Hey everyone, miss me? Got a juicy update for all of you, so thanks for hanging in there and sticking with my fic. I know progress is slow, but it helps to know that I have a dedicated cadre of readers that keep coming back for more. As always, your feedback and comments are invaluable to me, from a practical and a morale standpoint.
I'd also like to take a moment and thank EderNimrais, one of our other authors on this archive. EderNimrais gives me feedback on virtually every chapter I write, has engaged with me in lengthy discussions on where my fic is going in terms of plot and character development, and knows infinitely more about the Agarest universe than I do, saving me both time and humiliation by catching my incorrect preconceptions before I decide derail the entire plot with my original content. So here's to you EderNimrais. For any of you who have not read his works, I urge you to check his stuff out (Shadow to Your Light and Fortitude of Friendship and Love are my personal picks) and leave a thank you for his time and dedication to writing on this archive.
Yes, this is dragging on, but I'd also like to thank the kind folks who left me a comment for the last chapter and respond to their points. Jordan, congratulations on your graduation and good luck with all your future endeavors. I'm going with the game for now; Leonhardt hasn't chosen a wife just yet. Mr Skrah, thanks for reading and sharing your kind words. I'm glad you like the way I'm putting Elaine forward; it's a challenge to make her an individual character rather than a Fyuria/Luana hybrid of sorts. As a matter of fact, I am taking opinions on who Leonhardt should choose as a wife. No promises to anyone, of course, but I am reading and I am listening. Timewastin, forgive me, but I think this is your first review, so firstly, thanks a lot for your time and attention. Your thoughts regarding safety are well taken. I suppose I hoped that honor and decency would mean something in a fantasy world if not so much in our own world. Idyllic, yes, but I guess I'm just a goddamn hippie. As for your other questions, I hope this chapter will speak for itself and answer those for you. If not, feel free to follow up.
Dawn's light flowed across the landscape, illuminating Leonhardt's lone figure atop a small, rocky outcropping that overlooked the camp below. Already, reveille had been sounded and the camp was a beehive of activity as men broke down their tents and prepared equipment for transport. Like everything else about Elaine's battalion, their movements were swift, practiced, and efficient. It would be only another hour before the men were ready to march once again.
Leaning back against the rock, Leonhardt closed his eyes, savoring the moment of privacy. It had been far too long since he could just sit back and gather his thoughts. There, with the soft daylight playing across his eyelids, he let his mind wander, wading through a lake of memories and thoughts that he had, for so long, neglected to work out. His growing guilt and worry about Ellis's stolen childhood and innocence, the damnable war that had consumed the continent, the families and loved ones that would inevitably be torn asunder by his orders, and the darkness that threatened to destroy the world. With a deep sigh, Leonhardt reflected on each of the thoughts in turn. Though he could do little about the larger issues, at the very least, ending the war on Lucrellia would leave the world in a better place than what it had been when he had accepted Dyshana's contract for a second life. It would have to be enough.
His mind wandered back to the night in Rigulus where Luana had expressed her feelings for him. He could almost feel her soft lips upon his, her scent cloaking them, and the flicker of firelight in her emerald eyes. Unbidden, the scene shifted to the glade in which he and Fyuria had been raising the party's tents. He felt the tips of her fingers on his face, drawing him lower as her hard features softened, if only for a moment.
Opening his eyes again, Leonhardt looked to the distance distractedly, unsure what time or space his destiny would leave for love.
"New intelligence, Leo," explained Elaine as he walked into her command tent, one of the last vestiges of the broken down camp. All the others had already assembled, their expressions betraying the bad news before Elaine could elaborate.
"I apologize for my absence, everyone. What is it?" asked Leonhardt.
"My men at Mudus Gate report that additional reserve troops arrived at Mudus two nights ago. Largen, the other regimental commander, has taken the bulk of his 2nd Legion to Zelzagun, but my two remaining battalions are outnumbered two to one by the remaining forces."
"Damn!" muttered Leonhardt. Indeed, the picture was getting increasingly complicated. He had hoped Elaine's men would take Mudus Gate without significant bloodshed, yet it seemed fighting was inevitable with the arrival of fresh reserve soldiers. Elaine's men would likely triumph, but at what cost?
"Coincidental, this arrival of reinforcements..." said Zerva, giving word to the concern many of the others felt.
"Zerva, if Elaine or any of her men meant harm to our war effort, we'd likely be dead in our beds by now," pointed out Luana. "The fortunes of war are always in flux, Elaine couldn't have known additional men would be assigned to protect the border. Given our own military posture and Gridamas's own intelligence services, we'd be foolish to imagine they cannot see that an attack is coming."
"Still, how did Gridamas manage to muster so many men so quickly? I was under the impression their resources were stretched to the limit. An entire additional reserve regiment, how could this have happened?" continued Zerva, although his tone was a good deal less conspiratorial.
The others merely shrugged.
"Regardless, the men are there, whether we expected them or not. So it would seem that our enemy is in an impregnable fortress with twice our numbers. And I was beginning to think this would be easy..." smirked Winfield.
"Perhaps not easy," mused Leonhardt, "but by no means impossible. If Elaine's men can open the portcullis to our forces, we remove at least one obstacle. As reserve troops, these men are likely undisciplined and untried. Also, with both Elaine and Largen gone, they will have no regimental commanders."
"Leo is right," interjected Elaine. "No regimental commander was assigned and none of the battalion commanders was fit for the duty. Those men were to be put under my command."
"Then you were their commander?" asked Winfield. "Perhaps they will continue to see you as such.
"It's... possible. I was their commander in name only and I have never met any of the men personally. Still, perhaps some will lay down arms at my command; I do not wish to fight them if we could avoid it."
Leonhardt nodded, "We have little choice at this point. If we could avoid needless bloodshed, I would prefer to do so. Elaine, would you talk with them?"
"Yes, of course," she agreed with a nod. Then, seeing the look on several of the others' faces, she added, "I know some of you do not yet trust me, but look beyond your prejudices. I'm no different than the man whom you all follow, lest you forget that he was a Gridamas general himself. Come with me to Mudus Gate and you shall have no further concerns over my loyalty."
Zerva and Winfield flushed slightly and took an interest in their boots, however Fyuria's gaze met Elaine's cool and calculating. Without any words passing between them, Elaine instantly knew that the syrium woman would kill her without hesitation if she betrayed them. Giving her a nod, Elaine showed that she understood. She didn't like it, but she respected the other woman's backbone.
"I don't think Elaine would do anything to betray Leo," Fyuria said, picking her words deliberately. "At any rate, what makes you so sure the men will lay down arms? They are more likely to fear punishment from their superiors than to obey a commander they have never formed loyalty to."
"She has a point," added Winfield, "If we commit to this plan, we may also lose the element of surprise."
"We have to try," insisted Leonhardt, "I won't have blood shed unnecessarily, even the blood of our opponents. If there is anything we can do to preserve life, we must try. To do otherwise would make us no better than the forces we face."
"An all or nothing gamble then?" laughed Winfield. "Then again, what about your journey so far hasn't been?"
A general air of agreement was apparent. It wasn't the easy way, it wasn't the safest way, but it was certainly the right way.
"Elaine, have your men march for the Trosia Highlands. I know we were planning on stopping at Foothill Town, but time is now of the essence, lest additional reinforcements arrive at Mudus Gate or Zelzagun," ordered Leonhardt.
Elaine nodded and left the tent and the beat of drums rose in the air, heralding the war's start.
"Do you smell that, Leo?" asked Ellis, her nose scrunched with displeasure.
Leonhardt sniffed at the evening air. "It is a military camp, Ellis. I'm afraid bad smells are a part of military life." He sniffed again, "I've never quite smelled anything like that, however. It's not something I recognize."
"Well I hope it goes away soon or I won't be hungry for dinner," she threatened teasingly.
"In that case, perhaps I should go see what it is," said Leonhardt with a smile. "Go with Borgnine and find Vira-Lorr. Maybe she can use her fortune telling to find out where it's coming from."
Ellis giggled, "You shouldn't tease her so much, Leo! Vira-Lorr is really nice!"
"I know," he reassured her with another smile. "Go ahead and find her in case I don't find the smell on my own."
The elven girl scampered off, Borgnine stomping after her, always loyal and watchful. Leonhardt sniffed a third time. Now that Ellis had called the odor to his attention, he could not forget its presence. With little other choice, he set off in search of the origin of the smell.
"Elaine, what are you doing?" asked Leonhardt as he stepped into one of the kitchen tents which was ominously empty, save for Elaine. The strange aroma was almost cloying here; it was little wonder why the men had chosen to eat in other tents in the camp. Behind a mountain of dishes and ingredients, the woman was almost obscured, but Leonhardt could see that she was hard at work. Upon hearing his voice, she looked up with an embarrassed smile.
"Leo! How fortunate it is that you came by. I was practicing my cooking. When I was a girl, I was forbidden from the kitchens, but I'd make for poor wife if I were entirely reliant on maids for dinner, no?"
"I hardly think-" started Leonhardt.
"I was almost afraid no one would show up to try any of it!" continued Elaine, cutting across him. "Please, sit!"
As their eyes met, Leonhardt saw her expression brimming with expectation. Though the smell was uninviting to say the least, he knew that a refusal would be hurtful and rude in the extreme and took his seat.
"Well, what do you think?" Elaine asked as she placed a plate in front of him.
"It's..." Leonhardt's eyes widened in shock. "I've never seen anything like it," he said truthfully. The food's aroma rose off in powerful waves from the dish, forcing him to squint slightly. Elaine's beaming expression quite literally forced his hand and he took a fork and knife, prodding the dish's peculiar form and carving out a morsel to sample. As he raised the bite to his lips, he felt a rock form in his gut, not unlike the trepidation he experienced before a battle.
'Is this suicide or an honorable death?' a more cynical part of his mind wondered.
Placing the food in his mouth, he chewed furiously and swallowed hard, the hair on his neck rising with a prickling sensation as the food worked its way downwards.
"Well, what do you think?" prompted Elaine delicately.
"I think..." coughed Leonhardt, his eyes watering. Although he had woefully little experience with courtship in general, even Leonhardt knew better than to criticize a woman's cooking. "It's... unique. Certainly... ambitious." Mechanically, he continued to force himself to eat until more than half the plate was gone. Finally, his stomach flipping end over end, he was forced to lay down his utensils in defeat.
"It's terrible, isn't it?" asked Elaine, still beaming.
Leonhardt shook his head, but did not trust himself to speak as his stomach continued to seize spasmodically.
"You're sweet, and far too kind," sighed Elaine, "You really aren't afraid to sacrifice for others are you?" Swiftly, she swooped forward and gave Leonhardt a heartfelt kiss on his cheek. "I suppose I will have to continue practicing until I can make you happy one day," she said with feeling. Leonhardt's eyes were unfocused before her and she doubted he heard more than the general gist of what she had said. "Go now," she giggled, "before you pass out and need to go to the infirmary."
Unsteadily, Leonhardt rose to his feet, his face ashen, mumbled a "thank you," and took his leave of the tent.
Alone, Elaine prodded her creation and took a bite for herself. 'Not too bad... better than the time with-'
"Elaine!" A woman's voice interrupted her thoughts. Looking up, Elaine saw Luana walk into the tent with a handkerchief pressed to her face.
"Was that Leo I saw just leaving now?" she asked with amusement. "He looked a little worse for the wear."
Elaine smiled demurely. "Luana, please, come in. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I only had a few questions, if you have the time?" asked Luana cheerfully.
"But of course. It is only natural for a member of Rigulus's intelligence service to make inquiries no?"
Although both women were all smiles and pleasantries, their warmth did not quite extend to their eyes. With an air of appraisal, both women took a moment to take stock of one another. Luana swallowed, there was still time to back out, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. Undoubtedly Elaine would not volunteer the conversation, so the impetus was on her to raise the issue.
"I was only wondering about your motivations to come to Leonhardt's aid," she started. Elaine's lips parted, undoubtedly to head off her question, however, Luana held up a hand and continued before she could be interrupted. "To save the continent and end the war is undoubtedly a noble cause and I have no doubt that you truly wish the war's end as much as the rest of us do. My question is this: Have you any other reasons for coming to Leonhardt's aid?"
"I don't quite follow..."
"Then let me explain," Luana's voice hardened. "If your only intention was to end the war, control over Mudus Gate would have been your priority. Had you remained, you would have been in perfect control over the men and supplies Zelzagun needed to withstand a siege. In other words, your departure from Mudus Gate exposed your plans to unnecessary risk, the result of which we are dealing with now. So I have to wonder, what could have compelled you to seek Leo out yourself? A more personal reason, perhaps?"
Elaine's expression shifted from wariness to outrage. "H-how dare you! Here you stand, before me without all the facts and yet you condemn me and my honor in your own narrative. Let us play no more games and speak plainly. Why are you here, Luana?"
"I want to know about your betrothal to Leo."
Elaine glared at Luana, "So you come to me with half-considered accusations to drag the truth out of me?" Luana flushed, but Elaine continued, "Tell me, what right do you have to know any of that?"
"I have fought and bled at his side for weeks. Fyuria for months before I. Do you really think he would not grow to mean more to us than just our leader? Ours is a love born of deed and blood, not one conferred by formal negotiations," Luana snapped, perhaps revealing more to Elaine than she would have had she kept her temper in check.
"You read my letters." Taking Luana's silence as a tacit acknowledgment of the truth, Elaine's expression softened. "Very well, there is little point in hiding it anymore. 'Tis true what you say, that for years I have loved the idea of Leonhardt more than I knew the man himself. The last time I saw him, I was only a girl and he a boy. Our families had negotiated a marriage to solidify the alliance of our houses, but when House Raglan fell, our arrangements were declared null by law. My father passed the documents onto me when I became a woman and told me of the arrangement. At any rate, Leonhardt was far too young to remember himself and surely any of House Raglan's copies of the documents burned along with his family and their home. Though I could neither see nor aid Leonhardt these past years, I kept the document as a reminder to seek him out when the time was right, not as a legal bind to force his hand in marriage."
"Then you do not seek to bind Leo to an agreement of the past?" asked Luana, somewhat chastised by Elaine's forthrightness.
Mirthlessly, Elaine laughed. "Hardly. It would speak poorly of our relationship if we were married merely out of formality, although I suspect Leo's honor would compel him to comply if I were to force the issue. Besides, I have, myself, felt the pressure of a political marriage. I would not inflict that upon Leonhardt. I would rather lose him to another woman than to coerce him into a loveless marriage with myself. Therefore, Luana, I do not intend to hold Leo to an agreement made between our fathers, but you would be fool to think that I have given up on him, even if you and Fyuria have spent more time at his side than I have."
Nodding, Luana realized she had been holding herself tensely during the entire confrontation and consciously willed herself to relax. "The more the merrier, Fyuria alone made for dull competition. Although, you really should get to know her; she's quite sweet once you've gotten past the rough exterior."
"In that case, I wouldn't be so sure of victory," warned Elaine, "Leonhardt prefers a stronger woman, does he not?"
"Then perhaps we should all be worried about Vira-Lorr, no?" joked Luana.
The two women looked at one another and laughed, shattering the tension that had lain thick between them since the start of the conversation. Looking at each other with new-found respect; Luana for Elaine's sense of honor and Elaine for Luana's shrewdness, the two smiled genuinely at each other for the first time.
"Oh, look at us, squabbling over Leo like a pack of schoolgirls," giggled Luana. "Had we met under other circumstances, I'm sure we would have been fine friends."
"You started it, but we still can be" teased Elaine. "Shall we agree not to let Leo come between us then?"
"Deal," affirmed Luana.
"Then I have but one request, Luana," said Elaine, serious once more. "Let me be the one to tell Leonhardt when the time is right. If he is to be free of our contract, let it be by my own hand."
Luana's eyes shone with both happiness and respect. "You are so strong. Were our places reversed, I'm not sure I would be so willing."
"And were our places reversed, I would not be so confident," smiled back Elaine.
The women laughed again and embraced warmly.
"I'll let Fyuria know. But first, we need to talk about your cooking. Multiple delicious ingredients combined without consideration, a good dish does not make. Let me show you..."
As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, peals of laughter floated on the evening breeze, whisking away the foulness of Elaine's failed cooking and coaxing forth an altogether more wholesome scent, cultivated with the bonds of friendship.
"Mudus Gate..." said Winfield wonderingly, "I suppose they spared no expense at making it intimidating..."
After two day's brisk march, Elaine's men had finally returned to their post. The morning air was still crisp and the sun not quite high enough to make its rays uncomfortable. Looking at the men arrayed behind him, Leonhardt saw no weariness nor conflict, but grim determination staring him back in the face. The 9th Regiment's continued discipline even in the face of having to fight their own countrymen spoke volumes to their loyalty to House Rubech and Elaine. At the head of their column, Elaine led the others towards the massive fortress barring the road up ahead.
Although initially a toll gate at its conception, Mudus Gate had, over the years of Gridamas's cold war with Rigulus, become a veritable bulwark second only to Zelzagun. The name, however, had stuck, and with good reason; the gate leading into Mudus's assembly grounds was easily the most massive structure the group had seen since leaving Rigulus City. Carved with dozens of sculpted scenes depicting the various eras of Mudus's merchant and military functions, the entire structure was a testament to Gridamas's descent into warmongering and militarization.
"S-something's not right here..." Elaine's cool demeanor cracked at the edges.
Indeed, although the portcullis was opened as planned, Leonhardt could see that something very wrong had happened at Mudus Gate. As they drew closer to the gate itself, details sharpened and gasps and hushed whispers went out among the men of the 9th regiment.
"Is that... Gods..." Elaine's voice was faint.
Looking up, Leonhardt's hands clenched painfully around his horse's reigns. Above the gate, the bodies of a dozen men, dressed in the black of the 9th regiment swung from crude nooses, hanging for all the world like hams from a ceiling. Below them, impaled upon the various scenes of Gridamas's military might, more bodies grimly decorated the sculptures, blood dripping obscenely and coating the white marble in sickening shades of red and brown.
"This... this is inhuman..." whispered Fyuria, her eyes wide at the grisly scene before them. "Who could have done such a thing?"
Leonhardt clenched his teeth, fighting a wave of revulsion. Struggling to hold the fury back from his voice, he turned to Elaine. "Elaine, we need to get inside now. There may still be some we can help inside."
"My... my men... they were butchered like animals..." whispered Elaine, her eyes still fixed upon the gruesome arrangement before them, tears streaming down her face.
Gritting his teeth, Leonhardt swung his mount around to face the ashen faced men of the 9th regiment. "Men! You have eyes the same as I do, so I need not tell you that something fell has befallen your brothers at Mudus. I know you feel the same emotions as I do; anger, hatred, anguish... but we have no time for that right now. Beyond those walls, some may yet live. Though we are few, I would rather have you at my back than any other battalion." Drawing his golden blade, he saw that the entire battalion's attention was focused on him. "Protect the man to your left with your shield, focus on the enemy in front of you. Maintain your discipline, hold your lines, and I swear to you that today, we will honor the sacrifice of the fallen."
Elaine's battalion remained dead silent for a moment until a lone drum began to beat slowly from the back ranks. More drums joined and Elaine's men banged their shields with their spears in unison. Looking at the gap between their cowls and their visors, Leonhardt could see the hard eyes of men prepared for war. As a single organism, the entire column began to march towards the gate in a terrifying display of discipline and control.
Turning back to his companions, Leonhardt dismounted, followed by the others. Inside the confines of the fortress and the melee that would most likely ensue, the horses would most likely be a disadvantage to their mobility.
"And what do you plan on doing once we get inside? It's most likely a trap you know..." asked Winfield, although his face was set with the same fury pounding in Leonhardt's chest. Together, the entire group marched at the head of the column towards the opening maw of Mudus Gate.
"We search for survivors. The 9th regiment would never go down without a fight. If anyone is still alive at Mudus, it's them."
"And if not?"
"Then we fight until every last man responsible for this is dead," snapped Leonhardt. "The madness this war has wrought upon us is too much. Today, we face the evil poisoning Lucrellia directly."
"And I was hoping to avoid a painful death," said Winfield sarcastically, though he loaded his firearm calmly.
Passing under the dreadful facade of the gate, Leonhardt and the others emerged into the fortress proper. Wreckage littered the ground, as did hundreds of shattered spears and swords. The bodies of the fallen laid where they had been struck down, each telling the tale of a hard fought battle less than a day ago.
"Leo... look," Fyuria's slim fingers brushed his elbow. "Those bodies... they're orcs and goblins..."
"What happened here...?" whispered Zerva, "Orcs and goblins this far from the frontier... together? Nothing makes sense."
"Leonhardt!" Dyshana's voice was sharp, "A darkness is coming, I can feel it..."
Holding up a fist, Leonhardt signaled for Elaine's battalion to halt. From the other side of the assembly, a lone figure wearing the traditional armor and purple cape of an officer led his own column of men towards them, their formation notably ragged and disorganized.
"The reserve soldiers?" asked Luana under her breath.
"Lady Elaine," the officer's deep voice boomed across the distance as he strode closer. "What is the meaning of this?"
"I could ask you the same," spat Elaine, raising her spear and pointing it at the man. "Know that if you had a hand in the death of my men, I shall avenge them a hundred times over!"
"Do you mean the traitors out in front? Well... you're certainly welcome to try," said the man as he pushed up his visor, leering unpleasantly back.
"Kasibal!?" Leonhardt exclaimed.
"Leonhardt." Kasibal's voice was hard with hatred and fury as he recognized his former commander.
"What... what are you doing here?" Leonhardt asked, feeling as though the very ground beneath him had been shaken. A sense of unreality washed over him as he stared down his former lieutenant. Surely the man whom he had trusted and whom had fought by his side for years could not have possibly committed the atrocities they had witnessed upon approaching.
"You... you have the gall to question me?" Kasibal spat. "After what you did to me?"
"Kasibal... I'm-"
"No! Don't you dare!" Kasibal practically screamed. "Did you not think that I, the subordinate of a traitor, would be punished? They threw me into a dungeon to rot for the remainder of my days... but then he came..." Kasibal's face lit up with rapture. "He showed me the truth... the truth behind your betrayal... and I knew what I had to do. He gave me command of his army and sent me here to do my duty... to rid our nation of traitors forever!"
Leonhardt's eyes widened with shock as they peered beyond Kasibal's and into the madness that had gripped his soul. "Kasibal! Listen to yourself! How can you not see that your actions are evil?"
"It's too late," growled Borgnine. "This one's soul has been ensnared by an evil cancer. I can smell it."
"No!" Leonhardt shook his head in denial. "Kasibal, you were always a good man. I know, deep down, you can still fight it. Come back... come back to the light and make this right again."
Kasibal tossed his head back and laughed, "It is the role of politicians and leaders to think. A soldier only performs his duty. Here, on the fields of war, any doubt only serves to dull your blade and hasten death."
"Even so-"
"Enough! I have my orders and, unlike you, I know a soldier's place. With your deaths, I will fulfill my duty and usher in a new age for Gridamas! Behold!" Kasibal drew his blade as a harsh light enveloped the soldiers behind him.
"What the hell?" demanded Winfield.
"Gods..." whispered Elaine.
Before their eyes, the reserve soldiers of Kasibal's regiment sloughed off their human forms as their illusions dissipated, revealing the hunchback, muscled forms of orcs and the wiry, monkey like frames of goblins. Spittle flying and roaring with rage, the savage creatures bellowed towards the sky, banging their weapons and chests in a furious show of intimidation.
"Those beasts were disguised as men!" hissed Fyuria.
"So Gridamas has turned to using the forces of darkness... No wonder they were able to pull together a reserve regiment so suddenly." Luana's tone was disturbed.
Behind them, Elaine's remaining battalion locked shields, sending a resounding crunch of armor plate against steel in response to the din of the orc and goblin horde in front of them. Lowering their spears, the entire column was rigid with a grim determination. Around him, Leonhardt's companions drew their own weapons, leveling them at Kasibal and his forces.
"Draw your blade, Leonhardt," demanded Kasibal.
"Kasibal..." Leonhardt felt sadness and fury well up in equal measures in his chest. Setting his hand on the pommel of his blade, he drew forth the sword in a furious arc of gold, the glint of sunlight dancing upon its polished surface and keen edges. "No... you are no longer the Kasibal I knew... The man I knew and cared for is dead... You are an insult to his memory and I will see that you pay for what you have done here."
Kasibal chuckled, "Good... just like that. Let us see if your blade has dulled with your traitorous spirit." Turning to the goblins and orcs behind him, he yelled, "Leave him for me, the rest... tear them apart!"
Howling, the orcs and goblins threw themselves forward in a massive screaming and gibbering tide. Though their brute force and rage was astounding, the men of the 9th regiment held their ground, none breaking rank in the face of the onslaught.
"IMPULSE!" Ellis and Vira-Lorr screamed in unison, sending massive ripples of magic energy radiating towards the charging orcs. The ground buckled and massive craters formed where the magic impacted. Entire swaths of the charging line simply crumbled in on themselves in a sickening crunching of meat and bone as their spells found their marks.
"Brother!" Fyuria yelled. Zerva nodded back. Together, the two syrium threw their arms outwards. From Zerva's gauntlets, incendiary bolts of fire issued forth, lobbing deep within the horde ranks, turning a dozen orcs and goblins into so much ash. Concentrating, Fyuria pushed her magic to its limit as she conjured an orb of light between her fingertips. The orb swelled as she fed it, then, deftly, she pushed it inwards on itself. Momentarily disappearing, the orb exploded outwards in a thousand deadly shafts, cutting the orcs and goblins in front of her into bloody shreds.
Growling, Borgnine leaped into the fray, his massive fists pummeling and crushing the orcs and goblins under their brutal weight. Sweeping his arms outwards, he knocked over the charging creatures like a child kicking over an anthill. A dozen crude swords and clubs swung at his bulk, ricocheting off his armored skin harmlessly. Snarling, the larva picked up an orc bodily and swung it like a weapon, shattering armor and bone effortlessly. Beside him, significantly more diminutive, but no less deadly, Winfield fired his weapons as fast as they would allow, his gun muzzles flashing, unloading their deadly payloads upon any orc or goblin foolish enough to charge him head on.
"Brace!" Elaine screamed as she took her place with her soldier's formation. Unceremoniously, she threw Luana behind her and locked her shield with those of the men next to her. Though thinned by the efforts of the others, the goblins and orcs slammed into their formation like a tsunami, their weight staggering the entire line. As the force of the charge absorbed into the formation, the line behind the front stabbed forward with their spears, impaling the leading orcs and goblins. Heaving, Elaine and her men rebuffed the screaming and clawing orcs and goblins on the other side of their shields, pushing the dead and wounded off the second line's spears. Without hesitation, the entire line shifted their shields forming gaps for their swords. Stabbing forward, the screams of a hundred orcs filled the air. As they reeled backwards, the front line advanced, enveloping the magic wielders behind their protective cover and once again locked formation. Even though their initial assault had been broken, Elaine saw an entire sea of orcs and goblins beyond the first assault wave. For all their discipline and the firepower, it was only a matter of time before the orcs and goblins crushed them all under the sheer weight of numbers.
Already, the orcs and goblins had gathered for another push. Their dead and wounded only adding to their fury, the creatures slammed once more into the formation, this time breaking gaps within the ranks. Men screamed and the front line threatened to collapse into disarray.
"Form up! Form up!" Elaine screamed, as she stabbed an orc squarely between it's eyes, above it's snarling snout with her spear. Beside her, Luana weaved, flowing from target to target with fluid grace, her breakers slicing through sinew and tendons. Pushing back, the men of the second line advanced, shoving forward with their shields and hacking at any opponent in the way to replace the losses and fill in breaks in the line.
"We won't last forever!" shouted Winfield, blowing away a goblin with his final round before ducking behind the shields himself. "There's too many of them!"
"Shut up and keep fighting!" yelled Zerva, hurling another fireball past the shields.
Elaine glanced around and saw that Winfield was right. However bravely and fiercely her men fought, there were simply too many of the enemy. Even as her men pushed back against the orcs and goblins, she could almost feel the hopelessness stealing through their ranks, eroding at even the strongest morale and discipline. Under the unrelenting assault, her men could barely hold the line. All around her, she heard the screams of men as they fell, one after another to the horde's rabid attack.
"What else can we-?" Elaine's voice was suddenly cut off by a massive cry. From the armories at the west side of the fortress, a dozen barricaded doors burst open. Her heart leaping into her throat, Elaine whooped with her other men, their heart and vigor returning in fierce burst. From within the base, the survivors of her other two battalions poured outwards in a sea of black, slamming into the orc and goblin flanks and cutting down dozens of the creatures before they could even react. 2nd legion soldiers also joined the fray, their silver armor and teal cloaks distinguishing their command from Elaine's. However, as they met the orcs and goblins on the field, they fought as one with Elaine's men against the creatures of darkness.
With their flank crumbling, the orc and goblin offensive eased up as the creatures struggled to bring their forces to bear. "Push!" Elaine ordered. Her men threw their weight against their shields once more, forcing the orcs backwards, allowing the rear lines to take their deadly cull once again. Broken and thrown into disarray by the sudden flanking maneuver, the horde began to break down into rout, some of the creatures attempting to turn and flee. "Keep up the pressure! Don't let those bastards get away!" Elaine called.
The weight of the attack broken, Elaine knew the orcs and goblins would stand little chance against her better armed and armored, more disciplined forces. With Mudus Gate closed on the other side, the orcs and goblins would have no where to run as her men moved in to exact a terrible vengeance.
True to his command, Kasibal's forces swelled around Leonhardt and Kasibal like water around a rock, leaving the two with a generous clearing.
"How could you have fallen so, Kasibal!?" demanded Leonhardt, his golden blade held angled to the ground, pointed outwards in a one handed stance. "This evil around us, all the death and chaos, this is on your hands!"
"Do you mean to win by talking, Leonhardt? I have no more to say to a traitor like YOU!" Kasibal screamed as he charged forward.
The two had sparred many times before, but it had never been anything like the duel he fought now. Kasibal's swordsmanship was impeccable as he drove at Leonhardt, his strength drawing from whatever darkness that had gripped his soul. Even with the spirit vessel's strength and speed, Leonhardt dodged a lethal strike by mere millimeters and parried another at the last moment. Pushing back, he staggered Kasibal and lashed out with his elbow, connecting with the other man's jaw. Reeling Kasibal pulled back as Leonhardt took a deep breath and steadied his blade once again.
"What's this!?" demanded Kasibal. "A soldier must fight to kill or be killed! Leonhardt, if you do not come at me with your full strength, I will cut you down without remorse."
Breathing heavily, surrounded by the clash of weapons against steel and the screams of the dying and wounded, Leonhardt gritted his teeth. "Call them off now. Stop this madness and save yourself, Kasibal. It is not too late..."
Kasibal spat a globule of spit and blood into the dirt. "Never!" he hissed. "Even if you defeat me, you and all your companions will be butchered alive. There's no way out of here, Leonhardt."
Looking over his shoulder, Leonhardt could barely make out Elaine's lines for all the orcs and goblins that threatened to overwhelm them. Somewhere, beneath the crush of foulness, the companions whom he loved and cared for and the elven girl he considered his own daughter were fighting for their lives. Did he really lead them here like sheep to the slaughter? How could he have been so negligent with their lives? "Kasibal... please, I'm begging you... all that I care for in this world are behind those lines... stop this while you still can."
"I'm counting on it," hissed Kasibal. "Before the day's end, you will know the true meaning of-"
A great roar came from the western armories as Mudus's remaining defenders charged from hiding. In an instant, the tide of the battle changed and Leonhardt felt hope surge through his chest once again.
"Bastards! Stand and fight you cowards! STAND AND FIGHT!" screamed Kasibal as his forces routed.
"It's over, Kasibal," said Leonhardt calmly.
"No... no... it cannot be. I... I have my orders!" he screamed, rushing at Leonhardt with his sword raised high.
Leonhardt launched himself forward in a blur of motion. Time slowed as he sidestepped Kasibal's vicious cut downwards. The man's head turned as though it were made of stone, fury blazing in his eyes. Setting his off hand almost gently on his shoulder pauldron, Leonhardt steeled himself to do what was necessary. His sword arm rushing forth, he drove his blade between the articulation in Kasibal's armor, pushing deep into the man's abdomen. As Kasibal crumpled forward, Leonhardt steadied his stance, catching his former comrade's weight. A sword clattered behind him as Kasibal's grip loosened and let fall his weapon. Gently, Leonhardt shouldered his weight, carried him past the thick of the fighting, and laid the man down, propping his back up against a piece of shattered masonry, facing the beautiful Trosia Highlands beyond the Mudus Gate. Though the cries and sounds of battle raged behind them, the landscape remained pristine and serene as ever, a fitting last sight for a man who had only known war.
Together, the two men simply stared out into the distance in silence as the terrible battle drew to a close behind them.
"Leonhardt..." Kasibal's voice was wet and choked, barely a gurgle.
"Leo!" the voices of his comrades came from behind them.
Standing up, Leonhardt turned and saw his companions running towards them.
"Leonhardt... I'm sorry I drew my blade against you... I did not have your strength, only my life as a soldier and my obedience to Gridamas. I... did not have the courage to abandon it. When he came... Gods, I was easy for him to cloud and puppet. I heard his voice inside me, day and night... but now he is gone." Kasibal sighed with a measure of peace as he looked up at Leonhardt and his companions.
"And now we have you back, my friend," said Leonhardt as he knelt by Kasibal's side.
Shaking his head the merest of inches, Kasibal's lips quirked upwards in a grim smile. "It's too late for me now, Leonhardt... but Gridamas... you can still save Gridamas... Please... The Dark Knight... his intentions are pure darkness. He intends to use these beasts to conquer all of Lucrellia. Gridamas, Rigulus, the Frontier... it matters not. He will slaughter and burn everything unless you can stop him and the man who conspires with him- Melchior Klavis."
"Melchior!?" exclaimed Elaine.
"He was the man with the Dark Knight the day Leo saved me!" gasped Ellis.
"Do you know the man?" asked Luana.
"Long... creepy story," muttered Elaine.
"Kasibal," Leonhardt set a hand upon his comrade's cheek, cold and drenched with sweat, to support his collapsing posture. Looking into the other man's eyes so that he would see the weight of his vow, Leonhardt said, "Leave this to me."
Though Kasibal's lips moved wordlessly, his eyes conveyed his thanks and as the life flitted out from behind them, Leonhardt knew the man left with a measure of peace. Unclasping his cape from his armor, Leonhardt draped the cloth over his fallen comrade silently, remaining kneeling by his side. Words of consolation washed over him incomprehensibly and more than one set of hands touched his shoulder with sympathy. How long he remained there, he could not tell, though he suspected the minutes felt like hours as he rode the turbulent waves of his emotions. It seemed almost indecent to mourn so greatly for one man when easily hundreds laid slain on the field, but to deny his grief would have been to deny his humanity. As Ellis kneeled by his side, however, he snapped back to the present. Wind whipped around them as she pressed her hands to the ground, magic flowing into the soil around Kasibal's form.
"He's one with the world now, Leo," she said gently, eyes moist as she looked at him, moved by his grief.
"Thank you, Ellis," Leonhardt said, drawing her into an embrace as Kasibal's body glowed for a moment before absorbing into the ground beneath him, leaving a beautiful patch of grass and wildflowers where there was only cracked rock and soil before.