Guardian(Part II): Soulborne

Chapter 3: Eris

Camnorish forces attacked Eitheim with all of their strength. They had climbed the outer walls of the ancient duaren city, which housed the majority of its military, but hadn't made it into the inner city, where the civilians lived. The soldiers of Camnora had plasma shields, assault rifles, and basket-hilted swords. The short-statured duar all fought using small, mechanical walkers that allowed them to better match the height of their attackers. I wore a new set of white armor with gold trim given to me by Turmeon when I arrived in Eitheim, with a crested helmet that hid my face behind a bright, blue visor. I still kept my sword and shield, since they had served me better than any other weapon throughout my life. I used them both to carve my way through the Camnorish ranks that attacked the duar. We would make sure that they never breached the inner wall of the city. With the duaren soldiers covering me, I had my lightshield in front of me as I charged forward to shatter the plasma rounds from their assault rifles, then I would cut them down once I was in their face. The Camnorish soldiers that used their shields and swords presented more of a challenge. I always had to break through their guard in order to strike a killing blow, which was no easy task. As the battle continued, I pushed through the enemy ranks with the duar behind me, and the Guardians Connor and Ruth beside me. The closer we became to Eitheim's eastern outer wall, though, I began to sense a familiar darkness coming from behind it. For now, I paid it no mind, since it was the Camnorish soldiers that gave me trouble for the moment. Once we were at the wall, though, I knew exactly what was giving off this immense aura of darkness. I felt dread rushing through me as we finally reached the gate tower, seeing a black-skinned Tuatha with a black sword and red, glowing darkshield in his hands. I recognized him instantly, because I killed him near the end of the Third Great War.

"Artoreus," I shuddered.

"Wait," said Connor. "That Artoreus?" The Archdemon of Wrath turned towards me when he heard his name after pulling his black sword from a duaren soldier's corpse, and I began to sense anger coming from him. He recognized my aura as that of an Ilentia's, but he didn't know which Ilentia he was facing. I took off my white helmet and threw it down to reveal my face.

"I'll handle this, Guardians," I declared. "Take the soldiers back to fortify the inner wall."

"Are you sure?" asked Ruth.

"Yes, Captain," I answered. "Now, go!" Connor and Ruth reluctantly ordered the duaren soldiers to retreat, leaving me with Artoreus. I preferred to face him alone. The last time I fought him, an entire city was nearly destroyed just by the force of our blades against our shields. With seeing my face, the face that killed him fifteen years ago, his anger grew even stronger. I had never felt this much anger from anyone I've ever met, but it hardly concerned me. The anger festering in Artoreus would only give me an advantage.

"The Scourge of Ember," he growled.

"The Archdemon of Wrath," I hissed. "I seem to remember taking your head off."

"That you did," said Artoreus. "My father did not sit well with such a thing."

"I thought I took his head off as well," I reminded. "And I made sure he would stay dead."

"He will return," Artoreus prophecized. "And he shall..."

I had no time for the Archdemon's ranting. I charged an aura blast within both of my fists, then threw him out of the gatehouse, sending him rolling across the snow, until he stopped. I quickly rushed out of the portcullis to meet him. Hopefully, we were far enough away from the city to where we wouldn't do any damage. Camnorish soldiers surrounded us, but didn't attack me.  Was Artoreus leading them? I would have to find out later. I had to kill Artoreus a second time.

"That's how this is going to be, isn't it?" he snarled, rising to his feet. He picked up his black sword and ignited his darkshield. The Camnorish soldiers surrounding us ignited their plasma shield to keep either me or both of us from running from this fight. I had forgotten that in Camnorish custom of war, if the leaders of battling armies met on the battlefield, they were allowed to duel to determine whether the attackers retreated, or the defenders surrendered. If I won, then Artoreus would have to leave for the day, but would be back with this army the next day. The Camnorish soldiers didn't know that I wasn't the leader of Eitheim's defending army, but they must have wanted me to fight Artoreus instead of a duaren King. I would entertain them for now.