Chapter 5: A Decisive Blow?
A couple days after this meeting, Slayer and Samur prepared to leave for Hell with a squad of ten Maykr drones. Samur had transferred into his cybernetic body and briefed the others on how long he would likely be gone. They would consult with Daizen and determine where to strike next; if this war could be ended quickly.
Intern Guy had to stay behind due to the danger, though he was still greatly disappointed. He had more brains than brawn; maybe he could contribute in more ways back in Urdak. He figured he could start by asking the other Maykrs about high-ranking warriors beside Samur, or other resources they had. Still sucked though.
Slayer and the others entered Hell and quickly set about finding Daizen. Slayer's reputation was now his greatest asset; arguably it always was, but even moreso now. One of the allied Cacodemons noticed them and waved them over to follow to camp. There had been a development.
Daizen walked up to them, glad to see the sight. "Great to see you. With you on our side, we'll mop them up by this afternoon. You could probably do it by yourself", Daizen said to Slayer.
Slayer felt this optimism, but felt pensive due to his recent weakening.
Samur followed up. "You mention that by this afternoon they may be finished. Where is the enemy, and what's the plan?"
"We've been lucky recently. We've got a couple of their Archviles and a large force of theirs pinned down. They're stuck in a valley and there is only one exit, which we have covered. Eliminating them will give us a window to punch through the center, and go straight for Erebus. There may still be Archviles after that, but they'll be leaderless. They will have no choice but to either run to some backwater of Hell, where they will be hunted down, or support our new regime."
"I say we wipe them out", Sibrand added. He never liked demons like Phil anyway, and didn't think they could be trusted.
"Not a bad idea. The Barons still on the fence will get behind us in any event." Slayer noticed another familiar demon type among Daizen's army. Hell Knights, also acting as a loyal guard force for Hell's government, were following the Barons' lead. Some had joined Daizen. Some still viewed Erebus as the legitimate ruler. Many others would have to see how the coming battles would turn out.
Rigaud, however, didn't like staying under Daizen's thumb. If Erebus could somehow owe him a favor, he wouldn't end up spending eternity under a weakling's command.
This group went to join up with the main army blocking the canyon Daizen mentioned, where the enemy demons were essentially besieged. An assault would be needed since a relief force could be soon coming. Better to face them one part at at time before the killing blow.
Samur and Rigaud were leading the left flank, with his Maykr drones behind Samur. Slayer was leading the center, ironically now about to enter combat with demons as his allies, joined with d'Outremont. Daizen, Sibrand and Dave were heading up the right flank.
Daizen saw one of the Archviles leading the enemy that he recognized, that had been a thorn in his side for some time: Menelik. He was a better commander than others, and was likely to emerge as a favorite of Erebus. His story would surely end here.
Daizen remembered a cool-sounding movie line, and wanted to announce Menelik's doom: "Well then, if it isn't fat, stinking billygoat Menelik in person. How art thou, thou globby bottle of cheap, stinking chip-oil? Come and get one in the yarbles, if you have any yarbles, you eunuch jelly thou!"
Menelik saw his old foe. "...What? eh, whatever. Do you have the balls to face us head-on at long last? Or are you only doing so now because the Slayer is finally here? You wimp, I'll bet the Marauders are embarrassed to be seen with you!" Menelik liked to talk a tough game of bravery; if he possessed it, he may have tried charging to break out of this canyon. But he preferred to play the defensive role when possible, the heavy demons forming a chiltrom around him and the other Archvile. He also didn't give much of a damn about the Marauders' feelings. He preferred to demoralize his opponents from a distance.
"Very well then", Daizen said to the others. "Go, and attack!"
All They Have to Fear is You would have been fitting as the armies clashed. Menelik focused his army's main attack toward the allied right flank to take out Daizen and avoid the Slayer. In response, Samur sent the Maykr drones to reinforce. The right flank was pushed back, but was still remaining firm.
After seeing this, Slayer's group thrust into the enemy center, taking advantage of where the enemy's attack was focused. The enemy's main attack force risked being attacked in its side, or cut off.
Samur's own group held steady, wearing away at Menelik's weaker vanguard. He liked what he was seeing. "It seems even though Slayer's been weakened, tactics still matter. Our forces also act with more intelligence. Rigaud, I think we can-". Rigaud had left his side. He should've communicated what he was doing. Surely he had joined the attack in some way. Samur would've liked to think this, but he remembered the poor first impression, and began to speculate what he was up to. "Rigaud, where did you go? You doubtful, angry thing?", Samur asked out loud in a particularly dour tone, even for his standards.
Seeing the Slayer make headway, the other Archvile, party out of panic but also seeing an opportunity, charged out toward him, leaving his chiltrom chasing behind. Slayer and d'Outremond faced him head-on along with some heavier allied demons. Slayer's group was now pushed back behind where it started.
Daizen sent Sibrand and Dave to join what was now becoming a bulge in his line. It managed to avoid breaking however, and the prize-a dead Archvile-was now his. This Archvile tried summoning other demons in and fighting alongside, but he was overwhelmed with Dave beheading him. "The enemy's blood on my axe was almost dry", Dave quipped. This bulge remedied, Sibrand and Dave returned to the right flank.
Slayer had been injured, however, and had to go to the rear. Daizen was a little confused at first, but figured even he probably had limits. Besides, Rigaud had appeared up-front alongside d'Outremont. He could hold the line just fine.
d'Outremont noticed him. "Hey there, Rigaud. You're just in time. Things are still thick even though one of those bastards are down. Slayer had to step back, but we can-". d'Outremont was fighting toward the enemy, and barely keeping an eye toward Rigaud. He didn't know anything was amiss until he felt Rigaud's axe in his back. d'Outremont spun around in disbelief. "You! What are you doing?! Have you gone mad?!"
"You would give up our pride to serve under a weakling, when our birthright would be sullied?"
"I have my pride! I like who I am, unlike you! You've went crazy! Do you think Erebus would give you more than Daizen?"
"To Hell with Erebus... well, you know what I mean!", Rigaud said while grinning. These Marauders were now fighting in the middle of the battle. It took awhile for Daizen and the other to realize what was happening. Menelik also took notice.
The center began to bulge once again. Even though the intelligence of his own demons meant their losses were 3/4 of the enemy's, he had to retreat. The Slayer was out of commission, Rigaud was a traitor, and it seemed d'Outremond was about to be killed unless he acted. He had no choice but to order Sibrand and Dave in to rescue him.
They barely managed to save d'Outremond; Rigaud was about to "glory kill" him while he was in a weakened state. He had been fighting the entire time and was exhausted, whereas Rigaud just hang back for this moment. They shoved the traitor back and grabbed onto d'Outremond, with Rigaud running back to pledge his loyalty to Erebus (at least for now, in this public display).
Daizen made the decision to fall back due to losing some of his chief fighters. The battle would've now taken much longer then he had hoped, and all of them might be trapped in this same canyon. He gave the order with a heavy dose of disappointment.
Pain Elementals helped remove the wounded Slayer and d'Outremont to the rear camp. Slayer would need to evac back to Urdak to fully recover. Daizen regrouped with his lieutenants about the battle; it could have gone far worse. At least one Archvile had died, and their losses were higher. On the other hand, Rigaud would need to be dealt with, regardless of the Archviles' ultimate fate.
"We'll need to recoup our losses. We will need to bring more demons into our army using our machine; that will take time but it will take time for them as well."
His lieutenants agreed, but had still hoped for the massive strategic coup. Dave, who had killed the Archvile, said, "Damnit, we could've won that battle! That bastard Rigaud. I had a bad feeling about him, but don't we always after-the-fact."
Daizen could only nod. His attention turned to Samur. "Hey, I wanted to ask about Slayer. He got hurt in that battle. I didn't think that was possible; is he going to be alright?"
Samur, who had seen off the Slayer, turned back toward Daizen. "I think he'll be just fine."
"I thought that he... was there something wrong?"
"I can tell you want to ask me something, and I will warn you, you may not like what you hear. But I need to ask you something as well. Urdak has officially entered your fight, and so it's right that you answer." The two went into a more private area; the other demons shouldn't be part of this conversation.
Daizen sighed, and asked pensively, "The Slayer. What happened?"
Samur filled him in. He felt it would ultimately be necessary. Even if Daizen wouldn't want to hear it, he would need to have an accurate view of his allies' strength. "Slayer killed Davoth, that much we both know. But Davoth was the source of his super-human strength. Now he is just a mortal again. He has experience, but he only half of what he used to be."
Daizen was shocked. "Then why did you bring him here? And how will he be able to help us, without being in danger?"
"His reputation is his greatest asset. He helped the others fight harder. And it was clear to see that his presence influenced how the enemy acted. It gave us an advantage, since Menelik assumed your flank was the best choice to attack."
"...he'll need some time to recover. I'll have to tell the others something. I don't like keeping them in the dark, but I'll just say the dead Archvile got a lucky hit on him. Even that wouldn't have happened before."
Samur got to the heart of the matter. "But now, I have to ask again about the Argent. What is your goal here, and when will the Argent resume?"
Daizen knew this question was inevitable. "I... had an idea to stop the Argent, forever."
"WHAT?!" Samur asked in a hushed but highly harsh tone.
"I don't want the Argent processing to continue. The suffering, the nightmare. I have an idea that Hell doesn't need to be that way. A focus on rehabilitation, on a more ethical way of doing things."
"Are you insane? You're just as bad as Olivia Pierce, but from the other direction. She wanted to harvest Argent at all costs, even if Earth and Mars were overrun by demonic invasion. And rehabilitation? Everyone?"
"Well yes, that's what I'm thinking."
"And wouldn't it be great if everyone could be rehabilitated. You even have Adolf Hitler down here. And many others, maybe worse than him."
"Well yeah, that would be great if it could be done."
Samur pressed his tone. "I don't think you hear what I'm saying. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone could be rehabilitated. If all people were redeemable. Maybe Hell exists for a reason."
Daizen followed up this thought. "Who makes that decision, of who is harvested? And would it be enough?"
"You're on track to be King of this place. You may have to make that decision. I have no idea if it will be enough, but it will need to be, at least at first. And even if your answer about 'rehabilitation' was NOT to my liking, I'm under no disillusion. Under the old way, Davoth was sealed away by our last leader, the Khan Maykr. The system was safe. But we no longer have a strong leader to guarantee that Erebus would not be a threat, or could be sealed away in the same way. On the other hand, you and your army have regained your humanity. I have more confidence we can maintain a peace not possible with Erebus in charge."
Daizen reflected on this exchange. "I think it was lucky for both of us that your expedition ran into my army, instead of Erebus'. Especially with the Slayer weakened. Are there alternative power sources for your world?" Daizen couldn't help but feel some guilt and concern; even if he had the best intentions, he might still seal the death of another world. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, this time literally.
"Even nuclear power is 'child's play' compared to Argent. There may be other solutions, but they won't be easy, or perfect."
Samur and his remaining Maykr drones stayed overnight to ensure that Daizen's camp could hold. Menelik didn't mount a counter-attack, and Daizen's army was working to rebuild its numbers. Due to its lower losses, it could return to its former strength much faster.
Samur returned to Urdak in the morning, checking up on the Slayer. Slayer, who had been the closest to death than he had ever been, reflected on his frailty, but appreciated that he was still alive, and had the chance to see his eternal torment come to an end. His thoughts ranged from fearful, to hopeful, and eager. "..."
Samur then sought out Intern Guy to inform him of what had happened, of the Argent situation, and what their next plans would be.