Steel and Mana

Chapter 246 – Probing The Frontier (2)

The night was incredibly dark and cloudy, and it could have turned into a raining nightmare at any time—it just refused to do so.

"Major, should we attack them? They are in the yellow zone, after all."

It was not the first time Pion heard this question. He himself had asked it once, but it was hard to find the answer. At the moment, he was holding a meeting with the leaders of the squads under his command, deciding their next step for the night. The enemy had made camp, erecting their tents and sentry posts on two of the hills they had deliberately left empty, without traps or obstructions. They could easily shoot at them as they were within their howitzer's range. Even if they start running, they could still continue bombarding them… The issue was how dark the night became; without the light of the moon, people could slip away, and they were not in a position to pursue them for far.

But it was such a good opportunity…

"I say, we don't attack." Multiple heads turned towards the voice belonging to Polo, who stood amongst them, arms crossed, his face dead serious. "They are using magic. My Rook has detected it being cast. My guess is that their mages either utilized some kind of detection or shield spell. It could very well be some kind of observation magic, too."

"With our firepower, it could blast through it." Argued one of the captains, but Polo just shrugged his shoulders.

"I am confident in crushing them, too. But I am not optimistic about killing them all. Especially the mages. They could slip away in the chaos. Even if we use flares to light up the night, that is not a hundred percent guarantee we will kill them all."

"It is up to the major to decide." Corporal Kovrad added, looking at Pion, who was holding up his stoic gaze, but deep inside, he was making one of the most nerve-wracking decisions since being promoted to his current rank.

"We wait. We have the advantage. They have been sent here and won't turn away. Let's see what they do tomorrow morning. The future will tell if my decision was good or bad!"

"Yes, Sir!" They all saluted, whether they voiced their concerns or advocated for attacking that night; the moment Pion made a decision, they all fell behind him, acknowledging his orders and focused on their task. If they were told to wait, they waited; no questions were asked after it had been decided.

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The following dawn came in gray and grim as the sky looked heavy and foreboding. It wasn't a good start… I hadn't slept much, and from the look of the men around me, I wasn't the only one. Edrik had tossed and turned through the night, muttering about dreams he couldn't remember, but he swore they were important. I felt as though something had been watching us the entire night—unseen eyes hovering just beyond the ridge, eyeing us like a hungry beast. Fuck… Maybe it was because of those… floating things. Could they be some witchcraft things? Causing us to doubt our victory? Nobody could answer that question for me.

As we all broke camp, the weather hadn't changed for the better at all. Thunder rumbled in the distance, a low, ominous sound that never quite reached us but echoed through the hills. A light drizzle had started shortly after dawn, slicking the muddy ground beneath our boots as we prepared for the day. For battle. No one spoke much; there was nothing to say. We all felt the nervous tension that clung to us like a second skin. The mages were still silent, still watching, though now they stood a little closer to the front lines, their dark robes fluttering in the breeze. Maybe it was finally time for them to annihilate these barbarians, and I have been feeling nervous for no reason.

"It looks like a storm's coming…" Edrik spoke, his voice hoarse, his eyes fixed on the horizon. He spat into the mud, his mouth twisted into a grimace. "Perfect weather for a battle."

I grunted in a fake agreement as I adjusted my mail shirt and held onto my long spear more firmly. It felt heavier in my hands today, not from the weight of the wood and iron, but from something else. The same unease settled deep in my bones; it was the first time I couldn't shake it off. Usually, by now, the excitement of battle would have worked me up, putting me in the same state as Edrik was… But… This time, it just refused to come to me. As we gathered into formation, the drizzle thickened into a steady rain, the clouds rolling closer, darker, heavier.

"Alright, listen up!" The captain's voice cut through the rainfall like a whip. He sat tall on his horse, silver armor gleaming wet in the rain. "We're moving in, no more waiting! We strike now while they're still in their holes! Archers, prepare your positions. Infantry, form up! The Emperor's mages will open a path for us!"

The ground squelched underfoot as we shuffled into formation, shoulder to shoulder, the front lines of pikes bristling forward. My breath fogged in the cool rain as I tightened my grip, glancing again at the fortifications ahead. The enemy had been unnervingly quiet. I half-expected to be attacked at night, but that didn't come to pass. Searching for those floating things, they were there, but… There was no sign of movement from the makeshift walls, no sound of drums or chants. Just silence. Only the dark shapes in the sky were still floating, still watching, but now blurred, thanks to the rain.

"We'll take the main road!" the captain continued, shouting over the rising sound of rain pattering against armor and shield. "The barbarians have funneled us into it. Let them think we'll play their game, but they don't know what's coming!"

I could see the mages now, moving closer to the captain. Their hands were tucked within their robes, but I could feel the air change around them—like the tension before lightning. It was subtle, but it was there... I could feel it, I swear! The rain seemed to bend around them, dripping slowly as if reluctant to touch their cloaks. Even nature bows to the power of magic…

The thunder grew louder, rolling through the valley, and the rain began to pour harder, turning into a downpour that quickly soaked us all. Still, the wind remained calm, barely a whisper. Was this also the cause of magic? I no longer could tell. Everything seemed as if it was flipped on its head… The stillness of the air made the storm feel... wrong. As if it was holding its breath for something to come.

"Steady!" The captain's voice boomed again, his horse stamping impatiently. "This storm won't stop us. We will march! We will break their defenses. We will send them running before the sun burns through these damned clouds!"

I swallowed hard, pushing the rising nerves deep down as I fell into my formation. As I watched the wooden walls erected between two hills, I just wanted to get this done and be over with it... The men around me muttered prayers. Some kissed their amulets, and others spat into the mud as if challenging the gods themselves. The mages had moved to the front now, and their hands were raised, the air shimmering faintly around them. Whatever magic they held back was ready to be unleashed.

"On my mark!" the captain roared.

A heartbeat passed. Then another.

We were on the cusp of something. The rain poured harder, yet the wind stayed still, making it feel like the world had stopped. The pounding of rain on my helmet sounded like drums. My chest tightened as I stared down the path at the enemy's walls, waiting for the moment when everything would break loose. Finally, I felt the familiar sensation. The world turned… simple. My vision became narrower. I saw my goal and my objective, and anything unnecessary was gone. It was time to kill…

Then it happened.

I saw both of the mages summon a magic formation. It was more beautiful than anything I have ever seen. It was like sparkling, majestic golden decoration on a noble's flag, filled with intricate, otherworldly pearls and gemstones. Both of their magic was crimson in color, like the sun on a hot summer day; I could feel it. It carried the smell of home…

But the feeling was broken the next moment.

It happened right after a lightning bolt crossed the skies, its thunderous boom reaching us when the mage on the left suddenly faltered. His whole body was shaken, making him step back as his magic flickered like a mirage in the desert before disappearing. Is this how it works? Maybe? But… then why was the other's spell different? Well, perhaps it should be different…

I had no time to think about it, though. Watching the fireball, the size of a hut, fly through the sky, sizzle, and create a fog from the heavy rain, I heard our captain's warhorn being blown, signaling our attack. We began moving as one the moment we heard it. I listened to the archers behind us letting loose of their arrows, following the flying fireball as our steps slowly turned into a jog before we would begin rushing right into the thick of it. By the time we would reach their fortifications, it should be blasted apart and–

I felt my thoughts stop and my breath be stuck in my throat.

Although my legs, ingrained with years of marching and fighting, kept carrying me forward, my mind could barely comprehend what was happening. What was I seeing?! The fireball, the thing that should not only set ablaze their puny, laughable fortress but turn their barbarian bodies into ash... It exploded mid-air. Before it even reached the barbarians' position! It... It hit something invisible. A wall. Whatever it was, the mage's spell made it shimmer in a brilliant light, like a massive, dome-shaped prism.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but finally, my legs reacted, stopping me from running further. It wasn't just me, but all the others who were there began slowing down, stopping… Then I heard Edrik shout.

"Watch out!"

It was too late. Like the rain, the glorious spell, its searing, crimson fire began falling down from the sky after it exploded, heading straight at us. I watched as multiple soldiers just melted away, like cheese above the open fire. I was lucky; I stopped in time, backing into the others while one of the splintered parts of the fire landed before us, killing dozens at once.

Without thinking about it, my eyes traveled toward the floating things, which were more visible now that I was closer. They looked like oversized balloons… Still floating there. Were they the cause of–

I felt it. The rumble echoed in my chest. Thunder? From behind the fog that the exploding fire-spell caused... But... Then it came from behind us? Another magic?!

I turned my head back and could only see the earth exploding behind us, where our camp was, and where the cavalry and archers stood. I thought lightning struck us down, but that was impossible—not until it was because of the wrath of the gods! Yet, I saw our archers and backlines explode.

"They have magic… THEY HAVE MAGIC!" I cried out because I knew it could only be that! The enemy had mages! And they had to be stronger, causing me to understand why one of ours suddenly faltered!

Another round of heavy shaking, traveling through the softened, wet earth… But this time, it came from the front.

As I turned my head back, looking at it, I dropped my spear into the mud. Lifting my leg felt heavy, and it was not because the soaked ground was holding me in place but because the thick, soup-like earth was trying to glue me in place. It was because all my powers had left me.

"Gods, protect me. Save me. Please. Save us!" I shuddered, knowing that what was rolling down my face was not the rain but my tears.

"There is nothing that–"

But I couldn't hear Edrik's voice anymore. I watched as the fog dissipated, and we could see a tall, black monster materializing before us. It was walking up to one of the hills on its side with a literal tower shield, looking at us like the Avatar of Toobu. The God of War. It was human-like, a grotesque, demonic knight because it was still a beast, a mix between the worst nightmares one could dream of… it was the end times. There were grotesque protrusions on its shoulders, tubes that then turned towards us, and…

There was a bright light, and everything was gone. I was gone. There was no pain and no more worry… In a way, peace came to me in that moment, relieving me of my duty… Gods Preserve Us...