A Knight's Promise

Chapter 2: Injustice

The Night Dreamer deployed its many gunships and the crown jewel of the night sky called the NightHawk, took flight into the Night’s sky leading over a dozen gunships into the field of battle.

Upon entering the planet’s atmosphere the warriors suddenly felt their body weight doubled as some of them grew up in space and never actually set foot upon any of the colonized worlds.

The marines were overjoyed knowing they were able to set foot upon an Agri-world similar or close to requiem. As they entered the lower atmosphere Kent ordered the gunships to open the bay doors as they were greeted by an unfamiliar sight.

The cold breeze of the ocean, the gentle kiss of the mountain air as they entered dry land, and the sweet smell of wild flowers growing as far as the eyes can see. Some of the veteran marines took off their helmets for only a moment to gaze upon the world’s beauty, amazed that the world that they had been praying for had been answered by their goddess.

It seemed that the marines and knights' inner child had been awakened, though Kent understood that most of his men were born after the fall and never had a chance to live on a planet that rivaled Requiem’s beauty.

“Everyone, there will come a time to enjoy the beauty of this world… It is time to earn your keep and prove your mettle… Bring honor to Requiem!” Kent ordered.

“We fight for Faith!” Everyone shouted.

The Demon smirked as the children were full of vigor though a question remained, will they be able to take a life. He whispered to Kent asking if the marines would be able to take a life despite being trained in the arts of war though the knights have no trouble taking it. Would they consider it as an injustice to their own beliefs or would they break like a surging tide crashing upon the stoned shore.

Kent could not answer him, only they can decide whether it is an injustice or it was meant to happen.

They passed over a small ridge as Winter, the veteran ace pilot of the Night Hawk reported seeing several smoke clouds over the distance. Upon closer look through the gunship’s eyes a massive battle raged around a ruined city as silver clad soldiers were slaughtering civilians armed with rusted weapons and nearly broken armor.

He clenched his teeth ordering everyone to charge into battle when the other team reported a similar situation across the southern plain. Kent did not hesitate to protect the innocent, ordering the other captains to scatter and save the villages along their flight path while Kent and 3 other teams followed him in.

Upon entering the battlefield the Night Hawk fired several rounds from its railgun attached below the bow of the ship creating a massive fire wall giving the troops time to get out of their transports..

Clearing the path for the ground forces, the rest gunships unloaded their passengers while the Night Hawk skirted through the ground as each member of the Strike team jumped out of the ship and engaged the enemy around the city.

Each member of his Strike team showcased their prowess in battle each showing off their specialization. Rex being adept in close to mid range combat showcasing his adept use of Small caliber firearms like the M32-AP submachine rifle and his trusted Plama revolver pistols made short work of a group of enemies.

Clayton, who specialized in Heavy weapons, proudly used his Trencher heavy chain gun to clear the path to the city while providing support to the retreating rebels. Despite being a promethean who is known for loving melee combat he never shies away from using ranged weaponry.

Marky took position atop the southern gate providing support from a distance with his Anti-material rifle easily taking down the larger targets while the rest of the team were focused on the battle in front of them. While Genji provided cover for Marky taking down any enemy that got close to their sniper.

Meanwhile inside the southern gate WIllow anders the 3rd in command of the marine group under the strike team worked with the rebels and shored up the defenses inside the gate.

Despite her status as a Valronite, she proudly serves Kent for a promised tomorrow all for the sake of her mentally challenged brother.

Kent on the other hand rushed towards a group of soldiers as he drew his blades striking each and every soldier around him with precision and fury.

Despite his power and unrivaled strength he could easily take on the enemy on his own. But he chose to stand with the people that trusted him and would gladly die with him in battle.

The young lord showcased his abilities with all 7 weapon disciplines that the Dragon-wolf had to offer making a force to be reckoned with.

Despite the Skyraiders arrival the Unknown army pushed hard upon the city. To break the siege of the city Kent ordered the Iron mammoths tanks to be deployed at all 4 entrances with the remaining knight squads to guard them.

With the tanks slowly moving into position they were vulnerable against attacks from the golems of the enemy.

But the Iron Mammoth tanks showcased their power by easily destroying a group of Golems with a single shot of Highly volatile Flugor hesh rounds.

Hours passed since their arrival upon the battlefield, the unknown enemy did not cower before the sky raiders.

With the Iron Mammoths in position they began entrenching themselves deploying their hulking siege modes as they rained Heated Tungsten rounds upon the battlefield.

The unknown kingdom sent hundreds of thousands of bodies towards the ruined city. The city endured with the aid of the sky raiders as the enemy retreated to the north and west.

The sky raiders cheered on as the enemy turned tail before their might. Some of the marines even praised the dents upon their armor as a sign of glory and prestige knowing they are no longer Fresh Bloods or Rookies in human terms.

As the battle ended the sky raiders scoured the battlefield for their wounded while the Medical teams treated the wounded.

Kent and the other knight captains asked the surviving rebels what had transpired and why the enemy wanted them all dead.

One of the Rebel commanders explained the New Kingdom took charge after the king Aetheros’s Mysterious passing. His son Nerro took charge of the alliance reforming it into the New Kingdom though peace came to Ren’veil for a time. After the Northern war ended many wanted to give thanks to the demon but no one exactly knows what happened to the demon, only his summoners are certain of what became of him after the war.

Over a month passed since the attack on Arcadia, the king stated that the mages and priestesses had tried to assassinate the king of course no one believed it.

That was until the king suddenly started to pass several outrageous laws regarding the priestesses and mages to be arrested on sight and be turned to the royal guard for “Processing” the rebel quoted.

A lot of people ignored the rules until the royal guard acted strangely as if they were lifeless husks and started to beat up anyone who got in their way and arrested all mages and priestesses on sight.

Some of the nobles who had a strong lineage with the priestesses or mages protested to the king that this was wrong but their words fell upon deaf ears.

Before the king declared open war Nerro released a public statement that the priestesses and Mages worshiped the demonic fate and must be destroyed if they do not surrender they will be wiped out.

Though the details were unclear the Elven queen of Priah, defended the demon despite his title and stature being that of a demon but he was a god that walks upon men.

Angered by the queen’s statement, king Nerro declares open war against the elves, priestesses, and Mages all in an effort to wipe out the demonic fate. All in an effort to stop the living god named Bahamutto Alrupha from taking root in the hearts of the Vai’len.

The Priestesses desperately tried to stop the king from committing mass g******e but it was too late several hundred priestesses were massacered in the span of weeks and the head priestess was captured and her fate was uncertain.

In response some of the Heroes tried to talk the king to stop the madness but they failed and suffered heavily losing 3 of the 8 heroes in the process.

The Demon of Faith, asked the soldier if they knew what happened to the elven princess, the Priestess Adept, and the Prodigal elemental mage, the rebel could only guess what happened to the princess but the two others were at the city hall but their current status was dire.

He thanked the soldier as he made his way to the city hall to see several hundreds of rebels and thousands of refugees receiving medical treatment from the mages and the Angelic Hand knights that came with the Sky Raiders.

Kent entered the camp seeing Willow and Marky were heading back to their post after replenishing their energy packs. They reported the situation of the rebels were in a very poor state that they were on the edge of their life.

The captain reported “General, over 5,192 refugees and only a few hundred rebels are still able to fight, They won't make it if the New Kingdom attacks again. It was a good thing that we arrived or else they would all be dead by now, sir.”

Kent nodded, He ordered the two to fire a smoke grenade at any empty areas as he requested a mass hospital and rally zone to be dropped at their location. The two threw a pair of Green and Blue smoke grenades right next to the city square, The Night Dreamer then deployed to the ground a transforming field hospital that could entertain about 500 people and an additional 200 patients for the critically injured.

While the Rally zone beacon to allow more troops to easily deploy to the ground as the Wolf Knight Giants and several other Iron Mammoth tanks were deployed to aid the warriors on the ground, increasing the defense of the city by a factor of 3.

The thunderous roar of the Mammoth’s cry echoed in the night as they hammered the New Kingdom’s forces from afar providing fire support for their fellow Raiders across the vast landscape.

With the city secured, Kent went inside the city hall turned hospital by the Angelic hands, he visited the Emergency care ward of the hall to find several hundreds of both rebels and refugees being tended by the mages and angelic hands.

He asked if anyone saw his sister Lily when one of the nurses explained that she is currently performing intensive care surgery. It would take time before she could meet him, He understood as he asked the attending nurse if they had any patients with Violet and Auburn hair.

Surprised by her lord’s question the nurse explained that the surgery Lily was performing was for the people he mentioned. Wasting no time he rushed to the second floor to find the Angelic hands stopping him from entering any further at the meeting hall.

“My Lord we cannot permit you to enter, The doctor is in surgery at the moment we beg for your patience.”The Knight pleaded.

Knowing they cannot stop their lord as he could easily kill them, the Knight lord stopped for a moment as he waited at the side. They asked the knight to have his sister meet him once she is rested, for now he must secure the city before the enemy returns.

The knights saluted as they showed him an empty room where he could relax for the moment but knowing that they are in battle the knights must be the first one ready to act. Though a knight he may be but deep down he is still only human as he took a deep breath and watched through his window as the flashes of light and the thunderous song of artillery fire echoed in the distance.

The injustice that happened to the Vai’len after the Demon left Ren’veil was far too much for him to take. He immediately removed his helmet as his rage was slowly surging violently knowing his ladies were put in danger because of him.

The demon took over unleashing a spine chilling roar that echoed across Ren’veil many who heard it cried out in joy as hope was rekindled.

For the New Kingdom their short reign will come to its end as the Demon of Faith has awakened once again to undo the mistakes he made long ago.

Though his knights answered their call for aid in his heart with a meager force alone may not stop the armies of the kingdom as he turned to the glimmering stars.

He felt the careful yet familiar eyes of a tens of billions of fangs ready to strike, a hunger never quenched, his rage is theirs, his sadness is theirs, his will shall be made real, all in the name of their progenitor.