Cascading across the walls, bursts of energy crackled from conducive stones. Traveling through the Haidian air, these bolts of energy exploded upon the ground sending fungi formations flying through the air. Energy was discharged from the walls every few seconds lending the eerie effect of thunder and lightning. Booms could be heard several miles away from a single impact point. Clouds formed by the fungus stalks, gathered with this potent energy present. Lightning-like energy struck the ground beneath it turning the earth into blasted glass. Haidia was a land of chaos. Few that weren't properly trained could survive in its wild places. Around each passageway was a new danger, and even greater rewards. The battle was currently taking place in a large cavern that was roughly ten thousand feet by ten thousand feet. It's ceiling was roughly six thousand feet high. Every so often, a stalactite fell to the earth below crushing everything underneath it with tremendous weight. A single stalactite could weigh hundreds of pounds.

Fungus trees stood at a height of about one hundred feet in certain cases. There was moss that grew near to the roots of these fungal outgrowth. These "tree" stalks replaced the trees of the overworld. Or, the surface world. Glowing crystals located in various formations all around the cavernous structure provided a fluorescent light. These glowing crystals were lit up in various colors. This lighting was quite different from the lighting of the sun, and fueled by Haidia's magma-core. Clouds were gathered unusually thick and were pregnant with ample energy. Moisture flowed down in a light drizzling rain. The water was very warm. Hot water hit the ground producing a strange steam like effect whenever it connected with the floor of the cavern. Plants and algae that lived on the caverns' floor fed from the nutrients given by this mineral rich water. Various battles were taking place within that cavern. It was a harsh world, one of survival and carnage. This was the world of Haidia. Land of the Demons.

The ground beneath Lorenor was rock. Cracked on the surface and angled strangely do to the nature of the sedimentary substance, the rock was everywhere. So plain was it to the sight that it was almost maddening. The rock was everywhere in Haidia. Moss and other fungus grew on the surface of the rocks. Clinging to the warmth that the rocks gave off, the fungal life forms were like parasitical organisms. They fed off the rich minerals found in the combination of the high-nutrient water and the high-nutrient rocks. This environment was the true face of Haidia. An infinitely spanning series of tunnels that went off in every direction of the known compass. Tunnels and side passageways branched off from the main tunnels in every portion of the walls leading to new secrets. Moisture from the rain flowed down Lorenor's body as his hair began to get soaked in the warm water. Forming rivulets of drops, the drops fell to the earth beneath him and broke off into a million tiny fragments. He was looking at something. Something beyond a wall of pikes. An enemy. An ally. He wasn't sure which it was anymore.

No longer able to think for himself, the Endless had taken over...

The mutant found himself standing as his body acted on its own. Hands commanded the nearby groups of Endless to perform various sorts of tasks needed for the battle ahead. Lorenor's target had become the leader of the enemy units. Enemy? Who was the enemy? Thoughts of insanity burned through the mutant's mind as he struggled to gather himself against the endless. A superior entity, the parasitical life-form embedded itself underneath the mutant's skin. It felt like his entire body was on fire, about to explode from the inside out. Lorenor unsheathed blood sword despite his best attempt to resist. The creature lulled various words in the form of a seductive song into the back of his mind. Reality was distorted. Things kept fading in and out of his peripheral vision in various flashes. His body felt like it weighed a million pounds. His organs were lead, his legs were made of steel and his arms were made out of heavy damascus. That's what everything felt like to the mutant's world. In a matter of moments, the Endless had taken over for the strong mutant's will.

The Endless seeped its tendrils into Lorenor's brain. It settled in his body seeking to become the commanding organism of the host vessel. In a matter of moments, the mutant's life had become just that. A memory. Lorenor walked forward without having any real control of himself. Pain burned up and down his spinal column as his dendrites were rearranged into a pattern that would be optimal for the life of the Endless. Lorenor's skin tone became much darker to the point where it was almost gray. His one brilliant amethyst glowing eyes changed into a brighter shade of purple, almost violet. They were currently observing the pikes before him. Each pike stood at a forty five degree angle and was jutted about a fourth of the way into the ground. Made of damascus, the pikes' blades were potentially very sharp. Each unit had a long haft that was roughly twelve feet in length all together. Lorenor was observing this. And in one sudden motion, he leaped up into the air with a drastic burst of energy. Darkness surrounded the mutant as he flew some twenty feet up into the air, did a front-flip and glided easily above the row pikes. He cleared the pikes and landed on the other side. In similar fashion, the rest of the Endless attempted to clear the pikes with varying degrees of success.

Without wishing for it to happen, Lorenor's hand went to Blood Sword and he drew the weapon. It was a masterwork weapon. Blood Sword was made out of Haidian Steel and forged by the Vampire's blacksmiths. Lorenor drew the weapon casually. Several warriors that were once allies drew arms against the new mutant. Lorenor saw this as an act of hostility and kept his face calm and collected. He kept his weapon steady in his hands, the grip held tightly. Rotating the sword, Lorenor lunged at the nearest soldier. The man kept his cool. He reacted by blocking Lorenor's attack with a shield. There was a clang of steel against solid iron. Lorenor walked in a sort of constant daze, his body moving in a strange fashion. He limped now as his body was underneath the weight of the Endless. Lorenor's arms began to wildly swing Blood Sword around. Attempting to counter Lorenor, the soldiers reacted quickly with counters, blocks, and parries. Each action was met with an appropriate reaction. The mutant was more than skilled enough to take on several grown men at once.

Several of the Endless cleared their jumps and landed on the ground nearby to Lorenor's position. These warriors gathered their strength quickly and rushed the line of scrimmage. There were fifty defending soldiers against Lorenor's small squadron of about ten fully armed Endless. Alongside the Endless host bodies, several of the small parasitical organisms made the jump as well, whilst a small few couldn't clear the pikes. Trapped upon the damascus tips, the creatures writhed and twisted. Being large, amorphous blobs, the things splattered against the nearby ground. Stretching a few feet from the portion of their body that was trapped on the pikes, they cleared the distance painfully. As their bodies left the prison of the pikes' tips, the steel edge was melted away due to an acidic property possessed by the Endless. Many of the pikes were now completely useless. It was clearly a method of distraction, divide and conquer. Eenith spotted the Endless coming even as the prepared to take nearby hosts. "Cover your faces, visors down!"

Some heard the call, but many did not.

Endless slyly leaped across the ground quickly. Once they were in range, they jumped to the nearest host vessel that they could acquire. For a time there, it seemed like the vampires of Haidia had an actual chance of winning, but the last line of defense was breached effectively. Leaving the rest of the Haidian defenders open to attack. Soldiers kept their phalanx formation in a futile attempt to stop the scourge from coming. Members of their own party suddenly turned against them and it became difficult to discern friend from foe. Lorenor saw his opportunity and sneaked his way deeper into the camp. The enemy commander was waiting for him. Lorenor knew this because the Endless knew this. And it was a knowledge that drove him completely mad. His face was twisted in a blood lust, combined with a sort of hatred that he had never known. It was a mask of the truest sort of isanity. There was nothing holding back the mutant's perplexing emotions. His face contorted throughout the entire spectrum of emotions as he watched his target getting closer.

Mosoth Eenith. The name rang through the mutant's head as he attempted to understand the gravity of his situation. Men started to die quickly as the Endless descended upon them. This was the opening that Lorenor needed to finish the battle quickly. Hearing the call of the Endless, Lorenor found himself able to understand the Endless as a hive-collective. The thoughts of several thousand individual units sang across the surface of his mind. Despite that knowledge, it was not a pleasant relationship. Burning his brain, the Endless wanted to overwhelmingly control the mutant. It wasn't a mutual relationship of control. Walking towards the enemy commander, the order came from the rest of the Endless hive-mind. The Vampire Nation must fall! Lorenor heard the command as much as he actually felt it across his physical body. This command brought tears to his eyes and he wanted to rip his own face off. But he couldn't. His body was no longer his to control. He watched his mind acting from far away as his spirit became locked in a sort of prison or a cage.

And that prison was the Endless. Lorenor cried out in agony as he heard the cry of the other host bodies who were captured by the Endless. It was a tormented relationship. The Endless took over and filled the body with its intoxicating power lulling Lorenor into a state of complacency. With that, the mutant swung the first blow against Mosoth Eenith. The man had a sad look on his face but reacted with the grace and skill of a veteran. The two began their war. Swinging blow after blow, Mosoth's blade glowed with a red energy whilst Lorenor's blade had a black energy that flowed from it in streaks of light. Connecting repeatedly off one another, the two blades began to overheat as the metal struck metal. The surface of either weapon glowed red. Lorenor could see Mosoth staring furiously at him. Exchanging blow after blow, the two seemed as if they were completely on par with one another. Lorenor's fury and rage matched the calm control of the other commander but then something happened.

Something very unexpected. Using Lorenor's rage against him, Mosoth's experienced command of his weapon came into play. The weapon began to glow with a superior red glow as Mosoth called upon one of his many bladed techniques. When the weapon reached the zenith of its glowing energy, the experienced veteran began to release the stored energy. It was a risky technique. But Lorenor could never have seen it coming despite the bright glow from the sword. When the two blades connected at the exact same time, Mosoth released the power. There was a mighty explosion of energy that cascaded across the air. Brilliant streaks of light flowed violently across Lorenor's person. He saw the attack occurring from far away but could do nothing to control his body. The explosion was loud and sounded much louder thanks to the Endless interference. The mutant found himself upon the ground. Clutching at an injury across his chest, Lorenor looked up and coughed instinctively. Something was terribly wrong.

He felt himself trying to move his arms, but one of them felt like air. Turning to look at his arm, he saw that his right arm had been completely severed at the shoulder. Also, there was a hole in his chest where the energy had cascaded and brilliantly struck the mutant. "It's over for you." Came a far away voice with a far away sounding accent. He looked up and saw the form of his enemy. The mutant tried to reach for his weapon, but Mosoth stopped him by putting a heavy foot against his hand to hold it down. Lorenor could feel the bones in his hand breaking. "It shouldn't have turned out this way. You were mine. You were my lover." Mosoth said with tears streaming down his eyes. "I won't ever forget you. May you find peace in death that you knew not in life." And the veteran swung his weapon down across Lorenor's face. Trying to resist even to the very end, the Endless attempted to protect the host body by bursting out through his skin. But this was a trick that Mosoth had seen before and was not surprised which is why his titanium weapon glowed with energy. He meant to end this battle once and for all. Too many had died already.

"Fall Lorenor."

And so, Lorenor fell...