23 Tormen (2/2)

I stared limply at the sky and asked. ”Why god? Why did you allow this to happen? Why did you let me become their commander If I was just going to get them killed? Why did I prepare this much only to fail? I did everything to be ready, I trained them as much as I was able, but they still died, I still killed them.”

I looked down at my hands, they were literally stained with the blood of my comrades. What else can I say? What can I do, what do I do now? Then the answer came, a horrible answer. One I shouldn't have, but its the only answer I have now.

I stood up, fueled by a new strength. I went into the barn, my friends contorted faces forever burned into my mind. I reached out and closed Joseph's eyes, then Mathew's, I dislodged them and discarded those cursed spears. I took out those cruel weapons that bound my deceased friends, then put Josephs and Mathew's bodies on my shoulders.

I took them out of the barn, I slowly walked back to camp with my burden, and I was slowed by their weight as well. When I arrived back at our camp, I carefully laid Joseph and Mathew down. Then turned and started walking back to the town, only saying to the bewildered troops observing me.

”Get someone to preserve their bodies and get them on the first caravan to their homeland.” I waited a few moments and no one moved, I shouted in a fiery outburst ”NOW!!!” They hurried to fulfill my request out of the fear for their own lives.

I retrieved Rachel and Dontae and laid them with Mathew and Joseph, silently offering a prayer.

”god, have mercy on these great men and women, they died furthering your kingdom. Please punish me if you must, but please allow my friends to finally live in peace at your side. Amen.”

I turned from the camp thoughtless, my only drive was now a smoldering hatred in my core. I returned to the barn and retrieved all the weapons that were used on my friends. I cleaned them, knowing them not worthy of spilling such innocent blood. I stored all the weapons and started a hypocritical quest for justice.

I used my wisp to search for any traces of the demons, I eventually followed them to a forested clearing. I waited until the veil of night enveloped their camp, they sang and danced, claiming a ”great” victory. That's when I struck.

Casting [Drowning Sphere] I extinguished their fires, then any other light that remained. Confused cries riddled the camp, I cast [Light Vision], this allowed me to see in the dark.

There were roughly 100 demons in the encampment, I have 23 knives, a dagger, and two spears. That should be enough, I started my work. Taking out the knives, I started throwing them at all the demons encircling the central bonfire. My training and a little magic allowed each one of the 23 to find its spot, embedded in a demon's throat. The remaining demons were frightened and confused, but they had no idea what was happening because anyone that would know was choking on their own blood.

There were 37 demons still alive around the smoldering embers that was a bonfire. ”Hmm.” I thought, ”How am I going to do this as painfully as possible, oh I know. demons have some resistance to fire, some.”

I cast [Great Inferno] a better version of [Flame Inferno], this engulfed anyone not drowning on their own blood in flames. I was blinded for a second, I had to close my eyes to escape the blinding light. I forgot to dispel [Light Vision] which enhances the amount of light you can see, almost blinding me due to the huge inferno. It took several seconds for my eyes to readjust. When they did, the sight before me was astounding in a cynical way.

The demons caught in my spell were completely set ablaze, their skin was melting off the bone by a flame so intense, only magic could accomplish. Their screams of terror were akin to the melody of a song, yes, it was the melody of death and I was its conductor.

As the demons slowly burned to death, I sat down near the bonfire next to a flaming demon. I pulled out a sausage that I was given as provisions for the field and stuck it on the end of the dagger. Then roasted it with the flame blazing off an unmoving demon next to me. I cooked it, rotating it slightly where it needed, eventually, it sizzled and glistened with grease. I sat back and enjoyed my heinous snack as I listened to the screams of terror from the flaming demons.

I heard voices behind me, I stood up and looked saw the remaining demons holding their weapons in my direction. I licked my fingers, removing the remaining grease, then pulled out the spears smiling an atrocious smile. Beckoning the remaining 40 to try their luck, they took a step back with fear in their eyes, good, they know what comes next.

I rushed forward holding the two spears in front of me, I ran 10 demons through with the two spears. I let go of the spears, leaving the demons to look at each other with blank eyes as they died on the same pole. I drew my dagger, I didn't have any more creativity for the remaining 30, they started running anyway. I chased them, killing all of them one by one until the light of dawn broke.

After finishing my terrible work, I stood there covered in dark blood that was not my own staring at the rising sun. I had hoped that taking my revenge would fill this hollow feeling in my chest, but my deeds had only made it much, much worse.