Subject - Arkanian War part III

Hammurabi surveys the scene in front of him. Bodies line the streets in a Kaliope of destruction and devastation. He watches as Atreyu and Saivan fight Morgian and Rendel. He watches as Morgian is slashed to the ground by Atreyu's weapon. He watches as Saivan falls to Rendel's might. Atreyu and Rendel square off. They fight in a battle that Raije himself would have been pleased with. Equals they seem to be, each parrying the other thrusts and each swaying in a rhythm of glorious battle. Each dying as the pikes and swords of surrounding warrior interfere with their dance. Hammurabi is in shock at the amount of deaths he has witnessed, but this is war and war means death to those who Raije calls home. Then he hears it. "Hammurabi...," The ghostly sound spoke. "Hammurabiiii..." "You have served me well. Come home my child, come home. "

Hammurabi looks to the sky then collapses to his knees. He feels his life blood flow from his back, pooling up at his feet. He gazes upon the battle before him as his vision blurs. He smiles, content with what he has brought about, and succumbs to the calling.

Standing behind Hammurabi's corpse, stands a young girl, holding a blood soaked dagger. Tears stream down her face. "That was for my family," she sobs. Asia then dries her eyes and jumps back into the fray, a tornado in a storm of bodies.

The battle continues. Soldiers on both sides are sliced to ribbons as neither seems to draw an advantage. Dramyr fights with determination as he waylays a few unsuspecting soldiers. Then he comes across the body. "NOOOOOOOO," he lashes out. "This can't be." He reaches down and takes Hammurabi's head in his lap. "They will pay for this, my lord, they will pay."

He then leaps to his feet and charges the nearest soldier of Verminasia. He is deranged with anger and those he approaches either flee in terror or fall to his rage.

Elsewhere, Arakayd leads his troops into yet another hit and run on Marauder's flanks. By now he is starting to see that this is turning into a war of attrition. If only the gods would grant him some luck in this.