"This, my friends, is the death gauntlet," Renauld declared, his voice laced with intrigue. With a sly chuckle, he continued, his hand moving in a dance-like motion. "But it's no ordinary weapon. It doesn't harness the mundane energies found in metals. Insteaaad….”

Ongloid, Mark, and Lilithia, despite their annoyance at Renauld's repetitive theatrics, remained clueless about his intentions, the source of his power, and the true extent of his abilities.

"What does it use instead?" Mark asked, his tone cautious yet still tinged with annoyance.

Renauld cast a piercing gaze at Mark, causing a flicker of intimidation to cross Mark's face. "Instead, it is powered by something much purer, my dear Mark," Renauld explained, his hand resting on Mark's shoulder. Mark felt a momentary surge of fear before Renauld continued, "It uses blood, and thanks to the chaos in Jambodia, my death gauntlet has become even more..."

He paused, then added with a flourish, continuing his theatrical expression, "Powerful." His facial expression shifted once again into one of seriousness.

"Let's go!" Renauld announced. "Ongloid, here," he tossed four cubes to him. These cubes had transparent faces, inside of them swirling and spinning with crimson energy.

Ongloid bowed. "Yes, I suppose it is time," he said.

Lilithia and Mark, watching closely, had no idea what Ongloid and Renauld were planning.

Ongloid took a dagger and sliced his arm, allowing blood to flow onto the ground. With determination, he willingly transformed the nails of his fingers into small needles, stretching the wound caused by the dagger.

Immediately, he began chanting mantras. The blood on the ground started forming strange patterns, eventually drawing a large symbol around the vehicle given to them by Sven.

After a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, in the headquarters of the scouts, Jung received the report sent to him by Samuel.

"Damn it, we're already short on troops, and now we have infiltrators! How are we supposed to defend this forest?" Jung exclaimed in frustration.

Alistar chimed in, "The situation seems to be more dire than I expected. Additionally, the advisors could arrive at any time, and we have no way to know if they are fake or not."

"Never have I thought that the elite troops could be this weak," Jung exclaimed.

"Something is not right," added Alistar.

"Maybe I should talk with Sage Willow; perhaps she could help us identify the infiltrators. Also, Jung, I think we should join the forces and fight ourselves this time," suggested Alistar.

"We must catch and kill the man with the white cape," Jung declared.

"Urgent! Urgent! Urgeeeent report!" exclaimed one of the scouts.

"What now?!" said Jung, his frustration evident. Alistar turned, his fist clenched and brow furrowed, ready to address the new development.

“Sir…” he stops to recuperate his breath. “People in the forest are disappearing!!”

“Whaaaaat!” Jung fist momentarly became metallic and hit the table so hard that it split into two.

He got up, and left his office, and started running.

"Wait!" exclaimed Alistar. "If you leave your office, who's going to command and give orders to the troops, you idiot? Well, well... quite the mess we have here."

"I'll take charge! Send reports to the city hall. We might face a heavy attack today. Ask for reinforcements, and also send notice to the people in the forest to retreat towards the city," commanded Alistar decisively.

"We'll need to prioritize," Alistar replied quickly. "Focus on sending alerts to the areas closest to the city first. Then, gradually work outward to cover as much ground as possible. We can't afford to waste any time."

The vice chief scout, Scion, stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Sage Alistar, if I may, I have an idea. While your thinking is sound, the infiltrators could put it in jeopardy. I suggest we light a fire in the air; the people of the forest know this signal. They will understand that we are under attack and will retreat." “Have you no brain, light a big fire in the air, the forest people will understand it”

Scion, I thought you was in the front line, Excellent.

Alistar nodded in agreement. "Sound idea. You heard the man. Scion, I have to fetch Jung. Plus, I have something only I can do. Please take charge of the commanding from here," he instructed, trusting Scion to handle the situation in his absence.

In the outer vicinities of the forest, three battalions comprising one hundred mercenary soldiers each advanced, led by Mark, Lilithia, and Ongloid, each assuming command of their respective battalion.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Mark's roar rippled through the assembled ranks, a rallying cry that pierced the air. His body crackled with electricity, sending small thunderbolts cascading to the ground, illuminating the scene with flashes of raw power.

"My instructions are crystal clear: disobey, and face the consequences. For every 10 adversaries you bring down, each of you shall be rewarded with 1000 silver coins. Capture the heads of commanding officers, and you'll earn 10 gold coins. And should you succeed in securing the blood of Aldeen, a substantial sum of 1000 gold coins awaits," he declared, his voice commanding respect and obedience.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Join me, comrades, as we embark on a mission to teach the allies of the capital a lesson they won't forget. Let us draw strength from the trials we endured in Jambodia—the starvation, the tyranny. Let those memories ignite the fire within us as we march towards Eldoria," he implored, invoking both the allure of riches and the fervor of shared suffering to spur their onward journey.

Then, Mark retrieved a small cube with swirling yellow energy inside it. With a swift motion, he hurled it into the air, unleashing a piercing bolt of electricity that caused the cube to explode in a burst of yellow smoke.

Next, he signaled to one of his mercenaries who was holding a horn, gesturing for them to sound it. As the sharp sound of the horn echoed through the forest, Mark raised his fist into the air, his voice booming with command.

"Chaaaaaarge!!" he declared, his words ringing out as the mercenaries surged forward, driven by the electrifying energy of their leader's call to action.

And thus, they surged into the forest like a pack of hungry wolves unleashed, their eagerness palpable as they sought out any sign of resistance with relentless determination. The yellow smoke lingered in the air as the mercenaries, fueled by the call to charge

Before long, the inhabitants of the forest, engrossed in their daily routines, whether gathering mushrooms, felling trees as lumberjacks, or collecting herbs and resources to sustain their livelihoods, were abruptly interrupted. The piercing sound of the horn sent shivers down their spines, triggering a wave of panic that swept through their ranks.

The disappearances of individuals did not go unnoticed, and soon a sense of panic and impending doom gripped the people of the forest. Fearing for their safety, they fled towards the small headquarters where Samuel and Helena were stationed, seeking protection and guidance. Overwhelmed by the influx of frightened inhabitants, Samuel and Helena struggled to manage the situation and provide the reassurance and support that was desperately needed.

Helena, doing her utmost to provide comfort to everyone, maintained a reassuring presence amidst the chaos.

"Sir," one of the soldiers interjected urgently, "I believe we should evacuate them. This situation is becoming overwhelming."

"Yes, everyone," Samuel declared with a firm tone, "retreat to the depths of the forest. It's no longer safe here. Abandon this place immediately!"

As the people attempted to retreat, a horde of skeletons descended upon them, launching a merciless attack on the unarmed civilians. Despite Helena and Samuel's adept fighting skills, they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of adversaries. The situation quickly spiraled out of control as the skeletons relentlessly pressed their assault, leaving the defenders struggling to hold their ground.

Armed with swords and gauntlets, the mindless skeletons charged at anything in their path with reckless abandon. The nearby troops rushed to engage them, launching spells and physical attacks, but to no avail—the skeletons stubbornly regenerated, seemingly impervious to their efforts. The defenders found themselves locked in a desperate struggle against an enemy that showed no signs of faltering.

"This is xeno-arcanery! Blood manipulation, these are the skeletons of the fallen Eldorian troops we lost these past days," exclaimed Samuel, his voice laced with urgency and frustration.

"Listen, infuse your eyes with energy, you will be able to see a small thread connecting the bones," he instructed, his tone firm as he relayed crucial information to the troops amidst the chaos of battle.

"Just disturb that energy and be careful not to be hit; some of these skeletons have gauntlets," warned Samuel, his eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of weakness in their adversaries.

"How wicked do you have to be? They have no resources but our opponents. Yet, their lack of resources doesn’t hinder their creativity. They're using every small detail in the battlefield to their advantage. The gauntlets need not a human being to control them; they just need stimulation by energy," he remarked grimly, his mind racing to formulate a strategy against their relentless foes.

The skeletons, though inaccurate with their gauntlets, mercilessly attacked innocent people, causing injuries among the panicked civilians. However, under the guidance of Samuel and Helena, the Eldorian troops quickly learned how to counter the skeletal onslaught. After a harrowing half hour, they finally managed to defeat the relentless skeletons, bringing a temporary reprieve to the chaos and carnage.

"Sir, the last of the skeletons has been vanquished," reported an Eldorian soldier.

"Ah, finally. But my heart aches for the civilians. I pray we were able to defend as many as possible," responded Samuel, his voice heavy with concern for the safety of the innocent.

Helena's eyes widened as she noticed a torn cut in the back of the soldier's attire, accompanied by a small smear of blood.

"Samuel, get away from him... Now!" she exclaimed urgently, her voice laced with concern and alarm.

Samuel's eyes widened in shock as he felt a sudden sharp pain in his abdomen. Glancing down, he saw the glint of a dagger protruding from his stomach, realization dawning on him that the soldier was an infiltrator.

Before he could react, a chilling laughter filled the air, sending shivers down Samuel's spine. The infiltrator, reveling in his deceit, delivered a swift kick to Samuel's side, sending him sprawling to the ground, coughing up blood.

Helena's fury blazed as she slammed her palm onto the ground, unleashing a powerful spell that summoned massive roots from the earth. The roots snaked toward the infiltrator, entangling him and rendering him immobile.

Without hesitation, Helena rushed to Samuel's side, her hands glowing with healing energy as she cast a mending spell over his wound.

Samuel's words were strained, his voice barely audible over the sounds of the forest. He coughed, blood staining his lips, the pain evident in his expression.

"Don't worry about me," he gasped, his breath ragged. "You need to leave. The mercenaries will be here any moment now. They're formidable opponents... Just go."

Helena hesitated, torn between her duty to protect Samuel and the urgency of the looming threat. She knew they had to act fast.

"I won't leave you," she declared, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her.

Helena's words echoed with resolve as she continued to cast her healing spell, her hands glowing with ethereal energy. Samuel's pain seemed to lessen, if only for a moment, under her touch.

"We're in this together, Samuel," she insisted, her gaze unwavering. "We'll find a way out of this, but we have to stay strong."

Samuel nodded weakly, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes despite the pain. Together, they braced themselves for the inevitable confrontation with the approaching mercenaries, their determination unyielding in the face of adversity.

As the sounds of battle intensified, echoing through the forest, Helena and Samuel exchanged a tense glance. Explosions rocked the ground, accompanied by the crackling of arcane spells and the howling winds of summoned tornadoes.

Through the dense foliage, glimpses of fire pillars soared into the sky, casting an ominous glow over the surrounding trees. Each eruption of flame was a stark reminder of the chaos unfolding nearby, a chaotic symphony of destruction orchestrated by the advancing mercenaries.

The dagger missed a vital organ, but I need to heal him quickly! Time is running out! There's no other choice! Helena thought urgently.

Helena declared, "Xeno-arcanery, divine Angel release!" Blood trickled from her pores, crystallizing into an ethereal angelic form.

"How rude of you to summon me without an offering, Helena," the angel chided.

"Forgive me, divine Angel Esclipius, this is an urgency. I will offer you tribute later. I promise, but please, heal my friend Samuel. I cannot let him die here!" pleaded Helena.

"Very well! I shall answer your call this time, Helena! But only this time! And your offering must be something good!" responded the divine Angel Esclipius.