Legatus Maya POV
Several minutes before the attack on the convoy, I was stationed at the rear of the convoy with Legatus Ong Dang of the Thunderclap squadron. A squad consisting of twelve members, many of whom were Fulgurians with lightning or flash affinities and other affinitors from different countries. Their Capitaneus was no other than Jazeera Yangon the Lightning elemento of Fulgur, but he was not taking point in this mission, my Capitaneus was. Who by rumour was next in line to being the next elemento warrior, his success in this mission would be one of the many challenges he would have to overcome to keep his succession, I suppose. We have been getting missions back to back, and Dakila has been doing a lot of A-class and S-class missions alone, so it might not be a speculation that he is being evaluated for the position.
It would have been nice, though, to have an elemento on this mission, but they have other important missions and duties. Some of which are keeping those ignorant fools who sovereign the nation from making drastic decisions in this war. Like, Lord Justice once said there's nothing more dangerous than an incompetent ally. They serve mostly now as liaison for the Creed father and mother to royals and their generals. After all, one mishap from either side could lead to chaos, I won't let my brother's sacrifice be for nothing. There are only three ways this war could go. The first would be to attack Metallum with our full forces as the Creed and with the aid of the royal forces. The second would be to pick off the Terragon strongest members, the five, one by one, using the boy or the third would be to kill the boy. He truly is special, sharing the same affinity as the legendary Master Ryden, who is said to be the strongest human in the world. Will that child also hold that title? Preposterous an affinity doesn't make you great.
"This mission would have been a lot smoother if we had the Capitaneus here with us." Legatus Ong voiced, knocking me out of thought.
"With an elemento here, it would have notified the enemy that this convoy would be the convoy that has the boy, with us having multiple convoys travelling to Electrum. We leaked information that any of which had the boy who was attacked in the past few days. The enemy hopefully now thinks that this convoy is also a decoy. Having a powerful elemento taking point would play against us, the enemy would be convinced that this convoy in fact has the boy. Playing it like this leaves the Terragons to stretch their spies and forces thin on our borders, they now have to attack all the convoys to search for the boy and we can capitalise by weeding out their forces." I explained to the man opposite me—rank Elementiss high-tier
"I know that, Maya." He smirked.
"Then start acting like it, and don't call me just by my first name."
"Aww come on now, do we have to be formal now? Don't you remember last weekend." He grinned even wider. "We didn't call each other by rank then, and why should we now."
He is referring to my moment of weakness after I got word I would be a part of this mission. "I was just blowing off steam, and we don't discuss private matters on a mission that is the creed."
"Alright alright, I'm just saying, since the existence of spies in our ranks have been confirmed. How do we know that the enemy doesn't already know which convoy has the boy, and they might simply avoid all of the decoys and attack here."
A valid point, if one of the Terragons appeared, I have been ordered to flashpoint Lord Justice himself, with his ability we could escape. But the idea of running away doesn't sit well with me, and relying on that child just infuriates me to a certain extent. Why did we bet on this plan? Why can't the Divinus fight the Terragons themselves? Why couldn't we attack Metallum as a whole? The Creed is more than powerful enough to end this war all by itself, and yet here we are in a standoff like cowards. I'm not the only one who feels this way, but all those who have spoken against the higher-ups quickly were put in their place by Lady Rosalind and the Oracle.
And then my brother Kaya died retrieving that smug brat for a stupid plan that we don't have any guarantee will work. What makes them think that this kid will succeed where Capitaneus and Elementos have failed.
"How higher up in the ranks do you think the spies are in the Creed?" The girl sitting next to Ong spoke. What was her name again? Mila of house Kova in Aqua—rank Elementiss low-tier, she's a water Creos. I just hate that the Creed is full of these snotty nobles like her, who, through their family connections, rose in ranks a lot easier than the rest of us. Even though I, too , am a noble, my house prides itself on its proper work ethics, a value I hold true till this day.
"There's probably a few Elementa or even an Elemento that's a spy, but that's my guess" I answered nonchalantly but the thought of having traitors so high up in ranks is a scary thought. If upon secretly investigating someone who is rank Elementa or an Elemento warrior to find out they are a spy, staying alive long enough to report it would be an issue. Especially if they were stronger or more believed than me, my death would be imminent, or they could easily frame me by pointing the finger. Who would people believe more the ranking officer or the out ranked officer.
"Yeah I would not be surprised seeing as even Lieutenant Generals in some nations have been found out with some nobles." Ong interjected.
"Makes you wonder, can we trust some noble houses?" I directed to the woman with long black hair opposite me.
"If you have something to say, please don't dance around the bush and just say it." she responded
"Easy now, ladies, we are all allies here."
"How can we be so sure, afterall the Kovo house is part of the noble faction in Aqua that is against the refugging of Metallumians in your country."
"That doesn't mean we would side with the enemy!"
"As far as I am concerned, if Terragons arrive here, I will survive. I'll interrogate you first."
"Really, and how can we be sure that you aren't a spy? After all, your brother may not be dead but held captive."
"He's dead!" I burst out, anger swelling my every vein, she is implying that me and my family may have my brother being used as a bargain exchange. Though I would prefer that than reality
"Did you see a body!?"
"I don't need to. He's now one of those things." I'm referring to the resurrections controlled by Kreetess Terragon's Perdita of Necromancy.
"Mila!!" Ong shouted. "No more words out of you."
"But."
"That's an order! please, Legatus Maya, forgive my subordinate." As he said this, the woman turned her head to the mosaic beside her.
"Keep a tight leash before I do it for you and you, don't ever talk about my brother again." I hissed.
Singing interrupted what was going to be Mila's response, Dakila signalled that there were enemies in front of us.
" When I was four, I would climb the North tree, but now I'm forty, I only swim in the East River "
"What a pleasant voice." Mila commented. "If only all the Flash Tyrants could soothe a crowd whenever they opened their mouths."
"Now who's dancing around the bush." I said. "The message is that there are forty enemies inbound some in the treetops ahead, many of which are fire and wind affinitors, so your water is going to be needed. I'll handle the Flash Artemers flashports your guys will deal with directly."
"And I'll watch over you, Legatus." Ong interjected, causing an eye roll on my side.
"Better you than me."
Silence followed, but the tension between me and I lasted until we lost the natural light of the moon. We had entered the forest, and the ambush would begin soon. I tightened my grip around one half of my spear the deeper we went into the wilderness, although I wouldn't have any need of it, if all goes to plan.
"Attack!!" a voice echoed throughout the forest. It belonged to the enemy, probably their leader. Screams echoed from the descending bandits.
Legatus Ong took this as his signal to battle as well. The coach swayed as our two coachmen took to battle. Ong burst out the door, grinning and clearing out two bandits that landed in front of him with easy crossbar skill. Mila followed with a chant as she left the coach.
"Water Creo: water shield."
Water appeared from the chi she released as if from thin air, a shield of water was forged.
"Lighting Art: Clad!" Lighting enveloped Ong as if he too was a Flash Artemer, but his lighting was not for show, but to electrocute and strike down his foes. The two bandits he had brought down stood and shook off the humiliation of their takedowns. They brandished their swords as a form of intimidation, but Ong had none of it, and it was noticeable. They took to arms and quickly stepped back, reason being reinforcements came. The roof was disturbed by the landing of another bandit, and another arrived to corner my comrades. It was obvious to these hoodlums that one would act as the attacker and Mila as the shield, as they were instructed to do so for me. The bandit on the roof levelled with everyone, and the four men surrounded my comrades.
"Time to die, Creeds!."
This only got an even wider grin from Ong as a reaction.
"Then come, I've been waiting for some action!" Ong backed into Mila's back as she was blocking the heavy sword swings from the two bandits that were closest to her with easy skill. It seems I'm not needed for this one, I need to focus on maintaining my domain to prevent any unwanted Flashports.
"Clad break!" Ong said as a burst of lightning put down not only his two bandits but also those on Mila's side, leaving her unscathed. The battle was won but as to be expected against these weak mongrels. "That wasn't even a warm up."
The result would be the same everywhere else if I sensed the enemies' strength properly, but my level five sensory went numb when I sensed forty more individuals appearing out of thin air. Though low in threat, if this became a numbers game and there were waves of these weak scum eventually one side would give. I stepped outside our coach using the opposite door to have a better view of how these enemies were appearing. They were appearing from the sand! Some from the earth covered in sand as their figures took form and others from spirals of sand in the air as if they walked through a portal and were stepping out of it in a different manner. This is bad! Though not a flashport, this was definitely a means of teleportation. One I couldn't counter with my barrier, I took both halves of my spear and conjoined them. It elongated and I prepared to form part of a defensive formation with Ong and his other companions but we were too late.
One of our new appearances fired a flame thrower straight at the coach containing the Terragon, tipping it to the side. They know where he is, but how? Capitaneus Dakila, who was fighting three individuals by himself led by their leader, it seemed. He was the only one at the level of a Legatus, so obviously, he would challenge the Capitaneus. Nam burst out the coach, cladded in yellow lightning from his active flashpoint. The fire user and a handful of his men also took to fighting Dakila. They were planning to weaken our strongest by overwhelming him, but they'll find that it is a task not easily accomplished with numbers. The same goes for the rest of us. We fell into a defensive and offensive formation. I tried to summon some reinforcements just in case we would need some assistance, but to my surprise, I couldn't sense where exactly those individuals were. In fact, the more I use my domain reverse, the more I couldn't sense our allies. What the hell is happening? First teleportation in my domain, and now I can't use my domain reverse to flashport my own allies here. Someone must have the ability to create their own space or something of that source, no matter where my allies are, regardless if I could sense them or not. If in range, I should be able to summon them at will, this individual is my worst enemy.
Still, these bandits are nothing more than easy cannon fodder. We can handle them. As Nam, Isa, and Nimuel were quick to action, taking out the majority of the enemy with their speed, forcing the bandits to also close ranks, to not be easily picked off. The other flash Artemers in Ong's party were solely focused on the opposition's flash Artemers. The forest had turned to a battlefield littered with fires, flash of light, and individuals fighting for their lives. The soldiers in uniform worked separately, each doing what they wanted to fight the enemy, and others did what they wanted to the enemy.
To my far right, a woman ripped in half one of the bandits with her scythe, a gruesome sight to witness for anyone. The two other bandits who stood behind the halves of their fallen ally seemed shaken but still crept closer to the woman. What amount of gold would possess me to fight a psychopath that's clearly out of my league? I can't see myself dying for gold, but that may be because I come from privilege, but in general, money is not worth my life. The Creed warriors quickly formed a protective formation encircling me and the coach containing the little scum. Hong is better at following orders than her twin brother with his temper, something I was going to discipline him on later.
All was going as we would expect on these shrimps, regardless of their numbers. The warriors of the Creed were built for battle. Even the soldiers that were recommended or should I say forcefully insisted to us were a formidable bunch. Dakila didn't look to be having much trouble with the two bandits leaders. All of their goons that accompanied them were dealt with easily. As to be expected of the man who is one of few in line to be an Elemento. If only things remained the same, we would be done in no time, Legatus Ong and his men held their own. Attacking more than two bandits at a time and returning to the protective formation around the coach. Lightning blasts and fire flew from in front of me unleashed by my allies, Mila's water Creois of shields served as protection formation around us from enemy long range attacks, appearing and disappearing at will. An earth creois of a wall protected the south on the opposite side of the coach. A male named Anga, if I remember clearly, the same spear and shield formation, was being held that side as well.
The Flash Tyrants held their flashpoints well, attacking the enemy at light speed. A hit from someone moving at that pace can knock out even the best chi augmentors if they aren't careful. No matter how cladded their skin is by chi, only truly strong individuals can take on the brute force, and I only sense two individuals fit that description. Dakila, if he wanted to, could easily finish off those individuals, but he's too busy toying with his food. I might be wrong, though he might be waiting for something to happen. That's why we all haven't gone all out. Our leader hasn't. Thus, we shouldn't, and what I feared happened again, more individuals from sand appeared. Others from sand spirals in the air, where the fuck are they coming from? More or less fourty appeared again.
"More enemies!" One of the soldiers shouted.
"Where are they coming from!?" Another shouted in frustration.
"Aren't you blocking them Maya!?" Mila voiced.
"Shut up, this is not a flashport!" I retorted back at her.
"Maya we might need reinforcements if we plan to conserve our stamina." Ong whispered, he wasn't lying, we couldn't go all out right now , we still have twelve hours of travel. Long enough for another attack like this down the line, though I feared revealing that our reinforcements were missing to my comrade. Our situation would only go from bad to worse and probably the worst, when a Terragon and their Venalicium appear.
"We have no reinforcements, they have disappeared. Probably to whoever is manipulating space at the moment."
"You're lying, we are on our own." he whispered to me , probably nothing to disturb the nerves of those around us, I nodded to him. "Then I believe we use our full strength when the flash Artemers cannot fight any more after all this mid distance advantage we have will amount to nothing. Capitaneus Dakila seems to be toying with those two but I'll send someone to assist, of all people he cannot run out of energy even though he hasn't used his Artemer."
He's right, Capitaneus Dakila and I are the main parts to the back up plan. Though it pisses me off that I'm not allowed to fight on this mission, my compliance is vital. The situation would soon be getting dire, the flash Artemers were ordered to use full pace in order to preserve the stamina of the rest of the group. They can easily recuperate after catching their breath, this would be the gameplay for small enemies. They are not to engage strong foes under any circumstances, that would be the duty of the other warriors and Dakila, even Ong if need be.
Movement from behind me distracted me for a split second and an expected appearance from the coach was Titen. He stood on the coach laying sidewards after appearing from its door with the sheer force of his chi cladding him. Grinning, he placed his hands to cone his voice, but why? What is he thinking? Didn't he hear me when I said I would kill him if he left the coach?
"I know you out there Spade and I'm not going to be taken by you! I'm disappointed that my grandfather didn't send someone more capable than you or maybe one of his own Venalicium!"
He took a leap with his left to the same level as me, we looked dead into each other and behind him followed Hong. She stood in between us, both arms outstretched. Why? I asked myself
"Wait Maya, he told me something tragic would happen to one of us. He believes it's the Capitaneus."
"What are you doing Hong? Your orders where to keep him in the coach." anger seething from my voice, blood boiling my forehead just at the sight of the child.
"The Oracle said one of us would die and he said he knows how!"
"Shut up, I don't care! Why are the two of you disobeying orders?"
"Wait Maya! He has a plan. I don't want to lose anyone."
"How can you be so sure that he's telling the truth, what plan could he have to save anyone."
"Yes Legatus, I have a plan."
"Don't taunt her, I can't keep my end of the deal if you taunt her."
"Admit that you are out of your element. Literally! A unique sand Artemer is using his ability to do as he pleases in your domain. How else do you think the Elusive Mamba was killed in my rescue?" No! He isn't implying that this is the individual that? "He can target anyone he wants to and I'm sure the Capitaneus and you are at the top of his list. He's killed so many Creeds by himself yet I can bet that half of you Creeds don't know how he looks. I bet he's been living amongst your villages, capitals, halls and I can bet he even made contact with you."
"Don't lie to me, I'm not Hong."
"Kaya was a brave man, his devotion to the Creed was something that frightened me the first time we met. How could anyone have so much faith in others, that concept was foreign to me. It still is, which is why I won't listen to you and you won't hesitate to kill me."
"Go back to the coach, everything is under control."
My response was side eyed by some of the warriors in front of me, doubt lingering in their minds perhaps.
"How long before you summon reinforcements, their numbers aren't that great, only a few hundred or so. This is probably nothing to you all since these bandits are weak, but the stakes are high in this mission. It was probably effusive in your briefing, you are all to escort your only weapon to Electruim. Summon reinforcements Legatus. Hahaha!" The brat bursted. You can't, can you? I may not be well informed about your ability but you can't summon them either because they are in a pocket space or dead."
The last word stuck deeply in my mind. They are dead aren't they, though I can't summon someone from another pocket space I should be able to sense their chi with my domain absolute. I had tried to keep it at the back of my mind but now that someone else says it, intel of our mission was leaked. We were supposed to blend in with the many convoys travelling to Electruim for the exams yet here we are cornered by a mysterious figure who this child claims to have…no I don't want to believe him, revenge will only blind me.
"That is our problem, yours is me!" I raised my chi.
"No!" Hong shouted "I don't want to lose you like we did Kaya, we need to work together to counter this individual."
"If I see him I'll kill him myself I don't need the brat."
"I wasn't asking, I just needed a moment to gather my surroundings."
Hong's face distorted in disbelief as Titen leapt over the protective formation and above all the water shields placed in front of him to stop his escape. He sprinted towards the Capitaneus direction, probably to stab him in the back while he was still busy toying with his food.
"The Terragon! You're mine." A bandit shouted and pursued and blocked him only to be stopped with a kick to the face after the boy blocked a perry from his machete with his sheathed sword.
"He's fast." I thought outloud.
Lightning cladded my body as I activated my flashpoint, Hong looked at eyes in disbelief. I wonder what lies that little scum fed her in the coach? That would be an issue for later to be discussed, so I took one step forward.
"Flash Art: flashpoint!" As I said this, I was swallowed into a world where everything moved in slow motion, even the scum. I took another stand followed with another, what seemed like steps to me where actually leaps out of point. That is how we address the world out of the flashpoint, by my fifth step I was right behind him.
I had warned you, now my spear was directed to the back of your neck. I thought.
I was ready to run it through, then I noticed that his sword was unsheathed. When did he do that? I never took my eyes off him in my point. His mouth was moving but too late to cast an artem but then as if he too had superhuman speed our eyes met. A grin grew on his face and he crouched with his left foot leading and directed his sword to the south of him. It felt like I was the one moving slowly, what tertiary is this? I still had the advantage with my long spear, I moved my hand back on the handle to extend its range. My spear was near his skin. You're done for even if you can keep up with my point at this pace but an even faster figure appeared in front of me, it was the Capitaneus. Titen is still casting quickly for someone without a flash or lightning affinity. The Capitaneus moved me aside and moved his mouth as if he wanted to warn me, but he of all people should know that sound doesn't travel in point. This confrontation took me out of point so I could ask him what the hell he was doing.The moment my lightning clad calmed an explosion and agony cry from the direction the Capitaneus flashed from took my attention from him. It was one of the bandit leaders, the one that appeared by sand.
Even the Capitaneus was surprised, a storm of sand flushed into our direction. The source was still screaming in agony, the sand left his body. I only saw red with the sand. It was as if the sand creating the storm came from his blood vessels. The atmosphere quickly smelt of iron and innards, this artem was eating away at that man like a virus. It grew stronger and wider, closing in on us. We were going to be taken by this artem as if it were a landmine that could only be active to the right conditions.
"Alloy Manipulation Art: Demonic President." as Titen said this a metal orb formed at the tip of his south pointing sword, the orb compressed and instantly dropped to the ground. Its density caused a crater to be too big for something that small. Titen swung it over head with a first stance sword swing. Both hands on the handle of the tip of the sword seem to be the point of magnetism, the orb was slingshot by the overhead swing. During this the bandit suffering from the artem was screaming to the top of his lungs, if he had any left. Instantaneously disappeared and the sand artem was cut in half and blown away by Titen's artem. "I knew Spade would target the strongest of us."
"What just happened kid, did you just use Demonic President on my food… I mean foes?" Dakila asked.
Didn't he see, that orb killed that man and those in the line of fire instantly. What is that artem, in fact what is that affinity? Alloy Manipulation like Master Ryden, I wasn't informed about his affinity. It was classified to us all but it seems the Capitaneus knew, is that why he wanted to get in my way? Is that why he was trained by Master Ryden personally? I just thought they wanted him tutored by the best warrior possible.
"We were nearly taken by that artem to who knows where, probably even Metallum."
"What do you mean?" I asked, still digesting what damage that would have done to me if it was still in the orb's path as it cut through the air.
"That sand artem is how he traps people, he uses weak individuals to bait powerful individuals. He destroys his ignorant host as he releases his artem and releases those he captures wherever he wants to. I can't elaborate any further because that's all I saw when he used it on your brother."
What! is this how my brother died? It was instantaneous when me, Dakila and Titen were in close proximity. My brother's murderer is close, the kid isn't lying but that doesn't mean I'm thankful to him. Fate is my friend, to not only be assigned to the mission my brother risked his life to make possible but to also encounter his murderer very soon. I know he will appear and I can't wait for them to appear.
"Tell me you're lying!" Nam screamed from a distance with a bandit he was choking, it didn't look like he was choking him unconscious anymore. Rage was evident in his voice, I forget sometimes I wasn't the only one close to him. His death shook the entire Flash Tyrants and everyone was just as eager to be a part of this mission. The Capitaneus probably had to break an arm to get us assigned, no way the higher ups would assign emotionally connected individuals to this importance. "Hey kid, tell me that the guy that killed my brother isn't close!" his huffing was sound even from this distance.
"Let it go Nam, you can't fight him. He feeds off the indecisive in battle, I know what he meant to you. The way you spoke about him in the coach was…"
"You should have told me the truth, instead of the lies you told me!" Hong also bursted.
"There was no time to explain that, and Legatus Maya please refrain from getting in my way in the future. I had to limit myself so my attack wouldn't harm you. Something I can't do in a fight against a Venalicium." he grinned with his sword at the back of his neck so nonchalantly.
This infuriated me because his attack could have harmed me if I was a nanosecond slower. I should have just used full pace, I underestimated you. Never again. One couldn't help but be impressed with his pengillium swing attack, including the bandits watching in awe. The entire field was frozen, either to the explosion of sand or that there was now a crater stained with blood and innards were men where. Some of the bandits saw what happened to their leaders and panicky, touching themselves as they ran and many more followed suit. Others were stuck not knowing what happened and why they were retreating.
"You afraid of a child, spineless swine. I'm getting my gold and keeping my life." One of the bandits shouted.
A slow clap reverberated throughout the forest, from the treetops. A light skin man was the clapper, his grin sent chills down my spine
"Well said Orrin! Well said. Fight for your lives or fight for gold, to a man like you it's the same thing. That's why you won't run, that's why you don't fear death, because in this world without money you aren't living. Hehehe! Master Terragon might be useful for someone like you." The moment he stopped slowly clapping, the man called Orrin was enveloped in sand and disappeared. I couldn't sense his chi not even miles away. "The rest of you have two choices, fight for your lives and gold or run and be hunted by me."
This did not sit well with the bandits who outnumbered us three to one and I quickly understood why, his chi signal was massive. In fact it was something on par with the level of an Elemento , so this was a Venalicium's power.
"Spade!" Titen shouted.