Death Dealers

Targoth

He swung from his horse, his team had been called at a strange hour with no clear objective beyond escorting and protecting a small band. He was in the healer’s section of the Imperial camp. He marched towards the main tent hoping to get instructions. He pushed through the flap and stopped. A woman stood across the tent. Her back to him. Her trim frame was covered in a very stylish version of a healer’s smock. The light brown fabric was a few shades darker than the smooth skin of her back. A silver snake coiled around her arm, and as he watched, it adjusted itself.

Even before she turned, he knew this was his brother’s wife. The woman turned and he gasped. Her eyes seemed to be alight from the inside. While she had irises and pupils, another layer or two seemed to exist and he could see raging elements in her eyes. “Gareth...no, you are larger and your magic is different.” She said,

His eyes fixed on the Kilorma seal that rested in the woman’s cleavage. “I have no magic, Madam.” He replied.

“Who told you that lie?” The woman asked as she approached him.

“I did.” His father’s voice said from behind.

The woman’s eyes switched to his father and she gave the most minimal dip of her head.

He turned and bowed to his father, because he wasn’t magi he could never be emperor. His bow wasn’t as low as most in his station, but it was appropriate. He had his father’s good graces, but this was a strange revelation.

“The vault will…” His father cut off as the ground began to roll under them. The tent whipped around, and it sounded as if every horse in the world was running toward them. Esrea began to glow…

”This is different, the death squad is becoming guardians.” She said. “The power is awesome.”

His father had planted his staff in the ground and stood like a sailor on a ship. “The elements are waking.”

Screams could be heard throughout the camp. A glowing man entered from outside. “Madam, you’re needed.” The man stated.

Targoth stumbled out of the tent with them. In the distance, the mountains seemed to be moving. No, they weren’t mountains. Three creatures about the size of fortresses were moving towards them. The glowing man raced towards the mammoth creatures, armor that appeared to be molting forming around him.

The woman looked around. A squad of cannoneers was forming up to the north. One minute she was beside him, the next she was a hundred yards away and encased in white armor that glowed in the night. “They are stone, swords won’t hurt them. Form cannons here, and retreat the rest of the camp. I cannot fight directly, but I can give you the edge. Pull all civilians from the camp, give me all the cannons you can...and for the sake of the gods, get the emperor out of here.” Her voice rang with command and others rushed to obey.

His father grimaced and started toward the woman, his wizard and magi advisor were rushing toward him. Targoth looked back at the man that had charged toward the creatures. The man had taken up a position about three hundred yards from them facing the monstrosities. He stood watching the creatures that were at least half a mile away trudge toward them.

“Hold your fire,” Esrea said, her voice calm and full of command. “I said to evacuate the camp.” She observed.

“It takes…”

“Leave the damn tents and things that can be replaced and get the people out. Weapons aren’t going to be of service here unless they are soul blades or cannons.” She nearly screamed. She glanced at his father. “I would prefer you survive the night, but if you stay, use your time magic. She glanced at the wizard. “They are earth...concentrated water will work the best..but wind will also work. I am a well of power, use me.”

The things were getting closer...seven more cannons reached them, then three more. He turned to look at the camp, it was emptying, but artillery was flowing toward them. A group of marines was also heading toward them. That’s right, Esrea had marine guards. Everyone and their paramour had heard of the ship by now. He was beginning to see that woman, but she was holding back.

The woman spun, her eyes finding the marines. They seemed to freeze in place as her eyes scanned them. Her hand came up and a small soul blade formed and her left gauntlet vanished as she drew the blade across her hand. She flung her hand out, and six droplets of blood formed and flew to the men.

Time was fluid here, around them it seemed to be in hyperdrive, but towards the creatures it seemed to be slowed to a crawl. He had read accounts of battles like this in the histories but thought they were hyperbole.

“It’s the vault, son. Magic was weakened when it vanished.” His father’s voice said inside his head. “Defend us and forgive the woman. She is acting on impulse and if she fights with her own blades...she will lose the order she loves. She needs to be in command, it will be her place one day.”

The drops of blood reached the marines and went into six of the men’s mouths. Those men went rigid and toppled to the ground. Their comrades turned, but a voice cut through the night. “Leave them, they will be fine, more than fine. They will become guardians of the vault. I have judged them and they are worthy.”

The men spasmed and light appeared inside them. It was like their bodies were being deconstructed and reconstructed by the elements themselves, but it was more than elemental power at play. The Marines' uniforms were disintegrated, but before they stood they were encased in spirit armor with sword and shield. They stood and then raced to stand beside the lone man in the front. Even with time slowed. The creatures were nearing the line.

The man in the front threw his hands forward and a sphere the size of a man and made of what appeared to be lava flew towards the creature.

“Fire…” Esrea commanded and the cannons barked.

The sphere crashed into the middle creature, it stood about fifty feet tall and was nearly as wide. It hit the creature in its left shoulder and burned through it. Drops of molten rock ran down the creature's side, and it let out a bellow that shook the earth.

The cannon balls struck the creatures and for a moment they stopped as their bodies were peppered with iron balls the size of a man’s head.

“Reload, focus on the left one,” Esrea commanded.

The earth they were standing on trembled and then rose from the ground. Fifteen cannons and nearly thirty men floated into the air. He noted that other groups of cannons had also gone airborne. This he had never read about. He looked around and saw the wizard nodding. Was she doing this, or was it Esrea? The cannons were oriented on slopes so that they could aim at the lumbering elementals.

The cannons barked again as the seven men maneuvered around the creature with superhuman speed. They struck it with ice, fire, water, and even earth. But it was the invisible spells or the sonic spells that did the most damage. The center elemental was already eaten away to about half its mass. Its right arm was gone and it was crawling more than walking. The fight wasn’t one-sided. Stones flew into the camp from the creatures, some of them clearing a mile. Once one of the marines had been hit in the side and knocked to the ground. The glowing man had flung up a hand and a barrier had formed around the man while his disfigured body repaired itself. It was the most terrifying thing he had ever seen. On the battlefield, you didn’t want people fixing themselves.

Look at them son, they are the new face of the empire. In the north, we have a death squad that can fight like that. His father’s voice said in his head. That was a terrifying thought. Marines were well trained, they had to be, but Death Dealers that had strong magic and regeneration, that was a sobering thought. His father sounded elated. This is what I’ve worked for. Isn’t it wonderful! It was terrifying is what it was, and to think an entire death squad…

The middle elemental fell and went still. The leftern most elemental was cratered by cannonballs, having a few holes blasted completely through it. The right elemental was nearly whole and the elementals were approaching the fleeing army.

Esrea turned to face the undamaged elemental. She flung out her hand. “Kneel.”

A wave of power left her hand and struck the creature. It slowly turned and knocked the head from the damaged elemental then sank to a knee and waited. The night went quiet. Esrea sank to her knees and the four floating platforms sank down with her. She had barely reached her knees when she fell over.

He glanced at the elemental. It rested on its knees. The remains of the camp were behind it. The other magic users were showing fatigue as well. He knelt and lifted the petite woman into his arms. The snake on her forearm hissed slightly but didn’t strike. He glanced at the ornament wondering how deadly it was. His eyes traveled to the elemental kneeling. “Marshal the forces and get them back to camp, assess the damage, and bring me a report.” He ordered.

***

It had been years since he felt so alive. After three hundred years of work, his plans were finally coming to fruition and they were better than he had anticipated. He watched his soldiers scrambling to rebuild the camp, but he was elated. Whatever they had lost, it was worth it. His son was carrying Esrea to the Berserker camp.

He looked at his two magical advisors, their eyes were still locked on the marines that could no longer be considered marines. They would need a new ranking system now. “What do you think?” He asked.

“Those seven men could level the capital before our focus could stop them, each one of them is easily equal to ten wizards.” The wizard stated.

“Our magi would be at about the same disadvantage.” The magi stated.

“I wish to inform you that we have a death squad in the north led by Gareth that is similarly skilled.” He said.

“Crap...this changes everything.” The Magi stated. “We had thought that the vault would be about equal to our own powers, just different.”

“They are our allies, this is what we’ve worked for, let’s learn what we can.” The emperor stated.