#Battlefield Glow Phenomenon

[samanthajameswriter]

A Mysterious Glow That Stunned History: The Battle Of Shiloh

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#American Civil War #American History #battle of shiloh #battle of shiloh mystery #Battlefield Glow Phenomenon #Glowing Wounds #history #How did the Battle of Shiloh impact the course of the Civil War? #U.S CIVIL WAR #U.S History #What caused soldiers&039; wounds to glow on the battlefield? #What were the key factors that led to the outcome of the Battle of Shiloh?

[stormsthatrage]

Short snippet from the Bleach I Knew You AU.

But before I begin. *Insert deep sigh here.*

Secretlypansexualmango, if you see this, it was supposed to be a response to your ask. Unfortunately, it took a hard left-turn and ended up in. Uraichi shipping territory? Look, IDK, I'm asexual, I don't get it either. Anyway, since I don't know your shipping preferences and don't want to accidentally respond to your ask with something that squiks you, I will be officially responding to your ask in another post that is less likely to be unexpectedly unpalatable. Thank you for your patience, and, uh, I hope this doesn't turn you off the au! (*laughs nervously*)

Without further ado, the snippet:

Breaking into the Shiba family grounds is easy. By sheer comparison, breaking into Shiba Ichigo’s room specifically is almost a challenge, but it’s not anything that Kisuke hasn’t planned for.

The strange, modified kido, and the odd wards Ichigo has placed, are simple to bypass with a bit of fancy footwork and precisely-timed counter-kido. It’s practically child’s play to get past them, now that he's roughly figured out how they work and where they all are.

His job is made even easier by the fact that, for some reason, Kisuke’s spiritual pressure doesn’t wake Ichigo up. Quite the opposite, in fact. He seems to sleep deeper when Kisuke is nearby and has let Benihime out a little.

He has theories about that.

He’s tired of them being theories.

He’s here to get evidence.

Kisuke bypasses the final seal and slides Ichigo’s window open, slipping into his room. He lets his spiritual pressure permeate the air a little thicker than he would in normal company, and as expected, Ichigo’s spiritual pressure slows down as he falls further into slumber.

… And Kisuke is supposed to believe that the first time they met was two months ago? When this is Ichigo’s reaction to his presence? When Ichigo is one of the most paranoid people Kisuke, an ex-onmi agent, has ever encountered?

Kisuke is a genius. He doesn’t need to be in order to see the flaw in that logic.

Kisuke steps further into the room, gliding softly over the old wood floorboards. He pauses in the middle, taking a moment to debate where to start.

Well. Why not with the simplest?

He’s caught it a few times, the barest trace of his own power lingering around Ichigo. A fascinating phenomenon, when he can’t recall a single time he’s drawn shikai around him, let alone used enough power to leave a long-lasting trace.

He draws closer to Ichigo’s bed, until he could reach out and touch him if he wished.

Ichigo breathes deeply, evenly, no sign of waking up. At some point, his covers ended up half kicked-off. Possibly from the heat, probably from nightmares. Regardless of the reason, Kisuke can’t help but think that he looks strangely fragile this way, surrounded by the evidence of his restlessness.

He puts a hand on the the hilt of his soul-partner. “Awaken, Benihime,” he murmurs.

She stirs within him, gently, in a way that is oh so rare. Like the softest, most gradual of ocean tides, she rises, her fragrance of wet iron washing through the air around them.

And together, channeling her power through his eyes, they see.

Glowing crimson threads that they have no recollection of weaving wrap protectively, lovingly, around Ichigo. A thin but strong filament, sewn through the skin from just below Ichigo’s ear all the way to his opposite shoulder, sutures closed what must have once been a deadly throat wound. Another one, obviously originally meant to keep shut a gash down the length of Ichigo’s forearm, keeps it companion.

And beyond the battlefield sutures there are more threads. Hundreds of intangible and deceptively thin and absolutely unbreakable strands of Benihime’s power wrap around Ichigo, crisscrossing over themselves — around his throat and across his face and down his torso and up his arms, visible wherever his bare flesh is exposed — seemingly serving no purpose.

Benihime’s power surges at the sight, a hot delight running through her as she sees Ichigo so thoroughly caught in her webs. Kisuke’s fingers suddenly, urgently ache with the urge to touch, to tighten, to add more.

Soul King.

No purpose other than, it seems, to satiate their own possessiveness.

Kisuke exhales a shaking breath. Closes his eyes for a brief moment. Gets the heat in his blood under control.

No purpose other than to alert themselves, perhaps? Did they know that one day they wouldn't recognize Ichigo anymore, and left this as a clue?

(And oh, what a clue. What a clue it is.)

He lets Benihime’s power fade, taking his hand away from her hilt. He’s self-aware enough to know when he needs to stop tempting himself, and he’s gotten the evidence he came for — far better proof than he could have ever anticipated.

He takes a step back, and the motion is the most unnatural thing he’s done in a long, long time.

He has questions. He has a few theories, too. Amnesia, caused by a very specific type of parasitic hollow. Dimension travel. Time travel. He doesn’t have enough information yet to figure out which is most likely, but he has finally confirmed beyond doubt that Ichigo is his, has been his, and something tried to steal that from him.

Fury flares within him, burning through his veins, and he can’t do this right here.

He takes another step back, this one just as unnatural as the last.

He can’t ask, yet. He can’t get closer, can’t wake Ichigo up with a soft hand on his cheek, can’t tell him that he’s there now, can’t promise him to take care of it all if he would just let him in again.

No.

Shiba Ichigo is in the middle of a chess game — a dangerous one, a complicated one — and Kisuke can’t see the whole board yet. Tipping his own hand might trigger a whole plethora of traps, including another round of amnesia, and he refuses to risk the knowledge he’s regained.

He will have to be careful. He will have to move cautiously.

He casts one last look at Ichigo, lets his eyes trace over that delicate throat that he now knows almost bled out. That delicate throat that had to be held together with Benihime’s webs. That delicate throat that he doesn’t remember stitching back together, despite the fact that he used his bankai to do it.

He was made to unknow a person he loves. He was made to unknow a war. He was made to unknow the fact that danger lurks still in the shadows of Soul Society.

He will know the end of this game. And Ichigo will learn that there is no universe in which Kisuke does not protect what’s his.

Kisuke turns. Takes another unnatural step away from his favorite, infuriating puzzle. And then he wrenches himself out of the room, out into the night, closing the window behind him and leaving as unnoticed as he had come.

#i knew you bleach au #bleach au #time travel bleach style #urahara kisuke #kurosaki ichigo #*sigh* #uraichi #might walk this part of the au back if people prefer a non-ship version

[vanilla-cigarillos]

Why You Shouldn’t Whistle In The Woods: Appalachian Creatures and Folklore

In the Appalachian mountains, small communities whisper tales of creatures that would turn a Yankee’s skin blue and run rivers up his spine. For anyone interested, here’s a list of the must-know Appalachian spooks that haunt the mountain range.

The Bell Witch

One of the most popular examples of Appalachian folklore, this story originates in Robertson County, Tennessee. The Bell Witch (thought to be a woman named Kate Batts) was cheated in a land purchase by John Bell, the patriarch of the Bell family.

Around 1817 and 1821 the hauntings began, with the Bell Witch appearing disguised as an animal (such as a bird or a black dog). She focused on John Bell’s daughter, harming the girl with painful scratches and destroying her room during the night. Bell became so concerned for the safety of his daughter that he confided in a friend, James Johnston. Word from there began to spread, until eventually it reached the ears of General Andrew Jackson.

According to the story, Jackson and his party of men set up tents outside of the Bell residence. One man claiming to have knowledge of witch dealings, stated that his silver bullets were keeping the witch subdued. As punishment for his ego and mockery, the Bell Witch set her sights on Jackson’s party and ran them from the property with violence and malice. 

Even after John Bell’s (mysterious) death in 1820, the witch continued to haunt the family. 

The Brown Mountain Lights

Specific to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, these lights are a lesser known Appalachian mystery. In the Brown Mountain area near Morganton NC, locals and tourists alike have made several reports of glowing, orb-like lights hovering approximately 15 feet off the ground. First recorded sightings of these lights occurred in 1771, when engineer John William Gerard de Brahm wrote about seeing the phenomenon in his journal. 

Legend tells of a gruesome battle between Catawba and Cherokee warriors on Brown Mountain, which left several dead on the battlefield. In the evenings, Catawba women would search for their sons, brothers, husbands and fathers by using torch lights to guide them. Many claim that the Brown Mountain Lights seen today are the spirits of these women, endlessly searching for their loved ones.

The Wiseman’s View Overlook, Brown Mountain Overlook, and Lost Cove Cliffs Overlook are the most popular places to see them. All are found off NC-105 S or NC-181 near Asheville and Boone. While reported sightings of the colorful lights are known for their inconsistency, the lights are typically seen at night, especially after a rainfall.

The Flatwoods Monster

Originating in Braxton County, West Virginia, The Flatwoods Monster is another population Appalachian myth. In 1952, Edward and Freddie May, Neil Nunley, and Tommy Hyer were playing at Flatwoods Elementary when a light went shooting across the sky. Arriving at the sight of the light’s crash, they saw a pulsing red light and 10-foot-tall creature with a glowing green face and gnarled hands levitating from the ground. 

Little is known about what happened after this reported sighting, however an official U.S. Air Force inquiry was prompted and the incident made national news.

The Moon-Eyed People

According to both Cherokee legend and Appalachian folk tales, there is a group of humanoids lurking in the Appalachian mountains (usually associated with Murphy, NC). Described to be short with very pale skin and bearded faces, the Moon-Eyed People are known for their characteristic wide blue eyes. These creatures are said to be so visually sensitive to sunlight that they remain in hiding and nocturnal, prompting their title of “moon-eyed”. 

Legend claims that local tribes waited for the full moon to appear to force the Moon-Eyed People from their underground caves. The bright light weakened them, forcing them to leave the area and hide in other parts of the Appalachian area. 

Separate from other Appalachian cryptids, Moon-Eyed People were considered to be a separate race of human rather than any supernatural entities. While it may seem obvious to onlookers that said cryptids are simply European settlers, what’s shocking is that this story dates back hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus came to the continent. 

The Mothman

Famous now around the world, the Mothman is a creature who originated in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The story begins when two couples reported seeing a large humanoid creature flying with a 10-foot wingspan and intense glowing red eyes. Stories caught and spread like wildfire, until December 1967 when the Mothman was credited for the collapse of Silver Bridge (killing 46 people). 

#appalachian #cryptid #witch #folklore #witchcraft

[its-a-gold-song]

in which a high schooler figures out a 140-year-old scientific mystery

since i’ve been so inactive its time to spew some historical knowledge that you never knew you needed but will never forget

gather close, small ones, as I tell the tale of Magic on the Battlefield, also known as Always Refer To Biologists When You Want To Name Something

tw: mentions of wounds, blood, and parasites

let’s set the scene. it’s April of 1862, in the middle of the American Civil War. the camera pans over the aftermath of the single bloodiest battle of the war: the battle of Shiloh, Tennessee. some 20,000 soldiers lay wounded on the swampy, blood-soaked ground near the tennessee river. the union had successfully forced the remaining confederate troops to retreat, but the wounded soldiers were too far from the medical tents to be treated, so it was decided that they would wait for the medics to come to them (a smart move in my opinion, if you’ve ever been severely hurt it’s never a good idea to try to walk 10+ miles through cold swamp).

the sun dipped below the horizon and, tennessee being tennessee, it got cold quickly. thousands of soldiers lay on the ground in the darkness, shivering, until something else caught their attention.

some of the mens’ wounds were glowing a faint blue-ish green color.

when medical help finally arrived, doctors found that wounds that were glowing were quicker to heal, and had a smaller chance of becoming infected. the soldiers and medics, sure that it was a miracle, called the phenomenon “Angel’s Glow”.

okay record scratch. i’d like to point out that there have been no contemporary accounts of Angel’s Glow, so for 140 years, scientists believed it may have been a myth or that conditions including low lighting, abundance of blood, time on battlefield, presence of specific vegetation, presence of rain and humidity, and the time to organize medical evacuation would prevent the phenomenon from recurring in current conditions. that was until 2001, when then-high schooler Bill Martin was obsessed with the Civil War and went with his mom to tour the site of the Battle of Shiloh. it was there that he first heard about Angel’s Glow. incidentally, his mom was a microbiologist (Phyllis Martin), and so he teamed up with her and a friend (Jonathan Curtis) to try and find out what he could about the source of the glow.

after studying bioluminescent bacteria and cross-referencing species with what might have lived in a tennessee swamp in 1862, Bill found it: a bacteria called Photorhabdus luminescens that lives in nematodes (which are some of my all-time favorite animals and deserve a post all to themselves).

nematodes are parasitic worms that burrow into the blood vessels of larvae (baby caterpillars and such). when they’ve found a suitable host, they vomit up P. luminescens, which produces a proteic toxin through the expression of a single gene called MCF that kills the host and all the surrounding microorganisms.

fun fact/highlight: mcf stands for “makes caterpillars floppy” because it kills its host (often caterpillars) and i would just like to say that biologists are the best

back to the story!! since P. luminescens is bioluminescent, Bill, Phyllis, and Jonathan proposed that the bacteria not only creates the glow, but also is responsible for the unexplained healing, since the toxin created by the “makes caterpillars floppy” gene would kill off any bacteria or pathogens that might cause an infection.

there was a hitch to their brilliant discovery though. P. luminescens cannot survive in temperatures as high as the human body’s. however, we’re talking about april in tennessee, guys. the three studied the conditions of the battle and concluded that it was perfectly possible that in the cold, swampy conditions by the tennessee river, the temperatures could dip enough during the night to lower the soldiers’ body temperatures to a range more hospitable for the bacteria, which entered the open wounds through the soil and created the Angel’s Glow.

i mean holy crap imagine being a high schooler and figuring out something this cool that scientists had been confused over for over a hundred years

#what am i doing with my life #goldsong vomits #science

[chaotic-archaeologist]

What are your favorite not very well known facts about the Civil War? For example, people who might have met each other that people wouldn't commonly think of meeting.

Hi there, dirtling! I'm not super sure what you mean by two people meeting who we don't think of having met each other. Maybe this is me being unable to remove myself from what I already know, but none of the interactions that take place during the Civil War are all that surprising.

But I do have some other fun facts for you!

1) During a battle in Tennessee, Union troops were caught unprepared by a Confederate force. All of a sudden, a number of mules in the supply train broke free of their harnesses and ran wildly towards the Confederate lines. The rebels mistook the stampeding mules for a cavalry charge and retreated. Afterwards, the quartermaster suggested that the mules should be given brevet promotions to the rank of horses. This incident became known as the Charge of the Mule Brigade, and was the subject of a satirized poem mimicking Alfred Lord Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade

2) Angel's Glow was a phenomenon observed after the Battle of Shiloh (the second bloodies battle of the war, right after Gettysburg). The wounds of soldiers lying on the battlefield glowed. This was before germ theory, when many men died due to infection of their wounds in the days and weeks after battles. But the men with the glowing wounds survived. In the 1860s this was chalked up to some divine cause, but in 2001 a scientific answer was found. The source of the glow was a certain kind of bacteria. This bacteria was vomited up by tiny little worms, and it functioned to kill off other, more harmful bacteria that might have caused a deadly infection. So thank the worms, not the angels.

3) The Union army had an officer with the improbable name of Jefferson Davis. He was ordered out of Louisville, Kentucky after having a disagreement with his commanding officer, General William Nelson. A short while later, he returned to Louisville and ran into Nelson in a hotel. Davis demanded an apology for the offense he felt that Nelson had committed. Nelson refused, at which point Davis borrowed a pistol from a friend, followed Nelson to his office, and shot him. He was arrested, but never charged, and he would return to service and obtain a promotion later in the war.

-Reid

#he speaks #he answers #american civil war

[doodledex-project]

Doodledex - #052-G Gigantamax Meowth

The second of the three not fully-evolved Gigantamax forms is probably somewhat unexpected... but it’s definitely not because Meowth isn’t popular. No, it’s because Gigantamax Meowth has basically turned into Longcat! (This isn’t the first time a meme’s made it into Pokemon... the infamous “too much water” meme is a possible review you can get in Gen 7′s Poke Finder function after all!)

Apparently, the symbol on G-Max Meowth’s koban might contain some form of hint to the secrets of the Dynamax phenomenon... but what that hint is is currently unknown. The only reason assumption’s being made at all is because it radiates a lot of this energy, bathing the battlefield in a golden glow!

#pokemon #doodledex #meowth #gigantamax meowth #so. let's talk about pay day for a second! #(and i don't mean the candy bar.... which is just ok honestly) #the way this move normally works is that the amount of money earned is calculated by multiplying the user's level #in the game boy/game boy color era payout was double the user's level #in later gens it was bumped up to five times the user's level #and in gen 6 onwards leveling up is included in the equation #this can also be affected by the amulet coin and luck incense! #....now imagine cranking this move up to eleven. or should i say... one hundred? #that's pretty much what g-max meowth's signature move does! #in addition to confusing the opponent(s) g-max gold rush gives out a coin payout as well... which is about one hundred times meowth's level! #this ALSO stacks with the amulet coin and luck incense.... meaning you could be swimming in koban! #.(...unfortunately it doesn't work in max raids. neither does pay day. boo.)

[duhragonball]

[FIC] Luffa: The Legendary Super Saiyan (139/?)

Disclaimer: This story features characters and concepts based on Dragon Ball, which is a trademark of Bird Studio/Shueisha and Toei Animation.   This is an unauthorized work, and no profit is being made on this work by me. This story is copyright of me. Download if you like, but please don’t archive it without my permission. Don’t be shy.

Continuity Note: About 1000 years before the events of Dragon Ball Z.

[3 December, 233 Before Age. Nagaoka.]

Luffa had become the Legendary Super Saiyan at the age of nineteen, after being captured and tortured for months by merciless alien enemy. At the time, the transformation was a mixed blessing for her, giving her the power to take revenge upon her tormentors, but also changing her into something she neither knew nor understood. At first, Luffa feared her new ability, and even after she accepted it as a natural function of Saiyan biology, she worried about what might happen if she lost control of such immense power. For this reason, she resolved to never again transform into the Oozaru form, in case the combination of the two transformations might be more than her body could handle.

Unlike the Super Saiyan transformation, which was so rare that it had been nearly forgotten, any Saiyan could become an Oozaru. All they needed was the tail they were born with, and the light of a full moon. Somehow, sunlight reflected off a lunar surface had just the right wavelength to trigger a horrific change in a Saiyan's body, turning their humanoid forms into enormous, bloodthirsty apes. There were myths and folk tales, and even some genuine scientific research on the phenomenon, but all anyone knew for certain was that the transformation was real. The moonlight had to be above a certain intensity to work, but that seemed to be the only criteria. And so, whenever she went to a planet with a large enough moon, Luffa always took the precaution of checking the local calendar and wearing sunglasses when needed.

Over time, as Luffa grew accustomed to being the Legendary Super Saiyan, she mostly forgot about the Oozaru power. Many Saiyans did the same, even going so far as to deliberately cut off their own tails to avoid the inconvenience of an unwanted transformation. Weaker Saiyans couldn't even retain their identity in the giant ape form, so they didn't want the hassle of losing control of their actions without warning. For stronger Saiyans, the giant ape form had certain tactical advantages, except that it could only be achieved once in a lunar cycle. Come the dawn, the power would be lost. Most Saiyans considered it more trouble than it was worth. In Luffa's case, she had to deal with the additional concern that the extreme power increase might tear her body apart.

But now, on Planet Nagaoka, deep inside enemy territory, bereft of all allies, friends and family, and with nothing left to live for but a vendetta against her own species, Luffa didn't care about any of the drawbacks. She now stood as a Super Saiyan and an Oozaru at the same time, a form that looked like a 150-foot giant ape with glowing golden fur. Nagaoka's moon was full, and would sustain this new form for another ten hours before morning, when the moonlight would became diluted by the sunrise. But ten hours was more than enough time to tear the entire planet to pieces. And if the strain of it killed her before then, it wouldn't matter.

She roared and beat her chest for a moment, furious at her enemies, and grateful for the glorious violence she was about to unleash upon them.

"You can't do this!" Rehval protested. His true self was on the opposite side of the planet, but he had sent his proxy, an avatar made of earth and stone, to lead his followers into battle. The rock-Rehval was actually a little bigger than Luffa, but its slender form paled in comparison to her splendor.

"I just did," Luffa growled. Her voice was lower, louder, and more primal than before, but there was no mistaking her identity. Unlike lesser Saiyans, who couldn't control themselves in the giant ape form, Luffa was in full command of her faculties.

"But the power is unstable!" Rehval said. "I can sense it from here! I never expected you to actually try to-- No... No...!"

"Yes!" Luffa snarled. "You were the one who gave me the idea, Rehval! You and your constant gloating! Always going on about how you had tapped into the energy fields of this star system. You married your power with this planet, didn't you? Which means you need its moon to keep that arrangement in tact. Too bad. Otherwise, you could destroy the moon right now, and then I'd change back to normal!"

"I don't have to destroy the moon!" Rehval shouted. "Not when I can destroy your tail!"

"Oh, that's your solution to everything, isn't it?" Luffa scoffed. She reached out her left hand, and curled the fingers of her simian paw, beckoning him to come after her. "Well, come on! let's see you try it!"

Rehval commanded his warriors to attack, and they did, only hesitating slightly. There were thousands of them, but Luffa stood her ground. She reared back and howled, then took a deep breath, and spewed what looked like yellow fire from her muzzle.

The Saiyans flew away from the path of this attack, but instead of exploding or damaging anything, the energy formed a massive globe in the air, which separated into white blobs. There were dozens of them, twisting and contorting in mid-air, and then they all sprouted arms, and heads... the heads of ferocious apes.

As the Saiyans quailed in terror, Luffa howled with laughter. It was a childish prank, at least when this sort of technique was employed by a normal Saiyan. The "ghosts" produced by such ki would explode on contact, but when the ki was that of a Golden Oozaru...

"Everybody dies!" shrieked the ghost apes as they flew out in every direction. Their task was simple: chase down a Saiyan and explode in their faces. They swarmed across the basin in a frenzy, and their quarry scattered in a desperate attempt to escape them. Within seconds, the skies lit up and the ground quaked from massive explosions. Even Luffa was amazed by the power she had unleashed. An ordinary planet would have been rendered uninhabitable by just one of these explosions. But Rehval's powers had made Nagaoka much sturdier than any normal world, and so the devastation was merely catastrophic. The crust of the planet was scarred with craters and fissures larger than entire cities, and hundreds of Saiyans were wiped out without a trace. The explosions were so bright that it almost seemed like daylight for a few seconds at a time, but the full moon continued to shine down over the carnage.

Against this backdrop, Luffa charged straight for the enormous likeness of Rehval, tackling it to the ground. That it was larger in size than the golden ape made no difference. At best, the earthen creature could only bring up its arms to protect itself from some of Luffa's thunderous blows. Nevertheless, she persisted, drumming her massive forearms down on Rehval's, and chipping away fragments of his avatar with each second. Rehval's power allowed the dirt and rock to be more durable than either Rehval or Nagaoka would have been alone, but even so, Luffa's onslaught was too much for it to handle.

"You can't be doing this!" he said. "It just can't..." And then one of his giant arms crumbled into rubble. Then the other.

Luffa raised her head up and roared, then slammed her monstrous face into the avatar's exposed chest. As the rock-Rehval screamed, it broke apart into pieces.

*******

On the opposite side of the planet, Rehval... the part of him that was still a Saiyan man, sat upon his throne, and clutched painfully at his chest. That had hurt. It had actually hurt. This was not supposed to happen. His bond with the planet and its mass was only supposed to share power, not pain.

He stumbled out of his seat and paced around in a tight circle, fighting the wave of panic that accompanied the pain. He couldn't retreat from this. With his avatar destroyed, Luffa would surely turn her fury against his followers, and he couldn't afford to lose more of them than he already had. He needed to pull himself together and deploy his avatar again, only this time with more power, but he soon found he couldn't do it as quickly as he had before. His symbiosis with Nagaoka's geological energy gave him vast power. A Saiyan could easily destroy a planet, but only because a planet lacked the will to defend itself. Nagaoka now had a will--Rehval's--but it still took time and effort to bring its immense power to bear.

"Damn it all," he muttered to himself as he gasped for breath. "She was waiting for this! Past two weeks... she was just biding time... None of her attacks were meant to accomplish anything! She was just keeping us busy until the moon was full!"

And then he sensed another pain, this time in his right shoulder blade. It felt like something had struck him, but how?

*******

At the battlefield, Luffa had completely routed her foes. With her ghost apes all destroyed, and the Saiyans in full retreat, she charged a Gallick Gun and fired it in the direction of some of her enemies. Most of them managed to avoid the gigantic purple blast, but it continued on its path, eventually carving a mile-wide trench in the ground. Luffa continued to attack, even when there was no target to hit. There was simply no respite. The Saiyans would sense a ki larger than anything they had ever imagined possible, and then they would immediately sense an even larger power than that. Luffa's battle power just kept rising, again and again and again.

Endive had led a small group to a safe distance-- if the word "safe" could still have any meaning-- and they watched the colored lights from Luffa's rampage. It was apparent that the Golden Ape's attacks were damaging the planet's surface, in spite of Rehval's boasts that this was impossible. At best, his followers believed that this was the ultimate test of their master's power. If Rehval could survive this battle, then he would truly prove his invincibility. His most faithful servants would trust him to rise to the occasion and slay Luffa as final confirmation of his teachings. Endive thought this way, or at least she wanted to, very badly.

Her faith in Rehval was rooted in denialism. She had obeyed him, even to the point of humiliating herself and betraying her most cherished principles. If he were truly divine, then she could at least tell herself that it was all worth it, that the things she had cast aside had never had any real value in the first place. But if Rehval lost, then it had all been a lie, and she would know for certain that she had allowed herself to be enslaved by a fraud. All those nights in his bedchamber would have no spiritual purpose at all.

On some level, she wanted Luffa to prevail, and expose the truth that Endive already knew but could never admit. And then Luffa would kill his followers in short order, so at least there would be little time for Endive to endure the shame.

"What should we do?" asked one of the other Saiyans who was with her. Of this group of survivors, she had the highest rank. And it was this authority, more than loyalty, truth, or shame, that guided her.

"Regroup," she said. "We must stand and fight for our lord, and die, if we must."

If there was any chance of victory, Endive would cling to it. Whatever Luffa stood for, the golden ape would only bring death. If her master really was a fraud and a liar, then Endive's only choice was to fight to make his lies into truth.

*******

Other Saiyans reached the same grim conclusion as Endive, but taking the fight to Luffa was easier said than done. Before, there had been a reasonable assumption that Luffa could be attacked en masse and overpowered. Now, she shrugged off ki blasts from hundreds of Saiyans without even bothering to dodge. The Jindan cultists were the mightiest of their species, empowered by Rehval's alchemy, but against the Golden Oozaru they were like ants battling a dinosaur.

Occasionally, Luffa grew annoyed with their constant distraction, and swatted them aside, but the focus of her offense was directed at the planet itself. Luffa fired energy blasts from her mouth, hands, and eyes, assaulting the ground until there was only bare rock. And then, finally, she broke through to a magma chamber, releasing a torrent of molten lava into the air. Elated by the destruction, Luffa threw her arms over her head and roared triumphantly, the hot magma splashing around her like blood from a wounded animal.

"No! I won't allow this!"

Luffa turned to find Rehval, in the form of another of his avatars. This time, he rose up from the lava itself, forming a body of rapidly cooling igneous rock. "You're not strong enough to destroy this planet! You can't be!"

He leaped toward Luffa, determined to restrain her somehow. Instead, she slipped around him with a speed that belied her bulk, and struck his back with a double axehandle.

"Too bad," Luffa growled. "You shouldn't have cut off your tail, Rehval. Maybe if you'd kept it, you could have become powerful enough to keep up with me!"

"Shut up!" he screamed.

"Some of the Free Companions still have their tails, right?" Luffa asked. "You probably couldn't *wait* to cut theirs off, but you wouldn't have had the time. Maybe some of them could-- oh, that's right!"

He charged at her with a ki blast in hand, but she sidestepped it and reversed his attack into a throw. His blast misfired, and while it was immense, it was also passed harmlessly into space. Luffa ripped a piece of the planet's crust and slammed it down onto Rehva's avatar.

"You don't have any of those Free Companions sitting around, do you?" she said. "The ones who still had their tails, I mean. No, they're all dead, because I made sure to kill them all while I was waiting for the full moon!"

"SHUT UP!" Rehval screamed. He rushed at her again, desperate to connect with any sort of offense. "I won't be defeated this way! Not by your tail, not by a primitive... vulgar... transformation. Not by my own moon!"

Luffa humored him for a moment, allowing his fists to strike, but they did no damage at all. She lifted his avatar over her head and threw him down into the geyser of lava nearby. Then she aimed her finger at him and made a low, guttural noise.

*******

The Vengeance Cannon was Luffa's finishing move. In terms of technique, it wasn't terribly special. She simply focused a a great deal of ki energy into a thin, intense beam, which allowed it to penetrate deeper than more conventional ki attacks. Her name for the attack had been chosen at a whim. At the height of her fame, alien fans somehow decided that she already had a technique by that name in her arsenal, and so she decided to indulge them. Over time, she came to decide that she rather liked its brutal simplicity. What made the attack so fearsome was the user. Powered by Luffa's Super Saiyan form, the Vengeance Cannon could tear through nearly anything. Powered by Luffa's Super Saiyan Oozaru form, the word "nearly" was placed in grave jeopardy.

In his fortress, Rehval felt searing pain once more. He had felt each attack Luffa had made on the planet's crust, but this paled in comparison to the sensation of Luffa's Vengeance Cannon drilling through his avatar's eye. He clutched at his own face and doubled over in pain, and then he felt another agony in his torso. Without seeing or hearing, he knew that Luffa's beam had passed through the avatar, and down into the ground, and all the way through the planet itself. The damage to the planet was echoed in his own body.

His defenses were collapsing. There was no escaping the conclusion anymore. Each attack weakened him a little more, making her next attack that much more effective.

There was no longer any other choice. He would have to go on the offensive while he still had the chance. He forced himself to stand upright, then hurried to the bench where he kept his elixirs. He had prepared certain formulations in advance, in case things didn't work the way they were supposed to. But these were experimental, and meant to be used on others. He had never anticipated that he would be so badly pressured, especially here, at the height of his greatness. As he raised the decanter to his lips, he briefly considered summoning one of his followers back to the complex, but a shooting pain in his leg reminded him that there simply wasn't time.

"T-to the future," he gasped before drinking. It was his traditional toast when using alchemy to enhance his powers. After draining half of the bottle, he poured the rest onto the ground, letting it soak into the soil at his feet. Then he stumbled toward his bedchamber to lay down.

He collapsed after five paces.

*******

Xibuyas saw his chance and was determined to take it. Less than a mile away, the monster that claimed to be his mother was ripping up whole chunks of the planet's surface, while lashing out at any warriors who dared to interfere. They were like mere insects to her, beneath her notice. And this, he decided, would be her downfall. With her back to him, he had a perfect shot to end this nightmare once and for all.

He had never used the Star Seax in battle before. The technique was incomplete and took too long to gather energy, and it was only useful against a single opponent at a time. There was simply no practical use for it. Other enemies could be killed with less powerful techniques. He estimated that the Star Seax could kill Luffa, but he knew she was too nimble to score a direct hit with it.

Now, however, the situation was ideal. Luffa had become stronger--stronger than Xibuyas had ever imagined possible-- but she was also a much bigger target, and much more stationary. And with her attention focused elsewhere, he had the opportunity he had dreamed of for most of his life. As soon as he had finished preparing the attack, he fired without hesitation.

The Star Seax was a thin wafer of ki that flew out from his hands like the blade of a guillotine. It would cut right through Luffa's tail, reversing her transformation. It was strange to think of the humanoid Luffa as an easier opponent, but right now she was surrounded by Jindan cultists, and without her ape form, they could overpower her if they all worked together.

As the young Saiyan guided the Star Seax toward its target, he realized that this was the moment that fortuneteller had told him about! He would surpass Luffa, not by exceeding her power, but by becoming the instrument of her downfall. Once she was dead, he would take his rightful place as the strongest Saiyan of all! He watched as the white energy blade streaked ever closer, and awaited his destiny.

And then Luffa jumped into the air, and the Star Seax passed harmlessly underneath her.

"No..." was all he could say. His eyes went wide with shock. And so, when Luffa moved towards him, faster than he ever imagined possible, he had no other reaction. He didn't even think of trying to escape.

"Nice shot, Katem!" Luffa roared. Her voice was even more horrible than before. With a demonic speed, she snatched him up in her hand and raised him up to her face.

"You were going to die anyway!" she shouted, her hot breath blasting him like a monsoon. "But you had to take your best shot, and face me one last time! So I guess you take after your mother after all! Too bad for you that you chose the wrong side!"

She tightened her grip, and Xibuyas cried out in pain. He could feel his ribs cracking under the pressure, and he knew that this was only the slightest sample of Luffa's full power.

"Then again, you remind me a lot of your grandfather, boy!" she snarled. "He made the same mistake you did. Thought he could stab me in the back and live! Well don't say I didn't give you a chance, son! I tried to show you what you were dealing with, and you wouldn't! Take! The hint!"

Xibuyas felt as if he might black out soon, but somehow he remained conscious. He almost wondered if this was some sadistic trick of Luffa's. A way to keep her victims awake and prolong their suffering. He couldn't stop screaming long enough to ask.

"Well that little stunt you just pulled was the last straw, Katem. You want to be my enemy? Fine! Then you can die like my enemies! Anything for you, son! Anything for you!"

There was a moment of clarity, where Xibuyas began to accept death as the only escape from his fate beneath the long shadow of Luffa, this horror that demanded his birthright. Even if he had managed to kill her, the memory of such a monster would forever stain his honor. And then, just as he expected to breathe his last... Luffa dropped him.

Xibuyas lacked the strength to sit up, but luckily he landed on the ground in a position that gave him a view of what was happening. It felt like an earthquake, and as Luffa turned away from him, Xibuyas could see a figure rising up from the molten lava. He wondered if it was Rehval again, returning in another one of his avatars. But this seemed different somehow. Xibuyas didn't know why, but he could sense something dreadful about this. His instincts begged him to run away, far away, but it was all he could do just to roll over on the ground.

"I forbid it, Luffa!" It was Rehval's voice that Xibuyas heard. What he saw looked nothing like the Saiyan King who had raised him. It was enormous and yellow-hot, like molten metal, with globs of lava solidifying upon its surface. The head of the figure resembled a skull with skin stretched across its features, but no muscle or flesh.

"Well, look who decided to fight back!" Luffa scoffed. Xibuyas couldn't believe her tone. He could scarcely comprehend the horrible energy he sensed from this new form Rehval had taken. All he knew for certain was that Rehval was now pulling out all the stops, and Luffa was still unimpressed. Was she bluffing? Or was all of this truly just a game to a monster like her?

"You're a thing of iron, Luffa!" Rehval announced. "Strong and resilient, but vulgar nonetheless! You golden glow is nothing more than the heat of the forge, where mine is drawn from the very core of the world!"

The Rehval-thing rushed toward Luffa, and the two titans struggled against each other. At first, it seemed like an even struggle, and then Rehval actually shoved the ape off her feet! She responded with a furious blast from her mouth, which spilled across Rehval's body harmlessly.

As they fought, Rehval continued to rave, shouting one final lecture before one of them was destroyed. "The universe teaches men to prize gold. The heavier elements only form in the dying ages of a star's lifespan. Iron is common because red giants fuse it in vain, generating less energy than the cost of the reaction! Gold is formed near the end, but only some, interspersed with so many others! Supernovae spread it across creation! It accumulates in meteors, which crash onto newly born planets, still hot with the fires of genesis! The gold and other heavy metals sink into the mantle, until eventually the planet cools enough. The crust forms, and when meteors impact afterward, they leave deposits of gold, but only in trace amounts! Man finds it in streams, and the purity of it entices him to seek out its truth!"

"That truth lies in the center!" Rehval screamed. "I have concentrated the gold from the interior of Nagaoka! This is the purest, most perfect expression of the bond between myself and this world! You mock me for cutting off my tail, Luffa? Well now I've cut off my entire body to become your better! I do it gladly, for the good of the Saiyan race! For the good of the future! For everything that you are not!

"We're better than you, Luffa! The Saiyans have evolved beyond your brand of thoughtless violence and selfish independence! Beyond the hypocrisy of compassion and honor! Gold needs no such bonds! It dwells among the lesser matter, but remains apart, and always supreme! And I alone know how to teach those lessons to the Saiyan people! I am the master of our destiny! It must be me! And it will be me, for ever and for ever!"

He had been punching Luffa repeatedly with his fists, which now seemed to be made of gold, now that they had cooled off somewhat. Xibuyas understood none of it, but he supposed that what Rehval said must have been true enough if he was winning. And then he heard laughter...

"You really are something, Rehval," Luffa said. "You put everything you had into that."

The gold-Rehval hesitated as she pushed back against him. She slammed her own fists into his gilded body and broke most of the dross off of him. There were dents left in his body from each strike she made.

"You really did it, didn't you?" she asked. "I can sense your power, I can tell it's you, Rehval, but there's nothing Saiyan in there anymore. You really did merge yourself with the planet, didn't you? And that's why you lose."

She struck him again and again, much the same way he had battered her. Each blow sounded like a bomb going off overhead. The difference was that when Luffa took a hit, her body was bruised or bloodied, at worst. Whenever Rehval was struck, his metal body was deformed by each impact.

"I don't get all the details of what you've done to yourself," she roared. "I don't much care, but I've fought enough weird enemies to learn how to figure out what I need to know. You can reshape that body of yours. Add mass to it, pull it back together, or even make a new one if you need to."

She put her hands together and blindsided him with a double-axhandle that twisted his torso into a right angle.

"But you need power to do that stuff, and right now, you're using all the power you have to match my strength. You can't fight me and defend yourself at the same time. Arrrghhh!"

Rehval had contorted his left arm into what looked like an enormous length of wire, and drove the end into Luffa's shoulder like a spear.

"I'm not the only one who's let their guard down, Luffa!" Rehval cried.

"Cute," Luffa said. She reached for her shoulder, as if to pull out the offending object, but instead she pointed at the ground and fired a ki blast. The resulting explosion engulfed them both, and flung Xibuyas through the air like a rag doll.

As the youth tumbled through the air, he marveled at the sheer chaos that surrounded him in all directions. Luffa and Rehval's combined power was so intense that it was difficult to notice anything else. Around him, the ground was cracked and pulverized like the surface of a giant lump of burning charcoal. Orange light shone through the cracks, like open wounds on the back of some impossibly large creature. Xibuyas couldn't sense his Saiyan comrades, but he could hear their terrified screams, and he could smell the familiar odor of death.

In that moment, Xibuyas knew that he ought to be afraid, but he was too overwhelmed by the situation to really feel anything. He seemed like a helpless observer, a passenger in his own body.

When he finally hit the ground, the pain of the impact was almost a relief, since it confirmed that there was at least still a planet left to land upon. As he lost consciousness, he wondered whether he would ever wake up again.

NEXT: The Escape

#dragon ball #fanfiction #super saiyan #luffa #lssjluffafic #trismegistus #xibuyas #endive #nagaoka #🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌 #🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌.🍌🍌🍌🍌.🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌 #🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌 #🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌 #🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌 #🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌

[bbparker]

One Universe [1/3] (Steve Rogers x Reader)

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR ENDGAME

A/N: so I just kept going and I'm very dramatic so enjoy this sop! part two will be up tonight as well x (ALSO NEEDS A LOT OF EDITING STILL SO RIP)

MASTERLIST || PART 2

As the creatures were attempting to take control, (y/n) fought them all off with more power she’d ever known. Maybe it was fuelled by the future she had aways wanted with Steve; or the fact that everything rode on this battle. 

In the eight years they’d been together were some of the best she’d ever had. Though there were some very heavy losses, she was lucky to still have Steve and she loved him with everything she had. However, (y/n) knew she’d never be able to compete with Peggy Carter but she never held it against him.

As much as people try, the past will always be apart of them and (y/n) knew that, having had a nasty past herself. Having time travelled, she saw the way he watched her when they crashed into her office that day. 

(y/n) couldn’t help the pang that shot her in the stomach at the look. Even though Steve did love her, it would never amount to anything close to Peggy Carter. 

Looking over to see Steve fighting and then over to where Carol had just arrived, (y/n) decided to  help Steve; knowing the Kree with similar abilities to herself could handle Thanos. Crash tackling a creature, she rolled until she was on top and drove her fist right through the head of the alien. 

“Nice save.” Steve said standing. Walking over to her, he was greeted with his grimy girlfriend, complete with her bright smile. 

“Well someone needs to make sure you don’t die on the battlefield.” Steve laughed and pointed at her with the hammer. 

“Since when could you lift Thor’s hammer?” (Y/N) joked as she turned and drove a powered up fist through another enemy, Steve kicking and throwing lightning at another. 

“Since I sorted out my priorities.” Glancing over, he smirked at her, making her weak at the knees. Spotting some of Thanos’ demons about to take Steve out, (y/n) quickly shoved him to the side as she charged up, jumping before smashing her fist into the ground and releasing energy into the surrounding group. The aliens were burnt to ash.

Steve pointed at her with a gaped mouth. 

“Could you always do that?” Running past him, she delivered a quick kiss to his lips as an answer. Together they fought, sometimes the shield would be in her grasp being used as a conductor for her energy blasts. 

Turning she saw one of the bigger creatures with tusks lining itself up to take out Steve, her eyes widened and she reacted on instinct.  

“Steve!” In one charged leap, (y/n) was in front of the beast as she grabbed its tusks meanwhile digging her feet into the ground. Letting out a fierce war cry, (y/n) pushed against the creature to slow it down, the gravel beneath her feet crumbling. She was pushed back a few meters before the creature had been stopped altogether. 

Bringing her head up, (y/n) looked into the dead, black eyes of the beast as fire danced in hers. Then she felt through her empath abilities that this animal felt nothing. It didn’t care if it lived or died just kill, kill, kill. 

(Y/N) let out another war cry and charged up her energy, feeling the familiar deep burning inside of her as she gripped the tusks tighter. It one move, she swung the creature around until the momentum of the swing grew. Noticing another pack of beasts approaching, (y/n) used the swing of the larger creature to take knock them away from her.

At the last minute, her hands let go and the large beast was swung  into the distance and into a ship, tearing right through it. 

Looking for Steve, to make sure he was safe, (y/n) found him gaping at her before quickly approaching her.

“Is it wrong to say I am more in love with you right now?” (Y/N) laughed and as was about to reply when a movement in the corner of her eyes caught her attention. Thanos, holding an infinity stone in one hand, hit Carol across the face; ultimately knocking her out.

Looking to Steve and back to Thanos as Tony began fighting him, (y/n) was nervous as she looked around. 

She wanted any other plan than the one in her head which had been following her for years; like a shadow. Catching eyes with Doctor Strange, he was watching her, straining against the containment of the water flow.

All it took was him to raise one finger and she knew. 

One chance, one universe, one option. 

(Y/N) was the outlier in the group and she knew it. The group needed balance and she was weighing it down. 

Nodding at Strange, she turned to Steve, who quickly killed a beast approaching them.

“Steve.” She said, walking with fever towards him as he looked at her with confused eyes. She grabbed his face in the palms of her hands and brought his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. 

“I love you but after this promise me you’ll find her.” Steve watched her with confusion and worry. She sound like she was saying goodbye. 

“I love you! I’m sorry!” And then (y/n) was gone from his arms. Running before taking off in flight, right towards the mad titan and to Tony as her took the stones. Realising her plan Steve began running, swinging the hammer to take off and stop her. 

“(Y/N)!” He screamed, gaining the attention of most heroes as they continued to fight. Some trying to rid their enemies quicker to stop her or Tony from using the gauntlet.

 Tony turned to face the noise only to be knocked down by (y/n). Being nearly Carol’s level of strength was helpful as Tony was knocked out easily. (y/n) leant down, keeping an eye on the near passed out Titan.

“FRIDAY?” (Y/N) called as the woman in Tony’s suit responded. 

“Eject Tony’s gauntlet.” FRIDAY easily allowed the glove to come open as (y/n) took it into her hands. For a single moment she marvelled at the stone that had caused so much trouble over her lifetime.

And she was about to end it.

A sudden fist hit her face first before she could finish her thoughts and put the gauntlet on. The glove flew some distance away, near the fighting Spider-kid. 

(Y/N)’s attention was brought to a very angry titan stalking towards her, dragging a long double sided blade which doubled her in size.  

“You insects! You were never gracious with the gift I gave you and now look where you are!” (y/n) blocked his first hits easily but son he began swinging the blade. 

Ducking, her head was saved from decapitation but it wasn't long before he swung again in a downwards motion. (Y/N) jumped backwards and tripped, landing on her back. 

Diving towards her, with the blades poised to impale her, she rolled to the side in an attack way too close to her liking. As (y/n) stood, she faced her opponent, but not without side eying the gauntlet which still lay near the Spider-kid. 

Thanos and her clashed again as she threw a super charged punch at him but it wasn't enough.

He easily manoeuvred the broad blades around his fingers and hands, cutting up (y/n)’s arms and legs. When she fell on her back, heart pounding as the purple man stood above her, sword poised to stab her in the gut, (y/n) brought her legs up and kicked him in the chest, throwing him backwards. 

Standing quickly she saw the Gauntlet and went for it, yelling as a great force tackled her from behind. 

“Dammit you fucking bald purple gremlin!” (y/n) yelled before Thanos shoved her head into the ground. In the background a one, Peter Parker noticed the struggle and the gauntlet. 

“Karen! Activate instant kill!”

A little distance away, (y/n) turned around rom the ground and truly felt fear for a split second. Looking into the eyes of a desperate mad man. In that second (y/n) also made eye contact with Carol Danvers who was now rising in her position. 

Both their eyes connected and in some strange phenomenon, (y/n) could now see through both her own eyes and Carols as they looked at each other, their eyes were now both glowing. Nodding to each other, they both fired up their abilities to their maximum as Thanos was about to cut (y/n) open. 

However, as his blade came down, (y/n) caught it easily and pushed back. Thanos was sent on his back, quickly standing to face the two women. Both stood next to each other as they held out their fists. Power like no other fuelled their veins, broadened their minds and gave access to an unlimited supply of energy. 

In one thrust, two sets of large photon and energy beams were thrown at Thanos, wearing him down until the smell of burning flesh hit their noses. They powered down and looked at the slightly shrivelled alien kneeling before them. While Carol continued to decimate the creatures now aiming for them, (y/n) glanced around for the gauntlet. 

Spotting it not to far away in the hands of the spider-kid, (y/n) moved towards it only to be stopped by Steve standing in front him. 

“You’re not doing this.” (y/n) walked forward so they were face to face. Laying a small hand on his cheek, she sighed and gave a small sweet smile. Steve simply brought his hand to the one on his cheek but something behind him made him whip her to the side. 

The metal of Steve’s shield cracked once more, breaking fully in half as he fought off Thanos  and his weapon once again, with no Carol in sight. Conflicted, (y/n) looked between Steve and Peter standing with the gauntlet. Steve could die, but this war wasn’t about them. They had one chance. 

“When that comes for me, I know I’ll make the right choice. I know I can let him go.”

Her own voice echoed in her head. Looking away from the love of her life she stood before Peter with a hand held out.

“Give me the gauntlet Pete.” (y/n) asked softly. He looked up at her with sad eyes and knew he had no choice. Slowly his hands extended to hand the gems over.

“It has to be this way?” Peter asked, water lining his eyes. (y/n) looked him in the eyes and nodded.

“It always has to be this way.”

Close by, Thanos threw Steve’s tired and weakened body away from him, intent on coming for her but it was too late. Looking towards Thanos as he said his final words, the gauntlet adjusting to her arm and the gems glowing with power. Peter stood behind and watched with bated and worried eyes.  

“You cannot change anything! I am inevitable!” Thanos yelled approaching her with demons dancing in his eyes. A true mad man.

(Y/N) felt as if time had slowed down as she watched Steve held out his hand begging for her not to do this. The world burned and he still worried about her. Letting out a small sob, she realised without this they could never win.

One chance, it was all they had.

Finally looking at the mad titan, (y/n) said out of breath, bloody and beaten. 

“I… am… so done with your shit”

Then she met the gaze of the only man she’ll ever love and...

… she snapped.

But it wasn’t death that greeted her first.

MASTERLIST || PART 2 

TAG:

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#avengers endgame #endgame #fanfiction #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers endgame #bucky barnes #sam wilson #the snap #thanos #carol danvers #captain America x reader #captain marvel #tony stark #iron man #endgame battle #spoilers #rocket raccoon #avengers x reader #thor odinson

[firedragon04]

Predawn

Every now and again I have a weird idea for a short little story or writing exercise... well here’s today’s:

When I was younger I used to stay awake as long as I could, laying in the long grass outside my family home. I would watch the stars twinkle and dance across the night sky, I’d see streaks of light etch their way across the void, all while listening to the distant chatter of bugs enjoying the night. However, I always wanted to watch the stars turn to the blue sky I saw throughout the day, I wanted to see the night turn to dawn but I would always fall asleep, bristled by the gentle breeze blowing the grass around me. Hours later, I’d wake to see the bright blue shining down on me… not the endlessly brilliant star filled sky.

One warm, arid night I was laying in the grass - now so long that it obscured my vision of the night sky. I didn’t mind though, I actually kind of liked it - it created a dark frame around my vision, perfectly drawing my attention to the stars above. It was on this night that I saw a star appear, as if from nowhere. I hadn’t seen it any other night, nor was it there seconds earlier. At first it was a faint reddish star, clear but distant. I watched it over the next hour grow increasingly bright, flicking violently the entire time. It grew to dominate my framed vision, creating a brilliant silhouette of the grass around me. Its red glow turning the black night sky into a violent battlefield of spilled blood, I began to hear birds stir as the star bathed the world in a morning like light. But in a flash, it was gone, transforming the entire sky back into that brilliant darkness… before a second, even greater explosion of colour was cast across the sky. Streaks of red, blue and yellow created stellar rainbows across the entire sky.

I laid there for hours, watching the sky transform from one beautiful painting to another. Watching as these streaks seemed to curve across the sky towards other stars, connecting them with what seemed like space highways. It was at that moment I began to see it… a faint light over the eastern horizon, dawn was just approaching. I had watched such an amazing and beautiful stellar phenomenon happen in the predawn hours of this late summer day. The sun grew larger over the horizon, bathing the trees and rooftops I could barely see, in a golden morning light. I could feel the morning heat begin to warm the day beyond its already traditional summer heat. I sat up and saw the sky not bathed in the usual orange and blue tones of dawn but instead it looked blown out, ghostly even.

Leaves on the trees began to shrivel and fall. Fires began to ignite across the gardens. The sky was blinding to look at and I could feel my skin begin to boil. Blood bubbled across the surface of my arms and my vision grew cloudy… until I could see was that dark sky again but this time no stars to twinkle back at me. I collapsed to the ground, my breath becoming sharp and difficult. Eventually, I came to accept my fate and laid back down in that spot I always had and looked up at the sky and just imagined what I had seen in the predawn sky. I felt a faint smile formed across my face as all I saw were streaks of red, blue and yellow before white.

#shortstory #short story #predator #space #stars #star #sci-fi #scifi #stories #writing #written #dawn #dusk #night #summer #disaster #apocalypse #writes #write #writer #short

[inspirited-goddess]

✧ MAGIC MONDAY: A S T R O N O M I C A L  “M I M I C R Y” ✧

Type of Magic: Conjuration, Manipulation

Range: Depends on attack

Strength (on a tiered scale/scale from C to S): TOP TIER/S

Class: Celestial/Astronomical

[Magical] Weakness(es): Depends on attack

Known User(s): Prosynthia Crest

Astronomical “Mimicry” (yes I came up with that myself lmao) is a very powerful, otherworldly form of magic that utilizes objects within the solar system such as meteors, asteroids, planets, stars, etc. It is such a strong variant of magic and so very rare that Prosynthia is the only known user recorded in history, and she is only capable of harnessing the solar system to her beck and call due to the celestial ore embedded in her weapon.

The ore that came to be the crescent moon carved atop her stave is the result of a chunk of a shooting star. It is believed magic thrives in all corners of the universe, and this astronomical magic caused the ore to glow upon Prosynthia’s discovery of it. Eventually, she took it to a blacksmith and had it carved into the shape of a crescent moon that was then fused into her old stave. The power within this celestial ore was then hers to command.

Prosynthia’s great love for and massive knowledge of the universe and the way it works enables her to perform massive spells named after objects and phenomenons in space. Each spell uses a different form of magic and has varying effects, so the range and weaknesses of each one vary. Overall, it is so powerful that it’s allowed her to become one of the most skilled warriors in Olympia.

Note: Though she manipulates and conjures objects from space, this does not effect the actual planetary body she summons, i.e. her spell Jupiter will not cause the planet Jupiter to explode lmao.

ABILITIES (I’m sorry there’s a lot lol)

Atmosphere: Prosynthia creates a circular shield around herself that has 5 durable layers, much like Earth’s atmosphere

Anti-Gravity: Enables Prosynthia to adjust the level of gravity of all in her vicinity; great for floating/hovering herself and/or others

Asteroid Belt: She summons a metaphoric belt of asteroids around any given opponent(s) that relentlessly pummels them with all the asteroids in the belt; amount varies

Black Hole: She summons a black hole near an opponent(s) that sucks them in; spell is mostly unavoidable and victim can be trapped in it for as long as Prosynthia wishes (if she even remembers she put them there lmao)

Crater: A physical enhancement ability that greatly increases Prosynthia’s strength; named crater because when she punches/kicks opponents, the impact of their collision into the ground/wall causes a crater

Earthly Alignment: Uses Anti-Gravity to align 2-5 opponents in a row, then blasts them with Solar Beam

Gravitational Pull: Creates current of gravity around Prosynthia that draws items to her; typically used to disarm opponents

Jupiter: One of her most powerful spells, Jupiter is an enormous red meteor that takes a while to summon because she gets it directly from space, and on her command she crashes it into the ground/her opponents and it can destroy anything within a 5-mile radius. Usually a last resort, as allies can be affected

Lunar Eclipse: An ability that heals Prosynthia and/or her allies via the red light from a blood moon/lunar eclipse

Meteor Shower: She summons small meteors that rains down on enemies

Milky Way: She uses milky ways as portals and can travel short distances with them

Neptune: An elemental spell that summons waves and waves of water that she can manipulate freely; usually used when teaming up with Ashton Flordensy

Saturn: She utilizes Saturn’s rings and launches them at opponents; they’re as sharp as the blades on swords and can vary in size

Solar Alignment: Uses Anti-Gravity to align 8+ opponents in a row, then blasts with a stronger version of Solar Beam

Solar Beam: She blasts opponents with rays of solar energy

Solar Eclipse: An ability that briefly immobilizes her enemies for the duration of the totality of a solar eclipse (varies each time)

etc

LIMITATIONS:

When casting “Jupiter”, because it is such a large spell and she has to wait for the meteor to come from space, she is unable to perform any other spells during that time

“Jupiter’s” explosion is indiscriminate; allies can be injured or even killed

Any “solar” spell can only be performed in sunny conditions

“Atmosphere” is a great defensive spell, but the longer she stays in it, the harder it gets for her to breathe (breathing difficulties start after about 5 minutes)

Most spells are fit only for wide battlefields, as fighting in cities/contained areas may bring harm to innocent civilians no matter how hard she tries to control her spells

✧ Sorry for the massive length of this post! I could just as easily have written “etc” after describing the first 3 spells, but because Prosynthia is in my top 3 favorite characters (in my series) and I really love her overall character, I went ahead and described all her spells I have figured out at the top of my head at the moment. Sorry! In any case, like always, if you would like to be added or removed from this tag list, then please let me know! ✧

@arynneva @lady-redshield-writes @tenacious-scripturient @homesteadchronicles @writebruh @the-violet-writer @quartzses @halfbloodlycan @idreamtofreality @oheoo

#magic monday #writers on tumblr #writeblr #writeblr community #worldbuilding #magic #astronomy #about my ocs #about my writing #writer friends #darkness and light #i love prosynthia so so much #as yall can see #she's a badass!! #and she doesn't just use her stave to attack #for close range (bc these attacks can be cast from far away) #she uses a joust!! #and she has more abilities with her joust too!! #my love for her is so great #she encompasses my passion for astronomy #she's my 3rd fave in my series and is topped only by Sonna & Demonica #anyways #yah thanks for reading guys!! #sorry for the essay lol

[roonil-wazlib-at-221b]

Pick Your Battles: Part 2/5

Pairing: Five x Reader

The Handler’s voice greets your ears and your lip curls. You’ve been waiting in her office for an hour, wearing a scratchy skirt and a large, shapeless shirt. You absolutely despise this eras’ fashion, but nobody would move the entire Temps Commission headquarters simply because the Spartan is complaining about clothes again. You did that plenty when you first arrived, probably stupidly, and now you’re pretty sure they send you on missions with dress codes just to piss you off.

Thirty-five years of scratchy skirts and odd garments these people call ‘shirts’. Thirty-five years that’ve left you painfully aware of every passing second—despite being a time traveler, time affects you in all the usual ways. Thirty-five years of watching everything around you change.

What you would have called the future thirty-five years ago (for you), when you slit throats with a smile and spoke Greek in a tongue that feels fuzzy around any other language, has changed in ways you never could have imagined. Truthfully, you’re fond of toilets, but you really miss good old-fashioned battles where two armies met on a battlefield with nothing but their swords and shields to defend them.

Not to sell yourself short, though; you’re above competent with any kind of gun, nunchucks, sword, spear, and basically anything that can be used to hurt people. While you might have been upper-average in Sparta, nobody in the future is as stone-cold as your former kinsmen. You’re the best of the best. What separated you from the masses in Sparta—your eye, keen at spotting tensions and weaknesses; your demeanor, which you’ve changed to become somewhat like Anthia’s in that you’re quite good at being a chameleon; and your intellect, whereas in Sparta brute strength was mostly prized—has made you exceptional here.

You smooth out your skirt, suddenly regretting the shirt you’d chosen to wear; you’d chosen the tent-like garment in a fit of petulance, but now that you think about it, the Handler might take it as you’re not comfortable in your own skin. It’s too late now, though; the door to her office is opening. You hear the hinges squeak and two sets of footsteps enter the room. Without turning around, you remark, “You summoned for me nearly an hour ago.”

“I was a bit sidetracked,” she replies, coming around her desk and sitting down airily. You definitely notice the creaking floorboards behind you; they’re far enough away from you for them not to be an issue. If your ears are correct—and they usually are—the angle at which the person behind you is standing wouldn’t be a good one to shoot you with; the bullet could go straight through your head and hit the Handler as well. “Dot noticed an abnormality in 2064. Happy fiftieth birthday, by the way, Y/N.”

“Thank you.” You cross your legs at the ankles and smile benignly at her. The Handler is used to people jumping through hoops to impress her, as well as chattering nonstop to keep the conversation going in an effort to improve their standing in her eyes.

If you’re not wrong, silence may unnerve the timeless old woman. She certainly does keep talkative friends. If they’re not talking, she is.

“Five, sit down,” the Handler instructs after a second, motioning to the second chair by yours. The floorboards creak again as this ‘Five’—what kind of a name is that?—walks slowly to the chair. Out of the corner of your eye, you make out a man that looks to be about your age wearing an utterly bizarre combination of clothes, even for this era. His hair and beard are unkempt and you sneer internally; what is the point of civilization if not to act and look civilized?

This Five is cautious. He’s not jumpy, and he’s not jittery. When he puts his hands on the armrests of the chair, you can see the shadows of a formerly privileged and civilized man somewhere underneath all that grime and tangled hair.

“Y/N, I’m sure you don’t know, but modern civilization ends in the year 2019,” the Handler says, as if that isn’t a huge deal. “Five here is extraordinary. He has supernatural abilities and is able to jump through space and time. When he jumped to the year 2019, he was stuck in the apocalypse for about forty-five years.”

Pause. You take in the information and glance back at this newcomer. “How extreme is this apocalypse?” you ask. That’s the only reaction you’ll give to this news. If there’s nothing else the Handler delights in, she loves to shock people.

“The end of all humanity,” Five says in a gravelly voice that sounds unused. If you’re not mistaken, the way he glares at the Handler indicates resentment. No doubt he feels a bit more strongly about the end of the world than the Handler does.

Fucking bureaucrats. They never really care about the things they’re supposed to. Still, if Five wants to survive at the Commission, he’ll have to suck it up—you’d gotten in trouble one time for almost stepping on the rat that started the Bubonic Plague—and suck up to the Handler.

“How come he was able to jump to the apocalypse and not out of it?” you ask, ignoring Five’s grunt of displeasure. He’s not one to be ignored, you know. What you don’t know is how far he’ll allow the disrespect to go.

“It’s a phenomenon we’re aiming to get to the bottom of,” the Handler says smoothly.

“Well.” You nod your head. “It was nice to be formally introduced to whom I assume is the newest member of our Commission. I assume he will be mostly covering the BC missions, considering the… caveman look?”

“I assume you don’t cover any missions that require a reasonably attractive femme fatale,” this Five shoots back. So, not much bait needed for him to rise to it, but his comebacks aren’t very good. Maybe it’s a setback of being in the apocalypse alone for all those years.

You already know the Handler is beaming when she says, “Actually, Y/N, I supposed you would be partners with Five. I suspect he has much potential, and you’re just the person to help him unlock it.”

Partners?

You’ve never had a partner before. It was either your odd accent, your distaste for ‘modern’ clothing, or the stories that circulate around you about how you killed your mother just before the Handler found you.

Apparently matricide is frowned upon in the societies most of the other agents come from. It was hardly uncommon in yours.

If it was anyone else, you would protest. Five does, loudly and viscerally, and you grimace. He’s not… no. There’s no way you’ll get along with him. He may be on your side of the hill, compared to the youthful glow the rest of the agents that the Commission employs have, but there’s no way you’ll get along.

If there was ever a reason to take the Handler up on that offer of restoring your younger self’s body…

You shake yourself of that notion. The Handler thinks that you’re dangerous and bloodthirsty, a hound, but a hound that’s obedient to its master. She thinks less of you for that, how you never question or argue with her. It’s always good for people to underestimate you because then you can catch them off their guard.

You’re not a hound. You’re the wolf in sheep’s clothing, and unfortunately Five lacks the finesse to be anything other than the lumbering ox in the china shop. The Handler may find him more amusing, the way he argues with her at every turn, but she’s also more guarded when he’s around.

She’s nearly forgotten how you’d tried to stab her the second you’d met her. In this sort of life, it’s not good to forget a single second.

Five turns around to glare at you, his face wrinkling even more (if that was even possible). How someone can be so weathered, you don’t know. It must be from the apocalypse, which hardly sounds luxurious. Still, he looks terrible.

What a fantastic fiftieth birthday. This ought to be good.

Umbrella Academy Taglist:

@fentanvl @deathswretch @lightningidiot @five-hg @iamsnek666@ameliatrh @ihatecheesyusernames @dora-the-grownup

Pick Your Battles Taglist:

@dadzawas-eyebags

Forever Taglist:

@lemirabitur @annymcervantes

#tua #the umbrella academy #number five #five hargreeves #five x reader #number five x reader #five hargreeves x reader #reader insert #reader x five #reader x five hargreeves #reader x number five #the handler

[hisvanity]

writober day 3: mystery.

a strange incident happened on the battlefield one day when wallace was 21. he was a champion, riding high on his all-win streak for the past several years, and getting quite overconfident…so he found himself in a bind one day when a savvy challenger knocked out out all of his pokémon except for a milotic at half HP--and she still had three healthy pokémon remaining. for a second, it seemed as though he would be unseated, and his four-year win streak would come to an end. 

but then all of a sudden, he felt a tug at his navel--and before he knew it, milotic was surrounded by a towering column of water that none of the opposing mega sceptile’s attacks could penetrate. when the tower dispelled, milotic had grown slightly in size and recovered most of her health. her stats seemed to have been raised drastically as well: she tanked supereffective hits and hit back with OHKOes, quickly sweeping the rest of the challenger’s team. thanks to some sort of deus ex machina, wallace was still on top. he paid for it though, passing out as the battle came to an end.

the pokémon world erupted with questions, and wallace was immediately subject to an investigation. everyone was certain that he had cheated, but what exactly had he done to his pokémon? none of the backstage security cameras showed him injecting any sort of evolution hormone, or attaching extra items to heal his pokémon and enhance her moves’ strength. milotic was even subject to a test to see if she had been hexed or possessed by a ghost pokémon--another popular method of cheating that enhances the power of moves--but even with state-of-the-art technology, she came up clean…and besides, there was still no explanation as to why wallace fainted as soon as milotic went back to her original size. all the evidence pointed toward no foul play, even though what happened had looked so obviously out-of-place. so what had caused it?

then some obscure trainers from kalos weighed in, and said that there was indeed an explanation for what had happened. for the first time during that match, he had unlocked a bond phenomenon with his milotic. bond phenomenons usually produce more drastic transformations even when first attempted, which is why wallace’s unusual one was not immediately recognized as such. the thick column of water that functioned like the protective glow of evolution was the telltale sign of such a phenomenon, as was the tug in wallace’s navel; moreover, people often passed out when they first attempted bond phenomenon, especially if it was involuntary like wallace’s case. but as to whether wallace or his milotic initiated the bond phenomenon was a mystery that could never be solved: sometimes, pokémon themselves initiate bond phenomenon, and it’s impossible to tell who starts it. whether he did it or not was a mystery.

one mystery remained: since bond phenomenons did not restore HP when activated, what had caused the restoration of hit points? the answer came from milotic herself. starmie asked milotic what happened, and she said that she had used recover shortly after the bond phenomenon had completed. but since she was in a new form, the form had boosted her recovery power, allowing herself to heal back more than was usual. 

#don't corner me with that poetry thing. || HEADCANON #writober2k19 #writober2k19entry

[ayanamimon]

WRITOBER DAY 25 // Pumpkin

Just outside of Rei and Asuka’s house, among the more traditional jack-o’-lanterns guarding the front door, you may happen to notice a... different kind of pumpkin.

Unlike its all-orange comrades, this pumpkin is one of the whitest you’ll ever find. It has large, gaping black holes for its eyes, a tiny red light glowing from each one, and they’re complimented by a smile carved so wide it might as well be a Glasgow grin.

Should you ask Rei about it, she’ll tell you she has no idea how it got there.

With that in mind, you might find the need to pick it up and take it to the trash for her... however, should you do this, you will find that your phone has suddenly been bricked. When you return home, all of your electronics will refuse to function - your computer, television, game consoles, even such mundane things as your microwave oven. However, it gets worse from there... over time, you will find yourself seemingly targeted by wild Pokemon that one would consider “artificial” or “alien” in some way, from Magnemite to Metagross.

The only thing that seems to put a stop to this phenomenon is attending a Pokemon battle that Rei is scheduled to participate in. When Rei enters the battlefield... should Lilith come out to play that night, all of your electronics will miraculously return to working order, and those wild Pokemon will leave you alone.

Why, exactly? Nobody knows. Not even Rei.

#DRABBLES // #writober2k19 #writober2k19entry

[hulklovebot]

brunnhilde.

thor x valkyrie

summary: he could admire her all day. no matter what.

warnings: violence??, not really, character death, fluff, angst

They’re losing steadily - a decline like a ski slope, their fight weak, soldiers dying. Everywhere Thor turns he feels like he sees someone he knows, however distantly, slain on the ground, or in the losing half of a duel. He tries to help when he can - slamming his axe into the spine of someone hurting his friends - but when he cannot he has to stop himself from mourning. It’s a battle they signed up for, knowing the consequences. They’ll mourn later, but they must fight.

Truthfully Thor feels he’s doing quite well. Stormbreaker hasn’t failed to kill anyone but he knows it’ll be hardly any match for when Thanos arrives to fight the final duel with the Avengers, no matter when that is. He must - they must face him, kill him, rip that gauntlet off his hands and figure out how to get everyone back. Thor has been prepared for years, for this moment. The moment he’d face the man who murdered his brother and his best friend and half of the universe with the snap of his fingers.

Though now - as Thor looks around the battlefield, at the bodies strewn on the grass, soldiers fighting in air or on the ground - he thinks they might lose.

Tony Stark, suit improved to a God-like mode that had been much improved upon since the snap, fought numerous members of an alien army, looking as though he were coming off better than they were, gushing thick purple liquid from the wounds he caused. Steve Rogers, rolling on the ground with an alien, fighting as hard as he can, but God if it looks like he won’t win. Thor can see Rhodey though Natasha is on the ground and Rocket has been knocked aside, totally still. Nebula fights but her skills are outmatched by Thanos’ army and Thor’s heart aches as an alien slashes against her and Nebula crumbles. She moves no more. Thor had wished she would get the chance to face her father, see her sister again, have the life she deserved.

The battlefield is cold. There are aliens and there are the soldiers. Black and white, good and bad.

Thor brings his arm back and throws his axe with as much strength as he can muster, taking out the alien attacking Steve (though Thor can’t know if he made it, if he survived, or if Thor hesitated long enough to wipe out the star spangled man with a plan) among others, including those who took Nebula. Thor doesn’t know if he can do anymore.

From beside him he sees something. Odd.

A light, high in the sky, bright and coming closer. Is it Thanos? Thor can’t tell, even as the battle briefly ceases to admire the phenomenon. Maybe it’s the coming of the end of the world, as though Thanos wouldn’t be. Maybe it’s come to take them before he could.

But - no. It slams into the ground as easily as a hot knife through butter, like a flashlight reaching ground. Thor takes a few steps back - surely this is nothing good. Thanos. Someone he isn’t even sure he can fight, now.

The light disappears, from the top to the bottom, until Thor is gazing upon the person who travelled through it, and it isn’t Thanos at all.

“Valkyrie.” her name is like a breath on his lips, so soft he’s sure she can’t hear it. But she turns, adjusting the cape on her armor, hands gripped around two swords. Behind her - a group of 50 people, people Thor can recognize as Asgardians, brandishing their own weapons with looks of fierce determination. His heart is filled with so much relief and love he can hardly take it. It’s as if she were an adrenaline rush, giving him the energy he needed to keep going, keep fighting.

Her nose scrunches as her eyes scan the battlefield. It’s resumed in action, mercilessly fast paced, but Thor is only focused on her. The light that brought her there - surely not the Bifrost, he was sure only Stormbreaker could summon it now - seemed to glow from within her, ethereal and spectacular. He could admire her all day.

“I thought you all needed some help.” Valkyrie’s voice makes him weak in the knees, and Thor steps forward, eyes never leaving hers. “This doesn’t look as hard as your bitch sister, truthfully. If I survived her twice - “

“This isn’t the hardest part.” Perhaps she can sense the despair in his voice for she glances at him, and he thinks he might be imagining her eyes softening at the full sight of him. “He’s coming. You and them - I don’t know if you can take them.”

Valkyrie turns her head to glance back at the people behind her, shrugging her shoulders. “You underestimate us, your majesty. I trust that whoever is coming won’t make it past us. We’re tougher than you’d think.” She turns around. Faces the Asgardians. Her voice rises and it’s loud, determined, crystal clear. “Attack the aliens. Save everyone else. You all can do this.”

Thor admires her, still, as the Asgardians disperse in various directions. Thor can see them all, swords working at the aliens. One woman slices her sword through a creature advancing on Rhodey. Another takes down 5 preying upon the feebly stirring body of Natasha Romanov.

His heart swells. “How did you manage this?”

Valkyrie has the distinct look of someone proud but pretending not to be. For modesty. “People wanted to fight, to take down the people who killed half of them. Who was I to stop them? They seemed to respect me, anyway.”

Thor takes another step forward. The battle continues around them but to him they’re in their own bubble, where nothing can hurt them, where it’s just each other. She’s what he’s been needing, what he’s missed. “Why wouldn’t they? You’re brilliant. They saw what you did, on Asgard. I’m sure they’re so impressed. You’re easy to look up to.”

Her cheeks heat up and Thor struggles to hide his smile. He could be 12 years old again, flirting with Saga, his old crush. “I’ve missed you, Lord of Thunder.”

“It’s God of Thunder.” He steps forward again. So close that he uses the hand not holding Stormbreaker to touch her cheek, soft and willing as she leans ever so slightly into him.

She breathes out. “Later. When this is over, we’ll have all the time in the world for this. There are aliens to fight, and a murderer to take down, correct?”

Thor doesn’t move his hand. “You’re right.”

Valkyrie stands still for just another moment. Then she stores one sword under her arm and grabs his arm, pulling his hand away before stepping in, lips brushing against his softly and quickly. Thor could kid himself into thinking it hadn’t occurred, but God, it was like being shocked by lightning, the way he felt.

She steps back, dropping the sword from her arm back to her hand. Thor doesn’t think the butterflies in his stomach could ever stop now. They feel more like ravens than butterflies. Even in a battle, filled with the dead, she’s the light at the end of it all.

“Later, Valkyrie.” He brings his hand up in mock salute, at the woman he could easily consider his queen. Strong and courageous, always.

He throws Stormbreaker again. Doesn’t watch where it goes before recalling it back, recalling the feel of Mjolnir and thinking that Stormbreaker feels better than his hammer had. More confident, powerful.

Her voice carries as he turns around, prepared to exit the bubble and headbutt right back into the fight. “My name isn’t Valkyrie, you know. It’s Brunnhilde.”

As Thor slams his axe down over the head of an alien, the name resounds in his head.

Brunnhilde.

The love of his life? As his eyes flit to look at her, brave and spectacular even in battle, he thinks the answer is a resounding yes.

#thorkyrie #thor x valkyrie #thor x brunnhilde #thorkyrie fic #thor odinson #brunnhilde #valkyrie #marvel fic #fluff #my writing

[isolaradiale]

At the stroke of midnight, for the first time since everything had begun, the girl in the sky began to show some activity other than eating. 

“Note for my records: Spica’s theory that the threat of death, even if only bluffing, being enough to motivate people to work together was 90% accurate. Self-preservation... is important to the living.” 

Her commentary was broadcast across the city as dead televisions came back to life, and every cellphone be it powered or not lit up and recharged. 

“Regardless, the beacons have all been placed. Phase 2 can now commence.” 

Doll-jointed fingers extended outward with her arms before she brought them to opposing sides, bringing several holographic monitors up in their wake. The wings on her back began to glow a light blue, and from each beacon location in the city a ray of light shot upwards towards the sky, each of the same blue. The light from some was brighter than others, twelve in number scattered around the whole of the circular city’s layout. 

“Behold. Your new home.” She smacked the center monitor with a deadpanned “HYA!” and for all but a split second, the image of a functional city was overlain over the ruined cityscape. 

As quickly as the image appeared, however, it flickered away. The beacon lights all turned a dark red along with Ofiuco’s displays, wings, and eyes.

“Ah... The Overlay Protocol was... infected? A... virus?” Eyes darted blankly from screen to screen, before she turned around in midair to take in the city view. “Irregularities forming. Monsters leaking in.” 

Aside from the twelve brightest beacons, the rest seemed to dim away. 

“Control reclaimed at Construction Points 001 to 012. Firewall: Activated. I suggest all citizens of Spirale move to one of the glowing lights immediately. This is an emergency.”

Around the hole beneath her, pockets of data began to take form. At first, they took a mosaic shape, the true form of what was being created vaguely obscured for a moment before monsters of all shapes and sizes solidified into existence and attacked nearby residents indiscriminately. It wasn’t just around the hole that was occurring: all throughout the city the same phenomenon occurred. The only place they didn’t seem to appear was within the territory of light surrounding each of the twelve beacons, though they seemed able to wander in with a little effort.

“Manually booting preservation systems. Temporary respawn workaround: Patched In. Accessing weapons archive to redistribute proper weaponry. Returning reality-defying abilities---

“ERROR. System: Overloaded. Territory: Insufficient. Abilities must be returned in temporary bursts.” The android droned on in the background, yet the threat to the citizens of the island continued to amplify. Tens of beasts became hundreds, then thousands. 

“Before we can repair Phase 2, you need to cull the population of invaders. I have given you the tools to persevere. The strong should protect the weak... yadda yadda...” 

Weapons would appear before each islander, materializing from a pale blue light. For those that had their own from their own world, it was returned, and for those with no experience, generic blades and guns were provided. 

“A hack this elaborate... the time limit is 240 hours... 10 days. It will take me until then to restore functions. You have that long to stay ‘alive.’” A wall of speakers slowly began to take shape around the hole until it was completely concealed. “And I will provide... the tunes.”

“In the wise words of someone, somewhere... YOU CAN’T ESCAPE FROM CROSSING FATE.”

“...Oh, ignore that.” Too meta.

Welcome to Overlay: Part II! We hope you’re enjoying things so far.

To give a general idea of what is happening, the Overlay Protocol has been activated in the city. Thready-looking skeletons of buildings have started to form around the city, but a virus has made it so that aggressive monsters have also started appearing faster than the buildings. These monsters have to be taken out before the Overlay Protocol can be repaired. That’s where the residents come in!

Characters must travel to one of the twelve Construction Points across the city, areas basked in a pale red light that prevent monsters from spawning within them. These areas can be used as ‘safe zones’ for characters that are non-combat oriented. Monsters are drawn to these points for some reason, but the natural barrier prevents them from accessing it easily. You can choose to protect these points or take the fight directly to them!

There are three Construction Zones per Ward. Points 001-003 are in the Northwest. Points 004-006 are in the Northeast. Points 007-009 are in the Southeast. Points 010-012 are in the Southwest.

For the duration of this event, characters will be returned their weapons. In the case that the character does not fight, a generic blade or gun will be provided for them. However any powers associated with that weapon will only be available if unlocked.

For the non-combat types, there’s plenty to do back in the safe zones regarding helping and supporting others.

For five minutes at random every in-character hour, each character’s powers will be fully restored to help with the combat efforts. If your character already has powers unlocked, those powers will be retained but flicker in and out every few minutes.

Characters cannot effectively die during this event. If they reach a point where an individual might ‘die’, they will instead become fragmented. Physically speaking, they become translucent and are unable to utilize powers or move quickly. To remove the fragmented condition, your character must return to a safe zone for six in-character hours before rejoining the battlefield.

Regarding the monsters that spawn throughout the city: for the most part, they’re your generic ghosts and goblin-type enemies you could find in stereotypical fantasy fiction. However, if a character from a world of monsters ventures out past a Construction Point’s safety light, monsters from their world may materialize nearby. It is okay to take advantage of this provided you don’t bring in anything too overpowered, and the monsters themselves must not have the same level of awareness as a human. If you’re not sure if a monster would be allowed, please send the masterlist a message!

Portions of buildings can appear at random during these encounters. They are largely incomplete, but can serve as quick cover (or quick hindrance) as characters battle against the incursion.

You are not required to keep your groups from Part I, however if you wish to continue threading with them, that’s fine too!

For those joining us after Part II begins, you can still claim the flat prize reward by writing two threads (with different characters) of 500+ words using Part II′s premise. 

Part II will end on August 2nd.

And that’s all! Please enjoy the rest of Part II and look forward to the conclusion!

written by mod altair.

#modnote #ir event #ir event: overlay #isola event #event: overlay

[marckiris-road]

The Great Confluence

Chapter 1: The Rising

It was just another beautiful day in the Ivory Isles. Located near the isles is the Isles of Masks, an ancient place full of inhabitants that wears masks as the name suggests. They have a tradition of ritual and disciplined swordsmanship, and those who follow these traditions are called Juggernauts which. One of the Juggernauts was a young man named Yurnero. This man was a stern and serious character, living his life honorably and is a highly disciplined swordsman. His master, Sabasteen was a well-known blacksmith in their land that produced the finest of swords. 

     Sabasteen: Yurnero, come over here. 

     Yurnero: What do you desire master. 

     Sabasteen: A group of thieves have stolen the precious artifacts of the Ivory Isles. It is still unknown on who the culprit is. I need you to investigate the situation. This is a classified mission. No one else must learn about this or else this could stir chaos for our people. 

     Yurnero: By your honor, it will be done. I will not let these traitors go unpunished. 

     Sabasteen: I know you won’t disappoint me and your homeland. Now go. 

Juggernaut went to the monastery of the stolen artifacts. He looked for clues on the where beings of the thieves. The building was clean empty. He searched to bottom, but no evidence was to be found. Just as he was giving up hope on finding evidences on the monastery, he saw a strange unusual pattern on the red wall. 

     Yurnero: Somethings not right here. This doesn’t match the patterns of the other wall. This is blood. It says “The Lost Order”. 

After deciphering the message, the Juggernaut decided to go back to the place his master was staying. Just as he was heading home, he sensed the presence of people following him. 

     Yurnero: One, three, five, seven, a total of nineteen enemies. Its no use hiding. Show yourselves.

 A bunch of men, all wearing masks wearing black robes decided to show up from the shadows. Behind them was a man wearing armor that benefited of a general. It was the lord of the Ivory Isles, Nishigami. 

     Yurnero: My lord, what is the meaning of this? 

     Nishigami: You have involved yourself on a matter that is out of your hands. We heard about it. You know about The Lost Order. 

     Yurnero: How did you know I was investigating this case? 

     Nishigami: The Order has their own ways. As one of the strongest Juggernauts alive, you will pose a dangerous threat to our future plans. So, I have decided to take care of you as soon as possible. And you fell right into the trap. 

The lord of the land then walked away, leaving his minions to take on Yurnero. He was surrounded on all sides, and he was outnumbered eighteen to one. 

     Mercenary 1: Die! 

Just before the mercenary was able to hit Yurnero, he suddenly appeared behind him in the blink of an eye, killing the mercenary. 

     Mercenary 2: What? When did that happen? 

     Mercenary 3: We knew this guy to be dangerous, but this is just absurd! 

Yurnero then suddenly leapt towards each enemy, slashing them instantly without giving them a single moment to react. And soon, all the mercenaries hired to kill him, perished in just a short amount of time. 

     Yurnero: It’s been awhile since I had to use this skill. I must hurry to my master now. He should know the betrayal of the lord of this land. 

Yurnero then arrived to his master’s place and told him everything about what the lord did to him. 

     Yurnero: Master! It was the lord of this land, Nishigami! He was the one who stole the artifacts for his own good! He hired mercenaries to kill me and thought he could get away with it. 

     Sebasteen: It seems the time has finally come. Here take this. You will need it for the journey ahead of you. 

     Yurnero: Your prized sword. Why? I don’t understand. I may be strong, but why are you giving me your most valued treasure? 

     Sebasteen: Your journey is just about to begin. Know that the honor of our kind is with you, and I trust you make the correct decisions. 

*Horn Sounding* 

     Nishigami: Yurnero, come out this instant! 

Upon hearing the voice of the corrupt lord, Yurnero felt like this will only lead to no good. 

     Yurnero: There you are you cowardly traitor! Fight me like a man! Where’s your honor as a swordsman? 

     Nishigami: Don’t lecture me about honor pup! How dare you defy the lord of this land. For that, you shall be severely punished. You are hereby banished from this land, and is denied to experience a noble death. And from now on, you shall be branded as an exile and a traitor to his land! 

As commotion stirred up in the center of their town, more and more people gathered to see what was happening. Hundreds of Juggernauts were present to witness the announcement of the lord. 

     Yurnero: Everyone don’t believe him! He is a traitor to th-

     Nishigami: Silence! One more word and I will end the lives of everyone you love. Hundreds of juggernauts are gathered here. It is not a wise move to do anything stupid. 

     Yurnero: Don’t believe him my fellow Juggernauts! This person is a threat to our- 

The sky suddenly glowed green and magic particles were seeping from the ground

     Nishigami: What is this? What’s happening? 

As purple magic particles seeped from the ground, the sky also suddenly turned green, as if it were the horrifying land of the dead. As everyone was confused on the strange phenomenon, as strong earthquake suddenly occurred and split the land in half. 

     Nishigami: *falls to ground* What is this magic? Who did this? 

     Sebasteen: The time has come. It feels like vengeful magic, it’s the undead. 

     Yurnero: The undead? What is magic of people on the realm of the dead doing here! While everyone was panicking, skeletons then rose from the ground beneath them, and the sky soon became more darker at every passing second. 

     Nishigami: Guards! Protect me! 

     Yurnero: Master run away! I will take care of Nishigami once and for all and bring honor to our country. 

     Sebasteen: No. Its too late for us. This land will soon sink to the bottom of the sea in any moment now. You must live, preserve the honor of the Isle of Masks, and bring us justice! 

     Yurnero: I won’t do it! I can’t abandon you! If our land is to fall then I shall die before that happens. Blade Fury! 

Yurnero’s renowned katana techniques allow him to master the flow of the blade, spinning with his blade gracefully, tearing down every skeleton in his path. The skeletons used magic on Yurnero, but it was to no effect. Other Juggernauts were also fighting throughout the hectic battlefield. 

     Juggernaut 1: Yurnero! You muse leave at once! Leave the rest to us! 

     Juggernaut 2: The honor of our nation shall not be tarnished with the acts of a traitor! 

     Sebasteen: My student! Remember what I have thought you! You mus-

Sebasteen, then got stabbed on the back by a bone sword. He fell to the ground with a huge smack. 

     Yurnero: Master!!!! 

     ???: Ahhh. A student-master relationship I see. *evil laughter* 

     Juggernaut 1: Who are you!? You abomination! 

     Ostarion: I am the Wraith King, Ostarion. I heard the stories of this place. The relics of this nation. So, I just decided to hop by and take it for my kingdom. Submit to the Wraith King’s rule! 

     Yurnero: You fiend! How did the realm of the dead arrive at the realm of the living? 

     Ostarion: You poor naïve child. True you may be strong to some but to me, you are just a lowly rat. There are still a lot of things possible out there that is way beyond your imagination. Too bad you won’t live to see the end of it. Wraithfire Blast! 

Yurnero got hit with the green spectral fire, stunning him. 

     Yurnero: I can’t move. Is this the end? I couldn’t fulfill my master’s wishes. What did he want me to do? 

     Ostarion: *slowly walking towards him* Another subject for the Wraith King. Goodbye! Just before Ostarion could slice Yurnero, a fellow Juggernaut blocked the sword of the king. 

     Ostarion: You lowly plebeian. You dare stand against me? 

     Juggernaut 1: Healing Ward! Purge! Yurnero can you move now!? 

     Yurnero: *pants* Yes, I can. thank you! 

     Juggernaut 1: Run! As you are right now, you cannot take him on! Get stronger and avenge us! Forget about the traitorous lord. I’m sure he has fallen by now! 

     Yurnero: I see his body laying on the ground there, he is turning into a wraith. But brother I cannot leave you to die! 

     Juggernaut 1: Just go! You need to live to tell our story and so our legacy will endure! The other Juggernauts and I will hold him off. Go! 

     Yurnero: But-

Suddenly. A blue wisp suddenly attached to the body of Yurnero, as the tethered wisp approached the Juggernaut, it, and Yurnero were suddenly teleported out of the Isles of Masks. Just after they had escaped, the entire land suffered another strong earthquake, and was devoured by the ocean waves during the night of vengeful magic. 

Chapter Epilogue: 

Yurnero lost everything. His friends, his family, his people, and his fellow warriors. Yurnero was now the sole survivor of his people. He alone remains to carry on the Isle’s long Juggernaut tradition, their art, and to avenge his fallen nation from the hands of suffering so that another nation would not fall victim to the same fate. And so, the Juggernaut embarks on a journey, until the day comes that he and Ostarion would meet again. 

Chapter 2: The Grand Magus

Yurnero saw a flash of bright light. Next thing he knew, he was at another island far from the Isleof Masks. He looked around, and still sees the wisp tethered to him.

   Yurnero: This wisp, you are one of the Fundamentals! The Fundamental of Force. Why did you save me?

    Io: *bleep bloop noises*

Io doesn’t have a clear spoken language, but its reactions are conveyed through sounds which resembles music patterns. Yet, only a few special people are able to understand the wisp’s speeches such as Yurnero due to his connections with the spirits.

    Yurnero: The Great Confluence is soon coming? It does make sense. The realm of the dead suddenly arrived and slaughtered my people. Wait what is that?

At the distance of the cliff they were staying, they saw a green explosion-like fog appeared in the distance. It was the Isle of Masks

   Io: *Bleep Bloop Io noises*

    Yurnero: Yes. It’s my homeland isn’t it? Its sinking towards the sea.

Yurnero tightly grasps his hand and pointed his sword towards the sinking isles

   Yurnero: Master, my fellow Juggernauts, and my people! I shall avenge you. I vow to continue our ways and traditions. I shall make sure to save this realm from the dead!

    Io: *Bleep bloop Io noises*

    Yurnero: Thank you kind Fundamental. I will need your protection. If it’s the realm of the dead we’re dealing, we would need an army and more strong arms at our aid. I know a few friends. We should go visit then.

    Io: *Bleep bloop Io noises*

Yurnero: Its true, we don’t know where they will strike next. We will have to find out on the way. Hopefully Sven or Tresdin may know a thing or two.

    Io: *Bleep bloop Io noises*

    Yurnero: Tresdin is preparing for a war? That may have something to do with the Great Confluence master was talking about. Let’s join her later. We have to go to Sven first. That rogue knight should be of great help to us. Let’s head to Lordaeron, I heard he was recently there.

    Io: *Bleep bloop Io noises*

Io and Juggernaut then began their journey to find Sven, the Rogue knight. Three months have passed and on the way to Lordaeron, they have arrived by the Passage of Sarddel which blocked of Lordaeron. A rocky passageway full of gargoyles, golems, and other rock creatures.

    Io: *Squeek high pitched noises*

    Yurnero: Yes, I sense his presence as well. Show yourself!

    ???: Long time no see Yurrnero. I see the Fundaments have also decided to take action.

A mysterious figure emerged from the shadows. A green figure wearing black and green robes holding a staff that glowed with green arcanery.

    Yurnero: Is that you Rubick? It has been a long time indeed.

    Rubick: I heard what happened to your homeland. I’m sorry for your loss. But did there happen to be strong spells that the sunk with your people? And did the realm of the dead show any strong spells?

    Yurnero: So, I lost my everything and the first think you decide to ask is about our lost and hidden spells? You really haven’t changed. Our spells won’t even do you any good for a wizard such as you.

    Io: *Confused Io noises*

    Yurnero: You haven’t heard about this guy? *Laughs*. Let me introduce you. This weird man is Rubick, also known as the Grand Magus. Boy dreams to become like his father, the Apex Mage and the son of the great Aghanim. Rubick this just proves how far you are from achieving your father’s footsteps. Drop it. Stop living in your father’s shadows. And become your own man.

    Rubick: Was that supposed to be an insult!? Io aren’t you supposed to be everywhere attending other businesses such as Lordaeron and Stonehall? My thirst for knowledge can never be quenched, and I will not stop until I achieve my fathers’ fame and power.

     Yurnero: Wait what do you mean about Lordaeron we were just heading there once we are through the Passage of Sardel. And Stonehall too near our Ancient? Did something happen there as well?

     Rubick: Yes. Our Ancient, which is a big structure that watches over the land, and our source of life.

    Io: *Bleep bloop Io noises*

    Rubick: So, all this time you were just accompanying Juggernaut on his way to Lordaeron? I thought you should’ve known better. War between the undead and Lordaeron will happen soon. No scratch that. It’s happening right now I believe. I was just on the way there as well.

    Io: *Bleep bloop Io noises*

    Yurnero: Yes, I owe this wisp my life. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve been a goner. Why do you plan to head there? Do you want to save this realm as well?

    Rubick: Oh nah of course not. One of the generals of the Empire of Bone leads the army attacking there. I merely just want to learn his arcanery.

    Yurnero: Rubick, if you stand for nothing, what will you fall for?

    Rubick: I stand for myself, to become the next Apex Mage, just like my father.

    Yurnero: You- This guy’s hopeless. Where in the world did you get this information anyway?

    Rubick: A few months ago, I went to the Ivory Incumbarium and spoke with Nerif.

    Yurnero: Nerif!? You mean the Nerif the Oracle?! How?

    Rubick: My thirst for knowledge led me to the Ivory of Incumbarium. Yes, a lot of traps are there but my magics easily allowed me to pass through. Yes, getting information from the Oracle was a tough one. We exchanged spells and fought for several hours. I then got my fill of riddles, did some research on it and here we are.

    Yurnero: Did he tell you anything about the Great Confluence?

    Rubick: The Great what now?

    Yurnero: Forget it we’ll deal with it later. Now, we must hurry to Lordaeron. Our friends. I mean, MY friends need our help. Let’s go there now.

    Rubick: Are you saying you’re asking me, the Grand Magus to accompany you to help save a pitiful empire, yet this pitiful realm?

    Yurnero: You’re hopeless and you have no honor. Fine. If you come with us, you will get your fill of magic for your own enjoyment, how about that?

    Rubick: Fair enough. Let us be on our way then.

    Io: *Disappointed Io noises*

Chapter Epilogue:

And so, the Yurnero hurriedly went towards Lordaeron with their new companion, Rubick, the Grand Magus. Despite their difference in their beliefs, Yurnero decided to put up with his narcissistic attitude because his power will be a great aid in order to battle against the Realm of the dead.

Chapter 3: The Siege on Lordaeron

The group finally arrived at the gates of Lordaeron. Fire lit up the night sky, and buildings were blazed in fire. In the entrance, they saw Davion, the Dragon Knight. A powerful, durable, straightforward, yet versatile knight.

     Davion: *Uses Breath of Fire*. That takes care of this batch. Who goes there!?

     Yurnero: We’re friendlies calm down.

     Davion: The Juggernaut, The Grand Magus, and one of the Fundamentals. Its rare to see a bunch of big names gathered in one place. Let’s cut the formalities and get straight into it. Follow me towards our headquarters.

     Yurnero: But what about the City?

     Davion: This was just the first wave. They will come at us at any second now.

     Rubick: You go follow them to plan for whatever you need to plan. I need to examine these bodies and the magic behind this.

      Io. *Bleep bloop Io noises*

      Yurnero: Okay go do your thing. Davion, let’s go.

Yurnero then followed Dragon Knight to their headquarters to discuss about their plans. For the coming of the next wave of undead forces. Inside the building were a bunch of familiar faces that Juggernaut knew.

     Sven: It’s the Juggernaut, Yurnero! It’s been too long!

     Yurnero: Sven! I knew you were here. I’m glad to see you well.

Sven, a rogue knight wielding the massive, Adjudicator’s Blade and the massive shield Vigil Segnet.  

     Invoker: Aeons have I waited, and saved, for this battle to commence! Throughout the aeons I have been known by many names…but my true name of power…is Carl.

     Everyone in the room: ……….

Carl, the Invoker, also known as the Arsenal Magus who mastered the Lost Magic of Quas, Wex, and Exort. He never stops talking and a narcissistic wizard. Despite having young looks, he is a hundred times years old. Everyone hates him. Be it friend or foe. Everyone.

      Yurnero: This is not normal. Its rare to see a bunch us heroes gathered in one place. What brings us all here coincidentally at the same time? Even the Fundamental of Forces and Rubick are outside. Thinks in his mind *Rubick must really regret not being in the room where it happens. *

      Davion: I reside here as the guardian of Lordaeron.

      Sven: I believe Jugg that you have heard me having business here? All of a sudden, these undead started to appear, can’t run from it. And I love my land, I have to fight for it.

      Invoker: I am a beacon of knowledge blazing across a black sea of ignorance. My totality eclipses the cosm! Behold before you, the illustrious, the imperious, ingenious arch-mage… CARL.

      Everyone in the room: ………

Everyone in the room became quiet. Everyone just really hates Invoker.

      Davion: *Coughs* lets get to the meeting at hand. The first wave has caused this much devastation to this city. Luckily, we were able to hold them off.  From the information I gathered, the general leading them was Clinkz. I’m sure all of you here are familiar with the guy.

      Yurnero: Whispers *Just like what Rubick said from the oracle*

      Sven: If its just him this should be fairly easy. His only strength is his Searing Arrows and his Skeleton Walk. If we place sentry wards, we should just be fine.

      Davion: Its not wise to underestimate the enemy. He is a general, of course he must have measures. I heard he brought friends with him to finish us once and for all.

      Sven: We can end this war at Yorktown, cut them off at sea but, for this to succeed there is someone else we need.

      Davion: I know.

The heroes then continued to discuss their plans against the invasion of the coming undead forces. They then manned different entrances of Lordaeron. Juggernaut took the North side. Dragon Knight and his men took the West. Rubick and Sven took the East. Invoker took the South all by himself. And Io stayed in the middle as the support to go to anyone at any given moment.

Soon, the sky filled with red clouds heavily rained. It was time for the battle to commence. The sound of drums grew closer. It was a huge undead fleet that amounts to almost 100 galleon ships. There was a ship however that caught the eyes of everyone. With red and black flags, and a structure that resembled a ghost ship, located at the bow was Clinkz. A burning skeletal marksman who commandeered the entire fleet.

      Juggernaut: Its them. Master, may this momento you left me protect this land.

      Invoker: *Chanting Loudly* Harlek's Incantation of Incineration!

A catastrophic ray of fierce energy from the sun suddenly appeared, targeting multiple ships. After its channeling, it incinerating all the ships that were hit with it.

      Rubick: Fascinating energy. Let me try that.

Rubick pointed his staff at Invoker from the southern part of the map, and a solar energy came out of Invoker without him realizing it, and was absorbed by the staff of Rubick.

      Rubick: Sun strike!

Rubick tried to do the same thing Invoker did. But was only able to create one ray instead of multiple rays.

     Rubick: Ha! That was terrible…  

      Sven: Your ability as a trickster and in stealing spells is admirable. But why didn’t you target the main ship with Clinkz in it?

     Rubick: That would be disappointing then.

All of a sudden, Clinkz pointed his bow at a sky, and all at once, multiple Searing Arrows rained down from the sky on the entire city.

     Yurnero: Everyone, take cover!

Multiple arrows rained on the ground with each arrow causing an explosion as it hits the ground.

      Sven: *Uses Warcry* Raaaaaaughh!

Sven’s warcry covered his allies with a small shield, but this only helped minimize the damage they sustained.

Soon, the battlefield was covered with smokes.

      Davion: *cough* *cough. Status report everyone!

When the smoked cleared, the entire city was filled with the skeletal army.

      Yurnero: In just a short time, how? Looks like its time. Juggernaaaaaaaaut!

Juggernaut used his Blade Fury, dancing throughout the battlefield like a tornado, shattering all skeletons that came across him.

On the other side, Sven with his giant sword, cleaved multiple skeletons at once with his giant sword.

     Sven: *cough* Jugg! How are you holding? Tell me if you see Clinkz, that little skeleton could be anywhere by now!

Dragon knight then used his Ultimate skill, Elder Dragon Form, and transformed into a black dragon and took off to the sky.

      Davion: Sven your hit. Take it easy. *Uses breath of fire on skeletons* I will search for him throughout the battlefield. I must see how everyone else is doing!

     Invoker: Quas Quas Exort! Killing Wall of Koryx!

An Ice wall appeared, encasing multiple skeletons in ice.

     Invoker: Wex Trionis! Endoleon's Malevolent Perturbation!

An EMP appeared on the battlefield, exploding and emptied the mana of the skeletal mages.

     Invoker: Wex Quas Wex! My foes aloft!

A fast-moving tornado appeared, suspending them in the air and ripping enemies with the wind.

     Invoker: And for the finale, Exort Wex Exort! Gallaron's Abyssal Carnesphere! Behold the meatball!

Invoker pulled down a meteor from the sky, crashing down the land and rolled forward and setting the skeletons aflame, and finished of the last of the remaining skeletons in the Southern part of the City.

     Rubick: *Watches from a distance* *Gulp* There is no spell that I can master, but that guy is just overkill. So that is the power of the Arsenal Magus. Interesting!

     Invoker: Whatever that was, twas scarcely worth my notice. This bores me. Is there none t hat can stand against my will?

Suddenly, a big black green creature that resembled a gargoyle suddenly emerged from the shadows. Dragon knight looked at it from a distance and was shocked.

     Davion: Smoke of Deceit?! Everyone watch out! They have already infiltrated our defenses. They could be anywhere by now! Sentry wards does not reveal enemies using Smoke of Deceit!

The black winged creature spoke in a deep voice.

     Harbinger: Well, well, if it isn’t Carl. If you had studied more arcanery, you might have evaded your own demise.

     Invoker: Harbinger, the Outworld Devourer. What a surprise, you dare fight me? You think Learn how fragile you are! Quas Quas Quas! Sadron's Protracted Frisson!

Invoker casted a spell that chilled the enemy to their core. But it was to no effect. A sudden blue light of barrier emerged from the Outworld Devourer, and blocked the spell completely.

     Harbinger: Linken’s Sphere, the magical sphere that protected famous heroes throughout history. You thought that your spells would have any effect on me? Arcane Orb!

Harbinger's outworldly knowledge allows it to tap into the ebb and flow of all spiritual energy, infusing it into his being. From his staff, he fired off orbs to Invoker, damaging him based on his mana pool.

     Davion:  *watching from a distance* This is bad! Invoker has the highest mana pool around us! Harbinger is the worst possible enemy for a Magic User. Invoker Use your ghost walk and run away! I’m coming!

     Invoker: Aurgh! Quas Quas We-

      Harbinger: It’s too late. This is the end. Astral Imprisonment!

Harbinger casted Astral Imprisonment on both Invoker and Dragon Knight, placing the target in an astral prison, locked away between a pocket between the world, and the Outworld.

    Harbinger: Sanity’s Eclipse!

Harbinger used his ultimate skill, unleashing a huge psychic blast that deals to enemies based on the difference between Harbinger’s mana and the target's mana.

     Invoker; Wex…Quas…Exorrr…aggghhh…

     Davion: Invoker… Although everyone hated you, your service will be highly appreciated, and I will not let your death go in vain.

     Harbinger: Davion, the Dragon Knight. Your lucky your low mana pool saved you from that eclipse. I see you have already used your dragon form. Let’s dance.

     Davion: I will protect this land from the likes of you! What are you even doing here? I thought Clinkz was the one leading the army?

     Harbinger: Don’t be stupid this is all out war. The Realm of the dead has collided with the living, and I to have decided to join Clinkz in the destruction of this world. Your sanity I’ll shatter, and your dreams of peace, I’ll destroy.

     Davion: Both realms have collided? How? Is this the Great Confluence Juggernaut was talking about?

      Harbinger: Juggernaut? He is lucky to be saved by that fundamental. After this place, the king will soon set out to destroy Stonehall, the capital of this world. If the stronghold were to fall, then taking over this realm will be easy.

      Davion: Not if I can help it. I will protect our honor and our country. Let’s get this over with.

Meanwhile, back to Juggernaut over at the other battlefield after the smoke cleared. Yurnero united with Sven and Rubick after the rain of exploding searing arrows.

     Sven: *Cough* Jugg what are you doing here? What about the northern part of the city?

     Yurnero: Don’t worry. I have cleared the entire northern area of all skeletons there. So it should now be safe.

      Rubick: That was quick. I admit we could use some help here.

      Yurnero: Don’t worry about the ships in the northern shore, they were all taken care of by Invoker’s sunstrike. And it seems Clinkz’s ship is here at the port of Yorktown.

      Rubick: I’m surprised though, I thought the rouge knight would be as equally as swift at taking down the enemies as you Yurnero.

      Sven: Says the person who couldn’t perfectly copy the Arsenal Magus. I thought the Grand Magus would be much more skillful than that. I’m the one who protected you from those exploding arrows.

      Rubick: What did you say about the Grand Magus?! I can only perfect spells, if not do it better if I was right in front of them. Invoker on the other hand was over at the other side of the map!

      Sven: At least I was able to take down most of the skeletons here.

      Rubick: What can I do? I’m a magus. I simply support you fight from behind. You’re not even doing your job quickly. So much for the wielder of the Adjudicator’s Blade, the Grand Magus is not impressed.

      Yurnero: He’s right Sven. Its not the size of this sword, its how you use it.

      Sven: Come on Jugg are you literally gonna side with this clown? Take a look at this. Rahaagh!

Sven swung his long blade, and in one strike, it cleaved towards all the other skeletons in the area.

      Sven: See what I did there? I don’t thi- hey. The sentry wards are gone.

      Rubick: Your right. Here let me use the Dust of Appearance just in case.

Rubick then went for his inventory and took out his Dust of Appearance. He tossed it in the air and it sparkled magic dust over the area. Just after he used it, Sven saw Clinkz at his back ready to strike Rubick down.

*Sven pushes Rubick out of the way*

      Sven: Behind you!

The searing arrows hit the shield of Sven, exploding on contact.

      Yurnero: Sven! Are you alright?

Sven was thrown back because of the explosion but was able to stay on his feet.

      Sven: *cough* I’m good. That was bad it almost got you Rubick.

      Rubick: Hmph! I didn’t need your aid.

      Yurnero: Clinkz! You have finally shown yourself you coward. You’re not as weak as you were. I don’t remember your allows exploding on contact.

      Clinkz: I’m surprised you were able to take those shots head on Sven. If not, the Grand Magus would not have lived long enough to follow his father’s footsteps.

      Yurnero: That’s enough now! Why are you attacking this place? How did the realm of the dead get here!?

      Clinkz: You didn’t know? The realm of the dead has merged now with the realm of the living.

      Rubick: The realms have merged. Yurnero, this must be the Great Confluence you were talking about.

      Sven: That would make sense why you would appear in the first place.

      Clinkz: Yes. And now this will be your end. We will take over this realm and shatter you all to a million pieces, to serve our King Ostarion. My partner has already arrived at the opposite end I suppose.

      Yurnero: Partner?

*A huge screeching sound of psychic energy was heard from a distance*

      Sven: That sound!

      Yurnero: The Outworld Devourer, Harbinger!

      Rubick: Curios. I wish to go to that area to take his spell. But alas that won’t be possible. Wait somethings wrong. I don’t feel the magical presence of the Arsenal Magus anymore!

      Clinkz: It seems Invoker has fallen huh? That old man finally bit the dust. Everyone hated him anyways so what’s the big deal.

      Rubick: I wanted to find out his secret arcanery... And it is because of you people that that dream is undone. Guess your magics will have to do as substitute. What a waste.

      Yurnero: I never thought a day would come that Invoker would perish one day.

      Sven: Lets move on it can’t be helped. Harbinger is the number one weakness of mages due to his skills depending on the mana of their target. Come old friend, let us avenge him and fight for this land!

      Rubick: Mystic Flare! Fade bolt!

Rubick fired off a powerful stream of arcane energy towards Clinkz.

      Clinkz: Strafe!

Clinkz then burned brightly and his speed highly increased. He was able to dodge the projectiles headed to him by Rubick. And quickly ran in circles, firing Searing arrows on the three of them simultaneously.

      Sven: *Sven used his warcry* Yahauugh!

Sven's Warcry heartens his allied heroes for battle, increasing their armor and movement speed.

     Yurnero: The lines of the Vigil Codex truly inspire us.

     Sven: Storm Hammer!

Sven unleashes his magical gauntlet and threw a hammer at the ground causing the area around it to leave a hole and smoke to rise up slowing Clinkz down.

      Clinkz: You almost got me the-

Just before Clinkz was able to finish his sentence, Yurnero suddenly appeared from the smoke and casted his ultimate skill, Omnislash!

     Yurnero: Looks like its just you and me. Juggernaaaaaaaaut!

Juggernaut leapt toward Clinkz, and quickly slashed him at multiple sides.

      Clinkz: Urgh! Ghost Scepter

As juggernaut continue slashing Clinkz, he noticed his attacks suddenly passed through him. Yurnero then cancelled his skill and leapt back to Sven and Rubick

      Yurnero: He turned ethereal! Damn it! He wasted my ultimate skill. I won’t be able to use that move again for some time.

      Clinkz: You almost got me there. Death Pact!

Clinkz put pointed his arm at Sven, and grasped his arm towards him.

      Sven: Aurghhh! I lost all my strength! What, what did you do!

      Yurnero: Sven are you alright!?

      Clinkz: I merely just took back the life you stole from me. Now I’m healthier than ever. Burning Army!

2 parallel lines of skeletal archers emerged from their sides.

      Clinkz: Strafe! This is the end for you Sven. Orchid Malevolence! Nullifier!

      Sven: *Sven used his warcry* Yahauugh! What? I cant use it! I’m silenced! I can’t move either! Damn it where did he get such powerful items!

      Yurnero: Sven I got you!

Juggernaut puts up a healing ward towards Sven which allowed him to gain more life energy. As the first barrage of arrows hit Sven, his armor steadily shattered, and his life force weakening.

      Rubick: The healing ward is not healing him fast enough. Telekenesis!

Rubick pointed his staff at Clinkz and raised him up.

      Clinkz: You’re only delaying the invitable! Skeleton Walk!

Clinkz blazed up disappeared from the sky, leaving 2 skeleton archers firing Searing arrows at Rubick!

      Rubick: What!? How could he disappear from the hands of the Arsenal Magus!

Clinkz suddenly appeared at a different angle and used his skill Strafe, blazing up and fired multiple Searing Arrows at Sven.

      Clinkz: Strafe! Good night rouge knight!

Clinkz and his burning army of skeletal archers fired multiple searing arrows at them at once, just before they were able to hit them, a blue line of light suddenly tethered to Sven.

      Yurnero: Io!

Io came behind them at full speed, surrounded with 5 particle spirits that danced around the wisp. The particle spirits blocked all the arrows the burning skeletons coming towards Sven, but took the damage instead from the barrage of arrows coming from Clinkz himself.

      Rubick: Fascinating. What would bring the fundamental to perform such heroic acts on a rogue knight. Let me test my combo with him them. False Promise!

Rubick casted False Promise on Sven, buying him time to live.

      Rubick: He won’t die for as long as the spell last. Combined with your healing ward and Io’s tether, he should rejuvenate quickly. It either promises death, or promises life.

      Yurnero: That spell! Isn’t that from the Oracle? You stole it!?

      Rubick: I did not steal. I merely borrowed.

      Io: *Bleep bloop hurt Io noises*

Drawing energy of matter from all worlds, Io begins unravelling time. Growing bright yellow and giving Sven, his tethered ally an amplification of regeneration, at the cost of its own life force.

      Clinkz: Io the Fundamental!? I didn’t know you were here! An honor to take down a fundamental. Take this!

      Sven: Friendly wisp! You do not need to lose your life for me! You are an important fundamental of the universe! Go!

      Io: *Bleep bloop Io noises*

A barrage of searing arrows hit Io, exploding as it made contact to the wisp. Once the smoke cleared, Sven and Juggernaut were overcome with grief and Rubick was in shock.  All that remained of the cleared smoke were Sven, back to full health and power, and that remaining particles of Io, who took all the damage of the Searing Arrows from Sven, and sacrificed his own life force for him to regenerate quick enough to avoid the promise of death.

Io the friendly jolly wisp who saved not only Yurnero, the last Juggernaut, but also the life of his old friend, Sven, was no more.

Meanwhile back to the Dragon Knight and the Outworld Devourer, their clash came out to a standstill as their soared through the air, dodging each other’s attacks.

     Davion: *pant* *pant* I need to end this soon. My dragon form is about to run out.

     Harbinger: Running out of juice I see? What a pity. Unlike you who has a relatively low mana pool, I never run out of mana thanks to my Essence Flux. The outworld is awash with arcane energy, and they all diffuse through my rifts.

Harbinger decides to fire out more Arcane orbs from his staff. Davion most of it, but got hit at the last one. Davion glided through the air and used his breath of Fire against him, but the Linken’s Sphere protected him from any magic.

    Davion: This is bad. If I’m running low on health and mana. If I don’t take him down, the others won’t stand a chance. Juggernaut and Sven are close ranged fighters so they can’t reach Harbinger in the air, and Rubick and Io are only support heroes, they wont stand a change against a hero who uses their own mana against them. There is only one choice left.

Davion then decided to breath fire around him. Creating smokes between him and Harbinger.

    Harbinger: What are you planning? A smokescreen?

Then out of nowhere, Davion came behind him clipping his wings on Harbinger to bind him and attempted to grab him with his tail to stun him.

    Harbinger: Close call! Astral Imprisonment!

Davion then got trapped on the Astral Imprisonment, disappearing his physical being in their realm from the world for a few seconds and trapped in a ball of prison.

    Harbinger: Sadly, but that was too predictable.

Just as Davion got out of the Astral Imrisonment, Harbinger casted it a second time on him, putting him back again in an orb and dealing damage.

    Harbinger: I’m just toying with you now. Remember I can cast Astral Imprisonment 2 times. This is the end for the Knight and Slyrak, the dragon you got the power from. Sanity’s Eclipse!

Harbinger once again used his ultimate skill, Sanity’s Eclise on Davion, unleashing a psychic blast and sent out a huge sound of psychic energy.

    Harbinger: I heard you were heavy but I found you not so. The end.

Once the Astral Imprisonment ended, he only saw blue smoke, the remains of an illusion.

    Harbinger: Illusion!?

    Davion: Too bad you can’t cast that Astral Imprisonment 3 times!

    Davion appeared once again behind on Harbinger and was able to get a tight grip on him with his wings and his tail

    Harbinger: I can’t move! My wings are… heavy! That illusion! Since when?

    Davion: Behold the Illusionist’s Cape! Rubick gave me this telling me he was curios if this will able to produce an illusion of me during my Elder Dragon Form. Luckily it did.

Davion then flew up high to the sky, then quickly dived down and threw Harbinger’s body crashing to the ground with a huge force. With the last of his mana, he used his full Breath of Fire until he ran out of mana.

    Harbinger: No, this cant be! Fallen… like a stone….

As he said his last words, his body then cracked, and turned to broken pieces of stone.

Davion then flew back to ground, and just in time, returned to his normal human form. He then heads towards the spot where Invoker perished.

     Davion: Although I never liked you, I have avenged your soul, and it was an honor to fight with you, Carl. May your magics and your ego rest in peace.

Now, back to the battle at the West side of Lordaeron, continued the battle of Yurnero and his group against Clinkz, the Bone Fletcher.

     Clinkz: *Maniacal Laughter* It seems I have killed one of the fundamentals of the universe. I hope I didn’t upset the balance or something.

     Rubick: The death of the Fundamental of Force… Interesting.

     Yurnero: Io, you jolly wisp… A person that always put others ahead of itself. Not only did you save mine, but now you also saved my old friend’s life.

     Sven: Raaaaaaughh! *invokes God Strength*

Sven, with the strength of the Sacred Helm, combined with the emotions of the sacrifice of the kind wisp, channels his inner rogue strength turned his body from blue to red, and greatly increasing his damage for a few seconds.

     Clinkz: Wait wait wait… What is that strength, that’s beyond earthly... Wait is that Daedalus!? *Whispers* This is bad, one strike, and I’m a goner…

    Yurnero: Harrgghh!

Yurnero now regaining back his strength thanks to the healing ward, quickly dashed around the battlefield, killing all the skeletons that Clinkz conjured.

     Clinkz: Skeleton wal-

     Rubick: Telekenesis! Too bad skeleton that was a close one. You won’t be able to use Strafe for a while because you just recently used it.

Yurnero suddenly blinked right beside Clinkz and used his Bladefury, spinning his sword and continuously damaging him.

Rubick then blinked at the other side of Clinkz.

    Rubick: Spell steal! Let me try that Juggernaut. Blade fury!

Rubick then spinned his staff around, spinning like a cyclone, dealing just as damage just as effective damage on the other side of Clinkz, pinning him down unable to escape.

Sven then grew closer and closer to Clinkz.

     Clinkz: Wait wait wait!

Sven then hit Clinkz with his sword with such tremendous force, that a huge shockwave generated and flew him across the port hitting the rocks.

     Clinkz: Hurghhh!! That was bad. Really bad! If it haven’t casted Death Pack on Sven earlier, the life I had wouldn’t have been enough to survive it. This isn’t the end! Skeleton Walk!

Clinkz then turned invisible, quickly running away back to his ship and ordering his troops to retreat.

     Yurnero: Damn it! I was just about to finish him off! That guy should not be allowed to live! If he will be able to inform Ostarion of our strengths and plans, we will be doomed.

     Rubick: That blow didn’t finish him off? The Grand Magus is confused. I have no more dust of Appearance to use. What should we do? Can we go after him?

     Sven: It’s alright. We knew Clinkz was always a coward, running away at the very last second. That’s why we asked the aid of a special someone. The hero that ruled the seas. Look at the shore. It’s the admiral’s ship. Cutting of the escape of their ships from escaping.

     Yurnero: As we are right now, we cannot catch up to him. He’s too fast. He probably has already teleported to the safety of his own ship. Can we really trust his skills? His facing against an entire fleet trying to escape.

     Sven: Don’t worry, I have fought with him side by side, and he has mastered the art of battling on the seas. The Admiral Kunkka has admirable skills, all we can do is watch from here and see from afar how he will be able to stop an entire fleet from escaping. That man would literally sink down his fleet just to protect his nation. He will avenge those who have fallen here in Lordaeron.

     Yurnero: I have heard tales of him. Its really stormy right now, so we really can’t do anything. I shall have faith on this person.

      Sven: *Shouting* Kunkka! If you can hear me, you better make sure you won’t let them get away! Avenge those who have fallen, and fight for our land!

Kunkka then shouts out from a distance.

      Kunkka: I hear ya mate! Leave the rest to me and rest well. Get a drink or two! The admirable Admiral Kunkka! At your service.

Chapter Epilogue:

And so, concludes the battle on the city of Lordaeron. The deaths of Invoker and Io will not be in vain. When the heroes were at the headquarters discussing their plan, they wanted to cut them off at sea just in case Clinkz escapes. But for it to succeed, there was someone else they need: Admiral Kunkka.

Chapter 4: The Battle of the Gulf of Yorktown

     Kunkka: Rough seas ahead, crew. Strap me to the mizzen when I give the word.

The Admiral Kunkka, is a great leader of the Claddish Navy, who uses the legendary rapier, Tidebringer.  What makes him different from the others however is that he is a one-man navy. Having lost his crewmates in the past, he commands the seas with his ghostly crew.

It was heavily raining; waves were rough and lightning flashed through the skies. Kunkka however was able to commandeer his ship as if it was the finest of weather, sailing unbelievably fast. As Kunkka sailed his ship, the other heroes watching from the shore saw something weird.

     Yurnero: The ships are suddenly fading from sight.

     Rubick: It must be the work of Clinkz, using his invisible skills on his ships.

     Sven: Not to worry, he has a counter for that.

      Kunkka: Ahh invisbility. None can hide from the view of the Gem of True Sight.

      Clinkz: The gem? Damn. My cloaking skills are useless against it. Everyone, fall back at full speed! Other ships, buy us time to escape.

      Kunkka: No, you’re not getting away.

Kunkka then while piloting the ship rammed one of the enemy ships, tearing it apart instantly. He then raised his arm towards the sky.

He summoned a number of rising torrents from the seas, hoisting up multiple enemy ships towards the sky. The ships that were hit by the torrents lost their balance, and crashed towards the ocean floor once it fell back down.

     Skeleton Soldier: Sir! He has destroyed multiple ships! Only a few ships remain!

     Clinkz: If I were in the position to fight, I would’ve taken him out by now. But the wound that Sven dealt to me is too serious. We must focus on escaping. Order some of the ships to board him. This will bring us time to get into the fog and lose him. Just in case, call for Tidehunter.

Several ships then headed towards Kunkka, and a single ship blocked his way towards the enemy’s main ship.

     Kunkka: I see the lot of ye boarding my ship ey?

A number of skeleton warriors board his ship.

      Kunkka: I must thank you for boarding this ship. If anything, you just made it easier for me.

Kunkka then unsheathed Tidebringer, and with a single slash with his rapier, all skeletons on board were instantly killed, and in the back, destroyed all the ships surrounding him.

     Clinkz: Did he just destroy all of our ships in one slash? We have no other way to escape, but to sink his ship once and for all. I did not want to use my skills so that we won’t reveal our location, but this is dire. Due to my wounds, I will not be able to use the best of my abilities. Long range artillery is all I can provide.

Clinkz then drew his bow and aimed at Kunkka’s ship firing a barrage of searing arrows. Some of his arrows made direct contact with the ship, causing them to explode on impact, slowing down Kunkka’s ship.

     Kunkka: You thought you could get away by slowing down my ship?

Kunkka then waved his arms in an X formation. Soon, Clinkz’s ship began to leave a red line, and from where it started, an X was located.

Kunkka then completed his skill, and just as the ship returned to the area of the X, a strong torrent of water lifted the enemy’s ship.

      Clinkz: Stabilize the ship! He hasn’t arrived yet?!

Clinkz’s ship was able to maintain balance when it fell back down to the rough seas. Just before Kunkka could get in range to the ship, a huge leviathan from beneath the water emerged, knocking back Kunkka’s ship and separating Kunkka and Clinkz.

     Kunkka: Well, Tidehunter, look what the tide washed in.

     Tidehunter: Kunkka, I thought I left you on the bottom of the sea.

Tidehunter emerged from the sea, a leviathan with tough hide and his ocean spells that sweep enemies upward. He is also the rival of Kunkka, proclaiming him as his archnemesis.

Meanwhile, back at the shores of Yorktown, the other heroes watched as Tidehunter emerged from the sea.

      Rubick: Tidehunter? How is he hear? Is he working with Ostarion?

      Sven: I believe he is the archnemesis of Kunkka.

      Yurnero: This is bad. Tidehunter will give Clinkz enough time to repair his ship, and escape.

      Sven: Lets just watch. It isn’t over.

On the strong waves, and heavy weather, Kunkka and Tidehunter looked at each other on the eye.

     Kunkka: I know you want to settle our battle once and for all, but see that ship right there, I can’t let them escape and I’m running out of time.

     Tidehunter: Is that what you want? Then be my guest go ahead. But you have to get through me first.

Tidehunter opened his mouth, and summoned a gush of water that damaged the hull of Kunkka’s ship. While they were fighting, Clinkz continued to steadily shoot Searing arrows in order to buy he and his crew enough time to make repairs after sustaining damage from the torrent they were hit earlier.

     Skeleton Warrior: Sir! We are almost done with our repairs; we should be able to sail and escape in a few minutes!

     Clinkz: Hurry up! I can’t continue this forever! I am still heavily wounded!

Meanwhile, Kunkka and Tidehunter exchanged blows with each other, while Kunkka also dodging he and his ship from Clinkz’s raining arrows.

      Tidehunter: I see your death drawing near! Kunkka!!!

Tidehunter then smashed his anchor towards Kunkka, with him barely able to block it with his rapier.

     Tidehunter: Ravage!!

Tidehunter slams the area around him, calling the abyssal god Maelrawn, and causing multiple tentacles to erupt from all directions. Kunkka’s ship was thrown through the air, and as it was airborne, his ship took direct hit from Clinkz’s exploding arrows. As his ship went back to the ground, he saw the boat of Clinkz to continue moving. He knew he only had one option left in order to not let him escape.

     Kunkka: Well. It was nice meeting you guys while it lasted!

     Tidehunter: Are you giving up now Kunkka? Your ship looks like it won’t be able to sustain much more damage.

     Kunkka: I’m gonna miss you, you slimy wretch.

     Tidehunter: What do you mean?

Kunkka pointed his sword forward, what appeared however were a fleet of phantom ships. They may seem like an illusion to the eye, but the damage it causes were all real. Tidehunter got hit by the first 4 ships that rammed into him head on. On the 5th ship, Kunkka jumped on that last ghostship to get close to tide. Before the ship was able to hit the leviathan, Kunkka jumped from the ship into the air,  and he thrusts his rapier forward, cutting Tidehunter on his throat.

     Kunkka: Ah, Tidehunter, you cared enough to hate me. You can't buy that sort of love.

     Tidehunter: Kunkkaaa!!!!

As Kunkka sliced down on his throat, Tidehunter fell down the sea, sinking to the abyss. Kunkka then leapt back into his ship. When he looked at the location of the ship of Clinkz, it was too far for any of his abilities to reach, and his ship was too damaged to catch up on the rough seas. He only had one thought in mind.

He casted Torrent on his own ship, and a gush of water propelled the ship far up into the sky. It then kept going towards an angle on Clinkz’s ship, making his ship the weapon to destroy Clinkz’s final ship.

     Clinkz: What! How did you catch up?! What you’re doing is suicide!

Kunkka then drew his sword towards Clinkz.

     Kunkka: Suicide? No. I simply cannot let you live for the sake of my land. Your king will lose in the final battle. As for me? Well, a captain always goes down with his ship.

As Kunkka said those words, his ship rammed with Clinkz’s ship, destroying both ships in the process and sank them towards the depths of the sea.

Back in the mainland, the surviving heroes gathered up to discuss their plans.

     Davion: Today, a lot of brave souls perished for the city. And we lost special heroes. We lost Io, Kunkka, and that wizard.

     Yurnero: Their death will not be in vain. At least now, we significantly damaged their army’s strength, and we now know where the final battle will be.

     Sven: It was at Stonehall if I am correct? The main capital of this world.

     Davion: I wish I can go to, but I have to lead the repairs here in Lordaeron and defend it for any incoming attacks. Can you heroes go there and defend our Ancient, and save the world for the sake of all the people?

     Yurnero: By my tribe’s honor and legacy, I will do it and to avenge our fallen comrades.

     Sven: I will punish and cleave through their entire armies. This is what the kind wisp wanted me to do, and Kunkka had faith on us to stop the war once and for all. I will not let their sacrifices go in vain.

      Rubick: I am curios to what the Realm of the Dead has to offer. Maybe there, I can continue to hone my magics.

     Davion: Thank you heroes. It was an honor fighting alongside you all.

Chapter Epilogue:

And so, they parted ways, and Yurnero, Sven, and Rubick decide to head to Stonehall in advance to prepare for the last and final battle against the Wraith King. This is to avenge their families, fellow heroes, and for the sake of the people living in this world. They must win the final battle against the Realm of the Dead, in order to stop the influence of the Great Confluence.

Chapter 5: The Ancients

Several days have passed and they have arrived to the capital of their land, Stonehall. When they arrive at the gate of Stonehall, they were met with guards guarding the entrance.

     Guard: Who goes there?

     Captain: Don’t worry, I recognize them. Heroes, we were expecting you.

     Yurnero: You knew we were coming? How?

     Captain: Commander Tresdin already got wind of what happened back in Lordaeron. We already know that the final assault of the undead army will occur sooner or later.

     Sven: Tresdin? The Legion Commander?

     Captain: Yes. I was ordered to wait until you arrive, and escort you to our headquarters. Follow me.

     Yurnero: Very well captain, lead the way.

     Rubick: It’s been awhile since I last came here. Beautiful place, Ivory towers, magical defenses, and mysterious creatures.

     Sven: We are here to get ready for the battle. Use whatever arcanery you know on the field, not here.

The group then followed the captain to the headquarters. When they arrived there, they met with the Legion Commander, Tresdin, and Mars, the first son of heaven.

    Yurnero: Tresdin! And Mars? Why are you down here?

    Mars: I was sent from heaven to take care of the Great Confluence. As the god of war, I shall partake in this last battle. Heaven has already had their deal with the realm of the dead. Its time to end them once and for all.

    Tresdin. Juggernaut & Sven we welcome your aid. Rubick, have you come here to study? Or to fight.

     Rubick: Legion Commander, it is through battle where I learn new magics, tactics, and discoveries. I simply am just following Yurnero because it just so happens that events bring us together.

     Mars: The Grand Magus. You bring dishonor to the art of war. If you stand for nothing, what will you fall for? At least Aghanim’s died, leaving behind his scepter to you. What have you done with it so far? No wonder you can’t reach the heights of your father.

     Rubick: Do not lecture me. You may be a god, but my magic far overpowers your skills.

     Sven: Stop it now. We need to work together people. Rubick, your skills of craftsmanship may be worth mentioning, but without the rest of us watching your back, you are easy prey to them.

     Yurnero: Let’s get back to the matter at hand. Tresin, what information have you collected thus far?

      Tresdin: Not too long ago, I and Mars were in combat with a platoon of their army. Its been several days of non-stop war. After all, you have heard of it right? The base of the enemy is not too far from here.

      Sven: Their base is situated near here? Does that mean their Ancient as well?

      Mars: We were able to take out a lot of them, but just as we decided to push towards their Ancient, Ostarion appeared.

      Tresdin: We were about to engage him in battle, but soon, more heroes followed behind him.

      Rubick: I see, more people to play with then? Who were they?

      Mars: From what we saw it were Pugna, the Nether Mage. Chaos Knight, one of the Fundamentals of the World, Viper, the Netherdrake, and Abaddon, the Lord of Avernus.

      Sven: It’s a 5 v 5 then.

      Tresdin: Yes. The plan is by tomorrow dawn, my army and Mars’ will join forces and set up a barricade on the outskirts of the city.

      Yurnero: It’s an attack and defense then.

      Mars: Yes. There are three lanes that connects both ours and the enemy’s Ancients. The top lane, the middle lane, and the bottom lane. The top lane is the longest route towards them. The middle lane is the shortest, but it would also be the busiest and the most heavily defended. The bottom lane is shorter than the top lane, but I doubt it would be easy to push it. Their tank will likely stay there.

      Rubick: From the looks of it, the top lane is our offlane, and our bottom lane is our safe lane. The enemy heroes will also situate themselves accordingly.

     Tresdin: Here is the plan. Mars and Rubick will take the offlane. Sven and Juggernaut, take the bottom and the mid lane respectively. I will roam the jungle to assist lanes periodically and hunt down any enemies I come across.

     Mars: Always report their movements. We should be able to communicate telepathically thanks to our Ancient near us.

     Sven: And the goal is to destroy their Ancient am I correct?

     Mars: Yes. Remember. Always bring a town portal scroll, incase they breach one of our lanes.                        

     Rubick: We will launch our attack tomorrow right?

     Tresdin: Yes, spend the rest of the night to gather all the equipment you require.

As the sun sets, the 5 heroes gathered at the porch of the headquarters to appreciate the beauty. It will be a long time before they will be able to see a view as majestic as this.

     Rubick: This view, its truly remarkable. Let’s not make this the last sunset.

     Sven: That’s rare, considered it is coming for you.

     Yurnero: We already have lost countless men, ally’s, and friends to get this far. Let’s not make their sacrifices in vain.

     Tresdin: We may not live to see our glory, but it will be an honor to fight alongside you all. I’ll get going now.

     Mars: I’m going ahead now. See you on the battle field.

     Sven: Me too, I have matters to attend to at the city and check our ancient.

Tresdin, Mars, and Sven the left the porch to prepare for the battle tomorrow, leaving Yurnero and Rubick to enjoy the view together.

     Yurnero: Hey Rubick.

     Rubick: What is it?

     Yurnero: Tell me, honestly, how do you feel? Your tone when you saw the sunset, it is not the usual you who only cared and thirst for knowledge.

     Rubick: Yurnero, it seems you have noticed. I have put some thought about what everyone has told me about on our journey together. When we arrive here at Stonehall, and I saw the Ancient, I have forgotten that it is what binds all of us together. Including our life force, and the magic around us that we all use. I am just, thankful for it. I feel father’s creations flowing around from the Ancient.

     Yurnero: That’s wow… I didn’t expect that coming from you. For the sake of everyone, we shall protect it, and destroy the enemy’s Ancient once and for all. This should put a stop to all the undead’s life force. If they do it to ours, then not just us, but everything, the trees, animals, civilians, people, everything in the land of the living will wither and die. Failure is not an option. I am glad you have finally come to realize that.

     Rubick: Yes, although my curiosity knows no bounds, I am glad to finally decided to find a reason to stand and fall for.

     Yurnero: For the sake of our fallen comrades, and for our realm, failure is not an option, even if it costs us our own lives. The mission? We get our hands dirty and the world stays clean.

Chapter 6: Defense of the Heroes

Its early dawn, the heroes have gathered, and the war has begun. From a distance Mars shouted:

      Mars: To those behind, Rally!!! To those ahead, kneel.

      Juggernaut: Lets do this! Master, the day has come for the final battle. Ancestors, watch over me. Juggernauttt!!!

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the battlefield, Ostarion and his allies were discussing.

      Pugna: My king, it seems the enemy has launched an all-out attack. This seems to be the final battle.

     Ostarion: Very well, it’s time to end this once and for all. Unleash the full army of the Realm of the Dead. Protect the ancients at any cost, and crush them down at their hooves.

The battlefield on all lanes soon then clashed each other. Over at the mid lane, Juggernaut was pushing through the hordes of undead army. As he pushed through, he then soon saw a red knight, mounting his steed that came from hell.

     Yurnero: A fundamental, like Io! Chaos knight! The fundamental of Chaos.

     Chaos Knight: Ahh Yurnero. How was your journey with Io? Too bad that wisp blew up. I was hoping that I would see him face to face as one of the Fundamentals of the universe, but too bad.

Yurnero then without a moment’s hesitation dashed towards him, and sliced him down multiple times. After slashing him down, it only appeared to be an illusion.

      Yurnero: An illusion? Damn. Where could the real one be?

Meanwhile over at the bottom lane, Sven cleaving through multiples of enemy armies was soon met a fallen warrior that had the power of the mist and riding his blue steed, Abaddon, and a skeleton filled with energy from the Nether Reaches Pugna.

     Sven: Ahhh, the Lord of Avernus and the Nether Sorcerer. What an honor facing 2 heroes at once just for me.

     Abaddon: Sven the rogue knight, Honors to you and to the rogue's code you follow. But, to die at a noble hand is no guarantee of a noble death.

Sven then charged towards them and threw a storm hammer on Abaddon, but with his steed, he was able to simply evade it. Abaddon then charged at Sven and just as his horse passed by him, he swung his sword on Sven damaging him.

      Abaddon: My attacks slows you down, and making me faster. Your death is at hand.

Soon green particles appeared on the ground Sven was standing on, and suddenly an exploding pulse appeared, damaging Sven.

     Pugna: You didn’t forget about me did you?

Sven then quickly got back up from his feet and threw a dagger behind Pugna. Pugna dodged the small dagger, but Sven suddenly appeared on the dagger’s location. Just before Sven could hit Pugna with his sword, Abaddon pointed his sword towards Pugna.

     Abaddon: Aphotic Shield!

As Sven swung his sword on Pugna, a shield appeared on him, exploding upon hit, damaging Sven. But Sven’s attacked caused Pugna to fly back, and his sword cleaved all the way to Abaddon, damaging him as well.

      Abaddon: Not bad.

Suddenly, a barrage of arrows suddenly rained down on Abaddon and Pugna. Tresdin suddenly arrived from the trees.

      Tresdin: Sven. Heal up!

Tresdin then sound a horn on Sven, regenerating his health back up and gaining him an increased attack speed. She then charged towards Abaddon.

      Tresdin: Come Lord of Avernus, lets duel!

An arena then suddenly appeared between them, forcing Abaddon to exchange blows with Tresdin unable to run away. Sven then threw another storm bolt on Abaddon, stunning him and hitting him several times,

      Pugna: Abaddon, don’t die on me now this early.

Pugna then used Life drain on Abaddon, giving his own life force to rapidly heal him.

After 4 seconds, Abaddon regained consciousness after getting hit by the Storm bolt and casted his ultimate skill.

     Abaddon: Come, I dare you. I’ll take your worse

Just before Abaddon’s health ran out, he casted Burrowed Time, his ultimate skill. Tresdin then saw that each time she and Sven would hit him, he would gain more life instead, healing him instead of damaging him.

      Tresdin: Sven, stop attacking and let’s reposition. Atleast he has now used his ultimate.

      Abaddon: You have to try a little harder than that. Abaddon then waved his sword around him and Pugna, covering both of them with the mist.

      Sven: Tresdin, get ready. *Uses Warcry*

When the mist cleared, it seems that both Abaddon and Pugna were gone.

      Sven: Where are they?

      Tresdin: They must have gone to the other lanes. Continue pushing forward. I’ll go through the jungles once again and assist the other lanes.

      Sven: Roger that.

Meanwhile at the top lane, Mars and Rubick were holding out against Viper.

      Mars: Rubick! Hit him with your spells while I block his attacks with my shield!

Rubick then used multiple skills on Viper, but the Netherdrake glided through the air evading their attacks.

      Viper: You can’t catch me with your skills. Take this! Nethertoxin!

Viper spits out nethertoxin on the ground of Mars, causing the ground to bubble with poison.

      Mars: Urgh. This poison is so annoying!

      Rubick: Purification! Heal! This will prove to be troublesome. I can’t use any of my spells against him. He is immune to his own Poison.

      Mars. Let’s slowly pull back. We cannot push this lane. Viper is giving us quiet a predicament.

Soon, a mist appeared on Viper, surrounding him.

      Rubick: That mist. Its Abaddon!

      Mars: It seems they decided to make an all out push on the top lane.

Abaddon then suddenly appeared out of the mist with his steed, charging towards Mars.

      Rubick: Spell Steal! Aphotic Shield!

      Mars: Shield Wall!

Mars smashes Abaddon with his shield, knocking him back.

      Pugna: Your life is mine!

Pugna used his ultimate skill on Mars, sucking out his HP.

      Rubick: Spell Steal! Telekinesis! Life drain!

Rubick then lifted Pugna from the ground, interrupting his channeling of Life Drain, and then smashing him to the ground, stunning both Abaddon and Viper. He then used Life Drain on Mars, allowing him to regain the HP he lost from Pugna.

Viper then after recuperating from the stun suddenly flew to another and used Viper Strike on Rubick.

     Viper: Rubick, you will look good with some more green!

     Mars: Bulwark!

Mars then appeared in front of Rubick, taking the damage from Viper’s attack.

     Rubick: Spell Steal! Viper Strike

Rubick then quickly stole Viper’s spell and casted it on Pugna at the back. Pugna was directly hit by the powerful poison.

     Pugna: Aurghhh! Abaddon!

     Abaddon: Aphotic Shield! Mist Coil!

Abaddon then encased Pugna with a shield to minimize the damage he sustained, and healed him with mist coil at the small cost of some of his life.

     Mars: Aurghh! That hurt, lets slowly pull back. With the three of them here, we will be able to buy time for the rest of the lanes to push towards the enemy Ancient.

Mars and Rubick then slowly pulled back to the entrance of the city. There, hordes of allies from the Bronze and Ash Legion charged at the 3 enemy heroes. But they did not do much. Abaddon galloped throughout the field, slicing enemies with his chilling sword. Viper flew around the battlefield spitting poison, and Pugna casting Netherblasts on the defenses, breaking buildings with ease.

      Abaddon: You only delay the inevitable.

     Mars: This will be tough. We need to buy them as much time as possible Rubick.

     Rubick: Yes, understood. Time to test me knew set of skills acquired from the previous battles. Fade bolt! Earthquake!

Rubick and Mars continued to stall the enemies at one of the entrances of the allies’ Ancient.

Meanwhile Tresdin was on the jungle slowly heading to the mid lane to help Yurnero push to the enemy’s Ancient.

      Tresdin: Its near, I can sense it. I’m coming Juggernaut, lets push together.

      Chaos Knight: Where do you think you’re going Tresdin?

      Tresdin: Chaos Knight? I have no time to fight with you.

Tresdin then went for a different route on the jungle, only to face with Chaos Knight once more.

      Chaos Knight: How rude, ignoring me like that:

      Tresdin: Out of my way!

As she sliced him up, it was only an illusion. Soon as he looked around her, he was surrounded with 7 horsemen from all different sides.

     Tresdin: What? How? Since when?

     Chaos Knight: Come Armageddon. Let’s show her chaos. Planeshift.

Chaos knight with all of his illlusions pulled Tresdin and them together, striking her down simultaneously with his multiple illusions of himself without giving her a single moment to react.

     Tresdin: I'll never yield. Urghhh…

Chaos Knight: Your time on this plane is ended.

Meanwhile at the mid lane, Yurnero was steadily charging towards the enemy’s ancient. After a while, he finally reached the enemy’s stronghold. He sliced his way towards their Ancient until he finally was close enough to it.

     Yurnero: This is it. It’s now or never.

Yurnero leapt towards the building to destroy it. But before he could, he saw a blade thrust at him at the corner of his eye, aborting the attack and leapt back to evade the attack.

      Ostarion: Well, well, well. Look who finally showed up.

      Yurnero: Ostarion! You will pay for what you have done to the Isle of Masks, and for what you have done to this realm.

      Ostarion: Very funny Juggernaut.

Ostarion looks over at the other entrance of their stronghold.

      Ostarion: Look who else decided to show up.

      Yurnero: Sven!

      Sven: Jugg! You’re already here! Let’s take him down together!

      Ostarion: Let’s see you try. Wraithfire Blast!

Ostarion threw a Wraithfire at Yurnero.

      Yurnero: Blade Furrryyyy!!!!

      Sven: Reaughhh!!!! Storm Hammer!

Sven activated his warcry, giving both him and Yurnero more movement speed and threw a storm hammer at Ostarion.

Ostarion blocked the hammer with his sword. He put the sword on the ground to block the spinning blade of Yurnero, and used his Armlet of Mordiggian to fend of Sven’s attacks.

The 3 heroes then clashed in front of the enemy’s Ancient. Yurnero danced and blinked with his blade around Ostarion from all sides, but Ostarion would always be able to parry them with his sword. Sven then would slash Ostarion, but he would always evade the sword and sometimes, punch him with power using the Armlet of Mordiggian. A gauntlet that sacrifices the user’s life energy to gain immense strength and power.

      Ostarion: Is that all you can do?

Yurnero then pulled out a healing ward to heal both him and Sven.

      Yurnero: This is tough. Listen I got a plan, but we only have one shot.

      Sven: Alright. Just like old times then.

As Yurnero dashed towards Ostarion, he threw a dagger at Ostarion. He then suddenly blinked towards the dagger and striked him with his sword. As Ostarion blocked the main attack, Yurnero took out another blade from his arsenal. He then blinked behind him, and stunning him with the Abyssal Blade.

      Ostarion: Is that the Abyssal Blade!? Where did you acquire it?!

Sven then pulled all his might and slashed Ostarion with his sword. Scattering his different bones across the ground.

      Yurnero: Lets end it Sven!

They then rushed towards the Ancient to destroy it. But before they could, the hear a pack of horses galloping at the distance.

     Chaos Knight: Reality Rift!

Chaos Knight warped reality and targeted Sven. He and his illusions then strike Sven down, tossing him over the ground and damaging his shield.

     Yurnero: Sven! Are you alright!?

     Yurnero then looked at Sven’s directions. Then he heard footsteps behind him. When he looked back, he saw the blade of Ostarion striking him. He then tried to block it with the sword his master gave to him, but the sword fell to the ground. Ostarion then picked up the sword and sliced up Yurnero’s mask, cleaving it into two and cracking its top. He then fell to the ground.

      Ostarion: That was a close one. Did you forget? I am immortal! *evil maniacal laughter*

      Sven: Jugg… No!!!

      Chaos Knight: Your friend is dead. I already took care of Tresdin too. Now, you’re next.

As the illusions of Chaos Knight grew closer to Sven, they suddenly stopped when Yurnero’s mask started to emit blue particles of light.

      Sven: What is that? What is happening?

     Yurnero’s entire body then rose from the ground, and from the crack of his mask, a small dragon suddenly came out from within it. The crack then awakened the ancestral souls that laid dormant inside it. Among the spirits was an ancient dragon named Akakiryu. The Juggernaut then stood up back from his feet. The dragon then encircled around him, and now begins to accompany him and reuniting with his former master, contributing his powers to him. Thus, the Juggernaut became a being merged from many souls. The dragon's might, combined with the strength of his ancestors, made him more powerful than ever before.

      Ostarion: What is that? How are you still alive?

      Yurnero: The souls within Yurnero have been awoken. It is us, the people you murdered. With the mask sundered, our souls can finally be free. In a past life, we were branded as traitors… And denied a noble death. Together we will find a way to bring back our people. Once the Ancient is destroyed, our real work can begin. We are Juggernaut. We are Yurnero.

Meanwhile, back at their stronghold, Rubick and Mars were having a hard time trying to hold off their enemies.

      Pugna: A blast from the Nether Reaches!

The last line of defensive towers now crumbled at the magic of Pugna.

      Abaddon. We have now finally arrived at the Ancient. One last push, and the land of the living will be no more.

      Mars: Not if I can help it!

Mars then threw his spear towards Abaddon, Impaling him and his steed on a wall.

      Abaddon: Urgh. You are only delaying the inevitable.

Viper the flew threw the skies, dodging all projectiles aimed at him while spewing out poison on their Ancient.

      Rubick: This is bad. Our Ancient is under attack!

Abaddon then managed to get free from Mars’ spear, and was now heading to attack the Ancient. Mars then drew another from his hand and blocked his way.

      Mars: We’ll have to make this last bit count. Now’s the chance, their all grouped up at one spot. Its time to give it our all.

Rubick then used his blink dagger to blink in between the three enemy heroes.

     Rubick: Ravage!

Rubick then casted his staff upward, summoning tentacles from beneath the ground and knocking everyone up into the air.

     Pugna: What!? Wasn’t this supposed to be Tidehunter’s ultimate skill?

Mars then followed and pointed his spear into the air.

      Mars: To the death! Rise, Arena of Blood!

Mars then summons an inescapable arena from the ground, with his finest soldiers of the Ash Legion pushing them towards the center of the arena while they were stunned by Rubick’s Ravage.

     Rubick: Black Hole!

Rubick then conjured a black hole, drawing all three enemies towards the center, greatly damaging them. Pugna couldn’t handle the force and soon, his bones cracked and his life force gave up.

      Pugna: I should have known! Urghh

      Abaddon: Damn you! *Activates Burrowed Time* Aphotic Shield!

Abaddon then escapes the pull of the Black Hole and charged towards Mars to take care of him once and for all. Viper was then able to escape the vortex of nothingness thanks to Abaddon’s shield, buying him a split second to fly off.

      Rubick: Will-O-Wisp! Brightly Shine!

Rubick then conjured a bright light of wisp, blinding both Abaddon and Viper, stalling more time.

      Viper: These are the skills of the other 2 fundamentals. How?

      Rubick: I have spent time long enough with Io to understand the skills of the other Fundamentals.

      Mars: Yurnero! Sven! Hurry up! We can’t hold them off for much longer now!

Back at the enemy’s stronghold, Juggernaut has awakened to their true form, stronger than ever.

      Sven: Jugg? Is that still you?!

      Yurnero: Sven, you have played your part well. Once Yurnero was the last of his kind, but no longer. Changed, but still…the Juggernaut. The strength of fallen brothers and sisters flows through this body. Call us Juggernaut.

Juggernaut’s voice has noticeably changed and echoed. His manners of speaking has grown deeper, and now refers to himself as “we”. Sven, knowing he was alright, gasped out a sigh of relief.

      Yurnero: We need to hurry, they are attacking our ancient as of this moment.

      Sven: Then let’s spare no time. Raurrghhhh!!!!    

Sven then unleashed his skill, God’s Strength, turning his blue armor to read, and his attack greatly increasing. He then took out a weapon and used it. It was the Black King Bar. Which increased his size, and grants him immunity to all incoming magic.

      Chaos Knight: I will not let you do as you please. Phantasm! Manta Style! Behold, the horsemen of the apocalypse!

Chaos then continued to create more illusions of himself, amounting up to 20 different copies. Sven then charged at them one by one, but only destroying an illusion.

     Sven: If that’s the case, this ought to do it.

Sven’s armor then glowed blue. He activated Shiva’s Guard, which caused an area around him to create a freezing field. He then looked for the real copy. Sven then threw a storm bolt and flung towards the real copy. He then flung his sword, hitting the actual copy of Chaos Knight.

      Chaos Knight: Thrown…from my steed. Ughhh. How…

      Sven: Illusions don’t breathe the cold air. It was fairly easy.

      Chaos Knight: Noo.. This cant bee…. Urgh..

      Ostarion: The fundamental falls? Unreal. You will not get away with this. Submit to the King’s rule!

Just as Ostarion finished his sentence. Yurnero suddenly appeared in front of him and performed A thousand cuts in a single second.

     Ostarion: This speed… This is unreal!

     Yurnero: You will pay for what you have done to our kin. This world shall live on.

Ostarion then once again scattered to a thousand broken pieces.

Sven and Yurnero then simultaneously hit the ancient with powerful blows. Soon enough, the enemy’s Ancient cracked and at last, it finally has been destroyed.

     Ostarion:  Urghh… So, this is how it ends? I feel my soul, leaving me now….

Meanwhile, back at the ally’s Ancient,

     Abaddon: No… this cannot be... we were so close... How can such a thing be?

      Viper: Can't feel my wings. I fly… no more….

      Mars: Huff... Puff… They made just in time…

      Rubick: So, this is the power of the Ancients… such strong power. We finally did it. We have ended the Great Confluence.

Back at the enemy’s stronghold, Yurnero and Sven listened to Ostarion’s last words.

      Ostarion: Ughhh it seems the end is near.

      Yurnero: Your reign of terror finally ends. With your Ancient destroyed, the Realm of the Dead will now have nothing to sustain theselves now.

      Ostarion: Was it worth it though? I have destroyed a huge part of your kingdom and killed some of your friends.

      Sven: It was all worth it. For the sake of the future generations, we would gladly lay up our lives, even if it meant our entire race going to extinction.

      Yurnero: Our souls have finally been avenged. Yurnero has fulfilled his duties well. Today starts anew. We vow to bring back our people, and begin the rebirth of the Isle of Masks. We will bring glory to our friends… and death to our enemies.

Ostarion’s skeleton remains then started to lose their green ambient colors, and soon faded away into dust. The sky became clearer, and the stench of the dead fading away. What was left after the war however was ruin. The kingdom, then soon started to initiate repairs to what has been lost and bury the countless casualties they suffered. The heroes then soon found out that Tresdin has fallen in battle, and they bury her in the Tomb of Valor.

      Mars: It seems the bronze legion has lost their greatest general.

      Sven: It was an honor to fight by her side. Without her, this victory wouldn’t have been possible. She helped me back there at the bottom lane from Pugna and Abaddon. She told me to go ahead for she was supposed to aid you Jugg. I should’ve followed her and this wouldn’t have happened.

Yurnero’s pet dragon then went to Sven and rubbed him, as if wanting to comfort him.  

     Yurnero: Don’t blame yourself old friend. If you didn’t go ahead, you wouldn’t  have been there to help us in fighting Ostarion. Things would’ve ended badly for us, and we wouldn’t have awakened.

     Rubick: It’s all right. I feel her soul resting in peace now. I must now go and part ways with you people. Apparently, there are still a lot of things I must learn, and I am still far away from reaching my Father. Future perils likely await us. Expect to see me there. Farewell.

     Yurnero: Rubick. You weren’t so bad after all.

Rubick then waved his wand and casted a teleport spell, teleporting out from their sights.

      Mars: It was an honor to fight by your side heroes. I will remain here for the meantime to rally the Bronze Legion. The Ancient has taken significant damage, and I must remain here to protect it.

      Sven: The land itself will heal in time with the Ancient’s powers. Tresdin put her life on the line, knowing fully well that if she fall’s another will rise to take her place. But this… *pointing out towards the landscape* This can never be replaced.

      Yurnero: We will not forget the allies who laid down their lives for this. Io, Invoker, Kunkka, Tresdin, and the countless soldiers that died. None of it wouldn’t have been possible without them. At least for now, peace has been restored in this land, and our fallen kin can now rest peacefully knowing that they have been avenged, and we have secured a future for the generations to come.

Chapter Epilogue:

And thus, ended the tragedy of The Great Confluence. The heroes then decided to take a rest, watching over this land and to rebuild what they have lost. More dangerous perils will surely to come in the coming years of this unpredictable world. However, there will always be heroes who will stand up to valiantly fight for the sake of their land.

*The names of characters and places are inspired from Dota 2. All photos used belong to Valve and their respective creators and I do not own then in any way*