Broken Sky Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Overpowered

“Here it is…” Seraph spoke in a low growl beneath his collar, there was a cold harsh breeze that blew into his body. Two bodies stood in front of a dark cave, its entrance stretching outwards and caving in like fangs on a canine’s hungry jowls. Dark clouds gathered around the cave as if drawn to it. The rumbling of thunder echoed across the plains and back. Seraph turned his gaze from the malicious looking cave to his female companion, Rene. “By the way, weren’t you with the girl before?”

Rene brushed a piece of sand hair off of her shoulder and gave her signature smile of gentleness. “Yes, I showed her around the city. She’s a nice girl, very precocious too.”

“Are you kidding me? What did you do with her?” Seraph asked with an uninterested tone.

“I left her with Lady Elaine…” Rene suddenly flushed with embarrassment, holding her staff out to block Seraph as if expecting a sudden attack. Her long staff was a silver color, the top was ornamented by a crystal blue orb with silver rings that mysteriously encircled it.

“You did what?!” The calm Eraser suddenly yelled.

“It was the only thing I could do! Lady Elaine insisted as well!” Rene spoke in a sheepish manner.

“Rene, you of all people should know…I can’t believe you could be so irresponsible…” Seraph grumbled.


“So you must be Rain! Please, make yourself at home!” Elaine spoke while placing down a tray of tea cups and a tea kettle on the round table situated in between too leather couches that were facing each other. Everything seemed unique to Rain, couches that shone in the sunlight even though they were pitch black, white walls firmly planted in place, far sturdier than the ones in Vier Li or her own village. And what’s more, there was a fluffy covering on the floor that felt strange and yet pleasant. “Come on! Take a seat over there!” Elaine pointed over to the other couch on the other side. Rain sat down in a polite manner, her legs pressed together, hands clasped together in her lap, she felt a bit restrained but it was how the villagers had taught her to be polite. Her large blue eyes wandered over to the girl who sat casually in front of her.

This girl was the one who Seraph drags in everyday…so…is she an Eraser too…or…does he just want me to baby sit her? The thought seemed to agitate her further.

“So how do you like the city so far?” Elaine asked with a gleeful smile.

Rain hesitated before speaking up, still taking in her surroundings in awe. “Oh! Ummm…the city is very nice! It’s beyond what I had always imagined cities to look like!”

“That’s good to hear!”

With another hesitation, Rain struggled to find the right words to express herself, “Ummmm…pardon me, but who are you?”

Elaine scratched the back of her head sheepishly with embarrassment, “Oh, my bad! I’m Elaine Brandwood, number one Eraser and leader of the Eraser Organization! Nice to meet ya!”

Rain could not keep her reaction suppressed and simply let off an outburst, perhaps a bad mistake on her part. “What?! A child is leading the organization?!” She exclaimed with widened eyes.

Elaine’s kind smile quickly eroded away and melted into a frown. Her eyes narrowed as well giving off a suddenly disinterested look. “…child?” She repeated with malice.


“Whatever, all the more reason why we should finish this quickly…” Seraph spoke with a mixture of exasperation and annoyance. A cacophony of sounds was heard being emitted from behind him, the whooshing of the winds and what seemed to be the tearing of a really large piece of paper. Seraph turned the other way to see a young man, short spiky hair. His black sleeveless coat flapped in the cold gust of wind that brushed passed them. Underneath the coat was a casual long sleeved dark blue shirt and black slacks. The belt that looped around his waist underneath the coat had holsters on each side with revolvers sleeping inside them.

“Looks like the guy must’ve gone in by himself.” The newcomer suggested.

“In that case, we’re going in, Krelian. I believe it’s a pyre Hebenon, I doubt Caine can handle it himself…”

“What?! Pyre?! Of all the arcanums…” Krelian threw up his arms in complaint.

“Stop whining, it’s already a pain knowing Rene left the newbie to Elaine!” Seraph glared at Rene at the last part of his statement, Rene responded with a nervous laugh.

“Whaaaaaaat? You left a newbie to Elaine? You’re terrible Rene…” Krelian chuckled.

“Stop kidding around and hurry up…” Seraph took the lead and entered the cave. Rene quickly scurried behind followed by a grinning Krelian.


“Rain, do you know what your parents were like?” Elaine spoke, eyes closed, a very ecstatic smile, all while sipping the tea from the tea cup she had in her hand.

“My real parents...not really actually…” She spoke, straightening up the crimson bangs that fell in front of her face. Strands of hair pointed out in all directions looking as if she had just risen out of her own grave. “…the villagers never actually told me about any of my past other than finding me in a bloodied tent nearby…”

“I see…” Elaine mumbled, taking another sip from the tea cup.

“Say can I ask a question?”

“Go ahead,” Elaine smiled warmly.

“How old are you exactly?”

“I’m nineteen…” Elaine said quickly without any hesitation whatsoever.

“I can’t believe it! Such a little one leading, and being able to command Seraph…you must be really something!” Rain spoke with amazement.

Elaine’s eyes shot open and glared a green emerald at Rain, “Little?!” She fumed.


“Heeeeey, we haven’t done something like this in awhile now have we?” Krelian said while taking a careful step over rigid stone steps that seemed to descend deeper into the depths of the cave. The cave was dimly lit, only a grim shade of light seemed to light their way.

“Yep! Brings back memories doesn’t it?” Rene laughed.

“Done what?” Seraph prompted sardonically.

“Oh harhar…very funny, I meant going on a mission like this.”

“That time didn’t count, we found you half dead on the way and then you decided to join in our party yourself…”

“He’s right you know?” Rene chimed in with a laugh.

“Oh…put a sock in it!” Krelian protested while stepping over a large tree root that protruded from the cave walls and had planted itself firmly into the dirt covered ground. There was a roar being emitted from the inner depths of the cave and shook the sturdy cave walls.

“Shit! That beast doesn’t sound too friendly at the moment.” Krelian tried to regain his footing from the unnatural quake that had ensued.

“It sounds to be very close…its hard to believe that a Hebenon would live in such a small cave. Lord Seraph, I thought pyre Hebenons preferred open spaces…” The woman Erasaer spoke with worry in her voice.

“Not if their master orders them to…” Seraph suggested quietly. Cautiously proceeding forward, the three began to dissipate within the dark shadows of the cave.

“Damn, looks like the tunnel is getting wider!” Krelian suddenly suggested, his obnoxiously loud voice echoed faintly throughout the walls.

“I can see a slight increase in the light Arcanum around this area, there must be an opening inside.” No sooner had Seraph’s prediction come true as they stepped out into a large cavern through which the arduous tunnels connected to. The cavern was about a yard long and even bigger in height and had a large cavity in the top that guided the outside rays of light inside.

The caverns rumbled again like before, this time more prominent. Everyone looked towards the back of the cave where a fearsome roar came from. A body came sliding backwards towards the party, slowing to a halt. The person had a heavy breathing pattern right now. "You guys are late!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about...you were just early..." Seraph spoke calmly.

"In any case, I was about to finish it off right about now." Caine said raspily, his eastern styled clothes were a bit roughed up and dirty. Caine was panting heavily, he was barely able to hold up the spear in clutched in his hands. The long spear's sharp point was decoarted with golden pieces arching into one point at the tip. The beaten Eraser tried to lift the heavy spear, but his strength appeared to be too sapped and the point of the spear fell to the ground. "I didn't expect you to be sent though, Seraph. Either you're just trying to make me look bad, or Lady Elaine really does have something against you..."

"We'll take it from here-!" There was the abrupt roaring again as it shook the very foundations of the caverns walls. In the back of the cave was a hulking monster, almost half the size of the entire cavern. Horns were laden all over its reptilian face. It wore crimson tone of scales, the color faded to gray on various areas. Its talons and horns were stained with ancient blood from previous prey. The dragon-like beast glared down hungrily with its vicious yellow reptilian eyes. The monster spread its crimson dragon wings, readying itself for an attack at any moment.

The beast arched its long scaly neck upwards and opened its jaws, letting off an ear deafening screech in the process. A flame started to flicker from within the cavity of its mouth, and slowly started to grow to a bon fire.

"Oh shit! A pyre Hebenon!" Krelian cried in the back.

"We'll leave it to you then since pyre would be your ideal element..." Seraph suggested coldly, ignoring the igniting of flames behind him.

"Like hell-!" The Hebenon jerked its head forward and let a spit of fireball shoot straight at the group of people. The fireball erupted upon contact, searing flames fanning out in all directions. As the flames died down, a wall of crystal blue ice obstructed the dragon’s view. Water dripped heavily from the wall of ice onto the ground from the heat of the flames, but the ice wall still stood sturdily in place.

“Phew…almost didn’t make it there…” Krelian sighed with relief on the other side of the wall, his hands were planted firmly into the ice wall.

“Well done…” Seraph commented unenthusiastically.

“Like hell! That was so not funny! We could’ve been deep fried dinner because of that!” The loud Eraser snapped at Seraph.

“Not possible, you should’ve been able to handle that even without the use of your mediums…” Seraph’s statement almost had a mocking tone to it.

“Why you-!” A moment later and Krelian would’ve lunged at his calm counterpart, however, his hands seemed to have been stuck in very ice wall he had produced. “…shit…not again…” He spoke to himself with a mortified look.

“I thought you had this perfected…” Seraph mumbled in the back, completely calm with his hands still in pockets.

“Hey! I’d reeeeeaaaallly appreciate it if you’d bother lending a hand!”

“That would spoil the fun then…” The ice wall suddenly broke by impact, Krelian jumped back as soon as his hands were free of the ice. The others dispersed in all directions as giant claws came slamming down on the ground in front of the entrance. Krelian swiftly reacted by jumping onto its claw and running up along its gigantic arm. He produced  small blue orb spinning with a blizzard of blue energy and dropped it. In one swift motion, Krelian kicked the spiraling orb directly into the monster's eye. Ice started to spread on its face as it was pushed by the impact of the ball hitting its face. The Eraser jumped off of the arm he had stood on as the Hebenon was sent sliding across the cavern.

"How's them apples for ya?!" He taunted with a grin.

The dragon-like monster shook its head around violently as tiny pieces of dry ice started to shatter and fall of the one half of the face that it covered. It quickly responded to the earlier attack by hurling a fast fireball at its attacker. With a panicked look, Krelian waved his hand to the side and a distortion in the space near him started to ripple. The Eraser threw himself into the wavelengths of distortion and disappeared as the fire was about to hit him. Another space distortion appeared on the other side of the cave where the others had settled themselves. Rene was had Caine’s arm slung around her shoulder while his spear hung loosely by his arm. Seraph still stood casually as if nothing transpired. Krelian jumped out of the wormhole and landed within the group. He placed his hands on both holsters at the side of his hips and gripped onto the handle of the revolvers.

“What’s this? You’re going to use your mediums against it?” Seraph asked rhetorically with a mocking tone.

“J-just shut up already! This would’ve been so much easier if you’d just help me already!”

“Oh look…here it comes again…” The cold Eraser pointed out with a perceptive finger.

Krelian turned around to see the monster was indeed making its way towards them at a more aggressive speed. The panicked Eraser pointed his silver revolvers at the monster and fired two shots first, one bullet from each. Tiny sparks of light flew off of its scaly chest as it began to rush towards them.

“Oh shit!” Spinning one of the revolvers around his finger and stopping it at an angle, Krelian aimed at the Hebenon’s head and pulled the trigger. And loud bang echoed in the cavern and the dragon-like monster’s head jerked to side momentarily. It continued charging forward, with its left eye closed and bleeding through a tiny wound.

“Lord Seraph…if I may suggest...” Rene started off, still holding a barely conscious Caine and her staff in her left hand.

“Right...” Seraph narrowed his eyes in irritation.

The monster had made its way to the group and snapped its ferocious jaws at the group. The group of elite Erasers jumped out of the way. Krelian grabbed the snout of the dragon and hoisted himself over its head whilst firing rapid concessions of bullets in midair. More sparks impacted against its thick carapace, but to no avail. In an enraged response, the Hebenon cocked its head upwards, attempting to hit the airborne Eraser with its hard head. Krelian shifted his weight to left, his body suddenly changing movement and letting the beastly skull skin the tail of his coat. He fell onto the ground on his feet with a soft thud. The Eraser turned about to see that the dragon monster had its jaws open right above him. Its head started to descend quickly in a frenzy and was about to close its jowls around the unwary man. Contrary to how Krelian foresaw himself inside the monster's stomach by now, the Hebenon stopped in its movements as it felt something grapple loosely onto the back of its front leg. Seraph appeared, his right eye brimming with a yellow glowing intensity, and swung himself around the thick hulk of a leg with his hand and bringing himself upwards. A spike of blue lightning was clutched in his right hand and he made a slash at the monster's belly in midair. There was a temporary momentus silence as Seraph kicked himself away from the screaming monster and landed beside Krelian. The monster lurched its head around as the deep scar in its chest spewed out blood. Finally, after struggling to keep what little remains of its life it had, the beast toppled over solemnly on its side, its head the last thing to touch the ground. Dust crept upwards and faintly covered its body as it fell on the ground. The beast was finally silent...

The sword of lightning that was clutched in Seraph's hand slowly dissipated into tiny blue sparks in the air. There was a moment of silence before Seraph spoke "...you still take too long..."