Sparda's Revenge: Story 2

After the battle against the barbarians, Sparda made his way with the rest of his men to The Mountains of Nosgoth. After the battle, Sparda made no hesitations to journey forwards. Before leaving, they burned all of their troops that died and those five thousand that were left followed Sparda. Sparda never mentioned why they where traveling in the wrong direction from their home of Serpona to Nosgoth. On their way, they sought and found the kingdom of Urath and asked for more men since they will be battling once more. The Princess of Urath advised her priest, Krobelus, to send a few naval armies with Sparda to reach The Mountains of Nosgoth. She also sent few of her greatest boats for the warrior Demon but asked him if he would be so kind to bring them back undamaged, for she is in war with Halassar. Together, Sparda and his men reached their destination in shorter time thanks to the princess' boats. Sparda felt disappointed for he was hoping to see his sons once more, yet he kept his mind towards his mission. After arriving at the banks of the ocean, Sparda headed to the summit where Argoton called upon him. After a week, they made it to the top of the great mountains. Sparda then stood to the Temple of God of War, waiting for Argoton. Sparda's men where freezing at the windy and snow cover summit and begged their lord to head back. Sparda head nothing of their pleas and continued to wait and watch the temple. From aside the temple, a mystical old woman appeared before Sparda's appearance. Her eyes where coated white as to show she was blind but received visions. She limbed towards Sparda supported by her wooden staff. She looked up at Sparda and pointed her bone finger at Sparda.

Oracle of Nosgoth: "I am the all seeing Oracle of Nosgoth, you must be Sparda. If you wishing to meet Argoton, you'll be here for a awhile. He shall appear at the end of this day but before dusk."

Sparda: "How is it that you know about me and my attentions, I haven't told anyone."

Oracle of Nosgoth: (Chuckling) "Now, now Sparda. You forget I'm an old oracle, I see into the minds that I find should be interesting. I know everything about you, from your time in the Underworld to how many women you brought to bed."

Sparda was making a rather annoyed face in a rather comical way, as if she was lying.

Oracle of Nosgoth: (Chuckling still) "Now there's a face only a mother could love. I've seen your mother's appearance, I fortify she could of loved anyone with her posture."

Sparda "Enough woman! Tell me what you want with me or I'll throw your shrivel body down to the base."

Oracle of Nosgoth: (Seriously) "Us pair knows you'll never do that." (Sighing) "Well I recognize when first apparitions are over and done with. I have come to warn you that Argoton isn't the God to trust. He knows of your love for your kingdom and he will use it to your advantage. He hasn't given up on your essence of becoming a God. For you see, the God of War knows that once you're not one Azarath it'll be all the simpler to rule it. Even the other Gods are beginning to distrust him; he is corrupted by greed and will stop at nothing for the land. Your friend Krondos knows too well about that."

Sparda: (Angrily) "Quiet you old hag! What is it your business to tell me things I know of! Be gone with you and let me wait in peace!"

The oracle glances at Sparda angrily but backs away to the temple.

Oracle of Nosgoth: "You fail to listen to the warnings, for this I shall speak no more of what's to come. You shall find out in your own pain and suffering."

The oracle then disappeared as how it arrived leaving Sparda unmoved but some of his men worried. The men asked their lord if perhaps he should of listened to the wise oracle. Sparda blocked all those that asked him and adverted his attention to the temple when he realized it was close to dusk. Eagerly he told his men to line up in single file lines. His men obeyed but wondered what was to happen next, could this be the thing Sparda refused to tell them. The men got to their full attention when the massive temple doors swung open and red mist emerged. Slowly a huge figure stepped closer to the entrance, shaking the ground with each step. When the figure emerged finally, the men dropped to their knees in respect of the God. Sparda, however, stood strait with his head staring up at the enormous God's face. Argoton's monstrous armor glimmering silver and red reflections toward the kneeling men. Argoton quickly spotted Sparda, standing up purposely to spite him.

Argoton: "Show respect to your Gods."

Sparda: "I can show plenty on my feet."

Argoton: (Irritated) "Right then, I've called you here so you may repay my servitude."

Sparda: "You told me on the battle field that you wished for me to destroy a kingdom."

Argoton: "You are quite right, champion."

Sparda: "Why not do it yourself, you seem quite powerful enough to cause my men to kneel. Perhaps the God of War has lost his luster for his joy?"

Argoton: (Ignoring Sparda) "There is a kingdom in the West that I wish to dispose of, as well as the other Gods agree. This kingdom is a waste of power since its warriors are weak compared to your might. It has held it's own ground for long enough and now must be disposed of."

Sparda: "I will do what I must as since I am your champion. May I ask who inhabits this kingdom?"

Argoton watched the Demon with curiosity as if he was expecting him to find out.

Argoton: "Just men, the women and children are beside the kingdom in the village. I know of you so-called gently heart for innocents."

Sparda: "I understand. When should we depart?"

Argoton: "Just get your men in their armor and weapons. I shall then do the rest."

Sparda quickly advised the men to gather their supplies and head to battle once more. The men quickly scrambled around getting prepared. After a time, the men where now ready and stood as they did before. Argoton quickly covered the moon with clouds so that their wasn't much light.

Argoton: "I shall extinguish all the fires and torches in you battle field so you may attack in the dark. You need no light, just hack away at your enemies."

With his enormous hand, he chatted some words in Azarthian prayer and teleported the five thousand men and Sparda in front an enormous gate. Sparda couldn't see anything since the lack of moonlight and fire seemed to be prohibited. Yet he sensed a discomfort while he stood there in the dark with his men. From a top of the gate came a soldier's voice.

Solder: "Who goes there?"

Sparda: "I, Sparda. Open these gates at once or we'll tear them down."

As quickly as he said it, the gates opened to Sparda's surprise.

Sparda: "Fools…why did they let us in with ease?" (Turning around) "Now head forth and kill so we may return to our wives."

The men cheered and raced through the gates, slaughtering those inside right away. As Sparda was about to enter, he sensed a mystical force in front of him. The voice of an old woman was heard who Sparda recognized as the Oracle of Nosgoth.

Oracle of Nosgoth: "Beware Sparda, the dangers within these walls are far greater then you will feel."

Sparda pushed the old woman out of the way and ran with his two swords, both drawn out but still connected to his chains around his arms. Sparda and his men saw almost nothing but killed anyone that move in their visible sights. The killing went on for hours with no one resting within Sparda's troops. They rained through doors that they could see and kill those inside unaware that there were woman and children around that the God of War lied about. Sparda kill ruthlessly in the dark, he saw nothing but listened through his demonic ears. He killed those who ran away, who attacked him, and even non-normally sized persons for warriors around. It had been 11 hours of blood and death for the men to endure but still roamed their battlefield. The kingdom of there new enemies was large and took plenty of land, almost 3 miles in a radius measure. Yet they still fought on, giving no one mercy. As the burned the walls and buildings they realized that it seemed that Argoton had allowed fire now. Since dawn was approaching, he thought the got picked the most irrational time to allow it. Sparda finished killing the person he had a hold of when he noticed that the fire had allow him to see better. What he saw was disgusting and caused even Sparda's Demon form to go pale. He saw bodies of men in armor but more overwhelming was the unarmed men, woman, and children laying in their own pool of blood. Sparda's eyes fell on the on he was hold and saw it was a young teenage boy. He drew one of the swords that Argoton had presented him with out of the boy's chest. Sparda staggered back a bit and shock his head at the sight he saw. Now as he stopped to listen, he heard the women scream trying to protect the children and failing. These sounds where blocked out of Sparda's and his men's ears due to the concentration in kill those that could slightly see or hear. He also saw some of his own men that were slaughtered by their and his own comrades since it was too dark to tell who was ally and who was foe.

Sparda: "Argoton, you bastered! You lied to me! You lied to me!"

Suddenly Sparda found himself in wind and cold air. He and his men where teleported back to the summit of the Mountains of Nosgoth in front of Argoton. The men were overcome by their fast travel that they started vomiting. Dawn had now broken out and the sky was a lighter blue but still darkly misted. Sparda ran up to Argoton with his blades ready as to strike the giant.

Argoton: "You wish to use the Blades of Chaos on me."

Sparda: (Enraged) "You told me that this was a warriors kingdom, you dare you lie! You are not a God, you are a lying dog!"

Argoton frowned at Sparda and looked at him with his glowing eyes. Sparda had changed back to his human self and stared back at Argoton with his red eyes. Argoton grinded his teeth in anger but calmed himself down. A smile came to his face as he raised his hand to his mouth.

Sparda: "What is he doing?"

The giant God extended his armored palm and blow on it with a great breath. Out of his mouth came a wave a fire that caught Sparda's men off guard. The troops screamed in agony as the fire burned them without hesitation. Sparda stared in shocked eyes as he watched his five thousand men burn alive to ashes and skeletons.

Sparda: "Argoton, what are doing!"

Argoton paid no attention to Sparda but continued to blow the fire from his mouth like a dragon. With in minutes, the burning men's screams stopped as their burned corpses laid the melted snow. Sparda and two of his men, that where behind him, survived the hell burning. Sparda couldn't say anything but watch Argoton laugh cruelly towards Sparda and his deceased men.

Argoton: (Laughing) "Yes Sparda, you are becoming such a loyal servant. It seemed no trouble for you at all to kill those you sworn to protect."

Sparda: "What, what are you…"

Argoton waved his hand before Sparda could complete his sentence. A image formed in front of the three men of a burning empire that Sparda had just attacked.

Soldier 1: "Oh Gods!"

Soldier 2: "It..It can't be.."

Sparda: "That kingdom you made use attack was my own?"

Argoton: "Yes and your men had done a terrible crime so they had to die. As for you, you're a Demon so killing Azarathians comes natural to you."

Sparda: (Quietly dropping on his knees) "Why, why?"

Argoton: "Why? I said it once, you kingdom is a waste of land and I will soon own all this land. And you shall take your place as a God when the time is right. Not to make sure there are no remainders of you kingdom and survivors…"

Argoton forms a great fireball from his hand and throws it with great speed. I matter of seconds, the image shown was covered in a great explosion of fire. When it cleared; Serpona, Sparda's grand empire, was reduced to nothing but a crater. Sparda breathed harder when his breath broke. He screamed and turned to his Demon self with his eyes glowing red. As he was about to take the Blades of Chaos from his back, Sparda felt his energy being drain in a fast rate. Argoton was taking away Sparda's energy through the chains around Sparda's arms. Sparda dropped to the floor and was paralyzed due to the energy being drained.

Argoton: "As long as you wear those chains, I will torment you every time we meet. You are becoming all I'd you hope you'd be Sparda. Now, with your kingdom destroyed and your people dead, nothing will hold you back. You will become even stronger. You will become death itself!"

Sparda could only lay there as he listened to Argoton's mocking. The two soldiers went by Sparda's side to help him but were throw off balance by Argoton's hand.

Argoton: "You two I have left alive on purpose. I want you to tell everyone you find how Sparda destroyed his own kingdom. Tell them how he gave no mercy to the woman and children of Serpona when he slaughtered them. Go, run to the Urath naval fleet at the bank of the mountain and tell them everything!"

The two men hesitated but then ran toward two hoses and settled on top of them. Argoton stared at them ride away and then looked into the sky. Out of the sky came two harpies, these harpies were like nothing like those in the battle against the barbarians. Those had the body of birds but looked much more like women with their body form but these where hunched and disgusting harpies with their skin decomposing and sagging. The two harpies grabbed on of the men and started devouring him.

Argoton: "It takes only one to deliver a message."

With those words he vanished leaving Sparda lying in front of Argoton's temple. Slowly Sparda's strength returned but still felt weak. As he got up he saw the old woman oracle angrily staring at him.

Oracle of Nosgoth: "From this day forward, the mark of those who dead by your ignorance, greed, and ego shall haunt you."

She picked up her staff into the wind. A strange mystical glow emerged from the orb on the staff and started to incinerate the remandings of the burned men. After which, the ashes of the men that burned and the souls of those killed in Serpona stormed at him. The ashes started to absorb themselves inside Sparda's head as he screamed in agony.

Oracle of Nosgoth: "The ashes the dead shall be forever in your mind. They will haunt your dreams and terrorize you till your death. These nightmares will be another curse you will inherit."

The oracle now disappeared too, leaving Sparda struggling to stand up. Finally his feet gave way and he fell in front of the temple of the God who betrayed him.