A Man's World: Chapter 2, The Horned General

"This is insane", spoke Wei as she touched both of her triplets shoulders.

"Who would have thought that mere mercenaries would come to the defense of The Dragon Kingdom", chuckled Wu.

"I guess father was right when he said that the impossible was possible", whispered Shu.

"Of course father was right", declared Wei. "When had father ever been wrong?"

"Probably when he ate that snake", countered Shu.

"Sister!" Wu nearly fainted from the shock! "Father's passing was less than a month ago! Have some ..."

"Dignity. Don't you dare say dignity, our promiscuous ..."

Wu's face lit up like a tomato. "Leave me and Katsumoto's relationship out of this!"

"He has been dead for a month", spoke Wei suddenly. She had been quite for a moment deciding how she felt about the entire situation. "I mean we have talked about people hours after they passed before."

"But they were not our father", countered Wu!

"Was our father", corrected Shu. "He is dead now, and thus he is part of the earth. May his soul ..."

"Watch your tong Shu! By the heavens if you dishonor our beloved ..."

"He was beloved by you Wu", stared Wei. "Not by all of us. You were his favorite so you did not know."

"Know what", spoke the maiden.

"The evil our father ..., hold on a second the commander of the Temple Mercenaries is passing by."

"Hey, you can't just ..."

"Hold your tongs!" The decree came out as thunder as Thora marched down the line of soldiers in the courtyard. "Damn fools keep yapping at your mouths!"

"It does not take that much cursing", spoke a man in glasses.

"Bah! You can ..."

"We do not have time for useless arguments", spoke LordNoodleXIV as he and Magnus took center stage. Behind the duo was a extraordinary obsessed man with a finely crafted suit with a very particular wand in hand. Next to him was a beast of a women who stood six feet tall, and wore strange clothing. She wore a white button shirt that could not contain her bust and a skirt far to short to be considered modest. The wild look of her hair and eyes and the bulging muscle that rose up from her prefect skin told the tale of a fearsome yet beautiful warrior.

"Listen up", shouted the women as she stepped forward. Her blessings bounced the entire way. "We are going to take back the city of Sparta!" A cry of celebration filled the entire courtyard as the mercenaries rallied behind their own banners. It was a chance to not only earn some gold, but to show what they could do. Not only that, but they could gain the admiration and respect of the Dragon Crown. After this mission the life as a sell sword could be over for many or their ascension into greatness could come swiftly.

"Calm yourselves", came a cry from Thora. Her booming voice drowned out all the cheers and left everyone stunned.

"Thank you", spoke the bustly maiden. "To keep things short my name is Rei and I am a battle mage. The man next to me is my brother and his name is Ray. He is a talented wizard with skills beyond that of any mage you have ever known."

Whispers began to fill the crowd as some began to question the legitimacy of her statement. Before this all could disrupt her speech Ray called upon the magic in his body and channeled it into his staff. The staff shined with a evil aura and the sky itself ripped open. Screams of terror filled the air, but it was not just from the men looking up, but from the sight that floated above their heads. It was Sparta, and the beastmen were ravaging the now defenseless city.

"Do not turn away", shouted Rei as she noticed several warrior looking away, and others attempting to flee. This is the hell we are about to step into and the hell you all will stop! This is Sparta! This is the current fate of our countrymen, our brothers, our sisters, and our fellow humans! If you all do not hold fast to your courage this will be the fate of your own city!"

The last of her words stopped the deserters in their tracks. The idea of that kind of horror befalling their own home town was enough to battle back the fear that wailed up inside of them. The fear of this new magic they just witness. The fear of the battle that took place above their heads. The fear of the terror the beastmen were inflicting upon the people.

"We must fight! If we chose to turn away the beast men will conquer the Dragon Kingdom. For many of us this will be the end of our homes. For some of us this will be the start of the fall of your own. For you who are not our brother's I will remind you that it is better to fight a war in someone else home than in your own. For you who are my brother I ask you to stand for your nation and put a stop to this scourge. For you who just want to make coin, well we have plenty of it! You will be well paid! For you who want justice ..."

"Hey women", came a cry as a young mercenary strolled out of the Temple Mercenaries lines. "Just shut up and take us to the fight! Your brother can teleport right", shouted Straw as a evil smile crossed his face. "Teleprot me to that battlefield already! I got a few beast that my axe wants to kill!"

A hour later

"Shit", cursed Straw as he pulled himself off the ground. Every bone in his body ached and every fiber of his being told him to stay down. Before him he watched as the Horned General did battle with the three heroes. The wounded Warhammer. Axeless axe, and the heroic archer. The three acted in complete harmony fighting against their unrelenting foe. Even still it was clear that victory was going to be a long shot away.

"Impressive", shouted The Horned General as his axe cut nothing but air. Warhammer attempted to stab his shortsword into the gap in his armor, but a quick jerk caused the blade to strike nothing, but adamantine. Each blow dulling the already poor edge of his blade.

With a quick back hand the Minotaur knocked the fighter away, only to have a arrow streak by his face.

"Persistent bitch", he shouted as he tossed his axe at the archer. His weapon cut though the air like lighting, but it was too slow to ever hit Sam. The moment he moved to throw the weapon from his arm she was already on the move. He might as well be trying to hit a fly.

"Combination attack", shouted Axe as he charged forward with his shield. The hunk of steel slammed into the knee of the beast causing it to take a step back. Warhammer rushed forward and threw his body straight into the other knee. The twin blows knocked the beast off his feet as Sam rushed in from above.

"Say good night", she roared as she fired off a arrow. The arrow head fired straight down toward the Horn General's exposed eye.

"Damn humans", he cursed as he turned his head. The arrow slammed against his sturdy helm. With a fearsome kick he knocked Axe away.

A sharp pain entered his leg as Warhammer stabbed his shortsword between one of his plates, but the chainmail that guarded the area prevented him from getting in a good blow.

"Damn! He even has adamantine between his plates!"

"Enough!" The Horne general kicked at Warhammer. The warrior jumped backwards dodging the blow.

"Normally I would use a magic arrow, but ...", started Sam as she fired off a magical arrow from her bow. The arrow slammed into the General's magic barrier and had no effect. "My magic is useless! This barrier must stop sixth tier spells and bellow!"

"Of course", stated the Horned General boldly as he got to his feet. Axe charged in again, but his two handed swing of his axe forced the man to jump backwards.

"Your magic is useless, and you don't have the strength to beat me physically!"

"Horse shit", spat Warhammer! "The only reason you are alive is because your armor is made up of adamantine! If it was not for ..."

"The battlefield is no place to be crying", stated axe.

"Hmph, your words speak true human", chuckled the Horn General. "When you die I will remember your name. Speak it so that I may know the name of the human who has earned my respect."

"Axe! I was born to the weapon and I will die by it as well!"

"Bold and truthful!"

"Martial Arts!"

"Watch out", screamed Warhammer!

"Swallow strike", declared the Horned General as his axe blurred. Three strikes appeared in space and rushed toward axe. A explosion of force shook the air as the attack hit it's mark.

   "One down and ...", the Horned General stopped in his place. Standing before him was a dark skin man dressed in the garb of a exotic wizard.

"Impressive", spoke the man as he stared at the beast. "Three strikes at the very same time, and from range! I have to say such a skill would be the envy of any blademaster, but ..."

"Noodle", shouted Sam!

"Damn! Why did he have to show up", cursed Warhammer.

"You know I am ... hey Jamaul"!

"Don't you fucking say it!"

"It looks like you have ..."

"If you say it, I will ..."

"No let me", spoke the Horn General as he swung his axe with both hands toward LordNoodleXIv. The blade cut though the air at twice the speed it did before. A loud thunder filled the air as the blade made contact with Noodle's flesh.

"Adamantine", spoke Noodle calmly as his right hand blocked the weapon. The mythical metal bent around his arm. "It is such a soft metal."

"Im ..." That was the last thing the Horned General ever said.

"Dragon Force", spoke Noodle as he doubled the physical force of the blow he received and sent it back straight into the general's face. The force caused his head to pop like a balloon.

"If only you had been born a human", spoke Noodle as he looked down at the corpse. "I might have let you live."