POV David
The daemons slammed into the line of pikes, being skewered upon them. I heard ragged cheers from the soldiers ahead. Yet the fight had only begun. For me it was about to begin for being carried into the battle was the daemon Shyora had identified as the leader.
The daemon was so hilariously fat the several large daemonic hounds were chained to a massive chariot that they pulled creaking and groaning along. Half a dozen smaller daemons were situated upon the chariot as well, but from this distance I could barely make them out. Unfortunately said hilariously fat daemon decided I was a good first target and was making a beeline straight for me… or maybe Shyora? It was hard to tell from this distance aside from its outstretched arm and that its face was looking in this general direction.
So, having resigned myself to this unfortunate reality, I'd ordered the command staff to stay back and started walking towards the daemon with my own daemon in tow.
Two figures, one human and one daemon in a human form… this might make for a good propaganda poster later! The two figures in full armor, approaching the undeniable evil ahead with stoic resolve. I could see it already.
"Master?" Shyora gently poked me with her elbow. "Please focus upon the battle."
I sighed and drew my swords and kept walking. I glared at the daemon from down below as it plowed through the front ranks with barely a noticeable slowing.
It was apparent by now that it was staring at Shyora. Now that we were much closer I could make out a lot more detail, and those small daemons looked a lot like…
"Shyora! I've come to claim you at long last! Our love shall be known to all!" The daemon's voice was low and gravely. It towered over me as it slowed its chariot to peer down at us. The massive hounds snapped at us but with a mighty yank of the chains the daemon made them submit.
I stared up at what I could only describe as a daemon of Nurgle. Pus dripped from countless scars and cuts, it's bloated gut was barely containing its exposed insides from spilling out. Flies and maggots writhed about its disgusting form. The smaller daemons suddenly drew my attention. They were what i'd thought they were, Sucubui. They were chained to the chariot and from their disgusted faces were likely forced to serve this bloated daemon.
"Gural, return to your cesspit and cease bothering me!" Shyora roared and leapt towards Gural, wings flapping brilliantly and spear held forth. Spear and talons clashed.
I noticed one of the hounds creeping closer, maggots infested it's hide. But what I found unsettling was its stare. Like it hadn't eaten anything in a long time… I slashed my blades across its snout and it howled and the others jumped into the fray as well. I leapt back and several were stopped by the length of their chain, then they started to drag the chariot in their rush to get at me.
Two swords against a forest of teeth and claws. Find a path to survive. A gap under its overstretched jaw. I lunged forward and slid underneath the beast, my blade carving a bloody wreck of its flank as I passed. It vanished into vapors as I stood and plunged my blades into the mouth of another. I mounted the beast with another snapping at my heels and pried back. Green Ichor poured from its jaws as I continued my work and it too vanished. A heavy weight slammed into my back and I went sprawling, the air knocked from my lungs.
I heard the thunder of the chariot drawing closer. I couldn't stay here! I rolled to my side as one of the hounds buried its claws where I'd been. I stabbed my blade into its leg and was flung again as the hound leapt back. I climbed back to my feet, only a single sword in hand.
Three hounds stared back, ravenous hunger in their eyes. I spit a glob of blood to the side and readied myself as they charged. "Come and get it."
I sprinted the last few steps to meet them, I side stepped the first hound and swung my sword like a baseball bat, the blade hitting deeply into the shoulder then continued its destructive path along the hound's flank. It vanished and I lunged towards the next hound. Both of us were off the ground in mid air as my blade pierced its eye, its jaws closing around my torso as it vanished in a foul swirl of mist.
I sidestepped the last hound by a hair's breadth and brought my blade down with the judgemental force of a god. Its neck parted easily and it too vanished in a foul swirl of mist.
I looked up to see how Shyora was doing to see her struggling against some chain wrapped about her leg. She struggled and flapped her wings but was only dragged closer with each mighty pull Gural made.
"Break that fucking chain!" My command reached Shyora and she acted instant. She drove her spear into the chain, shattering one of the links. Gural was nearly thrown from his chariot by the sudden release, meanwhile Shyora alighted beside me with a nod. The daemon chuckled as he climbed out of the carriage. I glanced about, gathering information about my surroundings and grinned as I turned back to the daemon.
"You think your master will save you my beloved?" Gural chuckled. "How much of your power did he siphon to defeat my plague hounds?"
"None." Shyora replied with a wide smile as we sank into ready stances. The daemon finally turned its gaze to me.
"You can't defeat me."
"Maybe not. But my brother can." I shot back as my brother, the stupid manic that he was leapt from his thundering horse onto Gural's back and plunged his sword deep into its back. Shyora and I rushed forward as the daemon roared in pain, swinging wildly to dislodge my brother from its back.
Shyora took to the air again and started harassing the daemon from above while I focused on its legs, hacking away at the fat protecting the muscle until Gural stumbled and fell to a knee as I finally severed the muscle near his ankle.
I leapt back and looked up at Gural to see Smith managed to climb right up behind the daemon's head and was causing his sword as a saw as he tried to cut through the daemon's neck. The daemon roared in fury and streams of pestilent flies flew from its mouth. Smith grace up on his sawing attempts as he swung wildly, holding on with one hand he drew his pistol and pressed it against the daemon's skull.
The shot sounded abnormally muffled as the front of Gural's face exploded, spewing bits of flesh everywhere. For a moment everything stayed perfectly still until the great corpse slowly vanished in a trail of dark mist and flies.
Ragged cheers came from the troops arrayed in a large circle around. I patted my brother's shoulder and we exchanged exhausted grins.
"Master, what shall I do with the sucubi?" Shyora asked as she forced the six of them to kneel a few yards away.
"Spare us!" One of them pleaded before Shyora smacked her with the haft of her spear.
"What do you recommend?" I asked Shyora as I looked at the six scantily dressed daemons.
"Kill them or make them submit to you master. Letting them go would be a mistake." She shrugged. At the mention of submission the sucubi all started to pose in erotic manners until Shyora beat them back into place.
"They'd make useful spies." Smith muttered to me quietly. "Though I'm leaning towards killing them."
"Spies are useful… we don't have any at the moment." I muttered before approaching them. I swung the blade forcefully and green ichor spattered over the ground.
"Submit, or die." I stared at each of them in turn as they bowed their heads slowly. A chorus of 'yes master' met my demand.I turned to Shyora.
"You'll oversee them, I'm holding you accountable for their behavior." I warned Shyora. "Now get them some proper clothes."