by Damon Glatz
Thunder rumbled all around him. Sparks of electricity danced through the sky. He remembered what it took to take down the Earth Mythic before. He had to charge himself. Ohitekah flexed every muscle in his body. Lightning struck him from the heavens. He could feel all the power surging through his body. This was more than before. He was stronger than before. He let out a shout as he collected more power from the storm. His body began to glow with a light stronger than the sun. The army of Orbis looked up into the sky to see him. See the Mythic they were up against.
This is what power feels like.
Ohitekah's body crackled with energy. He could hardly contain himself anymore. He lifted his hand and aimed it down to the two armies about to clash. With a burst of power, Ohitekah reigned down a torrent of lightning that sliced through the sky. It crashed onto the earth at the feet of Falko's men and sent them all launching into the air.
The tribesmen rushed through the weakened defense and smashed into a deeper line of shields. The collision had an audible crash, even from Ohitekah's altitude. The horses charged through the lines and forced their way deep into the Orbis ranks. Men were sliced down on all sides as the tribes pushed through.
“Ohitekah.”
Ohitekah heard his name being clearly spoken. The voice was not his own. It was Falko. He looked down into the carnage of war. There was no way to see Falko from this distance.
He must be communicating through my head. He must have figured it out.
“Ohitekah. Please come down. I would like to have a word with you.”
"Show yourself," Ohitekah shouted. "Come and fight me!"
He scanned the battlefield, looking for the Emperor.
"My men do not yet know my identity as Mythic. I would rather avoid such a demonstration at this time. I would hope you and I can meet as equals here on the ground if you would be so kind. This form of communication is not the easiest for me."
"Why should I listen to you? Why shouldn't I just stay up here and continue to attack your men?"
"Because Ohitekah, I thought you of all people would want to end this peacefully."
Chapter Thirty
Hell Fire
"Lance!" Daisuke raced to the front of the Ashland lines. The knights halted their march. They froze in formation, facing Daisuke. None of them moving a muscle.
"Lance! What is the meaning of this?" Daisuke shouted over the lines of the Ashland troops. He breathed heavy, he could not remember the last time he was this furious.
The knights directly in front of Daisuke suddenly turned to face one another, creating a path down their ranks. Walking down the lines of knights was him.
His armor was black with silver details. A dark cape waved behind him as he walked calmly towards Daisuke. On his head rested a crown.
"That's King Lance to you, Daisuke."
"What is the meaning of this?" Daisuke remained tall on his horse looking over the thousands of helmets between him and Lance.
Lance continued his stride up the ranks of men. Never taking his eyes off Daisuke.
"I thought you of all people would recognize an Ashland invasion force when you saw one. Does it honestly need explaining?"
Daisuke scowled.
"There is a war going on to the south. If you want to prove Ashland's strength, do it now. Ride with me. Help me. The world needs King Lance right now and his armies."
"You're right. Now is the time to prove Ashland's strength." Lance stopped in front of his men. The line closed ranks behind him.
Daisuke shook his head.
"The boy needs you. Ohitekah. He fights for the freedom of our world. He needs our support. He fights the same enemy you seek to destroy. We can work together."
Lance lowered his voice. "The only enemy I seek to destroy is seated right in front of me."
Daisuke furrowed his brow. "You would not dare—"
"Fight me."
"I refuse. There are more important matters at hand." Daisuke’s frustration grew.
"No! Nothing is more important," Lance shouted. "This is my destiny! This is our fate! You and me! Our purpose! Fight me now, Daisuke! I order you! If you back down or leave I will have my men siege your nation immediately. Your people are not ready. There will be no warning. Your wall will crumble at my might."
Daisuke locked eyes with the king. He dismounted his horse calmly.
"I have been blind to you for too long, Lance. You were a lost cause from the start. My only regret is letting it get this far. I had faith in you. I failed you."
"Good. So you accept my challenge?" Lance wore a smirk.
"Challenge? No. This will not be a challenge. This is an execution of my hope. Nothing more."
Daisuke rose his hand to the King of Ashland. He prepared to fire a blast to wipe him out with a force to destroy most of his army. Daisuke hesitated his blast in a moment of confusion. Lance had performed the same motion himself.
Is he aiming an attack at me? What is this?
They stood for a moment, palms facing one another.
Is this some sort of trick? Why does he look like he is about to fire at me? What is going on?
Lance chuckled. "No old friend. It’s no trick."
What? Did he read my mind?
Lance laughed again, this time louder. "Duel me, Daisuke! My men have orders. If you fight me, win or lose, they will return home and leave your country in peace. Abandon my challenge, and watch your own destruction."
"What? What have you done?"
The King stood silently.
"Lance! What have you done?!"
"Ask yourself Daisuke." The wind began whipping around the King. His clothes and cape fluttering to his side. In the palm of his hand, he formed a ball of fire and aimed it at Daisuke. Only this fire was unlike anything Daisuke had ever seen.
"What would you sacrifice for victory?"
In his palm spiraled an orb of black flame.
Sierra flicked her blade out and back a few times to test the gears. It seemed to be performing well. She found her foot tapping on the hard stone floor in anticipation of the signal to strike. The current plan was while Nicholas is storming the docks, they would infiltrate the palace and attack from within. By the time the Vatnics reached Falko's capital, the doors would be wide open for them.
Sierra worried about Ohitekah. He had been fighting against Falko and his men for some time now. She wished she was there, but Marcus needed her more with the Spades.
Marcus was peeking out of a sewer grate in the road above them, keeping an eye on troop movement. Considering the battle that was happening to the north, the military presence left in Orbis was minimal. Whoever was left would rush to defend the docks as soon as Nicholas arrived. The rest of the men prepared themselves for Marcus' signal, any moment they would rush out and invade the capital. Sierra was sure of Marcus' ability to lead but wasn't sure of the rest of the troops resolve. There were about thirty of them waiting in the sewers below the city.
All willing to follow Galius' plan; with or without him.
There was some commotion in the street above them, some shouting that only Marcus could hear. His eyes lit up.
Marcus waved his arm. "Go," he commanded in a harsh whisper.
The lead man slid open the exit into a courtyard behind the Emperor's palace. The marble statue in the center of the garden gave way to the stone staircase leading to their position.
The first two men out were the scouts, they carried bows and knives at their side. Immediately exiting the stairwell, they dropped to one knee and shot the two guards patrolling the roof above the courtyard, they fell down and out of sight. The next two Spades ran past them and struck the guards in the gardens before they had a moment to draw their weapons. Their bodies were laid to rest in the bushes off to the side.
Sierra took her position in the rear and kept her eye behind in case of any flanking maneuvers. Marcus was the last out, closing the statue behind him. Sierra's position was crucial if their formation fell apart. Sierra was
skilled in taking on multiple enemies at once, but for now, she played only a support role. If all went well, she would not need to fight at all.
The Spades were as silent as the breeze as they sprinted through the gardens behind the palace. They moved like whispers across the field and toward the exterior of the building.
No one had noticed them yet, or at least lived long enough to do anything about it.
The group split into two, one moved north, the other South. Each breaking into the palace from a different window. Sierra stayed with the South group as their leader swiftly pressed his back against the palace wall and broke into the window with a pick. The rest of the group followed him in, the window was closed behind them just as silently as it was opened. It seemed Marcus' group was just as successful before they could no longer see one another.
Once inside the palace, the group fanned out within the room and waited to see if any alarm was raised. Sierra found herself in a library of sorts with the rest of her men. The walls were lined with cases of books and scrolls, some armor was on display between them. This must have been Falko's personal study.
The unit prepared itself for their next move into the hall. There were two guards just outside the door, unaware of the presence in the room they were protecting.
Why would this empty room warrant two guards to protect? Sierra wondered to herself briefly.
She scanned the books, a few of them caught her attention. They looked familiar.
These... These books. They're from the Library.
Ohitekah descended slowly from the dark spiraling clouds. He was lowering himself behind Falko's lines. The battle was fierce beneath him, the two sides were hacking away at each other with an intensity Ohitekah had never seen before. Falko's formations were remade and they fought to keep them that way. The tribesmen pushed with everything they had to break back through those lines.
Ohitekah lowered himself closer to the Orbis army under his feet. As he approached, the men repositioned themselves and formed a circle for him to land in. They stood with their shields facing out, Ohitekah thought this was strange. Their backs were exposed to him. He touched down in the center of their perfect ring of men. They all stabbed their shields into the ground and fortified the area. Ohitekah looked around, he was completely surrounded.
Two of the men facing the southernmost point of the circle lifted their shields and stood aside, leaving an opening in the ring. Ohitekah took a deep breath and stood tall. A tall white horse rode up to the men.
This was the first time Ohitekah had ever seen Falko up close. His brilliant armor was gold and red, carried next to him was his familiar golden spear. His face seemed to be carved from stone, his appearance fierce. He dismounted the horse with slow precision, savoring the moment. The Emperor of Orbis strode into the ring like a God among men, his arms open and welcoming. He locked eyes with Ohitekah with each step. Once inside, stabbed his spear into the ground so it stood upright. The two-man opening was shut behind him, they stabbed their shields into the ground as well, completing the circle.
For a moment they did nothing but stare at one another, the sounds of death echoing from outside their circle.
"Ohitekah. I can clearly see the rumors are true. You are the Mythic of Thunder. Congratulations." Falko's voice was naturally loud, he spoke in a deliberately low tone to make himself less audible to those outside the ring.
Ohitekah nodded. "Yes. And you are what? The Mythic of Earth now?"
Falko gave a slow nod. "That is correct."
"You said you wanted peace. Let’s talk then."
"Listen, Ohitekah... Both of us know what we want out of this. Let’s be honest with each other. I need your Mythic powers. And I need my army intact. I would also like to preserve the majority of your people if you would allow it. Genocide is not what I am interested in." Falko took a deep breath "If you surrender to me, I would be more than willing to spare all of your men. But peace comes at a price, Ohitekah. I am sorry but you can't walk away from this."
Ohitekah took a step back. "No... We can win. We can beat you. I can beat you."
"Look around son. Your tribesmen are not prepared for my professional army. Not in a fight like this... It does me no good to slaughter them all. Your naivety will be the downfall of your entire race. Come with me and end the fighting. They will only listen to you."
Ohitekah glanced down. He looked around at the battle beyond the ring he was standing in. He certainly did not have the advantage, that was true. But it still looked like his tribes were holding their own.
"No... You have already taken too much from me to be trusted. I want to fight you."
"Ohitekah," Falko said as he placed a hand on his spear. "Don't be foolish. I gain nothing from beating a child."
"I’m a Mythic," Ohitekah shouted. "And you need to see me like one!"
"That is your decision then? Defeat over surrender?"
Ohitekah stood tall.
"I choose to fight for my friends."
"It’s a shame. I thought you were the selfless one. So be it." Falko lifted his spear from the ground.
The salt spray showered Nicholas' face. He stood at the bow of his flagship, currently in the lead of his armada. They had been sailing at an incredible speed for some time. It was a shame no one took notes of the time, he was probably beating someone's record.
The King of the Vatnics looked behind him. His fleet spread far and wide, trailing back to the Islands. He smiled. He was happy to be helping Ohitekah again. Even though he wasn't standing right next to him like he was before.
The ship ramped over taller waves and crashed down with a large splash. Nicholas squinted forward. He began to see it, the peninsula of the Orbis Empire. He had the captain adjust course slightly to the south to sail around it. The docks of the Capital rested on its eastern side. That was where he had to land for his attack.
If the timing is right, there shouldn't be any major forces for us to fight once there. It should be a walk in the park.
The ship swung right and redirected south.
"This is it, lads," Nicholas shouted behind him. "We'll be there soon. Get yourselves ready!"
The men drew swords with a hearty shout. Nicholas drew his as well, he found his shout was more reserved. Something was worrying him. He glanced into the blue seas.
The beast... I haven't seen it in a while.
He shook his head and faced forward again. The ship continued to roll with the waves.
It’s a promise from a Goddess... They have to be true to their word. Right?
He took a deep breath. The creaking of the ship quieted down, the waves were becoming less excited. Nicholas glanced back to his men, they noticed the stillness as well. The ocean slowly became flat, the only sounds came from the wind.
There was a collective quiet breath from the whole crew.
Nicholas closed his eyes.
"Please, no."
An explosion ripped the air behind them, the crew raced to the back of the ship to see what happened.
There it was, the blue serpent of the seas, towering over the remains of a destroyed vessel. Its teeth were red with Vatnic men.
"To arms! Kill the bloody bastard!" Nicholas shouted.
The rest of the armada broke their pace and surrounded the Mythic. They began launching spears and firing arrows at its huge scaled body.
I can't believe this is happening. Not like this.
Nicholas snapped back to the task at hand.
"Kill it now! We still have a job to do!"
The Mythic did not battle as it had before. As soon as it crashed through a ship, it would immediately dive back below the water where it was safe. It had learned from its previous engagement.
If only the kid was here, he could fry the beast underwater.
"King Nicholas! Orders?!" The helmsman shouted from the wheel.
"Maneuver the ship to stay behind it. Do not halt our attack."
"We can't hit it, sir," A man shouted from the bow
. "It's only attacking from below!"
The boat rocked as a nearby ship was reduced to shrapnel. Nicholas stared at the beast in a fiery rage.
I should have killed the goddamn thing when I had the chance.
The monster hesitated before plunging back into the sea. It scanned the ships around it, swiveling its head from ship to ship.
"What are you looking for?” Nicholas mumbled out loud.
The Mythic froze when it locked eyes with Nicholas. Its face let out a snarl. The Mythic thrust itself back into the water with a new vigor.
"Brace yourselves, lads!" Nicholas stabbed his sword into the deck and fell to a knee, gripping it tightly.
"I do not understand." Daisuke stared into the eyes of the King of Ashland. In his palm, a sphere of black flames pulsed in energy.
"I don't care if you understand it. Just accept it. Accept my challenge!"
This is wrong. This should not be happening. What magic is this? How did he gain this power?
"Daisuke," Lance shouted. "Answer me!"
The shogun looked behind him. The wall sat undefended. Not ready for this size of an attack. He looked south. Ohitekah. He's fighting the Mythic of the Earth alone. He is waiting for support. Holding his own until someone can back him up.
I need to help him.
"What’s he worth?" Lance asked. "If you think I am not a challenge then just kill me quickly and save the boy. But if you leave that’s it for the North. I won't stop until there’s nothing left for you to come home to."
"I accept." Daisuke looked down. "But when one of us lies dead I need your word your men will turn back."
"That’s the idea."
Daisuke drew his sword in a blur and ignited the blade in red fire. Lance pulled out a new sword, the replacement for his old one. Daisuke's eyes opened wide. The blade was a deep scarlet.
Drake's sword... The Ashland sword of legend, Draco Regnator.
"I did my research, Daisuke. This is the only Ashland steel that compares to your black blade. It was made in the same era. I see you have heard of it."