11
This was fifth time that all the trainees would have to expect a battle, but this time was different from the others. Grail had seen bored or arrogant the last couple of times they met a tribe, but there was no boredom on Grail's face right now.
Very few tribes had warriors great enough to sneak up on Grail like that, and the northern wind had a sweet scent that he had recognized, the very reason he had called to arms so abruptly.
"stop hiding Nyra, I know you and your tribe is out there"
As soon as Grail said those words came a melodic laughter, followed by the appearance of at least thirty people. The people didn't look at all like children and where all fully-grown warriors, it made Joshua suck in a breath of air as he looked at his group of six warriors, as well as the trainees.
Grail was shocked too, he had expected Nyra along with a group of warriors, but he had never expected for all of them to be warriors. It was clear what was happening, they where here to exterminate the cloud weaving tribes tributes to the Necron kingdom.
"Nyra you slimy sack of waist! This is too far even for the sky leaping tribe! The cloud weaving tribe will hear of this, you mark my words, you just declared war"
In the front of the enemy group stood a woman clad in leather armor, she was muscular but also very curvy, with wide hips. She had short blond hair and a tomboyish face full of freckles, there was something mischievous about her that seemed almost sinister given the situation.
Nyra was about to retort when Grail punched into the ground and it began to rupture at an alarming rate spreading towards Nyra and the sky leaping tribes' warriors. Moments later it all exploded underneath the ground as chunks of earth as well as big rocks came flying through the air.
"kill them all, especially the trainees! Not a single one can be alive when we are done"
Nyra nimbly avoided the scattering ground and screamed the words as she flung her right arm out like she was swatting a fly, but instead of hitting air she summoned a grey wind that began to grow mass and speed.
The wind swept over the Cloud weaving warriors as well as the trainees and screams of pain rang out in the deadly tempest, Ace clung to a rock on the ground trying not to be swept up and sent flying like many of the other trainees.
It felt like a hurricane had just erupted in the midst of them as and everyone was sure they where dead until it abruptly stopped followed with what sounded like a thunderclap, but was Grail hitting his palms together and a shockwave dispersing the wind.
Both sides leaders had begun fighting and ace felt like the forces of nature was clashing right in front of him, the warriors of both sides still alive had begun to move moments after their leaders did, but the trainees where not as quick.
More than twenty enemy warriors came rushing forward with killing intent bursting out, Joshua and his Five men still alive met the warriors in a fierce clash. Although Joshua and his men where stronger than the other warriors they where also fewer, and the enemy warriors split up in two groups to kill the trainees while the other group kept Joshua at bay.
When Joshua realized what they where doing he roared in anger and swung his axe around killing warriors left and right, he was still a captain and Grails second in command for a reason. it quickly became clear for the enemy warriors that Joshua was much stronger than they assumed, as he tore through their ranks with ease.
Jix was in trouble while dealing with two warriors at the same time, he was not an extraordinary warrior but quite average amongst his peers. It only became more troublesome, when one of the opposing warriors ignited his weapon in black flames "an ether hunter…" thought Jix to himself, he really couldn't see how this could get any worse.
The ether hunter raised his sword and the flames intensified, as a black snake made of fire began circling the hunter. Jix wanted to stop the hunter from preparing his attack, but the warrior kept getting in his way
It was a messy fight for Jix, as he kept getting the upper hand against the enemy warrior, but he was too distracted by the hunter and kept missing his chance to kill the warrior.
Jix felt the heat hit him in the face and he knew the hunter was about to strike, he had fought hunters before and even beaten some, but he still dreaded fighting them. The hunter closed in and the warrior jumped back like they had trained it before, it gave Jix no room to prepare, and he tried to shield himself with his sword in desperation.
A searing pain shot through Jix as he screamed out and fell on the ground clutching his left arms remains, it had been cut off near the shoulder, together with a large wound going from his chest to his stomach.
Ironically thanks to the flames, there where very little blood, as the massive heat had burned the wound and stopped him from bleeding out in seconds, everything turned black for Jix and he fainted with the hunter looking down at him.
Joshua kept tearing through hunters left and right, his own men desperately trying to stay alive against superior numbers and two had already fallen. Only three warriors remained with Joshua, and still ten or so opposing warriors, stood in front of them.
After Joshua's sudden rampage, several of the warriors who had originally run towards the trainees, came back to block the furious captain.
He saw the third man fall, as black flames washed over him and in a fit of rage, he grabbed the warrior in front of him with both hands, and flung him at the assailant.
The two people met in a loud crash, and the hunter was sent flying by the human cannonball. The enemy warriors as well as his two remaining men, looked at Joshua in complete horror.
Although some of the warriors had gone back to fight the Cloud weaving warriors, there was still eight in the midst of slaughtering trainees.
It was in no way a fair fight, the difference lay not only strength, but also the difference in experience was huge, and the trainees where incapable of fighting back.
Most of them where at least.