Torodus. The town of crows. It was blessed with its title only a few decades after its founding. When the knights who held it were cut off from their supplies for a fortnight and were forced to tame nearby crows to forage their food for them, while they stayed and guarded the women and children from the creatures of the night. Seekers, Aethers, Amplers, creatures that should be written off as fairy tale myths. And in spite of their harrowing circumstances, they survived. And their small encampment grew into a town.

  But now, a century or two later, Torodus faces no such great challenges. Their issues are common, not worth being sung about or immortalised in writing. The folk of this small town do their jobs, feed their families, stay out of trouble, and move on with their mundane lives.

  Their roads were muddy and soft, their houses small and compacted together so tightly you could hardly recognise where one household ended and another began. The higher storeys loomed over the muddied paths and the people who walked on them, cloaked under the shadows.

  The residents here kept their heads low, they had nothing to look up to, after all. But for this one day, perhaps there was something to look up to. A noise, a rough barking of orders, the thrashing of metals against each other, and the growing sound of footsteps against a hard, stony surface.

  And then, a shadow flew by in the small area of the sunlight the ground could afford. This caused residents to not just look up, but then whip their heads around in awe. They could see a man, one running on the rooftops with amazing speed.

  The few who did not look back could see a company of guards, all clad head to toe in steel armour. And led by Morven, one of the King's Royal Agents. He was a giant of a man, he was near twice the size of the guards. He wore no upper body garments, exposing both a canvas of various purple tattoos lining his chest, stomach, arms and his back, along with a form of pure muscle.

  Morven ran faster than the guards, his feet sinking into the mud and then immediately being fired right out again with each step. He had a scowl on his face as his guards struggled to keep up with his pace.

  "Come on! That thing is getting away!" Morven shouted back at his soldiers, with enough roughness that it would tear through a normal man's throat, if it had the capacity.

  The guards pushed forward, trying harder to keep up with their beastly commander.

  The man on the rooftop kept running, but every time he looked back, he could always see Morven. Still down on the ground, keeping pacing in the pursuit. This was Manderus. He was an Aether, of course. And for no other reason, Morven chased him down with his guards, like a pack of wolves. Before this, Manderus had just been looking at apples in the town's market. One thing led to another, and before he knew it, he was being hunted like an animal.

  As Manderus ran, he could see the gates of the town. Still so far, but close enough to reach if he could just play it safe, make no stupid mistakes, and just keep going- *THUNK* An arrow, straight through his back and out his chest. The sting was delayed, but still sharp and quick. The shock alone was enough to knock Manderus off his feet, as he slipped off the slanted roof and slapped down into the thick mud. His hands sunk into the ground as he tried to push himself up. Onlookers gasped in horror, many ran as they saw the scene.

  Morven was delighted, as he ran past the archer who had made the shot, he made sure to give them a single firm pat on the back.

  Manderus stood up and kept running. But now realising that his opportunity to escape without a fight had been ripped away, he moved into nearby alleyway, hoping to outmanoeuvre Morven, maybe even regain that opportunity he had lost.

  "SHIT" The curse echoed through his head. A dead end. A stone wall cut off the alley, and Manderus needed a figure a way out fast. But his thoughts proved too slow, as he heard the heavy footsteps of Morven land right behind him. He felt the agent's presence fill the alley with an atmosphere of fear and death. Manderus turned to see his hunter.

  "Seems you have no other place to run to, scum." Morven's words dripped with a sadistic venom.

  Manderus couldn't help but agree in his mind. But his words would remain defiant. "I don't need to run. You think I'm scared of a delusional murderer?"

  Morven's eye twitched slightly. He knew what Manderus was referring to. It's true, the Royal Agents used the magic of the Aethers. By technicality, they should be considered Aethers themselves. But not a single Agent would ever admit it even in the deepest parts of their minds or in their dying breaths. Morven hated the idea of being related to these devilspawn. He's human, after all. That's how he was born and raised. It's always been the side he's fought for. He is human.

  The tattoos of waving purple flames on Morven's arms slid down. And out of his palms, they entered the physical world. They had not changed shape or colour, but they had grown in size, greater than the length of Morven's body. He gripped them by the ends, and wielded them like giant swords.

  From Manderus' hand, a red light emerged, slithering out into the air. As it grew, it began to take a solid form. Manderus grabbed the light, and with this grasp the light had finished taking form. A red blade, with a growing transparency toward the middle and a bright red glow on its outlines.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  "Aethers." Morven spat out. "They truly can't help themselves. Always turning to violence!" Morven was already charging at Manderus like a bull before he could even finish his sentence. Swinging his sword like a hammer to Manderus' side.

  *KRANG* The blade hit into something solid and immovable, the force almost knocked Morven off his feet. He jumped back slightly, and saw what he hit into.

  A web made of neon strings of light, flashes of blue, pink, green, purple and yellow pulsing through it, as transparent glass-like surfaces covered the hexagonal gaps, stained with rainbows diffusing into them, like oil in water.

  With Morven caught off balance, Manderus quickly moved to counter. The shield dissolved in the air, and Manderus made a heavy step forward, lifting his free arm into the air. As he did, a wave of the earth crashed into Morven from below. It sent him flying backward as if he were a child. Morven was hit hard into the side of the alley, the impact cracking the wall. As he stood up again he saw Manderus flying down from above, his blade primed to meet Morven's head. With a squelch, the sword stabbed into the mud, Morven narrowly moving his head to dodge the hit.

  Manderus lifted his blade once more for another attempt, with zero hesitation he plunged the blade down. And then he saw it, as if the world and time had stopped just to torture him. The head of a purple snake peaked out from Morven's shoulder. And before Manderus could react, it was too late. The creature plunged its fangs deep into Manderus' side. He felt the venom pool into his veins like hot lava. It worked quick. His fingers became pin cushions before they lost feeling entirely.

  Morven lifted his blade and swung it at Manderus, and this time it hit. Manderus felt it slice through his stomach, and the shockwave of the incredible force ripple through his body, as he felt a strong push on his whole form send him through his stone creation and into the back wall of the alley. He was stuck in the bricks for a moment before gravity pulled him back into the mud.

  Morven stood up, as his purple snake slunk back into his shoulder blade. His smile was wide and vicious. "That venom will act quick. You're already dead." Morven stepped closer toward the feeble form of Manderus as he struggled to stand. "Best die with some dignity at least. Make it easier for the both of us!" Morven pulled his blade back, ready for the final swing.

  He whipped his blade in a wide heavy swing, enough to reach Manderus' head. It's over, he thought.

  But then he registered it. There was no resistance but the air. He looked up and saw nothing in front of him. He was questioning his entire sanity for a moment as his head whipped around frantically, searching for this creature. And then he looked up. He saw that thing crawl up onto the roof, scurrying like a rat. Morven wouldn't allow it, not at all.

  He launched himself up, the mountain of a man landed on the roof with a low rumble. He had been quick enough to see Manderous phase away, like dust in the wind. Morven gritted his teeth, growling with intense emotion. Before he finally roared with all the breath he had left in his lungs.

  He leapt back down into the alley, his guards already there waiting for him. "I want everyone hunting it down! They don't get out of this town! Do you understand?" He barked out to his men. They all nodded without hesitation and began to spread out to hunt.

  While Morven barked orders, Manderus had landed on the other side of town. He phased on a rooftop, the pain of this magic brought feeling back to his hands and feet for a moment, just to shooting the powerful shock through him. His heart was bursting and pounding from the inside. He had known how rough this specific move was, despite his months of practicing it, the pain never got better. It was always meant to be a last resort. He fell off the roof and into a new alley, his body smacking into the walls as he move with the grace of a dead squid. He crashed into the ground. His vision was blurred, his thoughts a twisting pool, and his body pale, apart from his bloodshot eyes. He was going to die. Without every having accomplished anything. Even in his dying moments, he failed to make a difference. He lost to Morven. He was done. His eyelids fell. He couldn't help it.

  No. Not yet, he thought. It was like a voice in his head, or in his heart, he couldn't tell, was pushing him to keep going. He forced his eyelids open, the sensation like grinding sandpaper against his eyes. He twisted his body, forcing himself on his stomach. With all of his strength, he pushed himself up. The effort making him feel as if he was pushing the Earth itself instead of his mere body. He crawled, pulling himself up what felt like a mountain. With all of his effort and power, he managed to sit up. Before he slumped against the alley's wall. He saw the people walking past. But they did not see him. Maybe they didn't want to.

  Manderus raised his arm. He forced air out his lungs. "Please..." He uttered. "Please, someone..." But still, nobody came. He had one last try in him, he felt. In spite of the awful sensation, he breathed in, filling his lungs as full as he could muster. "Someone... Anyone... Help!" Manderus could hardly tell how loud he was. He felt his ears begin to clog and damper all sound from the world. And despite his trying, nobody came. He dropped his arm, and turned his head to face forward. He would die knowing that he tried. And that was a comfort.

  Then, he felt a pressure on his shoulder. He didn't know what it was, but he could still feel the pressure. He turned his head. And he saw him. Hair white as snow, eyes as blue as the sky. He was a soft, kind-looking young man. He wore clothes befitting of a common man. This was Makar. For this moment, Manderus felt his senses return for a moment.

  "Are you okay, sir?" Makar's voice was soft and full of genuine concern and empathy. "Sorry, that's probably insulting. Of course you're not. I can bring you to some help, if you want. Would that be okay?" Makar waited for an answer.

  Manderus simply smiled. "Thank you." With surprising speed, he grabbed Makar's hand with an iron tight grip. Makar was caught off guard and instinctively tried to pull away.

  "Uh- Sorry, do you want me to help you up, or..." Makar's sentence trailed off as he saw a glowing light emit from the space between their hands. He realised it too late. Manderus was an Aether, he knew it now. The devilspawn he had always been taught of. Makar tried pulling back with even more strength. "H-hey! Let go! Please! I won't tell anyone about you, I swear!"

  But Manderus was still, unmoving and silent. His grip stayed. The light growing brighter. Makar closed his eyes out of reflex. But he saw the light disappear from behind his eyelids. Makar slowly opened his eyes again. He felt Manderus' hand fall. He looked at the Aether. He was dead now, no doubt about it. Makar hesitated before standing up and walking away, shaken and confused, leaving Manderus' still-smiling body.