"Sir, there is no match between this sample and the original." An operative mused as the crystal flower Marchel had handed over was probed with lasers and such. "Well then that says it, have those out in the field to be sent back!" His order cold as people around him radioed his orders.
Marchel who was in his office noticed the two tanks making their way to the chopper making him grit his teeth. 'How was it not a match?!' He couldn't help but wonder. A soldier barged in. "Graham said that it was nothing more than a sculpt."
And with that the man took his leave as well.
***
Graham who was ready to leave heard a piece of information that left him speechless. "Sir, we're detecting a large horde of abominations making their way RI the border. It's size far larger than what we've experienced in the south." A bead of sweat run down Graham's face as he wondered for the cause.
"For a horde this huge out of the blue would be too odd. It's clear that there's more to it. Have us hover over the walls and prepare the two of tanks for battle." Marchel who has expected the chopper to have left but now was disturbed with what he saw at the distance.
A horde of abominations rampaging their way through fauna making their way to the border. His face turned pale as his stomach dropped. "Daddy! Since you're done with your super important meeting can we go for some ice cream now?!" Adrian posed playfully unaware of the trouble that loomed over them.
Jeannette who made her way into the room quickly realized the reason of his reaction. "This...I don't think that we'll be able to survive this." Her tone frail as she saw the onslaught on the horizon. Adrian's eyes shifted between his father and mother. "What's wrong? Aren't we going for ice cream?" His tone aloof of what was to come.
"I'm sure that they should be able to hold their own sweetie, after all they are Reuthar's best." Jeannette urged hoping to ease Marchel. "...Of course they will." He reached for his receiver and relayed instructions into it having his men to aid the soldiers.
"Should we leave?!" Jeannette managed to speak though her mind had yet to fully grasp the magnitude of the threat they faced. "And go where? It would be best to wait here and hope that they turn the tides. If not then we meet our demise." Adrian who had now realized that something was wrong glanced through the window.
"Are....are we going to die?" His words filled with hitches as he was on the verge of having a panic attack. "No, the army is doing to deal with them. That's why they're here." Marchel reassured him wrapping his arms around him faintly rocking him back and forth.
Marchel glanced at his wife as if already aware of what the outcome would be.
***
"Sir, the horde should arrive at the walls in about five minutes." Graham barked, his eyes showing a steely determination. "Have the tanks begin chop some of those beasts. Also ready the chopper's artillery as well. We can't have them reach the border." The chopper revealed two rail guns which began to let out ear-piercing shrieks.
"Three minutes before the guns are done charging." As for the tanks on the ground, they began to fire at the horde with the hopes of chipping them down.
*Bam-Bam-Bam*
The two fired mortars and explosives but wave didn't yield at the slightest. For those who fell, more took their place in an instant. The faces of the residents went pale the moment they felt what was upon them. Some already preparing their deaths while others began to flee.
...
"We're done!" Without delay, Graham gave the order to fire.
*Whooooshhh*
A magnificent ray of gold filled the battlefield illuminating it in comparison to a miniature sun. Those at the town were shock with the ray while the soldiers had grim faces as they saw what emerged from the smoke. The wave still persisted with their hunt.
A massive hole was now present in the wave however those that had been claimed by the overwhelming light began to rise back up, their bodies stitching themselves up in a matter of seconds. 'Damn it!' Graham cursed inwardly at this sight. 'We're short on manpower to handle with such a large tide.'
His gaze shifted back to the town, wondering whether to leave it or defend it till it was no longer present. "Have us go down and pick up the tanks. We're done here." His orders making those on board shiver at the implications. 'He had given up on the town.'
Those in the tanks boarded the chopper and managed to attain lift off. However before they could fly away, they ran into another problem. "Sir the obsidian crystal petal, it's growing." Graham's face was that if shock. "Then have it thrown off into the horde!"
*Crack*
The chopper lost it's stability and was went crashing back to the ground.
...
Marchel who watched this scene was filled with nothing but dread. The chopper that was on the verge of leaving was struck down with an obsidian flower from within that grew too large for the chopper to accommodate. 'Looks like we are going to die here.' He inwardly broke into a self deprecating laugh at the realization.
...
Another figure watched this all happen far above it all. Callista Vaewlyn however her interest lay elsewhere. The flower was her doing. She hopped off the roof and made her way through the halls, her mind still internalizing his words. The servants she came across perished before they could call for help.
Her hand reached for the handle and casually slid it open. The sight of three came to her vision but she didn't portray any hint of intrigue as she raised her blade. Marchel stood forth shielding his wife and child however she didn't care as she shot out a small crystal the size of a dart at his leg.
"Arghhh!!!" He broke into grunts nothing more than background noise for her. She looked at the wife and kid and yet no emotion flashed on her face. "Why are you doing this?!" Jeannette asked with her face showing her unfiltered hatred. Callista didn't bother with an answer as she glanced outside where the screams of the townsfolk flooded her ears.
Looking back, Jeannette had made a move on her as she shot out a barrage of water daggers that failed to injure her. "But how?!" What awaited her was not a response but an arm amputation thanks to her obsidian strings. She too broke into yells that she sighed off. Now Adrian was left alone, his face showing his fear of her.
"Please! Please don't kill my parents!" He broke into pitiful cries as he stared at the killer who has crystal dance around her with a look of apathy donned on her face. Before she could take a step, she heard the roars of an abomination lurking about. Still she didn't snap out of her aloof demeanor as she closed the door behind her.
"Callista, please I beg you to spare my son and my wife!" Marchel pleaded as tears converged on the brink of his eyes. His supposed killer towered over her before reaching for his head lifting him with his hair. Jeannette bothered with more of her attacks but the result was already set in stone.
Suspending his figure to his family, he began her demonstration as he planted an obsidian crystal seed in his forehead. He was fine but only for a moment before the pain began to set in. His screams inhumane as his limbs twisted into something that wasn't human.
*Crack-Crack-Crack*
His arms bent the wrong way, a new spike overgrew his older one as black protrusion seeped beneath his skin. "Arghhhh!!" With a final yell, Marchel met his demise with obsidian crystals blooming from his eyes and orifices. It was more of a young twig that came to bloom ending his life. His wife broke into mourns while his son merely fell on the floor still in disbelief of what had happened.
*BAM*
The door was barged opened behind her and an abomination made it's way in. It's features uncanny as it glanced around. Its physique that of a starved lion with multiple pupils with it's maw rich in blood of it's prey. It's mane glowed faintly in the sun's rays and it's eyes hollowed out with pure white oblivion.
Without a second thought, it charged at Jeannette who too met her end leaving Adrian who was left trembling. His little mind was overwhelmed with what was going on. The death of his parents so suddenly had yet to fully settle in his mind however Callista didn't give him the time to think about it too much.
*Plop*
His head rolled on the floor showing his shock as he looked at Callista. The abomination ignored her as it began to feast on Adrian's corpse as well. Callista outside was met with the screams of subordinates and citizens of Reuthar which she ignored as an obsidian light wrapped around her existence and Ina blink of an eye was gone.
***
Back in her room, she let out a sigh of fatigue though her limbs were full of energy and vigour. 'It's done.' Her tone flat as she echoed it back to Guinevere. "That's wonderful news, I'll make sure that you get your cut. You could stay here with me in Othare should you want if you get a bit lonely."
Callista didn't too much about it as a strange silence settled between the two. "Callista, you don't have to worry yourself too much with his game breaking rule so hard. You can rest with me." Guinevere posed however what met her was silence. "You're the problem." Callista finally spoke, her tone not sharp but as if bewildered herself.
"Huh? How am I the problem?" Guinevere asked, her face though absent to Callista showing her shock. "You... no wonder I can't figure it out at the slightest. I think it's best that we end our contacts between us for now." Before Guinevere could refute, Callista ended the conversation between the two.
Looking at the ceiling, her mind had been wrapped with what Jarren had told him and with Guinevere's presence, she felt as if her conclusion was flawed regardless of how she saw it. "A horror that is capable of nothing more than games but what Guinevere is forgetting is that the abyss us formless. Just games is too easy of a structure."
Her eyes narrowed as she felt that she was getting closer to the core of the issue. "Nothing but games. He said that he never had a name, only used what those around him would call him. Guinevere has incessantly told me that he does nothing more than make games out of people but that is her understanding of him thus he makes a game out of it."
The more she thought about it, the more it dawned on her that what Jarren had proposed to her was the possibility of more. "He's not just trivial games Guinevere, there's an abyss to him than just that." For the first time, she flashed a smile.
'When he was with me, he didn't just play games but felt and connected with me. With Clomere as well with her understanding, he merely takes the shape of what we want from him. The games are nothing more than to help him pass the time.' Before she could keep on going with her revelation, she heard a knock at her door.
Opening her door, she was met with a letter and her collar.
[{Let's go for a date. I'm sure you know where}]
She already knew what he meant before grabbing the collar, taking a long look at it before putting it in her world of obsidian reflections. 'It would seem that this date will be quite...peculiar.' A mischievous chuckle escaped her lips as she picked up her wine and took a light sip, anticipative of what was to come.