8. Death vs death

Across the ocean, Maras fought with incessant haste and determination, every second was a burst of activity. Struggling with Bacteria, Maras and Ildrid slaughtered them, harvesting them for their armies, having veered off in a south westerly direction. Thirteen Necromancer Lords chased him, determined to put an end to the rogue Necromancers; Ildrid formed a vanguard to try and stop them, and Maras thought of strategies to end the pursuit, swivelling his head around, using his ghosts as scouts to survey the terrain, all the while Bacteria hampered them.

“Ildrid? Where have the Demons gone?”

“They’ve gone sir.”

“Stop begging the question. That’s what I’m asking, where?”

“Their realm,” Ildrid muttered.

“I see, well that’s less trouble I guess, but we still have Dina charging against us,” he growled, “damn it.”

Maras flicked the knife in his hand, thinking of where to teleport if need be. His Reapers and Ghouls suddenly came across someone else’s Spectres. Blue ethereal sparks clashed, some purple; the ghosts which usually floated now being pushed and dragged on the dirt, Maras clenched his teeth, urging his ethereal beings forward.

“Oh great,” Maras muttered, “just what we need.”

“What’s that?” Ildrid said.

“Someone just like me,” Maras said with a grimace in his tone, for he was only bone.

“Oh shit, a ghost summoner,” Ildrid said, “archers! No, axemen form tight ranks and keep your… senses ready!”

Maras was hopping around the battlefield, his Reapers and Ghouls making quick work of any Spectre, Maras’s Spectres duelling a Dina Necromancer’s. Three other skeletal armies, one Zombie army, a few Lichs, and even a Vampire were on their way. Ready to finish the renegade Necromancer. The fissures between Maras and Dina formed because of the Cahov invasion, and yet Cahov’s invasion had finished and Maras and Ildrid were still outlaws. They ran and yet not nearly fast enough to evade everyone. Bats flew overhead and long distance shots could be seen arcing toward them.

“Fuck!” Maras seethed, “Ildrid, you run into the mass of Bacteria, I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Are you crazy? That’s 13 Lords.”

“Soon to be former…” he muttered, grinning in his voice, “our Undead faction will be made today!”

“Make history,” Ildrid whispered.

Vampires flew overhead, and Spectres stabbed them. Clashing with other ghost Lords. Ghouls harvested Bacteria, while his Reapers cut a Vampire in half. It glued itself back together, in the meanwhile Maras hopped around making sure he fought off any pursuers of his ally. Wraiths threw knives, Reapers clashed with other Reapers and skeletons.

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“Surrender outlaw, and we might not turn you into mush!”

“Dina made a literal deal with the Devils. You are traitors to Undeath!” Maras immediately retorted, chastising them with no fear.

“They’re out now, but your loyalty was obvious, you don’t deserve to be Undead!” A Vampire Lord said.

The Vampire Lord carried a green glowing sword, swiping endlessly to end Maras’s existence; other Vampire brethren swarmed the Undead warlord with equal vigour. Bacteria were being harvested in the background and yet the Undead were exchanging blows in the forefront. Maras hopped from place to place, his Spectres being deployed to take out leadership, his Spectres assassinating one Lich Lord. Vampires were rebuffed with Reapers, skeletons and Zombies attempted to make Maras history; Maras also had to deal with Bacteria, suffering horrendous losses, half his Ghouls rejoining the fight, fighting Dina’s Ghouls and all other Undead creatures levied against him. His Wraiths racked quite a few kills but it was his Spectres hopping from place to place, that silently and cunningly stabbed a few Lords dead. The Lichs were smarter, put bigger guards and attacked him personally with more force and frequency; the Bacteria aggressiveness dialled up and the fighting went from an aggressive skirmish to a chaotic total war. Other Dina Lords appeared and Maras methodically eliminated them; his Spectres all returned next to him, having done their work flawlessly.

“Good work,” he whispered.

Leaderless armies still organised against him, but in the end when he faced the other Ghost Lord he defeated the Lord and took control of his flock. The Vampire Lord was bested, his minions dissipated, not known exactly where to. He looked at the customary knife of Spectres that he was equipped with, musing on mortality, destruction and Undeath.

I did what I had to do, it’s a fate I wish they wouldn’t have to suffer.

“Dina betrayed the Undead, I will make my own faction,” he said over the destroyed Dina Lords.

Reapers, Ghouls and Wraiths quickly flocked to him and he destroyed the remnant skeletons and Zombies and Lichs before wading through the endless sea of Bacteria. Maras looked around him, seeing nothing but Bacteria, he summoned a Ghoul Lord.

“Basara, that is your name,” Maras whispered.

The purple beast, the ghoul got its claws ready, ready to fight the beasts that were Bacteria, and grow their forces.

“What would you wish of me master?” The Ghoul Lord asked.

“Summon Ghouls and harvest the Bacteria. I will contact you,” Maras told it, “grow stronger here.”

Maras ran after Ildrid.

“It’s an endless sea, I couldn’t- wait you’re done?” The skeleton jangled in confusion, “fucking hell.”

“I dispatched with them, yes.”

“Dispatched?” He said, immediately internalising his dialogue, You demolished them, and how? How did you manage it you crazy bastard, he thought, “anyway what’s the plan?” Ildrid asked surprised and eager.

Maras you are so crazy, the risks you put yourself in. Why are you like this?

“Cahov is dealing with civil strife,” Maras whispered, scared someone might overhear, “those Demons are boundless, so are Bacteria of course, but…”

“But?” Ildrid listened.

“We have made lots of enemies here Ildrid, or rather I have I guess.”

“It is brave to seek independence from Dina. Knowing what you know,” Ildrid said, “even if it is dangerous…” Ildrid said wistfully, “I don’t blame you, it was the right thing to do.”

The two skeletal figures both turned their skeletal heads, looking at the sight of zounds of Bacteria in their vicinity.

An endless farm for our activities. Maras thought.

“They are not the ones to accept forgiveness, but I do not seek it. Enough of Dina, I will bring war to Cahov.”

“Are you sure Maras?”

The skeleton and the skeletal ghost both advanced forward, one silently, the other not so silently.

It’s all a chore, death is as much a chore as life. Maras chuckled at his own witticisms.

Ildrid turned his skeletal head and looked at his companion, opting to not ask in the end.

“Surely it was easier to simply be at peace,” Ildrid asked prodding for a greater answer, “what is it you truly seek Maras?”