CHAPTER FORTY-SIX: Pointless struggles

He looked down at the woman he had just finished with. Her will still had not been broken, probably a testament to her training as a paladin. She was in a pathetic state... he had not been gentle with her. The Elf King, otherwise known as King Lashic walked out of his tent and snapped his fingers as the nearest healer.

"You, heal the woman in there. If she dies so do you," was all Lashic said. As he walked to the front of his camp and peered out at the lights before him. It was the largest city in the southern half of The Holy Kingdom. He wondered what the Holy Queen will be like once he bent her to his will.

"Maybe I might get some useful children from her..." He really did not believe this. But it made him want to go on. This whole "war thing" was incredibly boring.

"Your Majesty... we've captured some nobles as you requested..." An Elf Speargurd announced once Lashic had made it clear he would be open for business discussions.

"Oh? Who are they?" He asked. The Elf looked at a report he had been handed earlier.

"Just some third in line nobles, a brother and sister... from the Landale family."

"Landale? never heard of them... is the sister worth my time?" He raised an eyebrow in that ever-optimistic hope that he'd find "the one".

"No Your Majesty, she is a basic human. Weak." the guard truthfully said.

"Hmm, well third in line is too low... have the man killed, the girl can be a gift to the men."

"Sir, you're too kind!" the soldier looked less than thrilled at that prospect, but to let that on would be death. He promptly left to tell the men of their entertainment tonight. Lashic sighed loudly, overcome with boredom once again. He thought he saw something move in the corner of his eye. But nothing was there.

"Ugh... I need more sleep." He muttered as he rubbed the pink pendant that hung around his neck. He debated what he should do. It was just a matter of walking into the city and kicking in the door for his Elf and Dark Elf troops to pour into the city.

Ironically the paladins of The Holy Kingdom were made to fight Demihuman and Evil entities... The elves were neither. A heavy portion of his army was serving because he had given them no choice, any man Elf that did not take up weapons to fight for him would not have a family to come home to. Same for the Dark Elves. So the "karma" based attacked usually did nothing to the honorable elf warriors who fought only to protect their families at home.

"The Sorcerer King, however... a Dark Elf that rivals my own power..." Lashic sneered every time he remembered the report of a giant golem stomping an army to death, just to have the terrain completely change in an instant... all thanks to works of The Sorcerer King... well at least he wasn't calling himself "The Dark Elf King". Lashic would have a major problem if he had done that.

"But he is my true enemy..." he clutched the pendant in his hand. It seemed this Sorcerer Kingdom was coming into power the same time he made his move on The Slane Theocracy. It was like fate was pushing him towards this clash. After he owned the Holy Kingdom there would only be the Re-Estize empire, one without an army, standing between him and this newly founded Kingdom. Although he technically did control The Slane Theocracies lands... but he had not found time to go there personally to claim it, so his soldiers were simply making their presence known in the villages and towns of the theocracy.

"Maybe from that region then as well..." he would like to capture and bring over as many paladins as he could. This Momonga was a reported necromancer... having a squadron or two of paladins would prove good in the upcoming fight.

"Okay then... let's get to it... MEN, I WILL BEGIN MY ASSAULT ON THE CITY. WHEN I GIVE THE SIGNAL, CHARGE IN." Lashic announced using [PACE OF THE WIND] [MAXIMUM FLOW ACCELERATOR]. The world around him crawled as his speed and senses took on a godly speed.

The sheer speed of his take-off created a sonic boom that announced his attack as it would rattle the glass windows of the city he was about to lay waste to. As he came to the main gate he readied his fist. It was clad in a black gauntlet that resembled the claw of a dragon. It ignited in black flames as he punched the gate and it exploded into chunks of wood and iron.

The enormous release of power that sent the gate flying echoes out and was the signal for his army to attack. With him leading the attack the city was decimated within hours and the usual round up or women and surviving paladins began. With this city falling, he would be looking to make his final push to The Northern Kingdom...

As trouble came from the south, Neia Baraja and Kelart Custodio were traveling North, to request help from The Sorcerer King, Momonga. The ten Holy Kingdom soldiers rode along with an old worn-out path in the dead of night, no moon meant they would be hard to spot but also seeing dangers would be hard.

They had been traveling at an accelerated pace and were already showing signs of exhaustion. Neia especially was hurting. Specifically her butt, she hated riding horses and this pace was killing her, but she said nothing, only kept going on ahead, trying to ignore the dirty looks Kelart would sometimes send her way.

Neia did not understand why Kelart did not like her... her sister Remedios also did not care for her as a squire, maybe it was a sister thing? She paid it no mind and just tried to keep pace best she could.

"Miss Kelart, there is something ahead..." Their forward lookout called back. They slowed down cautiously. They were ready for this they were now coming up on the Wall, the first wall, that bordered their country. They were taking a back route in order to hit a section of the wall that was deserted, as most of it was.

"Dismount and go on foot from here..." Kelart ordered the other eight Paladins and Neia. They got off their mounts and tied them a little ways intothe forest to hide them. Then using the same forest os cover proceeded to creep up on the wall that was supposed to keep them safe, now offered them resistance.

"I don't see anyone posted... think it's safe to scale?" Neia said looking out, using her father's gear to see better...

"This isn't the wall that worries me... we still have to cross the one that the bastard Airxeen erected," Kelart said unhappily. She scanned the wall and decided it was deserted like they hoped it would be.

"Alright, Neia, you go up using that ladder, we'll stay back to make sure you're not ambushed. Neia looked back in fear.

"What? Me? A...Alone?" She asked in a panic.

"You're the only one here that has any ranger training... we'd just get you spotted, now obey my order!" Kelart snapped. Neia turned away from Kelart before scowling and giving a sigh. She pulled her father's black hood overhead and ran out, it would off her some stealth but worked best when not moving.

"Made it..." She whispered as she ran to the ladder and began climbing. Even in this moonless night she felt incredibly exposed climbing up a ladder against a flat wooden wall. Each creak the ladder made sounded ten times louder in her head as she quickly scampered up the ladder. She was expecting an arrow to plunge into her back at any moment, but nothing happened and she made it to the top of the wall safely.

Using the dark vision her gear afforded her she looked down as well as she could. No Demihumans or Elves to be spotted... but the other wall was too far off for her to make out if it was occupied or not. She gave the signal that it was clear and her group quickly followed her up and joined her at the top of the first wall.

"Looks safe so far, we'll have to repel down and cross that plain... that's when we'll know if we're safe or not." Kelart whispered as her men fastened roped to climb down. Neia's arms were still tired from the ladder... the repelling took longer than expected, as many of the group was in plate mail, they had to go especially slow, but his let Neia's arms and legs take a break. She made it down but her oversized bow made it difficult at times, but before long they were all down.

"Um, how are we going to scale the second wall? It won't have a ladder like the other..." Neia whispered but got no reply. they quickly went slowly across the open plain between the two walls, the clanking of plate armor would alert any Demihumans in the area. Nothing came to pass as the group silently as they could came to the well-made wall of Airxeen. Neia remembered her talk with him and shivered.

Several knights handed kelart some very long rope-like bundles.

"Good luck Lady Kelart..." one of her paladins' whispered. She took the bundles and looked up.

"[FLY]" And with that Kelart took off of the ground and flew to the top of the wall.

"What? I didn't know Lady Kelart knew magic as well as miracles.

"She's knows just a few, but flying was always a dream of her as a child," Another one of her personal knights said with a smile. Neia blinked, her personal guard held genuine respect for her, unlike her sister, who only was respected on the battlefield. a few minutes later there came a tumbling sound from the wall as several rope ladders unrolled. The first men up had no armor and attached the rope ladders to the wall as they went up to make it easiest for the plated ones. Neia was a little jealous of their comradery and teamwork, as she had always felt out of place in the military.

"More climbing..." Neia silently whined, but in reality, she had enough adrenaline in her system that she was not tired at all, and making it up the ropes was surprisingly easy thanks to the work of the first soldiers. But when Neia finally made it to the top she noticed the body language of her cohorts, they were all staying suspiciously low and Kelart pointing to something along the wall.

About a mile down there were some torches, that were not there when they had begun their climb... had they been spotted?

"They are coming this way in a hurry... I'm sure we were spotted."

"Demihumans? Or Elves?"

"Neither would need torches... it might be humans..."

"Maybe they saw us and want our attention... friendly?"

"No such luck I bet... stay at the ready!"

These were the mutterings of the tightly packed unit as they braced for a fight on top of the wall. Neia readied her bow and took aim, she could make out six humanoid shapes... the problem was she also made out more torches behind them down the way, also coming this way.

"there's more coming too!" She warned the group. Kelart took her position at the back of the guard. A few meters more and Neia saw what was coming.

"Human...no... wait... I think they are Elves..."

"Okay, hostiles incoming." One Paladin called out and they prepared for the fight coming.

"We heard your armor clanking up our wall, lay down your weapons or die!" A voice from the incoming group said. Neia was able to make out at least thirty more coming her way. One man quickly looked to Kelart.

"What are your orders Mamm?" And as to answer him Kelart stood up, put her hands out and fired out a blazing beam of sunlight that gave the incoming elves little more time to screams before they were burned to a crisp as she focuses he hands at their location.

"What... is that a fifth tier spell?" Neia asked in shock. Her men smiled smugly.

"If she's going out, this means she does intend to let one of them live..." and the charge began. Neia fired off arrows to support her unit. She scored some hits but then the two sides clashed. the difference is skill was evident. The Elves were more nimble and wore leather armor that allowed them more maneuverability. The sword and spear strikes of the Paladins could not find purchase.

More Elf units were coming in from behind them now, they were not so lucky as to only have to fight on one front.

"Keep that side busy, I'll handle these ones,"Kelart said as she summoned a powerful looking angel. It had six wings and four arms, it held a blazing sword in each. The summoned angel engaged the incoming Elf troops. It handled them easily. cutting through the,m too fast to react to. It spun in full circles, making huge arcing slashes, four at a time. It easily shred them to ribbons.

"Wow..." Neia had been looking over her shoulder at the deadly display of Kelart's magic. Neia turned back and readied her arrow but she felt an impact in her chest.

"Squire is hit!" One Paladin. Neia looked at him. the arrow fell from her chest, and no blood followed. She looked at her father's ring briefly. It had just saved her life, as it could stop incoming projectiles once a day. She found the archer that had hit her and shot back, but missed as he was able to duck. Her bow was made for killing Demihumans, it did not make her arrows become attracted to Demihumans and want to fire at them, increasing her accuracy. Against these elves, it was just a normal bow.

"CASTER!" One of the engaged Palapins called out. Neia scanned the oncoming group and saw the one she had been alerted to. he was clearly channeling a spell. Neia hastily fired an arrow at him, but another elf with a kite shield was already in the position to block for him.

"Shit... these Elves are actually really strong..." Neia admitted as she tried to sneak another shot. But the caster had his spell done...

"[FIREBALL]!" He did not shoot at the front line where other elves were, instead he targeted the back ranks... Neia and Kelart. The Explosion was enough to kill them... Neia was falling from the wall headfirst. Someone was wrapping their body around hers... it was Kelart. She had seen the spell coming and grabbed Neia, taking her over the edge of the wall to escape the explosion. But now a 30-foot drop was prepped to kill them.

"[FLY]" Kelart cast her last use of that spell and pulled up, the two women sped across the field at the same speed they were falling... they were clear of the opening as a few arrows missed them, they disappeared into the forest, making to the west side.

"What about your men?" Neia asked, but Kelart said nothing in return. She just carefully flew them through the trees until the spell wore out, they landed and finally caught their breath.

"And what would you have me do? We were surrounded on all side squire!" Kelart snapped as she turned and glared.

"The only reason I'm not with them is I saved you, don't forget that!" Neia looked down in shame at her ignorance.

"I'm... sorry Lady Kelart..." Neia muttered. Kelart looked at Neia and sighed.

"It's not... your fault, you did the best you could in a bad situation, Neia," Kelart said, dropping the harshness in her voice.

"Anyway, we'll rest here for a bit then get someplace safe... the mission still goes on."

It wasn't long till they were on the move again. Luckily Neia still had her map of the area so they were not lost.

"How far till the next town?" Kelart asked as they finally hit the well-made road.

"Another weeks travel... at least," Neia said groaning. They had lost their horses, but that was always planned. A foots treck then they would buy horses at the village. Kelart also sighed.

"We need to rest and continue on in the morning..." Kelart said, looking around. Off the path, they found a large rock that would make for a good heat sink and set up a fire next to it. They only had simple bedding.

"Make yours close to mine, closer he better as we have no guard," Kelart suggested. They made their beds right next to each other between the rock and fire. Neia laid on her bed but Kelart moved close... like she began to spoon Neia.

"Uh... lady Kelart?" She was so close Neia could feel her breathing on the back of her neck.

"What is it?" the tone in Kelart's voice made it sound like nothing was wrong.

"Y...You're awfully close..." Neia whispered starting to become a little nervous at Kelart's proximity.

"It's just for safety..." Kelart whisper again in her ear. Neia didn't quite understand how being this close was safe, also they were in a well-patrolled area... so the risk of attack was low. She tried to subtly scoot away from Kelart but she wrapped one of her legs around Neia's leg.

"L...lady Kelart? Neia was now becoming flustered, she looked back at Kelart who... had tears running down her face. She asked again, but Neia's tone was much softer.

"L, Lady Kelart?" She blinked at this... odd situation. Kelart let go of Neia and rolled away from her.

"Get some rest squire... we'll be leaving early." The cold tone that Neia was accustomed to was back. Neia wondered if she hadn't made a huge mistake in rejecting her. Neia turned away from her, a little afraid to go to sleep.

(AU= sorry for the huge break and then this Ho-hum of a boring chapter, it really didn't come out the way I wanted, but I guess it moves the plot along a bit... I promise next chapter will be better. still not sure how to approach this fic now that I no longer have the Light Novels to guide me lol. I'll try to update quicker as well, thanks to all the readers who read this stupic thing still xD