Crimson Twilight: Dusk
Chapter 10: The First to fall
Before the ancient mummy could even swing a bandaged arm, Makaelthos smashed his shield against its face and pushed it aside. When the creature fell beside him, he didn't bother to look; running past it and straight into the middle of Drake's battle. The pirate captain's left arm had been torn away; claw marks marred the socket it was attached to. Makaelthos also noticed the cracks on the rest of Drake's bones and the tattered, charred remains of his outfit. A few feet away, the left arm was still clutching a rapier. Drake had accounted for himself though. Eddga's fur was stained red with his own blood. He had several gashes all over his chest and arms and one running down his snout. His pipe was gone; its hacked remains nearby. Moonlight's right arm hung uselessly by his side; swollen and bent in several places. Makaelthos guessed that it had taken several of Drake's water balls and was completely useless. The cat was still capable of casting spells with his left arm alone however. He raised his saber. He had to finish Drake now before Moonlight and Eddga gained the skeletal captain's essence. He had no idea what the effects of gaining essence would result in but it meant more power for an immortal and that wasn't something he was going to risk.
Behind him, the battle raged on.
Several of Silmeia's priests had collapsed out of sheer exhaustion. At the sight of this, her expression turned grim. With many of her priests already depleted of energy, the Second Priest Division was faltering in its support. There was no leniency on her division's part. Her healers kept up their spells to the point of fainting with no hesitation. She was beginning to regret not bringing in more priests for the mission. She had not expected the sudden influx of monsters coming from Moonlight, Eddga, Osiris and the doppelganger's sides. A few feet away from her unit, a sudden curse from her companion, Trenzein, told her that the Second Wizard Division was experiencing the same problems. Silmeia focused her thoughts on Makaelthos's sohee companion; thankful for the sohee's unique ability. She had been chanting prayers since the beginning of the battle and her voice was beginning to get hoarse. Yelling would silence her completely. 'Khaesilya, tell Makaelthos that this fight can't last any longer. My squad can't prevent much more casualties!' She called out mentally; hoping that Khaesilya would quickly pick her thoughts up.
Sure enough, Khaesilya caught the message and relayed the message to her master. In battle, she constantly listened for the outward thoughts of her master and his five companions. She had told them of ways to catch her attention so she could serve as a messenger. This task became complicated during the heat of battle though as she had to focus on defending, attacking and listening. She looked about, worried for her master's safety even when a trio of Moonlight Flower's sohee's floated towards her. Eyes, feral with rage, widened when they focused on her. "Ascaer'nae Khaesilya!" They wailed in unison. They surrounded her; brandishing their stilettos and their long, black hair flying about as if stirred by violent winds. Khaesilya raised her own blade.
"You call me slave even though you are but pawns of Moonlight Flower!" She answered them in Pronteran; provoking them further. The first one flew in from behind her; trying to stab her from behind. She stepped to her left, turned half-way, and brought her stiletto up; catching her enemy's face. Blood sprayed across the sleeve of her robes and the enemy sohee wailed in pain; blood streaming from a diagonal cut across her face. The other two closed in; their faces contorted with rage.
Makaelthos received the Khaesilya's telepathic message even as he joined the fray between the three immortals. He looked around; piecing together a plan as he did. 'Khaesilya, tell Silmeia and Trenzein to conserve their remaining energy and join me here.' He said mentally. 'Tell Eliarainne to move as well.' He edged around the fight carefully. To rush into a clash of three different immortals was suicide. Residual blasts of fire and lightning from Moonlight's spells alone arced from their fight; searing the ground near his feet.
Khaesilya whirled about; her blade whipping in an arc to keep the two remaining sohees at bay when she received her master's answer. She was about to relay it to his three companions when a sudden sharp pain in her back brought her up short. Almost immediately, she knew that she had been stabbed. She grit her teeth from the pain. She knew better than to immediately turn on her attacker lest the other two finish her off while she was distracted. Out of the corner of her vision, she saw that it was the third sohee; its face completely crimson. The sohee had crawled from behind Khaesilya and brought a stilleto up. The pain to her side was excruciating; Khaesilya feared that something vital had been hit. Dying did not frighten her as much as the thought that, with her gone, her master was isolated with three immortals fighting around him. She ignored the pain for now. Her master's message must be sent!
Silmeia was already moving when Khaesilya told her Makaelthos's message. She had felt the sohee's pain while they conversed telepathically. 'Khaesilya, are you hurt?' She asked worriedly. When Khaesilya did not respond at once, Silmeia knew the answer. 'Wait there, I'll come and heal you!'
Khaesilya's mental voice was resolute as Silmeia heard it in her mind. 'No! Master Makaelthos has asked you to conserve your energy. You must not waste any healing spells on me!'
Silmeia let her second-in-command take over the division. It was always bad news when Makaelthos requested for her aid in a battle. 'Stay alive, Khaesilya!' She called out with her mind. 'I'll come back for you as soon as I can!' She hurried over to Makaelthos's side. A cutlass came her way as a skeletal pirate, one of the few remaining animate ones, broke free of one knight and jumped straight at her. The rusted blade snapped in two when it struck the spell she erected around herself. She grit her teeth in frustration and ignored the skeleton; there was no way she was going to let the sohee die when she could help her! Eliarainne and Trenzein joined her as they made their way to the crusader. "Makaelthos!" She called out to him.
Silmeia's voice carried over to Makaelthos while he slammed his shield against Eddga's snout. He pushed the tiger-creature back and stepped away from the fight. Moonlight was busy pummeling Drake with fire bolts while the pirate captain countered with even more water balls. "We need to keep these two busy!" He shouted in return. He staggered back to his companions. His armor was ripped open in several places, clear marks of Eddga's raw strength. Eliarainne nodded in agreement and spurred Bristle on. She clashed against Eddga's massive form; knocking the tiger-creature down, and looked back to her companions. "I'll handle these two! Finish Drake already!" She called out.
Moonlight pointed a paw at Eliarainne, causing a barrage of icicles to strike at ther. She turned her attention to the cat-being and set her lance on its rest on Bristle's saddle. She pulled out a javelin from the pair strapped behind her mount and hurled it at the cat-being. The javelin shot from her hand; gashing Moonlight's left side. Before Moonlight could react, she had closed in the distance between them, lance in hand.
Makaelthos made his way towards Drake; the skeletal captain seemed to smile as he raised his remaining arm in a "come on" fashion. Makaelthos's saber locked against his cutlass once more. "This is it then, crusader. Fate has ganged all of you up against me. If I must die…then let me give you a taste of death as well!" The words came out as a hiss even though no breath slipped between his remaining teeth.
Makaelthos struggled to hold his own against Drake. Though one-handed, the pirate captain pushed against him with incredible strength. In a burst of power, the skeletal captain pushed him down. The cutlass waved menacingly; cutting deeply into the already crumpled elunium plate that was his right shoulder plate. The blade bit into his shoulder though not deeply enough to severely affect the use of his arm. He struggled to stand up while Drake hacked at him wildly. Looking past the cutlass as it flickered about in front of him; he found an opening and thrust his sword towards the skeleton captain. The blade went through Drake's chest; breaking several ribs. He slashed down; destroying most of the ribcage. The pirate captain ignored the injury however and brought a cutlass down on him. The blade gashed a vicious wound on the side of his head. Blood, thick gouts of it, began to flow down his face. Makaelthos staggered backwards; the streaming, warm liquid on his face flowing past his left eye. With his remaining eye, he glanced at his companions. Eliarainne waved her lance about to keep both Moonlight and Eddga at bay. She suffered from several injuries including a large tear on her right side. The armor around the area had been ripped open and blood flowed freely from the wound. Eddga did not gloat at his handiwork though. While he suffered only light gouges from the knight's lance, he knew he was being delayed from the business at hand. Even Moonlight was furious at the distraction. 'They're ready…about time.' He thought. Silmeia was in place and so was Trenzein. Ignoring his weakened vision; Makaelthos faced the pirate captain once more. They locked swords again, this time he broke the deadlock by stepping aside. He pushed Drake behind him and moved back. The pirate captain whipped about and prepared to attack again when he remembered the priestess and the wizard.
"What are those two…No!" Drake cried out. It was too late when he realized the situation he was in. He raised a hand to conjure the spheres of water that would break the green-haired wizard's concentration. It was too late; a sphere of lightning erupted from the wizard's hands striking what remained of his chest. Electricity coursed through his body; charring the edges of his bones and completely burning some of them to cinders even as the sphere flung him back.
Straight towards the crusader.
Makaelthos closed his eyes and concentrated. A prayer came to his mind even as holy energy flowed from his being and into his sword. The light seeped liked water into the blade, coating it in radiance. Soon the steel of the saber was no longer visible. Anyone had to squint just to look at the weapon; which appeared to have transformed into pure light. His sword struck Drake as the pirate captain flew towards him. The blade struck true; piercing Drake's body from behind. The holy energy exploded from his sword' forming a brilliant, white, cross-shaped explosion that centered on him. A hollow scream erupted from Drake's rapidly disintegrating mouth as his undead body took the brunt of the explosion. Holy energy coursed through his body; mingling with the electricity of the wizard's spell.
Drake stared defiantly at Makaelthos. The lights within the sockets of his skull still glowing brightly. "Not…yet! You haven't won anything!" He hissed.
That was when the Magnus struck.
Silmeia fell to one knee as she expended the last of her energy on one final Magnus Exorcismus. A huge explosion rocked the battle field, an explosion so powerful that it knocked back Moonlight and Eddga. The cat-being struggled to get near the blast while Makaelthos dragged himself away from it. His body was smoking when he fell to his knees several feet away from the light. "No! Drake's essence is-!" Moonlight shouted.
The skeleton captain tried to follow Makaelthos and bring his cutlass down for one last time. His body was trailing white light as he made his way out of the main blast. His arm turned into ash before it could strike the lightbearer's kneeling form. Furious, he lunged towards Makaelthos and tried to bite him. His lower jaw fell off; crumbling to ash when it hit the stone ground. His corsair few from his head; carried away by a nightly breeze. He stopped and stared at it for a while; following it as it gently floated towards the sea. His skeletal legs crumbled into ash; sending the rest of him crashing to the ground. As soon as he did hit the stone pavement of Alberta's harbor, he was nothing more but a pile of cold ash.
'So the war finally claims its first immortal.' Makaelthos thought. For a moment, he watched as the corsair floated for a while before taking in water and sinking. He then returned his focus on the remaining tasks at hand. Seeing to his companions and dealing with the remaining immortals. As a lightbearer, he was trained to work with holy energy; which allowed him to survive the blast of Silmeia's Magnus Exorcismus. He still suffered burns though and his legs were wobbly.
Silmeia struggled to stand up. She was beyond the limits of her stamina. Her body trembled uncontrollably and refused to follow when she tried to move it. 'Please remain alive, Khaesilya! I'm coming!' She called out mentally; silently praying that the sohee still heard her. She felt someone tugging at her; pulling her up to her feet and helping her stay upright.
Trenzein helped the priestess rise even as he checked to see how Eliarainne was doing. She had pushed Eddga back with her lance while Moonlight turned his gaze furiously on her.
"You! If you hadn't distracted me, I could have finished him off myself!" Moonlight screamed. His paws crackled with magical energy as he approached the wounded cavalier. Makaelthos was about to help his partner when he noticed a huge figure materialize behind her.
The sight of the creature caused even Moonlight and Eddga to hesitate.
Eliarainne panted as she watched her enemies curiously; gulping down air as if she was drowning. In truth, she was on her last legs and Bristle was barely able to carry her in his exhaustion. She had been fighting continuously against two powerful immortals when one of them possessed enough power to destroy her. It was strange that they were hesitating to attack.
Then she felt it. The presence of something ominously large behind her. She watched as her shadow in front of her was covered by the shadow of something enormous. She could make out a pair of curving horns and a bearded snout.
Makaelthos opened his mouth to shout a warning. He knew that it was impossible even for Eliarainne to fight against the new arrival. Before he could shout, though, the building behind him suddenly exploded. A figure fell from the explosion; rolling on the ground before stopping before him. He noticed the bandaged figure at once. "Osiris!" He blurted out.
Osiris stood up and switched to a martial stance. Some of the bandages on his body flew about in tatters. The edges of the ancient cloth were charred, as if the mummy had been exposed to blasts of fire. "Save your friend, Solcry!" He growled. "Do you think demons believe in mercy?"
Makaelthos turned towards Eliarainne. Even as he shouted a warning, a large, furred hand grabbed Eliarainne's shoulder. "Eliarainne" He shouted. "It's Baphomet!"
Hideously deep laughter boomed from the goat-demon's throat. "It looks like we arrived too late!" He laughed. "Damn that Osiris and his swordsman friend! Very well, let me have something to compensate then!"
There was no knight, wizard or priest who didn't tremble at the sight of Baphomet. His red-orange fur was stained with crimson and illuminated by moonlight. He was massive; towering even over Eddga. With his right hand he carried an enormous scythe; its curved edge gleaming wickedly in the moonlight as he rested it against his shoulder. With his other hand, he had lifted Eliarainne from her mount. A massive hoof slammed against Bristle; knocking him to the ground. Baphomet opened his mouth; revealing wickedly sharp teeth. The knight struggled to free herself; beating at his face with gauntleted hands when he bit down on her right shoulder.
Eliarainne screamed despite her attempt to bear the pain quietly. The pain was unlike anything she had experienced before. The demon's jaws clamped down on her shoulder with the force of a blacksmith's vise. Her armor crumpled as she felt her shoulder bone crack. She fought to stay conscious. Her right arm fell to her side as Baphomet savored the blood that flowed from the terrible wound.
Makaelthos dashed forward, his sword in hand. "Eliarainne!" He shouted again.
After a few seconds of struggling, the knight's arms went limp when Baphomet released her. The demon laughed and licked his lips; blood dripping down his mouth and soaking his beard. "Simply savory, that's what I love about you knights; you have the constitution to make torture truly satisfying!" He grunted. He tossed aside the unconscious knight and raised his scythe. "I can see two immortals right in front of me." He sneered. "Who wants to feed me first?"
Moonlight's eyes narrowed. Even at his full power he would be hard pressed against Baphomet's raw might. At his wounded state, even with Eddga's assistance, Moonlight knew that he would lose. "Eddga! We'll have to retreat!" He called to his partner.
The tiger-being grunted in agreement, He had seen enough combat for the night. A battle with Baphomet was the last thing he needed. Before the two immortals could retreat though Osiris pointed at another tall figure that emerged from the rubble of the ruined building. The doppelganger backed away from the figure. He was clearly injured; there were burn marks on his back and arms. Eddga recognized the shadowy cape that hung from the spiked, bony plates on the immortal's shoulders and the burning points of light in the figure's empty eye sockets. "Abraxil Sovivor...The Dark Lord himself." He growled.
The skeletal figure looked around him. The battle had finally receded to a few knights battling the last of the ancient mummies and nightmares. Of the thirty nights that fought only six remained fighting. The rest were either badly injured or dead. A lone sohee stood among the knights; she was obviously hurt though. Blood stained her clothes and stiletto; a sign that she personally killed the sohees that lay about her. The Dark lord looked at his partner. "We've come too late, Baphomet!" He said. "We'll have to leave for now." He said.
Osiris watched as Makaelthos lifted the injured, female knight in his arms. The priestess stared in frustration at the injury and produced a roll of bandages. The mummy knew that she had run out of energy.
The goat-demon bared his bloody fangs. There was no one in the battlefield who looked strong enough to satisfy his sadism. These lumps of living flesh were too tender for the moment. "Very well. Celebrate life while you can, mortals. Before Baphomet tears your heart out before you."
The Dark lord and Baphomet vanished. Immediately, so did Moonlight and Eddga. Osiris walked over to Makaelthos. "We had the misfortune of running into them before the fight. Consider yourself lucky, Solcry. The next time an immortal falls, you will find me standing over its remains."
Osiris and the doppelganger departed as well, leaving the mortals with what was left.
World notes
Ascaer'nae Khaesilya -Sohees speak their own tongue, simply called "sohee" among the humans of Rune-Midgard. This phrase directly translates to "Khaesilya the slave". Other non-human languages include Orcish, Kobold, Goblin, Minorus, Annolian and Merman. Human languages include Pronteran (the common language), High Pronteran, Morrocan, Morrocan Back Alley, Geffenese, Amatsunese, Kunlunese, Al de baranese, Luthian, Comodan, Junoan, Payonese and Albertan. Dead languages include Glastheimian, Ancient Morrocan and Elvish.