Where The Ground Trembles

Blood Flows At Antietam - 08

The roar of battle intensified, and the demons surged forward in greater numbers. The ground beneath the soldiers' feet felt unstable as the rift's eerie light cast a ghastly glow across the field. Davis barely had a moment to process the strange sight behind the demons—some other force, something beyond what they had encountered so far, was lurking just beyond that rift.

"Fall back! Fall back to the ridge!" Dawson's voice cut through the chaos, his orders sharp as the soldiers scrambled to regroup. The defensive line was collapsing under the sheer weight of the demons. Blood stained the earth, mixing with the mud from their earlier march, and the air was thick with gunpowder, sweat, and fear.

Davis turned and barked orders to the men around him, pulling them back in groups to avoid a complete rout. Richardson stood his ground, driving his bayonet into the neck of a demon, then wrenching it free just as the creature fell in a heap. "Go! Move!" Richardson yelled, covering the retreat with a few others.

Davis glanced over his shoulder toward the ridge where Dawson had directed them to fall back. It was higher ground, defensible—but only if they could reach it before the demons overwhelmed them completely. The soldiers were moving fast, but the demons were faster.

Another ear-splitting roar cut through the noise as one of the larger demons charged the retreating men. It was massive, easily twelve feet tall, its skin thick and gray, veins pulsing with dark energy. Davis watched in horror as it plowed through two soldiers, tossing them aside like rag dolls. Without thinking, he raised his rifle and fired, the shot hitting the demon in the chest. It barely flinched.

"Damn it!" Davis reloaded, his hands shaking as he watched the creature continue its rampage. Beside him, Richardson stabbed another demon, but the blade snapped under the pressure.

"Corporal, we're getting overrun!" a soldier shouted, pulling at Davis's sleeve. The men were breaking into a full retreat, some stumbling in their haste to escape the slaughter.

Davis's gaze flicked between the men and the ridge. They had to hold the line long enough for the others to reach safety. He couldn't abandon them—not yet.

Then the unnatural light from the rift surged again, and Davis felt the ground beneath him lurch violently. He staggered, grabbing onto a tree to keep his balance as the light from the rift grew impossibly bright. He turned to see that something had come through—something different. It was humanoid in shape but far taller than any man, its body wrapped in a blackened armor that seemed to absorb the light around it. The figure stepped out from the rift, moving with a purpose that sent a chill down Davis's spine.

And then it raised its arm, and from it, an arc of energy shot toward the battlefield. It struck the ground with a deafening explosion, sending soldiers and demons alike flying through the air. The earth trembled as if alive, as cracks split open beneath their feet.

Davis hit the ground hard, his vision blurring from the impact. He could barely hear the shouts of the men over the ringing in his ears. Pushing himself up, he searched the battlefield for Whitlock, his heart pounding in his chest.

There, near the ridge—Whitlock was crawling, blood streaming down his face, but alive. Davis gritted his teeth and pushed forward, half-stumbling, half-running toward the young private.

"Jimmy!" Davis shouted, reaching him just as another arc of energy blasted the ridge. The ground shook again, but Davis threw his arm around Whitlock, pulling him to his feet.

"I got you," Davis growled, his voice strained as they moved together, step by step, toward the relative safety of the higher ground.

They were almost there when the ground split open just ahead of them, blocking their path. Davis cursed under his breath, his mind racing. There was no going back, and the rift was expanding, threatening to engulf everything in its path. The demons were pushing closer, relentless and savage.

Suddenly, a blast of cannon fire rang out from the top of the ridge. Dawson had positioned the artillery there, and the cannons were now firing directly at the advancing demons. The explosive shells tore through the creatures, slowing their charge but not stopping it entirely.

Davis and Whitlock turned, their backs against the rock face of the ridge, watching as the battle raged on. They could see the shadowy figure from the rift moving closer, its presence commanding the battlefield like a dark god.

"Is this it?" Whitlock muttered, barely able to keep his voice steady. "We're done, aren't we?"

Davis clenched his jaw, glancing at the ridge, the rift, and the demons still surging forward. He didn't have an answer. But something in him refused to give up.

Davis had no time to think—his instincts took over as he and Whitlock scrambled toward the ridge. The relentless screech of demons and the thunder of cannon fire filled the air, chaos consuming everything around them. They pushed forward, every step a battle in itself.

A blast of energy exploded just feet away from them, sending dirt and debris into the air. Davis shielded his eyes, pulling Whitlock along, his heart pounding in his chest. The ridge was so close, but the ground ahead was torn apart by the expanding rift. Every moment, more of those creatures poured through, their hulking forms breaking the lines and tearing through men like paper.

"Move!" Davis barked, his voice hoarse as he shoved Whitlock ahead. He could barely think, his mind caught between survival and the overwhelming strangeness of what was unfolding.

Whitlock stumbled, nearly falling, but kept moving. Davis glanced behind them—just for a moment—catching sight of one of the larger demons, its hulking mass charging toward them. Before he could react, a deafening explosion rocked the earth beneath them, and Davis was thrown into the air.

He hit the ground hard. Pain shot through his body as he rolled, his rifle slipping from his grasp. His head slammed against something solid—a rock, maybe—and everything went black.