28

The battle goes full force. By the way, this is my favorite chapter in the whole book.

It's finally here. I'm only minutes away from leading an army, that had not existed months ago, into battle as their leader. And why? Because I stumbled upon this plan by chance while going to rescue my girlfriend from becoming a snack. Talk about bad luck. Because of that chance encounter I now stand in a forest with an army, wearing a leather robe looking thing, waiting for the Chaos Eclipse to fall for our trap.

  Horns sound in the distance as the bait party moves forward in phalanx, with their shields raised as to create an impenetrable, mobile wall. Every member chanting something as they advance, to make as much noise as possible and seem like a larger force.

  For a short while I don't think the plan is going to work, but then I see the gate door to the Eclipean stronghold come crashing down and a flood of metallic ants take up a defensive position.

 Lupin, who is with the bait group, stops where we had planned. The group is close enough to look like an attacking threat, but still far enough away to be safe from any sudden attacks.

  I silently pray to every god and goddess I can think of for them to fall for our trap. Minutes dragged by until it seems time has come to a grinding halt. There's not so much as a sound as the two forces stare each other down. Then there is movement. Avengus appears atop of the wall surrounding the courtyard and entrance into the cliff side and speaks in a thunderous boom.

  "Ivan, surely you can do better than this. All your effort amounts to this pathetic effort? A clouded huddle, barely large enough to be recognized as a force?" Every syllable explodes in my head like a bomb. "Well I'll crush this annoyance once and for all. Troops, mow them over!" Avengus commands

  The command causes me to fall to my knees and clutch my head, but then I smile and utter the word "Checkmate."

  The Eclipsean soldiers march forward and attack the bait. Cries erupt as the forest comes alive. The rest of my army rushes out of the woods and begins attacking the vulnerable sides of our enemy.

  I charge out of my leafy cover and into the moonlight. I'm down on all fours instantly as my body changes into its ferocious wolven form once again. It only takes a few moments before I'm bounding towards battle on shaggy legs. I glance up at Avengus and laugh to myself when I see him shocked by the new attack. He turns and shouts something at someone inside before disappearing from view.

  I make a high leap and land in the middle of the thrashing pool of metal. Immediately I'm forces to dodge blades thirsty for blood and carnage. In the mix of dodging, parrying, and killing, I'm grabbed by my neck from behind and tossed through the air, like a rag doll. I'm able to land on my feet, but slide several yards. Looking up I identify my assailant as an enormous dragon born wielding nothing but his heavily armored fists.

  "You're really starting to be a pain in the a*s boy." Amon growls through clenched teeth

  I shrug, not caring, and charge at the mass of scales. I flashstep behind him at the last second.

  Amon turns and backhands me like a fly. "I've seen all your tricks boy. You can't even touch me!" He says as he spits a fireball at me.

  I'm barely able to roll out of the way before the ground is charred into a black scar in the earth.

  "I didn't even know I knew tricks. I just do what seems like a good idea at the time." I admit then disappear again

  Amon turns to strike, but I appear where he was facing previously so that I'm behind him. I go to impale the back of his neck, but when I strike my hand bounces off, barely leaving a scratch on Amon's scales. I curse silently and back off before he has the chance to hit me again.

  "You're gonna need diamonds to get through those." Amon sneers, "I'm totally solid on the outside."

  I run at him head on, hoping that some genius plan will pop into my head before scales here kills me.

  Amon swings at me, but I vault into the air and land on his back, hanging on for dear life by wrapping my arms around his neck and squeezing hoping I might be able to suffocate him. It's no good. As I'm on his back, clinging for my life, a thought comes to mind; "This must be what it's like for Patrick when he's riding around on Torcon, just less angry and lethal."

  Amin tries to pluck me off his back by reaching over his shoulder and grabbing me again.

  I snap at his hand and my teeth punch through his armor and fleshy fingers. That's it, underneath his armor and scales he's vulnerable, duh. I'm willing to bet his insides are squishy and vulnerable as well. I've got my plan.

  Amon slams his back into the castle's wall, driving all the wind from my lungs.

  I drop and try to find my breath again.

  An armored foot makes contact with my gut and I'm sent sprawling through the air before tumbling onto the ground. Amon gives a triumphant laugh as I lay on the ground motionless. "Lucifer couldn't kill you? Ha! What a lame a*s. Parades around, acting like some big shot, just because he was first to jump on board with Avengus." Amon fumes and continues on adamantly

  I catch my breath again and get up off the ground, seemingly unnoticed. I flashstep to Amon and summon all the strength I can, focusing it into a swift kick to his head.

  He's send wheeling into the ground, and I'm left hopping on one foot, clutching my other. While he's down I jump onto his back and rake the skin on his head, tearing off dozens of scales and revealing a bit of exposed vulnerable flesh. I'm about to send my hand into his skull when a large hand grabs hold of my neck and throws me away.

  Amon gets up, cursing me with every word he can think of. "You little son of a-" Amin fumes, holding his exposed, bleeding head

  "Shut up and fight you overgrown gecko." I snap, "You talk too damn much!"

  Amon shoots more fire at me.

  I see it coming an act before he knows what's happening. I take off running towards him, clear of the flames. I muscle his jaws shut, trapping the fire in his mouth and forcing it to go backwards, down his throat.

  Amon chokes and grips his throat, trying to rip the flames out.

  I lose my grip and his mouth tears open as a guttural roar erupts from his blackened insides. I take this opportunity to flashstep behind him again and thrust my hand into him again. This time it's a wet crunch rather than a disappointing ding. My hand breaks through his skull and digs into the lizard's brain.

  Amon stops dead and topples over as I rip my hand free. I stand there shocked. Had I really just single handedly taken out the General of Wrath? I let out a roar of triumph

  "Lord Ivan!" A voice calls to me

  "Who're you?" I ask a Minotaur as she sprints to me

  "Mala'rek, I have an urgent report. Our troops are being overpowered. We're simply outnumbered my lord." She reports

  I curse. "Alright. Order all survivors to fall back. We'll try again once Reaper Marvick-"

  Thunder shatters the sky, cutting off my words. In a sight, somehow both beautiful and horrific, the sky spits lighting at the ground before opening is jagged maw, revealing a swirling vortex. Standing in front of it is Marvick with his death mongers. Kenpachi is holding a considerably large Helhound with three heads back on a leash.

  "You called for me, my lord?" Marvick beckons to me

  "Yea, a couple times actually." I mutter to Mala'rek

  As if he could hear me, the Reaper calls back, "Sorry I'm late, work was absolute murder." He starts cackling hysterically, "But now we're here to help. All five hundred thousand, six hundred ninety two of us. Killer numbers, right?" He breaks down again.

  Meanwhile, everyone on the battlefield stares up in awe, Eclipsean and Rebels alike.

  Marvick turns to Kenpachi and whispers something to him. Kenpachi nods in reply. Marvick turns back to the Vortex and, in the most casually sadistic voice I've ever heard, the Reaper gives his command. Attack!

  Bodies start raining ask the sky vomits and undead army.

  "It's raining zombies! Hallelujah!" I cry

Juggernauts land with heavy thuds and immediately start swinging all of their arms. Littered amongst them are Houndmasters, each landing nimbly before blowing a single shrill note on that shining whistle around each of their necks, as they release the chain leash.

  "Release the hounds! Hahahaha!" Marvick cries, rolling on his back, clutching his stomach. In his bout of insanity the Reaper rolls too far and rolls right off the edge, between two of the portal's jagged teeth. "Hahaha, oh s**t. Ahh!"

  Without hesitation, his death mongers follow him down. They all land on their feet, holding a weapon made of bone. Kenpachi  still has the three headed Helhound with him.

  "Nice timing." I say to Marvick as I approach him

  "Why thank you my fluffy friend." He begins, "And speaking of fluffy, what do you think of the new model of Helhound? I call them Trihounds." He pats the middle head of the creature. "Kenny, go ahead and release her. I'm eager to see how hungry she is."

  Kenpachi drops the chain link leash and orders, "Kill."

  The three headed beast tears off into battle. It pounces on the first Eclipsean soldier she sees. Each side head bites down on an arm and tear at it; the middle head goes after the victim's face.

  "I brought another toy too, but he's not coming yet. Doesn't okay well with others..." Marvick says

  "Why don't I like the sound of that?" I ask rhetorically "Any ideas how to get inside? Perhaps like a certain hook armed guard of yours?" I suggest

  "Too many people for the Rattlers to come out yet."

  A roar comes from the warpgate as something crashes through the vortex. It's absolutely gargantuan. A mass of tightly packed flesh hits the ground, creating a thunderous shockwave following it.

  "That's not good." Marvick says simply in regards to the thing that just hit the battlefield like an atom bomb

  The Banshee is about the size of a school bus turned upright, and that's just the body. It's got two legs the diameter of tree trunks. It's torso is tightly bound by a large straight jacket with four sleeves criss-crossing and held down by a spiderweb of thick leather belts. It's head is covered by a tight leather mask, which keeps it from opening it's mouth, but still allowed air in. The top is covered by a black out dome which blinds the creature. I realize know why it's called a Banshee, the roars it made weren't even with the monster opening it's mouth.

  "Ivan, order a retreat. Right now. My soldiers will keep fighting, they can be put back together. If the Banshee breaks his restraints then this is going to get messy on all sides." Marvick says, fear wavering in his voice

  "Mala'rek, go tell the others I'm ordering a full retreat. They're to go to the shelter of the woods. The generals and leaders are to report to me immediately." I command

  The Minotaur salutes and rushes off into battle, instructing the soldiers she passes to flee.

  Reaper Marvick stamps his foot like an upset mother and approaches the Banshee as it writhes on the ground, desperate to get on it's feet. "Hey! What do you think you're doing? You better not have broken another cage. Are you listening to me mister?  Hey, I'm talking to you!"

  The banshee stops momentarily, almost as if it were thinking, before it brings it's head down hard. The glass on its mask shatters. The skin on its face is sickly and covered in scars, completely void of hair or emotion, other than rage. The Banshee scowls at Marvick as it kicks out at him.

  From out of nowhere the Reaper deflects the massive blow with a scythe. The Reaper himself looked to have changed.  He changed from wearing his death monger armor and into a tattered cowl. His arms are covered by heavy plate mail made from bone, covered in jagged spike of varying sizes. His legs are similar, and partially hidden by the shredded ends of the cowl's robe; each tattered strip is attached to a small blade similar to a kunai. The Reaper's chest is totaly exposed, his muscular form an ugly grey color and  spiderwebbed with scars. Part of his chest is missing, revealing an exposed section of ribs and his heart beating underneath. His heart is glowing a sulfurous yellow; his breath the same fluorescent yellow every time he exhales. The scythe he wields seems to be fashioned out of bone as well. It's blade is twice the size of a normal scythe head. It, too, has the yellow mist surrounding it. The end of the handle is adorned with a skull.

  The Reaper brings his scythe high in the air and brings it down by the Banshee's head. "I will tell you once more child, calm down and obey me. I'll be forced to destroy you otherwise." The Reaper warns. His voice has converted to the ghostly rattle shared by the death mongers.

  "Ivan, what tha bloody hell be that?" Patrick calls once he sees me and points in the direction of the Banshee

  I can't tell which one he's pointing at so I respond the best I can, "The scary looking one is-"

  Patrick cuts me off, "Really lad?! They both be nightmarishly scary. Tha big thing first, boy."

  "That's the Banshee. I'm not sure exactly, but I think the other one is Marvick."

The other Generals rush up to me with the same question. The Banshee grunts loudly from under its mask as we see Marvick go flying past us in a blur. He hits the ground in a rough bounce-roll. His scythe skittering away in a different direction, landing blade down in the dirt. He gets up and brushes the dirt off himself. He tilts his head one way, then the other, popping the bones within. "Little b*****d head butted me." Marvick says with a sulfuric sigh, "I thought I taught him better than that." The Reaper holds a bone laiden hand out towards the scythe and it flies into his hand from its earthen sheath. "You all stay here, I don't want him stepping on someone." Marvick says before walking back out to the struggling mount of muscle. On his way, he stabs the tip of the scythe into the body on Amon.

  The dead General suddenly starts twitching as the sulfurous vapors flood the fleshy shell of the Dragonborn. Amon raises himself off the ground and follows Marvick hollowly.

  The Reaper then does the stupidest thing he could possibly do. Walking alongside the Banshee, towards its feel, he cuts the belts restraining its arms.

  I start to go to help the Reaper, but Kenpachi stops me. "It'd be unwise to get in the Reaper's way while he's in that state. Leave him be and watch the true power of death."

  I stand there and watch as the Banshee breaks free of its restraints. It's four large arms, each with three meaty fingers, lifts the oversized body to its feet.

  Saundra comes and holds me for reassurance, and I wrap a shaggy hand around her.

  On Marvick's command, Amon steps forward and launches a fireball at the Banshee's face. It strikes right between the eyes.

  The Banshee lets out a wail, even with the mask, that threatens to cause my head to explode. Everyone around me, including myself, are on the ground holding their heads tightly. The only ones who don't fall are the death mongers who stand firm like statues.

  The Banshee slaps ar it's face, desperate to get rid of what was harming it. It tears off its mask in the chaos.

  Amon is ordered to fire again at the creature. He opens his mouth to unleash another torrent of fire when two fists land on him, crushing the reptiles armored body.

  I find myself wishing it'd been that easy for me to kill the Dragonborn General.

  Reaper Marvick doesn't miss a beat and moves immediately. He Runs up the Creature's arm, straight for the head. When the Banshee opens its mouth to scream again the Reaper sends his scythe into the monster's jaw and twists before spinning and lodging the blade into the other side and ripping it through. The Banshee's lower jaw tumbles through the air and lands on the ground with a wet slap; it's tongue dangling freely from its neck.

  The Banshee gurgles in fury as it brings down a crescendo of oversized fists and open hands to bash, smash, slap, and otherwise crush the Reaper.

  The Reaper leaps up into the air and spins rapidly, turning the kunai ends of his robe into a saw blade. He free falls into the Banshee and manages to cut through one of the arm's tendons.

  The arm falls limply to the Banshee's side. The Banshee becomes quickly irate with its disobeying limb and rips it clean off. It hurls the arm at Marvick, who deflects the incoming missile with his scythe.

  The Banshee releases another gurgle and charges at the Reaper with surprising speed.

  Barely able to follow his movements I see Marvick charge back at the Banshee, slide between its feet and take off a foot at the ankle.

  The Banshee stumbles and falls into the castle's wall, creating a large gap in the fort's defenses.

  Obviously tired with his creation's misbehavior, the Reaper cuts off the hand of the remaining left arm. He climbs onto its monstrous back and walks calmly up to it's shoulders. In a single fluid stroke, Marvick decapitates the Banshee.

  It's body shutters and goes still as the head and tongue roll away.

  "It's safe to go in now." The Reaper reports, "You may resume your attack my lord."

  I stand there awestruck at the momentous feat. I blink back to reality, shaking my head. "You heard the man." I grin and bound into battle so that all those watching from the trees can see the all clear. This is my war and I'll be damned if I only get a could shots in.

  The trees roar a unified battle cry as my army charges back into battle; we're back in the game.

  I take this chance to grab what Generals I can and sneak into the castle through the hole in the wall.

Author's Note

Please tell me what you think. :)