NOVEL NEXT 573 Cultists
Einhoren
With the outer walls penetrated and invaded by the dekans who instantly took it upon themselves to enter and treat the outskirts of the city like an all you could eat buffet, the demon worshippers had an easy time carrying the mutated heart out of the kingdom without neither human or dekan armies realizing.
After all, with all healthy dekans advancing upon the next set of stone walls, leaving their injured behind to the clutches of the cult, the outskirts of the city looked as dead as a ghost town would. Just, without all the blood, piss and shit staining the streets, courtesy of Loha still performing her regular cleanses via the rain.
With equivalent exchange being the rule within the heavens, the Goddess continued to grit her teeth, helplessly watching as her favourite race was being decimated by the thousands. Whilst she could easily enact divine intervention to save the human city from ruin, doing so would allow her competitor to equally cast an ability of his own in response. With this in mind, Loha continued to watch as her chosen [Hero] was meekly riding upon her horse.
..
The cesspit of hearts from over a hundred dekans had mutated and combined into a single piece as big as a cow. Beating and resonating even without a vessel, its heartbeat continued to rise in BPM as the cult members were slowly transporting it away from the castle walls upon a wagon, and towards the open fields that housed the poorest of the people. Which over a thousand dead, with their blood seeping freely into the ground, the grounds were perfect for the last stage of their ritual.
Utilizing the natural mana within the air, in addition to the remnant mana of both dekan and humans that existed within their blood, which now soaked within the ground below, the heart beat in joy as tentacles instantly shot out from every direction. Penetrating into the cult members, paralyzing them and partaking of their blood, the humans shivered in joy as they were honoured with becoming a part of its glorious body.
When all was said and done, the beating heart that was rapidly absorbing the lingering mana within the vicinity was now the size of an elephant. Taking an hour to digest the liquids and organs it had taken, from both humans and dekans, the large red piece settled as its outer layer of skin hardened like a cocoon.
-
Einhoren: outskirts.
Having marched her fractured army and its auxiliaries south, away from Thrud castle and towards the heart of the kingdom, Bethel was quickly met with dire reports. With every village, barony and county being inflicted with the horrors of death, a dekan to each settlement, Bethel was forced to decide between helping them or forsaking them.
If she hadn't met the duke, received training and crash courses on strategy over solo adventuring, perhaps she would've focused entirely upon the heart over the limbs, leaving them to their end. Having a strong conviction, a heart of steel, and a desire to fulfil her supposed fate of being a [Hero] the hard to swallow pill was forced down as she ended up ordering her army to fracture and march out into numerous directions.
Noticing the worry within the woman's eyes, as her army was now standing at barely a thousand strong, Chloe decided to give the woman some advice. Lessening her worry that their numbers were inadequate, to face whatever hardships were to come their way.
"You did the right thing Bethel. The dekan itself will be a tough enough battle, and after that, I have no doubts the villages and baronies will be in dire need of helping hands, especially with the dungeons within their territories."
Seeing the confidence within Chloe's gaze, Bethel felt somewhat better about herself, hoping that the burden upon her shoulders wouldn't increase any further than it has. However, with more and more reports coming in from her scouts, forcing her hand and further reducing her army by the hundreds, she honestly started to wish that a certain man was there to save the day.
Seeing the gentle expression upon the woman's face, Clam couldn't help but voice his opinion. Being a man renowned through Trichia as one of its core members, a man who rose to prominence alongside the mighty duke of war himself, the new addition of men under Bethel's command was honestly more inclined towards following him over her. Which was no doubt at all, a huge disrespect to Bethel, who mostly dwelled within her thoughts and insecurities.
"Commander. I don't really know what's going on within your head, but I honestly never know what's going on inside the duke's head either, and no matter how much time and energy you spend trying to understand others, to be as perfect as you possibly may be. It simply isn't possible, as perfection belongs to the eye of the beholder right? Which is subjective to views and notions that are numerous in kind, so, what I'm trying to say is- strive to be the best possible version of your current self, and it'll be enough. No one will blame you for not being as incredible as the duke. That man is living a life different from ours..."
Appreciating the thought and attempt, Bethel meekly smiled as she reaffirmed her conviction and held her emotions at bay. Perhaps, if it wasn't for her own system and title, perhaps the man's speech would've left a more profound effect on her. However, as someone designated by the world, to be a literal [Hero], the weight of the world's expectations were feeling heavier by the moment. Desiring quicker gratification, progress and visible results to reassure herself that what she was doing was indeed correct, she urged her small military force into a fast march towards the heart of the kingdom.
"Beating that giant, and then those dekans who are basically small fry... I can't let it get to my head, not until the king is defeated."
...
Just a bridge away from Einhoren, Bethel's small army of 250 warriors and knights were awkwardly riding upon Violet's summons.
With the elite being blessed with riding upon the skeletal horses, saving their dignity and honour, the other 200 were piggybacking upon skeletons who marched without rest. Doing their utmost to remind themselves it was for the greater good, and that every minute and every ounce of stamina counted, they kept their loyalty close to their chests, as well as their compilation of complaints that was ever increasing. One they would be sure to submit one the war ended, and they were returned to their own rightful lords.
Uncaring of the men behind her, and that of their masculinity and egos, Bethel's red eyes landed upon the cocoon that rested upon the middle of the path, blocking her advance into the city itself as it was as large as a two story house.
In addition to its gruesome appearance, the bulging veins that pounded as if it was alive, the spreading of gunk and slime that infected the area around it, sapping the life out of even the grass, Bethel's system coldly relayed the bad news to her.
[Main Quest: Prevent the ascent of demon king Asmodeus]
[Stop the ritual by destroying the sacrificial heart]
[Kill all demon cultists]
[Time Remaining until failure: 29 minutes]
[Good luck my hero]
A combined light of black and gold fell around the army of humans, dhans and skeletons. Locking them inside the large arena with the combined might of two divine-beings.
"Don't ask me how I know, but, we have 28 minutes to destroy that thing! Listen up everyone! this is an order! GO DESTROY THAT THING, KILL IT WITH FIRE!"
Half-elf Chloe Bedevere, being the only one who could attack from such distances, alongside Violet, both endeavoured to strike first blood.
[Thunderstorm] The electricity imbued arrow flew over the vanguard, arching before splitting into 5 due to [Apollo's Bow] effect, which also amplified its maximum range, preventing damage fall off from loss of speed due to air resistance.
[Bone Artillery] The massive bone javelin erupted out of her shadow like a cannon, roaring as it severed the air in a shrilling screech.
Both skills smashed into the large beating artificial heart, erupting into fragments of lingering mana dusts that concealed the area for a few seconds before dematerializing, returning to mother nature.
To everyone's surprise, who were already advancing towards the thing in a slow trot, alongside the skeletons they had rode upon like mounts, the beating heart appeared unfazed as there was a shiny red veil that shielded it like a barrier.
From the ground before it, the soil tore as undead ghouls broke through, entering the world of the living as they yanked up longswords, axes and morning-stars with them.
"Why are you looking at me?" Violet frowned as the humans turned to stare at her, hoping she would say something along the lines of "Yep, they're mine, don't worry."
However, to their dismay, they began to recklessly charged towards the 250 humans. Behind the army of ghouls that numbered around 500 thus far, a dozen men clad in red crimson cloaks were chanting as they continued to borrow the mana within the vicinity, shielding the heart whilst also summoning further units to obey their bidding.
"FIGHT, FUCKING FIGHT WITH YOUR SOULS ON THE LINE! HUMANITY WILL FALL IF WE FAIL HERE!"
Bethel screamed, as she kicked her skeletal horse into motion, alongside Clam and the other 40 knights, into an almost suicidal cavalry charge.
