Dark Lord of Tartarus
***
There were eight hundred men on the south side of the wall.
Some of them were terrified and confused.
Nobody has ever seen those kinds of monsters. Everyone was puzzled on how did these creatures exist. Could they be some secret weapons of some country or were they only monsters that have hidden in a long time.
There were roughly four hundred of those monsters and they were marching on average speed.
On the front, there was a line of three giant rocks on fire and each had a shape almost similar to a human. Behind them were armored skeletons and each holding a sword and shield all with black colored sets formed up, and there were too many of them to be precisely counted.
Behind those armored skeletons were skeletons each holding a sword and black shield but not armored mounted on what it seems like skeleton horses. Their numbers were also too many to be counted.
Behind of those skeleton riders were like full grown black wolves with sharp teeth. The wolves had one line in the horde of monsters.
Behind the wolves were skeletons holding black bows with quivers and arrows on their back.
Lastly, behind the archers were once again three giant rocks on fire with a shape similar to humans.
***
When the horde of monsters was halfway until they reach the town's defenses they stopped almost at the same time.
"Why did they stop?" Jonas asked.
"Could it be they're waiting for us to attack first?" Ana said.
Jonas glanced at Ana on his side for a moment and returned his sight to the monsters.
The monsters were indeed not moving and were just standing there. They looked too relaxed and showing no signs of hostility.
"Maybe. But let's wait for a moment." Jonas said.
Jonas examined the horde of monsters. He saw rocks on fire, and they were big, this caused Jonas to worry.
If those giants can manage to get near the walls, it's possible that a few hits from them could destroy a part of the wall. However, that won't be easy, they have cannons and some tanks and that could perhaps destroy those giant rocks.
"Those rock giants can be a problem. They're also as tall as the wall. We should aim at them first when they attack." Jonas said.
"Are those things golems? They seem like it." Ana said.
"Golems?"
"I only heard about them. They say they were like giants made of rocks, and some even can be summoned. But those things are too big compared to what I heard of."
"So normally they won't be that big. They might possibly be secret weapons of a country."
"Probably. I wonder how they managed to make something like that, but now's not the time to think about it."
"Right."
Jonas looked to the creatures behind the golems.
"It's bothering me, they're using swords instead of guns. This is the modern age, what country would make their army use swords against a gunfight, especially in a siege."
"I don't know what or why. However, they arranged their forces well. They might be using those golems as cover to advance."
"That's likely their strategy. But the strangest thing is that there's not a single human there. It's quite disturbing the monsters just appeared in front of us."
"Yeah, it is disturbing. But why are they not moving yet?"
"I don't know. That's why I still haven't given the order. There might be something important going to happen. Besides, we can attack at long range with our weapons and they only have archers as range attackers, we have the advantage. But what worries me are the golems, but we can handle them."
Awooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Suddenly there was a howl coming from the ranks of the enemy. It seems like the wolves were howling together and it was clearly heard at Jonas and Ana's position.
Then, all the enemy units started to run towards them.
People shrugged because of that and gasped loudly.
"They have started." Jonas said.
Jonas held his radio and used it to send his message.
"All units, fire at will. Anyone that has artillery weapons aim for those giant running rocks. Don't let them get close."
Then every unit fired their weapons. Everyone from the top of the walls, inside the walls, and outside the walls aimed and fired on the enemies.
The weapons first hit the advancing golems, the golems were covering the units behind them. Fortunately, some attacks were able to hit some skeletons behind the golems because of some gaps in their advance.
"Crews on the cannons, attack the golems now before they reach the defenses."
The experimental cannon aimed at the golem on the left side of the enemy ranks.
Then a sound of something charging up rang out. After a few seconds.
BOOOOOOOOOFFFF
The cannon spat a big magical beam.
The beam hit the golem, and the golem raised its hand to use as cover. However after a few second its hand slowly broke until it was in pieces and hit its upper body, destroying the golem. Good thing the golem was destroyed before the cannon's charged attack was exhausted.
The other two cannons on the left side of the south wall aimed for the golem on the right side of the enemy ranks.
BOOOOF
BOOOOF
BOOOOF
BOOOOF
BOOOOF
BOOOOF
It took several attacks before the golem was destroyed. The experimental one only took one attack to destroy the golem was because it was using a magic crystal as a power source, rather than a battery that needed to be changed every three attacks.
As the two golems were being destroyed, the one in the middle already reached the barriers.
The golem raised its fist and struck the barrier and destroyed a part of the defense.
When the golem hit the barrier, people were screaming in fear and pain. The ones that luckily avoided the impact were not entirely safe, some had some burns and some were even on fire and running in pain and panic.
"Dammit. The cannons a little short, they also need to turn the guns."
Jonas said while shooting to the opposition.
"Let me handle it."
Jonas looked to the sound of the voice. The voice was in a tone on confidence.
Ana held her Barrett and moved her eyes to the scope.
"[Power Boost.]"
Ana used a spell from her innate gift.
Ana aimed at the golem and prepared her finger on the trigger.
BANG!
Ana pulled the trigger and a loud bang rang out.
As the golem was raising its right arm, the bullet hit his arm with extreme force and it destroyed most of its arm.
The attack pushed the golem's shoulder a little and caused the golem to step back on one foot. It glanced on its right arm for a second.
"Tsk. The bullet wasn't able to pass through and hit the head huh." Ana said.
Ana tripled the Barrett's fire power, but apparently, it was not enough to kill the golem with one hit.
Ana quickly aimed for its head before it could raise its hand to strike the other barriers.
BANG!
A bullet spat out of the sniper rifle and flew exactly at what seems like the golem's forehead.
The speed and force of the bullet destroyed everything in its path. A large part of the golem's head was destroyed and it fell on the ground landing its back.
After every golem was destroyed, something strange happened.
The remains of the golems were fading, then nothing were left. It almost seems like the golems were never there at all.
"What? They disappeared?"
Jonas was confused at the event. He has no idea what happened to those things.
"Yeah, they completely disappeared. Why… tsk, no time to think about that. The skeletons are about to swarm the defenses." Ana said.
The skeleton warriors have gotten in the defenses. Every soldier fired at those, some skeletons used their shields to block their attacks.
A skeleton was closing into a soldier and the soldier tried to back off the skeleton by shooting with his gun, however, it was being blocked by the shield. The shield is getting damaged every attack but that was not enough to slow the skeleton.
Once the soldier was now in the skeleton's weapon range, it immediately swung its sword downward. The soldier tried to block it, but the blade hit the soldier's arm and a part of it fell to the ground. The soldier's arm was cut in half.
"AAAAAAAAAAH"
The soldier wailed in extreme pain and shock as he looked on his arm, blood spilling from it.
The skeleton swung its sword diagonally, slashing the soldier's body, his throat included, and a lot of blood spilled from his body and he fell to the ground. Then the skeleton moved on to his next target.
Machine guns fired at its fullest from its station. The guns shooting at the skeletons and were able to take out a lot of them. The stationary machine guns were using bullets, the skeletons may be using shields but the bullets were able to pierce through those shields and take out the skeletons.
The machine gunners may be taking out a lot of those skeletons, but there are also a number of those skeletons that were able to pass through them. The gunners were being protected by some men behind them because some skeletons got through the barrier. The good thing is that the skeletons were using swords and the soldiers are using guns, the latter has the advantage.
They were able to take out some skeletons by using their magic weapons. However, it was not enough to save a lot of their allies.
Some soldiers are being cut down. Some skeletons swung their swords and were able to cut down the soldiers head. Men fell to the ground in fear, but the skeletons showed no mercy and plunged their sword inside the soldiers' guts.
Men were crawling on the ground, trying to get away from the monsters. However, skeletons riding on skeleton horses went pass them and cut them down, some were even being stepped on by the horses as they run past them.
There were already so many that got in the barriers. Fortunately, there were some guys on top and inside the walls providing support. That was a great help against the skeletons.
Skeleton Archers took an arrow from the quivers and placed the arrow on their bows. They draw their strings, pointed forwardly above, and loosed their arrows.
The arrows flew to the town's outer defenses. Some arrows hit some people and some didn't but the arrows were able to take out a number of soldiers.
Seeing the archers' attacks, the men on top of the walls and some inside aimed and fired at the archers.
Disturbed by the soldiers' attack, the skeletons had difficulty to aim and fire at the wall. Archers were being taken out one by one.
The soldiers at the sides of the barrier were also being engaged by the swarming enemy. The tanks were having a good job at taking out a lot of the enemy, but some were able to go past through.
The firing soldiers behind the sand were putting up a good fight. But some enemies were able to go past the bags and got behind them.
Soldier being cut down, blood splashed all around. Then large black wolves jumped over the sandbags and growled loudly.
Fire seems to be leaking out of the wolves. The soldiers were confused at the same time scared. What could these wolves be?
Then the wolves open their mouths and flames came out. The flames set the place and some soldiers on fire. Soldiers were screaming and running while on fire and slowly fell to the ground as their very life was gone.
Some soldiers thought that those wolves seem to be familiar as they tried to shoot the enemy around.
Those wolves were like the creatures they hear and read from stories. Large wolves that were able to breathe fire out of their mouths. Large black wolves that's able to burn their target to crisp.
They were creatures from stories that are called Hellhounds.
Soldiers were having a hard time to kill the skeletons and hellhounds around them. But good thing they have strong range weapons to use against such monster.
However, the soldiers were taking a lot of casualties.
***
Ana and Jonas were still at the top of the walls, shooting at the enemies.
Below them they saw their allies being killed, defenses being broken, people running on fire, people screaming and wailing in fear and agony. But still, they were having the advantage against them.
Then they noticed the golems that were behind the enemy ranks closing into the walls and were running.
Seeing them, Jonas quickly held his radio and said.
"Cannon units aim at those golems quickly before they reach the wall."
The experimental cannon was already pointed at the middle front of the wall, thus they aimed at the golem on the middle.
The cannon charged up and fired at the golem. As what happened earlier, the cannon destroyed the golem with one fire.
While the other cannons were aiming and preparing to fire, suddenly something flew above them and attacked the cannon near Ana and Jonas, the crew operating the cannon were first to be taken out and killed.
There were some screaming and wailing.
Ana and Jonas quickly looked to the source of the sound. What they saw shocked them.
The one that attacked the cannon was a big monster. The creature has a red body and it looked almost like a vulture with no feathers but all skin, its wings were also made up of what seems like thin skin. It has sharp teeth and was chewing a human being, half of the human's body was exposed as it was slowly being consumed and swallowed.
Then Ana and Jonas heard an average pitched roar behind them, and they quickly turned around.
What they saw was exactly the same as what they saw just now, it was a red-skinned vulture.
"What the hell?" Jonas asked.
After that, he heard flapping above him.
Ana seems to have heard it too. Both of them quickly looked up, and then what they saw were the same as the others. Two vultures like creatures were flying all around the southern wall.
As the soldiers saw the flying vultures above them, they quickly fired at them using their Anti-Aircraft guns while some guys were protecting them and shooting at each vulture.
"Sir, let me handle this side. You handle the other." Ana said.
When Jonas heard that he thought for a while.
Ana has her gift that can be used against it so it should be alright if Jonas let her handle it.
After that, he nodded and quickly ran to the right side of the wall while shooting the vulture with the help of some soldiers.
The vulture was walking wildly all around and stomping its feet crushing a few soldiers. Then it moved near its head to a soldier and opened its mouth and bit the soldier. Blood was splattered all around when the vulture bit him, and the vulture consumed the soldier.
Jonas saw this, and he was pissed.
Soldiers were shooting at it non-stop, it seems to be effective because wounds around it can be seen.
The vulture was killing a lot of his men, so Jonas will need to use his magic once he gets close the vulture.
Soldiers were shooting the rampaging vulture from all directions. When Jonas was closing in at the vulture, he let go of his gun's grip and only held it with his left hand. Then electricity began to appear on Jonas' open right hand.
"[Lightning Bolt.]"
He cast a spell and threw the bolt to the vulture.
The lightning bolt flew and hit the vulture's body. The vulture was pushed back a little and there was a huge wound on where the bolt hit and red blood was dripping from it.
The soldiers were still shooting it down, but the vulture seemed to have weakened. Thus, Jonas is going to end that thing now.
"[Lightning Spear.]"
A spear made of lightning appeared on his hand.
Jonas moved his hand back near his head, like how one would throw a spear. He aimed for its chest and once the target was clear, he threw the spear.
The spear flew to the vulture's chest and pierced its body.
The vulture shrieked for a while and it slowly fell to the ground. The vulture was no longer moving, it seems to be dead now.
"YEAH!"
Jonas heard his men around shouted in celebration.
Jonas was still looking at the corpse of the vulture when suddenly its body vanished.
It was just like what happened earlier.
That is so strange.
Jonas thought.
***
After Jonas left, Ana keenly looked at the vulture.
The soldiers around were shooting the vulture from all directions. It seems to be effective.
Ana laid her sniper rifle on a nearby box and aimed to the vulture. She couldn't properly aim clearly at the vulture, it was moving a lot. But even if it is moving she still needs to try and shoot it down.
She put her finger on the trigger.
"Come on come on." She quietly said.
When she saw an opportunity she pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The bullet flew from the gun to the vulture. However, it didn't hit the target. It missed the vulture's neck by at least two inches.
"Damn it"
She missed but she must do a follow-up attack quickly. The vulture was stomping and consuming her allies. She must kill that thing fast.
She aimed to the vulture again. She must shoot the target at a good timing.
When she saw an opportunity, she pulled the trigger.
The bullet flew to the vulture and the same time the vulture moved at the bullet's trajectory.
The bullet hit the vulture's neck. As the weapon was boosted, the bullet destroyed the vulture's neck, separating its head from its body.
Then the vulture's head and body fell to the ground while spilling red blood.
"Yeah!"
"Great job Ana!"
Her allies shouted in celebration.
As Ana was looking at the vulture's remains, the vulture vanished.
It's the same as the others? Strange.
After Ana thought that she felt heat. She looked to the direction from where she felt the heat was coming from.
Then something big hit the wall, and the wall shook from the impact.
What hit the wall was a flaming golem, it bashed the wall using its shoulder and it damaged a large part of the wall.
"Shit!"
Good thing the golem has a bit of a distance from her, so she's a little safe from it.
The golem has its left hand holding a part of the wall while the other is free.
The golem raised its free hand and it quickly descended, slamming the wall in front of it. The slam destroyed half the height of the wall at the same time hitting and killing some of the soldiers.
I can't let it hit the wall again.
She quickly aimed for the golems head.
If she can have a direct hit on its head, she could destroy it with one shot. Her weapon is a piercing one so it would be easy to destroy its rocky head.
As the golem was raising its hand again, she quickly pulled the trigger.
Then the bullet cleanly hit the head of the golem. The head was completely shattered. The golem fell to the ground and its flames slowly dissipated.
Ana took a look at it from the edge of the wall, and as expected the remains vanished.
Suddenly the wall shook again. Ana quickly turned around and looked at the other side.
There she saw a heavily damaged wall and a golem. She also saw Jonas attack the golem with a continuously flowing lightning with both his hands.
That's such a bad combination.
Indeed, it is a bad combination when you use lightning to attack a golem on fire. It can cause damage, but it won't be enough, lightning won't be able to give a high damage against something on fire.
She turned her weapon around and aimed to the golem's head.
She pulled the trigger and a bullet spat out of the sniper rifle.
Just like what happened earlier, the bullet shattered the golem's head. Then the golem fell to the ground.
She saw Jonas panting heavily, he seemed to have expended a lot of mana.
Jonas looked at Ana, and he nodded and smiled.
Ana nodded back.
After that Ana looked back outside the wall.
It seems like the enemy now is fewer, the soldiers seemed to be handling them fine now. However, that doesn't mean she won't give them supporting fire.
She aimed below and fired.
***
A long time has passed and only a few enemies were left.
Everything was clearer now from above. Ana aimed and fired at a skeleton running to a soldier.
The bullet hit its target, as it was a skeleton the bullet shattered the part where the bullet flew through. Then as expected the remains disappeared as well as their equipment.
After a few minutes, everything has cooled down. There were no enemies left, it was all quiet now. But there's something that was not right, as every creature they faced vanished, it looked like that there were no enemies that attacked at all.
"I'm tired."
After the continuous fighting, tension, supporting and shooting Ana was tired. She wanted to lie down on a soft bed and rest.
Then she heard someone talked from her radio.
"Confirmed, no hostiles left. We won!"
"YEAH!!"
"YES!"
"WOOOOOOOH"
Her allies cheered in happiness as the battle has passed. Finally, they can breathe in peace.
Ana smiled in relief.
However, there were a lot of casualties, it was measured at least three hundred.
It was almost noon, and Ana can finally feel the heat after the long battle. The heat felt good. Probably because she was relieved that the battle was finally over.
Ana heard footsteps and she looked to where the sounds are coming from.
There she saw Jonas with a soldier on his side – seems like a lieutenant – checking on some soldiers lying on the ground, and smiling to each other.
After that Jonas and the soldier continued walking and closing into Ana.
"Sir. Finally, it's over." Ana said.
"Yes, it is. Everyone is celebrating, and that's fine if they want to. However, we must still be on guard. They might attack again."
"Really? Then it's best to be prepared."
"Yes. But you should rest first."
Ana was both mentally and physically exhausted, so she'll need to rest.
"I guess I really need it."
Jonas turned at the lieutenant by his side.
"You should also rest, looks like you also need it."
"A-ah thank you, sir."
The lieutenant left.
"Today's fight was a strange one. Monsters suddenly became our opponents, and it almost looked like they were never here at all." Jonas said.
"Yeah, and they were strong especially those golems. I wonder how the enemy managed to create those."
"Hmmm, probably a country's creation after a long time of research, or with the help of magic."
"Maybe, but what bothers me is that… who is the one they call 'Peerless One'?"
"No one knows, but they're probably using that name for some reason, but I can't think of any good reasons why they chose that name."
"So we can't be sure if it's over until a few days?"
"Yes, we can't let our guard down after all."
"I understand. Then now please excuse me, sir. I'll go rest."
"Go..."
Ana left Jonas.
What could those be?
Jonas thought.
What could those creatures be, how were they created?
Questions like that came on Jonas' mind.
Whatever those creatures' creators are, no one knows. But if they are able to create a lot of those creatures, then they may be one powerful country or maybe an organization, or perhaps something else.
We won… for now…