“Thanks, teach,” Dave quipped, trying to bring some levity to the gravity of her words. His body tingled as he truly realized for the first time the kind of power and responsibility that came with being one of the Council of Anvil and Fire.
“No worries, you damned crazy bastard,” She laughed.
Dave cut the chat and connected her to Lucy.
They were just reaching the keep. Alkao waited for them in the courtyard, a map in front of him.
Josh ran up. The party leaders moved up with him; the rest hung back and looked on.
“They’ve stopped charging, but they’re just over a hundred and fifty miles from the keep. We’ve got forces here and here moving to box them in.” Alkao pointed to two forces coming in from the sides and rear of the Demon Horde.
“Each brigade numbers fifty thousand; they’re also the best armed of all our brigades.” Alkao looked at Dave and nodded to him.
Dave nodded back. The sword and shield the Demon Prince used was the one that he had created.
“We’ve got a hundred thousand in this keep here. We’re moving forces through the keep and out along the Demon Horde’s flanks to reinforce our forces coming in behind them, which is where you Stone Raiders come in. We’re going to start using hit-and-run tactics to thin out their numbers and bog them down. We need you to get us some time, so we can move forces through the keep and out behind them.” Alkao gestured from the keep toward the icons showing the Demon Horde.
“The rest of the Stone Raiders have moved out in front of the keep and are ready to engage. We’ll join in on your attacks. Have you got those extra surprises ready?” Josh asked.
“We have, with some help from your people,” Alkao said.
Dave looked around the keep. There were Demons and Beast Kin all over the place: watching on the walls, checking their weapons, and moving supplies to the keep’s walls. Through the keep, there was a constant stream of Demons and Beast Kin marching in cadence with one another. Their boots shook the ground with their steps.
The Beast Kin all had decent armor and weapons. The Demons mostly had decent clothes and good boots, but most had nothing more than tough leather shirts and pants. Most were armed with just crude iron or stone creations, with a few armed with steel weapons.
Thankfully, there were a number with bows and stone-tipped arrows. They were crude, but they’d be effective enough.
Demons flew overhead, carrying Beast Kin in their taloned feet as they glided from the keep down toward the formations that headed off into the distance. The sheer scale of it drove home how big the battle was going to be.
“We’ll buy you time to get your people into place and try to mess them up as much as possible,” Josh promised, slapping Alkao on the shoulder.
“Thanks, Josh.” Alkao nodded, before his eyes bore into Dave’s. “Dave, could I have a word?”
“All right, Stone Raiders! Move over here. I want two groups: everyone below level 70 with their stats on my right; everyone above it on my left!” Josh said as Dave walked over to Alkao.
“Something on your mind?” Dave asked, his words terse. He had heard how he’d made his peace with Anna and Suzy. Dave hadn’t talked to the Demon Prince since he had called out Dave and been an ass.
Alkao hung his head, looking around as if nervous. “Dave, what I did, what I said—it was out of line. I should have thanked you for your gift. For your help. Instead, I scorned you like some child.” Alkao touched the hilt of his sword.
“This blade and my shield have protected me since we last parted. I have never received a gift like them. With your enchantment making me have to take the first hit before I could fight back, it made me think out my actions instead of just blindly charge in. You and your weapons educated me, helped to teach me about restraint, of thinking things through. My journey was not easy, but your weapons protected me. They protected my people and allowed me to get this far.” Alkao’s hulking mass sunk to his knee as he bowed his head.
“Dave Grahslagg, I did not deserve these gifts, but through them, you educated me in the ways of a leader. You showed faith in me with your work while I repaid it with spite. I now know the people of Emerilia are not the ones who attacked me. Those ancestors are long dead. You have shown me the power of extending a hand in friendship instead of a blade in anger. With this sword and shield, I was able to carve out a future for my people. Without them, then they would have not joined me here.” Alkao raised his head.
Dave didn’t know what to say. Although he’d hoped that the blade and sword would teach the prideful Demon, it had done more than Dave had ever hoped, teaching him humility and to think before his actions.
“I hope that one day, you might call me friend. Through the actions of you and your friends, you have given the people of Devil’s Crater a chance. Nothing could repay that debt.”
“Well, getting off your damned knee would help; we’re attracting stares,” Dave growled. He scratched his head awkwardly and looked around at the people throughout the keep looking at Dave and Alkao.
Alkao smiled and rose from his knee.
Dave studied Alkao. “Keep faith with your people—put them ahead of yourself and never settle. You’ve got plenty of room to grow and we’re all going to need friends. Don’t forget that.” Dave’s tone turned serious.
Alkao bowed his head.
“I have high hopes for you, Alkao. Don’t let me or your people down.”
“I will do everything in my power to help them,” Alkao promised.
“Good.” Dave nodded and held out his hand.
Alkao shook it.
“When I get back, you’re paying for the damned beers and we’ll get those smiths of yours trained up! Lots to do.” Dave smiled.
“Very well.” Alkao sounded relieved.
“See you in a bit; got some Demon Horde to go screw with.” Dave smiled.
He walked over to the Stone Raiders and checked out a blinking notification.
Quest: Survival of the Fittest
Together, the races of Demon and Beast Kin have worked together, making a foothold in Devil’s Crater. The Dark Lord who sends his Demon Horde, hardened by a long journey and countless fights, sends them unknowingly into your home.
He wishes to use it to grow his forces stronger. Show him your newfound strength. Rise from the history books that you were cast into and LIVE!
The Devil’s Crater Army has requested your aid in destroying the Demon Horde. The Stone Raiders’ guild has accepted.
Requirements: Defeat the Demon Horde
Failure: Death of the creatures in Devil’s Crater.
Rewards: 100,000 gold to the Guild’s treasury
Increased reputation with the creature’s of Devil’s Crater
Fame/Infamy points
EXP
Rights to use the dungeons and raid events within Devil’s Crater and in the Devil’s Crater’s controlled land.
“Okay, everyone below 70—you’re going to be staying here. You will be running support for the DCA. I want you on the walls and hammering the hell out of the Demon Horde when they show. You’ve got better gear and better weapons; show them just what the Stone Raiders can do. If you’re a POE and above 70, the choice is up to you to come out with us on the raid or to stay here and help.” Josh looked to the POEs. A few stepped over to stay in the keep with the lower levels, but most stayed where they were.
Josh nodded to Gurren and Lox, who stood beside the rest of Dave’s party that had come from Cliff-Hill. The rest were already out in the forest waiting for them.
“Good luck! Let’s get stuck into a war.” Josh smiled. “Everyone who’s coming, on me. Everyone staying, go and see General Malkur.”
With that, Josh turned and ran alongside the Demon and Beast Kin marching columns.
The Stone Raiders followed, their speed faster than flying Demons.
“Anna, Malsour, and Steve are waiting for us. We’re going to group up. The plan is to move in varying sized groups. We hit th
e edges of the Demon Horde, send spells and the like into their center and wreak as much havoc as possible. Then we break off, regenerate and go back in again,” Deia said as the stone of the cliffs around Devil’s Crater turned into forest, the branches cutting off the sun from above.
The gloom mattered little to them as they ran.
“Check your gear and your hotkey bar. I want everyone with potions ready and a second set of weapons good to go at the least. One ranged, one close, and a second of your primary, just in case.”
Dave checked his hotkey bar at the bottom of his vision, applying different Health and increased Stamina regeneration potions. He added a sword to his hotkeys. After the magical suppressor, he’d made sure to keep something ready, so that he wasn’t caught off guard.
They were rare creatures, but it was best to be prepared.
“What are these Demons like?” Lox asked.
“They’re stronger than Dwarves and pretty fast. Long reach, natural claws, and like to use their teeth. Thankfully, none of them have shown the ability to use magic in any form yet,” Deia said.
“They’re mostly naked with stone weapons,” Dave added.
“Sounds simple enough, but with a force this large...the Dwarves have extensive records on how powerful Demons can be, even without a weapon,” Lox said. Gurren grunted in agreement as they continued through the forest. Markers of the rest of the waiting guild showed up on Dave’s mini map.
“Hit-and-run, in and out—blast them with everything and then we keep going. We get bogged down and they can start to use their numbers against us,” Deia warned.
Anna, Malsour, and Steve met them.
“Anna, Malsour, you’ve met Gurren and Lox; this is Steve, Suzy’s soul bound creature.” Deia did the introductions.
“Howdy.” Steve smiled and waved to them, swinging his axe as if it were a shopping bag and he was at a mall.
“Damn, you’re a big bastard,” Gurren said.
“I like this one.” Steve laughed.
“What are you, one of those automaton things?” Lox asked.
“Similar, but with more extras, which are a pain in the butt to control. That’s why Suzy’s controlling me, so I can get my systems working normally and be a nice automaton.” Steve smiled so hard, it looked painful.
Dave snorted. “You? A normal automaton? And I’m a damn walrus.”
“How was the vacay, dude?” Steve asked.
“Eh, work. Looking forward to knocking some skulls around,” Dave said.
Suzy, Anna, and Deia were conferencing with one another. Malsour yawned while Induca joined the others, who stood in a circle.
“Yeah, same here; they turned me into a damned laborer,” Steve complained, resting his axe on his shoulder.
Dave sensed Gurren and Lox loosening up; Dave knew that they would like Steve. His attitude was very similar to his other friends.
“The most important thing is that I think I might have figured out the things that we were missing from understanding how the teleport pads and portals work,” Malsour said.
“Here we go.” Induca shook her head.
“Neeeerds!” Steve loudly declared. Gurren and Lox laughed, grinning at Dave and Malsour.
“You’ll be happy to know that I smuggled a portal to the Aleph. They should be coming to us with something soon enough,” Dave said.
“Good. I’m looking forward to find out what they know.” Malsour yawned again and rubbed his eyes.
“Not sleeping much?” Induca asked.
“He practically raised all of Unity by himself and then made sure that the keeps were all functional. Made a lot of crude metal spears and the like,” Steve said.
“Well, at least the DCA will have some more weapons to fight the Demon Horde with,” Malsour said.
“All-metal spears are going to be a pain in the ass to use,” Lox said.
“You haven’t seen the Demons. They like the weight of them; most wood just cracks in their hands. Makes them terrible archers, but great spearmen,” Steve said. If there was one thing that Steve got serious about, it was fighting.
“How are the Demon Horde looking?” Dave asked.
“Like a bunch of savage a-holes. They’re killing one another as a source of food. Looks like because they’re Creatures of Power, killing them and eating their meat makes them quite a bit stronger. They’re all boasting over level 70. Some of them are even reaching between 100 and 200. They’re strong, but they’re idiots. Their hunger blinds them and makes them more likely to attack one another. The DCA has been using that, putting in their own Demons to get them all excited and fight one another and then leave them to just slaughter one another. That added with the lack of food in the area. The Demon Horde have lost nearly five and a half million in the time we’ve been harassing them.”
“I’m going to guess their morale is low?” Lox asked.
“You could say. They blame one another for everything; don’t trust each other at all. Their largest groups aren’t bigger than a thousand, which is nothing in a mass of nearly two million. They don’t have battle tactics or magic. No time to learn how to fly with their wings, because it makes them weak.” Steve shook his head.
“So, what’s the plan?” Dave asked.
Deia and the other girls walked over; Deia answered the question.
“The DCA in their ranks is going to start everything off. They’ll keep them fighting one another and confused. Then, the aerial Demons are going to drop in on them from above. Again, get them fighting one another and attacking anything that’s in the air, including their own people. As they’re in the midst of that chaos, we’re going to be using parties in guerilla tactics. Hit them hard, and then fade back into the forest. They get close enough to the keep, we box them in with spells and start hammering the hell out of them at range. We’ll be at the front, with the DCA supporting us. That is where the real battle starts.” Deia looked to everyone.
Dave nodded. The grim faces of the Stone Raiders were all business; all signs of the partiers who they were in their off time faded away. They had been at Boran-al and the Aleph raid; they were tried and tested.
“If you want to record, you can. Josh is asking that people don’t upload what they have until after this is all done.” Deia looked to Dave and Suzy.
“Neither of us record this, anyway.” Dave shrugged.
“Well, get ready. The DCA are making their move soon,” Deia said to the group.
“Stone Raiders!” Josh’s voice came through everyone’s ears over the guild voice chat. “Well, looks like this thing does work.”
Dave could hear the grin in Josh’s face.
“We’re going in right after the DCA Demons make their move. Remember to trust in your groups. Hit and get out. Don’t stay around, and be wary of the Demon Horde charging after you hit them. We’ve got all these traps everywhere; use them if you need to. West forces move out with Kim; north with me; south with Dwayne. Look after one another and we’ll take a little rest after this. And if you’ve got streams or like recording this, record away. I only ask that you wait until after we’ve destroyed the Demon Horde before uploading it. Good luck.” Josh signed off the guild chat as the three markers of the guild leaders started to move in different directions.
“We’re going with Kim—keep together,” Deia said.
The Stone Raiders separated out into their different groups, rushing through the forest at inhuman speeds.
It wasn’t the speed or the silence that they traveled in that would scare most who saw them. It was the cold smiles on their faces that would make the hardest veterans grip their weapons tighter as they broke into a cold sweat.
These were hunters and they had come for their prey, their game.
Chapter 5: Amid Chaos And Destruction
“Start.” Alkao’s voice passed through the ears of all his brothers and their commanders.
Lezar watched the map on his interface as he walked with his brigade through the forest.
&
nbsp; His people in the Demon Horde started their attacks in bouts. Some would wait for the Demon Horde to react and then work to make the most of the chaos to kill more.
Any time the Horde singled out the DCA soldiers, they rushed into the forest or took to the skies. They took out thousands of the Demon Horde, driving them to attack one another and inspiring chaos in their ranks as the real perpetrators left the Horde.
The Stone Raiders moved through the forest in multiple parties, coming from every direction.
Shockwaves rippled out from the battlefield.
Lezar looked up, seeing the very forest itself moving to attack the creatures that dared move through it. Spikes of metal protruded from the ground and rain seemed to form from nowhere. Lightning cracked and screams yelled out.
Lezar looked to his map. The Stone Raiders were like a train wreck, slamming into the Demon Horde and rushing away, leaving nothing but devastation behind. By the time one party had hit, another two came in from another direction.
“Let’s see that the Stone Raiders don’t get all of the battle. Let’s pick up the pace—make sure none of the Horde makes it through our ranks!” Lezar bellowed over his brigade’s party chat.
***
Deia watched the backs of Dave, Gurren, Lox, and Anna as they rushed through the forest. All around them, there were Air creations. Suzy’s staff glowed with Mana surging through it as Earth, lightning, and metal creations stomped along.
As they cut through the forest, it was obvious Gurren and Lox had increased their Agility in leaps and bounds. They jumped through the trees and treated it as if it were an obstacle course instead of cursing the non-smooth surfaces.
They came over a rise and looked down onto the Demon Horde, a red, black, and gray mass of seething anger. Their red eyes turned as one toward the party as their muscled bodies constricted in anticipation.
Deia didn’t need to say anything. Anna’s wind blades whistled through the air. Steve fired bolts from his hand as Dave seemed to punch Mana bolts from his hands.
Induca and Deia released a torrent of flames from their hands while Malsour waved his arm at the Demons, casting a wave of curses and hexes, followed by darklings rushing out of the forest’s shadows.
Emerilia Series Box Set 2 Page 36