nature

***

Back down outside side the newly bustling town some people have started calling dragon tooth a group of four stood discussing something in the setting sun

" this is it huh...not what I was expecting didn't the informant say they have only been here a few months" a man wearing the clothes of a noble said looking at the town

" he really has come up in the world since being with that fine elven woman " a familiar large human male said before getting smacked by another familiar face but this one was a female with pointy ears " focus don't do or kill anyone without a good reason remember what the bounty said you already lost to him once "

" can you do your spell so we can get this done " the elf said to their fourth accomplice it was a peculiar dressed man although they didn't know it the clothes an armor he had on was similar to a Shinobi's

He didn't say anything just nodded doing a couple hand signs causing a cloud of smoke leave his hand

When it cleared the four hand disappeared there weren't any guard yet an the people there were to busy to notice them suddenly disappear from sight invisible they moved towards the castle in the distance along the way they past by a barracks full of training recruits

***

" what is it " James asked lazza who was staring off into the distance they had been training the people that showed up for their little militia when he noticed lazza looking off seemingly in her own world which wasn't really like her

" it's nothing...must have been the wind " James's expression changed slightly hearing her say that he clapped his hands to get everyone's attention " Alright that will be enough for today head inside and get something to then head to bed we have a long day tomorrow "

The people of different races nodded the put their legs together squared their shoulders holding their right fist upward in a salute before heading in the building satisfied he turned around to catch up with lazza who was walking to the castle with out saying anything

As the were going up the little hill that lead to the castle lazza suddenly turned around aimher rifle and fired a second later the clank of metal could be heard as a man wearing a weird outfit became visible his arm holding a tachi was trembling slightly

Without a word the man brought a round ball throwing to the ground a giant plume of smoke erupted everywhere lazza kept aim at the cloud of smoke waiting when a kuni flew from the smoke leave a trail as it did

It connected hitting lazza's hand making her lose aim with her rifle that was when the ninja rushed out of the smoke welding a chokutō having sheathed the tachi to his back

Lazza tried to pull out her pistol but she wasn't fast enough the struck her making fall over clutching her wound

All of this happened in the span of a few seconds so James was still getting his rifle ready when lazza got stabbed at that moment three more trails burst out of the smoke but he didn't see or hear anything those trails were following maybe it was because he was half elven he wasn't sure

In any case he couldn't do nothing before he could do anything to stop the other invisible intruders the ninja was coming at him now

But being a quicker draw then lazza allowed him to at least shoot at the blade before it could peirce him too

being a smaller an shorter blade then the tachi it shattered instantly this didn't stop man he threw a kuni that James didn't notice in his hand before like it appeared there

James shot the kuni out of the air before it could strike him the man was shocked by this but that quickly faded as five more appeared in each hand

" catch " he heard a familiar voice as fear crept into his mind on instinct he caught what was tossed to him it was lazza's pistol taking a glance at her bleeding figure he ground himself " come at me you masked bastard "

The man didn't waste time throwing his kuni at James who shot them out of the air despite that he circled James throwing his kuni waiting for a opening to strike

James did his best to hold his ground shooting the kuni he couldn't dodge, making sure the ones he couldn't shot or dodge didn't hit anything vital making sure to reload at the proper times but even doing all this it wasn't enough the man seemingly had a endless supply of the knives an he was took quick to get a good shot off so eventually James's defense was breached

The two kuni going for his eyes were suddenly hit away by two throwing knives

both of them looked to the source it was a hodded figure in white robes lined with all sorts of things

" trouble never stops coming for you or your family does it my friend " Hearing the familiar accent James relaxed a bit even though he wasn't sure what François was he did know he was more then a simple armorsmith

" sorry to interrupt but I'm going to have to steal this wonderful dance " François unsheathe his rapier that was strapped to his side an moved towards them

looking below him as he swayed weirdly over to them James saw a stranger thick liquid he was gliding on as he made his way over to them all the kuni the man threw to stop his advance he just smoothly slid out the way like he was doing a dance

Seeing the that wasn't working the ninja another set of hand signs as his veins glowed crimson soon three balls of fire shot towards François exploding once they reach him But he was already mid-air upside in a flip

His magic circle appeared as the weird substance he was using formed a platform under his foot for him to spring off of he flew down at the man with his rapier ready to strike

The man barely managed to get his tachi to deflect the attack before going for his on but he felt a blade press up against his throat François was behind him with his hidden blade ready to end it

But not giving up the man did a quick hand sign an in his place a stick appeared falling to the confused François didn't notice him reappear behind him already swinging his sword

A projectile hit the sword making it go off the mark using this François deflected the sword downward then trapped it there by stepping on it as he brought out a blow gun

Before he could anything else a dart hit the man's neck he tried to do a few hand signs quickly but the venom was to fast acting he fell to the floor unconscious

James panted hunched over a bit from the exhaustion then rushed to lazza who has passed out from the blood loss " you need to get here to doc are you able " James nodded as he picked her

" he wasn't the only I believe there are three other they past me to the castle " François nodded making his way up the hill he barely took five steps when the world was covered by a shadow with a red hue

He was already to late he was going to finally understand what happened that day

***

A few minutes before

" so i guess all that's left is to test fire it " Liam nodded we have been running checks on the cannon and energy source making sure everything was good for I wasn't sure how long now

" must be dinner time it's hard to tell up here Elise will be mad if I miss it again...do you want me to teleport you back with me " he shook his head " no their are a couple other things I need to get done before I'll use the transporter if when i ready "I nodded Not wanting Elise to be too mad I teleported away

" I know I'm probably late im- " I stopped talking seeing the scene in front of me one of the maids was butchered a noble man dressed in red was standing over her his knife dripping with the goblins blood

A little girl was behind I realized her as birna's daughter she was scared crying with blood splattered on her face

Elise was still sitting down with a frustrated expression on the plate of food in front of her was barley touched

Emily was far away being held up by a familiar face it was Ti he had a hold of our daughter properly to get Elise to cooperate

Everyone else was being held hostage by multiples of the same elven woman that followed ti around she has a lot of trick up her sleeve apparently

I quickly brought up my hand and snapped but nothing happened my star element wasn't responding but wasn't just that non of my elements were responding which means shadow and icarus were gone " did you know the source of ones connection to mana is their blood "

the Noble man said licking his blade clean " I wonder what you're blood taste like " he made his way to me but ti was already on me he had thrown Emily at Elise before bolting to me delivering a punch to my gut that lifted me of my feet

Elise pulled Emily close against her so she wouldn't have to watch what was about to happen she knew without my connection to mana I was powerless just like her in this moment because of the collar they had placed on her as they threatened her daughters life

I watched as fear crept into her eyes she knew there was little a way out for me before my feet touched the ground ti threw me towards the noble who swiped his hands to the side

My blood seemed to bend to his command slamming me against the table nocking plates an food away blood was coming out of my mouth by now with out my elements to subconsciously protect myself when I got hit these attacks were doing a lot more damage to my body

Ti was on me again lashing out with another punch to my face this time I put up my arm to block but it was no use they snapped like twigs against his inhuman strength " I can't believe your the same person I lost to"

" I can't use my magic jackass this is hardly a fair fight " I earned myself a punch to the face with that remarks which knocked a few of my teeth out ' you know what needs to be done '

I was to disoriented to pay attention to the demon talk right now

I was laying on the table now as the noble man constantly stabbed my chest I didn't have the strength to push him off nor could I

' are you just going to die like a dog in the street without putting up a fight SAY THE WORDS'

I looked over at Elise as my strength started to leave she had tears streaming down her beautiful face as she kept our daughter from looking

even though I couldn't see her face I saw her shoulder rise and fall as she trembled in Elise's arms (I'm sorry Elise I love you... ) I thought barely able to form anything in my mind To my surprise she seemed to hear me

a second later her beautiful voice appeared in my head ( I love you too ) I smiled with the last of my strength which shocked the man stabbing my chest ' SAY IT '

.

.

.

.

.

.

"...infinite eclipse " the last of my breath left me with those words not long after my body grew still

***

The man kept stabbing the mans body until the elven woman yelled at him to stop

" enough he's already dead"

He finally got off the corpse with a satisfied expression licking his blade " just take his head so we can get out of here " ti nodded walking over to the body Elise cradled Emily close to her as they both cried They weren't the only ones Selena was there in the same boat as Elise kal was frustrated at not being able to do anything

around the table people were crying as well some out of fear others because of what just happened their lord always did right by them now he was gone

" your going to regret doing this " the noble man licked his blade again smirking st her

" what are you going to do your powerless right now just like your dearly departed husband be glad your a princess or i would kill you and your spawn of course not without having a little fun "

She shook her head staring him in the eye

" it's not me your going to regret messing with its him...my husband wasn't what you should be worried about it's what comes after " he started laughing like it was the funniest joke he heard

a darker more sinister laugh suddenly echoed over his as the room grew dimmer making everyone's hair stand on end

ti awkwardly took a few steps back like someone bumped into him looking around he noticed the body in front of him was gone

felling strange he went to rub his forehead but his right arm was gone a little beautiful flame was on the wound slowly burning it he hiss in pain clutching the wound

" sorry that thing has been annoying me for awhile" behind him a dark figure with bright red runes covering them casually fed his arm to a shadow wolf beside him the wolf was bathed in beautiful flames with a third eye on its forehead

It happily devoured ti's arm with glee while beside it it's master summoned an grabbed hold of a reaper style scythe made of obsidian

" stop it !" The female elf yelled at the noble man who looked annoyed looking at the being with his arm out stretched " what do you think I've been doing it's not working it's like the damn thing doesn't have a body " the demon walked towards the noble man

Along the way the demon slashed at ti not even really touching him still he was cut in half like the split wood table behind him looking at the complex eyes that looked like a diagram of a solar system the noble somehow knew their was no hope of winning

He tried running away but his perception of space was twisted no matter how many steps he took he went no were

" for getting him to let me out I'll give you a quick death " the demon said in front of him with its arm outstretched in his shoulder

The next moment he disappeared like he was never there his things and clothes fell to the floor with a clank slowly disappearing into nothing erased from existence

All that was left was the elven woman who was backing away in fear " please this was just a job " the demon tilted it's head to the side it's usually smile on its face " and this is just nature "

Her body started get pulled to it against her will the demon flip His scythe upside down as she threw what ever she could at him but it was useless her body pierced the blade all the way to the pole

It slowly pulled the blade up cutting her in half as well her blood made a beautiful arc before splattering everywhere It looked up starting to laugh again as the blood fell onto it

when it stopped it appeared in front of Elise "i have a promise to keep " the demon went to thrust his hand through her chest but it stopped a inch before it did

"No,no he's gone why" it then tried to ignite her but still nothing happened the markings on its body got brighter as the room started to heat up and tremble fire erupted everywhere followed by obsidian spikes still nobody besides the three dead assassins were harmed

Seeing this the demon let out a terrible roar...then disappeared not to be seen by them for a long time