"I admit, what you have done is impressive, but it's a tremendous issue." Rohlant told me as I idly looked down at the downed airship. An uneasy situation existed down there since it crashed. An army was on board, but we Valkinvar simply did not have the strength at the moment. And that battle had left us in a dire situation.
Many, too many of those orbs had gotten through and had just devoured chunks of the fortress. Clerics and medical staff were doing what they could but we had lost many men because of it. Not to mention guns and munitions had not been spared either. Much had been lost and nothing but more problems had been gained.
Whilst the ryphurgoks I helped fight off had been a problem. They paled in comparison to our efforts dropping an invulnerable battery right on the plains. We could've reclaimed what we had just lost were it not for it. But with those guns pointing right at our backs if we advanced and our path out of here...
We had trapped ourselves through the very act of trying to save ourselves. It was a cruel contradiction that made me miserable. Though I could take some heart in that I was exhausted to the bone right now. So some rest would at least make me more appreciative of the good I had managed to do.
"We should've been able to do more..." I tell him as moved my gaze towards the lower fortress. We had practically lost it all because of my failure. We... I did not take the ryphurgoks seriously until it was too late and lost both gatehouses because of it.
"What you lot did out there was more than enough. Remember, Valkinvar, I was also there with you during that disastrous campaign. Pestering as it might sound, I heard and saw the results of what only one of you could do." he explained before he became oddly careful at the end.
"I won't strike you down, Battcomm, for something like that." I tell him with a huff before he smirked back at me.
"Certainly wouldn't take you more than a breath to do so, even now." he chuckled as he went about his work. And I couldn't help but be impressed. I don't think I had ever seen him not working. But, I suppose I had been emulating him.
Even with the loss of the officer's tower, it's not like I used it much anyway. With all the raids, patrols and excursions I have been obligated and asked to make. There just wasn't time to rest. However, now, despite the army at our doorstep, was a good time to rest.
The unrelenting nature of this army was not being exploited. So we enjoyed the fact that all we had to do was watch them. Though, I was likely correct in assuming this applied to few. As watching something of that size took a lot of men, lots of uneasy, shaken men.
"If we were able to, would you be able to man that machine?" I decided to ask after thinking about how grateful I was that the guns had been nullified.
"Probably not, I don't know how any of that stuff works."
"Hm, so no second battery, then." I let out with a shrug.
"Much as I'd love to have that many guns of that calibre, no. No, unfortunately."
"We have lost many of them, but, we may be able to at least recover some from our lost position at the end of the plains."
"It wouldn't be worth the effort, Valkinvar. Do not worry." he tells me before he tosses aside a tablet to the ground.
"Battcomm?"
"Don't worry about that either, they're just lists for guns we have lost."
"A lot..." I repeated as I looked down at the pile his actions had created. A fairly thick stack if one addressed them neatly.
"Think about it more positively, it now means our munitions stores are far greater than what they used to be."
"Less guns." I sigh as I stand up. And when someone came in, it almost seemed as if I had anticipated it.
"Wing-Head Allyoceer wants to speak with us, Wing-Tip Vapooliar." Osses told me as she moved forward to hold open the door for me.
"You don't have to." I tell her as she closes it as we leave.
"I believe I owe you many subtle favours for what you did for me." she comments.
"I did what any of us should do for their sisters or brothers." I dismissively tell her out of embarrassment.
"Bringing down such a terrible weapon is more glorious than you realise."
"I didn't do it on my own. Valkinvar-Staguiffmani Dannatili lent me her power at great risk to herself. And Valkinvar-Ammimpaurst Lavauroas was the one who dealt that decisive blow." I try to explain to her before she knocks at my weapon.
"But it was the sword of a Valkinvar-Imdvarce that broke it." she tells me with a smile as I looked down at my broken sword with uncertainty. This blade had been with me for so long. And once, it was all I had left of my Valkinvar identity. As my armour had been broken and shattered.
And now, so too had my sword been broken completely. But, I was at least glad that I lost my blade in the manner I did. Even if I was now worried about what I would do in the event of further battles. I had my strength, sure, but I was at my best with a sword.
Some shattered steel would not do, even if it was what remained of a work of art.
"I know this might sound strange... Wing-Tip Vapooliar, but I am glad that no more names are carved on your amour." she then tells me just before we reached Allyoceer's new office.
"I am, too, and I will not tempt fate by wondering how we all made it through." I say to her as I try to open the door. Only to be stopped by a smirking sister as she used a slight amount of magic to get around me.
"After you, Wing-Tip." she says with pride as I pass on by. Shaking my head as I did so.
"Wing-Head Allyoceer, everyone." I greet as I walk into the room with Osses coming in from behind. Though while I did not make a point of doing so, I quickly found myself crowded by my group. Osses had been left on the outskirts. But she was still able to join Cetrepe and Bsess in this little act of theirs.
Yet, despite this display of affection from those three, the tone was off. It did not fit in well with everyone else's expressions. Thankfully, they calmed down before anything could happen. But looking at all of this made me anxious.
"So... Now that everyone is here, Valkinvar-Staguiffmani Dannatili." Allyoceer said and her voice was just drowning in exhaustion. She had, had enough and now she was clearly being forced to tell us something we all did not want to hear.
"I have picked up a disturbance in the way magic flows. There is reason to believe a chapter of war-witches is headed straight for us."
"The army is on the return?" I ask as I start to consider how they'd have no trouble in setting up batteries to finish us off with.
"No, the disturbance is strong... But I can figure out that the quantity of people behind it is not that many."
"So we fight them off." Uala comments as she keeps her hands on her sword's pommel.
"It won't be that easy, Imdvarce." Lavauroas tells her as he gets up, "Being on my own in the monastery did not give me much to do, so I made a habit of just, listening to the world around me."
"The Ammimpaurst has a hobby." someone scoffed in the corner from Uala's side.
"I have learned to recognise what this land should sound like, how it should feel. For some time, I have been blinded and deafened by all these guns. But, recent circumstances have allowed me the clarity I need for it once more."
"Something more is on its way..." I begin to say as I look up at him.
"I believe it is honest for me to say that we may be facing a mobile fortress..." Dannatili uncomfortably admits as murmurs instantly spread about the lightly-packed room.
"Then, Lavauroas, please, tell me, are you ready to at least give the mountain cracker something?" Allyoceer asks him as she walks up to him in a stiff manner. It was clear that she was getting stressed out.
"No... But I can guarantee that I will be ready by the time that thing gets here."
"We're not going to try and retreat? We just spent our magic bringing down that machine!" one of Uala's let out fearfully as she suddenly stood up.
"We'd be running with cannon right behind us." Uala points out to her as she carefully puts her back down onto a seat.
"We will be fighting, all of us. Every soldier within these walls will see Wainor before the orbital-halo sets by the next day at the latest." Allyoceer tells us as she trembles before us.
But I did not like it, so I stood up before them, hoping that I could at least encourage some pride... Anything really.
"There might still be a chance for us to win this. We still have the fortress, its shields still work, guns can still be manned and we have time to think of a plan."
"All of that is well and good, but without us, the men will be slaughtered." Uala reminds me as she leans back with a disapproving look.
"No, let me finish. I do not bring up the shields because they'll protect us. I am on about how we can use them. They rely on wind magic, they store it up. If we use them now, we can refresh ourselves at least with its power. It will be no use against a mobile fortress' fist anyway."
"They'll be coming at us with a rested force while we come at them with scraps!"
"IT'S BETTER THAN FLYING OUT TO MEET THEM WITH NOTHING AT ALL, UALA!" I roar down at her as I jab her off of the bench and down to the floor.
"Vapooliar!" Allyoceer snaps as she quickly comes between us.
"I agree with my Wing-Tip, we should at least try to face them as Valkinvar!" Bsess declares as she bangs her chest plate in support of my suggestion.
"But how do we break this to the army? The guns won't be of any use against war-witches. And they'll only irritate something as big as a mobile fortress."
"If we coordinate them, they might at least be able to exploit wounds we might be able to inflict."
"There won't be room to do anything of the sort! We'll have our hands full with their numbers! To say nothing of their elder members likely being able to match us!"
"Our size may be an advantage, actually." Cetrepe comments as she finishes doing something with her hands.
"How so?" Lavauroas asks, though his own curiosity became our collective representative.
"Their main concern will be us, naturally. So they'll come bearing down at us with all they have. A mass of bodies and spells. Either we'll face them head on or they'll keep their distance to use their spells."
"There's a lot of variation in the magic of outsiders, remember..." Dannatili cautioned as she used herself as an example. A small breeze went past her before it rolled back up along the back of her head.
Cetrepe then looks down, "I know... I know... I'm just saying, we can use their numbers against them so long as we stay close."
"We'll be a bigger target." someone on the other side of Allyoceer pointed out.
"A larger mass of magic, where we'd all share the burden of defence."
"It's not that simple, Imdvarce." Dannatili dismissively tells her as she paces around the table. Clearly, though, Cetrepe's words were making her consider something.
"Feel free to give ideas, then." she scoffs in response before she slams back down onto her seat.
"We cycle and rotate our position, then." I say as I stop myself from bringing out my sword.
"Go on." Allyoceer tells me as she leaves Uala alone and returns to her prior spot.
"We go out as normal to face them, but, we make sure to weave ahead and back so the burden of defence is spread equally. Mobile fortresses are walking castles. They have a responsibility to defend that as much as we do this fortress."
"We can force them to come to us to save their honour and their home."
"Or, they'll go after the fortress to force us back out." Bsess contradicts.
"Not if we head straight for their vile, unholy pit." Uala points out as she brings out a symbol of Waionr. An amulet depicting the Beast of Pride.
"The shame brought unto their vile god would make sure that they chased after us..." Osses realises as she looks around at everyone else.
"Then we are in agreement, Valkinvar?" Allyoceer asks with a sudden smirk as she brought out some of her own holy jewellery.
"They've defiled our land long enough, I am all for defiling their own works myself." Lavauroas says as he cracks his knuckles.
"Showing them a true witch is motivation enough for me." Dannatili explains as she casually opens up her arms.
"We keep them occupied, save the army and this fortress. And we pray that our deeds bring us relief." I say, trying to keep it as hopeful as possible so that they too would hold it in their hearts. The idea of us being left alone out here sickened me. To keep fighting until we fell over exhausted was no way for a Valkinvar to go.
"It is agreed, then, we'll all head up and turn on that shield generator." Allyoceer nods at first before she orders us up with aggressive gestures.
"Should we go to the Battcomm? Get him to understand?"
"I'll handle that, you go up with everyone else." Allyoceer tells me as she gently pushes me out of the room with everyone else.
"See you lot in good time, then." Lavauroas tells us as he breaks off to fulfil his promise regarding the mountain cracker. And, I had to admit, I was excited to finally see it in use. Something like a mobile fortress... That gun was made for beasts like that.
"Soldier, have the shield turned on." I tell one of the men as we pass by them on the way outside.
"Well, look at that, it's closer than expected." one of my sister's say as she steps up onto one of her legs. And, true to her word, in the distance was a colossal beast on the approach. It matched the mountains in size and made the ones it climbed over all the bigger for it. This thing was big, but, thankfully, for the moment, it was a long way away.
Yet... "It won't take long for it to come to us."
"With jumps that vast, I'm surprised it isn't here now."
"Be thankful for it." I mutter as I turn back towards the way we came. Allyoceer had not yet arrived and I was anxious to hear how the others would handle this upcoming battle.
.
.
.
"And that is how they will help us." Allyoceer finishes explaining as we lounged about in a dense mist. It might've seemed filling, but it really wasn't. The magic in these shields was not intended for use like this. It was just meant to prematurely set off explosive shot or slow down the more momentous kind.
"It seems risky to let something like that get this close." Dannatili comments as she looks out at the approaching beast. The tremours were clear earlier, but now, there were periodic thuds that shook even dust clear. Even though the beast was rapidly approaching, there was a pattern to its charge.
"The more guns we have firing on that thing, the better."
"But none of them will hurt it..." Uala reminds us as she looks over at us disapprovingly.
"We don't need them to hurt it, we just need it distracted. And, in a way, I feel like we underestimate this fortress. Plains this vast, a mountain cracker and more guns than even the mightiest of Ibenoroccon warships. Surely it was designed to bring down something like this?" Allyoceer told her in an almost deluded manner.
But, we could all understand why. This was probably going to be it. Even if we tried to go into this hopeful, we'd be fully aware of our likely demise. And while the others might've been in an odd limbo about it. I wasn't, my right to be with Waionr had been taken from me.
My death here would only mean that I would be found by him before he put me to rest...
"It's coming, you lot." Cetrepe says as she suddenly gets up and puts on her helmet.
"Yeah." Bsess adds on as she follows her. And, as I was their Wing-Tip, I gathered up Osses and joined up with them. Anxiously, we waited and watched as what once seemed like a dark shadow became ever clearer. A beast with near-pitch black hide and armour.
A living mountain.
"Loud, isn't it?" I scoff, trying to ease the tension as it shook the world with its roar. Magic was gathering up on its back but a beast like this. Surely it could wipe us out on its own. They were rare creatures, but they were truly defined by their legendary status.
"D-Do you think the castle on its back is made from stone or its shell, Wing-Tip?" Bsess asks me as one of the others stops her from stepping back even slightly.
"I hope from its shell, then we can at least get past its hide." I answer as a brief delusion flashed by my mind.
"Alright, everyone! Gather up the last of the magic that you can, it is nearly time." Allyoceer states whilst I found myself staring as blankly as I could at the green fog emanating from the castle.
"I suppose I really am giving up on Zaphadren-Valkinvar Gemorli..." Dannatili for some reason lamented as she seemed to let go of her worries.
"You would prefer to die amongst the Ordoar of the Staguiffmani?" I ask her as she inspects her staff carefully. She then sighs as she stares at it. She shakes her head and then looks at me.
"I would be glad to die with my fellow Valkinvar." she answers with a smile as she finishes sorting out the rest of her gear.
"We all would be, now, who's ready to die?" Allyoceer asked everyone as she stepped up onto the edge of the walls.
"I am." many began to say as they copied her. Yet, unlike before, I was able to stand up with them without encouragement. I joined them as I should have, even if I had reservations about how it would go.
"Then let them array themselves before us, and let the artillery lead the way." she tells us as she plants her blade into the stonework. And as she reduced our fortress a little more, I looked behind us. The men were bringing up more guns.
"To think they'd finally be able to use those things." Cetrepe scoffs when she notices my wayward glance.
"Anti-witch light guns." I remark as the relatively peculiar weapons were brought up and set up. In comparison to a regular gun, they had much thinner barrels and much more of them. A vastly more complex machine as well, one would realise if they paid close attention.
"We can only hope that their aim is true." Osses comments.
"We won't be in range, we'll be in there." Cetrepe reminds us as she raises her sword at the castle.
"They'll need more than that, even now." Uala dismissively comments as the battlements of the castle become clear. The war-witches of this order were all ready and they were all there. Waiting for that one order which would set them onto us.
"My failure seems to be damning us, now..." I found myself commenting when chit chat from the gun crews entered my ears. The soldiers held up within the downed airship... They were amassing outside of it and were going to join the assault!
"Let the army focus on them, that is their fight. Ours lies right ahead and it itches to drum its chest." Allyoceer tells me as she starts to float into the sky.
"With you, then." I say as I drew what was left of my blade. It was a childish thing, but I didn't want to be left out as everyone else presented their weapons. Our time had come, our final battle was upon us and it came with the accursed encouragement of the moon-sealed betrayer. Yet, with the blessing from the Lord of Honourable War, we will find ourselves victorious.
Even if we did find that our blood decorated the land too severely...
"Valkinvar, forward." Allyoceer ordered as everyone presented their weapons. And as we started to head forward, the fortress sprung to life.
"FIRE!" it roared as fire and black smoke erupted from its ports and holes. Before it had even gone away, we felt the air distort as a tidal wave of iron and stone went past us. Then, in but another moment, fire and shockwaves erupted from the gigantic beast. And it roared back at us as it unfurled all of its limbs.
"VALKINVAR, ATTACK!" Allyoceer shouted as she broke away from us to attack the first of the war-witches that came at us. And, right after, I nodded at my three sisters and broke off with them. Though, while they went ahead with their blades, I quickly sheathed mine and dashed ahead to settle up at the tip of our small wing.
"Break through to their castle! Make their numbers mean nothing!" I reminded them just before I collided with one of the enemy. And although I had no doubts we all went into this scared, them and us alike. None of us showed it when the moment finally came. And even as I held a woman's head in my hands, she cared more for placing a spell against mine.
Her screams were not just of pain, but of defiance and a will to win. But that was not just what one needed. They needed skill and strength! An army at their side who covered for your own weaknesses as you did theirs!
That was the example we would display to them, and I was already confident of our victory. Because even as I crushed her skull in my hands. No one came to her aid. The others kept their distance and tried to take me out alongside her.
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But unlike them, I was no glorified mercenary, I was a Valkinvar! A fact I did not hesitate to remind them of. As while they struggled to adjust themselves to the situation. I was popping in and out of their view.
A trail of dead and wounded already lay behind me as well as the explosion of cancel spells. Orange and emerald lights lit up the air and all kinds of magic were set against us. A chaotic array that hampered itself more so than it aided. Yet, with our power weak, it was appreciated, it meant I could find the others so much easier.
Our traditions made us stand out and gave us the depth of character that let us truly focus. I could find my sisters by how the wind exploded. By how the wounds their swords left and the trails their armour helped them make. I would not be lost in the battle so long as I focused on all of these.
"DIE HERETIC!" one of the war-witches screamed as she began to rapidly slash at the wind. Setting up a barrage of slicing blades that went into the stone and against the beast as I ran along their castle.
"Oh, the irony of it." I remarked as I passed by some of the iconography of their evil deity. But before I could react to her, I went for that very same statue and struck it down. I enraged them like their actions had done to me throughout my travels to this fortress. It did not pay them back for what they did to Giant's Victory or any other town or city.
But it went a long way, especially when I could consecrate it with their blood!
"BREAK ON INTO THE CASTLE!" I reminded the other three as I weaved past a few more spells. Kicking and jabbing the war-witches as I made sure to give them a path to go through if they did not have one. Thankfully, the one who did make use of my aid only did so, so she could cut down a few more of them.
"GO!" Cetrepe reminded me as she blocked a few more spells with her blade.
"DO NOT LINGER!" I tell her just before I smashed right through some ornate glass. Then, quick as ever, I spring to my feet and wrecked the halls as best as I could as they started to pour back in. I had to dive and roll out of the way from some spells that followed me in. But it served my purposes well.
Yet, the sudden appearance of emerald orbs from my side caught me off guard. And I was flung back by one crashing against me. Thankfully, my armour, damaged as it may have been was able to absorb the blow. Something I wasn't really able to do last time...
This magic, I recognised it clearly.
"So my failure presents itself to me again." that war-witch sneered as she took on an emerald shimmer before a barrage of orbs came at me. Yet, now that I was aware of this as well as being willing to fight this time. It wasn't much effort to dash between the gaps and reach her.
"I will not run this time." I quickly tell her just as she brings up a defensive spell to block my downward strike. But, although I gave the impression my body could not stop itself. It was no effort at all to force my body at her.
"GAH!" she let out as I crashed into her. Sending her right through a wall in the process. But she was not just going to take it, and I was sent flying away by her counterattack.
"In your own castle!?" I taunted as I was forced to once again dodge her attacks. Some, thankfully, could be held off barely by the decor of the vast chamber we were now in. Thick stone pillars crumbled and fell as magic exploded against them. And the furniture was knocked about in vicious gusts.
"We never cared much for the place anyway!" she comments as I get caught on an orb that suddenly came from behind. Something was off about this, though, her magic, it was far stronger than it was before. And there was no reason for her to have held back last time!
"Wipe her out!" someone anxiously cheered as they funneled magic into her from a safe spot.
"WE WILL!" the one I battled roared at me as she brought all that condensed magic right against my pushed-out chest.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed as I felt the potent spellcraft erupt against my armour. It was strained to its limit and the magic slipped on by without even breaking my armour! It tore open my skin and my clothes and I went deep into the stonework on the ground.
But with a sudden explosion in the wind, I was back on my feet with blood travelling down my face. I growled and then adjusted my focus, this other war-witch. The one dressed mostly in white. She was altering her, reinforcing her.
If I was to make this fight any easier, I would have to get rid of her!
"NOALLA!" she screamed as she suddenly flinched when I came for her. But her fellow war-witch came for her and set me aside. She saved them and interrupted me. She knew what she had to do for her fellow soldier...
Her friend...
"It's alright, Ainael, just keep doing what you are doing. All the way until all of them are dead!" Noalla told her friend as she prepared more spells to attack me with.
"More of your own will die first." I tell them with a gladdened tone as the fighter of the two growled at me.
"Bloodthirsty as ever, Valkinvar."
"Only towards those that would invade my home!" I answer just before I went for her again. I briefly managed to deceive her with one blow, but she was quick to react and met the real one with her own. My strength clashed against her spell and it prevailed. But it was not enough and I was forced back.
The air then erupted several more times as I tried to get in close or around her. Yet, this magic of hers, it was near-perfect for countering my fighting style right now. Vast, wide and destructive orbs that would blast me away or drag me into something worse! Frequent, too!
"Wait, wh-" I barely got out before a littered spell went off under me.
"YOU ARE NOTHING WITHOUT YOUR SWORD, IMDVARCE!" she screams up at me as she sends up a gargantuan sphere that forces me right through the roof. Its detonation then made swift work of sending me out onto the tiling and stonework.
"One part of a greater whole..." I spit out at her as I open up my helmet to spit out a glob of blood.
"STAY BACK!" she warns her fellow war-witches as she marches on me with her friend not far behind. Amidst the fire and emerald wind, her pure white, silk robes made her stand out. She was as clear a target as she was beautiful dressed like that.
"So when are you going to prove that you can actually beat me?" I ask as I take note of how the others backed away. I could not even sense if they were preparing any spells of their own for sneak attacks. Vile, disgusting tactics that I frankly expected from them.
Yet, she did not go for my taunt and instead she focused on preparing another spell. A damn large one too, but there was no way she could've expected that to hit me, no? Though, while I could tell she had the foresight to accompany something like that. I don't think she had an idea of what I would try and do.
A spell like that required a lot of focus, so much magic was being concentrated there. It would not explode so easily while she was still feeding into it! And I intended to exploit that fact. So as she was approaching the final phases of its completion, I put my energy into sending me over her. But rather than going for her friend who was in the open from this high-up angle, I went down.
Forcing myself against the spell and pushing her back down into the ground with it. And although I was sent flying by the detonation. I had ensured that it was only the backwash that I dealt with. Thankfully, both the thick stone pillars and the floor broke my falls.
Without then delaying so that she could prepare herself, I went for a loose pillar. I slid along the ground, carving it up before kicking the lower pillar out from under it. A quick burst then saw me smash my grip deep into it before I levelled it before her. With a single burst I then crashed against her.
I kept on going until the pillar was reduced to fine powder and a spell was presented before me. But, with my superior strength, I was able to force my way through it. And our hands locked together as we started to push against each other. Yet, it was her that began to win out.
"You were all foolish to think you could keep on fighting after what we put you through!" she told me as she bent me over and slammed me into the ground. Several spells then went off right in my face. Armoured gauntlets then followed as she frantically slammed them against me again and again.
"My Lord waits for me after I die in battle, where is your evil creature?" I asked her as I dug an arm into the ground whilst she was distracted. Then, with a single, sudden blow, I sent her flying off. And as the rubble was thrown out towards me, I got up and turned my attention to this Ainael. The remains of my sword then entered my grip.
"S-Stay back..." she cried as she slowly backed away whilst feeding magic towards her friend. So, I quickly dashed in front of her to exploit her charity. Yet as quickly as I came, it the flow stopped. And she turned the magic onto herself, finally using her own strength to protect herself rather than someone else.
I then snapped into an appropriate position and prepared myself. That power she gave me was just enough for one final attack. And I expended it as quickly as it came. I needed to cut off this support.
"NOALLA!" she screamed as something flashed before me. A bright flash erupted before and I screamed against its squeal as magic lashed out against me. The light blinded me and forced me away. But I was able to dig my sabatons into the rock and force my way through until the familiar sound of sliced flesh and steel made it all go away.
"S-Stay... Away from my friend..." Noalla spat bloodily as she forced my sword out of her gut before a spell went off in my face.
.
.
.
"NOALLA!" Ainael cried as she put up a barrier as she dragged me away.
"No, let me..." I struggled to get out as I started to realise how severe that strike was. Even though it was just a stump, it had managed to go all the way through even my back plates! My vision was blurring and a burning pain was focused around the vast red gash in my centre. And, for some reason, it seemed to be growing and shrinking.
"You're going to be alright... You're going to be alright!" she repeated again and again as she finished dragging me behind a decorative statue. And I couldn't help but stare at her red robes... They should've been a pure white... There wasn't meant to be a stain on them.
"I've failed..." I let out as began to tug at one of the decorative pieces of her uniform. It made me cry more so than I was already. I promised my friend that I would take care of her. But now she was on her own against that monster.
"No! NO! I can heal you! JUST KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN!" she screamed erratically as she flawlessly switched between strained quiet and unrelenting screams. And I did as I was asked as best as I could. I focused on my friend's teary eyes as they took on an emerald glint.
"You need to run..." I told her as my bloody hand smeared her cheek. But she did not let it come back down and held it there. And while for a moment, I could not hear her, I felt her head shake in denial. She would not listen to me.
"Quit being so dramatic, okay?" she requested of me as I felt the burning feeling subside. Then, a loud tear filled my ears and I watched as she destroyed her own attire to save me. She shouldn't have done that... They'd know how she failed to use her magic like she was supposed to.
"The Valkinvar is still out there?" I asked as distant explosions, screams and roars echoed about us.
"She hasn't struck the barrier since I put it up..." she answered slowly as I began to struggle to my feet. A spell was on hand but Ainael contradicted herself and took the lead.
"She's gone?" I let out at first before she suddenly reappeared from the shadows. Her blade dripped with my blood and although her armour was scorched by magic and sheared by the wind. She still stood proudly before me. One moment away from killing us both.
"Do you surrender?" she asked us as she cautiously kept an attentive ear on the battle around us.
"Noalla..." Ainael whispered to me uncertainly whilst I registered the baffling request. We outnumbered them, we could win this. Yet, she was asking me if we wanted to surrender...?
Valkinvar absurdities I could only presume...
"Do you not understand? You will lose this battle!" I remind the Valkinvar.
"And I am giving you a chance to leave it alive!" she tells me firmly as the edge of her shattered blade glows slightly.
"No one will know, Noalla, it is easy enough to lie about how I needed to treat you. You have the proof of a well-fought battle! Witnesses!" Ainael urges me as she prepares for me likely saying no.
"We..." I started to say as I considered two things, the safety of my friend and the potential punishment from the Chapter-Mistress, "Surrender."
The Valkinvar then lowers her blade and she suddenly staggers as it became clear she was putting up a front, "Then by the mercy of Waionr, the Lord of Honourable War. I spare you, War-Witches Noalla and Ainael of the Seven-Peaks Union of the Jhermonikra. I place my trust in you as honourable soldiers to oblige by this promise. And I mark you out so that all others know you are under the protection of Honourable War."
"I... Never knew a Valkinvar could do this..." I say after stepping back suddenly when the mark of that strange animal suddenly appeared on my armour.
"You now serve under the Seventh Law of Waionr." she explained before she turned away and left us alone.
"Back behind the statue... We'll wait it out there." I tell Ainael as I slumped against her. The need for my strength was no longer here. And as much as I wanted not to, I had to turn to my friend for help. We slowly made our way back behind the statue and I dropped to the ground with a thud.
"Smile a little, you get to carry on being my friend..." she tearfully joked as she went back to applying all the magic she could to my wound.
"I can live happily knowing that." I tell her with a pained laugh as I took the moment to rest. Though, as much as I wanted to, I kept my eyes open so I did not worry her.
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"YOU CALL YOURSELVES WITCHES!? MASTERS OF THE EMERALD WINDS!?" Dannatili screamed amidst the storm of shot and spell. Many had already fallen by her hand already and many stayed away from her. She may have not been the most powerful, but it certainly seemed like it. Nothing was safe from her power.
Fragments of their castle swirled about her in a protective vortex and their own spells backfired on them. Even the nominally harmless shot from the fortress was being turned into a line-piercing life-stealer. Trails of magic shot about her large gushes of blood began to fill the air as her magic helped pierce the mobile fortress.
It wasn't just her either, the men of the fortress were giving it their all. Even as spells carved away at the fortress or as witches carved a bloody path through them. All the guns kept firing again and again. They were straining the patience of the mighty giant and it was starting to lash out.
"Hm, rather mindless, aren't you?" I remarked as I dove down past its face after having watched it suddenly chomp down on a passing ally of its. Those who survived the passage and followed me further joined me under it. Where its smaller, snippier appendages flailed about with eager, blood-desiring intent.
Skillfully, I dashed about them and the spells coming after me. When openings appeared, I cut a war-witch down and made my job easier. Sometimes, I'd even slice apart a spell and go through straight to the caster. The erratic, sudden movements spooked many of them.
And screams filled the air as some of them were suddenly snatched up by the nimble claws. The lucky ones found themselves dead quickly, others were left in a bloody struggle as their own beast turned on them. It enraged those who were still around and forced them closer to the core of its underbelly. But their attempts to find safety just made them an easy target for me.
With one sudden burst, I then sliced my way through most of them and carried on towards the fortress. My sudden appearance relieved the men of their need to focus on the enemy in close quarters. And more guns came alive as gun crews returned to their posts. Rather unfortunately, however, I found myself having to stop a barrel that suddenly hurled its way towards me.
"You will all die here!" one of the war-witches reminded me as I flicked my sword clean of the blood of her sisters.
"And how many of you will join me before Waionr's judgement?" I asked them as I went into action. Spell after spell was sent away and I forced them off of the fortress battlements. For a brief moment, I saw the vast battle happening on the ground. As ironcoats clashed against the crew and compliment of the machine.
But I could not help them, I was unable to help them. The fighting was too thick up here for me to be able to spare them even the slightest hand. I had to leave them be so that I could help preserve the fortress and her ability to fight. However, one thing about it all still bothered me.
The mountain cracker had not yet fired!
"W-Wait, no!" I let out as I noticed too late that some war-witches had gone past and had unleashed a deadly barrage against the gun. The lengthy barrel, while unharmed mostly, found itself collapsing downwards. The stone was blasted away and I could barely make out the Ammimpaurst as I fought to keep the gun up there.
"Oh, no you wo-" one of them tried to tell me before I smashed her faceplate and caved in her skull with a single strike.
"He needs more time..." I realised before I was suddenly struck by a relatively harmless spell.
"GO! VALKINVAR! SAVE THE CANNON!" one man of the gun crews roared at me before his position was suddenly eviscerated by a magic blast.
"I am very sorry you lot... But you will have to fight on without me..." I realised as I dove down quickly towards the mountain cracker. Someone stronger needed to keep that barrel up. Someone tougher needed to withstand all that came at them until that gun could fire!
"Wing-Head!?" Lavauroas let out in relief as I cleared the area of war-witches.
"GET THE BATTCOMM AND LOAD THIS CANNON!" I screamed at him, making it clear that this was his final chance to make a shot for the gun.
"Yes, Wing-Head!" he acknowledged with a loud bang of his chest before he legged it into the fortress proper.
"And hurry..." I growled as I watched war-witch after war-witch approach me. Yet, with my sword out and my back against the thick metal of the gun. I was more than ready to face them.
Come on and face me! They would all face me until this gun ripped the sky open!
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"You're fine, back to your feet!" I snapped to an exhausted man as I bullied him back into action. And when one gun crew suddenly found itself knocked aside by a wayward spell. I sprung into position and sighted the gun and finished their work. My body groaned and ached like everyone else's, but we had a job to do!
"BATTCOMM ROHLANT!" someone roared with such force it was as if a gun had suddenly detonated within the fortress!
"Valkinvar!?" I let out, perplexed as to why he was now here rather than making me more munitions!
"Gather your crew, we fire the mountain cracker now!" he ordered me, leaving me in a fit of ecstatic laughter.
"Oh, I've been waiting for this!" I let out as I went to the alarm I had set aside for this moment. Up until now, it had only been hurried drills. But, now, the time had come!
"Let's go!" the Valkinvar snapped as he shoved me away from the alarm as many others began to break away from their crews. Often, we would stumble and fall as the fortress shook and buckled. But from the narrow passes we found our opening. And we spilt out into the destroyed chamber of the mountain cracker as a battle raged on right outside.
"Wing-Head!" the Valkinvar let out worriedly as we watched our superior fight off the enemy as best as she could. She even took blows meant for the gun and the fortress walls...
"TAKE HEED OF HER BRAVERY MEN! DO NOT FAIL HER!" I roared out to them all as I took notes on the situation. And there was certainly a mess for me to wrangle at least one shot out of this mess. The previous attacks had unhinged the gun and torn it forward. Held up only by the grace of the Wing-Head!
Our usual equipment had also been reduced to sharpened spikes and useless piles of steel. Ammunition intended to be loaded by a crane would now have to be somehow handled by hand. And we completely lacked the stable platforms to do so! But I knew what I had to do.
"GO TO THE WEAPONS LOCKER, ASSIST HER!" I shouted up to the now-useless crew. I couldn't specify names, so I generalised with a wide gesture. Those who seemed confused were immediately shoved in the right direction. And some calming noises were soon heard as small arms started to pop off about me.
"REAR END READY!" the Loader called down to me as I passed by some others with an almost violent shove. I quickly made my way up to the control system, a truly one-of-a-kind machine that had managed to survive the gun being torn away. But the magic systems connecting it to the main gun had been stretched apart! I couldn't blame the engineers, but I wanted to throttle someone.
"GET ME SOME PATCHES ON THOSE POWER CABLES!" I practically screamed down to the men below before I went back to set everything up.
"Battcomm?" one confused boy asked me as he stumbled in.
"Stay there, when you hear the word, you press that button!" I firmly ordered this boy to do as I shoved him before the controls.
"Come on... Come on!" the Valkinvar groaned in frustration as his inadequacies shined on through at the worst time possible.
"What's wrong?" I asked him as calmly as I could despite the situation. It was a difficult thing to do, but heating up the pressure on this Valkinvar would not help us!
"The measurements! I can't get them right!" he nearly roared in fury as he wasted some of his magic on a violent strike against the stone.
"ONE OF YOU GET YOURSELF A MEASURING STICK AND A SAFETY HARNESS! MEASURE THAT BARREL!" I roared to the men before I noticed that they were all occupied with the gun or with helping the WIng-Head. So, I snorted in determination and forced my aged body up one of the few remaining staircases. I grabbed what I needed and suddenly nearly fell when an explosion tore away at the stone.
"I AM YOUR FOCUS YOU FILTHY HERETICS!" the Wing-Head howled as she lashed out with a magic wave of her own. While the annihilation of the enemy was appreciated, it only made her job harder. And she was already suffering as is!
I needed to hurry! Move as fast as I could! I had to get to that gun barrel! Not later, NOW!
So I discarded the safety harness and briefly climbed some railings. I then leapt out onto the decorative barrel and growled as I felt my arm suddenly experience a snap of pain. But I overpowered that vicious burn and forced my way up onto the trembling, shaking barrel and moved up it. Thankfully, it was so wide that it almost seemed like it was flattening out as I ran across it.
My stop was sudden and dangerous and I nearly lost my crucial piece of equipment. A simple, but trustworthy measuring stick. And I slapped it over the barrel, forcing it down against the recoil I had created. I carefully watched it without so much as squinting.
A trained artillery officer knew what he was looking at, and I was one. It took me no time at all to figure it out, but I couldn't just shout it back to him. So I discarded my tool and climbed into the barrel. And I slid down its grooved interior with a steady bump again and again.
"One and a half halfmans all sides!" I called down to him before I quickly ascended down with the available gun crew. Only to lose one when the building shook violently again and sudden magic sparks blew up around the cables. Yet only one man mattered right now. The Valkinvar called Lavauroas, my munitions smith!
"Okay..." he let out nervously as his trembling hands applied the magic to his latest batch of stone.
"Focus on this, not her." I told him bluntly as I blocked his view as best as I could to the fight outside.
"She needs me!" he reminds me as more danger-close magic blasts prove his point. A tremendous display of firepower just outside was hard to ignore. But we needed to get out our own, superior bang now!
"Stop! That's enough on the bank, now, follow my hand." I tell him as I start to measure out the tip of the shot for him. Carefully guiding him as if I were his father before I stepped back in pride. This was one mighty piece of cannon shot!
"LOADING NOW!" the gun crew let out eagerly as the Valkinvar took the lead on bringing the massive, ground-cracking shot towards the gun. But with how unstable the rigging was, he had to slowly fly up with the physically and magically dense shot.
"THE FIRING PIN IS DAMAGED!" the Loader realised, but it did not perturb me as much as it did him.
"CLEAR THE ROOM FOR THE VALKINVAR!" I scream out to all of the men until I felt my throat dry and tear under the strain. And as he loaded it up, I went up into fire control and stood by the young man as he waited for the order.
"What now...?"
"Adjust the guns angle by point thirty!" I order him as I begin to ignite the weapon as best as I could. This mighty gun had its own magic power to call upon, and I wanted it in both that Valkinvar and his creation.
"Angle set."
"Lavauroas, you may fire when ready." I told him with a surprisingly calm voice through the speaker as anticipation took over my body.
"About time..." he growled through the rippling, blinding magic that began to surge past him.
"Grab hold of something!" I warned the young man as I grabbed onto a nearby bar and braced myself against the walls of the room.
"FOR THE VALKINVAR!" Lavauroas roared as he brought back his glowing hammer. In one swift, powerful swing, he then smashed it right against the base of the shot and it boomed throughout the building, fortress and the plains! But a moment later, a different noise filled the air, that of a pained beast! I could not see it beyond the magic and the ceased fighting, but each booming tremor told me everything I needed!
"Reel you bastard, reel!"
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"What the...?" I let out in surprise as the castle suddenly began to collapse around me. Not only that, everything was shaking to the point I was nearly being thrown up into the air. Sensing the obvious danger, I put all my leftover magic into dashing out of the building. Only to rocket straight into an arcane 'fireball' that lashed out with violent winds.
I braced myself against the powerful force and broke right through until I was in the clear skies once again. But, not willing to lose myself in the spectacle, I quickly made my way back to the fortress and crashed down against it. Yet, as I clambered back to my feet, I saw how the battle had gone completely silent.
At least up here...
No spells or cannons were fired, all eyes were on the mobile fortress and it stumbled backwards. Then, when the magic disappeared just enough, we all saw how it had lost a large chunk of its face. An eye and half of its skull were just gone! But, it was still alive!?
And we all felt a sense of doom fill us as the sound of dense, falling steel filled the air. A strange whistling accompanied it and I felt a familiar magic presence within it. It was Allyoceer! But what was she doing that close to the mountain cracker!?
"WING-HEAD!" I screamed as I realised that she was either unconscious or heavily injured. So I did my best and ran after her. But I was slow in comparison to the dozens upon dozens of other emerald trails heading towards the falling gun. Yet, the barrel lit up and was suddenly wrenched open.
It was Lavauroas! He was able to save the Wing-Head! But he was now in danger too! I had to keep on going so I could help him.
And after stumbling over the edge of the fortress and rolling along the steep drop, I shot towards him. Knocking the enemies that were in my way out of it and carrying on towards him. Though, he ended up just saving me instead. No words came from him, however.
"Allyoceer..." I let out tiredly as my eyes widened and a cold shiver went through me. Her armour was destroyed, flesh was sliced off or open and she was riddled with damage. How had she suffered like this!?
"Gre... Great... Great shot, Valkinvar-Ammimpaurst Lavauroas." she struggled to get out to him after we crashed against the rocky earth with a tremendous boom. The pride in her voice was clear and abundant, but, it was also obvious... These were likely going to be her last words.
She held out long enough for the mountain cracker to fire...
"I'm sorry, Sister Allyoceer, I failed my oath and I failed you..." Lavauroas tearfully told her as he held her hand tightly.
"We... We... We all must head to Waionr at some point, Brother. Just make sure everyone goes out as ready as... As I was..." she explained to him before she suddenly went limp.
"Come on, there's still a siege to attend to." I tell my fellow soldier as I help him stand. And although I struggled to do it, I passed on his lengthy weapon and let him take hold of it.
"My greatest swing and it still stands..." he growled as he focused on the mobile fortress as it stood up and bashed its chest again and again.
"Let's..." I gasp as I put myself back in the air. But I was left behind quickly and trailing behind the enraged Ammimpaurst as he briefly tore his way through the airship crew before he went on up to the resumed battle. And I worried as I puttered closer and closer. If I was this weak right now, how were the others feeling!?
How many more had we lost...?
"What the..." I let out when a tremendous magic power suddenly filled the sky. Everything turned green and I felt myself suddenly drop as the overwhelming weight was forced upon me.
"You filthy, disgusting, vile Valkinvar dare!?" a voice boomed from within the mist before a blunt feeling lance of some kind struck me across the ground. And when I finally stopped rolling, I realised that I had been sent through my own army. And I was right at the feet of the shadow-faced soldiers...
But they all stood at attention rather than with their weapons levelled at me or the army...
Not that I could focus on it, as more of those ethereal lances began to strike at me, "GAAAAAH!"
Then, all of a sudden, I was suddenly wrenched into the air by a tendril of some kind. I panicked and struggled to no avail. And when the mist finally began to clear up, I found myself presented with what was left of the wing. All ready for the slaughter as a powerful witch stepped out before us.
Her power kept the mobile fortress subdued and it did its best to care and nurture for it. But the magic was clearly focused on us regardless. And this woman's hair... Pure emerald...
So few faces came to mind when I saw hair like that, but I knew what it entailed... We all did and despite some of us having fight left in us. We were all quiet. Not one word was uttered as we grew fearful of the immense power that tightened its grip on us.
"You make a mockery of the Order of the Outreaching Wind, you desecrate Castle Valersrakk with your pig iron cannon and you dare to stand before His Royal Majesty, Prince Jhrartur!?" the woman asked us with bloodthirsty viciousness as her magic began to crush our armour against us.
"Should we care!?" Uala spat at her as she strained against the magic.
"N-N-" I started to tell her before her screams filled the air as flesh was suddenly torn. Whatever happened, she was still alive, but her screams shook me to the core. I could only watch on in terror as the emerald-haired woman rose into the air. Her hands were so bright they were almost white!
The sky shimmered and this had become her domain. Everywhere was filled with her magic. Every bit of it wanted to kill us. Yet, she seemed to not care for the army.
"You Valkinvar should've accepted your deaths and been swept aside! You should've all died or made peace with Jhrarda before we sent you all to be punished for your disgusting ways!"
"Your evil will never sway us..." Uala managed to spit out. Though the blood did not reach the stainless woman. And she slowly turned her gaze on her. Yet, no more limbs were separated and no screams came.
She only laughed, "Foolish Valkinvar, you do not understand, do you? You are all alone... In my aura. No one will come for you, not even your pretend god!"
She then turned to me and came close enough to touch me. And it burned. There was so much magic in just her fingers alone. She could slice right through me with just a gentle press!
"And you, the one who led us here." she said as all the air and warmth left my body.
"I... I... I did no such thing!" I blurted out, terrified and reduced to tears once more as the magic began to envelop me tightly.
But, suddenly, the wind changed and this world of emerald that had been created disappeared. And on the ground, I saw it. Firery ruby blazed up from one of the valleys. Shimmering sapphire waves crashed up the old front... Dazzling, golden sparks surged up from another pass!
And from behind, brilliant emerald winds freed us from our bonds and brought us back. Wounds were healed and strength was recovered in all but an instant. No noise but the wind filled my ears. Until the emerald-haired woman gathered her magic.
"Who dares?" she asked with a land-shaking hiss.
"I do." a voice I never forgot answers.