Fortress Aegis was not merely a construction of stone and mortar. For a millennium, its thirty-meter-high walls, crafted from pure white granite, had stood as the absolute symbol of the gods' power in the mortal realm. Situated in the narrow pass between two Eternal Mountains, the fortress was guarded by an ancient sorcery known as the "Shield of Eternal Light." To the people of the continent, Aegis was the point where human prayer met divine protection. To the gods, it was the gate that ensured no mortal filth could ever touch their sacred domain.
However, on that cold and misty dawn, a thousand years of arrogance began to crack.
A thick, unnatural black mist crawled up from the lower valley, swallowing the green meadows that usually surrounded the fortress. The scent carried by the wind was no longer lavender, but the metallic tang of thousands of weapons and the smell of earth trampled by an approaching doom. From behind the fog, endless rows of silhouettes emerged. Twelve thousand soldiers clad in pitch-black armor stood in a silence more terrifying than any war cry.
At the very front, mounted on a black steed with eyes glowing a faint crimson, sat Erebus. The greatsword "The God-Eater" strapped to his back seemed to suck the dawn's light from the air, creating a dense aura of darkness around him.
"Look at them," Vane whispered beside Erebus, his single eye fixed sharply on the fortress walls. "Those 'holy warriors' are beginning to tremble. They never expected 'insects' to march in such perfect, lethal formation."
Aloft the fortress walls, warning bells tolled with a deafening clamor. Thousands of elite Templars of Light scrambled to their positions, their magic bows already notched with golden light. General Marcus, the commander of Aegis's defense, stood on the main balcony in shimmering gold armor.
"Erebus the Blasphemer!" Marcus's voice boomed, amplified by wind magic. "You lead twelve thousand souls toward their annihilation! Kneel now, and perhaps the gods will grant your soul a swift death. If not, this place shall become a mass grave for you all!"
Erebus did not answer immediately. He slowly dismounted, letting his feet touch the cold earth. He looked toward the giant gates of Aegis, then back at his army. He saw faces covered in scars—faces hungry for justice.
"I did not come to hear your sermon, Marcus," Erebus's voice was low, yet it carried with haunting clarity to every corner of the battlefield. "I came to tear down the lie you built. Today, this white marble turns red."
Erebus raised his right hand to the sky, then swept it down in a sharp, sudden motion. "Commence."
BOOM!
The earth shook violently. From the rear lines, Vane gave the command to an artillery unit the world had never seen. They utilized massive catapults that launched not fire, but black stone orbs soaked in the blood of shadow creatures and corrosive fluids. When these stones struck the "Shield of Eternal Light," a deafening energy blast occurred. The golden radiance protecting the fortress shattered, emitting a sound like glass breaking across the entire valley.
"Archers! Rain down the darkness!" Sora commanded from the left flank.
A thousand Shadow-Stalker archers released their arrows in unison. These arrows had been blessed by Erebus's hatred; they did not glow—they erased light as they flew. The rain of arrows pierced through the gaps in the magical defenses, striking down knights who had long believed themselves untouchable.
"The hornet's nest is open," Vane grunted, unsheathing his massive mace. "Let's clean it out!"
Erebus began to run. His speed was no longer that of a human. He blurred across the open field, dodging the shafts of light raining from the enemy lines. With ghastly agility, he evaded every strike, his body seemingly merging with the shadows of the mist.
As he reached the massive gates, hundreds of Templars leaped from the walls to intercept him. They formed a wall of silver armor, their swords glowing with divine power.
Erebus unsheathed "The God-Eater." As the blade left its scabbard, a faint, soul-piercing wail echoed. With a single, devastating horizontal swing, Erebus released a crescent-shaped wave of black energy. The wave sliced through silver armor as if it were parchment. Ten elite knights died instantly, their bodies cloven by wounds that divine magic could not heal.
"Charge! For freedom!" the rebel forces roared as they reached the walls.
The battle devolved into brutal chaos. Erebus's twelve thousand surged through the shattered defenses. Vane fought like a monster, every swing of his mace crushing helmets and bones alike. On the other side, Sora moved through the rubble, every arrow finding a gap in the enemy's armor with lethal precision.
Erebus himself was the center of the storm. He moved through the enemy ranks, reaping lives with efficient, vengeful strikes. He felt no fatigue; every drop of enemy blood that hit his skin seemed to grant him more strength.
He pushed forward until he reached the main hall of the fortress. There, General Marcus awaited him with a flaming two-handed sword.
"You are a mistake that should have been purged at the start, Erebus!" Marcus lunged, his blade creating explosions of light with every clash.
Erebus parried the strike with one hand against the back of his blade. His eyes locked onto Marcus's. "A mistake? No. I am the consequence of what you did at Oakhaven. I am the prayer you refused to hear."
Erebus pivoted, breaking Marcus's guard, and with a lightning-fast thrust, he drove his blade straight through the general's heart. The dark power of The God-Eater began to devour the divine energy in Marcus's body, causing him to wither in seconds.
"Your gods... are watching," Erebus whispered into the dying general's ear. "And they are afraid."
Erebus stepped out onto the fortress balcony, holding the lifeless head of General Marcus high. Below, the remnants of the Templar forces dropped their weapons in terror. Twelve thousand rebels erupted in a cheer that shook the very mountains.
That night, the flag of the 15-rayed sun, which had flown for a thousand years, was torn down. Under the gaze of a cold moon, a black banner with no crest was raised at the summit of Fortress Aegis.
This victory was more than just about a fortress. It was a declaration of war against heaven. The entire continent now knew that the gods' strongest walls could be toppled, and their greatest warriors could be slain by the hand of a man they had once looked down upon.
Yet, amidst the cheers of his army, Erebus stood silent, staring at the sky. He knew the fall of Aegis was but a small tremor to the gods. Soon, they would send something far worse than armored knights. The true war had only just begun, and the scent of blood had only just reached the predators in the sky.
Would you like to move on to Chapter 5?
In the next chapter, following your outline, Erebus (or Zhenos) and his companions will be watched by the "Wolves" of the Holy Church. Shall I use the name Zhenos from now on as per your initial instruction?