How bad could this possibly be? (Woof)(double XP)

Ashford's weapon found it's mark. A notion that made him smile. Also slightly terrified him. He didn't want to kill Sulyvahn, not with the rapier. He wasn't sure how the Arcadians and the Champions treated death, but his death would come ultimate if the rapier took him. But there was at least blood, and Ashford attempted to follow up with his claws, but Sulyvahn was not a man to let himself be a bedding for weapons.

Knocked back, but at least not badly harmed by that wave of darkness, and the older knight continued the fight, attacking with her own seemingly magic power. Powerful at that. Sulyvahn was alone, and his soldiers of clones, not his own, but someone who wanted this to not be as easy as it could have been. Maybe even have him win, after all. They were not done. "At least you're a fighter Sulyvahn." Ashford spoke as the man gathered his own magic, and the older champion called for them both to get behind her. So he moved. Gloved hand out in the direction of the champion in case he didn't make it. His glove would protect him, somewhat.

Cain grunted as the furry beast picked him up, letting out a annoyed groan as he stared ahead to the cold dark, coughing, before taking in a breath. "Old man. I'm 34. I just got trapped in a box with Lucy for several hundred years, sure. Aged, yet didn't." The man said, pulling the broken wood from his leg and summoning an emerald, small, but when he crushed it, it became a ashen dust, which he held to his leg.

"What to say. There is a lot. To say. But much you perhaps do not care about. So I will not give details of who they are. Lucian is a menace, this one anyway. She is free of the bonds that contained her, still chained, but no holder of the leash. The chained parts made her want to annoy... Well. You. Thinks you're too similar looking and perhaps thinking." He'd give the Queen a look, curious eyes looking her up and down.

"I think I see an honor in you. Or perhaps it is because Ashy has taken a liken to you and your lass. If he hadn't. He'd have sided with the bastard that Lucian is using without using, then she'd have summoned us for you. God damn pest she is, festering the wound, making us, pulling us from our world. Not the real us, but those with the hero soul, or powerful enough to take sentience the stronger the clone she made- Slow down you oath. We'll want to give the lass and Ashford their chance." Cain finally complained after his many words, looking more in pain then he hoped to have let on, and taking it out on the pygmy demon that carried him.

But soon after he sighed, looking ahead once more, hands shaking as he took off his blacksmith gloves. "...Well. Maybe that thing will catch us before we get there. The god of choices. Considered one of the weakest gods in terms of power. The strongest in the damn fact of who he is. Mr Ford. Queen. You might have one final annoyance before we reach your lass." The old man warned, before letting his head lull, but more to relax, then letting go. He wasn't letting go just yet.

The gorilla let out a growl, warning the man to take it easy. It would glance over in the queens direction, its eyes giving off the message that it wanted to drop the old man on the floor. The queen chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. “Go ahead, I don’t care.” the gorilla took the words to be literal and was getting ready to put the old man down. That was until it received a quick slap to the back of the head. “Honestly? No manors. Your mother would be ashamed….oh wait….”

Madeline listened to the man’s explanation of this interfering party. A dog without a leash. That’s what this Lucian was. Misbehaving and causing problems for everyone. If Madeline ever had the displeasure of meeting her, there’d be hell to pay. A sly smile graced Madeline’s face. Oh how she’d love to make the person responsible for all this interference pay. She arched a brow at his final words. Someone else was coming? How did he know that? No matter, the queen thought. It just meant she got to have a little bit more fun before this whole thing came to an end.

Back in the dark room, the black fog continued to pool in Sulyvahn’s hand. He had an infinite well of darkness at his disposal. Letting out a growl the champion would throw his hand forward. The fog exploded forward in a massive beam looking to consume the trio. Diamond’s horn would shine bright, illuminating the half of the room the stood in. A solid wall of light would form in front of her and hold the darkness at bay. Unfortunately the wave of fog spilled over the sides of the wall, limiting Thalia’s and Ash’s movement to the space behind Diamond.

[color:14b6=bbfad4]“Well little hunter, got any plans?” Diamond called out to Thalia. For as weak as Sulyvahn was in this state, even with the damage sustained from the combined attack, there was no way Diamond could hold this wave of power back forever. Thalia looked up to Diamond, almost awestruck. Was she really asking for Heart’s opinion? There was no time to revel in the achievement of getting through to the stoic knight. No, Thalia had to think, and she had to think fast. “I might have an idea. You wont like it, and it’s gonna take a few minutes to set up.”

“Just hurry up!”

Thalia nodded and then looked over at Ash, the poor guy had gotten roped into another fight with the champion. “Wait here!” she would say before diving into a fiery portal.

It wasn't a wave like Ashford had thought it to be, but a concentrated beam. And the knight held it off, for that she had his thanks. But now they were stuck behind a wall and unable to attack, no matter how lit the room became, no matter what he saw, he saw nothing that could give him advantage. Rather, he saw he could use himself for such an advantage.

Before he could voice that however, Thalia told him to wait as she vanished, a plan in mind, but even Sulyvahn would not wait for them, and he wasn't sure if Diamond could hold that wall forever. That, and she could do more. "I'm not much for waiting Knight. Let's switch, I hold that beam, you attack, switch again. Trust me?" Ashford spoke to the woman, knowing his words could be heard by the champion even in whispers. But Sulyvahn didn't know how Ashford was going to hold the beam, so Ashford stood near the knight, left hand out and aimed at the beam of darkness, waiting to see if this woman had any inkling of trust in him.

Cain remained silent, hearing the sounds of each step from the blundering beast that carried him, and the Queen, who was silent in her own way. He did so, because he wanted to hear the third set of steps, not his, not anyone's good. And soon enough, he did. Silent, a grace of a dancer almost, the steps were so silent. Only the environment betrayed them, and the closer they got, the louder the silence got.

And finally, Cain sensed they were in his sight, it was obvious, when the man cleared his throat to gain the attention of the three. Meters behind them, stood a man. He was slightly tall, at 6'3, well built and wearing light leather armor, mixed with robes that allowed him to move about, he had two swords in both hands, a sheathed dagger on his hip and a mask made of wood on his face, a series of runes carved into it.

With a tilt of his head, the man would take the sword in his left hand and stab it into the wall, the sword cutting though the stone like butter, and with his hand free, he grabbed at his mask and pulled it off, the mask itself seemed to turn into a hood that now hung off the back of his armor. "Lucian sends her regards. She feels that the King she made for you was lacking. I do hope I am better. After all. I killed his raging form myself." The man that stood before them was easily recognizable. Older looking, yet still young, there stood Ash, an easy going smile on his face despite the few new scars from his other self. "I am Ash, god of choices and heroes and gems, yadda yadda. While it is not my choice to kill you today. It is yours to live. So. Shall we?" He offered, placing his sword across his chest and shoulder, before swinging it to his side and taking a stance, his smile faded to that of concentration and his left hand, in his pocket.

Diamond would shoot a glance over her shoulder at Ashford. Her glare was menacing and her voice stern. “Didn’t the little one tell you to wait for her?” she grunted at the end of her sentence as the black fog began pushing harder on the wall of light. Small cracks became apparent, but the knight stood ever vigilant. [color:9c43=bbfad4] “Ugh, damn it all. Hurry up Heart.”

Back in Arcadia, Thalia had popped out of her portal in the middle of Madeline’s throne room. The place was dimly lit, with a bulk of the light coming from three massive windows behind the throne. A bubbling pool of lava sat just beyond that. The little hunter blew a strand of hair out of her face as she looked about the room. Normally she could navigate this place blindfolded, but when she was on a timer like this, panic often got in the way of her thoughts. She silently cursed at herself for being so scatterbrained at a time like this.

Thalia would take a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. Her mismatched eyes examined the room till they landed on the door she was looking for. The little demon would make her way to her workshop in seconds, but ran into the same predicament she had back in the thrown room. Tools, battered armor scraps, and incomplete weapons lay tossed about the shop. Thalia maneuvered through the shop with the grace of a dancer, managing not to disrupt a single piece of equipment as she moved. Her first instinct took her to the table where she was casting some of her armor, the same armor she had been working on when Madeline gave her this mission. Then it dawned on her. She quickly darted over to a work bench where a leather bundle rested.

Silence would befall Madeline and the old man as they strolled down the corridors. There wasn’t an ounce of worry or sense of urgency coming from the demon queen. She knew the three could handle the task she had given them. Right now she was more interested in seeing who this new opponent was going to be. If this Lucian person was going to keep interfering, then Madeline had no choice but to break all of her toys. The sound of metal digging into stone would cause the queen and her pygmy demon to halt in their tracks. Madeline would spin around, her burning amber eyes quickly finding the source of the sound.

A masked man stood in the hallway several feet behind them. “Ugh, try not to cut yourself on all that edge.” she’d mock, watching as the man removed his mask to reveal a familiar face. Crossing her arms, Madeline would crack a smile. “Well, well. If this isn’t a surprise.” The demon goddess of war was beginning to sense a pattern with these minions Lucian was sending. None of them seemed like they really wanted to fight. It was a shame really. Especially when you considered who they were up against.

Madeline’s eyes would leave the impostor Ash for a moment, just long enough to take a quick glance at her metal hand. The quick glance was all she needed to know that her buff from earlier had worn out. With a fiendish smirk, Madeline’s glare would return to the man. Sliding her hands into her pockets she’d call out to him. “Just because you look like him, doesn’t mean I wont reduce you to dust like those that came before you. And if that wench wants to send her regards, then she’ll have to do it in person. Now, HAVE AT YOU!”

A small blip of light would illuminate Diamonds back as Thalia came tumbling out of a portal. She held the leather bundle tight to her chest, ensuring it didn’t get damaged. “It’s about bloody time Heart! I hope whatever you brought with you is going to take Sulyvahn down.”
Thalia nodded in response to Diamonds words before making her way to Ash. Her eyes glancing over at Diamond’s barrier long enough to see it was beginning to fail. The little hunter would hold the bundle out in front of her, presenting it to the man. “I made something for you, and you’re going to use it to kill Sulyvahn.” she said with a great deal of confidence.

After Ash took the weapon from Thalia, the little knight would position herself between Diamond and the wall of light. Her mismatched eyes looked down to her metal hand. It was time to put a theory to the test. Diamond was not going to like the idea, neither was Ash. “Lower the barrier.”

“WHAT! Are you joking right now? I know I said having a backbone was nice and all, but that is just stupid.”

“The wall’s already cracking, we have no other option. Just do as I ask….please.”

Sulyvahn continued to focus his beam on the fortification Diamond had thrown up. He didn’t relent either. He continued to pour more and more strength into the wave. While the three chose to argue amongst themselves, the ancient champion would become one with the wave. He’d smash clean through Diamond’s barrier knocking everyone back except Diamond. For her he had other plans. He’d quickly grab her by the horn and with almost no effort at all, would snap it clean of. Casting the knight to the side, Sulyvahn would turn his attention to Thalia and Ashford. The two thorns in his side.

The renegade champion would rear his arm back before throwing forward another torrent of dark energy formed from the black fog. To his surprise however, the beam wouldn’t reach his target, at least not how he expected it to.

After recovering from the sudden explosion of power, Thalia looked up to see Sulyvahn baring down on her and Ash. This was it. Time to test her theory. She was either right and they win, or she was wrong and they died. She’d thrust her metal hand forward as the beam of darkness rushed at them. The wave would suddenly come to a stop about three feet from Thalia’s palm. She was right. Her arm and therefore Madeline’s could produce some form of barrier. “WHAT IS THIS!” the champion would shout out.

The little hunter would crack a smile and begin to slowly press forward. “ASH! HIS HEART! AIM FOR HIS HEART!” she’d cry out over the sound of cascading energy.

The god of choices smiled, leaving his stance to start walking towards the Queen, shifting between that of concentration and smiles. As if he was enjoying himself just by being here. "I like you. Do enjoy my death. I am finally alone after all. No one is saving me. Just how long can I annoy you?" He sounded rather jolly about it, his own possible death, sounded so certain he would not make it out of this fight alive, yet glad all the same. With his sword at the ready, Ashford lunged forward at the Queen, surrfice to say, he seemed to be about as fast as a normal man, a trained solider perhaps, no where near as fast as those that had come before, no where near strong.

That changed with a single swing of his sword. That swing became many, any clone the Queen had witnessed before did not match the speed at which this god moved, side stepping, closing in and backing away, each move came with a swing, each swing was aimed to cut and injure in retribution to the Queens own movements. He was a dancing storm of blades. And his free hand was still in his pocket, the same with two eyes on her at all times, no matter where she was.

Ashford frowned at the Knight. None. She had none at all. That annoyed him. Annoyed him enough that if he had a weapon at all, he'd have tapped her head with it. He didn't blame himself for those thoughts, after all, his plan was solid, and her wall was breaking. He could see it.

Yet if he had to wait like a dog, he would, stepping down and back, gloved hand still at the ready in case he needed to step in.  Sulyvahn wasn't going anywhere. Thankfully, the small hunter had made it back before he had made it to them, a parcel in hand. Telling him she had made something for him, and he was going to use it to kill Sulyvahn. An interesting prospect. He liked the idea. He took it without a hesitation, sheathing his rapier as he began to unwrap it, only to be blasted back when said champion finally made his move.

Wall broken, the champion taking on Diamond, Ashford recovering from that surprise of an attack. Shaking his head, he saw that the knight was hurt in some way, missing a horn. And then Sulyvahn made his move for Thalia, Ashford wouldn't make it, but he started to move to intercept, only to pause when Thalia did that herself, stopping the attack with an invisible barrier and calling for him to act.

It was a good thing he was already moving, and with an eye set on the ancient champion. "Work then." Ashford dashed towards them, hoping his speed would serve him as he pulled the parcel off the weapon, unable to see it, unable to know exactly it was he was using, but he thrusted it forward anyway, skilled precision used as he aimed for Sulyvahn's heart.

Madeline had half a mind to let the false Ashford strike her. Much like she had with the trio of beings earlier. Then she thought about how quickly that ended. She had a high suspicion that this opponent was a bit more formidable. That being said, using her ability to adapt and grow during a fight just felt like cheating here. Instead she’d match him in combat. Besides, what kind of goddess of war would she be if she didn’t show of her battle prowess every now and again.

Withdrawing her hands from her pockets, Madeline would summon a sword and shield. The shield was the same size as a standard buckler, but bore no design relationship with any know civilizations. The sword on the other hand looked like a roman short sword. She didn’t have to bother calling the impostor a second time. He took her first summons with no hesitation. He’d rush in and out, dancing in a flurry of stabs and slashes. The queen met each one with her shield. Though it occurred to her after several blocked attacks that the weapons this Ash were using, were not normal. It took a lot for weapons forged of Arcadium to show signs of wear, but the gashes were clearly visible to the queen.

This fight possibly could have been over in seconds. The queen of Arcadia had a myriad of powers at her disposal. She was a creature of pride however. With the dozens of ways she could have ended this, she chose to match the man attack for attack. It was merely a game to her at this point. Who would land the first blow? Would it be fatal? These questions, these outcomes were what Madeline thrived on.

Back in the elder’s chamber, a miracle was about to occur. Thalia struggled to put her new found ability to the test, as Sulyvahn’s wave of darkness ceased to relent. He was still dumbfounded as to how his wave of power hadn’t crushed the tiny being yet, but that didn’t mean he was going to ease up in an attempt to figure that out. No, Sulyvahn would continue to pour on the power.

The renegade champion was so focused in his imminent victory, that he almost didn’t notice the human charging after him. “Another feint eh? It wont work a second time!” he shouted. The room rumbled and spikes of darkness erupted from the ground. The spikes tried to protect their master by sprouting up in Ashford’s path, but they would quickly fade. Sulyvahn’s attention would be severed as he was grappled from behind.

Diamond, the knight he was sure he had defeated, now had him in a full nelson lock. The wave of darkness focused on Thalia began to wane and eventually faded as the champion put everything he had into trying to shake free of Diamond’s grip. “NO! YOU CAN’T DO THIS! IM….” his words would cut off as the end of Ash’s newly crafted blade pierced Sulyvahn’s chest. The job was not done however. While the blade might had punctured the champion it was still centimeters away from reaching the man’s heart. Sulyvahn attempted to blow everyone away once more, but Diamond would squeeze him like a vice. “Finish the job Human! I can’t hold him forever!”

In the meantime Thalia had been sprinting up to the three once she had recovered from holding the champion off. Without any warning or word, Thalia drove her shoulder into Ash, giving the weapon the much needed ‘umph’ it needed to finish off the job. Sulyvahn would let out a massive deafening roar before his body would explode, flooding the room with pitch black fog that would slowly dissipate.

The sword found it's mark, and he had Thalia to thank for that, Diamond too, yet despite the fact his new, very strange looking sword cut into the champion, it hadn't gone deep enough. Too much muscle and bone was in the way, his heart was weirdly placed? Many reasons why, but none mattered, he just tried pushing the blade deeper into Sulyvahn's heart, making far too slow progress. "I am trying!" Ash would yell back, before feeling a shoulder press into his back.

The final draw, causing his blade to sink deep into the heart of the champion, causing an explosion to follow, knocking Ashford back, but not down. Glancing around, he'd find that everyone seemed alright, and the darkness that was the champion, was gone. "Hah... What the hells is this thing?" He motioned to the weapon, giving Thalia a bit of a look. This was no metal... Right? This seemed far too fleshy to be metal.


Every block from the Queen incurred the god to swing faster and harder. Well, that would have been true if it hadn't seemed like the man was cautious of an attack from behind, below and above, he had expected more then what he got, and the slowly growing frown on his face was obvious, till he suddenly pulled back, holding up a hand to signal stop. "Funny... My head is ringing. I'm being called back... The dark one is gone." He frowned deeper, writing a word in the air and vanishing back to the sword he had placed in the wall earlier.

With a smile overtaking the frown, he'd pull his hood over his head, the cloth shaping into the wooden mask from before and then he pulled the sword from the wall. "But... I don't wanna. I want to fight. I want to fight and die. So stop holding back. I can take it. Trust me. Cause if you don't. I'll be a little annoyed." The god warned, before charging at her, unlike before, his dash could be noted to be much, much faster then before, as if he was testing the waters with such a speed earlier. It still wasn't the speed beings from before showed, but it was marginal in the difference.

Which meant that when he got close enough, he had two swords to swing, and he swung them with speed and power, rising as he swung more and more, his feet always moving, making even the sneakiest of magic attacks hard to hit from any direction. He'd also throw his second sword into the ground to the side of the Queen, fighting with the single sword as his hand found his pocket, and soon enough, he'd vanish to the side of the thrown sword only to continue the fight with another swing, all aimed to kill this time, despite the fact that feat, would certainly be impossible.

The job was done. Madeline could tell. There was an odd calmness to this place with the champion out of the way. She couldn’t help but smile. Her confidence in her littler self, the proud knight, and the hardheaded human had paid off. Just like she knew it would. From the look on the impostor Ashford’s face, she could tell he felt it to. His words mere seconds later would confirm that. Lucian had failed. While she might have made things slightly complicated and forced them to drag on longer than expected, the mission was a success.

What really confused Madeline was the fact that the false Ash didn’t want to go. Not yet anyway. He had his own agenda. Madeline had to compliment him on his dedication, though she would do so mentally. There was no more time to exchange words, the fake wanted a good fight, so he was going to get one. There was going to be no more holding back, no more teasing. The great queen of Arcadia would use all her powers if necessary. With the man now picking up the pace and moving much faster than before, the queen had an idea.

The very moment he threw one of his swords into the ground, the queen would snap her fingers. An icy cold blast would explode from her very being, coating the floor in a thin yet very slippery layer of ice. When the impostor made a break for his other sword he’d no doubt slip up, and that’s when Madeline would strike. With another snap of her fingers a spike of solid dark energy would shoot straight down out of the ceiling in an attempt to skewer the clone.

Thalia let out a small proud chuckle as Ashford questioned just what kinda weapon she had given him. “It’s a new specialty of mine! I made it using the fangs and muscle fibers of a demon I killed. The other bits are made with the same sturdy metal I use in all my other weapons.” she gleefully explained while walking over to Diamond and helping her off the floor. After being helped up off the ground the proud shield of Arcadia ran a hand across her forehead. Her fingers tracing over every little jagged end of the stump she had in place of her majestic horn. She silently wished he’d come back to life already so she could kill him again.

Still, that animosity towards the renegade champion would fade as she stared at Thalia and Ash. She couldn’t help but feel slightly proud of the tiny demon. It even made her question how childish her hatred of the small demon was. “I’d say that means our job here is done. Good job human!” she’d say, giving the man a playful slap on the shoulder. She’s then turn to heart. Diamond would crouch down so she was eye level with her fellow knight and would flash Thalia a smile. “And you little one. You did well today. I can see now why Club and the queen are so found of you. Consider me a fan.”

"Heh. Neat." Ashford would respond in notice of the weapon, glancing it up and down. He'd need a new scabbard for this... Whatever kind of scabbard that could even handle this kind of thing. But he could only stare at the strange weapon for so long before his eye went to the last location of the champion known as Sulyvahn. Somehow, Ashford didn't think the man was dead. Not many could truly die in his world, why would any be different here. Well, perhaps the normal humans. But these were demons and gods, and champions of such.

Glancing to Thalia and Diamond, Ashford rubbed the back of his head. Got himself stuck into another one of the little hunters problems. Maybe made it harder then it needed to be by being here, but at least the threat had been dealt with... For now. "I suggest we head back for your queen, she might be done with Dream, but who knows who else Lucian sent." He spoke, eye already looking back the way they came. The deed was done, the man was gone. Nothing more to think about it... But he was proud of the little hunter. And thankful still. Last weapon he had made for him... Well reforged was his dagger. A long time ago.

The clone Ash looked a bit surprised as he began to fall, his body already moving to correct that, till he felt his body skewered with dark energy, stuck in mid air, the god of choices went limp, till he raised his head in the direction of the Queen. "Ow..." A simple response, as his fingers moved with speed and he suddenly vanished, back next to the void sword he had thrown and on his feet.

Writing another rune, He'd throw it to the ground and allow the tunnel to fill with a blanket of fire, fire that this Ash didn't seem to have any fear over. With fire and Ice at play, the man moved once more to strike at the Queen, footwork adapting to any more slippery surprises, his body still had the hole in it, but it was healing slowly, and didn't seem to bother the man all that much. "Next time aim for my heart. My head, my lungs, my stomach, you can't kill me with those. My heart, is where my core lies." He sung along as he danced, making a desperate heavy swing from the right as he wrote up another rune in his left hand and aimed it at the Queen's flank, firing off a bolt of ice back at her, much larger then any the human Ash had to offer.

Madeline’s plan had an effect. Not the desired effect, but an effect nonetheless. She almost couldn’t help but hold back her smile. Finally someone she could have a little fun with. Someone who wouldn’t drop in a few measly attacks. Not only that, but the impostor Ash had given her some information he shouldn’t have. This came after he filled the corridor with fire. The pygmy gorilla moved it’s body to protect the blacksmith. Madeline on the other hand, let the flames wash over her. Holding her hands out at her sides, she basked in the heat.

The queen should not have been told how to defeat the man. Knowing that she could drag a fight out and have fun with it, was not good for the other party. If she wanted to drag this out, which she did, she always did. Then all she had to do was no aim for the man’s heart. That was easy enough. It was especially easy when the hole she had just put through the man, had slowed him down. He drew closer and closer to the goddess before taking a heavy swing at her.

Taking a step to her left, Madeline watched as the sword fell past her. Her amber eye’s glanced up just in time to see the clone’s hand getting ready to unleash an attack. With a wave of her hand several black spikes would shot up from the ground. They’d cascade forward till the last one pushed Ashfords hand upward, causing the large shard of ice to be embedded in the ceiling above the two combatants.

This wasn’t the only thing the queen had to offer however. Taking her metal hand, she’d hold it out in front of her. This caused some of the nearby fire to swirl into a ball in her palm. She was about to do something overly complex just for the sake of it. Tightening her hand around the ball of fire, Madeline focused the flames into the buckler on her arm. She’d turn to face the buckler at the impostor Ashford and would bang on the back of it. This would cause a torrent of flames to shoot out in the man’s direction. This was just a stunt to catch him off guard.

No sooner did the flames leave the shield, Madeline quickly circled around to the man’s side and stomped into the ground causing a wave of piercing icicles to cascade towards him.

The god grunted, finding that hitting the Queen was a mission. Not something he was new too, but damn she was perhaps faster then anyone he had faced before. Didn't help she had all this magic she could call on command. Only made the fight more difficult. No wonder Lucian didn't come herself.

Getting his attack deflected left Ashford open, and the Queen used that to her own advantage, and the moment next, he found himself engulfed in flames, but he didn't react much to that ether, the flames burning him to a charred crisp in time. With a quick jump, Ashford kicked off the wall to avoid the cascade of icicles coming at him and sliced at the Queen before jumping further back, his crisp skin slowly healing. "Damn. No writing, no limits. I don't think anyone in my world except for void walkers could even have a chance against you alone." The man spoke, clearly his throat had healed where it needed too to allow that, placing a hand on his mask to annoyance, the man would pause for a moment, actually feeling the face of the mask for the first time, before laughing a cold, cold laugh.

"Heh... Heheh. Wow. She messed me up... She made the true god me, mixed with the actual me. I am so sorry Queen of war. You're fighting a gimped me. Continue then? I'd rather you kill me sooner then later. It is my choice to fight you now. To die to you now. But I don't know if I might lose that." The man spoke, a slight tone of annoyance and disappointment heavy in the way he spoke, as he charged forward once more, his left hand in his pocket, right before vanishing next to the sword he had left near the Queen once more in an effort to thrust his sword into her.


As Ashford traveled with the two Knights, he found himself a little curious. Of everyone he had met so far, they were the most interesting, maybe he could get some answers. "So sorry to bother. But what exactly are all y'all. Demons of the sort, but is the Queen an actual god or just a powerful demon with the title? Where I came from, we once called the gods demons, which they used to hide the fact they were gods. Higher beings, so to hide the even more powerful timelords." The man asked and explained, waiting for an answer and reminding silent less something was wanted from him.

However, few minutes after his question, a being would appear in front of them from a puddle on the ground, causing the lone human pause. A woman made of water, wearing robes along with two white plates inside her water like head, acting as eyes as her face took the shape of a proper lady. "Gret... Gretcher?" The water woman looked to the three, a tilt in her head.

"You are the wrong Ash. No... You are the old... One. Shame. You sound exactly alike... But... The little lass is here... We are tasked with her death, directly or otherwise. A test..." The woman spoke, softly gliding towards them, robes hiding her legs, but it'd seem as if she rode a wave, one that left a trail of ice behind her, in fact, that ice seemed to start spreading everywhere, making way towards the three.

"Eyes... Her eyes... Please..." Ashford paused, allowing his knees to hit the ground as he stared at the woman, clearly in some form of shock, unable to act. "Before she freezes us all... Damn it.. Aim for those eyes."

Madeline had a few thoughts running through her head at the moment. Like how resilient this version of Ash was, how strong his will seemed. It was sad really. If he wasn’t some amalgamation of whatever Lucian did to make these poor creatures, she’d most certainly try to make him one of her champions. That then led into her other thought. Was the Ashford she knew, the one that Thalia liked, was he as strong as this impostor? She had only seen him in action briefly and he seemed capable enough. Perhaps he could be swayed.

The queen shook her head. She was in the middle of a battle and she was allowing her thoughts to wonder off. That’s when she heard the clone mumble something that fed her ego. If she wasn’t who she was, Madeline might not have taken the time to respond to such a comment, but she couldn’t help herself. The goddess of war turned to the man and performed a small curtsy. “I am a goddess of war you know. I’m called so for a reason.” As the queen was straightening out, the man preformed one more attack.

Desperately lunging forward he left Madeline with a wide open window to deliver some serious damage. While the teleport to the sword might have caught Madeline off guard, it was only briefly. She was quick to react. Side stepping the clone Ash, the queen would reach out and snatch his sword by the blade. Once her grip was secured, she’d bring her other arm above her head and then drive her elbow downward into the blade. It shattered under her strength. She was not done however.

With her arm now slightly lower than Ashford, her sword was in striking distance of his heart. With no hesitation, the blade would be propelled towards the man’s heart.

As the trio traveled down the halls, they found it a little harder to navigate. With Diamond’s horn broken, thanks to Sulyvahn, she could no longer illuminate the passage ways. That being said, they weren't exactly pressed for time, and were taking it easy so to speak. That’s when Ashford spoke up. His voice breaking up the monotony of their small walk. The question he asked gave the two knights pause. They didn’t really know the answer to that. They really didn’t know what defined godhood. Madeline was called a goddess by the human’s of earth. None of the demons of Arcadia had ever done so. That being said, Madeline and her sister were the oldest beings in Arcadia, having been around at the same time the realm sprung into existence.

Thinking it through, Diamond was about to answer the question, when she was suddenly cut off. An aquatic being would spring to life before them. An odd creature indeed, but Ashford seemed to know them. The extent to which Ash knew them would have to be a topic of later debate as now he seemed immobilized by the sight of this being. Neither knight was quite sure what to do. Diamond didn’t have her horn to make any constructs, it would be up to Thalia to deal with the problem.

The little hunter’s hand began fiddling around in her pockets, the only tool she had on her was the glacial eye. She assumed that a being that left a trail of frost in its wake was immune to ice, so that wasn’t going to work. She’d have to resort to the simplest of solutions. Taking her mace, she’d allow her hair to grip it and would then try attacking the being from a distance.

The clone made a surprised grunt when his sword was broken, hand reaching down and moving, ready to do something, only... Only for Ashford to stop, a sword in his chest, cut though his heart, a small crack could be heard, like a stone being broken. "Heh... Well done... Not a second sooner, mind you." The man said, raising his arm and allowing the dagger that had been sheathed the entire fight press at the throat of the Queen, if only for a second as he lowered it back down and dropped it, the weapon turning into many fragments of runes and coffee.

Stepping back, the man would stumble until he could no longer keep on his feet, his knees hitting the ground with a thud as his body, from his feet and fingers, started to drip with water, not coffee, but water. "You'd have been no match for Four I reckon. Even the void walkers were scared of her. Heh... Don't tell the younger me... About me. His path seems a little odder to mine... Hell's I don't think he'll be a god... But at least he'll be free." Little huffs of breath, his voice seemed more garbled as he spoke, as if he was becoming more water then man, till eventually, he was nothing but water, which soon collapsed. All the remained was a white bone plate, cut in half, in a puddle of water.

Gretcher seemed to grow as she got closer, her body shifting and shaping, ice like teeth grew in her mouth, her hands became maces and axes of ice, and she easily caught the mace in her water like body, enveloping it in ice and freezing the strand of hair that came with it. It even looked as if she was about to grow big enough to devour the three of them, only to falter. Her weapons changed back to hands, hands that went to her heart, well, where her heart would be. "Ashy..." The voice echoed, her size grew smaller, all the ice in the room suddenly melted as if she could have controlled it even now, with the limited facial features that could be seen in the darkness, one could almost have seen sadness.

Which is why, in a sudden bout of self control, the woman grew a mace, shaped almost like Thalia's and swung it into her own face, the deafening crack of bone breaking followed, and the woman of water turned to coffee.

Ashford would get to his feet, with the woman dead, but his questions were silent, he was silent for the most of it. Besides a few simple words. "Let's go..." His feet stepping on coffee as he said it, slowly melting away coffee.

The queen smiled as the clone Ash put a blade to her throat. “Half a second too soon, or too late, it wouldn’t have mattered. I am Madeline, queen of Arcadia and goddess of war. I lose to no one.” she said as the man began to stumble back and fall apart. Stepping away from the now destabilized being, the weapons the queen had summoned would vanish and her hands would slip back into her pockets. Madeline didn’t exactly know how these clone beings worked, but as the fake Ash made his last request, Madeline made one of her own. I do not know what will become of you when you fully fade, but tell Lucian that if she interferes again, It wont just be clones I reduce to ash.”

Thalia’s attack would fail. It would fail in such a way that it actually angered her. Mainly cause it cost her some of her hair, which she had already lost thanks the Sulyvahn. With the creature catching the mace, the little hunter assumed the electricity would have some sort of effect on their watery body. That was not the case. Frost would creep up part of Thalia’s hair causing it to become brittle and snap off. The little knight would stumble back, Diamond catching her before she fell. What were they going to do now?

Diamond was ready to step in, but then something happened. The being, something happened to it. It flipped out, became unstable, and then killed itself. This left the two knights slightly confused. Ashford didn’t say anything except for a simple ‘lets go’ Thalia didn’t know why, but she got the feeling that Ash and that being had history together based on his reaction. The walk back to the queen was quite, so much so, that the little demon decided to answer Ashford’s question from earlier, at least to the best of her ability. “You know how you asked earlier if the queen was actually a god or if it was just a title? I don’t rightly know what a god is, but the humans called her one. And she’s unlike any other being in Arcadia. I know that’s not really an answer….sorry.” she mumbled.

Eventually the sound of shuffling footsteps would reach the queens ears. Turning her attention down the hallway, the faint outline of three individuals could be seen. The sight brought a smile to face. There were no more tricks, no more games, no more clones. The trio heading her way were her two knights and the human. Thalia’s big fluffy hair was undeniable, though it was looking a bit lopsided. “It took you three long enough. Did you have fun?” she asked, almost sounding like a mother picking up her children from school.

Ashford simply nodded, accepting that the answer he was given was true enough. He didn't know this world. If anyone had made it, if it was real or fake. But he knew it was strange, that it had so many beings and like his, it had many other worlds connected to it. One that these beings came from, yet they'd been here enough, if the mortals of this world called her one, but then. If he looked at everyone who was so much more powerful then he, and called them gods.

They'd be a lot of gods. Still, at least he could think about it, rather then the woman that had just ended her life, as if touched by heartache. She looked... Older.. More full of life. He shook his head, had to stop thinking about her. That wasn't Gretcher... Not his Gretcher.

Thankfully, they finally made it to the Queen, and she seemed pleased as punch to see them, along with her ape of a beast beside her, and something in that things arms. He also ignored the puddle of water on the ground. He didn't want to know why it was there, but it was there. "Aye, quite a bit. We run, we walked, we froze a little. We stabbed a champion in the heart. Walk in the park honestly." The man joyfully jested, trying to put what happened behind him.

Only for a cough to ring out, a annoyed grunt and a hand rose and thumped the arm of the beast that carried him. "Alright put me down, I know you want too." Cain grumbled, attempting to pull himself away from the beast to the ground. Mid all the fights and ramble and walking, he had pulled each and every stick that had found itself lodged into his body, and had healed them, albeit, the healing part left him with large, ugly scars that looked like coffee, even his complexion was growing that of coffee.

"Cain?" Ashford questioned, only to have the man walk up to him with the grouchiest frown he had ever seen the man give as he pulled the sword of flesh and metal from Ash's hands. Looking to the Lass with a nod.

"You made this? Well crafted. May Cost give your hands a proper gift of craftsmanship. But if you don't mind. I'd like to improve it. Nothing else can be." The man said as he pulled out a dagger and another hammer, along with a bit of metal that he aimed for the metal of the sword. Placing it all on the floor, he took his hammer and carved some runes into it, right after, he took the dagger and cut his hand open, trailing the blood all over the runes and along the blade, watching as the runes glowed with power. "Right. Not sure if this will work. If it will work right away but... This is my apology. Anyway. I got a death to deliver myself and these catacombs will be as good as place as any for my grave... By the way. That dagger... Nevermind. The man didn't use it. No need to worry." Cain finished, giving the Queen a final look, before giving Ashford another frown, as if telling him something, before limping off into the darkness.

Ashford was left watching him, walking over to the flesh sword and picking it up, before looking to the three Arcadians... Four. Weird furry demon things. If they counted. "I'm sorry. I don't know what has happened to my people... Bunch of dramatics.. But.. No..." He frowned, looking to the Queen. "Sorry bout dragging Thalia into a mess. I decided to go exploring and I ended up finding that guy of all people along with Lucian deciding to be an annoyance. But he's gone now. Not sure if he is dead... Oh well..." He finished, giving a slight smile and shrug. The day was done... He saw far too many friends die, he wanted the day over.

Thalia lit up with glee when she heard the queen call out to them. She lit up even more when she saw that the old man was ok, or at least still alive. It was like one big wave of happiness for the little hunter all in one shot as her craftsmanship was once again complimented. That she was a bit taken back when the old blacksmith took the weapon to make ‘improvements’ Which came in the form of strange runes. That was going to be one hell of a weapon. All the savagery of an Arcadian demon, mixed with some magic from Ashford’s home.

With his work done, the old man said his silent goodbyes and began to walk away. Thalia wasn’t sure what was going on, but she wanted to stop him. She’d take a step forward but a hand on her shoulder would make her stop. Looking up, the little knight’s eyes would meet with Diamond’s. A simple head shake was all it took for Thalia to get it. She didn’t know the man personally, but she felt sad that he had to go.

Ash’s voice would break up the sorrowful tone of the moment. His apology to the queen was unneeded, and she made sure he knew that. With a wave of her hand and a slight smirk on her face. “You’ve nothing to be sorry for. Thalia had to be here either way. Im sure she enjoyed the company. Though now I feel almost obligated to give you a second gift.” she said nodding toward the sword. “Sulyvahn can’t truly die. He lives a cursed existence. One brought on by two demons, myself and another. While he was one of my champions long ago, the curse placed on him prevents me from ever claiming his soul. He receives all the benefits of being a champion without any of the drawbacks so to speak. You could imagine what an eternity of hate and lack of feeling would do to a person.”

Thalia walked over to the puddle that was the older Ashford. “We’ll see him again for certain, but he’ll be just as he was now, in a wakened state. And we already know you three are more than capable of bringing him down in said state.” The queen’s thoughts from earlier came flooding back. This was the perfect opportunity to try and claim Ashford. She could turn around right now and make him the offer. She thought long and hard about, so much so, that an awkward silence began to gather.

She’d snap back to the three with a smile on her face, one of faked glee, it didn’t suit her one bit. “Enough dwelling in this gods forsaken place. Let us part ways for now, though Im certain we’ll be seeing much more of each other.” she said with a bow before beckoning on her two knights and the pygmy demon. “Im feeling particularly happy today, lets go ruin my daughters day!”

THE END