Chapter 2
Thunder crackled across the torn sky, black clouds looming over the blood stained battlefield. Bodies littered the ground; weapons tossed about like the broken toys of a malicious child. Clang after clang of swords erupt, continuously, as though echoing through time from an eternity long since past. Screams echoing through the mist, a tainted fog of blood and brimstone, smoke ascending towards the skies from the rotting carcasses upon the earth. Cries and screams resounding from the dust, the fragments of memories left behind by the fallen whose souls have been unable to find their way from their final wretched resting place. Above all, looms a young warrior with long white hair flowing down his back. Black leather with its borders laced with blood red encasing a strong body, black and silver shoulder guards, and an empty hilt where a long blade once rested. A 6-foot long katana in the gloved hand of this dark imposing creature that brought fear to the hearts of foe and friend alike when he graced any battle with his presence, sealed the appearance of one of the most dangerous warriors of darkness in existence in this world. A wind appeared from the west, blowing gently across his form, his hair blowing in its embrace as the eyes of this man surveyed the grounds below. No. By this dark demi-god of the shadows. By the one known only as Alucard.
Total chaos. The thunder crackled above again, threatening to unleash the heavens onto the fiery hell of a war below. Drahcir, the general of the army of man moved forward, his troops followed closely, the best of their kind. A hollow sound resounded through the murky air. The general's dark eyes narrowed, staring in hatred up to the to the top of the steep Cliffside where the "leader" of this army was gazing back, creatures of the darkest pits of the abyss along his side awaiting his orders as they cried in joy of the chaos and in want of fresh blood. "All right men, this is it! We end the blight that has been seeping into our lands here and now!" Cheers from the soldiers echoed around him; bows, staves and swords all being raised as he spoke his declaration. "Darkness has been encroaching for too long now; our villages and families, our very way of life being compromised due to fear and the living black night, but no longer! You have all fought well and I ask you all to lend me your strength once more, to save not our lives, but the future of our kin and our home. To banish these figures to the abyss from once they came!" Roars of applause, praise and approval met the end of his words but some of his warriors remained hesitant.
"But sir…" one of the commanding officers started as he made his way towards Drahcir, the crowd parting to clear a path as well to listen to his words; the sounds of the very earth seeming to fall silent to heed this one mans word. "Isn't it true that the black shadow Alucard is among the forces we are fighting? I am sure you all have heard the rumors and seen the results of his supposed actions." His voice picked up, not hiding an ounce of the fears that were gripping his fellow subordinates. "He's a monster! If he is up there, how are we suppose to win?"
"Enough." Drahcir spoke calmly but sternly, his presence resounding in the hearts of his men. His hand pointed to the top of the cliff at the warrior whose katana was currently resting upon his shoulders as he gazed down at the general, an eyebrow perked in intrigue to what he might say. "Yes my friends, that is the 'demon' Alucard that stands up there, that is the warrior most of you have been unofficially trained to hate and fear. But know this: he is one young man and we are many. He stands alone with darkness as his only true ally while we have all of each other and righteousness on our side, not to mention the love of our families and the dreams of our villages. He is no god, he is only a mortal who has been lucky thus far but I say we end his luck today!" Nods of ascent rang through the crowd, looks of determination and courage engulfing their faces in waves from Drahcirs' words. "Now my brothers let us unite one more time, let us destroy this army and let the world know that not even Alucard could conquer the hearts of the army of righteousness! Now whose with me?" Huzzah! The soldiers cried in unison, their spirits completely torn from thoughts of despair and looking to what the future held for them. Hearts gazed to the return to their families and accomplishing dreams. The only thing standing in their way was this one man and his fellow soldiers of darkness, and in their eyes, that idea seemed insignificant to them now.
Smiling softly at the generals' words as the wind blew his white hair into the wind, Alucard made his way to the edge of the cliffs incline. As the army of darkness started to follow suit, ready to attack, he raised his right arm away from his side, his katana fully extended as he continued to gaze down. "This man has caught my interest and has a strong presence about him. I will do Drahcir the honor of giving him and his men a free shot." Understanding his meaning, the army stood back, waiting in ready for the moment were he would give them permission to join in causing the mortals' blood to rain from the skies, and knowing well not to do anything before he ordered it.
"Ready!' Drahcirs' voice needed no help as it echoed to the ears of his men that still stood. One by one they took their positions; swordsmen, spearmen and blockade men taking their places in the front line as the first line of defense. "Aim!" Each equipped their archery steel longbows and marksmanship crossbows, arrows aimed high towards the top of the cliff at the ready. His voice held in his throat as he surveyed the scene. The hairs on his neck where raised high, the tension in the air so thick he dared not to move, afraid his bone would shatter from the unseen pressures lingering in the air around him.
"Hmm." Holding his arms tight against his chest, Alucard let a silent cry escape his lips a black angelic wing formed on the right side of his back. Spreading his arms wide apart as his wing opened to its full with, sword at hand, he started his sole decent down the cliff towards General Drahcir and his forces, dust picking up into the air as he dashed down the inclined terrain.
"Fire!" The air howled with the sound of arrows piercing the dark sky to its' peaks before raining down upon the ground, all aimed towards the the One-Winged Angel. Clanking sounds of metal upon metal ring across the land as Alucards' Katana flies in every direction, knocking arrows out of his path and to the ground. "2nd Battalion, fire the cannons and napalms at will! Take him down!" Loud explosions erupted from behind Drahcir as cannonball flew into the cliffside, Alucard lifting into the air, twisting and twirling to dodge the shots and the arrows as he continued his decent, katana firm in his hand.
"Napalms, now! Don't let him get any closer to us!" Red spheres rose high into the air before exploding into massive orbs of fire, raining fireballs and beams all around Alucard in an inferno maze. Crossing his arms infront of his head, he was pushed back towards the ground as one of the larger balls of fire made full contact with him. Glancing up to the sky at one of the biggest of the orbs descending towards him, he pushed off hard from the earth and launched himself into the sky, dodging the rain of arrows still showering down from the heavens; his fist gathering energy around it. Flying straight into an incoming fire orb, he let out a cry of anger as his fist collided with its center; a massive explosions blanketing the sky and the ground with thick smoke, which blinded the soldiers.
The horses neighed as they rose to their hind legs, the riders fighting for control as the smoke hit them full force. Ranks of soldiers tightened in fear of an attack under the guise of the dense cloud; surrounding their general with swords, spears, and shields at the ready. Hearts beat rapidly as eyes darted to every direction; even the smallest rustling of dead leaves bringing panic and drawing immediate attention from the nearest warriors. Beads of sweat ran down Drahcirs face as he held his twin katanas infront his chest ready for the stealthy attack that would not come.
A strong gust blew across the battlefield, clearing the darkness to reveal nothingness. The ground was littered with arrows and craters. The earth was singed beyond recognition but no blood could be found, no trace of their opponents demise. All remained quiet as they looked for Alucards' remains, unsure whether or not this battle was over. Cheers resounded in the crowd as a chard katana was found, all believing that the hardest obstacle in this fight had been overcome; the army looming above could be dealt with as long as Alucard was long gone. After a while, even the general began to let down his guard. He cheered along with his soldiers as he raised his katanas in a challenge towards the top of the cliffs, getting ready to end this war once and for all. A smile upon his face as his horse trotted in place, uneasily, as if seeing something no one else could.
"Sir..? What's that on your back," asked one of the youngest of the warriors; his hand shaking violently in fear as he pointed to Drahcir. The soldiers closest to the general paused in their cheers to gaze at where the cadet was pointing. Twin red lines forming an X that glowed a bright red ran across the generals back and chest. Drahcirs hands touched the spot in concern but no blood fell. As his hands pulled back, another pair of lines appeared, forming a red star across his body. More of the soldiers began to notice and stared in curiosity as they tried to understand what they were seeing, but to no avail.
"Maybe this is the mark one gets when they defeat a demon," spoke Drahcir outloud for all to hear as he voiced his own thoughts. " I no not what this is but I am sure it is a sign of the victory awaiting us once we finish cleaning up the darkness that lurks above. Now onward my brothers. We have nothing more to fear but.. ackkkkk..." As if a harpy had flown by and stole the essence of his voice and soul, Drahcir held his throat tightly, unable to speak clearly not for the lack of trying. His eyes eye receded into his skull before suddenly, the lines across his body glowed brightly before expanding and exploding, completely shredding Drahcirs body to the winds. Horrified soldiers could only watch as their leader became no more and see their fate in the next moments.
As if erupting to life from deep within Drahcirs body, a silhouette appeared from his back, gliding a short distance of the men as it took form. A long 6-foot katana whose edges were just barely laced with blood was the first thing to take form as the black armor laced with blood red followed suit. The lone black angelic wing revealed the truth of the terror they had feared. Alucard was far from dead; which meant their deaths were most likely mere moments away. His body sprang to life as he opened his eyes wide, a sinister grin upon his face as his eyes were engulfed by a burning red light as he shouted the sole words that would be the envoy to the end of these soldiers of man... "Attack!"
From the peaks of the plateau, an obsidian tidal wave ascended unto the heavens; hungry eyes peering down from it's swell towards the panicing mortals scattering for their very lives. The grounds shook with the sounds of hundreds of feet running too find unexisting shelters from the demonic horde. Chivalry and honor all but forgotten, warriors brandished their weapons and attacked one another if their path was blocked, slaying their own breathen in a false hope of escape. The dark cresent began it descent, the land below seeming to disappear in the wake of it's shadow. Time seem to freeze in that instant as countless soliders turned upward with looks of horror froze upon their faces that would be preserved till their skin decayed and only their bones would remain, the last sight their eyes would behold in the world would be that of total darkness and chaos. With a thunderous explosion, the wave crashed upon the rocks below. Silence gripped the land as terrified yells were drowned by the rising of great pillars of darkness into the sky, only to rain down a torrent of blood upon the parched ground. The humans that were left were scattered and too few to put up any form of resistance. With the army of darkness picking off the stragglers one by one, the battle was over. The army of man had lost this battle. The darkness had prevailed.
"Lord Alucard, what shall we do with the generals body?" Out of the ground formed a demon with a humanoid form. It's body completely aglow with it's dark aura; covering a muscular black body with long, tendril like arms and legs. Its eyes radiatied of darkness and slits exisited where nostrils should be. No mouth, no clothing, nothing else. This monsterous creature that roamed the darkest forest, taller than two men stacker together known only as a Nightwalker, knealt next to Drachirs body but kept his gaze steady on his master. "I'm sure the fiends would make a feast of it if it's of no further importance to you."
"Take him to our temple and keep the emissaries away from his corpse. His soul may still be of some use to the master as may the secrets his body holds." Pausing to look over the fields, Alucard grinned to himself as an after thought belatedly came to mind, and turned to face the one who addressed him. "And make sure to 'save' atleast two of the female warriors from the fields. I'll have a little talk with them before I send them back to their people with a message." As the breeze blew a few strands of his silver hair over his eyes, hiding it's depth, one of his twin fangs made itself known; growing to it's full length, silently showing from the corner of his lips as it gave a soft luminescent glow in contrast to the darkened land.
"And what message would that be sir?"
"Just this: Children of the light, fear the Children of the night. Surrender to the darkness and prepare for the blight." Raising his hand lazily into the air, a portal of darkness appeared before him. "I'm returning to report. Make sure to follow my instructions and come find me when all is done or they'll be hell to pay." And with that, Alucard vanished into the darkness from whence he had appeared. Just as the gateway closed, a gentle wind blew through the land, unseen and unheard by any of the demons. A wind that had travel a great distance and would travel further still to find those it seeked bearing it's silent message.
I'll be waiting for you.. Please.. Awaken..