What it takes

What it Takes

Act 1: Chapter 4: Chaotic Entry

By: N30N-THUND3R

-(Je)-

The jungle was restless. Animals were rushing to and fro amongst the leaves and the branches of the canopy. The members of Legion Squad Eta were no exception. The three members of Eta were tracking a powerful source of energy that had appeared six days previously.

The leader of the group was a moderately sized man. He stood at 5'9" with his black hair blending in to the shade that the jungle had provided from the sun. The sun that did poke through had provided him with his somewhat blotchy tan. His steel grey eyes pierced the shadowy veil that surrounded the group. The majority of his figure was camoflauged by the mottled green and brown cloak that he had shrouded over his shoulders. Underneath his cloak was his trademark bow and quiver of arrows.

Michael Steele, or Jet, as he called himself, was also one in seventy. He had the ability to use magic.

His second and third in command were the exact opposite, as far as anyone could tell. The Shadows, as Jet called them, crept around in utter silence, not breathing a single word since joining Eta. The two were coated from head to toe in obsidite plate armor. The only noticable feature about the two that could be seen with a glance of any sort were their eyes. Their red eyes that, instead of being rimmed with white, were rimmed with yellow. Their eerie gaze had sent several small demons running in fear and had even caused greater demons to tremble.

Jet reached down, with his hands glowing yellow, and picked up some leaves that had fallen from the trees, courtesy of the mid-October weather. He crushed the leaves in his hands and tossed them into the air. The yellow shards that were once leaves flowed towards a patch of underbrush that blocked a path between two clusters of trees. Jet took two steps before his limbs seemingly stopped working on him.

"What's going on?" Jet shouted fearfully. His eyes darted around trying to get a glimpse of his attacker. That was when the Shadows walked into the corners of his vision. "You!" Jet shouted venomously.

"Yessss. Lord Disssscord will be mosssst pleassssed at thissss development. He told Lady Bellum to ssssend you to where your ssssoul wassss taken from." The Shadow on Jet's right hissed, each word sending chills down his spine.

"What are you talking about?" Jet asked furiously.

"You have felt as if you don't belong here. You have felt that you belong somewhere other than where you are, no matter what you do. You don't belong in this plane of existence." The Shadow on Jet's left spoke in a deep and steely voice. Jet opened his mouth to protest before a harsh white light enveloped him.

-(Ch)-

The Greater Demon hit the wall, several throwing knives piercing through its black, leathery skin and holding it in place. Its humanesque mouth formed into a cruel, yet defeated smile. The demon tried to extend his black wings in an attempt to get free, but it was no use.

Then a man stepped out of the shadows and into the silver moonlight shining through the only window in the large room. He was wearing nothing but a black tee and black poly-fiber shorts. A scabbard hung by his left side and was currently occupied by the Hunter's New Scottish Claymore, which was made to mimic the old ways of swordcraft. The hunter stood at 6'5" and was very muscular in stature at twenty-two years of age. His arms and legs were covered in the black chains used as strength training in Hunters that opted for it. His dark brown hair and his matching eyes glowed in the moonlight shining through the window.

Cheshiren Grim, or Ches as he called himself, walked towards the defeated demon calmly, drawing his sword as he did so, the three feet of pure blade gleaming in mock anticipation. He got no closer than two feet to the snarling, trapped demon. He set the wicked sharp point of his blade against the demon's throat. The demon flinched at the contact.

"Raztak, you'll tell me what I want to know now. I have tracked you for weeks, hoping to catch you. And now that I have you, you have to answer me. If a hunter can capture or summon a demon without killing it or the hunter, then the demon has to answer all questions the hunter asks. You are his third in command. Now tell me, where is Discord?" Ches asked forcefully, digging the point of his sword into the demon's shoulder.

"You dare speak Master's name? If I wasn't bound, you would be slain for heresey." Raztak spoke with venom and malice.

"But you are bound, now answer me." Ches commanded forcefully.

"What does a pathetic hunter like you want with Master anyways?" Raztak asked, stalling for time.

"He is the reason my parents are dead. My mother attempted to summon him in order to save my father, but he killed her in the attempt. I want to kill Discord." Ches answered, digging the point of the sword deeper into the demon's shoulder. The demon only grinned sadistically.

"Bwahahahaha. You are such an amusing little hunter." A voice said from the shadows. "You think you have the strength to kill me? Oh my that is hilarious. I guess it's time to send you off unto your new 'adventure'." Discord said popping up out of nowhere in front of Ches.

"You better start making sense Discord, or I'll let Oblivion make you." Ches threatened, motioning with his sword.

"What fun is there in making sense, Cheshiren?" Discord said before snapping his fingers and enveloping Ches in a harsh white light.

-(Sk)-

Skylar Tarqus was one of the Flame Guards most promising candidates. This was because of three things. One, she had the endurance and physical stamina that surpassed that of the most senior of members. Two, she had managed to kill two Maroch Demons while defending her family. And three, she had a personal recommendation from Lord Pyrus himself.

Skylar was in her last year of guard training, being eighteen years old. She had not much visible muscle mass, but it was there, especially after going through the toughest training session ever scene since the first guard, her ancestor of 3000 years, Darius Tarqus. According to her fathers picture book, which had been passed from father to son since the first Tarqus, she had the same green eyes as Darius. She also had fiery red hair and her face was dotted with freckles. She was tan from the days laboring on the training field. It was on the training field where she was using her broadsword where she was approached by one of the senior Guardsmen.

"Lord Pyrus has asked me to bring you to the throne room at once." The Guardsman said, walking off towards the castle entrance. Skylar followed behind into the castle. She stopped at the throne room door, having heard someone speaking. Skylar pressed her ear up to the door.

"It has been six days here since you sent the first three off. Why aren't you using them?" The regal voice of Lord Pyrus spoke.

"Because they have encountered Harmony. I can't have just three there if Harmony found them. I need six in order to counter them." Said a second voice.

"So you have sent two of the new three you have been watching, Master?" Lord Pyrus asked.

"That is correct, Pyrus. And I am about to send the third one soon. In fact, she is listening in on us right now." The other voice spoke. Then, with the sound of snapping fingers, the door flung itself open and Skylar was tossed into the room by an invisible force. She got up and looked at the source of the second voice.

The figure seemed demonic in appearance. He was a mismatched assortment of body parts that came from all sorts of creatures. His appearance seemed to match the description of the leader of the demon armies. It was Discord, spirit of chaos and disharmony, king of the void, ruler of the demons.

"What are you doing here, demon? Why are you associating yourself with this demon, Lord Pyrus?" Skylar asked hatefully.

"I'm only doing what is in my power to protect my kingdom. We made a deal. If I let him take you and two others, he will leave this world and take his demon armies with him. It's the perfect win-win situation. He gets what he wants, we get what we want. Who cares if three people disappear for the rest of eternity?" Lord Pyrus argued smoothly.

"I care, especially if I'm one of the people to disappear." Skylar said fiercely.

"I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter, dearie." Discord said before snapping his fingers. A flash of light blinded everyone in the room.

Everything seemed to vanish around Skylar. The floor underneath her feat disappeared. Skylar was falling through the white light. Then she noticed two more people falling with her. One was a guy in just a black tee and shorts while the other was wearing a cloak that was pointing end-up due to the speed at which the three where falling. The only problem with falling was the fact that there was no sound of the wind rushing in their ears. It was as if the void they were falling through want them to talk to eachother.

They had no chance to speak before everything went dark.

-(Unknown)-

Eight ethereal  figures of undescribable appearance, save for the color of the energy around them, stood around a large viewing window showing them all that had occured and is to occur. The light blue figure started to speak.

"It appears as if Chaos is rebelling against us once again. But he will fail as he always has, but only if the heroes are led in the right direction, with a little room for error along the way. I have foreseen the paths that they can take to either bring peace to the worlds or destruction. They must awaken Virtue and Valor." It spoke in a male voice that was deep and smooth like the flowing of a river.

"We know, Time. The path they must walk will not be straightforward, but neither is it jagged. I hope that they have the strength to walk that path." The black one spoke, his voice deep yet caring.

"I know they have the strength of spirit, body, and mind to make it through. What they need to do is unlock it. Space. Time. Together you two helped shape everything. Nudge them in the right direction." Said the bright lavender spirit in a caring, feminine voice.

"I agree with you completely, Harmony." Said a new figure as he walked up to the beings of energy.

"Ah, Silver Walker. You surprise us yet again with your appearance. I assume you want us to send you to help them." Time spoke calmly.

"You know that is not the name I choose to go by. But your assumption is correct. Do you remember what happened to the last human there?" The man said adamantly. The midnight blue aura nodded her head softly.

"I remember. I let my darker emotions get the better of me. I don't even want to remember what happened next." She spoke.

"I'm sorry about that, Night. But this time, it will be different." The man said once more.

"We agree to your request, Crystal. You, Emotion, Night, Day, and Harmony are to go and help the six out. May your journey be fruitful." Time said as the five he referred to left the area.

"You know that you letting him go is just fulfilling more of the prophecy." Said the bright white spirit.

"I know, Life." Time said. Then out of nowhere a voice began to speak.

"Three of Virtue and Three of Valor, enter the world and meet their fate. All will crumble and all will rise as Virtue and Valor make sacrifice. The one who walks through silver alone, changes the path and leads them home. Two of Valor and one of Virtue, find themselves and change forever. Two will challenge Chaos's reign, and defeat him and leave him slain. Then one of Virtue will meet rest everlasting." The voice spoke ominously.

"I hate when the voice does that. The prophecy doesn't even rhyme. I loved it when they rhymed." Life spoke softly.

"Good luck to you all." Time said, looking back at the viewing window. The image focused on Crystal. "Good luck to you, Crystal Glare."