The ground rumbled and cracks formed on both sides of the massive valley as something started to break through the rocky ground. The mountains surrounding the valley shook violently, snow and ice drifted from their peaks and left only hard gray rock in their wake.

  Dirt and rocks got thrown in the air when the top of a tower broke through the earth on both sides of the valley, perfect copies that stood on each end of the valley. They rose into the air like black monoliths. One tower after another cracked the ground and pierced the skies, they opened the earth for the actual structure. The next second a whole section of rock broke apart when the battlements of massive walls crushed them in their ascent. Higher and higher they rose, the walls adorned with banners and the coat of arms of their respective armies already in place, no speck of dust on them. A snake eating itself on one side and the image of a burning sun on the other. Like the forces of dark and light standing in each other's way these imposing fortresses formed the bulwark of their respective side in this conflict.

  Slowly the ground stopped to shake and the castles stopped rising from the earth, standing as tall as the mountains around them. Their battlements filled with contraptions like ballistas and catapults, while each tower housed a gigantic trebuchet. A moat wrapped itself around the castle and a drawbridge as large as cruise ships slammed down on the other side of it, the chains that held it up were as thick as two men standing next to each other.

  Then they started to appear, portals opened in the courtyard of the castles. Each portal had a distinct color depending on the magic of the creator. The courtyard was big enough to house a large city but even then the amount of portals suggested an army of ridiculous proportion.

  Soldiers in neat rows marched from each swirling vortex, both castles filled with the sound of feet stomping on the ground, the rattle of armor and weapons and the shouts of commanders ordering their men around. While some individuals could be spotted, sporting unique equipment and weapons most of them wore the same armor, the same weaponry and the same determined look.

  These were the subjects of their respective god, mortals that lived and died for their patron. No longer their own person, they had become godsworn. Giving up their own path to ascension to become an extension of their patron. While they could die they would be easily brought back, their souls not moving on after death but instead they were entrusted to the god for safe keeping. Becoming a godsworn was the act of giving everything over to another force. In essence, it was the largest show of trust you can offer.

  Not all gods agree with this practice but nobody could deny how effective it was to have a force of godsworn. Ouroboros knew it especially well because he possessed most of them. During his early days he waged so much war that they became a necessity, today they mostly kept the peace but they were still as impressive as the day he took their oath. After each death their bodies got damaged further until they could no longer be recreated, not even a god could restore total destruction, most godsworn were housed in the body of a homunculus, a fake, something artificial that had the added benefit of being expandable and easy to enhance using magic and different materials.

  Like a never ending stream they spilled from the portal. All of them looked in peak physical condition but their eyes showed who they were, killers, murderers, sadists, psychopaths. Maybe they weren’t at some point but these things, these monsters lost everything that made them blessed soldiers once. But in war you didn’t need the good guys.

  Even with their minds in shambles they were an elite military force, something to fear and hate. Their spirits couldn’t be broken and their discipline was superb. While his deceased wife never agreed with having a godsworn army she would never tell him to stop because they served a valid purpose.

  From Ouroboros' army one man stepped forward, he wasn’t entirely human, black and red scales ran over his arms, legs and neck. He was the first and the only one to never die in combat. His commander, his eternal general, Aurelius Blackthorn. A voice boomed over the courtyard, addressing not only his forces but all of them, his deep voice inspired fear and obedience to all that heard it.

  “Soldiers, today we fight another war, like countless times before we’re here to win. You might die once, you might die a hundred times or you live through it all but this war is the most important one you will ever fight. Don’t disappoint me or I will make sure that not even you as godsworn come back to life. We fight and we die for our patron and you won’t embarrass me or him. Alright you maggots, battle positions! I want everything inspected, before this shitshow starts!”

  Without hesitation the soldiers marched up the battlements, manned the towers and inspected not only their gear but also the war machines they would use. Everybody not on the battlements used the courtyard as a marshalling field to get the units organized and ready.

  They only stopped in their action for a moment when they felt the auras of multiple gods sweep over them. Their patrons having arrived, the power they radiated filled the godsworn with new determination. Silent salutes were offered when they saw the gods but their focus quickly returned to their work.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Ouroboros looked over the ongoing preparation and nodded to Aurelius before turning back to his allies. Not all of them were here but most gathered for the first encounter with the enemy. It was an impressive amount of power that gathered here today.

  He looked at each one of them and nodded to some that decided to pick his side later on, glad for their help in the upcoming fight . His eyes lingered on Yggdrasil for a moment before focusing on the next god in line. While the heavenly court was frequently filled with many gods, almost all of them depending on the discussed topic. It did not happen often that the gods gathered outside of it in this number, the fear of an unregulated fight that could cost their life was too great for most of them.

  “My dear friends, I wanted to thank you for your help once again. I know we can win this fight but it will not be easy. We have the older and more experienced gods on our side, we’re stronger and the masters of our respective paths but their side has the advantage of numbers. They are wilder and more unpredictable, what we achieve with determination and strategy, they only see violence and cruelty as a means to an end. So let’s show them how wrong they are, especially since they launched the first attack.”

  Ouroboros felt the soldiers, the godsworn of the enemy approach, while he could wipe them out there were rules to follow in such a war. Otherwise it would be a bloodbath for both sides. These rules were determined a long time ago to make mortals still relevant in a fight between gods.

  - Only mortals can engage in combat with mortals, no gods are allowed to interfere

  - Gods can support their troops through magic or other means but aren’t allowed to kill mortals actively

  - When two gods decide to fight they can only attack each other but aren’t at fault for killing mortals in the process

  Three simple rules to make mortals more viable in combat and allow for some form of strategy during a war. Of course there were more rules but with those three in place it was considered enough to regulate most conflicts. Ouroboros flew up to the battlements and watched the approaching army.

  In a war of system users there were no long marches and long supply lines, even with the size of the valley it was a short trip with flight magic, something most people have in one form or another. The serpent spotted his general and the commanders under him issuing orders to the soldiers. He was worried that the godsworn of the other gods wouldn’t listen but it seems the reputation of Aurelius Blackthorn once again showed its effect.

  Squads of mages coordinated large scale attacks while ballistas and groups of archers aimed at high-profile targets. Melee fighters loaded trebuchets and stacked ammunition next to the ranged soldiers.

  The general raised his hand and once the enemy was in range he dropped it. Projectiles, physical and magical, flew over the battlements and exploded in the midst of the approaching enemy.

  Some tried to escape but even if they evaded the arrows, magic still homed in on their location and followed until the power ran out or they hit the target in an impressive explosion. While their first volley was devastating and ripped the ground to shreds it didn’t kill many soldiers and only injured some of them.

  Non-system people would wait and see how successful their attack was but system users? They fired volley after volley, elemental attacks illuminated the field in countless different colors. The thrum of ballistas being fired or the groan of wood when a trebuchet got released filled the air and once the enemy got closer the melee fighters jumped over the wall.

  Forces slammed against each other as they fought like savages, slashing and hacking at each other while blood and limps dropped into the moat below them. Only for healers to regenerate what was lost so they could continue to fight without pause. Sometimes a body fell and didn’t fly up again to fight, but that was a rare exception. The discipline the soldiers showed was gone, the lust for battle and war stronger than anything else.

  Ouroboros snapped his fingers, improving the soldiers with poisoned weapons, it wasn’t really necessary because he could already see that they won this encounter but it would speed up the process a bit. Once the enemy was repelled he turned to the other gods with a smile.

  “I think we should discuss our plan for this now. But after this display we just got, I’m confident we can hold out until the war on earth has been won.”

  He left the battlements and approached the castle where the throne room was located, the place the enemy had to conquer if they wanted to win. Of course they could also try to make Ouroboros and his allies to surrender but both sides knew that this would never happen. The serpent waved his general towards him and with a group of commanders in tow Aurelius followed the gods into the throne room.

  It was time for diabolical ideas and insidious battle plans, if those fire fucks wanted a war, he would gladly give them one they will remember.