War comes to Borda

Into the dark skies of the Underworld, the floating fortress called Last Kiss ascended.

"This! This will be Our transport to the apocalypse!" Jack shouted as he flicked his wrist, and the floating fortress moved with an uncanny speed and landed on the ground with another shudder through the earth.

In the wake of the fortress' rising, a large crater, almost wound-like, was left in the ground.

"Warmarshal Joan!" Jack turned and called out to his fanatical sycophantic murder machine.

"YES, MY GOD!"

"Load everyone aboard... There is killing to be done." Jack spoke coldly and commanded.

"YES! YES, MY GOD! YOUR WILL BE DONE!" Joan turned sharply as she decreed the will of her god, "LOAD UP! WE RIDE UPON THE CHARIOTS OF DEATH AND RING THE BELLS OF DOOM! WE SHALL SLAUGHTER THOSE THAT WOULD DEFY OUR GOD AND ALLOW THE LAND TO DRINK DEEPLY THE BLACK BLOOD OF THE HERETICS! MARCH!!!!"

With the chanting of hymns holy to the Deagoth Kingdom, the legions marched to the opening mouth of the, now landed, fortress, with Warmarshal Joan leading first and followed by the other warmarshals.

Mark closed his mouth and silently walked alongside the legions to board as well. He may not fight with the legions, but he would assist... For now...

Jack watched with satisfaction as his armies marched to and began to board the maw of the Last Kiss. Leslie took a few steps and stood next to Jack, while Emily and Eris stood behind the two.

"Jack?" Leslie asked out loud.

"Hmmm?" Jack turned his face from watching the boarding, to look down upon his first consort.

"I don't think it's a good idea to kill everyone in Borda."

"Oh? It will cut down on so much time, and what innocent are left there shouldn't be worth my time." Jack frowned.

"Logically, yes. But Jack..." Leslie glanced into Jack's glowing human-like eyes, "Remember that the crimes of their rulers should not fall on their heads... Just as your actions should not fall upon the shoulders of your people. Shelter these undead of Borda. Take them in, and show them a benevolent god. What good is believing in a god that doesn't believe in you?"

Jack rubbed his chin in thought, as he cast his gaze back to the Last Kiss.

After a few minutes of silence, Jack spoke without looking at Leslie, "Perhaps... You are right. Kindness should not be mistaken for weakness." Jack sighed, "Then do you trust me?"

"Always and forever."

Jack turned and swept up Leslie into his arms. With swift action, he piled his lips upon hers. Startled by the sudden action, it wasn't but a moment before Leslie closed her eyes and enjoyed the kiss, a sense of a tart-tasting fruity flavor spread throughout her mouth. It had always been her to kiss Jack, but with skin, Jack had initiated. Leslie let her hands snake around Jack's neck and into his hair while kissing deeper.

Eris bit her bottom lip watching, while Emily looked the other way...

Jack and Leslie's lips parted leaving a thin line of saliva connecting the two, as they watched the last of the legions of Deagoth load unto the Floating Fortress Last Kiss.

*******

Standing atop the western walls of Souigak, Warmarshal Michael, his General and sister Jennifer, and fellow Warmarhsal George looked across at the now wandering hordes of Brutal Dead Souls. Accompanying the three of Deagoth, was Madu High General of the Eighth Leg of the Armies of Neolith. He had long ago been sent to support Souigak and placed under the direct command of her Highness, Princess Emily, Consort of the God-King of Deagoth. Madu still had his reservations, as he had yet met Princess Emily in person, but he had been completing his mission to support this time.

"It's been easier since the God-King last smote this damn fungus..." Michael hefted his large mace to his shoulder.

"How long will these monsters continue? Even with the God-King's hand, he only drove them back for a time." Jennifer commented as she looked across the west fields of the City. Her eyes were bandaged, thus she used her undead vision.

"Your God-King is impressive. However, I wish I could say the same for Our Goddess... Goddess forgive me, but the spiders no longer listen to our commands... It's almost as if they are wild..." Madu tightened a few bandages around his wrists, with his mummy appearance.

"We appreciate your soldiers during this time. I don't believe we could have held out this easily without your Eighth Leg Army, High General Madu." George spoke blandly.

Madu nodded but paused in mid nod... "Do you feel that???"

Michael, Jennifer, and George looked over their shoulders to the East. After a moment, the group of high-ranking commanders made out a silent but ominous floating object in the dark skies of the Underworld. It was lit up with many faces of agony on the sides, chiseled from Glowstone.

"What in the God-King's name is that?" Michael could only whisper.

"Dearest brother... I think that is the God-King." Jennifer sucked in a breath of cold air into her vestigial lungs.

It was at this time a small scrappy geist in the uniform of Deagoth desperately made his way to the side of the Warmarshal while howling.

"WARMARSHAL! WARMARSHALS! URGENT NEWS! URGENT!!!!"

Finally, making it up the stairs of the wall, and to the side of the commander's group, the Undead began to babble, almost incoherently.

Michael reached for the smaller geist and gave him two small slaps from his bony hand, "Calm yourself, undead! What's what?!"

"There see it! See it! The Floating Fortress Last Kiss!!! We just got a missive! The God-King rides aboard the last vessel of the Lich King! He has declared war on Borda! WAR ON BORDA!"

Startled George swiveled his neck and asked, "Does the missive explain why War was suddenly declared???"

"Yes! Yes, it does! Borda has profaned the God of Death, True Death's daughter has come to this world and found her way to Our kingdom to meet Our God-King! OUR GOD-KING! Borda's Church of the Three Gods Kidnapped her! Right from under our noses! The God-King declared that Borda is Heretical, and he will separate the chaff from the wheat!!!" The frail messager continued to babble.

"Let us pray to him that once he's done with Borda, that he'll stamp out these filthy foot feasters called Dead souls once and for all..." Michael continued to watch the fortress moving quickly through the far dark skies.