Lord Of The Lost

The Forum Master lay sprawled on the ground, his heavy armor covered in a thick layer of mud. The once-impenetrable metal now bore holes, corroded by the foul quagmire that had ambushed him. The black sludge seeped in through the gaps, coating his skin with a searing sensation that made him grit his teeth. Every inch of his body felt as if it were on fire.

His mind was a whirl of confusion, unable to process what had gone wrong. The sudden ambush had thrown him into chaos. He had been confident, overly so, and now he was paying the price for underestimating the enemy.

'If only I had been more cautious… if I had assessed the terrain better…' The thoughts raced through his head like arrows as the scene around him spiraled further out of control.

The forest was alive with the sounds of battle. The thieves were everywhere, dark figures moving through the underbrush, their shouts mingling with the thrum of arrows slicing through the air. The whistling projectiles came from all directions, striking the trees with deadly precision.

Some thieves advanced openly, brandishing weapons like meteor hammers, while others stayed hidden, striking from the shadows.

Despite the chaos, the trees provided some cover. For now, it was the only advantage they had.

Suddenly, a strong hand gripped his arm, yanking him up from the ground. The force spun him around, and before he could react, a sharp slap cracked across his face.

"What in the name of the gods are you waiting for? Snap out of it!" A voice rang through the noise, cutting through the fog in his mind like a sharp wind. It was William.

The blow shocked him back into reality. His vision cleared, and he saw his warhorse, struggling but slowly pulling itself free from the black mire. The massive creature stood on trembling legs, its dark coat slick with mud that slithered down in thick streams, much like his own armor. The sight of the horse's defiance stirred something in him.

Without hesitation, he pulled out a small bottle and downed its contents, the sharp taste of energy potion jolting him back to full awareness. He tossed another to his horse, which drank eagerly. The pain across his skin dulled, and the throbbing in his limbs lessened. Ignoring the burning sensation that still lingered, he clambered onto the horse, determination hardening in his chest.

William, watching from nearby, let out a sigh of relief as the Forum Master regained his composure. He had seen it happen countless times before, those who had not yet been baptized by the fires of real combat could easily crumble when faced with the unexpected. Overconfidence was a deadly flaw. But it was clear now that the Forum Master had the will to push through.

In one swift movement, William vaulted onto his own horse. The sound of his mount's sharp neigh pierced the air. The tension was palpable.

Suddenly, the entrance to the woods was blocked. From the trees emerged a hulking figure, leading a small army of thieves. He was massive, his bald head gleamed in the dim light filtering through the canopy, his thick beard making him look even more menacing. A giant two-handed axe rested across his broad shoulders. His presence alone radiated danger.

William felt it instantly; a raw, instinctive sense of threat.

'The bandit leader…'

The thought was confirmed by the unnerving weight of his gaze. He was clearly a transcendent of the Path of Thieves, a skilled adversary. No doubt, this entire ambush had been orchestrated by him.

From the rear, the bandit leader sneered, his eyes narrowing as he observed the Forum Master and his men. "You can't escape now," he taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "Charging into a trap like fledgling knights from some backwater village? Pathetic!"

He raised his axe high above his head, grinning maliciously. "You're not knights; you're children, unblooded and untested. And today, your town will mourn the fools who rode to their deaths!"

The Forum Master felt the weight of the words settle over the battlefield. His troops were surrounded, the thieves closing in from all sides. There was no way back, only forward.

William, his eyes sharp and unwavering, called out above the clamor, "There's no retreat! Forward! Break through! We'll be cut down if we stay here!"

The Forum Master tightened his grip on the reins, his muscles taut with renewed resolve. He had made mistakes, yes, but he wasn't beaten yet. With a fierce cry, he raised his sword. "Charge!"

The cavalry surged forward, cutting through the forest, the bandit leader's grin faltering as the sound of hooves thundered against the earth. There was no choice but to fight with everything they had. The battle was just beginning.

"I've been hunted by knights before!" The bandit leader's voice rang out, filled with a mix of fury and savage delight. His eyes gleamed as he brandished his axe, looking at his men. "Brothers! Hahaha, today we take our revenge! We'll feast on the flesh of these knights and drink the blood of their horses!"

A cacophony of howls erupted as a group of thieves emerged from the woods, their faces twisted with cruel excitement, weapons gleaming in the dappled forest light. They moved like predators, encircling the Forum Master and his forces, eager for blood.

The Forum Master, eyes narrowed and heart racing, reached into his pouch and swiftly tossed two pills towards the thickest cluster of thieves.

'Bang!'

The pills detonated with a sharp crack, exploding into a cloud of thick green smoke. It billowed out, enveloping the thieves in a swirling, acrid mist.

The Forum Master smirked as he observed the effects.

[Acid Bomb: A lethal concoction created by a master pharmacist. Upon contact, the smoke induces states of weakness and poisoning. Those caught within will suffer.]

Dozens of the thieves faltered, their movements slowing as the poison took hold. Some clutched their throats, wheezing, while others fell to their knees, eyes wide in panic. Their strength drained from their bodies like water from a cracked vase.

But before the Forum Master could take advantage of the moment, a fresh wave of thieves surged forward from different directions, undeterred by their fallen comrades. The sheer number of enemies was overwhelming.

William's eyes flashed with fury. His calm demeanor cracked, and a dangerous glint appeared in his gaze.

[Mental Confusion]!

Without hesitation, William activated his skill, unleashing a wave of mental energy that rippled through the air like an unseen storm. Instantly, the bandits within a ten-meter radius came to a halt. Their faces slackened, and their weapons drooped in their hands. They stood there, dazed and unfocused, as if lost in a dream.

Their minds were overwhelmed, unable to process what was happening.

William scowled. 'The range is too short,' he thought grimly. In a battlefield filled with enemies, his skill's effectiveness was limited. It worked only on those close enough to feel his presence, an advantage in close combat, but not enough to turn the tide of battle.

Still, it was something.

William's patience snapped. His eyes flared with a deadly intensity, and his voice became a low growl. "Get out of my way!"

With that, he launched into a violent onslaught, his spear cutting through the air with deadly precision. Every strike was lethal, his movements fluid and unstoppable. Thieves fell like wheat under a scythe, their blood splattering the forest floor as he tore through them, leaving a trail of carnage in his wake.

The forest seemed to bleed as a storm of gore erupted wherever William passed, his spear never pausing, never missing.

Suddenly, a sharp cry from the Forum Master cut through the chaos, "Wallace! Watch out for the black magic scroll!"

William's body tensed, as if a knife had been pressed against his back. He spun around, his instincts kicking in just in time. His eyes locked onto a thin, wiry thief standing next to the bandit leader. The thief held an ancient-looking parchment in his trembling hands, dark runes flickering across its surface.

"That's a dark fireball scroll!" the Forum Master shouted urgently. "Once that flame touches you, it won't stop burning until you're nothing but ashes! Only your lance can pierce it!"

The scroll disintegrated into ash as the thief completed the incantation. From the fading remnants, a dark fireball the size of a washbasin formed, its flames burning black and deadly. It roared to life, crackling with ominous energy as it hurtled toward William.

Time slowed. William's grip tightened around his spear, his muscles coiling like a spring ready to release. He took a deep breath, centering all his energy into a single point.

[Piercing Attack]!

His spear erupted with a brilliant silver light, so bright it momentarily outshone the deadly black fireball. With a mighty thrust, William struck. The spear collided with the fireball mid-air, and for a heartbeat, the two forces clashed; a battle of light and darkness.

Then, with a deafening blast, the fireball exploded.

Dark flames shot out in all directions, splattering across the ground and nearby thieves. Their screams filled the air as the cursed flames devoured them, their bodies consumed in mere seconds, reduced to nothing but charred remains. The destructive power of the dark flames was terrifying.

"Break through the siege! Head for the eight o'clock direction!" the Forum Master commanded, his voice steady despite the chaos. "There are fewer thieves there!"

William nodded but didn't waver. "You go first. I'll cover the rear!"

In the heat of the battle, there was no room for doubt. Trust was all that remained between comrades. The Forum Master's jaw tightened as he gave a curt nod, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Without wasting a moment, the Forum Master urged his horse forward, leading the charge through the weakened line of thieves. His sword flashed, clearing a path as he cut down anyone in his way.

Behind him, William stayed close, his spear never stopping. Each strike was precise, blocking the thieves who lunged at the Forum Master from behind. Their swords and hammers glanced off his spear as he parried blow after blow, his expression grim but determined.

Together, they fought their way out of the encirclement, the sound of clashing metal and dying screams fading as they pressed forward, never looking back.

The Forum Master charged forward on his warhorse, carving a path through the chaos. Though the way ahead was fraught with obstacles, he pressed on with fierce determination. His horse, a creature of immense power, surged forward, muscles straining as it galloped through the battlefield, as if understanding the urgency of the moment.

William's horse followed suit, its powerful legs pounding the earth with every stride. Both horses pushed themselves to their absolute limits, their bodies instinctively numbing the pain with a flood of adrenaline, carrying their riders forward without faltering.

William didn't bother counting the bodies that fell in his wake. His focus was singular, his movements deadly. His body was drenched in blood, a mix of his enemies' and his own, while his eyes glowed with the red haze of battle fury. He couldn't shake the feeling that the thieves' combat prowess had intensified. They were fighting with more ferocity than when they had attempted to flee earlier.

Now, they seemed almost possessed, throwing themselves into the fight with reckless abandon.

As the battle raged on, the wear and tear began to show. The Forum Master's heavy armor, once pristine, was now shattered in places, pieces falling away as blows landed. His warhorse, though valiant, was streaked with blood, its own and that of the enemies it had trampled underfoot. The beast's sides were torn, and its breathing came in ragged gasps, though it pressed on, as resolute as its rider.

Suddenly, a sharp cry tore from the Forum Master's throat. Pain exploded through his shoulder as something yanked him violently from his saddle. Before he could comprehend what had happened, he was airborne, the world spinning around him in a blur of colors and sound. He crashed to the ground, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs.

It took him a moment to realize what had happened. A harpoon, launched by one of the thieves, had ripped him from his horse and sent him hurtling into the thick of their ranks. He was surrounded. A dozen savage faces leered at him, weapons raised, ready to hack him to pieces.

But the Forum Master wasn't done yet. His hand tightened around the object in his grip; a small, unassuming crystal. With a fierce shout, he raised it high and slammed it into the ground.

'Crackling!'

In an instant, lightning erupted from the crystal, arcs of electricity surging outward like the wrath of a vengeful storm. The bandits who had been closing in on him shrieked as the bolts tore through them, their bodies convulsing as they were reduced to smoldering heaps of charred flesh. The air was thick with the smell of burnt skin and ozone.

William, from his position on horseback, saw the flash of light and the Forum Master's peril. Several thieves were attempting to drag him down from his saddle as well, but they found no success. William was a mountain on his warhorse, immovable and unshakable. His powerful frame and combat prowess made it impossible for the thieves to pull him from his seat.

With a fierce battle cry, William rode through the fray, scattering the remaining thieves like leaves before a storm, and rushed to the Forum Master's side.

Together, the two fought their way through the encirclement, their weapons singing with each deadly swing. Despite the carnage surrounding them, they pushed forward, cutting down anyone who dared block their path. Just as the Forum Master had predicted, the number of enemies began to thin as they moved in the direction where fewer thieves awaited.

The tide of battle was finally turning in their favor.

William stayed behind, acting as the rear guard, his spear a blur of motion as he held off the enemies pursuing them. Blood coated his weapon, and the ground beneath the warhorses' hooves was littered with broken limbs and lifeless bodies. He rode like a god of war, his cold, steely gaze never wavering as he kept the enemies at bay.

But then, a sudden sense of danger washed over him; an instinct honed by years of combat. A deep, primal awareness told him something was terribly wrong. William scanned the battlefield, and his eyes locked onto the source of the threat: the bandit leader.

The thief stood at a distance, a massive bow in hand. An iron arrow, glistening in the dim light, was nocked and aimed directly at William. The moment their eyes met, the bandit leader released the string.

The iron arrow hurtled through the air with a deafening roar, tearing through the wind like a beast unleashed. William barely had time to turn before it struck.

'Thud!'

Pain exploded in his abdomen as the arrow pierced his armor with sickening ease. It punched through his body like a hot knife through butter, the sharp tip emerging from his back. William gasped, tasting blood in his mouth. The metallic tang filled his throat as he fought to remain conscious, his vision darkening at the edges.

But there was no time to falter. Gritting his teeth, William wrenched the reins, knocking away a thief who had attempted to clamber onto his horse. His body screamed in agony, but his will was stronger. He wouldn't fall here. Not yet.

With one last burst of strength, the two warhorses finally broke free from the thinning ranks of thieves, their hooves pounding the earth as they fled into the wilderness. The sounds of battle faded behind them, and soon, the forest gave way to open plains. The remaining thieves could only watch helplessly as the two riders disappeared into the distance, leaving the battlefield behind.

Though battered and bloodied, they had survived. For now.