After leaving Kioku alone in the room, Soyin and his group gathered all their forces and met at the entrance of the city.
Soyin faced the crowd of people, he felt their unease and frowned. They only had a thousand people, to them, victory was non-existent, Soyin knew the only hope they had was Kioku's plan.
A pillar of raging golden flames burst around Soyin as he rose into the air gaining the attention of the people in front of him, the people looked at him warily.
'The Shadow Realm will always remain hated then...'
"As you know," began Soyin, everyone now paid attention to him.
"We are the last remaining human settlement in this world. The Last remaining guardians of the gate to Asgard, the enemy wishes to enter the realm of the Aesir and destroy them, this we can't allow."
"Is it true the enemy number thirteen thousand?" Asked someone from the crowd.
"It is indeed the truth," answered Soyin solemnly.
A wave of chatter erupted from the group, they felt that this battle was just them running to their deaths.
"Is there really a point in fighting?"
"I'm not fighting with some child from that acursed realm!"
"Indeed, who gave you the right to give us orders?"
"The matter of defending this land should be left to u-,"
"ENOUGH!"
The group quickly fell silent after Doran's angry cry. Doran stepped forward and faced the group with fierce eyes, the aura he gave off was that of a true warrior, that of an unshakeable mountain that could weather any storm.
Doran threw off his robes, beneath them, he wore black armour with strange red circle patterns, the pauldrons of the armour had a life-like wolf shape that gave Doran an even more ferocious look, at his back, hang a large battle axe.
"We are warriors, the great warriors of the Norse Realm," began Doran in a loud voice that everyone could hear.
"Whether the enemy number fifty thousand or even a million, we will still fight because that is our way. All of us fight with honour and valor for the sake of reaching Valhalla but here you are crying like sheep because the enemy number exceeds your own, is that the spirit of warriors destined for Valhalla or that of cowards who hide away and suck at their mother's tit!"
The gathered fighters all looked down in shame at Doran's words. Soyin, Iplis and Zeru all looked at Doran in a new light whilst Laske smiled as he stood behind his brother.
"Are there any cowards gathered here?" Asked Doran sternly, however the crowd remained silent as they gripped their weapons.
"I ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY COWARDS GATHERED HERE!?"
"NO!" The warriors all shouted with vigor, looking at Doran with fire in their eyes. Doran turned and faced the distance, where a dense forest could be seen and raised his axe.
"Then take up your arms and prove that you are warriors of the Norse Realm!"
"PROVE THAT YOU ARE DESTINED FOR VALHALLA!!"
"YAAAAAAAAAH!"
The war cry of one thousand warriors burst into the night and the warriors took formation at Doran's command. Soyin, Iplis and Zeru all still looked dumbfounded by Doran's performance, before they could fully process what had happened, Doran turned to them angrily.
"What are you still doing standing there you ingrates? Get in position!"
♤♤♤
In the great forest near the Land Of Beginning, marching and crashing sounds echoed through the air. If one were to look down from above they would see a seemingly endless sea of red that ate away at the trees and plants leaving nothing but barren land.
The forces of the Ninth Hell had arrived.
At the very front of this large army, five heavily armoured men sat upon strong muscular blood red stallions.
"Why the need to gather us for this expedition?" Asked the man in the middle, his voice was rough and had a hint of displeasure, he had a large frame and carried a red spear that gave off a bloody scent.
"It can not be helped, Lord Nitram ordered us to swiftly annihilate any resistance opposing us in this world and only one remains," replied the man next to the central figure in a calm tranquil voice.
"We have no choice then, let's hurry with this and return to the Hell Realm" Said the large man, he turned to look at the clotheless demons behind him and nodded.
'They've been hungry for a while, this should ease their appetite.'
The army emerged from the forest and into the open grassland, in the distance, the Land Of Beginning could be seen. The five armoured men stopped for a moment, behind their helmets they all wore slightly vigilant expression.
Not too far from them stood a lone young man with dark hair and crimson eyes wearing a black travelling cloak. The man approached the army and stopped a few metres from them, a wild grin formed on his face.
"The five Ministers of the Ninth Hell," said Soyin slowly.
"You should be that old Godslayer's apprentice I take it?" Asked the leader of the group, Soyin nodded and sighed in his heart.
'Looks like I'm acquiring some fame.'
"Hmph, you're nothing much," Said the man with disdain.
"Should I assume that you intend to fight this whole force on your own?"
Soyin grinned wickedly and summoned golden flames which condensed into an arrow shaped spear which glowed brightly when his hand came into contact with it.
"I'm not dumb, taking on all of you is impossible," said Soyin waving his hand dismissively with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"But stopping three of you ministers should be within my meager ability."
"Arrogant little brat-," the large man stopped himself and regained composer, he looked at Soyin's cold eyes and smiled behind his helmet.
"Senra, Jin, you two lead the army to the city, Drago, Wren and I will collect this Godslayer's head and deliver it to our lord," said the large man.
"Yes Lord Tian."
Two of the Ministers broke away and led the large horde of demons towards the city leaving Soyin facing the remaining three Ministers.
"It's been many years since I last fought a Godslayer," said Tian while letting out a cruel laugh.
"Must we kill him? he is but a child," said the tranquil man called Wren with a hint of displeasure.
"Such feelings are below us Archdemons Lord Wren," said the last Minister coldly.
"You want my head?" Asked Soyin as he took a stance, his eyes turning into slits.
"Let's see if you can escape this battle with yours still intact."
♤♤♤
"I see, so the reason Doran was so passionate.."
"Was because he intends to be a great warrior recognised by Odin, only by proving himself in battle can he be acknowledged, same for the rest of us."
Zeru and Laske sat on a large boulder facing the direction of the Great forest.
'He also wants to be recognised huh...' thought Zeru looking at the mark on his cloak.
"We have a problem," said Laske suddenly.
"What?"
"Soyin's Arch is flaring and diminishing at a certain frequency," Laske said solemnly, his eyes slowly widened before turning to Zeru with a grave look.
"The Ministers of the Ninth are leading the charge."
"Who are they?" Zeru could tell that their appearance complicated the situation.
"Archdemons who are second in power only to Nitram and his two commanders. Below the god level of strength, they are strongest in the Ninth Hell," Laske's expression was shifting between worry, fear and hopelessness.
"Soyin can only hold three of them back which means the other two and the rest of the demons are coming in full force, we need to change the plan and-,"
"We'll stick to the plan."
Zeru had stood and was facing the direction of the forest with an indifferent expression. The enemy had entered his sensory range and amongst the numerous weak Arch signatures were two powerful and malevolent ones.
"But-," began Laske worriedly.
"The Seven Commanders of the Shadow Realm are widely known throughout existence, however no one knows their identity even within the Shadow Realm."
As Zeru spook dark clouds filled the sky slowly and rumbling sounded across the area.
"The Seventh Commander has a strange nickname, the Black Storm he is called, because wherever he passes it appears as if the area was hit by a violent storm."
Laske's eyes widened and he jumped off the large boulder as a bolt of black-red lightning struck Zeru. When the dust cleared, Zeru floated in mid air with black-red lightning crackly around him, his Arch now far more powerful that it was before.
"The Black Storm!?" said Laske in disbelief.
"I'd appreciate if you didn't tell anyone about this, I only showed you my true strength so you'd stop worrying," Zeru's voice carried a pressure that made Laske want to kneel before him.
'If my identity was exposed then fact that my Arch is currently unstable would also surface,' thought Zeru helplessly, the enemy had strength that would require him to be serious.
"I'll handle the Ministers, the small fry I leave to you."
Zeru pulled on the hood of cloak, hiding his face which had a sinister grin on it.
"Let's complete our role and annihilate every last one of these assholes."
Loud thunder exploded as these words were uttered. Few would know that the Seventh Commander of the Shadow Realm Special Unit had taken the field.
What they did know, was that a storm was fast approaching.