[A continuation of Interlude 1 - Lest We Forget. I hope you enjoy!]
Icas materialized from thin air, his snowy robe billowing on the wind's harsh ramparts. The Vizier Squad cursed, for they knew that the battle was decided, and a loss was certain.
One member, Jareer Qasim, stepped up. He clasped his sword tightly, eyes darting to the area behind Icas. He is the only one present. Maybe we can have a chance at defeating Contrivance! Optimism.
Jareer was forced to remember the pain Icas had inflicted. He recalled his sister, a young girl of nineteen eager to join the Vizier Squads, whom the Servant of Contrivance had brutally murdered.
In front of the Bersebus Empire's Grand Cathedral, her body decomposed. On her bloody back was scrawled: "Revert to the true Liege," with the infuriatingly smaller text below: "By Icas~"
Jareer swore that no matter what, Icas would die. This was their chance, now. Break the odds. Change fate.
Beige, rocky gravel lay beneath them, a mass that continued only a short while before being overrun by grass and other greenery. The island was a sight for sore eyes: beaches, oceanic waters, and evergreen forests. The Bersebus Empire's gothic castle was a mere speck of human infrastructure in the uninhabited wilds.
Iberis's squad stood away from Icas. Many of his men held ground, others stepped back. Apprehension.
Their leader took charge, positioning himself between Icas and the rest. "Have you not played enough?" he said. "Have the lives you mindlessly slaughtered not sufficed?"
Icas chuckled. "Not necessarily. But I think I'll be fine for a while after today." His eyes peered with malevolence.
Iberis clenched his sword and spun it in hand. Loops of dark magic surged and wrapped around the blade, increasing its range.
Arin Maylor looked at his Vizier's valorous expression, racking his brain for a way to kill Icas effectively. In one-on-one, no one survived—Icas was far too powerful. Vizier Iberis, I hope you have a plan that will lead us to victory. Arin traced an emblem of a crown on his chest.
Icas watched the members stumble. "We're both servants of our Lieges, don't be nervous. I was sent here to. . . Investigate. Heheh." He smiled, revealing pale, white teeth. His white hair and green eyes framed his face, giving him the perfect resemblance of a haunted children's toy.
Hearing the taunt, Iberis's face distorted. "Investigate? Don't be witty! Any member of Contrivance meeting with the Vizier Squads is a precedent for war. I hope you know that." Iberis hoped Icas would back off.
Frederick Foyle spoke. "Ridiculous musings alongside a ridiculous cult. Has the fallen land you call home kicked you out? Are you alone now, Icas?" He projected the aura of one wanting to fight Icas first, though that could not have been farther from the truth
"Don't be so certain our Lieges aren't alike~" Icas teased, pointing one pale finger at Iberis and another at Frederick.
Veins bulged on Mausi Creal's head. "Y—You fiend! You have no right to compare us or the Liege! He united us from evil, united the world from pain and misery! Filth like M—"
Mausi stopped—not because he finished what he wanted to say, or had a new thought, or because Iberis told him to.
He couldn't utter a single word.
"Mausi. . . What have you done?" Iberis's tone fell.
Icas giggled. "You know better, Bersebus follower. Don't pry into the eminence of our Liege. You have no Authority to say his powerful name!"
Mausi's face contorted, expanding rapidly. Blood pooled into the inflated regions. "Here it is..." Icas smirked.
Pop! Splatter!
Red stained the ground as bits and pieces of Mausi's body scattered everywhere.
The gaping men heard Icas's maddening voice through the anguish. "In the eyes of Contrivance, no one but the worthy can say his very name." He knocked on his head and stuck a tongue out. "Actually. . . There are some exceptions, but that's too boring of a list to go through~"
"The Forgotten Emperors, the Blest Emperors, the Usurped Emperors, and the Almighty Emperors," Iberis replied sorrowfully, directing the statement to his squad. "Do not dare say the Liege of Contrivance's name, or you will end up like our fallen soldier."
The Vizier Squad nodded. Mausi's death was a brutal reminder; they could not mess with this world's higher powers.
Arin, Frederick, and Jareer knelt and tapped the emblem on their chests five times, tracing the shape of a faint crown. You will not be forgotten, Mausi. The rest of the Vizier Squad eventually followed suit.
One of Mausi's eyes tumbled and rolled to a stop in front of Icas. "Oh my." He picked it up and squashed it. "Shall we resume, my friends?"
Charge!
Iberis sprinted at full speed, his matte weapon glistening in the sun. "Stay back!" he shouted, buckling his knees and ascending into the air. Cocking back his sword, Iberis commanded,
"Sky's Judgment!"
Thunder cracked ferociously in the distance. Blasts of air shook the trees out of proportion as Iberis sent forward multiple air currents laced with lightning.
Icas smiled. "Fun~" He evaded the attacks with ease, leaving craters of terror where they struck. Iberis landed with a thud.
"Curses. I'm not finished yet."
He sprinted again, this time directly at Icas. Shing! He slashed forward, aiming his attack at Icas's head. The latter dodged and batted the sword away with his hand.
Sizzle!
Icas hadn't expected the sword to be laced with dark magic. He watched the cut on his hand deform and mangle. "You got a good hit on me, Iberis. That should make Aulus proud~"
Iberis shifted, correcting his balance. "I'm not done! I'm not done! Prepare for attack, men!" With meticulous movement, Iberis pointed his blade downward and drove it into the ground. "Obey me, Aglana!"
The ground, sky, and atmosphere itself rippled. "Yes, Your Veil," a raspy voice replied.
Four pillars of stone erupted and soared, climbing higher than the castle. They scraped the sky and turned to face Icas. "Attack him!" Iberis ordered the pillars and his men.
Icas showed a faint grin. He pulled back his sleeve, revealing a bone-like key symbol. He tapped it three times until it emitted a glow. "Tawaquf."
The gigantic pillars stopped.
Crumble!
They reduced to ash—effortless. "Damnation!" Iberis howled. The ten men clenched their weapons and pounced at Icas from all sides. Some prodded at his waist, a few summoned lesser pillars, but it was all in vain.
Icas grabbed one of their heads and crushed it. "Is this really it? Are the Vizier Squads no more? Aulus would be disappointed~"
Debris scattered everywhere. All hope was lost. Arin plummeted.
He is. . . unbeatable.