Arc 4: What families entail
Moro's destroyed ship sat in the bay, looking over the battlefield. Watching the Red Arrows, Spartans, Warriors, and Pirates from the deck above. Rosemary found herself in the third stage fleeing from the blue lit warrior and the Dark Elf, Julius was getting thrown back over and over again by the skillful and explosive Thorn Warrior, and Peter sat crying in the forest. Unable to force himself forward through the soul chilling fear.
Peter {When Peter and Musashi were my age they would have been able to destroy that whole fleet! A proper Dark Elf Warrior could have done it! Something! If my gadgets worked, if I had planned better, if I could have thought of something I could have saved them! I don't have anything! Nothing nothing nothing!}
The rain piled on top of him, constant bright thunder and lighting illuminating the sky. Both from nature, and from Leo, in the middle of hell and fighting with everything he had.
Leo: "ROSEMARY, JULIUS! GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!"
As he screamed out he threw punches hefty enough to break sternums and armor, leaping and bending over their large weapons like it was second nature, before sending another blast through the sands to take them down. Holding tight, focusing, and slamming his hands down to pull the lightning through them with explosive, bloody, burning violence. Grasping his shoulder, his Mark, with intense pain. Standing up and wiping sweat from his brow before lunging forward to dodge a massive hammer. So he snapped his fingers, smirked, and grabbed his spear as it shot through the large Cod Demi-human woman. Looking through the hole in her chest to see Rosemary and Julius still fighting on.
Leo: "Dammit I said run!"
Rosemary: "WE'RE NOT LEAVING YOU!"
Julius however had been cutting his way toward the sandy hills, slithering around the Thorn Warrior hot on his tail with all he could. Jumping, twirling, clashing, striking, still untouched. At least directly.
Irsa: "Fine I'll give it to you, you're not awful. My name's Irsa, Irsa Thorn. The Vice Captain of the Warriors."
Julius: "No matter, you will fall all the same."
Fuming with rage Irsa would erupt, throwing out a wave of powerful bright manners while turning her arms into long illuminated lances. Jabbing them against Julius' blade over and over, chipping away, forcing him back into the sand. Until he finally rolled backward, flaring up the Dragons fist in his hand, and got impaled in his side. Although he didn't waver, throwing his fist forward with all he could as fast as he could. Having ignited his internal, built up power, to break his limits and destroy her own side. Throwing her backward just as her lances erupted. Something that would have surely been the death of him.
Irsa {DAMN THAT HURTS!}
Without guarding with mana, she had taken the brunt of the blast. An attack strong enough to drop Edward to the floor in a single bunch. Grasping her shattered bones and almost burst organs with intense struggle, looking to see Julius running into the forest. Trying her best to keep up, leaving the war to enter the sandy woods. Continuing their fight while Rosemary finally hit her limit. Getting hit by a duel strike from the blue lit warrior and the Dark Elf, even in the fourth stage, to have her thrown backward into the front of the ship. Causing the massive iron Siren figurehead to fall atop her.
"STOP THAT!"
Surprisingly the Dragon Stone, blue flaming warrior called out. Flaring up with even more power and a loud click before bursting forward. However, breaking her own limits, Rosemary forced herself into the fourth stage throughout her entire body. Leaping up to grab the figure head, spinning and screaming before throwing it against the sands. Causing a massive eruption of force to overtake that section of the beach. Although the Dragon Stone Warrior and Dark Elf burst through it, walking toward Rosemary as she stared on in horror. Her eyes in a daze, her heart, her body finally giving out. Surging with pain as her body crumbled, the fourth stage gone, and her body laying against the sand. Unable to move, through the unimaginable pain, and her broken bones. Slowly fading from consciousness as she stared toward the masked Warrior, his blue aura dissipating as he crouched down to her.
"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."
"What the hell's wrong with you Calgary!?"
The Dark Elf called out, exposing his name and causing Rosemary's mind to light up. Knowing exactly who was in front of her, before finally passing out.
Calgary: "I know this girl! And -
In an instant whatever connection they may have had faded, touching her golden hair in ecstasy.
Calgary: "She's beautiful isn't she?"
"Hell no. She's no Dark Elf, nor a Demi-human. Powerful women are where it's at! Shouldn't an Athens Warrior know that?"
Calgary: "I guess but I'm like you dude, not from Athens."
"Ain't you the Captain of the Warriors?"
Calgary: "Yeah like eight months ago, it used to be Irsa. And before her some Demi-human."
As the two men spoke surrounded by battle, a true Warrior came blasting forward. His spear erupts through the Dark Elf's side while a mighty kick slammed against Calgary's dragon stone helmet. Throwing him back so Leo could grab Rosemary, lunging through battle while coating lighting around them to protect her. Shooting out jagged jolts of lighting to throw back any Pirates or Warriors trying to knock them back.
Soku {COME ON, COME ON!}
Soku sat within the cave, crisscrossed, and swarming with wind. Trying to build up and control her might, to feel the wind in the air, to use her Mark to expand her pressure and power. Attempting to stand, attempting to breathe, and getting into a stance similar to the stance of the dragon's fist attack. Pulling both of her arms back. Screaming before throwing them forward, trying her best to send it all crashing forward in a focused blast. While it still went everywhere, the thin tight cave allowed the wind to condense anyway, slamming against the rubble to force it back.
Soku: "DAAAAMMMMIIIITTT!"
Roaring and flying forward, sending as much mana as she could into her Mark, she threw a punch forward to crash against the already shaking debris. Filling the gaps, lifting it, and shoving it back hard enough to send the boulders crashing onto the sands. Opening her up to the raining battlefield coating the sands.
Soku {I DID IT! Took a lot out of me, but I did IT!}
But she was suddenly hit by a bombardment of slashes around her entire body. Leaving her bleeding and on her knees, not being attacked by an enemy, but by herself.
Soku: "Guess this is what happens when I overuse my wind. Means I'm really getting there though."
She tried her best to stand through the burning, digging pain.
Soku with tears from agony rushing down, running through the sands into the smoky clouds arising from the beach, due to the cannon fire, the battle itself, and Leo's lightning. The Bodies of Pirates, Warriors, Spartans, and Red Arrows played on the ground covering the sand in blood. A horrifying sight to be seen by a child. And no matter how mature she thought she was, she couldn't help but puke. Screaming out in a panic.
Soku: "ROSEMARY, EDWARD, LEO WHERE ARE YOU!?"
Before she could think she dodged, feeling something in the wind. Her ears twitching before she rolled into the sands, a large pirate swinging a just as large hammer behind her.
Soku {Come on! Just like that Ogre in the alley! Or that massive Ogre in the knight exam! I got it, I got it, I GOT IT!}
She charged not through the air, but used her small stature to blitz around him with wind. Zipping to his back before jumping up on him, sliding her blade across it while wind further carved into him. Standing on his head to jump into battle, forcing wind down to slam his head into the bloody floor. Throwing out wind blades to knock down Warriors and pirates, to help save the Red Arrows and Spartans. Glowing and taking the sights of all those nearby, especially the Leader of the Red Arrows heading right toward her.
Leo: "GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!"
Before Soku could argue she saw an unconscious Rosemary on her back, struggling to take her while looking toward the woods. Seeing more Warriors, clearing a path for a larger one holding Peter by the neck. Causing Leo's heart to somehow sink even further than it already had, his decaying might slamming against his body more and more. Peters choking, struggling, crying, hammering it in.
Soku: "WATCH OUT!"
Soku would kick Leo back with wind as she kicked herself back, dodging the shadow rapidly and loudly descending upon them. Seeing Moro Gravestone smiling and smoking, grabbing the head of a Red Arrow attempting to skewer him. Crushing it while licking his lips toward Leo.
Leo: "Soku, go! And Moro, what did you do with Edward!?"
Moro: "That brat!? He'll sell for quite a lot, so I'm handing him over to the king. Or maybe I'll sell him off to a slave market, hell I'll probably get more coins for it."
She hated it but she had to listen, pulling Rosemary's body toward the cave. But then came more Warriors, causing her life to feel like it was coming to a fleeting end. However she chose this fate, and now that she was here she couldn't leave. She would fight and fight until she couldn't even anymore. That was her job now, and that was what her friends did for her every day. Fighting for her life, surviving, that was something Soku had done throughout her entire life. War, a blood soaked battlefield filled with various races and abilities, was no different. Just a chaos she had yet to experience, no that was a lie. She had, just not to this scale; she was ready, whether that was true or not.
Caesar: "LOOKY HERE!"
The Warriors turned to see the Spartans, the majority of which hadn't been in the battle, and the leader himself. Who hadn't thrown a single punch since he had walked out of the cave. Smiling with vigorous glee while his soldiers began to break away at the back of the Warriors. However, breaking through them even still were the Elite Warriors. Dressed in thick Dragon Stone armor, all far more muscular, and using thick Dragon stone blades. And like the Warriors, any of them that were mages had elemental crystals impeded into their gauntlets or blades to act as their wands. The majority of them with earth or fire affinities, creating earthy or flaming shields and boosts to weaponry. Against more traditional magic flying toward them.
"IGNUM!", "IGNIS!", "WIGNIC!", "DIGVIC!"
The Spartans began to use a mix of everything; there were mages, standard fighters of all ages, Demi-humans, and then a mass of humans gathered from the criminal factions Caesar crushed. Caesar himself headed toward the largest of figures, causing Soku's heart to grow lighter as she pulled Rosemary along the beach. Like hope had returned.
Caesar: "AHH SHIT!"
In an instant he was impaled by a massive Dragon Stone sword. Feeling his skin tearing, his muscles separating, his organs bursting. Crying and smiling with pain, getting spit on before the Elite Warrior stepped away.
Caesar: "DON'T LOOK AWAY NOW!"
Leaping up, without an injury on his shirtless body, and only blood soaked into his old torn coat, he began to stab the neck of the Warrior. Leaving him bleeding and holding it while Caesar charged forward. His legs, arms, sides, head, all crushed, stabbed and broken. Rewinding, connecting, twisting, filling impressively fast. A purple glow coming out of the wounds just as they faded from existence. Allowing him to cut and break them slowly but surly. Without any true physical strength, magical might or skill, special weapon or mark, special blood line or skill, all he had was his putrid self. Using an old bloody chipped rusty dagger and anything else he could find to help his fellow Spartans. Coming behind them through the side of the forest was Julius, pinballing between the trees while holding his gushing side and broken right arm. Unable to fight, only able to flee as Irsa exploded trees behind him. Whistling loudly through the air to summon her Bull Horse, finally awake after Rosemary knocked it down the moment she entered the battle. Building up its speed as it charged forward, glowing a deep red with her bright blue and purple lances shot up toward the trees to stop the fleeing prince.
Irsa: "YOU CAN'T RUN! NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO YOU'LL BE IN ATHENS! AND AS LONG AS YOU'RE HERE YOU'LL NEVER BE SAFE! SWIM SWIM TO VICTORY LITTLE FISH! THROUGH THE OCEAN! GROW GILLS! GROW WINDS TO SOAR THROUGH THE AIR! DO SOMETHING!"
Julius could do something, an absolute trump card that would surely insure his survival. But doing so meant revealing said trump card, something he couldn't do. Something he would have to save even if it meant he died, because the moment he did, would be the commencement of the absolute. Like choosing between which path to step toward, but he hadn't chosen either. Simply moving away with a shaking smile, the blood he was losing caused his head to weigh lighter by the second.
Leo: "GIVE HIM BACK, OR I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!"
Moro: "AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE KIND!?"
Leo: "NOT TO YOU! NOT YOU MONSTERS!"
Moro: "HAH! OUR VICTORY TODAY, THE CRUSHING OF THE RED ARROWS WILL MARK YOU AS MONSTERS! WE'RE THE HEROES AND YOU CAN'T SEE IT! BUT THE WORLD WILL! AND MY POCKETS DEFINITELY WILL HAHAH!"
Leo hits the spear on the ground repeatedly, imbuing his Marks lighting into his spear to spark waves of power. Pushing Moro back while burning his skin, his fellow Pirates and Warriors shooting backward from the force. All to pull that lighting into his spear and throw it forward with all he could, causing an explosion in the air while it shot like cannon ball. Managing to pierce Moro's gut, leave him gushing blood and dropping his cigars, and collapsing to his knees.
Leo: "Now die, and help the world for once."
As Leo snapped his fingers to jolt the spear out of Moro's gut to hold it over his head, Moro smirked. Suddenly gushing with steam and growing in size, his enlarged arm slammed against Leo's chest right after to send him toward the Elite Warriors. Moro stopped his foot, his boots snapping as his legs grew. His muscles, bones, blood vessels, everything expanded. Awakening his Demi-human soul, his OD. But a Demi-humans OD was different from a human's, Elf, or half elves. As they, like the Dark Elves, had OD-like bodies instead. Unlike the sphere sitting within their chest, it was an expanded OD throughout their astral body. Most likely giving them their Demi-human traits, and giving those in the Southern Islands a rare chance at something more.
Moro: "It's funny to see you trying so hard, even after your loss was so obvious!"
His head, hair, jaw, teeth, claws, growing more and more before finally stopping. Falling onto his knuckles to stand, roaring forth. A Demi-human transformation, the Marks of Providence of the Southern Islands, and something you could only be born with. Moro, without the techniques or prowess of the Southern Islands, charged forward with his birthright. Nothing more than fate to allow his strength to become reality. Causing his wound to burn and slightly heal closed, not gone but not bleeding, and his power to skyrocket. Rushing against Leo to bite his head off.
Leo {SHIT!}
Before Leo could expel a blast of lightning Caesar leapt in front of him, getting his head bitten off and his body shoved to the ground.
Moro: "HHAHHAHA! DId you see that!?"
He beat his chest as he rose, pulling his arms through the world to crush Leo. But Leo erupted with an ocean of lighting, throwing his arms forward to focus it against Moro's chest. Carving, burning, tearing, forcing its way through him while shooting him through the front of his ship. Throwing the rest of that lightning into an impressive Dragons fist shot, causing his spear to blink and loudly crash through the skies. Destroying the ship as it went through, landing through Moro's large side and a handful of pirates. Leo however collapsed, his Mark bleeding and his arm numb. But battle battle battle, that's all he could think about.
Pirate: "THEY BUSTED THE SHIP CAPTAIN! WE'RE GONNA SINK!"
Moro: "DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT!? REPAIR IT FAST AND HEAD OUT TO ANOTHER SHORE!"
Pirate: "We can't sir!"
The front of the ship began to fold in onto itself, crushing through the few floors while caving in. Leaving Moro, Ju'stone, an injured Bella, and the pirates all sighing before it shattered. Killing most of them and leaving the Demi-human captains crushed for the time being. Soku could only watch as she made it to the cave, finding Calgary standing with Peter by his feet.
Calgary: "Look girl lets make this quick. A trade."
Soku: "HELL NO!"
Soku instantly went to fight, spinning to throw out a wind blade toward Calgary. However Calgary erupted with his blue mana, clicking four times while sending out shocks of pressure. Leaping through her blade before smashing her face into the ground, having grabbed hold. Lifting her into the air before throwing her far in front of him, crashing against Peter and sending them rolling into the cave. Picking Rosemary up and pulling back his leg right after.
Soku: "NO NO NO!"
Soku used her Mark, expanding with wind mana to burst forward. However, Calgary clicked into a higher power, sending out a massive shock wave that knocked Soku and Peter further back. Throwing out a quick barrage of punches to further collapse the opening onto itself. Making it nothing more than another part of the hill, and leaving Soku screaming. Beating against the stone, about to throw the rest of her mana into opening it once more, to get Rosemary back. Over and over she hit it, breaking through her gloves, crumbling to desperation and despair.
Soku: "NO NO NO! NOT AGAIN NOT AGAIN! I WON'T LET YOU DIE I WON'T LET YOU DIE! I'M STRONG ENOUGH NOW I AM! I WON'T LET HIM KILL YOU I PROMISE I PROMISE!"
Lashing out at everything around her, she even hit Peter across the face after he continued to try and reach her. Something Soku hadn't even noticed until Peter fell to the ground with a bloody nose. Falling to her own knees right after.
Peter: "Soku, are you gonna be okay."
But she would lash out, expelling wind as she roared into the cave.
Soku: "HELL NO! WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED!? GOD DAMMIT! I KNEW IT, EDWARD TOLD US! DAMMIT WE TRIED SO HARD, WE DID EVERYTHING RIGHT AND WE STILL LOST!"
Peter: "But if we didn't take this chance we still would have -
Soku: "SHUT UP! WHY DO YOU EVEN NEED TO DO THIS, YOU COULD JUST RUN AWAY AND LEAVE WHO CARES IF THE KING DOESN'T LIKE DEMI-HUMANS! NOBODY CARES! RAVORIA'S WHOLE COUNTRY IS DEFINED BY THAT! YOU COULD HAVE ALL JUST LEFT WITH US BUT NO! YOU HAVE TO FIGHT AND FIGHT FOR NOTHING!"
Peter: "Please, just -
Soku: "I DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT WALGONIA! I JUST WANT TO MAKE MY FRIENDS HAPPY AND THEY WANT TO DO THIS, WALGONIA AND THE PEOPLE THERE AREN'T MY FRIENDS I DON'T LIKE THEM!"
But Peter finally pushed through, leaping past the wind to grab her shoulders.
Peter: "YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT! WE ALL FOUGHT! WE FIGHT AND WE MADE IT! DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED!? WE ALWAYS RECOVER! AND WE'RE ALIVE, SO WE CAN WIN!"
Soku: "THAT'S JUST USELESS TALK!"
Peter: "HOPING IS NEVER USELESS!"
The wind came to a halt, leaving Soku to silently cry into the floor. Listening to the battle still being waged outside. Shaking under the massive strikes from Calgary, Leo, and the Dark Elf. The Elite Soldiers trying their best to fight through it and take him down.
Leo: "GET AWAY!"
His palms flared with yellow lighting, firing it off as a blunt discharge in front of him. Kicked a wave of lighting behind him. Zapped Calgary, forced lighting through the mountain armor coating the Dark Elf, pierced through the foes in front of him with his spear. Over and over, forever and ever, until Athens was safe and its inhabitants could return. Until the land his mother, his uncle, hell even his father fought for. All of Athens Warriors fought for. A place of freedom, of strength, of resources. One that must return into the hands of their protectors. However, fate was never on anyone's side; Leo was becoming more and more overwhelmed while his stamina slowly plummeted. Finally reaching the ends of his effort, his Mark fizzling out against Calgary's bright blue aura.
Calgary: "Don't know how much more of this I got, but it looks like your almost empty."
Leo: "Whatever, I'll fight and I'll die. As an Athens Warrior would."
Calgary's body steamed from Leo's power, but it seemed like Leo was at his ends. Slamming a hefty strike against his armored face, breaking a knuckle or two, but knocked him out in the process. Ducking a backhanded strike from the Dark Elf, grabbed his arm, and slammed him onto the ground. Slamming his fists against the stone over and over to break through, crushing his face in with a Dragon's Fist.
Leo: "ANYBODY ELSE!?"
But before he could turn, he felt a sharp sting in his back. Looking down to see a blade through his gut, falling forward before burning the wound closed with the last of his lighting. Staring up in a haze, all of his punishment slamming onto him at the end. Looking up toward the tall, lanky man, dressed in black dress shoes, black pants, a black sweater, and a long light brown coat. Kneeling down to his brother.
Beauregard: "Finally."
Leo could only scream at himself to stay awake just a bit longer, punching Beauregard hard enough to break his nose before finally collapsing to the sands. Unconscious.
Julius: "Well this is not good."
Julius was pulled forward in chains, heavily bleeding and struggling to move atop the hill. Overlooking the sands, the slowly rising sun, and the battle on Solon bay coming to an end. Moro's Ship was destroyed, the beach was covered in smoke, bodies, blood, and rubble, and the remaining Red Arrows were taken down at the loss of their moral. Only Caesure and his Spartans should have remained, but they were nowhere to be found. Rosemary, Julius, and Leo were now in the custody of Athens while Edward was lost to the pirates, leaving Peter and Soku alone in the tunnels to sink into despair. Causing the mission to save Walgonia seem impossible now.