Chapter 6: The Battle of the Weeping Crucible
Hours later
Gideon
Gideon and Orphzus stood on a tall hill that overlooked a deep valley of rolling hills. Blades of bright green grass covered the land and swayed gently by the cool breeze of the spring season. Gideon looked down towards the deep valley that awaited, hundreds of metres below, both the Ashian and Atlus army were at war within it. Soldiers from both sides flooded the valley and made one great mass. Well over a thousand soldiers were battling within, so many that even the roars and battle cries of battle could be heard from where Gideon and Orphzus stood. When he looked closer he could see it was a jumble of the two armies. Ashians wielding their gigantic, crude weapons designed for bloody warfare, smashing the Atlusian knight's armour and bones with mighty swings, soldiers at the back heaved boulders to catapult over to the Atlusian side and crush anyone unlucky to be under it. While the Atlusians fired off spells of varying elements that seared and scored the warriors. Bolts of lightning, Bursts of flame, Blades of wind. Their enchanted blades could be heard across the battlefield. Their archers were stationed on small hills with enchanted arrows that buzzed and roared with the elements. Needless to say, Gideon could only describe it as pure chaos and was surprised they had not given up considering it had been days. Perhaps due to the battle being an even fight, convinced each side that all they needed was one last push, one last bit of luck to push them to have the advantage and tip the scales in their favour to win the day.
“So, Who are you placing your gold on?” Gideon asked with a smirk as knelt to get a better look at the field. His long black coat rested on the ground as he did so. The King simply scoffed.
“There will be no bets placed. It's no fun to bet on a game when it will end so quickly”
“You think one will overpower the other?” Gideon asked.
“No, I believe the King and Gheptiza are equal in strength, even with their relics. That's exactly why it will end quickly. They wish to scare the other one off so the battle can continue. Despite losing soldiers day by day, War is good for their people because it is good for their economy. At least, that's how Atlus will see it. Ash only wishes to keep the war alive because they cannot live without war. It is all they have ever known”
“Makes sense,” Gideon said standing up I wonder why the king wanted to watch if he knows the outcome. Does he wish to be wrong or is he gauging the two's strength? Gideon thought to himself as he folded his arms.
“Such a waste don't you think?” He asked Gideon “Powers of ancient extraterrestrials passed down to them, powers that could rival gods, and yet they use it as a crutch, a way to turn the tides when they have run out of alternatives” Gideon wasn't sure how to respond. He had never made his own conclusion about other devil relic users. They could be an ally or an obstacle. Whatever the king deemed them, he would view them the same.
“Don't be afraid to speak your mind, Gideon. I am interested to know what you think”
“I’m not sure. Isint the fact the relic is used however the user wants justification enough for wielding it. Not tied down by an otherworldly will?” Orphzus smiled and closed his eyes.
“That isn't a wrong way of looking at them, Though I must say it is not very interesting.” Gideon corrected himself
“Do not worry my liege. It was just my opinion” Orphzus turned to Gideon.
“I’m lucky to have someone as loyal as you under my service Gideon, but never be afraid to speak your mind” Gideon acknowledged what he said before his attention is caught by something else. Gideon spotted a figure standing on a hill elevated from the battle but still lower than Oprhzus himself. After getting a closer look he could see it was Gheptiza. The soldiers of Ash turned to where he stood and cheered. The morale of the army rose seeing the commander take his post as they raised their arms.
“COMMANDER GHEPTIZA IS WITH US!!”
“THE DREADNAUGHT!!” The men of the army cheered on Gheptiza as he stood over the battlefield.
“It seems the dreadnaught has taken his post,” Oprhzus said.
“Do you think the king will actually join the fight?” Asked Gideon.
“I do. The boy may be lacking in areas as a new ruler, but he is ever righteous and in service of his people as I have heard.”
Gideon looked confused at those words “Really? That was never the impression I got from Atlus. To me it was just a nation of cowards, wishing to line their own pockets.”
“It is, the kingdom is still ruled by those same old cowards. Who, I imagine are keeping the nation the way it is. The boy however does not. From the tales I have heard on the battlefield he is the exact opposite, but perhaps he is struggling to gain the reign of control of his country.” Orphzus stated. The two were interrupted by the army shouting once again. This time, it was from the Atlusins.
“HE RIDES!!!”
“THE KING IS WITH US!!”
The soldiers of Atlus cheered as an unknown force pushed through the army and through to the enemy line. From where Gideon stood it looked to be a knight in gleaming silver armour riding atop a horse. Galloping with the speed of an arrow and cutting down the Ashians left and right with ease. In the knight's hand, however, he couldn't mistake it. The Sword of Night and Flame. That sword he fought against eight years ago. Its gleaming grandeur could be seen from miles away. Gheptiza spotted the knight charging in his direction. He stood squared off and held his armoured fist skyward before plummeting down to the ground and kneeling down. The force of the strike, smashing the ground he stood on, Pieces of dirt and grass flew into the air and pulverised below him and could be heard from where Gideon and Orphzus stood. A black cloud inter-spliced with gleaming white specs enveloped Gheptiza, the same way Gideon's cloud would when activated his own devil ignition. The black vortex soon began to dissipate and from it, Gheptiza stood in a demonic armoured form. Gideon couldn't see it well from where he stood but he looked much taller covered in black smokey armour with spikes protruding from the shoulders down to the arms. Bright white light shone through the armour with visible cracks.
“Tyskoyomi’s fury!” Said, Gideon
“Indeed. The Ashians devil relic and their main trump card.” Gideon had seen the weapon first-hand after having a scuffle with Ghetiza during the Vholerian's crusade against Atlus eight years ago. They were a pair of black metallic gauntlets and greaves that spiked across the knuckles and shins respectively in a pattern with cracks of bright white light running through the armour. Gideon wasn't fully aware of what the weapon could do but he knew it enhanced the user strikes tremendously and could release bursts of powerful energy which was signified by the weapons glowing brighter with demonic energy. Thankfully, Gheptiza wasn't aware of devil ignition when Gideon fought him. Still, he only escaped with his life by a thread. The man was a powerhouse and a skilled fighter. Despite Zantesuken having the ability to cut anything. A devil relic, it could not. So parries were far more effective and left Gideon wide open when he fought Gheptiza. It didn’t help that the man had incredible poise. Thankfully, he lived but looking at this form now it was as if his gauntlets and greaves extended across his whole body.
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“The dreadnought, A nigh impenetrable force. It's said with that relic he is unbreakable. Not just in his armour but his poise” The king said. The silver knight on the horse rode through the enemy lines, dodging and weaving through the squads as he swiped his sword from side to side. Gheptiza spotted him and stood in a squared-off position before pulling his fist back close to his spiked pauldron and taking aim towards the King. His fist began to grow brighter and brighter from the cracks that ran across the back of the hand. Just as the cavalry reached the foot of the hill he stood on, he struck the space in front of him which ruptured the air with a sonic boom. The air dispersed around his fist and a burst of concentrated wind flew from where he struck. Strikes so powerful he can send compressed air? Gideon thought to himself The devil arm was only enhancing his strike it didn't actually send out the air or conjure it…A direct from him would be fatal! Can lord Orphzus really consider him far beneath him? The vortex began to rage down to the knight at an alarming pace. Before it could hit the knight, he leapt off his steed high into the air. So high he was above Gheptiza’s parallel. The compressed shot of air smashed into the ground. It created a small crater in the soil and soldiers nearby were knocked off balance by the shockwave. Grass flew and breezed into the air as the wind shook it up out of place. The Atlusians didn't take the opportunity to attack the exposed Ashians. Both armies were too fixated on cheering on their leader. The elation and morale could be felt all the way across the battlefield. As the knight rose into the air from his leap. A black vortex began to engulf him, with what looked like fire inter-spliced in the cloud of darkness. Devil Ignition?! Gideon thought surprised. King Helel was completely unaware of Devil Ignition. How can the boy have learnt his relic so quickly?
As the King reached the apex of his leap, the vortex around him dissipated. Revealing him to be in the same knight's armour he was before but instead of the gleaming silver colour, it was replaced with a grey and black armour with accents of teal across the suit. From his back flowed wings of fire that flowed like a cape but resembled the tail of a peacock. The wings of fire lit up the battlefield and the King became the focal point of the valley. The dreadnaught stared up at him, ready to send another shot of air his way. The king held his sword in his right hand and held the blade over his left shoulder as he descended down to Gheptiza at a rapid pace, propelled by his wings and ready to strike the dreadnaught head-on. Gephtiza held his ground, Holding his fist back and ready to strike. Just before the two clashed head-on, Gehptiza struck forward to strike the King but no one was there. A burst of air pulsed out from the strike and a shot of compressed air shot upward where the king was descending from and howled in the sky as it flew into the atmosphere. He vanished? No, the blade has the power to manipulate space…he has something prepared. Just as Gideon finished his thought. The King fell from the sky directly behind Gheptiza at a blistering speed. So fast he couldn't even see him until he landed on Gheptiza, striking his back with his sword. A loud clash could be heard all the way across the battlefield and a shockwave shot out from the impact. It flew across the land and blew down the fields of grass. It was hard to make out if he had dealt any damage from their distance but he could see that Gheptiza had blocked the strike by raising his fist. As if he was flexing his bicep. The King scoffed as he stood unfazed with his arms folded. As the dark knight still held his sword in the same position as when he struck, still hanging in the air. The dreadnaught grabbed his wrist with his other hand and threw the knight high into the air as if he were as light as a pebble. Sending the King hurtling high above the battlefield where the soldiers continued to cheer on as if they were just happy to see them in their glory and not who was winning currently. The King recovered using his burning wings and returned to an upright position as he slowed down to a halt. His fiery wings held him up as he hovered in the air. The king began to take a familiar position. One that reminded Gideon of a fight long ago. It's that same technique, the one Helel used. The king struck his sword in the space where his feet stood in midair and just like before, portals of teal space opened in the sky and debris of stone and earth hurtled out of them. Gideon now seeing it from this angle could properly take in the spectacle. It really was like a meteor shower but up this close, all he could hear was the roaring and rumbling of the stone as it shook through the air and hurtled towards the hill Gheptiza stood on. If he didn't act soon, the hill he stood on would be nothing more than a landslide. Gheptiza wouldn't be guaranteed safety from his armour either. The debris wasn't generated from the sword itself, meaning it was natural matter and capable of hurting Gheptiza. Even if he did survive, it would knock him right out of devil ignition. Though devil relic users receive enhanced abilities in devil ignition. A level of concentration is required to hold the form. If struck hard enough they could be sent right out of the form and left wide open for their opponent.
“The king is bold…or desperate” Said Orphzus as he stood on watching. Gheptiza held his ground and held his arms open wide and his fists clenched. Light began to glow brighter and brighter from the Gauntlets. Soon there was a shrieking noise vibrating from the fists. As if they were overstocked with demonic energy and ready to burst. The meteors began to get closer and closer to Gheptiza, picking up speed and beginning to burn up. It radiated an intense orange across the land as they got closer. The soldiers down below couldn't care less and only continued to cheer on Ghetpiza and the King. Heralding each one as their respective saviour. The white light inside the gauntlets grew brighter and engulfed where Gheptiza stood. As the screeching sound reached its apex, the white light faded and the sound dissipated. Just as the debris reached him, He swung his arms closed and slammed his fists together with a loud clap. The metal of the gauntlet clanked together and radiated throughout the whole valley. The gauntlets shot out a wave of concussive force so strong that it shattered the meteorites that were falling towards him, reaching all the way to the king himself. They began crumbling to gravel and fell softly to the ground, pulverised into dust. Once the loud crash of the gauntlets and stone quieted, the Ashian army could be heard cheering on Gheptiza through the dust. The King continued to float high in the air, unphased by the disruption of his attack. The two stared one another down for a moment. Really, it felt like an eternity. Gideon was unsure who would act next or how extreme their next move would be. To his surprise - but perhaps not to Orphzus - the two retreated back to their respective camp. Gheptiza turned and slowly disappeared behind the hill with his shadowy black cape trailing behind him. While the king flew back to the Atlusian camp, propelled by his fiery wings like a phoenix. The two armies returned back to their battle, now with boosted morale and more enthusiasm than before. Blood was thrown across the battlefield once again.
“They ended up drawing each other away?”
“As I said, Ash wants this war. This is a way of life for them. Frankly, it’s mindless” said Orphzus as he stepped forward “Still I didn't expect the King to have learned his relic so quickly” I wonder if he is considering challenging the king? Gideon thought to himself. Orphzus turned to Gideon
“Gideon, Let’s return to Voken”
“What about Nalory? Isn't she still at the citadel?” Asked Gideon. Recalling she had left to go after Gheptiza
“She’s been tasked with locating Yami.” The king replied bluntly
“Yami?! Yami of Red Wings?! Surely you don’t intend her to challenge him?” He said confused
“Obviously not, but his strength is unparalleled and I grow tired of lesser rivals so I wish to challenge him. Nalory will find his little resistance group, then I can make my move.” Nalory of all people?! Does he not know she is loyal to Ash and not us?
“So we are proclaiming war on Red Wings?”
“We already have Gideon, They started this little game of theirs and we will be the one to finish it. Their constant nips and bites at our forces are not something I will tolerate further. Though, I cannot deny the power of Yami. He will need to go first. All in due time, however. Once Nalory has the necessary intel.”
Nalory will feed that intel to the Ashians! I need to find Yami myself before she can
“Now, Let us return.” Gideon bowed before the king
“Yes my liege” Gideon drew Zantetsuken and sliced open a portal. The void howled as the tear in space burst open. The two walked through the portal as the roars of battle raged behind them
Maybe Lord Orphzus doesn't see it, but I do. Nalory is a traitor and only serves the Ashians. I will fulfil this request myself.