First Light of a New Age

In a distant street of Aquarius, far from the Austronesian invasion force and Scyllary's opulent palace, it was burned with chaos that had reigned unchecked. Smoke rose from the sky in thick suffocating black plumes as three of the notorious Heads of Destruction led their 1000-strong mercenary gang marching through the Magic Artifact Market District.

Just as you would expect. It was a slaughter.

Men. Women. Children. Even infants.

It didn't matter who they were and what they looked like, they were all mercilessly killed by the bloodthirsty mobs that scoured the section of Aquarius and slaughtered everything indiscriminately.

Shops were looted and crumbled under assaults of enchanted weapons and devastating spells. Warehouses stocked with ExRump goods were also plundered before erupting into fiery explosions, and the remaining last contents were fed into the unchecked flames that consumed the streets.

Of the Eight Heads of Destruction, only six were left, and of those six, three were in the Dark Gathering as the surviving members of the Deadly Three.

That meant only three Heads were involved in the current mission.

Fernand, the Flash Reaper, walked at the head of the army alongside Phobio, the Crimson Angel, a vampire whose blood-red eyes gleamed with an unsettling mix of mischief and malice, and their last member, a blonde elf of striking handsomeness who carried himself with a noble yet cruel air.

His name is Claudius Fern Frierant, known far and wide as the "One-Man Army."

"Stick to the plan," Claudius commanded calmly. "With the current war, security is very loose in Aquarius, and we can go wild without anyone stopping us. Let's not squander the opportunity."

Personally though, Claudius would have preferred a more elaborate plan and strategic operations, but he knew the mercenaries under his command were a rough and simple bunch.

For them, this kind of unrestrained destruction was ideal.

Their primary target was the Rump Mansion. As they advanced, Claudius ensured that in their acts of violence, they will remain on the path to get to the Mansion.

It was possible to get lost in the thrill of slaughter, not that Claudius could relate, but they couldn't forget their primary assignment.

Even the mob's bloodlust had to be tempered as certain viable individuals were marked as valuable "merchandise" for Lady Scyllary. The leaders had emphasized restraint where needed, an order easier said than enforced.

While thinking all of that, Claudius couldn't ignore what he and everyone else had witnessed not long ago.

"Did you see that massive fireball earlier?" he asked as he glanced toward the city center with his sharp eyes narrowed. "It came from Scyllary's palace. That kind of magic... it's no ordinary explosion."

Fernand, leaning heavily on the hilt of his sheathed sword as he walked, exhaled a weary sigh. "I've lived long enough to recognize trouble when I see it. Whatever caused that, it's not something we should ignore."

Phobio smirked, tossing a blood-red orb from hand to hand as if it were a toy. "Trouble, huh? Isn't that what we thrive on? Still, sending a hundred men to investigate seems like a waste. I'd rather handle it myself."

"Your impulsiveness will get us all killed," Fernand snapped sharply. "We have a mission. Focus on destroying the ExRump Corporation."

Claudius interjected smoothly, "Both of you, calm yourselves. The palace can wait. If Fenrir's involved, it won't be long before we hear more soon enough. For now, let's ensure that the ExRump Corporation's grasp on this city is severed... entirely."