The Second Wave (3)

Lancell moved along as he slashed at monsters and people alike whenever he blocked his way.

The killing intent of the entire battlefield had already gone to his head, and he couldn't calm himself down unless he killed something. He slashed with Void Slash in order to fortify the Spellblade, and recovered his mana with Arkenvalle's help.

He proceeded through as his mind kept getting clouded, but he continued on as he needed to check the eastern wing. For some reason, his entire being was telling him to. He just had to.

As Lancell continued the run n' murder kind of tactic, he felt like he slashed some sort of bigshot, and spoke some words, but his mind was too muddled to remember.

◇◇◇

When Aria was about to leave the gate, she suddenly saw a stranger. It was a stranger, yet for some reason, she had the strange feeling that she didn't like this girl. Also, her saintly disposition pissed her off.

However, she was the princess of a kingdom. So she gave a friendly greeting.

"Hello?" she greeted with a wave of her hand. "Anything I can help?"

The girl noticed her, and smiled at her. "Umm...Is there a person named Lancell here?" she asked, "I'm looking for him."

Aria was surprised at the sudden mention of the name. "Can I ask how you're related?"

"We're childhood friends."

Now things were bound to be interesting...

◇◇◇

As Lancell finally reached the eastern wing, his worst fears completely came true as he saw Shin's visage in the middle of a horde.

His blood boiled as it entered his head while his chest tightened in anger. He clenched Arkenvalle's sword form as he then dashed to the direction of the group.

As he reached the middle, he used Void Slash in order to decapitate all monsters within 40 meter radius. Blood splashed everywhere while the winds scattered them, as they fell like rain.

Everyone in the battlefield was stunned at the horrifying display. They suddenly turned to the man who was covered in blood, as he looked at Siri.

His gaze was piercing and cold as Siri flinched from the amount of bloodlust leaking through his body.

"Siri." He called out. He did not shout nor talk loudly, but he knew Siri could clearly hear him.

"You have a proper explanation for this, right?" he asked.

Siri shuddered. But she gathered her courage and answered back. "W-We'll explain ourselves later." She then formed an arrow from her bow, "for now we need to survive."

Lancell didn't answer, but he suddenly disappeared as blood rained once more. Monster heads fell as the soldiers only saw a silver string that glowed white as it connected to Lancell and the monsters.

Lancell then headed to Shin's direction as he continued the slaughter. More and more killing intent was piling up in his head, and he was slowly losing his mind. And so, he continued the slaughter, as he slashed, and slashed, and slashed, and slashed again.

Thousands of corpses piled up in where they were as the soldiers watched them with entranced eyes. Lancell didn't know what they were thinking, but he sure didn't care.

Shin coordinated with him as he stopped flinging area targeting Spellblades, and simply used ones that are more efficient for killing. He seemed to realize that Lancell was watching his back, so he went for a more efficient approach.

The slaughter continued...

...until an hour later, the waves of monsters finally stopped.

◇◇◇

As the waves of monsters started to recede, Lancell turned towards Shin. "Hey."

Shin looked at him with an inquiring gaze. "Hm?..."

"Let's go back now. We're not needed here anymore." Lancell said as he turned and started to leave. But before he did, he asked. "By the way, where's Lina?"

"Probably...in city..."

And so, Lancell then went on ahead.

By the time Lancell arrived at the city, the entire hospitals were full of patients as those who didn't make it were piled up beside the hospital. It was a bit of a cruel treatment of the deceased, but there was simply no time to waste as more and more injured kept coming.

Lancell ignored all of them as he walked towards where his instinct led him. After about 15 minutes of walking, Lancell found Lina. And it seems she was talking to Aria.

Aria seemed to have noticed the bloodlust he was leaking as she turned towards him, and waved her hand. "Hey!"

Lancell sighed, but at least the sight of the carefree princess helped relieve his murder rush. War was a strange one, after all. No matter one hated it, when exposed to it too much, they always find themselves looking for more.

And that's what Lancell was currently experiencing. It had been a while since his last participation to war, and the sudden return to the battlefield shook his mind greatly.

Lancell raised his hand in greeting as Aria stood, and dragged Lina with her. They then approached Lancell. "Whoa! You look wicked!" Aria exclaimed. "You alright?"

"More or less." Lancell shrugged. "At the very least, I'm not injured."

Lancell then glanced at Lina, who was giving him a worried look. "Lancell?" she said, as if confirming a stranger's identity. "Did you meet up with the others?"

"Yeah." Lancell answered.

Lina looked around as she seemed searching for something, and then took a chair as she gestured for Lancell to sit. Lancell didn't shy away and sat as he really was tired.

"Are you really okay? You're still leaking bloodlust." Lina suddenly mentioned as she cast a mind soothing spell over him.

"Yeah." Lancell paused for a while. "But I think I'll recover faster with your help. Thanks."

Lina smiled. "Your welcome."

Aria who saw their exchange, puffed her cheeks. "Hey! Don't ignore me!"

Lancell glanced at her. "Don't worry. I'm listening." He then closed his eyes as he calmed his nerves.

"No you're not!" she retorted. She then moved to his side and elbowed him as she tried to whisper. "Now fess up. Who's the cutie."

Lancell didn't open his eyes, but he still answered. "Lina. A childhood friend."

"That's it?"

"Ask her for anything else. She'll know more." Lancell didn't lie. He barely even remembers anything from 20 years ago. So he was leaving the explanations for Lina.

Aria glanced at Lina with a frown. Lancell didn't know what she was thinking, but it was Lina's problem now.

'Good luck fending of her curiosity.'

After a while, Lancell's murder-rush had completely receded as he finally let out a deep breath. He then opened his eyes and looked at Lina. "Hey."

Lina turned to him. "Anything?"

"This is enough."

She smiled in acknowledgement. "Okay." She then removed her hands from his forehead. Lancell didn't notice, but it seemed she was massaging his forehead. Perhaps she assumed he had a headache.

("Valle?")

("Hm?")

("Are they here yet?")

("Yeah. About 2 minutes. They're dawdling as they move. Maybe scared.")

("I see. Thanks Valle.")

Lancell stood from his seat, and then turned to the door as he waited. Aria saw what he was doing, and asked. "Waiting for someone?"

"A group, actually."

"Huh? I never heard you had friends." She innocently asked.

Lancell glared at her while Lina giggled at the two. "You're two are quite close aren't you?"

"Of course we are!" "Don't lump me with her."

They spoke in unison, but their words were contradicting each other. Lina got a bit wide eyed, but Lancell then perked up as he watched a new group who arrived.

It was a group of 6 people, mostly on their youths. Aria also saw them as they walked in their direction with uneasy expressions.

They continued walking, and stopped in front of Lancell. Lancell watched them with a cold glare, and asked.

"So? Let's take this somewhere, shall we?"

And so, in their reunion after a month, they were about to receive more roastings.