Chapter 19 (Raw)

Meanwhile.

Dragnard's Reach was one of Vanahiem's largest cities that hosted the most famous guilds in all the Eight Worlds. Its location is the kingdom of Vanhold. Each guild trained or enlisted warriors from all corners of the Yggdrasil Tree and became guild members of a specific guild at the hall regristration, which was located at the City Lord's manor. They were paid mercenaries and bounty hunters to go on quests to vanquish all those who pose a threat to the Eight Worlds.

It is also the home of several guilds such as Guardians of Midgard Guild and Falcon Guild. The city was fortified with a kilometer radius stonewall. 70% of the structures were constructed out of limestone. Several poor district erected wooden homes for the commoners, peasants and serfs. The guildhall of GoM were constructure out of wood as the guild structure itself being a tavern. In the tavern, Diana drank wine from a silver goblet.

She was the first princess from the Southern Sun Kingdom the current caretaker of the guildhall. Diana Rosewell dressed an an outing blue dress with an expose cleavage. She had long platinum blond hair and rich deep, blue sea eyes. Their were children hide and seek and the men drowned themselves with mead and honey ale. Due to inactive members, the guildhall was force to become a full time tavern for the public.

“Your Highness. Why don't you come join us gentlemen. Seeing you brooding everyday ruins the aroma of this fine ale,” said a brown hair man in his mid thirties. He had long brown hair with a well grown beard. His abdominal and legs were more one the obese side while his arms, pectorals and neck were bulk like a power weight lifter. He his name was Brett known as Brett the Ox Brute.

He was Dragnar's Reaches number one blacksmith. Brett was infatuated with Diana for a very longtime. This was the reason why he was Diana's number one customer when came to alcohol beverages and the best deal when comes to craftsmanship. He would refine and forge her some of the best melee weapons that is under the divine realm in the entire universe. It was a pity that he belong to the Falcon Guild.

“No thanks,” she gritted her teeth while Brett's palls chorused in laughter.

“Hmm,” he sneered. “You are such a delicate, feisty lass! No one here is going to bite yah! I'm a man of my word when I say this. I'll take responsibility of you and give you the world. That is only that if you accept my hand in marriage.”

“Sir! You drink too much! Better call it a night!”

“Right! Right!” He laughed. It was already evident that he was drunk, which made Diana more vigilant around this brute . “How about head over to my workshop on the way out and spend the remainder of the night with, me” he grinned, implied with a foreplay intent.

The pub erupted with laughter once more, before she could retort, a purple mist began to flood its way through the front entrance, “This is . . .” her her complexion became very pale as the poisonous vapor permeated through the entire guildhall.”

Poisonous fumes were everywhere as a chorused of coughs sounded throughout the guildhall. Men that were not sobered and profound in drunkenness were the first to die as they vomited out blood. Their eyes, nose and ears bled out horrifically. Diana was quick to activate the guildhall's defensive array. The array look liked a shining hologram of Nordic rune hieroglyphics.

Mana became visible as it looked like a transparent dome was enveloping the entire interior of the bar. Leylines began connecting the runes together like a constellation of stars. The arrays itself gave of a spectacular light blue color as it absorbed the poison cloud like a vacuum. The danger momentarily passed. Diane knew it was just brief and her first course of action was the safety of the children that were playing hide and seek in the bar.

“Romeo! Leon! Sophie!”

“Aunt Diane. We okay.”

Romeo said, squirming from under the table closet to the counter. He and the two children were hiding under one of the round wooden tables. Upon inspection, they appeared to be in good health. Diane sighed in relieve. Overall, there were only two men confirmed dead.

“By the gods! Who dares to attack?” Brett furrowed his brows very upset.

Just before Diane could retort, a sickening tremor followed with the sound of a boom rocked the entire guildhall as if a 6.0 earthquake were happening. A second attack with the sound of a sonic boom was more devastating. Miraculously, nothing from within the interior of the guildhall took too much damage damage as the people were bracing themselves from the attacks. The array formed a barrier and took the full brunt of destructive force. Cracks started forming from the ceiling as the rafters shuddered and creaked violent.

“Brett! Dou you fell that? Its got to be at least 4-Star Revolver Core cultivator.” One of Brett's buddies said.

“Wench,” Brett spat as his eyes became cold and glared at Diana. “Who did you offend to invoke such retaliation? What has you guild done to make such an enmity! Depending if we survive through this ordeal how much your guild have to compensate for the lost of live of my brethren! ”

“I don't know!”

“How bold,” he took his blood-lust eyes away from Diana once again as glanced up at the ceiling. “To think that anyone would be brave enough to to cause trouble in this city. We just need to hold on until the city's protective Spirit Barrier activates executes the assailants.”

The Spirit Barrier was believed to be a spirit of a young woman that protected the foundation of Dragnar's Reach for centuries. Their could be no fighting. No violence whatsoever. That was the law. Those who disobeyed or brake these stipulation was automatically executed on the spot rather if they were residing in their residence or roaming the streets. All parties would be severally punished no matter if the person was using self defense. The Spirit barrier still considered self defense a misdemeanor.

Listening to Brett, Diana felt as if her guts were twisting. The Spirit Barrier was actually The Protector that guarded the guildhall for many years and was in hibernating, recovering from the previous war. They were on their own. The array cracked and weakened significantly. A loud explosion destroyed part of the rooftop. Parts of the rubble fell and everyone managed to escape unscathed.

“Protect the children!”

The men were drunk, slowing their reaction time. But their will and determination to live on had made the effects of the alcohol boast heir strength. The hops that Diana used to brew ale were not ordinary and can only be brought in the holy Fairy Queendom. These were known as Miracle Hops. These hops can boast strength and increase endurance temporarily while the top tier hops can improve cultivation for Mana Cultivators to level up to the the next stage. These types of hops are extremely rare and the price for any alcohol that was brew from these hops were nearly priceless that only the rich could afford it.

Brett rallied his henchmen and engaged the assassins in close combat. Brett hammered away with his famous combat two-handed, war-hammer and pulverized and that cross his path against him. The assassins were dressed in all black cloak with hoodies and a veil to conceal their identities.

Chaos and bloodshed spread throughout the tavern with war cries and agony. Diana brandished her enchanted whip and slashed out, destroying tables. Each lash generated mana output attacks that were shrewd as a blade and cut into the assassins with lethal result such. Her eye darted to the next person and her whip lashed out fast like a viper and constrict the assassin's neck. With a simple tug, the persons neck was snapped has he fell lifelessly.

The chaos in the tavern soon came to an end when no more further invaders infiltrated the guildhall. Before they could inspect the the bodies, the tavern light up with a florescent strobe lights. The souls of the dead were departing from the corpses and flew out the opened hole in the guildhall's roof. Everyone's complexion became paled. They had all thought of the same thing.

“Helheim Assassin Court!” Everyone exclaimed in unison.

Outside the guildhall were several members of the Bloodsword Guild on the bluffs, watching the scene unfolded. Everything was not going according to his plan. Grandmaster Blood Overflow stroked his shinning, gray long beard. The powerhouses of GoM were not present, so dismantling the guild shouldn't be too difficult. So why did the thralls of the HAC (Helhiem Assassin Court) failed?

“Impossible,” one named Buck Tooth spoken. “How could this be?”

“I have underestimate those pesky rats,” Blood Overflow stroked his beard once again. “What's done is done. We can't change history. Summon the beast tide!”

“But . . . what about the city? The people?” Buck Tooth Said with disbelieve.

The creases increased on Blood Overflow's cheeks. His heart was racing. He knew from this moment on, the Bloodsword Guild will go rogue as many innocent blood will be on their hands for all eternity.

“Collateral damage was inevitable. We must hide the truth at all cost. There can be no witnesses. No survivors. After this, I must travel to Neflheim and asked for an audience from the Ancient Soul Clan. Only the Soul Clan can give our guild sanctuary and insured that HAC will not seek retribution against us.”

Buck Tooth nodded dejectedly. His hand rummaged through his jerkin and pulled out a small pocket bone flute. The head joint had the shape of an human skull. He began playing several chords. The eyes of the skull on the head joint glowed red. The melody rippled through the winds. The starry sky spontaneously became cloudy. The ground suddenly shook beneath them.

Thunder roared from the skies as lighting stretched across the mountains that lit the entire city of Dragnar's Reach like a Christmas tree. Then suddenly, the sky became distorted. There was a gigantic crack in the sky. The crack black as the abyss. Something was coming through the crack. The citizens only could watch on and sucked in breath horrified to the point of near death.