Aegis Online

I raise my swordspear as the bandit lady’s form shifts and ripples. The thick smoke conceals the full scene, and I hear Ginger’s hooves as she prances a little back, her lance humming with power. She’s doing something to that weapon, and I make a note to ask about her capabilities.

“RRRRAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!”

The bandit lady’s roaring brings my focus back to her, and my eyes widen. “Ohhh, shit. Oooohhhhh shit. She’s a fucking DEMON!”

Ginger’s hooves thud against the earth as she snarls. “Indeed. By all appearances, what we have on our hands is a particularly nasty one.  An Infernal Warden.”

“THAT’S RIGHT, HORSE. I CAME FROM THE DARKWOOD HEIGHTS UNDER ORDERS. MY MASTER, THE DEMON LORD OF EXTINCTION, BADE ME TO FIND TRULY WORTHY SOULS, AND BRING THEM BACK. SINCE YOU KILLED THIS BAND, IT SEEMS THEY DIDN’T COUNT FOR MUCH. NOW… I WONDER… DO EITHER OF YOU QUALIFY?”

Before I can say anything, the Infernal Warden leaps, bringing her greataxe down in an overhead smash, scattering clods of earth and chipped stones in a wide arc. Ginger and I dart in opposite directions, her hooves drumming as I take off, my wings working to take me aloft, as I hear the sound of a lance meeting the blades of that terrible axe.

Looking down, I see the two locked in conflict. The huge, musclebound demon and the noble pterocentaur, both clashing in one-on-one combat. From my position above, I can see two more groups of bandits approaching, heading right for the clearing. Oh, fuck all kinds of duck…

I have to intervene! If I don’t, Ginger’s going to die! And she won’t come back, unlike me! I dive, the wind streaming past my face and blowing my long silver hair back as I silently call on my lightning, charging the blade of my swordspear, activating the passive ‘Kamaitachi’ to buff its size with an invisible windblade, and making contact with the first group, screaming as loud as I can. I hope it sounds cute…

When I connect, I hear several choked cries from behind me. Whirling, still hovering a foot off the ground, I look down. Three of the bandits are already in pieces, blood pooling on the grass as the remaining members of the group draw on me. 

“Leave now! You will survive if you flee now, but if you do not, I will CUT. YOU. DOWN.”

An arrow pings off my pauldron, and I sigh.

“Your choice.” I activate Sky Hammer, and the unlucky archer ends up cartwheeling across the sward, his longbow snapped in half, one broken end embedded in his chest, arrows spilling everywhere.

Slashing out, I swoop into another attack, blades clanking off my shield and plate armour, as my swordspear stabs and slashes to all sides. Bodies fall around me as I cut down everyone in my way. From somewhere not too far away, I hear a howl, like a wolf. A few moments later, another one breaks out.

It’s not the same as a wolf howl, though. It’s deeper, with more of a bass tone. There’s a clear snarl in it, and it’s incredibly loud, as if the howling entity is right behind me.  I whirl, cutting down another bandit, looking around. The other crooks are as shaken as I am.

“What IS that?!” one of them shouts, trying to decide whether I or the howler is the bigger threat. At least they can SEE me, after all.

Screams ring out from the same general direction as the howl, and I watch the bandits running from me. Collecting proof of each kill, I head back into the air, making quick tracks towards the source of the howling and screams.

By the time I arrive, there’s… nothing but a massacre. The bodies of bandits are everywhere, torn to shreds, the grass dyed crimson in a huge swath. Branches are snapped off and impaled through chests, heads are rent from necks, huge claw-wounds mark ground and armour, and weapons lie scattered and broken.

“What… what could do this? I mean, these guys aren’t THAT strong, but… this is… I can’t even…”

I turn slowly, hovering off the dirt. I think I’m gonna vomit if I touch down. Oh fuck, that boulder over there has been sliced like synthetic cheese! Reluctantly, I gather proof-of-demise from each corpse, trying not to think too hard about what I’m doing, before returning to see Ginger, still battling it out with the Infernal  Warden.

From above, I crash down like a thunderbolt, my blade slamming into the demon, but it’s… so hard to cut into it! It’s like there’s a layer of metal beneath the skin, preventing me from cutting too deep.

Ginger’s lance seems to have a better time of inflicting damage, thanks to being a piercing weapon. However, she’s taken a few hits. Her armour’s kept her in one piece, but there’s clear damage, with buckled plating and even one of her pauldrons is missing. She’s panting, blood running down her cheek as she readies her lance for another clash.

“About time… you returned… Guildmaster. What… news?” she asks, trying to catch her breath.

“There were more bandits coming, but they’ve been wiped out. I drove a group away, but the second was already dead when I got there. Something else beat me to it, but it was gone, whatever it was.”

“Ah… then we have only this last foe before us? Excellent.”

I dive again, and, as the Infernal Warden blocks my slashing strike, Ginger’s lance strikes home, dark, corrupted blood spattering the dirt and sizzling gently.

“KUH… NOT BAD, LITTLE WHELPS. BUT IT’LL TAKE MORE THAN A LITTLE TICKLE TO BRING ME DOWN. TRY HARDER!”

Ginger’s lance starts glowing, as I feel my MP run close to empty, downing a restorative potion.  It helps, and I keep swooping and dive-bombing, distracting the massive demon, as my pterocentaur companion does the bulk of the work.

The fight drags on, and I decide to do something special. Snapping my fingers, I call on a friend. The earth trembles as the Infernal Warden slams her greataxe into the dirt, before something cannons into her, sending her asss-over-teakettle.

“WHAT-!”

I smirk, as my monster companion hops over to me and begins nibbling my hair. “Hi, Thunderbun. Good hit!”

The massive electrobnuuy wiggles her nose, and I scratch her chin. “Can you help keep that big ugly demon busy?”

Thunderbun stamps, and turns round, threads of roiling lightning causing her fur to stick up in rippling waves. Ginger’s eyebrows rise, disappearing into her hairline. “I’m not even going to ask.”

 

Thunderbun hops up and down, as the Infernal Warden hauls herself to her feet, her four eyes narrowing. “GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR…..”

As Ginger raises her lance, Thunderbun leaps, shrouded in a bolt of lightning, crashing down and causing an AOE burst of voltage to erupt around her. The Infernal Warden takes several sparking rays of electricity to the back and wings, snarling as the damage registers. She turns, swinging her axe, and I hurl my shield, putting it between my bnuuy and the blades.

She whirls on me, before I launch a charged punch, running up, ducking under a sideways swipe, and springing up, uppercutting the devil in the chin.  Ginger’s lance drives home cleanly, spearing through and out the back. The eyes dim, and the Infernal Warden chuckles as she starts crumbling to ash.

“HEH. GOOD ENOUGH TO BEST ME, BUT…  NOT DARK ENOUGH. TOO GOODY-TWO-SHOES…”

 

Once the demon’s dissolved into a heap of ash and dissipated on the wind, I blink, turning to Ginger.

“What in the name of the goddess of butt-nekkid moon dance was THAT all about???”

 

Ginger’s eyes widen. “I’m sorry, the goddess of WHAT?! Are you serious? She doesn’t actually EXIST, right?”

I snrrk. “Not that I’ve ever met her. Anyway, we should probably finish up. Need a health potion?”

“That would be much appreciated, yes.”

I hand the pterocentaur a large vial of red liquid, and she takes it gratefully. I tug a second one out and we clink the vials together. “Cheers.”

Recovering our HP gives me time to think. While Ginger isn’t exactly the person I’d expected to join my guild, but she’s clearly good in a fight. She does fit the criteria I set up, and I find myself liking her. She’s clearly a good person, and I’m glad I could rely on her to keep the demon busy and survive.

Gathering up proof of the bandits we’ve slain, I pause, and then reach out to pick up the fallen greataxe. The moment my hand closes around the haft, I recoil. It feels… wrong, cold and unbearably sharp. I almost drop it, but tighten my grip. “Well… the bandits are dealt with. Maybe we can get a bonus for the Infernal Warden thrown in, what do you think?”

Ginger huffs, her ears twitching. “I should hope so. You didn’t take on a quest to slay a demon, did you? We’ve gone above and beyond, so we should be compensated for this.”

I shrug. “Hey, if we do, we do. Shall we head back? I think I’ve got enough proof about our work.”

Thunderbun hops around, and I stretch, feeling my wings tremble as I release the tension in my muscles. Ginger stares at me curiously. “Guildmaster? I have a question about your wings, if you have no problem with me asking?”

 

I turn, blinking. “Oh, sure. I don’t mind, what’s your question?”

“How do you wear such armour? It must weigh a great deal. And how do you wear it? Wouldn’t they get in the way?”

I smile and remove my left gauntlet. “Take yours off, and put one down. Here.”

Confused, Ginger does as I ask, and her eyes widen. “It’s so light! How?!”

I smile. “I know a very good smith. He’s a little eccentric, but he’s a master at what he does. He’s made all the armour I’ve worn, and his prices are very reasonable. If you bring him the stuff to make it, he’ll even discount it! He’s part of a partnership with an enchanter, as well as an overarching organization called the Hephaestus Consortium. I’ll introduce you, if you like!”

 

“I would be honoured! And, as for the second question?”

I turn my back, lifting my wings and spreading them, revealing the specially-made slits in the backplate. Ginger leans in, and I can feel her hands gently inspecting, examining the form of my armour. I shiver.

“Th-that feels weird, please watch the wings?”

I feel the fingers withdraw hastily. “Oh! My apologies, Guildmaster-”

“Just call me Kettrin. And, it’s alright, no harm done!”

Backing away a little, I see the pterocentaur’s cheeks blazing a faint pink. Oh my… I think our newest member’s a bit sapphic! Flying centaur lesbians. Seriously, the NPC’s in this game are so adaptable!

Pulling my gauntlet back on, I ruffle Thunderbun’s ears playfully. “Good work, Thunderbun! Who’s a good bnuuy?!”

I get bapped with one of her ears, and I giggle and scratch under her chin as she drums a footpaw on the ground rapidly.  Returning her to the domain of the Lady of Storms, I ask Ginger, “Do you mind returning to the Devil Hunter and making sure you’re all ready to move aboard? I have some business to take care of in town and I need to visit my Lord.”

“Of course, Guild- I mean, Kettrin.  May your business be concluded without issue!”

With a good run-up, Ginger makes it into the air, her colossal wings beating like rippling sailcloth.

With a careful look around, I focus on Lady Voltesse. I’d like to check in with her. I feel my body beginning to crackle and fizz, a charge starting to build, before I vanish, like a bolt of lightning shooting INTO the sky instead of striking down.

I appear in the main hall of the room I met some of those chosen by Voltesse, looking towards her seat. She’s there, but…

“Ohhh, you’re such a fluffy bun-bun! I can’t believe how soft and poofy-floofy you are!” Voltesse coos, fussing over a gigantic and very familiar bunny. I smirk.

“Having fun playing with Thunderbun, my Lady?”