Death (4)

Natsuo stared blankly at the empty spot on the ground, where the Vassal was supposed to be.

“Where did he go?”

“Natsuo, look up!” Olive exclaimed.

The boy glanced at the sky and frowned. A huge greenish door was floating in the air. Chains protruded from it and got stuck in the ground, as to hold it still.

The gates opened and the Vassal came out, completely healed from all the injuries. He stopped in mid-air and stretched an arm before him.

The sky darkened and a lot of portals opened on the ground.

The soldiers got ready to fight against the silent monsters, but this time Death didn’t summon monsters.

Bodies of dead soldiers rose from the portals and pointed their weapons against the members of Unit 1.

The soldiers froze in place, trembling. The idea of fighting against their companions, even if they were just corpses, made them shiver.

In an instant, Death summoned an army of dead soldiers and ordered them to destroy everything they found in their way.

Olive wrinkled her nose.

“This is disgusting and treacherous” she said disapprovingly.

Natsuo nodded. “Yeah, I can’t imagine how the soldiers are feeling right now.”

The dead soldiers advanced against them and didn’t show any mercy. They attacked the living soldiers without hesitation and this fact disturbed the members of Unit 1 even more.

The captain of the unit was the first to counterattack.

“Soldiers, they’re not our companions anymore. We don’t have to hesitate, the fate of Blossomhyl is in our hands! Let’s take off our masks so we don't mistake us for them!” he exclaimed.

Slowly, the soldiers recovered from the shock. They took off their masks and started attacking the dead soldiers, invigorated by the captain’s words.

Gregory, Tristan and Beatrice reached Natsuo and Olive on the main street. They had defeated the other three Vassals and were now trying to understand what was happening.

“Why are the soldiers fighting each other?” asked Beatrice.

“Those with the masks are corpses summoned by Death” replied Natsuo.

Her expression changed into one of horror.

“What a cowardly way of fighting!” commented Gregory, indignant.

Tristan glared at the Vassal, who was floating in the sky.

“The dead should not be disturbed” he said resentfully.

Natsuo twirled his scythe and prepared to confront the dead soldiers who were coming in their direction.

“Let’s get rid of them right away, so we can focus on Death” he said.

The other four nodded.

Beatrice shot a burst of bright arrows that hit a row of dead soldiers and burned their bodies.

Gregory used his system to pierce them with metal thorns and Olive made them explode.

But, even if they killed them, there were new ones that took their places.

The Vassal continued to summon new dead soldiers and, soon, they outnumbered Unit 1.

“It’s impossible to defeat them like this!” exclaimed Olive.

“We need to find a solution!” replied Natsuo.

Tristan thought about something, but wasn’t sure about it.

“I have an idea, but—”

“No buts, your ideas are always good!” Gregory interrupted him.

Tristan glanced at him, unsure. Natsuo placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Do whatever you’re thinking, we trust you.”

Beatrice smiled at him. “You can do it!”

Olive nodded, to confirm their words.

Tristan slightly smiled, reassured by their words. They counted on him, he couldn’t disappoint them.

He slammed his rod on the ground.

“It takes an army to defeat an army” he said.

Suddenly, ice coffins took form inside the enemy lines. The lids lifted and ice skeletons got out of the coffins, armed with various weapons.

Natsuo frowned, a bit surprised.

“Why skeletons?”

Tristan lowered his gaze, embarrassed.

“We were fighting against dead soldiers and I couldn’t think of anything else…”

Soon, the skeletons took over the dead soldiers with the advantage of surprise. Tristan was really incredible: summoning an army definitely required a lot of energy and familiarity with magic.

In fact, he fell on his knees, exhausted.

The Vassal, seeing that his army was being defeated, spread his arms. This time, he summoned an army of silent monsters and, together with them, four giants rose from portals.

The soldiers turned pale. Four giants at the same time? It was impossible to defeat them.

The army of monsters and the giants started destroying the city, advancing toward the small Unit 1.

Natsuo glanced at the Vassal in the sky. If they didn’t defeat him, any effort would have been in vain. He used the skill SPEAKERS and boosted the soldiers, to help them fight.

“Guys, we have to think about the Vassal and the giants. We can leave the rest to the soldiers” he said.

At that moment, Death clasped his hands, then pointed a finger toward a random soldier.

A portal opened under that soldier. Greenish arms came out to grab him and dragged him down, then the portal closed.

Everyone stared at the spot where the soldier was before, terrified.

Death clasped his hands and pointed to another soldier, killing him in the same way.

Natsuo clenched his fists. If they didn’t do anything, the Vassal would have killed all of them without effort.

He had to be fast, otherwise everyone would have died.

“Let’s go!” he exclaimed.

He ran toward the Vassal and the other members followed him.

Death kept on making soldiers disappear inside the portals.

Natsuo picked up Olive and jumped on the roof of a house and continued from roof to roof, avoiding the roads filled with monsters.

Olive blushed a little. “Sorry if I’m not very athletic” she said.

“It’s okay, I can do it only thanks to the System’s boost” Natsuo replied.

Beatrice and Gregory, on the contrary, were able to follow him, while Tristan advanced behind him creating a trail of ice in the air.

Natsuo jumped to reach the roof in front of him.

“Watch out!” Beatrice exclaimed.

One of the giants was near them. It stretched out one of his limbs and hit Natsuo and Olive in mid-air.

The two were thrown away at an impressive speed.

Natsuo grabbed Olive tighter and the girl closed her eyes, frightened.

The bell tower of the cathedral was getting closer and closer: they were about to crash.