Spiritbound [Spirit Magic, Military, Progression] (Book 1 Complete)

What did Captain Morgan mean by loss of innocence?

Captain Welford silently thought about it. The hot wind caressed his face, and a feeling of loss grew inside him. What exactly was he supposed to do? There were people who depended on him. People who needed him to lead, but Tucker knew he wasn't perfect. He had his flaws and made mistakes.

The helplessness grew inside of him, yet he couldn't show it. His eyes shifted to the men beside him. They were all facing the opening within the broken stone walls. The crumbling bricks and smoke lingering in the air caused his heart to sink. Hundreds of men gathered at the remains of the fourth bastion with their respective banners. Each one belonged to a noble house with different insignias, except for the Thirty-First that used the nation's flag. They were a platoon that didn't have any backing, yet here they were, standing side by side with the Kingdom's best.

Their armor plates didn't make a single sound, hardly even a rattle. The watchmen leading each group stood among the ranks. Archers were stationed on the rooftop of the buildings, and cannons aimed at the gaps within their once proud walls. The plan was simple. All they needed to do was hold the lines while the cannons, mages, and archers rained hell upon their foes.

But Tucker didn't like it one bit.

Before the commander sent his men off into the meat grinder against the Empire, they should have cut down their numbers as much as possible beforehand. Even with the concentrated firepower, there was no guarantee that it would be effective.

"So this is it," Luka said with a dire expression. "We're going to slug it out with the Empire."

"Yeah, it would seem so. Our only orders are to hold the line," said Tucker, loud enough for his men to hear. "Stay in formation and don't chase the enemies if they run. Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" the men replied.

They raised their shields before their bodies and pointed their weapons at the enemy. Their weapons were gleaming beneath the sunlight. Five platoons were called upon for this plan and formed a crescent around the opening. Tucker's men were blocking one of the major streets with the Thirtieth platoon, while the other three were covering the gaps to the side.

When fear should have gripped their very souls, the men of the Thirty-First and Thirtieth stood strong. Captain Morgan wore his black and gold accent steel helmet. The two long, horn-like extensions rose from each side like a pair of antlers. His entire armor had a similar design, shrouded in a thick azure cloak that bore the sigil of a hearth resting in a wreath. The dignified presence of the captain of the Thirtieth radiated before them. He was one of the finest knights that the Everheart Kingdom had produced, and the knights that followed him upheld this belief.

He stared at his men, the soldiers who were once militiamen, and smiled. They were shunned and pushed to the corners of the bastion. An area that many would disregard, but now they stood shoulder to shoulder with nobles. Many would consider them unworthy, they were of common birth. However, that wasn't the case. The other platoons saw them as one of the pillars supporting the fortress city.

The ground trembled as the broken stone and debris shook. A wall of sound vibrated through the ashen sky, drowning out any conversation as a deep and thunderous howl moved through the lands. Through the clouds of dust and dirt, shadows emerged one after another. Rows upon rows of heavily armored soldiers marched from the cracks within the walls. Their red banners and standards fluttered high in the sky.

Behind the steel helmets that were shaped to match a ferocious beast with two fangs was the burning desire to take over the bastion. Tucker could see it from their posture that each foe before him was willing to die for this cause. They were part of a nation that didn't see the value of life and only wanted to expand their borders.

Hatred took hold of Tucker's heart. Explosions erupted against the curtain walls as the Empire's forces tore against it like a pack of rabid beasts. He glanced to the side and stared at Captain Morgan. Their gazes met, and with a simple nod, they were both on the same page.

"Ready yourselves!" Tucker shouted with all his might. "Remember, we just need to hold. Focus on protecting yourselves and your brothers beside you!"

"Treat the Thirty-First like our own! These are our brothers, they have our backs and we have theirs!" Brian raised his sword in the air, causing his men to all shout in unison.

Both of the platoons were shoulder to shoulder with their defenses raised. Not a single gap was between them, and their captains were side by side. The Empire's forces marched without a care in the world. They stood tall, but Tucker remained unfazed. Each of the Kingdom's cannons was now locked on the mass of soldiers that entered through the hole, and with one thunderous volley, an inferno of hell rained down upon them.

The rumble sent tremors throughout the battlefield, causing some men to stagger, but Tucker remained steadfast. Eyes locked onto the foes beneath the smoke and flames. He saw a shimmer of energy flicker through the clouds. Hundreds of light blue hexagonal shapes had manifested around the Empire's forces, forming a protective dome that warded off the unrelenting barrage.

Tucker clicked his tongue. "That's probably the barrier artifact that we were supposed to steal."

"Really?" Luka asked.

"Yeah, it was my last mission before being sent to the bastion."

"Funny how things come full circle." Luka chuckled, and the men behind him did the same. "Well, it just means we have more of an opportunity to prove ourselves."

Tucker gazed forward and forced a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Even though the men's morale was soaring, he couldn't bring it in himself to dampen the mood. They had already done enough to prove themselves, and now they just needed to survive.

Life was like a flame wavering in the wind. One that was so easily extinguishable yet burned brightly in defiance. Maybe that was what made it so valuable. A fleeting moment created through a time of tragedy and hardened against adversity.

He tightly clenched onto the hilt of his sword, watching as the enemy charged right at them. Their steps hammered against the ground as the soldiers of the Empire drew closer. A calmness took over Tucker's mind as everything moved in slow motion.

With a deep breath, Brian tightened his grip on the cold metal of his silver longsword. The gold accents on his blade glowed with a bright orange light as an aura enveloped his body. He lowered himself into an offensive stance with his blade behind him. For their little plan to work, Brian knew he needed to draw out the strongest foes from the Empire's forces.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

His attack needed just enough power to force their hand.

The aura surrounding Captain Morgan's body flared like the skies during sunrise. The gradient hues dyed the area in a resolute spirit that made the men of the Thirty-First gasp. It was their first time experiencing such a phenomenon, but the sensation caused their hearts to beat heavily in their chest. Their culture instilled those emotions deeply within them. It was their dream to reach the pinnacle of aura mastery and to see it firsthand, made it all the more obtainable.

The barrier artifact's protection covered the breach and roughly a hundred meters beyond. As the Empire's forces closed in, Brian stepped forward. With all of his might, he swung his sword in a wide arc, releasing the aura that manifested within his blade. The blinding light surged from the blade and carved out the path created by the horizontal slash. It tore through the landscape, ripping the bricks from the earth as the ripple of energy cried forth.

Seeing this, the knights of the Empire rushed forward with their blades in hand. Their auras rose in defiance of the overwhelming strength before them. But as their energies collided, their eyes widened in shock. They found themselves in a world with a perpetually rising and setting sun, even though it was midday.

Blood dripped from the corner of their mouths as the force slammed into them, driving their bodies back. A look of disbelief filled their eyes, but they stood strong. It was only a moment, a flicker of hesitation, but that was all Tucker needed. A volley of wind arrows that left hardly a whistle struck their helmets. All met its mark as screams of pain filled their ears. Some had instantly perished as blood trickled down their armor plates in dark rivulets, while others staggered back, wounded and calling for aid. But the vast majority of the soldiers pressed on, clenching their teeth with a grim resolve.

Tucker and Brian fell back behind their defensive position as their men yelled down the lines to bolster their morale.

"Brace!" Eric cried out with all his might.

The muscles within the soldiers filled with tension. They raised their aura to the highest possible level and maintained their shieldwall. Their weapons pointed at the Empire as they rushed towards them. Not a single soldier of the Thirty-First took a step back, fixing their gaze on their foes. Battle cries emerged from both sides as the Kingdom's forces dug in.

"Fire!" Ray gave the order, and in an instant, arrows rained down on the Empire's forces. However, their momentum didn't stop. It only increased with each volley, and seeing this, Ray cursed under his breath. "Javelins!"

A wave of javelins soared from the second and third ranks of the Thirty-First, piercing deep into the enemy's flesh, but with each fallen soldier, two more took their place. The watchmen knew they couldn't stop the oncoming clash, couldn't even slow it. Nevertheless, they fought desperately to weaken the Empire's forces.

Ray used whatever essence he had to create a wall of fire before the Empire, yet the water spells smothered it as steam rose from the embers. Eric and Luka both tried to form a makeshift wall of earth, but it instantly crumbled against the unyielding force that burst right through.

In a resounding clash of iron and steel, the two forces met head-on, shields bashing against each other and weapons jabbing through the narrow gaps. The Empire's forces pushed with all their might to overwhelm the Kingdom's forces, but not a single inch of ground was given. The desperation written on their faces caused Tucker to flinch; however, he needed to hold himself back.

The Thirty-First had trained for this moment. They needed to overcome this trial, and Brian was the one to convince him of this. The captains knew their true opponents would come; all they had to do was wait. Charging into every skirmish without purpose wasn't bravery. It was recklessness.

Tucker scanned the ranks of the Empire's forces. There were two figures drawing closer, one wore a wide oval-shaped helm that fanned out near the top. The other with a silver helm with a single red plume that fluttered in the wind. The violet energy emitting from the oval-shaped knight radiated with killing intent, while the white energy from the silver knight held elegance.

Captain Morgan snapped his fingers, and a nearby soldier quickly handed him a spear. In the same breath, the oval-helmed knight surged into the air, armor clattering in the wind as they raised their great sword high overhead.

"This one's mine." Captain Morgan hurled the spear through the air as it impaled the violet knight's armor. Sparks danced on the surface as the force pushed the foe to the sidelines.

Tucker watched as Brian followed his opponent before focusing on the silver knight. They were several meters behind their men, not daring to make a move. Yet in that moment, a chill ran down his spine. One that was shockingly familiar. The red cape that fluttered in the wind and the insignias gleaming beneath the sunlight struck a resemblance he had long forgotten. The three silver crossing swords and the tightening sensation in his chest hammered loudly in his ears.

"Knight Slayer!" Tucker pointed at the silver knight, causing Benjamin to nod his head.

But they were a second too late. The silver knight had unsheathed their sword, allowing the white vapor from the blade to pierce the heavens. With a single decisive strike, the knight aimed at the nearby buildings where the archers were and swung his sword. The sharp line of light cut through the stone bricks and wooden pillars that supported the building. Tearing it asunder as the ground shattered beneath its sheer might.

Screams filled the air as the archers fell from the rooftops. The collapsing building drew the attention of everyone there. The knights of the Thirteth platoon were taken aback by the destructive might of the attack and focused on the new foe. They wanted to immediately spring into action and reinforce the men of the Thirty-First but their hands were tied.

"Group three, follow me!" Tucker ordered as the men forming the third rank rushed to his side.

"What the fuck was that!" Eric ran beside Tucker with a pale expression.

The look of fear in the watchman's eyes caused Tucker to grit his teeth. He answered in a low voice. "It's most likely a knight captain."

"Will the two of us be enough?" Eric worriedly asked.

"You mean three," Luka corrected.

Tucker glanced over his shoulder in discontent. "Where's the Knight Slayer?"

"He said he had to stay with the defensive line." Luka followed behind the two with a somber glint in his eyes. If there was a knight captain here, it meant that there was most likely a full order of knights as well. In such a case, there was no way the Thirty-First would be able to hold their line, not without Benjamin.

Tucker understood this but a sense of unease filled his mind. They arrived at the ruins of a large gothic building that had collasped within itself. The men of the Thirty-First were scattered on the ground, desperately trying to save their comrades.

"Over here! Someone! Anyone!" the soldier cried out in desperation. "Please help!"

Tucker and the other watchmen rushed towards the rubble as the soldier held their dying friend in their arms. Tears were streaming down his cheeks as the bottom half of his friend was buried beneath a large stone slab.

"Luther… I'm not going to make it."

The nameless soldier weakly clutched his friend's hand as Eric and Luka heaved the slab off him. But it was already too late—everything below their waist was crushed beneath the rubble, far beyond the reach of any healing potion.

The soldier's gaze found Tucker through the haze of pain. With a trembling voice, he softly asked. "Captain, did I do good?"

"You did," Tucker replied.

"Ah… finally." A smile tugged at the soldier's lips one final time as he slowly closed his eyes.

Luther felt the warmth slowly fade from his friend's hand as their grasp weakened. "No, no, no, no!" The desperate cries from Luther were too much to bear as the third group pulled him away.

Tucker, Luka, and Eric stood in silence with their eyes fixed on the top of the rubble. All around them were people grieving for those who had fallen. Every building had been sealed in preparation for the Empire's assault, but none of them had expected a knight to bring one down just to carve out a new breach.

The watchmen rushed up the crumbling structure. They couldn't afford to dwell on what had already happened and needed to cut off the enemy's advance. Yet halfway through the rubble, a lone figure stood at the summit. The knight's silver-clad armor, crimson plume, and cape forced them to come to a halt.

Tucker's eyes locked with the knight's. It had been a while, but he knew who the knight was. This person was the very same knight who attacked him and Alex at the bandit compound. The one that had once filled him with fear and disbelief.

But such a feeling no longer existed.

Now, there was no fear—only fury for the fallen. Tucker and the others burned with rage, not just at the knight but at themselves for believing that the rooftops would be safe. For thinking that their archers were out of reach. They couldn't save the lives that were already lost, but if they were to die. They would do so with vengeance on their lips.