<God-Slayer>

"<God-Slayer>" vers.02

Ephameras

A world in which there are three special existences within the Human Race. <Knights>; Those who are  able to bind souls with the <Arma Vitae> that they have sworn themselves to. <Arma Vitae>; People who, depending on view points, were cursed or gifted the ability to become the weapon, or shield, to carry out the wishes of the <Knight> they are bound to. Capable of Elemental destruction, or Salvation according on who would wield them. And then there is <God>

An existence who lived only to die. They say that the first <God> of this world was kind. but it was because of this Kindness that he was disposed of by the second <God>. It has since been Twelve Deaths, and each successive <God> has mercilessly imposed their will upon their 'subjects'.

This is their history.

This is their world.

This. Ends. Now.

"....kus.",

(Hm..?)

" Markus!",

Markus opened his eyes lazily, and looked up to see Tia's face inches from his own.

"What do you want now Tia?",

Tia. That was the name of Markus's <Arma Vitae>. while she resembled a girl at about the age of 12 she was the same age as Markus, who had turned 17 only a week before. While her face may have seemed young the rest of her body certainly told otherwise, to say she was well endowed would be appropriate. she stood at about 5'3" with waist length hair that was a shining black, hinting to her <Darkness> elemental heritage, and skin that was a white comparable only to that of the purest snow.

Tia stared into Markus's eyes, noting the color change; one eye had turned from the usual Blue to a misty grey. A sign he was troubled, probably by another nightmare. but there was no time for that, not now anyway.

"<They> are almost here.", Tia's voice was urgent, "<They> will be coming over the ridge shortly, we need to get ready."

"Damn, why did <They> have to come so early anyway?", Markus cursed as he sat up and stretched, "It doesn't matter either way, I guess. Lets do it Tia!"

"Let's."

Tia took his left hand gently and squeezed it, preparing for the <Summoning>.

"O' Merciless Queen of the Night," Markus spoke the first line of the <Summoning>, "Share with me the bonds of the nether and become the fist to break the will of those who stand against!"

Markus felt the warmth of the hand he held fade away as an eerie darkness overtook Tia's body. He watched as the shadow she had become wrapped itself around his arm before it hardened and took the familiar shape of the bladed gauntlet that was Tia's <Shift>. Feeling the strength that Tia gifted him like this caused Markus to smile unconsciously as he balled his fist.
"Are you ready, Tia?" He asked out of habit.

"As always, Markus." Tia's voice sounded in his mind as the black orbs that manifested her element began to appear

They began moving through the forest that was under the ridge, closing in on <Them>.

They were called the <Templar>, Those who followed <God's> will, and sought to carry out the acts he ordered. Destruction of towns, the rape and murder of denizens. Men, women, children. anyone who did not devote themselves to <God> were liable to be visited by the  <Templar>. And as if it weren't enough,  they forced any <Arma Vitae> they came across to join with a member of their ranks.

Markus's Father, Garrus, had been one of the <Arma Vitae> who had been captured, and subjected to their methods after he had been separated from Markus's mom. His father had once been a powerful tool for justice, having saved many people from <God's> wrath. Until his luck ran out and S'vanna the Captain of the <Templar> had taken an interest in his power. When he refused her request to leave Markus and Markus's mother she had her men defile Garrus's love in front of him until she ultimately died from the ordeal. Markus, who had been beaten and left the house as they dragged Garrus, and his Mother's Corpse away. At the time there was nothing he could do.

This however was not what Fueled his hatred for <God> and the <Templar>.
No, what cause him the anger and rage was that even after what was done to his father, S'vanna used Garrus to murder the families of everyone he had once protected, until he could take no more and finally submitted to her will. It was the ultimate punishment for the person who swore to save everyone.

"Like hell I can just let her get away with that!"  Markus muttered to himself as they reached the ridge

" Let who get away with what Markus?" Tia asked.

"Nothing, don't worry about it, let's just focus on the task at hand."

He didn't want to talk about it with her just yet.

(Maybe you should take your own advice) Tia thought to herself

Markus leapt into the last tree at the edge of the forest and pressed himself against the trunk tightly. If they were seen before the right momentum could be troublesome.

As the <Templar> approached the ambush point Markus quickly went over the basics of his training with Tia.

The most basic ability of the <Arma Vitae> was the <Field break>. Basically the ability allowed for one to access the elemental leylines in the surrounding area. This opened the gate for the second part of <Arma Vitae> combat, the <Limit Skill>. When the elemental energy gathered begins to reach the maximum tolerable limit it has to be exhausted. To counteract this constantly and quickly rising level, and to supplement their own skill <Knights> usually allow the energy to flow to their <Arma Vitae>. The other option, the <Limit Skill> could be used to consume a large portion of the energy to cause a devastating attack, that could potentially turn the tide even if it was at a cost.

"They're almost there Markus", Tia snapped him back to reality.

....3 ......2 .........1

Markus slammed his foot into the branch he was standing on, snapping it easily and surprising the <Templar> below. As they scattered to avoid being hit by the suddenly falling branch, Markus kicked off the trunk of the tree, aiming directly at the <Templar> who looked like he was in command. He led the airborne attack with his left arm, planting Tia's bladed form into the center of  the man's head.

For an instant Markus noted the slight resistance of the skull, before it vanished. He quickly freed the blade from the man's head and went to move for cover before the <Templar> could recover.

"Who the fuck are you, you little shit?!" One of the <Templar> had already taken notice of him.

"Damn.."

At the sound of the second man's voice the other <Templar> quickly turned to face Markus. But it was already too late. Had it been anyone else the <Templar> surely would have killed the two. But it wasn't anyone else. The black orbs that represented Tia's store of energy were already bubbling angrily around her <Shift>. Having noticed this, Markus gave the <Templar> the kind of sinister grin that could only be given by a man who knew he couldn't lose.

"I'm your personal Grim Reaper," Markus retorted as he raised the arm Tia was on and pointed towards the group of enemies.

"<Reaper's Dance>" Markus spoke the words that triggered Tia's <Limit Skill>

Immediately the orbs covering the gauntlet shot out towards the <Templars> at an alarming speed, and the soldiers braced themselves as the spheres flew forward.

Only...

The balls never hit them. Instead the orbs sank into, and passed through the bodies of the <Templar>.

----

The man who had first noticed Markus quickly moved in for the kill, thinking that the orbs had been for show. Never once did he check to see where the sphere flew to.

Just as he was about to bring down his sword, and slay the cocky, grinning kid in front of him, an immense pain ripped through his chest, just as one of the <Templar> behind him began to scream.

"Huh?"

The man looked down at his chest to see... Something.... Something black as the night sticking out. Whatever it was, it was holding something... Something... red.

Markus had watched as the orbs flew past the <Templar> and had sunk into their shadows. He watched as the man now lying dead on the ground in front had charged at him. He had smiled as the mans own shadow rose up from the ground, and tore his still beating heart from his chest. But then Markus had turned away as the shadows of the other <Templar> dredged themselves from the ground and began to slaughter their owners one by one. It was not something he wanted to see, much less something he wanted to witness as the cute girl that Tia had changed back into gripped on to his arm in such a possessive way....

"What's with you Tia?",  Markus asked, as she clung to his arm.

"What kind of question is that?" She responded without hesitation.

"You do this all the time Tia. We <Summon>, we fight, we win, you cling onto me like someone's trying to take you away." Markus commented in a slightly irritated voice, "I don't get it, I mean it's not like I'm just gonna walk away and leave you alone or anything."

"You couldn't tell how that one girl was eyeing you, could you?"

Markus looked down at Tia, confused by her words. "Wait, what? "

"That one <Templar> was staring at you like she had plans for you when they had won!" she said, pouting and puffing out her cheeks in an adorable manner.

"If you're going to get like that, there's no telling you otherwise, is there?" Markus sighed, knowing full well how stubborn she could get.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"It means that I'm just going to have to deal with it, like always; Anyway it looks like everything is over, let's get what we can and get back to town- I'm starting to get hungry."
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