One of the soldiers in the middle of the formation couldn't see who said those chilling words, but he felt the strong killing intent behind them.
He peered over to his superior next to him. "Hey Captain what's going on?" He said, with a hint of worry. Suddenly, his view was blocked by an imposing figure and before he could react, his entire body froze. Along with everyone around him.
INSTANT FREEZE
ARCTIC DOMAIN
Ymir appeared in the center of the human army, combining two of his skills. Everything in the radius of 200 meters around him froze instantly. Almost as if time stopped for them, only the ones close to Romain and Butch survived. Butch used his abilities to form an even stronger barrier to protect them. He couldn't save the rest of the army, Ymir broke through his first one with astounding strength.
With a scared look, Romain yelled at Butch. "Why didn't you know that someone at your rank was here?," he felt angry that he no longer had the numerical advantage. "Quickly get rid of him, If that bastard has someone at your rank then we're screwed!"
Butch couldn't care less of what the idiot was talking about. He just looked straight at Ymir, his eyes filled with excitement. It's been years since he's found someone as strong as him, besides the high table members but they were different monsters of their own. He slowly walked towards his enemy, ignoring Romain cursing at him desperately.
Ymir glared at the human approaching him, "You are brave human, you have my respect for not running away. If you come seeking a challenge, then I shall provide it for you."
"You honor me too much, I really wished your master would have joined us. We could have done so much together." Butch said, with a face filled with disappointment.
"My master is above your comprehension, it is you who should be joining us." Ymir replied.
Butch wore a small smile. "You and I aren't so different, in another lifetime we could've been comrades. Unfortunately, fate is a cruel mistress." He said, getting into a fighting position. "My name is Butch Harrelson, what's yours brother?"
Ymir got into a battle stance. "Ymir, I will be sure to remember your name."
Butch just smiled thinking that this guy just stole his line.
Their after images were the only thing that people saw of them. Their clash was so intense, that it created a sonic boom in the middle of the frozen army. Human ice sculptures shattered, they kept each others forearms interlocked as they smiled at each other. Well, From the view of Butch, Ymir looked like he was enjoying himself behind his mask. He also took this time to realize that Ymir really isn't human. He had human skin but his arms were these large metal gauntlets. He knew that for a while, the rest of the mech army proved him that.
Ymir did a headbutt, making Butch rear back with the force. "Hehe, come on now. Let's take this fight to another level." Butch said as he grinned with bloody teeth.
Making sure that Ymir didn't retreat, Butch held him tightly as they both flew straight into the sky.
INSTANT FREEZE
Taking this opportunity, Ymir activated his skill. Butch pushed him away, he looked down to see that his fingers have turned black on both hands.
"You sure don't disappointed, it would be rude of me not to RECIPROCATE!" Butch said, sending dozens of wind blades towards Ymir.
Dodging the wind blades wasn't easy, but while he was distracted, Butch got in front of him. He could only put up his hands as defense, and as if expecting this, Butch landed an uppercut to the abdomen. The hit was so hard that it sent Ymir flying through the air. Butch disappeared again, this time he clasped his hands together to deliver a devastating hammer strike. With a loud smash, Ymir landed on the ground hard. Butch just stared from above, waiting for the dust cloud to clear out.
Before the last bit of dust could settle, Butch felt the hand of death looming over him. He dodged just in time to see a sharp ice tower pierce through the dust cloud. If he didn't evade in time, he would have received an unwelcome penetration through the business district. Taking this moment of distraction, Butch didn't see Ymir fly into him and making both of them crash through the giant ice tower.
'He has no visible damage, what the hell is this guy made of? I wasnt holding back with my punches at all.' Butch thought to himself.
While those two were fighting, Sam spectated the fights. He was extremely happy to see Butch getting pummeled, after all the trouble he's caused him. With his troops finally reorganized after that massive fire tornado was taken care of, he ordered them to go after his annoying older brother. With more than 500 soldiers left, Romain left like a scared mutt. Leaving behind the troops who had no horses to fend for themselves, he could see that he was halfway through the forest path.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
"Have the remaining energy and titan mechs chase after him, the rest of the army can capture the rest that were left behind. Form up the remaining arachno tanks and provide assistance to Ymir." Sam ordered, reclining more into his seat. With Ymir handling Butch, he could relax a little.
Back to the main screen, the mechs already reached the fleeing prince and his escorts. Titan mechs plowed through them with their massive powerful frames. It didn't matter if it was human or horse, they were sent flying regardless. One confident soldier jumped off their horse to the titans shoulders, the Titan grabbed him by the arm and proceeded to use him as a sword. You could hear bones breaking, and flesh being teared apart. It only stopped once the soldiers arm finally broke off. Just the brutality of this action had sent fear deep into everyone's hearts.
"Y-you idiots, attack them. Make sure none of them get near me!!" Romain screamed, he didn't care if these peasants died. He just wanted to get as far away from here as soon as possible. "Why aren't you obeying my orders! Do you want your families to suffer!?! If you don't distract them, I'll personally kill everyone you love once we get back!"
With a heavy heart and grim looks, the soldiers resigned themselves to their fate. Some of them have seen what the prince has done to those who go against him. They couldn't kill him either, otherwise the royal family would kill them for treason.
Sam for once sympathized with these soldiers, he knew what it meant to be ordered to die for someone so worthless. He made it clear to the mechs to only knock them out and capture the coward prince. With their new orders, the mechs hastened their progress, Romain looked back again. When he turned to look forward again, he gasped as an energy mech cut him off and sliced his horse in half.
"Protect his majesty! Someone give your mount to th-" The general who was with Romain, had his head sliced off by another energy mech. He was to busy making sure that Romain was safe, that he ignored his surroundings.
The head slowly rolled in front of Romain, making him recoil in fear. A titan mech towered over him, as he crawled on his knees to get away. The titan mech grabbed him by the back of his head. Romain just gasped and cried, he tried to use his fire magic or anything but nothing helped. He was going up against a mark 3 mech, while he is only a silver rank.
"Nostromo, holo project me on one of the energy mechs." Sam said, smiling at his brothers struggling.
Everyone in the area noticed one of the metal things started flickering with light, soon a young handsome man replaced it.
"Soldiers of Vanmeister, my name is Samuel Vanmeister. I have seen how you have been horribly mistreated by this idiot of a brother of mine. Don't you feel that you have been wronged and betrayed? He has sent you to your graves and expects you to lay your lives for him. Do you think this is the kind of man, that would have your families best interests in mind when you die? That answer is no, once you die here, he will go back to the kingdom and not even see to it that your families are taken care of. He will move on with his life and let the ones you love suffer. Ask yourselves, is this really the kind of man you want to sacrifice yourselves for?" Sam exclaimed loudly to the soldiers who looked tired and distraught.
"Help me you worthless worms!! Kill that son of a bitch.. aaaugh!!" Romain yelled before the mech put more pressure on his hold.
'This idiot just made this much easier for me, and also proving he really is an idiot. Cant he tell that im not really here.' Sam thought to himself, as he put his attention back to the crowd of soldiers. "You have seen and heard it for yourselves. I could massacre you all, but seeing this injustice done to you and your families. I couldn't allow myself to kill you, so please, lay down your weapons and I promise you, that I will make sure that you aren't mistreated anymore. I will take over this kingdom and lead MY people to have a better and brighter future."
The soldiers were deeply moved by Sam's words. Even though they heard that the 4th prince betrayed his kingdom and was working with evil forces to slaughter everyone. Yet, here he was giving them a chance to go back to their families with their lives. One by one, weapons could be heard clanking on the ground. With this out of the way, Sam put his full attention to Romain.
"You know, their is a saying that you shouldn't bite the hand that feeds you. Your soldiers loyalty for you is so fragile older brother." Sam said, pacing around in front of his brother suspended in the air. Sam saw a long pointy big branch in the border of the woods and he had an idea. "Have you heard of the story of Vlad of Wallachia?"
Sam ordered the mech to follow him with his brother in tow as well as another titan mech.
"You see older brother, this Vlad fellow was badly wronged by his enemies. Just the way you have wronged me. So he decided to imply certain tactics to strike fear into the hearts of his enemies. One of them, gave him a nickname that has withstood throughout time and history, Vlad the impaler." Sam finished and turned around to see his brother with a face full of despair as he realized what was about to happen. Romain looked at another mech snap the long and sharp branch off the tree and bring it towards him.
He started to struggle desperately but the mech who held onto him didn't budge, and even started positioning his rear end towards the branch.
"Please! What do you want!? I can give you my entire fortune and my slaves!! I won't ever cross you again, I'll do anything please younger brother we are family!!" Romain cried and pleaded, his face full of fear and despair.
"You shouldn't have come after me or my mother Romain." Sam said coldly as he ordered the mechs to impale Romain.
The branch slowly penetrated his body, Romain screamed in agony but it didn't change anything. It finally exited through the left side of his collar bone. Romain just choked on his own blood, he grunted in pain as the mechs raised him up high for everyone to see. His face full of pain, Sam ordered the titan mech to take Romain like this, all the way to the next town of the kingdom. He wanted them to see what he did to him, he wanted them to know that he was coming after them next.
Sam cut off the holo projection and resumed watching the fight between Ymir and Butch. With the arachno mechs and other mechs supporting Ymir. Butch was backed up against a corner, that didn't mean he didn't retaliate. One of the arachno mechs was crushed like a tin can by the air pressure attack.
"Ymir, I want you to end this. Go all out NOW." Sam sent a mental command.
With his new resolve, Ymir rushed to Butch. Sensing the cold pressure on him, Butch turned around to deliver a kick only to hit an ice copy of Ymir. The real one was behind him, he kneed Butch in the face as soon as he turned around. The crunch of Butchs nose breaking for the second time could be heard, and blood was drawn once again. Momentarily blinded, Butch was then bombarded by arachno mechs. Each hit wasn't enough to kill him but enough to cause damage.
Once he regained his senses he was struck by an uppercut, sending him flying into the sky.
ICE METEORITE
A looming chunk of ice was heading straight to Butch as he flew into the air. The impact momentarily stopped the meteorites descent towards the ground, but continued after a moment. Butch could be seen stuck in an outline of cracks on the surface of it. Ready to finish this once and for all, Ymir took off towards the meteorite. Before he could land a hit, he felt an insane pressure coming from Butch.
TEMPEST WARP
Chunks of ice flew everywhere as even the clouds were parted in a wide radius from the strong winds. Landing on the ground on his feet, Ymir looked up to see Butch in the sky. He was covered in wounds, bleeding from his head and injuries.
"Hehe good fight Ymir, I can't wait for the next time we meet. Unfortunately, I cant die here, not until I've fulfilled my promise to the emperor." Butch said, taking deep breaths as he pulled out a warp crystal and disappeared.
"Tsk who's the one disappointing people now?" Ymir said to the air.
It was a difficult battle, but at the end Sam managed to pull through, he just needed to recuperate his troops and summon more Frost mechs. There's almost nothing that can stop him now.