Level Up: Voidwalker

Atlas and the girls braced themselves as bandits surged out of the darkness, encircling them. Artemis and Estelle's swordsmanship proved crucial as they engaged in swift combat, dispatching their adversaries.

Grishna wielded her spear like a master while using Metal Bullets to puncture through bandits with lethal accuracy. Meanwhile, Amethyst provided cover by killing any foes that appeared from the rear.

Atlas's excitement surged as he cashed Void Step to teleport behind the assailants. He struck their exposed backs with Void Bullets and Arrows before closing in with his dagger. Dodging any attack sent his way while targeting their legs.

His attacks brought them down, allowing him to deliver fatal blows to their skulls by driving his blade into them. Atlas looked around and noticed Lilith was fighting two men, causing him to use Void Step again.

Atlas disappeared and appeared behind the men attacking the honey badger. Without thinking, he cast a Void Arrow into one man's back while plunging his dagger into the side of the second, eliciting a cry of pain as Lilith lunged for the man's throat.

Moving quickly, Atlas darted across the battlefield, stabbing with frenzied excitement. He brought down numerous bandits, slashing throats with a grim thrill. However, in a moment of vulnerability after his last attack, he was caught off guard and struck by a war hammer.

He flew across the battlefield and crashed into a nearby tree with a loud thud before dropping to the ground. Atlas looked up to see the bandit leader approach him with a furious look.

Atlas gulped down a Health Potion, grimacing as pain shot through his body, but he managed to push himself upright. The bandit leader closed in, swinging his hammer. Atlas locked eyes with a spot behind the man and executed Void Step just as the hammer arced toward him.

In a blink, Atlas vanished and reappeared behind the bandit leader. With a desperate leap, he clambered onto the man's broad back, stabbing wildly. Blood sprayed, painting the scene around them crimson.

Lilith rushed forward, slamming into the back of the leader's legs, sending the big man crashing to his knees. Atlas continued his relentless assault, driving his dagger home until the bandit slumped lifeless beneath him.

After the leader fell, the bandits began to crumble. Estelle dispatched several with quick cuts, while Grishna used Silver Shriek to disorient those who remained before stabbing them with her spear.

Amethyst and Artemis swiftly dealt with the remaining foes, aided by Atlas using magic. Once the battle subsided, the girls hurried towards him, but he waved them off as his Regeneration kicked in, swiftly healing his wounded body.

He moved about, cutting the coin pouches from the fallen bandits, prompting confusion among the girls. Estelle voiced her concern, "Why are you taking their belongings? The Path teaches us to honor the dead."

Atlas met her gaze with a narrowed look. "The dead have no use for coins or potions. They would only go to waste if left untouched."

After gathering every pouch he could find, Atlas walked over to the girls sitting at the fire and started to count the loot, which amounted to 3 gold, 20 silver, and 236 copper coins.

''Why don't you care about stealing from the dead?'' Estelle questioned.

He was about to answer, but Grishna quipped, ''Those are bandits, Blondie; they don't deserve the respect.''

With a lofty air, Estelle declared, "The Path insists we respect the dead, but let's face it, those scoundrels don't deserve any respect in death."

Grishna, her orcish temper flaring, retorted sharply, "Pipe down, Bitch. Save your lectures for someone who cares."

Amethyst interjected, trying to keep the peace, "Enough, you two! You're squabbling like alley cats in enemy territory. Can we focus on not getting skewered?"

The two older girls nodded in agreement, causing Atlas to laugh. Their narrowed glares directed at him only fueled his amusement as he stood up. "Don't give me that look," he chuckled, waving them off. "You all are acting like a bunch of feisty cats. Can't a man catch a break around here?"

Atlas wandered over to a tree while Artemis shouted, "Shut it, kid! You're thirteen, not twenty!"

He glanced back at her, only to be met with laughter from the others. Shrugging it off, Atlas climbed up to a nearby branch. Lilith followed, curling up in his lap before drifting off to sleep.

The girls soon noticed he was out cold and started settling down. Estelle offered to take the first watch, which the other two agreed to—after that, the night passed with no problems. The forest came alive around them, but the blonde knight kept them at bay.

When Atlas woke up and forgot where he was until he saw the sunlight, he remembered everything, causing him to sigh, sit up, and stretch before jumping out of the tree, followed by the energetic Lilith.

He approached the girls, who were already awake, but quickly noticed something odd. Atlas stopped walking and asked, ''Where are the bodies?''

They looked at each other, but Estelle was the one to answer, ''The Dark Ones took them.''

***

[Royal Palace - Evergreen City - Capital of the Everglade Kingdom]

King Royce Everglade was in his study when a panicked knock rang out, causing him to shout, ''Stop banding god dammit! Come it.''

Following that, the door flew open, and a young man who was his advisor named Marcus entered, speaking, ''Your Majesty, the Shaytan al-Kharab has been spotted in Setoria City, and reports speak of him aiding the Argonian Princess.''

Upon hearing this, Royce felt a deep realization wash over him, recalling his father's poignant words from his deathbed, 'Do not pursue the devil. Let the creature go and live to see your grandchildren reign over Everglade, my son.'

Royce fixed his gaze on the young man, his expression resolute. "Set them free! Order the army to halt the pursuit of Shaytan al-Kharab." Drawing out a parchment, he inscribed the decree, pressing his seal firmly into the wax.

"Let it be known throughout our lands, Marcus," he declared solemnly. "This decree carries the force of the king's law. In our kingdom of many faiths, I implore all: do not provoke the devil, lest he return leading a formidable army and cover our lands in blood."

"A wise decision, Your Majesty," Marcus bowed. "Your father's legacy shines through your actions."

Once the young man was gone, Royce thought, 'I hope the nobles don't do something stupid. We won't be able to survive a wave of Saharaelians washing over my kingdom.'

He stepped onto his balcony, looked over his capital, and wondered what the future held. That's when he resolved to bring the Argonians to the table in an alliance to fight against the Shaytan al-Kharab.

***

[Sometime in the future - Secret location in the Everglade Kingdom]

A group of nobles met secretly to discuss the rumors of the Shaytan al-Kharab's appearance in our kingdom. They were excited as a woman stood in front of them all and declared, ''If we can kill the devil while he's young, he cannot return to Everglade.''

''I respect and love King Royce, but he doesn't see the danger that our great noble houses do,'' the woman riled up the crowd before continuing. ''The Shaytan al-Kharab will bring ruin on us. With the war taking our sons and daughters to the pirates raiding our coasts, our luck will change if we bring down this devil.''

That's when a man spoke, ''If he reached the Blue Dune Desert, he will unite those devils and begin the Great Jihad that the Achaemenidians warned us about many moons ago.''

Following that, the noble houses of Everglade came together to kill the devil that lurked in their kingdom. Thanks to the war, they couldn't deploy their armies, but they raised another ten thousand soldiers from the veterans and sent them after the boy.

The soldiers headed straight for the Twilight Forest, where they reported their last sighting of him. Some nobles followed behind the army and wanted the glory and fame of killing the devil.

***

[Honorhall City - Capital of the Argonia Kingdom]

King Louis Argonia stood on his balcony watching an army leaving the capital. The second Princess Camille led them. They were ordered to conquer the Moonhare Kingdom's main island, where their royal family was sheltered.

His spymaster André appeared behind him and spoke in a low voice, ''My Brother. Rumors are spreading like wildfire, claiming the Le Malin has risen and Princess Estelle is traveling with him.''

Louis looked at his younger brother. ''It doesn't surprise me; her mother is the leader of the L'Église du Messie, but that won't stop Élise from hunting the boy. What do you suggest?''

''Capture the boy and sell him to the Achaemenidian Slavers,'' André replied. ''Or we can make him an ally of the kingdom if the right terms are offered.''

''Terms? Speak your mind, brother,'' Louis said in a frustrated tone.

''If he and little Estelle get on, offer her hand in marriage, and I'm sure the boy will accept, and that will allow us to have a powerful tool at our disposal,'' Andre suggested, but that's when the voice of reason interrupted.

"Don't try to shackle the Le Messie Élu. This will only backfire on us," cautioned Isabelle Argonia, the first queen and mother to Estelle. "Let our daughter handle the boy; she has a certain charm about her."

Louis nodded in agreement, much to the frustration of Andre, who stormed off in a huff, causing the royal couple to shake their heads.

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