It occurred the night of our guards' return. There was no warning, but the boy knew. The town was silent, but the boy ended it. The wall was smashed, the boy didn’t care. The town begged for salvation; the boy was the herald.
---
Travis
I stomped through the mud in my new boots, courtesy of Holly’s aid, carrying my finished weapon. Lancel had just returned with the other guards from the flood, and I was excited to not only show it off, but maybe possibly get a few pointers on how to use it better. Franklin surprised me by teaching me some basic quarterstaff fighting techniques he learned from his dad Old Guy, but his knowledge was only half remembered and never used.
“Someone’s in a good mood!”
It was certainly a nice change of pace. The last few months spent preparing for my trip had constantly put me through the wringer emotionally. The worst definitely being when Arc severed one of his own limbs. Not only did I not sleep a wink that night but having to wait for him to recover made me worried that he’d never speak again.
I entered the training yard were everyone was gathering and noticed something different. There were now three guards accompanying Lancel and he was wearing a new set of armor. The usual dark green brigandine set of the guards was replaced with a full set of dull grey half-plate armor, complete with wood fiber bindings and brown under-cloth instead of leather.
“Someone got a nice boost to their mana level. He’s much closer to you now.”
After waving at him and waiting for the crowd around him to part, he made his way towards me, “What the rot are you carrying?” His expression a mix of amusement and curiosity.
I held up my poleaxe, allowing Lancel full view of its glory. It definitely turned out better than I hoped, the crescent shaped axe blade was the trickiest, requiring Franklin a full week of hammering to get symmetrical and shaped correctly. The spear tip and spike I was actually able to finish myself, since I kept to simple square-sided tips and the hammer end only required help when I decided to add a spike in the center of the square smashing head.
Oddly enough, I think I spent nearly as much time getting the haft prepared. The branch Arc gave me was so dense with Wood Mana, that I ended up having to whittle it down by hand. I constantly had to press the long strings of mana deeper inside so I could shave it to not only the correct width and length, but to create furrows and holes for the langets to rivet the entire weapon together.
“So, what do you think?” I spoke through my huge grin, eager to hear his approval.
“Umm, it’s definitely a weapon…” Lancel stated while giving it a thorough inspection, “Normally halberds go past even your outstretched hand… Is this thing even as tall as you?”
“Exact same height from tip to tip. And it’s not a halberd, it’s a poleaxe.” Nervous now, I tried to give him the sales pitch, “It combines the best of three different weapons: the crushing power of a war-hammer, the slashing potential of a battle-axe, and the accurate piercing of a spear.”
“Uh, huh…” Lancel kept looking and even gave it a few swings and thrusts but didn’t seem too enthused.
“Should have gone for something simpler, more elegant, and with a modest cross-guard and hilt…”
“You don’t like it do you?” I finally let out defeated.
“It’s not to my style… and I’m a little bit worried about how you’d use it in battle. There’s a reason why the spear is the symbol of the human kingdom. While individually it’s not the most powerful weapon, when it’s used in a group behind a wall of shields however, it’s damn near unstoppable.”
He hands the poleaxe back to me and grabs his shield and spear to demonstrate while he continues speaking, “The spear is the bane of a charging enemy.” He moves into a stance capable of accepting a charge, the spear end dug into the ground and the tip forward, stretching past his ready shield.
“Able to quickly and repeatedly hamper one’s foe.” He demonstrates a shield shove and set of rapid thrusts.
“Even able to finish an enemy from beyond it’s normal range.” He makes a quick motion, briefly balancing the spear on the tip of his thumb as he switches from an over-hand to under-handed grip, and then throws the spear. It flies quickly, burying itself deeply into a nearby target.
Smiling at the shocked looks of the other three guards, he finally turns back to me, “I’ve got to get these three set up for when I leave permanently. I’m no longer the active Guard Captain of the village.” He gives me a wink, “Make sure you come find me before you leave, I’ll be heading back to the capital around the same time.”
---
Arc
“Was it just me, or was he acting strange?” Travis asked while heading back home for the night.
“Well, I remember a certain young lad a little over two years ago who also acted like he had a thick trunk when he learned to activate his mana consciously.”
Travis stopped in his tracks, turned towards the barracks and attempted to see the mana around Lancel. “Too far away for my sight. Did he activate it right before his throw?”
“Yep, didn’t even amp himself up all the way, must already be able to regulate himself a bit.”
Travis began to groan, likely remembering the hellish couple of weeks where he couldn’t stop himself from preventing his mana charging to its maximum pulse-rate whenever he tried to trigger his mana. Thankfully, his sub-conscious naturally stopped himself from harming himself.
His parents just thought he hit a growth spurt, which although partially was true, the number of calories he had to consume to prevent starvation was probably enough to feed 3 hard-working Franklins a day.
As he passed by my tree, Travis gave its trunk a firm pat, “It won’t be long now.” then headed into his house to bathe and eat supper.
Ugh, you coward! That was your chance! Again!
I was frustrated at myself for being frightened to leave, not even because it could bring me under the attention of a god or another big souled individual, but because it was such a departure from my old human self.
I used to be the outgoing extrovert, often acting as the enabler for my friends whenever they needed a push or suddenly had the energy to go on adventures. Heck, I literally had a truck that had full camping and overlanding gear packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice.
And I know Travis wouldn’t say no if I asked to come along. Afterall, every farm-boy future-hero of the kingdom needs a magical sword! How else will he kill the dragon and woo the princess? Definitely can’t do it with that ugly chimera of a weapon that he keeps polishing and playing with as if it was his…
I let out a mental sigh, wishing just once that I could feel the sensation of muscles going limp.
---
Travis
“Travis! Wake up!”
I jolt awake, not feeling rested at all, “Travis, you need to get up!”, I rub my eyes and look around, but it looks like it’s the middle of the night, and I can’t see anything. “Travis, wake up! The entire town is in danger! You need to get moving!”
Now awake, I summon a tiny [Fire Orb] so I can see and get dressed, “What’s going on?”
“There’s a large group of something gathering outside of the village. Travis, they don’t look like monsters… but they’re almost entirely composed of amped up Fire Mana.”
I grab my poleaxe and make my way out of the room and into the hallway but pause, since I don’t know what to do.
“Wake your parents. Tell them to warn as many people as possible and grab buckets of water. Then head to the church to barricade yourselves inside. I’m going to try and run as much interference as I can. Now go!”
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I begin knocking on Dad’s door, but after waiting a sec, my mind takes in the threat, and I slam into it, forcing it open. Dad jolts up with a look of terror on his face, and I shout, “The town is under attack! Get to the church, bring water!”
I turn around, already hearing Dad throwing on shoes and a coat, then burst through Mom’s door. She screams loudly, but I grab her shoulder and calmly state, “The town is under attack, we need to take shelter in the church. Bring water, they have torches.”
I bolt through the door leading outside, not even bothering to open it, I fill my lungs and charge up my Air Mana so that I can let out a huge shout.
“Bandits! Get to the Church! Bandits are attacking! Grab water! Bandits!”
My parents rush out, then split heading to our neighbors. Knowing it’ll take too long to rouse everyone individually, I begin to run around the inner ring out the town, repeating the same words, over and over again until I make my way to the guard barracks and kick the door in.
To my relief, all three and Lancel are putting armor on or helping the others. I repeat much quieter this time and Lancel turns to look at me, “Go wake the town, drag them out of bed if you have to.” He then turns to one of the guards, “Grab a horse, go to Lakewell and get help.” Lancel turns back, “Which direction are they in?”
“Southside, all of them.”
“They’re all to the south.”
Lancel turns his head back to the other guard, “Take the barracks gate, the rest of us will stall as long as possible.” He then holds his left arm at a 90-degree angle to mimic holding a shield, then slams his right fist into his left forearm, “Move out!”
I rush out of the barracks and continue my loop around the village, bellowing my warning once again. I eventually stop when I reach my house.
“Who’s not awake?” I ask, hoping Arc will be able to help me.
“Connor fell and hurt his leg.”
“Umm...”
“Oh for… Pig-man! Two houses past the gate.”
I run to his house, charging my Earth Mana enough to keep my feet from slipping, and shoulder barge through Pig-man’s door. Hearing a noise, I make to the stairwell and see Pig-man lying on the floor with his face wracked in pain.
Not caring for pleasantries, I lean my poleaxe against the wall, then pick up the lanky man despite his screaming protests and force my shoulder under his armpit to take weight off the likely broken leg.
“Travis, they’re heading right for you!”
Feeling the dread squeeze my heart for a second, I stare at the nearly immobile man. His eyes widen with realization, and he shakes his head in a no, trying to push me away.
That push was enough to snap me out of my stupor though, and I instead crouch, bringing my shoulder to his gut, then lift the entire man off the ground.
My entire body now amped up, I grab my poleaxe and rush for the door in time to beat the noise of the back door breaking. “Go! Go! Go!”
Making it outside, I opt for the charging bull strategy, and begin running in a nearly straight line to get to the center of town. Plowing over three fence gates in the process.
“Keep going! You lost them for now.”
I make my way into the town center where nearly everyone is rushing into the church. Nearly every adult has a bucket with them. Franklin spots me from where he is standing outside with a quarterstaff, and rushes over to help me carry Pig-man into the church.
I sneak back out, poleaxe warding off the people to allow me passage, and stand outside with the remaining crowd, “Who’s left?”
“Get ready, two incoming, left side of store.”
Feeling the battle-lust kick into full gear, I sprint to the store, but stop before going down the alley.
“3… 2… 1…”
I turn the corner swiping the spike in front of me, startling one creature and slashing into the other. Finding a target, I pivot the poleaxe into a Chop!, cleaving off an arm and part of the shoulder of the thing in front of me.
I hopped back a half step and Thrust! at the uninjured one, puncturing it in the chest. It staggers back, so I swing the butt spike back up, making a small cut. I then swing down, sliding my right hand down to meet my left to give a mightier CHOP!, snapping its left collarbone and digging deep into its chest.
“Dodge!”
I try to leap to the side, but slam into a wall instead, allowing the armless one to get a shallow slash across my right shoulder. I raise the hammer side from the ground, sliding my right hand back up, and give it a hard tug to hook the back of my opponent’s leg, causing him to fall.
Not pausing to waste my opportunity, I immediately thrust twice into the fallen creature, and then step back to make a mighty SLAM! with the hammer.
“They’re dead! Get back to the church! There’re still people filing in.”
I foolishly pause to look down at our attackers; tattered clothes, charred skin like a cooked ham, red light seeping through the cracks, and… long ears… elves?
“Travis, get back to the church.”
I try to move, but the revulsion of what I have just done… brutally dismembering another thinking creature… causes my stomach to lurch and its contents to erupt from my mouth.
“Travis, you need to move. People are in danger. There’s only a handful left making it into the church. You need to get inside.”
I shakily stand back up. When had I gone to my hands and knees? I stare at my blood-covered weapon and try my best to bark myself as I picked it back up. I start slowing walking at first, but then am able to jog back once the blood starts pumping in my veins again.
I make it back to the church steps, seeing Franklin standing above with one hand on each door, ready to pull them shut and barricade. “Get in kid!” I start to move, making it to the door, but turn around at a sudden noise.
---
Arc
After sending Travis out the door, I begin my overwatch of the town as if I was playing a real-time-strategy game on my computer. Seeing Travis immediately shouting, I follow his example and begin sending out [Message] spells to create noise in people’s houses to wake them.
I follow the attackers’ movements, counting twenty of the creatures, and am able to provide updates to Travis as he barges his way through the town.
I use every trick I could think of to distract or bind the walking piles of fire mana. Loud noises, loose dirt, water in ears and eyes, but my range for any offensive spell is limited.
Lancel is able to mount a counter offensive right away, charging at an initial group of eight, but two manage to sneak away and make their way to the center. I warn Travis, allowing him to get the jump on the two.
Lancel’s group eventually finishes the advanced group and are preparing to make another push, but one of the attackers in the next approaching group begin to shape their mana around their hand.
Recognizing an offensive spell, I sent a [Message] spell to the creature’s ear and made the loudest noise possible right before it fires. The creature’s fireball is sent low, impacting the ground near the guards, causing them to be knocked over instead of incinerated.
Feeling helpless with the fighting so far away now, I can only watch as the attackers begin to rush after the fallen guards.
---
Travis
I see the explosion and watch as the guards fall from the impact. I instinctively try to step forward, but Franklin grabs on to me. I spin around, tossing his arm off me, and give him a shove inside. “Shut the door!”
Now free, I focus on my sprint, needing to get there now.
THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD, … THRUST!
My spear tip impales the chest of an approaching attacker, and it’s sent flying back. I stand between the guards and the attackers, sweeping with my spike and using it to ward off the attackers to give the guards the precious seconds they need to right themselves.
I’m soon aided with a shield to my right and a spear to my left, and we begin to hold the line making them draw back for a brief moment now that the numbers were even, but something in the attackers begins to change.
‘The red glow emanating from their cracked skin begins to brighten, and shortly after almost all of the creatures begin to catch on fire.
“Get to the tree! I’ll help cover you!”
“Lancel, we got to move!”
“Travis! Lead!” Lancel pushes me back with his shield to remove the hole I made in the shield wall.
Right, charging a spear line is suicide, I’ve got to keep these guys moving though.
“Back step, back step, right step, right step, back step…,” I start chanting, trying to remember the stories that Lancel told me.
“Keep moving, they’re all moving in on you, one more block.”
The flaming creatures keep snapping at the guards, only to receive small cuts in return, but the excessive heat is quickly tiring out the group. As we make it to Arc, a bright light flashes, blinding the creatures and allowing a few good stabs to get in. The bright light dims as it splits into multiple motes of light and begin to surround Arc, bringing more enemies into view.
Seeing the enemy at our rear, I charge towards one before it could ignite itself an manage a Thrust! into its gut, causing it to spill. I back away towards the trunk of the tree, bringing the spike back up to quickly parry any incoming attack.
Lancel notices the stop in the chanting, and finds a moment to scan the field, “Make for the tree… Now!” He slams his shield ahead along with a rising spear swipe, allowing him to quickly 180 and sprint to the tree. He kicks off the trunk to turn around and covers for the slower guards by counter charging with a shield slam into one opponent, knocking it prone and allowing a quick stab to the heart.
One of the flaming creatures rushes me, and I send the spike down in time to strike the leg, allowing me to shove the creature back away.
The motes of Light are soon joined by a cool mist and breeze, allowing relief from the heat of the flames for us while weakening the fires of the enemy. I catch some of the attackers slipping or moving unsteady as their feet lose footing as they approached.
Realizing that Arc does indeed have my back, I begin to hack and smash away anything that approaches, keeping somewhat close to the guard’s shield wall on my right.
Lancel keeps thrusting and scanning the field when possible to find the caster, but nearly spots them moving in with an intense glow in their hands too late. He flips the grip on his spear and throws it at the caster while swiping to the left with his shield. His outstretched hand moves with a fluid motion to grab the arming sword at his side and gives a rising slash to an approaching enemy along with a follow up shield bash using the edge.
With the caster dead, all that’s left are the seemingly mindless grunts, who keep charging like feral animals, their wild swings creating small burns and cuts on my unarmored skin. I keep attacking though, Arc hovering light directly above each enemy and clustering them together after each death until only one cluster and enemy is left. Lancel charges with his shield and sword that begins to glow with a silver light, knocking away an arm, and cleaving through from neck to opposite armpit with a loud screeching noise.
I drop to my knees, my mana burning in my flesh from the extended high intensity, and notice Lancel doing the same, but breathing far heavier and barely keeping upright.
I force my way to him out of worry, but when I grab him, he mutters, “I’m fine. Was that all of them?” We begin moving our heads around, but the single large orb of light makes our night vision useless. The light suddenly bursts into a countless number of small motes, floating gently around the area, allowing us to see the piles of bodies.
The ground softens underneath us as we all begin to sit or lie down out of exhaustion. I breathe in the fresh damp air and let out a long… deep… sigh…, finally assured that the ordeal was over.