A few days later, Zalia stood with the leaders of the army overlooking a large town. They were in the flatlands now, out of the hilly area where the army had set up their war camp. She had been told that the town was known as Et’s Way. It was a crossroads for the road leading from the north of Endaria to the south, with another road travelling west to the capital. Being relatively close to the town, she had her aura suppressed only to cover the army, to not draw any attention.
Faian had explained how Et’s Way had been a major mercantile town, with most business and imports for the capital needing to travel through it to get there. That was apart from a few smaller towns closer to the capital, though those were more like town halls for farming communities than they were proper towns. Indis had added to that explanation, going into mind-numbing detail about the financial significance of the town before Ballast cut her off.
The aura of the Thousand-eyed one was stronger now, significant enough for her to feel the strain of holding it back day and night. When they set up to sleep, the army enchanters had taken to putting up shoddy temporary wards that were able to block at least some of the corrupting aura. That way she could rest herself, ready for the next day’s travel.
Her job was to get the army safely to the capital without needing to expose Ro’s presence. Once they were there, she would just be another soldier on the field. Most of the major fighting would be done by Ro and Hildebrandt, with Larel as backup for where ever needed it.
Looking down at the town, a few things were obvious. One, the population of the town were definitely no longer human. They shambled through streets, banging against walls and doors without much thought in their heads. Perhaps a few higher-ranked members had time to get out but without healing or some sort of protection against the corruption, she knew they wouldn’t have lasted long. Without her own Healing Presence, it would be a matter of hours before she succumbed to the aura at its current strength. Craftsmen, farmers and the like wouldn’t have much of a chance.
What was obvious other than that, was the demon presence in the town. It wasn’t immediately obvious like the undead population was, but looking closely there was a focused red haze over the town that gave away their presence. It was like Cormaine, even having the slight scent of sulfur coming across the breeze. Of course, it could be caused by the undead but Zalia thought it was the demons. It felt more like a heavy concentration of the corrupting aura rather than the undead’s presence.
Everyone looked to Generals Faian and Ballast.
“Two major threats. The undead are the biggest one, with possibly tens of thousands of them in there. Hildebrandt should be able to take care of those herself, with the Vanguard unit as backup. Those we’ll have an easier time drawing out of the town making as much sound as we can,” Faian started.
Ballast scratched at the stubble on his neck.
“Agreed, though we should send the earth mage unit and an area archer unit to cover their retreat if needed. If I’m not mistaken, that red haze means demons?”
Zalia nodded confirmation.
“I believe so. I think it’s the corrupting aura that causes that. Much like you see over the capital.”
Everyone looked out over the plains towards the capital, the air above it a red haze that marked their destination.
“Wonderful. I’d like to see how the Morning’s Shade fare in taking them out. The narrow streets and close quarters are going to be a lot easier for small groups to navigate through.”
Hildebrandt frowned, not looking happy about it.
“Wouldn’t it be better to draw them out as well? I don’t like the idea of sending teams in there where they can get overwhelmed.”
Advisor Ryn stepped forwards.
“Based on previous encounters, I do not believe the demons will fall for that. They are against retreat from what we have seen, but neither are they stupid. If they see or sense someone of Hildebrandt’s rank, I believe it is most likely that they will send for reinforcements of a high enough rank, if they have any.”
He then stepped back, looking to Faian.
“Perhaps instead of sending them into the town, we can have them position themselves around the perimeter. That way they can take out any fleeing demons. In the case that Zalia is wrong and there are none, no harm done. If there are though, we don’t want them escaping to bring back any more high-ranked enemies.”
Hildebrandt seemed more in tune with that idea, nodding approval.
“Good. Zalia, you will go with Hildebrandt and the vanguard to draw the undead’s attention with your aura. I assume that will work on them the same as it does on the crazed soldiers?”
Zalia rubbed lightly at her chest, remembering the sword that had gone through it courtesy of a Silver rank undead.
“Yeah, it works a lot better on them actually. It’s able to kill some of them, though with the larger aura being much weaker I’m sure it will take quite some time.”
Faian tapped her chin.
“Good. That sounds like the best plan as long as everyone agrees. We’ll send some of the lighter armoured units to back up the Morning’s Shade as well. Perhaps some of the focused ranged units?”
Ballast nodded agreement, looking intently down at the town. Zalia wasn’t sure, but it seemed like he was visualing the battle even as they made the plans for it.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Yes, though I think it’s best to split them in half to ensure they don’t bring too much attention. With Larel down there to back any up that need it they should be relatively safe. I’d like to have a medical unit near the side of town opposite the vanguard, along with a legionnaire unit to keep them safe.”
The legionnaire units were lighter armoured than the vanguard, utilising javelins, spears and abilities focused more around high movement combat. From what Zalia had seen, the medical units were quite quick on their feet as well, more like combat medics than doctors.
Zalia kind of got distracted at that point, idly scratching Boreal’s head as Hildebrandt, the Generals and the Advisors spoke.
In the end, nothing about the plan really changed, though a lot of organising around what would happen with the main army body was done. They also set up fallback points, places earth mages would fortify and where reinforcements would wait.
Larel was put to be with the legionnaire and medical units, as a front liner to make room for the medical units to do their job. Split into small groups evenly along the perimeter of the town were various groups of Morning’s Shade members and focused target units, each group containing at least one Silver ranker.
As prepared as they would get and wanting to strike as soon as possible, Faian only waited long enough for the scouts to search the nearby area around the town before orders began flowing. Messengers using mental communication powers stood next to Ballast and Faian, sending out orders to various leaders amongst units, while Hildebrandt went and told her people what was happening.
It seemed that all at once, the still and relatively silent army column began to move. Structures were built by earth mages, walls going up and a fort appearing out of the dirt and stone around them. Lightly armoured groups of four of five began to depart, finding their way down the hill and around the town edges.
Zalia still had her aura suppressed and waited with the vanguard as the flurry of motion began to slow. General Faian stayed at the vantage point that looked over the town, with the messengers next to her. General Ballast took up his huge two-handed mace and joined the vanguard however, standing in their midst. She didn’t really know what kind of powers the man had as a General but she assumed they were based heavily around leading and morale.
Tension began to build as everyone got ready for the fight ahead of them. This wasn’t a fight against an enemy army however, as much as it was a fight against an entire town’s population. It was to be a smaller version of the fight that would take place at the capital, a taster of what was to come.
Zalia knew it, the soldiers all knew it. If they had the time, resources or means to figure out if bringing back these people was possible, they would have done so. Unfortunately, it simply wasn’t possible.
Before long, the orders came and the vanguard began to move out.
The vanguard approached Et’s Way, beginning to chant in unison. It wasn’t any time of magic or power, simply the deep, throaty chant of soldiers moving in to war. The sound reverberated through her bones and as they got louder, she saw the first undead begin to charge out of the town.
They stopped, the chant continuing. Hildebrandt planted her feet firmly and the fiery aura began to expand from her. Zalia released her own aura, the power streaming out across the town, even going to far as to reach the other side and the units waiting there. It had been risky for them to go out of her protection, but a needed risk all the same.
The one silent undead became two, then three and before she knew it, hundreds, then thousands, were streaming from Et’s Way.
The vanguard continued their chant as charging undead began to disintegrate under the power of both Hildebrandt and Zalia’s powers.
Soon, the sheer mass of bodies began to somehow physically push back Hildebrandt’s aura and the undead came closer.
They came close enough for most of the vanguard to properly see their opponents. They looked… like people.
Glowing bodies turned to ash before Hildebrandt’s power, yet the undead pushed ever onwards.
The first of them reached the vanguard, exploding into mist as Hildebrandt’s Backlash triggered.
As before, one became two, and then the numbers kept growing as the majority of the vanguard, in their shield wall formation, needed to fight back the undead hordes.
Zalia cast rituals, setting off small explosions that were a poor mimicry of Hildebrandt’s own massive ones. Cursed fire spread amongst their ranks, even as her original, more focused aura tore apart the low-ranked undead. Boreal stood by her side, protecting her while she worked.
Slowly, the still human faces of the undead turned to rotten ones, strips of flesh hanging off their bodies as Zalia’s larger aura began to affect them.
Cries and screams of battle came from the vanguard. Step by step, they moved back, making room for the next wave of undead so they couldn’t climb on the bodies of their fallen before them. Blades impacted flesh, bare hands impacted shield.
Only Hildebrandt didn’t move, her power creating a radiant ring around her, any undead that dared approach blown away into a fine mist or disintegrated by the power of her aura. Another huge explosion rocked the battlefield, body parts mixed with dirt thrown everywhere.
Zalia felt tears on her face, the horror of the slaughter not lost on her in the moment. These had been people, the people of Endaria. Turned to mindless monsters by the demons that were invading. Hatred filled her heart then, the incomprehensible horror finally becoming real at the sight of thousands dead. It had been one thing seeing the reanimated skeletons of long-dead Bathar, it was another to see the almost life-like bodies of recently dead civilians. Something about the fact that they still had faces made it so much more real.
She cast Nature’s Wrath and for a moment, her power became that of a gods. Stone smashed, wind tore and fire cleansed. A whirling storm of elements shredded droves of undead to pieces. Two fire elementals burned through swaths more. She almost used all her mana, yet when she came down the undead still pushed forward.
Still, Hildebrandt stood her ground, explosions of power sent forth, each attack against her met with death, twin bolts of energy vaporising each attacker.
Zalia didn’t know how long had passed when a mind spoke to her.
“A Morning’s Shade squad is running your way, they need help.”
Zalia immediately cast the ritual of flight, floating upwards and away from Boreal to see across the battlefield.
Just as the voice had said, a small trio were sprinting their way, hundreds of undead on their heels. The Silver ranker of the group was running a fighting retreat, cutting down as many foes as they could, each only replaced by another. Some of the undead from the seemingly endless swarm approaching the vanguard noticed them and began to split toward the running team. They would be pincered.
Zalia flew quick, as fast as she could. One of the Bronze rankers went down under two undead.
She hit, the force enough to smash the two undead into gory remains across the battlefield. With the use of Fight or Flight, time slowed and she picked up the Bronze ranker, casting the flight ritual on the other two members.
Just moments before the undead smashed them from two sides, they took flight.