Devourer

Ariel looked around warily at the monsters that now surrounded her. From what she could tell they were not hostile towards her, rather it seems they have their gaze locked on the members of the Syndicate. She could feel the tension right before an all out battle.

“You would oppose us? The Syndicate? Do you really think that your little pet empire would survive us?” Theseus growled.

“Do you truly think we are strangers to war? We were bred for it, if anything this time of peace is foreign to us. We would love to have a good fight, we have not had a good one in a long time…” Legiana replied as a wide smile appeared on her face. 

Ariel felt a chill go up her spine when she realised that she wasn’t the only one that was smiling. All the other creatures were smiling as well. Ariel knew she should have expected this to an extent. Hives were living weapons, there were no individuals within them, only the Hive, only the collective. The Old Gods created them to wage war and they were baptised in the fires of war by hunting the Old Gods previous weapons, the Orcs. 

From what she has read, the Orcs didn’t even stand a chance. The Orcs were a brutal weapon that burned cities and entire civilisations. They were living nightmares and yet the Old Gods found them unsatisfactory. Ariel remembers what her mother said when she spoke of the fall of the Orcs. 

If Orcs are nightmares then what are the Hives? 

What do you call what even nightmares learn to fear?” 

Now that Ariel looks around she noticed that these creatures don’t look that powerful. Why? These creatures are insufficient for the task of defeating these Syndicate soldiers. Theseus alone could probably kill all of the lesser creatures. Yes the one called Legiana was very powerful but her minions seemed very weak.

“You think you can contain me with these weak minions?” Theseus asked as he hefted his shield.

“Contain? You are already contained, have you not noticed it yet?” Legiana replied with a laugh as she snapped the fingers on one of her hands.

Immediately Ariel felt a wave of ether rush over her, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say the concealment spell covering the spell was lifted. Ariel looked around and saw the roots of the trees all glowing. 

“A cage built into the land itself, I told you this place was a fortress. You should learn to listen. As for these children, they are but test subjects. Since the foes that will be faced in the future are fun sized humanoids rather than the great ancients there are many designs to test and improve. Consider yourself a mandatory volunteer for this test.” Legiana said as she nodded and immediately the dozens of humanoid beasts leapt at the Syndicate members. 

The clash was brief since almost all the monsters were cut down instantly. The blades of the Syndicate cut right through the blades and armour of the beasts. 

“Slow… too slow…” Legiana mused as she snapped her fingers and more beasts burst from the ground. 

These ones were similar in design but far more powerful. The armaments were the same, the same blade tipped upper arms and grasper hands on the lower arms. Ariel could see markings on their bodies, probably signifying a higher rank within the Hive.  

“Let’s try this again shall we?” Legiana asked with a smirk.

“You think this is a game?” Theseus asked through gritted teeth.

“A game? I take tests very seriously, my king would be upset if I play around.” Legiana said before she nodded and the dozen beasts pounced. 

Ariel noted this time the fight was a lot closer the beasts put up a good fight, but slowly they were being defeated. Although this time when a beast takes significant damage it would back off and retreat underground. If this was the upgrade, Ariel wondered how much stronger the beasts were going to get.

Ariel watched as Theseus cut down the last beast, this one couldn’t escape. The spear thrust right through its head and the body crumpled into the ground.

Theseus glanced up at the still smiling Legiana and bestial growl escaped from his lips. He didn’t say a word but Ariel knew he was about to pounce and from Legiana she sensed excitement. There was a flash of light and Ariel turned to see a sword now in each of Legiana’s four hands. Each was enchanted with a different element, fire, lightning, frost and divine light. 

“Last test then. Royal Guards to me!” Legiana commanded and more beasts burst from the ground. 

This time they were of varied designs, Ariel saw one had a shield formed of bone and carapace on one arm. In the other it looked to be this cannon with a Focii crystal on the end. The others had grasper limbs on all arms but in each arm they held equipment formed from bone and flesh. Some held two handed handles in their upper arms and their lower arms were free. Others held one handed handles in all four hands. The final variety only had two arms, in one they held shields but also had one handed handles in their other arm. 

Then in unison there was a flash of blue and Focii blades ignited from the handles. Ariel openly gawked at the sight, Focii crystals were absurdly rare and nothing had Ether to maintain it long enough to be used as a main weapon. She shifted her gaze to the members of the Syndicate and saw that they were surprised too.

“What? You think these blades use those crude imperfect natural crystals? My king can make perfect crystals whenever he wishes and alter the shape to fit specific functions. He is not bound to your Humanoid limitations. He takes and he improves, improving beyond what is possible for all of you.” Legiana said and the Syndicate members hesitated for a moment.

“Not coming? Then allow me.” Legiana said as she leapt forward with lightning speed. There was a shower of sparks and a crack of thunder as the frost and lightning swords struck the shield.

“Combining elements for secondary effects, clever.” Theseus said as he shoved forward forcing Legiana to take a step back.

Ariel herself was not idle; she was sweeping around to try to get to Theseus’s back. 

“[Children of the Lost]!” Theseus shouted and shadowy copies of himself appeared around him, bolstering his numbers. Ariel stopped and parried a strike from one of the shadows. The shadows weren’t that powerful but she wouldn’t be able to take two of them at once. Immediately some of the beasts moved to engage the shadows.

Ariel felt a chill from behind her and she spun to see a Syndicate assassin with his daggers raised. Then she saw a flash of blue light as a blue streak appeared from his chest. The assassin crumpled to the ground clutching the smoking hole in his chest. Ariel shifted her gaze and saw another beast in the tree line with a long Focii cannon pointed in her general direction.

Arial was about to raise her blade to finish the assassin off when she sensed danger from behind her. She turned just in time to lock the black spear of one of the shadows with her left sword. 

“[Divine Lance]!” Ariel shouted as she shifted the sword in her right hand into a reserve grip. Her sword was covered with gold light until it formed a gold spear made from divine light. With a roar she slammed the lance into the shadow, there was a wave of crackling ether as the [Divine Lance] exploded in a blast of gold lightning. The shadow was blasted apart and she heard a gurgle from behind her. 

Ariel turned to see one of the beasts finishing off the wounded assassin with a Focii blade. Ariel turned around to take stock of the situation. She saw the beasts slowly but surely overpowering the assassins. The shadows were not doing much better but Theseus was a different story, Ariel could see two new corpses of the beasts on the floor. He must have killed the other two even while defending from Legiana. 

Ariel noticed one of the assassins in the distance was almost about to overpower one of the beasts. Individually the assassins were more powerful than the beasts but there were far more beasts than assassins. Then she saw the ground erupt from behind the assassin, from the ground emerged this bloated beetle about the size of a wolf. The beetle rolled up into a ball and began rolling towards the back of the assassin. The assassin sensing danger knocked the Royal Guard back and delivered a slash to the bloated beetle only for it to explode in a shower of green hissing liquid. The assassin ended up covered in the liquid and Ariel felt her stomach turn when she heard the feminine voice of the assassin scream as her body melted into a puddle of mush.

“You are running out of soldiers.” Legiana said as she continued to pressure Theseus.

“You think this is enough to defeat me? [Shatterstar Strike].” Theseus roared as he ducked under thrust and countered with a strike that glowed purple. There was a blast of purple chaos energy that ended up tearing off both of Legiana’s right arms and part of her torso.

“Weak.” Theseus spat as he raised his spear intent on finishing her off but Ariel wouldn’t let him, she already closing in her wings flapping furiously to close the distance. Theseus flinched and turned just as Ariel reached him.

“[Sunburst Reave]!” Ariel shouted and slashed with both her swords. A wave of gold fire emerged from her slash, the force managed to push Theseus back. Theseus hoped back expecting a followup attack but Ariel simply retreated before putting herself between Theseus and the wounded Legiana. 

“Are you alright?” Ariel asked as she kept her eyes on Theseus.

“I am well, thank you for the assistance.” Legiana replied and Ariel turned her head to see her body had already regenerated and her two swords flew back into her new arms.

“Can you fight?” Ariel asked and in response she heard a small chuckle and Legiana stepped into her peripheral vision.

“I am not so fragile to be incapacitated from just that.” Legiana mused.

“Good it would not do for me to let someone who saved me die. My mother taught me better than.” Ariel replied as she readied her swords.

“Your mother? And what did your father teach you?” Legiana asked wryly and Ariel paused for a moment remembering her father’s lessons.

“Their lessons were often… conflicting…” Ariel replied softly.

“Picky with your lessons are you? Well regardless it seems this little test is over.” Legiana said as the swords in her hands vanished and her arms folded neatly. The upper pair going behind her back and the lower pair folding in front of her.

“What?” Ariel asked in confusion, she looked around and she saw the remaining Syndicate assassins all looked around inconfusion as the beasts all backed off and instead chose to encircle them.

“The king is here.” Legiana said with a smile clear in her voice and at that moment a shadow passed overhead, a very large shadow…

Ariel looked up just in time to see the Great Beast himself land in the middle of the clearing. Finally she was able to get a good look at the Great Beast. He seemed far larger and far more intimidating when she was this close. 

Ariel has been told many things of the ancients. That they are powerful, wise and ruthless. The ancients are not bound by moral compunctions, they do what serves their own personal self interest. If destroying someone else helps them then they would not hesitate.

Now as she looked at the Great Beast she could feel that the stories were true. The Great Beast was clearly powerful, Ariel knew she would stand no chance against him. To be fair Ariel was far from a good fighter as far as Heaven was concerned. There were legions of high angels who were better fighters than her, she was a scout first and foremost. Ever since her brother was captured by the Syndicate her mother has been extremely overprotective of her and her siblings.

For a moment there was silence, then a bestial growl escaped from the Great Beast’s fanged maw. The Syndicate flinched at the sound and the Beast spoke in his deep rumbling voice.

“Now then… all of you are in a whole lot of shit. You start a fight in my forest of all places and you wound my second in command. So how will you address this problem? And here I thought we had an unspoken understanding…” the Great Beast growled as it rose up to its full height and loomed over the six remaining members of the Syndicate.

“The understanding can continue as long as you hand her over.” Theseus said as he pointed at Ariel who instinctively raised her weapons. Ariel felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see Legiana looking at her.

“My king has no intention of giving you up.” Legiana said and Ariel was about to ask how she was so sure when Legiana just tapped the side of her head and pointed at the Great Beast. The pieces came together in her mind and she almost blushed in embarrassment.

“Right, hive mind.” Ariel replied sheepishly.

“Just watch my king work, he will not disappoint.” Legiana said.

“Give her to you? So what are you running out of blood to write curses on spymasters hands?” the Great Beast said and the Syndicate members visibly flinched slightly at those words.

“What you thought I didn’t know? Unspoken understanding remember? I allow a pair of eyes and you keep the fuck out of my affairs.” the Great Beast growled.

“Who are you girl? Are you anyone important?” the Great Beast suddenly asked as he turned around to look at Ariel.

“I am the daughter of the archangels Uriel and Mihael.” Ariel replied hoping her status would protect her.

“Ah, even more reasons keep you safe. The north already has one less city, I rather none of my cities turn into glowing craters. Think of the property value.” the Great Beast said as he turned back to face the Syndicate.

“Property value?” Ariel muttered in confusion.

“My king has a passing interest in real estate, the economics of houses, land and other related assets.” Legiana explained and Ariel gave her a befuddled look in response. Why would an ancient beast care about land and property? He doesn’t need money after all…

But before Ariel could wrap her head around that odd bit of trivia the conversation had already continued.

“So what’s it going to be? I’ll give you a chance to leave and I will graciously forget this little incident. I’ll chalk it up to miscommunication due to the underspoken nature of unspoken understandings.” the Great Beast said as he offered a hand.

“Our orders are to recover the angel, a child of the Archangels is not easy to come by. We will be taking her.” Theseus said as he raised his weapons followed by the rest of the Syndicate members.

Ariel knew at least for Theseus thus far he has been holding back. Most likely Nemesis wanted her alive, perhaps as a hostage or even some kind of test subject for her sick experiments. The depravity and cruelty of the Syndicate never failed to turn her stomach.

“Tell you what as a gift to your Lady I will let you leave. That way maybe she won’t be as pissed when I kill the rest of these constipated worms.” the Great Beast replied with a feral smile as he gestured to the five remaining Syndicate assassins.

The response was all the assassins raising their weapons in preparation for a fight.

“Brave but foolish, your bravery means little when all of you are dead. The ancients have been gone too long, I have been doing nothing but teaching lessons ever since I awoke from my sleep…” the Great Beast said as Ariel felt the killing intent start to leak from the Great Beast. Though she was not the target of this bloodlust it still chilled her blood to ice. This was not the usual bloodlust, this was primal and ancient. A bloodlust born in a time where violence was the answer to all problems. 

It seems it is time for another lesson…