PART 1

General Brynd sat atop his steed, behind him the Tykin border. He had led his army west from Udra, where he had his army stationed. Darius had given him full authority to invade Vulkira and sent him to the border. Darius’s greed and need to see Xer fall blinded Darius to his own flaws. He had become weak, drunk, and oblivious to his surroundings and it would be his downfall.

However, king Darius was no fool. If Brynd failed in his attempt in a swift and decisive victory, he would be the scapegoat. Darius would throw him to the wolves to save himself and place the blame entirely on his shoulders.

This was his opportunity to lay claim to Vulkira for himself while they were in chaos. Darius wouldn’t know the difference until it was too late and then, Brynd would be king of Vulkira.

Brynd had worked his way up the ranks and after thirty years of groveling and picking up the pieces of lords and ladies' mistakes, he was finally in a position of power. He would not let this opportunity slip by him so easily.

Brynd saw a rider heading toward him, his face looked concerned. A letter in his hand told Brynd everything he wanted to know. King Darius had changed his mind again.

“General!” the scout shouted as he approached. “New orders from king Darius. We are to stand down from any further aggression and fall back to the border.

Brynd cursed under his breath, “Let me see that!” snatching the letter from his scout as he pulled up next to him. He knew Darius was a spineless coward, but this? Hesitating at this stage was a new level of craven.

He glanced through the letter. More nonsense and unclear reasons. Brynd was always resentful, as he was almost always kept in the dark. Never knowing why orders were given. It infuriated him further.

“Get out of my sight!” Brynd shouted at the young man on horseback. Taking out some of his anger on the scout relieved some of his stress.

As the scout rode off into the distance, probably back to the capital of Tykin, Akrov, Brynd took the letter and tore it into pieces. He continued to shred it till it was no more. He would have his glory. He would have his battle to prove himself. And he would take Vulkira with or without Darius’ support.

“This changes nothing.” Brynd gave a crooked smile and sat there as the sun rose over the small hills. “I will be king. And there’s nothing they can do to stop me now.”

“Sir? What did the letter say?” Tulkrum rode up next to him.

Tulkrum was Brynd’s captain. He was a man of ambition like Brynd and pledged his loyalty to him, not Darius. He believed Brynd would lead him to glory and power. For now, Brynd had Tulkrum’s allegiance.

“It seems... our king... has ordered us to retreat,” Brynd replied with disgust.

“I knew it. The coward.” Tulkrum spat. “What… what will we do now?”

“Our plans haven’t changed, Captain. We move on. Vlakias is weak and Erik is a fool for thinking he is untouchable. I’ll show him how safe he really is hiding behind Xer.”

“But… sir, this will break our allegiance to Darius before we take the capital.” Tulkrum reasoned. “Maybe it would be best to wait while we have the support from Tykin. Taking Vulkira in Darius’s name is one thing. We will have his backing and reinforcements if needed. Doing it without...” he paused.

“Yes, yes! I know all that!” Brynd hissed. “We will have to do it without him. I have waited too long for this to turn back now.”

“What do you think made Darius change his mind so quickly?” Tulkrum asked. “Do you think there are others making a play for Vulkira?”

“Darius is an old fool!” Brynd murmured. “Anything is possible in his court. He can’t see a plot if it hit him in the face.”

Tulkrum looked worried but said nothing more. Brynd had made his choice and Tulkrum had to choose whether or not he would follow, or abandon his general.

“We push forward,” Brynd said. “I want the men ready to move immediately.”

“As you wish, sir. I’ll have them moving within the hour.” Tulkrum said.

“No, captain. Now.” Brynd looked at him, eyes enraged. “We leave now.”

A flicker of black crossed Brynd’s eyes but Tulkrum didn’t notice.

The closer they came to Vlakias, the more Brynd grew annoyed. His plan was faltering before it began. He cursed Darius for his stupidity and berated himself for trusting in his greed, even if that greed was mutually beneficial.

His armies slipped past Zidyria and marched along the mountain edges. They would have one shot at this, if they were seen, it would all be over. With the element of surprise, Vlakias would fall easily.

The longer they rode, the more Brynd felt his mind become groggy. His eyes began to blur slightly but he ignored it and pushed on. A thought crept into his mind “Don’t fail me…” Icy tingles shot down his spine and he started sweating.

“General!” another scout shouted. “General Brynd! Something is coming!”

“Wh-what is it?” Brynd’s head cleared a little. “What did you see?”

“I don’t know sir. I don’t know how to describe them,” he said.

“You better try,” Tulkrum said menacingly.

“They… they are beasts, sir. Giant animals. Nearly as tall as a horse.” the scout stuttered. “Hundreds of them.”

Tulkrum turned to Brynd, “Do you think it’s the Vog? What do we do?”

“It doesn’t matter what they are. We push forward. If an enemy stands in our way… we will crush them.” Brynd commanded.

Tulkrum and the scout looked at each other with worried faces but said nothing to resist the order. “As you wish, general,” they said in unison.

PART 2

Constant reports of the enemy brought Brynd’s anxiety levels skyrocketing. One bit of good news came from the relentless reports. Erik and an enormous amount of the population were fleeing Vlakias. Apparently, Erik couldn’t handle the threat and was running with his tail between his legs.

“Erik must be nearing Nolvis by now.” Brynd convinced himself. “Vlakias will be ours without any resistance. He has abandoned his home in fear of these creatures.”

“Maybe, we too should fear these beasts,” Tulkrum suggested. “They match the description of the Vog. If they really are Vog, then we don’t stand a chance against them.”

“Nonsense. The Vog are harmless, mindless animals. We can deal with easily enough, captain.” Brynd laughed. “It’s like taking candy from a baby.”

“Even so… is it not wise to exercise caution?” Tulkrum persisted, clearly convinced he was correct.

“Do not! Lecture me on wisdom, Tulkrum.” Brynd burst in anger. “Once I am king of Vulkira, people will fear me. Respect my…” he trailed off and looked ahead.

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Three horsemen charged over a hill, waving and shouting. It was another scouting party, but they were not expected to return for several hours.

“Form ranks,” Brynd whispered. A horrible gut feeling washed over him. A voice in his head urged him to attack but he ignored it, focusing on getting his men ready for what came.

Tulkrum didn’t respond, only looked at the ridge. The ground began to rumble and the horses stirred.

“Captain!” Brynd bellowed. “Form ranks! Now!”

Tulkrum snapped out of it and whipped his horse around toward the army. “Shield wall! Shield wall!” he repeated.

The army halted and without hesitation swiftly formed rows in front while the archers stood behind. Two groups of cavalry lancers split and quickly pulled up to each side of the army. Five hundred footmen made a shield wall and advanced slowly, making their way to the top of the hill, still unable to see the danger. One hundred archers had their arrows nocked and slowly followed behind the wall of footmen. Fifty horsemen on the left and right brought up the rear.

All eyes were on the hillcrest, waiting in anticipation. The three riders galloped at full speed still screaming and yelling. “They’re coming! Their shouts repeated over and over in warning.

Brynd silently sat on his horse watching for any signs of soldiers or beasts. Whatever came over that hill, his armies would take them head on.

Movement caught everyone’s eyes and suddenly the entire hillside was covered with beasts the size of horses. Every living soul froze at the sight. Brynd was completely dumbfounded at the size of the Vog. Rows and rows of giant beasts kept popping over the hill, revealing themselves.

Tulkrum came riding up to him, panting. “It’s… Vog. Sir! What do we do?”

Brynd didn’t respond, he was in shock, his own arrogance had blinded him to the dangers. He wouldn’t listen to his scouts and now this.

“What is happening?” he thought. “Have I lost my mind?”

He had never felt so out of control before, something was messing with his head. Brynd’s eyes went wide in shock. The demon, in his dream. “What was his name?” he wracked his brain.

“I will be king,” Brynd whispered, his mind foggy and unclear again. He couldn’t think straight. Ever since he had that nightmare, he had not been the same. His memory was failing him. “It wasn’t real. It wasn’t real.” Brynd felt frantic.

“Don’t fail me… general.” Mulguran’s demonic voice penetrated his mind.

Tulkrum looked at him in shock, “What is wrong with you? You aren’t thinking straight! We must retreat!”

“I will be king.” Brynd started shouting, completely unhinged.

“You’ve gone mad!” Tulkrum yelled. “I’m ordering a retreat.”

Tulkrum raised his sword in a signal and began to call for a retreat when Brynd shoved cold steel, straight into his neck. The blade pulled from his throat and Tulkrum fell off his horse to the ground.

The general looked down at him, his eyes were black, his stare blank and emotionless.

Tulkrum clutched at his neck, trying to stop the bleeding. It was too late, blood was gushing out of his neck and Brynd watched his captain’s eyes fade. His strength abated. Tulkrum tried to speak but blood filled his lungs and mouth making him spray blood. His whole torso was wet and his hands were slippery, unable to grasp his neck to prolong his life.

“You served Brynd well, human. Now die.” a deep demonic voice left Brynd’s mouth.

Tulkrum looked in horror at the general, who clearly wasn’t himself. Tulkrum lay still, never moving again.

The three scouts from before came riding up, then froze at the sight of Tulkrum lying dead on the ground.

“General?” one asked, confusion written all over his face.

“What are your orders?” another ignored their fellow comrade on the ground.

“The Vog wait for our move.” Brynd’s voice had slightly cleared but still sounded deep and unsettling. “Give the order to attack.”

“But s-” Brynd swung his sword with lightning speed and cut the head off of the protesting scout.

“Attack,” Brynd repeated coldly, his voice steady and emotionless.

The other two looked in horror but turned and started giving commands.

“Charge!” each of them barked orders down the lines. Rows of warriors screamed, filling the hilly landscape with a menacing cry.

The line of men broke, sprinting forward. Archers jogged behind keeping their distance from the main force. Lancers circled around, in preparation to charge from the sides.

At this point, the Vog on the hill broke from their stance and sprinted to meet the humans. One volley of arrows rained down upon them but bounced off their hides like toothpicks. Seeing the effect, or lack thereof, all archers dropped their bows, drew their swords, and joined the line of shield men. Without hesitation, the beasts crashed into the line of shields and utterly destroyed them. The entire line of men broke the instant they met, plowing through them like ants.

Flesh tore from bones, and screams of agony erupted across the land. Swords jabbed into the underbellies of the beasts as they jumped over rows of humans. Dozens of Vog fell to the humans, but the devastation they brought with them far outweighed their losses.

The amount of bodies finally stopped the initial advance of the Vog's charge but what that meant was, the archers were vulnerable due to having no shields. Clumps of humans held out against the onslaught when the lancers swung around for their first charge. No one had expected the lines to break so easily but the calvary quickly joined their brethren in an attempt at rescue.

Long sharp lances pierced the hides of the beasts and dozens more fell to the cavalry charge, but it wasn’t enough. The horsemen quickly lost their momentum and the horses panicked, causing the monsters to pounce on them immediately.

Within fifteen minutes, the humans were nearly defeated, small groups of men formed circles in a desperate attempt to rally the men. Several surviving horsemen raced off, fleeing the battlefield. General Brynd flipped off his horse with the agility of no man.

“I expected more from you humans,” Mulguran said. “What a pitiful excuse.”

Mulguran stalked forward into the fray of bodies and went to work. He moved like a slithering snake, dodging in impossible movements. Brynd’s sword cut through dozens of Vog, effortlessly. Cutting heads clean off, his blade work was no match for the creatures that swarmed him.

While this happened, Brynd watched his body moving without his say, without his command. The demon had possessed him and the fear that came with it overwhelmed him.

Suddenly, Mulguran noticed Brynd’s body giving out. He had sustained numerous cuts and scrapes but no mortal wounds. However, his human body quickly faded from fatigue, Brynd’s strength faltered.

Byrnd felt a surge of energy burst through him like a shockwave and he felt his skin repair itself like cold hot iron. The sensation would have been mesmerizing if not for the battle before him.

He continued to slaughter Vog with the grace of a cat and the speed of a snake. Brynd started screaming but no voice came, the demon had complete control over him and he was as a child to a man. Unable to resist.

After what seemed like an eternity, and dead Vog lay everywhere around him, Brynd felt his body come back to him. Control of his flesh returning.

That’s when he realized his spine was disconnected from his lower back. A single Vog sunk its teeth into his lower back, severing flesh and bone. The pain that followed was nothing he had ever felt before.

“What a shame.” Mulguran said pitilessly. “No matter, the damage has been done.”

With that, Mulguran left Brynd’s body and left him bleeding and surrounded. Time seemed to freeze for Brynd. He looked around him and gazed at his fallen army, his whole body covered in cuts and bruises. He looked down at his stomach and he saw his lower half missing. His legs were gone.

Part of his stomach lay on the blood-soaked grass, guts pouring out like a dam. Fear and panic engulfed him as the agony set in.

“What have you done?” Brynd screamed his lungs out.

“How am I not dead?” he frantically thought.

The demon stood before him, the black spiraling circle like the one from his dream stood in front like a mirror.

“YOU… have done this,” Mulguran smirked. “It was so easy. You thought Darius was the blind one.” he laughed at the human. “But you were the blindest of them all.”

“You… tricked me. You promised me power!” Brynd faltered. “I was to be king! I was to be something more!”

“You were never anything but a pawn,” Mulguran said coldly. “You served your purpose well. It’s his move now, wherever it is he is hiding. You will not have your peace.”

“What are you talking about?” Brynd said in confusion. “I never wanted peace.”

“Not for you, fool.” Mulguran laughed. “Malik. I know he is watching. Hiding like a coward, much like your king Darius.”

“Who… is Malik?” Brynd asked. “Why have you done this? Why am I still alive? You’ve killed me.”

“Simple. I want Malik… to suffer.” Mulguran’s eyes flared red. “And when I have finally found his chosen one, I will destroy him and his precious plans will die with him.”

“I don’t understand! You gave me power, I could have used it… for you.” Brynd screamed in panic. “I could’ve been king! I could’ve helped you.”

“Oh but you did help me.” the demon laughed. “You’ve brought this slaughter and now unrest between the Vog and humans is assured.

“You mean. I was just… a tool?” Brynd knew the answer but asked it anyway. “You used me!”

There was a moment of hesitation in the demon, his eyes cold and calculating, then time seemed to begin again and the Vog raced toward him.

“I have no use for you anymore. Now die, human.” Mulguran smirked evilly then disappeared into thin air.

Vog swarmed him and ripped his arms off, the one took his head in its mouth and snapped its jaws closed. “I… will be... ki-.”