Aethelos: The Bastard of Light

(SCENARIO: Interior of the Forest of Noxi. Clearing with three unconscious competitors on the ground.) · Eli Cari let out a sigh, looking at the unconscious bodies. The speed of his Sharp Light had given him a victory, but the adrenaline was still running. “Phew, it’s done. But let’s get out of here, because the noise of the fight must have attracted curious people.” · Eli Cari has short dark-brown hair. Eli Cari has golden/amber eyes. Eli Cari wears a grey training suit with light armor details. · Yana, already composed, examined the surroundings with the attentive gaze of Éteris. Yana has dark hair of medium length. Yana has green or light-brown eyes. Yana wears modest clothes. “Yes, let’s leave before they wake up. But maybe we should, I don’t know, hide them in a tree? It’s dangerous to leave these three idiots here. Someone could end up attacking them and we’d be the ones blamed.” · Eli Cari murmured, his Vindicari side approving the logic of caution. “Yes, my code of ethics had already thought of that.” · With the help of Yana’s Groien roots (green plants and roots), which worked like elevators, the two hid the unconscious competitors in the highest branches of an oak. They continued on their way, blending into the density of the Forest of Noxi. · The silence returned, but not for long. They heard a slow, scraping sound of branches breaking. Someone was approaching. · It was a Luzlon. A Vindicari who had died and who, like the Schulon, was forced to act with empty attack instinct, imprisoned in the world. The Luzlon has damaged golden armor and empty eyes. It DOES NOT HAVE WINGS. It DOES NOT HAVE A HALO. It DOES NOT LOOK LIKE AN ANGEL. It is an empty humanoid body with a weak, unstable light aura. · Eli Cari looked at the golden carcass of the former Light warrior, now nothing more than a puppet. “It must have been very hard for the families of these people. One day they come here and their relative is nothing but an empty carcass with attack instinct.” · “It can’t have been easy,” Yana answered, her gaze on the Luzlon filled with the unshakable sadness of Éteris. “But the truth is that anyone who has a Luzlon relative can no longer think of him as their relative, because he isn’t anymore.” · Eli Cari, with Sharp Light already active (thin golden blade), dealt with the Luzlon with the same efficiency as the Schulon. But the sight of the golden undead hit him deeply. Could one of these Luzlon here in the kingdom be my father…? The idea was a blow: the Order he sought to preserve could have turned his father into a soulless creature. · His thoughts were interrupted by a massive roar that shook the forest, followed by a shout of power. The sound was far too heavy. · Eli Cari and Yana looked at each other, eyes wide. “What is that?!” · Eli Cari, driven by his new urgency for strength, started moving toward the sound. “We have to go see. It could be someone in danger or at a numerical disadvantage.” · Yana, cautious, grabbed his arm. “Eli! We have to be careful. We could be the ones who become the victims. It’s a classic tactic to draw attention and ambush the curious.” · “Okay, yes,” Eli Cari agreed, forcing himself to think tactically. “But… what if it’s not?” · The possibility of a real power confrontation was stronger. The two decided to see what was happening. They moved cautiously, Eli Cari with Sharp Light ready and Yana prepared to use her Groien for camouflage. · What they saw when they reached a clearing was something unprecedented. · In the center, Lygar was fighting six competitors at the same time. It was a diverse group: Vindicari, Éteris and Noxians. The incredible part was not the number, but the way Lygar was winning. · Lygar has longer, spiky black/dark hair. Lygar has dark purple/violet eyes. Lygar has a cold, arrogant expression. Lygar wears dark Noxian-style clothing (black jacket/coat). A black and purple shadow aura partially surrounds Lygar. · He moved with the speed of Shadow, turning combined attacks into opportunities. His Black Light was pure efficiency. He did not defend; he deflected and attacked with his blade of darkness, with a discipline Eli Cari had only seen in elite Vindicari. · Eli Cari and Yana were shocked by how easily Lygar handled the battlefield. In the middle of the fight, Lygar suddenly stopped. With a casual movement, he dissipated a Light projectile and cut the leg of one of his attackers. · Then Lygar slowly turned and looked directly at Eli Cari and Yana. His gaze was cold and full of scorn. · “The ungrateful one and Yana also want to fight me?” His voice cut through the silence. “I thought you were smarter, Mixed-blood. Do you think your glowing kitchen knife can stand up to this?” He made a disinterested gesture toward the group of competitors falling around him. · Eli Cari felt completely exposed and suddenly pathetic. Lygar’s lesson was not yet complete.