The Unfading: First battle of the codex

Chapter 3:The most beautiful of the time

Fenrir was suiting up. He was wearing a kimono. An orange haori, over a yellow nagagi. The hakama was white with faint green at the lower end. A perfect match for his orange hair & green eyes. The door to his room creaked open as Uron's guard walked in. "Master ordered me to bring you a gift from him. He'll be in the meeting room in a few hours. Till then you can test the gift he gave", he said as he walked in towards his bed. On the bed he placed a rectangular wooden box. Around 3 feet long and 10 inches wide. Tied together by 3 black cords. "What is this?",Fenrir asked. "Cm'ere open it",the guard replied. Fenrir walked upto the box. After he untied the knots of the cords, he carefully opened it. The object inside reflected light right onto his face from the window. He peered through his eyes & his jaw dropped in awe at the beautiful sight. Inside was a curved sword (a katana). It had blades on both sides. A white-silvery blade. A similar hand guard. The pomel was black & so was the sheathe. Both the pomel & sheathe had little grey star-like designs at the ends. "It's beautiful", Fenrir said as he held the sword upwards. His face being reflected in it. "Wanna test it out? You'll also warm up for the mission", the guard asked. "Not a spar, I'll just test out all the Xeva skills in the training area. Uron may have to rebuild the walls though. They took enough damage from my training last week", Fenrir said as he sheathed the sword with care. He placed the sword in his belt. Walked outside the room. Throughout the busy hallways. Everyone moved aside at the mere sight of him. He entered the training ground. Faint sunlight of early morning. He just stood there in the middle. The guard didn't even entered the field because he knew well. With a blade in his hand, it was dangerous....very dangerous to get close to him. "Mere graze", he said as he dashed towards the sword rack in the distance. Without even fully unsheathing the blade. The rack was sliced in half. He threw three training swords in the air. "Distant slashes", he said as he sliced the air with his blade. Releasing energy in the form of slashes towards the targets. They got sliced up. And the pieces fell down. "Targets! bring them", he said as guards brought wooden statues in the field. 13 of them. "Triple thrust", he said as he quickly moved towards a statue. He unsheathed the sword & sheathed it back in a mere second. And the statue fell down in 3 pieces. "Sakura destruction", he said as he placed his hand on the sword handle. The sword was already glowing a faint golden. It gave out flower petals like a burst. They were moving in an outwards direction from Fenrir. Uron's guard had his eyes fixed on Fenrir as if he was trying to figure out what he did in that split second. Chuck. The sword was already back in the sheathe after being unsheathed. Every petal sliced in half. Dust rose, later followed by the bursting wooden material of the statues. Then came the rumbling sound of wooden walls breaking down. The guard covered his face, preventing his face from getting hit by anything. He was in the way connecting the main base & the training field. The dust settled. Fenrir was getting up from his stance. The walls were sliced down in many triangular pieces. The statues were totally not there & so was the grass. All that was left on the ground were slice marks of the skill. The guard opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but was stopped by the sound of a huge bell ringing. They both knew what it meant. It was time for the meeting. They rushed back to the main base. The guard was making his way through the people getting in his way while Fenrir was just jumping from above them. He landed in front of a door and setted his kimono & hair. Uron's guard came later huffing. The door opened. And they both walked in. Inside Uron, with some other armored people, was present. They were all sitting on chairs around a huge table. "As all of us are here, let's begin", Uron said. "So, the target this time is a town nearby. It is in north at a distance of a day if you go by foot. They have a lot of children stolen from other places. Your job is simple. Attack the town, save the children & bring them back to me. The kidnappers will pretend like they are their parents, & the children are also forced. When asked under pressure the children will tell you the truth", Uron said. "Try to kill as less as possible. Do not harm the children in any way", he said. "I think I've made the order clear & short. Now go!",he added. "Yes master!", everyone stood up & bowed. One by one they left the room. All of them left the base. Walked by foot towards some distant mountains. It was midnight when they saw a town in a valley down below. "Rest today! We'll proceed tomorrow!", Uron's guard ordered. Everyone took out the blankets from their bags & two people stayed awake to be on guard.
The next morning, as the Sun was rising, a total of 140 swordsmen descended the mountain. By the time the Sun was shining brightly, they arrived at the town's gate. Inside everyone was doing their own things, working, walking around. The place itself wasn't giving any eerie or dark vibes. Uron's guard was in lead. Everyone else was following him. Some of the town's guards saw them coming & rang a huge bell. Everything went silent. Guards were there to protect the town but no civilians. Everyone had shut themselves in their houses. Uron's guard lifted his hand. "Charge!", he ordered as he pointed his hand towards the town. Everyone from behind him rushed forward towards the town. Fenrir was also with them. Dashing forward. Junped high up in the air to dodge a sword from one of the town's guard & landed behind the guards, inside of the town. Not everyone was in their houses. He could hear the battle cries, sounds of steel clashing. But his eyes were fixed on something else. Inside of the town, infront of him, hiding under a cart was a mother, a child in her arms. "Don't come near!",she glared as she held the child even tighter. 'This wasn't supposed to be like this.....The town, wasn't it a town of people who use war prisoners as their slaves? Weren't we here to free them? Uron did said that they will pretend to be their family but....', he thought as he let the hand placed on his sword handle loose. 'Which fake family would go so far as to protect the so called slaves as their own children?',he thought as his eyes spotted multiple people in the distance. Fathers protecting their children & wives even while being bare-handed. His mind cleared as he heard a thud from behind. The last of the town's guards had fallen. "Don't hold back! Wipe them all out!",Uron's personal guard commanded. Every one walked past Fenrir deeper into the town. "Fenrir! the command was simple, Go! They're just fake families!", he ordered again as he walked along with others towards the town's centre. 'Fake? Are you trying to tell me that pretending to be a family is the last task this fake mother would do before dying? Instead of running away from me, she stayed by the child & protected it. She knew she couldn't fight me but she did whatever she could. This is not how fake families are supposed to be', he thought. A guard walked towards the mother & the child from behind him. He lifted his sword & brought it down,with a huge grin on his face. The mother shutted her eyes close, prepared for taking the hit. Prepared to die...Chuck. A super quick slash noise came as dust rose & Fenrir disappeared. The guard's body fell down. His hands & head had a sorrowful  departing from his torso. All of Uron's guards stopped in their tracks. Everyone knew very well of how Fenrir's slashes sounded different. Too fast ones. "Anyone else who thinks they can touch any family with me being here, take your stance. If you want to live on drop your weapons", Fenrir said low but clear. There were discussion noises coming from Uron's army. Uron's guard was also surprised. "What are you doing Fenrir!? They are all fakes!", he asked. Fenrir was standing infront of the woman by the dead guard. He turned his back towards the woman & stood against Uron's army. "Not leaving their child even at the verge of death, protecting it while knowing well they'll die any second. Yet none of the parents here ran away. Even if they are fakes. They at least have the guts to protect their children & not run away. I won't...",he said as he turned his head as if analyzing the size of Uron's army. "...let any of them get hurt", he said as he placed his hand on his sword. "Uron will understand that you betrayed him. Even after he gave you all necessities of life & trained you to be this strong", Uron's guard said ironically. "Does your pride allows it? To be ungrateful to the one who helped you?", he added. "My pride.....does not allow me to let any innocent unarmed human die. If you think you can harm them, you'll have to wait till the day I die", he added. "I warned you already. Drop your weapons if you want to live. Take your stances if you want to fight me. None of you dropped them so....", he spoke as he started taking slow steps towards them. "...I'll send you to hell",he added as the subtle steps turned into a quick sprint. The soldiers as soon as saw him coming, also ran forward towards him. He slided down the swords coming at him & while sliding twisted his body & sliced many of them in half. The rest came at him fully aware, he was fast. "Rings of protection", he said as he unleashed three slashes on his right, one on top of the other. So fast that it seemed all were produced at the same time. He instantly released the energy blades from his sword. Three of them, one in each direction except previous one."Distant slashes",he said. The sound? It was like someone was chopping but at an extremely fast rate. All guard on the four sides were sliced down. The mages & the archers fired at him along with the rest of the swordsmen who lunged at him. More to their surprise, he didn't move instead he took his stance. A bent down stance they all knew very well. "Sakura destruction", his voice echoed as flower petals were released in an instant, spreading as far to the last acher about 6 meters away from him. The swordsmen's eyes were wide open. Only one thought on their mind as they saw the petals. Death. The next instance, each of the pink petals was sliced down. Dust rose, later followed by the slashing noises of the soldiers being sliced down. All arrows reduced to shreds. Swords broken into pieces & bodies diced up. The dust settled to show hundreds of slash marks on the ground. He was there. Same bent down stance. His sword in his right hand. The blood was cleaned already due to the pause he made after the skill. Behind him there was only one person standing. The slash marks on the ground extended behind him, he was in the skill's range but survived. "You were late to make the decision. You dropped you sword after the sakura petals were released. Good for you, I merely grazed you", Fenrir spoke. Behind him stood Uron's guard. His sword nowhere to be found. Eyes wide in shock. Scars on his armor & a cut on his left cheek. He fell down unconscious. The woman hiding there was also looking at him wide eyed. He ran towards the town's centre to finish off the remaining army of Uron. He saw a huge mansion in the center. It's door open. The soldiers had already entered. One came in his way ready to ask something. Shuck. He was  dead. Fenrir didn't even dared  look at the ones coming at him. His eyes were fixed on a guard holding an unarmed man by the collar. The town's chief. Two guards came at him from both sides. He twisted & with a 360º slash, sliced them down in half. Grabbed both of their swords & threw them at the distant guard. Both plunged into the back of his chest. As he fell down. The other guards all came at him with rallying battle cries as he silenced them in a second. One came at him from above after jumping off of a table. He landed 4 strikes before he could land. One broke his sword. Second, a hit on his legs. Third, a slash to the torso, slicing it in half & the last one decapitated him. In a second he was gone. Many guards in a straight line sliced into three clean pieces. He released the energy blades up towards some soldiers on the second floor. None missed. His blade in the next instant was held upwards. His sheath gave out a burst of pink coloured petals. He was in the door. Every soldier was infront of him. The petals only moved forward. He sword's reverse blade reflected the soldiers. And the front blade reflected the lit lamp in the roof. The next instance the sword was in the sheath & every soldier infront of him was dead. The wooden floor had scars looking like someone had cross-shaded on it in a 180º arc. Everything reduced to shreds. Swords broken to pieces as he slowly walked towards the chief who was standing in the stairs. "Are you alright?", he asked with his face stained with blood. "A-a-attack.....attack this man!", he ordered as his own guards entered the house from behind him. Archers mostly. ' Looks like the chief is confused from the shock. I can't kill the ones I just saved. The best choice, is for me to escape....', he thought as he ran towards the door. Jumped above the soldiers & landed behind them. He continued to run towards the gate without turning around. The guards were following him. He went out the gate & continued moving north. As he was moving, something hit him on the shoulder. An arrow. He grabbed his shoulder tightly. His face had a visible expression of pain as he continted to run. By night, he arrived at another town. By the town gate, infront of a huge house. He collapsed. Fell on the ground unconscious.

The divine realm:

The door to a huge room opened. Inside a purple hue was visible. The floor & walls were made of glass. Cracked, but they weren't shattered. Still intact. On a throne sat a being emitting a dark purple aura. Her amethyst eyes glowing. Her skin pale like it had no blood in it. Her purple hair extended down to her lower back. On the throne sat The Unfading, Amarantha. Infront of her there was another eerily familiar face. His hair silver-white. Eyes same as Amarantha. Dragon shaped mark on his left arm clearly visible on his uncovered torso. Flames emitting from his body. Horns growing out of his head. His skin also pale. His face calm. There was Fafnir. Bowing infront of Amarantha. His right hand placed on the ground infront of him. The other one placed on his left thigh. His head low infront of her. There was a tense silence  between the two as Fafnir finally spoke. "Your Majesty, you demanded my instant presence. Is something the matter?", he asked in the same cold tone. His physical body still seemed of the same 20-21 years of age in which he was revived. Though practically he was over 500 years of age. "Yes, as you know, 3 years are left, then I'll have to make a sacrifice of the most beautiful girl of this time", Amarantha replied. "Show me, the most beautiful of the time", she commanded as she swiped her hand in the air. As in mid-air a scene came into view. A young girl with light brown hair & same light brown eyes came into view. She was sitting on a road infront of a huge mansion by the entrance of her town. A servant beside her was trying to carry an injured man inside the mansion. Orange hair, an orange haori stained with blood. An arrow in his shoulder. "How's the control of your flames going?", Amarantha asked. "It's going well, I can hold them back", he said as they disappeared. "Or I can let them loose", he said as his body gave out a burst of flames. "3 years, you have...", she said as the scene in the air faded. "I am storing many empty bodies in the prison. One is for you. I want to create a semi-knight under your command. The rest of the bodies of the dead civilians of kýklos, I'll revive as my army", she said. "For a knight, I need the body of someone who died in regret. The soul works sometimes but not every time. I was lucky in your case. For creating a semi-knight. The target must die in despair. To revive someone as a soldier I must use the body of someone who died in confusion without knowing the reason of the them being killed & who before died knowing fully well they can't fight back", she said as she lifted a hand up to her face. Then she snapped her fingers. As a pile of bodies appeared infront of her. On top of it was a man, still holding his sword. "Duriel, the body guard of that merchant Uwair came with. He was the only human to try to attack me. I want to revive him as my semi-knight and give the army's command to him", she said. "Ok then...", she said as she got down from her throne & walked upto the pile of bodies. "In the name of Amarantha, I command Duriel to come back to life as a semi-knight under the command of The fire demon, Fafnir. Your new name & rank will be Duriel, High commander of the Amaranthan army. Now come forth as my loyal servant!", she chanted as a green pattern appeared on the ground infront of her. "The rest I demand to come back to life as my soldiers", she added as all the bodies faded and appeared in the green pattern. Infront was Duriel. His hair changed to red. A sword in his hand. He was wearing a black leather armor. More like a long coat. Behind him were the Soldiers.  Each of them wearing a black metal armor covering them entirely. The helmet didn't even showed their eyes. The top of the helmet emitted a purple mist in the form of ribbons. Duriel bowed down infront of her. He opened his eyes. Amethyst. "Your orders, my ruler", he said as all the soldiers also bowed down. "I have a very special job for you all", she said smiling. "You need to train for 3 years & then I'll tell you your job", she said as she sat back on her throne.

To be continued...

{There you go! promised you Amarantha here she is ;) Now I can rest a bit & then I'll start typing chapter 4. Next one is fun. We're almost halfway into the story. Will be ending in uh.....5-6 chapters hahahaha. Anyways love ya all see ya stay safe byeeeee ^^)/}