https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihkgZcjKHa0

Corpses of barren and scaly creatures lay splattered all over the city of Draconia as the sky above it still lay torn open. Erik, faced the three beings commanding this invasion.

Three Devils stood before him, stoic, proud and smiling.

As he approached them, his expression cold and empty, void of anything…

Except his eyes…

Raising his visage and meeting their amused expressions, they made the mistake of meeting his eyes.

Shaking with fury, as raw lightning surged through his pupils, the very air before his sight boiled with heat as well.

Immediately the Devil’s grins and smirks died, as the hatred and anger Erik had been hiding was suddenly unleashed into their faces. A wave of pure ferocity surging out of his humanoid body and filling the surrounding area, making the very gravity around them suddenly turn so heavy they couldn’t stop themselves from being crushed into kneeling.

One, tried to leap at him, claws bared.

With a wave of his hand and a flaring of crimson flames out of his fingertips, Erik turned the Devil to ash in the wind.

Making the last two turn pinkish pale.

As he came to stand over them, keeling over and grabbing one by the head.

His clawed hands, clutching the Devil’s skull, he raised her to face him.

“Where…” His voice fuelled with draconic mana, the very sound of it made the Devil sick in his stomach with fear.

As he suddenly clenched his hand into a fist, bursting the Devil’s head like a cherry.

The last Devil was trembling now.

As Erik’s gaze turned to him, as he remained staring down at the bloodied ground.

“Where is my daughter?” The Dragon’s voice beckoned, shaking the very earth.

To their left, the remaining forces of hell had regrouped, filling the sky above they were rushing towards the castle led by a fourth Devil.

Noticing this, Erik raised his open palm forth and with hissing annoyance chanted, “Draco; Storm; Ion.” Bright and quick as lightning, electricity surged into his palm before suddenly flying forth, streaking through the sky.

The bolt of lightning struck through the cloud of demons, running right into the Devil whose body suddenly discharged a storm, electrocuting each and every single demon around himself.

Once more, Erik turned to the Devil before himself, as he lay in the dirt face and all from the terror.

With a single motion of his fingers, the Devil’s body rose from the ground and straightened up before him like a rod. Forcing the Devil to look at him.

“I dislike repeating myself.” The Dragon growled.

“I-I don’t! I don’t know!” The Devil shakily replied.

“He would be saying the truth, master. These were sacrificial pawns, they know nothing.” Spoke a voice then from above them as a being with beautiful white feathered wings descended down.

“Is that so?” Erik grumbled, as the Devil felt his usefulness dissipate with the increasing pressure falling upon him.

“But I can guess that,” Another voice spoke out as a cloaked figured appeared out of the clouds of dust, “This had much to do with it.” Holding an open book in one clawed hand and raising it towards Erik. “It’s safe to touch, its magic is long been used up.”

Carefully Erik took the book into his hands.

“A trap curse, the nature of which seems related to cross-dimensional teleportation.” The cloaked figure mused.

“Then that means…” Erik looked up at the crimson rift in the sky.

“It is possible, but also possible that it takes to somewhere else entirely.” The figure added.

“Can you track it?” Erik asked.

“I can, but it will take me time.” They responded.

Handing the book back over, Erik grinded his teeth, “Then we divide our search. You track through that thing and we…” As they spoke several others came up to or landed from flight around them.

Erik turned to Nerrick who landed with his giant wyvern nearby, “Raise the banners, rally the men.” He said as Nerrick then flew off with a nod, glancing over the still cowering Devil then. “Cut off his limbs, break his mind, he’ll be our guide.” Erik then ordered, and the Angel next to him smiled wickedly.

“With pleasure.” She said, and the Devil visibly shivered.

Turning to the cloaked figure, “Find her, find my daughter.”

The cloaked figure bowed respectfully, briefly showing small pointed ears on the top of their head, before dissipating into thin air.

Lastly, Erik turned back to the rift in the sky. “I will find her…”

“We, will find her.” Added Thea as she walked over from the back of the gathered group, wielding her massive blade and covered in blood just like Makaela beside her.

A growl escaped Erik, as he focused on the rift, “Let there be no mistake. This, this is war. Draconia has waited and built up its strength for long enough…Now…Now we invade hell!”

-

Elsewhere entirely…

-

Erika cringed as she stood within a corridor, two complete strangers on either side of her, she wasn’t expecting this.

That old bastard…he called my bluff…I just wanted political safety!

With a filled in form tucked away from her reach, Erika had no choice now but to go through with her previous…what Teol called ‘Guts’.

A physical test…how could I have known!?

Mentally she panicked, and visibly, albeit trying not to she was still shaking.

As a horn blew, filling the small wooden corridor they stood in, and the other two began to walk out.

Taking in a deep breath, Erika put her mental conflict aside…somewhat. And walked out after them, coming to find herself standing in a large arena filled with sand and surrounded by rising stands like a small make-shift coliseum.

The seats were filled with both commonfolk and warriors, artisans and farmers. It seemed like a pretty big event to this town for just a physical test…

This only brought on a new wave of anxiety upon her.

“Recruits, step out further.” Teol’s voice called out as he stood at the highest pedestal, looking down upon them whilst four other individuals sat behind him, also watching them.

As he said so, nine more young lycans walked out of other entrances around the arena, making up to twelve of them in all.

Leaning in to the girl on her left, “Uh, so, is this like a teamfight scenario? Capture the flag? Knock out?...” Erika whispered.

“Shh!” Gaining herself a scornful shushing from her and a chuckle from the boy to her right.

Chocolate skin, dark red dreadlocks, ears and a fluffy fox’s tail, the girl was completely focused ahead. Whilst to her right, the boy with short silky flat silver hair, pale skin and a thin grey-white wolf’s tail unlike Teol or his kin. He seemed to be more focused in the clouds, chuckling to himself as he glanced over the stands.

“You have signed up for the hunt, but the weak shall not be allowed to prowl, only the strong may join the pack.” Teol said with a steady and gruff voice, “As is tradition, you have all been divided into four hunting parties, each consisting of three, you have been purposely partnered with individuals you do not know or get along with.”

The fox girl glanced at the boy with annoyance.

“Your task, is simple of sound, but do not take it lightly.” Teol continued, as a figure rose out of the sand at the arena’s centre.

It was Kei, just as before appearing out of nowhere entirely, Erika still hadn’t figured out how she managed that.

“Land a single strike on hunt sergeant Kei, and your entire team makes the cut. The other three teams, fail, once you do.” Teol explained, making Erika realise that this was more than just a conflict of interest between four teams.

It was a conquest match.

At this realisation, she glanced over the people watching from the stands.

This is probably their main source of entertainment…always a good way to keep the populous distracted.

Erika mused to herself, as once more a loud horn blew, filling the arena with its humming sound.

“The only rules, are that contestants must not leave the arena, and that sergeant Kei is not to use Lycantropy.” Teol said with finality, suddenly raising his hand forth then, “Begin.”

A third time the horn blew, and chaos let loose right before Erika, with no time to react, communicate with her team or think up a plan. It all began with a thud.

As immediately Kei rushed forth, getting past Erika’s team with ease, they not even having a chance to move as she came to stand before her.

A single thrust of Kei’s left fist into Erika’s gut was all it took, and she was down on the ground gasping for breath.

“Shit!” The girl swore, watching as Kei disappeared into a cloud of sand before reappearing to harass another team.

The bow whistled, “Oh we’re so screwed.”

“Shut it!” The girl growled.

“Hey not my fault we got teamed up with the outsider.” The boy shrugged, looking much less calm than before.

The girl glanced back at Erika as she lay on the ground, “Hm, useless.” She mused, “Come on!” she then shouted at the wolf before rushing off to the side where stands of weapons lay.

Throughout this, Erika was sprawled out on the ground, groaning and clutching her stomach as waves of pain assaulted her. Spitting out bile as she coughed, she had never had to fight in her life.

Not once had she seen bloodshed, not once had she seen conflict.

True it was that her people grown through war, yet she had not seen one bit of it.

The winters her country had survived were harsh, but she was summerborn.

She was unprepared and untested.

Her magic, to chaotic and sporadic for even her father to train.

Erika felt useless, just as useless as that girl had seen her to be.

But she didn’t let that feeling fester, she didn’t let it eat her up.

Still clutching her gut, Erika pulled herself up to her knees. Grunting with pain as gasping breaths reached her.

Shakily, Erika stood back up.

She wasn’t going to stay down.

Not now, this was her only shot.

For she might not be one in body, or magic, Erika’s pride was still that of a Dragon.

And being put down with a single hit…That wouldn’t do.

“T-That just…wouldn’t do!” She groaned, smiling to herself before it turned into a grimace, Erika stumbled forwards to the closest rack of weapons.

Almost collapsing before it, she took long heavy breaths as suddenly a feeling of death loomed above her.

Erika threw herself to the side, rolling over the sand and coming to see Kei standing over where she last was, a cold dreadful smile upon her as her clawed hand lay embedded into the sand and slowly retreating out.

One thought moved through Erika’s mind at this sight.

She was going to kill me.

Erika realised, a cold slap of a realisation.

Once more Kei disappeared, just as a spear lunged through where she previously was, the fox girl now standing in her place.

Meeting Erika’s terrified eyes briefly, the girl simply scoffed in disgust.

A look that said all it needed to without words being spoken.

In this lycan’s eyes, Erika was nothing more than pitiful.

“You’re wrong…” Erika grumbled out, a whisper gone unheard.

As she stood back up, focusing on her surroundings and taking in a long deep breath to calm herself.

“You’re wrong.” Erika spoke out once more, this time loud enough for them to hear.

“Huh? We’re what?” The boy asked, shaking as he glanced about searching for Kei.

The girl barely gave her a glance.

Erika watched, her eyes narrowed as they scanned the entire field before her, weapon rack to her back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSKoRN8p2Hs

“Never…” Erika mused, as her senses spread out.

The smell, the very taste of the air around her.

The sound, of the breaths and beating hearts, of the flowing of blood and stretching muscles of everything around her.

The very tiniest grains of sand rising into the air with each movement, her eyes picked those up too.

Reaching out behind herself, Erika tapped through several weapon grips, until she found it.

Grasping it, Erika watched as Kei appeared before and far up above her, spear held high in a motion to throw.

She was about to get impaled.

Sensing the raw strength being imbued in the throw as Kei released her weapon, she felt the force pushing it forth as it cut through the air.

“Never, underestimate, a Dragon.” Erika spat out, as she slashed widely with her right hand, wielding a common broadsword. Her blade meeting the spearpoint mid-flight, it was just enough to deflect the powerful throw a few feet to the left, yet still it gashed through her side splattering blood on the weapons behind her.

Kei landed onto the ground, surrounded by surprised recruits, she herself seemed amused.

She saw it coming?

As Erika then took a defensive stance, trying to ignore the pain in her side, she briefly put her free hand over her wound and then ran her now bloodied palm over the broadsword.

“Almost, but not quite.” Erika mused, and at those words Kei’s eyes opened wide with amusement and annoyance.

“You think you can withstand a second?” Kei growled, her form flashing out and back into existence before them, a second spear now in her grasp. Once more taking the same throwing stance, a ferocious expression of cold amusement filled her face, one that the other recruits dared not pull the attention of.

“Don’t blame me,” Erika then whispered, as Kei released her throw, sending her second spear forth at what felt like twice the force of before. “If this kills you!” Erika exclaimed, slashed her weapon forth as a blue surge of energy rushed through the weapon rack behind her, and the broadsword she wielded.

Like a wave, the blue aura that engulfed her blade rushed forth and into the air, breaking off the spearpoint and shattering the shaft before continuing onwards seemingly absorbing the attack and surging forward at the same speed.

Kei had only just enough time, to grin stupidly and with surprise, as the wave of energy slammed into her, sending her soaring back and crashing into the arena’s wall and through.

Sending a gasp through the crowd and a loss of control of the jaw to Teol and the other overseers.

The sound of something crashing and collapsing sounded off outside the arena then, followed by a very pissed off growl.

“I win…right?” Erika muttered out, sensing the fury right outside. “She’s out of bounds…right?”

The recruits nodded shakily.

Erika could feel a very angry Kei staring at her through the wreckage of a hole facing her, “It’s over…right?”

Nobody responded.