Chapter3: The Strength of Alexander
Krauser screamed as he plunged the sword deep into the chest of a hell knight and then ripped it out to decapitate another. The battle was growing thick with more enemies appearing by the minute.
Krauser's eyes shifted to the side just in time to catch another enemy approaching him, and just in time to catch the enemy in the chest with a quick stroke. As the knight fell to his knees Krauser ran forward and punted its head, send the knight rolling backwards into the mounting pile of bodies he was using to keep score.
Vance wasn't having as easy a time in battle as the monsterous Krauser was. A sword whisked over his head and a spear by his side. He was barely avoiding instant death, because the knights were not settleing for mere injury. Another sword came across just short of his throat,however he was able to counter by ramming his sword into the face mask of the hell knight. He withdrew his sword and picked up the one his newly fallen enemy was using. The sword was massive and heavy. He could barely wield it with one hand, nevertheless he lifted it up and struck blades with another enemy.
He knocked the knight's sword away using his sword, but then jabbed the Hell Sword into the chest of the hell knight. He wrenched the sword but as he look at the knight he noticed it was giving in any way. He pushed the sword more but as he did he felt a massive gauntlet hammer him across the face. He staggered backwards but regained his composure quickly. To his dismay the knight he was contending with now had two swords, making it all the more deadly.
The knight charged Vance and swung both swords fast and furociously. One blade missed him entirely, while the other barely glazed his armor. However, the glaze carved a massive line across his armor, astonishing him with the thought of what a fully connected blow would cause. After getting over the horrindous blow, he charged forward and slid between the legs of the hell knight, just as the blades would have scissored his neck. The knight turned around to catch the last glimpse of the battle field before his head was seperated from the rest of his body.
A hundred yards of so away Byron was cleaning house without the slighest bit of struggle. Knight after knight fell at his feet as the Blood Sword caught a new notch in it's blade every few seconds. He continued to annihialate the enemy soldiers with ease as more and more continued to attack him. Nothing was standing in the way between him and victory but a few more bodies.
And in the area within a hundred feet of the mountain Kajata was about to contend with the general of Magus' armies, the excommunicated Knight of Alexandria, Vargas. Vargas was the only answer to the Knights of Alexander, and his power greatly displayed this reasoning. The two glared at each other with great contempt, for this was not their first encounter in battle. Both had been high-ranking Knights but only Kajata had been chosen to be the third member of the Knights of Alexander. Knowing that he was the superior knight for the position, he took great resentment and left the Kingdom of Alexandria. He then joined himself with another exiled member of the Alexandrian Army...Magus.
Vargas drew his sword, one equal to the in power of Kajata's. It was almost the exact parallel in terms of creation, being forged in the very Tiamat's breath. Though Tiamat wasnt as powerful as Bahamut by any means, the three heads of Tiamat provided enough strength to create a sword near equal to that of Ultima. It's material was that of Tiamat's scales, giving it even more endurence to the immense heat it was placed under. This being known, Kajata was well aware he would have a grand battle ahead of him.
Kajata quickly unsheathed his sword and lept forward to match steel to scale with Vargas. The two danced in a circle as they unleashed slash after slash on the others weapon. Sparks glimmered and flew as each relentless blade crackled against the other. It was almost as if an invisible barrier encircled the two, preventing the interference of any outside forces. Nothing stood between the two men and death with the exception of the blades of their swords.
Corporately the Alexandrian Army was fairing very well over the hell knights of Magus. The Dragoon's ability to attack from a distance and from high places assisted greatly, while the Holy Knights' attacks were penetraited and destroyed their evil counterparts. The untouchable and unseen archers' arrows sailed through the air and pierced the helms of the opposing forces, making the battle a near sure fire victory for the Alexandrian Empire. Amazingly, not a single life on the side of Alexandria had been lost. The winds of victory were blowing strong in their favor, but surely as the wind blows, so do the winds change on a whim.
The Behemoth the King was mounted on was blasted out from under him by a burst of fire. The King dismounted before the blast hit and watched with anger as his Behemoth was send slamming into a pile of rubble. The King's gaze turned to the cloaked figure standing in front a massive entrace at the foot of the mountain. He knew immediately who it was. It was the one who had been troubleing his empire since he was exiled. It was the one responsible for the death of King Garlan's wife, son, and daughter, and the one responsible for the desolation of Valhala. The Arch Mage, Magus.
Garlan sneared at the shadowy sight of that cursed figure. He tossed his robe away to reveal a fully armored body that would be expected of such a king. He clenched the hilt of his blade, the Lumina, and began to walk forward torwards the cloaked nemesis in front of him. His eyes shone with fire and every vein in his body was coursing with power and energy. He would hinge the fate of the entire Kingdom on this battle.
"So Magus, you still persist in plaguing the Kingdom? You wicked fool. I will see to it that from hence forward you will cease your evil. By my sword and the Flame, I will take your head and leave it at this location as a remembrance to all generations that you were defeated at your own home. Prepare yourself, Dark One, this will be your last battle." Garlan drew the Lumina and batted away a ball of fire that was flung at him. The blade shone with near omnipotent power as it was being prepared for its greatest battle.
Magus lifted his head and the cloak that covered his body exploded in a ball of flames. Seconds later it crumbled off of him and there before King Garlan stood the revealed evil that had tormented so many. His eyes were black as dead night. His hair was long and silver and flowed to the middle of his back. His skin was as pale as death, and as marred as an old tree. A sheathed blade hung at his side, within reach of his blood stone studded gauntlets. The armor he wore was that of a former dark god by the name of Chaos. He was the personifacation of pure evil.
In the blink of an eye their swords flickered in the sunlight and collided with a force that made a resounding noise like that of thunder.
The skill of both warriors was displayed in all its grandeur, even it being just the beginning of the struggle. Despite Garlan's age, he was able to keep up with every attack made by Magus, even superceding him at times. With every clash of blades the intensity thickened on the battlefield, as if the stroke affected their own men.
Garlan spun around and ducked to the ground, evading a potentially decapitating blow. He drug the edge of his sword across the rocky ground and swung it upward, slashing the right eye of Magus in half, and badly scarring him. Magus dropped his sword and staggered backwards, clutching his eye, screaming in pain. Garlan swung his blade across the chest of his injured foe and cut the armor in half. With Magus' chest exposed, Garlan was going to finish him off. He drew he sword back. The Lumina shone in the sunlight as it prepared to end the kingdom's threat. Garland swung the sword forward with all his might, but as it approached its target, it was blown from the hand of its master.
Garlan turned to see where the sword landed, but as he turned back around to the enemy, his chest met with a massive ball of fire that sent him hurling backwards just out of reach of his sword.
"You thought I would be defeated so easily!" Magus hissed "I'll end the miserable empire of Alexander in one swift blow.....Steel Bladed Sword!" Magus lifted both hands and instantly the sky began to grow dark, blacking out the sun and blue sky. At the top of the mountain the a bright, moon-like sphere rested, and in the foreground a silhouette of a warrior bearing a gargantuan sword and riding on horseback. The horse reared up and neighed thunderously, filling the hearts of all those who heard it with inconievable fear.
All the combatants on the field froze as the watched the pale horse gallop down the side of the mountain at incredible speed. The only ones uneffected by the shocking turn of events were the four Knights of Alexander and General Vargas, who,with shields raised, hid behind any objects they could find for cover. The four knights screamed at their fellow soldiers to find cover from the oncoming attack, but they were too paralyzed with fear to move.
Kajata ran out from behind a pile of rocks and sprinted onto the battlefield. He stirred as many soldiers as he could to move. Only a few would follow him, though. The rest were still mesmerized by the glissening white horse and the sparkle of the moonlight against the blade of their destroyer. As the horse's front hoof stepped into the valley, Kajata slid around a corner and huddled with some other soldiers. They had just barely missed the inevitable death.
What proceed next would be horribly etched into the minds of all who survived the battle. The screams of death and pain were echoed off of every rock in the and mountain surrounding the valley. Shrieks of horror filled the air as bodies collapsed to the ground. A chorus of screams rose and fell as more would rise afterwards. All the while the King watched helplessly as his soldiers were slaughtered by a giant beast. He was filled with rage and anger like never before known to him. This was something that he would not forgive.
The skies cleared up, and those few survivors peeked around the corners of their shelters. Soon thought they stepped back onto the blood covered war-zone. Tears filled the eyes of the living. They looked in grief as they saw friends and family alike dead on the ground. A grusome sight if ever one did exist. Dismemberment and bloodshed filled the grounds. It now seemed that no matter if they defeated Magus or not it could never be said that a victory was won.
Krauser, Vance, and Byron stepped out and looked around in anger at the handiwork of evil. Krauser grimmaced looking at such a thing. When he was a Dark Knight, he was never able to see the death he worked. His mind raced with the thoughts of his past deeds. He lowered his head and sat on the ground, taking his helm off, and for the first time in many years he began to weep.
Byron observed the entire area, taking everything in that he saw. As horrible as it was, he was not surprised at the devastation that had been rendered to his comrads. He had heard of the "Steel Bladed Sword" before, and the damage done by it was as true to legend as could be. He took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on the king.
Vance was disturbed more than anybody else. He looked on the ground and saw one of his best friends lying in a pool of blood. He collapsed to one knee and lifted his friends body off the ground to examine it. He looked into her eyes one last time before laying back down. He then fell on his face and cried over her body. The true horrors of battle had finally been made known to him.
Kajata stood face to face with Vargas. The two were completely disarmed, yet their swords remained with an arms reach. Vargas' eyes were filled with an unexplainable horror and a fear. He wasnt even making eye contact with Kajata, but merely stairing at the thousands of bodies that lay lifeless on the ground. Kajata couldnt believe the look in his eyes.
"Vargas...you..you're human yet..." Kajata said astonished, "I had thought you were nothing more than another follower of Magus..devoid of all human emotion..but it seems I was wrong."
Vargas looked over Kajata, his eyes still blank looking. "Ka..ja..Kajata....I..saw..every...thing..." He staggered backwards and sat down on a rock. "Never have my eyes seen such an evil before...such..an....
atrocitious act. It was..so..evil..."
"Vargas..." Kajata said placing his hand on Vargas' shoulder, "Its not too late....your life..God will forgive you...you dont have to walk this path..."
Vargas looked into the eyes of Kajata, but he then turned his head to Magus, who extended his hand torwards him. Vargas fell over clutched his head in pain and began to scream in rage. It was like Magus was controlling a small part of him, but just enough to keep him under his power. Kajata jumped backwards as Vargas swung his sword upward at him. Kajata quickly grabbed his sword and the two again enguaged in the battle they were locked in before the massive deathblow.
To the dismay of the few hundered soldiers and other three Knights of Alexander that remained alive, a horde of Hell Knights rose from the ground. The ones that had been slain by the attack that had just occured lived again. With the odds now stacked against them severely, one would assume that they would be feint in heart. But no, now they were going to fight with all that they had. The soldiers charged into battle for their last stand against Magus Army.
King Garlan retrieved his sword and looked at Magus who stood laughing. He pointed with his sword to Magus' other eye. "I'll cut that one out too...starting at your neck!" Garland lept forward and met blade to blade with Magus, just as when they had first begun.
"Well then, King Garlan of Alexandria!" Magus said mockingly, "Defeat me and save your people! If you dont I promise to either kill them or make them my slaves...AHAHAHAH!!!"
King Garlan's eyes burned bright with rage. He had heard enough of Magus' taunts and saw he needed to. This time he would hesitate to kill him. This time he was going to insure that no one ever suffered under his hand again. He was going to deliver the judgement to Magus that he deserved, by sending him back to the hell from where he came.
So the remnants of Alexandria fought on for the freedom of their country. They would give everything they had to insure none would ever suffer the same fate as their friends had that day. They were going to win at any cost, even if it ment their own life. Nevertheless, the death of their friends would not have been in vain, and the Dark Army would know the true strength of Alexanderia.
Krauser screamed as he plunged the sword deep into the chest of a hell knight and then ripped it out to decapitate another. The battle was growing thick with more enemies appearing by the minute.
Krauser's eyes shifted to the side just in time to catch another enemy approaching him, and just in time to catch the enemy in the chest with a quick stroke. As the knight fell to his knees Krauser ran forward and punted its head, send the knight rolling backwards into the mounting pile of bodies he was using to keep score.
Vance wasn't having as easy a time in battle as the monsterous Krauser was. A sword whisked over his head and a spear by his side. He was barely avoiding instant death, because the knights were not settleing for mere injury. Another sword came across just short of his throat,however he was able to counter by ramming his sword into the face mask of the hell knight. He withdrew his sword and picked up the one his newly fallen enemy was using. The sword was massive and heavy. He could barely wield it with one hand, nevertheless he lifted it up and struck blades with another enemy.
He knocked the knight's sword away using his sword, but then jabbed the Hell Sword into the chest of the hell knight. He wrenched the sword but as he look at the knight he noticed it was giving in any way. He pushed the sword more but as he did he felt a massive gauntlet hammer him across the face. He staggered backwards but regained his composure quickly. To his dismay the knight he was contending with now had two swords, making it all the more deadly.
The knight charged Vance and swung both swords fast and furociously. One blade missed him entirely, while the other barely glazed his armor. However, the glaze carved a massive line across his armor, astonishing him with the thought of what a fully connected blow would cause. After getting over the horrindous blow, he charged forward and slid between the legs of the hell knight, just as the blades would have scissored his neck. The knight turned around to catch the last glimpse of the battle field before his head was seperated from the rest of his body.
A hundred yards of so away Byron was cleaning house without the slighest bit of struggle. Knight after knight fell at his feet as the Blood Sword caught a new notch in it's blade every few seconds. He continued to annihialate the enemy soldiers with ease as more and more continued to attack him. Nothing was standing in the way between him and victory but a few more bodies.
And in the area within a hundred feet of the mountain Kajata was about to contend with the general of Magus' armies, the excommunicated Knight of Alexandria, Vargas. Vargas was the only answer to the Knights of Alexander, and his power greatly displayed this reasoning. The two glared at each other with great contempt, for this was not their first encounter in battle. Both had been high-ranking Knights but only Kajata had been chosen to be the third member of the Knights of Alexander. Knowing that he was the superior knight for the position, he took great resentment and left the Kingdom of Alexandria. He then joined himself with another exiled member of the Alexandrian Army...Magus.
Vargas drew his sword, one equal to the in power of Kajata's. It was almost the exact parallel in terms of creation, being forged in the very Tiamat's breath. Though Tiamat wasnt as powerful as Bahamut by any means, the three heads of Tiamat provided enough strength to create a sword near equal to that of Ultima. It's material was that of Tiamat's scales, giving it even more endurence to the immense heat it was placed under. This being known, Kajata was well aware he would have a grand battle ahead of him.
Kajata quickly unsheathed his sword and lept forward to match steel to scale with Vargas. The two danced in a circle as they unleashed slash after slash on the others weapon. Sparks glimmered and flew as each relentless blade crackled against the other. It was almost as if an invisible barrier encircled the two, preventing the interference of any outside forces. Nothing stood between the two men and death with the exception of the blades of their swords.
Corporately the Alexandrian Army was fairing very well over the hell knights of Magus. The Dragoon's ability to attack from a distance and from high places assisted greatly, while the Holy Knights' attacks were penetraited and destroyed their evil counterparts. The untouchable and unseen archers' arrows sailed through the air and pierced the helms of the opposing forces, making the battle a near sure fire victory for the Alexandrian Empire. Amazingly, not a single life on the side of Alexandria had been lost. The winds of victory were blowing strong in their favor, but surely as the wind blows, so do the winds change on a whim.
The Behemoth the King was mounted on was blasted out from under him by a burst of fire. The King dismounted before the blast hit and watched with anger as his Behemoth was send slamming into a pile of rubble. The King's gaze turned to the cloaked figure standing in front a massive entrace at the foot of the mountain. He knew immediately who it was. It was the one who had been troubleing his empire since he was exiled. It was the one responsible for the death of King Garlan's wife, son, and daughter, and the one responsible for the desolation of Valhala. The Arch Mage, Magus.
Garlan sneared at the shadowy sight of that cursed figure. He tossed his robe away to reveal a fully armored body that would be expected of such a king. He clenched the hilt of his blade, the Lumina, and began to walk forward torwards the cloaked nemesis in front of him. His eyes shone with fire and every vein in his body was coursing with power and energy. He would hinge the fate of the entire Kingdom on this battle.
"So Magus, you still persist in plaguing the Kingdom? You wicked fool. I will see to it that from hence forward you will cease your evil. By my sword and the Flame, I will take your head and leave it at this location as a remembrance to all generations that you were defeated at your own home. Prepare yourself, Dark One, this will be your last battle." Garlan drew the Lumina and batted away a ball of fire that was flung at him. The blade shone with near omnipotent power as it was being prepared for its greatest battle.
Magus lifted his head and the cloak that covered his body exploded in a ball of flames. Seconds later it crumbled off of him and there before King Garlan stood the revealed evil that had tormented so many. His eyes were black as dead night. His hair was long and silver and flowed to the middle of his back. His skin was as pale as death, and as marred as an old tree. A sheathed blade hung at his side, within reach of his blood stone studded gauntlets. The armor he wore was that of a former dark god by the name of Chaos. He was the personifacation of pure evil.
In the blink of an eye their swords flickered in the sunlight and collided with a force that made a resounding noise like that of thunder.
The skill of both warriors was displayed in all its grandeur, even it being just the beginning of the struggle. Despite Garlan's age, he was able to keep up with every attack made by Magus, even superceding him at times. With every clash of blades the intensity thickened on the battlefield, as if the stroke affected their own men.
Garlan spun around and ducked to the ground, evading a potentially decapitating blow. He drug the edge of his sword across the rocky ground and swung it upward, slashing the right eye of Magus in half, and badly scarring him. Magus dropped his sword and staggered backwards, clutching his eye, screaming in pain. Garlan swung his blade across the chest of his injured foe and cut the armor in half. With Magus' chest exposed, Garlan was going to finish him off. He drew he sword back. The Lumina shone in the sunlight as it prepared to end the kingdom's threat. Garland swung the sword forward with all his might, but as it approached its target, it was blown from the hand of its master.
Garlan turned to see where the sword landed, but as he turned back around to the enemy, his chest met with a massive ball of fire that sent him hurling backwards just out of reach of his sword.
"You thought I would be defeated so easily!" Magus hissed "I'll end the miserable empire of Alexander in one swift blow.....Steel Bladed Sword!" Magus lifted both hands and instantly the sky began to grow dark, blacking out the sun and blue sky. At the top of the mountain the a bright, moon-like sphere rested, and in the foreground a silhouette of a warrior bearing a gargantuan sword and riding on horseback. The horse reared up and neighed thunderously, filling the hearts of all those who heard it with inconievable fear.
All the combatants on the field froze as the watched the pale horse gallop down the side of the mountain at incredible speed. The only ones uneffected by the shocking turn of events were the four Knights of Alexander and General Vargas, who,with shields raised, hid behind any objects they could find for cover. The four knights screamed at their fellow soldiers to find cover from the oncoming attack, but they were too paralyzed with fear to move.
Kajata ran out from behind a pile of rocks and sprinted onto the battlefield. He stirred as many soldiers as he could to move. Only a few would follow him, though. The rest were still mesmerized by the glissening white horse and the sparkle of the moonlight against the blade of their destroyer. As the horse's front hoof stepped into the valley, Kajata slid around a corner and huddled with some other soldiers. They had just barely missed the inevitable death.
What proceed next would be horribly etched into the minds of all who survived the battle. The screams of death and pain were echoed off of every rock in the and mountain surrounding the valley. Shrieks of horror filled the air as bodies collapsed to the ground. A chorus of screams rose and fell as more would rise afterwards. All the while the King watched helplessly as his soldiers were slaughtered by a giant beast. He was filled with rage and anger like never before known to him. This was something that he would not forgive.
The skies cleared up, and those few survivors peeked around the corners of their shelters. Soon thought they stepped back onto the blood covered war-zone. Tears filled the eyes of the living. They looked in grief as they saw friends and family alike dead on the ground. A grusome sight if ever one did exist. Dismemberment and bloodshed filled the grounds. It now seemed that no matter if they defeated Magus or not it could never be said that a victory was won.
Krauser, Vance, and Byron stepped out and looked around in anger at the handiwork of evil. Krauser grimmaced looking at such a thing. When he was a Dark Knight, he was never able to see the death he worked. His mind raced with the thoughts of his past deeds. He lowered his head and sat on the ground, taking his helm off, and for the first time in many years he began to weep.
Byron observed the entire area, taking everything in that he saw. As horrible as it was, he was not surprised at the devastation that had been rendered to his comrads. He had heard of the "Steel Bladed Sword" before, and the damage done by it was as true to legend as could be. He took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on the king.
Vance was disturbed more than anybody else. He looked on the ground and saw one of his best friends lying in a pool of blood. He collapsed to one knee and lifted his friends body off the ground to examine it. He looked into her eyes one last time before laying back down. He then fell on his face and cried over her body. The true horrors of battle had finally been made known to him.
Kajata stood face to face with Vargas. The two were completely disarmed, yet their swords remained with an arms reach. Vargas' eyes were filled with an unexplainable horror and a fear. He wasnt even making eye contact with Kajata, but merely stairing at the thousands of bodies that lay lifeless on the ground. Kajata couldnt believe the look in his eyes.
"Vargas...you..you're human yet..." Kajata said astonished, "I had thought you were nothing more than another follower of Magus..devoid of all human emotion..but it seems I was wrong."
Vargas looked over Kajata, his eyes still blank looking. "Ka..ja..Kajata....I..saw..every...thing..." He staggered backwards and sat down on a rock. "Never have my eyes seen such an evil before...such..an....
atrocitious act. It was..so..evil..."
"Vargas..." Kajata said placing his hand on Vargas' shoulder, "Its not too late....your life..God will forgive you...you dont have to walk this path..."
Vargas looked into the eyes of Kajata, but he then turned his head to Magus, who extended his hand torwards him. Vargas fell over clutched his head in pain and began to scream in rage. It was like Magus was controlling a small part of him, but just enough to keep him under his power. Kajata jumped backwards as Vargas swung his sword upward at him. Kajata quickly grabbed his sword and the two again enguaged in the battle they were locked in before the massive deathblow.
To the dismay of the few hundered soldiers and other three Knights of Alexander that remained alive, a horde of Hell Knights rose from the ground. The ones that had been slain by the attack that had just occured lived again. With the odds now stacked against them severely, one would assume that they would be feint in heart. But no, now they were going to fight with all that they had. The soldiers charged into battle for their last stand against Magus Army.
King Garlan retrieved his sword and looked at Magus who stood laughing. He pointed with his sword to Magus' other eye. "I'll cut that one out too...starting at your neck!" Garland lept forward and met blade to blade with Magus, just as when they had first begun.
"Well then, King Garlan of Alexandria!" Magus said mockingly, "Defeat me and save your people! If you dont I promise to either kill them or make them my slaves...AHAHAHAH!!!"
King Garlan's eyes burned bright with rage. He had heard enough of Magus' taunts and saw he needed to. This time he would hesitate to kill him. This time he was going to insure that no one ever suffered under his hand again. He was going to deliver the judgement to Magus that he deserved, by sending him back to the hell from where he came.
So the remnants of Alexandria fought on for the freedom of their country. They would give everything they had to insure none would ever suffer the same fate as their friends had that day. They were going to win at any cost, even if it ment their own life. Nevertheless, the death of their friends would not have been in vain, and the Dark Army would know the true strength of Alexanderia.
