"It's up ahead, get ready," I shouted back to Asara as the fort came into view. It was still a few minutes off but I could see it somewhat clearly and the army besieging it.
"Damn!" I cursed. "They're already here."
I felt the state I was in shake slightly but I didn't let myself succumb to nerves again. So what if they were there, as long as they hadn't taken it completely then there was still a chance.
"You remember the plan Domino?"
"Mhm," she replied and I turned to see her with both guns out and a grin on her face. "Oh, I'm ready."
There was the sound of rasping steel as Lilha drew her blade and moved her gaze to the fort that was growing ever closer. The shapes of the army were finally coming into clear view even in the night and I could see all manner of equipment being used. Siege engines sending boulders crashing into the fort alongside ladders being proper up. Not to mention the bolts of magic and kor being thrown about on either side, though the army clearly had the number advantage. That's what we were here for.
The army didn't look to be in any kind of formation, just as a mass of soldiers attacking a wall with everything they had. That's will make things easier, I thought, no cohesion in their ranks.
"Get ready!"
The distance was closing quickly and I focused everything on the battle ahead. This would be my first true battle, and though I doubted it would be my last, it would leave a mark on my mind for years to come. I could have just as easily stayed back and let my summons and the riders go but at some point, I'm unsure as to when I'd decided id be the type of king that led on the frontlines. The type that was first into the melee and if things went wrong, the last one standing.
Time seemed to slow as I sent the mental command for Rath to dive. The wind whipped through my hair as the first of the army noticed us, but by then it was too late for them to start a true counter to us.
The sound of dozens of screeches and hawks cutting through the wind to dive down was loud in my ears as Lilah and Domino prepared to jump. Magic and arrows struck Rath but most failed to do anything and a moment later, the mutant of luck and the darkwraith jumped into the eastern flank of the army.
I didn't stop to see what had happened and instead sent a mental command to right to fly to the north. He roared and let out a large ball of fire which struck one of the catapults as he angled to the north. Fire rose high lighting the sky and the battle began in earnest. At a distance, it probably looked like some type of light show.
More magic and arrows stuck Rath as he flew and while I couldn't be sure, I was certain few had managed to damage him. As we neared the drop area, I summoned Leone and Zombieman,
"Into the fray, you ready? " I shouted over the din of battle.
"You know it, Boss," Leone said with a feral grin before she jumped and spread her arms wide. "Transformation! Lionel!"
Her landing was heralded by a flash of yellow light and the scream of her first victim.
"Damn she's a feisty one," Zombieman said, giving me a nod before jumping off himself, his two hand cannons at the ready and already firing before he'd even landed.
"Indeed she is," I said with a fond smile, then sent a mental command for Rath to fly to the center of the army. At this point, some of the magic had started to open small wounds on Rath but my ferocious friend ignored them, flapping his wings ever harder in pursuit of my goal.
"All right Stalker let's see what you can do," I said as I summoned him and sent him the command to cause chaos. He let out an odd robotic growl then jumped, his cloak engulfing him and hiding him from sight as he fell. The sound of explosions and the flash of light were all that I could see as I sent Rath the command to head to the final drop point, the fort.
I summoned Blair as we neared and gave her the order to use her pumpkins to cause havoc and chaos.
"Don't hold back and don't be afraid to take risks," I told her as I stood and prepared to jump from Rath's back. "You have nine lives and even after that, you can't truly die. Also take care not to hit any of our allies, ok?"
"I promise, master, I'll be a good kitty," She said, giving me a light peck on the cheek. I smiled at her then turned as the battlements neared. "Make sure to reward me later."
"Here goes nothing," I said, jumping and summoning Gible as I landed on the battlements which were packed with soldiers from both sides fighting, including a few talon riders who had clearly dismounted. They fought with elegance and brutal efficiency, creating pockets of death and carnage.
"Migi! Arm!" I shouted as a soldier charge at me. My arm morphed into a blade and the charging soldier's eyes went wide as it extended and took his head from his shoulders, splattering blood onto the battlements.
"Gible!"
I looked back to see Gible staring down at a group who had managed to get off the battlements and further into the fort. I cursed and moved to follow then stopped as a bright orange light began to show from Gible's mouth. I watched in awe as a large gout of flame erupted from Gible's mouth and torched the group sending them rolling and screaming in pain and agony.
"Holy fuck, When did you learn flamethrower?"
"Gible" was his only response before he used dig. I turned away from the hole and back to the fight moving up and down the battlements fighting any soldiers I could and making sure none got further into the fort. Periodically I would gaze over at the battle and what I saw was chaos. I couldn't tell what was happening. All I saw were flashing lights, fire, explosions, and all I heard was shouting and screaming. The talon riders were doing their job but already I could see one silver hawk dead, impaled on dozen of spears. The talon rider, however, was still going strong, shouting and screaming her defiance as she wove her way through the enemy, using her anger and rage as a weapon.
I would have loved to watch for longer, but I barely had time to do so as it was, with soldiers constantly charging me. At one point I ran into a kord who hit like a freight train and if not for my defense force would have definitely take me down, but with Migi and his flexibility, all it took was a well-aimed strike to the neck.
Despite all of that, however, things were looking good. From the glimpses I caught, my summons were wreaking havoc. Occasionally I would hear Blair chanting 'pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin, followed by a loud explosion.
If things continued as they were, I had no doubt we would win. Unfortunately, things often don't go as planned and as I finished off another soldier, a distant horn sounded.