Void Spawn - A litrpg adventure fantasy

The sound of crackling flames echoed in the air as Lilith stood upon a ruined battlefield. Black fire devoured the place, leaving nothing but the ashes of their enemies.

The battles they've fought were hard and lasting. The damage dealt by the enemy and their odd machines had proved fatal and destructive. Lilith had never seen such weapons of mass destruction before, not by the Mellaguns and certainly not by the Humans.

Without noticing, her hand grasped her necklace as she felt the same fear pestering her. She was anxious for Samael. She knew he was strong, but how much against such things? She did not want to doubt, but doubt she did regardless.

This was the second week of their operation. Their mission was simple. To clear the roads for travel, to extinguish enemy resistance and to kill all the abominations on the way.

She had got used to it. She thought it would take longer, but it only took a few days. Killing became natural. Her element was simply built for it.

She sought answers from her grandmother. Yet, she remained unable to answer her questions of what.

Chaos.

Many believe it is a bad thing. For it is the absence of order. From order stems peace, and this world has seen so little of it. It was only natural to fear it.

The more she realises the strength she is capable of using, the more she fears her origins. They called her the chaos witch, but what does that even entail?

She had attempted to find answers, but opportunities were scarce and nearly impossible to come by.

She had spent hours in libraries and archives, digging as far as she could, but it was simply never enough.

Yet, the oracle's arrival shed a light on her queries. She was told to seek the old witches, for they hold the answer to her very origin. But not before warning her.

It would be costly.

Not of gold nor of land but something far more expensive. But Lilith was willing to go far. She hated her weakness. It was her inability to do anything that led to people dying for her. She could not bear it any longer.

But her power was not truly hers until she understood what she was.

"Are you okay?" Aphemis asked, startling the woman as she nodded.

"I'm fine, Grandmother," Lilith replied, her head dropping a little as the demoness grabbed her cheeks.

"You've been silent for some time. You're not okay," Aphemis insisted. "Tell me your problem."

Lilith fell silent for a moment. "I— it's nothing..."

Aphemis sighed as she nodded. "Very well, I shall not probe further. But do not let this affect our mission."

Lilith looked at the woman as she tightened her grip on her scythe. "It will not."

Returning back to camp, Lilith went straight to her tent to rest for the day. It was upon doing so that she noticed a letter bringing along a familiar scent.

"Samael," she muttered as she read the written words on its surface.

Opening it carefully, she imprinted the scent on her nose.

Dear Lilith.

How have you been? I am doing fine. My mission had ended. Pretty fast, isn't it? It was hard, but I live yet another day. Icarius's reinforcements had arrived. I am soon to head for Fort Ventrix as part of the High Table. Considering it is soon, I assume you and your grandmother will be there to participate. I bid you good luck and strength. Keep yourself safe out there. You are strong; I know that. Once again, take care.

Samael.

A small smile formed on Lilith's lips. How badly deep was she that even written words like these make her heart flutter? Just his assurance was enough to keep her calm.

But if what Samael did say was the truth, then that means they'll be picking their pace soon. She had indeed heard from her grandmother about their plans to finally enter the woodland realms.

Within the Kakia mountain ranges was a massive woodland formation. It is where the road leads, but it is infested with something foul. Even she could sense it.

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Every day it grows stronger. Perhaps it is an abomination or the work of the ministry yet again. But they will destroy it nonetheless.

They've been gathering their forces and their soldiers. Rumours of the impending siege had finally aroused, and tension had taken root within their ranks.

It will be another brutal battle.

Lilith bit her lips as she scrunched up the cloth of her battle armour.

She could still vividly remember the first few days of their march. Morale was high, the soldiers were spirited and they were prepared for all challenges ahead.

Or so they thought.

Then came the bright lights. Flashes upon flashes hidden within the darkness of the night. Loud, thunderous bangs echoing as she felt the warm trickle of blood raining from the sky.

She witnessed brave, capable men killed without even being able to react or know what hit them.

The smell of burning and the sound of metal landing on the ground were deafening. If it weren't for her grandmother's quick action, they would've lost more.

When everything was over, they soon discovered these odd machines. Yes, machines were what killed many of their loyal soldiers.

She couldn't help but feel frustration and anger. It was unfair how they died. There was no honour with it.

But war was unfair.

Aphemis did not console her. The demoness knew Lilith had to understand that this was the cruel reality of this conflict.

That no matter what they do—

No one was truly safe.

***

Lilith stared at her reflection in the mirror. She took notice of how much fairer her skin had become. How much smoother it was.

It was odd.

She was in a war, fighting for hours, drenched in sweat, yet her beauty remained strong and growing. Perhaps it was because of her lineage, the blood of a succubus.

It wasn't as though she was denying it, simply that it felt odd.

Fixing her armour plate better, Lilith took a deep breath as she heard the approaching footsteps towards her tent.

Grandmother.

"Are your preparations complete, Lilith?" Aphemis asked, her figure casting shadows over the door of the tent.

Looking one final time at the mirror before her, she stood and picked up her scythe, making her way out of the tent and inhaling the scent of mud and burnt metal. "I am."

Aphemis looked at her granddaughter for a while. How she wished she would've taken longer to mature. The harsh events and her childhood made her grow far too fast. Now, there was sharpness behind her gaze, unbefitting of a lady.

But she was proud of how far Lilith had gone. Now she could protect herself.

"Grandmother?" Lilith asked, her brows furrowed.

Aphemis shook her head. "Let us go; the others are waiting."

Walking their way towards the centre of the camp, Lilith soon saw the hundreds of echoes standing around the stage. Aphemis herself made her way forth, climbing up as she looked over the warriors present.

Lilith bit her lip as she looked at the people around her. There was tension in the air along with the rich scent of anxiety. She could tell; she was a demon after all.

"Greetings, warriors of Ergo," Aphemis's voice boomed over the crowd, sending ripples throughout the camp. "First, I would like to thank every one of you here for your commitment and sacrifices. For your unwavering faith in humanity's cause."

Lilith's grasp tightened on her scythe. She could feel the anticipation of the people growing stronger. Surely her grandmother knew too.

"There are questions, doubts and uncertainty as to why you are all summoned here." Aphemis's aura slowly extended outwards, touching the people as they felt a shiver run down their spine.

Clever, Lilith thought. Her grandmother was truly an expert manipulator.

"But fret not, for we are gathered here with a valiant purpose – a mission we must accomplish," Aphemis said. "The enemy continues to thwart our plan to this day. They continue to occupy the Kaelian road and, in doing so, hinder our advance deeper into enemy territory."

Clutching her fist to her chest, Aphemis raised her voice further, carrying with it a deep foreboding tone.

"But no more."

The people stared at the woman with rising fervour and fighting spirit. Lilith herself couldn't help but be influenced by their brewing emotions.

"Today, we strike them down, casting them towards hell where they belong!" Aphemis roared, causing the ground to tremble as the people began to murmur. "Today, we burn the zealots who had caused the deaths of millions!"

Looking at every person in the crowd, Aphemis lowered her hand down.

"Today, we avenge the fallen."

The people's cheers thundered as they raised their hands and stomped down on the ground. The entire camp shook as their war cries echoed violently, the sounds of their blades clanging.

Raising her hand, the crowd slowly died down.

"After weeks of planning and fighting, this siege had finally come to a final standstill. The enemy had been pushed back deep within their trenches. They are cornered," Aphemis said. "They will be armed, ready and willing to die. But we will not be stopped. Not now, not ever."

"And so, I ask of you all."

Aphemis stomped her feet down, her voice alone rising.

"Will you march with me?"

***

Unfortunately, no matter how many preparations they do, it will all still come down to the strength of their army. It was going to be dirty and bloody. A battle of teeth and bones.

Though it was true that the enemy had been cornered, it was also true that their defences remained fortified. They have dug trenches and created a gap between them.

No man's land. That is what it is called.

It is a fog-filled wasteland of mud and death. Craters fill the place, and the stench of blood lingers before it. Because of this, it was going to be hard to break into the enemy ranks. Especially with their weaponries.

Thus, Aphemis decided that before the soldiers advance, they would first pummelled no man's land with ranged spells. Cleansing it of filth and burying whatever zealot lies in waiting.

Once they have bombed it to smithereens, that is when they begin to advance.

They will utilise the machines Olaf provided, a modified version of the crawlers. Enhanced with heavier and more durable plating in order to take more hits. They shall use these behemoths as cover as they slowly advance forward.

However, Aphemis had indeed received Samael's warning about a weapon they called Railgun and how destructive it could be. Should one appear, Aphemis will try to dispose of it fast.

It was going to be a stealth mission. They would use the cover of the fog to remain hidden until close enough to strike the enemy.

And so, Lilith stood behind large metal crawlers, looking upon the linear group of allied watchers conjuring their abilities.

Once the earth had settled, it would be time to march.