Chapter 8

Suddenly, days later, the manor is being attacked as the knights were defending it. Edward and Van were leading the attack as they were being attacked by an army of demons. They surrounded the manor as there were hordes of them.

"Ensure the safety of the king!" Edward yelled.

The knights responded as Van firing his large pistols, hitting the demons in the head. He was helping the medics get injured knights back to the manor. And at the manor, Jennifer and Isaac were helping the medics as many knights were injured.

"We have more injured!" A medic shouted.

"Take him that way." Jennifer responded as she pointed.

Richard was watching everything happen, getting upset as he headed towards the battle. But Isaac immediately reaches him to stops him.

"Hey, stop! You can't go through, Rick. You have to be protected." Said Isaac.

"Knights are risking their lives for us! What kind of king watches his people die for him. I rather fight then stand here." Said Rick.

"Rick, no! They're after you. If they get you, then you'll just be wasting the lives that have fallen here today! Think straight, Rick." Said Jennifer.

"I am. And as King, I will fight. You wish to disobey your king's wishes?" Rick asked.

"N-No, my lord." Said Jennifer.

"Isaac, you with me?" Rick asked.

"Someone's got to look after you, right?" Isaac responded as they butted fists.

Edward was knocked back by a giant demon that roared loudly. Edward then stood ready as the back of his hand glowed a mark that looked like a sword. He then summoned a royal sword as he was covered in armor.

"The sword of my ancestor, Secace." Said Edward.

He then dashed forward, piercing through the giant demon, while killing or knocking away a large amount of demos as well. The demon fell as Edward saw hellhounds running towards them, until the sound our automatic rifles went as Edward turned and saw Van with an heavy machine gun in his hands as he rained down on all of them.

"I'm so glad I bought this." Said Van.

Edward pushed forward as the other knights followed after. And as that happened, a demon general in armor that covered its face arrived on a drake. It had the black sword as the general's arm was covered in black looking vines as it was coming from the bottom of the sword. It looked around and saw Rick, Isaac and Jennifer jumped the wall that protected the manor as they were making their way into the battlefield. The general rode off towards them as Van pulled out a hand cannon and opened fired on another giant's head, killing it. He then noticed the kids as he started at them with shock.

"What the hell!? Ed, the kids are fighting!" Van yelled.

"What!?" Edwards responded.

He saw them as he and Van made their way to Rick, Isaac and Jennifer. Van drew out some machetes and started slicing the demons into pieces, while Edwards dashed forward and stopped in front of the three.

"What are you doing!?" Edward yelled.

"Fighting. What else?" Said Rick.

"Richard, you must go back behind the walls of the manor!" Edward yelled.

"No! I'm not going to hid like scared child! I'm going to fight." Said Rick.

"Kid, if I were you. I'd listen to him. They're here for you. They want your head. As well as Isaac's head since you two are the only Pendragons around. We're doing this to ensure the safe of your future and of everyone else. Even if it demands putting the lives of other at risk. I'm doing this because of your father. Edward's doing this because he was your mother's best friend. And don't pull that, I'm your king, crap. If you both die, then all of this was for nothing." Said Van as he stood up to Rick.

But he then quickly turned around as the general was charging towards them at full speed, breaking through a couple of knights. Edward stood in its way, but the general jumped over Edward as its drake attacked Edward. It tried biting Edward, but he used his sword to stop it's mouth. The general was dead focus on Rick as it was about to swing at him, until Van jumped in and blocked its sword with just bowie knife.

"Get the hell out of here! I'll keep him busy!" Said Van.

Van pushed the general's sword away and aimed a hand cannon at it's face. The bullet fired as it knocked the general back a couple of feet as it forced Van to spun around from the sheer force of the gun. He then quickly holster the gun and readied his knife. The general bolted to Van, but jumped over him, ignoring him and stood in front of Isaac and the others. They stopped as the general swung it's sword releasing a wave of dark magic energy. But Rick swung down and split the wave in half as it passed by their sides. Rick was panting, until Isaac drew his pistols and opened fired on the general. But it did nothing its armor protected it. Jennifer then stepped forward as she conjured her magic and aimed her left hand at the general. Four swords appeared around her, pointing at the general as they all flew at it. The general quickly swung its sword, slicing and destroying the swords. The general charged at them, but a chain was throwing at its feet as it tripped and fell to the ground. They looked as Van was at the other end of the chain.

"Get your asses moving!" Van yelled.

Isaac and the others ran to the entrance as the general noticed.

"Do not let them go." Said Voice in the general's head.

It then stood back up, grabbing the chain and pulled on it hard. Van expected it as the other end flew with a bomb attacked to the end of the chain. It exploded at point blank of the general, but it swung its sword, clearing the smoke and debris as it walked toward Van.

"Alright, enough. Messing around." Said Van as he rolled up his sleeves.

He then stood in a fighting stance as the general instantly felt a strong presence, making it stop for a second. Van smirked as he bolted towards the general at fast speed. The general swung it sword at Van, but he evaded around the sword as he had brass knuckles on. He then started whaling on the general with powerful, heavy blows that made it lean to a side. Van then rammed his fist into the general's face, breaking the helmet it had on. It was revealed that it was a female demon as the black veins were covering her right side.

"I've seen those marks before. A herald of Arthon. And that sword must be Clarent." Said Van.

She stood ready, not saying a word as we see Edward finally had taken care of the drake. He then looks and see the general with Clarent in her hand. Edward then had a flash back of the last herald of Arthon as it was a tall male demon with the same black vein marks on its face as Edward, gripped his sword tightly with rage. Van stood ready, until Edward dash in, thrust his sword at the general. But she parried the sword away, spun around and swung at Edward. He too swung as their swords clashed into each other as their swords grinded against each other.

"Van, look after them. This fight is personal." Said Edward.

The general pushed Edward back as she then yelled out loud. The yell caught the other demons attention as they all started moving towards Van and Edward. Van then pulled out his hand cannon and one of his pistols as the general bolted away.

"Get back here!" Edward yelled.

"Look out!" Van yelled.

Behind Edward was a giant demon, swing a club down at him. But Van fired his hand cannon at the club, knocking and forcing it upwards. Edward quickly turns around and jumps up towards the giant demon's neck. He then slices it's neck with his sword. The giant then fell hard backwards as they saw the rest of the army heading towards them.

"I really hate demons." Said Van.

"Can you handle things here?" Edward asked.

"Yeah…go help them." Said Van as he reloaded.

Van stayed, while Edward ran towards the manor walls. He landed and saw the general had killed some knights as the fight was happening inside of the manor's grand foyer. Edward ran into the entrance and saw the knights protecting Rick and Isaac. But they all were cut down easily as the general was fast and swift. It then reached Rick and Isaac, while its sword was conjuring up magic. Edward bolted to the general as he looked back, slightly turned her neck. Edward thrust his sword at her, but she evaded around it and released a point blank wave of dark magic at Edward. The wave knocked Edward out of the manor, pass the entrance as he landed on the ground hard as he had a large cut on his chest and abdominals, while his armor was broken off.

"Father!" Jennifer screamed.

The general turned back to Rick and Isaac as they stood ready but were trembling. The general slowly walked towards them slowly as magic was building up in her sword's blade.

"Once I kill the both of you, I'll go after your grandmother. She'll be less of a pain to take care of since she's old. Then Arthon may come back and rain his vengeance on this world." Said the demon with a corrupted voice.

She then swung at Rick and Isaac, but they were too afraid. Until a magic shield appeared in front of them as if it was Jennifer who created it as her hand was out to Rick and Isaac.

"I won't let you lay a finger on them!" Said Jennifer.

But the general bolted up to her and thrust her sword into her stomach. Jennifer couldn't believe what happened as Rick and Isaac were in shock. The general then kicked Jennifer away as he flew off and hit a nearby wall.

"You bastard!" Rick yelled.

He drew Excalibur and swung it the general as she blocked his sword easily.

"Isaac!" Rick shouted.

Isaac reacted as he opened fired on the general. The bullets only poked her but distracted her enough as Rick pushed her sword away and swung at her. He only was able to leave a cut on her nose as she swung her sword hard downwards to the ground, creating a shock wave that knocked the both of them away. They both crashed into nearby walls as Rick was close to Jennifer as she was still alive.

"Jen…." Said Rick.

He then got back up as he stood ready. Outside we see Edward getting back up as he was using his sword to hold himself up. He then remembered the day of Rick and Isaac's mother's death as he was standing behind her as they were in the middle of a battle her hair was flowing with the wind as Edward stood behind her on one knee.

"Can I trust you with this responsibility, Edward?" Gwen asked.

"Yes. Yes, you can, my lady!" Edward responded.

"Thank you my friend. I know you won't disappoint me. You never have." Said Gwen.

Edward then mustard up all of his strength and charged in to see the general was in front of Rick as he was ready to defend himself. He then dashed up to her as she noticed him. She then swung her sword at him. But he parried and forced her sword down to the ground as it got stuck. Edward then stood in a thrusting stance as he pierced her body multiple times with the tip of his sword. He break through her armor as he kept on going as her continued to pierce her flesh, until he lunged forward and thrust on last powerful strike as he pushed her into a nearby wall and pinned her into it as his sword was through her body and even the wall. Edward stood still, panting heavily as he removed his hand as the general was in great pain and bleeding out.

"This body is useless now." Said a voice in the general's head.

"No, I can still—" Said the general before she coughed out blood.

"No, you've done your part. Now…" Said the voice.

Suddenly, the general's right side acted on its own as the right eye opened wide, while staring at Isaac as he was on the ground. She then aimed her right hand at Isaac, but Edward sliced off her arm off. But her right side only smiled sinisterly as the black veins faded off the generals body and a black creature jumped out as it had tendrils. He flew towards Isaac as Edward turned around but was too tired to do anything. It flew at Isaac, until Rick jumped in front of Isaac and swung his sword at the creature. He sliced it in half, but it kept on moving and attached itself to Rick as it dug it's tendrils into his skin. Rick looked as if he was being possessed as he was in pain from the tendrils connecting to his nerves. He dropped his sword, while Isaac got back up and approached Rick.

"Rick!" Said Isaac he was close to him.

But in a flash, the general's sword flew to Rick's right hand as he quickly vertical down swung at Isaac. He left a large cut as blood seeped out, while Isaac was in pain, while stepping back a couple of steps.

"Yes, this body will do just perfect. Sorry to say this little brother. But I have to kill you." Said Rick, while aiming Clarent at him.