Eight Gods on a Windowsill

A'grappa made his landing on Mawry. For a world of warriors, everything seemed peaceful. He chose not to enter the planet as he had done with Scarra and Franc. There was a disturbance nearby and he instead decided to conserve the mana he had managed to acquire since his reawakening. He observed the world he landed in. Everything was made from nature itself, bent to the whims of the planet with only a few structures made from rock. Temples and places of governance. Everything else was made of sod covered dirt or branches twined together with vines. The style of architecture leaning on the preservation of life itself sickened A'grappa.

The world looked mostly untouched. Very different from what he had heard about them from the Scarrins. The Scarrins had once fought against the Mizokathi millennia ago and apparently their military prowess had stuck with them. But, what A'grappa saw here belied the notions he had of a highly trained powerful warrior race. He half-expected the planet to be completely overrun with technology. Not a planet that was stuck in the stone age and living like elves.

He took his time, slowly walking into a nearby town. Felid people were moving about in a bustle, oblivious of his presence. They minded themselves with the open air markets and idle chatter between friends. They interacted with each other as he passed them by. A smile edged its way across his face.

I am going to have even more fun here. I don't know why I didn't think about using the element of surprise to make their fear even stronger. My mana will grow exponentially with the wails of their frustration and anger.

A'grappa relaxed his muscles and closed his eyes. He came to a complete stop in the middle of the road. He took a deep breath, drawing in as much air as he possibly could. And, without warning, he exhaled flames so wide and hot that it engulfed all that it touched. The buildings, people, and streets were lit ablaze. Even the air close by caused the fires to spread. Everything writhed and turned black.

Screams followed. The hurried steps of the fleeing. The cries for help and warning echoed throughout. The chaos tasted wonderful.

A'grappa could feel his mana surge. He sucked it in from the deceased and from the terror emitted by the running civilians. He waited a little while. He was sure that soon many more would show up to try to tame the blaze and probably him. He continued to wait. He watched as the town burned around him. He walked through the flames, undeterred by their heat and destructive capability. They could not harm him.

After a few minutes, no one came. A'grappa grew bored and continued down the road, letting the village burn behind him. Will no one come? I hunger for battle. For chaos. Is there no challenge here? Is what the Scarrins said untrue or changed from their last encounter? Are there really no true warriors left in this part of the multiverse? His thoughts went to Gilgahlad. That young Fraction, Gilgahlad, was so promising. He had the strength to make even we Great Ones go all out. How I wish I could fight him once more. Even if it meant I would be sealed once again. To have such a battle. A'grappa's bloodlust began to leak out from his body and work through his surroundings, causing everything to burst into flames or shrivel as he walked on, dreaming of battles of days past.

Suddenly, the world in the distance began to blur. A'grappa stopped where he was. He could feel the presence of a few people. 

"Dead Space." Came a calm voice in the distance.

"Finally someone has come to contest me. Here I thought that all of the inhabitants of this planet had gone soft." A'grappa said with mirth in his voice. His eyes scanned for a figure or how many he felt. He saw no one. He could only feel their presence. They had to be somewhere. "Too shy to show yourselves?"

"No." I replied. Tranquility exuded from my voice. "I cannot come at you the same way as I had the last time, A'grappa. That would be suicide."

A'grappa chuckled. "I see you have grown in wisdom, child of Rammel." He spun around, eagerly looking for where I could be. His eyes were wild with bloodlust. "You think I didn't know about your connection? Your very core smells of him."

I teleported into the space Harvey created. Alone. "I don't really care if you know about my connection. I don't really care if you think that I am shy or cowardly. I will have your head, A'grappa. One way or another."

Stamina at one hundred percent. Stockpiling mana. Doping in fifty percent.

Doping? I can do that?

A'grappa wasted no time blowing fire at me, scorching everything in its path. The grass, the road, the air, whatever the fire touched burned. His head began to swivel as his eyes searched around him, scanning for whatever he could find.

"You didn't think I would make it that easy, did you?" I said from behind him. I didn't even give him the chance to respond. I immediately coated my fist in a barrier stronger than the ones I had used on him before. My control was much greater than the last time he and I fought. It was wasn't perfect, but better. I struck him in the neck.

A'grappa stumbled forward. In an instant, he spun on his heels. Eyes constantly scanning.

Once more I struck A'grappa from behind. I wanted to play with him a little. I wanted to let him eat of the same cake he was giving out to everyone else. I continued my onslaught, a flurry of hit and run tactics that used up very little mana.

A'grappa closed his eyes. I could tell he was feeling for me. Trying to judge where I was so that he could counter my abilities.

It was at this point I knew I had to stay away and use long range hit and run tactics. I sent ash and wind at him in all directions as I moved about. These attacks still didn't eat up my mana. I knew if I really wanted to do any actual damage to him and weaken him, I had to step up my game. Those abilities would leave me vulnerable. I had to bide my time while the other pieces of the puzzle got into position.

Stamina at ninety-seven percent. Stockpiling mana.

I need to find an opening. I am not letting them in here without one. I don't want to waste their efforts by bringing them to their deaths. What would the point be?

Master. Let us help you. I am sure we can provide some kind of distraction that would allow for you to catch him off guard.

Fine.

I called forth Kratos and Kerberos. They immediately split into several dozen versions of themselves and then did something I had no idea that they could do. I watched as they summoned legions of undead.

I watched as A'grappa did his best to fend of undying hordes of enemies. Nothing made me more ecstatic than to see him struggle. I wasn't about to let my familiars' efforts go to waste. I immediately put my hands together and summoned Rammel and the rest of the battalion he had come with. As difficult as this was going to be, I wanted to ensure that every chance we were given was taken. And, if I could expend as little amount of life as possible, it would mean that I could overwhelm him easier.

"You think this light of an attack is enough to stop me?" He barked while covered in several bodies and hell-hounds. Despite his struggle, he was not without movement. He could do very little, however. They kept him busy. He couldn't even attack me.

"You heard him, guys. He wants a little light." I said with a smile.

Rammel teleported into the space with his battalion. He put his hands together as he erected a barrier around the forces that came in with him. Those that could use long range attacks, like Abryi immediately began to do so. I was glad that Lousfrith had crafted staff weapons that emitted energy. It meant that I could keep the mortals at bay. Campbell and Baen pounced on him.

"How's that for light?"

A'grappa flexed as all the attacks began to overpower him. Those that were on top of him were thrown off and back several feet. They landed on the hard ground as A'grappa opened his mouth, blowing bullets of flames in all directions.

Once more, Rammel and I erected barriers to absorb his attacks. I breathed a sigh of relief as the attacks failed to pass through the barriers. I had truly gotten stronger. "A'grappa, I thought I said I wouldn't make it easy on you."