Balada: When death did not exist, nor yet Eternity Part I 031

Volunian system, Volun4,  378th corps, Supply base.

9:58 Local Planetary Time.

The above raging storm was accompanied by sounds of clas.h.i.+ng steel that was heard coming from the small section of the supply base where von Bran and Turneissnen faced each other. The troops around them had stopped their respective individual duels and had become spectators, watching in silence with bated breath the clash between these two t.i.tans, knowing that the moment one of them would lose, his respective troops would falter and retreat and it would the others’ moment to pounce on them and finish this battle.

Werner slashed away at the Guardian to be, trying desperately to break his defenses and when he felt that fatigue was building up, forcing him to go onto the defensive himself, Turneissnen preset on, but neither he, was able to achieve a breakthrough.

 A side swipe by Werner was deflected by the priest, who proceeded to try and stab the Imperial Colonel in the right shoulder, but Werner avoided it by a clockwork turn of his body and tried to counter with a jab at the priest’s neck, which he ducked under. Turneissnen then tried to sweep the colonel of his feet, but von Braun jumped, did a downwards slash, to which Alexander rolled away from and then tried to slash the Colonel across the back from behind, only for Werner to turn and block his attack and the duel between them now boiled down to a big pus.h.i.+ng match like a pair of wild bulls, fighting for the last drop of water in this G.o.d-forsaken h.e.l.lhole.

“I got to give you credit, you foreign priests, unlike our lot, actually seem to do something else besides towngirls, booze and gambling.” Werner said as he continued to press on, with the entire weight of his body and with the full strength of all of his muscles.

Behind Turneissnen, Werner took in a moment’s gaze of the federal troops, their armor’s main characteristic was that instead of being angled like the Imperial ones, they were all blocky with smoothed angles, designed to be easier to transport and to take up as few room as possible and be easy to disa.s.semble and perform maintenance on, but regardless of their design, they did their job as tools of war quite expertly. The fact that Turneissnen was managing to hold his own against Werner was a testament to that.

“For your information monster, our Merciful G.o.d gives his disciples the power to be the greatest warriors of all, though I must conceded that you’re G.o.d, although false, demonical and inferior to our own is not exactly a weakling either.” Alexander replied, not wanting to be outdone and outlived by von Braun, so he pressed on as well.

The duel seemed like it had been going on for a lifetime and so did every moment in which the two great warriors continued they’re pus.h.i.+ng match.

But suddenly from the western side of the Supply depo, a powerful stream of light erupted and every soldier, including Werner and Turneissnen turned they’re gaze towards it.

Excerpt from the diary of Private Raz V’a  van,

  “We were the legionaries of Malus, The World Breaker”

To the west side of our position, we gazed at the source of the light and saw that it was a column of chariots charging the rear of the enemy. Above it, a ma.s.sive multiheaded dragon formed entirely of h.e.l.lfire flew, as the great body of our allies charged the Federal’s rear.

The sight was greeted with a resounding cheer from our side and the breaking of ranks and desertion from the enemy, since the h.e.l.lfire Dragon was one of the most powerful fire attacks used in battle. On top of that, since our chariots where now sweeping the enemy from behind, it meant that the Federal and Volunian chariots had been defeated and if that wasn’t enough, the cherry on top soon followed.

For right in the speartip of that formation, riding a topless spider-wolf-jeep was none other than our new fleet commander. Oh yes, The Fox of Marengo himself was leading the charge. That sight of destruction was one of the most beautiful things I saw that whole month.

Private Raz V’a  van, Imperial Logistic and Engineer Corps.

Volunian system, 378th corps, Federal Supply base.

Galiupus 10th 10:07 Local Planetary Time.

As the answer to their stalemate dawned on them, quite literally from a combination of the intense light emitted by the spell and the slight darkness from thunderstorm above, the stalemate between the two warriors s.h.i.+fted, with both breaking the deadlock and taking a few steps backwards.

“Looks like you get a reprise on your death monster, you and you’re fellow demons will however find it to be a short one!” Turneissnen said to the Colonel.

“That’s not something a dead man should say!” Werner shouted back, bloodl.u.s.t and the arrogance of certain victory evident in his voice.

“We will meet again von Braun!” Turneissnen replied and transmitted some energy into the ground beneath him with his legs, immediately flowers grew, bloomed, withered and launched they’re smoke like spoors and petals that turned to powder into the air, surrounding the holy warrior, creating a pleasant smelling, but very efficient smoke screen, giving the priest the opportunity to escape.

“Stand and fight you coward!” Werner shouted as he charged the mist, hoping to cut down Turneissnen before he managed to escape, but it was too late, as the almost euphorical in nature smokescreen died down, Turneissnen was gone.

The Colonel looked around his surroundings hoping to find his opponent, but it was for naught, he had escaped, and was followed by the Federal troops who broke rank and routed.

 Around him the troops cheered Metternich and his jeeps and ‘chariots’ as they made their way into the now conquered supply base.

“This is a victory, but it feels half-baked since that priest got away.” Werner thought to himself as he knew that this would be the first but not the last time Turneissnen would come to haunt them.

 ”I called him a coward, but what he did was a very sound strategic move; An enemy who knows how to fight is a scary thought indeed!” the colonel said inside his head, but he had no more time for his thoughts as the jeep carrying Metternich stopped right in front of him, and as it did so, the h.e.l.lfire Dragon which was above the chariots was launched at the force of retreating Federals.

 “There’s nothing quite like the sight of a routing enemy, wouldn’t you say commander?” Werner said with a chuckle.

“Well, the sight of chariots on your rear is a terrifying one indeed!”

“Couldn’t agree more! Oh, and by the way, one ‘chariot’ has it’s glued on wooden armor melting from the heat of the h.e.l.lfire Dragon.” Werner said with a chuckle.

At this Metternich cursed underneath his breath and turned his gaze back to his ‘chariots’ or rather the contingent of spider-wolf jeeps,  eagle-snake bikes and various light vehicles disguised  as chariots and saw that many more than just one had the paint, wood and plaster used to disguise it affected by the fire.

“Note to self, next time water t.i.tan.”

“Lovely, now if you’d be kind enough to tell the troops to pursue the enemy, so  we can sweep them of the field, before they realize that these are not chariots but vulnerable vehicles with big painted soup pots and various other arts and crafts placed on them, that would be just peachy!” Metternich said to his infantry commander.

“New forces sighted coming from the Northwest!” Butz reported to his commander.

“Come on! What does heaven have against peaches!” the young commodore mentally lamented as he gazed at the magic field map on the spider-wolf-jeep’s backseat dashboard to see what was going on.

“That must be the enemy’s hill forces; looks like Valyria couldn’t hold them any longer.” Metternich said out loud.

“She kept them occupied for more than three hours, that’s more than I thought she’d give us, Commodore, might I suggest leaving the pursuit of the fleeing base guard for latter and holding our ground.” Werner said to him.

“You think we can hold?” Metternich asked concerned that the plan seemed to be going badly, though he managed to hide that from showing on his face (for the most part).

“It won’t be easy, but I’m absolutely sure we can hold, at least until Valyria follows up or our real chariots finish with their counterparts and come to our aide, why I’d bet on it!” Werner said with a  devil-may-care smile and chuckle.

“The enemy reinforcements appear to be over half the garrison stationed on this planet.” Butz told them with the same tone that a child would use to say ‘Oh look, they have vanilla-rocky road, along with rocky road-vanilla.

“Well, it might cost us a little, but the odds are in our favor!” Werner replied to this new and unsettling information.

“New unidentified troops spotted behind the Federal troops!”

“Okay, maybe it will cost us more than a little.” Werner said his smile faltering.

“The second body of soldiers is bigger than the first wave.”

“Alright, maybe it will cost us a lot.” Werner replied with a slightly annoyed look in his eyes.

“The second body is more than twice the size of the first and is moving much faster than them.”

“Hey buddy, are you trying to bankrupt me? I only have a colonel’s paycheck you know!” Werner shouted in half-seriously, half annoyed tone towards Butz who was merely doing his job and glared and the bewildered trooper for a few moments, before shaking his head and giving an apology to the sailor.

 The Colonel then a.s.sumed a position between the advancing enemy and Metternich’s jeep.

“I’d suggest you move to a safer location sir.” The colonel said to him as he redeployed his troops in a defensive formation, but the tone of his voice made it clear that such a location was nonexistent, now that their gamble had failed.

“Move…….what for? I’ll just stay here and take a nap, wake me when a real threat arrives.” Metternich replied dismissively, seemingly unfazed by the horrible situation and leaned back in his seat, raised his feet on the front row pa.s.senger seat and placed a newspaper over his eyes.

All those around Metternich gave looks of astonishment at their commander, normally such a response would have resulted in them all seeing ‘Kriff this loony!’ but instead they all receive a burst of courage, because of the sheer fate defying nature of his words and actions!

 Civilians might not understand this, but they were soldiers and soldiers wors.h.i.+p courage and guts above all and with looks of awe and admiration towards they’re young commander, they braced themselves for the coming onslaught.

 Even Werner, the battle hardened veteran brigade commander, was amazed at what appeared to be Metternich’s iron and complete lack of regard for his own death.

“YES SIR, PLEASANT DREAMS SIR!” Werner shouted with a fine crisp salute, the first real one he had given since his academy days, and with almost insane glee, he turned to face what appeared to be certain death.

The other soldiers did the same and with high morale from seeing their fleet and infantry commander’s inhuman level of bravery, they all prepared to face the enemy.

“Inhuman courage they call this, and it’s certainly true, for I doubt that there is a single individual human in existence which has the same level of lack of courage as I do at the moment!”

Metternich thought to himself, grateful to G.o.d that he gave him the inspiration to cover his face with a newspaper and lye on his back, so that his allies wouldn’t see that he was paralyzed with fear, and that tears were threatening to form in his eyes, as the sound of apparently imminent death moved closer and closer.