Reality Is Most Disappointing

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POV Astaros

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I walked through the desolate streets of Elden in contemplation. The cobblestone roads crunched against my metal soles as I returned to the Hollow. I had to buy some things for me and Fillia as we were now living together. Some maps, potions and a remote display stones so we could look at request's and decide on taking them the moment we woke up. I also took a look at some magic items while I was out and I had stayed out for quite a while and I had to get back soon as this would be our first night together. Right now I was thinking of what to do about my midnight pursuers who may prevent this.

You see for quite a while I had been being followed. It wasn't the passive surveillance the guild kept trying to put on me. No. These guys were competent at what they were doing.

'Let's shake them up a bit and then catch 'em red handed.' {Astaros}

I walked into a dark alley isolated from the pure light of the stars and concealed before putting out my mana sense to probe their response. My opponents instantly began to run over to where I disappeared in a panic. There were three of them and it was obvious that they were not used to being disappeared on and leaped into the alleyway to check the situation quickly.

'Fools' {Astaros}

Three figures cloaked in all black landed in the alleyway after skidding down the walls. Instantly the first figure turned to look in my direction while drawing his weapon, obviously sensing something was wrong with the place where I was standing. This allowed me to confirm it. These were no normal humans, but they weren't elves either. Though Dryis is my only source she can sense me in a wide radius; however these guys have a radius similar to that of Fillia or Katia. They were either beast-men or something similar. I reached out my hand to begin playing with the fools but then I felt a pang of anger then pain. It was Fillia. Something was wrong. Instead of going for interrogation I'll skip straight to execution.

I grabbed the first guy by the face, de-cloaking and shoving his head through the brick wall beside us. If he wasn't dead he certainly was going into a coma. The other two seeing my towering figure blocking off one end of the thin alleyway tried to rush me. I blocked a knife strike to the chest and thrust a palm into his chin shattering his skull causing shards of bone to break the skin.

The other man leaped over his obliterated comrade and tried to stab his blade into my skull. I back stepped easily evading the shortsword and he hit the ground stumbling on the landing a bit before leaping towards me in a stabbing thrust.

'I don't have time for this.' {Astaros}

I batted away the sword and stabbed my hand through his chest. It plunged through bone and flesh before coming out the other side. As I stared at him in his dying eyes they turned a bright yellow and a pair of grey blue ears appeared on his head. He was a beast man after all. A wolf type from the looks of it. I slid my metallic fingers out of his body and allowed him to slump and hit the floor.

'ASTAROS WE NEED YOU BACK HERE NOW!!' {Fillia}

The words screamed through my mind and I didn't wait for anything else. I dashed out of the alleyway before running towards the Hollow. If Fillia had even a single broken hair on her head by the time I got there the entire town was forfeit.

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POV: Dryis

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I awoke to the sounds of carnage as a woman came running into the room. It was Oadry, a frog beast woman and one of my maids from when. I shot up from my desk jostling the paper and knocking over my ink jar.

"What's wrong on Oadry!?" {Dryis}

I was surprised but not outright afraid. It wouldn't be the first time a bar fight broke out and the main floor was trashed. The worry portrayed in Oadry's eyes however made me drop this idea.

"It's terrible some ruffians came in while I was working the counter and began to kill people. Katia came out to fight and there's blood a-and *hic* a-and" {Oadry}

My face steeled as I picked up my blade which was resting against the bureau. I then ran over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be alright Oadry just hide here and lock the door okay?."

Oadry nodded through tears and sobs as I closed the door behind me and I rushed down the stairs to witness bloodshed as I had never seen before.

Long ago I had witnessed an execution as the princess of Vritu but that had been fairly quick and clean. It was nothing compared to the scene on the main floor.

Katia swung her new hammer which was now covered in blood and brains into the chest of a man, his chest snapping and popping as though he were some branch stepped upon in the forest. He flew back smashing into a table and crumpling as the spear-like end of her hammer then thrust back running through a cocky aggressor who had thought to attack her from behind. She then raised the body overhead and flung it over near the entrance at one of the people attacking Nikky who, now free to support someone else, shoved his knife into the nape of someone attacking Fillia.

It was pure carnage on the ground floor. A man slipped by Katia's strikes while four- scratch that one died- three people leaped at her. He jumped and landed on the first step before leaping up towards me twin curved daggers flashing as they promised me a quick death.

I brought up my sword and crashed them against both daggers as the formed a scissor around my blade. As I peered under the shadow of the mans hood all I saw was a toothy grin as he shove me backwards.

"UMPH!" {Dryis}

I landed on my rear and rolled backwards barely dodging a downward slice and scrambled to my feet.

"WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE!?!?!" {Dryis}

It was a scream laced with fear, disgust and pain. What was going on. I wanted to puke. I wanted to run. Why was this happening to me!?!?

The man's grin seemed to grow hearing this.

"I s'pose dis ain't d'way te'treat a princess but it'll have te'do lassie. Kamatra wants ya back ye see, and I'm sure e'yon't mind sum damage durin' shippin." {Unknown}

My eyes widened at the knowledge.

'He sent men for MY HEAD!?!' {Dryis}

He then snarled and leapt at me, lashing out at my throat. I stumbled back and put up my guard defending my throat but he stabbed his other blade into my forearm. I screamed and gritted my teeth before pushing him back, slashing at him. He side stepped the blow nimbly and licked the blood off his knife before thrusting at me again. I blocked and defended trying my best to not get hit. He was slowly slashing away at me small cuts appearing on my arms and legs. Suddenly as he tried to lunge forward but he tripped and stumbled. I swung my blade down to kill him but he blocked and looked back.

A long pink tongue was stuck to his ankle. It was Oadry! She had opened the door and tripped him up! He cut off the tip of her tongue and she screamed falling back into the room but it was too late for him. I drew back my blade and swung it in an arc and disarmed one of his hands and it was then he hit me. A blast of wind smashed into my body and drove me two floors up to the roof.

*BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!*

"PUAAGH" {Dryis}

I spat up blood as I crashed into the tiled roof. I had been a fool. I had ignored what Astaros had told me. I had acted like an amateur and let him control the pacing of the fight. As well I neglected my own abilities in exchange for swordplay.

He climbed up onto the roof, the wind blowing back his hood and revealing the face of a wolf beast man.

He gave a me a murderous toothy grin as he approached me.

"Nice ta meetcha princess we're da wulf pack da prince's personal assassin's." {Assassin Leader}

I'm so sorry I didn't listen. (AU/E note: Dryis has literally been given no time to practice what Astaros told her so right now she is just freaking out unreasonably.)

…

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POV: Fillia

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Nikky stabbed my opponent in the back and I disengaged him before running over to try and stem the tide as more men flooded in. A particularly fast one rushed past me and slid under Katia's swing before leaping up the stairs. I looked up to see a terrified Dryis standing sword in hand at the top before the man leapt up the stairs and clashed with her pushing them out of sight.

Arctic blue flames covered my tails as I leaped into the crowd of new arrivals spinning and smashing my tails into them at bone-breaking speed. I then dodged a stab from one of the men and tapped it up before sliding my dagger under his arm and between his ribs. He gurgled as the long dagger stabbed through his heart and pierced his lung.

I then leapt back, drawing my dagger from the dying man as another fool came to challenge my supremacy in combat. We traded blows for a moment before I dodged and knocked the blade away and thrust it through his chest and ripped it upward. Foxfire split his body as the blade exited through his scalp.

I had already called Astaros but who knows when he will arrive. I need to end this quickly so Katia can go help Dryis. I blocked a downward slash and small wisps of flame began to condense as I drew on my mana. The slowly grew brighter and brighter before-

*FWOOOSSSHHH*

A massive tempest of flame burned through the air swirling around my those I had been protecting and incinerating all who weren't.

Some tried to defend with their own elements but it was too little too late.

I sank to the only unscathed piece of flooring as I gasped for air. This was the exact same move I had used to kill the orcs when they cornered me.

"FILLIA! YOU ALRIGHT?" {Nikky}

Her rabbit ears flopped about as she ran over. We had all reverted for this battle as the only thing the mana charms did in battle was unnecessarily draw on our mana.

I had not corrected Astaros when he had called Nikky a boy as I was too busy at the time to think about it.

Suddenly the blackened wall caved in as Nikky pulled me to my feet. Katia was about to attack the shadow within the ash and dust but I put out a hand. The air swirled and the dust dispersed revealing the dirty figure of Astaros.

"Yo lads, hows it going?" {Astaros}

*KRAKOOM*

The sound of crunching wood and flooring shattered the momentary silence from Astaros's arrival.

We all looked up at the ceiling before I remembered what was happening. I quickly turned to Astaros who was busy checking out the upper floors, floorboards.

"Astaros, Fillia was attacked after I sent a maid to see her on the second floor. She need your help."

Without a word he ran out a began leaping up the side of the building.

"I'll help" {Katia}

She ran and placed the hammer on her back before extending her claws and jumping up after him.

While I… should… get… some… rest.

…

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POV: Astaros

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I grabbed the edge of the rooftop as Katia tried to come up after me. Alright then you can make the first move.

"Katia I'll swing you up and over, so grab on!" {Astaros}

She nodded and gripped my hand tightly before I waved her off the wall and then launched into the air as she flipped over. I heard the crash of tile and wood being destroyed as I gripped the edge and pulled myself over to the sight of a beaten and lacerated Dryis crying on the rooftop as Katia dueled the man, her swings keeping him from getting in close range.

I pulled myself up and drew Shattered Star before rushing forwards, slashing towards him. He turned to block but the force of the blow knocked him off without so much as a grunt of pain. As I ran to look over the edge, he used wind element to slow his descent. I handed a potion from the damage core to Dryis who took it from me as I looked back over the edge.

'Well we can't have you surviving this foolish stunt you pulled against my student now can we?' {Astaros}

Before Dryis could speak I leaped over the side of the building after him, my blade angled down to split him in half on contact.

He looked up and gasped before dropping himself a full floor to the ground and rolling away. That didn't mean he escaped though. Katia came down like a rocket smashing into the ground.

He threw her off course with wind element but he didn't get a chance to recover as when he managed to stand I swung the SS in a horizontal arc and smashed it into the into his daggers which he pulled up at the last second. They chipped and cracked as he flew backwards through the street, tumbling through the dust and dirt.

"I have been blind, I truly have my friend." {Astaros}

I rushed forward as he stood up again and swung my arms out, knocking the blades out of his hands before smashing him in the chest with a palm strike. He was as good as dead from here on out but he will last until morning if nothing else happens to him. Of course that wouldn't be agonizing enough for the insolent fool.

"I looked around me at the "Civilized people" and softened thinking this place may be different." {Astaros}

He staggered and stood before claws of wind appeared on his hand and he slashed trying to tear out my throat. We enjoyed a civil debate of claws and fist as a blow rocked his jaw, knocking out some of his teeth as Katia brought up a convincing argument about hammers. It went like this:

*BLAM*

He flew through the air like a rag doll as I leapt after him, grabbing his hood and flinging him to the ground.

*BOOM*

As the dust settled it revealed him laying down in a crater. I landed on the edge of said crater and, to my surprise he got up again. His arms were hanging down and waving as he stood back up. He honestly looked like a zombie.

"I watched as those civil people talk and argue with a sense of wonder. They felt almost like a modern civilization. But as I said I had been blind." {Astaros}

He sprinted at me, his face now contorted and snarling in the form of a wolf as his claws slashed at me. I dodged and Katia came up beside me swinging to kill.

He ducked and I rolled around the blow with a sweeping kick as he jumped over flipping before pushing off another downward swing from Katia which I rolled away from. I then pushed off towards him outstretching my hand and firing a beam of light which singed his nose as he leaned back a near 90 degrees, the blast burning into the wall behind him. He slammed his hand into the ground and did a handstand, dodging another devastating swing before then returning to his feet in under a second. Katia, most obviously done with his feral bullshit raked her hammer across the ground, a massive blast of spiky ice stabbing towards him.

He leapt back and landed on the wall like a certain wall crawler and then pushed off. Ripping towards me with a slash.

"I had expected them to be different from what I originally knew but they were the exact same and your existence proves it.'

I blocked the slash and back handed him and he seemed to slip but instead he hit the ground and went into a spin, lashing out with his legs to take out katia who had swung and missed again.

She back stepped and he jumped towards her and she blocked a slash as I came up and punched him away again.

My rage welled up and flames burst out of the ground like a massive tidal wave. It came crashing towards me but I whirled and a burning chinese dragon rushed forwards sparking and racing across my shoulders before smashing into the ground and tearing up the street consuming his body in fire.

When the ordeal was all over I came up to his charred corpse.

He laid on his back entirely black and red from debris and flame.

He tried to speak as I squatted down beside him and grasped his chest, my fingers digging around and between his ribs.

"You have opened my eyes to the fact that this world is no different from my old one. I still have to kill man and his counterparts to continue my own lifestyle, I am truly disappointed, but still you have my thanks you charred pond scum." {Astaros}

I gripped his ribs and ripped them up, tearing off his chest and exposing his damaged organs.

"Hmm I expected your heart to be black by now, Allow me to fix that." {Astaros}

I blasted the burnt body and turned his organs black with the purgatory flames I expelled from my palm. A red light lit up my back and shined behind me. It was the blazing morning sun, it's light illuminating the carnage of last night. He really did make it to morning

"Hey Astaros" {Katia}

She put out her hand.

"We have good compatibility, I would like to fight with you again." {Katia}

I paused before taking her hand.

"Sure I'll look forward to it."

We began to walk off towards the Hollow. Dryis was likely still on the roof and the others were slightly injured. Fillia was fine albeit exhausted so the town was not forfeit. I looked back at the street which had been burned and destroyed by the dragon blow.

'That may have been overkill.' {Astaros}

As I turned to keep walking Katia spoke.

"I thought of a name for the hammer by the way."

I began to walk beside her back to the hollow.

"And what would that be?" {Astaros}

"Frostbite" {Katia}

I put my hand to my chin as we walked away from the leftover destruction.

"Generic but it works."

I was slightly disappointed. No not in Katia's naming sense but this world. It was the same as the old one. I just happened to have a good point to start at. So much for the feeling of modernity.