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Elseworld's Story: Medieval Universe Part 2: Clash of the A*shol
es
By: Zorbak the Ebil Moglin Date: January 7, 2026, 10:05 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
RP Story: Clash of the A*sholes
Prologue: The Dark Mirror Vision
Prologue Theme: Revelation (
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqrLR7wHAS0
)
Anubis was planning his invasion after he left the battle with
Cordath to bring Eric back to be turned into a specter... His
plan to destroy the Darkfires so that they would not be able to
stand in the way of his plans to take over this world.
Benedict was temporarily out of the way, and Anubis had every
intention of taking advantage of his absence.
But Anubis felt something was wrong... He saw three figures
emerge in a vision. Three figures he recognized at first, but
realized that they were not the figures he thought once the
figures became clear in his vision.
At first, Anubis thought he was seeing a vision of his death.
And in a sense, he could feel that this could result in his
death if not handled properly.
However, it was also an oppotunity when Anubis saw the truth of
what was happening.
He had been present when Cordath met the three prodigies, and
knew how Kendrix had hurt Cordath during the fight even though
he didn't see it. At first, Anubis had been worried about
Cordath having taken real damage, but Cordath made sure that
Anubis knew that it was only temporary.
But what he saw next chilled even Anubis to the bone.
The darkness that bled from Cordath that day rose into three
figures. New and much more powerful specters directly born of
Cordath and the residual energies of his battle with the Three
Prodigies.
It was like a mirror, that showed a dark reflection. And what
Anubis saw scared him.
After all. Even gods can feel fear. Especially when they see
something born of an even stronger god...
He saw three figures. Each a dark reflection of the Three
Prodigies. As Cordath's darkness had covered the room, the
residual energy of the Three Prodigies left behind had also been
absorbed by the darkness to create three brand new beings.
The first was Dark Kindron. He was a specter of darkness,
looking like a dark spirit. He had glowing white eyes, and
looking at his face was enough to send chills down almost anyone
afraid of dark spirits. Dark Kindron had a sword on his back,
and clawed gauntlets. Dark Kindron even wore a scarf. Unlike
Kindron who had armor and dark knight skills, Dark Kindron was
more of a assassin/warrior type than a knight, and seemed to
have his own version of Kindron's unique skill Hades, called
Dark Shinigami, that was born of the power came from Kindron's
being. Unlike Kindron, this version of Dark Kindron was
unchained, and only cared about finding what he felt was fun. A
man who enjoyed the battle, and didn't have a problem with
killing anyone in his path.
The second was Demon Hei. A monster born of Hei's forgotten
demon power from the time he spent as a guardian of Hell's Gate
when he was younger when he stopped his father from using Hell's
Gate to bring back Raven Branwen (who he didn't realize at the
time was actually still alive). A portion of that energy that
was still infused in Hei's power gave rise to Demon Hei, who
took some of the darkness of Cordath and amplified his own
demonic power beyond even the demon lords of the world. Demon
Hei, unlike Hei, seemed to evolve an icey presence, which seemed
to radiate from his blue flames that were colder than the 9th
circle of hell. Demon Hei was like an icey specter of of a
vengeful spirit, without anything to hone his vengeful side.
Demon Hei was cold, and ready to kill anyone who got in his way
or those that threatened his survival. Where Hei had learned
compassion, Demon Hei had no compassion at all, but a cold and
ruthless personality.
The last one was Kuroshi Kagema. This specter was born of
Kendrix's mastery over souls. A specter born of Kendrix's soul
and spirit mastery that seemed to be much like Kendrix, but
unbound by Kendrix's own resistance to cross certain lines. Even
though Kendrix was one who would do what it took to gain power,
there were certain things he never chose to embrace. And Kendrix
always had a certain amount of control. He only ever crossed
certain lines, with certain lines he wouldn't cross. But Kuroshi
was not bound by that. When Kuroshi wanted a soul, he was going
to be the type who would never hesitate to take a soul and feed
on the despair of people to strengthen his own power. Kuroshi
was a monster that was amplified by the power of souls, and a
specter who fed on the power he gained from souls.
Anubis saw the three, and saw something unfold like an ancient
prophecy. The three, whom he saw would come to be called the
Dark Prodigies, would become a force of nature that would
destroy this world if given the chance.
The fanged beast version of Kindron who shares Kindron's love
for battle, but none of Kindron's restraint.
The cold and distant version of Hei who cared about nothing in
this world or the next, and only cared about wiping out threats
to him and his brothers.
The version of Kendrix that didn't toe the line between
anti-hero and villain, but jumped over the line into full
villain without hesitation.
Anubis knew he could take advantage of this. But he knew that
the Dark Prodigies would be dangerous force that would threaten
his rule of a new world by destroying it.
After all. Even a god cannot rule a world if there's nothing
left to rule over...
These three were like reflections. Reflections cast in dark
mirror.
Main Story:
- Zakai Fights the Invasion Theme: Full Frontal Assault (
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uljVa4pd854
)
A Darkfire rushes to Zakai as he was fighting off the large fire
ants that were flying in.
Darkfire: Zakai! The fire ants are still coming in! And their
numbers are increasing!
Zakai scoffed a bit as he struck down another group of giant red
ants that were making their way in using his knives and a blast
of his storm powers.
Zakai: Damn. Someone has a real sense of irony... Masters of
fire felled by something with fire in its name. He says with a
sigh as he blasts another group of the ants with lightning.
Zakai was with the Darkfires, defending the Darkfire family's
land against an invasion of monster specters. These particular
monsters were fire ant specters, giant red ant spirits that
would attack humans and devour all of the food in the land,
including animals and plants. Fire ants weren't that strong as
monsters, but their numbers always overwhelmed.
For every fire ant killed, it was like 40 more replaced it. And
this wasn't just about survival, but getting rid of an
infestation that could ruin the whole kingdom if it isn't taken
out.
Zakai: If we can't kill them outright... We'll have to push
through until we reach the hive. If my guess is right, the queen
is probably spawning more as we fight. Let's bust through the
central line! He says as he shines with lightning and water as
he blasts through the fire ants.
Some of the Darkfires stay behind him, taking out the fire ants
while Zakai tries to focus as much power as he could to burst
through the lines.
Darkfire: Zakai... We have the left flank covered, but we can't
spare any for the right flank.
Zakai: Don't worry... Mom's got the right flank. Along with Kain
and Uncle Sirion. He says as he looks to the right, imagining
his mother, uncle and Kain destroying the fire ants. With those
three, they'll be covered. We just have to cover our own flanks.
And watch for rear attacks. Something tells me there's more to
this attack than we can see. He says, getting a strange sense
that they were going to be attacked from another angle. Though
Zakai didn't have the amount of experience those like Kindron
and Hei had, Zakai had a natural talent for sensing danger and
predicting enemy attacks.
Zakai continues cutting down fire ants, as the Darkfires also
seem to push back the ants.
However, the air gets thick, and the area darkens as power
starts to radiate in front of them.
Darkfire: What is that?! That dark energy is stronger than
anything I've ever felt! He says desperately, before being
pushed back with a scream by the incoming energy.
Zakai moves behind one of the buildings in the manor, and uses
it for cover as the energy seems to generate a stronger gust
than what he could.
Once the energy dies down, Zakai rushes out. And what he is met
with causes him to stop in his tracks.
Zakai: What the... He says as he sees the three standing in
front of him.
Zakai: No way in hell you're my real brothers... The whole black
and gray look gives it away. And you guys are really evil
looking... He says sarcastically.
Standing in front of Zakai were imagines of Kindron, Hei and
Kendrix, but instead of the brothers he knew, these were
actually Dark Kindron, Demon Hei and Kuroshi Kagema.
Stepping forward a few steps, the image of Kendrix in the form
of Kuroshi Kagema was the first to speak, with a smile that made
him look creepier than any spirit could.
Kuroshi: We're the ones who are here to kill you all. By order
of our father. I'm Kuroshi Kagema. And these are my brothers,
Dark Kindron and Demon Hei. He then smiles again. And yes, I
know what you're thinking. We're evil and mean looking. That's
the idea. He says jokingly.
Zakai: Actually. I was thinking how ugly you are, man... You're
like a little goblin with hair. He says jokingly.
Kuroshi: Maybe I should poke your eyes out if it bothers you so
much. He says with a scowl towards Zakai.
Zakai: Oh, it doesn't bother me. I'm just impressed... You
managed to capture Kendrix's image so completely. It's actually
hilarious. He says jokingly.
Demon Hei steps in front of Kuroshi, and puts his arm out to
stop Kuroshi from moving forward.
Demon Hei: I'll handle him. You two wipe out their lines.
- Zakai vs Demon Hei Theme: Piercing Battle Fury (
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-hX-9nry-s
)
Zakai sighs and gets his knives ready.
Zakai: Fine then. I guess I gotta take you on. He motions to the
other Darkfires. You guys hold off the other two. Don't let
their looks fool you. They're not my brothers. Destroy them. He
says as he gets ready to fight Demon Hei.
Demon Hei walks forward, and looks to Zakai with a cold gaze
that was almost as cold as the air when Demon Hei's power starts
to freeze the area.
Zakai shivers a bit as things get cold. He uses lightning to
warm himself up since he didn't have flames.
Zakai gets ready to move, until Demon Hei's fires ice spears at
Zakai, which he dodges as he jumps to the side. As he tries to
jump away, his feet get frozen to the ground as he runs on the
ice created by Demon Hei.
Zakai: What, no banter? Just straight hands? That's cold...
Literally. He says as he uses lightning again to heat his body
up.
Zakai jumps into the air, and uses his werepyre wings to float
up above.
Demon Hei: You freed yourself from the ice quickly. You're the
first who ever has broken my ice. He says to Zakai as he forms
blue wings made of icy energy that seemed almost like blue
flames.
Zakai: What can I say... I'm stubborn! He says with a smile as
he attacks Demon Hei, flying toward him as he tries to slash him
with his knives.
Demon Hei responds with using his own knives, countering every
strike Zakai could throw.
Zakai tries to counter Demon Hei, but Demon Hei seemed to be
faster than Zakai.
Zakai: You may not be Hei... But you sure fight like him. He
says as he attacks.
Demon Hei: Of course. We were born from your brothers... We have
all their skills and the skills taught to us by our father. He
says to Zakai.
Zakai: Wait... Who's your father? He says to Demon Hei.
Demon Hei continues his attacks, not giving Zakai any further
information. And during an attack, Hei manages to cut Zakai deep
in his shoulder.
Demon Hei: Got you. He says simply.
Zakai grunts in pain as he slowly regenerates.
Zakai: It's gonna take more than that to stop m- He says, but is
cut off as he feels his entire body stop.
Demon Hei: Crimson Frost. He says as he turns away and snaps his
fingers.
Zakai falls to the ground, as he feels his blood vessels and
arteries completely freeze solid. Zakai couldn't even move, but
he uses his lightning to heat up his body again.
As Zakai starts to move, he looks to his wound which was
completely frozen still even with the lightning, and he realized
why he couldn't move his arm.
Zakai: You stole that move from Hei and added Frost to it
instead of Crimson Vapor! Zakai says, recognizing the technique.
Normally it was a technique that Hei used to heat up one's blood
once they had been injured, and caused their blood to evaporate
into red mist from their body. But instead of the heat, Demon
Hei seemed to use cold instead of heat.
Once free, Zakai lands on the ground and looks to Demon Hei.
Zakai: You got any original moves? Or did you steal everything
off my bros?
Demon Hei looks down at Zakai. Demon Hei: You want something
original? Alright. I'll show you a new technique I've been
working on...
Demon Hei then starts to freeze the area around him again,
causing ice to cover most of the ground in the area, and even
the trees and buildings nearby were freezing.
Zakai flies up into the air and watches Demon Hei.
Zakai: Um. Cool? You froze the area? Not really original bu- He
stops and his expression changes when he notices the light being
reflected off the ice was now being focused by the ice as the
ice changes shape to reflect the light like a magnifying glass
and reflected towards him.
Demon Hei: Frozen Dawn. He says, not listening to Zakai, as the
light is then focused toward Zakai.
Zakai chuckles nervously as he sees the light converging on him
but can't dodge as it surrounds him.
Zakai: Haha... I regret opening my mouth.~ He says cheerfully,
nervously, and sarcastically all at once.
Zakai then screams in surprise and pain as he's engulfed in a
flurry of light beams that blast through him.
After the attack, Zakai falls to the ground, and immediagely
feels his blood freeze again when his body freezes to the ground
when he hits the ice.
Demon Hei: So. How was that for original? He says sarcastically
as he walks up to Zakai.
Zakai: Full marks man... 10 out of 10. That one got me. He says
coughing up blood as he uses his lightning to thaw his blood and
regenerate his body.
Still on the ground, Zakai looks up to Demon Hei and smiles
after he was regenerated and Demon Hei had finished walking up
to him.
Zakai: You don't mind if I steal that technique, do you? He says
as he focuses his own water and air manipulation to reflect the
light in his face.
Demon Hei: How-?! He says just as he is blasted by Zakai's
reflected light attack and blasted through a wall and into a
building.
Zakai then uses his lightning to heat himself up, and then gets
up slowly. He then dances in place, clearly proud of himself.
Zakai: Oh yeah! You can't out-element me, you mother f- He says
before being cut off by Dark Kindron and Kuroshi appearing from
nowhere, and attacking him from both sides as Dark Kindron and
Kuroshi just gang up and try to beat up Zakai.
Zakai: Wait! OW! Hold on! He says as he tries to block, but
fails and gets beat up by Dark Kindron and Kuroshi before being
combo-kicked in the gut and knocked through a wall.
Zakai coughs as he comes out of the rubble. Zakai: Bro! You just
broke fighting rule number 3! Don't interrupt someone when
they're trashtalking! That's not funny, man! He says bitterly.
Kuroshi: It's kind of funny... He says jokingly.
Zakai: Shut up, Red Kendrix! He says sarcastically, pointing at
Kuroshi.
Zakai stands up, but was having trouble standing and moving due
to the cold. He breathes heavily, trying to recover his
composure.
Kuroshi and Dark Kindron stand as Demon Hei walks out of the
wall he was knocked through.
Demon Hei: This one is stronger than I thought...
Dark Kindron: I like this one. Maybe we should make take him and
make a verison of him for our little group. He says with a
sinister smile.
Zakai: Oh HELL no! He says as he steps back. He then looks back,
realizing there were no Darkfires behind him. Wait... Where are
the others?! Don't tell me... He says, remembering what Dark
Kindron and Kuroshi were doing (taking out the other flanks).
Dark Kindron gives a sinister smile. Dark Kindron: Yeah, we took
them out. Right now, your flanks are crumbling, and soon you're
all going to be overwhelmed.[/b]
Zakai scoffs.
Zakai: Dammit... Where's Kindron and the others?! He says as he
tries to telepathically call for Kindron, Hei and Kendrix. He
thought the other Darkfires had called them earlier, but Zakai
tries again. However, he realizes he can't hear any telepathy,
and can't even reach the other Darkfires still fighting.
Zakai's eyes widen.
Zakai: Wait... What happened? Why can't I reach the other
Darkfires?! He says, starting to panic.
Demon Hei: Did you forget... We're Darkfires too? He says to
Zakai as he walks up to him. We're using our telepathy to create
a jamming field. Making sure you can't call each other, so that
we can wipe you out completely. By the time your brothers find
out what is happening here, you're going to be dead.
Zakai gets a scowl.
Zakai: Okay... That's rude. He says, his normal jokes starting
to disappear as he realizes how dire their situation is.
As Zakai tries to ready himself, a giant lightning strike comes
down from above, and knocks Demon Hei back.
Zakai falls to one knee as he takes a moment. He recognized the
lightning and realized who was here.
Kuroshi: No! Don't tell me! The prodigies weren't supposed to
get here in time! He says as he saw the lightning bolt.
Zakai looks up and sees his mother, Kina Darkwolf, standing next
to him.
- Sirion, Kina and Kain appear Theme: Royal Blue (
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DIExug1Ps0
)
Zakai: Not the Prodigies... Well, not the ones you know. He says
jokingly to Kuroshi. These are the ORIGINAL three prodigies. He
says jokingly.
Coming down from a building, Sirion Darkwolf and Kain Silverfang
join Kina.
Kina: What you've done is unforgivable. She says angrily. You
three will pay for the lives you've taken today.
Kain and Sirion get ready.
Dark Kindron then sends a whistle through the manor, which was
clearly a signal.
Sirion: What was that for? He says, realizing what Dark Kindron
did.
Kain: We wiped out the fire ants... Who's he signalling? He says
as he looks back.
Dark Kindron smiles again.
Dark Kindron: You think we're the only wave? Our father,
Cordath, planned this little attack. I may not like the guy, but
father ordered us to work with that Anubis guy... And now, he's
about to wipe out your entire family with his newest
masterpieces. He says cheerfully.
Kina, Sirion and Kain all start hearing screams as they can feel
new fighting beginning in the distance behind them.
Kain: DAMN! They're attacking from the rear! He says.
Zakai gets up, and steps into a martial arts stance. At first,
it looks like he was powering up in a Satsui no Hado stance, but
he starts to shine with lightning, water and releasing gusts of
wind.
Zakai: You three go. Take out Anubis and whatever he brought.
I'll handle this!
Kina: You can't take on all three of them, Zakai... They'll kill
you. He says to Kina.
Kina's comment hits Zakai hard, as he nearly falls over. Zakai:
Thanks for the confidence, mom. He says sarcastically.
Zakai looks to Kina.
Zakai: You don't have a choice! Now GO. Save them! I'll hold off
these three as long as I'm able! He says to them.
Sirion throws his darkness knife to Zakai.
Sirion: Don't go dying on us, kiddo. He says as he rushes with
Kina and Kain to help the other Darkfires.
Zakai spins the darkness knife in his hand, ready to fight.
Zakai: Alright a*sholes... Round 2. He says as he gets into a
martial arts stance.
He takes a deep breath and focuses. He had a feeling he knew
what he needed to do, and if there was ever a time to figure out
his Darkwolf training to use the Darkwolf Instinctive Combat
style, this was it. As Zakai focuses, he goes into his werepyre
form, which was actually not as large as one might think. It was
skinny, but muscular, and his fur had a green glow to it.
- Zakai's Second Round Theme: Pave Your Way (
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLm4nhSFt6U
)
Zakai goes to attack the Dark Prodigies as he uses his attack
skills.
The three dodge him, each using their own martial arts skills.
Zakai tries to clear his mind as he attacks, staying ahead of
the three of them for the first time as he seems to get more
skilled the more he uses the mindset of the Darkwolf combat
form. And with the dark energy, Zakai was able to absorb the
energies that the Dark Prodigies tried to use, as the knife's
dark energy seemed to have Sirion's dark alchemy that made the
knife almost like a black hole.
However, the three Dark Prodigies seem to stay ahead of him
still as they also adapt to Zakai's fighting style.
Zakai tries to face off against the three, and vanishes in quick
bursts. He doesn't land any hits, but seems to be able to stay
on the defensive.
However, the three seem to start landing hits, and Demon Hei
slashes Zakai's shoulder again. But as he does, Dark Kindron
spears Zakai's other shoulder with his sword, causing Zakai to
scream in pain.
As Dark Kindron and Demon Hei move their blades from Zakai,
Kuroshi gut-punches Zakai into a wall.
As he hits the wall, Zakai falls to the ground, and goes back
into his human form, coughing up blood. Just like how Kendrix
had wounded Cordath, it seemed like Kendrix was able to
interrupt regeneration, as Zakai could feel his injuries not
regenerating.
Demon Hei then freezes Zakai's blood and freezes him in place
again.
Demon Hei: You should have listened to your mother, kid... He
says as he brings up his hand to deliver the final blow.
But before he could, another hand grabs Demon Hei's hand.
Voice: No, child... Let him live. It was entertaining to watch
you fight him. He's got more skill than the others. The voice
says, revealing itself to be Cordath, now fully recovered from
Kendrix's knife injury.
- Cordath Appears Theme: X, the Legend Orchestral Remix (
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3Ppuvie3zI
)
Zakai looks to Cordath.
Zakai: Child? I don't understand... He says to Cordath.
Cordath walks over to Zakai and leans down. He taps Zakai's
forehead and undoes the freezing power Demon Hei used on Zakai
so he could move.
Cordath: Even I was surprised... Your brother, the short one
(Kendrix), injured me. And it seems my darkness created these
specters from the energy leaked out of my body. They are my
children. Created from me, and from the energy of your brothers
left behind during our battle.
Zakai looks in horror at Cordath. Zakai: Did you... kill... He
says, fearing for his brothers lives if they had met Cordath.
Cordath: Do not worry. Your brothers are alive. That little one
was the first to injure me in some time. He says to Zakai with a
chuckle.
He then leans down to him, causing Zakai to try and scuttle away
from him, but could barely move.
Cordath: You will meet my children again. And I hope you'll give
a good performance. Go and get stronger. I was getting bored of
Anubis and the scientist. But your little brother handed me
something new. And I'm going to enjoy watching my children burn
this world to the ground. He says with a chuckle.
Zakai: So, Kendrix f*cked over the world, huh? Why am I not
surprised? He says sarcastically.
Cordath just chuckles at Zakai's comment.
Cordath: Well... It's on you or your brothers to stop me. And
maybe whatever's left of the Zolnerowich family. He then shrugs.
So don't count on much.
Cordath then looks at Dark Kindron, Demon Hei and Kuroshi.
Cordath: Go. Wipe out the rest of the Darkfires.
Cordath then vanishes in a cloud of darkness as the Dark
Prodigies move towards the other Darkfires, leaving Zakai there,
still bleeding form his injuries.
Zakai: No... I have to... get up. He says weakly.
But it doesn't take long for Zakai to lose consciousness.
- Aftermath Theme: Dramatic Motion (
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBR4UE2-TOw
)
Zakai didn't know how long it had been since he was left
unconscious. But when he woke up, he saw what was left of his
home, of the Darkfire's manor, he knew that he had been down for
a while.
He gets up, looking around. He saw a few injured, both Darkfires
and alchemists, and only a few healers. There was hardly anyone
left, and that was evident in the fact that nobody even noticed
Zakai getting up and walking around with how busy they were
healing others, and some gathering dead bodies. The ashes and
the area still black from the soot and fire that was had
occassional splashes of blood from the dead bodies seemed to
make the sight even more grim.
As he observes the damage, Zakai gets tears in his eyes as he
walks through what was left of the manor. He sees dead bodies
throughout the manor, and notices that nobody had been able to
even clean up. Most of the manor had been destroyed by the
battle, and Zakai could tell most of the Darkfire family had
died during Anubis's attack.
Zakai: It's... all gone... He says to himself.
Soon, it becomes too much for Zakai to take, as he falls to his
knees, and starts punching the ground softly. He shines with
lightning when his emotions take over, but it was extremely
weak.
As Zakai loses himself in his emotions, he senses Sirion walk up
behind him. Zakai doesn't get up, as he didn't seem to have the
strength or willpower to move.
Sirion: I'm sorry, Zakai. It's hard to see, I know. Someone so
young shouldn't have to see such destruction.
Zakai: Please... Tell me it's not as bad as it looks. He says
weakly.
Sirion: I wish I had some good news for you... But I don't. We
were overrun. We lost the battle.
Zakai looks over to Sirion, not lifting his head.
Zakai: Who's left? He says softly, fearing the answer.
Sirion: Most of the Darkfires and the alchemists were wiped out
in the attack. We were all caught in the middle, fighting off
the fireants and those dark copies of your brothers on one side,
who we started calling the Dark Prodigies, and Anubis and his
new warriors on the other side. And it wasn't just the Darkfires
Anubis's warriors wiped out. He looks to Zakai with a heavy
heart, not wanting to say what he had to say. Your mother, my
sister. And Kain, my best friend... They fell in battle. Cut
down by Anubis's new warriors and those Dark Prodigies. I only
saw one of the Anubis's warriors... A warrior known as the Black
Dragon Knight.
Zakai: Where are Kindron, Hei and Kendrix?
Sirion: We don't know. Somehow, telepathy powers have stopped
working entirely.
Zakai: The Dark Prodigies... They did that. But if they left,
then we should be able to contact them now, right?
Sirion shakes his head softly.
Sirion: I wish that were the case. But it's not just here that
it's happening. All over the kingdom, telepathy has stopped
working. It's not just the Darkfires. No one who has the ability
to connect with others can do so. Our alchemists with spirits
bonded in their bodies can commune with them while they're not
manifested, but once out of their body, their connection becomes
severed and they can't communicate.
Zakai: I'm guessing that was meant to take the Zolnerowich
family and the Darkfires who rely on elemental spirits out of
play. Those clones also said they were trying to cut us off
asking for help. He says, theorizing on why this was happening.
Sirion: That is a logical conclusion.
Zakai: The Zolnerowich family taught us about spirits and spirit
bonding... In return, we taught them advanced elemental
abilities and helped train them in physical combat. It was
supposed to help both our families defend ourselves if we were
ever in this situation.
Sirion: I haven't talked to the remains of the Zolnerowich
family, but I suspect they will have trouble manifesting their
spirits just like we have. It will make surviving the coming
conflict harder when those of us left have trouble using some of
our skills.
Zakai tries not to cry as he thinks about how he's going to face
Kindron, Hei and Kendrix if he sees them again (as he didn't
know if Cordath was telling the truth about them being alive).
Zakai: I failed. I failed everyone.
Sirion: As did I, my boy. I'm sorry. He says to Zakai, putting
his hand on Zakai's shoulder.
Zakai: Where does that leave us? He says softly.
Sirion: The Knights of Alban came to our aid at the request of
the kingdom, but too late to make a difference. Most of the
knights had to stay behind in case the capital were attacked, so
we only have a small force led by Aveline Grace here helping
heal the wounded. But the problem is that with the Zolnerowich
and Darkfire families both almost completely wiped out, our two
strongest defenders are gone. We do have the special forces
groups, and the Knights of Alban, it's possible the capital's
defenses can fend off attack for a while, but the rest of the
country will be vulnerable. But they're small forces. They're
not strong enough to fight entire wars from multiple sides. And
that's assuming any other countries don't decide to take
advantage of our weakness.
Zakai: Is there anything we can do? He asks hopefully, but not
getting his hopes up.
Sirion: I think our best bet now... is to ask the Vowl Kingdom
for help. Maybe see if Radu the Inferno will ally with us to
take down Cordath's people. But if we do...
Zakai: There's going to be a price to pay. He says, finishing
Sirion's sentence. Radu himself would help another kingdom he
respected, but the person Radu served... He would not let a
favor like that go unpaid. Most didn't know the man that Radu
served, but it was not a person who gave anything out for free,
and deals had to be made before any services were given. No one
knew the man's name, but they knew his reputation.
Zakai sits still, all fight and life seeming to have drained
from him.
Sirion kneels down and hugs Zakai, who doesn't move. Sirion knew
it would take some time before Zakai had the courage to get back
up. Both literally and metaphorically.
Zakai: I've always been strong enough. I'm not supposed to fail
like this... He says to himself.
Sirion: I know, my boy... This was the first time I've lost a
battle as well. He says softly.
It was the first major loss that Zakai had ever suffered. One
that he felt personally responsible for.
But he knew he couldn't give up hope... For his mother, Kina.
And Kain, who was like an uncle to him. And to all the Darkfires
who died. He couldn't let despair overtake him, and he couldn't
give in to his temptation for revenge.
Zakai knew what he had to do next...
He just didn't know when he'd be able to summon the strength...
1 Week Later:
- What Zakai had to do Theme: Sakura no Ki no Shita ni (
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7bIaRlw8J8
)
It had been a week since the destruction. So far, things had
been quiet. Not many were left to rebuild, and Kindron, Hei and
Kendrix were still off the radar... Or at least, Zakai assumed.
He hadn't been back to the manor since the day he left a few
days ago.
Zakai had left after talking to Sirion, who was staying and
helping the few survivors find shelter. Zakai couldn't think
about facing Kindron and Hei about failing to protect the manor.
As for Kendrix... He didn't care what Kendrix thought about him.
But Zakai knew that he couldn't face Kindron and Hei as weak as
he felt. And he didn't want to be there when Kindron and Hei saw
what had happened. They had already gone off the rails as it is,
and this would likely spiral them even further into revenge.
Zakai walks into the forest. He knew what he had to do next. It
had been quiet, but that wouldn't last long. Cordath made it
clear that he was going to attack their world and burn it down
for his own amusement.
As he walks into the forest, he sees a familiar face. Zakai
smiles and waves.
Zakai: Hey buddy! Long time no see! He says, trying to put on a
happy face. However, he knew that his emotions were hollow right
now. He was going through the usual motions, but nothing felt
authentic right now.
The man walked out with a smile and Zakai and the man handshake,
hidden in the shadows.
Man: Welcome to my forest. He looks to Zakai. So... How bad is
it? He says to Zakai. It was clear that he was talking about the
attack on the Darkfires.
Zakai lets go of the man's hand and looks down.
Zakai: It's bad. There's only a few of us left. My mother is
gone... If Father were still alive, he could have saved us. It
was hard enough seeing dad get sick and pass away after his
fight with Dovelthain Hazeldine... Now mom is gone too. And I
didn't even get to say goodbye this time.
Man: If only I'd gotten there in time... Mother sensed something
was wrong and sent me to help. But by the time I got there, you
were unconscious, and the battle was lost. He says with a sigh.
Zakai: I don't think any one person would have made a
difference. Even a Wolfwing like you. Our family is gone. I
heard Kindron, Hei and Kendrix are alive, but I don't know if I
can trust Cordath's word. The kingdom is in a mess without being
able to communicate with each other. And we don't know how long
this telepathy blackout will last, if it's not a permanent
thing. He says to the man.
As the man steps out of the shadows, it is revealed to be
Blademaster Raven Darkfire, the son of Erimus Shepherd and
Karasu Darkfire. In this universe, Karasu was in an attack that
killed her father, Qrow's brother Toshiro, and ended up gravely
injured and her memory lost from trauma as Toshiro teleported
her away. When that happened, she ended up in Wolfwing's forest,
where Erimus Shepherd found her. And as Karasu lived in
Wolfwing's forest with him and he nursed her back to health, the
two got close and after a few years were married with
Blademaster Raven as their child born a few years later. And
eventually, Blademaster Raven even grew strong enough to defeat
Erimus to gain the Wolfwing title, becoming Wolfwing XIV.
Raven: I understand. If you want me to help you, I will. I'm
ready to stand against this Anubis and whatever threats are
present.
Zakai smiles.
Zakai: Good to know... But before that. I need your help. He
says to Raven.
Raven: Sure. Anything. He says, seeing the pain in Zakai's eyes.
Zakai: I need you to train me. He says simply.
Raven, surprised, hesitates a bit before responding.
Raven: You? Train? Are things that bad? He says, knowing that
Zakai had never trained a day in his life.
Zakai: It's worse. He explains. I can sense it... We're on the
verge of another calamity. This time though, the Darkfires and
Zolnerowiches have been mostly wiped out or are too far out of
it to do anything. We're certain Cordath wants the remnants to
get stronger so he can crush our hopes when we get overwhelmed
again. It seems to be how he gets his amusement by giving people
hope, then seeing people struggle and die for nothing. He says,
clenching his fist and remembering Cordath's words to him.
Raven nods.
Raven: I understand. But if I train you, this won't be easy. I'm
not the kind of trainer that's going to let you quit when things
get tough.
Zakai gets a fierce gaze.
Zakai: If you were, I wouldn't be here. I need someone who can
train me seriously... And I need you to make sure I don't give
in to rage. Because every fiber of my being wants revenge. And I
know I can't win like that... I saw what that was doing to my
brothers... And I wish I would have stopped them from going
after the Zolnerowich family's killers because our family not
still be alive if they hadn't gone off on their own. He says.
Though he wasn't angry at his brothers, he knew that them going
off on revenge mode was part of the reason they lost, and now he
realized that this might have been part of the Anubis's plan to
defeat them all along. Divide and conquer and all that. Zakai
only blamed himself. He saw what he should have done, but he had
faith in his brothers, and now realized it caused him to miss
the signs.
Raven nods again.
Raven: I understand. But if we do this, I'm going to push you to
your limits. Are you ready for that?
Zakai: I know, and I'm ready. And I'll take that Wolfwing title
from you before you know it. He says jokingly.
Zakai then gets serious as he clenches his fist.
Zakai: I will become the new hero who will save this world...
Because I won't be able to face my bros again otherwise.
Elsewhere:
- Dream Theme: Yuki's Recollection (
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9-PfrBnavs
)
During one of V's nights asleep not long after the attack on the
Darkfires, she'd get a dream where Anubis would appear to her.
Anubis: You've seen it, haven't you? Everyone wants to use you,
or contain you. No one wants you to be truly be free. The
scientist wanted to force you to be his puppet because he wanted
your power, and the others in your family want to hold you down
because they know you'll be too powerful to control. The humans
are afraid of you, others seek to use you. You saw how quickly
they turn on you the moment something goes wrong, and even your
own family cannot change their minds. You are stronger than
them. Stronger than even your mother. She would not be able to
see how much stronger you are, not because of her, but because
you fought for your own path. Seek me out, and I can help you
rise above it all. Free from the constraints of this world. I do
not wish to control you, but to set you free. You are a wolf...
A wolf who longs to run through the open land...
Anubis's words sounded almost like he wanted to help V, to give
her the freedom she wants. It didn't seem like he wanted to
control her, and seemed genuinely to want to guide her.
Of course, Anubis was good at seeing what people wanted. And
even better at talking people into being willing to do whatever
it takes to get what they want.
Most wouldn't ever know how manipulative Anubis was. To those
that he wanted to manipulate, he seemed to genuinely care, and
there was never a hint of deception in his words.
But that was the trick...
Anubis's greatest skill wasn't killing or creating specters
(though he was really good at that too)...
It was manipulating people by giving them exactly what they
want.
Because he understands loyalty is not something that is
expected, but is earned.
And his believers rarely ever turn back after Anubis helps them
remove their hesitation and inhibitions.
End.
*****************************************************