As I stared at the great red pillars of light in the city, it felt like a vice grip had taken hold of my stomach. I stood, carefully holding onto the seat in front of me, of the cart. We were somewhere around halfway to the city and the hill was in sight. Anna sat by the driver and said, "It's overly quiet."

Looking at the soldiers, they all looked as I must have. We could hear nothing and no one had appeared yet. Something was wrong and we all knew it, but no one could quite put a finger on it. I asked, keeping my voice down for fear of some unseen threat taking form suddenly at the sound, "Don't we have magic users? I know they're not normally a fixture, but surely we have a few given this is Lady Lura'mi's forces."

A man by the cart, who held his spear in his hands in an obviously tight grip said, "Aye, but most went with her. The rest are down in the safe room. Why?"

I couldn't take my eyes off the light. Something bothered me far more about them than the silence was. It was gnawing away at the back of my mind but couldn't break through. I took a breath and looked at Anna, who gave me a raised eyebrow. She asked, "What?"

The attention grew as others looked at me, leaving me with the discomfort of knowing I alone probably knew much more than the fundamentals. I asked, hesitantly, "Did you listen in at all when I was being taught?"

Anna frowned and nodded. One of the men from the planning table made his way over and said, "If you have any concerns, please tell. We should have seen someone at least by this point."

I felt like I needed just one bit of information and I'd understand what was bothering me. It was like it was a great beast that was held back by a single plank of wood. So, desperate in my need to break it, I said, "So, magic needs to be fueled somehow. Either the caster, the circle, or another being does it. So, doesn't something seem wrong to you?"

The lead soldier's face scrunched up as he looked up to the light. My guard looked away slightly, before asking, "Then it's the fact it's still going that bothers you? Like, where...it's being..."

A feeling like a spider carefully making its way up my back and towards my neck skittered it's way through me and I said, "Stop. We must stop."

The one man turned and began shouting for the group to halt. As we slowed down, I looked Anna in the eyes. The great beast of knowledge I needed had broken through and a panic tried to take the place of the vice. The memory of the sounds of the thrashing hoards and the sight of that sea of violence returned to me. I could feel it in the air itself now as I did then. I said, a tepid tone creeping into my voice as part of me faltered, "It's the in between. The spell is feeding off the source of magic itself. The demons are already here. We need to go back and go."

A confusion set over the men as the other man from the table walked over and asked, "Wait, how do you-"

I slowly looked at him and my eyes widened. A shadow began to inclipse the man in a matter of moments. Panic set in but no one could so much as utter a single word as a massive form landed directly on top of him. The force cracked the ground and toppled the cart I was on. As soon as the fraction of a second shock ended, the other leader shouted, "To arms!"

Pain gripped me as I took a hard gasp as I struck the ground. I scrambled up as the creature turned to me. It was tall and covered in fur with a large mouth that grinned with large, sharp teeth. I could see it's eyes fixated on me as it growled out in a deep slow voice, "Ah! I missed."

As it spoke, the teeth barely separated. From the shadowy area around it's feet began to pour many smaller horrors that instantly began to attack the men. In a matter of seconds, a full on melee had broken out, yet the creature didn't take it's eyes from me as it said with glee, "Alexander, what a treat this will be. I was given the pleasure of dealing you some humbling."

I rapidly began pulling at the blade at my side, desperation overriding me. Once I got the blade free, I heard Anna let out a groan and I looked over to see blood pooling lightly by her head. Already, the horrific creatures had leapt upon the horse and were swarming the soldiers. They outnumbered us wildly. Even though my knees were weak, I slowly brought the tip of the sword up and stared at the creature. It's grin grew as it said, "Yes. Such sweet agonies today. A feast most grand and I will be given a glorious desert here."

Standing there, I was all too aware that nothing I could do would stop that creature. It raised its arms. With grotesque ripping noises, it broke apart revealing a set of large winds with claws. They twisted slightly and the great maw at it's center opened revealing dozens of rows of teeth as it let out a blood curdling roar. I stood there, frozen in place as time seemed to slow.

It approached and my body wouldn't respond no matter how much I tried to force it. Then, Anna screamed out, "Move, you idiot!"

With that, I was snapped back to reality and dove out of the way. I rolled and scampered to my feet, only to see the monster hadn't brought down it's great blade-like claws fully. It began to chuckle as it said, "Ah, there it is."

It turned and slammed it's bladed hand down upon a man as a spear poked from it's back. My eyes flitted to Anna who was slowly getting up, but I could tell she was in no condition to fight. One of the black creatures that had poured out from the demon's shadow began to dart towards her.

Without even thinking, I ran to her and drove the blade down on it's slithering form. It let out a loud hiss as Anna muttered out, "We..need to escape."

I nodded to her, but the sinking feeling in my heart grew as I got a good look at the woman. Blood matted the side of her head as she stood there. Her arm was bent awkwardly and she wobbled slightly. All around us, I could see the others fighting as best as they could, but more and more of those horrid demon spawn kept showing up.

Then I turned my attention to the big one, who was casually turning back with blood staining it's form. It's grin only growing to obscene size. It growled out in delight, "Escape? Tell you what. I'm only here to punish Alexander. Don't worry too much. We don't care to capture him. He'll bring plenty of suffering to the world eventually. We just want to hurt him a bit as a reminder of who he is supposed to be."

I stepped carefully in front of Anna, blade pointed up and taking the stance she had drilled into me. If it's intent was to kill me, then I'd die fighting. There was no way we'd get away.

Anna said, weakly, "N-no. Alexander, you shouldn't trust-"

The monster took no time and with speed it had yet shown, slammed the great paw into my stomach. Pain screeched through my body as the sword was ripped from my hands. Dazed, I lay on the ground a few feet away and the demon stepped forward.

Anna tried to move away but the large, black horror took hold of her tightly in its hands. I stared up, dread flowing thickly like it was blood through me. The monster slowly began to frown as it said, "Oh. That was boringly simple. I had hoped a herald would be more dangerous."

In its grasp, Anna's face slowly turned from the determined look to a resigned sort of dispair. As time seemed to crawl, I got to my feet. Yet, no speed nor skill I possessed was enough. I was once again unable to stop what which would be. The bead-like eyes of the demon shifted slightly as it looked at her as she said, "Alexander, I-."

Without even hesitating slightly, the demon clenched it's great paw, the claws digging in. A horrific set of cracking noises issued out as Anna went limp.

I could little more than watch as she was sent crashing to the ground. The claws had dug deep and the blood splattered across the grass. My legs buckled as the creature stood there, blood dripping from it's claws. It's formed turned back fully to me, a growling cackle escaping it's massive grin. The demon said, "Baron Montiquen doesn't like other's playing with his old toys."

In that moment all but the beast and I remained in the world to me. The words echoed in my head as I stared up at the monster as all emotion seemed to fall away and the only pain I had left was that in my very soul. Nothing came to me in those seconds as the sentence repeated over and over. The corners of my mouth fell, my eyes widened, and a stooper set over me as I sat there staring up at the creature.

It growled out a giggling sort of noise and asked, glowering in delight at my expression, "Did you think you'd be the only Herald active in the world?"

All that had happened since I had arrived in this world flooded my memory at that moment. All the suffering and pain. The flashes of that place and the two forms unlike the others that had been there. I couldn't even begin to fathom how much they'd done. The prophecy, the hatred, the demons, the very god who worked to enact this. In that moment, the understanding that I would never have a peaceful life set in fully. I'd never be able to keep my promises as long as these beings continued their work.

The demon starred as the soft noise began to imminate from my mouth. My eyes burned as I asked, looking to the ground, "I will kill you."

I gripped my arms and looked up at the monster. I couldn't begin to organize my thoughts at that time. A symphony of realizations and confusion swirled through me as the sound kept escaping me. I knew I had lost. I wasn't going to ever win that fight as I was. I was so very afraid but it was all being overwritten by a single, unending want that began to burn itself into my heart. The blood being split around me, all the lives being lost, the city, and now Anna. I couldn't save anyone and especially not even myself as I was.

The monster giggled with barbaric glee as it reared its great arm back. I couldn't take it anymore. I was weak, but I had only one option left in my mind. I let out a soft whimpering name. "Cathurnalt."

The demon shuttered and stopped it's arm. The scene around me sifted, becoming less real. The city in the distance became a painted backdrop. The demons turned into little more than puppets on strings that disappeared into a strong light above. Silence took the stage I then found myself on. Around me I could see the frozen, fake forms of men and demons fighting to the death. . A voice said, "My my, Alexander. What has become of you?"

The god appeared there, hovering by the monster. It's many arms and hands doing various things, a tired looking blue mask facing me. It floated over to a mannequin Anna and looked at her as a sad mask slid into place. The Cruel Poet said, "Foolish, but sweet. Tragic, don't you think. Not being given that last goodbye. All those months, gone in a moment."

I stood up, and walked over to look down at the false version of the woman. It then turned to me, a laughing mask gazing at me as it said, "Yes. Now then. Do you think you have completed my little challenges? If you didn't, you won't be going back onto the stage."

I knelt down, a tired sort of feeling taking hold of me and mixing with the cold nothingness that I was left with. I muttered, "Just give me the answer outright."

Cathurnalt crossed a set of arms and a bored looking green mask slid into place as it said, "Well now. Let me ask you a couple of questions first."

I let out a soft sigh as I returned to looking at my guard's double. I wondered vaguely what could have been if I wasn't incapable of fighting. The god didn't wait long before asking, "What will you even do? I give you Veline back and you'll just go die again. Even if I give you the ability to revive her with you, you'll just keep failing. Even with training, you didn't catch the most obvious facts."

The statement irked me and I slowly turned a hateful stare to it. The god stared with that bored mask. Slowly my eyes narrowed and I quietly got back to my feet. I wasn't going to play it's game. I said, "Either kill me or give Veline back. This will either end here or I will do what I must."

The Cruel Poet's many hands stopped as the masks fell to the ground suddenly. The voice echoed about the area from every mask, "What will you do?"

I took a deep breath, shaking my head in annoyance. I had come to understand that the prophecy was not the driving force. Even if I died, that tragedy would continue. That big red monstrous god had an unending want to punish the world. The prophecy alone breaking wouldn't stop him and the demons. As I stood there, I let all my anger form anew. I began to harden it into a new feeling. Misana wouldn't be spared. Innocents would continue to die. WIth or without me, they'd find a new reason.

Then if I wanted to stop the tragedy, I had to do something. I was prophesied to walk the world and be a symbol of fear. I realized that if I was to live at all, this would become true, but I would not let it be as they so wanted. My eyes narrowed, the truth hardening the feelings into a cold resolve. I knew I'd never live the life I desired as long as they lived.

They would kill and bring their dark age by any means. If I was going to stay by Misana's side and give Veline her fill of the world, I would have to stop them. There was only a single option to stop them. I would not stop till I made the world the world in which my promises could be kept. I said, "I must kill them."

A mask lifted off the ground. It was a calm, white mask that asked alone, "You'll kill who?"

Without hesitation, I said, "Every single person who would work towards that dark age."

The Cruel Poet's mask floated about me, a soft glee creeping into its voice, as it said, "How far are you willing to go? Would you topple countries?"

I looked back at the fake Anna, letting that feeling of cold certainty be cemented by it. I had to stop them. There was nothing that I wouldn't do to that end. I looked back to the mask and said, "I'll do far worse if it's needed. Whatever it takes."

The mouth on the mask grew to a soft smile as it said, "You refuse to be the Hound of Sorrow? No demands for repent, only the brutal end for those who will do ill?" The voice began to rise to an ecstatic glee from the mask, "Undying, a dark shadow of judgment? That is the character you want to be in my great performance? After all this, you'll happily play that one?"

I frowned and glared at it. I said, endlessly searing the sights around me into my brain, "I will become whatever it takes."

Cathurnalt asked, the voice soft and calm from every mask, "What a beautiful change, don't you think? To walk the world, an eternal symbol of fear for the dark forces of the world."

I stood quietly, eyes locked with it's own. The mask shot off back to the body, it's many hands clapping as it said, "I was going to fire you, but oh my my my! I love the character you are willing to play! The intensity you show me here is amazing! That look on your face is gloriously dreadful!"

The figure floated over to me and the many hands grabbed me, the single gleeful mask as it's only face. From the robe, it pulled out the Veline puppet and it shoved it against my chest. An odd pain rippled through the spot as it pushed the puppet past my clothing and skin. Without even so much as a scratch, it removed it's hand and laughed, saying, "She's now yours fully. Say her name and tell her that you call her back, alright? Just be aware, the effects of that pact will be far more heavy. Keep that in mind when you go back to acting. You need to sell that you both feel each other's pain and emotions now more than ever!"

I straightened a bit, nodded at the god, and took a deep breath. Cathurnalt began to speak but something changed in the place suddenly. The red light dimmed and turned a pale blue. The Cruel Poet's mask changed to one of irritated concern. Water flooded the area and from behind the god grew a pair of pillars, dragging from the depth the one being I didn't want to see the most.

The Sorrow Penitent rose from the icy liquid, hanging upside down and her emaciated form on full display beyond what was covered by the metal bindings. The Cruel Poet turned and ,with the most blatantly false tone of hospitality I'd ever heard, said, "Ah if it isn't a worse me."

She let out a sigh and said, "You don't have to hide your disgust with me. I deserve it anyways. Forgive me for the interruption, but you took a soul without permission. We had already passed judgement."

I felt a tension form in my body as she swung lightly there. I wouldn't let her take Veline from me. Cathurnalt huffed and shrugged, saying, "I don't require permission to take props out of the bin. Especially when I had crafted it."

The goddess shook her head weakly and looked at me, frowning in a pathetic way. She said, a wavering tone of misery in her voice, "I'm sorry, but that sou-"

The Cruel Poet loudly cleared his throat and said, "No, you won't do anything."

Slack moved through the chains so that the pale form dropped low enough to face the god. I saw a hint of anger cross her face as the many armed artist said, "I have stitched the two together beyond anything you can undo."

Quiet fell upon the drowned stage as the goddess slowly shifted her gaze away for a moment. Then suddenly a chain shot from the water with great force and struck the mask from it's orbit over the Cruel Poet's form. Cathurnalt's mask rose from the water and all turned to those red horrific ones of anger. One turned to me and said, overly nice for the face, "I do apologize. You'll have to go now, since I've got a matter to settle."

The Sorrow Penitent said, voice shaking in spite and miserable anger, "You must show regret, Cathurnalt."

Suddenly I was pulled from the place. Gasping on the ground, I found myself on the ground bathed in the same red light. There was a quietness to the area, but I could already see various bodies and things laying about. It was not long till I realized I was alone, but it seemed that not much time had passed. The sky was covered in thick clouds and I slowly got up.

I looked at the dead around me and wobbled over to Anna. My armor was intact, though bloody. I knelt down by my guard, her lifeless eyes staring up at the sky. I sat there for some time, unable to leave yet. She was my friend and I didn't feel right just leaving her. Yet, as I slowly wiped away the tears from my eyes, I knew I couldn't do anything for her as she lay there. Demons now ruled the city and if I began to bury the dead, they'd notice. I said, quiet and resolute, "I'll kill him, Anna. I'll kill that bastard for everything he's done."

I slowly rose to my feet, turned from the place and hurried far from the sight. Once sure I was safe, having passed beyond the last field wall some time before, I said, "Veline Scheltia, your master calls you back."

Before me, the air shimmered and, like oil spreading out from water, a form began to take shape. Once done, the pale form of my pact partner in her white dress and chains before me, a small smile formed on my face. Her black eyes opened, the red dots in the center stuck looking at me in face. Her tail drooped, the blade barely not touching the ground.

I took in the sight of her as the putrid breeze clanked her many small tokens against the chains they hung from. A bit of her hair stuck awkwardly on one of her swept back horns. There, Veline floated for a few moments as her face displayed first shock; then she began to let out a soft whimper as her face scrunched up in disbelief. Finally, no doubt realizing this was no dream, she lepted at me with arms outstretched as she bawled. Veline gripped hold of me as she wailed out pathetically, blathering out repeatedly, "Back. Back? Back. I...I am back."

I took comfort in that long embrace, and let it add to my determination to see my mission through. She floated back a bit as she let out. Her eyes shifted from me to the state of the world around us. Veline looked back to me, confusion building in her as she asked, "What happened? The red light. You look not ok. Your eyes. They look odd. Tired yet something more. Unnatural. What happened?"

I looked back at the city and asked, "You remember how you promised me the world?"

She eyed me, more out of concern than anything. The feeling of confusion took over her excited happiness, but she merely nodded. A frown formed on my face, serious and stern, as I said, "I want to bend this world to my will. It's likely there will be horrible things required to do so."

Her confusion turned to a gitty sort of happiness as she grinned. She said, "Yes. We'll make the world as you want. I serve you. You alone, my master."

I slowly held out my hand to her, saying, "Even if I must kill many? You will always happily be by my side?"

Veline took my hand with both of her clawed hands. She smiled sheepishly and said, "I will follow. I will happily follow. Together. It is my purpose. Your world is the one I want to taste of the most."

A voice called out and I turned to see at some distance a cart making haste towards us. The demon possessed chasing after it. A wicked smile forced its way upon me, a hunger rising in me to slaughter the monsters. Carefully I let her hand drop and turned. I didn’t know how I could even manage nor what I’d say to Misana when we got back to that fortress of an estate. All I knew was that I would keep my promise. I would rise again and again, endlessly. All to pursue my quarry. I said, “Then let us begin.”

The Prophecy of The Dark Age

At the end of the Age of Light, There shall be Five Heralds

The Mercy's End who will show the world that The Sparing Grace has abandoned all

The Justice's Hero who will stand till a moment of weakness and faulter

The Silent Water who will record the sins and speak them to the Fate Arbitor

The Vindict's Wrath who shall bring forth chaos, war, and destruction

The Undying who hounds the world to repent and sorrow

At the final hours, in the darkest of days

They shall stand upon the holiest ground and ring the bell

They shall bring about the Age of Darkness