kills army

The sun rose high into the sky illuminating the battle-scarred and silent plain. Everything that had once called this place its home were either dead or were wise enough to avoid drawing attention to themselves—not that staying silent did much to hide the creatures that called this place their home from me. Everything I thought worth targeting had learned that first hand.

Shortly after I’d begun my full scale assault, the Grimm of the plains had come together, presenting a united front against me. Those capable of flight had taken to the air and tried to swarm me whilst those restricted to the land around us had organized quickly. Through a series of echoing cries, they’d gathered until the sheer quantity of them seemed to hide the ground beneath them—and then they’d attacked as one. The wings of the Rukh’s conjured up storms while the jaws of the creatures beneath me unleashed waves of furious power. When a convocation of Rukh’s managed to force me closer to the ground, the gathered creatures leapt for me and tried to tear me apart. A pride of Nemeans, a quiver of Basilisks, a Sounder of Calydons—even a cast of Karkinos that seemed to bubble up from the river and form suits of living armor for the mightiest creatures. As the night deepened, a parliament of Strix arrived to aid in the battle, armed with what I briefly thought were nets of barbed wire until I spotted the clutter of Arachne skulking in the distance. The avian Grimm took to performing sweeping formations with the webbing held between them, trying to herd me where they wanted.

With the sheer number of creatures gathered beneath me…two weeks ago, before Conquest and everything else, I’d have been certain I was a dead man. A week ago, I’d probably have focused on escape. Two hours ago, I’d have probably thought I was facing long odds indeed.
***
Between the improvements Humilitas and Industria gave my skills, I was more lethal than ever. My speed swelled as the cost of my attacks shrank and I unleashed Magic Missile after Magic Missile at everything that got in my way. It was a testament to the might of the Grimm, then, that it took me the entire night and much of the following morning to defeat the horde arrayed against me. Despite the time it had taken, however, those who faced me died—a fact that those that watched from beyond my decided upon range must have realized, because they simply waited and observed, red eyes intelligent and aware even as the last of my enemies fell and leaving quietly as the battle drew to a close.