Kael's body lay motionless blood spewing from the stump where his right arm was supposed to be with a spear impaled on his chest
the fire behind him soon engulfed the entire forest the body stood proud even in death
Orshred's hands now stained by the blood of the person he once called brother
"You weren't meant to die this way" orshred said in a voice audible only to him
His eyes unreadable his wrist flickering with crimson "if only I hadn't listened to that scum of a king"
In the distance only the distance marching of the army could be heard
The flames flickered in response to his emotions the silence louder than any battle cry he ever let out he turned back only to disappear into the darkness
By the time the main army arrived both orshred and the body of kael was gone seemingly vanished
"where is general orshred"asked a soldier with contempt
"He's...gone" replied another
The only mark of their battle was etched onto the earth itself
____________________
Ruigerd's slashed though powerful failed to hit the target
"Damn you"he growled
"You can't kill me I far surpass you in every aspect you can think of" the shadow soldiers voice sounded as of metal was being rubbed against stone
Just then he appeared behind ruigerd dagger in hand prepared to stab just inches away.
A hooded figure intercepted it metal met shadow.
"GO!"
"Tch.. another nuisance " the shadow soldiers growled with his hoarse voice.
"A nuisance strong enough to kill you"the man ralph
"We'll see "he growled in his already hoarse voice
"Ruigerd move "
"B-but"
"This is my last order as your master the kids father..... take them and run" his eyes became completely black devoid of any colour and a single horn protruded from his head and black aura erupted outwards ralph said his voice though light had a commanding presence in it his voice trembling.
He wasn't used to this power he is using now
His claws turned pitch black he now wore a bone mask which covered half of his face
His aura now denser and more compact
He shot forward at the shadow soldiers with unimaginable speed a black streak followed closely behind.
Ralph's fist slammed into the shadow soldier's chest with a sickening crunch, the impact sending tremors through the earth. The ground beneath them cracked, dust and ash erupting in a shockwave that scattered debris in every direction. The shadow soldier was thrown back, skidding across the battlefield, carving a path through broken stones and scorched soil.
"So the rumors were true there is still a ghoul alive and...healthy it seems."
But he didn't stay down.
Like a phantom, he righted himself mid-air, landing low to the ground, claws digging into the dirt. Smoke trailed from his chest where Ralph had hit him,
Without warning the shadow soldier blurred forward faster than most eyes could track Ralph barely managed to cross his arms in time to block the barrage of attacks that followed each blow landing like a thunderclap sending shockwaves outward Black claws slashed across Ralph's arms leaving glowing gashes that sizzled as if infected with corruption
"you can't keep up" the shadow taunted his blade-like fingers slashing with precision
Ralph grunted forced back step by step. But he didn't falter. His foot suddenly anchored into the ground and in one fluid motion he twisted, bringing his elbow crashing into the shadow's cheek A gust of air followed the hit and the soldier stumbled to the side
But Ralph wasn't done
He jumped after him spinning mid-air his bone mask cracking further with each burst of power His knee struck the shadow's spine sending him plummeting And before the enemy could hit the ground Ralph dove downwardslamming both fists into his chest like a meteor strike
The earth cracked beneath them. A crater formed around their impact.
"i've fought the likes of you before you're the weakest of them all" Ralph growled, panting.
The shadow soldier coughed violently, his form glitching with static-like pulses. " Not bad for a monster who hides behind a mask though I expected you to be stronger" he said dissaperaing and re appearing behind ralph managing to impaled his dagger deep inside Ralph's shoulder
Ralph's claws dimmed slightly"I may... not be as strong as you thought...but it's more than enough to bury you deep withing these realms" His breath came in ragged heaves
The strain of tapping into his sealed strength and his bleeding shoulder which was healing at an inhumane pace was catching up to him
The shadow soldier suddenly vanished into the ground again reappearing behind Ralph with his hand inches away from his neck A blade of shadow extended from his wrist ready to pierce Ralph's neck.
But chains shot from the ground—black, spiked, and alive. They wrapped around the soldier's limbs mid-strike, halting him inches from Ralph's back.
""mistakes are made once not twice he said looking at his shoulder " Ralph muttered, turning his head slightly.
"Tch.. the soldier spat struggling against the chains. "you can't chain death itself"
He said before vanishing as if the earth swollowed him whole
As ralph clenched his fists his mask shattered into fragments that dissolved into ash.
"If it wasn't for you that servent of ....yours would have died " he said.
Ralphs eyes widened "you..couldn't.... even if I hadn't come" he snarled.
Ralph's breathing grew heavier with each passing second.
Faint footsteps could be heard in the distance.
"Tch" he closed his eyes for a moment only for stone pillars to rise from each of the four direction creating a somewhat complicated translucent magic circle
"Gorthak I.....summon you"
A 9 feet tall monster made of hulking mass covered entirely on green scales came out of portal binded by chains made of obsidian
"Who die-dies fir-fir-first"he said with his cracked voice
"There's only one...maybe a few hundred this time" in his jagged voice
"Good i-i wa-was hungr-y" gorthak's face twitched with his chains rattling "th-the sm-mell of-f
Blood"
"You maniac...why unleash this beast it kill both foes and allies alike"
"Only a monster....can defeat a monster I don't see the diffrence..huh-huh...between him and you" he said his voice uneven
A swift slash towards the minister's tail and one towards the chains binding him was enough to break both
The monsters face which had a rounded overall twisted his eyes turning crimson red
________________
Ruigerd was running with the kids in hand struggling to catch breath only the sound of branches being slapped away and his occasional snapping of branches rang in the silent forest
He ran kept running for what felt like ages.
The little boys sister still fast asleep despite the chaos and the little boy seemingly sleeping but had been knocked out by ruigerd
He stopped looking behind
Only to see bodies of soldiers being sent flying into the air by what seemed like a drake.
"Who in this world can even unleash such a monster and try control it" he whispered "these monsters are available only at the western region"