Chapter Sixty-Eight

As established in their war council, four points were needed to defend: north, south, east, and west. Draugr, and Knights of Avalon were stationed at each one. Ambrose could teleport freely between them all but could not teleport within the area once he was in it. He planned on helping each point as best he could.

“Will any of them be able to shut down the draugr?” Ambrose asked Vathwin.

The death knight shrugged,

“Possibly. Some classes could do such a thing, but the surest way would be to kill me.” Vathwin flashed a predatory grin,

“Which is why I shall be in the graveyard.”

Ambrose nodded, waving a hand, and the death knight walked away. Only to be replaced by Darren,

“I should be fighting with you,” he stated.

Ambrose crossed his arms,

“As opposed to protecting your daughter?”

Darren clenched his jaw; his eyes gained a dangerous light.

“The best way to protect her isn’t sitting idle with her. It’s out here, fighting.”

“No, it isn’t. Besides Noelle and me, you have the best chance of protecting her. Protecting everyone you’ll be with. Or is that not noble enough for you?”

Darren growled, and his fists became tight balls of quivering rage.

Ambrose gave him a knowing smile,

“Yes, I’ve felt rage like that, too. Do you know why?”

Darren’s teeth ground together as he hissed out,

“Why?”

Ambrose touched the man’s shoulder, feeling the tense muscle beneath.

“Because my wife and child were taken from me. You have something, Darren. Something extraordinary. Protect it,” Ambrose felt his voice gain winter's bite,

“At all costs.”

Darren closed his eyes, and whatever anger was alight in him abated. He gave a sober nod, heading to the building his daughter and others resided beneath. Ambrose looked up. For some reason, he expected the sky to grow dark, rain to fall in dark sheets, and thunder to boom across the sky.

Isn’t that how battles normally go? It did in the movies, at least. But no, it was a clear sky, the sun's light a dying ember of soft colors in the distance, stretching across the sky like the hand of some god seeking to paint it with something beautiful.

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A breeze brushed against leaves, kissing his face with a slight chill he knew he should feel but did not. It felt like the whole world was holding its breath, waiting, just waiting for something to happen. Something bloody, something violent, thrilling, and spectacular.

Suddenly, Ambrose clenched his teeth as a serpent of fire uncoiled in his chest, hissing its discontent. Here he sat, waiting for a battle, and why? He had never waited for the enemy to come to him. That wasn’t who he was. He confronted his battles head-on. He wouldn’t be any different here.

Ambrose teleported to his car, his hellcat, which was sitting in a paved lot that was soon going to be his home here on Avalon. As he got in, he used [Hellfire Manipulation], and the vehicle transformed into an abyssal, eldritch green flame.

The metal was infused with his mana, turning the material into something out of a nightmare fantasy. The car roared, flame lashing around it as the tires burned with bright green fire. He tore out of there, driving through the forest much faster than the car could go without being infused with mana.

He drove right off a cliff, soaring into the air like a comet of blazing hellfire. He landed on the ocean like a solid road, driving across it in a burst of hissing steam.

Straight towards the group of five boats coming southward towards Avalon.

They were large boats made of shimmering green metal Ambrose was unfamiliar with. Hulking green-skinned creatures bustled around the decks; some merely stood waiting, gripping large weapons in huge fists, anticipation hovering around them like physical things.

Ambrose was still far from them, but as he grew closer, he could see that something about their eyes wasn’t right. They looked dead as if there was no intelligence behind them. Ambrose shrugged to himself as he pressed the gas pedal. All that mattered was killing them.

To that end, he activated [Infernal Sanctuary], spectral chains spiralling with stygian fire struck out at a boat that Ambrose neared. To the orcs credit, they saw him, and did not just wait for him to attack.

They called lightning down from the dusk-kissed sky, a viridian bolt that would have burst his car and him into the wreckage. Unfortunately for them, Ambrose had been prepared, and with a practiced focus that came quickly to him in battle, he activated [Infernal Aegis], fueling it with spirit and mana.

A shield of accursed fire conflagrated around him. It met the emerald bolt in a concussive sound of fury and power. Orcs howled, yelling in a deep bass rumble that could have shaken the waves themselves.

One lifted a staff, and emerald power gathered around it. The sky growled in response, and lightning gathered. Ambrose sent wraith-like chains dancing with cimmerian flames for the orc and more chains wrapping around the boat itself. The orc with the staff howled as his skill was cut off, the sky quieting as the orc fell prone, his spirit suffering.

At the same time, Ambrose drove. Activating [Hellfire Manipulation], he sent his mana into the sky, forming it into a giant axe of nefarious and eldritch light that cast a shadow of fire across the sea and sky. With an effort of will, he brought the axe down like the judgment of some dark god.

It seared through the boat like butter and the axe a hot knife. Cut in half; the sea began to claim it as green forms fell into the sea, bobbing like large apples.

They screamed as sulphurous flame turned them into blackened shells, chunks of ash floating in the water. A scent like that of a bonfire on the beach coasted in the air, smoke rising high into the sky.

One orc was still alive, swimming powerfully towards him, its eyes reminding him of dying leaves at the autumn’s nadir.

Ambrose ran him over. The orcs screamed, but the pain it felt was short-lived as the Infernal Paladin ran him over a second time.

Notifications blinked within his mind, but he swept them aside with a thought. He didn’t have time for them right now.

Dear Knight, boats have begun to land on the eastern front, and Draugr are engaging.

Vivienne? You can talk in my mind now?

Indeed. You are connected to the island, Sir Knight, and thus to me. Hurry, they need your help. The orcs are beginning to break down the shield. I don’t think it has long before they break through, and other boats are getting closer at other points of Avalon.

Understood, I am on my way.

Ambrose turned the wheel, his hellcat roaring its fury across the ocean’s deep blue waters. Fire burned into the water, steam billowing around him.

The battle had truly begun.