NOVEL NEXT 103. No Going Back
Tucker's plan was simple. The men didn't need to fight their way through all the soldiers to make it to the inner gates. They just had to create a disturbance that would cause the enemy to run. He looked at Brian, who had relayed the plan to the other knights. Jones and the common soldiers were still far from the breach. In theory, Tucker's attack would be too far to affect them.
He carefully severed the spirit thread in half, creating two separate entities. One served as a loop, and the other he layered beneath, acting as a current to direct the tornado. The wind spiraled throughout the domain, causing the enemy soldiers to gaze in Tucker's direction. Instinctively, all the enemy soldiers knew they had to stop him. But blocking their path was an assortment of knights and professionally trained soldiers who refused to yield.
Their wavering eyes locked on Tucker in panic. The Empire's knights who entered the domain had their hands full, and the forces outside were trying to dismantle the domain. Faced with an overwhelming threat that was about to unleash before them, the enemy soldiers gritted their teeth and turned their backs to the Everheart soldiers.
No one wanted to die when victory was within their grasp.
They sprinted towards the fracture, pushing aside their comrades who entered. Their bodies collided with one another, and disbelief broke out among the knights.
"Where the hell are they going?!" The knight was in shock as the men ran past him.
Several others shared the feeling but couldn't afford to turn their heads. The Everheart soldiers pressed their advantage, surrounding the abandoned knights. Anger flared in their eyes as the enemy knights desperately tried to fend off the attacks. But as one knight's blade was swiftly parried by a Hearthfire knight, the men of the Thirty-First immediately drove their weapons through the enemy's chest.
Blood splattered on the ground as they pulled out their weapons, filling the air with the iron-sweet scent of metal. The Empire's knights were getting picked apart, one by one. Like a carcass devoured by vultures. Tucker focused, channeling the spirit essence into the threads. He twisted the thread, adding a rotation as it spun in place. It hummed in the air and glowed within his palms.
Soon, the wind rushed forth, gathering several meters ahead of their position. A whirlwind of pure energy manifested before the Everheart soldiers. It pulled on the surroundings, merging with the golden blaze from Brian's domain.
Tucker felt sweat drip down his chin and a sharp pain strike his heart. After constantly using his spirit essence and aura without rest, the after effects were finally taking a toll. The fatigue was finally building up like a tower of bricks unevenly stacked together and swaying in the breeze.
Just a little longer.
That was all Tucker needed to complete his spell. All he needed to do was create a chance for them to escape.
He carefully managed the threads, balancing the power flowing through them. They hovered above the palm of his hand and soon came to life. The wind swirled in the domain like a blazing tornado, advancing towards the breach while carrying the metallic tang that lingered in the air.
Screams rang out in Tucker's ears. The Empire's forces were running out of the domain without a care for those who were left behind.
"Captain Welford." Brian stared at him with a tense expression. "Are you sure? There'll be no going back."
"It's our only chance," Tucker replied. "Just promise me that you'll take care of my men."
"I will."
Brian clicked his tongue. He knew Tucker was right, but this seemed crazy, even by his standards. The tornado drew closer towards the breach and the captain didn't have any more time to waste. He swallowed his doubt and clenched the hilt of his sword.
The Everheart soldiers were falling into formation. Everyone was prepared. Without wasting another second, he let his domain collapse, and with it, the eternal dawn faded. The proud stone statues of heroes and saints crumbled, and the sunset faded beyond the horizon. Slowly, the scorched earth shifted back to the ash-covered tiles, and the tall gothic structures returned once more.
Cannons sang like a chaotic symphony hammering into the terrain. The men felt the ground tremble beneath their feet, but charged right behind the tornado. Each one of the Empire's soldiers was in shock, unable to comprehend what was going on.
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Tucker kept the threads of essence within the palm of his hand and gritted his teeth. The weight of the energy was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. The tornado tore apart the surrounding buildings, sending rubble and foes alike flying. With the lingering effects of Brian's domain, the Empire's soldiers were set ablaze, but for how long? Their enemies were running, yet a fear filled his heart.
What if this was a mistake?
They were now a hundred meters away from the gate. He could see it, and even though they were so close, it felt like an eternity. Each step grew heavier, one after another. The soldiers leading the charge believed in their plan without a shred of doubt. They didn't whine or complain but instead pushed with an unrelenting ferocity that petrified their enemies.
"Don't fall behind! Stay together and only focus on those bastards in front of us!" Jones ordered.
"Yes, sir!" The soldiers shouted in unison while fighting alongside the Everheart knights.
Fifty meters was all that remained. Tucker felt the pain in his heart grow sharper. He needed to endure, even if it was for a bit longer. It wasn't just his life on the line, but those who trusted him.
Tucker spat out a mouthful of blood, causing Brian to stare at him with worry. Only for Tucker to return the gaze with a glare that refused to yield. As if he was screaming at the other captain to fulfill his promise.
Brian tightly shut his eyes and nodded before opening them. "Clear the way! We're almost there!"
It felt suffocating.
Strength was leaving Tucker's body, and the men were right before the gates. The tornado that cut through the Empire's forces was weakening. The thin swirling gusts that roared were fading. Each meter it gained reduced its size. They were right before the inner gates, fighting the Empire's forces that rushed out to stop them.
Brian was screaming, frantically shouting orders nonstop, while the men desperately drove the enemy knights back. Tucker stared at their backs, watching as sparks emerged, clash after clash. Aura flared through the smoke and dirt, along with the metallic sound of blades striking one another. Yet seeing this, Tucker's heart sank.
Their momentum had staggered, and soon, the thunderous sound of footsteps entered his ears from behind. Tucker looked over his shoulder. Several silhouettes rose from the smoke. Their numbers were drastically increasing in the span of seconds.
The other Everheart soldiers at the rear noticed this and immediately rushed to Tucker's aid. They stood beside him and raised their weapons. Blades shrouded in aura and spirits set ablaze. Tucker stared at the incoming figures, his spirit essence vanishing with the breeze.
There was no avoiding this fight.
They all knew that.
Tucker clenched onto his sword and gathered whatever aura he could muster. The dim light enveloped his blade. There was barely enough to cover the metal's surface.
Jones glanced at his captain. "Sir, go on ahead. We'll be right behind you."
His men were awful liars. They were trembling while stepping forward and seeing this, Tucker couldn't run.
"If we die, we die together," he replied.
Tucker held his sword with both hands, keeping it close to his body. The figures drew closer. Their silhouettes growing darker. He ignored the stabbing pain, refusing to take his eyes off the incoming threat. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and a trickle of sweat slid down his cheek.
Auras of different colors flared through the smoke. The iron plates their opponents wore rattled loudly in the Everheart soldiers' ears. Their muscles tensed, and they kept their formation tight, leaving no openings. Yet as the figures burst through the smoke, their eyes widened in shock.
Blue and green capes were draped over their shoulders, and numerous banners bearing the Everheart Kingdom's sigil rose in the air. The soldiers on the other side were equally shocked by the reveal as they were charging into their own ranks, but soon realized the situation before them.
Tucker quickly composed himself once he saw several familiar faces among those emerging from the smoke. He shouted and lowered his blade. "Clear the way for our reinforcements and send word down!"
His men immediately broke into columns with gaps in between their formations. They lowered their blades as the other Everheart soldiers ran by. With the path clear, the reinforcements sprinted past Tucker and his group of soldiers. A look of relief surfaced on their faces, and soon a knight charged through the ashen landscape.
The knight's battle-scarred runic armor was the first thing Tucker noticed. Then his heavy, cylindrical helm with gold decoration. Once he drew closer, Tucker finally saw it. A silver badge with a single sword going through the center.
The captain drew closer with his ember eyes focusing on the Empire's forces. His voice was deep, and his sharpened black iron great sword rested on his shoulders. "Leave the rest to us."
The voice that came from the other captain put Tucker's mind at ease. For once, he felt like the burden on his shoulders had decreased. Like the world around him had gotten lighter. Yet as more Everheart soldiers broke through the smoke, a single one caught his eye.
His normally well-kept blonde hair was in shambles. A bizarre mess that was mixed with dirt. While his blue eyes were clear and focused. The man smirked upon seeing Tucker and slowed down. He walked closer while extending his hand with a wide grin on his face.
Tucker happily scoffed while walking closer and grabbed hold of his friend's hand. "You son of a bitch."
Their gloves met in a firm grip as Luka pulled Tucker into a hug. "Shit, you look like a mess!"
The sound of cheers rose from Tucker's men as the Captain of the Twenty-Eighth platoon joined their ranks. Even Brian, who was fighting on the front lines, felt his fighting spirit burst with life once more. The surviving soldiers from all the platoons that had been abandoned were now together, and for that moment, Tucker felt something he hadn't dared to hope for.
Relief.