Hellscape

The Start of War

The morning was met by a blood curdling scream.

Ezra shot up first, scanning the apartment for the source of the sound. Estelle came running out of the bathroom swinging one of her shoes. Glancing around, she looked for the source of the sound. She spotted her friend wide awake and smiled at him.

"Morning! You should probably turn on the news... I think the scream came from outside." He turned the TV on as Alastair and Caleb woke up.

"What's happening?" Caleb said groggily, his hair was completely disheveled from sleep. Switched to the local news, the usual reporter spoke urgently.

BREAKING NEWS: Citizens of our city are being forced into a large arena located just past the edge of Estherwyn forest. It's origins are unknown, but the mayor encourages people NOT to enter the building. Force may be used against the invaders. Details will be updated when provided...

"Board up the windows." Ezra said. "It's probably safer to stay near the university. It's a literal fortress."

"What about our homes?" Estelle asked.

"Well stop by each of your places to pick up whatever you need. We'll board up your apartments too."

"My brother and sister are probably rampaging by now." Caleb pointed out. He was slowly sliding off of the couch. "We should probably stop them before the blow this place off the map."

"I'm always surprised by the fact that you don't have the same violent tendencies as your older brother." Alastair pointed out.

"Sometimes I wish that I wasn't related to him." Outside the apartment building was a loud crash followed by some yelling.

"There he is." Caleb pointed out the window, already lying on the floor. Everyone got up from their spots and boarded up the windows. Gathering their things they headed out of the apartment and were confronted by Lucian. In his hands was a body. It was almost impossible to tell if it was a man or woman. He had gnawed the person's head off. In his left hand was their legs and in his right was the upper half of his body. Intestines were slipping out of the body as Lucian angrily growled at the people standing around him.

"I don't know those people." Estelle said. "They don't live here." The people surrounding the huge demon were actual humans. Not monsters. They wore all white and had normal hands, legs, bodies, and faces. They simply didn't belong.

Ezra nodded "I can see why your brother is angry."

"Yeah." Caleb glanced around. "Lucy should be around here too-"

"Hello dears!" Lucy came walking towards them. She was soaked head to toe in blood. "The mayor gave the citizens full permission to use force against the intruders, so I am taking full advantage of it. So is your brother..." Someone's lung flew overhead.

"Hey sis, do you know who these people are?"

"I'm was almost one hundred percent sure that they're angels. But if you beat their faces in enough it reveals their true identities. They're just like us, but in disguises."

"Then why would they fight us?" Alastair asked.

Ezra frowned. "It's a turf war. There's no other reason for them to be attacking us. They already have everything they could ever want."

"Will we die?" Alastair looked frightened. He had all the reason to. The other demons and monsters were flooding the cities streets by the hundreds, surrounding and forcing its citizens into their arena.

"No, we won't die." Estelle elbowed Ezra.

"Hm-?" He looked down at his friend. She looked at him desperately and he automatically understood what she wanted. Lucian was still raging along the sidewalks with Lucy not far behind. They were mutilating everyone that stood in their way.

"Hey Alastair," Ezra tugged on his friends centaur hand "Let's head to the university. Caleb and Estelle will stay and help the Lucy and Lucian." Alastair's expression was confused.

"But we can help. Just because we're not hell demons doesn't mean we're useless."

"I know, but we're just going to get in the way. Caleb and Estelle are going to have to worry about us if we get hurt-"

"What if they get hurt? Who's going to help them-?"

"Excuse me." An unfamiliar voice pierced through their conversation, "Sorry to interrupt, but you should follow me to the Castle." There was a young man speaking to them. He looked in his mid-twenties and wore all white, just like the rest of their enemies. As if it was pure instinct to attack, Caleb and Estelle bared their teeth and snarled loudly at the man. They moved in front of Ezra and Alastair, bracing themselves.

"You don't scare me-" the man started his sentence but never finished. Estelle reached out at an alarming speed and grabbed his tongue. She pulled so hard that it was ripped from his face. As the man fell forwards Caleb held his face in his hand and squeezed, completely mashing his features together. Blood flew everywhere, staining the white clothes and the two demons remained motionless, their eyes glowing deep red. The body in front of them was no longer recognizable. A loud laugh was heard a few feet away, Lucian had been watching them the entire time with a victim of his own in his hand.

"That's my baby brother!" he bellowed. He climbed onto the top of the pile of bodies he's built up and raised a fist to the sky, "From now on, this city is claimed by those who are stained red. This is our hell above hell and we welcome these hellish angels with open arms! Come, those who dare defy our order. Those who dare defy our rule. Welcome to our Hellscape! Prepare to die!"