Archdemons: Harbinger of the End

Ethan Dell Zealous. He was considered to be a hero by the people all across the Six Great Kingdoms, though he went by a different name; the Aberrant King. He was considered the strongest and most heroic of all aberrants.

He'd been in many battles against beasts and demons. He'd slain seven dragons, countless beasts, and he'd killed three demons. He held the most decorated kill count of any Aberrant. Most aberrants have never even seen a demon, much less killed one.

Zealous was the leader of the Aberrant Guild, a group that works out of the reach of the Gods to kill demons and beasts. In this group there were only four members. There used to be thirteen, but they had all been killed by demons or caught by the gods. No one knows what really happens to aberrants who are caught by the gods, but all that is known is that they are never seen again.

Zealous stood in his room, staring out a window as the cold winter caused the glass to fog up. Outside was a thick forest that stretched on and on, coated in layers of snow. Here was their base, their home, far out of the reach of the gods. Citizens would send them messages and requests for help through a system of which a public message board was set up. The board would contain of the news and such, but a thin opening in the board would be made for the citizens to drop small messages in. This was how they had stayed safe, how they'd kept their base hidden. Although Zealous believed that there was a possibility they were being looked into and the gods were getting closer and closer.

A knock sounded from Zealous's door. The base was built into a mountain face, carved out. If anyone looked at it, it would simply look like a cliff. Nothing more. The walls of the inside of the base were stone, as were the floors. It was nothing fancy, no spiraling patterns or fanciful decor, it was simply built and used. It was a base. Nothing more, not a fancy mansion or rich man's home. It was the base of a group of rebels. Cold, dim, and rough.

Zealous turned about and strode to the door. The door was made from simple wood they had used from trees outside. It was not very well made but it worked. He grabbed the handle and swung the door open with a creak.

"Kaslan." Zealous said as he greeted the man standing outside his room. It was one of the aberrants who served under him. He stood at six-foot-two and long dusty blond hair put into a braid at the back of his head. His eyes were a gentle brown and his skin was soft and pale, but the calluses on his hands disproved what you'd assume him to be. He was not fancy or a coward, nor did he never work. He was a very diligent aberrant and hunted almost all the time. He was just never wounded. Ever.

"Ethan." Kaslan spoke. "Got a request." He held up a small paper.

"Really?" Zealous said. "Why is this so important that you need to tell me? Just accept the request. That's our job."

"Well, actually, this is a unique request." Kaslan said.

"How so?"

Kaslan handed the paper to Zealous, who took it and unfolded it. He began to read the neat writing. It was a unique request, it isn't often they are asked to kill demons. The message was asking for them to eliminate a demon.. but then he continued to read and noted that the demon was located in the Fourth Great Kingdom. Who would request them for help from that far away? And don't all the people of the Great Kingdoms hate the Aberrants because of the gods' teachings?

Zealous looked up at Kaslan. "This is not trustworthy in any way whatsoever. We are not accepting this."

"Keep reading." Kaslan said.

"No, there is no point, we aren't accepting this." Zealous refused.

"Just fucking read it, dumbass."

Zealous sighed. "Fucking hell, fine."

Zealous began to read again. As he did his eyes narrowed in interest. The letter read that the gods had abandoned the Fourth Kingdom, leaving only one god behind whilst an army of beasts led by three demons assaulted their borders.

"What?" Zealous asked. "No. There is no way this is true. This is all lies, why would the gods abandon one of their kingdoms?"

"I don't know. But Liarya returned from her mission about an hour ago.. she said it was true." Kaslan explained.

"And this citizen.. whoever it is, wants us to help?" Zealous asked. "How the fuck are the four of us supposed to take on three demons? Much less an entire army?"

"I have no idea."

Kaslan and Zealous stood in silence for a long moment. Zealous still had a hard time believing what the message said was true. It didn't seem possible. Why would the gods just up and leave..? It made no sense. Something was wrong with this picture.. the gods could easily have wiped out the entire army. What was this all about?

"I say we go." Came a voice. Kaslan and Zealous turned to see Kaslan's twin brother Jonas. Jonas had his brother's hair but it was shorter and hung over his face. He leaned against the wall down the hallway, a candle flickering above his head.

"Are you insane?" Kaslan asked, "we won't be able to do anything. How are we even supposed to get into the Fourth Kingdom to begin with? We can't defend it if we aren't even within its walls. We'd be killed immediately if we tried to get past the army. There is no point."

"So what? Just let the Fourth Kingdom fall?" Jonas asked.

"I don't see why not." Kaslan said, "they never approved of our existence anyways. What does it matter if the gods fall? They want us dead anyway."

"I don't want to help the gods either, Kaslan, but I think we should accept." Zealous said suddenly.

"What? Have you lost your mind?"

"No. If the demons get ahold of whatever the gods have in their citadel it could be catastrophic." Zealous explained.

"Exactly." Jonas added. "Think about it. Three demons have assembled an army. If they manage to gain control of the Fourth Kingdom they'd have not just a fortress to improve their strength but they'd also have all the weapons and magical instruments the gods have within their treasury. It could lead to much much worse conditions."

Kaslan grit his teeth. "Fuck.. are we really gonna accept this? Are you sure?" Kaslan asked.

"Yes." Zealous said firmly. "Get ready. We leave soon as possible."

•

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Zealous, Kaslan, Jonas and Liarya stood at the edge of the thick forest atop a ledge that looked over a massive expanse of grassy flat land that was laden with snow. Millions of tracks were left in the snow leading up to the blur that was the army of unnatural beasts and creatures that churned and flowed in waves as they attacked the walls of the Fourth Kingdom. The walls seemed to be holding strong, but for how much longer?

"How the hell do we get in?" Liarya asked. "There is no way we get past all those monsters."

"Maybe we don't get in." Zealous spoke.

"What?" Kaslan and Jonas asked in unison.

"What if we attack them from behind. Just an idea."

"Ethan. It's a literal army. A surprise attack will only succeed in killing a small amount of them. There's no point, we'd be surrounded instantly and we'd all die." Kaslan said.

"Wouldn't it be the same story if they were to break down those walls? It's the same picture either way." Jonas spoke.

"We could split up and attack from different areas using our strongest aberrant abilities." Zealous spoke, "we'd kill a good amount of them before we'd be surrounded. By that time hopefully the Fourth Devision soldiers will come to help us."

"Help us? Four strangers going for suicide? Yeah, they'd totally help us." Kaslan said.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Liarya asked.

"You too? Are you crazy? Have you all lost your mind?! There is no way this plan works!" Kaslan argued.

"This was a suicidal mission from the beginning, Kaslan. We all knew that." Jonas pointed out.

"Tch! Fine!" Kaslan growled, pulling his bow off of his shoulder "we will go with your surprise attack idea, but I've got a better plan."

•

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•

Zealous lay low as he watched the army of beasts thrash about. He was hidden within the foliage only a few yards away from the monsters. He felt uneasy being this close to this many beasts. It was enough to make him doubt himself and cause fear to strike his heart and give him anxiety. But he drew in a deep breath and steeled himself. He was used to the feeling of fear, he knew how to handle it. He was able to completely shut it out. It was his talent.

He gripped the sword at his side. He wore a set of armor that he'd painted white before they left. The paint job was crappy but it served its purpose of keeping him hidden. He kept glancing back and forth between the cliff where Kaslan was and the beasts the writhed in waves before him.

He knew if any of those monsters caught onto him he'd die almost instantly.

He was waiting on the cue to attack. As soon as Kaslan shot off his attack, that was when he and the others would charge in while the beasts were confused. When the demons took note of their existence, they'd then run in the opposite direction and have them chase.

Zealous watched the cliff intently now, unaware of the fact that a direwolf that stood at about ten feet tall had caught his scent and began to stalk towards him.

A moment later Zealous's eyes caught movement and he spotted the massive beast moving in his direction. He knew dire wolves had insane sense of smell and hearing. He couldn't move or else he'd be caught, but if he didn't move, he'd be caught.

'Shit, shit, shit, come on Kaslan, give the signal already!' Zealous cursed in his mind. He noticed the beast seemed to be blind, depending only on its ears and nose.

Zealous's eyes went violently back and forth between the cliff and the approaching beast, but it seemed like the signal would never come as the wolf came closer now. He could feel it's hot breath on his face as it's mouth opened up in a growl with teeth bared as drool dribbled out of its mouth between its teeth.

It knew he was there.

Then the sudden sound of an immensely loud *TWANG* echoed across the open field. The signal. Millions and millions of arrows were vaulted into the sky, blotting out the sun like a storm cloud as the arrows began to descend on the army fo beasts.

That was the signal.

The wolf's ears perked up and it's head swiveled to the direction of the sound of whistling arrows, but then Zealous's hand flew to his sword.

*SHWICK*