Ul'lanna followed behind, Yamada and Jacara. The air was thick with anger and irritation. They had heard the roars in the distance, but pressed forward. Both were biding a silent rage. "Ul'lanna, how long is the trip to the Silver City?" Yamada asked. "Roughly five months, the safest route is the longest." Jacara was silent in understanding. They needed to be stay hidden. "And the shortest and fastest route?" Yamada asked. "If we cut across Pest Peak, it will take us only two months to arrive." She said reluctantly. "But that path is filled with Drakens, and isn't worth the risk." Jacara and Yamada shared a mutual glance. "Hey, your father and Gwyneth, wanted you both to be safe. So stick to the plan." She ordered. The two of them shrugged, and kept their heads down marching through the forest. Ul'lanna let out a sigh of relief.
Vexgar and Axilas's division had killed over a hundred Wyrms, and ran themselves ragged. They had still done their job and created space between the Drakens and the Third ring. Yssac's division jogged out, creating a phalanx formation. Behind them Lyn's division jogged out with their arming sword and shield. The two divisions created a barricade, with Lyn and Yssac taking point. Yssac left his hair to flow out under his helmet, and flourished his spear. Lyn wore a rounded helmet and stood by Yssac's side with her arming sword and shield. "PULL BACK!" They ordered. Axilas and Vexgar's division poured back into third ring, ripping off their helmets and collapsing to the ground. They gasped for air, the wind finally touching their skin. The taste of fresh water was heavenly, compared to the blood and sweat they tasted.
Axilas and Vexgar stood over their knights collapsing to the ground in exhaustion, drenched in blood. They could hear Lyn and Yssac's divisions battling off the horde, and felt a sigh of relief. The knights watched as the two of them collapsed. Soel plummeted to the ground, panting and wheezing. She was covered in sweat and picked the two of them up. "Get some water, and food. Be ready to fight again." The knights quivered in fear, as she submerged the two of them into the caverns beneath. Axilas and Vexgar were dumped into a small pool of water to rest. Before Soel could leave, Axilas caught her wrist. "We won't win like this." He said heaving. She pulled her arm away. "Looks like it. But I'm not gonna let those cunts take my home, without killing me first." Axilas snickered and fell back into the water.
Yssac leapt into battle killing Lindworm and Wyrm with a precise and deft motion of the spear. Each slash disembowelled, severed and lacerated flesh. He killed them in a graceful maelstrom of death, following him was Lyn. She fought the way any scribe would describe a knight. Blocking with her shield and killing them with a swift counter strike. The two pushed deep into the swarm, killing everything they could. The drakens that ignored them, rushed into the phalanx or shield wall. They were rebuked by cold steel, hissing and roaring at the terrified knights. Above them shadows of Amphitheres soared above, being cut down by lightning and wind mages. The ones that swooped in, engaged with the knights on the wall. Aerith fell to her knee wheezing, and clutching her chest. She had exhausted her arcane energy, trying to cut them down and to make sure that the area was saturated with oxygen.
Lyn and Yssac grimaced feeling the air grow thinner immediately. Aerith had stopped the magic saturating the air. They begun to pull back cutting their back through the swarm of drakens. The phalanx and shield wall were already crumbling. Fervias stood at the entrance with only fifty knights. They each had two hatches made of Deiridium and silver chains. Fervias stood out amongst them even with his small stature. Wearing no helmet, with his cape flowing and his axes attached to his forearms by golden Orichalcum chains. He twitched unable to contain his excitement, and cracked his neck to the side. Fervias smirked and turned back to his knights, who could be mistaken for barbarians. "What is our creed!?" He shouted. "EVERYTHING IS AN ENEMY!" They chanted back.
They rushed out with a battle cry, following Fervias as he leapt into the swarm of Wyrms and Lindworms. Lyn and Yssac leapt over the frenzied division and retreated back into the Citadel. The phalanx and shield wall followed inside. The sound of crazed screams and dying beast permeated over the wall. Lyn and Yssac threw their helmets aside, gasping for air. All they could taste was draken blood, a familiar, yet undesired taste. Aerith was carried down, by a ragged knight, lying unconscious in her arms. "We need to help her!" She pleaded. "Calm down." Lyn said taking a deep breath. "What do you mean calm down!? We're going to die at this rate!" She shouted, with the others joining her. Lyn stared her down, throwing her sword and shield away. "We're nothing but a distraction. We've played our part. Take her to the Keep." She ordered.
The knights and mages stared around confused and terrified. Who could they have so much faith in, to defend the Citadel from this attack. The sky was littered with Amphitheres swooping down and casting shadows over them. The roars echoed out, and became louder as the beasts grew angrier. Until a brilliant crimson light appeared atop the Keep. A deafening roar echoed out. The Drakens shook and trembled in the presence of one stronger than themselves. A primal instinct to survive took over them. The crimson light shot towards the sky, vaporising a cloud. Fervias and his men pulled back inside drenched in blood, heaving and keeled over for their next breath. "Bout fucking time he woke up." Fervias said, taking a swig of water.
The crimson Ryū coiled around the Keep, clouds of scalding smoke wafting around it. The claws melted the stone. It let out a roar with fire so intense the air became dry instantly. The knights, mages and denizens of the Citadel fell silent in awe. The Second Sun had appeared, after fourteen years. "In terms of raw power. No one beats my Sarang." Aerith said weakly with a proud smile. Cin leapt off the Keep, his long snake body coiled through the air. With a single blast of fire, he incinerated the Amphitheres soaring in the sky to ash instantly. He swooped down, letting out another fiery roar, incinerating the swarm below. Everyone was frozen as the surrounding forest was lit ablaze, the light of the fire radiating over the Third ring. Cin flew high into the sky, hovering above the Citadel. He let out a roar, making everyone cover their ears. A warning to all the enemies of the Citadel, of what lied behind the wall.
Yamada, Jacara and Ul'lanna gazed back seeing Cin in the air. "Come on, we should keep moving." Ul'lanna said. Yamada and Jacara shoved the urge, to go back down their throats. They marched onwards with the sun hitting its peak, until Jacara noticed a reflective glint. It came from the mountains in Pest Peak. "Do you two see that?" He asked walking closer to it. Ul'lanna took a gulp and could see the periodic glints. Tuskdran army had arrived, and crossed over the peaks. "Come on, we need to keep moving." "Which army is that?" Yamada asked, grabbing Harbinger. "It doesn't matter, we need to keep-" "Tuskdran." Jacara said grabbing his pouch. "Oi! Listen, we need to avoid unnecessary fights, and get to the-" Yamada and Jacara took off running. Ul'lanna scrunched her face, sucking on her teeth. She reeled her head back, letting out a long and loud exasperated sigh. "Fuck." She sighed, before jogging after them.
The Tuskdran army had taken three months to march through the peak, weary and ragged from fighting their way through the various Drakens. Their army wore thick fur pelts, carrying spears, edged boomerangs, giant slings and bolas. They carried the flag bearing the symbol of a white Sabre-tooth tiger over a black flag. Leading them was the towering giant riding a woolly mammoth. Itreth wore a fur poncho, made from the pelts of various hunts. He guided the mammoth with a long spear, with the tip made from the fang of Draken. The tired and ragged Tuskdran army came to a sudden stop, by their Itreth's signal. At the base of the mountain side, Yamada and Jacara stood before them, with Jacara huffing. Ul'lanna lagged behind and came to a screeching stop. "Okay, we saw the army, let's go!" She pleaded.
"Who are you three!?" Itreth commanded. "We! Are no one. Come on my friends, let's get out of their way." Ul'lanna said with a nervous smile, linking with Yamada and Jacara's arms. "Jacara Cagim, Mage of the Citadel. Son of Encara Cagim." Ul'lanna's jaw dropped in dismay. "Yamada Ken, Forsaken Knight of the Citadel." Ul'lanna let out a squeak of despair. Itreth smirked and pointed his spear at Ul'lanna. "And who are you Elf?" He said with his deep booming voice. Ul'lanna readied herself with a lie, a way to escape the battle. "I-" "She is Ul'lanna." Jacara declared proudly. Ul'lanna snapped her scowl to Jacara. "Traitor to Kal'Nar and ally to the Citadel!" Yamada declared. Ul'lanna panned her scowl to Yamada. "WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP!?" She shouted, striking them both on the back of their heads.
The Tuskdran army stared on stunned. They had witnessed an Elf woman strike a Forsaken Knight, and the son of Encara, the King of Blessing and Curses. She scowled at the both of them, as they rubbed the back of their heads. "Why are you trying to get me killed!?" She yelled, trying to shake Yamada by his collar, unable to move him. "You owe me your life right?" Yamada asked. "Don't...you fucking dare." She growled. She could tell where he was going. "You'll need to save my life, in order to be even with me right?" He asked with a smug smile. Ul'lanna snarled at him. "I hate you both." She said before sighing, and drawing her weapon. "Ul'lanna Jiyū." Although she declared it proudly, everyone cocked an eyebrow at her, except for Yamada. She glared back at them. "What!" She snapped, her embarrassment showing.
"That is not a name given to an Elf." Itreth stated, lowering his spear. "Yeah, what does that even mean?" Jacara asked in a hushed tone. "It means free." Yamada said summoning his armour. The Tuskdran army jumped back in a wave. They stood in front of the first Forsaken Knight in eight millennia. "You stand three against one hundred thousand soldiers. What do you hope to achieve?" Itreth shouted. However a cloud of doubt hung of their heads. They gazed upon the menacing and nightmarish great sword in Yamada's hand. Harbinger absorbing the sunlight it was meant to reflect. A common tactic from the Citadel, to paint your armour and weapon, a different colour to strike fear.
Jacara and Yamada charged in with a proud roar. Ul'lanna sighed and then followed after them. Itreth let out a battle cry, raising his spear high into the air, his army charged in after him. The roar beasts and men were overshadowed by Yamada's transforming roar. He hurled Harbinger through Itreth's mount, piercing through its skull and launching him off the mount. The Tuskdran army froze, watching Itreth fly across the sky. Before they could comprehend, what had transpired, Jacara held the card of Drown up.
The beast and weary soldiers were hit by a torrent of water. Yamada channelled his arcane energy into the torrent of water, increasing its volume and ferocity. The drenched men and beast, quickly stumbled to the feet. Yamada leapt high into the air, as Jacara drew out the card of Fork. With a slam of the card, thousands of soldiers and beast were felled instantly, in a blinding flash of death and burnt flesh. Ul'lanna watched on in awe, as Jacara had decimated over a hundred soldiers in an instant. Yamada landed by Harbinger, and begun cleave and hack his way through the terrified soldiers. They tried in vain to pierce through his Deiridium armour, unable to slip under the cracks. They surrounded him. Yamada heard the tings of metal snapping against his armour, and the sound of Harbinger cleaving through bone, flesh, leather, wood and steel.
Jacara could see the Tuskdran army filing in, bottle necked by the terrain. He drew the card of Gaia, and hurled it into the mountain side. The mountain side began to rumble and shake violently. "GAIA!" Yamada heard Jacara's yell, and fell to his knee, plunging Harbinger into the pool of blood at his feet. He let out a roar filling the area with his arcane energy. The blood and water grew exponentially, corpses flew into the air. The terrified army attempted to retreat, mustering all their strength to wade and swim through the rising pool of blood. Ul'lanna was frozen unable to find the words to speak. The giant boulders cascaded down the mountain side. The fortunate soldiers still marching down to the fight were blocked off. The unfortunate ones, stuck between facing the Forsaken Knight, were massacred by boulders, and pulverised into a fine paste , with sickening wet crunch.
Ul'lanna trembled and shook in awe. The two of them had no only decimated an army of at least 10,000 troops in nearly an instant. They had also cut off the shortest route to attacking the Citadel. There were still small bands of horrified soldiers, watched as the blood receded, gazing upon their destroyed army and escape path. Yamada and Jacara were heaving lightly, both wearing a proud smile. Ul'lanna raised her katana high into the air. "Tell your army, that this is what two men of the Citadel can do! You go and ask your leader, if they want to fight 100,000 Knights and Mages!" She declared. Yamada and Jacara spun around slowly, as the soldiers fled in terror, desperately trying to move past the destroyed mountain path. They looked at her askance, and slowly made their way to her. "We have 100,000 men and women?" They asked, cocking their heads to the side, like confused synchronised puppies.
Ul'lanna rolled her eyes, and slapped her forehead, letting out a long sigh. "Have you two never heard of scare tactics? Now the Tuskdran army will be hesitant to attack." Yamada and Jacara nodded coming to understand her tactics. She took a deep breath through her nostrils, and let out a long exasperated sigh. This was going to be a long mentally gruelling journey. Yamada is incredibly powerful, fearless and righteous, but he's still an idiot. Jacara is almost the same, except, his idiocy comes from pride, and fearlessness comes from a place of reward. Ul'lanna looked to horizon, with the sun starting to set behind her. "This is going to be a long trip." She sighed.