Eulogy of Forgotten Souls - Chapter 1 The Elendils

Xepher raced into the darkness, heedless of the immense danger. Yet, nothing impeded his way. The sound of Kaffleen's scream grew fainter. He shook his head once, then spurred himself faster. But the scream grew fainter yet.

As if to help him, the mist suddenly parted in a pathway, for him to traverse. He wasn't thinking straight, and so plunged down the trap faster than a bullet.

Then, quite abruptly, the mist behind him sealed off, and there came the sounds of echoing footsteps, like boots on a marble walkway, from many directions, and the mist played with his senses. Xepher couldn't pinpoint the sources of the footsteps.

He dropped in a defender's crouch, Kunou no Yami flaring in one hand, Cypheria glistening in the other. But he was unprepared for the sudden batter to his back, a forceful explosion that blasted him off his feet.

Quickly recovering, he spun around to behold a grotesque figure, seemingly molded out of several beings. Then he gasped as he realised the truth.

The monster had Aria's tail, that sinewy length of adamantium scales, sharpened to a tip. It had Licht's fiery orange hair and crystal blue left eye, and Seism's features and blood red right eye. Nero's almost fluid body was where the torso was supposed to be, and in the monster's right hand was Weiss's holy sword.

It laughed, sending shivers down the hardened Xepher's back, the laugh a melding of chaos and darkness. 'She wants you so badly,' it hissed. The ground shifted as it broke apart, and chunks of rocks, each larger than Xepher's head, pelted towards him. With swift strikes, he shattered each and every one of them.

Then out of the mist came another one, this one like undead, but not. Xepher frowned. This wasn't your average death knight. His expression was that of obvious distaste, as if he was disgusted by this fight.

'Abel, you know you have to take him alive, yes?' came a voice far darker than the abomination that was the melding of death knights. Xepher recognised that voice, having heard it once briefly during the course of the battle at the portal.

'It's...Raphael, isn't it?' enquired Xepher, both blades raised in defense.

'Yes. She wants you, and her words are law.' With that Raphael attacked, his blade descending much faster than Xepher could possibly parry. It struck his head with the flat of the blade, stunning him. The abomination gestured, and a time blanket flowed over him, slowing his reactions. Then Abel knocked him out with a well-aimed kick to the temple.

'And now she has you...' said Raphael.
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Felicia restrained Shadowz. He was about to charge into the mist after Xepher. 'No, Shadowz! It's a trap!'

Shadowz snorted. 'And Xepher's going straight into it!'

'Yes, but by now he's already too far in. My sister-' she broke off, took a breather, and continued, 'My sister will have him already, as well as Kaffleen. Our best course of action is to move steadily into the shadow, fighting off their minions! We cannot afford to charge blindly like that.'

'Yes...I understand.' muttered Shadowz after much deliberation with himself. 'Damn it.'

The reinforcements poured through the portal, fortifying the fortresses and bolstering the army. Then, with the aid of Kaithlyn and several other, lesser psychics, Felicia raised the fortresses, the portal and the land around up into the sky, to protect from land attacks. Archers were posted everywhere, looking out for attacks.

Felicia called the old soul warriors and the leaders of the various races and factions. 'I am going in to rescue those two.' she started, and immediately received an uproar.

'No, Felicia! It's too dangerous!' said Sieghart.

'Why can you go, and why not me?!' demanded Shadowz.

'It's suicide, and you know it.' chided the elf king Leah.

Felicia held up her hands for silence. 'I understand your concern. But I never said I would go alone. While we were fortifying the fortresses, I went back to Rursus and found my old subjects, those who survived. Behold...'

Six figures entered the command room, each radiating a force powerful enough to rival a Death Knight.

The first, a hulking man with a massive two-handed warhammer and a set of black armor with blue runes stepped forth. 'I am Cerulean, the Mighty, strongest of Elendils. With my hammer have I slain countless foes, and with my armor I have withstood the ravages of magical storms, Titan strikes and more.'

The second, a whip-thin man with claws for a hand, the other hand holding a dagger, sharp and long. 'Gabriel, the Silent, I am. Many foes, I have assassinated. Death, I have visited, and return I have.'

A female introduced herself next, her spear glowing amber. 'My name is Ithuriel, the Swift. I have traversed hostile armies unscathed, and I run faster than the wind.'

Next was also a female. Her saber was gleaming an eerie green, akin to the poison of a dire cobra. 'I am known as Ivy, the Venomous. My blade has taken the lives of innumerable demons. Give me their necks, and I will gladly tear through them.'

The next was a man, muscular but lean, his right hand encased in a metal-like appendage, the fingers some sort of claws. 'I am Leon, the Berserker. I shall rend any foes apart with my fist of ruin, lay waste to all who dare oppose my queen.'

Finally, the last Elendil, a tall warrior, with an eyepatch, silver shoulder length hair, and six katanas hanging from his waist, three on each side. 'I am Azure, the Protector. Long have I served as the shield of my queen, and long shall I serve.'

'These, my friends, are the six Elendils of the Royal Circle.' said Felicia after Azure had introduced himself. 'They will aid me in rescuing Xepher and Kaffleen from Candace's clutches. And I assure you they are each as powerful as me, and therefore we can handle ourselves.'

Sieghart frowned. 'Why not me?'

'I need you to stay and protect the camp.' said Felicia.

'Fine. Good luck.'