Chapter 366: A wider picture

"As you wish," The man smirked as he pushed off. Leaving a crater where he used to be, arriving before Hrothgar in less than the blink of an eye. 

'Only a bit faster than me,' Hrothgar smiled as he brought his shield to take the blow. Skidding back a few meters. Deep tracks left in the ground. Holding his ground. 

"Is that all a Devil Prince has?" Hrothgar asked as he shrugged off the shock traveling through his body and swallowed back the blood in his mouth. The armor Amnur had crafted for him was truly a masterpiece but... It could only cover a certain gap of strength. 

Unlike the Vampire Lord, the Devil Prince also had top-grade items. His weapon likely even better than what the abyssal guard captain had. 

"You survived?" The Devil Prince smiled in honest surprise. Few could withstand such an attack, even if he had not used his weapon. The strength of the blow was clear when looking at the devastation caused by the shockwaves. 

"Like I said... Try." Hrothgar replied whilst hoping for support. Even if it was just another abyssal guard it would make a massive difference. Their legacy was not focused on individual fights, but rather fighting as a unit. 

"I will make sure to enjoy this," The Devil Prince smirked as he got ready to attack again. 

...

"Why are you here?" Tastalos asked his opponent. A devil with grayish skin, almost pale. Other than the strange skin color she looked like a normal human. 

"It sounded like fun, plus... We need to subjugate you sometime in this invasion. So why not now?"

"Have you not learned from last time?"

"Oh, but that was back when you were in the prime of your life. You aged... Just look at your graying coat."

Tastalos could not say anything against that, instead, he gripped the axe Amnur had made for him. Bandred. Hoping it would bring him through. Gripping it gave him strength, the blade seemingly talking with him and hungry for blood. Hungry to prove itself.

"Then let it be on you!" Tastalos charged and opened with a massive swing, his old muscles springing back to life and the very air quaking as the gray lady jumped back to dodge the strike. Tastalos not letting up and continuing to press on. 

Suddenly the air around the axe started to vibrate and on the next swing a blade of wind flew through the air. Cutting trees like they were grass and mowing down the undead who were still arriving from the forest. 

...

Jumping back Itireae dodged the demon's massive fist. The owner of the fist, a four meters tall and two wide demon. Covered in pitch black fur that made it near impossible to see in the mist. 

Swinging her shield to the left she blocked another blow from another foe. A ghoul, small and fast. Always trying to get a hit in her blindspot. 

'Where is the third?' She wondered as she spun around. Hitting the ghoul with her shield and sending it flying while her sword nearly connected with the demon's knee. It just barely managing to avoid the strike. Yet, following the blade was a blade of ice and lighting which flew through its knee and electrified it. 

All its muscles clamped, making it an easy target. Jumping into the air she prepared to behead the demon, only to suddenly kick off to the side as an arrow flew at her back. 

Instead of hitting her it blew through the demon's head. Itireae landing gracefully and sending a small ball of flame chasing the ghoul who had just managed to get his footing again. 

'Four now?' Itireae noted as she blocked a bolt of lightning coming at her by summoning an air wall. The currents diverting it into the ground while she jumped towards the archer. 

"Stop running!" A new arrival shouted as he swung his massive hammer at her. Itireae tipping her shield slightly so it would brush over her. Sliding under and gutting the vampire whilst throwing a similar ball of flame into the wound. 

The fireball exploded with massive force. Sending bits of vampire everywhere as Itireae jumped into the air and onto Mneme's back. 

"Archer first," She said, pulling out her own bow as Mneme moved through the air. Dodging the arrows and spells aimed at her alike. 

Swish...

Leaving a trail of scattered black mist, the arrow found its target true. Piercing the devil's heart and exploding with ice. Freezing it in place as another arrow arrived and killed it. 

'Wait,' Itireae paused as she realized two people seemed to be calling to her. One she had experienced before, the other seemingly a twin. A feeling truly perplexing her as she knew of no other elves being her. 

"Mneme, go." Itireae said softly as she patted her partner's head and jumped from her back. Sending a last arrow at the mess of undead that exploded in massive flames before running on the air. 

She had long since learned how to fly, yet she found it more natural to run in the air. It gave her more control and allowed her to focus more on her enemies. Such as those who were following her. 

By the way, the fireball had finally caught up to the ghoul. Condensed, it had passed through its chest like a bullet before suddenly turning back and exploding in its face. 

...

"My pleasure," The Devil Prince smirked and attacked again, each blow sending Hrothgar skidding back as his body took on massive damage. Yet he refused to let the Devil Prince see his pain or his worries. 

With confidence, Hrothgar asked again, "Is that all you are capable of?"

"Not at all. If you want me to get serious... Then let's get serious." Smirking a scimitar appeared in the devil's hands. His aura suddenly doubling and Hrothgar's instinct telling him he was about to die. 

"Now, be good and try to block." The Devil Prince smile and stretched the word 'try' to mock Hrothgar's earlier words. Yet, instead of charging, he turned and his smile disappeared. "An elf?"

The confusion in his question left Hrothgar and the Vampire Lord without words. Only for them to finally understand when Itireae appeared from above and landed gracefully next to the dwarf. 

"Your not an elf!" She complained as she landed, unable to understand how the dwarf felt like a twin. 

Her basic, stupid, illogical to speak of observation caused all the worry to disappear from Hrothgar. Laughing with joy he replied, "Of course I am not. I was born a dwarf and I will die a dwarf!"

"Who are you?" The Devil Prince asked, not caring for their joke. 

"A friend of Taurus," Itireae replied, turning towards the Devil Prince and smiling. "Volrak Ig'zaggor."

The prince's original carefreeness turned into a serious concern. For he could not gleam a single piece of information from the new arrival. While the same could be said of the dwarf, the reason for that was obviously the armor. 

He was not worried because of this though, rather he was worried because the elf could find his name. Which meant his cloaking ability was compromised.

"The true question is rather, why you are here Volrak. Your domain is not near this area. Why would you come all this way?"

"None of your business!"

"I've made it my business." Itireae did not wish to mince anymore words. Suddenly she charged. Unlike the devil's, her charge did not even disturb the air. Yet her speed was not one bit less, if not even more. 

The prince did not just wait, he also charged. Yet he was quickly put on the backfoot when he realized that he was not facing a swordmaster. He was facing an omni-master.

Along with each strike, two or three spells would come at him at his blind spots. Moving like snakes and slithering into the clinks in his armor. If he dared focus on them then her sword would arrive and strike with such power that his armor cracked. 

He would honestly have been able to beat her if not for the way her magic moved. Like they had a mind of their own and could read all his movements. Like each offensive and defensive move of his was clear to see.

...

"Why are you stopping us?" An elderly man with a graying beard and pure white hair asked the flaming dwarf standing before him. 

"Why are you attacking us?" Amnur threw back, the two at the edge of the Vrikolas Drylands. 

"You know why."

"Actually I don't. You have more than enough land and people to live peacefully for your entire lives."

"Peace!" The elder spat in disgust, "Who wants that?"

Amnur sighed hearing this, "Do you really wish to die?"

"Do you think you can kill me?"

"Of course I can," Amnur replied without a slither of doubt. "Not to mention that your invasion is soon going to piss off the neutral races."

Hearing this the man's face fell. "Why? We aren't attacking them?"

"But you are entering their lands more and more. They might not care for the rabble. But your princes cutting through their lands-"

"Then let them." The elder spat, "Besides, I am not alone."

"I know. Why do you think I came with Tovack?"

Upon the mention of his name a dwarf suddenly appeared beside Amnur as if he had been in his shadow all along. The elderly man was shocked that even he had completely missed this dwarf's arrival. And even now he could barely tell the dwarf was there.