The night tooths seemed endless, a sea of fangs and claws that threatened to overwhelm their group. Though their numbers were seemingly endless in the dark night, with Elysian and Hugo, and not to mention Bran and Osric, they could take turns supporting the most vulnerable sides of their group, giving their soldiers momentarily respite to help them get back on their feet. Though they could not do it endlessly, it would be doable if they only had to fight till dawn. Also, though seemingly endless, he doubted that the night tooths’ number truly were, this far from Grimwold.

However, the problem started with the appearance of the night howler. Now, the night tooths were not fighting like some mindless beast consumed by their hunger. They were now like a single unit being directed by a conductor of intelligence. And he was not surprised by it, he saw plenty of eldron in his past life that rivaled even the brightest of humans. Even now, Elysian clearly could see how the creatures were in their defensive line, prodding and poking it, trying to find the weakest point. One small mistake, their defensive formation could collapse.

Luckily, Hugo was an experienced and superb commander. He read what the creature was doing as he continually gave orders to counter the other side, however for how long was anybody's guess. And don’t forget the looming danger, observing, looking at them for any weakness it could exploit.

‘Luckily, the night howler satisfied itself just watching and orchestrating the fight behind the scene. This is likely due to the injury it suffered. It is being prudent and patiently waiting when the tide will go its way.

For now, this is good for us. But for how long? Not to mention as the battle continued longer, it would be more to our disadvantage. We need to do something and change the direction this is going or our fate is sealed already.’

As he watched, Elysian's mind raced, searching for a solution, any way to turn the tide. The soldiers fought valiantly, but each passing moment brought them closer to exhaustion. The night howler hadn't yet joined the fray, but its eyes gleamed with predatory intelligence, as if it were savoring the anticipation of the kill.

“You stay here, boy,” Hugo ordered, his eyes trailed to the left seeing the defensive line was under considerable stress. “I’ll go and help—”

“Wait,” Elysian grabbed the officer’s arm. “If you do that, it will just make the night howler join the fight. And if that happens, we’re dead.”

Hugo gritted his teeth, trying not to shout. “Then, what would you have me do?” he growled, not out of anger to the boy but more on the helplessness of their situation. “If I don’t support that line, it will break and we’ll all be dead.”

Elysian didn't shy away from the captain's fury-filled gaze, instead returning it with his composure even in these desperate times. "We run, Captain. We run, just as you suggested earlier," he responded, his eyes turning back to the battle before them. "We can't simply wait here for our death. The moment that thing joins the fight, we're done."

Hugo scowled, his patience wearing thin. "Did you hit your head, boy? Or is there a problem with your ears? I already told you, if we run, that beast will pick us off one by one. Our chances, slim as they are, are better if we make our last stand here where we already have a defensive line."

"I will try to hold that thing here," Elysian stated, his voice eerily calm. Only his eyes betrayed any hint of emotion—a steely determination that seemed beyond his years. "While you and everyone else escape to the frontier."

Hugo's eyes blazed with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "Are you mad, boy? Your arrogance isn't even amusing anymore."

Elysian turned to meet the captain's gaze. They glared at each other, locked in a silent battle of wills.

Unexpectedly, it was Hugo who looked away first. He couldn't maintain eye contact with the young noble. There was something unsettling in Elysian's gaze, something that made the hair on his arms stand on end. Those eyes seemed to drag him into a bottomless pit of pure darkness, threatening to swallow him whole. Hugo feared that if he didn't look away, he'd be trapped there forever.

The captain's face paled. He couldn't explain his reaction, unsure if it was just his mind fraying under the stress of their desperate situation. Though he believed the problem lay more with himself than the boy, he lacked the courage to meet Elysian's gaze again.

Trying to regain his composure, Hugo snorted, "You boast of holding off the night howler, but you couldn't even win against me in combat. If someone is to hold that monster at bay, it should be me, not you."

Elysian chuckled, recalling their earlier fight. "You're right. I lost to you. But we're not fighting to defeat that thing. We're just trying to hold it back while the others escape," he corrected, slowly stretching his arms and legs. "Between you and me, Captain, I'm faster. I have a better chance of surviving that thing than you do."

Hugo wanted to argue, but he realized the young noble was right. If they truly had no choice but to retreat, Elysian was indeed the better choice between them. But as the leader of this group, he couldn't bring himself to admit that a ten-year-old boy, the son of his liege, would be the one to risk his life for them. This was his duty, and no one else's.

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The tension in the air was palpable as Hugo wrestled with this impossible decision. The sounds of battle raged around them, a constant reminder of the precarious nature of their situation.

"Boy, you might be right, but—" Hugo's protest was cut short as he caught sight of the young noble's face. The grin he saw there spoke volumes. "No!"

Without warning, Elysian pushed himself backward, his gaze never leaving Hugo's face, towards the throng of attacking night tooths and the prowling night howler.

"No, you can't. I won't allow it!" Hugo shouted, his voice raw with desperation. As he lunged forward to grab the young noble, two pairs of hands seized his arms, pulling him back. "What—" He turned, shocked to see Bran and Osric restraining him. "What the hell are you two doing? Do you see what your idiotic master is doing?" He scowled as the boys held him even tighter, their faces set in grim determination. "You're as mad as that brat. Don't you see? He's committing suicide!"

"Bran, Osric, help the soldiers retreat to the frontier," Elysian ordered, his voice carrying clearly over the chaos. He brandished his spear in a wide arc, cutting down a swath of night tooths. This bold action caught the night howler's attention, and it began to saunter forward, observing the young noble intently. "I will return safely, so make sure that the two of you stay alive."

"Yes, young master," Bran responded while Osric nodded, both following his order without a hint of hesitation.

When Elysian saw their loyal eyes, brimming with unyielding confidence in him, he grinned, marveling at how far they had come. As night tooths rushed towards him with reckless abandon, likely directed by the night howler to test him, Elysian remained calm. He evaded their attacks with fluid grace, delivering killing blows one after another.

Despite his masterful use of the spear, its length proved a disadvantage against the close-range assaults of the surrounding night tooths. Elysian's only option was to whirl his weapon in a defensive pattern, staving off attacks but unable to land killing blows. Yet even in this precarious position, a grin slowly formed on his face as he locked eyes with the night howler, issuing a silent challenge as he raised his right arm.

'BloodShade.'

Hugo, still struggling against Bran and Osric's grip, suddenly froze. His battle-honed instincts told him of imminent danger, but strangely, it didn't emanate from the night howler. Instead, the source was the young noble himself.

In that moment, the air around Elysian seemed to shift, charged with an otherworldly energy. Hugo found himself taking an involuntary step back, though he couldn't fully comprehend why. His eyes were drawn to Elysian's right arm, where two serpents materialized—one crimson, the other black as the night. The instant Hugo beheld their form, his instincts screamed at him to flee. It wasn't just some strayed thought; he felt it in his very bones. His flesh crawled as if being flayed open, his blood boiling as though the serpents' appearance heralded not just his doom, but the end of the world itself.

"Boy, what abomination have you brought forth?" Hugo muttered softly, making a religious sign to a god he seldom prayed to.

The captain wasn't alone in experiencing this primal terror. The soldiers' eyes widened, their faces draining of color as they gazed upon the source of their fear. Even in the midst of battle, they couldn't help but stare at their young lord as if he were a demon merely masquerading as human. Only years of rigorous training and the knowledge that this terrifying entity was on their side prevented them from abandoning their positions entirely.

Even the night tooths, creatures that had been hurling themselves at death's embrace without hesitation, felt a fear they had never known. Some fled, disregarding their alpha's commands, while others froze in place, paralyzed by terror.

The dreaded night howler itself was not immune. Its fur stood on end, a low growl rumbling in its throat as it averted its gaze, as if overwhelmed by something beyond the mortal realm that had descended upon their battlefield.

Yet as swiftly as the terror had come, it dissipated, converging into a singular form—a knife of crimson and shadow. With a beauty that should have existed only in legends, always accompanied by cautionary tales of the disasters that followed such encounters, the weapon materialized. All eyes were drawn to it, unable to look away, entranced by its otherworldly allure. It was the antithesis of the fear that had gripped them moments before—instead of all-consuming terror, it evoked a soul-snaring fascination, luring its observers to smile even as they faced their own demise.

The only ones who remained unaffected of the entire ordeal was Bran and Osric, who already saw and experienced that dread before. They only looked at their master with adherent devotion and reverence.

‘Interesting. BloodShade did not cause this much reaction before. What changed?’

Elysian’s lips curled into a predatory smile when he saw everyone’s reaction. He was confused at first, but was satisfied with the unexpected outcome.

"Captain," Elysian called out, his voice carrying an authority that belied his years, "take our people and go. Now!"

Hugo snapped out of his stupor at the sound of Elysian's commanding voice. Finding himself nodding almost against his will, he recognized there was no room for argument in the young noble's tone. "Men!" he barked, gritting his teeth as he willed his forces into motion. "Fall back! We're executing a strategic retreat to Grimwatch!" When he noticed some soldiers still frozen in place, he shouted again, his voice booming louder this time, "Anyone not moving by the count of three will be scrubbing shit in Grimwatch and the training grounds for a month! One. Two—"

This threat finally jolted the remaining soldiers into action. Years of relentless training took over as they moved swiftly and efficiently into formation. Those in the rear brandished their shields to the front, creating a defensive wall against potential attacks, while those on the sides and front readied their swords, prepared to fend off any attempts to encircle them. Fortunately, the night tooths were equally stupefied, allowing the soldiers to assume their positions unimpeded.

As the desperate retreat began, Elysian stood alone, BloodShade pulsing ominously in his grip. He pointed the crimson knife at the night howler, which had finally regained its senses and now looked furious at the unexpected turn of events.

"Come then," Elysian bellowed, a feral grin splitting his face, "let's see if there's any truth to your feared reputation."