Pestilence: Rise Of The Pure Undead-Chapter 752 - Operation Arid Soil Part Sixty-Three
752: Operation Arid Soil : Part Sixty-Three
752: Operation Arid Soil : Part Sixty-Three
The cities were swiftly reinforced, be it physically or in terms of manpower, but threats did not manifest for a while, they might have appeared in some places, attacked some transport here and there, but so far, the war of doom that many citizens were fearing had not begun, this peace deluded some into believing that perhaps, there would not be any conflict, after all, that the despised trio and monster alliance would not push further.
These delusions were merely a defence mechanism meant to prevent those suffering from it from giving in to panic, but it didn’t even that any offensive from the other side for the self-created falsehoods to come crashing down, all it took was for the sovereignty of the desert to switch hands as it often did…
Partway through the cycle of the roaming suns, Prime Undeviginti’s decoys all swiftly retreated into its mass, the solar bodies moving through the sky suddenly accelerated and went away, a sure sign that the crown was being passed over to another.
The worshippers of the first sun already knew that their patron sun would not be fading away and then back in, and the worshippers of the watchful had been able to sense for a little while now that theirs would not be taking over either, everyone had already known this for at least a week worth of time, but many civilians had instead decided to cover their eyes and ears to this fact.
But there was no denying it once it happened, the sand turned black, and a dim, red light befell the realm as Sanguine Undeviginti took over, all of the desert, it’s entirety seemed to rumble and shake as the corpses carpeting the bottom snapped into action, tendrils of red vapour wrapping around their bones, assembling the remains back together.
Out of the three patron suns venerated by the reviled ones, Sanguine Undeviginti was perhaps the worst one for this particular situation, provided so many troops to the opposing force that it might as well be infinite to the defenders, it did not take long at all until some of the cities began to tremble.
As terrible as the red sun may be, with what Watchful Undeviginti had said in mind, Ir’Houwl could see that it indeed treated the desert as a playground, and every good game needed rules, which was most certainly why it was refraining from having its bone-puppets rise directly inside of the cities, there were no other reasons for the bloody sun to not do it.
Though, Sanguine Undeviginti was probably a bit confused, usually, it sensed the cities with the stronger presence of worshippers of Watchful Undeviginti and decided to focus on those in particular, avoiding the capital as it never amounted to anything, but since the last time it was around, everything had changed to a great degree, the presence of those it targeted had grown exponentially in all of the cities somehow.
For a few moments, the red sun seemed to be making considerations about the proper course of action, but then, the foremost threat that the city dwellers feared sprouted into action, like a great tide, they emerged from the unnatural greenery and darkness, homing in on the closest city, a group consisting of Sanguine Undeviginti’s own worshippers, others as well as the strange being that were somehow simultaneously considered corpses, but could not be turned into puppets by the sun’s vapour.
This was different from usual, normally, only the ones in red robes would be around and helping it in this endeavour, small groups at best, but right now… There was a veritable army running toward a city!
Worshippers and monsters, side by side.
In just a few moments, the red sun directed all of the nearby bone-puppets to attack the city alongside them.
The unfortunate place that was being targeted was soon completely surrounded, masses of mad skeletons animated by sanguine vapour piling over one another against the now higher walls, clawing and biting at the sandstone whilst the striking force under Ir’Houwl’s command approached the entrance to the city, robust gates of thick sandstone standing in their way.
But the undeads weren’t planning on taking things slow, with Sanguine Undeviginti in control and backing them up, they were planning on conquering as much as possible before its reign came to an end.
The gates were instantly beset by a powerful spell casted by multiple mages together, blasting it in part, and more important, pushing it open enough for the troops to force their way inside, the massacre began without wait, the invaders quick to engage the defenders in close quarters and cut their way through any non-combatant, the warriors of Prime and Watchful Undeviginti committed the dire mistake of focusing on the living worshippers, exposing themselves immediate retaliation from the undeads, who did not miss any occasion for a lethal strike, moreover, many undeads were present.
An Ersta’la of the first sun was swarmed by regular soldiers of the minor lord’s personal forces, knocked to the ground and pinned down as one undead repeatedly stabbed him in the chest and stomach.
Another defender of high skill quickly realised that the dull-looking invaders were actually the most dangerous, and tried to back off to warn his fellows that were still arriving, only to be tackled by a ghoul and have his throat bitten off and gorged upon right before his eyes.
Many were slain in just the first few minutes, any one strong enough to be a problem to the regular soldiers would be ganged up on or taken out with a sneak attack, and in the chaos and bloodshed, it was difficult for most of the defenders to realise what was happening until it was already too late.
For the undead troops, the real trouble was the Ersta’sol that had been sent here, this city had only been granted a single of these, but the difference in power between them and the rank below was striking, Ersta’la could easily be defeated by numbers and by rushing them down.
This was not the case for an Ersta’sol, this one being of Prime Undeviginti, simple swing of his arms sent powers rays of bright vapour tearing through the invading forces, these attacks could only be blocked by barriers of energy or by undead elites, the simple soldiers were cut right through.
The Ersta’sol clicked his tongue nonetheless, beholding for himself what an undead that knew themself outmatched could do without hesitation.
Like it was a part of their training regimen, the soldiers of Ir’Houwl picked up still living defenders and used them as meat shields to get closer to the Prime Ersta’la, one even breaking into a house and holding a small child in front of themselves.
The living had been about to strike through the hostages anyways, but seeing a child kicking and crying like this gave him pause.
It was a mistake, as an elite took this occasion to move, swinging their eroded and rusted steel blade, taking the Ersta’sol’s arm right off.
“Damn it!” the living cursed, and with a flash of vapour coursing through his body, kicked the elite right against the corner of a nearby house.
Looking at the bloody stump, he witnessed in horror as his blood was visibly turning an abnormal shade.
He could only curse once more…
