Rise of Tyrus

Tyrus hadn't expected a meeting with Sezor this soon nor was he looking forward to one, either, but here they were, with both Blue Dawn and Scourge staring each other down.

Sezor and his friends wielded a weapon of their own, most of them being shortswords and daggers. It looked as if they were preparing for war, but their lack of armor told otherwise, dressed in their everyday clothes with minimal protection.

"You've brought nothing but trouble when you reared your head in my business," Sezor growled. "You should've just minded your business back at the harbor. Now you'll die because you were stupid."

Grant stepped forward, shielding Tyrus from Sezor's gaze. A certain animosity bled through his stern look as he stared the man down. "Are you affiliated with Scourge, by chance? I suggest you answer carefully."

The man laughed, and for a moment, Tyrus spotted a dark amulet hanging off of his neck. It was hard to miss because of the thick amount of mana swirling around the chain. Fiona and the others noticed it too, by the way their expressions shifted.

"Look at this mountain of a boy. Trying to intimidate grown men without a lick of hair on your face is like a rabbit trying to fight a bear. To answer your question, yes we are members of Scourge. That Demi-human probably tipped you off already. Still, it doesn't matter. In the end, none of you are getting out alive."

A man with hair on his chin stepped toward Sezor and said, "One of them is a sorcerer, most likely the one carrying a staff."

Sezor finally noticed the ice statues in the back and whistled. "No wonder it's cold as a frost giant's balls. You must be pretty tired from freezing all those undead behind you. Good thing we came here as fast as we could once we heard some trespassers had entered our tunnels."

Upon closer inspection, Tyrus noticed that their garments were damp and their faces were glistening, as if they had just taken a swim. The fact that it had just started raining meant that they must have been underground for at least half an hour, but that wasn't what concerned Tyrus. What worried him was the content of Sezor's words. How did they know there were intruders down here? Tyrus could only think of a few possibilities: someone had been spying on them and immediately alerted Sezor, they had set an invisible trap that Fiona unknowingly triggered, or it was his own action of opening the wheel door, which seemed like the most plausible option. He was carrying a Scourge ring, after all.

Tyrus quickly glanced around, assessing the severity of their situation. Behind them, a treacherous terrain was obstructed by frozen skeletons that could be unleashed if they delayed any longer. Ahead of them stood a group of armed men, eager to inflict harm upon him and his companions. In essence, they were surrounded, but the situation was not as dire as initially perceived. Using his mana sense, Tyrus determined that only Thick Beard was a sorcerer amidst the group. While caution was advised in dealing with him, the remaining men should not pose a significant threat. With five sorcerers against one, coupled with nine regular men, the advantage clearly belonged to Blue Dawn, not Scourge.

Or so he thought. His instincts were practically screaming, calling him a fool for thinking so. That amulet radiating mana on Sezor's chest worried him. Judging by the amount, it must've been quite a powerful item capable of turning the tide, but he wasn't about to make any assumptions. It'd be best to finish this fight as quickly as possible, but then a thought crossed his mind: would Fiona and the rest resort to killing if it came to it? He shook his head, already aware of the answer once he remembered the bandits.

Tyrus couldn't help but notice that Igneal had been giving Fiona a strange look throughout their time together, occasionally stealing glances at the ice statues. It was unusual for Igneal to be so distracted, especially during a critical moment like this. Normally, he would immediately unleash fire upon their enemies without a second thought. However, if Igneal wasn't going to take action, then it fell upon Tyrus to make the first move. If his suspicions were correct, Scourge had absolutely no idea that Tyrus himself was a sorcerer.

Charging up a Dual Shot, Tyrus stepped away from Grant's shadow and unleashed two crackling orbs toward Scourge. A look of shock spread across their faces, and a few of them raised their swords to shield themselves from the spell. Tyrus thought he succeeded until Thick Beard stepped forward and made a slashing motion with his hand. The air itself rippled and the energy spheres were cut in half, dissipating into the surrounding air. Thick Beard raised his hand again, mana building up around his hands, and set forth another attack until Grant blocked it with his shield. A puff of hair tussled their hair.

"A sorcerer with an air affinity," Grant grunted. "Capable of condensing air into that of a blade to slash foes or objects. He must be at the level of an Apprentice Sorcerer to achieve that feat."

Thick Beard lowered his arm slightly. "They have more than one sorcerer in their ranks, Sezor. I count at least three, including the dumb red head over there. He must be a Lockhart."

Igneal finally snapped out of his random daze and glared. "Who are you to address a Lockhart in that manner? Not only are you simpletons for picking a fight with a group led by me, but you dare call me a 'dumb red head'?"

Without saying a word, Igneal raised his arm and unleashed a powerful wave of flames that surged towards Thick Beard. Unfazed by Igneal's magic, Thick Beard swiftly crouched down, pressing his palm against the ground, and shouted "Earth Wall" just moments before the fiery blast could reach him. Instantly, the ground beneath him transformed into a solid stone wall, shielding him from the impending heat. The flames collided with the wall, quickly fizzling out. All that remained was a charred wall with a few cracks, obscuring the view of the enemy. Unsurprisingly, that didn't stop Igneal from drawing his sword and charging towards Scourge, simultaneously launching more flames.

"Who's the dumb one now, filth?" Igneal taunted, "Your bodies will be nothing but ashes and bones now!"

"Grant, Reo, get ahead of Igneal and start pressuring Scourge," Fiona said. "It's five sorcerers against one and a bunch of unblessed. Try to keep them alive so that can capture them and send them to the guards. But if that cannot happen, then we'll resort to our last option."

The two Augmentation Sorcerers nodded and sprinted after Igneal. In a matter of seconds, they passed Igneal in a blur—avoiding his line of fire—and reached the earth wall just as it crumbled from Igneal's onslaught. Scourge was already in position, as if they expected their foes to push up. Soon, both sides began the clash.

And it was...quite one-sided. Because most of Scourge were unblessed, they had little to no answer against the might of Augmentation Sorcerers. It was like watching a bunch of dogs attempting to stand their ground against a pack of lions. Sure, some managed to get in a slash or two with their greater numbers, but they never lasted long under the heavy strikes and relentless pestering of Reo and Grant. The big guy would block numerous attacks with his shield and retaliate by punching the unfortunate fool closest to him. The impact sent them flying to a nearby wall and crashed into it. The sickening crunch of bones breaking caused chills to crawl up and down Tyrus's spine. Blood dribbled down the corners of their mouths.

Reo dashed through their ranks like lightning, lashing out with precise and swift kicks and elbows that had them wailing in pain until Grant finished the blow. Thick Beard tried desperately to help, sending forth more wind blades. Reo knew they were coming and dodged them with ease while Grant didn't bother to, using only his shield that received more gashes.

During that time, Igneal had already caught up to the battle. He locked eyes with Sezor; a wicked grin flashed across the Lockhart's face. The two of them clashed head on with their swords, sparks flying as steel against steel resounded around the room.

"You must be the leader of this pathetic bunch," Igneal said.

"Like hell I'd be beaten by a cocky brat!" Sezor bellowed.

A wildness grew in his eyes as his movements grew quicker and stronger. Every time they clashed, Igneal was pushed back and forced to evade instead. Though he has probably received more training with the sword than Sezor, he was still smaller than he was, and Sezor knew this. Sezor pressed his advantage relentlessly, his strikes growing more ferocious with each swing, the sheer force of his blows threatening to overwhelm Igneal, who had been trying to use his off-hand to release more flames, but Sezor made sure that wouldn't happen. Tyrus was no expert on swordsmanship, but Sezor was holding his own pretty well. He still received a fair share of cuts around his body, and Igneal sustained none.

That all changed in an instant when he caught sight of a Lightning Bolt hurtling towards him. Swiftly, he kicked Igneal aside and leapt backward, narrowly evading the spell as it barely brushed against his side. His body momentarily stiffened, wisps of smoke curling up from his shirt. Despite moving unsteadily, he managed to rise to his feet, while Tyrus appeared by Igneal's side.

"Who told you to interfere?" Igneal snarled. "I was clearly winning!"

Tyrus furrowed his brow. While he was indeed leading, he couldn't shake the feeling that Igneal wasn't taking the battle seriously. Instead of swiftly and decisively defeating Sezor, it seemed like Igneal was merely toying with them, playing around. Given the circumstances, this was not the time for games. Moreover, there was something unsettling about that amulet, although Tyrus couldn't quite put his finger on it. Nevertheless, he knew that the best course of action was to wrap up the fight before things took a turn for the worse.

"Argh!"

Thick Beard was thrown across the tunnel, rolling across the ground like wayward potatoes and stopping near Sezor's boots. It was a rather pitiful display. After struggling to rise to his knees, he let out an indignant groan. "Dammit. Fighting against an Augmentation Sorcerer is always an unpleasant experience. No matter what I throw at them, they take it on the chin like its nothing."

Tyrus looked past Thick Beards shoulder and spotted Grant approaching alongside Reo. Right behind them, the entire floor was covered with bodies of those knocked out or who were moaning softly. Cracks upon the earth marred the entire field, and splotches of blood oozed from the numerous cuts they bore on their bodies. A tinge of pity filled Tyrus's heart, yet only for a moment. They deserved the beating brought to them by their own actions.

Grant and Reo formed a line blocking their battered opponent's path. Now they were the ones trapped underground.

"Surrender quietly, and be judged by Lethos' law," Grant said sternly, but his eyes remained trained on Sezor. His hand hovered over his sword. Tyrus wondered if Grant was having similar thoughts about the amulet he was wearing.

Sezor grimaced. "This is far from over. You think I hadn't made preparations for a scenario like this? I'm not a leader of a faction without knowing how to have an ace in my sleeve."

In a deft movement, a red rock appeared in Sezor's hands, pulsating with mana. The man gripped the magical rock and closed his hand into a fist, breaking it; the cracks expanding throughout its surface. Everyone—including Tyrus—instinctively tensed as power permeated the air and flowed into Sezor's hands. Heat prickled Tyrus's skin, confusing him. Sezor's eyes gleamed with pure hatred, directed at the Augmentation Sorcerers blocking him.

"Fireball!" Sezor roared.

As the man screamed, a large fiery orb that took up most of the tunnel blazed into existence. Immediately, the scent of ash and fire flooded the enclosed space. Even standing inches away, the flames gave a terrifying warmth as their glow swallowed the golden light emanated by Fiona's spell. Sezor launched the spell toward Grant, who had already put his shield up, protecting Reo. The Fireball hit its mark and exploded, filling the tunnel with the terrible cacophony of sizzling and crackling among the blazing destruction.

Sezor's face was pale, and his chest heaved. Anger swelled within Tyrus and he charged, hoping to use that split second to catch him off guard. His expectations were crushed when Thick Beard sent forth a gust of wind that pushed him back, sending him tumbling past Igneal. Tyrus immediately got back up and focused his mana for a Thunder Stun, but another rock caught his eye, this time a dark brown.

Oh no you don't!

Tyrus released the Thunder Stun, watching it streak forward. However, Sezor had already thrown the rock onto the ground and stomped on it beforehand. Simultaneously, Thick Beard destroyed the Thunder Stun with his own spell, shouting 'Rock Toss'. A rock materialized in the air, speeding forward and colliding with the mote of lightning. Just like before, Tyrus' spell fizzled out, while Rock Toss persisted and blew by his cheek. Tyrus was given no time to be shocked at what occurred when the ground trembled and a wall was erected in front of Reo and Grant.

Sezor coughed violently and fell to one knee, blood dripping down his nose and mouth. "That should keep those troublesome Augmentation Sorcerers at bay. Those damn monsters wiped out everyone in seconds! It was a good idea to bring elemental stones."

He wiped away the blood and rose, grinning at Tyrus and Igneal. "Now all we gotta do is deal with the two brats and the woman. Where is she, anyway? I don't see—Ah, there she is."

Fiona rushed over, wheezing her lungs out. Ice shards clung to her hair like an extravagant crown of frost. Illumination that was hovering above their heads, giving her makeshift crown a golden glow.

"S-Sorry I was late," Fiona said. She scanned around, probably looking for the others, and noticed the wall. "Separating us won't do you any good. It's still three against two, and we aren't weak by any means. Think about your next course of action carefully or—"

Flames flickered to life across Igneal's palm. "Save your breath, sister. Let's just get rid of them here and now. No one will shed tears for these rats."

Sezor shook his finger disapprovingly. "Oh no, no, no, that won't suffice. I've dug myself into a hole too deep to fill completely. If I surrender to the guards, I'll end up in prison, where I'll surely waste away and starve. And trust me, that's not even the worst possible outcome. I was given a second chance to make things right, and failing to eliminate a few kids is a death sentence. But I have no intention of dying."

Sezor snatched the amulet around his neck and clenched it. He uttered a single word, "Awaken". There was no visible change, at least to Tyrus's eyes. At first, he thought it was a trick and began forming a Lightning Bolt. But as Sezor and Thick Beard braced themselves for the attack, their demeanor grew stiff, and the mana flowing within the amulet turned turbulent.

The atmosphere changed, causing the amulet to shatter into countless fragments resembling glass. Amongst the scattered pieces, a vortex of brilliant white light formed, swirling with intensity. Gradually, an arm made of stone emerged, followed by the rest of its body, and finally, two colossal legs akin to the size of trees. Piece by piece, a creature towering over Grant by two heads came into view, a remarkable fusion of interconnected rocks. Its piercing amber eyes glared menacingly at them.

"Oh Sthito," Fiona squeaked.

Sezor cackled like a madman and pointed at Tyrus. "Earth spirit! As your master, I command you to attack them!"

The earth spirit unleashed a deafening roar, its wide jaw gaping open, causing the entire tunnel to tremble. With a sudden twist, it spun around, its head scraping against the ceiling, and delivered a powerful blow to Sezor. The force sent the poor man hurtling several feet backwards, crashing through the fortified wall and bursting through solid rock. The gruesome aftermath painted the walls with a horrifying display of blood and flesh. In a state of shock, Thick Beard stood frozen, a decision that proved fatal as the earth spirit mercilessly crushed him under its massive leg. Bones crunched, organs ruptured. Death. It was quick and instant.

Everyone froze except the spirit. In one instant, everything seemed to move in slow motion while Tyrus's brain struggled to piece together the events before him. He watched, alarmed, as the massive being shifted its attention back to them. He needed to do something. Anything. Staying put and doing nothing was out of the question. Every second he wastes, his chances of dying rises!

Tyrus was about to act until the whole tunnel went dark. Panic swelled up inside of him as the pair of amber eyes seemed to get closer, and the tremors increased. Then he felt someone hold his hand and spin him around. His feet moved; he realized they were running away from the spirit.

Their pace was rather slow, and Tyrus remembered the iced floor. Popping noises filled his ears, and it felt like he was stepping on fragmented glass. The light at the end of the tunnel steadily brightened as they traveled, just enough to see her holding both him and Igneal's hands, guiding them to safety. Tyrus kept his mouth shut and peeked over his shoulder.

His heart nearly leapt into his throat when a rock bigger than his head zipped toward them.