Il’tel

Night Court Capital, Twilight Grove

Seven hours later

As the thick fog flowed all around him, Yokai pressed on and through the massive forest. The trees he sensed, almost as tall as those back at Frostbite forest. The fog, seemingly made by the trees in some way. He saw why infiltration was not an option against the Night Court, to live and defend such terrain they really did have the most powerful detection magic in the Empire.

Which is why they had decided that instead of sneaking inside and prepare ways to clear and distract the guards like they had with the Frost Court. Which was not possible with the Night Court. The Blood Pack decided best to just ram their heads straight into the Court’s gates.

And Yokai knew exactly how as he threaded on, leaping from large branch to another. Wearing his Yokai mask and outfit, he barely made use of his own eyes as his detection skills were on their maximum output. At the same time so was his aura, oozing out so much mana the Night Court must have detected him approaching even before he was met with the fog.

Yokai sensed the Court’s elite moving about the forest with him, before several screams of surprise and pain filled his ears. (“It works.”) he thought, knowing that the screams were caused by his mana-less minions who he had mentally ordered to ambush the ambushers that were stalking after him.

Yokai knew, from Isaac’s intel, that the Night Court used a combination of mana detection skills to traverse the forest. So he had covered his minions in a veil of Spirit to somewhat mask their Dread, and at the same time he maximized his aura to the point that he doubted the Night Court could even detect their own over him.

Yokai was a flame, the Night Court were moths and his minions running through the forest below were practically unnoticed until it was too late. Turned out, bony undead could climb quite efficiently.

For several minutes he traversed the foggy woods, marking any enemies that closed in on him for his undead to take out. One minion had failed their ambush at one point but Yokai made quick work of the survivor, surging in his direction before lighting the Night Elf on Darkfire.

Yokai noticed that at one point the Night Elves stopped coming at him (“So they’ve wised up.”) he figured they had abandoned their aggressive strategy and changed to manning their walls, something he was closing onto quickly.

But little did they know…

As Yokai entered detection range of the wall, he sensed several thousand Elves manning it. Also sensing the magic enchanted into the structure, which he also knew from Isaac’s intel to be Living Wood magic. A wall that fought back.

He ordered his minions to stop below, briefly he sensed around looking for a specific one before leaping off his branch and surging onto Bob’s shoulder. Glancing down he could barely see the giant skeleton’s feet, or foot as the left one was blocked by Steven’s serpentine body going through Bob’s chest.

He stood up and gazed off into the fog, not able to see it at all but knowing it was there. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Twilight Grove

Chief war room

Three old Elves sat facing each other within the large room, a single circular wooden table across them. The room was dimly lit, white crystals giving off the light from the ceiling. The walls were of a dark grey bark, the ceiling and floor a light grey wood.

Each of the three were Night Elves, dark skin of either dark-purple, dark-grey or dark-brown.

“Well, here we are now. At the edge of this cliff we brought ourselves to.” Mused the first Leader, dark purple skin and short dark-blue hair with a clean shave. This was Pyon of the Sen’iel clan.

Another snorted in disdain, dark-brown skin and long black hair with a just as long a moustache. “Now you whine Sen’iel? We all agreed to our actions and you only nodded your head, if you had something to say you should of said it! Now it’s all too late and we must keep acting in accordance!” exclaimed Ke’ol of the Darkbloom clan.

“And what, dear Darkbloom Leader, would our next actions be?” asked Deli of the Cel’ien clan. Dark-grey skin and short greying hair, she was the oldest of the Leaders. “The armada is beached, licking their wounds. The Champions turned against us and now Frost has fallen to a newly emerged enemy!”

“New? You mean old, Cel’ien.” Corrected Pyon with a sneer “The Spirit demons from your time have returned to haunt us because your generation could not end the threat!”

The three clans of Sen’iel, Darkbloom and Cel’ien worked, lived and survived together but that did not stop them from arguing. And said argument went on for several moments, right up until the wall to their left opened up revealing a cloaked soldier.

Wearing dark-chainmail over leather armour and a long dark cloak, this was the Night Court Elite’s attire for combat. And the soldier who entered at this time was the newly appointed General Kiron Cel’ien, after the unexplained death of the last.

Kiron stepped inside, the wall closing behind him. He bowed to each Leader “Kiron of Cel’ien asks to bring forth news, Leaders.”

“Enter and speak child, what news pauses our meeting?” bitterly asked Deli, having been cut off before she could end her retort.

Dark-grey skin and long silver hair. His eyes glowed crimson with power, covering the underlying green. Kiron straightened himself “We Nightblades have encountered pressing matters outside the Grove, we are unable to identify the approaching threat but they are most definitely not trying to cover their entrance. The mana they are outputting is…off putting.”

“Unable to identify? How!?” demanded Pyon “What in this world could stop you from i-It…It’s him!” his eyes widened “It must be!”

Kiron nodded “I fear there is no other explanation, we must move you to a safer location immediately. The Spirit demon is here.”

Ke’ol laughed at the General’s words “Safer location? Son if our elite and this forest cannot stop this monster from reaching us then no thicker wall shall!” he slammed his fist onto the table, causing the living wood that made it to shudder and briefly deform.

“Then what do you expect us to do?” asked Deli “Wait and watch?”

All three turned to Ke’ol as he rose from his chair “We must activate It.” He spoke in almost a whisper “It was given to us Night Elves to watch over, because we have the most efficient defences on Il’tel but if even those defences prove useless…then we are left with no choice!”

Ke’ol glanced over them, as their expressions turned grim and deep in thought “Time is of the essence, if we do not sic it on this Yokai then Durga might have as well not graced us with her power!”

“We only have one use Sen’iel, you do realise this?” asked Pyon as he also rose from his chair.

Ke’ol rummaged within his shirt’s collar, bringing out a crystal green key that was held to his neck by a rune etched black string “Then let us make full use of it, for she will surely save us all.”

Pyon glanced down at the table, closing his eyes briefly before sighing “She would.” He reached into his left sleeve and pulled out his own key.

Both turned to look at Deli, who’s expression seemed distant “I still remember the eyes of the only three survivors from that one night, it was obvious to all they saw nightmares within that Crystal Kingdom. Very well, with little choice left. For the Empire, for the Elven race.” She rose and took out her key from the inner pocket of her coat “We shall awaken The Grand Champion.”

Ke’ol nodded at both, as all three lowered their key towards the wooden table across them. The material morphed and warped as the objects approached, forming what seemed like keyholes.

Yokai stepped through the thinning out fog, finding himself face to face with a large wall of ever-moving, continuously flowing roots. As he stepped out of the fog, as it unravelled around his form the ends of the roots suddenly perked up and like spikes turned to face him. Above the wall he noticed several dozen Elves nocking their bows, without even a warning each attacked.

Arrows rained down upon him as the slower roots rushed down into the ground, creating a tremor beneath his feet. And suddenly his aura disappeared, the chilling cold that he once emanated pulled back and reformed on his position.

Quickly replaced by a wave of Darkfire as it pulsed out like an explosion from his body, incinerating the rain of arrows before dissipating meters away from the wall. The Archers above nocked more arrows, but stopped as their detection skills sensed an…oddity.

Yokai stood still as several thick roots burst out of the ground around him, morphed into spear like ends they quickly lunged to stab at him. But then the fog behind him burst out, all along the wall of fog humanoid forms rushed out. Blades whistled through the air as the new arrivals cleaved through the roots, stopping to stand by their master.

The fog around them slowly dissipated, revealing several hundred skeletons wielding shortswords and shields while wearing customary Dominion golden plate armour.

Yokai laughed audibly “Your bows are useless, your magic incomparable to mine and your numbers…well behold.” He suddenly sent several bursts of Spirit out behind him, blowing away the fog.

Author: Here goes~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8-sMJZTYf0

All above the wall Elves stared, their expressions paling as the pushed back fog revealed the legion of undead that they had just now detected.

“Fight and die, only to join my forces.” Chuckled Yokai as above the branches suddenly appeared several dozen zombified Nightblades “Or…run screaming.”

And the legion rushed forth screeching so loudly with their magic formed voices that it froze many in shock, and then suddenly out from behind them burst out a giant form. Bob embedded to Steven, the boss charged over the rest of the minions and crashed into the living wall of roots. Several Elves were sent down to their ass as the wall shook, as Bob tore away at the roots and Steven lashed out at the archers above.

The zombified Nightblades immediately rushed up Bob’s back, landing on the wall and beginning to cut down their former and petrified comrades. As the boss and the zombies cleared one part of the wall, the legion of skeletons formed and rushed up Steven’s lowered tail, running it up like a ramp before reaching Bob’s shoulder from where they could pour onto the wall or as hundreds did, leap off and into the city.

Yokai casually approached the ongoing insanity, Darkfire bursting alive around him as roots continuously tried to lunge at him only to be incinerated by the black flames. He walked up Steven’s tail, as hundreds of thousands of skeletal forms rushed passed him. Every single one, forming a chorus of screeching, screaming bloody murder.

He reached the giant’s shoulder, watching as from either side Night Elves rushed to block the Undead’s take-over of the wall. Only for Steven to crash through their formed squadrons, sending battered soldiers flying off the wall. The living roots were moving and wrapping around Bob and Steven, but the giants were too strong to be held down. The roots also lunged at the skeletons, lashing out with spikes and wrapping themselves around the undead before throwing them aside.

Yet the Undead had incredible reflexes, blocking with their shields and slashing the roots apart. Even when thrown off the walls they were much too durable, standing back up and re-joining the charge. The horde was relentless, tireless as they continued their charge even inside the city.

Yokai looked over the wall, watching as his legion of undead amassed as they rushed towards the gathering soldiers and guards. The Night Elves had formed a defensive wall of wide shields and blades, behind them stood mages and archers. The archers took shots at the incoming wave, so did some mages while others willed the wall to form in front of them hoping to stop or at least slow the skeleton’s frenzied charge.

There may have been too many skeletons but the Night Court’s defenders were much more skilled, a warrior capable of taking out several before tiring, an archer taking out dozens and a mage taking out hundreds at once.

Yokai was running out of time (“Now what event shall occur next I wonder? Which ploy will succeed?”) he wondered in amusement, chuckling to himself as he watched the bloody clash between Elves and Undead.

He then focused on his senses, searching the city for three specific signatures of mana. For three specific signs of Spirit, and he found them. At the very top of the largest tree-made-structure, Yokai sensed the three Clan Leaders standing still. They were unmoving, as he sensed mana surging around them at a level he had only sensed once before.

Yet this mana was dreadfully cold like Void’s. The mana Yokai sensed was just as intoxicating but full of life and colour, as if a very powerful perfume had hit his nostrils. Yokai’s detection skill was overwhelmed by the sense, so much so that he was forced to shut out his senses.

“Hah…Whatever that is…I guess it truly will be as he said it would.” He laughed whilst gazing up at the giant tree, as it’s form morphed before him “They finally pulled out their ace in the hole!” he smiled widely, cackling wickedly now as he witnessed the tree grow feet and arms.

Filled with excitement as everyone including himself heard the now unignorable chant of the Clan Leaders “On the Quest we completed for you, Durga we now employ your gift! Upon the Hero’s wish we lay our hope! Awaken Grand Champion of Nature! Awaken Demi-God! Awaken Geb!”

And Geb rose, its roots forming into ginormous legs, its branches into even thicker arms as the ground rose with it. Earth, stone and other minerals rushed up from the ground, flowing around the Treant’s body like armour. The creature was massive, twice as large than even the Stone Giants of Hasharr. Its arms made of entangled branches, its legs of entangled roots, its torso entirely of bark with its wide glowing green eyes and crooked fanged mouth right in the middle of it.

Yokai could only laugh as he gazed up at the mountain-like being “Oh I wonder how much like ants we must look like to you! Finally I get to find out! The Empire’s last resort! The Elves’ Deus Ex Machina! Of course! But of course it had to be a fucking Demi-God Treant!” half in annoyance and half in amusement Yokai laughed, a hundred percent laugh of insanity.

He opened his arms wide as Geb turned its massive eyes down on the insect that Yokai was to it, as that insect spoke with a wide sneer once more “Come then! Let us all witness what power the Quest’s Wish has given you! Don’t hold back! Come at me you big ugly son of a bitch!” His eyes widened as Darkfire suddenly engulfed his entire form “Cause I sure damn won’t be holding anything back!”

The wall, Bob, Steven and several thousands of skeletons were engulfed in Darkfire as Yokai’s form suddenly expanded into a massive sphere of black flames “First beast, first devourer! Creator of the voids! Father of insanity! I temporarily release you of your contract!” A wicked, screeching laughter suddenly filled the forest “Behemoth…Go fucking wild.”

Author; Madness shall now ensue…Worse than ever before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhJ6bE4z5vs

The sphere of Darkfire briefly shrunk down to half its size, about the height of Bob, before suddenly expanding several hundred times and bursting like a bubble. Through the darkness and flames it roared out, sounding like a planet of glass shattering into another. Its body was entirely made of flowing shadow, standing on four clawed legs like a lion’s, its long torso also bended upwards where a set of long clawed arms hung down. Its tail was a scorpion’s stinger, its wings wide and leathery like a bat’s, its head long and snouted with jagged fangs like a crocodile’s…

Behemoth had no true form, it took whatever shape it desired. And this mix and mismatched form was what it currently desired. Standing at the same height as Geb, it bared its fangs and claws, hissing in anticipation as its eyeless sockets closed before reopening, revealing two vulpine blues.

The two Demi-Gods lunged at each other, each move sending storm-like winds aside, each step making the ground quake. As Geb’s left leafy arm collided into Behemoth’s right open palm, the very air shuddered at the conflicting powers of Chaos and Creation.

Geb’s arm deformed on collision, the branches suddenly warping around Behemoth’s hand. Behemoth hissed in surprise, lunging with his jaws open and biting down onto the roots and his own arm. The sound of tearing flesh filled everyone’s ears, entirely muting out the screaming of retreating Elves and crushed bones as Skeletons continued to chase after them, hundreds being stepped on every minute.

Behemoth tore away Geb’s branches, along with his own arm as it dissipated within his jaws. He spat out the quickly dying branches, as his hand reformed entirely brand new. Geb moved in with his other arm, as his damaged one reformed as well. Behemoth blocked it once more with his palm, this time though acting before Geb’s branches did as its pincer tail lunged over its head and down into the dark grey bark.

The pincer embedded itself into Geb’s torso, pulling the two monsters closer together as suddenly Behemoth grappled Geb with both hands and used his front legs to claw at Geb’s rooted legs. His claws tore away at the roots bit by bit, Behemoth even bit down on Geb’s undamaged arm to keep it from retreating.

Slowly and suddenly Behemoth pushed Geb to the ground, now standing over the Treant. The Devourer did what it did best, clenching its jaws it ripped off Geb’s entire arm and spat it aside. It bit down once more, onto Geb’s face and crushing the bark off revealing a system of corridors, staircases and rooms within.

Geb moved both arms to cover the hole as they reformed, but was too slow as Behemoth suddenly dissipated into shadows. Quickly the mass of shadows shrunk down, suddenly lighting up with black flames as they shrunk. Until all that remained was Yokai, nose diving down into the Geb’s revealed innards.

“Remember me after death, never forget your mistakes. For you have stood in my path…” Yokai burst into the top most room, exploding with Darkfire as his feet hit the wall-made-floor “And ended up getting burned!” the last thing he saw before his flames filled the room were the horrified faces of Deli, Ke’ol and Pyon.

The last sound he heard as he opened a rift using his last bit of strength, were their screams as they burned and crumbled alive. His consciousness fading away as he collapsed through the rift, falling onto the ground in the Spirit Realm as the rift closed behind him.

Falling unconscious as his worn-out body recoiled with agony, as the stress caught up with his mind. Yokai…Kyle had spent everything he had. Leaving behind a forest crawling with Undead, another leaderless Court and a second successful assault building up Yokai's reputation further.

(“Your power wanes master…Hah..Hehehe!~”) But…at what cost?