The Runic Alchemist

West Battlefront, Middle Side, Behind Kazak

"AGHAAA!!"

With a primal cry, Neo punched the approaching armored man squarely in the chest, denting his armor along with his rib cage. Blood spurted from the man's mouth as he flew back, crashing into a skirmish between another of his comrades and an Eldoris soldier, who seized the opportunity to plunge his blade into his foe.

Before Neo could catch his breath, he was thrown to the ground by a sudden attack from behind. Struggling for his life, Neo managed to turn around just in time to see a bearded man above him, dagger in hand, red veins bulging in his eyes with a crazed look. Neo tried to scream for help but found no voice. His strength was no match for the armored, high-level attacker. Accepting his fate, Neo lay back, gazing up at the darkened sky, where countless raindrops blurred his vision. He waited for the end, thinking of his parents and friends one last time.

But the final blow never came. A spear pierced the man's throat from behind, finding one of the few vulnerable gaps in his armor. The soldier collapsed, revealing the half-bloodied face of Vilmar behind him.

"Come on, get up… We have work to do," Vilmar said through labored breaths, cautiously scanning the area before pulling Neo to his feet.

Neo took a deep breath, regaining his focus. Standing back-to-back with Vilmar, he scanned the chaotic battlefield. A piercing shrill sound caught his attention, drawing his gaze to the source—it was him again.

The boy he had climbed the mountain with was a monster.

Neo still couldn't believe the scale of destruction he'd wrought the previous day. Today, he had nearly flattened half of the enemy frontlines with an enormous body of water. Now, a shimmering white thread seemed to slice through Ashenvale soldiers as if they were clay. Another boy from their group that day blazed across the battlefield, glowing purple, wielding freaking lightning itself. Neo also caught sight of the red-haired one, wreaking havoc with his red glowing aura sword.

With the pretty boy becoming a monster again, soldiers scattered, desperate to avoid his devastating attacks. This sudden shift in numbers left Neo and Vilmar with more foes to handle at the west corner, yet the addition of their human allies coming along with them made the struggle a little easier.

Neo side-stepped an incoming blow from a giant ax-wielding soldier, giving Vilmar an opening to drive his spear into the man's blind spot. It worked as planned.

A sharp noise pierced the air—

Neo turned, ready to make a witty comment to Vilmar about their unspoken perfect teamwork. Instead what he saw was the worst horror he could imagine, a sight that would haunt him for years to come.

Blood trickled from the corners of Vilmar's mouth, a blade protruding from his chest. Behind him stood a man with eyes filled with malice.

"No.. No.. NOOO !! Not again !!" Neo stared in disbelief, the sounds of battle fading as silence enveloped him.

'How could it be..? This is a nightmare..!! The man..'

Neo clutched his dagger with shaking hands and searched for the man in Ashenvale colors but found none besides them..

'Eldoris.. He is from Eldoris..'

Neo's hand trembled once again, but his grip on the weapon tightened, his eyes meeting the filthy human scum in defiance. The man pulled his sword out of Vilmar's chest, throwing his body aside with a kick. Neo growled, gathering all the aura he could muster in his body, Neo focused everything in his two hands. The man charged at Neo, thinking him just another boy, his face smiling, enjoying the delicious expressions his young prey showed.

The dagger and sword crossed, the sword was long and fast but limited, the dagger tip enhanced with his aura had no limit of range, reaching his gut faster, the smile fading from the insane man's face as his body crumpled and fell, another casualty of the war, adding to hundreds before him - though this was different.

Neo rushed to Vilmar, turning him, hoping against hope for him to survive. But Vilmar's eyes were lifeless. Neo's young heart shattered, and a feral scream tore from him, a blood-curdling cry that echoed across the battlefield, chilling even the bravest of warriors among them.

"That's what you get, you filthy barbarians! This is for Lord Vincent! Because of you, that monster killed him! Because of you, we're trapped in this hell! If he were here, he'd have saved us from this mess! It's all because of you scum!"

A man's voice ranted in the background, momentarily silencing the surrounding chaos. Even the Ashenvale soldiers seemed confused. However, in just another second all hell broke loose as beastmen came out of their shock, the group of humans in Eldoris colors staring down at them with weapons in hand and maddened eyes.

"You pieces of shits…"

"These honorless bastards could never be trusted !!"

Neo held Vilmar close as a fight broke all around him, beastmen punching and cursing armored Eldoris men that were the companions of the piece of shit, who killed Vilmar like a coward.

Neo felt like his whole world was crumbling around him, his chest hurt, his eyes could not see clearly as tears filled them again and again..

Kazak..? That was hopeless though..

The chaotic battle was still going on all around them, just this part of the battle had their enemies confused. Not caring about whatever drama that was unfolding, Ashenvale soldiers started attacking whoever was in precarious situations in the battle against the two groups, they were mostly attacking the beastmen though, since they had no armor and were pinned from all sides, Ashenvale in front and Eldoris from behind.

In the midst of the madness, Neo spotted a small, nimble figure weaving through the battle—it was Zinshi, with Taub close behind. they were coming for him… They must have heard his cry.. But.. but.. No.. it's not safe..

He could see five Eldoris soldiers lying in wait, ready to ambush them.

"No.. NO… Don't.. Enough !! Astraea enough !! Not anymore.. please.. DON'T COME HERE, ZINSHI !! TAUB !!"

However, the fate fucking with him even more, as they only heard their names coming from Neo's mouth in desperate cry…

They will die.. This can't be…

Neo tried to get up, Eldoris soldiers all around him, waiting for him to come at them. Neo's foot slipped and once again he was on his knees. He wanted to save them, he needed to save them.. And he needed to kill.. Kill them all..

Suddenly Neo felt a dark smoke releasing from his body, covering him and Vilmar both. Something was happening, Neo could not understand what, but his hands and legs felt more powerful than before, once again his body was in his control, his pupils dilated and his size changed to that of a huge feral darkness filled wolf.

'Ding'

[All conditions are met. User has unlocked the Esper job: Veil-Shadow Fenris.]