“Cybal’s getting close” said one of the commanders “Be on guard, we’ll reach randevu at sundown, attack directions will be given tomorrow morning”

“That’s good news” Von said to Aria weakly as they walked through the sunset lit forest. They both felt an uneasy feeling of dread looming. As if the next morning would be their last. What waited for them in Cybal

“Von, I’m scared” she said clinging to his arm

“I know, but don’t worry, I’ll protect you”he said, kissing her forehead. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw an arrow hit an unsuspecting death mage in the ear.

“Captain! It’s an ambush!” a soldier screamed before being slain by an arrow himself. Von Grimm pulled Aria close and invoked a barrier around them as arrows bounced off of it.

“The trees!” Grimm shouted “Torch’em!” he yelled at his fellow mages as they began casting flame spells at the brush. Then leagues of Elven assassins leapt from the flames striking the mages down individually.

“Stay close Aria!” Grimm ordered as he dropped his shield and willed his animus into the shape of a translucent short sword. He struck one of the attacking Elven in the chest, standing his ground to protect Aria. The soldiers and mages retreated into the forest opposite of the attackers but were met with a counterflank of Elven assassins, lying in wait to strike down stragglers.

“Keep away!” Grimm shouted pushing the attackers off with a blast of wind magic. A squad of assassins then began to target Grimm, who did his best to fend off the skilled combatants. He ignited a circle of flames around him a Aria and held her closer, shielding her with his body and casting a small barrier around him.

“I’m sorry Aria” he cried in desperation

“It’s okay Von… you tried your best” she said tenderly with a single tear rolling down her cheek. The Elven broke through the flames as one approached to strike but was lifted into the air by an unseen attacker. The ever bizarre Tabath Groan had lifted the assassin with his claws and flew into the air, then dropped him to his death. Grimm rose to his feet and felt a surge of energy rush through him. He held out his hand and arcs of electricity sprung to life and connected with his assassins, who shook and convulsed in pain. He willed another figment blade into his hand and threw it into the chest of another Elven. More assassins approached, armed with blades and knives. One lunged at Von with a sword but he swiftly dodged and used his magic to rust the blade into dust, breaking it. He punched the Elven in the clavicle and threw him to the ground. Grimm had exhausted most of his anitome reserves and now was weak and tired. He fell to his knees in exhaustion as another Elven approached to execute him. Aria quickly ran to Grimm’s side and cast a shield around them deflecting the assassin’s blade as more Elven surrounded them, pounding furiously on the barrier. A wall of bestial soldier advanced though, pushing the Elven back into the smoldering forest. The beastkin forces managed to push them back at the cost of heavy casualties. Grimm fell to the ground and looked up at Aria in a daze. She was smiling and in tears as she held him. Then everything went black.

 

When Grimm woke up he was on a cot inside a white pup tent. On his left was dish filled with medical equipment and a wet rag. And to his right was Aria, who had fallen asleep with her head on his lap as she sat in a chair. All around him were groans of pain and muffled yells. Obviously this was some sort of medical tent, but where was he? His head was pounding and his right shoulder felt as if it was completely numb and on fire at the same time. He felt under a cloth bandage and felt a thick trench dug into his shoulder running towards his neck. When he removed his hand he saw it had left a strange black dust on his fingers.

“You’re lucky” a doctor said to him. He had barely noticed him before. He was a pure blooded beast kin with small goat horns and a tail. He had a warm inviting expression and round wire spectacles on his face.

“Most people don’t recover so well from void burns, more or less survive them”

“Void… Burns?” Grimm said still in a daze

“I’m sure you realize what I’m talking about” The doctor said. Von did know… Magic comes at a cost. Life force to fuel it, and anitome to pay for it. Without anitome the mysterious force known as the void would eat away at something belonging to the caster until its payment was met. Grimm must have over exerted himself and thus black void fire took a part of his flesh as payment. How could he have been so careless

“Luckily there was no muscle damage. That burning sensation should go away after an hour or so, I had used some powerful acids to prevent infection.”

“How is she?” Von asked looking at Aria

“She’s the only one who walked away completely unscathed. It’s rather incredible really” he said, writing something down on his clipboard “Where are my manners? My name is doctor Terrance Klien, I specialize in magical based injuries” he said shaking Grimm’s hand “You’ve become quite the celebrity here in base camp, the men here think you some kind of legend. They call you the ‘Void Wielder’” Klien chuckled “quite a name isn’t it?”

“Void Wielder?” Grimm asked. Why would he accumulate so much acclaim for simply surviving a void burn?

“You must have noticed by now that you used no small amount of magic. The Anitome you had in your standard issue mage rings were not nearly enough for that level of exertion. All the same you sustained a rather small amount of void damage” the doctor said “I’ve run the numbers, the probability of this happening is unheard of”

“Am I gonna heal from this?” Von asked

“I can’t say for certain, most often these void burns leave flesh inert, meaning that the affected area ceases all healing functions. You’ll have full range of motion but you’ll be a piece short of a puzzle as they say” he said jotting something else down “But who knows, you’ve already done something impossible, why not again” he chuckled “I must check on my other patients, you are free to move around the camp as you desire” Klien said as he walked away.

Von nudged Aria softly “Wake up sleepy head” Von said softly

“You’re awake!” Aria said gleefully, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a kiss “How do you feel?!” she asked

“Fine, just a bit stiff” he chuckled “and you?”

“As  fit as a fiddle” she laughed in return before kissing him again “I knew you’d be fine” she said softly. Von laughed and kissed her back.

“I need to get up and stretch. You want to take a walk with me?” Von asked as he stood from the bed and stretched

“I’ll check if my schedule allows it. Look at that, It does! Let’s take a walk handsome” she chuckled as she clung onto his arm. The moment the two of them left the tent they were showered with praise and applause from the other soldiers

“I’ll be damned! He walks among us!” one shouted

“How about a drink for the pain mate! On me!” said another who offered him a stein of ale. Grimm thought it would be rude to refuse so he took a few swigs of the bland alcohol.

“Cmon kid, show us that badge of honor!” another shouted

“Um, Excuse me?” Von said with a light laugh

“You know, where the fair lady Void kissed ya!” he shouted back. Von rolled his eyes. He was still without his shirt, walking around barefoot in his trousers so he moved the bandage aside and revealed the black gash in his shoulder. The crowd of soldiers roared in applause

“I’d like to see the Elven fight this mad bastard!” one yelled drunkenly. Aria giggled

“My hero” she said as she kissed him on the cheek.

“The lass sure knows how to pickem! Go on lad, give her a proper snog!” another drunk soldier shouted as Aria began to blush. Grimm kissed her on the lips and the crowd of soldiers fell into and even louder, rowdier uproar.

“That’s enough you hornery dogs” joked an official looking soldier as he walked towards Grimm. The beast kin before him was that of a proud dog, he was adorned in gleaming armor and had a shining saber on his belt. “I wish I could have been the first to buy you a drink” he said with a smooth charismatic tone “My name Mercury Rouge, General second class of the twelfth Beastian infantry.” he said officially “The best damn bunch of ruffians this side Capita!” he said, stoking the already excitable soldiers. He addressed Von once more. “What you did is exactly what makes an exemplary soldier. At first contact you, quite literally, gave one hundred and thirty percent of your heart and soul to protect what you love most. And here you are, in the land of the living” he said shaking Grimm’s hand “No matter what happens son, you’ll be walking away from this war with highest honor from the King himself” Grimm chuckled a little bit

“Assuming I walk away at all”

“Cmon lad! Why so cynical? If anyone is gonna come back from the grave it’ll be you” Mercury replied patting Grimm firmly on the back. Already this man had earned a part of Grimm’s admiration. So cool and confident, the man simply radiated strength “however” Mercury said “I need to talk to you personally about that attack”

“Oh, yes of course… that is if Aria can accompany us” grimm said holding Aria close. Mercury contemplated the thought.

“You were with Grimm through the whole attack, no?”

“Aye sir” Aria answered

“Then she can join our little meeting” he said as he walked away, beckoning for the two to follow him “You lads have a right smasher without me!” he shouted at the soldiers as they made merry.

 

They sat in an officer’s tent, complete with  a wine cabinet, a shelf of charts and plans and a mahogany desk.

“During this attack, did you see an Elven male, roughly six foot one with dark hair and a tattoo of a feather on his forehead?” he asked. Grimm was stunned by this oddly specific question

“Umm, I… I don’t think so…” Grimm stammered

“Please Von, I need you to think back, did you see a man matching that description?”

“I don’t know, I’m sorry  sir, it all happened so fast”

“I see… and you Aria?” he asked. Aria simply shook her head. He sighed and leaned back in his chair “Sinclain Flood” he said “The single most dangerous Elven in the world. Not to mention a royal pain in the ass…” he poured himself a glass of wine. “Would you like some?”

“No thank you”

“Sinclain is a prolific killer, the most prolific assassin in Aldera… Some say in all of Ebren. He’s recently become the head of tactical forces in the Elven military and ever since we can’t seem to catch a break” he sighed and took a sip “From your expression I take it that you’re unfamiliar with him… very well” he put his glass down and crossed his arms “There was an Elven civil war about a decade ago, the first one ever, a faction that called themselves the High Elves overthrew what was once the fourth Elven city of Tasmar, and made it their capital. The details of the war are irrelevant, but what is noteworthy is Sinclain’s involvement” he said with great urgency in his eyes “Sinclain Flood, once a common hit man, played both sides of the war, assassinating key figureheads on either side as he saw fit. On his own he influenced the tides of the war by selectively assassinating politicians, generals, public figures. People acclaim general Cassius for the Alderan victory, but personally I think it was the assassination of the High Elf king that turned the war” he explained “And guess who killed him?”

“Sinclain Flood”

“Precisely” he affirmed “He is our number one target, because you see, this is what makes Elven so difficult to fight. No matter how much military dominance we exert they always find another way to turn an advantage. Espionage, politics, non confrontational strategies, these are all battlefields where we are severely outnumbered” he looked at Von “The reason that Death Mages were recommissioned were on my request. I sent several letters to High King Gigas and he reluctantly granted me my legion of mages”

“But why? The use of death mages in the past has been purely for fear. The Elven are clearly not scared of us”

“Because statistically three out of four Elven on the battlefield are proficient in some form of magic” he said “war is not like a single game of chess, it is like playing a match of chess across fifteen different boards, if a single game is lost everything falls apart” he said solemnly “where it comes to magic we are losing”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” Grimm asked as Mercury removed his helmet

“I’ve spent my whole life learning how to lead soldiers into war, how to care for their bodies and minds, how to sharpen a foot soldier like a fine blade. I don’t know the first thing about leading mages. You took initiative out there. You gave orders. I want you to work under me and lead the Death Mages”