Chapter 25 the collapse.

The sun was setting on the mountain of Mulhacen, as a great battle between men and rats was being fought on its slopes. Near the highest of point's on the mountain, close to the massive stone doors of the ancient dwarven kingdom of Nodos. Two muscular goliaths faced each other, both covered in blood.

Jawbone fractured. Nasal bone caved in. A large number of teeth were damaged, and some were lost. His ribs were fractured in more than 6 places. Both his hands and wrist bones were heavily damaged. And throughout his whole body, he was bleeding under his skin. His brain and his internal organs in several places were damaged.

With all these wounds Jesus stood there looking at his opponent. His breathing was heavy as sweat and blood covered his chiseled muscular body.

The white rat was Wheezing as he breathed in causing a whistling sound to come. Clearly, it's airways were partially blocked, by the broken rib bones. It's white fur was now covered in a mix of human and his own rat blood. It's rat face was bent and slightly caved in. No more was there a cocky grin, only a toothless open mouth. Most likely it was also at its limits.

" You don't look so good. Are you ready to give up or what? " Jesus said jokingly.

" Raaaaaaarrrrr! Stupid puny man thing! " Azzrag roared in anger as it charged.

Seeing the rat coming Jesus went into a fighting stance and prepared to receive it. Instead of dodging Jesus remember something his son had taught him. Though Marino was not good at it, he did say that it could drop any opponent if done right.

Thinking of this Jesus quickly, before impact spun around and sent a spinning kick into Azzrags face.

With a hard bam, Azzrag was sent tumbling to the ground hard. While the kick landed it didn't knock Azzrag out. It only managed to make the rat angrier.

Turning to look at the rat Jesus said. " Ohh shit. "

Before Jusus could react Azzrag had already gotten up and lunged forward for another attack. Instead of a punch, Azzrag went in for a bear hug. Wrapping it's massive arm's around the humans body it squeezed hard. With all its might it intended to squeeze the human to death.

Feeling his internal organs and bones begin to be crushed Jesus struggled. He tried to push his arms away unsuccessfully after which he punched the rats face.

Uncaring of the humans feeble attempts of struggle Azzrag continued to squeeze.

As Jesus struggled he saw the rats big leathery ears and came up with an idea. Quickly pouring the force into his index fingers he gritted his teeth and yelled. " Let me wipe those ears of yours clean, and I don't take no refunds! "

With a fleshy bam, Azzrags eardrums were pierced, and blood flew as the rats eyes went wide out of shock. " Raaaaaaarrrrr! " Azzrag roared as Jesus dug his fingers in deep, trying to reach the rats Azzrag stopped squeezing the man and with great force pushed the man thing away.

Feeling the rats massive hand's grabbing his torso and starting to push him away, his grip loosened. " Not yet! " Jesus yelled as he fought back. Not wanting to let go of this opportunity he let go of the rats ear with his right hand and quickly poked his index finger into its eye. With a fleshy splat and a crack, his finger broke as it went through the eye and into the skull.

Jesus gritted his teeth in pain as Azzrag screamed. " Aaaaaaaa, Dääm you man thing! " With that said the rat headbutted Jesus and sent a powerful straight Puch into his face.

Feeling as if a massive hammer had just struck him square in the face, Jesus flew off the rat and a couple of meters backward. With star's in his eyes and a broken body, he lay there shirtless on the ground made of many corpses.

Seeing this scene Ratbag and a few other black rats rushed to help their leader. Quickly they started to drag the white rat away as it screamed in excruciating pain. Its left eye was gone, hearing gone, teeth missing and its whole body bleeding and broken, it was dragged away into the depths of the Underhive.

Opening his eyes Jesus could see his fellow Jesuits standing around him, protecting his wounded body.

Seeing Jesus start to wake up Bragi asked with panic and concern in his voice. " Master, how are you feeling? Can you fight? "

With a grunt, he got up and said. " Well I feel like dying, but I think I can still keep going. Just give me a sword and let's cut these rats up. "

Smiling Ledo took out a sword strapped to his waist and handed it over to Jesus. " Here you go, master. "

Grabbing his sword Jesus unsheathed it and looked around. Behind him, the cannons fired at the mountain entrance as the remaining soldiers, warriors Nuns and Priest's fought off the rats. They were surrounded from all sides, only a few thousand peasants Levies remained in the pocket, fighting alongside Jesus and his remaining men as the rest had probably fled, now fighting somewhere else down the mountain slope. Looking at this not so hopeful situation he asked. " So what's the situation? Where is the prince? "

" Ping, cling cling cling. " Ledo blocked a few incoming black arrows and answered grimly.

" The prince is gone, dead, missing or fled we don't know. While the ratmen might have lost their leader and been shocked by your great duel, they still keep fighting on. There must be some greater force driving them onwards as they do not strike me as the brave sort of a race. "

" I see, well what about those cannons? Have we made any progress there? " Jesus asked.

" Well, master it's quite hard to say. As you can see there is a stone dust cloud coming from the entrance, but we have no clue if we are hitting anything important. If only we could get closer. " Ledo said in thought.

Then with a loud commanding tone of voice, Jesus said. " Well then men let us move those cannons to that entrance and end this once and for all! "

" But Master the rats are too many, well newer make it there. " Ledo said in concern.

" Nonsense, don't speak such words. Thrust in the force and how can you know that if we don't even try? Now enough talk! Move those cannons and push forward! For Iberia! " Jesus said firmly.

Hearing this Karl got excited and said. " Heck yeah! Let's do this! Hey guys wanna see who gets more rat tails? "

" Ha, You're on. " Bragi answered.

" I got a bad feeling about this. " Ledo said.

" Don't worry, we can do this. Just thrust in the force. " Jesus said.

Then through the piles of bodies and wet blood-stained ground horses and men started to drag the cannons forward. From all sides, they were being attacked. Jesus and his Jesuits supported by the holy warriors led the push, as the others followed. With their shields, they blocked most of the arrows. Some made it past hitting the men and horses that were dragging the cannons.

But nonetheless, they kept pushing forward. With spears and long weapons, they kept the Rat-ogres away and slayed them. With missile fire from guns, bows and crossbows they killed the enemy archers and ogres. In the front massive holy hammers of the priest's smashed rats into bloody messes, as the warriors Nuns protected them from the arrows with their shields.

Like so, little by little their encircled formation moved forward. Meter by meter they advanced and meter by meter they fell, creating an ever smaller and smaller circle.

Past the humans weapons, the rat's moved uncaring of their pain and deaths. Rat-ogres grabbed warrior Nuns and crushed their bodies under their big hands compression force. Squeezing their bones to dust and popping out their eyes. Warrior priest's heads were crushed by the ogres and their armor was pierced by black armored rats, black metallic weapons. Lesser rats took down the humans by sheer force of numbers.

As darkness started to set on the mountain slope the Jesuits fought on. Jesus, Bragi, Karl and Ledo cut through the rat lines like a bunch of farmers cutting through a field of wheat. When Rat-ogres got near they would swiftly deal with them. First, they cut their knees tendons, getting them low and then one of them would force jump on the ogres heads and end their beastly lives with a quick stab through the skull.

Jumping down from a top of a now dead rat-ogre Jesus said with panted breath. " Fifty-two. "

While cutting child-sized rat's into halves Karl said excitedly. " 70, 71 and 72 Master pick up the pace you're falling behind. "

As Bragi slaughtered the rats quietly, Ledo spoke. " Only 20 meters! We are almost there! "

With only 11 cannons and a few hundred men and women left, they made it through the sea of red beating eyes and the moonlight dark night to the massive stone doors.

Without Xixi to guide them they were directionless, not knowing what to do exactly. Looking inside only pitch darkness and a sea of red beating eyes could be seen.

" What now master? Should we set up the cannons here Master? " Asked Ledo.

Looking around them, Jesus analyzed the situation. The entrance was not that wide, so a hundred men could hold it for a while. The same also went for the tunnel, so they could definitely hold here. But they could not move forward out of the moonlight, for in the darkness they would have a clear disadvantage. In the darkness, It would only be a matter of luck if they got hit or not. Looking at this Jesus yelled. " Set up those cannons and fire into the tunnel! We are sure to hit something at least. Here in the light of the moon, we will hold them for as long as we can! "

There at the entrance of the mountain in the moonlight blades clashed and blood spilled as the cannons were set up.

Now with the 11 cannons set up, they fired into the darkness of the long dark tunnel. With the firing of the cannons came flashes of light, that lit the dark tunnel. In between the flashes of lights, they could finally see the tunnel. It was a beautiful smoothly carved tall stone tunnel with many thin stone pillars holding up the roof. All the stones had some sort of blocky carved symbols on them. Everything in the tunnel was made in a square blocky pattern type of fashion. Clearly, the Dwarves of Nodos liked their symmetrical square shapes. Though the beautiful sight was ruined by the blood, rats and the many holes that the rats had dug into the walls and ground, completely ruining the once beautiful look of the tunnel.

Looking at this Jesus was amazed, he could also see a few pillars already damaged or destroyed from the bombardments before, or just poor maintenance he did not know. Seeing this he commanded. " Demolish those pillars quickly! "

Taking aim the cannons fired into the pillars. Cannonballs flew, stones were crushed and were turned into mush. One by one the pillars fell and as they did the mountain grumbled and shook. In the distance stone cracked open and Jesus could see strange pale white flying bats, the size of small dog's coming.

Like an angry nest of bees, they came in big numbers attacking everything that moved. Feeling the ground shake and having massive bats attacking them from above the rats started to finally scatter and flee, into the many small holes covering the walls and ground they disappeared. Even at the outside entrance, the rats dispersed, leaving the now-concerned humans behind.

Now with the rats mostly gone the pale bats turned their attention to the humans.

" Oo, Master I think we need to leave. " Said Ledo.

" Not jet! Keep fiering! " Yelled Jesus.

As the men engaged the bats in combat the pillars collapsed one after another. Louder and louder rumblings were heard as stones fell from the ceiling in the distance.

" Yeah Master I think Ledo is right, we really need to go now. " Said Karl in concern.

" Not yet, we need to finish this. " Said Jesus.

As the cannons turned and started to shoot at the pillars closest to them the ceiling above shook. With their inhumane senses, the four of them felt their danger senses tingle. With great force and enhanced speed, they moved. Pushing and pulling people away from the falling rocks. As Bragi used the force to push a warrior priest out of the way of a falling boulder, he could sense danger behind him.

Turning backwards he jumped without looking and grabbed a hold of a warrior nun, who just stood there frozen in fear of the falling boulder. As their bodies collided all Bragi could think of was how soft and light she felt. Turning his back towards the ground in mid-air they fell to the hard ground.

Laying in the dark tunnel only lit by moonlight, Bragi could feel something comforting, something pleasant, firm but also soft. Taking in this sensation his mind drifted away from the bloody battle and focused on this feeling. Wanting more of it he used his hands to squeeze and to gently caress the softness. Slipping his hands down he felt something moist and soft. Gently he stuck his finger in it.

" Aahhhh! " Came a feminine seductive yelp from above him, followed by a hard slap to his face. " Smack! "

In shock, he opened his eyes to see a pouting woman sitting above him. She had beautiful shiny gray eyes, hair black as the night sky and a cute face with a small button nose.

Looking at that adorable pouting face above him, Bragi squeezed her butt again out of instinct and blurted out his thoughts. As she whimpered and prepared to slap the man again he said. " Will you marry me? "

Shocked her hand froze in mid-slap and her face reddened. Quickly covering her face she yelled embarrassed. " You, you, shameless perverted man! "

Without thinking she started to softly hit the man. Quickly letting go of her ass, Bragi shielded his face with his hands as she hit him lightly as she yelled. " Take this, take that! Shame on you! "

As they fought on the ground Ledo yelled to Jesus. " Master! We really need to go! "

As Jesus saved two men from certain death he could see another pillar fall and then a hard boom sound came from the entrance. Turning to look he saw a cannon and it's crew get squashed to bits. Seeing this his face turned to horror as he yelled. " Retreat! Get out of the tunnel! Run! "

Hearing this command everybody started to run. The nun got off Bragi and with her small armored dainty hand helped Bragi up. Not letting go of his hand she tried to pull the lovestruck man with her. But as Bragi looked down on the smaller woman he pulled her in close hugging her. In shock and panic, she Yelled. " Iiiiii, what are you doing! Let go of me! "

Without a word Bragi lifted her into a princess carry as she screamed in surprise, he said. " Hang on tight! " In awe she looked at the handsome black-haired man and wrapped her hands around him, not caring about his hand touching her butt again. Using the force Bragi hopped over bodies and rocks with her in his arms out of the tunnel.

Outside the big stone doors, the 188 remaining men and women gathered. They watched as the mountain groaned and shook as the entrance collapsed and spewed out a massive amount of dust. As the dust cloud overtook them, Bragi closed his eyes as the woman in his arms pressed her head into his chest, covering herself from the dust.

For kilometres around the boom of the collapsing mountain entrance could be heard and felt. High above the mountain, a dust cloud rose as the smaller tunnels around the mountain collapsed also, creating their own little dust clouds.

Bragi coughed from all the dust in the air and shook his head trying to get rid of the dust in his face. Then a feminine annoyed voice came from the woman in his arms. " Oooo, You can let me go now. "

With closed eyes Bragi let her gently down. Then he felt two dainty hands grab his face and pull him gently down. " Hold still. " Said the woman. With her hand, she gently brushed away the accumulated dust from his face. Seeing the dust clear his face she cupped his face into her small hands and inspected her work.

Feeling her hands stop he opened his eyes only to see the small stunning beauty intensely inspecting his face, with her shiny eyes. " Beautiful. " He blurted out.

Hearing his words she blushed a little as she continued to brush off the dust and said. " Hold still, you've still got some dust on you. "

Seeing her worried-looking face and hearing her sincere words, he was touched. This was the first time in Bragis's life that somebody other than his Jesuit brothers showed such care for him. Ever since he was a child he has been only seen as a tool for others. He spent his whole childhood as a gladiator slave, only fighting for the amusement of others. He could remember all those vile, evil women's faces as they laughed and bet on his life and death.

They forced him to kill his fellow slaves for their amusement and used him for their pleasure afterward. Uncaring of his feelings the old hags forced him to pleasure them, either by threat's or by aphrodisiac drugs, which made him into a lustful beast. He truly disdained all those lying, scheming and lust-driven women. He had created an extreme distrust and disdain towards everybody, especially women. And now here In front of him was a pure-hearted woman who truly seemed to care for him.

With tears in his eyes, he grabbed the woman's hands and kissed them. Seeing this the woman's heart raced as she blushed heavily asking. " Wa-wa what are you doing? "

Holding her hands he looked into her eyes and asked with a gentle tone. " May I have the honor of knowing your name? "

Hearing this her ears reddened as she stammered out an answer. " S-so Sophie. "

Holding her small hands close to him he kissed them and said with a smile. " Well Sophie I am Bragi. It's nice to meet you. It might be a bit sudden, but I must ask. Are you single? "

Hearing this she got shy and quickly looked away. After a moment she started to stammer again. " R- r Ra. "

Putting his head closer to hers Bragi asked. " Yes, what is it? You can speak, I am listening. "

Pulling her right hand away she pointed past him and yelled. " Rats! "

Coming back to his senses, Bragi let go of her hands and turned around. As the dust had mostly cleared he could see thousands of red beating eyes In front of them. The whole mountain slope In front of the now collapsed stone doors was crawling with rats. Only some sounds of battle could be heard a long way down the mountain slope. Taking his sword into his right hand, he positioned himself In front of her as a Black-armored rat approached and said. " Stay behind me. I won't let them touch you, that I promise. "

Then with a swushh, a small bolt flew past his shoulder straight into the rats eye, killing it instantly. Looking back he saw her loading a new hand crossbow bolt with a proud smile, as she spoke. " Don't worry my knight. This woman can take care of herself. "

With a proud smile, Bragi said. " Good. I like strong women. I hear they can produce more heir's. "

Then he turned around ready to shield the woman he had decided to make his. Behind him, Sophie blushed with a happy smile on her face as she prepared her crossbow and took a dead man's sword off the ground.

Seeing the rat's coming the surviving men formed a U-shape formation facing the rats. The rats surrounded the former entrance and prepared to face them. No longer did they have confident faces, many of them were scared and started to release the stinky musk of fear.

Just as a brave rat was about to enter striking range Ledo yelled out in excitement. " The French are coming! Look the French are coming! "

Turning to look they could see 18 armoured Hippogryphs with knights riding them. They all were dressed in the French blue color scheme, creating a magnificent sight as they came towards them with the moon at their backs.