On a peninsula in the far east of Koroha Kingdom allocated a colossal temple with countless towers and presbyteries. Rainbow windows reflected the sunlight, so dazzling that it put all the gemstones on the continent into shame.

It was the Altar of Reliance. Sacred home of the god.

However, the Sun was soon blocked by thunderclouds. Darkness reigned over the holy land. An enormous army of humankind was surrounding the temple, challenging its absolute power.

Blood stains drenched soldier’s armors, but the stench didn’t make them frown. In fact, it made them thirstier. Thirsty for blood.

Facing them was another army of bipedal, abominable creatures. Servants of the god.

Despite hunchback, they were taller and skinner than humans, and longer limbs. Talons grew on their fingers and toes instead of nails. Triangular spikes sprouted from their nape to their bottom.

Due to their lack of eyes, ears, and nose, the god servants’ sole way to express emotion was their mouth, which bared two rows of pointy teeth. Albeit they were outnumbered, ferocious smiles always bloomed on their face.

Between them stood a big man, dressing in a full black plate armor. He clenched a black broadsword wreathed in a malicious aura in his right hand and a battle-worn metal buckler on his left. A long, big scar cut across his face from his left eye.

Renowned as the greatest warlord of Koroha Kingdom, Mangolunikus had gathered myriad soldiers from nearly all countries on the continent and established a formidable alliance. Battle after battle, victory after victory, he had led them here to face the deities they used to worship.

Mangolunikus turned to his men with a smirk, amplifying his voice’s volume with a spell. “THIS IS THE DAY, MY BRETHENS! THE DAY THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS THE TRUTH, THAT GOD, CAN BLEED!”

Thunderous roar shook the altar, as if it could blow Mangolunikus away. Yet, the god servants remained their stance.

The warlord roared as well, and charged to the enemy, followed by the entire army of mankind.

Metal crashed into flesh. Sword cut into bones. Talon stabbed into the armor.

The foul creatures might possess fewer arms and protection, yet his men were struggling in combats with the repulsive creatures.

On the other hand, Mangolunikus was rampaging among them, clearing their path to the temple.

Wielding the ultimate weapon, he slashed through his opponent with ease.

At first, he could cut off an arm or a head with some resistance. For every enemy he struck down, his demonic sword grew stronger. Its aura changed from black to crimson then to red and became more ferocious. He managed to kill a few creatures with a single swing, albeit the blade’s length remained unchanged.

Seeing their leader’s immense bravery and strength, the soldiers’ morale skyrocketed, and they fought even more recklessly.

“BRETHENS! KEEP THE LINE! KEEP THE FORMATION!” Mangolunikus shouted.

He led the alliance all this way here to slay the god, not only these foul beings. It wasn’t wise to let his men act carelessly, or else the human army would diminish greatly before the last fight.

“Keep the line!”

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“Keep the formation!”

Orders were given to the legion, and the troopers obeyed. Previously, countless rebellions were shut down and kingdoms destroyed. Hatred toward the god became cowardice.

Mangolunikus often got into big trouble whenever he mentioned a revolt against the god. Only when he obtained a few victories, more people trusted in him, including other kings.

Like a smoldering ember, their memory of the deity’s betrayal never vanished.

Back in the days, people offered their crops and their life to serve the god, who in their belief had saved them from a continental disaster. Some poor families who couldn’t raise their children, they were persuaded to send them to temple subsidiaries, promised to be educated and well-fed.

However, a century was too long to keep a cat in the bag. Once the truth about those innocent kids becoming nutrition for the god was revealed, the kingdoms trembled under people’s rage.

There went shock, then fury, and then a rebellion.

Screeches and groans haunted the battlefield. Limbs and organs, belonging to both men and god servants, scattered all over the battlefield.

It didn’t bother the alliance a bit, for they knew today was their day. Their fate relied on how they walked out of here. If they ever could.

“WE ARE MOSTLY THERE, MY BRETHENS!!!” Mangolunikus’ voice resounded the whole area.

He wasn’t lying to boost the morale. The soldiers could actually see the last line of enemy falling down like grass when the furious waves of men pushed forward.

Once the last servants collapsed, they cried victory and clanged their weapons and shields.

“THIS IS NOT THE END!” Mangolunikus reminded them. “NOW. OUR BATTLE BEGINS. SHARPEN YOUR WEAPON, AND CUT DOWN THE GOD!”

Their thunderous roar called out to their last opponent. A bold challenge to the spiritual ruler.

“YOU INSOLENT MORTALS. YOU DARE TO DEFY ME? YOUR GOD?”

A deep, cavernous voice struck Mangolunikus and the men right in the head, pushing them back a few steps.

It wasn’t someone saying. It was a blast of sound. A terrifying sign that was warning them how powerful the god could be.

And it was effective, as many soldiers were trembling. They whispered and cursed, trying to regain courage and searching for the trace of their enemy.

Nothing around them. Even Mangolunikus, blessed with ultimate sense by the demonic sword, failed to locate the source of the voice.

“Shouldn’t it come out of the temple?” he wondered. “But it sounds like coming from everywhere.”

The moment he was about to utter an order, a tornado of black fire emerged at the temple’s entrance. Intense heat swallowed everyone around it, and aggressive gales cut deep into their armors.

The front lines collapsed like a puppet whose string had been cut off, leaving the rest in panic.

Shrieks and cries swam through the army. Who could have thought a mere arrival would dissipate a third of them?

No one. Not even Mangolunikus.

Truth to be told, he was in shock as well.

And to worsen their nightmare, the god revealed himself.

A centaur with a bulky frame, who was thrice taller and bigger than the warlord, coated in a malicious, black aura. Four massive hooves left burnt marks on the stone-paved floor while the burning tail cast a fiery hurricane with every wag. The surrounding air contorted like a bent dimension, despite there was no dimensional spell cast.

He had worn a black, knight-like armor with a helmet with a flaming plume. A large prong sprouted on each pauldron, and a great, ablaze mane extended from his shoulders to his horse-back.

The god wielded an immense scythe with a skull at the intersection with grace, as if he was just playing with a twig in his hand. There was nothing in his empty sockets but two cold, blue embers for eyes.

Even so, his stare was intimidating enough to lower mostly everyone’s head. The previously brave soldiers shrank out of fear and took a few steps back.

Despite the soulless look from the god, Mangolunikus could feel his satisfaction. He had succeeded in frightening the challengers, ready to enslave them once again. This time, it might be much longer than a century.

Unacceptable!

The warlord clenched the demonic sword. The blade vibrated and emitted more malice, as if it understood its master. Together, they had gone farther than any humans could ever go.

No way he was going to accept this.

“BRETHENS!” he raised his weapon, gazing at his men. “YOU FORGET WHY WE ARE HERE?”

His call did wake up the troopers. They did forget their reason to be here. Now they remembered.

They were here because they shouldered their kingdoms and their people. If they retreated, they would lose everything.

*Battle cry*

Smile bloomed again on Mangolunikus’ face. He had faith in them, also in their victory, but only when everyone fought together.

The god swung his scythe when Mangolunikus and the army charged forward, bringing humans’ last hope.

An enormous black crescent from the deity clashed with a red slash from the warlord. Dark fire collided with swords and shields.

From that moment, the fate of all living beings on the continent had changed forever.