The Final Campaign of Ceres the Forsaken: Book IV

The Telling of Brandon the Cowardly and the Heart of Hell

By Travis, Period 4

Ceres found the Heart of Hell to be the most terrifying region of all that he had witnessed. Great lava flows sometimes covered entire sections of the path; fire issued from fissures in the earth; boulders became giants and attempted to restrict passage. Ceres met all of these threats with his usual strategy: hack through that which could be killed, and avoid the rest. Ceres seemed to beat everything thrown at him, and could foresee ambushes miles ahead of his position. Upon beating the Overlord, he was granted three new powers: the ability to change his appearance and shape, the power to shoot lightening from his fingertips, and the power to slow the passage of time, allowing his already inhuman speed to be magnified. These powers were put to the test as Ceres proceeded toward the end of his journey.

Ceres crested a hill to discover a massive army protecting an immense keep which was the Heart of Hell itself. As the power of far seeing was limited by the line of sight, Ceres had not predicted this threat. Ceres unsheathed his sword and prepared himself, the commander of this evil legion rode up astride a winged dragon. The commander of the feared Dread Infantry was none other than Brandon the Valorous. Ceres looked upon him with a mixed expression of contempt and disgust. Ceres told Brandon that he would destroy him without mercy. Brandon merely laughed in reply and ordered his army into battle.

This terrible force was comprised of some of the most fearsome opponents Ceres had faced yet. Many were unions of several different monsters; all carried a weapon of their choosing, ranging from swords and battle axes to maces and flails, even spears and archers were represented. As Ceres hacked his way through the terrible force, he found himself up against an enemy that seemed to have no end. He used all his powers, and still it seemed that for every zombie, vampire, or werewolf he hacked through, two took their place. Ceres turned himself invisible and attempted to fly to a different area only to be blown back into the fray by the dragon steed of Brandon. It would have been the end of him for certain if his shield had not been up. He landed in a group of warriors that he himself had killed back when he was on earth. These men, thirsty for revenge, launched themselves at Ceres with feral battle cries; their time in hell had warped them beyond any recognition, taking any goodness from their hearts. The first came in for a high swing with his Sarison sword, aimed at decapitating Ceres where he stood. Ceres ducked under the swing and slid his sword under the ribs of the enraged man. The wretch quickly expired, and as Ceres pulled his weapon free, one of the victim’s comrades grasped Ceres in a bear hug. As he saw another preparing to split his hair with an ax, Ceres called on his lightning abilities and electrocuted the undead holding him. Slowing time, Ceres pivoted and let the other zombie spear the one who had been holding him. As the zombie struggled to pull his spear free of the corpse, Ceres turned, drew Titan, and sliced from the collarbone clear through to the other side. Ceres retrieved the Sarison sword from the fallen warrior and hurled it at an advancing centaur. The battle continued on in this way with Ceres fighting desperately for his life.

It was six hours by the time the last member of the Dread Infantry fell. Ceres, scratched but still strong due to the magic of the sword, turned and looked at the last thing preventing him from accessing the final keep of Hell. There, across the bloody, body strewn ground, stood Brandon, his steed long dead from an arrow from Ceres’ bow. Ceres strode up to Brandon, who was idly leaning on a spear that had been imbedded in the ground. When Ceres saw what sat atop of the spear, he trembled with anger. There, like a trophy, was the impaled head of one of the soldiers Brandon had given Cerberous in return for his own safety. Nearly blinded with rage, and screaming incoherently, Ceres launched himself with inhuman speed at the man who had caused him to be stuck in Hell in the first place.

At first, Brandon was pushed back easily. However it was all just an act. Brandon had become very powerful, as he would reveal to Ceres. Jumping back 20 yards, Brandon closed his eyes and projected a fog over the entire battleground. Ceres looked warily about, searching for Brandon in the mists. Twice he struck out at the fog; twice he hit nothing but vapors. Echoing laughter issued from all directions at once, Brandon toyed with Ceres, telling him how the men had begged for mercy and screamed for help from Ceres once begging had failed. Ceres was searching for his opponent when suddenly he felt a fiery pain in his side.

There protruded a short dagger, its blade in to the hilt. Already losing blood, Ceres began to feel tired and weak. He barely managed to lift his shield and deflect a throwing spear, which shattered harmlessly. As he felt his eyelids seem to grow heavier, Ceres felt another sharp pain: this time in his leg. He looked down to find an arrow that had gone all the way through his leg. As images swam in front of his face, he decided to at least take the other man with him. Summoning up all his remaining strength, he issued a fearsome attack and issued lightning from all parts of his body. Brandon, who had been using deception and was only a few yards away, was hit with the full force of the blow. He was knocked twenty feet backward and robbed of all his energy. Ceres picked himself off the ground walked over to Brandon, and hurled him over the cliff separating the keep from the mainland.

Ceres collapsed onto his back, reaching for his shield. He took it, and even as he felt himself succumbing to darkness, pulled the dagger and arrow from his body and healed himself through the power of the shield. He waited for the bright aura that usually issued from the death of a great foe.

The light never came, for there issued a great roar from within the pit. Rising from the abyss, Brandon had summoned all the dark power permeating the atmosphere of the area and had metamorphosed into a monster comprised of fire, brimstone, and evil itself. Ceres dodged fireballs and arrows, searching for an opportunity to kill the monstrosity. As he watched, Brandon shot a fireball that missed him and caused an avalanche that pinned Ceres in place. Knowing he did not have time to draw his bow, Ceres instead threw his spear. The weapon shot through the air and straight through Brandon, clattering to the ground behind it.

The spear seemed to have no effect, as Brandon continued to advance. However, just before it reached Ceres, the creature through back its head and howled in agony. It seemed to slowly disappear, beginning at the bottom and going up. As oblivion drew near, Brandon laughed dementedly and the laughing persisted for a second after it had disappeared, the echoes dying away after a moment.

Ceres freed himself from the rocky prison, and once free was visited by the light he had experienced before. This time, the gifts were different. Instead of new abilities and powers, weapons and armor were bestowed upon the lone knight. Newly refreshed and supplied, Ceres retrieved the spear and flew to the last keep in Hell.