The fires climbed up the hills of the sacred site, cherry blossoms turned orange as they burned, paper lanterns burst from the heat. Now no longer a gentle breeze of spring, the air hot as a dry summer, scented with burnt ash and soot.
*Tink* *Tink* *Tink* *Tink* *Tink* *Tink*
The march of the first wave of green-skinned creatures echoed through the roar of flames; weapons reflecting the dirty orange hue of fire.
*Fwip* *Fwip* *Fwip* *Fwip*
A volley of at least 30 arrows soared through the air. Most embedded themselves into the goblin's bodies; but some bounced off armour, snapping in half as they impacted.
"Fire at will." The Reaper commanded.
A line of shadows stood before Eren, bows drawn, firing without hesitation at the oncoming swarm of goblins.
"Saku, I leave you in charge of protecting the kitsune. Do not let them pass."
Saku stood to the order of the reaper. A contingent of at least 20 shadows was left at its command.
"As you wish." The skeletal entity bowed and took its place alongside the archers. Surveying the fires below.
*Clank* *Clank* *Clank* *Clank* *Clank* *Clank*
Faster than the goblins the knights met at the middle of the hillside. Crude weaponry and armour meet the shadowed steel; sparks flew as blades met, goblins were crushed by sheer weight of the plated shadows, or pierced by an arrow.
Even the shadow mages joined; terramancers rolling rocks down the steep knoll, pyromancers and cryomancers on firefighting duty. One side to stop the fires from spreading, whilst others shot fireballs at the goblin swarm. Even the storm callers joined in, with bolts of lightning striking the goblins from above.
The Reaper stood; leading from the front whip in his left. His right, a shadow dagger that effortlessly slid through armour like a hot knife on butter.
A goblin rushed Eren with a spear; only to be swatted away like an annoying insect, bisected by the bone whip, body pulled into the ring to fuel his growing army.
Although, a goblins soul was worth far less than that of a different creature. One new shadow swordsman was worth about 20 goblins. So, it was necessary to take down as many as possible as quickly as possible.
"Eren!" Koharu called, slicing through three goblins with ease.
"What are you doing?" The colder Reaper spoke back; a bit annoyed at the interruption.
"I'll help." She shouted. Slashing her sword down one through a particularly large goblin with ease.
"Then fight." An indifferent growl from under the mask.
Kohaku nodded at the command; who she spoke to now was a different person then. No longer was the kind man there.
All that was left was the Reaper with eyes of blue. 'He would have killed us at the bathhouse if he wore that mask when we fought.'
*Crash*
Waves impacted against the island. Water rose high into the air; soaking Eren's shadow warriors and even more so the goblins. Another line of boats began to unload more troops on both sides of the temple. Bigger this time, orcish maybe. Or a goblin-orc hybrid.
---
"Stop the fires." The giant white kitsune ordered her children. She was still holding back the bombardment of cannon fire.
"Right mother..." A chorus of voices called out, rushing towards the inferno. Using water from the river, each girl worked together to douse the flames.
Even if the palace was destroyed. The island was still the home of all those that were brought here.
The goblin forces may have been more numerous; but they had a Reaper to fight. That meer fact meant they were already at a disadvantage.
Saku's hollow eyes shifted between the flanks and the centre.
A hand raised; shifting the archers to either side, focusing fire at the sides where the new boats of goblins unloaded.
"Mother... Are you alright?" Tamayo asked, she was holding her own ward up, reinforcing her mothers against the bombardment.
"I'm fine my child... Go to your sisters, they will need you at the- GET DOWN!"
*Sling*
A blade cut deep across her stomach, blood beginning to flow from the cut. The shield flickered, but held against the bombardment of cannon balls that were still fired at it.
"MOTHER!" Tamayo screamed; her voice cracking, she watched in horror as her mother fell to the ground, still holding her hands above her head.
A winged beast landed on the roof; a long-curved sword was held in one of its clawed hands. Black feathered wings, a human female; although her eyes were that of an eagle, and so was her feet.
"Who are-"
Unable to even threaten the winged female she swopped once more.
*Clang*
Tamayo barely blocked the sword with her own. Staggering back; still engaged with the bird.
"I am Taka, 11th in the court of the Dominus. I am here to retrieve Madame Jingfei." It spoke with a shrill voice; like that of a shrieking hawk.
"Then you will have to go through us!" Tamayo shouted back.
*Woosh*
Twin blades from Shinrin clashed with Taka. A pommel strike hit against her stomach. Coughing out she was kicked back.
"Get to our mother... I'll deal with this one." Shinrin ordered her sister.
"Right..." Tamayo replied, although worried for her sister.
She rushed over to her mother. Applying pressure on the wound, blood pouring between her fingers.
---
Kohaku slashed through a line of goblins; she was far faster than any enemy. Not even the orcish ones was a match for her skill.
"Your sisters need you..." The Reaper clasped her shoulder, pulling her away from the fight.
"What about you? There's still more to go." She asked; turning to see another wave of boats approaching from the distance.
"These are weaklings... I can handle them, go!" His hand pointed at the temple. Her sisters battling with a winged creature. Some were trying to get Miyuki inside to treat her injuries, whilst others battled against this bird woman.
Koharu left, bounding up to the fight.
*Slash*
A blade slash down, blocked by Eren. Crushing the goblin's skull in the palm of his hand. The endless waves, the weak goblins, the fire, it all reminded Eren of something long past. A memory not his own though.
*Rumble* *Rumble*
The stone path began to shake violently. The goblins stopped their assault, looking towards the sky.
*FTOOM*
On the bed of the water opened a red gate. No gate back on earth opened like this one. The dark skies lit up by the glowing light that poured from the gate.
Out from its vortex emerged a massive creature. Easily 3-4 meters tall. Covered in black fur; a cow-like head, with horns that twisted backwards, eyes of a sickly red hue. It wore armour over its body; a breastplate of steel. A giant axe that dripped with gore in hand.
Eyes surveying the hill for a moment before locking onto the Reaper himself. The goblins cheered; as it roared out a battle cry and began to move towards Eren.
"Reaper! I am Kor 6th in the court of Dominus." His steps like rolling thunder, shaking the ground with each movement.
"I will take Madame Jingfei, so says the Dominus." He spoke, pointing at the Reaper.
"Kor..." The Reaper whispered; although he never meet the bull, it was intimidating to such an opponent. Not just a brute with a weapon, but a fierce intelligence behind those red eyes.
The goblins retreated behind the brute; a surge of confidence filled them with a loud cheer, like they had already won this fight.
Swapping his dagger for a scythe in hand; a weapon that may have more oomph.
Kor snorted, hot steam billowing out of his nose, eyes narrowed at the Reaper. "Make it a Good… FIGHHHHHHHHT!!!"
---
*BOOOOOOOM*
The earth shock harder this time, Kor's charge was like that of a bulldozer, unstoppable, unyielding. An earthquake shook the island with each step, trees and fire toppled over at the bull's charge.
'Is he creating the tremors?' Too late to think as the axe swung down with enough force to cut Eren in two. It impacted against the ground, splitting it open, shaking it even further.
"Stay still!" The bull roared. Another swing downwards; the axe pulled up rock as well; rocks flicked through the air, embedding themselves into Eren and shadows alike. A stomp crushed several knights at once.
Eren's forces were breached, goblins broke through their ranks, rushing to the top of the hill. Saku's forces met them with blades.
"Eyes to me Reaper!" Kor's fist impacted Eren's face. He flew back, tumbling through the grass until stopped by a burning tree. Coughing; a sharp pain in his stomach forced Eren to double over, blood dripping between the cracks in the mask.
"Too slow Reaper!"
*DOUF* *DOUF*
The bull charged once more; Eren only just managing to leap away from the strike, the axe swung down again, slicing the tree clean in half, the bull spun, swinging up a chunk of rock, dirt, and debris into the air; knocking Eren back once more.
'I'm sorry Koharu, but I have to use it...' Eren thought to himself; rolling to the side to dodge a downward strike. His eyes locked with Kor, but only for a brief second before dodging away from another swing.
*Fwoosh*
The orange hue of burning turned to white hot flames, like that of the sun. The Reapers flame. A burning inferno fed on already blazing fires.
A surge of power shot through Eren's veins. Shadow knights began to rise again from the ground; stronger than ever. Weapons a light with white flames. A resurgence from beyond the veil.
"Eh, you're the one that burned our outpost to the south? 'Cleansing fire.'"
The white flames roared; lashing green skin. Screams of agony as goblins turned to the water for salvation. Jumping into the river, only for the white flame to continue to burn.
"Hmmm? I see now. Another day then. RETREAT!" Kor bellowed his thunderous voice over the battlefield, ordering the goblins to retreat to the gate.
'What is he doing?' The Reaper thought to himself. The sudden retreat of the goblins was surprising; in fact, the entire battle was unexpected, the goblins should never have attacked like this, nor with this much force. 'There is another hand at work here.'
Kor jumped high into the air; landing with a thunderous bang, shockwaves along the hillside began to buckle even more, rocks began to split and tear from one another. A volcanic eruption without the lava, just the spittle of large rocks.
Spreading the white fire uncontrollably. Blaze that had reached the temple.
The temple atop the hill began to crumble as the earth itself broke apart; no longer capable of sustaining itself after such tremors.
"Until we meet again Reaper... I'll remember you! For a great battle will take place!!!" Kor vanished back through the portal of red.
*WAPOOOOOM*
As big as the entrance was the exit was equally as powerful. A crater of water was formed and quickly filled back in. The battle was over, The Reaper had won. So why did it feel like a bitter victory?
***
White fire burned away everything in its path. Goblin bodies lay about, some still burning, but most had already been reduced to ash. Shadow warriors still roamed about the island; clearing away any stragglers.
The temple now lay in a fiery ruin. Parts collapsed under its own weight after the quakes caused by Kor or burning away from the white fire.
"Master..." Saku's skull was covered with ash. Still, it bowed to its master.
"The Kitsune have taken many casualties from the tremor that shook the island." Saku reported; as always, it spoke in a monotone hollow voice.
"How many?"
"Unknown. I will have your forces expedite the search for survivors." It bowed again and left to its effort.
Many fox bodies lay about the courtyard; many at the base of Miyuki's feet, her white kimono stained in the crimson blood of the dead ones.
Shinrin lay with her throat slit with a deep gash; Tamayo cradled her too. An arm missing from her right.
That bird beast; her goal to disrupt the backline a clear success. Her speed to great her the ground based kitsune.
"Eren..."
A faint voice whispered from behind. Turning to see a half burned, half crushed Koharu on the ground, she was bleeding from the mouth and a large hole in her abdomen.
"Koharu?! I've got you..." He picked her up carefully, avoiding aggravating any of her wounds. Taking off his mask, Eren looked down with a sorrowful expression.
"My sisters... My Mother?"
Eren remained silent; many foxes had died; some by the quake, some by sword wounds and regretfully some seem to have even caught fire from his own blaze.
Koharu was too weak to move her eyes to the temple, but she could imagine the destruction the battle left on it.
"They're still looking for survivors."
She seemed relieved; a sigh of contentment as the pain left her face.
"Did we win?"
"Yeah..." Eren replied; although a hollow victory it was. The more his eyes took in the details of a burnt battled, the deeper his heart sank.
Madame Jingfei was nowhere to be seen. Already she was running back to her spider's web.
"Thank you for... everything." She smiled weakly, raising her hand to trace Eren's face.
"Can I join?"
"Join?" Eren questioned with a confused look.
"Your army... Like the other shadows... It would be an honour."
Eren was silent for a moment; brushing aside her ash filed hair; eyes slowly closing with every laboured breath.
"Why? Your soul will be copied. The original will pass on and the copy will be bound to me for all eternity. Until the day I die. Is that really what you want?" His voice was calm, without any malevolence or half-truths. This was Koharu's choice.
"You're a hero... You help people and I want to help too." She smiled once more; her vision blurring in and out of focus. She barely knew this man but his actions, he doesn't hurt out of power or greed. But for doing the right thing.
'A hero?' A hero is someone who saves people, helps people who need it most. So why does he feel like a monster?
Her golden eyes closed for the final time. Her hand dropped from Eren's face.