First Good Chapter

The gates of Hell opened to let heaven see the Armageddon it was hiding. The 18th level of hell hosted a theater of war in its core. The windy desert tarnished red, fluids dotting the sand as a four-way onslaught raged on.


Human archers rained down arrows, covering a bloody dragon and skewering others on the field. Dark purple golems tanked the dragon while it swept left and right with its cold, sharp fangs. Apocalyptic beasts roamed the killing field, bloody flesh struck between their cruel teeth, crushed bones beneath their paws. The battlefield was a cacophony of mages and archers, warriors and paladins, beasts and golems, all creating chaos that seemed to form brief patterns of order. It was like the lines of a waltz described from blood and death and violence.


Holy lights and dragon breath illuminated the scene, providing a backdrop of color and percussion. Frost arrows and fireballs exploded like fireworks, adding high notes to the melee. And yet, all this delicate harmony, this tenuous back and forth was fated to be broken, as another variable was added to the equation..




“Cwaa cwaaa!!”

Unending crows, as if a scion storm, flew around hiding the Hell gates behind them. As those pitch black, death messengers scattered, their unnatural, bloody eyes watched the source of the tremor. Their small eyes watched in horror the doors spanning to the infinite in length closing in. In the depths of their heart, they felt non ending fear toward this cursed object.

As the image of two golden, raging Ashuras decorating both sides of the door appeared, the cluster of birds frantically scattered, running away from this monstrosity.


Minutes passed and the dark purple Hell gates opened once again. The land bowed and a sharp crack could be heard. The earth quaked, and a cloud of dust billowed out from the pressure. A tall figure covered in red armor and clenching a black sword stepped up. On the right side of his chest was an insignia of a black dragon; an emblematic sign of the dark knight class.


The dark knight took a deep breath and his lips cracked up in a smirk. He bathed in the killing intent engulfing the air, the resounding cries of warriors and the malicious roars of the beasts. This is where he belonged, this is his domain.


The time for contemplation was over, no need for further thoughts. The dark hero dashed forward towards the battlefield. The battle front approached rapidly. Scorching hot wind dried his skin, the clangs of swords engulfed his ears, and the sight of crushed bones and splattered guts filled his eyes. The knight felt his blood boiling, he couldn't control his smile as it turned malicious, full of vice and blood thirst.


His legs pumped, trying to reach his element faster. He kicked off from a rock to jump over a chasm to the fight. As he flew over the outer edge of warriors, battle cries resounded beneath him. "Clang, clang," the sound of swords clashing entered his ears. As he landed, his black sword reflected a red luster while severing the neck of a human paladin. Blood gushed out, covering the semi-masked face of the dark knight, and the corpse landed with a 'thud' like a cold lump.


For a second, the knight paused. Its crimson red armor reflected the rays of sun. This silence lasted but one moment before the battle cries and killing intents reigned over once more. The dark knight turned around feeling someone closing in from behind. He looked back only to be surprised by a holy knight raising his great sword high in the sky with both hands, crying revenge for his fallen comrade.



The dark knight seeing the sword closing in, waited for the perfect timing. The sword slowly descended and the dark knight still waited. It's only after it had gotten as close as it could that the dark hero used a skill and teleported.

"Huh?"

The holy knight was confused as his sword, which was supposed to drip blood, never connected. Where its target had been, only a puff of black smoke remained.  The shadowy figure reappeared behind the back of the paladin, diagonally upward. Dark knight thrust the tip of his sword towards the neck of his dazed holy counterpart. Next moment he followed it with a horizontal slash, cutting him open. Blood rushed out as the knight dropped, never to rise again.



The dark knight, not even pausing for the least bit, continued his killing journey. He glanced to his left as he dashed forward to see the green draconic monstrosity raising its fanged arm high in the sky. The beast was as if showing off the disgusting green guts decorating the insides of its nail and the bloody luster their outside gained from the cry of agony of battalions of warriors.



As if a thunder strike, the right arm swipe like a wipe both the unfortunate, courageous human paladins, and the emotionless dark purple golems. Seeing the carnage caused on his left, the dark knight rushed sideway to the right. He jumped above the fallen soldiers, dodging the obstacles as he made his way to the middle. In front of him, numbers of humans appeared with different classes. Above their head, you could see an hp bar and their name in full Bold; they were players.



Noticing this fact, the dark knight changed his approach as he glanced to the left. A couple dozen dark golems were fighting the apocalyptic beasts; barring their fangs and clenching their disgusting teeth. Not wasting any more time, the dark knight focused once again on the party of players. The first thing that, the covered in red hero saw, as he turned around, were the incoming fireballs blocking his path to escape and dodge. Not even thinking farther, he teleported behind the fireball as if it was second nature. He knew that it wouldn’t end with just that. The moment he reappeared, he set himself straight and bended his knees. The incoming projectiles entered his range of vision as the dark knight zigzagged through them. The mage at the back row, stunned for a bit, stopped his rampage of skills.



The surprise effect didn’t last long, but the dark hero used it to its full effectiveness. The dark knight dashed in once again, forward as to become closer to the party.



The guarding knight, seeing this procedure of events, cursed under his breath and charged in. The healers started preparing, while the priests gulped nervously. Such maniacal way of fighting was an eye opener for them. They started chanting their spells as to buff the tank's attack and defense. The guarding knight, feeling the surge in power, gained more confidence and raised his white diamond shaped shield. But that confidence was instantaneously shattered, as the dark knight closed in and broke through his defense. A horizontal slash from right to left, was the only attack that the dark hero needed to make his opponent lose his balance, and have his guard broken. Seeing this outcome, the guardian knight bitted his lips and went for a bash. As he stepped back to regain his balance, and dashed in to bash his enemy, the dark knight side stepped to the right as to dodge.



Blade slashes, sword hacks and shield bashes continued on, as the two fighters fought to the death. The outcome of the battle was clearly leaning toward the dark knight as his nemesis was beaten black and blue, with various cuts at the level of his knees, torso and face. But the healers at the back row shifted the sides of the balance as they rejuvenated their comrade.


"Tch. Sigh, so I can only go with that"

As soon as he uttered those words, the dark knight changed his style of battle.


Seeing a diagonal slash going for his throat, he made a back spin as to dodge it. No longer wishing to stay in close quarter, the dark knight dashed to the side, as to where the dark golems and the beasts were fighting.


"Shhhrrr"


Sound of fire balls burning the air, and frost arrows cutting through the wind engulfed the ears of the battling champions. The mages which couldn't do anything as of yet, for fear of burning their comrade, took the spotlight once again. They rained fireballs on this hazardous enemy of theirs, and showered him with frost arrows.

"Success, they took the bait"

As the mysterious hero grinned, he turned around as to dodge the incoming projectiles. Similar to the way he did it before, the knight zigzagged through them once again.

Seeing the same scene happening, the black hooded mages' face cringed. It was extremely humiliating for them to be done in by the same trick. In rage, they wasted all of their mana in shooting magical attacks on this hateful opponent. They were unconscious of the fact that they were writing the rhythm of their upcoming doom.



A chilling breeze ran through the region as the multiple fighters froze. They all felt the energy behind them simmering, building up. All turned to see what was the cause as they gaped in horror. Dozens, hundreds of fireballs and frost arrows decorated the sky, waiting for the call of their summoners.


The five black robed mages' face turned blue as they overused their mana pool. Three of them got on their knee as to not pass out, while the two others were panting heavily. But they brushed it off as a relieved expression took over their pained face. They are finally going to get rid of that monster, or so they thought.


The projectiles covering the sky, as if comets, shot at unimaginable speed toward the dark knight, leaving a red and blue hue on their stakes. The dark knight, seeing the incoming doom bringers, he just smirked. He already knew that they would get pissed and try to skimmer him; he wouldn't show mercy as he use that.


The fireballs and frost arrows closed in at mind-shattering speeds. Their passage was put clean as all fighters ran away, afraid of being roasted alive, dying with no corpse left. But the night hero didn't, and so did the farther away golems and beasts; ignorant about the development of events.



The dark knight, seeing the magical missiles closing in, put his eyes to rest. He felt the scorching hot, dry air contrasting with the cold, frozen currents of wind. He heard the silence of the battlefield as everyone's focus was caught, as that one moment was born. Like he already thought, this is truly the place where he felt alive.


Slowly opening his eyes once again, the night hero stopped dwelling on his emotions any longer. He waited for the right timing to teleport, as that spell had a range limitation.

It's only after the cluster of god's firework was imminent that the dark knight turned into black shadow to only disappear from the party's view.


"Did he turn to ashes" mumbled a mage from the back row, to only continue later with a higher tone "ha, serves you right, fucking monster!!" His face showed ecstasy as he said that.

The other party members were still nervous, but after seeing that nothing happened, put on a relieved face too.


But while the group of players was talking, the magical attacks didn't just stop, waiting for them. The projectiles as if uncontrolled beasts, ran amok and reached the arena of the beasts and golems. The few unfortunate fighters closer to the fireballs and frost arrows range were immediately obliterated.


"Boom"

"Boom"

The few hundred missiles smothered the majority of the 50 beasts and golems. Blood gushed out as the frost arrows penetrated their heads, brain matter dropping. Gore fell apart as the fireballs extirpated their insides. The golems' multiple mechanical parts were turned to dust, evanescing for ever and a day.


The ground was a tragic testament, describing rivers of blood, mountains of gore and clusters of rolling heads. Hordes of crows descended, devouring the remains of fallen beasts, not caring about their glorious past or their immeasurable strength. The dark knight, finally reappeared on around a 40 to 50 meter away position. He just waited and beheld the play. He smirked, thinking about what will happen next.



The fortunate beasts and golems which didn't suffer any major injuries were baffled by what happened. They felt fear, for the first time in their life. They watched as their comrades were reduced to beehives, that memory was deeply engraved in their mind. They watched how they became but bird’s food at the end of the day, and their images started to blend with their own in their head. Their legs gave them up at the thought. They cautiously reached to their dead kinds as they licked their cold body, shooing off the malicious crows. Their focus returned to the source of the chaos, fearing that whoever showered them with capital punishments before might have an urge for another bath.


Seeing the party of seven, they were cautious at first. But then, they approached them with steady steps. The group of player started to awkwardly run away, each one caring only for his little life pushing those who were seconds ago, destined friends. Seeing this, the horde of beasts was baffled, why would they run? But they didn't care about that as their malicious instinct took over.

The party members seeing that the beasts were closing in, became even more desperate about their escape.

"Don't fucking let me die, die fucker" spitted the knight as he pushed down the mage before him.

The female mage desperate, tried clenching on the guardian knight's foot only to have her hand crushed underneath his boots.

"Huff..huff.. fucking psychotic bitch" snarled the knight as he ran away once again, leaving only his dusty trail for her to stare at.


"Haha, that was a good show. But it's time for it to end. SHE is going to get here in an instant" The dark knight laughed with a hoarse voice. The spectacle that they showed him was so exotic, that he couldn't help himself.


But contrasting with the light mood of the dark knight, the party was at the verge of mind break. No matter what, being munched on by depraved, chimera-looking beasts would push anyone to the border of insanity. Some had droplet of tears at the corner of their eyes, while their lips formed maniacal, desperate smiles. Other were mindlessly running, dead looks in their eyes.


As the roars of the beasts fueled the running party, a shadow of a female assassin appeared right next to them.

She was wearing a mostly leather armor, while a silver breastplate covered her chest. Her gantlets and boots were mostly black, with lines of silver decorating them. In the right side of her chest, she too had an insignia. A black serpent. She too was a holder of a class from the dark series: black assassin.


As soon as she appeared, she dashed forward toward the knight, beheading him. Not even wasting a second, she continue her death dance, creating a spectacle of flying rolling heads. The players didn't even have the time to react, as their face showed nothing but the colors of horror.


A black smoke materialized next to the dark knight. The female assassin appeared, one hand on her knee.

"Your orders, Master Oniyama," She said, still on her bowing position.

The dark knight took a breather and then said "The sides of war are shifting; the human kingdom is losing. As for the human king, let him rest in peace. Send a signal afterward, am I clear? Miyuki,"

"Understood, my lord," Miyuki acknowledged in response. She immediately became one with the shadow, as to complete her mission like a shot.

Seeing her disappear, Oniyama covered his face from the rays of the sun as he sighed

"Oh well. We too have our own work to do. Let's start,"


As he said that, the dark knight dashed forward once again, trying to localize the whereabouts of the golem king. this fight, should end now! The dark knight knew that all the attention was put on the human army. So much that everyone switched to an offensive battle strategy; leaving their backs open.


As the dark knight cut his way to the golem king, this one was in a stalemate with the dragon. Both fangs and swords were emitting a substantial pressure. A clash between two titans, two lions that couldn't stand the presence of each others.


But the golem king immediately, after the initial clash, retreated as to let his subject tank the dragon. He couldn't waste time here as it will leave the human army time to rest. He needed to obliterate them in one fell swipe.


As the massive, purple golem king created a safe distance between him and the overlord of the beasts. His red cape danced with the scorching wind, giving him amaranthine honor and charm. The aura of a primordial king emanated from him.



Oniyama, seeing that the golem king put an end to his fight with the beasts' overlord, blended with the shadow of a rift and waited in ambush. There is but one way for the golem king to reach the humans', and it was that one.


As golems' leader led the way; the royal guards, as a one entity, surrounded him in a defensive formation. As they walked uniformly, the steam of gazes escaped throughout their joints. The sound they made as they walked would scare anyone out of his wits. It was as if torrents of water crashed with a waterfall, as if they were a rushing river, water raging in, ferocious and thirsty for blood.

Seeing the discipline the golems showed, Oniyama clicked his tongue. This type of disciplined solders were the most frustrating to fight against, they would use even their life as a chip to bet for the sake of their king.

But no matter the consequences, the golem king had to be killed. This is the moment where he is the least guarded, as he had all of his subjects go for one last attack against the human emperor. So he could only bite the bullet and go for the kill.


The fights close to the rift were rare to nonexistent. Everyone was focused on the dragon so no one had the time to stand on the outskirts. In the end, it just became the passageway of spies and king's escort.

The squad of royal golems continued on their way, protecting their king. No one was in the vicinity, except the few insects and snakes specific to this kind of scorching desert.

The dark knight was still hiding i the shadows, waiting for the most optimum time where the main army of the golem would be at the farthest of the royal escort.

"Okay, seem like good. Let's go for it now" mumbled Oniyama under his breath. As a shadow, he ran hidden beneath the darkness toward the line the golem king was in. Taking the rocks of the rift as his support, he lunged as a lion toward the king.


"Vroom"

The sound of the steaming gazes coming out of the golem's joints sounded out, as multiple royal guards raised their swords high in the sky going for the kill. The golems wasted no words as they slashed vertically at the incoming dark knight.

Oniyama, not the least bit baffled at the lack of surprise, blocked the incoming blows with his one-handed sword. As the tip of his leather black boots touched the ground, Oniyama closed in as to leave no room for the golems to use their two-handed swords.


"Clang, clang" clash of sword against metal was heard, as the dark knight zigzagged through the golems. He purposely hit their joints as that would reduce their mobility.



As Oniyama's eyes gifted back focus to the golem leader, his mouth gaped in surprise. The king raises his great sword high in sky, purple luster shining, giving the magnanimous sword a cruel aura. The golem king's next action didn't betray expectation as he slashed diagonally with a force able to slash the heaven open. The tyrant lord didn't blink an eyelash as his sword went for both enemy and subordinate.

The dark knight, regaining his cool composure after that show of decisiveness, dashed behind the golem king. He left the great sword to only slash through the metal parts of the royal guards.


Not wasting a fraction of a breathe, Oniyama turned around lunging at the massive frame of the still not prepared golem leader. Not even before the great sword was to be risen did Oniyama's one handed sword reach the shoulder of the golem king.


"Clang!! Srachhhh!!"



"Tch, resistant bastard" as Oniyama clicked his tongue, the golem king king's lips cracked up on a grin. The great sword the golem leader was using may be not the best weapon for close combat, but he still had astonishing defense.


Damn you and your defense golem king. How can you freaking take a hit from my sword and be all smug about it. Oh well, you can't even touch me with that big ass great sword of yours, so who am I to complain as Oniyama's mind was busy cursing the opponent, his feet didn't just stop waiting for the thought process to finish. He made sure to not stay immobile in one place, for even one instant may spell his doom.


Trying to feel how much mana did he have left, Oniyama closed in to his arch-nemesis as to have some breathing room. He still had more than 90%. Reaching that conclusion, Oniyama's originally stiff face regained some of its vigor. Sigh, it seems that I have quite a bit mana left. Good thing I didn’t waste too much on that other fight

Closing in, Oniyama coated his sword with a pitch black aura, adding an org play to the already ominous instrumental that was his one-handed sword. Seeing the golem leader preparing a full blow, Oniyama used his teleport skill. As if blending with the shadows, the dark knight metamorphosized into a black, immaterial mass. That dark mass sank in earth, letting the blunt great sword to leave but a crack in the ground.

Oniyama, not letting the biggest frame recover its wits, reappeared behind it. A one handed sword higher in the sky, mana draining from the body and a Black Sun Slash charging up. Oniyama, as if handing down the divine judgment struck with his sword as a roaring thunder, while the doom bringer descended from heaven. One single cut, a severed mechanic arm and shocked expressions painting the cold faces of the king’s subjects. One action resulting in so many reactions, overthrowing any kind of balance or fairness.

As the dark knight severed the king’s left arm, no change or pain showed up on his highness’ sacred face. As a true ferocious tiger king, he stood tall, towering over all. Damn, does this guy never feel pain. That slash should have put him close to his demise but-