The docks were in complete chaos. Commanders were organizing their battalions onto the arriving ships. The port of Worlin had been closed to regular traffic for several days to make room for the military vessels converging from all corners of the kingdom.
Echo stood in her new armor, which gleamed in the morning sun. Her sword was strapped to her right side, and she wore her helmet with the visor up for better visibility.
She gazed into the distance, where the proud flags of the Isari Kingdom fluttered. Interspersed among them were the crests of various noble houses, with the well-recognized emblem of House Reobard predominating. True to his word, Reobard had sent perhaps even more ships than he had promised.
Reobard himself had been at the docks, briefly speaking with Echo and Eloken, wishing them luck before heading in an unknown direction. To her right, on the balcony of the imperial office, stood General Tharion with Eloken. They were discussing something, gesturing towards the numerous ships already loaded with soldiers and ready to set sail.
Echo and her team were set to board last on the ship named Tempest's Fury, the most advanced vessel in the former Imperial fleet, now under their command.
The plan was for Eloken to board the ship as well to avoid raising suspicion about his whereabouts. Later, he would slip away and sail on a smaller boat to where the fastest ship in their fleet awaited him. They had found a reasonably similar double, at least in height and build, who would wear Eloken's distinctive coat and hood, standing on the ship during the battle to ensure Joixari and his pirates would not suspect Eloken's true location.
Echo was excited? Frightened? Eager for the battle to begin? For it all to end? Her emotions were a whirlwind, like a storm brewing over a restless sea.
She and her team had accomplished many things in their lives. They had fought, stolen, cheated, stirred up revolutions, toppled nobles, participated in skirmishes, and even overthrown and tyrant ruler of one of the largest kingdoms in history. But never before had they taken part in a conventional battle, especially not one set to unfold on the open sea.
A few hours later, only Echo and her crew, along with the General's ship, were left to board. With final farewells and last-minute checks, they embarked on their ships and set sail towards the fleet waiting for them on the open sea.
The docks, as well as the nearby hills and seaside promenades, were now filled with people cheering them on. Echo had never felt she truly belonged to the Isari Kingdom, she wasn’t even sure she liked Eloken’s idea of what the kingdom could become, but she couldn’t help but feel her heart swell with a little bit of pride as they were leaving.
From the deck, everyone on board waved back. Eloken wore the broadest smile, and then the Isari War Song thundered through the air:
"Battle is fought, fought,
Banner are raised, raised,
For the freedom of the Isari Empire.
The battle is not won by the sharp sword,
But by the heart of the hero,
Go far, proudly carry the banner,
But return home to your mother.
and bring the spoils of victory..."
Echo murmured the words; she couldn’t resist. Glancing at Eloken, she saw him singing at the top of his lungs, and she was sure she saw tears forming at the corners of his eyes before she could inspect further, he crossed himself four times in a row as is Isari tradition and wiped his face.
As they sailed towards the first meeting point, dozens of smaller ships that had been bringing supplies and checking the integrity of the fleet dispersed in various directions. Hidden below deck on one of these ships was Eloken. Now, everything depended on him to break the blockade of Moire and allow them to proceed with the rest of their plans.
The journey to the Island of Moire passed mostly in silence, with only the commands of the ship captains, the waves, and the wind breaking the stillness. The General decided to approach from the side of the Viridian Gate, as from there, the archers of Moire could assist by raining arrows from the island’s high and steep cliffs.
Echo stood at the very front of the deck when the first ships of Joixari’s fleet came into view. Most bore pirate insignias, but the most prominent was the ship of Morrowshade himself, looking enormous compared to the others, there was no Joixari’s main ship in sight.
The pirates and Joixari were no fools; they had positioned themselves far enough from the island so that the archers of Moire couldn’t reach them, making the island appear as a tiny speck in the distance compared to their ships.
Joixari’s fleet was divided into three groups, just as the General had predicted. They would try to surround them and overwhelm them with sheer numbers and superior navigation skills.
And just like that, Echo thought, with the sound of the horn accompanied by the rhythmic beating of drums, the battle began—a battle in which tens of thousands of people would die. She hoped it wouldn’t be their people if that could offer her any comfort.
Two smaller, roughly equal groups of predominantly pirate ships broke off from the main fleet and started moving towards them from opposite sides. Meanwhile, the largest contingent of ships, including the pirate command ship presumably led by Morrowshade the Tempest himself, headed directly towards them.
The General gave the signal, and their fleet split into two groups, bursting east and west at full speed to avoid the encirclement. Their plan was to spread out, constantly keep moving, and engage only in smaller skirmishes until Eloken arrived.
The General led his group westward, while Echo’s ship, The Resolute Star, headed east under the command of Captain Varon, who would lead their contingent.
The pirates knew what they were doing. Their entire formation pivoted seamlessly, setting their sights on the General’s half of the fleet and charging towards them. Cannon fire erupted, the first volleys aimed at the slower ships in the General’s contingent.
Echo watched as the initial blasts rang out, the booming sound of cannons mingling with the cries of commands and the tumult of the sea. The General’s ships began to maneuver, returning fire and trying to maintain their formation despite the relentless assault.
Luckily, the General's half of the fleet managed to maintain their distance, so most of the attacks fell short. A few cannonballs struck the slower ships, but none caused serious damage.
Echo's group maintained their distance, effectively chasing the pirate ships that were pursuing the General's half of the fleet. They refrained from firing, knowing it would be futile with their limited weaponry.
This game of cat and mouse lasted for over half an hour, instilling hope in Echo that they could hold out long enough for Eloken to arrive. The General's ships moved further from Moire, heading towards a cluster of small islands and rocky outcrops known as the Whispering Reefs. Given the General's smaller fleet, Echo deduced that he intended to navigate through the treacherous waters, hoping some pirate ships might run aground on the rocks.
Then again, Echo thought, the pirates knew these waters like the back of their hand. It was unlikely they would be easily trapped, but the plan was solid and would certainly buy them time without unnecessary sacrifices.
Captain Varon recognized the maneuver and used a set of flags to signal Echo’s group. They were to veer off and guard the passage to the left side of the Whispering Reefs, preventing the pirates from encircling the General's fleet if the plan went awry.
Unfortunately, Morrowshade was no fool. Echo spotted it first but judging by the expressions of others, everyone recognized it soon after. Morrowshade had hidden a dozen smaller ships among the small islands and reefs, now positioned to cut off the general's path and allow the rest of their fleet to completely surround them. "This will be a massacre," she thought.
Frantically, she looked around for a solution. Dalamir had the same worried expression. Their eyes met for a second, and the same thought crossed their minds – it was time for action.
She signaled Captain Varon to stay put and guard this exit at all costs, while her own captain was to navigate through the narrow passage towards pirate ships blocking the passage.
And so, they set off to start their own battle. Echo was finally excited, and by the look on Dalamir's face, so was he. The two of them stood at the prow of the ship while Trokt and several other archers stood on the elevated part of the deck just above the captain.
As they approached, she saw that the General had sacrificed four ships, leaving them behind to guard the passage through which Morrowshade's main fleet was following. They wouldn't hold out long, but they would slow them down, making the already narrow passage even more difficult to navigate, buying some time. The General and his ships hurried towards the pirate ships that had been left to ambush them.
When they were about five hundred meters from the ten pirate ships, Captain Olar shouted, "What do you want me to do?"
"Will we sink if you ram us into their first ship?" Echo asked.
"I can ram us into their stern, we shouldn't sink."
"Then fucking ram us," Echo said, and she and Dalamir lowered their visors.
The old, seasoned Captain Olar just smiled, his face becoming the epitome of concentration. Olar had been their long-time collaborator even before the advent of magic; they had used him for many missions requiring transport or escape on the water.
"Brace yourselves," Echo shouted, about fifty meters before they approached the nearest pirate ship.
The pirates had noticed them and positioned themselves on the far side of their ship, their swords drawn and ready for battle.
Echo and Dalamir took a few steps back, bracing themselves before the collision, both crouching in a stance from which they could jump.
In the split second when the two ships collided, the sound of splintering wood echoed through the air. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through both vessels, making the decks tremble. Echo could feel the vibrations travel up through her legs, the wood beneath her feet buckling and groaning under the strain. Shards of timber flew into the air, and the acrid smell of burning pitch filled her nostrils as the two ships ground against each other.
Both Echo and Dalamir leaped with all their might toward the pirate ship. The sheer power of their jump surprised even Echo herself. She had expected to land amidst the pirates, ready to engage in combat, but instead, both she and Dalamir landed in the center of the pirate ship, much to their own surprise and that of the pirates.
The pirates quickly regrouped, led by an older, grizzled pirate with an eye patch who barked out orders. Echo and Dalamir stood back to back, surrounded by at least forty pirates.
At the shout of the older pirate, all the pirates rushed at them at once. Echo gripped her sword tightly and swung with all her might. Her blade collided with the curved sword of the nearest pirate, but it cut through it as if it were mere paper. The force of her swing carried on, slicing through the pirate's arm before the sword embedded itself in the deck, splintering the uneven planks. Echo practiced carefully for the past almost two weeks, but the excitement of the battle and adrenaline caused her to strike much harder than she expected.
The pirate stood for a moment with a shocked expression, staring at the place where his forearm used to be. Realization dawned, and he let out an inhuman scream, causing the other pirates to take a few steps back in fear.
By the sounds coming behind her, she guessed that Dalamir did something similar, using the pirate’s shock and confusion, she charged.
She was the embodiment of grace and precision, even in her massive, imposing armor. Her movements were measured, now with adrenaline under control each swing of her sword calculated to disable or kill a pirate. The armor, or whatever it was, she wasn’t sure, granted her superhuman speed, allowing her to move like a crimson-black lightning bolt. Around her, pirates fell like harvested wheat.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dalamir. He was the exact opposite, a personification of brute force. His swings were powerful enough to cut down two pirates with one blow, smashing through anything in his path. Between strikes, he would ram his shoulder into the nearest pirate, sending them crashing to their death. Just as Echo glanced over, Dalamir smashed the head of a pirate with an armored fist after a sweeping strike.
In less than two minutes, all forty pirates lay dead, and the deck of the ship was a crimson sea. Their armors were smeared with blood. On Echo's black and red armor, it was less noticeable, but Dalamir's armor now had new, bloody details
Echo lifted her visor, and Dalamir did the same.
"Bloody hell," she said, surveying the massacre around them.
"Massacre indeed," Dalamir replied with a slight smile. Then they both turned toward the general's fleet.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
The general was approaching the first ambush ship, with cannons already firing to clear the way. Marrowshade's main fleet was engaged with the four ships the general had left behind; they might hold for a few more minutes. They needed to act quickly to clear the passage.
"This ship can be moved," Echo said, noting that everyone on it was dead. "But we won't have time to move the others. We'll have to sink them. Fortunately, the water here is deep enough."
She glanced at Trokt, who already seemed to have the same idea. He took one of the special arrows they had acquired from Joixari. A red-fire arrow Echo recognized it well, Trokt fired it high into the air, directly at the third ship in line. It struck the box containing cannonballs, and the ship erupted into flames with an explosion.
"That one will sink," Echo thought. "We need to destroy and sink at least two more," Echo said to no one in particular..
"What's the plan?" Dalamir asked, watching the escalating battle around them.
"You and I will clear the path. I'll give instructions to the rest." Dalamir nodded and headed toward the second ship in line alone.
Echo stepped back toward their ship and shouted, "Captain, get our ship out of here and send someone to sail this one we just cleared. We'll take care of the rest. Return to Captain Varon and guard that passage. If we don't come back in fifteen minutes, escape to avoid being surrounded."
The captain nodded and began issuing orders. Trokt heard the commands and decided to join Echo and Dalamir. Using one of the ropes running from the platform to the bow of the ship, he used his bow for support and swung onto the pirate ship they had just cleared.
"I'm coming with you for support," he said.
"Think you can keep up with us?" Echo asked.
"Not likely," Trokt smiled, "but I'll provide support from a distance," he said, gesturing to his bow.
Echo nodded and dashed toward the second ship where Dalamir was already wreaking havoc. The pirates, having seen what happened to their comrades on the first ship, decided not to rush in recklessly.
They pulled the cannons from the sides of the ship and aimed them at Dalamir. As Echo leaped onto their ship, a cannonball was already fired, narrowly missing Dalamir's head.
Echo immediately headed toward the pirates firing the cannons, but the other pirates bombarded her with whatever they could find, throwing empty wooden crates, glass bottles, and other debris. Her armor withstood it all without trouble but it slowed her down on her way to the pirates manning the cannons.
Just as she sliced through a large wooden crate that two pirates had thrown from the crow's nest above, she heard the simultaneous blast of three cannons. All three were aimed at Dalamir, who was grappling with four pirates at the time, he was oblivious to the cannon shots. He noticed them flying towards him quite late, but managed to dodge the first one by kicking off one pirate and smashing him in the process. The second cannonball, at head height, he avoided with a quick side maneuver, but the maneuver left him in the bad place and third took him by surprise and struck his right shoulder. The impact threw him several meters back until he collided with a support beam, splitting it in half.
His armor clanged as he hit the deck, and Echo let out a fierce scream, "No!" and dashed towards him.
To her relief, Dalamir was moving, trying to push himself up by rolling onto his stomach. Then, she heard four more cannon shots aimed at them. Echo watched as four cannonballs hurtled towards them. In her mind, she calculated the best possible solution. She could dodge all four cannonballs, but they would almost certainly hit Dalamir, who was still struggling to get up.
In that moment of thought, something flew past her head from the direction of the first ship. It took her a moment to realize the light blue object was an arrow, likely fired by Trokt. The arrow collided with the first cannonball, and in its path, a transparent wall rose, refracting sunlight in strange ways. This arrow mimicked the recently discovered magic source that allowed users to manipulate and create invisible barriers almost impenetrable. Shortly after, the remaining three cannonballs crashed into the barrier and exploded on impact, but no debris went through the barrier.
Echo used the pirates' confusion to sprint towards them, skirting around the invisible wall. Shortly after, two regular arrows flew past one after another, hitting two pirates manning one of the four cannons. This gave Echo enough time to reach them and swiftly deal with the remaining pirates near the cannons. A few remaining pirates on the second ship, seeing their comrades dead and the plan failing, jumped into the water, leaving the second ship pirate-free.
Seeing this, Echo rushed to Dalamir, who had managed to get back on his feet.
"Bloody hell," he said, lifting his visor.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"I think so," Dalamir replied, raising and lowering his right arm, holding his shoulder with gauntleted fist where the cannonball had struck. "But this will definitely leave a bruise."
Echo felt a wave of relief.
"Good to know the armor can withstand a cannon blast," Dalamir said with a broad smile.
"Good indeed, but let's not test its limits any further today," Echo replied with a hint of humor.
"Agreed..."
At that moment, Trokt ran up to them. "Saved your asses there," he said.
"Thanks."
"You got it," he said. "I need to get more of those tricky arrows.” He gestured at his quiver where only a few of the stolen arrows remained. “What now?” Trokt asked.
"Alright, the two of us will continue clearing the way. You stay here or head back with the previous ship to our group, whichever you prefer," Echo instructed.
Trokt considered for a moment. "Whatever you decide, you are leading this crusade now."
"Head back. If we don't make it, someone needs to lead them there," Echo commanded.
Trokt nodded in agreement, but his gaze made it clear he didn’t even want to consider them not returning. "Take care. I won't be there to save your asses again," he said with a smile before heading towards the first captured pirate ship, where their crew was arriving to navigate it out of the passage.
The general's group had already managed to completely destroy the first two ships with relentless cannon fire. They had sunk more than halfway, creating a sufficient gap for the general's ships to pass one by one and continue the battle with the rest.
Between Echo, Dalamir, and the next pirate ship was a gap, given that the third ship on their side had already sunk. They exchanged glances, then surveyed their surroundings, noting the numerous rocks jutting out on both sides.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Dalamir asked.
"It would be nice if we could fly," Echo replied with a smile, and Dalamir returned the grin. "No other option but to leap across the rocks."
Using the incredible abilities granted by their equipment, Echo and Dalamir began their journey across the jagged rocks. They leaped from one precarious outcrop to another with precision and agility, their movements swift and but no completely sure-footed, there was still a long way to go before they became proficient with the suits. But still, Each jump was calculated, taking advantage of their enhanced strength and reflexes.
Echo's lithe form twisted and turned mid-air, her feet finding purchase on the narrowest of ledges, while Dalamir's similarly to how he had done in combat used powerful strides to propel himself forward, crushing the stone beneath his boots as he landed. The rocks crumbled slightly under their weight, but they pushed off with the same momentum, never losing their rhythm. In a series of fluid, almost superhuman maneuvers, they crossed the treacherous terrain and landed on the deck of the next pirate ship/.
The pirates on the fourth ship were unsure of what was happening or where to focus their attention, making them easy prey for Echo and Dalamir, who swiftly cleared the ship without much resistance.
"We have to sink the fifth one," Echo stated.
"Let's see the limits of these swords then," Dalamir replied.
Echo understood what he had in mind. They leaped from the ship to the rocks jutting out of the water and began using their powerful swords to slice through the hull of the fifth ship.
With their incredible speed and strength, they moved from rock to rock, their swords cutting through the wooden planks like they were mere twigs. The hull was soon riddled with gaping holes, and the ship began taking on water rapidly. Within minutes, the fifth pirate ship was sinking, with pirates jumping overboard in a desperate attempt to save themselves.
Echo and Dalamir stood like two glorious statues on the rocks, watching as the ship sank and the pirates fled.
The general's forces were finishing off a third ship from their side, the narrow passage didn’t give them much room to maneuver so it took them some time. Only one more ship stood between them and a clear passage.
Echo glanced into the distance, noticing that the four ships left to guard the rear had been destroyed. All had fought bravely to the end, but Morrowshade's ship was already passing by their remains, leaving them with very little time.
She and Dalamir nodded to each other and leaped to the last pirate ship, where frightened and confused pirates awaited them. The pirates tried the same tactic their comrades had used on the previous ships, but Echo and Dalamir were ready for the cannon fire.
Skillfully dodging the initial barrage, Dalamir signaled Echo to perform a maneuver they had practiced a few times for fun on Dalamir’s insistence. She sprinted towards him at full speed, leaping into his cupped hands. He propelled her forward with immense force, launching her towards the pirates manning the cannons. She flew through the air like an arrow, her sword extended before her.
Her sword cut through two pirates in her path, and she crashed into the group manning the second cannon. The pirates attempted to regroup, but this gave Dalamir enough time to reach them and swiftly eliminate any remaining resistance. The ship was soon devoid of pirate life like all six before it.
"It worked," Dalamir said, raising his visor with a wild grin. "I told you that move would come in handy."
"I can't lie," Echo replied, "that was pretty damn fun."
"Let's get to the general's ship and get out of here before we're surrounded," she continued, and she sprinted towards the rocks, leaping onto the general's ship as it navigated around the wreckage of the third ship on their side. Dalamir followed closely behind her.
"Thanks, you saved the day," said the General Tharion as the two of them landed on the deck. The other soldiers watched them with mixed bag of feeling, but Echo gauged most of them were amazed by what the two of them had done.
"An incredibly poor assessment on my part," he added.
"It happens to the best," said Dalamir.
"Let's not dwell on the past," added Echo, looking into the distance through a narrow passage from which a column of pirate ships had started moving after breaking through their mini blockade. "Let's get out of here."
The general nodded, thanking them once more with a look that unsuccessfully tried to hide his anger at his mistake.
Some of the ships were already maneuvering carefully through the narrow passages between the rocks and the sunken pirate ships, heading towards the rest of their fleet guarding the western exit, following the general's orders.
"General, look to the north!" shouted a scout from the lookout post on the ship.
From the north, through the narrow passage, more pirate ships were approaching, led by a ship that looked simply ruthless, like it could bully its way through the final storm. Echo was sure it was Joixari’s personal ship from the description gained from Trokt’s web of spies, the one that has been missing since the start of the battle, it had finally joined.
Joixari’s ship was a monstrous sight, adorned with dark, jagged sails and reinforced with iron plating. Its hull was painted in ominous black, with red accents that resembled streaks of blood. Dark yellow carvings of fearsome sea creatures and intricate designs ran along the sides, he often stole motives from the lands he conquered. The ship's figurehead was a menacing dragon with ruby eyes that seemed to glow, striking fear into anyone who dared to lay eyes on it.
The general hurried everyone through the passage. Joixari’s ship was still quite a distance away, and the general was confident they could all make it out before it reached them.
Echo carefully scanned Joixari’s ship, but she didn't spot him among the throng of people hurrying across the deck.
More than half of the general's group of ships had passed when his ship joined back into the column, heading for the exit to avoid being left among the last. Losing this ship and the general was not worth the risk staying and organasing the column, it was flowing naturally now.
That’s when Echo noticed something being hauled onto the deck of Joixari’s ship, which had now come significantly closer. It was a massive crossbow, pulled by six men and mounted in place of one of the missing cannons. The crossbow looked similar to Trokt's new bow. They loaded an enormous white arrow onto it and fired it directly at their convoy.
The massive white arrow flew, gleaming in the sunlight and casting a shadow along its path. It wasn't aimed directly at their ship, which brought Echo some relief. The arrow struck a rock not far from the general's ship towards the exit they were using.
Upon impact, there was a cracking sound of water and air, and then the water and rock began to crystallize, turning into a white glacier.
"Shit..." Echo shouted. "It's a frost arrow!"
"A frost arrow?" General Tharion asked, confused.
"An arrow that freezes everything in its immediate vicinity upon impact," added Dalamir.
"Trokt has two of them, though now only one after our testing to see which arrow does what." Echo muttered. "We stole them from Joixari, but it seems he has more, and much larger than what we have."
The spreading ice enveloped one of their ships. Now, the passage, which could fit three ships abreast, was reduced to barely allowing one ship to pass. In that case, Joixari’s and Morosehado's fleets would easily catch up to them, and instead of potentially losing a few ships at the end, it looked like they would lose significantly more.
At that moment, a new arrow was being prepared on Joixari’s ship, aiming to completely close the passage with ice.
"Shit," Echo shouted. "Turn all cannons and fire at that arrow in flight. If it hits a cannonball, it will turn it to ice, and we'll have a chance to get through."
The general relayed the orders, and with a series of different colored flags, communicated it to the rest of the fleet. As soon as the arrow was fired from Joixari’s ship, the sound of hundreds of cannons firing filled the air.
What felt like an eternity, but was actually only a few seconds, the arrow and a one of the hundreds of cannonballs collided mid-flight. The arrow and the cannonball collided with a thunderous crash, creating a dazzling explosion of ice shards in the air. The impact caused a massive glacier to form mid-air, shimmering and sparkling as it descended, before crashing into the water with a colossal splash.
Echo noticed another crossbow being brought onto the deck and knew their luck was running out as another barrage of cannonballs was fired in response to the new frost arrow. Luckily, the arrow was hit again, but this time much closer to their convoy.
With just a quick glance, she and Dalamir knew what they had to do. "General!" Echo called out, barely audible over the chaos on the ship.
"We'll buy you some time," She said as he turned towards her.
"That's out of the question," General Tharion replied. "We can get out, and losing a few ships isn't critical. You're more valuable with your armor for the continuation of this war than a few ships. We'll evacuate the rear ships to minimize casualties."
"General, don't worry about us," Dalamir said with a surprisingly commanding voice. "We'll buy you time and somehow catch up."
"You're not invincible," General retorted with a stern military voice. "Are you aware of that?"
"Yes, but this is our war and conflict first and foremost. We can't sacrifice more people. Leave this to us," Echo said, without a hint of doubt in her voice.
The general didn't want to waste any more time. His years of experience had taught him when soldiers made up their minds, it was pointless to try convincing them otherwise. "Good luck," he said, looking at them with respect.
Echo and Dalamir immediately jumped off the general's ship, which was now passing by the glacier, directly onto the glacier. From there, with three leaps over three rocks, they reached a small rocky island. They had a few more rocks and smaller islands to cross to reach Joixari’s ship. Without wasting any time, they continued on, while another arrow and a rain of cannonballs flew overhead.
Joixari’s soldiers were more disciplined than the pirates and noticed the two of them leaping towards their fleet, redirecting some of the cannon fire at them. Fortunately, they moved too quickly and erratically to be hit by the cannonballs.
"Directly onto the ship?" Dalamir asked when they were close enough to Joixari’s ship, and the second crossbow had already fired once. One arrow made it through the rain of cannonballs but luckily didn't close the passage entirely, as it struck about twenty meters below the first.
"We don't have time for anything else," Echo said and jumped, followed closely by Dalamir without a moment's hesitation.
Joixari’s soldiers were quicker and more organized, immediately surrounding them in a tight circle. A fight ensued. Dalamir swung his sword with lethal precision, cutting down enemies with swift, powerful strokes. Echo moved with agility and grace, her blade flashing as she struck back deadly accuracy. Together, they created a whirlwind of steel, dispatching the first wave of soldiers with practiced efficiency.
As soon as they broke through the initial circle, they headed towards the crossbows, only to be stopped by a familiar voice.
"Echo, Dalamir. It’s so good to see you again."
Echo turned, a shiver of pure rage coursing through her at the sound of that voice.
Zoor, one of the first students of the academy, the one who had spied for Joixaru and escaped before they could catch him, stood there in a coat similar to Eloken's. His was dark yellow, the color of Joixari’s army, in the areas where Eloken's was green. He looked much more serious than the last time she had seen him, but a boyish wide grin was on his face, one that might have wrapped around his head if he didn't have ears.
Then to his right appeared another person in armor similar to what Echo and Dalamir wore, but with light blue details across it and a much simpler helmet. To his left, a young woman appeared. She had a long black hair and wore similarly colored robe that reached the ground. In her hand, she held a wooden weapon with a small flame that danced at the tip. Echo recognized it as a wand from the sketches Trokt had stolen from Joixari’s camp.
“Welcome to my ship,” Zoor said his arms opened in a welcoming gesture.