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Star Wars - A New Power Ch. 24 - Departure
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<blockquote data-quote="Angcuru" data-source="post: 3492846" data-attributes="member: 10948"><p><strong>Ch. 24 - The Foemarch Pt. 2</strong></p><p></p><p>“Mandalorians!” Phoebus intoned. “Form defensive circle six ranks deep around the women! One-Fifty front rank! Fifty Rear Rank!” The mass of soldiers hurried to comply, swiftly taking formation with Vanna, Cassandra, and Giya safely away from the front line. </p><p></p><p>The distant rumbling grew steadily louder.</p><p></p><p>Arais found himself at the center amongst the woman, as were his male counterparts. All had taken on a deadly serious countenance.</p><p></p><p>“I will command at the start of it,” Phoebus stated. The other men nodded their consent. “The four of us,” he indicated himself, Arais, Tulak, and Thog, and began drawing a series of lines in sand that appeared spontaneously at his feet, “will form foursquare around my men. We must bear the brunt of the assault at those points at all times. After the initial clash of ranks, our four points will cease defense and proceed to assault. The Mandalorians will fill in the gaps our slaughter provides, forming a four-point star. Once the men begin to tire, we return ranks to circular formation and periodically proceed with a similar assault and repeat the process. This will provide maximum defense following our four-man slaughter of the enemy. Those in the front lines will retreat to the rear should they begin to tire, are wounded, or their equipment is sundered. If we keep the circulation going, they should be of maximum value in battle.”</p><p></p><p>“He <em>always</em> leaves us for last.” Cassandra grumbled. Giya and Vanna nodded their agreement.</p><p></p><p>“The <em>ladies</em>,” Phoebus said pointedly, “will motivate the men, mend the armor, weapons, and bodies of the men, and when such is not necessary, they will concentratre on bringing ruin to the enemy in our absence whilst we rest. Is this agreed?”</p><p></p><p>Tulak and Thog nodded, as did the women.</p><p></p><p>“If the men should all fall, what then?” Arais questioned.</p><p></p><p>“Then we kill as many as we can, as long as we can, kid.” Tulak cackled, rubbing his lightsabers in anticipation.</p><p></p><p>“Take positions!” Phoebus commanded, and Arais found himself pushed to the front line, in front of a wall of bronze shields and iron spears. What little of the soldiers that could be seen behind their large shields was encased in thick armor, save for the piercing, murderous eyes full of anticipation for the battle to come.</p><p></p><p>“They’ll follow the same strategy as always have.” Phoebus called above the din as the mist began to give way to tall, man-shaped figures. “Initial scouting wave, likely a thousand of them or less.”</p><p></p><p>Arais’ twin lightsabers snapped into life as the shapes took solid form and rushed towards him, great masses of ruined men. Arais soon lost all though of the men behind him and focused on the foes at his front. </p><p></p><p>The first few who came within his reach were cloven in two as they ran recklessly forward. Flimsy animal hides provided no protection from the solid bars of death he faced them with. The advancing foe wielded no more than simple stone axes and wooden clubs, milling about aimlessly, hoping for a lucky strike. Arias held his strikes, waiting until they were tightly packed about him, close enough for a lightsaber strike yet slightly out of reach of their primitive arms. Each of his blows shorn straight through at least a half dozen men, their corpses dissipating into the mist leaving little evidence of their effort. </p><p></p><p>Tulak performed similarly, keeping his blades constantly twirling about and surging forward to catch the foe unawares. Poebus stood with his men, the enemy dashed harmlessly off of their shield wall as their many spears skewered the helpless foes. Phoebus, however, fought with a savagery Arais had never before imagined possible from the human form. He held the spear in one hand, each blow skewering two or three men as easily as a needle pierces wool, the other arm sporting a heavy bronze shield with which he bludgeoned <em>many</em> an enemy to death. The Mandalorians held the line, the foremost men keeping their shields at the fore to counter the enemy’s assault whilst their comrades thrust their impressive spears into the bodies of the opposition.</p><p></p><p>The women fared impressively as well. Any time a Mandalorian took a heavy wound, he immediately fell back towards the center, a fresh soldier taking his place. The healing visited upon them was nothing short of miraculous. Ruined limbs were made anew; horrible gashes mended as if simple playground accidents. When they were not tending to the wounded, Cassandra preferred to scorch the foe with bursts of mystic lightning, whilst Giya preferred unseen strikes of pure force energy which snapped men’s necks like twigs and Vanna sent random men high into the air to crash into the earthbound ranks of enemies.</p><p></p><p>Soon the advancing waves dissipated, until individual men clashed against the Mandalorian wall and met their doom regardless. Arais felt calm come over him, as he did following any major battle. The calm faded into a horrid surprise as he opened his eyes and saw the carnage that lay before him. </p><p></p><p>The bodies of all those he had slain in this one clash lay before him. The faceless soldiers now had names, histories, wives, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, enemies, and lovers. He knew them all as intimately as any can know another.. Every moment of every life. Each day of bitter pure life and night of joyous sexual existence. These Arias had felt through the men he had slain, he felt as he had been that very man, each of them whose lives he had ended. It passed with blinding speed, beyond his compression yet somehow beyond time. With each face, each life, each grief, each moment of pure love, until the horrid morass of memories ended and he was left with the memories of his own life once again. He was <em>Arias</em> once more.</p><p></p><p>The scrawny yet imposing teenage boy knelt upon all limbs as a child upon the formless mist, vomiting up what little he had consumed that day.</p><p></p><p>“That bad, eh?” Tulak said, helping Arais to his feet.</p><p>“Arais needs be cleanings him mouthers.</p><p></p><p>“And drinkings them wines to cover them tastes!” Giya coughed at an unpleasant smell of regurgitation, offering a skin of drink which formed from mist into her hand, which was immediately passed to Arias. He accepted the drink the instant it was within his reach, gulping the contents without heed to form or substance.</p><p></p><p>“Just what be you giverings him, Giya?” Thog said curiously, leaning on his spear and breathing heavily. “I bes not sure he bes accustomed to them drinksies.”</p><p></p><p>“Well, while <em>we</em> have always been heavy drinkers, we’ve always had that first night of terrible, unmentionable doom.” Phoebus offered, immediately clutching his belly in a horrid, comical manner.</p><p></p><p>“Does <em>Doom</em> have a latrine on call?” Tulak asked, as a terrible squelching noise came from Arais’ direction.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Angcuru, post: 3492846, member: 10948"] [b]Ch. 24 - The Foemarch Pt. 2[/b] “Mandalorians!” Phoebus intoned. “Form defensive circle six ranks deep around the women! One-Fifty front rank! Fifty Rear Rank!” The mass of soldiers hurried to comply, swiftly taking formation with Vanna, Cassandra, and Giya safely away from the front line. The distant rumbling grew steadily louder. Arais found himself at the center amongst the woman, as were his male counterparts. All had taken on a deadly serious countenance. “I will command at the start of it,” Phoebus stated. The other men nodded their consent. “The four of us,” he indicated himself, Arais, Tulak, and Thog, and began drawing a series of lines in sand that appeared spontaneously at his feet, “will form foursquare around my men. We must bear the brunt of the assault at those points at all times. After the initial clash of ranks, our four points will cease defense and proceed to assault. The Mandalorians will fill in the gaps our slaughter provides, forming a four-point star. Once the men begin to tire, we return ranks to circular formation and periodically proceed with a similar assault and repeat the process. This will provide maximum defense following our four-man slaughter of the enemy. Those in the front lines will retreat to the rear should they begin to tire, are wounded, or their equipment is sundered. If we keep the circulation going, they should be of maximum value in battle.” “He [i]always[/i] leaves us for last.” Cassandra grumbled. Giya and Vanna nodded their agreement. “The [i]ladies[/i],” Phoebus said pointedly, “will motivate the men, mend the armor, weapons, and bodies of the men, and when such is not necessary, they will concentratre on bringing ruin to the enemy in our absence whilst we rest. Is this agreed?” Tulak and Thog nodded, as did the women. “If the men should all fall, what then?” Arais questioned. “Then we kill as many as we can, as long as we can, kid.” Tulak cackled, rubbing his lightsabers in anticipation. “Take positions!” Phoebus commanded, and Arais found himself pushed to the front line, in front of a wall of bronze shields and iron spears. What little of the soldiers that could be seen behind their large shields was encased in thick armor, save for the piercing, murderous eyes full of anticipation for the battle to come. “They’ll follow the same strategy as always have.” Phoebus called above the din as the mist began to give way to tall, man-shaped figures. “Initial scouting wave, likely a thousand of them or less.” Arais’ twin lightsabers snapped into life as the shapes took solid form and rushed towards him, great masses of ruined men. Arais soon lost all though of the men behind him and focused on the foes at his front. The first few who came within his reach were cloven in two as they ran recklessly forward. Flimsy animal hides provided no protection from the solid bars of death he faced them with. The advancing foe wielded no more than simple stone axes and wooden clubs, milling about aimlessly, hoping for a lucky strike. Arias held his strikes, waiting until they were tightly packed about him, close enough for a lightsaber strike yet slightly out of reach of their primitive arms. Each of his blows shorn straight through at least a half dozen men, their corpses dissipating into the mist leaving little evidence of their effort. Tulak performed similarly, keeping his blades constantly twirling about and surging forward to catch the foe unawares. Poebus stood with his men, the enemy dashed harmlessly off of their shield wall as their many spears skewered the helpless foes. Phoebus, however, fought with a savagery Arais had never before imagined possible from the human form. He held the spear in one hand, each blow skewering two or three men as easily as a needle pierces wool, the other arm sporting a heavy bronze shield with which he bludgeoned [i]many[/i] an enemy to death. The Mandalorians held the line, the foremost men keeping their shields at the fore to counter the enemy’s assault whilst their comrades thrust their impressive spears into the bodies of the opposition. The women fared impressively as well. Any time a Mandalorian took a heavy wound, he immediately fell back towards the center, a fresh soldier taking his place. The healing visited upon them was nothing short of miraculous. Ruined limbs were made anew; horrible gashes mended as if simple playground accidents. When they were not tending to the wounded, Cassandra preferred to scorch the foe with bursts of mystic lightning, whilst Giya preferred unseen strikes of pure force energy which snapped men’s necks like twigs and Vanna sent random men high into the air to crash into the earthbound ranks of enemies. Soon the advancing waves dissipated, until individual men clashed against the Mandalorian wall and met their doom regardless. Arais felt calm come over him, as he did following any major battle. The calm faded into a horrid surprise as he opened his eyes and saw the carnage that lay before him. The bodies of all those he had slain in this one clash lay before him. The faceless soldiers now had names, histories, wives, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, enemies, and lovers. He knew them all as intimately as any can know another.. Every moment of every life. Each day of bitter pure life and night of joyous sexual existence. These Arias had felt through the men he had slain, he felt as he had been that very man, each of them whose lives he had ended. It passed with blinding speed, beyond his compression yet somehow beyond time. With each face, each life, each grief, each moment of pure love, until the horrid morass of memories ended and he was left with the memories of his own life once again. He was [i]Arias[/i] once more. The scrawny yet imposing teenage boy knelt upon all limbs as a child upon the formless mist, vomiting up what little he had consumed that day. “That bad, eh?” Tulak said, helping Arais to his feet. “Arais needs be cleanings him mouthers. “And drinkings them wines to cover them tastes!” Giya coughed at an unpleasant smell of regurgitation, offering a skin of drink which formed from mist into her hand, which was immediately passed to Arias. He accepted the drink the instant it was within his reach, gulping the contents without heed to form or substance. “Just what be you giverings him, Giya?” Thog said curiously, leaning on his spear and breathing heavily. “I bes not sure he bes accustomed to them drinksies.” “Well, while [i]we[/i] have always been heavy drinkers, we’ve always had that first night of terrible, unmentionable doom.” Phoebus offered, immediately clutching his belly in a horrid, comical manner. “Does [i]Doom[/i] have a latrine on call?” Tulak asked, as a terrible squelching noise came from Arais’ direction. [/QUOTE]
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