Equally matched

Magnus, Rowan and James along with all the knight lieutenants and above rushed toward the kingdom of Argenthrall. Rowan had received Ethan's letter which ordered them to go back up Asher as there were enemy forces unseen at work. 

It did not take long before they met up with Asher and the Dragons Fang Order. Asher welcomed them." Come with me, we have much to discuss." He turned around and walked inside the main tent. The group followed. 

When every major powerhouse was gathered Asher began" Following our interrogation regarding the hidden forces we were able to conclude that there has been a significant increase in powerhouse tier units in Argenthrall. We were unable to confirm how many as the two little guys we interrogated did not know." 

"But based on our recent developments and that the news of our overwhelming victory at the Jubi river. The Demon Pavilion would have sent at least 2 peak apprentices. The rest is unknown." 

"So, what should we do then?" James asked curiously. "Rowan will handle the information gathering, until we have more information it would not be wise to fight the enemy especially not on their home ground." Asher replied. 

"Very well, then in the meantime we should stay vigilant, I suggest that we take turns to patrol the outside. If unnecessary problems, happen it could be dealt with immediately." Magnus suggested. 

The suggestion was agreed upon and as such the meeting was adjourned and the men went their separate ways waiting for the time to attack. 

A few days passed by, and the Ravens had made their investigations and sent word. "It seems that the pavilion did not send as many reinforcements as I suspected. There are only an additional 6 knights, 5 Lieutenants and 5 Captains, there are only 3 peak stage apprentices. With our current strength it would not be much of a problem to fight and defeat them." Asher said to the group of men before him. 

"Hahaha, then what are we waiting for? We have the advantage why not strike like thunder and let them feel our fury." James laughed. "We will attack at dawn, let the sun witness our victory." Asher commanded. 

As the sun began to rise, casting an ethereal glow over the forest, Asher led the Vales men into battle. The clash of axe and sword reverberated through the air, accompanied by the screams and bloodied ground. 

The forest became a battleground of steel. Arrows whizzed through the trees, finding their mark with deadly precision. The clash of weapons echoed in a symphony of steel as the soldiers fought valiantly. 

The battle raged on, the forest bearing witness to the clash of kingdoms. The ground beneath them trembled as the forces collided and the forest floor became a battlefield, littered with fallen leaves and trampled vegetation. The vibrant flora, once teeming with life, now bore the scars of the soldier's relentless struggle. Trees, once towering and proud, groaned and creaked as they were caught in the crossfire, their branches snapping like thunderclaps. 

The Vales men were greater in number and strength, they started to overwhelm the enemy forces. Asher stood behind the soldiers fighting as he observed the battle, "Where could they be? Surely, they would not have fled" He thought to himself as there was no demon mask to be seen among the soldiers. 

As he was in thought he looked over to an especially intense battle. It was between Magnus and the king of Argenthrall. They were evenly matched, and every blow was blocked or parried and countered with another. 'No victor will appear anytime soon" he said to himself. 

His head turned abruptly, his eyes gazing toward the trees in the distance, a few shadows could be seen advancing in rapid succession. "The demons are here, quickly surround them" Asher commanded. 

As soon as Asher commanded a few soldiers that were fighting leisurely with a few enemy soldiers, erupted with strength and quickly killed their opposition before rushing toward the incoming enemies. 

Rowan and James in the lead quickly found a few people equaling their strength and another fight began to unfold. Every peak knight from Verdant Vale was already engaged in battle. There was one peak knight left in the opposing army and before he could do any damage Asher appeared before him and sliced off his head before dodging to the side. Mere moments after he dodged, an extremely strong sword strike came crashing down. Asher turned toward the direction of the strike. 

A towering figure with bulging muscles and a suit of black armor and a frightening demon mask appeared. His sword gleamed with a pitch-black darkness that seemed as if it could swallow you whole. 

"I thought that it would be unnecessary for me to come and even thought it would be a joke, for me to come to a mere Tier 5 kingdom to kill a small king, but now I see. This could get interesting" the man laughed 

Asher and the man locked gazes, their eyes locked in a silent anticipation. With a thunderous roar, they both charged forward, charging toward each other with an unrivaled fervor. With a resounding clash, their weapons met in mid-air, the clash of steel ringing out like a symphony of war. 

As the battle commenced, the clash of their weapons echoed through the forest, reverberating like thunder. Each blow they exchanged sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield, causing the very earth to tremble beneath their feet. 

With every swing, Asher's mighty strikes cracked the ground, creating deep fissures that threatened to swallow both combatants. He fought with fury; his attacks fueled by his desire to kill the opposing enemy. 

The man in black armor's strikes were precise and devastating, causing the trees to splinter and crumble as if they were made of brittle twigs. The air around them crackled with dark energy, casting an eerie glow upon their battle. 

As they clashed, their armor groaned under the immense strain, the sheer force of their blows threatening to rend it apart. The ground beneath them churned, sending rocks and debris hurtling into the air with each thunderous impact. 

The battle raged on, their weapons a blur of steel and shadows. The earth quaked violently, splitting open to reveal deep ravines that threatened to consume everything.  They too were evenly matched in a battle of pure raw strength. The man from the Demon pavilion had the strength of a Mortal level 1 knight.