Act One: The Pyro Pyre

Prologue

Act Two: Light Bearers

Act Three: Seabound Siblings

Act Four: Hecatomb Trials

&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;While soaring slowly through the smog, the crew of The Bleeding Banty hear a sudden distant cry. Not long after, they sense an approaching warmth near the port side of the ship. Seeing the crew frozen in fear, Miles lit a lantern on the Banty&#x2019;s left side. To his surprise, a bright pink eye about twenty times his size stood staring at him and his crew. No question about it, this was an eye of one of the fearsome rottenwings that ruled the wild blue yonder after dark. Rottenwings are long snake-like behemoths that soar through the air with horns on the front of their heads that share a similar shape to harpoons. Their hostility level is easily identified by the color of their eyes (which is probably racist in some retrospect). However, an easier way to determine the creature&#x2019;s ill will is to see where you encounter them. The Crimson pink-eyed rottenwings are almost always found in fog and are the most passive out of the three different types. The Terror blue-eyed rottenwings are detected in raging storms and the Acid lime-eyed rottenwings are not only found in the open, but are also the biggest and most hostile. But as passive as they may be, the Crimson rottenwings have a history of running into ships out of fear or unawareness, so the crew of The Bleeding Banty were still petrified even if they got the blank in the revolver in this situation.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;Without warning, the rottenwing cried out once more and swiftly left the scene.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;Ha! They must be more scared of us than we&#x2019;re scared of them!&#x201D; said one crewmate.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;They aren&#x2019;t scared of humans when they&#x2019;re immobile&#x201D; said another.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;Swiftly after, the bright lime glow of the eyes of an Acid rottenwing was rapidly approaching The Bleeding Banty. Yet, despite the viciousness of the beast, it flew past the boat in fear. Although, the scars and cuts on its skin seemed to have affected its speed. Once the fog cleared up as if the wind blew it away entirely, a rusty and low quality ship with a baby rottenwing headmount as the figurehead made itself visible and with it, a vast stone landscape. On the nose of this ship, stood a knight in black armour.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;Not fleeing? You&#x2019;re rather the bravest or most braindead crew I&#x2019;ve encountered today, but you&#x2019;ll burn all the same.&#x201D; said the black knight. This knight was what would be commonly referred to as a tryhard, sweat or overly competitive loser. Someone who can&#x2019;t have fun if someone else is and therefore will do anything and everything in their power to strip the world around them of peace and joy. This man not only wanted something from the crew, but wanted to make sure they felt pain whether they fulfill his demands or not.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;I am Bishop, ruler of everything I sight and destroyer of all things I deem unworthy of prosperity.&#x201D; If the edgy attire and self-absorbed attitude didn&#x2019;t make it obvious enough, this specific phrase spoken by the knight confirmed Miles&#x2019; suspicions that the one under the suit of armour was no older than the age of twelve. Miles heads into the captain&#x2019;s quarters.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;By high order of the god of flame, me, I demand an exchange with the captain of this horrid chicken ship!&#x201D;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;Miles walks out of the captain&#x2019;s quarters sporting Redspot&#x2019;s shoulder-padded, high collar, crested, black, red-accented jacket and his silver, dark-hilted sabre fractured all along the blade.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;You! Hand over all your valuables and I might spare you and your crew&#x201D; declares Bishop.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;Miles makes his way back to the port side of the ship to view Bishop and his rusted vessel docked on the stone turf. Bishop holds back his blade like he&#x2019;s preparing to hit a heavy slash. His claymore begins to bleed flames behind his back, his armour replicates this with fire flowing through the breathes of his helmet and the creases and gaps in his armour. He finally unleashes his blade steering it towards The Bleeding Banty, the flames slicing through the deck of the ship and burning a crewmate in the process. Though the pirate was burnt to ashes, the Banty was perfectly fine. Miles remains silent.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;No way in hell will I damage my new trophy, but I won&#x2019;t hesitate to kill each and every one of you individually if your captain doesn&#x2019;t comply.&#x201D;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;Still, Miles remains silent. He raises his blade to the sky and instantly, a bright, vibrant bolt of lightning descends from the heavens into the hilt of his sword causing it and Miles to radiate a voltaic blue light. With bolts riding up Miles&#x2019; cheeks and chest, pupilless eyes and glowing skin, the only natural aspect Miles still holds is the wide grin across his face when launching himself with immense force towards Bishop with but a single leap.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;Bishop forms wings of fire through the back of his flaming armour then rises above Miles, who landed on the plane of stone next to Bishop&#x2019;s ship. Seeing a straight path from his position to Bishop&#x2019;s, Miles takes a step back in preparation causing massive splits in the rocky wall behind him. &#x201C;Oh my lord I&#x2019;m literally going to obliterate this guy.&#x201D; Miles thinks to himself. As he plunges towards Bishop, instead of running, the burning knight braces himself by holding his claymore in front of him. The two combatants clash their blades together creating an enormous shockwave of fire and lightning.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;They suddenly feel an upsurge in strength leading to Miles launching Bishop into another stone wall. Miles quickly attempts to thrust his sabre into Bishop&#x2019;s chestplate, but gets pushed off onto the gravel. When Miles rapidly pulls his blade to his side as he gets back on his feet, it forms a whip-like string of lightning out between the broken pieces of his fractured sword. Bishop holds his claymore back once more to charge a heavier hit of fire but is barely interrupted by the undercut of Miles&#x2019; string of lightning. The fire flies off the blade onto the stone around them. Bishop steers his arm towards Miles while he still has the height advantage revealing what appears to be a furnace duct in the palm of his hand. The coal knight spews flames out his hand, engulfing Miles in a rain of fire.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;Sparks start to fly out of the blaze where Miles once stood. Even if surrounded by hearth, the strength residing within Miles thanks to the prior captain&#x2019;s cutlass succeeds in freeing him from the inferno Bishop submerged him in. With flames flying in every corner of the arena of stone, even the clouds above them begin to turn red.&#x26;nbsp; All of a sudden, a loud, distorted cry is heard above the bright veil. Bishop raises his claymore, piercing it though the clouds.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;Let the heavens cry.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;Once saying this, Bishop slices his blade, splitting the sky in half and revealing something bigger in doing so. The Ember rottenwing, presumed to be a myth, creeping out of the burning sky. A vile brute, twice as large as the rest of its bloodline, consumed by fire. The beast approaches Miles at a rapid pace as he tries to charge his sword the same way Bishop did. As the blood from under the cuts of his skin begins to rise, Miles holds his sabre before him.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;The beast lets out an eerie roar as it descends from the smog above the two combatants. As the Ember rottenwing reaches Miles, he focuses the voltaic power of his prior captain through him. With lightning flowing though his veins, Miles lets out a violent burst of electricity, tearing the rottenwing apart the more it enters Miles&#x2019; vicinity. Once the tail of the creature is torn by lightning, another shockwave sends Miles onto his back. Seeing Miles in a weakened state, Bishop settles onto the gravel before him and steers the edge of his blade to his neck. Obviously out of breath, Bishop says:&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;That was simply the warmup round, if you&#x2019;re in such a sorry state after something so measly, you&#x2019;re in for one hellish experience if you insist on fighting back. Act wisely, Captain, and succumb to me.&#x201D;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;Suddenly, Bishop begins to hear the sound of static behind him and looks around to find the source. Miles goes to stab him but Bishop catches his blade, re-gaining his awareness. Bishop looks down to see half of the blade missing.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;He then notices the small shards of the captain&#x2019;s sabre floating around him, each one connecting to each other through strings of electricity, holding the power of Miles&#x2019; shockwave. Miles rapidly retracts the broken pieces causing each one to shock Bishop, pushing him away. With his guard down, he feels a sharp puncture in his armour. He looks up to see Miles with his sword lodged in his chestplate and a smirk on his face.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;Small bolts of lighting ride up Miles&#x2019; blade into Bishop&#x2019;s chest, with each one growing bigger in size. Finally, a fully charged bolt of lightning slowly makes it&#x2019;s way up the sword as more smaller bolts follow their pattern. Before Bishop even has the chance to struggle, the large voltaic charge reaches him and he and his armour burst into multiple pieces.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;The crew of The Bleeding Banty stare in awe as the smoke from the discharge begins to disperse and Miles&#x2019; skin and sword return to normal. Miles turns to look back at the ship that he now understands that he&#x2019;s completely in charge of with an even more surprised look on his face than his crew. He checks Bishop&#x2019;s sloop for any valuables but fails to find any. The crew greet Miles with cheers of joy and relief and some members even walk up to him with quills and paper.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;How common do you think knights with fire claymores are?&#x201D; asks the first crew member.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;If you end up dying while protecting the ship, who will you pass on your possessions to?&#x201D; asks the second.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;We have a job offer waiting at the closest port, Captain.&#x201D; states the third and final crewmate.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;Heading?&#x201D; replies Miles.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;Oh&#x2026;I forgot, sir. I didn&#x2019;t think you were actually paying attention to what we were saying.&#x201D;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x201C;Ok.&#x201D;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;&#x9;The two pirates stand in silence as Miles smiles at his obviously terrible navigator until the crew member decides to go check what course to set for. As the rest of the crew returns to their stations, Miles looks over the endless horizon and begins to believe that he hasn&#x2019;t seen the last of people like Bishop. But, that thought is interrupted by the doors of the captain&#x2019;s quarters being slammed open by a masked silhouette Miles would soon wish he&#x2019;d forget.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;

&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;span style=&#x22;background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#x22;&#x3E;A roaming adventurer, named Reginald Beckett, is speaking to a small fire spirit, known as Miles, who unfolds the tale of his life in Endless Horizon before transferring his soul to a pyromancer and passing on his belongings to Reginald.&#x3C;/span&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;