We Fight through the Eternal Pain
A man stood upon a desert hill. The end was nigh for him, but he did not know it yet. He would face his most terrible days soon, and not make it out in one piece.
He would face greater danger than what was coming in the future. But none so close to his heart as this.
He was a man without a past. One with a boundless future.
His name would eventually turn armies. He would become a god of the battlefield.
But he was just a man. A man with a mission to fulfill.
His name was Vincent.
A lightning bolt exploded in the sand next to him. The crazy witch bitch was relentless.
Other Shepherds engaged her in battle. She was particularly keen on attacking Vincent though. Her Deadlords shared that goal.
Vincent had killed two of the Deadlords himself. Actually, it was out of luck. Henry had distracted the one with the sword so Vincent stabbed it in the back. And the sage seemingly blew itself up. Like BOOM!
Vincent was on a roll.
His next target was the horse riding Valkyrie. With fancy fire tome.
That thing looks powerful. I'm going to steal it.
That is, if you don't get the blood of that Valkyrie all over it.
Vincent ran at the horsewoman. She responded with a huge fireball that smashed into Vincent. He managed to throw up a shield in time though, lessening the blast.
Vincent slid back from the force of the blast. He began to launch his own volley of fireballs that were admittedly, weaker than the Deadlord's. The Valkyrie parried them with ease.
Vincent changed tactics. He cautiously approached her, his hands raised deflecting all fireballs she sent his way. When he got close enough, he threw a knife at her. She melted it in her flames.
But it's always the second one that gets them.
Vincent threw a second knife as his first melted in the flames. It hit her right in the throat. She fell off her horse with a spray of blood.
Vincent ran toward the body and scooped up the tome. Valflame
Sonovabitch!
Lucky you.
Save it! I'm going to kill the witch bitch with this!
The Spymaster flipped through the book briefly. He grinned and turned to the pegasus lady, who was currently fighting Henry and Owain.
Owain screamed, "Behold!" And Vincent shot a fireball over his head. That freaked Owain out and Vincent took his place.
Henry and Vincent fought side by side with the witch bitch. Vincent's flames were powerful, but she seemed to have a powerful dark tome as well.
Vincent didn't have much experience with dark magic, but from the way Henry was sweating, it must be more powerful than it looked. "Cover me Henry!" Vincent shouted.
Henry nodded and began an offensive. Vincent gained more ground as he approached the woman, aiming for her pegasus' wings.
By time the witch bitch realized what he was doing, it was too late. His piercing flames struck its wings. With a screech, the pegasus crashed into the ground.
Vincent jumped over its body and found the woman. "Any last words?" Vincent said calmly, a knife to her throat.
She laughed, "My my, you are good. But you are my brother after all."
Vincent chuckled, "As if I'd ever be related to someone as bad at fighting as you." With that final look of outrage on her face, Vincent slit her throat.
I can feel my time coming.
Vincent practiced with his new tome. It held secrets of fire magic that he hadn't ever known. Much less dreamed about.
I don't know why, but it feels like the end is drawing near. Be it mine or someone else's.
"Hey! Vincent!"
Vincent turned to see Heather waving at him. He walked over to her.
"Strategy meeting. The king sent me to call you over," she brushed her hair out of her face.
Vincent nodded, "How're things going with you and Matts?"
"Define things," she smiled slightly.
Vincent gave her a look, "You know what I mean."
"I think he might propose to me soon. With the, you know, apocalypse coming and all," Heather said.
"You think?" Vincent said curiously.
"You know men, so odd sometimes," Heather shrugged.
"I think it's the other way around. Women are the odd ones," Vincent said with certainty.
"Doubt it," she dismissed.
Vincent shook his head. He knew a losing battle when he saw one.
"So Henry, what did you think of Inigo proposing to Morgan?" Vincent asked as he jotted down notes on a map.
"Nyah ha ha, pretty funny. Could've used more blood…" Henry trailed off.
Vincent stopped talking.
"Well, tomorrow we go up against my father. I frankly, can't wait," Vincent said.
Ricken nodded, "Any plans?"
"For tonight? Or battle plans?"
"Battle plans," Ricken said.
"A few. Don't really know what I'm up against though…" Vincent trailed off.
"Anything you can do to keep us all alive?" Ricken said hopefully.
"Don't worry, Maribelle will be fine," Vincent smiled. "Hey, have you grown, kid?"
Ricken huffed, "I thought you'd stopped calling me 'Kid!'"
"That was not a capitol 'k,' you're still younger than me. But you have grown…that's scary," Vincent looked startled.
This man suspected something would happen to him. It was the calm before the storm.
And he swore he'd be ready.