Azhure: At first, I worry that my characters are too OP when I first conceived them, so I limit their powers, and created the directive for them to hold back. Now, I worry that they are too weak.
Voice: LOL
“Guagh!”
While Alicia and company are dealing with the Iron Knights, and Darc breaking the glass wall, we will not observe them. Instead, we will be focusing on Jonathan’s battle… or it probably should be called a massacre.
“After all,” the lead cultist, Gray, said. “I did…”
SHIMMERSHIMMERSHIMMERSHIMMERSHIMMERSHIMMERSHIMMERSHIMMER~
CRACKCRACKCRACKCRACKCRACKCRACKCRACKCRACK~
Azhure: From now on, assume the sound of Darc breaking the glass is still going on in the background. I’m not adding those again, it’ll ruin this chapter.
Even though what Gray said was muffled by master Darc’s inconvenient timing of his Shadow Stakes, every movement of his lips says it all.
“…and I even orchestrated the battle that severed your arm!”
It all makes sense, what happened six years ago, he thought, this bastard, he…
Jonathan, the Hero of Coastline, the Nature Court Wizard, knew what to do.
As the cultists began to chant their spells, he lifted his right limb and the sleeve of his robe touched the stump of his severed arm. Although he never tried to hide it, he was not one to openly show it to others: his past, his loss, his failure.
A reminder of when he had failed to save his partner in the war, costing his arm. And because of it, he lost his other friend, and fellow Court Wizard, too. Now, he knows that bastard was behind it all.
Concentrating his inner soul, Jonathan may be shackled by the wounds he kept, but he at least moved beyond its reach. His lost arm, his weakness, he shall replace it with his will, so that this time, he will save his allies.
Though he was certain that his colleagues could handle those Iron Knights, so the Nature Court Wizard will do what he needed to do.
SLITHERSLITHERSLITHER~
Azhure: I would like to receive a suggestion for a better onomatopoeia than above.
To compensate for his lost right arm, Jonathan had developed a ‘[Plant Arm]’ out of his loyal maneg. It was similar to Rose Bloodlight’s legs only his replaced half of an entire limb instead of being essentially glorified crutches. While the [Plant Arm] was arguably a useful Vague Order, it still used loyal maneg so it was dangerous to use, so Jonathan used it sparingly.
RIP
However, the sleeve of his brown robe had little space for the manifestation of the [Plant Arm] and was simply ripped apart. Jonathan had worn a new set of the brown robe after his previous one was torn apart yesterday.
In Manegia, Rose had a feeling that her hard work was desecrated, again, and simply sighed in melancholy.
Extend.
With the base of the [Plant Arm] formed, Jonathan gave the Vague-Extension Order [Stretch & Grapple].
BANG
ZIP~
A gunshot-like sound reverberated the tomb as the loyal maneg made its Order to its master’s disloyal maneg supply and rapidly grew the [Plant Arm] in length.
The [Plant Arm] erected in a banana shot, scraping beside the squadron of cultists who have yet to receive the attack command from their superior, that bastard. And just as that bastard stood before the black-haired kid with his dagger raised, Jonathan got to the naked boy first.
YANK
“What the?” Gray exclaimed. Clearly, he did not expect this little trick. Now that he did it, Jonathan remembered that he never exactly used it in Qantasia.
The [Plant Arm] morphed its head around the upper torso of the boy in lightning-fast speed that the winged cultist tumbled backward.
ZIP~
THUD
The [Plant Arm] shrunk rapidly, bringing the child to him, and abruptly stopped when it reached him. While Jonathan took care of the velocity when he pulled the boy, he admits it might still be too rough. He then gently laid the sleeping kid on the cold hard floor. But…
What the hell is this kid dreaming about? Jonathan cringed upon glancing at the naked boy.
Voice: Hm!? What’s the kid thinkin’ about!?
Azhure: Leave it to your imagination.
Whatever, in a split-second, the [Plant Arm] once again lashes out… straight for that bastard.
ZIP~
“What did you-” And the Vague Order made the touchdown. “Guagh!” screamed the beastfolk cultist. The large imitation of plant life coiled around him, starting from the neck.
CLA-CL-CLAN-NG-ANG-G
As the ensnarement progresses, Gray, in the shock of the giant green grabbing him, eventually dropped his dagger to the hard floor, bouncing for a bit. That bastard, of course, didn’t… or rather, couldn’t say anything as the maneg creation gagged his foul mouth, to prevent him from chanting.
“Leader!”
“A-Aaah!”
“He’s a monster!”
Turns out, Gray’s cronies are a bunch of wimps after their leader was being assaulted by a ‘magic’ they had never seen.
SLITHER~ SLITHER~
Then, as if to mock the fact that he was flapping his wings furiously to the point of tiredness, Jonathan commanded his [Plant Arm] to lift the winged cultist off from the ground, that bastard’s feet were dangling as he was lifted. Then, Jonathan slowly brings his catch to him.
Also, about the rest of the cultists being wimps? Well, Jonathan did saw one quietly chanting a spell.
Well, not to worry, another boon with having his [Plant Arm] is that it can help him ordering normal Orders, Jonathan could give them vaguely and the [Plant Arm] will do the complicated stuff.
[Thorn], to that chanting cultist from the [Plant Arm] area near that bastard.
BURST
CRACK
A vine with a sharp thorn on its tip branched out of the part of the [Plant Arm] where Gray was held. It whipcrack the air as it lashed out towards the brave cultist.
STAB
“Gurgle…!” A raspy light voice, meaning the cultist is a woman, echoed as the thorn punctured her neck and lots of blood spurted out.
STABSTAB
STABSTAB
STABSTAB
STABSTAB
Even more blood sprayed out like a fountain as numerous green blades grew out of her, head shoulders knees and toes (and also everything else), dyeing her black robe red. The stem connecting it to the main body detached itself and let the human porcupine stood like a monument.
The cultist’s black hood fell off to reveal a blonde woman, a Coastline noblewoman. Ugh, king Albert con Coastline needed to conduct a thorough raid on the nobility.
Well hopefully, this gruesome overkill will teach others to stay put. This was a usual tactic of Court Wizards.
Anyway, Jonathan set his [Plant Arm] to do the same to any other reckless cultist, you can never be too careful.
BURST
STAB
“Gurk!”
Ah, he had forgotten about the cultist constantly chanting the summoning of the Iron Knights. At least he had somewhat protected his colleagues.
Moving on, Jonathan brought Gray eye-to-eye. With no one else dare to intervene, he can carry out what he needed to do.
“You have not learned enough,” he growled, with the face of rage. “You should have known this,” he gave a pause to bore his gaze on Gray’s dilated eyes. he continued, “We hold back, far too much. And, you will never get away from your crimes against us.”
Although it would be of best interest to keep this bastard alive, the other code of Court Wizards said otherwise. Gray must pay with his life, in the most excruciating way possible.
Besides, the lead cultist in GrassPlains had already spouted the order of the kingdoms the ritual would take place.
The [Plant Arm] lowered Gray to the ground and forced him to look up to Jonathan.
The Hero of Coastline raised his left hand and in it, a Cherished Armament formed. It was a sword, shorter than what he normally used, with a green handle and intricate markings on the blade.
“This is Melaine’s sword, the Court Wizard you killed.”
STAB
“Hngh~!”
And it was thrust into the right side of Gray’s neck. Then it was pulled out, but additional fake flora covered the wound him from dying.
Then, Jonathan summoned another. It was another sword, but longer than his main sword, also with a similar design. Though its original owner was not a Court Wizard, he was like a sworn brother to him.
“This is Reg’s longsword.”
Shifting Gray more to his right.
SLICE
“Grgh~!”
Then, his right arm was chopped off and it fell to the ground. Again, the [Plant Arm] covered the stump to prevent blood loss.
“And that is for my arm.”
STAB
STAB
STAB
STAB
Then, Jonathan ordered his loyal maneg creation to puncture the winged cultist with an array of [Thorn]s, all in non-vital locations.
Rotating him one-eighty degrees.
SLASH
And cut off his wings with one clean swipe.
“And that is for attacking us, the Wizards of the Otherworldly Court.”
By now, the bastard was tired of grunting in pain and must be numbed from it. Incidentally, there were two more cultists foolishly attempted to save their leader, they had met the same fate.
“Well then, I know you did it, but I will still ask you.
“Were you the one who led those black mages to attack my village that killed my brother?”
In a moment of silence as the [Plant Arm] slowly shrinks the part that covered Gray’s mouth.
“YES!” he yelled. It was more like a last laugh in defeat. “I led my brethren to destroy that village to cripple your spirit! I even killed your brother myself! Kuhahahahahaha~!”
STABSTABSTAB
STABSTABSTAB
STABSTABSTAB
STABSTABSTAB
STABSTABSTAB
STABSTABSTAB
STABSTABSTAB
“Then this is for that. Farewell, old comrade, you have still helped king Albert von Coastline to rise regardless.”
And for that respect, Jonathan released and laid the unrecognizable seagull beastfolk down.
He gazed at the frightened cultists.
WHIP
PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE PUNCTURE
He had learned his lesson from the first cultist raid.
This time, Jonathan whipped the [Plant Arm] to the side, releasing a barrage of flying thorns across the tomb. In an instant, all the cultists are simultaneously punctured by these thorns in the neck. The [Plant Arm] made sure it was deadly accurate.
0 cultists left.
Jonathan took a deep breath and exhaled.
It had taken a significant portion of his maneg. Well, it had only reached double digits just barely, but Jonathan was told to never reached that amount.
The last time, a Court Wizard, who was at the other side of the glass right now assisting his girlfriend fighting the Iron Knights, used up more than thirty percent of percent maneg and ended up half-paralyzed.
SHATTER
And just in time or a bit too late, the magical glass wall had finally been broken. Jonathan saw the Dark Guardian, Darcassan Erith, slightly out of breath under his robe and mask by his moving body frame.
Also, now that Jonathan had killed the cultist that summoned the Iron Knights, they no longer endlessly spawn. But there were still a decent number of them and his fellow Court Wizards were also manegially tired by the onslaught – the Iron Knight’s bodies disappear when defeated, that meant the Iron Knights behind the defeated will not be obstructed and can push forward without giving their enemies rest.
SHATTER
So they have finally arrived.
As if on cue, the sound of glass breaking on the other side of the dark corridor had been heard. The guards that Jonathan told to come had finally arrived. They were probably occupied with the glass wall on their side.
However, he was taken aback slightly. “Men,” a familiar voice reverberated the corridor, “destroy the Iron Knights, we must aid sir Jonathan and his allies!”
“Yes, sir!”
After all, Jonathan had simply asked for the local guards. However, it was the silver knights of princess Alyssa von Coastline’s personal guards that rushed in to secure the tomb, checking for additional danger and helping the Court Wizards out.
This is all too convenient, he mused to himself. Who was it? Ah, Shakespeare.
The famous playwright of ‘Earth,’ William Shakespeare, had said that the world is a stage and that everyone in it are merely actors.
Then Jonathan should play his part.
He picked up the naked boy and shoved him to Darc.
Jonathan? (Darc)
Brushing past the other Court Wizard, Jonathan materialized his main Cherished Armament, the sword with the perfect length for his size.
SLASH
SLASH
SLASH
SLASH
In a quick dash, Jonathan hacked through each of the Iron Knights, breaking their cores.
0 Iron Knights left.
Jonathan, drenched in blood, walked past the stunned knights and met his friend and comrade in the war that ended five years ago, the War of the Princes, for now it had finally ended… for them.
“Alfred,” he called. For the first time in six years, the Hero of Coastline had finally smiled, whether it’s happy or sad… or perhaps, just empty. “He’s dead, the bastard who killed Melaine, your sister, and got away is finally dead.”
Name: Jonathan Age: 26 Sex: Male Species: Human World: Qantasia Element: Nature Element Color: Green Cherished Armament: ??? (sword), Melaine's Short Sword (short sword), Reg's Longsword (longsword) Rank: Duke
Vague-Extension Orders
An Order within a Creation Vague Order such as the extension of Jonathan’s [Plant Arm] Vague Order, [Stretch & Grapple]. These Orders use disloyal maneg with the loyal maneg creation automatically process the ‘technicals’ within Vague-Extension. Normal Orders can also be automated by a loyal maneg creation, but the name of the Order must be given, and it can only be from a memorized one.
