The Withered Gods

Chapter 21

As we ascend the hill towards Valtaria, I spot a large red tower in the distance, and walls around it. "There it is" Esther walks up next to me, "Think we'll make it inside?" I ask, "We can only hope," she replies, catching up with the group. As we continue forward, we find the remains of a village, quite a large one, "Alright everyone, We'll set up base camp here, the invasion will be tomorrow," Zai announces. Everyone scrambles to set down supplies and put up tents, I look to Zai who stands on a ledge overlooking the village, I walk up to him and he flinches. "This place used to be so beautiful, now it's just ruins and death" he orates, "Was this your home?" I ask, "It was once" he responds, "But now the rebellion is my home". I walk up the ledge where he stands and look towards Valtaria, the tower looms over the walls and fortifications, then a loud wither screech can be heard, and hundreds of wither skeletons walk out of the outer wall, then Malum Clan troops. "They're coming" Zai realizes, and he runs back down towards the camp, I look back at the troops and see yellow floating creatures, slowly floating towards us, and I run back down to the camp. As we enter the camp, I see Zai inside the tent grabbing something, then a wither screeches out again and out of a small chasm comes the army, Zai points his sword into the air and a red blast comes out making a loud echoey noise, the rebellion all pulls their weapons out and turns to Zai, "Defend the Camp" He shouts, "Destroy them!" someone shouts from the chasm. I turn and see Noah, standing next to two projections, the withers screech out and the army charges forward, I pull my sword out and run forward. I cut two skeletons in half, and fire a fireball at one of the flying creatures, then an arrow scraps the side of my armor, and I see a projection firing arrows at everyone from a ledge, "Esther" I shout, she runs up next to me and another arrow hits the ground at our feet. She nods and returns fire, the projection rolls to the side and shoots a skull from its bow. Zai jumps into the air and destroys it with a blast from his sword, then pulls out a bow and fires three arrows, the projection attempts to roll away but rolls into an arrow and dies. Noah runs forward and jumps towards Zai, Esther fires an arrow and makes him fall to the ground. He gets up quickly and charges at us, I fire a small fireball at him and he pulls out a shield and blocks it, destroying the shield. He swings his mace at Esther and she flips back and fires an arrow at him, he lets the arrow hit him and is pushed back a bit. He turns to me and charges at me, I block his hit and he narrows his eyes at me, then he swings his mace at my head, I barely have enough time to move my head back. He thrusts his mace at my chest and I slowly walk back, then the sound of Zai's blast comes from behind him and he falls to the floor, his armor breaking into pieces. He slowly raises himself back up onto his knees, and gazes back up at Esther, his eyes filled with hate, He smiles and Esther fires an arrow into his chest. He laughs and falls to the ground, dead. The projections screech out and fly off in a smoke cloud, and the skeletons and fire creatures all slowly either retreat or die, the wither falls to the ground as the diamond vines on Eden's staff rip its heads off. "Everyone, we have won this battle, but Valatria still remains, heal, prepare, eat, sleep. We must be ready to attack by nightfall tomorrow" Zai announces from a small hill. I join Zai inside the tent as he looks on the map, and knocks down the small banner of Malum Clan.