the King, Veronica, and Lucas.

To their horror, he had changed. His teeth, which were serrated fangs, were bared, with what seemed to be light purple mist coming out of his mouth. He had newly formed facial markings in the shape of blue lightning bolts starting from under his eyes down to his chin. But his eyes where what was the most frightening. His gold eyes were now glowing like headlights, with his pupils having become slits, giving him an almost demonic look.

“W-What are you?!” the King sputtered.

Celtic didn’t respond. Instead, his mechanical arm transformed, this time into a Gatling gun. He then started to fire it indiscriminately in the throne room in pure rage. Everyone took cover from the rapid spray of energy bullets. Lucas tried to charge in, Spear in hand, but to his horror Celtic transformed his arm again, this time into a massive, heavily armored fist. With a powerful punch, Lucas was sent flying, slamming into a wall with a loud CRASH. Celtic then transformed his arm again, this time into some strange cannon. It had a round wheel-shaped body with small nobs on it, grill-like structures in the front and back, ending in a cylinder nozzle. He held it up above his head, causing a sphere of energy to form, before firing it. When it reached a certain point, it burst, releasing multiple streams of energy that rained down upon everything. He transformed it once again, this time into what looked like an electric fan. He then aimed it between his feet and fired it, causing a massive tornado to form inside the throne room. The winds it produced slashed and ripped everything they touched, sending debris and anything not nailed down flying. Celtic’s almost demonic voice could then be heard from within it.

“YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS DECEPTION! MARK MY WORDS, YOU LIGHT ELF SCUM!!! THIS ISN’T THE LAST TIME YOU’VE SEEN CELTIC PULSAR! I WILL MAKE YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! NO ONE CROSSES A PULSAR! NO ONE!!! HEED MY WARNING, FOR I’LL MAKE SURE YOUR KINGDOM FALLS INTO RUINS FOR YOUR CRIMES!!! THAT I PROMISE!!! YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED, AS MY WRATH KNOWS NO LIMITS!!!”

The tornado then vanished, but Celtic was nowhere to be found. Everyone gingerly climbed out of their hiding places, terrified at what had just happened, the throne room now in ruins.

Several miles outside of the city of Lumestia, a black portal opened up. As it vanished, Celtic appeared, breathing heavily, his anger and rage overtaking his mind. He glared behind him, seeing the city from a distance. His eyes showed more hatred and wrath, his razor sharp fangs bared, as if ready to tear the flesh off of anything. He roared into the night sky before storming off. Various monsters tried to attack him as he did, only to meet swift ends from his rage-induced state. He just keep walking, not caring about rest or food or anything. All he had was the clothes on his back, his Tek-Pak, and the Shroud. Finally, he managed to speak.

“I want this world to burn. I want it to burn to ashes. I don’t care about anyone here; I want this world destroyed. The universe won’t miss this godforsaken rock, and neither will I.”

As he continued to walk, he passed what looked like a circus tent. Standing outside of it was a man dressed like a ringmaster. He noticed Celtic; his eyes gleaming as the enraged teen walked.

“Hello, young lad! You look like you had a rough night. Something tells me that the Light Elves are up to their dirty old tricks again. Maybe you want to take revenge on them, hmm? Most people do. And I may have just the thing!”

Celtic turned to him, “Oh, yeah? I doubt a circus ringmaster would have something that’ll satisfy my bloodlust right now. But, yes, those vile Light Elves framed me for a crime I never committed, and now I want them to burn! But, unfortunately, as I’m stuck as the ‘Shroud Hero’, I have to fight off these damn waves or whatever. So, I doubt you’ll have anything that’ll help me.”

The ringmaster gave a wide smile, “Hohoho! The Light Elves are, indeed, up to their old tricks again. Well, as it turns out, I happen to have some very useful… ‘cargo’ that might help. If you need something to help you fight off Infinator and get payback on the Light Elves, then I may have just the ticket. How does a slave sound?”

Celtic gained a repulsed look, “A slave? No thanks.”

As he started to walk away, the ringmaster said, “Are you sure? Slaves cannot disobey, and they cannot lie, either, lest they be punished severely by the slave crest they have. And slaves are often good for manual labor… including fighting monsters. You could have your own army to not only crush Infinator, but the Light Elves as well. And I’ve got some good buys in that department.”

Celtic stopped dead in his tracks, his rage-fueled mind churning dark ideas as he heard this.

“A slave can’t lie or disobey?” he asked. “And they’re good for fighting?” He pondered for a moment before turning around, “Fine, you’ve piqued my interest. What do you have in stock?”

“Excellent, my boy! Come right in! I’ve got some of the best wares out there. Before long, you could have an entire army to crush those dastardly Light Elves and put them in their place once and for all. In fact, I may actually have a Light Elf as a slave in stock, if memory serves.”

Celtic’s face twisted into an evil grin at that, “Now I’m really interested. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Next Chapter: Skye

And with that, Chapter 1 is off and running. Please leave feedback, as I want to improve this series as much as possible. Thanks and happy reading (I hope...).
 
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Okay, time to update. Here's Chapter 2, ready to view. Hope you all will enjoy it (I hope...). Also, this is where some of the more "M"-rated stuff starts to surface (mostly thanks to Skye herself), with more in later chapters. Just fair warning to anyone who might get a bit offended at stuff like that. Anyway, on with the show.

Skye


Inside the tent were various cages, each containing something. The ringmaster-like slave dealer escorted Celtic around, pointing out the various “choices” he had to offer. Still fueled by his rage, Celtic’s mind was numb to his actions. Finally, the slave dealer stopped at a certain point.

“Now that you’ve seen some of my finer wares, I’ll show you some of the, let’s just say ‘easier-to-control’ slaves I have in stock. As you saw, some, such as the beastmen, are a bit fierce, and require some real work. This next section will have more ‘tame’ slaves for you to choose from. And by ‘tame’ I mean completely submissive to your beck and call. And, if memory serves, I believe the Light Elf slave I mentioned before is in here. You could use it as indirect payback toward those long eared halfwits, but the choice is yours. Now, take a look at these.”

He led Celtic to a smaller room where there were only a few cages. Celtic’s eyes narrowed as he looked into the room.

“These slaves are also at a discount, so they’re quite affordable, as I’m certain you’re probably another victim of that girl, Veronica, so money might be a bit tight.”

This caught Celtic’s attention, “Hold on. Veronica has a reputation of pulling stuff like what she did to me?”

The slave trader turned to him, “Oh, yes, she’s quite infamous. And the entire Light Elf race knows it and revels in it, as it often helps their various ‘get-more-power-quick’ schemes. Oh, you’re not the first victim of hers, but you’re definitely the only one to survive her. You mentioned you were the Shroud Hero, right? That means you’re too important to be executed, right? That’s both a good thing and a bad one. The good part is that you can get revenge on her. The bad part is that, while you still draw breath, she’ll keep trying to attack and kick you down. Oh, that witch has garnered quite a reputation among this world. Now… let’s see… I believe the one you’re interested in is… that cage over there.”

He pointed to a cage in the corner partly covered by a sheet. Celtic walked over to it and moved the sheet. There, inside the cage, was a female Light Elf, as evident by her silver hair. Despite being filthy, she was gorgeous, with a very large bust, slender waist, long, strong-looking legs, and seemed very athletic. On each wrist and ankle were gold cuffs. She was barely responsive, however, except when she had to cough. Celtic’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her. She seemed to detect that she was being looked at, as she opened her eyes, revealing them to be baby blue in color, giving a small gulp as she saw his piercing gaze.

Celtic turned to the slave trader, “I’ve got one question. Why is she here, anyway?”

The trader replied, “I don’t know the whole story, as I’m the third trader to obtain her. But, from what I know, she was a rebellious one, always causing problems for both the Light Elves and previous slave traders. However, she doesn’t seem to have much life left in her now. Rumor has it that it was Veronica who came up with the idea to sell her to slavery as punishment for being so rebellious, though I, myself, don’t know if it’s true or not. Though it wouldn’t surprise me if she were, as she’s a nasty piece of work.”

At the word “Veronica”, the female Light Elf’s eyes flared angrily, her body quivering with rage. This didn’t go unnoticed by Celtic.

“Is she a victim of Veronica as well?” he thought. “That long-eared fiend sure gets around if that’s the case.” He then said aloud, “I’ll take her. They say misery loves company, and if she hates Veronica as much as I do, then she’ll do nicely.”

The Light Elf looked stunned, sharply turning her head toward Celtic, eyes wide. The slave trader took out a ring of keys, unlocked her cage, and forcefully dragged her out. For some reason she didn’t resist, despite the fact that Celtic could see she seemed to possess a lot of strength. After the three of them walked over to a certain point in the tent, which seemed to be the “office”, the slave trader forced her down onto her knees. He then took out what looked like a brush, ink, and a small knife and put them on the table in front of Celtic.

“What’s all this?” the redhead asked.

“Well, this is special ink that allows a slave crest to be either created or overwritten. You see that crest on her chest, above her breasts, that’s a slave crest. It’ll respond whenever she disobeys or lies by giving her a powerful shock. In order for you to become her new master, I need to override the original slave crest with one made with your blood. That’s what the knife is for. All you have to do is pierce a finger, drip a few drops of blood into the ink, and with one brush, her original crest will be overwritten and rebranded as yours. That way you can keep a close eye on her and she can’t disobey you. I will warn you, from what the previous trader told me about her, is that she’s a fighter. She’s got a lot of fire in her, though she seems to be pretty burnt out by this point, but if you can get her back up to speed, she can be a force. From what little I know of her; they say she’s the strongest Light Elf in the entire race. How she got so easily subdued and sold to slavery I don’t know. She might need some work to get her back up to speed, but that shouldn’t be an issue. Now then, my lad, pierce your finger and drop a few drops of blood into the ink so we can begin.”

Celtic nodded. He took the knife, pierced his left pointer finger, held it over the shallow dish of ink, and allowed a couple of blood droplets fall into it. The slave trader then took the brush, dipped it into the ink, walked over to the elf, pulled her tattered clothes down a bit to access the crest, and made a circular brush over it. The Light Elf recoiled in pain as the brand crackled with energy and seemed to burn her. To Celtic’s surprise, what appeared to be a second set of stats formed within his special stat vision, showing the elf girl’s stats. Even more to his surprise, it showed her Level at 40, and the name “Skye Lightwave” appeared next to it.

“Lightwave?” he said silently. “Isn’t that the name of the royal family? Is she a former member of the royal family?”

Finally, the pain seemed to subside, though the elf, now known as Skye, was panting heavily from it, coughing every now and then.

“And that will do it!” the slave trader said enthusiastically. “Now, that’ll come to 35 silvers.”

Celtic counted out the silver coins in the pouch he was given earlier and placed down a large number of them. As he walked over to Skye, the slave trader turned to him.

“There’s one extra here, you know.”

“That’s your commission for the crest,” the redhead stated. “You were going to get it out of me anyway, so I just cut to the chase and put it out already.”

The slave trader smiled, “You’re a smart one, I like that. Well, enjoy your new slave.”

Celtic turned to Skye, who gave him a look, “Skye, was it? You’re going to help me do my job as the Shroud Hero… along with annihilating Veronica and the royal family for their treachery.”

Her eyes widened in shock, barely managing to say, “S-Shroud Hero?! Y-You’re the Shroud Hero?!”

Celtic roughly grabbed her arm with his metal one, “Yes, and I’ve got a job to do whether I want it or not. And you’re going to help me achieve that. So, on your feet and move out, now.”

He forced Skye onto her feet and started to drag her out of the tent. Skye didn’t resist, as she was still processing what she had heard. As they left the tent, the slave trader felt giddy.

“I can’t believe he actually took her. And if what they said is true about her, she also has a vendetta against the Light Elf Kingdom. Ooh, I’m almost trembling with excitement at what may come next! Who knows? Maybe I’ll be adding Veronica to my stock soon.”

A short time later, Celtic was still roughly dragging Skye as they walked away from the Light Elf capital. She was still processing everything she had heard. Suddenly, Celtic stopped dead in his tracks, confusing her. His body started to quake, eyes wide in horror, letting go of her, before falling to his knees.

“I… I don’t believe it…” he choked. “I went against every moral code I believe in… and bought a slave! I hate slavery! And yet… I did exactly that… all because my mind was warped by that vile witch, Veronica’s, betrayal and trickery. My God, what have I done!? I did the unthinkable and betrayed everything I believed in… all for a rage-filled desire to slaughter that woman in revenge for her crimes. I… I really am a monster… I’m no Hero of the Shroud… I’m a demon of a man…”

He quickly stood up, started to fumble with his metallic pinky, while Skye looked on, utterly confused.

“Um… what are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m setting you free,” he said frantically, surprising her. “I just need to get the right tool to remove those cuffs on your wrists and ankles and you’re free to go. I had no right to do what I did, and I have no right to enslave you to do my bidding. That’s all kinds of wrong, and it betrays everything I believe in. Now… aha! There’s the right tool!”

To Skye’s surprise, his pinky split open at the tip, revealing some sort of metal pick. He then grabbed her wrist with his other hand, placed the pick into the hole in the cuffs, and a light grinding noise could be heard.

“H-How are you able to do that?” the elf sputtered in shock.

“This arm is a robotic prosthetic of my own design. I’ve since made extra modifications to it for personal reasons such as work, though I recently added weapons to it, as, because I’m the so-called ‘Hero of the Shroud’, I can’t hold a weapon. However, I realized that there was a loophole there, so I modified my arm to become weapons at will, such as cannons, swords, and other equipment. The tool I’m using right now is a special lockpick to break these cuffs on you so I can set you free. Why do I have a lockpick, you might ask? The bathroom door back home keeps getting stuck whenever it’s locked, so I designed this to break it until dad finally gets it fixed properly. I swear, though, what was I thinking? Buying a slave so I can get revenge on those long-eared backstabbers. I’m really losing it.”

To Skye’s surprise, the cuff shattered, revealing it to be a magically constructed one to Celtic. He then started to work on the other wrist. Skye started to smile as she saw how frantic he was in correcting his sin.

“You know, master,” she said warmly. “You’re not the only one who wants revenge on the Light Elf Kingdom. I have a bone to pick with them, too. It’s just like the slave trader said, Veronica is the reason why I’m a slave. As he said, I was a rebel, but not for reasons you’d expect. You see, I appear to be the only Light Elf born with a functioning moral compass, as I clearly know the difference between right and wrong. The Light Elves are always up to no good, regularly creating ‘get-more-power-quick’ schemes to up their social rank, that was rightfully lowered, as we’re the reason the Great Demon War happened in the first place.”

As Celtic shattered the second cuff, he turned to her, “Great Demon War? Is this how Infinator came to be?”

She nodded, “Yes. You see, 2500 years ago, the Light Elves got the ‘brilliant’ idea to summon Infinator to this world so we could enslave him and use his power for our own ambitions. It worked about as well as you’d expect. Not only did Infinator’s very presence warp this world, creating the now common effect such as EXP, Levels, and so on, but he waged war with this world. He nearly won, too. However, the Delgunner Kingdom, the true royal powerhouse, summoned another species of demon: the Shadokor, who were Infinator’s natural opposite, to help us fight.”

Celtic looked up as he worked on her ankle cuffs, “Another race of demon? Weren’t they worried about it backfiring like how Infinator’s summoning did?”

“Normally, one would think that. However, the Shadokor are sort of the police force of the Demon Realm, or so I’ve heard. They govern the Demon Realm, keeping other demon races in line. As such, it turns out that they’re a race of benevolent demons who fight for justice and peace. When they were summoned here, led by the one called the ‘Shadow Prince’, they immediately took charge of the fight. As it turns out, they wanted Infinator dead, too, so they were more than happy to help. Because of them, the war was completely flipped, and it became a one-sided beatdown from the Shadokor, who utterly destroyed Infinator’s forces like they were bugs. In fact, they were the ones who destroyed Infinator’s body, leaving only his crystalized soul, just waiting to be destroyed for good. But… unfortunately, we idiot Light Elves, in order to cover our tracks, sealed him away instead.”

Celtic looked up again as he broke the third cuff, “The Light Elves sealed him away?! That’s just prolonging his return!”

“Indeed. This did not sit well with everyone, including the Shadokor, but my idiotic species had already done the deed, as well as created a special barrier to keep the Shadokor, and any other darkness-aligned being, from getting near him so they could finish the job. Basically, it prevents anyone who doesn’t naturally possess the Light element from going near him. As a result, the Shadokor settled in on this world, building their own kingdom so they could be ready to strike Infinator down when he regained his power. At the same time, as punishment for our deeds, the Light Elf Kingdom was knocked down several pegs on the royal pecking order, though it seemed to only enhance our desire for more power. And that’s the general story of the Great Demon War.”

The final cuff was then shattered, causing Skye to start glowing, much to Celtic’s surprise. After the glow subsided, she started doing stretches, loosening up her muscles.

“Oh, yeah, that feels great! Those were anti-magic cuffs. When they’re equipped onto a magical being like an elf, it locks away all their powers. So, even though I’m Level 40, I wouldn’t have been much help to you while wearing them, as my magic fuels the rest of me. Though, since I’ve had those damn things on me for at least a year, though I’ve lost track, I wouldn’t be surprised if it has stunted my magic and growth for a bit. But a little exercise will get it going again soon enough. So, what’s the plan?”

Celtic looked surprised, “Wait… you’re going to stick with me? Is it because of that slave crest?”

Skye smiled, “You and I have the same goals. And I can tell you’re taking this threat of Infinator seriously, which is something I can agree with. I also have a personal vendetta with the Light Elf Kingdom. But… there is one last thing you need to be aware of, master.”

“You don’t have to call me master, as I’m not worthy of that after what I did,” the redhead said with dull eyes.

“So… then what should I call you?”

“Celtic, but I suggest you get very far away from me, as I don’t know what I might do with my warped state of mind.”

She placed a hand on his cheek, “Celtic, huh? Sounds like a noble name. Well, listen, Celtic, you and I have the same goals and opinions. We both know this threat of Infinator is serious stuff, and we both know that, as the Shroud Hero, you’re a vital link in this fight. Now, I know what you’re going to say, and you’re wrong. Just because you bought me doesn’t make you a bad hero. Past Legendary Heroes had slaves work alongside them. It’s just par for the course. Besides, I can tell you’re different. You may be dark, but you also have a noble spirit, I can see that. Celtic, I’m going to fight alongside you, not because I’m your slave, but because I believe in you and have faith in you. I can see it in your eyes. The pain, the suffering, the injustice, the rage, yet the courage and determination to keep pushing through. That’s something I can respect. I’m willing to work with you because you’re just like me.”

Celtic looked at her, surprised, “S-Skye. Do you really mean that? Even after the sin I committed?”

She smiled, “Yes, and I can understand why you did it. Veronica corrupts everything she touches. You’re not her first victim, but I intend to make you her last. I’ve seen it all too many times, and the Light Elves are very much aware it’s just more of her schemes to help give our race more political power. However, this time they’ve gone too far, as by shaming you and dragging your name through the mud only going to have catastrophic results.”

He looked at her, stunned, “What do you mean?”

“It’s simple. The five Legendary Heroes are all considered political and religious figures. Tarnish one and that’s enough of a reason to go to war. On top of that, it was well decided ages ago that only the five major kingdoms would summon one hero to fight off Infinator or any other crisis the world is experiencing. Tell me, did the Light Elves summon all five Heroes?”

“Yes, though the other four aren’t taking it seriously, treating this world as one big game, while I knew to take it seriously right out the gate. Veronica’s treachery only cemented that feeling… along with causing my sanity to crash. And… in the process… I trashed the throne room.”

To his surprise, Skye laughed, “I’m glad you did! I’ve been wanting to trash it for years! My idiotic family has had it coming for a LONG time! I’m glad someone finally did it, I just wish it were me!”

She then started coughing, causing Celtic to try to support her.

“We have to get you cleaned up and cured of your illness first, Skye,” he said tenderly. “So, don’t push yourself just yet.”

She flashed him a warm smile, “Thank you, Celtic. I know what I have, but I don’t have the ability to make the medicine that would cure me.” An idea dawned upon her, “But you can make it! The Shroud of Shadows, the Legendary Gear you possess, has the power to help craft things like medicine.”

Celtic looked stunned, “I-It does?! How?”

“It’s very simple. You know that gem on it, the one in front of your neck. If you feed the gem various items, such as herbs, monster parts, and minerals, it will unlock various forms and abilities. That’s one of the main powers of the Legendary Gear. I know a fair bit about the Legendary Gear, so I can show you the ropes, if you’d like. Granted, I don’t know everything about it, as the Legendary Gear is shrouded in mystery, but I do know some of its basic functions and abilities. Let’s see…” she looked around before grabbing what looked like an herb from a nearby bush. “See this? It’s a run-of-the-mill healing herb. Have the Shroud of Shadows absorb it and watch what it can do.”

Celtic took the herb, placed it on the gem, and to his surprise, the gem absorbed it. Suddenly, what looked like a status screen appeared, showing what looked like a type of skill tree. In the center of it was a circle that read “Shroud of Shadows” before a line branched off of it, creating another circle that read “Basic Potion Making Shroud”.

“You see what I mean?” Skye smiled. “By feeding the gem various items, you unlock more skills and abilities. They differ depending on the item in question, and while they’re not always flashy, they can be helpful. However, you look like the type that wouldn’t care about flashiness and be more interested in having a wide skill level, correct? Now, let’s test it. Activate it by tapping it or stating its name.”

Nodding, Celtic tapped the circle, causing the Shroud to start glowing. It changed shape and color, becoming a cape made of large medicinal leaves and herbs. This caused several nearby herbs to suddenly float over to him, landing in his hands. Skye then started to look around again.

“We need something to grind those herbs into a potion that’ll fix me up. Let’s see… we need a round rock and a flat one. Aha! There’s some.”

She fetched two rocks; one was disc shaped while the other was somewhat square. She then, much to Celtic’s surprise, punched a small hole in the disc-shaped one with her thumb, picked up a thick enough stick, and placed it in it, creating a makeshift herb grinding wheel.

“Give it a whirl. You’ll be surprised at what the Shroud can do. Flashy or not, every piece of Legendary Gear can do this, though I’ve heard that the Shroud is considered the best in that regard.”

Celtic sat down and started to grind the herbs in the makeshift herb grinder. To his surprise, after he was done turning them into a paste, the Shroud started to glow, causing the herbs to glow, and they took a new form. Sitting on his lap was a vial of medicine, with his stat screen showing what it was.

“Medicinal Herb Potion? I’m speechless,” he said. “I didn’t know the Shroud could do this. I just hope I did this right.”

Skye took the vial, “If you had failed, it wouldn’t have transformed into a vial of medicine. Now… bottoms up…” She gained a reluctant look but swallowed the medicine in one gulp, gaining a disgusted face, “Bleh! No doubt about it, that’s the correct stuff. So bitter, bleh!” Suddenly, sparkles formed around her but vanished just as quickly, “Well, that means the medicine has taken effect. I’ll probably need another dose or two in a little bit, as I’ve been sick for a while, but not bad for a beginner.”

Suddenly, Celtic felt something gnawing on him again. He looked under his left arm to see another Ballooner chewing on his waist, gaining an annoyed look.

“What do these things think I am? I’ve suffered enough as-is, I don’t need these pests turning me into a chew toy,” he growled.

With his metal hand he crushed it but noticed something drop from the Ballooner’s popped body.

“What’s this?”

He picked up what looked like a bell or orb, showing it to Skye.

“That’s the Ballooner’s power core. Essentially their heart,” she explained. “Have the Shroud absorb it, too, and see what happens next.”

Nodding, Celtic fed the gem the power core, causing it to be absorbed. The status screen appeared again, this time creating another skill tree branch from the center, the new one named “Orange Ballooner Shroud”. He tapped it, causing the Shroud to transform again, this time into an orange, somewhat rubbery form, with the Ballooner’s eyes on it. He then read the effects of the new Shroud.

“Huh… so the Orange Ballooner Shroud has the power to help increase the chances of successfully crafting anything made from animal or monster hide. I guess that means things like boots, capes, and gloves. Might come in handy, since Veronica stole all my equipment, except what isn’t already attached to me currently.”

Skye knelt down to his level, “By the way, what exactly did she accuse you of? I know you’re innocent, as I’ve seen this happen several times now, but what did she accuse you of, exactly?”

“From the sound of it, rape and robbery,” he sighed sadly.

Skye sighed as well, “Figures. That’s her favorite story to use. I guess that makes you victim number 33, or maybe even more, as I’ve been in slavery for at least a year, so I don’t know if her victim list has increased since then.” She gave another sigh, “Unfortunately, she, and the rest of the kingdom, are too stupid to realize that, accusing the Shroud Hero of a crime and dragging your name through the mud will cause pretty much every single nation and race to go to war with the Light Elves, as the Shroud Hero is considered a religious figure to 30+ nations and races. We cannot allow that. As much as I’d like to see the kingdom burn, we cannot afford that, as a world war on top of Infinator’s waves will only make things ten times worse, if not more. It’ll waste resources and cause senseless casualties on top of the fact that Infinator’s minions are killing indiscriminately. If that happens, it’ll only help Infinator regain power and conquer the world. That cannot be allowed. Man, I knew the Light Elves never think their plans through completely, but this is a new low.”

Celtic turned to her, “Do you have any suggestions, Skye, as I’m clearly not welcome there anymore.”

She nodded, “Yes, I do. I say we abandon the Light Elf Kingdom and head for Delgunner. They’re the top brass when it comes to political power and have the second strongest army in the world. If we can get an audience with King Alvin, he’ll more than happily clear your name and hold the Light Elves accountable for their actions, as this is a whole new low for them. And, before you ask, King Alvin will gladly give us an audience, as the Shroud Hero is one of the figures Delgunner worships. We’ll have to make tracks, as Delgunner is a long way from here, and I wouldn’t be surprised if my father released the other Heroes on you to get you back to pay for what you did. Well, I won’t let that happen.” She stood up and took a salute pose, crossing her arm over her chest, “Celtic, I, Skye Lightwave, hereby declare my allegiance and loyalty to you. Not because I’m your slave, but because I believe in you, I care about you, and I know the truth. I’ll defend you from any injustice that those bottom-feeders may try to pin you with. I will proudly be your right-hand woman until my dying day. I will follow you through fire and brimstone. That is my resolve. You have my word.”

Celtic was stunned, thinking, “I’ve waited years for someone to say something like that to me. And, if what that Slave Trader said is true, if she were lying, the Slave Crest would react to it. S-She’s speaking the truth. I… I never thought I’d see the day where anyone outside of my adopted parents and grandparents would say something like that to me.” He then started to cry, surprising Skye.

“C-Celtic?”

“S-Sorry, Skye…” he wept. “B-But you’re the first person outside of my adopted parents and grandparents to actually say something like that. I’ve been hated and ostracized all my life, both by my peers and even my own adoptive relatives. I’ve waited years to hear such words from someone outside of my parents. I-I know I shouldn’t cry, but you’re the first person I’ve met who actually cares. I’ve been alone and hated all my life, and yet, somehow, despite how we met, you’re willing to stand by me. Skye… thank you. I was so ashamed of myself for buying you, and yet, somehow, it ended up working out for both of us in the end. Thank you, Skye, I really mean it.”

Skye gained a warm smile, tears forming in her eyes, falling to her knees, “I know how you feel, Celtic. I’m very much in the same boat as you. We can do this, together. I promise, we’ll set this right. We’ll defeat the Light Elves, destroy Infinator, and prove that the Shroud isn’t useless. I don’t care what it takes, or what obstacles we face, we’ll succeed in our mission.”

After a few minutes, Celtic managed to recover, “I’m sorry about that, Skye, but it really meant a lot to me. Now… we need to get you armor and a weapon. And clean you up, too.”

Skye playfully winked at him, “Oh, I’ve already got that covered. You see, I had specially crafted gear and weapons made just for me. And since I had them infused with my blood, I can summon them from anywhere. Now that I’m free of my anti-magic cuffs, I can summon my original gear with magic. Watch this.”

She started to channel magic into a sphere in her hands, much to Celtic’s surprise. After a few moments, she popped the magical sphere, waited a moment, then suddenly several beams of light swarmed down to her hands. The lights transformed into what looked like lightweight armor, a silver dagger and a short-bladed naginata. Celtic’s jaw dropped as he saw this, making Skye giggle.

“I knew those idiots didn’t get rid of my stuff. They know it’s made from rare material, so they most likely stuffed it into the royal vault because of its value. They always were like bandits, hoarding anything rare and shiny, even other kingdom’s treasures like the thieves they are. Now, before I put it on, I need you to clean me up, Celtic. The Shroud can do that for us. Watch this.”

She touched the gem with her hand. To Celtic’s surprise, the gem released energy that washed all over her. Within seconds, she was clean as a whistle, almost as if she had never been a slave from the start.

“Pretty nifty, huh?” she giggled. “The Shroud’s holy magic is capable of doing that, even though it’s called the Shroud of Shadows. While I’m still feeling a bit under the weather, at least I’m clean. Now, time to suit up!”

Celtic stood up, “Okay, then, let’s find some dense bushes for you to…!!!”

To his shock, she started to undress right in front of him, tossing her slave clothes off without a care. Celtic immediately became flustered, trying to cover his eyes.

“S-S-Skye! W-What are you doing?! D-Don’t you want some privacy!?”

Skye merely giggled, “Nope. I don’t care about that. Modesty is overrated. It’s more fun this way. And…” she pressed up against him, gaining a seductive smirk, “If you’d like, I can show you a really good time, master.”

Celtic became beet red, trying to turn away, “T-That’s not necessary, Skye! J-Just hurry and get dressed before someone sees you!”

The mischievous Light Elf giggled, “As you wish, master, but rest assured, Celtic, you’ll be seeing this divine bod quite often. I have big plans for you. Now… I wonder if I’ve grown since last I wore this…”

She continued to get changed in front of Celtic, who was trying his hardest to turn away, which was a difficult task as she kept using the blunt side of her naginata’s blade to redirect his attention back to her. Finally, after a few minutes, she was dressed, though Celtic was still beet red at her outfit-of-choice. Her outfit was extremely revealing as she was virtually wearing a microkini armor consisting of a special "breastplate" lined with armored frills that only covers her nipples and splits at her sternum, elbow guards and fingerless gloves, a rather large steel-and-gold neck guard, an armored bikini bottom with twin tails attached to her belt, and knee-high high-heeled boots. She attached a silver dagger to the back of her belt and, with a display of magic, caused her naginata to vanish. She took a moment to adjust her outfit, making sure it still fit, before smiling.

“There, that should do it,” she smiled. “Glad it still fits, especially considering how large my breasts are. Was a bit worried that my melons had gotten bigger since I last wore this but it appears that I’m still the same size as before. Good, that’ll keep things simple.”

Celtic, who was still red in the face, sputtered, “S-Skye, isn’t that a bit revealing? Don’t you want something a bit more… protective and covering?”

She struck a pose, “Nope. You see, I embrace my species battle strengths, and that’s Speed and Attack. All elves are rather fragile in durability, so most species prefer to wear lightweight armor and clothes to better reflect our stronger stats. The Light Elves are the only race stupid enough to go against that. There’s a reason why they have the worst army in the world. Elves need to focus on overpowering their foes quickly, so wearing heavy armor only slows us down and makes us easy targets. Unlike me, who has some fierce leg strength, most Light Elves don’t possess a lot of leg power, so by wearing heavy armor, it slows us down. Whenever my idiot race goes onto the battlefield, we get creamed because we won’t embrace our strengths. Heavy armor is fine and dandy… if you’re a species that can make use of it. Elves are not that kind of species.”

“But aren’t you worried about taking a hit, Skye? As, judging by the sound of it, you’re the fragile speedster type of fighter, meaning a single hit could do you in.”

“I may not possess a lot of Defense, so I’ll take a lot of damage if I’m hit, but actually hitting me is the tricky part. I’m very fast, as fast as cheetah-type Beastmen, with strong acrobatic abilities. My combat style is to overpower my foes quickly with either physical strikes from my naginata or kicks, or powerful elemental magic, both are just as effective as the other. That’s why I’m the Light Elf with the highest Level, as well as being the strongest Light Elf, as I embrace my species’ strengths and it helps me overcome my enemies. Using my species’ strengths allows me to cover my weaknesses. And now, because I’m your party member, the Shroud of Shadows can boost my Defense by absorbing various materials to unlock new powers. The Shroud may be Defense-oriented, but that doesn’t mean it’s useless. I’ll show you the ropes and help you unlock more of the Shroud’s powers. Before long, the other Heroes will be eating your dust, I know it.”

Celtic gave a sigh, “If you say so. I hope you’re right, as I’d feel horrible if you died because I couldn’t protect you.”

To his surprise, Skye kissed him on the cheek, “I appreciate that, Celtic, I really do. But I know it’ll work out; I have a gut feeling. Now, enough small talk, let’s get going. To Delgunner! Follow me, Hero of the Shroud!”

With a playful wink, Skye led the way, Celtic following her, somehow feeling that things will finally turn out okay for them.

Next Chapter: The Savior of the Shroud

And that's Chapter 2. As you can see, it takes a different turn than its "source" Shield Hero did in certain fields, such as Celtic's "choice" regarding things like Skye, his next course of action and so on. Where will this lead him? We shall see.
 
Okay, here's Chapter 3: The Savior of the Shroud. I meant to get this up earlier but I lost my power for several hours due to a heavy rainstorm, only really getting it back mid-to-late afternoon. Anyway, on with the show.

The Savior of the Shroud


It was the following night since Celtic had “acquired” Skye. The two of them had set up camp for the night. Skye was sound asleep while Celtic kept watch. As he gently stoked the campfire, he looked over to his left. There were several items that the duo had acquired, mostly in the form of monster pelts, over the course of the day. As he looked at them, he remembered what Skye had told him about their “catches”.

“Skye mentioned that the pelts and hides of what we killed today could fetch some decent cash,” he said silently. “I also want to see if I can acquire some new Shrouds, as, thanks to our grinding today, I obtained two more Shrouds: the Goblin Shroud and the Beast Bone Shroud. The Goblin Shroud helps increase the quality of monster and animal pelt items, making it an extension of the Orange Ballooner Shroud, while the Beast Bone Shroud increases the chances of crafting items out of bones. Those will come in handy, as we’re cut off from the cash flow that the other ‘Heroes’ will get, so we need to do what we can to make ends meet. Now, let’s take a look at some of our catches.”

He picked up what looked like a rabbit pelt, only it had blue fur with white feet, sharp needle-like teeth, and a golden unicorn-like horn on its forehead.

“This is the pelt of a Rabbicorn, a carnivorous rabbit-type monster. She said that the horn fetch a range of 15 to 30 silvers, depending on the length, though the pelt itself fetches much less, only within the coppers range. Let me see if I can remove the horn safely. Ah, I have an idea.”

He started to fumble with his metallic pointer finger before settling on a tool. It was revealed to be a laser cutter. With it, he gently sliced the horn off the Rabbicorn, looked it over, and placed it to his side. He then took the other two Rabbicorn pelts and did the same thing, taking note that each horn was a different length. He then retracted the laser cutter to further examine the pelts.

“I wonder…” he pondered. “Since the pelts don’t fetch much on their own, maybe I can craft them into gear using the skill tree set started by the Orange Ballooner Shroud. Maybe it could help us by giving us new gear or even be sold to armories or something. Might be worth something then. First, I want to test something.”

He reached into the Rabbicorn’s mouth and gently broke off the buckteeth, which were the only teeth it had that weren’t fangs. He then placed them on the gem of the Shroud, causing them to be absorbed. This caused the status screen of his Shroud to appear, creating a new skill tree. This new Shroud from had the label “Lightfoot Shroud”. He tapped it to see what it’s effects were, causing the Shroud on his back to change appropriately, becoming covered in blue fur with an upside-down horn decal that started from the nape of his neck down to midback.

“Hmm… it appears that this Shroud boosts stats,” he said to himself. “It gives all party members +5 in Defense and +8 in Speed. Not too shabby for a pretty commonplace monster, at least according to Skye. I have to activate it in order to get the stat bonuses, so might as well do that.”

He tapped it again, causing the Shroud to glow. On his stat vision screen, it showed both his and Skye’s stats. Both of their Defense stats gained +5 points while their Speed gained +8, which was added into their total stats. As it did, Celtic felt his body strengthen. He then heard Skye purr in her sleep, a smile forming on her face, indicating she felt the boost as well, but remained asleep.

“Heh,” he chuckled silently. “Now, onto business.” He took out what looked like a sewing kit from his Tek-Pak, “Good thing I always keep a sewing kit on-hand, given how often things tear back home. Now, let’s see if I can craft this Rabbicorn pelt into something decent. But first, I have to activate the Goblin Shroud so my chances of succeeding increase.”

He switch Shrouds, with the new Shroud becoming green and somewhat leathery with fang decals on it. He then went to work, trying his luck. After about ten minutes, the Goblin Shroud glowed, causing the item he was working on to transform into a completed form, making him smile.

“Not too shabby for a first time. Now, let’s see what these are.” They were revealed to be fingerless gloves, with their stats and name displayed to him, “Hmm… Swift Gloves. They grant +5 in Defense and +7 in Speed when worn. I’d wear them myself, but I don’t think they’d work too well for me. Since my right hand is my weapon hand, the glove might get destroyed when I transform it, so it’d be a waste. But maybe they’ll fetch a decent price at a market or something. Let’s try my luck with another pelt and see if I can make something different.”

He put the gloves aside and started to work with the second pelt. After another ten minutes, the Goblin Shroud glowed again, causing the item he was working on to transform into its final form. This time he had made what looked like a bandanna, with the name and effects appearing before him.

“Another success. I’m getting good, though I better not get too confident. Let’s see… Lightfoot Bandanna. Grants +7 in Defense and +10 in Speed, and it also increases the chances of opposing attacks missing. Not bad at all. Let’s try one more time.”

He took the final Rabbicorn pelt and started to work with it. After another ten minutes, the Goblin Shroud glowed, causing the newly crafted item to take form. This time he had made a short scarf.

“Not bad at all. Let’s see… Swift Scarf. Grants +4 in Defense and +12 in Speed, and also has the ability to increase the chance of landing critical hits. What it lacks in Defense it makes up for in helping score heavier hits for faster kills. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself. I wonder what else I can make with the pelts we have.”

He put the newly made items aside and picked up the pelt of what looked like a boar with spines.

“This Prickleback Boar made for a great dinner. It had very tasty meat, I must admit. Skye mentioned that the leathery pelts it has can fetch about 30 or so silvers, but items made from it fetch even more. She also mentioned that the tusks get about 100 coppers a pair, which could come in handy. Let me remove the tusks with my laser cutter again and then try to make something out of the pelt.”

He produced the laser cutter from his pointer finger again and gently sliced off the silvery tusks before retracting it. Gaining an idea, he snapped off one of the spines on its back and had the Shroud absorb it, unlocking a new Shroud. Like the Goblin Shroud, it seemed to branch off from the Orange Ballooner Shroud, with the name “Prickleback Shroud” appearing. He tapped it, causing his Shroud to transform again, this time into a leathery shroud with spines and tusk-like structures around his neck. He read the effects.

“Hmm… the Prickle Back Shroud increases the quality of items made from animal or monster pelts. Damn, wish I knew that earlier, then maybe I could’ve made my Rabbicorn gear even better. Oh, well, that’s the price I pay for self-teaching. But let me see if I can turn this into something worthwhile.”

He started working on crafting the Prickleback Boar hide. After 20 minutes, the Shroud glowed again, transforming the item into its final form. It appeared to be a leather-like cape with a high collar and fur-lined trim, with its name and effects presented before him.

“Hmm… Prickle Leather Cape. Grants +25 in Defense and reduces Fire and Ice damage by 5%, and it appears to be good quality, too. Definitely my best one yet. Now, there is one last pelt I have, so I might as well try my luck.”

He folded up the cape and put it with the rest of the newly made gear before picking up the last pelt. It looked like a dalmatian-colored saber tooth tiger cub pelt with a long tail and sharp claws and teeth.

“Skye mentioned that this is a Spotted Saber Cub. The saber teeth fetch 20 silvers per pair, so I better take them first.”

He pulled out the laser cutter again and gently sliced the pair of saber teeth off before retracting the tool. He then broke off another fang and had the Shroud absorb it, granting him a new Shroud. This time it branched off from the Lightfoot Shroud, with the name “Saber Bite Shroud” under it. He tapped it to read its effects, causing the Shroud to transform into a black and white spotted furry shroud with claw marks and saber teeth around his neck.

“Hmm… like the Lightfoot Shroud, this one boosts stats as well. In this case, it increases Attack by +7 and Speed by +6. Might as well use it, as every boost helps.”

He tapped it, causing the Shroud to glow. As he did, his stat vision screen appeared, showing his and Skye’s stats again. This time, their Attack gained +7 and their Speed gained +6. As the points were added in, Celtic felt his muscles get stronger, making him flex his left arm to see. Skye cooed in her sleep, obviously feeling the effects of the stat boost, but remained asleep.

“Not bad. Every stat counts, as we’ll need every bit of help we can get if we want to survive this war. Now, let me switch back to the Prickleback Shroud and try one more time in crafting something out of this pelt.”

He switch Shrouds again, the Shroud transforming accordingly. He then went to work on the Spotted Saber Cub pelt. After ten minutes, the Shroud glowed again, causing his work to transform into its final form. He made a pair of winter gloves out of the pelt.

“Nice. Looks like I made a pair of Saber Fur Gloves. They grant +5 in both Attack and Defense, as well as reduce Ice damage by 2%. Not too bad. Mom would love these, as she adores gloves like these, especially since she gets cold easily.” A twinge of guilt struck him, causing him to gain a depressed look, “Mom and dad must be worried sick about me. I’ve only be gone for a few days, but they probably think I’ve either run away or been kidnapped. Especially after that argument I had with dad before getting dragged into this mess. I also bet that Leena and Reena, or as I prefer to call them Hag 1 and Hag 2, are probably dancing in the streets because I’ve gone missing. They always hated me, though the feeling is mutual on my end, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve broken out some champagne and are drinking to my possible death. And to be honest, if I don’t do my job as the Shroud Hero, that could very well happen.”

Suddenly, he heard movement, startling him. To his relief, it was just Skye stirring from her slumber. She rubbed her eyes; ears twitching and gave a wide yawn as she awoke.

“Celtic?” she said sleepily. “I believe it’s my turn to do the night watch now, right?” She then noticed his handiwork, eyes wide, “Well, you certainly kept yourself busy. I’m impressed. Looks like you turned all those pelts into various pieces of gear. That’s no small task. I guess you unlocked more Shrouds while you were at it, as you’re wearing a Shroud I’ve never seen before.” She then noticed the Prickle Leather Cape, “Hmm? You made a Prickle Leather Cape, too? Wait… that brings something to mind. What was it again…?” She took a moment to think before it popped into her head, “Ah, yes, that’s right! Celtic, another function of the Legendary Gear is the Stat Copy ability.”

Celtic quirked an eyebrow, “Stat Copy? What’s that?”

“It’s a very useful function. You can have the Legendary Gear copy the stats and effects of a related item to distribute around the party. For example, for the Sword Hero, if he used Stat Copy on a Steel Broadsword, he and his party would gain +15 in Attack. The Shroud is the most interesting one of the five, as it can copy not only shrouds, but capes, cloaks, and robes, giving it wider options. On top of that, any bonuses the item possesses will be transferred to the party themselves. For example, if you use Stat Copy on that Prickle Leather Cape, we both will not only get +25 Defense, but also increase our resistance to Fire and Ice attacks by 5%. Which means, even without actually equipping the item, we’ll gain the effects of it into our very bodies. Neat, huh?”

Celtic’s eyes were wide, “I’m stunned. And that also means, by using Stat Copy, we can start covering up your low Defense issue by making you more durable. I can seriously get behind that. So, how does it work?”

She giggled, “Still looking out for me, Cel? I appreciate that, I really do. Now, from what I know, you need your Legendary Gear to be in its default form, which, in this case, is returning the Shroud of Shadows to its normal state. You can do that from the status screen.”

Nodding, Celtic brought up the stats screen again, tapped the center icon, transforming the Shroud of Shadows back to normal.

“Next, pick up the item you wish to copy the stats from.”

Celtic picked up the folded up cape and placed it on his lap.

“Now, touch the gem on your Shroud, state ‘Stat Copy’, and it’ll activate, causing your hand to glow. While it’s glowing, touch the item you wish to copy the stats from, and it’ll take it from there.”

Nodding, he touched the gem with his metal hand, stating, “Stat Copy.”

The gem glowed brightly, causing his entire hand to start glowing. He then placed his hand on the cape. This caused the cape to start glowing, followed by a stream of sparkles to fly from it and into the gem. After a few moments, the sparkles vanished, but this caused the stat vision screen to appear. Both he and Skye gained +25 Defense in their respective stats, with what looked like a footnote stating “Fire resistance +5%” and “Ice resistance +5%”. Both could feel the stats they had gained, with Skye posing and flexing teasingly.

“And there you have it,” she smiled. “Stat Copy does a body good. Now we’re both a lot more durable. By stacking those bonuses, it’ll increase our chances of overcoming the odds and winning this war, so don’t let Stat Copy go to waste. The only odd thing about it is you can’t use Stat Copy on the exact same item more than once, yet you can copy the stats of a second item of the same name. So, if you had two Prickle Leather Capes, you could use Stat Copy on both and gain both of their effects, yet you can’t use it on the same exact Prickle Leather Cape more than once. I wonder why that is? Anyway, let me take over the night watch now, Cel, and you get some rest. I say you deserve it after all your hard work making so much nice gear. Even if we don’t use it, it’ll fetch a fair amount at markets. The Prickle Leather Cape in particular could fetch at least 10 to 20 gold coins, which is a lot for a homemade item. Now, I suggest you get some sleep, Cel, as you’ll need it. I can handle things from here.”

Celtic gave a yawn, “Yeah, I could use some shuteye. Wake me if something happens, however, okay?”

She nodded in agreement, so with that, Celtic lay down and drifted off. As he did, Skye examined the items he made, smiling.

“The quality of all these items is pretty good for a beginner,” she said silently. “Even if we don’t use them, I know they’ll net us a fair price at a market or armory. I’m looking forward to seeing Celtic’s crafting ability bloom, as it could really help us make ends meet, as well as give any other party members we come across a boost.”

She then turned her attention to the fire, stoking it gently, awaiting dawn to come.

Morning came and the duo was on the move. After a quick breakfast of fruit, they resumed their trek to Delgunner to clear Celtic’s name. After crossing over a hill, they came to a small village.

“Let’s see…” Skye pondered. “If I remember right, this is Glori Village. I suggest we stop here for some supplies, and maybe do a bit of trading and bartering.”

Celtic looked concerned, “But what if they’ve heard about me and what happened in the capital?”

“Don’t worry. Glori Village hates the Light Elf capital. They never listen to anything the Light Elves say or do, as the Light Elves are always causing trouble. This village is full of peaceful folk who keep their distance from my idiotic race. We’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

“I hope so, as the last thing I need is more problems,” the redhead sighed. “But, at the same time, resting in a real bed would be a nice change of pace, as well as maybe getting some food for the road. Fine, let’s go.”

With a nod, the duo walked down to the village. To their surprise, it was unusually quiet, with no one in sight. As they wandered around, they saw what looked like splatter marks on the ground and on the sides of buildings, making them concerned.

“Something’s wrong…” Celtic said. “I know you said this village is peaceful, but it’s way too quiet. Did something happen here?”

Skye examined the splatter marks, “I might be mistaken, but these marks resemble how the various Slime monsters are killed. Whenever they’re killed, they burst and spill all over the place. And judging by how many there are, I’d say a whole pack of Slimes were here. But… the fact is, most of the Slimes around these parts are pitifully weak. Even a pitchfork or backhoe can kill one like it was a soap bubble. As a result, pretty much all Slime-based monsters avoid settlements, as even a kid can kill one of them. Why a potential pack of them attacked this place is beyond me, as even the strongest version in these parts, the Hot Slime, is laughably weak and never attacks villages, no matter how many there are.”

“Do you think it could be stronger members of the Slime family that could’ve been leftovers from Infinator’s attacks? From what you’ve told me, Infinator already launched his first attack just before me and those halfwits were summoned here, hence why we were summoned at all. So, maybe we have some invasive species of Slime monsters leftover from the first wave?”

She turned to him, “That’s a thought. It could be possible. If only we could find someone to talk to and ask.”

Just then the door to the church opened up, revealing a nun. She looked exhausted. She looked up and saw the duo, eyes lighting up. She quickly ran over to them.

“Oh, please tell me that you’re here to help!” she begged.

“What’s the problem, miss?” Celtic asked.

“We have a lot of sick villagers, thanks to the Toxi-Slimes that attacked us two days ago,” she said. “And we’ve run out of antidotes and other medicines to treat them. Please tell me that you’re here to help us.”

Skye took a moment to think, “Toxi-Slimes? You don’t find that breed of Slime anywhere near this area. They’re more common in swamplands like Marshtangle Grove, which is in an entirely other kingdom’s territory. Are they, per chance, invasive or leftovers from Infinator’s first attack?”

The nun nodded, “Yes, they are. As you said, they’re not found in these parts, but because of Infinator’s first wave of attacks, a number of invasive species of monsters have started appearing in areas unrelated to their natural habitats. As a result, a whole colony of Toxi-Slimes have formed in a cave just north of here. Toxi-Slimes are one of the bolder species of Slimes, as their poisonous bodies mean killing them is risky, and they know it. They’re also more aggressive and tend to travel in packs. They’re not tough, fortunately, but when they attacked us recently, many of our villagers were poisoned in the struggle. Please, we’d be willing to pay you with what we can in exchange for any sort of help.”

Celtic took a moment to think before replying, “Fine, we’ll see what we can do. I’ve managed to craft several antidotes lately, and we can wipe out the colony of Toxi-Slimes for a price. Sound fair?”

The nun looked elated, “Yes! Yes! Gladly! Thank you! We’d be in your debt. Please, follow me to where the sick villagers are. I’ll have a talk with the head elder about paying you for your services. But thank you so much! Come, follow me.”

She led them into the church. Inside, instead of pews there were several beds, each one occupied by a person. When they saw Celtic and Skye, their eyes lit up.

“Is it possible?” the priest choked. “Have our saviors come to aid us?”

The nun nodded, “Yes! They’re going to help cure our sick people and slay the rest of the colony of Toxi-Slimes for us. We’ll have to pay for their services, but I’m sure the head elder won’t mind.”

The priest walked up to the duo, “You have our deepest gratitude. Sister Fiona must’ve already explained things to you, so you know what needs to be done. Please, tell me your names.”

Skye casually brushed her hair to the side, “I’m Skye Lightwave, former Princess of the Light Elves, though you can rest assured that I have no bonds with those backstabbing schemers.”

Celtic merely said, “I’m Celtic Pulsar, the Hero of the Shroud.”

The priest looked elated, “We have a Legendary Hero among us?! Oh, the heavens must be smiling upon us today. We are very grateful. Oh, my apologies, let me move aside so you can do your work. We’re counting on you.”

Skye had just finished counting the number of villagers, “Okay, Cel, we need 13 antidotes. The good thing about Toxi-Slime poison is that it’s a very slow to activate poison. It takes four days for the poison to actually do any real damage, and since these people have only been poisoned for two days, we can nip it in the bud before any long-term damage is done. If memory serves, you crafted about 15 antidotes yesterday, right?”

“I made 17, actually,” Celtic corrected her. “We did find a nice bushel of antidote herbs yesterday morning, so I made sure to make a lot. I also know that a Light Elf like yourself is very vulnerable to the Poison ailment, so I decided to make extras. But, enough small talk, let’s get cracking.”

Celtic took out 13 antidotes from his Tek-Pak, giving some to Skye. The two split up and started administering the antidotes to the sick villagers. One by one, the antidotes cured them, as evident by the sparkling lights that surrounded them, indicating that the antidotes had taken effect. After the last villager was cured, Celtic strapped his Tek-Pak back on and turned to the priest.

“We were informed that the Toxi-Slimes have made a colony in a cave just north of here. Can you or someone else direct us to that cave so we can finish the job?”

The priest nodded, “Of course, Shroud Hero. Follow me.” He led them outside and pointed to what looked like an old quarry a few miles ahead, “That old quarry is where the Toxi-Slimes have taken residence. It was originally a coal mine, but it’s long since been tapped out, and not there was not a lot of coal there to begin with, so it’s a very shallow mine. Please, be careful, Shroud Hero and friend, as Toxi-Slimes, while easy to kill, have a nasty tendency to explode upon death, thus splattering their poisonous slime all over the place. I recommend using ranged attacks like magic as, fortunately, they’re slow, thus they cannot gang up on a target quickly. But do be careful. If you can eliminate them, we’d gladly pay you for your services.”

“Fine, it’s a deal. Let’s go, Skye.”

It didn’t take long for the duo to reach the old quarry. Skye examined the area first, taking note of anything important.

“Hmm… I think the Toxi-Slimes are just one problem here,” she concluded. “See these paw prints? They’re prints from either a dog or cat monster. Judging by the shape and size of the paw prints, I’d be willing to bet we have a Two-Headed Bite Fang mixed in here.”

Celtic looked confused, “What’s a Two-Headed Bite Fang?”

“A Two-Headed Bite Fang is a type of lesser Cerberus. Like its name indicates, it has two heads and a nasty temperament. It also recruit weaker monsters to do its bidding, such as raiding villages for food, by using a magical skill known as ‘Command’. By using Command on lower level monsters, it can have those monsters blindly obey and do whatever it wants, even if it means suicide charges. Like the Toxi-Slimes, it’s not native to this area. You find it closer to Shadoria, which is the Shadokor Kingdom, so it must be a leftover monster from the first attack. Fortunately, Two-Headed Bite Fangs are more bark than bite, so they’re not too tough. They’re fast, but they need open space to use that speed. Since we’ll probably fight one in this old mine, it won’t have a lot of running room to use, so that’ll make it an easier target. Still, it does have a rather nasty bite regardless, so best be ready.”

Nodding, Celtic led the way into the mine, Skye right behind him. As they walked down the single tunnel, they saw dried-up goo in various places, proving that they were in the right place. Skye then suddenly stopped Celtic.

“Hold on, Cel. I hear something…” she said, wiggling her long ears.

Celtic listened as well. They could hear a faint squishing sound coming near them. Skye drew her naginata while Celtic summoned Cannon. A moment later, they saw their targets. Toxi-Slimes were balls of purple slime with googly eyes and short spines on their backs. As they came within range, Celtic started to fire from his Cannon. His attacks splattered them one by one. Skye also started firing air slashes from her naginata, effortlessly cleaving them. As they did, the EXP screen kept showing “+7” for each one killed. After a few moments, the last one was dead, and in the process Celtic had Leveled Up to Level 9. Celtic then walked over and picked up one of the dead Toxi-Slime’s spines, allowing the gem on the Shroud absorb it, creating a new Shroud skill tree, this one called the “Poison Touch Shroud”. He read the effects of it.

“This Poison Touch Shroud might come in handy with this Two-Headed Bite Fang,” he said. “Its effect states that it poisons any target that makes contact with it, which might help deter that Bite Fang monster from actually taking a bite out of us. Come, we should go in deeper and see if the Toxi-Slimes’ ‘boss’ is home.”

Skye nodded, placing her naginata over one shoulder as she followed him. It wasn’t long before they found out. In the very last part of the mine shaft was a two-headed dog-like monster. It was glaring at them angrily, having clearly heard them slaughtering its “minions”, giving a threatening growl. Skye took a moment to observe the surrounding area, smiling.

“Good, we’ve got the advantage,” she said. “This area is too cramped to make any use of its great agility, meaning it can only come from one direction: dead ahead.”

Celtic nodded, turning his arm into Fighter Sword, “Good. Let’s neuter this bad dog.”

Whether it understood what Celtic said or it understood that the duo was a threat, regardless, it charged in, mouths opened wide to bite down on them. Skye fired another air slash from her naginata, forcing it to jump out of the way, only for it to slam into the mine shaft wall. Celtic took the opportunity to slash it with the Fighter Sword, leaving a nasty gash on its side, forcing it to jump back. Skye had started channeling a spell, which alerted the beast, it making a beeline for her. Celtic got between her and it, turning his back to it.

“Poison Touch Shroud!” he yelled.

The Shroud transformed, this time becoming a venomous purple color with bubble-like shapes on it. The Bite Fang latched both sets of teeth into Celtic’s shoulders, making him wince a bit, but he gained a dark smile. The Shroud glowed, causing the Bite Fang to retreat, but by then it was too late. It staggered to stand, as it was clearly poisoned and was in pain. Celtic moved aside when Skye had finished summoning her spell.

“Eat this, you mutt! Bomb Burst!” she stated.

An explosion erupted underneath the Bite Fang, scorching it with what looked like Fire and Wind magic combined. It howled in pain as it did. Celtic then got an idea.

“Skye, get your naginata ready for the killing blow!” he instructed. “I’ll put this mad dog on a short leash so you can safely get close to it. Yo-Yo!”

His arm transformed again, this time into a weird mechanical crab claw-like structure. He then swung his arm back before thrusting it forward, the structure opening up, revealing a bladed double disc attached to a strong cable. To Skye’s surprise, the Yo-Yo wrapped around the Bite Fang’s front legs and necks almost automatically, ensnaring the beast, preventing it from moving. Taking the hint, Skye charged in at high speed, naginata held out, before impaling the beast in the chest. It roared in agony before collapsing, completely dead. She nudged it with her naginata to be sure, but the beast didn’t move. The final indication was the EXP screen showing a “+37” at both of them. She gave a nod to Celtic, who, with a quick jerk of his arm, retracted the Yo-Yo back into the clamp-like structure before it returned to normal.

“Hot moves, girl,” he said, giving her a thumbs-up.

She returned it with a wink, “Pretty good yourself, handsome.”

“I’m not handsome!” the redhead protested. “Average at best.”

She couldn’t help but giggle, “I beg to differ… handsome.”

A nerve twitched in his temple before stating, “Well, in any case, I’ll feed this beast to my Shroud and we’ll return to the village to give our report and get our payment.”

By the time they got back, the sun was starting to set. The priest and what appeared to be the leader of the village were waiting for them, smiling.

“Thank you, noble Shroud Hero,” the village elder said warmly. “We are in your debt. We have prepared a reward for you, as well as a free night in the inn. But could you please tell us what happened?”

Celtic nodded, “Yes. It turns out that the Toxi-Slimes were being bossed around by a Two-Headed Bite Fang. That’s why they were even bolder than normal, as it had used Command on them to do its bidding. We’ve eliminated all the Toxi-Slimes and killed the Bite Fang, so you don’t have to worry about either anymore. We made extra sure to scope around and see if there were any stragglers outside of the quarry, but we found none, so you should be free from those pests.”

The elder bowed, “How can we ever thank you, Shroud Hero and friend. We weren’t aware that a Two-Headed Bite Fang had also taken residence nearby, so we’re very grateful that you took care of them for us. Now, we can return to our livelihoods in peace. Your reward is at the inn, along with the free room and dinner. It’s the least we can do to thank you.”

Skye smiled, “We were glad to assist. It is the job of the Legendary Heroes to help the people.”

Celtic rolled his eyes, “Unless you’re the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow Heroes.”

The priest looked confused, “Why do you say that Sir Shroud Hero?”

“Those four halfwits are treating this world like it’s one big game,” the Shroud Hero explained. “They’re not taking the threat of Infinator seriously at all. They’re after personal glory and to show off, despite the fact that the situation is very much real. I’m the only one who is actually taking the current crisis seriously, even before the Light Elf Kingdom stabbed me in the back. That’s why I’m out here, heading for Delgunner, as the Light Elves are up to their usual tricks again, and I’m pretty much collateral damage to go with it.”

The elder looked horrified, “The Light Elves did that?! To one of the Legendary Heroes?! Why?”

Skye shrugged, “Hard to really say why. I have a few theories, one of which is that the Light Elves have a fanatical hatred of darkness. As you know, the Shroud that Celtic is wearing is also called the Shroud of Shadows, meaning it’s automatically associated with darkness. So, it’s possible that they’re projecting their hatred of darkness on the Shroud, and by extension, Celtic, in order to achieve whatever goals they have. But a reoccurring problem with them is that they didn’t think whatever their plan is completely: as by slandering and dragging the Shroud Hero’s name through the mud, it’ll could result in a world war by the other nations and races who worship the Shroud, especially powerhouses like the Shadoria and Delgunner. So, we’re heading for Delgunner to help clear his name, as the witch known as Veronica has concocted yet another scheme to ruin someone’s life and help those idiots get more power yet failing to realize the long-term consequences of her actions. So, I’m helping Cel clear his name and bring the Light Elves to justice, as I have a bone to pick with them as well, despite being my species. But that’s the story in a nutshell.”

The priest looked depressed, “Don’t those Light Elves ever stop being so wicked? They’re willing to tarnish the name of a religious figure for whatever they hope to gain. That’s low, even for them. Sure, the Church of the Four Stars, worshiping the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow as deities while demoralizing the Shroud as the ‘devil’ is still an issue, but what do the Light Elves hope to gain from this?”

Skye shrugged again, “Your guess is as good as ours, but the resulting betrayal has embittered Celtic, even making him go against his moral codes, which includes purchasing me, just so he can bring them to justice.”

“You? How so?”

Skye pointed to the crest on her chest, something that the elder and priest just noticed as she did. Celtic turned his head away in shame.

“I went against every moral code I believe in and bought Skye as my slave out of pure rage for the betrayal and mistreatment, something that I ended up regretting when my sin sunk into me,” he said shamefully.

The priest smiled, “You shouldn’t feel bad about it. Past Legendary Heroes had slaves, so it’s nothing new. Though I can see it is something you hate, yet you performed the act in a fury. But from what I can tell, Lady Skye is very loyal to you.”

The elf nodded, “Yes. After I heard that he was Veronica, my sister’s, latest victim, I immediately could relate. She’s the reason I was sold to slavery in the first place. I’m the strongest Light Elf in the race, and I regularly uprooted their ‘get-more-power-quick’ schemes, so they had to find a way to get rid of me. But overpowering me is suicide to them, as I can flatten them like bugs. So, instead, Veronica bought anti-magic cuffs, which render even the strongest elf helpless, along with a body-numbing poison, and used them on me before the royal family, my own family, sold me to slavery.”

“That’s terrible!” the priest exclaimed. “The royal family sold their own daughter to slavery just to keep you from getting in their way!? I knew they could sink pretty low, but that’s a whole new level.”

“Indeed. However, Celtic ended up saving me. He may not have been in his right mind at the time, but he cleaned me up, nursed me back to health, fed me, and freed me from my bindings. I may be his slave, but I fight by his side willingly, as I know how he feels, and I feel that the Light Elves have gone way too far this time. So, we’re hoping to get to Delgunner to clear his name and bring those backstabbing fiends to justice, as we cannot trust them at all. And that seems to apply to the other four Heroes, too, or at least the Spear Hero, because from what I was told, he’s become Veronica’s new ‘protector’. Which, when translated in her language, means ‘meat shield’. Celtic rescued me and took care of me, as well as showed remorse for his actions, so I pledged my loyalty to him. You can see why we’re on the road: as we want nothing to do with those fiends as well as prepare ourselves for the fight ahead. We’re the only ones taking the threat seriously compared to the other four Heroes. We do have a favor to ask. If those ankle biter Light Elf knights ask if we were here, tell them ‘no’ or lead them in the wrong direction. The less obstructions we have in order to defeat Infinator, the better.”

The elder nodded, “Yes, you have our word. We knew the Light Elves were terrible, but this is a brand-new low for them. We’ll be sure to keep those hellions off your trail, as it’s the least we can do. Plus, it is our duty to support you since you saved us. You have our word.”

Celtic gave a sigh of relief, “Thank you, that means a lot. Now, I’m hungry, and I bet you are, too, Skye. Let’s collect our reward, have some dinner, and get some well-deserved shuteye.”

Skye nodded in agreement. After collecting their reward of various supplies and 100 silvers and 200 coppers, they had their dinner at the inn and turned in for the night. When dawn broke, they stirred from their slumber, feeling more rested and restored. After a quick breakfast, the duo left the village, with each and every villager waving them off.

“Thank you, Savior of the Shroud,” the elder said. “Godspeed to you, and may justice strike down those Light Elf devils for their sins.”

Next Chapter: Spot On Smooth

As you can see, Celtic and Skye are starting to gain grassroots with the commoners. And Celtic is slowly getting the hang of his Shroud thanks to Skye. How will this serve him and his party later down the road? We shall see.
 
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Okay, here's the next chapter of Chaos Rising: Spot On Smooth. Also, naughty stuff ahoy, just a fair warning.

Spot On Smooth


It had been a couple of days since Celtic and Skye had helped Glori Village. Having found a natural hot spring, Skye insisted on taking a dip, to which Celtic allowed. As she soaked in the pleasingly warm waters, Celtic was working on something while keeping watch for threats. Next to him were bushels of herbs, along with now proper compounding tools that they had received from Glori Village. His Shroud was also different this time, now resembling a fan of gold maple leaves, indicating it was a new Shroud form. As he worked on the herbs, he was still thinking bitter thoughts.

“Damn those long-eared backstabbers,” he cursed under his breath. “What could they possibly gain from turning me, the Shroud Hero, into a branded criminal? How could they possibly upgrade their status in the world by tarnishing one of this world’s ‘precious’ Legendary Heroes? But, according to Skye, they never fully think out their plans. Apparently they’re always full of holes or glaring flaws or missing steps, something that she took advantage of and crushed them before they could do any harm. Small wonder they sold her to slavery to get rid of her, as she clearly was the only one with an actual brain, along with an actual moral code. But what could they possibly gain from this? I know I’m an oddity, as it’s been pretty much spelled out to me since I was a tyke, but what do the Light Elves actually hope to accomplish from treating me as a monstrous criminal for something I never committed. Though probably trashing the throne room in a blind rage didn’t exactly help my case, but at least it made it clear to those fiends that I’m not one to cross haphazardly.”

After some compounding, the current Shroud he was donning glowed, causing the herbs to become a vial of medicine. This time it seemed to be of higher value, as evident by its more stylized bottle. Celtic looked his handiwork over.

“Okay, I managed to create another Vita-Restore Potion. This new Shroud of mine is really doing wonders for my potion making. The Advance Potion Shroud was created by having the gem absorb a Gold Herb. It doubles the chances of successfully making potions and doubles the quality of the final product and is an extension of the first potion-based Shroud skill tree I unlocked. That makes seven successful Vita-Restore Potions. I did have a dud, but fortunately it was the first one, as I didn’t combine the herbs well enough. At least these new compounding tools that Glori Village gave us as a reward make the process easier. No more using a makeshift one out of rocks and sticks, now I can actually make better potions. As it turns out, offering services such as medicine and monster slaying to villages is rather profitable. We’ll have to rely on that in order to make ends meet until we get to Delgunner. Still… there’s something that I’ve been wondering about… How will we know when Infinator’s next attack will be? They seem to follow a set time pattern, but how will we know it? For that matter, how will we get there to fight it off? I wonder if the Shroud of Shadows has some sort of internal clock or something that’ll alert us to when the next attack will be? I’ll ask Skye after she’s done bathing.”

He resumed his work, crafting more potions. However, suddenly, the chirping birds went silent, alerting him. He stood up quickly, transforming his arm into Fighter Sword, while scanning the area. Suddenly, he saw a shadow lurking in the nearby grove of trees. It seemed to be making its way to where Skye was, angering Celtic.

“No brute of a monster will ambush my Skye!” he hissed.

He remained undetected as he quietly followed the shadow, transforming his arm again into the Gatling gun. Skye was also aware that something was near, her ears twitching at every sound, her eyes narrowing.

“So…” she said silently. “Some monster thinks it can make a meal out of a bathing beauty, huh? Well, this babe packs quite a kick, so the only thing it’ll eat is humble pie. I bet Cel has already picked up on it, so now all I have to do is wait for it to show itself.”

As she eyed the area, her ears twitching at every sound, she tried to pinpoint where the enemy was. Suddenly, a fast blur charged in from the shadows toward her. However, just as it did, it was hit by a barrage of energy bullet, forcing it back. Celtic emerged and quickly got in-between it and Skye.

“You’re not making a meal out of my friend, pussycat!” he growled.

It was revealed to be some sort of saber tooth tiger. Its body was lithe yet strong, with steel grey fur lined with bright red stripes, large paws ending in sharp claws, a long thin tail ending in a red tuft of fur, glowing yellow eyes with slit pupils, and a mouth full of fangs, with two sets of saber teeth, gold in color. Its name and Level was displayed in a status screen.

“So, this is a Gold Fang Saber Tiger, a Level 20 monster,” Celtic observed. He then called back, “Skye, stay put, I’ll put this cat out with the garbage.”

Her teasing voice replied, “And make me miss out on all the fun? No way, Cel! Save some action for me!”

“Skye! Just stay back, I’ll—” but he froze midsentence.

Skye had already joined the fight, wielding her naginata, and not wearing a strip of clothing, still wet from her bath. Both Celtic and the Saber Tiger seemed to do a double-take at this action.

“S-S-Skye!?” he sputtered. “Put something on first, dammit! I know you’re rather shameless but are you really going to fight nude?!”

She smirked, “Fight now, talk later, as here it comes!”

Celtic had to quickly redirect his attention, as the Gold Fang Saber Tiger started to charge in. Celtic switched to another arm attachment, this time the giant, heavily armored fist.

“Eat Giga Knuckle sandwich, furball!”

With a fast swing, he managed to punch the beast in the stomach, sending it flying. With cat-like dexterity, it landed on its feet, growling angrily. Before he could react, Skye charged in at blinding speed and started to deliver a rapid-fire barrage of powerful kicks, stunning the Shroud Hero.

“This girl is crazy…” he sighed.

“I heard that!” she stated.

With a powerful roundhouse kick, Skye sent the beast flying into a boulder. Celtic took the chance to transform his arm attachment again, this time to Yo-Yo.

“Have a taste of this!” he roared.

He fired the bladed disc at the Saber Tiger. Before it could recover, the bladed disc, which acted like a sawblade, struck it in the back and carved its way up, making the beast roar in agony as blood spilled everywhere. The disc retracted and returned to Celtic, who transformed his arm back to normal. While the beast was still in pain, Skye performing a massive jump, flipped several times in the air, and slammed her bare foot down on the Saber Tiger’s head in a powerful dropkick. The force of her kick was so powerful that not only did it leave an impact crater, but Celtic heard a sickening CRACK as Skye utterly shattered its skull from its sheer force, killing the beast. Both Celtic and Skye noticed the EXP screen appear, stating “+47”, increasing their EXP, which resulted in Celtic becoming Level 11. Skye casually spun her naginata victoriously, while Celtic could only sigh defeatedly.

“Skye… I know you’re shameless about your body but come on! You could’ve been seriously hurt by that thing! Fighting without a single piece of clothing or armor is crazy!”

She strutted over to him, body in full view, making him turn away, his face beet red. Using the blunt side of her naginata’s blade, she forced him to look at her, wearing only a mischievous smile.

“While I appreciate that you’re always looking out for me, you really need to stop worrying so much,” she said smoothly. “Yes, I’m not very durable. Yes, I know that fighting without any protection is dangerous, but I’m NOT going to let you get hurt because of me. Even though it was minor damage, when that Two-Head Bite Fang bit both of your shoulders when you protected me from it, I felt guilty that you got hurt because of me. It’s not that I’m independent, nor is it that I don’t like being babied, but you’re my friend, Celtic. My… My first friend. And I want to be there for you until the end of time. I don’t care if I have to do something like fight nude or perform some form of indignity to myself, I’ll do it because you mean more to me than anything. Cel, you’re aware that I could not trust anyone in my kingdom, right? The Light Elves were schemers and backstabbers, the humans were too spineless to challenge them, and my family would turn on their own flesh and blood for their ambitions. I made no connections to anyone. In fact, I’ve started seeing that being sold to slavery was actually a blessing in disguise, as it allowed me to meet you.”

Celtic, although still flustered, seemed stunned, “You… really feel that being sold to slavery actually helped you find a bond?”

She nodded, “Yes. We bonded over a feeling of kinship and hatred for my race. To be perfectly honest, Cel, I may be your slave through this crest, but you actually freed me and allowed me to spread my wings. I… I’ve never been happier. I’ve lived a rather miserable existence, but once we crossed paths, everything has turned around. I don’t care that I’m your slave, as by being your slave, I finally forged a bond with someone, and, in the process, freed my captured spirit. So, I’ll do whatever I is necessary if it means I can stay by your side. I want to be your right-hand woman, I want to be your partner, because you actually gave me a reason to live and fight again. I know you’ve had a dark and troubled life, too, which is something I could relate to. We’re both broken birds in this world, and yet we found each other. The circumstances were probably not ideal, and yet here we are. So, I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure we stay together and complete the mission you’ve been assigned. I’ll stand proudly by your side, no matter what. That’s my resolve. I don’t care about any indignity I may face, because you mean more to me than my pride or shame. We still have a ways to go, and I feel that Infinator’s next attack may be soon, but I know we can do it. Now… I’m going to finish my bath. I suggest you harvest the pelt and saber fangs of that beast, as well as give your Shroud a new form from it. The golden fangs alone will fetch a good 20-45 gold per pair, and that beauty has two sets of them, while the fur and bones can be used to make good quality items. But know this, Cel, no matter what it takes, I’ll stand by you to the end. I said it before and I’ll say it again; I’ll follow you through fire and brimstone.”

She gave him a kiss on the cheek before returning to her bath. Celtic took a moment to fully process everything, as her declaration of loyalty and resolve shocked his mind. After he regained his senses, he grabbed the dead Saber Tiger and dragged it away to harvest its components, but inside, for the first time in a long time, he felt truly happy, causing a warm smile to form on his face.

“She’s a piece of work,” he said to himself. “But… her loyalty and devotion is admirable. Who would’ve guess that I’d end up with a potentially lifelong partner by purchasing a slave in a blind fury. Life’s funny like that.”

After harvesting what he could from the Saber Tiger, as well as unlocking a new Shroud in the process, and after Skye finished bathing, the duo resumed their quest. Little did they know that something was going to happen shortly.

Skye put her arm in front of Celtic, making him stop, her eyes narrowing, ears twitching.

“Hold it, Cel. I hear something coming this way,” she said cautiously.

They both waited tensely, hearing soft footsteps approach them. Suddenly, something tumbled out from the bushes, crashing to the ground, allowing the duo to get a good look.

It looked like an anthropomorphic cheetah with a slender and athletic build, golden yellow fur with black spots, strong arms and legs, paw-like feet with four toes, four-fingered hands with sharp nails, a long furry tail, and a beast-like head with a short muzzle and rounded cat ears. It was dressed in beat-up clothes consisting of a low-neck shirt with torn sleeves, tattered pants, and toeless boots. It seemed to be injured, as there were various wounds on it, along with the fact it was holding its stomach.

Skye looked alarmed, “It’s a Beastman! And he’s injured! Quick, we have to help him.”

Although a bit stunned, Celtic nodded and quickly pulled out some medical supplies. Skye helped flip the Beastman onto his back, his eyes closed tightly in pain, in order to see what was needed. She noticed that his torso was particularly injured, riddled with gashes and cuts. She removed his torn shirt so Celtic could start cleaning the wounds. The Beastman growled in pain as they did this, but otherwise remained unresponsive. Within a few minutes, Celtic had cleaned up and dressed the Beastman’s wounds before pulling out a Vita-Restore Potion. He popped the lid off, raised the Beastman’s head up, and gently poured the liquid down his throat. The Beastman gained a disgusted face as he did but was still practically unconscious. As the medicine entered his body, he started to glow brightly with multiple sparkles appearing around him before they vanished. The Beastman’s pained expression lessened, his breathing becoming more even and seemed to relax a bit.

Skye looked him over before nodding, “Okay, I think he’s out of the danger zone now. We should probably not move him and keep an eye on him. Beastmen have a terrible social status in certain areas, including the Light Elf Kingdom, about on the same level as monsters. As a result, it’s not uncommon for more malicious people to hunt them down for sport and not have to worry about legal repercussions, or at least enslave them. This Beastman looks like he may have been a slave, as he’s got some sort of strange collar on him, and there’s a singed section of fur on his chest that looks like where a slave crest was, though it appears to have been removed. Cel, try to get that collar off, as it doesn’t look pleasant.”

Nodding, Celtic pulled out his lockpick tool and started to work on the collar. As he did, he noticed that the collar had something sharp on the inside of it, making his blood boil.

“I can’t believe that some people would hunt Beastmen down like they’re nothing more than game animals,” he growled. “It’s as bad as slavery, possibly even worse.”

Skye sighed, “It’s worse, as being a slave is considered a step up, as you’re considered someone’s property, thus you get some form of legal protection. Can’t have someone damaging your well-bought goods, now can you? It is sickening, however, that another race can be treated like they’re nothing more than animals or monsters. It’s a small wonder that races like Beastmen, Ogre Scorpions, Arachne, and Nagas tend to be very loyal to people like Delgunner Kingdom and the Shadokor, as they treat them as equals. Hell, it’s also no wonder that the Shroud Hero is very well regarded among those races, as past Shroud Heroes always treated them with kindness and respect, so they worship the Shroud Hero as a deity.”

Celtic quirked an eyebrow, “Beastmen and such worship the Shroud Hero as if he or she is some sort of god? All because the Shroud Heroes treat them with great respect? Isn’t that a little… overzealous of a response to such treatment?”

“Not to them it is,” the Light Elf replied. “Remember, there are a lot of bigoted and racist people out there. To them, anyone who isn’t a human or elf is basically nothing more than a monster. While, yes, Beastmen and the like are rather fierce and such, they can still be decent folk. Essentially, if you treat a Beastman or any other non-human or elven race fairly, they will adore you. Fortunately, for the most part, Delgunner Kingdom, the Shadokor, and several other kingdoms often create laws to protect the non-human and elven races from such treatment, though, unfortunately, some malcontents tend to slip through the cracks and enslave them.”

“Sheesh, I know racism can be terrible, but the worst I’ve ever heard in that regard was slavery. The fact that entire races of people can be hunted down for sport without fear of repercussions in some places is just wrong.”

At that moment, the lockpick tool managed to break the collar, allowing Celtic to remove it from the Beastman. To his horror, there were small spikes lining the inside of the collar. He gently tapped one with his normal hand and felt the tip of his finger go numb, much to his shock and disgust.

“I don’t believe it! This collar has spikes in it that seem to inject a poison or something that numbs whatever it touches. Don’t tell me this Beastman had those spikes inject him with that stuff if he acted out of line.”

Skye gained a sad smile, “I’ve heard of those. They’re called Beast Tamer Collars. Certain animals and, in many cases, Beastmen are given those collars that’ll inject them with a neurotoxin that numbs the body. Since it’s always worn on the neck, where there are vital blood vessels, the neurotoxin can rapidly spread, causing everything from the neck down to go numb in a matter of moments. The neurotoxin is, fortunately, non-fatal, but it still does the job. The needles in such collars will deploy and strike the target in question upon command, allowing it to inject its target with the neurotoxin. Just another case of cruelty in this world, as most kingdoms outlaw those collars because of how they’re used. The Light Elf Kingdom, however, is not one of those kingdoms. Light Elves are often very racist against non-humans or elves, not including myself, so they happily allow these collars to be made if it means they can keep whatever power they have left. Just another reason why my race are such scumbags.”

Celtic then noticed that the Beastman’s neck, where the collar originally was, was red and looked sore. He prepared more medicine and another bandage to wrap around the Beastman’s neck. By this point, however, the Beastman was starting to regain consciousness. He weakly opened his eyes, which were light green with slit pupils, gave a groan of pain, and looked around.

“What’s going on…?” he asked in a hoarse voice. “Who are you? What are you doing?”

Skye gave him a warm smile, “Lie still, don’t move too much. We’re treating your injuries, as you look like you’ve been through the mill. My name is Skye Lightwave, former member of the Light Elf royal family, something I take pride in. This is Celtic Pulsar, the Hero of the Shroud. It was his medicine that helped get you out of the danger zone.”

This took a moment for the Beastman to process before his eyes widened in shock, “W-What?! T-The Shroud Hero!? The Shroud Hero saved me!?” He turned sharply to Celtic, “I-I’m honored, Shroud Hero, sir! Thank you so much! I am in your debt.”

Celtic merely shrugged, “You’re welcome, but you don’t have to call me ‘sir’. Just Celtic will suffice. But what is your name?”

“M-My name is Rupert del Luxin, though you can call me Rupert, and I’m a former Beastman noble before my clan was attacked by some evil soldiers. I tried to fight them off while my people fled, but I got subdued and captured, becoming a slave to a vile nobleman. However, I managed to free myself from his clutches, having learned of a way to remove a slave crest without special magic.”

Skye’s eyes widened, “You mean to tell me there’s a way to remove a slave crest without needing special magic?! I didn’t know that. How?”

“Well, you know how slave crests are made, right? Using the soon-to-be master’s blood in special ink. I found out that, by using the same method, only instead using your own blood in the ink to register as the new ‘master’, it actually removes the slave crest entirely. I had heard a rumor about that, and when I got an opportunity, I tried it out. It worked, as my slave crest was removed, essentially freeing me. I still had that collar on me, but it allowed me to escape, though not without injury, as the guards found out and attacked me. I managed to give them a thrashing, as I had a lot of pent up anger to vent, but they still managed to land some nasty hits on me, and my breed of Beastmen aren’t very durable. But, in the end, I managed to escape, though the collar was activated at one point, though because I’ve been injected with that neurotoxin so many times my body became more resistant to it. So, while it did weaken me, it didn’t have enough bite left to completely subdue me, allowing me to escape. But I cannot thank you enough for coming to my rescue, Celtic and Skye, as my wounds were starting to get to me.”

Celtic nodded, “You’re welcome, Rupert. Normally I’d say we should let you rest, but I worry that those soldiers might find us, so we’re going to have to move you just to be safe.”

He put his medical supplies away, strapped his Tek-Pack back on, and gestured to Skye to help him. Both gently pulled Rupert to his feet, noticing how tall he was, before putting his arms around their shoulders, supporting him. With slow steps, the trio started to walk away from the area in hopes of finding a more secluded spot. After about 30 minutes of walking, they found a small pond near a grove in a rather out-of-the-way area. Nodding, Celtic and Skye gently lowered Rupert to the ground so he could rest. Celtic then took out a sleeping bag he had gotten from Glori Village for him to use. After gently putting him into the sleeping bag, Rupert started to cry.

“I’m sorry…” he sniffled. “I shouldn’t be so emotional, but you two are the first people to show me any sort of kindness in years. I’ve been abused and beaten by my cruel master for at least three years, and the first people I meet after I freed myself are a renegade former Light Elf princess and the Shroud Hero, who go out of their way to heal me. I never thought that would happen to me in a million years. I cannot thank you enough for this. I’ll do anything I can in return for your kindness, even join your party, as if the Shroud Hero is here, that means Infinator is starting to rise. Am I right?”

Skye nodded, “Yes, that is true. He’s already launched one attack, and we’re waiting for the next one to happen, though we don’t know when that’ll be. If we only had access to an Infinity Hourglass we’d be able to find out.”

Celtic turned to her, “What’s an Infinity Hourglass?”

“It’s a special hourglass that can tell how long it’ll be before Infinator’s next attack. From the rumors I’ve heard, it seems that the Shadokor created them by using pieces of Infinator’s original body. That’s how they can so accurately tell when he’ll attack next, as they’re still considered part of him. In essence, his own former body is betraying him by revealing his attack plans, since they’re still connected to him in some form. Heh, leave it to the Shadokor to be that resourceful and clever. Only they could’ve come up with something like that. But it’s a shame we don’t have one.”

Rupert’s eyes widened, “Wait, I have one. I swiped it from my former master, since it was in the same room as the slave crest ink. You have my bag, right?”

Skye picked it up, “You mean this?”

“Yeah, that’s it. There’s a miniature Infinity Hourglass in there, about the size of a book. Take it, as you’ll need it.”

Skye reached into the bag and pulled out a red hourglass. Despite its small size, it was extremely sophisticated and elaborate, with five sand chambers; two large on the top and bottom and three small ones in the middle, along with a very detailed frame, and what appeared to be a set of multiple rings constantly rotating inside small chambers on the side. As Celtic looked at the Infinity Hourglass, his stat vision showed him what looked like a countdown, his eyes widening.

“No way,” he sputtered. “According to the countdown I’m seeing, Infinator’s next attack is in less than three days. But, my question is… how will we get to the battlefield?”

Skye handed him the Infinity Hourglass, “The Shroud of Shadows will take care of that, Cel. Every piece of Legendary Gear is automatically registered to whatever the current crisis is at hand. So, when Infinator’s next attack takes place, the Shroud will automatically teleport us to the battleground. Where the battle will take place, I don’t know, as only the Shroud does. And here, you take the Infinity Hourglass so we can keep track of things. Plus, it’ll be safer in your Tek-Pak.”

Rupert turned to them, “I want to help you fight, but I lost my Iron Claw weapons a long time ago, though they weren’t anything too special. If you can get me a new pair of claw-type weapons before the next attack, I’ll gladly assist you in the fight. I should be healed by then, so you don’t have to worry about me too much. Will you allow that, Celtic?”

Celtic shrugged, “I suppose, though I don’t know how to register you as a new party member. After Veronica betrayed me, the only way I know how to register a new party member is through a slave crest, as that’s how Skye got registered to me, though afterward she declared her steadfast loyalty to me. And since you were already a slave, I’d feel horrible if I had to register yet another slave to my name, as I’m still kicking myself for going against my moral codes and buying Skye, even if it earned me a loyal ally.”

Skye smiled, “Don’t worry, Celtic, there’s a very easy way to do that, and it won’t require a slave crest. Just have Rupert touch the gem on your Shroud, state ‘Add Party Member’, and boom, he’ll be registered. Go ahead and give it a try.”

Though stunned, Celtic nodded and walked over to Rupert, kneeling down to him. Rupert touched the gem on the Shroud, which also had the extra effect of cleaning up his mangy fur.

“Okay, here goes nothing…” he said. “Add Party Member.”

As he said that, the gem glowed, causing his party status screen to appear. A moment later, a new set of stats appeared under the name “Rupert del Luxin” along with “Level 24” next to it. The gem then stopped glowing, having completed its task.

Skye smiled, “See? Nothing to it. There are other ways of registering a party member when it comes to non-Legendary Heroes, but Legendary Heroes require a bit extra, as they’re considered special cases. But, that’s all there is to it. I just hope we can get Rupert a new set of claw weapons before the next attack.”

“Maybe I can craft one?” Celtic suggested. “Granted, I’m still perfecting my crafting ability, and I don’t have a whole lot to work with, but maybe I can make at least temporary ones out of the stuff I currently have. That way Rupert can use them until we get a better set.”

An idea popped into Rupert’s head, “That can work. Do you happened to have any monster bones?”

“Well, I just harvested some bones from a Gold Fang Saber Tiger earlier today. Are you saying I can make a pair of claws out of those?”

Rupert nodded, “Yes. There are a couple of bone-based claw items, like the Hook Bone Claws and Razor Skull Claws. I suggest trying to make a set of Hook Bone Claws, as they’re easier to make. I’ve used Hook Bone Claws before, so I know how to use them. While I eventually converted to Iron Claws, I still have the ability to use Hook Bone Claws, so if you can make a pair of those, that’ll do nicely.”

Skye nodded, “That’s a good idea, and Celtic has the Beast Bone Shroud, which increases the chances of crafting items out of bones. That should do the trick.”

“Okay, I’ll give it a shot,” Celtic said. “Just don’t expect a miracle. I’ll also see if I have any spare clothes for you, as your current stuff is pretty tattered and torn. For now, you should rest, Rupert. I’ll see what I can do.”

Rupert gained a warm smile, “Thank you, my new friends. I promise to do my part as a new party member.”

With a wide yawn, he closed his eyes and fell asleep quickly. With some instructions from Skye, Celtic took out some of the bones he had harvested, along with other materials and tools, and began to work on making the Hook Bone Claws. He also changed Shrouds, with the Beast Bone Shroud looking like a cape made from large vertebrae, rib bones, and a raised collar. Skye took the chance to relax for a bit so not to disturb Celtic’s work. After about 35 minutes, the Shroud glowed, causing the claws he was working on to transform into their final form. He looked them over as their name and stats appeared.

“Okay, I think I did a pretty good job,” he said. “These Hook Bone Claws grant +24 Attack and have a 15% chance of lowing the opponent’s Defense by 10%. Does that sound about right, Skye?”

She smiled, “Actually, from what I know of Hook Bone Claws, normal ones only grant +20 in Attack and have a 5% chance of lower Defense by 5%. That means yours are better quality that most store-bought Hook Bone Claws. Which means your crafting skills are getting better. They were already pretty good, but it appears that your skill level is increasing. That’ll aid you well in the future, as it’ll help us make ends meet as well as make good quality items for future party members.”

“By the way, Skye, since Rupert joined us after I used Stat Copy and other stat bonuses, is there a way to allow him access to those same boosts? I’ve got three Shrouds that boost stats: Lightfoot Shroud, Saber Bite Shroud, and the newly obtained Beast Blitz Shroud that I got from the Saber Tiger today. Is there a way to give Rupert those stat bonuses as well?”

She nodded, “Yes, that’s easy. For the Shrouds that grant stats, just switch to them and activate them from the status screen. That’ll distribute the stats they offer to new party members. We’ve already benefited from those, so they won’t give us new stats, but that’s all there is to it. As for the Stat Copy bonuses, just switch the Shroud back to its default form, tap its icon on the status screen, and activate the Stat Copy effect to distribute the stats to new party member. The Shroud keeps all obtained stats from Stat Copy in it, so you just need to redistribute it to new party members and that’s it.”

Nodding, Celtic started to redistribute the previously acquired stat bonuses to Rupert, who was still asleep. One by one, Rupert was strengthened by the new bonuses, making him smile in his sleep. After that was done, Celtic fished around in his Tek-Pak, found some spare clothes, and tailored them to fit their new comrade, including putting a hole in the pants for Rupert’s tail. He placed them and the new Hook Bone Claws next to the sleeping Beastman, put away his tools and materials, and took a break. By the time he started to make dinner, Rupert had awakened. He had changed into his new clothes and tried on his new Hook Bone Claws, clearly impressed by their quality. After a stew dinner, Skye and Rupert fell asleep while Celtic did the first round of the night watch. He looked up at the sky, his eyes focused.

“We have less than three days to prepare for the next attack. Hopefully we’ll be ready by then. And it also means we’ll be seeing the other four Legendary Heroes for the first time since my escape… and possibly Veronica as well. I’ll show them that the Shroud isn’t ‘useless’, just wait and see.”

Next Chapter: Shadows at Dawn

Okay, hopefully this new party member will serve the team well. Also, eagle-eyed readers will probably have noticed that the chapter is a reference to Beast Wars (specifically, the title is one of Cheetor's first lines after getting his Beast Mode for the first time). And, if anyone wants to try to envision the new character, think Hunter from Spyro Reignited (only he wears clothes obviously). Happy reading.
 
Okay, this is it. This is the first Infinator attack that Celtic and the other zeroes... I mean Heroes will be facing. Which side will triumph? Read and find out. And we get introduced to our first running gag of the series.

Shadows at Dawn


It was just before daybreak. Today was the day. The day of Infinator’s next attack. Celtic, Skye, and Rupert were making final preparations for the fight. Rupert had since recovered from his injuries and was in good shape. Celtic was holding the Infinity Hourglass, with the countdown showing that only minutes remained. He put it away into his Tek-Pak and turned to his two comrades.

“Okay, this is it,” he said grimly. “We’re minutes away from our first round with Infinator’s waves. Are you ready?”

Skye gave her naginata a spin, “Ready, willing, and able, Cel.”

Rupert equipped himself with his new Hook Bone Claws, punching the air with them, “I’m ready to go buck wild on Infinator’s pets, pal, so don’t worry about me.”

Celtic gave a solemn nod. Suddenly, just as the sun peaked over the horizon, the sky turned blood red, with what appeared to be spiraling vortexes in it. The Shroud started to glow brightly before teleporting them from their original place and into a completely new one. They looked around upon arrival. There were knights, both Light Elves and humans, along with the other four Legendary Heroes and their parties, though neither factions noticed the group’s arrival. Skye turned around and saw a village nearby, eyes widening.

“Cel!” she said, grabbing his shoulder, “We’re near the village of Rylute! That means civilians are at risk, and I doubt they’ve been evacuated.”

Celtic took a look and saw several villagers watching worriedly from their location, “No, they haven’t. Okay, you two, we have a job to do. When the enemies start to appear, focus on evacuating and protecting the civilians first. We have to prioritize the people over the monsters, so protecting them is crucial to our mission. Strike down any monster that goes near them and try to get them to safety. I’ll use ranged attacks to try to pick off any possible flying monsters before they get too close. But we must keep the casualties down to the bare minimum at best, because I doubt those other four Heroes and the Light Elf knights will remotely bother with that task.”

“You got it!” the two teammates said in union.

Suddenly a voice yelled, “Here they come!”

The trio turned to see what looked like an army of monsters approaching. There were giant wasps with dagger-sized stingers, fiendish bats with four wings and scythe-like claws, skeleton soldiers, moderate-sized three-headed hydras, and large lizard centaurs wielding swords and shields. The aerial monsters were closing in the fastest, causing every warrior to draw their weapons.

“Attack!” the head knight declared.

Celtic turned to Skye and Rupert, his hand becoming Gatling, “You know what to do! Evacuate the civilians while I’ll provide cover fire! We have to keep the death toll down as low as possible!”

“Right!” the duo stated.

As the trio ran toward the village, striking down as many flying monsters as possible, their actions did not go unnoticed by a young human knight nor the other Heroes.

Skye and Rupert were quickly directing the villagers as they fled from the first wave of enemies while Celtic shot down the flying monsters before they could do any harm. At the time, the other Heroes, their parties, and most of the knights were taking the brunt of the battle, fighting off the skeleton soldiers and other ground-based monsters. However, some monsters got past them and made a beeline for the village. Celtic took note of this, switching his arm attachment to Fighter Sword to strike them down before they could get near the villagers.

“Why is that coward, Celtic, fighting the monsters back there?” Eric huffed.

“He’s not a coward,” Ryan stated. “He’s protecting the villagers from the monsters while his teammates evacuate them to safety, trying to minimize casualties. That’s actually pretty heroic, as he’s prioritizing the safety of the people over charging into the fight.”

“Yeah, well, he’s still a rat after what he did!” Lucas spat. “When we’re done, I’m bringing him in to pay for his crimes!”

As Celtic continued to fight off the monsters, to his surprise, a small group of knights ran up to him, led by the young teen from before.

“Sir Shroud Hero!” he stated. “Please, allow us to assist you in the evacuations and protection of the villagers!”

Though still a bit surprised, Celtic instructed, “Right! Half of you help Skye and Rupert get the villagers to safety while the rest of you help keep the monsters out of their hair!”

The knights saluted, “Yessir, Shroud Hero!”

As half of the knights assisted in evacuating the people, the rest joined in the fight to protect them and the village. The young knight in particular seemed determined to help, making Celtic smile.

“That kid’s young,” he said to himself. “He doesn’t look much older than 15. And yet it appears he’s defying his superior officer in order to help me protect the people. He’s got moxie… and a good heart. That kind of heart and spirit will guide him to greatness, I know it. I’m not sure if he’s associated with the Light Elves or not, but either way, that kid knows what the right thing to do is, and I’m impressed.”

Finally, the first wave of monsters were wiped out, with the second wave starting to approach. Alongside the second wave was a massive beast. It looked like a monstrous manticore with four heads, a large, powerful lion body, small dragon-like wings, some armor on its rump, and a large scorpion tail with a huge stinger. Celtic turned to the young knight.

“Hey, kid, do you know what that thing is?”

The young knight shook his head, “No, I’ve never seen that beast before. But I’d be willing to bet it’s the boss monster of the wave. From what little we know, by killing the boss monster, the wave will cease, though I’m not 100% sure if that’s true or not.”

Celtic nodded, “Still, that’s useful information. What’s your name?”

“Me? I’m Ike. I’m a Juvenile Knight.”

“Ike, huh? Good name. You’ve got potential, Ike, I can tell. You should be proud of yourself, as I can see you’re quite young yet you’re willing to face this horror. That takes moxie, kid. Don’t ever doubt your potential, as it’ll take you places.”

Ike looked elated, “Thank you, Shroud Hero, sir!”

At that moment, Skye, Rupert, and the rest of the knights approached.

“Cel!” Skye stated. “We’ve managed to evacuate all the villagers to a safe location.”

“Any casualties?” the redhead asked.

Rupert gave him a thumbs-up, “None whatsoever. By prioritizing the civilians early, we managed to avoid any real problems. Some did get injured, but nothing serious, mostly cuts and bruises, so nothing life-threatening.”

“Good, now we can focus on the main task at hand. According to this lad, Ike, it’s theorized that killing the boss monster will end the attack. While we don’t know for sure if that’s true or not, now that the civilians are out of harm’s way, we can focus on fighting off the rest of the monsters and killing that four-headed manticore-like creature. Skye, do you know what it is?”

She shook her head, “No, I’ve never seen it before. But I’d be willing to bet that Infinator specifically created it to act as a general or something, as he did that on occasion in the previous Great Demon War. So, it’s probably a homemade monster he concocted, as he’s done that before.”

Rupert nodded, “Makes sense. I’ve heard about that, too, so it’s very possible that it’s one of his creations to do his bidding. But, in any case, it’s time to act, as the next wave is just about here!”

“Right! Move out!” Celtic instructed.

“Yessir!” the knights stated.

Celtic, his party, and the knights prepared to fight as the next wave approached. It wasn’t long before the second wave of enemies had arrived, with the manticore-like creature commanding them. The other four Heroes and their parties charged in toward the beast, having figured that it was the “boss”, thus were determined to take it out, while Celtic and the rest fended off the other monsters. However, much to the Shroud Hero’s dismay, the other four Heroes kept trying to one-up each other in the fight against the beast, which wasn’t getting them anywhere. The creature also seemed to have a powerful healing ability, as every time it was struck, it regenerated. Even when it lost a head every now and then the head just reattached itself, almost like it was immortal. Skye had also taken notice of that, gaining an annoyed look.

“You weren’t kidding about those four, Celtic,” she grumbled. “They seem to keep trying to outdo each other yet are failing miserably at killing the beast. If this keeps up, then this wave won’t end. We need a new plan.”

“I know, I’m thinking!” Celtic stated.

He took a moment to observe the beast’s actions before noticing something. After further observation, his eyes widened, having figured out the solution.

“I’ve got it! See that armor plating on its rear? It’s protecting something important. It might be the core or power source of the beast, hence why it’s shielded. But every time the beast losses a head or charges up an attack, the armor lifts up, releases or absorbs energy, and then lowers itself back down when the deed is done! That’s it’s weak point! It’s heads are almost nothing more that distractions, as it’s keeping attention away from its rear!”

Rupert smirked, “Great observation, Celtic! We can handle the lesser enemies; you go and show those four wannabees how it’s done!”

Celtic nodded, summoning Fighter Sword, and ran in. The four other Heroes and their parties were still trying in vain to kill the beast but were surprised that Celtic ran right past them and headed toward its rear.

“What are you doing, Celtic?!” Jerry called.

“Putting an end to this fight!” he replied.

With a swift slice of his Fighter Sword, he lopped off the stinger tail, preventing it from attacking him. He then switched to Giga Knuckle while he could and smashed it down upon the armor plating on its rear, revealing some sort of eye-shaped structure. He switched back to Fighter Sword, reared his arm back, and slammed it directly in the center of the structure. This caused the beast to roar in agony, stagger, and then fall to the ground, dead. As it did, the vortexes in the sky vanished and the sky turned blue again, along with the remaining monsters fleeing, ending the wave. Celtic withdrew his Fighter Sword from the eye-like structure, shook the blood and gunk off of it, and gave the other four Heroes a sly smirk.

“And you called me the ‘useless’ one and a ‘benchwarmer’,” he said snidely. “But, hey, you deserve something, so here.” He sliced off the four heads, which didn’t reattach themselves, “There’s your prizes. After all, it’s tough to get a head in the hero business.”

Skye and Rupert snickered at this, annoying the other Heroes. Celtic then picked up the scorpion stinger with a smirk.

“I guess I’ll take the tail, then. Might come in handy for a new Shroud form.”

As he started to walk over to his party, Lucas raised his spear and ran toward him.

“Celtic!!!” he roared. “You have a lot of nerve! You’re coming with me, you rapist rat, so you can pay for what you did to Veronica!”

He tried to strike Celtic down, but to his horror, Celtic merely transformed his arm again, this time into a large round red shield. When Lucas’ Spear struck it, it not only blocked the attack, it instantly released a powerful counterattack that sent him flying, making Celtic smirk.

“They say the best offense is a good defense,” the redhead said matter-of-factly. “It gets even better when you can do both at once. Meet the Reflector Shield. Blocks an attack and fires off an instant counterattack in the form of an aerial shockwave. And you said being Defense-oriented was a bad thing.”

Veronica then noticed something and looked horrified, “Sweet Gods, what are YOU doing here!?”

“Hello Veronica,” Skye said in a nasty tone.

“S-Skye!?” the other Light Elf choked. “What are you doing here?! You should still be in the slave trade like I left you there! I… I mean, uh, it’s good to see you again, baby sister.”

However, her previous remark didn’t go unnoticed by Ryan, Jerry, and Eric.

“Slave trade?” Jerry asked.

“Don’t tell me you had your own sister sold to slavery?!” Eric choked.

Veronica feigned innocence, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Skye gained a wicked smile that didn’t go unnoticed by Veronica, who started to sweat.

“Oh, you most certainly know what we’re talking about, big sister,” Skye replied. She then pointed to the crest on her chest, “See this, ‘Heroes’? This is a slave crest. Veronica and the rest of my family used this along with anti-magic cuffs and body-numbing poison to render me powerless, as I’m the strongest Light Elf in the race. And judging by what I’m seeing, Veronica, you haven’t gone up a single Level since last we met. Granted, I haven’t either, but it’s because I had those anti-magic cuffs on for so long they stunted my ability to Level Up. It’ll recover in time, but I’ve got a major bone to pick with you, dear sister. I’m also well-aware of your latest wounded gazelle gambit, Veronica, as it’s not the first time you’ve accused someone of crimes like rape. But, unfortunately, you fail to realize that this time you’ve gone too far.”

Lucas walked over to her, “And what do you mean by that? Veronica is a victim to that slime Celtic, and it’s obvious his villainy is extending to you, as you’re clearly his slave!”

Skye responded with a swift, but casual kick to Lucas’ stomach, making him double over in pain.

“Shut up, Pointy Stick Boy,” she said coldly. “Celtic was right about you, and I can see as plain as day that you’re Veronica’s latest puppet. Celtic is no rapist or villain. And you’re taking my situation at face-value without even taking a moment to consider what my real relationship with Cel is. Celtic, in fact, rescued me when his purchased me. He fed me, he provided me medicine that treated my illness, he cleaned me up, he took care of me, and he treats me as his equal. I’m only his slave by a technicality because I willingly allied myself with him after he took care of me and nursed me back to health. I’m completely devoted to him not because of this crest, but because I want to be with him. Can you offer what Celtic had offered me to a slave? Using up precious money, ingredients, and other supplies to help get a sickly slave back on his or her feet? Can you?”

Lucas, while still in pain, flinched at her question, replying, “O-Of course I can.”

“If that were true, you’d have someone loyal by your side instead of my two-timing, double-crossing, backstabbing, scheming, underhanded, prostitute sister! Celtic is the real victim here, not my wicked witch of a sister. Everyone in this kingdom knows that Veronica, and the Light Elves as a whole, comes up with schemes like this in order to help the Light Elf Kingdom gain more power. I should know, I’ve seen over 30 men die because of her, as well as having personally uprooted every one of my traitorous race’s plans. That’s why I was sold to slavery, so I couldn’t stop their plans anymore. But I’m back now, and ready to make up for lost time. And I’ll start by clearing Celtic’s name and proving that the Light Elves are spineless scumbags who deserve execution, as this time they’ve gone too far.”

Lucas managed to stand up again, though he was still in pain, “It’s obvious that Celtic brainwashed you into becoming his minion. I mean, why else would you support him, especially dressed like that.”

Now angry, Skye delivered a swift, powerful kick to Lucas’ crotch, sending him flying several meters into the air and crashing in a heap nearly 20 feet away. He could only curl into a fetal position, clutching his crotch in pain, whimpering, tears of pain leaking out of his eyes. This caused Celtic and Rupert to burst out laughing, making Skye feel proud, while the other Heroes flinched in shock.

“Never speak ill of Celtic in front of me,” she said venomously. “And, for the record, the Shadokor saw fit to erase the ability to brainwash people from this world, as it was one of Infinator’s ways of ‘recruiting’ new generals. So, in short, brainwashing doesn’t exist anymore, Pointy Stick Boy! YOU’RE just a brainless moron! And, for another point, I dress like this to make it faster and easier to whup my enemies, including you… and Veronica.”

Skye then locked her attention on Veronica, who was trying to back away slowly. With insane speed, Skye ran over to her older sister, kicked her to the ground face-first, grabbed both of her arms, slammed her heel into Veronica’s spine, and start to pull her arms while pushing her heel down. Veronica cried out in pain as Skye ruthlessly assaulted her.

“You have no idea what you have done, Veronica!” Skye spat, increasing the pressure. “With your latest scheme, by tarnishing the name of the Shroud Hero, who is considered a religious figure to 30+ nations and races, you’re just ASKING for all those nations and races to declare WAR on the Light Elves! Do you EVER think!? If every single one of those nations and races declare war on the Light Elves ON TOP of the current crisis, it’ll lead to wasted resources and unnecessary casualties! The Light Elf Kingdom will be SLAUGHTERED because of your latest ‘get-more-power-quick’ scheme! And I will be LAUGHING at your misfortune! However, the current crisis of Infinator does not lend itself to allow a world war to dogpile on top of it! If anything, it would just weaken this world further for him to conquer more easily! And it will be because of YOU!!! You’ve gone way too far this time, Veronica! You’re willing to start a world war with every single other nation and race! And for WHAT! What could you possibly gain from all this? This time I plan to make sure you and the rest of our family pay dearly for all of your crimes, as you lot have committed the most unthinkable and inexcusable crime of all! You! Will! PAY!!!”

A sickening CRACK could be heard from Veronica’s back, causing her to wail in pain. Everyone except Celtic’s party flinched badly at that.

“That… didn’t sound healthy…” Ryan gulped.

Satisfied, Skye let Veronica go, causing the injured elf to whimper in pain, unable to move because of the pain.

“It was nice seeing you again, my dear sister,” Skye said mockingly. “Maybe the next time we see each other will be when your head is under a guillotine. When that happens, don’t come crying to me.”

As Skye returned to her party, several Light Elf Knights tried to stop them.

“Hold it! You are wanted by the King of the Light Elves!” the captain stated. “You’re coming with us!”

Skye turned to them, “Oh yeah? And who’s gonna make us? You tin plated sissies? Maybe you need another beating from your former princess.”

This caused the Light Elf knights to hesitate, becoming nervous as Skye glared at them. Just then the Light Elf knights were being pelted by stones. Everyone turned to see the villagers, largely unharmed but angry, each one tossing stones at the Light Elf knights.

“You long-eared jerks, leave the Shroud Hero and his allies alone!” one villager yelled.

“Yeah, the Shroud Hero saved us! We won’t let you bully him!” another spat.

“He’s a real hero, unlike you tin tyrants! So, back off!” another stated.

“Yeah, all you jerks do is cause trouble for everyone! Beat it, you scumbags!”

The Light Elf captain sputtered, “B-But he did the unthinkable to the Princess!”

“Hah! Like we’re gonna believe that garbage!” another villager laughed.

“Veronica has pulled that very same stunt many times already! And you idiots know that!” a woman hissed.

“Yeah, she’s the real criminal here, not the Shroud Hero!” another woman roared.

“The Shroud Hero is a real hero! Unlike you Light Elf swine!”

“We’re well-aware that your wench of a Princess has pulled the unthinkable against a Legendary Hero! We’re not buying your lies!”

“Yeah! So, beat it! Scram! Scat!”

The villagers started to throw more stones at the Light Elf knights, but left the human knights, including Ike, alone. Celtic couldn’t help but smirk.

“Guess I’m not so useless after all, huh, Heroes,” he said snidely. “Come on, team, we’ve got ground to cover.”

Skye placed two fingers at her lips and mockingly blew a kiss, “Catch you losers later.” She then snapped her fingers, “Warp!”

In a flash of light, the Shroud Hero’s party vanished, much to the other Heroes’ surprise. All the while, Lucas was still in a fetal position, still clutching his crotch, whimpering, while Veronica lay on the ground, occasionally twitching in pain.

“Did… Did we just get outdone by Celtic?!” Eric barely managed to say.

Ryan scratched his chin, “Either he’s cheating or knows something we don’t, and I’m not sure which one it is.”

Jerry looked at Lucas and Veronica, “We might need to get some healers over here, as that Skye girl really did a number to these two. Hard to believe she and Veronica are related.”

“Yeah, and there seems to be plenty of hostility between them,” the Sword Hero pointed out. “But what bothers me is that, according to the villagers, it sounds like Veronica has a reputation for lies and deception, so it makes me question if Celtic really is a criminal… or actually a victim.”

Meanwhile, the trio reappeared in another location. Celtic looked around, surprised.

“Hey, isn’t this where we were before the attack?” he asked.

Skye nodded, “Yes. You see, Warp is one of many teleportation spells. In this case it can take the user, and anyone else they want, anyplace he or she has been to before. In order to get away from those idiots, I used Warp to return us to our original position so we can resume our trek to Delgunner. If I could I’d use Warp to get us to Delgunner, but I’ve never been to Delgunner before, so I can’t use Warp to get us there quicker. There are vastly superior teleportation spells out there, but Warp is the easiest to learn, as botching a teleportation spell can have big consequences. I won’t say what, as it’s very gory, but let’s just say it’s not pleasant.”

“Spare me, as I’ve already had a very gory experience,” Celtic winced, touching his mechanical arm. He then turned to Rupert, “Rupert, did you manage to collect some monster parts?”

Rupert nodded, showing the large sack he had over his shoulder, “Yep. Got lots of good stuff, including that boss monster’s scorpion tail. They should make for nice items and Shroud forms.”

“Good work. Now, let’s resume our trek, as we still have a ways to go. Oh, and one last thing. Skye, I want you to kick Lucas in the crotch every chance you get. I haven’t laughed like that since coming here, and it felt refreshing.”

She flashed a mischievous smile, “It would be my pleasure, Cel.”

With a final nod, the trio resumed their quest to Delgunner, spirits high.

Next Chapter: Wrath Fire

And that's the conclusion of the Heroes' first major battle. Tune in next time to find out what happens next.
 
Okay, here's the next chapter of Chaos Rising. Enjoy.

Wrath Fire


It was late at night. Celtic was doing his night watch shift, while Skye and Rupert slept peacefully nearby. It had been a few days since he, his party, and the other Legendary Heroes first fought off Infinator’s waves. They were still making their way to Delgunner in hopes of clearing his name and bringing the Light Elves to justice. As he did his watch, he was also working on installing new weapons into his arm, as his Tek-Pak was in front of him and the USP cable was plugged into his arm. He watched the download screen continue its task, and before long it was finished, allowing him to detach the cable and reboot his arm. After he flexed it to ensure everything was operational, he resumed his watch, gently prodding the flames of their campfire.

“Those damn Light Elves,” he silently seethed. “What do they hope to gain from making me some sort of monster? And why me? Is it because I’m the Shroud Hero and I, personally, am just collateral damage? Or is there something about me that they dislike as well? And the fact that Lucas is too stupid to realize that he’s nothing more than that witch’s meat shield makes me hate him, too. It was so satisfying to see Skye kick him in the crotch, sending him flying and crashing in a heap on the ground. I hadn’t laughed like that in a while. But still, this world has become my personal hell, and I still have half a mind to let it burn. Boy, wouldn’t I like to burn that wicked witch, Veronica, to ashes. That’d be so satisfying.”

He looked into the flames, almost envisioning Veronica burning inside them, along with the rest of the Light Elf royal family, barring Skye. The idea gave him sick satisfaction, hoping it would happen one day. He then turned to see Rupert awaken, stretching like a cat would as he came to groggily.

“Celtic,” he yawned. “I believe it’s my turn now to do the night watch, right?”

Celtic looked up at the two moons in the sky, “I believe so, judging by the position of the moons. If you’re ready to go, I’ll let you take over. But wake us if something happens or something attacks.”

Rupert nodded, “Yes, don’t worry. I know the routine. You’ll be the first to know if something happens. You get some rest, pal, as you’re gonna need it.”

Celtic nodded in agreement, “See you in the morning, Rupert.”

With that, the redhead unrolled a sleeping bag, curled up under it, and fell asleep. With a smile, Rupert sat in front of the fire, occasionally feeding it a log, as the night hours ticked on by.

Morning had come soon enough. After a quick breakfast, the trio resumed their mission. However, it wouldn’t be long before something would require their attention.

Two villagers, a woman and her son, weakly staggered down the road before falling to their knees. Celtic and his party quickly ran over to see if they were okay.

“These two have been afflicted by some sort of plague,” Skye observed. “Cel, switch to your Enhance Potion Shroud, as they’re gonna need the extra kick from your medicine in order to cure them.”

Celtic nodded, activating that Shroud, which caused the Shroud of Shadows to transform into a large book. He then took out two tonics he had made and administered them to the two villagers. As he did, the Shroud glowed, enhancing the effects of the tonics, curing the ill mother and son.

The mother looked up at him, “Thank you, kind soul. But there are others up ahead who are in worse shape, as a plague has struck the village of Rockworst. My son and I are travelers, but the plague infected us like the other villagers, and the village doctor don’t have enough medicine to cure it. Please, you must help them, before it’s wiped out, as it has already taken the lives of several.”

Rupert turned to Celtic, “We’d better do it, as we have to go through those mountains to get to our destination anyway. So, we might as well help them while we’re at it.”

“Fine,” Celtic said. “It’ll give us a chance to get some money, too. But I wonder what is causing the plague? Guess we’ll find out soon enough. Let’s go, team.”

“Wait,” the woman said. “Please, take this.” She handed over about ten silvers, “Consider that a thank you for curing us. Please, be careful, though, as you could get infected as well.”

Celtic pocketed the coins before he and his party made their way to Rockworst Village. It wasn’t long before they arrived. It was a small village nestled near the mountains, mostly made of stone, hence its name. It was very quiet, almost too quiet. Rupert sniffed the air, gaining a disgusted face.

“I smell airborne poison,” he said. “Almost smells like rotting meat. It’s not too bad here, but I bet that’s the cause of the plague, as, with enough exposure, it could result in disease. Seems to be coming from the mountains nearby.”

Skye then called out, “Hello? Is anybody here? We’re here to offer medicine.”

That seemed to be the magic word, as what appeared to be a doctor and nurse suddenly emerged from a large building. They saw Celtic and his party, eyes lighting up, as they quickly ran over to them.

“Oh, thanks the heavens!” the doctor stated. “If you’re here to peddle medicine, then we’d gladly pay for it, as we’re fresh out.”

“I’m Celtic, the Shroud Hero,” Celtic introduced himself. “These are my companions, Skye and Rupert. We heard that there is a plague here, so we’ve come to peddle some medicine to cure it. Do you know the source of the plague?”

“Unfortunately, yes, we do,” the doctor said sadly. “We’ll explain what the situation is later, first, please cure our villagers before any more succumb to this horrible plague, as we’ve already lost about seven people to it. Come, follow me.”

The doctor and nurse led them to the largest building. Inside it were several very sick people, clearly suffering. When they saw Celtic and his team, their spirits instantly lifted.

“Has our savior come?” asked a woman.

The doctor nodded, “Yes, and in the form of the Shroud Hero. He’s here to correct the mistake the Sword Hero has committed.”

This caught Celtic’s attention, “Sword Hero? You mean Ryan? He’s the cause of this? Great, I knew something like this would happen eventually. But we’ll discuss it later. First, let me get to work. Enhance Potion Shroud.”

The Shroud transformed again to its book-like form. Celtic then started to administer the medicine to the sick villagers. One by one, they were cured of their illness, expressing great joy and relief. After the last patient was taken care of, the doctor led Celtic and his party out of the room to discuss the situation.

“So, what did Ryan do that caused a plague here?” Skye asked.

“The Sword Hero slayed a dragon upon our request, as it was causing some problems around these parts. However, he left the corpse behind. At first we took advantage of that, allowing travelers to see it, gaining a fair profit from it. But, unfortunately, the rotting corpse started to attract monsters and became diseased. Combine the prevailing southwesterly winds from the mountains and it carried the disease to us. We’ve already lost seven villagers, along with some travelers. Please, Shroud Hero, will you properly dispose of the corpse before any more lives are destroyed by it?”

Celtic cursed silently, “Dammit, Ryan. You should’ve known better. Leaving meat out will cause it to go bad, just like back on Earth. And corpses are even worse in that regard.” He then said aloud, “Fine, we’ll dispose of the corpse for you. It will cost you, however, along with the medicine we used to cure your villagers.”

The doctor nodded, “Yes, of course. We’d gladly pay. How does 350 silvers sound?”

“Seems fair enough. Right, Skye, Rupert, we’re going now. Put a cloth around your mouths and noses so you don’t breathe in the airborne toxicity. The last thing we need is you two getting poisoned or something. The Shroud protects me from poison so I won’t have to worry as much about it. But let’s move, quickly, before the plague spreads again.”

“Right!” his companions said in unison.

About an hour’s hike later, the trio had found the dragon corpse on a nearby mountain. It was a massive beast, with dingy cobalt blue scales, large wings that were as wide as the length of the dragon itself, strong limbs, a thick tail, spines on its back, a long neck, and a large head with a jaw full of sharp teeth and what appeared to be mandibles on the sides. Celtic, Skye, and Rupert were all wearing makeshift masks to protect them from the airborne poison as they approached the decaying behemoth.

“Okay then,” Celtic said. “This shouldn’t be too hard. We just have to hack it apart and bury it so it cannot cause any more trouble. And yet… why do I feel a sense of dread?”

“We better do it quickly,” Skye stated. “As that rotting smell is making me sick to my stomach. I’m glad we didn’t eat anything before coming up here, as I’d be tempted to puke if I had.”

Rupert’s ears then twitched, “Hold on, gang. I just heard something.”

They all went silent. Skye’s ears twitched, too. Before long, Celtic could hear it as well. It sounded like a heartbeat. It was getting louder and louder, faster and faster. Suddenly, to their horror, the dragon corpse started to move. It seemed to reabsorb its spilt blood and organs before reanimating itself, giving a roar as it did.

“You have GOT to be kidding me!” Celtic stammered. “The damn thing waited until just NOW to become a freakin’ dragon zombie! Battle formation, quickly! Tornado!”

Nodding, Skye and Rupert drew their weapons while Celtic’s arm became the mechanical fan. The dragon zombie gave a mighty roar before spewing black smog at them. Realizing it was poisonous, Celtic fired off Tornado to absorb the miasma and keep it away from his party. Rupert zipped around at high speeds, striking the dragon zombie from all directions, while Skye hacked away at it with her naginata. This only enraged the beast, who then tried to take a swipe at them with its tail. Skye and Rupert managed to dodge it while Celtic switched to Reflector Shield to tank the attack, retaliating with an airborne shockwave, making it roar in pain.

“We need a plan!” Celtic stated. “How do we kill a dragon zombie?”

Skye turned to him, “Dragons possess special power cores, not unlike what the Ballooner have. Though, obviously, Dragons have much more powerful ones. Removing it would put an end to it instantly, but that would mean someone would have to go inside it and remove it manually. Another method would be to use Healing magic on it, as undead are harmed by Healing magic. But, sadly, none of us actually have a Healing spell under our belts, so that’s out of the question. The best bet we have is to just simply hack away at it until it runs out of Hit Points!”

Celtic cursed under his breath before stating, “Okay then. I’ll keep the poison attacks away from you two and see if I can keep its attention! You two try to kill it with both physical and magical attacks! We have to hurry, before this gets out of hand!”

“Right!” the duo stated.

Celtic switched to Gatling and started to fire it at the dragon zombie’s head, angering it. It lashed out a claw at him, making him jump back just out of range. He then switched to Tornado when it looked like it was rearing back to breathe the poisonous breath attack. As it did, it allowed the powerful tornado to absorb the miasma, preventing it from getting near Skye or Rupert. As this happened, Rupert was hacking away at the dragon’s sides, trying to get through its flesh in an attempt to remove the core. Skye fired off various Fire, Ice, and Wind spells at it, trying to weaken it further. This angered the dragon zombie. With surprising speed, it lashed out its tail and ensnared Rupert, much to the Beastman’s shock and Celtic’s and Skye’s horror. It slammed its tail on the ground a few times before tossing Rupert into a stone wall, causing rocks to fall on top of him, burying him.

“Rupert!!!” Skye cried out.

Celtic was frozen to the spot, eyes wide in horror.

“N-No…” he said mentally. “No… not again… Is this world taking something else precious to me away!? Is this world trying to make my life a living hell by destroying everything that I have?! Why?! What have I done to deserve this?!! I want this world to BURN!!! I want it to BURN TO THE GROUND!!! I want this world to SUFFER for what it has done to me!!!”

As his rage took over, his mind consumed by anger, hatred, and wrath, he felt a cursed fire awaken in him. As he did, the facial markings reappeared, his pupils becoming slits, his sharp teeth bared. He then summoned a sphere of energy in his palms before releasing it.

“WRATH FIRE!!!” he roared.

A massive pillar of black flames erupted underneath the dragon zombie, making it roar in agony. Skye, who was trying to dig Rupert out, saw this, her eyes wide in shock and horror.

“W-Wrath Fire?!” she choked. “T-That’s Demon magic! Demon magic is forbidden unless you’re a demon, as it has powerful and dangerous drawbacks! But… how can Celtic use Demon magic? Has he been consumed by his anger and hatred to the point he’s able to draw out Demon magic? And… for that matter, where did those facial marks come from? C-Could Celtic be something more than a human? No, he couldn’t! …Could he? …Is it possible that Celtic may not be fully human? Or has he lost himself to his anger that he’s becoming something other than human? I’ve heard of old stories that people who give into negative emotions like wrath, greed, or pride can be corrupted and become pseudo-demons. Is it possible that Celtic is corrupting because of his pent-up wrath and becoming some sort of demi-demon? I hope not.”

While clearly horrified, Skye quickly resumed digging Rupert out from the rock pile. As she did, she heard Celtic command another round of Wrath Fire on the dragon zombie, burning the beast with a vengeance. After a few minutes, Skye managed to find Rupert, and to her relief, he was alive.

“Rupert!” she cried happily. “Are you okay? Is anything broken?”

Rupert gingerly crawled out of the rock pile, “I don’t think so. I feel a little squished, but I was lucky, as the rocks ended up creating a pocket that I got stuck in. What’s happening?”

Skye gained a worried face, “Celtic, out of his fury, seems to have unlocked Wrath Fire.”

Rupert’s eyes widened in shock, “W-Wrath Fire?! That’s Demon magic! Isn’t it forbidden due to the nasty side-effects is has? How is Celtic able to use Wrath Fire?!”

Skye looked over her shoulder sadly, “I don’t know. But I worry that Celtic is either not fully human or he’s corrupting into a pseudo-demon because he has so much pent-up anger and wrath. I just hope that he doesn’t get hit with Wrath Fire’s drawback, which is a self-inflicted curse. At this rate, the dragon zombie will be reduced to ashes, but I worry that Celtic’s soul will burn with it.”

The duo could only watch as Celtic’s liberal use of Wrath Fire incinerated the dragon zombie to ashes, leaving only a sparkling purple crystal behind, which was revealed to be its power core. Celtic was panting by that point, clearly still on his rage-high, before falling to his knees in exhaustion. Skye and Rupert took this opportunity to approach him, with Skye supporting the Beastman. After Celtic had seemingly calmed down, he turned to them, eyes wide as he saw the battered but alive Beastman.

“R-Rupert!” Celtic barely managed to say. “You’re alive!”

“Yeah, I got lucky,” Rupert replied. “Those rocks ended up creating a small pocket that I got stuck in, so I managed to avoid getting crushed. I feel a bit squashed from the tail’s grip and being slammed on the ground, but I’ll live. But… Celtic, you do realize what just happened, right?”

It took a few moments for it to process in Celtic’s mind before he realized what had happened. His eyes widened in shock as he saw the remaining ashes of the dragon zombie, along with the power core.

“W-What did I do?” he asked weakly.

Skye gained a sad expression, “Cel, you used a spell known as Wrath Fire. Wrath Fire… is Demon magic, a forbidden branch of magic unless you’re a demon yourself. It’s forbidden because only demons can handle its side-effects, any other species will be affected by various negative effects like curses. Some say using Demon magic liberally will cause the side effects to become worse until, eventually, you’re destroyed along with your target. The fact you used Demon magic means a few things. Either you have demon blood in you, you’re corrupting into a pseudo-demon, or your negative emotions are just that powerful that it would grant you access to Demon magic, all of which are possible. But, either way, please, be careful with it. Demon magic may be the strongest magic in existence, but it’s not without consequences.”

“I… might be a demon…?” Celtic said silently. “Would that explain my almost alien biology? Do I have demon blood and genes in me? If I do, it would explain some things. But, if so… am I actually the enemy?” He shook his head to banish the thoughts for now before turning to his companions, “I’m sorry that you had to see me lose it like that. Let’s collect the power core and return to the village to inform them that the dragon corpse has been dealt with. Not quite how we intended to deal with it, but I guess whatever works. But… let’s leave out the whole Wrath Fire thing, okay? At least until we can figure more about it. We’ll keep it our secret until we can decode why I have it. I’ll have my Shroud absorb the power core, as it might come in handy and we’ll return to the village.”

Nodding in agreement, Celtic absorbed the crystal, creating a new Shroud that read “Dragon Rage Shroud”. He then joined Skye in supporting Rupert as they returned to the village slowly. Upon arrival, they explained the situation while the nurse treated Rupert’s injuries. The head of the village and the doctor placed a pouch of coins in front of him.

“We cannot thank you enough, Shroud Hero. Here’s your payment. Because of what you had to do, we’re also giving you 300 coppers as a bonus, since fighting that beast must’ve been tough, seeing your Beastman friend’s injuries. Luckily, he seemed to escape the worst of it, as he has no broken bones or internal injuries. Most of them are flesh wounds and pulled muscles at worst. He’ll require a day to rest, so we’re willing to let you stay until he’s recovered.”

Celtic gave a nod, “Thank you very much. And I’m glad that Rupert didn’t get too badly hurt. Thank you for treating his wounds.”

He took the payment and left the room. He entered a room in the inn where Rupert was being treated by the nurse. Skye was also there, watching over him, concern in her eyes. They all turned when the noticed Celtic’s presence.

“Oh, hey, Cel,” Skye said warmly.

“How’s Rupert?” the redhead asked.

The nurse smiled, “He’ll be just fine. A little rest and some potions will get him back on his furry feet.”

Rupert turned to Celtic, “I’m sorry that I worried you, pal. I hope you can forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Rupert,” Celtic replied. “It wasn’t your fault. That dragon zombie is to blame, along with Ryan for setting up this whole ordeal in the first place. It just caught us all off guard with that stunt it pulled. I’m just glad you’ll be fine and escaped with only moderate injuries at worst.” He then said silently, “As for me… I’m starting to worry that I’m something worse… and very dangerous… I just hope that, if I am some sort of demon, I’m a decent type of one, like maybe a Shadokor or something.”

Skye could see what he was thinking, gaining a worried expression. She then stood up and grabbed his hand.

“Come on, Cel, why don’t we go outside and look at the stars for a bit,” she suggested. “It’ll take your mind off of things, as you’ve told me before that you like to stargaze.”

“I suppose so,” the redhead replied. “We’ll be back shortly, Rupert, so rest up.”

As the duo left, the nurse giggled, “Looks like you’ve got a couple of lovebirds in your party, Rupert.”

Rupert couldn’t help but chuckle, “I’ve always known those two were close. They share a lot in common, so it’s only natural. And considering how shameless Skye can be when it comes to trying to get his attention, it’s pretty obvious that there’s some sparks flying between them. But we’ll see if it ends up being kindled to flame.”

Outside, Celtic and Skye were looking at the stars. The air smelled better, with no traces of disease in it.

“Cel,” the Light Elf said. “Don’t worry too much about what happened. Demon magic is dangerous, no doubt, but I have faith in you. And whether you’re part demon or whatever, I’ll still stand by you, just like I promised. But… I suggest keeping Wrath Fire under wraps for a bit, at least until we can decipher some possible explanations about how and why you have access to it.”

Celtic nodded, “Yeah, sure, sounds good. I just hope that, if I do have demon in me, I’m one of the better types of demons… because if I ended up becoming the enemy… I don’t think I could live with that.”

Skye wrapped her arms around his metal arm, “I know you won’t become the enemy. You may be rough around the edges at times, but you’ve got a noble spirit. That alone reassures me that you’re on our side. I just know everything will work out in the end.”

Managing to give a rough smile, Celtic resumed looking at the stars with Skye. His mind was swarming with questions and concerns, but he knew that time would answer everything.

Next Chapter: Plant Panic

Looks like Celtic has awakened a terrible darkness within him. And possible information on his murky background unknown to him may be coming into light. What will this mean for the future? We shall see.
 
Okay, here's the next chapter. Celtic and co need to clean up yet another mess made by the other Heroes. In this case, Lucas the Spear Hero's blunder. Read and find out what happens next.

Plant Panic


It had been a few days since Celtic and his party slayed the Dragon Zombie. Rupert had recovered and they were back on the road to Delgunner. As they traveled, Celtic took out the Infinity Hourglass to see how long they had before the next attack.

“Well, according to the Infinity Hourglass, we still have nearly a month before Infinator launches his next attack,” he observed. “That’ll give us time to gather resources and maybe a few more party members.”

Skye smiled, “Good thinking. The three of us are a good start, but if we’re gonna survive these attacks and finally put an end to Infinator, we’re gonna need some serious firepower. Especially in the form of a healer, as none of us have any sort of healing magic under our belts. Celtic’s potions and such are a good start, but we need a healer if we’re gonna get through these waves, as they’ll only get tougher.”

Rupert nodded in agreement, “Yeah, you’ve got that right. A Templar Knight would be most ideal, as they are extremely proficient in white magic. But… the only problem is that most Templar Knights around here would probably be associated with the Church of the Four Stars.”

Celtic turned to him, “This Church of the Four Stars keeps coming up. Who are they? And why would it be a problem?”

Skye gave a sigh, “Well, the Church of the Four Stars is a rather nasty cult-like religious group. They worship the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow Heroes as deities, while calling the Shroud the ‘devil’. They’ve got a similar mindset to the Light Elves, too, as they are human and elven supremacists, so races like Beastmen and demons are considered monsters to them. The Light Elves, naturally, agree with this way of thinking, thus they support the Four Stars Church. So, as a result, they would most likely turn down any support to us, as the Shroud Hero is considered ‘evil’ to them, Rupert would be considered a monster, and I’m a renegade. So, getting a Templar Knight to join us would be asking for trouble, as they’d all be associated with the Four Stars Church around these parts. We might have better luck finding a Templar Knight to fill the role in Delgunner’s territory, as they all worship the five Heroes equally. We could maybe find a lower-tier healer while traveling around, but a Templar Knight would be considered the best choice. Thus, our options are slim.”

“Damn,” the redhead cursed. “Leave it to the Light Elves and their associates to make things unnecessarily complicated for us. Guess we’ll just have to see what comes our way and hope for the best. In any case, let’s look for a place to rest so I can make lunch.”

Nodding in agreement, the trio started to look for a place to set up a temporary campsite. However, they soon stumbled upon what looked like an old mansion with a cave near it. It looked like it had been recently disturbed, as the cave’s rusty gate had been opened. Curious, the Shroud Hero party decided to investigate. Upon entering the cave, it was revealed to be rather shallow, with only an open chest and a sign in it. As they examined it, they noticed that there was no dust on it, proving that it had been recently opened. Skye read the sign over.

“Hmm… this isn’t good,” she said. “According to this sign, there are cursed alchemy seeds in this chest. If planted, they can create demon plants that’ll ensnare the area they’ve been planted in, as well as infect people with parasitic demons. Someone seems to have taken them, and I worry who it might be.”

Rupert then noticed something. He picked up what looked like a clamshell full of rouge.

“That’s strange…” he said. “Where did this clamshell of rouge come from.”

Skye held out her hand, “Let me see it.” Upon inspecting it, she gained a sour look, “I had a feeling it was them. This is my sister’s rouge makeup case. I know that smell anywhere, as it uses crushed Zuka berries, giving it a cherry-like smell. Veronica loves Zuka berries and adores any makeup made from them, so this is definitely hers. Which means Pointy Stick Boy was here recently. I’m beginning to dread what that idiot has done this time.”

Suddenly, a voice said, “Who are you?”

They all turned to see an older woman behind them.

“We could ask you the same question,” Celtic said in a rather defensive tone.

“I am a potion maker in the village of Barleyvale just southeast of here,” the woman explained. “I came out here looking for help, as our village is in a crisis. We were having a famine, as our crops didn’t do so well this year. The Spear Hero said he’d help us, so he planted strange seeds in our fields, then left. But, as it turns out, they were evil seeds, as they grew rapidly and started to take over the village. They also released demonic plants and parasites that are infecting our people. My potions have managed to keep the parasite issue as low as possible, but we’re unable to get rid of the demon plants. Even experienced warriors cannot get near the thing. I came here, looking to see where the Spear Hero may have gotten those seeds, and it appears it was from this old mansion, as I feared.”

“Dammit,” Celtic cursed again. “What was Lucas thinking?! Didn’t he read the sign? Or at least have one of his harem members do it for him? Now, we have yet another ‘Hero’s’ mess to clean up. Show us where the village is, we’ll deal with it, seeing how Lucas screwed up.”

The woman’s eyes lit up, “You will? Oh, thank you! We’ll be sure to properly reward you for your efforts. What are your names?”

“I’m Celtic Pulsar, the Shroud Hero.”

“I’m Skye Lightwave, former member of the Light Elf royal family,” Skye stated.

“And I’m Rupert del Luxin, former Beastman noble family member,” Rupert bowed.

“The Shroud Hero’s party? Oh, it looks like the heavens are smiling upon us today. Please, follow me, and quickly.”

It didn’t take long for the party to arrive at the village. Barleyvale was overrun with vines and plants that were strangling the village. The fruit was very much alive, with glowing eyes and fangs while still stuck to the vines. In the dead center of the fields was a monstrous plant creature with large fangs made from bark, a huge single eye, and vine-like tendrils lashing out everywhere. Celtic and company could see several adventurers trying to get near it but were effortlessly swatted away. Celtic quickly put down his Tek-Pak, took some stuff out, and began working on something.

“What are you doing, Celtic?” Rupert asked.

“I’m making some herbicide, as the grimoire we got recently had the recipe for monster plant-neutralizing herbicide. Thanks to Skye teaching me this world’s alphabet, I managed to read the grimoire and learn its secrets. Just give me a moment…” After a few moments, his Shroud glowed, allowing the herbicide to take form, “There, done. Now, I’m going to switch to my Potion Enhance Shroud, as every bit of power will be needed to turn that root brute into a daisy.”

As he said that, the Shroud transformed into its book-like form. The trio then charged in to stop the rampaging plant monster. Skye and Rupert hacked and slashed away at the vines, freeing any captured people in the process, while Celtic made a beeline for the main creature. It lashed out its tendrils at him, but due to his high Defense, they didn’t even faze him, allowing him to march right up to the plant’s face. It roared at him, giving him the chance he needed to pour the herbicide down its throat. As he did, the Potion Enhance Shroud glowed. This light caused the plant demon to twist and turn in pain before it seemed to evaporate, causing all the vines and demon fruit to vanish, leaving behind several ball-like seeds. Celtic picked one up and had the Shroud analyze it, giving him an idea.

“I’ve got an idea on how to use these seeds to cure the famine,” he said. “Time for a Shroud change. Bio Plant Shroud.”

The Shroud changed, this time into a new form. It looked like a shroud made from various plants, such as ferns, vines, and bark, along with several jungle flower-like structures on it. As he held the cursed seed, the Shroud activated, causing what looked like a status screen to appear over the seed in his hand. He worked away at it, seemingly modifying the seed. This, in turn, caused the seed in his hand, along with the ones on the ground, to grow and change shape, this time taking a more triangular appearance. Using the Shroud’s magic, he then sent all the seeds flying, planting them into the ground. A few minutes passed before several fruit-bearing plants rapidly grew, much to the surprise of the villagers. After they had stopped growing, Celtic took down one of them, which resembled a purple apple, and had the Shroud scan it. As the results came in, he gained a rough, but satisfied smile.

“Okay, you should be good to go now,” he said. “I had the Shroud of Shadows modify the seeds, removing their negative effects and replacing them with positive effects. These fruit are safe for consumption and will not cause you any more problems, as I’ve extracted everything that could be harmful from them. I’ll demonstrate.”

He bit into the purple apple, everyone watching tensely. After he finished it off, proving it was safe, the people cheered.

“There you go. These new plants will grow fruit at a fast, but steady pace, allowing you to have plentiful harvests from here on out. The fruit will also have some extra effects, such as curing poison and minor healing capabilities, so that’ll give you some extra bang for your buck.”

“Our true savior, the Shroud Hero!” one villager cheered.

“Now we won’t ever have to worry about a bad harvest ever again!” a woman jumped for joy.

The head of the village walked up to him, “Thank you ever so much, Shroud Hero. We had heard some nasty rumors about you, and the Spear Hero spoke ill of you, but it appears it’s all just more nonsense from the Light Elves again.”

Skye walked up to him, “You better believe it. Celtic did nothing wrong, it’s just the Light Elves performing yet another ‘get-more-power-quick’ scheme. However, this time, they’ve gone too far, as tarnishing the name of the Shroud Hero, a religious figure to countless nations and races, could spark a world war. But, then again, the Light Elves never think their plans through. I should know, I’ve uprooted many of them. As for Pointy Stick Boy, ignore anything he says, as he’s an egotistical moron at best who is also my sister’s personal meat shield and attack dog. So, don’t listen to a word he says. If he ever returns, throw rocks at him or something, as, once again, his lack of brainpower caused a problem. Celtic is the only competent Legendary Hero, as he actually gets the job done, so don’t listen to Lucas or Veronica.”

“I see. That explains a lot, actually.” The village leader shook his head disapprovingly, “Why would the Light Elves do this? Everyone knows they’re always up to no good, but now they’re dragging the name of the Shroud Hero through the mud? What do they hope to gain from it?”

Rupert shrugged, “We don’t know. But, as Skye pointed out, they never think their plans through completely, so whatever they’re angling for now is unknown to everyone except themselves. But you can bet it’s nothing good.”

“I see. Well, in any case, we cannot thank you enough. Now, I know you’ll want a reward, but, unfortunately, thanks to the Spear Hero, our coffers are rather depleted. However, we can offer you other items such as goods, supplies, tools, and some of the fruit from the modified seeds. Will that be an adequate reward, Shroud Hero?”

Celtic pondered for a moment before replying, “Fine, that’ll suffice. We have a long journey ahead of us, so we’ll need the supplies and such. Plus, given the fact that Infinator’s waves are reoccurring, every item helps. Very well then, we accept your offer.”

The village leader bowed, “Thank you, Shroud Hero. We will begin preparing the promised items immediately. Please, make yourself at home. We’re a quaint village, but a cozy one. I’ll arrange for a free night in the inn, with food, for you and your comrades.”

As the village leader left to tend to his task, the farmers started to harvest the now safe fruit from the newly formed plants, clearly happy. Celtic and his party decided to roam around and see what had been damaged because of Lucas’ negligence. Fortunately, it didn’t appear to be much, though there was damage regardless, annoying the Shroud Hero.

“Dammit, Lucas,” he cursed silently. “Don’t you ever use your head? The sign clearly stated that those seeds were cursed creations, yet you nearly strangled the life out of a village because you didn’t listen or even notice it. At least one of your harem members should’ve pointed it out to you. Figures. Looks like I’ll be cleaning up after these halfwit heroes a lot. Dammit, I knew their RPG mentality was only going to make things worse for the people here. Can’t they see that this world is very much real, not just a big video game? Who knows what’ll happen next if they keep this destructive behavior up.”

Skye noticed Celtic’s livid scowl, so she touched his shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts.

“Sorry, Cel, I didn’t mean to spook you,” she said. “I can tell you’re upset about how those idiotic heroes are treating this world, and its people, as a game. This makes the second mess of theirs we’ve had to clean up. It’s no surprise you don’t like them, as they’re not taking the threat seriously, not to mention the death and destruction they’re leaving in their wakes. First a plague caused by a dragon corpse and now this. I almost dread what’s next on the list. But I know we’ll pull through, and I know that, sooner or later, they’ll get the message. It’s the sooner or later part that worries me.”

“Same with me, and I have a feeling it’ll be the ‘later’ end of the spectrum,” Celtic replied grimly. “Honestly, what are they thinking? This isn’t a game, it’s a matter of life-and-death. People’s lives are at risk, including theirs, yet they’re treating everything like it’s just another one of their video games. I’ve played a few RPGs in my life, mostly stuff like Breath of Fire, though I generally preferred games like Crash Bandicoot, Monster Rancher, Ratchet & Clank, and Spyro the Dragon, but I can tell plain as day that this world is very much real. So, what boggles my mind is why they can’t see that? It should be obvious, and yet they seem to lack any sort of common knowledge or sense. I’m almost dreading what it may take for them to take this seriously.” He then looked around nervously before whispering, “Hey, Skye, let’s find someplace quiet. I need to ask you something but I’m afraid it might be a rather sensitive subject.”

She nodded, whispering, “Sure. I think we can get some peace and quiet over by the barns. Let’s go.”

Nodding, the trio headed over to the barns. They were quiet and peaceful, with only the clucking of chickens and oinking of pigs nearby. After finding a shady spot, Celtic turned to the duo.

“Skye, Rupert… what do you know about demons?” he asked.

Rupert looked around before asking, “This is because of you using Wrath Fire the other day, right? Are you concerned that you might have demon in you?”

Celtic nodded nervously, “Yeah, I am. Given my unusual nature, it will make sense if I have demon in me. So, what do you know about demons?”

Skye scratched her head, “Demons are bit of an enigma. They’re not native to this world, as they all come from the Demon Realm, so knowledge about them is rather scarce to the public. What I do know is that demons are identified, and ranked, by the number of hearts they have. Demons have multiple hearts, making them the only species that does. The more hearts a demon has, the higher their ‘level’ or ‘tier’ is. They are generally broken down into three categories: Low-Tier, Mid-Tier, and Advance-Tier. Advance-Tier demons are considered the most powerful, as well as tend to be the most humanoid. Mid-Tier can also sometimes fit that criteria, but it tends to vary between species. Sylph’s species, for example, is a Mid-Tier demon, but she’s very human-like due to her species: Succulite. An Advance-Tier demon would be something like the Shadokor or whatever Infinator’s species is. I know more, as I managed to dig up some books on the subject back home, but I can’t quite remember it right now. Sorry.”

Rupert nodded, “Skye’s right. The demons tend to keep their information away from the public for some reason. Probably because demons are sort of a sensitive situation, given how the Light Elves stupidly summoned a very powerful one and ended up starting a massive war, which is restarting in the current day. That brings us to our question: do you have any traits that might make you at least part demon?”

Celtic nervously nodded, “Y-Yeah… I’ve got seven hearts.”

Skye’s eyes widened, “Seven?! That would put in you the Advance-Tier, as six hearts and up are considered part of the Advance classification. So, it’s safe to say you have demon blood in you. That would explain your ability to access Demon magic safely. The question that remains is… which type of demon are you? I would like to say Shadokor, but, and I might be wrong on this, Shadokor are reported to have eight hearts, so that would make you one heart shy of the species’ full set. However, you might be at most half demon, so it could possibly reduce the number of hearts you have that would be normal for your species. It’s hard to say, really, as there are several species of demons out there, so you could be any type of demon in the Advance-Tier. I wish I could tell you more, but that’s all I can say at this time. Sorry.”

Celtic looked depressed, “So… I am a demon. I’m not sure how I feel about that. And it makes me question if I can really be considered a ‘hero’ anymore. Unlike Lucas and the others, I’m not trying to sell myself as one, but now I’m beginning to question if I’m actually fit for this role.”

Skye gently put a hand on his cheek, “It’ll be okay, Cel. Like I said before, not all demons are evil. The Shadokor are probably one of the most noble races in existence, and I’ve heard of some other species of demons sometimes fall into anti-hero roles. I have a gut feeling that you’re part Shadokor, which would make you an ideal choice for the title of Shroud Hero. And, even though this has come to light, I won’t abandon you, as I don’t hate demons. My own species, on the other hand, I wouldn’t mind seeing them suffer for their crimes, but I don’t hate demons, since the whole reason why demons are in this world is because of the Light Elves. But, unlike the rest of my kin, I’m not the same as them, thus you can count on my loyalty. So, don’t let it bother you, Cel, as there are worse things in life than being part demon.”

Rupert gave a warm smile, “She’s right, you know. There are worse things in life than being part demon. Being racist, for example, is one such thing, and demons are not anywhere near that. Heck, even Infinator isn’t racist. He may have racial pride, but he doesn’t see any of the other breeds of people on this world the same way some people do, like certain humans and Light Elves. So, don’t worry about it, pal, as it’ll be okay.”

Celtic gave a small nod, “I’ll try not to worry about it. But I can’t help but be concerned, as I worry that I might end up being the enemy one day. I’m rough around the edges, yes, and I can be a pessimistic jerk, but I don’t see myself as ‘evil’, and yet I worry that I might end up in that category because of my demon blood. I just hope I’m one of the good ones.”

The Light Elf gave him a warm smile, “I know it’ll be okay, Cel. Not all demons are evil. Chaotic, yes, but not evil. It’ll be fine and it’ll all work out. Now, let’s go see if the villagers have gathered up our reward.”

As the trio left the area to see if their reward was ready, Celtic felt a bit better. But he still felt dread about what may lie ahead for them.

Next Chapter: Spider’s Game

Okay, that's that. Celtic's hidden nature is starting to come into the light. Will he remain a Hero? Or will his murky nature cause a face-heel turn? Tune in next time to find out.
 
Okay, here's the next installment of Celtic's adventure. Will this new character help give Cel and his team a much-needed... leg-up? We shall see.

Spider’s Game


Celtic and his party were continuing their quest to Delgunner. After having spent the night in Barleyvale’s inn, they received numerous supplies and tools from the grateful residents. They also gave a new outfit for Celtic, consisted a navy blue tunic with copper and iron plates as well as Rabbicorn hide, matching pants, brown knee-high boots, and a red bandanna. It had a distinctive wild look to it, giving him the appearance of a barbarian or bandit leader, seemingly with defense and speed in mind. Celtic was still deep in thought about what he had learned.

“So… I have demon in me…” he thought sadly. “No wonder most people didn’t like me. Is it because they could sense I was different? Did they somehow, maybe subconsciously, know I was at least part demon? Well, it appears Leena and Reena were right about me being a hell spawn. The question that remains is… am I one of the good demons? Or will I end up turning on everyone?”

Skye could see what he was thinking, giving a sigh, “Cel, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it. I know you’re one of the good guys. Being part demon doesn’t make you evil. It just means you’re a bit different than others, and there’s nothing wrong with being different. I know you haven’t had it easy because you’re different, but you should embrace your demon heritage, as it will help you in the long run. You can’t run from what you are, as I speak from experience. You just have to accept it and move on from it. Your demon heritage will serve you well, I know it. At least being part demon is better than being a Light Elf. Trust me, I know. At least not all demons are evil, unlike my race, so don’t worry about it.”

He turned to her, “I know, I know, but I cannot help it. I’ve known absolutely nothing about myself, as my adoptive parents found me abandoned and among garbage. So, now that I know I have demon in me is a double-edged sword. On the one side, I now know at least part of my heritage, thus it allows me to understand where I possibly came from better. But, on the other hand, it means that I’m some sort of chaotic underworld creature with no idea if I’ll remain on the side of good or switch sides because of my heritage’s nature is murky at best. It’s not an easy thing for me to swallow, as it makes me question who I really am and which side I’m really on. That’s what bothers me.”

Rupert gave a small smile, “It’ll be okay, pal, don’t worry about it. The answers to those questions will reveal themselves soon enough. So, for now, just embrace who you are and be yourself. That’s all you can do.”

“I’ll try, but this isn’t easy for me. But I know you two are right, it’s just… not something that others will accept… including my adopted parents. They knew I was different, so I dread what they’ll think when they realize they raised a demon child. I just wish things would work out for a change, as nothing ever goes my way. But I’m just whining now, so let’s move on and get to the next village.”

As they walked, little did they know that a pair of ears was listening in from the treetops before slinking away into the shadows.

After a little bit, the trio decided to take a rest near a spring. Celtic had plucked some fruit from a nearby tree and was eating it while Skye and Rupert leaned against a tree to rest. It wasn’t long before their break was interrupted. Skye’s ears twitched as she heard something, followed by a fireball barreling toward them. She quickly summoned her naginata and sliced the fireball in two, dispersing it. This caused the other members of her party to jump onto their feet, wondering who their foe was. A familiar voice could be heard, much to their displeasure.

“I found you Celtic, you sewer rat!”

It was revealed to be Lucas and his all-female party. They stormed up to Celtic’s party, with Skye and Rupert on the defensive.

“What do you want now, Lucas?” Celtic groaned.

“What I want is payback for stealing my credit!” Lucas spat. “I’M the one who planted those seeds in that village, and yet when we came back, they threw stones at us, saying we nearly destroyed their village and you saved them! That’s a lie and you know it!”

“Wrong again,” Rupert huffed. “While you did plant those seeds, they were cursed creations. There was even a sign next to the chest stating that they were to never be planted, as they were failed alchemy experiments that, when planted, spawn plant demons and parasitic fruit. Celtic used some herbicide to neutralize it, then used one of his Shroud’s forms to modify the seeds, removing their negative abilities while adding in positive ones, replanted them, and successfully created a bountiful harvest for that village. So, to put it simply, Celtic had to clean up your mess, as you didn’t even bother to read the sign next to the chest, which clearly stated they were cursed. You could’ve at least let one of your harem members tell you what it said instead of haphazardly planting them. After all, they were sealed for a reason, so common sense should’ve told you that if they were sealed, then they could be trouble if released.”

“Like you expect me to believe that you furball!?” Lucas spat again.

Skye roughly grabbed Lucas by his collar, stunning him, “Clean out your ears and listen up, you moron. There was a sign that clearly stated what those seeds were and that they were not to be planted under any circumstances, lest one face the consequences of it. If it wasn’t for Celtic, the village would’ve been destroyed and the people would’ve been fertilizer. So, Celtic was, indeed, cleaning up your mess. This world isn’t a game, after all. Treat it as one and you’re gonna get hurt by its residents.”

Suddenly, a playful voice giggled, “The scantily clad elf is correct. The Shroud Hero was merely correcting your sin, Spear Hero. I saw the whole thing from start to finish. I saw you remove those seeds without even looking at the sign. I saw you plant them, releasing demonic plants onto the village once you left. And I saw Celtic march right up to the head demon plant and destroy it with some herbicide before modifying the seeds to be rendered harmless. I saw everything. I was going to help, as I was crafting the herbicide needed to fix it, but because I was one ingredient short, Celtic beat me to the punch. Not that I mind, as it proved the rumors to me that the Shroud Hero is the only competent Legendary Hero. I also know of what the other Heroes have done recently, and let’s just say they’ve screwed up, just like you.”

Lucas looked around wildly, “Who are you? Show yourself!”

Suddenly, Lucas and his entire party were ensnared in nets and hung above the ground, making the voice giggle.

“Those nets won’t last long,” the voice said. “Follow my voice, Shroud Hero and friends, and I will assist you. But be quick about it.”

Something large swiftly moved from tree to tree, concealed by the shadows, guiding Celtic and company. Not knowing what else to do, the trio followed while Lucas and his party struggled to break free of the nets. The trio had lost the swiftly moving shadow, coming to a fork in the road. Suddenly, Rupert noticed what looked like thread on the ground, pointing to a certain path. Nodding, the trio followed it, leading them to a forest path. They then noticed the words “Stop” written with the same thread, with another thread telling them to go around a certain spot. Obeying, the trio walked around the area that was in front of them before resuming, not knowing that the mysterious individual had removed the threads. Not long after, Lucas and his party were in hot pursuit, having been led down the same path. However, they ran right over the spot that the thread had previously warned Celtic and company, causing a pitfall trap to open up, sending Lucas and his party into a deep pit, making the voice giggle.

“Thanks for dropping in, Spear Hero,” the voice said teasingly. “I suggest you abandon your little jealousy hunt before you get hurt. After all, you couldn’t beat the Shroud if your life depended on it, so why humiliate yourself?”

“Never!” Lucas growled.

“Have it your way, then. This’ll be fun. Let the game continue.”

Meanwhile, Celtic and the others had managed to come to yet another fork in the road. Rupert noticed another thread pointing to the left path. Not knowing what else to do, they followed it. Not long after, the thread was moved to the other pathway, and shortly after that, Lucas and his party appeared. They noticed the thread on the path and followed it. However, as they did, another trap was sprung a short distance away.

“Aiee!!!” Lucas and his party members cried out as the next trap activated. The voice giggled in response.

Meanwhile, Celtic and his party had stopped, having heard Lucas’ cry at the activation of yet another trap.

Skye turned to her male teammates, “Normally I wouldn’t question someone helping us put Pointy Stick Boy and my witch of a sister in their places, but can we really trust this mysterious voice?”

“We don’t have much of a choice, Skye,” Celtic shrugged. “Lucas is too arrogant to accept that he made a mistake, and your sister is using him as her personal attack dog, so any advantage we can get is helpful.”

The voice giggled again, “That’s correct, Shroud Hero. And I appreciate what you’re saying. You can trust me; I promise I won’t lead you astray, as I have respect for you. Spear boy, on the other hand, I’m going to love messing with. Now, keep moving, that other trap won’t keep him bogged down for long. Follow my voice and you’ll be fine. Plus, you’ll get a chance to get some payback on him for his arrogance and believing the Light Elf royal family’s lies.”

The shadowy figure swiftly moved from treetop to treetop, with Celtic’s party hot on its heels. They came to another fork in the road with yet another thread pointing them in the direction they needed. Not knowing what else to do, they followed it. Not long afterward, Lucas and his party, now battered and bruised, came to the same fork in the road. They saw the thread, but this time hesitated.

“Oh no you don’t!” Lucas growled. “We’re not falling for that one again. Come on, girls, we’re taking the other path.”

Nodding, Lucas and his party took the opposite path. However, not long after they did, another trap was sprung, ensnaring them yet again.

“Aiee!!!” they cried out again.

The voice giggled again, “I knew you’d think that Spear boy. You can’t outwit a master trapper, but outwitting you is pitifully easy. I’m having a blast watching you squirm for your arrogance and stupidity. Like a fly caught in a spider’s web, I’ve got you pinned. But keep struggling if you like, as it’ll make your defeat even more amusing.”

At the time, Celtic and his party were catching their breath. They had come to a three-way fork in the forest path, with no strings to indicate which way to go.

The voice floated down, “Don’t take any of these paths. They all have traps. Instead, go through the bushes to your left and hide in the small ditch there. I’ll meet up with you shortly. I’ll make sure Spear boy can’t get out of my last trap, which will give you the chance to give him some payback, as I know you want to.”

Nodding, the trio scampered into the bushes to the left, finding the ditch the voice mentioned earlier. Taking refuge in it, they awaited their mysterious “helper”. At the time, Lucas and his party, now quite battered and exhausted, found the triple fork with no indication of where Celtic’s party had gone.

“Argh! NOW which way do we go?!” Veronica spat angrily.

The voice then floated down to them, “I suggest you take the path to the right, Spear boy.”

Lucas gained a smirk, “Oh, no, you’re not pulling that one on me again. We’re taking the path to the left!”

Sighing, the female companions followed the adamant Lucas down the left path, only to end up in another trap.

“Not again!!!” they wailed.

After a few minutes, they returned to the fork in the road, now all livid.

“I keep telling you, Spear boy,” the voice said. “Take the right path.”

“Not happening, mystery person!” Lucas spat. “We’re taking the middle path!”

Groaning, his female companions followed him down the middle path, only to trigger another trap.

“Oh, come ON!!!” they yelled.

After another few minutes, they returned to the fork in the road.

“All right, mystery voice,” Lucas grumbled. “We’re taking the right path. And there better not be another trap on it!”

Reluctantly, Lucas and his party took the right path. After getting to a certain point, they waited, but nothing happened. They all sighed in relief.

“Finally…” one of his female companions sighed.

“Why didn’t you listen to that voice?” Veronica hissed.

Lucas was taken aback, “I thought it would deceive us, so I didn’t listen to it.”

“Well, you should’ve this time! Come on, let’s find those wretches and get this over with!” the Light Elf spat.

However, after only a few steps, another trap was triggered, much to their fury and despair.

“AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!” they all cried out in a rage.

At the time, Celtic and his party heard the whole thing, making them snicker and giggle.

“I don’t know who our mysterious friend is, but whoever it is, I like them,” Rupert chuckled.

“I’d have to agree with that,” Celtic said between snickers.

“Amen to that,” Skye giggled.

The voice returned, “I’m glad you like my little game. That last trap will hold them for a while, allowing you to rub it in, and get a little payback for their arrogance. Now, time to reveal myself. Look up into the trees.”

They looked up. To their surprise, they saw six pairs of blue eyes glowing from above, followed by a fang-filled toothy smile. The shadowy figured lowered itself to ground level, surprising them.

“No way! An Arachne!” Skye gasped.

“Welcome to my parlor said the spider to the fly,” the Arachne smiled.

The Arachne was female, with six pupil-less monochromatic blue eyes, bubblegum pink hair that reached the nape of her neck, fair skin, an hourglass frame, a very ample chest that was nearly equal to Skye’s, and long arms ending in carapace-covered claws and lower arms with long fingers. From her hips down was that of a giant spider, dark blue in color, almost black, with eight massive legs, two pedipalp legs tucked in at her hips where normal legs would be, and a massive thorax with a large rose-shaped marking on it. She was dressed in an armored sleeveless halter top that revealed the underside of her breasts and navel, mostly blood red in color with silver trim, a long, decorative loincloth, gold and black in color, underneath an armored loin and hip guards, various pouches attached to it, a large backpack strapped to her thorax, and a sinister-looking double-ended scythe on her back.

“So this is an Arachne,” Celtic observed. “Just like that manga series, Monster Musume. What’s your name?”

The Arachne smiled, “The name’s Viola Caliber Ivana de Lux, but just call me Viola. I’ve heard many good things about you, Celtic Pulsar the Shroud Hero. You may not realize this, but Delgunner is aware that the Light Elves are up to their usual tricks again. They hired us Arachne to spy on them and keep tabs on their actions, as, despite our size, we’re stealth experts. Let’s just say they’re not happy about what the Light Elves are doing this time. Not only is summoning all five Legendary Heroes upsetting the balance between the kingdoms, but they’re also aware of Veronica’s latest scheme. They know you’re innocent, as this isn’t the first time she’s pulled this same stunt. However, you’re the first one to survive it, as every other victim has been executed, making her a rare case of a serial killer who doesn’t need to get her hands dirty when committing her crimes. I know that you’re renegade princess, Skye, is very much aware of that, as she’s seen it several times. So, not only are we Arachne involved in keeping tabs on the Light Elves, but the Shadokor are also in the mix, using their Shadow Sentinels to scope things out, mislead those long-eared halfwits, and keep them off your backs. So, you can rest assured that both Delgunner and the Shadokor are on your side. They’re waiting for you at the capital.”

Rupert quirked an eyebrow, “Hold on. So, you Arachne have been spying on them? For how long?”

“Several months, to be precise,” Viola replied. “After the first wave hit, Delgunner requested us Arachne to spy on the Light Elves, as they had noticed that those light-loving schemers had stolen the book that can summon the Legendary Heroes. It was agreed that, during a crisis, each of the five major kingdoms would summon only one Hero apiece, so not to upset the balance. But, as always, the Light Elves went ahead and summoned all five of them without anyone else’s consent, hogging them in another attempt to gain more power, while, unfortunately, shaming the Shroud due to their hatred of darkness. They have other schemes involved, and they plan to blame you for everything, Celtic, so you’d look more and more like a monster, especially after what you did to the throne room. Though, when news of that reached Delgunner, they seemed rather pleased, calling it the first stage of karma. But, anyway, according to what we Arachne were told, if one of us tracked you down, we were to act as a guide. But I’m taking that a step further. I’m going to make myself a party member, as I’m aware you need a healer.”

Skye looked surprised, “You’re a healer? How? I thought Arachne weren’t very magically inclined.”

“Normally, that is correct. However, I seemed to have been particularly gifted in that regard, as I have enough Healing and Support spells to rival a Templar Knight, with the MP, or Magic Points, to back it up. I also have greater knowledge of potions and other medicine, so I can craft high-grade medicinal items. If you let me join you, I can not only offer my services as both a guide and healer, but I can help improve your potion-making ability, as from what I’ve see, you’re well on your way to becoming a good potion maker. How does that sound?”

Celtic pondered for a moment before replying, “Fine, we accept. We need a healer, and since we’d be willing to bet that Templar Knights around these parts won’t lift a finger for us, you’re the next best thing. Plus, after all of those traps you laid out for Pointy Stick Boy and his party, how can we not appreciate your offer?”

Viola smiled, “Great, then it’s agreed. You know how to register a party member with the Shroud, right?”

“Yes. So, touch the gem and I’ll say the magic words, so to speak.”

Viola walked over and placed one of her claws on the Shroud’s gem.

“Add Party Member.”

As he said that, the gem glowed, followed by his status screen showing a new set of stats form under the name of “Viola Caliber Ivana de Lux” along with “Level 27”. Viola smiled as Celtic gave her a thumbs-up, indicating it was a success, making her retract her hand.

“Now, before I guide you out of these woods to our next destination, there is one last thing to do,” Viola said as she gained a mischievous smile.

Skye cracked her knuckles, “Get a little payback on Pointy Stick Boy.”

“Yes. My webs will keep him locked in place for a while, so feel free to let him have it, as he’s even worse than I had expected. Just return to the main road and take the right path and you’ll find him. I won’t join you for that, as I want to keep myself hidden for a bit longer, but I’ll wait for you back at the fork in the road. Have fun.”

Nodding, the trio returned to the main road and followed the right path. Not long after did they find Lucas and his party. They were stuck to giant spider webs, unable to move, with their weapons on the ground, out of reach.

“Celtic, you sewer rat!” Lucas spat. “Get us down from here, now!!!”

“Why?” Celtic smirked. “Don’t you like surfing the web?”

“Not funny! Now, get us down!”

Skye, however, gained a devilish smirk as she approached. Lucas’ eyes widened in horror, as he knew what was coming.

“Oh, I don’t think so, Pointy Stick Boy,” she grinned darkly. “We want you to hang around for a bit. After all, you’ve been a thorn in our side, along with those other halfwit Heroes, especially since you believe in Veronica’s lies.”

“S-She’s a victim and you know it!” Lucas stuttered.

“Funny, for someone who claims to be a traumatized rape victim, she certainly doesn’t act like one. At least not for longer than, what, an hour. If she were, she’d be terrified of Celtic, not spewing insults and acting so smug. Maybe it’s because she’s, oh, I don’t know, lying through her teeth? This isn’t the first time I’ve seen her pull this stunt. I should know, I’m her sister. But I intend to make Celtic her LAST victim.”

“At least I’m not a slut like you!” Veronica spat.

Skye started to laugh, “Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! I may dress scantily, but you’ve slept with multiple men in the past and have had many lovers! And killed all of them with your rape victim act! You lost your virginity years ago! I still have mine, and I intend to have my V-card stamped by only one lover! So, in reality, YOU’RE the shameless slut!”

Celtic whispered to Rupert, “I’m surprised she knows that phrase.”

Skye then said, “Besides, I can also punch more holes in her accusation. For starters, if Celtic did try anything, he’d only be at Level 1 with little to no fighting skills, while Veronica is an accomplished Fire mage, so she could’ve easily roasted him. Secondly, from what I’ve heard, she was surprised that Celtic’s arm could transform, indicating that she had never seen him use his arm attachments until the moment he trashed the throne room. So, she couldn’t use the arm attachments as a counter because it was her first time even knowing that he could transform his arm into weapons. As such, that puts a number of holes in her accusations against Celtic, which further indicates that he’s the victim and she’s the villain.” She then turned her attention to Lucas, who was sweating bullets, “Now, onto the main event.”

She reared back one of her legs and with a swift and painful kick, slammed her foot into his crotch, making him cry out in pain while he was still stuck to the web. His head slumped over, tears in his eyes, whimpering in agony, while his other party members winced. Skye popped her neck, rotated her shoulders, and gave a shiver of pleasure.

“That felt good. It’s your turn, Celtic.”

Celtic walked over to Lucas, who was still in pain, with his mechanical arm switching to Tornado. As he approached, he gained a sinister smirk.

“You’re always calling me things like a sewer rat, so I might as well fight like one. Time to take you out for a spin! Tornado!”

He pointed his arm attachment to Lucas, the fan inside starting to spin rapidly. A mini tornado formed around Lucas, whipping him with the high winds. This also caused the web to break, making both it and him spin around in the wind vortex. After Celtic had finished, Lucas was on the ground, dizzy and tangled up in the web, almost like a cocoon. Celtic returned his hand to normal before gesturing his party to follow.

Skye blew a mocking kiss at them, “Catch you losers later. We’ve got a date with the King of Delgunner. I’d be worried about that if I were you, Veronica, as we’ve been given confirmation that they’re aware of this most recent stunt. And let’s just say they’re not happy. Expect you and a guillotine to become very much acquainted when they get their mitts on you, as this time they feel you’ve gone way too far. Bye-bye, and have fun.”

The trio left Lucas and his party behind, with Veronica now sweating.

“D-Delgunner?!” she gulped silently. “If they get to Delgunner, it’ll be curtains for us! I can’t allow that! You won’t make it there alive, sister dear! Mark my words!”

They regrouped with Viola, who was smirking.

“I like the way you do things,” she giggled. “That’ll teach them. Maybe. Now, unfortunately, while I will lead you to Delgunner, there are some other matters to attend to. As you’ve probably guessed, Ryan and Lucas aren’t the only screwup Heroes. Jerry and Eric have also made some costly blunders, so we’re going to have to help clean up their messes first. Fortunately, it’s on the way; that’ll make things a bit easier. I’ll give you the details along the way, so we’d better make tracks.”

Nodding, the group left with a new teammate in tow.

Next Chapter: Box Canyon Troll Trouble

And that's that. And a quick bit of trivia, like an earlier chapter, this chapter's title is a reference to Beast Wars (Spider's Game was a Season 1 episode that "gifted" us the birth of Inferno and showed that Tarantulas knew more than he was letting on). I didn't realize that when I first wrote the chapter but when I did realize it I found it to be rather interesting that I'd use a Beast Wars reference twice in a series without realizing it. Still, fun trivia. Until next time.
 
Okay, time for the next chapter. Would've put this up yesterday but it was the 4th of July, so I was at a barbeque with my folks and stuffed myself senseless with Hawaiian style ribs and other goodies, so you can bet I just flopped when I got home. Anyway, it's time to see what Bow Boy's blunder is.

Box Canyon Troll Trouble


Celtic and his party were continuing their trek to Delgunner. Upon Viola’s suggestion, they were heading toward the site of where the Bow Hero, Jerry, had been, and where the mess he made lay. Viola was in the lead, holding a map, examining the area. They were in a slightly mountainous area, full of rocky hills, small canyons, and large rivers.

Celtic turned to the spider woman, “Viola, what exactly did Jerry do that we have to clean up? I’m not trying to get out of it, I just want to know the details, so that way I’ll be ready for what brand of stupidity these halfwit Heroes are causing.”

She turned to him, “I don’t know all the details, as I’ve only heard rumors and such. What I do know is that he committed regicide in a small box canyon-based city, as the lord was taxing the people too much. But what Jerry didn’t know is why he was taxing them so much, which was to build a military force strong enough to fight off the local monsters, which attack on regular basis. Other than that, I don’t really know much else, but you can bet that, thanks to his sense of ‘justice’ the people of that city are in a very bad state. And speaking of which, we should be seeing the city just over this next ridge. I just hope it’s still standing, as they say a colony of Mountain Trolls live around here, and trolls are nasty brutes.”

Skye rolled her eyes, “Great. Sounds like our Bow Hero is acting like an assassin-for-hire instead of a so-called Legendary Hero.”

Celtic sighed, “Sounds like he’s more of a Robin Hood-like person. Steal from the rich to give to the poor and stuff. However, what bothers me is why he didn’t bother to just ask why the taxes were so high instead of going straight for the kill? It seems that he’s going for the ‘kill first, maybe ask questions later’ type of hero role, and that’s not good.”

Rupert looked ahead, “I see the box canyon city. And it looks like it needs some help.”

They all looked ahead to see the dismal sight. The outer wall of the box canyon city was utterly destroyed, the city had heavy damage, and people were running about, trying to fix everything. Nodding, the party quickly ventured down to the front of the city. Two guards stopped them.

“Hold it!” one said. “State your business, as we’re in bit of a crisis, so we can’t allow strangers in.”

“We heard that the Bow Hero was here,” Celtic stated. “I’m the Shroud Hero, and from what Viola here said, it sounds like the Bow Hero screwed up, so we’re here to clean up his mess.”

The guards suddenly looked relieved, “Oh, thank the Gods! That idiot Bow Hero turned our bad situation into a worse one. He assassinated the lord of this city, causing the armed forces to sink into panic, and not long afterward, we were attacked by the colony of Mountain Trolls that the lord was trying to keep away. They did all this damage, stole so much from our people, and injured many in the struggle. We would be beyond grateful if you’d help us in this state of emergency. We’d be willing to give you almost anything we have left just for some medicine and food, as the trolls took almost everything. Will you really help us?”

Skye casually brushed her hair aside, “That seems to be our job right now, as we’ve had to clean up after the Sword and Spear Heroes recently, too. We could even get rid of those Trolls and see if we can get some of the stuff back if you’d like.”

The guards looked like they were about to burst into tears, “You have no idea how much we’d appreciate that! We can handle the small fries, like the Hobgoblins, Beakers, and Hot Slimes, but those Mountain Trolls are a cut above us. That’s why the lord was taxing everyone so high. He needed to build the resources to train us, and even considered requesting that Delgunner or Shadoria come and help train us to better fight off our enemies, as both of their armies are top notch. Yet the so-called Bow Hero didn’t know that and went straight for the kill without listening to reason, leaving our city in a panic. If you can slay those Trolls, we’d reward you handsomely with whatever we can give.”

Celtic nodded, “Fine, we’ll do that. First, let’s peddle some medicine to the injured and sick. Then we’ll go after the Mountain Trolls. Do you know where their colony is?”

The guards nodded, “We do, and we can show you with the map the lord was using to calculate the Mountain Trolls’ path whenever they appeared. We’d be in your debt. Please, proceed and treat the injured and sick. We’ll have one of the other guards fetch the map the lord was using and point you in the right direction. Whatever you can get back from those blubbery brutes would mean the world to us.”

Nodding, the group entered the battered remains of the city. The people were overjoyed as Celtic’s party started treating their injuries and illness. After successfully patching up the last person, one of the guards showed them the requested map, allowing the party to pinpoint where the Trolls’ den was. After making sure they had everything, they quickly made their way to the den.

Celtic turned to his party, “What do you lot know about Mountain Trolls? Such as what’s their strengths, weaknesses, or anything useful about them?”

“Well, for starters, all Trolls are very fat,” Skye replied. “They have to support their massive weight on rather stubby legs. However, that fat provides them with not only resistance to heat and cold but acts like a suit of armor for them. So, you cannot strike their torsos, as all that blubber deflects weapons and most magic, or at least softens blows. It’s the head and legs you want. Those spots are very vulnerable to damage, especially the legs, as, like I said before, their legs are stubby and have to hold up a lot of weight. Trolls aren’t very quick, either, as well as tend to have balance issues, so striking them in the legs will cause them to fall flat on their big, ugly faces. This allows you to go for the kill on their heads. Your shooting arm attachments, such as Cannon, Gatling, and Air Spread would be extremely useful, as they can go straight for the kill without even bothering to attack the legs.”

Rupert then added, “Also, Trolls tend to favor Earth magic, making Wind magic very effective on them. So, that means your Tornado attachment could be of some use, too. Fortunately, they don’t have the MP to make use of that magic too often, so they prefer to rely on brute strength, saving what little MP they have for emergencies. Though that’s usually enough, as their raw might can be very damaging on its own. So, we need to strike them fast before they can get a move in edgewise, otherwise their clubs can do massive damage.”

Viola then shushed them, “Shhh… I hear the Trolls. We’re near their den. Stay low and prepare to strike.”

Nodding, the four party members went silent and tenderly crept forward. They saw what looked like a cave and standing in front of it were some Mountain Trolls. They were big, ugly creatures, with dome-shaped heads, massively obese middles, stubby legs ending in claws, short but strong-looking arms with hands holding clubs, beady eyes, and a large mouth with an equally large tongue dangling out of it. Celtic transformed his arm into Air Spread, took aim, and fired a shot into the air. The energy ball erupted at a certain point, causing energy beams to rain down upon the Mountain Trolls. The shots struck most of them in the head, seemingly killing them instantly, while the more fortunate ones managed to avoid the worst of the attack. They looked around wildly, trying to find their attacker. Celtic transformed his arm into Gatling and started to pelt them with energy bullets, striking them cleanly in their faces, causing them to slump over, dead.

“Okay, that takes care of the sentries,” Rupert said. “Now we need to flush out the others and the boss, as all Trolls have a boss.”

Skye smiled, “Leave that to me.” She then summoned a fireball, “I know this won’t do much damage, but the flames will flush them out of the cave. Fireball!”

She launched the fireball into the cave opening. A short time later it exploded, causing what sounded like a stampede of heavy footsteps. Shortly afterward, several more Mountain Trolls appeared, including what looked like their leader, as it was the biggest and had the most scars on it. They noticed the party and roared, ready to strike, with the boss giving them the order to attack.

“Battle formation!” Celtic stated.

The team scattered around the area, taking positions in certain spots. The Trolls blindly charged ahead; clubs held high, ready to splatter their foes. Rupert and Skye swiftly raced up to them, using their respective weapons to strike the Trolls in the legs, causing them to stumble. Viola then threw her scythe like a boomerang, which caused it to slash and strike their legs again before returning to her. Celtic had switched to Cannon and started firing at the Trolls, taking aim at their faces. While the Cannon strikes didn’t kill them on the spot, it did do enough damage to injure and daze them. The faster members of the team were able to repeatedly hack and slash away at their foes. This made the boss Troll furious, making it roar as it tried to get its injured minions to attack. However, the damage to their legs and heads were enough to make them slow and unresponsive.

“Now’s our chance!” Celtic stated, turning his arm into Yo-Yo. “Take them out while they’re in a bad state. Skye, Rupert, use your speed to quickly get up to their faces and take them out! Viola, use your webs to tie them up so that Skye and Rupert won’t have any opposition! I’ll go for the boss!”

“Right!” the party stated in unison.

Viola made some fast motions with her clawed hands, and within seconds, all the injured Trolls were tied up in thick strands of silk. Skye and Rupert took advantage of this and quickly jumped and climbed up to the Trolls’ faces. Rupert use his Hook Bone Claws to viciously tear into his targets, gorging out their faces. Skye used either her naginata to impale them in the face or use a powerful dropkick to smash their skulls to pieces. One by one the Mountain Trolls fell, leaving only the boss, who was livid.

“Eat Yo-Yo!” Celtic spat.

He launched his bladed disc attack. The attack struck the Troll in the chest before it sawed its way up to its face, cutting cleanly through its face before retracting. Celtic then switched to Fighter Sword and with one powerful slash, beheaded the boss Troll, causing it to slump to the ground, dead. Skye then took a moment to listen and see if there were any more foes before flashing them a thumbs-up.

“I don’t hear any more Trolls, gang,” she smiled. “I think it’s safe to say we got them.”

Celtic gained a serious expression, “Still, we need to dispose of the bodies, unless we want to commit the same sin Ryan did with the dragon he slayed. I’m not going to like doing this, but I’ll use Wrath Fire on them to incinerate them. It did the job on the Dragon Zombie, so it should work here. I want all of you to stand back, as I don’t want you to get hurt by the flames.”

Nodding, the trio quickly scampered behind Celtic, where they would be safe. Celtic then summoned up demonic energy, the facial markings returning.

“Wrath Fire!”

He slammed his palm into the ground, causing the cursed black flames to erupt underneath the Troll corpses. The flames viciously devoured its ‘prey’, causing the bodies of the Trolls to become ash after a few more rounds of the wicked fire. After the last embers blew out, Celtic approached a piece of bone that was left, allowing his Shroud to absorb it, creating a new branch on a skill tree that read “Mountain Troll Shroud”. Satisfied, he turned to his party, who noticed that his facial markings were gone again.

“Come on, team, let’s go inside the cave and see if we can salvage anything.”

Nodding, the party entered the cave. It wasn’t a very deep cave, but it was wide, wide enough for the large bodied Trolls to fit comfortably in. It was also a single path with no extra tunnels. As they ventured into the cave, Viola was deep in thought. Her thoughts were interrupted when the gang had come to the main part of the cave. It was a very large open space, easily big enough to fit over two dozen Trolls in without a problem. Inside were various stolen goods, ranging from jewelry, gold, silver, and copper coins, various items like pictures, vases, and even weapons and shields. Skye examined everything, gaining a smile.

“Good, it looks like everything is intact and none worse for the wear,” she said. “I think it’s safe to say the Trolls already ate all the food, but all the valuables and other items are safe and sound. Trolls are like magpies, as they love shiny things. They don’t do anything with them, they just like hoarding stuff like this.”

Viola scratched her chin, “Yes, but that brings out a new problem. How are we going to get all this stuff back to the box canyon city?”

Celtic took off his Tek-Pak, “Leave that to me and my Tek-Pak. It can turn any item into an energy form and store it on a large memory bank. I had planned to go into the market with this back home, but I deemed it too powerful for public release, as I realized it could help thieves steal entire cities worth of valuables and help terrorists smuggle in weapons of mass destruction, or at least bomb parts, without a problem. So, as a result, I didn’t have it mass-produced and I own the only one. Now, watch this. I also suggest you get behind me so it doesn’t accidentally take your clothes and such.” After his party scurried behind him, he then stated in a firm tone, “Tek-Pak, scan, digitize, and store all items present.”

The Tek-Pak responded by beeping, followed by a device popping up from the top. It released a scanning wave across the entire cave. As it did, everything present was tuned into energy and absorbed by the Tek-Pak. Once it had sucked up the last coin, it deactivated and returned to normal. Celtic then picked it up and put it back on, much to his friends shock.

“Spiffy little gizmo, isn’t it?” he chuckled.

“How’d you come up with something like that?!” Rupert choked.

“For that matter, how’d you manage to make it work?!” Viola sputtered.

“Hey, I don’t have an IQ of 500 for nothing,” Celtic shrugged. “You’d be surprised at what I’ve come up with, though not all of my creations are successful. I’ve had a few bad ideas and some blow up in my face… sometimes literally. To this day I still wonder why I thought that the rocket-powered snowboard, the Lawn Samurai Defense Gnomes, and men’s electro-shock underwear, also known as Shoxers, were good ideas, though the latter was popular in Canada. But, like I said, this Tek-Pak was too powerful, so I own the only one in existence. But, as you just saw, it makes things easier for us. Whenever it digitizes something, it preserves it in the state it was in when scanned, so it allows perishables such as food to remain fresh for considerably longer. I did design it to help older people or people living alone carry stuff like groceries, as the Tek-Pak itself is only about ten pounds, but, like I said earlier, I deemed it too powerful because it could be so badly abused. So, I didn’t submit it to be mass-produced as a precaution. Unlike some aspiring inventors, whenever I deem something too powerful or easily abusable, I either take it apart and destroy the blueprints or like in the Tek-Pak’s case, use it for myself only. But, enough of that. Let’s get these goods back to the people and report that the Mountain Trolls have been disposed of.”

Still stunned, the party nodded and started to make their way back to the box canyon city. As they arrived, the sun was starting to set. The two guards from before noticed the party approach and ran up to them.

“Did you kill the Trolls and get everything back?!” they ask frantically.

Rupert gave them a thumbs-up, “No sweat. We killed the Trolls and disposed of their bodies, found all the stolen goods, barring any food, and cleaned them out. We have everything with us.”

One guard quirked an eyebrow, “How? I don’t see anything on you.”

Celtic merely replied, “Everything is in my special backpack. I’ll deposit the contents when we get into the city, so let us pass so we can return everything to their rightful owners.”

Still a bit confused, the guards let the party pass. Once they had gotten to the center of the city, gathering up everyone, Celtic had his Tek-Pak eject everything it had scanned, producing all the stolen goods in the center of the city. The people were elated as they gathered up what was rightfully theirs, shaking Celtic’s and his party’s hands in gratitude. The lord’s son, who was the new leader of the city, promised them their reward in the morning, along with allowing them to stay in the manor as honored guests. After a hearty meal, the team was escorted to rooms, allowing them to rest their weary frames. When morning broke, the lord’s son was waiting for them in the main hall.

“We cannot thank you enough, Shroud Hero,” he said. “You managed to right the wrong the Bow Hero committed. If only my father had met you first, then we could’ve had the problem solved without him getting killed, thereby lessening the taxes on the people. But with the Mountain Trolls slain, dealing with the rest of the monsters will be easier, allowing me to reduce the taxes on the people, especially since we need to rebuild. Here, take this.” He handed over two pouches, “I have prepared for you 100 gold and 5,000 silvers. I wish I could give you more, but we need to use what we have to repair our city and get it back on its feet. I hope you’ll agree to this.”

Celtic thought for a moment before replying, “I accept, as you do need to use what money you have to rebuild the city and its defensive wall. Hopefully, with the main threat dealt with, your men will have an easier time dealing with the local monsters.”

“Yes, they will. The worst of the monsters here, after those Mountain Trolls, are the Hobgoblins, which my men can deal with very easily. But… the question I’ve been wondering is… why the Mountain Trolls were here at all?”

Rupert quirked an eyebrow, “They’re not normally seen here?”

The lord’s son shook his head, “No, they’re not native to here. You find them in places like Mount Galvin, more in in Delgunner’s territory, not in the Light Elf territory. Which begs the question why they were even here at all?”

Viola chimed in, “I was thinking that, too. I think they’re leftovers from Infinator’s monster waves. I do remember that Mountain Trolls were one of the monster breeds in the first wave, so it’s very possible that they’re just leftovers from it and took residence in this area because it was a close enough match to their normal habitat. Which would explain why they were virtually unopposed around here, as they’re leagues stronger than Hobgoblins, which are the strongest monster breed in these parts, and clearly stronger than your military. At least, that’s what I assume would be the case.”

Skye nodded, “I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s correct. Celtic and I already saw a similar situation. Toxi-Slimes and a Two-Headed Bite Fang had taken residence near a small village and had attacked it just a few days before we arrived. Celtic and I killed them and cured the villagers of the Toxi-Slime’s poison. So, that’s a very viable possibility, as we’ve seen it happen before. Which makes we worried about what other strays from those waves might still be out there in places where they could become the top link of the food chain. We’ll have to keep our eyes and ears peeled for any more strays.”

The lord’s son nodded, “Yes, that does sound like it could be a possibility. And if you’ve seen it before, then I’d be willing to bet you’re correct. Which means we need to be careful, as there could be other leftover monsters that aren’t native to these areas roaming around. Please, be on your guard. But if you can handle such bruisers like the Mountain Trolls, as well as fight in Infinator’s waves, then you should be fine. Once again, I thank you, and I’m sure my father does, too, from his perch in the heavens. You are welcome here anytime.”

Celtic and his party nodded, taking their payment, before leaving the manor. The city residents happily cheered as they made their way out of the city and back onto the road. Celtic then turned to Viola.

“Now, you also mentioned that Eric, the Axe Hero, had screwed up as well. What did he do and where did he do it?”

She turned to him, “I don’t know exactly what he did other than a few snippets of information, but I do know that our next destination is northwest of here. So, we might as well get a move on, as we have yet another mess to clean up.”

The redhead rolled his eyes, “I’m starting to feel like a nanny to those four idiots, as I’m cleaning up their messes. But, leaving their messes intact would be a rather nasty move, so we have to go out of our way to fix whatever those jerks broke. Okay, Viola, lead the way.”

Nodding, the party resumed their quest, dreading what lie ahead.

Next Chapter: Rebel Revolt Revival

And that's all. And it looks like Celtic isn't an inventor on the same level as Django from my other series is, but, hey, at least he tries, even if some of his brilliant ideas aren't always well thought-out (sounds like a certain trio of recurring villains that pursue a Pikachu non-stop). Anyway, tune in next time for the next installment.
 
Okay, here's the next chapter. What blunder did Mr. Axe-to-Grind perform that requires the team's attention? And will the new character introduced today help the "true" heroes in the fights ahead? We shall see.

Rebel Revolt Revival


Celtic and his party were continuing their trek to Delgunner Kingdom. They were heading toward the location of where the Axe Hero, Eric, had been previously. Viola was leading the way, holding a map, while the rest of the party followed. They were in a somewhat rocky area, though there was plenty of greenery and plant life around. Celtic was dreading what they were going to find.

“So…” he sighed. “What do we know about this latest problem that Mr. Axe-to-Grind: Eric, has done?”

Viola turned to him, “I don’t know the whole story. All I know is that he helped some sort of rebellion. However, I’m not sure which side he was on, as, from what I’ve heard, the rebellion was a failure. It makes me worried that he may have been assisting in stopping the rebellion instead of possibly helping it. The only other bit of info I know is that some sort of high-ranking general is involved in this situation, making me worried that this general is a villain who is oppressing the people. We’ll see soon enough.”

Skye then noticed something, “Hold on, gang! There’s a man lying on the ground just up ahead! He might be hurt!”

They looked ahead to see the upper body of a man lying face-first on the ground, his lower body concealed by shrubbery. Nodding, the party scampered over to the man. His body was bulky and broad, with well-defined muscles, short, unkempt mud brown hair, somewhat tan skin, and short, pointed ears. He was dressed in a vest over a bare chest, shoulder plates, and fingerless gloves. Next to him were a pair of large morning stars. His body was riddled with wounds.

“Viola, work your magic,” Celtic instructed.

Nodding, Viola started to channel magical energy between her clawed hands before stating, “Restore!”

Light and sparkles bathed the man in healing energy, causing his wounds to close. This seemed to also stir him from his downed state, as he grunted and groaned, slowly lifting his head up, eyes opening weakly, taking a minute to regain his focus.

“W…Who are you?” he asked, clearly exhausted.

“We’re the Shroud Hero’s party,” Rupert explained. “We had heard that Eric, the Axe Hero, was here recently, but caused some sort of problem. We’re here to fix whatever problem he created.”

It took a moment for this to register in the man’s mind before his eyes widened, “Wait. You’re here to fix the damage that the Axe Hero caused?! And you’re the Shroud Hero to boot?! Maybe our luck is changing after all. Yes, that idiot Axe Hero caused an entire village to become enslaved to a wicked and vile general because he only listed to his side of the story. I was part of that village, as it’s a place for outsiders like myself, but after that moron crushed our rebellion, I fled in hopes of finding someone who could help us regain our freedom. However, as you saw, I was injured during my escape, and since I lack any knowledge on medicine or healing magic, I was left in a pretty bad state. I finally collapsed here, completely exhausted. I take it you healed me as well?”

“You can thank Viola for that,” Skye stated. “She may be an Arachne, but she’s a very talented healer. I’d say she’s on-par with Templar Knights in terms of pure healing magic prowess and knowledge on medicine and potions.”

The man nodded, “Thank you, you have my deepest gratitude. But we must act quickly, as I managed to get some very grim information before I fled. The general is not human, apparently. I don’t know what he is, but he’s disguised himself as a human in order to take advantage of the situation. From what I’ve heard, he plans on eating the enslaved women and children on the night of the Double Blood Eclipse.”

Celtic quirked an eyebrow, “Double Blood Eclipse?”

Skye turned to him, “It’s a once-a-month event where the two moons become red and the smaller one eclipses the bigger one. This event causes multiple species of beings to be affected by it in various degrees. Canine beastmen, for example, go into heat, certain monsters become more aggressive, and certain species of demon become more active.”

Celtic gained a nervous expression, “What species of demon are we talking about?”

“Only Low-Tier demons, Celtic,” Viola explained. “Ones like Red Demons, Blue Demons, Moth Demons, Bat Demons, and Ashfang Demons, as they’re more susceptible to the moon’s energies than higher-ranked ones like Shadokor. As a result, they’re not big threats, even under the Double Blood Eclipse’s energies. Moth and Bat Demons in particular tend to respond to the Double Blood Eclipse the most, as it often causes violent feeding urges. Which means, if that general is planning on eating the women and children on the Double Blood Eclipse, then he may be a Moth or Bat Demon in disguise.”

“How long do we have until the Double Blood Eclipse?”

“We have three days,” the man replied. “The Double Blood Eclipse is three nights from now. Which means we have to take that general down soon, before his true nature is revealed and he feasts upon the women and children.”

“At least that gives us some time,” Rupert said. “How far are we from where the general is?”

“If we get going now we can make it there by nightfall,” the man said. “I can guide you to the location, as I know where it is.”

“Fine, but you need a quick pick-me-up, as you said you’re pretty tired,” Celtic stated. “Viola, got anything that’ll jump-start him?”

Viola was rummaging through her backpack, “Give me a moment, as I know I have some Fuka Berry potions in here. That’ll get him back on his feet easily. Now, where is… A-ha! Found one.” She then handed over a vial of bluish liquid to the man, “Drink this. It’ll give you the energy boost you need.”

The man graciously took it, “Thank you. Bottoms up.”

He drank the liquid in one gulp, causing several sparkles to form around him, along with a glowing aura appearing briefly. After a moment, he returned the vial.

“Thanks. That did the trick. Oh, and by the way, my name is Tyroe. Now, let’s hurry before we lose any more time.”

However, as he emerged from the bushes, it revealed that his lower body was that of a brownish-grey snake, startling the group.

“You’re a Naga!?” Rupert sputtered.

Tyroe gained a sheepish expression, “Yeah, sorry about that. I know that Nagas aren’t exactly popular, primarily due to our… eating habits, but I mean no harm. Unlike other Nagas, who prey upon people as often as animals, I don’t do that. I’m more of the gentle giant type, hence why I was living in a place full of outcasts, as my own kind don’t want me around. That doesn’t mean I can’t fight, but I prefer to bask in a field of flowers over fighting. However, I will fight if I have to or if the cause is right. You can trust me, as I promise I won’t lead you astray.”

The group turned to Celtic, who sighed, “We’re gonna have to trust him. He clearly wants to help, as we did come all this way to clean up Eric’s mess, so we might as well accept his help, as he knows more about the situation than we do. We need every advantage we can get, so we can’t be picky about where our help comes from. Let’s go, as time is of the essence. Tyroe, lead the way.”

Tyroe smiled, “Thank you, noble Shroud Hero. We must hurry, as even though we have three nights before the Double Blood Eclipse, we have to get rid of that general before it’s too late. Follow me.”

The party followed Tyroe to their destination. By the time they reached it, night had fallen. Keeping a low profile, the group slinked around the sentries that were watching over the enslaved village. Having arrived at the back of the village, Tyroe moved a boulder, displaying tremendous strength, revealing a hidden tunnel.

“As I’m an Earth Naga,” he said in a hushed voice. “I can manipulate anything made of earth or rock. I used that power to make this tunnel. The villagers know about it, but they couldn’t follow because I had to close it up in order to conceal my escape. They know I would return if I found help, so they stayed put. Now, follow me, but keep quiet.”

The party followed Tyroe into the tunnel. Even Viola was able to fit safely inside it despite her large size. After a few minutes, they came to a blockade. Using magic, Tyroe gently moved the blockade away, before poking his head up from the hole. He then noticed some of the enslaved villagers, giving them a hiss to catch their attention.

“Tyroe!” one man said in an eager, but hushed voice.

“You’ve returned!” another said.

Tyroe put a finger at his lips, “Shhh… keep it down. Yes, I’ve returned, and I’ve brought help. Help in the form of the Shroud Hero. Unlike the Axe Hero, the Shroud Hero is on our side, as he came here to fix the Axe Hero’s mess. Now, is the coast clear for us to emerge?”

The villagers looked around before one replied, “Yes, it’s safe to come out.”

Nodding, Tyroe slithered his way out, followed by Celtic, Skye, Rupert, and Viola, stunning the villagers at the unusual assortment of party members.

A man approached them, “Are you really the Shroud Hero? And are you really here to save us?”

Celtic nodded, “Yes. I’m Celtic Pulsar, the Shroud Hero. These are my party members: Skye the Light Elf, Rupert the Beastman, and Viola the Arachne. Viola had informed me a little while ago that the Axe Hero had done something stupid, so we’ve come to correct that. And, for the record, he’s not the only Hero to have screwed up. The Sword, Spear, and Bow Heroes have all done some incredibly stupid stuff that we’ve had to clean up, so it’s safe to say they’re more like hazards than help at this point. But, in any case, what’s the situation?”

Another man approached, “The Axe Hero helped that evil general crush our rebellion. Now, we men me toil in the mines, harvesting anything of value, while the women and children are locked up in that large estate on the hill, outside of the village. We don’t know what he plans to do with them, but we dread it.”

Skye stated, “We heard from Tyroe that he plans to eat them during the Double Blood Eclipse, which causes us to suspect that he’s some sort of lesser demon or something in disguise. We plan to stop that and kill him before he can do that. We plan to attack him ASAP, as we only have two more nights before the Double Blood Eclipse, so we want to nip it in the bud.”

“He plans to EAT our women and children!?” one man sputtered. “We have to do something, fast!”

“Keep it down!” Viola hissed. “That’s exactly why we’re here. Celtic, any ideas?”

Celtic took a moment to ponder before replying, “We’re going to have to rely on stealth this time. We can’t run the risk of civilians getting hurt or killed, so we can’t use them to stage another rebellion. But, at the same time, doing so would cause a distraction that would divert the soldiers’ attention away. Hmm… Viola, do you think you can lay out some traps like you did with Lucas and his party? That way, we can use a rebellion to act as a diversion while making sure that the civilians don’t get hurt by trapping the soldiers in webs or other such traps. That would allow us to enter the mansion and take down the general while his men are distracted.”

Viola took a moment to observe the surroundings before gaining a smile, “Yeah, I think I can lay out a few traps that’ll ensnare those pests. Spiders are nature’s best trappers, so I think I can get a few traps set up within a short amount of time to keep those soldiers from hurting the villagers.”

Tyroe then slithered up, “I can also create pitfall traps by manipulating the earth, as well as sinkholes and quicksand-like traps, too. So, I can help in that regard as well.”

Celtic nodded, “Good. Let’s map out our plan before we go on the offensive. That way we can get the groundwork ready beforehand. Do you villagers have a map of the surrounding area?”

A man nodded, “Yes, we do.”

“Get one of them, so we can see exactly what kind of landscape we have to work with. It’ll also help us map out where we’re gonna put our traps. But hurry, as time is of the essence.”

Within the hour the plan was set. Viola and Tyroe had laid out their various traps for the rogue soldiers while the male villagers prepared for their rebellion. Celtic and the others reviewed the plan one more time to ensure that everything was ready. By the time everything was set, it was midnight, with the clouds covering the two moons, which were starting to turn red. Then, it happened.

Blasts erupted within the area, causing the soldiers to panic, while the villagers began their retaliation. The soldiers hastily gathered up their equipment and prepared to counterattack, only to have the various traps that Viola and Tyroe laid out activate, leaving them at the mercy of the villagers. This also caused the guards from the mansion to charge out, leaving the building understaffed, allowing Celtic and his party to enter it virtually unopposed. There were still some guards left, but they were easily subdued by the more powerful and higher leveled team, with Viola encasing them in silk to further prevent any interference.

“Follow me!” Tyroe stated. “I know where the general spends the night in this mansion. He’s on the top floor in the luxury suite.”

“Fine, lead the way,” Celtic nodded.

The group charged up three flights of stairs before coming to their destination. However, the general was out of bed and standing before them in the hallway. He was a handsome man with sharp features, short black hair, a lithe build, and green eyes. He looked livid at the disruption.

“So, you’re the annoying pests that are causing such a ruckus,” he growled. “You have some nerve. Hmm?” he then noticed the Shroud, “So, you’re one of those Legendary Heroes, are you? The Shroud Hero I take it? Your buffoonish Axe Hero ally made my job so much easier. And now, I will eliminate you so I can enjoy my feast on the Double Blood Eclipse.”

Everyone drew their weapons, with Celtic growling, “Try us. Now reveal your true self, as we know you’re not human.”

“Very well,” the general said. “This form was starting to cramp my wings anyway. Might as well give them a stretch before I feast.”

He then transformed. His jacket turned into four moth wings with eye patterns, two fuzzy antenna emerged from his head, his pupils became slits, his teeth became fangs, and his hands became claws.

“A Moth Demon!” Skye stated.

“Yes!” the Moth Demon sneered. “Prepare to meet your death!”

He charged in, flying quickly, causing the gang to scatter. Celtic had transformed his hand into Gatling and started to fire, trying to hit him, but he was fast enough to dodge the energy bullets. Skye and Rupert nodded before summoning magical energy.

“Typhoon!” Skye stated.

“Zap Bolt!” Rupert roared.

A mighty typhoon formed in the hall, followed by electrical energy raging around them. The two attacks combined, creating an electrified typhoon. The Wind and Lighting energy whips lashed out in all directions, striking everything around them. This forced the Moth Demon to try to dodge the attack, but as he moved, the energy whips struck him. This caused him to be flung forward right into another energy whip, causing the cycle to repeat as he was bashed around by the combination attack. After the attack ceased, he looked livid.

“You’ll pay for that!” he growled. “Airstream!”

He created a massive tornado of wind from his wings that barreled toward the party. Tyroe jumped in front, eyes glaring.

“Not happening, bug breath! Stone Body!” he stated.

His body became a greyish color, indicating he had become stone. The Airstream attack slammed into him but was effortlessly dispersed by Tyroe’s newly hardened body. Viola took the opportunity to hurl her scythe like a boomerang at the Moth Demon. He was unable to dodge the attack in time, the scythe slicing off one of his wings, grounding him, before the scythe returned to its owner. Celtic then jumped in, his arm having transformed into a new weapon. This one looked like a narrow rectangular cannon with several vents on the side. He aimed it at the downed Moth Demon.

“Time to feel the burn! Heat Cannon!” he roared.

The vents released bursts of energy in a sequence before the nozzle of the cannon released a powerful flame energy. The Moth Demon could only watch in horror as the flamethrower-like energy engulfed him, setting him ablaze. He flailed around in panic as his body was burning, but before long the fire energy reduced him to ash, bones and all, leaving behind the severed wing. The gang exchanged high-fives while Celtic transformed his arm back to normal and walked over to the wing. He picked it up and had the Shroud absorb it, creating a new Shroud form that read “Moth Wing Shroud”.

“Moth Wing Shroud, huh?” he said to himself. He then turned to the group, “We still have some work to do. We need to free the captive women and children and reunite them with their families. Tyroe, since they know you, you take Viola and Rupert and set them free. Skye and I will head outside to see how things are going for the villagers. Meet us outside.”

“Right!” they said in unison.

As Tyroe led Viola and Rupert down into the dungeon, Celtic and Skye went outside. They were greeted by the villagers, who were bloody and battered, but largely unhurt. One ran up to them.

“Were you successful?” he asked.

Skye gave him a thumbs-up, “Not to worry. We roasted that Moth Demon to ashes, and Tyroe and the others are rescuing the women and children as we speak. You’ll be seeing your loved ones shortly. What about the soldiers? And were there any casualties among you?”

A man smiled, “We took care of those tin tyrants. Thanks to all those traps, they were at our mercy, and we weren’t feeling rather merciful today. And we didn’t suffer a single casualty thanks to your plan and those traps. You’re a much better hero than the Axe Hero, to say the least. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Just then Tyroe and the others emerged, along with the women and children, none worse for the wear. The respective families quickly reunited, hugging and crying into each other, clearly happy about being free. Celtic and his party spent the rest of the night in the mansion, and on the following morning the women prepared them a breakfast feast. Celtic and his team collected various items from the manor as payment for their services, since they knew the villagers’ funds had been squeezed dry by the Moth Demon, much to the villagers’ gratitude. However, as they were about to leave, Tyroe slithered up to them.

“Shroud Hero, sir?” he said in a nervous tone.

“Yes?” Celtic asked.

“Would it be okay if I joined you? I was highly impressed by you and your party’s skill and strategic prowess. Because of you, we took back everything within a single night. I know that Infinator is rising, so I know that he’ll be making his next move soon, and I want to help fight him off. Please, will you allow me to join your party? Besides, I’ve got a bone to pick with the Axe Hero for this screw-up of his. But, please, will you let me join you?”

Skye turned to Celtic, “I think it’s a good idea, Cel. Tyroe possesses the rare Earth element, and we could use someone as strong as him on the team. How about it?”

Celtic took a moment to think before replying, “Fine, I accept. We could use a strongman and having the Earth element would be beneficial. Fine, welcome to the party. Place your hand on the Shroud’s gem and I’ll register you as a new party member.”

Smiling, Tyroe placed a hand on the Shroud’s gem.

“Add Party Member,” Celtic said strongly.

The gem glowed, causing a new set of stats to appear in Celtic’s status screen vision, reading “Tyroe Sidewind” along with “Level 28” appearing next to it. He gave Tyroe a nod, making him retract his hand. Tyroe then gave a polite bow.

“Thank you, Shroud Hero, I appreciate it,” he said with a smile.

“You can just call me Celtic. Now, we better get moving. We’re heading to Delgunner Kingdom to clear my name from the Light Elves’ latest scheme, and we still have a ways to go.”

Tyroe nodded, “Let’s go then! To Delgunner!”

With a final nod the party resumed their quest to Delgunner, with a new friend in tow.

Next Chapter: Knight of Templar

And that's all for now, folks. Tune in next time to see what happens to our heroes.
 
Okay, it's time for Chapter 11. Will the newest recruit in this chapter be willing to accept Celtic's possibly murky nature? We shall see.

Knight of Templar


It had been a couple of days since Tyroe joined Celtic’s party. The group of five were still making their way to Delgunner Kingdom, all hoping that before then they didn’t need to clean up yet another one of the other Heroes’ messes. Viola was in the lead, guiding them to Delgunner, holding her map, while the rest of the party followed.

“Okay…” she said. “At this pace, we should reach Delgunner within the next two weeks, give or take a day. However, I know that Infinator’s next attack is coming soon, so that might stall us a bit. Celtic, can you pull out that Infinity Hourglass that Rupert stole and give us the exact time when Infinator’s next attack will be?”

Celtic reached behind him, pulled out the small Infinity Hourglass from his Tek-Pak and looked it over. The sand was starting to get low on the top part, indicating that the next wave was soon. A clock appeared in Celtic’s stat vision, giving him the exact time.

“According to this…” he said. “Infinator’s next attack will be in five days. Hopefully, we can reach a village before then so we can stock up on supplies and be prepared for it. After all, I doubt those morons, the other Heroes, will take the necessary precautions for the next attack. So, that means we have to cover all the needed bases to avoid any casualties, or at least keep them down to the bare minimum. Viola, how long do we have until we reach the next town or village?”

Viola looked at her map before replying, “We’re near the village of Skyburt. If we keep the pace up, we can get there by noon tomorrow. That’ll give us plenty of time to prepare for the next attack and buy all the necessary supplies. Skyburt is a solid place to do business, as they often have a lot of good supplies and get lots of traveling merchants. We could also sell some of the stuff we have, like the Rabbicorn horns and such, for some decent pocket change. Not to mention your accessory-crafting ability has gotten really good, so you could market that as well, as many traveling merchants would pay handsomely for the stuff you’ve crafted as of late. It’ll also be a good place to take a break, as it’s a sizable village with a cozy inn, making it an ideal spot to rest and prepare for the next wave.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Tyroe said with a smile. “Skyburt it is! I could really go for a Bizon roast steak right about now.”

Skye giggled, “Leave it to a Naga to think about food. I know you have two stomachs, Tyroe, but don’t eat too much, as we can only afford so much right now. But you are right. Skyburt will be a great place to get what we need and rest up for the next fight. Lead the way, Viola.”

With a nod, the group continued on their way, heading for Skyburt. But it wasn’t long before they spotted something bad. They noticed what looked like five men wearing fancy blue uniforms pelting a man wearing a similar red uniform with attacks. The man in red was also tied to a stake and seemed powerless to stop the other men. Angered, the party stormed over to the scene, ready to stop it. Celtic turned his arm into Cannon and fired several shots at the feet of the blue-suit men, startling them.

“Back off!” he growled angrily as he and his party approached.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Rupert spat.

One of the men smirked, “What’s it to you? We’re punishing this traitor and failure of a Templar Knight. So, stay out of it!”

The man in red replied weakly, “I’m not a traitor. I tried to save the abbot from Sylph, I really did. It’s Robert who is using me as a scapegoat because he hates me. I swear, I really tried to save Abbot Joseph from that demon woman, but she was too powerful.”

“Silence, you rat!” one of the men stated. “You’ve been a thorn in our side for long enough! Now it’s time for your punishment!”

He fired another attack, but to his shock, Celtic got in front of it, pulled out his Reflector Shield attachment, and blocked the attack, sending an aerial shockwave back at the man, slamming into him hard. This stunned all of the Templar Knights, with the man in red gaining a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Back off,” Celtic growled. “If you don’t do it willingly, I’ll make you back off. I can tell this man is innocent and is just being used as a scapegoat. You have no right to treat him this way. If he tried to save your abbot from Infinator’s right-hand woman, then he should be praised, not shamed. Not everyone who faces Sylph lives to tell the tale, and if he survived trying to protect someone important, then he should be honored for his courage, not be treated like a war criminal. If you don’t back down, my party and I will give you multiple reasons to do so.”

As he said that, every one of Celtic’s party members had drawn their respective weapons, glaring hatefully at the Templar Knights bullies. This caused the Templar Knights to start to back away, clearly terrified, while the Templar Knight in red looked hopeful.

“They’re actually defending me…” he said silently. “They don’t even know me and yet they’re defending me without a second thought. Does this mean I may actually get another chance?”

One of the Templar Knights then realized something, “Hold on… You’re the Devil of the Shroud! The so-called ‘Shroud Hero’! You’re wanted by the Light Elves for unspeakable crimes!”

Celtic merely huffed, “Yeah, so what? It’s not like the Light Elves have a long-standing reputation for pulling such garbage. Isn’t that right, Princess Skye?”

Skye gained an annoyed look, “I’m not a princess anymore, and I take absolutely no pride in my royal blood. Being you’re slave and right-hand woman, on the other hand, is something I’m very proud and happy about.” Celtic flinched at that remark, making the elf giggle before stating, “But, you are correct, as it’s yet another one of my sister’s, Veronica’s, schemes and false rape accusations. I’ve seen over 30 men die for her sick sense of amusement and self-entitlement, making her a serial killer who would stab anyone in the back, even her own family. I should know, as the reason why I’m a slave is because of her. But this time she’s gone too far, and Delgunner Kingdom isn’t happy about it. She, and the rest of my backstabbing, scheming race, will get their just desserts for this latest get-more-power-quick scheme. Celtic is an innocent man who has done nothing wrong. It’s my sister who is the criminal, but this time she won’t weasel her way out of punishment. Not if King Alvin has anything to say about it. But, he is the Shroud Hero, making him the most powerful of the Heroes, and the most dangerous. So, I suggest you back off before we show you how the Shroud Hero and company turn bullies like you into paste!”

The party menacingly advanced, causing the five Templar Knights to go pale, backing away slowly. Celtic then made a sudden movement that scared the Templar Knights into running away, screaming in terror. The party chuckled darkly before turning their attention to the captive man.

The man was stunned, “You’re the Shroud Hero? And you came to rescue me? I… I don’t know how to thank you. I was always taught by the Church of the Four Stars that the Shroud was evil, but I never truly believed it. And now I’m certain that the teachings of the Four Stars Church is wrong, as you came to my aid without a second thought. H-How can I thank you?”

Viola placed a clawed hand on the man’s forehead, gaining a grim expression, “You can thank us in depth later. You’ve got a blazing fever, and I can sense a nasty poison in your system. Not to mention you’ve got anti-magic cuffs on you, which is rendering your magical powers powerless. You’re heading straight for death’s doorstep unless you get treated right away.”

Celtic nodded, “Then let’s hurry. Cut him down from that stake and administer an antidote. Then let’s find a quiet spot so he can rest and so I can remove those anti-magic cuffs from him. Quickly, before those blue-bottomed boobs return with reinforcements.”

Viola’s and Rupert’s claws easily cut through the ropes binding the man, causing him to slump over. Celtic caught him before he could hit the ground, easing him into a sitting position. Viola then rummaged through her backpack before finding a powerful antidote and had the man drink it. As he did, the party gained good chance to look him over.

He was a young man, possibly slightly older than Celtic, with handsome features, neatly groomed snow white hair in a small ponytail, a smooth face, and vibrant sapphire blue eyes. He had an athletic build yet was still quite handsome, with peach skin, and equal in height to Celtic. He was wearing a red Templar’s outfit that strongly resembled crusader-type garb, but with custom details such as a short cape, brass buttons, white and gold lining, and garters on his black boots. After he drank the antidote, sparkles formed around him, indicating it had taken effect, though he still looked weak.

Viola touched his forehead again, “Okay, the antidote should do the trick. I can already feel his fever breaking. But we need to find a quiet place for him to rest, as his body is practically in shambles from that poison. When we do, I’ll give him some other potions and tonics that’ll help him recuperate, and Celtic can remove those anti-magic cuffs, which will free his magic, helping him recover faster.”

Celtic nodded, “Right, so let’s move. Tyroe, would you mind carrying him on your back? You’ll have to hold your morning stars with your tail, but do you think you can manage him?”

Tyroe bumped his chest proudly, “Leave it to me, Celtic. I’ve got that covered no problem. Just give me a moment for my tail to grab my morning stars and you can place him on my back.”

Tyroe’s prehensile tail grabbed both morning stars by the handles and effortlessly held them. Celtic and Rupert then gently helped the Templar Knight to his feet and managed to place him on Tyroe’s back, where he grabbed the young man by the legs and hoisted him into a better position. With a final adjustment, the party quickly made their way down the road, hoping to find a quiet spot. The Templar Knight had a look of gratitude on his face as the party made their way, finally feeling safe. About half an hour later, Rupert had found a small grove nestled in the outskirts of a forest. It was quiet and peaceful, with what looked like a spring of silvery water in the center of it. Feeling it to be a good spot, Celtic unrolled a sleeping bag from his Tek-Pak, followed by him and Rupert gently placing the man in it. Viola then rummaged through her backpack again, pulling out three vials of potion.

“Okay, then,” she said. “Drink these, as they’ll kick-start your recovery. Celtic can then remove the anti-magic cuffs, restoring your magic and boosting your recovery rate. After that, you’re gonna need a lot of rest.”

The man smiled, “Thank you.” He drank all three potions, gaining a disgusted face with each one, “Blegh… that stuff tastes terrible. But any medic worth their salt knows that a good medicine will taste bad, so I know it’ll do the job.”

Celtic then knelt down, fumbling with his metal pinky before extracting the lockpick tool. He then went to work on the anti-magic cuffs, much to the young man’s surprise. Before long, the cuffs were removed, freeing the young man from their binding magic. He could feel his magic return, gaining a pleased expression as it did.

“Yeah, that’s the ticket,” he said. “I owe you lot my life. If you hadn’t come, I don’t know what would’ve done me in first: the poison or the beatings. You have my deepest gratitude. I never thought I’d see the day when the Shroud Hero would come to my aid. I never disliked the Shroud, mind, I just thought it would never save me. Oh, by the way, my name is Leon Hammerlocke. Thank you again for what you did for me.”

Celtic gave a small smile, “You’re welcome. Now, I suggest you get some rest, as you’ll need it after all that damage you took. Looks like our trip to Skyburt will be delayed a bit, but it’s the job of a Legendary Hero to help those who need it. I just hope we get to Skyburt before Infinator’s next wave, as we’re gonna need supplies.”

Leon looked at Celtic, “If you’ll allow it, I’d be honored to join your party. I am a Templar Knight, so I know a lot of white magic, along with some Wind, Water, and Instant Death magic. I’m also a skilled archer, though I’ll have to summon my Starburst Bow from the Templar Knight’s storage, but that’s easy enough, especially since my magic has been restored. Would you allow that?”

Celtic turned to the party, who all nodded, before returning his attention to Leon, “Fine, I accept. Having a second healer on the team would be helpful, as well as having a long-range fighter. Let me add you to the party before anything else happens. Place your hand on the Shroud’s gem.”

With a nod, Leon touched the gem.

“Add Party Member!”

The gem flashed, causing a new set of stats to appear in Celtic’s stat vision, with it reading “Leon Hammerlocke” and “Level 29”. He gave the nod of approval, allowing Leon to retract his hand, smiling as he did.

“Thank you, Celtic,” he said sincerely. “Now, let me summon my bow before those buffoons try to steal it.”

He channeled magic in between his hands before releasing it. A bolt of light flew out of nowhere before landing in his lap, revealing a very fancy bow. It was primarily crimson in color, with dusty gold and white highlights and trim, a sturdy bowstring that looked like it was made of metal and was radiating powerful energies.

“I’ve heard of Starburst Bows,” Skye said. “They’re said to be almost on-par with the Legendary Bow itself and are very rare. They’re made from a very rare material called Crimzonite fused with Orichalcum, giving them incredible power. But they’re also known for being difficult to use, as one needs a great amount of skill to wield one. The fact that you can wield one speaks volumes about your skill as an archer. I’m impressed that you actually have one, let alone can wield it.”

Leon smiled, “Thank you, I appreciate that. This bow and my skill with it is probably one of the only reasons the Templar Knights kept me around as long as they did, as Robert and I are constantly at odds. Robert is my half-brother: same father, different mother, and he hates me for existing, as he claims I ruined his life just by being born. He’s the captain of the Templar Knights, though with the death of Abbot Joseph, he’s now the new abbot, which finally gave him the power to get rid of me. As you saw, the other Templar Knights don’t like me either, but that’s because they play follow-the-leader with Robert, since he’s the golden boy of the abbey. I admit I tend to drink, gamble, and flirt with the ladies, but I mostly resorted to that as a coping mechanism to deal with the constant bullying, abuse, and insults. Though it is fun. Abbot Joseph was pretty much my only real defense against them, but now that Sylph killed him and my half-brother rose to power, I was left at his mercy. And he doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘mercy’. So, that’s how you came about my situation, as my failure to protect the abbot from Sylph and my half-brother’s hatred of me granted him an excuse to finally try to kill me. If it weren’t for you lot, I’d probably be dead soon. So, thank you again.”

Viola then pushed him down, “You can thank us more later. For now, get some shuteye and allow your body to recover from that terrible poison. We’ll keep watch while you rest.”

With a final nod, Leon closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep. The party decided to use this chance to rest themselves, each finding a spot in the grove to stretch out on, with Celtic and Skye standing watch. As they did, a feeling of dread started to well up inside the redhead.

“Skye…” he said in low voice.

“Yes?” she asked, puzzled by his lowered tone.

“How am I going to break it to Leon that I have demon blood in me? While he believes that the Shroud isn’t a ‘devil’ like the rest of the Four Stars Church feels, I’m worried that he might change his tune about us when he learns I’m at least part demon. While there are good demons out there, there are also bad ones, too, and I’d be worried he’d see me as one of those demons, like Sylph or Infinator. Not to mention I’m still worried about my demon blood possibly shifting my allegiance to Infinator’s side due to its nature. What should I do?”

Skye gained a warm smile, “You’ll figure it out, Cel, I know it. Leon seems like a good person, so I doubt he’ll take it badly. While I do understand your concerns, I know that, despite any demon blood in you, you’re on our side. You’re the Shroud Hero, and that’s how it’ll stay. You won’t change allegiances because of your blood or for any reason. After all, I still believe that you have Shadokor in you, which will make you one of the best kind of demons out there.”

Celtic looked glum, “I wish I could be as certain…”

Viola, who was resting in a hammock made from her silk in a tree, cooed, “I believe Skye is correct. Besides, I noticed something about you. You have an unusual trait that may actually help keep you from straying to Infinator’s side. You see, I’ve been thinking about your heritage, and I think I may have ironed out something. You are half demon, that I know, but I also know that you’re other half is, in fact, Druid.”

He turned to her, “Druid? How?”

“That can be explained by one single feature you possess: your eyes. While I’ve seen your pupils become slits, your irises are gold in color. And the Druids are well-known for the fact that they’re the only species of humanoid with gold eyes. While some monster breeds also have gold eyes, they’re not the same. Plus, I’ve noticed that you have a mix of Light and Darkness in you, making you what some would call a ‘Chaos breed’, which is a rare mix of elements. I’m willing to bet that your Druid blood is restraining your demon blood’s more… problematic traits. While I know you’re pretty full of wrath, have a short fuse, and absolutely loath the other Heroes, the latter of which is something that I can agree with, your Druid blood is most definitely restraining the more savage and dangerous traits of your demon blood. Druids are the natural opposite of demons, and their power can naturally weaken evil beings like certain demon breeds. So, I’d be willing to bet that your Druid blood is keeping your demon blood in check. And that alone will keep you from straying to Infinator’s side, especially since he hates Druids. So, I think you’ll be fine, and I know that, while it may be a shock to him, Leon will accept it. After all, even he should know that there are good breeds of demons out there, and that Druids are a noble, if haughty, race. Try not to worry about it much, because I know it’ll be fine.”

Skye nodded, “Yeah, Viola’s right. I had forgotten that Druids have gold eyes, but since I’ve never seen an actual Druid before, plus I’ve been stuck with my vile race for so long, I forgot about stuff like that. But I feel she’s right: you have Druid in you, which will keep your more extreme demonic traits under control. While your demon blood is probably the dominant half, your Druid blood will play a role in keeping the more extreme nature of your demon side within reasonable levels. That won’t outright stop some of your wrath-related traits, not that I deplore having such traits, but it will keep them, and other issues, from going completely overboard. So, try to have a little faith, okay, Cel? You’ll know how to break it to him when the time comes, and I know he’ll be okay with it.”

Celtic gave a heavy sigh, “I wish I could be as certain. But, if I do have Druid blood in me, maybe it will help keep me from going off the deep end. We shall see. Now, let’s resume our watch until Leon is better, then we’ll move on from here.”

With a final nod, he and Skye resumed their watch while Viola dozed off. A glimmer of hope had been lit in Celtic’s hearts, hoping and praying that his Druid side was keeping his demonic nature safe.

Next Chapter: Destruction Returns

And that's all for now, folks. Tune in next time to see how this newly expanded party will do in the next Infinator attack.
 
Okay, it's time for the next Infinator attack! Will the heroes prevail? We shall see.

Destruction Returns


It was the day of Infinator’s next attack. Celtic and his party had made it to Skyburt a few days ago and had purchased the necessary items in preparation for it. The party was gathered at the center square of the village, making final checks, while Celtic looked at the Infinity Hourglass. His eyes narrowed as the sands rapidly decreased before putting it away in his Tek-Pak.

He turned to the party, “Okay, the first order of business is to evacuate any civilians that may be nearby. We have to keep the casualties to a bare minimum, so prioritize the people’s safety first. We’ll let those other nitwit ‘Heroes’ keep the boss busy while we deal with protecting the civilians. Once they’re safe, we can focus on defeating the boss, as I highly doubt those dim bulbs will have done so by that point.”

Leon quirked an eyebrow, “You have very low faith in the other Heroes, Celtic. I’ve heard from the High Priest and the other Templars that they’ve been doing a less-than-stellar job, but I’m surprised you’re speaking so negatively of them as well. Are they really that incompetent?”

Skye rolled her eyes, “Leon, you have no idea. Not only are they incompetent, but destructive. Celtic has had to clean up many of their messes because they treat this world like a big game and not a matter of life-and-death. So, yeah, Celtic has every reason to doubt the other Heroes’ abilities, as we’ve seen their destructive ‘heroics’ first-hand. They’re more dangerous than the creatures they ‘protect’ the world from. Trust us, you’ll see for yourself.”

Suddenly, the sky went red, indicating it was time. Celtic and his party were suddenly teleported to the location of the attack. They took a quick look around and saw a village nearby, along with the other Heroes and their parties.

Viola tapped Celtic’s shoulder, “Cel, we’re near the village of Sizanu, and I can see the people haven’t been evacuated yet. It’s a sizable village, so we have our work cut out for us.”

Celtic nodded, “Fine, let’s do this. As soon as the other bozos and their parties head for wherever the boss is, we’ll make a beeline for the villagers. Leon and I will pick off any monsters that get here first, like flying monsters, with our ranged attacks, while you and the others evacuate the civilians as quickly as possible.”

Suddenly, a familiar voice stated, “Shroud Hero, sir!”

They turned to see Ike and a small band of knights and mages run up to them.

“Ike!” Celtic said, surprised.

“Shroud Hero, sir, allow us to help evacuate the civilians,” Ike volunteered. “The mages will assist you and Mr. Templar Knight by picking off the faster aerial monster while we can help the rest of your party shuttle the villagers to safety. If you’ll allow it, sir.”

The redhead smiled, “I’ll more than allow it. That’ll make things much easier. Please, do so, as it’ll increase our odds at success. You do good work, Ike, so I know you’ll be a huge help here.”

Ike saluted, “Thank you, Shroud Hero, sir!”

A mage then yelled, “Here they come!”

They all turned to see what looked like a massive ghost ship floating in the distance, along with a swarm of aerial monsters, with some land-based monsters following. The other Heroes and their parties charged ahead. Celtic turned to his party and Ike’s party.

“Move out! Protect the people at all costs!” he instructed.

With a nod, the groups split into two factions. Skye, Ike, and the rest of their parties hurried to the village to evacuate them while Celtic, Leon, and the mages stood their ground to stop the fast-moving aerial monsters from approaching. Celtic had switched his arm to Gatling while Leon, surprisingly, summoned up energy arrows for his bow, taking aim at the incoming horde, while also revealing himself to be left-handed, as evident by how he held his bow.

“Attack!” Celtic instructed.

The mages fired off powerful area-of-effect type spells that took out swaths of the flying enemies while Celtic and Leon picked the others off one by one. At the same time, Skye, Ike, and their respective parties were quickly shuttling the villagers to a safer location, striking down any monsters that came their way. Within an hour the flying monsters had been shot down, but this allowed the ground-based monsters to finally come within range. Celtic transformed his arm into Fighter Sword, preparing for the next wave of enemies. At that point, Skye, Ike, and their parties had returned.

“Cel!” Skye stated. “All the civilians have been evacuated to a safe location! It turns out they have a special magical bunker nearby for emergencies like this, so that made things much easier.”

Celtic nodded, “Good! Now, get ready, team, as the next batch of enemies are here! Battle formation! Don’t let those scum-suckers anywhere near the village!”

“Right!” everyone said in unison.

The two groups charged in, striking down every monster that came their way. Slowly but surely, the wave of monsters dwindled down until the last of them was dead. Celtic looked up at the sky, where the floating ghost ship was, as well as noticing a timer in his stat vision. His eyes narrowed as he saw how much time had passed.

“Dammit!” he spat. “I knew those morons wouldn’t get the job done! This wave has been going on for more than three hours, and they STILL haven’t killed the boss yet! Guess we’re gonna have to get over there and show them how it’s done. Ike!”

Ike ran up to him, “Shroud Hero, sir!”

“I’m leaving protecting the village in your care. My party and I are going to that ghost ship to see what’s taking the other Heroes so long in killing the boss. If this keeps up, more monsters will spawn, so we have to end this now before we get overwhelmed. Can you and your party handle that?”

Ike saluted, “You can rely on us, sir!”

The redhead smiled again, “You’re a good soldier, Ike, and a far more reliable ally that those halfwit Heroes. I’ll leave it to you. Team, we’re heading for that ghost ship! Move out!”

With a nod, the two parties split, with Ike’s band remaining at the village while Celtic’s party charged toward the ghost ship. As they ran, Leon became level with Celtic.

“I’m beginning to see what you meant about those other Heroes, Celtic,” he said. “We’ve been at this for over three hours and they still haven’t succeeded in their task. I’m beginning to worry about this world’s fate if it’s left in their hands. I can now see why you have virtually no faith in them, and I can also see why the High Priest hasn’t been happy with them lately. We have to stop the wave now, as we can only handle so much, even with that Ike lad helping us.”

Celtic rolled his eyes, “Yeah, you can see why I feel those other ‘Heroes’ are nothing more than morons. And I assure you that you’ll be seeing just how incompetent they really are shortly.”

“Don’t look now, but I see Jerry and his party up ahead!” Rupert stated.

Jerry and his party were trying to strike down the ghost ship from afar. They seemed to be aiming specifically for the bow of the ship, where a demonic-looking mermaid figurehead was positioned.

“Jerry!” Celtic yelled. “What’s going on?!”

Jerry turned to him, “Celtic? We’re trying to spawn the boss monster! Something called a Soulavore. I believe the Soulavore is hiding in the figurehead, within that mermaid statue, but we can’t get it to appear!”

“What about the other Heroes?” Skye asked.

“They refuse to listen, believing that the Soulavore is hiding elsewhere. They’re just making things worse! Uh… say… how’d you get so many party members? And… such a variety, too?”

Celtic grit his teeth, “Time for that later, Jerry. Team, we need to get up onto that ship! My Yo-Yo attachment can get me up there, along with the Moth Wing Shroud, but what about you?”

Tyroe bumped his chest, “Leave that to me, Celtic. My Earth magic can create a pathway of rock that’ll get us up there in no time flat.”

The redhead nodded, “Good, do exactly that. I’ll get up there first to gauge the situation. But hurry, as we can’t let this wave continue much longer!” He then stated in a strong voice, “Moth Wing Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed, completely changing shape, now looking like a set of moth wings with the same patterns as the Moth Demon’s. With a powerful flap, the Shroud granted Celtic flight, much to Jerry’s surprise, while Tyroe slammed his hands onto the ground, causing a pathway of rock and dirt to form, allowing the rest of the party to follow. Celtic landed on the crow’s nest, giving him a chance to look around. Ryan and his party were fighting off what looked like the captain of the ship: a zombie-like pirate. Lucas, on the other hand, was fighting the demonic claws that lashed out from the ship’s sides. Eric and his party were fighting off the kraken tentacles that came from the underside of the ship. None of them were making any progress, as every time they killed something, it just regenerated and resumed attacking. Celtic grit his teeth again, gaining a very annoyed expression.

“Idiots,” he said to himself. “They’ve been at this for the past three hours and it never occurred to them that it isn’t WORKING?! Why are they being so stubborn about it?! If this keeps up, more monsters will spawn and the village, the villagers, and even Ike’s crew, will be overwhelmed, as we can’t do this indefinitely. Time for me to step in and end this.”

He flew down from the crow’s nest, landing in the middle of the deck, surprising the other Heroes. At the same time, Skye and the rest of his party appeared, jumping onto the deck, all showing annoyed expressions at the lack of progress.

“Celtic?” Lucas asked. “What are you doing here? I’ve got this covered! Go and protect a village which is suited for a nobody like you.”

“No, I’ve got this covered!” Eric countered. “The Soulavore will spawn from the kraken in the hull!”

Ryan lashed out, “Correction! I’m the one who has this under control, as the Soulavore will spawn from the ghost captain.”

“Here’s a more accurate explanation,” Celtic snarled. “NONE of you have the situation under control AT ALL!!! You’ve been doing this for more than three hours and you STILL haven’t gotten the boss to spawn!? Did it ever occur to you that your various ‘strategies’ are failing miserably!? If the boss doesn’t spawn soon, more monsters will spawn and overwhelm the village! Can’t you see that this isn’t working?! So, why are you being so stubborn?!”

Lucas countered, “Yeah, like the weakest of us can figure it out. Leave this to the pro, aka: me.”

Veronica nodded, “Yeah, since you and your garbage Shroud are so incompetent, you might as well sit back and watch how a real Hero takes care of things!”

Celtic was about to snap back when he noticed something. What looked like a sinister face was hiding in the shadows, nowhere near the various enemies that the other Heroes were fighting. He gained a smirk.

“I’m about to prove who the real incompetent ones are, and they’re not me or my party,” he said, giving a toothy grin. “Skye, use some Light magic to light things up! Fighter Sword!”

His arm transformed into Fighter Sword again. Skye nodded and started to channel energy.

“Light Burst!” she stated.

A blast of light erupted from her hands, illuminating the area. The face in the shadows flinched as it did. Celtic then charged over and slammed his Fighter Sword into the shadow’s face, causing it to screech in agony before a pillar of energy erupted from that very spot, stunning the other Heroes and their respective parties. At that time, Jerry and his party had jumped onto the ship via the same earth walkway Tyroe had made earlier, only to witness Celtic succeeding in flushing out the boss. The energy started to gather in a sphere before taking form, revealing the Soulavore.

“How the hell did you get it out so easily!?” Eric sputtered.

“Because I’m smart, unlike you dipsticks,” Celtic replied snidely.

The Soulavore looked like a cross between a demon and a salamander lizard. Its body was snow white and reptilian in structure, with a long, thick tail with fin-like frills, short legs ending in sharp claws, a set of frills on each shoulder, spines on its back, and a large head with a flat face, two sets of hellish yellow eyes with a fifth vertical red eye on its forehead, and a mouth full of fangs with what looked like a black void for a throat.

“Skye, give me the details! What’s a Soulavore?” Celtic instructed.

“A Soulavore is a Low-Tier demon, as it has three hearts!” Skye explained. “As their name states, they eat souls, causing whatever soul they ate to vanish forever, though they also eat magic, too. They are Light-attribute demons with a strong resistance to Light and Holy energies, but a weakness to Dark. They’re generally neutral in terms of natural allegiance, but they can be domesticated to serve various purposes, like devouring the souls of war criminals to prevent them from reincarnating, something that the Shadokor have successfully bred for that purpose. Despite being Low-Tier demons, they’re very beefy in terms of stats, with high Hit Points and very solid Attack, Defense, and Speed, making them tough opponents. They can also act like puppet masters, controlling other creatures nearby while they hide in the shadows, awaiting fresh prey. They use a variety of Light-based attacks, while also using their fangs, tail and claws for physical strikes. And judging by the stats of this one, Infinator beefed it up even more, so we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

“H-How do you know that?!” Veronica sputtered.

“Simple. I studied, something that YOU should’ve been doing instead of scheming! Small wonder why I’m still leagues better than you despite my Level Up ability having been stunted for the time. And I’m still sexier, bustier, and better looking than you, to boot, despite me being the younger sister.”

Leon then stated, “Because a Soulavore is resistant to Light and Holy energies, I worry that the Legendary Gear, with the exception of the Shroud, will have their effectiveness cut down to size, as the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow are full of Holy energies, making killing it even harder. Infinator picked his boss monster well, as, by terms of elemental advantage, only the Shroud has the advantage over it, due to it being full of Dark energies.”

“Then I’ll just prove that wrong!” Ryan stated confidently.

“No, I’LL prove that wrong!” Lucas spat.

“You’re both wrong: I’ll be the one to beat the Soulavore!” Eric stated.

“No, all three of you are wrong, as I’ll be the real hero here!” Jerry snapped.

“Meanwhile, back at the battle,” Celtic said, completely deadpan. “That Soulavore is about to attack! So, stop arguing and fight it before it eats you, you morons!”

Too late. The Soulavore took advantage of the situation and lashed out its strong, thick tail, knocking the other Heroes off their feet, except Celtic, who jumped out of the way in time.

Leon turned to Rupert, “Okay, I’m really starting to see exactly why Celtic has no faith in these goons. Our world’s future is very much in doubt if left to these idiots. I’m really beginning to believe that the Shroud Hero may be our only hope, and just how wrong the Four Stars Church’s teachings are at this point.”

Rupert nodded, “Be thankful you’re on the winning team.”

Skye became level with Celtic, “We have to take that thing down, fast! Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of Dark-related abilities on-hand, so we’re gonna have to do this the old fashioned way.”

Celtic turned to her, whispering, “Skye, we do have one very potent Dark-attributed attack… Wrath Fire. I’m going to have to use it, as it may be our best bet.”

Her eyes widened before whispering, “You do know it’ll reveal what you really are, right? Especially since you have yet to break it to Leon. And I just know that the other idiot Heroes won’t take that well at all, especially Lucas. Are you really prepared for that?”

“We don’t have much of a choice. They would learn of my possible half-demon heritage soon enough, as I can’t hide it forever, so I might as well just let it out and be done with it. Besides, I don’t care what the other Heroes think, and maybe it’ll give them a reason to think twice about crossing me, as a demon’s wrath is one to fear. I’ve come to accept that it doesn’t matter what anyone feels about it, because if it gets the job done, then so be it.”

Skye looked stunned before nodding, gaining a smile, “Go get ‘em, tiger. And know that I’ll stand by you to the very end. I’m your right-hand woman and loyal comrade; I will follow you through fire and brimstone until the end of time. Just… please be careful, okay?”

Celtic nodded before directing his attention to the Soulavore, who had just swatted Lucas and Eric away again. He casually walked up to it, making it fix all five of its eyes on him. However, when it gave him a sniff, all five eyes widened in horror, as it clearly knew something was different about Celtic. Celtic gained a sinister smile, showing off his fangs, before his pupils became slits and the facial markings returned.

“Time for a barbeque!” he snarled. “Eat this! Wrath Fire!”

Celtic slammed his hand on the deck of the ship, causing the cursed black flames to erupt from underneath the Soulavore. This caught the Soulavore completely by surprise, but the dark energy of the Wrath Fire’s flames were even more vicious. The Soulavore screeched in pain as the black fire cooked it alive, clearly feeling the power of it. This surprised the other Heroes and Leon.

“W-Wrath Fire!?” Leon sputtered. “Celtic knows Wrath Fire?!”

Lucas looked stunned, “W-What are those flames? And since when could that loser use such an attack?”

Annoyed, Viola reached down from her perch on one of the mast’s sections with her long arm, grabbed Lucas by the back of his head, her sharp nails clawing him, and hoisted him up to her level with surprising strength.

“You might want to watch who you call a loser, Pointy Stick Boy!” she hissed. “After all, that’s the pot calling the kettle black, since YOU failed to do anything of worth in this fight, making you the loser here.”

She then roughly dropped him, causing him to crash on top of Veronica, much to the Princess’s protests, making Skye snicker darkly.

Ryan looked unnerved, “Whatever that Wrath Fire is… it feels… dangerous. Like it’s cursed or something. But… it also seems to be doing the job, as the Soulavore is taking some decent continuous damage. But… what is it?”

Leon ran over to Skye, grabbing her shoulder, “Skye, how in hell is Celtic able to use Wrath Fire?! That’s Demon magic! Doesn’t Celtic know that Wrath Fire is a very dangerous spell? It could hurt him as much as the Soulavore! So… how? And why?”

Skye took a deep breath before sighing, “We always planned on telling you about this, Leon, as you’re the newest recruit, but Celtic didn’t know how to break it to you just yet. As a Templar Knight, he was worried about what it meant to you, but he knows we don’t have much of a choice, as it is our best weapon against the Soulavore. You see… Celtic is, most likely, half-demon. Specifically, an Advance-Tier demon, as he has seven hearts.”

“W-W-WHAT?!!!” the other Heroes’ and their parties sputtered.

“Celtic has DEMON in him?!” Jerry choked. “H-How?!”

Lucas growled, “I knew that bastard was evil!”

Celtic stomped his foot down, causing a small pillar of Wrath Fire to erupt under Lucas’ feet, forcing him to jump back in alarm, crashing into Veronica again.

“Hello? This ‘bastard’ has ears, Pointy Stick Boy!” he hissed. “And not all demons are evil, unlike that witch who uses you as her meat shield. Besides, I don’t see YOU coming up with anything useful in this fight, so you’d better do something productive or shut up and sit quietly in the corner, where you belong! Otherwise I may just turn my flames on you! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a Soulavore to roast!”

Celtic returned his attention to the Soulavore, launching another burst of Wrath Fire on it, making it screech in agony as the cursed flames roasted it.

Viola then stated, “It’s not all bad. Celtic most likely also has Druid in him, which may be restraining the more… problematic traits that his demonic side has. And we suspect that his demon half is none other than Shadokor, the most noble and heroic breed of demon in existence.”

Eric turned to her, “What’s a Shadokor?”

Rupert quirked an eyebrow, “Don’t tell me those backstabbing Light Elves didn’t give you the whole story? The Shadokor are, as stated before, a race of demon. They are, however, a heroic race, and act as both a government and police force for the Demon Realm, keeping other demon breeds, like Infinator, in check. The Light Elves summoned Infinator to this world in hopes of enslaving his massive Light energies and ruling the world, but it failed miserably and Infinator started the Great Demon War. Delgunner Kingdom, the true royal powerhouse, in a last-ditch attempt to turn the war around, summoned the Shadokor, who gladly fought for us, completely flipping the war and dominated it, easily crushing Infinator’s forces like flies. They even destroyed Infinator himself, leaving only his godly soul, which they planned to finish off.”

Skye then added, “However, the Light Elves, attempting to save face and make themselves look heroic, got in the way and sealed Infinator away, much to everyone’s protests, as well as erecting a barrier that prevents any species that doesn’t naturally possess the Light element from entering. However, that allows Sylph, Infinator’s right-hand woman, to freely enter and exit the barrier, as she survived the Great Demon War, and possesses the Light element. This whole conflict is the result of the Light Elves not only summoning Infinator in the first place but sealing him away instead of letting the Shadokor finish him off. This whole issue could’ve been avoided if the idiot Light Elves hadn’t summoned the damn demon in the first place, all in another get-more-power-quick scheme. As punishment for their role in the war, the Light Elves were bumped down several levels on the royal pecking order. The Shadokor colonized in a mountainous area to the north, creating their own kingdom, Shadoria, so they could await Infinator’s return. And don’t bother asking Veronica if it’s true, as she never bothered to study, but every other Light Elf, as well as the rest of the world, knows the truth. But I guess it’s no surprise my backstabbing father never told you everything. Not only upsetting the balance of power by summoning all of you Heroes for himself, he is making many nations furious with him, risking a world war for a petty power struggle. But he will do anything to make his race seem like the good guys when in fact the Light Elves are the reason this whole problem exists in the first place!”

Veronica huffed, “Still, some ‘Hero’ he turned out to be. The only good demon is a dead one.”

Leon glared at her, “You’re a fine one to talk, you wench. From what I’ve been told, YOU are about the furthest thing from a hero yourself. I can see it as clear as day; you give off an aura of evil, selfishness, and lust for power. Being a demon isn’t the worst thing in the world, as not all demons are created equal. But being someone like you, on the other hand, who has not only caused death and destruction in your wake, but hasn’t done a damn thing in this fight. You seem pretty content just sitting back and letting your precious ‘Hero’ do all the fighting, acting like a glorified cheerleader. You really have no room to talk about being a ‘Hero’ when all you do is cause death to anyone just to amuse yourself. Man, I had heard from the other Templars that you were a vile one, but you’re worse than I could’ve ever imagined. At least Celtic being part demon is better than anything you’ve done, as even demons can be noble. Even I know that and I’m a Church of the Four Stars Templar Knight who was raised to hate all demons, though I know it’s not that simple. I may have only known Celtic for a few days now, but he’s far more noble and heroic than YOU’LL ever be, you vile fiend. And if he has Druid in him, too, then that only further proves he’s a Hero of the highest caliber, unlike the rest of you. Besides, I doubt you could kill that thing, so you have no room to criticize about heroics. At least Celtic is doing everything in his power to end the attack and save lives, unlike you! Even if it means tapping into the murky nature of demons. Though, from what I can see, you’re far worse than any demon, even Infinator himself. So, shut up!”

Veronica gained a nasty look, “You dare talk to me like that?”

Viola’s scythe suddenly appeared from above, the blade resting just under Veronica’s throat, making her freeze.

“He’s got a point, you know,” she said simply. “If even a Templar Knight from the Church of the Four Stars can see that not all demons are bad, then you can’t be critical of anything. Especially since Delgunner and Shadoria are not pleased with you and your family for your most recent stunt against the Shroud Hero. And, just like Leon said, since you’ve done nothing to contribute to this fight, then you really don’t have room to talk about ‘incompetence’ and ‘heroics’, especially since you fail to realize that Celtic, who is within earshot of us, could just turn those cursed demon flames on you at any time in revenge for your actions. And your precious Pointy Stick Boy won’t be able to stop it. Besides, Celtic’s hybrid blood is actually a valuable weapon against Infinator’s forces, unlike you and your kind, who started this who ordeal in the first place.”

Tyroe then said matter-of-factly, “So, in a sense, Celtic being both the Shroud Hero and a potential demon/Druid hybrid makes him the perfect counter to Infinator. Essentially he’s fighting fire with fire. And considering all of your messes he had to clean up, it says a lot about how ‘competent’ you lot are.”

“What are you talking about?” Ryan asked.

Skye huffed, “Well, you killed a dragon yet failed to dispose of the body, causing it to decay and create a plague that nearly wiped out a village, along with the fact it reanimated into a dragon zombie. Then there’s Lucas planting a cursed set of seeds in a famine-ridden village’s fields, creating plant demons. Followed by Jerry committing regicide on an innocent lord who was taxing his people, without asking why it was so high: so he could buy the necessary resources from Delgunner to fight off Mountain Trolls. Said Trolls trashing the box canyon city because they sensed the city was in panic after the lord’s assassination, taking advantage of it. And, last but not least, Eric helping a disguised Moth Demon crush a rebellion, allowing him to enslave the men into the mines while planning on eating the women and children during the Double Blood Eclipse. All of those events took place, and all of them were cleaned up by Celtic because of your shortsightedness and refusal to realize that this world is not a game. Have I painted an accurate enough picture for you or do you need more proof of your incompetence?”

Ryan and Eric looked horrified while Lucas and Jerry looked angry.

“M-Me killing the dragon but leaving its corpse behind nearly wiped out the village?” Ryan sputtered. “Along with it reanimating into a dragon zombie!?”

“A-And I helped a disguised tyrannical Moth Demon crush a rebellion, resulting in the men getting enslaved and the women and children nearly EATEN?!” Eric choked.

“Don’t change the subject!” Jerry spat. “I’m a real hero, so you must be lying!”

Viola reached down again from her perch and picked up Jerry by his head, “Then why don’t you go back to that box canyon city and ask them yourself. You’ll see that the people are not pleased with you. Lucas already knows what happened on his end, since the villagers threw rocks at him and his party after Celtic fixed that mess. You and the other Heroes are not heroes. Only the Shroud has proven to be a real hero, while you lot leave a wave of destruction in your wake. So, I suggest you either get with the program and wise up or you’ll find out the hard way that this world will come to hate you for your screw-ups. This isn’t a game, Bow Boy, this is reality. And the reality is… you and the other Heroes… are zeros.”

She dropped him roughly, though he landed a bit more gracefully than Lucas did. At that time, Celtic was getting worn out, which the Soulavore took advantage of, firing an energy ball, forcing the redhead to jump back and end his fiery barrage. Skye ran over and helped support him, noticing he was panting heavily.”

“Cel, are you okay?” she asked gently.

“Yeah…” he panted. “Just a bit drained. But… my Wrath Fire managed to shave off about 2/3rds of the Soulavore’s Hit Points, so I suspect most conventional attacks will work well enough now to finish it off. Plus, the flames have inflicted a curse on it, weakening it further. It’ll give me a chance to catch my breath, too. Don’t worry about me, just go in for the kill.”

She nodded before turning to the other Heroes, “This is your chance to redeem yourselves, you know. Celtic has done his part, now it’s YOUR turn to do something productive, for a change of pace. You claim to have the power to be Heroes, then prove it right here and now!”

Ryan and Eric, who were both shaken at what they heard, charged in without a second thought. Lucas and Jerry hesitated, however, both angry that their pride had been bruised. Skye rolled her eyes.

“Fine, be egotistical jerks if you want, but facts are facts. You. Screwed. Up. Deal with it! So, shape up or ship out, as this world needs real heroes to defend it, not egotistical jerks like you. What will it be, boys?”

Jerry, although angry, loaded up an arrow on his bow, channeled energy into it, and fired it, the arrow striking the Soulavore in the side. Lucas, however, refused to move, clearly livid.

“I guess we know who the biggest loser on this ship is,” Rupert said snidely.

This seemed to do the trick, as Lucas charged in, channeling his anger into his spear and striking the weakened Soulavore, much to Veronica’s protests. Viola took advantage of the situation and with some quick motions with her hands, ensnared the Soulavore in strong silk.

“That should keep it from getting around freely or lashing out for attacks for a bit,” she said. “It can still fire attacks from the red eye on its face, but I’ve clamped its mouth shut which will prevent it from being able to use most of its Light-based moves. My silk won’t last forever, though. This is an ideal time to attack while it’s weak and inflicted with a curse from the Wrath Fire. Move out!”

She, Tyroe, and Rupert charged in while Leon loaded up energy arrows and pelted it from his spot. Skye gently moved Celtic over to the main mast so he could catch his breath. Leon, noticing Celtic’s exhausted state, rummaged through his pockets before handing him a tonic, much to the redhead’s surprise.

“Leon…” he said.

“Look, I’m a bit annoyed you didn’t tell me right away about your demon heritage,” Leon said with a sincere smile. “But I understand why you were hesitant about it, as, like you were concerned about, Templar Knights hate demons of all types, even Shadokor. But… I’m not like other Templar Knights. I know every species has a reason for existing, even demons, and I know that Shadokor are trustworthy ones. I agree with the gang that you could very well be Shadokor, as you’ve got a noble spirit despite seething with hatred and anger. Though it’s not hard to see why. And, if what the others said is true, you’ve been going out of your way to fix the other Heroes’ mistakes. That’s the mark of a true hero. Besides… I see you as my best friend, so I can’t be mad at you, especially since I understand why you didn’t tell me right away. Now, drink this. It’s a Soul Soother Potion. Not only does it restore MP, as I’m certain you ate up a lot of yours with that Wrath Fire, but it soothes the body and soul, restoring the user’s strength and stamina.”

Celtic smiled as he took the potion, “Thanks, Leon. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but I’m glad you understand why I was concerned. But, given the situation, it was our best bet, so even though I had to reveal it in a rather… questionable way, I’m grateful you’re taking it so well. I was always going to tell you, it just got forced out of me before I had a chance to figure out how to explain it. But… thanks for being understanding about it.”

“That’s what friends do, right?” Leon smiled again.

Celtic chuckled before downing the potion quickly, feeling his strength, stamina, and MP being restored in one swift motion. He then turned his attention to the Soulavore, who was being assaulted on all sides by his party and the other Heroes. He grimaced as he observed the situation.

“Still, despite being bombarded from all sides… that thing is still not going down,” he said. “Even all those combined attacks are only doing scratch damage at best. At this rate more monsters will spawn and could potentially overwhelm Ike’s group and destroy the village. I’d use Wrath Fire again, but it’ll take too long to finish it off, and I doubt Viola’s silk will hold it forever.”

Suddenly, in his mind, what looked like a stat screen appeared. It showed an octagonal object that read “Wrath Fire”, followed by a line that seemed to activate another octagonal object, indicating that something new had just been unlocked. His eyes widened as he read the name of the new ability, along with what appeared to be an incantation written in an unfamiliar language underneath it, yet he could read it fine.

He turned to Skye, “I think I may have the solution to finishing off that Soulavore.”

She looked elated, “You do? Great! What is it?”

He took a deep breath before replying, “I seem to have just unlocked a new spell… one of the Demon magic type. It’s risky, but seeing how Wrath Fire did so much, I feel that this one may finish it off and end this wave before any more monsters spawn.”

Skye looked worried before nodding, “Do it. And I’ll be right here for you, like I’ll always be.”

Just then, the Soulavore managed to break the silk that was binding it, forcing everyone to jump back and out of the way of the now-enraged demon. Celtic’s eyes became slits again, getting the Soulavore’s attention again, making it hesitate.

“First things first,” he said. “You’re gonna be a bit tied up for a moment, so I can give you your final verdict. Yo-Yo!”

His arm transformed into the Yo-Yo attachment, followed by launching the bladed disc on a cable toward the Soulavore. The Yo-Yo seemed to automatically wrap around the lesser demon before the bladed disc latched onto it, tangling it up in the cable. Celtic then raised up his left hand and started to channel energy.

“From the depths of the Demon Realm I call upon thee! Entrap my foes in your cold virgin ore embrace, piercing them from all sides, their cries muffled, as your bloody iron spikes skewer them until death beckons them! Iron Maiden of Demon’s Wrath!”

The clouds above started to swirl, lightning flashing and cracking, thunder booming, before a portal opened up. Out of it emerged something that made everyone freeze in shock. It was a colossal iron maiden, rusty gold in color, with a demonic woman’s head on top, sturdy chains attached to all sides of it, and dark energy seemingly pouring out from its cracks.

Celtic then gave a sharp jerk of his right arm, lifting the Soulavore up before swinging it around multiple times. He then snapped his left fingers, causing the red eyes of the iron maiden to light up, opening up its inner cavity, revealing large, sharp, blood-stained spikes. With one final thrust, Celtic hurled the Soulavore toward the iron maiden’s gaping embrace, while the Yo-Yo quickly retracted its blade and unraveled itself from the Soulavore. The Soulavore could only screech as it was hurled into the iron maiden’s awaiting grasp, the doors slamming shut quickly as it did. Celtic snapped his left fingers again, causing the iron maiden’s eyes to light up, followed by it cackling, lightning striking the chains, sending electrical energy into it, more dark energy pouring out of the cracks. The Soulavore’s cries could be heard and it was brutally assaulted on all sides by the combination of spikes, lightning, and darkness before it went quiet. Celtic clenched his hand, causing the iron maiden to cackle one last time before disintegrating, revealing the skewered, bloody corpse of the Soulavore. It plummeted to the ravine below, with a loud thud being heard as it hit the ground. Everyone waited a moment, as if expecting it to rise again, but nothing happened, indicating it was over. Celtic then fell to one knee, panting, his eyes returning to normal and his facial markings vanishing.

“W-What the hell was that?!” Lucas sputtered.

Skye, although surprised, smirked at him, “That’s a warning for you. Play nice with Celtic or you’ll be in there next. Although I think Veronica deserves that honor more. Right, dear sister?”

Veronica, who was clearly traumatized by what she saw, quickly retreated behind Lucas, not answering, though her face displayed her thoughts clearly.

Leon then noticed something, “H-Hang on, people. We have a problem. The wave isn’t ending!”

Ryan looked around, “You’re right! But the Soulavore is dead! It’s over, right?”

A voice then giggled, “Not quite, oh incompetent one. You still have one more round to play.”

Everyone looked up to see a figure descend to the ship’s deck. It was a woman, with long dirty blonde hair that reached her knees, pale skin, leathery wings, a devil’s tail, clawed hands and feet, curved ram horns, pointed ears, glowing orange eyes with slit pupils, and a fang-filled mouth. She seemed to be naked, with only what appeared to be large scale-like structures covering her feminine parts, which also covered her lower arms and legs. As she landed, Leon gained an enraged expression.

“Sylph!” he spat.

The demon woman giggled, “It’s nice to see you again, too, Leon. A shame about Abbot Joseph, but business is business. Nothing personal.”

Leon was restraining himself from launching an attack, clearly infuriated by her presence, making Sylph giggle gleefully.

“So that’s Sylph?” Jerry asked.

“She’s Infinator’s right-hand demon, right?” Ryan asked.

“She doesn’t look so tough,” Lucas huffed.

Skye shot him an angry look, “Don’t be foolish, Pointy Stick Boy! Sylph was the only member of Infinator’s army to survive the Great Demon War 2500 years ago, and she’s much more powerful than she lets on. She may only be a Mid-Tier demon, a Succulite, to be exact, but she’s had 2500 years to refine her skills. Don’t underestimate her or you’ll die today.”

Sylph smirked, “She’s right, ‘Pointy Stick Boy’. Go ahead and scan me with your stat vision and you’ll see just what she means.”

Lucas tried before replying, “I… I can’t get a reading! All I’m getting are question marks!”

Sylph giggled again, “Figures. Now… the real battle begins.”

Next Chapter: Sylph

Looks like the real battle will now begin. Will the Heroes prevail? Or will Sylph make them go extinct? Tune in next time to find out.
 
It's time to fight Sylph! Will the Heroes prevail? Or will she give them the dreaded "game over" screen?"

Sylph


The five Legendary Heroes and their parties were staring down Sylph, Infinator’s right-hand woman. She stood before them confidently, her eyes scanning the various people present, her mouth twisting into a dark smirk.

“What’s this?” she purred. “Not going to attack first? Are you doing the whole ‘ladies first’ routine? Come, come, now, I want to see what makes you lot so… legendary. Especially you, Shroud Hero. Maybe you should send your servants, the other four so-called Heroes, in first.”

“What the hell!?” Ryan spat.

“Did you just call us…” Jerry growled.

“Celtic’s SERVANTS?!” Lucas roared.

“You’ll pay for that you vile fiend!” Eric snapped.

“Screw you!” all four of them shouted.

Leon couldn’t help but chuckle, “Ooh, that’ll sting for a bit.”

The four other Heroes and their parties surrounded Sylph, preparing to strike.

“Eat this! Meteor Slash!” Ryan stated, sending a shining air slash from his sword.

“Meteor Shot!” Jerry chimed in, firing a golden arrow with tremendous force.

“Meteor Thrust!” Lucas spat, hurling a shining energy spear.

“Meteor Slam!” Eric roared, slamming his axe down and sending a shining shockwave forward.

All four attacks slammed into Sylph, engulfing her in an explosion and smoke. The four Heroes gained smug expressions, but those expressions quickly turned to shock as when the smoke cleared, Sylph was unharmed. In fact, she seemed to be filing her nails with a nail file that she somehow conjured up, completely ignoring what just happened. She took a moment to look at her nails before redirecting her attention to the fight.

“I’m sorry, I noticed one of my nails wasn’t even,” she merely said. “Go on, I’m ready for you. Or… did you already attack? You know it’s impolite to attack a lady when she’s doing her nails, right? Not very hero-like of you.”

“N-No way…!” Jerry choked.

“S-She took our strongest attacks…” Lucas gulped.

“A-And it didn’t even faze her!” Eric sputtered.

“I warned you, you morons!” Skye called out. “Sylph has been around for over 2500 years, and she’s done more than be Infinator’s errand girl. She’s had plenty of time to strengthen herself during those 2500 years. It’ll take more than a few flashy moves to put a dent in her Hit Points!”

Sylph giggled, “The scantily clad slave elf is correct. I’ve done more than run errands for my Master. Such flashy moves, yet they are so useless. Anyway, now it’s my turn.” She summoned up energy in her right hand before stating, “Hell Whiplash!”

She lashed out her glowing hand, releasing a powerful shockwave that slammed into each and every member of the other four Heroes’ parties, including the Heroes themselves, with the exception of Celtic and his party. This attack knocked them all unconscious in one swoop.

Rupert winced, “That’ll sting even more. They’ll feel that tomorrow.”

Sylph gained a disappointed expression, “It appears I was too generous in calling you ‘servants’. You’re not even worthy of being called that. ‘Dead weight’ might be more appropriate. As always, my Master Infinator was right. You four aren’t worth his time. He deems the Shroud Hero as his only true threat, even when you consider the Shadokor. Pathetic. Some ‘Heroes’ you four proved to be.” She then directed her attention to Celtic, “Celtic Pulsar, was it? You seem very familiar to me. And, from what I heard, you’re half demon and half Druid. I remember a child that got away from me nearly 20 years ago who was half demon and half Druid. Could you, perchance, be that child? …I guess it’s pointless asking you, as you probably don’t know what I’m talking about. Whatever. Back to business.” She started to channel energy in her hand again, “Let’s see if the Shroud Hero can stand up to my might.”

Celtic turned to his party, “Everyone, get behind me, quickly!”

His party obeyed, quickly getting behind him, preparing to weather the next attack. As Sylph was nearly finished charging, Celtic gained an idea.

“Time to give a new Shroud a test drive. Scrap Iron Shroud!”

His Shroud transformed into a new form. It looks like it was composed of various bits of scrap iron and metal. This confused his party.

“Where’d you get—” Tyroe was about to ask.

“I’ll tell you later! Scrap Iron Fortress Defense!”

A fortress-shaped barrier of scrap metal formed around and over Celtic and his party. At that time, Sylph had just finished charging her attack, gaining a smile.

“This is interesting,” she purred. “Ballistic Bombardment!”

She started to fire multiple blasts from the sky, each one striking the fortress-shaped barrier of scrap metal. However, to her surprise, the barrier managed to endure each and every blast, forcing her to stop. A moment passed before Celtic lowered the barrier, revealing him and his party to be unscathed.

“That was impressive, to say the least,” Skye stated.

“I’ll say,” Rupert added. “That defensive barrier effortlessly blocked Sylph’s attack. Now that’s what I call a fortress.”

“You can sing its praises later, gang,” Celtic stated, transforming his hand into Fighter Sword. “We still have work to do.”

Sylph smiled, “An unusual Shroud, to say the least, but highly effective. Good, you’ll keep me entertained. Let’s party. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

“Sorry, I’m not much of an entertainer. Or one for parties.”

Celtic then charged in; his Fighter Sword ready to strike Sylph down. She dodged the first few swipes before the last one forced her into the air. At that time, Viola was making quick motions with her hands. To Sylph’s surprise, she was encased in a cocoon of spider silk, causing her to fall onto the ghost ship’s deck. Celtic took the chance to strike her again.

“Stone Body!” Sylph stated.

Her body turned to stone. Celtic’s Fighter Sword slammed down upon her, but it didn’t damage her. Her eyes glowed menacingly, forcing him to jump back as she not only deactivated her defensive form, but effortlessly tore through the spider silk with her wings.

Viola grimaced, “I expected as much. Even my silk, which is 50 times stronger than steel, wasn’t enough to keep her pinned for long.”

Sylph brushed off some stray strands of silk, smiling, “No, but it was a nice try. Though I will say your silk is the strongest Arachne silk I’ve seen in the past 500 years, so that deserves some praise.”

As she said that, Skye had ricochet around and gotten behind Sylph before launching a barrage of kicks. Sylph used her wings to deflect each strike before trying to swat her, forcing Skye to quickly retreat back to her party with acrobatic skill.

“Not bad, slave elf. You can fire off ten kicks in an instant. That’s not easy, especially for elves. And your acrobatics leave nothing to be desired.”

Rupert had charged in and lashed out his Hook Bone Claws at Sylph’s side. However, she caught the attack, her eyes barely shifting toward him.

“Not bad, but you still need a lot of work, furball.”

She effortlessly shattered the Hook Bone Claws, forcing Rupert to quickly retreat back to Celtic. Tyroe had just finished channeling magical energy.

“Rock Tomb!” he stated.

Sylph was encased in a prison of rock, seemingly trapping her. However, she effortlessly blasted the rock prison to pebbles, dusting herself off.

“Not bad,” she said. “But like the feline, you need some more practice, scale belly.”

Leon had prepared an energy arrow before stating, “Vulcan Arrow!”

He fired off the arrow, which also caused several smaller energy arrows to follow it. Each one struck Sylph cleanly in the torso, but she endured the attack without flinching.

“Like I said the last time we met, not bad for a rejected Templar Knight, but I suggest you get some more practice in.”

Skye grit her teeth, “She’s tanking everything we throw at her. There must be something we can do to defeat her.”

Celtic grimaced before he noticed something in his stat vision. It appeared to be a timer, and it was counting down to zero.

“Maybe we don’t have to defeat her,” he thought. “If that timer is what I think it is, we can just drag out the clock and force the fight to a standstill, it may be our only chance.” He then said aloud, “Let’s try this on for size! Break Saber!”

His arm transformed again, this time into a new weapon. It had a similar hilt to the Fighter Sword, albeit more reinforced, but the blade was different, being long and conical in shape with what appeared to be a spiral swirling down from the tip to the hilt. He then charged in again, ready to strike the demon woman down.

Sylph smiled, “Didn’t you learn your lesson last time? Guess I’ll just have to teach you again. Stone Body!”

Sylph’s body turned to stone, but to her surprise, Celtic gained a sinister grin.

“Not this time!” he stated.

He slammed the Break Saber down upon her. To Sylph’s shock, the attack not only effortlessly pierced through her defensive form, but delivered heavy damage to her, sending her flying into the captain’s cabin of the ghost ship. This stunned the group while Celtic smirked. Sylph emerged from the damaged cabin, dazed and stunned: a sizable gash having formed across her front. She then felt something in her mouth, moved it around, and spat it out, revealing it to be one of her fangs, her eyes widening.

“Well…” she said. “I’ll give you props for that, Shroud Hero. You’re the first being to successfully injure me in the past 1500 years, even managing to pierce through my Stone Body defense. That’s quite the accomplishment.”

As she was talking, Skye quickly ran toward her, taking the opportunity to attack while Sylph was damaged. She lashed out her naginata, which Sylph tried to block with her wing and left arm. To her horror, Skye’s attack not only tore the membrane of her wing, but left a sizable gash on her left forearm, forcing Sylph to quickly jump out of range, eyes wide.

“And that makes you the second one, slave elf,” she said, clearly surprised. She eyed the naginata, “That naginata… it’s not a normal one. Could it…? Could it be made from Chaos Magnite!? If so, how’d you get ahold of Chaos Magnite!?”

Suddenly, the ship started to shake before it began losing altitude. Celtic noticed that the timer in his stat vision had hit zero. Sylph seemed to realize this, too.

“Looks like time’s up,” she said. She then tossed Celtic her broken fang, “Consider that your reward from this battle, Celtic Pulsar. I will leave you be today, but next time we meet, I will be victorious. I suggest you and your party grind for more Levels before then, and maybe get some better gear while you’re at it. But now I can see why Infinator has his eyes on you. And I feel you may be the child that got away from me nearly 20 years ago, though I’ll have to do some digging first. Farewell, Shroud Hero.”

Despite having a damaged wing, Sylph managed to take flight and vanished into one of the vortexes in the sky. At the same time, the red sky transformed back into blue, indicating that the fight was over. The ship started to shake again as it began to fall toward the ground.

“Abandon ship!” Leon stated.

Nodding, the group quickly ran over to the starboard of the ship, waited, and managed to jump onto a nearby ledge safely. The ship then crashed onto another ledge, but it didn’t break apart, merely coming to rest roughly on its side. Everyone took a moment to catch their breath before Celtic turned to his party.

“Whew… great work, gang,” he said sincerely. “Who would’ve guessed we’d fight Sylph this early on. You all did good today. But we still have some business to attend to. Viola, Leon, you two check on the villagers and Ike’s party, see if anyone has been injured in the scuffle. Rupert, Tyroe, you go around and collect monster parts for us. I saw a few new species in this wave, so they might make for some good Shroud forms, along with other stuff like accessories and selling for cash. Skye and I will collect a sample from the Soulavore for the Shroud. We’ll meet back up just outside the village.”

“On it!” the party stated.

Everyone went their separate ways. Celtic and Skye made their way to where the Soulavore had landed. It was at the bottom of the ravine, so Celtic activated Yo-Yo, latched it onto a small ledge, grabbed Skye by her waist, causing her to wrap her arms around his neck, and lowered them down to where the Soulavore’s corpse lay. Celtic tore off a chunk of the Soulavore and had the gem on the Shroud absorb it, creating a new skill tree that read “Soulavore Shroud”.

“Should we collect some parts of the Soulavore as well, Skye?” he asked.

She shook her head, “No, sorry, we can’t. The marketing and crafting of demon parts is illegal pretty much everywhere, as demon parts can possibly have curse energies in them. Only Shadoria allows it, due to the fact it’s the Shadokor Kingdom, which is run by demons, and as such knows of methods of removing such negative energies. No, we’re just gonna have to dispose of it, as marketing and crafting of demon components is illegal.”

Celtic sighed, “Guess I should’ve figured, especially since the topic of demons is sensitive. Very well. I’ll just use Wrath Fire and burn it to ashes. You’d better stand back, Skye, just to be safe.”

Skye nodded and stepped back. Celtic’s pupils became slits, the facial markings returning, and he slammed his palm onto the ground.

“Wrath Fire!”

The cursed black flames erupted underneath the dead Soulavore. It didn’t take long for the flames to eat away at the Soulavore, burning it to ashes, leaving nothing behind. As Celtic ended the attack, his eyes returned to normal and his facial markings vanished. He then turned to Skye, who gave him a warm smile. He then picked her up bridal-style, much to her joy, activated Moth Wing Shroud, and flew back up to the meeting place. Rupert and Tyroe were already there, both carrying large sacks.

“So, how’d it go?” Rupert asked.

“We got the sample for the Shroud, but we had to burn the rest,” Celtic explained. “Apparently the marketing and crafting of demon parts is illegal everywhere except in Shadoria, so we had to dispose of the corpse, lest we repeat Ryan’s sin with the dragon. How about on your end? Got anything interesting?”

Tyroe nodded, “Yep, got lots of good stuff, along with some duplicates and, according to Rupert, old stuff, like Skeleton Solider and Lizartaur swords and shields. Those we can sell for some fast cash, while the rest you can use for Shroud forms and accessories.”

Viola and Leon then walked up to them, with Leon stating, “And we’re good on our end. No casualties to report, and the worst of the injuries was a Charlie horse, so nothing to worry about.”

Celtic nodded, “We did good. Excellent work, team. We should probably beat a quick retreat before any possible Light Elf goons or Lucas try to get in our way.”

Just then a voice roared, “Celtic!!!”

They turned to see Lucas running toward them, furious.

“Speak of the devil.”

Skye gained a devilish smirk, “Ah, I knew I forgot to do something today,” she said darkly.

She swiftly charged toward Lucas. Realizing what that meant, he tried to stop and run away, but Skye was too fast for him. She launched a swift, powerful kick at his crotch, making him cry out in agony as he was sent flying, crashing several meters away before going into a fetal position, clutching his damaged loins. Leon and Tyroe flinched in shock, instinctively covering their crotches while Celtic, Rupert, and Viola laughed.

“I foresee no children in YOUR future, Pointy Stick Boy!” Viola snickered.

“Then Skye is doing God’s work!” Celtic laughed. “If it prevents his breed from multiplying and his genes from spreading, then she’s sparing the universe tremendous pain and suffering!”

Rupert grinned, “Yeah. I don’t think the universe could handle any more of his brand of stupidity!”

Leon turned to Tyroe, “Remind me to stay on her good side, as that looked like it hurt.”

Tyroe nodded, “Ditto that. Though I think it’s safe to say he deserved it. But wow, that girl is fierce. She’s not afraid to use low blows to get her point across.”

The other Heroes had witnessed Skye’s latest crotch kick, all flinching badly, making the Light Elf female smirk.

She mockingly blew them a kiss, “Catch you losers later. We’ve got a date with Delgunner Kingdom and King Alvin.” She then snapped her fingers, “Warp!”

This caused Celtic and his party to vanish, leaving everyone else behind.

“I can’t believe we were outdone by Celtic… AGAIN!” Eric spat.

“Considering he’s lower Leveled than us, how is he so strong?” Jerry asked, puzzled.

“Either he’s cheating or knows something we don’t know,” Ryan said. “That said, his demon side may be helping him get an edge on us. We can’t allow that.”

Eric turned to Ryan, “Do you think what Skye said is true? That Celtic had to clean up our messes?”

“I don’t know, but it sounds plausible,” Ryan replied. “I’ll head back to that village and ask them. I suggest you and Jerry do the same with the places you’ve been, just to confirm it. Though, if it is true, I wouldn’t expect a warm welcome.”

What they didn’t know was that a mysterious figure was watching from afar, having observed everything before flying away.

Several miles away, Celtic and his party appeared in the center of Skyburt, startling the people. One of them ran up to them.

“Shroud Hero! Did you fight off Infinator’s wave?”

Celtic nodded, “Yes, we did. We killed the ‘boss’, a Soulavore this time, and managed to force Sylph to a standstill by running down the clock. I even got one of her fangs as a bonus, which I’ll have my Shroud absorb for a new form.”

Skye giggled, “And, once again, the other four ‘Heroes’ proved to be completely ineffective. And idiotic. Leaving the world’s fate up to them is just asking for trouble. At least the handsome and intelligent Shroud Hero is keeping everyone safe and doing the job correctly.”

Celtic gained an annoyed scowl, “I’m not handsome. But she is right about one thing. I wouldn’t count on those other ‘Heroes’ for anything at this point, as they’re utterly incompetent. If they’d just take the threat seriously then maybe there’d be hope for them. But they’re so stubborn about relying on their RPG mindset that it’s causing them to leave a wave of destruction in their wake. Said wave of destruction WE’VE had to clean up regularly. I swear, between them, the Light Elves, and Infinator, this world is in serious trouble.”

The mayor of the village stepped up, “Well, at least one of you Heroes is doing the job correctly. And I see your friends have sacks. Does that mean you have monster parts? I know many merchants here would love to buy some of them from you for good prices.”

“We’ll see, but first I want to collect some samples for my Shroud. And maybe see if I can craft some stuff out of the parts. But we do have some stuff that we don’t need, like Skeleton Soldier and Lizartaur swords and shields, so we can sell those without a problem. Speaking of weapons, you wouldn’t happen to have claw-based weapons in the armory here, would you?”

The mayor nodded, “In fact we do. Why?”

“My friend, Rupert, had his Hook Bone Claws destroyed by Sylph, so he needs a new set in order to keep fighting off Infinator’s waves. Rupert,” he turned to the Beastman, “I’ll take the sack now. You go and buy some new claws. Viola, you go with him for good measure. Leon, Tyroe, you two go and get some more supplies for the road, as we still have a ways to go before reaching Delgunner. Skye and I will head back to the inn with the monster parts and see what we can do with them. We’ll meet up at the inn for dinner and leave tomorrow morning, as I dare say we deserve a rest after that wave.”

Nodding, everyone went their separate ways, doing what they were instructed to do, while Celtic and Skye returned to the inn with the sacks of monster parts in tow. After paying the innkeeper for rooms and food, the duo entered one of the rooms and started to examine the monster parts.

“Cel?” Skye cooed. “What do you think Sylph meant about my naginata? She said it might be made from Chaos Magnite. But… what is Chaos Magnite? I know my naginata and armor are made of rare materials, but I’ve never heard of Chaos Magnite before. Have you?”

Celtic shook his head, “No, your guess is as good as mine. But it appears to be potent, as it did some hefty damage to Sylph. It tore through her wing and arm like tissue paper, which were able to block your fierce kicks with ease prior. However, whatever Chaos Magnite is and whatever your naginata is made of will serve us well in future battles. Now, let’s get to work on these monster parts.”

The duo proceeded to sift through the monster parts, separating anything new from previously acquired parts, placing the various swords and shields off to the side. As they worked, new questions began to buzz in their heads, wondering when they’ll get the answers to them.

Next Chapter: Oh Brother, Where Hurt Thou

Whew... talk about a close call. Looks like the Heroes still need work if they have any hopes of beating Sylph. Tune in next time to see what happens.
 
Sorry for not posting sooner. A lot has been happening here. But we're back and ready to continue Celtic's journey.

Oh Brother, Where Hurt Thou


It had been a few days since the last wave. Celtic and his party were still making their way to Delgunner Kingdom. They were, at the time, completing a task that a village asked of them, slaying monsters that had been causing trouble. As the team tore through the monster horde like tissue paper, thinking about their reward, something was bothering Celtic.

“I’m surprised the sludge-sucking Light Elf king, Lumesto, hasn’t sent any of his men after us,” he said silently. “Sure, he does have Veronica, but it seems strange that his men aren’t harassing us regularly. Though Viola did mention that these… Shadow Sentinels were leading them off our trail, so I guess that’s why we haven’t seen too many of them. I’m still concerned, though, as it seems odd, considering we’re almost wanted criminals by the Light Elves, that there aren’t as many soldiers around. Skye did mention the Light Elf army was the weakest and most incompetent army of them all, so maybe they’re just that bad. Still… even drooling imbeciles can achieve something, so I fear that we’ll have to deal with them eventually.”

Finally, after killing the main monster of the swarm, taking it and some of the other dead monsters as proof, the party made their way back to the village. They presented the monsters to the head of the village, making him smile.

“Yes, those are the beasties that have been giving us trouble,” the head of the village said. “You have done well, Shroud Hero and friends. We will take those monsters off your hands and use their parts for new equipment and tools to replace the ones they broke. We have prepared a reward for you of 100 silvers and 200 coppers, as promised. We have also prepared a free night at the inn with food as a bonus. Thank you very much for your efforts.”

Celtic took the payment and the party went to the inn. The innkeeper greeted them warmly, giving them two keys for two rooms. The men went into one while the women went into the other. As they sat in the inn, awaiting the time when dinner would be ready, Celtic went to work on crafting new items from some of the monster parts from the last wave. Rupert was busy cleaning his new set of claws, which were made of silver and seemed very sharp, smiling as he did.

“I have to say,” he grinned. “Skyburt really lives up to its description as a trading town. These Silver Claws are top-quality, that’s for sure. Plus, they’re extra potent against undead and ghost monsters, which tend to be some of the breeds of monster Infinator uses in his waves. Every advantage we can get is helpful, right?”

Leon nodded as he fussed over his appearance in a small mirror, “Agreed. And I have to say I’m deeply disappointed in Ryan, Lucas, Eric, and Jerry. Their performance in the wave was… terrible, to put it simply. No wonder the High Priest wasn’t happy with them last I checked. It’s just like Celtic said, those four are incompetent at best and destructive at worst. I can only worry what calamities they’ll cause next, seeing how this… what did you call it… ‘RPG mindset’ I believe it was, is proving to be a hindrance to their efficiency. It says a lot when the Shroud, which is defense-oriented, and is considered the ‘devil’ to the Church of the Four Stars, is proving to be the most effective and competent of the Heroes. Glad I’m on the winning team for a change of pace.”

“Yup, it sure does,” Tyroe replied. “It also appears that the parties of the other Heroes aren’t as efficient as us, either. Celtic has proven to have incredible leadership skill and a very realistic way of thinking. The other Heroes and their parties don’t seem to have that same level of coordination. Sure, they’re higher Leveled than us, but Levels can only take you so far by themselves. You need things like teamwork, strategy, and good old-fashioned pragmatism to get through these fights. And they’ll only get tougher as time goes on.”

Leon then shivered, “Especially that Veronica girl. When I was near her, I sensed pure evil radiating off of her. I was tempted to attack her with my Holy magic, as that evil energy really disturbed me. Woo. She gave me the chills. I can see why Celtic and Skye hate her, as she’s pretty much evil incarnate. Even Sylph’s aura isn’t as bad as that woman’s, as she’s one of the greatest evils the world has ever known. Sure, Veronica’s got a good body, but that’s all she’s got, especially since she’s using Lucas as her personal attack dog to keep her safe from retaliation. I may thoroughly enjoy hitting on many good-looking girls, but I wouldn’t date that wench if my life depended on it. I guess it’s true that Lucas is just that brainless, judging how he can’t see just how vile she really is.”

Celtic, who was still working on his accessories, added, “Skye also mentioned that her false rape accusation story is her favorite one to use. She’s also slept with multiple men, lost her virginity ages ago, and has killed at least 30 men with her wounded gazelle gambits. She pulled that on me, too, sadly, resulting in our current situation, though I’m the first to survive because I’m the Shroud Hero, thus am too important to execute. But it seems she, and her sludge-spewing father, probably are hoping I’ll get killed in the waves. Heh, they’re probably cursing to themselves realizing that the Shroud has become too powerful to put down. Though the fact that they now know I’m part demon will probably make things more difficult, as they can use that against me. Since I don’t know what species of demon I am, I can’t say for certain if I can use the possibility of me being a Shadokor to dampen or prevent it from causing us any more trouble. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Rupert merely flicked his tail, “Meh, I wouldn’t worry about it, pal. Most, if not everyone, in this territory hates the Light Elves, as its public knowledge that they’re backstabbing schemers who only care about themselves. The only exception would probably be the Church of the Four Stars, giving how the Light Elves are pretty much the only ones who genuinely worship them. Yes, while there are the other Templar Knights outside of Leon, given your track record, they’ve got nothing to go against you with. Demon or not, there isn’t a lot that anyone can use to tarnish your name at this point, especially without enticing the wrath of Delgunner.”

Tyroe nodded, “Rupert’s got a point. Even if it becomes public knowledge, being part demon isn’t the worst. The Light Elves are far worse than any demon could be, especially ones like Veronica. Plus, the fact you’re the only Legendary Hero who is not only doing your job, but doing it correctly, gives you quite a bit of backing. Not to mention the fact you’re not selling yourself as a hero, nor out for personal glory, like the other halfwits, gives you more credibility. The Church of the Four Stars is going to have some trouble finding things to use against you, given your track record compared to both the Light Elves and the other Heroes.”

Leon, who was done fussing with his appearance, added, “I have to agree with both of them. You have actively fostered a reputation for someone who will offer his services for a price, with the results trickling down into the peasantry, the sick, the needy, and the economy. You’re not out for your own gain like the other Heroes. The fact that you’re taking this threat seriously proves that you’re the only one who is living up to the title of Legendary Hero. No matter how they try to slice it, the Light Elves and Four Stars Church aren’t going to have a lot of ammo to use against you because of your reputation to the world. Not to mention, as Viola stated, both Delgunner and the Shadokor are already aware of the Light Elves’ latest scheme. And they are not happy about it. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Light Elves finally lose everything with their latest maneuver, not that it wouldn’t be well-deserved at this point. So, I don’t think you have anything, or at least not much to worry about. There’s only so much the Light Elves and Four Stars Church can try, but because of your good reputation with the common folk, it’ll fall flat.”

Celtic gave a sigh, “Let’s hope so, as their lack of actions against me has been a bit concerning. While Viola said that the Shadow Sentinels are leading them off our trail, I still worry why they haven’t been spreading as much propaganda and tarnish as I would expect them to. I’m essentially a wanted criminal by them, and yet there hasn’t been nearly as much resistance or effort from them to ensure that I won’t get to Delgunner. There aren’t even wanted posters of us, or at least me, flying around. I’m not saying I want that to happen, I’m just saying it strikes me as odd that, if the Light Elves are as ambitious as Skye says they are, then why aren’t they responding with more force to try to stop me?”

Leon scratched his chin, “When you put it that way, I can see why you’re concerned. It does seem odd that the Light Elves aren’t responding the way they would do normally against you. Considering that if anyone gives them grief, no matter how minor, they will actively do everything to ruin that person’s life to get the last laugh, it does seem odd that they’re not going out of their way to try to stop you. Yeah, I can see where you’re coming from with this, Cel. It is a bit unusual for the Light Elves: not trying to do everything in their power to get the last laugh against you. Unless these Shadow Sentinels are just doing a very good job at keeping those long-eared twits off our backs. It is rather odd that we haven’t seen even a single wanted poster or something. I can see your point, it is rather unusual, given how vindictive the Light Elves are. Guess we will just have to wait and see how this plays out.”

Suddenly, a knock at their door was heard, followed by a sweet voice saying, “Dinner will be ready soon. Come down to the dining hall when you’re ready.”

“Thanks, we’ll be there shortly,” Rupert called back.

Tyroe licked his lips, “Ah, food, the most beautiful word of all. Let’s get going!”

“You guys go on ahead, I need to clean up my tools first,” Celtic said. “I’ll meet you down in the dining hall in a few minutes.”

Leon nodded, gaining a grin, “Okay, just don’t take too long. You don’t want to leave your lady, Skye, waiting too long, as that’s rude.”

Celtic’s eyes widened, a blush forming on his face, “W-W-What?! What are you talking about!?”

The three other males gained large grins, chuckling, before leaving the room, and a flustered Celtic behind. After taking a moment to recover, Celtic cleaned up his tools, put them and the monster parts in his Tek-Pak, and quickly made his way to the dining hall, where the rest of his party awaited. Skye greeted him with a warm smile. He blushed as he sat down, still flustered from before, earning more wide grins from his male companions. After eating the simple but filling dinner, the party returned to their rooms and retired for the night. When morning came, they had their breakfast, packed up, and returned to the open road, the villagers waving them goodbye as they did.

A few days later, the team was nearing another village. Viola had her map out and was looking it over.

“Okay, good news, team,” she said. “This next village is Pronue, which is not only a busy trader village, but after we pass the area just behind it, we’ll be only about a week away from the border between the Light Elf territory and Delgunner’s territory. From there, it’ll be easy to reach the capital, meet up with King Alvin, and quite possibly King Duskbane, and finally put an end to the Light Elves’ schemes.”

Rupert’s sharp eyes then noticed something, “Uh-oh… don’t look now, but I see Light Elf knights. Looks like Celtic was right to worry about why we haven’t seen too many of them, as it appears they may greet us at the village.”

Skye’s eyes narrowed, gaining a snarl, “We’ll see about that. I’ll make sure they leave empty-handed… and with more knots than a sailor’s rope.”

As they approached, the Light Elf knights didn’t notice them. They were too busy listening to another Light Elf in front of them. Like all Light Elves, he had silver hair, stylized in a neatly trimmed bowl cut, with green eyes, a sharp face, and fair skin. He was dressed in rather regal-looking heavy armor consisting of a silver breastplate, a tunic under it, armored pants, boots, and a cape. He looked very similar to King Lumesto. He was preaching to the villagers, who all had looks of annoyance and distain. Skye’s eyes widened as she saw him. Those eyes quickly shifted to angry ones, her temper rising.

The elf demanded, “Enough of this! You will tell me where the demon known as the ‘Shroud Hero’ is right now! He is a wanted criminal and I will not allow lowly cockroaches such as yourselves to hide him from me! You WILL tell me where he is, or we’ll burn this village to the ground!”

His eyes widened in terror as a familiar voice floated into his ears, “You won’t be doing anything of the sort… Reginald Lightwave. Not if I have anything to say about it.”

He started to twitch as he realized who that voice belonged to, “Merciful Gods… please tell me that’s not who I think it is…”

He and the Knights turned sharply to see Celtic and party standing behind them. Each member of the Shroud Hero’s party had drawn their weapons, glaring angrily at them, with Skye in particular looking deadly. He and the knights began to sweat.

“Good to see you, too… my dear brother,” she said menacingly.

“S-S-Skye!?” Reginald gulped. “S-So what Veronica said is true! You ARE back! And you ARE supporting the demonic Shroud Devil!!!”

The female Light Elf gave her naginata a spin, “Yep, and that’s something I take great pride in. And I see you’re still the cowardly bully that you’ve always been, Reginald. Picking on innocent villagers and peasants, acting like a big-shot, but once you’re forced into action, you run and hide like a dirty coward. You always play tough, especially when you have our tin plated knights backing you up. But when you’re all alone, you shamelessly beg for your life like a big coward. You haven’t changed a bit, little brother.” She then noticed something, gaining a smirk, “Correction, you have changed. I see you finally went up a Level since last time we met. Congratulations. You went from Level 10 to Level 11. Such an accomplishment. Father must be so proud.”

As she said this, the villagers laughed and snickered, much to Reginald’s frustration and embarrassment.

“D-Don’t just stand there!” Reginald bellowed to his knights. “Beat them and arrest them!”

The knights hesitated at first before finally obeying, charging in.

Skye turned to Celtic, “Leave Reginald to me! I’ve got some unfinished business with him to attend to! I’ll leave the rest of these tin tyrants to you!”

“You go, girl,” Celtic nodded.

With incredible acrobatics, Skye jumped and flipped multiple times over the knights, distracting them in the process. This action gave Celtic and his party a chance to launch a preemptive attack, charging in and plowing through the knights, sending them flying like bowling pins. Skye landed in front of Reginald, who had nervously drawn his sword. She confidently spun her naginata before pointing it at him.

“Time to dance, little brother!” She then started launching air slashes from her naginata, forcing Reginald to dodge for his life, “Yeah! Dance! Dance like your life depends on it! Oh, wait, it does!”

At the time, Celtic and the rest of his party were effortlessly beating up the Light Elf Knights. As they did, the villagers cheered, clapped, and jumped for joy, thoroughly enjoying their oppressors getting their just desserts. Meanwhile, Reginald was running as fast as he could, clearly in a panic, while Skye was lightly jogging behind him, obviously toying with him. The heavy armor that he was wearing was slowing him down, making it even easier for Skye to nip at his heels in a mockingly way. Finally, after a few more minutes, the other Light Elf knights, battered, bruised, and clearly beaten, ran away in fear, leaving only Reginald, who was livid.

“I didn’t call retreat!” he roared. “Get back here!”

However, as he did this, he wasn’t watching where he was going and plowed into a fence, causing it to break and send him flying into a pile of manure. When he managed to regain his senses, he turned around sharply, seeing Celtic, Skye, and the rest of his party glaring down at him, looking like they were ready to kill.

“I-I-If you k-k-kill me, f-f-f-father will have your heads!” he said, trying to sound strong, but obviously was scared.

“Oh, really?” Skye said mockingly. “How would you be able to tattle when you’re dead, hmm? Besides, we’re not going to kill you… Delgunner will. They’re already aware of the Light Elves’ latest scheme and they are livid. The Light Elf Royal Family’s days are numbered. I foresee you, Veronica, and father getting well acquainted with a guillotine very soon. So, I suggest you run home in fear, like the big coward you are, and cry to daddy that you, him, and Veronica are only weeks away from losing your heads… literally. And there is nothing you can do about it. Face it: the Shroud Hero is too strong, smart, cunning, and handsome to be put down by the likes of you and the rest of our backstabbing race. Even Sylph admitted that the Shroud is Infinator’s only true threat, while viewing the other four idiotic Heroes as a waste of time and resources. If even she says that, then you KNOW he’s tough stuff. Now… SCRAM!!!”

Reginald, still covered in manure, quickly bolted from the spot, screaming as he did. The villagers cheered for joy as the Light Elves ran away, quickly surrounding the Shroud Hero and his party, thanking them and praising them. The village elder then walked up to them.

“Thank you, noble Shroud Hero and friends,” he said. “You managed to chase away those wicked and vile Light Elves like the cowards that they are. You have our deepest thanks, as, despite being underhanded cowards, they probably would’ve torched our village to the ground because they’re such swine. Please, stay here for the night. I can arrange for a free night at the inn with food as a reward. Would that be something of worth to you.”

Leon nodded, “It would, thank you.”

Viola then walked up, “Also, would you possibly know the fastest route to the border? We’re heading to Delgunner in order to give the Light Elves their just desserts for all their crimes, especially against Celtic, so having a quicker route to Delgunner’s capital would be very helpful.”

“Yes, we know of a faster route to the border. We’ll gladly mark it on your map. With that route, it would take only three days to reach the border from here instead of a week. It’ll also help you avoid the main road, as those Light Elves may try to block it or cut you off. After that, there is little those elven swine can do to chase you. It would be our pleasure.”

Celtic nodded, “Good, as the sooner we get those sludge-spewing bottom-feeders off our backs the better. Lead the way, sir.”

Rupert then asked, “What if they try to block the border? They probably have men there as guards.”

Viola shook her head, “No need to worry about that, Rupert. The border is patrolled by Delgunner knights, not Light Elf ones, as it’s their border. Light Elf knights are strictly forbidden from crossing, as they tend to cause a whole heaping amount of trouble, so they’re outlawed in Delgunner’s territory. That includes the border. I should know, I crossed through it several months ago when we Arachne were hired to spy on the Light Elves after the theft of the book that can summon the five Legendary Heroes. We’ll have nothing to worry about. When it comes to Veronica in Lucas’ party, that I don’t know. But, in any case, we might even get some of those knights to act as escorts to Delgunner. That’s bit of a long-shot, I admit, as they’re pretty adamant about keeping the Light Elf knights away from the border, which they have every reason to be. But we might get at least one knight to help us. We shall see.”

Tyroe shrugged, “Either way, once we cross the border, we’ll be in safer territory. The Light Elves won’t be allowed to pursue us after we cross the border. It’s the other Heroes, specifically Pointy Stick Boy, that we might have to worry about.”

Celtic turned to them, “Either way, it’ll make things easier for us. Let’s follow the elder, get the map updated, and head to the inn for a rest.”

With a nod, the party followed the village elder to learn of the quicker route to Delgunner and for their free night in the inn, knowing that the Light Elves’ madness would soon end.

Next Chapter: The Spear Verses the Shroud

Sheesh, it appears Skye's whole family are a bunch of slimeballs (sans Skye herself). Good thing Celtic and co are there to deflate their egos. Anyway, tune in next time to see what happens next.
 
Okay, time to get back on track and get back to posting this series. The next chapter is live. What will happen this time? Read and find out.

The Spear Versus the Shroud


It was the following day after Celtic and his party chased Reginald and his bully knights out of Pronue. After a hearty breakfast and picking up some extra supplies, the gang was on their way. Viola had her map out, now marked with a seemingly hidden road that led to the border faster than the main road. She continued to observe it before smiling.

“I have to hand it to that village elder,” she said. “After doing a few calculations, I can see that this hidden route is, indeed, much faster than the main road to the Delgunner border. We’re shaving off at least four days of our trip, which means we’ll be at Delgunner that much sooner.”

Skye nodded, “Yeah, and we’ll be that much closer to finally giving the Light Elves, especially my family, just what they deserve. We’ll see how high-and-mighty they are when Delgunner gets their hands on them. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Light Elf Kingdom as a whole loses everything because of this latest stunt. They’re already in hot water from past get-more-power-quick schemes, but the fact that they’re tarnishing the name of a religious figure on top of trying to hog all the Legendary Heroes for themselves in a bid for more power will most likely be the final straw. And I’m looking forward to that, as it’s about time the Light Elves are finally brought to justice for all their schemes and crimes.”

“Finally…” Celtic said silently. “All this madness will end, and I can finally catch a break. I’ve had to work ten times as hard in order to make ends meet and clean up after the other idiotic Heroes. If Delgunner brings those sludge-spewing swine to justice, then maybe things will finally become easier for me and my party, as we deserve it for all our hard work.”

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news…” Leon said. “But I heard a rumor back in Pronue. It’s about the Church of the Four Stars. I heard that the replicas of the Legendary Gear, barring the Shroud, were stolen from their sacred resting spot. It seems that the Church is very displeased with the other Heroes: infuriated that the, pardon the phrase, ‘Shroud Devil’ is proving to be the only competent Hero. With the public, barring the Light Elves, all vouching for Celtic because of his noble deeds. It appears that only the truly fanatical and the Templar Knights are sticking with the Four Stars Church right now, which is getting them pretty ruffled. I have a feeling that they might join the mix sooner or later. So, we better be alert for any of them trying to get in our way. I wouldn’t be surprised by the High Priest personally being involved in stopping us, as, well, let’s just say he’s always been one monk short of a choir. And tends to have bit of a power complex.”

Rupert nodded, “That’s a good point, Leon. The Four Stars Church is a nasty cult that’ll stop at nothing to get their way. With the fact that the Shroud is actively crushing their beliefs and the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow are proving to be walking disaster zones is probably really getting their goat. It means all their teachings are going down the drain because the Shroud is the only Hero doing the job correctly while the other four nitwits are leaving death and destruction in their wake. As a result, we better keep our eyes and ears peeled for those religious loons so they don’t take us by surprise.”

“Yeah, I can see your point on that,” Tyroe nodded. “While getting out of this territory will keep the Light Elves off our backs, the Four Stars Church will still find a chance to get their licks in, as, unlike the Light Elves, they’re not banned from the border.”

“Not to mention their main abbey, Seraph Abbey, is located just beyond the border in Delgunner’s side,” Leon pointed out. “We might have to take a detour to slink around it in order to avoid ambush, as the abbey is smack bang in the middle of the main road.”

Viola turned to them, “I can see how that would be a concern. We’ll ask the Delgunner knights at the border if there’s an alternate route so we can avoid the abbey and not draw attention to ourselves. It may take extra time, but it would be better than having to fight the High Priest and his Templar Knights.”

Skye started to ponder, “Still, the fact that they may have stolen the replicas of the Legendary Gear, with the exception of the Shroud, from their sacred resting places is a really big concern. The replicas, while just that, possess all of the innate abilities of the Legendary Gear, meaning that the High Priest can use pretty much all of the special abilities the Gear possesses without the trial-and-error that Celtic and the other ‘Heroes’ would have to go through, making it very powerful. But, and this is a major point, the reason why the real Legendary Gear is superior is, for example, in order to swing the Sword replica even just once, would require a huge amount of magical energy, enough to require a month’s worth of prayers to feed it, which makes the replicas impractical at best. In order to use even one replica, he would either need to stockpile mana like mad or have followers act like living power sources to fuel it. The latter one is the one I’m most concerned about as, while it would give the High Priest a lot more ammo, it could very well kill his follower in the process. And since Leon says the guy has a power complex, it could create a lot of casualties on his end just for his ambitions. So, yeah, we’d better keep an eye out for any of his goons or Templar Knights, and finding an alternate path around the main abbey would be smart.”

Celtic sighed, “Great. Not only do we have the Light Elves and idiot Heroes nipping at us, but now this Four Stars Church may get involved personally to try to prove their beliefs and stop us. This just keeps gets better and better. Hopefully the Delgunner knights can offer us some ideas or a solution to keep the problem down or even nip it in the bud. We can only hope.”

Suddenly, a voice bellowed, “CELTIC!!!”

The redhead sighed again, “And speaking of problems, we also have a Lucas problem.”

They all turned to see Lucas storm up to them, the rest of his all-female party following. This annoyed Celtic’s party, all rolling their eyes or sighing in disgust.

“So, what is it this time, Pointy Stick Boy?” Viola huffed. “You trying to start a cockfight with Celtic to ‘reclaim’ your glory in front of your harem? Or are you here on behalf of the sludge-spewing Light Elf King?”

“Oh, the King will finally get his way with Celtic…” Lucas spat. “AFTER I’m done mangling him for all the times he’s humiliated me! This time, Celtic, you vile demon spawn, I’ll prove once and for all that you are nothing but a cheater, a criminal, and a rapist! I challenge you to a duel! When I win, I’ll haul you and your party back to Lumestia so you can face your punishment!”

“I think you mean IF you win,” Rupert corrected. “Which you won’t, as Celtic is vastly superior to you. So, why should Celtic even bother with your duel when he’s proven time and time again that he’s the only competent one while you, and the other three bozos, can’t scratch the villain of the week?”

Veronica laughed, “Like a furry freak such as a Beastman to not understand how powerful the mighty Spear Hero is compared to the demonic Shroud! You’ll make a fine rug once we’re done with you!”

Celtic’s eyes narrowed, gaining an angry snarl, his pupils becoming slits while the facial markings returned, startling Veronica, making her back up a bit.

“You will do NO such thing to MY friend, you wicked wench!” he hissed threateningly. “Fine, I accept. While this is a gigantic waste of time, I might as well let you amuse me, Pointy Stick Boy. And maybe it’ll finally sink in at how outclassed you are.”

Lucas smirked, “You’ll be eating those words, you sewer rat. The rules are as follow: no party members can assist, only abilities that our respective Gear possesses can be used, and no arm attachments are allowed. Just one-on-one, mano-a-mano, and I’ll prove that the Spear is superior to the Shroud. It’ll be just like the old legend of the Spear versus the Shield!”

Celtic gained an amused look, “You seem to be forgetting how that fight ended: the Spear LOST because it couldn’t pierce the Shield. And I’ll show you that the Shroud can do the exact same thing to you and your Spear. Let’s get this over with, as I have a date with King Alvin in Delgunner.”

Both parties backed up, with Celtic’s keeping an eye on Lucas’, especially Veronica, to ensure that they didn’t cheat. Celtic and Lucas took their positions, facing each other, both showing hatred in their eyes.

“Smart, handsome, and cunning Shroud versus stupid, incompetent, and egotistical Spear, Round one! Ding!” Skye taunted.

Lucas charged in, “Eat this! Hyper Thrust!”

The Spear started to glow, gaining power, ready to pierce through Celtic. However, he started to smile.

“Not happening,” the redhead smirk. “Phantom Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed, becoming rather spooky-looking, with what appeared to be ghosts and bats on it.

“Phantom Body!”

Lucas thrust his Spear at Celtic, but, to his horror, Celtic became ghostly, causing both the Spear and Lucas to fly through him, crashing behind the Shroud Hero in a heap. Celtic returned to his normal form shortly afterwards, smiling darkly.

“Like that one, Lucas? I got it by feeding my Shroud a Phantom Bat from our first Infinator wave. Let’s see you try this on for size: Double Bite Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed again, this time becoming somewhat metallic, almost like a shield, with two sealed ports on it. Said ports then opened up, revealing the twin heads of the Two-Headed Bite Fang.

“Time to take a bite out of crime! Double Dog Bite!”

The two necks of the Bite Fang extended like rubber, stretching their way to Lucas. He quickly scrambled to his feet and got into a defensive position. He tried blocking them, though while he did block one, the second head bit him in the rear, making him howl in pain. This caused Skye and the others to laugh.

“Like this one, Lucas?” Celtic sneered. “You can thank the Two-Headed Bite Fang that Skye and I killed near a small village for this one.”

“Celtic!” Lucas spat. “Fight like a man!”

“Make me, Pointy Stick Boy.”

Lucas roared as he charged in again, stating “You’ll regret those words! Thunder Strike!”

The Spear gained lightning energy, becoming more powerful. Celtic merely smiled.

“We’ll see about that. Scrap Iron Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed again, becoming its scrap iron-like appearance.

“Scrap Iron Fortress Defense!”

A fortress made from scrap iron formed around Celtic, protecting him. Lucas’ attack slammed into the fortress’ wall, but it did nothing to scratch it, angering him.

“Grr! Machine Gun Thrust!” he spat.

The Spear glowed again, followed by Lucas striking the scrap iron fortress rapidly like a machine gun fire. However, the fortress endured the attack effortlessly, not even gaining a scratch, much to Lucas’ shock. He heard Celtic snap his fingers, causing the fortress to vanish, showing an unharmed Celtic.

“Spiffy Shroud, ain’t it?” the redhead said smugly. “This bad boy managed to block Sylph’s Ballistic Bombardment with ease, which was much stronger than her Hell Whiplash. I got it by letting the Shroud absorb a leftover piece of scrap metal I had on-hand from my work as a freelance inventor back on Earth. Would you like to try again?”

Lucas was now livid, “Eat this! Hyper Thrust!”

He charged in again, Spear glowing, but Celtic merely sidestepped out of the way, causing Lucas to stumble as he came to a stop a short distance away.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Celtic said. “You should know that Hyper Thrust only has a 50% of hitting its foe and only has a 25% chance of causing a critical hit. Otherwise it does no damage at all. How do I know this? I looked it up in a grimoire that I got regarding the Legendary Gear, so I could learn more about the Shroud. It told me of all the basic functions of the other Gear, including abilities like Hyper Thrust and Helm Splitter for the Axe. You really should pick up a book and learn what the Gear has to offer, as it eliminates a lot of the trial-and-error that often comes with learning about the Legendary Gear’s functions.”

“You shut up!” Lucas spat. “You’re cheating and you know it! Take this! Meteor Thrust!”

As his Spear glowed, readying the attack, Veronica gained an annoyed look as she watched on.

“Dammit…” she muttered. “How is that Shroud Devil completely beating Lucas!? Guess I need to get involved.”

She started to channel a spell, taking aim at Celtic, which didn’t go unnoticed by her party. However, before she could fire it or her party members protest, Skye’s naginata blade suddenly appeared under her throat, freezing the older Light Elf sister in her tracks.

Skye had a deadly expression on her face as she hissed, “If you dare fire that spell, I’ll slit your throat. I knew you couldn’t be trusted to just sit on the sidelines while Cel mops the floor with Pointy Stick Boy. If you so much as utter a spell’s name I will kill you here and now, and I know you’re a dirty coward when it comes to your life being on the line, just like our ‘dear’ brother, Reginald. So, stay your spell or my naginata will spell your death!”

Veronica was trembling as she felt the sharp blade of Skye’s naginata just scraping her throat. Reluctantly, she canceled the spell but Skye didn’t remove her naginata from her throat.

“I’m keeping my blade right where it is, you wench,” the younger Light Elf hissed. “I’ll only remove it when the duel is over. That way I can be certain you won’t try to help your ‘boyfriend’ by cheating. I’m watching you, sister, so don’t try anything or I’ll gut you like a fish.”

Veronica was still trembling, barely able to nod in response, the blade still hovering just under her throat. At the time, Lucas had finished readying the attack and fired a shining energy spear, completely unaware of the situation on the sidelines.

Celtic stated, “Guess you need another lesson. Lizartaur Shroud!”

The Shroud changed again, this time becoming a blue scaly shroud with two sets of patterns: one set had shields while the other had curved swords.

“Shield Wall!”

The shield patterns vanished, instead becoming actual shields that orbited around Celtic, creating a barrier. When the Meteor Thrust came near him, the shields stopped moving, with one positioned in front of Celtic. It effortlessly blocked the attack, much to Lucas’ shock.

“You can thank the Lizartaurs for this one. Now, time for a little switch. Sword Missiles!”

The shields vanished, with their respective patterns returning to the Shroud, with now the sword patterns vanishing, becoming actual scimitar swords that floated around Celtic. He then gave the gesture that caused the scimitars to point at Lucas and fired them like missiles. Lucas was forced to run as the swords chased him like heat-seeking missiles, trying to deflect them with his Spear whenever one got near him. Finally, the scimitars increased their speed, surrounded Lucas, and slammed into him, exploding upon contact. When the smoke cleared, Lucas was dazed and charred, but clearly infuriated. He managed to dust himself off before glaring at Celtic.

“You dirty sewer rat!” he spat. “You’re fighting like a coward!”

Celtic wagged a metal finger, “No, I’m playing exactly by your own rules. I’m only using Shroud forms and powers, just like you said we had to do. You’re just a sore loser. I guess it’s safe to say that, to you, a duel is only fair if you’re winning, hmm? And you call me a whiner. Talk about irony. Now, allow me to demonstrate more of my skill with the Shroud. Sword Stinger Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed again, becoming yellow and black with several dagger-shaped stingers appearing on it.

“Stinger Barrage!”

The dagger-like stingers became erect before firing off the Shroud like missiles, making a beeline for Lucas. He was forced to run again as the stingers barreled after him. They then gave a mighty thrust and started to strike the ground, trying to pin him down by his cape. One of them succeeded, stopping him dead in his tracks as his cape accidentally strangled him upon getting pinned, making him gag in shock.

“Got this one off of the Sword Wasps from our first wave fight. Now, to keep you from running anymore… Thunder Silk Shroud!”

The Shroud changed again, becoming black with yellow lightning bolts and spider webs, with the largest pattern in the front, split in two between the front of the Shroud.

“Electroweb!”

Celtic brought the two halves of the large spider web pattern together by closing the Shroud around him. This caused the web to glow before firing off an electrically charged web right at Lucas. Lucas was still too busy trying to get the Sword Wasp stinger off his cape to notice the Electroweb coming his way. When he realized it, it was too late, as the Electroweb wrapped around his legs, shocking him, causing him to fall to his knees.

“W-What’s this!?” he sputtered. “M-My legs are going numb!”

“That’s the beauty of the Electroweb,” Celtic merely said. “Whenever it strikes something, even if it just grazes it, it numbs the part of the body it touches. Only I can touch it without any repercussions. I got it from a Thunder Dokugo Caterpillar. And now… with you helpless and pinned, it’s time for the grand finale. Dragon Rage Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed one more time, becoming shaped like a dragon’s back with the addition of a pair of forming dragon wings. Celtic’s armor also transformed, becoming black with red highlights, segmented with overlapping plates, multiple sinister-looking spikes, claw-like gauntlets, armored legs and boots, and a dragon head-shaped helmet. As he did, however, a voice floated into his head.

“Grr… where is he?” the voice growled. “Where is the sword-wielding wretch that killed me?!”

Celtic was stunned, responding mentally, “Wait… you’re the voice of the dragon zombie? Have you been alive inside my Shroud all this time!?”

The voice replied, “Yes, though I have been dormant for a while, regenerating my strength from within the core your Shroud of Shadows absorbed. Now, where is that sword-wielding brat who killed me?”

“You mean Ryan, the Sword Hero? I haven’t a clue. But I don’t have time for this, I have to finally put that moron Lucas in his place.”

The dragon seemed to notice something, starting to chuckle, “I see. I can see it in you. Your anger, wrath, and hatred. It burns like an inferno. My hatred is like a candle compared to yours. I can see it, all the injustice you’ve suffered, all the extra work you’ve had to put into your job, all the times those other ‘Heroes’ have forced you to carry them and clean up their messes. I can see it all, and I can see your fire of wrath and hatred burning brightly because of it. …I rather like that. Fine, I’ll help you crush that moronic Spear Hero, proving your point to him once and for all. This’ll be fun. Activate the power this form possesses: Dragon Rage Impact. It’s a high-risk, high-reward strategy, but it’ll get the point across very well.”

Celtic redirected his attention to Lucas, who was struggling to remove the Sword Wasp Stinger while his legs were wrapped up in the Electroweb. Celtic activated the power of the Shroud, causing the eye sockets of the dragon head helmet to glow, gaining real dragon eyes in the process, before being cloaked in blue fire. This shift got Lucas’ attention, making his eyes widen in horror, going pale, freezing in fear, making Celtic smirk.

“Game over, Lucas,” he said darkly. “Dragon Rage Impact!”

He bolted from the spot, running toward Lucas, his enhanced speed seemingly powered by the Shroud, the flames around him getting brighter. Lucas grabbed his Spear and lashed out in retaliation, but Celtic jumped over the attack, did a flip, and then barreled down toward Lucas like a comet. He then collided with the Spear Hero, engulfing both of them in an explosion and smoke. A moment later Celtic jumped out of the smoke, returning to his original position, seemingly unharmed. However, a moment later, he stumbled, his body crackling with electrical-like energy, and he noticed his Hit Points went down by about 1/4th, surprising him.

“Is that what you meant?” he asked the dragon mentally. “The attack does recoil damage?”

“Yes,” the dragon replied. “It deals you damage equal to 1/3rd of the total damage you dealt to the opponent. It’s risky, but rewarding, as even enemies like Infinator’s Generals won’t be able to block it. It also pierces through defensive abilities, such as Stone Body, allowing you to deal the full damage 100% of the time. I have to admit you’re pretty good at this. I’m going to enjoy working with you. Until next time, Shroud Hero.”

The dragon itself seemed to deactivate the form, causing Celtic to return to normal with the Shroud returning to its default form. He looked forward and saw the battered, bruised, and beaten form of Lucas lying on the ground, still alive but out cold. Lucas’ party looked at his battered and charred body before looking at Celtic, clearly terrified, including Veronica, while Celtic’s party cheered victoriously.

“It’s over,” Celtic said simply. “We’re done here, Lucas. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have a date with Delgunner’s King Alvin. Here’s a warning, though, get in our way again and I will show you just how powerful my wrath is. Let’s go, team, we’ve got ground to cover.”

Viola and Leon stepped up to him with their hands glowing.

“We noticed that your last attack dealt you recoil damage,” Viola said. “Let Leon and I heal that first, then we’ll hit the road.”

Celtic nodded, “Fine, do so. It’s ironic that the most damage dealt to me in this duel was from recoil damage and not from my opponent. Fire away.”

Both nodded before stating, “Rejuvenate!”

Celtic was bathed in healing energies, causing his body to be restored to normal, his Hit Points returning to their full value.

“Thanks, you two, I appreciate that,” he said sincerely. “Now, let’s go, before Pointy Stick Boy regains consciousness. But hopefully he’ll now see that the Shroud Hero is not one to mess with. After all, the best offense is a good defense, right? Now, move out, team.”

The party nodded, smiling, before they returned to their mission of heading to Delgunner. Veronica looked at them with poisonous eyes.

“I won’t let you succeed,” she hissed. “Mark my words, I’ll get the last laugh, and you’ll die a painful death, Shroud Devil and Skye. This isn’t over by a long-shot. You’ll get yours before you can get to Delgunner, as I have one last ace up my sleeve.”

Next Chapter: Templar Trouble

Woo. Looks like the Shroud is just full of tricks. And what about the dragon zombie that resides inside the Shroud? Will it be a help to Celtic? Or will it cause more problems for him? Tune in next time to find out.

EDIT: Also, forgot to mention, if you want to envision what Dragon Rage Impact acts/looks like, think of it as Celtic's version of Flare Blitz. Just FYI.
 
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Okay, the next chapter is live. The Church of the Four Stars starts making their move. How will Celtic and co handle the Templar Knights?

Templar Trouble


It was a peaceful night. Celtic’s party was sound asleep near the campfire. Skye, Rupert, and Leon were in sleeping bags, Tyroe was coiled up with a blanket over him, and Viola was in a hammock made from her silk with a blanket over her human half. Celtic was awake, off to the side, with a small oil lamp near him. Next to him were various crafting tools, with him hard at work on creating new items while trying to not disturb his party’s slumber.

He stopped for a moment to admire his handiwork before he turned to his party. He picked up some of the items he made and gingerly walked over to the others. First, he held out a gold bracelet studded with jewels, holding it in front of Skye’s wrist, eyeing it, getting a rough estimate if it would fit or not. He then walked over to Rupert, took out what looked like a band made from bluish material. Like with Skye, he measured it against the Beastman, this time using his tail as the basis. Afterward, he walked over to Viola, took out what looked like a hairclip in the shape of an angel wing with emerald gems, and tried to estimate where it would go on her. Satisfied, he walked back to where the other items were and swapped them with the first batch. He walked over to Tyroe, holding out a pair of matching silver bands with a single red jewel on each, and measured them against the Naga’s upper arms. After that, he walked over to Leon and held out a pair of cobalt gauntlets with large green gems in the knuckles, measuring it against his hands. Satisfied, he walked back to his working spot and started to put his tools away while also stashing the items into his Tek-Pak.

Suddenly, a smooth voice floated down, “Very impressive, Shroud Hero. Your craftsmanship leaves nothing to be desired. They will love the items you have made for them.”

Celtic got into a defensive position, his hand transforming into Fighter Sword, looking around for the source of the voice.

“You need not be alarmed, Shroud Hero,” the voice said. “I am an ally, not an enemy. You can retract your weapon, as I will not hurt you, I promise.”

Reluctantly, Celtic transformed his hand back to normal. This allowed the source of the voice to reveal itself. It was revealed to be a woman wearing a mask and donning ninja-like garb. While her eyes were not visible, her lower face was, revealing facial markings and a mouth full of fangs.

“Who are you?” Celtic asked warily.

“I am one of the Shadokor’s Shadow Sentinels, under the service of King Duskbane, King of the Shadokor,” the woman stated. “As such, I’m a Shadokor, so I am no threat to you. Instead, I have come here to warn you. Tomorrow you will be crossing the border to Delgunner Kingdom. However, because of your valiant efforts during Infinator’s waves, along with the fact you rescued Leon, the Church of the Four Stars are not happy. A group of Templar Knights are planning to attack you when you get to a certain point beyond the border in an attempt to prove you’re evil and reaffirm their beliefs, as you’ve been unintentionally crushing those beliefs. It will be spearheaded by Leon’s half-brother, Robert, himself, who has a major bone to pick with you and Leon. They are also aware of your half-demon heritage, which they hope to use against you. Specifically, using anti-demon weapons, or weapons that possess qualities that are extra potent against demons of all types. Fortunately, from what I can see, you have yet to property awaken your demon blood, so those weapons won’t be as effective as they would normally be. On top of that, the defenses the Shroud of Shadows grants you will render that threat down to a minimum. But you should still be wary, as they’ll try everything they can to put you down and prove the Shroud is the ‘devil’.”

She then handed him a rosary from under her cloak. It resembled a crest composed of a sword, spear, axe, and bow, made from silver with a matching chain. She handed it over to Celtic.

“What is this?” Celtic asked.

“It is the symbol of the Four Stars Church. They are also planning on killing the other Heroes for incompetence, as, like you, they’re unintentionally crushing their beliefs because of their incompetence. You may have to warn them, despite your hatred of them. On top of that, the High Priest, Ebenezer B. Calmat, stole the replicas of the Legendary Gear, with the exception of the Shroud, and is planning to kill you and the other Heroes, using them by fusing them together with an army of followers to act as living power sources due to the replicas’ high mana cost. While they won’t be partaking in this upcoming fight, as they hope Robert will be enough to get rid of you, if all else fails, expect the High Priest to face you personally with the replica at his disposal.”

Celtic gained a snarl, “This just keeps getting better and better. Damn cults, as if the Light Elves weren’t enough of a royal pain, now we have to deal with fanatic lunatics. I appreciate the forewarning, and at least it confirms the rumor Leon heard a few days back. We’ll have to be on guard for when that happens. I’ll let my party know in the morning. Keep us posted on anything else that might be of concern if that’s okay.”

The Shadow Sentinel bowed, “Gladly, Shroud Hero. Be alert and stay safe, as you may be our only hope. Farewell.”

The Shadokor woman suddenly vanished like a phantom, startling Celtic, making him look around wildly at first. After a moment, he looked at the rosary he was holding, gaining another scowl before returning to the night watch, awaiting dawn so he could alert his friends of what lie ahead.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Ryan and his party were near a river, seemingly waiting for something. A few minutes later Eric, Jerry, and their respective parties arrived, all looking rather disgruntled.

“Well… how did it go?” Ryan asked.

“I can tell you one thing…” Eric grumbled. “I hate it when Celtic is right. My party and I did, in fact, help a Moth Demon enslave a village and nearly eat the women and children. It was also the same village that snake guy, Tyroe, came from, who was the only one who managed to escape in order to get help, which turned out to be Celtic, Skye, Rupert, and Viola. They took everything back within a single night and killed the Moth Demon, which is where Celtic got his Moth Wing Shroud from. Needless to say, the moment they saw us, they were not happy.”

Jerry put his hands in his pockets miserably, “Pretty much the same thing on my end. The lord I killed was taxing his people heavily so he could get the funds needed for Delgunner to help with the monster attacks. Specifically, Mountain Trolls, which, as it turns out, are not native to the area and were leftovers from the first wave, prior to our summoning. Said Mountain Trolls nearly leveled the city when they sensed the people’s panic, forcing Celtic, Skye, Rupert, and Viola to kill them and recover the stolen items. Grr… dammit… Why is Celtic always right? He must be cheating somehow.”

Eric turned to Ryan, “And what about you, Ryan? Was Celtic correct about the dragon, too?”

Ryan nodded, “Sadly, yes. The corpse of the dragon I slayed became diseased and caused a plague. Celtic, Skye, and Rupert peddled medicine first before heading off to the dragon’s corpse, which did, in fact, reanimate into a dragon zombie and attack. They won and destroyed the body for good, lifting the plague and allowing the village to recover from my shortsightedness. When I was told this, I was horrified that my actions caused innocents to die. I’m starting to think that Celtic may have been right from the get-go.”

Jerry turned to him, “I still feel he’s cheating somehow, considering he defeated both wave bosses and managed to force that Sylph gal to a standstill. There’s no way the useless defense-based Shroud should be able to do that. But, in any case, got any dirt on this whole rape stuff?”

Ryan nodded, “Yes. The Light Elves are pretty adamant about it, but the peasantry and non-Light Elf associated soldiers state that Veronica has a long-standing history of using false rape accusations for her sick amusement. Skye, Veronica’s sister, pretty much confirms it, especially since, after some digging, I learned that Veronica was, in fact, the one who came up with selling Skye to slavery in order for the kingdom to get rid of her, even buying four anti-magic cuffs to subdue her, as trying to challenge her head-on is, apparently, suicide. From what I learned, it only takes one anti-magic cuff to cripple an elf to a state of powerlessness, but it took drugging her food with poison, four anti-magic cuffs AND a Slave Crest to subdue Skye, showing just how strong she is. And, apparently, even with all that affecting her, she still had enough fight left to maim six Light Elf knights, knock a Light Elf general unconscious with one kick, and nearly broke Veronica in two before finally succumbing to the drug’s body numbing effects. She’s considered such a juggernaut to her people that even just mentioning her name strikes fear into them, so you can bet they’re terrified she’s back in action. I also asked around about the history of the Great Demon War, along with these get-more-power-quick schemes, and, once again, the non-Light Elf populace confirmed everything that Celtic’s party stated to be true. I’m starting to think that the Light Elves are, in fact, villains, which is probably one reason why Celtic is heading for Delgunner, as it appears that the Light Elves are the root of all the problems here.”

Eric crossed his arms, annoyed, “Yeah, I can confirm that bit of info, too. I asked around about the same stuff and, turns out, everything Celtic, his party, and the common folk say is true. The Light Elves started this whole mess in a bid for more power, only for it to backfire horribly. Delgunner summoned the Shadokor as a last-ditch attempt to win the war, which they did. In an attempt to make themselves look big and noble, the Light Elves sealed Infinator away instead of letting the Shadokor finish him off, thereby starting this whole ordeal. The fact that King Lumesto left out all that info when telling us about these waves and their history is actually further proof that they’re really the problem and not the solution.”

Ryan nodded, “Yeah, it seems to be that way. Which means Celtic is truly the victim here, so him abandoning the Light Elves may have been the smart move.”

Eric took a deep breath before continuing, “Seems to be the case. I’m actually starting to think Celtic had the right idea in abandoning the Light Elf Kingdom, as they’re not the noble and peaceful race that they claim to be. The fact that they sold one of their own, the royal daughter no less, to slavery because she kept uprooting their get-more-power-quick schemes proves that Skye is the only good Light Elf and the rest of the race are, in fact, backstabbing schemers who are only out for their own gain. Which makes Lucas being Veronica’s ‘protector’ counterproductive, as he’s blindly helping someone who is clearly not the innocent victim she claims she is. Damn him and his skirt chasing tendencies and childish outlook. Chalk another win up for Celtic, who clearly knows the truth, unlike Lucas.”

Jerry gave an annoyed sigh, “I’m starting to really hate being outdone by the Shroud Hero. I confirmed that info as well. It does appear that the Light Elves summoned all of us in another bid for more power and not for the world’s survival, or at least to make themselves look like heroes. Dammit, why is Celtic always, always, ALWAYS right?! The next question is… what are we going to do?”

Ryan thought for a moment before replying, “Take a page from Celtic’s book: abandon the Light Elves and head for Delgunner. If there is so much evidence against the Light Elves that Celtic, his party, and the public have been telling us, then maybe we should head for the top brass kingdom as well and get the whole story. If Delgunner and these Shadokor are considered the head honchos on this world, and if they’re awaiting Celtic to come to them in order to clear his name and expose the truth, then I suggest we head for Delgunner ourselves and learn the truth.”

“Do you think going to Delgunner will make things better?” Eric asked.

Ryan nodded, “If Celtic is really innocent and Veronica, and the rest of her race, are the real villains here, then it would be wise to not associate ourselves with them, as it might make us look bad, too. …Well… worse than we are already, given how Celtic has had to clean up our past blunders. And, besides, maybe if we work with Delgunner instead of the Light Elves, we might be granted larger rewards and more luxury as, from what I learned, the Light Elf royal family are actually pretty stingy. If you want a comparison, we each get rewarded roughly 1500 silver for fighting off Infinator’s attacks. As it turns out… that’s pretty cheap, as you can actually earn more from a mission guild for mercenary work. I actually checked that out, and 1500 silver is, believe it or not, the minimum amount rewarded for successful mercenary work, but that’s the most King Lumesto is giving us for fighting off a much larger threat. So, it may be in our best interest to do what Celtic is doing and turn our backs on the Light Elves and head for Delgunner ourselves.”

Eric, Jerry, and their respective parties nodded in agreement, seeing it as their best option. After taking out a map to determine where Delgunner is from their position, they started to make their way to Delgunner, looking for answers.

Morning soon came. After breakfast, Celtic had explained what the Shadow Sentinel had told him to his party. After devising a plan, they packed up and made their way to the checkpoint. Within two hours they arrived. The checkpoint was a large stone wall nestled in between two large mountains, creating a bottleneck-like structure. As they approached, they noticed several knights, all human, wearing very impressive armor, and holding spears or swords with shields. When they got level with the knights, one of them, possibly the leader, approached them.

“Shroud Hero,” he stated. “We’re aware that you need to cross the border in order to get to Delgunner. We will gladly let you pass and help keep those Light Elf swine off your backs.”

Celtic nodded, “Thank you, I appreciate that.”

Viola then stepped up, “We also have a small request. Would you know of a possible alternate route in order to get around the Church of the Four Stars’ main abbey? We were given word that they’re up to something, and we’d rather not have to deal with them. So, do you know of any route that would take us around the abbey, as I know the abbey is smack bang in the middle of the road.”

Another knight cursed, “Damn that Four Stars Church. What are they up to now?”

Leon stepped up, “As a former member of the Four Stars Church Templar Knights, I know the reason why. The current generation of Legendary Heroes are crushing their beliefs, and they’re not happy about it. The Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow Heroes are destructive saviors, as they’ve caused more damage than the forces they fight. They’re also rather incompetent and are becoming liabilities. The Shroud Hero, on the other hand, is the only Hero who is actually doing the job, and doing it correctly, as well as has had to clean up the other Heroes’ messes. Considering that the Shroud is, to the Four Stars Church, considered the ‘devil’; yet said Shroud Hero is the only one taking the job seriously and doing it right, while the other Heroes are causing death and destruction
in their wake is shattering their beliefs to pieces. As a result, the High Priest stole four of the five Legendary Gear replicas to use against us and the other Heroes. That’s why we want an alternative route to weave past the main abbey so we don’t get dragged into yet another mess.”

The head knight sighed, “Leave it to the Four Stars Church to start messing things up even further. The Light Elves made things bad enough as it is. There is another route you can take to avoid the main abbey. It’ll tack on at least two extra days to your trip, weather and other issues permitting, but it will allow you to slip past the abbey. Do you have a map? I can mark it for you.”

Viola took out her map and handed it over. The head knight quickly marked it to show where the alternate route was, along with where the abbey was for comparison. After returning the map, he and the other knights moved aside, opened up the gates, and allowed the party to proceed, giving them salutes as they passed.

About two hours later, the party was making their way through a small valley. It was at this time they were getting tense, watching and listening to anything that caught their attention.

“This would be a perfect spot for Robert and his goons to ambush us,” Tyroe said. “This valley is bowl-shaped, which would make it a good place to trap and corner potential prey.”

Rupert nodded, “Agreed. But we’ll show them that their ‘prey’ is more than a match for them.”

Skye turned to Leon, “Hey, Leon, can you give us any info on the strength of the Templar Knights?”

Leon took a moment to think before replying, “Well, I can’t say much about Templar Knights in the main abbey, as I’ve never been there before, but most Templar Knights tend to have Levels somewhere in the upper 20s to low 30s, give or take. The Templar Knights I worked with previously were all in the upper 20s. Templar Knights also favor swords, specifically rapiers, as their weapons-of-choice, though some, like me, favor bows, and often wear lightweight armor or durable tunics. Magic-wise, they specialize in Light and Holy, which includes healing magic, but you’ll find occasional other elements, mostly Water, in their arsenals. Some also pick up Instant Death magic, like I did, though it only really works on monsters and not people, so we won’t have to worry about that too much. Other than that, there isn’t much else to know, as Templar Knights are really just regular soldiers with religious mentalities. My half-brother, Robert, on the other hand, is something to be concerned about. Last I checked he was nearing Level 40 and being both the golden boy and now the new abbot of my previous abbey, he’s very diligent about training. So it’s possible he’s gone up at least a Level or two by now.”

A voice floated down, “I’m glad to see you finally realize how superior I am… and how inferior you are, you traitor.”

The party turned to the source of the voice, revealing a man standing on a ledge. He was tall, dark, and handsome, with short, neatly groomed black hair, sharp facial features, piercing green eyes, and slightly tan skin. He was dressed in a similar outfit to Leon, only it was much more decorated and a deep navy blue in color, with gold buttons, black boots, black gloves, a sapphire blue cape, and a rapier attached to his belt.

Leon’s eyes narrowed, “Robert.”

Robert merely huffed as he looked Celtic’s party over, gaining a sneer, “This is the mighty Shroud Hero party? This is the party that’s been doing all those ‘heroic’ deeds? This ragtag group of rejects? Clearly Infinator’s waves aren’t as strong as they say they are if a bunch of nobodies like you can fight them off.”

Skye gained an annoyed look, “Appearances can be deceiving. At least we’re taking the threat seriously, unlike the other four halfwit Heroes that YOU worship.”

Robert’s sneer vanished, replaced with a scowl, before replying, “We’ll be dealing with those four later. It’s the Shroud Devil that needs to be put down first, then we can work on more important issues. Men!”

As he said this, several Templar Knights appeared from various spots, preparing for battle, making Robert smirk.

“Today is the last day anyone will have to deal with the Shroud Devil,” he said smugly. “And I can finally turn you, Leon, into just a bad memory. You weaseled your way out of death last time, thanks to the Shroud Devil, but this time you won’t be so lucky. Men… ATTACK!”

The other Templar Knights drew their rapiers and charged in, ready to attack. The party had drawn their weapons, with Celtic turning his arm into Fighter Sword.

“Let’s show these religious rejects that we’ve earned our power!” Celtic stated strongly. “Battle Formation: Beta 7!”

Everyone nodded in agreement before taking a certain battle formation.

Tyroe slammed his morning stars onto the ground, “Eat this! Seismic Shock!”

Two powerful shockwaves raced across the battlefield, slamming hard into several Templar Knights, sending them flying.

Skye turned to Leon, “It’s our turn! You ready?”

Leon nodded, “Let’s do it, girl!”

Both started to channel magical energy before firing off their spells.

“Typhoon!” Skye stated.

“Hydro Tower!” Leon shouted.

A massive pillar of water suddenly burst from the ground, followed by Skye’s Wind spell fusing with it. The two spells became a massive waterspout that barreled forward, sweeping up every Templar Knight it touched. Even Robert had to jump off his perch and get out of range as the waterspout slammed into the ledge he was on. The attack dispersed, dumping the soaked and dizzy Templar Knights in a pile.

Viola started to channel energy into her scythe, “I may not know attack magic, but I do have this little trick! Scythe Wind Cutter!”

She gave her scythe a powerful slash, causing a tornado to form from it. This gave Celtic an idea.

“Let me assist you there!” he stated. “Heat Cannon!”

His Fighter Sword transformed into the Heat Cannon. He then pointed it at the tornado.

“Time to feel the burn!”

He fired the intense flame energy directly toward the tornado. It swallowed up the flaming energy, turning the tornado into a flaming vortex, much to the horror of the Templar Knights. The attack barreled into swaths of Templar Knights, swallowing them up in a fiery blaze before dissipating, leaving them severely burned.

Rupert then turned to Leon, “It’s our turn now! Let’s show them what we can do!”

Leon nodded, “You know it!”

Both started to channel magical energy before releasing their spells.

“Crescent Leaf!” Rupert shouted.

“Cyclone!” Leon stated.

Several leaves formed in midair, all of them razor sharp, followed by a moderate-sized tornado forming. The tornado swallowed up the leaves, becoming a massive vortex of leaves. The attack swallowed up several Templar Knights, mercilessly slashing them with the sharp leaves before the attack ended, leaving its victims with torn clothes and various large cuts on their skin. The Templar Knights were now very unnerved, slowly starting to back away from the powerful Shroud Hero party. This retreat angered Robert.

“You idiots!” he roared. “Get back in there and show them our power! We will NOT let the Shroud Devil get his way!”

“Is that so?” Celtic smirked. “Maybe this will change your mind.” His pupils became slits and the facial markings returned, “Wrath Fire!”

He slammed his palm onto the ground, causing the cursed black flames to erupt underneath the entire army of Templar Knights, including Robert. They screamed in agony as the powerful black flames scorched them, inflicting them with curses. The Templar Knights started to run away in fear, screaming in terror, leaving Robert behind. Celtic deactivated the flames, leaving a burned and cursed Robert in their wake. His eyes flared dangerously as he tried to fight off the curse but was obviously losing.

“Damn you, Shroud Devil!” he spat. “This is not over! Not by a long shot! The next time we meet you will die! Teleport!”

He teleported away, leaving the party alone. They all exchanged high-fives and fist-bumps, clearly happy over their victory. Celtic then turned to Leon, who looked a little conflicted.

“Something wrong, Leon?” he asked.

Leon gave a sigh, “I’m just concerned about the next time we’ll tangle with the Four Stars Church. Now that they know we’re too powerful to be put down through regular means, the High Priest will most likely come after us with the replica Legendary Gear. We’re going to have to be ready for that. And, as much as I hate Robert, I’m not sure if I could go through with possibly killing him, as I doubt he’ll let us live after that humiliating defeat. He’s always been vindictive; the second someone crosses him or makes a fool out of him he’ll do whatever he can to get revenge. We may have to kill him in order to keep him out of our hair, and I’m not sure if I can go through with that.”

Skye gave him a warm smile, “What’s saying we have to kill him? Maybe we could have Delgunner arrest him, and the rest of those Templars, and let King Alvin determine their fate? Would that put your mind at ease?”

He gained a small smile, “Yeah, that would work for me. The High Priest will most likely have to die at our hands, given his power complex, but I like that idea of having Delgunner decide Robert’s fate instead of us. Yeah, that could work really well. Thanks, Skye, that makes me feel better.”

“No problem, that’s what friends do.”

Celtic then stated, “Well, we got that problem sorted out, let’s get a move on before something else happens. We need to get to Delgunner, and since we’re taking an alternate route, we need to make tracks.”

Everyone nodded in agreement before returning to the road to Delgunner, hoping everything can be solved there.

Next Chapter: Cutting the Ties That Bind

Looks like the Four Stars Church Templars aren't as elite as they think they are. But Robert might become a problem for the Shroud Hero's party later on. What will happen next? Tune in next time to find out.
 
Okay, here we go. The next chapter is live. What will happen next to our heroes? Read and find out.

Cutting the Ties That Bind


It had been a day since Celtic and his party had successfully repelled the attack from Robert and his Templar Knights. They were well on their way to Delgunner, keeping an eye out for any other problems. After a little bit, they decided to take a break near a stream. Viola had crafted herself another one of her hammocks and was lounging in it, Tyroe and Rupert were fishing, Skye and Leon were chatting, and Celtic was harvesting more materials from the monsters they recently killed.

As he worked, Celtic silently said, “I wonder when would be the best time to give the gang the accessories I made for them? I finished each and every one of them last night during my shift in the night watch, so I guess sooner rather than later, as they will come in handy in the upcoming battles. I do want to surprise them, as their joy is one of the few ways I feel genuine happiness since coming to this godforsaken rock. Although, for all I know, I could’ve been born here, but that doesn’t excuse everything I’ve had to endure, all the extra work I’ve had to put into things, and all the headaches I’ve had when dealing with the other four idiot Heroes and their messes. But… at least my new friends help soothe my battered and bruised soul.”

Shaking his head, he resumed his work, feeding his Shroud new parts, unlocking new Shroud forms in the process, while harvesting any other useful parts that he could sell or craft with. While he did, his party members were enjoying themselves, feeling like they had turned a corner and were very close to finally getting their wishes. After a little bit, they packed up and resumed their quest, heading for the nearest village. About an hour later, they arrived at the next village.

Viola looked at her map, “Okay, this is the village of Bandi. What little I know about this village is that it’s a hot spring town. There’s some sort of ritual that the people here believe in that stems from an old legend, although I don’t know what that legend is.”

Skye smiled, “I do. The old legend of Bandi revolves around a particular monster known as Silverback Razor Panther. According to the legend, this village wasn’t very prosperous, as it was struggling to make ends meet because of the lack of travelers coming and going. However, one day, a Silverback Razor Panther attacked, but it was defeated and killed by a warrior. The battle was fierce, however, and caused the ground itself to shake. Once the beast was slain, hot springs suddenly formed, which gave new life to the village, becoming quite the hotspot for travelers. As a result, every year the strongest warriors of the village go into the nearby mountains and kill a Silverback Razor Panther as an offering of sorts. Considering that Silverback Razor Panthers are very dangerous, it’s actually a good thing they do this, as it keeps the Panthers from going near the village, especially during the time of year that they do this: summer. Silverback Razor Panthers eat certain types of animals and monsters that tend to gather in the nearby area during the early parts of summer, which often causes them to get dangerously close to the village. Hunting one down and killing it actively sends a warning to the other Panthers, forcing them to back off and not go near the village. And, yes, they’re smart enough to heed that warning, as if even one of their kind is killed, they know to avoid that area, at least for a while.”

Leon turned to Celtic, “Since we’re here, why don’t we stop in for a nice dip in the hot springs. I dare say we deserve it. We’re going to spend the night here, anyway, so might as well have a little relaxation time while we’re at it. What do you say, Cel?”

Celtic took a moment to think before replying, “I guess we deserve a little spa treatment, since we’ve been working the hardest compared to those halfwit Heroes. Sure, why not? A little pampering after all the hard work we’ve put it wouldn’t hurt.”

Tyroe patted Celtic on the back rather hard, nearly knocking him over, “That’s the spirit, Cel! You especially deserve a nice long soak in the hot springs, as you’ve been basically carrying those four dimwit Heroes throughout everything. I’m surprised your spine hasn’t collapsed yet because of all the heavy lifting you’ve been doing for those idiots. Hot springs here we come!”

A little while later the gang had checked into the inn with the hot springs. The hot springs were broken down into several overlapping pools in the side of a cliff, creating a tower of sorts. The men and women each had their own sections for privacy, and they were deep enough for large bodied individuals like Tyroe and Viola. Before long, everyone was in their respective hot springs, enjoying the soothingly warm waters.

In their hot spring, Skye and Viola were relaxing, letting their tired bodies rest in the warm water. Skye had bunched up her long hair into a bow-like shape due to the rules of the hot springs, not that she minded, and was sunk up to her shoulders in the water. Viola’s entire body was submerged in the water, only her shoulders, arms and head were outside, leaning against one of the pool’s rims, all six of her eyes looking dreamily in pleasure. Both were completely nude and had the whole pool to themselves, clearly enjoying the experience.

“Aaah…” Skye sighed contentedly. “This feels so good. And no one deserves this more than us. How’s the water feel to you, Viola? I know you’re an Arachne, but I’m not sure if you have the same ‘issues’ that regular spiders have.”

Viola smiled, “Don’t you worry about me, Skye. We Arachne have no problems with heat or cold. Certain Arachne species actually come from tropical areas, so it doesn’t bother us at all. We do have to watch the whole caffeine bit, as we still possess that problem, as like regular spiders, we get intoxicated, and a drunk Arachne is not a good thing. Although it can be rather humorous.”

“What happens, exactly?”

“Let’s just say, other than getting a hangover the next day, we tend to get very… liberal with our silk and emotions. I remember when my dad got drunk by accident eating a couple of pieces of candy that he didn’t know had chocolate in it. Our whole home nearly got cocooned and dad was very gushy about how he loved his family before passing out. The next morning was a rough one for him, not just with the hangover, but also because we were still cleaning up his explosive webbing job, causing him to accidentally get caught in his own webs a couple of times. My siblings and I teased him for it, but it was all in good fun, so he brushed it off, as even he admitted it was rather funny. So, while we Arachne still have the same problem with caffeine like regular spiders, we’re just fine with heat and cold, as we’re warm blooded, unlike regular spiders. Don’t worry about me, Skye, as I’ll be just fine.”

The Light Elf smiled, “Good, as I’d feel bad if you couldn’t really enjoy this and were forcing yourself to partake in this. Glad to know you’ll be fine.” She then sank lower into the water until only her head was visible, “This feels delightful. It’s a shame I can’t get Cel to join me. We’d have so much fun. And it’s not like he hasn’t seen me naked before, not that I mind. Still, this place has its rules, so no mixed bathing. Shame.”

Viola couldn’t help but smirk, “You certainly have the hots for our resident demon/Druid hybrid. I know you can be rather shameless and are always trying to get his attention somehow, but you do realize he’s not in a healthy mental state, right? Thanks to your family and the other Heroes, he’s locked in a state of almost perpetual anger, especially since he’s had to work ten times as hard just to make ends meet after Veronica’s treachery and turning his back on the Light Elves. Not that the latter is a bad thing, mind, as I wholeheartedly agree that ditching those backstabbers was a smart call, but it’s caused his mental and emotional health to spiral out of control. So, while I’m all for you getting together, as you two get along like peas and carrots, you may have to wait until his mental and emotional health defuses into a better state and his workload lessens, reducing his stress to more manageable levels. As someone who knows a lot about medicine and health, I can see that his body and mind are in a very stressed state, so trying to get laid while he’s in that state could backfire. So, you’ll probably have to curb your lust for a bit, Skye, for Celtic’s sake.”

Skye gained a depressed look, “I know, I can see that, too. It’s not so much as me wanting to get laid, it’s so I can show Cel that he’ll always have me by his side, as well as show him how far I’ll go with him. Through fire and brimstone, I will follow him to the end, and I want him to know that. I’m not just saying that because of this Slave Crest I bear; I’m saying it because… I love him. I’ve lived a rather depressing life, too, being unable to trust anyone in the Light Elf Kingdom, and felt no love growing up because of my race’s backstabbing, scheming ways. Celtic was the first person I bonded with in my whole life, as I felt kinship with him. I may be technically his slave, but I’m by his side on my own free will. I’ll do anything for him, even if it means using my lust as a means to freeing him from his shackles. Whatever it takes, I will succeed in cracking through that shell of anger and hate and free his trapped, tortured soul, no matter what.”

Viola gained a smile, “Your devotion to him is very beautiful, Skye. You truly are the only Light Elf on this world with a pure heart and soul. I feel that you will succeed, but you should take it slow. Don’t try to force it, let it happen naturally, and when it does, I’m sure it’ll finally shatter the ties that bind him down. But these things take time, Skye, and rushing it could backfire, so, for his sake, dial back the libido for a bit and gently coax him out of his shell. Your race did a royal number to him… err… pun not intended, along with the other Heroes, mainly Lucas, nearly sending him off the edge to the point he went against every moral code he has and bought you, a slave, out of rage. While it earned him a steadfast, loyal, and powerful ally, he’s still feeling tremendous guilt about how you two became partners in the first place. So, you’re going to have to be gentle with him and not be too forward. While he understands that’s just how you roll, but for his sake, don’t force him to come out of his shell. I know you can do it, but you have to go at his pace in order to succeed in your mission. Do it for him, okay?”

Skye nodded sadly, “Yeah, I know, I’ll try. It won’t be easy for me, as I’ve had to be pretty proactive growing up in order to uproot my race’s various get-more-power-quick schemes, so I’m used to moving at such a clip. But I know I need to do it for him, as his happiness means more to me than my own, and he could certainly use a boost in that department. I just hope Delgunner can reverse the damage the Light Elves have done to him and help ease his agony and suffering before the damage becomes permanent and he becomes emotionally scarred for life. I could never forgive myself if that happened, as I’d feel like I failed him. That’s why I’m resorting to whatever methods and resources I have available to keep that from happening, no matter what indignities I would have to endure. That’s my resolve.”

Viola couldn’t help but smile but decided not to say any more, allowing the two of them to relax in their hot spring bath. After a while, as the sun was starting to set, they got out, got dressed, and joined their male companions for dinner before heading to bed.

Darkness covered the land as the night sky blanketed the ground. Stars sparkled in the darkness while the two moons glowed brightly, one of them being a crescent moon. In their room, Viola and Skye were sleeping, though bad dreams danced in Skye’s head. After enduring them for as long as she could, she finally awoke and sat up. She looked scornfully out her window, a fire burning inside of her.

“Damn my family,” she cursed silently. “And damn the rest of my race. They destroy everything they touch and ruin the lives of so many for their own selfish gains. It’s no wonder most people hate the Light Elves, as my race are just as bad as Infinator and his waves. Especially Veronica. How many lives has she ended purely for her sick sense of self-entitlement and petty amusement? I know it’s been at least 30 men who have fallen victim to her, like a praying mantis. But only Celtic has lived to tell the tale due to his status as the Shroud Hero. That won’t stop her, or the rest of my people, from trying to get rid of Celtic through other means. The fact that Lucas is too stupid to realize he’s nothing more than Veronica’s pawn and meat shield only makes things worse. Because of all that, Celtic has had to work ten times as hard to get things done, while the other Heroes cause nothing but problems because they think this world is one big game. As long as they remain allied with the Light Elves, they are also enemies to us and the world. And here the world thought we only had Infinator to worry about. I swear, even if it kills me, I’ll make sure Celtic gets the credit and recognition he deserves and bring my backstabbing race to justice. If only there was some way for me to further prove my desire to cut the ties that bind both Celtic and me to our miserable pasts and free our souls from this eternal torment.”

Strengthening her resolve, she took a few calming breaths before returning to her slumber, still trying to figure out what to do. Ideas swarmed her mind like angry bees as she tried to sleep, until her eyes snapped open, having realized something.

“Wait… That’s it!” she said silently. “I know exactly what I need to do to prove that I’m cutting ties with my past among the Light Elves! The ultimate symbolism for an elven female when she cuts ties with the past and starts anew. Why didn’t I think of it before? That’ll work really well. That’s the master plan! You’ve done it now, Skye. Even Veronica, no matter how dense she is, will realize what it means. I’ll do it in the morning in front of everyone to prove my resolve once and for all.”

Satisfied, she finally drifted off to a more peaceful sleep, eagerly awaiting the morning.

Morning finally came. The sun was shining, the bird were chirping, and the locals were out and about. Celtic and his party were at the inn, having breakfast, discussing their next plan and what may come their way. Skye was particularly happy, something that they noticed.

“You’re in an awfully good mood, Skye,” Leon said with a chuckle. “Were the hot springs that good to you?”

“Part of my good mood is because of that, Leon,” Skye said slyly. “But that’s not what I’m happy about. …Cel?” She turned to Celtic, “Remember when I said I would follow you to the end? How I would help you get the justice and recognition you deserve? To do so, I need to cut ties with the rest of the Light Elves, and I finally found the method needed to do so.”

She took out her dagger and in one swift motion cut her long hair very short, now resembling a pixie cut. Her party froze as they saw this, mouths agape, realizing what it meant. Skye put the dagger away, feeling proud of herself before turning to her friends.

“That’s my resolve, Cel. My past is dead to me now, I’m starting anew, and I hope this haircut symbolizes it to you.”

“S-Skye…” Celtic barely managed to say, clearly shocked. “Y-You’re willing to cut your hair, which, in elven cultures, is a symbol of leaving the past behind and starting a new beginning… for me?”

She nodded, “Yes, I am. I made that promise to you, Celtic, and now I finally found a means of proving it. My days as part of the Light Elves are over. My days as a member of the Shroud Hero’s party begins. A new era has begun, one where the future will be won by us. I am your right-hand woman, I am your partner, and now I can finally cut ties with those traitorous fiends and solidify my position in this party as one of you. That’s my resolve.”

The party was still in shock at this, but then they all broke down into smiles.

“Well done, Skye,” Rupert smiled. “If that doesn’t prove your resolve and dedication to your goal, and prove your hatred to the Light Elves, I don’t know what will.”

Tyroe nodded, “Indeed. We’re lucky to have Skye around. She’s a bit rough at times, especially those… low blows she delivers at times, but given what she’s had to deal with, it’s no surprise she is the way she is. But, at the same time, we’d be in a much worse state without her.”

“Especially me…” Celtic sighed sadly. “Skye’s loyalty and dedication kept me from going completely over the edge after everything that had happened up to that point finally made me blow up, resulting in me trashing the Light Elf throne room and going against every moral code I have and purchasing a slave. To this day I’m still kicking myself for doing that, even if it earned me Skye in the process, I stained my soul by doing such a thing. Not that I was remotely pure to begin with, but I had never dreamed I’d go as far as that in a blind fury. So… thank you, Skye, for always being there and keeping me anchored. And thank you for this show of dedication, as it means a lot.”

Skye smiled warmly, “It’s my pleasure. Now… what should I do with all this hair?”

Viola gained a smirk, “Why don’t you let Celtic’s Shroud absorb it? It could unlock a new Shroud form, knowing you.”

Nodding, Skye handed her cut hair over to Celtic. He placed it on the gem of the Shroud, which proceeded to absorb every last strand. This caused the Shroud’s status screen to appear, with a new branch forming, reading “Compassionate Light Shroud”. Celtic tapped it, causing the Shroud to transform, becoming silver in color, the same shade as Skye’s hair, with what appeared to be gold stars on it. He looked its effects over, making him smile.

“The Compassionate Light Shroud. A befitting Shroud born from Skye, to say the least,” he said. “When activated, it protects the user and all allies from status ailments and stat debuffs, while increasing the power of healing and support magic for the rest of the battle. Certainly fits Skye, don’t you think?”

“You can say that again,” Leon smiled.

Viola gave Skye a playful punch on the shoulder, “Way to go, Skye! That’ll show those Light Elves and the other Heroes your resolve. And ours.”

Skye nodded, “Yes, I couldn’t agree more.” She then said silently, “Thank you, Celtic. Our meeting may have not been the most desirable, but it was fate’s hand guiding us, and I couldn’t be happier. Having now shed my past, I can look ahead to a new future… with you.”

Next Chapter: Lucas Strikes Back

Looks like this episode was a hot springs episode (every good series needs one, especially since it's a written rule in the world of anime and manga). And it looks like Skye has taken the next step in her mission. Tune in next time to find out what happens to the gang.
 
Okay, sorry for the delay, it was just way too hot here so I had to go to my folks twice because they have AC and I don't (outside of a window unit anyway). So, that slowed me down quite a bit. But, enough of that, on with the show.

Lucas Strikes Back


It had been a few days since Skye cut her hair to prove her resolve. The Shroud Hero party was back on the road, still heading for Delgunner. Viola was in the lead with her ever-trusty map while the rest of the party followed. Soon, they came to a three-way fork in the road, each with road signs. Viola looked them over, looked at her map again, did a quick calculation, then turned to the group.

“Okay, team, here’s the deal,” she stated. “The left path is the one that leads directly to Delgunner’s capital, where the castle is. However, it is also where Seraph Abbey, the main abbey of the Four Stars Church, is located. As we’ve already discussed, we want to avoid that so we can minimize unnecessary fights. While I doubt the High Priest will let us go so easily, as I’m certain Robert’s loss has reached his ears by now, the fewer chances we give them to attack us, the better.”

Rupert placed a hand in a pocket, “So, I take it this is where that alternate route comes into play, right, Viola?”

She nodded, “Yes. We have to take the opposite path in order to scuttle around the abbey. It will add an extra two to three days to the trip, give or take, as it is somewhat out of the way, but it loops right back onto the main road a little bit afterward, which will place us about 25 miles past Seraph Abbey. After that, it’s a straight shot to Delgunner’s capital.”

Tyroe placed both hands behind his head, “Sounds good to me. By the way, do we know when the next Infinator attack will take place?”

Skye turned to Celtic, “Hey, Cel, why don’t you pull out that Infinity Hourglass and give us an update?”

Nodding, Celtic reached behind him and ejected the Infinity Hourglass. To their surprise, the sands were getting low, indicating the next attack was soon. Celtic’s stat vision revealed the exact time of the next attack.

“We’ve got less than four days until the next attack,” he stated. “We better start preparing for it. Hopefully, we can get to the next village in time to make sure we’re all stocked up. Let’s just hope Sylph doesn’t make a return visit this time, as last time we barely managed to stall out the clock, with my Break Saber and Skye’s naginata being the only attacks we had that did any damage to her. Hopefully, she won’t be coming to this one, as that’s the last thing we need.”

Leon nodded, “Agreed, bud, we barely got out of that one. And it’s not like their boss monster wasn’t a tough nut to crack, either. That Soulavore was a smart move on Infinator’s part, thanks to its strong Holy and Light resistance, which most of the Legendary Gear possesses. While the Shroud does have Holy energies, its Dark energies that are mixed in allow them to bypass such resistances, hence why the Shroud is almost the perfect counter. I can only imagine what the boss monster will be this time. According to you, the first wave you fought off was a self-regenerating Mega Manticore, custom-made by Infinator, while the last one had a beefed-up Soulavore. I’m almost dreading what Infinator’s next big baddie will be.”

“He might also send out a Demon General,” Viola pointed out. “Sylph isn’t his only General. She’s his oldest, strongest, and most reliable, but not his only one. He might get smart and send a General instead of a boss monster this time, as he knows the boss monsters can only do so much on their own. A General would be much smarter and craftier, thus be a bigger threat to us. We’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, let’s get a move on and get to the next village before then, so we can stock up on items and medicine, just to be safe.”

Suddenly, a voice shouted, “I finally found you, Celtic!”

Everyone rolled their eyes in annoyance.

“Oh no… here we go again…” Rupert sighed.

They all turned to see Lucas and his all-female party approach. Lucas looked pretty livid, his face was beet red, his eyes spelled “death”, and his teeth were bared. Rupert, Leon, and Tyroe all got in front of Celtic, ready to fight.

“Out of my way, you losers!” Lucas spat.

“Why should we?” Leon said matter-of-factly.

“Because I’ve got business with Celtic, and so does King Lumesto! Now MOVE!”

“I’m surprised they let you and that long-eared wench cross the border,” Tyroe pointed out.

“That doesn’t matter! Now, fight me, Celtic!”

“Why should I bo—” Celtic was about to say before he noticed something. He then started to snicker, “I see you’ve made an addition to your gear since last we met.”

Lucas gained a puzzled expression. Celtic pointed to Lucas’ lower body, allowing everyone to notice a new codpiece. This made the rest of Celtic’s party snicker, further annoying the blonde Spear Hero.

“What’s so funny about that!?” he spat.

Skye gained a devilish smirk, “Trying to protect what’s left of your family jewels from my kicks, Lucas? Trying to make sure you have the ability to have children sometime down the road? Should we test it and see if it can block my mighty legs?”

Lucas gained a slightly nervous expression, “Uh… maybe later. Say… did you get a haircut?”

“Lucas! Stay focused!” Veronica snapped. “Who cares if Skye got a…” She then froze before sputtering, “H-Haircut?!” She turned sharply to see Skye’s short pixie cut hairstyle, her eyes widening, “Y-You cut your hair!? Skye, d-do you realize what that means!?”

Skye causally placed one hand on her hip, “Of course I do, and that’s why I did it. Not only to prove I’m done with the likes of you, King Lumesto, and the rest of the Light Elves, but to further my resolve of being the Shroud Hero’s right-hand woman, partner, and loyal comrade. With this stylish new hairdo, I’m a new woman who has started the first day of the rest of her life. My days as a member of the traitorous Light Elves are over, with the days of being Celtic’s right-hand woman only just beginning.”

Veronica stumbled back a bit, shocked, confusing Lucas.

“Um… what’s the big deal about it?” he asked. “It’s just a haircut, right?”

Celtic rolled his eyes, “Should’ve guessed someone as dumb and uncultured as you wouldn’t get it. Before I lecture you, let me ask you this: have you noticed that elven females tend to have long hair?”

“Yes…?”

“That’s significant. In elven cultures, females wear their hair long to symbolize their history, their connections, and their lives. When an elven female cuts her hair short, it means she’s cutting ties with her past, her family, and everything else and starting anew. It’s almost considered a taboo to them, but when certain events come about that they feel has been dragging them down, they’ll cut their hair to symbolize it. Japanese culture has a similar notion there, too. So, Skye cutting her hair means she’s cutting all ties and connections to her past, including her family and race, and starting off with a blank slate. As such, to other Light Elves, she’s committing the ultimate crime against her people by cutting her hair short, but to her, she’s cutting the ties that bind her down to her villainous race and starting her life as a new woman. Whether she lets it regrow or not is up to her, but from the day she cut it, she symbolically severed the connections she had with her past, her family, and people, and started anew. That’s a big deal to elves and those who understand elven cultures, as she’s essentially tossing out her old life and beginning a new one. But I guess someone who is too brainless and uncultured like you wouldn’t understand how significant it is.”

“Y-You traitor!” Veronica spat. “You already crossed several lines back when you got in our way in the past, but this time you’ve gone too far! Father won’t be pleased!”

Skye rolled her eyes, “Fuh… like I care what His Loser-ness thinks. He’s my father no more, and I’m quite proud of that fact. And it’s not like he’s going to be a king much longer, either. No, I foresee him, Reginald, and YOU under a guillotine very soon, Veronica, and there’s nothing you can do to stop us.”

“That’s where you’re wrong!” Veronica snapped. “Lucas will put you, the Shroud Demon, and the rest of your party in their places today.”

“Oooh, we’re all a-quiver,” Leon mocked. “That loser can’t scratch the enemy of the week, much less Celtic or the rest of us. Besides, we’ve got more important things to worry about, like the next Infinator attack, which is in less than four days. So, I suggest you stop trying to pick a cockfight and start preparing for it. After all, if Celtic, who is a lower Level than you, can trounce you, a Soulavore, a Mega Manticore, and stall Sylph to a standstill says a lot about his power. It also shows that Levels mean little if you don’t have the skill to back them up, and Celtic has more skill in his pinky than you do in your whole body. And I’m not talking about his metal one. That one has even more skill packed in it. And some handy tools, too… err… no pun intended.”

Lucas looked furious at this, “I’ll show YOU who has more skill! This time, Celtic, I’ll CRUSH you and drag you back to Lumestia so King Lumesto can finally get you to pay! The rules are this: Legendary Gear skills and magic are allowed, except Demon magic, no arm attachments, and no outside help from party members! Fight me like a man, you rat!”

Celtic merely sighed, rubbing his eyes, “This is a gigantic waste of time, but if it cockblocks you and gets you off my back, fine. Skye, keep an eye on Lucas’ team, just in case, since you informed me later that Veronica attempted to interfere with the previous duel, only for you to put her in her place. Let’s get this over with, as we have bigger fish to fry than you, you minnow.”

Both parties stepped back enough to give the two Heroes some space. Skye kept a close eye on Lucas’ team, especially Veronica, to ensure they don’t cheat. Lucas gave his Spear a spin to make himself look impressive while Celtic merely yawned.

“Smart, handsome, and cunning Shroud versus stupid, incompetent, and egotistical Spear, Round two! Ding!” Skye taunted.

“Eat this, Celtic! Hyper Thrust!” Lucas spat.

He charged up energy into his Spear and charged.

“Opening up with the same move as last time? Pathetic,” Celtic huffed. “Here’s a new one for you: Iron Body!”

Celtic’s body turned into iron. The Hyper Thrust slammed into his chest, but to Lucas’ shock, the attack didn’t scratch Celtic in his new metallic state.

“Grr!” he growled. “Machine Gun Thrust!”

He lashed out several strikes from his Spear, but not one pierced Celtic’s defenses, leaving him unscathed. Celtic then punched Lucas in the stomach while still in his metallic state, sending the obnoxious Spear Hero flying.

“Hey! You can’t do that with Stone Body!” Veronica spat.

Celtic turned to her, “For someone with large ears, you certainly have bad hearing. This isn’t Stone Body, it’s Iron Body. There’s a difference there, oh wretched one.”

“W-What do you mean? They’re the same move, right?”

Skye rolled her eyes again, “Wrong, Veronica. They’re not the same move. They’re in the same category, known as the Body Defense magic category, but they’re very different. Stone Body completely immobilizes the user by turning their bodies into stone. Most conventional attacks don’t work on it, but attacks that can pierce defense can. Iron Body is the next level of the Body Defense magic. It turns the user’s body into iron, but still grants them full freedom of motion, albeit it slows them down a bit, while also heightening the defenses significantly. Defense-piercing attacks only have a 1 in 75,923 chance of piercing Iron Body, and the user can make basic attacks while the spell is in effect, like punches, kicks, and tackles. And don’t think magic can pierce it, either, as it’s magic-proof. Really, Veronica, I know you didn’t study, but seriously, even commoners know the difference between Stone Body and Iron Body. The name alone should be a clear cut indicator that they’re different. Sheesh, I knew you were dumb, but I didn’t realize you were this dumb. A kid could tell you the difference between the two.”

Iron Body deactivated as Celtic smirked, “I guess that’s why she picked Lucas as her meat shield, as he’s dumber than her, so she’d feel smarter being around him.”

Lucas managed to recover, “We’ll see who’s the dumb one around here, demon boy! Try this on for size! Flame Tower!”

He slammed his hand onto the ground, causing a pillar of fire to erupt and barrel toward Celtic. The Shroud Hero seemed unimpressed.

“Not going to work. Phantom Shroud! Phantom Body!”

The Shroud transformed into its Phantom Shroud form, with Celtic becoming ghostly shortly afterward. The Flame Tower barreled into Celtic, but to Lucas’ horror, the Phantom Body rendered the attack useless, causing it to fizzle out, leaving the redhead unhurt.

“Your flames are much too cold to burn me, Lucas,” Celtic smirked. “My Wrath Fire burns targets much better. Now, it’s my turn! Nightmare Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed again, becoming pitch black. This seemed to be it, until several glowing red eyes formed on it, each set gaining a set of fangs, becoming rather frightening.

“Nightmare Prison!”

A black sphere swallowed Lucas up, trapping him inside it. After regaining his bearings, he looked around in the black darkness, seeing nothing, until several pairs of glowing eyes and fangs formed. They suddenly lunged at him, making him scream in terror. Outside of the sphere, which was rocking back and forth violently as Lucas struggled to break free, Celtic and the two parties waited patiently for either Lucas to free himself or for the ability to dissipate. The latter won out, as the Nightmare Prison vanished on its own accord, leaving a pale-faced, panting Lucas behind.

“They say fear is mankind’s greatest weakness,” Celtic said sagely. “But it is a weakness that can be overcome if one tries hard enough. And judging by the looks of it, you didn’t try hard enough. You can thank the Shadow Creeper from the last wave for this one, Lucas. Had enough yet or do you want some more?”

Lucas managed to steady himself before replying, “Never! I’ll still win! Try this! Deliverance!”

His Spear gained powerful Holy energies, causing the spearhead to double in size. He then took a stance and charged in, ready to impale Celtic.

“Let me introduce you to something interesting, Lucas,” Celtic smirked. “Poison Touch Shroud!”

The Shroud transformed into Poison Touch Shroud. Celtic pulled it over him with his right arm, acting like a shield, which Lucas struck. This caused Celtic to skid back a bit, taking light damage, but was otherwise unharmed, he gained a toothy sneer.

“Bad move, Lucas, because I’m about to shut down your Spear for a bit!”

As he said that, the Shroud started to glow, which caused poisonous bubbles to start forming from the Spear, much to Lucas’ surprise. The Spear then turned purple before seemingly shutting down, to his horror.

“W-W-What did you do to my Legendary Spear!?” Lucas sputtered.

“Simple… I poisoned it,” Celtic replied.

“You can’t poison a weapon!!!” Veronica shrieked. “…Can you?”

Skye rolled her eyes again, “Once again, Veronica, your lack of studying has bit you in the arse again. While most weapons can’t get inflicted with status ailments, the Legendary Gear, except the Shroud, can. They can be inflicted with the Poison, Paralysis, or Curse status ailment. That’s because of the material they’re made of: Orichalcum, which may be our world’s most valuable material, but it’s vulnerable to certain energies.”

Celtic smiled, “As always, the lovely Lady Skye is correct. The Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow can all be afflicted with those three status ailments, though only one at a time. Poison temporarily shuts the weapon down, preventing any abilities or forms from being used until the effect wears off, which can vary depending on the power of the poison. The stronger the poison, the longer it lasts. Paralysis has a 50% chance of causing any ability or form to fail. And Curse cuts the Gear’s power by 90%, rendering it no better than a normal weapon of its type, even when factoring in their various forms. The Shroud is the only exception because it’s made from a different material, though, as I just demonstrated, it can cause such status ailments. And you can thank the Toxi-Slimes Skye and I fought off a while back for this one, which is also when I got the Double Bite Shroud. So, I just cut your options down big time. Now, it’s my turn! Antimatter Blast!”

Celtic summoned up a black ball of crackling energy before hurling it at Lucas. When it struck him, it produced a massive explosion that sent the Spear Hero skyward before crashing hard onto the ground.

“Like my new Dark spell? I picked this up sometime after the last wave. Considering that Infinator wisely chose a Soulavore as his previous boss monster, which is resistant to Holy and Light, but weak to Dark, I figured I should pick up a few other Dark-attribute spells, so I don’t have to depend on Wrath Fire all the time. As you can see, the results are explosive. After all, matter and antimatter don’t mix, so how else would that have resolved?”

Lucas gingerly got up, “I’m not licked yet, you demon! Let’s see you stop this! Seraph Strike!”

A beam of Holy energy barreled down from the sky, making a beeline for Celtic.

“Try again,” Celtic merely said. “Scrap Iron Shroud! Scrap Iron Fortress Defense!”

The Shroud transformed into Scrap Iron Shroud before summoning the scrap iron fortress barrier around Celtic. The Seraph Strike slammed into the fortress, hammering away at it with everything it had, but to Lucas’ horror, the attack couldn’t pierce the defensive barrier, causing it to fizzle out, leaving the fortress unharmed. He heard Celtic snap his fingers, causing the fortress to vanish, showing he was unhurt.

“I keep telling you, Lucas, the best offense is a good defense. There’s a reason why that saying exists. You shouldn’t be so quick to dismissing the power of a good defense, as tanking damage is just as important as dealing it. Fighting isn’t just about flaunting power around and using flashy moves. You need strategy, teamwork, and good old-fashioned pragmatism to win the day. Clearly you missed out on those lessons, otherwise I wouldn’t be whupping you so badly. But, then again, it doesn’t really take much to whup you, so I guess that’s not saying much.”

This infuriated Lucas, “You vile FIEND!!! I’ll show YOU who’s gonna get whupped! Sacred Lightning!”

Lightning energy formed in his hands, took aim, and fired it at Celtic, gaining an almost evil smirk. Celtic merely quirked an eyebrow.

“Not happening, tough guy. Mirror Shroud! Mirror Force Reflector!”

The Shroud transformed again, this time becoming a large reflective mirror. As the lightning bolt struck, to Lucas’ horror, a rainbow-colored reflective wall formed in front of Celtic, which not only absorbed the attack, but fired it right back. Lucas could only wail in despair as he was stuck down by his own attack, zapping him with powerful holy electrical energy before it sent him flying, crashing in a heap on the ground, smoking. Celtic waited a moment but Lucas didn’t get back up, clearly beaten, making Celtic and his party smile.

“Game, set, and match!” Rupert smirked. “It’s a total victory for the Shroud Hero!”

“The score is now: Celtic: 2, Lucas: 0!” Tyroe said, punching the air.

“Like there was any doubt?” Viola teased.

Celtic transformed the Shroud back to normal, “Nice try, Lucas, but not nice enough. I guess the next time I’ll see you is in the next wave. Try not to disappoint me again, as you and the other duncebucket Heroes haven’t done a single thing right since coming to this world.”

Lucas staggered to his feet, “I’m… not done… with you… yet!”

However, his eyes widened in horror as Skye proudly marched up to him, gaining a devilish smirk.

“Now… about that codpiece, Lucas,” she purred darkly. “Let’s see if it was worth the money you paid for it.”

She reared back one of her legs and slammed it into his crotch. The kick sent Lucas flying, shattering the codpiece to bits, nailing the mark regardless of it, before he crashed in a heap several meters away, clutching his damage loins in a fetal position.

“Hmph, I figured as much,” the Light Elf smirked. “My kicks can punch through a foot thick steel beam with ease. And that’s just my regular kicks, as my roundhouse and dropkicks are much, much stronger. No flimsy codpiece like that will stand in my way. And, for the record, I’m not using my full strength when I kick you. If I were, your loins would be gone and your hips would become dust. Too bad you can’t get a refund for that codpiece because it certainly didn’t do the job. I suggest investing your money in something more useful… like a good doctor, as you’re going to need it if you continue to mess with us. Ta-ta for now, as we’ve got a date with King Alvin. Well, after we deal with Infinator’s next wave. But if I were you, Veronica, I wouldn’t expect to live past that day, as we’ve gotten positive confirmation that he is livid and wants your, King Lumesto’s, and Reginald’s heads. When that day comes, don’t come crying to me.”

With a final huff, Skye turned around and walked over to her companions. After a final sigh, the party left Lucas and his party at the crossroad, thinking about what Infinator’s next wave will be like.

Next Chapter: On a Wing and a Prayer and Another Wing

And another duel between the Spear and Shroud has come to a close. Lucas' track record is getting worse by the day. And it looks like the next wave is going to happen soon. What will happen then? Tune in next time to find out.
 
Okay, here's chapter 19! The next Infinator wave is upon the heroes. What will happen this time? Oh, and you can thank Skipper from Penguins of Madagascar for the title.

On a Wing and a Prayer and Another Wing


It had been a few days since Celtic’s latest “duel” with Lucas. They had made it to the next village in order to prepare for the next wave. They were standing in the middle of the small village, making final checks, as the Infinity Hourglass counted down to the time. Celtic’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the dwindling sands in the Infinity Hourglass before putting it away.

“It’s now or never,” he said silently. He then said aloud, “Team, before the next attack hits, I’ve got something for all of you. They may come in handy. Skye, hold out your wrist.”

Confused and curious, Skye held out her right wrist. To her surprise, Celtic slipped the bracelet onto it, her eyes widening.

“W-What is this?” she asked.

“It’s a special mana bracelet that I made,” the redhead explained. “As you’re aware, elves regenerate their magical energies at a certain rate. This bracelet will not only double your mana recovery rate, but it’ll increase your spells potency by 30%. Now, moving on. Rupert, you’re next. Show me your tail.”

Rupert held out his tail, clearly puzzled yet curious. Celtic then slipped the blue band-like brace onto it, gently locking it in place.

“Using the Shroud’s ability to create materials, I managed to create Zolu, a special lightweight material that, when crafted, grants various agility bonuses to whatever it is made into. This Zolu Band will double your agility and give you the ability to make illusionary copies of yourself due to that speed.”

Rupert took a moment to admire it, giving his tail a quick wag to ensure it would stay on, which it did, making him smile.

“Thanks, pal, I love it,” he smiled.

“Right, moving on, your turn, Viola. Lower yourself down a bit.”

Nodding, Viola lowered her upper body down. Celtic then clipped the wing-shaped hairclip onto the left side of her head.

“This special hairclip not only increases the potency of white magic by 30%, but it also cuts the mana cost of healing and support spells by 40%.”

Viola took a moment to admire it in a small piece of glass, gaining a broad smile.

“Stylish and useful, I love it,” she purred.

Celtic nodded before turning to Tyroe, “Okay, Tyroe, you’re next. Hold out both arms.”

Complying, Tyroe held out both arms, Celtic then clamped the two metal bands onto his upper arms before backing up.

“Like with the Zolu accessory, I made this using the Shroud’s ability to produce materials. In this case, Myenite, a material that is known for its strength-enhancing properties. These two bands will double your physical strength and Attack power, turning you into a titanic powerhouse.”

Tyroe flexed his arms, smiling, “Sweet. I can feel my power growing as I wear these. Thanks, buddy.”

Celtic nodded before turning to Leon, “And last, but certainly not least, it’s your turn, Leon. Please take off your gloves.”

Leon nodded, taking off his old gloves. Celtic then put the pair of gauntlets onto his hands, each one fitting perfectly, much to Leon’s surprise.

“As I said before, these are the result of me creating material from the Shroud. In this case, I got Cyanite, a special material that is known for its spell-boosting properties. These gauntlets will enhance your spells, both offensive and defensive, by 35%, while also giving you a mana restoration ability. It won’t be as potent as Skye’s bracelet, but since humans have trouble regenerating mana naturally, it’s better than nothing.”

Leon flexed his hands inside the gauntlet, proving he had total freedom of movement, gaining a smile.

“Wow, Celtic, these are top-quality,” he said. “Needless to say I’m very impressed. Templar Knights practically crave items like this, especially if they have mana regeneration abilities. If I were still associated with the Church of the Four Stars, they’d be fuming with jealousy over these. Thank you.”

Skye gained a warm smile, “You must’ve worked hard on these, Cel. They’re incredible. Your crafting ability is reaching new heights. Thanks so much for these. You’re the best.”

Before Celtic could reply, the sky suddenly turned red, indicating it was time. The party was teleported away from the village before reappearing somewhere else. They saw the other Heroes and their parties nearby, though they didn’t notice Celtic’s party in response, along with several human soldiers.

Viola tapped Celtic on the shoulder, “Cel, we’re near the village of Panamon. And, just like always, the villagers haven’t been evacuated yet.”

Celtic nodded, “Right. Then we know what to do. Unfortunately, I don’t see Ike anywhere, so we’re going to have to do this ourselves. Leon and I will hold the line and keep the monsters at bay with ranged attacks while the rest of you shuttle the villagers to a safer location. We’ll let the other four ‘Heroes’ keep the boss busy if they can. After the villagers are out of harm’s way, we’ll go after the boss ourselves, because I highly doubt those dimwits will have gotten the job done by then.”

“Right!” they all said in unison.

Someone then shouted, “Here they come!”

They all looked ahead to see an army of monsters appear, coming toward them, with what appeared to be a flying fortress-shaped aircraft. The other four Heroes and their parties charged ahead, making a beeline for the aircraft.

Celtic turned to his party, “Move out! Protect the civilians at all costs!”

Nodding, the party split up. Celtic and Leon got into a position in front of the village, each armed with their respective ranged weapons, while Skye and the others quickly ran into the village to evacuate it. As the others shuttled the villagers to safety, Celtic and Leon started to strike down the aerial monsters that appeared first, picking them off quickly to keep them from going near the village. After about 30 minutes, Skye and the rest of the party rejoined them.

“Cel!” Skye stated. “We’ve successfully evacuated the villagers! Now it’s our turn to fight!”

Celtic nodded, “Okay then! Battle Formation: Gamma 12!”

The party took a certain battle formation, weapons drawn, ready to fight. As more monsters charged toward them, the brave party retaliated with powerful strikes that effortlessly cut down the enemy force. One by one, the monsters were killed, their numbers dwindling down, and before long, the last of them were killed. Celtic turned toward the airship, noticing the timer in his stat vision again, gaining a scowl.

“Here we go again,” he grumbled. “We’ve been at this for roughly two hours and those morons STILL haven’t taken down the boss yet. Looks like it’s up to us, as usual. We better move, as more monsters will spawn if this keeps up, leaving the village at their mercy. Team, we’re heading to the airship! Move out!”

Nodding, the party quickly charged toward the airship. It wasn’t long before they reached it. The airship was massive, even bigger than the ghost ship from the last wave. They could see explosions on the deck of the airship, indicating the other four Heroes were on it.

“Okay, same as before,” Celtic stated. “I’ll use my Moth Wing Shroud to get up there and see what’s going on. Tyroe, you create another walkway of earth and rock to get the rest of the party up there. We have to hurry, before more monsters spawn!”

“Right!” they all said in unison.

Celtic activated the Moth Wing Shroud and flew up to the airship, while Tyroe slammed both hands onto the ground, creating a walkway of earth and rock that led to the airship, the party quickly scampering up it. Celtic hovered just above the top of the airship, gauging the situation. Just like last time, the other four Heroes were all battling certain monsters and not coordinating with each other, making Celtic snarl.

“Don’t those idiots ever learn!?” he growled. “This is just like last time when it came to the Soulavore. Didn’t it occur to them that this isn’t working?! Once again I’m going to have to show them how it’s done.”

He flew down and landed in the center of the airship’s deck, startling the other Heroes. Not long afterward, Skye and the rest of his party jumped over the rim of the airship and onto the deck, clearly annoyed at the lack of progress.

“It’s déjà vu all over again!” Skye spat. “Can’t you morons do anything right?!!”

Leon placed a hand on his hip, “Did you learn nothing from the Soulavore? It’s obvious that your various ‘strategies’ aren’t working, meaning that, in order to spawn whatever the boss is this time, you need to stop and THINK for a change!”

“Shut up, Templar boy!” Lucas spat. “I’ve got this covered! So, just butt out!”

“No, I’ve got this!” Jerry countered.

“Wrong, it’s me who has the situation under control!” Eric growled.

Celtic rubbed his eyes, annoyed, “It’s just like the Soulavore all over again. Did it ever occur to you that NONE of you EVER have the situation under control! Well, here’s a news flash for you. We’re probably dealing with another puppet master-like boss, one that can work from the shadows and manipulate its pawns, waiting until its prey is worn out before delivering the final blow. Seeing how, every time you strike down a foe it just regenerates, meaning that they’re just decoys, just like back with the Soulavore. We need to find the one who is manipulating these monsters and cut it off at the source! Something that none of you have thought of, I take it!”

Leon then shivered before stating, “Cel! I just felt an evil energy, and I don’t mean Veronica’s energies. It feels similar to Sylph’s energy. I don’t think it’s her, though, as it isn’t as strong. I think we’re dealing with a Demon General this time instead of a boss monster, as they all give off evil auras that beings like myself can sense. You’re right that we’re dealing with another puppet master enemy, as I can sense strings of evil connected to these monsters, all leading to a certain point.”

Viola turned to him, “Can you get a fix on its location, Leon?”

Leon closed his eyes and focused, a glowing aura forming around him. After a moment, his eyes snapped open, showing strength.

“Up there!” he stated, pointing to one of the towers on the airship. “I sense the evil aura is coming from up there!”

Celtic turned to him, “Leon, load up a Sacred Arrow and fire it directly at that point! We need to flush it out!”

Complying, Leon summoned an energy arrow, placed it on his bow, channeled extra Holy energies into it, turning it massive, before firing it. The arrow rocketed toward the tower before exploding upon impact, causing the entire upper half of the tower to be destroyed. Something shot out of the smoke and rubble, moved fast, and then stopped suddenly, just above the five Heroes and their parties.

“It’s a Shade Wing!” Rupert stated.

The Shade Wing looked distinctly like a male vampire. His body was tall and lithe, but still seemed strong, with large arms ending in four-fingered claws, long, sturdy legs ending in three-toed talons, greenish blue skin, large bat-like ears on the side of his head, a domino mask with bat wing-shaped protrusions on the side, a sharply designed face with a small mustache with a matching goatee and a mouth full of fangs. He was dressed in a very decorated military tunic that seemed to be fused into his arms, steel grey in color with red and gold highlights, matching pants, and a tall helmet. He gained a sneer as he looked down upon the various parties.

“Looks like Mistress Sylph was correct,” he said smoothly. “Only the Shroud Hero and his party are competent, the rest are just utter jokes. Master Infinator will have no trouble with those four losers. I can see why he’s concerned about the Shroud Hero, though. He’s at least capable of intelligent thought. But let’s see how he fairs against a Demon General! I, General Alastor, will send you to your graves!”

Celtic turned to Skye, “Skye, give me the details! What’s a Shade Wing?”

She replied, “A Shade Wing is a type of Mid-Tier demon, containing four hearts. While they’re similar to Vampire-type monsters, they’re not the same, as they lack some of the weaknesses that Vampire-type monsters possess, as well as being stronger in terms of raw power. A Shade Wing is a Dark-attributed demon with a weakness to Holy, Light, and Fire, while resistant to Dark, Lightning, and Ice, as well as being immune to Poison and Curses. They specialize in Dark, Wind, and sound-based attacks, along with using their claws to cut through steel and are able to drain an enemy of their energy to further enhance themselves. Contrary to popular belief, Shade Wings aren’t immortal, they just have extremely powerful regeneration abilities. So powerful that the only way to beat a Shade Wing is to kill it in one shot, as if even a single Hit Point remains, it’ll instantly regenerate and heal itself. That in itself is a problem, as Shade Wings have very beefy Hit Points to make up for their somewhat low Defensive stats, so even with those weaker defenses, that hefty amount of Hit Points will still keep it alive.”

General Alastor smirked, “You’re quite sharp, little elf. But don’t think Master Infinator hasn’t taken precautions regarding my weaknesses. He’s aware that the Legendary Gear possess Holy energies, which is something I’m weak to, but don’t think it’ll do you any good. But, if you don’t believe me, then go ahead, attack me.”

The other Four Heroes smirked in response, “Gladly! You just set yourself up for death!”

“Meteor Slash!” Ryan stated strongly.

“Meteor Thrust!” Lucas roared.

“Meteor Shot!” Jerry yelled.

“Meteor Slam!” Eric shouted.

All four Meteor attacks charged in, ready to strike down the Demon General. All four attacks struck him, engulfing the Shade Wing in an explosion and smoke. However, when the smoke cleared, to their horror, General Alastor was unharmed. His mouth twisted into a dark smile.

“Flashy moves, but not very useful,” he said smugly. “It’ll take more than that to defeat me.”

“H-How did he take our strongest attacks and not even flinch?!” Jerry sputtered.

Viola gained an annoyed look, “Don’t you dimwits listen? He clearly has something on-hand that removes his weaknesses to Holy based moves like your Meteor attacks. He even said that Infinator took precautions when deploying him, as he knew he’d be weak to all five Legendary Gear. Sheesh, you guys really are that hopeless.”

The Shade Wing smirked again, “The Arachne is correct. You four clearly don’t have any listening skills… or higher reasoning skills, for that matter. Yes, Master Infinator took precautions when it came to deploying me for battle, and, once again, he proved to be right. It’s safe to say you four are truly no threat to me or my Master. The Shroud Hero, on the other hand, is something to be concerned about. If even Master Infinator and Mistress Sylph recognize him as a threat, then I do, too. Now, it’s MY turn!”

His hands and arms transformed into bat wings, seemingly getting ready to deploy an attack.

“Team, get behind me!” Celtic instructed.

His party quickly retreated behind him, preparing to weather the assault.

“Scrap Iron Shroud! Scrap Iron Fortress Defense!”

The Shroud transformed into its scrap iron form, and shortly afterward the fortress-shaped barrier made from scrap iron encased Celtic and his party, protecting them. This made the Demon General smirk.

“So, that’s the unusual Shroud Mistress Sylph mentioned. Let’s test it! Sonic Crush!”

He crossed his wings over him before rapidly opening them, releasing a powerful sonic energy blast. The attack effortlessly pummeled the other Heroes and their parties, sending them flying, knocking them unconscious instantly. The attack slammed into the Scrap Iron Fortress Defense, but the fortress-shaped barrier endured the attack, though Skye and Rupert had to cover their ears from the noise of the attack. General Alastor gained a small smirk as he ended his attack, his hands and arms returning to normal, and waited. He saw Celtic deactivate the defensive barrier a moment later, showing his party to be unharmed.

“So, that was your Scrap Iron Fortress Defense, Shroud Hero?” the Shade Wing asked. “Very effective, I must say. I can now see how it managed to endure Mistress Sylph’s Ballistic Bombardment attack. A very sturdy defense, to say the least. At least you’ll provide me with some entertainment, unlike those four half-baked backups who call themselves ‘Heroes’. Shall we dance?”

Rupert’s sharp eyes then noticed something, gaining a smile, before whispering into Celtic’s ear, “Cel, I think I just discovered the secret to that Shade Wing’s immunity to his normal weaknesses. I can see three rings on his hand. Those must be Elemental Absorber Rings, which are special accessories that turn any damage from a particular element into Hit Point restoration. In essence, those rings give him even more recovery prowess. We have to remove them if we want to defeat him, since, just like Skye said, a Shade Wing’s recovery ability is second to none, forcing us to try to kill it in one shot. If you’re willing to keep him busy, I can snatch those rings and make him vulnerable to his weaknesses.”

Celtic nodded, whispering, “I’ll leave it to you.” He then said aloud, “Team, Battle Formation: Alpha 9!”

Nodding, the party got into a certain battle formation, amusing the Shade Wing.

“So, you actually spent the time teaching your party battle formations?” he sneered. “Very creative of you. You’re considerably more organized than those other so-called Heroes. Let’s see how it fairs against me, a Demon General!”

“Let’s do it, team!” Celtic stated strongly.

The party charged in, launching various attacks in a set formation. To the Shade Wing’s surprise, Celtic’s party was very well organized, forcing the demonic vampire to keep moving in order to avoid their attacks. As they did, Rupert quietly snuck around, using the various items on the airship as cover until he was directly behind the Shade Wing, who still didn’t notice him. He held out a hand and channeled energy.

“Snatch Steal!” he said in a hushed voice.

His hand gained a white aura, which extended into a ghostly projection of his hand. The ghostly hand managed to slip past the Shade Wing’s defenses and snatch something before retreating back. He opened his fist to reveal three different rings, making him smile.

“Excellent, just as I thought,” he said silently. “A Ring of Holy, a Ring of Fire, and a Ring of Light, three Elemental Absorber Rings. Without them, he’s vulnerable now to his normal weaknesses.”

With speed and stealth of a cat, Rupert quickly and quietly slipped away before returning to Celtic.

“I got the rings,” he whispered. “Just as I thought: Elemental Absorber Rings. You’re free to let him have it now, as he no longer has any defense against his weaknesses.”

Celtic nodded, smiling, “Excellent work, Rupert.” He then turned to Skye, “Skye, we’re free to whale on him, now! Let’s launch a fiery assault against him!”

Skye nodded, “Time to roast this bat freak!”

She started to channel magical energy while Celtic transformed his arm into Heat Cannon. The Shade Wing smirked.

“Trying to hit me with Fire, are you?” he said smugly. “Well, it won’t work, as I’m prepared for it.”

Rupert then asked smoothly, “Oh? You mean with these Elemental Absorber Rings?”

He showed the three rings in his hand, smirking, which caused the Shade Wing’s smirk to instantly vanish and eyes to widen in horror.

“M-My Elemental Absorber Rings?!!” he sputtered. “H-How did you take them from me?!”

The Beastman grinned broadly, “It doesn’t matter now, as your goose is cooked!”

Skye gained a dark grin, “It’s over, bat breath! Flame Tower!”

She fired a massive pillar of fire toward the Shade Wing.

“Have a taste of my Heat Cannon!” Celtic spat, firing the powerful fire energy.

The Shade Wing opened up his wings in preparation to flee, but Viola smirked.

“Not happening, flyboy!” she stated.

With several quick motions of her hands she ensnared the Demon General in her silk, trapping him, horrifying him.

“No! No! No! NOOOOOO!!!” he wailed.

The two Fire-based attacks slammed into him, pummeling him with intense power. He could only scream in agony and horror as the fire energy burned him to ashes, leaving only the Arachne silk and his mask. As a result, the sky turned blue again, indicating the wave was over. Celtic retrieved Alastor’s mask and absorbed it into his Shroud, creating another skill tree that read “Shade Wing Shroud”. However, the airship started to lose altitude, forcing him and his party to jump off the side and onto a nearby ledge. The airship crashed and came to a rest on another ledge but remained in one piece. Taking a moment to catch their breath, Celtic and his party smiled at another victory.

“Great work, team,” the redhead said. “We took down a Demon General today. That’ll rub Infinator the wrong way for sure. Our victory today is very much thanks to Rupert, as he was the one who noticed that the Shade Wing Demon General had Elemental Absorber Rings, which he snatched, giving us the opportunity to put an end to the fight. So, good work, everyone. Now, onto business as usual. Leon, Viola, you go and check up on the villagers and soldiers, make sure they’re okay and heal any injuries they may have. Me and everyone else will gather up some monster parts from the battle, as I saw some new species in this wave. We’ll meet up at the front of the village, like always. Move out!”

“On it!” the party stated.

Viola and Leon headed toward the village, checking up on the villagers and soldiers, while Celtic and the others gathered up monster parts from the defeated enemies. After having collected a satisfying amount, they waited outside the village. Leon and Viola soon joined them.

“Status report,” Celtic stated.

“No casualties to report,” Leon smiled. “The worst injury was a twisted ankle, but nothing Viola and I couldn’t handle. How about you? Got any good stuff?”

Tyroe nodded, “Yup, we got ourselves some nice stuff. Lots of new beasties in this wave, so that’ll give Celtic a lot of good Shroud forms, along with some good stuff to sell for fast cash.”

A voice shouted, “Celtic!!! You’re not getting away from me again!!!”

Everyone turned to see Lucas running toward them. Skye gained a dark smile.

“I guess it’s that time again, huh?” she grinned.

She quickly ran over toward Lucas. Realizing what it meant, he quickly came to a stop and tried to run away, but Skye was too fast for him. She kicked him in the crotch again, sending him flying several meters, crashing in a heap, clutching his loins in agony. Celtic and his party laughed while Skye felt proud.

“Celtic, wait!” Ryan called.

Celtic shook his head, “Sorry, no can do. I’ve got other things to attend to, Ryan. But I suggest you investigate this!”

He turned his hand into Cannon, stuffed the rosary he had into it, and fired it. The rosary embedded itself in the ground just in front of Ryan, causing him to stop.

“The Church of the Four Stars is planning on killing us all,” Celtic called out. “And they plan on doing that by combining four of the five Legendary Gear replicas as a single weapon. I suggest you look into it if you value your lives, but be alert, as the High Priest wants you lot dead.”

Skye then mocking blew them a kiss, “Catch you losers later! Warp!”

With a snap of her fingers, she and the rest of her party vanished, leaving the others behind. Ryan picked up the rosary, looking it over, as Eric and Jerry ran up to him.

“Celtic sure knows how to beat a quick retreat,” Eric said.

Jerry looked at the rosary, “What do you think Celtic meant? Why would this Church of the Four Stars try to kill us? And why would they steal these, what did he call them, Legendary Gear replicas?”

Ryan shook his head, “I dunno, but considering he’s been right about everything up to this point, it’s worth looking into. Let’s ask around and see what we can learn about this Church of the Four Stars and Legendary Gear replicas.”

With a nod, the three other Heroes began their investigation, while Lucas was still whimpering on the ground in pain. Veronica looked livid.

“That spineless Shroud Devil is the only one going to get killed,” she hissed. “Mark my words, I’ll get the last laugh, just you wait.”

Next Chapter: Church Chaos

Looks like Infinator is getting serious. And what does the Church of the Four Stars have planned? Tune in next time to find out.
 
Okay, here's the next chapter. Would've posted sooner but I had to help my folks with something. Anyway, on with the show.

Church Chaos


It had been only a day since the last wave. Celtic and his party were taking shelter in a small village during a heavy rainstorm, preventing them from continuing on their quest to Delgunner’s capital. In the inn that they were staying at, they had all gathered in one room to discuss what their next plan would be.

Viola was looking over her map as she spoke, “Okay, according to my map, we still have a ways to go before this alternate path loops back to the main road. Thanks to the weather, it has delayed us a bit, so it does give our enemies and other annoyances a chance to catch up or prepare an ambush. And, without a doubt, by now the Four Stars Church has learned that we won the most recent Infinator attack, while the other four so-called ‘Heroes’ screwed up again. And I bet they are livid at this. It’s only a matter of time before they complete the fusion of the Legendary Gear replicas and come after us. The question remains… when will they attack?”

Leon nodded, “Yeah, it’s safe to say that the Four Stars Church will be making their move very soon, as they’ve come to realize that we’re just too powerful and resourceful to be taken down through conventional methods. And, according to what that Shadow Sentinel told Celtic, they even tried anti-demon weapons the last time we tangled with them, only for our superior battle tactics to send them running. That alone would be enough of a reason for them to come after us, let alone the other factors, as Templar Knights of the Four Stars Church are very vindictive when they end up looking like fools against an enemy. They’re just as bad as the Light Elves in that regard, only, unlike those long-eared twits, Templar Knights actually have the power and skill to back up their bluster. Well… for the most part, anyway, as they’re still not what most would call ‘elite’. But I think it’s safe to say that they’ll be making their move sooner rather than later.”

Rupert turn to him, “Hey, Leon, is there anything else in the Templar Knights’ arsenals that would give them enough power to fight against warriors like us? Because, even considering how incompetent the other Heroes are, I think they’d still stand a pretty good chance at beating Templar Knights one-on-one. You mentioned that some have magic like Instant Death spells and such. Would those be of any effect?”

Leon shook his head, “No, as Instant Death magic doesn’t work on people, just monsters and other such beasts. Plus, Instant Death magic has a low chance of actually succeeding in its task; roughly 20% at best, give or take, meaning more conventional methods would be preferable. It’s why I don’t use my Instant Death spells during Infinator’s attacks, as the chances are too low enough to work efficiently enough, and the fact that Infinator is probably very much aware of such magic to take precautions for it, would make it impractical. Really, the only thing that the Four Stars Church might have that would be enough to take down strong foes would be the Judgment spell. However, even my half-brother, Robert, who was the golden boy of the Templars, wasn’t able to learn Judgment due to its insane requirements to learn and use. Not only does it cost a ton of MP, but one needs to go through several special rituals to be able to handle the spell’s energies itself, much less the recoil issue it has. There is, however, a workaround with it: by having a group of people give the caster extra mana to offset the cost, as well as perform a certain ritual-like spell can Judgment’s issues be mitigated to a certain degree. It’s not easy, but doable in that regard.”

Skye nodded, “Yes, and I would bet that, considering the High Priest will probably already be flanked by ‘devoted’ supporters when he attacks us, he’ll already have the means of casting Judgment using that tactic. It’s obvious, since he’ll need that very same power source to wield the fused Legendary Gear replicas, he can just tap into it for Judgment as well. At least Cel warned those half-baked Heroes about the High Priest’s plan at the last wave. Whether or not they take up his suggestion to look into it, that I don’t know.”

“Yeah, but it also presents a problem,” Tyroe pointed out. “Because of Celtic’s warning, if they do decide to look into the matter, to the Four Stars Church, it’ll be seen as those dimwit Heroes are asking inconvenient questions at a bad time. That may force them to push their plans up and ambush them, and us, much sooner to avoid the world learning about their schemes. The Shadokor are probably already preparing for it, as they know the dangers it presents, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the Shadokor army when the Four Stars Church makes their move. But that, too, will present another problem, as the Four Stars Church hates the Shadokor with a burning passion, which may end up pressuring them into committing their deed before the Shadokor army is ready to counter. At this point, given how the Four Stars Church is, they could even strike this village we’re in in order to silence us AND any witnesses because of all those elements. Time is the only unknown element we’re facing right now, as we don’t know exactly when those loons will strike. But it will be soon, that we do know.”

“We’re just going to have to be more careful for a bit, then,” Celtic stated as he worked on his robotic arm. “We know they’re going to strike soon, and we know they want to kill all of us, including those other halfwit Heroes, so we best be on guard pretty much at all times until they actually strike.”

Using a certain tool, he pulled out a microchip, which appeared to be fried. Skye and the others looked a bit squicked as he did this.

“Do you really have to do that now?” Viola asked, clearly unnerved.

“Yes I do,” the redhead replied. “If we’re going to be facing the High Priest soon, then I better get my maintenance done now while I can. After all, I may have designed my weapons to work with my robotic arm, but that doesn’t mean the arm was designed specifically for them. As a result, I have to run various diagnostic scans and regular maintenance on it, as my arm wasn’t initially built for this. That last wave fried one of my locking chips, as you can see here, which helps keep my arm’s systems running smoothly. Without them, my arm could malfunction and I could run the risk of not being able to transform it when needed, or it might cause certain weapons to not work properly. Good thing I always carry spare parts, as these waves are stressing out this arm quite a bit. So, whenever I can get a chance to do repairs or maintenance on it, I’ll do it, especially considering we’ve got a big battle coming up shortly. If it bothers you, then just don’t look, but there isn’t much that can be done about it. I either do the repairs now or run the risk of it malfunctioning at a bad time.”

As he said this, he swapped out the fried locking chip for a fresh one, installed it, then switched tools to connect it and lock it in place. After he was finished with it, he took a different tool and started to work on other parts of his open arm. After another minute, he put his tools down, rebooted the arm, causing it to close up, and flexed it a bit to see how it felt. Satisfied, he put his tools away and turned to his party, who still looked a bit unnerved from watching him do that.

“Let’s change the subject for a bit,” Skye suggested, her ears drooping a bit at what she saw. “We still have to worry about the moronic Pointy Stick Boy giving us more grief, as he’s managed to catch up to us twice now. I just know he’s probably right behind us as we make our trip to Delgunner. Which means we may end up fighting him again, and probably very soon. Considering he’s lost every ‘duel’ against Celtic up to this point will definitely not sit well with him, as he clearly sees himself as the superior one. This time, however, I feel he may get his party mixed in, as his one-on-one fights have all ended in humiliating defeats. Really, the most damage Celtic took in those fights was from the Dragon Rage Shroud’s recoil damage and not from him. We better be ready for that, as he’s just so stupid and egotistical that he won’t take those defeats lying down. That’s something else we need to be ready for.”

Rupert nodded, “Yeah, I agree. I also feel that would be an opportune time for the Four Stars Church to strike, as at least two Heroes would be in one place at the same time, making it a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Thus, we’ll probably have to protect Lucas and his harem from them as well as ourselves. Though I wouldn’t mind throwing that wench Veronica to those church sharks.”

“Same here. But you’re right, we will have to protect them from those church goons if that happens. It won’t be pleasant, considering who they are, but it’ll be for the best. Besides, I’d rather get the truth out of Veronica regarding this whole rape thing first, so Celtic’s name can be cleared. While I already know the truth, it would be better if it is revealed to everyone, so that even Pointy Stick Boy can see what vile scum she is. This will require King Alvin having a trial and keeping my shameless slut of a sister alive long enough to prove she’s lying. So, as a result, we need to protect them from the High Priest, whether we want to or not.”

“Lucky us…” everyone thought grimly.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, under the cover of overcast, Ryan, Eric, and Jerry, along with their respective parties, were standing in front of a shrine built into the side of a mountain. The shrine was old yet still held a noble air to it, but they could all see that it had been recently disturbed, as the doors to the shrine had been blasted open. As they approached, they noticed something on the ground. Ryan picked it up, revealing it to be a rosary. Taking out the rosary Celtic gave them, he compared them, gaining a grim expression.

“These rosaries match,” he concluded. “Looks like the Four Stars Church was here recently. According to the commoners, this shrine was built to protect the Legendary Gear replicas. The replicas were designed as a backup plan for the real Legendary Gear in case of a crisis regarding one of the Legendary Gear. Fortunately, that never came to be, at least according to the general public, but the replicas were put here for protection just in case. Looks like Celtic was right again.”

Eric placed his hands in his pockets miserably, “I’m getting really tired of him being right all the time. Well, since we’re here, we might as well check it out. According to him, four of the five replicas were stolen and are being fused together to create a powerful morphing weapon. The question is… why only four of the five? Why not all five? I’m guessing the Shroud is the only replica not to be removed, but why?”

Jerry turned to him, “From what little we know, the Four Stars Church worships the Sword, Spear, Axe, and Bow like deities, while it calls the Shroud the ‘Devil’. However, it seems that only the truly fanatical worship them, as the Church of the Five Stars is pretty much the universal religion of this game world, meaning the Four Stars Church broke away and became something of a cult. That’s never a good thing, as cults are extremely problematic and will go to insane lengths to complete the agendas. Well, enough of that, let’s go in and see what’s left to be seen.”

Nodding, the three Heroes and their parties entered the shrine. It was fairly shallow, with only two major rooms. There were several shelves lined with old, worn-out books in the first room, while the second room had what looked like altars, each marked with a symbol. Four of the altars were empty. The last one, which was in the center, still had a golden shroud on it. They noticed that a lot of the books had been disturbed, with many seemingly missing, and the empty altars were damaged, indicating that the replicas were removed rather roughly. Ryan touched the Shroud replica, causing a layer of dust to cover his hands.

“Well, it’s safe to say that the Shroud replica was left untouched, as it still has dust on it,” he said, wiping his hand clean.

“Still, why was only the Shroud left behind?” Eric pondered. “Are they really that fanatical that they won’t use the Shroud in any shape or form to complete their special fusion? Would it seem hypocritical for them to use it; hence they didn’t touch it at all? For that matter, if these replicas exist, why not use them instead of the regular Legendary Gear?”

Jerry scratched his chin, “I’m going to take a shot in the dark on this one, but maybe the current Legendary Gear are copies from the original ones, right down to the same materials they’re made of. It would seem strange, if past Legendary Heroes existed, that our Gear starts out as blank slates instead of having all the power-ups and other bonuses that past Heroes must’ve already gotten. If that’s true, then it seems, with each new generation of Heroes comes a new copy of the original Legendary Gear to act as a blank canvas. As for the replicas themselves, they said they were created as a backup plan, but they are said to be flawed. How flawed, however, we don’t know, nor do the commoners. But I’m guessing that, even if they’re just replicas, they’re still probably pretty powerful.”

Suddenly, the gems in each of their respective Legendary Gear started to flash rapidly, startling them.

“The Legendary Gear are detecting an incoming threat!” one of Ryan’s party members stated. “The more rapidly the gems flash, the larger the threat is, and judging by how quickly they’re flashing, it’s something big.”

Suddenly, another member of Ryan’s party who looked like a witch detected something, her eyes widening in horror.

“I-Incoming Judgment spell!” she shrieked in a panic.

“Run!!!” Eric stated.

Moments later, the shrine was struck down by a massive golden energy bolt, utterly destroying it and part of the mountain it was in, leaving nothing but rubble and a smoldering crater in its place. A man dressed in almost regal robes smiled darkly from a ledge on the opposite side.

“That takes care of those fakes,” he said calmly. “As well as keeping them from learning our plan. Now, all that’s left is the Spear Hero and the Shroud Devil. A simple task. We’ll wait until both are in the same place at the same time… and then they’ll face the Judgment of the gods for their sins.”

What he didn’t know was that the same mysterious figure that had observed the fight against the Soulavore and Sylph was also watching before slinking away into the darkness.

It was the following day. After a nice breakfast at the inn, along with gathering some extra supplies, Celtic and his party continued their trek to Delgunner’s capital. They were tense, as they knew the Four Stars Church would strike soon, keeping their eyes and ears peeled for anything out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, a voice shouted, “I’ve got you NOW, Celtic! You’re not getting away from me AGAIN!!!”

Everyone in Celtic’s party groaned, knowing exactly who that was. They all turned to see Lucas and his female-only party storm up to them.

“Like clockwork…” Tyroe sighed.

“Don’t you ever get tired of being lame, Pointy Stick Boy?” Rupert snarked.

“I’ll show YOU whose the lame one, furball!” Lucas spat. He turned to Celtic, “This time, this time for sure I’ll put you in your place, you lying, cheating, underhanded sewer rat! Once I’m done with you, I’ll haul you back to King Lumesto and finally show the world what you really are! So, are you ready to lose?”

Celtic rubbed his eyes, clearly annoyed, “Are you that stupid, Lucas? Hasn’t it dawned upon you yet that it’ll take more than an egotistical moron like yourself to stop me? You should be more worried about the Four Stars Church, as they’re out to kill us all with the Legendary Gear replicas fused together instead of picking a cockfight with me.”

Lucas laughed, “Hah! Veronica has told me how benevolent the Four Stars Church is. They won’t be doing anything against me. You, on the other hand, they want dead for being the Shroud Devil.”

Skye gave him a piercing glare, making him flinch, “Do you ever think for yourself, Pointy Stick Boy? Or do you believe everything at face value without actually thinking about the true nature of something? The fact of the matter is, whether you’re a ‘Hero’ with good intentions or not, the fact that you’re so easy to trick renders that moot. It doesn’t matter if you’re a ‘good guy’ or not because you end up trampling all over that by being such an insufferable idiot that can be tricked so easily. The Four Stars Church isn’t benevolent, as Leon knows first-hand, being a former member of them. They’re a nasty cult with delusions of grandeur, very vindictive, and will kill anyone who doesn’t agree with them.”

Suddenly, the gems in the Shroud and Spear started to flash, indicating something was coming. Leon’s eyes widened as he sensed something. He went pale as he realized what it was.

“Incoming Judgment spell!” he yelled.

Celtic quickly sprang into action, “Thunder Silk Shroud! Triple Electroweb! Lizartaur Shroud! Shield Wall! Squall Barricade! Scrap Iron Shroud! Scrap Iron Fortress Defense!”

His Shrouds rapidly changed. First becoming the Thunder Silk Shroud, causing three Electrowebs to be launched into the sky. Followed by becoming the Lizartaur Shroud, creating a wall of shields. He then cast a spell, creating a barrier of powerful wind. And finally the Shroud became Scrap Iron Shroud before erecting the powerful scrap iron fortress around both parties. Moments later, the Judgment spell barreled down toward them. It pierced through the three Electrowebs effortlessly, though they did seem to weaken it, smashed through the Shield Wall, getting weaker, burst through the Squall Barricade, becoming even weaker, before slamming into the Scrap Iron Fortress Defense. It hammered mercilessly at it, trying to pierce it, making everyone inside of it duck for cover while Celtic tried to keep the barrier up. After a few tense moments, the barrier ultimately prevailed, causing the Judgment spell to fizzle out.

Celtic waited a few moments before lowing the barrier, only for him and everyone to be greeted to a terrible sight. The Judgment spell turned the entire area they were at into a smoldering crater. Only the section where the Scrap Iron Fortress Defense technique was protecting remained unharmed. Everyone was stunned at the power the spell possessed. Suddenly, they all heard what sounded like sarcastic clapping. They looked over to a ledge on the rim of the crater to see the High Priest standing there, clapping, a dark smile on his face.

“Well, well, well…” he said. “I must commend you, Shroud Devil, as your defenses were able to weather Judgment. That is no small feat. It seems that it’ll take more than even Judgment to put you and the remaining ‘Hero’ down. Too bad you weren’t around when Judgment struck down the other three fake ‘Heroes’, as it may have given them a chance to see another sunrise. But, alas, that wasn’t the case, leaving only you and that fake Spear Hero left. Looks like I’ll have to resort to using our main weapon to put you down. I, Ebenezer B. Calmat, will end all of you here and now.”

Lucas looked confused, “W-What do you mean? And what do you mean about ‘fake Heroes’?”

Viola groaned before stating, “Don’t you get it, Lucas? He KILLED Ryan, Eric, and Jerry because they were incompetent at their jobs! And so are you! If it weren’t for Celtic, you’d be dead, too! It’s just like we said, the Four Stars Church is out to kill all of us, not just Celtic, you twit!”

Ebenezer smirked, “The Arachne is correct, ‘Spear Hero’, as your comrades: the Sword, Axe, and Bow Heroes, have been annihilated by the very same Judgment spell that you miraculously survived. They are nothing more than fakes, causing death and destruction in their wake. You, along with them, are no ‘Heroes’, as you all have caused nothing but misery in your solo adventures. The Sword Hero slayed a dragon but didn’t dispose of its corpse, causing it to rot and become diseased, nearly wiping out a village, before eventually reanimating into a dracolich. You planted cursed alchemy seeds into a famine-stricken village that became demonic plants and threatened to destroy the village. The Bow Hero committed regicide on an innocent lord who was taxing his people so he could buy the resources needed to fight off Mountain Trolls, with said Trolls trashing the city after his unjust death. And the Axe Hero helped a disguised Moth Demon crush a rebellion, enslaved the men, and planned to eat the women and children during the Double Blood Eclipse. On top of that, you four have proven extremely ineffective against Infinator’s waves, yet somehow the Shroud Devil has been succeeding in said waves, ending them, while you and the other fake ‘Heroes’ have been beaten time and time again. It’s safe to say you and the other three ‘Heroes’ are fakes, as no Hero would be as incompetent and destructive as you lot. So, it is our sacred duty to ‘remove’ you fakes and allow another batch of real Heroes be summoned.”

Lucas and his party looked stunned, with Celtic giving him an annoyed look.

“Told you, Pointy Stick Boy,” he snarled. “They plan on killing all of us, not just me. And it seems he’s already struck down Ryan, Eric, and Jerry, leaving only us. Do you NOW see that I was right, or do you need it spelled out for you further?”

Lucas stammered, “W-We’re no fakes! O-Our intentions were pure! We were helping the people! We had their best interests in mind!”

Ebenezer gained a dark smile, “You had the people’s ‘best interests in mind’, Spear Hero? I’m afraid that you’re quite mistaken there. If you had the people’s ‘best interest in mind’, you wouldn’t have caused so much death and destruction. And yet, bizarrely, the Shroud Devil has been cleaning up your sins, something that utterly boggles my mind. After all, he is the Devil, not a savior, and yet he’s gone out of his way to clean up your messes. That strikes me as odd, but it could be part of his nefarious plans. But, no matter, as once I’m finished with you lot, a new set of Heroes will be summoned, ones that’ll do the job right. But… why stop there? The Light Elves are the root of this issue, so we believe that, once we’re done with you, we’ll wipe out their kingdom and replace it with us in charge. Then we’ll remove those vile demons known as Shadokor, and finally Delgunner itself. I’ll rule them all, and I’ll start by wiping you lot out here and now!”

Veronica looked horrified, stating, “H-Hold on! I agreed to help you stop the Shroud Devil! You also plan to eliminate us AND the Light Elf Kingdom, too!? That wasn’t part of the deal!”

Skye shot her an angry look, “Veronica!!! I knew you’d sink to low levels, sister, but the fact that YOU sicced these goons on us is a new low! Plus, the fact is, they plan to wipe out EVERYONE who opposes them and replace all the current monarchs with a theocracy, including YOU! So, in short, you just helped the enemy get an opportunity to wipe out everyone and take control with an iron fist, you brainless wench!”

Ebenezer merely chuckled, “Your younger sister is correct, you wretch of a princess. You Light Elves have proven to be just as incompetent as the four fake Heroes, so I think it’s time you get removed
permanently from the equation. And with three Heroes already gone, all that’s left are you, the Spear Hero, and the Shroud Devil to take care of. Not even Delgunner or the Shadokor will be able to stop me.”

Lucas turned to Celtic, “Celtic! We must band together and fight off this power-mad High Priest! Do you want to die before you are brought to justice by the Light Elf king?”

This statement infuriated Celtic. He grabbed Lucas by the face with his metal hand and pulled him close to his own face, eyes flaring dangerously, alarming Lucas, who was struggling to break the enraged Shroud Hero’s metal grip.

“Now you listen here, Lucas!” he snarled. “I didn’t do a damn thing. This whole problem was caused by you and the other Heroes incompetence and Veronica’s lies! I’ve spent most of my time cleaning up your messes, along with carrying you and the other three idiot Heroes through Infinator’s attacks! Let me spell this out so even YOU can understand it. I. Am. Innocent! This whole problem is because you, Ryan, Eric, and Jerry treat this world like one big video game! Well, it ISN’T! You’ve caused nothing but death and destruction in your wakes, and I’ve spent countless hours cleaning up after you lot! Are you really that incapable of thinking for yourself? Or are you just that naïve that you can’t realize the mess you’ve created? This is all your fault! So, for that, you can just go ahead and die for all I care, especially since Ryan, Eric, and Jerry are already dead. I’m tired of babysitting you and the other Heroes, cleaning all your messes like an overworked nanny, and I’m especially tired of your utter STUPIDITY, blindly listening to all of Veronica’s lies, your sheer hypocrisy, and utter LACK OF COMMON SENSE!!! Since you created this mess, you might as well die in it, as this is the final straw, as what little patience I was struggling to exert is now gone, all because of you, the other idiot Heroes, and that shameless slut of a princess!” He then turned to Ebenezer, “Hey, Cult Crazy Church Crony, you wanna kill this fake Hero and summon replacements? Go right ahead!”

He roughly tossed Lucas into his female-only party in a huff, causing them to crash in a heap. Veronica instantly started to panic.

“Celtic! Skye! Save me! I’m innocent! Please! The Church lied to me! I did nothing wrong! Please! Save me!” she cried desperately.

Celtic looked livid while Skye grabbed her older sister by the throat, stopping her.

“This is at least partly your fault, you wench!” the younger Light Elf spat. “The fact you’re not taking responsibility for your role in this dilemma further proves just how remorseless you are for your actions! I agree with Celtic that this whole issue is because of your favorite false rape story and the other four Heroes’ utter stupidity for not taking the threat seriously. Our only hope is Celtic, and I don’t think he’s feeling particularly merciful toward you and Pointy Stick Boy. So, I suggest you start playing nice with him or you’ll die today!”

Ebenezer gave a dark smile, “She’s right you know, Veronica. If you only had half a brain to use you wouldn’t be in this situation. But, enough of that. It’s time to die.” He took what looked like a shining sword from Robert, making Leon snarl, “We have completed the fusion of the four ‘true’ Legendary Gear replicas. Since the Shroud is evil, we left it back at the now destroyed shrine, where the other three Heroes and their parties were wiped out of existence. Since it seems that the Shroud Devil is too smart for even Judgment, I’ll have to resort to our ultimate weapon.”

Suddenly a voice shouted, “We don’t think so, you slime!”

Three shining attacks slammed into the High Priest, forcing him to erect a barrier, startling him, stunning the group. They all turned to see Ryan, Eric, and Jerry standing on the opposite ledge of the crater, much to the High Priest’s surprise.

“How did you survive?!” he sputtered.

Ryan huffed, “Believe it or not, the Shroud replica protect us. We’re still trying to figure out how an inanimate object was able to react to that Judgment spell and shield us from it on its own accord. Though it did take a bit to dig ourselves out afterwards from all that rubble.”

Eric then stated, “We won’t let you get away with this, you swine!”

Jerry nodded, “We’ll show you just what we’re made of! We’re not fakes and we’ll prove it here and now!”

The three of them slid down toward Celtic and the others, ready to fight. This move made Ebenezer furious.

“You won’t survive the battle, you fakers. Today will be the last day you will disgrace this earth. That I promise.”

Next Chapter: United Front

Woo, things about to get real ugly. What will happen next? Tune in to find out.
 
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