Free Web NovelChapter 5: First Battle
The air itself felt rotten, heavy and wet.
Breathing within the Nether Lands was like inhaling the scent of old graves and dried blood.
The crimson heavens churned endlessly overhead while black winds slithered through the twisted forest like restless spirits...
Standing in this cursed Lands however were eight exiles. They were previously nine but one of them was eaten by the monsters which now surrounded them...
At first glance, the monsters numbered in the tens. But looking closely, one would realize that there were hundreds of them.
THEY clung to trees and crouched upon branches with unnatural stillness, with their eyeless faces turning toward the trembling Lantern light.
The clicking of their teeth echoed softly through the dark forest. The sound alone was enough to freeze the blood in their veins as it was chilling...
The younger sister tightened her grip around her older sister’s arm until her fingers trembled visibly from the constriction...
"What...what are those things...?" Her voice nearly broke apart halfway through the sentence.
No one knew what they were except perhaps the failed Gnost who swallowed hard. Even holding the Lantern, his hands shook so violently that the golden light flickered unsteadily...
"They’re Wights..." His voice came out strain. Like someone who hasn’t drank water for days now. Then he explained, "They are creatures born from Nether energy and death."
He stared unblinkingly at the things with boundless terror reflected within his eyes before continuing, "They prey on the flesh of the living..." His throat bobbed. "...and drink their blood."
Silence followed after the explanation. Then the creatures smiled wider. As if the failed Gnost’s explanation just satisfied them...
Several mouths opened unnaturally wide, revealing layer upon layer of teeth slick with black saliva. The sight really was unnerving.
The younger sister nearly collapsed from fear while the failed Alchemist cursed beneath his breath. One of the boys took an unconscious step backward...
Instinct screamed at them to run. But where could they go? They have no where to turn to as the forest itself looked alive with darkness surrounding them endlessly.
There was no path. No sanctuary. Only... Death.
Regaleon stared at the creatures grimly. Unlike the others, the creature did not inspire fear within him as years of noble training had sharpened his will...
He did not care what they were. They could be Wights, Demons, Monsters... None of that had anything to do with him. Because besides sharpening his will, knightly training had also taught him one thing above all:
A knight who hesitates before danger dies first. Not because fear is a weakness but because battle allows no pause...
And so when one of the Wights stepped into the golden light... He acted.
Golden light exploded around his body. The others barely had time to react before a sleek golden armour manifested piece by piece around him...
Ancient plates wrapped around his limbs with metallic resonance while crimson lines briefly pulsed beneath the rusted surface...
This was his Count Tier Armour. Though it looked worn out and flawed, its presence alone carried immense pressure.
Regaleon gripped the silver Halberd tightly within his hand while his golden eyes glowed sharply beneath the slits of his helmet. They were cold, focused and deadly.
"Whatever they are..." He started, his metallic voice cutting through the terror gripping the group. "...it is either we fight or die."
Some immediately paled while the failed Alchemist stared at Regaleon like he had gone insane. "Are you crazy?!"
But Regaleon didn’t design to give him an answer. By the time he spoke finish, he rushed forward...
BOOM!
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he shot toward the nearest Wight. He was fast. Far faster than what the weight of the Armour seem to suggest...
The creature shrieked the instant Regaleon appeared before it. It wanted to act but it was too late as the Halberd swept outward in a silver arc.
SHING!
The Wight splitted cleanly in half. It’s scream echoed briefly before the body finally dissolved into black smoke that scattered in the wind...
The others froze where they stood. The failed Alchemist, especially, opened his mouth as he stared blankly...
It was just one strike. One strike... And the thing they feared disappeared. Like snow meeting the sun.
But what none of them noticed, not even Regaleon himself, was the thin strand of dark crimson energy flowing from the dissipating creature into his Soul Essences. Like starving things stealing food in secret.
That was when the rest of the Wights reacted. They all snarled instantly the moment one of their own died as the forest seemed to awaken violently...
Hundreds of mouths opened together and an ear-piercing shriek erupted from the darkness. Then... The attacked.
The creatures rushed forward like a tide of nightmares. Some crawled on all fours while others leapt between trees with horrific speed.
The forest itself seemed to explode alive around them. But while the rest of the group panicked, another person reacted...
It was the other sister. Her eyes sharpened instantly with killing intent lurking in them...
Silver light flashed and her twin King Tier Daggers appeared within her hands. Their blades were thin and elegant like crescent moons forged for murder...
And at the same time, a dark Cloak wrapped around her body. Like shadows taking form to protect her.
This was the Count Tier Shadow Cloak. It flickered strangely, phasing in and out of perception as though reality itself fails to anchor it.
The group blinked... And then she vanished. She was not hidden... Just gone.
The younger sister gasped... Her tender lips parting as her eyes widened in surprise...
Then... Shrieks echoed throughout the forest. Like the howls of dying prey under the class of a predator...
ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE!
Five Wights dissolved into smoke almost simultaneously. The sight was more ghastly than the splitted Wight Regaleon killed...
Others stared in shock once more. It seems like their minds are yet to process everything that is happening around them...
Then, the older girl reappeared briefly atop a twisted tree branch before vanishing again. Her movement was silent and deadly... Like a phantom in the darkness.
And every reappearance meant death. Silver flashes danced through the deeper darkness while Wights dissolved into black smoke before they realized death was near them... frёeωebɳovel.com
"A monster..." A girl whispered.
But the group knows the truth. That was not a monster... It was an assassin. Because monsters don’t move the way she does.
Suddenly, a boy let out a bitter laugh before speaking, "Fuck this!"
Everyone turned to see a tall, bulky boy standing fully. He was taller than most of them, almost towering over them by a head. His arms was bulging with muscles writhing underneath, indicating raw strength...
"I am not waiting for death to come and get me!" He shouted, his earlier fear replaced by desperate resolve.
Aether surged around him before a massive Great Shield materialized upon one arm while a broad iron Sword appeared within the other...
The broad sword was an Earl Tier while the Great Shield was a Marquess Tier...
They were heavy and reliable as they are the kind of weapons built for war.
With a roar, the bulky youth charged directly into the incoming tide...
BANG!
His Shield slammed into the first Wight with an overwhelming force, sending the creature crashing sideways through two others. Then, his sword followed immediately...
CRUNCH!
A Wight’s skull imploded beneath the strike. Another was split apart moments later.
Unlike Regaleon’s precise brutality or the assassin’s elegance, the bulky youth fought like a living battering ram. He fought with raw force and pure momentum relying on his bulky build...
Every swing crushed bone and flesh alike as he delved deeper into the tide...
This act of his was the last straw that broke the camel’s back as the others finally moved. Fear transformed into desperation and this desperation quenched their thirst for survival...
The failed Alchemist summoned his Viscount Tier Cauldron next. It was a large bronze Soul Essence with glowing Aether symbols running along its sides.
Sure it was not a combat weapon and yet the boy wielded it with the desperation of a man fighting for something greater than his life...
When a Wight lunged toward him, he swung the Cauldron with both hands...
CLANG!
The creature flew sideways with a shattered jaw. Then another took its place...
"Get away from me!" The failed Alchemist shouted slamming his Cauldron downward again.
Bones cracked loudly as he kept on swinging...
Nearby, a noble girl with silver-blonde hair gritted her teeth before summoning her own Soul Essences. There was a flash of golden light and...
A gleaming silver coin floated before her. Then another appeared. And another. Then dozens. All these Coins were Count Tier...
Beside her appeared a massive ornate Treasure Chest reinforced with golden. It was a Duke Tier Essence...
Obviously, her Essences were clearly not meant for combat. They were merchant-type awakenings that are supportive and economical...
Yet this was no noble banquet hall. This was survival and... Survival demanded adaptation.
The girl screamed as she hurled the Coins forward. The silver Essences shot through the air like bullets, smashing into incoming Wights and knocking them backward. They didn’t do much damage but they were able to keep the monsters at bay...
And whenever some Wights get pass her Coins barricade, she swung the heavy Treasure Chest itself like a hammer.
BANG!
One Wight’s face collapsed inward instantly as the girl slammed her Chest against it, "Die you filthy bastards!"
Meanwhile, the failed Gnost remained near the center, trembling visibly while clutching his Lantern tightly. Its golden glow expanded around the battlefield, illuminating the darkness and allowing the others to fight better...
Yet, combat wise, he was nearly useless. Regaleon noticed him hiding behind the failed Alchemist but said nothing as he knew that not everyone was born for battle...
Another boy raised a Staff high into the air. It was a Count Tier Essence. Fiery Aether spiraled wildly around him before flames erupted from the Staff’s tip moments later...
A torrent of fire blasted forward into the charging swarm causing several Wights to shriek as flames consumed them.
The fire illuminated the forest in violent orange flashes while the scent of burnt flesh filled the air with an unbearable stench...
Yet even after all that, the creatures kept on coming endlessly and relentlessly. Like filthy things refusing to give up...
And among the figures, Regaleon greeted them like death itself. His Halberd carved silver arcs through the battlefield with a terrifying precision and efficient movement...
There was no wasted motion, no panic and no missed footing. Clearly, years of noble knight training has begun to reveal themselves fully now...
Step! Slash! Turn! Kill!
A Wight lunged from above and Regaleon responded by piercing his Halberd upward through its throat instantly...
Another rushed from the side, Regaleon spun low, severing both legs before crushing its skull beneath his boot...
The rusted golden Armour gleamed beneath the crimson sky while black smoke constantly dissipated around him...
Shrieks echoed endlessly as Wights after Wights died beneath the silver edge of his Halberd...
And with every kill... That strange crimson energy flowed quietly into his Armour and Halberd. The energy fed and strengthened them...
Though Regaleon still remained unaware. At some point during the battle, Wight blood splattered across his face. It was dark, almost black as it painted his face, giving him a devilish visage.
At this point, he no longer counted how many wights he killed. He just moved now as inky movements mattered now.
Then suddenly, a creature leapt toward the younger sister unexpectedly. The girl had remained in the center of the battlefield while the rest formed a barricade of flesh around her. This was to protect her and at the same time, for them to fight better...
But now, a Wight passed the barricade and headed towards her wildly. The creature was fast as the group almost didn’t react... fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
But Regaleon was faster. His Halberd whistled through the air as he sent it towards the creature...
SHING!
His Halberd connected and the creature exploded apart midair. The younger girl was dazed as black blood splashed on her face but through it, she managed to turn her head towards Regaleon...
But Regaleon had already turned away toward the next threat. His Halberd flew back to his hands as he moved without hesitation...
Nearby, the older sister emerged from the shadows once more. Her breathing had clearly become heavier now as she appeared before her sister. After confirming that the little girl was injured or wounded, she turned her eyes back to the creatures...
But this time, her eyes were colder and more focused and then... There was a flicker.
At a point on the battlefield, shadows erupted outward violently and before the creatures could even scream, three Wights were sliced apart instantly...
The failed Alchemist stared briefly before letting out a low breathless laugh. "How the hell were people like you called failures?"
No one answered. Because they were busy fighting for their lives...
The battle dragged onward as minutes blurred together beneath shrieks and blood. Bodies constantly dissolved into black smoke and the forest floor had long since be littered with black stains...
Everyone was exhausted...
The failed Merchant’s arms trembled from swinging her Treasure Chest repeated...
The failed Pyromancer’s Aether was nearly depleted...
The failed Vanguard breathed like a beast after war. Clearly his strength was beginning to fail him...
Even Regaleon’s movements were beginning to slow slightly...
Yet still... They fought. Because stopping meant death. And death was not a choice.
Eventually, the Wights began slowly until finally they stopped. Then silence descended as the Wights stood, watching the group. Then suddenly, as if hearing a summon, the Wights began retreating. Like a tide withdrawing into the ocean...
The creatures hissed furiously before disappearing back among twisted trees and crimson fog...
Then silence once again. This time it was Heavy and unnatural as the battlefield became still...
For thirty straight minutes they had fought against endless monsters and somehow... They survived.
After confirming that they are really gone, the failed Alchemist was the first person to collapse onto the ground breathing heavily...
The failed Merchant sat beside her Treasure Chest with trembling arms...
The failed Pyromancer nearly dropped his Staff as he leaned on it..
The younger sibling quietly cried into her older sister’s shoulder. And Regaleon...
Regaleon stood silently beneath the crimson heavens while black smoke swirled around his Halberd before disappearing.
His Armour looked darker now while the faint crimson glow beneath its surface pulsed softly once...
Then it vanished. Like a thief making his escape after taking what he wants.
Far above them, thunder rolled across the blood-red sky. And deep within the forest... Countless unseen eyes continued to watch.
