by Jarod Meyer
He fell towards the ground and just managed to catch his focus before he crashed into the dirt. He stumbled, but caught himself just in time to parry another blow from the black-eyed demon.
He loosed a barrage of energy from his offhand in two or three spurts, pressing his sword arm into his injured side. Black eyes held his shield up and crouched. The first two blasts missed, but the third found it mark and the energy exploded, ripping apart the enemy’s shield and melting away a large portion of his armor.
Black eyes didn’t waste any time in his counter attack, and charged in close. William was having trouble lifting his sword hand, due to the pain in his side, and barely managed to parry the first strike. Pain shot through his body. He knew he had to try his offhand.
He knew he would have little to no technique with his right, so Gungnir formed into a wicked cudgel, and he switched hands as he ducked an angular strike from above. The next strike came straight across his torso, and he spun and put all his weight into the strike, knocking the enemy blade away with Gungnir. He spun again in the same direction keeping his momentum going, and the cudgel put a large dent into Black eyes exposed shoulder.
The enemy’s blade fell from his grasp as he hollered in agony, but was cut short as the cudgel battered him again in the face, caving in his skull. William yelled in a battle frenzy and delivered a couple more unnecessary blows to the dead demon’s head.
He was babying his left side, and trying to breathe as evenly as he could. The other demons seemed to have been giving the two a wide berth, but now they converged on him once again. The cudgel turned into a flail, and he spun it ferociously above his head, knocking back enemies, but they were beginning to overwhelm him.
He spun and flailed in desperation, but soon he heard claws scrapping his armor, and a weight bearing down upon him as the decrepit and twisted creatures piled on him. He was tripped up by one that had latched onto his legs, and he fell over, hitting the ground on his bad side. Claws raked his face which was already caked in blood and sinew. The fresh blood from his own body along with that of his enemy’s blood seeped down into his eyes.
Before his sight was completely blurred he caught a glint of gold through the pile of demons trying to rip him apart. He grunted and burst from the ground towards the glint.
“Man Down!”
“Get those things off of him,”
There was a sickening sound of flesh tearing and ripping and William no longer felt anything struggling to kill him at the moment. He smeared the blood around on his face, trying get it out of his eyes, which stung horribly.
“Where are you hit? the voice asked.
“Broken rib, can’t see a damn thing,” William stammered.
A cold splash of liquid caused him to jerk in surprise, but he was able to blink and then eventually his eyes focused finding a Guardian standing over him.
“Did you just project water?” William asked.
“Hold still Guardian I’ll get you back in the fight.”
He was blind again, but this time from the light emanated from the Guardian’s hand, which he had wrapped forcefully onto William’s face. Burning pain from the claw marks was replaced with heavenly warmth he also felt his rib snap back into place and he took a huge breathe of relief. In moments he was sitting up catching his bearings.
“The tainted one, he brought this on us, kill him!” he heard a soldier say.
“Nay, he warned you all of this attack, you fools. Stay back or I won’t heal another one of you.” He heard a familiar voice say.
“There is no time to argue, he was killing demons by the hundreds I saw him. We need every sword we can get.” An officer barked.
William quickly scoured the circle, and settled upon a familiar, small form. Juarez bent over a figure, cradling him, his hands glowing over a number of grievous wounds on vital spots. After a few moments he set the wounded soldier to the ground. And struck the ground in anger, beside the now motionless body.
“Juarez!” William shouted, whisking over to him.
“Bastardos!” Juarez shouted. “They just won’t quit!”
William grabbed Juarez, and shook him. “Where is Katrina?” he asked, but Juarez was out of it, and William had to shake him again to get anything out of him. “Juarez I need you to focus. Where is Katrina?”
“I do not know. I think she went to the peak,” the Spaniard said.
“Oh shit,” William said, looking up at the top of the mountain, which looked like a volcano in mid-eruption. Flashes of light erupted, glowing eerily within the swirling clouds of ashy cloud. He could see the mass of bodies surging up the cliffs, swarming to join the battle at the mountain top.
“Okay, Juarez, I need you to pull it together. These men still need your healing gifts,” he said, watching as more and more fell from the formation covered in blood and screaming.
Juarez slowly got up, and nodded.
“Juarez, listen to me. Get as many men healed as you can, and you get to that,” William yelled, pointing to Samuel’s sphere of light floating in the sky. Juarez nodded gain, and William patted him hard on the shoulder.
William spotted a man barking orders and walked over to him. He was an Adjudicator of considerable rank, but William didn’t have time to consider the hierarchy.
“Soldier, do you have any shield bearers among you?” he asked.
The man looked William up and down, evidently realizing who he was, and said, “I have none to spare.”
“We need to get to the peak. We have men cut off,” William growled, desperation driving his purpose.
“Be silent, tainted one,” the Adjudicator spat. “Such a mission is folly.”
“I don’t know what folly means,” William snarled back in anger. “But we need to get up there!”
“Know your place, traitor. You should be fed to these creatures,” the Adjudicator said, squaring off against him.
Just then there were flashes of light and several booms behind the Adjudicator. Achilles appeared through the throng of demons, moving at an incredible speed. Behind him were twenty or more men, brutalizing their opposition in a magnificent display or power.
It was one of the few times that William had ever seen him in his full armor. William was surprised by how much it looked like his own, not bright and gleaming, but dull in color
“I agree with the young Guardian,” the ancient warrior said, his piercing gaze bearing down on the Adjudicator, whom cowered before the commander.
“My lord! Of course, as you wish,” he said, bowing low.
“I have a shield bearer awaiting your orders,” the Adjudicator said, motioning towards a man healing a nearby soldier. “This is Pious, he will help you.”
William looked him over, and asked, “Can you make a strong shield?” Pious looked up from his charge, and nodded. William pointed to the sky. “Like that?” he asked.
Pious chuckled, but there was no mirth in the sound.
“Stronger,” he said, nodding.
“Good,” William replied, before turn his gaze to Achilles.
“We will punch a hole for you, young Guardian,” Achilles said.
William looked over the elite soldiers flanking him, their strength bolstering his own. The soldiers watched him, fear and uncertainty surprisingly missing from their faces.
Achilles turned to the Adjudicator and said, “Get your healers to the shield, and tell everyone to assemble there for the counter attack.”
The Adjudicator nodded and Achilles took off into the sky with his Myrmidons close at heal.
William and Pious took off after him, pushing hard to keep up. Achilles shouted something that he couldn’t quite make out through the chaos and his guard shouted a response in unison as they formed a cone-like formation, and hit the oncoming wall of enemies like a bullet, disappearing into the cloud of spawn. A blinding flash of light, followed by an explosion, left the sky alight with the burning bodies of demons. Even the clouds peeled back from the energy pulse, pulling back
briefly to reveal the stars.
William and Pious rocketed through the hole. William could make out the forms of his fellow Guardians with his peripheral vision, moving with confident, fluid strokes, dealing death with frightening efficiency. The hole Achilles and his men created finally collapsed, as a horde of shadowy demons beset William and Pious. The gaseous, demonic forms moaned, and grabbed at their heels. William and Pious fired blasts of energy back into the wave, but there were too many of them. They were still overtaking them.
“Guardian!” Pious yelled, William turning to see him engulfed by shadows.
William let a flurry of beams fly, the energy striking the creatures and sending them burning to the ground. Shadows fell over him, just as he unsheathed his sword. His sword rang out, the twang of steel filling his ears as he cut the beasts down. But their teeth and claws raked against him, tearing at his armor and slipping through the crease to his skin. William felt the heat, and smelled his blood. Hope fled. William’s mind as he struggled against the sheer weight and numbers of the creatures.
I just need a little…help, he thought.
Then as if an answer to his prayer, streaks of light rained down from the sky, the creatures surrounding him instantly turned to ash. William fell away, and as energy bolts passed through his own body his numerous wounds closed slightly. The brief reprieve gave him just enough wiggle room to break free.
Without wasting any time he grabbed Pious by the pauldron, and heaved him towards the peak. They were greeted by a welcome sight as they crested the top of the mountain. A man, standing nine feet tall, the length of his frame covered with soot and scars, bellowed in laughter that shook the peak. His thick, leather armor had been torn, and left to hang around his waist. He hurled massive energy beams down into the fray, while the archers flanking him loosed flecks of light into the horde below. William and Pious landed within the ring of allies.
Pious was smoking, so William patted him down to make sure he wasn’t on fire.
The Sentinel grabbed William by the shoulder, and pulled him so close that William thought he might kiss him, “Thank you.”
William nodded, relieved once the man finally released his grip. He tried to respond, but a mighty voice bellowed.
“Well, if it is not the tainted Guardian,” Zeus bellowed.
“I have a name, old man,” William smirked.
“Indeed you do, William, and shall have an even greater one after this battle is lost,” Zeus said, waving to indicate the field.
“I’m not planning on losing,” William responded.
“Enlighten me, young Archonian. How is it that you will achieve victory?” the god of lightning asked.
William slammed Pious on the shoulder, and said, “Everyone needs to assemble on this Sentinel.” My fellow Guardian has erected a shield on the far side. By now our forces are rallied to him. Once we join him we set up a defense, and take things slow. Chip away at them, and use our range and speed to achieve victory!”
“You make it sound so easy, young one, but for all your tact I fear there is a problem within your plan,” Zeus said, hurling an energy beam down the mountain.
“Tell me,” William demanded. The massive man made his way through the crowd of soldiers to the edge of the peak. William followed, and looked down. Zeus pointed a large finger towards the base of the mountain. A pulsing, blue light stood in the very center of the enemy forces.
“That is where they come from,” Zeus said fiercely, “a portal between Archonia and Dichonia.”
“Only someone of this world could have opened that portal, correct?” William asked.
“Yes,” he said, and spat at the ground.
William knew exactly who let them all in. He knew exactly who betrayed them, and more, he knew exactly what he had to do.
“I’ll take care of it. I suggest you get to the main force assembling on the other side of the field, my lord.”
“And what? Do you think you will be closing that portal all on your own?”
“I have to try,” William said through gritted teeth, but stopped when he heard a shout.
“William!” Katrina yelled, and ran into William, embracing him. “You came!”
“I would never leave my friends behind,” William said, breaking free of her bear hug.
“Juarez?” she asked, her eyes wide.
William pointed to the massive ball of light across the darkness. She smiled and gripped him in another hug.
“How many demons have you destroyed?” Katrina asked.
“Not enough,” William said, just as light shot out, engulfing everyone in a protective shield.
“You brought us a shield!”
“Yeah, you’re getting out of here,” he responded quickly.
“What do you mean, you’re?” Katrina asked, skeptically.
“There is something I have to do, Kat.” William broke eye contact, and looked down at the portal. She shook her head violently. “William. No. That is suicide!”
“I have to do it,” William argued. “I have to redeem myself.”
“William, we will regroup with the others and assemble a strike force to destroy it.”
“There is no time. More and more demons pour through every second, and we are already overwhelmed,” he said as Katrina put a hand up to his face.
It still burned from the hot iron that had scorched it marking him as a traitor. “William you don’t have to prove anything to anybody. You were right. They all know it now! What you did was for the good of our world. They will reverse your punishment… you have been vindicated,” Katrina said.
“I’m not doing this to redeem myself for anything I have done in this life, Katrina. It is for what I did in the last one. I followed the easy paths, and lead a life that was full of regret. I thought the world was unfair to me, that I didn’t have any power to change it all. But I realize now that I was wrong… we always have a choice. I could have chosen to disobey my orders so many years ago, and not kill that innocent woman, or that little boy. But I didn’t, and I did kill them…to my everlasting shame. Now I have the strength to do what is right, and I will be damned if I make the same mistake twice,” he said fiercely, energy building deep inside and buzzing behind his eyes.
Katrina’s eyes welled up with tears, as the protective bubble from Pious swept over them.
“I’m coming with you,” she said, wiping her face.
“No, you’re not, Katrina. You get to Juarez, and you destroy these things. I’m the only one that is going to be throwing away their life today. I’m a soldier, and I was born to do this,” he said, turning.
“You can’t stop me from coming, William,” she said defiantly, wiping her eyes, trying to remain tough.
“I don’t want to have to stop you. I’m asking you to let me do this. I already have too many people’s deaths on my conscience. I don’t want yours too,” he said, staring deeply into her emerald eyes.
“William is right, young one. There is no need to throw your life away. This is a one man mission,” Zeus stated.
“Then order William not to go, my lord. He doesn’t need to die needlessly either!” she shouted.
“I would, Guardian, but I believe that this is why Gabriel brought him here. I think this is his chance at Redemption,” he said.
She stared back at him, but finally nodded reluctantly and embraced him in a hug, pressing her cheek against his breastplate.
“Come, Young Guardian, we must go.”
William looked up. Lightning bolts spread across the darkness, forking in all directions, the massive bubble now engulfing the troops lifted into the sky. Only one person remained with him on the mountaintop. William could feel their eyes on him. He turned to find Vulcanus standing in front of his forge. The fire was extinguished, and the massive statue torn to rubble.
“Vulcanus,” William said, walking towards him. Even as he did the hell spawn circled in, recovering from Zeus’ mighty attack. “Why do you not flee with the others?”
/> “I do not fight in such wars, William.”
“You create weapons of war, but you do not use them?” William asked, looking around as the screeches grew louder around.
“You’re mistaken, William of Archonia. I only create that which protects. Never once have I forged a blade.”
William failed to hide his shock.
“Well good luck, old man,” William said.
“Do not worry about me tainted one,” Vulcanus stated.
William turned, but massive smith spoke up.
“William. Take this,” Vulcanus said a large metal object appearing out of thin air. It was a shield, simple in design and perfectly round, with some engravings on the front. It floated towards William, and he plucked it from the air.
“One of my favorites,” Vulcanus offered as William nodded, marveling at the craftsmanship.
“Oh and, young one…you have proven me wrong,” the giant man said, before disappearing in a burst of flame.
William smiled, and whirled around coming face to face with a howling demon. He held up the shield feeling a slight pressure, and a loud clang as the enemy blade hit. He unsheathed his own blade, and spun, cutting the creature from shoulder to crotch. Bolstered by the shield’s addition, William loosed a wave of energy, and with an explosion the enemies were back off the mountaintop.
He took off into the sky, cutting through any enemy foolish enough to linger before him. The shield was light, and strong, and he found that it helped immensely. It was much like Gungnir, for when an enemy hit the shield, it hit back. The wings and bodies of the spawn pounded William as he flew, but he didn’t let up or let them stop him. Some of the human demon hybrids that he faced were a bit more challenging, with their skinny skeletal looking limbs, and their beady red eyes. However all in all his opposition was small. The bulk of the enemy force now converged on the wall of light at the other end of the field.
Somehow he had managed to pull the forces together, and mount a serviceable defense. There were now three massive bubble shields, floating side by side, protecting the armored Archonians inside.