The forty soldiers quickly divided themselves into separate units. Since these were basic ground troops they were only equipped with basic armor and weapons.
A group of them stood at the front, each equipped with a massive rectangular shield that covered their bodies. Behind them, another group of soldiers raised their pikes into the air, waiting for the initial wave of Scorching Hands to crash into the wall of shields.
And finally, the last group of soldiers was busy loading their muskets, stuffing the gunpowder down the barrel and preparing to fire at any beast that passes the shields. They assembled quickly and efficiently and utilized an appropriate strategy given their environment.
Emile was impressed.
Meanwhile, the Scorching Hands burned through the stone ground they bludgeoned through. Large, vile rats with glimmering paws.
Dark gray fur, the tips of which were lit like a candle radiating heat and leaving behind a ghastly trail of smoke. They were the size of large dogs, wolves perhaps, but smaller than truly massive mammals like cows.
They scurried together, blazing up the mountain. They rounded the corner and we're on the last stretch before making contact with the soldiers.
"Guns up!" Mariah ordered.
Since this was considered a training exercise Emile couldn't lead the troops, as such he delegated the job to Mariah who had been in charge up until now.
The musketeers immediately obeyed and drew their weapons. They aimed down their sights, placing their rifles barrel between the gaps of the pikers heads.
Watching from above on a ridge from the mountain, Emile narrowed his eyebrows.
'Won't the blast from the rifles deafen all the soldiers?'
"On my mark—" Mariah raised her arm and patiently waited for the Scorching Hands to get closer, "fire!"
The musketeers fired in unison. A loud bang echoed throughout the mountains and a cloud of smoke erupted into the sky.
Instantaneously, the first line of Scorching Hands crumbled. Their bodies hit the ground and tumbled forward while their brethren stomped on their corpses: crushing, ripping, breaking their bodies to smithereens.
The second wave slammed into the shields and the soldiers slightly buckled, but held strong. The moment the beasts rammed into the shields, however, the pikes entered the fray.
A pike is a unique variation of the spear. It still has a spear tip for piercing attacks, but alongside the spear tip an ax protrudes out for crushing blows.
The pikemen slammed their pikes down, penetrating the skulls of countless Scorching Hands. After the second wave, the pikemen drew their weapons back and began an onslaught of pierces over the shield-men's shoulders.
Like that, the group of Scorching Hands were annihilated. Each group of soldiers performed their duties to a tee, although Emile was unsure why none of them utilized their Gift.
Emile and his crew casually strode down the ridge. By the time they arrived at the frontlines the monster's corpses had already dissipated and the soldiers were standing at attention, reorganized in four rows of ten.
"That was excellent—" Emile began while walking up to Mariah, "although I am curious how your ears are feeling after that blast."
"For the time being they'll be hard of hearing, but in under an hour they'll be back to normal," Mariah responded for the group.
"What if you needed to give out more orders? Could they hear you over the battle?" Emile asked.
"I was confident they would be able to eliminate the threat with that strategy alone."
"What if more arrived? Or Locusts swung down from above? The battlefield is ever changing, you need to be prepared for any and all circumstances." Emile lectured, thankful he spent so much time playing video games back on Earth.
"Also—" he continued, "how come nobody used their Gift?"
Mariah's eyes widened, clearly taken aback by Emile's question.
"Essence is a limited resource in a battle, Gifts are not to be used unless ordered to do so or one's life is in danger. In addition, many Gifts have crowd-control effects. Using them next to our comrades can be dangerous."
Emile locked eyes with Mariah. His facial expression remained neutral, but he didn't speak.
'Unless ordered to do so?'
'What?'
'They've intentionally reduced themselves to mere humans, but why?'
'Essence is a limited resource? So she took into account the possibility of a future battle today, but didn't take into account the fact that nobody could hear her?'
Emile made up his mind, now wasn't the time to correct the soldiers. They need to remain calm and confident for the duration of crossing the mountains, once they begin to build their main base Emile will review this battle with them.
"It was an excellent battle, you are dismissed!" Emile shouted, "But Mariah, please come with me for a second."
Emile, Willow, Blood, and Mariah separated from the rest of the soldiers. They found the furthest tent from the camp and entered.
Emile took a seat, Willow sat next to him and Blood remained outside, preventing anyone from eavesdropping or entering uninvited.
For an uncomfortable length of time, the three of them sat in the tent in silence. Emile glanced over at Willow, surprised she hadn't said anything thus far.
"Was—was there a problem with the battle?" Mariah asked, stuttering for the first time.
Curious as to what Willow was thinking, Emile passed the question onto her:
"What do you think, Willow? Was there a problem?"
"More than I'd like to admit," she replied bluntly.
"I agree," Emile added.
Immediately Mariah's face dropped. Her eyes darted around the room, avoiding eye contact with the two Elder's before her.
"I—I thought you said it was excellent!" She pleaded.
"Mariah what rank are you?" Emile asked, cutting to the chase.
The tattooed girl shot up and immediately folded her arm into a salute.
"Graduated top of my class two years ago! Beginner Enlightened stage, sir!"
Emile and Willow both glanced at one another then returned to observing the girl before them. Willow, being from Black Gate's military system, was unused to the excessive importance placed on honorifics and titles.
And Emile was just from Earth, a guy with a non-military background, he too was uncomfortable with how everyone treated him now.
"A recent graduate was placed in charge of escorting the convoy through the white dunes, through the mountains, and to the frontlines of our enemy?" Emile asked, "Is that correct?"
Mariah's body instinctively wanted to answer, but she quickly bit her tongue the moment she understood Elder Spright's question. She was useless, at least that's how she understood it.
"Yes sir." She answered under her breath.
"How did you even get appointed to this mission?" Emile asked, still confused at the current situation.
"My mother is part of the Council. It's always been my dream to adventure around the world like the heroes of the past, so she fought to put me here…"
Emile sighed and buried his face in his hands while Willow rolled her eyes beside him.
'Why does politics have to ruin everything?'