Caesar didn"t have any time to relax nor think about which evolution path to choose"SCREEEECH"
The gryphon started closing in at a fast speed, It opened it"s huge wings and flew down towards Caesar.
"FIRE" someone called out
Arrows started raining down on the gryphon… Caesar looked up and saw his knightss firing burning arrows at the gryphon.
"We won"t abandon you general!" the soldiers roared out
"Thud"
The arrows. .h.i.t the gryphon however they could hardly penetrate it"s thick skin nor catch it"s feathers on fire. The gryphon clearly irritated by the arrows changed direction and headed towards the knights on the hill.
...00:52...00:51...00:50…
Caesar looked at the evolution paths again…
[Bloodmancer] (rare)
[Marauder] (rare)
[Immortal] (legendary)
[Blood demon] (legendary)
"I a.s.sume "legendary" is better than "rare"? Why would it give me multiple choices if some are better than others?" Caesar thought frantically inside his head.
The gryphon was going to slaughter the archers if Caesar didn"t do anything, he looked towards the evolution paths again and started his a.n.a.lysing the merits/downfalls of both immortal/blood demon.
"The immortal might give me regeneration? Or perhaps just a longer life span? It doesn"t seem like much of a fighting cla.s.s, the blood demon sounds ominous but I don"t really have much a choice in this situation" Caesar thought inwardly
[Blood Demon evolution path chosen]
[Vampire physique evolved into n.o.ble Physique]
[n.o.ble physique evolution progress 0%]
"Pop"
Caesar felt his bones creaking and the veins in his body getting destroyed then repaired. Caesar wanted to scream out in pain but was unable to do so…. What felt like hours actually only lasted a second.
Caesar could feel a new unknown energy in his body, he felt an instinctual connection to it… "is this my "Authority"?" he muttered
Caesar tapped into this unknown energy and a black mist started surging out of his body… The gra.s.s around Caesar started decaying and dying… Everything that was touched by the black mist died.
The gryphon that was charging towards the knights abruptly stopped and turned around…. It peered into the black mist that Caesar was in the middle of.
"Danger"
The gryphon instinctually felt fear towards the unknown power, the black mist kept growing in size… 1 meter…2 meters….3 meters…. 4 meters….
Caesar at this time was in a dream state… Darkness surrounded Caesar, the only thing in front of him was a single road, Caesar started walking forward on the path.
As he got further and further down the path ominous whispers started ringing in his head.
"Strength lies not in gaining immortality but being able to take immortality away"
"Those that tread the path of light can not stand with us"
"Their fear is our power"
"For we are the demons in everyone"s blood"
"The fear of death…"
"None can escape the sands of time besides death itself"
The whispers started getting louder and louder, Caesar could bear the pain in his head and screamed out.
"Ahhh"
Suddenly he sat up to see an familiar roof, sweat covered his body. Caesar looked around and saw a shocked knight sitting beside him.
"G-general are you ok? You were tossing and turning in your sleep"
"I"m fine… How long was I asleep for?"
"About three hours general"
Three hours? "It felt like I walked on that path for weeks" Caesar couldn"t help but whisper to himself.
"Did you say something general?"
"No. What happened to the gryphon?"
"About that…. When the gryphon was about to attack us it hesitated and looked at a giant black mist that was forming around the burning forest, the other soldiers speculated it was the mad spirits of all the elves buried there"
"Is that so?"
"Y-your body was lying in the middle of the black mist but after the black mist dissipated I retrieved you and placed you in my tent"
"I see… What are our casualties?"
"About 1/4th of our regiment died in battle sir, if we didn"t retreat when we did… the number of casualties would have drastically risen"
"Recover the bodies, we will hold a funeral"
"Yes general!"
The knight rushed out of the tent to go relay Caesars orders to the others in the encampment… Caesar slowly stood up and happened to see his reflection in the mirror.
His skin was as pale as ever however his eyes were no longer yellow but a piercing red. "Sigh, i truly look like a villain, not to mention I have to somehow explain the change of color in my eyes to my father…"
Caesar walked over to the clothes that the knight had left for him on the table… A large jacket Embroidered with gold lines on the sleeves and two golden dragons on the shoulders. A thin b.u.t.ton up black shirt with black gloves and a thin pair of black pants. A pair of shin high military boots were also placed by the outfit.
Caesar put on the outfit he let the outer jacket flow on his shoulders but didn"t place his arms through the sleeves. "Where did that guy find these clothes??" Caesar couldn"t help but think to himself.
Caesar stepped out of the tent and walked towards the middle of the encampment. While he was walking a soldier ran up to him and saluted.
"General all of the bodies have been retrieved…"
"Good, we will take them with us back to the kingdom."
"Yes general"
Caesar reached the middle of the encampment and hit the drum once.
"Badum"
The knights hearing the drum all rushed towards the sound and started lining up in front of Caesar. Once the last soldier arrived Caesar opened his mouth.
"You all have fought very bravely and I am truly proud to have led you, It is a shame that all of us could not be here to relish in this victory…"
The knights look down sadly
"However, we must carry the hopes and dreams of those that have fallen on our backs… They may not be here to celebrate with us but they are here to help push us forward!"
"YES GENERAL!" The knights roared in response
"Pack up the tents, we are heading back towards the kingdom tonight"
The knights saluted and started rushing off to pack up their things… Caesar walked to his tent and entered it. Inside was a girl that looked around 12-13 years old, she had chestnut hair and a round face. She was swinging her legs while humming a tune.
Caesar walked towards her and crouched down… "we are going to head home now" Caesar said as he patted her on the head.
This was the little girl they rescued from the goblin encampment, she stayed in the encampment while Caesar and the rest were fighting.
":okay! Is it fun there?"
"Very fun" Caesar smiled and replied
The girl looked into Caesars piercing red eyes and was entranced for a few seconds until Caesar broke her out of it.
"What"s wrong"
"N-nothing, were your eyes always so beautiful?"
"What is your name little la.s.s?" Caesar swiftly changed the topic
The girl put her index finger on her chin and put on a "thinking" expression… Suddenly she put her finger down and looked towards Caesar with a beaming smile.
"I don"t have one!" She replied energetically.
"I see... then from now on you will be called Elizabeth Pheles"
"Hehe that name sounds pretty, thank you daddy"
"Daddy…?"
"Someone once told me that the one that names you and takes care of you is your dad!"
"I see… Just call me uncle for now"
"Okay"
Caesar walked out of tent and left Elizabeth, Caesar walked out of the encampment and raised his hand… A black mist started leaking from his hand. "This power is dangerous, and can"t distinguish between friend and foe" Caesar thought inwardly as he placed his right hand on a small flower.
The flower slowly withered and died, "I"ll call this "Authority" whither" Caesar whispered to himself
---------
In a place far away
"Step"
"Step"
"Pope it"s urgent, all of the prophets are screaming "A great evil has descended""
"WHAT?!?! I thought all of them were eliminated in the holy war"
"I don"t know your holiness"
The pope soon regained his composure and asked
"How is the hero coming along"
"Sir he is now capable of fighting C level beasts at the mere age of 17"
"Excellent, tell him to go adventure up north to find that young elven saint that should be around 18 years old now"
"the one that resided in the northern forests?"
"Yes that one, The hero needs a strong group of allies to fight the upcoming dangers"
"I will go tell the hero right this moment"
The pope sat back down in his chair and contemplated "I really hope it"s one of the weaker great evils… if it"s a demon, alas the world could enter another holy war"
------
Little did they know the entire northern forests were merely ashes now and the culprit was currently on his horse playing with a little girl.
"MOVE OUT!"
A little girl yelled out as loud as she could on Caesars horse to the soldiers
"Yes Princess!"
"Hehe this is so fun uncle"
Caesar smiled wryly at the little girl on his lap.