Destroyer and the Follower
"Apollyon NO!" I ran towards the Orochi as he gazed off into the horizon. Apollyon laid presumably dead at his feet I stopped and looked down at her she wasn't breathing.
I had been called out to try and clear one of the escape tunnels to let are forces escape, but when I learned that the Orochi was fighting Apollyon I ran back only to find this. I looked back up at the Orochi, I filled with rage "I'll kill you! You katana wielding freak!" The Orochi snapped around and looked at me.
"You weep for this monster. Why!" he said in shock. "She has done everything for me!" I dove at the Orochi swinging my sword in rage the Orochi stunned by my anger and speed backed up. Each blow striking his blade each blow making him inch back more and more and more until he was backed against the railing of the balcony. We clashed blades, are strength would have been matched, but Apollyon had brought out my strength years ago. The Orochi was holding though I could feel him getting ready holding his ground ready to push back against my assault I wouldn't let that happen. I plunged my sword forward my blade almost staking threw the Orochi"s skull. He crouched down the blade grazing his head his katana caught on the guard of my sword I new he would either let me fling his sword into the air and I would cut him down or his grip would be strong. He did the second, I pulled up making him lose his balance. The Orochi tipped off balance, threw his arms to the side. That is when I made my move kicking him square in the chest sending him crashing over the railing and down the ledge below.
I leaned over the edge ready to see the Orochi's splattered corps on the ground, but when I looked I couldn't be leave my eyes. The Orochi's fall had been broken by a Raider standing below he was just getting up I could tell he was hurt holding his side limping away to where the samurai were trying to escape the fort. I watched the Orochi run of towards the fighting then turned back around and ran back to Apollyon.
"Apollyon!" I yelled as I hoisted her up holding her head trying to get anything out of her. I looked down her body seeing the different cuts, marks, and gashes she was suffering from high blood lose as well as the constant fighting had drained her strength. I put her down and leaned my head down and I listened for any signs of her breathing I couldn't hear anything, shit. I pulled off my helmet and tossed it aside. I reached for her helmet as I grab it, a hand shot out and grab my wrist. Startled I looked at the hand grasping my wrist I realized it was Apollyon's even after collapsing Apollyon's grip was strong and firm. I looked down at her face.
" Don't you dare." Said Apollyon weakly before her head fell back, her body going limp once more. I snapped out of my shock and panic quickly over took me once again I yelled her name a few more times shaking her a little, but their was no response. I knew we couldn't stay here the knights would soon push back the Samurai and Vikings.
I quickly retrieved my helmet and put it back on. I circled around to the front of Apollyon and grabbed her I hoisted her up so I could carry her marine style. Her body resting on my shoulders and my arms holding her legs and arms on either side. I turned around and carried her back threw the fort it would have been easier if the dam Samurai had dent littered the ground with flaming fucking rocks! I made my way down some stairs up and down different corridors trying to make my way threw the groups of different people fighting. It was a god damn war zone Apollyon would have loved it if she wasn't trying to not die from blood loss and mumbling about wolves and war.
I ducked into a small side room as I heard foot steps coming closer if any of the people in this building saw any Black Stone legion especially one that had the war lord responsible for all of this, we would have all three factions united and hunting us down their would be no where for us to hide NO where. The footsteps where right out side the door and I got ready to put Apollyon down and draw my Great sword that"s when I heard one of them speak a Samurai I think.
"He was up their when I last saw him we have to get kill him and make shore Apollyon's life is moot." Said the voice "Are you shore you want to face him he did kick you from the plate form you can barely stand your lucky that viking broke your fall." Said the other voice "That's why I brought you three along. Know hurry are forces won't be able to hold them for long." After that I heard one pair of foot steps leave and then one of them spoke.
" Why do you think that Black Stone said those things about Apollyon. What could a war obsessed monster like Apollyon do to have that much feelings for some one like that?" Said a third voice " I don't know do you think they were-" The same voice cut him off " " No I don't think someone like Apollyon could love anybody, Lets go." I heard more footsteps and then slowly they disappeared into the distance and then, nothing just the noise of battle in the distances. I opened the door slowly and peered threw the gap I didn't see any one "good" I thought as I kicked open the door and ran down the next flight of stairs. As I made my way down the stairs I thought of what the Samurai said, on what Apollyon did for me four years ago.
Apollyon had started to take back some of Ashfeld going from town to town liberating them of the vikings hold one of these towns was my home. The story of are town was when the vikings came seeking to pillage and plunder everything that wasn't nailed down are town struck a deal with the vikings. Are little town was very hidden from the rest of the world was known for its beautiful woman are leader was strict and unloving playing with the people of are town like animals saying who could marry who or suffer the penalty of death. Because of this he let only the beautiful est of woman bare children and the ugly either die old and alone or risk having a relationship and risk being killed by are leader and if you were one of his many guards then you were richer then anyone in the town which made all of the guards are leaders personal soldiers.
But when the Vikings came they stood no chance, so when my former leader realized he would be slaughtered he struck a deal with the vikings. The Vikings would let them have sex with any female in the village and he and the village would be safe from the vikings. I still to this day don't know if it was because the woman of are village were so pretty that the vikings agreed to his deal or that are town was small enough that the vikings thought we wouldn't have any good loot to plunder. No matter what it was the vikings agreed to are deal and I can still hear the screams that night and the please for death and safety I still hear it in my dreams. After a while though people started to accept this new way of life days went on and the days got some how even harder with people being killed on the streets from picking fights with vikings or starving from the vikings taking all are food. This went on for years until Apollyon showed up. When she saw what the vikings had done and that we just let it happen she saw all of use as enemy every one viking or not was slaughtered I don't know for shore, but I have heard rumours of Apollyon's past I think are way of life struck a nerve in Apollyon. When she slaughtered all the Vikings in my old town she was left with the people of my town she found that most of the woman in my town were pregnant with viking children those woman were never seen again. Then it came to use the men, my father was one of the leaders men who died in the fighting and my mother was one of the woman who got impregnated by the vikings I was alone now with a terrible shame. All the town new, but it was the men who gave me the hardest time with it most of them were stupid and violent , but my shame made them even more violent and Apollyon was going to learn my shame and teach me who I am. Apollyon's men forced us all to are knees in the middle of the town square all of use in lines of six.
" You are the strongest and luckiest of your town and we do not have the soldiers to guard prisoners you well all fight each other for your freedom." All the men around me either responded with anger or fear saying " You can't do this " or " You can"t expect use to fight each other. " But one man in are town, knowing full well he would get an opportunity out of this said.
" I'll fight if I get the freak! " Apollyon's head turned in the direction of the man. " Who said that " Asked Apollyon " I did " said the man standing to his feet, But was immediately hit in the back by a warden shoving him back to the ground. Apollyon reach out her hand gesturing the Knight to stop The man winced in pain, but then rose to his feet once more. " Thank you kindly miss " he said with a smug grin on his face brushing himself off " As I said I'll fight if I get to fight the freak " Said the man smugly " Freak? " Asked Apollyon. The man pointed behind him all the way in the back of the group of men, he was pointing at me.
Apollyon walked to the back of the group and approached me she grabbed me by the back of my shirt and hoisted my body of the ground for I was much smaller then from malnutrition plus I was only sixteen. She pointed the handle of her sword on my chest indicating if I was the right one the man just nodded saying " Yeah that's him. " looking at me with lust in his eyes, but not for sex, but death. Apollyon looked back at me looking me in the eyes asking " Now why do they call you a freak " I looked down at the ground to ashamed to say it out loud for all the men and Black Stones to hear that's when one of the mans friends voiced it for me.
" It's because his got the neither regions of a bloody girl " Yelled the man " Really " said Apollyon as she kneaded me once or twice in the crotch to see if I would have a reaction. The man and his friends saw this and all burst out laughing I stared at them and I felt rage deep in my heart my parents had both been slaughtered in one day and know one of the people I hated the most was laughing his as off while I was powerless. I didn't know it until Apollyon's words broke me from my trance " A we might have a couple wolves among this flock of sheep. " Said Apollyon with interest in her voice She had been watching me seeing the hate in my eyes. Apollyon carried me all the way to the front of the group and then plopped me down on the ground she pointed at to others in the group " you and you will fight with him " the two men stood up and walked to stand beside me although a couple feet from me as to not seem like they were associated with me like that mattered now. " You! You want a chance to fight this boy come and take it " she said tossing the man a sword she picked off of the ground. The man smiling as he observed his weapon " alright! Come on boys! " the man shouted as he gestured to his two friends at his sides. The one friend smiled with him apone hearing this, the other had no face on him at all in stead sweat just lightly dripped from his brow and his legs shook lightly in fear, but they still both stood up and walked across from use ready to kill use, but mostly me. Another night approached the three and asked.
" What weapon would you like to use in combat, the other smug friend asked for a sword and shield the less eager of the three asked for a bow and arrow. The area was filled with different weapons and armour although much would not fit any of use. The two men's weapons were not hard to find and the leader was able to cut himself a shit chest guard out of leather, but it would save his life if he were lucky. Some armour is better then no armour, after the three men had their weapons the knight walked to use and asked use the same question.
" What weapons would you like to use in combat " the man to my left the town black smith asked for his mace and a helmet he had forged himself to look like a dragons head the other the towns best builder asked for a wood axe and his hammer. I must say the two were quit the force strong and large made me wonder why Apollyon had stuck them with me their was a good chance I could just stand back and let them fight this entire thing for me. I didn't have much time to think about it as I was pulled from my thoughts as the knight stood over me " and what about you small fry " asked the knight. I thought about it for a minute I didn't now what I should say I didn't have much experience with weapons just some small sword lessons my father had taught me in what little time he could spare as a guard. I was about to say that I had no idea what to choose, but that"s when Apollyon chimed in.
" He can have my back up " Said Apollyon as she reached behind her back and pulled out her back up a much smaller short sword compared to her long great sword, but it did not look any less intimidating as her other weapon. It had her unique design of looking like your worst fucking nightmare. A blade crafted in a wave like fashion to cause wounds that I didn't even want to think about having. A guard the same as her great sword although obviously smaller and a wooden grip ending with a metal butt in the shape of a wolfs head all the metal silver and shining although the blade looking a bit darker obviously it had seen some use in the assault on are town as I could still smell the metallic Oder of blood.
The sword although a little small for someone like Apollyon was decent for someone like me although a little too big to be a regular sword, but not small enough to be a dagger. It would be a little awkward to swing, but it was better then nothing, plus it's really the only weapon I slightly new how to use effectively. My thoughts were interrupted to the knight shouting " Fight! " I was startled by my two partners shouting at the top of their lungs as both went charging straight ahead at are three opponents.
The blacksmith went straight at the man with the shield he braced himself for the impact the mace coming down with the full force of their combined weight smashing the shield to splinters. The man falling to the ground flat on his back, his arm clutching what remained of the shield. The man dazed and head still throbbing looked up at the man with blurred vision his eyes shot open wide as the blacksmiths hammer came down straight in the centre of his face crushing his skull killing him instantly. The blacksmith pulled the mace out of what remained of the mans face. He then whipped around when he heard the clang of metal against metal the builder was not holding his own against the man he had no mercy viciously battering the builder with strikes not having any chance to fight back only being able to block, the wood handles not proving very effective at guarding any of his body.
The blacksmith started taking steps toward them ready to bash the mans head in, suddenly the man went stiff and then fell to his knees he looked down with some effort to see a sharp metal object sticking out of his chest, an arrow. The blacksmith fell forward dead standing their behind him was the third of the group shaking as he watched the man drop to the ground hands shaking as he realized what he did. I saw him after minutes finally snap out of his shock and look towards the two other man fighting and me just standing their, the leader of the two looked back at the man with the bow shouting.
" Come on if we kill this beast then its just the freak left! " The man with the bow considering the mans words grabbed another arrow from his quiver getting ready for another shot hands still shaking. The builder realizing what the other man was doing kicked the other man back turned and threw his hammer at the man hitting him in the forehead making him fall back knocking him out.
The other man seeing this just rolled his eyes " GOD DAMMIT! " the man said as he ducked from another swing from the builder the man backed up as the builder smashed the axe into the ground. The man got ready for another assault of attacks from the builder, but quickly realized the worker was having some trouble retrieving his weapon from the ground. The builder had smashed his weapon into a shield laying on the ground every time he tried to rip the axe from the shield it would tug the shield and the soldiers arm making his weapon completely stuck. The man realized what had happened to the builders weapon and lunged at the builder ready to cut him down, but the worker let go of his axe and grabbed the man by the throat mid lung tossing him to the ground the builder had him around the throat strangling him to death with his bare hands. Then the builder slowly writhed in pain as he looked down to see a dagger in his chest and a pain in his back he could only assume was an arrow the builder let out a faint laugh as he fell over dead.
Then it was the two of them and me " great " I thought just standing their. " Hahaha well it looks like its just down to the freak! " said the man as he got up from the ground picking up his sword once more this time holding the sword in one hand and the dagger in the other. When I looked at the dagger in his hand I noticed something that shocked me the dagger was the same design as the backup sword Apollyon had given me. I turned to look back at Apollyon, but she just looked back at me looking like she was waiting for me to do something. I turned back to the man yelling at the top of his lungs running straight towards me! As he got close to me he raised his sword up and flung it down I immediately brought my sword up to block, but the weight it carried was to much for me to stand. The impact sent me down on my ass. The man flung down his sword again this time I blocked it he applied more force bringing it down I was holding the sword with both hands now it was taking all of my strength to not have my own sword cutting into my body.
" Before I gut you like a fish and feed you to the wolves I want you to say my name " I leaned my head back to look back at Apollyon she just looked at me staring at me. I don't know why, still to this day I don't know why what happened next did, but it did I felt my body fill with rage no revenge. Revenge for everything that this man had put me threw over the years the constant beatings the constant reminders of my shame and the insults that came with it I felt all this as I griped the hilt of my sword as the man on top of me spat in my face saying " Well say my name freak! "
I looked back up at the man " No " I said startling the man seeing the difference in my body language and the look in my eyes he could tell that I wasn't scared I had no trace of fear on my face just the one word udder ed by me was enough to tell him that their was no more fear, just hate.
I grab his throat with one arm squeezing with all my might as I heard the man cough and gag I used all the feelings of revenge to throw him off me he landed on his back and we both got up the man quickly snapping out of his shock charged back at me yelling a the top of his lungs once more I was different now though as if something in me had been waiting all this time and Apollyon had just brought it out with one look. The man plunged his sword down once more I dodged to the side, the blade missing me entirely I kicked him in the side making him stumble back. I then charged at him, but the leader of the two men brought his sword up and blocked my strike I swung again and again then quickly dodge out of the way of his dagger coming straight up trying to get me in the stomach. I quickly grounded my feet once more I swung my sword once more us clashing left and right eventually he lunged forward with that dagger once more. I dodged to the right bringing my sword right down on his out stretched wrist severing his hand from his body the man stumbled back in pain yelling.
" ARGHH shoot him you idiot! " I hadn't realized that the other of the two man had gotten up from his blow to the head and was now pulling back another arrow. He fired, but the arrow went right past me odd seeing as he was known for being one hell of a hunter I realized that the blow to the head most have screwed his depth perception. I charged at the third man running straight at him as he pulled back another arrow I was much closer though and the arrow went right into my shoulder I didn't really care that I was so full of rage. I ran straight at the man quickly swinging my sword forward cutting his bow in two causing the man to stumble back as a small gash was on his chest I quickly kicked him in the stomach before he grounded himself sending him falling on his back I raised my sword two end his life when I felt a pain in my side.
While I was busy with the third, the leader of the group had retrieved the dagger from his other hand and had walked up behind me. He twisted the dagger watching as I writhed in pain the man smiling with the same stupid grin on his face gritting my teeth I quickly anger ally turned and elbowed him in the nose he wobbled back in pain I pulled the blade from my side only taking a second to block the sword coming down quickly from the side parrying it and flinging him back and then quickly snapped back again as the bow wielding man swung his own sword at me. I quickly pulled back the blade grazing my chest the man wasn't as well versed with a sword as the first not being able to lift it back to his defence I quickly kicked him in the face sending him on his back once again.
I turned back to the leader quickly catched his sword once again I pushed down sending his sword into the earth just as quickly I kneed him in chin sending him back letting go of his sword as he fell. He quickly tried to get up, but my foot came down on his shoulder holding him down, the tip of my sword slightly pressing down on his throat.
I looked back at Apollyon this time she walked towards standing over me and the leader. She quickly dove behind me to hit the third of the men with the butt of her sword he fell to the ground in pain letting go of the sword he was holding over his head. Apollyon quickly grabbed him and pulled him back on his knees holding him up from the front of his shirt. She looked down at the man at the end of my sword helpless.
" Do you no what kind of creature waits for its own slaughter? Sheep... Sheep " we both said again as we pulled back and flung are swords from the side severing their heads from their bodies. " Apollyon looked back down at the dead body below her then looked back at me she stepped toward me I didn't even know she was there until I felt a hand on my shoulder I quickly looked up to see her looking down at me we stared at each other for what seemed like minutes, but it was more like seconds " Welcome to the Black stone legion " and then she walked off back towards her men disappearing into the crowd. I stood their for a minute before walking after her a couple of black stones welcoming me as we pulled out leaving my old home behind as I walked away I realized what I was, I was wolf among sheep.
After that we spent five years liberating Ashfeld from the vikings. In that time I grew stronger working hard at bringing Apollyon's rule to Ashfeld I became a warden quickly becoming one of the best, but not enough to become one of Apollyon's close personal guards. I never asked though, Apollyon had given me everything and I would sooner die then ask her for anything. I would have pondered this more, but Apollyon was starting to wake up.