NOVEL NEXT 119. Light In The Ashes
The wind coiled around the captain of the Thirty-First. His cloak fluttered in the breeze, against the mechanical cogs that kept the machine functioning. The magic circles swirled in the air, overflowing with mana that gleamed with an azure light. One by one, flaming spheres manifested from the center. Ripping through the ashen skies as embers scattered.
Screams entered Tucker's ears. His men were scared, terrified even, at the barrage that was hurling towards them. But in the face of the overwhelming odds stacked against them. His resolve strengthened. He was their leader. Their captain. And to run before his men could escape went against everything he stood for. Many would say his decision was stupid, idiotic beyond belief, but to him it wasn't. And if it was, then at least he could still look back and be proud of his choice.
Tucker ignored the calls from his friends urging him to take shelter and focused on the spells soaring past the buildings. Droplets of rain descended from the dark clouds. Twenty spells were coming their way. Perfectly spread out to inflict the most damage possible across their ranks. Time seemed to slow as he slowly inhaled. The spells became clearer, each flickering with an intensity that matched its strength.
His fingers held onto the bowstring, refining the spirit arrow. It glistened in the rays of sunlight that pierced through the narrow gaps in the clouds. Through the frantic screams, Tucker aimed at the blazing spheres hurling over the streets, feeling the intense heat brushing against his skin. The odds of him hitting all the spells were impossible. But if he targeted the ones landing in the center of the street, then he could minimize the damage.
Tucker slowly exhaled, releasing the tension from his emerald bowstring. As the arrow took flight, the spiraling gust pulled the surrounding raindrops into its embrace. The men stood in disbelief. Watching the attack soar over their heads. It was unlike anything they had ever seen before. Yet at that moment, a sense of hope bloomed. The rain suffocating their hopes had broken, following the projectile that tore through the first spell.
The men felt their hearts hammer in their chests. They knew it was impossible for the spirit arrow to burst through the spells that weren't along the projectile's trajectory. But as the arrow drew closer to each spell, Gale flew by its side. Guiding the spirit arrow through the skies. Then, another spell was blown apart, dispersing the flames into tiny embers before being snuffed out by the breeze.
Explosions erupted one after another, shaking their hearts. All twenty spells were pierced dead center by the spirit arrow. The mechanical engines of the war machine churned, as if the colossus itself was in disbelief. The soldiers witnessing this event were awestruck. They felt their spirits lift and soon raised their weapons in the air. Their boots thudded against the stone bricks. Specks of cinders reflected in the raindrops, and once more, the soldiers marched forth.
Beneath the ashen sky.
Beside the crumbling buildings.
And beyond the fear that gripped their minds.
They followed the arrow that flew along the horizon, following the spirit hawk that carried their belief. Their desperation. And in the stillness of the rain, a miracle happened. The arrow that dispersed the spells continued moving. Leaving behind a trail that crossed over a hundred meters. Until finally, it struck the golem's left eye. Right between the gaps of its visor. An aching bellow escaped its vents. The crimson light that emerged from the left eye flared, releasing a blinding light as the golem fell to one knee.
Brian watched as the golem leaned on its shield for support. The machine was defenseless. Open to any attack in the coming seconds. He had seen the captain of the Thirty-First constantly push himself. Overcoming the odds that sought to overwhelm him. And yet, even though they were of the same rank. His contributions paled in comparison.
What was the reason?
He asked himself that question throughout the time they spent together. And finally, he found his answer. It wasn't a matter of deeds but of treasuring those you held dear. It felt like his inner demons that shackled his growth had disappeared. Setting free a virtue he had long forgotten.
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His hands gripped the sword's hilt as an aura bloomed, warm like a new dawn. His armor plates shifted. He slid his foot forward, taking a step while slicing the air before him. With a thunderous roar, a burst of strength left him. Racing towards the fallen golem with a resounding speed that refused to waver. His aura slash was unlike any other, pushing past his limits as parts of the world shifted within its shadow. A will manifested from the captain of the Thirtieth.
The landscape shifted as an orange light peered through the floor. A portion of Brian's domain came into the world, and its effects were coursing through the defender's veins. Every single one of them felt a newfound strength, pressing their advantage while encircling the golem.
Even Luka was at a loss for words, watching as his friend's attack took out one of the golem's eyes. The spirit essence refined in the arrow was of a purity beyond anything he had ever seen.
"He really does know how to put on a show," Luka muttered with a grin.
"I couldn't agree more," Benjamin replied.
Both of them leaped onto the crumbling roofs and darted towards the golem, leaving behind Tucker, who covered his mouth and violently coughed. Blood as dark as the night stained his leather gloves. The pain in his heart was just like what happened when he borrowed spirit essence from Sally. He had pushed himself far too much in such a short span of time. But he couldn't rest.
Just a bit more, and one of their problems would be dealt with.
He followed behind the other soldiers while picking up a fallen blade. Yet as he stepped onto the orange light seeping through the blood-soaked roads. Tucker felt the sharp pain in his chest slowly subside. The effect of Brian's domain was immediate, and a sense of determination filled his soul. He smiled as the other soldiers felt the effect and soon ran by his side.
The defenders had closed the distance between them and the war machine. Hundreds of men had the monstrosity pinned down, raining down a cascade of attacks along its surface. Steel clashed against iron, and the shield the golem held with pride was gradually getting torn apart. All the soldiers were told of its aura-dispersing properties by Luka and had opted for more unconventional means of attack. Pelting it with whatever blunt object they could find.
But the machine refused to back down. Every calculated movement struck at where their forces were weakest. Soldiers were blown aside with each decisive swing of its arm. The ground shattered as it kicked those targeting its legs, crushing their bodies as blood mixed with the rain. Yet despite the casualties, the men pressed on. Their spirits unbroken. Their eyes set ablaze with courage to bring down the war machine that plagued their kingdom.
The machine's mechanisms turned once more, releasing the burning heat trapped within its body. Half of its sight was gone, but it continued desperately to create space. Each step it took was met with a fierce barrage of attacks that shook its steel plates. Pieces of metal fell onto the stone tiles with a heavy thud, and upon seeing the crumbling structure of the machine. Another powerful war cry erupted from their ranks.
This wasn't just a battle for survival but revenge for the fallen. For their comrades who had given their lives just to get them a single step closer. Swords left their marks on the machine's surface while arrow shafts stuck out from the golem's shoulder. Little by little, the defenses were being stripped away, and in one final act to escape the encirclement. The cogs of the war machine clicked into place once more.
Tucker's eyes shook. The golem planned to jump once more, but at that moment, something unexpected happened. Before he could react, the stone tiles beneath their boots violently trembled. A series of explosions shook the very ground they stood on. Cracks tore along the surface of the central plaza, and the soldiers who fought the war machine quickly broke off. They sprinted to the side of the area and ran away from the collapsing tiles.
Tucker didn't know what was happening or how the ground beneath them caved in. But right now it didn't matter. He rushed forward as one of the soldiers ran towards them with fear in his eyes. Smoke rose from the void behind him. He was only several steps away from them, but the tiles beneath him were already falling into the abyss.
"Jump!" Tucker yelled.
And without hesitation, the soldier did. Leaping forward, Tucker stretched out his arm, barely catching the man's hand as he jolted his arm back. The man fell on his knees with his palms slamming onto the broken floor. He gasped for air while running his hand over the white deer insignia on his chest. His face was pale, but besides that, there weren't any notable injuries.
Tucker focused on the center of the crater. The thick layers of smoke billowed upwards, suffocating the machine's figure as it climbed into the air. For a moment, it hung there, swelling like a dark tide until it could rise no more. The mass faltered before collapsing in on itself. Choking the gray curtains that folded downwards and spewed towards the earth.