Chapter 17: Flames of Mercy and the Spirit's Oath
Scene 1: The Monster's Mercy
The battlefield reeked of charred flesh and ozone. Nero stood amidst the carnage, his mismatched eyes—azure and crimson—glowing like twin stars. General Kanori's sword trembled in her grip, her armor dented, pride shattered.
Nero (tilting his head):
"A general? You bleed the same as the rest."
He raised a hand. The sky fractured, a thousand spectral blades materializing—a storm of vengeance. Kanori's defiance crumbled as steel rained.
Kanori (collapsing):
"What… are you?!"
Nero crouched, his horn casting a jagged shadow. "Justice."
Before he could finish, General Blaze's firestorm engulfed the village. Screams erupted. A child's whimper cut through the chaos—"Big brother…"
Nero's jaw tightened. Mercy… Eri would've shown mercy.
Nero (whispering):
"Teleport."
The world blurred. Villagers, soldiers, even Blaze's flames—gone. Only a note remained, fluttering in the ash:
"Warn your king. The next strike burns his throne."
Scene 2: Dungeon of Despair
Yoshito's sword clattered against stone, his breaths ragged. The dungeon boss—a hulking abomination with obsidian scales—loomed over Miku, her amulet glowing faintly.
Yoshito (spitting blood):
"Keisuke… Get her out!"
Too late. The monster seized Miku, her scream echoing.
Miku (tears streaming):
"Brother…!"
The amulet shattered. Blue flames erupted, coalescing into a humanoid figure—a spirit with eyes like smelted steel.
Spirit (voice like forge-fire):
"You dare touch my lord's kin?"
The dungeon froze. Then—annihilation. The spirit moved faster than sight, reducing monsters to ash. The boss whimpered as the spirit dunked its head like a basketball, then incinerated it with a snap.
Spirit (kneeling before Miku):
"Your command, my lord?"
Miku gaped. Yoshito's mind raced. Nero's flame… He's alive.
Scene 3: Whispers of the Living
The spirit healed Miku's scrapes, its flames gentle despite their ferocity. Yoshito's voice trembled.
Yoshito:
"Nero… sent you?"
The spirit nodded. "His power fuels my core. He lives."
Keisuke gripped Yoshito's shoulder, hope blazing. Miku tilted her head, oblivious.
Miku (cheerful):
"Big brother's strong! He'd never lose!"
The spirit's gaze darkened. "Yet shadows gather. The king… Fernando… seeks the Gate."
Yoshito's fist clenched. We need to move.
Epilogue: The Spark Ignites
Fernando's Throne Room — Night
A raven perched on the king's arm, its eyes reflecting Nero's horned silhouette.
Fernando (smirking):
"A hybrid Gate user… Perfect. Let him come."
He crushed the bird, blood dripping onto a sacrificial altar. Deep below, something ancient stirred—a laugh rumbling through the earth.
Author's Note:
The flame of rebellion burns brighter—but so does the darkness. Nero's mercy may be his undoing, and Fernando's hunger threatens to devour all.
—Where loyalty is tested, and the Primordial awakens.