All the wounded man could do was stare at the monster in human flesh above him. He tried to look at his partner. The Death priest was lying prone and perfectly still on the floor. His neck, turned black and blue, was at such an angle that it was like he was staring right at Marcus. The Cassidian inhaled as Thatch just twisted his broken arm a little more, making Marcus wince, “Don’t worry, he’s not dead. Just a broken neck. Nothing those healers you’re so proud of can’t fix.”
Marcus absolutely didn’t want it to come to this, but before he agreed to this mission, he was told there was a significant risk of death or even worse, excommunication. But he wasn’t a Warrior for nothing and he readily agreed to bear the responsibility. It would have been almost honorable if he hadn’t joined the mission for purely vindicating his pride. Through the haze of pain, he closed his eyes, breathed deeply and when he opened them up, he looked as firmly as he could in his broken estate at the man who so easily humiliated him, “It doesn’t matter.”
Thatch jiggled Marcus’ broken arm like a child with a rattle, “And why exactly does this not matter”, he asked as he cocked his head, “Even if the verdict about me is up in the air-”, Marcus gave him a confused look, “That means nothing has been decided yet. And even without a decision, I’m fairly certain that attempted murder of a potential hero is not something you want following you around.”
Despite how he knew things were going to end, Marcus managed to force out his usual arrogant smirk one last time, “It doesn’t matter if I am destroyed, only so long as the task is complete”, as if he were making a confession, he closed his eyes and tried to look resolute. Once more, the impending feeling of danger and warning came over Thatch and unlike before, it wasn’t coming from a particular person. Then in a flash of white, everything was embraced by destruction.
Outside the house, stood a single woman clad in a burnt orange cloak, designating her as a follower of Ingenia, the Fire god. Keeping a separate orb of destructive fire at the ready, she watched as the house her three other comrades had gone into erupted into nothing more than debris and splinters. Bowing her head, she said a prayer to the god of Death, Baruth, for mercy upon her fallen fellows. The idea of being the last resort didn’t appeal to her, but the death of the Unknown One was more important than any of their individual lives. Wringing her hands, she knew the job wouldn’t be complete until she confirmed every death.
She paused when she heard something thumping from the smoking wreckage. As she tentatively approached, ‘There shouldn’t be anything left alive’, she thought as curiosity and a little fear bubbled in her chest. Before she even stepped onto the blackened ground, underneath the shuffling wood, a hand popped forth. Pulling himself from the debris was none other than the Unknown One. He was covered in cuts, ash and there were a few splinters in his arms but he was undoubtedly alive. He was breathing deeply and a cut on his forehead causing blood to run down his face made that unearthly blank stare all the more unsettling. The Ingenian priest began charging up another explosive fireball when to her surprise, the shorter man began running.
Fear gripped her deeply as she saw him run towards Acolynia. If he escaped, it could expose the entire scheme and many people could be imprisoned or excommunicated. Such a thing would already cause no small amount of scandal, but at a time when the world was in danger of demonic conquerors… That kind of loss of trust could spell doom.
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While not the most athletic, she tore after Thatch. He wasn’t making it easy for her by running through the forest instead of the path. There was plenty of cover, which would make it harder to spot him, let alone directly hit. The Ingenia priest was quickly running out of breath, though curiously, the Unknown One was never out of her sight. Suddenly, her target cut left and as she found herself doubling back in the direction of the house she had just destroyed. Thatch ran around the base of a tree tall enough to rival the temples and the orange clad priest followed. But as soon as she rounded the tree, and came to a small clearing, she didn’t see Thatch anywhere and the sound of his running had stopped. She had been told of how he liked to fight and kill. How the Unknown One would attack when without warning from a blind spot. She whipped her neck from side to side and quickly spun around. All she could see were the trees, but there was nothing else. No animals, no birds, no wind, no noise. The Bombardier’s breathing seemed almost sinful in such perfect silence. The very trees stood around like mourners at a funeral. As her anxiety mounted, she charged up another fireball.
“I know you’re there”, she called out, trying not to let her voice shake”, I’ll destroy this entire forest if that’s what it takes. Come out, you coward!”
It was only a slight rustling, but it was enough for her to whip around and see the Unknown One emerge to her left. He looked a bit worse for wear, but despite everything, he remained unflappable. She pointed her hand and the fireball was primed to fire at him, to which Thatch raised his hands and remained at a respectful distance while moving to one side..
Cocking his head, “Before you snuff me, could I at least know what for?”
Keeping Thatch within clear sight, the Bombardier tightened her fist until her knuckles were white, “You are an abomination in this world’s eyes. Your very existence is in defiance to the will of the gods.”
The redheaded man just gave a humorless grunt, “Somehow I get the feeling that that’s not the first time I’ve been called that”, he glanced upward in a pondering way, “But curiously not while in this world. Must’ve been something from back home.”
The Ingenia priest’s fire became noticeably agitated”, Enough! In the name of the gods,begone from this world and let the true heroes accomplish their task!”
She raised her arm and cast her fireball. The bright orange ball of destruction flew towards Thatch, who took his arms from behind his head with a knife in hand. With the movement of who had fought through hell, he brought his knife forward. The Ingenia priest smirked as she saw it, ‘He must be truly desperate if he thinks-’
She gasped in terror as the blade cleaved through the ball. Flicking his arm to the side, two halves of the ball of energy fizzled to nothing on the ground. For a heartbeat, the two found themselves unable to say anything, both seeming equally surprised at what they had just witnessed. Not even thinking, the Bombardier conjured another ball, but as she stepped forward to throw it, her foot snagged on something and something whistled in the air. Pain erupted in her leg, causing her to throw her fireball far behind the Unknown One. She looked at her leg and saw another knife attached to a branch that whipped forward.
When she looked up, there he was. Quicker than she could react, he sunk a fist into her temple, hitting her so hard, instantly she saw black. In a state of unconsciousness yet awareness, the Bombardier could feel herself being dragged by the collar, but her head was too fuzzy to tell where she was being taken. Through half lidded eyes, she could make out a small trail of blood being left behind by the wound in her leg. She had spent years devoutly dedicating her life in service to Ingenia and the priesthood that taught her so much. At this moment, she clung to that faith and desperately prayed for someone to rescue her.
