Azrael

Chapter 12

Fire. All I saw was fire. Even when I closed my eyes, I could see the orange flickers, the black blimey of smoke rising, mingling with ashes, leaving a hellish red tint above. Just as I had order, our siege weapons continued to launch fire and flame into the heart of the city. Charlemange was unsteady. He began to tear up the turf beneath his hooves as the fires raged on. Hell. That is the most accurate word to describe the sight before me. Hell. The men grew anxious as well. They remained in the ready position. Battle lines formed. Shields raised. Swords drawn. They were all ready. But was I? This was the first battle with the new army. My army. Erik sensed my hesitation and sat beside Charlemange, as if to comfort me. Michael returned to my shoulder. They were ready. "Rank present!" I ordered. The men snapped to attention. The steady metallic clink of armor and weapons ran across the ridge line. There was silence. The roar of the siege weapons died off as the men waited with baited breath. All was quiet. This was my moment. Their moment. "Charge!", I ordered with some hesitation. Suddenly the line was alive. Michael took to the sky as I lead the charge, leading Charlemange into the valley of hell. The thunder of hooves filled the air as the cavalry filled in behind me, with the army coming down like a great hammer from the ridge. Erik bared his teeth as I quickened Charlemange's pace. We neared the town, just as the remaining enemy began to escape the flames. The panic in their eyes matched the cold determination in ours. The first one to fall looked to be a young boy. Erik pounced on his chest, tackling him, and the ripped his throats out. I ready my sword and slashed along my right side, opening a massive gash in the soldier running towards me. Erik was by my side again, just as I thrusted my sword into the throat of a soldier running in fear. A wet gurgle of blood escaped from his throats as I withdrew my sword.  Suddenly, a solid black line streamed down in front of me. Moments later I saw a young boy clutching his throats as Michael returned back to the skies. All around me, our line was descending on the enemy as the cavalry cut a hole right in the center of their line. Charlemange trampled over a wounded soldier as I continued to charge into the enemy line. But with every passing moment more and more enemies bolstered their ranks. However, they were not faster then we could kill. Erik bit into the stomach of young boy, no older then nineteen. He groaned in agony as his throats was ripped out, finishing the job. Michael continued to dart down, slaying several men in a matter of minutes. I quickly dismounted, as did the rest of the cavalry. The horses streamed back behind the line through the hole we had created. I drew my shield as the rest of the men joined me, creating a circle within the heart of the enemy line. They threw themselves at us. One man ran straight for me, his sword raised. I hit him in the face with my shield. I heard the bones in his face snap as I drove my sword into his abdomen. I kicked him off my sword and put my shield on my back, drawing Vult. I broke ranks and charged into the center of the enemy line, with my men following in close pursuit. I thruster each sword into the backs of two enemies, who were engaged with some of my men. I shoved a sword behind me as I spun around to slash with my other, bringing down a man try to take me from behind. Michael darted down again and moments later a boy was clutching his eyes, or where they should have been anyways. I kicked another one in the knee. He fell to the ground as I brought my swords across his neck. His blood coated my armor as his headless corpse fell to the ground. All around me, the battle began to deescalate. I walked toward the gates of the city as the men finished up the last of the enemy resistance. I brought the heel of my boot down on the neck of a wounded soldier, breaking his windpipe. I listened to him suffocate as my forces gathered around me. They had done very well, but the fight was not over. The ashes began to descend as the fires still roared. We still had the city to take.