FOUR - DEATH ENCOUNTER
865 Words
The air tasted of salt and blood.
“Wee... thanks, Yosuke,” Azartenious wheezed as he climbed back onto his feet.
“You’re welcome,” Yosuke answered, already reaching for another arrow.
“Everyone, stay sharp,” Foxtriot warned, frost building across his palms. “Things are about to get worse.”
The sand trembled. The sound of something colossal moving beneath the shore made the horses scream and rear.
“What the hell was that?” Yosuke asked.
Foxtriot’s face went pale. “Hell Beasts. They’re fast, hungry and they don’t travel alone”
The ground erupted.
The sea split like a wound as dozens of black, scale-armored creatures crawled from the depths.
Their eyes burned like molten iron, and each movement carried the force of a landslide.
“They come in thousands!” Foxtriot shouted.
“Oh for crying out loud,” Zactire muttered, tightening his grip on his whip.
“Retreat!” Azartenious roared.
The beasts charged.
Zactire didn’t hesitate — his aura flared, and a massive translucent cube of golden light formed around them. “Everyone inside! NOW!”
The demigods dove into the construct as Zactire’s hands trembled, lifting the box skyward with raw psychic force. Below them, the Hell Beasts leapt, gnashing their serrated jaws, their claws raking the construct as Zactire’s shield rose higher and higher.
“This isn’t a mission,” Yosuke growled. “It’s a death sentence.”
“As much as I hate to admit it,” Zactire grunted, sweat dripping as he held the construct aloft, “I agree with Yosuke. That son of a b***h sent us here to die.”
“Why would Lord Oxinavil send his strongest warriors to their deaths?” Foxtriot asked, his voice shaking.
“Maybe because,” Azartenious said bitterly, “the strongest are the ones most dangerous to him.”
The cube shuddered as another wave of Hell Beasts slammed into it.
“We can’t stay in the air forever,” Yosuke warned.
Zactire’s jaw tightened. “Then we fight… or we die.”
---
Meanwhile in Gaia’s Arena
“Attack!” Xingho roared, charging with two blades in hand.
Double-S met him head-on, steel clashing against steel, while Idina danced to his side, her blade a silver blur aimed at Xingho’s waist.
“I met Lord Cacreed in prison,” Xingho spat through gritted teeth, parrying both blows.
“Lord who?” Idina barked, springing back.
“Cacreed. Elder God of Magiick. Trinity’s son.”
“Dead gods don’t talk,” Double-S scoffed, slamming a kick into Xingho’s chest.
Xingho staggered but planted his feet, blocking the follow-up with crossed blades. “He’s alive. And I can prove it.”
The fight grew savage. Idina darted forward, her blade flashing toward his stomach, but Xingho dropped flat to the ground, palms slamming the dirt as her strike whistled past. Rolling, he narrowly avoided Double-S’ downward s***h.
“Enough!” Xingho shouted. “While I was imprisoned, Cacreed told me everything. How Tinamerax took his power. How they plan to kill him.”
They hesitated.
Idina’s sword lowered. “You’re saying… Lord Oxinavil is after the weapon to kill an Elder God?”
“The blade forged by Kareivis,” Xingho confirmed.
Double-S froze. “No… my little brother. Yosuke. Oxinavil sent him to the Void Realm to fetch that blade.”
The pieces fell into place.
Idina’s voice cracked. “Then… they really are going to kill him.”
Before anyone could speak, Double-S clutched his head and collapsed, screaming.
“Double-S!” Idina knelt, holding him upright.
“Arrghh it’s Yosuke,” he gasped. “He’s in danger. Ravishing Path.”
Xingho stared. “How do you know?”
“We’re blood. Same powers. We can link minds in emergencies. He called to me.”
Double-S staggered to his feet. “I’m going after him. Now.”
Idina grabbed his wrist. “If you leave Gaia’s Realm without permission, they’ll execute you.”
“And if I don’t,” Double-S snapped, “my brother dies.”
Xingho exhaled sharply. “Then we don’t ask permission. We steal it. I’ve got a plan.”
---
Lord Oxinavil’s Chambers
The golden carriage hovered, drawn by six massive winged steeds.
“Father, the carriage is ready,” Protheus, the demigod of Replication, said, bowing.
“Good,” Oxinavil replied, lifting his trident — gold-veined with streaks of deep blue. “We leave for the Void Realm.”
As they boarded, Protheus frowned. “Forgive me, but… why send those demigods to retrieve the blade if we’re going ourselves?”
Oxinavil chuckled darkly. “You’re young. Those demigods were traitors. Planning to escape. As for Yosuke…” His eyes glowed like frozen water. “He carries Trinity’s light. The prophecy calls it the ‘Divine Light’ a power destined to destroy the gods. I won’t let that happen.”
“So you sent them to die.”
“Exactly.” Oxinavil smirked. “And when the Ravishing Path finishes them, we’ll claim the blade ourselves.”
The carriage rose, its wheels blazing with blue fire as it pierced the barrier of Gaia’s Realm, heading straight for the Void.
- Writer
