Two brothers marched towards the distant stronghold. Demon's phantasmal body mirrored Ether's every movement.
[...If you adore your family, I can assume that nightmare might represent something that will come to take them from you. Don't let it.]
"If I see whatever causes that to happen, I am going to chew out its throat like I did in the nightmare with Jakery," Ether angrily replied.
With that, their meeting came to an end. Demon vanished from sight, leaving Ether alone with his battalion.
"Here it is, the final outpost in our hitlist. Stronghold Iheydia," Tinzor marveled.
Sernatacus' jaws hung wide open. Allowing air to flow into his mouth as a method of cooling off.
"Phase two begins today, doesn't it?" He asked, mouth still opened.
"Correct," Ether agreed. "From here, the other battalion will continue pushing forward."
Suth crossed her arms. "Who is part of that team?"
"Jakery, Decka, Silsa, and Kellenas," Ether answered.
Enoptes stomped his foot on the rough terrain. "Let's go and fight. We do not have time for conversations!"
In response, Sernatacus emptied his lungs with a nasty roar. The cue for arrows to takeoff, warriors to charge forward, and elites to back their forces.
Suth and Sernatacus took the lead, letting the rest follow behind them. While Enoptes and Tinzor hurried to catch up with their allies, Ether took his time.
He calmly walked, remembering that hellish nightmare from the night before. Running warriors played a hypnotic rhythm, causing Ether to lose track of where he was going.
Causing him to bump into someone. When he looked up to see who it was, he was greeted by a hooded figure wearing a blank mask.
The black cloak covered their entire body, not letting him see what kind of Variant this was. He looked up at the mask; it stared back it him. While the two were staring at each other, Ether noticed the grey outlines on it.
Before he could utter a word, the figure placed their hand on Ether's chest. Black cloak parted as one single arm made contact with him. The hand itself was covered by black gloves to better hide who this was.
Not long after, it walked past Ether. Careless of what just happened. It startled him, seeing such a creepy character standing so close to him while also having it touch him.
But that didn't matter to him, especially compared to that nightmare. He gripped Tellendor tighter, then charged forward.
Upon reaching the front of the battalion, Ether noticed there were beasts over there helping defend. Except these beasts were not like the ones found in Imbushko.
Instead of aerial threats like Sky Beasts and terrain hunting predators like Stram, a swarm of Glykers caught Variants in their jaws before leaping up into the air.
He watched them come crashing down, head first. And the violent impact after they struck a victim. Their crested heads allowed blunt force to shatter bones, allowing them to get an easy meal out of it.
While he was admiring the beasts from up close. Suth got into a heated battle with one and its rider.
Suth swiped down with her axe, it dodged by flapping its bat-like wings once and floating backwards. The rider threw a spear at her while its mount moved.
Her axe hacked away the projectile, then she spun around. The Glyker charged forward, seeing their victim turning around made them believe they were fleeing. But they were wrong.
A rogue axe came down right onto the back of it's rider's head, killing them instantly. But barely injuring the Glyker.
It growled at Suth, before using its wings as support to hold their body up while their two massive legs bolted towards her.
Suth quickly threw her axe beside the right wing, then she threw herself forward. She ducked before hitting the ground, allowing her to spin back on her feet. Her hands grabbed the axe and slashed the wing.
The Glyker quickly retreated with a flash of purple. It rose both wings, hoping to scare away the attacker. But to no use.
Sernatacus jumped on its back while it was busy, then began to pull its head back with its two giant ears. The beast screeched as it struggled for control.
Suth readied her axe as she jumped up to the center of the beast. Her axe came down right on its chest, draining all the creature's stamina.
"You're a big strong girl, hm?" Sernatacus complimented, while manhandling the beast to the ground. "Do you have a mate as strong as you?"
He planted his foot over the beast's chin, giving enough space on the neck for a sharp object to come and slice it open. Which Suth did.
The head of the Glyker lifelessly laid beside its body. Ending the heated battle between the two.
"Well, do you?" Sernatacus pressed again.
"By the sound of it, I caught your attention. Sorry, I'm only interested in other Thawed," Suth swiftly replied.
The gates to the stronghold opened, revealing not a row of armored warriors. But several new species from Yarno.
Sarorin, or as natives call them, 'Crazed Charger.' These four-legged beasts have barely any fur, making them suitable for Yarno's more competitive valleys and plains.
Thick and sturdy blubber coats their entire bodies in brown. Leaving one large horn pointed down, expanding from their forehead.
Two Sarorin stormed toward them. Heads low, horn pointed to them. Each beast shook the earth beneath them as they aggressively charged through.
Suth and Sernatacus moved out of the way in time to allow the beasts to continue rushing towards other Infinus forces. Which didn't help.
"DAMMIT! THOSE BEASTS ARE PIERCING OUR DEFENSES!" Enoptes notified Ether and Tinzor.
Both Zegi understood what this meant. If they wanted to survive, they had to pull back.
"Tinzor, run back and tell archers to focus on the beasts. Enoptes, give orders to warriors about our retreat. We cannot handle this stronghold with our current equipment," Ether ordered.
"How about you?" Tinzor swiftly replied.
Ether's visors blankly stared at Tinzor's helmet. "There's Variants that need back up in the front. I will stand there as a final resort. Go, go and help me help our people."
Tinzor backed up, running back to the archers to inform them about their new targets. Enoptes began yelling orders to retreat, making Ether run towards the fire.
His footsteps felt light on him, notifying him he was entering a focused state of mind. A shadow cast itself over the Infinus Legion.
At first, Ether believed these were the arrows he requested. But soon came to find out they were enemy fire. Bolts landed all around him. Into shields, Variants, the ground. And some into him.
Instead of struggling with the pain, Ether silenced it. He used his left hand to rip out the arrows that penetrated his body.
Variants ran towards him while he ran towards them. But not everyone could retreat like these. Ether was starting to see this as he got closer to the front.
"Commune... one more..." a voice ordered.
With that, Tellendor and Ether came to life in a blinding fire. It was so bright, the world around them seemed almost dark in comparison. Making Ether seem like the center of attention.
In a way, he was.
Suth signaled over to Sernatacus they needed to move back. But he ignored her gestures.
The Feral pounced on an incoming Glyker. Realizing it was useless standing there, Suth retreated. She passed the glowing Ether while on her way out.
"Whatever you are, entity that grants me these powers. I am going to prove myself worthy of a Third Rule today. Trust me," Ether whispered to himself.
The Zesher leapt up to the same Glyker Sernatacus was fighting. Just before reaching his ally, the Glyker flung its attacker off.
Sernatacus landed on the rocky floor, before quickly recovering and looking around for any incoming threats.
Ether brought Tellendor's blade below the Glyker's chin, giving him complete control of the outcome. And also removing time for the Glyker to dodge the incoming Sarorin horn.
One giant horn penetrated the entire chest and stomach of the beast. Before the Sarorin could shake the kill off itself, Ether jumped onto its back. Driving Tellendor into its spine.
Normally, the weapon wouldn't cut that deep. But this time, Tellendor's killing prowess has exceeded its own limits. Allowing the tip of the sword to cut deep into the spine.
The attack severed the spinal cord, causing the beast to collapse to the ground.
He swiped Tellendor several times, unleashing flaming blades that injured incoming threats. Ether turned his attention to Sernatacus.
"Go back. There is no shame in survival," he ordered.
Despite wanting to continue fighting, Sernatacus knew this stronghold was too much for them. They would need Weavers, Sky Beasts, Cemtrin, and other apex predators to tackle these creatures down.
He quickly ran back to safety as a barrage of arrows rained down on Ether and the beast. Marking the end of their first attack against the Light Legion's Yarno outskirts.