The Relistar: Rejoining Vol. 3

Rejoining | Intro

Ultimatum

Second Era

Four black hoods walked silently through a forest of dark and twisted trees. There was no guiding light for them. There was no sound cast out by them.

There was no telling they were even there, unless would-be observers had golden eyes of their own.

And golden eyes, indeed, peered out from each of the three hoods. Hunters' eyes. The seven-foot figure in front of the party had narrow eyes like a cat's, and the white fur to match. Akvum. Leader of azar'kara. Leader of The Hunters.

A woman's mouth moved before she remembered the active enchantment. She held her hand out flat and lowered it toward the ground. Then she said, "There's someone ahead."

Akvum nodded. He knew already. He knew where they would be before they even arrived — these were his woods, and nothing could surprise him here.

The enchantment fell entirely as dark shadows darted all around them. The attack had begun, and their silence was dismissed.

A blue glowing from the rear van signaled a spell, as a long and crooked staff appeared out of thin air into a man's hand. He held it aloft and screamed out.

BTOOOOM!

The backdraft from his fired projectile blew his hood off and revealed his angled, calm face. He adjusted his round spectacles once and ran a hand through his long blonde hair before raising the staff again.

Akvum drew his scimitar. He looked to the fourth man to ensure that his weapon was drawn as well; another scimitar.

"Leave not the span of a breath — don't let them recoup!"

The woman and spectacled man had both begun a flurry of multicolored magic into the cool night air.

"Etherians!?" the fourth man asked in a panic. His sword hand was shaking.

"No. Mind-controlled Hunters. Don't hold back." Akvum commanded once before rushing forward and swinging at the closest one.

The Hunter was too fast — he ducked under the horizontal swing and kicked hard enough off the ground to launch into the air with a flying knee.

Akvum blocked the stunning blow with his forearm. His scimitar came down and cleaved the man severely. The body fell.

Then, on to the next — except for the hand that then wrapped around his ankle. He looked down in panic The dead were not dying.

"GROUP UP! They'll swarm us if we're not—"

A shimmer down through the trees caught his eye. A purple light. The swirling carapace of an Etherian. A crooked crown.

"Rykaedi!" shouted the woman in their party. She rushed the distant visage.

"No! Focus the undead!" Akvum screamed again.

Then something glowing golden passed overhead. Like a touch of sunlight.

He froze up. He had erred entirely.

"Split up!" came the last desperate gasp he could muster before a golden glowing palm axe slammed into the dirt between them all.

Akvum threw himself over the hesitating fourth man, while Ivalié and the woman both cast quick enchantments to shield themselves.