The Ascender's Legacy [A CHAOTIC STORM LITRPG]

Thirty minutes before Sunstone's retaliation.

Captain Tyrus Hadjen sat around a wooden table in the new commander's tent surrounded by half a dozen other captains, strategizing and making plans on how best to counter Sunstone's inevitable retaliation when they eventually struck. The attack was bound to be brutal, but with the safety measures they had in place, Tyrus believed they would be able to handle it easily.

Aside from the numerous safety houses they had built across the kingdom, the increased number of security officers, their impenetrable aerial shields, and zealous soldiers, they had also very recently increased the number of champions allocated to every sector. Whatever Sunstone had planned, they were ready. Or at least, he thought so until disaster struck.

They were discussing the erection of more safety houses when it happened. The war alarm blared, and several calls from command began coming through. As one, they all turned to look at their new commander, expressions scrunched in curiosity and concern as he picked up the call and said. "Lunarshard speaking. What is—what?!"

Tyrus only heard bits and pieces of conversation, but even those scraps were enough to spell out the impending disaster. War had come for the Steppin' plains of sector 9 as well as the rocky shores on the other side of the sector. This wasn't just a battle. It was a siege—an all-out attempt to seize control of an entire sector, and they couldn't let that happen.

Commander Lunarshard began barking out orders the moment he ended the call, and captains rushed out of the tent to begin doing the same, shouting at the soldiers to get a move on before their enemies arrived and seized the high ground.

Tyrus, however, stayed behind, not because he didn't have a company of soldiers to order around but because, as usual, his strategic mind had found a pattern in all this mess. He stared intently at the map pinned to the table, trying to decipher what exactly struck his mind as odd.

"Captain Tyrus." Commander Lunarshard called out, his voice urgent yet steady. "What do you see?"

His talent for sensing patterns had not gone unnoticed, and unlike with his father, it hadn't gone unrewarded.

"There's a pattern somewhere. I'm just trying to pin it down."

Commander Lunarshard came to stand beside him, and together they studied the map. Feeling the rising sense of urgency, Tyrus swept aside all the wooden markers, and that was when the pattern revealed itself. Sector 9 was the Ragnarok's agricultural sector, which made it a perfect target for retaliation mirroring their plague wraith attack on Sunstone.

It was simple and obvious, yet Tyrus sensed something more.

Glaring at the map of sector 9, Tyrus grimaced. "It's not about the crops. They are gunning for the leyline. They must have found out about it."

Commander Lunarshard raised an eyebrow. "Do you think so?"

"I suspect so, sir. We knew we couldn't keep the exposed leyline a secret for much longer, not with Sector 9's atmospheric energy increasing so drastically. It's no stretch to assume they must have found out about it."

The leylines Tyrus was referring to were conduits of magical energy that crisscrossed around the continent and most likely the whole continent. These magical conduits were linked to the wellsprings that birthed the soulseeds, and if tampered with, could cause serious damage to Ragnarok's economy and overall power.

They were usually very deep underground, but an outlier had appeared in sector 9 a few months ago. For some unknown reason, the leylines had risen to the surface, not fully but enough to have raised the energy density of sector 9 to insane degrees in only a few short months, making them comparable to prominent energy sectors like sector 4 and 5.

Efforts were underway to bury the leyline whilst keeping information about it secret, but apparently, they had failed. Two armies marching on a single sector was no longer a retaliatory attempt. It was an attempt to severely cripple Ragnarok, and if they failed to protect the sector, the disaster that would follow would be incalculable.

Commander Lunarshard nodded appreciatively and replied. "Well, in that case, we definitely can't let them take it."

Tyrus frowned at Commander Lunarshard's casual response. "You don't seem to be too worried about it?"

'I'm not." Commander Lunarshard admitted with a small smile. "The council of generals has foreseen this and has made preparations in that regard. But I'm glad to know that, supposing they haven't, we have you to point it out for us.

"I…" Tyrus blushed in embarrassment and shook his head. "I should have realized that."

Commander Lunarshard shook his head. "Don't be embarrassed, Captain. I'm glad you spoke up, actually. It brings me joy and confidence that I have someone like you on my team. A mind like yours should be valued, not silenced."

Tyrus smiled and saluted. "Thank you, Commander. I need to get my company ready."

"Go. And Tyrus…

Tyrus looked back, and Commander Lunarshard continued. "May Raol's mercies be with you. Don't die."

Tyrus gave one last salute before rushing out of the tent. Outside, he found a group of privates standing around, utterly lost. Glaring at them, he pointed in the direction of the screeching alarm and barked, "Get to the alarm, soldiers. Go, go, go! Move your fucking feet."

The soldiers ran, hastily donning their armor even as they raced towards the alarm. Others followed them, filling the air with the clang of steel and the chorus of roaring captains. Underneath all the noise, the teleportation circle at the edge of the camp whirred to life, glowing with a blazing intensity that directed even the newest of recruits to its position.

Tyrus donned his own armor as he rushed about, urging the soldiers to move faster. The more he shouted, though, the more that familiar rage he nurtured stirred within him.

"Go, go. Hurry up!" He shouted once more, and this time, one of the privates stumbled, nearly falling on top of her own sword if not for the timely intervention of one of her comrades.

"Get yourself together, soldier." Tyrus barked, knowing fully well that he was being harsh. But this was a war. Kindness wouldn't help these people.

The alarm sputtered and restarted, signaling that their time was running out. Two more stutters and the Sunstonians would be upon them, literally. Raising his voice higher, Tyrus practically chased the rest of the dallying soldiers out of the camp, all the while hurrying towards the area where his company was surely gathered. Waiting for him.

A minute later, he found them already in formation, thanks to Boyd, who had very recently been promoted to the rank of a sergeant major. The soldiers saluted when they saw him, and Tyrus moved to stand before them.

There were a hundred of them in total, most of them green recruits whose experience of war had never exceeded the petty skirmishes they had been having with Sunstone. A few experienced soldiers were scattered among their ranks, but Tyrus knew that if things didn't go in their favor, he might never see any of these faces again.

Still conscious of time, he looked each and every soldier in the eye and committed their faces to memory before speaking. "This is nothing new for some of you, but for the vast majority, this will be your first serious battle. It will be deadly and dangerous, even for the more experienced members of this company. It will be dangerous even for me, but we are not just fighting for fighting's sake anymore; we are fighting to protect our kingdom from the filthy hands of the Sunstonians. We are fighting to protect our families."

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"We'll be defending the Steppin' plains while the Sigma 26-50 soldiers will defend the Rocky Shores. It will not be pretty; one wrong move, and that could be the end for any of us. But that is why we are a company. You have trained together and fought alongside each other for months now. Together we are stronger. Stay together and defend your comrades."

"Yes, Captain." The soldiers chorused, yet Tyrus felt the need to say more. "There is no order in battle; chaos is all you will know, but remember that we are a company. You have me, and I have you. I want us all to survive, but that won't happen unless we stick together. We fight as one."

"We fight as one." The soldiers echoed his words, and Tyrus finally nodded in satisfaction. "Good, now go. Head to the teleportation circle, and when you arrive at the Steppin' Plains, take up formation." He glanced at one of his best soldiers, an earth awakened he had recruited from the Warren all those months ago. "Corporal Tyla, take point. Sergeant Boyd and I will join you shortly."

Tyla saluted, and together, she and the rest of the company marched towards the teleportation circle. When they were finally out of sight, Boyd sagged and said. "It's here again. Another serious battle."

'It is." Tyrus agreed, staring at his lover with heavy eyes. The hesitation only lasted for a moment before he pulled Boyd into his arms and hugged him tightly. "Don't you dare die out there, Boyd. I will drag you back from the Ascendants if you do, and then I'll kill you myself."

"The same goes for you too." Boyd replied, his voice rumbling through Tyrus's chest. "You can't leave us when the rage comes. You aren't the butcher anymore. Remember, we have to fight as one. You have to stay with the company."

"I will."

"I'm serious, Tyr—

"I promise. I'll control myself."

They stole a few more seconds in each other's arms before rushing after their company. When they reached the teleportation circle, they steeled themselves against the discomfort of instantaneous spatial travel and stepped through it. The world blurred, and an instant later, a sea of silver and black armor revealed itself to them, standing proud and strong as they waited for their enemies to arrive.

The Steppin' plains revealed themselves next—a sprawling plain that stretched for miles in every direction. It bordered the left side of sector 9 and could have been said to be one of the most beautiful areas of sector 9 had it not been converted to a warzone centuries ago.

A sea of silver sand flowed beneath their feet, its expanse broken only by patches of dry grass and jagged stone outcroppings. The sun beat down on the sandy earth, streaming through a light gathering of clouds that floated lazily as if nothing odd was about to happen.

The soldiers stood in formation. Companies with the weakest soldiers in front, and of course, Tyrus found his company at the forefront.

"We are cannon fodder." Boyd murmured.

"We survived our first real battle. We can only hope they do the same." Tyrus replied, and together, they made their way to the forefront. They joined their company a few seconds later, and after commending Corporal Tyla, who had done an impeccable job of arranging her comrades, Tyrus took over, glaring at the expanse as he waited for the Sunstonian army to make their appearance.

This was the second time Sunstone was bringing their armies directly to Ragnarok, and Tyrus was getting sick of always having to wait for them. His rage surged, causing his fingers to spark with azure soul flames, but a deep breath brought his temper back under control.

Not yet, Tyrus. Not yet.

He had people to care for now. He couldn't just run off on a rampage regardless of how much he wanted to. For years the war had mattered little to him, only serving as an outlet for all his pent-up rage and bitterness. But it was different now. People were counting on him. Fathers who had children to go back home to, children who had left tearful parents back home. He owed them this, and Tyrus would dearly hate himself if his actions caused the death of even a single member of his company. He couldn't afford to be reckless.

Still, a thick aura of bloodlust wafted from him, joining the reddish haze of bloodlust that had congregated above the army. Tensions rose with each second that passed, and although the veterans maintained perfect decorum, the younger, less experienced soldiers shuffled around as the rising tensions got to them.

It spread like an infection, but the moment a soldier shuffled in his company, Tyrus sent the man a scathing glare that banished the disease immediately.

The Sunstonian army arrived five minutes later, their white and gold armor gleaming in the sun. This time there was no attempt at a parley. The war was long past that. Instead, Commander Lunarshard stretched a hand to their enemies and roared. "Attack!"

Soul flames erupted from Tyrus, burning so large that it transformed him into a pyre of azure flames. Without hesitation, he rushed forward, his entire company roaring alongside him.

They clashed against the Sunstonian army with a thunderous roar, and Tyrus unleashed his rage, burning a dozen Sunstonian soldiers to a crisp in an instant. The sky exploded with the clash of aerial skills, and the earth thundered as earthquakes rocked it with abandon.

Shadows converged, and light blazed. Shards of ice exploded, and a deluge of water drowned the earth. Steel clashed, and in only a few minutes, blood stained the silver sand, filling the air with the familiar coppery scent that nearly sent Tyrus over the edge.

Instead, he reined in all that bitter rage and channeled it into his soul flames, forming a vortex of scorching blue flames that tore a line of destruction across the ranks of Sunstonian soldiers.

>>>

A few minutes before the Sunstonian army made their appearance, Tyla stood rigidly behind her captain, forcing her muscles not to twitch with nervous tension. Five months ago, she had been a simple farm girl, working tirelessly to till the dry earth of the warren, but now she could barely even remember what a hoe felt like around her fingers.

The last five months had changed her terribly, transforming her from a simple farm girl to a killer of men. She had trained tirelessly, participated in a dozen skirmishes, gone on private missions, and come face to face with death countless times.

However, this was her first real battle, and Tyla couldn't help but shudder in fear when she saw the scale of the battlefield. This was no mere skirmish; it was a full-scale clash of kingdoms, with thousands of soldiers ready to battle to the death.

Clenching her fist, Tyla drew strength from the earth beneath her feet, motivating herself with the words her father had said to her on the day of her conscription.

"Always remember, Tyla, you are as steadfast as the earth beneath your feet. And if there be any day that you feel unsure of that truth, just look to the earth and remember, you are steady."

"I am steady." Tyla whispered, flexing her shoulders and forcing her limbs to loosen up.

Those words had been her mantra for the last five months. They had been her anchor when she had killed her first human being. They were her prayers and her cries. Without them, Tyla highly doubted she would still be sane.

"I am stead—" she began to whisper again, but someone cut her off from behind.

"Are you scared?" The person asked, and Tyla turned to glance at the girl who had spoken. She was beautiful in a quiet way, tanned from all the sun and muscled from all the training.

Tyla shook her head. "I can't afford to be."

"Well then," the girl let out a heavy breath. "I'll be scared for the both of us."

Tyla smiled, and although she hadn't planned to respond, a quote she had once read rose to the surface of her mind.

Smiling, she gave voice to the words. "Why fear when you can burn with rage and determination? Fear will hold you back, but rage will drive you forward, and determination will give you purpose."

"Who are you quoting?" the girl asked with a smile.

"It doesn't matter. I'm not sure why I said it."

The girl nodded slowly, mulling over her words for a few seconds before letting out a deep breath. "Rage, not fear. That's what you're trying to tell me."

Tyla chuckled. "I don't know what I'm trying to tell you, but I guess 'to rage rather than fear' is a good takeaway from it."

The girl smiled, and Tyla turned her attention back to the horizon. A minute passed, and then another. Tension rose with each passing second, and the utter silence didn't help either. Fear tried to rise up within her, but every time she sensed it stirring, she looked to the earth and whispered to herself. "I am steady. I have no need for fear."

The Sunstonians appeared a minute later, decked in white and gold armor. Tyla's heart shook at the sight of their numbers, but before fear could set in, Commander Lunarshard pointed a hand at the approaching army and shouted. "Attack!"

Tyla did. With every muscle coiling with momentum, she surged forward, her heart pounding like a war drum. Just ahead, Captain Tyrus had become a walking inferno, his body wreathed in roaring soul flames. Despite only being at the mundane class, he was a beacon of destruction, cutting through the enemy lines with fiery fury.

The battle shattered into chaos the moment their armies clashed. Screams rose, steel clashed, and the explosion of skills rocked both the heavens and the earth, filling the air with the acrid scent of burning flesh.

With a sharp motion, Tyla seized the ground beneath an enemy soldier, pulling him down until only his head remained above the surface. There was no hesitation. With a final, crushing snap, she snapped the earth shut. Bone cracked, blood sprayed, and the man was no more.

Skills detonated all around her. Cutting winds screeched, and earthquakes rocked the earth constantly. Space warped, and the world dimmed as shadows erupted from the ground. Rampaging through the Sunstonian army was a sandstorm, and on their side a firestorm tore through their ranks.

It was utter chaos, but Tyla didn't let it distract her. She tore her way forward, clearing a bloody path for her company to make the most devastation. She fought tirelessly, protecting Captain Tyrus's flank while the sergeant major did the same on the other end.

Only seconds in, and Tyla was already covered in blood. Even as she had the thought, she waved a hand at a line of enemy soldiers, causing a cascade of earth spikes to jut out of the ground and pierce their necks. Five of them died in an instant, but Tyla barely noticed, maintaining her position beside the captain, who tore his way through the battlefield, every step leaving a pile of charred corpses in his wake.

He didn't stop, didn't waver, and Tyla absolutely refused to fall behind. She glued herself to his flank, even as the battle blurred into a storm of blood and fury.

Through it all, one thought anchored her mind. I am steady. Just like the earth.