With the madness before them the crowd felt the tension stuck in their throats as they gulped, feeling the palpable dryness in their mouths. Auror and Banshee roared with glee as their creatures swarmed and circled around Priscilla and the others. The horses under the cavalry's control felt the terrorising aura of the demons ahead of them as they lost control of themselves, shaking their riders forcefully off and running into the distance. The creatures pounced on them, devouring them under the noise of their agonised huffs, before turning to the 'humans' with bared fangs.
Sharazz jumped off her steed gracefully, her feet landing softly against the sand as she began slicing at the creature's silently. The others in her tribe followed suit, understanding the Matriarch's intentions. Against these foul abominations, words were wasted. Scimitars and spears met head on against the fangs and claws of the rabid demons, like surging sparks in a forest their clash set the battlefield ablaze. Auror and Banshee spectated gleefully, apathetic to the fate of their little pets. While the tribe fought tooth and nail against their side. Sharazz charged in— death incarnate, sweeping her crescent blade through the foes with ease, she was relentless and fierce, passionate and emboldened. She could never allow Divala's dogs to run rampant— for it was Divala himself who doomed their ancestors millennia ago.
Banshee smiled, her disjointed face grimacing awkwardly as the loose flaps of skin curved upwards. She hissed a terrible sound that pained the living's ears, but for the creatures it was far more atrocious as their faces began to detach from their bodies, skin loosened visibly as it pulled down on their limbs turning rope-like and withered. The she-creature clicked her tongue in an almost laughing manner as the demons lashed out with their elongated tendrils, using the whip-like properties to lunge repeated attacks at Sharazz and the warriors around her. Priscilla meanwhile clenched her hands, balling them up into fists. She struggled internally whether to fight or not. She felt warmth for Sharazz, but deep down she felt the dread of death breathing down her neck— she knew she should fight, should grit her teeth and storm through the beasts. But what if— what if they also see her as nothing more than a monster? These worries bogged her down in a passive state, this was not who she wanted to be, but it was who she was in this very moment.
Nobody had time to mind about her inaction, or anyone's for that matter. Those who fought focused on the fight, and those who didn't remained spectators.
Sharazz lead the battle with the dignity of the Matriarch and the strength of a warrior, one who had traversed the pathways of hell to find her place in the world. She kicked her foot up gracefully, scraping it against one of the creature's limbs and deflecting it away, before twirling in the sand and striking with her other leg into the vermin's disfigured face. Sweat rolled down her bronze skin as it flung off her body with every movement she made. Fatigue wouldn't dare stop her now, not when her people needed her.
As the battle raged on the bodies littered the ground into mounds, capturing the starlit rays that caused a putrid stench to surround the battlefield. Death was unfortunate and ugly, where even nature would do you no favours. Sharazz grit her teeth in annoyance, she wanted to break free, to attack the two 'leaders', but every time she tried they swarmed her with numbers that belied their passive confidence.
From the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of sand lifting, past the waves of monsters and enemies alike, it approached rapidly, slamming into the abominations with force. She recognized that all too recognizable flag with a smile, the swirls of gild chained around in an infinity symbol that eluded to the wealth and prosperity they dreamed of. The Bishamon convoy charged in with their golden war-horses equipped with jutting spikes that impaled the beasts and shredded them under their hooves.
Atop one of the carriages in the far reaches of the convoy a large man sat with crossed arms, he had thick arms, legs, and an even thicker walrus moustache that sat on his face. Were it not for the luxurious white suit garnished in gold, one would really think he was just some wild woodcutter and not a merchant overlord.
''I heard you're in a pinch, lil' Ora.'' the man said fondly to Sharazz.
''You finally came to make some money, you old goat.'' she replied sarcastically with a sweet smile, as she twirled her blade around her waist, connecting to another creature's body before it could react.
The man laughed at her sarcastic tone, waving his hand towards his men. Dozens of men hopped out of the carriages adorned in golden armour that enveloped their bodies, they brandished swords as they pounced on the monstrous growths of flesh and fang. Their numbers may have been smaller, but their strength was the best money could buy.
''Looks like the children are still too young to play with the big kids.'' Banshee uttered to Auror with a malicious cackle. ''Go play with them, darling.'' she spoke, as she glided her elongated tongue into his mouth, her blackened scaly hands caressing his spiked pustulant head.
Auror allowed her attempts at seduction, grunting approvingly. She slid off of him, and he walked towards the center of the clash. The sea of monsters parted letting him wade through unobstructed, Bi'Sha's convoy pushed through the obstacles reaching Sharazz and her men. As Auror slowly approached, Bi'Sha looked at him with strangeness. ''So my dear, Ora. Could you kindly tell me what the hell that thing is?'' he asked.
''It's Divala's doing. They've forfeited themselves to his little cult.'' she said solemnly as she readied her body to receive the hulking titan in combat.
''Well, shit.'' he uttered in disbelief. ''I'm not sure if money can buy us an easy way out of this one.'' he spoke as he stroked his moustache.
''Money can come after we win.'' Sharazz replied with a warm smile. ''We're not planning on letting Divala's dogs take advantage of us.''
''Dogs, dogs, dogs.'' Auror mumbled. ''You insist on courting death, don't you?'' he asked with calm fury. He brandished his towering greatsword and swung it with ease. The force of his swing rippling through the sand as it tore through the masses of monsters and humans alike. Swerving slightly to the side as it missed Sharazz just barely.
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He laughed a wicked laugh before swinging his blade down again. Sharazz jumped out of the way, dodging it with strained ease, but she felt the crawling under her skin as she felt the force of the man's attacks.
''Bastard.'' she muttered under her breath. She rushed at the man before he could swing again, thrusting her polesword horizontally as she struck at his arm. Auror grinned, deflecting it with his girthy arm. ''You're not good enough, tiny sand witch.'' he mocked before swinging his blade horizontally to the side of Sharazz, aiming not at her but at her people. The rippling of his blade cut through dozens of her warriors, giving them no chance to dodge before their lives were snuffed out. The Matriarch couldn't handle it, she roared as she flailed her crescent blade at the man's limbs and neck, but he deflected her single-handed as if he were toying with an insect.
Unwillingness stifled her, she slammed her blade again and again to the point where cracks lined it. But no matter what she simply could not stop the man. Her people died, dozens after dozens left the sand and moved on to greener pastures. Sharazz had enough, the woman's eyes glowed crimson as she chanted for her people.
She knew— she shouldn't use the power. She had only partially recovered since the last time. Would the souls of her people handle it? It was something she would never be able to know until she tried. All she could do is try. No matter what she had to stop the behemoth juggernaut that reaped her people's lives. The desert's fury swelled with the power of her chants, the souls of her people awoke from their slumber, billowing the sand around them into streams that lifted her comrades and sent them away. While another portion slammed into Auror and the abominations pushing them back.
Blood dripped from her lips as she chanted, she was the only one who could protect the people. Sand rose forming towering golems, their eyes gleaming with crimson as the blood of Sharazz's people pooled into them. The eyes were the window to the soul, and to them the soul had all the power of their faith. The woman leapt into the air striking down at Auror with her leg, the golem followed suit slamming down all around the man, turning the little demons into pits of flesh. Auror reacted easily pushing her out of the way and slamming his shoulder through one of the golem's arms, bursting the grains apart.
Banshee howled indifferently from behind, she wouldn't let them have such fun without her, the little creatures lost control and raced towards Sharazz's people, despite the golems efforts to eviscerate them into the earth, they survived purely on numbers, bypassing the golems and attacking the tribe. Their frenzy extended far enough where even Jensen, Hallie and Priscilla got caught in the defense. Sharazz found herself in a problematic situation where no matter what she thought of, someone would suffer on her side. She focused on Auror using all the strength she could draw from her ancestor's lingering will to protect them. Sharazz raised her hand towards the skies and the sand responded, pikes congealed piercing towards Auror's flesh as they tried to impale him into the heavens. What a shame however that his hide seemed unbreakable.
The man laughed as he punched out, his bicep flexing taut as he slammed towards Sharazz's stomach. A golem thrust its fist in front to block it but he punched straight through it, nicking Sharazz slightly as the force sent her rolling against the sand and crashing into another of the golems. Her head spun from the strike. She felt disoriented and weary. The glow in her eyes flickered as she lifted herself up from the sand.
As Sharazz fought against Auror, Jensen found himself in a pincer attack as the creatures assaulted him, he reacted, landing a roundhouse kick to one of them and detaching its frail and already fragmented skull of its withered body. The man was impassioned, his eyes red as he stared at Auror from the corner of his eye. He was too weak to get revenge for Jared— but he'd be damned if he didn't at least make the little ones suffer. He lunged his elbow backwards, striking another creature into the palm of its clawed hand, before he turned his body punching it in the throat.
Jensen was always the astute one who could see the finest of details, yet today in his reckless fury towards the man who killed his brother, he found himself blinded by his emotions. Priscilla could see it however, she opened her mouth to speak, but the words got stuck in her throat.
''JENS!'' Hallie roared as she jumped towards the man, pushing him. From underneath the sand a creature lunged up, its claws latching onto Hallie's arm and ripping it off bone and all. She grimaced in pain and hollered mournfully as the pain bore into her. Jensen stared dumbfounded, roaring furiously as he slammed into the creature that still clung onto her arm between its teeth. Blind— why was he so blind all of a sudden. Another creature scurried across the sand, its body low to the ground and out of sight, it squeezed its claws into a spike-like fist as it launched itself into the air and at Jensen. The man was mid attack, his body stuck in motion. He craned his neck, but it was too slow. The creature pierced one of its claws into his right eye, as the creature passed Jensen his claw ripped the eye out, dragging a gash from his eye all the way to the side of his head.
Priscilla shivered where she stood. What was she doing? Did she not want friends? To explore the world and find something to call her own? Did her heart not feel the warmth of their company?
'WHAT ARE YOU DOING!' she roared internally. 'Priscilla, oh Priscilla! Are you so afraid of being branded a monster that you'll watch these people die? Is this what you suffered for?' the woman felt her heart beating, pounding against her chest as the heat went to her head. She felt the dizziness in her eyes, her breaths accelerating as she gasped for air. ''Dammit. Dammit all to hell.'' she mumbled under her breath as she dropped to one knee. Did they really treat her as just some Princess? Is that why they forgot her in this chaotic battle? Or did they just care for her... and wanted her to stay out of it?
It was a visceral breakdown, she slammed her fist against the sand as her eyes widened. Her canine dug into the meat of her lip, drawing blood that trickled slowly down her face.
'Are you trying to let everyone down? You stupid wicked woman!' she cursed herself and her weakness, her frail heart that still felt alienation and fear of the world's judgement. But this couldn't go on. If the world was ending, would she have to be alone and waiting for the end? No— she wanted to meet the end with others, those who cared for her, those who she could care for just the same. She already was forced to await her end once, alone and trapped in suffocating darkness. Did she really have to go through it again? No!
She lifted herself up, standing proudly with fists clenched. Her back arched backwards as she lifted her head to the sky and roared with every drop of emotion she could muster. The starlit sky overhead flickered, the earth quaked, the sand that Sharazz wielded rebelled and swirled furiously forming spirals that hung low in the sky, even the gateway in the city shook as a crack formed vertically down it. Countless inaudible voices echoed with the wind, muttering the fury of a thousand years as they reacted to the woman's emotional call.
The markings that hid in the depths of her body began to emerge one after the other stretching from her forehead down across her eyes, the ones on her back and shoulders swirling into indescribable patterns that thrummed with vitality and strength. Flames erupted from her forehead bathing her in their warmth. It was ironic, flames were the ones that took her life. But they also fueled her second chance and gave her the strength to move on. They swirled around her face giving her raven black hair a vermillion glow. As she stood there, mighty and vibrant, the battlefield froze in an awestruck silence as if she was the only one present.