Chapter 11: Alexander; Shauran 20th, 344SR; 8:20

The sky from the east to the west was a dark grey, some clouds lingered adrift lower to the ground level as Alexander approached Logos for the first time in a year. Alexander led a party of hybrids and angels on horse back, behind him Avery Sun, the leader of the monks from Welis was bored as she laid on the back of the muscular horse.

"Not only is there a decrease in the logorite supply... look at the size of these crops... what is that brat doing?" Alexander murmured in anger as he noticed more things to nitpick.

"Riva... why did we agree to this," the brown haired woman complained as she slipped off the horse slightly but hung on with one foot.

"You're the one who said it would be fun!" Rolo scoffed.

Rolo glanced at Alexander for a moment, and then forward at the path ahead as they approached the brown houses in Logos. Just passed them, Freiya seemed to try and ride closer to Rolo, before she looked forward as well.

"Oh my... ugh- give me a moment." Freiya shook her head as her smaller brown horse cantered past the group and towards a short angel who walked towards them.

He was five feet tall, a new recruit who seemed to be dressed as a scout, however he held a pickaxe in his hand. The young angel had a bounce in his step, a wide smile with his eyes closed, he hummed as he walked unaware of the party of angels and hybrids on horseback.

"Eos! I thought I told you already to stop going to the mines!" she scolded a white haired child.

"Huh?! Oh- Uh..."

"Don't even say it!"

'Who is that? Is that the angel who she mentioned in the meeting?' Alexander's horse trotted forward.

"But I get stronger in the mines?" the angel named Eos replied with a puzzled look.

"I don't care! I'm pretty sure Arid was upset with me, because of you!" she roared.

"State your house boy," Alexander suddenly ordered as he approached, looking down at Eos.

"Uh.. house-" Eos murmured.

"Speak up!" Alexander shouted all of a sudden.

"Pendragon!" Eos yelled in fear, his body shook in fear in the presence of the large man.

Alexander looked down at the angel, 'This is why, you don't give Arthur my job-' a large crash echoed through the sky. Alexander suddenly turned his head towards the mountain. Rolo, and Avery also turned, so did Eos.

"What the?" Eos uttered in confusion.

The trees in the mountain all seemed to shake, a cloud of smoke rose from the other side of the forest. 'What is that?' Alexander got off his horse and looked at the mountain, a cloud of smoke rose from the other side of the mountain as well. The two thick grey clouds flowed with the wind into the atmosphere.

"Eos was your name, correct? You said you wanted to go to the mountain, go investigate that disturbance and report to us on what it is immediately." Alexander gave the order, the white haired angel stared at him for a moment.

"Who are you?" Eos asked in confusion.

Alexander felt an unspeakable rage, similar to his rage towards Arthur driven by nothing but an anger towards his existence and being.

"Are you dense! That's house Rael's noble! I'm so sorry Sir Alexander... Eos! Get to work and stop slacking off!" Freiya scolded.

Eos ran off in a concerned hurry towards the cloud of smoke which came out of the mountain somewhere past the forest. Lector's horse trotted forward.

"Who are you?" Lector poked at Alexander.

"Do you wish to die?" Alexander asked Lector calmly.

"Hah, that kids weird, I think I saw him get into a scuffle with a guard from our house the other day. Too bad he reminds me of Yami."

"That's a good point... where is Yami, I thought I asked you to wake him up..." Alexander asked as he turned to Lector who didn't return eye contact.

"He... he didn't wake up," Lector mislead.

"Tell me what really happened," Alexander pressed for the truth.

"I'm serious he didn't wake up!" Lector continued to omit the fact he barely tried to wake him up.

"Your first and second vacations are going to Vivian and Bruno-"

"Huh- I didn't even try," Lector quickly obliged.

"I need you visit a certain house... you know which, search it, if you find him, tell me," Alexander ordered.

"Yeah, yeah," Lector understood Alexander's plan.

However, as they entered the town a black dragon stretched out of the middle of the town into the sky before it unleashed a red ball of plasma from its mouth at the ground. An explosion rippled through the air, a pillar of smoke rose out of the center of Logos.

"Of course... he's already up to something," Alexander commented as Arthur's dragon lowered to the ground.

"Hey! Slow-" Avery called but before Alexander could turn Rolo and Riva were off their horses in a full sprint towards the center of the town with their hands on the handles of their weapons.

"Well... looks like we shouldn't be here for too long." Avery commented.

Avery stood up on the horse and reached up for the ceiling of a house. As the horse approached it she grasped it and effortlessly pulled herself up. The brown haired woman ran along the roofs made of logs, with a hop in her step she leaped across the street and grasped the roof of another building, then climbed on top and looked over.

"Look's like Arthur started before us," the woman commented.

Alexander nodded at Lector as he turned his horse and entered a full gallop towards Jack's house. As Alexander entered the small town he saw Arthur try to chase someone with short black hair, Balakin was completely released, the dragon coiled around the scene and attempted to go for one of two other people who ran off in different directions.

"Enough!" Arthur shouted in frustration as he chased after the man with short black hair.

Alexander's horse galloped towards where the man ran, he managed to cut the man off.

"Shit," the man uttered.

Alexander got off his horse, he walked forward and kneed him in the stomach, the man coughed, but Alexander slammed the back of his steel gauntlet into the man's face and he fell to the ground on his back.

"Tell me where the others are already... I don't enjoy interrogation," Arthur asked as he caught up.

"Screw you!" the man on the ground cursed as he grit his teeth.

Alexander didn't recognize him, he wasn't a slave from Logos. He had short black hair and a well defined face, his left eye was scarred and he looked up at the two nobles with nothing but contempt. The man wore black camouflage, 'Resistance members? They're still around?'

"Yeah, go to hell Arthur," said Alexander.

"You're here earlier than expected," Arthur responded, a spot on his cheek was bruised.

"You allowed yourself to be hit by such weaklings... don't ever call yourself a noble. Ever again," said Alexander.

Across the field Riva had her knee on a dark-skinned childs back and a sheathed blade at his throat. In the other direction Rolo had his foot down on the other individual who ran, Rolo rested his greatsword on his shoulder as he glanced around at the ruined patches of grass.

"So... have you gotten Jack out of Logos yet," Alexander asked.

"Huh?" Arthur responded in confusion, "what do you mean-"

"Shut your damn mouth... it's beyond obvious you're up to something," Alexander grasped Arthur's collar. "I'll make sure your status as a noble is dragged through the mud as soon as I prove you're full of your own dragons shit!" he rudely scorned Arthur.

His teeth grit face to face with Arthur just to let him know he was very upset, as if it wasn't clear. Arthur looked Alexander right in the eyes as he shoved Alexanders hand away. He walked past Alexander towards the hybrids, 'Oh?'

"After the meeting yesterday I took it upon myself to find potential members of the resistance hiding in Logos. These three may not be alone," Arthur informed them as he picked up the resistance member by the back of the collar and dragged him over.

'Nevermind dragging his name through the mud, I want to kill him...' Alexander reached into his pocket and pulled out a stone with a golden circle on it.

"Lector, did you find him?" Alexander spoke into the stone.

"No. He isn't here," Lector's voice came through the stone.

"Arthur was in Logos before us, look around, there's a chance Jack is already gone," Alexander ordered.

He put the stone back in his pocket as he turned and looked to the center of the town where the three non-unified were taken; Riva, Avery, Rolo, and Arthur surrounded them.

"Sir Arthur, who are these people... why are you attacking them?" Riva asked.

"You don't have to say sir... I investigated the area surrounding Logos as I noticed a party of people wandering late at night. One of the people in the party entered the town at night, I tailed him until he met with these two to exchange information. I don't know exactly how many there are, but those two are slaves who've been communicating with the resistance, and this one looks to be a higher up in the resistances current ranks," Arthur pointed to the man with short black hair.

"Try not to be upset about that punch kid. You deserve it after all," the man on his knees joked even though his situation seemed horrible.

Arthur looked down on the man whose eyes were wide with intent and rage, his mad grin told the members of the hybrid alliance how much he hated each of them. Alexander glanced at the other two, he recognized them, a slave named Rod and another named Franklin.

His eyes were wide with fear despite his muscular appearance, 'These two... they look similar...'. Rod wore the typical clothing given to slaves. While he had a strong build, he couldn't calm his nerves as he breathed heavily. The slave looked down at the ground.

"No," he whispered to himself repeatedly.

The other was just a teenager, he was a short dark skinned child with a messy head of curly hair. He also wore slaves clothing, his eyes seemed to bulge out from how afraid he was.

"I remember this one," Alexander knelt down and looked the dark skinned teenager in the eyes.

"You were the one who told me where Jack was all that time ago, why don't you tell me once more? Go on," Alexander asked with a fake kindness.

The child looked at the other two non-unified.

"Don't look at them, they didn't ask the question," Alexander's eyes twitched and the boy started to breath heavily.

"I... I don't know?" he uttered.

"Is that so?" Alexander stood up.

"What's your name boy." Alexander asked as he adjusted his gauntlets, the boy gulped in fear.

"F...Franklin... Franklin Huvic..." he stuttered.

"Franklin don't say shit to that-" Alexander walked forward and had kicked the man across the face, he fell against the ground unconscious.

"Adam!" Franklin shouted in fear.

"Huvic? Huvic... Huvic... Huvic," Alexander repeated as he turned and walked away slowly in thought.

Riva tilted her head, confused as to what the noble was doing. Alexander paced back and forth before he raised his finger.

"Huvic!" Alexander shouted gleefully.

"I remember now, I tried to make your parents fight each other to the death! Ha-hahaha" Alexander chuckled. "That day was amusing."

Alexander looked around and saw the non-unified who were awoken by the commotion, they stood a good distance away. Although concerned for what was happening, when they realized who had returned to Logos, they stepped back with worried looks on their faces. It made Alexander all the more giddy.

"Oh perfect, this is just a perfect moment!" he cheered.

Arthur cringed in disgust, Rolo's eyes looked disappointed as he watched Alexanders scene. Riva's hand shook as she held her blade, Avery didn't reply, her expression blank.

"Of course, they were quite admirable as they didn't fight... until I mentioned that the both of them would die and I'd drag you... their precious, yet useless son into this town to replace them!" Alexander explained.

Franklins tears started pouring out of his eyes, his throat cracked slightly as he sobbed while looking directly at the noble. The dark skinned childs eyes wide with shock, his hands trembling against the dirt.

"Mom, and dad... fought... for-?" Franklin choked, he couldn't handle it and started to ball tears.

"Franklin don't listen to him... he's just a piece of shit..." the short haired man uttered, he was conscious once more.

"You... made... them fight?" Franklin uttered in despair.

"Well... made is probably the wrong word, I tried to make them fight, but they refused until I brought you up. They must've loved you because your mother demanded she be killed in place of the father! But you wanna know what I did after?" Franklin put his hands to the ground, his voice croaked as the tears hit the dirt.

"I sliced your father limb from limb in front of her so she could hear his suffering! Then... the best part... I killed her anyway!" Alexander laughed maniacally. "This is good, this is very good.... I want you ALL to watch!" Alexander shouted. "It's about time Logos had its warden back in power!" he cheered with open arms to the sky, laughing away as if his life never had another worry.

"Jack..." Franklin uttered.

Alexander whipped his head around to the boy 'Yes... The only way for these rats to cooperate is for them to understand their place.'.

"Jack is-" Franklin sobbed.

He rose as he wiped his tears out of his eyes.

"Go on, tell me where Jack is," Alexander knelt down again and asked Franklin.

"Jack is gonna kill you... you piece of shit!" Franklin hissed in rage as his hands grasped the green dirt and grass, Alexander's expression shifted to that of boredom.

"Sir Alexander," Riva spoke up.

"We are supposed to be searching for whatever crashed in the forest... not torturing children and looking for the one named Jack," she tried to tell him but Alexander ignored her.

"You and your parents are quite similar Franklin," Alexander said calmly with a blank stare on his face.

He then grasped Franklin's hair and dragged him forward, the boy cried in pain and fear, he grabbed the nobles hand to stop him from pulling his hair out. Alexander lifted him effortlessly and whipped him towards the non-unified who watched nearby, Alexander looked at his palm and noticed some of the boy's hair which had been torn off.

"Arthur, the one thing you've done right is not shaving them, good job," Alexander said with a smile.

"Enough, you have Logos back, and you're already working to lose it again?" Arthur glared at him.

"You are why the Logorite supply fell though..." Alexander pointed at him. "I'm back because you're a failure Arthur," he added.

The boy grasped his head and tried to stand. Alexander stomped his foot down on his back and Franklin cried out in pain.

"You forgot how important fear was Arthur!" he stomped on Franklin's back.

Before he could stomp again he noticed the blue blade of a katana at the side of his head.

"Stop!" Riva demanded with a look of rage in her eyes, Alexander glanced back at her.

"You're merely the vice captain of the royal guard... who are you to tell me to stop?" Alexander took his foot off Franklin and faced the woman with the blue robe.

"Why the fuck is someone like you a noble?" Riva hissed.

"I'm good at what I do," Alexander answered as his greatsword appeared in hand.

Alexander saw a hand land on Riva's other shoulder, and Arthurs hand grasped his own, "Now now, let's not start any infighting," Avery tried to calm the situation. "Riva, put away your blade please," Avery asked.

Riva lowered the sword before she sheathed the long blade, however her blue eyes were locked on Alexander's the whole time. Arthur backed away, letting out a sigh as if he was sick of something, 'Brat, i'm the one whose sick of... you and your weakness.' He glanced back At Riva's blade.

It was a five foot long blade, silver with a blue glint that reflected off of the light. The guard of the sword was silver, its handle wrapped in a blue cloth. At the back of the handle, a red string tightly tied to it.

"The royal guard of Dorad huh, judging by the size of that sword, you 're given one of the sabers of Ginpa, not just a fang. Impressive." Alexander turned to Riva and praised her.

She didn't reply, her eyes still conveyed a rage towards him. 'She might be a formidable fighter, it's a shame... if I tried her, it'd be three on one.' Alexander thought as he heard several flaps grow louder, he looked up to see Vivian soar through the air and land on her feet before she fell onto all fours panting.

"Vivian?" said Alexander.

"Captain... there's... Bruno is... " Vivian stuttered.

"You and Bruno had orders to watch the outpost-".

"There's- there's a demon! There's a demon outside Logos!" she cut him off.

"Demon?" Avery stuttered.

"A demon? Are you certain!" Alexander asked, his attention now focused.

"He... he... Bruno was... I had to leave Bruno behind... or else I wouldn't have escaped, I, I-" Vivian huffed, however Alexander put his hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down, at the moment of battle, we have no choice but to be calm, those who aren't will die."

Alexander looked towards the mountain.

"I had a strange feeling earlier from the mountain earlier," Avery noted.

"It could be what we're looking for... we should stop wasting time here!" Riva added as she glanced at Alexander, her eyes still seethed with anger at the noble.

"Vivian, could you lead us there," Avery asked.

"I'll help Arthur here and join you," Rolo told them as knelt down next to Franklin.

"Get up, you aren't through yet, I want intel on the resistance, inside and outside of the non-unified!" Rolo demanded, Alexander heard a muffled voice come from his pocket, he reached for it and pulled out the stone, he walked away as he heard Lector trying to reach him.

"Yo, Alexander... He's here," Lector confirmed.

"Where!" Alexander's tone became serious, immediately dismissing the matter of a potential demon.

"In front of the house," Lector responded.

"The eldritch house?"

"Yeah... you're not gonna believe this." Lector added but Alexander had put the stone in his pocket and already made his way toward Jack's house.

Alexander walked towards the southern part of the town, 'Jack... Jack...' Alexander repeated the name in his head, 'Why is it always Jack... the dream... the son of the one responsible for the mines closing... and now even Murdok utters your name...' Alexander pondered, 'That dream was not a coincidence, I know it, Jack... you must die.'

***

Alexander reached the house, his senses so focused on Jack he was unaware of the large crashes and noises around Logos, or who caused them.

"There are a lot of things I don't believe here," Alexander whispered to himself with wide eyes as he arrived to the scene.

Lector was on the ground, there was a supply wagon with children that had been taken to the outpost, a gust of wind from the west suddenly made Alexander focus. He watched from a distance as Jack and someone else ran frantically in and out of the Eldritch house. 'The children from the outpost... demons... Jack...' Alexander reaffirmed his prior suspicions about the slave in front of him.

He walked over slowly, his presence still unknown to Jack, his metal boots pressed into the dirt, he glanced over at a gap in the houses not too far from the boy. The rotten smell of the slaves that lingered in the air. His cape whished and flapped in a sudden gust of strong wind from the west. The clanks and clicks of his armor gave away his presence as Jack turned his head.

"Unfortunately, that brat Arthur is busy, there's no one to save you this time!" Alexander declared.

Jack shivered in fear, his legs shaking, arms rattled as he tried to stand. Alexander looked down at him perplexed, 'he's nothing like his father, or his mother...' Alexander looked down at him, he hadn't realized this was the first time he's ever seen Jack in person. 'You may not look like the pale monster from my dream, but I know it was you...' Jack crawled backwards, he stood only to fall once again as his legs shook uncontrollably, panting heavily enough for Alexander to hear.

"Hey Jack what's- oh shit..." A different person Alexander didn't recognize walked out of Jack's house.

He was a young adult with hair past his eyes and white skin. The defining feature of his appearance being the clothing, he wore a similar uniform to resistance members. 'But how did they defeat Lector? I know he doesn't fight, but he isn't defenseless...' Similar to Arthur, Lector had a bruise on his face as he laid on the ground unconscious.

"So I wasn't wrong to be paranoid, good," Alexander reassured himself once again.

'What is this... it's not the same...' Alexander lifted his arm and the blade appeared once more. 'I don't feel joy in this...' Alexander glared down at Jack while Jack sat on the ground frozen in fear. 'All I know is you have to die right now!' Jack got up and ran away from the wagon.

"I should've killed you then, but I'll certainly kill you now Jack Eldritch!" he declared as he leaped at him and swung down.

Jack turned, his expression filled with horror as he ducked and rolled to the right. The edge Alexanders blade buried itself in the ground as the force of the strike knocked dirt in all directions. Jack's body lifted off the ground and his body spun directly into a house on the left of the street. His back hit the wall and he fell to the ground on his front.

"Jack run!" the other yelled as he charged forward at Alexander.

"Oh? This should be good," Alexander let his guard down on purpose as the man braced for a punch.

"Take this!" he punched Alexander's chest plate, and to Alexander's surprise he felt himself get pushed off his feet slightly.

"What the..." Alexander looked at his chest and saw an imprint of the man's fist, 'Is this how they got Lector... what would happen if that didn't hit armor...' Alexander stepped back in and raised his foot, he tried to kick but the man dodged to the left to avoid it.

"You... what was that," Alexander asked in confusion 'A non-unified shouldn't have a gift?'

He charged forward once more and the man braced for another punch, Alexander saw it coming and caught it. His hand was relatively small, Alexander looked at his arm and couldn't see any large muscles, 'Where did that power come from...'

"What'd you do! Answer me!" Alexander demanded as he grabbed the young resistance members throat.

Alexander suddenly heard steps in the dirt approach from the right as Jack charged forward and braced his fist as well. 'Don't tell me- even him!' Alexander braced, he knew full well Jack approached him but didn't care. Not until Jack's fist pressed into Alexander's face.

'Ah!' Alexander let go of the man's neck and he tumbled onto his side, Alexander's cheek felt numb, it rattled slightly from the impact. Jack tried to get the coughing man to his feet.

"John we have to go! We can't beat him without Ajal!" he warned as they ran in the opposite direction.

Alexander sat up on the ground, he touched his cheek, the skin felt warm, but it stung slightly, 'What the hell?' Alexander pondered in confusion. He stood up and crouched down slightly before he put all of his strength in his leg and jumped into the sky towards the two who ran down the path.

"You won't get away!" he roared.

They turned to see Alexander soar towards them with a blade in hand, John pushed Jack and Alexander slammed his blade into the ground between them, the two were forced off their feet like before, John flew into a wooden pillar, as Jack tumbled against the dirt.

"What was that... what did you do? That couldn't have been a gift... Answer me! Where did you find your strength Jack!" Alexander demanded as he approached Jack, blade in hand. 'He really has to die here!'

"You killed Carol!" Jack shouted as he ran forward and planted his fist into Alexander's armor. "You bastard! Why aren't you dead!" Jack readied for another punch and pressed his fist into Alexander's armor again making another dent.

Alexander watched the slave pathetically swing a bloodied fist into his silver breast plate once more. His hand bounced off and they both heard an audible crack. 'I doubt he's going to answer...' Alexander watched Jack drop to the ground on his knees as he gripped his hand.

"Ah!" he winced in pain as he grasped his bloodied fist.

"Nevermind, just disappear once and for all," he swung the blade down, Jack covered his head in fear.

To Alexander's increasing surprise, something flew between him and Jack, and it knocked the blade out of Alexander's hand the moment before it could cut Jack. 'What the hell?' Alexander looked down and saw his empty silver gauntlet, he turned his head to the left and saw the angel from earlier Eos, unconscious with his face planted in the dirt.

"You, why are-" Alexander uttered.

His sword was a short distance away, the sound of footsteps approached from the right, Alexander turned his head to see a tall man with black hair approach, he wore similar clothes to the rest of the rotten slaves, but something was different. 'Are his clothes too small... no... I don't recall seeing a slave as tall as me before...'

"Ajal! This guy is Alexander Rael! He's bad news!" John screamed.

"Ajal?" Alexander repeated.

That's when Alexander remembered an important fact. 'The trail ended in Logos.'

"I was right, I was always right all along! I am chosen by the Celestial!" Alexander yelled as he raised his foot to stomp on Jack's head, he didn't expect to see the black haired man suddenly appear in front of him with his fist ready 'Huh? When did...'

"So this guy's Alexander Rael," Ajal said as he swung his fist directly at Alexander's face.

***

The warm sunlight hovered over Alexander's eyes he opened them to be met with the blinding light that made him squint, he felt his nose crackle slightly.

"Ah..." Alexander whimpered in pain.

He tried to reach for his face but his arms we're under something, 'What happened?' He struggled to open his eyes, every time he tried his eyelids would quiver from the pain, but before long he felt a bit better, with some effort Alexander pulled his hand from the rubble and reached for his face. 'Light?' Alexander noticed a large hole in front of him, made from the broken planks and the wood of a house, Alexander touched his face and felt a warm liquid slide down the tips of his fingers. 'Blood?' he noticed a red liquid drip down his palm. There was dust everywhere, Alexander's back ached, 'That guy who helped Jack, Ajal?' Alexander recalled what had happened, 'He punched me? Did I lose consciousness from a single punch?'

"RRGH!" Alexander's body writhed in pain.

It felt like something was moving under his skin, he felt his nose crack back into place, and his strength slowly began to return as his body started to burn green flames on any of his wounds. Alexander put his hand against the ground and felt pricks from shards of glass and chips of wood, 'This is a filthy slaves house... he sent me flying? Me?'.

"I thought you weren't trying to kill people? Not that i'm complaining though!" Alexander heard John's voice outside.

Alexander pushed himself upright and pulled his legs out from the rubble, he looked out of the hole and saw Ajal and Jack.

"Jack, John, take those kids and run... get as far as you can!" Ajal requested with a serious tone.

Alexander reached out to call forth his blade 'You dare punch me!' Alexander grit his teeth and stopped summoning his blade.

"Huh? Why? You just wasted Alexander Rael?" John babbled.

"That guy's strong so I didn't hold back... but he's still alive- go... now!" Ajal ordered.

'Bastard!' Alexander ran forward towards them. Ajal looked forward and raised his arms but wasn't expecting Alexander to tackle into him. To Alexander's surprise he didn't get knocked back, in fact, he seemed to hold Alexander back without much effort. Ajal shoved him off, and spun, raising his leg at Alexander.

'Block it!' Alexander put his arms up, as Ajal's leg slammed into Alexander's gauntlet. 'What... is this!' he thought as his foot dragged against the dirt. 'How!' the armor cracked as he felt his arms take the impact, his entire body flew off the ground once more, he soared straight up towards the roof of another house and slammed into it.

'How does he make that much force!' Alexander winced as he felt the bones in his forearm rattle in pain as his arms shook. He descended into a field of crops and collided into the plants, the impact sent chunks of dirt and old dying plants in all directions.

The shifting under his skin returned. 'What is-' Alexander had no time to think as he looked up and saw Ajal on the roof with a purple light on his forehead, 'He's doing something... this guy has to have a gift... it's definitely a demon... black hair... Abaddon? No... they called him Ajal!' Alexander got to his feet and conjured his greatsword into his hand and held it ready. The purple light seemed to focus into a single point and fire a purple beam.

Alexander put his blade in front of him to block the beam, it collided and ricocheted into multiple directions. Several rows of crops we're vaporized by Ajal's blast.

He held the green blade up as the beam pushed him back, Alexander felt the dirt pile up behind his dragging feet as the beam forced him backwards through the crops. 'This is unreal!' Alexander pushed against the blade with his other hand and held it back, his hands burned and his cracked gauntlets chipped off and flew behind him as the beam heated up his blade, he suddenly stumbled forward when the beam stopped. Alexander fell forward, his blade steaming from the dangerous attack.

Alexander panted on the ground, 'What was that... ' Alexander squinted to try and see what was on Ajal's forehead. 'An.. eye... a third eye?' Alexander observed before suddenly a black staff appeared in Ajal's hand. A black shadow seemed to grow outwards into a large blade at the end of his staff, 'Is that... that's a scythe...'. Alexander lowered his blade, and shook his hand, it still burned from the heat. 'There's no debate here, this guy definitely has a gift... but what is it?'

"Who the hell are you!" the noble roared.

Alexander charged forward with both hands on his blade. Within the palms of his hands, green flames spewed out wildly and engulfed his great sword. Ajal jumped off the house, landed on the ground, and charged at Alexander with his scythe in hand.

"No answer? Then die!" the angel's greatsword ignited into a huge ball of flame.

Alexander swung his sword at the ground far before it could reach Ajal. Ajal noticed and jumped back to try and dodge but as the cloud of green flames hit the ground it exploded outwards, flames surrounded Alexander but they didn't hurt him. Alexander looked forward at the rising pillar of smoke burning in front of him.

Alexander shivered as everything suddenly turned black, white and grey. 'What the-!' Alexander's greatsword disappeared, his armor disappeared, revealing his black pants and a white shirt, the green flames which had spread to the plants all extinguished.

"What'd you-" Alexander tried to ask as suddenly color restored to everything.

Ajals arms were singed from the blast. Alexander looked at his own arms, they were still numb from the kick earlier. 'He extinguished my flames? No, he cancelled my gift. But... I did damage him...'

"Damn demon... the scouts reported that they've been stopped each time they tried to reach the continent of Pandora... where is the demon king! Why are you helping Jack!" Alexander demanded an answer.

Ajal stared at him, all three of his eyes wide with confusion.

"What the hell are you rambling about... My name is Ajal. The divine being of the planet Imperion. You punks trashed my ship... now I can't go home until I find someone who can fix it... and on top of that I hear you're the piece of crap responsible for the shit hole we're standing on right now," Ajal mocked.

"What'd you say.... Imperion?... Divine beings? Shit hole..." Alexander looked confused before he collected his thoughts.

"You off planet scourge... who are you to insult my work here in Logos! I provide the economy for the entirety of the hybrid alliance. And you call it filth? This is a masterpiece! A perfect factory of profit... you don't even belong here... why are you here anyways? Did you get kicked off your planet for not grooming yourself you three eyed freak!" Alexander mocked back.

Ajal looked surprised as he put his thumb on his chin.

"Damn Jack's right, you are an asshole... Oh well... I've been wondering, ever since I got here... whose Jack?" Ajal asked nonchalantly.

"What?" Alexander was confused, the sudden shift from a fight to a conversation was strange. "What do you mean whose Jack?"

"I'm not sure myself, I just thought he was some kid, he found me when I crashed here and kept me hidden," Ajal said as he walked to the left

Alexander squinted as he walked to the right, he wanted to hear more, after all, this had been the truth no one believed but him.

"One of the first things he asked me was whether or not I could kill all of the angels," said Ajal.

"As if you could," Alexander replied.

"I thought it was an odd thing to ask someone he just met, but understandable. Then I meet some of those... resistance members. They go wild when they find out it's Jack, claiming he defeated the infamous Alexander Rael, and sparked new passion for the resistance."

"He did not defeat me. I'll make you wish you we're dead if you say that again."

"Whatever, you said you we're right all along. Right about what?"

"Jack will bring about the end of the celestial, I've been warned."

"By?"

"Fate."

Ajal stopped, his back pointed away from Logos as he stood in front of Alexander.

"You know judging from the fact you think this place is masterpiece, and what you just said, you're an idiot," said Ajal.

"You know nothing of this world! I don't expect you to understand the measures we take against the demons!" Alexander shouted angrily.

"Condemning a race of people to slavery is a measure?"

"It's all their pathetic lives could amount to, they weren't chosen by the celestial. They lack the faith to inherit its power."

"Chosen by the celestial? They weren't chosen because they weren't faithful!? You're insane..."

"Their faith must only belong to the celestial. To us. The ones who keep the continents of Hiria and Kamino safe from the demon king!"

"It belongs to the celestial? The 'chosen few'? Yeah, no. I'm not following, you're full of crap and bat shit insane, do you even hear yourself right now?"

"They are a wretched race! Without faith in the Celestial they will never have the strength to rise above and will forever live the life of pawns!"

"I may not be able to say anything about faith, I clearly have none of it..."

Alexander squinted, unsure of what he was talking about.

"But these slaves- these people... no one would ever have faith in tyrants like yourself!" Ajal shouted.

Ajal raised his leg and slammed it down against the ground with his foot, the dirt and crops flew upwards high into the air. 'What?! If he could generate that much force, is he... holding back?' Alexander panicked as chunks of dirt fell down all around him, Ajal's third eye suddenly flashed and his body was surrounded by a black and white aura.

"Damn-" Alexander grunted, unaware of what Ajal was doing.

He tried to cover his face as chunks of dirt hit him, he squinted slightly as he kept his eye on Ajal. Ajal ran forward through the dirt before he suddenly vanished into thin air. 'What did he just-!' Alexander felt a strike to the side of his body, the crackle of his bone was audible as he flew back through one of the houses and tumbled through the street before he smashed into the town center of Logos.

"Agh!" Alexander groaned as he laid on his back.

Ajal's hits were slowly became easier to handle, however Alexander felt this one much more. 'He was holding back!' Alexander grasped his side as it felt like his bones cracked back into place, and suddenly the pain left as he gasped for air.

"Alexander? Where were you-" Alexander heard Arthur but he was cut off by a red haired man who shouted as he charged him. Arthur blocked the punch of a large red haired man with his spear.

Alexander turned to see patches of grass torn up and ruined, parts of the houses had been damaged.

"Get off!" Arthur kicked the red haired man in the chest before he spun his staff around and slammed it into his jaw.

"Alexander... where were you!" Arthur shouted.

Alexander stared at Arthur with a confused look on his face.

"We were suddenly attacked by more resistance members and you suddenly disappeared! What the hell were you-" Arthur stopped talking as his eyes went wide.

Alexander noticed Arthur stare past him and not at him, several thuds in the dirt approached, he turned to see Ajal charge out of the smoke of broken house with two scythes in hand. While running, he threw one scythe at Alexander.

The scythe spun along the ground like a wheel towards Alexander, he raised his greatsword and deflected it, launching it straight upwards into the air. He turned back at Ajal only to see him running forward quickly as the other scythe spun towards Alexander.

Alexander jumped backwards and the scythe landed where he once stood, Ajal ran forward jumped directly into him, pressing his knee into the noble stomach and pushed him off his feet. Alexander stepped backwards as he felt the wind knocked out of him. Ajal grabbed the scythe and threw it up, flicking it off his fingers to let it spin. Alexander looked up at the scythe, unaware that this wasn't just a faint.

Ajal used the moment of distraction, he pushed off the ground and slammed his foot into the bottom of Alexanders chin and knocked him into the air. Then spun and landing another kick to Alexander and sending him even higher up.

"Damn it-" Alexander grunted in pain, he conjured his greatsword in hand.

However Ajal had suddenly jumped up to the scythe in the air, and as if he kicked off the air itself he flew straight down towards Alexander. There was no way to avoid his attack.

Alexander felt the humiliation of fearing his opponent, as Ajal passed right by him like a blur. The weight of Alexanders sword became lighter- no, it had disappeared entirely. Alexander hit the ground as Ajal landed. The noble slid against the grass on his side, as Ajal landed on two feet. He spun the scythe and whipped it once, splattering the residual blood onto the dirt. Alexander didn't understand until he noticed tried to get up, he couldn't feel the ground. His sword stab straight into the grass in front of him, his severed hand still holding the handle, the other hand fell right after, hitting the ground with a thud.

Alexander dropped to his knees as he looked down, he tried to consciously move his fingers but there was nothing to be moved. A river of blood spewed out of his arms.

"My- my hands!" Alexander panicked as he raised his arms, he breathed heavily.

"You deserve a lot worse than just your hands," Ajal said coldly.

Alexander could do nothing as Ajal walked forward and slammed the black staff into his head, a painful strike to his temple caused his conscious to fade once more. The last thing he could feel as he watched Ajal walk away was a shifting in his severed arms, his bones seemed to extend beneath his skin.

'Damn... you...'