ARIES:

(sometime before the ambush on the main battalion)

As the dust settled on the battlefield, the battalion began the task of regrouping and recovering. Soldiers moved about the small armory nestled within the Defending walls. The mood was a mix of relief and exhaustion.

Captain Cecilia from the Greek army stood at the entrance beside me, her armor battered and stained from the fight. She watched her soldiers with a sense of pride, knowing they had overcome a formidable defense.

I and other netrian gunmen were looking out for an enemy ambush.

Inside the armory, soldiers were exchanging their battle-worn gear for fresh supplies. Swords were being sharpened, armor mended, and arrows replenished. The room was alive with chatter, the tension from the battle giving way to jokes and laughter.

Amid the organized chaos, Sergeant Sebastian, a seasoned Greek warrior, was giving pointers to a younger recruit about how to properly maintain his shield.

"Remember, lad, a shield's like a second skin. Treat it well, and it'll save your hide when you need it."

Nearby, Private Margaret was carefully inspecting her Crossbow, her brows furrowed in concentration. Corporal Vincent (he's also a hero class, he derives power from Hermes) approached her, a grin on his face.

"Margaret, you were a storm of arrows out there. They won't be forgetting you anytime soon."

Elena looked up, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Oh, stop it, Vincent. We fought as a team."

Heh? What a simp. Did Ares and Hermes really get along in the past? I doubt that.

"Aries stay alert, it's strange how there is no further resistance from the enemy even though their main defense is destroyed." Captain Cecilia shared a comment on the situation.

"True, there's also no major intel from the headquarters yet." The Square right after the Main gate was where executions and sacrifices were being done. Amidst the solitude, an air of tragedy lingers, as if the very ground holds the weight of the suffering that was inflicted here.

Meanwhile, at a table strewn with weapons, Lieutenant Eric (hero class: derives power from Hephaestus) was cleaning his sword with a meticulousness that spoke of his dedication to his craft. He glanced up at Captain Cecilia, who had entered the armory.

"Captain, we've secured the armory and begun preparations for our next move," Eric reported, resuming his task as he spoke.

Cecilia nodded, "Good work, Lieutenant. Let's ensure every blade is sharpened and every shield is strong. We may have won this battle, but the war isn't over yet."

The soldiers exchanged determined glances. As they continued to ready themselves for the challenges that lay ahead, the armory buzzed with the sound of metal against metal and the echoes of victory mingling with the clangor of preparation.

"Aries, let's go."

"Yes, mam"

Captain Cecilia at the front and all of the people soldiers behind me followed her lead. The team was divided into 3 groups. One will go straight for the castle and the other 2 both will head towards the east and west gates to deliver supplies to the other soldiers.

Our seasoned warriors marched in formation through the narrow cobblestone streets of the town. The sun had yet to fully rise, casting a soft, silvery light upon the landscape. The town, once bustling with life, now stood eerily quiet and abandoned.

"Keep your guard up," Captain Cecila's voice carried back to the group, her words a mix of caution and encouragement. "We don't know what may lie ahead."

"And Aries," she called out to me, I hustled near her and-

"Take a closer look at the doors of these abandoned houses. Something doesn't add up. It looks like they were opened recently."

I nodded, Well she was in a stealth division before, my curiosity piqued. I turned my attention to the nearest door, the wood worn and weathered, yet standing slightly ajar. I moved cautiously, trying to make soft steps. With careful fingers, I pushed the door open a bit wider, revealing the dark interior of the deserted house.

"Halt!" I raised my hand to stop the marching. "I suspect that someone's inside, there are footsteps here. I want to check it out, your orders Captain."

"Alright! you can check it out"

With her confirmation I picked up 3 soldiers, one of them holding a candle to assist me inside if any enemy do seems to be hiding in.

I led three of the soldier allies along the dark hallways of the abandoned house, which stood in eerie silence with its rooms cloaked in darkness. Each footfall made a sound in the deserted hallways, and the creaking floors added to the tension in the air. The soldiers remained in their cautious formation, scanning every angle for any indications of enemies.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

After a second we heard a strange creak below the bed in one the room.

We approached the bed, One of the guy swiftly lifted the edge of the bed, revealing a small, frightened mouse that had sought refuge there. A collective sigh of relief escaped us.

"Just a little mouse, it seems."The female soldier chuckles softly, and we shook our head.

We ascended a narrow staircase that groaned softly beneath our weight. The air grew cooler as we climbed. The stairs led to an upper floor that was even more shrouded in shadows than the rooms below. Dust danced in the slivers of light that filtered through cracked windows.

I gestured toward a door at the end. My allies nodded in understanding, and the soldiers positioned themselves strategically around the entrance. With a determined nod, I pushed the door open slowly, revealing a room bathed in dim moonlight.

The room was filled with remnants of a forgotten past – faded tapestries, and cobweb-covered furniture.

It doesn't seem as if anyone is here, right, Sir Aries?" The soldier's voice wavered, his gaze shifting between the empty room and the lone female soldier who stood nearby, visibly shaken. She pointed a trembling finger toward a tall, ornate armoire in the corner of the room.

My expression remained stoic, a facade of calmness that belied the unease I felt beneath the surface. The room was dimly lit, shadows clinging to the edges like secrets waiting to be unveiled. I cast a quick glance around the abandoned room, my senses on high alert.

The female soldier's voice trembled as she spoke, "Someone, someone's in there."

My hand instinctively moved towards the hilt of my sword, fingers tightening around the grip. The atmosphere shifted, a thread of tension weaving itself into the air. I exchanged a swift nod with the soldiers beside me, silently acknowledging their readiness.

"I'll check it out," one of the soldiers volunteered, his voice steady despite the uncertainty that hung in the air. He moved forward cautiously, approaching the armoire with deliberate steps. Every footfall seemed to echo like the ticking of a hidden clock.

My gaze remained fixed on him, muscles tensed, as he reached for the armoire's handle. Just as his fingers brushed the cool metal, the door swung open on its own with an eerie creak. My heart skipped a beat, and my hand moved instinctively to the hilt of my sword, ready to draw at a moment's notice.

But before anyone could react, a figure emerged from the darkness within, a white veil concealing their features. In their hand, a wand glinted ominously. Time seemed to slow as I realized the danger we were facing. With a swift, practiced motion, the enemy flicked the wand, and an icy breath seemed to fill the air.

The soldier who had approached the armoire froze, his body transforming into a statue of ice and stone. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched, helpless, my sword gripped tightly in my hand.

My attention snapped, my senses detecting movement behind me. But before I could react, the very wall itself seemed to explode inward, a monstrous brute bursting through with a deafening crash. Its eyes gleamed with malice, a wicked scythe glinting in the pale light.

In a horrifying instant, chaos erupted. The brute's scythe swept through the air, cleaving through another soldier. Blood splattered across the floor, and the room seemed to close in around us, trapping us in a nightmare.

I tightened my grip on my sword, adrenaline surging through my veins. The odds were against us.

Cursing under my breath. "Shit, both an assassin and a brute," my mind raced, trying to process everything. The room had transformed into a battleground, and the female guard's panicked squeak didn't stop either.

I knew that further casualties were unacceptable. I had to act, and I had to act swiftly. Without hesitation, I stopped time and everything around me froze.

I moved with efficiency, swiftly grabbing the waist of the trembling female soldier. In an instant, we were behind the brute, ready to escape through the shattered window from the adjacent room. But my foot snagged on the jagged debris of the ruined wall, and my momentum was disrupted. I stumbled to my knees, and the flow of time resumed its course.

The world surged back to life, and the female soldier's expression shifted from surprise to bewilderment. "Come on, stand up! We gotta go!" I urged, my voice sharp with urgency.

The brute's head snapped around at the sound of my voice, and I could feel his malevolent gaze boring into us. The female guard, her knees shaky with fear, struggled to rise from the ground. My heart pounded as every second counted.

But then, a wet sensation brushed against my face, and a dread realization gripped me. The female soldier's body remained stationary, as though trapped in an invisible vice. I turned to my side in slow horror, my eyes locking onto her. A spear had descended from above, impaling her head. My breath caught as the spear retracted, tearing through her head and spine followed by a fountain of blood, leaving her lifeless to slump to the ground.

As I retreated, the sound of splintering wood and crumbling plaster echoed above, and the ceiling gave way to reveal the ominous figure of the spear-wielder. Tall and imposing, he gave a chilling aura.

In the span of moments, I was encircled. The mage, the brute, and the spear-wielder formed a trinity of adversaries.

Rage surged within me. "YOU FUCKERS!"

I unleashed the power of my battalion lance without a hint of restraint. The force of the blast ripped through the room, obliterating everything in its path. The floor disintegrated beneath our feet, and the world blurred as I raced to the shattered window. With a leap of desperation, I burst through the frame, the wind whipping past me, and the sensation of freefall enveloped me.

As I plummeted toward the ground, all the mages in the battalion took out their wand and pointed out toward the building, ready to blow it up. Some soldiers accompanied me in standing up and in the distance, Captain Cecily and her trusted officers approached. "Aries, you're alright?" Cecily's voice was worried, her gaze searching mine for reassurance.

"Mam, ack, It's a Trap!"