Polymath Redux

Chapter 66: Night of the Marching Undead (Pride)

With the fullness of the pure blue moon as their witness an unending horde of undead marched virulently through the Elven lands of [Stratus]. Relentless, unforgiving and untiring they simply marched on trying to satiate their insatiable lust for violence by slaughtering everything in their path. With abhorrent skeletal soldiers leading by the front, ghastly skeleton mages at the back and shadowy specters scouting and guiding their blades. It was a mysterious army, one that disappears completely into the ether when daybreak arrives but while the moon takes sovereign they are nigh unstoppable.

Already numerous Elven villages have fallen victim to the unending horrors that were the undead. They hacked through the living with aberrant fervor as though it was their only purpose in life, or unlife. In the end, no matter how many small villages banded together to thwart the undead it was impossible to conquer the might of the living dead.

However, tonight was a different night; as usual the undead continued their desecration of the lands most sacred to the Elves, but there was one more addition to the scene. The appearance of a counter army; the Grand Military of Stratus stood contesting their ardent rampage with determined ardor. With their specialized and enchanted weapons in hand each soldier was determined enough to see that no undead pass them tonight.

There to lead the charge was the Elven Matriarch, Cecilia Albion. With short blonde hair, sharp pointed ears, hawk like face and deep green eyes that glowed through the night she stood at the forefront of the entire army. With seething anger boiling deep within her she was ready to show the full might of the Elven spirit to these undead that had dared laid foot on their domain.

"Comrades! We will drive back the spiteful dead that have desecrated our holy lands! We will show them what it means to pick a fight with the brilliance of the Elves!"

She shouted, though still distinctly feminine her voice was filled with charisma and commanded respect. She then pointed her sword in the air as the veil of light from the pure blue moon guided her figure. The Elves that followed her were once more awed by her mighty presence and took a solemn bow; they would follow her to the depths of hell if she had commanded it.

However in contrast to her charismatic presence was a pitifully weak goddess by her side. The patron goddess of Elves and the supposed object of worship, yet she cowered in fear as the undead marched ever so closer. Despite being the goddess of elves she looked nothing like one, in fact she much more closely resembled human, with long black hair and odd pink irises. Even despite being a deity she was somehow praying to some other unknown force for the swift victory of the elves.

"What are you doing?"

Cecilia asked in a low humming voice, filled with nothing but disappointment at this so called 'goddess'.

"N- nothing, I was... just praying for our victory."

The Elven Goddess responded. Hearing that response Cecilia sighed with a distinct disgust that couldn't quite be put in words. 'She's just going to be a burden,' Cecilia thought as she saw the goddess quietly shaking in cowardice. In her heart of hearts Cecilia didn't truly despise the goddess but she felt ashamed that this was the best she could do despite being a deity.

"If you're not going to be of any use then just go."

Cecilia harshly reprimanded.

"But-"

"Just go!"

Without being given any words to retaliate the Elven goddess ran away from the scene in tears. The other Elven soldiers could only avert their gaze as they were thoroughly abandoned by their patron deity. Of course in the first place they never had any great expectations of her so it wasn't too big of a blow to their morale.