Quiet Courage

16

The altar was what had called Itellia here! Cienn realized after the vision. If he destroyed that he would break her hold to the mortal plane and send her back into the Void. He wasn't exactly sure how he knew that but he trusted his gut. He focused on Kain and with a flash of white light was sitting behind him on Aludaria's saddle. He yelled and grabbed quickly at the mage's waste as the horse Familiar reared back from the attack of a strange lizard-like demon.

"Hey!" Kain shouted as his blast missed the lizard-demon target. Cienn shoved it back with a motion of his hand. It pierced itself on the horn of another demon and killed them both as it burst into flames.

"I know how to get rid of Itellia!" Cienn shouted in Kain's ear. He switched to telepathy and quickly informed both mage and Familiar of the altar on the ridge.

So you're saying that we have to go to the heart of the demonic mass and break an ancient artifact that could possibly explode as we sever a demon-goddesses connection to the Mortal Plane and potentially save the world? The mage asked into Cienn's mind.

Yes, he replied. Kain sighed.

I was hoping you wouldn't say that. The mage responded grimly. Aludaria reared once more and dove into the demonic ranks.

Don't worry, Cienn thought comfortingly. I have a faster way to get us there.

Imagehi roared with the rest of the warriors as Kain led the charge into battle. Along with her brethren she rose upward on a waterspout, calling her rebellion to the skies. Thunder rumbled back from the strangely swirling clouds. She dove forward into the throng, crashing onto the battlefield almost gleefully. While her religion strongly abhorred the thought of unnecessary violence, she herself found a strange exhilaration in battle. Her watery body crashed over a swathe of demons that had closed in on her. They struggled in her liquid embrace momentarily before their oozy bodies disintegrated.

Imagehi cackled and dove headfirst into the demonic line, smashing through them at breakneck speed. Demonic bodies shattered in her wake. She broke back above the line in a wave and laughed into the sky. Adrenaline coursed through her veins (she wondered momentarily if her ethereal form had veins) as she looked back to her compatriots. Across the battlefield she could see the effects the arrival of their leader and messiah had brought the warriors of Bylis. As one they fought against the ever surging line of demons.

She knew that many like herself had never actually seen a demon, and the fact that they fought on unlike so many Crown troops despite their trepidation and fear filled her heart with pride. Their cause was a just one, right in its convictions and beliefs. She had always believed that, and seeing the opposing sides true face had only convinced her of that belief. She dove back in amongst the demonic throng and pushed a handful of them back. Her water washed harmlessly over her allies, while demon after demon dissolved, faded or died at each graze.

Across the battlefield Elementals like herself dealt similar damage, keeping their fire, earth, water and air from harming those who fought alongside them. The animals of the Wild Elementals raced in droves across the battlefield attacking demon after demon. Rats and birds would swarm over strange, malformed versions of themselves without a care while their Elemental guides would swoop in for a killing blow in some animal form or another. One such wolf Elemental snapped the neck of a rather human looking demon as it jumped at Charna's back. The mage turned at the snarl and gave the creature a humbled nod before turning to her next victim.

The mage for all her strength was flagging, the length of the battle was taking a toll on even her extensive stores of magical power. She lashed out with a blast of red battle magic turning an insect demon to char, and balked as another simply rose over its corpse and advanced. They just kept coming no matter how many they killed. And as long as Itellia's spawn surged menacingly at the hilltop it would never end. Even the Gods wouldn't be able to keep up this pace should the dark goddesses tie to this realm was severed. She just wished she knew what it was.