Gravespawn Dominion

Stadium of Ash and Flame

Vaeloric raised his hand. The column stopped moving. "There is an ambush ahead. Three snipers are on the overpass."

Kael dropped to one knee beside him. Looked through some binoculars they found in a wrecked police car. "Are you sure? I do not see them."

Vaeloric said "Remember what the last rifleman saw" and that was it.

Before Kael could say anything a shot was fired. The bullet hit the bone titans shoulder. Vaelorics people ran to hide behind burned-out cars and fallen streetlights.

Vaeloric said "Fire "

His marksmen. Three people from the night before. Lifted their rifles and started shooting. One sniper. Fell from the overpass.

Liras voice came from the walls two blocks away. "Thane you brought your people to my place? That is nice."

Vaeloric stepped out into the open. Some bone armor formed on his shoulders and chest. "This stadium belongs to the dead now Voss.. You will get hurt."

Lira laughed. "You talk big for someone hiding behind people.. Take it if you can."

Elara moved up behind Vaeloric. She was already getting ready to heal people. "There are people inside. Families who hid here before the cults came. We cannot just kill everyone."

Vaeloric said "We will not" without looking. He meant it. ". I will not lose this fight because I feel bad. Kael take five skeletons. Go around to the left through the tunnels. Elara keep the living people safe. The rest of you come with me."

Kael. Left with his group.

They started to attack. Vaeloric led the way with the bone titan walking beside him. Flames came out of the entrances as Liras people used their powers. The air got very hot.

Vaeloric used his bone armor. Ash and bone swirled around him making him harder to hurt. A fireball hit him. Did not hurt him.

He said "Go!"

The zombies and skeletons ran forward. Some lightning hit the line killing several of Liras people. The titan smashed through barricades scattering Liras people. Vaeloric took strength and memories from the people as he walked forward.

One of Liras people had whips. Vaeloric caught the whip on his arm pulled the person close and killed him with a knife.

He got a power. He could use the flaming whip.

Inside the stadium the fighting got very bad. Liras people screamed as they died. Vaelorics dead people only listened to him.

Kaels voice came over a radio. "We got into the entrance. They are taking the people to the field as shields. Lira is on the field."

Vaeloric said "I am coming."

He started to run. His body was stronger than a persons. He got to the field where they used to play football. Now it was a battlefield with burning fires. Many people were huddled together in the center. They were hostages. Lira stood on a platform of cars with a flaming sword.

She said "Stop! If you come closer we will hurt the hostages. You always try to be a hero, Thane. Lets see if you still care."

The people around her were ready to use their powers.

Vaeloric did not stop. His people formed lines behind him. The tension was high.

He said "You think the hostages make you strong? They make you weak."

Liras eyes got smaller. "I make the rules here." She made the flames higher around the hostages. A child cried out.

Elara stepped forward. She was very angry. "These are people, not things to burn!"

Lira said "Be quiet healer or you will join them."

Vaeloric looked around. He talked to the Matriarch in his mind. *Now.*

The Matriarch agreed.

He used a power on two of Liras people. They. Pushed Lira. She lost her focus. The flames around the hostages went down.

Vaeloric said "Go!"

His people attacked. Elara and the living people helped the hostages get out. The dead people fought Liras people. It was very chaotic.

Lira got angry. Attacked Vaeloric with her sword. "I will kill you myself!"

They fought. Vaeloric used the whip and a knife. He was faster and stronger now.

Lira said "You should have stayed dead. The Sovereigns will kill people like you."

Vaeloric fought back. He cut Liras shoulder. "You know about the Sovereigns?"

She laughed. "I know more than you robber."

Vaeloric kept fighting. He pushed Lira back. Around them his people were winning. The bone titan was crushing Liras people. Kaels group was attacking from behind.

There was an explosion. Flames went up into the air. Vaeloric used the distraction to get closer to Lira. He dropped the whip. Grabbed Liras sword arm. He headbutted her.

Lira was hurt. She was scared for the time.

Vaeloric said "Give up. Join me. Die."

Lira spat blood. She used a power. Her body was on fire. "If I die you will burn with me!"

She attacked Vaeloric.

He raised his hands. Used a power on all the dead people around him. He made a bone shield. Lira hit the shield. They both fell apart.

When the smoke went away Lira was hurt on the ground. Her flames were going out.

Vaeloric walked over to her. His people had won. The hostages were safe.

Lira said "Kill me.. Are you still soft?"

Vaeloric knelt down. He put his hand on her chest. He did not want to kill her. He wanted to take her power.

He got some of her memories. Her past her deals with the cult some secrets about the Sovereigns.. Something else. A hidden signal she had.

He stopped before taking everything. "You live. For now. You are my prisoner."

Two zombies picked her up. She was angry. Could not fight back.

Vaeloric got power. He felt it like fire and ash. His people felt it too. They stood taller.

Kael came up to him. "We have a place to defend.. Lira said thirty days?"

Vaeloric said "We will talk about it later."

He turned to the hostages and his people. "This is our real home. Rest while you can. Tomorrow we will get bigger."

Elara looked at the prisoners and the dead people. "How more people have to die for you to win?"

Vaeloric said " many as it takes. The Sovereigns are coming. I will meet them with an army they cannot beat."

There was a message.

*The Gravespawn Dominion is now a group in Sector 7. Other groups are noticing.*

Vaeloric felt like people were watching him from over the city. The real war was just starting.

The Matriarch laughed in his mind. *You did well king.. There is a real test, under the stadium. An old gate. A Sovereign echo.*