A call to arms

You’re awakened in the morning to the sound of alarms. You’re quickly informed that the demon lord’s army is due to arrive within the hour. Quickly shaking off your drowsiness, you don your armor and make your way towards the gathering army. The girls fall in beside you, all business today. Even Sadie has a serious look on her face.

The ranks part to let you through, and a cheer goes up as you make your way to the front. You turn to look at your assembled forces, the morning sun glittering on every blade. The blue flag of Athkalla flutters above the army in various places, along with unit standards and battle pennants. Every eye is upon you as you remove your helmet, and quickly silence falls.

You nod as you hear the tramping of feet, the sound of the approaching enemy in the distance. You gather yourself, and begin to speak, amplified by a spell you had been saving for this moment.

“This is it. We’ve fought, bled, died, and killed. Now is the moment we’ve done everything for. How many years has the demon lord plagued this world? I don’t need to remind you of why we’re here, you can hear it in the distance, approaching.”

“Look around you, to your left and right. What do you see? We are all one today. United, bound to a common purpose, driven to something greater than each individual. Man, woman, human, dwarf, orc, anything. Our differences are nothing compared to our common cause! Now we have our chance, our one chance, to be rid of this disease!”

There is a cheer, and you let it fade before continuing. “I won’t pretend that this will be easy, or painless. Everyone will need to give everything they have and more. Again, look left, look right. Those are people counting on you, supporting you, defending you. We don’t fight for ourselves, we fight for everyone!”

Another cheer, and this time it’s louder. You draw your sword, and lightning springs to life along the rune etched blade. “Today, we stamp out the demon lord and his minions, once and for all! My brothers and sisters in arms, are you with me?!”

The cheer of ‘yes!’ fairly makes the air tremble, and you raise your sword to the sky. “For us, for our families, and for Athkalla!”

As the roaring cheer goes up, along with chants of the name of the empire, you turn, putting your helmet back on. Across the field, demons and armored warriors are forming up.

Leading them is a massive figure in black plate, carrying an enormous, barbed sword in one hand. Helmetless, he glares at you with glowing red eyes, horns sprouting from the dark red skin of his forehead.