"This is..."
There are no words to describe what we saw as we arrived at the Capital.
The nightmare that unfolded before our eyes shouted at us that our expectations, however terrible, were naively wrong.
"Goddess..."
As the Capital grew closer and closer, we could hear the cries and roars that filled the battlefield grow louder.
"Shit..."
The Capital's forces were being overwhelmed; such thing was clear to us.
"DAMN IT!!"
And it made the fact that we were tricked into leaving it even more frustrating.
Kristoff's shout was more than enough to reflect the feelings of the entire Order, but it also served as a wake-up call to those who were too absorbed by what we were seeing.
The other Orders were doing the best they could to cover the weak points left by the military and the guards.
We could see the Gale Arrows unleash their deadly volleys of projectiles and magic, clearing groups of monsters and lizardmen foot soldiers with ease.
But the numerical advantage of our enemies made those efforts seem almost meaningless.
Meanwhile the Twilight Shields were spread all over the battlefield, providing much needed defense to the gates and the soldiers alike, but...they were being spread too thin.
They were barely advancing.
Then I saw even more undead and lizardmen advance towards the capital, which meant that our people would be annihilated if that continued.
"Form teams and go where you are most needed! Cover those retreating and back up those struggling! Disrupt the enemy and drive them back! We are The Swords of Dawn, fighting against nightmares is our specialty! FOR OUR PEOPLE! GO!"
““"""YES, LEADER!"""””
I immediately shouted my orders, and everyone entered that rainy battlefield with haste.
"I will see you in the battlefield, Leader!!"
Exclaimed Kristoff before going off on his own.
"Do not worry Leader we will act on our better judgement! [Quickstep]!"
Said Gabriel as he adjusted his gauntlets and left with a quick movement skill.
By that time, Luca was already gone with the rest of the scouts and were disrupting the enemy in various places of the battlefield.
With Eric and me being the only ones left.
"Eric, I must apologize for taking you off the battlefield, but you know what to do."
"If those are my orders, I will gladly obey them, My Prince! I will find answers!"
"May the Goddess watch over us!"
And so, we both went to our respective battlefields.
_________________________________________________
It was a bull.
A bull with a small sun on its forehead, as if towering before it.
"[Enhance Constitution]."
That was the emblem of those who were escaping from the attack of the one in charge of that nightmare.
"[Enhance Strength]."
A Dragon Lord.
"[Enhance Shield Skills], [Enhance Defense], [Enhance Resistance: Ice]."
Its attack froze the surroundings as it went on its way.
"[Triple Effect: Body], [Triple Effect: Resistance], [Shielder's Will], [Mystic Knight's Trance]."
It was an attack that I knew it would cause great damage, regardless if it failed to hit its target directly.
"[Mystic Fortress]"
Thus, I needed to intercept it and in doing so, I would not only save those who were escaping from it but also stop the damage from spreading past me.
"Moonlight, I beseech you! Cover me, shield me, grant me your radiance, [Moonlight Veil]!"
For that I would use every skill and spell I had available, even those that would put a burden on my body, for there were not enough precautions to take against such a being.
"Mighty earth I beseech you! Grant me your protection, let your strength flow through me, [Earth's Bulwark]!”
With that, I prepared to jump from my horse and past the escaping knights.
"Moonlight and Earth, I beseech you! Dwell within this shield and let me become the border from which no attack shall pass...."
Thus, I jumped with my Moon Tear Shield in hand, which shined as my spell took effect and landed just in time.
“...[Astral Barrier]!"
As I held my shield up, my barrier deployed with a shine only equal to that of the moon in the sky.
Its size was similar to that of a section of the capital's walls.
And the ice blast crashed with it.
"NNNGH!"
I could feel myself being pushed back almost immediately by it, even if the barrier seemed to be dispersing the blast.
I glanced at my back and the knights were gone, they kept running without looking back or offering assistance.
‘I see, they plan to leave me here as a decoy to secure their escape.’
That is what I thought then…
Such despicable acts were unbecoming for a knight but...even then, it was my duty to stop that attack, lest see that battlefield be turned into an icy tomb for everyone.
And most important of all, I needed to get as much time as possible for all of us.
"NN...!"
Still, the ice blast soon became more, and they kept coming, to the point that I could feel that my barrier was losing strength.
Moreover, my surroundings became colder with every second, to the point that it did not take long for me to see my breath.
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Then, as my barrier got even smaller, the grass beneath me started to freeze.
I could not let that go on.
"Hnnghann!"
So, I put all I had in my legs as I started to push back the attack, even if barely.
"Moonlight and Earth! Hnnngah! I beseech you! Nnnngh...! Grant me the strength to reflect that which assails me, [Astral Reflection]!"
Then, I used what was left of my barrier, making it shine brighter than before as it released a pulse of moonlight that reflected all those ice blasts back to where they came from.
And suddenly, the scenery before me changed into a pure white one as the entirety of the forest where the ice blasts were coming from became completely frozen.
Many enemies were caught in the blast as they were coming out from the forest, falling to pieces instants later. But even those many were not enough…
All while I could feel my consciousness wanting to leave me due to the sudden and heavy loss of mana, but…
"...guh...hah...hah...hah...I cannot...fall. Not from the cold...nor from this now heavy body of mine..."
...for it was coming.
I could sense it...
The Dragon Lord was near...
So, I willed myself to focus, to fix my stance, to ready my shield and to unsheathe my sword.
"Human... Abandoned by your own... In the brink of collapse... And you still dare to confront...me?"
"...!"
‘For her to appear so suddenly like that...! Teleportation?! Or was its pure speed?!!’
Those questions went through my mind as the shock of her sudden appearance filled my body.
Still, regardless of the answer, I immediately jumped back while guarding myself with my shield.
"Such a pathetic creature that you are...surrender yourself to the cold..."
The cold worsened as she spoke, making ice appear on my surroundings.
But [Moonlight Veil] protected me from suffering a similar fate, while the voices of my people still fighting shouted the same answer as the one in my heart.
"I refuse."
"What...?"
Before her question, I pointed my sword at her and looked into those cold eyes as I stood my ground.
"I am telling you that I will not surrender myself to the cold. I am telling you that I will not let you pass Dragon Lord!"
"Haa…"
"...nngh!"
She sighed and with a flick of her hand she summoned multiple icy spikes under my feet.
I tried to quickly move out of the way, but some of them managed to pierce my legs and my right arm.
My defensive spells and skills helped, but the damage was still done...
And the sudden surge of pain in my leg made me lose my footing, if only for an instant, which...
"Gah!"
...left an opening that she used to strike me with an ice boulder.
Her attacks were so quick...it was like they were appearing out of nowhere...
"..."
Furthermore, she kept attacking me mercilessly…again…and again...and again.
Sometimes I managed to dodge by guessing where the attack was coming from but only barely.
Other times I would block them despite being pushed back by the sheer force of it.
But that came with the price of my body being hurt by the mere impact.
Again, I was saved every time by the spells and skills that I had put in place and the healing enchantment on my armor, but that was close to running out...
As for what came next, I can remember it quite clearly, my thoughts, my feelings, everything is carved in my heart….
__________________________________________
"Nnn..."
Not good...
I almost fall to the ground...
I cannot let myself do that...
If I do so, I die...
Worse of all, she has not used a single skill or a proper spell...
Even so...
"...I will not...hah...let you pass for as long as I am standing, Dragon Lord!"
"Freeze..."
"Hmp—! Wha—!?"
I'm…freezing over?!
"Pathetic...know your place, lowly creature. What you endured amounts…to me taking care of a… pebble in the road. Your magic...is just a bother that barely extends…your miserable life. Reflecting my whispers…is neither a feat nor proof of your strength. Do you see? With a word…that feeble veil of yours has been overcome and...you are nothing but another piece of ice now. Stay there as your city falls..."
"..."
...
.....
.......s-s-so…
........c-co-cold.
..........so...cold....
.............I can barely.....feel....my body.....let alone....move....it....
..............healing enchantment......last charge....is gone.....now....veil is next.....
.................is this....it?.....is this my limit?......it’s getting difficult.....to stay awake.....
.....................need.......to.........close........my.......eyes for....a moment....................................
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
.....................................................................no.....................................................................................
........no......no!.......NO!.......I cannot let......this.....be........my end........I cannot fall here......
............................................I WILL NOT FALL HERE........................
................MOVE BODY OF MINE!.............
..............MOVE!........
*tremble*
"Hmm?"
...MOVE!....
*tremble* *tremble* *crack*
"!!!!!!"
*crack* *crack* *CRASH*
"GRAAAH! Hah....hah....hah...where....haah....are you....hah....going....Dragon Lord...? This....hah.....pebble...is still....standing....haah....and in the way...."
"Human. I am not fond of toying with insignificant beings...your mockery only brings you closer to your inevitable...death."
_________________________________
Even if she said so, she was forming an icicle the size of a child to attack me with.
Meanwhile, my body was still numb.
Moreover, the veil's time was almost up, and I had not enough mana to cast it again.
Thus, I needed to make it count.
__________________________________
"Be impaled...human."
I can see it!
I can cut it!
"[Crescent Moon Sl—"
"Foolish Human."
"ash—?!"
It dodged my blade?! Where—?! On my left! I have to bloc—!
*KER-CHUNK*
"…AAGH!"
It pierced my shield...my arm...cannot move my arm...but....
"...you missed...hng...I am still standing...!"
"..."
Killing intent!
Where—?!
She is—!
"—GAHG!"
"To be pierced…by my enchanted spear. You will fall with this...human..."
It pierced....my stomach....
I can feel it…slowly freezing me...from within...but I still…have strength left!
"No! Gn...! I will not! Haaaah!!"
_______________________________
I brandished my sword and attacked her with a downwards slash, but she evaded it by jumping back with ease and taking her spear with her, stopping my death sentence for the moment...
________________________________
"You would still uselessly try to fight me...human?"
"Yes...! I will...!"
"...very well..."
Gnn…this overwhelming pressure!
It’s...worse than before...!
This is...!
"...keep standing under my pressure, for you are to witness that which is above you...a shred of my power...the power of the Dragon Lord of Eternal Winter..."
_________________________
With that started her chant.
"Ice take my form and be a blade...
She did not silence me because she believed that I had run out of mana and stamina, and she was right.
I did not have enough mana to use it in any spell and my body was indeed on the brink...
"...come around me and end the life of my enemy in a swift..."
But that did not mean that I was powerless...
Even if my eyesight was failing me...
Even if my hands were numb...
Even if…my blood painted the ground red...
"...gracious dance..."
I had one last skill that could be useful even if it had a high chance of killing me in that state.
"…[Ice Blade Dance]."
"Come!"
I needed to time it right for it to work.
So, I focused everything on my tired senses and the world slowed down.
I could see her ice-made copies approaching me with their swords instead of spears.
‘More...’
They were in front of me.
‘Closer…’
But not close enough.
‘Now!’
Until they were.
"…[JUGGERNAUT'S WILL]!!"
The ice copies' swords cut through my armor and into my skin as the skill activated.
Soon, the clash between them destroyed the copies and created a white explosion with me on the center.
"...!"
And as the fog started to dissipate, the Dragon Lord was surprised to a standstill as I glared at her, still standing.
"RAAAH!!"
Not letting that chance go, I pushed the ground below me with all the strength that the skill had bestowed on me and brandished my sword once more.
Still…
I knew that my sword was not enough to kill her, so I targeted something that I could cut down and put what little mana I had left in my sword.
As for my target…
My target was one of her winged-shaped horns.
"[CRESCENT MOON SLASH]!"
My sword moved accordingly but...
*THUMP-THUMP*
‘...ah, my time is up.’
All my newfound strength left me as I...fell.
My sword barely grazed her horn, leaving only a small mark on it.
My knees were the first to touch the ground, followed by the rest of my body.
I could swear that I heard Kristoff shout my name, but I did not have the energy left to even open my eyes.
So, I thought what I thought would be my last thoughts…
___________________________
It is fine...
This is a good death...on my terms...not hers...
I believe in all of you my...Swords of Dawn...
My friends...
I know that you have already managed to force the enemy into a stalemate...
I hope...you did...
If not...Goddess…if you can hear the plea of the Foolish Prince that you deemed worthy of the crown...then please...activate the teleportation circles in the capital...let my people escape...let my sister escape...my brother...my friends and comrades...even...yes...even my father...
It is ironic that the skill I used in the end...was one he taught me...[Juggernaut's Will] a skill that lets you become an unstoppable force by turning…lethal damage taken into pure strength for a brief time...
But it seems that my body was far too damaged to even make full use of it...heh...
"...Master...I..."
I can still hear that...dragon lord's voice...why is she still here?
"Master...is satisfied? Then we shall retreat at once..."
To be saved...by the master of this dragon lord...is it luck or a blessing in disguise?
Then that means I can leave the rest to you...
Aah...
So…this is how it feels like…to not have more work to do...
It is...warm…
...
To be continued...(cue highly stylized ending scene from the POV of Brynn that fits the ending theme like a glove! The new, and totally not invented by me, hit song by Myth & Roid: Freezing Cold Fear!! OH GODDESS YES!!) (Maybe I'm being too much of a fan of them? Maybe...hmm...)