Robert, having completed his meeting with the commander, departed from the exalted officer's office, his mind consumed with a litany of lingering uncertainties. The commander's name remained a mystery to him, as it had not been uttered nor relayed by anyone else. He also remained ignorant of the commander's power and abilities, having received no knowledge of them whatsoever. In essence, he knew nothing about the commander. He remained a fledgling member of the Order, still inexperienced and unaware of many of the arcane intricacies that permeated the organization. He was entirely ignorant of the mysterious ways in which the Order employed or secured the arcane artifacts, as well as the enigmatic paths available for the cultivation of an ascendant. His education in these matters had been largely relegated to an on-the-job training regimen, and he anticipated that he would absorb further knowledge only upon the successful completion of his present mission. Eager to embark upon hi
As John and Robert stepped into the narrow and filthy alleyways of the poor side of town, the overwhelming stench of garbage and waste hit them like a wave.The ground was slick with slime and trash, and the walls were covered in grime and visible cracks.The sight before them was a stark contrast to the clean, well-lit streets of the city center they were used to.Shadow, their ever-watchful companion, was perched atop a nearby rooftop, scanning the area for any potential threats.His sharp eyes were alert and his movements were precise as he searched for signs of danger.Suddenly, as they rounded a corner, they were confronted by a group of rough-looking men. Their faces were twisted into sneers, and their hands were gripping dangerous-looking weapons. John and Robert knew immediately that they were in trouble.The men had them surrounded, with three behind them and four in front.One of them, a burly man with a rough beard and a scar on his cheek, stepped forward and spoke in a gru
The air crackled with tension as the masked man let out a chilling laugh, his voice deepening and distorting as his muscles bulged and swelled."Looks like I'm outnumbered," he growled menacingly."Let's see if you can survive." With a sudden lunge, he charged forward, his arms crossed in front of him like a battering ram.Robert and John reacted quickly, pulling out their revolvers and firing with deadly accuracy.But to their shock, the bullets just ricocheted harmlessly off the masked man's body, as if he was made of some kind of metal."What the hell?!" Robert exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief."Keep shooting!" John shouted, his voice laced with a mix of fear and determination.But the masked man seemed almost impervious to their attacks, shrugging off each bullet as if it was nothing.With a sudden burst of speed, he closed the distance between them, his fists hammering down towards their heads.Robert and John leapt backwards, narrowly avoiding the deadly blow. They exch
The loss of their backup was a devastating blow, particularly with the formidable task that lay ahead of them.John was acutely aware of the potential consequences of their battle, which would almost certainly have drawn the attention of the heretics, it would not be good outcome if they got themselves surrounded.As a result, he knew they had to keep moving and quickly.John gestured towards Robert to follow him,"We need to move, this fight most likely grabbed the atention of the heretics".Robert nodded and they took off in a sprint, their footsteps echoing through the streets.As they moved through the city, John couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency and dread. The task before them was fraught with danger, and he knew they had to remain vigilant at all times.Robert, too, was feeling the weight of the situation, but he tried his best to remain calm and focused on the task at hand.After a few minutes of running, Robert turned to John and asked,"This should be far enough, righ
As John and Robert turned to leave, they were surprised by the sudden appearance of a new nun in black robes. Her voice was as enchanting as the siren's song, and anyone who heard it was compelled to follow her instructions. John and Robert felt the pull to do what she said, but they knew better than to let his guard down. Robert channeled his power to his hand and revolver, ready to defend himself if needed. Without warning, John turned and shot towards the nun. One of the other nuns, quick as lightning, jumped in front of the black dressed nun, taking the bullet instead, it left the nun incapicated but not dead. The atmosphere changed completely as all the nuns took combat positions, ready to defend themselves and their fellow sister. Robert took his revolver out as well, not willing to take any chances. The nun in the black robes stepped forward, her voice calm and commanding, "Gentlemen, please drop your weapons. We
John and Robert raced through the darkened streets, their breath coming in ragged gasps as they ran for their lives.Their hearts pounded in their chests, and their eyes darted nervously around every corner, searching for any sign of pursuit.Finally, John reached into his jacket and pulled out his radio. He keyed the mic and spoke in a hushed voice,"Anyone in? We are dealing with a high tier ascendant, and not a regular one. She's a chosen of a god, over."After a moment of static, Eugene's voice crackled through the speaker."Got it. You did good! Retreat to HQ. It's time to bring out the big guns. We need to remind the heretics what they can and what they can't do... and keep them out of the city, over and out."John's heart leapt with relief at the sound of Eugene's voice.He replied quickly,"Roger that. Over and out."With that, he and Robert sprinted towards headquarters, their legs pumping furiously as they ran.As they ran, John couldn't help but think about the terrifying p
As the doctor entered the room, her presence commanded attention from everyone gathered there.She greeted them with a warm smile and wasted no time in getting straight to business."Hello to you all," she began,"Time is of the essence. I will explain the paths you have to choose and the risks involved."The room grew silent as the doctor continued to speak. She presented three options: hunter, artificer, and apothecary."The most safe ones, are hunter, artificer, and apothecary. We have the formula of the concoction for those three." she said.The doctor went on to explain the benefits of each path."Hunter enhances your vision, agility, and dexterity, making it great for focusing on combat and range weapon proficiency,""Artificer enhances your intelligence and your ability to analyze materials, making it easier for you to master the profession of artificer. It's great for those who wish to pursue crafting."The doctor then turned her attention to the third path, the one she chose
The doctor stood before the group of ascendant candidates, a grave expression etched upon her face. "The time has come," she began, hervoice low and solemn. "Those of you who have chosen the safer paths have been given the concoctions, drink them which will help you to better attune your mortal bodies to your chosen path. You will soon begin your trial." She turned to the other group, those who had chosen the more dangerous paths and had been given artifacts instead. "As for you," she said, her eyes scanning the faces of the candidates, "You have been given artifacts that will trigger the transition and initiate the trial. They were crafted from the remnants of ascendants who failed to complete the transition and perished in the process. Their sacrifice has allowed you the chance to become one of the chosen few." Robert felt the weight of the golden medallion in his hand, its smooth surface cool to the touch. He knew what was expected of him. He lifted the medallion to his lips a
The passage of time had healed some of the wounds inflicted by the heretics, but the scars remained, both in the physical destruction of the city and in the emotional trauma of those who had witnessed the battle.Despite this, life had gone on in Nodnol, as it always does. The Order had vanished from the city, leaving behind a void that was slowly being filled by other factions vying for power.The city's skyline had changed dramatically in the year since the battle. Tall, imposing structures now loomed over the city, casting long shadows that stretched across the streets below.The bustling sounds of industry and commerce could be heard everywhere, as the factories churned out their products and the markets overflowed with goods from all over the world.Despite the changes, some things remained the same. Kline had remained in the city, continuing his training as an ascendant, determined to reach the path of the demigods and transcend his mortal limits.Eugene had stayed as well, alwa
Kline's eyes glinted with a fierce determination as he gazed at John with a mix of sorrow and anger.The loss of Robert was a heavy blow, but he knew that he had to fight. He could not let his comrade's sacrifice be in vain, and he could not let the BlackHand commander get away with his heinous actions.With a solemn nod, Kline readied his weapon, his mind focused on the task at hand. He knew that the odds were against him, but he refused to give up.He would fight with all his might to protect what he believed in and to avenge his fallen comrade.Kline's eyes burned with fury as he charged towards John, his sword glinting in the dim light.John stood his ground, holding his custom revolvers tightly in his hands.As Kline closed in on him, John spun around and fired both guns simultaneously, the bullets ricocheting off Kline's sword with a loud clang.Kline parried John's shots with ease, his years of training allowing him to anticipate every move.Kline launched a series of swift att
With precision, Kline grabbed anything he could find to use as makeshift bandages and medicine.He assessed John and Robert's injuries carefully, knowing that every second counted.He was no healer, but he knew the basics of first aid and how to keep a wound clean.Robert's injury was the most severe, and Kline knew that if they didn't act fast, it could get infected and turn into something far worse.He quickly applied pressure to the wound and did his best to remove any ice shards that were still embedded in Robert's face.Meanwhile, John's leg wound was stabilized, but Kline knew that they needed to find a place to rest and recover before they could even think of escaping."John, you know our situation," Kline said, looking at him seriously."We won't be able to escape as we are now. We need to lay low in one of the destroyed buildings until we recover some energy for escaping. We'll grab Robert and hope his situation doesn't worsen."John nodded in agreement, his face grim. They w
In the aftermath of the devastating battle, The Order's soldiers were on high alert.It didn't take long for the BlackHand to make their presence known, as they began to group together, seemingly with the intention to convert, kill, or imprison any remaining members of The Order.Two men dressed in black coats, adorned with black breastplates bearing the emblem of an open black hand, approached Kline, Robert, and John."We suggest you lay down your weapons and surrender peacefully," one of the men stated, in a calm and collected tone.Kline's eyes narrowed, his grip on his own weapon tightening."It appears that even amidst this chaos, the BlackHand continues to hound us like a pack of rabid dogs," he spat back.The other man stepped forward, his hand hovering over the hilt of his two swords."I suggest you watch your tongue, boy," he growled. "Surrender now, or face the consequences."Kline exchanged a glance with Robert and John, and they all knew what was at stake.They could eithe
The two gods were evenly matched, and their attacks and counters were so swift that it was difficult to keep track of them. Marduk continued to summon spears of light, while Crone unleashed her tentacles and shadow blades in quick succession. The air was thick with the sound of clashing weapons and explosive energy. As the fight continued, Marduk was becoming increasingly fatigued, and his attacks were starting to become weaker. Crone, on the other hand, seemed to be gaining strength with each passing moment. If Marduk didn't finish this soon, he would be in serious trouble. Marduk seemed to sense this as well, and he suddenly changed his tactics. Instead of summoning more spears of light, he began to focus his energy into a single, massive blast. The air crackled with energy as Marduk gathered his power, and Crone watched him warily. With a sudden burst of speed, Crone launched herself at Marduk, her tentacles and shadow blades striking out with deadly precision. Marduk dodge
All seemed like it was over, but out of nowhere a strange and ominous energy filled the air, causing a sudden stillness to descend upon the area. The world around them seemed to blur and fade away, leaving only a swirling mass of blood that coalesced into a pulsating sphere. The pressure emanating from the sphere was so immense that time itself seemed to stop, freezing everyone and everything in place. Not even a breath could be taken, nor a movement made, as they were trapped in this suspended state. It was as if the very fabric of reality had collapsed in on itself, leaving them stranded in an endless void. The sudden halt of time seemed to suffocate everyone. It was as if the universe itself had come to a standstill, with no movement or sound to indicate any sign of life. The once chaotic battlefield was now eerily silent, as if death had taken hold of everything in its grasp. The air was thick with anticipation and fear, as each passing moment felt like an eternity. The onl
As Mary stood in the midst of the battle, her eyes blazed with an otherworldly light.Her once serene countenance now twisted with determination as she tapped into her newfound powers, drawing energy from the nuns around her.The air crackled with electricity as she channeled the energy, her hair standing on end and her robes billowing around her.John being the skilled marksman that he is, took aim at the nuns with his trusty revolver.He knew that stopping her from drawing power was crucial to turning the tide of the battle.He fired bullet after bullet, each one expertly aimed at the demonic nuns surrounding Mary.The bullets found their mark, disrupting Mary's concentration and causing her to falter in her power gathering.Robert joined John in the effort to disrupt Mary's power source.He shot his revolver with a fierce determination, injuring any nun who dared to get close to Mary.John's revolver gleamed in the dim light of the battlefield, a beacon of hope for his comrades as
As the battle raged on, the once-beautiful city of Nodnol was now unrecognizable.The smell of smoke and death filled the air, and the once-bustling streets were now eerily quiet, except for the sounds of battle in the distance.The Blackhand soldiers were doing their utmost to protect the innocent civilians and prevent the destruction from spreading to other areas of the city.In one district, the fighting was particularly intense, with explosions and gunfire shaking the ground. Buildings were reduced to rubble, and corpses littered the streets.The cries of the wounded and dying echoed throughout the district, a haunting melody of pain and suffering.But in another district, the scene was completely different. Children played in the streets, laughing and chasing each other.The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, and the only sounds were the chirping of birds and the gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the trees. It was as if this part of the city was untouched
The air was tense with anticipation as soldiers from The Order and Black Hand stood in formation, their eyes fixed on the surrounding areas.They were ready to engage in battle, with their weapons at the ready and their determination set in stone.The heretics had been causing chaos in the city for far too long, and it was time to put an end to their reign of terror once and for all.The Order soldiers, their revolvers shining in the sunlight, stood at the forefront, their daggers glinting menacingly in their belts.The Blackhand soldiers, clad in some black armor, stood just behind them, their weapons at the ready.Their mission was clear: to protect the innocent civilians from harm, while The Order purged the heretics from the city.As they waited for the battle to begin, the leaders of each division received a message that sent chills down their spine."It's time to erase the heretics from our city."Those simple words carried with them a weight of responsibility and duty that coul