《The Lost Crest》Chapter 9: The Price of Freedom (Part 2)
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The splatter of blood rained down on us, soaking our skin. Looking up his bony body shielded us from Wickum's attack. I could only stare as a smile formed on his face before falling into the sand. gasping for air as he lay on the ground. The sand turned dark as Leo bled out on the ground, Wickum's face turning red in anger as he howled.
The rumble of footsteps vibrated through the sands, pausing Wickum looked at the group of men as they closed in from the base of the mountain. Leading the mob, a girl zipped through the sands, a single braid trailing down her back whipped through the wind as she sprinted ahead of them. Unlike the other Liberators, she wore no armor, only a lone blade attached to her hip clad in black. "Fucking Liberators!" Wickum muttered slashing his blade towards us cutting through my arm.
Laying on my back a shadow darted over head as the sound of metal clashed, the girl striking her blade at Wickum with a ferocity I had never seen before. Wickum dodged like I snake sliding through her attacks stabbing his dagger with precision only to get deflected by her blade. Staring each other down the girl panted slightly. "You sick, how could you be working with the beast-men," she snarled her voice echoing over the thunderous footsteps.
Wickum retort with vindication, "working with the beast-men? Little girl, you don't know how wrong you are." Crouching slightly, he resumed his continuous assault on the girl, roaring louder and louder with each strike. She struggled to keep up with his pace, the dagger slicing through her brown skin. "tch, you traitorous bastard." Slipped from her mouth before she touched the blade of her sword, muttering in a low tone,
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"I am the voice of wrath"
"Both purity and wickedness shall tremble in fright"
"Violent carnage for all who fight"
"Void of compassion"
"Nor known to cruelty"
"Soaked in the blood of my enemies"
"Yet my hands will remain unsoiled"
"Please, hear my vow
"Saying your final prayer to the gods?" Wickum remarked as he swung his blade. Opening her eyes, she utters, "Equipoise"
The sand shot up around her as the words fell from her mouth, a bloodthirsty aura dominating the area. Fear covered me like a blanket as they continued to exchange blows, kneeling in the sand I clutch my blood-soaked arm as I feel a nudge. Celeste mouthing the words, "let's go" I begin to crawl away before Leo's body came into my sight. He wasn't dead, but he wasn't moving either "we can't just leave him." I mutter, rolling her eyes Celeste continues to crawl away before standing up and limping through the sands.
Grasping his arms, I drag Leo's body through the sand using every ounce of my strength, the girl continuing the fight with Wickum. The rest of the Liberators arrived and began to do battle with the beast-men, chaos ensuing the area. Yet, through all that chaos I could still feel the heat dripping off the girl as she plunged her sword through Wickum's flesh, the sword slicing through his arm sending it flying through the crowd. Bellowing the beast-men swarmed the girl as Wickum clutched his missing arm retreating into the crowd.
Reaching the bottom of the mountain, I could see Ren with the remaining group of the Liberators. There were only 6 of them and they had put him in the back of their carriage. Reaching him panting I drop to my knees in front of our saviors, "Please, help my friend." Panting Leo's eyes were shut as he held his shoulder. The blood trailed through the sand behind us. looking at each other, two of the men shrugged before carrying him away towards another wagon. Ren sat up in the wagon a big grin glued to his face, Celeste had crawled into the wagon, collapsing the second she sat down. Not responding to any of our calls or nudges.
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"Where are the rest of the slaves?" I ask looking around the area. There was nothing but sand in the distance. Shrugging his shoulders Ren laid back without a care in the world, "Don’t know, don't really care the sooner we get out of here the better." The two men that carried Leo away appeared, the look on their faces told me something was wrong. "Your friends not doing well, with his weak body he already lost to much blood, he also has Lockrot in his body. There's nothing we can do for him if you want to see him, now's your chance.
The words shocked me, did they not have blood they could give him? A transfusion would save his life, wouldn't it? What the hell is Lockrot? I swallowed my frustration knowing it wasn't their fault for his condition and left the area. Approaching the wagon, I didn't know what I should say or what face to wear. He had betrayed me and saved my life, and my heart was at conflict at how to approach the death of my best friend. Approaching the wagon, I see his brown curly hair covered in sand.
Sitting up he gives me that familiar smile, "Hey Finn, we made it out." Sitting on the wagon I nod in agreement my mouth unable to move. I sat there for a few minutes before he spoke up, "Listen, you should know I didn't betray you if I didn't tell Wickum, none of this would have happened." Staring at him with wide eyes, I didn't understand what he meant, "what are you talking about? All of this, you're telling me the Liberators are here because of you?"
Chuckling lightly, he spits up a pool of blood, "No they were already on their way here, that's what the beast-men told me. If you guys had escaped they would search for you, and with the Liberators on the way, it was a big risk for them. So, he gave me a choice, either I find a way to keep you all here." He paused for a moment stuttering to finish his sentence. "Or what Leo."
"Or he would kill you all, and make it look like an accident. Kill a few to save the majority, he's also the one who released the slaves before the Liberators attacked. No one knew where they were holding you guys so I had to run through the tunnels searching every room." The telling of Leo's story left me stunned, a beast-men had helped him escape? Was this some kind of joke? Looking at his face I could tell he was serious. Sitting up he vomited more blood before smiling again, "Of course, I couldn't take the chance he was lying so I told everything to Wickum."
Warm water ran down my face, the guilt heavy on my shoulders. "Don't cry man, I know I'm dying. Tell Celeste and Ren I'm sorry, I know Baltor and Zefire died because of my actions."
Closing his eye's slowly he stopped talking, and I knew my friend was gone.
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Dark Matter
In the year 2023, scientists investigating the nature of dark matter caused a blackout throughout the entire world of Coranth. With this blackout came the appearance of supernatural and near-magical elemental abilities able to be wielded by all. By harnessing the dark matter in the environment, even ordinary humans now accessed powers that would have been deemed fantasy. These abilities include Wind, Fire, Lightning, Water, and Terra, being the five natural elements of which dark matter is absorbed by the planet itself. Additionally, the two moons orbiting Coranth offer the "Superior" elements of Dark and Light. The year is now 2041, and Dark Matter will follow the story of an adolescent boy named Raiden Sullivan in a dystopian future, 16 years old, eldest of 2, and son to Marcus Sullivan. Raiden is an intelligent young man belonging to a poor family with an absentee mother. He partakes in daily chores to cover living expenses after school and his home life is surrounded by his caring father and younger sister. In truth, this is my take on urban fantasy with slight LitRPG that keeps the "magic" elements somewhat scientific for a more realistic story. In using the dark matter surrounding our universe, humans can now harness elemental abilities as well as absorb dark matter from the beasts/monsters to further strengthen their abilities. For the most part, that'll be the main premise of the power system. Full transparency, this will be the first story I write and also the first story I publish, so please be patient with me. For some context, I'm an avid reader and after 4 or so years of only consuming, I feel that it might be time to try my hand at writing instead. Please feel free to add your opinions and criticism, it would be much appreciated. With that said, I hope you enjoy Dark Matter!
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Sevina has a mysterious power she's terrified of. Corrin strives for a glamorous lifestyle of a mobster. Through bloody events their lives will unexpectedly collide, shattering everything they believe and hold dear as they are forced into an unlikely partnership so to survive the gruesome underworld of crime.
8 79Rotten Magic (Runic Expansion Book 1)
Nearly three hundred years ago, the wonderful city of Sogara-dai fell. Their immediate wealth crumbled as they suffered for their ignorance and cruelty, becoming cursed to be Flesh Hoarders--ones who must live by eating the flesh and magic of another individual. Once they were rejected by their brother and sister cities of their country of Vaikoln, they were excluded from the rest, hidden in the void--never to interact with the world again. Suddenly, they show in the progressing city of Yulin-dai to remind the world that they will never be forgotten. Elanya Shunra wants nothing more than to enjoy her summer studying her rare Moon Magic and leaving all the other students in the dust. When she and her best friends get trapped in a burning airport in the progressing city of Yulin-dai, after hoping to spend a productive week in the capital, Zalatine, she realizes that the exciting and relaxing summer is not turning into the thing that she envisioned, nor one that she wanted to experience herself. Rigesh Altren left his stint in the military to find solace in Yulin-dai instead of returning home to his family in the countryside. As a Rune Specialist, he has all that he could ask for, but that doesn't deter him from perfecting his illegal elemental pistols to improve his magic. Working at the Airport and dealing with his previous lover was the least of his worries after finding the badly, half-eaten corpses of his coworkers in the breakroom. It seems this was more than what he bargained for.
8 139Mito's Sister. (Uchiha Madara)
Uzumaki Asami finally joins her sister in Konoha after looking for fellow clan members after the destruction of Uzushiogakure, and she meets Madara there. Their relationship doesn't start very well, but as time passes, they understand each other more and more. Highest in Fanfiction: #159 Second place NWA 2016
8 103Heathers The Musical Preferences
Characters Include:-Veronica Sawyer-Jason Dean-Martha Dunnstock-Ram Sweeney-Kurt Kelly-Heather Chandler-Heather Duke-Heather McNamara-Betty Finn
8 88Lion King Ships
All TLK ships that I know of/might exist.
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