Future of Calamity [Under Rewrite]

Chapter 38 - Last in Line

Inbetween these mountainous faces marred with trailing vine and smudged grassland - dewed with moss - emerged the tremendous silhouette at the blighted horizon. Great henges of stone pillars erected at the border, bridging a makeshift entryway to belie the many steps clambering towards the grand Throne. Before the venturing group, was spacious land leading to this sideway entrance, and through it was a wide courtyard that spanned a large width around this fortress; decored in runic shapes of cobble and brick. Far above, settled the resting place of the saviour, the countless steps that led to standing arches draped with azure banners, the structures formidable shape stabbing to the dead night sky with its triangular summit.

And, littered across this wide berth of a sacred court before the hundred steps, were the mindless patrolling of jittering and snarling creatures. Many of varied sizes, from hogs in stark white and lacerated with crimson marks, to slithering lamias with the familiar draconic heads of lesser foes. Creatures of pale skin and beating wings, great spears held in bony coiled fingers, and even a waiting six-limbed beast rising above the heads of these opponents. Many eyes of glimmering vibrancy dotted its canine maw, like minute galaxies waving across the filled field, while dark navy skin - bulged with muscles - scoured over its predatoral shape.

The villainous band did not falter at the army of foes that lay in wait before the Throne, and lined up across the berth with only steps from sending this silence into a blaze of battle. "The guards are all malakhim," Velvet observed through narrowed sight, "They really do keep humans away from here."

"But, why build a new temple all the way out here? The Shepherd could build in the capital just as easily."

Despite the Samurai's question, no one answered immediately, however attention was pulled to the shifts of curiosity spinning Laphicet's head around. His eyes scanned the ground, as if feeling a pumping flow of energy beneath; akin to blood racing through veins. "This place..." the boy mused quietly, and Eizen's gaze flicked to the young malak.

"You feel it, too?"

"There's... powerful energy flowing underground."

At Laphicet's description, even the waiting half-malak that cautiously eyed the unsuspecting army before them felt the rush: like a heartbeat pulsing other than his own.

"Right. This is a focal point of the earthpulse, the natural energy of the land," the pirate explained.

Magilou smugly grinned, stretching dramatically, "The perfect spot to worship Innomniat."

"Hmph," the daemoness darkly huffed, "Or to attack him."

The wind's cry came shrill and warily, billowing among the flanking valleys and land forth: the sea-scented gale encompassing the heavy weight of dreadful tension among the area. Her coat bristled ahead in the reigning dark, shimmering sins alight in the limelight of this night, and as steel boots crashed with the woman's advancing steps, the group did not falter at her silent behest. Pillars aloft to the side of barring cliffs were soon aside in their advance, as they passed into the great courtyard of the pious Empyrean's Throne.

Roving eyes soon snapped to the imposing figures that passed in the darkness, and in a chorus of alarm and warning; the lesser beasts that smothered this field hissed aggressively in their direction. The scent of death hung cleanly on the noses of the intruders, and the advancing boots halted before this hostile force. Skirting the sides of these great steps, was wide lanes in berth, and with connected pathways above through ladders in similar structure to this royal fort. And, even more creatures emerged from the fog of twilight where these spaces stayed, eyes twinkling in recognition to the infamous group.

A whole army of lesser malakhim barred Velvet Crowe's way to her target of vengeance. And, the sole great beast that led this force snarled from the center of this great swarm, its daggered jaw opening to a smoky breath wisping out. Its many eyes trained directly on the six, all that opposed the valiant yet mindless guards of this Throne.