Devourer

Chapter 95: The Fall Part 7

Jyn grimaced as he swung his warhammer and smashed the head of one of the smaller hive monsters. He cast his gaze upwards and saw the monsters atop the wall attacking the defenders. The defenders were slowly but surely being pushed back. Even now he could see soldiers taking the fast way down the wall after being tackled by one of the beasts. It was blatantly obvious that the beasts were not concerned about their own safety. They would gladly kill themselves if it meant they took one of their enemies down with them.

Jyn turned around to check on the war archers behind him. Jyn and the rest of his strike team were on the roofs since the beasts are showing some restraint with regards to collateral damage. So as it stands the best way to traverse the city is via the rooftops. The problem is that this makes it difficult to move enough soldiers to reinforce the walls. 

So this is where the strike teams came in. They were supposed to draw the enemy’s attention and provide covering fire from above the streets. Even now he could see the archers firing down into streets, covering the soldiers below. The soldiers were struggling because the beasts were still emerging from the ground. But they were spacing out in accordance with Zariman anti hive tactics. Spread out and create overlapping kill zones, the only way to counter this is to cave in the entire section of ground but that may cause the surrounding buildings to collapse.

In Zarima this was viable because the land was basically sand and so it was soft. Thus the beasts emerge from tunnels. The Hives in Zarima could not create giant cavities to cave in due to the soft nature of the sand but here in the harder soil that was certainly an option. For now the beasts were sticking to tunnels which means it was still possible to contain. If too many tunnels appeared the streets would cave in anyway so thus far it looks like the amount of tunnels appearing was few. However, tunnels have begun appearing a distance away allowing the beast to mass and launch assaults.

It was terrifying honestly, like fighting a giant intelligent creature that constantly adapts and changes strategies. A creature that did not care for its losses, this was perfectly consistent with what has been recorded of Hives. They win as long as they take ground, for they can simply drag the corpses back underground and reassimilate the bodies.

All the archers were using the standard spell [Penetrating Shot]; these were archers that were specialized for warfare. So they were naturally more well trained than your average army archer. Many of them were part of the Capital Guard, specialists trained to defend this city. As it stands the archers have been dispatched along the roofs with an escort of melee warriors to provide overwatch for those below.

“We need to get moving.” Jyn said to the rest of his adventurer team. At least what used to be an adventurer team. They used to be a gold rank team but they left the guild when news of the deal with the Great Beast came to light. They still kept their gold plates believing they were the true members of the Adventurer’s guild. Adventurers were meant to fight monsters, not ally with them.

“Yeah I’m not sure how long those guys on the wall can last.” his teammate the rogue, Quinn said.

“If we lose the wall the only place left to defend is the palace itself. Then we are just waiting to die at that point.” Jyn said and they began to press forward along with the rest of the reinforcements. 

Jyn raised his hammer and smashed another beast across the head. He felt the bone crack and the beast collapsed onto the roof, its body twitching. They were getting closer, just a few more houses to go. Then Jyn spotted something on the wall.

This massive spider-like creature crawled up the side of the wall. It had six legs with four of them forward facing. The front legs were covered with armor plates and its body was this strangely shaped almost humanoid looking body. It didn’t have arms and the torso looked hunched over. On its back protruded this long cylinder that pointed outwards. He could see a pair of large eyes on its head as it scanned the surroundings.

The monster dug’s legs into the wall and seemingly sat down. It was then that Jyn noticed that the front armored legs formed a kind of shield. The long cylinder shaped protrusion rested atop the shield as the beast pointed the cylinder down from the wall and right at the group of soldiers in the streets below.

Jyn felt his blood go cold when he saw the tip of the cylinder open up revealing a maw. He realized something was going to come out of it. 

“GET OFF THE STREET!” Jyn screamed at the soldiers below.

Then he heard this strange gurgling sound from above the wall. He turned to see that strange beast’s long cylindrical maw seemingly scrunch up for a moment. Then it spat this strange black orb at the group of soldiers below.

Instantly he saw a barrier materialize in front him, it was just in time considering as soon as the orb reached the soldiers it exploded. Jyn ducked and shielded his face as he heard the barrier crackle as if struck by something. When he looked back up he saw the barrier was cracked but holding. Then Jyn noticed there were these strange spines on the roof tiles beyond the barrier. They were as long as a man’s pinky finger and thin as a blade. Jyn tentatively looked down over the edge of the roof and he saw a good portion of the soldiers were still fine thanks to the quick reaction of the mages. However, the hastily erected barriers couldn’t cover everyone and now numerous soldiers now lay dead or dying on the streets.

Some of the archers on the roofs were also caught in the attack and many were now incapicated or killed.

Jyn heard a beastial growl from atop the wall, he turned to see the giant artillery beast raise its cylindrical appendage for a moment before lowering it again.

“GET OFF THE STREET!” Jyn screamed again and immediately the soldiers below began to scatter into the surrounding buildings. He watched as knights kicked down doors and stormed in. The houses in the inner city were quite large so it looks like most of them were going to end up in two houses.

“ALL OF YOU GET OFF THE ROOF!” Jyn shouted as the archers and other soldiers on the roof.

Then the mad scramble, Jyn turned to see the beast pausing as it shifted its aim to the group on the roofs across the street. By now the lesser beasts were intensifying their attack, taking advantage of the confusion and many soldiers were being overwhelmed. One of the archers on the roofs across the street was tackled by a beast and the two tumbled off the slanted roof right onto the streets below. He heard her horrible screams for a moment before it was quickly silenced by the beasts that have started massing below.

Jyn looked down to see a balcony below him and he jumped down along with the rest of the soldiers. Just as he turned to enter the building he saw another shot land at the soldiers who were on the roof across the street. He saw them get shredded, many screamed as they were knocked onto the slanted roofs and ended up tumbling off landing hard onto the hard stones below. 

“Shit, get inside!” Jyn shouted and one of his teammates kicked the glass door open. Allowing them entry into the large estate. He turned to look at the balcony just in time to see beasts emerge up the edge of the balcony and they pulled a few of the archers right off the balcony. They fell screaming down onto the streets below. Some of the warriors turned to beat back the beasts giving the archers and mages room to retreat.

But just when he thought they were going to get most of their fellows through he caught a glimpse of a black orb appearing before exploding right next to the balcony. Jyn flinched and shielded his face. Again it seems he got lucky, when he looked up again he saw how lucky he truly was. The blast had not only sent those spines in every direction it had also sent all the glass on the door and windows into the room.

As far as he could see most of his team was alright because there were other soldiers in front of them. Which also meant the people who were in front of him were not in the best state at the moment…

“Get the wounded away from the windows.” Jyn shouted and the unharmed soldiers began dragging the wounded out of the room.

As Jyn started dragging a wounded archer out the door he turned to see a small girl staring at him eyes wide in terror. Then a woman rounded the corner and froze when she saw them. Then the archer he was dragging suddenly coughed and Jyn looked down to see the blood that was coughed out was black like ink.

He then noticed that the wounds on his face that had been caused by spines had black veins radiating from the wounds.

“The spines are poisoned.” one of his team members suddenly shouted.

“Can you cleanse the poison?” Jyn asked the priestess of his party Jassie. Who coincidentally was also the only healer in this entire group of combatants since most of the priesthood decided to stay in the safe zones to protect the civilians. Apparently word got out that the beasts respected the priesthood's sacrosanct status in times of war. However, the priests or priestess that were in the rogue adventurer parties were now considered free game for the enemy. 

Jassie tried to heal one of the wounded but nothing happened and the black veins continued to spread. Jyn looked down to see the archer he was holding onto was now gagging, his lips were turning purple, the whites of his eyes were now red, blood leaked from his eyes and nose and foam leaked from the corner of his mouth.

Whatever this poison was, it looked fatal…

“Q! Do you have an antidote that might work?” Jyn asked.

“For all of them? Do I look like a walking alchemist’s shop?” the rogue, Quinn sputtered in response.

“Just try to save one of them, we need to know if anything you have works. You carry multiple doses right?” Jyn said.

“Got it.” Quinn muttered in response as he chose a random lucky soldier to try to save.

“Jass stay safe, you are  our only healer if you go down the rest of us are done.” Jyn said to Jassie who nodded stiffly.

Jyn turned to look at the mother and child who were still staring at all of them in shock.

“Ma’am you need to find somewhere saf…” Jyn began but he was cut off.

“THEY’RE COMING THROUGH THE WINDOWS!” Jyn suddenly heard someone shout. 

Jyn turned to see a pair of archers firing into the doorway the group just emerged from. 

“Move the wounded out of the way!” Jyn shouted.

“They’re already as good as dead!” one of the archers shouted in response.

“Then do you want to trip over their corpses?” Jyn shot back.

Hearing this the rest of the soldiers began to drag the dying out of the way to make some space. 

“GO!” Jyn shouted at the mother and the child. The mother flinched before picking up the young girl and sprinting away in the other direction.

Then he heard the splintering of wood and he saw a door in the corridor ahead of him splinter to pieces as more beasts poured out and started flooding the hallway.

“WHAT DO WE DO? WHERE DO WE GO?” one of the mages shouted in panic.

Then Jyn heard the sound of splintering wood and cracking stone from above and he looked up to see a white blade emerge from the ceiling. They were trying to break into the roof from the ceiling. They couldn’t stay here, they weren’t retaking the wall at this rate. Not when they are pinned down in the houses. They needed to retreat quickly before the beasts killed them all. No sense martyring themselves for nothing.

“We need to retreat, get down to the ground floor, we need to regroup with the others!” Jyn responded as the group all prepared to move.

“Leave the wounded! We need to move now!” Jyn shouted and the what’s left of his group began retreating down the hallway. From what he could tell they were at least moving away from the wall. Even if they were pinned against the edge of the building they could at least attempt to jump. Even if some broke bones from the jump at least they had a priestess to get some of them back on their feet. If they were trapped in this hallway, they were all dead.

The group stormed down the hallway, the archers and mages constantly hurling projectiles at the beasts that were hot on their tail. But no matter how many died, the beasts just climbed over their dead fellows and kept up the pursuit. Luckily for them they came across this downward spiral staircase. Thank the divine for stupid pointless spiral staircases, good thing they were fighting in some rich man’s mansion…

Jyn turned to see the beasts were still coming and a pair of warriors at the back of the group stopped to buy some time. An archer joined them and began firing what was left of her arrows at the charging beasts. If the beasts got into the spiral stairway, they could just jump down the stairwell and right into the group.

The group rushed down the stairs and Jyn looked up to see one of the warriors being tackled by a beast that had just barreled right into him. 

“GO LEAVE US!” the archer shouted down the stairwell right as another beast contacted the other warrior.

Jyn grit his teeth as they continued to rush down the stairs. Jyn smashed his way through the door at the bottom of the stairs and took the nearest door. He saw he was in a room with a window that led out of the building.

“Out the window!” Jyn shouted, he ran forward and he reached the window just to see a group of soldiers running down the street back into the city. Then he saw another black orb fly in and decimate the group. It killed most of them but some managed to get up seemingly unharmed. Jyn had a feeling something like this would happen but at least this way they had a chance…

Then he saw another black orb fly in and kill the rest…

What was that?

That beast couldn’t fire that quickly last time…

Jyn gingerly peeked out the window and he felt his heart sink when he saw one more of those artillery beasts had taken position on top of the wall with another one currently setting itself up. If they ran out into the streets now they were dead…

They needed to use the buildings but the beasts would catch up…

“JYN! What are you doing? What’s the plan?” Jassie asked from behind him.

Jyn grit his teeth and made his decision, it wasn’t much of a decision since this was the same mentality for the entire defense of this capital. 

“We need to take our chances…” Jyn replied as he saw beasts emerge from the alleys and started finishing off the survivors from the bombardment.

“You want us to go out there?” Jassie sputtered as she looked at the beasts tearing the survivors to pieces just outside.

“If we stay here we’re all dead.” Jyn said but as Jassie was about to reply he felt the ground tremble. Something big just landed next to the building.

Jyn turned to see a large white blade carve a gash in the wall. Then the walls glowed and in an instant the entire wall was torn off, revealing none other than the Great Beast of the Elysian woods.

Jyn gulped as he looked up at the smiling monster as it loomed over them. 

Hello there little lambs…