Within a few hours the Wolfs Teeth Unit had gathered together in the courtyard of the barracks prepared to move out.
"Lord, how long will you be out for?" Nefamiti asked curiously, "If you leave for too long things could get messy here."
"I will likely be out for a few months at most, I'll be back for new years in three months." I replied with a big smile, "Mark your calender, new years will be a very special day this year."
"What's going to happen on new years?" He replied looking half horrifed, I guess all the surprises I've given have been pretty bloody.
"It's a secret." I smiled turning my attention to Alias lying against a pillar to my left having been hit by Nefamiti after trying to jump on me.
"Agashi! Are you finally taking me back from that monster?!" Alias yelled in anguish holding his head.
"Don't make me regret it." I replied feeling the slow boil aura of Nefamiti behind me.
"Lord." Marcus, Netman and Huanto spoke at once seeing our conversations done.
Straightening myself out with a stern look on my face I addressed the unit solomenly, "The Prince, our lord, has requested for our help in exterminating the underground plague that knaws and bites at the roots of the Earldom, for this we head out to save the slaves and bring justice to the sinners, we go to battle so that Durlivan's tragedy may never again come to pass, instill fear in the hearts of those who would dare to cross us."
My voice echo'd as an aura of heavy bloodthirst swept through the courtyard like a storm.
"Death to the underground." I said calmly raising a closed fist.
Having seen me do this several times by now the men of the Unit had picked up that I do this when we are about to march or am done my address to the people.
Banging their chestplates the men stomped and howled standing in column formation.
"March." I turned, the men of the Wolf Teeth Unit following in a deathly silent march, even as people cheered for us in the streets, even as their loved ones called out to them wishing them luck, they were silent and emotionless.
Their resolve had been forged tirelessly through combat, many losing loved ones or even their whole families in the battles and wars, their hatred at the peak and their blades thristing for the blood of those who have done them wrong.
Once we reached the gate Shion stood up above the ramparts along with Seramia.
Raising my hand we all took a knee, the crowd's growing silent as they had never seen this before.
Even the unit was confused but kneeled anyway since their lord was they definitely knew better than to stay standing.
Shion spoke in a sultry tone, "Today, our men leave for battle once more, they fight for us, they fight to keep us safe and so no other tragedy befalls us, may Veru deity of the battlefield and keeper of souls bless you all."
A murmer spread through the crowd but no one said anything instead listening closely as Seramia spoke, "As the First Priestess of Veru, I hope that war does not make monsters of men, may your convictions carry you through and may your steel be as strong as your resolve, may the Goddess of the battlefield and keeper of souls, Veru bless you in your endevours."
As Seramia spoke a calm feeling overtook the crowd as many felt refreshed and lighter, especially the families of the soldiers who had survived that day and seen what hell would await their young men.
An unprecedented calm surged through the city.
As I stood up I looked up, "May Veru bless this endevour!" Raising my closed fist the men stood hitting their shields.
The killing machines left the scene after the blessing, those men whose convictions and resolve were going to turn them into monster's were brought back under the peaceful glow.
But that is not to say that they lost their resolve for their convictions, rather on the contrary, each of them exuded a strength of resolve unlike what they had before, no longer marching because of their hatred of what lies in front of them, but for the love of those they leave behind them.
Under this conviction we marched.
It took six days to reach the border.
I had never noticed what a beautfiul land this is until now.
Normally speaking, whenever I went out it would be for battle, just like right now, but this is somehow.... different.
Maybe because it's not such a desperate situation?
Am I..... relaxed?
It's nice.
I like this, it's sad but I know it won't last so I'll enjoy it while it's here.
Taking a deep breath I could actually feel the cold wind of the day enter and travel through my body refreshing and clean as opposed to the smell of the battlefield.
The mountains are tall almost reaching the clouds, those have to be thousands of meters tall, there's no way they arent.
Wouldn't it be good to set up some fire towers up on the mountains? Light a fire on one mountain and another see's it far away, it would be perfect for bandit raids, not to mention if you put two hundred men on each post, it's perfectly defendable only requiring a few infantry and majority archers.
I could--
Stop it.
Enjoy the scenery, the moment.
Don't ruin it--
"Hey hey...." Alias interrupted my thought as a vein slowly started to pop out on my neck, "I have bad feeling all of a sudden."
A bad feeling? You suddenly interrupted me over a bad feeling.....?!
.....A bad feeling huh.
Couldn't hurt to check around, though if there's nothing then I swear I'll make him run till he drops.
"Yu, could you go around and do a quick scouting run, we are almost out of Durlivan and I don't want to leave any chances for danger." I said lightly only hearing the fluttering of fairy wings as a reply.
Raising an open hand the men immediately got into square formation incase of arrow fire, me and my elites taking to the front, Alias standing nervously in the center of the square.
A few minutes later.....
"Master....!" Yu's scream echo'd through th forest as a swarm of fairies came flying out many among them injured or dead, Yu being one of the injured her stealth barrier bearly holding.
"Marcus circle east and cut off the pass, Netman circle west, Huanto act as rear support have the medics help the fairies in anyway they can, Alias you are with me we are taking the front." I fired off order's like a storm.
"There are hundreds hiding in ambush in the woods, among them they have captive fairies that sold us out as well as a fairy master....." Yu said, ".... I managed to get these fairies out but I was wounded by the fairy master."
Nodding I advanced forward, after many battles Marcus, Netman and Huanto understood what to do only needing a small prompt at the start to understand what strategy we would be going with.
Advancing in shield wall formation with a second line of spearman right behind the shield bearers and a third line of swordsman in two square sqaures at the furthest east and western sides of the formation standing closely behind the spearmen.
What...?
A light flashed above me and as I glanced up I found a fairy with a tattoo of a black flame on its forhead, I was about to strike it down but it mouthed a few words causing an unholy rage to erupt through my body.
"Please, help us.....help us.... please..... help us.... please.... he-" It continued mouthing those words even as it began to slowly burn being forced to fly back to the forest.
"Advance." I said cruelly my voice sounding like a fierce blizzard.
"Their entrenched up on the hill to the west, three units of two hundred men are lying in ambush with a main force of four hundred men in the center inside the encampment." One brave fairy mouthed to me as it flew over our formation.
How dare they.
To take freedom's so lightly.
Killing in war is one thing, but everyone who goes is a willing participant fighting for what they believe, not slaves forced to die for a small bowl of whatever they can scrounge up.
I hate this... this feeling... so this is hatred?
Indeed, it burns like love but it does not feel warm, it burns like a fire in my belly, not a warmth in my heart.
Hatred.
I see.
So this is the feeling of hatred....
"....I'll slaughter all of them." I muttered coldly slapping two arrows out of the air with my sabers, "No one will escape my wrath."
"L-lord?" Alias' said fearfully, what kind of expression must I have for the happy go lucky Alias to call me 'lord' in such a fearing tone?
I need to calm down, now.
A good boy doesn't get mad.
No that's not right.
A good man does not let anger control him.
I am not the boy who was abused, I am not the man who fought just to survive constantly in death's sight, I can make my own choices.
I will do something of my volition.
I will wipe them out.
Suddenly I felt a surge of warmth from my core spreading throughout my whole body as I stepped forward, every step a little heavier, the air a little harder to breath.
Hearing the battle cries from the west I'm sure that Netman's group has engaged combat with the four hundred men on the western flank.
Looking east several hundred men like ants could be seen running to reinforce right before my eyes.
"Charge them." I shouted furiously taking point of the charge.
I'm faster? Too fast I'm gonna fall!
Swinging my sabers quickly the feeling of resistence from the armors of the enemy helped me to stabalize myself mid charge.
Immediately the battle began raging, no one could step into my saber's range or else they would be turned to sushi completely unable to resist my raw strength.
I am much stronger, and faster.
What is this warmth? What is it?
As I continued to battle I began to get lost in my own thoughts and feelings pertaining to this warmth travelling through me, it feel's the same way as the day that the Scarlet Demon Wolf cape saved my life, but this feels much more natural, much more intimate.
By the time I realized I was already in the center of the enemy foramtion, the energy? Let's call it energy for now, had through my movements spread out to area's where I normally gathered my strength and began to strengthen it helping the movement's to come with more ease.
"L...ord....! The main camp is charging! Agashi!" Alias screamed over the sounds of battle bringing me back to my sense.
"Main camp?" I said confusedly, wait, flicking my head north I saw a large group of fairies flying all around a certain woman in a nice dress, all of the fairies looking miserable with an air of certain death around them.
Despicable.