Demon's Court

Part 7. The Battle

The Battle of Ravenholm raged back and forth through the streets and alley ways of the city at the center of John's mind. The soldiers, headed by Generals Strength and Bravery, fought long and hard against the Demons. However, what was really pulling the battle in their favour was the two girls. The Mage, with her magic and her sword; and the Huntress, wielding her bow and magic of her own. They were like two great whirlwinds of destruction amongst the Damon's ranks. None could stand before them. Gluttony fell to an arrow in his great belly, falling and nearly squashing Anorexia, who was shortly therafter dispensed with by a sword through his head.
Depression, however, rampaged. The soldiers fell like mice before a cat. He stormed the streets, knocking down walls and killing good fighting men everywhere he went. The tall, gaunt, horribly sad looking beast made its stumbling way to a courtyard, where the two girls were waiting. Immediately he stopped, and stared. They stared back. A few seconds passed, while both sides sized each other up. Then they all leaped into action.
Arrows flew thick and fast from the Huntress's bow, creating cover for the Mage to get in close and swipe at Depression with her gleaming blade. He roared, and swiped at her with his great fist, which she doged. He roared in pain again as an arrow found its mark in his eye, then yet again as a sword burried itself in a place no man should ever be hit, let alone stabbed with a very sharp sword. He fell to the ground, writing with pain. However he didn't have to suffer long. A sword to his other eye and three arrows to his chest made all his pains disappear.
  The Demons were being pushed back. With three of their greatest Generals beaten, the remaining leaders huddled together in conference.
Rage, Joker, Lust, Laziness, and Pride all listened intentally to Wormtongue as he pointed out key positions on a map of the great city. They were hiding out in an old book shop, one of hundreds in Ravenholm. It was empty of books now, the armies of Demons having used them as fuel for fires.
  Suddenly, an arrow burst through the window and impaled Laziness, killing him instantly. The others scrambled as Wormtongue shouted to Joker, 'Remember your part!! Play it well, and we might yet win this!!'
Joker slipped off, using the fight now ensuing behind him between the Generals of the Demons and the two girls as cover. He disappeared into the winding streets of the city..

Huntress and Mage had a tough fight on their hands. It was four against two, and these Demons were strong, very strong. Huntress took on Rage, leading him back out into the street, hitting him with arrows as he tried to charge towards her. He was nearly down when Pride, flexing his great muscles, jumped at her from the side. She blocked his swordstroke with her bow, and turned her attention to him..

Meanwhile, Mage was fighting Lust. He stated at her greedily. 'Wormtongue promised me you and your pretty friend, once I beat you..' She smiled at him. 'What about if I beat you?' He shook his head. 'Oh, I highly dou-' She pounced. He, distracted, didn't see her coming till it was almost too late. He managed to bring his spear up in time to block her sword but he was horribly off balance. She shoved him to the side, and he took a clumsy stab at her. She blocked it easily, and then Lust was no more.
She went on the hunt for Wormtongue.

Huntress was still fighting Rage and Pride. Rage, injured as he was, wasn't as much of a threat as he had been, though still very dangerous. Pride, on the other hand, was fresh and strong. She backed up down an alley as Pride gloated. 'All Demons shall sing songs of praise of this great battle, how I won it single handedly by defeating you, in a magnificent face off wherein I best you, and leave you begging for mercy!!!' She glowered at the prancing, flexing fool, and fired an arrow deep into his well muscles chest.
'OWWW!!' He squealed, his voice going many octaves higher than Huntress had thought possible. He broke it off, and stalked towards her, Rage behind him. 'You RUINED me perfect skin!!' He howled at her, and charged.
She swayed to one side, and his sword passed right by her. He stumbled, then fell against the wall as her bow came crashing down on his head. She plucked an arrow from her quiver, and jammed it deep into his heart.
  She quickly turned, and leaped to the side as Rage came barreling down the small street. He went past her, and plowed into the dead end behind her. Huntress, with no time to waste, pulled out three arrows, nocked them, and fired into the beast's back. He grunted in pain, and fell to the ground.
She turned to leave, when she heard a sound. Rage slowly rose from the earth, his eyes burning with hate. Huntress calmly drew another arrow, and fired it into him. He didn't even flinch as it struck home, nor as he fell again, his hate-filled eyes staring unseeing at the hardpacked earth.

  Wormtongue stumbled and ran through the streets, his dreams smashed. All he wanted to do was escape. If he could do that.. Maybe Joker would pull through. He could go find his Demons, regroup, and try for another assult. Yes. He could still triumph!! As he patted himself on the back for his cleverness, he turned a corner, and found a bow and a sword waiting for him.

     Joker ran through the hallways of the castle. It had been laughably easy getting in. He had stabbed a few guards, stolen some keys, and came in through a back door. Now he stalked through the servants passages, killing any he came across. He exited the back passageways through a hidden door behind a vase, in the reception room outside the Watching Room. He quickly ran across the purple carpeted, plush waiting area, and began picking the lock on the door. It quickly fell to his clever fingers, and he was in. Lord Raven and Lord Love stood, agast, as the bloodstained, scarred, evil being came in. He closed the door and locked it, drawing a knife and some thick ropes. As he sprinted forwards, knocked them out, tied them up, and shoved them into a closet which he then locked, the Joker began to laugh. A horrible, evil, mad laugh. The war might have been lost for Wormtongue. But there was a new Lord in Castle Ravenholm. Lord Joker's regime had begun.