On a planet several times larger than Earth, two armies were about to clash. One of these armies belonged to the Marquise, composed of a small yet disciplined and formidable force, while the other was Aldas' army—a chaotic mass of mercenaries, far larger in number.
Lilith's Perspective
"Lady Lilith, the enemy forces will arrive in approximately 30 minutes. Despite outnumbering us four to one, they appear exhausted from their long march," Braum reported.
"I understand, Braum. Take your position; I'll deliver one final speech," I replied.
Braum nodded and stepped to my right. I looked at him and my soldiers one last time. Today's battle would be brutal. We would suffer heavy losses—perhaps even I might die.
At first glance, Aldas' army appeared disorganized, but their strength lay precisely in that chaos. Aldas was a nation forged through battles and conflict. There, respect was earned solely through power, making their soldiers fearless and experienced.
After casting a brief glance at the approaching army on the horizon, I turned around and mounted my horse to address my troops. The younger soldiers radiated excitement and anger, while the veterans wore stoic expressions. Yet, I could sense the fervor burning within them.
Taking a deep breath, I began my speech:
"MY PEOPLE, TODAY WE WALK TOWARD DEATH AND VICTORY. LOOK WELL AT THE FACES AROUND YOU—THESE WILL BE YOUR ETERNAL COMRADES IN THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT. I, MARQUISE LILITH FAITH OF AHFAR, PROMISE YOU: YOUR BLOOD WILL NOT BE SPILLED IN VAIN, AND THE FAMILIES OF OUR FALLEN WILL BE WELL TAKEN CARE OF. FIGHT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT UNTIL THE LAST ENEMY FALLS. FOR AHFAR!"
"FOR AHFAR! FOR AHFAR!" the soldiers roared in unison.
As the enemy army drew closer, I turned around and shouted, "CHARGE!"
I spurred my horse into a gallop, and from my left, a voice broke through the chaos:
"You seem to be enjoying yourself, Commander."
Turning, I saw a tall, broad man with short black hair and piercing green eyes.
"What makes you say that, Ars?" I asked.
"I've never seen you smile like that," he said, gesturing to his mouth.
Instinctively, my hand reached up to my own lips. He was right—I was grinning so broadly that all my teeth were visible. Yes, this was me—a woman who relished war and killing. I was smiling as though I'd just heard the best news in the world, despite the high likelihood of my death in this battle. Yet, a strange feeling stirred within me, as if something terrible was about to happen.
Shaking my head to dispel the thought, I refocused on the task ahead. Whatever the issue was, I'd deal with it when the time came. For now, there were enough problems before me.
Before long, our armies collided, and chaos erupted. Here, you either killed or were killed.
When my sword met its first target, a storm rose within me, and the enemies before me were torn to shreds.
This wind was the manifestation of my affinity. Though only mid-tier, my relentless training had made it formidable.
The space I cleared was soon filled with fresh foes. Two soldiers swung their swords at me, aiming to sever my neck. Time seemed to slow as I moved like the wind, dodging the first blade and blocking the second with a single sword. Despite pouring all his strength into the blow, the soldier seemed astonished that I stopped him with one hand. It wasn't difficult for me; after all, he was only at the 1st Evolution level, while I was already at the 3rd. The difference in power was as vast as mountains.
With one hand occupied, I felt a breeze from my left and instinctively swung my other sword.
CLANG
The clash of steel rang in my ears, making them ache, while my hand throbbed from the impact. The newcomer was at the 3rd Evolution level. "This is going to be fun," I thought, though the unease in my chest continued to grow. It felt as if no matter what I did, I couldn't escape what was coming.
The enemy soldiers gave me little time to dwell on these thoughts. Shouting, I poured all my strength into my hands, pushing them away, and dismounted, finding my horse a hindrance. The surrounding soldiers followed suit, leaping off their mounts. There were eight of them in total. The three strongest attacked immediately, but I used the weaker ones as cover to retreat. They couldn't even keep up with me. During this, I slashed two throats before one finally caught up.
I channeled wind magic into my right leg, spinning forward to strike. Two more were caught off guard, and I swung my blade without hesitation. Now, only five remained.
Four showed fear in their eyes, but the fifth's gaze was filled with greed. That struck me as odd. Aldas soldiers were like machines, focused solely on killing and victory in battle.
My unease overflowed. With a furious sweep of my blade, I obliterated them and the enemies behind them. My vision blurred with rage. Something was seriously wrong here, and the fact that I was unaware of it only fueled my anger.
Hearing footsteps to my left, I turned to see Braum. When our eyes met, I realized that whatever was coming was far worse than I had anticipated...