Genesis (Prophecy Rock Series, Book 1)

Chapter Thirty Four

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Pain. The pain was excruciating, his neck burning from the unexpected attack. Arges stabbed the possessed soldier in the stomach, hoping he would release his grip. He did not. Arges drove the falcata deeper now, twisting it in circles. The soldier groaned at the wound, finally releasing his mouth from Arges’ neck. Arges backpedaled to safety, grabbing at his throat, the blood gushed out profusely. He was losing blood quickly, and at this rate he would not last much longer.

The rest of the Third Unit had completely transformed by now. Their faces a ghastly pale white, eyes bloodshot red, and their mouths protruding forward with massive fangs. They moved exceptionally quickly, some even galloping on all fours. Leaping about off the trees, attacking anything that stood in their way. Renzai and Vicedonian soldiers suddenly found themselves fighting against a common enemy. Their possessed forms were too strong for any soldier from any army to defeat. Some soldiers decided to deliver themselves to their respective gods on a one-way trip off the cliff. It was a cleaner and quicker death, preferable to being eaten alive.   

Steropes watched as the imminent Vicedonian victory slipped away into a sea of chaos. Nobody stood a chance against these possessed soldiers. Even the last remaining Oni was easily defeated as four Krakens swarmed him in a matter of seconds. His Fourth Unit was dropping one by one. They were so close to ending this battle, he could taste the victory, but now he needed to refocus on mere survival.

He made a mad dash for the Wild Woods, hoping the darkness would camouflage him from the crazed enemy. He was almost at the edge of the woods when something caught his leg and threw him to the ground. He turned back to see a possessed soldier standing over him. It grabbed him with two hands, lifting him high into the air. Steropes had never encountered such an enemy before. But it didn’t matter; he told himself he would not die today.

“You will not be the end of me, demon.” Steropes kicked the soldier in the face, forcing him to release his grip. Steropes spun his double-ended spear into the air, slicing out the enemy’s legs, followed by a slash across the chest, and ending it by sending the soldier’s head off into the distance. 

“You die just like every other foe I’ve faced before. Possessed or not.” But Steropes spoke too soon. Three more soldiers had now surrounded him. They launched their attack immediately. Steropes slashed one out of the air; he spun quickly, unleashing an arrow from the crossbow on his forearm into the second soldier. The arrow pierced through the soldier’s neck, sending him to the ground. In that brief moment, Steropes had lost track of the third soldier. Suddenly, he heard the clashing of steel behind him.

“You need to watch your back at all times, Steropes. First lesson of the academy, or did you forget?” Arges disemboweled the soldier, turned around, and offered Steropes a hand.

“I owe you one, Arges.” Steropes caught sight of the wound on his neck.

Arges brushed it off. “It looks worse than it is. Burns, more than anything.”

“I knew it. Your unit didn’t look right coming out of the Dark Forest.”

“I know.” Arges lamented. “I thought they would’ve recovered by now, but the experience was too much, even for them. Mentally, they never truly left that place. It was only a matter of time.”

“Must be torture to have to kill your own men.”

“It would be, but these are not my men anymore.”

Their conversation was cut short as a burning tree crashed violently to their right. Fires were blazing everywhere now. The possessed soldiers tossed torches haphazardly about the battlefield. The sounds of arrows cutting through the air prompted them to move quickly. A horde of possessed soldiers gave chase, quickly catching up to them and blocking them off. The two generals stood back-to-back, weapons at the ready, prepared for, perhaps, their final battle.