Alforien
I had realised one thing. This battle was not one I could affect in any meaningful way. The beast moved too fast to cast that spell. No distraction could stop them. And it was doubtful that the army could protect me this time.
There were too many beasts. Too much chaos. Too many obstacles. There was no controlling this battle. All I could do was kill as many beasts as I could get my hands on. Like these strange, what in the worlds are they, beasts.
Snakey with too many legs twirling around things and then spitting on them. TIme to kill them before I die of disgust. Fire, fire, fire make these disgusting creatures go away. Fire fire fire. Done. Disgust quenched. For now.
And now to the next group. Maybe I should use some other elements too? Nah too much waste of mana. Better to save it to cast more fire! I could always attune a few mana threads in a giffy if there is need. Time to kill
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Carmil
Carmil was bored. It was a shocking thing to say in the middle of a battle. But sitting on a tree, occasionally killing the odd beast that dared to approach was boring no matter what. There was no thrill. None of that rush for survival against great odds. Just sitting on a branch swiping at things.
Wonder if that was why the nobles were always so grouchy. They had to sit around all day doing nothing. Ugh…he was sympathising with nobles now. What had the world come to? Nope, it was time to break away. No sitting on a tree doing nothing while people die.
Carmil hopped down from the tree a motion made easy by his newfound magic and started humming a little tune.
“Hmm Hmmmm hm Hm Hmhmhmhmhm Hm Hm hm”
ANd just like that he’d summoned a wave of icicles against the beasts. Let these critters try to deal with things piercing them and dying inside them. Or maybe they should get a good dose of the other side too.
“Hmm Hm Hm Hmhmhm hm hm” Carmil hummed, causing a little earthquake as thorns of Earth rose around him killing even more beasts. Guess he now knew why people feared magic so much. If any novice Mage could do this then the people were pretty helpless against any mage.
“Roarr!”One of the beasts to Carmil’s right roared, causing its comrades to suddenly attack Carmil at once. Oh no, that was not supposed to be happening. TIme to backpedal. Carmil began talking as he tried to make his way back to the tree, “
Fire! No. That fire is supposed to kill you, boar. You are not to charge through it unharmed. Earth! Earth! Stop jumping over the thorns! What else? Ice! Ice! Ice! No! Ice it you! You're supposed to be dead! Not bleeding! What are you a super boar? Of course you are! Ugh, why did I leave the tree again? Right, I was bored. Note to self. Bored is better than dead. I think I should know that by now.``- Carmil desperately tried to retreat fast enough to make it up the tree, but by the time he reached the tree there were too many boars, wolves and other miscellaneous beasts rushing in for him to have the time to jump up and leave. Thankfully he didn’t need to as Arlun had arrived to reinforce him.
Waving his hand Arlun caused a fire much much bigger than the one Carmil had caused. It actually harmed the beasts! And even killed some! Then Arlun layered a few more spells and voila! There was an abundance of roasted meat!
“So Carmil, still a sucker that needs to be saved I see.” Arlun said, smirking. That smug bastard. But he wasn’t immune to falling twigs. All it took was a little nudge for a branch to fall down on Arlun’s head. That’ll teach him to taunt Carmil while leaning on a tree.
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“So Arlun, still getting hit on the head with twigs I see” Carmil said, smirking.
Arlun looked down at the branch and then at Carmil and said, “That was decidedly bigger than a twig.”
“And you are decidedly bigger than you were before,” Carmil replied, still smirking as he jumped back in the army’s direction.
Shaking his head, Arlun followed suit. Time for the two of them to battle together once more.
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Korin
Korin was finding himself lost. Lost in the endless battle. In the constant ringing in his ears. Beasts came, beasts died. Men fought, men died. The Battle waged. Death reigned. Back in the confines of the kingdom, all he had done was conveyed a noble's orders. Perhaps plan a few things. Got into a few planned battles.
Here, there was none of that. Armies did not meet in decided battle fields. There were no rest breaks, no great shows of power. There was only death, blood and survival. Now he knew why the Valurien Mountains were so feared. They were the Primitive Wild. The opposite of the Civilised lands. A remnant, or perhaps reminder of times long gone.
Here, he merely survived. There were no alliances, betrayals and opportunities. Only life and death. And he didn’t want to die just yet. So his sword moved, cleaving yet another beast in two before twisting and cutting a tiger that had taken to pouncing on him. The odds may seem against him, but he would survive. Come what may.
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Alforien
I had seen much in my life. But perhaps due to the extended peace I had suffered through since the founding of the ministry, I had forgotten the chaos and rush of battle. There was no strategy in real battles. Only survival. THere was a saying
‘No plan survives contact with the enemy’
And I am seeing it come true now. There had been so many strategies, preparations just to make sure that the army got to the Valurien Mountains. And all that was for naught now.
The horde had caught them completely unprepared. No, not unprepared…they were unanticipated. The Council had planned for illusions. Mind-altering threats. Not a horde of beasts. And now they were paying the price.
I summoned my mana, preparing to cast another spell. I had taken to casting in large bursts to get many beasts in a single spell and then resting for a while. THat way my mana was mostly conserved.
Grandmist, Chaos, Force with smatterings of Will and Fire. Those were the elements I summoned, not exactly ideal for this spell but it was what I had at hand. And then I coalesced them into a single massive bolt of lightning.
“Die!” I screamed as a large purple bolt of lightning crashed down onto the beasts, avoiding the earth and the Banmeru while targeting everything else. Hundreds of beasts died. Hundreds more appeared to take their place. And two-thirds of my army lay dead. This was going to be one costly battle.
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Arlun
After rescuing Carmil, the two of them had headed back to the main battle just in time to see a large bolt of lightning fall down. Beasts died in hundreds. Trees that before seemed impregnable turned to dust. And one Prince floated in the sky.
The scene would have been inspirational if not for the fact that more beasts were upon the army in minutes. But, the power. Arlun had felt that he had grown powerful. Dealing with the beasts like they were nothing. It appeared that he was merrily scratching the surface of what magic could actually do.
The nobles may be cruel and selfish. But they were one thing. And that was powerful. Powerful enough to throw around bolts of lightning like that. But one day he too would have that power. And then that bastard would pay.
Arlun hummed his spell, summoning his mana sending it out in a wave of fire. There, that should help. The mana spread forward, setting the air itself on fire. And then it turned to nothing.
At about the same time a chill spread across the Woods. The Trees suddenly had frost on them. And yet there was a bright orange light coming from the sky. It was as if something was pulling all the heat in the area.
Hesitating, Arlun turned his head around slowly looking at the source of the light. There stood a strange, perhaps even repellent creature. And in its mouth was a large orange ball of fire that was aimed straight at where the army was.
Image [https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/713945465099386891/922138922195222618/blank_tradingcard.png?width=354&height=629]
(Author: The beast looks like this)