"They are here!"
As soon as Freya heard him, her eyes widened in shock, she couldn't believe that the battle she thought which happen later, was happening this quick.
" They're here?" she muttered those words shockingly. Her face was devoid of colour as she stared at the soldier in pain.
The thunder squad moved to take action as soon as they heard her words. They commanded their elite soldiers which were wholly trained by them.
Zeno announced loudly, " SOLDIERS, PREPARE FOR BATTLE."
The elite soldiers shouted in unison, "YES GENERAL."
He turned to look at Freya who was drowning in sorrow. He knew she regretted not taking actions soon.
Freya's eyes flashed in anger as she gritted her teeth and snarled, "They will pay for the deaths they have caused. Mark my words."
The injured soldier smiled slightly at her words as he took his last breath. He was glad that he could fulfil his captain's last message.
Freya let go of the hand she was holding and placed it on his stomach and leaned forward to close his eyes.
She stood up slowly and turned around to address the elite soldiers who had gathered in front of her, waiting for her orders.
She looked at everyone, noticing their glum faces and roared, " Soldiers, All I ask of you is to lend me your strength as we destroy our enemies."
She clenched her fists tightly as she looked at them, "Let's avenge our family members so that they didn't die in vain."
Her words instilled courage and pride within the soldiers as they all shouted, " YES GENERAL."
She looked at her teammates who were already waiting for her instructions. They had around 1000 soldiers as the rest were moving the citizens near the gates to further back.
Zeno instructed, "Each of us will lead 200 soldiers to the ground. Archers, follow my lead."
The soldiers stamped their spear on the ground creating a loud impactful sound as they nodded.
At that instant, they heard warning bells being rung all over the kingdom indicating that enemies are in the visible range. Hearing the bells, screams echoed all over the place as soldiers rushed to evacuate their citizens.
Freya watched as the kids looked in horror at the happenings around them. The soldiers tried their best to calm the people and move them further back leaving a wide gap.
She asked the soldier who rung the bell, "How many are there?"
The soldier gulped as he nervously looked at her. He couldn't believe what he had seen much less announce it in front of everyone.
"General... There seems to be some kind of mistake."
Jinha tilted his head as he placed his spear on his shoulder and asked, "Why do you think so?"
"Because... there seem to be only e-ight people." the soldier stammered.
At once, murmurs arose from the crowd as people started questioning whether the count was real or not. One among the crowd cried, "Ei-ght? Did you say Ei-g-ht people?"
The soldier closed his eyes as he nodded. He knew how absurd it appeared but he was confident that eight people alone means great danger towards the kingdom.
The soldier who asked this question mumbled, "What? Ho-w's that possi-ble?"
Jinha shrugged, "Why are you surprised? It is very obvious that they would only send a few people to attack a place."
The soldiers turned to them in shock, to only find that the thunder squad members appeared cool more like they expected this number to appear.
Liz rubbed her chin and said, "But, Isn't eight a bit too much? I thought it would be four at most."
Hak nodded his head, agreeing to Liz.
"It did look a little too much than we thought."
The soldiers looked at them in shock before a person, the same rank as them, dared to ask them, "Um...Did you know they would attack?"
Jinha laughed, "Why would you think that?"
He scratched his chin as he smiled, "Because you talk like you guys know them?"
"Well, what's there to guess?! Wait... I will show you."
Jinha pointed at the soldier who reported about the enemy and asked, "Did you see those people covered in a dark cloak, emitting an intense dark aura with some holding a sword or scythe?"
The soldier widened his eyes as he listened to his description that at the end, his eyes appeared to fall out from his sockets.
He vigorously nodded his head, asserting that the descriptions were true.
Freya visibly furrowed her brows as she said, "Scythe? They have brought reapers with them."
Hak's gaze sharpened as he said, "Well, we did expect them... maybe the others are their leaders. But, why did they come here early? Isn't this fight a bit rushed and reckless?"
The general scratched his head as he nervously chuckled, "Um...Can you share the news among us?"
That question made the thunder squad group turn their focus on their people. They were surprised to find the soldiers staring at him with their mouths hanging.
"Who else can it be?" Liz nonchalantly said.
"Couldn't you predict our enemies?" Hak snorted
Jinha clenched his fists as his eyes flashed and said venomously, "Demons."
"DE-MO-NS? Bu-t weren't they -?" the general stuttered in horror.
"Well, they were in hiding but now they are not." Zeno said calmly.
Jinha wouldn't forget the pain those bloody demons had caused him. It was more like he couldn't forget them even if he wanted to, the screams, his nightmares, their cries all echoed inside his mind as he thought of that unfateful day.
He felt a hand covering his fist and looked up to see Freya holding his hands as she looked at him worriedly.
She whispered, "Do you not want to join this battle?"
Jinha smiled and shook his head, "No.. This is what I've been preparing for all my life. It's my turn to avenge them."
She nodded at him.
Even though she had killed the demon who had attacked his family and avenged them, the scar from that battle was still etched deep inside his heart.
Julian stood up as everyone geared up for battle. He cast his eyes at Freya for a second before he moved his eyes to all his soldiers.
Julian announced, "Let all of you return victoriously and safely."
Everyone bowed at him as they moved to the gates. Freya looked at her team, "Want to bet the total count later?"
The team chuckled as they said, "Sure." It was their routine to count the number of people they killed and the least number holder would have to do the cleaning and cooking chores.
At that moment, she felt a nudge behind her and turned around to see her white horse rubbing its head on her. She smiled as she hopped onto her horse and looked at her team who has hopped onto theirs.
Right at that moment, they remembered a presence they had forgotten amidst their preparations.
" Hmm.. so where's my horse?"