Chapter 4

*flashback*

It is a sunny day, a dry and dead land of the desert with no water and a merciless environment, dedicated to death, a land with all negativity… a living and breathing hell.

There used to be cactus like plants here, but all of them have been cut. There is no water, no food.

A feast for crows and ravens, there is a pile of bodies rotting in every few steps away. Some limbs and severed heads are also there, still expressing pain although they seem to have been there for hours.

Yet, they look like they’ll move and try to cling to life? There is only fear on the ground and not only just among the dead; there are still much alive here. It’s not just ravens and crows, there are other carnivorous animals it seems that have found their way here.

No, not physically, I’d say it’s mental.

Yes, it’s the overwhelming hunger, that the omnivores have no other option but to eat one of their own fallen. They have become animals. You can say they are looking forward to their fellow allies to get killed so they can live a little longer.

It’s been days since any of them have slept. Some of them are already hallucinating and some see a horde of supernatural beasts coming to their way slaughtering. But just when they get attacked, they come to realize that it’s just illusion.

With a cry, a man can be seen how frustrated he is in this 7th circle of hell. The never ending horror they have witnessed here, suffered and committed to one another, even if they get out from this alive, they are surely going to commit suicide.

Yes, we are looking at the battle ground.

“How many men have we lost?” asks the general in a calm tone inside an army camp

A huge army is seen standing in the middle of the day. The huge battleground is still covered in a crowd. The people are standing with their guards on, holding on to their weapons tightly. Some are seen sweating from their forehead, all tensed, clenching their teeth, some are praying to their Gods to see another day. Some are over confident and smiling at the situation.

The other side, well there is a man walking towards another. The one standing there is holding a greatsword that is black in color and is emitting red flames out of it. The armor is jet black. He looks like a Dark Knight rather than a demon lord. His fingers are also under armor gauntlet and his hand looks like demonic claws. He is covered in a very strange aura. Black in color, it's called the miasma.

This miasma is a dark aura which covers anyone who has a dark heart or is consumed by darkness. His heart seems so dark, it is capable of causing a solar-eclipse just with his hatred.

Such is the hatred of a demon lord.

He steps forward, starts running towards the army, the army in return starts a battle cry, and they start their march. He instantly turns into a blur, slicing his way through, he is first crushing the leaders and commanders of troops.

"No please have mercy, I surrender, kyaaaaaaa" The man who tried to surrender was chopped into so many small pieces, he was a minced meat in no time. His armor shared the same fate.

“We have lost at least 10000 men in the first raid, Sir, no survivors and no survivors among the rescue team or medic team, Sir,” said a young soldier captain

“This much damage in just a first wave? Just what are we up against?” he added

“Retreat, for now, we have to reorganize every troop and also make sure our cannons and other firepower are ready within an hour” The commander gave the orders with complete confidence.

However, his voice was shaky; it was clear that on the inside how nervous he truly was.

“Yes Sir, as you say, Sir,” said the captain

To think this will escalate this far, what were the King and Pope thinking? No, it’s not just them. Five nations and more than three major religions have formed an alliance in this war.

We have no lack of man power at all. With this huge army, it was a matter of days to conquer the entire world of Eswilles. Yet, we suffer losses, yet we were forced to retreat.

We were forced to retreat and that too against… Just against one man? Man? Hah, I highly doubt that. Well practically, it’s he and his servant but the servant doesn’t fight. It’s all the work of just one man who united five countries and three major religions that have a contradictory establishment to one another.

All united just to defeat him?

Just when did the world change so much? “Commander, the wizard and sorcerer regiment have been placed right behind the vanguards riding beasts, we have made archers to ride on Wyverns. All the arrows are made of silver. All the Swords of Vanguards are also made of silver. We have also mobilized Lancers. We are currently building movable walls and placing cannons in between them.”

“Good, what about the east clan we asked help from? Have any of those showed up?” asked the commander

“When they heard who we were up against, they politely said that we are welcome as refugees, but they won’t be a part of this” answered one of the reporters

“Such cowards and of course what would you expect those shinobis who attack people in their sleep. They have no honor”

“Guess it’s my time to report the leaders union” Sighed Arkon the commander.

*Igor’s POV*

For more than one thousand years, I have served my master with all my heart. Master has never disappointed me once. I am glad he chose me and turned me into the undead like he is. What an honor to be with him. Unfortunately, I am not strong enough to be a soldier; my duty is to ensure he gets what he needs after he is done with the battle.

I have seen much evil before I met him, I have seen him do evil before, but every time he goes on a rampage, I see more evil than I have seen before from him. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing this evil being in flesh and blood, doing the violence one would expect only in depths of hell.

The only person capable of bringing living and breathing hell on earth is my master, what a privilege to be on his side and witness this as someone who will not share the same fate as the victims to this violence.

If I were a human, I would have puked my intestines out just seeing all of this and the miasma that he emits. He sure is pissed. He! He! He!

*Igor laughs like a maniac, POV ends*

“We need to do something about this” Yells a figure at someone sitting on a throne. The sky is bright and a cloud is around. It appears to be a castle in the sky. There is just too much white, every object is made of gold.

The one on the throne is wearing an armor that shines like gold as well. But it’s not just the armor, he himself is luminous. He calmly hears the complaints of the one who was yelling a while back.

He himself looks odd, a being who have bright white wings behind him, holding a wooden staff in his grip, armor is combination of white cloth wrists and belts, boots and chest armor are made of golden Orichalcum and he wears a wooden headband on his forehead that has leaves growing on them, he also wears jewellary that looks like made of gold and silver only that these metals are not actually gold and silver but something else entirely.

“I empathize with you child, Onas, but divinity cannot meddle with deeds of mortals,” said the one in chair

“Child? huh, A lot of mortals will be ended if this goes on” reasoned Onas in a desperate tone.

“We don’t want his wrath on us either” Said Lacreus on the chair while summoning a scythe from nothingness.

“What do you mean? We are the divine beings, who are we afraid of? Don’t tell me you are scared of that demon lord scum?” asked the puzzled Onas

“You won’t understand, it’s not that I am scared of him, I am scared of his wrath which will destroy more if I am involved and also his curse is a problem. A pained soul’s curse can even bring divinity to its knees, you won’t understand, you are too green. He was wronged by the fate, I would have done the same if I were him” answered Lacreus in a calm tone.

“I am too green? Hahaha, are you forgetting that it was first life that came to be and then came the death?” asked Onus in a smiling expression

“Actually we are practically same being, it's just that life only creates a living thing and gets over it, while death waits, it observes the being, it knows all about the dead by the time its end comes, and it’s only after death the being is judged for his or her actions. How do Karma, curses work? I’d say you are worse than green in this area” answered Lacreus while smiling

“Tch” Onus was clearly pissed on the inside, he was clearly not cut out to mess with death himself through a battle between life and death is as old as all of the creation after all.

“However, if you would like to interfere, you may have the scythe that shall be powerful enough to kill this undead but know this, I have got nothing to do with this” he added

“Understood and thank you for the weapon” Onas was grateful for the approval itself, the scythe was more than what he had expected.

“Prepare the army of heavens” Onas commanded to one of his retainers

He is seen standing in front of countless angels all holding spear and shield with golden color Orichalcum and Adamantine armor and wings of different colors mostly white and some being black and gray.

They all fly towards a worm hole that was created by the scythe of Lacreus.

“We are on half the man power we had earlier this morning” Reported Arkon to the Alliance.

The five kings seem and three religious leaders looked shocked to the death after this report. “This is the end of the world, my friends, I say it’s about time we accept our fate,” said one of the religious leader of Flusans, Halmar.

“We must not give up to that scum till the last breath, you spineless coward. As expected from a Flusan” panicked another religious leader of Aralesm, Hydale.

“Indeed, I say we must continue to pray to our Gods and hope they show mercy on us,” said another religious leader, he looks calm and in control.

Juktar of Cult of the Paragon is said to be the most powerful leader across the world of Eswilles. He is even rumored to have been in touch with the divine beings after countless sacrifices.

“You are the last person I would like to talk, you …, if it was not for your actions, we wouldn’t be in this situation” barked Hydale. “If it was not the issue of human extinction, I would have never agreed to see your face either” smiled Juktar while his eyes were closed.

The other Kings were quietly observing the conversation, they knew it wasn’t just Juktar but the kingdom of Slaya was equally responsible.

While the rest four Kings were gazing the remaining one, Ethen was calm as always. His eyes connected with Juktar’s and they both smiled and remained quiet while the yelling still continued.

“My name is Grail Cromwell, and this is your death” The demon lord in a Black Knight's armor materializes from the mist. His eyes are blood red glowing sharp while his body is surrounded by black miasma. It’s so much that it turns the sunny day look like a night.

┌ Unsheathe Eternal Blade of Blue Star ┘

A countless blue light emitting swords on fire are summoned and they just hide the sky behind them. The Human Soldiers look towards the sky, it still blue, but there are only bright blue swords and the temperature is just rising around them.

A sword falls from the hand of a soldier, the other just laughs like a maniac, some are seen on their knees already, with eyes closed many look like they have accepted their fate, they are ready to die now.

After their morals crushed, they are ready for heaven now.

As soon as Cromwell about to drop those swords on those poor soldiers, the wormhole opened, Onus swung the scythe of Lacreus and all swords disappear into nothingness. Cromwell is seen looking towards the sky. The sky is brighter than ever, and countless angels can be seen descending towards the ground. The soldiers look and pass out. With a click of a finger, they are removed from the battleground to a safe haven.

In the camp, Juktar is seen smiling “So they came after all” The rest of them are sweating while observing what is happening.

“Will Onus interfere with my wrath upon those who wronged me?” Asked Cromwell

“Then so be it” he added with a new resolve.

***