SIA:

If things were bad before, then things got even worse as Marrok caught sight of the new four iron ranks who were fighting Apollo and Celsus.

He froze for but a moment. However, he was against Ares and Ares did not waste the opportunity as he drove his shoulder into Marrok, and his sword into Marrok’s middle.

I watched in brief glances as Marrok doubled over, and Ares kicked him to the side where he lay retching.

Then, I stiffened up myself, almost letting Celine land a blow as Ares paused for but a second before he charged at Faust.

Letting out a shout, I decided that once, and for all; I was putting Celine down.

Charging forward,

I reengaged with her, only to be frustrated as she switched to defence and blocked my blows with the baling dagger.

Shooting a glance at Faust, I saw that he was desperately defending, and frustration bubbled up inside me.

Throwing caution to the winds, I abandoned my defence wholly as I channeled my warforce into speed and only speed.

My sword and shield working in tandem formed a flurry of blows that rained upon Celine, but she seemed to know where my sword would go as she floated like a butterfly, and then she turned into a vicious bee as her dagger stabbed forth into my elbow, and my sword dropped from nerveless fingers.

Backpedalling, I lost track of the battle as my vision narrowed down to the shield that I was holding with both hands while desperately fending off the blows that Celine unleashed, one after the other.

------------

Faust:

Bal

What in Bal’s name is going on. Why is this boy able to dodge each one of my blows with such ease?

My sword and dagger keep missing him by the smallest margins.

Think Faust, think!

Wait, his right hand is slightly overextended.

A few more blows.

Now.

Step in, stab to the left as I turn, oof.

That was a feint?! Roll forward with the blow. Come up, and bring the sword behind my back to block the next blow, while turning to the right with my dagger to stab into his side.

Wait… is that Ares charging at me?

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

Oh bal.

Throw myself to the side instead of stabbing, come up, turn, and?

And do what?

Cursing, I glanced at the battle that was raging, only to find that the situation was turning into isolated pockets of resistance.

I was in one of those pockets, tangled up as I was with the baling pseudo sword master that the boy turned out to be, and now Ares to boot.

Parrying yet another blow, I bellowed out, “Maidens… stop acting shy, and let them know who we are! Get up and fight! Marrok! Where’s. Your. Fire?”

At my words, a battle cry sounded out, piercing through the din of battle as a bronze aura was unleashed to its maximum and the battlefield fell into a momentary lull.

Catching my breath, I turned to see a shield thrown to the ground, and a weapon raised with both hands as it chopped down… and rent another shield in two.

Following it with another swing of her axe, Marana screamed the battle cry again, as she hacked downward and this time… Damon only had his sword to block with. A sword that splintered apart before Damon was thrown backward as the axe slammed into his chest, and even as far away as I was; I could hear the sound of his ribs cracking from underneath the armor.

Then Marana was charging forward toward Celine as she joined Sia in pressuring her and the balance of battle again was momentarily equal.

Then, with a long howl, Marrok rose as his aura also flared as he charged toward me and my opponents.

I expected him to go for Ares, but he ignored him and attacked the boy, who smiled at him while parrying his wild blows with ease.

Laughing, the boy taunted Marrok as his sword yet again parried the claw gauntlets. “Still the same animal you were. You will always be that animal, and it’s time for you to rejoin us.”

Roaring, Marrok became even more frenzied, and I became even more worried as I saw the desperation behind each blow.

“Marrok! Focus! Fire! Community!” I shouted out and Marrok seemed to wake up.

Until the boy howled as he said, “Community? You? Don’t you dare joke around with me,” and as though a trigger had been pulled, his aura suddenly flared, and he sent Marrok flying before he turned on me.

Again finding myself in a desperate situation, I fended off the blows as I waited… no; I prayed for something to change.

And something did.

With a grunt, Apollo crumpled to the ground as one of his opponents landed a blow to his helmet.

Celsus, seeing it, bellowed out… and overextended himself. Which his opponents took full advantage of, as they darted around his massive figure, dealing out blows that staggered him.

Soon, a loud noise shook the battlefield, and the cloud of dust marked the fall of Celsus.

And the four iron ranks who were suddenly free.

As they charged toward our side of the battlefield, Marana yelled out another battlecry as her aura climbed even higher, almost as high as the boy, who paused as he turned incredulously toward her.

And then Marana was charging toward the four iron ranks and holding them off by herself.

Taking in a deep breath.

I held out my sword and dagger, crossing them in front of me, and I yelled as my own aura flared.

Ignite my body, Ignite my heart, Ignite my blood!

Ignite my fire!

The horn of valor, which had slumbered all this while, rose out, and it blew a long note as the battlefield fell silent.

And a Drayke began to roar for the first time in a long time as his blood burned and his will to fight ignited.

Across the battlefield, a shieldmaiden looked at the sky as she threw her helmet to the side, freeing long golden hair, and hefting her shield; she looked at the sky and yelled out a battle cry that was echoed by the ones still standing.

“Maidens! We fight!”

And we fought on as the sun climbed higher and higher, and bodies fell lower and lower to the ground.