Odyssey of Light: Chapter 3: The Undaunted

[Tetsu (Soltur)]

"Soltur and myself are immortal as to protect our world from all dangers that the current heroes are unable to defeat," said Arkhanul. Soltur picked it up from there. "Our immortality is indeed a curse, but now, we can protect everybody from harm. That is our reason for being here."

[Scorpio]

"Well... There are those who can kill immortals, so be very careful, sirs." Marcus said as he sat down in the empty camp.

[Tetsu (Soltur)]

"We know," said Arkhanul and Soltur nodded.

[Ivan Strider]

Ivan calmed down and pushed up his glasses. "I do not think we are getting anywhere by talking about the curse of immortality and the addiction  of revenge. I must say that I know a lot about both though I have not experienced either. I don't know everything though, books don't tell you everything y'know."

Ienzo looked at Ivan appalled. "They don't?!" there was no sarcasm in his voice. Ivan exploded again. "HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW THAT! ARE YOU TOO ENDORSED IN BOOKS TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND YOU?! IT'S UNHEALTHY! READING BOOKS A LOT IS FINE, BUT WHEN YOU MAKE THEM YOUR LIFE AND-" Ivan continued to rant and lecture Ienzo.

[Scorpio]

Melody slapped the two of them and told them to be quiet. "Someone's here." She said.

[Tetsu (Soltur)]

Arkhanul let out a low growl. "Know who it is?"

[Scorpio]

"Right behind you." A cold voice said as a red and black blur kicked Arkhanul into Marcus. It then knocked Marcus into Chris, causing Silas to start attacking everywhere in an angry frenzy.

"You people have no business here, be gone." It said as it stopped to reveal a young man with a powerful sword.

Adastros was one of the swords used by the "heroes" of the first war. It had been passed down for generations, and now this glorified sellsword had it.

"I said 'Be gone!' Do I need to start killing you people to make you get the idea?" He said, pulling Adastros from its sheath.

"I knew it... If only Caellach was here, he'd know what to do." Melody said in a hushed voice.

[Tetsu (Soltur)]

Fortunately for the party, the sellsword forgot all about Soltur: A grave mistake. Soltur crept up behind the sellsword and swung the pommel of his broadsword at his skull.

[Scorpio]

The blad got blocked with a strong blast of black fire. "Is it a crime to want to be left alone? Wait..." A sick smile twisted his mouth as his hand gripped his two handed longsword tighter. "You must be Shade soldiers looking for revenge!" He said before  laughing an unsettling laugh.

Ash and Claire were off in the woods while this was going on. Claire was being bathed by her sister as they laughed and smiled. Until Ash started giving advice to Claire for getting her boyfriend all hot. Claire only nodded and blushe, but they both dried off and dressed quickly when they heard the sound of steel on another metal. A foreign metal. They ran for the camp.

[Tetsu (Soltur)]

Soltur was grappling with the skilled sellsword. He was parrying even Soltur's most devastating attacks! How much longer could he last with his friend knocked unconscious?

[Scorpio]

"Are you Shade? Speak now or die!" He said as his sword was parried by Soltur's. It knocked the blade towards Vena and Melody, but he stopped the fight to keep them from getting hurt. He took a slash from Soltur due to his hesitation, but he showed no sign of pain.

Ash ran in to the camp to find it a battleground. "Ash! Wait for me!" Claire said, lagging behind. "Asherah! Slow down!" Claire said.

The warrior left Soltur and ran to Ash. "What is your name?" He said putting Adastros back on his back to signify he wanted to talk instead of fight. "My name is 'Ash,' and you are?" She said. "The Oncoming Storm. The Son of the Sword. That is all I will give you so long as you only give me part of your name." He replied. "Fine," Ash said blushing. "My name is 'Asherah.' I don't know if I have a surname." She said. "Your surname is Maelstrom, after your father, Cole Maelstrom. He was known as the Crimson Demon Killer. He is now dead... My name is Alaric Maelstrom, we are half-siblings. You and your group may share my camp for the night, but only because we share the same father that taught me the way of the sword." He said quietly.

Ash smiled. "I have a brother?! I HAVE A BROTHER!" She said as she hugged Alaric. "This is Claire. She and I were adopted by a woman named Isolde when we were both young, so she's my little sister, and your's, I guess!" The redhead said with a smile.

"She is no sister of mine. And before you ask, I will not join your group. I have a mission of revenge that must be carried out. You are only family through blood, so do not expect a warm welcome. I said you may stay one night, then we part ways." Alaric said stoicly.

"But..." Ash said with tears in her eyes. "Families are supposed to stay together! Please! I'll never see my mother, my biological mother, or my father again! Please! Don't take yourself away when you're my only hope of knowing of where I came from." Ash said with tears running down her face.

"I'll tell you tonight, but tomorrow, I must go to kill the one who killed my - our father." He said.

[Tetsu (Soltur)]

"You are a tough foe," said Soltur. "No, I am not a Shade. I am a Fylmyrian Elite known as Soltur, the Fylmyrian Spellblade. Not many can withstand so much as a scratch from Ygramya, so I am quite impressed."

[Scorpio]

'Where the **** is Fylmyria?" He said with a fresh kill of deer roasting over the fire. "Help yourself, by the way." He said as he stared into the black flames of his that cooked the meat. Thinking back to happier times.

[Aether]

Vena just stared at the random changes the stranger brought on. But at least they had a place to stay, that's good enough. Things were getting boring again, she better go do something. "I'm going to go outside for a bit," she said as she headed for the door.

[Scorpio]

"If you leave, you will miss the location of the Crystal of Darkness." Alaric said, pulling it out of his pack. "Now I need the Crystals you have to awaken the Reckoning of the Shade." He said, but just then, the last Arkadian chrashed into the tent.

"Help... Me... Shade... Woke up... Chaos Dragon... Attacking me... Followed me..." She said as a host of Shade soldiers led by Valyss, General Hela's personal guard and Wyrmknight burst open the tent. "Give me the Arkadian and the Crystals or die!" She said as the fight began.