This wasn't my first time outside the fortress with a group.

Even with our logging going on, the Hoshidans still deal with our forests, since everything else is just mountain. Beyond the area that was safe for the loggers, Captain made checkpoints in the area for anyone using the forest to train.

"Ma'am?"

I nodded. "We're on our own out here. Keep an eye out for our markers. Stay close."

[Yes, ma'am.]

Both of the spear fighters would take the front.

The Priest and I would be in the middle.

The swordsman and the axman would be in the rear.

…

Our first checkpoint, just a few meters into the forest. Nothing.

A quick look at the supplies, one of the soldiers remembers he was on an empty stomach, so he ate some of the travel rations. It would be his duty, once this whole thing calmed down, to request a restock or go to this checkpoint entirely.

…

The second checkpoint. We couldn't see the fortress, but something was there.

*swish* *swish* *tok*

Throwing stars-ninjas. "Pick a tree and make sure they don't go around you!"

We all stayed behind trees. We were looking around.

"Thirty paces ahead! Two ninja!"

One of the lancers.

"Spotted!" shouted the swordsman, while he was pointing up at the trees.

My orders. "Lancers! Loose javelins!"

The lancers started throwing them at the ninja, giving the ninja our javelins and the trees to dodge.

"Augh!"

One of our lancers managed to get one of them to collide into a tree and fall down. Two Hoshidans from different trees went to assist that ninja. "Two more of them!"

"Stick to the trees! I'll keep the priest safe!"

[Yes, ma'am!]

Both teams would make use of the trees, while I would stay back and guard the priest from any attack at the checkpoint. If he dies, then we're all forced to retreat. "Get my back, and I'll get yours."

The priest nodded. "Okay."

With a good view of the battle in front, I could see more Hoshidans were joining the fight against our four guardsmen. I also saw that our axman's presence was scaring them off-two ninjas, a swordsman, and-

The priest tapped my shoulder. "Behind us!"

Priest. His direction. Two of them, a swordsman and ninja, coming this way.

"Get behind me!"

Keep the blade closest to you when dealing with a group.

The swordsman quickly got out of the ninja's way. Shuriken were flying.

*zip* *zip* *clank*

Miss. Miss. Block. It feels like some part of you is missing after you block one of those things. But I could still fight.

The swordsman was too close. Rush him. Parry. Kick. Injure.

He could be saved. Now, the Ninja. I run into the trees. It throws more shuriken, but misses. I run at it.

"Yah!"

Right to the heart. I couldn't save this one.

"Look out!"

A third one? Lancer! Too late to do-!

*clang*

The priest parried it with his stave-"Hah!"

"Augh!"

I couldn't save this one either. I turned to the priest. "Thanks. You alright?"

He nodded. He grabbed the lance. "I…can fight. Let's help the others."

I checked on the swordsman I injured. He was unconscious. I bound him up and propped him near a tree.

The effects of that shuriken were waning. Looks like our group took the fighting further from us. "Alright. Let's go."

…

Our group pushed the Hoshidans to a small clearing in the forest. There were more that were fighting back, but most were running away.

Looks like the we were doing well against the odds that stood ground and fought us. We held the Hoshidans back, killed some of them and the rest were in retreat. Rather impressive, the axman was using a stick as an offhand along with his axe.

The priest was alright, and healing the five of us. We've won the fight-I was looking up. It was suddenly getting darker. We hadn't been fighting for long, why-?

"AUGH!"

One of my men. There was a strange darkness emanating from the ground and he was too close to get away by himself. Two of us ran to him and started helping him back. From the darkness, a figure rose up.

In a matter of seconds, the darkness covering it disappeared to show…a figure, taller than any person or creature that I encountered. It was large in stature, with a strange mask covering its face. It only had everything above its torso!

"WRROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!"

"What is that!?"

*swish* *swish*

One of the Hoshidan ninja started throwing shuriken at it. They were being absorbed into its body!

"Hiyah!" "Rah!"

Our spearmen charged at it with their lances. One of them got its chest, and the other one managed to land a hit on its neck. Even with that attack, it did nothing to it. It also took their lances!

"Don't retreat! Get a weapon and circle it for an opening!"

Anyone without a weapon, grabbed what was abandoned by the Hoshidans. We all moved around it for an opening. The monster, seeing our movements, started thrashing wildly to distance us.

"Yaaah!"

As soon as the axman saw it, he charged at it with his axe and stick, and the swordsman with him stabbed it, too. They started attacking it with everything they got. The monster took damage and noticed the attack.

"Okay!"

The rest of us-the priest, the two lancers and I-took that as an opportunity. The priest joined the two lancers in stabbing the monster as many times as they could. When their lances broke, they kept their distance and started throwing javelins, while the priest stepped back to get weapons for them.

The monster's size allowed me to climb on it, and deliver a blow to its head.

*WROOOOAAAAARRRRRRR!*

It was thrashing about again! Hang on!

With the amount of weapons stuck inside it-

*WROOOOAAAAARRR!*

It wasn't enough!?

*ROAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaa…*

It was enough. Thank the Gods.

It fell down, and then it turned into that shadowy essence that it was before. All the soldiers started cheering over their victory. I raised my sword and smiled as well.

"Search the bodies. See if we can find anything on them."

Everyone got to work looking through the bodies, pulling weapons for the guard to study in case another attack happens. We also picked up the weapons that were from that strange monster. They were strangely cleaned from any form of grime.

"Sergeant! We've found some conscious bodies. We've bound them up."

The count, including the swordsman at that checkpoint, a ninja and a Flame Tribeswoman, bounded and unconscious. "Good. Let's head back."

[Yes, ma'am.]

…

We returned to the town.

As soon as my group was in sight, Gunter and some of the soldiers rushed out to greet us.

"Gunter! We've taken care of the invading force, and we have some prisoners."

"Well done, Sergeant. Have them taken to the fortress for interrogation."

"Yes, sir."