This chapter my a little upsetting to some readers. Innocent people will die. You have been warned to turn back now... are you gone yet? Well if not then you have chosen to not get tilted by something I warned you about. Now enjoy the chapter.
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[???]
Apollyon left to find Mercy. She found her and the rest of the scouts in the courtyard. Soldiers surrounded the group of scouts. They looked bloody and worn out.
Apollyon: "Mercy? What happened?"
Mercy: "A dozen soldiers ambushed us. It was near a village not that far from here. Maybe the village Jürgen came from"
Apollyon: "Just rest right now. I'll send a few troops to check out the area"
Apollyon left the courtyard and smirked from behind her helmet. This could be her chance. Her chance to see what HER son was made of.
She came back to the war room and saw Jürgen and Holden had left. Erzebet was sitting near the war table sharpening her blade.
Apollyon: "I have a task for you Erzebet"
Erzebet looked up from her sword.
Apollyon: "Mercy and her scouts were ambushed near a village not to far from here. The village nearby could be the one Jürgen was protecting"
Erzebet: "So you want us to attack it?"
Apollyon nodded.
Erzebet: "How many troops will I get?"
Apollyon: "The village is quite large. So I'll send the right amount"
Erzebet: "Okay then. I'll choose my second the-"
Apollyon stopped Erzebet before she could finish.
Apollyon: "No. I will choose your second. I already have someone in mind anyways"
Erzebet: "Really? Who?"
Apollyon: "Jürgen"
Erzebet smiled and began to laugh. She continued to laugh until she noticed Apollyon's seriousness.
Erzebet: "Wait. You're serious? Jürgen? Are you kidding?"
Apollyon: "Is there a problem?"
Erzebet: "Listen I know he can fight but the whole chivalry stick is so far up his ass it's going to be hard getting him down from the sky"
Apollyon: "It's quite easy to flip him from his righteous side"
Erzebet looked at Apollyon with interest.
Erzebet: "How so?"
Apollyon turned her head to Erzebet and spoke.
Apollyon: "Just mention Vikings. That will pretty much cover it"
Erzebet: "Are you sure he should come along? Maybe I should bring someone else"
Apollyon: "My decision is final. Jürgen will go with you to the village. When you get to the village I want you to burn it down. Nothing from it remains"
Erzebet: "There will be plenty of innocent people in the village. That will be a problem for Jürgen"
Apollyon: "I know. I've been thinking and I think I know what you should tell him. Tell him that the village was taken over by the Vikings. Once you say that the monster will be out of the box"
Erzebet: "Monster?"
Apollyon: "You'll see if he does what I think he'll do. Also, take that sword and give it to Jürgen. If he's anything like his father then it'll do something... different... than any other sword"
Erzebet nodded and stood up.
Apollyon: "I'll tell the troops to head out to the front gate. Find Jürgen and leave"
Erzebet nodded again and picked up the old sword Jürgen had taken from the old home. She picked it up and left the room.
[???]
Once Erzebet left the room Apollyon took her helmet off and went to her throne. She sat and began to think. Think of her son and think of her dead husband.
Apollyon put one leg over the other and laid her arms along the arm rests. She thought of Hans. His smile, his laugh and the love Apollyon knew he had for her. She remembered they would lay in the grass and in the sunshine during the summer. Hans would lay next to her and say sweet nothings. But then Apollyon began to think a little deeper.
She remembered he had demons. He had problems deep within that Apollyon knew about but didn't know what they were about. She just knew he had them.
Apollyon: "What could have I done?"
She closed her eyes and saw him. She saw Hans standing in the doorway of the old home outside of the fortress walls. He looked back to her and smiled. His orange eyes glowed in the sunlight and his short black hair shined.
Apollyon smiled and opened her eyes. No one was there. Her smiled faded and she stood up, putting her helmet back on.
Apollyon: "Let the fun begin"
[Jürgen]
I was sitting in the same tavern Holden had gone to before. Holden and I talked more about what he had done since the last time we both say each other.
Everyone around us was having a good time. Music and singing was abundant along with the amount of ale that was coming from the bar. Holden and I had our own conversation going on until someone came inside of the tavern.
Everyone around us stopped what they were doing and stood up in a respectful way.
I turned my head and saw Erzebet in the doorway. She came inside and stood next to me. Everyone was still standing.
Erzebet: "It's okay you idiots you can go back to your activities"
Relieved sighs could be heard and everyone went back to what they were doing.
"What are you doing here?"
Holden widened his eyes as if saying:
'Here we go. Goodbye'
I rolled my eyes and Erzebet spoke.
Erzebet: "I was tasked with a mission by Apollyon herself. You will be my second"
I took a drink of ale and almost spit it out.
"Me? Your second? No thank you. Go find someone else"
Erzebet: "Apollyon assigned you as my second. If you have a problem with it them go take it up with her. If you're fine with it then follow me"
I sighed mentally. I just got here and immediately got tasked with something.
"What is the task?"
Erzebet: "A village nearby was taken by the Vikings. They ambushed Mercy and her scouts. Many of her scouts died"
I felt a dark feeling in my chest.
"Vikings you say?"
Erzebet nodded.
"I'm in"
I took one last drink of my ale and slammed the cup down onto the bar. Erzebet smirked and put her helmet on.
I left the tavern with Erzebet and followed her to the courtyard. At least three dozen troops stood there waiting. They were all Black Priors.
I looked up to a balcony up above us. Apollyon and Vortiger looked down to us.
Erzebet: "Alright! Let's move!"
Erzebet and the other Black Priors began to head out but I felt that something was still odd. The sun was beginning to lower to the west and I knew that night would come soon.
Erzebet: "Pick it up Jürgen!"
I ran up to Erzebet and stood by her side. I was decently taller than her but she looked stronger than she looked. Her strong frame added to her look of strength.
***[Jurgen]
We kept walking and the sun was just above the trees. It was almost completely nighttime.
Erzebet: "Halt!"
Myself and the Black Priors stopped.
Erzebet: "I we keep going down this road they'll see us from the village walls. So we'll cut through the forest. Just another mile or two. Okay, let's go!"
We resumed our march but this time through the pine tree forest. After an hour of more marching Erzebet ordered us to stop and said that it was only a two hundred yard walk to the village. We set up a temporary camp and began to plan.
Erzebet: "We have at least three ladders. There will be some defenses in the village but not much. But the Vikings will have plenty of guards outside and on the tops of the walls"
"So we need to put the ladders on a side that's a blind area of at least the side with the least amount of guards"
Erzebet nodded and spoke.
Erzebet: "One of Mercy's scouts was able to get here before the ambush and told me that the Vikings usually leave their eastern defenses the weakest"
Nine Black Priors stood up and carried three ladders in the direction of the village. I watched the soldiers move through the forest, weaving around trees and crushing pine cones and branches.
"Let's just hope that the scout was right about what they saw"
Erzebet: "They should be. Also, before we go I was told to give you this"
Erzebet handed over my fathers sword. I took it and admired the blade.
I nodded in thanks and followed Erzebet and the rest of the Black Priors. We walked until we came across the village walls. The Priors with the ladders leaned them against the walls, being quiet the whole time.
Erzebet and I climbed up first. Erzebet killed a guard and I helped a Prior up.
Erzebet: "Let's get this done. Jürgen you start the attack. Remember, they're viking"
I nodded and found a path down to the village. Twenty Priors stood behind me. I looked behind me and saw the Priors nod at me. I nodded back. We were in a dark alley and six guards stood under lamp that was right in front of the alley.
"Go!"
We rushed from the dark alley way and took the guards by surprise. We quickly cut them down and moved farther into the village. Men ran out of their homes with axes and clubs. They ran at us and attacked. They were no match for our armor and weapon. We made quick work of them
As the fighting kept going I began to get separated from the group. Soon I was a good distance away from the group but kept killing. As I cut down another guard five large men ran from out from a shed with Viking armor and weapons. I felt the dark feeling in my chest again.
Viking 1: "RAH!"
The first viking threw down and attack. I dodged it and cut open the side of his right leg. He fell to the ground and the second Viking threw an axe in my direction. I also dodged it. The second Viking then ran at me. He faked a right attack and went for a left attack. The attack hit and left a small dent in my shoulder armor. I shoved the man to the left. He was off balance which gave me the opportunity to attack.
I cut his right arm. The momentum from the attack forced him to turn around. I stabbed my sword through the front of his back. The blade shot out of his chest and blood spewed from his nose and mouth. Killing him... It felt good.
The third Viking tried to jump onto my back but I dodged forward. He landed on his feet. I turned around and ran at him. He also ran at me. He jumped into the air and began to strike downwards with his raider axe. Before he could land a blow on me I dropped to the ground and slid. I jabbed my sword into the air. The tip of my sword pierced the Vikings stomach.
The Viking screamed in pain and landed hard into the ground. I got up and walked to him. That's when I heard them. The voices.
Voices: "Kill him! Yes! Do it! Kill him now!"
I shook my head to silence the noises. The Viking got onto his knees and pleaded in his native tongue. Without a second thought I sliced his head off of his shoulders. His body collapsed forward in front of my feet. His head was tossed away to the right.
I turned around to face the fourth Viking but he ran away like a coward. I took a deep breath. Then I heard someone groan in pain.
I looked down and saw the first Viking pulling himself to an axe. I walked to him and grabbed him by the leg. He managed to get the axe and hit me in the face with the sharp edge. Nearly the whole front left side of my helmet was gone. That's when I snapped. I felt the darkness in my heart spread throughout my body.
[Erzebet]
I cut down two Vikings and looked around for Jürgen. I kept looking until I saw a Viking run away from a small cluster of homes. He ran towards me with fear all over his face. I shield flipped him to the ground and sliced open his chest. I got myself together and went to where the Viking ran from.
I looked through the alley that he came from and saw Jürgen. He grabbed a Viking by the leg and pulled him towards himself. The Viking had grabbed an axe and struck Jürgen in the face. Pieces of Jürgen's helmet went flying. That's when I saw it. I saw Jürgen snap. He threw the Viking across the area and into a wooden fence.
His breathing was heavy. He then took his helmet off and threw it away. He grabbed his face. His sword was also on the ground next to him. The blade was different from when I first saw it. The middle of the blade was glowing orange like if it was being heated by something. Jürgen's heavy breathing ceased.
He stood up slowly and rolled his shoulders back. He then looked to me. He looked like a whole different person. He had black hair and orange glowing eyes. When I saw his face I felt something. Something I had never felt before.
[???]
Jürgen stood and saw Erzebet through the darkness of the alley way. He then heard screaming and looked to where the source was. A mother stood outside of a burning house with two children between the ages of seven and nine hugged into her body. He smiled wickedly. As he walked his armor began to change. Ash from fires all around Jürgen began to collect behind him. The ash began to form into something.
(Play Music Above at 1:15 and listen to it all the way to the end while reading. I recommend it)
When the ash finally formed it attached itself to Jürgen's shoulders. It was a cape. The ash then began to collect all over Jürgen's other armor pieces and began to reshape them.
The mother and her innocent children saw Jürgen and began to panic. The mother and the children ran down the road and around a corner to their right. Jürgen follows steadily behind them. The mother and the children turned another corner but came to a dead end.
The mother looked around the the area and saw a shed to her left. She took the children and pushed them into it. She blocked the door with a barrel. She looked behind her and saw Jürgen walking towards her.
He put a small box on top of the barrel. When she finished a hand grabbed her left wrist. She looked to her left and saw black plated armor. She looked a little father up and saw a shadow with two glowing eyes.
The woman tried to shake out of Jürgen's grip but failed. She knew this was it. She knew she was going to die.
???: "Y-You're a-"
Jürgen took his sword and stabbed the woman through the stomach.
Jürgen: "A monster?"
He ripped his sword from her body and watched it fall backwards into the ground. Blood covered the now orange glowing blade and his hands. Jürgen then went to the shed and with a single stroke cut the barrel and box diagonally in half.
He kicked the debris away and then did the same to the door to the shed. The children were in the very back of the shed, hugging each other on the ground with tears streaming down their faces.
"Quiet now. You'll see your mother shortly"
Jürgen walked to the children and lifted his sword from the ground. The youngest child was a girl and tried to run away. Jürgen was able to hit her with the back of his fist which sent her flying into the side of the shed. The girl hit her head hard and fell to the ground limp.
The oldest child was a boy who charged at Jürgen. The boy threw a punch which Jürgen caught with his left hand.
"A fighter huh?"
Jürgen then grabbed the boy with his right hand and lifted him from the ground. Jürgen began to choke the boy. The boy began to thrash around and punch Jürgen's arms. The boys face began to turn blue then purple.
"Sleep well little one"
With just the flex of his hand the boys neck snapped. He went completely limp. Jürgen then smirked and threw the boys body back to here he had found the children. Jürgen left the shed and turned to the entrance of the dead end. An elderly man stood there with a pitchfork. An old woman stood next to him holding a dagger.
Man: "You killed our grandchildren!"
Woman: "You killed our daughter!"
Jürgen grinned evilly and gripped his sword tightly. He walked to the elderly couple. When he was in striking range the old man jabbed at Jürgen with the pitchfork. Jürgen kept pushing closer and closer until he was able to knock the pitchfork away with his left arm.
The old woman lunged at Jürgen with the dagger. She stabbed Jürgen in his side and a thick, black substance poured to the ground.
Jürgen: "AH!"
Jürgen took his sword and cut downward onto the old woman. The old woman fell to the ground dead. Jürgen then turned his attention to the old man.
Jürgen: "DIE!"
He took his sword and did the same as he had done to the old mans daughter. He stabbed the old man through his stomach and spine. The ripped the sword out of the mans body. But Jürgen wasn't finished yet. He then sliced the mans head off of his shoulders and picked up the head.
Jürgen stared at the lifeless face. He threw the head to the ground and turned around. There he saw a dozen Priors standing in shock. They never thought Jürgen had the balls to do what he had just done.
Jürgen growled and spoke.
Jürgen: "Move along!"
The Priors did as ordered and left. Jürgen walked through the now burning village and stopped in the middle of a main road. Black Priors killing guards and villagers along with burning houses surrounded Jürgen. He lifted his arms out and leaned his head back. He took a deep breath of the smoke and blood scented air. Jürgen smiled.
Just as he exhaled Jürgen fell down onto one knee. His eye color began to flicker from glowing orange to green. His hair did the same, flickering from black to dirty blonde.
His eyes finally settled and became green. His hair was back to its original dirty blonde color.
Jürgen looked at his blood covered hands and knew something wasn't right. That was when he remembered them. He remembered all of them. All of the people he killed. As the fighting and burning continued all around Jürgen he began to feel his heart ache over what he had done. He had broken all of his morals.
Jürgen looked around and saw the architecture and what the villagers were wearing. These people weren't Viking. They were celebrating a Norse holiday. Foot carts were broken or burning and souvenirs were
Erzebet came around a corner with a handful of Priors and saw Jürgen on his knees in the middle of the road. He ran to him and picked him up by his right arm. Jürgen looked into her eyes. Erzebet stared into his and saw pain, guilt and shame. Erzebet knew what he had done to get that look in his eyes and smiled behind her helmet.
Erzebet: "Come on! We're done here!"
Dozens of Black Priors and Jürgen followed Erzebet out of the village. They marched back to their camp but on the way they saw another village from the edge of the forest. Half of the soldiers including Jürgen marched forward towards the camp. The other half stopped with Erzebet who stared at the village.
Jürgen and the group of soldiers who followed him arrived at the camp. Jürgen stood by himself in the forest and realized what he had done. He had killed the kind of people he swore to protect. They weren't even Viking to make it worse.
Shortly after thinking Erzebet came into view.
Erzebet was standing on the edge of the forest. Her sword and the bottom of her shield was covered in blood. She took a deep breath of the iron scented air.
She heard leaves behind her crunch. Her second stood behind her. His head down.
Erzebet: "So. How was your first taste of combat with Black Priors?"
The man didn't answer. Guilt was all over his body. Erzebet could tell. She went up to him and gently took his helmet off.
Erzebet: "Are you okay?"
Erzebet couldn't see his eyes. She lifted his chin with her index finger and saw his face was one of rage, guilt and pain. His eyes were no longer green. They flickered to and from a magma orange color.
Erzebet: "Looks like Apollyon was right. It wouldn't take much to make you who you were truly meant to be"
She removed her finger and let his head drop.
Erzebet: "Don't worry Jürgen. This will all be over eventually. But right now it's just the beginning. And we still have plenty more villages to burn"
"Y-You said those villagers were viking"
Erzebe: "They helped the Vikings in the past. So that's why I considered them as Vikings"
"I killed innocent people. Mothers, children, the elderly. All for nothing!"
Just then a Black Prior officer came from behind a tree. He had a villager in his grasp. The villager was boy. He looked to have been eight.
Erzebet: "Who is this?"
Officer: "A survivor. Found him in a small hole in the wall of a home"
The officer threw the boy to the ground.
Erzebet then got an idea.
Erzebet: "Jürgen. You take this one"
Jürgen looked up on his own and saw the helpless boy. He reminded Jürgen of himself. Himself on the night he lost his family.
Jürgen: "No"
Erzebet sighed and readied her sword. She kicked the boy to the ground and stood over his back. The boy was now crying. His cries echoed through the forest and in Jürgen's ears.
Erzebet was about to stab the boy through the spine but before the tip of her blade could reach the boy her sword was pushed away. Erzebet saw Jürgen standing in front of her. His sword blocked hers from reaching the boy. The boy was pulled up by Jürgen.
Jürgen: "Go!"
The boy ran without any hesitation.
Erzebet moved her sword from Jürgen's.
Erzebet: "You are going to regret that"
"He was just a child!"
Erzebet: "So? Let me remind you that you yourself killed plenty of people like that boy tonight!"
"You don't have to remind me! The images are burned into my FUCKING BRAIN!"
Silence fell over the two.
Erzebet: "Let's just head back to the fortress"
The Black Priors packed up their camp and marched towards the Blackstone Fortress. After hours of marching and dawn beginning to appear the force of Black Priors arrived to the Fortress but found it empty. Only a handful of guards were there.
The force of Black Priors broke apart once inside of the fortress and began to put their supplies away. Erzebet asked a nearby guard where everyone had gone.
Guard: "Master took everyone with her to Valkenheim. Even Mercy who didn't look too good"
Erzebet thanked the guard for the information and went to the war room. There she would find answers to questions she never knew she had.
Erzebet looked at the table with maps and saw daggers all over the place. One was stabbed in the middle of the landmass that was marked 'Valkenheim'. The second dagger which was the largest was stabbed into the picture of a palace. The picture was in the landmass that was labeled 'Myre'.
That was the plan? Burn through Valkenheim and the Myre?
Erzebet left the room and went back to the courtyard. That was where she saw Jürgen sitting on the edge of the broken fountain. He had tears in his eyes while looking at his hands. His hands had dried blood on them.
Erzebet went to the edge of the courtyard and called for any troops in the area. Dozens of soldiers stood before Erzebet. She then spoke.
Erzebet: "Get your rest for today because tomorrow we will march to Valkenheim. Apollyon and the rest of the Blackstone's are there as I speak"
The soldiers nodded and left the area. Jürgen was gone now. Erzebet couldn't find him.
Meanwhile Jürgen was sitting on the edge of the lake outside of the abandoned home. He was washing his hands in the cool water. He dried off his hands and stood up.
He looked down to his feet and saw his old sword. He picked it up. Tears began to pool in his eyes. He thought that he didn't deserve to use this sword for what he had done. Even if he didn't kill with this sword he knew he couldn't look at it.
With all of his strength Jürgen threw the sword into the lake. Jürgen then sat back down and began to think. He thought of what Erzebet said that night.
Erzebet: "Looks like Apollyon was right. It wouldn't take much to make you who you were truly meant to be"
Jürgen closed his eyes and listened to the wind blow through the tall grass and trees.
Jürgen: "Maybe she's right. Maybe this is who I'm really meant to be"
To be continued
4,310 words. That's how much this thing has. That was a little darker than I wanted it to be but hey, the title is True Darkness right? Anyways let me know what you think about this one. Took me a whole day since I took June 10th off to relax. Well I'm tired now so Goodbye and I'll talk to you all later!