Chapter 17
----------------------------------
The Bane of Humanity
The ground was still but somehow still felt ill at ease. The valley shook ever so slightly but continuously gained momentum until it was a roaring shake. The mountains sides rose and fell in deep ragged earthen breaths. Something strange was happening in Coatlicue's Pass. Suddenly the roaring shake was overtaken by a gigantic hissing sound. Something about the sound told you it was rising from under the ground. Then all the shaking drew to a abrupt crescendo and exploded. horrifically. The entire valley was uprooted and the miles of ground were thrown into the sky in a plume of trembling air and clouding dust. The mountains directly open to the explosion were thrown to the wind and cut into terrible ragged pieces cascading down the valley. A titanic cloud of smoke obscured the entire valley and hid the center of the explosion.The intense clogging dirt plume slowly loosened itself becoming lighter and lighter and revealing more and more of the devastated valley. When the entire ravaged valley revealed itself it was not a pretty sight. A ginormous crater of dark burned earth spanned the entire distance of Coatlicue's pass. In the center of this doomed landscape stood a towering titan. A tearing roar ripped from the mouth of a murderously large snake-like creature. It had the body of a snake covered with spines and dotted with separate snakes snapping off it. Instead of a tail it stood on two bony supported legs and lizard-like feet. As arms it carried two scaly arms leaking a sinuous green liquid from under every scale.
The Leader had risen. Coatlicue was alive. Within the hour she slithered to Danu Talis to find her army of Archons waiting for her. They were dwarfed in her massive size. They were huge but she was far greater in size. She was their Mother. The worst and most powerful of The Archons. The Eleven Archons bowed and groveled before her. Each one carrying a a title for their horrific specialty's. Cernnunos, The God of The Hunt. Coatlicue, The Mortis Incarnate.Vultan, The Flame Eater. All names reflecting their horribility in the ways they killed their prey. The invincible Archon's. The Bane of Humanity. Danu Talis quivered as their civilians held their families close while watching the Archons gather just a few leagues form the city. The armies congregated at the gates. Slowly they swung open revealing the might of our Human Army to The Archon Legion. Let the war begin.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 18
----------------------------------
The Final-ish Battle
Mankind had never been more foolhardy or more brave as their armies sprinted into battle like ants before The Archons. All the while roaring in the midst of insanity that was war. One human cry is quiet but thousands is earth-shaking. The Archons smiled viciously as they wailed their war cry. The screams of war blended into a harmonious song of savagery. A song of war. It told the tale of bravery and of murderous tyranny that ensued on the battlefield stamping terror and hope into the minds of every citizen of Danu Talis. The Archons laughed as scores of The Human Army were demolished by their swinging blades the size of a mountain. Their poison waves spilling off them in rivulets battered the oncoming army. Fire ate away at the Army as it was spiraled into the ranks like a rocket. Searing infernos raged. Earth gave way deafening the soldiers in such a way their minds nearly gave way at the sheer pressure of silence. The Human Army was failing. it was already split in half and no Archon's had been defeated. A heart breaking realization hit the minds and souls of the Human warriors. it was their time to die. With one push they all fell back in a tsunami of human bodies. They pushed back to the Gates as The Archons stood in satisfaction a league away. An ancient part of the Human Mind was opened to the people who saw The Archons advance on their glorious city. Slowly they remembered what their ancestors felt. What it was like to be hunted and slaughtered. To be decimated hundreds at a time. To be Human.
A song sweet and clear
**** upon the ears of The Archons halting their approach. A song that told of hope and happiness. A song of peace through war. A Dragon Song. It rang across the field and the city of which it resided in front of.The Archons wailed in sorrow and horror. Their Minds were once again opened to their pain. Their time to be hunted. The ancient battle for The Island City flashed before their eyes. They remembered Dragons. A wall of fire erupted in front of the aligned Archon Legion. Two Shadows leaped from The Heavens above and descended to the ground. They were completely covered with Shadows and were only black figures in flame. Clouds gathered above overcasting the event. As they descended The clouds above them began to circle and erupt with thunder. The clouds branched from this swirling mass. Lightning crackled and raged around them as they reached eye height of The Archons. They roared in anger as lightning and fire struck and rose around them like Angels of Retribution. Their wings flapped and gave rise to tornadoes of wind that forced back The Archons screaming with rage. Their hands raised and storms of flame followed them blasting at the Archons in the midst of a storm brewing overhead striking lightning down on them. One bye one The Archons fell to the ground screeching in defeat until only only Coatlicue remained before these seemingly Divine Punishers. They mirrored each other in every move they made to control they elements with which they fought.They raised their hands to the sky and made a fist. As soon as their hands closed the Earth underneath Coatlicue erupted in spirals of impaling Earth that dug into her. Her screams rose and fell like the cry of a fallen bird.
"Rise."A voice deep and commanding rose from both of the figures in unison.The Archons stood with faces torn with horror. They uttered one single word that brought back all the memories The Archon Race had blocked from themselves. They remembered their creation. They remembered these beings. The one word was simple yet so meaningful.
"Return" The Archons were mystified as they gave their answer in unison.
"Yes Sons."And with that the two shadowy figures began to work. They drew a spire of rock from the Earth with a great heaving sigh from the ground.
"Earth,"
A plume of flame raged into existence alongside it.
"Fire,"
A column of water sloshed out of thin air beside the two.
"Water,"
A spiral of raging winds appeared from the clouds and descended next to the other three.
"Air,"
Slowly they all moved over close together until the were completely one. A flash of light burst from their depths and it was invisible for just a moment.
"Time."
A portal emerged from this mixture of power and essence. A portal through time. The Archons moved into this portal as if in a trance. the figures watched as they marched dematerlized into the portal until The last Archon took its last look upon our modern Earth.
A cheer rose up from the city of Danu Talis like never before. Triumph and relief rose to the winds. They carried hope and happiness to The Heavens. This was a day which all of human-kind would remember. More than the fear of the hunt. More than the memories of slaughter. The Gods breathed in this cry of freedom and were appeased. All had been set right. But there was still work left to do. A battle left to be waged. The two figures were consumed in an eruption of light that gave the emanated a sound similar to a volcano. In a instant they disappeared. The City of Danu Talis rose once again in a cheer. This was Humanity. A small creation. But the most powerful creation. Why? Perhaps you shall see. In time...