Evolution: A Warlock’s Rise To Power

Bone Crusher watched helplessly as the storm continued to ravage the central market for a full minute until the clouds started to disperse.

Not a single building remained standing. Rubble and debris covered the streets. The players on the balcony of the headquarters looked at the area before them but couldn't find any of their players.

A single figure hovered on a broom in the center of the destruction. A black book appeared in front of him again.

"Quickly kill him, before he can cast another spell. Cinder, use your monthly spell."

"But guild leader-."

"I don't care, the area is destroyed already, I want him dead."

The wizard named Cinder didn't argue with his leader and pulled out a crystal ball. He activated the most powerful spell he had stored inside. Something he wouldn't be able to use for the next month.

Before the black book could stop flipping to the right page, a large swirl of fire formed in the sky. Hot winds began to spread from the area as a flaming tornado stretched down onto the warlock.

Bone Crusher grinned as the firestorm was unleashed. To his surprise, the warlock flashed him a smile before collapsing into shadows along with the black book.

The firestorm roamed the ground burning everything in its path. The debris from the collapse building was picked up by the swirling winds, set alight and hurled across the city.

The winds were so fast that even a piece of straw was able to pierce through stone.

"Damn it!" Bone Crusher cursed.

*Boom* *Boom* *Boom*

***

On the Evolution forums, a post titled 'The fall of Hibedon' was starting to gain a lot of attention. The number of views were doubling every couple of seconds.

-"What the heck is going on? Isn't Hibedon the city that houses Bone Crusher's guild? Is someone really attacking him?"

-"Ha, ha, I love watching a good guild war. This one came out of nowhere. Which guild attacked Bone Crusher?"

-"It is not a guild, but a single player."

-"Whoa, a single player did this? They must be a high ranker."

-"I just watched the highlights from the beginning. It is Lucan Quilldrake, a warlock."

-"Lucan Quilldrake, who is that?"

-"He recently made a name for himself. Have you heard of the Baron of Insanity?"

-"He must be pretty insane to take on a guild by himself. Who wants to bet on how long the warlock will survive?"

-"I heard that Bone Crusher kidnapped his girlfriend."

-"I say he dies in the next five minutes."

-"I don't know, I think Bone Crusher kicked a steel plate this time. I am an acolyte of Lucan's and the one thing that all his acolytes know is that you don't mess with his lady, Silent Night. The guy goes crazy and can no longer be judged by normal means."

-"Poster above, I don't care how talented someone is, no single person can stand against a large organization."

-"Agreed"

-"+1"

-"+2"

-"I don't know, it sounds kinda romantic, I hope Lucan wins."

-"Stop day dreaming, his only hope is to run."

-"AHH!"

-"WTF!"

-"Holy cow, over fifty explosions went off around the city when that firestorm came down."

-"Did you see!?! The warlock disappeared right before that firestorm landed on him."

-"Dang, the whole city is on fire."

-"Whether Bone Crusher gets Lucan or not, he really stepped in it this time. The damage to the city alone is going to cost millions of dollars to repair."

***

Bone Crusher cursed as he saw his city go up in flames as the illusions of Lucan detonated.

"LUCAN!!!! SINCE YOU DARE TO ATTACK MY CITY LET ME TELL YOU!!! ANY MINUTE NOW, YOUR CASTLE AND FORTRESS WILL COME UNDER SEIGE AND WILL BE DESTROYED!!! KEEP CAUSING CHAOS HERE AND YOU WILL HAVE NOWHERE TO RETURN TO!!! I WILL TEACH YOU WHAT IT MEANS TO BE LIVING IN HELL!!!"

"He, he, he." The deranged laugh wasn't loud, but it spread to every corner of the city and was heard by every living soul present. "Why does your threat sound like you are begging me to leave? He, he, he, you should know, I only care for one thing, and you have it. If you want me to leave… to bad, we are far past that. Besides… I have only just begun. This will be a lesson to all who think that they can walk all over me, and I don't need you to teach me. I can show you what hell is."

Even though it was early evening and the sun hung above the horizon, the sky turned black as shadows spread through the entire city. In the center of the city where only collapsed buildings could be found, the firestorm died out before a green portal opened.

A three-foot long shadow drake flew out, but she wasn't alone. A tall horned devil stepped through the portal. His wings unfolded from his back and with a single flap he rose hundreds of feet in the air. Below him, several devils covered in bones ran through the portal. Hundreds of winged creatures holding small spears flew through and took to the air. Thousands of lean devils in matching dull red armor marched through the portal with spears in hand and swords on their hips.

Gilbuzz looked down at the small force he took from the devil camp. "Feast on mortal flesh and claim souls for the cause! ONWARD!" He shouted.

The small, winged devils split across the city to look for people while the infantry broke into ten-man groups, heading to where to scouts sent them.

"Quickly, activate everyone on standby, gather everyone who can fight."

"Guild leader. 80% of our forces have just entered the shadow realm to head to Lucan's territory. It will take them at least an hour to get here."

"What about return scrolls?"

"Umm… We didn't have enough, and you didn't want to wait."

Elder Beneil shook his head.

"Guild leader, it is bad!" Shouted a player as he ran into the command room.

"No shit!"

"No, that's not what I mean… the devils…"

"What about them?"

"They aren't killing. They are…"

"Spit it out."

"Look!" The player said pointing towards the portal that was still open in the center of the city.

Ten armored devils surround a group of eight players and NPCs. Instead of killing them, the people had their hands tied together and were being forced through the portal and into the nine hells.

"Reports are saying that the players who killed themselves on the other side of the portal can't come back to the material plane for 72 hours… They are stuck in hell."

"You must do something about this warlock immediately." Elder Beneil said. "If you kill him, the portal will collapse, and the devils won't be able to escape with your people."

"Give the order for all forces to fall back to the Broken Ridge Fortress. Take Jenna there. I won't let Lucan take her away." Bone Crusher said before he jumped from the balcony and landed in the street below.

"LUCAN!!! COME FACE ME LIKE A MAN!!!"

The shadows swirled a hundred feet before the warrior as a one-armed man stepped out of them.

"He, he, he, are you supposed to be a man. You kidnap my woman and try to force her to marry you. You are just a spoiled child."

"Die!!!!" Bone Crusher yelled while pulling out a silver, jewel encrusted sword and shield, charging towards Lucan.

In a flash, he appeared before the warlock, slicing through the shadows and gouging out a section of the street.

"Can you even touch me?"

"Don't try me!" Bone Crusher yelled. His silver sword became covered in bright lightning as he swung again.

Lucan disappeared as a five-foot long black sword made of shadows took form and blocked the warrior's swing.

The guild leader heard a whisper next to his ear while a hand was placed on the back of his head. "Let me show you what hell really is."

The shadow sword sliced through the warrior's blade, leaving him holding only the hilt.

Disgusting abominations stepped from the shadows. Thirty humanoid creatures shuffled out of the darkness. Bone Crusher quickly turned to find no one behind him. He drew a spare blade and focused on the creatures surrounding him.

Bald heads, with no ears, eyes, nose, or anything on their faces except for a mouth slowly circled around him. Their mouths opened to exposes several rows of jagged and sharp teeth.

With a grunt, a single abomination raised its deformed hand and pointed towards the warrior. Bone like claws that had been sharpened by its teeth extended from the tips of its fingers.

*SCREECH*

The abominations moved with unnatural speed as they pounced towards Bone Crusher.

He was overwhelmed in an instant. Falling to his back, they dove on top of him. Ripping at his armor, they exposed his flesh.

"AHHHH!" He screamed as they tore chunks from his body.

Their clawed hands dug into his joints. They ripped the limbs from his torso and began to eat them, bone and all as he slowly blead out.

Not wasting any fresh meat, the abominations who didn't get any of the limbs turned to the torso and dug into his chest.

"AHH!!!!"

*Snap* *Crack* *Snap*

They broke apart his ribs and pulled them out of his chest, still covered in meat. Bone crusher begged for death, but it only came when they had finished with his chest. The last image he saw was his still beating heart, pierced by bone claws, being pulled from his body.

Suddenly the guild leader heard a whisper next to his ear while a hand was placed on the back of his head. "Let me show you what hell really is."

The shadow sword sliced through the warrior's blade, leaving him holding only the hilt…