In the beginning everything was relatively normal, but as they walked more deep in the swamp things started to change.

The already dim light became even more-dim, making the place gloomier that it already was, the trees became even more-tall and distorted, and even the ever hovering fog started to emit a very strange aura.

“The fog had changed” said Will as felt his surrounding “It felt as if it had become poisonous”

“But not a normal type of poison” said Lucas as he landed near his brother “Can you feel it? it’s corroding the mana around it”

Following what his brother said Will tried to feel the changes in the mana around the mist, and true to the Dragon words the mana around the place really was strange. The quantity of it is the same was in the swamp entrance if nothing it was denser, but it didn’t give the pure vibe that normal mana gave instead it gave a somehow corrupted one.

“It is the same feeling that I got from those swamp crawlers” Will said looking at his brother “Do you the mist is what did that to them?”

“It could be, but I wonder what caused this to the mist in the first place?” Lucas walked a little into the mist letting it hit his body, Will got surprised at the act but stayed in silence, a few moments later Lucas turned back “Was I thought, we are immune to it. We can still go on”

“Huh I never said that before but our bodies are really OP” said Will with a joking manner to which Lucas smirked. Will also walked into the mist, but just after stepping into the mist something happened.

“SHRIEK!”

A giant centipede magic creature lunged at will from behind a tree, the cold light the sharp pincers glowed in the dark swamp.

Bang

Without looking behind Will propelled itself into the air in an inverse somersault using his legs, passing over the centipede head that ended up hitting the ground where the wolf once was.

“…”

The centipede that attacked Will didn’t move after hitting the ground, it stood there froze for three seconds when suddenly a rip appeared on is back, green blood pulling out of it like a fountain. When in mid-air during the sault Will used his claws to attack the centipede, the Wolf claws cut the centipede armor like it was made of butter killing the creature almost instantly.

Will looked at the dead centipede then back at his brothers that was silently watching the show “And here I wondering if this guy was going to attack or not”

“Showoff” Lucas looked at the centipede one more time “This thing is similar to the ones that had attacked the others, but there is some difference”

The centipede that had attacked the brothers looked exactly like the ones that had attacked the workers and the clay camp, but with the difference that this one looked more vicious. The claws longer, the pincers behind the mount are sharper, the eyes showed a more blood-thirsty look.

“There are more bulges in this one too” completed Will “Besides I also could tell that this is one is a lot stronger than the earlier ones”

It might not be clear when the brothers are the ones fighting it, but the centipede here is in fact more-stronger than the ones at the swamp entrance. Using the power scale is like the ones at the entrance are around the level eleven-twelve, while this one is already fifteen.

“A jump of three-four levels with this little distance” Lucas looked back at magic source direction that he had felt “I wonder what this things is”

“Let’s go Will”

“Alright brother”

…

The brothers had just walked from the point where the centipede had attacked them and something already happened again.

“Shoosh”

“Shoosh”

Two magic creatures surged from within fog and attacked in the brother direction, but instead of coming from the back the attacked now came from above.

“Caw”

The magic creatures looked like ostrich sized black ravens with longs beaks, blood-thirsty red eyes, feathers black as night with the same bulges of the centipede all over their bodies. The ravens flew in an almost blinding speed aiming for the most obvious target that it was also flying.

“Huh…” even with their speed Lucas saw the two ravens from afar flying side by side at him, to which he only twisted his body as to fly sideways.

“Shoosh”

Just as he flew past between the two ravens the Dragon attacked, his tail acted like a swift whip and slammed at one of the ravens while his claw slammed at the other one. The two bird magic creatures basically exploded at the attacks, blood and fathers flew to all sides in a gore display, and the few remaining intact parts of the birds got sent flying way in the swamp.

Lucas without giving the birds another thought landed in the ground just to see his brother with a knowing smile looking at him “What?”

“Who is doing the showoff now?” asked the Wolf with a smirk.

“I don’t know what you are talking about”

“I’ll pretend I believe”

The brothers had come to really understand what Valerie meant when she called these swamp-crawlers aggressive, it turns out that the attacks from earlier have been just the warming up.

More and more magic creatures came from within the fog swamp and attacked the two, and although the brothers easily dispatched of them the magic creatures coming at them appeared to have no end.

“This is getting ridiculous” said will as he dispatched a frog looking magic creature with a fireball “This guys have no fear”

“Is really strange” Lucas stomped a crab magic creature using his claw “Normal magic creatures flee from us like we're some type of plague, but these guys instead of running from us they run toward us”

In the time that they had been in this world the brothers became very clear of the fact that magic creatures in general would avoid them, their self-preserving instincts basically yell at them to flee from the two, and not even the blood-boar who had a reputation of having no fear would flee at the sight of the two.

This is understandable considering that they would have no chance in case if the brothers decided to attack them, but these swamp-crawlers are clearly different from normal magic creatures as they keep attacking the brothers without much of a second thought.

“Is like they have no self-preserving instincts” said Lucas.

“True, but I have to say that I’m actually liking this about them” Will turned to his brother “At least they try to put up a fight”

Being now two of greatest predators among all magic creatures the brothers had inherit some their prime fighting-thirsty sides, although clearly not to the point of clouding their minds the beast instincts inside of them crave for fights. But with every magic creature that see them fleeing, the only times that they can have some fight is when they are training.

Even though these swamp-crawlers are very weak compared to the two, they at least attack back.

“Clank!”

When they thought that all the swamp-crawlers had already been deal it a sound coming from the side told them otherwise, sound that came from a rusty full plate armor dragging a sword, vein like mark covered all his body.

“Well that is an unusual one” Will looked at the approaching walking armor with some surprise, but after sensing the armor power he quickly dismissed is threat.

[Fireball]

Without much of a second thought Will launched a fireball that hit the armor square in the middle, the dark red flames completely engulfed the armor making looked like a human formed torch, completely stopping its movements just one meter way from the wolf.

“Impressive as it looked it was not much of threat” said Will looking back at his brother with a light smirk.

‘There is something wrong with this thing…’ Lucas also sensed the armor power and although strong compared to normal people it was no threat to them, but even with the armor going down with only one blow the young Dragon still felt something amiss

Clank!

A metal sound coming from inside the flames confirmed the Dragon suspicious, the armor that was thought to be deal it attacked from inside the flames at the Wolf back with his sword in a overhead swing.

“!!!” Will was surprised by the sudden attack of the armor, this coupled with the fact that they are very close to one another didn’t helped his situation ‘I should have hit harder’

…

[Lightning Dragon Breath]

But just as the sword would strike Will a beam of white/blue energy radiating pure power came from behind him and hit the armor sending it way in an abrupt manner.

BOOM

The armor exploded in the power of the beam, only smoke was left in the place where it landed.

“Huh…” turning back Will saw his brother with wisps of smoke coming out from his mouth as he glare at his direction “Sorry brother, I got careless”

“You should be more careful” Lucas sighed at his brothers sorry looking eyes “Look is not your fault. It’s our first time doing something like this, some slips should been expected”

After a few seconds of silence Will looked back at his brother and asked “That thing was strange, all other creatures had gone down with only one blow that was the first that needed a second one”

“And it had some strange markings too, we should take a look on them but… “Lucas looked back at the spot where the armor was blow to, only a small crater was left.

“Well, it surely don’t looked like a magic creature, although did have magic but it didn’t looked alive” said Will as the two brothers started to walk “Not normal life at least”

…

The walked for a more couple meter in the mist before coming to face with something that made them stop in their tracks.

“Well this is a thing”

Ruins that looked like a temple stood in the swamp before the brothers, the place was big easily the size of a university from back on earth with vines growing all over the place, something that looked like once had been a tower was in crumbles at one side.

Exchanging glances the brothers walked inside the ruins and as the two did that they started to see that the place really looked like a university, library’s and rooms that looked like laboratory’s could be found basically at every corner.

“What do you thing this place was?” asked the Wolf as they walked in a garden looking place

“I don’t know, it could had been many things but if had to guess I would say that was a some type of researching place” he looked around “But clearly something most had gone wrong and now is abandoned”

“I could see that but…”Will tilt his head in confusion “Why build in a swamp?”

“Discretion maybe?“

Clank

Clank

Clank

Metal sound suddenly started to ring breaking the silence of the place, suits of armor like the one that had attacked the brother earlier started to appear from all sides, and as any would guess they started to walk at the brother’s direction.

“Remember to hit harder” reminded Lucas to his brother.

“Don’t worry I’m not going to make the same mistake twice”

Past two minutes the garden where the brothers were was now filled with broken suits of armor over it, the brothers stood by the side of the most intact one.

“There is many inscriptions inside of this things, maybe his type of magic golem?”

With a intact specimen the two gave a more careful look at the suit of armor and tried to figure out what make it tick, what they found was an intricate magic circuit inside of the suit armor.

“It surely must had been” Lucas pointed at the purple/dark-blue color of the circuits “Look at the color, they must have been corrupted just like the swamp-crawlers”

“Sniff The smell match” Will looked at his brothers “What do you think happened?”

“Maybe something happened in this place in the past that corrupted the mana in the area, this things must had been the personal golems of wherever who owned the place, and because they run by mane they must have been the firsts to become like this” he looked at the heart area of the ruins, his eyes glowing for a moment “Sure enough, the thing that I felt earlier is inside of this place”

The two exchanged glances again and then took off.

In the heart area of the ruins inside a very big hall the two found the biggest laboratory that they had seen until now, the place had many carvings around it that glowed in a soft light giving the place a very mystical vibe.

In the center of the hall a one meter tall purple crystal with swirls of dark-blue stood proud as it glowed in a very glooming light, a magic circle surrounded the crystal as it glowed at the same glooming way.

“Looks like we have found our culprit” said Will as we saw the crystal with the same colors as the corrupted creatures.

Crumble

Just as Will finished talking the hall started to shake and from the middle of it a tall figure started to rise from the ground.

The figure in question with size similar to that of Lucas had a humanoid shape, looking like a puppet carved from stone the thing had many carvings all over is body that glowed in the same light as the crystal.

Stomp

Stomp

The stone golem didn’t wasted time and just after as it finished rising from the ground it started to walk in the brother’s directions, his intentions very obvious.

The brothers also didn’t wasted time and without uttering any word the two assumed fighting stances.

[Lightning]

Boom

Making the first move Lucas launched a lightning attack at the golem direction, the lighting landed in the golem making a thunder rumble ring across the room, the golem stopped for a brief moment before resuming his walk.

Swoosh

Will also made his move, just as Lucas launched his lightning attack he sprinted at the golem direction which in turn lifted his giant arm and swing it at the approaching Wolf direction.

‘Too slow’ the movements of the golem although strong are very slow to match Will speed, so in a very easy manner he dodged the attack that landed in the ground.

[Ruin Slash]

With his claws coated in dark-red energy Will attack aiming at the golem chest area where the magic carvings converged, making them dim for moment before suddenly regaining their glow again

Swoosh

The golem tried another swing at the wolf direction but it ended up hitting the side of the Dragon that intercepted the attack.

Poow

The power of the blow created wind and carved a crater in the ground, even someone at level thirty would have been mortally wounded by something of this power, but Lucas? He acted as if as nothing his scales brushed the hit with easy.

Rotating his body Lucas attacked again, his tail started to glow was it became wrapped in lightning and then in a powerful swing he slammed it at the golem.

[Lightning Slam]

Boom

The golem was sent flying by the Dragon attack and ended up crashing at one of the hall walls making it crack but it didn’t fell, the carvings at the wall glowed more intensely at moment of the impact before calming down again.

Crumble

The golem started to get up from the ground but before he could do it the spot where he was became engulfed in dark-red flames.

[Fire Pillar]

In a move to not give the enemy time to react Will used another skill, he created a bigger than normal fireball and then launched at the golem, the fireball slammed at the golem in a very strong manner making a pillar of dark-red flames that reached the celling rise from the place where the golem was.

Just the heat that the flames radiated at this moment alone would have been enough to kill people up to middle Knight-rank.

One thing worth mentioning is that the walls that should had been crumbled to dust are still standing high, the carvings that glowing at every impact.

Puff

The flames extinguished themselves after a few seconds revealing the figure of the golem that was visually affected by the brother synced attack, his body had cracks all over it with the place where Lucas had hit missing a chunk, a big black mark could be seen in the center of his body where the pillar of flame had slammed.

Huumm

Before the brothers could react, the carvings on the golem body started to glow with more intensity his body starting to repair itself in an astonishing rate.

Before they could realize the golem had already restored itself.

“Urgh”

“Huh”

The brothers could not help but grumble at the scene of the golem repairing itself again, and without exchanging more words they attacked again.

…

The fight continued with more intensity than before with the entire ruin shaking with the power of the battle, and the only motive that the hall where the fight was occurring was not destroyed was because of the carvings in the walls that glowed at every impact.

The golem itself was supposed to be already destroyed by the brothers many times, but each time he came close to crumble the carvings in his body glowed and repaired it back to peak condition.

“Tch This guy is too stubborn “complained Will as he saw the golem restore itself again.

The golem itself is not big of a problem with his attacks being to slow to hit will and too weak to hurt Lucas, but the carving ability to restore the golem is what give the brothers a headache.

“Those carvings are the problem if they run out of energy his ability to restore itself will be gone” said Lucas from the side.

“Yeah but he don’t seem to have a core inside of him, we checked before when you blew his chest open” At the moment Will eyes grew in a sudden realization “Only if…”

In a sync manner the two looked at the giant crystal direction, and sure enough the crystal also glowed more alongside the carvings in the golem body.

The brothers looked at each other before smiling in a very savage way, then without much of a word Will took off at the crystal direction.

Stomp

The golem probably sensing the brothers intentions tried to go at crystal direction to try to defended it but it was stopped by Lucas who stood before him blocking the way.

Swoosh

[Fire Pillar]

Crack

Crack

Crack

Will took only a second to get close to the crystal, concentrating more energy than normal then he slammed fire pillar at the crystal direction, the power of the fire big making the crystal crack but not completely as he start to give signals of restoring itself ‘No you don’t’

Still running Will jumped in the air arriving in the celling of the place freezing there for a moment before boosting himself back at the crystal direction, his claws coated in the familiar red energy.

[Ruins slash]!

SHATTER

The crystal that was under the burning heat of the flames was not able to withstand the attack of the wolf and ended up shattering in a small explosion of purple energy, the carvings in the wall diminished instantly and the ones in the body of the golem showed signs of going out.

“Crumble” The golem made a strange unwilling sound when the crystal shattered to which Lucas that was holding in smirked, with his arm glowing he attacked the golem.

[End Claw]

BOOM

Crumble!

The golem was sent flying at the wall that without the protection of the carvings crumble instantly making a big hole appeared on it. The golem that was now outside had a deep dent on his chest area, the carvings that would had restore it before now only gave a dim glow that didn’t accomplished nothing, the golem tried to stand up but before he could do that a shadow big as him covered his body.

Whoosh

Lucas was not going to give the golem any more chance he grabbed the golem by the arms using his front claws and used his tail to immobilize his legs, with a single beat of his giant wings he flew into the air carrying the golem with him ‘Let’s see if you can tank this!’.

In a matter of seconds Lucas arrived at the clouds level, then unwrapping his tail from the golem he threw the golem down.

Whooosh!!

The golem shot like a bullet but Lucas hadn’t finished yet, bringing his head back he took a good breath before releasing it at the golem direction.

[Lightning Dragon Breath]!

A giant beam of white/blue lightning came out from Lucas mouth enveloped the golem completely making it fall even faster than before.

BBOOOOOOMMM!!!!

Looking from afar the golem looked like a lightning falling from the clouds an explosion that made the swamp shake took place at that moment. Every magic creature’s that lived in the region had felt the power of the explosion, and even the brothers subjects at the swamp entrance looked at the swamp direction in shock ‘the level of power of the Lords… is really frightening’ thought Valerie as she felt the explosion at the distance.

The explosion in true only lasted for a few seconds before going down, only to reveal a hundred meter crater on the ground and the golem shattered to dust.

Will came out of the hall in time to see the scene of the golem falling, he looked at his brothers that now had was hovering close to him.

“ROAR!”

“HOWL!”

The two exchanged smirks before throwing their head up, a victorious roar and howl rumbled across the swamp.