Chapter One

It was mid-afternoon in Prontera on a Sunday in the beginning of summer. The streets were rather empty and lifeless, and 15 year-old Jay D’Vulpe was stuck in the Prontera cathedral studying to become a crusader. He stared out the window, ignoring the scratching of his classmates’ quills and the quiet turning of pages in their bibles. Daydreams started to cloud his mind; giant spheres off flame and rock were about to crash and destroy downtown Prontera.

What a silly thought, Jay muttered to himself.

Then the windows shattered.

A shockwave sent millions of pieces of glass flying into the classroom, killing more than half of the students instantly, which were followed by strong gusts of wind and screams of fear and pain. Jay was thrown several feet from his desk; parchment and torn pages from the bibles fluttered in the air and littered the floor. Ink and blood were spilt, desks and chairs were overturned, and there were still screams and crying in the background. The classroom, the whole cathedral was almost in ruins. Jay sat up slowly, regaining consciousness. There were pieces of glass lodged in his arm and his shoulders, his face was cut up severely, and his back throbbed in pain from landing on too roughly on something.

He turned around, it took him a second for it to sink in; the girl he loved had a large piece of glass lodged right in her throat. His eyes widened in terror and began to fill with tears. Crying and choking her name, he held her lifeless body, touching her cheek lightly. Furious, terrified, shocked, the pains from his wounds were overcome by deep sorrow.

“You can mourn her later, my son. For now, we must escape to Geffen.” Jay was pulled away from her lightly by the head priest: Father Benedict. He didn’t notice him come inside the classroom.

Geffen; Jay’s younger brother was studying as a mage there.

“Father, what’s going on?” Jay wiped the tears and blood out of his eyes, struggling to stand up. Jay couldn’t even begin to imagine what happened to the area that took the full impact of the giant meteor storm and the areas closest to it. So many people were dead now, how could this happen?

“We’re simply under attack, but that’s all I know,” explained Father Ben calmly, healing Jay’s minor wounds with a quick spell then leading him out quickly.

Jay saw the fear in the old man’s eyes.

He stayed silent as the both of them went room to room and gathered the survivors. In the end, they were a group no more than twenty. Quickly, Father Ben and another priest took out blue gemstones, but Father Ben froze for a moment and told the other priest to finish casting the warp portal. He looked worried and wanted to get the remaining students to get to Geffen as soon as possible.

“Father Ben?” Jay asked, refusing to go without him as one by one, the students entered the portal, followed by the priest. “What’s wrong?”

The portal remained glowing.

“Leave, Mister D’Vulpe,” he ordered, “It’s dangerous here.”

“Father Ben?”

“Ruwach!” Father Ben’s reflexes reacted, and he casted a strange blue light around him.

Time slowed down to a crawl as the light revealed an enemy going to attack Father Ben from behind. Jay in that split second recognized the enemy as an assassin cross- yet it wasn’t one. With his last moment of living, he shoved Jay into the portal before the assassin’s katar pierced right through his chest. In that moment, time slowed to a stop as the memory of death, chaos, and the mysterious assassin cross was burnt into Jay’s mind for the rest of his life.

~*~

Jay was shaken lightly back to consciousness. He found himself in a small, cold, dimly lighted space surrounded by mages, some of his own fellow classmates, and various supplies and food. His awakening was greeted by an unfamiliar female face: pretty gray eyes and short light brown hair. Jay sat up, his head and back throbbed with pain.

“Hi, I’m Anna. You’re Jet’s brother, aren’t you?” her voice was soft, almost child like. The whole room was in a whisper; Anna barely spoke loud enough for Jay to listen.

“Yeah, that’s me…hey, where are we?” Jay looked around.

“Geffen; in one of the clan base’s dungeon.”

“What? Why?”

“We’re under attack,” Anna frowned, “like Prontera was. The enemy got inside…”

“Where’s Jet?” Jay grabbed her shoulder, “Damn it, what the hell’s going on!”

“He’s been in the hospital for weeks now.” She went pale with worry.

Jay went silent for a moment; the sounds of battle could be heard from above. He let go of Anna and stared at the ceiling for a while, wondering what was going on. What happened in Prontera and what was happening in Geffen was probably occurring in other cities; a national crisis.

“He said he’s been coming down with a cold in his letters, though”

Anna shook her head. Jet lied to him.

“I used to check up on him everyday, he had a high fever; his chest, throat, and head were burning. The healers stopped allowing visitors (I was the only one anyways) because of an infectious disease-risk. They told me that his immune system was deteriorating at an alarming rate- they’re using magic to try to repair it.”

“He’d always get sick,” Jay recalled “but our parents were reluctant to give him treatment. At one point he began to refuse taking any medicine at all.”

She also explained how the hospital was on the other side of town, where the attack started. Luckily, there were already clan people there doing morning drills to hold back the enemy army long enough to evacuate Geffen into shelters. What was of the hospital and the people inside it were unknown. Jay frowned but Anna insisted that Jet was okay.

“Hey, who’s that?”

Someone leaned against the only entrance and exit to the shelter, a thick metal door. He wasn’t a swordsman, acolyte, or a mage. His black hair was slicked back; his green eyes glowed slightly in the dim room as if they had night-vision. A falcon was perched on his shoulder, observing the students’ activity. He gripped a short bow in his right hand made of fine oak, a bow that was for close-to-mid range combat. The hunter was wearing dark attire that made him look like a shadow- no wonder Jay didn’t notice him before. The most significant feature about Cypher was that he held his bow in his right hand; Jay thought he must’ve been a left-handed person, and the fact that his whole right arm was bandaged up was rather odd.

“That’s Cypher Ecks, of The Scourge: a clan. This is their base, I think. Their history is kinda’ dark, but it’s really not the case. They’re all really good people. There should be someone else here but-…I’m really not sure why.”

Crash.

A large force pounded at the door, causing Cypher to stumble forward a bit. His eyes narrowed slightly with anger as he positioned himself in front of the door, pulling three arrows from his quiver.

“Move to the back of the room! Now!” Cypher barked, the pounding began to repeat and increase in pace.

Jay grabbed Anna and helped her move to the back of the small space. Standing in front of her protectively and noticed a metal pipe on the floor. He grabbed it, intending to use it as a makeshift sword of sorts. Jay hoped that he didn’t have to use it.

A large axe ripped through the metal door and tore it to shreds, followed by a blacksmith ramming through with an intention to kill. Upon entering he took three arrows to the face and dropped dead where he stood. Five more unnaturally-muscular blacksmiths came in and threw axes at Cypher with massive force. He dodged to the side and pulled out more arrows from his quiver, his falcon flying off his shoulder ready to attack. The axes hit the wall at the back of the room, missing the heads of a couple of students barely. The force of all the axes broke down the wall and revealed its alignment with a strange tunnel. Cypher cursed loudly and fired more arrows at the blacksmiths at an attempt to keep them back as he realized what happened to the back wall. They started pouring into the room, but Cypher fired arrows rapidly with such precision, the blacksmiths couldn’t even step inside without receiving a fatal wound to the head, chest, or neck. But it wouldn’t stop; more of them kept trying to squeeze their way in. Cypher kept his powerful stance, firing arrow after arrow as the students watched with awe and fear.

“Shit.”

Cypher’s torrent of arrows suddenly stopped; he had only one more left. Quickly, he switched his bow to his other arm and un-wrapped the bandages on his right arm with one swift pull. It revealed a long tattoo that covered his whole arm, a dark dragon that swirled down his sleek, but powerful biceps down to his wrist. The dragon’s mouth was open wide at his fingertips, its fangs seemed to biting onto his knuckles.

“DRAGON STRAFE!”

Taking his last arrow, Cypher stretched his bow, a rush of power radiated off Cypher’s arm and his arrow, both began to glow a deep, fiery red. Roaring, Cypher fired the arrow into the group of blacksmiths, a powerful gust of air pushed back in every direction on release, followed by the explosion of the arrow’s contact. The structure of the room’s entrance caved in, so no one could go out and no one could get in.

Jay didn’t turn away for a single moment in the second that Cypher’s attack happened. He was sure that Cypher’s attack was not of a regular hunter, there was no doubt that Cypher’s tattoo was an Ecks bloodline ability.

Cypher’s fatigue showed itself, a result of using such a powerful attack. He stood there for a moment, regaining his breath as the students watched in complete silence, most of them more scared of Cypher at the moment rather than the threat that was attacking Geffen outside and inside The Scourge castle walls. Slowly, he turned to Jay, Anna, and their classmates, wrapping the bandages around his arm again and hiding away the dark dragon. He had noticed the tunnel behind them and realized it was the only way out.

“Guys, that’s our only way out. Even if we could go out the way that I destroyed, there’s no doubt that there’s even more enemies outside. At this rate…we might lose and castle and some of the shelters might have been breached by now.” Cypher switched his bow and exchanged it for a knife that was sheathed on a strap on his lower left leg. “Did anyone get hurt, though?”

Everyone shook their head, Cypher sighed in relief.
“Well…look behind you, that’s our way out.” Cypher continued.

~*~

“Crybaby.”
“Weak.”
“Pathetic.”
“Disgrace.”
Revenge; he craved it.
A flame ignited in his heart and began to burn with an intense malice.
It started to manifest around him, consuming everything in untamed tongues of fire.

“…Whoa,” A young sage took his hand off the forehead of a younger boy with silver hair, startled. He was sweating as if he was near a scorching flame; his expression spelled out worry and fear. “This kid sure is…something.”

His comrade helped him off the ground, a crusader with dark auburn hair and dark eyes.

“What is it? Is he the D’Vulpe kid or not?”

“He’s a D’Vulpe kid, that’s for sure, but not the one we’re looking for.”

“Was there anything worth seeing inside his head?”

The sage hesitated. “…No, not really. He’s sick, so I felt how hot he was.”

“Leave him, then.”

“But Persephe, we have a dedication to the D’Vulpe fam-“

“I know, Prophecy. That kid’s own family doesn’t even care about him. Why the hell should we? Who cares how he got down here or how he’s gonna’ get out, we received orders to find Jay D’Vulpe.” The crusader looked down on the unconscious mage, almost disgusted.

Frowning, the sage named Prophecy knew it was a bad idea. He was the first to walk away from the boy, wondering how a single mage made it that far in the sewers connecting to the guild base alone. Brushing his long, red hair out of his eyes, he heard Persephe mutter something under his breath and sighed quietly before starting to follow after him.

Prophecy’s pace ended abruptly.

“Perse- look out!”

Both of them turned around to see ten fiery projectiles assault Persephe from behind. Swiftly, Persephe turned around and defended himself with his large, adamantium kite-shield. Each blast pushed him back slightly. Furious, he deflected and pushed the last few bolts out of the way completely and charged after his attacker.

“SHIELD CHARGE!”

Persephe thrust his shield forward with a force that sent the mage flying against the sewer wall with a dull thud. The mage sat against the wall, groaning in pain and rubbing his head. He looked slightly confused and disoriented. Prophecy winced and went over to read the mage again before Persephe could finish him off.

“Wait,” Prophecy stopped Persephe with his hand, “Let me read his mind once again.

The crusader calmed down and put his weapons away.

“Damn it, Proph. Shit’s attacking us everywhere.”

“I see now. He thought we were the enemy. He was running away from his attackers and managed to defend himself, but barely. He managed to lose them in the sewers; but it’s a miracle that he didn’t get attacked by any monsters while semi-unconscious. It’s actually pretty lucky that he stopped so close to the guild base and on our path there.”

“Well?”

“Let’s take him with us, Perse. We can’t leave anyone behind in a time like this. I know we have to get to the base to meet with Cypher as soon as possible, but to defend people this kid’s age, man! C’mon. Remember, we have a dedication to the D’Vulpe family as long as there’s still one of them alive. I know if we leave this kid it’ll be one less of them to worry about but that’s not the honorable way to live, especially being in a guild. Think of what Faye would say if she knew you left a D’Vulpe kid behind.”

Persephe gave Prophecy a disapproving look, but helped the mage up and gave him a potion. Prophecy shook his hand and gave the young mage a look of reassurance.

“Here, take this. Don’t count on me for protection because whatever you do, if you’re gonna’ end up slowing us down then we’re gonna’ leave you because I’d rather protect 30 other kids then take care of you.”

The mage nodded in understanding.

“Oh yeah, what’s your name again? You’re a D’Vulpe, aren’t you?” Persephe asked as they began to continue walking towards the guild castle in a dark, underground tunnel.

“It’s Jet; Jet D’Vulpe.”

~*~

Cypher looked worried, but he tried to keep his cool. The expression on his face hid the fact that he knew he wasn’t supposed to be in there and didn’t know where he was going. The tunnel seemed to get shorter and darker as the only source of light became the mages’ fire magic. A foul stench began to fill all of their nostrils; as they headed deeper the smell grew stronger.

“Cypher, is it?” Jay caught up to the hunter.

“Yeah, ‘sup.” He answered, bothered a little by the growing strength of the smell.

“What’s that smell?”

"Death.” Cypher muttered, “These parts of the sewers reek of death.”

“…What?”

“You learn things, kid, when you’re in a guild and everything; especially for one that has a blood tie to the D’Vulpe family. They may seem like a prestigious family, but they’re horrible people.”

“Not all the D’Vulpes are bad people!” Anna retorted in defense.

Jay went silent, unable to react.

“You never told me your name,” said Cypher.

“Oh, it’s Jay.”

He thought about it for a moment; he never got to see his family a lot because he studied in Prontera, so how much about his family did he actually know? Maybe Cypher could help him find out a little more. Jay’s ambition to learn about his family was cut short when the whole group came to an abrupt stop. Exiting the pitch black tunnel, they reached a vast room with an old rope bridge stretching across a bottomless pit to the other side of the room.

“This is anything but safe,“ muttered Jay, Anna clung lightly to his arm.

“We have no choice but to cross it, people. But we have to do it one by one,” Cypher explained, “Jay, go first and wait for everyone there. I’ll take up the rear, got it?”

Reluctant nods followed Cypher’s instructions. Carefully, Jay made his way across the bridge. He refused to look down, ignoring the sounds of strain on the old wood and rope. He made it across safely, from the other side of the bridge the group were the size of his hand.

“That’s…far.”

One by one, each mage and acolyte in the group made its way across the bridge safely. Anna and Cypher were the only ones left on the other side.

“I-I-I…I can’t do it,” Anna whimpered, “its unsafe…”

“Don’t worry okay? I promise that if anything happens me or Jay will save you.”

Terrified, Anna gradually made her way across the frail rope bridge.

“You’re almost there! Just a little more!” Jay encouraged, standing at the end of the bridge. Anna began to move across more confidently with encouragement from her classmates, passing the halfway point with ease.

Anna was only a few steps away. Suddenly, she stepped on a cracked board, her leg falling through. She screamed in pain and in fear.

“Anna!” Jay went to go after her, but Cypher barked from across the chasm not to set a single toe on the bridge and it began to fall apart, “you’ve got to pull yourself up, you’re almost here!”

Mustering all her courage, Anna pulled herself up and began to limp across the faltering bridge, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I’ve got you!” Jay grabbed onto Anna’s arms and pulled her to safety as the ropes snapped and the boards began to fall into the dark abyss. Anna’s leg was bleeding, but it was quickly treated. Cypher on the other hand, seemingly had no other way to get across.

“Don’t worry,” he called, and simply jumped over it.

Jay’s jaw dropped.

As they continued, groaning could be heard from deeper within the tunnel. The whole group went frozen with fear. More noises began to emerge from the darkness, the sickening cracks of unholy joints, rotten flesh dragging on the tunnel floor, and the dull clinking of dozens of rusted weapons and armor. The stench began to grow stronger as the groaning became even louder.

“Someone, get some light down there!” Cypher barked.

A mage reacted quickly to Cypher’s order and cast a ball of fire into the tunnel, zombie skeletons launched themselves from the flames and began to attack the students.

“Everyone move back! Firewall and push forward with your magic!” Cypher commanded, fending a zombie off with his knife.”

In the adrenaline, the students managed to arrange themselves effectively with simple orders, merging their firewalls into one large one and slowly pushing it forward as the acolytes supported Jay and Cypher, who would slay any zombie that would get through. Their strategy could only last for so long as the mages and acolytes began to run out of mana.

“Cypher, light up ahead!” Jay called, striking a zombie through the head. “Guys, just a little longer!”

It was a spark of hope for them all, but one by one each piece of the giant firewall began to fade out. They hadn’t even killed half of them. Everyone began to move back, now unable to defend themselves. There was only so much that Jay and Cypher could do with a knife and metal pipe.

The zombies began to draw nearer, almost forcing them back to the giant room with the bottomless pit. Out of nowhere, a blur jumped over the entire group right into the heart of the enemy.

“MAGNUM BREAK!”

Fire erupted from where the blur landed, instantly killing zombies.

“Perse! Thank God.” Cypher cried in relief.

There were still zombies left over, but twenty balls of fire began to crash down on them, finishing the rest off.

“Proph! You too?” Cypher called again.

A silver-haired mage stood beside the sage, looking slightly fatigued from the cast.

“…Jet, “ Jay mouthed, “You’re alive.”