Icas smiled and dispelled the ethereal fog that hid him. It was a malicious, wide grin. One that revealed a set of perfect white teeth. "That's right~" Giggling, he pointed his index toward Gilead and winked.
"Icas..."
"The Devil's Incarnate..."
"Curses..."
"Tormentor of the Weak."
"Evil Personified..."
"Caesar's Vile Servant…"
"Deceiver of Imagination."
The men behind Gilead uttered curses and the like under their breath. While holding weapons in a trembling fighting stance, most of their faces were drenched with despair. Jareer gripped his sword tightly while darting his eyes to the area behind Icas. He's the only one present. Lord Day! We will succeed in ridding the world of Caesar's filth! A sliver of hope weaseled its way into Jareer's mind.
Jareer Qasim's younger sibling, who was also a part of the 12 Vizier Squads, was brutally slaughtered by Icas. She was only 19 years old, and her lifeless body was left right in front of the Council of the Fallen Day Dynasty's Grand Cathedral. She had a mark on her back, it read the horrifying text carved with her own blood: "Revert to Caesar." with smaller writing below: "By Icas~"
Jareer swore, no matter how difficult the fight would be, Icas was going to die.
Icas was a coldhearted menace, one who took pleasure in the pain of others. He would torment the weak, finding ways to remove all hope that existed in their minds. Feasting on the unprepared, the Deceiver of Imagination was a daunting opponent for anyone.
Looking back at Jareer's valorous expression, Arin Maylor racked his brain while trying to find a way to kill Icas effectively. In a one-on-one fight, none of them stood a chance. They were caught off guard; now was not the time to face the lackey of an Archon. Vizier Gilead, I hope you have a plan that will lead us to victory.
Gilead clutched his sword and held it beside him, ready to attack at any moment.
From behind, he could hear the men stumble and stagger. It was not a common occurrence that they were faced with an Archon's servant. So it was a given that they would show signs of fear and retreat.
Icas chuckled mockingly and raised his hands. "We're both servants of an Archon; don't be nervous."
A vein on Mausi Creal's head bulged. "Y-You have no right to compare us! We serve the man known as the Savior, the one who united the world from evil!"
Icas narrowed his eyes on Mausi. "The man who conquered the world shouldn't be known as a savior! You're just scared of his power!"
Gilead decided not to respond. Instead, he charged at the mysterious Icas ahead. The rest of the men were delayed. Nonetheless, they understood that Gilead did have a plan of attack.
The green grass and healthy winds contrasted with the unblemished blue sky. A massive emptiness of light was left behind due to the monstrous castle that was situated behind them.
Forests covered the mass of the remote island, and the sound of animals and insects buzzing continued, seemingly oblivious to the tense confrontation that occurred directly in front of the ancient castle.
Gilead buckled his knees and ascended into the air. Cocking back his sword to the left, the grip on the weapon tightened as a shout erupted. "Skies' Judgment!" Thunder cracked from behind him as wind circulated the island, blowing trees out of proportion.
Gilead had just ordered the sky with robust fortitude.
The smiling Icas was hit with a parry of air currents, ones laced with blue lightning. They were so strong that the aftermath would be enough to leave jagged scars on the Aglana.
However, they were dismissed with a simple wave of Icas' pale, seemingly perfect hand. The lightning dispersed into countless minute pieces that went past Icas.
Vizier Gilead! Jareer, Arin, Mausi, and the other men were agape. Their squad leader's attack was invalidated in a flash.
Landing with a thud, Gilead choked before issuing his next attack. There was no time to waste; Icas needed to die.
He positioned his claymore downwards and drove it into the ground. With a brazen command, he ordered, "Obey me, Aglana!"
The ground quaked vigorously as four pillars erected and soared, tearing through the blue sky.
In an instant, the four pillars were directly aimed at Icas and began pursuit. Icas cracked a faint smile before snapping his fingers. The scene before him disappeared instantly. The pillars disintegrated into ash so effortlessly.
"Curse you!" Gilead felt the blood drain from his head as one of his most powerful attacks was negated in an instant. The eleven robed men clenched their weapons and pounced at Icas from all sides. Some cursed under their breath, and others hid immense fear under their valiant expressions.
As his gaze shifted to the stark men attacking him, Icas was met with a barrage of different attacks. But before he could focus his attention on them, a new presence caught the attention of his ear.
The ground beneath him shuddered as it formed into a clay character, one that launched itself at Icas. "One at a time, boys~" Icas mocked, relaxing his green, grass-like eyes.
The clay-man creation clenched its fingers into a fist and threw a punch toward the mysterious Icas, who was busy exchanging blows with the other men.
Swords swung, limbs were severed, and ear-splitting screams broke out.
Jareer ducked and aimed for Icas' knee. "This is for my sister!" After feeling the air change insignificantly, Icas glowered at Jareer before stepping on his sword.
It shattered on impact, leaving Jareer panting, terror-stricken. "Revert to Caesar." Icas peered at the man below him and squashed Jareer's face with his foot. He didn't wait for Jareer to answer; rather, he stepped on his face relatively quickly.
The rest of the men paused with shock. They hearkened to his screams. However, Jareer did not cry for forgiveness. He cried for the pain to persist, for it to end his suffering.
"Lord Day! Anna! I hope to see you in the land hereafter!" He shouted with what little of a mouth he had left. The gut-wrenching squelches that sounded because of Icas' attack muffled his screams.
And in just a measly couple of seconds, Jareer was dead. Squished like a lowly bug. His final words were prayers to see his family and the man who saved him.
Jareer... I never realized how miserable you would have been. Arin Maylor, who had backed off a bit after Jareer dove for Icas, tapped the emblem on his heart five times.
They could not be saddened at the abrupt death of Jareer yet.
The ground creature's hand cut through the air and landed directly on Icas' nape. Having said that, the figure crumbled and fell before Icas.
The remaining men stumbled back, some even plummeting to the ground. Their foreheads were smeared with ice-cold sweat, and beating hearts left a panging pain in their heaving chests.
H-He's unbeatable. Arin and Mausi Creal had the same thoughts.
Gilead was no exception; he stood in the corner, exhaling profusely. His previous attacks were stamina-heavy, which left him immobile for a while.
Icas, after surveying the mess that was the twelve victims, flexed his fingers outward. "Dummies!" With a slow, wicked motion, he curled his fingers into a fist. A sonic shockwave sounded all around them.
The men, wherever they lay, detonated into a million pieces of flesh.
One by one, eleven exploded with no remorse. All that was left was Vizier Gilead, the man who led them against this one-sided onslaught.
Their deafening cries were drowned out by the blasts. Icas surveyed the blood splattered on the ground with a heavy grin. His cheeks grew wide, not being able to contain the sheer malice behind that very smile.
Gilead felt a sharp pain in his head. The feeling was unnatural to him. His eyes darted to the blood-stained ground. Dropping with a clang, his hands quivered, and his trusted weapon left his grip. "No—"
Step. Step. Step.
Icas menacingly approached the hysterical Vizier. Gilead did not notice this and fell to the ground, his rear panged at impact. Running his hands through his hair, avoiding the crown, Gilead felt a clatter of teeth.
Why? Why did we have to meet him? O' Archon, Lord Day, why? My faith in you will never waver, but I just ask of you, why? It's set in stone that we will die here, at the hands of a follower of Caesar. Was this 'His' plan…? Caesar should have nothing to do with this, though, O' Archon. You engulfed the Authority from the Tyrants, not from the Archons. Caesar does not need to send one of 'His' followers. I ask you to guide me to the correct answer, O' Conqueror of All Worlds. Will there be a day when the Day Dynasty can return to its once-prominent glory? Will there be a day when I can reflect and think to myself, 'I'm blessed to be alive'? Lord Day, we have let the hunters kill more of your children, and I truly am sorry. Are we being punished for our lack of retaliation? Maybe this is deserved upon us for our poor protection. I hope, Lord Day, that I can have the courage to face you, the courage to properly prostrate myself before you. However, today is not that day. We have succumbed to Caesar's subterfuge. A disappointing end to one of your vizier's squads. But despite it all, I thank you, Lord Day, and I apologize to you and your blessed children. I do not deserve to live in the same world as them, not now, not ever.
All hail the Archon of Authority.
Struggling to open his eyelids, Gilead could see the faint image of Icas standing before him.
"Goodbye, Gilead~" With a soft wave, Icas spoke the last words Gilead would ever hear before he slowly diminished from existence.
Standing before the castle, Icas snapped his fingers. His expression changed; he stood quietly and calmly. With a faint tone of acknowledgment, Icas muttered.
"Preole Grye... isn't necessarily Preole Grye."
The ground beneath him fragmented before dissipating completely. What was left was a field of all-blue, and it was now as if Icas was floating in the air.
He raised his foot before lightly tapping the sky that propelled him. Below, many dark purple lines, like pathways to a maze, emerged. With a final step, he disappeared.
Never to be seen again.