Marked Ones: Advent of the Demon Prince

Men fell in battle left and right. Screams filled the air, only to be silenced by the roar of a firebolt or sickening crunch of a war hammer finding purchase. War had come to Varris in truth. No more was the conflict contained to street brawls over trade goods. Now, people fought for the sake of survival.

The stench of blood and death was strong, easily overwhelming Sheza's senses. She was accustomed to battle and the law of 'kill or be killed', but this was different. Lucius entered the mansion only a short while ago, ordering her forces to simply keep the enemies on the estate's grounds distracted. It was a task easier said than done. As things stood, they fought a war on two fronts, essentially surrounded. Reinforcements from the city approached from behind preventing any form of retreat.

Sheza's clawed hands sunk into a woman's neck, spraying the side of her face with blood. Her dragon tail deflected a strike from a rogue's blade who attempted to catch her from behind. There was only so much she could do to keep this all up.

"Come!" She roared in defiance, spreading her wings to intimidate and attract. The bigger she made herself, the more likely she would draw attention away from her allies.

Rage filled her heart; fueled by the sins of Indarel, by the tragedies this conflict wrought on the families of Varris, and most of all, the pain it inflicted on Kestis's heart. None of these deeds would go unpunished.

"[Bloodline Art: Draconic Retribution]" Sheza was an extremely rare being: beastman connected closely with the origins of their race. Because of this, she had access to powers beyond those of her kinsmen. Unlike the feline, lupine, reptile, or avian beastmen, she could trace her family's line to the Legendary Beasts that guarded these lands.

Power surged through her, sharpening her claws and hardening her scales. Sheza's eyes glowed a brilliant green, highlighting her slit pupils. Enemies and allies alike cowered under her passive gaze, as if instinctually cowering before a predator, desperate to not be seen.

Dragons were creatures of pride. They hoarded treasures and land. Their territories were inviolable spaces that they protected to their death. To encroach upon these things was an unforgivable act with consequences few could overcome. Varris was her territory. Its people were hers. Indarel's forces took from her and they would pay.

Seeing the dead and dying members of the resistance served to fuel the hatred in her heart. "Those who dare take from a dragon, take on a debt payable only in blood." Sheza roared. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire

Resistance forces found their bodies filled with energy and strength unfamiliar to them. Their weapons were lighter, their attacks hit harder. At the same time, many of Indarel's men felt the very air sap away their strength. A surge of mana rushed out from somewhere in the mansion, but Sheza pushed it away. Lucius' fight was his own.

Her claws ripped through two more soldiers, their metal shields offering all the protection of wet paper. The ground shook. An explosion rocking the city. Sheza's eyes were drawn to the source. Who would dare attack her territory now? She had rats to eradicate and more wished to join?

Smoke billowed into the air from the city's gates. Flames licked the top of the battlements and the unfortunate rooftops of nearby buildings. It seems the forces outside the walls joined in the attack. Acceptable.

***

Desmond watched with amazement from a safe distance. He had infiltrated the city late last night in preparation to assist Lucius in his initial assault. However, the people he had meant to contact had suddenly moved in preparation for the assault. This left him with no other choice than to sit and wait for an opportune time to join the fight.

It was a long and boring wait, but worth it in the end. He had intended to join the moment the Resistance attacked the estate's walls, but something, perhaps instinct, told him to hold back. His patience was rewarded in the entertaining sight of watching Lucius storm the building, alone, and then a short while later witnessing something he never thought he would see: the descent of a dragon. A small one to be sure, but a dragon nonetheless.

The woman he figured was the 'Sheza' he had read about was like a torrent of blood and violence. When she released her bloodline, nothing could withstand her might. It was an impressive sight to behold and he found himself morbidly curious about seeing her come to blows with his friend.

Desmond felt the ground rumble beneath him as their armies moved to assault the walls. Though she could not support him directly, Jade had directed their men to help distract Varris's defenders. "Couldn't leave well enough alone, could you sis. I bet you will try to claim Kalliope made you do it, but I can imagine you planned this well before she demanded I come help…"

His purple-haired twin was hopelessly in love. Everyone knew it and called her out on it, but she never really made any moves. She only supported Lucius in his endeavors. Desmond knew that if he said or did anything too pushy, she would simply push back out of stubbornness. Perhaps a pregnant and pushy Kalliope is all that she really needs…

A second wave of mana from the Varris estate pulled Desmond's eyes and attention back to it. The first one was nothing special, simply a result of battle, but this second one felt more ominous. What was Lucius doing? In fact… what was…

"Snow!" a flash of realization settled upon him. Snow was still in the mansion. No doubt Lucius was distracted by something else, he wouldn't be paying attention to what happened to her in the midst of battle. Not that Desmond could blame him, but he could not bring himself to ignore the possibility of something befalling her.

He pushed his body beyond his limits, running and leaping across rooftops. The Varris estate drew ever closer, but with the increasing intensity of battle, Desmond's heart beat faster. He leapt from the final roof before landing in the middle of battle. The garden of the Varris estate was saturated in blood. The ground was a field of cracked glass, broken rock, and disturbed dirt. For a moment, the sensation of a beast settled on the back of his neck, but it quickly faded. Being under the gaze of a dragon was not a pleasant sensation.

Ignoring all else, he gripped his spear even tighter. She was inside somewhere and he had to find her. "Dammit, why didn't I move sooner. I'm such a fool. Yue and her ladyship will kill me if anything happens to you…"