Chapter 14
Dell met Major Cho outside the front gates of the keep.
A retainer of awakened guard followed him, as he barked orders.
His eyes stopped at Dell, and he motioned at him.
''Reyvan, with me.''
They strutted through a pair of iron gates, and entered into a convoy of Humvees.
The driver took no pause before letting off at a breakneck speed.
Addressing Dell and a handful of other Ascended in the Humvee with him, Cho began outlining their current situation.
''From early reports the size of the horde is near two thousand. It seems to have amassed from the east, god knows from how many gates. The rank of the creatures are unknown, but with such a size, most must be dormant or awakened. Our seventy thousand mundane should be effective at such a rank disparity. We'll have a portion of that force, plus three thousand awakened form a ground party in front of the eastern gate. The ranged units will be tasked with funnelling the horde toward us, so we don't have to deal with multiple fronts. Our job as the few ascended will be to handle any fallen and corrupted threats, dire as they may be. There's a whole city relying on us, gentlemen. Let's not repeat what happened in the Centre.''
Awfully optimistic. In denial, perhaps.
The mood was sombre and serious as the ascended cohort made their way through the monolithic eastern gate of Greenriver Stronghold.
Departing from their vehicles, Cho's cohort made its way to the front of what was now a mind-bogglingly large formation.
It was hard for Dell to count, but at least two thirds of the mundane force had rallied outside with the rest of the awakened, preparing for a grim fate.
A wall of flesh. Cannon fodder.
The air grew hot and humid with the amount of humans conglomerated, and Dell felt stuffy as the ascended cohort and their awakened elite assessed their situation.
Some nonchalantly checked their weapons. Some studied the terrain. But most watched the horde as it approached.
What was concerning was that the dark clouds were moving in tandem with the horde, as if it was its watchful guardian.
The ground began to tremble at the presence of the ravenous creatures rushing the stronghold.
They still had a few minutes to spare before the first of the monsters crashed into their lines.
Wonder if he's going to give a speech?
A government soldier in an exosuit rushed past Cho's war party and ungracefully addressed him, panting.
''Sir… for you.'' The soldier bent over and gasped for air as he handed the Major a comms tool.
''What now?" A soft murmur.
The blood drained from the Major's face as he held it to his ear.
He tossed the comms tool aside.
Major Cho gazed at the sky, then closed his eyes.
''Sir?'' one of the ascended chirped.
Cho sighed. ''That… The gates they're all from… They're category four.''
What was a capable yet, calm force of elites, all tensed.
''The news just came in from Saint Silent Stalker. The Song contingent have been crushed by the gates, what little left fleeing to the Dream Realm.''
Dell eyes widened. What happened to Seishan?
''That two thousand isn't going to be dormant or awakened. They'll all be ranked fallen and higher.''
The cohort remained grounded, but panic set into the group.
Did I lose my chance?
''Gentlemen, we simply don't stand a chance.''
No, Seishan would have made it out.
''What awaits us, is something not even the Centre has seen. This horde may very well be the end of this continent and all human life on it.''
She's from the Forgotten Shore, if anyone would have made it out, it would've been her.
''There is no escape for us. Or the civilians within the stronghold. They'll wash over all of us.''
The dark clouds were only a few hundred meters away now. The howls of the creatures drowning the plain.
The saints would have gotten her out. Surely.
''That being the case, I'm not in a mood to run right now. What about you, my soldiers?''
His inner circle mumbled their agreement.
A seething hot aura began to emanate from Chen, as he summoned his staff memory.
''But, I'm not in a mood to roll over either. What about you?''
Their voices grew, his aura intoxicating their wills.
The aura grew further and further, enveloping his inner circle, then flowing further and further reaching the lines of the other awakened.
The clouds even closer. The lightning now even more frequent, than before, illuminating the armada of fallen nightmare creatures.
She's dead.
''I'm not in a mood to do anything but bring man's hell upon these monsters.''
He beat the butt of his staff in to the ground repeatedly, spreading his aura to the troops even further.
''Shall we bring our hell upon these spawns of evil?'' He roared. His entourage roared in return.
Cho smashed the butt of the staff one last time into the ground, the memory shattering into a million different pieces.
The result, his seething hot aura amplified to the utmost percent, washing over the entire ground party.
Fifty thousand men roared in agreement, drowning the cacophony of the nightmare creatures, their will solidified and amplified under their one ruler.
So long as the Major's will remain unbroken, so would those of the men under his trance.
The dark clouds washed over the sky, and the wave of nightmare creatures rammed into their front lines.