The Cruelty of it All

"Eek! Run!"

"Something's going on at the coast!"

"Quickly, get the carriages ready!"

Caelum looked around, amidst all the chaos. Royals scattered from carriage to carriage. Smoke filled the air, rising to the sky.

"Isalda, I'm gonna check out the smoke. See what's going on."

"No need." She replied quickly. "There's already knights stationed there. They'll be able to-"

"I can't just turn a blind eye to this. Imagine it's something more dangerous?"

"All the reason for you to not go. Do you not understand? You are the king of this kingdom!"

[Cast: Enhancement 20x]

Caelum extended his leg, dashing through the crowded forest, to the shore.

Isalda sighed, following after him.

. . .

. .

.

Caelum reached the coast in a short time. He could taste the choking dust in the air, and smell the thick smoke.

"Ack.." He coughed.

The smoke would've been obscuring his vision, but due to his cast, he could see just well. "

The white in his eyes became more and more apparent. 

Thousands of transport ships stretched across the shore. Some had already landed, while others were still reaching the shore.

There, he could see the flags, waving fervently, in the air. The bright flags of Sar.

Caelum balled his fists, his jaws clenched.

"That... rat bastard..."

He slid down the hill, reaching the battle.

Thanks to the helmet he was wearing, his identity could not be discerned. 

The battlefield has already taken form.

There were fires set everywhere. Trees were scorched, houses were set ablaze, and buildings were turned into rubble.

Ash and dust filled the air. 

Caelum began to cough. He immediately started assessing the battlefield. With a single glance, he could tell that the Sar forces were greatly overpowering his own forces. That couldn't be helped.

⏤ It's my fault. I should've placed more fortifications on a coastal city. We had to relocate some of them for training... I didn't expect an attack so soon!

"Argh!"

An incoming attack. Caelum looked to his right. It was a knight of the Sar forces. He wielded a halberd and swung with ferocity.

Caelum watched as the halberd slowly descended.

⏤ I shouldn't focus on defeating the enemy. I have to rescue as many citizens as possible.

!

Jisvo and Isalda caught the halberd before it could reach Caelum's head.

Jisvo sighed. "This kid knows nothing about royalty. You should be staying in the comforts of your palace. Instead, you run into battle."

"You guys, help our forces defeat knights! I'll rescue as many people as possible!" Caelum yelled.

[Cast: Enhancement 25x]

[Cast: Hall of Subjects]

4 clones appeared, following Caelum.

"That kid... we could've easily come back home, but instead, he made us rescue these guys..." Isalda groaned.

[Cast: Tempest Daimon]

Lightning crackled.

A surge of yellow, lightning energy, wrapped around Jisvo's body. His hair spiked up, and his face became more devilish.

"Ack. Please don't look at me when you have that thing on!" Isalda turned her face.

"Shut up!"

[Cast: Lightning Flashstep]

. . .

. .

.

"To think our reunion could... turn into this!" Ailen panted, boarding up the door.

Elyse and Veind sat on the floor, worried.

(Veind is the first demi-human girl that Julian met as a slave)

"What does it sound like out there?" Elyse asked. She held onto the shaking Veind.

"It sounds like... something we need to stay far away from."

Brsh!

The soldiers crashed through the boarded-up door.

"Raid the house! Anyone you see, take them and bring them with us as slaves!" the leader of the group that entered the house yelled out.

[Cast: Blood Spear]

Blood began to leak out of Elyse's fingertips, molding into the shape of a spear.

[Cast: Full Perception]

Ailen's eyes began to glow, behind the thick glasses he wore.

Clang!

He quickly pulled out his sword, clashing with the soldiers at the door.

Elyse threw the spear toward Ailen's direction. He quickly ducked, allowing the spear to strike the knights.

"Argh!"

"Ailen! Take Veind, and leave through the backdoor!" Elyse yelled.

"..."

With hesitation, he did as Elyse said. He grabbed the already paralyzed Veind by the waist, throwing her onto his shoulder. 

. . .

"Please, step aside."

The crowd of knights surrounding one person scurried to the side, revealing the person.

It was Elyse, covered in blood from head to toe. 

If you were to see her from just 30 minutes ago, you would've thought you were looking at an imposter. An impersonator.

"A Conele? On this island?" the man who had originally told every to scurry away stood in front of her.

He was pristine, to say the least. If you had to describe his appearance, you would find yourself enamored.

His hair was long and silky, tied into a bun. As if he had never entered the battlefield. Despite it being grey, there were no signs of aging on his face. In fact, he appeared youthful. His eyelashes were long, and his eyes were bright orange and curious.

A pair of cat-like ears were gently placed on his head.

"You've killed so many of my men. I'll have to kill you on the spot, then. Please do not blame me, instead, blame the cruelty of war for your death."

He bowed.

Before Elyse could even rush toward him, her body was sliced in half with one clean cut.

She could see the weapon that split in her in half so easily.

It was a large, two-sided war axe. There were runes written into the metal of the axe. The design was very unique and different from regular axes. There were hints of green on the axe.

But it was indubitably big.

⏤ How could a normal person swing an axe of that size so fast?

That was her last thought. 

As her body descended to the ground, that was the last thing she thought of.

"Our king has told us to leave no one alive. We'll take this city as a base of operation." 

Antoine looked down at the upper half of Elyse's body, with a bit of sorrow.

He attached his axe back onto his axe and continued moving. 

"..."

From a distance, Ailen and Veind had witnessed it all.