Ausar the Vile: Hero no More - Infinity Blade

Chapter 1: The Plains of Koroth

Note: Hello everyone! This story may have a slow start, but will expand to a grander scale. Plus, I plan at least 1 sequel :). I recently updated this and tweaked/added content. Hope you enjoy it!

 There is a little Infinity Blade jargon/terminology I included in this story, so I'll list it here. 

-Deathless: Usually humanoid, sometimes larger than usual or can be in a monster form, that is immortal. They have advanced technology, and when killed in a fight or poison or old age they resurrect in their adult bodies in their stronghold. Can only be permanently slain with the legendary Infinity Weapons, but despite that the might return with no memories of their previous life. They do not need food nor water, but still need to excrete when they eat.

-Pillar of Sanctification: Can turn mortals into Deathless.

Sorry if Ausar kinda sounds a bit naïve, I just wanted to establish his innocence. 

A figure clad in gleaming Plate Armor stood on a grassy knoll, one knee on the summit. Ausar. Me.

I looked around, scanning my surroundings. A fresh breeze blows through the field, tousling the stalks of long, lush grass. It was a very serene place, and it was my favourite place to think, one of the few locations that the Deathless left untouched. It was called the plains of Koroth, but why I did not know.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a Marrow Fiend emerged from the grass, jagged bone sword clenched in his right hand, and a skull shield with a hole in the other. It was a disgusting creature, raw veins and muscle standing out against the pure grass that surrounded it. Deadly, serrated spikes jutted out from the blade, and a disgusting stench wafted over me. This was an evil creature, for they were Titans of the Deathless. They marauded and pillaged innocent villages, razing them to the ground. Anger boiled inside me, for this field was human territory. They had no influence here.

"Leave at once and harm no one! This is human territory!" I shouted, drawing my sword and shield. My shield was of steel, and a few strange, rounded V shapes adordned it. My sword was the finest the village blacksmith made, and he dubbed it the Sword of Man, for I used it to slay invading Titans. 

"One last warning!" I bellowed. "Drop your weapons and depart in peace, or we shall do battle!"

Why did I fight? I wasn't a knight or a king, but I loved this land and fought to protect it and its inhabitants. They meant the world to me. 

The helmet I wore was a rounded triangle, with a T for a vision slit, but it would shatter after a good War-Hammer blow. I had to be careful. The Marrow Fiend advanced purposefully, sword raised. I sighed, for I hated killing. Even though he was an evil abomination, he had his own life. Another life that must be taken. The second I must slay.

I approached the homunculus, deftly twirling my sword and shield in a salute, which the Marrow Fiend imitated. We stood in stoic silence, waiting for the other to make the first move.

My opponent grew impatient, stabbing at me with lightning speed. I dodged to the right, feeling the whoosh of air that accompanied the attack. He recovered quickly and slashed at me with a rising cut. My shield whipped out instinctively, blocking his attack. I scratched his knee, his lifeblood dripping into the stalks of grass and he howled in pain. I hesitated, not wanting to inflict mor pain but realized that it was the only way. I swung my blade in a scything arc, hitting his chest. Titans did not bleed often, only by scratching, but those healed quickly. The hits that did real damage didn't pierce skin. Before I knew it, my sword flashed again, striking the beast in the midriff. I lunged forward once more, but he raised his skeletal shield and blocked. I parried his flurry of frantic blows, but he managed to sneak in a kick. I tumbled back into the ground, dazed. The brute roared in triumph and raised his weapons, but I saw an opening. Gathering all my physical strength, I stabbed him in the chest, causing him to roar once more. 

I was off balance, though and he hit me with his shield in my face, cutting my cheek despite the helmet I wore. In a flash, I remembered something.

My ring.

It was called High Storm, a bauble that had been given to me by a passing Deathless warlord on a quest when I was a boy, who, ironically, preached peace. He told me to use it in a time of dire need, but I haven't the slightest idea how it worked. It was buzzing now, energy pulsating through my veins. I let the energy loose, and in a flash a blue bolt of radiant lightning sprung from the indigo gemstone lined in silver filgree. It took the Titan in the face, finishing him off. I gazed at the ring in amazement. The buzzing was no longer there, but I felt the energy filling up again. Strangely, my toes and fingers felt slightly numb, but that rapidly receded. Perhaps a peculiar side effect from the spell I cast. I'd heard of similar rings, one is the ancient legends. The Heroes of old used them to summon fire, heal themselves, blind enemies and even negated their opponents special... abilities.

The beast's weapons were fried with the jagged bolt, and they smelled slightly like burning bones - they were probably fashioned of the Dearil's fallen adversaries - but as I examined the corpse I saw a pouch of gold. I took it, it had a sizeable sum in it. Earlier, I promised Moash, my friend, a meal - he was rather short on funds these days, due to the Deathless raids increasing in number. No one wanted to purchase his wares when refugees sold them at lower prices. Shrugging, I marched off from my defeated foe, but not after burying him. 

My village was waiting.