Summary:Piotr goes to put down and insurrection Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
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Limbo: Year 2
The sky in Limbo is always a dull red, the colour of the landscape always washed out. The army of demons that Piotr has put together, the Kings Guard, stands on a plain some distance from the Citadel awaiting instructions.
Sort of. Piotrs only had a few years to train them and demons are demons after all. Whereas Soldiers would have formed neat, ordered, lines the demons lines are higgedly piggedly and there's some jostling.
This area has ridges on either side and a wide flattish area in between. That area is strewn with rocks and rubble though - making footing a little difficult for some of the horde errrr army.
In the distance, a cloud of dust rises. The insurgents are closing.
Admittedly, what little Piotr knows on tactics came from his brief time enscripted in the Russian military. Which may be a blessing, because it means that he is used to being rough and hard on the demon and not taking anything from them. Standing at the front of the lines as he is in his metal form, the gunmetal color of his right arm is darker as his hand grips the soul-steel hilt in his hand.
As the demons start to get nervous and angsty, the large Russian barks. "Steady! We will not back down!" he roars, his grip tightening on his hilt.
And on the corner of his lips, there's a smile. It shows the hint of a canine. It's a chance to do something. To act out.
To stretch what Limbo's been doing to him. His hand moves to a strip of demon leather at his left wrist and rubs it. Keiko is back at the Citadel. He will not let the insurgents get to them.
"Their bodies will be our new sentries!" Don't ask Piotr what he plans to do.
Has Piotr split his army, taking advantage of those ridgelines to the side? Using the force arrayed in a loose line as the distraction and then closing in around them?
His 'cavalry', demons mounted of four or six legged creatures, are held in reserve behind the main line. They'll clean up as and when needed.
His 'army' shuffles as the horde enters the funnel. The dust cloud billowing up behind them further changing the colour of the landscape and the sound of their yips, yodels and screams echo off walls of the ridges. It's kinda horrifying.
The biggest threat to Piotr right now is the discipline of his army. Will they hold? This horde looks to be bigger than the line that Piotr has fielded.
Perhaps concerningly, are the missiles that start to rain down on the line. There's archers on riding beasts behind the infantry line. Though, this looks to be just a rabble.
Where is their leader?
As the arrows rain down, Piotr stands in the middle of the storm, feeling the tips glance off of his metallic frame. He tilts his head at the annoyance, even if the arrows are starting to hit some of the infantry that is with him. "Spread! Make them thin their fire!" he calls out.
And there's a reason why Piotr chose here.
After the first wave of arrows fall, the large mutant turns. Putting the sword on his back, Piotr steps forward. And grabs a large boulder. There's a grunt as he lifts it.
The twenty tons of weight is about the same as picking up an orange. Turning his attention to where the arrows came from, there's a couple of steps forward before he /heaves/ the boulder across Limbo's red skies to return the favor.
Another boulder is found, and is thrown in a similar fashion. There's a growl in Piotr's voice. He knows that this is just to try to soften them up. Where is that main attack?
The line spreads out not leaving much space for the ongoing horde to break through, but making it harder for the archers to find multiple targets.
In the back a giant horned demon strides forward. He'd be Piotrs size, perhaps bigger. He's not making haste to get to the front, it's clear he's using his demons as fodder.
The boulders thin the line as they crash down on it, but there's still a lot of demons incoming. The wave crashes against Piotr's line. These ones have poleaxes. It's not pretty but Piotr's line holds.
There's still the archers to deal with and that demon at the back who is driving them.
After flinging a few more boulders, Piotr braces, and draws his blade. The demons crash into each other. "FOR LIMBO!" he roars as he advances, feeling the smack of the pole axe against him as he lashes out with blade and fist and starts to fight back. But he's also paying attention to his situational awareness.
He sees that large demon advancing and his grin becomes feral. Finally.
He waits for them to hit a certain point. He lets the advancing army think they have the advantage. He has his hordes back up, withdraw in a fight. All to pull them closer and within. And once they are all within the area he's marked off, Piotr stops his retreat. "ATTACK!" he roars, sending the signal for those that were up on the elevated sides to rush in, a classic pincer maneuver to close the ranks around the enemy and surround them to be destroyed.
His sword raises, and he points it directly at the lead demon, and his eyes narrow.
A direct challenge.
The oncoming hordes lines thin a little more. This time the boulders take down half of the archers.
Demons throw themselves at Piotrs lines and are quickly cut down, but this isn't without a toll for the Kings Guard either. Around Piotr the pile of twitching 'corpses' continues to grow. His presence drawing attention from his line - which makes it easier for the attackers to be cut down.
Discipline. Piotrs troop has more than the horde - but not by much. He needs to maintain it with an iron will.
At his signal the cry goes up and from behind both ridgelines more mounted troops appear forming a line behind the horde, forming a killing zone in the area. They charge.
Archers appear on the ridges and hail death down on the hapless demons. It's chaos now. The hordes attention is split and Piotrs troops start cleaning them up.
The big horned demon sees Piotr point and bellows a challenge as it clears a path to the big metal man. There's no waiting, no hesitation. He rushes Piotr swinging with something that looks like a claymore but with spikes.
If it's one thing that Piotr's realized from his demons - from all of Limbo - is that they appreciate a fight. They want the bloodshed. And in the past, Piotr would have been reluctant to such things.
Now, when the demon challenges, Piotr runs forward, grabbing the soul-steel blade in both hands as the massive demon as he runs forward. The creature's blade is massive, and Piotr has no intention of trying to dodge it. Instead, the eldritch armor of his right arm is brought around to act as a shield, even as it crushes down on the metal. The metal bends, but doesn't break, drawing a grunt of pain from the King, but he's twisting his arm to slam the arm down.
And then both of his hands grab his own claymore as he swings it around to bring it down on the creature's wrists to attempt to sever his hands from the blade.
He glares up at the creature, and already, Piotr is pondering exactly how this creature will serve /him/.
All around Piotr the battle rages. His troops pushing their advantage. The ground is slick with ichor as body after body falls - the Kings Guard has losses but not as many as the Horde.
That giant spiky claymore hits the eldritch with a clang. The horned one grunts as the blade pushed wide, alright swinging again for Piotr. The soul-steel blade bites into the horned ones wrist with the sound of flesh rending but doesn't sever it.
This leaves Piotr in a precarious situation, his blade not free and the horned wielding one handed.
There's only a moment's thought on Piotr's action. Releasing the grip on the blade, the King climbs the demon, grabbing his arm as he steps in to slam that eldritch armor covered fist into the creature. He was a natural brawler before getting yanked into Limbo, and he hasn't had a chance to really cut loose. This creature /gives/ him that chance.
Dropping to the ground, he moves towards the kneecap of the creature, sending a massive blow at the armored part of the knee to shove it back into the demon's bones, to shatter and cripple him.
The soul-steel blade hangs from the big demons wrist. It's weight, the way the hilt bangs around the legs, hinders him. Of course, being used as a jungle gym doesn't help either.
He sees stars when Piotr starts whaling on him, bellowing loudly and trying to grab at the big metal man. Ineffectually as Piotr moves again, dropping to the ground.
There's another roar as the armoured blow takes out the knee. Piotr hears the crack and the subsequent squelching sound - ichor coating his arm as it starts to flow.
The horned demon stumbles, tripping over Piotr where he kneels and crashing to the ground. He's down, but not out.
The Kings Guard are now slicing through what's left of the horde. Only a few of the insurgents have managed to disengage and run. The flanking maneuver tied up most of them.
When the creature drops to a knee, Piotr steps into the demon and growls. Grabbing those horns of the large demon, Piotr yells out to the demons. "BEHOLD YOUR KING!" And with that, he twists the creature's head hard and moves to rip around the head of the large demon - and wrench the horns from his head. He may be bathed in the inchor of the beast - but he's making a point.
Any insurrection will be put down in the worst - and most painful way possible.
He bellows to the Guard. "FINISH THEM ALL!" And that's the cue for the cavalry to rush in and crush what defense may be left after Piotr takes down the demon.
The horned demon … or dehorned demon … screams in pain falling in a pile at Piotrs feet. The ground under the demon is soaked in blood - not just from but from the horde.
Piotrs demons scream and cry as they fall on the remaining horde with glee. There's nothing left … just piles of carcasses, the Kings Guard and Piotr brandishing those horns.
The King of Limbo.
Walking over, Piotr collects his sword, and glances at the large demon. "Chain him to the wall of the Citadel. He will serve as an example to those that dare usurp me." Once he has his sword again, the metallic man looks at the horns. And collects them.
"Let us return home."