ETREUM

Prologue

The Grail.

The one sought prized treasure. Each year, a team of the most powerful warriors would assemble to do bloody combat to win over the grail and fulfill one wish.

These battles would be great and mighty, but incredibly violent. Their violence spreading across the world. Causing massive catastrophe and disaster.

My name is Ethereum, Ether for short. I am what you can call an Etreum, a shadow based mage. I specialized in spy and reconnaissance missions. So upon hearing that the item I needed to complete my mission was a grail, you know what that means.

"You're going to steal the Holy Grail?!" Ashley yelped.

"Absolutely!" I said, standing tall and proud.

"How can you say that all high and mighty?! What happened to the grail being sought after by the most powerful warriors through bloody combat?" Jake asked.

"Well, you see..." I laughed nervously.

"I'm not exactly a fighter..."

Jake grabbed me by the collar.

"You idiot! But you said you were a damn Etreum with shadow magic powers. What do you mean you can't fight?!"

I suddenly dropped my airhead act. My grimoire materialized in front of me, opening and flipping to the page I wanted.

Shadow Magic: Umbral Bind

Black chains erupted from within the shadows of the room as Jake was tied up.

"Jake!" Ashley cried out, as she instantly burst into red flames.

"You dare attack my beloved, human?!" She snarled, as she leapt at me.

I reached within my trench coat and drew my Garrison M55. I took aim and fired, shooting her square in the chest and sending her crashing into the couch. Her wounds were already starting to regenerate. Made sense. I wasn't using Black Bullets. If I did, she would be dead. Which would instantly terminate my contract. Which would mean my sister was going to beat me up for failing to bring food to the table.

I broke open my gun.

"Let's not resort to combat!" I said, cheerfully.

I reached into my grimoire and pulled out several glowing dark bullets, loading them into my gun.

"I could easily kill you with my Black Bullets, succubus." I said, coldly.

Ashley calmed down.

I let go of Jake.

"Right now, what we're looking for is the Grail to turn her into a human. There doesn't exist magic that can change a succubus into a human. The only way is the Grail. And to speak the truth, I'm not a fighter. The only thing I can do is bind and shoot with regular ass guns. So realistically, the only way we can get a hold of it is to steal it!"

Ashley began to sob as she buried her head into Jake's shoulder.

"Oh Jake, I just... I don't want to be this thing anymore. What are we going to do?"

Jake stroked her head.

"It's going to be okay. It's okay. Ether is a moron, but he's a cunning one. He can help us."

"Hey, who are you calling a moron?" I asked.

I stepped into a shadow and began to dissolve, my body slipping into its subconscious as everything began to melt. Concentrate on that point. Concentrate.

Everything began to gain form, as my vision returned. I was in a dark closet. I creaked the door open as I peeked out.

No one in sight.

I slowly opened the wardrobe as I stepped out.

Shadow Magic: Shadow Walker

My feet became one with the shadows, lowering the sound of my footsteps as I snuck around the room. Suddenly, my foot got caught on a piece of fabric. I looked down.

"EEEUGH!!!" I yelped, nearly tripping over.

A bra! Oh god. Where the hell was I? Was this really the Grand Commander's Room?

Then it hit me.

The commander's name.

Oliviera Rentrace.

Oliviera.

I was in a woman's room!

Shit!

Calm down. Calm down. I can't let my shut in life get the hold of me. Just think that bra belongs to my sister. Not turned on anymore are you? Yeah.

Now I'm disgusted!

I cleared my throat, regaining my calm composure. I glanced at the door. I needed to keep watch of that door. The last thing I wanted was to be caught snooping around in a lady's quarters. I didn't even care if it was the Commander's. There are worse things than death. Like that time I Shadow Walked into my sister's room by accident. I had an ice pack on my face for a week.

I opened my grimoire.

Shadow Magic: Umbral Copy

The darkness in the room gained form, until a copy of mine took shape. The copy went to the door to keep watch. Drawing its Garrison.

I opened the cupboard. So where was her log. I sifted through papers as I tried to look for any intel on the Grail's location. Of all the factions battling for the Grail, Rentrace's faction was leading by a long shot. There had to be some kind of intel on the Grail's location.

There it was. I opened the logbook and skimmed it. One of the great skills I learned in high school. Correction. One of the only skills I learned in high school. Reading tons of stuff and picking out only the details I cared about.

The Grail was being kept in a room, sealed by a ton of traps. A guardian blah blah blah. I took to the location with Shadow Magic.

The Guardian was huge. He looked like one of those angels from Diablo. If anything, fighting that guy was essentially suicide. There was also no evading him. In fact, I wasn't the only one who had found this location, obviously. Rentrace's troops were already there, engaging the Guardian, being slaughtered left and right.

I hated up front fighting. It was never my style. In fact, being hasty is the stupidest thing ever. Guts and manliness, one of the core traits to a meathead, are also core traits to a fool.

I made sure no one could see me, as I slipped through the skirmish. These guys could hold off the Guardian for me. I was getting my hands on that Grail.

The room was elegant. But ethereal. Decorated with golden drawings of war and myths. My boots knocked on the ground as I approached the Grail. A golden cup, suspended in thin air.

I guess this is it. Job well done. After what seemed like weeks of stalking Rentrace's army, her generals, and even going as far as checking the barracks, I had finally achieved what numerous warriors would have only dreamt of having.

By cheating.

I held out my hand, as my grimoire materialized in front of me.

Shadow Magic: Umbral Copy

A clone manifested in front of me, as I melted into shadows, becoming one with the darkest parts of the walls.

The clone stepped forward and held out its hand to touch the cup, when suddenly, a spear appeared, piercing him. My clone shattered into a black mist.

"I guess it wasn't gonna be that easy." I muttered.

"Ethereum, to think you would go so far as to use us for your own personal gain." A woman's voice appeared from my side.

Rentrace approached the cup.

"I know that wasn't you. You sneaky little shit. Come out and face me."

I sighed. I guess this was unavoidable.

I stepped out of the shadows, my hands in my pockets as I regarded the commander.

"Mi'lady."

"Oh shut up. We both know you are a traitor." Rentrace took out her sword. Six feet of murderous steel.

"I'm going to cut you down. My army has no place for traitors like you."

Oh yeah. By the way. I may or may not have enlisted my services to help Rentrace. I guess she didn't like my treason too well.

"I don't suppose it's too late for us to talk this out?"

Rentrace walked to my direction, her face full of disdain.

"Um, new hairstyle? Looks good on you. Makes you ten years younger!"

"That means you think I'm old."

The hell? Sis, you told me that worked on women!

There was no way around it. I had to fight. I usually didn't like fighting, I'm more of a laid back kind of guy. But Rentrace wasn't giving me much of a choice.

I held out my hand as my grimoire manifested.

Shadow Magic: Shadow Moon

A black orb appeared above me, as my surroundings began to darken. Dimmer and dimmer, until I could barely make out our figures in the everlasting darkness.

"So, the traitor has some tricks up his sleeve after all. But nonetheless. This battle is decided. For you are just a mere scout. While I am a commander. A warrior!" Rentrace shouted, as she charged.

Shadow Magic: Umbral Bind

Several chains erupted from the shadows of the ground, as Rentrace was pinned down.

I calmly closed my grimoire as I walked up to the grail, and plucked it off its pedestal, throwing it into the shadows. Contract completed. I guess it was time to dip-

CLANK

"Heh?" I turned around, narrowly dodging Rentrace's sword swing. That was too close!

I put my hand inside my trench coat, pulling out my Garrison. I took aim and fired. The high penetrating round soaring in the air and cracking Rentrace's sword.

Rentrace scowled, as I leapt backwards.

I took aim again and fired, but Rentrace was already charging forward, deflecting another bullet.

I fired again, and again, the bullets deflecting off of her sword.

Damn.

I reached into my coat with my other hand, drawing out my sidearm. My FN P90 submachine gun, as I took aim and fired a stream of bullets in her direction.

This time, Rentrace couldn't block them all, as some of the bullets hit her square in the armour. Although not as powerful as my Garrison, the P90 was still a gun. Rentrace slowed down, as her face contorted in pain.

"You little-"

Shadow Magic: Umbral Bind

Rentrace was once again wrapped in chains. Even with the dark boost of the surroundings amplifying their strength, I knew it wasn't going to be enough to keep this beast caged. I put my P90 away.

Gun Magic: Black Bullets

I reached into my grimoire's pages, retrieving a handful of obsidian bullets. With my other hand, I opened my Garrison, loading the bullets in. Even the power of the Garrison M55 wasn't enough to completely shatter her sword. I'd have to resort to my black bullets to take her down.

I took aim, just as Rentrace snapped the chains, and fired. The bullets shattering her sword and hitting her square in the chest. I fired again, taking out her arms. Then her legs. I lowered my firearm as the Great Commander fell to her knees.

I turned around and melted into the darkness. But not before hearing Rentrace's final words.

"Ethereum. You truly are... the scum of this world."

I smiled.

"You're damn right."

After all, to these guys, I was the biggest asshole in the world. Someone who only cared about myself.

But in reality, I was Ethereum. A magus who specializes in shadow magic and gun magic.

Taking on jobs, unseen. Untouchable.

Infiltration, subterfuge.

The Recon support, to Captain Dekani Price of the Lotuscraft.

Nero

I left a now human Ashley to Jake. I didn't bother asking Jake for the crown just yet, since it didn't feel right to tell him to fork over the goods after everything those two went through.

I guess it isn't my style to pry into other people's businesses. But since I was hired by Jake, well actually. Deka was hired by Jake, that made his business our business too. Ashley Barnes was initially a succubus, who was thrown out of the underworld because she was "different" from her kind. Jake took pity on her, and the two became a couple.

Or something like that.

Ashley hated her nature, and wanted to become human. Jake sought the Grail, but after failed attempts, and nearly getting himself killed, Ashley convinced him to seek for other help. Deka and his crew happened to be around at the time, and Deka, the good natured tool he was, volunteered to help, offering his services. But after realizing that his gear and Lance, Umbra, were vulnerable to magic, Deka tasked me with retrieving the Grail.

I watched as the two embraced, crying tears of joy.

Meh.

You could say I have a cold heart. But I've seen so many of these already. Wholesome moments, that it's almost become cliche for me to even bother describing. Long story short, Ashley became human, and Jake now owes us.