Sir Eldric, his gleaming armor now smeared with grime and blood, stood on a precarious hillock, surveying the smoldering aftermath. The battlefield, once a cacophony of clashing steel and guttural roars, was now an eerie tableau of ash and charred earth. Where once stood soldiers and beasts, only wisps of smoke curled skyward, carrying the faint scent of singed fur and burnt metal.
A wave of nausea washed over him. He'd witnessed countless battles, endured the grim realities of war, but this… this was different. This wasn't a clash of armies, but a one-sided annihilation.
Moments earlier, he'd watched as the strange, horned creature raised the burning sword. Then, the world had erupted in a blinding white inferno. The monstrous heat had scorched his armor, leaving an acrid taste on his tongue. He'd barely managed to scramble to this hillock, the searing flames licking at his heels like hungry hounds.
Now, as the fire subsided, an unsettling silence hung heavy in the air. Sir Eldric squinted, his eyes searching the ruined battlefield for any sign of movement. Nothing. Just ash. A primal fear, cold and sharp, clawed at his gut. This creature, whoever or whatever it was, wasn't human. Its power was immense, terrifying.
His hand instinctively went to the holy symbol emblazoned on his chest plate. It felt strangely warm, a subtle hum resonating against his skin. A small flicker of hope ignited within him. Perhaps, just perhaps, the divine might offer some protection, some guidance against this new, unforeseen threat.
He took a tentative step forward, his boots crunching on the cooled ash. As he walked, his eyes caught a flicker of movement in the distance. A single figure, shrouded in the smoke that still clung to the battlefield. It was the creature, the one who wielded the fiery sword.
Sir Eldric watched as the creature lowered its head, a shuddering sigh escaping its monstrous form. Was it… tired? Injured? Uncertainty warred with caution in Eldric's mind.
He raised his voice, his words echoing strangely in the vast silence. "Who are you?" he called out, his voice a mere whisper compared to the roar of the inferno that had just passed. "Why have you done this?" (AN: He meant Roland Killed both enemies and allies)
The figure turned, its head tilting as if inspecting him. Two glowing red eyes, burning with an unsettling intelligence, pierced through the gloom. A deep, gravelly voice resonated within Eldric's mind, bypassing his ears entirely.
"I am the consequence of your war," it boomed. "A product of your insatiable greed."
Eldric felt a wave of despair wash over him. This wasn't some monstrous beast, but a reflection of their own folly. The battlefield, once teeming with life, was a testament to the destructive power unleashed by their endless conflict. Shame burned hotter than any fire, twisting in his gut.
"What... what do you want?" Eldric stammered, his voice barely a whisper.
The figure remained silent, its glowing eyes boring into him. Then, with a flick of its wrist, it tossed the pulsating ember towards Eldric. The paladin instinctively reached out, catching it in his gauntlet. The heat was intense, but bearable.
"A choice," the voice echoed within his mind. "Wield the power to end this conflict, or be consumed by it."
"Who are you?" Eldric demanded again, his voice regaining a semblance of authority.
The creature hesitated, then spoke in a voice that sounded oddly familiar despite its guttural quality. "They call me Roland," it rumbled, a hint of sheepishness creeping into its tone. "And it seems I might have overreacted a tad."
Eldric stared, momentarily speechless. Roland? An ordinary human name attached to this monstrous being? The incongruity added another layer to the mystery.
This was no ordinary opponent. This was an enigma, a creature of immense power entangled in a war it didn't choose. Sir Eldric knew then that the battlefield held not just the aftermath of a devastating battle, but the beginning of a far more complex conflict.
Sir Eldric's voice boomed across the ashen plains, laced with a righteous fury tempered by years of battle. "No matter your origin, beast!" he roared, his voice echoing off the smoldering ruins. "You have unleashed a power that decimated innocent lives! You have violated the sacred laws of war, turning this battlefield into a pyre! A monster you may be, but even beasts understand the sanctity of life. You are an abomination, a creature devoid of even the most basic decency. And such creatures…" he paused, his hand tightening around the hilt of his holy blade, the legendary Sword of the Sky, its polished surface reflecting the dying embers of the inferno, "…such creatures must be purged from this world."
His words echoed amongst the smoldering ruins, finding a grim chorus in the clang of armor as thousands of human soldiers emerged from the surrounding. Their armor, polished and gleaming in the dying sunlight, presented a stark contrast to the devastation Roland had wrought.
Roland stared, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple despite the lingering heat. He wasn't naive. He understood the fear and devastation he'd wrought. But facing Sir Eldric, this unwavering symbol of human defiance, a horrifying realization dawned on him. The small skirmish he'd hoped to mediate had been a mere scouting party. The true human army, vast and well-equipped, now stood poised on the horizon, a tide of steel against his monstrous form.
"So," Roland muttered, his voice laced with a hint of despair, "that little firestorm wasn't enough to deter them? Seems I underestimated the human capacity for war."
His heart pounded a frantic rhythm against his ribs, a drumbeat echoing the approaching war. He was one creature, a lone monstrosity facing a seemingly endless tide of steel. Yet, a flicker of defiance sparked in his eyes, a spark fueled by the absurdity of the situation. This wasn't how his isekai adventure was supposed to go! He'd envisioned grand quests, loyal companions, and maybe even a talking cat. Instead, he was trapped in a warzone, a monstrous outcast amidst a sea of humanity that viewed him with nothing but fear and hatred.
But Roland wasn't one to back down from a challenge. A wry grin twisted his monstrous features. Maybe this isekai adventure wasn't a complete disaster after all. It was certainly turning out to be an adventure he wouldn't soon forget. In the face of overwhelming odds, a strange sense of exhilaration bubbled up within him. Perhaps his 'Grandpa's Got Moves' skillset, as ridiculous as it sounded, held the key to his survival. Or maybe Ryujin Jakka, the fiery blade pulsating with untapped power in his hand, would be his unlikely savior. One thing was certain: Roland wouldn't go down without a fight. He would dance with this army, a monstrous waltz of destruction and defiance, and see where the music took him.
"Alright, universe," he declared, his voice rough but surprisingly steady. "Seems you've thrown another curveball my way. Let's see if my inferno can handle a full-blown army!"
A wry smile twisted his monstrous features. Maybe this isekai wasn't a complete disaster after all. It was certainly turning out to be an adventure he wouldn't soon forget.