Welcoming Death
In a range of tyrannous black mountains that pierced the sky, a vicious battle was drawing to a close.
Numerous mountains were damaged beyond resemblance, some crushed to mere boulders, others having their bodies cleaved through, and some being completely erased, leaving an unnatural gap in the endless black terrain.
BOOM!
A plume of flames shot into the skies as a large crater miles wide joined the imperfections and scars marring the mountain range.
On the edge of the crater were 5 shadowy figures that all inspired awe without exception.
Destruction-class spells hovered in lethal deterrence around one like a god's divine punishment ready to smite mortals at whim.
A ginormous, but barely visible arrow of wind that ruthlessly tore the surroundings to shreds just by the mere air pressure was nocked to another's bow.
An illustrious golden magic circle was posied at the back of the third figure like a sacred halo that radiated pure and refined power.
The fourth lazily sat on one of the three heads of a huge crystalline white dragon that chuffed embers of prismatic flames from the sides of its mouths.
The last sternly stood with their hands behind their back, but shadows swirled dangerously around their body like prowling serpents.
And in the pit of the crater stood an unblemished figure in robes of white and armor of gold, his long silky white hair adorned by gold ornaments and jewels.
The back of his right hand bore a sigil of six wings, and in this hand was a slender blade that shone in noble gold flames.
The point of the sword rested under the chin of a man on one knee and shattered black armor. Blood spilled from his black hair, filled with grey streaks.
A helmet with horns barely stayed apart on his face.
"Still so shy?" The man in white chuckled graciously.
Fwip.
He drew a quick upwards slash from the man's chin and his helmet split into two across his face before falling weakly to the dry, barren ground.
A manic smile and vigorous red eyes came into the man in white's sight.
He scoffed as he drew his flaming blade into the sky.
"Traitor to humanity, Demon King Valen… Brightstar, you will pay for the incorrigible deeds you have stained the Alkan Continent with." He slowly uttered, stressing his family name.
"Hah…haha…Kuhahahaha!" Valen raised his hand to clasp his bleeding head as he laughed to the skies.
The 5 figures on the rim of the crater frowned at the conspicuous turn of events.
"YOU…! You all invade MY territory just to snuff out a threat your fragile ego couldn't handle!" Valen continued.
"Hahahaha… hero my ass. I would've liked to send at least a few of you to accompany my people but—"
Smack!
A crisp slap snapped Valen's head toward the cold black ground as blood splattered against its charcoal canvas, painting a stilling scene.
"Your… territory? Your… people?" The white haired man clenched his pearly teeth.
"LISTEN TO YOURSELF, YOU ARE A HUMAN BUT SIDE WITH OUR MORTAL ENEMIES!? YOU KNOW FULLY WELL THAT YOU DESERVE DEATH—!"
"Hahahaha.. HAHAHAHA." Valen sputtered
"Listen to myself? Wake the fuck up! How can a human be crusaded against as a Demon Lord at all!? You all are backwards and have been since the beginning! The world is going to shit regardless of your worthless intervention!" An enraged voice clapped as Valen's head snapped to meet the bold silver eyes of the hero that stood over him.
The figures outside the crater flared their respective powers as the magic pressure in the surroundings layered down to press Valen into the ground.
But contrary to expectations, he did not sink. Rather he faltered and stood to his full height.
"I deserve death? Then hurry up and send me on my way!"
BADDUM.
BURRRRR!
A sinister red aura pulsated from his chest as his head of hair had fully succumbed to a sickly grey tone.
A film of red expanded from his body faster than all 6 could react and the entire crater was completely engulfed by a thick, murky, and evil mana that stickily clung to their skin.
"So be it, monstrous fiend." The man spoke calmly, his blazing blade cleaving a path toward Valen's exposed neck.
Valen looked up with bloodshot eyes as a boom ricocheted throughout the mountains.
"!!!" All 6 of the warriors felt their veteran senses tense once again as a rushing current of wind ripped towards the bottom of the crater faster than they could interrupt.
THUD!
A shadow snapped into Valen's open palm as his body blurred and vanished, narrowly evading the flaming sword.
He appeared high in the sky with both hands raised high above his head, forewarning his counterattack.
"Shit!" One of the 5 screamed, the wind arrow instantly careening to take off Valen's upper body.
His crimson glare snapped towards the arrow and he swung what was in his grasp…
A wicked, snaking blade standing proudly at the head of an ashen black polearm, longer than Valen himself.
It had red veins throughout its body and screamed as if an aggrieved banshee.
A ghostly scythe of red energy bubbled off the spear and bisected the arrow in a thunderous explosion.
'Haha… of course my own power is fucking killing me slowly when I'm already about to die. Can't ever catch a break.' Valen bitterly smiled at the cloud of flames that was much smaller than he expected.
In truth, he felt his body growing weaker by the second. It wasn't just loss of strength either, he was losing the very feeling in his limbs and the consciousness over his body.
He could tell his very being was falling apart more at every minor exertion.
"You'll have to take something of mine before I keel over though." A devious smile crept onto Valen's face as the domain of red mana was violently sucked into his body.
A surging current of energy was channeled to his arms and then forced into his spear, a red glow outlining the weapon.
A creepy silence took hold as the rumbling energy which should have been unstable became docile within his spear.
Valen fell from the air seemingly much slower than he should have, his spear beginning to blur around his body at blinding speeds under his dexterous hands.
His fogging vision met the terrified gaze of the archer behind their bow as his insidious grin widened.
His spearmanship touched upon a realm illusive to even him, a man dangerous enough to be dubbed a King of the Demons.
'Demonic Culling Spearmanship, 5th form…'
[Execution]!
FWISHHH.
Three bloody blades of energy sliced through the air in a flash and converged at the helpless archer's head. Two from the sides of their neck, seeking to decapitate them and another falling from above to split their skull.
Valen let a relieved smile tug at his lips as he felt the tension leave his body. He fell through the air with his spear in front of him.
BOOM!
A white light flooded Valen's vision as he suddenly lost feeling of his arms.
"AGHHHH!" Blood poured from his elbows as he flailed through the air in blind descent.
Valen landed to the ground with a thud along with his now cracked spear snapping in half upon contact.
'I'm sorry, friend.' He weakly thought as he heaved blood from his body in between screams.
After a fit of coughing, he looked up to a sight that violated his being and spat in the face of his efforts.
As his vision slowly cleared, he saw a man with 6 white wings spreading from his back, a blonde woman with pointed ears in one arm, his flaming sword in another.
A halo of light decorated his beautiful head and shed light onto the figure in his arms.
His 6 wings shook and shattered Valen's final strike with a single flap, falling to the ground in pathetic crimson shards.
He hovered above the ground on the edge of the crater and sheathed his sword, still holding the insufferable elf.
He stretched his hand out as a white magic circle began to form on his palm.
Valen's vision was invaded by light yet again, but this time with a myriad of rainbow-like colors. However, as his vision faded, he saw a rare expression that rarely ever adorned the Hero's face if at all.
Panic?