I stood around the bodies of countless soldiers in black armor, some dead, some dying slowly, unable to move, standing across from me was the last of the Alacryan force, maybe twenty soldiers, all huddled together, shivering in fear.
Callias and some of the other mages were coming into the cavern as I was dealing with these men. "Shield!" A soldier screamed, the blue shields rose up, but they knew that it was meaningless.
"There's no point!" A soldier screamed, freaking out, and as he started to back away, I gripped his core, and had the blood in him explode out of his body, then manipulated the blood into bullets, sending them into other soldiers.
The shields fell as I disrupted their cores as well, and then as they screamed for mercy, I killed the rest of them in a matter of second. I pulled the blood back to me and took out the tubes I used, and stored the blood inside of them, then placed them back into my mana ring.
I fell to my knees, somewhat exhausted, rolled to face Callias and the other mages. "Told you this was a better way of handling things, no one died on our side." I told them, wiping blood off of my face as I deactivated my beast will, feeling the power in me drain slightly.
"You good?" Callias asked me, and I nodded. "Any survivors?" I shook my head no. "Alright, good work, we'll send word to Commander Virion when we get back."
"Lance Virion, do you need help getting back to base?" Melody asked as she stepped up beside Callias. "You seem tired, and you are drenched in blood." I felt blood roll down my cheek, and I stared at the mages.
Callias and Melody were the only ones who were looking at me normally, the others looked scared to some degree. "I'm fine." I told them as I turned to the portal frame still running. I had the clone I sent here come out or hiding, and jump down near us, causing everyone to be frightened for a second.
"What are you doing with your clone?" Callias asked me as I reached out a hand for someone to help me up.
Melody got closer, grabbed my hand, and helped me to my feet. "I'm going to send him to Alacrya." The clone came over, silent, standing alone. "You think that is a bad idea, or no?"
"It's not an awful idea." Callias responded. "But aren't they after you, if they get their hands on a clone, couldn't they study it?"
I shook my head. "No, I can break the clone down to blood, making it so it never existed." I told him, sending the clone to the portal. "This doesn't leave this group, understood?" I looked at all the mages, giving them death stares, even Callias. "No one can learn of this, there are spies I'm sure everywhere."
The mages all bowed, even Callias and Melody, understanding that I was being deadly serious. "We won't tell a soul." Melody said and sent me a smile. "I think you should head back, we'll destroy the portal, and deal with everything, you need to clean yourself up."
"Yeah, you look like you just cleared a dungeon." Callias mentioned, and the seriousness dropped on my face. I looked up at the hole the demolition team created for me, the soldiers there all stared down at the chaos and carnage I had created.
The clone turned around, and I shouted. "You need to put on one of these dead soldier's armor." It stopped, bent down, and did as I said, putting the armor over the clothing it was wearing. "Callias, you are in charge here, destroy the portal, I'll head back to the camp with half the troops."
"Okay." Callias responded but went on. "How are you feeling mentally?"
I rolled my eyes. "Not the time." I replied, somewhat tired of that question, and flew up into the air.
Melody shouted to me. "Good work, Lance Virion." I sent her a nod as I got closer to the ceiling, and the soldiers cleared an opening for me to land in.
"Lance Virion!" They all started to clap their hands, and I sent smiles into the crowd. "Amazing!" The soldiers started to chatter, and I could see that, yes, they were happy I brought them a victory, but the looks some of them were giving me, were frightened ones.
"Half of you are coming with me back to camp, the other half will be staying here!" I shouted, silencing them all. "I don't give a damn how you split yourselves up, I'm leaving." I started to walk towards the soldiers, they cleared a path for me to walk through. "Hurry up and decide."
They started splitting up, some followed me, some stayed, I didn't know any of them, so I didn't bother to make conversation. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to get the goops of blood out of it, but it was pointless.
"Did you see that?!" A soldier asked another soldier.
"Of course, I did, he killed almost all of them with their own blood, and his ice magic was insane!" A soldier replied, and I felt a smile form on my face.
"I know!" The soldiers were talking about my strength, they did just see me kill a decent amount of people.
I was a little disappointed in myself, but I knew I made a good decision only sending a clone into the portal, and not going myself. It would have been stupid if I went in alone and got captured, I would lose us the war right there.
At least the clone could go, and I could see what he was seeing, the bad thing was that this clone was only mid red stage, the second lowest you could be. I also didn't have the strength at the moment to create a white core clone, maybe a silver, but there was no point anymore.
As I walked, I entered the clone's consciousness to see what he was seeing, I was curious. Does this count as my first time in Alacrya? I wasn't really there, but my clone was about to be, and I could feel and see everything it could.
---
I was covered in black armor from an Alacryan the real me killed, and I was about to step through the portal. "Be careful! I know you are clone, but don't do anything stupid there." Callias said to me, and I stepped through the blue frame, and appeared in what looked to be some sort of Alacryan camp.
That's when I realized, I couldn't be caught here, I looked and was a kid, they would know something was up, so I walked away from the portal I stepped through, and as I did, it deactivated, someone on the other side must have destroyed it.
This had to be a military camp, it had to be a place in Vechor, there were big tents and buildings that aligned the road, soldiers running in and out, some talking on the street, I had to look the part.
I walked onto the side of the street, and made my way into a direction, I had no clue where the fuck I was, but it doesn't matter, my life is meaningless, anything I do here is looked at as a bonus since I was a clone.
This helmet sucked, I had to keep on readjusting it, and as I passed a group of soldiers, they all stared at me, but didn't say anything. I was a lot shorter than most, but it is fine, I still looked like a soldier.
I needed to get out of this camp. "You!" A soldier shouted towards me, and I turned at attention towards him. "Where are you heading?"
Shit, umm, I need to think. "To the bathroom?" I said questioningly, thinking it was a good response.
"Are you a recruit? You sound young." The Alacryan didn't have a helmet on, he had black hair that was spiked up, and was pretty muscular. "You hear me?"
"Oh, yes, I am a recruit, sir." It would explain my age, and why I was so young.
"I see, there is a bathroom in here." He motioned to the building he was standing in front of. "What house are you from?" I stepped up to the building, and he began to lead me towards the bathroom, which I didn't need to use since I was a clone.
"I am a soldier sent from House Denoir, my family has served them for a while now." I told the man, he seemed surprised by this, but who cares, I had blood magic, if I had to kill him, I could.
"Wow, that's a pretty big house." He replied. "I am Lee from the HighBlood family of Frost, it's good to see such a fine young man in our midst." Frost? I never heard of that family, who cares.
"It's an honor, sir, to be here." I told him, and we stopped in a hallway. I could see the bathroom. "Thank you."
"No problem, I love to help the younger soldiers." He nodded to me, and then went on. "So, what runes does a kid working for the House Denoir have?"
None, was the proper response, but I guess I'll make something up. "I have a Crest, and a Mark, sir." I stepped into the bathroom, closed the door, but I could feel him standing outside still.
"Oh, impressive, a crest is no joke." He responded. "I'll see you later kid." The man walked out, and I stood there and waited for a little, pretending to pee. The real me should have given me fake runes, but then again, the real me doesn't really know what runes look like, just that they are on your back.
I won't use any magic unless I have to, I probably only got like four to five spells before I dissolved. I stepped out of the bathroom, and left the building I was in, there was no need to be in here any longer.
The man was no longer standing in front of the building, I didn't know where he went, nor did I care. I started to walk up the street, seeing the soldiers moving about, I know what I want to do. I'm going to find a way to Sehz-Clar.
---
"What?!" Elder Virion exclaimed through the communication scroll I was given. "You fought them by yourself, after I told you not to do that."
I leaned back in the chair I was sitting in; I was drying off after I drenched myself with water to wash off the blood. "Hey, I made the right call, I didn't want to risk the life of the soldiers here, if I knew I could take out the force alone." I paused as I looked at the elf through the scroll. "And it wasn't alone, I had conjurers and archers backing me up from above."
"Sometimes." He shook his head. "Good job though, I'll inform everybody of your victory."
"Thanks." I answered. "How's everything there?"
"Arthur started training, he's always asking to see if there is any news from you, so I am sure he will be happy of this." I am sure he will be. "Alright, get some well needed rest, Virion, but next time, please tell me the whole plan before you go into a cavern undergound by yourself."
"Fine." I smiled. "I'll see you later." The elf nodded, and then I closed the scroll, and placed it on the desk. I was replenishing my mana, it was almost back to normal already, I could feel the other half of the army coming back to camp.
I leaned back, stretching my body out, the clone already had an encounter with someone, it may not last that long over there, but who knows. Now, I need to decide where we should go next, I already have clones out their searching, so eventually they'll let me know, or I'll just know, one or the other.
"Lance Virion!" A soldier shouted from outside my tent.
"Come in." I said, and he stepped into the tent, bowed, and I said. "What is it?"
"The other half of our force is on their way back, but I got word that they found a survivor." I just looked at him, not really caring, but I guess this isn't the worst thing.
"Oh, okay, go and wait for them to arrive, and have Callias bring the survivor." I ordered, the soldier bowed, and left.
There's a chance the survivor might know something I don't, but that is highly doubtful, since I know a decent amount already, it won't hurt to try. I conjured an ice dagger in my hand, then placed it on the desk beside the scroll.
I don't know how I missed a survivor, but I have to do, what I have to do.