In The World Of Sword And Magic As Space Marine - Chapter 145: The Second Shot

“Open your eyes. ‘God’ is nothing more than a construct created by man to inspire fear and promote order. If you wish to see me struck down, for all these atrocities, use your own hands to do so, not ‘God’s’.” By Fuhrer King Bradley/Wrath the Furious from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

———

Tiamat roar high up towards the sky as all five heads open its mouths and some even stretch its jaw as if it wants to get used to the new environment. Around her, the ritual site was in silence as many of the cult wizards and warlocks killed their breaths to hear the answer of their divination.

The main camp was wowed as their life work came to fruition. Some were member since their grandparents first joined while some followed the ancient religion through blood and sacrifice of innocent people’s lives and many joined not that long ago as their desire of material wealth and power attracted them.

At first, the massive ritual was nothing but possible failure that could attract some unwanted attention.

A ritual related to summoning a goddess, a Dragon Queen is something no normal people will do out of curiosity. The only reason every member of the cult participated is because the final message of gathering was sent by the highest member of the cult.

The message was clear. ‘Come out from the shadows to block out the very sun itself.’ A message that indicate to everyone from the organization to emerge out from the underground and gather to make one for the history book.

When legion of cultists gathered in the final place on top of the mountain, the leader of the highest rank presented himself with the Mask of the Dragon Queen, fully assembled and ready to release Tiamat from her imprisonment in the Nine Hells. With new motivation, reason and mission of life time. Many of the cultists spread out all directions to gather key materials for the ritual, especially living mortal for their souls.

Just like how Khrone doesn’t care where the blood comes from, the ritual demands large number of souls to weakened the barrier between two realms so that Tiamat can break it through. In text book, its a task that could be done with massive effort but time consuming. A time in which cultists realized that they don’t have as army of unkown forces against their mission was coming with unimaginable firepower and number of troops.

The cultists of the Dragon Queen sent out army after army to stop the unkown force and continued to fail as their every attempt end up with destruction of the forces that was assmebled to help Dragon Queen enslave the world. In the end, three armies was wiped out from the world as their masses were completely destroyed by what mortals can describe as smite from the Heaven itself. This it turned out to be a blessing for the Dark Lady.

Without knowing the source of the ritual and very thing that fuel the weakening of the barrier. William’s orbital bombardment resulted in massive number of death and their mortal souls sent to the ritual spell as at that point, the ritual was gainaing and spreading its range beyond the cultists’ main camp.

“I can taste the air! I can sense the mortals and every living beings around me! I have truly returned!” The Dragon Queen said with disregard towards her followers and step forward. Around her, many of the chromatic dragons bow their heads to show respect to their goddess and mother of all dragons. Meanwhile, cultists simply kneel and bow down as their presence isn’t worthy enough for the goddess herself. Except for one who wore the Mask of the Dragon Queen.

“Oh, the Dark Lady! You have blessed us with your very presence! The Cult of the Dragon is here to serve you and fullfill your wishes!” Ver the Ravenwing, now the high rank among the cultists and self claimed High Lord Priest step forward to greet his goddess to the mortal world.

“Who dare to talk to me without my permission?” The five headed dragons all shift their direction of the heads towards where the voice came from. The elemental presence coming from the five dragons immediately killed the closest cultists as their lives are no matter for the Dragon Queen. For her, their uses are no longer in need and lives of mortals can be replaced easily.

“It is I, the one who gathered your masks and completed the ritual to free you from the grasp of hell itself.” Val said with courage he could muster up from his spirit and soul. It was his time to shine and receive his reward for his devotion to the Dark Lady. All the killing, betrayal, and sacrifice he made led to this point where he is now facing the deity herself.

“My name is Ver the Ravenwing. The High Lord Priest of your following and loyal servant of the Dragon Cult.”

“I have sensed your presence before thanks to the mask you are wearing. So, you are the one who started the ritual for my return.”

“Yes! I’m the one who brought you here. I’m the one who completed the ritual and waits your order.”

“NO! You may have started the ritual but you didn’t completed it to bring me here. I sense a different being with strange power. A power that is hidden right now but formidable if given enough time.” Said Tiamat as she raise her heads high up towards the direction where William is.

“But my lady, I have done everything you have asked us to do. Are we welcome to your world? Will you give us the rewards you promised to our forefathers?”

“You demand a reward for half a work? I should be giving my blessing to the one who finished the work instead of you, who show great incompetent.” Tiamat raise her right front paw and crush the test Ver was standing near by. The crushing power of the Dragon Queen killed dozen followers but didn’t killed Ver as his Mask of Dragon Queen protected him.

“I will decide who will get my blessing and who is deemed unworthy. You are allowed to live at this moment to gather every followers you can muster. I sense battles coming from all around us. But first, I must meet this one mortal who summoned me.” With that said before Ver can inform the Dark Lady, the threat of William’s forces, she disappeared from where she stood using teleportation magic.

“Gather everyone and be ready to move. I’m taking the half of the forces to take charge of the frontline. Other half of you will relocate our base to secondary area and wait for us.” Ver said to everyone and mass the enough people to form a small army. With reward so close but still far from grasping it, Ver decided to make best out of things by bringing a victory to the Dark Lady.

———

William was facing a crater and finish giving orders to all his Battle Brothers. Aftermath of the Nove Cannon was destrctive and effective beyond his imagination. The item gave clear image of area that will be effected by the orbital bombardment but it didn’t give additional information such as beyond blast radius of shockwave and impact debris. It took few minutes to have clear view after dust settled and able to mobilize everyone to push foward.

The problem followed when light of crimson red bolted through the sky, turning it red and black as if it signals something evil was coming. Evil indeed came as Tiamt came to mortal world as ritual accelerated for some reason. This changed everything as William’s plan wasn’t ready or close enough to face the final boss this soon.

‘Damn it, how did the cultists managed to so fast. I have to make the first move and confront the bitch before others can be ready.’ William thought to himself and about to give orders to his honour guards when something big and massive suddenly appeared in front of him ten yards away (about nine meters) from him.

The five headed dragon suddenly appeared in front of William and his honour guards without warning. The teleportation magic was possible as William and his men weren’t using their blank ability at that moment. There was no way someone would dare to make a move like teleportation to enemy’s territory until Dragon Queen made bold decision to do that.

“Hello insect. So, you are the one who brought destruction and enough souls for my summoning. I sense something dark and empty within you. This doesn’t matter, you are being honored to be my first prey and meal in this mortal world.” Said Dragon Queen.

William didn’t expedited this kind of effensive move coming from the cultists but remained claim as his biology kept him from making bad decision. First thing William did is activate his blank ability to fullest and bring out his arms out to fire all range weapons. It wasn’t just William as his honour guards also raise their bolters up high and some even bring out heavy bolters and plama rifle.

“Oh. So that is the strange weapons my foolish offsprings fell to. Of course, my followers did as well but who is tracking their short lives as they are nothing but tools for me.” Dragon Queen said as one of her head direct its gaze at the mountain where cultists base is.

“Thank you for confirming their location, you shity dragon bitch.” William immediately activate his secondary Nova Cannon and fired without any hesitation. No need for count down for the enemy as William simply press the ‘Fire’ button from his command console after confirming the location of the orbital bombarment.

For the second time that day, New World saw light coming down from the heaven as Nova Cannon pierce the sky and hit the mountain top. Once again, sound disappeared and light blinded the world as everything around the mountain top disintegrated into atom.

Half of the remaining cultists evaporated without any trace as one moment they existed and next they are no more. The shockwave finally reached William and Dragon Queen is none of them moved an inch.

“What have you done, mortal? Are you avatar of the gods?” Said Dragon Queen as she witness seomthing only gods can avhieve.

“No, I’m no avatar of the gods. I’m an instrument of his wrath and your doom.” Said William as he open fire at the Dragon Queen with everything he got.