Amidst the swirling chaos that gripped the island of Sidra, Menelik's powerful voice rang out like a battle horn through the tempest. With an impressive show of strength, he hoisted his warhammer high, banishing the vampire that stood in his way into the ethereal abyss. "Hold on a second," he interjected, his words cutting through the tumult with a clear purpose, "Didn't you say the castle got wrecked when you offed the Demon Emperor?"
Zero, moving with deadly grace, expertly evaded the slashing claws of an enemy, retaliating with a swift strike of his shortsword. "I didn’t know vampires were so good at putting things back together," he pondered aloud, his blade dancing through the air as yet another undead head took a dramatic exit from its host body.
In the midst of the chaos, Oiwa found herself under attack from all sides. Her arcane arms wrestled fiercely with five vampires at once. "Seriously, can we save the jokes for after the chaos?" she exclaimed incredulously, her voice strained as she battled against the unholy might trying to overwhelm her.
Spotting an opening, Idris yanked his spear free from a downed foe and hurled it with unwavering accuracy. The weapon impaled two vampires who had Oiwa cornered, creating an opening for him to swiftly dispatch the remaining pair with a blur of agile movement. This freed Oiwa to take down the last vampire. "Nicely done," she acknowledged, her magical arms twisting and flexing in a display of finesse. "These things are surprisingly slippery—HEY!"
Her words were abruptly cut off by a lifeless vampire hurtling through the air. She narrowly dodged its path, her eyes narrowing as she identified the source of the airborne corpse. "Taharqa!"
Taharqa, scythe and mage staff in hand, offered a brief apology. "Sorry about that."
On their relentless journey through what felt like an endless abyss of malevolence, the five companions pressed forward toward the once-ruined castle of the departed Emperor Dysixsyx. In a twist of fate as surprising as it was foreboding, the fortress now stood restored, transformed into a sinister citadel for an army of vampires. The island, with the exception of the Hier Kingdom, had fallen under their shadowy rule. Only the Elves had managed to maintain an unbreakable barrier, a haven impervious to even the slightest touch of a vampire.
The group’s ultimate destination remained uncertain, yet a glimmer of hope still flickered in the darkness. If all went according to plan, they would breach the borders of Amapá and set out on a northern journey to Taurean Village. There, they sought the Lycans, hoping to find them unyielding—a bastion against the encroaching night.
For forty-two unyielding days, the fellowship navigated the treacherous landscapes of Sidra. Their mission was a meticulously orchestrated series of ambushes, each aimed at dismantling the vampire lairs with precision. Their target was Maeve, last rumored to be in cahoots with Taurus—a figure once thought to be dead but instead sealed away after the Battle of the Four Armies.
Zero pondered the chain of events that had brought them to this moment. When he killed the Emperor and left with Varin, it created a power vacuum—a void that the resurgent vampires seemed more than willing to fill. Looking back, the advice of his comrades to stay and help stabilize the situation made a lot of sense. The irony of his current predicament—an existence shaped by the very past he had cast aside—hung over him like a shadow, a reminder of the choices made and not made.
Perched on a gradual incline, the castle loomed over the hill with a sense of solemn grandeur, its imposing presence a stark contrast to the faded magnificence of what used to be Amapá. The city had shed its former glory, eroded by the storms of turmoil. Descending from Castle Garahart's heights, a path of weathered red bricks wound its way down the slope, leading to the stone remnants of the city.
Nestled at the castle's foot, the heart of the city sprawled in a mosaic of diverse stone and wood structures. The brick road extended, its red hue connecting the castle and the city like a bridge, weaving a complex tapestry of pathways. On the sides of the road, businesses once flourished—a bakery on the right with a sign gently swaying, and across the street, a bank with a sweeping glass pane inviting curious gazes to peek inside. Buildings of stone and timber, adorned with chimneys and hearths, exuded a sense of both permanence and warmth.
The sinuous road wound its enchanting way through the breadth of the city. Twists and turns accommodated a variety of homes and structures. In a harmonious blend of nature and civilization, a spacious courtyard emerged near the city's core.
And all of it had been reduced to ruins.
A labyrinth of bunkers and trenches scarred the hill's landscape now. Guards and barriers formed an impenetrable shield around the castle, and our heroes faced the daunting task of scaling the treacherous ascent, battling not just physical obstacles but overwhelming odds.
"ZERO!" Menelik's voice pierced through the chaos. "DO THAT YELL THINGY!" Menelik swung his warhammer, cutting through the endless swarm of vampires pouring down the hill. Their journey to the castle was only halfway complete, and their strength waned faster than the enemy's numbers. He swung his warhammer again, taking out two more foes before turning his attention back to Zero. "HEY!"
Zero dispatched two more foes with his blade before transforming his shortsword into a long lance—a blue metal rod with a crimson-bladed tip adorned with silver vines running its length and red fabric near the blade. Zero thrust it forward, impaling four vampires at once and piercing their hearts. With a swift motion, he withdrew the lance and thrust it again, beheading them in a seamless movement. He twirled the lance, forcing the advancing vampires to change their tactics and veer towards the others. Zero spun with the lance, pushing more vampires away from both himself and Menelik. The two warriors stood back to back, fluidly shifting stances and positions to fend off the encircling vampires. "What'd you want me to do?" Zero asked.
"I DON’T KNOW, BRO, UNLEASH YOUR INNER DRAGON!" Menelik replied.
Zero tightened his grip on the lance and signaled Menelik. "Tell everyone to cover their ears." He vanished and reappeared at the hill's base, surrounded by fallen vampire bodies. He took a deep breath. Menelik's eyes widened, and he slammed his warhammer into the ground, pulling his mage staff from his back. Clutching the candy-green gemstone, he whispered into it, causing its glow to intensify. Raising the staff, he drove it into the ground as vampires charged. The gemstone blazed, causing their advance to falter, and projected his voice in all directions.
"COVER YOUR EARS!" Menelik's voice echoed as the shockwave from Zero's roar surged up the hillside. Idris crouched, covering his ears tightly. Oiwa used all four of her magical arms to shield her head, isolating herself from the outside world. She chose not to kneel like the others, and as the shockwave from Zero's roar reached her, she understood why they all did. The force knocked her backward, tumbling along with the waves of vampires up the hill.
Zero tilted his head back, a faint apologetic smile on his lips. "Oops, sorry, Oiwa. My bad."
Oiwa continued her uphill roll, coming to a stop among the remaining vampires. She shook herself, quickly assessing the situation as her vampire counterparts did the same. "Oh... Hey, guys," Oiwa greeted nervously. "Any chance I could rejoin my comrades, or—aah!" Her words turned into a startled cry as the vampires closed in around her. She unleashed a flurry of frantic punches, sending them flying in all directions. As their numbers overwhelmed her, she let out a fierce battle cry, and massive orange scimitars materialized above her. Gripping them tightly, she swung with wild determination, cutting through vampires as she carved a path through their midst.
Zero exchanged a knowing look with Menelik as they joined Idris and Taharqa. "Well, I guess she did have a preference between you two, huh?" He playfully tapped Menelik's chest and then sprinted forward, his lance ready for action.
Idris and Taharqa exchanged amused glances as they watched Menelik's reaction. "He's definitely one of a kind, no doubt about that," Idris remarked.
"Buster's wife killed our brother and here he is acting like it's no big deal," Taharqa chimed in. "But you gotta admit..." They observed as Zero teleported up the hill with Oiwa, his lance morphing back into his warhammer. With a mighty swing, he obliterated vampires with each strike. The force of his blows generated shockwaves that sliced through rows of vampires, cleaving them in two. “…he's gotta mean swing."
They made their way up the hill toward Zero and Oiwa, taking care of the few vampires that managed to escape the chaos caused by Zero and Oiwa. The three of them almost hesitated to interfere, captivated by the chaotic yet symphonic battle unfolding before them. As the remaining vampires tried to retreat to the safety of the castle, they couldn't help but watch in awe.
Oiwa's magical arms moved gracefully amidst the chaos, standing strong with an air of confidence. Her four scimitars moved in perfect harmony, cutting through vampires left and right with a mesmerizing precision. Slicing through attackers from all directions, Oiwa's onslaught made even the advancing vampires hesitate and falter in their determination, torn between advancing and retreating to the safety of the castle.
Zero's gaze met Oiwa's, his warhammer now transformed into a bo staff. His movements were a sight to behold, unlike anything she had ever seen. Zero moved with fire dancing around him, his head ablaze with fiery hues. His staff became an extension of his mastery over fire, striking vampires with a blend of artistry and combat. The vampires were sent reeling, impaled, and decapitated as Zero's movements seemed like a perfectly orchestrated symphony of destruction. The sheer intensity of his flames was both captivating and terrifying.
Menelik, Taharqa, and Idris joined Oiwa's side, their eyes locked on the lone figure making his way toward the castle. Each of Zero's bounds ignited trenches and reduced barricades to smoldering ruins. His every move left behind a trail of fire as he surged forward, a fiery embodiment of anger cutting through the vampire horde as if it were nothing more than paper.
Taharqa's gaze shifted subtly to his companions as he spoke. "So, they're both crazy?"
"WHERE IS SHE?!" Zero's voice roared, but before the vampires could respond, his flames consumed them, turning them to ash. He turned his attention to another vampire. "YOU!" He moved almost as quickly as his teleportation, reducing vampires to ash in his wake. "WHERE'S MAEVE?!" An explosion of fire erupted, incinerating everything in its radius. "WUKONG STYLE!" Zero's entire body was engulfed in fire as he let out a primal scream, his flames lashing out in all directions. The intense heat pressed against Oiwa and the others, causing them to step back as the temperature quickly became unbearable.
"What's happening?" Taharqa called out.
More fire surged from Zero, thrusting him into a fiery dance around the battlefield. Vampires were impaled and pulled into the fireball, disintegrating as they were being hunted by the flames themselves.
"I don't know," Idris responded.
The fireball expanded, driving the vampires toward the castle in a desperate attempt to escape. The group watched as the vampires' screams were silenced by the consuming inferno.
"GEAR!" Zero's voice bellowed, deeper and more aggressive. His flames surged outward, swirling and turning everything in their path to charred remnants. "FIV—HUCKAAAAHHHH!" Before Zero could finish his chant, an unseen force thrust him out of the fireball, sending him hurtling back toward the group.
His flames had vanished, and he struggled to stand as his body adjusted to not the backlash of not shifting Gears. He looked up to see who had knocked him away, and a mixture of hope and dread filled his thoughts as he recognized the figure.
"MAEVE!" Menelik's voice rang out with anger and resentment. "You got anything to say for yourself?!"
Zero grabbed Menelik's ankle and shook his head. "She made sure I didn’t reach Gear 5... She's not here to talk."
A cold darkness shrouded Idris as he realized the truth first. "Oh, Oh, Oooooh."
Maeve's eyes were devoid of life, consumed by blackness and dark magic. She stood as a puppet of darkness.
"What's our move, Zero?" Idris asked.
"What do you mean?" Zero replied.
The air grew colder, an odd sensation that tightened around them, making it difficult to breathe.
"About her, idiot!" Menelik exclaimed.
Zero glanced from Idris to Menelik and then back to Maeve. He closed his eyes and shook his head with a faint laugh.
"We pray."
Amidst the swirling chaos that gripped the island of Sidra, Menelik's powerful voice rang out like a battle horn through the tempest. With an impressive show of strength, he hoisted his warhammer high, banishing the vampire that stood in his way into the ethereal abyss. "Hold on a second," he interjected, his words cutting through the tumult with a clear purpose, "Didn't you say the castle got wrecked when you offed the Demon Emperor?"
Zero, moving with deadly grace, expertly evaded the slashing claws of an enemy, retaliating with a swift strike of his shortsword. "I didn’t know vampires were so good at putting things back together," he pondered aloud, his blade dancing through the air as yet another undead head took a dramatic exit from its host body.
In the midst of the chaos, Oiwa found herself under attack from all sides. Her arcane arms wrestled fiercely with five vampires at once. "Seriously, can we save the jokes for after the chaos?" she exclaimed incredulously, her voice strained as she battled against the unholy might trying to overwhelm her.
Spotting an opening, Idris yanked his spear free from a downed foe and hurled it with unwavering accuracy. The weapon impaled two vampires who had Oiwa cornered, creating an opening for him to swiftly dispatch the remaining pair with a blur of agile movement. This freed Oiwa to take down the last vampire. "Nicely done," she acknowledged, her magical arms twisting and flexing in a display of finesse. "These things are surprisingly slippery—HEY!"
Her words were abruptly cut off by a lifeless vampire hurtling through the air. She narrowly dodged its path, her eyes narrowing as she identified the source of the airborne corpse. "Taharqa!"
Taharqa, scythe and mage staff in hand, offered a brief apology. "Sorry about that."
On their relentless journey through what felt like an endless abyss of malevolence, the five companions pressed forward toward the once-ruined castle of the departed Emperor Dysixsyx. In a twist of fate as surprising as it was foreboding, the fortress now stood restored, transformed into a sinister citadel for an army of vampires. The island, with the exception of the Hier Kingdom, had fallen under their shadowy rule. Only the Elves had managed to maintain an unbreakable barrier, a haven impervious to even the slightest touch of a vampire.
The group’s ultimate destination remained uncertain, yet a glimmer of hope still flickered in the darkness. If all went according to plan, they would breach the borders of Amapá and set out on a northern journey to Taurean Village. There, they sought the Lycans, hoping to find them unyielding—a bastion against the encroaching night.
For forty-two unyielding days, the fellowship navigated the treacherous landscapes of Sidra. Their mission was a meticulously orchestrated series of ambushes, each aimed at dismantling the vampire lairs with precision. Their target was Maeve, last rumored to be in cahoots with Taurus—a figure once thought to be dead but instead sealed away after the Battle of the Four Armies.
Zero pondered the chain of events that had brought them to this moment. When he killed the Emperor and left with Varin, it created a power vacuum—a void that the resurgent vampires seemed more than willing to fill. Looking back, the advice of his comrades to stay and help stabilize the situation made a lot of sense. The irony of his current predicament—an existence shaped by the very past he had cast aside—hung over him like a shadow, a reminder of the choices made and not made.
Perched on a gradual incline, the castle loomed over the hill with a sense of solemn grandeur, its imposing presence a stark contrast to the faded magnificence of what used to be Amapá. The city had shed its former glory, eroded by the storms of turmoil. Descending from Castle Garahart's heights, a path of weathered red bricks wound its way down the slope, leading to the stone remnants of the city.
Nestled at the castle's foot, the heart of the city sprawled in a mosaic of diverse stone and wood structures. The brick road extended, its red hue connecting the castle and the city like a bridge, weaving a complex tapestry of pathways. On the sides of the road, businesses once flourished—a bakery on the right with a sign gently swaying, and across the street, a bank with a sweeping glass pane inviting curious gazes to peek inside. Buildings of stone and timber, adorned with chimneys and hearths, exuded a sense of both permanence and warmth.
The sinuous road wound its enchanting way through the breadth of the city. Twists and turns accommodated a variety of homes and structures. In a harmonious blend of nature and civilization, a spacious courtyard emerged near the city's core.
And all of it had been reduced to ruins.
A labyrinth of bunkers and trenches scarred the hill's landscape now. Guards and barriers formed an impenetrable shield around the castle, and our heroes faced the daunting task of scaling the treacherous ascent, battling not just physical obstacles but overwhelming odds.
"ZERO!" Menelik's voice pierced through the chaos. "DO THAT YELL THINGY!" Menelik swung his warhammer, cutting through the endless swarm of vampires pouring down the hill. Their journey to the castle was only halfway complete, and their strength waned faster than the enemy's numbers. He swung his warhammer again, taking out two more foes before turning his attention back to Zero. "HEY!"
Zero dispatched two more foes with his blade before transforming his shortsword into a long lance—a blue metal rod with a crimson-bladed tip adorned with silver vines running its length and red fabric near the blade. Zero thrust it forward, impaling four vampires at once and piercing their hearts. With a swift motion, he withdrew the lance and thrust it again, beheading them in a seamless movement. He twirled the lance, forcing the advancing vampires to change their tactics and veer towards the others. Zero spun with the lance, pushing more vampires away from both himself and Menelik. The two warriors stood back to back, fluidly shifting stances and positions to fend off the encircling vampires. "What'd you want me to do?" Zero asked.
"I DON’T KNOW, BRO, UNLEASH YOUR INNER DRAGON!" Menelik replied.
Zero tightened his grip on the lance and signaled Menelik. "Tell everyone to cover their ears." He vanished and reappeared at the hill's base, surrounded by fallen vampire bodies. He took a deep breath. Menelik's eyes widened, and he slammed his warhammer into the ground, pulling his mage staff from his back. Clutching the candy-green gemstone, he whispered into it, causing its glow to intensify. Raising the staff, he drove it into the ground as vampires charged. The gemstone blazed, causing their advance to falter, and projected his voice in all directions.
"COVER YOUR EARS!" Menelik's voice echoed as the shockwave from Zero's roar surged up the hillside. Idris crouched, covering his ears tightly. Oiwa used all four of her magical arms to shield her head, isolating herself from the outside world. She chose not to kneel like the others, and as the shockwave from Zero's roar reached her, she understood why they all did. The force knocked her backward, tumbling along with the waves of vampires up the hill.
Zero tilted his head back, a faint apologetic smile on his lips. "Oops, sorry, Oiwa. My bad."
Oiwa continued her uphill roll, coming to a stop among the remaining vampires. She shook herself, quickly assessing the situation as her vampire counterparts did the same. "Oh... Hey, guys," Oiwa greeted nervously. "Any chance I could rejoin my comrades, or—aah!" Her words turned into a startled cry as the vampires closed in around her. She unleashed a flurry of frantic punches, sending them flying in all directions. As their numbers overwhelmed her, she let out a fierce battle cry, and massive orange scimitars materialized above her. Gripping them tightly, she swung with wild determination, cutting through vampires as she carved a path through their midst.
Zero exchanged a knowing look with Menelik as they joined Idris and Taharqa. "Well, I guess she did have a preference between you two, huh?" He playfully tapped Menelik's chest and then sprinted forward, his lance ready for action.
Idris and Taharqa exchanged amused glances as they watched Menelik's reaction. "He's definitely one of a kind, no doubt about that," Idris remarked.
"Buster's wife killed our brother and here he is acting like it's no big deal," Taharqa chimed in. "But you gotta admit..." They observed as Zero teleported up the hill with Oiwa, his lance morphing back into his warhammer. With a mighty swing, he obliterated vampires with each strike. The force of his blows generated shockwaves that sliced through rows of vampires, cleaving them in two. “…he's gotta mean swing."
They made their way up the hill toward Zero and Oiwa, taking care of the few vampires that managed to escape the chaos caused by Zero and Oiwa. The three of them almost hesitated to interfere, captivated by the chaotic yet symphonic battle unfolding before them. As the remaining vampires tried to retreat to the safety of the castle, they couldn't help but watch in awe.
Oiwa's magical arms moved gracefully amidst the chaos, standing strong with an air of confidence. Her four scimitars moved in perfect harmony, cutting through vampires left and right with a mesmerizing precision. Slicing through attackers from all directions, Oiwa's onslaught made even the advancing vampires hesitate and falter in their determination, torn between advancing and retreating to the safety of the castle.
Zero's gaze met Oiwa's, his warhammer now transformed into a bo staff. His movements were a sight to behold, unlike anything she had ever seen. Zero moved with fire dancing around him, his head ablaze with fiery hues. His staff became an extension of his mastery over fire, striking vampires with a blend of artistry and combat. The vampires were sent reeling, impaled, and decapitated as Zero's movements seemed like a perfectly orchestrated symphony of destruction. The sheer intensity of his flames was both captivating and terrifying.
Menelik, Taharqa, and Idris joined Oiwa's side, their eyes locked on the lone figure making his way toward the castle. Each of Zero's bounds ignited trenches and reduced barricades to smoldering ruins. His every move left behind a trail of fire as he surged forward, a fiery embodiment of anger cutting through the vampire horde as if it were nothing more than paper.
Taharqa's gaze shifted subtly to his companions as he spoke. "So, they're both crazy?"
"WHERE IS SHE?!" Zero's voice roared, but before the vampires could respond, his flames consumed them, turning them to ash. He turned his attention to another vampire. "YOU!" He moved almost as quickly as his teleportation, reducing vampires to ash in his wake. "WHERE'S MAEVE?!" An explosion of fire erupted, incinerating everything in its radius. "WUKONG STYLE!" Zero's entire body was engulfed in fire as he let out a primal scream, his flames lashing out in all directions. The intense heat pressed against Oiwa and the others, causing them to step back as the temperature quickly became unbearable.
"What's happening?" Taharqa called out.
More fire surged from Zero, thrusting him into a fiery dance around the battlefield. Vampires were impaled and pulled into the fireball, disintegrating as they were being hunted by the flames themselves.
"I don't know," Idris responded.
The fireball expanded, driving the vampires toward the castle in a desperate attempt to escape. The group watched as the vampires' screams were silenced by the consuming inferno.
"GEAR!" Zero's voice bellowed, deeper and more aggressive. His flames surged outward, swirling and turning everything in their path to charred remnants. "FIV—HUCKAAAAHHHH!" Before Zero could finish his chant, an unseen force thrust him out of the fireball, sending him hurtling back toward the group.
His flames had vanished, and he struggled to stand as his body adjusted to not the backlash of not shifting Gears. He looked up to see who had knocked him away, and a mixture of hope and dread filled his thoughts as he recognized the figure.
"MAEVE!" Menelik's voice rang out with anger and resentment. "You got anything to say for yourself?!"
Zero grabbed Menelik's ankle and shook his head. "She made sure I didn’t reach Gear 5... She's not here to talk."
A cold darkness shrouded Idris as he realized the truth first. "Oh, Oh, Oooooh."
Maeve's eyes were devoid of life, consumed by blackness and dark magic. She stood as a puppet of darkness.
"What's our move, Zero?" Idris asked.
"What do you mean?" Zero replied.
The air grew colder, an odd sensation that tightened around them, making it difficult to breathe.
"About her, idiot!" Menelik exclaimed.
Zero glanced from Idris to Menelik and then back to Maeve. He closed his eyes and shook his head with a faint laugh.
"We pray."
