by J Silverado
When they leave the barracks, fire and sulfur stench spread through the Citadel. Winged demons spawn other infernal that make up the bloody infantry. The towers, taken by surprise, had been burned and damaged ballistae, hundreds of winged spectra were queuing up to send their hordes within the Citadel.
Warriors continued still disoriented fighting on several fronts until Galaniel called his group together and draws a defense: – Rion and Relfer, I want the north tower and the south tower working. Codaino, you and Hrothgar meet the Mentalese and attack the winged, do not let those who enter here leave. Pelokir, gather the biota and conjure the Citadel of protective charms and heal the wounded.
Immediately, the group separates itself and start to follow the orders. The guardian turns to the battalion that went out and cries out: – Captains! To me! – Three warriors present. – Training in triangle. Company A, center front; Company B, on the left; C on the right. Target your sergeants for their squads remain spaced and protect the center. Use the classic line: forwards ahead; keepers then; mentales and finally the biota. Kill all those who are inside the Citadel. – Courage and Honor! – the captains respond after receiving orders.
Each company had three platoons, each with forty warriors, usually the amount was enough to repel the attacks, but that seemed like a different attack of the enemy. Dozens of winged spectra brought two to three demons with them and when they land immediately they engaged in combat. It was necessary to stop that flow, or the Citadel would fall.
Rion had already reached his tower, but the gates to climb were crowded of spectra. Looking at the squad next to him, he appointed: – I want two forwards and two mentales near me. – At your orders, Captain – the four warriors present. – Mentalese, prepare the invulnerability of spells and put them on us. Forwards, prepare direct charge, I want that gate open immediately. – While mentales conjured their spells, the forwards were preparing to run towards the crowd spectra guarding the gate. – Now! - Rion commanded.
Immediately the three warriors set themselves to run, while the spell of mentales left the indestructible as living fireballs. When they hit the spectra immediately greenish clouds take forward the account of the tower, as the spectra will be fading. Rion jumps in speed, kicking the door with his right leg that immediately goes down, while the two mentales keep the spectra that remain occupied.
As the spell used only lasts a few seconds, the mentales set the cast ranged attacks, helping in the fight. Rion rises in speed, the tower stairs, finding only two spectra in the way that, with well-aimed attacks, eliminates resistance and can reach the top of the tower.
The Ballista was tipped to the right and the rope was burnt and departure. The forward, using his power known, puts the ballista standing again and using his body, again flexing the bow and, with difficulty, he puts a new string that was among the rubble, leaving the ballista again functional.
He cleans the debris in front of the tower, positions the iron darts side of the gun and starts to crank so that the weapon be tensioned. He puts a dart in the crossbow, sights in a group of winged spectra that momentarily was in line and then shoots. He rips a dart in the air toward the enemies, which disappear, leaving only green smoke. The spectra, which they brought, fall in the courtyard of the Citadel and because of the time were, to hit the ground also disappear. With the situation controlled in the tower gate, the mentales rise to help Rion.
Relfer finally manages to get close to the southern tower, but it is also protected by several enemies. One of C Company platoons already gave battle to the enemy, which made it easier for the forward, who took an assault squad and managed to open the gate and enter the tower, followed by three spectra. The gate is closed by demons and in the first flight of stairs, Relfer is obliged to defend himself. Two spectra advance at once against the forward, jumping on top of enemies, pulling two arrows at once and firing at the nape of his opponents, landing on top of the third demon, holding the gate.
Taking advantage, Relfer uses the tip of the bow to across the spectrum, leaving only the smell of sulfur. Quickly he ups the stairs, and comes to the top, sees the ballista tumbled forward and the handle of the handle broken.
Using a piece of wood from a table game, Relfer gets leverage the ballista and puts it in place. Noting that could not use the handle as he was, he picks up a rock and hits the broken piece of iron that was used to rotate the gear. In the hole, he places the tip of his bow and begins to crank the ballista. When he can stretch it to the maximum, he opens a long box that was next to the ballista and takes an iron dart, putting it in the gun. While aiming at one of the winged demons, he sees that other warriors are trying to resume the northeast tower and one of the winged is almost arriving with reinforcements to prevent.
Relfer fires, but the position and the distance are not very favorable and he ends up hitting the demons that took the winged spectrum, allowing him still reached the tower. - I did my best - Relfer thinks as he tried to re-arm the next shot.
With two towers running and a third on the way, Codaino sees the opportunity to attack the winged demons that flutter the courtyard of the Citadel, picking up stones damaged towers and hurling against the Warriors. – Mentalese, conjure the hedgehog – the lieutenant cries. In each squad, the mentales conjure the spell that creates a circle of light filled with sharp skewers. – Hold them near! Attention, when they drop the stones! – Codaino assists Hrothgar and when the spectra are almost on top of the Warriors – now! - Codaino controls. The mentales raise their arms and then the spheres of light explode and hundreds of illuminated shrapnel run at speed in all directions of the sky. The amount of green smoke reaches momentarily eclipsed the sun at the Citadel.
Pelokir, who commanded the biota in healing the wounded warriors, realizes the time and orders: – attention, biota. Chant the Citadel protection of praise. – Rel Quan Zin Pair, Wer Tir Nom Ruhr – The sound was heard everywhere, when a power aura emanated from the center of the Citadel and was expanding, taking the courtyard, surrounded the buildings until the entire Citadel, preventing more enemies enter. – Walk warriors. Do not stop, we need to protect Kolpor too! – Pelokir biota coordinates a group for moving toward the west wall and from there continue to magic.
When the group with forty biota starts quickly, the protective field will encompasse the city, pushing the winged out. Galaniel commanded the defense in the center of the Citadel, passing orders to the captains, when he saw that at the west wall, the winged had brought one Legion. Created from a mixture of different souls and even animal carcasses, these beings are measured around five meters high by three wide. His claws were boars size, sharp and poisonous, his teeth as rusty swords and his strength was almost that of a platoon.
The Legion was struggling with the A company, which spent a hard time. Several warriors had fallen and many were seriously injured. Seeing the situation, the keeper passes the command to the company's B captain and part toward the Legion. Pelokir, seeing Galaniel, screams his name and when the guardian look at him, the bionte removes the shield of a bunch of things that they had brought. – I think you'll need it! – He darts Galaniel’s shield, and that jumps and catches it with his right hand, immediately, placing it on the left arm and then nodding in appreciation for Pelokir.
The colonel rushes step, increasing the speed. When he is next the squad, he screams: – drive! – One of the squad guardians promptly obeys and ducks, putting his shield ahead, in ramp position. When Galaniel jump and step on the shield, the warrior pushes up and he starts spinning in the air to get on top of the Legion. Then, holding the shield with both hands, he cuts off the left demon arm with the tip.
The creature screams and while the arm breaks, Galaniel lands next to the monster that with the right hand can take the guardian and begins to squeeze. The pressure is enormous, blood begins to drain from his nose, therefore, the prisoners arms, can not move. When he is almost fainting, an iron darts through the left leg of the creature that with astonishment and pain looses Gala
niel. – Hooray! This I hit! – celebrates Relfer there in the south tower, jumping on one foot.
The creature kneels with the loss of the movement from the affected leg, Galaniel takes the monster which is down, steps on Legion’s flexed knee, and jumps holding his sword up, burying it over the creature's chin, which sends a loud noise and then disappears.
With some difficulty, Galaniel rises, spitting a little blood from his mouth, sheathes his sword and, looking around, realizes that the attack was repulsed and the few left over spectra were being defeated. Greeting joys and cries were heard everywhere, Kolpor again was safe. His teammates were coming to him and when joined, the greeting of "Eight" was heard, accompanied by hurras and palms.
The Arena
Noon. All groups were already waiting on the outside of the main entrance of the arena. The last stage of Molodok was a disputed event. Several warriors, freemen and even some foreigners, thronged in the stands of the big arena.
It was a rectangular building, with about twelve feet high, forty wide and sixty long, surrounded by stands on all sides, which came to the top of the building.
The inner area, where would happen the dispute, had almost half of the total area, separated from the stands by a massive wall of stones and settled with four feet tall and only one entry.
The stands had a separate entrance and tickets were charged to anyone who would watch. So they filled the trumpet sounded, the gates to the arena opened and participants, still hesitant, began to enter.
In the center was an open booth, containing several weapons related to the four castes, the same amount of the remaining participants. The criterion for the order of choice of weapons would be as the amount of still participating members of each group and, internally, according to the classification in their group.
The red group had lost only one participant. The green and yellow, two each and the blue, three, being last in the choice of weapons. Around the booth, it had four circles outlined in the sand. In the center was a small flag flying with the color of each group. By its side was the coach.
When the groups were positioned in their circles, Xiant, the coach of the red group, withdrew her circle banner and, walking to the arms stand, she said: - Red group, choose your weapons. Remember, not only of an attack a fight is made.
The red group went to the booth, forming a queue as the score of each member, where they could choose their weapon. How they were the first, they were able to choose the newest weapons, imbued with powers and better resistance. After the red group, came the yellow that while tied for number, the sum of the scores of its members was higher than the green. – Another important point: the cure maintains strong its group – the coach Orzan said as he walked to the stand.
When it was the turn of the green group, Albeok advised: – not always force is sure to win, often magic can easily use it against your opponent. – Finally, came the blue group and only seven weapons were in the booth. Addressing to the stand, Tregor looked at his group and said: – looks can be deceiving. In a battle, even the smallest advantage can be crucial for the victory.
Meneol is the first, choosing an apple that appeared to be in better condition than the others. Then it was the turn of Nirmiriel to choose a staff with one end ending in twisted wood, and so the others were choosing to reach the time of Galaniel, the last group because the negative points that he received.
When he went to the booth just had one shield and the gun had already seen better days. Done in dark wood and attached with studs and three thin metal blades that surrounded the shield, the gun already participated in many battles and had many chips in wood and creases in the metal, the grip was a little loose and the shield was dancing on his arm. – What the fuck, I got the worst weapon in addition to being a shield, this is falling apart...
When the blue group retuns to his circle, the coaches lead their trainees for each of the four corners, and planting the flag at the meeting of the walls forming the corner of the arena, red on the opposite side of the blue and green on yellow. Ank-Oq then appears in the grandstand and speaks solemnly: – participants, I congratulate you for reaching to this stage. Now, you are standing in front of the last challenge, the ultimate victory to be won. You will fight each other until only twenty participants. You should defendyour flag at all costs, because if another group take and lead it to its corner, the dispute will be closed. If the time is shut down and there are still more than twenty participants, coaches evaluate the performance of each and eliminate the surplus.
Then the old man hit the base of his staff on the ground and the coaches leave the arena. When the doors close, he speaks again: – when I start timing – discovering a large hourglass that was hidden with a tissue, containing a fine sand – it will start the final stage and so the last grain of sand fall, all you should return to your corners. – A resounding silence spread throughout the arena, with the expected start of the fight. The old man, without further ado cries out to the arena: – beginning!
The trumpet sounded again, while the old man turned the big hourglass down and the sand starts to go down to the other end. Immediately, the green and yellow groups set out to attack the red that had more people and better weapons. Meneol, who had been chosen to lead by Tregor, commands the blue group: – personal, we will attack the green group while they are busy. – But we're outnumbered – Murmide replied. – And you think that when they have finished fighting each other, they will attack who? – Meneol responds with sarcasm. – Galaniel, Nirmiriel and Pelokir stay to protect our flag – he determines while the others follow and immediately begin the fight against the chosen opponent. Looking choose astray they can put two opponents out of action, but when the green leader realizes the strategy he changes itheir attack, turning against the blue and before they can retreat, Murmide and Postiok are put out of action.
Seeing them fleeing back to their flag, the green group turns back to fight against the red that, at that moment, are now only with seven members. – Almost we no escape! That sword passed by a whisker on my arm. – And now what do we do, we are only five? – Inara questions for the leader. – I do not know! I do not know! We are lost. It's over! – Meneol screams hysterical for his group: – lost! We'll have to do it all again! Forgiveness ...
A slap interrupts his speech, causing him to fall to the ground on impact. – Pull yourself up! This is no time for despair. – Galaniel takes the front of the group: – Pelokir, you heal the group with the rings. Nirmiriel, conjure a defensive spell to our corner. Defend the flag. Meneol and Inara, you come with me. We enjoy that they are concentrated in the red corner and hit the yellow flag. Galaniel helps Meneol to get up and walks three flush with the left wall of the ring. – Inara, conjure a spell that prevents the vision – Galaniel commands.
Although not much knowledge, Inara know how create wind and uses this to create a cloud of sand in the center of the arena. When they reach the yellow corner, three opponents are protecting the flag. – Meneol, attack them and try to split them, so it becomes easier for we take the flag. – R-right – he babbles as part against the trio. Inara uses her staff and casts a small ball of light, striking one of the opponents.
Meneol strikes with his spear, hitting the blunt blade in the neck of the second opponent, falling paralyzed and Galaniel parts toward the lattest that is holding the flag and has a shield and look better than his. – Well... Let's see what happens. – Remembering the lessons of the training, he recites focusing him the direct attack mantra: a – Won Guan Ti – His shell begins to shine and he parts with his speed increased a lot and when the impact of shells occurs, his shield is shatters while his opponent flies and hits on one of the walls.
The defender of the flag is at two meters, passed out on the floor with the force of the blow. Galaniel, who was dizzy, had his mind cleared by Pelokir and thereby he managed to remove the remains of his shield arm, he grabbed the opponent's shield and, while holding the yellow flag, he said to his companions: – come on, we have to c
ome to our corner.
When they are halfway, the yellow group realizes what are happened and part by weight against the trio. – Inara! Take the flag and run with Meneol – Galaniel commands, stopping and turning against the opposing group. Both obey, while opponents begin a fight against Galaniel.
The first flies with the shield of stroke, while the second is receiving a strong punch in the face, dismantling the floor. Without notice, a third opponent attacks the back of Galaniel and when his blunt ax is to hit his back, a light beam emanates from the blue corner, hitting the opponent from the side, causing him to fly right.
When Galaniel looks back, he sees Nirmiriel smile at him. Before other members of the yellow group able to get Galaniel, the yellow flag comes to the blue corner and the trumpet sounds determine the end of the confrontation. Twelve fighters had fallen, leaving only twenty: seven red, six green, two yellow and in the blue group: Pelokir, Inara, Meneol, Nirmiriel and Galaniel.
Silence is done throughout the ring and the Elder around the podium saying: – forty started but only twenty concluded. To the fallen, seek to train and try harder next time, because at the front there will be no second chance, so take advantage of that are having. To the winners, get as successful as obtained in this ring and, with your help, we can someday send the infernal forces back into the abyss that came and finally we can live in peace. – Thus ending his speech, the crowd acclaims the victors, raising arms and celebrates with the peers. – That concludes Molodok! – Ank-Oq completed.
The Journey
After they returned to the barracks, the group of warriors notes that many of them were injured. Several biota worked tirelessly in the recovery of those who were in critical condition. Rion see the inspector Barrack assisting one of the wounded and indicates to the colonel: - to that there, Gala.