The news of the impending attack had spread like wildfire through the small village, leaving the inhabitants quaking with fear. But for Colonel Terist and his soldiers, fear was not an option. They had been waiting for this moment - the perfect opportunity to seize control of the village and expand their control.
Terist had received reports from his subordinates that the Royal Legion were on their way, set to arrive within the hour. With this information, he immediately enlisted a few soldiers to scout the area within a five-kilometre radius. Their findings were grim - the enemy was indeed approaching.
But Terist was not one to be deterred by bad news. He saw an opportunity to use the villagers as pawns in his grand scheme.
He ordered his troops to round up the villagers and use them as hostages, hoping that this would force the Royal Legion to retreat or engage in a life-and-death battle, which meant no one would get out of there alive. Terist and his soldiers decided to take the village by any means necessary, and so they prepared themselves for the worst.
The journey to the village had been gruelling, and the Royal Legion was exhausted when they finally arrived. The news of the Replords' presence had been alarming, and the tension among the soldiers was palpable. Leading the charge was the commanding General of the Royal Legion, a seasoned warrior with a sharp gaze that could cut through steel.
The king had also sent a group of Royal Mages, the most talented and powerful magic users in the kingdom, to aid in the battle against the Replords. Alice Flowwer, a young woman with dark blue hair that cascaded down her shoulders like waves, was among the mages. Dressed in the uniform of Uchire Academy, her position as the vice president of the Student Council and secretary of the president was marked by the badge of two crossed swords on her chest.
As they rode towards the village, Alice rode up to the General, her voice ringing out with power and authority. "General," she asked, "what do you make of this?"
The General's expression was grim as he surveyed the scene before them. The ground was stained red with blood, and the smell of death and decay hung heavily in the air. Bones and pieces of flesh were scattered about, evidence of the brutal fate that had befallen someone at the hands of the Replords.
"This is the work of the Lizardwars, no doubt about it," the general said, his voice filled with anger. "We must find them fast."
Alice nodded "We must do all we can to stop them," she said. "I will use my power to aid in the battle."
While the Royal Legion advanced through the village, the air was heavy with tension. The silence was deafening, and the lack of any visible signs of the enemy made the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end. The general led the way, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His eyes scanned the surrounding buildings, searching for any sign of movement or activity.
This army was renowned for its cavalry, but even the best riders knew that horses could be unpredictable in the heat of battle. The Replord army was a formidable opponent, and their long-range weapons meant that the cavalry's traditional advantage was almost useless.
"Or we can rush to sweep the reptiles as usual."
A man suddenly made an opinion and was immediately rejected by the commander:
"No! It's different this time, the Empires are baiting us. Rushing in blindly will be a fatal mistake."
Alice agreed with the general's assessment. When she peered through the windows of the surrounding buildings, she felt a growing sense of unease. There was something off about the silence and the stillness of the village. She sensed danger lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike.
The knights remained in position. All they could do now was wait for the Royal Mages to cast a spell to force the enemies to show themselves. The five magicians dismounted from their horses and gathered in a circle, their eyes closed in concentration. A large, intricate magic gate materialized at the centre of the circle, humming with power.
Magicians began to chant in unison. From there, the gate grew brighter and brighter, the symbols on its surface glowing with magical energy. Suddenly, a message appeared before the leader, revealing the dire situation inside the village. It spoke of hundreds of Lizardwars and innocent hostages held captive.
The cavalry immediately sprang into action, forming a V-shaped formation and heading towards the house where the village chief lived. Alice, on the other hand, remained calm and collected, her arms crossed as she observed the unfolding events.
A Lizardwar in a green military uniform stepped out, dragging the corpse of a middle-aged man with him. At first glance, everyone assumed it was the village chief. Then, he kicked the corpse away and said:
"Did you come here to find trouble, you humans?"
Alice stepped forward in front of the knights, answering on their behalf in an extremely angry tone:
"You bring your troops over to wage war on your own, and you can still talk like that?"
A man clad in polished silver armor, standing out from the rest of the knights, stepped down and tapped Alice on the shoulder, and whispered in her ear:
"Calm down Alice, the people in there are safe for now, do not let your emotion affect you!"
She sighed and nodded. Then, Alice cleared her throat to regain her composure and continued:
"What do you want?"
A bullet suddenly flew past Alice's biceps, leaving a full cut on it, and began to bleed as soon as she finished asking. She knelt on the ground, clutching her wound with a frown, annoyed expression. Alice gritted her teeth as she raised her head to see Terist grinning with a pistol smoking from the barrel.
"We want war! In the name of the rebels, say no to that weak Empire's corrupt government. I am Terist, I will make history!"
Everyone was taken aback by the colonel's remark. They initially believed the Empire was sending troops to strike, but they were still rebels. Alice was devastated since she had expected to confront actual Lizardwar warriors, not these feeble creatures.
Terist smiled, pointed the gun at her, and kept stroking the trigger with his finger, not knowing when to pull the trigger. A spear suddenly shot up from behind her.
The colonel's eyes widened, and before he could do anything, it pierced his arm. Terist dropped the gun, fell to the ground, and screamed.
"Are you all right?"
Alice winced as the general wrapped the cloth tightly around her injured arm. She glanced over at the fallen rebel, still screaming in agony as he clutched the spear that had impaled his arm. Despite the chaos around her, Alice couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that the situation was under control.
The general spoke up, his voice low and steady, "We need to secure the area and get everyone out of harm's way. We can't let these rebels cause any more trouble."
The knights drew their swords and formed a protective ring around the gathering. Meanwhile, the magicians kept performing spells and channelling their magic.
A Lizardwar soldier was hiding in the house, waiting for Terist's orders. He surreptitiously looked out the window. Then, he was startled to find that the colonel was seriously injured, so he shouted for the others to hear:
"Damn it! Our colonel is injured, kill the hostages immediately!"
They simultaneously pointed their guns at the hostages, pressed the trigger, and fired hundreds of bullets at the hostages.
Unexpectedly, those bullets were thrown back into the soldiers, causing many of them to fall on the spot.
"What the hell is happening here?"
The rest of them stopped when they saw that. They were stunned to discover that the hostages were surrounded by a layer of transparent crystal, so hard that it blocked all bullets.
"Fucker! Smash it now!"
As the Lizardwar soldiers pounded the crystal surrounding the hostages, they grew more and more frustrated. No matter what they tried, they could not break through the impenetrable barrier. It seemed to mock them, shining brightly in the sunlight, as if daring them to try and harm the innocent villagers within.
The rebels were at a loss, unsure of what to do next. They had come to this village intending to cause chaos and destruction, but now they were the ones facing defeat. Their anger boiled over, and they began smashing every object in the house against the crystal, hoping to find a weakness.
But it was no use. The crystal remained unbreakable, it’s surface smooth and unmarred by their attacks. Finally, in a fit of rage, they began pounding it with their fists, screaming in frustration as they watched it glow brighter and brighter.
The crystal began to shrink, pulling inwards like a collapsing star. It swallowed the hostages within, pulling them in until it was just a small ball of light. The soldiers watched in horror as they punched through the slightly rotten wood floor, disappearing into the ground below.
The villagers emerged from the ground, their faces full of relief and gratitude. They looked around at the destruction caused by the rebels and shook their heads in sadness. But they were alive, and for that, they were thankful.
Terist's eyes grew wide with a frenzied look. His strategy completely failed. He had nothing to lose now, and he would go down fighting if he had to. As Terist could see, bright, subjective smiles appeared on each of the individual knights.
It was like a serious insult to him. Terist stared at each person's face, whispering in his mouth:
"You bastards, I'll take each of your heads and hang them on top of my gun."
Terist crouched down, picked up the gun, and suddenly a spear appeared and pierced his hand. He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the raging pain, and picked up the gun. The colonel pointed it at the sky and fired one shot.
The sound of gunfire echoed everywhere, and the air suddenly became erratic. It did not last long, the windows around them shattered into pieces immediately, breaking the silence. Hundreds of bullets from within those buildings flew straight at them. In an instant, the general shouted:
"Defense!"
The knights stood close to each other, took the shield hanging from the horse's side, and assembled it into a solid wall.
Bullets were zipping through the air and torned their shields apart with each impact. The knights remained steady, their expressions resolute, as they maintained the line against the Lizardwars' attack. The magicians were intent on their work, their hands moving in complex patterns as they recited their spells.
Alice was being tended to by one of the mages, her wounds slowly closing up as she regained her strength. The general was by her side, his eyes fixed on the enemy soldiers as they continued to fire their weapons.
Terist, however, was growing more impatient by the second. He couldn't understand how they could just stand there and take the punishment. In his mind, the humans were being foolish for relying on magic and shields to protect them. He believed that the only way to win this battle was through sheer force and firepower.
"Come on, you fools!" he shouted, gesturing wildly with his gun. "You can't just stand there and let them shoot at you! Fight back!"
But the knights remained steadfast, their shields forming an unbreakable barrier against the enemy's attacks. The magicians continued their chants, their spells weaving together to create a powerful shield that protected them all.
Terist couldn't dispute the efficacy of their defence, despite his irritation. Even as he planned his next move, he grudgingly appreciated their bravery and resolve. He'd have to find another means to weaken their drive if he failed to take out them with gunshots.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Deep in the dense forest quite far from the battle scene, a lone Lizardwar was tasked with keeping watch for any signs of the approaching knights. His post was a lonely one, and he had been growing increasingly restless and impatient as the minutes ticked by. He paced back and forth, muttering under his breath, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of movement.
"Wait! What the f-"
After what seemed like an eternity, he spotted a group of figures on the horizon. They were riding armoured horses, just as he had been told to expect, but there was something off about them. The numbers were all wrong. The soldier's heart sank as he realized that the previous reports had vastly underestimated the size of the enemy force. He quickly turned to his radio, desperately trying to get through to his superiors.
"Colonel Terist! We have a big deal, it is not two hundred as we heard before. It is about six hundred, even more, can be one thou-"
But it was too late. Even as he was about to finish, an arrow pierced the back of his head, and he fell to the ground. Back on the battlefield, Terist's face had turned pale as he received the news.
Terist's thoughts raced as he sought to devise a strategy to defeat the knights. His gaze flew back and forth, looking for any conceivable edge he might use. But, with the knights closing in on them, his options were dwindling.
He could see the fear in his men's eyes, and he knew they were unable to come up with a solution. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, feeling his control slipping away. The once confident and arrogant colonel now looked desperate and defeated.
He quickly dismissed the idea of surrendering, knowing that it would mean certain death for him and his troops. As for a surprise attack, it was too late for that. The knights were already too close, and any sudden movement would surely trigger a reaction from them.
Terist cursed himself for not being more prepared. He had underestimated the enemy and overestimated his abilities. Now, he was paying the price for his hubris. He looked around frantically, searching for any sign of hope, but it was nowhere to be found.
Terist felt his heart rushing in his chest as the knights approached. He was aware that he was in an impossible situation, yet he wasn't able to convince himself to quit. He'd come too far to just give up now.
Terist was terrified, unable to measure the distance between the two sides, and unsure how to continue. However, his thoughts stopped when he noticed a stranger. It was General Thomas, resplendent in gleaming silver armour that glistened in the sunlight.
"O brave people under the glory of the great Ford Anatist kingdom, please reign! All attack!"
General Thomas raised his arm, and at his command, a lieutenant shouted to the knights assembled beside him. The words rang out clear and loud, invoking the bravery of the people under the great Ford Anatist kingdom. The commander's voice was like a rallying cry, and it stirred the hearts of the knights.
Without hesitation, the horsemen urged their steeds to gallop forward. The sound of hundreds of horses galloping at a full speed was deafening, and the ground shook beneath their feet.
Soldiers hesitated, unsure of what to do, and some were running away. Terist himself was paralyzed, unable to make a decision. The other faction's lieutenant noticed this and shouted a warning:
"I sense that you are all reluctant to follow that colonel! Therefore, I will listen to you! If you are punished according to your crimes, then there will be a chance to change your life. Immediately drop your weapons!"
Terist suddenly remembered the arms dealer he had encountered while marching to this location. The dealer had shown him how to recruit henchmen and supply weapons, but it had all been based on empty promises of payment. He had also pointed out the village they were now facing. Terist realized that he had been tricked, and the people he had killed here were not innocent villagers but something else.
Despair and anger boiled inside him.
"Stop!" he roared at his fleeing soldiers. "If you want to live, then surrender!" He snatched a gun from one of the soldiers and killed the fleeing henchmen, using fear to hold back the remaining soldiers. They were only a fraction of the original six hundred, but in this tumultuous time, Terist couldn't afford to lose any more men.
Terist felt the weight of defeat settling in his stomach as he raised his arms in surrender. His soldiers, once fiercely loyal, now dropped their weapons and followed him out of the house. The colonel and his associates face drained of color, knew that surrender meant certain death for them as members of the Lizardwars, a feared troop of the Replord Empire.
The idea of surrender went against everything they had been taught since joining the army - to never give up, to fight until death. But the reality of the situation was staring them in the face, and their once firm resolve wavered. Terist could see the fear in their eyes, but also the glimmer of defiance.
"We will never surrender!" the colonel roared, his voice shaking with a mix of anger and fear. "We would rather die with honour than live as traitors to the Empire!"
“For Replord Empire!”
Lizardwars charged towards them. Meanwhile, Terist knew he was no match for their strength, and the thought of what they might do to him if they caught him made him break into a cold sweat. With no other options, he dashed into the village chief's house and closed the door behind him, hoping that he would be safe inside.
Chaos erupted as the Lizardwars clashed with the Royal Legion. Terist could hear the sounds of metal clashing and horses whinnying as the battle raged on.
Suddenly, two figures on horseback charged up from behind the knights, cutting through the Lizardwars like a hot knife through butter. One of them was Alice Flowwer, who had recovered from her arm injury and was now riding with all her might. The other was the general, an imposing figure clad in shining silver armour.
Terist watched in amazement as the general's horse thundered towards the Lizardwars, its hooves pounding against the ground with incredible force. Despite the heavy armour that he wore, the general seemed to move with ease, effortlessly guiding his mount toward the enemy.
However, it was the young female Soul Warrior student riding beside him who truly caught the colonel's attention. She was unlike any warrior he had ever seen before - small in stature, with a delicate frame and a calm expression on her face.
With her horse galloping at full speed, Alice charged into the Imperial army with her sword in hand. Her precise strikes felled the soldiers one by one, leaving a trail of fallen bodies in her wake. Her skill was awe-inspiring, and the enemy showed a twinge of fear as they watched her charge towards them.
In fact, her polished blade gleamed in the sunlight, and with each swing, it cut through the air like a razor. Even the most battle-hardened soldiers couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spine as they faced her.
As some of the soldiers tried to take down Alice's horse, they quickly realized their mistake as she expertly parried their attacks and struck back with deadly accuracy. With a flick of her wrist, she slashed at their faces, leaving deep cuts that sent them stumbling backwards in agony.
Meanwhile, Terist, hiding in the village chief's house, shouted commands through his radio.
"Launch all the missiles! I don't give a damn, just launch them all!"
But just as he gave the command, Alice's horse crashed through the wall of the house, startling him.
Terist stumbled backwards, barely avoiding being trampled by the horse. As he regained his composure, he looked up to see Alice staring down at him with cold, blue eyes. Despite her youth, she exuded an air of authority that made Terist feel small and insignificant in comparison.
"You look kinda small for a warrior, I assume?" Terist asked, trying to sound confident despite his fear.
"I want you to surrender," Alice replied, her voice firm and unwavering. "Your army has been defeated, and there's no point in continuing this pointless bloodshed. Lay down your arms."
"You dare to threaten me?"
The battle raged on and the clash of steel with the roar of magic filled the air. The knights of the Royal Legion fought fiercely, their weapons flashing in the sunlight as they defended against the ferocious attacks of the Lizardwars. The mages stood behind them, their arms raised as they conjured spells that rained down destruction upon the Imperial army.
On the other hand, the Lizardwars were not without their tactics. Some of them charged directly at the horses, causing the riders to fall and be quickly taken care of. Others used their cunning to outsmart their opponents, dodging attacks and striking at vulnerable spots.
The battle seemed to reach a stalemate, reinforcements suddenly arrived to bolster Thomas's army. They had arrived undetected by the Lizardwars, who were too focused on the battle in front of them. With fresh troops joining the fray, the tide of the battle began to turn in favour of the humans.
Alice looked at him with hostile eyes for a moment, then suddenly galloped up her horse. Terist hastily jumped aside, causing her to graze and continue to smash the wall in front of her. Taking that opportunity, he bit into the horse's body with his teeth and tore the meat, causing it to immediately fall to the ground and die instantly. Alice landed on the ground while swinging her sword causing him to retreat.
Not giving the enemy a chance to counterattack, she dashed up with lightning speed, approaching him in the blink of an eye. She raised her sword, preparing to attack. Terist leaned to the side to show his intention to dodge, but he didn't. He took a powerful shot horizontally, hitting her right in the hip.
"So fast!"
Alice flew out, hit the wall hard, spat out blood, and fell to the ground. She raised her sword tremblingly. Terist's opponent was surprised at that terrifying speed, which should have been achieved by powerful Lizardwars from general rank instead of a colonel like him.
Terist raised his hands and clenched them into fists, flashing a triumphant smile as he prepared to deliver the finishing blow. Once again, a spear flew in and hit the colonel, causing him to collapse on the floor.
"You motherfuc-"
Unlike before, he no longer resisted forcefully. Terist relaxed and opened his mouth, spilling blood like a waterfall as he put his hand on the spear that had been stuck in the back of his neck for a while.
Alice breathed heavily as she saw the general breathing a sigh of relief. He ran over to her and lifted her.
"Are you okay?" Thomas asked, "Granted, the Lizardwars are stronger than before."
"Yes, you saved me again," she replied gratefully.
Alice felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her as she realized that, unlike her previous battles where she had easily handled her opponents, today she had been saved twice by the general of the Royal Legion.
As she stepped out of the house, she saw that the Lizardwars had been defeated and everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the exhausting battle came to an end. Despite some losses, the casualties were not as high as expected, with only around a hundred people seriously injured and forty dead out of a thousand soldiers.
A sound exploded in the sky as they were preparing to go, becoming louder by the second. "Oh no!" said one of the knights in terror. "Their rockets!"
Terist, whose head had a hole in it due to the general's spear, came out with a haunting smile:
"Haha, fools! Fear the true power of..."
Terist's haunting smile was quickly wiped off his face as Alice charged towards him, her sword raised high in the dawn light. With a swift swing, the young Soul Warrior struck the colonel in the head, cutting through his skull and killing him instantly. Despite being a colonel, Terist paid the ultimate price for his arrogance.
Alice's attention was quickly diverted to the imminent danger that still loomed overhead. The Replord Empire was known for its frequent use of missiles in long-range attacks, and Alice knew that the twenty-seven rockets hurtling towards them could cause devastating damage.
The fear in the air was palpable as the rockets approached with increasing speed, their sky-splitting majesty leaving no doubt as to the immense destructive power they possessed. Alice and the Royal Legion were not equipped to handle such a threat, and panic began to set in among the troops.
Alice was not one to give up without a fight. With her heart pounding in her chest and adrenaline coursing through her veins, she took charge of the situation. "Give me a fireball now!" she yelled to the troops, her voice ringing out with commanding authority.
The magicians' incantations grew louder and more intense, their words resonating with the power of the elements. Alice's eyes never left the expanding fireball, knowing that timing was crucial. She reached into her pocket, fingers closing around the familiar coolness of the blue pearl. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the pearl soaring to the heavens, where it transformed into a magnificent platinum spear.
The spear hummed with otherworldly energy, and Alice could feel it thrumming with power as she grasped it tightly in her hands. The intricate patterns etched into its surface glinted in the sunlight, each one a blessing from Mother Nature herself.
Meanwhile, the fireball had grown to the size of a football field, its fiery tendrils licking the sky. Alice called out to the knights to move back, her voice commanding and urgent. With fierce determination, she dropped to her knees and pressed the spear to her right shoulder, readying herself for the incoming orb.
The magicians let the fireball glide towards her, the heat radiating off of it making her sweat. Alice could feel her heart racing as she waited for the right moment to strike. And then, as the fireball reached the perfect distance, she swung the spear with all her might, the platinum weapon cleaving through the flames like a knife through butter.
The collision was earth-shattering, the force of it creating a shockwave that rippled through the air, wiping all the rockets. But Alice held firm, gritting her teeth against the force. When the spear connected with the orb, the magic contained within it burst forth, spreading outwards in a magnificent display of light and sound.
For a moment, it seemed as though time itself had stopped, the world holding its breath as the explosion bloomed in the sky. And then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over. Alice staggered to her feet, panting heavily, her eyes glued to the sky where the once-mighty fireball had been reduced to nothing more than a few wisps of smoke.
Everyone admired her ability to handle situations extremely accurately, and no wonder her name was on the top list of one of the best academies in the world.
Everyone had officially cleaned up everything to return to the Anatist capital. The battle was over, but its fierce vestiges remained.
The broad, luxuriant trees burned black, filled with thousands of holes caused by bullets but also gnawed by explosives. Not pretty at all, the ground was full of holes of all sizes from small to large. The smell of blood and gunpowder merged to form a new scent that was ten times more terrible.
The corpses of the Empire's side were lying on both sides of the road, and the guns were out of ammunition and lying on the ground or still in people's houses. The general rode slowly, sensing something strange behind this army of Lizards. Throughout the real war, he knew that the Lizardwars had great pride, there was no way the rulers would let their troops lose like that.
Come to think of it, it was the colonel who declared them rebels. He shook his head to blame himself for being hasty, without thinking carefully.
The reports sent to the government, were only seen as a war to deal with the rebel elements in the Empire on a larger scale. They would have almost provoked a war if it hadn't been for the declaration of the Terist.
Alice displayed sadness as she surveyed the aftermath of the battle. The once lush trees that surrounded them were now nothing but charred remains, bearing the scars of both bullets and explosives. The destruction that had been wrought was evident in the countless holes and craters that pockmarked the earth, a testament to the ferocity of the conflict that had just been fought.
The air was thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder and blood, an overwhelming scent that filled the nostrils and made it difficult to breathe. It was a reminder of the cost of war, of the lives that had been lost, and the sacrifices that had been made. On the way back to the Anatist capital, Alice wondered if it was all worth it in the end.
But despite the devastation that lay in their wake, there was a glimmer of hope in the air. The war was over, and the villagers could finally begin to rebuild their lives. When Alice looked up at the sky, she felt a sense of optimism for the future. For even amid the darkest moments, there is always the promise of a new dawn.