Chapter 97
POV Demiurge
I remembered the words that my master, Kara-sama had told me before I took on my role as Jaldabaoth for this mission…
Uproot and raze the system. Burn their ideals and stomp on their beliefs. Show them fear, give them loss, make them feel pain…so that they welcome the fall of their own Kingdom with open arms.
Ahhh…even now as I visualize the events that will take place…I shiver with pure ecstasy.
POV Orlando Campone, Corporal of the Army of the Roble Holy Kingdom
Location: Great Wall
Life was pretty shit these days and I was saying that as one of the lucky ones. Ever since the isolation of the Roble Holy Kingdom, things have been going downhill. I understood why the Queen made the decision, but still…
I looked behind me where the city was. It has lost its energy and brightness. People walked around with close to no expressions…bars were mostly full of drunkards drinking away their problems and emptying their shallow wallet. Living day to day. The entire Kingdom lost its joy.
The temples lost their followers but increased in orphans. With the Kingdom no longer in shape to support, the church should have taken the chance to control and bring the Kingdom back to glory. But instead, the priests got richer while the people suffered even more. The entire belief blaming everything on the false gods of the Empire. Demonborn, Devilbred, evil incarnates and the origin of darkness, etc. Honestly, it was ridiculous which was why most people left the church. Now, it was only a shell of what it used to be with people only going when they were desperate…which was to say the last clutches of life.
Being placed at the border was possibly my luckiest thing to happen ever since the isolation. Cities were always in protest and people starving on the streets. Food never made it past the roads with hungry people buying or stealing every grain on their way to the capital and other cities. But the border?
I looked out to the vast fields of wheat and vegetables being grown. It wasn’t harvest yet, but it would be soon. At least at the border people would have something to eat. A luxury that I didn’t know. We always had food on the table, no matter how small. More importantly, it was safe at the border. I didn’t need to be called to protect the palace or church. There were no riots to suppress or dangerous criminals (bandits are an exception) to hunt. Nobody ever came from the Empire; probably enjoying their great full lives and not giving a shit about us. I could just do nothing and sit at the wall and get paid enough to continue this boring but safe life.
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At least that was my plan until…
*DING~~* *DING~~* *DING~~*
3 times…the bell rung 3 times. WHAT?
I stood up from my stool so fast that I almost lost my balance and my eyes went blind for a second. My heart began beating fast as I realized the meaning of the bell ringing 3 times.
Invasion.
But why? By whom? Wait…that was a stupid question. There was nobody but the Empire to attack us. The Beastman Kingdom was already conquered by the Empire and their people somehow became civilized and were brought into the cities to live. Out there was nothing was wasted lands, our lands. But why would they attack?
The Empire had everything they needed and they honestly seemed disinterested in the idea of taking over the Kingdom. After all, adding us to their ranks would give them nothing of value. We would drain their economy; they would need to fix our lands and put so much work into us for so little. So why were they invading?
My answer was revealed as the mist cleared in the distance enough for me to see the approaching army. They flew a flag I had never seen before. Not one of the Empire and not of any old Kingdoms or country. This was a new flag. Their soldiers were not people, or elves, or dwarves or any beasts of the former Kingdom.
I couldn’t see clearly but their outlines told me enough. Along with their flags of claws, mask, and blood.
Demons. Demons of legend and demons of blood. Demons in numbers to outnumber the ants.
Panic rung out on top of the wall as the commanding officer began yelling incomprehensible orders. None of us trained for this, not really. Nobody expected there would be an attack. Nobody wanted an attack, including the empire. Now, we were paying for it.
Panic drives people into action as suddenly I found myself against a wall holding an old bow. One that should be out of commission but still barely usable. An arrow notched and ready to fly at my notice.
The demon horde acted strange…they should be nothing but mindless beasts, losing themselves to rage and lust but instead…they marched. It was unorganized and slow but they walked up to the wall together. The first row holding plates of old wood and metal as makeshift shields. The goblin like creatures with their eyes glowing red and mouthes drooling with hunger. I could clearly see them now…and my hands trembled as my fear began to seep in.
Officer: Hold your fire! Do not fire! They cannot break this wall! Trust in it and be prepared to protect it with your life!
Yes…good. These goblins would never be able to go past this wall. The Great Wall has protected us for generations against stronger foes. These little fools would never be able to penetrate it
Officer: Protect this wall with your life! Behind you are your family! Those you care for, those you must protect at any cost! Stand strong for the Gods are with us!
Demon: We demands a negotiator! Brings out yours superior officers!
weird grammar there…
Officer: I am in charge of protecting this wall! You foul demons will never pass! Go back! Go back to where you have come from and tell them that this will is protected by the 4 Gods themselves!
Demon: No surrender?
Officer: No surrender!
Demon: Jaldabaoth-sama. Theys refuses to surrenders
From the back, another figure emerged. A taller figure, but equally malicious if not more. It was a strange figure as well. Walking and proportions like that of a man, but his pointy ears were a giveaway that he was not human.
He wore an unpopular pinstriped clothing that the Empire called ‘suits’ as well as a mocking mask to cover up his face. His hands…claws were at his side, relaxed. He calmly walked right up to the wall and touched it. Feeling it as if he could read exactly how it was made.
Jaldabaoth: I see…a pity then. I thought we could solve this peacefully. Since obviously I am a loyal pacifist.
He put his hand up into the air and made a fist as if he was grabbing something. Something was definitely off…this can’t be good.
Jaldabaoth: But you see? This wall is going to be a problem. While I can just fly over the damn thing, my minions over there can’t do that. So if you’re not going to open the gate, then I’ll have to crush it.
Officer: Crush the wall? You damn demon must be snorting that dance powder! You can’t break this wall! Our ancestors made it to defend against tougher foes than you! No fists are hard enough to penetrate this wall demon! Go back!
Jaldabaoth: Of course, you’re right of course…but it won’t be my fists breaking through your barrier.
Just as he said that, I glowing red boulder the size of a mansion broke through the clouds…heading directly towards me.
Me: Oh shit…OH SHIT!!!
I didn’t turn to listen. I didn’t care. Seeing the mass of rock coming towards me at who-knows-what speed, I bolted up from my post and dived onto the other side before all but rolling down the stairs. I heard screams and yelling behind me but i didn’t care. This was my life it was about.
I dived out one last time before it hit. I was blasted forward by the force and I was sure my back had 2nd degree burns…but I was alive. Behind me I saw nothing but a molten mess and black smoke. The wall was broken. The wall was down…the wall that had protected the Holy Kingdom was destroyed by a single attack. How could this be…?
The Queen needed to know this. She needed to prepare her army to fight back against these abominations. Leaving behind the cries of despair and pain, I ran. I ran as fast as my legs would take me to the Capital.
The end of the Holy Kingdom was near. Jaldabaoth was here.