A Story of Evil

Chapter 110: Jade

"Dammit!" 

In the middle of nowhere Herald held the decapitated heads of two giant serpents. His blood was boiling and, all the veins on his arm protruded. Behind him were two servants in a half knelt position. Bowing their heads as their master stood on a large mound of corpses.

"Why won't anyone listen to me? Don't they understand how dangerous it is to keep those humans alive?" Herald asked to the heads which he was holding.

"They do not see it as clearly as you my lord. That's why they're refusing your idea." One attendant, Nathan, said. Making Herald stare on the other serpent head

"Yeah that's probably it right? That fucking Damian is so delusional! Thinking that he's better than all of us. We haven't even had any proper fight! Not once! And yet his position is higher than mine? Why is that?"

"It is unfair to you my lord." 

"Damn right it's unfair! Fuck! This is so frustrating. I just want to help them out yet they're refusing my generosity?" 

Even Herald's attendants were hurt by what was happening. They knew that their lord deserved more yet, he was being treated less. That's why they came up with a suggestion. One which Nathaniel voiced out.

"Then why don't we attack them ourselves my lord?"

"Huh?" Herald gazed back at them. With Nathaniel continuing the explanation.

"If we attack those humans now, even before they could cause a scene, then we'd gain all the glory of taking out the second generation." The words of his servant was like a splash of cold water to Herald. 

He thought of all the benefits he could gain. He thought of how he could raise his rank. Even higher than that of Damian's. He thought of how his name would be recorded in history as the sole emperor who slaughtered the pests. 

All these things were just too good to for Herald to pass out on. Getting his priorities clear and calling out his other attendant. 

"Mathilda." 

"Yes my lord?" 

"How many soldiers and monsters do we have at our disposal?

"A total of a thousand my lord."

"That should be enough." Herald said, dropping the heads as he took out his wings. Growing all of a sudden from his back. Six of these with crimson red shade.

"Scout the areas we will raid. Let's show those pesky second generation weaklings who's boss."

"My lord!" One soldier from the water domain came running towards Sol. Wearing a worried expression on his face.

As soon as they finished breakfast and planning, Sol's division headed out. By noon they reached the second area and, as soon as they did so, the group finally rested. It was just a short rest. One where everyone ate and rested. Making sure that they were ready for the fight that was to come. 

However, the soldier that came to Sol at that time didn't look relaxed at all. Solomon recognized that he was on guard duty that time. Giving Sol a bit of an idea what he would ask.

"What is it?" Sol replied, wanting to make sure that his guess was correct.

"It's Jade my lord. He went out all on his own!" The guard said, confirming Sol's suspicion who replied calmly:

"Leave him be."

"W-What?"

"As soon as we came here, Jade requested for it himself. He said he wanted to thin out the enemies as much as he could for us." 

"But what about resting my lord? Aren't you worried about him?"

"Worried? Please. Jade is the strongest soldier on the assault division. If anything, you should be more worried about the monsters that'll stand in his way.

"B-But my lord."

"Calm down." Sol tapped the soldier on the shoulder as he said:

"Everything is within my calculations. Nothing bad will happen to him."

Jade isn't a person that's easy to get along with. The only people he ever talked to were his own teammates. The same ones who joined him in the Culling. 

Other than this, everyone was too afraid to even come close. Remembering king Nova whenever they see his green flames. Although, Jade himself isn't even a relative of the king.

Because of this, there is a certain level of gap created between him and the other soldiers. Something which they still respected nevertheless. After all, Jade was capable, calm and composed. He worked efficiently on every mission and, never complained. He would even do reconnaissance whenever possible; as if he was purposely beating down his own body.

But this isn't actually the case. Jade just wanted to finish the mission as soon as possible. Because after it, he would finally get what he wanted. And even at that moment, he was working towards this goal. Drinking until the last drop of the water crystal he had in order to quench his thirst.

Standing on a mound of burnt corpses. With the scorching sun right above him, and an inferno surrounding everything around him.

"Man, you guys are weaker than I thought." 

Skeleton soldiers. These are the creatures which Jade was fighting at that time. But these weren't normal skeleton soldiers. They are ones with affinity to fire meaning, they are more resistant to it. Their bones sturdier than normal and, could even burn something upon contact.

They surrounded Jade, a hundred of them at that. With some being archers while some were melees. With some even riding skeleton lizards and holding lances on their hands. 

It was a full welcome for Jade but, he couldn't care less. He wasn't fazed nor was he scared. 

"It's a good thing that I asked commander to go out earlier. The other soldiers would probably have a  hard time dealing with you."

The skeletons had no interest on his words an began attacking. Jade didn't allow them to even come near. Snapping his fingers over and over again. Making green flames explode right at the face of the skeletons who got the affected parts burned.

He wasn't even using his halberd yet. The weapon was still tucked at his back. Jade simply continued making explosion after explosion yet, even his opponents were hard to faze. They continued their reckless advance. Closing the gap little by little until, the real fight finally begun.

Arrows came flying at Jade and, the riders speedily made their way to him. Jade, grabbed on to his halberd and, leapt straight at the riders. Dodging most of the arrows; with one grazing his arm and burning it. He didn't mind. He was used to burning because of Blaze and, the amount he experienced at that moment was nothing to him.

Upon getting close to the riders, he made one full swing. Breaking the bones instead of slicing through them. The rider on top was able to make an attack. Thrusting his bone spear on Jade. The boy easily dodged this however, bending down as he made another snap. Creating  an explosion right at the face of the skeleton which burned it right away.

No matter how resistant the creatures were to fire, Jade's flames were superior. It was the second strongest and, simply because of this, he could burn them down. Turning them into ashes a minute after they catch fire.

The skeletons had a trump card however. They had three skeleton mages at the back. All preparing their flame spells at that moment. This attack grew more and more until Jade finally saw it.

A gigantic ball of blue flames was directed at him. Jade tried avoiding this by backing away yet, the other skeleton soldiers had him cornered on every side. With the arrows also limiting his movement.

With this, the skeletons knew their victory was secured. They fired the ball of flames towards the human. Catching him in an inferno that turned into a spiraling hurricane so big that, it could be seen back at the camp.

All the skeleton soldiers were caught in this, yet instead of dying, they absorbed the blue flames. Turning them into infernal skeleton soldiers. Monsters ten levels higher than their base from.

With this, they planned to attack the other humans whom they have also scouted earlier on. However, they have overestimated themselves too much as, their opponent came out of the flames. Very much alive. Without taking any damage and, completely bored.

"You guys might've been hard to deal with for the other soldier" Jade began, creating the runes necessary for his next attack. The soldiers tried attacking him again yet, the green flames scorched even hotter. Making them back away.

"Too bad I'm the one you faced." Jade said as the preparation for the skill was finally complete. Condensing all the flames into a single point and, sucking out every fire within then field as he casted:

"Overheat!"