Prologue
The streets were filled with clashing metal, screams, and smoke. I was in Sinala when we stormed the tall walls of the fortified harbor city. I was in the middle of the Battle of Jasper's Hill, where two of the largest armies this land had ever seen clashed for days. I had never experienced such chaos as i have here.
My squad and I sat just inside the mouth of a dark alley. We watched enemy soldiers run past the opening in frenzied panic. Some ran to face the invaders while others retreated deeper into the city. "The city is lost! The city is lost! Retreat to the keep," they screamed out in panic.
"The plan is working," I heard my sergeant murmur in my ear as he dropped to a knee beside me behind an abandoned cart.
"... How long do we have, Hanks?" I asked while ducking down. Hanks glanced down at the watch strapped to his wrist. "Looks like... five minutes."
I nodded, relieved, "We made it in time! Good." After the last skirmish, I was sure we had fallen behind. Thankfully, we hadn't.
"Johnny!" I called out in a low voice, turning to the eight men behind me, who were lying low in the shadows.
"Here, sir?" Johnny scurried to my side quickly. He was a young man of nineteen, just three years younger than I. We had met early on in the war, and he had not left my side since.
"How is the device?"
"Still ticking and as heavy as a boulder," he said, showing me a leather back slung around his shoulder.
"Remember, stay in the back until ordered. We need to clear the area. Be ready to move and start preparing the charge. The rest of you, prepare arms."
Each of the men slowly slid their sword from their scabbard and tightened the straps on their shields. The attack on the gates had caught the defenders unaware, and their veteran soldiers had been pulled to repel the attacking force. I figured only levies and conscripts remained so far inside the city, running from the battle.
I pulled my sword before taking another glance at the street in front of us. A large stone wall faced them, but the street was nearly empty. Only a few soldiers remained, catching their breath and bickering about what they should do. They wore only a chest of chainmail over a cloth tunic and leaned on spears. Conscripts, given a spear and a poor excuse for armor, and sent off to die for their king.
If I had more time, I would allow them to pass and find a back alley to hide in until the city was taken. Fate, it seems, will force my hand. I stood and rushed through the breach, roaring and holding my sword aloft.
With a growl, I plunged my blade into the back of the closest soldier. He fell to the ground, the chainmail offering no protection against my attack. The other soldiers had only the time to grimace before my men ran out brandishing their arms and quickly fell them. Now, in the middle of the road, I could see further down the street.
A contingent of guards standing at a crossroads had witnessed the killings and now began charging them. They wore full hauberks of thick chainmail, from waist to wrist, and held short halberds. I gritted my teeth, time was of the essence, and it was ticking down to the last second now.
"Shields! Shields now," I barked at my men. Five, with their shields raised, stood shoulder to shoulder, blocking the road.
"Johnny!" Johnny ran out of the alley carrying something I could only describe as elaborate. Two feet wide and tall, made of twisting copper pipes, and what I was told, filled with viscous magical material.
I helped him carry the device to the wall and set it against the thick stone. It was indeed heavy as a boulder, and I felt remorse for the poor lad's back, having carried it all this way with no help. I began preparing the timer as the sounds of battle raged. The guards were putting up a fierce fight. I pulled a lever, turned a valve, and set the timer, just as I had been shown.
It was then that a large boom had sounded from somewhere in the city, shaking the ground and the buildings. Another followed right afterwards. Johnny looked at me, "How large did they say this exploitation was supposed to be again, Captain?"
I finished the timer and inspected my work, "See that wall there? Take a good look. It's the last time you're gonna be seeing it. Now, back to the Ally, quickly." He ran back, and I noticed the fighting had stopped. Hanks rushed to his side, holding his right arm. His blue uniform had been bloodied, but he looked alive.
"Seems that was the rest of the guards in the area."
I nodded and stood, "All of you, back to the alley, now." My men rushed through first, heaving and tired from the fight. Some had been injured, but looked no worse for wear. We had moved back as far as I thought we should before hunkering down and placing our hands to our ears. A few moments passed, and as I began to think I had forgotten a step, the device went off.
A shockwave blew through the alley, hitting them like a wave of rushing water. The buildings shook and their glass windows shattered, sending glass in every direction. Debris and rubble fell on them like rain and persisted for a whole minute as they all covered their heads. Dust and smoke filled the air as the last of the debris fell.
Some of us had fallen to our sides, growling from the ringing in our ears. Hanks, a large fellow by the name of Henry, and I were the only ones left upright. I popped my ears, but it did little to help with the ringing.
"Hanks? Hanks, can you hear me?" He had a grimace on his wrinkled face, but nodded. "Get them to their feet, move to the breech."
I told Henry to do the same before pulling Jonny to his feet. He growled while rubbing his ears.
"I've been carrying that dam thing around on my back this whole time. Good grace of the moon, I'm never doing that again." I patted his shoulder, "Never say never, this war isn't done yet."
After composing ourselves, we headed back to the road, or what was left of it. The surrounding buildings had been toppled and lay in ruin along the alley and the street. The wall, five feet thick, now had a large hole blown into its side and rubble piled around the opening. Such destructive might, I can't help but think just how dangerous something like that truly is.
"...Ok, by now they should have gotten through the gates, we're to hold this for as long as it takes for reinforcements to arrive." Suddenly, I felt a hand pull my shoulder. Hanks hissed, "Manny, we got company!"
I turned my head down the road where the guards had been standing before and saw reinforcements had arrived, and it wasn't ours.
Several tall individuals strode towards them through the smoke, taking long, lumbering strides. Four monstrous men wearing jet black plate armor and wielding great swords, war hammers, and bearded axes in their gauntlets. Large bull horns sat atop their helmets like crowns. With each step, I felt my heart sink deeper into my chest.
King Osirian's personal guard finally let loose from his side. My mouth ran dry as I stared at them. It was as if the world had gone quiet; all I could hear were their heavy plate boots against the stone. I closed my eyes as my men stood by my side and prepared their weapons. Henry, as large as he was, seemed small in their presence. Even though, he still stood tall.
Hanks patted Johnny on the shoulder, and they traded glances. No words were needed. I opened my eyes and raised my sword with both hands, "Moon, guide my way home. Shine a path to my destiny, tell of my coming, and witness." When they had come all but 20 feet, I prepared to charge. I took a step forward and nearly another before a black shape seemed to drop out of mid-air and land between us.
Just as I had stopped my advance, so had the "Bulls," as they were called. The shape then stood up, hooded and cloaked. It was then I realized just what, or who, it was. He raised his hands towards the 4 soldiers, and a bright red haze seemed to surround his body. It moved like a fog, rolling down his arms and onto the palms of his hands before disappearing entirely.
The four Bulls, once charging like an unstoppable force just moments ago, suddenly turned quickly and nearly pushed one another out of the way trying to escape. It was futile. Living fire burst from the man's hands and fell upon the armored men like a wave, bathing them in a fiery inferno. Their muffled screams were drowned out by the roar of the flames, and the man did not stop until they were gone completely.
I stood watching, the heat of the flames rolling over me as if I were sitting too close to my family hearth back home. Even standing as far back as I was, maybe fifteen feet, the heat was nearly unbearable. The man lowered his arms after some time, and the last of the flames fell to the ground and onto the burning and charred heaps of armor that now sat melted to the road.
We all sat there for a moment, dazed by what had transpired. The figure then turned to them, their face hidden. "...Leave. Return to the lower city. Your job here is done." His voice was smooth and young, but there was an edge as sharp as a newly ground dagger. I gave him a nod, "Yes, sir."
Without another word, he quickly walked around them to the opening in the stone wall and climbed over the rubble and through to the castle courtyard beyond. My men began to murmur to themselves.
"That's him."
"I thought he died with General Felix at Lipston."
"I've never seen such magic like that before, especially not twice in one day."
Hanks gave me a look, and I quickly moved to regain my men's composure. "You heard your orders. Quickly, fall in, we're reporting back."
They began moving back into the alley, but each gave the charred remains one last look, and some, like Johnny, gave a misplaced prayer to them.
I stood there looking at the bodies with Hanks as the sound of battle grew louder from both inside the Castle courtyard and the city. He shook his head, "Poor fools, I'd pity them if they weren't about to crack my skull open with their hammer." I didn't say anything, but turned towards the opening and the new sound of roaring fire from within.
"... The Reaper."