My heart thundered in my chest as I scanned the battlefield. They were losing despite their numbers.

Why didn’t they just surrender? They’d taken too many losses already. It should’ve been enough to prompt a retreat.

Where was Ingo? I thought of sending someone to capture him, but the battlefield was already a mess. The command post was way at the back, where the carriages with supplies and the catapults had been set, but there was no sign of a command tent, just relief forces trying to spread out and protect their own.

I moved toward the staircase.

ZYRA: You really want to go out there? You’re our tactician, you know? We can’t afford to lose you before your duty is done.

CONNOR: I need to find Ingo. Can’t see it from here. I’ll get closer and locate him, then, depending on where he is, I’ll send someone to fetch him.

ZYRA: Be wise. At least tell your wives to guard you from the tower.

Besides, I hadn’t been in an open battlefield like that until today. I should’ve been scared or overwhelmed, but something in me called me to battle. I wanted adrenaline pulsing through me.

Killing wasn’t fun, but the battle called me as if I had been born for it.

“Where are you going, husband?” said a gentle voice I recognized too well. Lariel was sitting on the staircase, her bow in hand, and Alynna standing behind her, rolling her shoulders, a recurve bow resting at her feet.

“Girls!” I exclaimed, going over to meet them.

“We're out of arrows,” Lariel said with a wink. “And I don't think you need us at the towers anymore. We'd be more efficient elsewhere.”

I nodded in agreement. “I’ve gotta find Ingo.”

Lariel jumped to her feet and stretched her hand toward mine. “Zyra just told us through the chat that you plan to go into the field. We’ll come with you. Just let us grab some more arrows from here.”

I shrugged. “Girls… You don’t need to.”

Alynna stepped forward and placed a finger on my lips. “Nuh-uh. How are we gonna let our husband go out there alone? We’ll be by your side so that we can win and have you back home tonight.”

“Safe and sound,” Lariel said. “Let’s do it! Let’s finish this siege and make them give up and go back home to their mothers!”

I smiled. How could I say no to her? After all, why not? We’d done more together, and a bunch of amateurs in armor was nothing against these amazing girls.

So they refilled their quivers, and we descended. It was a tempest of chaos, metal, and blood. Lariel and Alynna flanked me. Lariel’s bow was a blur of motion, her arrows finding marks even in the tumult. Alynna had leapt onto an abandoned horse, gotten out her bow, and begun to wreak havoc. But this part was currently dominated by Kent’s men, who crowded protectively around us as I searched through the grid.

I kept focusing on scanning the battlefield, searching for Ingo. The bastard was here somewhere, and we couldn’t risk him slipping away in the chaos.

We pushed forward, weaving through the press of bodies, the clang of weapons and the screams of the dying all around us. My sword felt heavy in my hand, but I pressed on.

Our path was cut by four city guards waving their swords wildly. Lariel’s arrows rang through, sawing down enemies and clearing my path.

I kept scanning the battlefield, looking over toward the edges of the field. I had to find this idiot, secure the command structure before he escaped. He’d disappeared back along the tents and carriages they’d brought to the edge. There, groups of soldiers were spreading out their positions, but some remained close to the tents, armed similarly with halberds. Kent’s cavalry was still stalled a few spans from the main gate and hadn’t been able to push through the command post.

As we moved further away from our positions, the enemy crowded us once again. Two tried to push the spiked edges of their halberds into my gut, each coming from one side. This wouldn’t be easy to block.

My instincts flared, and without any time to think of an answer, my spine arched backward, sword swinging in an arc to parry. I managed to avoid them. They quickly repositioned their halberds, but I had already closed the distance.

In an instant, one had an arrow through the neck, but his companion received the end of my blade right under his chin.

“Sorry for being late,” Lariel said. “I had to take care of a few pesky guards.”

“Please watch my back; I’ll be distracted!” I said, accessing the grid again. It was damn hard to focus on two duties at once. “He must be close.”

I probably had to go through every single face available in the grid, but they moved too fast.

I closed in, scanning the carriages, which I found empty aside from young and frightened volunteers. Could Ingo be hiding there? Just as I was thinking that, a blade scraped past my helmet. Two guards jumped me, wildly thrusting their halberds at me. I sidestepped, pulling one of their own as a human shield, instinctively stabbing him, then parrying the other two, my thoughts an absolute mess. Multitasking was shit.

I was parrying a halberd, half of my mind scanning the grid when I noticed the mustache of a man a span away from me.

He was among his men, hidden among the last few rows of guards. His armor was of the same color, and he and the ones around him had draped their capes around their shoulders, hiding any insignia.

I narrowly dodged a blade, closed in, and tripped my enemy. He tried to get up, but Alynna found me and shot the head of the guy. Great. I could do with fewer distractions trying to stab me.

CONNOR: Ladies, we’ve got him.

LARIEL: Did you find him?

CONNOR: Yep. Alynna, you two. He’s relatively close. Let’s push through.

I was ready to signal to Lariel when something caught my eye. There was another knight fighting close to me. One of Kent’s, but shorter than the others, on the ground, having been yanked off his horse, and despite having no wounds. A purple flare wafted from his armor, and… well, something felt familiar, as if we were already connected.

This knight swung a halberd with skill, whirling it like a tornado, blocking and parrying simultaneous strikes. A swing attack crossed by the knight’s head, and he dodged by leaning back. A thrust came toward the knight’s vital organs, but he parried with the handle, then struck.

Suddenly, a spear pierced through his neck. And… well, the grunt that he let out was not what I’d expected. It sounded much too feminine.

I had my suspicions, and now I was almost sure.

“Lariel, let’s help that knight.”

“But Ingo…”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“She needs help!”

“She?” Lariel asked, reaching for an arrow and striking a guard through the back of his neck. I jumped over, with two of the soldiers turning to face me, charging against me like hunters. Lariel took care of them too quickly.

The young knight panted on the ground, wounded. I went down to my haunches, intending to tend to her wound.

The knight turned toward me, their visor lifting just enough to reveal the princess’s familiar face, her cheeks smudged with dirt and blood. I was so happy to see she was alive, but I hated seeing her on the battlefield.

“Again,” I mumbled, getting down on my knees. “What did you say about not being on the front lines?”

“I couldn’t stay behind,” she said, her voice firm but tinted with pain. “He’s my brother, Connor. I had to defend him.”

“Come,” I said, helping her to her feet. “How bad is the wound? We can get you back into the castle. I'll tell Kent to send knights to secure us.”

“Nonsense!” she replied. “I can keep going, Connor. It was just a scratch. See?”

I sighed in frustration. These two—her brother and her—were the same after all. If only they would work with the group instead of sneaking out. “Your highness, you’ve been damn brave. But we need you alive. Your people need you alive. Come here. We’ll get you to safety.”

Then, a hunch—or something akin—made me turn my head. Yes, one of the guards had brought horses to the last rows. Someone was about to run away like a scared chicken. I closed in. Yup. Ingo was about to escape.

CONNOR: Found him again. He’s running away. Let’s get him.

I turned back. “Lariel, protect her. I’m gonna get him. The way is clear.”

“They’re gonna make sure it’s not.”

I charged forward, skidding through the lines of disarrayed troops.

Ingo was already mounted. It had to be him. He’d taken three riders along with him. I couldn’t catch up to them. They’d abandon the field, leave another commander, and not retreat. What kind of strategy was that? With this percentage of losses, any sane commander would’ve ordered to stand down.

An arrow flew past me, striking the heel of Ingo’s horse. That must’ve been Alynna. The animal stumbled, collapsing to the ground and throwing off its rider.

Alynna rode beside me, passing me and charging toward the other two.

In the meantime, I had more guards to fight, coming at me with sword and halberd. I prepared my sword as more of them surrounded me. There were already half a dozen, all of them charging at once.

Arrows blazed from behind me. Lariel was here, and another figure was swinging a battle axe, smashing into shields and piercing armor.

“Camille?” I asked, sidestepping a spear. “Why are you still here?”

“The word is thank you,” she said with a grunt, whirling her axe and charging at two. They stepped back in fright, wearily holding their shields high.

“She’s more stubborn than I thought,” Lariel said, her bow slung across her shoulders, now wielding two daggers and moving with the speed of a cat to slice through necks and wrists. “It seems like the battle bug bit her, and very hard.”

While Camille smashed armor and bone, I ducked and charged into a guard, my sword piercing through plate. He tried to stab me, but I trapped his arm and threw him before finishing by severing his neck. My muscles burned with the effort, but I pushed forward, my determination outweighing the pain.

I charged forward, catching sight of Alynna, mounted and already closing in on Ingo and his remaining men. The former commander looked desperate, his horse rearing as he clung to the reins. He unsheathed his sword in a shaky defensive stance, crouching low as though he could vanish into the shadows.

Alynna’s bowstring hummed, an arrow aimed squarely at his throat. I thrust my hand out. “Not yet,” I barked.

She gave me a curt nod, lowering her bow.

“Ingo!” I shouted, stepping closer, my voice cutting through the chaos. “Order your men to surrender!”

The man’s head snapped up, his face twisting in a sneer. “Who in the abyss are you?”

“I’m Aria’s tactician,” I replied, my voice cold.

The title hit its mark. His sneer faltered, a flicker of fear and recognition flashing in his eyes.

“Surrender,” I repeated, steel edging my words. “Unless you want your body tossed into a ditch.”

“You don’t understand,” he hissed, his grip tightening on his sword. “You think you’re in control? This isn’t just about me. Surrendering… it’s worse. Far worse.”

“Worse than being skewered by my wife’s arrow?” I growled, gesturing to her poised stance. “Because I guarantee that’s about two seconds from happening.”

His eyes narrowed, darting between us. “You don’t get it,” he spat, his voice low and venomous. “I’m already dead. If I give up, they’ll hunt me down, make an example of me. There’s no escape from this—no mercy.”

“Then, what do you want?” I snarled. “Your head on a spike to be paraded?”

“You,” he snarled, his gaze locking on me. “You’re working with the elves, aren’t you? You devilish scum. What have you done? Do you have any idea how you’ve damned yourself? I have no other choice but to die. Either fighting or by my own hand. Either way, my soul is theirs.”

I didn’t reply. Instead, I stepped forward, my sword steady in my grip. “I’m tired of your shit. Order your men to stand down.”

He shook his head, as if that weren’t an option, then pointed at the battlefield. “See? Your men are in disarray. Even that traitorous scum, Waldemar, has done little to break our ranks. Even if we force a retreat, you can’t face the reservists and the kingdom’s professional army. Three traitorous lords won’t make any difference.”

“Then we’ll find out soon enough.”

He laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. “You think you’ve won? Even if you kill me, you’ll never stop what’s coming. Your war is lost. They are coming. An Emperor, an Emperor to rule forever. He’ll grant us power if we win. And if I fail, I prefer to die; I prefer to sacrifice all these men than not to give him my price.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Hath Aman?” I asked. “He’s your Emperor? Who inducted you into this mess?”

He lunged at me, his sword swinging in a wide arc. I parried the blow, the force of it reverberating up my arm. I countered with a quick thrust, forcing him to step back. Lariel’s arrow struck his pauldron, causing him to stumble.

I stretched a hand toward Alynna and Lariel. “Stay back. He’s mine.”

This man was no ordinary opponent—his movements screamed years of experience. I’d take him on alone and gain EXP.

Ingo’s grin widened when he saw my stance. He stepped forward, taking a two-handed guard, his sword raised in flawless form. His footwork was precise, deliberate. He was testing me.

I mirrored him, circling slowly, my blade poised. Then, without warning, he lunged, his sword arcing down.

I sidestepped, anticipating an opening, but his swing adjusted mid-arc. Steel clashed against steel as I barely deflected the blow, the force of it reverberating up my arm. He twisted his blade along the edge of mine and swept toward my neck.

Heart pounding, I ducked just in time and slashed for his legs. My hand shot out, aiming for his wrist, but he twisted away, slashing upward. His blade scraped my elbow, the chainmail deflecting the worst of it.

And then he launched a blitz attack consisting of precise swings and thrusts. I parried, blocked, ducked, my feet darting back with decent footwork but not enough for his precise form.

“Connor!” Lariel’s voice cut through the chaos.

“I’ve got this!” I shouted, though my breaths came hard and fast.

I’d use everything on him.

Suddenly, he caught me, blade up at eye level, then down toward my liver. His thrust was precise, strong enough to push through the chainmail. I gasped, pain jolting through my body and the warm feeling of blood.

He laughed maniacally, twirling his sword, then launching into another attack.

My instincts told me to protect my wound. My movement became slower, but I managed to dodge a swing.

I attempted to charge, swinging at his neck. He parried. Thrust, upper feint, and lower thrust. There were no holes in his defense. I thought him a cowardly bureaucrat, but he was an excellent swordsman.

I needed a new approach.

Gritting my teeth, I stepped forward with a grunt, slashing wide at his chest. I deliberately left my side open. He took the bait, thrusting toward my exposed flank. I twisted at the last moment, his blade grazing past me.

He wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice. I had to escalate.

I charged again, swinging upward in an intentionally wild arc, leaving my chest exposed. His eyes narrowed, and the sword came down in a decisive strike. I lunged inward, gripping the blade with my gauntleted hand. Pain flared as it bit into my palm, but I locked his wrist with my other hand and dropped low.

Using his momentum, I threw him with a seoi nage technique. His body crashed into the mud, his breath leaving him in a sharp grunt.

I kicked his sword aside and pressed my blade against his throat.

He glared up at me, gasping. “Kill me.”

“Order a retreat,” I demanded, my voice cold.

He shook his head, defiant. “I can’t. My soul is bound to him. If I fail, he’ll make me suffer for eternity.”

“You really bought that?” I sneered. “Sounds like you’ve been conned.”

His expression darkened, and he started screaming like a man condemned to the gallows, the veins of his neck bulging with tension. “Kill me! I cannot fail in my quest!”

What a pathetic little man. It always ended like this, didn’t it? I glanced toward the battlefield. Our forces were overwhelming his. Entire squadrons of his men were surrendering.

Then, I felt another burst of pain in my stomach. I looked down. His elbow was pressing against my chest. Not with the pain of a blunt weapon. No, there was something sharp that also burned like lemon on a wound.

[HP: 8/18]

I staggered back, blinking repeatedly.

He giggled. “You don’t deserve the honor of a rule-bound duel anymore. Your body has just been struck with a special brand of poison. It’s almost impossible to find a remedy here. This will weaken you and paralyze you for days, if not kill you.”

Fucking cheater.

When he lunged to his feet, I was ready. My boot caught his face with a vicious kick. Something cracked, and his head snapped back, blood spraying as teeth dislodged from his gums.

I didn’t wait for him to recover. With one clean swing, my blade severed his head from his body. The laughter ceased instantly, his body crumpling into the mud.

The battlefield fell quiet.

“It’s over,” Lariel said softly, her gaze sweeping across the field.

Alynna sighed, arms behind her head. “No head display? How do we expect to strike terror in their hearts?”