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Nine hundred twenty-second year from the creation of the Council of the Great Clans. On the plateau of Aranor, which is located on the lands of the great clan Vyse, two armies clashed. One belonged to the small Rid clan, and the other to the middle Aphrey clan. The first attacked, the second defended, taking up a position on the plateau itself, and from above poured rain of arrows on their enemies.
In the lands of the Vyse clan, conflicts happen systematically, so this spectacle was not surprising ... The only thing that is unique about this battle is that the small Reed clan received the permission of the Vyse clan to seize power from the middle Aphrey clan, apparently, the great clan became disillusioned with their vassal.
Defeating the middle clan is difficult even if the good clan is received from the great clan... The Reed clan has good development prospects, but at the moment it is still an impossible task for them. But you won't be able to retreat either, since the opportunity to become an average clan is not lying on the road ...
Therefore, the head of the Reed clan, Leonard Reed, decided to recruit strong mercenaries, despite the fact that because of this, a significant part of the accumulated capital had to be given away. The investment was risky, but if successful, it will pay for itself with a torus ...
Temporarily, three demigods known for their strength and skill entered the squad of the small Reid clan. Arvin Shire is a mid-ranking fire demigod who became famous not so long ago, a young and talented guy who has only recently survived his third decade. Viral Trebon is a mid-ranking demigod of ice, an experienced ranger, and in his fifty years has managed to kill many with ice arrows.
The last demigod hired by the small Reed clan was really special... His name was Joven Freeman, he was already an old veteran who had gone through a huge number of battles. Many believe that it is he who deserves to be called the strongest demigod of lightning on the Arandir continent. His nickname is «Striking from Heaven».
It was very difficult to hire him, a man shamelessly took for his services ... True, it is worth giving him his due, he worked out every coin. It was on him that the head of the Reed clan made the main bet.
«Yeah, as long as I live, but it's still the same thing,» sighed a tall and muscular man, with long gray hair tied in a ponytail and a lush, slightly sloppy beard. So much blood spilled, and all for what? To satisfy the desires of power-hungry people...
«Looking at your old age, philosophical thoughts struck you ...» ViralTrebon said, approaching the man from behind.
«Maybe so, you will live your whole life on the battlefield, and not such thoughts will come into your head,» Joven Freeman grumbled.
«I heard rumors that you are passionately fond of war, apparently this is fiction ...» said Arvin Shire, who came up behind Viral.
«You need to love by accepting shortcomings, and not blindly ignoring them or hating them at all,» the old man answered wisely. — If your husband beats you, you don't need to endure ... You can accept it and fall in love, then it will become easier. Also, the wife, if she went on a spree, then do not be sad and angry, think a little ... Maybe you even like it ...
Viral and Arvin looked at each other and collectively decided not to ask any more questions to this obviously crazy old man, who, despite his great fame and fighting prowess, still lost his common sense...
«Shut up...» Joven snorted. — Better go into battle, maybe at least there you will be of some use. And then, to be honest, you are not very interlocutors ...
The two demigods silently nodded and walked towards the rows of knights who had taken cover under their shields. Arrows rained down on them from above in endless hail. The Aphrey clan took up a position at the top of the plateau, which made it very difficult for the Rid clan to attack...
Each side of the conflict had about seventy thousand warriors, but there were much more knights and magicians in the Aphrey clan. It was also obvious that there was a difference in the amount of resources, the people of the Afrey clan were also much better armed, which is why they pour arrows of which there are still many in the stash.
Arvin Shire quickly overcame the formation, and began to quickly rise to the plateau, deflecting arrows with fire, simply burning them. ViralTrebon followed him, but kept at a considerable distance, holding his bow at the ready.
The warriors of the Aphrey clan, who were in the first line of formation and ready to meet the enemy's advance, felt chills and indescribable horror. Seeing Arvin and Viral, who were confidently heading straight for them, they perfectly understood what kind of fate awaited them...
Why didn't you go to battle? Joven was approached by Leonard Reed, who is a mid-ranking demigod of ice.
The man was obviously dissatisfied with this development of events, his warriors were losing, there were fewer magicians and knights, the weapons were worse. In addition, the enemy, the Aphrey clan, had three demigods, and they were all of medium rank... While the Reed clan had only two of them, he and his son, a young lad who was still a demigod of low rank .
«I need them to draw the enemy's attention to themselves,» Joven replied relaxed. — Look, everything is as I wanted, there they are, my dears, they crawled out ...
The three men appeared on a small hill, from which it was convenient to observe the battlefield, so they could better see Arvin and Viral, who had already wedged into the enemy formation and began to mow down lives like grass, burning some, freezing others to death.
«I'm already many years old, running around and fussing at my age is somehow not respectable, don't you think so?» Joven asked with a grin that clearly played on his wrinkled face and thick beard. «You probably don't know, but they don't just call me smashing from heaven ...
An impressive spear appeared in the man's right hand in the blink of an eye, it was simple, uncomplicated, but fulfilled its functions. Joven took position, took a deep breath of air, and then scattered.
Having run in the blink of an eye from a dozen meters, he activated his divine spark... His body was covered with lightning discharges, magical energy gushed around, forcing those around him to freeze in animal horror and awe before his colossal power. Lightning traveled down his arm straight towards the spear, Joven stopped abruptly and then hurled the spear high into the sky with a quick movement.
«Ha ha ha, that's what they pay me so much for,» the old man laughed, and then turned to the shocked Leonard Reid with a sly smile.
The head of the Reid clan looked into the distance, right at the hill on which all three demigods of the Aphrey clan stood. At the same moment, a bright flash of purple light fell on them from the sky... Thunder rolled across the battlefield, causing the eardrums of many soldiers to burst at their loudness.
«Minus one,» Joven snorted. — The rest survived, but in battle they are of little use now ...
The head of the Aphrey clan was lying more than a hundred meters from the place where he had been a moment ago. His body was charred and mutilated beyond recognition, and in the center of his chest was a spear that was thrown by Joven Freeman. The other two demigods were still alive, but had suffered severe injuries that rendered them unable to fight.
Leonard Reed's face lit up with joy, in his soul he already rejoiced and foresaw the imminent victory and elevation of his clan to the middle rank...
However, at the same moment, the triumph of the Reed clan was overshadowed ... In the enemy ranks, where Arvin Shire and Viral Trebon had massacred, a purple flash suddenly flashed, similar to the one that was during the attack of the Sky Striker. There was a thunderclap...
The battlefield fell silent, the powerful demigod Joven Freeman furrowed his brows, and Leonard Reed, who was standing at a distance, changed his glee to surprise. Then, as soon as the peals of thunder stopped, an object unexpectedly flew to the feet of the «Striking from Heaven» ...
«Arvin...» Leonard said, barely recognizing the charred and brutally severed head at Joven's feet as one of the demigods he had hired to fight.
Soon, thinking about what had happened, they both raised their heads... There, in the middle of the enemy formation, stood a tall man, around whom lightning streamed. His violet eyes looked at them with mockery, as if mocking...
«It flew well,» he said, smoothing his mustache with his hand.