The Spar Ignites

Well, here we are again. Later than I would have liked, but it is finally here. Lovely having ADHD that's telling me to write, but it's telling me to write anything BUT this or Hunting, so I would like to apologize to my editor group for putting up with my scatterbrain. Got all kinds of things, expanding the Veil world, tossing together other ideas, etc. Fun, well, it's actually fun, but not productive.

Fun times at work too, both sarcastically and literally. Not only did we set a record month at work, a decent chunk of our machines decided that August and September were going to be the time they'd break down. I knew ICPs were finicky bastards, but one of them that we use for a different analysis, the only one set up to run it, is even worse. We ended up having 4 sets of mandatory weekend work over 5 weeks, and being one of 3 on my shift who can run that machine. Well, y'all can figure that out. The extra cash on my paycheck was awesome, but it does kill any mood to write. Thank God my boss helps keep the mood up, certainly makes it easier to go in.

Either way, here it is Part 5, and I'm trying something new. Going to try and make the chapters longer instead of short bits and pieces. Gotta prep myself for longer form writing that I want to do later on. So let me know what y'all think.

Chapter 23

I wandered through a back alley in a rougher LA neighborhood, just trying to keep to myself as I tried getting back outside of the city and to my truck. I had made the original trip into the city early enough in the morning that I wouldn't run into anyone who had been up all night doing things they shouldn't be. Now, however, it was later in the day, about four in the afternoon, and the rough folks were gearing up for the night.

A couple of people speaking angrily at each other from the front steps of an apartment building caused me to swerve into a nearby alley. I moved quickly, trying to just avoid anyone at this point, because throughout the day, there was a throbbing in my arms that just kept getting worse the longer I was around crowds. It was like the powers that seemed linked to my tattoos were begging to be let free. I wouldn't, couldn't, let them be free.

A bottle falling from a roof above and shattering near me caught my attention for just long enough for me to run full force into someone else. I went to the ground now covered in some sort of strong smelling liquor as I also heard another body hit the ground spitting rapid fire in a mixture of languages that I was sure involved a lot of swearing.

I was on my feet first, and now I saw that I was standing across from a mixed group. A couple skinny looking humans that looked like they had stepped out of a gang movie, and the man I had knocked down was an orc, big, burly and wearing a black bandana around his head. He pushed himself up off the ground, and I could see that he was also soaked in liquor. I was about to turn and bolt for it, but his skinny boys quickly moved around behind me, cutting off my retreat route.

The orc was on his feet quickly though, and was getting up in my face, a fat, grubby finger jabbing into my chest. His breath stank of booze, and it was starting to irritate me even before he started yelling at me.

"Fucking ukra! Look what you made me do, spilled my fucking drink!"

My powers howled at me, and I felt the heat in my arms before I beat them back down with a supreme amount of effort. I didn't manage to fully suppress the aggressive tendencies that came with my powers, and I shoved his hand away from me.

"Look man, someone tossed a bottle from up there, I didn't mean to, I have no money, so let's just pretend this didn't happen, and we can both go on with our days."

That was not well received, as the orc then shoved me into the wall, my head bouncing against it and shaking my control of my abilities. I didn't have time to fully process before the orc turned me, put a hand on my head, and solved the side of my face into the wall.

"Oh no, you'll pay, one way or another. I'm gonna beat the shit out of you so badly that even your mother won't recognize you!"

My hands sparked as I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to try and calm my nerves. I tried to get out of this without fighting, I didn't need that heat on me, especially since I was still on the run, more or less.

"Look, you really don't want this, let's just, let it go, and we can all walk away without getting hurt."

He got in close, his stinking breath finally starting to crack my resolve, it reminded me of my father, how he smelled and acted when I finally left, and I felt sparks travel up and down my hands before flames filled my hands. From the corner of my eye, I saw the orc's beady black eyes widen in shock as his mouth fell open.

"MAAAAAGE!"

He leapt back with no grace, falling back onto his ass again as the flames raced up my arms, engulfing them both completely. I glanced at his goons, but they were beating feet down the alley away from me. A turn brought me to face the orc fully as I spread my blazing arms. I was losing it now, my morals burning away just as my shirt was, exposing my body to the world. I wanted nothing more at this point than to hurt this orc just like I had been hurt!

"I told you to just fucking let it go, but you couldn't. Just like him, you couldn't leave well, enough, ALONE!"

I roared, raising my arms to roast the bastard, but I felt a hand on my shoulder, and it felt like my powers suddenly settled down.

"It would be best if you made yourself scarce, riffraff, I have things to discuss with this man here."

A woman's voice, noble and smooth like silk filled my ears. I forgot completely about the orc, and his idiot lackeys as I turned to face her. I heard them scramble away as my gaze fixed on probably the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

The first thing I noticed were her eyes, they were the color of honey. From there I noticed that they were set in a lightly angular face. Her skin was a beautiful mocha color, and it stood out well against the light gray business suit. I was entranced by her, and judging by the smug look that spread across her lips, she knew it too.

With a practiced motion, she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, which I now noticed was pointed, along with drawing my attention away from her bewitching eyes. Now my eyes moved to her hair, which looked like molten silver cascading down past her shoulders. It took me a few moments, but I finally brought myself back to my eyes. It was odd, my anger, the hate I was feeling just a minute before, was gone. I couldn't place it, but the air around us felt incredibly serene. The woman smiled again as our eyes met, it was one that said she knew an endless amount of things, but she would only share them when she wanted to.

"Hello, Mr. Lennister, my name is Nereah, and I have an offer for you."

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I woke in a daze, my body aching as the beating I had taken some time before this made itself well known. Now, I was chained to a pillar, hands above my head, and, after a quick glance, noticed I was shirtless. This honestly wouldn't have phased me overly much, had I been back home. Kari had gotten freaky like this before, and I had woken up handcuffed and naked more than once. I glanced to my sides, and I saw Tiria and Laina. The fiery demon was struggling the entire time, yanking and rattling her chains. The Hunter, on the other hand, looked almost bored, standing there with her arms also chained above her head and only shifting every once in a while.

The air was cool, much cooler than it had ever been here before, and filled with the jeers and roars of an angry crowd. I tried to move, to summon my powers to start melting the chains, but my powers refused to work. I looked up, and I noticed symbols on the cuffs were lit up as I channeled my energy. I guess my movements attracted the attention of the last person I wanted to see right now. Zarika, in her melded form she had shown me when we first met, walked up right before me with a shit eating smile.

"Good morning prey, ready for your execution? I've even got Igthrund to spread the word around, we caught a hunter, and they're going to die."

I looked at the bitch, and I wished, not for the first time, that I could roast that smug look off her face, and then sear her face off too. She gestured at a tall demon wearing a gaudy crown on his head. He looked strong, but with how he stood, it just didn't throw off the feeling of true power. I wanted to tell Zarika that she and her puppet could go sit on a cactus, but before I could say anything, a peal of thunder, louder than anything I had ever heard before shook the entire world. The crowds went quiet, the only sounds were murmurs, at least, until Laina let out a soft sound, almost like a laugh. It silenced the crowd as it grew in volume, and started to become unhinged. She threw her head back as a swirling gust ripped through the arena, sending cloaks and long hair billowing in a burst of cold air and let a peal of laughter ring into the silence.

I glanced at Laina as she laughed like a madwoman, throwing her head to the sky. I had never seen her like this before, she was so calm and collected, nothing like this crazy woman beside me now.

I was about to ask her what the fuck she was doing, but Zarika beat me to the punch. The seductive bitch looked furious, and she stormed up to roughly grab the pale elf by her cheeks, wrenching her so that their eyes met.

"Do you truly love your master so much that being sent to him as a spirit amuses you so?!"

Laina simply smiled and shook her head as much as she could, keeping her mouth shut. Zarika reared back, preparing to strike her, but the world then shook as over a dozen explosions rang out and were followed by the whump that I knew a sound system made when they lost power. I looked to the sky, trying to see the smoke clouds, but all I could see was a storm rolling in unnaturally fast. Laina scoffed as I felt a few raindrops hit my cheeks. This was the first time since I had arrived that it hadn't been hot and sunny. I knew it wasn't a natural storm, it didn't feel like it, there was anger in the air, and the rain was hot with it. My powers were scratching at the inside of my skull, telling me that I should be cautious of this storm, and the events that followed. The elf's next words made me trust that feeling.

"The storm is coming, and it holds even more fury than the last one did."

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Chapter 24

Just as she said that, the sky boomed with thunder chasing a lightning bolt that shook the world with how close it was. I saw the demons tense up, and I knew that something incredibly bad was about to go down. Zarika moved swiftly away, back into the mass of demons she had brought with her for the execution. Another crack of lightning, and I saw the demons start forming a circle, creating a wall of bodies around their leaders. The area darkened for a moment as a particularly thick cloud passed over the stadium, and I saw two figures drop from the sky as lightning flashed again. I couldn't make out any details about them, as they didn't stand immediately after dropping into the center of the ring. Suddenly, the cloud passed, and I saw the two clearly. They were both women, one clad in black wore what looked like a racing helmet and a dark colored cloak with tatters on the end. In her hands was a tube that was roughly a foot long, and before all our eyes, it erupted into a scythe looking like it was made purely of lightning. She launched forward and bisected a generic minion in a fluid motion that was almost too fast for my eyes to keep up with. She then darted from demon to demon in straight lines, dispatching them with practiced ease.

Not to be outdone, the second woman began her assault. She was odd, for a few reasons. The biggest one was that she wore a blue and white maid outfit, with her snow white hair done in braids that fit with the maid aesthetic. It was almost comical, until I saw several daggers appear in her hands. She then whipped them out, and each knife sunk up to their hilt in the throats of different demons. She was beautiful, elegant, and completely ruthless. I watched as ice crept up her arm, and three knives made of ice appeared between the fingers of that hand. She glanced at them for a split second before whipping them forward to stab through the heart of one demon that wasn't wearing armor on his chest. The two women were ruthless, slaughtering the lower ranked bastards, but studiously avoiding the beefier knight looking ones guarding Zarika and Igthrund.

The entire arena started screaming as people stampeded out of the stands. Demons and other underworld humanoids alike were running for the exits, but I paid them no mind. My attention was focused on the two women slaughtering their way through Zarika's demons. I pulled at my shackles again, trying to break free and help them, but I was held fast. At least, I was, until I heard a blade clearing its sheath. I was about to look and see who it was, but my hands were suddenly unbound as the chains were cut. An open hand descended into my view, and I took it, only to be yanked to my feet with an immense amount of strength. I tried to see the person who saved me, but they were already walking away to unbind Laina. They had a cloak like the woman out there killing demons with a lightning scythe. It was a black thing that tattered near the end, and on their hips were two sheaths that looked like they fit a knight sword. He had short black hair, almost the color of ink, and what skin I could see was tanned. On his back was a wrapped bundle with what looked like a hilt sticking out of the top.

"I'd recommend staying here, once the storm abates, you'll be taken somewhere safe to recuperate until you're sent home."

He lashed out again with a slash from his knight blade, and Laina dropped to her knees for only a moment. She was back on her feet quickly, and bowed to the man just as fast. Once she was upright again, he tossed her the bundle, and Laina caught it gently, running a hand softly across the wrapping.

"Lord Wraith, I am glad you came at the time you did. A few minutes later and I would have been a bit shorter. Is this...?"

Laina trailed off, but the man clearly knew what she was asking and nodded. With a practiced movement, he returned his blade to its sheath before turning towards the fight. Laina smiled and unwrapped a scimitar in a beautiful scabbard. It seemed to glow for just a moment as she slipped the strap over her shoulder. It looked like it fit her very well, elegant and deadly. She rested her hand on the hilt as she moved over to free Tiria. While she passed me, my eyes were drawn to the fight still raging in front of us.

The two women had pretty much cleared all the lower level idiots, and were now moving on to some of the higher level ones, although they still were avoiding the heavily armed guards who would try and strike at them whenever they passed by. I blinked for a moment, but when I really looked at the heavily armed ones, I noticed they were edging away towards an exit. Just as I realized that, the other end of the group broke and made a mad dash for the doorway. With superhuman speed, they were there in just a few moments.

I couldn't let them get away! I charged power in my hands, preparing to do something I had done a hundred times before. Now that the chains were broken, I could actually summon it. Once it was ready, I unleashed it with a resounding boom, and was catching up, but not by enough, as I saw Zarika make her way through the opening before I could even get halfway to them. More guards and her puppet boyfriend were all through the door as I was reaching the ground.

I landed just forty feet shy of the opening, and after a shoulder roll to get my feet under me, I blew past the two knight demons that stayed behind to delay anyone, dropping balls of power at their feet that acted like grenades. Twin explosions followed after me as I moved after the party, determined not to let them get away. I could hear them, the jangling and clanging of the knights made sure they weren't going to get away from me in the maze of the corridors. I suddenly heard another set of footsteps catching up with mine, and Laina was soon keeping pace with me, seemingly completely fine after having raced to catch me.

"You're an idiot, you should have stayed there, but I suppose I should know better by now, if you encounter any other Hunters, do not engage them, and do not run, you might as well just ask to be cut down by a blade that will actually kill you."

I snorted, and the two of us raced after the bitch that we both wanted dead. Though, as we went further, a sound that was odd filled my ears. It was like a distant train, but it kept getting louder and louder as we finally caught sight of the rear of Zarika's guards as they burst out into the open. Laina and I doubled down on the speed, and soon, we were out there too, standing thirty feet behind Zarika's group. That wasn't the most important thing on my mind though. Now, I could see why it sounded like a train was going by.

Almost two hundred feet in front of us was what could only be described as a twister, and the most terrifying part was revealed in a crack of lighting. There was a person in the middle, twisting and turning as demons ran into the storm, only for their forms to separate as they reached the twister's edge. It was almost like the storm was made of blades, and it was coming right at us!

Or, it was, until it took a veer off and went left, leaving a man standing in the middle of the street, facing us all. Rain still fell as I studied his imposing figure. In his hands were two single edged swords that were black as night, except the edges. One glowed a dark blue and the other a murderous red, and they both looked to be dripping a dark liquid, either it was blood, or it was just water. I didn't know, but I didn't really care. What caught my attention was his face. He had black hair, almost the same shade as the one that had freed us in the arena, and two different colored eyes. One was a light, ice colored blue, the other was a bloody red, and both were filled with hate and disdain for the people he was staring at. The emotions in those eyes reminded me of my father's when he was truly furious, and sent a peal of unreasoning hate through my entire body. From there, the rest of his face was covered in a stark white mask that looked like it was made of bone. It had teeth that were carved from the main surface, and sat on his brow was a circlet that was made from a similar material. There was a dark stone placed in the center, and something about that stone set my flames screaming caution throughout my head. I didn't understand what that meant, but it was rather clear that it was not a good sign. He held himself like he was prepare to rip people apart with his bare hands, and all this combined with the wind still whipping through the air, he posed a rather terrifying figure.

"What the fuck is he?"

I murmured, letting the thought slip from my mouth as a gust ripped from behind him, blowing hot and hard like a desert stormfront. My powers were growling, there was hatred, so much hatred, all of it tinged with sorrow. Whoever was causing this storm, and it seemed like the man in front of us was the source. Laina sighed as she moved to stand slightly in front of me, but still within the shadow cast from the doorway. She blocked part of my view, mainly Zarika's group, but left the man in clear view.

"Disaster, brought from the heavens to herald the end."

I watched as Zarika moved to the front of her group now, coming back into view. She stood beside a monstrously tall humanoid. It was almost fifteen feet tall, and carrying a massive cleaver blade that was at least ten feet long. It was bare chested, but had thick black armor on its legs. The seductress was trembling, but she took a breath and stilled herself as she called out to the man.