Asura's Tale

Asura studied the massive man in a suit of armor before him, who had a large smile plastered on his face. His eyes were wide, like those of a child whose favorite action figure was placed before them. "God, he looks so cool in that armor." Asura's hands opened and closed with excitement. "Can I have a suit of armor? You think they'd let me have one?" He thought to himself as the armor shined from the light. 

As the smoke rolled back across the floor and surrounded their feet once again, Asura asked,

"You ever watch Crimson Blitz?"

Titus relaxed and stood upright. The stress of his armor's movement caused it to creak as it healed like flesh. The unmoving helmet that rested its sight on Asura gave the ogre chills as the Paladin reached out his hand. Titus asked with a hint of confusion in his voice,

"What?"

Sandman's tired voice spoke up from Asura's right as the two conversed.

"He's talking about a television show. You have not watched it."

The ogre smiled at Sandman's response, thrilled with finding another fan. He pointed at the Paladin, who watched with not even an ounce of interest.

"You've heard of it or watched it, right? You know what I'm talking about when I say he looks just like the badass knights in the show."

Asura spat the holy fire that ignited from his mouth down onto the stone floor and immediately whipped his head up to hear Sandman's answer.

"Yes. I have seen them."

A black fire erupted within Titus's outstretched arm, and the flames dripped from his palms while other flames rose simultaneously. The black fire raged as they took the shape of a weapon, creating the shaft and the blade afterward. Asura was momentarily in awe of the act before realizing the halberd was forming in his hand.

The ogre looked behind him, flicking his eyes across the floor where he kicked the weapon earlier. However, the floor was empty, and nothing remained except the havoc left by the battle.

Asura turned back and found the halberd had fully formed, present within his opponent's grip. The large knight lifted the heavy halberd with one hand, pointing the end of the spike at Asura's throat. Asura giggled with excitement, causing Titus to lose his grip slightly. He rambled swiftly, talking at a thousand miles an hour as he stood before his opponent, who wanted to kill him.

"Can I get a picture with you after this? I mean, look at ya! In the show, there's a knight named Antho the Black, or they call him The Black Flower. He's this fucking twelve-foot badass mech knight with a huge ass gun sword."

Asura approached a foot, causing Titus to lift his halberd and shift into a two-handed middle guard.

"It's like fucking massive great sword that he wields and cleaves through other mech knights. A grim dark world where all they know is war and shit. His black armor looks like yours, and mannnn, I'm so jealous."

Titus responded with uncertainty in his voice as he stood before the ogre in awe.

"I have never met a monster like you before..."

Asura smiled, exposing a toothy grin.

"I get that a lot."

Suddenly, a loud bang rang out behind Asura, and a sharp pain struck his left shoulder, causing him to wince as intense pain spread through his body. He groaned and toppled forward from the impact of the force. It was a familiar experience he dealt with whenever fighting Mel. However, a burning sensation emerged as the pain intensified, causing him to fall to one knee as he gripped his shoulder. 

"What the fuck..."

The cursed flames spew from his mouth onto the floor as he choked. His fingers became wet as a liquid poured from the front and back of his shoulder. He pulled his hand to his face, watching as blood dripped from his hand onto the floor.

"I was shot..."

His eyes widened.

"And it worked?"

Asura turned to find the source of the bullet and stared at Sandman, who lingered behind him with a black revolver in hand. Smoke drifted out from the barrel, and the Paladin's eyes remained trained on Asura.

"How the fuck did you shoot me? That halberd is new, but there shouldn't be a gun-"

"Your assumptions were incorrect then. I wield a gun that can."

Asura grabbed his shoulder and tried to channel holy mana into his hand, but another shot rang out. The noise echoed in Asura's ears as his lower right back was struck with another bullet. Asura roared in agony as the pain spread,

"Gggg-fuck."

Another shot rang out from the front this time, and his upper chest was struck by its bullet. Asura looked up wide-eyed as Sandman stood before him with the same gun, smoke drifting out of the barrel again. Blood poured from his wounds, and he tried to close them desperately, but every time the ogre reached, another shot rang out from another location.

Everywhere Asura turned, there the Sandman stood with the revolver in his hand. "It's an illusion... This-Fuck!" He toppled onto both knees. Fire spilled from the ogre's mouth onto the ground in a pool. As he gazed down at the flickering white flame, he growled, snarling as he tightened his fists.

The ogre tucked one hand tightly against his chest, pressing his palm against a wound. Within his palm, a fire sparked in a desperate attempt to cauterize his wounds. But as the flame touched the bleeding hole, Asura found nothing. The touch of holy mana erased the wound's presence as if it never existed.

Sandman spoke as he watched the ogre realize the implications. His monotone voice spoke calmly,

"The illusion of pain can be as destructive to the mind as if it were felt."

"Oh, you fucking asshole nightmare, dreamer-looking son of a-"

Titus took the opportunity to strike, racing forward, and lifted his halberd high. The blade's edge gleamed as it raised in the beautiful colored light. The footsteps approaching caused Asura to look up as Titus began to strike down at him.

He appeared like an executioner, eager to end the vile scum who lay before him. "You fucker's think, your all high and mighty, don't you..." Asura bit into his lip as he raised his four fists as if he were going to guard, causing Titus to think twice.

"Alright, assholes. Let's show you why Uriel chose me and not you." Asura channeled holy flames into his arms, causing the runes to ignite with fiery passion. The flames whipped and roared, and intense heat filled the room. 

Sandman fired another round at the moment, trying to stop the ogre, but the bullet crashed into his body, causing it to explode into the sand as the illusion dissipated. 

"Oh, your mind has already resolved-"

Asura tensed every muscle in his arms, channeling as much mana into his forearms. At first, Asura couldn't tell whether the fiery heat devouring his heart was rage or Uriel's mana, but as the flame intensified, it became evident that his anger was reaching from the depths of his stomach.

The ogre let out a bellowing roar as his fist slammed into the ground, causing it to crack and splinter from the force of his fists. A surge of holy mana condensed underneath his fists as it burst outward in a razor-like thin layer. Like a sawblade, it cleaved through everything except the Paladins, but even they felt the impactful force of the flames.

Its heat left the two stunned as the burst of flames slammed into their shins, completely knocking them from their balance and leaving them reeling as the scorching blaze erupted upward as it impacted their bodies. 

Every illusion placed on the area was destroyed as the flame consumed what it touched. Only one Sandman remained, and the dust that created intense smoke was gone. The real Sandman gasped as the heat filled his lungs, and all he could do was watch Uriel display his trust in the ogre.

The blinding white flame reached their face as it swam up their bodies like a crashing wave spilling upward. Sandman and Titus raised their hands to cover their face as Uriel's condemnation scorched their flesh. The room was enveloped in white light, leaving no room for another color to make its existence known. 

And just as the fire was born, it dissipated. The blinding light disappeared, and the room returned to its colorful nature.

"There's ya go. Now you done made me do it. Yeah, I was chosen by Uriel. Get fucked, your angel chose me, not you."

Asura spat out with writhing anger. The ogre immediately rose from the ground, preparing to tackle Titus, but Asura hesitated as Titus endured the flame. The Paladin regained his balance in the chaos and gripped his halberd. He braced himself and readied his swing. 

"Oh. You're cool as hell."

The towering black knight looked down upon the ogre, casting a shadow over the four-armed creature.

"If only we met under different circumstances."

Titus and Asura struck at one another with intense strength, prepared to end the fight in this final blow. With flame in hand, Asura swung his right two fists at Titus, who brought his enormous halberd down at his face. As Titus swung to kill, a voice spoke in his mind. 

"Do not kill the ogre. For he is a friend."

Titus ceased his swing as if he had full control of his momentum. His body stopped, and he stood like a statue with a mid-swing blade. Out of respect for the admirable knight, Asura also ceased his attack, holding his fist before the blade. The flame sizzled and roared as it moved across his arms.

"Huh? Why'd you stop, big man?"

Asura tilted his head with a confused look on his face. Without answering, Titus dropped his halberd to his side and looked at his brother.

"You knew he was chosen and wielded it out of righteousness. Yet, you withheld it from me, brother?"

"Did Uriel tell you?"

"No. Although this voice is full of authority and righteousness, it is too man-like to be an angel."

"I see. Well, it was a test. I desired to see whether you would acknowledge the ogre."

"And if I killed him?"

"Then, it wasn't meant to be."

Asura furrowed his brow as the two brothers stood with locked gazes. The ogre stood up and wiped the dust from his shorts.

"Look, as a brother, I know you guys are fighting right now, but what the hell are you on about? Voices? You Scizo or something?"

Suddenly, the room lurched as its mana reformed the rubble and destruction. The three watched as the room returned to its original state before their squabble. Before any of them could utter a word, the doors Titus entered were flung open once more. This time, an angry woman with fiery red hair stormed through.

"Shit..."

Asura's face flushed as he watched in horror. Her amber eyes locked with his, and she reached for her pistols.

"Look Mel, I didn't-"

The ogre expected a storm of insults to explode from her mouth, but unexpectedly, Sandman intervened before she could utter a noise.

"Mel, it was my fault."

Mel froze as she realized who stood in the room. Her eyes drifted to Sandman and Titus as he moved to Sandman's side beside a pillar.

"Sandman- Titus."

She gasped as she laid eyes on the two. Her face softened, and the anger vanished as she tried to explain her relationship with the ogre.

"Why are you here... Look- I know he's an ogre, but you can't kill him. We need him. He's the demon we took control of-"

"Not a demon."

Mel snapped a nasty glare at Asura as he interrupted.

"Shut up-"

"You do not need to explain. He has been chosen by Uriel, and we accept his judgment."

"You do-"

Mel stopped when she realized the room was at the end of its rebuilding process. The shifting rubble, finding its grooves, left her speechless. Her gaze swept over every inch before returning to the two Paladins.

"You guys fought."

"We did." 

"And he lived?"

"Not only did he live, but unexpectedly, he held us back."

"He did?"

"Where did you find a monster like him? I assume the Archknight of Stoliagate knows as well."

Mel sighed and gripped her hip with one hand.

"Yes, she does. We found him at our cathedral."

Sandman spoke with mild interest as he motioned for Titus to leave through the front door.

"Interesting. Well, we will be going now."

"You're leaving?"

"We have tasks to attend to. I apologize for the inconvenience, but we must leave."

Asura lifted an eyebrow as the two approached the front door. He asked as the two left,

"Did you guys already solve the distress signal?"

"No. We were unable even to begin to help. The thing is hiding from us."

"The thing?"

Sandman looked back with the same blank expression he always wore. The Paladin fixed his outfit as he thought about how to respond. "If I tell him what it is, he may run." Sandman thought to himself while dusting his vest off.

"You will see when he shows himself."

Asura was left baffled by his response and turned to look at Mel for answers, but she was even left confused by the cryptic response. Mel asked with curiosity, 

"So you know what it is?"

"Yes, and be careful. It isn't something you should underestimate."

Without another word, the two brothers exited through the front door. Asura left the silence in the air for a moment, trying to comprehend the events that occurred moments ago.

He asked Mel with a baffled tone,

"Who the fuck are those guys?"

Mel snapped back to reality and frowned as his distasteful words echoed in the open room.

"They are two seven-ranked Paladins. The closest Paladins to become Archknights."

Asura's eyes widened at her response.

"So they are as strong as Mary?"

Mel shook her head,

"Close, but we don't actually know what they can do. They are like legends to most Paladins and even the Archknights. The two brothers complete any task given to them without question."

Asura looked back to the door and lifted his arms behind his head, resting them with interlocked fingers.

"Yet they failed this one? Not very legendary then."

"That just means this is worse than expected..."

Asura shrugged at her response,

"Welp, if I can beat them up, then they aren't that grand."

Mel's jaw dropped as she stared at Asura's bloodied body, some wounds still freshly open as the wounds refused to heal. 

"You are bleeding..."

"Oh. Yeah, that Titus guy cut me."

"Cut you?"

"Yeah, his blade just cut me like butter."

"You don't get cut."

Asura shrugged. As a warrior, he was often cut in battle, but it did require quite the legendary artifact or weapon. Even the mightiest dragon claws were sometimes left worthless when put up against the toughness of his ogre skin.

"It's not like it's the first time."

"I don't even know where to start-... We- we need to go meet up with Aliza."

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Titus stared at the bright sun shining on the empty city surrounding the cathedral. His armor dissolved as he rested his halberd on his shoulder, sending it back to the void it had emerged from. The light shone on his bronze complexion. 

The knight, who prided himself on striving for righteousness and justice, was saddened by the thought of leaving the citizens of this city. "Would the Lord truly want this?" He thought as he looked out at people-less streets. The entirety of the city's center was quarantined from the outside world. 

The few who remained inside the borders set up by the Temple were abandoned because they had chosen to stay. However, Titus couldn't fault their decision. "Where would they go? How would they acquire money?" Although Titus obeyed the orders from the Temple, at times, he was left bitter by their actions. 

They wouldn't house those who left or provide jobs or food. Instead, they told the people to leave or remain—die with the monster lurking in the city shadows or salvage a life somewhere else until the problem was solved. 

"Why are we leaving?"

"Because there is nothing we can do."

"So we are leaving this city to die?"

With each step Sandman took, his black dress shoes clacked. He raised his hand to his mouth with a cigarette between his fingers. The older brother asked,

"Were we not given a new task?"

"... I can't accept-"

"I know. So I will stay."

Titus looked down at his brother, and his eyes remained on the back of his head as he continued to walk away.

"You are going to stay? What about the task?"

"You will go. This task only requires one of us."

"What is it?"

Sandman looked over his shoulder with the cigarette in his mouth.

"You need to remain hidden and find out why cultists are emerging with no souls attached to their bodies."

Titus's dark brows rose as his face remained fixed. 

"Where is this happening?"

"Stoliagate."

"Is that not Archknight Mary's city?"

"Indeed. Melody's sister."

"You aren't suspecting the-"

"I am not. But I do believe it's an insider."

Titus pondered the subject and walked after his brother. 

"And you will remain?"

"Yes. You know I won't leave with this thing lurking. I will kill it, one way or another."

Titus studied his brother, who walked without worrying.

"Brother... If you are going to stay... Please be mindful of the residents. Save them."

Sandman lifted a brow as he looked at his brother walking beside him.

"Are you worried about their safety if I remain?"

"I know you. Which means I know you value this things death more than people."

"I value people-"

He breathed in smoke from the cigarette and exhaled,

-but I cannot save everyone. The price of its death is costly, Titus."

"For me, save all that you can."

The older brother sighed as his little brother pleaded. 

"I will, but it is time you left. I have something I need to do."

Titus stopped walking alongside his brother and watched as he continued down the street without another word. The strongman who wielded supernatural strength and abilities felt powerless as he returned to the gateway inside the cathedral. Titus was left worried about his brother's actions as the brothers split. 

Without the voice of reason, "How far will my brother go?" He asked himself.