Return to Darkness

He cowered down into the darkness. He saw lights coming toward him, but had no idea what they meant. The lights had been marching for several days, almost a week, so that they were now very tired lights, each wishing for a soft down mattress but instead having to do with hard earth and rocks. The lights were in fact the paladins of the recently ennobled King of the Thyresal, or Diehard Sygcento. They were marching to what was to be the Great War of that time, and had only been given notice by the Emperor two weeks before that they were to proceed to the city of Mingalthibae, where the main forces of the enemy were going to attack. Messages had been immediately been sent out to all of the widespread villages and outposts across the country to meet at the main stronghold of that region as soon as time would allow. Those in the path of the march would join as the army passed.
The paladins had one purpose in life. They defended Diehard Sygcento with their lives and souls. If nothing else would suffice, then they would fight like caged beasts and pile up their own bodies before any enemy lay a hand (or other limb) on the King of the Thyresal. For several decades now the enemy had been massing forces on and around Sindebar, an area of land with no growth on it, except for those who did his bidding.
Meanwhile, the paladins heard the horn blow, and, dismounting wearily, set about making camp. Sygcento was busy talking to some of his men, and they went tiredly about their duties. Nevertheless, sentries attended their posts, and fires sprung up, or not, if someone had lost their kit or were just too tired to bother. Suddenly there was a commotion off to the side of the camp. Several men were pulling a bedraggled … man into the encampment. He looked wildly around, and seemed to be looking for something. He was brought before the King, who commanded him to explain his doings in that particular area. All he did was whimper, looking up at the King with large, fearful eyes.
“Give this bedraggled thing a bed”, said the King in disgust. His expression softened, and he said “And give him some food. He looks nearly starved to death.” The man merely whimpered, and would not touch the warm broth placed on the ground in front of him. As the King bent down to watch him, an arrow twanged into the wooden tent post where he had been standing. He immediately dropped to the ground, and began shouting orders as fast as he could. More arrows thudded into tents or trees: some found arms or legs, and a few dropped men where they stood. But no man flinched. It was each his own duty to arm himself and prepare to defend his King. But none of them, even the King, had any idea of how the enemy had found them so easily, without the paladins discovering one or more of their scouts. Then the drums started. The five who stayed near Sygcento all the time were helping him into his armor, while putting their shields in a protective barrier around him. The drums were growing louder very quickly, but by now the paladins had formed a defensive triple-circle around the camp, about 90 feet in diameter, and the archers were already firing into the darkness, penetrating it with their keen eyes. Then there was a squeal, followed by a thump, and the five paladins turned to see what had hit their shields. An enemy had had wings attached to his back and had been fired from a launcher. One of the paladin quickly dispatched him. Those not in the circle were preparing herbs and dressings for those wounded in the fray. Then the first wave of the enemy hit them. The archers had drawn back now, shooting over the heads of their comrades. The others had stuck pikes into the ground which the enemy would run into. This they did, but it was soon rendered useless by the fact that the enemy ran over their own dead to get at the paladin. Then the paladin unsheathed their swords in mighty ring of steel, and prepared to propel the foul hordes back to the hellish place from whence they came. This went on for about ten minutes, until suddenly a huge voice boomed out, inflicting fear on all who heard. A few of the paladins kept fighting, but most could not move. They were slaughtered where they stood, and the King and his five, still able to move, faced the enemy that rushed in through the great breaches formed in the circle. They fought valiantly, but it was no use. One, two went down, hit by arrows that were coated in poison. A third, and then all movement ceased. The lord of all darkness strode to the center.
SO IT COMES TO THIS, the wordless voice roared. The King, struggling from his wounds, replied
“Indeed it does. What do you intend to do with us? Attempt to kill us?”
NO, I WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO KILL YOU. I WILL KILL YOU!
“I doubt that”, Diehard Sygcento said.
INDEED? A BRAVE SOUL, TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE. BUT DO NOT WASTE MY TIME. AFTER YOU I MUST GO TO MINGALTHIBAE TO DESTROY EVERY ESSENCE OF YOUR KIND THERE. And with that, the fearsome Lord took his great sword and killed the two remaining paladin, and then picked up Diehard and prepared to eat him. Although having received various wounds, Diehard still held his sword, and as he fell through the mouth, he stuck it forward, jamming the throat, and the Dark Lord howled in pain. He toppled, making a hole in the ground as he fell. The remaining hordes had split up to devour the remaining paladins, and continued to scatter as they realized they had no leader.
A small … man crept away from the battle. Scared, he crawled and slithered away, to darkness…