41 Reinforcements

"Why is a dirty half-elf here?"

"A half-elf?"

"Mixed breed!"

Many such remarks could be heard in the back of the front lines. Some where just whispers, others loud shouts and threats. Usually no one was brave enough to insult Reika so brazenly since Nao and Koba where always close by, glaring whoever so much as looked towards Reika. This time though, the party was in tatters. Koba was barely conscious, being held by Lia and Anne who weren't in a good shape themselves. Nao and Keita were still fighting the Elder Lich and it was questionable if they were even still alive.

"Please, you need to help them!"

Reika's voice rang out behind the battle, where the Aerch Militia troops where resting and the injured getting healed.

"As you can see, we already have our hands full with the Undead. There are no willing parties to help your friends in this place. You should just give up." Jona the magician said. He has been left responsibility of this battle. He held a closed book on his hand and his eyes were cold. There was no sign of empathy.

"No way..." Lia couldn't help but put her hand over her mouth. She was on the verge of tears.

"Our comrades are fighting!" Reika shouted. "They are fighting against the Elder Lich who controls the Undead and a Death Knight." She was visibly agitated.

"If you really want to win this battle shouldn't you be sending an elite unit to the enemies headquarters?" Anne tried to argue with logic.

"A Death Knight she said!" a soldier resting nearby said mockingly.

"And an Elder Lich!" the one next to him did the same.

"Are you sure you didn't just mistaken it for a large Undead?" another one laughed.

"Please... Nao and Keita..." Reika said with tears in her eyes. "I still haven't even apologized..."

"Keita?" Jona muttered. "You wouldn't be the Little Rookies team then?" he asked with a hint of astonishment in his eyes.

"You know of us?" Lia asked.

Jona wasn't just any mage. He was the one that stood at the pinnacle of magic among all of humanity - combat wise. Just the one Spell, Inferno Pillar, that he cast was able to influence the direction of this battle and made a hole to the Undead's encirclement. Right now Reika and the others were in the middle of this whole. The Aerch Militia and regular soldiers have split up, each taking one side instead of fighting in unison.

"Call Kaito over." Jona said to a young man sitting on a rock behind him, drinking water and taking a break from the fighting.

"I don't mind but why at such time?" the young man responded with a dispirited voice, as he wiped his mouth.

***

"Damn you, damn you, damn you, damn you, damn you, damn you, damn you, damn you!" the Elder Lich repeated over and over.

"Undead can fight even when critically wounded" Keita said with a smug smile. "but it seems you can still feel pain, can't you Morran?"

Morran glared at Keita with a furry in his dead eyes. The Death Knight immediately abandoned it's prey and darted to Morran's side. It's orders were simple. Fight until the opponent can't move without killing them and protect me, is what Keita figured from it's actions.

"Fly!" Morran said.

Previously, invisible inscriptions on his mantle shined in a purple light. Morran's robs fluttered and he rose from the ground, levitating on the air. Keita's smile stiffened at the sight.

'He had a Flying Spell enchanted in his robs!?' he thought.

"You will regret this, Keita Raigon. Death Knight! Protect me! Life Hunter, get over here!" the Elder Lich shouted.

"Heaven's Path: Needle!" Keita howled in response. He threw his last remaining daggers, hitting Morran at his left eye, forehead and abdomen, leaving only three needle sized holes where the daggers should have landed.

Morran once again shrieked in pain.

At that time, a new Undead appeared. The Life Hunter was the same size as the Death Knight. It held a full blade, too heavy for any human to hold, wore leather armor and an iron helmet, fully hiding it's face, leaving only small slits for the eyes.

"I said protect me you damn piece of junk!" Morran barked.

The two Undead growled and placed themselves between Keita and Morran.

'Now what?' Keita thought.

Morran was floating above the ground to a place he couldn't reach and two enemies were blocking his way. No matter what Keita thought, he couldn't find a way past a Life Hunter and a Death Knight and even if he did, he still couldn't reach Morran.

"Nao!" he shouted. The two Undead showed no signs of leaving Morran's side so it was a good time to try for a quick retreat.

Keita looked for Nao from the direction the Death Knight had arrived.

'Where?' he couldn't see him.

Missing the giant defended was practically impossible. Keita frantically looked left and right until he finally show him.

In a small crater, there was Nao. His shield couldn't be called a shield any more. It was caved in, bend and teared. His armor was completely destroyed and Nao's blood covered the few pieces that were left. He lost his helmet at some point and his hair have turned red from the many places he was bleeding. His eyes were closed. He looked peaceful, as if he was just resting.

"Nao..." Keita said, holding back his tears. "You can't... Don't go dying at such a place you idiot..."

"Don't go killing me off..." he heard Nao's voice. "I didn't expect you to start crying... Ha, ha..." Nao tried to laugh but his face twisted in pain. He wasn't dead but if left like this, there was no question what would happen.

"You freaking idiot." Keita said smiling. He wiped the tears from his eyes and extended his hand.

"You really are a demon..." Nao said. "But I guess I can't rest yet." with a smile he took his hand and rose to his unsteady feet.

"Don't let them get away!"

Keita heard Morran's voice.

'He is doing something... Casting a spell maybe?' Keita thought after sneaking a glance towards the Elder Lich. He had no way to counter whatever Morran had planned though so he stopped thinking about it. Right now he had bigger problems. The two Undead were charging towards him and Nao.

"I can stand." Nao said, pushing Keita away as he tried to support him.

Keita nodded in response.

"There is no time to think whether we can do it or not. We will do it. Defeat these two and go back to our comrades." Keita tried to give a rousing speech but both of them knew.

"Yeah, let's do it Kei!" Nao responded.

"Kei?" Keita asked. This was the first time he heard Nao refer to him that way.

"I always wanted to call you that. It was embarrassing so I kept putting it off but know seems like as good time as any." Nao responded with a bright smile.

Both of them knew. They couldn't escape and there was no way to defeat the two Undead charging their way. They both had made their resolve to die at this place.

Keita smiled.

"I'll take the Life Hunter. It's faster but weaker in raw strength than the Death Knight. As long as I am faster I should manage." he said. Of course it was a bluff. There was no way he would be quicker than the Life Hunter - which was an agile Undead - with his wounded leg and without the aid of Haste.

"Then I'll take the Death Knight. It's time for a revenge match. As long as I am stronger I should manage." Nao said, teasing Keita.

Both of them looked at each other one last time and split. Keita to the left and Nao to the right. As they thought, the enemies did the same.

"Undead Reconstruction!" Keita could hear Morran's voice. Before he could look towards his direction, something flew past him.

"Ah, this feels better." Morran said with a satisfied tone, while stroking his reattached arms.

Keita's feet stopped. Once again, all his efforts, sweat and blood were undone with a simple spell.

'Despair.'

He heard Morran's words in his mind.

"That looks fun."

A loud and clear voice called behind him.

"Mind letting us in?"

Three men, approached behind Nao and Keita, with a confident stride only reserved for the strong.