Pranad soldiers' POV
Honestly, hoisting these corpses disgusted me. To do something so horrible to such honorable men who had met us on the battlefield of their own accord...it made me feel dirty. But the moral hit the enemy will take from seeing their most powerful fighting force, besides their royal guard, hoisted up on poles will send them cowering.
Then...
"Grah, grr." Said the dead knight on top of my pole.
Is this a trick of the wind?
I feel a shaking from the pole, and see the corpse begin to flail. Letting out a scream, I let go of the pole and let it fall to the ground. All around me, I hear similar cries from the other two-hundred and thirty-six pole carriers, and soon none of the poles remain in the air.
Pulling out my sword, I look in fear toward the previously dead knight. But even as I look, he pulls the pole out of his torso and starts walking back to the gate. At first, I want to go after him, but seeing how those men had killed hundreds of our warriors, I decided to let them go. What can I do, after all?
---
Third battalion second infantry commanders' POV
"They WHAT?!"
The stammering soldier in front of me repeated what he said. "T-they got up, and walked back into the city."
When I heard this, the first thought was undead. But undead attack any living being close to them, and for any type of undead to ignore people they would need some kind of intelligience. Since our mages had not detected any powerful items that allow mass creation of undead, then we can cross out that possibility.
The second thought was resurrection. No one had perfected the technique, but perhaps these people have some kind of half-product, that lets bodies move according to someones' will. But, resurrection would take an even greater item than the undead.
So, the only explanation was that they had been made into puppets. Such a thing would be possible, and they would be able to make the puppets "walk" back into the city. But why would they do that? A reputation of immortality is one thing, but taking it this far is really too much.
Since I cannot find out from this, I will need to send someone to investigate. Or a lot of expendable someones.
Having decided on a course of action, I moved forward and out of my command tent. Addressing the company at large, I asked with a joyous voice.
"Who would like the honor of being the first to breach the city?"
What young fools. Don't they know the most basic fact of war?
Only the cowards live long enough to be promoted. That's why we stay in the back.
---
First Lieutenants' POV
What an honor! To be the first to breach the city...truly, I have been blessed.
Riding into the courtyard on my war bear, I saw something strange.
A strange black smoke was drifting from all around, and in the middle of the courtyard was a large red splatter. It looked as out of place as a drop of red wine on a white cloth.
Every other second, a wet, crunching noise could be heard. It was repetitive and the same amount of time passed between each sound. The five hundred strong infantry division behind me was getting fidgety. Some of them muttered about the strange smoke, while others started speaking of superstitions. Such cowards! It seems as if sailors and soldiers are alike in their superstitions.
"Cease such foolish talk, men! We are here to take the infidels city, and nothing short of hell freezing over will stop me!"
A child's laugh echoed through the smoke.
The soldiers whispered "What kind of demon is this? to copy an innocent child's laugh, they must be a devil."
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Even though I will deny it, I am also afraid. That laugh, accompanied by the wet, squelching crunch has got me on edge. As we move further, a figure appears out of the smoke...
A small girl, hunched over and trembling. I walk near and try to comfort her, even though she is an infidel. "Shh, shh, it's okay. Why are you afraid? What's your name?"
The little looked up at me, a wide smile painted on her face. Or rather, the blood was painted over her face.
She was holding a sword, and it was currently stuck in a white-haired old man. Well, what I thought was once a man.
Too little remained to be sure.
"hehehehe...my name? HAH! I remember my name! Hahahaha!"
She shook and convulsed, hugging the sword to her chest while trembling with amusement. I slowly raised my lance.
"hehe, hi there! Me and dad were playing a game, hehe..."
She let go of the sword, and slowly stood up. "hehe, I used to be so confused...I couldn't remember anything, but now that I do...I wish that I was still confused."
I motioned my soldiers to close in, as this was obviously a devil. It is probably fast, so we want to surround it while it's giving us time.
"hehe, but make sure you don't tell the new mommy. She doesn't like it when me and daddy go and play alone...though, usually it's dad with the stick. Hah!"
I'm shaking now. This is too much for me. A man can only take so much, you know? I think I can do without the honor-
"Hey, where are you going, hehe? I still want to play, but I only have so many friends...
...wanna join?"
I break eye contact and look at my soldiers to signal a retreat, when I notice something behind them.
While we were surrounding the girl, something else was creeping up behind us.
And now there is no escape.
---
Lichs' POV
Such fond memories we share, me and my family.
It's a wonder I didn't turn into a psychopath and go on a killing rampage-
Oh wait, I did!
Hehe!
Using my fingernails, I tear open the leaders stomach. Breaking the ribs off when they got in the way, I continued to dig deeper. On all sides, the recently deceased were enjoying their own fun.
Ah...I wonder how I could go without this. I mean, towards the end there, I could barely go a day without tearing something open!
Of course, that's why I decided to leave.
...nothing alive left to kill...
Hehe, but that is the past. Now is the present! And oh, what lovely gifts this army has given me.
But, this is not enough.
Rising to my feet, holding the torn and shredded remains of the leaders heart, I have a little taste. Mmm...
Always start with the heart. That's where all the juices are. :3
Throwing aside the drained organ, I command the dead once more to make a change.
"Rise, and Shed Your Flesh."
As one, the five hundred rise from the ground, their skin falling off their bones. Then their muscles fall off. Then the fat. All that's left now, is the bones. My mana tank is running on empty, but that's okay. The atmosphere of death, visible to the eye as black smoke, will increase my mana. Of course, there is another, faster way, but I don't think I'll remember. Even now, it's getting fuzzy...
Of course, pretty soon here I'll forget. I'm looking forward to it.
I have realized, after finding the answer to my missing memory.
I cannot handle the truth.