The ominous rumble of thunder clapped across the gloomy, grey sky as dawn broke, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. At that moment, a brilliant fork of lightning illuminated the horizon, its searing brilliance striking fear and awe into the hearts of those who beheld it. It was an intense, chaotic display of nature's raw power, a moment that would forever be etched into the memories of those present.
"The harpies are afraid of thunderstorms, as their feathers are flammable and could potentially be hit by lightning," Captain Willem mumbled, his gaze fixed on the tumultuous sky above.
For the Wyvern unit captain of the Reconnaissance Regalyon Empire knights, this sudden turn of events was a blessing from Aione herself, tipping the odds in their favor.
Amidst the tension that hung heavily in the air, Captain Willem stood tall before his battered rescue party, his posture unwavering despite the chaos and turmoil that had brought them to this pivotal moment. His armor bore the scars of their arduous journey, and his expression was etched with stern determination, yet there burned an undeniable fire in his eyes that refused to be extinguished.
With a sweeping gesture, he addressed his weary band of defenders and villagers, his voice ringing out with newfound resolve. "People of Serendale! Comrades! Look to the skies! The very heavens have conspired to aid us in our darkest hour. The harpies, those vile creatures that have hounded our every step, now cower before the might of the storm."
A rumble of thunder punctuated his words as if nature itself was lending its voice to his rallying cry. "We have faced countless challenges, endured unimaginable hardships, and sacrificed beyond measure to reach this point. But now, the tide has turned in our favor."
Captain Willem's gaze locked onto the harpy queen, her hulking form a menacing presence amidst her brood. "The queen and her minions believe they have us trapped, but they underestimate the resilience and determination that burns within us all."
With a fluid motion, he drew his blade, the steel glinting in the flashes of lightning that danced across the sky. "We are not mere prey to be hunted and slaughtered. We are warriors, survivors, and we will not go quietly into the night!"
His voice rose to a crescendo, fueled by the crackling energy of the storm that raged above. "Today, we charge forward! Today, we fight with the fury of the very tempest that surrounds us! Today, we claim our freedom and our destiny with every ounce of strength we possess!"
Captain Willem extended his sword, pointing it toward the harpy queen's menacing form. "Charge with me, my friends! Let our battle cries shake the foundations of this earth, and let our courage be a beacon that pierces the darkness that threatens to consume us!"
"Today we will fight as one," Willem continued, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "We fight with what we can. We, the defenders will hold the harpies, and you, people of Serendale, will push forward until you reach the fishfarm."
The captain extended his sword, pointing it towards a structure on the seaport, "That sturdy huge structure..that is the fish farm. That..is your goal."
All of the villagers laid their eyes upon the structure a bit far in front of them just over the beach and the dock guarded by the harpies. So close and yet so far.
"We will charge first, When I give you the signal, Don't stop at any chance. We will push through the harpies' defense once more. We will hold the line and protect you as you march towards the fish farm."
The retinue exchanged determined glances, their resolve strengthened by their leader's unwavering determination.
"Remember," Captain Willem emphasized, "No one is left behind."
A sense of unity and purpose began to fill the ranks as Willem's words resonated with each member of the retinue. They were not just soldiers; they were protectors and guardians of the vulnerable.
With each resounding phrase, Captain Willem's voice grew stronger, echoing with the unyielding resolve of a leader who would not yield, no matter the adversity they faced. His rallying cry seemed to breathe new life into the weary and exhausted villagers, kindling a renewed spirit within them as if they had been gifted another wellspring of strength to support them through this final, desperate push.
A solemn hush fell over the retinue as they absorbed his words. The enormity of their mission weighed heavily on their shoulders, but they stood unwavering, ready to face the harpies with courage and conviction.
Aden could only be amazed, no wonder the Imperial Crown sent only a few of these knights to fight the harpies. They were unbroken in spirit. And not only that, they have a great leader who can make even despaired commoners could do one more last push.
A rare quality of a leader, even among the rank of Jinns back in his home, Median.
"Everyone ready!?" The Captain
"Aye, captain!" the defenders answered in unison
With those final words, Captain Willem raised his sword high, the blade gleaming in the dim light. The retinue followed suit, their weapons aloft, their hearts aflame with determination. As they marched toward the looming threat of the harpies, they did so with the knowledge that they were bound not only by duty but by the unbreakable bond of a family forged in the crucible of adversity.
"Charge!"
"With me, men!" Captain Willem raised his sword, ready to give his order. Once again all the rescue party are all holding their breath ready for the last push.
"You lads ready?"
"Sir, yes sir!"
The men answered In perfect unison, not as volunteers or convicts, but instead as a single unit of soldiers.
They look into the sandy open field that is about to be their next battlefield. The place was full of broken wood crates, planks, destroyed boats, and boards from the commotion caused by the harpy raid on the seaport before they ransacked the village. Among the chaotic wreckage lay scattered pieces of torn fishnet. The cold piercing air no longer made them shiver.
*Crack..
A flash of lightning illuminated the faces of the rescue party, their grim expressions revealing their determination to give it their all.
*Boom!
On a signal from the heavens, Captain Willem charged forward, bellowing out an intimidating warcry.
"Charge!"
He was followed by his men, who raised their voices in chorus and ran fearlessly towards the harpies.
Aden and Ser Gareth protected the rear. The first move was to disperse the harpies on the beach. The second move was to make a human fence on both sides as the villagers marched in between, just like the firewall they made in the village.
They succeed on the first move. The harpies took the bait.
The harpies meet them with their talons. Steels were clashing with claws, survival against instinct. Humans were against nature. The sandy shore soon became the witness of a final battle that decided the fate of the villagers and the rescue party.
The queen harpy took flight, distancing herself ready to unleash her powerful attack. The other harpies followed.
Aden noticed the queen harpy extending her wings.
"Watch out! She's about to blast us again!" He warned everyone. All of the defenders were preoccupied with the harpies they engaged.
Yet, the captain noticed, "Oh no you don't."
Captain Willem turned his head looking for the archers', "Archers! Aim for the queen! loose!"
Kazama, Ethan, Ser Cedric, Ser Parcival, and Martin shoot their arrows toward the queen harpy. Oliver also joined sending pebbles and conch shells toward the Queen Harpy.
The Queen Harpy managed to evade the arrows and deflected some with her wings.
Thwack!
"Keeah!" the queen harpy screamed in pain.
Oliver managed to hit the queen harpy's shoulder with a pebble thrown from his slinger.
It seems that Oliver's stone hurt her in a significant way that made her flying unstable and can't keep herself airborne.
"Well done, Oliver," Aden praised. The boy beamed with joy.
"Hehe," a big grin etched on his face, he was feeling proud to be acknowledged by someone he looked up to. He gained a renewed confidence in himself and was thankful for his skill, grateful for Aden's inspiring words that there was no such thing as useless if one could deliver a punch to the enemy.
Oliver never knew that he just saved dozens of villagers' life from being sliced up to pieces by the queen harpy's windcutter gust wing blast.
"Come here! Get some!" Oliver taunted while throwing rocks and hitting their marks on the harpies. Somehow the confidence boost also boosted up his accuracy.
The queen harpy swoops down towards Oliver. Her claws were outstretched. Aden rushed in and bashed the queen harpy with his kite shield deflected her to the other side near Hjalmar.
Hjalmar saw this opportunity, he swung his chain and was able to entangle Queen Harpy's leg. The powerful female creature dragged him across the beach, knocking him into debris and driftwood as she went. She then launched him up into the air with all her might, sending him hurtling through the sky in an attempt to break free of his grasp. Queen Harpy cast away the chained hook into the sea, making sure that it would never be used against her again.
Hjalmar tumbled into the shallow shore and was washed up onto a beach near Aden. He woke up disoriented and tried to stand, but was too weak and fell to the ground again, slipping into unconsciousness.
"Hjalmar!" Aden screamed to the unconscious berserker.
Aden saw two Queen's talons with Nightglare already taking a position in the sky about to double-team Hjalmar, ripping him into two from opposite sides.
"Hjalmar, get up! get out of there!" Aden called him again trying to wake him up from being ripped apart surrounded by the harpies.
Hjalmar woke up, still collecting himself. He was trying to stand on his feet.
The two queen's talons already swoop in from two opposite directions of Hjalmar.
Aden rushed to the disoriented berserker staggering on the sand.
The Vjordic pirate was lying on the ground. He looked unconscious after his body hit the ground hard falling from the rooftop. The harpy swooped in like lightning. It claws ready to stab Hjalmar. Aden dashed to defend Captain Willem. He slid and raised his shield to the upcoming harpy charging from low altitude towards them.
"Get up big guy," Aden tried to support Hjalmar but he was too heavy, and even Aden dropped on his knee due to the sheer weight. He was almost as heavy as Gilbert.
"Unhh," Hjalmar only answered Aden half-conscious.
There are two of the harpies coming and only one of them can be stopped. He has a kite shield a spear and a sword by his waist.
Thwack!
Oliver landed a clean hit to her temple as she dropped onto the sandy shore and made it red with her blood.
Aden looked to the where the attack coming from, turn out it was Oliver. Oliver nodded at Aden and went back behind Kazama.
The kid did it. The kid saved his life. Oliver swings a conch shell at the one coming from Aden's behind with his stone slinger.
Aden crouched protecting Hajlmar, facing the incoming harpy from the front. He anchored the bottom tip of his kite shield deep enough to the ground, supported the shield with his left knee, he sunk his head behind the shield, all of his body was covered by the slightly tilted shield. He pointed his spear to the upcoming harpy, making himself a human barricade. An anti-cavalry technique he learned from his time on the battlefield, even a charging cavalry soldier would crash if he didn't have enough time to evade. And if lucky the spear would stab the steed or the mounted soldier.
Aden's single shield wall dislocated his arm
the charging harpy could only see a shield in front of it. It couldn't stop, the arrow had been loose.
Blam! The impact from the harpy sent Aden flying a couple of feet away from where he defended Hjalmar. He broke his spear as he impaled the harpy sent crashing to the sand ground behind him.
"Ugh," Aden grunted. He was disoriented, his ears ringing, everything blurred, his sight couldn't focus, the sky looked spinning, and he could feel a sharp sting in his left shoulder. He expected the worst.
When Aden shifted his eyes to his shoulder, he still could see his left arm dangling. His shield is nowhere to be found. Aden loses his sense of balance. He dropped beside Hjalmar. Vaguely he can hear someone calling his name.
⁕⁕⁕
"Seriously?" Hjalmar scoffed as he regained his regain his consciousness and grabbed Aden right before he hit the ground.
"I just opened up and you are going down following me?" the Vjordic warrior complained Aden.
"I leave the rest to you,"
"No no, you don't."
"You are not fatally injured." Hjalmar, "Don't you dare die on me, ruhimi."
Kazama waited for the right moment to execute windcutter once more, three harpies down while the queen Harpy almost got her neck sliced.
Looking at the unwavering fighting spirit of the human defenders, the Queen Harpy screamed in harpy language, half of the harpies flew high climbing the altitude, and began to circle around in the sky while the other harpies engaged the empire retinue.
The wind began to gust as the harpies flew in a counter-clockwise circular path. They flew faster and faster, pulling the wind and herded the clouds and with each circle, the wind grew stronger.
The sky was rumbling wild.
Martin used Gilbert's huge build to protect himself from the gust until he noticed something in the sky.
"Wah..uh..uhh!" Martin shook Gilbert's shoulder a couple of times trying to say something to the robust scholere-to-be.
"What is it, Martin?"
Martin pointed out the harpies flying in circles in the sky. It was not ordinary because the harpies fly so fast they make the wind form a vortex.
"What is that?" Gilbert pointed out
"That.." Old Man Jedd, "That is the cyclone of Death."
The harpy-made vortex created a powerful suction, lifting the dirt and dust off of the ground. The vortex started sucking the people into it and trees in the descent path of the mountain slope.
The tip of the vortex started to pull to the earth creating one massive column of windwall, a tornado.
"Everyone hold on to something!" Father Edgar warns his people to take cover.
Panic seized the villagers as they desperately clung to anything rooted to the earth, trees, rocks, and roots. The tornado's violent winds whipped through the trees while the villagers ducked for cover. Branches and twigs were ripped away by its force and sucked into its vortex.
"My lord Aione in the heaven, we have gathered here by your will.." Father Edgar began to pray and placed his hand on Laura and little Rosey. Laura and little Rosey then took the hands of the other villagers until everyone was connected in a circle.
Father Edgar led the women and children in prayer, hoping to bring them comfort and strength in this desperate situation. With nothing else they could do but cling to their lives, praying together was the best way for them to unite and fight the odds.
The sandy shore in front of the villagers, which was littered with broken wooden crates, planks, ruined boats, and boards was also caught up in its unbridled fury. They had nowhere to hide from the terrifying storm made by the harpies as it raged around them.
"Ahh!" a female villager got cut by a tree branch piqued Gilbert's attention as he saw a wooden stake about to stab her.
"Watch out!" Gilbert rushed to protect the villager with his round shield from a wooden stake. Clanking sounds were made from the wooden shrapnel against his shield.
The splintered woods and shattered branches turned into a deadly hailstorm of razor-sharp shrapnel, slicing through the air and sending vicious shards piercing the helpless villagers with each strong gust delivered by the wind. The cold winter air added piercing wind.
"Keep your heads down! Watch out for debris and shrapnel!" Father Edgar warned the villagers.
Several villagers are stabbed and cut by the shrapnel sent flying by the strong wind. The cold, freezing air added to the villagers' pain, piercing them with a frosty chill.
Gilbert rushed in with Martin to protect the villagers from the gust-carrying shrapnels. Gilbert used his round shield and Martin used a barrel lid.
As Gilbert protected the villagers in the rear Gilbert noticed that the cyclone of death only blew in one direction, counter-clockwise.
"Shield! Shield this point." Gilbert invited others to make a shield wall by the rear from the direction where the powerful gust was coming.
Countless debris and shrapnel hit their shield from behind. Gilbert's quick thinking saved them from a far worse injury.
⁕⁕⁕
"Oh no, this is not good," Old Man Jedd mumbled, standing at the front of the crowd of villagers, who knew what was about to happen with the harpy.
"What do you mean?"
"The harpies would trap them inside the vortex and rip them to pieces." The old man said.
"We have to warn them," Gilbert handed over his round shield to Martin who now holds two shields protecting the rear from the shrapnels.
"Captain! Captain Willem!" Gilbert moved to the front crowd as he screamed to warn the rescue party.
The situation on the sandy shore was chaotic, everyone tried to defend and get an opening against the Queen Harpy.
Aden was the first to notice Gilbert shouting at them.
get out of the field!" Old Man Jedd screamed to the empire retinue party engaging the harpies.
"Get out of there!" Gilbert waved his hand in the air and tried to warn the empire retinue party. He screamed over and over again at the top of his lungs.
Gilbert shouted out to the retinue party, but his voice was swept away by the powerful gusts of wind. The group was too occupied fending off the harpy's attack to notice him.
"Damn it! They can't hear us," Old Man Jedd said.
The sound of wheezing and whistling grew louder and louder as the wind began to whip up, followed by a sinister laugh by the harpies, forming a circle of clouds in the sky.
The circling harpies were descending to where the empire retinue fighting their harpies flock on the ground delivering vortex to the retinue party and enveloping them inside the tornado.
The harpies made a cyclone in the sky and pulled the tornado down to the open field. The harpies in the ground soon disengaged the empire rescue party and joined in the cyclone.
Before the empire retinue knew what was happening, they were already blocked out, trapped inside the colossal column of spiral air made by the harpies.
The harpies made a cyclone of death to isolate the defenders in the field between Stormsteps slope and Monterei dock while the rest of the harpies engaged the retinue party.
"Is there a way to tell them?"