Just under a tree, riddled with the bones and the decayed flesh of demons, an obsidian altar with a skull of a demon in its center lay in eerie silence. Slowly, a bowl of flesh and bones is placed and presented as an offering.
The gray-eyed chief of the savage tribe dropped to his knees, clasped his hands, and bowed in reverence. Behind the chief, several more of the villagers followed the same motions, bowing even deeper than their chief.
"
Vines slowly and carefully carried the bowl from the altar, and the tree widened its jagged-toothed mouth and devoured the offering whole. With the trent satisfied with the offering, a stream of blood ran down the eyes of the skull on the altar. And from that blood, a message in the demon language is formed.
As the chief took notice, he read, with a gasp leaving his lips, and stood up. "
********
Brom smiled at Kalika and Donovan, who were ready to fight. But unexpectedly, Brom started to speak up. "
Zelak drew a glance to Brom, who spoke, then focused back on Gorm, who attacked.
The earth shook from the attack, and Brom continued as if it were nothing. "
Kalika glared. "
"
Brom scanned Kalika's face and saw no immediate change. "
With a smirk, Brom brought his hammer back out. "
Without hesitation, he swung at Kalika and Donovan, forcing them to dodge. He turned to Kalika and whipped his hammer down, sending a tremor in Kalika's direction.
"
Donovan shot Fireballs that washed off of Brom's large arms.
To Donovan's shock, Brom conjured several spheres of water that formed into spinning discs. One after another, they shot Donovan's way, forcing him on the run,
"
Kalika closed the distance and readied to strike. She swung, and Brom blocked using his hammer in one hand.
"
Brom deflected Kalika's attack with ease, sending her tumbling to the ground and forcing her to reorient herself. As she gazed back up, Brom had already prepared to smash her to the ground.
She blocked with her dagger, holding against his strength.
"
Several more fireballs struck Brom's back. He glanced back and noticed how Donovan was starting to get tired as he stumbled to keep himself up.
Brom blurted a laugh as Kalika struggled to free herself from the weight of his attack. He turned back to Kalika with a smile. "
Kalika continued her glare, eventually managing to slip out of the range of his attack.
Brom raised his hand slightly and, with a sinister grin, manifested a small orb of blood in his hands. "
Kalika scoffed and poised, ready to attack. "
Kalika dashed forth with her dagger front and ready. To her surprise, as she inched closer, the blood orb turned into a copy of his hammer. And with both arms wielding a hammer, and struck the ground like thunder. Cracks rippled around the arena, and rubble shot up from all around. Brom became a dual-wielding maniac, smashing things left and right and forcing Kalika on the defensive.
As the ensuing rocks and debris flew everywhere, Donovan stumbled and dodged what he could as he. He gazed back up, feeling his strength waning, and he resigned himself to watch the growing chaos in an ever-growing exhaustion.
Eventually, the sounds of the chaos reached Zelak and Charla, who did everything they could to avoid the growing chaos Gorm was causing.
Sharp spears pierced through the ground, one after another, in an overwhelming attempt to kill them. "
Eventually, Zelak was able to pull himself and Charla a safe distance away, to Gorm's annoyance.
"
Zelak glanced back at her. "
"
Zelak placed his hand on her shoulder, jolting her back and breaking her from her stupor. She darted her eyes around in shock.
Before she could speak again, Zelak pulled Charla behind some rubble, saving her from a spear that pierced the ground.
"
Charla flushed, hearing his statement. "
Zelak was left scratching his head as she moved her body like a maiden in love. Simply gazed at her. Thoughts raced in her mind, leaving her blind to the action at hand.
Charla released herself from Zelak's grasp. "
Zelak affirmed.
"
"
Blood spear after blood spear erupted from the ground like a swarm of bugs out to get Charla. Each time, little by little. Charla weaved through the mess of chaos wrought by Gorm.
Although reluctant, Zelak forced himself out of hiding and attacked.
It wasn't long before Charla managed to get behind Gorm, to his shock. He turned and swung his club.
He missed. Just barely touching Charla's feet as she jumped.
Suddenly, Gorm's hair pulled back, and Charla peeked at his face from behind. "
"
Zelak's sword wrapped around Gorm's neck once more, choking the life out of him.
Not one to give up,
Gorm grabbed the chains and ripped them off him. "
Spear struck from the ground, and he swung his club with purpose, crashing and marking the ground beneath him.
Eventually, Charla's gaze struck him again within the chaos. A ping struck him and he found himself arms and body bound by chains.
However, with a strong will, he broke through her illusions, bringing himself face to face with Zelak once again, trying to kill him.
In a single move, Gorm whipped his club in the air, striking Zelak. But to his surprise, a decisive blow struck his gut.
The visage of Zelak's body in the air crumbled away along with his previous view. The battle he was in, with him and his brother striking each other.
"
"
Furious, he spat his blood at and chased after Charla.
Brom, noticing Zelak's impending attack on Gorm, swung his hammer at him, only to clash against Kalika.
She glared at him, and, with Words unspoken, redirected his attack, pushing him to attack Brom.
Brom slammed right. Left and swung to the side. But to his annoyance, she proved too nimble for his attack as she dodged to the side and pressed on to attack.
Feeling within reach, Kalika leapt, stabbing straight into his chest. Brom winced and quickly tossed his hammer and grabbed her.
Unrelenting, she stabbed her dagger straight into his hands, which held out strong.
"
With glee, he tossed the other hammer and reached to grab her head.
Unexpectedly, Gorm's club struck him from behind, loosening his grip.
Without hesitation, Kalika climbed across his arm to his shoulder. And with a rising anger, channeled dark energy within the edge of her dagger.
"
Brom stumbled forth but still held on. Despite the deep cut, he was still able to move. He raised his arm, and as if they had a mind of their own, they flew back to the grasp of their master.
Suddenly, Gorm's struggle came into view. With a harsh sneer, he attacked Kalika head-on, pushing her back.
She noticed how his pace was much faster. And with their rate, he was crushing the ground; she couldn't imagine being able to withstand the force.
Kalika was left to evade and cover her face in the debris. And she peeked back up from his latest fog ridden attack, he disappeared. She glanced up and saw an attacker from above.
She dodged, like a judgment from god, he completely obliterated the ground beneath him, leaving nothing but a crater that took a quarter of the arena.
Now afforded some time, Kalika glanced back to the battle Zelak had with Gorm, And to her shock , Donovan was hunched to the ground, blood erupting from his mouth as Charla was by his side, concerned.
As she saw this, a darkness erupted from her very being again. She watched at Gorm and as Zelak were interlocked in battle as Spears erupted from the ground, trying to skewer him
"
Kalika turned a deepening glare at Brom, watching as he climbed from the hole of his own making.
The dark power shrouded her very being, leaving no trace of her.
Unbeknownst to her, Donovan caught a glimpse of this transformation. He clutched his sword and chest tight as Charla looked on in concern.
"My… M-my heart. Why is it… so painful!" Donovan glanced back up. "I… I have to do something!"
Donovan forced himself up. "Otherwise, Kalika will go on the deep end." He winced and squeezed his chest tighter.
"What are you doing!?" Zelak shouted. He evaded and weaved through the wave of blood spears that erupted from the ground. "Drop that sword! Otherwise you'll die!"
Donovan froze. He steadied his breathing, and kept his gaze fixed on Kalika who clashed against Brom.
With a boiling frustration, he channeled magic in his hands, poised ready to slash.
Zelak closed the gap, and slashed at Gorm. To his annoyance his blade only cut part way through his arm. He then glanced back at Donovan, whose sword now glowed blue. "
Suddenly, Zelak was grabbed by the head and tossed across the arena and away from everyone else. He tumbled across the field of rubble and rock and was left to watch on as Donovan swung his sword, thrusting out an arc of water that shot at Brom.
As Brom once again slammed down his hammer to the ground, completely missing Kalika, the magic arc struck his back.
He jerked up and screamed out in pain.
Using this moment, Kalika flew and severed his head.
The darkness that once shrouded her slowly dissipated away as she saw Donovan standing tall, as he tried to catch his breath. The determination on his face brought a quiet relief. She landed on the ground, and hearing the ground shake, she exhaled, knowing her fight with that demon was done.
However another rumble tore her attention to Zelak and Gorm's battle. She clenched her teeth and prepared to assist him, but as Zelak managed to knock him into the wall a sharp spike of earth pierced through Gorm's head.
Everyone watched in shock. Donovan especially, who struggled to maintain his balance. "What the-" He clutched his chest again, dropping his sword. He fell to his side, writhing in absolute pain.
"
Kalika raced to his side as Zelak watched on, shaking his head in disappointment. ""
"Donovan!" Kalika stood over him. Her hand was empty as she looked up at him, unsure what to do. "Donovan!"
"
Kalika turned her gaze up and saw Zigfred sitting on the large bags of crystals. He smirked amused and as calm as could be.
"
Kalika glanced back at Zelak, who glared at Zigfred, contemptuously.
"Deal? What deal?" Kalika wondered