“One last charge?” Yorai asked.
They had been pushed back to the rear of the DCA forces. Being on the front lines would make it harder for them to command and control their forces, to see the overall battle.
Now Lezar’s fifty thousand-strong had been reduced to a mere ten thousand. The only thing that was keeping them from running was the people on either side of them, their families on the other side of the crater walls and the knowledge that if they were to run then the Demon Horde would just hunt them down.
“Let us show them the power of blood Demons.” Lezar held out his arm, recognizing Yorai as his brother.
Silence seemed to fall around them. The battle dimmed as the rest of Lezar’s commanders and friends looked at him with bloodthirsty smiles.
“Let us show them the power of Devil’s Crater.” Yorai clasped his forearm with Lezar.
Lezar grinned. He allowed his bloodlust, his thirst for battle, free, ready to destroy those who dared to challenge him.
The feeling of invincibility fell over him as his commanders spread out a half-step behind him. His wings flicked out. An immeasurable feeling of ancient power radiated from him.
Lezar opened his eyes as he looked down on the battlefield. He was a Demon, a creation of the Dark Lord. Emerilia’s people had hidden in fear of the name, becoming synonymous with death.
Now he looked down on the battlefield. It was like countless others: chaos, bloodshed, people forgetting their morals, their beliefs, doing anything and everything in order to just survive for a few more seconds, to just kill their enemy.
Lezar snorted as he looked at this Demon Horde. They reminded him of himself when he had first entered Emerilia. Wild and untamed, there was no true fighting style; they just did whatever they could to cut and harm.
Behind Lezar, his blood-sworn rose up, behind their leader, their Demon Prince.
“Death!” Lezar yelled out. His voice cracked through the skies. Dark Champions turned to face him and his blood-sworn like bloodhounds finding wounded prey.
They rushed toward Lezar. The same invincibility that filled Lezar filled these Demons.
A flash of light happened in front of Lezar and his blood-sworn. A sword and shield appeared in the sky. Lezar grabbed them, taking their advantages as he let out a yell.
Thank you, Dave.
For months, Lezar had suppressed the innate skill that came with his bloodline, the berserker skill. His muscles seemed to bunch up with unlimited energy. It felt as if he could crush mountains and open seas!
Dark Champions moved to intercept but Kala and the other Beast Kins’ fighting styles had been ingrained into Lezar’s very soul. The Dark Champions fought with wild abandon; Lezar, in his berserker state, cut his opponents apart with brutal efficiency.
His aura and the other blood-sworns exploded outward, sending the lower-leveled members of the Demon Horde to their knees. The DCA used this opportunity to slaughter those who were disoriented and firmed up their lines.
Dark Champions in ones and twos were torn apart as they met the fliers. More and more of them rushed toward the blood-sworn, trying to overwhelm them with numbers.
The blood-sworn knew that this was meant to be their last battle, their last stand to buy the rest of the DCA time.
I hope what’s left of my brigade can be saved. That one thought drove Lezar onward. He felt as the first of his blood-sworn used a skill that only the Demon Princes’ blood-sworn had been brought into: Blood Burning. The skill increased someone’s combat ability; it would burn up energy within the Demon until they stopped the skill or died.
The blood-sworn turned into a windmill of destruction, tearing through Dark Champions as if they were just wooden training dolls.
Finding none in the sky, they raced to the ground. They cut a bloody swath through the enemy lines.
The Dark Lord had made thousands of champions from the Demon Horde. It seemed as if all of them were now converging on Lezar and his blood-sworn.
One by one, faster and faster, the blood-sworn found themselves in an impossible situation. They burned their blood, their very life force for incredible power. They rushed forward with blood smiles on their faces and their eyes glowing red.
Lezar embraced it; he cried out for it; his blood ached in his body as he unleashed his anger upon the Dark Champions.
The blood-sworn opened up the Demon Horde and the skies, killing thousands before they succumbed to their multiple wounds or burned out what was left of their lives. Some, even missing limbs, continued to do everything to try to kill just one more of the Demon Horde, one more of the Dark Champions.
Yorai and Lezar were the last two left.
“One last time!” Lezar yelled.
“You lead and I will follow,” Yorai yelled back.
Lezar recognized the words that Yorai had said so long ago when he had become Lezar’s first blood-sworn.
Tens of Dark Champions surrounded them; if someone were to look at them, they would see nothing but Dark Champions creating an orb in the sky.
Lezar and Yorai ignited their blood.
***
Vrexu could do nothing but watch as Lezar and his blood-sworn rode forth into the skies above the Demon Horde, attracting hundreds of Dark Champions. They’d done everything they could to kill the Dark Champions, even ignited their blood, burning away their stats in order to gain strength even if it was for a few more minutes to take down more of the Demon Horde.
Vrexu felt as if cold spikes pierced his heart. He and his forces rushed forward, working to support the DCA and Stone Raiders who lay down from Alkao’s keep. He was meant to reinforce Lezar, to firm up his lines.
I was too late, and now my brother is fighting to the end to give me and his brigade time to get sorted out. Vrexu watched as Lezar and Yorai were finally trapped by the Dark Champions.
Moments later, they burst outward, charging side by side. Their shields hit hard enough to break bones and make the Dark Champions cough blood. Their blades were coated in blood; their clothes and faces covered in gore. The blood of others and from their own wounds stained everything a dark red.
They were like Demon gods of war: wherever they went, broken bodies were left behind. They had been caught by the Dark Champions for too long; others had moved in and attacked them from dozens of different angles.
Lezar and Yorai yelled out in pain and anger. Dozens of cuts opened their bodies even as they cut down Dark Champions. Each minute they gained new wounds, weakening them.
A dozen Dark Champions jumped on Yorai at the same time; one tore out his neck with their teeth. Yorai dropped to the ground, unable to move his wings before they were torn off. He killed three more before he fell into the Demon Horde and out of Vrexu’s sight.
Lezar let out a primal yell, cleaving through any of those who were near Yorai. Darting downward, he landed on the ground where Vrexu had seen Yorai go down.
Dark Champions fell away under the pressure of the yell. Crude wind blades traced the edge of Lezar’s blade; white torrents of disturbed wind streaked behind Lezar’s wings.
Maybe there’s hope; he seems to know some Air magic! Vrexu could only watch as Dark Champions swarmed to the area, darting downward to fight Lezar.
“Move out and support Lezar’s brigade!” Vrexu yelled to his own people over the chat as he landed.
Vrexu made to walk forward, to join the battle, when a cold feeling gripped his stomach. It felt as if his guts had been pulled out and cold water poured inside.
The soul bond. Vrexu’s face became hard. All of the Demon Princes had made a soul bond with one another—not that of master and servant, but of family. They always had a rough idea where the others were and they would know when they died.
Vrexu’s fist turned white as his fingers popped. He took some deep breaths. His brother might be dead but he wouldn’t let this moment go to waste. He had died to give Vrexu and what remained of his brigade a chance to survive. He’d taken the pressure off them l
ong enough for Vrexu’s people to get into position.
“Hold the line! We stop them here! Wounded to the rear! Use the Health potions!” Vrexu yelled.
The Health potions were expensive treasures to the DCA, but Vrexu would use any measure to see that Lezar’s and his own brigade survived this.
***
Alkao hovered above his keep and looked down on the battle that raged less than a mile from his home.
The forest that had stood for hundreds of years had been turned into a battlefield of churned mud. The once peaceful forest was no more. It was replaced with destroyed bodies, weapons, and the scars from powerful spells.
Alkao watched as the Demon Horde fled through the gaps between the forces trying to anchor the DCA and Stone Raiders’ formation to the cliffs.
The sound of wings could be heard behind Alkao. Battalions of Demons carrying their Beast Kin fellow soldiers rose over the keep, and dove over its walls. Holding formation like a living and breaking wave, they descended. Efri and Vrexu led their brigades from the front, passing to the right and left of Alkao as he looked over the battlefield.
He had sent Kala with her brigade to watch the cliffs and to man the other keeps to make sure that no Demons made it into their home. There were only his own forces left in his keep. There were no more reinforcements to be had. The Mana cannons fired; the mages added in their own weapons and spells. Colors and spells continued to erupt across the battlefield.
More of the Dark Lord’s champions grouped together, readying themselves for something.
Alkao’s forces were still severely outnumbered. There were three or four Demons for every soldier in the DCA out on the field of battle. Alkao’s own forces could only watch as the Demon Horde stayed well out of range of their bows and slings.
They were supposed to have crushed the Demon Horde’s forces against their keep’s walls. Instead, the Demon Horde was keeping their forces pinned down as they sent tens of thousands of Demons through the forces meant to box them in.
I feel the Dark Lord’s hand at work here. Everything showed that the Demon Horde was not a bunch of very smart creatures, not smart enough to realize that they were being boxed into another trap.
If the fact that there were multiple champions of the Dark Lord wasn’t enough of a hint, the way that they were actually using battle tactics showed through.
The brigades continued to fly over the keep and down onto the battlefield as Alkao started to see icons of his forces blink out.
“Pull back and cover our rear; the Demon Horde’s coming from behind!” Efri yelled out.
Alkao gritted his teeth and his eyes glowed red. Vrexu and Malkur were now deploying their forces not only right into the path of the Demon Horde trying to escape the kill box, but they couldn’t rely on their support from their other brothers as they were getting pressured so hard that they’d had to collapse their lines to make back-to-back formations to fight the encircling Demons.
“Alkao, my scouts and rangers are moving out to handle what Demons are coming back at us; we’ll try to take some pressure off your lines,” Josh said.
“Go with speed. I do not know how long they will last,” Alkao said.
They had been fighting for hours now, with no rest. There was no room for them to move; they were penned in and panic would start to set in soon.
Fighting an enemy head-on was one thing. Fighting them when there was a possibility that they could hit you in the back was something else entirely. He’d held his medics back in the keep, thinking that the wounded could be evacuated to their position and then healed.
Now flying was an extreme hazard with the Demon Horde hurling rocks and their growing magical powers.
Alkao’s claws bit into his hands as he looked at the battlefield. He was outmaneuvered and outnumbered, and he had no more tricks left.
His lines pulled back on one another, doubling up, facing back-to-back to take on the new enemy front. Big gaps showed in the formation that was supposed to enclose the Demon Horde, letting more and more of them circle around his forces and hit them from multiple sides.
The DCA started to fall in larger and larger numbers. The Dark Lord’s champions, numbering almost one hundred, a massive cost in power, rushed outward. They slammed into the DCA, sowing chaos, destroying lines, and letting their less-powered brethren through the gaps they created.
Alkao had at one time been an unmatched warrior leading his Demons. His older self thought it was possible, that they could still win. The rest of him, the Demon who had come through the Rebellion, knew that unless his lines started to hold, they would collapse and the battle would be lost. Morale was low, but still they fought with everything they had.
His blood wished for him to join the fight, but his duties kept him rooted to the spot. Alkao looked to the battlefield, feeling an outpouring of pure Dark Mana.
Dozens of Demons stopped in their tracks and screamed in pain, more and more every second.
Alkao watched as tens of Dark Champions were born within minutes. The Dark Lord’s champions took to the skies in droves. Their numbers multiplied. One hundred, then two hundred, and then three hundred.
“Shoot them down!” Alkao yelled to the keep’s defenders. Bolt throwers, destruction staffs, and spells lit up the midday sky.
Alkao watched as the forces moved toward one another. “All defending forces, take out those Demon Champions!” Alkao pulled a massive longbow from the wall he was on. He drew and released the three-foot arrow that accompanied the monstrous bow.
It slammed through a Demon Champion, continuing over Devil’s Crater.
Alkao looked to the Demon Champions who now descended toward Unity and the civilians who hid within Devil’s Crater.
“With me!” Alkao bellowed. His wings carried him over his keep as he charged after the Demon Champions.
Alkao felt reassured as he pulled his shield from his back. The Demon Champions were rushing Unity, bombarding the city with their magics and cutting down any they found wandering the streets.
Beast Kin and Demons stood beside one another, fighting the champions, giving their families time to escape and keeping the champions contained for the DCA to arrive.
Alkao let out a cry as he rushed toward Unity. He slammed his shield into a Demon Champion, tossing them off a villager they’d been seconds away from plunging their claws into. Alkao pulled out his sword.
The Demon Champion hissed at him and charged him wildly.
Alkao evaded its claws with ease, taking off one hand and cutting deep through its side. Alkao slammed his shield into them, pulling them from his blade as he ducked and turned and evaded a Demon Champion’s wing that had meant to take his head.
Lightning struck Alkao, making him cry out in pain as he dropped to a knee. He lurched forward against his attacker. Electricity coursed through his body, making him cry out. The Demon canceled the spell as it ran through Alkao’s shield and into him.
Alkao shoved his blade up and into the creature’s chest, turning and pulling it out as a Demon’s claws raked his back and wings. His wings flicked out, stabbing the attacker and throwing them. Alkao jumped and pushed off a wall, using his wings to glide over to where his attacker lay.
Several Demon Champions faced Alkao as they walked out from the shadows of rooftops and down the streets and alleyways.
Alkao set his stance. His back and wings hurt from being clawed. His body still shook slightly from the electricity that cramped his muscles. “Come on! Let me send you back to your master!”
They charged toward him. Spit dripped from their faces. They hurled rocks and magic, sometimes hitting one another.
Alkao slammed the rocks away, his arm going numb from the impacts. Fire washed over his shield as Alkao gritted his teeth in pain as the bare metal started to burn his arm.
As the spell stopped, Alkao dodged and weaved from three different champions as shadows fell over them all.
“Protect the general and kill the champions!” Kr
enua yelled.
Yells came from above as Beast Kin dropped from their rides, rolling upward, and into the champions.
Alkao’s Demons came from the sky and landed on their descendants. Their blades and claws flashed as they grouped up on the champions, taking them apart.
Demons and Beast Kin rushed to Alkao’s side, finishing off the Demon Champions. They faced them as one front, one army with one opponent.
“Kill them all!” Alkao yelled. New energy filled him as the Dark Lord’s champions once again surged forward.
Chapter 10: A Smith’s Awakening
Dave watched as the lines started to collapse, to fall and wither. They were getting routed and smashed from every side by the Demon Horde.
I need to do something or they’re going to be slaughtered. He couldn’t fight this battle for them, but he needed to help them.
I need to arm them!
“Cover me. I have a plan, but it’s really going to suck!” Dave said.
Gurren and Steve stepped together as Dave rushed backward.
“Dave, what are you doing?” Deia asked over the sounds of battle.
“I’m giving the DCA a fighting chance. I’m giving them weapons.” Dave slid to a stop and looked back on the battle.
He opened up his interface and checked his notifications.
Level 215
You have reached level 215; you have 850 stat points to use.
“I hope to hell it’s enough.” Dave opened up his character sheet and dumped his stat points into attributes.
Character Sheet
Name:
David Grahslagg
Gender:
Male
Level:
115
Class:
Dwarven Master Smith, Friend of the Grey God, Bleeder, Librarian, Aleph Engineer, Weapons Master, Champion Slayer
Race:
Human/Dwarf
Alignment:
This is Our Land (Emerilia Book 5) Page 11