User blog:Redknight910/WWYD The Horde Spazerz

Prompt: Lead the Horde?

I kneel by my father, holding his hand and making a silent prayer that his recovery will be swift, before standing and turning to my bodyguards. The snowy white owl mage stands stoicly, looking straight ahead, but her partner, a dark red dragon, has her sympathies written clear on her face.

"We need to handle this quickly and efficiently, young master." The mage says. The dragon nod.

"Agreed, the longer the horde is without guidance, the more difficult it will be to pull the generals in line." I nod.

"What of the invesitgation?" They look to each other.

"No information as of yet if the peel was an assassination plot or not," the owl said "I have my best apprentices on the matter."

"Good, let's go convene this council." I step out between them, throwing my fur cloak over my arms. As we approach the large council tent, I take a deep breath and straighten my posture. Father always said an imposing presence was a neccesity for controlling such a large number of people.

I force the tent flaps apart with a powerful stride, taking my seat next to y fathers throne, I try to assume a powerful posture. One of the generals of our horde chcukles.

"Is my arrival entertaining you, Lord Gaster?" He shakes his head.

"No, young lord. I simply assumed you would be taking the throne." I look across the room, making eye contact with each member of the council.

"I am not the head of this horde, my father still lives, but as he is unable to lead, I am forced to do so in his stead."

"And what do you know of our strengths? Our weaknesses? Why should we listen to a child who's only claim to this council is their blood?" I look at Lady Staria, the lich not meaning to undermine me, but doing it out of logical curiosity.

"I know that your people are powerful in nighttime assaults, and that you excelle at terrorising the enemy. I know that Lord Gaster's forces are powerful wallbreakers, but can't hold their own in a skirmish." This draws a huff from the lord in question. 'Lady Mias' troops can break any defensive line, but don't weather arrows with ease.

"I have been raised not only by my father, but by this council. I've learned much from each of you, including where you fit into this force. And I intend to lead this council as my father would." I lay the map out for the kingdom of Saecaria, one of the last bastions against our horde. "Starting with the city of Saecaria." The five leaders lean in, looking over the map, eager smiles on their faces.

"We've started pushing at their borders, but so far the combination of skilled riders and powerful lancers has proven disastrous to our efforts. Even our dragons have been beaten back. My only explanation for such an effective resistance is heroes, and a large number of them." The five nod, thinking over strategies.

"Even then, we've come up against heroes before, and they have never proven this resilient." The draconic general says with annoyance, not used to defeat.

"I do have a plan." I point to several towns on the outskirts, as much fortresses as cities. "It's a strategy I've been mulling over for some time with Lady Aneas' people." I look over to the large giant ant, who nods.

"Indeed, we believe that between our skills at tunnel construction, Lady Staria's ease at reinforcement, and Lord Gaster's demolitions, we could burrow underneath the city, and arrive directly under the keep. The difficulty is making a tunnel wide enough to get us in, without collapsing the structure on top of us. The reinforcement needed to keep such a space aloft, especially underneath houses and streets, would require either deep tunnels with a very steep ascent, or structural supports made of marble." Lady Minas snorted.

"Don't you worry about support. My people will ge able to get those pillars you need, just give me dimensions and we'll do the rest." Lady Aneas looked at her for a moment, then nodded.

"So then." Lord Darcias said, looking up from the map. "What will my people be doing while all this is happening?"

"Your people and Lord Gaster's forces will assault the outer walls once you recieve a signal. I will personally light a fire at the top of the keep." They all looked at me with surprise.

"You will be leading this charge yourself?" Lady Minas asked, and I nodded.

"My father never let others enter the field before him, and I said I will lead as he would." They nod, and I hope I've earned a bit of respect from them. As we finalise the coming weeks work, the generals go to start their preparations. I slump in my chair slightly, thinking about everything that's going to happen.

"Something is troubling you?" My owl guard asks, tilting her head.

"Yes. If something goes wrong, if we lose this battle, the blame will fall squarely on my shoulders. And if that happens, then the generals will lose all respect and abandon me, or worse, abandon the horde. And if that happens, everything we've worked towards, everything we've done, it'll all be for nothing." The feathered made nods.

"You are correct. But that is the trouble of ifs, they can lead anywhere and everywhere." The dragon nods in agreement.

"Fol's right, sir, spending all your time wondering about if will leave you unprepared for the problems of when. When this plan's prepared, who will lead the vanguard? When the tunnels need more supply's, where will they come from? We don't need to worry about imaginary if's when there's a host of when's ready to be dealt with." I chuckle at the dragon's way with words.

"You're right, Fain, Fol. I need to worry about what is going to happen rather than what could." I rise and prepare to step out of the tent when I hear someone appear behind me. Turning around there's a mantis standing in the middle of the tent.

"We intercepted a scout, he has valuable information." I nod, telling her to bring him in. The man is brought in with ropes around his wrists, and his legs tied at the knees.

"So, your the monster that's been burning everything to the ground." He spits at me, earning a smack from the mantis.

"No, that would be my father. And we burned nothing. We tore, ripped and shredded the houses around us, pulled the stone walls down and left them to crumble. We will bring civilisation to it's knees, and when we have it on the cusp at our feet, we shall see what emerges." He shakes his head.

"Your mad, your fathr's mad, can't you see that you're hurting millions of innocents?" I look at him, shaking my head.

"It's going to hurt, yes, and I'll admit, we have no intention to oversee what comes of it, but an endless war between men and monsters is no longer a viable option. The horde is our way of fighting control, and as long as my tribe persists, power will be met with destruction."

"Except your own." He glares, and I shrug.

"Even this horde will meet it's end once all civilisation falls, with no enemy to fight against, I expect the generals to turn against each other. So I plan to split them, send them to the far corners of the land, and let them return to their ways. While my tribe continues as it will, an instrument to reset the world." I walk over to him and cut him free. "Tell whoever you want, go wherever you want. It doesn't matter now." With that I leave the tent, and leave him in confusion.

"You were far too open." Fol says quietly, shaking her head at me.

"I know, it's just... it's been hard, watching everything around me rise as the world crumbles, and knowing we have to destroy this at the end of it all."

"Do not worry, young one. Everyone knows their roles, and we all know what needs to happen at it's end." Fain says. I nod, knowing everyone on the council knows their tasks.The days that followed were a flurry of work, tunnels being dug, stone being brought in for pillars, equipment being forged, and of course messages from various sources eploring us to stop our march.

The day came where the tunnels were ready and everything was in place. Armed and prepared I entered the tunnels along with the breaching team. Our objective was to storm the keep, light the fire and signal the main assault from the tunnels. They would be assaulted from within and without.

Standing at the point of entry, I gave the order. Stone flew as the slate above exploded, letting out the surge of men and monsters. We emerged into a dining hall, many there eating and unprepared. We fought our way into the halls, and from there out to the courtyard. I raced the tower, listening to the roars and clattering of steel on silver. As I reached the top of the tower, I was met by an elven maiden, firing down with acuracy and speed.

When she turned to see me, her eyes widened, and she dropped the bow to the floor, drawing a fine blade. I drew mine in response, trying to rush her. She moved with lightning, dipping beneath me and slashing my ribs. The armour I wore bore the hit, barely, and I turned in a proper stance, now with her between me and the entrance.

"What do you people want? Power? Destruction? What is the purpose to all this pain?" I sigh, knowing that she won't understand.

"If I told you, would you still try to stop me?"

"This is my home, and I've dedicated myself to defending it." The fine blade flicks for an instant before she darts in. WIth a careful motion I catch her blade and try to disarm her, but she simply steps into my guard and behind me, a few quick slashes trying to drive me back, but I hold my ground, using my strength to push her instead. After several hard moments I have her against the ledge of the tower, and she looks at me with anger. As she steps in to slash at me again I step forward as well, shoving her and throwing her off balance.

I grab her arm as she start's to fall, stopping her feet from completely leaving the tower. She looks at me with anger and confusion.

"I don't enjoy this task, and I don't want to kill, but I have to do this." Looking away I pull the concoction from my belt, hurl it at the roof of the tower and leap, with her held in my hands. Strong arms grab me, slowing my descent and giving me a soft landing. Opening my eyes I see burgundy eyes and black horns.

"I told you I didn't like that plan." Fain says as she lays me on the ground.

"You caught me, didn't you?" She chuckles, then the elf in my arms start's to squirm. Letting her go she darts away, turning in a crouch to regard us.

"You... why didn't you just drop me?" I chuckle as I stand as well.

"Like I said, I don't enjoy this task, but it must be done." She looks at me for several more seonds, before shaking her head.

"Why? Didn't we end the fighting when the Order fell?" I sigh as I nod, the battle raging through the streets now far from us.

"That's the problem. Without the Order to counter the monsters, the world fell into a strange limbo, and had it continued, the experiments and knowledge learned would have brought an end to our world. The different types of demon realms were growing tenuous, on the verge of trying to corrupt each other. The dark realms would have had great advantage with Royal Makai, and the world would have been turned dark." I look her in the eyes, and try to smile.

"So, we were given the task by the Demon Lord and gods both, to wipe the slate clean and leave the world blank. No Demon Realms. No great cities or kingdoms to recreate them. All things scattered to the winds and the seeds left to regrow." She looks at me, contemplating, before nodding.

"Without the Order to impact us, the world was at risk of unbalancing itself." She sighs deeply, before nodding again. "I see, I only wish there was a less destructive way to do this." I lay a hand on her shoulder, smiling at her understanding.

"We can, but to do so the knowledge of this era must be lost, the ancient's discovered this fact, as did the monsters who made the cursed weapons and artefacts. When we grow too powerful, our power must be given up, or taken." I feel a heavy hnd on my shoulder, turning around I stare in wonder as a bearded, smiling face looks down at me.

"I couldn't have worded it better myself." My father stands before me, tall and healthy, his sword in his other hand.

"Father!" I embrace him, happy to see him well. "How are you here?" He let's out a booming laugh, ruffling my hair.

"When I woke, I heard that you were leading the charge into the keep. Now I find you up here, talking to a fine elven lass. Are you leading, or flirting?" I blush, along with the elf behind me.

"Sir, he was fighting me, but saved my life before setting the tower ablaze." My father turns to look up at the new blaze, and chuckles.

"Hmm, must have missed that." He then turns back to us. "If you two are done talking, this battle should be over soon, so shall we march forth?" I nod, looking to the woman, who nods as well, walking beside us. Saecaria falls quickly with my father back at the helm, and the few pockets of civilisation after do as well. The generals leave to their lands, most splitting several times over to return to their tribal nature, and we retreat underground, to be forgotten to the mists of time.

The Demon Lord blurred the lines of man and monster, and when the Order fell, populations ran wild. In an effort to control these, we were forged, we were taught, and we acted. The world will be quiet in the decades to come, before the hordes disband and civilisation starts anew. The horde will rise, the horde will fall, and the cycle goes on.