Virion

This wasn't a war, it was a one sided massacre.

When I first saw the spell fire unleashed onto Xyrus I thought we had a chance. What were a few meagre flames compared to the lances themselves.

But when I saw that man, colorless hair and cold, emotionless ash grey eyes, my heart sank.

Pure misery leaked from him, his intent strong enough to suffocate the gods themselves.

I ran to hiding, faster then my beast will could carry me. I needed to flee...save myself, what is an army without a general. I needed to live, for the glory of Dicathen.

I told myself these things as I pushed past my very friends, running with children in their arms.

But yet, what is a general without a heart.

"Dear Dicathens, please meet me at the center of Xyrus, there we will discuss the end of the war"

His voice commanded over my thoughts.

I wanted to roll up and cry, I wanted my wife to tell me it is okay, that I tried my very best. But she was long gone.

Just like these people...

I heard mana beast barking and humans screaming. Agony filled my ears as the first war I ever commanded flashed in my mind.

Since when was I this weak, to run away from my enemy, flee as if I was nothing more then a bug.

New found strength rose within me as I carried myself towards the Xyrus City Center.

I needed to win this war...for Tessia, if no one else.

My heart pumped hot blood, adrenaline in my veins.

But as I saw his figure, covered by the smoke in front of my eyes, my heart gave up. It could no longer push through this accursed battle.

The man pushed a piece of paper in front of me and the Gladers.

I tried to resist...to convince myself we had a chance.

But the blood leaking from the elven skull above me said otherwise.

I signed the papers and the man disappeared.

His intense bloodlust was lifted of my shoulders, but a completely new weight was placed on instead.

The people of Dicathen stared at us, most of the looks weren't judgmental but sheer disappointment.

**

3 months later I still couldn't sleep.

I was no longer known as General Virion, or The Elven King. But that old drunk that lives next door.

Me, whatever was left of my family and the Leywins all escaped to the Sanctuary. There was enough food to eat and water to drink, but that was all. That was all that was left of Dicathen.

My...beloved Dicathen.

I was in the middle of pouring myself some more whiskey as a shimmering white portal appeared above my coffee table.

An old man with a long white ponytail fell through, completely shattering my table.

"Watch where you are falling next time" I said with an annoyed tone, that somehow sounded drunk to even myself.

"My apologies...General Virion."

"Whatever, just go get me some more beer, eh?"

Getting up, the old man's figure stretched into a muscular 6 feet tall man.

Still looked older then me though, I said to myself with a chuckle.

He looked down at me confused, "Virion, what about the war, why are you here getting drunk when there are battles to be won."

"The war eh...that is nothing but an urban legend in these parts."

It looked as if he had more to say but bit his tongue.

"Who did it?" He then asked.

"Who defeated you so badly that the Great General Virion lost himself like this, was it Cadell?"

"Cadell Smadell, I don't know his name, he was powerful, with long colorless hair and big ashy eyes. The type of kid to make every girl fall in love with him..."

"Is there anyone you could compare him too?" The old man pushed.

"If there was I would have already given his name up to you..."

But I stopped my train of thought.

My mind kept going back to one person, a particular boy I tried to force my heart to forget. A man even my grandaughter fell for.

The bottle in my hand dropped and shattered as it hit the floor. My heart sped up as my eyes grew wide.

No...

I thought as a stream of tears started flowing down my cheeks.

The room echoed of my sobbing as General Aldir stood there, still as a statue.

Grey

Standing in front of the mirror I looked at my tie, changed it and looked at it again.

"Princess, I thought you said this was a plan to expose Scythe Seris...why do you care so much about how you look?" Regis asked an annoyingly accurate question.

"I only have a few hours to make her fall in love with me, it is very simple for her to just say no...and boom plan is ruined."

"Then use your weird aether magic on her."

"Having the ability of manipulating fate at my fingertips and I can't even make a woman fall for me..." I joked

"Normally it would be a funny...except for how untrue it is..."

"Sure" I said styling my hair.

I wore a dark navy suit with a white tie to match.

"How do I look?" I asked Regis

"Not bad...but I would look better"

"Get yourself a human form...then talk" I said deadpan

"Ooo is that an invitation to feed of more of your mana?"

"You had years for that..."

"Yeah well I need more" Regis said as he jumped into my core

Sighing I godstepped towards the portal in the castle and teleported to Sehz-Clar.

I got some flowers and made my way towards Scythe Seris's office.

I heard some girls gossiping whenever I walked past them, and some boys pointing at me.

But I just moved past them without a care in the world.

"Well you know except the fact that your manipulating a woman into falling in love with you just so you can find out her deep dark secrets"

"At least don't make it sound so bad" I asked Regis

He only laughed inside my now half depleted mana core.

Walking up the stairs in Seris's castle I finally found the entrance.

Knocking on the door I waited.

Time to put my non-existent romantic experience into action, I thought.

Soon the door opened, stepping through it was Scythe Seris in a white gown, kept back straight white hair and sleek elegant horns.

Thoughts of yesterday came flooding back to me, practically forcing me to blush.

"Looks like you learned some manners" she jabbed.

"Only the best for you" I answered handing her the flowers.

"Cliché"

"Perhaps...

Anyway are you ready?"

"Sighing she nodded."

"Perfect let's go."

Letting aether move down my channels and into the godrune multilayered channels appeared in front of me.

Ever since my fight with Winsdom I had better control over aether.

Because of this I had just enough control to get me and Seris over to the underground colosseum; which was half way across the continent.

Picking up the Scythe I got ready to teleport.

"H-hey...just what do you think you're doing" Seris asked, panicking.

"Giving you the ride of your life" I answered with a wink.

Her eyes widened looking directly at mine.

Then, in a flash we appeared at the viewing deck.

"Ah right on time" Agrona aksed.

"So this is the kid, eh?" I heard Dragoth ask

"He looks pretty fragile up close...are we sure it wasn't a fluke?" Another Scythe grumbled.

"Quite the showman carrying a Scythe like that as well..." Agrona teased.

Shooting him a dirty glance I put Seris down.

"So when is it beginning?"

"Now" said a tall purple haired woman.

As if planned I could hear gears turning in the wall. Metallic groans filled the air as both gates, facing opposite of each other opened.

Coming in from the right was a boy with long auburn hair.

"Turnric, age 16, raised by Highblood Milview. Trained in the Nothern Scythe SpellCasting School." Said a petit woman from the corner of the room.

Milview...I thought, reminding myself of the time at Central Academy.

From the left walked out a familiar person, a woman with dark violet hair and refined horns made her way towards the center of the arena.

"Ceara, age 18, raised by Highblood Denoir. Trained by Scythe Seris and the Southern ScytheBattlefront School." Announced the woman.

Seris's face paled, fear painted on her face.

I got closer to her and put my arm around her waist. Letting her head rest on my shoulder.

"It's alright. She will be fine." I whispered

But the Scythe could only nod in response.

"Alright..."Agrona said. "Now it's time for the surprise."

With a flick of his hand multiple cameras surrounded the stadium, and another pointing at the viewing deck.

Of course I knew about this plan, and what was to be announced, but the other Scythes didn't.

"Hello my beloved citizens of Alacrya. My name is Agrona and I have many fantastic announcements for you today."

Of course I couldn't hear the reactions of the citizens but I could only imagine the cheering and applause.

"First of, which is a surprise for even the Scythes..." he paused building suspense.

The Scythes all turned to each other, Seris at me. But I kept my face impassive.

"Dicathen has surrendered...Alacrya is now the official winner of the war."

I could hear cheering break out from above me. The walls trembled as people jumped up and down...or so I assumed.

Eventually Agrona continued.

"And, for the first time ever, we will publicly broadcast the Scythe Selection Tournament."

Whenever Agrona spoke he never sounded enthusiastic, only invested or bored. But now, for some reason he sounded thrilled.

Another round of wall shaking, dust falling and cheering erupted.

"Now, let's get this show on the road"

Ceara

I walked towards my opponent. My eyes fueled by blazing confidence. I was no longer the little girl who had to be taken care of, and I was going to prove that right here.

I looked upwards towards the viewing box and made eye contact with the Scythes. Cadell looked at me and my opponent with cold detachment. As if it was a chore for him to watch us. Dragoth and Viessa watched us with an amused smile. Seris wore a painful look...while her head rested on Grey's shoulder!

What in Vritra's grace was he doing here?

But I couldn't question this now, I had a duel to win, I said to myself; clearing my head.

"Opponents please take a fighting stance" Agrona announced

This time Grey spoke, breaking my consecration.

"Begin"

That one word was enough to sway me off my feat...yet that one word was closest to my master, the one I wanted to prove wrong the most.

The picture of them cuddling together flashed in my mind, taking me away from the battle.

A giant metal spike flew past me, cutting deep into my jaw.

Shit.

I sent hells fire to regenerate it. But I was slow. The boy was already jumping towards me. His hand clad with mana.

Side stepping away I threw poison mana towards him, forcing his attack to stop.

Not letting this opportunity to go to waste I summoned my scarlet sword. Imbuing soulfire onto it I swung my weapon at Turnric, dancing around his barrage of metal, I saw my chance. I forced mana down towards my legs jumping towards him as I ignited the sky with my own fire, purgatory.

Harmlessly grazing my skin purgatory gave me a perfect chance for a strike at the boys neck.

However whatever my sword hit was nothing more then a metal brick.

Looking around I saw Turnric behind me grabbing his hand trying to stop the bleeding. So the fire got to him after all.

I knew it was only a matter of time before he dies. But I needed to impress the scythes...I needed to impress Seris.

Slowly making my way towards the injured child I summoned dozens of metal spikes above my head and surrounded them with soulfire.

Releasing my hold over both spells I rained literal hells fire on my opponent.

"I succeed!" I boy yelled, but it was far to late.

Dust rose up from the sandy arena as all of my spells connected.

I looked up towards Seris, horror painted on her face. Pride swelled up inside me as I realized, even if she didn't know it yet...Scythe Seris was scared of me.

Grey just looked at me with interest. His head still leaning on my mentors.

Cadell remained bored while the other Scythes seemed ready to leave as well.

"Winner, Ceara Vritra!" Announced the High Sovereign.

A sense of accomplishment filled my core as I put my sword back into its dimension ring.

Taking a step forward I prepared to leave the colosseum. Then I heard a violent shaking explode out of now where. The ground trampled below me forcing me fall onto my knees. Before I knew it all of the oxygen had abandoned me. Every fiber in my being screamed in protest, as if I was being burned alive. My eyes leaked bright red blood as my skin turned pale.

I tried to look for someone, anyone who might be extorting this kind of presence, but I could only make out a silhouette appearing from the ruble.

The person moved forward, allowing 2 curved horns to enter my line of sight. Then I could see pale blond hair, merely tussled by this soul crushing bloodlust. It was a girl...only about the age of 15. She wore a scaly pitch black dress complimenting her bright, glowing golden eyes.

Walking towards me I tried to run, move, get away from this creature. But my body could not respond. It was as if my very nerves have been sewed shut.

The girl reached for my eyes, then gently closed them.

I was glad this pain was over...

I was glad I didn't have to deal with such a monster...

I was glad that I could finally rest.