After that incantation, a swirling inferno of bluish flame surges from the thin air, the sheer size was enough to cremate ten men at once. It launched onto the fortress' stone gates, roaring aloud as if thousands demons combined into one. Before it crashes onto the fortress, Darius ordered the archers to brace for impact.
The fortress shook violently, black smoke soared high above in the sky, everybody in Darius' side fell silent after they witnessed such a devastating Advanced Spell, Brisingr.
Once the black smoke dissipates, the Baron's army roared victoriously when they saw the sturdy stone gates were destroyed into rubbles.
Baron Roger sneers wide from ear to ear, pleased by the result. "Hehe! Hiring a Rank 2 Mage is sure very useful. So what if they built a shabby fortress wall if I can bring it down with a single spell?!"
On the other hand, Darius' men atop the battlements were panicked.
"Chief! The gates have been breached! The village will be invaded at this rate!" Exclaimed one of the archers.
"Keep firing, aim for their horses!"
Darius, however, was as calm as a mountain lake, not even a ripple of wavered mind shown on his face. Anything could happen in the battle, there will be countless variables that were unaccounted for, including the fact that there's a Rank 2 Mage on enemy's side.
Nevertheless, it was a well-calculated sacrifice to lure the enemies to get closer.
"Knights! Forward!" The Baron commanding voice reached the cavalry.
Twenty knights donned in an enchanted full body armor charged forward, their jet-black steel was charging ferociously like an unstoppable tsunami. The arrows couldn't do anything to the steel body armor, each was deflected like a pebble which was thrown in to a wall.
Even Skallgard's elite archers weren't able to penetrate the weak points on their armor. Frustrated, the mute archer opted to aim for the horses' legs even though it would be such waste to kill such fine horses. Well, at least their meat would be nice delicacies for the exhausted impromptu troops.
Half of the mighty warhorses were incapacitated by a single archer and outwitted years of painstaking efforts to produce magic-enchancted knights.
Noticing, eleven archers shooting volleys of arrows through the dense foliage of trees, Baron Roger gave a signal to one of his mages to go after them, and they did as ordered.
Skallgard signaled his subordinates to retreat as bolts of magic spells were raining towards their direction, hunting them relentlessly. Rank 1 Mage against ten mortal archers, the difference was too overbearing. The elite archers can't do anything but to run for their life.
As the situation seems so bleak and no hopes for surviving the onslaught, Skallgard halted his feet, skidding on the ground for a dozen meters.
Undaunted by the Mage's suppressing Mana Field, Skallgard aimed his arrow towards the mage's throat.
The Rank 1 Mage who was chasing after him sneered wide. "Hahaha! You want to fight me with that flimsy twig of yours!? How funny, hahaha! Very well, I'll grant you the death you wished for!"
As the mage casted his spell, Skallgard unleashed the seal that has been suppressing his true form for all these years. His skin turned as white as the first snowfall in the winter, revealing the colorful runes that were tattooed on his whole body. Meanwhile, his eyes shone brilliantly in bluish light, shocking the mage upon recognizing Skallgard's true nature.
"I-impossible! Ein–"
Snap!
An arrow pierced his throat before he could even finished his words. Leaving only a bloody hole below his chin.
Skallgard turn his attention toward the Rank 2 Mage, picking the strayed arrows in the battlefield, the mute archer began to rain the mage with volleys of endless arrows.
Skallgard's bowstring echoes throughout the battlefield, awakening the ancient power that had been in slumber within Bjorn and Andhrimnir's body. The Bifrost.
While Skallgard kept the mages busy, Bjorn and Andhrimnir stepped out of the fortress.
Bjorn was elated, laughing vigorously when his heart beating so loud like a war drum. His body transformed from mere mortal into the most badass warrior that Darius had ever seen. Hundreds of runic tattoos adorned his topless, well-built torso.
"O, Freya! My Goddess of War! I beseech upon thee! Grant me the most glorious death in this battle."
"Warchief!" Bjorn turned to Darius who was bewildered upon seeing their transformation from atop the battlements.
"Witness us!"
He felt a tad heavy in his heart. But, he had to honor their wish to die honourably in the battlefield and he couldn't possibly tells them no. Saving their lifes would only taint their resolve and dignity as proud warriors.
"Witnessed." Darius finally remarked under his breath after a brief moment.
Thus, Andhrimnir unsheathed his blades and roared to the top of his lungs.
"TO VALHALLA!"
The two Einherjars flung themselves into the fray, ransacking the rank of the knights with a beastly ferocity while their archer friend was busy with the enemy's back line.
Bjorn rushed ahead, brandishing the waraxe on his back with one swift movement, and started smashing through the enemy line. His powerful swings forced off all the close enemies with the closest one not even having time to react before the horse and the man were cleaved into twain.
On his side, Andhrimnir, the butcher, displayed his prowess in hacking and slashing the enemies into heap of meats here and there. He was smiling from ear to ear like a psychopath as the blood battered his body.
"Yehahaha! Who's next?! My blades hasn't had enough!" Andhrimnir usual calm and collected demeanor was no more. He was an absolute killing machine with his twin blades.
As the stench of the blood mixed with human's guts permeated in the air, Old Fang and his pack couldn't held their primal instinct to join the fight and tasting the blood!
Awooooo!
Old Fang let out a hauntingly beautiful howl that lasted for a minute or so. Afterward, a dozen of Snow Wolves joined the fray.
Notwithstanding their wounded bodies, the two badass warriors keep pressing forward fearlessly. Even the death itself would shudder in fear upon witnessing their bravery.
Steel armours collided with sharp teeth and claws. Blades against blades, a waraxe split the skulls. The knights couldn't even hold a candle against their primeval instinct. Blood spurts out like a water fountain from headless bodies, severed limbs and heap of meats littered the battlefield. A perfect depiction of hell it self.
"Stred Mik!" Bjorn cursed loudly, pulling our a sword out of his abdomen. He didn't even winced in the slightest when the sword leaving a sizeable gaping wound.
"Dying already?" Andhrimnir quipped on his side. He was no better than Bjorn, his body was battered with dozens of cuts and stabs.
"Not even close. Ain't no way this ogre's toothpick would kill me!"
"Truly. Humans of this world are very strong compared to living fossils like us. Well, at least, we died in a battle." Andhrimnir finally fell into his knees.
Skallgard, meanwhile, was standing in trance state, multiple holes decorated his body. Some pierced through his body and the others scorch his skin to crisp.
However, he feel no pain at all. His sheer will to kill the mages was the only thing that kept him standing straight on his feet.
Darius shed no tears. He lift his chin upright as he strode upon the bloodied soil with a dignified expression.
"You fought well. Both of you."
Bjorn chuckled, holding his guts from spilling outward. "Hahaha! Your father, King Arthur, promised us, the Einherjars, a great fucking battle where we can die with honor! But, for odin's bald head's shake, humans of this plain is freakishly strong! We can't even fight in a grand battle!''
"Regardless, this is not so bad." Andhrimnir remarked.
There were so many questions in Darius' head regarding their origins. But, he opted to respect their last moments.
"Chief." Bjorn finally collapsed on his back, "When the battle is over, send our dead bodies to the sea atop a blazing ship. That's all."
"I will grant your wish." Darius nodded.