Demon(#Wattys2017 Entry)

Chapter 25:Charge

The army of Deena hurried through the gates, and Vas sighed."...C'n we get dis ova wit'?" He asked."I'druther not have't go on too lon'."

Guiltare nodded, drawing her own sword, calling back. The Black Griffin soldiers formed up, charging after their commanders. She looked back."Narra, stay here with Morz as a lookout, send a signal if any trouble comes."

Narra nodded and saluted."Yes ma'am!"

Guiltare looked to Vas, putting a hand on his shoulder."....this was the best choice." She said.

Truly, she had doubts of her own, but there was no point in such thoughts now. Without Vas with them, Black Griffin would be seen only as invaders rather than liberators.

He looked at her."....Kay, jus'....Gimma sec." He took a deep breath, then drew his sword, looking at the blade. Perhaps he was thinking of the brother who had forged it for him, or simply wondering how many of his countrymen would fall by his hand. In any case, he charged down with Guiltare, following the army.
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As the fighting went on, Giles stayed near the entrance, slicing at any foes who came too close with his scythe and healing wounded as they were brought to him. He looked up, frowning."Rasca? Whatcha doin'? Where's Gem at, eh?"

Av'rasca walked over, with a large form sloped over his shoulder. He was panting, the strain of carrying his comrade evident on his face.

"Commander Gem got seperated from us, no clue where she is. Jak's with the others, found an alley to use as a bottleneck..." He sighed."Sai, a lot of them. They swarmed over us, and took the rest prisoner. Me'n Egral got away, but one of them got his shoulder pretty bad. Tossed a blade, believe it or not!"

Giles frowned, remembering what Gem had told her of the odd Swordsman carrying a case of swords....That couldn't possibly be the same person, could it? Surely there were other people who tossed blades...no particular army or person came to mind, but...

He shook his head, looking at the wound. The sword had cut across Egral's shoulder blade, and blood leaked heavily from the wound. He swore loudly."No time ta use 'erbs." He said, putting a hand on the wound."Bind!"

The wound sealed up, and Egral howled, passing out from pain. He sighed."Set 'im down, and rest with 'im, eh? Hopefully 'e'll be alright, eh?" He sighed in relief, seeing him sit down without objection. He wasn't looking forward to telling him that there was much damage, signs of the steel having gone to the marrow in his bones. Things that he could not properly treat without medicine he had left at home.

He tried to put these thoughts from his mind, working diligently on his patients. He did what he could, but there were a few cases beyond his skills. A few came in with wounds like Egrals, poisoned wounds that he could not treat fully. One man he was sure would live, though an axe head had robbed the fingers from one hand, and as he had not been able to recover them, Giles could do no more than seal the hand and order him to rest. One man with a cut in his neck would not stop babbling, would not keep his head still, which made it hard for him to treat the wound. As a result, he had bound his mouth shut while he worked, which as the watching patients had seen, had earned harsh words from his scythe.

He looked over, seeing a Sai. He was the standard image of his race, with many wounds across his body. Giles looked at his scythe, seemingly for guidance, then gestured him over."C'mon, Ah'll patch ya up, eh?"

The Sai regarded him with suspicion, but at the realization that he was outnumbered, he quietly allowed himself to be treated.

Giles smiled."Don'tcha worry. I want as few people ta die as possible, an' dat goes fer your side too!"

The Sai never spoke, only looked at him with iciness...and a flicker of recognition.
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Vaussten smiled."Now, let's be reasonable here. Just set down your swords, we'll all walk away alive, 'Kay?"

He was currently surrounded by a few dozen Deena. They growled and charged at him.

He sighed."Always the same." He grumbled. He touched the blade of the first one with an ungloved hand, and it became hot and molten. He flicked his wrist, and bits of steel flew from his fingertips to the faces of several enemies.

The rest stopped in their tracks."...You're..."

He smiled at the speaker."I am!"

Another backed up."He's...?"

He grinned over."He is!"

The last one looked around, uneasy.

Vaussten bowed."The Ruin of Black Griffin, at your service. Now, with this new information in mind, would you like to rethink your answer?" He waited for a reply, but when he looked up, he saw the Deena had all fled. He smiled."Figures. Not even the manners to say goodbye."

He smiled and walked down the alley, until another group surrounded him. He smiled broadly again."Come on, fellas, let's be reasonable here!"

Before he could say more, a large Deena approached, wielding a very large halberd. Vaussten saw the other men run, and realized he must have been with a different group. He smiled."Well! You must be a pretty tough one, huh?"

In answer, the man pointed the halberd at him. Darkness began to block out all light around him, save for a few small glimmers from where the light shone off of the man's Deena armor.

He squinted."Ah, come on, don't be like that, it's-"

He realized too late that the lights seemed to just be a distraction, and was struck hard from behind by the flat edge of the halberd. He staggered forward, and turned quickly, punching out with his metal arm. Unfortunately, he struck only air.

He swore, touching the back of his head. It stung, and as he pulled his fingers away, he felt blood on his fingertips. "A very  tough one." He corrected.

In response, his opponent made the darkness reappear, with more small glimmers everywhere to confuse him more. He swore under his breath."....Never easy, is it?"

As if the universe wished to answer his question, he was struck again in the side.
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Guiltare fought alongside Vas, many questions in her mind. How were her men doing? Had Gem regrouped, or were she and her men still trapped behind enemy lines? Giles had seemed troubled beforehand. Was this impacting his ability to lead men, or to heal others? Would the Deena they fought keep their conflict going, or unite and devastate the invaders that were Black Griffin?

She shook off these thoughts, until she saw Vas narrow his eyes."Pol!"

He yelled, running off through the crowds of battling soldiers, oblivious to danger. Guiltare swore. This job was better than most, where she did not necessarily have to kill innocents, and the cause seemed to be reasonably righteous.

Even so, she did not like that she had already added twenty to the number of those she had killed. And, her current employer running off into the thick of battle certainly was not pleasant either. Taking a deep breath, she charged after him, trying to push thoughts of how high her kill count would grow from her mind.