To arms

The dawn was a cold one, the sun barely piercing the horizon, casting weak light over the land. The human army stood, tens of thousands strong, as they faced the looming walls of the Demon Kingdom. A heavy tension hung in the air, thick like the mist that curled around their feet. Every soldier could feel it—the battle ahead was going to be unlike any other. The cool breeze brushed over their faces, giving one last moment of peace before the slaughter began.

King Ferox, chosen as the commander for this campaign, stood at the forefront. His armour gleamed in the dim light, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him like a mountain. He turned to face the sea of soldiers, his eyes scanning the ranks with cold calculation. Beside him stood the three other kings, their expressions as grim as his own. This was not just any battle. This was the war to end all wars.

He raised his voice, though it could not possibly reach the entire army. It didn't need to. The spirit of his words would carry through the ranks like wildfire.

"COMRADES!" Ferox began, his voice sharp, cutting through the silence. "TODAY, WE TAKE OUT THE EVIL THAT HAS BEEN A BLIGHT UPON OUR LANDS FOR FAR TOO LONG!.... WE MAY BE MANY, AND WE MAY HAVE THE UPPER HAND, BUT DO NOT FORGET—THESE DEMONS ARE STRONG!.....THEY WILL FIGHT LIKE CORNERED BEASTS!....SO, PROTECT ONE ANOTHER!..... HAVE NO MERCY!... AND LEAD US,... TO VICTORY!"

A roar of approval surged through the army like a tidal wave. The ground shook with the stamping of boots and the clatter of weapons. The soldiers were ready. Ferox smirked, a grim satisfaction filling his chest. He could taste revenge on the air—the demons that had taken his wife and daughter would soon be nothing more than corpses. And their riches... the Demon Kingdom's wealth would be his, a well-earned prize.

He looked to his allies. King Elowen, King Karl and King Xia, stood by his side, their eyes cold, their hearts just as set on this conquest. And behind them all, at the very rear of the army, stood the Hero—the chosen one. His presence, though distant, was like a beacon, a living symbol of their strength and righteousness. He was the sword that would cut through the heart of the demons.

"Move out!" Ferox ordered, pointing his sword toward the Demon Kingdom.

With that command, the vast army surged forward. The sound of thousands of boots marching in unison echoed across the land. The soldiers moved like a single, unstoppable force, their faces set in grim determination. At the front, King Ferox led the charge, his eyes fixed on the looming fortress in the distance. The time for diplomacy was long past. This was a war of annihilation.

As they marched, a sense of foreboding hung over the battlefield. The Demon Kingdom's walls were silent, too still. The unnatural quiet was broken only by the sound of the army's advance, the clank of armour and the thud of boots on earth.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. Ferox halted, raising his hand. His soldiers came to a stop, their eyes scanning the horizon. The tremor grew stronger, the earth beneath their feet shaking as if something massive was stirring beneath it.

"Brace yourselves!" King Elowen barked, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Then, without warning, the gates of the Demon Kingdom burst open, and out poured the first wave of demons. They came like a black flood, their twisted forms charging across the field with terrifying speed. Their eyes glowed, their claws glinting in the weak morning light. These were not mere enemies—they were monsters bred for war, for slaughter.

"SHIELDS UP!" a general screamed.

The front lines raised their shields just in time. The demons crashed into the human ranks with a deafening roar. The sound of metal clashing against claws filled the air, followed by the screams of the dying. Blood sprayed into the air as the first line of soldiers was torn apart, their bodies flung like ragdolls.

King Elowen raised his sword high. "ARCHERS! LOOSE!"

A cloud of arrows and hail of ice, darkened the sky, raining down upon the demons. The trajectories struck their targets, piercing flesh and bone, but the demons did not falter. For every one that fell, two more seemed to take its place. Their numbers were overwhelming, their savagery unmatched.

At the rear of the army, the Hero stepped forward. Clad in shining armor, his sword glowing with a holy light, he raised his blade. His eyes burned with a determination that only the chosen possessed. With a single slash, a wave of energy erupted from his sword, cutting a path through the demons. They fell by the dozens, their bodies disintegrating into ash.

But even with the Hero's power, the tide was not easily turned. The demons fought with a ferocity that no human could match. Claws ripped through armor, fangs tore into flesh. The human lines wavered, but they held.

"CAVALRY!" King Xia bellowed. "CHARGE!"