Chapter IV (complement)

The griffins roamed the plains near Fideran and even from a distance, it was possible to see black smoke taking to the skies. Rallevec's magic had configured the kingdom to become like a great cursed cemetery: sinister and bizarre.

                Black currents bound the bodies to towers. Zombies hunted the living in their homes. Disfigured dogs burned with green flames, making them sinister in their temper and their lack of compassion. Outside the walls, the dead kept their vigil and tireless as they had become, they were the most adequate vigilantes to assume the post. There was not much to do when Kendra and the few who were left of the Brotherhood couldn't deal with so many enemies in a city full of black magic. Rallevec made his opponent his biggest target, but Kendra still had the power to continue the fight. But something unexpected happened. When she was still in a cave preparing for her next attack, she noticed some griffins landing. They didn't appear to be Rallevec's allies. At least, not in appearance. Another important point was that she didn't obtain information about the necromancer's spies with winged mounts. She decided, for safety's sake, not to contact. She would watch to see what they would do and if it was someone who wanted to face Rallevec, she would use her strength.

                She noted that one of the newcomers, the oldest, had met with the others and started a conversation with each other. Soon it appeared that they weren't searching. It was more to invest against Fideran. If that were true, she would use it to confront Rallevec and end his influence. However, something made her feel unresponsive. It was none other than Queen Nagstt who was among them. That discovery made Kendra think of a possible large-scale attack. If so, where would the rest be?

                Without wasting time, she gathered his adept and the remaining Brotherhood and decided to surprise Rallavec.

                Meven would advance with Larren and Syrh would collaborate with her Queen to initiate the attack on Fideran. There was no longer a need to wait. The griffins were left, once using their skills to advance through the skies, they would surrender their positions. Without further delay, they started the plan.

                Nagstt had perfected her rituals and prepared one of the best she knew how to do.  She demarcated an area so that the ritual was powerful on a long scale and initiated the procedures. At the same time, Syhr put an end to the zombies that appeared from time to time, hungry and desperate for meat.

                Meven and Larren charged at the heaps of freaks, striking them and getting them out of the way. In Kendra's eyes, it looked more like suicide than good military strategy, although she has to admit that their skills were impressive. The Woman could fly, which in itself was something she knew requires a lot of skill with magic. When Meven struck with his black magic, the bodies separated from their remaining energies and fell to the ground to never rise again.

                Gradually, both the dead and the remaining Nordic warriors turned their attention to that attack. The ritualist conjured a portal, from which five ritualists emerged. In turn, these ritualists conjured up more portals, and all of a sudden, around Meven and Larren, an army of ritualists took shape. Some appeared to make magical force fields, others to attack those who approached, using the same strategy that was carried out in Iferiss. Quickly, Rallevec sent an army of the living dead and a few more dogs to try to keep it from getting out of control. First, he decided to test the invaders' power level with a medium-sized militia.

                Some of the ritualists, however, channeled the energy and all the magical essence absorbed from the enemies and sent them through a portal to where Nagstt was. In turn, Nagstt fused the received energy with her arcane magic, as if it were a mixture of potions to become something more powerful and complete.

                Syhr conjured up more portals and brought in more ritualists since the dead gave faith to what was happening. It was a priority that such a spell cast by her Queen to be successfully crafted. When she looked at where Meven was, she saw the battle begin.

                The militia came with a seemingly powerful onslaught, but Meven didn't dare underestimate them and ordered that some araznas to prevent them from approaching. The Nordic warriors were prevented from fighting, being that the webs removed their strength, or in many cases, they weren't even able to swing their swords. A volley of poisoned daggers wiped them out. The dead didn't care about poison, however, ritualists cast destructive spells on them, eliminating their mobility. Precise spells not to destroy them, but so that they could be neutralized and have their energy and essence absorbed.

                Due to this strategy, the necromancer decided to attack with much greater and more elaborate power.

                He began to gather mana from the dead huddled in the square and with that same energy he threw them towards the corpses with armor.

                The most powerful warriors were of no use. They didn't cause any effect on the battlefield and their energy was collected with priority. Nagstt felt the power of that accumulation of power and for the first time in her entire life, she knew what it was like to be able to support such a charge. The truth was that it had become a key point in that war.

                Kendra, in turn, used the distraction caused by the invaders and looked for Rallevec. It didn't take long to find him. Amid the bone warriors, dressed in armored armor were the necromancer and Saelle.

                It still hurt Kendra to lose her friend. It hurt, even more, to know that this man had turned her into an evil and corrupted woman. After that fight was over, Kendra would give her an appropriate resting place. For the moment, it was time to act. She drew her sword and moved forward.

                Rallevec saw her approach, but he noticed, too late, the explosive potions hurled at him. One of them hit Saelle squarely and the impact knocked her back. One of her arms had been destroyed.

                That hurt in Kendra. Nobody should kill their friends. She didn't want to, but Rallevec forced her. The necromancer's smile made her even angrier. It was a mocking smile. With one hand, he made Saelle rise. Glad to see his opponent's angry expression, he said:

                - We meet again, Kendra. All this uproar out there just to attract my attention was, as I can say, very lacking on your part.

                "He thinks I'm responsible for the attack!" Thought.

                - I had to get to you. In one way or another, regardless of the means of doing so. - She decided to join the game. – And I had promised you that you would pay with your blood for everything you did against the people of Fideran and Saelle.

                With an expression of understanding, he smiled:

                - Of course, you would arrive. But tell me what kind of convict runs to meet their executioner? If you're the condemned one it isn't very difficult to realize that I'm the executioner, isn't it?

                - I didn't come to talk, I came to fight.

                The necromancer moved with his hand and placed Saelle's body in front of him to protect himself. Kendra attacked and the blade sliced ​​through her friend. He could see the expression on his face. An expression that apologized for what she had just done. He seized the moment and struck Kendra with his staff. The blow threw her into rubble. He laughed:

                - Don't strike anymore, my dear. She can die if you continue to do so.

                While both were in combat, Gleverg, Treden, and Neadrin dealt with the skeleton warriors. Because of the lack of concentration of the dead wizard, the warriors weren't in their full power, which facilitated victory over them.

                Kendra's expression had become sinister. She was striking Saelle, feeling hot tears running down her cheeks. Each blow was like a stab in her memories of when she was alive, of how she helped her people, and how generous she was to everyone. Each blow was as if he were striking a very dear sister, of whom she had no choice but to end her suffering.

                So, Saelle's body was cut into several parts.

                She spoke again:

                - You don't deserve pity, monster!

                And she attacked, but now, with the magic, she had acquired. Rallevec felt a golden light strike him. The blow was so effective that he bled where he was hit:

                - What a surprise! Using divine magic to punish? I thought it was the kind of magic to heal the wounded. Have you become a doctor who kills?

                His mocking smile made his opponent answer:

                - It's a cure for some, only. In your case, you're a disease that has no cure, which must be cut out and burned so that no one else becomes infected. Therefore, a doctor's job is to make this happen.

                Rallevec removed his hand from the wound and looked at her with a totally different and serious look:

                - We're two distant points that must align for good or for bad. A contrast that is like balance, that when one part fails the other disintegrates. I'm Evil and you insisted on being Good. Look around. There isn't only kindness. Sooner or later, we would do what we had to do. It's a fact. As soon as the balance is over, chaos will reign. And if you haven't noticed, no chaos unleashes goodness and perfection.

                Rallevec took a device out of his tunic. It was a metal sphere, like a miniature of the world:

                - I was tasked with preparing this world as land is prepared for planting and harvesting. I have a mission to take your energy until nothing is left and transfer it to another place. What I have seen goes far beyond your comprehension. We're all disciples of something or someone. Even if it's in theory or worship.

                He threw the Device into the air and it hissed and divided into four parts, opening a portal:

                - Do you think that if you killed me, you would prevent Fideran or this world from being left out? Someone would come to take it. Someone always comes.

                Through the portal, Kendra noticed that there was another world. She saw an immense fortress. When Rallevec spoke again, his voice was that of a teacher:

                - This Fortress is the Nexus Itself, where Erdharmek is. This place absorbs vital energy to maintain itself. This is why I am here and this is why many have had to pay with their lives. I'm just a man who decided to go his way. It's like I said before. If there is someone who can destroy, why can't there be someone who can save? In this way wouldn't the balance remain? My work here isn't over, but behold, I've given you a purpose far greater than revenge. See on the plane what was going to happen. That is a very powerful channel of mana, which leads us to believe that a large-scale spell is coming.

                Rallavec took another sphere from his tunic and adjusted it in parts:

                - You can escape or you can stay to see what happens. One way or another, this world has already acquired a master, who is none other than Akhenahi herself, and I can assure you that through this spell, she revealed to us that she had obtained help from Kiranara or, at least, learned her secrets. In your current state, you would be taken away as if a feather is snatched away by a hurricane. The world I programmed the portal into is a world where you can acquire more experience, power, and allies. You will be the opposite part of the balance if you wish. I'm giving you a second chance. Maybe I'll find you again. Maybe not. The future may surprise you both. Collect power and allies so that you can prevent or at least prevent the balance from disintegrating.

                At that moment, both saw Larren trace the lines and symbols of the portal, causing the conjuration to interconnect between the portals. It was time to go.

                He looked back at Kendra:

                - Make up your mind, as the spell is at its peak and the magic won't be long in coming. Goodbye.

                Rallevec entered the portal and the parts of the spheres came together again. It fell, black and smoky. Kendra looked up at the skies and saw the clouds darken, she noticed that her adept and the remnants of the Brotherhood had failed to reach her. Against her will, she entered the portal, with her conscience weighed down by those losses and before the portal closed, she heard a sound of deafening impact.

                When the collected energy hit Fideran, an impact covered the entire area and spread, destroying everything it touched. Meven saw Larren fly toward him, with destruction at her feet. The rest had already entered the portals and were gone.

                - Don't die! - He shouted at her.

                Her flight speed had improved after she learned high-level arcane magic. If it weren't for that, she would've already been hit by destruction. She flew to meet him and Meven made a portal and threw it in the air since she wouldn't be able to summon it in time. When she passed by him, it was her turn to leave. When his hand touched the ground, he saw how destructive that conjuring had been.

                When he reached the other side of the portal, he saw the destruction at its height from afar. He looked at Nagstt and said:

                - There were no survivors to oppose the Sect.

                The Queen nodded, then said:

                - For Akhenahi.

                In unison others replied:

                - For Akhenahi.

*****

                It was inevitable that news that Fideran had been eradicated from the map would reach the ears of Raldrak and the Council. They learned from hired spies that someone had attacked Fideran shortly after Rallevec had taken control of the kingdom.

                For Raldrak, it was nothing more than an intrigue between the necromancer and his longtime enemy. Something, however, caught his eye. The reports said that a sect had entered the war, that it was so powerful that even the Araznas had allied themselves with it. This was intriguing since these reclusive people don't like to interact so openly, except if they were hiring some of their services.

                This conclusion led to the belief that the person responsible for the attack had a large number of resources and influence. Something, however, connected the events that occurred in the kingdoms and a coincidence like that caught the attention of the Council. First, the Eldwen kingdom was visited, Ercdrul killed and his Arcane Scroll taken away, resulting in the end of the guild's control over the kingdom. Second, Fideran had been invaded, and shortly thereafter the Second Scroll had been taken away, but Saelle wasn't murdered, which was unusual. Third, the Unpronounceable was killed and Redraerkanis succumbed. Fourth, the kingdom of Iferiss had fallen, which, was surprising in itself, since that natural fortress had been undefeated since its construction, has been conquered. Fifth, both the people and Fideran themselves had been eradicated with a spell so powerful that few can perform because of their preparation time and the exorbitant accumulation of vital energy. Finally, if Nagstt had allied himself with such a powerful sect, then only Ghard, the city of the Sect, would remain as the last of the cities considered to be of great power.

                Another news had reached Raldrak's ears: Galm had been taken away and his master, Qlarf, disappeared without a trace. Which led the Council to believe that he had been responsible. Rumors that Akhenahi had retrieved two Scrolls didn't escape him and, suddenly, he understood.

                He couldn't believe that this woman, so insignificant and detestable, was behind these events. Of all the reports he received, in part, there was a mention of his name. There was only one Akhenahi and Raldrak knew that. Unfortunately, he had to admit that perhaps she was to blame for such events. He remembered the day she left. She didn't say goodbye, asked for reconsideration, or talked about injustice, nor did she look back when she passed through the gates to the Arena's entrance. She had simply gone in silence. A silence that made everyone present not dare or unable to speak until her silhouette disappeared in the corridor.

                "As a promise, or rather, as a certainty, she'll come." He thought unhappily.

                He knew it was too late for reconsideration. He also learned that she doesn't forgive. Raldrak wouldn't leave the Sect, nor would he hand over power over it without a fight. He was the Master of the Sect and wouldn't accept losing his position. It put the city on alert. He decreed that Akhenahi was an exiled ritualist and that she could no longer enter the city. Whoever was in favor of her would be executed. His increasingly brutal actions revealed his fear. Some thought that he had freaked out, others that his fear was such that he would no longer appear in public without an exaggerated escort and would no longer accept visits from anyone who wasn't summoned. On the streets, he kept his distance from people and reinforced security inside his home.

                Gradually, the other members of the Council did the same. The people believed that those measures were due to some war that was about to happen. The rumors about the events of the other kingdoms reinforced this idea.

                At the end of that day, a message had arrived for Raldrak delivered by Adarsac, who was part of the people close to the Council. When he took the scroll in the shape of one of the Arcane Scrolls in his hand, he opened it and read what was written:

                "I'm on my way, Council Members. Soon, we'll see each other one last time and you'll realize that there are no distances that I cannot travel to chase you or places that I cannot enter to meet you." Akhenahi.

*****

                Akhenahi had settled down near Ghard. She prepared her forces and gave them information on how they were going to proceed. She ordered one of the priests to go to the city and deliver the message to Ardasec together with instructions. When the message had been delivered, the effect it had was notorious. She made them believe that Akhenahi was on her way, when in fact, she was already so close that it only took a few minutes of walking to get to the city. Once again, Ryarx was next to the place from which he met his master for the first time. The mountain was high and had several places for ambushes or to hide large numbers of people.

                While the plan took shape, the others prepared themselves for their rituals or slept. Those two days of rest renewed their strength and the food acquired gave them courage. The next day, before dawn, Ryarx gathered everyone together and the ritualistic mage climbed the highest stone in the cave and told them:

                - Those who accept the condition of serving me unconditionally must be spared and I'll name them Destinies, of whom they'll still be tested to prove their devotion and only after they have been approved, they'll become Minions. Those who are stubborn or loyal to the Council don't deserve pity, so don't give them any. This city will belong to me and I'll show you, my faithful followers, that it's only through me and my generosity that the way to salvation is found. Today, without a shadow of a doubt, they have witnessed the fate of those who deserve my condemnation. Remember that day. The day I turned my revenge on those who dared to defame and diminish me. Many of you have had to witness who I am and to this day are only afraid to remember what you really saw. Being here with me means that they'll be part of my Ascension. You have transcended yourselves to the highest level of this world and countless others. - At that moment the murmurs had started. Akhenahi raised a hand and cast a spell that opened a crack in midair. It was small, but it would serve its purpose. Admired, they ceased their speeches and knew that there was another world. They also saw their beauty in the terrain filled with wonderful stones, beautiful creatures and when they saw the blue sun, they smiled convinced that it wasn't an illusion. Ryarx watched their faces and remembered when he saw the vision of other worlds revealed by Kiranara and shared their smiles. Akhenahi spoke again. - We won't limit ourselves to one world if we can have countless others. We won't stop. Nobody can stop us. My Ascension here is only the first of countless others. From the dustiest soil, we'll rise to the brightest star among all the stars that exist. My throne will be positioned at the center of the Universe among all Universes and I will be the Eternal Entity.

                The voices echoed through the cave so that Akhenahi's Inner Cycle will come with respect and praise as her teacher rises among those present, with such a magnificent difference that she no longer seemed to be a mortal. She had become so much more. She had become the Entity and although they didn't speak words, everyone knew that she was unique. She was Akhenahi.