The Pantheon Moves

by Michael Chatfield

  Light could sense everything on Markolm. It was as if the entire continent were her hall, her domain.

  She looked to one of the spheres, watching as the fanatical army of Light that had been groomed for months marched toward the areas that Dark and Earth would land.

  They moved, golden row after golden row. They were separated into different groups that came from all over Emerilia.

  Her angel legions who lived around her hall, who had rested in the sky, assembled themselves, ready and waiting to carry out their goddess’s commands. Light, seeing them, waved her hand. Rays of light descended from above, angels being raised up into the air as her power filled them. Their strength increased rapidly.

  Light laughed to herself. It was a cold and cruel thing to hear.

  “Since you’ve come first, oh brothers of mine, let me see you off. Then I will pull Fire, Water, and Air from the holes they hide in. The age of the Pantheon is done! The age of Light has begun!”

  Her laughter filled the room as the different armies advanced to their inevitable confrontation.

  Chapter 14: The Gods’ Pawns

  All eyes across Emerilia were watching interfaces of alt player accounts and spies who were looking at the northern edge of Markolm.

  As the sun set, the Dark Lord’s platform could be seen with its myriad legs cruising through the sea with massive strides.

  Earth’s island was making waves as it shot across the sea.

  Facing them on the shores of Markolm there were ranks upon ranks of Light’s soldiers. Their banners with golden runes that shone in the sunset’s red light snapped back and forth with the winds that passed over their ranks. Light cannons were moved up on their carriages. They were covered in bands of golden runes on the hills behind the army, ready for what was to come.

  Earth’s island started to show different colors as Mana was circulated.

  Clouds of black smoke curled around Dark’s island. Any creatures living in the ocean around them were killed by the dark Mana that distorted the red color of the sunset, turning it into a black abyss.

  The soldiers of Light’s army tightened their grip on their weapons. Their anger mounted as they stared at the forces of the Dark Lord that dared to profane their lady’s land and go against her teachings of Light. An officer called out an order to the Light cannons; rays of golden light made the dusk turn into day once again. The rays shot out. They weakened as they reached out to the oncoming attackers, but the power that they had unleashed was no small amount.

  They collided with Mana barriers that covered the Earth and Dark Lord’s forces.

  Enraged by the army of Light’s attack, the forces of Earth and Dark unleashed their own spells.

  Mana bolts of every color tore across that sea, leaving deep grooves in the water in their wake. The waters were stirred up, crashing against the rocks of Markolm as a golden shield took the impacts of the bolts. Curses, hexes, Fire storms, cutting blades of Air, Water cannon spells and powerful spears of wood colored the sea between the two forces.

  The green, black, and gold Mana barriers took impact after impact. Spells were traded faster and faster as the range decreased. The sea between the three groups turned into a raging storm, the power crossing over top tearing apart the balance that had been created by nature.

  Pillars of light descended from the heavens and landed on the island’s and platform’s Mana barriers. But still they didn’t go down under the powerful impacts. Their advance slowed under the constant attacks by Light’s army but it wasn’t enough to stop them.

  Earth’s island reached Markolm first.

  Plants grew from the island, extending into the ground of Markolm. These thin weeds turned into plants that looked like living snakes and were three meters wide. They secured the island to Markolm, creating a ramp between the two islands.

  The Water creatures that had come under Earth’s commands moved around the island, unleashing their attacks upon the golden Mana barrier as Earth’s forces charged off the island. Many of them were cut down by the different Light attacks, as they tried to close with Light’s army.

  Light’s army charged forward to meet them, their yells audible between the earth shaking and ocean, splitting ranged attacks that were hurled between the two groups.

  On one side, there was the golden army of Light. On the other was a mishmash of all different kinds of powerful creatures, from sprites and tree demons to flame atronachs and lightning stallions.

  The Earth forces, now that they were on ground, greatly increased their combat power. The ground turned into traps and quagmires; plants came together to create Earth golems or were sucked of their power in order to strengthen the different Earth creatures.

  Light’s army might have been made up with fanatics, but it doesn’t matter how much you believe in something when your enemy is that much stronger.

  They waded through the enemy, their spells and attacks tearing into the ranks of Light’s army.

  It was a crazed and wild melee. Spells were used at close range for massive damage. Here and there, people from Earth’s force were destroyed, but his people had established a beachhead and waded forward through the destruction. As people left the island, it transformed; the sections turned from island into massive creatures.

  They stood fifteen foot tall and were made from Earth materials. Green Mana could be seen between the cracks of their bodies. As they entered the battle, their hands made up of vines twirled together, creating clubs and swords that cut through tens of Light’s soldiers with each swipe.

  The platform arrived. Different members of Dark’s forces jumped from the platform as it started to walk up the shore of Markolm. Metal and stone pillars rose to meet them, lowering them toward the battle; they came off their pillars, dark smoke covering a number of them.

  The Light soldiers screamed out in agony under this black smoke that seemed to be killing them from the inside out.

  Dark clouds and hexes appeared in the sky. Area of effect spells came down; screams that would make the hardiest of veterans shiver tore through the battlefield.

  The Dark Lord’s forces laughed and cheered, enjoying the noises of battle.

  The platform advanced, the ranged forces staying on it.

  Necromancers chanted together, chaining their spells as the dead soldiers of Light’s army started to rise from their slumber. Their bodies filled with life, now rotting and gray, as they turned and started to fight against their comrades.

  Light’s forces fought with everything they had, cutting down their comrades who had been turned into the necromancers’ minions without pause. Their anger had no bounds, willing to take grievous wounds just to slow or wound those who profaned their goddess’s name and stepped onto her holy ground.

  Even as the Dark Lord’s and Earth Lord’s forces were clearly winning, their progress was slow, being hampered by Light’s army.

  The fighting was chaotic and brutal. There was no sign of order or lines, just a free-for-all melee as people fought all over the beaches and the hills that lay behind them.

  A clarion call came from behind Light’s army as the sound of marching shook the ground.

  The views changed as they looked upon the two other armies that Light had created from her most fanatic of believers. Above them, three angel legions flew in formation, led by their generals. The light from these creatures drove back the darkness that had now settled over Markolm with the setting of the sun.

  The angels didn’t even pause as they started to rain attack after attack down on the Earth Lord’s and Dark Lord’s forces. They didn’t care about hitting their own or the number of people they killed. In their eyes, everyone who died, so that they might eliminate the forces that went against their master and lady, were sacrifices who had given their lives to their lady.

  Golden pillars descended from the sky, burning the ground below and tearing through the ranks of the advancing armies.

  The Dark Lord’s and Earth Lord’s forces fired back with t
heir own spells but they were unable to break the defenses of the angels. Their Mana barriers shone in the night’s sky, stronger than that of Light’s army.

  Even as Light’s forces seemed to be throwing back the Dark Lord’s and Earth Lord’s fighting force, the plants and different growths of Markolm started to shoot up and attack Light’s army and the angel legions. The undead within the ranks of Light’s army were breaking it apart from the inside.

  Light might have had forces coming in but her first army had been torn apart.

  Earth’s and Dark’s forces made it to the other sides of Light’s first army and tore apart those who had stood in their way.

  Light’s second army tried to attack but their attacks were now landing on the first army’s Mana barrier that had not failed yet.

  The two forces held their advance. Cultists and different groups got together and started to chant out spells or write down spell formations in the ground as they called upon their inner power.

  The air was charged with power as different-colored Mana became a physical object and started to stream in toward the spell formations taking shape.

  The ground shivered as hands and limbs made from stone and metal broke through the ground; magma turned into beasts from the deep that had come to Earth’s command.

  The wind howled as the sounds of tortured spirits came from the sky, tearing through all in their path, entering the defenses of Light’s armies and legions.

  Light’s advancing forces were met with creatures that called every power their own, coming from the ground, the sky and every direction, attacking them and disrupting their fire so they could no longer concentrate their attacks on the Dark Lord’s or Earth Lord’s forces that had never stopped charging their own lines.

  As night had set, the Dark Lord’s forces gained an advantage over the forces of Light, which allowed them to increase the power of their spells. Some of their forces that would be harmed if they were out in the daylight could now show off their strength, not needing to create different wards in order to fight the power of the sun.

  A little-known fact was that Light’s forces, like the forces of Dark, were affected when they were not in sunlight. As the night fell, a number of them found that their skills and spells were not as powerful as before. The angels, a dominating force in the daytime, were now weakened, and a curse that was placed upon them came into effect. Much like how vampires were weakened in the day, the angels were weaker at night. However, for this weakness, when fighting in the day, the angels of Light gained a combat boost.

  They had already cast different wards in order to not be affected by the coming night; however, this was a drain on their Mana.

  With Light’s blessing and turning them into her champions and being her Creatures of Power, their strength had gone through a massive increase. When looking at the two forces, Light’s angels and her armies still had a slight advantage even in the night, showing just how powerful turning Creatures of Power into champions was.

  Earth’s forces unleashed their full power at the same time that the Dark Lord’s did. There were a few Creatures of Power among their ranks that the Earth Lord and Dark Lord had turned into champions.

  The first army of Light were torn apart between the incoming reinforcements by Light and the invading forces.

  Angels shot down attacks at the invaders; the second and third army of Light let out a yell and charged forward. Their boots on the ground sounded like rolling thunder.

  The invaders freed themselves from the last remaining vestiges of the first army of Light and rushed forward to meet them. It was as if a wave had met a cliff: the golden lines of the second and third army were torn apart by the stronger invading forces.

  Magic tore through the ranks of the golden armored angels. The second and third armies lost their momentum as the Earth Lord’s and Dark Lord’s forces carved through them.

  The angels spread out and attacked from a distance. Impacts rang out around them as the Dark Lord’s platform, still covered in his forces, advanced over the corpses of the first army and the invaders.

  Dark spells appearing to be made from smoke and shadows hit the angels’ defenses. They used all of their most powerful spells to make the angels’ golden barrier shake under the strengthened impacts of the ranged attacks.

  The angels switched their attacks from those on the ground to the ranged forces that either hovered in the air or attacked from the Dark Lord’s platform. Golden light transformed into spears and arrows that were shot forward from the angels.

  Waves of pressure, and the ear-shattering impacts of the two ranged forces fighting it out, slammed down upon those on the ground. Many of the Earth and Dark forces were staggered by the shock waves of the impacts. However, Light’s armies were in a worse condition. One for one, they were not as strong as those that Earth or Dark had rallied. They were tossed back and some bled from their ears as their eardrums were broken by the noises from above.

  The undead didn’t care about eardrums as they moved forward like a plague, cutting down the wounded and distracted, adding more members to their ranks. Necromancers walked behind the army, waving their hands and raising the dead from the slaughter that lay behind the front lines.

  Summoners laid down summoning circles to call forth creatures from the other realms that rushed forward to meet Light’s forces. Golems and atronachs of every Affinity except Light were created and conjured, all of them adding their own attacks into the fray.

  As time went on, the invading forces were able to call up more and more strength to aid them.

  The armies of Light were only some decently leveled people of Emerilia and a few players; they weren’t able to stop the invaders. The legions of angels were stronger than the invaders; however, with their attacks, they were hurting their own forces more than the invaders, giving the invaders the cover, resources, and time they needed to increase their strength.

  Wraiths and tortured souls screamed out into the night sky. Summoning circles glowed with power as cultists pulled creatures from the darker realms. They shot into the sky, screaming in pain as they got closer to the angels, who were covered in armor that increased their power of Light. Their pain only seemed to drive them wilder as they met the angels’ lines, attacking anything and anyone who came into their range.

  The nearly two hundred thousand invaders clashed with the four hundred thousand defenders under Light’s command.

  The Dark and Earth invaders pushed the defenders back again and again, slaughtering those who made up the armies as the angels fought with those on the platform.

  The Dark Mana barrier continued to take hit after hit while the golden barrier of the legion started to look weaker and weaker.

  Neither side showed any sign of retreat as they clashed and fought, using everything they had to win the battle.

  One of the legion generals raised their blade in anger, and rushed forward while yelling out a war cry. He turned into a golden ray of light as he shot forward. The rest of the legion followed on his heels.

  They were without the Mana barrier, but with their own strength they were able to deflect most of the attacks. Still, here and there, a number of them were hit and tumbled to the ground, their bodies broken upon impact. The angels didn’t even pause their attack, a fanatical gleam in their eyes as they were finally unleashed upon the enemy.

  They reached the platform and dove through the Mana barrier. Their strength was weakened in the presence of so much Dark Mana. As they charged, the ranged mages’ creatures rose from the depths of the platforms and defensive spells were activated.

  Creatures of pain and suffering lashed out at the legion. Tentacled beasts and creatures of the shadows all attacked the angels of Light, their formations coming apart in the fighting.

  ***

  Josh looked to the leaders of the Terra Alliance. They were talking to one another, pointing out different things that they saw going on in the epic battle between Earth, Light and Dark. Trying to find their adv
antages and weaknesses to predict what would happen and their possible response.

  “What do you think the outcome will be?” Josh asked Dwayne, who was beside him.

  “I think that Earth and Dark will get a foothold in Markolm. Their forces are powerful and they chose to hit at night, giving them a greater advantage. I’m not sure why Light is holding most of her angel legions in reserve while throwing out her armies to deal with the threat of Dark and Earth,” Dwayne said.

  “Probably for propaganda,” Lucy interjected. “With the armies taking massive casualties, the people of Markolm will be in a state of fear. Fear can easily be turned into anger. If Light can do this right, then she’ll be able to pull her supporters to her even more. This isn’t just a war for Markolm. This is the Lady Light’s bid toward becoming the god of Emerilia.”

  “If she can pull all of them over to her side and get them to believe in her even more, then they will give her more devotions. Hell, if they’re just scared and hoping to be saved and give her more power hoping that they’re going to be saved, she starts racking up a whole lot of energy she can use directly against the Earth Lord and the Dark Lord,” Josh said.

  “It’s just a matter of when and how she wants to push Earth and Dark’s forces off her island. If she waits, she gets more power, but she will lose more soldiers and she will be seen as their savior in the hour that they needed her the most. If she acts now, then she might not win. She will keep more of her angels and her soldiers, but she will be seen as a defender, not a savior, meaning she doesn’t get as many panicked and fearful devotions.” Kim shook her head.

  “She is one smart and brutal bitch.” Cassie said what they were all thinking.

  “Putting it mildly.” Josh sighed. The battle between the two groups was only just starting.

  The army of Light used bugles, calling back their force, reforming them and readying them for another attack. Many weren’t able to get free from the fighting in order to get back into formation.

  Spells lit up the night sky or descended it into darkness. The contrasting lights illuminated a brutal battlefield in the sky and on the ground.