A\N: Wow, I didn't think it would take this long to complete the next chapter of this story but here it is. Just in time for Christmas, Hanukkah, Sol Invictus, Yule, Kwanzaa, or whatever you happen to celebrate around this time. Happy Holidays!

Chapter 53: Pyrrhic Victories

Aurelius tumbled to the ground, carving a deep trench into the ground as he skidded across the battlefield, his scales dirty with earth and mud. Shaking his head with a snarl he got to his feet and charged, slamming into the front line of the second demonic army. When they had appeared on the horizon General Covington had hurriedly pulled what few forces he could from the city and a small contingent of men from the rear of the front lines that had been boxing in the first army of Demons they were facing. Unfortunately it wasn't nearly enough to stem that dark tide and Aurelius had ended up trying to hold them back as the Demons began to try and encircle them.

A barrage of missiles arced from the opposite side of the battlefield high into the sky before shooting downwards to slam into the Demons' encircling flanks. The devastating eruptions of fire and shrapnel sent many of them flying, halting the maneuver. Aurelius smashed his fists into several Demons before stretching out his paws with his claws outstretched. Shouting arcane words, his claws began to glow red before long lances of red energy, powerful enough to pierce a Dragon's scales and body, launched forward with each beam tearing through several Demons at once. Some of the army's men quickly surrounded him, trying to fend off the Demons' attacks and cause as much damage as possible with their swords and pole-arms slashing and stabbing against black iron armor the Demons wore as their flank moved to try and counter the Demons' renewed advance on both sides. Suddenly Aurelius heard a soft, cool voice in his head.

~~Lord Aurelius. This is Lead Terminator X7-Delta-97364, call sign 'Sicarius'. I and my team are part of the General's protection detail.~~

~~What is it?~~ Aurelius asked urgently.

~~Tactical analysis suggests our current assets will be insufficient to force the enemy forces into retreat. I recommend contacting HQ for reinforcements or additional ordinance. In the mean time I am requesting permission to disengage from our unit and perform independent operations upon the enemy using all available assets. Please be advised that such action may allow our enemies to become aware of our true offensive capabilities.~~

~~Anything you can do at this moment would be of great help!~~ Aurelius replied quickly. ~~We are quickly running out of options since any aid will take some time to get here!~~

~~Authorization confirmed. Beginning operations.~~ Sicarius replied.

A squad of men quickly left the group of soldiers near the General and began running at high speed towards the second front line. As they ran their fingers began to grow at an alarming rate until they resembled razor sharp claws that were several inches long. Similarly thin talons sliced through their boots and silver spikes erupted from their elbows and knees. The group split into two halves and ran towards the defending flanks to try and outflank the Demon's own warriors. Almost faster than the men could follow, the Terminators reached the front line. Lashing out, their talons seemed to slice across the Demons in front of them.

An instant later the supernatural creatures' bodies slid apart into multiple pieces, hitting the ground with wet thunks.

The Demons that were standing next to their currently dismembered comrades stared in shock at what had occurred. The Terminators were under no such compulsion.

Their hands became flesh-colored flashes as they slashed at the creatures before them before leaping over their heads and landing in the middle of the Demons. The ones that the Terminators had attacked barely had enough time to look at each other stupidly before slumping to the ground in a pile of body parts. Wasting no time the machines began to spin and slash with dark smiles on their faces as blood began to fly through the air.

~~Are you certain that course of action was wise?~~ Aurelius asked the team leader in a rather stunned voice even as he punched another Demon in the face, caving its skull in.

~~There's nothing like a target rich environment sir.~~ Sicarius replied with dark humor as it backhanded another Demon with its claws, slashing the creature's face apart.

~~How are you…?~~ Aurelius began.

~~Monomolecular blades constructed from nanites and liquid metal.~~ The machine replied crisply as he stabbed another Demon in the chest with a precise thrust of his finger before wiggling it about, cutting apart the creature's insides. ~~The edges of our blades are bonded together so tightly and thinly that we're able to pierce or slice virtually anything. And considering we can instantly calculate the perfect angle and amount of force needed for such strikes, the outcome is certain.~~

The machine dodged under a swift swing from the Demons' blade before lashing out with its arm, slicing off the creature's forearm. The Demon stumbled backwards as black blood gushed from the severed limb allowing the Terminator to whip its other arm across the Demon's throat, slicing it open. As blood began to pour from the monster's mouth and throat the machine immediately engaged a new target. Pulling out its plasma rifle, the machine began firing bolts of searing energy into the Demons nearby, swiftly clearing the immediate area with deadly efficiency. The Terminator took the opportunity of the momentarily cleared area to provide fire support to its brethren as bolts of raw star-stuff hammered the Demons while the other machines plowed through the battlefield. Sicarius converted its arms to blades once again and quickly began to spin about like a nimble dancer as more Demons converged on it, cleaving through them as it moved with unearthly grace. One attempted to stab the machine in its neck but it bent backwards at nearly a 45 degree angle, its chin inches from the edge of the Demon's blade before it whipped its upper body forward, its solid metal cranium slamming into the creature's face with powerful force, bloodying it as its nose became flattened. Roaring furiously the Demon dropped its blade before wrapping its arms around the Terminator in a bear hug powerful enough to crush human bones into paste, its arms pinned at its sides.

"I'm touched at your affection," Sicarius hissed as it aimed its fists towards the Demon's head, "but I'm afraid I can only give you a gift in return."

Suddenly the Demon yelled in pain as thin lances of metal shot from the Terminator's wrists, penetrating beneath the creature's jaw on both sides and stabbing deep into its brain.

"The gift of death." The Terminator stated as the Demon's hold slackened, its body becoming dead weight as its eyes glazed over.

Grabbing the body the Terminator noticed one of the Demons nearby was covered in large spikes. Smirking, it hefted the body using it like a shield before running towards the spiked creature. Leaping forward the Terminator impaled the dead Demon on its comrade, making it stumble as its center of gravity shifted with the significant extra weight. Shoving the thing forward the spiked Demon fell on its back, embedding it in the ground due to its back spikes as the Terminator jumped onto the dead body, adding its own weight to the pile. A second's work later the spiked Demon's head was separated from its shoulders. A smaller imp-like Demon launched itself at the Terminator with its claws outstretched only to be grabbed by its wrists as the machine swung it around before launching it at a nearby monster. The larger Demon stumbled back with a frustrated snarl, ripping the imp from its body before throwing it aside only to find the Terminator in its face. The machine thrust two of its fingers into the Demon's eyes, gouging them out as the blades on its fingertips turned the creature's grey matter into so much jelly. The nanites on the machine's back that functioned as sensors shouted a warning and the Terminator spun, its hand grabbing the haft of the large war axe that had been on its way to the back of its head, held in the grip of an angry slime green creature. The Terminator yanked the axe from the creature's hand before whipping his arm forward, the unholy weapon's edge buried between the Demon's eyes. Suddenly a thick linked chain wrapped around the Terminator's wrist. Turning its head it saw a large Demon covered in chains standing nearby with a dark grin on its face, the chain wrapped around the Terminator's arm connected to the Demon's own chain-covered arm. More chains shot from the Demon's body and though the Terminator twisted and turned to dodge them the chains appeared to have a mind of their own, turning in mid air and wrapping around the machine until its arms and legs were bound. The Demon began to reel in the Terminator like a struggling fly in a web. Long spikes erupted from the Terminator's heels as it dug itself into the ground, fighting against the powerful chains that held it. Growling in impatience the Demon continued to pull harder and harder until it seemed that both were straining against each other, the chains creaking and groaning from the intense stress. Suddenly the Terminator's heel spikes retracted and the Demon yanked the machine forward at high speed. Aligning itself feet first, bunches of large spikes emerged from the bottom of its boots an instant before it slammed into the Demon's chest. The force of the blow knocked the creature down as it howled, the spikes smashing through the chains and piercing the creature's body. A large ball of interconnected chains smashed into the Terminator, ripping him off the Demon as black blood poured from its wounds. Sicarius rolled as the liquid metal spikes were reabsorbed and redistributed across its body once again, ready to strike out at any angle. The Demon struggled to its feet as Sicarius pulled the plasma rifle from its back. The Terminator took a split second to take aim before firing a series of shots into the Demon's chest, melting the damaged chains still covering it and boring deep into its chest before liquefying its spine. The chained monster slowly fell forward, hitting the ground face first.

Grinning fiercely at the prowess of the Terminators, Aurelius renewed his own attack on the front line as the machines continued to cause chaos behind it, spurring the soldiers around him to fight with greater ferocity. On the other side of the battlefield the human members of the army struggled to contain the howling hordes of hell. A group of infantry desperately fired crossbows in staggered ranks in an attempt to thin the Demons' ranks as they tore through the line of men defending them but the arrows had no effect against their supernaturally hardened skins, the arrows splintering upon contact. Enraged, the demons tore through the group with little effort before being bogged down by a line of men in heavy armor who held them back by sheer force of weight and shields alone, though even they were quickly hacked apart by the ferocious warriors. The Terminators interspersed among them continued to whittle down the front lines as quickly as they could with blasts of plasma but it was becoming obvious that they were not doing enough damage; even with their enhanced weapons they were simply too few against the surging flood of evil incarnate. The Demons continued to tear through the mens' plate and chainmail armor as if it were paper, their weapons beheading several soldiers with a single swing. Hundreds quickly perished as the Demons attempted to force their way through the thinning ranks of men desperately trying to hold them at bay.

~~Eagle 10 to Gold Actual, do you copy?~~ Came a voice in Aurelius's head.

Foolish humans and their call signs! Aurelius fumed as he slammed his fist into the chest of an armored Demon. I don't have time for this!

~~Gold Actual copies! Status report!~~ He demanded.

~~ETA to target 2 minutes 20 seconds. Requesting permission to engage.~~

~~Yes you bloody well have permission to engage!~~ Aurelius shot back. ~~Now move your flaming arse before we're all massacred!~~

~~Orders received. ETA 2 minutes.~~ The lead pilot replied calmly, unfazed by the Dragon's outburst.

Gritting his fangs angrily the gold Dragon turned before lashing out with his tail. The appendage slammed into the Demons behind him with the force of a steel beam, slamming them backward and knocking them to the ground. The front line immediately tried to surround him and he felt the bite of the unholy blades slashing across his scales, scoring more shallow cuts. Turning to face them again he slammed the backs of his wings against the dark tide, flinging them aside as prismatic light exploded from his paws. Lightning, freezing cold, and burning acid impacted against the Demons before him while others were rendered partially into stone statues or even banished back to the plane from which they had come. The resulting unholy chorus of howls and cries made the Dragon bare his fangs in a grin as he slammed his fists against more of the hateful Baator warriors, crumpling armor and caving in torsos.

~~All units withdraw to behind the battle lines!~~ Aurelius ordered. ~~Notify the General that we have incoming aerial ordinance! Have everyone brace for impact!~~

A series of pings acknowledged his order as the terminators quickly withdrew from the midst of battle. Seconds later a horn call sounded across the battlefield to raise shields. On the other side of the battlefield the men quickly dug in, trying to hold back the tide as they braced themselves.

~~ETA 30 seconds.~~ Came the crisp voice of the group leader in his head. ~~Recommend retreating from the strike zone Gold Actual.~~

~~No!~~ Aurelius argued. ~~Attack the second army! The men there are faring far worse! Make sure not to hit the front lines! If you have extra ordinance after that then hit the rear of this one!~~

~~We'll do our best sir.~~ The pilot replied dubiously.

~~You are supposed to be the finest pilots in the world.~~ Aurelius informed him brusquely. ~~Do not disappoint me and your Emperor.~~

~~Understood sir. Strike zone in range. Flyover commencing.~~

The whoosh of the group of aircraft was loud in the air as they flew high overhead and past the armies faster than the mortal eye could follow.

~~Targets designated, dropping the packages.~~ The lead pilot stated dispassionately.

Dropping as flat as he could and covering his body with his wings, he heard the sound of jet engines fill the air again.

A moment later the world exploded in roaring fire.

A sound like the roar of a monstrous angry beast filled the Dragon's ears as solid air slammed into him like a wall of steel, buffeting him and making him grit his fangs from the impact, the force enough to shove him back several inches even with his claws embedded in the ground. Heat, the strength of which he had never experienced before, washed over him like a hot blanket even though he knew he was merely on the fringe of the conflagration, the pilot having hit the center of the army. Screams and howls from thousands of demonic throats filled the air, creating a cacophony of pain and blind agony horrific enough to rival the screams of the damned in the deepest levels of the Nine Hells. Aurelius prayed that the pilots had not miscalculated or all of their men would be naught but charred steak in blackened armor. A few moments later silence filled the air and he opened his wings, the back of them lightly tanned, as he raised his head to view the damage.

The once grassy plain was stripped of nearly all vegetation for hundreds of yards, the dry ground covered in a mix of black ash, ichor, and fire. Of the thousands of Demons that had stood there, only a hundred or so remained between both armies with massive craters pockmarking the ground. Both armies nearly to a man, and Demon, had been knocked to the ground by the immense force of the bombs that had been dropped though the Demons were slowly picking themselves up again amidst the carnage of their dismembered and bloodsoaked comrades. The soldiers were slower to respond, having never experienced such tremendous destructive force in their lives and made of less hardy stuff than the Demons. The men near the Dragon slowly looked around with glassy eyes, their minds numb and in shock.

Shaking off his ennui Aurelius reestablished his connection to the Terminators. ~~All units fire on the remnants!~~ Aurelius ordered harshly.

The staccato shots of high powered rifles and the whoosh of plasma and rockets filled the air once more as the machines fired upon the remainder of the enemy. Bright flashes of blood red light filled the air as the scant few demonic officers that remained teleported away, leaving their minions to their fate. The terminators converged on the Demons as a group and swiftly cut them to pieces, the last of the offensive falling within minutes. Aurelius sighed tiredly as Sicarius walked up to him and saluted.

"The enemy forces have been destroyed sir." The Terminator informed him.

Aurelius nodded and returned the salute. "Well done."

"It was simply my duty sir." The machine replied with a slight hint of smugness. "Permission to return to my duties?"

The Dragon nodded. "You may as well walk with me, I'm going to check in with the General now." Aurelius replied.

The two of them made their way towards the General on the other side of the field, surveying the damage as they went. Transforming himself back into his human form Aurelius nodded to the General.

"Well...we won, against all odds." The man said wearily as men scurried about nearby. "But this victory is rather hollow considering the cost."

Aurelius nodded ruefully. "8,000 soldiers accompanied us here along with the 5,000 Terminators we provided. I'm still getting confirmation from the Terminators but it appears that less than 2,000 of the men remain standing, mainly due to the fact that they were at the very rear of the lines and the Demons hadn't had a chance to get to them yet."

The General closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head in dismay before looking at Aurelius. "And your own men?"

"We fared rather better." The Dragon admitted. "Only about 1,000 of the Terminators were destroyed. Cold comfort I know..."

"We fought as well as we could considering what we faced." The General replied. "And even then it was that...that fist of the gods that saved us in the end. What on Oerth was that?" He asked, his voice a mix of awe and fear. "Never have I seen it's like!"

"The power of the sun itself unleashed upon those hated creatures." Aurelius replied. "The mechanics of it are beyond me as well but in essence that is what happened. The Emperor calls it a 'plasma bomb'."

The man shook his head in disbelief. "Only the most powerful arch mages could create something like that and even then...I don't know how I will explain this to my superiors back in Chendl."

Aurelius gave him a small wry smile. "It was the Emperor's power made manifest. That should suffice I think."

The General snorted quietly as one of the Commanders came forward and saluted. "Sir, we have confirmed the enemy is destroyed and the city is safe."

Covington nodded. "Good. Have the men start collecting the dead and prepare them as best we are able. We will likely be here for several days."

The man nodded soberly. "As you say sir."

Once the man was out of earshot the General glanced at Aurelius. "Can you bring them back?" He asked softly.

Aurelius shook his head sadly. "I am no cleric; I do not have the power. The Emperor is the only one who might have the power and even then I have only heard of such a mass resurrection happening once, when he first incarnated on the mortal plane at the behest of the gods. He might be able to return them all if he worked day and night for several days but…" The Dragon trailed off.

"Even your Emperor has limits." The man said quietly, finishing the Dragon's reluctant statement. "I understand. It is not an easy thing to admit when you hold someone in such regard as you obviously do."

"He is as close to a god as I have ever seen, apart from the Platinum Lord himself." Aurelius stated. "Such regalness and power even when angered…" He shook his head, painfully reminded of his own recent faults before recovering. "Still, we cannot dwell on that now. We must see to your men."

Covington nodded. "Not only that but we must ensure the city is truly secure. They will need to help transport the fallen back to their homes when this is done. I fear it will take some time."

~~Aurelius.~~ Davis's voice echoed in Aurelius's mind urgently. ~~We received a priority alert from AZ-253466-K in Crockport. Enemies forces inbound from the north, ETA 1 hour. I need sitrep.~~

"Damnation!" Aurelius swore softly, gnashing his fangs in anger. This is madness!

"What's happening?" The General asked urgently.

Aurelius waved at him to be silent as he thought for a moment before responding. ~~Enemy forces in the south have been destroyed but not without significant cost.~~ Aurelius replied. ~~Only about 2,000 of Furyondy's men are fit for active duty and 4,000 Terminators. We're currently at Free Borough in the south.~~

~~Take what Terminators you can to help reinforce.~~ Davis ordered him. ~~I'm currently in contact with the Group Leader in Veluna but it will take too long to get there by my calculations, even at full march.~~

~~I fear we will arrive too late as well.~~ Aurelius replied. ~~It was easily 5 days march at normal speed. It will take us at least half a day to get there even pushed to the limit.~~

~~Same with the Veluna contingent.~~ Davis sighed. ~~I'll be sending fighter jets and bombers in to try to intercept but my calculations indicate by the time they arrive the enemy will be inside the walls so their usefulness will be very limited. I'm afraid Crockport will be lost but we should be able to attack them enroute to Chendl since that will no doubt be their next stop. At the very least we can defend the capital. Get there as soon as possible.~~

~~Understood.~~ Aurelius replied wearily before turning to the General. "General Covington, I fear I and my men are needed elsewhere with all speed. You and your men should remain behind to help return the dead to their home as is fitting."

"Is there nothing I and my men can do to aid you?" The man asked in concern.

The Dragon shook his head. "No. We must travel at speeds faster than any horse and even then it will be a near thing, assuming we make it in time. You will do more good here. No doubt you will be told if you are needed." Aurelius held out his hand. "It was an honor to serve with you General."

The man gripped the Paladin's hand firmly. "Likewise. May the gods go with you my friend."

Aurelius nodded before sending a message to the Terminators. ~~All units, form up! We make for Chendl with all speed!~~

As they moved away from the rest of the army Aurelius once more transformed himself into his normal form, the Terminators falling into orderly ranks behind him with Sicarius at his side.

"Was it wise not to inform the General of what is occurring?" The machine asked softly in vague curiosity.

Aurelius sighed. "The man could do nothing about it. His forces were just decimated and a mountain of dead lies before him. Notifying him would only cause him more stress and worry. He could not move quickly enough and the remainder of his men would be slaughtered for nothing. Let him focus on the task at hand, it is grim enough without the extra burden."

"Since we are going to Chendl I surmise the enemy is there?" Sicarius asked.

Aurelius shook his head. "Not yet but they will be within a day. Crockport will be under siege within the hour and I doubt they will last more than few hours at best. Chendl is a day's march or so from there at normal speed so the Demons will reach it before the day is out unless they take their time pillaging and burning."

"Unlikely." Sicarius replied flatly. "From the analyses I've seen this is a war of extermination, not acquisition."

"Quite," Aurelius stated firmly, "which is why we must be ready to defend Chendl to the last. If it falls, so does Furyondy."

Flapping his wings he readied himself to take off before looking towards Sicarius. "I will fly as far and fast I can to get there. With luck, our efforts here will not be in vain. Now, show the people of this land the meaning of haste!"

With that Aurelius ran forward, flapping his wings fiercely before launching himself into the air with great wing beats. At a silent signal the machines at the front of the columns began to run forward at great speed, their legs and arms pumping powerfully, the ones behind them following seconds after until all of the Terminators were running at full sprint. The ground blurred beneath their feet as they sped across the terrain, often going nearly 30 miles an hour when they had the luxury of travelling on the roads that crisscrossed the kingdom. Villagers and travelling caravans alike looked on with astonished eyes as the massive columns of men moved at impossible speed across the land, their faces set in steely determination, while overhead a golden Dragon out of legend flew ahead of them as vanguard, leading many to believe the mysterious Dragon-Emperor himself was leading them. The noon day sun continued to sink lower into the sky as the hours passed.

~~Aurelius.~~ Davis's voice came over his receiver.

The Dragon flinched at the flatness of the normally arrogant Terminator's voice. ~~Sitrep?~~ He asked hesitantly.

~~Scouts report Crockport's destruction is confirmed.~~ Davis stated dispassionately. ~~The Demons used their plasma-based siege engines to burn through what few defenses they had before razing the city.~~

The Dragon briefly clenched his eyes shut in pain at the news. He had known it was likely but to hear it confirmed…For all his arrogance superiority he was still a gold Dragon. Needless death of any kind, especially those of innocents, pained his heart greatly. Especially when there was nothing he could have done to prevent them. Suddenly, realization came to him with chilling certainty, the Demon that had been speaking to them before had been telling the truth: all of the major southern cities had fallen to their might. Only Free Borough, Chendl, and Grabford remained. His body and mind froze at the enormity of what had occurred before his reflexes kicked in, keeping him aloft as his mind frantically tried to process just how many thousands of lives had been snuffed out in a matter of days.

~~Survivors?~~ He found himself asking dully.

~~None that we are aware of so far.~~ Davis replied with brutal honesty. ~~If any did make it, it will most likely be those that had the foresight to flee before the attack began.~~

Great tears fell from his eyes as he let out a roar of anguish that made all who heard it tremble in dismay.

~~I will destroy every last one of those foul abominations and send them back to the hells that spawned them!~~ The Dragon cried in sorrow. ~~I will descend in the depths of the Hells themselves so I can avenge those they killed again! I will reduce them to NOTHING! THERE WILL NOT EVEN BE A MEMORY OF THEM WHEN I AM FINISHED WITH THEM!~~

Davis remained silent for several seconds before he spoke. ~~Then...Get to Chendl and show them the full fury of a Dragon's power.~~ The machine ordered him with quiet determination.

Too furious to even respond with words the Dragon slammed shut the connection before forcing himself to fly faster, his rage and pain burning like fire in his heart.

~~Faster!~~ He shouted mentally to the machines behind him. ~~I will not let Chendl fall!~~

The blood red sun slowly sunk beneath the horizon as night fell over the land and still they ran unrelenting as Aurelius pushed himself to fly as fast as possible. Miles uncounted flew beneath his wings before Chendl slowly came into view as a distant collection of buildings and pinpoints of light. As they drew closer his heart sank at what lay before them.

The Demons had already arrived.

His sharp eyes watched as the fiery siege engines to the rear of the massive columns launched bursts of white hot fire against the city's massive gates, smashing them apart as the last remnants of the kingdom's army, barely hundreds strong, barricaded the great archway with their bodies. Snarls, howls, and a hundred battle cries issued from thousands of monstrous throats as the Demons carved apart the army before them in a horrific bloodbath.

No! Aurelius snarled to himself. They will not take this city!

~~Fire at will!~~ Aurelius ordered his troops. ~~Stop them from pushing through!~~

Narrowing his wings he flew towards one of the two siege engines, his fangs bared hatefully. As the ponderous machine slowly turned to face him its hideous visage contorted in a ghastly grin with white hot fire dripping from its mouth. Opening its mouth it allowed a flood of liquid hellfire to splash down across its torso a moment before Aurelius slammed into it at full speed. Aurelius had an instant to feel the shock before he howled in agony, the creature's liquid hellfire burning him even through his scales as the massive construct toppled over onto its back with a terrible crash. Aurelius fell to the side of the burning machine, gasping for breath as tears of pain stung his eyes, his torso and stomach smoldering from the intense heat, his scales partially melted against his chest. Funneling as much energy into himself as he could he howled a spell that froze them instantly. Blessed coolness washed over him as the scales cooled before the melted mass cracked into various pieces. Injured but still armored and once again able to move he sighed in relief as he slowly got his breath back.

"Blessed be the Platinum Lord for his mercies!" He panted before looking up at the second hellfire engine.

The massive machine slowly lifted its foot in an attempt to smash Aurelius into the ground but even in his injured state the Dragon was far nimbler and quickly scurried out of the way. The Terminators quickly began to fire upon the army with their remaining rockets and plasma rifles sending Demons flying into the air with hypersonic shrapnel embedded in their bodies. The remaining hellfire engine turned its head to examine the new threat before launching a massive gout of hellfire directly at the Terminators. Reacting instantly, many of the Terminators ran clear of the blast zone. Those unfortunate enough to be caught in the explosion did not fare as well. Unable to withstand the immense heat their power cores exploded, adding to the blazing inferno as a blast of blue fire erupted into the sky from its center with a thunderous noise. Gnashing his fangs in frustration Aurelius called out arcane words as he pointed at the machine, hoping to dampen its fire with his last freezing spell. The icy blast impacted against the massive torso before being flash boiled by the insane heat, letting off a cloud of steam. The Demons at the rear of the army, having seen the incapacitation of their siege engine, ran towards the Dragon, baying and howling as they brandished their weapons. Snarling Aurelius called forth a power light spell that caused them to stumble in pain, the light blinding their eyes as he slammed his fists against their heads and torsos.

~~Update on sitrep sir.~~ Sicarius stated with dispassionate calm. ~~Chendl's defensive forces are about to be overrun, they are down to only about 100 men and the gates cannot be repaired or replaced in time. Requesting orders.~~

~~I will be there...in a moment!~~ Aurelius said distractedly as he dispatched another Demon before focusing his transmitter. ~~Davis can you hear me?!~~

~~Loud and clear.~~ Davis replied calmly. ~~Give me sitrep.~~

~~Chendl needs reinforcements now!~~ Aurelius replied frantically as he swiftly took to the air, narrowly dodging another gout of hellfire from the engine. ~~The Demons are about to breach and I cannot hold them back by myself! The Terminators are attempting to flank but it will not be enough and they still have a functional hellfire engine! What happened to those planes you spoke of?!~~

~~They were able to whittle down the enemy forces but they still have limited ammunition and ordinance to attack with.~~ Davis replied tersely. ~~You can only fit so many bombs and bullets into a jet at one time. More reinforcements are inbound. ETA approximately 10 minutes.~~

~~We may not have ten minutes!~~ Aurelius barked in reply, cutting the connection as he flew over the demonic army, quickly dodging the few flying Demons that had not yet been shot down. Flying in a wide circle to get his bearings he quickly dove at a steep angle, aiming for the front line.

By the Platinum Lord I pray I do not foul this up! Aurelius thought anxiously as he corrected his dive slightly before squeezing his eyes shut.

Seconds later the Demons howled in fury as Aurelius's body slammed into the army's flank with tremendous force, cutting a swath just behind the Demons attacking the few remaining soldiers and sliding on his damaged scales until he came to rest before the broken gates.

Cursing furiously in pain as his damaged scales lacerated his chest and stomach he staggered to his feet and spread his wings wide, blocking the archway with his body. Drawing on his flagging reserves Aurelius wreathed himself in an aura of power and fear, trying to hold the Demons at bay as the Terminators attempted to burn through the army's flank to ease the pressure against him by creating a more dangerous front. Unfortunately the Demons merely closed ranks as magical shields sprung up across their second line as the main front continued its assault. The gold Dragon's fists flew as he pummeled any enemy that came near him, his body aching from the previous battle, his nonstop flight, and the injuries he had suffered from tackling the engine. Dozens of swords and axes slashed against his body, each scoring cuts as the edges of his wings became ragged from the abuse. The Terminators rifles spat plasmic death as they slowly ate away at the Demons' shields, the arcane energy unable to stand against such power and the Demons began to fall. Suddenly another hellfire blast shot across the battlefield, slamming into the Demons' own front. Demons and men alike screamed in pain as white hot fire exploded around them, throwing them into the air while the city's stone walls began to melt. Aurelius was hurled through the gateway from the force of the blast, tumbling snout over tail until he finally skidded to a stop within the large square just inside the walls. His body burning in patches and his scales scalding to the touch, he slowly stood, wobbling on his hind legs as he struggled to clear his head against the burning pain that covered his body. He gasped as he grit his fangs in agony.

Is this how humans feel...trapped in burning armor? He wondered, his mind whirling in chaos for a moment.

Forcing himself to focus he managed to gasp out a spell. A torrent of water flooded over his body creating a great blast of steam. While still uncomfortably warm, the burning agony he had felt thankfully subsided. Facing the archway he groaned as he saw the Demons begin to pour through the gate. Forcing himself forward he began to hammer at the Demons, trying to stem the tide as they ran through the portal.

~~Gold Actual this is Stormrider 1, please respond?~~ Came a cool voice.

~~Who is this?~~ Aurelius panted as he punched another Demon in the chest.

~~General Arnold ordered us to reinforce your position sir.~~ The pilot replied. ~~ETA 1 minute 30 seconds. Please designate priority targets.~~

~~The hellfire siege engine at the rear!~~ Aurelius replied quickly. ~~You can't miss it!~~

~~Roger, understand. Engaging target.~~ The airman replied.

Another blast of hellfire erupted from the monster's mouth, smashing apart stone and widening the hole made by the destroyed gate before the sound of jet engines rumbled across the sky. Missiles flew towards the massive target and the engine exploded with a metallic screech that echoed across the battlefield. Hellfire erupted in every direction as shards of red hot metal shot through the rear of the army, impaling dozens of Demons. Enraged at the audacity of their foes the Demons fought even harder with dozens pouring through the gate, many ignoring the flailing Dragon entirely as others pinned Aurelius in place with their bodies. The jets circled around for another attack and more missiles flew from beneath their wings, shooting towards the middle of the army and blasting holes in it while another round of missiles exploded against the front line, disorganizing the charge and allowing the Terminators to blockade the entrance, their rifles firing constantly into the morass of bodies in massive streams of death. Inside, Aurelius finally freed himself from the press of the Demons. Racing deeper into the city he sent out orders to the machines.

~~Hold the gate as long as you can! I must secure King Thrommel and the royal family before driving out the Demons inside!~~

Screams of terrified people filled his ears as he raced through the city thoroughfares. Skidding to a stop as the thickening throngs of panicked people blocked his way, Aurelius scaled one of the buildings before transforming into his human form to keep from caving in the rooftops. Clad in partially melted, bloodstained chrome armor, he raced across the rooftops towards the royal palace, praying he was in time. As he reached the courtyard that sat in front of the large palace at the center of the city he beheld a harrowing sight. In the middle of the courtyard stood King Thrommel, dressed in a slim outfit and breastplate with his sword drawn he faced off against a busty woman with lavender skin, ichor yellow eyes, and long red hair. Her face was twisted in an arrogant smirk and a massive broadsword that literally pulsated with evil energy rested against her shoulder.

"Your city is about to fall little King!" She drawled in a youthful proud voice. "More than that, your kingdom is in flames. What can you possibly hope to accomplish with this pathetic display? You will gain nothing but your own death!"

"You intend to kill me anyway!" Thrommel retorted grimly through his salt and pepper beard, his dark eyes glittering with fury. "If I am to die it will be in a manner of my choosing! At least do me the courtesy of telling me your name, you insolent bitch!"

The woman smiled unpleasantly in anticipation. "Oh you wish to know my name do you?" She purred mockingly. "Very well, I suppose you and your blood-stained friend up there should know who is going to destroy you." She stated, looking up at Aurelius with a smirk for a moment before focusing her attention on the King.

"I am Fierna!" She stated in a clarion tone that rang across the courtyard, bringing her sword to bear. "Uncontested ruler of Phlegethos, the Fourth Realm of the Nine Hells of Baator!"

Thrommel's eyes widened in shock. "The Demon Princess herself!" He gasped.

Upon the rooftop Aurelius's knees threatened to give way at the pronouncement, his entire body cold from fear.

Fierna's smile grew wide upon seeing Thrommel's reaction. "Now you know who stands before you little mortal!" She said chillingly. "Do you still wish to try your blade against mine? Or will you do the sensible thing and kneel before me?"

The King swallowed hard before firming his stance. "I will not bow to one such as you! Not now, not ever!" He declared.

Fierna chuckled softly. "How cute. Fine. Then perish!" She stated fiercely as she darted forward, stabbing at him with her large blade.

Thrommel dodged out of the way, swiping at her with his own blade though Fierna slipped back, avoiding it. Shaking off his shock, Aurelius leaped from the rooftop, his armored feet slamming into the pavement below as he drew his own sword. "You will not harm one hair on his head, you disgusting hellspawn!" Aurelius shouted heatedly.

Fierna glanced over at him lazily, a saucy smile on her face. "The knight in shining armor too. Can this get any more cliché? Still, more fun for me!"

Twisting out of the way of Thrommel's sword thrust she began to slash at him with her sword, the black iron blade practically vibrating with power in her hand. Thrommel swiftly parried each of her strikes before trying to slice at her sides and head. Chuckling darkly the Demon Princess nimbly twirled and dodged about, his attacks missing by mere inches. Aurelius quickly ran forward, hoping to catch her in her blind spot. Turning her head to look at him, her sword arm lashed out to block his strike a second before it would have landed. Grinning, she spun to face him completely, thrusting her other hand forward. Aurelius's chest plate crumpled as a powerful force slammed into him, forcing the air from his lungs. Executing a high spin kick the Demoness's heel slammed into his face, breaking his nose and knocking him aside as she completed her spin, her foot slapping aside the King's blade as he attempted to skewer her. Another thrust with her hand sent the man flying back several yards and skidding across the flagstones with a metallic screech. Clearing his swimming vision Aurelius charged forward once again. Turning to face him Fierna swept at his legs with her blade only to have it blocked by the Dragon's own before he swept it upward to try and slice at her. The Demoness skipped back a few steps before slashing at him crosswise in a flurry of attacks far faster than any mortal could hope to stop. Aurelius countered frantically, his nanite enhanced reflexes and draconic senses barely able to keep up with her supernatural speed as he parried purely on instinct. Seeing an opening he thrust forward only to have the woman angle her body slightly to the side, his blade passing over her shoulder. Clenching her fist Fiera punched him in the chest with the strength of a pile driver, sending him flying backwards, tumbling head over heels, while on the other side of the courtyard Thrommel regained his feet and sword. Getting on all fours Aurelius forced himself to transform in his normal form, his scales cracked and shattered where Fierna had punched him.

"I hope you don't think that will save you!" She called to him over her shoulder as she stalked towards the King, swaying her hips as she went.

Summoning the last vestiges of his magic he fired a bolt of raw arcane power that shot toward Fierna. Spinning about she smacked the spell away with the flat of her blade, letting it ricochet off the side of one of the buildings. Aurelius charged forward before leaping into the air hoping to body slam her. Sneering, the Demoness instantly conjured a large spear of pure blackness that radiated with violet energy. Reaching back she threw it forward with great speed.

The unholy spear shot through the air, smashing through Aurelius's broken scales and burying itself deep in his chest.

The Dragon roared in pain as he fell to the ground, the evil energies defiling and rotting his insides. Aurelius let out a wet, hacking cough and dark blood splattered on the flagstones before him. The Dragon struggled to rise even as he felt his strength draining away with each passing second before he finally slumped to the ground, panting, his body wracked with pain with the spear still embedded in his body.

"I grow tired of this fight so I'll make this quick." Fiera remarked, glancing back at Aurelius with a smirk. "You can watch your precious King, the one you fought so hard to protect, die by my hand before you yourself perish." She said before turning to face him, her face filled with perverse glee. "Oh, and if by chance you do survive, make sure your little Emperor knows that not even he can hope to beat me. Your time is up and his is coming soon."

Aurelius struggled to catch his breath as he saw Thrommel charge at the woman from behind with a furious yell, his overhead slice an instant from cutting her in half. Sighing, her face frowning in annoyance, she reached up and caught his swinging blade with her bare hand, stopping it instantly. Yanking her hand forward, she jerked it from his hands, throwing it overhand. The blade spun in the air before embedding itself in the blood-soaked stones before Aurelius as she turned and stabbed the King in the stomach with her blade. The unholy artifact punched through his breastplate as if it were nothing, the sword blazing with sickly green light. A ragged howl tore from the man's throat as the blade throbbed with power. Trails of blood ran from the corners of the man's mouth as Fierna gripped his throat with her other hand, yanking the blade free. The King's body collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut as she tossed the body to the side carelessly. Turning back she smirked at Aurelius as he struggled to breathe, his vision fading.

"All that work to save him years ago and King Thrommel is dead by my hand. And with him dies Furyondy." She laughed cruelly. "So perish all who stand in Hell's way."

The woman vanished in a flash of blood red light as packs of Demons raced through the courtyard howling before his vision finally faded to black.