Three armies, numbering a few hundred each, struck at their backs. Realizing the outlook of the battle was grim, Oscar rode out on Erden to better understand the situation. Adam's side with the Fourth division was overwhelming their foes, the brutal battle maniac tearing through the enemy ranks. On the left side, Fenu and Eveline of the Seventh Division were holding back the other army, equal in ferocity and ability. They were fine for now, but Oscar turned his concern to the back.
A Greater Knight Exalt led a force, charging toward his direct back. They could split his army in half if they broke past the rear. Oscar rushed toward the back as fast as Erden could carry him. Desmond and Arc were the division captains stationed there, and they looked grim as the shouts neared.
"Have everyone throw ranged spells. Point some of the Gatnons at them and bombard them before they arrive." Oscar hurried his forces into action. Thanks to their experience, they moved fast, launching several spells and firing the Gatnons at the encroaching enemy. After the first wave, Oscar rallied his forces. "With me! Charge through the enemy. I will hold back the leader."
Desmond and Arc positioned their divisions, coordinating well with each other. Oscar led the Charge from the front, the tip of the drill formation. The enemy fired several ranged spells from above and below, but he saw through the chaos using his honed Prinstyct. Erden weaved and leaped past the obstacles before reaching the Greater Knight Exalt. Without hesitation, Oscar entered Pseudo-Guise and stabbed out with Quartet Lance.
The Greater Knight Exalt was strong as a Grade Seven, wielding a large polearm, swinging it with deadly lightning followed by resounding thunder. Oscar gritted his teeth and continued to face him. A sudden surge of Ein flowed into his golden drills, making them shine brighter than ever. Avril's aid came just in time.
The moment his drills made contact with the polearm, Oscar shuddered, knowing how terrifying such an existence was. Even with his Eirin boosting his physical power and spell, the overwhelming Ein of the enemy would have cleaved him in two. However, he was not alone. Together with Avril's added power, Oscar matched the enemy, the shrieks of lightning and metal cascading across the battlefield, making everyone pause and stare.
Mustering his courage, Oscar jumped off Erden, passing by the lightning polearm. He used his Basilisk Eyes for just a moment to interrupt the enemy's flow of Ein, insignificant against this person but deadly when used properly. A gold metal wrapped and expanded like clay from his hands, forming two gigantic dragon's heads with massive teeth.
'Grade Three Golden Maws'
The spell he learned from Fenu roared like real dragons as they opened wide and chomped down with all their might. Fenu said the key was visualizing a beast with sharp teeth for the metal to mimic. The deeper the impression and image, the greater power and sharpness the beast would exhibit. Seeing the two dragons formed from his hands, Oscar felt a hint of nostalgia, recalling Celestina's anima. He had seen her dragon anima many times. His dragons mimicked it well, releasing the same sort of pressure.
However, even with his deep imagination, the dragons stopped. Oscar strained himself, unable to force them to bite deeper. Something impeded them, a powerful defense that even his Eirin-infused dragons couldn't destroy. This defense was beyond his capabilities to break through at the moment. Sparks of lightning burned the ashes and soot of the ground into crystals. A brilliant shield of pure lightning held the dragons in place.
Sensing the impending danger, Oscar fell back with Erden before a storm descended around the enemy. Remnants of the lightning coursed and were about to reach him until Avril intervened with a wall of roots. Oscar breathed out once to gather himself. The battle was ongoing all around him as everyone's Ein raged overhead. Desmond and Arc were rampaging through the battle, the two former enemies working together well.
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"Tch. How in the world did you rebels get so strong? You're not from here, are you?" The Greater Knight Exalt slammed his polearm, destroying the ground with lightning.
Dodging the widespread spell, Oscar paused and glanced to his left, not long enough for others to notice. He needed to buy some time. Talking was the best option. "You're right about that. How did you know?"
"A feeling. It's almost obvious to the more tenured. These folks from the outer regions are ignorant, but I'm not." As the enemy talked, he never let up.
Oscar had Avril get on Erden with him. Lightning descended in all forms, and he near died at some moments. The enemy was using Ein Awaken well, absorbing a great amount with each use of his spell. Oscar wondered what the enemy was playing at, almost as if he was also buying time. "So what? In the end, the winner becomes a Lord. Does it matter if one is a native of the Burning Valley?"
"It doesn't matter. What matters in the end is strength." Adam interrupted from the side, a splotch of blood on his cheek from a poor soul. "And you…are weak." He broke past the enemy's hastily-formed lightning shield and reduced him to a bloody pulp within seconds. The hostile lightning barely affected Adam, who moaned as if he was in a refreshing shower. "He didn't bother to check his back. What was he thinking?"
Oscar patted his shoulders to relax a little. Thankfully, Adam rushed here after cleaning up on the left flank. "Something's wrong. It looked like he was trying to waste time."
"With an assault from the back, they would take advantage with their cannons and ranged barrage from the front. Your formations are in a mess now due to their interference, so it's the perfect chance." Adam adjusted his bowtie with a smile.
"You knew about this?" Oscar clenched his fist and held himself back from fighting Adam. "Then, why didn't you tell me?"
Adam swiped off the dirt from his shoulders and oiled up his hair. The nonchalant actions infuriated Oscar more as he glared dangerously. Just how many of his men had already died from this attack? Adam sighed and cleaned his hands with a towel, his gray eyes piercing through him. "If I told you their plan, you would have prepared for it. I couldn't allow a single chance for the enemy to catch a hint."
"Tch," Oscar clicked his tongue, his nails digging into his palm. He wanted to argue back against Adam, but everything was within reason. If the enemy had a clue that they were prepared, then this assault never would have happened. He could only muster up a complaint. "If your counterplan is horrible, I'll demand you apologize for everyone's deaths."
"I don't understand your attachment to people you took over for eleven months. Well, I guess the plan worked much better due to that nature of yours. Watch." Adam pointed at the walls of Brightburn City. "Once everything is in position, they will shout to open fire on everyone. But what they don't know is everything was tampered with."
Suddenly, explosions burst out all along the walls of Brightburn City, the barrier cracking apart until it shattered. A raging inferno of fire blazed atop the walls, and Oscar could see several patches of flames falling off the walls, containing people within. The effect was so tremendous the battle fell silent as his forces looked on in awe while the enemy watched in horror.
"What did I tell you?" Adam laughed. "There's nothing better than when a plan comes together in great fanfare."
Oscar wasted no time. This was a chance carved by the deaths of his soldiers. He raised his voice and shouted, "Few of you remain to clean up the enemy. Azure Sea Company, move out. Take the city!"
His army cheered and shouted triumphantly, stampeding toward the burning walls, the gate wide open. Oscar charged together with Avril and Adam. The fires on the walls raged on, the blasts of heat drying his skin and making his vision hazy. Passing through the gates, Oscar remembered the map of Brightburn City and led his forces toward the Lord of Brightburn's palace.
"Butcher!" Several Greater Knight Exalts appeared from the wreckage, joining them.
"Nice job. You didn't fail to make the biggest impact. How is the rest of the city?" Adam asked.
"Our people in the other districts have started the fighting. Right now, all of the forces in the city are in disarray, unable to muster a true defense. The problem is with the Lord's palace where the core of his army waits."
"Oi, little brother. Hear that. The outer districts are pretty much ours. What will you do?" Adam asked.
"Bring down the Lord of Brightburn. What else?" Oscar clenched his fist toward the large palace in the center. "It's time to bring this battle to a close."