Annihilation.
Mackayla didn't need to be an experienced soldier to understand what had become of the town in the distance.
Even then, her own senses had been honed through the time she spent fighting. She was able to sense bloodlust and malice in the air.
It was boiling around like a raging storm, to an extent which was almost suffocating.
And it grew all the stronger as she rode forth.
At this point, she could see their faces.
Mackayla understood that she was riding straight into a pack of demons.
The men before her were not soldiers.
They were not warriors.
They were monsters.
'Unforgivable.'
This single thought pierced her mind, and Mackayla stopped her trembling.
Whipping her reins, she spoke with a bold tone, so that all around her could hear.
"Unforgivable."
As she stated these words, the sentiment spread through the men she led.
"Unforgivable."
"Unforgivable."
"Unforgivable!"
The men rushed forward, increasing their speed.
"The actions of these men cannot be forgiven. They have slaughtered so many. They have subjected our people to terrors that we will never know of. It is beyond unforgivable!! It is inhuman! It is inconceivable!! It is monstrous!!"
Thinning her eyes with disgust, the blue haired girl frowned as she faced off with the delirious expressions of those before her.
"The ones before us are not men."
Pointing her sword forth, Mackayla breathed in, calming her tone.
"They are wild beasts."
At this, the men around her charged forth, and the two forces collided in battle.
"Oh! Looks like they got a feisty woman at the head!"
"The Legion Commander won't want us to kill her off. Make sure to leave her alive!!"
The men who were shouting this were met with a blade to their necks as Mackayla rode past them, performing two swift strikes with a disturbed look on her face.
"Unforgivable."
The heads rolled to the ground and the bodies dropped to their knees, landing in the mud with a splatter, and the swordswoman rode on, into the fray.
Behind her, her men followed.
"We cannot allow these men to advance any further into our lands!!! We are still fighting a battle for our people!!!! Just as the hero is fighting powerful opponents in the distance, we too must carry our own weight! So long as he lives, we will not lose to these fiends!"
Mackayla's cry was met with many solemn nods, however soon after she heard the slithering laughter of a man who hid behind rows of men.
"He he he keh ha..... so long as he lives, that is."
The man wore a helmet with a dark green mane, and an extravagant set of armor. He was thin and had an unhealthy appearance, yet despite this appearance his eyes were as lively as ever.
They looked at Mackayla with gluttonous desire, which she felt even across this battlefield.
Swinging her sword to block the thrusts of a number of spears before slicing three men from their torsos with a single strike, Mackayla shouted out in fervor to the man.
"He will live, and we will stop you here! It is a matter of necessity! The hero will not fall until every last one of you vile men have been slain!"
"But you are not the one on the side of the hero. You are on the side of the very monster who rejected his position as hero and savior, murdering and slaying any who were in his way.", the snakelike man responded.
As Mackayla and the man had this exchange, the soldiers under Mackayla were making good progress, easily sweeping up the hordes of men around them before regrouping and heading back in for another round.
"Do you know the hero personally? You could never understand his motives. His nobility far outclasses a brute such as you.", Mackayla stated with confidence.
"Do I need to know his motives, lady? I think you're brainwashed. We are here under the orders of the Indeterminant, who has two heroes under his command. Now tell me. Who is the one in the right here? Three of the saviors of humanity, or the one who strayed from his path and tried to become King?"
The man spoke with sly tongue, slicing into Mackayla with sound argument. Despite the obvious scene of destruction behind him, the man was not wrong that Kyle was objectively the one in the 'wrong'.
However, that was only when one looked at the facts from afar.
When one took a closer look, Mackayla knew that Kyle was in the right.
He fought for what he believed without reserve. He protected those close to him without restraint. And it was for that reason that she fought for him.
As the two had their battle of words, Mackayla slayed anyone who came near her horse, quickly dispatching them with unmatched skill.
Swinging thrice more, left, right, and then left again, a pile of bodies began to form around her.
"And what does a vile man like you who razes entire cities have to say about who is in the right?"
"Haha... woman, do you believe in the concept of justice?"
[Notice: One of the four heroes has died.]
At that moment, as Mackayla was faced with these words, the tides turned on the battle.
The Knights who rode on horses were pushed back by the legionnaires.
They were stabbed from below. Some were dragged off their horses, and others were killed on the spot, falling to the ground.
Many were trampled by their comrades as this happened, and the men of the Empire pushed forth, taking quick control of the battle with their superior numbers.
Looking around to see this change in the mood, Mackayla whipped the reins of her horse, pressing forth while swinging her sword numerous more times, lining the fields with fresh blood and more bodies as she charged straight for the commander.
"What have you done?", she asked with a deadly tone.
"I have done nothing. I told you, did I not? The Indeterminant as well as two heroes are fighting against the hero. His defeat was inevitable. Now then.... you did not answer my question. Do you believe in the concept of justice? That those who are on the side of justice.... always win?"
Faced with these words, the turning of the tides, the message which suggested the death of a hero, and the bloodthirst of the men who closed in around her from all sides, Mackayla's eyes went wide.
"I..... believe in no such thing. Even if one is devout and determined to do the right thing, that will not guarantee them victory. Rather, it is exactly because victory is not guaranteed that we must resolve ourselves, taking the victory so that those who are unjust do not seize it for themselves."
As she said this, Mackayla continued to press forward, however her horse was slowed.
The men around her closed in, stabbing at her horse and then at her legs.
The horse rose up, whinnying at the pain and forcing Mackayla to grip it tightly with her legs so that she was not flung off.
Looking back, she saw that her path of escape was closed.
Her path forward, even more so.
Many of her men were on the ground, having been quickly swept up in moments.
"Wha-"
The eyes of the woman went wide, and she felt a horrible sting in her heart as she laid her eyes upon the scene of carnage.
Horses ran about without riders, some injured and all without guidance.
Only around 100 men remained.
100 mere men.
There were over 3000 the last time she looked back, shouting behind her as she pressed forth.
Now, she was almost alone.
"Oi oi, be careful with the legs, men. Well, I suppose it's fine so long as the thighs are in tact, but don't go above the knees."
The sly man spat these words with an insulting voice, and Mackayla looked to him to see a horrid creature.
"Why.... you....."
It was then that Mackayla was grabbed.
The men had closed in on her, dropping their weapons and grabbing her from all sides.
"Wha-"
Swinging her sword, she sliced off head after head, but there were too many.
She was wrestled off her horse, forced to the ground.
"Agh!!! Get off me, you brutes!!!"
Swinging her sword again, another head went flying. She was surrounded by bodies, yet with every man she killed another one would take his place.
It was endless.
There were simply too many.
One man grabbed her right wrist, snapping it and causing her to drop her sword.
Mackayla held back a scream as her bones snapped, gritting her teeth as the men surrounded her.
"He said to leave the thighs in tact. Chop the legs off. She's too feisty with em."
"Oi oi, aren't you just appealing to your personal tastes? We all know you like em crippled and crying."
"Haha!! You caught me!"
These were the words Mackayla heard as a spear were stabbed just above her knee and then slid through her flesh like a knife through butter, slicing off her leg.
"Agh!!!!!"
Mackayla could not hold back a womanly scream.
She was surrounded by men, who now gripped her to hold her still as she struggled.
It was a disgusting, vile scene which would make even a dung beetle squirm in horror.
"Hold her still so I can get the other one!!"
"Got it!! But man she's strong! Even with a broken wrist and a missing leg, it's taking four of us just to hold her down.... what the hell is with this woman?"
Another spear was thrust into the leg of Mackayla, and the burning pain engulfed her as her other leg was chopped off.
It was horrible, and she screamed in pain.
She was held down, unable to so much as struggle in the terrible pain as the stinging rippled through her body.
"AGH!!!!!!!"
The men picked her up, holding her still as they carried her off.
Her screams did not stop, and the men simply chuckled in lustful excitement.
"It really is too bad that the commander always gets first pick. If I were him, I'd be taking this one for sure."
----
Inside a dungeon, women and children by the dozens were crowded into cells.
"Hurry it up!! Get in there!! We don't have all day, you know."
Men in the bronze uniforms of legionnaires shoved these prisoners into their cells, snickering as they exerted control over their captives.
The women and children were terrorized beyond recognition.
Their town, set aflame.
Their men, slaughtered before their very eyes.
Their children ripped from the arms of the mothers.
They were separated from one another, despite the shouts and tears of many women.
Tears, blood, and suffering filled this dungeon.
"Please!!! Please just let me be with my daughter!!!! I beg of you!!! I'll do anything!!!!"
"Oh? Anything? Haha.... a tempting offer, woman. It's too bad you're kinda ugly, or I might have accepted."
One man laughed as he walked away, mocking the very concept of motherly care for her child.
"Wait!!! Don't leave!!!"
The woman's cries were left unanswered, and the cells were closed as the guards filed out, locking down the only entrance.
"That's the last of em. Now we just wait for our turn.", one chuckled.
"Then we reap the profits that roll in.", another added.
"Is that so? Let me have a turn then. I wonder which one I should pick?"
As two men walked alongside one another, another soldier whose skin was covered from head to toe in bandages said these words in a grizzled tone.
"No way, rookie. It's common sense that the Legion Commander get's the first pick of the women. And after him, we veterans get our choice. You'll be lucky to even get the leftover scraps!! Haha!"
"Is that so? How unfortunate. After all..... I do quite enjoy seeing the look of terror in an inferior being."
The strange being who stated this did so with an amount of bloodthirst which far exceeded even that which these men exerted, sending chills down their spines as they heard the words.
"I am far more similar to my father than I thought.... in that regard.", the being admitted with a chuckle.
As they heard the steps of the creature who approached, the two felt as if they had been frozen, and could not move a muscle.
"If I am not allowed to pick from the prisoners.... then I suppose you two will have to do."
The men stopped breathing, their eyes widening.
The soldiers around them passed while casually chattering about the horrible things they would do to the captured women, not even taking notice of the two men who had been stunned in place.
[Panic]
The men's eyes became distraught as if they were witnessing something horrid, yet they did not utter a sound.
Their arms shivered uncontrollably, yet that was as much movement as they were allowed.
All the while, not a single person noticed as tens of men passed by.
When all the guards had filed out of the hall, one called back to the three who remained.
"Hey! What are you three doing? Get out here to the surface. None of the prisoners are gonna escape, and we're not about to let anyone stay behind and get a headstart before the legion commander arrives."
"Understood, my good superior. I am coming."
The cloaked man walked off, hiding a sinister grin underneath the cloth which covered his face.
"What is wrong, veterans? You seem to be shaking. It's as if you've seen.... a monster."
At that moment, the men fell to the ground, screaming and grabbing their throats.
"Agh!!!!!"
"Help!!!!!!"
"Stop!!!! AGH!!!!! STOP!!!!!!"
"Please!!!!! NO!!!!! AGH!!!!!!"
The man standing at the door watched in confusion as the men fell to the ground.
"Oi oi, what's wrong with you two. Playing like you're hurt just to stay behind and mess with some women before everyone else?", the man asked as the bandaged one walked straight past him.
The two were now writhing on the ground, as if something was attacking them, however not a finger was laid upon them.
Their expressions twisted with madness, as if something was rotting their very minds.
"Agh!!!!!!"
They continued screaming and flailing their arms about, and when the man approached them, he was kicked square in the stomach with force great enough to send him flying to the wall.
His head was smashed in, and blood splattered before he slid down the reddened stone.
"Whoops. Looks like I had a bit too much fun here. I only intended to play with two, but now a third has died."
The figure snapped his finger, and the heads of the men exploded under magical pressure.
Walking out of the halls, the only thing this figure heard were the screams and cries of the prisoners.
"Wait!!!! Don't leave!!!"
"Let me be with my child!!!!!"
"Agh!!!!"
However, this figure walked off, ignoring these cries.
"How crude. Their terrified expressions are not as enjoyable as I wished."
As he walked off, a sinister grin crept it's way across the face of this monster.
"No matter. Soon enough.... I will witness terror far greater than what I could produce."
----
"Alriiiight!!! It seems that this one has been incapacitated.... yet she certainly hasn't lost her fighting spirit!! Excellent!!! Bring her to the others immediately..... no, rather.... bring her to the torture chamber!!! Hahaha!!! I was going to wait until our return from the other cities to take my pick, but I've decided now. She's the one."
Larios, the snakelike man with long black hair, pale complexion, and limbs which were withered like branches, walked alongside many legionnaires, basking in his victory as they carried the now legless enemy commander to their dungeon.
"I'll.... never forgive you..... not you.... nor the one who killed the hero..... not any of them..... are you going to kill me? I'll make sure..... I'll make sure to haunt you!! I'll become an evil spirit, and I'll torment you for the rest of your life!!!"
Having lost all sense of pride as a warrior, driven to despair by her circumstances, Mackayla now had a loathing expression which was filled with a ghastly hatred.
"Hahaha..... you think you've beat us? You think you've beat justice? It's as Kyle said..... Justice isn't for only a single person to carry out. Justice isn't something that a hero has to do. It is something that anyone can do. That's right..... anyone..... anyone can perform justice. So long as people exist within this world who want to destroy those who are evil and protect those who are good, you will never get away with doing these things..... it may not be today, and it may not be tomorrow.... it may not be by myself or by the hero I serve..... but one day..... a hero will appear. One who will slaughter you."
Mackayla's legs were now numb from the horrible pain, and her hair was now ragged.
She was beaten and bruised, and she was held in the arms of four men who carried her after tying her up.
Even so, she did not lose the fire in her spirit.
In this situation of despair, where her hero had died, her men had been slaughtered, and the city before her had been razed, she now had a glint of madness in her eyes.
"I don't know who it will be..... or how they will do it.... but somebody will stand up to you.... and when they do, I'll laugh. I'll laugh, and I'll laugh, and I'll laugh some more. I'll laugh from my grave, and I'll spit on you from the dead!!!! And if you die, I'll be waiting to push you down to hell myself."
"Ahh!!! I love it when they're this lively!!! You're the most wonderful little thing, aren't you? No wonder the hero chose you to be one of his commanders!! But I must ask, dear knight. Is slaughtering me something that a HERO would ever do?"
Larios walked with a spring in his steps, invoking this question towards Mackayla.
And as he asked this, Mackayla's eyes went wide with terror.
For she realized it herself.
What hero would slaughter their enemies?
What hero would kill their enemies?
What hero would not try to repair even the most demented, corrupt hearts?
If someone were to turn to slaughter..... then could they truly be considered a hero?
"Someone... will kill you. Whether they are a hero or not... does not matter."
"That sounds a lot like what an occultist would say, dear woman. Be careful with your words. Ah..... but perhaps you have already strayed too far from the path of JUSTICE."
With mockery, Larios continued speaking to Mackayla, who was left to fumble in her own weakness, captured and in great pain from her legs which had not been patched and were dripping blood.
At this point the soldiers had set up temporary camp as Larios and his unit of elites walked to the center of the village.
Yet as they did so, Larios passed a lone soldier who was coming from the direction of the jail.
'Hm? I could have sworn I told all the men there to remain outside the jail, guarding it incase anyone came by.... why.... ah, whatever. It's just one man. Perhaps he is a rookie who got lost.'
Larios shrugged his shoulders as a strange legionnaire whose skin was completely covered in cloth passed his group by.
The unit continued on towards the jail cell, and all the while Mackayla began spouting all sorts of vile things.
"Haha..... that's right..... you'll die!!!! I'll kill you myself!!! Just as Kyle killed the King for his corruption.... just as he killed your Emperor for his corruption..... yes!!! I'll kill you..... because of the evil you do!!!! Hahaha!!!!! Give me a blade!!! Put me down!!! I'll fight you one on one, scum!!!"
The comments of Mackayla were delving into insanity as she spoke with lowered tone, giggling to herself.
"Hahaha!!! You are truly interesting, woman!!! You are beginning to lose sight of reality!!! But that is fine!! I do not dislike that!!!!"
"Shut up and face me like a man!!!"
"Hahaha...."
The group reached the jail, heading inside towards the torture chamber.
They were men who took advantage of chaos.
While everyone was running and screaming for their lives in battle, the men of the 4th legion would reap the rewards and do as they pleased.
This was the Legion led by Larios, the Commander of Cruelty.
However, this man who took such a title did not understand his own place in the world.
For there existed a group out there who were far more cruel.
The rulers of chaos, the demons of destruction.
The antiheroes.
The Determined.
And their sadistic slaves.
----