"Wait?" Idris raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you a baby like ten minutes ago?"
The Elf shook their head and let out a soft laugh. "Your sense of time is awful, I pity you."
Idris subtly shook his head with closed, exasperated eyes as he muttered to himself. "It was a joke, but go off."
"You aren't wrong though." The Elf stood up. "I was a baby when you first met me." They looked at their own hand, their skin incredibly pale, their eyes a deep red like rubies. Their ears were pointed, their long blonde hair tied in a unique set of cornrows and braids, giving them a look reminiscent of those who follow Ymir. They wore a dusty short dark brown coat that covered a white button-up shirt tucked into black trousers, also tucked into black boots. They weren't large or muscular, but toned and slender, their movements remarkably elegant as they approached the group. Their gaze traveled across each of them, but then centered back on Idris. "Elves grow at an abnormally fast rate..." They turned their attention to Maeve. "Do you know what else matures at an abnormal rate?"
Maeve closed her eyes and nodded. "Vampires."
"Correct. So now you understand?"
Maeve nodded again. "You are the son of Máire, but you are also the son of a vampire."
"Correct again. Care to guess who might be the father?"
Maeve looked to the others, their faces displaying a mix of disbelief and disgust. She shifted her attention back to Máire's son. "Taurus Maller."
"Damn, you're the guy we gotta kill’s kid? That's crazy, anyway," Menelik remarked. He glanced at Maeve. "Hey, Maeve, what's the deal with all those corpses hidden in your cloak, and why did it briefly smell like lemon sugar cookies in there for a hot second, only to disappear, was it because you took our noses?"
Zero and Taurus engaged in a fierce battle, but it seemed more like a game of cat and mouse with Zero nimbly sidestepping his way towards Taurean Village.
"ZERO!" Taurus bellowed, lunging forward with powerful strikes that repeatedly missed Zero at the last second. The process continued, with Zero teleporting away effortlessly, a mischievous grin on his face. Taurus, at this point, had grown far stronger than even the three Vampire Gods, leaving Zero to wonder if the title was more symbolic than descriptive of power. Taurus was now consumed by blinding rage, thrashing about as they made their way through fields and into the forest that led to the village. They covered hundreds of kilometers with ease, neither showing signs of fatigue. Zero, though, was starting to get annoyed, unsure if he could defeat Taurus in his berserk state without exhausting himself, so he pressed on toward the village.
Zero had attempted to land a few hits earlier, but it only seemed to enrage Taurus further, as he absorbed the blows, leaving Zero on the defensive. Zero took great pride in his own ego; he relished in how strong he had become. Much of it was because of his innate Dragon heritage, but he had worked tirelessly to mold his Human body into a form that could rival his old draconic strength. At times, he was convinced he had surpassed his previous power, but he knew that no matter how strong he got, there would always be someone stronger, and sometimes, they stood in his way.
What Zero desired more than anything was to become a Dragon once again. Even more than uncovering the fate of his kind, he believed that to solve that mystery, he needed to regain his true form. For someone to make every Dragon vanish, even Gilgamesh, it would require power beyond that of the Highers, including Ebony and Ivory. Zero had spent countless years in his Human body, serving the Order, protecting Sidra, and embarking on adventures. He had traversed the Outer Realms as one of the top Dungeon Hunters, but above all, he had devoted himself to training and searching for a way to reclaim his Dragon self. He had mastered techniques that transcended language and tapped into powers long forgotten. He had even uncovered knowledge of ancient creatures predating even the Old Gods and the All Tree itself. Yet, in all his endeavors, he had never found a way to reverse the curse that had transformed him. More bafflingly, he had never unearthed any information about the spell itself or the identity of the one who had cast it upon him. That's when he stumbled upon "Magic's End."
"Magic's End? Never heard of it."
"Magic what now? Get out of here with that shit."
"You're talking about a myth, a rumor at best, kid."
"It's just a tale."
"You'll never find it."
"It's nothing but fiction."
"What on earth are you even going on about?"
That's all Zero heard, over and over, as he journeyed through the Outer Realms. But there was one person, a single individual, who held knowledge of it. He encountered them during his travels to the Kikimaru Islands. They had overheard Zero while he was conversing with one of the BirdFolk Shamans, and they stopped him as he was departing their nest.
"The place you're describing, I've been there. Your Magic's End is real."
Zero was initially skeptical, but as they sat down to talk, he discovered the truth about their identity. They were known as the Wizard King, the ruler of Ayce, and the most powerful magic user in all of Arrithia.
"You complete Master Sun-Kong's training on Mount Heven of Tzang, and I will personally guide you there."
But when Zero completed his training, the Wizard King had vanished and with them, his seemingly only chance of finding Magic's End.
Zero's attention snapped back to the present as he stumbled upon the lifeless form of a Lycan, nearing Taurean Village, and with Taurus dangerously close behind. Swiftly, Zero teleported again, appearing behind rather than in front of Taurus. He poised to summon his morning star, but halted in his tracks when he realized it wasn't just one Lycan's body; it was a ghastly collection, a sea of bodies—Lycans, Humans, Vampires, Elves—all fused together without discrimination, forming a grotesque, root-like network.
As Zero traced the fleshy roots upward, he saw they extended from the village itself, despite the village still being nearly three kilometers away. Taurus appeared to be in a state of panic, frantically scanning the area, never once looking back. Seizing the opportunity, Zero veered to the right, seamlessly teleporting to assess the perimeter from both sides. The fleshy, twisted roots extended in every direction.
Upon returning in front of Taurus, Zero made a startling discovery. Taurus was locked in a trance, his head shaking uncontrollably as he seemed oblivious to his surroundings. Upon closer inspection, Zero realized that one of the roots had latched onto Taurus's foot, rendering him motionless and lost in a strange, shuddering stupor, incapable of looking back or reacting to the unfolding horrors.
Zero followed the nightmarish roots toward the village, their grotesque thickness increasing as they coiled into a grotesque, amalgam of corpses. The once distinct bodies of Elves, Lycans, Humans, and Vampires had congealed into a grotesque, morbid assembly, akin to a nightmarish stew. As he drew closer to the village, the faint moans in the air intensified, nearly transforming into agonized screams.
Upon his arrival at the village, Zero's stomach churned, and he hastily covered his mouth, recoiling in sheer horror. The previously muted moans now erupted into unbearable wails. Before him stood a colossal tree, dwarfing Valaquenta on Vol, its vast form composed of a sickening blend of black and red ooze. The remains of countless lost beings—Elves, Lycans, Humans, and Vampires—were interwoven into the tree's grotesque mass. Sinister runes pulsated with ominous black and purple energy, a sign of a dark magic that had ensnared the entire abomination.
Zero attempted to force himself to look, but the sight was unbearable, especially when he began to discern familiar faces entwined within the fleshy amalgamation. He turned away, shaking his head in disbelief. "I'm sorry, everyone... Fire Breathing..." Zero's voice quivered as he turned back to face the horrifying tree of flesh, drawing in a deep breath. "Engulfing Flames."
"Wait?" Idris raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you a baby like ten minutes ago?"
The Elf shook their head and let out a soft laugh. "Your sense of time is awful, I pity you."
Idris subtly shook his head with closed, exasperated eyes as he muttered to himself. "It was a joke, but go off."
"You aren't wrong though." The Elf stood up. "I was a baby when you first met me." They looked at their own hand, their skin incredibly pale, their eyes a deep red like rubies. Their ears were pointed, their long blonde hair tied in a unique set of cornrows and braids, giving them a look reminiscent of those who follow Ymir. They wore a dusty short dark brown coat that covered a white button-up shirt tucked into black trousers, also tucked into black boots. They weren't large or muscular, but toned and slender, their movements remarkably elegant as they approached the group. Their gaze traveled across each of them, but then centered back on Idris. "Elves grow at an abnormally fast rate..." They turned their attention to Maeve. "Do you know what else matures at an abnormal rate?"
Maeve closed her eyes and nodded. "Vampires."
"Correct. So now you understand?"
Maeve nodded again. "You are the son of Máire, but you are also the son of a vampire."
"Correct again. Care to guess who might be the father?"
Maeve looked to the others, their faces displaying a mix of disbelief and disgust. She shifted her attention back to Máire's son. "Taurus Maller."
"Damn, you're the guy we gotta kill’s kid? That's crazy, anyway," Menelik remarked. He glanced at Maeve. "Hey, Maeve, what's the deal with all those corpses hidden in your cloak, and why did it briefly smell like lemon sugar cookies in there for a hot second, only to disappear, was it because you took our noses?"
Zero and Taurus engaged in a fierce battle, but it seemed more like a game of cat and mouse with Zero nimbly sidestepping his way towards Taurean Village.
"ZERO!" Taurus bellowed, lunging forward with powerful strikes that repeatedly missed Zero at the last second. The process continued, with Zero teleporting away effortlessly, a mischievous grin on his face. Taurus, at this point, had grown far stronger than even the three Vampire Gods, leaving Zero to wonder if the title was more symbolic than descriptive of power. Taurus was now consumed by blinding rage, thrashing about as they made their way through fields and into the forest that led to the village. They covered hundreds of kilometers with ease, neither showing signs of fatigue. Zero, though, was starting to get annoyed, unsure if he could defeat Taurus in his berserk state without exhausting himself, so he pressed on toward the village.
Zero had attempted to land a few hits earlier, but it only seemed to enrage Taurus further, as he absorbed the blows, leaving Zero on the defensive. Zero took great pride in his own ego; he relished in how strong he had become. Much of it was because of his innate Dragon heritage, but he had worked tirelessly to mold his Human body into a form that could rival his old draconic strength. At times, he was convinced he had surpassed his previous power, but he knew that no matter how strong he got, there would always be someone stronger, and sometimes, they stood in his way.
What Zero desired more than anything was to become a Dragon once again. Even more than uncovering the fate of his kind, he believed that to solve that mystery, he needed to regain his true form. For someone to make every Dragon vanish, even Gilgamesh, it would require power beyond that of the Highers, including Ebony and Ivory. Zero had spent countless years in his Human body, serving the Order, protecting Sidra, and embarking on adventures. He had traversed the Outer Realms as one of the top Dungeon Hunters, but above all, he had devoted himself to training and searching for a way to reclaim his Dragon self. He had mastered techniques that transcended language and tapped into powers long forgotten. He had even uncovered knowledge of ancient creatures predating even the Old Gods and the All Tree itself. Yet, in all his endeavors, he had never found a way to reverse the curse that had transformed him. More bafflingly, he had never unearthed any information about the spell itself or the identity of the one who had cast it upon him. That's when he stumbled upon "Magic's End."
"Magic's End? Never heard of it."
"Magic what now? Get out of here with that shit."
"You're talking about a myth, a rumor at best, kid."
"It's just a tale."
"You'll never find it."
"It's nothing but fiction."
"What on earth are you even going on about?"
That's all Zero heard, over and over, as he journeyed through the Outer Realms. But there was one person, a single individual, who held knowledge of it. He encountered them during his travels to the Kikimaru Islands. They had overheard Zero while he was conversing with one of the BirdFolk Shamans, and they stopped him as he was departing their nest.
"The place you're describing, I've been there. Your Magic's End is real."
Zero was initially skeptical, but as they sat down to talk, he discovered the truth about their identity. They were known as the Wizard King, the ruler of Ayce, and the most powerful magic user in all of Arrithia.
"You complete Master Sun-Kong's training on Mount Heven of Tzang, and I will personally guide you there."
But when Zero completed his training, the Wizard King had vanished and with them, his seemingly only chance of finding Magic's End.
Zero's attention snapped back to the present as he stumbled upon the lifeless form of a Lycan, nearing Taurean Village, and with Taurus dangerously close behind. Swiftly, Zero teleported again, appearing behind rather than in front of Taurus. He poised to summon his morning star, but halted in his tracks when he realized it wasn't just one Lycan's body; it was a ghastly collection, a sea of bodies—Lycans, Humans, Vampires, Elves—all fused together without discrimination, forming a grotesque, root-like network.
As Zero traced the fleshy roots upward, he saw they extended from the village itself, despite the village still being nearly three kilometers away. Taurus appeared to be in a state of panic, frantically scanning the area, never once looking back. Seizing the opportunity, Zero veered to the right, seamlessly teleporting to assess the perimeter from both sides. The fleshy, twisted roots extended in every direction.
Upon returning in front of Taurus, Zero made a startling discovery. Taurus was locked in a trance, his head shaking uncontrollably as he seemed oblivious to his surroundings. Upon closer inspection, Zero realized that one of the roots had latched onto Taurus's foot, rendering him motionless and lost in a strange, shuddering stupor, incapable of looking back or reacting to the unfolding horrors.
Zero followed the nightmarish roots toward the village, their grotesque thickness increasing as they coiled into a grotesque, amalgam of corpses. The once distinct bodies of Elves, Lycans, Humans, and Vampires had congealed into a grotesque, morbid assembly, akin to a nightmarish stew. As he drew closer to the village, the faint moans in the air intensified, nearly transforming into agonized screams.
Upon his arrival at the village, Zero's stomach churned, and he hastily covered his mouth, recoiling in sheer horror. The previously muted moans now erupted into unbearable wails. Before him stood a colossal tree, dwarfing Valaquenta on Vol, its vast form composed of a sickening blend of black and red ooze. The remains of countless lost beings—Elves, Lycans, Humans, and Vampires—were interwoven into the tree's grotesque mass. Sinister runes pulsated with ominous black and purple energy, a sign of a dark magic that had ensnared the entire abomination.
Zero attempted to force himself to look, but the sight was unbearable, especially when he began to discern familiar faces entwined within the fleshy amalgamation. He turned away, shaking his head in disbelief. "I'm sorry, everyone... Fire Breathing..." Zero's voice quivered as he turned back to face the horrifying tree of flesh, drawing in a deep breath. "Engulfing Flames."
