The Crimson Champion

Chapter 11: Fall Of The Beast Rider

I swiftly ride Spiritus through the forest, looking for Lorelei and Grelnar. "I wonder what the hell Rothzal's mother did to Grelnar to make him help Yuri again..."

I enter a clearing and dismount Spiritus to look around. I hear a sound and I turn to see Grelnar silently walk towards me, but I don't see Lorelei yet. I look at Grelnar's eyes and I notice that they're just purple orbs. "What the hell happened...?"

I de-summon Spiritus because if he uses a fireball, that will not end well. I try to approach, but Grelnar pulls his axe off of his back. "Grelnar, what are you doing?!" I quickly summon my katana and cast lightning over it to prepare for the fight.

As I block Grelnar's swing, I sense some kind of dark aura coming off of him that's very similar to Yuri's aura when he uses that strange, void-like magic. "What the hell is Yuri's connection with that assassin and his mother...?"

I strafe sideways around Grelnar and try to attack his side, but before I can land a hit, I get hit with a light beam and I sigh. "I knew she would be here..." I turn and see Lorelei jump down from her perch in a tree nearby.

I try to go up to her. "Lora, what are you doing here? Why are you doing this? You know what Yuri's doing is terrible!" Lorelei glares at me. "You don't think I know that?!"

She leaps up into the air, and I barely manage to dodge at the last second as she drives her spear into the ground. I reluctantly ready a lightning orb, but before I can throw it, I sense Grelnar behind me and I have to duck to avoid getting decapitated.

I quickly turn and throw the orb at Grelnar's hands to try and make him drop his axe, but he doesn't even flinch, as if he didn't even feel any pain.

"Damn! What kind of spell did they cast on him?!" I jump back to get away from his next swing, and I immediately move to block a stab from Lorelei.

I growl. "Anything has to be better than serving Yuri! Lora, how can you stand to do this?!" Lorelei gives me a serious look. "I don't want to do this, but I have to!"

She backflips and she shoots some light beams out of the tip of her spear at me. "Do you have any idea how much I hate doing this?! It makes me sick!"

I throw lightning orbs at the beams to cancel them out as I try to get closer, but Lorelei jumps out of sight and I shake my head. I sense Grelnar's aura behind me and I roll forward to avoid his attack.

I get an idea and I lure Grelnar over towards a tree. I wait for him to ready a slash, and at the last second I dodge sideways, making Grelnar's axe get stuck in the tree.

I use the opportunity to slash at his arm, cutting through his weak armor, but he doesn't seem like he even notices his wound. I try to get in another attack before he frees his axe, but I have to dodge as Lorelei suddenly brings her spear down towards me from the sky again.

I stare at her determinedly. "If you hate doing this, then why are you doing it? Please, just come with me, it's not too late!" Lorelei sighs and looks at the ground. "I can't. This is what I deserve."

"Huh? What're you talking about-" I'm interrupted by a slash to my left leg. Thanks to my armor, my leg isn't severed, but Grelnar's axe cuts into my leg and I stumble.

I turn as quickly as I can and I see that Grelnar doesn't even seem to notice or care that his arm is bleeding. He just has the same blank look on his face as he prepares another attack.

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Shana angrily paces around in Lazarus's shady district, waiting for Brutus. "What in hell is happening...?" She sighs. "I can't wait here like this. I need to know what happened to my dad!"

Shana casts a speed spell on herself and she sprints through Lazarus's streets, aiming for the forest nearby the town. "I just hope I won't be too late..."

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I defend against another of Grelnar's attacks and I try to not put too much weight on my left leg. As I stay on the defense, to try and wait for a good opening, I realize that I don't see Lorelei anywhere. "Hmm...I wonder where she is..."

Grelnar's eyes suddenly shine, and then he starts to attack with a flurry of swings and slashes. I do my best to keep up, but I start to get overwhelmed.

I get backed up against a tree and I try to block, but I stumble and fall thanks to my wounded leg. Grelnar uses his next attack to make my katana go flying and he starts to raise his axe for a finishing blow.

As I wonder if this is how I finally die, I close my eyes and wait, but I never feel an impact. I hear the sound of a stab and a grunt. I open my eyes to see Lorelei's spear impaling Grelnar.

Lorelei pulls out her spear and Grelnar collapses onto his knees, then falls on his back. Seeing the wound, I know it's fatal. I look at Lorelei. "Lora-" But before I can finish what I was going to say, she jumps into the sky and disappears.

I grab my katana and hesitantly approach Grelnar. He laughs even as he coughs. "Dragon lady's...a tough one... isn't she...?" I notice that his eyes are their regular blue.

I hear running and I turn to see Shana speeding over. "Brutus, I-" Shana stops when she sees her father on the ground. "No..." She goes up to him and kneels beside him. Grelnar faintly smiles as he looks at her.

"I'm...glad you're here..." A few tears start to come out of Shana's eyes. "No...I just got you back..." Grelnar lifts a hand to gently wipe away her tears. "It's okay, Shana. You're strong...just like your mother."

Grelnar gestures towards his axe, lying nearby, with his other hand. "Take it, it's yours now...use it better than I did..." As his hand starts to drop, Shana grabs and holds it. "I love you, dad..." Grelnar smiles as he closes his eyes one final time. "I love you too, Shana..."

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Shana and I head back to Lazarus after we have a short funeral for Grelnar. As we walk back, I look over to her. "What're you going to do now?"

Shana tightly grips her father's axe. "I'm going to keep gathering information on Yuri and his armies. I'll do everything I can to help take that bastard down."

I place a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you. I swear I will do everything I can to bring Lorelei back and avenge your father." And my sister...I think to myself.

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After the clearing is silent again, Lonril walks in from nearby, where he was observing everything. "So, she went against orders, just like Yuri thought she would. He'll be pleased to know this." Lonril opens a portal to go back to Solaris.

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Rothzal approaches the throne in the emptiness and kneels. "You summoned me, Mother?" The tall purple-skinned woman that sits on the throne nods. "Yes, I have. It appears that brute has been killed."

Rothzal growls. "Damn you, Brutus Crescent!" The woman in the purple dress places a hand on Rothzal's shoulder.

"It matters not, my son. He was but a miniscule piece of the plan. For now, continue as you are. I will let you know if your abilities are needed. Now, go."

Rothzal stands and silently leaves. The woman has an intrigued look on her face as she thinks to herself. "Brutus Crescent, you are an interesting one indeed..."

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Lorelei sits at a campfire alone, deep in thought. "What am I going to do...?" She gets an idea and she sighs. Lorelei gets out her drawing of Brutus and she looks at it one last time before she drops it into the fire.

After it's burned, she puts the fire out and collects the ashes in a pouch. Lorelei whistles and after a little while, Seraph flies over and lands nearby.

Lorelei climbs onto her usual spot between Seraph's two pairs of wings and they fly off. Lorelei looks at the sky sadly. "I don't know if this will fool Yuri, but if it doesn't, I'm glad I met you, Brutus. Maybe we could be together in another life..."