Joseph fell to one knee having realized what he had just been made to do. His breathing escaped him and his vision narrowed. “Boss…hu, why… hu, why did you make me…hu” Joseph clutched his chests armor, trying to stop his heart from breaking through it.

The shout of an army brought him back to reality. They were raising their morale in preparation for their attack. Joseph used his sword to stand. Looking at the army he slammed his sword into the ground, the terra once again wrapping around it and doubling the sword's length. The men had the insanity of gospel in their eyes now. There was no stopping them, and Joseph didn’t try. They had already been given their one and only warning.

They charged forward.

Joseph twisted his whole body, winding up for his attack. Flaring his magic he swung the weapon with all his might before letting go of the handle. The giant weapon carved a path of death down the center of the army, but they did not stop charging. Joseph’s weapon had gone through the whole army, out the back of it, and into the woods behind it. No less than a hundred men dead.

When the men finally reached him, only horror awaited them. Their weapons ricocheted off Joseph’s armor, causing them to strike their own. Looking down at all the men Joseph began grabbing their heads and crushing them in the palm of his hands. The people he kicked flew so hard and fast they killed others. He tore off arms, legs, even spines. All in an effort to show them they stood no chance against him even when he was unarmed. Or so that’s what he tried to tell himself.

He ripped them apart, ‘that God forces me to kill the Boss and you all still stand for HIM! Why?! Why did the Boss have to do that? Why must you infect everyone that hears your name? No one ever understands. No one except me!’ Joseph’s slaughter of the men comes to a halt as he reaches out and grabs one man, wielding an axe, by the throat. Lifting him to Joseph’s face he pleads with the man, “Stop fighting.” The man’s axe strikes Joseph’s shoulder only to bounce off.

He stares Joseph in the eyes, “Those who fight in the name of God will never stop!”

Joseph can feel his eyes burn, “Please! I do not even care deeply for you but I have been made to kill too many men today. Please, don’t make me kill another one!” The man’s axe swings towards Joseph’s neck, but after a loud snapping sound, it falls to the ground. The man now hung limply in Joseph’s grasp. Setting him down Joseph looked at the remaining army which showed no signs of retreat.

A blast of fire hit Joseph in his side, singeing some of his skin. The mage’s attack had hit without fail, though it did catch some other men in its explosion. The giant of a boy reached down and grabbed the axe of the man he had slain. The massive boy then swiped away the mage’s second attack, “I knew something was off with you boy! My failure was not noticing it sooner.” The mage pulled out his wand that had been ‘passed’ down from his father after he had killed him. Lifting it up he funneled his magic through it. The wand helped him focus his magic, made it easier to cast fire magic, and multiplied his magical strength. ‘I hate having to use that bastard’s wand. I’m sure he’s laughing down there now as he watches me.’

Joseph watched as the mage fired off another attack, it seemed to be much bigger than his previous. Joseph smacked it with the borrowed axe before it could hit him.

CRACK! SHATTER!

The axe head shattered, the only thing remaining of it was the handle Joseph had put on it. Quickly Joseph raised his gauntlet, commanding the terra to protect him, however it was too late. The full force of the blow hit Joseph head on. He did his best to knock the physical aspect of the spell away, but that didn’t stop the heat from touching his body. The ball of magic flew off to the side of him while he stood tall.

The mage looked at him, lost in his own thoughts, “but… that isn’t—shouldn’t be possible.”

Joseph looked at his now scorched hand, the wooden armor falling away from it and crumbling to ash. Half his gauntlet was also chard. He staggered back before falling to the ground. His body was hot, his mind threatening to fade away and drift off to sleep or slumber. “No, I can’t. No matter what.” Joseph roared out as loud as he could.

The mage was still shook. ‘For him to be in one piece after taking on such a spell with just his hand. He has to be stopped now, there is no telling how strong this boy may become if he were to live.’ He readied his next attack, preparing to end the blasphemer. It was then when he heard something behind him. It was the gallop of an animal, a large one. It wasn’t a horse though, no. The only thing it could be was—

White charged in after hearing Joseph’s call. She held his weapon in her mouth. After finding it in the woods she had been chewing on it while waiting for him. As White plowed through the army the weapon inevitably crashed into people. It snapped legs, backs, and even decapitated a man that was wearing nothing but a robe. She dropped in next to Joseph as he laid on the ground.

Joseph reached up, placing one hand on White. “Protect yourself. Kill anyone who tries to hurt you but don’t chase them down, let them leave if they wish to keep their lives.” Then, out of desperation, Joseph tried to force his magic on White in an effort to protect her so she didn’t get hurt fighting for him. To his surprise he found it not just flowing into her but being pulled away from him. The wolf visibly grew in size, though Joseph didn’t notice as he fought to hold on to his consciousness.

The remaining men all looked towards the great wolf as Joseph’s hand fell from it. The men had but one thought, ‘is that wolf smiling?’

White’s claws shredded armor as if it was meant to aid her in her killing. Her jaws bit men in half before spitting them back out, she did not like the flavor of metal. Some were able to strike her, but their blows seemed to glide across her rough fur as if they were trying to brush her. It was not long before no man remained, only bodies of former foolish men.

White found her way back to Joseph, using her snout to flip him over onto his stomach. She then bit down on the back of his neck, only hard enough to carry him. Everything but Joseph’s head and chest was dragged across the ground while she carried him, but she didn’t mind.