***

(Few hours earlier)

“My lord!”

Said the red head man wearing the cloth from Astora to me who was still sitting on the throne inside the pyramid and sensing the entirety of the fortress

“What is it?” I replied to the man who was now in front of me.

“I have some information regarding the current state of the war…”

“Please do tell” I said

And the man began explaining the current situation…

Once he finished I understood that it was indeed grave, and we needed to get things done before the demonic army manages to get to Alsa…by the way things are going the overlord went berserk the moment that devil lord lost his life, and now he is on a vengeful rampage ruining city after city…

But using those numbers to try and stop the demonic army is a suicide…

Master was with them…I can’t have him die yet…

I began sensing where the dragon was then I imitated a telepathic conversation with him.

“Drakhsis…can I ask you something?”

“You may ask whatever you want Youngling. I owe you my freedom so ask without restraints.”

“I will be needing you to give a helping hand…or claw to the Alsian army in stopping the demons…” I said “I will be heading toward Astarte from here and it would take too much time to get there…although this fortress is fast…I think that our army will be wiped out before we reach there…”

“I can help…but I cannot kill the Overlord for you. You humans have to do this yourselves, as the word of the overseers is a decree and if I end up killing him it will mean that their word was transgressed and I don’t want to suffer their wrath…mind you I am not a coward but there are things that one should respect…and one of them is the overseers”

I should probably not tell him how I was dealing with that overseer then…

“Do you know the way then?” I asked

“I do. I already saw the landscape and the current shape of the kingdoms that time I read through your memories.”

Once he said the words I felt the fortress shake.

It seems that he took off and went directly north east of where we were. He was going at an enormous speed compared to his size and will probably get there in few hours.

“Alright…now that that is settled let’s see what are those things hidden down this pyramid” I said to no one in particular and was then spoken back to by the red haired man

“Yes my lord?” asked the man

I then stood off the throne and began walking toward the man. Once I was close I signaled him to follow me as I was headed toward the bottom section of the pyramid.

“No it is nothing…I am just thinking out loud. But could you give me the exact number of the men that are now inside this flying fortress?”

Due to me being able to navigate the fortress with but my will I needed not to remain on the throne.

And more so the fact that I now know every nook and cranny of this giant flying city I knew my way very well.

***

(Osfor POV)

Once we got closer to the demonic army they sensed us and turned back preparing for battle.

We were clearly exhausted and it was showing on most of the soldiers as for the demons only determination and will to kill and carnage was emitting…we were outnumbered and exhausted.

And the field where the fight is going to commence is an open one…meaning that we might get wiped out without a chance to do much harm…but we cannot flee…the enemy is both in front of us and behind us. Yet if these ones manage to reach Alsa…then all of our effort will be for naught.

The demonic army seeing our forces organizing themselves began the charge.

The hooves of the giant creatures and demons and the sound of their shouting and charging was enough to shake the earth.

“We have to stop them here…” said Takeda

“It is that or death.” Said Ousay

“At least we will be able to rest once we are dead” I said

“You think there is an afterlife?” said Midorikawa in a contemplating manner.

“Well I don’t know about heaven but hell is already in front of us. So let’s find out shall we?” said Greetman

With these jesting comments we began a fight that we all knew would be our last. But even then we all were sure to make the demons know of us. The power of the Alsian mages the strength of the Astartian soldiers and the might of the heavenly demons.

Takeda instantly raised a very long and large ramp made of earth that forced the demons that were running to climb it. This also worked well to force the demons that were casting spells to reconsider their aim and try to get closer in order to have a chance at using their dark magic.

The demons that managed to climb the ramp were now under heavy artillery composed of magic and enchanted arrows shot from the soldiers and mages at once.

The demons dropped like flies with a few managing to protect themselves from the attacks.

Yet soon these few numbers that would survive the casts would multiply creating more demons that are charging.

The demons and devils that survived would begin their assault

Ousay, Greetman and Midorikawa joint the vanguards and acted as a protecting division to insure the safety of the mages that were behind

I, Takeda and many other mages were shooting away at the demons that would come from behind the manmade hill

I used Overdrive and summoned dozens of fire golems to our ranks and made them be the first to intercept the demons. The bird that always followed me was set loose and I left it to rampage through the battlefield.

We were defending our position rather well at first. But the numerical disadvantage soon showed its threat. The demons became too many for us to shoot down and soon after that two of the bigger looking devils broke the ramp making way to the smaller ones and now the ten meter devils were threatening to overturn the battle.

A giant demons swung its fist into one of my flame golems making the debris hit our own forces.

Greetman who was furiously battling the greater devils in front of him took notice of these giant behemoths and in a moment he and Ousay glanced at each other.

A grin showed on both their faces, and in a moment they instantly disappeared

Re-appearing In front of the face of the two demons respectfully Ousay and Greetman slashed at them forcing the things to reel back from pain. While they both grabbed at their faces. One had a long and almost perfect cut diagonally positioned on his face while the other had two big gashes that splurged blood from his.

Once Greetman and Ousay dropped down, they dashed forward tearing at the Achilles heel of the demons forcing them to drop on their allies.

The giant demons crushed those that were unfortunate to escape in time under them, and instantly Ousay finished off his demon by slicing its throat while Greetman pierced both his blades in the eyes of the demon deep enough until not only the blade, but the arms of Greetman were buried inside the eyeballs of the giant.

The thing died instantly as for Ousay’s demon it gurgled out a mouthful of blood before it passed on.

They both looked at each other and I was sure that they would not begin to brag at each other about who managed to kill his demon first…I can already see Ousay saying that his demon was killed in style but Greetman would rebuke saying that his kill had more of an impact…

However fate is not that kind as a terror descended upon the battlefield.

The presence of the devil lord forced many of the soldiers to shake in their boots while many of the mages began to lose concentration and focus, rendering their attacks useless or sometimes some attacks would stray and hit some of our own…

The devil lord then appeared with the company of half a dozen of the same giant demons…along with the full force of the army as they now began to pour like a ravaging water from a broken dam.

The giant demons began to decimate at our ranks while the Devil lord headed toward Greetman as a look of glee and excitement was on his face

“I knew you would not be dead human!” said the demon in a voice that dampened the whole battlefield’s noise.

Greetman then welcomed the devil lord’s charge with a full and forceful buff of his body that his eyes turned white and his skin turned red with veins like ignited ember circulating through his body.

The fight between the two began yet the moment Ousay tried to intervene he found himself surrounded by three of the giant demons and was unable to offer any assistance.

My golems were losing ground as many of the devils would either run past them or will overwhelm them with sheer numbers.

Even my sacred beast and his giant phoenix form was not enough to be a threat to the devils attacking at the moment.

Our resolve is being tested…despite the fatigue and despite the numbers we will still fight on.

This will be our final stand and we will not falter.

A moment later a screech was heard that shook the very soul of everything in the vicinity…

A screech so loud that even I wanted to crawl under a hole and hide under.

Looking up I saw that the source of the screech was a being that everyone thought to be a creature of legend and magic…a being that should not exist not now and not anymore…

A real dragon.

***

“Who called?”

Said the voice.

At first nothing was apparent only darkness and cold was all I could sense or see.

A moment later its appearance was clear.

It was a couple hundred meters large almost as tall as Drakhsis and wore clothes made of a dark flame.

His face was that of a skull and his hands were made of bones.

He had a scythe on his hand one that looked exactly like the ones used for harvesting wheat.

His eyes had an eerie color that dimly shone in a faint murky blue.

“I be damned” Said Ashura… “Did you really have to say his name?”

“How am I supposed to know that just saying his name out loud will end up summoning him…” I replied

“I really don’t want to deal with this guy right now Asura…you will have to handle this yourself…don’t blame me if you end up dead though. You called him, you send him back.” Coldly said Ashura who really didn’t look enthralled to meet this thing or person

“I am beginning to feel like I am being ignored…and I really don’t like to be ignored. So who called?”

“My lord!” said the robed man in a ceremonial and most respectful manner while he knelt and lowered his head “It was that impudent man that had called upon you to this sullen world. Should you permit me to hand you his flesh and soul as an apology for having mentioned your name with his underserving person?”

The giant flame wearing skeleton then looked at me

“You called me to this place…I who is the end of everything is not so easily summoned though. So how? How would a mere human have the power to call upon me? While many and most of my servants who brim with power beyond what a human could ever hope to achieve are barely able to speak to me…”

I looked death in the eyes and said (I lolled writing this XD)

“You should probably be able to see that I am no longer human”

“Hmm…indeed…”

The thing then got his face a bit closer to me and at this distance I could certainly feel a might, and power beyond whatever I had felt before in any of the beings that I have met…this thing was strong…I would even say that he was leagues stronger than Drakhsis…

The temperature dropped significantly as death crept toward me and said

“A god’s descendant in a dragon’s body with a demonic existence…How is it possible that you are able to maintain balance between all of these things…If I remember…I feasted upon the soul of a primordial dragon a year ago…it seems that it was you who managed to kill it and for that I am thankful…consider the price of summoning me paid.”

“My lord!” said the man with the scythe “That man is undeserving! For having spoken to you that time I had to give the life of someone that was a dear friend of mine! Why is he getting such a treatment! He is unworthy of your grace! I should slay him for thee!”

Once the words were spoken Thathanos looked a bit angered

“You dare question me?”

“No-“

But before the man would finish he dropped to his knees and instantly turned to ash…

“I don’t like people who question me…”

He then looked at me who right now had a bead of sweat dropping from my forehead…I mean seriously

How the hell was that even possible

I pierced the man with a god damn sword to the damn skull and he rose back like if it was nothing while this guy just killed him with a glance…holy shit.

“Young man…I am really feeling interested with that body of yours…especially with that thing that is hiding…Ashura why not show up…I have been waiting for you for a long time…”

While he said the words I felt my body splitting

A small astral projection of Ashura showed itself.

“What is it Thathanos…” Annoyingly said Ashura…

“It’s been long” said Thathanos “Did you forget our agreement?”

“No. but I still have one of my descendants so you will have to wait…at least until he dies.” Said Ashura

…

“What is he speaking about” I whispered to Ashura.

“Do not try to speak behind my back. I don’t like people trying to speak behind my back.”

He surly does not like a lot of things…

“I didn’t want to annoy you with my…stupid questions but I was just wondering…sorry to have offended you” I said

“What an interesting person…many have seen me and most would either bow down or flee but you a mere human, a mortal soul would dare to talk to me and try to have a conversation…intriguing…So let me satisfy your curiosity although I hate talking too much…” said the man then he began

“Ashura owes me his soul…he paid his soul as a price for elongating the life of a person of whom he was fond of…too bad that person still died shortly after but I still managed to brand his soul…once all of his bloodline dies. I will be the one to claim it. Sadly I cannot interfere in this matter or else I would have already killed them all myself” said Thathanos while laughing at the last part…a creepy and very disturbing laugh.

“I can only take the life of those that would challenge me. Or those that I have already granted them immortality. So how about you become one of my immortal servants, young human? The dull and short life of a human is not fit for someone with that body of yours. You will both get to keep your power while I will both get you and the soul of Ashura.” Said the old man while presenting me with a black flame on his bony hand.

“Take this and you will live forever. Under me of course you will do what I order you to from time to time, but you will have a power beyond what you could ever hope for.”

“Nah sorry I don’t like becoming like that man…I really would love to just remain how I am…thank you” I said

To these words Thathanos probably felt offended as the coldness of the weather grew

“I really hate those who refuse me…” said Thathanos but after a moment the coldness disappeared “But I grew to hate many things…you will still die as your life will be but a mere moment in the grand scheme of time. Once you die I will claim your soul and with it I will empower myself more…So until we meet again…oh…after considering things…it seems that you have overpaid your service as the power from a primordial was too generous…so I will leave you with a gift.” Said Thathanos and with that he disappeared.

The daylight was once again shining as for everything else life itself resumed.

However this was only the case for us.

The gores were still immobile…no it seems that they are dissolving…what the hell is happening

Every gore on this camp is now transforming to ash dying slowly and painlessly as if surrendering to the embrace of death.

“What a show off…” Said Ashura

“Well it was interesting to see him capable of killing all of those things in an instant”

“Not that” said Ashura “Look at the ones that already died…”

Once I took a look I noticed that most of those that had fallen began to rise back…

Some I clearly saw lose their heads and limbs and were devoured yet they still rose back…

“To kill is easy…to grant life back to the dead…is something that only the ruler over death is capable of…” said Ashura.

Indeed…this is the power of an Everlasting…how hard will it really be to become one of those…I probably aimed high…but it matters not. As long as I sat that as an objective…I will never falter nor will I ever stop.