Ten minutes had passed. Ronalt and Earnest fought side by side but now against the Empire's men. Each one individually couldn't even compare to them. Even the gilded Knights of the Empire barely reached their prowess. This wasn't one on one however. The bodies began to pile up as nothing was held back. Giving mercy now would lead to our deaths. Thankfully it looked like Taylor had done her job and stemmed the tide of reinforcements toward us. Her skill at disrupting the enemy's chain of command confused them and the less organized they were, the longer we could hold out. Still as the minutes passed so did our vitality decrease. The traps I had laid down were practically gone and even my extra supply of arrows dwindled to a few.
"Marley I'm moving up," I spoke to the girl tiredly. Her hammer had already been bloodied.
"Roger that," she saluted and pressed her hand on my back. A small wave passed through me spreading life into my muscles.
"Thanks… if it comes to it, run." I turned and faced her earnestly. "Take Pina and ride as far as you can."
She smiled brightly and without a doubt in her mind spoke, "I'd rather die."
I couldn't help laugh and shake my head, "Please don't. Lara would kill me."
"Just go already, I can handle my own," she replied firmly.
"Roger that," I saluted her in reply and headed through the trees to where the real battle was.
I found Caius first. He leaned with his sword drawn. Dried blood plastered his arm where his armour had been cracked. Dozens of the gilded knights faced him backed by several more soldiers. Despite their numbers they approached cautiously and for good reason represented by the corpses of their fallen comrades.
Caius straightened his back, "Afraid?"
"The Empire will never falter," the leading knight proclaimed.
"So you have said," Caius smirked. He was acting incredibly cocky for someone who was surrounded. "I'll give you all a chance. Run now and perhaps I won't kill you." Oh… damn he was being pressured. It was something I did even now. When fighting became a bother or things weren't looking good, lie through your teeth to get the upper hand.
The leading knight stood tall, "For the Empi-," a thin beam shot from Caius' finger piercing his chest. The man fell from the concentrated magic, his eyes white. The knights around him flinched.
"Last chance," Caius stared them down. That last spell, although it looked simple, was much harder to use than it seemed and required a build-up he could only pull off due to their current hesitation.
A voice shouted from the rear, "Do not falter! The enemy is weak. Stand tall for the Empire, stand tall for the world!" The words grated against my ears as my eyes turned towards the source. General Elroy. He was sitting on a horse just outside the forests edge barely in sight.
"Charge!" the change came suddenly as the knights poured towards Caius. He frowned and hit the ground causing the earth to shake and send clouds of dust into the air.
A hand gripped me, "We're leaving." I let it pull me away as we escaped the searching knights. Unfortunately it didn't take them long to dispel the cloud and track us.
"Here," I passed him a vial to replenish his energy. "That's my last one." Or at least it was the last one I was willing to give away.
He drank it and breathed out as the liquid did its work, "The Hero, is she trapped?"
"You didn't see the flare?" we continued to run through the trees. The occasional explosion of magic behind us and followed by the bolts of crossbows, all of which were repelled by Caius.
"I was distracted," he huffed. "They're a painful lot. I kill one and two more appear, all while their General sits in safety."
"Have you died?" I asked.
"No, though I have come close." Though it might have been handy for Caius to repeat, we both knew the conditions. He had to truly give it his all to stay alive or risk being locked.
I frowned. Our plan required that Caius not get too worn out. "Change tactics, I'll handle the remaining knights. Go and prepare."
"You'll die," he replied bluntly.
"I have a few tricks," I pushed him away. "Now go."
"Good luck," he vanished and the protective barrier around me faded. I knew for a fact he could have at least left that.
A lance made of earth ploughed beside the tree I hid behind, another impaling the other side. I pulled out my bow and looked to the right. A small target hidden among the bushes poked out. Missing now would really screw things up for me. Breathe… and release. The arrow shot out straight on target. A wooden snap broke out soon after. I couldn't believe my eyes and quickly began to ready another arrow. A random bolt had knocked my arrow midair.
"Goddess be damned if I die," I fired again but now there wasn't time to get away. If I left my cover now I'd be lucky to get a breath out before I died. The problem however was my trap would go off with me inside of it…. Certain death versus near certain death. My arrow hit the target. A spark released followed by the hiss of smoke.
"Screw it," I grit my teeth and flushed mana through my system. The familiar pain struck again as I rolled out from the tree. Even with their perception of me disfigured, they still could get a vague feeling and that was enough to fire. The slew of bolts released. My eyes tracked them, burning with a focus I had hardly used as Rain. A glint flashed and my sword swung. The force of the bolt caused me to flinch as it deflected off the sturdy metal. Most misfired but one stuck close piercing my stomach. I scrambled away out of sight, my mana fading from the disruption.
"Over ther-!" one of the soldier's began to scream only for an explosion to rock the earth beneath their feet. The rest of their words were followed by panicked screams as it set off a sudden chain.
I had to run faster. The reaction had been built to destroy a large portion of the forest entrance in a last ditch effort. It wasn't something we were meant to use unless absolutely necessary. The force carried me up and away shaking the bones in my body and causing my muscles to flop to jelly. I hit the ground and rolled several metres like a ragdoll. The bolt in my stomach snapped off along the way.
As the ringing in my ears faded I looked around. Where was I?
"Oh come on!" I grit my teeth and ripped what remained of the bolt from stomach, quickly splashing the contents of a potion on the wound and drinking the rest. Now I really did have nothing and in the worst place. I had been forced to the open edge of the forest. A clear view of the siege on the Magicians Guild spread before me. The tides had evened out without Lara but the Guild was far from winning. Worst still were the remaining soldiers reserved to protect the General and the fact their eyes stared at me clear as day.
"Rain Axel of Axel," General Elroy moved his horse closer even going so far as to tell his men to hold back. Confident bastard. "You've done more than I thought you could. Now where is the Hero?"
"Lara is with us," I grinned to him viciously and stood up.
"Is that so?" he held out a sphere covered with spikes. "My control of her is still as strong as ever."
"You're a real dick you know," I huffed.
"Is that how you should speak to one sparing your life?"
"Oh you're sparing me now are you?" I laughed at him spitefully.
"Surely you didn't think you'd win. You are what, eight? We have an army and your Hero."
"Seven actually but include the Guild and we're about even. Though you're a huge minus to your team. They'd be better without you. Care to just off yourself for me?"
He sniggered, "How entertaining. You still bare your fangs. No knight, no swordsman, no priest or magician. You interest me Rain. A young man picked from nowhere, yet somehow on par with the others."
"What can I say, I'm multi-talented," I shrugged. "If you're really that interested in me, we could always just have a chat. Though I'll be honest, I really hate you."
He nodded, "I understand, you do have reason to after all.
"More than you know," I grit my teeth. If it weren't for the fact I was out in the open, completely surrounded, trying to buy time and in general screwed, I'd gut him on the spot. Even the chain of explosions I had made earlier weren't as effective as I'd like with quite a few of the gilded knights surviving. The only reason they didn't kill me now was because their General.
Elroy smirked and disembarked his horse, "I really would love to chat with you Rain. I'm sure you'd have many stories however I'm a man of action above all else." He drew out a sword with an exceptionally long handle. Add in the golden tracing it really was a sword suited for his position. "How about we duel instead?"
"You really are an asshole," I readied my sword as he pointed his own at me.
"I'll give you an extra. While we fight I'll have my men stay here. Then your friends in the forest might have time to breathe." He had absolute confidence and pocketed the artefact.
"I appreciate the gesture but I'd really rather if you all just bugger off."
"I'll consider it if you win."
"Just saying, I'm going to kill you if I have the chance."
"Likewise," he charged leaping off his forward foot. He was fast, almost as fast as Earnest and as his blade collided with mine it became apparent he had the strength to match. Though not as strong as Lara, against someone like me who could barely use magic to strengthen their body, a single mistake could kill me.
I sprang away from him trying to keep my footwork light as he hounded for me. A confident grin plastered onto his face making me want to punch it off all the more. The clash of steel between us continued with me on the defence. So far his strikes were all clear practice of the Empire's knights, a swordsmanship I had faced and learned before. The knowledge kept me alive. A forward swing followed by a back step and rotational cut. Counter by parry, retreat and hold position. It was textbook. Or at least for the first minute.
The change came abruptly. An awkward thrust that should have been too far away suddenly shot forwards. The blade of his sword cut into my shoulder and whipped out leaving a deep gash. I folded away, barely dodging his next strike as it would have torn off my head. If it weren't for my hones instincts for death that would have been the end.
"Surprised?" General Elroy asked smug.
"You're not a swordsman…," I commented grimly. He was a goddamn spearman. The sword hilt in his hands had extended to the length of a short spear. Weapons like these were what I hated. Unpredictable.
"Well I consider myself multi-talented," he said my words back at me.
As much as I'd like to say I was holding back, I really wasn't. I only had Taylor's technique left and that was a double edged sword. I firmed my resolve and began to flood my body with mana. There was a limit to how much I could use in day even with potions, but if I was going to die anyway, might as well. The wound on my shoulder healed as I focused the mana into magic.
The General laughed, "Amazing! I can barely feel you."
"Don't worry I'll make sure you feel it soon," I let the mana fall away and charged him. He swung pre-emptively with his extended reach. As late as I could I activated my mana, the slight difference caused him to miss. However it was moot as he pulled back switching stance and deflected my blade as if using a sword. Tch, I really hated fighting people like him. My memories and past experience couldn't stack up against new techniques, especially now.
I continued my push, only activating my mana when necessary, trying to spare me from having my heart explode. Despite my added effort the most I had done was a slight scratch on his cheek. Whereas for me, my clothes had been torn even more than they already were and blood seeped from small wounds across my entire body. His sudden changes in style continued to cause me to falter and in a battle where every millisecond counted, I could only stall my defeat.
Finally I faltered, kicked away into the ground. My sword no longer in my hands but sticking in the dirt where it had landed.
"You really don't disappoint," General Elroy stood above me with a vicious grin. "Alas I'll enjoy taking your life. Don't worry I'll look after your Hero."
He raised his spear, the tip pointing towards my neck. Damn it all. In the end I wasn't strong enough as Rain. Frustration pooled inside me, warping my emotions and mind. If I had been Caius none of this would have happened and this time, it really was the end. I hated this feeling, the feeling of being weak and useless. Ever since that day when the humans took me away. The memory scratched through my mind. The villagers and my friends being killed like pigs to the slaughter. My mother screaming. Caius run! But I couldn't. I could barely move let alone run. Then the source of my hatred coming out from the shadows. The same face above me now, that same Goddess be damned smile. He laughed as my mother tried to protect me. He laughed as he killed her and turned his eyes to me. His face, his voice, it all burned into me. My desire for revenge. The need for power to end it all. The emotions that lead me to being Caius, the Demon Lord. The years I spent as a human, as Jane, Lara's best friend, as Rain of Axel, they had numbed the pain to a point I could live with that loss. Right now it came back. A vehement rage.