"They approach!"
The Alliance defenders readied themselves atop the walls, staring at the vast army of aberrants that marched towards them. The orc's cries of war echoed deep and sent shivers amongst the soldiers.
"Do not give in to fear!" Alicia ordered as she walked amongst the men. "We are soldiers of Feoh and we are the mightiest of all the Alliance! We will hold this position and we will hold this city! The enemy will regret the day they faced us in battle!"
A war cry shot throughout the ranks of soldiers, deafening Sol's ears as he stood amongst them.
At least their morale is high, he thought, wincing from the deafening noise.
As he watched Alicia give her speech to rally the men, it reminded him of a time Vult also gave influential words. It was not a battle cry to bear arms, but a personal monologue.
He had found himself in a bleak situation with the Kuroinu; what was supposed to be a small skirmish turned into a large scale battle that had them surrounded on all sides. Many died that day, and they all would have likely perished had Vult not done the most unthinkable act that day.
"Push through their lines!" Vult cried as he rallied his men. "If you want glory, you must grab it by the horns and not let go! If you don't give everything, you will gain nothing! Now charge!"
The rest of the men roared with defiance as they charged straight into the orc ranks while Sol watched from the back. But whether he realized charging with the group was his best chance of survival or because of Vult's speech of glory, he charged all the same, crying the same warcry that everyone shouted, a kind of resolve stirring inside and forcing his body to move on its own.
Somehow, they had made it out of that fierce battle that day and were victorious, despite having the odds stacked against them. The bodies of both men and aberrant were strewn across the battlefield as Sol sat alone atop the body of a large orc, his sword embedded into its backhead. Vult approached him, flashing his confident smile that he was known for.
"That was a tough fight," Vult said.
"We managed," Sol said, tiredly.
Vult nodded, looking at Sol with eyes of relief. "You gonna be alright?"
Sol only grunted, not saying a word.
Vult's confident smile faded as he took a look around the battlefield and a sense of regret washed over him. "You know, this battle wouldn't have been so costly if I hadn't made my decision so recklessly."
"Reckless," Sol noted, "but you had to do what was necessary to save the rest of us. Who knows how differently things would have turned out if we didn't push through like we had done."
Vult nodded. "True. But we also wouldn't have lost this many men. What truly gets me is that I put lies into their minds. I gave them hope that they may get out of this alive, that they'll find glory by charging into death's grip. Now, they all lay before us, still clinging onto that hopeless idea."
Vult was a man who constantly bragged of his prowess and skills in combat, always boasting and always proud. But today, he saw a man that began to lament over his actions, something that Vult was not known for.
"Others suffer because of my actions," Vult continued. "I send these men to their deaths with false claims of glory. They die for my cause. Its a terrible feeling to be the man that has to send troops into battle."
"They knew what they signed up for," Sol reassured him. "After all, thats what mercenaries do. They decided the risk was worth the reward. Sometimes, things just turn out differently."
"Perhaps you're right," Vult said. "Things could turn out differently. Maybe it could be Keane, it could be Hicks, it could be me or you who, one day, will end up like these poor fellows, bleeding on the battlefield as a lifeless corpse in pursuit of their goals. If we continue to fight like this, we may not live to see our dreams fulfilled."
"But is that not why you fight?" Sol asked. "To gamble and risk it all in order to gain everything? You said that yourself plenty of times."
Vult nodded. "I have, and I still stand by it. But sometimes I think, is it worth it? To pour out my blood and sweat, to throw my life on the line and try to change my fate? I believe we all have a purpose, something that we're all meant to do in this life. But I fear, sometimes, many of us die or give up before we get the chance to realize what it is we are here for. In a way, it feels pointless changing our fate."
Sol remained silent, listening to Vult and taking every word in. He was never philosophical, yet Vult had him thinking about his own life, how it was before and how it is now. But always, the guilt was on his mind, and as he pondered on Vult's thoughts, he wondered if he would ever be free from it.
Vult then began to chuckle. "It's funny, I've never told anyone about this before. It all must sound like gibberish to you. Sorry if it bothers you in any way."
Sol only grunted, not knowing how to respond. They both sat in silence for a while before Vult spoke again.
"But what about you?" he asked. "Surely you have your own dreams and desires too, right?"
Sol pondered on Vult's question, but could not find an answer. Instead, he only stood up, pulling his sword out from the orc's body, cleaning the blood and sheathing it.
"When I figure it out, I'll let you know," he told Vult as he walked away.
Sol's thoughts were focused on his conversation with Vult that day, the talks of dreams and goals, that he barely noticed the Princess Knight calling for him.
"Sol!" Alicia called. "Focus."
He simply nodded before turning his attention back down the battlements and saw the mass of orcs charging, the ground shaking with each thunderous step they took.
"Archers ready!" he heard the order given by Alicia and echoed from other Alliance soldiers.
He reached for the closest arrow in the quiver that hung on his back, drew from the shaft of the bow, raised and held, looking towards the charging aberrants closing in on the walls. Every soldier beside him shook in fear as they gripped their bows, but Sol was still distracted by thoughts of regret and his purpose in life. He thought about Vult and the Kuroinu, he thought about his past life and he thought about Alicia. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind as there was a battle to be fought and he must survive if he wanted to find the answers to his questions.
"Loose!"
Sol's arrow released faster than his eye could track, disappearing into the crowd below, hoping that it had found its target as other arrows did, dropping waves of orcs. As he readied another arrow, he saw the ballistas shooting their massive arrows, taking out a large number of orcs that were closest to the gate, the impact sending dust clouds and blood mist into the air.
"Keep up the volley!" Alicia ordered.
Sol let loose one arrow after another, joining in with hundreds of arrows from the archers, the crew of the ballista quickly reloading it's round, flying down into the crowd below as they raced towards the gates, falling in waves, but doing little to stop their advance.
"Above!" he heard someone shout.
Droves of imps ascended from the sky, armed with bows and spears, swarming the defenders and causing chaos and disorder as they fought for their lives.
"Not again," Sol grumbled in annoyance, having already fought imps earlier that day.
He strapped the bow to his back and reached for his sword, facing the closest imp that flew towards him. It thrusted its spear at Sol but missed. He knocked it back at the shaft and closed in, swinging his blade into the tiny aberrant and cutting it in two.
Another one approached from behind, thrusting its spear but Sol quickly evaded and cut it's wing. It flopped helplessly to the ground as Sol finished it off.
He noticed several imps hovering in the air, shooting their arrows at the defenseless Alliance soldiers from above. He reached for his bow, drew his arrow and shot into one of the imps, bringing it down. The imps then turned their attention to him, releasing their volley on him. He quickly grabbed the shield of a fallen Alliance soldier, raised it and deflected the incoming projectiles. He then readied another arrow and brought down another one. Sol's interference gave the Alliance soldiers time to ready their arrows and shoot down the imp archers. Suddenly, another group of spear users rushed in on Sol and the soldiers.
One of the imps latched itself onto Sol's back, attempting to pierce his back with a short blade. They struggled, throwing fists at each other wildly, but Sol was unable to get the monster off. It was then a blade appeared from the corner of his eye and struck his assailant, freeing him from it's grip. He turned to face his savior, who was none other than the Princess Knight herself.
"You alright?" Alicia asked him.
He simply nodded before turning his attention back to the battle, as did she, both of them fighting for their lives with their backs against each other.
But as the defenders repelled the flying attackers, they did not realize that the imps were merely a distraction. Another group of imps had cut the bows on the unguarded ballistas and sabotaged them. With the defender's heavy artillery rendered useless, this allowed the orcs a clear path to bring in their great battering ram, its length measuring near a hundred feet and swinging on heavy chains. Wargs, large wolf-life beasts, dragged the enormous siege engine while orcs manned the main ram, pushing the heavy machinery closer and closer to the gate.
Alicia caught wind of them and ordered them shot.
"Kill the orcs manning the battering ram! We cannot let them breach!"
Sol finished off one last imp before reaching for his bow and shooting at the orcs, with a few Alliance soldiers joining in. They managed to kill a few, but the battering ram still held, and it was soon at the gate and poised to strike.
The orcs cranked the mechanical leveler on the machine's side, raising its large wooden plank high and then released it. It's force made a deafening sound like thunder that could be heard throughout the city and shook the walls like an earthquake. The gate held, but it would not be long before it would give in to the force of the ram.
The Alliance archers desperately continued their volley on the orcs manning the battering ram while fending off the imps that swarmed from above, but their efforts were not enough as the battering ram came down and struck the gate again, this time creating a large dent in the gate. Sol realized that now was the time to retreat.
"We need to fall back," he told Alicia.
"No!" she argued. "If we can take out the battering ram, we-"
"They'll breach regardless," Sol interrupted. "Save as many of your men as possible for our last stand."
Alicia hesitated for a moment, but understood his words.
"Fall back!" she ordered. "Fall back to the main square!"
The surviving soldiers scrambled off the walls, fending off waves of imps that continued to harass them as they retreated onto the street below. Sol and Alicia fought off one last imp before the battering ram struck the gate again, the force of the impact sending a shock wave that threw Alicia off balance and nearly fell off the edge had Sol not caught her just in time.
"Hang on!" he called to her as she dangled in midair, holding on to dear life by his hand.
Sol quickly pulled her up and Alicia fell into his arms. He then realized how close he was to the princess knight and saw all her features. There was no denying the fact that she was beautiful. He could see the unwavering resolve in her fierce purple eyes, her ivory skin unspoiled by the battle, her long blonde hair retaining a sweet aroma that even drowned out the stench of death, her lips irresistible to the touch. Even with her plated armor, he could feel the warmth emitting from her slender body as she stood close to him.
"Sol," she started, a slight blush coming across her face. "Is everything alright?"
Sol quickly came back to his senses.
"Everythings fine," he said, slightly embarrassed that he was captivated by her beauty. "We need to hurry."
Alicia nodded in agreement and they both hurried off the wall. Little did Sol realize, Alicia had also studied him, looking into his crimson eyes and curious about the man hidden behind the scarf.
They made their way onto the streets and joined a group of rear guard Alliance soldiers guarding the damaged gate, shields and spears pointed in front as archers stood behind the line.
"Watch out!" they heard someone cry.
Sol looked back and watched in horror as the gate busted wide open from one last crash of the battering ram, shattering it into pieces. Swarms of orcs armed with large clubs and maces stormed through the fallen archway, bellowing deep as they charged at the defenders.
"Volley!" one of the Alliance soldiers ordered. From behind the shields, the archers released a hail of concentrated arrows that brought down the first few rows of orcs, but did little to halt their charge.
They rushed the shield wall, clashing into steel weapons and armored men who valiantly held them back, but the brutes were slowly overwhelming the defenders.
"Fall back!" Alicia ordered the soldiers. "Cover fire and fall back!"
The archers released one more volley before retreating further into the town. As Sol and the rest of the defenders ran along the main street, he spotted Hicks who stood by one of the Grapeshots placed in the middle of the road.
"It's prepped and ready," Hicks told him. "How does it work, exactly?"
"You'll see," Sol said. "Wait until the orcs get closer. We light this cord here, then make a run for it."
"So is this what you meant when you said the experience will be a blast?" Hicks laughed.
"Don't make fun of my puns," Sol said with his deadpan expression. "You said yourself you're having a bomb with them."
"Say what?" Hicks asked, confused.
Sol shook his head. "Never mind. Get ready. Here they come."
As the last of the Alliance soldiers fled past Hicks and Sol, they saw the orcs making their way over the bodies of their fallen comrades, the narrow passage of the road making it difficult for them to traverse in large numbers.
"Light it," Sol told Hicks.
He used the flint in his hand, pressing the mechanical tool and sparking a light on the fuse of the metal ball. A hissing sound filled the air as it quickly burned the cord and made its way closer to the inside of the ball.
"Lets go!" Sol yelled. They both quickly stood up and ran down the path, with the orcs giving pursuit. They ignored the Grapeshot that quickly burned it's fuse, the inside contents of the ball reacting violently to the heat generated from the spark. There was no time for the aberrants to react as the metal ball ruptured, generating an explosion that sent smoke, fire, shrapnel, debris and body parts everywhere.
"Run ahead to the fourth Grapeshot," Sol told Hicks as they ran. "I'll light the second and third and meet up with you on the way."
Hicks ran ahead while Sol stayed behind to light the second one. The first explosion did little to stop the orc's advance, however, and they were quickly closing in on Sol's position. He lit the second bomb and ran, nearly avoiding the orcs that were practically breathing on him. His timing was slightly off, and as the second explosion went off, he was caught in the shockwave of the explosion, knocking him to his feet. Sol became dazed, losing his hearing as bells rang in his head and his vision blurred until he saw an armored hand reach out for him.
"Get up!" he heard Alicia's muffled cries.
Instinctively, he grabbed her hand and she pulled him up to face her. His senses quickly came back as soon as he saw her face, her eyes filled with concern.
"Can you walk?" she asked him.
"I'll die if I don't," he replied, coughing slightly. "The third Grapeshot needs to be lit."
"I'll do it," she told him. "You're in no condition to-"
Sol interrupted, shaking his head. "You don't know the first thing about these tools. Might set yourself alight instead."
"You'll definitely be blown sky high if you stay behind," Alicia argued. "You barely escaped this explosion, you can't outrun this one."
Sol grunted in annoyance. There was no denying that she was right in that he was in no condition to run, not on his own.
"I'll show you how to do it then," Sol said to Alicia. She nodded and they quickly retreated further into town until they reached the third Grapeshot sitting in the middle of the road. The explosion had slowed the attackers, but they were not far behind.
"Take the flint," Sol showed Alicia, "and prime the fuse here. As soon as the orcs are in sight, light it."
She took the flint from his hand, inspecting the tool. Sol watched Alicia, wondering why she chose to come back. Her opinions on him would be completely different if she knew who he was.
Within moments, they heard the thunderous march of the orcs closing in on their position, making their way down the narrow streets and approaching them.
Alica pressed the tool and sparked a light. The flame ignited and caught, quickly burning the fuse.
"Its time to go!" Sol ordered.
They both stood up, but then he collapsed onto his knees, still weak from the aftershock of the last explosion.
She quickly reached down to him, throwing his arm over her shoulder and they both ran together, with the orcs right on their heels. They would have been caught dead had the Grapeshot set off a second later, the explosion sending the orcs flying and saving the two. They soon approached Hicks who waited at the fourth Grapeshout.
"Light it now!" Sol told him.
Hicks sparked the fuse and the three of them ran together, but from the skies, a swarm of imps suddenly dove down on them, thrusting their spears into the group. Sol let himself off Alicia's grip, drawing his sword and swinging at the closest imp but missing. The imp thrusted its spear, piercing into Sol's brigandine but was unable to pull it out. Sol stabbed it with his sword, finishing off one attacker but another imp came from behind and rammed it's spear into his backside. The armor protected him, but the imps continued to swarm him, and Sol could barely keep up with their speed due to his injury.
He then realized time was running out and they wouldn't make it out of the blast radius.
Sol then noticed the building to his right had an unbarricaded door. He rushed towards the door and opened it.
"Inside!" he ordered them.
Hicks ran in first, but Alicia struggled to fight off her attacker. In one quick movement, he drew his bow, aimed, and loosed the arrow directly into the flying aberrant's head.
"Arcturus!" he called her. She ran towards him, with the remaining imps giving chase. She reached the doorway where he stood just as the fuse ignited, the explosion turning the imps into giblets. Sol quickly grabbed Alicia and slammed the door shut, shielding the explosion but the shockwave still knocked them down. He pulled Alicia into his arms, shielding her from debris as they fell to the floor, with him on the bottom and her on top.
They held each other for a while, unsure whether they were still alive or not before they came back to their senses. He realized she was close to him, very close. He could feel her warmth as he held her, her bust pressed against his chest and her legs wrapped around him. She dared not move away from his strong embrace, despite his lean body and short stature. Even with his scarf hiding his face, she could tell he was handsome. Behind his cold crimson eyes, she could sense compassion, yet there was also remorse, and she wondered why.
They soon realized the position they were in and scrambled to get off each other.
"Sorry," Alicia said quickly.
"It's fine," Sol also said quickly. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"I'm okay," she answered. "And you?"
"Fine," he replied.
"Good," she said.
They both realized that they were blushing, and it was quite awkward that such a thing would happen in the middle of a battle.
"Hicks, you good?" Sol called to him, sitting some distance away from him and Alicia.
"Yeah," Hicks responded tiredly. "You weren't joking about having a blast."
"I never joke, since my jokes are a killer," Sol sarcastically said.
"Hilarious," Hicks scoffed. "Keane's right; you really are a sarcastic bastard."
"I'm a bastard, but not sarcastic," Sol retorted, deadpan.
"Really enjoying the two of you banter," Alicia interrupted. "But we need to regroup with the others."
Sol agreed, and they all made their way out of the building, still feeling the after effects of the shockwave. The explosion had created a huge black crater in the middle of the gravel road. The surrounding buildings had much exterior damage and were on the verge of collapsing. Dirt, debris and body parts of aberrants were everywhere. The explosion seemed to have halted the aberrant's advance for now, but it wouldn't long before they regrouped and pressed towards the main square.
Just then, they heard the yell of a woman, screaming for help.
"It's coming from one of the buildings," Alicia noted. "One of the residents who stayed behind is in danger. We have to help them!"
"We've no time," Sol told her. "If we don't get across the bridge, we'll be stuck here."
"We can't leave them to suffer at the hands of those bastards!" Alicia argued.
The woman's yell was heard again. Alicia grunted and faced Sol.
"Go back and rejoin the others," Alicia told him. "I'll go help whoever is left behind."
Without saying another word, Alicia left Sol and Hicks.
"Stuck up bitch," Hicks snorted. "Not sure why you wanted to stay behind and help her. Should've left them like I said before."
Sol gritted his teeth, annoyed at the dilemma he now faced.
"Regroup with Keane," Sol told Hicks. "I'm going after Arcturus."
"Are you insane?!" Hicks yelled. "That cunt is done for! Those orcs are gonna come back and they're gonna kill you!"
"Then it'll be a mercy for me," Sol stated.
Hicks was confused at Sol's statement, but didn't get any clarification as Sol left his side and chased after Alicia.
"Why the hell does Vult like him anyway?" Hicks grunted in annoyance.
Alicia entered a burnt building that was in shambles from the explosion, trying to find the source of the woman's scream.
"Hello?" she called out. "I'm here to help! Is anyone there?"
Silence. Alicia felt a cold sweatdrop, her nerves trembling and her senses on high alert. But she forced herself to take a step, gripping tight on her sword as she moved further inside the dark building.
A set of stairs laid before her and she slowly climbed up. When she reached the second floor, she saw an open door at the end of a long hallway, almost as if it invited her in. Two doors laid directly opposite of each other on the left and right of the hallway, but they were closed. Slowly she made her way towards the door at the end, careful to not make any sound.
What seemed like an eternity lasted a few seconds once she finally reached the doorway. She peered inside, holding her breath, and saw only an empty bedroom with a single window. Slowly, she stepped in, glanced around but saw no sign of life.
As she breathed a sigh of relief, she heard a whimper from behind. A closet was just behind to her right, and shifting noises were heard from inside. She ran to open it and found a small boy curled in a fetal position, startled by the knight's appearance.
"Don't worry," Alicia told him in a gentle voice. "I'm here to help."
The child looked up to her, eyes red with tears and filled with terror.
"Come on," she ushered him, holding her hand out. "We need to leave."
The boy started whimpering again. "Ma... Mama told me to hide, and I did. Then I heard them take her to the other room and...and…"
Just then, Alicia heard a creaking sound, like that of a door opening from outside the hallway. She quickly turned around to see an orc swinging it's mace at her head. She ducked just in time, following up an attack that cut into the orc's belly. Though it's thick hide prevented any serious injuries, Alicia's attacks were swift and strong enough to make it stumble.
It swung again and Alicia dodged and retaliated with a cut to its shoulder. It continued swinging, forcing Alicia's back to the wall. The orc swung again, this time Alicia ducked and it's mace embedded itself into the wall. She thrusted her blade into the orc's soft groin between the legs. It fell to the ground, incapacitated and in pain.
But as Alicia readied the final blow, a second orc appeared in the room, swinging a mace that would've struck her had she reacted a second slower. She counter-attacked, cutting deep into the second orc's shoulder, but did little to stop it as it used the butt of it's weapon and knocked Alicia back.
The orc raised it's weapon high, ready to strike down, but left it's under arm exposed, giving Alicia an opportunity to strike it's weak spot. She quickly stabbed into the soft spot, forcing the orc to drop it's weapon and collapse on it's back.
Just as it went down, three more orcs appeared and surrounded her. Alicia was forced into a corner, keeping her blade pointed at them as she tried to figure a way to defeat them. Just then, she heard a familiar voice call for her.
"Close your eyes!"
Without hesitation, she shut her eyes and turned to face the wall. From outside the hallway, a small glass cylinder filled with orange dust was tossed at the orcs. It shattered as it hit where the orcs stood, the orange dust dispersing into the air and suddenly creating a blinding light that caused the orcs to drop their weapons and collapse. When she opened her eyes, she saw the orcs withering on the floor, scratching their eyes as orange dust and glass shards filled the air around them. Sol appeared in the room with sword in hand, and he quickly finished them off, stabbing each of them in their vulnerable necks.
"Thanks," Alicia said, relieved to see him once again.
Sol nodded, but his voice was cold. "I was planning on saving my Samum bomb. But… you're welcome. Are you hurt?"
Alicia shook her head. "I'm fine. But we need to help the boy."
She pointed to the child still hiding in the closet.
"Come, child," Alicia said to him. "I'll keep you safe."
The boy slowly stood up, making his way past Sol and towards Alicia, who held a hand out to him. He grabbed hers, and his terrified expression softened.
"Where's mama?" he asked.
Alicia looked to Sol, and he shook his head.
"I found a woman in the other room," Sol explained, "where the orcs came from. They… did things to her. She's gone."
Alicia gritted her teeth, feeling the anger boil within her. It was always like this anytime the orcs or any of the aberrants captured women. What had made the enemy so terrifying and monstrous was not just their strength and numbers, but their tenacity to violate women to the point of mental trauma or death. It's why she despises the orcs and the Queen of Darkness. She brought the boy closer, embracing him with solace and comfort.
"I'm sorry," she quietly told him.
As Sol watched, he heard the noise of footsteps approaching from below. He turned around and saw a group of orcs making their way up the steps. He quickly slammed the door shut, locking it and holding against it as they proceeded to barge on the door. Alicia ran to help Sol, pushing against the door to prevent them from entering.
"Shit," Sol cursed. "No way we can escape through the main door."
"Where can we go?" Alicia asked.
"The ladder," the boy pointed to the window near the bed. "Papa had built one that can go down the street or up on the roof."
"Then that's also our means of escape," Alicia pointed. "Sol, grab the boy and head out the window. I'll hold the door until you two are out."
"Stop being so chivalric, will you?" he told her. "It's making me sick."
"Be sick all you want, just get the boy out of here!" She scolded. "I'll rejoin you soon."
Sol stared at her, trying to find some way to convince her to change her mind, but she was unwavering and stubborn.
He moved away from Alicia, grabbed the boy by the arm, and rushed to open the window. He peered outside to see hundreds of orcs below the streets marching towards the main square where the Alliance soldiers were. To the side of the window was a ladder built into the building that extended up and down.
"Seems we can't go down," Sol said to the boy. "Up is our only option."
Sol helped the boy onto the rails of the ladder and he began to climb. As Sol grabbed onto the railing he looked towards Alicia, who struggled to hold the door.
"Arcturus!" He called her. "Come on!"
Alicia quickly moved away from the door and sprinted towards the window. She was not quick enough, however, as the door behind her busted open and the orcs made their way in, causing her to collapse.
Sol instantly jumped from the ladder and rushed straight at the orcs, stepping in front of Alicia to defend her. He aimed his blade at the neck of the closest aberrant but it defended itself with its arm, Sol's blade barely scratching its thick hide.
The orc retaliated but Sol quickly leapt back to avoid it. A second orc tried to grab Sol from the side, but he was quick to get out of the way, swinging his sword to ward off his attacker. Another orc swung it's blade downward but missed and gave Sol an opening to jam his blade into it's eye, blinding it and sending it falling to the floor and crying in pain. Sol's interference allowed Alicia to pick herself up, grab her sword and help Sol fend off their attackers as they slowly backed up towards the window.
"Get to the ladder!" Sol told her.
Alicia complied, sprinting to the window with Sol right behind. She reached out to grab the ladder on the side, swinging herself onto the rails and grabbing Sol's hand just before the orcs could reach him.
Out of their reach and out of harm's way, at least for a moment, they gave themselves time to catch their breath. As Sol looked up, he flustered, instantly turning his head away to avoid looking up her underskirt. Her battle attire was appropriate enough, fully enclosed in armor, but why she chose to wear something so revealing from underneath, he could not understand.
"Please climb, Arcturus," he told her. "We need to get to the roof."
They both quickly climbed up, reaching the top with the boy waiting for them. They were safe on the roof for now, but they were also trapped with no means of escape. Alicia knelt down and comforted the boy, taking off her cape and wrapping it around him and giving him a reassuring smile. Sol looked curiously as Alicia expressed compassion for the child, wondering how she could display such feelings in the grim, dark world they lived in. He pushed them out of his mind as he continued to look for a way off the roof.
Suddenly he heard a whistle call for them. They turned to see Hicks on the roof of another building, laying down a ladder that connected the gap.
"There's a set of buildings we can use to cross from roof to roof," Hicks called out. "If we continue on, we'll find our way down to the streets and towards the main bridge without encountering any aberrants."
Sol was surprised to see Hicks, but was grateful nonetheless. The three of them crossed the ladder and onto the next building to join Hicks and the four of them made their way across several rooftops, safely by passing several groups of aberrants that lurked below. Soon enough, the bridge was in sight, along with the rest of the surviving defenders.
"The aberrants haven't crossed the bridge yet, thank goodness," Alicia sighed in relief. "Lets get down there and regroup with the others."
But as they made their way downwards and onto the streets, they heard the thundering sounds of orcs marching towards the bridge. They found themselves in the path of the army and realized they would have no time to set off the final bomb.
"I'll hold them off!" Alicia told them. "Run ahead and destroy the bridge!"
"And be cut off from the rest of us?" Sol scolded her. "You can't possibly hold them off."
"And you can?" she retorted. "Someone needs to set off your Grapeshot and close them off from our position. I'll stay behind and buy you some time."
Sol grunted in annoyance, wondering why he chose to stay with Alicia. He then turned to Hicks.
"Get the kid out of here," Sol told him. "We'll meet you back on the secondary bridge."
Hicks cursed as he took off with the child in tow. "Come on, kid! Those idiots think war is fun and games!"
Alicia stood in front, her sword in hand, while Sol stood behind her, his bow and arrow at the ready, both of them facing down the charging orcs.
"You're always trying to be the hero," Sol commented to Alicia.
"No one asked you to stay and help," Alicia retorted. "But you're the one who's too stubborn to leave."
"That makes two of us," Sol said. "And please don't die."
Alicia scoffed. "I won't. There is a reason why I am a Princess Knight to Lady Celestine and captain of the Iris order."
The narrow streets made it so Alicia and Sol didn't have to fight multiple orcs at once, but their numbers were still massively overwhelming. The two braced themselves as the orcs rushed them.
Sol drew his bow, loosening his remaining arrows into the crowd. He managed to kill a few before depleting his quiver, and he resorted to his sword. He then watched as Alicia's sword began to emit a strange blue aurora, the sapphire placed between the hilt and guard glowing like blue embers. A stern, confident look came across Alicia's face and then she charged valiantly, if foolishly, into the first few orcs, swinging her sword with strength, speed and precision the likes of which he had never seen.
Most armed men would only be able to take out, at the most, three orcs alone if he was skilled enough, but here he saw Alicia's full combat prowess as she took out one orc after the other. Despite their thick hides and brutal nature, Alicia carved through them with minimal effort and showed more ferocity than they did. It appeared to him that she had some claim to her title, and he knew she could best him in a straight fight. She had no problem holding her own against the orcs, and so the best he could do was support her, fighting off any enemies that tried to flank her while she took the frontal assault.
Meanwhile, Keane saw Hicks approaching with the young boy in tow, crossing the bridge.
"Where the hell is Sol?" Keane asked him.
"Playing war hero with the Princess Knight," Hicks replied. "That bastard wants us to blow the bridge while he holds them off and then they'll run to the secondary bridge."
Keane scoffed. "What a bastard, alright. Vults not gonna be happy hearing this if Sol doesn't survive."
"He will," Hicks said with confidence. "Now take the kid to safety. Got us a bridge to destroy."
He handed the child to Keane before grabbing the flint, lighting the fuse and running for cover. Sol noticed the hissing sound of the ignited flare and finished off one final orc before grabbing Alicia and running down a small alleyway. Some of the orcs gave chase while the rest ran towards the bridge. They barely crossed as the final Grapeshot burnt its fuse, its incendiary explosion generating a large shockwave that sent body parts and debris everywhere, the structure of the bridge collapsing into the water below.
Sol and Alicia ran for their lives, with the orcs right on their heels. They ran parallel with the river, trying to reach the other bridge. Sol noticed the dwarven barrels that were lined up, and he saw Keane on the other side of the river, preparing his fireball magic in hand.
"Time for some fireworks," Keane said to himself.
He waited until Sol and Alicia were out of range and the orcs were cluttered together. Then he casted. The small flame shot through the air, across the river and into the wooden barrel. It quickly caught fire, the stench of the alcohol filling the air, and in a split second, a fiery explosion filled the streets, setting everything around in a blaze, orcs included. Keane continuously sent his magic across the river, lighting one barrel after the other and setting multiple orcs alight while Sol and Alicia made their way to the secondary bridge, helping each other fight off their attackers. Eventually, they reached the bridge, barricaded and guarded by several Alliance soldiers.
"It's Lady Arcturus and the Kuroinu!" they shouted. "Let them through, quickly!"
They opened a small path to allow the both of them to enter and reunite with the defenders.
"Hold this bridge at all costs!" Alicia ordered them. "Keep your weapons aimed! The enemy will not set one foot further into the city!"
The defenders braced themselves, shields, swords, and polearms facing forward as the remaining orcs made their way towards the only bridge remaining and clashed against the spiked barricades. Archers rained death on the attackers, killing them by the dozens as they attempted to cross the barricaded bridge. Their numbers were too great, however, and it wasn't long until the defenders had spent their ammunition and run out of arrows. Keane was also to the point of exhaustion from depleting his mana reserves and the barricades were slowly giving in to the aberrant's relentless onslaught.
"To the Golden Egg!" Alicia ordered.
As the survivors retreated, Sol saw the barricades shatter, sending splinters of wood and debris flying everywhere. From the rubble appeared a hunking giant that stood out from the rest of the orcs. Its skin was a purple visage lined with black markings, differing from the usual green skin of the orcs. Its armor was far more decorative than the crudely forged ones worn by its kin, covering it in full plate from head to toe, though it's face was still open and revealed its visage, showing it's enraged, yellow eyes that were filled with bloodlust. It carried a great warhammer, one that was far too large and impractical to be wielded even by regular orcs, but this one effortlessly used it to crush any unfortunate Alliance soldiers who were too slow to escape it's path.
Sol looked on and saw that this was the orc general, the strategist that out maneuvered Vult's Kuroinu and the other Alliance defenders, the orc that commanded the thousands of aberrants that flooded the streets of Halem and were now moving in to finish off the remnants of the city's defenders. Not only was it intelligent, but it was also strong, and he doubted even Alicia and her magic sword could stand up against the brute.
Sol, Alicia, Hicks and Keane retreated with the survivors, staying clear of the orc general as its army gave chase. They all holed up inside the walls of the Golden Egg tavern, boarding the doors and windows and prepared to make their last stand.
"Molotovs," Sol asked Alicia. "Where are they?"
"Still in reserve," Alicia answered.
"Now's the time to use them," Sol said.
Alicia ordered her men to fetch the bottles of alcohol, filling each one of them with a cloth or handkerchief. Hicks and Sol used their flints to light the cloths, giving a bottle to each soldier who ran to the top of the walls of the fortified building and chucked the bottles towards the enemy cluttered outside the door. The smell of alcohol and burnt flesh filled the air as the orcs were doused in fire, their cries of war quickly turning into cries of pain and agony. Numerous orcs perished from the shattered bottles that burst into flames, but it did little to stop their attack.
The orc general stood behind his army, ordering them to break the door and finish off the defenders. It was then Sol saw Alicia as she held the young boy in her arms, comforting him as the inevitable end would come. Still, she remained valiant, commanding the remaining soldiers to fight on even when all hope was gone.
Bravery and courage was something that did not appeal to Sol, and it was not something he admired coming from others. It was too distracting, and it made the naive march towards their demise. There was no honor in death, and nothing could be gained in sacrificing oneself. This was an idea that Sol had lived his entire life, but now he had started to have conflicts with himself.
He then remembered Vult and his talk of glory and changing fate, how he said gambling it all was worth the risk. He continued to think about his conversation with Vult as he stared at Alicia, and saw how she stayed true to her resolve throughout the battle. He weighed the decisions in his head and cursed behind his scarf, regretting the choice he was about to make.
Sol ran towards the stables behind the tavern, finding his duffle bag beside the horse cart. He slung the large bag over his shoulder and went to Hicks, who was helping the defenders barricade the door.
"Got anymore molotovs?" Sol asked him.
"Its my last one," answered Hicks.
Sol held his hand out. "Give it to me. Think I got an idea."
"What's your next brilliant plan?" Hicks asked.
"I'm gonna cut off the head of the snake," Sol answered.
Before Hicks could get any clarification, Sol took the bottle and climbed up the stairs that lead to the tower of the bar. He took a glance at Alicia who still held the boy and she noticed him glancing at her. They stared at each other for a moment before Sol broke away and climbed up.
Across the Golden Egg was a two story inn where the orc general stood near. Sol observed that all the orcs that were bunched up at the tavern's door and away from their leader, leaving it open but not unguarded.
"Five," Sol muttered to himself as he counted a few guards standing beside the orc general, including itself.
From his bag, he pulled out the crossbow and a bolt with a grappling hook attached to a cord with a spring mechanism. He then loaded the hook and aimed at the second story building across the tavern. The bolt flew across the small gap with the spring mechanism holding the cord at the end of Sol's grip. The hook latched onto one of the window sills and Sol grabbed the rope and fastened it's end, creating a line that stretched from the balcony to the window of the second story inn. After securing the rope, he dangled himself over and began to climb towards the building, passing over the hundreds of orcs below him.
He slipped by the crowd unnoticed, climbing through the window and into the room. The building was dark and empty and had several rooms on the second floor, which he would use to his advantage. He set his duffle bag down and pulled out the two bear traps and the trapping net. He planned to set one downstairs by the front door and one at the top of the stairs. He would also set his trapping net behind one of the closed rooms and lay out a trip wire to activate the net. Finally, he would load the crossbow and set it behind another closed door with another tripwire tied to the door hinge and activate it remotely. The traps were soon set, and now it was time to set the plan in motion.
Sol looked out the window, spotting the orc general and it's bodyguards directly beneath him. He took Hick's molotov, set the cloth on fire and tossed it into the cluttered group. He had hoped the improvised incendiary weapon would take them all out at once, but unfortunately, one of the guards had caught wind of the thrown bottle, stepping in to save the orc general but igniting itself in the process.
"Four," Sol counted, watching the orc general roar in rage and commanded it's bodyguards to enter the building he was in.
Sol ran out of the room he was in and hid himself away in one of the many rooms to prepare for the incoming attackers.
The first of the orc guards came rushing in through the entrance of the building, unaware of the hidden bear trap that it had activated, causing the spikes to collapse together and sever it's legs. The orc howled in pain, trying to grab where it's legs used to be as blood gushed out. The other orcs were unable to do anything but watch their comrade bleed out.
The orc general recognized that this human was cunning and ordered it's guards to proceed cautiously. They slowly approached the stairs, making their way up and saw the second bear trap. They carefully made their way around the death contraption and made their way down the long, dark hall that had several closed doors around them.
The orc general ordered his remaining guards to open the doors and search the rooms one by one. Several rooms they searched, but found nothing. But as one of the orcs opened a door, the hinge sprung the trip wire and activated the loaded crossbow, the large bolt flying directly into the orc's face and impaling to the wall.
The orc general itself opened another room and triggered the trapping net. It struggled to untangle itself as the last remaining bodyguard ran to it's leader's aid, trying it's best to free it. That's when Sol sprang out from one of the rooms and rushed from behind, his sword at the ready, and pierced into the underarm of the orc guard, stabbing repeatedly as the last orc guard slumped over.
But the orc general was able to free itself and faced down Sol.
"You think you are clever, human," it taunted. "But it seems you're out of ideas!"
"I know I'm not a genius, but I do consider myself to be somewhat intelligent," Sol retorted in deadpan tone. "More so than you or your kin, who walked blindy into my traps."
The orc general was not amused with Sol's banter. "Your cunning cannot save you. You will die with the rest of your human kind!"
Sol only smirked as he slowly reached into his side pouch on his weapon belt. "Think you can kill me? That's a… blind ambition!"
In an instant, he grabbed his last remaining Samum and tossed the tiny glass cylinder towards the orc general, but the orc general reacted quickly and brought it's warhammer up to deflect it. The tube exploded into tiny shards and sent orange dust flying everywhere and instantly flashing a bright light that stunned the aberrant.
Sol used the opportunity to close in the gap, rushing in with his blade pointed at the orc's neck. However, in it's blindness, it swung it's bulky arms and knocked Sol away into one of the rooms.
As Sol struggled to recover, the orc general slowly regained it's senses, steadying itself as it stood to face Sol. As soon as he stood up, the orc general rushed in, swinging its massive hammer to strike the final blow, or at least it tried.
The room was much too small to swing the large weapon, and the massive size of the orc made it difficult for the brute to maneuver. Sol, however, quickly ducked under the brute and got behind it, thrusting his blade into it's side. His weapon penetrated, but it wasn't enough to immobilize the orc, and it knocked him back with the back end of it's hammer.
The orc general kept it's defense up, keeping its front facing Sol and preventing him from coming from behind. Sol slowly circled around the brute, trying to find an opening. The small room prevented the orc from using his weapon, but Sol was also unable to maneuver around it. He had one final risky trick.
He backed himself into a corner to put some distance between himself and the orc. With the orc's warhammer still raised, Sol then threw out his gauntlet, activating the chain that sprung towards the orc. It raised its hammer to defend itself, but the whip wrapped itself around the shaft. Sol locked the whip in place, and used it's momentum to pull himself towards the brute at lightning speed, thrusting his blade into the soft neck of the orc.
It was a solid plan he had executed, but it was not enough to neutralize the orc general. It grabbed Sol by his leg, and using it's immense strength, threw Sol out the window, shattering the glass and falling out the second floor. He landed with a thud on the hard concrete, shattering his body and rendered him near unconscious. The orc general leapt out the window after Sol, pulling out the blade in the side of its neck and tossing it aside.
"Almost, human," the orc general grunted as it limped towards Sol's body, holding a hand on it's neck to try and stop the bleeding.
But as the brute stood over Sol, the sound of a horn rang throughout the city, alerting the orc general and stopping the aberrant army's attack on the tavern. The orc general watched in horror as arrows suddenly rained down on the remaining army and took out multiple aberrants.
"Charge!" a voice commanded.
Emerging from the streets, thousands of armed men bearing the Kurouinu emblem came charging at the orcs on horseback, with Vult at the front, his Greatsword raised and ready to cut down the aberrants. The orc general realized that the battle had turned in favor of the humans and it's army would soon be surrounded, so it had only one option left.
"Retreat!" the orc general commanded.
The surviving orcs broke away from the tavern and retreated across the bridge and out of the square. But as the orc general tried to flee, Sol suddenly awoke, springing his chain whip once more, piercing through the orc's purple skin and locking it in place. A few brave orcs rushed to try and help their leader, but they were cut down by the arriving reinforcements. Those that survived were surrounded and they dropped their weapons.
"One," Sol counted.
Despite his injuries, he was able to stand up, his chain whip still ensnaring the orc general who struggled to break free, but he held it's restraints firmly. The surviving defenders rushed out from the tavern, cheering in victory as they greeted the reinforcements.
"Good to see you, boss!" Hicks greeted Vult.
"You too," Vult replied. "Seems we came just in the nick of time."
"We held our own, for the most part," Keane said.
Vult then looked to Sol. "I'm glad to see you alive. Seems you got your hands full there, huh?"
"Quite literally," Sol responded. "I present to you the mastermind of this battle."
Vult looked at the orc general, struggling to free itself, but it's wounds made it too weak to move.
"Seems your reports were correct," Vult noted. "Our battle was going too well and their numbers were significantly less than expected."
"It was a bold move the enemy tried to make," Sol commented. "And a good one. They could've easily swept the city and crushed our flanks."
"Thats some damn good planning," said Vult. "I was afraid they might have destroyed the city and we were too late since you, Hicks, or Keane didn't report back. But it looks like this orc general and his army were out bested by you, and you didn't even need us!"
He then returned his attention to the orc general and it's surviving comrades.
"Now the question comes- how shall we deal with these monsters?"
The orc general's next words surprised Sol. "Wait! Please! Kill me, but spare my men!"
"Really?" Vult asked skeptically. "After all the destruction you've caused and the lives you've taken, you have the gall to ask us to spare your soldier's lives?"
"They were only following orders," the orc general pleaded. "They know not what they do. But they have feelings of their own. Let them go, I beg of you."
Sol stared at the orc with curiosity while Vult shook his head in disgust along with Keane, Hicks and the other soldiers who expressed doubt.
"Wait!"
Sol looked to where a voice called out and saw Alicia approaching the orc general, the young boy still clutching to her side.
"Let me speak with it," Alicia ordered.
All the men stepped aside, say for Sol, who still held the orc general's restraints, and Vult. Alicia stared at the orc, who was on it's knees, though it was still barely taller than her.
"Why should we listen to you?" Alicia asked. Her voice was stern and low, but there was also curiosity in her expression. "Why should we spare the lives of the monsters who kill our fathers and rape our mothers?"
"We were not always like this," the orc general explained, his tone becoming sorrowful. "Once we were a proud race. Then darkness overtook us, and we became consumed with rage. It's why we became mindless monsters. It's why we were always killing and-''
It paused momentarily, closing it's eyes and expressing remorse. "Raping. But the Dark Queen helped us, found a way to contain our rage momentarily. She plans to find a cure for our rage. To turn us back to normal. That is why we fight for her."
As it continued to explain, Sol studied the orc. He had never seen an aberrant of any kind express remorse. He also watched Alicia, studying her and seeing a curious expression across her face. He wanted to see what she would do next.
Alicia then drew her blade and pointed it at the orc, the sapphire in her weapon beginning to glow immensely.
"You serve a monster who seeks to destroy all of humanity," she argued. "Your kind carry her will, and you destroy the livelihoods of all the innocents."
Alicia noted to the boy by her side and the orc general saw her point.
"I do not expect you to understand our plight," the orc general explained, bowing it's head low in apology. "The rage consumes us and causes casualties we wish to avoid. We are left with only the dark queen to help us, and we cannot undo the damage we have caused."
Alicia looked deep into it's yellow eyes that were once filled with bloodlust, which were now replaced with guilt and remorse.
Hicks then stepped in and interrupted. "Why are we wasting time with this monster? Let's just kill it and be done with it!"
"I agree," Keane added. "We can't let them live."
All the soldiers yelled in agreement, but Alicia held a hand up, motioning them to stop.
"I cannot forgive you, or your queen, for what she has done to my people," Alicia argued. "To all the people she has killed. For the pain and suffering she has inflicted on Eostia!"
Just as Sol confirmed that Alicia had passed her judgement, he was shocked when she sheathed her sword.
"Release it," Alicia told Sol, her voice quiet and shaky. Her purple eyes began to well. Her expression was full of sorrow, rage, and regret.
Sol nodded, retracting the chain back into his gauntlet and freeing the orc from it's restraints.
Alicia grunted as she turned away from the orc. "Take your soldiers and go."
"You're fucking insane!" Hicks shouted disapprovingly.
"Respect the lady, you black dog!" an Alliance soldier yelled.
"Shut your trap, Alliance scum!" a Kuroinu soldier yelled back as he drew his weapon.
An argument suddenly broke out between the Kuroinu and the Alliance soldiers. Keane tried to calm the madding crowd, but to no avail. Vult and Sol only looked on with silent and curious expressions.
"Why?" the orc asked. "Why spare me as well?"
Alicia shook her head. "Because we humans have the capacity to let things go… no matter how horrendous or unforgivable the acts committed against us are."
The aberrant grunted in confusion, but accepted her answer. It's surviving brethren helped their leader up and rushed out of the circle of men, who continued to argue amongst themselves. Sol watched Alicia, who stood motionless, trying to hold back her tears and clenching her fists while the young boy beside her tried to comfort her. She ignored the rants and insults thrown at her from the Kuroinu while the Alliance soldiers threatened the mercenaries with arrest.
"Enough!" Alicia finally screamed, silencing the crowd.
"My soldiers, find survivors and treat the wounded. We must wait for Ur's forces to arrive so we may begin battle damage assessments."
The Alliance soldiers quickly dispersed and Alicia knelt down to the young boy.
"Don't worry," she reassured him. "Everything will be okay. I promise."
The young boy smiled, wiping a tear from his eye before being taken away by one of Alicia's female knights. Sol watched the young boy, seeing how he had taken everything quite well despite losing his mother. Alicia must've comforted him a great deal if he was able to overcome his fears.
"Thank you once again for assisting the Alliance, Lord Vult," Alicia said to him.
"No problem," he nodded casually.
"If I may, though, I don't think that was a very wise decision letting the orc general go."
"I don't think so either," Alicia simply said. "If you'll excuse me, I have things I must attend to."
The Kuroinu whispered amongst themselves, expressing doubt and hatred towards the Princess Knight, but Vult quickly silenced them.
"Alright, men! We have our own things to do as well! Let's get a move on!"
Sol looked on as Alicia walked past him, not even acknowledging his presence. It surprised him that she had let the orc general live, despite her strong sense of justice and hating all things related to the dark queen. It made him wonder how she would react if she knew what he had done. He pushed the thoughts aside and rejoined Vult and the rest of the Kuroinu.
"Zero," Sol muttered to himself, counting the last orc.
AN: super long chapter, way longer than it needed to be. I know there is alot of mistakes here, so constructive criticism and comments are needed! If you've made it this far, thank you for looking at an amateur's work.