Chapter 4 Dark Forces Collide
The keep of Argosax was as enigmatic as his body. It did not stand as a solid structure but instead like a mirage that moved and swayed in a similar fashion to a reflection on the ocean. Inside, Argosax continued to watch over the ones who would seize his throne. In all his arrogance, he invited this coup with open arms. Just like any other demon, he relished the idea of a new experience, an opportunity for him to exercise his incredible power.
He gazed at the scene with satisfaction, however his attention had now turned to one demon in particular, Sparda. He had never really given Sparda much consideration, although he was aware of his exceptional abilities with a sword.
"So, you are the one who aids Mundus…..Impressive yet…ultimately futile. Your efforts will not be enough to stop me….."
The Blood Plains. This would be the stage for the greatest war Hell had seen in an eternity. At the moment, an unsettling calm streamed and flowed over the murky red sea of blood, creating a steady whisper which became less audible as it passed through the darkness. However, the ominous sounds of gathering demons began to arise as Sparda stood at the forefront, a general rallying his troops. Before he spoke, he wondered of the whereabouts of Mundus and why he was not at the Blood Plains as well:
"My fellow demons!!"
As Sparda spoke, the multitude of demons before him fell silent. Beowulf stood at his side with his arms crossed, appearing like some kind of monstrous bodyguard.
"Today is our day of vindication!! We shall break away from the confines of servitude and create an existence worthy of living!!"
The demons began to roar and beat their chests in rabid exhilaration as Sparda spoke. The energy surging throughout the crowd was electrifying and it only grew as Sparda's words became more intense.
"No longer will we abide by the tyrannical rule of Argosax! Hell is not fit for a complacent ruler such as he. The division amongst demons is becoming ever more apparent with each passing day……this should not BE!! So many demons have been exiled and banned from the mainlands. So many of YOU have been forced to live in isolation, eking out an existence that is without meaning or purpose! We are all devils…the power elite, and as such we must stand as one!!"
Sparda's rhetoric was riveting, his logic was undeniable. However, even as most of the demons were growing more and more confident, some demons began to question the rebellion; Mundus, the supposed composer of this revolt, was no where in sight. Dissent began to form gradually as Sparda continued:
"We will stand!!! We will FIGHT!!! And we will gain our freedom, a freedom long overdue, a freedom that has eluded us for millennia!! We shall suppress the rule of Argosax and stand united under a new rule, the rule of Mundus!!"
These final words sparked an uproar which made the very ground tremble. Unlike anything ever before seen in Hell, demons of all species stood together; Shadows stood side by side with the seven Hells, Abysses stood side by side with Frosts. The very scene was overwhelming as the army of the Rebellion stretched out as far as the eye could see.
Suddenly, a thunderous tumult arose from the distance and the pitch black sky turned a bright fiery orange. The ground shook violently and the din became louder and louder as if a stampede was approaching. Sparda and his army focused their eyes towards the sounds and just over the horizon; a host of demons could be seen charging towards them.
It was his army, the soldiers of Argosax. Made up of many strange types of demons, they numbered in the millions: Humanoid goat-like creatures with chiropteran flew high, and agile, ravenous simian-like demons charged on all fours leaving behind a trail of purple smoke, an extremely large demon resembling an orangutan took massive leaps and bounds as he charged, an enormous bull-like demon standing on two legs with flaming horns and a giant, smoldering warhammer charged with his head down, primed for attack. Several other demons, too many to mention, charged as well. Behind it all, watching with delight, dwelt the incredible mass of demonic energy that is Argosax.
As they came within one hundred yards from the army of the Rebellion, they halted in their tracks. Sparda looked at this overwhelming prospect with combination of shock and anger. He knew….. Sparda thinks. The army of the Rebellion stirred and groaned as more realized the true magnitude of this war. The army of Argosax stood over one million strong while the Rebellious army only numbered in the hundreds of thousands.
The rumbling had stopped, the crimson river grew calm and the wind lay still. Sparda did not look at Argosax' army but rather at Argosax himself and his eyes burned bright red. An implicit sense of satisfaction and bloodlust gleamed across Argosax' faceless countenance. Two armies, two leaders, there could only be one victor.
Then, without warning, Argosax spread his arms across the battlefield and let out an undulating roar. At that, his army began to charge again, this time without hesitation. Seeing this, Sparda's mind began to race but the only thought that remained in his mind was Mundus. He has betrayed us……he thought. Finally, realizing what was upon him, Sparda gained the spirit to speak:
Turning towards his army, Sparda yelled, "As you see, the cowardice of Argosax has caused him to attack without warning!!! He shows and no MERCY!! SO we too shall show no MERCY!! My brethren, my fellow warriors, now is the time for you to prove your worth!!" Suddenly, Sparda raised his sword high above his head then pointed it toward Argosax and let out a battle cry.
The Rebellious army mimicked his actions and began to charge. Both sides headed towards each other in a violent collision course. This was it; the battle for Hell had begun.
Sparda was the first to attack, transforming his sword into a scythe and throwing it like a sickle, quickly severed the heads of multiple demons and penetrated many more. Phantom, the large spider-like demon, and his many offspring spewed fireballs into the sky, which landed on the battlefield and set the demons of Argosax' army ablaze. Beowulf came head to head with Furiatarus, the bull-like demon and it created a violent shockwave as they collided. Using his wings, Beowulf was able to dodge the powerful swipes of Furiatarus' hammer but was not so fortunate as to escape the waves of fire from his mouth.
Growls, screams, explosions, and spewing blood constituted the atmosphere of the battlefield and throughout all of this, Argosax remained in the backdrop as an amused observer. In the midst of Hells battling the simian-like demons, and the Abyss' fighting Abyss Goats, two demons in particular stood out from the pack, almost as much as Sparda.
One of them was of a gray color with pupilless ether blue eyes and scaly wings. It wielded a long sword that was marked at the hilt with the wings of a bat and seemed to grow from the mouth of what resembled draconic devil. Using the power of electricity, it hovered above the crowds, sending violent lightning strikes down to the army of Argosax.
The other demon was extremely hulking and resembled a multi-horned, sienna colored rhino standing on two feet. Equipped with incredible flaming gauntlets, and fighting for the Rebellion, this demon rampaged through the battle using brute strength and hand to hand combat.
However, although it appeared that the army of the Rebellion was gaining the advantage, it quickly became clear that the army of Argosax might win because of the sheer, vast numbers of disposable combatants. With more than ten demons to any one insurgent, Argosax' army was overwhelming. The simian-like demons hounded and pounced on Sloths and Prides. Blood Goats and Abyss Goats floated high in the air, firing intense streams of magic at Frosts and Shadows. Giant two-headed demons, bound by chains and thick metal plates surrounded Phantom and attacked with huge maces, chained to their arms.
Although Sparda was having no trouble dispatching demons left and right, there were too many demons for him to aid all of his comrades. It was slowly becoming a massacre and the fact that Mundus was no where to be seen only hurt the rebellious spirit of the army. Sparda still fought enthusiastically but could not shake the thought of Mundus' apparent duplicity out of his mind. His anger and frustration at Mundus coupled with his hate of Argosax fueled him to fight even more fiercely. However, even his will began to wane under the pressure of Argosax' . As he continued to fight, he could see Argosax off in the distance, releasing more and more demons from his very body. Despair began to overtake him. All his hopes, all his dreams, were unmercifully being trampled upon. And he, as only one warrior, could not wrap his mind around possibly defeating such a force.
The defeat of the Rebellious army was imminent……