It was a hot morning the next day, even under the shadow if the mighty Wall. Kami’s lantern rose in the north of the city and as such, the light did not shine down upon the land below the wall until midday. But that was just fine for Covall, in fact, it was preferred.
Covall detested this place, the whole territory that Kami had created. Every hill, every valley, and forest was a detestable projection of the god’s own values. Even the great light in the sky that rose and shown only on the city and the immediate land surrounding it was detestable. It was pure work of vanity.
Covall would be glad when he could finally rid himself of this place and return to his home land or even other, more interesting places where he could use his strength. He had grown weary of this city.
Now he stood at the base of wall, inspecting it. The wall wasn’t just made of stone, it seemed, but looked to have been made out of the very bones of the earth. It was smooth and cool to his touch and not so much as a seam could be deciphered. And when he inspected the roots and dug down, all he could find was a continuation of the wall, as if it was equally below the earth as it was above it.
He grunted, and stood again, facing the wall directly. For all his detestable feelings towards this land, this wall had once been invincible. And even now, at the twilight of the city’s life, it was an impressive and formidable thing. Coval grunted to himself, “So it will simply have to be brute strength huh? Not my most favorite thing to do.”
He looked up and tried to see the top of the wall, but even his eyes could penetrate its heights. Irritated, he shouted up, although he knew nobody would hear him, “Oi! Kami! I’m here to break your wall! You have done well these last 500 years, but now that the encirclement is complete again, it’s over!”
He stared up expectantly, but no answering call was made to him. Annoyed, he unsheathed his sword and banged the hilt on the wall, shouting again, “Oi! Can you hear me? I said I’m going to tear down this wall!” He continued to bang his hilt on the wall a few more times, but all he got in response was the dull clanging as the wall boomed in resonance with his sword.
“OI!” he screamed bringing his sword around and slashing at it with a blast. The wall exploded in a shower of dust and smoke and Covall coughed as some of the impact was rebounded back at him. When he looked again, he saw that the wall was undamaged, only a small burn mark remained as testament to his attack.
He glared up at the wall, swinging his sword idly. He then said venomously, “I’m going to destroy this and them come inside there and cut the lot of you up. And then I am going to find that runt of a vessel that fought me earlier.” He rubbed his stomach where he had been pierced ear. “I will drag him out of the city by his entrails and lop off his head for a trophy.” He looked up at the wall again, unperturbed out his out bursts. Behind him, he heard a young officer run up to him. He turned around to see him.
The man wore long grey robes with a black belt and a long curved sword at his side. His face was hidden from him by a thick veil and his head had some sort of cap on it. Covall knew that the men feared him and lately, they seemed to believe that if Covall saw their faces they would be cursed, so they all wore veils when they were around him. The curse was probably true, too. Covall despised the humans.
“The men are all set, Lord Covall.” The officer panted slightly, trying to keep his form. Covall looked back and saw them, the company of men set out to invade the city, the support troops, the war machines, the reserves. It was a whole army, really, right at the foot of the city. The foolish humans inside thought they were safe and didn’t even bother to put out an appropriate lookout.
Covall wondered if the men behind him knew that most, if not all of them, would perish today.
Covall nodded turned back to the wall, saying, “Your men are too close, Captain. When I bring this wall down, the pieces are going to crush a lot of them.”
The captain blanched, and took a few stumbling steps backwards. “I’ll have them moved further away, immediately, sir.” He said shakily.
“Nope, I’m not waiting,” Covall responded, flashing a grin at the captain. Without another word the officer turned and fled, tripping and falling and then struggling to get away. Coval laughed at how frantic he was.
“Here it goes…” Covall said, focusing on the wall. He brought his sword out in front of him and held it firmly with both hands. Although there was no light from the lantern in that area, the sword glittered of its own accord. Covall stood silently, not moving, gathering his strength to himself. Soon, the air around him was shimmering as though a great heat was radiating from him. The air sparked and cracked.
Suddenly, with a yell, he thrust his sword forward, straight into the side of the wall. It sunk in deeply, moving in all the way to the black hilt and guard. Beside that though, nothing happened to the wall and the only response was a soft hissing of steam issuing from the sword and rising to dissipate above.
Covall was undismayed though and stepped back brightly, a large grin on his face. From behind him, he heard the sounds of men, moving away from him as fast as possible, but he ignored them.
Next, he threw his hands in the air above him, interlocking his fingers and he said with intensity, “Piercing strike!” He brought his right hand down swiftly, unleashing his spell. A thunderous sound riveted throughout the area and at first nothing happened. Covall remained motionless, though and then, slowly, a crack appeared right at the sword. It grew and travelled up, increasing at an exponential rate. Then in one loud crack, the slit ran all the way up to the top. The sound it made was horrendous, as if the very walls were crying out in anguish. The soldiers in the army behind Covall flinched and cowered at the sound and Covall stayed still, staring up at his handiwork. He was panting.
“That’s got to get somebody’s attention!” Covall shouted with excitement. After a moment, he leapt up, hundreds of feet in the air and attaching himself to the wall by holding on the crack he had created. Once secured, he jammed his hands in the wall and uttered another spell, placing the enchantment within the small crack. Then he did it three more times,jumping up and reaching halfway up the wall before falling back to the land below. The officers cried out, seeing him fall from that height and land spectacularly like a meteor. The crash blew up the dirt and the dust, but when Covall emerged from it, they saw only a vessel singularly pleased with himself and almost unable to contain his excitement.
“Alright!” he shouted, bounding up to sword and retching it out, pulling loose some debris as well, “one more!”
The men cowered back, watching their vessel stab his sword into another section of the wall a hundred paces to the left of his original strike and perform the same ritual, laughing madly all the while. With the final touches were being completed, the captain turned to his close men and said bravely, “to the fight we go!” he then ignited the enchantments he placed into the cracks of the wall all at once.
A second later the entire section of the wall Covall had outlined exploded in a thunderous gale that swept the men off their feet and rocketing pieces of the wall miles in every direction. It was a blast that tore the wall apart, from top to bottom, ripping open the prize inside and devastating the city and land around it. Rubble and debris rained down upon them for several minutes, each rock a boulder of death, wiping out the very land and people that stood under it and creating continued crashes and booms that shook the land and the hearts of both sides.
The captain of the advance unit had been crushed by the explosion.
It took several minutes for the smoke and vapor to disappear and when it did, Covall stood atop his wreckage triumphantly, ready to strike forward as soon as it was clear.
“Kami’s last vessel!” he shouted with all the force he had. “I’m coming for you!”
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Fallow awoke with a startle from his sleep. Great blasting sounds had shaken him and he was immediately thrown back onto the Frontline, witnessing the battle between the gods and shrinking in fear from their absolute power. But as he lay on his bed, his panic faded as he realized that he was in the city, inside Central Library, safe and secure in this stronghold. The smooth sheets he had over him were comfortable and cool on a day that was promising to be another scorcher. He had stayed awake late the last night, scouring the library until his sleepiness came over him again. He let it take him into its welcoming embrace.
The next explosion shook the building itself and Ashton got up quickly with a cry, realizing that blasts were not from his dream. He hurried out his door, but when a third explosion threw him to his feet, he knew that the worst had come upon them.
By the time the alarm had sounded throughout the city, Fallow was dressed in his armor and exiting his room and into the main library. Jacobin met him halfway through, flustered and afraid, his robes in shambles around him.
“What’s happening?!” Fallow shouted, strapping his sword to his side.
“We’re under attack! Inside the city!” Jacobin squawked.
“How did they get in?!” Fallow snarled, trying to hide the fear inside of him.
“Hold on!” Jacobin, said, running alongside him. His panic was evident. “They are trying to take out the network; it’s getting difficult to communicate.”
“Curse them! They did the same thing while we are on the frontline! How can they disrupt the network, inside the city?”
“I’ve got it!” Jacobin responded. “A section of the southern wall has been taken out, the enemy is advancing quickly. Fallow!” Jacobin shouted, his eyes wide in terror. “That section of the city is all residential, there’s no place to mount an effective resistance. They are already past The Stars Ladder and securing holdings there!”
Fallow cursed darkly and shouted, “HOW DID THEY BREAK THE WALL? ISN’T IT SUPPOSED TO BE INVINCIBLE?” Jacobin on stared blankly back at him. Fallow swore again, entering the lobby of the library.
Havign appeared, coming down the staircase opposite. He too, was frightened, but he held his composure better than Jacobin could.
“Fallow!” Havign called out. “Where are you going?”
Fallow turned around sharply and faced the priest, shouting “Where do you think I am going? The city is under attack!”
Havign said something, but Fallow couldn’t hear it over the sound of the huge doors of the building crashing open as if a mighty ram and had burst through. The morning light came in, blinding Fallow and when he looked to see who came in, he saw one lone figure.
“Drake!” Fallow shouted, shocked. The other priests fell slightly back, unsure who this man was.
Drake located him and strode forward. He was clad in his armor too, ready for battle. His eyes were alert and scared and he said to Fallow, “The vessel has come! He’s going to destroy the city!”
The priests appeared too surprised and bewildered by the sudden appearance of Drake, frozen at their spots but Drake continued, ignoring them, “Ashton told me you had my weapon.”
Fallow wasn’t doing much better than the priests were. “Drake,” he sputtered, “Wa-.” he looked at Drake, a being who now seemed to exude strength and power. “Can you use it?”
“Yes!” Drake exclaimed, impatient. “It's a divine weapon, it doesn’t matter if i can control my power well or not, i just need to infuse it and swing it around! Where is the Shottler!”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Fallow could only pause and cry back, “The Shottler?” unable to fathom what Drake was saying.
“The Shottler!” Drake said, slightly panicked. “That’s its name! I didn’t name it! Just bring it to me already; I’ll need it to fight the vessel! He’s going to come directly for me, you know??”
“its- its in the deeps, in the vaults below!” Fallow said back. Drake turned and looked at Jacobin.
Jacobin froze, and then said quickly, “I’ll get it.” In a flash he was gone.
After Jacobin disappeared, Havign spoke up, “Who are you? And what do you need with the divine weapon? What is happening?”
Drake strode forward and bore down on the priest maliciously, “I’ll tell you what is happening! Your perfect all-knowing god is failing! With his vessels and the Frontline gone now there was nothing left between the enemy and the city except for the walls which are clearly failing too! Now the vessel has entered the City, leading his army and destroying whatever they touch. Where is your god now, now that the enemy in in your city and death is upon your doorstep?”
Havign stood quietly, absorbing Drake words withstanding his pressure. He replied back, somehow regaining his calm, “So you are the foreign vessel that Fallow had mentioned.” Then he continued, his voice growing cold, “Who are you to question the power and might of Kami-sama? Who are you to question his ways, to insult and bear down upon him? Kami has raised this city and this land from nothing, he will not abandon us, and he is ever faithful!”
Drake stared back, his eyes blank and chilling. He responded, his voice a freezing monotone, “You misunderstand. I am not saying that you god is leaving you to rot. I am saying he doesn’t have the ability to save you, even if he wanted to. Old priest, your god is all but dead.”
Havign burst in fury, in a way Fallow had never seen. Gone was the kind and gentle old man who had tutored him so patiently all these years. His body burst into flames and he summoned his sorcery around him, creating the image of fiery demon, ready to devour its prey. Without hesitation, he sent it forth upon Drake, shouting, “You dare blaspheme Kami-sama in this sacred hall?”
The attack ended, soon after it began, Havign visibly exhausted and shrunken again. Fallow had retreated quickly and now stared at the old man in disbelief. Where Drake was standing, only a smoldering cloud of ash and smoke could be seen.
But when the smoke wafted away, Drake stood still, untouched and astonished. He patted himself down as if looking for injuries before grabbing Havign he pushing him against the wall, saying, “What the Hell is your deal, old man? Did you just try to kill me?”
After a moment, he let go of Havign and stood in the hallway, inspecting himself again, surprised he hadn’t taken any damage. Havign was panting with exertion and looked disheveled and small. Now that silence had reached the room, the sounds of battle could be heard. Only the low booms and crashes made their way the library, but even to Fallow, the sounds dismayed and frightened him.
Havign spoke again, “What will you do, once you have your hands on Kami-sama’s divine weapon?”
Drake glared at Havign and replied, “The enemy Vessel is currently doing as much destruction as he can, but I know he is actually looking for me. He won’t let me go, not when he knows I am in the city. I’ll need the weapon if i am going to stand a chance.”
Fallow broke in with his own thoughts, “So, you’ve not become a full vessel yet?”
Drake turned to look at him and responded, “No, I refuse to let him control me again.”
Havign snorted contemptuously. “A vessel that does not even follow its own god? It’s no wonder you remain so ignorant and lost.”
Drake growled back. “I’m going to use it to destroy your enemy and save you! I would not be so derogatory if I were you.”
Havign shot back, “Salvation comes from Kami-sama, not from the hands of men.”
Suddenly, Jacobin appeared again carrying the long slender object Fallow had brought. It was wrapped heavily and without waiting, Drake strode forward and seized it. He inspected it a moment, seemingly at a lost, before holding it away from him and shutting his eyes. Suddenly, the halberd blazed to life, dissolving the cloth wrappings around it and showing forth dark blue shimmers and flashes of light. The priests flinched terribly and Drake said with obvious relief, “glad that worked!” He turned and ran out the door, carrying the weapon at his side.
Fallow started and pursued him out the doors. “Drake, Drake!” he called. Out on the steps outside, he caught up with him. Loud explosion, closer and louder than any prior exploded again and Fallow thought he could see the flashes of light and the explosion of debris from even where they were, in the middle of the city. Drake had paused unexpectedly, and started looking around, his eyes finally resting on something behind them and out of sight. “What is it?” Fallow asked, his eyes following Drake’s stare.
“Something is coming.” Drake said bewildered. His face creased in worry. Fallow only had a second to wonder what it could be.
Suddenly a terrible sound arose from that direction, at first low and disorienting but soon reaching volumes of maddening power. It was a shriek, a cry of savagery of a being that had lost all control and let loose his rage in animalistic fury. The sound continued and grew more terrible until it was all Fallow could do but to fall on the ground trying vainly to cover his ears and pray for its ending.
But the sound did not end, but rose higher and higher, piercing through the city and the souls of its people. Even Drake had fallen to his knees from power of the cry. The stones around them and the throughout the city shattered at the sound, and buildings crashed and toppled into ruin. The strong towers and strongholds in the city shook in terror and the great statue of Kami in Central Library fell and crashed down upon its walls, bursting through and breaking upon the hard floor. The sound itself wreaked devastation upon the city and also the hearts of all men.
When the sound ended, Fallow stayed on his hands and knees panting and shaking in horror. He then screamed sitting up and crying out the sky, letting out a cry of pain and anguish. But even after that, he could not stall the shaking of his limbs nor calm the terror in his heart.
Drake had recovered more quickly, but he too was shaken and frightened from the shriek. Listening to the city, everything had grown quiet; the noise of the battle had completely disappeared. It was as if the city held its breath waiting for what was going to happen next. It wasn’t disappointed.
Slowly, the Great Lantern in the sky dimmed and then faded away completely, leaving the city awash in darkness. Small cries were heard throughout the city, but they soon stopped as a new light had started to gather and shape.
Far above the city a different light was taking shape, slowly materializing out of nothing and growing in shape and intensity. Unlike the great lantern of Kami that was yellow, this light was pure gold and didn’t bring the heat of the lantern. The light grew until it was many times brighter than the Great Lantern. And once it reached its pinnacle, it spread out, added mass and substance to it. And slowly, Drake could make out the shape it was.
Drake gaped in fear and wonder and he called out softly, “Kami…”
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Covall had taken the hit from the maniacal shriek too and it took a few moments to recover from the shock and power of it. But when he looked up and saw the golden light forming above them he started laughing hysterically.
“You’ve come out!” Covall shouted, gasping and wheezing. “Come out, Come out and play, Kami! Did it anger you to see your city get destroyed and your people killed? But you are early; I haven’t yet killed your last vessel yet. It is too early for you to come.” He continued laughing, getting up on his feet again. “Come, Kami, this will be your end now! My Master has been waiting for you!”
The light materialized into a god. It was Kami, a being clothed in light, power, and majesty as if all the authority in the universe was behind it. The god stretched from one end of the city to the other, tall and inconceivably powerful, encompassing the city as though it was its own body. The head stared forward, its unseeing eyes perceiving even the deepest and darkest mysteries of the cosmos. But then the sight shifted and looked down upon Covall alone. Kami’s enlightened face twisted horribly into a face of rage; it bore down upon him with all the hate of god.
Covall looked up at Kami, for a second forgetting his laughter. “Oh!” he said in suddenly realization. Faster than a blink of an eye Covall was gone. The next second, the entire area disappeared in blinding flash of white light, as Kami blasted the spot Covall had just vacated.
Covall was making a beeline for the exit as fast he could go and his laughter had returned to him on the way. Passing by his soldiers he yelled back at them, “Run! Run! Run away, you little squirts, or you’ll be killed! Kami has come and he doesn’t like you!”
Kami rose again in wrath, stepping forward and proceeded to wipe out the enemy that dared to step foot onto his domain.
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Fallow couldn’t take his eyes off Kami. The majesty and power the figure exuded transfixed him to his spot. Kami seemed to be looking at him and he felt bare and naked before the god, and supremely unworthy to exist. He wanted to shut his eyes and hide his face from the sight, but he couldn’t move away or turn. The Priests had all come out of the library and upon seeing their god, they had fallen prostrate before him and cried out in praise and fear. “Kami-sama! Kami-sama has come to save us!”
All across the city Fallow heard similar cries arise.
Drake alone seemed to be able to remain on his feet, but he, too, stared agape, at god coming forth. After a moment he said, “What’s wrong with him? Why does he look so frail and worn?”
Fallow looked again and saw Kami. He was indeed frail, withered even. Remembering the solemn statue in the library, Fallow saw that it was hardly the same god at all. The form in the library was tall and beautiful. The god above the city now, behind all the glory and majesty, was a shriveled corpse and living mummy, a mere shadow of his old prominence.
“What does it mean?” Fallow shouted, striving to be heard over the wind and the voices of the city.
Drake didn’t respond, but an answer was provided for him immediately. Far in the south, beyond the walls and the trees and the lands and even the territory, a countering light was coming forth as well. Its light was purple and his rays were fear and Fallow quivered at the sight of it. Suddenly, the light grew spectacularly, materialized into another god of opposing power. It strode forth, travelling over miles of forestry and mountains in a single step. It was dressed in robes of white and purple, intricately designed in a way that captured the eyes. From its head was long black hair that flowed down to his waist, bound around by golden hair locks and other ornaments. Upon his head was a crown of jewels, as if an ocean lay above him. His face was pale, still, and stern and moved not a muscle as it approached boldly to Kami as he stood above his city, wrapped in robes of brown and gold.
Upon seeing the approaching figure, Kami screamed again, his voice reaching emotions beyond fury, beyond frustration, and beyond despair. It was only the cry of the dead, delivering its voice of hate and curses of damnation.
When the enemy god, Desue, reached the city, the whole side of it exploded, whether from Kami’s attack or the enemy’s, Fallow could not tell. All he knew was that anything in the area had been annihilated from the land.
Despair washed over Fallow and he fell to his knees, saying over and over again, “its over, its over, its over…”
A soft warm hand reached out on his shoulder. When he turned and looked, he saw the warm smiling face of Havign. Havign spoke softly, “What is it you are afraid of, Fallow? Why do you despair so, saying to yourself that it is over? It has only begun! Kami-sama has stridden forth to victory! Even now he is fighting with the enemy. This is the time to rejoice, not to fall away! The evil in this world gets destroyed here!”
Fallow stared numbly back at Havign, unable to comprehend his confidence. But looking around, he saw that Havign was not alone, all the priests were similar, some still bowing down in worship, others staring up at Kami with eyes overcome with tears of joy. There was no hint of fear or doubt in any of them.
Drake also stared in disbelief at Havign. Suddenly, Gatal materialized before them and he spoke quickly, his voice shaking, “This city is doomed! Any second now their clashes could wipe us out. But with the barrier around the city down now, Drake, you and I can create a portal and escape. We all can escape!”
“Great!” Drake replied with visible relief. He turned quickly to Fallow. “let's go, Fallow!”
“Do not listen to him,” Havign pleaded to Fallow. “Please, have faith in your god!”
Fallow looked up at the battle again. Kami and Desue were so high up; it seemed to be in another world. All sounds seemed to disappear, but destruction continued to break the city to pieces. Even as he looked, the section of the wall he had been posted on only months ago was blasted away and gone, along with the thousands of men who occupied it.
Fallow responded slowly, “Kami is not my god, remember? I was brought here against my will and enslaved to Kami’s teachings. Don’t I have a god of my own, in my own land to follow?”
“Your life has been taken in by Kami-sama when you were lost!” Havign spoke quickly, “Kami-sama has raised you, will you turn your back on him, even at his moment of glory?”
Fallow turned and looked Havign in the eye. He said sorrowfully, “I am sorry, teacher.” Fallow turned to Drake and said, “Drake. I want to see my homeland again, before I die.”
“Fallow, please!” Havign begged.
Gatal strode between them and pointed towards the sky. “Do you see that? Do you see what we are seeing? It is the last desperate attempts of Kami, nothing more! 500 years of blockade had withered him down and drained his power; he is no longer the god you knew him as! It’s over! Come with me and escape destruction here! It’s the only way!”
Havign turned and spat at Gatal. Drake glared Havign in contempt and Havign then immediately vanished. Drake turned to the other Priests who had been watching the exchange warily and he shouted at them, “Does anybody else want to come? The city will be destroyed!” Nobody moved and Drake swore loudly. “Idiotic Priests!”
Gatal turned to Drake and Fallow and said, “I’ll take you to my residence, Ashton should already be there. Do you have everything you need?”
Fallow looked around hopelessly and answered slowly, “Yes…”
“Good.” Gatal responded, but a second later, Havign appeared again.
“YOU!” Drake shouted, his eyes narrowing.
Havign pointedly ignored him, but thrust a book into Fallow hands and he said to him, “If you must go, then you must go. I will grieve your loss when you are gone and I pray you will find your way back to us in the end. Please take this book with you; it is all that I can give you now.”
Before Fallow could reply, Havign disappeared again. Fallow tried to choke out a response, but Drake grabbed him tightly and Gatal took them both away.