Battle Of Domion Valley (2)

“My men, my women, my beaten and bruised before me: You stand bloodied, but better; for you stand within the presence of your betters. I need no introduction, for I am your all and your nothing. I am the Zeroth, and I will see us through these trying times, and bring us toward a better tomorrow. I am only one man, and I need the bodies of those capable and willing. So I ask all of you this: Are you ready to die for me today?”

The crowd erupts in a euphoric chant of allegiance. Fennis is a terrible creature, no better now than he was before. His exile taught him nothing and in this moment, he is what these people need. Not me, it was never me. I could never have rallied people to such an impossible cause. As the cheers subside, Fennis continues.

“We are but mortals, dancing to the tune of beings that we cannot comprehend. We are powerless in the face of the Beta. They are an unnatural force, excising their will against our own. Yet we are not without saviors for ourselves. For as mortal as we are, the enlightened ones of us have seen it for ourselves, the power loaned to us, in the form of a Saint. The gods smile on me so, they summoned from the aether, a true knight… a Zeroth Knight’s better. I stand here today, for all to bear witness, our hero of heroes-” Fennis slides an arm to his side, gesturing to me. I don’t know what this is, but I comply. I approach his side, and he continues.

“I present for the world to acknowledge, Evangeline Sayagawa – the woman who will save our world!”

Fennis drops to one knee before me. My expression surely is one no other human has ever worn. Before me, an ocean of people follows his example. Gabe, Kagura, Rose, Kay, and Mimi are before me, all on bended knee.

This day, I have been made more than I am.

This day, I carry the responsibility for the lives that we are about to forfeit, and the smile on Fennis’ face tells me that this was his plan all along. He would rather fall in the books, as a humble man who passes the torch to a deity, than carry the responsibility of the world’s demise. Fennis, as always, is a serpent.

I do what they expect, and I smile to the crowd, reaching to my side, and tear my sword from the void - the space between the fabric of realities. I hold it high for the world to see, and it dissipates into a beautiful dust, for I am weak, unable to hold its form. Regardless of his speech, I am not the Zeroth or anything else, and I cannot save these people.

As a horn sounds in the distance, Fennis calls the army to action. They rush into their formations and halt at the entrance to the valley. I stand to Fennis’ side, surrounded by the Valkyries. Fennis raises his sword high and shouts for the lords and ladies, gods and goddesses, and the very devils themselves to hear.

“Save the person next to you, as they would in return. March.”

In unison, everything moves. We rush down the valley, the wind ripping around us as we plunge deeper. By the time we near the bottom, the enemies blanket the horizon. I still don't understand exactly what's happening, although I understand one thing, and it's enough for me – these sons of bitches killed Nina.

I will never forgive them.

When we meet the scouts at the entrance of the valley, I could see the details on the faces of the Beta horde. Fennis releases a scream that could pierce the heavens, ordering our charge.

The wave of allies and beasts alike collide in a blur of mayhem. The moment I enter the fray, the world slows. I dodge and weave through trunks of arms and claws of torture. I swing the metal sword Fennis gave me, and with each swing a Beta falls. I dive deeper and deeper into the center of their mass.

With each Beta I fell, all the Valkyries, except Rose, take down two. Rose is nowhere to be seen, perhaps she is still resting in the camp, trying to recover from whatever had happened to her.

More impressive still is that for every two Mimi and Kay slay, Fennis lays waste to five. We may make short work of the vile creatures, but their numbers don't stop. Corpses pile around us from friend and foe alike.

Not long into the battle, my sword shatters against the teeth of a Beta. Fear consumes me as I stand defenseless against the beast. The others have their hands full and I am unarmed. It swings its talons at me, and I roll under it. Just in time, I regain my footing and jump to the side, to avoid the crater it has created where I stood only moments ago.

My breath runs ragged, and the chances of me getting out of this alive are slim, especially since I am not the Zeroth anymore. I am not important enough for others to turn to my aide, even with Fennis’ proclamation. If anything, people are paying me even less attention than they otherwise would; they see me as something more powerful than I am.

A new Beta comes at me from the side and stretches its neck to bite me. I’m only able to avoid it by taking a hit from another Beta. Neither were good options, but not being serrated seemed more important, even though several of my ribs are now broken.

These beasts are strong; they have nothing on the one Nina fought. Poor, poor Nina, done in by my own failings. I cannot die until I have destroyed Gee-Gehenna for what she has done.

Both Beta charge at me and collide with one another as I summon what energy I can to escape. I can’t keep this up. I’m so tired. I can’t sustain my sword’s existence. I wonder if it has other applications?

With both Beta fumbling to stand up, I reach into the void next to me. I pull my sword from it and immediately focus my intent. I visualize the energy of the sword going into my arms and legs. If I can’t have a physical weapon, then perhaps I can maintain its energy longer. A third Beta tackles me from behind and I tumble into the first two.

One slings its arm down and another shoots its head in a straight line, away from its body. Both collide with me simultaneously. My outstretched arms successfully block them. I shove the beasts back enough to slide out from between them.

After a quick duck and roll, I’m behind them. I punch forward, my fist sinking into one of the beast’s legs. It howls as I pull my fist out of it, nearly stumbling backward. This power is not quite what I expected. My thoughts are cut short as another Beta stretches its head out to bite me. I clench my fist and send out a jab that shatters its teeth.

I block the next swing and break the beast’s arm. I fight and fight with this new energy around my arms and legs until, at the end, I stand victorious amongst a crowd of Beta, weaponless. I hear Kagura whistle in admiration in the distance, but all I can do is stare at my hands. The power is still here, fainter than before. Even with the power I have now, I feel invincible.

I can do it. I can destroy the ones responsible for taking Nina from this world.

My determination consumes me for a moment, and I imagine the aura turning black, which calls me back to the scene before me, with people all turned and looking my way. I stand on a hill of corpses above the others, and they stare on at me, broken, beaten, and, in most cases, dead.

At this moment, I feel exhilaration like none before and raise my fist high. The energy leaves me, and the people I have grown to know stare up at me in wonder. Only Mimi, Kay, and Fennis was this far into the fray. Kagura and Gabe stand some hundred feet away, looking on as best they can.