'I still get nightmares of the day Androphera became known as the fallen citadel. I was 12 years old at the time, on my way back from the store with my parents. When the world shook with a thunderous crash. The steel walls and ceiling of the massive domed city may have felt like a giant prison. Yet little amounts of people even dreamed of stepping out into the hellish wasteland outside that shell.'
'It was considered lucky if a week went by without word that some form of nightmare creature made its way into the slums. Leaving a wake of destruction and death in it's path by the time intervention by the hands of the gate keepers could take place. The captain of the city guard had been known as one of the strongest of all. His body a living testament to the battles he had fought in. He was known as Garland and with him around the people of Androphera had lived a more peaceful life than most. However even that came to an abrupt change.'
'Those who survived the initial invasion told stories that left unrest within even the fortified walls of the citadels. Stories of hell spawn all types. Some rumored to be the size of the citadel which housed the remnants of humanity. Most believed that to be exaggeration but the world had to prove it wasn't.'
'It was just another day as far as most were concerned. Word had come through of an attack on the slums but news like that was so frequent that it heeded little attention from the populace within the citadel. It wasn't until the sound of the busy marketplace had been silenced by screams outside the wall that people paid it mind. The screams followed with a earth shattering boom that made the world stand still.'
'A hand pierced through the thick steel walls of the citadel as if it were made of foil. It's fingers black with red patterns, each knuckle ending at a point like the gauntlet of a demonic knight. The hand started pressing down with a strength so mighty that the steel had no option but to crumble and give way to the beast. A second hand grabbed hold of the steel. In unison the hands tore apart the wall, opening a hole before the face of death peeked inside'
'Eyes twisted with madness rested above a sharp gnarled nose. The beasts eyes focused on the crowd of people all staring up at it with fear stricken silence as they hold paralyzed by it all. Screams filled the citadel as panic broke out, people ran in all directions. Some racing home to collect family, but most running away from the monstrous sight with no goal aside from self preservation. The beast tore open a hole large enough to step through. Entering inside the dome that quickly went from serving as a shelter to being a simple holding cell. The executioner coming to bring humanity up to the gallows.'
'With the hole came the flood of smaller nightmare creatures. Drawn to the orchestra of death screams and the intoxicating scent of blood. The gate keepers led by Garland made a stand against the hoard but it wasn't enough. Overwhelmed the strategy of the guard switched from a meager attempt at keeping the waves of smaller creatures at bay to a chaotic scramble. Focusing on helping as many civilians escape the death sentence that loomed over their head.' The citadel had 4 main doors, my family made it to the door south door as the nightmare creatures began to tear through the crowd pushing at our backs.'
'Staying within the overran dome was a sure death sentence but the next closest citadel was over a months journey away. Covering that distance without meeting the welcoming arms of death along the way. Was a task akin to climbing the tallest mountain with no gear. But with no other option, the survivors of Androphera made their way.'
'We started as a group of around 120 people. The two gatekeepers of the south entranced leading the charge and offering the small amount of protection they could. However each day led to more fatalities. As if the fear of the unknown monstrosities lurking in every corner wasn't enough. Madness, hunger and famine ran rampant through the group. One week into the trek, the group was attacked. Of course we had come across some beasts prior to this attack but the two gate keepers had managed to prove why they were known as humanities saviors.
A man named Forest and a young lady named Corrin had led the group. Forest had the ability of spectral speed, his body turning into a streak of ghostly light as he moved faster than the eye could hope to track. Corrin was an elementalist, calling upon deep crimson flames. Both wielded the standard issue scimitar of the Androphera guards. Together using Corrins flames as a distraction and forests immense speed they had dispatched many nightmare creatures along the way.
Until the group came across a nightmare of more demonic nature. Most of the creatures we had come across were 4 legged and primitive. Their stature and mind comparable to that of hell hounds or primapes bathed in rivers of hell. But this thing was different. When the group had come across it, the demon was sitting on a stone over looking a destroyed city. It's bipedal body and thin frame resembled that of a human. It's grey skin and sharp pointed shoulders had been a clear sign that this being was something else. Corrin had been taking the lead while Forest guards the rear of the group. When she halted the march of the survivors forest used his speed to see what was happening. Appearing at the front of the group alongside Corrin in a flash of ghostly light. The two exchanged a simple nod and began their routine bait and switch tactic against the creature.
Forest flew off into the shadows of the nearby brush while Corrin made a dazzling display. Her scimitar roaring to life in an arc of burning ferocity as crimson flames danced across the body of the blade. The creature turned it's head, revealing a featureless face. Expecting it to rush into the fight Corrin took a defensive stance but the beast rose to its feet in manner of calm composure rather than rushing in with a savage bloodlust. The anxiety in my heart spiked, my conscious yelled that something was different with this one.
Corrin and Forest made their move, an arc of scorching heat flew from the tip of Corrins blade. Flames sent hurtling in the direction of the nightmare. However the best swatted it's hand, extinguishing the blazing display with ease and indifference. That was just a set up though. As the flames dissipated into the air a flash of light out of the brush beside the demon. A single arc of light reflected as the blade of the scimitar severed the air at the beasts side faster than the blink of an eye. A loud this hit the ground with a deep velvet red rain.
The beast still on its feet as the crowds blood ran cold. In the same outstretched hand it used to swat away the arc of brilliant flame. Was a ball, pouring out a viscous red liquid. Behind it lay the headless figure that was once known as the proud knight, Forest.