Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Fantasy

Chapter 9 Plans within plans

With Illia advancing from the south towards Belazel, and Renue to the east, desperation overcame the soldiers who guarded the city. Now that the Antimatter cannons are out, only the troops can defend the city.

(Gunfire and screams flood the moonless night, Illia is walking with her bloodied scythe. On her side was Xyphas)

Illia* Xyphas, What happens next after this?

Xyphas* I can think of one...

(Illia withdrew her scythe, And stretched her arms a bit as she yawns)

Illia* What?

Xyphas* Renue will probably make us attack the other capitals too... 

(Houses on fire spews out embers)

Illia* What makes you say that?

Xyphas* Renue wants to cut the support for the wardens. The other races doesn't know about the Xurgan spore King Aramat found. And with it in his possession he can doom everyone or any planet if he loses control of the spore hatchings.

Illia* So Renue won't take that risk? 

(A tall building collapses nearby, Its fall echoes throughout the city)

Xyphas* These buildings were bombed with anti-troop warhammer Missiles. A Praetorian weapon made for war. I don't think "risk" is the word you're looking for.

Illia* So its gonna be a massacre?

(Xyphas then takes a deep breathe and glides forward)

Xyphas* who knows... Only time will tell (a powerful presence caught Xyphas' attention) something is coming.

(Illia drew her weapons once more and readied herself)

Illia* Is it the enemy?

Xyphas* Not quite... It seems that your friends finally found you.

Illia* Ohh... The Praetorians?

(Xyphas chuckles as he points towards the crowd rushing towards them)

Xyphas* Your other friends...

(A massive horde of Ghouls, Wraiths, Skeletons and Blackhounds approaches)

Illia* The undeads... They've finally arrived.

(A portal opens near Illia and came forth the Lich)

Lich* My apologies your highness... We ran into some trouble.

(Illia withdrew her weapon and calmed a bit)

Illia* What happened, why did you take so long?

Lich* When I returned to Castle Schrade, there were uninvited guests...

Illia* Grave robbers? Humans are such pitiful creatures...

Lich* Not human... Nor grave robber... But something else.

(Illia started to worry)

Illia* Who's dumb enough to trespass on our domain?

Lich* It was the Order... They brought several elite slayers, they didn't go there to dig some graves. They went there to execute "YOU" if Ava hadn't been there... We would have failed to defend Castle Schrade.

Illia* Strange... No one ever went to that length just to kill father... Usually they would just bombard the castle grounds. But sending out Elite slayers? I've never heard the order doing that even on drastic missions.

Xyphas* Hahahahaha... The order probably sniffed Demis passing, and thought that eliminating His "only" Daughter would end the Undead menace. This is going to be dangerous. The Elite slayers are trained to kill the undead generals.

(The Undeads are howling nearby as they remembered the clash of steel and claw against the Elite slayers)

Lich* These Undeads that I have brought, survived clashing with them... They will aid you princess. I must return soon to Castle Schrade, the castle needs some tending. And you will need more troops in your future endeavors. I will accompany you until Belazel, We've secured the outer rim. The humans have been cornered inside the building, we tried to attack but they had Knights protecting the buildings. So it has to be you princess.

Illia* Alright... I still have troops that I apparently left behind. Can some of the undead find them and escort them back to me?

(The Lich lowers his head to Illia and ordered a few of the Undeads to find the praetor that where left behind)

Lich* Zriaa'ki zul! Entuen qulo!

(Some of the Undeads burrow and tracks the Praetors)

Lich* There princess... They will find your lost Praetor. I'm pretty sure they're the ones I saw before we parted ways yes?

Illia* Yes they're the ones with me. Now Lich... Lead the way.

(The Lich points towards the tallest building on the north, and the Undeads began to march)

Lich* Make way for Belazel!

(Illia and the Undeads March, one can feel the intent of the forces, the earth trembles as the troops stomp their weapons and tusks)

Lich* The road is paved with blood and bone. Cries and guns echo... The wind howls, the blasts lights the darkened sky... We walk and take, we are the living dead. And there is no one we serve other than the Sepulcher!

(The Undeads roar and bellows)

Illia* My my... Isn't this flattering.

Xyphas* The Undeads are walking... and this "inspires" them? Idiots. No rest for the weary and the wicked.

(Illia laughs as the horde marches, killing everyone who gets in the way, The news of undead attack on Belazel gave the signal for the entire Order to take any means necessary to eradicate them)

Illia* This is my first time. Of course this makes me happy. Look we're on the news too!

(Illia points at the huge holographic television on Belazel building)

Xyphas* We've done it now...

(Upon arriving at the building the Undeads cease their horrific chants and stomps... Leaving only silence)

(Illia steps forward, From Belazel building. Armored elite soldiers of the Human army, known as Knights come forth)

Xyphas* Elite soldier of the Human race... Wearing Badelaire steel, A jade steel that hardens overtime. And wielding Force swords. A concentrated sword hotter than a yellow sun. Shields made from Gallantian steel. They are the epitome of defense. How do you put up with that Illia?

(10 knights stood together and made a shieldwall, Shields linked and swords pointed)

Illia* I killed one of you back then at Balland academy... What makes you think you scare me?

(One of the knights replied at Illias taunt)

Knight* The one you killed was a mighty knight, and an excellent scholar. It is good to know his slayer is standing in front of us right now.

Xyphas* I smell death.

Lich* You are not alone Princess... We are here to serve you.

(Illia smiles and gazes at the knights)

Illia* That's good to hear... The only death here is me. ATTACK!!!

(The Lich points the knights and ordered the Undeads to attack)

(The knights did not falter and before an undead gets near the Force swords heat burns them to ashes)

Lich* We need a plan princess... The Undeads would not be able to get close to those knights.

Illia* How about I insulate them from the force swords?

Xyphas* Save your energy... That will not work. Those swords of them carry the sun into battle, you need something to put out the sun.

Lich* A sun eater...

Xyphas* Yeeees. Perhaps you can conjure one.

Illia* Sun eaters? You mean the creature who ate our neighboring galaxy? What do you mean? Someone can conjure those?

Lich* Princess... Sun eaters are unnatural beings. They are designed to destroy suns for the benefit of a planet. They were created by the Styxians.

Illia* How can a planet benefit from losing its sun?

(As the trio gets distracted and a Knight lunges towards Illia, The heat from the sword instantly burned the Lichs robes)

Lich* Agghhhkkk... (Teleports away)

Illia* Wow!!! (Materializes her scythe and clashed with the sword) I can take the heat... How??

(Xyphas didn't flinch and kept his poise)

Xyphas* You are under my protection... Demon fire is hotter than sunfire... Now, Kill them all.

(Illia shoves the Knight and swung her scythe, Chipping the shield)

Illia* This is bad... Its me against them. My troops cannot help us. The searing flame is too much.

(The other knights then break stance and decided to advance onto the undeads, burning everyone who gets near)

Xyphas* Your army is dwindling... Lich will soon get the sun eater. Hold on tight Illia.

(Illia is struggling to hold back the mighty knights at bay)

Illia* Perhaps magic would do!(chanting)

Xyphas* Wait no!

(Illia fires a bolt of lighting at one of the Knight only to deflect it back at her)

Illia* Damn... (Swipes her scythe to parry the lightning)

Xyphas* Forgetting something... Gallantian steel is magic proof.

Illia* Right... I forgot about that. So its Anti magic and anti physical? Remind me to get my soldiers those.

(The Knights swatted down half of the Undeads already. The other Undeads retreated leaving only Illia and Xyphas)

Xyphas* So much for your army.

Illia* Its better for them to retreat than get killed... These ones fought against Elite slayers after all... I'm gonna need them still.

Xyphas* Then let me see what I can do.

(The 10 Knights have surrounded Illia, But before anyone could strike. Xyphas forcefully Takes control of one of the Knights by Planting himself on the face)

(The Knight struggles to resist Xyphas' influence but to no avail, Xyphas has taken control of the body)

Xyphas* Ahahahaha... This one is mine now!

(Now its a 2 Versus 9 situation, Illia and Xyphas stayed back to back to fend off the other knights)

Xyphas* Let's see what this body can do!

(Xyphas dove into the knights and started swinging his blade, One by one he chips their shields, until he was able to break at least half of them)

Illia* Xyphas good work... I'll take these ones.

(Illia then fights of the Shieldless ones)

Illia* Unleash true strength! (Illia then morphs into a Shadow demon, Sucking all the nearby life) Give me strength!

(The shadow demon Illia morphed into didn't last long, but she was able to kill 2 of the Knights by aging them)

Illia* (exhausted breathing) Ahhh... Ahh.... (Gets up and holds the scythe)

(The Knights get back on their feets and attacked, They were able to dismember Xyphas as he thrashed about, Xyphas then removes himself to the corpses head)

Xyphas* Well I'm out...

Illia* Same as me...

(But before the two could do anything else the earth rumbled)

(The rumbling earth made everyone lose their balance, Then the ground shatters beneath the knights, and cometh a sun eater from the ground)

Xyphas* Your timing couldn't be much better.

(A portal opens and the Lich returns)

Lich* Forgive my early departure... I've brought us backup.

(The sun eater grab hold of the knights swords and devoured them one by one, When there were no more light to eat. The sun eater dries up and perishes)

Illia* Now the tables have turned... Let's fight.

Lich* No need your highness... Let the men do it.

(A horde of Undeads rise from the ground and hastily rushed the knights, With no fire to cleanse the undead, they were overpowered and brought to heel, The horde flooded the knights)

Lich* This is where I stay princess... Go forward. 

Illia* Thank you Lich...

Xyphas* Let's go Illia... Belazel is a few walks away.

(As Illia and Xyphas leave the gore behind them, Slowly Illia walks and enters the lightless building of Belazel)

Illia* Here we are...

(Glass doors slide open as Illia walks near them, Computers light up and display random statistics of some sort)

Illia* What are these? I can't make anything out of them...

Xyphas* These are data's... "ORION" It says here.

(Illia looks fascinated)

Illia* Look theres more... 

(As Illia and Xyphas explore the building more and more images show from the computers)

Xyphas* Orion will make them bend there knee? What a weird slogan...

Illia* This place is empty... Where is everyone?

(The two keeps on going, They stumbled upon a room filled with Computers displaying pictures and blueprints of some sort)

Xyphas* I see now what ORION is...

(Illia looking confused)

Illia* What's orion?

Xyphas* An orbital strike station...

(Illia was shocked and she dropped her scythe to look around, and that all the computers show An orbital strike cannon pointed at Styx)

Illia* No... This is forbidden...