Demon continent Alsace in the year 307 in the 10-month Asmodum on the 26 day after the shattering of the empire.
A similar picture presented itself to her when they arrived at the next squad of Larrua. This one, however, unlike the previous one, had completely fallen into the clutches of Meinoume.
When they were within a few meters of each other, suddenly life came into the troop and they mustered something like resistance against them.
Low barely audible murmurs rang out and weapons were raised against them in an attempt to form up in a defending formation.
Nevertheless, the squad seemed to her like a beaten dog that had lost all bite.
"Here it seems that not only the commander has been taken, but also his whole squad." Growled Panos between clenched teeth before spitting on the ground beside him. "What a shame that we are defeated by such underhanded tricks." With that, he took a step forward. "You pathetic lot, pull yourselves together. By Diva, if she could see you like this, she would happily throw you to the starving one." His words had little effect on the Larrua to whom they were addressed.
"If you could do again what you have just done and also free these unfortunate rats from the spell of Meinoume. It is a shame that Diva is still imprisoned, if she were free, that mangy dog of a god would not be allowed to lay hands on hers."
It was good that Panos had recovered to some extent and was playing the strong leader for his ever-growing troop of Larrua. She had assumed the function of a subordinate officer. Even if, as now, she was already doing something that empowered her to take the lead over the Larrua.
She only indicated with a nod that she understood, that while he had been talking, she had already entered the minds of the squad to remove the claws that had dug deep into the minds of the Larrua. Always careful not to trigger any possible traps or early warning systems that might have been installed by the priest of Meinoume.
"All done they are all masters of their own will again." She looked at the forty Larrua in heavy infantry armor with their spears and swords. How they were slowly waking up. It was evident from their eyes when you could not look into their minds when they were under the spell of Meinoume, their eyes were empty and also their posture was that of a puppet held only by strings. It was an experience to see how the free will reawakened in the Larrua in front of her and they stood up again, after they had briefly collapsed and how life returned to their eyes.
"""What happened?"""
""Where am I, what happened?""
"""What?"""
As if after a long and deep sleep, the Larrua, who had just been under the influence of the Meinoume, rubbed their eyes or shook their heads to shake off the drowsiness.
As each of them tried to ask a question and make themselves heard and get an answer, they tried to outdo each other and ended up shouting at each other.
"SILENCE!" Thundered the voice of Panos across the street, echoing off the walls of the houses that were no longer inhabited.
"We don't have time to explain everything to you here, those of you with bows man the wall. The rest of you come with me." When the Larrua still didn't respond, he grabbed one of the Larrua with a bow and shoved him toward the wall she had built. "Hurry gentlemen, we don't have all day." Already he had picked out the next of the troop of Larrua and pushed him toward the other, who was about to climb the wall.
Finally, life came to the troops, and the archers set about manning the wall. While the rest waited for the commander to give further orders, the latter, however, turned to her.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
"That should have been the last road, I don't like how many of our soldiers we found who were under the influence of the ever hungry. And then considering the streets where we found a troop like this, a lot of enemy soldiers must have entered the city." While he had been talking, he had started moving and now quickened his steps.
"But since we haven't seen any enemy for some time, it can be assumed that they have successfully made it into the interior of the city, we have sealed off the last street going to the outside with this street. Now we just have to follow the enemy's tracks, although I'm afraid they've made their way to Diva." She got no answer from Panos, who only quickened his steps to forestall, it seemed an evil premonition.
The boots of the almost thousand Larrua that followed them seemed to give him a certain self-assurance, one that she did not share.
Should the priest of Meinoume succeed in getting hold of Diva, then even in her prison she would be a great reserve of power for him, and as far as she had learned, Meinoume grew more powerful with each believer, and each one he could impose his will on.
What she didn't know was if he could even manage to impose his will on a Titan.
Even though Titans have been defeated by the gods before. So it could be that Meinoume was there and he knows about the prison that holds Diva.
A shiver ran down her spine.
That would mean he would also know how to put her in such a prison, something she would rather avoid.
She had not yet been able to find a clue on how to free Diva from her prison in any of the documents, books, or scrolls she went through.
"So we'll make our way to Diva in the hope that Eder has entrenched himself there with his allies and that we can still come to his aid." Whereupon the commander quickened his steps and fell into a kind of running, in which the thousand Larrua behind them joined.
On their way to the Golem Forge, from which they were going to advance to the prison, they passed many Golems that were simply lying turned off in the streets.
"Do we have a way to reactivate them?" Called she to Panos to make herself heard over the thunder of a thousand running Larrua.
"Yes, but for that, we would have to go to the main room, which is above the forge." The commander slowed down and with him, the Larrua behind him and like a wave spreading to the end of the column, all the Larrua slowed down.
"The best thing would be for someone to take care of it while we set out to support Eder. Do you know how to do that?"
"No, but if you know, I can get the knowledge from your memory."
"No, it's better if you come with us in case we keep running into soldiers who have been taken over by Meinoume."
He slowed down even more until he finally stopped in front of the large gates of the forge.
"Five of the best golem leaders and a hundred soldiers I am placing back under your command. Hold the control center at all costs, don't let anyone in until I order them to do otherwise and Cali with me, has confirmed it's okay and best if we have Eder with us as well." He added the last part of the sentence after a moment's thought.
The commander, whom they had first managed to free from the influence of Meinoume, saluted and a few moments later set off with one hundred and five soldiers to regain control of the control center and reactivate the golems.
"The rest of you, follow me." With which he ran on again.
"You are in command should I fall Cali do you understand."
"Yes." She answered him, which he only acknowledged with a nod.
Then they had already arrived at the long corridors that would take them deep underground and bring them to Diva's prison.
She felt as if they were descending into the maw of a monster.