The tides of war

True War

Onyx's POV (5 months later)
I stood at the gate with Apollyon infront of several armies worth of men and women, I smiled slightly as Apollyon started her speech "Through these Gates we begin our crusade to spread war to the rest of the cowards who hide and cower rather than fight! Death comes to us all but only the brave few wolves dare to fight it, you my wolves, will show the cowards what happens when you deceive who you are!" The men cheered at her words as I stood with my arms crossed, I knew what this was about, I didn't care either I was there to destroy the Vikings. Apollyon climbed onto her horse and yelled up to the men operating the gate "Lift it!" I climbed on my own horse and waited with Apollyon as we watched the great legions of the Blackstone walk past us. Holden and Mercy rode past us as Apollyon and I pulled the rear of the group, she asked me "So how did you come to be called the Wolf of Sparta?" I looked up at the sky before replying "I was born in the last generation of Spartans to actually see Sparta, when we were younger we saw two Alpha wolves fighting over territory. The one that had already lived there was fighting viciously to defend his home, when the hordes of Vikings raided Sparta some of the soldiers under my command watched as I fought just as viciously to defend Sparta. Eventually we had to let go, our families had escaped and the horde seemed unending so we retreated. Once we reached our Camp one of my soldiers exclaimed "he fought like the wolf to defend Sparta! He didn't hesitate for a second!" And one of the elder's decided I would be the wolf of Sparta, the eternal guard of our people and culture. I follow spartan law extremely closely" she nodded before asking "So it's something you earned, like my title as Warlord" I nodded as I commented "8 up, 7 dead" she looked surprised as I chuckled.
A day later we were on the edge of Valkenheim, I felt the familiar bite of the north, it reminded me of home. I stood from my spot next to the fire and walked to my horse, Apollyon was heard behind me "Where are you going? Deserting?" I turned and saw her sword point at my neck, I brushed it away with my spear "Visiting Sparta, I'll be back" she stood upright and sheathed her sword before she walked over to her horse and climbed up I gave her a weird look but she said nothing other than "Holden, you're in charge" he looked unfazed as we rode out of camp. When we arrived at Sparta a day later it was a warm sunny day, the golden glow of the fields around it until my eyes landed on the blacked buildings and rubble. I sighed as I slid off my horse and slowly walked towards the place I'll always be entwined with, I felt Apollyon's presence shadowing me as I walked through the streets and saw my memories play out infront of me.
      I paused as I looked at a small open space and watched the memories of playing war play out, I heard Apollyon softly behind me "This place was important to you, wasn't it?" I looked to my left as I started walking again "In a past life it was" I felt her eyes on me as I walked away. A little while later I saw my family's house, well what was left of it, I dropped to my knees as I pulled off my helmet feeling the sun hit my hair as I bowed my head and prayed "Mother, I wish you were here but you're in Elysium. Hopefully you're telling everyone how proud you are of your son but I want to apologize, I wasn't a good son. Father, I pray you're proud of the man I've become and the path I walk, you're probably jumping at the chance to duel Leonidas and the men. Sister, I'm sorry I wasn't there when they attacked... I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you" I felt apollyon's hand on my shoulder, I looked up as she crouched "Why don't we get back to the Army? It seems this place causes pain" I shook my head no "I want to see one last thing" she looked surprised but didn't offer an alternative.
      I headed down the familiar paths until we reach the main road, I headed towards the towering statue before I glanced back at Apollyon and saw her looking around at everything in what I can only guess is wonder. When we reached the statue I looked up at the familiar shield and spear, the flowing cloak and the chiseled chest piece I heard Apollyon behind me "Is that you? You two look alike" I chuckled "I wish, no, that's my father" she asked intrigued "why does he have a statue?" I looked back with a small smile "He's King Leonidas" she gasped lightly remembering the story "You never told me he was your father" I shrugged "I don't like to being attention to the fact, I want my own legacy" she nodded before speaking "Alis" I looked back confusion shown clearly on my face as I felt my brow furrow "What?" She sighed before repeating "Alis, my name, it's alis"
       I gasped lightly before I felt a smile etch itself into my face "I knew it, you love me Mary" she chuckled at the joke before warning "You're only to call me by my name when we're alone, understood" I nodded "Don't worry Alis, I won't spill the secret." She smiled slightly before turning "We should head back, it's getting a bit late" i mused to myself "Alis, it's a pretty name suiting for a pretty woman" as I walked back to where we left the horses. I heard Apollyon behind me "Why do you do that?" I looked back surprised "Do what?" She replied "you always flirt, why?" I shrugged before speaking "Worth a shot I guess?" She recoiled before speaking horrified "Wait, you aren't joking? Like you actually believe the stuff you say?" I nodded with a head tilt "Why would I say it if I didn't believe it?" She looked down while she replied "I don't know, I just didn't think anyone would be interested in me especially with my obsession of creating war everywhere" I shrugged before looking at the clouds floating harmlessly above us "I don't see why it's so surprising, I don't say stuff like that with anyone else" she sighed but as she put on her helmet I saw that she looked conflicted.
      We got on the horses and headed back to the army, when we arrived Holden and his group had already entered the forest and started to make their way towards the Vikings fortress, I looked over at her "Well Alis, looks like I'm not going to be able  join in the fighting" she looked at me "Wait until they get the gate down, you'll have your chance" I smiled under my helmet "I might finally find the one who will deliver me to Charon" she looked at me strangely for a minute as we rode along the ridge and followed Holden's progress. When they reached the cliff across from the fortress gate I smiled maniacally as I hopped off my horse and ran towards the front gripping my spear tightly in excitement, I appeared next to Holden watching in amusement as he jumped at my voice "So we have to take the courtyard?" Once he composed himself he nodded "Yeah, but these damn Vikings are blocking our pushes on these fucking bridges" I looked to my right and saw one of the bridges unused "Follow me, I'll get us in" he looked unsure but nodded as I turned to the Army of soldiers standing around "Follow me!" Holden spoke as we walked to the bridge launcher, I kicked the firing mechanism and watched as it flew through the air before imbedding itself in the stone of the fortress.
    I positioned my shield infront of me as I ran forward across the bridge only to feel arrows bouncing off my shield until a raider stepped on the bridge. I smirked as Holden cried "Oh for god's sake, we're gonna get locked in a stalemate here too" I looked over my shoulder for half a second "just trust" I continued charging forward watching as the Raider lifted his axe only for me to stab my spear into his bicep before I crashed my shield into his ribs while pushing with my spear watching as he started falling only to grab my spear I had a choice: either I let my spear go and the Raider with it or I try to knock the Raider off and waste time on the bridge exposing the army. I sighed as I released my spear and watched it fall for a second before I pulled out my Sword and ran to the other side of the bridge. Holden smiled as he clapped me on the shoulder "Great job Onyx, we can make progress now" I looked over the edge and watched as the Raider and my spear sunk into the icy ocean, I sighed before Holden asked softly "That spear was more than just a spear wasn't it?" I nodded before looking at where the Raider sank, I turned and screamed "Gods damn it! I'll make you pay you damn vermin!" I kicked the door in before emerging into the courtyard of the Fortress yelling "I'll send you to Tartarus! You'll pay!"
       I dropped three feet to the ground below before rushing the nearest Viking before I spun and plunged my sword into his throat, I ripped my sword to the right before feeling it imbed in the rib cage of another Viking. I charged forward again seeing a Viking Warlord emerge from the group, I growled as I jumped and planted my foot in his chest causing him to skid back as I spun to my right and cut down three random Vikings who got too close, I returned my attention to the Warlord as he threw a heavy hard hitting attack that I stepped into cracking my shield into his sword before I spun to my right and fell to a crouch as I felt my sword slice the inside of the Warlord's leg before I spun back to my left and planted my sword into the Warlord's shoulder. The warlord dragged his blade against my bicep before he crashed his shield into my chest and rushed forward crashing me into the wall, I fell down as the warlord threw an attack from over his head and it imbedded into the wall. I rolled out from near the wall until I crouched and leveled my sword at him as he spun, I growled in annoyance as I yelled in anger as I charged forward crashing the edge of my shield into his chest, he stumbled back as I grabbed his chest piece before I ripped him to the ground and dropped my sword before I gripped the edges of my shield and lifted it high above my head, grunting as I felt the fiery pain of a blade through my lower abdomen before I crashed the edge of my shield into the bridge of his nose and watching as his head split in two before I stood and looked at the army of Vikings that took a step back involuntarily until I heard the bridge drop as the main force of our Army came running in.
       I grabbed my sword from the ground as I ran forward at the army again, I spun and crashed my blood covered shield's edge into the nearest Vikings throat before I spun and planted my sword firmly in the viking's stomach. I crouched behind my shield as a spear plunged through my shield, I looked at the spear tip before I spun my shield counter clockwise and watched the spear slide out of my shield. I looked up and saw a couple arrows sprout from the valkyrie's chest, I carved my way through the Viking horde until I arrived at the Valkyrie's location. She looked at my abdomen and saw the warlord's blade still in my body, she looked up at me unnerved as I charged forward and spun throwing a slice with my sword only to have the Valkyrie parry my strike, I groaned as she gripped my chest plate and shoved me back before spinning and sweeping my legs out from under me, as I hit the ground I gasped at the new wave of white hot pain as the warlord's sword was pushed back out of my chest.
      I looked up tiredly as I smiled "My glorious death" only to watch as a very familiar Poleaxe swung overhead and decapitated the Valkyrie, I shifted my head to the right as Holden extended his arm to me "Come on, you can't lose to a Viking like that" I gripped his hand and swayed as my head started throbbing, I gripped the wound as we walked back to the courtyard and Apollyon joined us in the freshly secured fortress. I stood next to Apollyon as they started executing prisoners, she spoke "you're wounded" I gritted my teeth as one of my fingers touched the wound before I got "Nothing major, 'tis but a scratch" out through clenched teeth. She looked over "Have the doctor close the wound" I waved her off "Mary, it's nothing. I'll be fine" she spoke firmly "It wasn't an option, I'm telling you to do it" I sighed but offered no resistance. I watched as Holden lobbed off head with ease until they brought forward a large Raider who would not dropped to a knee until Mercy cracked him in the back of the knee forcing him to drop. Holden raised his axe as Apollyon took a step forward, I knew what was happening and I didn't like it one bit, "Hold!" Holden froze mid swing and turned to Apollyon "Master. This beast killed at least 40 soldiers, including Davis" I sighed at the words "Gods be damned" as Apollyon looked to Holden "Do you know how to tell a predator from prey? You can't, of course. Unless you see them in war" I watched as Holden shifted uncomfortably before looking down.
       Apollyon took a step around the chopping block as the Viking angrily looked at her "Forty. Well done" she walked back to me as they dragged the Viking off and Holden watched Apollyon walking away. I called to Holden "Execute the rest, we move tomorrow" he nodded as I walked after Apollyon, when I found her she stood on the edge of the upper wall I gripped her shoulder and spun her "What the hades was that? We came here to destroy them and yet you let him walk free, what's your game Alis?" She spoke in a sharp tone "Watch your tone Onyx" I spun "or what? You'll run me through? You'll have me expelled from the legion? Or even better you'll throw me off this wall right now," I stormed closer and leaned so I was inches away from her face "Then do it, do it alis, please do it. Prove me wrong, prove to me that you don't care" she sighed and looked away from me, I stood on the edge of the fortress and spoke "What's your game?" She looked at me "War" I glared at her as I spoke "You better have an explanation for letting him live" she tried walking past me "in time" I grabbed her shoulder as she past before she spun and pushed my arm off her, my eyes widened as I fell back and off the edge, Alis dived to the edge trying to grab me as I fell only to miss. I screamed as I fell until I hit the water and gasped at the cold, I felt water flood into my lungs as I clawed to get to the surface, when I finally reached it I looked up and saw Apollyon still looking over the edge before her shape disappeared. I coughed as I clawed my way onto the ice before my movements slowed and everything got colder, I fought desperately to crawl to the shore until I heard shouting, I coughed some more water out of my lungs as I clawed another inch forward. I heard the ice crack as vibrations reached my face every second until the familiar faded black armor appeared in my view for a second before my vision faded.