Dead Man's tales (finale)

the assault was almost read when Assasson came back and told Phansesis some terrible news.

"the Kiran have bought a band of Balvain mercinaries to fight their war we should consider a new plan."

Qacues took advantage of this and quickly put out an idea.

"you guys opened my eyes about this war and now I will open yours about this siege.... If you guys where to sneak someone in and open the gates then the main army could blast and kill its way up through the streets while me and Phansesis lead shock troops to the king himself."

everyone looked at him with wide eyes, no one expected such an interesting idea to come from such a cowardly person in their eyes God just gave them a olive branch.

"sure we can always do with a grand scheme to completely take out our enemy! I'm glad I didn't kill you when we had that dual!"

****

the plan worked simply as in the middle of the night the gates opened and Phansesis and Qacues snuck in a sewage outlet to come out in the palace.

Assasson got his men lined up with all the fire mages ready and they all charged in unison, soon the streets where full of soldiers as Balvain mercinaries woke and met them in the streets.

the mages shot fireballs that burned and destroyed every house in range before they moved up and repeated the process, it was so fast and brutal that it was a slaughter all the way up to the palace gates.

.... down in the sewage Phansesis was worried he wouldn't be popping out in the palace but some random place.

"Qacues are you sure this leads to the palace?"

"oh I'm very sure you see before the war I came here and fucked a royal maid though when they got mad I jumped down the toilet and then I became interested and used them as a way to snuggle goods in and out. never thought I would use it to destroy this fine place."

Phansesis shook his head he was disappointed in what he just heard.

"Qacues you are one strange person. you get mad at petty things yet don't have the shame in telling the story of how you jumped in a toilet."

Qacues smiled sheepishly and looked ahead in his mind his plan had finally worked and Phansesis would be dead after the king.

the first to peak his head out was Qacues as he then tip toed out and found no one around.

so then everyone all being 20 in total had come from the sewage and rushed to the main hall to see who was there.

when they reached in they could already hear everything threatening to crumble around them and watched as all but 4 guards ran out to the courtyard to fight.

Phansesis looked at Qacues and he raised his hand as 4 men readied their crossbows. then quickly he brought it to his side and they shot off.

the 4 soldiers didn't die instantly but looked up in surprise before 1 stubbled and fell to the ground and the remaining charged, though died quickly as they were very wounded already.

Phansesis put his sword to the still unmoving Kings throat.

"any last words great enemy?"

Phansesis looked at the king and all his anger and power erupted.

purple encased his swords blue lighting flickered around his eyes and shadows seemed to bend to his will and he stared at that king.

then the king stood and spoke his final words

" look what we do? killing just for the pride of death. I wish that we could have solved our problems but the people cried blood and that I gave only it was theirs in the end."

he sat down and looked around him he becconed Phansesis over to him and pulled him close. he wisppered to him something only someone who was there could know.

legend says he told him he would never beg for his life as he would rather die a king but that is merely legend.

Phansesis cut his head off the king in one swing.

the Kiran capital Tishrin was crumbled ruins completely destroyed, everyone had fought to keep Purtain away and every man in the once proud city was dead.

Phansesis stood with sadness in his eyes the blood of the king on his blade and bodies lying around him. thoughts of relief entered his head the war was over he had done it he stood there with aww on his mind.

he turned suddenly to feel an arrow hit his right arm, he looked up and saw general Qacues with a smile that's when Phansesis realized the trap he had walked in, he was surrounded by Qacues soldiers not his own who were fighting for the rubble of a city.

Phansesis was betrayed unknown to him King Fredrick had ordered his death in secret under the fear of Phansesis being to powerful, soon two more arrows flew at Phansesis.

"Your about to die, this is the end why did it come to this!" Phansesis thought to himself. it was almost sweet to hear these words almost as though he could finally rest in just a few more minutes.

his body kicked into action as he jumped into the soldiers slicing violently cutting and killing everyone around him, he had blood on his black armor and swords, his blue colors had become stained and his eyes that of a demon thirsty for blood.

his left arm had brought his sword down on one man, then dodging here and there trying to keep himself from to many injuries before he killed Qacues but it was unavoidable, a nick here a stab there soon he had 8 arrows in his body and cuts running down his arms and legs and then a stab in his stomach that made him keel over as he cut the head off the man who dealt the wound.

"why do you kill me?" Phansesis said while he coughed blood, he staggered around before chopping another person down the middle.

Qacues looked at him and smiled.

"you were a pain always yes that's true, how overjoyed I was to receive a letter from the king himself saying I had to kill you that... well that truly made my day!" it was obvious Qacues wasn't lying as he paused for a bit as though to let it sink in.

"I came up with a plan, I would propose an idea that my men occupied you to kill the king while yours fought for the city then who is to say how you died! Hahahahaha!"

Phansesis stood up blood gushing from his stomach, his eyes shined blue and his figure stood up straight, he locked his eyes on Qacues and everything between them became an obstacle. this time every person he killed the blood would suck into Phansesis's sword making him stronger, though Phansesis still was dying the magic only prolonged his fate.

he sliced through a man's blade then cut into another before a spear punctured his right side, a gasp for breath could be heard before Phansesis broke the spear off and lunged at the man killing him in seconds, he saw a spear traveling towards his face and used his sword to move it at the last second before stabbing into the man's throat.

the blood bath continued for a long duration which Qacues thought would kill Phansesis and soon only three remained, an crossbow man, Phansesis who was now bloodied and dying, and Qacues who looked with fear as he saw his death approaching slowly step by step blood dropping from it like rain in a gutter, suddenly Phansesis started slouching with unsteady breaths though his eyes never had left Qacues as though his only wish was for his death.

Phansesis stared across the room and saw a familiar face staring at him. it was the Beor now looking at him with sad eyes he muttered something that Phansesis could barely hear.

"what is dealt is due, kill don't kill, live now die later it doesn't matter death comes for us all, take the hand your dealt and do what you must now be gone."

Beor disappeared with a smile as a second wind came to Phansesis he raised his sword and threw it into the soldier before running up to Qacues.

when he reached him he was stopped by a blade in his chest Phansesis looked down and then to the triumphant man holding it, he undid his knife and walked straight letting the sword go deeper into him and he came close to Qacues before stabbing him in the throat. He could hear Qacues's struggled breathing and the gurgling of his blood in his throat and he told him his final words.

"When your back is against the wall all you can do is fight, play your hand and the reaper will appear."

after that they both fell to the ground and died long before anyone found them. when they were found Phansesis was almost unrecognizable by even Assasson who had known him better than anyone else there, they mourned for him so heavily that the spirit of Purtain's army was crushed as they carried him through the streets and burned his body with gold and their most prized possessions.

Assasson had never felt so terrible before in his life as he came home a Hero no one said "welcome Phansesis or praise Phansesis the grand Hero!" to all of the world it seemed Phansesis had disappeared and only the soldiers could remember him. Assasson had burned most his friends and only his Sargent had remained a cripple at that from his injuries, soon Assasson found himself traveling around the world.

while on his travels Salva a Empire on the mainland asked him to train soldiers in the tactics he used during the winter battles. Soon he became old and worn down he sang songs of a glorious man and told tales of the wonderful hero that had saved him multiple times, his children all knew of Phansesis the small bird of a man who dared to face Dragons in their dens.

the tale was told and through time a legend was born of the small bird that never would cowar in the face of danger and soon the tale of Phansesis and his men became immortal.

but what do I know I can only tell the story the way I have heard. –kintu

The sky darkens when the end is near,

your back to the wall and heart of fear.

the cards of life sit in your view,

this is all that life gave you,

the souls collected by the reapers hand,

has come to take you from this land,

this is the end it's all you had,

this is the Dead Man's Hand.