20 Reconnaissance
"General, we have detected life forces further to the east." Spoke out a gravelly voice which sounded as if nails were being scratched against a blackboard.
The source of the voice being a monstrous being covered in smoking black mist, with a skeletal upper body with no flesh at all holding it together, instead it is held together with an ectoplasm like substance covering its body, confirming it's identity as some sort of ghost.
"Continue to scout but don't let them notice you." Thundered out a voice filled with the power of dominance towards the creature.
Looking towards his general, the creature, a Skorst, bows in worship at his command, for nothing gives a Skorst more pleasure than to fulfill their lords wishes. "Yes general!" it shouted before turning and leaving to hand out the orders.
Now left alone, the general, Bell is contemplating her next move while using a jagged stone to grind the spiked end of her massive hammer, giving the tip a shine so bright it could Peirce someone's eyes just from the sight alone.
'Do I return to my lord with the information or go on the offensive? Ah well I guess I will wait for the scouts to return before deciding.' Bell thought while happily humming to the image of her smashing those winged demons to pieces once she finds them.
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Meanwhile the scouts Bell sent out were now observing a small village like area filled with tents of a variety of sizes, with the largest one sitting in the center surrounded by patrolling guards.
"I see 20 warriors to the south" spoke out of of the scouts to the other.
"I have 18 to the north, with the 20 we saw to the west as well then we can assume the east has a similar amount, so 80 warriors on the perimeter total." The other scout answered.
Bell chose these two Skorsts to scout due to their intelligence being the highest among the battalion.
After determining the enemies strength to the best of their ability they decided to return with their information.
"Well well... what do we have here? A couple of weird looking ghosts, what do you think Marco?" spoke out a sudden voice startling the scouts into quickly turning and taking battle positions.
Looking to the source they see 5 winged demons, the same kind they were scouting a second ago, standing with grins on their faces as if they are enjoying a show. The one who spoke standing in the front with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
"I don't care what my food looks like Brad, as long as it's tasty." Replied a bulky demon with dark green scaly wings and one horn which curled to the left slightly.
Suddenly the five demons start to close in on the scouts, quickly exchanging a look they both draw their skeletal swords before moving at incredible speeds to pincer the weakest looking demon, a young man with no weapon.
Shocked at their speed the demons have no time to react before two flashes of light were seen along with a short but agonizing scream, one scout chopped his blade like a cleaver and tore the young demons body in two, before the other pierced out like a rapier and pierced through his left eye into his brain, explaining the reason behind the scream and why it was so short.
Watching this occur the other four were in shock, it wasn't until the young demons upper half crashed against the floor with his intestines spilling out did they react, however by then the two scouts were tens of meters away and running towards their army's location.
"Tristan!" Screamed a female of the group before breaking down and hysterically screaming, from her age it seems she could have been the boys mother.
Brad and Marco looked at each other before drawing their weapons, being the strongest of the group, although not warriors, they decided to pursue the ghosts for revenge, 'how dare mere food attack us' they thought.
Before leaving they turned to the last member who was another young demon, a woman who was stood in shock at the events. "Inform the chief of powerful ghosts being sighted nearby and killing one of our young." Sternly spoke out the older of the duo, Marco.
*Fwoosh*
Suddenly Marco and Brad unleashed their wings and shot off after the ghosts, blowing a trail of sand around them as they flew out.
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"I'm bored..." complained Bell while lying on a flat rock with her legs dangling over the edge, swinging back and forth. Suddenly she jolted "lieutenant!" shouted out Bell before a slightly larger Skorst flashed before her kneeling, his head lowered.
"Yes General?" Politely asked the Skorst lieutenant, being one of the strongest and earliest to evolve he was given his role as a leader of 50 men, the other lieutenant being one of the scouts currently on a mission.
"Prepare the army to move out, I sense battle intent to the east, send a squad to reinforce the scouts and then we leave for home, it seems we were found." Spoke out Bell with a slight frown being barely visible on her slightly transparent face.
"Understood!" Thundered the lieutenant before selecting a squad consisting of 10 Skorsts to go and reinforce the scouts and beginning to assemble the army.
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A few kilometres east the scene of two black shadows weaving through sand dunes and avoiding blasts of energy behind shot from above could be seen.
Using their aerial superiority the Incubi demons managed to catch up to the Skorsts shortly before bombarding then with arrows forming small explosions as they hit the sand below.
"Die you monsters!" Roared Brad, agonized at the death of his nephew, his sisters son. Anger was an understatement when seeing his face and the worm like veins throbbing in his forehead.
Meanwhile, the young demons father showed very little anger, Marco was always the silent type in life, however as anyone knows the silent types are the most dangerous when provoked. Every arrow he fired tore of a chunk of the scouts ghostly flesh slowly weakening them rather than going for the kill.
After 10 minutes of torture a sudden energy blast from a nearby arrow threw the two scouts to the ground. Slowly the two Incubi land and draw a sword each, making their way towards the downed ghosts.
"You should never have touched my son." Spoke out Marco with his very voice causing the temperature to drop while being filled with malice and loathing. Raising his sword he pierced down towards the head of one of the scouts.
*Ting*
Suddenly the sound of metal clashing was heard as a blade stopped Marcos, looking up he saw his brother in law Brad shake his head before looking around. Turning his head he was shocked to find ten more of these black ghosts drawing bone swords and advancing towards their direction.
Standing up and ignoring their injuries as if they were never hurt the scouts disarm the two Incubi before the lieutenant among them spoke out, "I apologize for your son, but you left us no choice, however I'm giving you a choice, surrender and come with us willingly, or join your son and become ash for the desert."
Shocked at the fact that a ghost could show so much intelligence, the duo look at each other before Marco faced the lieutenant, "You killed my son, there's no way in hell I'll surrender!" He shouted while quickly drawing a small knife from his belt, however before he could make a move his brother in law Brad hit the back of his head knocking him out.
"We surrender" he said, just because he was quick to anger didn't mean that he was stupid, he knew when to give up.
Looking deeply at the large Incubus the Skorst lieutenant nodded and waved his hand before turning and leaving towards the army, the squad of ten surrounding the demons as they walked.
After a short while the group reached the army camp where Brad and the recently awakened Marco were shocked at the numbers and order of the ghosts before them.
Almost a hundred emotionless killing machines standing in orderly lines while bowing the head with their fist to their chest, all seemingly paying respect to a shorter red ghost carrying a hammer easily twice her size.
"Haha! you brought some friends lieutenant!" She laughed out in glee, her voice alone causing Brad and Marco to shake in fear.
Turning to the army she slammed the head of her hammer down, cracking the rock below get feet, "Get ready boys, we're going home." she declared with a sweet smile marking her face for a split second before returning to being the stoic face of a war goddess. Turning on her heel she marched, a solitary figure carrying the respect of an army on her shoulders.
"YES!" The army shouted, once again vowing to themselves that they would happily die to protect that smile, before orderly following their goddess.
