Blood and Retribution

Spineripper. That name resounded in my head as my truck thundered across the plains. A gray shelf of clouds rolled in from the west, casting the land in shadow.

The demons had reached the first of the scattered human forces and fell upon them in waves, attacking with brutal strength and precision. Leading their charge, I saw a massive, gaunt figure who swept entire lines of mercenaries off their feet with a powerful scythe, face hidden beneath the skull of what looked like an elephant. The Inquisitor Legion was first to meet their advance, given their hard push to the west to avoid encirclement, and soon the crimson robes of the inquisitors were mixed with the black shapes of the demon soldiers.

I pushed the engine harder, quickly flying past the speedometer’s upper limit. Mud flew off the tires as I rounded the front lines of the battle, carving a path straight through the demon forces. Spears and arrows clanked off the sides of my truck as I passed, inquisitors looking up in confusion as I smashed through an advance force of demon spearmen that was about to come down on their flank.

I skidded to a halt in front of a man armored in crimson plate. The Grand Inquisitor himself gazed at me, utterly befuddled.

“Make for the city!” I shouted at him.

“Is this some kind of trick?” He responded.

“We really don’t have time to argue.” I said, “If you stay here, you will die. Those demons will destroy us all unless we stand together. I’ve given orders to my men at the gates to allow you through. Hurry! Before they regroup!”

I did not give him time to respond. The demons were already forming up for a second wave of attacks and I had to fend them off. I spun around and charged through the ranks again, scattering another attack.

A wayward spear wobbled through the air, aimed at the cab of the truck. It fell short, puncturing the truck’s front right tire. I spun, slamming on the brakes as my truck slid out of the demon ranks, coming to a halt in an empty patch of ground not far from the fighting.

“Hold on!” I shouted to Father Alton, “I’m going to go fix the tire!”

I hopped out of the cab and ducked as an arrow glanced across the truck’s hood. I leaned down and wrenched the spear free from the tire, watching as the tire slowly began to stitch itself together. I grit my teeth as more arrows flew my way. The truck’s automatic repairs, while fast for average purposes, moved at an agonizingly slow rate. I held up the spear as a detachment of demons closed in to secure the kill.

Father Alton slid down out of the cab to stand beside me. He held his dagger in one hand and drew a deep breath. His eyes lit when he saw the incoming demons.

“It’s been years since I’ve had a proper fight.” The old man said, “Let’s make it a good one. However it goes, this will be the last I’m like to see.”

The first demon fell hard upon my spear. His momentum carried him halfway up the shaft. Father Alton grabbed his fallen blade and used it to slay the next. I flung the demon’s corpse to the ground and checked the tire again. The seal had been reestablished and now the tire was slowly filling with air.

“Another minute.” I said, “Just hold on.”

I thrust out with my spear, catching a demon in the gut. It screamed and fell backwards, soon replaced by another. A demon with a flail swung at Father Alton. The old priest ducked the blow and severed the demon’s tendons, sending the creature toppling to the floor. Father Alton finished it off with a swift slash to the belly.

I scanned the horizon. Spineripper was nowhere in sight. I knew from prior experience that the demon general did not like to make an appearance on the battlefield until he felt the moment was right. Still, I’d harbored a vain hope that he’d try to confront me in person. I wanted the chance to put the demon general down myself.

The tire had finished inflating. I shoved Father Alton up into the truck just as that massive figure in the elephant skull arrived. He loomed over the truck, and with one slash from his massive scythe, sent the vehicle flying away. One of the doors flew off, having been torn free by the blow.

My eyes widened as the figure looked down at me. I could see little beyond the skull that covered his face, though his eyes burned a pale, ghostly green.

“Demonslayer.” He addressed me, his voice rang hollow.

I looked down at the spear in my hands, then up at the figure that stood before me. Even this as he was, his stature was imposing, his figure taller than any other I’d seen. His scythe was easily the height of his body and topped with a wicked blade made from a strange, red metal. I had perhaps one shot to do him damage. Even if my spear should somehow manage to find his eye, the demon would not fall.

I raised my spear. One shot was better than none at all, I supposed. The massive demon swung his scythe. I dove to the ground, feeling the air above me whip past as the blade missed me by inches. I grunted and rolled away as the demon’s scythe came down, burying itself in the earth where I’d lay not a moment before.

I looked down at my spear, finding that its head had been taken off by one of the demon’s swings. I cursed and threw it away, rolling as the demon slashed at me again. With one final look over my shoulder, I turned and ran back towards Gemmen. The tall demon did not follow, he merely pointed his spear and hordes of his lessers began to sprint after me.

This was not ideal. I had no weapon, and was stranded in the middle of the field, halfway between both the demon army proper and the city walls. The demons behind me were closing fast, their powerful legs carrying them faster than any man could run.

Arrows whistled through the air overhead. Ser Erik had organized a small force of archers and now held the wreck of my truck, which they had managed to force upright, using it as cover against projectile fire from the demon army. He pointed in my direction, and a small force of soldiers ran forward to meet me.

“Keep running!” One of the soldiers said. They formed into a line, absorbing the demon charge. I glanced back. They wouldn’t be able to hold the demons for long, nor would they be able to escape. Those men had run to their deaths, all for the sake of my life. That thought did not sit quite right with me.

I made the truck at a dead sprint. Ser Erik had managed to load the remainder of his force into the bed of the truck, there were only about six, not counting the men he’d sent to their deaths to save me.

“Get us out of here!” He shouted. I slipped into the driver’s seat and turned the key in the ignition. Much to my relief, it managed to start, and soon we were tearing across the field back towards the city. We were ushered through the city gates as we arrived. The guards had to stop the retreating soldiers so that my truck could fit through, and I watched as they yelled and clamoured against the guards until we had safely passed through.

When we were safe within the walls, the soldiers surged forward. There would not be enough time for all of them to make it within the walls. The demons had managed to come into contact with the rear of the formation that still waited for entry, and battle was resumed. It appeared as though my efforts to delay the demons on the western front had succeeded to some degree. I hoped that ultimately it had saved the lives it took to rescue me from the aftermath of that maneuver.

Father Alton had been injured in the wreck of the truck. It was determined that he had broken his arm, which had been splinted. The old man grumbled about being taken out of the fight so early, stating that he felt he had a finer last fight still in him.

“You’re lucky to be alive.” Ser Erik told him, “Not many are fortunate enough to survive an encounter with the Demonfather.”

“We’ll all have to be that fortunate to survive the day.” I said as we oversaw the organized intake of soldiers into the city. The demons were drawing closer and closer to the still-open gates in equal parts due to the soldiers that we had been allowing in and the men that they themselves had slaughtered. There would come a point when we would have to close the gates with some of our own on the other side to hold the demons back. I was not looking forward to it.

“Divine Speaker.” I turned to look. The Grand Inquisitor stood beside me. He was a tall man, broad shouldered with a thick black beard and gray eyes.

“You’ve made it safely back.” I noted.

“With many of my men.” He responded. “We thank you for your kindness.”

Vexala stood beside him. She’d been among the first to return to the city and had managed to keep things running in good order until I returned. For all my initial misgivings, the mercenary captain was proving to be a better investment than I’d anticipated.

“Many of my girls question the wisdom of allowing our enemy safety.” She said, “They think we should have left these inquisitor dogs to die outside our gates.”

“And what do you think?” I asked.

“I think you aren’t going to pay us unless we let them in.”

I nodded. “You’re correct. We need as many fighting men as possible. These demons are an enemy to us all. You’ve seen the inquisitors’ determination for yourself, it will prove useful in the fight to come, assuming they agree to fight.”

The Grand Inquisitor considered me for a moment. “We faced certain death on that battlefield, and while it is a death I would have accepted, you’ve given my men a second chance. Behind these walls, we all have a chance to live until tomorrow, and I think it pointless to waste such an opportunity.”

“Good.” I replied. “After the gates are closed, get your men what rest they can. I expect you back here in two hours, provided nothing interrupts our plans. Your men will switch out for positions guarding the wall and will be replaced at my discretion.”

The Grand Inquisitor nodded. “So you intend to force them into a siege?”

“I think it our best chance in the current moment. We need to regroup and reorganize.” I replied, “But until our walls are secure, we must watch the gate.”

“Aye.” Said Vexala.

Something rumbled in the distance. The cries of men outside the walls grew more panicked. Something large was coming.