The Land: Anarchy

Chapter 18: Burning City

"Sound the bells! Get the children to safety!" Jennifer ordered.

Ravenrock army were at their gates. They brought a hell lot of force that largely outnumber the Floran City citizen who are capable of fighting. Their landships were positioned on the front, ready to take down their walls. The musketeers, now the only type of troops they have, were lined up ready to storm the city. Musketeers on horses, called Cavaleteers were going back and forth outside the city walls. Their leader, Commander Juk was at the back. From the walls of the city, archers could be seen fortifying the walls.

"Bring hell on them." Commander Juk said.

They also brought their mortars, which could fire from long range, passing above the walls. "Fire!" A soldier yelled. Shells started raining on the city.

Shells rained on the city, heavily damaging buildings and the streets. The people were moved back to the other side of town.

"Take cover!" Damien said. He projected a forcefield, shielding him and the people nearby from shells.

Gaious was on the wall. He ordered all mages and archers to get on the wall. He thrusted his right arm and put his palm forward. His left hand was creating symbols of fire and rage. Then he chanted "Reign hell upon my enemies." Fireballs was casted from Gaious. "Fire!" Archers fired their flaming arrows and mages casted different magic orbs, some even went off the wall to fight the army head on.

"This is a battle we can't win." Damien said.

Jennifer came, "I know, we still need to buy time for the people to evacuate the city."

"We might not get away with this one." Damien warned.

"I know, we had a good run though. Let's do our best." Jennifer commented. Some parts of the walls were destroyed, the musketeers could be seen marching closer to the gates. From above Gaious dropped down like a fire rock thrown from a trebuchet. "Hell, we're dead." He said.

The remaining people of Floran City were almost defeated. The musketeers and cavaleteers entered the city. Landships went through houses, bringing them down.

"We are the last stand. Come on." Damien encouraged.

The three stood in the middle of the road that leads straight to the other end of the city. Cavaleteers were rallying on them. The three took their positions, held their swords tight with magic ready to aid them.

"Here they come." Gaious said while wipping blood off his mouth and he created fire from both his hands.

"I'll shield you two from behind." Jennifer suggested. The two agreed.

"Show me what you've got!" Damien shouted as he placed his sword back and summoned his magic staff. The orb on top of the staff was shining bright blue, meaning he is preparing to cast a powerful spell. Infront of them a shield was created from the mana that's left in Jennifer.

"This is it guys. I won't be able to shield you the second time." She warned.

"No worries, we'll take as many down with us." Gaious said.

The cavaleteers aimed their muskets and fired. Jennifer blocked the bullets then the shield was down. Damien and Gaious looked at each other and nodded. Gaious set the front line of the Cavaleteers on fire, killing them slowly. Damien created a magic circle around his arm then he jumped up high and chanted "God of light, lend me your strength." The cloud became grey, He created lightning bolts and threw them down on the army. Most of the front cavaleteers were now wiped out.

From the back of the army, landships fired their cannons on Damien. He tried to block as many as he could, but one hit him, pushed him back as he hit a building wall. Jennifer immediately went to save him.

"DAMIEN!" Gaious yelled. He was now enraged. His body was now all covered in fire, out of anger, his fire grew bigger. He punched his hands on the ground. The ground cracked and fire came from underground heading towards the landships. The landships were set on fire, burning the people inside. He then leaped across the road, passing by the army, targetting the landships. He jumped on one, burned it and went to another. The musketeers couldn't take the shot, because he was moving so fast.

Damien was laying on the ground, severely wounded. Jennifer came, "Damien!" She approached him and kneelt down. Damien weakly raised his hand and jennifer held it.

"T-this is how the world we created will end huh?" Damien groaned.

Tears came out of Jennifer's eyes and dripped on Damien's body, "This is not the end, stay with me." She couldn't heal him, she was out of mana.

"My time has come." Damien said as he took his last breath. He died smiling.

"No! Don't go..." She placed her head on Damien's chest, crying.

Gaious eventually ran out of mana and was standing in the middle of the musketeers. They surrounded him. Gaious took out his sword and prepared to parry the bullets. He knew he as good as dead. With the little mana he had left, he sent a telepathic message to Jennifer, "Take care." The musketeers shot him from all sides. He knelt down then fell to the ground.

Jennifer stood back up again and went back to the road where all of the musketeers and the rest of the Ravenrock forces were marching. She held Damien sword and slowly walked, still in tears. She stood in the middle of the road, barely able to lift the sword. Some of the musketeers were even unwilling to kill her. They formed a line and aimed at her. Some also shed tears for they know this is the bitter truth of war.

Commander Juk came forward. "what are you waiting for? Kill her!" He ordered.

None of the musketeers placed their finger on the trigger.

"Fine, I'll do it myself, this will be fun." He said. He went off his horse and drew his sword.

"Here I come lady!" He charged and swung his sword at Jennifer. She was barely able to block it and fell on the ground. "Pfft." Juk said as he kicked her on the stomach.

From the other end, a person teleported. She immediately moved in extreme speed. Clashing the sword with Juk's. Juk was moved back. It was a person wearing all black leather clothes covering all parts of its body also with a cape, hood and face mask. The sword was single-edged black samurai sword.

"What the hell?" Juk said. "Who are you?"

With a disturbingly deep voice it said, "I'm the grim reaper." The person charged at Juk, swinging the sword very fast. Juk parried as many as he could, but the person's speed was too fast, eventually he was slashed on the shoulder.

"Damn it." Juk said as he retreated back to the army. "Fire! FIRE!" he ordered. The musketeers fired at the person. The person moved from left to right while charging at the musketeers, dodging their every bullet.
In a blink of an eye, the person slashed the musketeers in the front, killing all. There were 10 in the front. Juk was being bandaged at the back of the line. The person leaped and moved like a shadow. It was now in front of Juk again. "I'm here to take your life." It said as it stabbed Juk in the heart. It then leaped back to Jennifer, grabbed her and went off."

The Ravenrock army was now in shock, what could that have been? Truly a grim reaper? They wondered. Their commander was now dead, the second in command also. They had no leader. Victory was theirs, but they didn't know what to do.

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Jennifer was brought to a cave, she was being healed by this person.

"W--who are you?" She whispered before passing out.