Rituals

by Ryan Hastings

  Dan’el patted his sister on the back. “That’s already done, ma’am,” he replied calmly. “The war is won, but we have to help them win as many battles as we can.” Swae smiled and shook her head. “All this time away, and you still kept your bearings,” she said, with a breaking voice. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’ll be coming home.” Dan’el nodded, and Swae nodded in return, giving an unspoken directive.

  The two went to the gates of Ephthali and exchanged goodbyes, at least for now. Dan’el headed north while Swae stayed in the city. The archangel ordered the sirens to wail, indicating that everyone outside the city limits was to fall back. Everyone--soldiers, heroes, and workers--began rushing past the angel that was swimming upstream. Dan’el felt something returning to him with each step.

  His glorious wings soon returned to him, spreading for yards in either direction. He soared across the land like a bullet, heading to the land bridge that connected Ephthali to the rest of Mol’do. The area of land spanned hundreds of miles across--miles above the water below.

  Light began to return to his weapon as he unsheathed it in his flight. He reached his destination and came to a quick and graceful halt. The angel then flew in every direction, carving the land with his weapon. Looking down, one could see the glyph of Eternity he was drawing.

  He came back to the center of the design and raised his weapon, uttering an ancient prayer he hadn’t in so long. HE PLUNGED THE WEAPON INTO THE EARTH. THE VERY ROCK BEGAN TO BREAK APART AS THE GLYPH LIT UP THE GROUND, SEA, AND SKY. THE STONES DEFIED GRAVITY AS THEY BROKE APART WHILE THE EARTH SHOOK FOR MILES.

  Dan’el could feel everything once again. He fell to his knees as his armor broke apart and disintegrated. Those in Ephthali looked on at the jaw-dropping spectacle and were able to keep their footing as the city was safe enough to feel only a portion of the tremors.

  Then, all at once, there was a blinding flash of light. A glistening shockwave filled the sky. IT PUSHED AWAY THE DARK CLOUDS THAT WERE CLOSE ENOUGH. LINES OF LIGHT FLOWED THROUGH THE GROUND TOWARDS AND AROUND EPHTHALI IN A BEAUTIFUL PATTERN LIKE THE VEINS OF A BODY.

  Those in the city jumped out of the way by instinct, though the pulses were not harmful. When the energy subsided, unnatural scorches remained. The thunder of the holy explosion rang for minutes across Mol’do. It was eerie and satisfying. Haha!

  Swae was at the center of the city. She bowed low with her face to the ground. Stone from the Mol’doan mainland continued to fall into the sea while the lightshow was simply a tear-jerking spectacle. Fresh water burst from stones around Ephthali, and even the vegetation turned a lush shade of green. Ephthali was now a nation of its own, reclaimed as Dan-hali. Its cliffs were tattooed by the consecration and the seas around the island city came to a calm. Life and Light pulsed through the nation and its people, bolstering the might of resident heroes and providing a renewed sense of hope.

  Swae kissed her hands and lifted them to the sky. “You’re home,” she said, with a joyous smile. A pure and refreshing mist flowed through the greening lands--a restful gift bestowed upon these people. They certainly would need it.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  When the Serpent Uncoils

  I ssssssee through the earth. My blood courses through this world’s core while my scalessss nourish its heart. No man or fallen boy will sssstop me from cleansing the Light’s precious place, a world truly worth the war, truly worth sssssssaacrificccccce. Perhapsss it is time to truly test their sssstrength on the ground that they now consider ssssacred.

  Do you fear for thossse you cannot see, child? Do you truly feel for their livessss? Do you feel powerlessssssss, hearing their sssscreams from a world away? Resssst well, knowing that their bodies will feed the sssoil, child; that they will contribute to the mercilessssss cycle of life. Humanity and demonssss alike have dessstroyed this beautiful place; and, ssso, I will reclaim it. My thorns will shred the flesh of all, as will my countless fangs feasssst.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Land, Air, and Sea

  It was on a quiet night in Dan-hali that many awoke to what seemed to be a minor earthquake, but the tremors were unnaturally constant and were growing in magnitude at a noticeable rate. People began to scream and run from their homes and shelters as walls cracked and debris began to fall.

  Swae placed her palms on the ground, attempting to ease the earth; but she drew them away quickly, as if the soil had become needles to her nerves. Her eyes grew wide, and she slowly stepped back with a helpless look upon her face. “So, here we are, Anri,” she uttered to herself.

  Flares were being shot into the air north of the city. Raid sirens shortly followed with orders and curses being shouted in every direction. As Xavus came down the palace steps, fastening the last of his armor, he looked about for the archangel. She was nowhere to be found.

  The rattle of gunfire already echoed down from the northern front as the abnormal elements of spells flashed in the dark. “What are we dealing with?” Xavus demanded of one of his captains that was running by. “We don’t know yet, sire!” the captain replied, nearly losing his footing as the tremors became ever more violent, “but these quakes could dismantle our rampart defenses. I doubt the city can even remain upright under these conditions.”

  Xavus took the captain by the collar. “GET WORD TO EVERYONE TO MOVE THOSE DEFENSES IMMEDIATELY. GET EVERYTHING ON SOLID GROUND,” he ordered. “YES, SIR!” the captain replied. Xavus released the captain, and the man went on his way. U’jeo then walked past Xavus who was casually warming up his magic. Xavus took this as a grave sign.

  Horrific vines, slowly snaking their way upward to the surface, had punctured the sea floor and any other land around Dan-hali. Smaller vines began to burst forth in the city, lashing about and shredding people apart with their nightmarish fangs and barbs. It was only when the larger ones could be seen by the naked eye, seeming to wrap around the city, that the tremors finally ceased.

  The creatures of the underworld, charging forth with hive-minded ferocity, seemed to be birthed directly from the vines that encircled the lighthouse. The city was filled with bloody screams and battle cries. GLORIOUS! There was no time for defensive lines. Snipers and melee were engaged simultaneously. This would truly be a test of mettle. HAHAAA!

  Buildings were still crumbling, crushing people and monsters alike. U’jeo was able to suspend a massive stone with a quick and powerful gale spell, saving dozens of civilians running for shelter. Then he unleashed a hail of fireballs at an onslaught of Anri-Vex’s horrific beasts. The thornwolves and venomous raptors were burnt to a crisp, one by one. Quite effective!

  Soldiers, changing formations together almost naturally, displayed their tactical prowess as their hot lead tore through the monsters in the streets. The monsters rendered mortal flesh and sank their wicked teeth into fresh meat, dissolving skin and bone with their ravenous saliva.

  The fighting was intense from the very start, but now heroes were making their presence known. Artimus was joined by several squads of warriors, spellslingers, and bladedancers at the city center. They had already made a ring of underworld corpses around the decorative obelisk, and they were just getting started. The bloodlion had already laid some larger beasts low, even cutting a stoneskin mauler in half like tissue paper.

  The formation was a sight to behold, as warriors and bladedancers pushed their aggressors back in a spray of putrid blood. Spellslingers of all sorts lit up the area with precise and powerful energies--fireballs, lightning bolts, and even arcane beams. Soldiers found relief in protective spells provided by lightcallers, as entire energy barriers could be seen popping up through the theatre.

  The Iscariot hound, dispatching even the greater monsters with ease, was in its prime at night. He was accompanied by terrani beastbloods that had assumed their bladed cat form, clearly displaying their familiarity with their foes. As they leapt from target to target to target
, neither their speed nor the trails of blood that followed their claws would be easy to match. The hunting party, moving onward to the northern front, worked together to bring down an earthen behemoth before it could even begin its destruction.

  Elsa had been taken to higher ground that was suitably fortified. This particular tower of the palace was also a massive sniper and gunner’s nest now. One could see the batteries, once stationed along the walls and ramparts, that had actually been turned into the city. Below, the tracers of bullets and flashes of spells were absolutely breathtaking.

  Quilla never missed a kill shot and was apparently in a contest with several rangers for body counts while Sloth was setting up prototype alchemical miniguns. Kat, keeping a close watch on the queen, lit up a cigarette. “How are those guns coming?” she asked. “Two seconds,” Sloth replied casually. “You said that two seconds ago,” Kat remarked. Quilla looked back and motioned as if to say, “And two seconds before that.”

  Sloth stopped and took out a skunkweed cigarette, as if to mask a rude gesture to his critics. Kat just shook her head.

  Xavus had a battalion to his back, and together they moved to help secure the south side of the city. They charged into a horde of creatures that had already made a bloody mess of the area. The cries of his troops, as they followed their king into battle, were wonderful. He was just as ferocious as the barbed ursu and a finer killer. His shield took mighty cleaves and charges, but his blade never seemed to lose its edge.

  There were several battalions already in the southern sectors, but they were terribly separated. Xavus had every intention of closing those gaps. A monstrous barbed reptile leapt at the king, only to be met by his shield. The creature was slammed to the ground, and Xavus ran his sword through its head. One after another, the king and his soldiers parted the ocean of dark creatures. Shield-bearers covered for the firepower of riflemen and rangers and proved themselves to be a tactical gem. OUTSTANDING, COMRADES!

  Sloth finished tuning the last minigun just in time to see that Anri-Vex was not limited to the ground, as foul fowl took flight from the carnivorous vines. “Oh, shit,” he uttered calmly, taking the triggers of one gun in his hands. The guns fired rapidly and with awesome accuracy. “Why the fuck are the bullets rainbow-colored?” Kat inquired. “It’s the chemical reaction,” Sloth exclaimed. “Don’t judge me.” The bullets deteriorated entire segments of the monsters wherever they hit. The sky was soon lit up with the rather pretty gunfire, drawing some brief and curious stares from allies on the ground.

  Dan-hali certainly looked like a party from where we were.

  The northern front was holding its own but was struggling to reform. Soldiers had brought down countless stone giants but had spent much of their explosive power to do so. There weren’t many heroes there with which to begin, so many were fighting their way up from the city to reinforce their brothers and sisters. U’jeo and a dozen spellslingers had taken point in one such effort.

  Their spells were chained and combined into powerful elemental torrents. Even the larger beasts were vaporized by these blasts. Pinned-down squads were finally able to rally, and the wounded were able to be moved. U’jeo, exercising nearly every energy to his whim, conjured protective shields and glyphs. Who says you have to be the biggest warrior to save the day! Hahah!

  Despite the sort of onslaught that would weary a man, Artimus was actually gaining momentum as he brutalized the enemy hordes. He’d already single-handedly brought down an Anriani serpent, allowing soldiers to use its massive corpse for cover. The bloodlion was a one-man army, never mind the thousands fighting by his side. His runic magic became powerful enough to destroy the vines that had plagued the city center, providing much needed space for troop and civilian movement.

  Sniper fire, acting as guardian angels to those engaged in close combat, partnered with heavy batteries. A bladed raptor leapt towards a group of civilians that were en route to a nearby shelter, only to be shot in midair and falling to the ground with a dusty thud. The heavy arrows of rangers impaled the monsters and pierced through the toughest hides. Bladedancers and warriors, fighting from house to house with their comrades, painted their surroundings with the dark blood of their foes. Their courage and will were refreshing.

  But the protectors were certainly not without casualties. Countless atrocities already lay as mangled remains. Entire portions of the city were painted red with mortal blood. Babies had been swallowed from their deceased mother’s arms as Anri’s minions were utterly indiscriminate in their slaughter.

  Xavus had partially completed his primary task, but the underworld fiends seemed to organize themselves to meet the battalions once more. Even as some of the larger vines were finally withering and being destroyed, there was a dreadful feeling among a few that this battle may simply be lost due to longevity.

  Xavus was an astounding warrior, but he was only human. This was no deterrence, however. Morale never swayed in any of the defenders. They fought bravely, without fear, to the very end. Xavus and his troops engaged the dark horde, showing them the capabilities of humanity.

  The battle raged for hours to the point where there was an eerie calm in small portions of the city, but Anri’s minions continued to burst forth from the mammoth vines that encircled the massive island. The defenders were quickly being depleted of options, but at least they never recognized it.

  U’jeo and the northern front had fallen back to the city limits while vines still invaded the streets. Artimus, who had sustained numerous wounds and was poisoned in the process, still fought with a bloodlion’s strength. The Iscariot hound had joined up with U’jeo, but the terrani beastbloods that were with him had fallen in battle.

  The alchemical miniguns were nearly spent, as was ammunition all around the battlefield. Sloth was working quickly to combine the minigun feeders, creating a single powerful turret that would at least last a little longer. Most of the rangers and snipers had already left their positions to join the growing melee. Their ammo pouches and quivers were empty.

  The battle raged through the night, an evolving battlefield to behold!

  As the dawn hours began, a strange and beautiful light came from beneath the southern waves. I saw Swae smile as she uttered a sigh of relief. “Tal’Traxxi.”

  Thousands of phantasmal ships burst forth from the waters. They were filled with the spirits of fallen sailors claimed by Harth’s unforgiving seas. I haven’t seen such a sight in all of my years. Hahah! Their spectral crews were already echoing their battle cries over the seas.

  The ghost ships opened fire on the vines that were slowly consuming the city. Those inside Dan-hali hadn’t the slightest idea of what force was now obliterating their overwhelming enemy. They could only see the spectral cannon balls and projectiles tearing through the vines. The choking vines were falling into the sea, as were the monstrosities to which they were giving birth.

  The leviathans and great beasts of the abyssal seas made a buffet of the remnants, as the ships continued their bombardment. Countless monsters seemed to freeze in place, as if they’d been disconnected from their leader. The protectors seized this moment with utter efficiency. Rally cries rang out from everywhere as lines solidified and made their counterattack wherever they were.

  Those who were able rushed to see what they could only consider their saviors. The exhausted defenders, watching in disbelief as the vines continued to fall and break apart, fell to their rears at the sight of the ghastly fleet. Cheers could soon be heard through many of the streets while the last of the invaders was being laid low.

  Even the spectral sailors cheered and rejoiced now that their souls could rest. As the last of the vines fell into the sea, the phantasmal fleet began to dissipate into a shining light that floated into the smoke-filled sky. Some allied defenders either fell to their knees or just laid down on the bloodstained ground, gracious and exhausted. Others continued to execute the underworld’s remnants.


  Sheth’rel certainly proved herself as a negotiator. I’ll give her that.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Speaking Fire

  Iris began to read the wrath codex, which for all intents and purposes was more of a song book than anything. Sophia stayed by Iris’ side around the clock, even living with her and Maymay. Iris was quietly trying to hit some of the odd notes within the codex pages, as Sophia sat her sword and shield down to join Iris near the reflecting pool.

  “These songs are so strange,” Iris remarked. “It’s like they’re in multiple languages at the same time.” Sophia peeked at the page and then pointed to a bar. “That actually resembles an old Fo’hemut dialect,” she said. “How does it go?” Iris inquired. Sophia looked at the priestess like she was out of her damn mind, but Iris returned it with a quiet persistence. The two sort of stared each other down for a few moments.

  “Are you really going to make me order you?” Iris asked with a smirk. Sophia couldn’t believe it. She took some time to work herself up to it; but, eventually, she quietly and quite beautifully uttered the notes and words. Iris smiled and laughed. “That was lovely, Sophia. Thank you,” she said graciously. “The languages appear in patterns,” the paragon stated, pointing it out across a couple of pages. “They said few vocalists could ever know so many. It was more of a matter of the heart knowing what it was singing,” she added solemnly.

  “They?” Iris asked innocently. “You know more about this book?” Sophia’s expression changed, and she broke eye contact with the priestess. “I bothered to learn about the people that I helped persecute; however, it never stopped my willing participation,” she uttered. “I always found it odd how they said they’d pray for me--how forgiveness was this entity to them.”