Chapter
4
“Chained
we stood at the edge of the world for we once were like gods. Over the edge we
were thrown into the darkness. Hades welcomed us with its cold embrace. Into
the darkness we emerged anew.” –Memories of a Fallen.
Captain
Rodrigo Robles stood straight before the Great Commander Buendia. With his fist
to his chest and his chin up. The Imperial salute. The Commander returned the
salute and the Captain smiled. The city burned behind them as more Fallen
continued to pour out of the sewers but there was still time for formalities.
“We have lost most of the Pink district, Sir.” The Captain said.
The
Church bells continued to sound around the city and the whole city was awake by
now. “I know,” The Commander replied.
“Martin send more reinforcements to the cathedral and tell Joseph to
stop screwing around and get those marines to the harbor.”
Officer
Martin saluted and left at once.
Captain
Robles felt tired the fighting to get to the commanding tower had not being
easy something was stirring those fallen to fight so fiercely. He had thought
that they had withdrew after the witches were killed but to his surprise more
had ambushed them around the corner. More Fallen than he could count fell to
their sides. Matt and Ursula fought like demons. He saw them at the corner of
his eyes there on top of their horses half sleep. He suspected who they really
were but said nothing. A good warrior was a good warrior did not matter that
much the background. He was thankful to them for having helped him. More Holy
Knights approached as they stood straight on their tall horses. Some were
covered in blood and others were missing pieces of their armor but they still
did the full Imperial salute.
Matthew
wondered if he it all was a nightmare. Tens of Holy Knights and fallen running
around in the city killing each other like beasts. He was more a secretive sort
of thief that did not much killing, but tonight he had killed more fallen that
he could count. They were like rats kept coming and coming. Over here at the
commanding towers it was at least clear of them for now, and he was grateful
for that. He wondered where his friends
were and decided that it was better not to think of that and just concentrate
on surviving the night.
Ursula
sat with her eyes closed on top the tall horse. She could not escape more and
more Holy Knights were approaching and it would look suspicious if she
tried. Images of the slaughter still
replayed in her mind like slow motion pictures and every single detail of the
fallen imprinted in her mind as if an artist had painted a perfect canvas. The
fallen with their sharp teeth and short wings. Ursula wondered what those
useless little wings were for and who exactly the Fallen were. But, for now she
needed to worry about getting away from this commanding tower. Then her sharp
assassin mind replayed the images of the black veiled woman she saw before it
all happened. She was sure she had been an elf as she was, somehow she felt
magic emitting from that dark figure.
“Hey,
do you think we can get out of here?” Matt asked breaking Ursula from her
thinking.
“I
do not know, but it would not be so good idea to be out there in the night
tonight.” She said.
“You
two better stay by my side.” Captain Robles said walking to them and giving
them a cup of honey wine to each.
They
drank in silence.
The
night was almost gone as the first signs of the new day began to show itself.
The moon was almost gone and the screams greeted the new day. Blood and savagery ran through the Capital
with dead guards, and Holy Knights that sacrificed themselves for the
ungrateful citizens that many times cursed him for one thing or another. The
scent of blood was strong in Thanatos’ head as he headed for the commanding
tower. He could smell the Holy power that was emitting from there. It had been
so far a glorious night a just sacrifice for Mother Death. Not so pure souls
but it did not matter they now belonged to him and to his Mother. Naked he
walked amidst the chaos with his long silver wings on his back and his crown of
bones. For he was the rightful heir to the throne of Death and no one was going
to stand in his way not his sister Lily or any of his brothers. Thanatos smiled and continued walking among
the decapitated corpses and he watched amused as the fallen devoured some
people alive. The desperate calls for mercy and cries were music to his ears.
Some fools even prayed for a merciful dead. The world was full of weak people
he thought.
Captain
Rodrigo Robles felt something heavy with evil intentions, and his sword shook
as the air vibrated. He closed his eyes for a second and began his Angelic
prayers. He needed the help of Gabriel and probably Michael if he was back to
his former self. He knew that the foe that was approaching was going to be
strong for just him and his remaining Holy Knights. He opened his eyes and saw
the Commander rising his long sword up into the heavens with his full green
dragon armor and heavy body he looked like a beast come alive.
“Forward!!”
Commander Buendia shouted.
The
war horses and the pike infantry moved forward in unison as if they had been
training together for a long time.
“We
shall greet this new day with blood and justice!” The Commander said running
into the dark smoke.
Smoke
and heat engulfed Commander Buendia as he walked forward. He felt his blood
warming up. This was the exact reason the Holy Knights existed to fight against
the odds. He smiled and in two quick slashes he killed two Fallen. A few tried
to bite into his dragon armor but their teeth just broke. He laughed and
slashed more of the fallen as if they were nothing more than butter. At the distance the Commander heard thunder
breaking into the ground. He felt that strange energy he had felt before but
getting closer. From the smoke three enthralled witches attacked at once.
Captain
Robles saw as the Commander was attacked by the three dead witches. The intense
light of the Holy Sword the Commander was holding was blinding all around him
and it absorbed the spells like the day was devouring the night. “Go, help
him!” He commanded galloping to help the Commander. Shield and sword drawn the
Captain pushed one of the witches off with his golden shield. The witch
recoiled and screamed in agony from her dead vocal cords. It was an
ear-piercing scream. The Captain trusted
his Holy sword into the screaming witch and the witch turned into ashes. He felt the rush in his veins and with his back
against the Commander they faced the other two witches that snared.
Ursula
watched as the Captain turned the witch into ashes and as the two tall man
stood back to back facing the encircling witches. The fallen kept coming but
the infantry made short work of them as arrows and lances penetrated their ugly
faces. The thief stood there as in shock watching the scene as it was a
nightmare. Ursula knew that feeling when everything was turned upside down.
Witches and fallen in the Capital was unheard off. With its strong magic and
strong defenses. It was something just a simple attack they wanted to
annihilate the headquarters of the Holy Knights and it was bad not just for the
Empire but for everyone. People always counted on the knights to get rid of the
evil in the word and to keep witches and fallen under control. Of course there were the witch hunters but it
was not the same. Those bastards like her clan cared most about money and
nothing else. Let the people be dammed if there was no coin to be had. But, if
the Holy Knights failed with their holy swords there was going to be a long war
ahead. But, Ursula hoped somehow the witch hunters and the assassins clans
could work something to get rid of whatever wanted to crawl out of the Gates of
Hades. She sighed and melted into the shadows and her daggers out.
Matt
felt as if his breath was escaping him. Terrible flashbacks danced in front of
his eyes. It was like that other time when the outpost was breached near the
Waste Lands. The undead threw themselves into the fences and killed infantry
left and right as the fallen jumped into the tall walls and threw themselves
into the Holy Knights that covered in blood were too tired to fight back as the
fallen devoured them alive. Matthew was a young messenger back then. He was supposed to deliver the message of the
incoming attack but he had been too late to warn the Knights in the outpost.
Somehow the enemy was faster than him or this was another force that came out
of the shadows. It was not sure, but for many years Matt blamed himself for
what happened that terrible night. He
had escaped as soon as the gates were set afire. The outpost in flames and the
last screams of the Holy Knights chased him as he crawled into the sewers. A few fallen chased him but his arrows met
their terrible heads dead center. With the adrenaline pushing into soul Matt
ran like he had never done before, his canine blood stirred and he howled into
the tunnels making the other fallen fall back and recoiled. The beast awoke
then, and Matt was in all fours when he came back to consciousness on his mouth
he had a fallen by the neck as blood dripped into the sewers. He dropped the body and half dazed he managed
to exit where the sewers let out. Exhausted he dropped into a large boulder.
When he opened his eyes the Sun was rising and he was back to his human form. Matt
there stood naked covered in blood with tears rolling down his ashen face.
Matt
opened his eyes and drew his hidden bow from under his cape. The arrow flew
into the air and it hit the fallen as it was flying in the air almost catching
the Captain in surprise. The Captain bowed slightly in thanks and the witches
began conjuring something that made Matt really afraid as a big ball of purple
light appeared between the two witches.
Commander
Buendia felt it was too late to stop the spell. He had not recognized before as
the witches had chanted with their dead tongues. He felt the Captain tense on
his back. This ball of sorcery could level the Capital if it let loose. It was
like when he was fighting back in the Waste Lands, a terrible spell indeed. He
had wished to never see it again but he wanted to glory of war once again and
here it was and he smiled as his long sword vibrated in excitement.
Thanatos
felt that powerful sorcery coming from the Commanding Tower and at once he
smiled as he continued his pilgrimage through the carpet of bodies. Death was
beautiful oh so beautiful like his Mother and he felt her near. “Yes, come to
your Son dear Mother! This is all for you” He screamed into the blood covered
streets. The fallen looked up from their
devouring and Thanatos laughed. He lifted his right hand and at once the bodies
became animated half devoured and burn they crawled to him pleading for mercy.
Naked he continued walking letting the delicious aroma of dead penetrate his
being.
The City burned as the Sun was rising. Smoke
and the last laments died as the embers evaporated into nothingness. Moonglow
felt the City cries and tears rolled down her beautiful face. She as the last
Elf queen had wanted to stay out this fight but her love was in danger and that
horrible spell was about to be let free devastating the Capital and probably
more. How many more lives needed to be lost? She asked herself as her hair
transformed into the beautiful Silver dust color that was her natural color. Her
long black robes dropped to the ground and her beautiful white dress covered
her tall figure as she held to her white staff that appeared out of the air.
She sighed. It was an emergency she told herself as she lifted her staff and
she was lifted up into the air. From above her heart almost broke as she saw
the devastation below and near the pier she could see the enormous purple ball
of lighting was forming over the commanding tower. Moonglow felt anxious as she
felt that over there was Captain Robles. Of course he was, where else would he
be? She took a deep breath and as if jumping into a cold lake she felt her body
plunging into darkness.
--To Be Continued--
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