Monstrosities emerged first, mouths open in silent roars, fists swinging at walls, archways, and people who hadn't been killed in the Temple's collapse. Behind them came werewolves, the hunting hounds of Kash's forces. They loped along in ragged lines, held in formation only by some brutal mode of training that had been ingrained in them. Their slavering mouths hung open in gleeful canine smiles, and their eyes shone a sickly yellow even at this distance. They held to their lines and began to fan out.
Next were the gen, natives of the Underlands. They were bipedal, armored, and of medium stature, very like the humans, but grey-skinned and with longer limbs. Only the males were known to march into battle. Behind the ranks of gen waited the painreapers in all their horrific variations, but these would likely not fight. They came only to live up to their names, a thing they would see to when the battle was over.
The ranks of defenders braced themselves, but surely each person knew they could not withstand this invasion.
This did not deter the members of Gorgonbane.
Axebourne gave the signal, and the fearsome band of five rode out from among the garrison troops. Unfortunately, this left several squads without the benefit of Scythia's enchantment of silence. Soldiers began to succumb to the sound-induced nausea.
Pierce knew he had to be extra vigilant - there would be no sounds signaling the approach and attack of the enemy. Everything would rely on staying in formation, covering each other's backs.
He couldn't help but wonder what they hoped to do against all the might of the invasion.
Axebourne signalled again. The cone of silence was about to shrink for a few moments as Ess shifted her amplification powers to Agrathor. They would have to keep the formation tight. Ess held up a hand and counted down from five on her fingers. There was no discernible difference for Pierce when the enchanted area shrank, but even more common soldiers were left without aural protection.
Agrathor lifted his spear high, reflexively calling out a challenge or invocation that no one would hear. A pair of lightning bolts ripped through a Monstrosity's shoulders, bursting blood vessels and severing its arms. The thing's face contorted in pain and it screamed silently, toppling to the ground to crush a pair of genian squads. This instantly garnered the attention of the other dozen or so Monstrosities, and they began to converge on Gorgonbane. This had been expected.
Gorgonbane rushed toward the approaching giants, letting them get close. Each member had to take out at least two Monstrosities, and their time was limited. Ess signaled that she had resumed amplifying Scythia's amulet, and the group broke formation.
Axebourne and Ess dashed for the leftmost giants, Scythia took the center, and Agrathor and Pierce flanked right. The Monstrosities had been proven not to be entirely moronic, but they seemed to spare little thought for tactics, and were content to focus their malice on whatever was in front of them. This made it easier for Pierce and his comrades to mount their attack.
He desperately wanted to see the others in action, but this was not the time. He had to focus on his own task. He meant to take down three of the giants. At least these weren't the mega variety...
He dropped down off of Gash, sending the beast away. Then he plotted his course in his mind, connecting the dots, brainstorming solutions for when things inevitably went wrong.
The first Monstrosity came into range and swiped at Pierce. With this smaller variety, dodging was plausible, but they were also faster, so he had to be precise with his movements.
He laughed to think of a Monstrosity as small.
He vaulted over the thing's long arm, his sword flashing as he spun in the air. He only grazed the giant's arm, but the pain was great enough for it to flinch. Pierce completed his spin, landing firmly on his feet, and made for the giant's ankles. It tried to stomp on him, but Pierce easily jumped out of the shadow of its foot. With a vicious swing, he drew his blade clean through the giant's lower leg, spilling blood and molten bone. The leg's stump slid off of its severed ankle and the giant slipped onto its knees, still trying to get a grasp on Pierce.
He circled around to its back and leapt up. The wide ridges of its scarred flesh, and the way the skin was stretched taut over bone, made it easy to find foot and handholds to climb the thing. It tried to turn, but Pierce stuck its back with his blade to help him hold on. Every time the giant stopped to register pain, Pierce was able to gain ground, climbing.
He sensed something and turned.
A second Monstrosity was coming, and a third behind it. Pierce was getting his wish.
He kept climbing the thrashing giant, waiting for the right moment. The second one came closer. Pierce drew back his blue blade and plunged it into the giant, severing its spine. Immediately it buckled, unable to hold its own weight on hands and knees. Soon it would die. Pierce gauged the jump and fired a blast from his gauntlet.
Orange fire trailed behind him as he careened toward the second Monstrosity. It tried to smash him between its hands, but a second blast quickly shot Pierce up and forward. He crashed into the thing's collar bone and beheaded it with one fell swoop of the bone-melter. The head fell, mouth open, and suddenly Pierce heard the clamor of battle. He must have drifted out of Scythia's range.
He tried to focus on the screams and clashing metal so he wouldn't succumb to the unending drone of the obelisks.
The headless Monstrosity staggered forward several long steps before its body registered
