An hour ago
(Queen Saphira and her companions Scarlet Cross and Crimson Akatski are walking on a dirt road moving away from the Nescalan territories as she nears the city of Phosphoron.)
Scarlet: My Queen, we’ve been walking for quite a while. Do we have a destination?
Queen: We don’t, but....(she begins to open a vile of crystalline dust and pours the dust onto the ground)...I’ll find us a destination.
(the crystalline dust rises up like glittering smoke. Saphira speaks to the dust in front her with determination) Mist of Seers, reveal to me a man named Sage Blaze.
Akatski: Sage Blaze?
Queen: It’s a name that Valdus would sometimes bring up while I was spying on him with my all-seeing eye. I have no one else to go to, and I certainly don’t want to be looking for Lucius, that troublesome and cunning serpent. (The Mist of Seers reveals nothing)
Queen: That’s strange, it won’t disclose Sage’s location. Is this another one of Valdus’ secrets he kept from me....Fine! Mist of Seers, let me speak to Sage Blaze.
(Sage is overlooking the burning city of Phosphoron waiting for Saint to log in to the game)
Sage: My brother is certainly taking his time. The numskull! (Suddenly Sage hears a voice calling him)
Saphira: Can you hear me, is this Sage I’m speaking to?
Sage: Who’s there? How do you know my name? (Sage looks around, but sees no one)
Saphira: Oh good...I’m using the Mist of Seers to speak to you. You can’t see me, but I can communicate with you. You don’t know me, but I know you through a man named Valdus.
Sage: Never heard of him. What’s your name and what do you want?
Saphira: I am Queen Saphira of Nescala and I’m here to seek your help.
Sage: The Queen of Nescala? Why are you seeking my help?
Saphira: I believe Valdus to be Maximius in disguise. He has taken away my throne and made the land of Nescala his own. The Nescalan armies are under his authority now and he’s probably defeating the last of the resistance. I’ve got no one else to turn to in this outside world. Will you help me?
Sage: If it concerns Maximius, then I will help.
Saphira: Oh thank you very much. Can you please tell me where you are? I don’t know my way outside of the lands of Nescala.
(Sage ponders for a bit as he looks at the sky above the city of Phosphoron. Then he grins.)
Sage: Are you near the city of Phosphoron.
Saphira: I’m not sure. I am in Teiran lands though.
Sage: Then look for a big explosion in the sky. It’ll be huge, so you won’t miss it. Just follow its direction and you will find me.
Saphira: I understand. I’ll follow your sign in the sky. When will I see it?
Sage: Soon enough.
Saphira: Ok! I’ll be vigilant then. Bye! (She ends her communication and her countenance is one of bewilderment and curiosity) An explosion in the sky. What is he planning?
Akatski: Do you believe we can trust him, your Majesty?
Saphira: I don’t know, but I don’t think we have any other option.
Scarlet: He might be dangerous like Lucius.
Saphira: I didn’t get that feeling from him. All I know is that he’s willing to aid us. Only time will tell if he’s friend or foe.
(Back to Sage)
Sage: The Queen of Nescala, eh? She could probably be useful for what’s going to happen ahead. (Sage’s menu pops in front of him and a message informs him that Saint has logged in.) Ah, good! It’s time to teleport my brother to my location.
(Back to the present, Lucius has been incapacitated by Sage’s white fire. Then he begins to faintly laugh as he still feels the pain from the white flames on his body)
Lucius: hahahaha! That’s right, if Maximius is your foe, then it makes sense for you three to be demon slayers. But....I’m not...(he stretches out his arm with his palm wide open as if he’s expecting to receive something in his hand)....so easily defeated.
(Sage suddenly realizes what he’s doing and warns Elian and Saint)
Sage: HES CALLING HIS SCYTHE. MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. (The trio quickly dodge Lucius' incoming scythe which lands on Lucius’ hand. And with sheer force of will, Lucius gets up to his feet and blows away the white flames from his body with his overpowering energy. Elian steps up to Lucius with Saint right behind her, and both take their stance with their swords drawn out.)
Lucius: You will not catch me by surprise again. (Elian responds with bravado)
Elian: We won’t need to. We’ll just shove the white flames down your throat.
Saint: Elian!?
Elian: Sorry, was that too much?
Saint: No, no, just seems so unlike you. I’m glad you’re on our side. (Saint smiles at her)
Elian: Thanks. (Elian smiles back, but Lucius is not amused)
Lucius: Why don’t you prove your threat. Let’s see if you’re really a femme fatale or a scared puppy who’s all bark and no bite.
Elian: I’d be glad to show you.
Sage: Careful, Elian, we need him alive. He’s the “Rage of the Ruined”.
Elian: Sure, Sage. (Elian takes the advantage by flying up in the sky and striking from above with her majestic sword, while Saint zig-zags with incredible speed using the “Fury of the Forsaken” and attacking at a very fast rate from all directions. However, Lucius easily blocks all incoming strikes with his scythe and strikes back at Saint who’s then put on the defensive. Lucius jumps high and grabs Elian’s sword and pulls her down and slams her to the ground. Saint tries to come to Elian’s aid, but is immediately cut by Lucius scythe and blunted on the face with the blunt end of the scythe. Saint falls back and lays on the ground grabbing his face in pain. Sage summons multiple beams of fire that follow Lucius everywhere he goes. Every time Lucius dodges the beam of fire they turn back and keep tracking him down.)
Sage: How long do you think you can dodge my fiery beams?
Lucius: Long enough to....(Suddenly Lucius flash steps in front of Sage to the point that his face is six inches away from Sage’s face)....distract you.
(Sage’s eyes widen as he realizes that Lucius has been directing all of his beams of fire to surround him without his notice. He tries to escape, but Lucius swipes his scythe upward critically cutting Sage and leaving him incapacitated. Lucius flash steps away and the beams of fire engulf Sage in an explosion of fire.)
Lucius: Is this all that Demonslayers can do.
(Sage drags himself out of the huge flames unscathed, yet limping from Lucius’ scythe attack.)
Lucius: Well, you’re a resilient foe.
Sage: Flames...*pant*...can’t...*pant*...hurt me.
Lucius: Clearly you’re not in a condition to continue.
Sage: You’re right...hahaha..*coughs in pain*....but she is.....(Suddenly Lucius turns around to see Nuriel’s pearl egg cracking and bursting forth flames that turn into a pheonix)....she’s more than a challenge for you now.
link(Nuriel rides the phoenix and soars high into the air. Lucius, showing no fear, jumps high up to reach her, but the phoenix is too fast and instead rams Lucius multiple times till he falls to the ground. The phoenix then sends a barrage of fireballs towards Lucius, engulfing him in flames. Lucius brushes the flames aside with one swing of his Scythe, but then Lucius sees Elian and is too slow to react to her attack. She stabs Lucius on his chest with her majestic sword and raises her sword up above her with Lucius still impaled on her sword. Then she swings her sword like a hammer towards the ground and Lucius is ground pounded. Lucius forces the sword out of his chest, but is slashed by Saint with his sword Durendal. Saint summons the Tundra Claymore and strikes the ground. Sudddenly ice quickly pours out of the sword and Lucius is enveloped by ice so that he’s unable to move. Finally, Sage summons the last of his strength and uses his signature move.)
Sage: Dodge this...PHEONIX BLAZE!
(Sage punches Lucius in the face and flies back, crashing into a concrete wall of what used to be a building. The concrete debris falls on top of him, burying him in concrete. Elian rejoices in victory)
Elian: We did it!
Sage: It’s not over!
Saint: How much damage can this guy take?
(Instantly the concrete debris is blasted away and Lucius comes out filled with rage)
Lucius: ENOUGH!!! I WILL NOT BE MOCKED BY YOU THREE INSECTS. I AM LUCIUS!!! YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME.
(Lucius is clouded by his rage and charges at the Trio, but all of a sudden Scarlet Cross and Crimson Akatski pounce on Lucius and pins him down with their spear and katana mere inches from his neck. Lucius looks up and to his surprise he sees Queen Saphira before him)
Lucius: Hahaha! I didn’t expect to find you here.
Saphira: Neither did I. Don’t move or my servants will cut off your head before you even have a chance to move.
Lucius: Well what now, Queen Saphira?
Saphira: This fight is over. Give up.
Lucius: Hahaha! You know I can’t do that. (Sage approaches Queen Saphira)
Sage: What took you so long?
Saphira: Forgive me! I didn’t know I was needed this urgently.
Lucius: So it was you who called her here.
Sage: Of course I did. The nuke we dropped on your head was more than just for show.
Lucius: I really like how you think, Sage. You would have been a great servant.
Sage: I serve no one, but my own family.
Lucius: Admirable, but any conviction can be broken.
Sage: Say what you want, Lucius. You cannot take on all seven of us. (Elian, Saint, and Nuriel surround Lucius as Scarlet, Akatski, and Saphira have him restrained.)
Lucius: Clearly I am outnumbered and outgunned. But you might as well kill me now, because if I can’t take my vengeance, I will make sure to take as many of you with me.
Sage: That’s good to hear.
Lucius: What?
Sage: You want your vengeance, so do we. Give up now and lend us your immense strength, and I’ll make sure to give you that vengeance you seek.
Saphira: What are you doing, Sage? He’s too dangerous to set free.
Sage: He won’t be free, he’ll be my slave. His power as the “Rage of the Ruined” is part of what is needed to kill the false god, Maximius.
Saphira: I’ve never heard of such a thing. But, if it can help us stop Valdus, then I can overlook Lucius’ transgressions.
Lucius mockingly says: Thank you for showing such mercy to me, Queen Saphira. (Unexpectedly Saphira stabs Lucius on his back with her spear.)
Sage: SAPHIRA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
Saphirs: Peace, my friend Sage. If he is going to be your slave, I must first free the man that Lucius is possessing (Lucius’ spirit is sucked out of the host’s body and stands exposed)
Sage: I see....Lucius, you’ve been stripped from Councilor Nathanial’s body, you have no other option now. Accept your fate and lend me your powers.
Lucius: Hmm...this will be interesting. Know this, Sage. If I find any weakness in your willpower, I will possess your body. Yours seems far more beneficial than my former host body.
Sage: I care not for your words of praise, You will not take my body away from me.
Lucius: We’ll see....(Lucius spirit is absorbed into Sage’s body) We’ll see.....
(As Lucius spirit is completely absorbed by Sage, Nathanial awakens)
Nathanial: Ah, man, what happened?
Elian: Councilor Nathanial, you’ve been freed from Lucius’ control.
Nathanial: I don’t....I remember now....(Nathanial’s voice becomes filled with anger) I remember. THAT, THAT SNAKE WRONGED ME. MAXIMIUS...MAXIMIUS IS GOING TO PAY FOR DOING THIS TO ME. HE WILL FEEL MY WRATH.
Elian: Please, Councilor, be at peace. Maximus isn’t here.
Nathanial: Why can’t I get up? (Nathanial’s body starts showing signs of breaking down. He can barely move now)
Saphira: Lucius’ possession of his body could not handle the stress and damage he received in this fight.
Saint: Oh no, we’re so sorry. If we had known that our battle was doing this to your body we wouldn’t....
Sage: There was no avoiding this. Lucius is not the type to take on easily.
Nathanial: How am I supposed to take my revenge now?
Sage: Simple, lend us your power as the “Wrath of the Wronged”.
Nathanial: The what?
Saint: This doesn’t seem right. Why is Nathanial and Lucius the items that we’re looking for? Why here of all places?
Elian: It’s like Maximius planned for us to find these items.
Sage: There is a commonality between all of these items. All of them were betrayed by Maximius or affected by him in some way.
Nathanial: I don’t care, I want Maximus to pay for this. What should I do?
Sage: Queen Saphira, can you please free his spirit?
Saphira: I’d be glad to help.
Elian: But who’s going to receive Nathanial’s power?
Sage: You will, Priestess.
Elian: Me?
Saint: My brother is right. All of us need to be powerful enough to defeat Maximius, no one person can take him on alone. You should take his power. Me and my brother already have one.
Sage: It’s only fair.
Elian: I understand. Thank you, Sage and Saint.
Saphira: You three have a strong bond. I feel comforted to know that you three are on our side.
Sage: I have only one side, and that’s my brother.
(Saint puts his hand on Sage’s left shoulder and squeezes it)
Sage: OW!
Saint: What he meant to say was, thank you for your gracious praise, Queen Saphira.
Sage: Hmph!
(Elian giggles at Saint and Sage’s exchange. Saphira hovers her majestic spear above Nathanial and sucks his spirit out of his body and is absorbed by Elian)
Saint: Where should we go now, brother?
Saphira: I believe Central City is our next destination. This Pierce character seems like another foe that must be dealt with.
Sage: Yes, I saw the message before we entered the city. It seems this game has become too dangerous. It’s hard to believe that this Pierce guy found a way to actually kill players in real life within the game.
Elian: Actually...I’ve got a confession to make. (Everyone stares at Elian in bewilderment) It’s not Pierce who found a way to kill people within the game. Maximius, he’s the one who’s behind the mysterious deaths that have been occurring.
Sage: What? You’re lying.
Saint: She’s not lying, brother. Layla just told me. Elian is speaking the truth.
Sage: Then why keep this from us, Priestess?
Elian: He’s....he’s supporting my terminally ill adopted mother. If I had revealed his secret, he would have ended his support and my mother would have died.
Sage: What else are you hiding from us? (Sage grows frustrated and furious over Elian keeping this from them)
Elian: Nothing. I swear I know nothing else about Maximius.
Sage: How are we supposed to trust what you say now? What other lies have you been deceiving us with?
Elian: I never lied to you, I just never told you the truth about this till now....Sage...Saint...Please believe me.
(Sage leaves enfuriated by Elian)
Sage: I told you, Saint. But you didn’t listen. I told you she would be nothing but trouble. (Sage walks away from the group)
Saint: Brother, wait!....(Saint turns to address the others) I’m sorry, everyone, I got to go. (Saint follows after Sage. Saphira looks on, completely surprised by the turn of events)
Saphira: Maybe I spoke too soon.
(Elian has her head tilted down and covers her face with her hands, not wanting to let anyone see her lamenting)
Saphira: Oh, my poor girl, don’t fret so much. If your bond with those two men is as strong as I believe it is, they will return, and they will forgive you.
Elian: I....I hope you’re right.
To be continued....