Eulogy of Forgotten Souls - Chapter 6 The Exodus of Rursus

Genesis grunted from intense strain as he held Candace's foot from squishing him and Kaffleen.

'Genesis!' gasped Kaffleen. She was still too dazed to move, though, and could not help him.

'Go...get out now...' grunted Genesis, sweating and emitting a brilliant aura. Kaffleen nodded, and quickly scrambled up, and dashed away before Candace could react. The crazed queen screamed in anger fired a powerful arcane blast at her, to no avail. With a quick muttered spell, Kaffleen transported herself several leagues away from the evil fortress.

Candace snorted and brought her foot brutally down on Genesis.
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Kaffleen gasped as intense agony ripped through her. The teleblocking spells around the castle were strong, but not strong enough to stop her. However, it exacted a heavy toll upon her, and she fell, helpless as several shadowy figures around the area converged on her.

And were sliced apart by a shining silver blade. Xepher leapt into the fray just in time, blasting the remaining demons away with one mighty wind strike. Without a word, he scooped up Kaffleen over his shoulder, and leapt into the air, flying away swifter than the winged demons could possibly match.

A tear glistened down her cheek, and she held on tight.
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Felicia returned to the flying fortress around the portal to Rursus, to find it under siege by millions upon millions of flying demons, succubus, gargoyles, corrupt dragons, Sentinels and lesser Death Knights. Carving a path through the cloud of dark fiends, the Elendils returned to the relative safety of the fortress. There, they rejoined the humans, elves, orcs and more in the desperate struggle to keep the dark army at bay.

Throwing caution to the wind, Leon dove straight into a corrupt dragon, pummeling at it's chest and causing it to recoil. Using a nearby demon as a platform from which to leap higher, he launched upwards onto it's snout. Yelling incoherently, he plunged his fist into it's eye, and it shuddered, shrieked and fell. He leapt back to the fortress...

And was engulfed in a swarm of shadow demons. He was utterly lost from sight.

He roared and lashed out, sending massive waves of energy around, blasting the demons to ashes. With the temporary lack of demons, he landed safely back on the fortress. Felicia grinned and gestured, several gargoyles exploding, the stone composing them becoming deadly shrapnel that impaled scores more.

Then a fiery blast shook the hordes of demons. As the remains of the victims fell out of sight, the Guardian of Chaos flew into the scene, his shining Cypheria eviscerating all within reach. With him was Kaffleen, Kunou no Yami out and swinging here and there, firing rainbow bolts everywhere. She had recovered from her weakened state, and was as powerful as ever.

They landed, and without a word, turned and sent a combined strike of pure power towards the encroaching swarm. Thousands upon thousands were vaporized, the remainders fleeing before the killing wave.

Felicia grasped an opportunity when she saw one. 'Onwards! This is the time we strike!' she shouted, and the leaders of the various factions took up the call. Humans atop flying vehicles, elves astride hippogryphs, dwarves on gryphons. Orcs rode draconian raptors, trolls on massive bloodwing bats, the other races each having their own method of air transport.

The Exodus of Rursus began their counterattack. Previously enemies now flew as one, united in a common cause.

And it seemed that the Shadow's army was too eager to meet them in battle. Winged demons by the millions rose to attack them, shrieking dreadful challenges at the incoming army. The defenders let out a collective roar, and plunged into the cloud, the soul warriors, from both the old and new generations, being the vanguard.

Magi, druids, wizards, sorcerers, conjurers, shadowforgers, Paladins and other spellcasters attacked in unison, striking at the foremost wave of demons and other juggernauts, abominations and horrors. Many fell, the rest brought down by swift long-ranged attacks from archers, gunners and more.

Then from the portal linked to Rursus emerged a race long thought forgotten, one of the most powerful from the world. Dawn Dragons, their fiery hides impervious to demon blades and warlock sorcery. With a single breath, the first dragon cleansed several score demons, their shrieks quickly ending in a pile of ash. The other dragons followed suit, ripping, incinerating and gnashing into the demon horde. The defenders cheered and continued to attack.

Suddenly, the Dawn Dragon at the front of the exodus quivered, and was flayed head to tail in one brutal movement. The cloud of demons parted, and out flew the amalgam of the death knights. 'You face Ruin, death knight of chaos!' hissed the demonic creation as it hefted the shining white blade of Weiss.

Xepher darted forth with his silver blade. 'And you face Xepher, Guardian of Chaos.' He grinned. 'Let's see which chaotic power shall prevail!' As he said the last, he plunged forwards like fate's bullet towards the death knight. Ruin screamed and brought the shining blade down at the last moment, deflecting Xepher's blow, turning it from a decapitating strike to a shoulder pierce. Quickly withdrawing his sword, Xepher traded blows with Ruin, then dropped downwards some distance and suddenly darted upwards, slicing at Ruin's left leg and chopping it off. Ruin screamed in fury. The exodus, pausing at the battle, cheered, while the demons on the other side of the sky shrieked their encouragement.

From the stump of a leg, grew tentacles with wicked edges. They clustered around him as he raised his blade and sliced off his other leg. The tentacles sprouted there too.

'This is what you have given me, given us!' shrieked Ruin, laughing eerily. The tentacles sliced towards Xepher, who darted out of reach, cutting off one of the tentacles in the process. To no avail, from the wound sprouted two more. 'Damn...' muttered Xepher. He took aim, and fired a fireball towards the center of the mass of tentacles. It ignited and Ruin shrieked, in agony, not anger this time.

Within seconds, he was consumed utterly, mere ash marking his death.

'Onwards to victory.' said Xepher, and the exodus continued it's advance.