Herald of death

"Stand down, Thea; this situation is a gross misunderstanding," Viktor says. He tries to calm his voice as he addresses her.

"What is happening here is evident, Viktor," she begins. "You would do better to surrender. Perhaps my father will show you mercy if you cooperate."

Viktor's grip tightens on his sword. He growls as veins thump on his temple. A ring shatters from Viktor's left hand, and in a flash of light, three figures appear alongside him: his mage and two soldiers clad in thick black plate armor. The soldiers look around and draw their swords.

"You're strong; handle the two soldiers," Thea orders Ethan. She passes her hand over her blade, coating it in translucent white flames. She runs forward, avoiding and passing through the two soldiers, to reach Viktor.

Viktor raises his left fist towards Thea, and a ruby shines on one of his rings. A beam of fire shoots towards her, and she rushes into it. She slashes the spell, splitting the beam and dispelling it as the Ether on her blade consumes the fire.

'Like I'll risk my life any further,' Ethan thinks. 'Time to go; I have a building to burn.' A wave of Ether passes through him, and a window appears before the mage. Ethan glances at him to see the mage's mouth open in shock. 'Fuck.'

Ethan grabs a handful of sand from the ground and charges the soldiers. The first of them strikes in a wide arc as Ethan appears weaponless. Ethan stops just out of the soldiers reach, avoiding the blow. He hurls the sand into the soldier's face, and capitalizing on the momentary cecity, he grabs his sword's handle. Ethan pulls to expose the soldier's wrist and stabs it with his dagger.

The soldier lets go of his blade, falling to his knees as he holds his sectioned wrist. Ethan reverses his grip to hold the blade correctly and parries the second soldier. 'Strengthening,' Ethan thinks before kicking his opponent in the thigh. The blow lifts the soldier, sending him to the ground after an aerial spin.

A shadow jumps from the balcony, landing meters away from Ethan. It unfurls to reveal a gargantuan feline sporting slick black fur. Its limbs are thick and powerful, tipped with oversized claws curved like daggers. Its mouth reveals an array of giant, sharp teeth. Its snarl reverberates through the arena, a menacing growl that chills Ethan's bones.

"Yes, kill him! Tear his flesh!" Viktor orders as he parries one of Thea's attacks.

The creature recoils, swiping at the air like a scarred cat, despite his Siberian tiger size. 'I told you to stay up there, didn't I,' Ethan thinks, sensing a larger creature moving behind him.

Russ, enlarged to a bigger size than his opponent, curls around Ethan, baring his teeth at the feline. His fur is like sand, hiding his exact form and features. His growl fills the arena, frightening not only Viktor's bond but also the Huskstalker queen.

The feline leaps onto the balcony, running away from Russ. The mage raises his gaze from Ethan's status, stupor etching his face. He summons a cone of white flame towards Ethan and Russ, but Thea cuts it with her blade. Her counter sends flames back to the mage, whose tunic catches fire.

'Kill,' Ethan thinks, motioning at the two downed guards. Russ jumps on them, and Ethan runs towards the mage. As Ethan's blade falls on the mage, he conjures a shield that deflects the blow. Behind his protection, he casts white flames and pursues Ethan with their flux as he runs around the mage.

In a motion aimed at Viktor, Thea grazes the mage shield, dispelling it. Ethan slashes at the mage's throat, but he places his casting hand in the way. The flames melt Ethan's sword instantly. Twisting his torso to avoid the spell, Ethan stabs his dagger into the mage's heart.

Ethan jumps back and looks around, planning his escape route. The mage draws in the dark Ether released by Ethan's dagger, casting a spell on himself. A glowing green scar replaces his gaping wound. He stands back up and incantates another spell.

Thea slashes at the mage, but Viktor blocks her. Souls emerge from the bodies of the soldiers, guards, and spectators, drawn into the mage's hand. Their laments fill the arena as the surrounding torches dim.

Ethan runs at the mage, aiming for his head. Viktor blocks Ethan's dagger and kicks him in the chest, propelling him backward. The souls held in the mage's palm vanish. A wind blows out the torches, plunging the arena into darkness.

Snarls and screeches grow from every corner of the arena, and the torches light back up. Their flames are weak but suffice to illuminate a horde of bizarre beings, each with too many eyes, mouths, and limbs. They jump at the spectators, tearing them apart with gut-wrenching ease.

"Demons!" Thea growls as she breaks contact with Viktor to approach Ethan. "Are you mad, old foul!? You will die with us!" she yells at the mage.

"Foul?! I've mastered arcanes far beyond your imagination; I've gazed into the abyss of magic and bound those beasts to my will!" the mage yells. His deranged giggles fill the arena.

Four demons close in on Ethan, Russ, and Thea, baring their teeth at them and snarling. Their mouths open and snap close in an echoing cacophony.

"If we kill Akeron, the demons will lose their anchor to our world and disappear," Thea whispers. "Block Viktor; I'll need only one strike to end his mage. Good luck, soldier."

Thea runs at the mage, preparing a lethal strike with her gaze locked on his hands. Akeron summons lightning bolts that strike her blade, slowing her down.

Ethan observes Viktor's stance. 'He's waiting for me,' he realizes. Ethan pulls out the Abyss Watcher blade and stabs the nearest demon. Its flesh sizzles on the blade as it writhes and screeches.

'Strengthening,' Ethan thinks, lifting the demon with his blade and hurling it at Viktor. 'I need to end him in a single blow.' Ethan halts from drawing Ether into his body.

Ethan runs behind the flying demon, hiding from Viktor. He uses predator's sight to track his opponent's movements, despite the lack of line of sight.

"Weapon aura," Viktor mutters. He slashes the air, cutting through the demon. Ethan contorts and spins, dodging the Etheric blows.

Ethan's heart empties of Ether, and he willingly draws from his life force. The raw power feeds his Strengthening ability, propelling him forward in a burst of sand as he takes another step.

Ethan's dagger collides with Viktor's sword. Skipping against the long sword, Ethan catches it with Dark Fate's serrated spine. Viktor's arms bend under the force of the impact, and his right triceps snap. Ethan stabs Viktor in the sternum, the blade of the dagger reaching deep into his chest.

Viktor switches his sword into his left hand and swings at Ethan. Ethan draws in Ether to halt the use of life force, pulls his dagger, and deflects Viktor's arm with an upward motion of his elbow.

"Aura of –" Ethan stabs his left fingers into Viktor's throat, shutting him up. In shock, Viktor drops his sword and place his arm to protect his throat. Ethan digs his left foot into the ground and kicks Viktor in the lower chest, crushing his ribs, right kidney, liver, and stomach. Viktor bends over the point of impact, his body flying into the Huskstalker queen's cage.

"Unarmed combat leveled up," the voice announces.

Thea reaches Akeron, swinging for his throat. He moves his hand in an upward motion, and ice spears spring from the ground. One pierces Thea's leg, stopping her charge. She screams in pain and slashes the spear, shattering it into mist.

She limps toward Akeron as he summons more lightning bolts. She slashes at the spell, sending the electric arcs back at him and burning his flesh. His face contorts in pain as he grabs his heart, and he falls backward. Thea beheads him in a swift motion. His head rolls in the sand, looking at Ethan. His mouth speaks a silent sentence, and life leaves his gaze.

The lights flicker, and the demons vanish, leaving behind their frightened or scattered victims. Thea yells, "It's over, Viktor; order your men to stop fighting and surrender yourself!"

Viktor stands up, his right arm hanging at his side. His blade lies in the sand, a few meters away from Ethan. He giggles, coughing blood between laughs. A gunshot echoes; the queen propelled a parasite into his leg. He grabs the cage with his left hand and throws it over Thea and Ethan.

The cage crashes into the sand, its gate opening under the impact. "You'd do well to care for your own survival," Viktor mocks. The queen exits its cage, screeching at them. Its gaze falls on Ethan, and it recoils, thrashing at the air. It glances around and runs off to a corner of the arena, clawing at the ground to dig through it.

Guards coming down from the tribunes enter the arena, approaching Viktor. Thea turns to Ethan, barely in time to see him leap onto the balcony.

'I exposed myself too much,' Ethan thinks as Russ joins him. 'I should lay low until my last day here, buy the Anchorstone, and leave.'

"Stay here!" Thea orders. She steps towards the balcony, but the screeches of the Huskstalker queen stop her. The queen reemerged from the ground, snarling hungrily at the guards.

Ethan and Russ leave the underground arena. He discards his disguise and disappears into the streets as guards swarm the tunnel.

The flying embers of Blackwood's estate light up the night sky. Ethan observes it from afar, eating a plate of meatballs on the balcony of his inn room. Russ, who finished his plate in mere seconds, stares at Ethan. "You had your share; those are mine," Ethan muses before head-petting Russ.

"With Viktor gone for a few years, or even forever, there is only one last thing to do," Ethan explains to Russ. "I hope they will be cupid enough to not cause any problems."

He finishes his meal and places the plate on the ground. "Ok," he says. "I wonder if I can get carpenter tools easily in this city."