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Chapter 14: Cloud that Burns Red

A bloody zweihander fell on the infirmary tiles as a lord knight passed through the halls. Wounded soldiers lined the walls and since there were only a few priests in available, the only functioning ones are running out of healing energy.

The last battle against the floating dried corpses and golden-armored skeletons had lasted for a whole hour and more and more skirmishes broke out during the day. It was currently nighttime right now and tomorrow would be the third day of the battle. No one knows how exactly it will end.

"Lord Knight Necron, to your left! Minorus!"

Necron swung his zweihander to the left where the soldier had directed and the black sword's edge cut off a minorus's finger. The bull-creature roared in pain and brought its hammer down on a retreating group of priests.

Arkyhm jumped in and impaled the bull-creature before it can withdraw its hammer. The green-haired lord knight's lance whipped around, gashing out several undead around him.

Behind him, a raydric-hunter was sent off the ground after a wraith gnawed on him and rose into the air. Around them, knights and raydrics were clashing one-sided fights with hundreds of knife-wielding beasts and skeletal warriors. Blood could be seen spraying everywhere.

All was seemed to go well when another swarm of hunter flies enshrouded over them and started to drain everyone of their blood.

"Everyone gets a rest here until further notice! No one gets out until its safe."

Everyone had no choice. That area was already overrun by undead and bull-creatures and there were only less than ten soldiers who could fight. Farina had disappeared for some reason and Kathris was still unconscious.

"Two to three of you follow me. I'll check if the background is secure then we'll return."

Necron didn't dare look at everyone around him. It would be a great loss of morale on his part to stare at entire wounded divisions. As soon as the lord knight placed his hand on the door that would lead to the backyard, the red door practically exploded before him.

'By God, how did they…'

…………………………………………

"Lord Knight, get away from there!"

Kael who was holding Necron's zweihander swung the black sword at the wraith that was standing face to face with the lord knight. It was a very crude stroke but the sword was heavy and it was Necron's special ability to be able to carry it with even one hand.

The zweihander tore through the wraith's leather-like body. Necron suddenly got his senses back and grabbed the wraith's grinning skull with his elunium arm's hand. Flames exploded from the bloody gauntlets and incinerated the undead creature almost instantly.

"You'll need this." Kael said when he handed him the heavy black sword.

Necron can't help but smile when more and more people came to the entrance with their weapons drawn. Most of them were still covered in blood but they are soldiers nonetheless. Before the lord knight could say a single command, a pair of arms grabbed him from behind and pulled him into the ward next to him. He managed to give a signal to Kael to lead the soldiers before closing the wooden door before him.

"Kathris…what is it now?"

The lord knight pried off what seemed to be the huntress' arms and turned to face her. The red-haired huntress was still pale from the lack of blood.

"Is it safe outside now?"

Necron stared worriedly at her.

"I was nearly decapitated by a wraith. Does that answer your question?"

The huntress examined the lord knight quickly then reddened. Pale as she is, the red line flashed clearly.

"Yes, well…Farina came to me before she left."

…………………………………………….

"Where's Necron? We're sitting ducks out here!"

Kael cleaved off a floating corpse's arm while Arkyhm jumped it from behind and brought his lance down on its lower back.

The undead creature plummeted down on the pavement with a slight thud. The green-haired lord knight pulled out his lance.

"He'll be here soon. Farina's already gone so it's not like he's leaving too."

"Lord Knight, a message from the aristocracy!"

Arkyhm turned to face the messenger, an acolyte whose clothes were full of tears and blood. From his appearance, it was obvious that he was in the middle of a struggle. If he was from the aristocracy then it should say something about Salendriel or Baphomet.

"Go on, we're listening."

"The aristocrat district has fallen and most of the members of the aristocracy were slain. Lord Knight Salendriel and a number of knights still remain and are fighting the demon Baphomet. There was also a random order that all available raydrics that can move are to ward the castle at once. Legions of undead are amassing near the castle grounds."

Kael nodded and raised his gauntleted hand to signal all the raydrics and raydric-wizards around him to rally.

"I need to go, Ark. Could you handle this block's defense on your own?"

The green haired lord knight looked at his lance.

"Salendriel needs my help…"

Something entered the lord knight's mind the moment he started pacing.

"Go with Necron. He's probably going to take unnecessary risks again and I want him to live through his task."

"No, I'll have to keep watch on Necron as he orders."

Kael lowered his hand and mounted his dark-colored horse that was tethered in the yard.

"I'll be going then…"

"Kael."

The raydric-knight turned his head at the one who spoke his name, knowing exactly who it was. He spurred his horse to move closer to the dark-haired lord knight who was already holding the zweihander.

"Necron…"

The dark-haired lord knight placed his hand into the folds of his cloak and brought out a round ebony medallion. Kael also took out a medallion but his was silver.

"I remember. These allow us to summon each other when the need is dire."

Necron's medallion crackled with jet black electricity and Kael's emanated white ones.

"And I also know that both of them would break if one of us would perish."

The two knights put away their medallions. Kael pulled his reins and spurred his mount to run at the opposite direction. The raydrics rallied behind him.

"We shall never falter, Necron. I promise you that."

With that, the raydric-knight and his division rode off along the main road to the castle grounds.

…………………………………………….

'How many years has it been, Necron?'

"Raydric Commander, reports show that the undead should be…somewhere in the northern road. They are preparing to launch a frontal assault on the castle."

Kael drew his two-handed sword.

"Then we'll just have to strike from behind them…"

The raydric-knight led his division across several blocks until they were near the road that led to the castle. Every street was either stained with crimson liquid or filled with bloody remains. From where he was, Kael could see hordes of skeletal warriors and hammer-wielding bull-creatures that were lumbering around. They were badly outnumbered and the hulking minorii could send gaps in his group easily.

Kael adjusted the battle standard that was attached on his mount so it could be seen by all divisions coming from various directions. If the other divisions don't hurry, they would be swamped by the undead. It would even be worse if hunter flies strike again.

It was time to strike…

"Blades ready! For the glory of Glastheim!"

Bolts of fire and ice flew at the direction of the undead while raydrics charged from all directions following the battle standards.

Kael's sword met the belly of a minorus. The raydric-knight drove the blade deeper and twisted it. He ripped the hide sideward and withdrew his sword. The bull-creature stumbled backwards and fell on a downed wraith.

The raydric-knight brandished his sword around him and brought down several zombies. Around him, raydrics and raydric-wizards were being ripped apart by wraiths. He spurred his horse to leap and his sword gleamed in the torchlight. The oridecon blade fell on a wraith's leather-like body and was ripped downwards.

His dark horse's hooves fell on a soldier skeleton's shoulder, crushing its left side. The stallion rose up and slammed its hooves into the undead creature's torso, causing the rest of it to shatter.

Kael looked up in the night skies that were filled with bolts of elemental magic and arrows. There were no hunter flies.

'Then with all the Raydric Army heading here, it'll be easy…'

A colossal hammer fell on the raydric beside him. Bloody parts and armor flew in several directions. The wielder of the hammer, a majoruros, waved it at the raydric archers that were positioning to the watchtowers.

Outnumbered as they were, Kael yelled his orders to rally and concentrate on the majoruroses. Arrows and icy spears hailed upon the bull-creature. The raydric-knight looked at his weapon, a bloodstained two-handed sword. If he would charge in close and lunge at the majoruros, he could get killed.

'Someone has to bring it down.'

More raydrics were knocked off the ground by the bull-creature's hammer. Suddenly, he felt something lean on his back. The battle standard's metal pole. It was a flag but it was twice as long as a spear.

Kael pulled the standard pole off his mount's saddle and pointed its oridecon tip at the bull-creature's neck and charged.

'May my aim be true.'

The raydric-knight hurled the pole at the majoruros's neck. It was heavier than a javelin but it was twice as long. The oridecon tip punched through the bull-creature's tough red hide and spouted blood from the point of impact. The majoruros opened its mouth and roared its last as it collapsed.

Kael rushed to the dead creature's neck and withdrew the battle standard.

"Raydric Commander, this position is lost! If we don't move away soon, we're finished!"

The raydric-knight looked around. The castle gardens would be a good point to regroup since all divisions were scattered. Kael tried to spur his horse to run towards the gardens with the standard in the air but it would mean wading through overwhelming groups of undead.

'Oh no…what should I do? If I…wait…'

He turned to the raydric-wizards behind him and drew out the battle standard before them.

"Set the cloth on fire."

The raydric-wizards looked at each other until one of them was hit by an arrow on the neck. One of them held the standard's pattern and heat welled up in it which slowly created fire.

Kael held up the burning standard in the air and whirled it around him, knocking back several undead but leaving the bull-creatures unscathed.

"Rally to the standard! Rally!"

The raydric-knight looked around him. What would be his next move? He saw a raydric-hunter beside him who was holding a crossbow as big as Kathris's. It was probably another who imitated her weapon. Kael handed the standard to him.

"Load this as a bolt. Do it!"

Without hesitation, the raydric-hunter loaded his enormous crossbow with the flaming standard and aimed it at the highest tree in the castle gardens. The flaming bolt flew above the battle, dazing a few wraiths and embedded on the tree which suddenly caught flames. It wasn't a problem though. Glastheim's gardens aren't very vulnerable to spreading fire.

All the raydrics from all directions stared at the flaming beacon then started to rally towards it. Kael smiled to himself and his "brilliant" planning.

"Onwards!"

The raydric-knight spurred his mount to charge and the horse leapt over piles of corpses and armor. If they were going to lose the castle then they will not live to see it fall.