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"It isn't over yet.” Spoke Andrew quietly through gritted teeth. “I do suggest you guys move, though."
Those around him looked at him in puzzlement, but Andrew continued, "Actually, get the hell away from here. Now!"
Sensing the strange mood, Diana quickly ordered, "Do as he says! No questions; mount and fall back!"
Those without mounts quickly joined on the others and bounded off into the rear, Rywen looked at Andrew expectantly but did not say a word.
Seeing the looks of the commander and Rywen who stayed, Andrew sighed, "You too," firstly eyeing the woman, he continued, "You wouldn't be able to handle it and Rywen, neither would you. Nor would it be worth the gold."
Calling the wolf, Andrew quickly gave a wry smile as he saw the wolf trudging along merrily with a whole family of undead squirrels in its two mouths. Mounting the wolf he then took off towards an eerie, reverberating stomp.
The two were left standing in confusion, but as a sight came from the far tree line, they began to panic. A monstrously large black rhinoceros came slowly from the inner of the camp. Flattening undead legions with each step. Standing at sixty feet tall, blacked skin that shone like dull iron, and only a small amount of rot on its steel-like body. As its three horns pointed at Andrew, the entire group shuddered.
Within the camp, resounding roars came out as smaller rhinoceros came bounding forward. Seeing the group in the rear huddled together as they only wanted one thing; to leave. However, with a single order, their hopes were dashed, "Stay here, stand down, but be prepared to assist at any time!"
Rywen stood with the commander with a wry smile as he reflected, 'No wonder he wasn't scared, but what's the point of learning magic when that ax will rip them to shreds in a single blow.'
With a tight smile on his face, Andrew muttered, "Just a building-sized rhino/triceratops, nothing to be too worried about... oh shit. A building sized rhino with her carriage sized children. What in the actual hell, why do I have to do this again?" Although he couldn't answer that question, he still felt obligated to taking out the creature if only to see if he could. If he couldn't - he'd just have to turn tail and run.
"No harm in trying, I guess," was the last thing he spoke for a long while.
Directing all of his concentration to the task at hand he focused entirely on the rhino in front. Without even bothering to slay the smaller undead that barred his path, Andrew simply left it to the wolf to jump over, trample or otherwise destroy the hordes in front.
After thirty seconds of dodging blows of the spears and stepping on the heads of the smaller creatures, the wolf reached the middle field between his allies in the back and the giant rhino ahead. It was here that the charging rhino's met with Andrew.
Turning his gaze over the children of the monster, Andrew leveled his ax off the side and ordered the wolf with a predatory smile, "Slip past them on the side, I want to try something."
With the group of five rhinos nearing Andrew, the wolf swiftly jumped to the side and bounded to the side of the leftmost one. Only holding his ax in a sturdy grip, he felt the blade meet a moment of resistance before sliding through the creature's flank.
With a grin plastered on his face, Andrew was content. Ax in hand, he could at the very least deal some damage to the main force, but he didn't get complacent. As the wolf slowed to a somewhat to turn to chase after the group, nipping at the beasts ankles, Andrew swung again. Neatly slicing a massive chunk of flesh and bone from a beast's back before moving to another on his side.
'So you can't turn very well, hey?' Laughed the man as his eyes began to dim from their blood red color.
No longer feeling the blood rush to his head, Andrew calmed his thoughts and began swiping at the rhinos. Given their immense body size and that Andrew was behind them, each blow could only at most seriously wound them. Without getting too riled up, Andrew systematically seriously wounded each rhino before turning his attention to the monstrous one. As if seeing its kin infuriated the beast, he began moving faster and faster through the crowds sending undead flying, or simply crushing them on the spot.
Seeing this Andrew was less than enthused as now he would have a nearly impossible time trying to avoid the hooves which promised a quick death. Barking quietly, Andrew moved around the front of the fallen rhinos and severed the head of their bodies. As they began to roll, a muffled cheer was released in the distance, but Andrew didn't have the luxury to pay attention such things.
Sitting on the wolf he was at most nine feet tall. Compared to such a giant he had no real way of target anything vital to the beast. Thinking quickly, he growled to the wolf who bounded off at his instruction. As the hordes of undead blocked their way, Andrew ignored them for the most part, only slashing at jumping beasts who seemed to retain some instinct from when they were alive.
Slashing the fifth beast, this time, a half-skeletal tiger. Andrew had to bend his back to dodge. With the pounding footsteps already deafening him Andrew could barely hear the flying undead being propelled through the air. Indifferent to the situation where he was thrust into the air by the force of the hooves hitting the ground, the undead goblin tried to grapple Andrew.
In a short moment, the goblin was split in two vertically and brushed past Andrew who coughed slightly as decaying blood flew into his mouth. Not a second later, Andrew growled loudly, before jumping off the wolf.
The wolf, already privy to his plan, jumped and bounded off into the distance leaving any onlookers shocked. Rywen, with creases appearing on his forehead, spoke out quietly to himself, "He isn't suicidal... is he?"
With such a distance between the two, Andrew, even if he could hear normally, didn't catch a word and continued through the air. As the foot stomped down, Andrew readied his ax and drew his sword.
Just as the foot was about to raise itself off the ground, Andrew struck out with his ax, burying the blade deep into the massive legs until it finally stuck itself deep enough to stop moving. As Andrew pierced his sword into the fleshy insides of the beasts open wound, the rhino let out a deafening roar that shook the surrounding camp.
Almost immediately after feeling the pain, the beast shook his body and quickly raised his leg with great difficulty, before sending it back into the ground. As more feral growls from below were extinguished, Andrew held onto the ax as his whole body shook with the immense vibrations.
As soon as his body started responding to him once more, Andrew deepened his sword and pushed out his ax - creating a larger wound on its way out. One handily swinging the ax twice into the space above, Andrew pulled himself up from the embedded ax and lodged his sword into the tissue of the second wound.
Andrew held on for dear life as the second bone shattering stomp came forth, but with his sword lodged firmly into the wound and ax still deeply embedded he resumed his climb.
The third and fourth brought him hanging nearly onto the beast's torso, however, the beast wasn't so forgiving. With a pained tremble, the beast started his charge once more.
Seeing the direction the beast was heading Andrew stiffened slightly before yelling at the top of his lungs, "RUN!"
Even before Andrew shouted, Diana had already nervously made the call as she reared her horse, "Retreat back to the base!"
Hearing the orders from their superior they gratefully obliged, although seeing the man single handedly assault the monstrous beast was interesting by itself, being charged at by the rhino was a different story altogether. However, the beast, even injured, could cover an immense distance with each passing step. And the speed only increased as it moved further.
Andrew gnashed his teeth as he hurried his climb. Each step threatened to tear him off of the rhino, but he held strongly onto whatever grip he could create. When the distance shrunk to only fifty meters between his allies and the beast, Andrew finally reached the top of the creatures back.
Using the exposed bone from the creature's back as a grip, Andrew wildly swung his ax as he carefully advanced towards the beast's head. As his original target was the frontmost leg, the distance wasn't very large. However, the pressure was immense as each step brought the squad closer to death. Although he didn't know why he seemed to feel the need to protect these people, the thought surfaced all the same, and at the very least he knew he would rather not see the commander and his new friend die in vain.
Whilst thinking about these useless thoughts, Andrew shook his head and quickened his pace. With one final swung he cut out a wide groove of flesh near the nape of the beast's neck. Andrew unhesitantly jumped into the shallow trench he had just dug out with his ax and felt the warm blood of the beast drench his entire lower body.
Using the trench as a foothold of sorts, Andrew sheathed his now useless sword and wielded the ax in two hands. Swinging lightly as first to adjust his strength, Andrew cleaved a path into the beast's neck. Widening it further with each successive blow he abandoned his temporary foothold and jumped into the cavity he had just created. Again and again, he swung his ax not even paying attention to the surroundings, only hoping to end the beast as soon as possible. At first, it was skin, then flesh. After that bone.
By the time he had severed the spinal cord he was entirely focused on chopping and cutting. Not paying attention to what happened around him.
Just after swinging one last time, he found himself standing on air. Not expecting the neck to have been completely severed already, he wildly swung his ax to try to catch some skin or bone. But the ax only slide through effortlessly.
As he plummeted to the ground so too did the head on the colossal rhino.
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Just as the beast was nearly upon them, it started to slow. However, it was still significantly faster than the fastest horse they brought. At the same time, Rywen and Diana both gulped as they looked to the rear.
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Stumbling along, the beast no longer held any grace or control over its movements, with each passing step becoming more and more erratic, the two slowed their horses. Diana ordered, "Fan out! Two directions, now!"
As the beast stomped along the ground it had already nearly caused the horses to become crippled with the vibrations it released; the soldiers immediately took to the sides without a further thought. Merely wanting to save themselves, they thought nothing of military discipline and honor.
However, with the thunderous quakes of the rhino slowing, each man and woman took a quick glance to the rear.
Seeing the head of the beast hanging on by only skin, they breathed a sigh of relief but what came next shocked them.
As the head fell, so to did the man inside of it. Holding back cries, they slowed their pace from the collapsing beast.
"ANDREW!" Cried Rywen as he saw the body falling through the air, hopelessly slashing at the remainder of the neck.
As the relatively small human fell, he swung his ax one last time at the still advancing fallen body and disappeared.
Tense moments passed after seeing the massive creature came a complete halt. As one began to salute, the rest followed. In military fashion, they mourned the loss of the warrior who fell protecting them. Even the commander gave a small salute, however Rywen refused to do such a practice.
With a loud shout, he ran directly up the decapitated creature, screaming, "Search! At least, find the body before you assume he's dead!" Drawing his sword he went directly towards the behemoth that threatened them only mere moments ago and began cutting his way through the exposed flesh calling out for Andrew.
With a small sigh, Diana ordered, "Deryk keep an eye out for the undead, Baron scout the rear, and George... help the search."
In their eyes it was only a hopeless endeavor, however, he certainly had earned the right for such a process. Given the approaching undead in the distance, they would only have a few minutes, but at the very least it could appease their guilt.
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He found himself falling inside the beast. After cutting a hole into the creature’s neck, he tumbled into the ripped apart the esophagus. With each bounce of the ribbed throat, Andrew fell deeper into the creature.
Losing grip of his ax in the fall, he saw as the blade drag through the throat flooding the passage with blood and mucus. With the tidal wave of vicious fluid showering over him, he couldn't even manage to grip the walls of the esophagus for some traction to slow his fall.
With the little starlight fading fast after twisting turns he final heard a splash. In short seconds, the man was completely submerged in a vat of stomach acid. Feeling the acid corrode his body in its entirety, he felt his skin shrinking at an alarming rate. With no way out besides up, he swam.
Breathing in a small breath, he felt his lungs burn, but continued towards a wall holding his breath. As he felt his skin slowly dissolving he reached for his now rusted sword. The sheath had already fallen victim to the acid and he merely had to grip the handle and pull the few remaining strands of leather off with it.
Stabbing the walls of the throat with one blade and withdrawing another he climbed up the interior of the stomach. Pulling himself up with the swords as they pierced into the creature's stomach. Each stab coated his body in more blood and mucus, making the trek horrifyingly slow.
Yet, still the acid burned. Every orifice of his body was affected and his skin burned black like he had been frostbitten head to toe.
Pushing past the excruciating pain Andrew moved toward the top. Each sword took all of his energy to stab into place but he had dealt with it as the dull crimson glow returned to his eyes.
Nearing the middle of the throat he felt a small pride in reaching his ax. Just tossing one sword down the throat, he held himself in place with the other and grabbed the lodged ax still stuck into esophagus walls. As soon as he touched the blade the pain faded. But in its place was a profound burning rage.
Gaining the strength to move again, he cut a new path out, escaping any noxious fumes through the beast’s heart. Although it had long since stopped beating, the blood soothed Andrew’s body as it washed the acid from his skin. Basking in the creature's blood for a short time, Andrew released a small, devilish smile as the pain completely washed away.
The ax, however, only burned brighter. As the glow intensified, so too did his smile fall. Replaced with only searing rage that held no equal on this battlefield.
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Following her orders seamlessly the salutes ended and each man drew their weapons as they lifelessly glanced around them. It wasn't until they heard a shout that they regained their vigor.
"He's alive! Call the-" spoke Rywen excitedly as he half dragged Andrew out of the gaping wound.
"BASTARD! WOLF, COME HERE NOW!" Half-growled Andrew, seeing the bounding wolf come over with chunks of the smaller rhinos in his mouth, this time, Andrew flashed a terrifying grin.
Moving his sore body towards the wolf with the ax dragging behind him, Andrew let out a furious roar. And jumped onto the approaching wolf who turned in midair and caught the man. With the ax now wearing demonic-looking, twisting spikes jutting from each end of the axe's blade, Andrew approached the undead at a startling pace.
Each man and woman were astonished. The deathly aura radiating from both him and the ax, the crimson eyes that seemed to devour one's soul with a single glance. Although, indifferently slaughtering the creatures before, even as they worked together he didn't hold anything more than a slight frown.
Now, however, nobody wanted to fight alongside the man in his rage. Diana looked towards Rywen, who at this point became Andrew's caretaker, and tilted her head questioningly.
Seeing the unspoken question, Rywen held a wry smile as he spoke, "... At least, you don't have to sacrifice villagers to deal with this camp." And as a forced laugh came from him, the rest merely shook their heads and sat down. A man pulled out a small pipe and loaded tobacco in it. Taking a few puffs, he passed it to another who began drinking out of a wineskin. With a solemn atmosphere, they watched from afar as the bloodshed unfolded.
Driving deeper into the undead ranks, Andrew tore through the flesh of the creatures effortlessly, each swing severing what remained of their life instantly. With the wolf passing through the thickest ranks, Andrew roared loudly, "DIE!"
As he finally reached what he thought to be the center of the camp, he dismounted to wolf and began swinging wildly. Nearly every undead creature was brought forth by the scent of his blood and those he had slaughtered before him. As the crowds grew thicker, Andrew simply sped up his ax to deal with them faster. No longer caring about destroying each for good, he severed them from their waist and moved onto a different group.
As the night's sky showed the first sign of dawn, Andrew stood over the mountain of corpses at his feet. Early on those that were bisected crawled to Andrew's feet and as he ended them, the remainder showed up. Not bothering to move he simply kept jumping higher and higher on the mound of corpses as they began to pile up. As the last finally let out their last deep breath, Andrew finally felt his anger dissipate and noticed a small squad approaching him.
Covered from head to toe in crimson and black blood, Andrew's red eyes finally faded back into their steely blue as he gazed at the newcomers.
"What do I owe this pleasure," spoke Andrew irritably at first, however, he took a deep breath and continued as politely as he could manage, "Waiting all night for me? Oh well, anyways General. What do you want?"
Looking at the mountain of corpses which brought Andrew nearly fifteen feet in the air, the woman spoke cordially, "Ever thought of full-time employment?"
"Nope. Not my thing, anyways I am hoping this was up your standards?" Replied Andrew with a raised eyebrow.
Before the general could begin to speak, Rywen cut in, "As his manager, I believe we have gone above and beyond our appointed task. In addition to having my request at sign-up being ignored, I would now like to negotiate our rewards."
Andrew was dumbstruck for a second, but the general pressed on, inquiring "Speak, what would such an expense equate to? And furthermore, how much for future services?"
Rywen raised his hand to his chin and thoughtfully contemplated, "Each villager is given something to the effect of five gold - even if they die. So, as a representative of my client, we will request one gold per slain regular undead, under the assumption that an above average villager may kill five before they are killed themselves. Of course, due to the valuation of such a camp being rather large, each kill will be reduced by half. Do you agree on the first condition?"
After a moment of thought, she continued, "I agree, however, the ones slain without cuts, will be treated as being killed by the beast. Although, a separate price for him is negotiable - the affiliated deaths are not - is that fair?"
Gnashing his teeth as he was seen through Rywen spat out,"Tsh, fine. Moving on, the five cubs and the behemoth, I suggest fifty per smaller one and a thousand for the large one."
"Forty, and seven." spoke the woman without hesitation.
As their haggling went back and forth, Andrew rubbed his forehead and jumped off of his small mountain of corpses. As he felt his head become dizzy, he started dozing off. The last thing he heard was, "and a fifty percent cut for me, as the acting manager," to which Andrew immediately replied, "Twenty."
And then he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.