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Description
     Odilon stepped into the brown cavern and knew that this was where it was going to take place.
     It was an easy cave. It was made almost exclusively of brown rock on all sides. It made a sort of conical shape, getting narrower and narrower as it reached the ceiling, which was almost shrouded in shadows due to its height. It was a very large cavern, and it only had one entrance.
     Perfect.
     It also had an unusual amount of wildlife. Frogs and toads were everywhere, bathing in the cave pools and lounging on pads of moss. It was a damp place. Cave crickets chirped along with the frogs, and the toads added a lovely, deep bass note to the mix. Several species of rather ugly plants and fungi threw themselves all about, not caring where they landed or what they touched. Mushrooms, ferns, carnivorous flowers, and mosses carpeted various surfaces haphazardly.
     The only reason Odilon could see any of this was because of the large proliferation of glow-burdos on the ceiling. These fiercely burning mushrooms were as effective as any gas lamp, and Odilon was grateful they were far away. The odorless fumes from a large group of them could cause sudden unconsciousness. Touching them meant serious acid burns for anyone foolish enough to touch something that obviously dangerous. At any rate, they were providing lots of light, which meant less work for Odilon.
     Odilon, in his current attire, looked out-of-place in this untouched cave. His velvety, smooth black coat rippled regally, and his neatly tied brown hair made an elegant ponytail that reached the middle of his back. His black trousers, the ends of which were tucked into his brown boots, matched his coat well, and his white shirt made his black clothing stand out even more. His small, circular glasses gleamed, as if they had been polished recently.
     Caught in the possibilities of this grand hollow, he nearly forgot why he had come there in the first place.
     The ground rumbled beneath his feet, as if to remind him. They were coming.
     He wasted no time. He knew exactly what he had to do in order to survive. It would require a lot of energy, and he hoped the two small glass bottles, filled with a milky, lustrous liquid, would be able to sustain his energy in the event that he ran out. Which he probably would.
     He didn't whirl around at the surprise of what was coming. He knew it was. He had a short time to prepare, and he had promised himself he would use it wisely. He had to buy his companions as much time as he could.
     He drew back his right hand, it began to glow with a green light. Time to begin.
     He pulled back and slammed his hand into the ground in front of him with surprising force. It was buried up to the wrist. Shockwaves of green light spiraled from the impact site, and things in the grotto began to change drastically.
     Vines blasted out from the walls, everywhere. Monstrously thick ropes of plant matter that could flatten buildings rose from the ground, the emergence of these thundering colossi sent boulders twice the size of Odilon crashing to the cave floor. They creaked and groaned as they converged at one place near the top of the immense room, they spiraled together to form a single room; an observation platform.
     Other gigantic vines emerged like ancient green demigods awakened from an eon-long slumber. They coalesced and grew together to form terraces and ramparts, crafting themselves into a kind of fortress, using the cave walls as a natural foundation. They crashed and melded to form elegant structures that not even the greatest masons would dare to dream of.
     The colliding titans above prompted Odilon to withdraw his hand from the earth. The worst of the job was over.
     He raised his hands in a commanding, imperial gesture. Green light emanated from his palms and seemed to direct the giant vines about their work, forming what was now becoming a mighty green balustrade. The outer layers of the vines, once settled, became brown and hardened, as if fired. They were armoring themselves.
     Odilon suddenly stopped his regal command of the majestic flora. His arms rested at his side, and he observed his work, panting at the mighty expense of effort.
     To his right was a ramp made of vines that ascended up the cave wall at a smooth, sloping grade. It was scored with steps that would make it easy from him to climb them. This staircase wound all the way to the top of the cavern, where the green- and brown-clad observation deck was located. Just above the platform was a shining mass of glowing plantlife that made the glow-hongs seem like dying candles in comparison. It was a K'jrgyat, a single plant that was three times as tall as Odilon and about forty times as wide. It was comprised of a trunk that connected it to the ceiling, and a massive, glowing bulb that was bright enough to be mistaken for the sun. These things were known to be the largest, most powerful source of bioluminescence in the world. Its name literally meant “Light Giver” in Kharvian. It had taken Odilon several long years to acquire the ability to create a K'jrgyat, and he was very grateful that he could spawn one in this cave, in this situation. Its properties would come in handy.
     Above the comparatively small cave entrance was a network of sharp, deadly wooden spikes attached to organic gas-pods that were semi-sentient. If they smelled or saw any trace of life that was hostile toward Odilon, it would release its gas reservoirs and launch the hard wooden spike straight into the hide of the threat, with bullet-like accuracy and force. The ceiling was completely packed with these organisms, and they were ready to fire at a split-second's notice.
     Other defenses nedded tending to. Odilon, however, was exhausted. The massive amount of energy required to summon and command such colossal creatures had rendered him almost unable to stand, and he could hear the sonorous rumble of the inevitable horde of the Kardeshes. He had to get back into shape and summon his own army as soon as possible.
     He unclipped one of the small bottles of cloudy white liquid and pulled the cork out with his teeth. He spat it out and poured the potion down his throat; it tasted vaguely like honey, with distinct lemony notes. The second the potion was drained from the bottle, he felt liveliness and vitality surge into his limbs, empowering him and instilling confidence in him. He clipped the bottle back to his belt and started climbing the staircase he had built.
     The curling vines and strapped wood resonated underneath his feet; it knew its master, its creator, and it knew what was coming. Odilon climbed, gathering energy from his majestic sculptures.
     He finally reached the top, and was not ashamed to marvel at his own craftsmanship. He could see the entire battlefield from on high; it was the general's ideal vantage point. The observation platform was just as he had designed in his mind. It had a dark brown wooden floor, and a smooth, almost veneered green ceiling. The wall surrounding the flat cylinder of the deck was a completely transparent collagen protein; extremely durable, and as clear as a glass window. It would allow a complete, comprehensive view of the combat zone, from which to command his own horde.
     All that remained was to summon them.
     Odilon focused his energies, and placed his left hand against a bright green wall. Green light ran like liquid down the trunk of the redwood-sized vine; it was laced with a red fulgor that pulsed as it traveled. The light splashed onto the ground several hundred feet below and soaked into the ground. Odilon waited for his command to be accepted by the earth.
     Mounds of soil began to rise up, and cracks broke the surface. Hundreds of patches of vines burst from the ground and flailed angrily, then bodies burst from the soil in showers of dirt and clay.
     They were hellish creatures that were born of Odilon's mind, made real by his command over all plant life. They were comprised of a roughly bean-shaped, purple head that split open horizontally to reveal rows of razor sharp and syringe-like teeth that could shred through steel, as well as inject poisons that could kill any conventional organism within minutes. Their six limbs were musclebound vines that ended in vicious scythes, used to cut and brutalize anything out of reach of the deadly jaws.
     There were over five hundred of these things; they thrashed about and whirled around in impatient anger. The only thing keeping under control was Odilon's mind, and the light of the K'jrgyat, which was known to have a mysterious calming and empowering effect on plant life.
     As these creatures of blades and acid were writhing about and eating frogs, Odilon summoned a different kind of energy. This energy was green as well, striped with purple streams. It ran down the trunk Odilon was focusing on and buried itself into the ground, spawning a second batch of bulging mounds.
     This group of mounds was farther back from the first mass, located behind what would shortly be the front lines. From the dirt sprang three extremely long tentacles, each approximately ten feet in length. They were each a bright, smooth green with a single purple stripe. They whipped and spiraled out of their hole, and pushed against the ground, pulling up the body of the creature. The body was a simple, very large bulb, keeping with the color plan of the tentacles. Once a bulb breached the surface and was in open air, it began to bloom with a single flowing movement. The bulb unfolded to reveal a long, thin proboscis with a transparent gas-sac at the base. This was used to fire dense, hard bullet-seeds at hypersonic speeds, comparable in force and accuracy to that of a sniper rifle. These plants, numbering at approximately one hundred and fifty, would stay behind the front lines and provide supporting fire for the foot soldiers. Several of them began to climb up the cave walls for a better vantage point.
     His forces were assembled, ready to sacrifice their lives so that Odilon may live. Their only purpose was the defense of the cavern, and they would exact terrible violence upon anything that dared violate the sanctity of this shrine, this bastion of good against the invading forces of evil.
     The rumble of the incoming Kardesh horde was very loud. They would be upon him at any second. He could only hope that his small batch of defenders could hold against this detachment of the horde long enough for him to make an escape.
     A roar broke the relative silence of the cave. It was harsh and high-pitched; indicative of a single Kardesh underling.
     As Odilon expected, a single Kardesh stepped into the entrance of the cave. It saw what was inside and roared defiantly. If Odilon had not wanted it to alert its companions, he would have ordered one of his sniper flowers to take it down. But he needed the battalion of monsters to attack him.
     The Kardesh was a brown, mottled creature that was about the size of a small bear. It had three limbs arranged in a tripod movement formation; each was tipped with a sharp scythe-like blade. Its head was triangular and had no apparent eyes, but a mouth that sported a very large number of razor-sharp teeth. It was a member of the lowest strain of Kardeshes. This one, however, was a scout, and was given greater muscle mass in the legs and a louder voice for calling back to its superiors.
     It stopped its tirade and stood at the entrance to the cave; not coming in, but not leaving. It was waiting for its horde.
     Odilon wouldn't give it that luxury. He telepathically commanded the nearest sniper to kill it.
     A crack sounded in the air, and a puff of gas could be seen emitted from one of the flowers, and the Kardesh lost its head to an invisibly speeding missile. It bled an oily black liquid profusely from where its head used to be, and the body charged uselessly into the cave, as Kardesh bodies will do when rendered headless. The nearest spike pod to the entrance instantly let its trap fly, and the Kardesh was impaled smartly upon the ground, unable to move. It died shortly of blood loss.
     The rumble was as loud as it was going to get. Odilon could see the Kardesh horde amassing at the lip of the cave, they all stopped at some unheard command. Odilon was unsurprised to see a Kardesh battle elder stomp into view. The battle elders were simply Kardeshes that were older and had survived more battles than other, younger Kardeshes. They were also much larger; being the size of a horse-drawn buggy. The elder saw the impaled body of its scout and put two and two together. The battle elders are not stupid. It thundered a booming, nearly infrasonic cry that summoned a drove of foot soldiers. They clustered around the ground before the elder, and it roared.
     The soldiers charged into the open space of the cave, to their demise. Each one was spiked to the ground instantly by a pod in the ceiling. But the spike pods could only fire once. The elder was, seemingly, willing to sacrifice any amount of soldiers to clear the pods of their effectiveness. It was as if it had had this tactic used on it before.
     Before long, the pods were all spent, and a large number of sacrificed Kardeshes served as obstacles to impede further movement. The Kardeshes, however, were never stopped for long.
     The Kardesh battle elder stamped its right front limb and thundered a long, sonorous battle cry; its followers took up the cry and filled the cave with thousands of Kardesh voices. This was meant to intimidate, but Odilon had seen it all before. He wished they'd stop their grandstanding and get on with it.
     The elder spoke in a series of abrupt screeching roars, to mobilize its troops. The entire regiment seemed to wind tight, ready for the signal to charge.
     The sniper flowers that lined the walls and the rear of the battleground primed their weapons with a series of hissing snaps. Odilon's foot soldiers trumpeted their defiance at their sworn enemy, baring their fierce teeth and slicing the ground with their claws.
     The elder blasted its charge and the entire Kardesh regiment spilled into the brown hall, trampling clear over the bodies of their own fallen.
     The battle had begun.
     As soon as they were able, the sniper flowers took aim and fired, launching missiles from the ramparts of the fortress, from the great, concave cavern walls, and from the middle of the battleground. Kardeshes fell by the score to instant death by sniper fire, heads and body cavities exploding where a shell hit. The snipers tried their best to keep the monsters pushed back, but there were too many for them to target. They breached the line of fire and came upon the ravenous crowd of Odilon's own beasts, and they clashed in waves.
     A single Kardesh is more than a match for most humans. Their ferocious attack speed and strength overcome most enemies, and it normally takes three or more humans to bring one down.
     They died by the score at the blades and jaws of the defenders, with the sniper flowers providing constant supporting fire. Their blades whirled effortlessly through Kardesh hide, and their tough wooden skins were all but impervious to the Kardeshes' own blades. They devoured their prey, making mincemeat out of the invaders.
     The battle elder, however, was becoming a problem. It had already killed more than ten defenders by itself, and looked more than ready for more. It took sniper fire easily, as if  a small child was throwing pebbles at it. It was advancing down the front line, killing masses of the defenders, who sacrificed their lives to put at least a dent or scratch in the elder's hide. It was picking up the slack that its own soldiers seemed unable to cope with.
     Odilon realized that there were too many for his several hundred defenders. The elder was unstoppable, seemingly, but Odilon had a plan.
     It was time for him to join the fray.
     He forced a window of the observation deck aside with his mind and swan dived from the platform, knowing full well that a fierce battle was raging just below him. He fell gracefully toward the ground, hair and coat whipping through the air as he gained speed.
     Just as it became apparent that Odilon was going to die on impact, he summoned a network of elastic vines that pushed themselves from the ground exactly where he was going to land. He hit the net and it bounced him high into the air, saving his life and propelling him into the fray yards ahead. As he somersaulted through the air, he drew his knives, and prepared for impact.
     As he had expected, a Kardesh cushioned his fall. Odilon landed knives-down, spearing the beast dead and softening his landing.
     There were Kardeshes all around him. He was behind enemy lines.
     But that didn't particularly matter.
     He danced through the crowd of snapping jaws and windmilling blades, cutting Kardeshes down as he traveled. He gracefully ducked and twisted away from their path as he sliced them apart, making a show of it and ensuring that the elder knew what was going on. He wanted to take the elder out by himself and let his soldiers work on taking the rest of the Kardeshes.
     Odilon reached the elder from behind, leaving piles of bodies in his wake. Twisting and turning, he denied the Kardeshes any hope of striking him; he was simply too fluid and fast.
     He leaped from the ground and a vine broke the dirt under him, shoving him underneath his feet and launching him high into the air. He flew straight for the Kardesh elder, aiming for its neck.
     He hit the elder from behind, wrapping his hand around the long pole of its neck and spinning around, carving grooves in its flesh as he went. He stopped spinning and ended up on the elder's back, from whence he would strike.
     The elder couldn't reach its back, but it knew what was happening. It commanded the Kardeshes onto its back in an attempt to dislodge Odilon; he cut them down as they came. All the while, his hands began to glow green.
     Suddenly, a vine as enormous as the ones that had constructed the fortress exploded from the ground beneath the Kardesh elder, blowing it sky high. It rose with the vine, rapidly approaching the ceiling of the cave.
     Odilon jumped from the elder's back. Vines burst from the ceiling and caught him in the air, but the elder wasn't so lucky.
     It slammed into the ceiling, pinned by the colossal vine. It was smashed, and died on impact. The vine began to absorb the body, and began to distribute the energy it manufactured from it among the defenders.
     It became apparent now that the Kardeshes were losing the fight without their commander and most powerful warrior. They would never stop attacking, as Kardeshes do not know cowardice, but instead attacked haphazardly and without direction, making them easy targets for the snipers and blade creatures. They fell ingloriously, dying of seedshot and fang bites by the dozens.
     There were, however, thousands of them. This was an entire regiment of Kardesh warriors, and they were almost as dangerous without a commander and in a frenzy as they were with a commander and in control. They managed to slay several of Odilon's defenders, and some began to climb the walls to approach the sniper flowers.
     Odilon, meanwhile, was using vines as swinging ropes to get back to his observation post. Thin, sturdy vines burst from the ceiling as he went, allowing him to travel to the windows of the deck. He opened the clear membrane and climbed in.
     He saw what was becoming of his army, and he knew he needed to issue some orders to compensate for the changes in enemy movement.
     But he couldn't concentrate. He was completely exhausted; summoning that vine and moving it had taken a lot out of him, as well as summoning his army. He needed restoration.
     He unclipped the last vial of milky white liquid, uncorked it, and poured it down his throat. He was exhausted to the point that he couldn't even taste it. However, he immediately began to feel the effects of its power. His limbs warmed and filled with energy, and his mind unclouded and focused on the task at hand. He was ready.
     Odilon looked out over the battlefield and saw that his troops were beginning to falter under the pressure of the disorganized Kardeshes. They were ragtag and sloppy without their leader, but they were far less controlled and had free license to kill and maim. He could see that with proper planning, their reckless destruction could be used against them.
     Odilon noticed that supporting fire on the battleground was sporadic and lessened, for some reason. He looked over at the cave walls and ramparts to check the snipers, and saw that they were under direct attack. He had forgotten to compensate for the Kardeshes' ability to climb walls. He ordered the flowers on the walls that were being attacked to move out of the zone and to retreat back toward the ramparts, while the snipers on the castle walls fired upon the Kardeshes on the cave walls. This stopped their advance on the fortress, and protected the snipers on the cave walls. Once the climbing Kardeshes were dealt with, he ordered them to resume support on the front lines.
     His soldiers on the front lines, however, were taking a beating. The sheer numbers of the Kardeshes were staggering them, and they were almost unable to cope with the ferocity of their attacks. They fought nobly, but ultimately died at the endless claws of their assailants. Odilon had to organize them somehow.
     He had a plan.
     He ordered his foot soldiers to press forward, and hold nothing back in a full-on offensive rush. All available soldiers charged in an attempt to surprise and disrupt the mass of attackers, which worked, to a degree. The invaders were not expecting an advance and were forced to retreat slightly, giving Odilon a chance to implement his final retaliation strategy.
     As the foot soldiers pushed the Kardeshes back, Odilon summoned the last of his energies and called forth a network of subterranean vines deep within the roots of the mountain. They pulled apart all at once hundreds of yards below the surface, tearing asunder an enormous rift in the floor of the cave that spanned from the entrance to roots of the fortress. Torrents of rock and soil tumbled into the abyss along with the entirety of both armies; they fell into the black beyond the scope of the Earth's reckoning. Thousands of lives, authentic and synthetic, fell into the eternal crypt of stone and pitch darkness.
     The enemies screamed and shouted as they fell, the ones near the edges of the endless pit scrabbled at the walls in an attempt to climb back up.
     The doomed defending soldiers, however, dislodged them on their way down in a last defiant act. They knew they were fated to die; they did not care. They dragged their opponents down to death with them.
     Odilon, from his green tower, silently thanked the unnamed power that had given him these abilities, and he thanked his servants for their sacrifice. He then fell to his knees, completely exhausted. He managed to stay conscious only by the light of the K'jrgyat high above him. He knew that he had not killed all of the Kardeshes. There were at least three score of them beyond the entrance that had not had the chance to enter during the battle,and he would have to deal with them himself. Summoning assistance was out of the question; at this point, it would kill him.
     He hauled himself up, steadied, and exited his solitary room, walking down the smooth green stairs to what used to be the cave floor. He ran his hand down the brown, coarse railing and felt the bark flake off underneath his fingertips. His vision was blurred and his legs were unsteady, but he made it to the edge of the enormous pit without collapsing again. The soothing, energizing light from the monstrous, lambent being above him slowly revitalized him, but not within summoning capability.
     He skirted the crumbling edge around the crater and headed for the entrance of the cave, where he saw a small group of bloodthirsty Kardeshes waiting for him. They ground their blades together and roared, eager to kill him. They could smell his frailty, his weakness. They knew he would make an easy target.
     As he walked slowly up to the open ground, where crumbling stone was no longer an issue, he knew that this could very well be his last stand. If so, then he was fine with it. He had successfully bought all the time his companions would need; with his sacrifice, they would be safe. And that was all that mattered to him.
     He stood on the firm ground several yards from the massing Kardeshes. There were more than he had anticipated. At least four score were waiting for some signal. An excuse.
     Odilon Andrews would give it to them.
     With a flourish, he drew both of his smooth, oiled wooden daggers and pulled himself together. Time at last to finish what he had started.

Description
     Odilon stepped into the brown cavern and knew that this was where it was going to take place.
     It was an easy cave. It was made almost exclusively of brown rock on all sides. It made a sort of conical shape, getting narrower and narrower as it reached the ceiling, which was almost shrouded in shadows due to its height. It was a very large cavern, and it only had one entrance.
     Perfect.
     It also had an unusual amount of wildlife. Frogs and toads were everywhere, bathing in the cave pools and lounging on pads of moss. It was a damp place. Cave crickets chirped along with the frogs, and the toads added a lovely, deep bass note to the mix. Several species of rather ugly plants and fungi threw themselves all about, not caring where they landed or what they touched. Mushrooms, ferns, carnivorous flowers, and mosses carpeted various surfaces haphazardly.
     The only reason Odilon could see any of this was because of the large proliferation of glow-burdos on the ceiling. These fiercely burning mushrooms were as effective as any gas lamp, and Odilon was grateful they were far away. The odorless fumes from a large group of them could cause sudden unconsciousness. Touching them meant serious acid burns for anyone foolish enough to touch something that obviously dangerous. At any rate, they were providing lots of light, which meant less work for Odilon.
     Odilon, in his current attire, looked out-of-place in this untouched cave. His velvety, smooth black coat rippled regally, and his neatly tied brown hair made an elegant ponytail that reached the middle of his back. His black trousers, the ends of which were tucked into his brown boots, matched his coat well, and his white shirt made his black clothing stand out even more. His small, circular glasses gleamed, as if they had been polished recently.
     Caught in the possibilities of this grand hollow, he nearly forgot why he had come there in the first place.
     The ground rumbled beneath his feet, as if to remind him. They were coming.
     He wasted no time. He knew exactly what he had to do in order to survive. It would require a lot of energy, and he hoped the two small glass bottles, filled with a milky, lustrous liquid, would be able to sustain his energy in the event that he ran out. Which he probably would.
     He didn't whirl around at the surprise of what was coming. He knew it was. He had a short time to prepare, and he had promised himself he would use it wisely. He had to buy his companions as much time as he could.
     He drew back his right hand, it began to glow with a green light. Time to begin.
     He pulled back and slammed his hand into the ground in front of him with surprising force. It was buried up to the wrist. Shockwaves of green light spiraled from the impact site, and things in the grotto began to change drastically.
     Vines blasted out from the walls, everywhere. Monstrously thick ropes of plant matter that could flatten buildings rose from the ground, the emergence of these thundering colossi sent boulders twice the size of Odilon crashing to the cave floor. They creaked and groaned as they converged at one place near the top of the immense room, they spiraled together to form a single room; an observation platform.
     Other gigantic vines emerged like ancient green demigods awakened from an eon-long slumber. They coalesced and grew together to form terraces and ramparts, crafting themselves into a kind of fortress, using the cave walls as a natural foundation. They crashed and melded to form elegant structures that not even the greatest masons would dare to dream of.
     The colliding titans above prompted Odilon to withdraw his hand from the earth. The worst of the job was over.
     He raised his hands in a commanding, imperial gesture. Green light emanated from his palms and seemed to direct the giant vines about their work, forming what was now becoming a mighty green balustrade. The outer layers of the vines, once settled, became brown and hardened, as if fired. They were armoring themselves.
     Odilon suddenly stopped his regal command of the majestic flora. His arms rested at his side, and he observed his work, panting at the mighty expense of effort.
     To his right was a ramp made of vines that ascended up the cave wall at a smooth, sloping grade. It was scored with steps that would make it easy from him to climb them. This staircase wound all the way to the top of the cavern, where the green- and brown-clad observation deck was located. Just above the platform was a shining mass of glowing plantlife that made the glow-hongs seem like dying candles in comparison. It was a K'jrgyat, a single plant that was three times as tall as Odilon and about forty times as wide. It was comprised of a trunk that connected it to the ceiling, and a massive, glowing bulb that was bright enough to be mistaken for the sun. These things were known to be the largest, most powerful source of bioluminescence in the world. Its name literally meant “Light Giver” in Kharvian. It had taken Odilon several long years to acquire the ability to create a K'jrgyat, and he was very grateful that he could spawn one in this cave, in this situation. Its properties would come in handy.
     Above the comparatively small cave entrance was a network of sharp, deadly wooden spikes attached to organic gas-pods that were semi-sentient. If they smelled or saw any trace of life that was hostile toward Odilon, it would release its gas reservoirs and launch the hard wooden spike straight into the hide of the threat, with bullet-like accuracy and force. The ceiling was completely packed with these organisms, and they were ready to fire at a split-second's notice.
     Other defenses nedded tending to. Odilon, however, was exhausted. The massive amount of energy required to summon and command such colossal creatures had rendered him almost unable to stand, and he could hear the sonorous rumble of the inevitable horde of the Kardeshes. He had to get back into shape and summon his own army as soon as possible.
     He unclipped one of the small bottles of cloudy white liquid and pulled the cork out with his teeth. He spat it out and poured the potion down his throat; it tasted vaguely like honey, with distinct lemony notes. The second the potion was drained from the bottle, he felt liveliness and vitality surge into his limbs, empowering him and instilling confidence in him. He clipped the bottle back to his belt and started climbing the staircase he had built.
     The curling vines and strapped wood resonated underneath his feet; it knew its master, its creator, and it knew what was coming. Odilon climbed, gathering energy from his majestic sculptures.
     He finally reached the top, and was not ashamed to marvel at his own craftsmanship. He could see the entire battlefield from on high; it was the general's ideal vantage point. The observation platform was just as he had designed in his mind. It had a dark brown wooden floor, and a smooth, almost veneered green ceiling. The wall surrounding the flat cylinder of the deck was a completely transparent collagen protein; extremely durable, and as clear as a glass window. It would allow a complete, comprehensive view of the combat zone, from which to command his own horde.
     All that remained was to summon them.
     Odilon focused his energies, and placed his left hand against a bright green wall. Green light ran like liquid down the trunk of the redwood-sized vine; it was laced with a red fulgor that pulsed as it traveled. The light splashed onto the ground several hundred feet below and soaked into the ground. Odilon waited for his command to be accepted by the earth.
     Mounds of soil began to rise up, and cracks broke the surface. Hundreds of patches of vines burst from the ground and flailed angrily, then bodies burst from the soil in showers of dirt and clay.
     They were hellish creatures that were born of Odilon's mind, made real by his command over all plant life. They were comprised of a roughly bean-shaped, purple head that split open horizontally to reveal rows of razor sharp and syringe-like teeth that could shred through steel, as well as inject poisons that could kill any conventional organism within minutes. Their six limbs were musclebound vines that ended in vicious scythes, used to cut and brutalize anything out of reach of the deadly jaws.
     There were over five hundred of these things; they thrashed about and whirled around in impatient anger. The only thing keeping under control was Odilon's mind, and the light of the K'jrgyat, which was known to have a mysterious calming and empowering effect on plant life.
     As these creatures of blades and acid were writhing about and eating frogs, Odilon summoned a different kind of energy. This energy was green as well, striped with purple streams. It ran down the trunk Odilon was focusing on and buried itself into the ground, spawning a second batch of bulging mounds.
     This group of mounds was farther back from the first mass, located behind what would shortly be the front lines. From the dirt sprang three extremely long tentacles, each approximately ten feet in length. They were each a bright, smooth green with a single purple stripe. They whipped and spiraled out of their hole, and pushed against the ground, pulling up the body of the creature. The body was a simple, very large bulb, keeping with the color plan of the tentacles. Once a bulb breached the surface and was in open air, it began to bloom with a single flowing movement. The bulb unfolded to reveal a long, thin proboscis with a transparent gas-sac at the base. This was used to fire dense, hard bullet-seeds at hypersonic speeds, comparable in force and accuracy to that of a sniper rifle. These plants, numbering at approximately one hundred and fifty, would stay behind the front lines and provide supporting fire for the foot soldiers. Several of them began to climb up the cave walls for a better vantage point.
     His forces were assembled, ready to sacrifice their lives so that Odilon may live. Their only purpose was the defense of the cavern, and they would exact terrible violence upon anything that dared violate the sanctity of this shrine, this bastion of good against the invading forces of evil.
     The rumble of the incoming Kardesh horde was very loud. They would be upon him at any second. He could only hope that his small batch of defenders could hold against this detachment of the horde long enough for him to make an escape.
     A roar broke the relative silence of the cave. It was harsh and high-pitched; indicative of a single Kardesh underling.
     As Odilon expected, a single Kardesh stepped into the entrance of the cave. It saw what was inside and roared defiantly. If Odilon had not wanted it to alert its companions, he would have ordered one of his sniper flowers to take it down. But he needed the battalion of monsters to attack him.
     The Kardesh was a brown, mottled creature that was about the size of a small bear. It had three limbs arranged in a tripod movement formation; each was tipped with a sharp scythe-like blade. Its head was triangular and had no apparent eyes, but a mouth that sported a very large number of razor-sharp teeth. It was a member of the lowest strain of Kardeshes. This one, however, was a scout, and was given greater muscle mass in the legs and a louder voice for calling back to its superiors.
     It stopped its tirade and stood at the entrance to the cave; not coming in, but not leaving. It was waiting for its horde.
     Odilon wouldn't give it that luxury. He telepathically commanded the nearest sniper to kill it.
     A crack sounded in the air, and a puff of gas could be seen emitted from one of the flowers, and the Kardesh lost its head to an invisibly speeding missile. It bled an oily black liquid profusely from where its head used to be, and the body charged uselessly into the cave, as Kardesh bodies will do when rendered headless. The nearest spike pod to the entrance instantly let its trap fly, and the Kardesh was impaled smartly upon the ground, unable to move. It died shortly of blood loss.
     The rumble was as loud as it was going to get. Odilon could see the Kardesh horde amassing at the lip of the cave, they all stopped at some unheard command. Odilon was unsurprised to see a Kardesh battle elder stomp into view. The battle elders were simply Kardeshes that were older and had survived more battles than other, younger Kardeshes. They were also much larger; being the size of a horse-drawn buggy. The elder saw the impaled body of its scout and put two and two together. The battle elders are not stupid. It thundered a booming, nearly infrasonic cry that summoned a drove of foot soldiers. They clustered around the ground before the elder, and it roared.
     The soldiers charged into the open space of the cave, to their demise. Each one was spiked to the ground instantly by a pod in the ceiling. But the spike pods could only fire once. The elder was, seemingly, willing to sacrifice any amount of soldiers to clear the pods of their effectiveness. It was as if it had had this tactic used on it before.
     Before long, the pods were all spent, and a large number of sacrificed Kardeshes served as obstacles to impede further movement. The Kardeshes, however, were never stopped for long.
     The Kardesh battle elder stamped its right front limb and thundered a long, sonorous battle cry; its followers took up the cry and filled the cave with thousands of Kardesh voices. This was meant to intimidate, but Odilon had seen it all before. He wished they'd stop their grandstanding and get on with it.
     The elder spoke in a series of abrupt screeching roars, to mobilize its troops. The entire regiment seemed to wind tight, ready for the signal to charge.
     The sniper flowers that lined the walls and the rear of the battleground primed their weapons with a series of hissing snaps. Odilon's foot soldiers trumpeted their defiance at their sworn enemy, baring their fierce teeth and slicing the ground with their claws.
     The elder blasted its charge and the entire Kardesh regiment spilled into the brown hall, trampling clear over the bodies of their own fallen.
     The battle had begun.
     As soon as they were able, the sniper flowers took aim and fired, launching missiles from the ramparts of the fortress, from the great, concave cavern walls, and from the middle of the battleground. Kardeshes fell by the score to instant death by sniper fire, heads and body cavities exploding where a shell hit. The snipers tried their best to keep the monsters pushed back, but there were too many for them to target. They breached the line of fire and came upon the ravenous crowd of Odilon's own beasts, and they clashed in waves.
     A single Kardesh is more than a match for most humans. Their ferocious attack speed and strength overcome most enemies, and it normally takes three or more humans to bring one down.
     They died by the score at the blades and jaws of the defenders, with the sniper flowers providing constant supporting fire. Their blades whirled effortlessly through Kardesh hide, and their tough wooden skins were all but impervious to the Kardeshes' own blades. They devoured their prey, making mincemeat out of the invaders.
     The battle elder, however, was becoming a problem. It had already killed more than ten defenders by itself, and looked more than ready for more. It took sniper fire easily, as if  a small child was throwing pebbles at it. It was advancing down the front line, killing masses of the defenders, who sacrificed their lives to put at least a dent or scratch in the elder's hide. It was picking up the slack that its own soldiers seemed unable to cope with.
     Odilon realized that there were too many for his several hundred defenders. The elder was unstoppable, seemingly, but Odilon had a plan.
     It was time for him to join the fray.
     He forced a window of the observation deck aside with his mind and swan dived from the platform, knowing full well that a fierce battle was raging just below him. He fell gracefully toward the ground, hair and coat whipping through the air as he gained speed.
     Just as it became apparent that Odilon was going to die on impact, he summoned a network of elastic vines that pushed themselves from the ground exactly where he was going to land. He hit the net and it bounced him high into the air, saving his life and propelling him into the fray yards ahead. As he somersaulted through the air, he drew his knives, and prepared for impact.
     As he had expected, a Kardesh cushioned his fall. Odilon landed knives-down, spearing the beast dead and softening his landing.
     There were Kardeshes all around him. He was behind enemy lines.
     But that didn't particularly matter.
     He danced through the crowd of snapping jaws and windmilling blades, cutting Kardeshes down as he traveled. He gracefully ducked and twisted away from their path as he sliced them apart, making a show of it and ensuring that the elder knew what was going on. He wanted to take the elder out by himself and let his soldiers work on taking the rest of the Kardeshes.
     Odilon reached the elder from behind, leaving piles of bodies in his wake. Twisting and turning, he denied the Kardeshes any hope of striking him; he was simply too fluid and fast.
     He leaped from the ground and a vine broke the dirt under him, shoving him underneath his feet and launching him high into the air. He flew straight for the Kardesh elder, aiming for its neck.
     He hit the elder from behind, wrapping his hand around the long pole of its neck and spinning around, carving grooves in its flesh as he went. He stopped spinning and ended up on the elder's back, from whence he would strike.
     The elder couldn't reach its back, but it knew what was happening. It commanded the Kardeshes onto its back in an attempt to dislodge Odilon; he cut them down as they came. All the while, his hands began to glow green.
     Suddenly, a vine as enormous as the ones that had constructed the fortress exploded from the ground beneath the Kardesh elder, blowing it sky high. It rose with the vine, rapidly approaching the ceiling of the cave.
     Odilon jumped from the elder's back. Vines burst from the ceiling and caught him in the air, but the elder wasn't so lucky.
     It slammed into the ceiling, pinned by the colossal vine. It was smashed, and died on impact. The vine began to absorb the body, and began to distribute the energy it manufactured from it among the defenders.
     It became apparent now that the Kardeshes were losing the fight without their commander and most powerful warrior. They would never stop attacking, as Kardeshes do not know cowardice, but instead attacked haphazardly and without direction, making them easy targets for the snipers and blade creatures. They fell ingloriously, dying of seedshot and fang bites by the dozens.
     There were, however, thousands of them. This was an entire regiment of Kardesh warriors, and they were almost as dangerous without a commander and in a frenzy as they were with a commander and in control. They managed to slay several of Odilon's defenders, and some began to climb the walls to approach the sniper flowers.
     Odilon, meanwhile, was using vines as swinging ropes to get back to his observation post. Thin, sturdy vines burst from the ceiling as he went, allowing him to travel to the windows of the deck. He opened the clear membrane and climbed in.
     He saw what was becoming of his army, and he knew he needed to issue some orders to compensate for the changes in enemy movement.
     But he couldn't concentrate. He was completely exhausted; summoning that vine and moving it had taken a lot out of him, as well as summoning his army. He needed restoration.
     He unclipped the last vial of milky white liquid, uncorked it, and poured it down his throat. He was exhausted to the point that he couldn't even taste it. However, he immediately began to feel the effects of its power. His limbs warmed and filled with energy, and his mind unclouded and focused on the task at hand. He was ready.
     Odilon looked out over the battlefield and saw that his troops were beginning to falter under the pressure of the disorganized Kardeshes. They were ragtag and sloppy without their leader, but they were far less controlled and had free license to kill and maim. He could see that with proper planning, their reckless destruction could be used against them.
     Odilon noticed that supporting fire on the battleground was sporadic and lessened, for some reason. He looked over at the cave walls and ramparts to check the snipers, and saw that they were under direct attack. He had forgotten to compensate for the Kardeshes' ability to climb walls. He ordered the flowers on the walls that were being attacked to move out of the zone and to retreat back toward the ramparts, while the snipers on the castle walls fired upon the Kardeshes on the cave walls. This stopped their advance on the fortress, and protected the snipers on the cave walls. Once the climbing Kardeshes were dealt with, he ordered them to resume support on the front lines.
     His soldiers on the front lines, however, were taking a beating. The sheer numbers of the Kardeshes were staggering them, and they were almost unable to cope with the ferocity of their attacks. They fought nobly, but ultimately died at the endless claws of their assailants. Odilon had to organize them somehow.
     He had a plan.
     He ordered his foot soldiers to press forward, and hold nothing back in a full-on offensive rush. All available soldiers charged in an attempt to surprise and disrupt the mass of attackers, which worked, to a degree. The invaders were not expecting an advance and were forced to retreat slightly, giving Odilon a chance to implement his final retaliation strategy.
     As the foot soldiers pushed the Kardeshes back, Odilon summoned the last of his energies and called forth a network of subterranean vines deep within the roots of the mountain. They pulled apart all at once hundreds of yards below the surface, tearing asunder an enormous rift in the floor of the cave that spanned from the entrance to roots of the fortress. Torrents of rock and soil tumbled into the abyss along with the entirety of both armies; they fell into the black beyond the scope of the Earth's reckoning. Thousands of lives, authentic and synthetic, fell into the eternal crypt of stone and pitch darkness.
     The enemies screamed and shouted as they fell, the ones near the edges of the endless pit scrabbled at the walls in an attempt to climb back up.
     The doomed defending soldiers, however, dislodged them on their way down in a last defiant act. They knew they were fated to die; they did not care. They dragged their opponents down to death with them.
     Odilon, from his green tower, silently thanked the unnamed power that had given him these abilities, and he thanked his servants for their sacrifice. He then fell to his knees, completely exhausted. He managed to stay conscious only by the light of the K'jrgyat high above him. He knew that he had not killed all of the Kardeshes. There were at least three score of them beyond the entrance that had not had the chance to enter during the battle,and he would have to deal with them himself. Summoning assistance was out of the question; at this point, it would kill him.
     He hauled himself up, steadied, and exited his solitary room, walking down the smooth green stairs to what used to be the cave floor. He ran his hand down the brown, coarse railing and felt the bark flake off underneath his fingertips. His vision was blurred and his legs were unsteady, but he made it to the edge of the enormous pit without collapsing again. The soothing, energizing light from the monstrous, lambent being above him slowly revitalized him, but not within summoning capability.
     He skirted the crumbling edge around the crater and headed for the entrance of the cave, where he saw a small group of bloodthirsty Kardeshes waiting for him. They ground their blades together and roared, eager to kill him. They could smell his frailty, his weakness. They knew he would make an easy target.
     As he walked slowly up to the open ground, where crumbling stone was no longer an issue, he knew that this could very well be his last stand. If so, then he was fine with it. He had successfully bought all the time his companions would need; with his sacrifice, they would be safe. And that was all that mattered to him.
     He stood on the firm ground several yards from the massing Kardeshes. There were more than he had anticipated. At least four score were waiting for some signal. An excuse.
     Odilon Andrews would give it to them.
     With a flourish, he drew both of his smooth, oiled wooden daggers and pulled himself together. Time at last to finish what he had started.