“Can you see?” The masked lady squinted into the distance.
“No.”
All Ebony saw was that the sea was gone from his sight and it was filled with earthy land past the city lying on a cliff. Far into the distance was full of brownish-yellow dust clouds and the aura of the battlefield would cripple the average Master freelancer. It would take those unused to bloodlust and heavy essence a long time to get used to.
Arti flew fast even with all the weight, it didn’t take another minute to get to the point where they had to alight. Pretty far away from the city. Flight was going to get them shot by the magic towers or by a mage or archer on duty.
Fortunately, the city was expecting them and there was no drama at the gates.
The highest-ranking person remaining was greeted but it wasn’t who Koawe was looking for. Ebony got pinched from the side all of a sudden. He cocked his head to the side.
“Stay alert and listen. You almost fell asleep.” The fiery lady tucked her hair that was ruffled from the high-speed flight.
“Trance.” He corrected her.
“Same thing.”
Ebony tried his best to listen to what the respectful commander was telling them. It appeared that Koawe would accompany them till they jumped off the cliff onto the conjured battlefield. The Frost Elf had to speak to the actual person in charge who was taking command on the front lines.
Fifth Tide itself was having problems with its food supply. They were the furthest from any of the 3 Great Farms. From runners and a few other communication points that have been set up within their supply route, they knew that there have been more than a couple of carriages destroyed by Trolls. Average freelancers were failing the job of protection and small teams of Imperial soldiers didn’t exactly help. They couldn’t spare the manpower away from the frontlines at the moment and the supply routes were currently dependent on trainees of the army and freelancers.
They had no real numbers for the numbers of Trolls that somehow bypassed the borders but they got many reports of large craters around the continent. They were assuming the same or similar thing as Ebony. Some strong Troll or perhaps a machine catapulted their soldiers onto the mainland. It was recently evident because one unlucky town had 3 Trolls landing on them. The town had good and responsive guards, they got their barriers up before the Trolls killed anyone.
The relevant information that he got was that flight on the battlefield was a no-go. They were already walking towards the frontlines without any disruption and Koawe was briefing them.
The Trolls knew their weakness, other than creating a battlefield of immense proportion and durability they also made flight dangerous. Lethal.
The sky near the cliff, slightly above the city's tallest building was blanketed in extremely corrosive gaseous poison clouds. “Eats through Rare metals in an instant.”
The worst thing was that it ate mana too hence, flight was near impossible and Ebony wasn’t about to try unless he needed to.
The next relevant information was that they weren’t going to join the Imperial Army. There were too many precedents that people like them that didn’t have training or experience fighting with thousands of allies by their side causing more harm on the battlefield than helping. The army worked together tightly and neither Ebony nor Ning Xin were the best people to fight alongside many allies.
Ebony would have to put mental effort to exclude people from the effects of his gravity magic. Ice wasn’t too big of an issue if they had the resistance and armour and he could use sound as a buff. Ning Xin burns everything around her including and especially oxygen. If their armour wasn't good enough and they didn't spend mana to imbue into their equipment, they would melt onto their bodies.
They would join the freelancer group that Ebony understood as the militia, he mentally translated the unknown word for the militia to make things simple. This group still took orders from the highest-ranking military personnel but they had very simple orders. Fight here, fight there, stop them here, push here. Orders that didn’t restrict how they fought or what they did to achieve results.
There was always a backup plan if they failed or were wiped out but according to Koawe, there were always warmongers in charge of the militia. People who always jumped onto the frontlines but didn’t like to be restricted as soldiers. Some were fallen nobles, others just started out with the desire for expedited skill levelling but made a name for themselves for being good leaders. These people usually had a way to make rowdy freelancers listen and since the militia was practically a paid ‘volunteer’ group, they tended to listen to orders obediently.
The three of them plus a giant bird walked down the stairs at one end of the city walls that led down the cliff so that they weren’t exposed to the brownish corrosive cloud.
“Never let your guard down. It’s common sense but you can and will be attacked at any time.” Koawe went on to list down what to take note of. He was getting talkative for their sake but the main point of his talk was ‘stop getting so excited when you’re putting your lives in danger willingly and look out for dangers.’
They exited the stairs and the two young children stepped foot on a real battlefield for the first time. Ebony took a deep breath of the dirt and leftover aura. He could feel the vibrations coming from ahead. He could tell that the fighting was going on hard right now.
Arti was uncomfortable from the air above them but she was carrying all the arrows with 50 bows bouncing and resting on her back.
They started to run unescorted, the commander remaining at Fifth Tide clearly recognised Koawe.
The loud sound of battle wasn’t something only he could hear and he noticed the heart rate of the masked lady beside him speed up.
‘Looks like I really have a poor imagination.’ They arrived at the closest camp but it was only the rear camp. What Ebony was surprised about was how far the camp and army stretched out. Both left and right, he couldn't see the end of them. Just how huge was the army or the battle?
Koawe brought them along and ran past these camps. Releasing their essence was a fantastic way to get them through uncontested. They weren’t the only ones coming from Fifth Tide or Elva. The battlefield stretched throughout the entire continent’s border and it was possible to come from a different Tide.
“They look exhausted for a rear camp.” There were soldiers lying on the ground.
“They rotate with the camps further ahead to rest. Resting up front is practically impossible. Most front liners stay for about a week before retreating to this line to rest, then these soldiers would move up a line.”
The heavily injured were here with the bulk of the healers too, healers rotate as well but they could choose not to move up front.
They dropped off a few crates of arrows at the second line where almost a quarter of the people seemed to be asleep. Trying to find the leader’s tent would take too long since the tents were mostly identical and the place was massive. Koawe simply informed a random soldier that was running around dealing with supplies and logistics, confident that the arrows would be put to good use.
“Does the Imperial army’s armour not include a helmet?” Ebony asked when he didn’t spot anyone wearing a helmet.
“One of Navin’s sons developed an arcane barrier helmet. It enhances perception and protects the head all around.”
“Sounds great not to have their sight impeded.”
Some had normal metal helmets so Ebony assumed that there weren't enough magical helmets to go around. The soldiers were already numb to overflowing Vitality as the entire battlefield was drowned in it but his arrival startled more than a few people. They ignored him and went back to sleep or whatever they were doing when they saw that he was simply a Master not too far from most soldiers' level.
It took another 3 hours of relaxed running to get to the forward base. It was pretty close but the army should have more than enough time to react if anything happens to the forward base. There were mages and warriors alike working to build up a wall.
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“Help me sound out loudly but softly, call Archduke Mallet-no, he should be busy, call General Hermione Impes.” Koawe gently pet Arti and helped to unload. The base had clear distinction and they were standing in front of the hastily but solid building. The top brass wasn’t in.
“Mmm.” Ebony understood that he was supposed to use sound magic through a wide area but contain it such that only the base could hear him. The base was circular and not a wide stretch like the rear camps. This was the main forward base and there were multiple smaller units surrounding them but not near enough for him to spot.
His dead voice reverberated throughout the base but he made sure to thin out his mana so that they don’t travel far. He sensed Koawe’s essence reaching out when he called, likely to inform the General they were not nobodies.
“What!” Someone screamed from about a kilometre to their left. It was muffled and seemed to be coming from within another hastily built building. With a few stone mages that he walked past, he could tell these buildings probably didn’t take long to set up.
The person stomped her feet towards them but slowed down when she got close, to the point where she seemed to be dragging her feet.
She had no helmet on but wore a full plated armour like any other soldier but more detailed and fitted better than the mass-produced set. She had dark orange hair and clean facial features that don't talk much about her records on the battlefield but he could sense danger from her despite her pretty face. The relatively slender woman that stood about the same height as Ning Xin had a huge sword on her back. The length of a Zweihander but slightly wider, so it was longer but about half as wide as Icicle. As expected all Identify got him was question marks.
“Greetings.” She tetted with Koawe who nodded in acknowledgement.
“What’s the situation?”
“They know that Korben retreated and are gathering those that went to back Fourth Tide’s attack back here. We are expecting them to take the chance to reclaim the land they gave up.” General Impes got to the point. Her actual rank was a Minor General but Ebony didn’t know the difference.
It appeared that once Korben appeared on the battlefield with the Archduke of Dwarfs, the Trolls abandoned some land by redirecting a good portion of their forces to the attack further east where the other Tides were. They took defensive tactics and just withstood and preserved their forces as best as they could. There were 5 King Classed warrior Trolls together with 2 Shamans of a lower level in their forward base and were there to hold both the Archduke and Korben long enough for the Troll’s troops to retreat.
‘Archduke Gerot Mallet's a King Classed Warsmith and Korben at Grandmaster can push back all those high-rank Trolls, they must be the mass-produced Kings.’ Of course, Ebony was aware that the two strong fighters on Elva’s side were not normal and the Trolls were supposedly weak to ice magic or cold in general.
“This is Ebony and Scarlet, they will join the Militia’s first assault squad,” Koawe stated and the General didn’t contest his statement.
“I’ve heard much about the two of you. I’ll bring you to the squad leader in a bit.” General Impes also greeted them politely.
Koawe was going to help with the next Troll attack just to scare and show them that there was still someone here that they needed to be wary of. Since the strongest powers never go onto the battlefield first as they were a form of deterrence to both sides. If any King or similarly strong fighters were to appear or land an ambush, the other side’s power would quickly react and it made the battle for the bulk of the army impossible. There tend to be heavy casualties on both sides hence, the unwillingness of the powerful to act. Koawe left the two of them after saying their farewells.
General Impes was busy but she seemed to want to be the one to bring them to their post. They didn’t have any complaints and followed her around, listening to her barking orders. The medical bay was very busy and Ebony thought that he might see Mallory but she wasn’t around.
According to Runners that are very highly paid to run across these wastelands and act as messengers between Tides, bases and camps since ranged communication is not reliable, the forward base of Forth Tide reported that the forces they were fighting had weakened and scouts and archers sighted them coming back here.
They listened to reports from many people. They were expecting an attack in 2 or 3 days, reinforcements were called, straining the unrested soldiers from behind them but they had little choice.
General Impes had a small team of guards following them as they left the base. The Militia’s camp was only a 15-minute jog away. No walls, no structure and a bunch of drinkers. The militia was a rowdy bunch despite their exhaustion.
General Impes frowned when she heard a fight going on again but she ignored it since the Militia wasn’t her soldiers. Ebony could see men turning the other way around when General Impes walked by. They were either afraid of the strong noble or something happened to make them act that way. The Militia’s camp was pretty small in comparison to the forward base but they were easily thousands of people.
They arrived at a slightly bigger brown tent and she waltzed with them. All of them could hear the snores from within.
“What’s wrong?” He asked Ning Xin who gripped his arm tightly.
“...That halberd wielder is inside.” He could feel that she was restraining her urge to fight or slaughter.
“Ah, then I have to greet this kidnapper of mine don’t I? Don’t worry, you can fight him in future.” Ebony was intrigued by the man who kidnapped him, fought off an evolved Ning Xin, helped Arcta and was supposedly someone that fought against Trolls in the past. He had an itch that scratched at his calm state of mind, for one, this person kidnapped him and almost killed the journeyman Ning Xin. He could've killed both of them whenever he wanted but he didn't. It was also thanks to him that Ning Xin's core skill evolved but Ebony wasn't going to thank him for that. What was his stance against the halberd user he hadn't met, he wasn't sure.
The Militia’s leader has an honorary commander rank that’s only applicable during war times and he only has control over the Militia if no higher-rank Imperial soldier is alive he can command the imperial soldiers too. There were 6 people sleeping and 3 were unpacking some crates.
Ning Xin pointed to one of the snoring men that had a halberd resting on his shoulder as he slept. He took note of the man’s appearance before looking towards the noise of a breaking chair.
“Wake up.” General Impes kicked the chair of the old man sleeping in the back of the tent.
[Grand Lead Warrior Lvl ???]
‘Lead? As in the metal? Identify is improving, I would probably get Grand Metal Warrior in the past.’ Ebony looked upon the skinny old man with dull grey hair and a beard. He was scrawny to the point that he had thin excess skin on his bony arms, his shirt was on the ground and he wore sleeveless leather armour. He was shorter than most of them in the room, probably only about 1.67 metres tall if he stood up. A metal-spiked club wasn’t far from him.
General Impes was annoyed but he could see that she was trying to be polite with the old man. “Scare these fools up with your mana.”
“Mmm. Sure.” The moment he said and did so, everyone in the tent grabbed their weapons and retaliated with their own essence. Veterans indeed.
After a bit of yelling from these people called them rude for waking them like that. Ebony might not have been listening when they complained. Since he contained it within the tent, no one outside was alerted.
Ning Xin glared at the halberd user and he did the same. Except he waved and said hello before regaining his attention to General Impes who was introducing them to the scrawny old man.
“Joining us eh? Sure, you’ll take the traditional test before I know how to dispatch you in a while. The name’s Wilson, Commander Wil works too.” He smiled and offered his fingers to tet but he was missing his index finger.
Neither he nor his partner cared enough to react to the missing finger.
Commander Wil kicked the others out when General Impes wanted to talk in private but the two new fighters were invited to remain. She pulled out a map that Ebony had never seen since it was a map of the conjured battlefield.
“These 2 bases. Launch an ambush in 8 hours. Rile them up for the next 2 days.” General Impes ordered.
“Hmm…reduce their forces as much as possible before reinforcements come, is it?” Commander Wil brushed his bushy beard.
“Just tiring them out and buying time for us will do, don’t have to commit.”
“...Will do. My men had their fair share of rest.”
General Impes just left with the few soldiers waiting outside the tent. Commander Wil didn’t wait any longer and spit on the floor clearly angry. ‘Angry right?’ Ebony guessed and hoped he was right.
“Are you angry?”
“Of course I am!”
“Yes!” Ebony got pinched by the fire swordswoman and glared at by Commander Wil.
“Oh? You’ve got guts boy! Come!” Commander Wil kept his baseball bat-sized club on his back. That thing was even heavier than Icicle based on his senses.
“The test?” Ning Xin questioned.
“Nothing so stiff. Just fight so I know what your skills are and know where to utilise you.” Commander Wil was blunt, just the way they like it.
“We have newbies!” Commander Wil raised his voice.
It didn’t take long for them to be dragged away from camp, retreating so that they didn’t catch Trolls' attention. A bunch of people chased along and they gathered hundreds of people in minutes.
A few water mages worked together to form a dome of water more than a kilometre in radius. The crowd surrounded them and Commander Wil ushered people forward. It was getting very noisy and Ebony turned the volume down for himself as usual.
‘These people sure have a lot of mana to spare.’
“Miss, you first. Are you from Xienor? Or is that a random mask you found?”
Ning Xin stopped her heart and pulsed out her Core Skill to silence the crowd. From what he could see, they were only stunned for a short moment before getting more excited.
The camp consisted of more than just the first assault squad. Commander Wil was very familiar with his men, he called out some random muscular guy to be first. Then the old man trashed talked some people and got them to scram.