This is shaping up very nicely
CHAPTER 26The sound of battle could be heard outside the window. Huge winged beasts were dueling on the battlements Jauchman only minutes earlier occupied. Half the fortifications on a multitude of towers had been destroyed. Somehow, the tower of light had thus far evaded damage.
"It's too late." said Jauchman aloud in despair. Hanging his head, he turned from the window. His Acolytes were roused, however were still slightly hazed, and had not began chanting again yet. There was still a dark taint to the room, and even if they were to continue chanting, their is no guarantee it would hold the same power as it did earlier in the night.
"Master, look!" exclaimed Toji, the youngest of the three, as he pointed out the window. Following his line of sight, Jauchman spied a man flying through the air towards the embattled winged beasts. The other Acolytes too crowded around the window. Eyes wide, Jauchman finally realised who was responsible for this sorcery, realised who was responsible for the shadow demon. Drandorf.
Turning from the window, and looking over each of his acolytes, he knew he now had no other choice. "Toji, Mikel, Grayiel, prepare yourselves for battle. My brother shall cause havok no longer. To the Vault!"
The acolytes scurried quickly around the room, equipping their curved blades and battle robes. Reaching for his staff Jauchman now noticed that he no longer was wearing his cloak.
"We must go NOW!" he yelled, realising that time had already aligned itself against them.
-----
His cell was finally dark. The bars no longer carried their enchanting light - a light which burned the shadow mage constantly. His brother, the paragon of light certainly was cruel. The demon that visited him in his dreams promised him his freedom. He only need be his servant for one night, this night, and then he could have his revenge.
He wasted no time. Once the light was gone, he set to work.
When Ernst opened the door, the first thing he noticed was the darkness. There were bars, for what looked like a cell in the centre of the room. However there did not appear to be anyone held within. Taking steps forwards, a miniature model of the castle and its occupants could be seen on the floor, composed entirely from what looked like dust. Hands moved silently and elegantly above, pulling figures into place, one figure in particular riding a shadowy steed from one parapet to the next.
Moving closer still, Ernst could make out the figure of a man. The man whose hands they belong. His grey beard covered half his naked chest, and Ernst knew this was the man his master wanted freed. Reaching through the bars, he held out the key he had stolen. An invisible hand took them from him.
Backing away, his back hit the cold stone wall. Turning, he crossed the threshold and left the room, closing the door behind him. A sigh of relief escaped his lips, to be replaced by a quick gasp. A shiver running up his spine as he felt his master in trouble.
-----
Both of them were still staring at the castle in awe and fear when it happened. A flagellant noticed first, and screamed before being beheaded, his mouth forever open in a look of agony, fear and insanity. Quickly turning, Hanz was struck with fear. He felt a lump in his throat he could not swallow. Dieter saw them too, and peed himself for the second time tonight.
The rest of the flagellants turned, and Yuri yelled "The end is Nigh!!!!"
Arrayed along the road, just metres from the booth were at least thirty red coloured demons. Most were a bit larger than a man, their horned heards shining in the moons light. Some others roughly resembled dogs, but were almost as big as horses. Their eyes were focused on the castle, their attention was on the Avatar of their God, that is until Yuri's shout.
An unholy sound escaped their mouths as they prepared their swords. The first wave of flagellants ran towards them, butchered mercilessly by the jagged swords the Bloodletters carried. Blood spurted from the dead flagellants as the Bloodletters tore at their corpses, trying to release the red liquid they craved.
One of the larger beasts bound for the booth. Hanz raised his handgun, but not before the hound had already leapt through the window. Diving to the floor, Dieter narrowly missed the gnarling teeth of the fierce beast. Hanz pulled the trigger, the hound's head exploding in a black bloody muck over the wall and Dieter.
"We're dead" lamented Dieter to Hanz, looking up from his positon on the floor as he realised that the booth would no longer protect them. Nodding, Hanz agreed as he slid his body down under the windowsill to hide from the demons. He only hoped they could not smell their fear.