The loud noise of metal hitting metal filled the air like a symphony, interrupted by the sound of bodies falling to the ground. Andre moved through the confusion, Revenant a lethal blur in his grasp. The enemy soldiers fought with a ferocity that was mindless, their eyes showing a dull and vacant expression. However, their assaults felt empty, suggesting a false sense of compliance.
Andre suddenly realized that these individuals were not experienced fighters. They were drafted, peasants, regular people resurrected and compelled to battle against their desires. He felt a strong wave of intense anger flow through him. He wasn't just battling for the Empire now, he was combatting the monstrous corruption of life itself.
An urgent cry pierced through the noise. A teenager who had recently become a soldier staggered backwards, his face twisted in a soundless request. His zombie partner, a massive brute without a jaw, lifted its weapon to attack.
In that moment, Andre arrived. Revenant on its one handed mode, swung fiercely, cutting the undead soldier in half with a single strike from shoulder to hip. The young man gazed at him, his eyes wide with a blend of fear and... appreciation? Prior to Andre's reaction, the soldier suddenly moved forward, seizing the closest undead soldier and forcefully smashing his forehead into its face with a loud, bone-crunching impact.
"Fight back!" the young man screamed, his voice hoarse with exertion. "They're not us! Fight for your lives!"
There was an electric effect. Confusion spread among the forced conscripts. Additional men paused, their assaults weakening. Another soldier, an experienced warrior with a lost eye, shouted a challenge and aimed his weapon at his undead foe. The tide started to change, though it was a slow and painful process.
However, on the battlefield, a contrasting narrative emerged. The Vor'talon of Supremacy, a massive knight, ruthlessly cut down Corvus' soldiers. The warhammer he wielded had an unearthly strength, smashing shields and launching bodies through the air. Andre witnessed with terror as the Vor'talon obliterated a squad of soldiers, their cries abruptly silenced by a gruesome burst of blood and flesh.
"This can't go on," Marcus bellowed, his face grim, sweat dripping into his beard.
Res, ever the pragmatist, pointed to the cannons. "Focus fire! We need to take him down!"
Another cannon was discharged, adding to the already loud and chaotic sounds of the battle. The Vor'talon's chest was struck by a cannonball, causing him to stumble backwards. However, the metal ball did not penetrate his armor; instead, it broke into pieces that flew off his dark plate without causing any harm.
Andre let out a primal roar from his throat. He could no longer bear to witness his men being killed. Filled with adrenaline, he ran quickly towards the Vor'talon, holding his Revenant weapon high. "This ends now!" he screamed, his voice a ragged challenge.
Letting out a fierce roar, Andre charged towards the Vor'talon. Revenant was a fast-moving force of anger, a spinning weapon of lethal black metal. The enormous knight showed little reaction to his strikes, its unnatural reflexes barely moving as it easily brushed off Andre's attacks. Andre moved gracefully around the large figure, relying solely on his quickness for protection. Attempting to penetrate a mountain with a small stone proved to be an impossible task. The sickening clang met his strikes as the Revenant's metal sparked harmlessly off the obsidian armor of the Vor'talon.
Frustration clawed at him. This wasn't working. He needed a new strategy, and fast.
Suddenly, a booming voice cut through the din. "Get out of the way, Andre!"
Corvus, his face etched with a warrior's fury, materialized beside him. In his hands, a pair of shortswords shimmered with an otherworldly glow. Unlike Andre's brute force approach, Corvus was a whirlwind of controlled chaos. His swords moved in a mesmerizing dance, deflecting the Vor'talon's blows while simultaneously seeking openings in its seemingly impenetrable armor.
However, Corvus's increased capabilities were insufficient. The Vor'talon proved to be incredibly strong. The roar of frustration was so powerful that it sent shivers down Andre's spine. A large fist was thrown, targeting Corvus like a battering ram.
Corvus narrowly dodged the strike and was then sent soaring by the powerful gust of wind. He landed heavily, with his swords clattering as they fell away from him.
Corvus was down. Now, everything rested solely on his shoulders and Andre knew that he was most definitely cooked.
The Vor'talon refocused on Andre, its bright red eyes staring intensely at him. He felt a basic fear that could overwhelm him, but he pushed it away. He wouldn't be saved by fear. Steel would save him and if that couldn't, then he was dead.
Andre made a desperate dive towards the Vor'talon. He noticed a tiny gap in its armor, a small crack close to its shoulder joint. It was a slim chance, a desperate attempt, but it was his only option.
He swung Revenant down in a brutal curve, exerting all his power into the strike. Sparks flew as the blade made contact with the armor, producing a sickening crunch. A loud cry of agony, unlike anything Andre had experienced before, burst from the Vor'talon. Their feet felt the shaking ground below them.
Time appeared to decelerate in the world. The Vor'talon stumbled in retreat, clutching its wound. Andre noticed his chance - a large crack had appeared near where the impact occurred. Matching the Vor'talon's roar, he drove Revenant further into the crevice.
The Vor'talon let out a piercing cry, causing the city's core to tremble. Dark energy burst out of the wound, swirling around them in a small storm. Andre's feet were standing on ground that started to break and fall apart.
Corvus, who had somehow managed to get back to his feet, grabbed Andre's arm. "Andre, it's collapsing!" he yelled, his voice barely audible over the deafening roar.
They hurried back together, but it was already too late. The crevice expanded, revealing a yawning chasm in the ground. The Vor'talon's shape turned into dark energy tendrils as it extended one large hand to grab Andre, pulling him closer to the abyss.
Andre screamed, the world turning into a swirling vortex of darkness. The last thing he saw was Corvus's face, etched with a mixture of horror and determination, as the earth swallowed him whole.