Chapter 7: One Knight
“This is it my brothers,” Xero boasted to his minions. “This is where we take rule of this planet, the darkness shall be forever our slave, no longer our master.”
The beasts stood below him in an open grass valley. A massive serpentine shape of black mist and dark smoke moved among the smaller creatures on the field. “Freedom,” it hissed.
“The resistance to us shall fall here. We will destroy the human’s who pretend to rule and live with justice and fairness.”
“Retribution,” hissed the great black snake. It lined the back of the demons that now stood about the open field. Waiting for the command to attack. Their morale was not in question. It had taken only one visionary to unite them against the noble people of this land.
“No more exile, no more submission, no more pain. Tonight we become the master’s of the world!” Xero exclaimed his delight into the overcast dark of night. A loud clash of thunder echoed with him.
The general looked up to the mountain pass before his army, Sevastion lay ahead. The last resistance army they would encounter and it would soon be crushed. Xero had dreamed of this moment for over a hundred years, since he long ago found a way to escape the darkness. His coveted secret that maintained his power over the other demons he had helped cross into this world.
“Forward into battle! Victory is certainly ours!”
The rain still was pouring on the racing hero and his company. His eyes were dark and his head was filling with visions of evil. He felt a pull to Xero's beasts. There was something very dark and very strong that had before crouched in the back of his mind and now crept outward. A dark thought that he could feel spread. He looked to Psydra.
Psydra was just behind his lead; her own horse was exhausted, panting wildly. She feared his steps would falter, but she feared more that she would lose Raunst if he got away from her now. She had no choice but to press on.
Charles Korzax was chanting in his own mind. Praying the way he used to before battle. “To fight with strength and to be slain with honor.” Over and over he thought. His sword feeling heavy pressed against his back. The rain had soaked him through.
Stokes on the other hand was feeling rather light-hearted. Jake had never been formally introduced into battle, although he had fought along on many adventures. War was not in his history. The young archer brandished a reluctant smile. Although he noted the faces of his comrades were far less bright.
The four journeyed over the hills toward the mountains. The ground was easily traveled even without a road to guide them. The rain slacked as the soft mud turned to rocky soil. They were nearing the base of the mountains and nearing to Sevastion.
“We need to slow down!” Charles screamed ahead through the rain. “The horses cannot run this ground!”
Raunst felt his steed slow down. He could not force the animal to rush the rough terrain. His expression became heavy.
“We will make it, Raunst,” Psydra spoke to him above the rain.
Raunst hardly heard her. He pulled the reigns back hard and his horse reared up. As the creature settled back down, the rider closed his eyes and extended his hand, once more. The rain and thunder faded to silence. He saw through the mountain. The army came into view before him. They were closing in to Sevastion; it would take all of their speed to reach the black army before the battle began.
“We mustn’t slow. Sevastion is the only place we can make this stand.”
Raunst pressed on as fast as his steed would carry him. Over the last hill they raced on. The dove across the valley plains and toward the pass that would lead them deep into the heart of the mountains, to the fortress of Sevastion. The group rode on without slowing. They found the trail up the pass and the horse's pace quickened. The rain slacked off to a fine mist.
Psydra held close to Raunst, he was leaning far over his horse. “Are you okay?”
Raunst didn’t stir. His arm fell loosely to his side.
“Raunst?” Psydra reached out and grabbed his arm in panic.
The hero sat up abruptly. “I’m fine.”
“I’m worried about you,” she kept her hand on his arm. “The closer we get to this army, the further away you seem.”
“There is something dark about this medallion. I don’t yet understand it, Psydra.” He looked to her his face and eyes light again as she had not seen since before the rain had started.
Suddenly her hand was pulled from his arm. The girl fell from her horse and stuck the ground; her horse reared and turned on its hind legs, then burst away nearly trampling it rider. Psydra turned slowly, covered in dark mud. Raunst pulled his sword.
“Look out!” he screamed to the others. Along the side of the path a great dark shadow hung over the road. It was hanging from the ledge above. Bleak fiery eyes turned out from the mist, and a hissing sound cut through the light drizzle.
“My mas-s-ster s-s-sends-s-s his-s-s regards-s-s,” the serpent climbed down the outcropping, Psydra backed away on her hands slowly, her body gripped in pain.
Raunst sprang from his horse. His black blade glowed a brilliant white. The snake withdrew from its charge and swept the hero’s feet with its green tail. Raunst fell to the mud. An arrow passed straight through the beast and clinked off the stone wall.
“I never miss!” Jake yelled in frustration.
“I don’t think you did, mate.” Charles jumped from his horse and drew his own saber. “I think this one’s special.” The large bearded man flashed a flat smile at the serpent. Their eyes met. “You okay, Raunst?” Charles asked.
“Yeah,” Raunst stood shaking his head from the fall.
“How about you, lass?” He spoke without taking his eyes from the monster. He loosed his double-bladed axe from its leather wrap.
“Been better,” Psydra was backed against a rock and trying to stand. Her lungs were fighting to get a full breath.
Charles hoisted the heavy axe in both hands. “How about you, pretty? You feeling a little too healthy?”
The large man tucked his shoulder, dove and rolled through the mud, he sprang up axe in hand outstretched just missing the great serpent. The serpent pulled back to strike him, and a second arrow clinked nearby, the beast turned in surprise.
“Damn!” Jake shouted.
Raunst charged the snake. He swung a wild arc with his glowing blade. The snake darted away and raced away from Raunst down the pass toward the wounded girl. The mist body became opaque. The snake beast leapt from the ground, mouth wide open. A shimmering set of fangs leaning out of the open maw. Psydra dropped and rolled out of the way. The serpent crashed into the wall.
Raunst and Charles circled the beast against the wall. Raunst strick with his sword, and Charles with his axe, but each strike went straight through. The snake let out a terrible hiss.
Psydra stood. The lady drew her sword, visibly shaking in her stance. The three now surrounded the giant beast. The serpent coiled together.
“What pride I s-s-shall bring with me, knowing that I defeated the one knight of legend, the demon s-s-slayer hims-s-self.”
The snake lunged at Raunst. The serpent smashed him with the flat of its head. The force threw Raunst, his body slid through the mud. Charles swung at the extended snake. His feet dropped from beneath him as the tail whipping through his legs.
Psydra clamored up the hill. She slipped in the mud as she approached, barely missing her own blade as she fell. The snake released another great hiss. Its head turned to each assailant, lumbering in the wet earth.
“S-s-surrender is-s-s not an option, TecDemon.”
Raunst clumbed to his feet. He held his bright sword high. The young man charged the giant serpent, passing through its form. The snake turned abruptly and struck at Raunst. The beast stopped and screamed. A sudden piercing pain in its jaw disrupted the monster's attack. TecDemon slashed his blade at the open maw, tearing th
e exposed flesh of the snake.
The serpent crashed to the mud. Black blood spilled out fromits wounds. The black liquid joined a stream of water running along the path. A second wound from a well-aimed arrow was bleeding from the side of the serpent’s face.
Jake erupted "Eat that arrow, you dirty, stubborn-”
“It's not the time to celebrate,” Charles interrupted as he crawled out of the mud.
Raunst rushed down to Psydra and helped her back to her feet. Psydra looked about the narrow pass for the horses. They were one short. Her horse had run off in the panic.
“Raunst, you need to go, I will ride with Charles and we will meet you when we can.”
“Psydra, you three should ride the other way.”
“We’re coming with you, whether you like it or not,” Charles rang in.
“Till this fight is over,” Jake threw in. “You might need me to save your life again.
Xero looked up the slope of the hill to the fortress on top. Two heavy stone towers stood at either end of the reinforced wall around the fortress. A narrow roadway led up to sturdy gate. It was a defense that would hold against any army, any army except the one now standing before it.
Xero looked between the hillside fortress and his army. He chuckled. It was so easy now to see his plan unfolding, his final warriors moved into position. The boy would soon come to face him, medallion in hand.
Once it was in Xero's possession, the greatest demon would be his to control. That he had planned this all so well, Xero was brimming with excitement.
Xero waived his hand to his troops to silence them. He looked down at the creatures of fire and blackness. His lips curled upward.
His voice was barely a whisper.
“Kill.”
Raunst and Jake came quickly around a bend in the trail and halted their horses. Just ahead the army of beasts rushed up the path to the fortress of Sevastion. The soldiers lining the walls and towers fired volleys of arrows. The damage would occasionally slow the beast’s accent, but the wounds were transient.
Jake looked to his companion and behind to the empty trail. He considered his chances to escape. Raunst’s face had resettled into the dark look that he had worn most of the night. Jake spoke what encouragement he could. “Let’s get this over with.”
Raunst pulled the sword from its sheath. The radiant light glimmered proudly over his head. Raunst felt a rage burning deep inside him. He jumped down from his horse. His feet splashed in the muddy ground a roll of thunder followed.
Jake steadied his steed, and readied his bow.
Raunst took one step at a time, determined and steady. His cloak fell way from him and piled in the muddy path. The rain began to drip down slowly. The scattered drops did little to cover the splash of each step the young man took. His breathing stayed slow and deep. His pace increased as the rage inside grew.
The young archer followed his lead on horseback, ready to fire with his loaded arrow. His heart raced as the distance between them and the dark army closed.
Raunst could no longer hear his own thoughts. His chest swelled with a violent tearing power. He broke into a full run, his breathing never changed.
The sky opened and the rain poured down. The sizzle of the water melting away from the flame-covered demons would be heard echoing even through the downpour. The arrows from the fort above flew in at random. The rain masked the archers' target. The men and women inside the stone walls stood with weapons ready.
“Xero”, the young knight called to his enemy, not slowing his pace.
Jake could hardly see to keep up, he was afraid that his horse would trample the young hero in the rain. But even a little distance on the dark rainy night was too much. He could barely make out the light of the sword to follow him.
Xero turned at the sound. The final part of his plan had come into play. The ancient medallion that had imprisoned the great Peris, lord of the Demon army, was to be his this night.
Xero stood and faced Raunst. Raunst rushed at Xero. Xero pulled his cloak in and stepped off to the side with a calm grace. Raunst lost his footing in the mud and fell to the ground. He quickly rolled readied his sword to block.
Xero stood a few paces off, not moving to strike. “Ah TecDemon, my savior of the evening. Bringing your unholy sword, and unholy medallion to my side. It will be my pleasure to release you from it.”
Raunst lunged in. Xero drew his own blade. The two swords sparked violently with the impact. From beneath Xero's cloak, glowing dark armor caught Raunst's eye. Raunst drew back, matching it to his own.
“Who are you? Why are you wearing?“ but his question was interrupted.
“Angels fight, angels die, at least they used to,” Xero lowered his defense. “War was waged between the Great Ones. The most powerful entities of the universe, except for the spirits of life and death, the two that could never be destroyed.”
Xero turned abruptly and stabbed his sword behind him. A sudden scream emerged.
Jake collapsed to the ground, clutching his wound in one hand and a long dagger in the other.
“It is rude to interrupt,” Xero said.
Raunst swung again at Xero. The great framed demon lifted his sword effortlessly and kocked away the strike. Raunst’s concern turned to his wounded ally. Jake nodded to him.
“Life decided this war was drawing on, that the creatures of the light and creatures of balance should be given a weapon to end the fighting forever. The token you wear was that weapon. It houses the Great Peris, the mightiest demon to have existed. A force that no angel was able to defeat.
“They trapped him. My poor master. Throughout the ages he has called to me across the black spaces between are worlds. It was he opened the door to me.”
Jake crawled his way up against a small stone outcropping from the wall. His breathing was heavy. As the rain started to slack of the screams echoed from above as the sound of battle began at the gates of Sevastion.
“He wanted me to come set him free,” Xero paused. “To set you free of him.”
The demon threw forward his weapon and slashed at Raunst’s chest. The armor guarded him from the mighty blow. Raunst struck quickly at the man’s outstretched arm, tearing the fabric of his shirt, a small red stream appeared.
Raunst steadied his footing on the muddy ground. “I feel your master, I have felt him calling my name as well Xero.”
The two became enbattled in a series of attacks and counterstrikes. Each fought with a mounting ferocity as the fight continued. The clanging and clashing echoed. Rain poured on.
“He pulled me close to him as I traveled to you,” Raunst yelled over the rain and striking metal. “He told me that the holder of the medallion would be defeated this night, that it was destiny. Peris said there was no hope for me to see another sunrise.”
“I have heard the same; the proud moment that you will join me in tonight is the liberation of my master! We shall be united with this cause! Don’t you feel the power?” Xero words intermixed with excited laughter.
“It is strong in me,” Raunst’s eyes were glazed in the dark smoke. His chest was torn with the powerful raging darkness in the medallion. “But so is my blood.”
“Mortal blood doesn’t contest with demonic powers boy!”
Xero swung his sword through the hero’s block and cut away at the flesh on his side. Raunst winced. He clutched at his side with his free hand. The cut was long but shallow. He regained his footing.
“Just like our own fight,” Raunst stood bravely with his sword, his free hand now holding the medallion in his palm. His eyes strayed downward to the gems that glowed radiantly. “So has the battle been renewed in the medallion itself. My soul is linked to the angel within. If I fall, so will he.”
The hero tore the medallion from his neck and threw it into the air. Xero rushed for the necklace and extended himself to grasp it. The gold pendant fell perfectly into h
is hand, he felt the power of his master flowing through his blood, the voice that had echoed far away cradled him close now.
Xero stood proudly. His moment of destiny had arrived.
“If you fall, so shall the will of Peris.”
Xero clasped desperately to the medallion, his hands weakening as the rain started down again, Raunst pulled the metal chain free from the dying man’s hand and worked his flame bright sword loose from Xero’s chest. He looked down to the fallen foe. Xero's expression faded from pride to anguish, his muscles weakening as his blood trailed down the rain soaked path.
Raunst clung tightly to the medallion and looked to Jake. The young archer looked on in delight as Xero lay on the ground in defeat.
A loud crash came from above, dozens of shrill war cries erupted from the embankment above.
“Sevastion!” Raunst leapt over the fallen Xero and charged up the path. His spirit renewed from the victory he left behind.
Inside the battered gates, the first defense line was fighting back at the mighty beasts that had shattered the gate. They were pouring in by the dozens. At the entrance of the fortress gates stood Gaunich.
“Retreat!” Came one cry from a desperate soldier seeing the massive creature.
“Fall back!” Another shouted.
Raunst charged up the narrow path. The path he traveled showed scorches from the flaming demons that had ascented. A straggler was just ahead of him. Without slowing he cleaved with his sword through the beast. The fire bodied beast turned to dust. Raunst charged on, behind him he heard Jake's distant call.
The troops abandoned the entrance and held a slow retreat through the inner courtyard. They tried to stay close. The weapons were good for defense and nothing more, the creatures were not affected by their blades black blades. The sacred metals that they had prayed on to defend them should this day come.
“I got one, I got one!” A women’s voice echoed through the chambers. The battle seemed to pause for a moment, the once dark blades, began to shine from within. The beasts retreated their assault, uncertain of the change before them.
One of the soldiers bravely stood forward swinging into the encroaching monsters, striking down a flaming creature with his blow.
A new series of cries came forth as the people’s vigor renewed. Within minutes ranks were reformed. The force of men and women began to fight back the horde of demons within their halls.
The soldiers routed the horde back only a short while, the monsters resurged. The ranks began to break. Screams of pain erupted near the right flank.
"There are just too many!"
A thunderous roar rumbled the courtyard. The massive Guanich reared up behing the demon army. The beasts cheered and cackled. the soldiers scurried to gather their formations.
Guanich settled on all fours. The demon army grew silent. Atop the beast, mounting him as a steed, rode Raunst.
"Attack!" Raunst ordered.
The great demon struck the demons before him. He tore through them, gobbling up the smaller ones in single bites. The soldiers backed away to leave the monster to do his work.
Raunst struck down a desperate attacker. Gaunich sceamed, the stone walls rattled and threatened to cave. The lessor demons cowered. Soldiers moved in to dispatch them.
As the last monster fell, the warriors of Sevastion let out a mighty cheer of victory. Raunst climbed down from his mount. The rain eased. Raunst shook the hands of one of the soldiers. The group bowed their heads in thanks.
A terrified scream came from below.
Raunst spun about and ran the courtyard. He dashed past the gates and began his decent, the fighters from Sevastion followed without a word.
The force made their way to the pass. Raunst in the lead stopped as he reached the bottom of the hillside trail. Before him stood the fallen Xero, lumbering back a forth, his wound still bleeding, the gash into his side great.
The soldiers started to draw around him in a circle, but Raunst waived them back.
He spotted along the sidewall, Jake, Charles, and Psydra were all standing very still. They were suspended just above the ground, there forms shrouded in mist.
“Not over with this-s-s just yet, young demon” the grey mist formed into a serpent, its mouth scarred and torn, its own strength dwindling.
“Give the s-s-sacred s-s-stones-s-s to me,” the serpent hissed its call.
“The master’s puppet may be on his last legs, but I am still strong.”
The rain diminished to a halt and the sky started to lighten. Raunst’s eye caught the small traces of light climbing over the mountains in the sky. Morning was coming. Xero’s body tumbled to the ground, the last of his strength gone. His arm stretched out toward Raunst as he collided with the wet earth.
The serpent let out a terrible hiss. Xero’s life had ended, and with it the connection between the demon world and this one. The serpent’s mist form turned to dust and fell to the ground. The three freed companions took in deep breathes of air.
Psydra looked to Raunst and saw his face glowed pleasantly. His eyes free of the dark mist that had held him before. The shadow wrapping him was gone. She threw her arms around him tightly, thankful that he was there as the sun rose.
Raunst looked around. The brave fighters from Sevastion cheered the victory. Charles and Jake argued over what story would be told first when they returned home. Psydra pressed herself close to him. Raunst looked up to the rising sun, as its radiance crested the mountain and brought the morning heat. The warmth danced on his skin.
A new feeling came to his chest. He pulled Psydra a little closer to him. He could do nothing more than smile.
The Demon Legacy Page 10
