"The God Wars" - Chapter Twenty-nine: March of the Dead

The God Wars

Chapter Twenty-nine:

March of the Dead

By Dwayne MacInnes

The residents of Kalos fled the town as the army of Ares approached. The refugees either turned north towards Zakrostas or south towards the city of Atlantis. The terrified populace burdened with carts and/or animals carrying their meager possessions moved as quickly as they could. Children cried and women screamed in terror, grim faced men tried their best to keep their families together as they continued their flight from danger.

Just outside the western outskirts of town, Ares halted his army. The endless columns of undead and bronze giants began to form up into an arc running roughly northwest to southeast. Ares supervised the arrangement of his troops riding his black chariot down the line. The army formed a half-circle that was miles long. The Necro-lords anchored both ends with Hades in the center.

Above in the sky circling menacing was the second arm consisting of Hermes and the Draco-lords and the wild griffins. When Ares pulled up next to Hades' black chariot, Hermes, with his ability to fly, soared down and landed lightly on his feet by the god of war's chariot. The two vehicles were similar in color and design. Even the animals pulling the chariots resembled each other. The only difference was that Ares' animals snorted fire.

"Is everything to your liking?" Hermes asked the god of war.

Ares smiled and raised his knife-hand into the air. The serrated blade reflected the sunlight as Ares studied his new appendage. "Yes," Ares responded never taking his eyes off the blade.

"That is good," Hades added. "My dead are ready to fight."

The half-rotted bodies of the decaying warriors from previous battles stretched across the horizon behind the gods. The stench was unbearable and flies buzzed constantly around the decaying soldiers.

Ares reached inside of his chariot and produced a long bull's horn. The black and white horn was five-feet long and had long leather strap that attached to each end. On the tip, a silver mouthpiece had been skillfully prepared which Ares now put to his lips.

As the god of war began to blow his deafening command, he swung it right to left so that all could hear. The call issuing from the instrument consisted of such a low bass that it shook the earth as it rent the air.

Animals hiding in the nearby hills and woods flew as fast as their feet could carry them in utter fear. Birds took to the air and beat wings away from the blast from the horn and any humans still around needed no further reason to take to their heels and run for their life.

* * * * *

In a copse on a hill outside of Kalos, Hunter observed the ordering of the army. He was thankful the wind did not blow the undead warriors' scent his way. The few times it did in the past it took everything for the Cherokee not to vomit and pass-out. The stench was so overpowering that animals fled long before the dead were within sight.

The scout noticed that Ares was positioning his army in such a way as to drive everything before to the southwest. This would put the city of Atlantis in the undead army's path. This was the key information that Hunter needed.

The Indian headed towards his horse on the far side of the hill when the unholy horn's call blasted through the air. The trees shook and the ground quaked. Hunter could even feel the horn's blast reverberate through his chest. Fear instantly welled-up in his soul and his first instinct was to flee.

However, military training took over and Hunter pushed the fear aside. He needed to get in touch with headquarters and tell them his discovery. Unfortunately, his horse did not have the ability to ignore its fear. The beast bolted like every other animal and fled in wild-eye terror as fast it could.

Hunter cursed. The horse carried the radio he needed to contact HQ. It also carried his carbine rifle still strapped beside the saddle. Now, the soldier abandoned just outside the arms of Ares forces did not even have a weapon save only his hunting knife to protect him.

Hunter realizing his situation was not good also started to run northward. He needed to get the message back to the army as soon as possible before Ares crushed the Kingdom of Atlantis.

High in the sky a single eagle-eyed griffin spotted the lone man running from the wooded hill. It gave cry before diving towards its prey. Hunter looked over his shoulder to see the half-eagle half-lion beast driving down towards him with its front talons extended in anticipation of rending his flesh.

* * * * *

The gods below paid the actions of the lone griffin little attention. They focused entirely on getting the army moving. In one motion, the entire semi-circle started to march. From the air, the black-scaled dragons swooped down upon the deserted town and spat fire upon the wooden structures. The griffins also circled in the air looking for prey on which to dive on.

The thundering advance of the undead army flushed all living life forms in front of it. The semi-circle nature of the formation corralled all the fleeing humans and animals funneling them. The ravenous griffins occasionally would dive upon a frightened animal or human, tearing the poor victim apart with its sharp beak and talons.

The Draco-lords introduced all fields and buildings to fiery breath of their mounts. As the army marched on into the night, the flames of the numerous abandoned farms and villages lighted the path of where the army had recently passed.

Ares did not have to worry about scorched earth policies working against him this time. He did not need to forage for his troops. The dragons and griffins could fly off in any direction for many miles and hunt for their prey and return within minutes. The gods did not need to concern themselves with mortal foods nor did their unnatural mounts. The automotive statues Hephaestus constructed did not subsist on food nor did the reanimated warriors.

In fact, if the fleeing humans torched their property in the face of the approaching army they only saved Ares from having his troops do it. From every angle that Ares studied the problem it was win for him. The god of war smiled, the pain of his latest defeat had passed. All Ares could feel was the anticipation of combat and the slaughter on the battleground as the gods annihilated the humans in their realm.