Lantana

Chapter 28: The Great Battle

Gabriel rode up next to Lantana, and together they surveyed the land. Six months of their life were sacrificed to try to defend the kingdom. These months brought victories and losses, hope and despair. Six months where the people continued to grow poorer, the kingdom continued to grow weaker. Six months of torture was going to end today.

It was almost ironic how the location for this battle was the one where their very first battle. The land is war-stricken. Craters and gigantic forms of biodiversity scattered across the plain, and woods an obstacle themselves to traverse. What was once a beautiful plain, one that was full of life and flourish, now lay as dead as some of the soldiers in the army themselves. Lush grass had turned brown and dried, ripped out of their roots in spots. Trees were decaying or already dead, feebly held up by the roots still situated in the ground.

It was tragic. An ugly tear on their world to show the true impacts of war.

Ruining their serenity, Sisthos abruptly appeared next to them.

"We are... assembled. I cannot sense Rhytdros in the area, but he is bound to arrive." Sisthos's tone flowed smoothly from his mouth, and he seemed too collected for what was about to arrive.

Being an almost undefeatable god may grant him these advantages, but Lantana still felt it was rather inappropriate considering their situation.

Their army, although considerably smaller than the first battles had not experienced losses quite as catastrophic ever since. Sisthos had been quite loyal ever since the first battle in which he decided to not make his appearance. Other gods had allied with them, but as their ally count grew, so did the number of enemies they had gathered. Considering their circumstances, a good number of the gods remained neutral, or did not want to participate in "silly mortal combat". Their conditions could have been much more severe, and even though there was so much that could be lost, victory was so close. The next time to sun crossed the horizon, they would know for certain the outcome of this bloody mess.

"Oh, speak of the devil," Lantana heard Gabriel state, and the same thought crossed her mind as she looked up at the sky.

Just as in the first battle, the sky turned stormy signaling Rhytdros's arrival. The wind rustled the trees, and leaves shook loose of their branches flying about. The boom of thunder could be heard in the distance, and in a sudden flash of bright light, they were met with Rhytdros's presence once again.

The wind flowed through his beard, and his eyes were just as stormy as the clouds that gathered above. Other gods started to arrive, taking their place by Rhytdros. Lantana counted them as they arrived. Three gods. More than they had ever faced, yet a task that was still feasible.

Rhytdros, Iola, and Adra. Elements, nature, and war.

"I am right here you know," Sisthos said before turning to Gabriel. "Are you ready Blackthorne?" He stated monotonously.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Step down from your horse." Gabriel did as he was told, and held out his hands to Sisthos. In return, Sisthos latched onto Gabriel's wrists and began muttering an old tongue, one only the earliest gods could comprehend.

The sky slowly started to darken, as if the night was leaking from the storm clouds leaving a haze on the atmosphere. Peering down at Sisthos and Gabriel's entwined wrists, Lantana was able to see a truly confounding sight. A dark mask seemed to spread over their hands, but at the same time, it emitted an eerie light. Sisthos continued to chant, and the sky around them continued to darken. Then, a gap in their world occurred as a mammoth bolt of lightning appeared out of the sky, aimed directly toward the spot where the two of them were.