“Alright you lot stick close to each other; you see a beast attack it together!”
“Sir!” A squad of warriors affirm
The time is noon but by the dark tone of the atmosphere you wouldn’t be able to tell,
The sky is masked by a cloud of gray smoke covering the city of Furlheim and the environs near it, the once full grassy fields and woodlands already becoming drab and withered because of it.
BOOM
KSSKKSSS!
Those sounds come from the group of warriors near city working fervently to fend off the congregation of beasts gathered in the area now while also trying to get past the wall of black flames surrounding Furlheim.
“Hyah!” a spear gets swung into a group of beasts
Gruagh!
“How did this area get so infested this quickly!?” Claude kicks back at a swarm of toadmen
“This kind of atmosphere draws the beasts.” Shiryu thrusts his long blade
(It feels like the bends all over again)
“Hyuaagh!” fervent shouts ring on as the warriors attempt to clear the area
They are not even close to the large city of Furlheim yet already in heated battle
The creatures anticipating human arrival stayed silently waiting to prey on them
“Aghh, this is so bothersome!” Shiryu yanks out his spear from a beasts
(This is all people with strength do)
“You are just saying that because you don’t have a viable magic attack for combat,” Claude slaps him on the back though he doesn’t feel it in the slightest
The young man is strapped with blades axes and swords one would think he was a butcher rather than a fighter
“I’ll show how it’s done Shiryu” Claude reaches back for an axe as he grips the weapon his hand begins to glow white, transferring the heat into the weapon,
“Seeyahh!” Claude goes swinging into the beasts the axe cutting them like melted butter, before melting away itself
“You waste too much weapons with that.” Shiryu shakes his head unimpressed
“Well that’s how my magic evolved, I can’t help it”
“Evolved into what exactly?”
“I am not sure myself it’s like white fire.”
“Hmm, that doesn’t seem right.”
“What are you a magic expert now?”
“Pshht,
Where I am from a child could learn magic, as a matter fact our animals are the only beings still using it,”
“What are you talking about?” Claude gives him a disbelieving look before going after more enemies
“I—huhhn!” Shiryu thrusts his spear up at some falcon-men swooping down
“Everybody group up!” some warriors shout
“Fire ball them down!”
“I’m saying Claude, that you probably have not understood your magic completely since evolving, I don’t thinks it’s meant to be used like that,”
“It works just fine Shiryu”
“Not how I see it,
Imagine if I started losing my light refection as some sort of laser beam?
It wouldn’t work as intended just half assed like what your doing now.”
“What is a laser beam?”
“Of course, that’s the only part you heard.”
“Your fault for trying to lecture me during combat.”
“I–never mind.”
Vwoom–vwooshm–vwoom!!
Ksssskkk!!!!
*Swipe*
*Thrust*
*Stab*
“Braaaaghhuuhh!!”
“Secure.”
“Secure.”
“Secure sir”
“Have the other squads made any headway yet?”
“Apparently not we await directions from them”
…..
“I think we are done with here Shiryu,” Claude whispers
He is now down to a few swords a daggers after using a lot lf them on the beasts, Shiryu’s mind throughout all of this has been wandering so much so that there was not much of the battle I could describe
Even now Shiryu stares off, underneath his mask a face just like the beasts but under his face a mind just like the humans, and inside his mind…..
(I just don’t understand, why strength over love, I can easily overpower these monsters and it doesn’t make me feel any better, what–)
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
“–Shiryu I’m going to the first squad cover for me here.” Claude shakes him out of it
“Huh?
Hey, you can’t change squads we were assigned to this one to secure the area from the beasts while our heavy hitters do their thing inside the city.”
“My city by the way,
I didn’t the train so hard to get this strong to be a watchman,
I am from Furlheim and that dragon….
I need revenge.” Claude’s eyes are ablaze with passion as he whispers this
(Revenge? What’s he talking about)
“I’m coming with you then, I can use my magic so we can move without being seen.” Shiryu now curious himself to the boy’s plans
“……” Claude had opened his mouth to object but hearing his offer to use magic he shuts it
Nodding, “Let us go on then.”
….
….
VWOOOFFFSHH!
“Anything?”
“No, the magic diamonds didn’t work and not even my fire chief.”
“This barrier of flames is a lot more powerful than we thought.”
“Should we start preparing to tunnel in?”
“A hole big enough to fit our troops would cause considerable damage to the earth,
We will try a few more methods before that”
….
….
“Looks like they still trying to get in.” Claude notes as the pair sidles their way into the garrison
Ahead the black flames barring off Furlheim burns, the chief and her three siblings along with others at helm discussing their plan of action
….
(This….)
“Something about that fire feels off Claude.” Shiryu whispers to him
“Well yeah, you can tell by looking at it.”
“No, not just that…”
(Extremely potent dark energy, this can’t be countered with regular only mana)
“Just what?” pries Claude
“…..”
(Maybe I should tell them)
…
“Hey,” grunts a warrior as Shiryu pushes past him hurrying to the leaders upfront
Duuduup!
(Ack, my chest hurt for a second there)
Shiryu looks back at the heavily armored man
(Did I bump in a little too hard?
Anyway…)
…..
“Chief!” Shiryu calls out for the groups attention,
Aki recognizes him immediately giving him a stern glance
“You were assigned to a different squad, if you don’t have a good reason for disobeying orders right now, I will make you into an embarrassment.”
“I do–”
–Duudupp!
“Ackk!” Shiryu clutches his chest again
(What is that?)
“Stop with the theatrics.” Aki already becoming frustrated
“I wasn’t, I’m here about the fire, it isn’t made of regular magic, it–”
Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!
“What?
An earthquake!?” the warriors exclaim
Before Shiryu could speak the ground begins tremoring
“Everyone stay calm and still!” Bane shouts out
“We are open space so there is nothing had that could happen to usghhhgggkkkkk!”
A whip-like tentacle suddenly zooms out behind the wall of fire wrapping around the man’s throat it yanks him to city
“What just…?”
For a total of two seconds everyone stands in confusion then springing up,
“Fight it off!” they roar defiantly as more of the tentacles lash out
“Chief I think we should we retreat.” Shiryu suggest only to get a look of scorn as a reaction
“If you are afraid then feel free yourghhhhhlkkkkkk!”
“Chiefggglllkk!”
One by the one multiple tentacles shoot out outnumbering the warriors then snatching them up into god only knows what
“Claude?” Shiryu yells looking around but the boy is gone too
Whap!
A tentacle gets a grip onto Shiryu’s leg,
“Nope, not me!” He pulls himself free but–
Whap!
Whipsh!
One on his leg another round his throat time
“You won’t get me~~~~” he starts but his voice fades out as eyes fall shut
Allowing the tentacles to drag him easily into the city walled by black flames…
…..
…..
…..
….