The General stood, holding the body of a Grunt, with other soldier corpses surrounding her. Either they came to her aid and protected her of their own volition, or she grabbed one of them without thinking to use as a shield and the others simply followed. Regardless, she dropped the corpse without a second thought. As you watch her heartless actions, you feel the machete on your back shake, and suddenly fly off its sheathe, only to be caught by Rosa, as if called upon.

She bit the tip of her left glove, removing it as she twirled the machete in her right hand, looking like a knife compared to her massive figure. She held the flat blade in front of her face, her now exposed hand into a flicking motion. The veins of her hand twitched, before flicking the blade, losing its shape into a thin spear blasting towards the Beast's brain, piercing through it. Almost instantaneously, many steel spikes burst from within the Beast's body, through its brain, through its hide, its exposed wounds, worsening them quickly. The force of these growing stingers tore the Beast's body even more, causing it to spasm involuntary as its insides were ravaged. It was the power of a Raw Element Rune, the magic force humans are born with but few awaken. With this action, Rosa revealed her Metal-Element Rune, which controlled even the iron inside living being's blood, something she took advantage of once a wound exposed itself.

The Beast fell dead, its muscles still twitching in its death throes. Rosa Adamsk turned to face you, and for a moment you could see her perpetually closed eyes open for a moment, an impossibly sharp stare that, for the first time, felt like it was looking at you. "You are familiar with humanity's innate magic of Runes." She began to speak "All of mankind possess the potential for it, and mine is the rarer type, the Raw Element Rune." Her explanation continued as she put her glove back on, walking towards you. "Metallon." She continued "Metal and all related minerals are my dominion, steel, iron, platinum and so on. Even the iron flowing within the blood." You realized her rapid explanation wasn't for educational purposes, but setting ground rules, which became clear with her next words "I have never revealed this rune to anyone else who still lives."

"Anyone who has found out, was dealt with by me." Upon speaking those words, the Abraxas began to growl, a mouth with rows of fangs forming across her once featureless maw "If I revealed this power, I would easily rise above the rank of General, perhaps into even a Holy Saint rank. But that isn't my interest, to be honest." The Abraxas' body continued to grow into a mass full of tree-like trunks, surrounding you like a shield while it inched towards the General. She has identified her as a threat towards you. "But I won't kill you, or your Abraxas friend." The Abraxas ceased its advance, as you stood back up, both of you now locked in a stare against Rosa "I won't reveal the Abraxas to any higher up or even footsoldiers, and you won't reveal my rune. I believe we can both help each other. We both stand to lose something by our secrets exposed. Well, one more than the other." With that, surrounded by your dead brethren, you are forced into the General's demands.

As more of the smoke cleared, the General stood unharmed as well, and with a swift motion of her magic, struck the final blow towards the Beast, before turning back towards you.
(Continued in Alt)
There is nothing left for you to do.

The grunt soldiers fire their rifles at the Beast, but their bullets melt at the heat of its charging spell. Before you make your attempt, the Abraxas hands you ammo to use instead. 1/2
(Continued in Alt)
⬇️⬇️⬇️

dark elf that came to me in a dream

A colossal figure emerged form the corners of the trench walls, its anatomy a heaving mass of joints upon joints and muscles upon muscles, every four-hooved step on each leg shook the ground and the soldiers' hearts. It was one of the Multitude Army's greatest assets, its behemoth of a unit known as the Beast of Hundred-Shapes, the result of a single soldier being possessed by a hundred spirits as its name suggests. As if to signify that name, it bore multiple tails unlike the average Creature of Shapes' one. A single massive heavy tail, with many smaller ones next to it, all moving around as if of an independent mind. Its most distinct feature was its "head, a six-fingered hand, closed t mimic the vague idea of an animal head, somehow "seeing" and "roaring" through it as well.

You take out your final cigarette, lighting it up and taking a deep huff, letting out a cloud of smoke, which the Abraxas stares at, as if expecting her turn next. The General Rosa Adamsk moves without hesitation, and with a single motion of her arm, the many Grunts drop whatever they were doing and immediately grab the nearest rifle, saluting her as they got into formation, their guns raised high while held at their hip. "Soldiers!" She roared "Our enemies take us lightly, sending just one soldier at us. One pile of useless muscle!" Though the Grunts' expressions did not change, you could feel their spirits moved by her words, because you felt it too. That woman could switch from her cruelty when the time arises to command her soldiers and lead them to victory.

The Beast wasn't receptive to words, however. It came with a clear goal in mind and was here to act upon it. From its six-fingered maw it raised a single one, a gathering of light at its tip, forming bright rings around a small sphere that started to take shape. The rays from its glow pierced through and created shadows on every corner, like the newly formed sun suddenly making its presence known. The sound of the spell being charged was like hissing, shifting and swirling about before becoming more like a metallic hum. It was clear the spell was charging for a devastating attack, intending on wiping out all the soldiers in one fell swoop.

As the attack was about to reach its apex, the Grunts took position, aiming their rifles at the Beast as their General commanded. "My soldiers," She said "My dear Grunts, show your worth to the Emperio Sigil by your side, in your hearts." It was enough to move you. Though the thought of turning around and running away crossed your mind, you knew it would be fruitless, not because the attack would still get you, but because the General wouldn't allow it. Once her gaze met yours, any possibility of getting out of her grasp was rendered null. Only by her word would you be allowed to move freely again, only by her word would you be allowed to exist believing tomorrow will come. Even now, you knew her actions weren't mere bravado, she had something planned to deal with this threat she met on equal ground- no, that she looked down upon.

From the corner, emerges a Beast of 100-Shapes, the Multitude Army's behemoth unit, alone but guided regardless.
As you lit your final cigarette, the General commands the grunts to get into formation, as the Beast prepares its own attack.
What is your next move?
Continued in Alt

It was announced this morning for me, awful news to wake up.

Rest in Peace, Sam Kieth.
Dropped everything to do a tribute sketch.

The average Infantry Soldier of the Malleus Lot are equipped with the Standard Issue BR-66 Rifle, a magazine fed bolt action rifle, chambered with 7.62×54mmR bullets, capable of holding 7 bullets at once before needing to reload, as well as a standard issue bayonet knife that can be attached to the rifle itself. In addition, they're given a lever-action pistol simply called "Striker" as their secondary option. To allow for easy access to spellcasting, witches are given silverpoint "needles" that can double as weapons in a pinch, as well as leather parchment to actually write their spells onto. Due to the cold climate of their home country, most uniforms of the infantry come with long coats and fur trimming to keep themselves war. The same applies for their signature witch hats, which are elaborately made to maintain warmth as well as shield them from rain or snow. Finally, each witch is given the Grimoire, a thousand page manual full of every possible spell formula they have written

Witchcraft is the Witch's unique method of spellcasting. It functions under a formula-based combination of symbols, written sequentially to create said spell effects. Spells are only capable of creating a single effect at a time, and must thus be stacked atop each other in order to create more elaborate or intentional effects, such as the classic fireball. To maximize a spell's effects, it must be verbally cast via incantation, however, a weaker non-verbal method is possible, for quicker cast time, and only demands the spell be written down. Witch is an all-female race, though their method of reproduction is unknown outside of their race, they resemble female humans, and can be identified by a strange symbol within their right eye. They also possess a strange organ next to their heart, which is said to be what allows them to naturally cast magic the same as breathing. If destroyed, survival is low but possible, but the result is weakened magical abilities.

The Malleus Lot's heavy infantry are the Golem Summoners, witches who specialize in weaving formulas in order to create living element soldiers known as "golems", composed of the natural environment, such as stone and even natural iron ores. However, in the trenches, elements of the Front tend to be incorporated into their bodies as well, such as the barbed wire and even firearms and remnants of destroyed vehicles. Witches can control at most 2 or 3 Golems, and thus their numbers are few but their immense durability and ability to reform themselves if given time makes them valuable assets during attacks and defenses. The summoners themselves are valuable as their specialty requires years to master, and their death causes their golems to collapse as well.

The Air Cavalry of the Malleus Lot lacks flying creatures or vehicles like the other factions, rather it is witches who fly themselves, using complex Witchcraft formulas that turn their uniforms and coats into wings. Known as adept snipers, they wear oxygen masks with eye protection to maintain their ability to breathe in higher altitudes. Their standard issue weapon is the bolt action XB-5 Sniper Rifle, nicknamed "Broom", equipped with a scope that is typically enhance with witchcraft to allow even greater zoom in capability. Equipped with bandoliers of ammo for their rifle, the Air Cavalry lack heavy artillery like the fighter jets of the likes of the Emperio Army's but make up for it with their swiftness and evasiveness, allowing them to weave through enemy fire and harass them, creating openings for their ground troops. Few of them are known for their kill counts as a result, save for the mythical "Night Witch" who is said to still be in service many years into the war.

Aspects of the World Beyond the Horizon

Brief Summary of the Witches Army, the Malleus Lot
The All-Female Northern Winter Faction

After seeing to your wounds, you confirm it has indeed been healed by the Abraxas. Was it her magic? Regardless, there's no time to investigate further. You quickly look around for your gear and anything else useful for you both, spotting a sealed crate. Prying it open, you rummage through it. All you find is a small machete, glasses and a pair of boots. All brand new. Someone must have had specific demands with the last supply run. Regardless, you have no use for these, but noticing the Abraxas is barefoot and underclothed, you give her boots, and through her own volition, she takes the glasses. The boots fit her neatly, despite the hooves, and you wonder if the glasses also help, or what they could be hanging onto. No time to wonder too much though, as you put on your gear and the machete you, preparing to embark.

You go over your gear, arranging your pouches proper, ammo, medicine, grenades, and even a claymore you found, strapping it to your waist. After a quick ammo check of your rifle and a reload, you march north, away from the bunker. You pass through scenes of fresh battle, several of your allies and Multitude Soldiers dead, burning or skewered by the Menacing Earthworks, the spiked growths the land begins to spew after many armies have dug deep to make these trenches. Eventually you reach an open area, larger than average. These areas are meant for regrouping and meetings between the Generals and distribution of supplies. Sacks of what you can assume are supplies are being picked up by various other Grunts like you, taken to carriages and piled up, all while a single human General stands in the center, barking orders at them.

The General immediately notices you. You hoped you could blend in as just another grunt, unfortunately, you had to run to, paradoxically, one of the harshest yet also gentlest of the Generals, Rosa Adamsk. She stands out among the Emperio humans as the only one who can distinguish the Grunts from each other, and bothers to identify them individually, but this makes her treatment harsher when she can keep a head count on who's who. "What have we here, little Grunty?" She needs only a few struts to close the distance, her large frame and towering height becoming clearer "As you can see, we're in the middle of gathering supplies so we can leave this Trench Segment." She gestured to the still-working Grunts "This Segment is lost after this ambush, and we're given orders to evacuate." Though her eyes were closed you could still feel her staring "But right now, what I'm curious about is why this Horned One is accompanying you?" She asked, and the wrong answer could result in a harsh outcome.

Usually, a Grunt alone with no accompanied Human Officer would result in immediate execution, so you are lucky General Rosa is atleast curious before she is harsh. However before you could try and come up with any sort of answer, a loud thud distracts everyone. The General and the Grunts turn, stopping whatever it is they were doing, their attention going to the nearest and only exit northward. The sound got louder, and louder, as they drew closer. A massive shape's shadow revealed itself before the culprit came into view, but immediately, the other Grunts seemed aware it was an enemy attack coming from the north trenches. Could the North segment also be lost? Or is this just a quick attempt at stopping survivors from evacuating?

After gathering yourself and looking for anything useful, you venture north to hopefully reach the supply line and leave this Trench Segment before things get worse, running into allies on the way.
(Continued in Alt Text)
What is your next move?

The God of Firearms formed before gunpowder, when the concept of long-range weaponry was first coming to be. When the first stone was thrown, when the first arrow was shot, when spears and javelins travelled distance to strike unseen enemies. His current form primarily embodies the modern idea of long-range, Guns of all sorts, his influence even beginning to extend to yet undiscovered models. The God of Firearms, under the current incarnation of "Plada", favors many of the Armies at battle, as the widespread and common use of firearms assures that he has his eyes everywhere a soldier waits for their target. Thus, he doesn't have a specific favored army, and is the most commonly worshipped deity comparatively. Plada's governance allows for diverse potential Blessings for his chosen, but that also applies to their possible drawbacks and consequences. And his rituals are known for their brutality and universal utility, such as the infamous "Ammunition Sacrificial Ritual".

The God of Bombardment, from the planes and all other rulers of the sky, treats the Firmament as his home, while the Earth exists below him as a convenience. He came to form and reached actualization from the war's inventions of devastating weapons, bombs of all sorts and impacts, with the advent of fighter jets and bomber planes accentuating their might. Despite being relatively young by comparison, the Atomic God bearing the name of "Til" boasts immense power by the simple nature of his domain. Despite this, he embodies aspects beyond their destruction, such as the massive space they occupy and travel, the deafening roar of the explosions, and the geographic annihilation he delivers. Til favors the Uraga Lords and Akashic Witches, due to their expertise in aerial warfare, developing their own manner of bombardment. However, this doesn't mean he excludes the other armies who utilize bombardment more sparingly.

The Goddess of Melee Arms bears the title of the most ancient deity of the four War Gods, before the idea of War itself was born. From the first stone that struck one's kin, to the metal of today used for all manner of blades and axes and hammers, the one known as Harab exists universal more than any other. She manifests in armed or unarmed combat, and can be easily intrigued by simple violence by the magnitudes of its brutality. Even those who deny the Gods are aware of her, whether consciously or not. Harab bears favoritism to the Multitude Army, despite the army's active rejection of the Gods. Their Creatures of Shapes' expertise in close combat has garnered her unwanted love. The Many-Armed Warrior grants Blessings that always demand closeness, and that eternal condition makes hers the Blessings with the least drawbacks compared to her younger siblings, with her Rituals being the most well-documented as well due to her age as well.

The God of Chemicals is a pitiful existence. It bears its naked innards and heart to the world, its many heads lacking all function, and its body a hideous mass. Where it forms is unknown, as the aspect of chemicals may have evolved from disease and viruses before this current incarnation. It remains the most ambiguous of the Four Gods. Bearing the true name Ra'al, it favors no one, yet is favored by the Necromancers of Zolomon for their expertise in death and decay. Ra'al's existence is of self-pity and divine suicidal ideation, something it can never have so long as its aspects exist. This results in few ever bearing its Blessings, and even fewer knowing its Rituals. The Maker of Hazards can never known peace, and only feel temporary silence.

Aspects of the World Beyond the Horizon
The Four Gods of War

The individual turns around, revealing itself to be the Abraxas, taking on a more humanoid form, its eyes obscured by its hair, its horns subdued from eight to a simple four. She would be easily outed as an Abraxas should anyone else see her. "You are awake." Her voice was gentle but carried a confident aura about it "I managed to stop your bleeding and found some supplies, but I unfortunately cannot read this." She put the map down, as you leaned towards it as well. It was an incredibly crude mock up of the map, done by an untrained cartographer. Probably a soldier trying to keep up with his group, or just simple plan mock ups. Regardless, you know you're still near the bunker area and can use this to plan your next move.

What is your next move?

You force yourself up on your feet, pulling the machete out as it loudly clangs on the bunker's stone floor. Blood pools out as you clutch the injury. The Abraxas stares at you, seemingly grown larger since it burst out the Soldier. A few seconds of silence ensue, before you begin shuffling in your coat, finding your cigarette pack you found earlier. Sadly, most of it was caked in your blood, with only one being in any way salvageable. You offer it to the Abraxas.

The Abraxas tilts her head in confusion, so you simply place the cigarette in where you think her mouth is, before lighting it up. She seems to be fond of it, taking a deep puff of nicotine. She has existed in the physical realm with a body of flesh for a few minutes, but has already experienced one of its many vices.

Unfortunately, the bleeding has gotten worse, and your body is giving in. Your legs buckle and your eyes tire, and so you lose your balance and fall, hitting the ground with a loud thud. The Abraxas goes to pick you up by your coat. She places you over her shoulder, and leaves the Bunker and all its gore behind, still taking puffs from the cigarette.

You don't know how much time has passed since you lost consciousness, but you wake up with your wound sealed and your uniform cleaned. You are unsure if this is a new batch or just cleaned. But before you can really get your bearings, you notice someone standing in front of you, agape as you notice they seem to only be wearing a shirt they nabbed off some soldier. You also notice they seem to be fixated on a piece of paper.

You offer the Abraxas a cigarette, which it accepts. But the injuries weighing on your body, you lose consciousness. The Abraxas carries you on her shoulder outside the Bunker, where you later wake up.
(Continued in Alt Text)
(Continued in thread)
I
V

The Soldier raises your stabbed body into the air with the strength of its tail, the machete slowly inching deeper through your intestines. Your machete slips through your fingers, and soon your rifle too. And yet, you gather the strength to grip onto it, and with one motion, reload a bullet into the chamber, take aim and fire at the Shaped Soldier.

But the Soldier blocks the bullet with ease, using the blade of his machete to slice the bullet in two. You bite onto your cigarette in frustration, feeling your strength wane after pushing yourself. It almost feels like the Soldier is mocking you with its neck movement, entertained by your efforts. His skills, speed and even strength is worthy of the Multitude Army's Creatures of Shapes, showing the value of even one of them compared to any regular soldier, especially a Grunt such as yourself, a mass produced entity with no purpose beyond being sent to battle to die. But even something like that can still be subject to its ego, no longer paying attention to the burning corpse behind him, one that had bullets still in its guts. The fire reached them, and without warning, various bullets blasted in many directions, striking the Shaped Soldier in various spots.

The Shaped Soldeir dropped his weapons, and even drops you. He seems shocked, bewildered even that he could be bleeding right now. And its only after you hit the ground and look up do you notice two rings about his 'head'. Two halos, both shattered by stray bullets. And as if resigned to his fate, the Soldier simply stares at you blankly, however it is he can. For a moment you almost feel his helplessness. Creatures of Shapes. Said Shapes that give them power are merely using their body as conduits for otherworldly entities that cause their bizarre forms but grants them their inhuman abilities. You remember hearing a some Chief-Executors muttering about it. How the two invisible Halos above their heads maintain this form. And now both are destroyed. With these last moments of silence, something starts pushing through the Soldier's chest.

Creature bursts from the Soldier's chest, his intestines stretches and splayed all over. The horned beast tears his body in half as it pushes the rest of its body out. its form resembled a humanoid woman, yet it bore claws and hooves, as well as a mighty tail. Its head resembled a lamb or goat, with a total of eight horns on its head, six at its front like a crown, and two behind its head. It breathed out as if its been holding its breathe for ages, steam from its nostrils. And simply stood there, surrounded by the gore of its former cage. The creature that stood before you was an Abraxas, the 'Shapes' the Multitude Army uses for its elite soldiers. Said Shapes were man and beast, who were never meant to manifest in physical form, and yet, one is right here in front of you.

While suspended in the air, you muster up your meager strength to try and shoot the Soldier, only to fail. And yet, through some miracle, you still make it through.
(Continued in Alt Text)
What is your next move?

Without hesitation your hand grabs onto the salvaged machete, and with little time to adjust to a proper grip, block two swings from the enemy Soldier. You match his strength with yours and quickly try and go for your rifle, hanging by your hip. At this distance, a shot would paralyze any soldier, Shaped or otherwise.

With a swift motion, the enemy Soldier lets go of his right machete, unsheathing a new one from the many tied to his tail. With a forward thrust, he aims for your chest. In a moment of pure reflex, you raise your rifle to block the stab with the metal part of its body, a loud CLANG ringing. Hopefully, nothing damaged its internals and it can still fire. However, at the same time, the Soldier's tail wrapped around itself to unsheathe another machete, and simultaneously as you blocked his stab, he aimed lower for your abdomen. The blade went clean through you, the flesh, fat and meat, and even through bone. Whatever organs were in the way broke apart with ease as it poked from the other side, a fountain of blood gushing out.

You go for your machete and clash with the enemy, but his extra appendage gave him an unfair advantage in this quick bout.
(Continued in Alt Text)
What is your next move?

With a flick of your lighter, you light up the bunker in front of you, confirming there's no one else hiding in the bunker, just the silence of the body and bullet casings rolling on the floor from the outside winds.

Rummaging through the corpse, you can't find any identifiers, no ID tags or anything. But you can tell, there was a struggle. He was forced into the sacrificial role. A Chief-Executor is meant to keep the likes of you in check and has absolute authority over your kind, so whoever did this either did not know or care for the consequences. Perhaps it was enemy soldiers? But the only ones who submit to the God of Firearms besides the Emperio Army you serve, would be the Uraga Lords and the Twelve Segment Chain Empire. This happened recently as well, judging by the blood. Without much else to do, you pull out your remaining lighter fluid, pouring it onto the corpse's clothes, and by lighting a piece of paper, set it ablaze. It will let you pass up some headaches for later. And besides, you almost wish you got to see his face when it happened. But your thoughts are cut short by the sound of a stomp coming from the bunker door.

"Soldier," a whispering sound calls to you, and you meet its "face". It was a headless neck wearing a uniform, with a tail longer than its body and as thick as its torso "No. Just a Grunt." You're almost offended. "Burning corpses. Another savage ritual of the Emperios?" Its neck almost twitched towards the burning corpse. How can it see? Much less smell it "Letting the Gods of the World Beyond the Horizon become your masters is why this war will be your loss.".

It was a Shaped Soldier of the Multitude Army, alternatively known as a Creature of Shape. It unsheathed one of its Machetes tied to its tail, making its intend as clear as it could. Even blocking the only exit with its body and tail. Did it come through the debris? Or maybe the ambush is progressing in their favor and this Trench Segment is a lost cause at this point. Whatever the case is, it wants a fight.

Using your lighter, you confirm no one else is here, followed by rummaging the corpse. You find no ID tags, only some bullets left behind. Using the lighter fluid on the corpse's clothes, you set it alight and burn it.
(Continued in ALT text)
What is your next move?

After ingesting the smoke, you manage to scrounge something usable from the rubble and crushed bodies. A Creature Machete of the Multitude Army that was strapped to the tail of a Shaped Soldier, a small can of lighter fluid, and to your great internal joy, a box of cigarettes.

You reach the bunker door, the attention of the soldiers of this Trench Segment preoccupied with the still ongoing ambush. The door was blocked by a simple piece of wood on the outside. A psychotic design and nonsensical. Opening it is not a problem. The door creaks as if it hasn't been opened in weeks.

The first thing you see is a corpse. Judging by the outfit, it is a Chief-Executor laid out with splayed guts, surrounded by bullet casings for the Standard Issue K80 Emperio Army Rifle. Looking closer, unused, brand new bullets reside within his guts, with a lodged bullet in his forehead. This is a sign of an Ammunition Sacrificial Ritual having taken place.

After a quick delectable cig munch, you dig through the debris and buried bodies to try and find something useful, before making your way to the bunker.
(Continued in ALT text)
What is your next move?

You find yourself the only survivor of an ambush, everyone else dead or escaped, and a wall of trench wall debris blocking one of your paths. You light a cigarette while the the sound of fighting persists in the background.
What is your next move?

Saints of War
Barbed Wire and Trenches

I have a bunch of these

bug sketches

Asphalt Militia - Prologue

sharing this short 16 page prologue I made for my still-slowly-definitely-progressing comic for a newgrounds competition. Going to try and be more active on bluesky moving forward. www.newgrounds.com/art/view/roj...

kriiiieeeeegggggggg

started painting last week.

100 Days to Slay a Dragon

felt like moving my hands.

Mage and Knight

Robot Fantasy
Mage, Knight, Dancer and Cleric

trying a different brush for hatching

oh thank you very much

Struggle