The commander, overwhelmed by the sudden shift in the battlefield, stood, speechless.
Alana whispered to skull lord
"I need you to crush that commander, skull lord"
Enough said.
Skull lord was already locked on as he charged toward the commander, gradually building speed as he did.
"What the? He's coming this way?"
The commander stepped back and acted quickly. He pulled on black steel gauntlets, each bearing a single sigil below the knuckles and another on the palm. As he secured them, he summoned a thin spherical magical barrier around himself and entered a stance with one fist coiled back, his feet wide apart, readying himself for the attack.
Skull lord had 50 skull minions cradled within his shoulder arms, so he used his main arms to reach for the pile being cradled.
The commander stands absolutely still in his battle stance, as the sigils on his gauntlets start to spark yellow.
You think you can come here and mess with my town…i will show you
Skull lord overhanded a skull minion with great force across the battlefield.
Immediately after he sent another one with the opposite hand.
One struck the barrier sparks glanced off it, as the attack bounced off into the chaos below.
Though the barrier now bore a few cracks its strength remained undeniable. The commander, unfazed, stood resolute. Still. Patient.
His gauntlets now brimmed with power.
"More," he said, eyes intensely fixed on the Skull lords approach.
Skull lord got closer as the second skull minion struck the barrier it broke but it merely grazed the commander's form.
It smashed into a part of the building he stood on.
"More!" he remained single minded.
Skull lord broke the ground around him, ramming through everything and everyone. Straight to the commander.
"MORE!"
Now face-to-face, the commander leapt from the crumbling building, his gauntlet blazing with yellow mana, surging and vibrating through his left gauntlet.
Skull Lord lunged, driving his massive right fist forward, necrotic mana oozing into the air around him. Both warriors roared as their fists collided, the impact unleashing a thunderous shockwave.
Gauntlets held firm, straining but refusing to give way against the crushing force. The commander bellowed, voice raw with defiance:
"I will blow you away!"
He poured everything into the strike, forcing the Skull Lord back step by step—until at last, the undead giant staggered.
Victory! or so he thought, as Skull Lord was far from finished. In an instant, his secondary claws lashed forward, slashing at the commander while he still hung in the air.
"Dammit—too quick!" the commander gritted his teeth, crossing his arms in a desperate block.
Clack!
The commander opens his eyes in surprise with a tinge of relief.
As two captains appear on each side deflecting the attacks perfectly.
"We got you commander" they said in unison.
Footsteps are heard along with the clunking of metal, a woman jumps into the air and with two hands, her weapon slashing down on Skull Lord's middle head…
The force rippled through the skull lord's body causing the ground to crack, dust and debris enveloped them.
"Why can't I pull out my greatsword?!"
She struggled, straining until at last her body sagged, hanging limply from the weapon. A single blue light pierced through the dust.
The Skull Lord's massive hand closed around her, lifting her with brutal ease before swinging downward to crush her into the ground.
But then—
A blur of white mana streaked across the battlefield. In an instant, a figure struck, a savage side-kick crashing into the Skull Lord's wrist midair.
The women in armour slipped free, dropping to the ground, as the figure twisted through the air with perfect momentum—slamming into the Skull Lord's middle head and hurling the monster backward.
Skull Lord skidded back, one foot carving through stone — but he didn't fall. He held.
The Serene now appearing fully her hair flowed quietly in the wind, the sun illuminating her figure as she landed staring skull lord down as he skidded into a building.
The women on the ground looked up shocked and so did the others as they ran to get a better look.
"N-No way"
while on her back, she pointed.
"The steel swan!"
Alana watched this in worry until calm assurance washed over her.
Trust me.
Ran through her mind, as she shifted her focus. "well while he deals with them. I will handle the battlefield" she said
She surveys the battle, as both sides fight at their best to stay on top.
Setting her sights promptly on magic towers, breaking bonewalker groups by casting spells from atop the towers where the undead couldn't reach.
One on opposite sides of the town.
"Let me get a better look"
She zips to it.
Many mages stood at the top, hurling spells into the battlefield below.
"Skull minions are too busy to rush over here. I need a better way."
She hovered silently, her gaze drifting to the massive glass tube running through the platform.
Inside it: a thick blue liquid pulsed, and shimmered with raw mana.
Her form went transparent as she floated closer, feeling the mana radiating from it.
The faint shimmer brushed across her wisp-like form.
"It's supplying them with mana," she deduced.
Her spectral tendril emerged from the haze of her wisp form, pressing against the tube.
"Well…it looks like it's not pure mana, so it shouldn't reject me. Let's try this."
She phased through the glass, her form slipping inside.
She strained, squeezing out the mana within herself.
"Come on!"
At first nothing happened—then the liquid began to stir. Wisps of violet crept into the blue, spreading like ink through water. The shimmer deepened, turning the once-pure glow into something darker, unstable.
When the corruption had spread completely, the liquid glowed with a violent purple sheen. She zipped back out, her eye narrowing in satisfaction as the entire conduit pulsed with her tainted mana.
Alana then thought
Corrupted things act unpredictably if not controlled. I had to use all my concentration in pushing out the mana, so I had no choice what effect it had.
She floated, spectating them from afar.
"Keep firing, we can't stop." One of them shouted
"MANA BOLT!" A few others shouted
"Hey Geralt, do you think there is a chance we might lose?" One whispers to someone next him.
"Don't lose hope. We still have a chance as long as these magic towers stay." He whispered back confidently
A woman mage on the opposite side of the tower collapsed to her knees, resting her head against a bar in front of her.
"Huh?!"
A man beside her gets to his knees in panic.
"Chole, wake up!" He grabbed on her shoulders and shook her.
"I feel so weak," she replied groggily
From the other side of the tower
"AHHH THE OTHER MAGE TOWER HAS BEEN TAKING DOWN," he said while backing away from his post getting closer and closer to the tube in the middle while trembling in fear.
Everyone else looked in curiosity "No it's not?"
"Are you all lacking awareness, do you not see we are doomed!" he screamed.
Everyone could tell he was delusional in his speech, but they were all still very unnerved by his sudden outburst along with the fainting of the female mage.
A male elf with a yellow band on his arm piped up, as he stepped forward confidently.
"Fuzu stop this nonsense we are in a battle. So focus. And too everyone standing around—stop, get back to attacking." He then glanced at the distressed male mage trying to wake up the female mage and pointed, "And can someone please administer some minor healing potions or magic to that mage—who just collapsed! We need her back immediately."
Some mages went over to help the female mage, while others tried to ignore fuzu's loud exclamations and returned to firing their spells.
"We are all doomed!!!LISTEN TO ME!" Fuzu continued to scream, male elf narrowed his eyes at Fuzu.
Black veins started to show up on the body of Fuzu.
"No no you're all monsters" he falls pointing in all directions, around him.
Fuzu's body now looked really malnourished as his surroundings swirled around him.
Now annoyed, the male elf walked closer to him shouting.
"Calm down! You are only making things worse for everyone Fuzu." the elf man's eyes widened when he saw the fuzu was getting close to the conduit
"GET AAWAY FROM ME!! AHH"
"Don't get too close to the—!"
Fuzu spun around, and he slammed face-first into the conduit. The glass cracked under the impact, and he slid down its side, his body withering as the corrupted mana drained him dry. By the time he hit the floor, he looked like a shriveled husk.
The male elf recoiled in shock.
"What the—?!"
Around him, the mages were beginning to realize the horror.
"Why is the conduit glowing purple?!"
"Help! I'm seeing things—something's wrong!"
"My friend won't wake up—why isn't she moving?!"
"Fuzu's dead—FUZU'S DEAD!"
"We need to run! GET OUT NOW!"
The male elf froze, overwhelmed, staring down at Fuzu's lifeless body. Slowly, dreadfully, he lifted his head—just in time to be sprayed with a jet of violet mana. It splashed across his face, and he screamed as his skin began to melt away.
"AAAHHHH!"
Everyone tried to run, but it was too late the mana conduit exploded outside the tube flooding the whole tower.
Even those who reached the stairs were chased and eventually got caught by it everyone died.
In that magic tower.
Alana floated above "mmm very interesting how that played out, would have been way easier if i could just control the effect. Which would be possible if Zero allowed me to use his mana. She sighed, setting her sights on the next magic tower. "Time to do it again."
Back to the square
Realising her rudeness.
The girl repositioned herself, kneeling, and planting her great sword in the ground.
She began to announce Serene with her head down.
"Serene the stainless sword of the Viscura, former general of serenity and commander of feal—."
She paused suddenly, and lifted her head taking a quick look, at Serene who is still facing the skull lord's direction.
The woman marvelled at Serene, her thoughts bubbling with admiration.
She's so cool! Ever since that day she saved me I have always wanted to meet her again!
Serene slightly moved her head, in deep thought.
As the woman saw this, she quickly corrected herself…
"I mean fealty!" Serene still stayed facing forward, and clearly not paying attention to the woman's words, this made the woman get more timid in her speech, "P-please I see your weapon is weak. T-Take mine as I know your better with great swords"
Serene didn't move, nor did she answer, rather her off hand clenched tightly, shaking with annoyance.
The woman's heart drops, taking it as instant rejection, as she bites her lip in shame.
Did I make her mad?! Maybe I should be quiet…She slapped herself. No i have been waiting for this my whole life, let me try harder
She holds the sword up presenting it to Serene.
Head down, she announced "MRS Serene it would be an honour if you could use my great sword, it's nothing compared to your mighty luswanria but it would do for now!"
"Mmmh?" Serene turned around at this point, her face puzzled at the woman's actions.
"What's going on—?" she was about to ask, but at this time the commander walked up with hands in his pockets, gauntlets tied to his side belt. The two captains walked on either side of him.
"Ah, looking as stunning as ever, I see a general."
Serene looked surprised.
"Wondering when you would show up" he continued
"Oh, hey Rolland, how did you know I was here?" she smiled scratching the back of her head.
He gave a cheeky grin, while running his hands through his hair.
"I mean all guilds were told of your resignation. Even those guarding settlements like me were told by Alcon specifically to inform our troops to ignore and treat you like a commoner and I had made everyone here aware of that but…"
He said looking down at the woman still offering her great sword.
"Some didn't get the memo clearly"
The woman broke into a nervous sweat, heat rising to her cheeks as the weight of every stare pressed down on her.
One of the captains on the commander's left spoke, "Wait so commander you are part of serenity?"
"Yeah, I'm the captain of the Aegis Guild. Didn't I tell you that yesterday?"
"Oh… right," he muttered, eyes dropping in embarrassment.
The captain to his right let out a hearty laugh.
"Anyway, thanks for saving her, she can get ahead of herself sometimes. That also reminds me, let me introduce you to my captains."
"This is Altos"
The captain on the left side stuck his long double sided blade into the ground and leaned against it, While he sucked the flavour from a lollipop that sat in his mouth.
He was six foot five inches, orange eyes and lean. He was armored from the neck down. He also wore black gloves and a thin red cape that fluttered lightly behind him. His skin was a deep brown, and his hair a mix of a wild red and tightly curled yellow—which contrasted with his sharp features.
"And this is holger"
"On the captain's right stood a towering man, nearly seven feet tall, his broad frame built like a brick wall. He drove a massive shield—half his height—into the ground, resting his arm against it as he casually twirled a black mace in his other hand. His skin was a deep brown, his dreadlocks thick and twisted, brushing against his shoulders. A green cape draped over his back, but otherwise he wore no shirt, his chest bare and imposing. The only armor he bore was below the waist: heavy black-plated greaves that clanked with every step, their weight betraying the sheer force of his stride. Black gloves covered his hands, completing the intimidating figure."
"Picked up these two Arconians from a jail cell and their talent is truly amazing. They achieved peak E rank in just a few months with no academy level training!"
"To be fair they were trained by me," he said smugly
Serene rolled her eyes.
Then smiling he looks down and confidently said
"And this is Aelizia"
She immediately stood up hearing her name being called.
A human woman in her early 20s: she had a silver cape, pale skin, blond with silver highlights. blue eyes she stood at 6foot, she was better armoured than the other two, as she had shiny steel armour with her head being the only thing not armoured.
"She came with me directly from the order, she was my lieutenant, she also was my most dedicated and loyal sergeant too, that's why she became my lieutenant in order and another reason why she's here in this position with me."
Aelizia stood proudly basking in the praise.
Serene's eyes just shifted between them, quietly taking everything in.
Rolland walked forward, hands still in his pockets "and the fourth captain is at leave at the moment."
As rolland continued chatting away.
Skull lord at this time completely recovered from the blow and he wasted no time, and began charging in again while throwing more skull minions.
As serene was, it was about speaking.
A flying skull minion was flung from behind her.
In that split second, she spun and kicked it to the side, her feet touched the ground.
She shouted, "on me!"
"GENERAL!" they affirmed in unison readying up.
She speeds off in front them leaving dust in wake.
They all run after her.
Skull lord stopped in his tracks, as Serene rushed toward him, deciding to hurl skull minions at her instead but she managed to dodge them: weaving in and out of skull lord's unrelenting barrage.
Serene took a quick scan around her skull of minions getting up and wrecking even more havoc. "Him throwing those minions is only adding to the chaos. This needs to stop now."
Another skull minion flew her way, she took the opportunity to jump onto the skull minion mid-air and used it to propel herself toward Skull lord's middle head. She prepared to hit him but this time both skull lords claws lashed out at her. She saw the first one, dodging it in the air by spinning upwards. As she flipped forward to hit him, Skull lord not only delayed the second attack but it came at her faster than the first, she was startled: snatched and instantly flung behind him, the force sending her straight into a building.
As the others lagged slowly behind, the commander began to cast thin barriers on them,
Aelizia's eyes widened at seeing Serene flung.
She screamed out "GENERAL!" She ran forward away from the group.
The commander yelled out "Wait up Aelizia! we need to charge toge—"
He gave up mid sentence, as Aelizia leaped in the air, all reasoning giving way to burning rage.
'HOW DARE YOU!
Skull lord reached behind to grab a skull minion with one of his main arms, he easily swatted her to the ground with his other. The collision broke the barrier completely.
Aelizia immediately gets up with determination "I am not done yet" she snarled
Rushed from the ground, with her greatsword at skull lord's leg trying to push it.
"if I can't hit you.. nrghh… I will make you LOSE YOUR BALANCE!" her armour creaking and muscles tensing underneath as she pushed her sword sideways against the skull lord's shin area.
Like an unmoveable mountain skull lord stands unbothered.
He continued to hurl skull minions toward the others.
Rolland understood the situation and commanded both holger and alto.
"Holger distract him, and Altos go for those arms holding the large skeletons"
Altos acrobatically, and effortlessly evaded each skull minion, threw at him while sooking on his favourite lollipop.
Holger ran up to skull lord using his shield to deflect each skull minion while swinging his mace on the side.
"Come at me, you big dolt!
Effectively drawing all Skull lord's attention.
Atlos was successfully able to sneak behind Skull lord "Easy enough"
As he spun around threw his double-sided blade sending it spinning as it curved mid-air while spinning up to Skull lords shoulder arms and severed both in a straight line cutting through the joints cleanly
Both arms fell to the side but the 30 remaining skull minion fell under him
Two of skull lord's heads turned back as his main head focused on Holger, who skull lord was now trying to smash with his main fists.
Immediately after that skull lord leg started to be moved out of place.
"ARRGGGGHHH!" Aelizia finally whole face red, successfully pushed his leg off balance but to no avail as skull lord pelvis arms stretched up to hold him up stopping him from falling on his back.
As soon as he caught himself he didn't let up and Aelzia was scooped up instantly with one pelvis hand.
Leaving one pelvis arm holding him up.
Squeezing her tightly, Skull lord's grip tightened like a vice.
It took all my strength just to push him off balance. Now I don't even have the strength to resist getting crushed. Dammit, how can this be the end?
Her vision blurred as the pressure increased, her armour was caving in on her...Each breath became harder to draw, bones and her ribs creaked under the immense force.
The commander stood with his eyes closed, and his arms stretched out.
Altos shouted, "HOLGER HIT HIM!"
Swinging his mace in circles Holger lunged upward toward Skull lord's middle head.
Hitting Skull lord straight on the chin with a short swing.
Knocking him completely off balance but skull lord reacted quickly and threw Aelizia up into the air then used two of his pelvis arms to hold himself up.
At this moment a dimly lit red orangish magic circle appeared around skull lord's body on the ground underneath him.
But this was complete mistake by skull lord as with her sword she falls from the sky
Using the rest of her movement in her crushed armour, Aelizia tensed, moving her great sword in position "one more time" , her greatsword reflecting her determination as she descended from the sky.
Skull lords body faced completely up now being held up completely by his pelvis arms
Aelizia fell from high up in the sky "YOUR FINISHED SKULL GIGANT!"
With all the force of the drop she crashed down on skull lord middle head the impact sending a trembling, throughout his body.
But he still kept sturdy, Aelizia tried to pull the sword out but It didn't budge.
The sword is lodged in? and I can't pull it out again?. Why does nothing just go my way!
Then Serene appeared in the air with her sword upheld, cold anger in her eyes as she crashed down with her mana pulsing around her slashing down on top of Aelizia's stuck weapon.
The force pounded Skull Lord down into the ground, crushing all the skull minions underneath him and sending a shockwave straight through the whole town of dust and debris.
"Everyone move out of the way." Rolland's voice boomed to them only as he heard clearly, the magic circle that was there earlier started to glow a bright red orangish through dust and debris skull lord form, only a silhouette.
Rolland opened his arms wide chanting
"Solar"
The magic circle started to create a gust of wind blowing all the dust away revealing the skull lord for a second with his middle head slightly cracked open.
He looked up as the sun beamed directly on top of him.
"Shaft." Rolland spoke confidently as he motioned his arms down.
Skull lord's 2 other heads open their maws in surprise.
While the main head keeps it closed and braced with his head.
.
A beam of pure flame mana coming from the ball roared downward as it hit the laying skeletal giant even though it was only for a few moments, it looked like eternity.
.
His silhouette amid the blazing fury the pressure slammed into his frame like a wrathful hammer sending him deep as ground beneath the giant cracked and roared. Stone shattered, earth blasted outward in the bounds of the circle, as it continued to flatten the giant's exposed ribcage against the scorched earth.
.
Then it stopped and along with the big crater there was smoke billowing out of it.
The commander sits down.
.
Sighing of relief he said "Finally thank the order that necrotic giant is destroyed"
And on the other side
Serene placed Aelizia upright, and ripped off all of her armour leaving only hand armour and feet armour.
Aelizia fell to her butt trying to catch her breath.
Serene on other hand planted the greatsword into the ground and stayed on guard.
Holger placed his shield in the ground. "Finally. We took out the big boss!" Holger said, as he rested his mace upon his shoulder.
"Yeah."—Altos said while making a sour expression while tasting the lollipop still in his mouth
Holger noticed the expression and "you always make that expression, it can't be that bad Altos."
"Do you want to try it?" Altos took out the lollipop, and offered it too.
"You sure? it's your favorite."
"Yeah it pretty much done with it, anyway"
Holger took it and plopped it in his mouth…
Immediately he dropped his mace, "SOUR!"
Altos chuckled internally "Get it now dunderhead?"
Alto's eyes widened in shock "Holger!"
Holger looked at him in confusion while crunching on the lollipop, "what? The sourness is better when you bite on it."
"Holger your not supposed to—"
Holgers whole body goes stiff buzzing sensation goes all over his body
Zzzt!
Then it stops.
"What's happen—Zzzt!" "We had the conversation the last time I offered you one, which you seem to have forgotten. You can only bite the lollipop when the sour taste goes away."
"Wait why—Zzzt!"
"Uh…" Altos scratched his head. "I forgot the reason." His eyes dropped in slight embarrassment.
"HAHA you idiot—Zzzt!"
"Shut it, you're the one who ate the lollipop the wrong way!"
"HAHA—Zzzt!"
"Holger stop laughing idiot!!"
Holger kept laughing in his face while his muscles twitched involuntarily every few seconds.
Zzzt!
Serene, now believing everything is fine, turned around to see Aelizia.
her face turns from the serious, too soft as she looks at her
"Hey. you did good out there." she crouched, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"you think?..." Aelizia looked up at her
"Yeah, you did a great job!!" Serene said putting her thumbs up
"but I wasn 't able to finish it by myself. " Aelizia said, looking down.
Serene continued
"That doesn't matter, not every victory has a desirable outcome and not every battle can be fought by yourself. That's why we fought as a team where you lack others can fill in and everyone did their part." she said calmly.
Aelizia looked toward the smoking crater "your right… I just…wanted to do more"
Serene continued talking
"yeabut don't worry, keep working hard and one day you will be smacking away bone giants with ease."
"Thats thing, I have been working hard my whole life, just for me to get here it took everything. Now I am in a real battle and I can't even hold a candle to a giant skeleton."
"That skeleton was massive and strong. The fact you were able to keep up in any way at all was impressive, but regardless don't fret Aelizia there will always be other chances to do more and prove yourself."
Aelizia smiled briefly "Thanks Serene."
but returned to frown while looking at her greatsword.
Serene sees this and smiles, she holds a salute "ah soilder!"
Aelzia looks up in curious
"I Serene Dawnsnow, former general and commander of the order, has recognized Aelizia captain of trojan towns guardsmen and lieutenant of the aegis guild, so this former would like to grant you a ceremony of honour for your determination and good will!"
Aelizia beamed in excitement, gets on her knees and lowered her head as Serene takes the great sword with one hand and begins to do the ceremony.
The sword hovers over one shoulder,
"The order of serenity is peace brought by penance"
Taps it then goes over her head to the second shoulder.
"And with the power invested in me I give thee an honour not many receive"
Taps it then hovers over Aelizia head
Aelizia begins to tear up a bit as tears fall. My dream has come true! Honoured and recognized by Serene the steel swan.
Serene tapped the great sword on Aelizia's head, finishing the ceremony.
Aelizia looks up "Does this mean i get a warriors title!?"
Then Serene nodded while sticking the greatsword into the ground.
"Aelizia the graceborn!"
"To simple and soft give me another" Aelizia replied
"Uh..ok how about the pale warden"
"Huh?! Do I look that pale to you?!" Aelizia said sarcastically
"No ok ok let me think uhhh" Serene laughed nervously
"You have been doing this for years! How can you not think of a name for me!" Aelizia chuckled slightly.
"Wait hold on, I'm thinking!!!"
As they bickered & laughed
Altos and Holger smiled trying to mind their own business.
Alana came back after taking down two of the mage towers, and overseeing the battle field surprised at first but she then squinted her eye in frustration
"Pathetic…."
She said slowly while floating away.