Drogoth
Drogoth had hoped Talazar would refrain from calling the elven woman, but now that he had, it left Drogoth with few options. He chuckled at some, realizing their futility, and decided to hope for the best.
Even as he thought of this, the woman came through the doorway, looking rather annoyed, but also tired. That last fact brought a smirk to the manās face. Maybe I can still do this, he thought as Nira started talking to him, anger evident in her voice.
He had been just about to respond to the woman when she made the realization that he was not the same person as before. He sighed, wishing she wouldn't have noticed, but now that she had, it couldn't be helped.
The scimitar wielder took into account the fact that she was obviously drained of magic, and grinned, an idea already formed. It all depended on the speed of the execution of his plan, so there was no room for error, and he felt nervousness creeping into his body. He quickly forced it away, thinking more confidently, his inner self matching his facial expression.
The grin stopped and quickly reversed direction as he saw that she still had some energy left, and Drogoth knew he had to move quickly. As the symbols started spiraling around, he grabbed the scythe and used the jewels to blast a hole in the wall leading to the next room. He also, at the same time the fire and wind jewels were used, activated the ice jewel, creating a large block above Talazar, with weak supports, so that without intervention from an outside force, it would fall and crush the reaper within seconds. Turning his attention back to escaping, he jumped through the hole just as the area where he once was exploded.
Looking back, the blast nearly missing him, he saw the only support still in view through the hole start to wobble, and he sent water gushing into the room, hoping the distraction would fool Nira into believing he was attacking her and Talazar. All thoughts of finishing his self-given task vanished, the unknown variable of Talazar being the deciding factor. If he were to join the fight, even with both him and Nira weakened, Drogoth couldn't hold off both of them.
With that, he turned, running through the rest of the building, he slowed as he reached the door and calmly walked out, holding the scythe halfway up the handle and leaning it casually against his right shoulder. He walked out, closing the door behind him, and strolled out into the street, calling loudly.
"All of you get over here!" The former Shade grinned as almost all of the nearby Shades came running towards him. He nonchalantly pulled his cloak up further, to fully cover his weapons, hoping none of them would notice. "Talazar somewhat incapacitated in his recovery, and Nira is busy helping him, so you're all coming with me." Directing his attention to a Shade heading over to where Drogoth and the others were gathering, the man rolled his eyes at the sight. The Shade was moving rather slowly. In fact, he was almost walking. Drogoth sighed and quickly sent a large ice shard hurtling at the man's chest and didn't bother watching the Shade fall, turning back to the others. "Now as I was saying, you will follow me or I will drink from your still-bleeding skull and draw a bath from the blood that exits via your jugular. The choice is yours" He stated this last part calmly, almost happily as he heard the sound of a body falling to the ground. Drogoth started getting annoyed that he couldn't command as Talazar could. It was true...he was becoming less like a Shade every minute. Adjusting to something Talazar would be more likely to say, he delved deeper inside himself, clearing himself of all emotion and stated simply and with piercing eyes, "Follow... Or you can taste my blades. You won't enjoy them, but when you get to hell to face the butcher shops of the devil, I can assure you that it'll be fast... because I won't leave them much to cut up..."
With that, he turned away, and Drogoth sincerely hoped he still had some time left. Anxiety was rising in him, making him start to pace and clench then unclench his hands repeatedly. He thought about what Nira had said. He didn't think of himself as a traitor...actually he didn't know what to think of himself. It was as if a blindfold had been lifted from his mind, and he felt he was truly where he belonged now. Not a lackey of some Shade, but a free man who wishes no evil to come to others. At the same time, however, he senses darkness lurking further down, and he had just demonstrated that darkness. It was rapidly disappearing, and Drogoth was thankful for that, but he was, at the same time, frightened. He didn't know what to do now, where to go, and even though he had included this part in his plans, he didn't know if it would still work. He sighed and pushed such thoughts from his mind and turned his full attention to the task at hand.
By now, most of the other Shades had quickly come towards him, and he took off running, heading to the nearest exit and motioning them all to follow him. He glanced back, making sure they were all obeying, and looked back in front on him. There was no time left, the only thing he could do was run, and hope Nira still had her hands full with Talazar, but doubted that fact as soon as the thought entered his mind.
Anton
What was he doing? He just stood there with a shocked expression, crimson liquid bursting forth from the man and onto the boy's hand. It just kept bleeding, the man groaning in pain then falling silent as the boy tried to pull the dagger out. It was harder than expected so he just let go, the dull blade protruding from the Shade as he fell backwards to the ground, quite dead.
The boy stood there for what seemed like an eternity, but eventually came back to the ruined house after clearing his senses, looking around, blood dripping from his right hand, and the other motionless, the Shade having broken it along with several ribs. Anton winced at the pain, but had more pressing matters.
"Where are you? It's okay, you can come out..." The boy called out, searching as he did, but eventually giving up after several minutes. The other boy was nowhere to be found, and there was no use in continuing the search.
Walking away with a long sigh and a slight limp in his right leg, he could feel the adrenaline clearing from his system and revealing the pain from a deep slash running from his knee to lower calf.
Anton walked past a tree, stopping at a slight noise. He immediately walked over, the pain spreading to other areas of his body, becoming more annoying than anything else in most parts. He bent down, clearing a pile of leaves near the base of the tree with his bloody hand.
"There you are! I was afraid you had run while he was distracted." Anton said this as soothingly as possible with the pain in his chest, the other boy before him crying quietly, leaves spread throughout his hair.
Picking the boy up and muttering some calming words, Anton set him down to his left as gently as possible, the pain almost not allowing that simple movement. Anton motioned for the younger boy to follow him, and the two started walking down a small path, the boy continually glancing back at the house, still smoking slowly, knuckles white from his clenched fists.
The sobs were coming at an increasingly slower rate as Anton continued to watch his new companion, their agreement being struck only minutes before the attacker appeared. The boy had only nodded at the offer made by Anton, and tears were still in his eyes, but Anton knew the boy had understood him and had wholeheartedly agreed. What had his name been? Oh, yesā¦Entalo. He looked down at the boy, four years younger than him, barely ten, but already having gone through so much. He didnāt envy Entalo. He had no wish to talk further, as it would only make the smaller boy more upset, although, as he continued to watch the expression of pain and anger, he didnāt see how that was possible.
Without warning, Entalo simply looked up at Anton and said matter-of-factly and with an ounce of coldness, āYou donāt know what youāre getting into. It was a mistake for you to volunteer to help meā¦it will get you killed.ā With that the boy looked down, staring at the passing ground as he walked. Anton merely shrugged. He needed a purpose, and after seeing something happen that was so similar to what had happened to him, he was only too eager to offer his help in whatever way he could.
Anton woke slowly at first, a small groan escaping him. As he became aware of where he was, he shot up, looking around quickly. He took note of the absence of Rue, and the others still in the encampment, but mostly focused on the smaller man in front of him.
Anger rose inside of him, and he hurled a fist at Entalo, who was sitting in front of him with a blank expression.
Moving with amazing speed, Entalo quickly stepped forward and placed his left hand on Antonās right shoulder, where the arm meets the chest and simply held it there, almost all of the power being taken out of the punch.
Anton swore loudly, and pulled his arm back, rubbing his head with the other hand, the migraine in his skull now apparent to him.
Nodding slightly at Entalo, realizing his futility, he settled himself against a tree next to the archer. He picked up his axe, only a short distance away, barely within reach of his armās extent, he set it next to him and waited, Entalo doing the same.
No words needed to pass between the two of them, as each knew what the other was thinking. As tired as they both were, no sleep would come to them. Not yet, at least, when they both had to prepare a plan. Anton would not be going alone, that much was apparent, so he would settle for what the two had done for more than twelve years.
The axe wielder smiled slightly, and squinted at the pain still in his head, but that hardly mattered. He looked over at Entalo, who was already looking back at him, and nodded. They both knew exactly what to do, as they had come up with a plan all those years ago. It had been crude, as they had been mere children, but it would workā¦probably. If it didnāt, each would have nothing to worry about, as they would both be feeding worms and the other various creatures that lurked within the earth.