Arc 4: What families entail
"We lost. We were meeting with the Gravestone Pirates and the Spartans to grow our ranks, but the Pirates turned. Edward was defeated and taken. Leo, Julius, and Rosemary were captured by Athens. I'm the only one left. I need your help, please, please god come save us."
- Soku.
The message had taken a while to reach, and was now a bit out of date, but it was in Gordon's hands being read aloud to Gray's absolute, almost indescribable, horror. They were in Gordon's home, within a room similar to a gazebo. The walls were open, along with tall door ways, giving view and access to the many soldiers all training around. Gray was sitting on a couch but stood up in an influx of emotions. Unable to speak, which was a rarity; all he could do was chatter with anger, sweat with panic, almost cry from the failure, and almost have his heart stop from how hard it was beating. He even began to let out mana without thinking, reaching towards the spirits to pull in their warmth.
Gray: "How long ago did this happen?"
His voice was sore, somber, and rageful. Absolutely rageful.
Gordon: "The Spirit Eagle took about a week and a half, almost two weeks to get here."
Gray leapt forward once again before stopping himself. He didn't know where to go, what to do, who to scream at or what to hit. So he bit his lip so hard it bled, like he had done so many times before, but this time it felt like he was partaking in something he tried to throw out of his life. So he wiped the blood, and tried to let the anger go along with it, leaving him with pure fear. A child, and his family's lives were hanging over the abyss. It was so much that Ryo choked up, surprising even Gordon, but Gordon kept a straight slightly aggravated glare as always.
Gray: "You have to come! Please! I can't do it all alone!"
Gordon: "You know the laws. Or at least you should. Ryo can't enter another country without direct confirmation from the king. In this case, that's not happening ever."
Gray: "What law!?"
Ryo stood his ground, but Gray was only silenced for a moment while struggling to hold in his erupting emotions.
Ryo: "The Demi-human war ended at petal forest, but it wasn't truly over until the countries of Saga came together to form the All countries together act. The Gods of War are living weapons, our laws and systems need to be somewhat regulated for fairness, and each country had the choice of whether or not Demi-humans could live within their walls. It's just an overview, but it's undeniable. I agreed to it twenty years ago with the other Gods of War."
Gray: "Why should we care about the law! We're already helping the rebels! It's not like we're being Heroes for Athens!"
Ryo: "I do not want to just enter and slaughter the country."
Gray: "Oh but you want us to go and do it!? People you didn't even consider real knights!? Without any backup!?"
Gray's fury came bursting forth once again, and he almost grabbed Gordon's collar, if Gordon's hawk eyed stare didn't push him back. Ryo tried to close the distance and reach out, but again Gray stepped back, through the open doorway and down to the snowy grass.
Ryo: "If I enter Athens and do that, do anything, enter it, Ravoria and Valatroctius will be compelled to act. My spirit affinity is high, and if two countries or even a single country is targeting me I must go into hiding or fight until I die. That is the reality. It sucks, and I hate it, but I cannot do that."
Gordon: "And you know the title of Knight, Leviathan Soldier, it's all paper work. What you do with your skill, smarts or power, whatever! That'll always be what matters. Rosemary, Edward, Soku, and Julius aren't the strongest fighters in Walgonia ranks, but we needed strength and they stood up. They're alive. And they've paved the path forward for the rest of -
Gray: "SO YOU'RE OKAY WITH THEM DYING BECAUSE THEY HELPED JUST A LITTLE BIT!?"
This time Gordon jolted forward, taking hold of Grays gooey Cloak before getting face to face.
Gordon: "DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO!? WHAT WE ARE!? NO! BECAUSE YOU'RE A KID! THAT'S WHY I WANTED YOU TO KEEP TRAINING, TO GET EXPERIENCE! THEY HAVE THAT, THEIR LIVES HAVE BEEN HELL AND THEY'RE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO FIGHT ANYWAY! THEY WOULD WANT US TO CONTINUE ON, TO NOT WORRY ABOUT THEM! BUT WE WON'T! WE'LL FIGHT LIKE HELL FOR THEM IF THEIRS A CHANCE AND FIGHT LIKE HELL IF THEY'RE KILLED FOR THEM! WALGONIA IS IN HELL! AND ATHENS MIGHT COULD BE THE ONLY THING THAT'LL KEEP US ABOVE THE WATER! YOU CAN EITHER STEP UP LIKE YOU WANTED TO, OR LEAVE!"
But Gray could never leave, not again, and especially not now.
Ryo: "Please breathe."
With Ryo's hand on his shoulder and the cold air breezing past, he took in his breath. The rage, the fear, the images of a killed family would only get worse until he arrived, but he had to make it there. To throw himself forward. To do what he was working toward, what he almost died for, what was so damn scary, and keep going.
Gray: "...Ryo's a God of War, but you Gordon, you're not. Can't you come?"
Gordon: "I'm sorry, but I'm knee deep in shit. There are hundreds of people moving into the mountain. So many injured knights with their families, people wanting to help. I've lost contact with so many of my friends. Northern Walgonia holds many powerful Knights and Leviathan soldiers and yet I'm stuck. Without Musashi, Kioshi, all I can see now is just how weak we've become. I'm sorry I have to ask you, I'm sorry I had to ask your friends, and I'm sorry I have to ask you to go in alone."
Gray: "Alone!?"
He wasn't screaming with rage, instead it was terror. Something Gordon quickly attempted to pivot away from.
Gordon: "We have the other notes. I have a document ready, it'll tell you how to get to where they said they were staying. It'll tell you the names of the Red Arrows of Athens. I'm throwing you in blind. And I know you're ready. You're not alone, you're just leading the charge now. You don't have to fight, you don't have to be better than anybody. Just help. Do whatever you can. Or leave, not in some banishment way, but really. If you're not ready for this life, -
Gray: "No! This is a dream! And I know that sounds childish, but it's true! Ever since I was a kid I wanted to help! I wanted to do something that made me feel, I dunno! Worthy! Something of worth, anything. To be looked back on fondly, and not forgotten the moment I stop talking. It's lame and prideful, but this, this is the life I always thought I was supposed to live. Or at least I wanted to feel that way. But now I can, and I'll do it. I promise."
So Gordon and Ryo finally smiled before snapping their fingers to call Dema forth.
Gordon: "Her saddle's got a purifying water can, some dry food, blankets, maps, some clothes, some bandages."
Gray: "All my camping gear."
Dema quickly began to rub her dense slick scales against him, promptly pushing him to the floor before licking all the fear away. All of the surrounding knights, Leviathan soldiers, soldiers, guards, and even new trannies all paused for just a second in awe of the beast. Until Gordon's glare snapped them back into work.
Gray: "You sure nobody can come with? Like a small force of Leviathan soldiers?"
Gordon: "Look I know this sounds dumb, but there is a difference between a person and a warrior. Your mana fueled strikes, like a regular expertly aimed punch, can kill the average human. Our soldiers are well trained to defend against foes just like that, to use their weight against them, but at the end of the day I wouldn't do much."
Gray: "So save the strength? Even if it means I die because of it?"
Gordon: "Glass half empty. Would you rather kill yourself and a bunch of people or just yourself? If you can't do it, a small group won't either. If we move people through Walgonia Arthur could catch on, or Athens could call forth the A.C.T act to crush us."
Gray: "Stupid act act makes things so much harder."
Gray couldn't believe it. Dema was here, his gear was on, and his bags were packed. He had the directions, the training, the rage. He was here after so long. He made it, and nobody could take that. Twist it. Not Azalea in his dreams, not some Anarchist, not Arthur. He wouldn't let that happen. After losing his world, losing Musashi, Al, Ophelia. He couldn't let those bodies stack anymore. He could never lose anyone again. Never again.
Gray: "So this is it. I'm going to Athens."
Ryo: "And I'm so proud. But please go through Godrick mountain to get there. Walgonia is filled with chaos. From the roads, villages, towns, and of course cities. The Sect have either fully taken them or are fightin for it. Some areas are safe, but nowhere outside of Northern Walgonia. And don't get spotted by bounty hunters, Arthur has a low bounty set on you and the others. And don't get distracted and die to some spirit beast! And don't fall off Dema! And don't get sick, eat! If you get too scared try and come back or call out to me with the Spirit Arts! And -
Gordon quickly pulled Ryo away, waving Gray off. Gray shook, over and over, unable to get on Dema. But she just pushed past and forced him onto her back, preparing to take off.
Gray: "WAIT WAIT -
He grabbed the reins just as Dema launched into the air at full force, blasting into the air. Still Ryo looked up in fear, calling out with all he could.
Ryo: "THE SPIRITS CREATE AN OCEAN OF MANA AROUND YOU AT ALL TIMES! WITH THEM YOU'LL NEVER BE ALONE!"
The wind was so violent and deafening his screams were lost, while he was almost thrown right off. But when he grabbed hold, tried his best to focus, and looked back at Greenvale slowly fading away, it all set in. But the burning feeling within forced him to not follow Godrick mountain, and instead move slightly through Walgonia and do anything he could while he went to Athens.
Gray {It takes two weeks by wagon to get to Athens. On Dema, it could take a few days. They need me…but they'd kill me if I let Walgonia suffer.}
For a reason he couldn't explain, he knew his friends were pushing on. He knew Edward's will would never burn out. That Rosemary was doing everything she could and never losing her love for the world. That Soku could survive anything thrown her way. And Julius seemed almost invincible. Gray was the one who had to step up and take charge.
Beauregard: "Why did you do it?"
Gray's love, and as sad as it sounds, the biggest purpose he has in his life, still had that love. She was doing everything she could. But she was in the exact situation he was killing himself over; she was strapped down while Bearguard circled berated and attacked her. Julius was forced to watch, Calgary stood licking his lips under his mask, and Irsa happily watched while holding her bandaged head. Rosemary held on. She wasn't crying, screaming, speaking, just waiting for it to end one way or another.
Beauregard: "You could have escaped! You tried to follow, you could have gone instead! You could have let me end that monster thief's life! AND OF ALL DAYS! WHEN MY DAMN BROTHER GOT TAKEN FROM MY DAMN FRONT YARD!"
He hit her over and over, slammed his fist against the white stone walls, eroding from desperation through every pour.
Beauregard: "I should kill you. Hell King Arthur would be happy. But why end the fun right? And a Goldenwind, rare, very very rare. Could I use you? Mold you? Put you on a stake and kill their morals? Maybe sell you off. Ending things wouldn't let my rage flow out."
Julius: "But why her? Why not go straight to Leo?"
Beauregard swung and backhanded Julius hard enough for it to echo through the halls, but Julius never flinched.
Beauregard: "YOU KNOW WHY! HELL I SHOULD PUT YOU ON A TABLE RIGHT BESIDE -
Julius: "You know why you can't."
Beauregard: "WHERE'S THE KING THEN!? WHY HASN'T HE SENT PEOPLE TO SAVE YOU!? IT'S BECAUSE HE HAS NO IDEA WHERE YOU ARE!"
Julius was quickly slammed against the wall with his collar in Beauregard's hands, finally moving back as Beauregard's lips curved into a decrepit smile.
Beauregard: "You will die here. Your body will rot and get eaten by the crows. And the king will never know, will he? That Mad old fool."
Julius: "If you wish to test the spite of the Mad King, then do it."
Beauregard: "Oh but I just told Rosemary, can't you get it through that endless smirk? BECAUSE IT WOULD BE TOO EASY!"
He stepped back, and with a look, finally let Irsa bash Julius against the wall. Rosemary finally moved her head up in a panic. Causing Beauregard even more joy.
Beauregard: "You care about him too huh? Such a kind girl. Now don't kill him."
Julius didn't fight back. Irsa hit him in every joint, in every pressure point, with every limb. Over and over, cracking the floor and walls, pushing out wind toward the others. Yet he never screamed, never flinched. Just got worse and worse, bloodier and bloodier, before Irsa finally pulled back to wipe the blood from her thick leaver armor.
Beauregard: "Chain him, but this time we gotta keep them far away from each other. Guarded by more than five at a time on top of one of you. These are prisoners of war. Of Walgonia, of Valatroctius. Money, and opportunity. Now leave me alone while I try and think how to draw my brother out. It's obvious no matter how badly I hurt his Red Arrows he'll stay smart, he'll stay quiet. For four years I've waited, and I can wait just a bit longer, to make my victory all the sweeter."
Rosemary's eyes sunk down with her soul. Soku was free, Gray was free, Edward was gone; she was so close to having everybody okay. But Julius seemed to have just lost his political armor, and still Edward had to be found; she wasn't finished, she couldn't die, she just had to keep going just like everybody else was. The constant of Athens and this world.
Rosemary: "Get away from him!"
Irsa: "So she talks. Come on Calgary, get your princess on a proper leash."
Irsa took and drug Julius by the collar and out the room, before she threw him right back in and against the stone wall. Rosemary screamed out in a bloodlusted rage, but Calgary put his thick armored gauntlet over her mouth to silence her. Julius slid down the cracked wall so Irsa could kick him over and over, hit him over and over. Turn him into an even bloodier pulp, before Julius fell flat on his face.
Irsa: "Now girl, you're going to tell me where the Red Arrows are right this moment."
Her arm lit up in a dazzling bright blue light, forming into a large lance construct over Julius head.
Rosemary: "STOP!"
She jerked away from Calgary, but he tried to push her down and scream toward Irsa, but Irsa only slashed Julius' shoulder to hush them up.
Rosemary: "I SAID STOP IT!"
She was pulling with all her might, even without her stages, causing squeaks of the nails and metal, but was left staring on hopelessly.
Irsa: "THEN ANSWER ME DAMMIT!? IS IT THAT HARD TO SELL OUT PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW!? WHO HAVEN'T BOTHERED TO COME AND SAVE YOU!?"
Rosemary: "I CAN'T LET ATHENS DIE!"
Irsa: "WE ARE ATHENS DAMMIT!"
Irsa jerked backward, consumed in a sweaty rage and her lance extended back, quickly bursting toward Rosemary's knee. However Irsa was promptly punched across the face by a third stage Calgary, right in the headwound Rosemary left yesterday with her fourth stage punch, and sent her spiraling into the same imprint Julius left. It widened, she fell, and a handful of Warriors burst into the room in a panic all in a second. Crevasse stood above them all, shoving past with his large build to stare right over Rosemary.
Crevasse: "Hi sweety."
Rosemary: "Why do you all act like this?"
Calgary: "I'm not that gross."
Rosemary: "Please don't lie."
The other Warriors moved to help Irsa, before she threw them all away in her all consuming rage. Yet Calgary stopped her with a word.
Calgary: "I could have you thrown out of Athens in a second."
Leaving her mana lances gone, her eyes blank, and her feet rushing out of the room in a desperate, panicked, fury.
Calgary: "All she craves is power, and she'll never get it. Because she'll always be weak."
Rosemary: "Are you even that much stronger?"
Calgary: "Hah! You have to ask that?"
Crevasse: "Quit flirting! Aren't you supposed to be interrogating or whatever?"
Calgary: "Don't talk back to me! Go get Julius or somethin' dude I'm chattin!"
The Warriors were bumbling without any idea of what to do or how to react, so they just picked Julius up and prepared to chain him down in the dungeon. Calgary quickly pushed them all out right after, leaving him with Rosemary all alone. She was trapped on the table, forced to watch as he slowly walked around her. She could slightly see his eyes through his Dragon stone helmet, piercing through her soul. A burning, disgusting, revolting sight.
Irsa went outside the castle walls with a group of warriors to storm through the Capital, bursting into homes and shops to tear at peoples clothes in case they were Demi-humans hiding. It was a strategy popularized in Walgonia during and a bit after the war, where people were fired and even killed for lying and trying to hide their nature.
Rosemary: "Why can't you just leave me."
Calgary: "Because you're a fellow Goldenwind!"
Beauregard bashed holes in his beautiful, massive office, trying his best to think of the bloodiest way to draw out his brother. Scrolling over maps, thinking of old conversations, of childhood memories, to dismantle his brother's mind.
Rosemary: "If you're bonded by family why do you look at me like that?"
Calgary: "Look at you how?"
Rosemary: "Don't act like that! Not even for a second!"
Calgary couldn't help but laugh, before dropping to his knees and taking off his helmet. Staring up at the side of her bruised and bleeding face with a smirk on his own stitched and bashed face, far far more permanent though.
Calgary: "Look, we're all that's left. You're the daughter of the Chief! I'm just lucky to have been born with the mana trait. If anything, we're like distant cousins."
Rosemary: "That's still disgusting!"
Calgary: "The Helsings did it!"
Rosemary: "The Helsings were kept pure blood by nature, no defects, and that was really really gross too! And not all Helsings did that!"
Calgary: "Well we could be like the ones that do!"
Rosemary: "DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND I HATE YOU!?"
Her eyes were red, her face was red, her entire existence was burning hot red, and Calgary took it with a droopy smile.
Calgary: "Whatever. You can play hard to get for the next few years."
And it instantly sapped all of the anger away, for absolute fear. Forcing her to hold in the puke, the tears, and just scream in defiance. So loud, so crazed, that even Calgary found himself shook. But it was all she could do; she was bound, without mana, without help, without real sunlight for days, so she just threw it all out the only way she had left. A loud groan, exhale, of built up aggression. But she couldn't help but feel it was all useless. Forced to do the one thing she'd rather die than do; she had to rely on those who loved her if she wanted to really be free.
Calgary: "See yah tomorrow."
The lights were left on, she was alone strapped to the table, she was alone. And she could finally feel some peace.
Rosemary {...Please Gray, don't do anything crazy if this all goes bad. Don't get yourself killed.}
At the core of it all they were almost the same. But Gray had the chance for freedom, a life without war, the ability to really smile. He was also clouded in despair, constantly seeing his dead family, his failures. Almost throwing his life away just two months ago because of his struggling soul. Yet Rosemary somehow managed to be the optimist, his optimist. Keeping everyone safe no matter what happened, always pushing on and pulling the others, the last to quit at every opportunity; she was the Hero Gray was hoping he could be his entire life, and the one he was trying to be right now.
Like Soku in Athens, Walgonia had its own vigilante emerging. There were many. People with Marks, affinities, skill, or the will to act. Grouping up or going solo, protecting, healing, fighting, all keeping Walgonia's flame alive. But the Anarchists had the ill fitting armor, the random clean weapons, the supplies. For once they weren't forced to hide away in the shadows, use rust and dirt, fight the decay and the hierarchies. They could push the Walgonian's into that same fear. To finally reverse the world and make them understand just how they see it. He used the map Gordon gave him of Walgonia. The Capital was in the middle, while Godrick mountain went across the south coast, so Gray tried his best to move between.
Gray {The closer I am to the capital the closer I am to Arthur, the better put together groups, more supplies and forces. I gotta stay on the outskirts. That should hide my position a bit better too. Just gotta do what they make you do in those games, applies better here than real life stuff.}
From the beginning to the end of the day, there was a new flame within. Something he always had. Towards his family, towards himself, towards this world and the old one, but now he could feel its pain worse than ever.
"Two decades of fightin in the Demi-human war. That alone damned your soul to Eclis."
In the snow covered woods Knights strung up people to be hung. Civilians, knights, and in this case, an old captain of some soldiers. But Gray's sword cut through the rope about to snap their neck, before he managed to pull them all toward him -
He sent Dema smashing into Knights interrupting a convoy of half-dead refugees while he snuck up the back of the uncovered wagon and leaped into the air with his Cloak spread wide.
Gray: "CENIC!"
They screamed and -
He broke into a house taken by Sect Guards destroying everything to search for Knights, throwing out his Cloak to slam them right out the door. Hide under a bridge to wait for carriages of Sect Knights and ambush them. Waiting atop branches to pull Anarchists into the trees. Let the snow pile over before leaping into a camp of Sect Knights. Flowed the Cloak around him to mask in the shadows under the setting sun, in a village's short grassy alley with his sword extended.
He was taking in enough Spirit mana to enter the Spirit Sense. He saw slightly through walls, through his Cenic smoke, through the rushing snow, past the many trees. The Sect shot out fire balls, water streams, set up earth defenses, even used wind. No matter if they were humans or Demi-humans. Gray managed to fight through. Robotically, snapping between the stances ingrained into him. Fighting with a face of constant, everlasting, brutal fear. Covered in sweat, constantly squeaking, never killing. His kicks knocked the soldiers to the ground, his punches threw the wind out of them, his mana flowing blade cut through their weak iron armor. It left his muscles screaming, his blood boiling, his bones slowly breaking; it was the same pain he had been feeling every day for the past four months. And he was begrudgingly, slowly, getting used to fighting with it.
"FOR OUR FALLEN BROTHERS!" "FOR THE CENTERIES OF HELL!" "FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MY PEOPLE!"
The Sect, at least those he was facing, were so many people broken by a world he was just thrown into. Experience in seventy year long wars, time in various fallen militias and guilds, against so many groups and beasts, under the might of horrid ruler after ruler. Even if Walgonia could be considered good, when compared to Ravoria and Valatroctius, it was just a surface Gray hadn't even bothered to scratch. It didn't make them pure. It didn't make what they were doing, what they were saying, and all the horrid bodies they left behind worth it. Gray never killed a single one. Through the small groups of three, five, and even six, to the larger ones of ten and even one of fifteen. In the grand scheme he was just chipping away, but he was saving so many lives. Let children stay with their parents, protect women from the disgusting minority in their ranks, he let people keep hope for a better tomorrow. Even if he was hit, cut, slammed, spit on, burned, and a lot of other things. Through the hours of taking in more Spirit mana, fighting, and letting the Spirits naturally heal him let him stay awake, let him use just enough mana, and save person after person.
But he sat with those fearful families. He couldn't speak of Godrick Mountain, in order to keep its location safe, but he could ease their fears.
"Than -
Gray: "Please don't. I'm just doing my part just like you are."
Gray couldn't help but feel sick, embarrassed, awkward, and useless, but he still sat criss crossed and patient.
Gray: "Ow ow! Sorry but that really hurts!"
Getting slashed hurt just as bad but in the heat of the moment he got through it, and Spirit mana seemed to null pain just enough to not puke. However sitting there with a needle stitching him up had his stomach growling.
Gray: "I can just heal through it, it's alright! Ow!"
The nice Demi-human girl continued, using her own Spider web as thread.
"It'll fade into your body then, and it won't leave a gross scar."
Every time they smiled, gave him a flower, piece of food, or had to stop kids from giving him their toys, he felt the flame, the pain, burn so much brighter. The absolute need. The unyielding desire to save everything. When he should have been heading right toward Athens, he couldn't help but look down for anything he could do. But when he was on the snowy floor, Sokus letter was left on repeat. He could hear her voice struggling, he could still see the tears in the letter clear as day, and couldn't shake the painful sight of Rosemary barely alive and calling out for help.
Gray {Dammit what do I do!?}
It was all so much the pain from fighting, his viscous fear of heights, and usually self doubt all disappeared. What replaced it was just panic, loss, ever lasting sorrow. The weight made moving a familiar hardship. But this time, instead of it being from forcing out energy he didn't have, it was because all of that energy he did finally have was being pulled to pieces. Gray knew better than most that an unstable core would shatter his growing resolve if he wasn't careful. He couldn't fall, not when he still had the chance to fix it all.
Gray {I just gotta breathe. Breathe again and again. CALM DOWN!}
Right now he was walking through the woods with a tired Dema at something am, shivering to the cold and crunching over the snow. All of his wounds have fallen to sore spots, his mana has slowly replenished while his OD's a little worn out, his eyes are focused and he isn't even chattering for once. Just thinking, moving, breathing. Feeling the wind and the spirits. The softness and power, their presence, the fact they were always there flowing inside an ocean of mana invisible to the naked eye are always on his mind now. The snow made the effect even thicker, but after training in even worse conditions for weeks, this was a breeze.
"GET OUTTA HERE!"
Charging through the woods were handfuls of families covered in wounds and holding everything they could, right past and around Gray.
Gray: "Hey what's goin -
While he tried to call out, he heard a loud shot from behind. The sound, a sound so familiar it made every part of his body tighten.
Gray {No! You're kidding!?}
He immediately ran to the danger, pulling Dema ahead to wake her up.
Gray: "Come on!"
She rushed under his legs, flinging him onto the saddle to burst through the woods. She spiraled between trees, under and over every branch, extended and clutched her wings; she had the time of her life through the snowy sky. His fear was back and his squeals soared through the air along with him, while his hair, cloak, and sweat flowed behind rapidly. More people rushing to safety looked up in awe at the sight of Gray, before he burst out of the woods and toward the flat hilly snow covered town ahead. Skinnier tower, Ravorian like buildings, made of wood and brick. Close together, with roads of cobble and dirt, fully consumed in war.
Gray {This is what they say most Sect attacks are usually like.}
He was shaken. Staring out at the burning homes, the screaming citizens, the many rebels fighting against the Sect Knights, more than ready to act. As he already was, taking in mana and spirit mana to turn his eyes dark and his pupil white. Entering the Spirit Sense to take in the pain of all those around, and their presence.
Gray {Again and again, breathe and breathe! Take in the mana, hold it in, even if it makes my eyes look like I'm trying to be cool!}
Arrows, magic, blades, and fists were all thrown out. The Knights, soldiers, and guards had their skill. But without gear the Sect Knights carved through, or the many Demi-humans chaotically broke them down. But there he saw the root of that loud nose; he saw rudimentary looking muskets in the hands of some of the Sect, shooting out small bullets that erupted the tool in their hands.
Gray {Arthur! Dammit what are you doing!?}
They had weapons similar to real firearms in the Southern Islands with Hand Held Cannons, but only Demi-humans, Dark Elves, or strong members of other races could handle them. Then there were the Southern islands' high tech magical weapons, capable of firing out similar to any gun with only magical properties instead of bullets. Since, in a world like this, bullets wouldn't really do much to somebody that wasn't a normal human. Even still, the sound, the sight, all felt disgusting. It shouldn't be here, how it'll only spread more chaos, and how it was Arthur, no, his fault as another worlder for it being here. And it was his mission to stop it.
Gray: "Let's get this thing started!"
He pulled his hood slightly over his head before rolling off Dema, straight toward the ground while holding in his melting screams, before shooting out the Cloak to snag onto a roofs edge.
Gray {If it wasn't for my mana my arm woulda ripped right off!}
It still hurt, and almost took his arm out of socket, but he swung right over the ground and through the action with a single hand. He pulled up as hard as he could to stay afloat, resulting in the snagged edge to come erupting off into a cloud of dust and rubble.
Gray: "EEEK!"
Gray's feet slid across the snow, letting him stand and see the chaos unfolding. Dema soared around awaiting Gray's call, staring down with immense worry as the Sect charged past.
Gray: "It'll be okay! Get to safety!"
Gray tried his best to speak with the many, many people running out of the town on foot and in wagons. Almost running him over before his head exploded like lightning. Causing him to duck behind the back swing and spin to smash his leg against the knights.
Gray {Leg swoopin is so cool!}
With that he started his momentum; other members of the Sect closed in, getting their faces submerged in the oozing cloak before they were thrown through buildings. Then a loud boom went off to collapse his concentration. The fear of getting shot managed to collapse the aura of mana that would have protected him from it. However the bullet went right through the Cloak to leave a small hole, while the Possum Demi-human that let out the shot had their hands completely destroyed.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA -
Their blood curdling scream, the sight of the torn flesh and snapped bones, instantly caused Gray to puke and get slammed to the air, back onto the snow. The Demi-human man still screaming called forth even more of the Sect.
Gray {Shit what am I doin!?}
The Sect Knight's hatchet shined against the moon before swinging down to his -
Gray: "I LOVE YAH!"
Dema burst against the knight to send him bouncing across the street and blasting through a shop. Bursting back into the snowy sky, just as rebels came from around the town. They used their fists, personal blades, and kitchen knives into the anarchists in a brutal fashion. The withered, thrown out swords and shields of Walgonia, screaming forth their unyielding will and pressure. From the old veterans who spun and slashed multiple guards at a time, to the fresh recruits jabbing knives into knees and ankles, and all the mages standing together to scream out -
"IGNUM!"
Multiple mages stood, putting out their mana into the air together, to form a massive fire ball that melted the snow as it flung through the air.
Gray: "Awesome."
Jumping into the air was a large bear anarchist, taking the hit to ignite the ball in a wave of flame to save his friends. Turning into ash at the same moment. In the meantime Gray moved towards the alleys with Dema soaring over him, so Gray could take out the anarchists waiting and hiding. Each step, each micro second, he let out more mana and took in more spirit mana, to light up with a small blue hue and turn his eyes black just as he reached the handful of anarchists. Between the tight alley walls he pivoted, stepping off an anarchist's face to roll onto the ground and parry a dagger with his vambrace.
Gray {Move move move!}
He then ducked the other dagger and the angered, now bloody nosed, anarchist beside him. They ended up smacking each other in the face while Gray slid between them and the wall to keep fighting. Pulling his sword down to cut another's leg, pushed off the snow to slice through a side, ducked a large blade of a Frog Demi-human before cutting the back of their leg -
Gray {No!}
"IGNEL!"
A woman at the end of the alley shot forth a powerful, closed range, burning hot blast of flames. In the second before it fired Gray pushed back on the snow and slipped, flowed the fire hazard Cloak around his body, and let go of his mana once again due to fear; somehow every time he panicked he did everything wrong. Even Dema was busy dodging arrows to help, forcing Gray to take the hit.
Gray {OW OW OW!}
He was flung back through the alley, against the stumbling anarchists, while he was forced to cut the Cloak off before it consumed him in fire.
Gray: "Damn that hurts!"
He had tears in his eyes while looking down at his hands. Steaming, with small burns and cuts, -
"Don't stop, idiot!"
Before he could turn his head his hood was jerked and he was thrown through down a cellar. After hitting a couple of wooden stairs he face planted against the dirt, finally able to stand and wave his sword around in a panic.
Gray: "Back off!"
"Calm down! Are you a knight?"
Gray: "Yeah! Why?"
He stepped forward, wearing an actual Walgonian Knights outfit. Which was just the usual fantasy silver armor and helmet, some that showed their face and others that didn't, with weapons of their choosing to fit with any abilities or techniques they had. In an instant Gray went hostile, assuming he was a member of the Sect, but other people wearing the same gear quickly grabbed him from all around. He screamed even more, kicking for freedom, before the knight that pulled them down finally explained.
Chris: "Call down! We're real knights! I'm Chris."
Gray: "Oh! Oh,...oh sorry."
After he quickly calmed down he was tossed to the floor to recollect himself from embarrassment.
Gray: "Well I gotta get back out there!"
Chris: "You sure? We've been going around helping people get out. If you think you're gonna keep getting over -
Gray: "I'm fine! And thank you for saving me really but I'm good. I've been training for this. And I've been fighting since like twelve yesterday. Pm not Am."
Chris: "Well then you definitely need to relax. How even old are you?"
Rumbles all around kept Gray on edge, forcing him back up the stairs to exit the cellar, just as a leg came bursting through to send him back down the stairs for the second time.
Chris: "SHIT!"
"Calm down, I ain't no Anarchist."
This time Gray tried to calm down and drop his guard again, but he was instantly lifted into the air. Letting him see the bloodlusted smirk of the woman beneath him.
"I've been on your tail for the past few hours, thanks for sittin for me."
Gray: "Oh yeah, forgot about the bounty."
Gray kicked off the woman just as Knights burst to fight, blocking the exit and a proper attack.
Chris: "Kid get out! Go help! We're here all over the town, all over Walgonia!"
It was an odd and rapid turn of events. Yet it only showed him how much Walgonia cared, and how war really was. Constantly snapping him back to reality every other second. Now he had to run up the stairs and into the one story house above. Such a house was consumed in flames, with pieces collapsed upon a family screaming for help. But along with the family were the many Sect Knights running forth to kill him.
Gray {The movies always make this more fun, and more structured!}
He shot the Cloak toward the large support beams on the parents, yanking them into the air and toward himself right before the weak tendrils melted.
Gray: "Kick!"
With a burst of mana on his arms to pull the wood forth and another bust on his left leg, he kicked the flaming ruble through the house's front door and atop the Sect.
"Than -
Gray: "RUN!"
They dove out while Gray did the same, back into the action with a leap into the air. His arms out and back, his legs out and back, his face filled with both conviction, pain and fear, before slamming his extended leg across the snow to slide over the street and into more battle. Around the small tight town everybody did the same. Rebels grouped up against Sect, family against family, running through alleys and rooftops, burning and collapsing homes, fighting with anything they had and anybody they had. It would be the skill of the Rebels that overcame the numbers of the Sect, or have to be if they wanted to win.
Gray: "Punch one punch two punch three!"
Jab, duck, turn, jab, pivot forward, jab again, before moving to a group of anarchists and leaving the three choking on the floor. Above Dema burst through archers and mages, snagged people from the flaming buildings, and helped the rebels against the Sect without any proper training or direction. Somehow doing better than everybody else in the field. Still the rebels leapt across roofs, slashed and stabbed into anarchists, bashed faces in with their bare hands and hammers, screamed through weak magic to fight wounded and victoriously; for the first time Gray saw Walgonia. Not Musashi drowning in loss and years of decay ready to give his life away. Not Kioshi without any of her strength, filled with confusion, and forced to hold back even still. Not Al, overwhelmed and decayed by age. This was will, this was their triumph, this was the impossibility Walgonia achieved over and over again.
"WE ARE THE COUNTRY THAT NEVER FALLS!"
Their motto, and Gray didn't even think he had heard it yet. But they all screamed it after and before each massive fight, covered in blood and horrid wounds, even on the brink of death or dying, always ready. Even smiling.
"PHANTOM KNIGHT!"
Gray: "Phantom? Who's that?"
"That's you, on your bounty poster!"
The bounty hunter from before. A taller human woman with dark skin, hair tied back to let her many short twists sit out of her face, and dawned the Valatroctius' traitor burn across the right side of her eye. Gray tried to read her gear and understand what he was fighting, but only found a long torn black cloak with gold accents, red chain mail under her dark pants, and tall leather boots. Until she held out her hand, with a long wooden staff within. One side was given a scythe-like end, with the other was fitted with a dark green Earth mana crystal; she was a stone mage, and a competent one at that. Smirking and smirking.
Gray: "Oh we have those here! That's cool! Do I have a picture?"
"Um kinda, but it shows you looking way more angry. Either way I'm probably just gonna kill you. I got a date later today and I wanna get some rest."
Gray tried to take a battle stance and take in mana, but she moved faster, extending her staff before flowing mana into it. It began to glow brightly, just as she pushed her mana toward the earth spirits, and called out -
"Dignal!"
The earth quickly curved around them into a dome to trap them right beside each other, causing Gray to smirk.
Gray: "CENIC!"
He focused towards the spirits with his mana before unleashing a torrent of smoke all now trapped in the tight space. His opponent swung out their blade, which he barely dropped to the floor to dodge while taking in as much Spirit mana as he could. She did the same, causing her eyes to flash white, allowing her to see through the smoke and rapidly thrust her weapon toward Gray's feet. Over and over she broke the ground, and over and over he stepped back like a ballerina. She was in something far more powerful, advanced then the Spirit Sense, however Gray's affinity let his sense transcend hers; he had the edge enough to pivot up, spin, and kick her across the face.
"DIgen!"
Her fist swelled with stone right as he dodge, causing her punch to bash a hole in the dome and let out the already fading smoke. In that momentary pause he bashed his shoulder into her to slam her through the dome. Through the dust came forth his cloak, grabbing onto her weapon before he pulled forth with a burst of mana to yank it out of her hands.
"Hey, that's an antique!"
Gray ran forward, broke it over his knee with another burst of mana, and threw it away while she screamed with an almost maddening rage. He kept running, leaping forward while his Cloak grabbed onto a roof to let him swing his legs against her guarding forearms.
Gray: "Don't look so sad, come on and get some fresh air!"
He grabbed her face before tugging on the Cloak with a burst of mana, sending them up onto the roof and leaving his arm jolting with burning pain. On the roof, away from any other action, he was able to focus intensely. Breathing in and out, taking a proper stance, trying his best to regulate his mana flow and enter the Spirit sense, while she flared with fury while throwing out punch after punch. He kept up, jotting his eyes between each foot step and arm movement, pushing each hit away while narrowly dancing around the edge of the small slanted roof. It was until she spun, palm striked his knee, and punched him across the face with the back of her hand to set him up for a mighty kick, throwing him right off the building.
Gray: "EEEEK!"
While he could have just thrown the cloak out, as he was doing, Dema still burst underneath him to catch and pull him around the sky in a bolting curve. The speed of the action never stopped for a second as Gray took the reins in an instant to send her headfirst like a missile toward the bounty hunter. Over the constant blood shed, burning and falling buildings, screams of horror, right to the women jumping across roofs to reach them. As they locked eyes, getting closer and closer, they both jumped out of the way. She dodged Dema while Gray set himself up to grab a building with the Cloak, using his momentum to sling shot into the woman and jab her across the face. He pulled back, again, back, again. With teeth full of blood she smiled, taking out a hidden dagger to push him back and cut his leg open.
Gray {OOW! OW OW! OW OW!}
He had tears in his eyes, almost lost his mana flow, but moved on instinct; he pushed out all the mana he could while taking in spirit mana the same time, and threw everything into a massive -
Gray: "MANA OVEDRIVE!"
The pain his left arm was now in, the splintering bones boiling blood and pulling muscles, overwhelmed everything but the adrenaline. The bounty hunter however, getting hit right in the gut by a massive torrent of mana, puked before rocketing off the roof top and through a brick tower, before bursting out that wall and falling three stories to the floor. Gray's left vambrace burst apart, along with his arm, causing him to drop to his knees in gruesome horror. Holding on tight, gritting his teeth, before barely standing to keep going. All he did was wrap his Cloak around his arm like a sling and push on, even managing to lose that look of fear for one of complete focus and anger. He didn't really know why he was mad. But it was indescribable. Everything, Rosemary's pain, Edwards' loss, Soku's sadness, all of it turned into constant stabs and punches he couldn't get rid of. An ich, a burn, something only overwhelmed by this battle.
Maybe that was why he was mad. Because he was forgetting. Getting side tracked. But in reality, whether he wanted to believe it or not, he was always mad. Like his friends, and especially Edward, they all had this rage at the world. For their life, for the feelings toward themselves, toward whatever they were forcing themselves to do at the moment, all culminating in the fuel to fight on. Yet, with the rest of the houses beginning to go up in flames, it was clear the Sect were being pushed to go back to the old way of things. Destroy to win. Because they were losing this battle.
Gray {Gotta move gotta move! All that training, all that fighting, all that losing and screaming and whining, I can't lose here! Not at the first real test! Not when I'm supposed to be saving my friends! I won't leave them behind! I'll fight and I'll win, I'll get stronger, and when I see you again Rosemary, I prove that it was worth it! To Athens, to Walgonia! I have to, I have to, I HAVE TO!}
His soggy arm, crushed knuckles, the damn destroyed arm, it burned so much. Curled, spread into the rest of his wounds to worsen them. Caused any mana flow to zap away due to the shock. And still he moved over the tiles, dropped down to their balcony, ran down the steps to the alley below, ran ran ran. He couldn't risk trying to use his sword, and even though he hated it, he would have to go backward; he needed to break himself piece by piece to live on.
Gray {I've got like half my mana, dammit why am I so awful at controlling it!? One bad move, one stupid stupid move Ryo told me over and over not to do and I did it! FUCK I'M SO STUPID! WHY, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME, DAMMIT ALL! I CAN'T I…I CAN'T!}
He said it over and over while his feet were shitting in front of another, while the snow and alley got farther behind and the action got closer. That anger. The anger toward the world. For Gray at least, it was always because he hated himself. He had said it before, he knew it, and hell he was trying so hard to move past it. And yet here he was down again because of one mistake. He knew he'd fall easily. Now he just needed to pick himself up just as fast. He needed to prove it to the world he wasn't all talk.