Arcana Series - Strength

Prologue

The boat crashed to the shore.

Containing it are ten jurors and ninety acolytes. The only ones who survived from the death defying ordeal. The waves were still high and, continued rocking the back of their vessel despite already finding land. In a strength where the waves seemed to grip on to the ship, as if it wanted to bring it back to the middle of the sea.

The night was dark – pitch black to be exact. Caused by the clouds which covered the moonlight. This also brought down a heavy rain upon them. Preventing any torch from being used and, preventing any fire spell to have much effect.

They had no light except for a few lamps. But even the flames inside of this flickered with the harsh winds that accompanied the storm. That’s why their strongest source of illumination was none other than the continuous streaks of lightning. Striking down the sea on multiple parts. As if it was looking for the vessel. In a kind of wrath filled mission.

But these weren’t enough to faze the jurors and the acolytes. Not after all they’ve been through just to secure the goal of that mission – a single child who was still sleeping at that time. Placed under deep slumber by one of the jurors’ spell.

“Quickly! Get off before those creatures find us!” Astarte, the leader of the group said. With both the jurors and the acolytes following his orders. Letting down multiple ropes which they descended on. With one of the jurors carefully carrying the child at his back.

Stronger flashes of lightning accompanied this as, the thunder's roar also increased. Leaving a lightning filled sea while also creating enough sound to make the ground they were stepping on tremble. This caused the child carrying juror to fall on his knees. Getting slapped by Astarte whose face twisted to fury.

“I told you to carry that with your life! Not carry it like one of your whores!” He shouted, rivaling the sound of thunder as the juror quickly got back up.

“Yes my lord!” This person said, doing just as he was commanded.

“Hurry up. We need to leave! Now!” Astarte ordered. Waiting for the other acolytes to get off the boat. But just as they waited, a single streak of lightning finally hit it.

There was a blinding flash of light which followed this as, Astarte and his men got blown away by the lightning’s force. All of them rolling on the sand filled shore which covered their wet clothes.

Astarte tried his hardest to restore his sight quickly. There was also a ringing on his ears which prevented him from hearing everything around him. But this wasn’t enough to stop him as, he slowly got back to his feet, dizzy and coughing out blood at that.

All around him were the distorted images of his men and, in front of him was the large fire caused by the burning ship. He finally began hearing the wails of the jurors and acolytes who got caught up in the strike but, he couldn’t care less about their safety. All he searched for was the boy whom, he finally found under the dead and burnt body of the juror who carried it.

“Good job. I’ll raise your rank once I go to hell.” He said, grabbing the boy and ordering all those who are able to begin running for the forest.

The worst has passed for them. They have already escaped the danger filled sea but, doing so took a large toll on both their minds and their bodies. With all of them admittedly at their wit’s end at that point. Yet, the goal was also within reach. They just needed one final push and, this is exactly what they manifested.

The group ran towards the forest as fast as their shaking legs allowed them. Far from the burning ship and from the chaotic seas. They continued doing so for a whole hour. Without any pause or rest. They didn’t even notice the passing of time at that.

All of them were being driven by their instincts to survive. Telling them to continue moving their legs through the wet and muddy ground if they wanted to live. And this is exactly what they did. Until the ship could not be seen anymore. Until the lightning stopped following them and, the thunder’s noise was finally cushioned by the leaves and the trees. Until their bodies finally gave up on them – stopping in the middle of the forest. With all of them on the verge of collapsing.

“W-Water...I n-need...wa – ” The acolyte wasn’t able to finish his sentence anymore. Death finally took him as well as two others whose bodies finally gave in.

Astarte quickly chanted a spell in order to prevent any more of his men dying at that point. Using a large amount of mana stored in his body to cast Refresh. A skill which considerably lessened the amount of tiredness everyone felt.

“Should we rest now my lord?” One of the acolytes asked. With Astarte placing this thought in his mind, considering the current state of his team. But then, he heard the roar of thunder again. It was far away but, just by hearing it, all the events flashed on Astarte’s mind. Making him stand up as he ordered:

“No...we need to keep on moving.”

“Understood my lord.” The acolytes said as they followed this order. With the jurors doing just the same.

“Here.” Astarte said, transferring the boy to another acolyte who held on to it like an overprotective father would his own child.

“Protect that boy with your life and I assure you that, you’ll live a decent life after we end this mission.” Astarte added, making the acolyte more hopeful as the person answered:

“Understood my lord. I will do as you command.”

“Very well. Let’s get going.”

They were supposed to use horses to run through the forest. But, since all of these died in the war, they needed to continue the plan barefooted. They needed to continue moving in the speed which their worn down bodies could allow. With all of them standing up and leaving behind the dead bodies of those who collapsed.

It wouldn’t take them long to finally reach their goal. In fact, it would only take another hour because, after this, they would already be out of the forest. Far enough for them to finally be at ease.

Astarte continued looking around them. Hoping that his senses were still sharp enough to detect the coming of a wild monster in the forest. The remaining three jurors and, the few acolytes did the same. Unfortunately, they were wrong on what to watch out for because, soon enough, everyone heard the heavy thud of a fallen body.

Astarte stopped at this point. With everyone else looking at the same direction of this fall and, sure enough, it was truly a disaster which befell them. Not another lightning strike nor a giant wave of water crashing down on them. Not the pouncing of a wild beast nor the ambush of monsters. No. What they got at that moment was something much more terrifying.

The acolyte carrying the boy lay lifeless on the ground, with the corpse’s head twisted all around. This is something which they are used to. The grotesque sight of death. But, what got the hair on their skin rising was the fact that, the boy stood on top of this corpse. Completely breaking from the slumber he was placed in.

He was covered in black mana and, his eyes gleamed in the same red color as his parents. There was an extreme amount of bloodlust oozing out of him. Making everyone instinctively raise their defenses. Unsheathing their swords and preparing their spells as, all the hair on their skin rose from fright.

However, just as they blinked, the child was lost from their sight. Only to reappear sitting on the shoulders of another acolyte. Twisting the head just the same as the person instantly died. The shock was enough to make them lag momentarily, only moving after another second when, the light from the lightning was able to get past the thicket of leaves.

Yet, just like on the first instance, the boy vanished as soon as the single second light disappeared. Moving to another target which got pierced through the chest. The pumping heart of the poor victim still being held by the child.

They tried their best to catch the movements of the boy who was basically moving subconsciously. Astarte watched in horror as, one person died with every lightning strike. With the bodies piling up until there were only ten of them left.

They swung their swords wildly in the air and, fired their spells as quickly as they could but, none of them could catch the boy. Not in the drained state that they were in. Not when breathing in itself was already a battle in itself.

Five more people died until, the boy finally fixed his sight on Astarte. The leader of the group smiled as he steeled himself for the attack. Enhancing his body monetarily in order to catch the movements of the abomination.

As soon as the next lightning struck, the boy disappeared again. But with the spell he used, Astarte was able to catch the shadow of his target. Aiming on the spot where he predicted its appearance as, he swung his sword down...catching nothing but air.

The boy stood just below him – with the creature’s dark mana extending into a long blade. Allowing it to reach Astarte despite the gap in height. The leader of the jurors and acolytes coughed out blood. Smiling although he was clearly defeated.

“You’re truly a monster.” He said as, the boy swung for his head.