Chapter 19: Carous Gelheim
The fires of war had been burning for years, but for Carous Gelheim, they had started long before this revolution.
Once, he had been a simple man, a father, a husband—nothing more. He had worked tirelessly in the Squatters' District, doing whatever labor he could to provide for his family. The dream was simple: a peaceful life, food on the table, and a future for his son.
But Mezolith was not kind to men like him.
His wife had fallen ill—a fever that wouldn't break. Desperate, Carous carried her for miles to New Yore, where the well-trained doctors resided. He banged on the doors of the clinics, pleaded in the streets, offered every coin he had saved over the years.
They turned him away.
They called him "a squatter," "a waste of medicine."
That same night, she died in his arms.
A few years later, during a clash between the army and local rebels, his young son—only six years old—was caught in the crossfire. The child had simply been playing outside when an explosive detonated nearby, sending jagged shrapnel into his tiny body.
Carous rushed to the military commander on duty, demanding help, screaming for a healer.
But he was told: "Collateral damage."
No justice. No compensation.
Only loss.
That night, Carous burned his own home and swore vengeance. The man who had once dreamed of peace now only dreamed of fire.
And today, he would set Yore ablaze.
The Siege of Yore – Jeffrey's Commanders Hold the Line
The battle had entered its most brutal stage.
The revolutionaries, fueled by rage and numbers, pressed against the city's defenses like an unrelenting tide. The defenders of Yore, though outnumbered, held their ground with sheer discipline and skill.
At the front of the defensive line, Jack McCaw, a towering warrior clad in heavy armor, stood like an unmovable wall.
His great shield slammed into a charging revolutionary, sending him flying backward.
"Push them back!" Jack roared, rallying the soldiers around him.
Not far from him, Ion Dambouldor, a seasoned fighter and leader of the Order of Isus, swung his twin-bladed glaive, cutting down any enemy that made it past Jack's defensive line.
"We hold the ground, no matter what!" he bellowed.
Meanwhile, Enzo, the hidden blade of Yore, worked in the shadows.
An assassin not connected to The Crow, but deadly in his own right.
As a revolutionary commander shouted orders to his troops, Enzo slipped behind him and drove a dagger into his throat.
The man gurgled, collapsing, his soldiers thrown into disarray.
High above the battlefield, Jeffrey Maxim stood in the Palace of Yore, overseeing everything.
"Hold the city," he muttered, knowing that if Yore fell, so did Woodsaw.
The revolutionaries' stronghold in the Squatters' District was not built for subtlety—it was built for war.
Kaiser moved through its corridors, his steps silent, daggers at the ready.
Two guards rounded a corner ahead, chatting in low voices.
In a single breath, Kaiser lunged forward.
His first dagger pierced one of their throats. Before the second could react, Kaiser spun, slashing across his chest.
The man staggered, clutching his wound, then collapsed.
Alzalel's voice whispered in his mind.
"We are getting close."
Kaiser tightened his grip on his weapons and pressed forward.
The Resistance Gains Ground – But Not Without Losses
Despite their limited numbers, the resistance began turning the tide inside the fortress.
Bjorn, lost in his berserker rage, had charged deep into enemy ranks. The resistance warriors that followed him couldn't keep up, terrified that they might get caught in his rampage.
Meanwhile, Gregory Malter dragged Roland's fallen body to safety, swearing to bury him with honor once the battle was over.
The fight was far from won, but they had a chance.
Espada and Elric Struggle Against Dante Viel
Dante Viel had barely broken a sweat.
Elric, despite his strength, couldn't keep up with Dante's speed.
Espada, despite her precision, couldn't land a single clean hit.
And then—Dante finally struck.
His spear pierced through Elric's shoulder, cutting deep.
Elric stumbled back, barely able to keep himself standing.
Espada leaped forward, trying to cover him, but Dante twisted out of the way with ease.
"You're too slow," Dante said, his voice mocking.
Dante Overpowers Espada – A Humiliating Defeat
Espada tried to retreat, realizing she was outmatched.
Dante flashed forward, appearing before her in an instant.
Before she could react—his spear handle slammed into her stomach.
A burst of pain exploded through her body, blood spraying from her lips.
She collapsed to her knees, coughing violently.
Dante laughed.
Dante's Cruel Mockery – Elric's Rage Awakens
Dante grabbed Espada by the hair, dragging her toward Elric's broken body.
"You know, Elric…" he smirked. "Maybe I'll let my men have her once we're done here."
Elric's body tensed.
His fists clenched.
His mind flashed back to the first time he had met Espada—how he had protected her, how she had become his closest friend.
And now, Dante was treating her like a trophy.
Elric's rage finally erupted.
Elric Awakens His Quas Blood – Level 3 Transformation
His eyes glowed a bluish-white.
His body trembled with raw power.
Behind him, Nessie's form shifted, growing larger, more solid.
The spectral entity began merging with him, its presence flowing into his veins.
This was Level 3 Quas Blood—partial fusion with an entity.
His strength tripled. His speed sharpened. His mind burned with battle clarity.
Dante's grin finally faded.
Elric slowly rose, the wounds on his body closing slightly.
The real battle was about to begin.
Kaiser's Mission – The Final Confrontation Begins
Kaiser moved deeper into the fortress.
Then—he saw it.
A barred door at the end of the hall.
Alzalel's voice whispered in his mind.
"We've got company."
A figure stepped from the shadows.
A woman in an elegant red dress.
Her lips curled into a knowing smile.
The air grew unnaturally cold.
"Well now," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "What do we have here?"
Kaiser's grip tightened on his dagger.
The true battle inside the fortress was about to begin.