Chapter 14 – Overflowing

11/16/380

Embarking on her first mission should have filled her with anticipation and excitement, but in these circumstances, it was nothing but a morbid curse. Simply put, Sortiliena had seen something which supposedly should have been impenetrable instead crumble into nothingness, and had also witnessed the armies of demons encroaching onto the lands which she had vowed to protect. She had been powerless to stop this from happening; even her best efforts, along with those of the rest of the soldiers and the Integrity Knights, had failed to hold the narrow corridor which extended inwards from the Great Eastern Gate. Now, there was nothing left to do but run. When that mysterious, infinitely tall wall appeared in her sights, it brought utter confusion for herself and anyone else standing beside her. That wall had saved their lives, and Sortiliena was sure of the fact. As to how it appeared, however, she could not think of any answers. Unless by some miracle, it was the work of the Gods themselves, she could not imagine any art being so absolutely domineering to the point where it could be described as infinite.

She thought that perhaps when the sun rose, it would tell another story, and she would be able to spot the finite limits of this wall. But when the light of Solus returned, she could only see an ending to the southern edge of the wall. It was bounded in the horizontal plane, but as for the vertical one… it continued to extend far into the clouds. Further than any human eye could see, the wall climbed until it was more than equal to the clouds drifting in the wind. Like a never-ending beam of light which would not stop until it reached the Gods in the Heavens, the wall extended far beyond the reach of humanity.

It wasn't long before she could see the armies of the Dark Territory beginning to make their way around the wall, heading towards the open space that the wall was ultimately incapable of sealing up. Being near the edge of the wall meant that it would be herself and the soldiers around her who would face the wrath of their enemies before anyone else. She had hoped that Integrity Knight Warrick Synthesis Twenty would be well aware of this, and it seemed so, as he hurriedly rushed them to retreat as quickly as possible. At the very least, they would have solid ground almost their entire way to the capital. This way, it was unlikely that the Dark Territory would be able to catch up to them.

But partway through their journey, Warrick had decided to change course and head ever so slightly into the famed wetlands of the Eastabarieth Empire. Even Sortiliena herself, who had lived in the Norlangarth Empire all her life, had heard rumours about how difficult this area of land was to traverse. The ones who were from the east were obviously confused by his decisions, but decided not to bring it up. Certainly, the Integrity Knight had a proper plan in mind, and would not be doing this straight out of his whims. When they reached the first village, Sortiliena finally understood the crux of the plan. And thus, all the questions regarding their Esteemed Knight's previous actions were dispelled.

However, the problem remained that now their progress would be delayed. Sortiliena knew from the others' experience that the terrain here in the heart of the Eastabarieth Empire was so difficult to traverse that any road infrastructure had never sprung up in its entire existence. It was simply too challenging and costly to maintain, and so most people travelled in small groups, carrying sleds rather than wagons. It was very likely that the Dark Territory, after seeing how their human enemies were struggling to move through the ground themselves, would choose to skirt around the edges of the empire to make up as much ground as possible.

In due time, the Dark Territory would once again appear in the sights of the Human Army, catching up to them before long. And with that, it would become even more critical to ensure that all the villagers in the area were evacuated before they would fall victim to these denizens of the Dark Territory who knew nothing but slaughter and pillage. If absolutely necessary, they would have to stand and fight, buying as much time as possible so that these citizens of the Human Empire would be able to live to see another day. But Sortiliena knew that this would likely result in the end of the journey for her and the others she was fighting alongside. If they made their stand here, it would probably be impossible for them to join with the rest of the army in the defence of Centoria, their final and ultimate stronghold.

Despite the imminent danger, Sortiliena could not help but be drawn towards the same thoughts which had plagued her mind every single night since she had arrived at the Great Eastern Gate. In the Norlangarth Imperial Battle Tournament, she had unfortunately fallen at the first stage. Completely overwhelmed by her opponent's strength, strength which had not sacrificed any of his gracefulness either, the simply superior raw talent that he displayed had finally handed Sortiliena her first defeat since the third of four test matches held during the year at the Norlangarth Swordcraft Academy. Having been defeated by the then first seat Volo Levantein, who had fully overwhelmed her with the High Norkia Style and its overwhelming power, all her hopes of becoming an amazing swordswoman were shattered. At that time, she had empirical evidence that no amount of speed and flexibility could defeat the raw power that some were simply gifted with, coupled with a style which could accentuate those specific traits.

Those thoughts continued until she met Kirito. He had been her valet, a first-year student of the Swordcraft Academy, who had surprisingly managed to fight the first seat Volo to a draw. He had even been dissatisfied with that outcome! One of the reasons that Sortiliena had picked Kirito to be her valet was the fact that they both did not rely on single crushing strikes, but rather a flurry of blows which would eventually render their opponent powerless. It was so much more practical, at least that was what she thought, than the High Norkia style which looked to be more for show. With a style so very similar to the one she herself used, Kirito held his own against a man she could never defeat with her own power. The end of that battle gave her newfound strength and determination. It hadn't been the style she used which was inferior, but rather it was herself. Her belief in her own skills and abilities, her belief in the ingenuity behind the technique she used. The thought that her own style would always be second place had never left her mind until that moment, considering how her family was forced to abandon the High Norkia style, and thus her ancestors had no choice but to create this ragtag Serlut style.

In the following days after Kirito's match with Volo, she trained incessantly, not necessarily with her sword, but with her mind instead. She constantly told herself this, "I never had any doubts about my skills. I've only ever doubted the skills that I have been using." And on the final day, the fourth and final "graduation" match, her resolve had been clearly seen to everyone in attendance. Using the same battling style which she had grown up training with, she had been able to graduate as the first seat of the Norlangarth Swordcraft Academy, finally besting the one who had defeated her thrice. That day, he had witnessed it as well. Her own valet, Kirito, who had watched her struggles through the entirety of the past year, cheering her on and wearing an expression of pure joy when she finally stood victorious on that stage without anyone standing in her way anymore. She knew that Kirito would always refer to this victory as having come from her own strength, but Sortiliena would not let his humility stand in the way of the truth. She was well aware that without the motivation from her beloved valet, it would not have been possible for her to defeat her greatest rival. In the end, she was unable to voice her thanks to Kirito, but she never stopped expressing her gratitude for him in her heart. She could do nothing but accept his gift to her: the planter full of blooming zephilia flowers, which he had cultivated just for her. All she was able to do was smile in thanks, and tear up in joy; her voice would not allow itself to be heard at all. Carrying that feeling of victory and confidence that she gained from her final bout with Volo, she strived to do the same in the upcoming swordsmanship tournaments in which she would partake.

Unfortunately, her streak of victory would shortly come to an end. Competing in the Norlangarth Imperial Battle Tournament, she was unable to advance past the very first round, her sword and whip unable to lead her to even a single victory. And she had lost to another practitioner of the High Norkia style, nonetheless. However, the way that her opponent fought was far different than any of the others she had gone against in the past. Though unrelenting in his stance and technique, he was not afraid to bring an aspect of flexibility into his style. And when she was faced with an opponent who not only overpowered her, but was also willing to change the way he fought in order to nullify his opponent's advantage, there was no other ending than her inevitable defeat. But despite being brought down once again, she was not crushed as she had been the previous time. She had already proven to herself that her Serlut Style, though not even remotely similar to the High Norkia Style that the high-ranking nobles used, could still bare its fangs. The works of her ancestors who had tirelessly built up this style had not wasted their time, and she only needed to work on her own skills to bring herself to the next level. That day, she left the battlefield with her head held high, full of respect for her own achievements, as well as the incredible display of swordsmanship from her opponent. He was the representative of the Norlangarth Knighthood, a young man by the name of Eldrie Woolsburg.

After losing in that tournament, she had decided to return to her family, to see the ones she had left behind for the past two years during her time as a student at the Swordcraft Academy. She could not return home a champion, but she was plenty proud of what she had been able to accomplish. And her parents had felt the same way, welcoming her with open arms. In fact, both of them had come to support her at the Norlangarth Imperial Battle Tournament, witnessing the growth she had experienced during her time as a student. Though she had not claimed even a single victory, she had shown her own parents that she had already proven herself as one of the greatest in the Norlangarth Empire when it came to skill with the sword.

But she could not stay at her estate for long; it was imperative that she take on her calling. As a swordswoman, and a graduate of the Norlangarth Swordcraft Academy, there were quite a few roads open to her. In the end, she chose to become a member of the Norlangarth Imperial Guard, quickly rising up to the position of a Chief Guard. She knew that choosing to live by the sword every single day was her best hope of continuously becoming more and more adept. And by staying in Centoria, she would be able to witness the day when Kirito would graduate from the Swordcraft Academy, and likely represent the school in the Norlangarth Imperial Battle Tournament. With his skill, anything less than that would be completely unexpected.

It wasn't until much later, however, that she realized this hope would never come true. A mere month after joining the Imperial Guard, she was informed by an Integrity Knight, whose name she could not even remember, that they were all to head to the edge of the Eastabarieth Empire. For almost all the members of the Norlangarth Guard, including herself, it was their first opportunity to travel to another part of the Human Empire. There was excitement among other emotions, and Sortiliena herself relished in the opportunity to meet swordsmen and swordswomen who used styles with moves she might have never even seen before. This was the type of environment which would incite the greatest growth in her sword skills.

Along the way, they finally learned of the reason for their deployment to the east, and hearing that news truly frightened Sortiliena. She could have never imagined a situation where the Dark Territory, the denizens of that treacherous land beyond the End Mountains, would have the ability to launch a full-scale invasion of the Human Empire. It shook her to her very core, and the others around her did not fare much better. It became all the more unbelievable when she arrived to see the Great Eastern Gate which was slated to crumble in time, becoming an open passage to the other side where the monsters lived. No matter how incredulous this claim may have sounded, she still had absolute trust in the Integrity Knight who had announced this for them all to hear. If she recalled correctly, that knight's name was Bercouli: a massive swordsman clad in blue robes, limbs as thick as tree trunks, exuding an aura that only the most masterful of swordsmen would be able to display. In terms of pure strength, it was obvious that his strength would be unmatched, above all others in the entirety of the Human Empire. She could only hope that the opportunity would arise where she would be able to spar against this absolute beast of a swordsman.

She soon found out that this Integrity Knight Bercouli was actually Integrity Knight Commander Bercouli Synthesis One, the oldest and strongest knight who was also crowned leader of the Order of the Integrity Knights. From the little she had seen, he was incredibly powerful, equivalent to over a thousand regular soldiers of the Imperial Guard. Sortiliena tried to calculate how many times over Bercouli's power trumped her own, and she estimated that he could fight off at least fifty of herself, all at the same time. And she suspected that this man was still not showing his full strength in this day-to-day life. When the time for battle came, she was sure her evaluation of him would have to be completely redone.

As the days went on, she tried to search for acquaintances other than Volo, the only other person who had joined the Imperial Guard after graduating from the Norlangarth Swordcraft Academy. She encountered a few others from the same class of the Norlangarth Swordcraft Academy who had also decided to join the Human Army when the call-to-arms came about. After graduating, they had instead chosen to return to their families and take on the same positions held by their parents, owing to the fact that they were never skilled enough to be near the top of their class, but when the Integrity Knights called on all able-bodied individuals to protect the Human Empire from the invading Dark Territory, they had all responded to that call, proudly taking up their swords once again to protect the home they so very loved.

Eventually, she found two others who she was familiar with, but were not part of the same graduating class of the Norlangarth Swordcraft Academy. One, she expected to see, considering he had recently become an Integrity Knight. The newly knighted Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-One, the swordsman who had defeated Sortiliena in the first round of the Norlangarth Imperial Battle Tournament. If he had not been there at the tournament, there was a good chance that she could have become an Integrity Knight in his stead. After all, she had barely lost by the slightest of margins in their match.

What she discovered was that the Eldrie she met here in the camp was a far cry from the one she had battled against. There was something so very different about him, and it wasn't just because he had become an Integrity Knight and had some of the highest authority in the Human Empire. No, there was something intangible about him which she simply could not lay her finger on… but he was different. There were times when their paths crossed, and Eldrie did not even glance in her direction. She was sure that she had made a deep impression on him during their match, and he had even said so afterwards when they exchanged pleasantries. But his demeanor had taken a complete turn, with him barely acknowledging her presence. It was almost as if his memories of the tournament had been taken away from him, and Sortiliena was now but a stranger to him.

The peculiarity of this situation was something that Sortiliena could not describe into words, and it was enough to make her feel so uncomfortable. And this same feeling extended for the other person whom she recognized. It wasn't the place, nor the time, that she expected to see him. At this time, he should have still been in Centoria, at the Norlangarth Swordcraft Academy, training and preparing for the future ahead of him. There was no reason for him to be here, in the thick of things, unless the students of the Swordcraft Academies all around the Human Empire had been recruited as well. And not only was he there as a participant, but it looked like he was training up soldiers too! Sortiliena silently wondered what had happened to him since the beginning of the year, as it had been not even two months since he began his time as a second-year student at the Academy, yet it was almost like he had become a completely different person. That transformation had disturbed Sortiliena much more than Eldrie's seemingly missing memory; to the point where she actively avoided Kirito, taking great care to be out of his sight, while still trying to keep an eye on him. But she would see him talking to the Integrity Knights like they were old friends… especially the Knight Commander Bercouli. Those two were close to the point where you could convince someone that they were father and son.

She wasn't even sure that this new Kirito would even carry any memory of who she was, given what she had observed from Eldrie's situation. If he had already risen to the point where he was training up new recruits, then he had far surpassed what Sortiliena was able to do. Sure, she had anticipated that this would eventually happen in the future, but it was truly a shock to see that within two months of her graduation, this major change had already taken place. She thought it best to stay away from him for now; though it looked like he was still the same caring, genuine person, the stark contrast between the Kirito she had as her valet and the Kirito who now stood in front of her instilled fear and uncertainty into her heart. Even stranger, no matter where she searched and looked, she could find no sign of Eugeo, the good friend of Kirito who had been Golgorosso Balto's valet. The two were inseparable, so she found it odd that one would come here without the other, unless something tragic had happened and the two had parted ways.

Kirito and Eldrie… two individuals who had changed her significantly, were no longer the same people who had incited the initial transformation within her in the first place. At least, there was still Volo, who remained the same, completely unchanged since his Academy days. Sortiliena could find solace in his rigid, unrelenting self. Both of them had risen to the rank of Chief Guard within the Imperial Guard, owing to the fact that their skills were recognized as among the best in the Norlangarth Empire, with many having witnessed the Imperial Battle Tournament. Additionally, despite their age, they were mature beyond their years, and because of that, there was no hesitation from the higher ups to elevate them to this position of greater importance and responsibility.

When the battle first began, both were assigned to be under Integrity Knight Warrick Synthesis Twenty, each serving as one of his sub-commanders. The chaos of war was truly above anything she had ever experienced before; the structured tournaments in which she had previously fought could only provide so much experience on this battlefield filled with death and treachery. She had witnessed many of her comrades falling to the blades, spears, bows, and axes of their enemies, their blood flowing, up until the point when they were fully drained of their Life, finally falling destitute and disappearing into the sky in a shower of golden dust. She had never witnessed so much death and destruction in her life, and she hoped that this war, whenever it ended, would be the last time that she had to experience these horrid events. There was no honour in these so-called "battles"; any and all underhanded tricks were used to beat down the enemy in front of them. The only thing that would bring victory was the death of those you were fighting against, but once that first "battle" ended, another would immediately begin.

Now on the run, and finally catching barely a sight of the Dark Territory which was in pursuit of them, she knew that the only thing awaiting them was another dose of annihilation and carnage. They were nearing a village too, so that would have to be evacuated with the highest priority before any battle preparations could be done. Sortiliena hurriedly cleared her mind of her daydreams as they approached the simple wooden walls of the village. She could already see the concerned faces of the villagers themselves, crowded around the entranceway to the city, obviously not accustomed to so many visitors at once, certainly not armed ones. A lot of work would have to be done to get all the residents out safely, and then consider the path forward: would they retreat along with those they had just warned to flee, or would they take a stand and fight?

The town of Alario was situated at the bend of one of the Eastabarieth Empire's major rivers, the Corough River. The river ran wide at this point, allowing the town to prosper as somewhat of a trading post. Transportation by water was the only dependable way to move any sort of materials here in this wetland region, and Alario's existence was crucial to many of the other small towns which were situated all along the river. Without the trade that Alario could provide, none of these other villages could exist, and it was likely that much of this land here in the heart of the Eastabarieth empire would be completely uninhabited. Without these trade routes, the quality of life for the residents who decided to make the End Mountains their home would be ground down to the most basic of necessities.

The rocky outcropping that the town of Alario was built upon ensured that it would not have the same issues which plagued almost all the other towns in the Eastabarieth Empire; a firm foundation was fully prepared for infrastructure development. In reality, Alario was more like two smaller villages which had coalesced into one – the bend in the river also signified a change in elevation, and here stood one of the most beautiful natural sights Sortiliena had ever seen in her life. The waterfall roared as the waters crashed down onto the riverbed below. As she stood, lost in thought, marvelling at the sight of the raw power of this flow of water, she was constantly buffeted by the sea spray, as well as the winds that this crashing water created. There were houses built both upstream and downstream of the waterfall, with a few narrow mountain passes linking the two. In essence, they were separate towns, but because of their close proximity, they operated as one whole. It seemed like a whole logistical nightmare to transport goods because of this waterfall, but Sortiliena neither had the time nor the patience to observe the process.

In the few hours prior, a counteroffensive plan was quickly drawn up by Integrity Knight Warrick, which was meant to use as much of the natural land to their advantage. Familiarity with the land wouldn't be the deciding factor in this strategy, as it utilized a feature of the landscape that anyone could see and hear, even from afar. Warrick's plan was to use the lower part of the town as bait, stationing some of the Human Army's soldiers down there to contend with the Dark Territory's forces amidst the streets. And when their pursuers were drawn close enough, the flow of the river would be completely diverted, dumping the entire flow of the river right on top of their enemies. It was utterly destructive to what the villagers had left behind, but it was also the army's only choice. The residents of this peaceful town would have to pick up all the broken pieces and start their lives anew, but at least they could have a chance to do this. A building could be rebuilt; human lives could not. It was a risk worth taking, a sacrifice worth making. No matter how much she did not want to destroy other peoples' livelihood, Sortiliena knew there simply was no better solution, especially not within such a short time frame.

She volunteered to be one of the members who acted as bait in the lower part of the town, while she saw that Volo was assigned to be part of one of the groups who would try funnelling the Dark Territory's army towards where the river would overflow. And so here she was, admiring the grand waterfall which, if the plan came to fruition, would cease to flow in its regular course. The only problem would be how well the river's flow could be diverted. Of course, because they were no longer in barren edges of the Human Empire, the land and air were both rich in Sacred Power, meaning that Integrity Knight Warrick could use his mastery over the Sacred Arts to procure some sort of dam to change where the river would head towards. The entire plan was reliant on how much water would flow onto the land and ruin their enemy's formation and pace. If they flooding failed, then Sortiliena and the rest of her comrades would be stuck down here until their Life ran dry.

Even if the plan worked, there was no guarantee that the ones who had volunteered as bait would remain with their lives intact. Integrity Knight Warrick had made that very clear when he described this plan in detail, and even more so when Sortiliena stood to present herself to stay on the lower levels. But with her resolute answer, Sortiliena had witnessed many others, including almost all of the ones directly under her command, put their lives on the line for the success of the plan. It very nearly moved her to tears knowing that she was fighting alongside such brave and loyal people, that they would unhesitatingly throw away their own futures so that others could experience one without strife and discord.

"Reporting! The scouts atop the city have confirmed that the enemy is nearly in range. Integrity Knight Warrick has ordered the commencement of the strategy!"

Sortiliena turned towards the soldier who had come bearing this news, nodding to him while unsheathing her sword. This instrument, which she had carried through her days as a student in the Swordcraft Academy, as well as her short time in the Norlangarth Imperial Guard, would hopefully help keep the enemy at bay for just a bit longer. As long as she could contribute to the overall defensive effort, and save many, many other lives, then she would gladly lay down her life for that cause. When she lifted her head to gaze at the scenery one last time before it became a berserk battlefield, she noticed the rest of the members of this squad were already in position to receive their enemies. Quickly, she rushed off to where she was supposed to be, and waited for their enemies to step into the jaws of their trap.

Not long after she did, the first of the Dark Territory's forces arrived. It was the orcs. At least it wasn't the Dark Arts Users, or else this entire town would be burnt to a crisp within seconds. Because Alario was only a relatively small town, it was soon clogged with the Dark Territory's soldiers. No longer could Sortiliena see any of her comrades, as she skillfully jumped between the rooftops of multiple buildings, desperately escaping her pursuers while striking down the ones who came too close to her. Sooner or later, she would run out of strength and inevitably she would either be killed or caught as a slave.

Integrity Knight Warrick, I hope you're prepared. This town is now teeming with our enemies. The time is now to divert the river!

Sortiliena screamed in her heart as she struggled to catch her own breath. At least on the front lines at the Great Eastern Gate, the battle lines would hardly move during the day, and even if they did, everything changed at a slow pace, over a long period of time. Here, she was forced to run around, jumping from building to building, leading her pursuers on a wild goose chase. Fatigue was beginning to set in, and for the first time, she could feel her legs screaming for release. How many more minutes she could keep this up, she did not know. Her lethargic state had gotten to the point where she was constantly glancing at the top of the waterfall every few seconds, waiting for that glorious rush of water which would signify the conclusion of this ambitious plan.

And finally, her prayers were answered. In a torrent of liquid, water rained down into the streets. Catching her breath as she witnessed this ethereal scene, the onrushing wave smashing through the buildings nearest to the cliff face, she opened her arms wide, smiling, as if she was receiving a long-lost friend.

Volo Levantein hadn't swung down his sword so many times in a single day since the days when he would spend hours practicing his technique in the woods behind the Swordcraft Academy. The never-ending swaths of enemies were to be guided towards the so-called "kill-zone", where the river's water was supposed to flow towards. Most of his clashes did not end with a casualty, only pushing his opponent back before he turned around to head closer to his target position. This constant running and sword fighting tired him to the bone, and he was not sure how much longer he could keep this up. He could already see the soldiers around him, who were not as well-conditioned as he was, gasping for air. With every swing, it was more like their enemies were pushing them back, rather than the opposite. Sooner or later, he knew that these brave soldiers would lose their lives in the chaos of battle. But they only needed to bring these enemies within the flow path of the diverted river, and hopefully Integrity Knight Warrick would release the river to its new-found path to wash away their enemies.

Volo had originally wished to be down in the town itself, as part of the group which would be serving as bait to hold the Dark Territory's attention for as long as possible. However, he had never volunteered for this task. As he fought, he constantly asked himself why he did not stand up. Especially after seeing Sortiliena Serlut be the first to rise for that role, the woman who had managed to defeat him in the final test of the year at the Norlangarth Swordcraft Academy to graduate as the top seat. By no means did he hold any grudges against her, but her victory had shown him that the High Norkia style was not absolute. He already had a sense of this when he had the practice match with her valet at the time, Kirito. The way he had splendidly fought him had led to a tie as the match was stopped prematurely by the dorm supervisor Azurica. However, he had a feeling that if the match had been allowed to continue, there was a good chance that he would have lost his undefeated title to a first-year student.

And now he had seen this former valet of hers again, in a place that he least expected. After all, he was only supposed to be a second-year student at the Norlangarth Swordcraft Academy, with still nearly another year before graduation. Yet he appeared at the front lines, his whole demeanor different than the day they had clashed in the practice match. Just as Sortiliena dared not approach him, he followed her lead and decided to stay away from him. As he himself prepared for the upcoming war, he quickly forgot about Kirito's presence and carried on with his own duties. He even saw the one who had defeated him in the Norlangarth Imperial Battle Tournament, Eldrie Woolsburg, but that man did not even acknowledge Volo's presence after becoming an Integrity Knight. Though a little startled and displeased that his opponent did not seem to even have the slightest of memories regarding himself, he also disregarded this matter and moved on with his daily life.

It was just the type of person Volo was; he would not bother to nurse old grudges when the opportunity presented itself, instead choosing to remain fixed onto the next goal, constantly striving forward without fail. And the next step in this plan was for the waters to flow into the heart of the enemy. And finally, the torrential downpour was more than just a plan; it had finally become a reality. Quickly retreating backwards away from the deadly cascading flood, he and his enemies alike watched as a large portion of the Dark Territory's troops were crushed by the raging waters. The plan had worked wonderfully, but it was too early to celebrate, as there were still some who were not caught up in the deluge.

Swiftly, he moved towards his enemies again, swinging down his sword to cleave apart the orcs who were still standing in front of him. The other soldiers by his side followed his lead, charging back into the enemy in their moment of disarray. It was a perfect play – the demise of many of their adversaries, and the destruction of their enemy's morale. If they could crush this force of the Dark Territory, not only would it give them enough time to escape back to Centoria, but it would also strike a large blow in the strength of the army that they were up against.

But soon, he could hear the screams of humans behind himself. Confusion wrapped his mind. He did not catch any other group that their foes had sent, so everyone who they were fighting against should have been standing on their eastern side. As Volo turned to grasp the situation behind, he saw hooded assailants causing mass panic among those who had helped dam the river. In all his experience, as a student or a soldier, he had never encountered an enemy who did not show their faces. He was certain, however, of the identity of these beings who dared to assault from the shadows. Without a doubt, it was the Assassin's Guild of the Dark Territory. The unit let by Integrity Knight Warrick had been so unlucky as to run into both the orcs and the deadliest killers known to the Underworld. This time, the Human Empire was truly trapped, with enemies both in front and behind. Getting out of this situation to safety had now become infinitely harder.

The same two possible courses of action presented themselves once again: run and hope to live another day, or stay and fight. The first time that this choice needed to be made, Integrity Knight Warrick elected to stand his ground, despite knowing that all their lives could have ended miserably at the hands of their enemies. However, several strokes of good fortune to go along with a plan executed to near perfection allowed the tables to be turned. But the arrival of the Assassin's Guild clearly shifted the advantage of the battlefield back to their enemies, as the Human Army was now being squeezed together from both sides. This time, there was no Integrity Knight around to make the decision, as Warrick was preoccupied ensuring that the flow of the river was redirected properly. This time, it fell to Volo to make the decision for himself, and possibly for those who were a part of his squad.

Unlike Warrick, he did not have any ingenious plan which could possibly turn the situation around, so the choice was clear this time. Run away, fight another day. A cowardly move, but it could possibly allow him to have another chance to protect his homeland. He did not like the idea of leaving some of his fellow soldiers to die, but if he tried to save them, there was a very good chance that no survivors would be leaving the battlefield today. Besides, wasn't it better to preserve the lives of the stronger soldiers? Volo was certain that in the battles to come, he would most definitely be able to make a bigger impact on the battlefield, so mathematically, it just made sense for him to escape while his enemies were distracted by others.

But at the same time, he could not let himself run away while knowing that his comrades were fighting for their lives. When he thought of it, it was as if he could feel a small pain in the back of his right eye, with the vision in that eye becoming the slightest shade closer to the colour of the blood that was gushing out all around him. Perhaps that was a symbol from the Gods, telling him that he should not abandon the ones he was fighting alongside. His mind was telling him that the better option would be to use the lives of the other soldiers as a sacrifice so that he could escape, but his body was very clearly telling him that it was his duty to live, or die, alongside the friends that he had fought beside.

He would trust that the soldiers behind him who were contending with the Assassin's Guild would protect his back, while he would do everything in his power to protect theirs. Until their last breath, they would endeavour to hold off their enemies, and, if the situation did present itself, they could all escape together. So with full force, Volo once again swung down his sword, a steel-gray sword with a polished golden-brown hilt. Exhilaration like nothing he had experienced before filled his body, coursing through his veins like he had consumed some miraculous strengthening potion. Moved by his renewed energy, out of the corners of his eyes he was able to spot the other members of his unit raising their voices and once again clashing against their enemy.

Volo smiled. As one unit, they would fight until their last breath. That was the unspoken agreement that they had made in that singular moment.

At last, the effects of this "potion" were running dry. Many of his compatriots who had devoted their lives to this cause had now lost it. Their swings were becoming more sluggish by the second, and Volo could feel the same effects in his body as well. Taking a quick peek behind him, the Assassin's Guild had mostly cleared out the soldiers standing in the rear. Volo sighed inwardly. It looked like his time was up. There wouldn't be another day to fight.

All of a sudden, a red spear shot its way through the open mouth of the orc in front of him. And as the head of the spear jerked backwards, a sharp snapping noise could be heard from the neck of the orc. Like a ragdoll, its body was flung back where it came from, tumbling down the slope while knocking down a few orcs in the process. Integrity Knight Warrick Synthesis Twenty regripped his spear, before thrusting it at another unsuspecting orc. In a few quick strokes, it has completely lost its head and both arms, and what remained of its body was barrelling down the slope before it could even return to dust.

"Run! All of you! Get out of here!"

Between spirited thrusts and swipes, Warrick detailed his short, clear instructions for the group.

"Follow our plan! Get to the other villages and get everyone out of there! Don't turn back! If they don't listen to you then –"

Warrick spun his spear in a full circle, knocking down several of the orcs who were forming a circle around him. With his right hand, he tore his helmet off and tossed it to Volo. Receiving the heavy metal element, Volo then raised his eyes to meet those of Warrick, who was baring his intense gaze directly at him.

"Tell them that this is by the authority of Integrity Knight Warrick Synthesis Twenty. My helmet will carry my authority."

Immediately, Warrick turned back towards the fight, knocking down anyone who dared to get close to him. The orcs were no match for him; his spear pierced throats and slashed armour into two. Seeing their knight's spirited fight, Volo couldn't help but want to stand with this man, to fight alongside him so that they could eliminate their enemies together. But he was well aware that he must obey his Esteemed Integrity Knight's orders. Reluctantly turning around, Volo nodded at his companions, before taking off towards the west. But the Human Army could not escape from their enemies; though Warrick was holding the orcs at bay, the Assassin's Guild were still free to roam.

Volo could hear screams of pain and dread as the retreating party was dispatched one by one by the various methods of the Assassin's Guild.

"Damn it! Integrity Knight Warrick's sacrifice would be completely useless if none of us can escape and get to the next village! We have to shake these hooded guys off!"

"We can't! They're carrying much less equipment than we are, and we're completely exhausted from fighting!"

Volo agreed with the second man's evaluation of the situation. The Assassin's Guild, though relatively weak in a direct fight, were more than skilled at the art of murder. It was the difference between being a legendary warrior and an expert killer. And because they did not have the warrior's spirit, they cared not about honour and prestige. They did not desire a good fight, and would not even blink an eye if a few of their enemies stayed back to delay their path forward. Any of the assassins who were sufficiently out of range would simply ignore the soldiers of the Human Army who were putting their lives on the line. Instead, these assassins would continue targeting the ones who were still fleeing. Only if someone could strike down all the assassins would the hunt finally cease.

A thunderous roar, followed by a flying spear, captivated Volo's vision and hearing. It was the same crimson spear that had appeared in his vision a few minutes prior. As quickly as it had appeared and stabbed into the wet dirt, it flew back into the hand of its owner. In the distance, he could hear a voice, rising against the din of the clamors of hundreds of orcs. Integrity Knight Warrick's last words of encouragement rose above the other sounds of the battlefield, including the rumble of the waterfall.

"Don't worry about these assassins! I'll get them off your back!"

After spotting the same spear appearing and disappearing tens of times, Volo noticed that the crowd of assassins which were chasing them had thinned to the extent where their count was around the same as the number of Human Army soldiers who were currently retreating. That meant they could face these killers in direct contests, something that they should all have the upper hand at. And it was also around this time when Warrick's spear ceased to fly in and pick off individual members of the Assassin's Guild. But based on the ruckus far behind them, Volo could still assume that the knight's fighting spirit was still strong, but the sheer number of foes he had to face was simply too much for him to turn his attention over here for even a single moment.

Integrity Knight Warrick had already helped enough. He had sliced down the immense numerical advantage that the Assassin's Guild once had when they first began to pursue. Now, it was possible for the Human Army to fight back and beat all their adversaries in a head-on confrontation. Knowing that, Volo, raising Warrick's helmet high in the sky, shouted with all his might.

"Charge!"

Immediately understanding what Volo meant, the other soldiers of the Human Army instantly turned around, unsheathing their swords and baring them at the enemy which had been pursuing them. With the aid of their Integrity Knight, the hunters had now become the hunted. Their counterattack to wipe out the Assassin's Guild began at a moment's notice, with all the soldiers' enthusiasm overflowing as they bellowed at the enemy which had cut down so many of their friends.

A/N

I honestly can't believe that it's been exactly a year since I posted my first chapter (I totally planned the timing of this chapter). So far, there's been 15 chapters, which means on average, I've posted a chapter every 3.5 weeks or so, which I guess isn't too shabby. Though I've got to remind myself that the original plan was to post in 2.5-week intervals, so that plan clearly fell a little through the roof.

I never expected to have received the support that I've gotten – I'm extremely thankful for every single follow, favourite, view, and review. To me, it's still mind-boggling to login to the site and see these kinds of numbers.

Considering that the chapters I write keep diverging from my original plot outline, I don't really have a good idea of how much longer this tale will go on. All I know is that I've got a lot more story to tell, so I hope you'll all stick around till the end!