Crack!

The sound of crumbling rock hit my ears as the wall fell. Huge chunks hurtled to the ground, accompanied by archers, and shattered, rising dust and exploding shards overwhelming the screams of the fallen.

My own troops were shielded, thanks to Shia, who’d crushed the wall under its own weight. She gave me a strained grin.

Aleister’s lot weren’t so lucky. A deep column of soldiers stood in a vast courtyard—this was precisely arranged, with small gardens and pathways dotted throughout—staring fearfully at the avalanche of debris.

They scrambled to escape, and a marble sculpture of an ethereal-looking woman with a scythe smashed and crumbled beneath the onslaught.

Several soldiers ended up crushed, blood already painting the smooth stone of the courtyard.

Suppressing a sigh, I surveyed the damage. I mean… this was helpful? I think? Nauseating and bloody, for sure, but a shorter path than I’d been imagining.

Still. I’d been waiting years, and I mean years, for this opportunity.

Shia was still grinning at me, cocking her head. I took a deep breath and said, “I only told you to blow the bloody doors off!”

She narrowed her eyes, her lips pinching in irritation.

“Actually, sire,” said Hana, “all you said was ‘break it down’, therefore—”

“Whatever,” I said, “just attack already!”

With a great roar, General Melric drew his sword and led the troops to charge. They surpassed debris and detritus like they were nothing, their momentum like something I’d only seen in films. A few caught arrows, but Body Mages were quickly on hand to heal them.

Still, we took losses.

No. I couldn’t think about that right now.

Andus Kerryn followed after, leading his own contingent, and joined the melee. This threw those left on the wall into chaos, and soldiers stumbled over each other to reorient.

“All right,” I said, mostly to reassure myself. The stampede had rooted me to the spot in awe. “Does everyone remember the plan?”

“General Melric and his men handle any troops in the courtyards,” said Hana, drawing her own weapon.

“We enter the manor together,” said Duke Kalvin, “with a small, mobile force.”

“We find Aleister…” said Shia.

“And kill him.” Cannara reappeared, making me jump out of my skin.

“Quite.” Captain Maxwell readied a spear, commanding twenty of his finest soldiers to stay close to us. They were the ones who’d shielded me.

The battle before us was, for lack of a better word, insane.

Every inch of grass and paving was covered by the furor, the sound of clashing metal and rending flesh washing over me like a subwoofer set to max. I could barely hear myself think. Screams erupted as each side clashed, and the rangers on the walls finally set themselves.

Unfortunately for them, Shia was ready.

Crack! A crunching roar overwhelmed my ear drums, and I had to cover them in fear of rupture. Hana grabbed me by the arm, reassuring me. Plumes of dust and smoke spread through the courtyard, and a mass of humanity fell from the ruined walls.

More soldiers poured in, the stench of blood and stone ramming itself up my nostrils.

Our side was a mixture of colours, Larm crimson alongside Riberan turquoise, but they distinguished themselves by having torn sleeves. Except a few smart ones, led by Andus Kerryn.

They kept the same uniform, and joined the ranks of Aleister’s guards, allowing them to think reinforcements had arrived before stabbing them in the back.

I wanted to vomit. Blood splashed everywhere, the coppery scent filling my nose and stirring the bile in my stomach.

But we had to press on, so we plunged into the battle.

Our army had an overwhelming advantage, both in terms of numbers and training, but Aleister’s were canny enough to use that. They formed flanking skirmishes, ducking in and out, and allowing our size to confuse our numbers.

My men died, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I stopped in place, gazing upon the scene with my heart shattering. How had I let it come to this?

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

No. As much as I believed in my ideals, this was reality. I’d seen first hand how much the two could differ, and really, I should have realised it long ago—the world wasn’t simply kind enough to entertain them.

I had to earn the right to enforce them, even if that meant losing people along the way. The thought filled me with bitterness. But while chasing perfection would always lead to greater heights, I couldn’t beat myself up for not obtaining it.

It wasn’t real.

This thought pattern shocked me a little, but I couldn’t ruminate further. Hana grabbed one arm, Shia the other, and they dragged me forward.

“The first real battle is always an experience,” shouted Duke Kalvin over the din. “You’ll get used to it.”

“I fucking hope not!”

“Just remember the plan,” yelled Captain Maxwell, stabbing an approaching enemy through the gap in his mail, “your plan.”

“Yeah,” I said, taking a few deep breaths. “Remember, everyone stick together!”

“I’ll clear a path for you.” Cannara disappeared again in a flash, and I clenched my jaw. My teeth were grinding themselves to dust at this point, but if they were all I lost, I’d consider that a win.

I took a moment to open [Command Centre].

What did I say about the plan?!

I’m sorry, she thought back, in a way that told me she wasn’t, I forgot.

We just went over it!

She didn’t reply, so I just let my friends carry me forward. We were winning, but not easily; their tactics, coupled with the lack of space from our huge press, made it difficult for my army to advance.

The grounds were large, but five thousand was a lot of men. Add around a thousand for Aleister’s Guard, and you had the military equivalent of a tin of sardines compressed into a ZIP file.

Still, we made it to the front doors, which were as big as one of the houses in the outer city. A squad stood before it, quivering but standing their ground.

A spray of gore erupted as Hana flashed through them, Captain Maxwell picking off any stragglers. The two Kalvins stood at my side, Relas wielding his sword and keeping his head on a swivel.

In an instant, the skirmish was over, and they shoved the door open. We entered a resplendent foyer, full of gold and artwork and expensive hardwoods, the furniture glittering. It smelled clean, almost sterile, and an obnoxious chandelier hanging from the ceiling cast a shadow on us.

Double doors on the back wall probably led into a hallway, but on the left was a gigantic spiral staircase with, I shit you not, crystal bannisters. It even had fucking diamonds inlaid.

I forgot my fear. I forgot my doubt. All I could feel was a trembling, overpowering rage, seeing Aleister’s greed laid out right before me.

With the outer city in the state it was, he dared to indulge in such luxury?

The rear doors opened.

My soldiers readied their weapons, and Duke Kalvin shouted to get ready.

A blur eviscerated all twenty men before I could blink, and a pair of scimitars barrelled at my neck.

I’d like to say I made a masculine noise, a deep scream that you might hear in a horror film, but I didn’t. What I definitely didn’t do, though, was squeak. Nuh-uh. Never happened.

The sound of colliding steel rang out as Hana raised her blade to protect me. Captain Maxwell charged at the aggressor, jabbing his spear so quick it was almost a blur.

With a throaty chuckle, the enemy slid back, performing a back handspring and escaping his range. Shia prepared a spell.

Our opponent was a single woman, a little taller than me, with dirty blonde hair in a braid to the middle of her back. Violet eyes pierced into me, the same colour as her clothing, which was form-fitting but loose enough to allow free movement. She wore thigh-high boots and had no sleeves.

“Stand down,” said Duke Kalvin, his tone inviting no argument. “You stand no chance.”

The woman chuckled again. “Stand down? Why would I do that? Somebody who lives for battle should die in battle, no? Besides…” — she cast me a predatory glance — “it seems worth it.”

I shuddered. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

She smirked, brandishing one of her pair of weapons. “Because I’m meant to kill you, and yet… so weak. It’s adorable.”

Stiffening, I rubbernecked for my subordinates. They stood in a semi-circle around me, each glaring at the woman.

“Won’t you let me have him?” she said to them, then turned to me and winked.

“Absolutely not,” said Hana.

“I would die first,” said Duke Kalvin, spitting.

“That can be arranged,” she replied. “I am Roxina, the greatest warrior of Ribera—carve that name into your heart as the one who ended you.”

“Get fucked!” screamed Shia, unleashing a wave of gravity that tore the marble floor.

Well, that was surprising.

The room shook, but Roxina was unperturbed, slipping aside and advancing on us. Captain Maxwell surged at her, but she batted aside his spear and kicked him in the gut.

Retching, he clutched his midsection and fell.

Roxina raised a blade, ready to end him.

Cannara leaped on top of her.

From the shadows, my Spy emerged, swinging a dagger at the warrior’s neck. With a feline smirk, Roxina simply swayed aside, slashing at Cannara.

A fountain of crimson erupted. Cannara dodged, but not fully, and the cut scored across her shoulder. Grunting, she kneeled.

“Aren’t you tenacious?” said Roxina, stabbing at her.

Duke Kalvin charged at her, swinging his greatsword at her back, but she stepped away. Wrinkling her nose, she unleashed a flurry upon him, driving him back. He grit his teeth.

She batted his sword away, creating an opening. Then, she hacked at his throat.

His eyes widened at the approaching end, but it never came. Hana blocked her strike, bowing under the pressure. Shia grit her teeth.

“Get away from my father!” She unleashed another burst of magic. In an instant, Roxina and everyone around her bowed under a colossal weight, driving them toward the floor.

Leaping away with a twisted expression, Roxina surged at Shia and punched her in the temple. Shia wilted. Collapsing in a heap, she was left defenceless as Roxina readied the finishing blow.

“No!” I screamed, and she turned to me with a glint in her eye.

She started toward me.

Oh, balls.