Chapter『63』 - Beginning of "The Danish Gambit"

Tessia Eralith

Hours crawled by in the blink of an eye as we fought against the incoming, never-ending waves of Alacryans, a stark contrast to the rate of my thoughts and worries speeding within the recesses of my brain. The Alacryans had someone who was guiding them. Guiding them right into the heart of the Elenoir Kingdom. A humming streak of light glowed from a faraway distance to this place---where all of our forces were saturated. It could be because of a traitor but thinking about it, it wasn't really the case.

The Alacryans had unique magic systems and classes of mages. Close combatants like Strikers, Defensive Shields, Long-Ranged Casters, Instillers were like scientists who used to instil mana into artefacts. There was one class that could do it.

Sentries---able to do detection work. Just like Lance Alea. While Lance Alea and Aya were sent here, they went back just an hour ago to report to the council since there was not a single Alacryan in the safe radius. However, as soon as they left, the Alacryans attacked, taking us by surprise.

'What sort of spell is capable of such a thing?' my teammate---Caria asked in a panicked state, as the evening started to approach, the thick, bewitching mist of the forest of Elenoir slowly but gradually enveloping everything in an unobtrusive veil of uncertainty. There was something creeping up my spine, a chill, like something was about to happen.

As I was in a trance, I saw Curtis whistle past me as he was mounting his bond---The A-Class beast, World Lion. He was wearing rather shiny armour, something that seemed more fashion than utility. He carried a double-edged sword in one hand and a shield in the other hand. The blade of his sword was ablaze, orange flames engulfing it completely as he charged at the hordes of incoming Alacryans.

"WAH!" A victorious voice ringed in my ears, from my back as I moved my head to the right and dodged a dagger directed at my neck. Snapping my fingers, I conjured a vein from underneath the sneaky attacker and impaled his midsection. Blood gushed out like a fountain, the vine piercing through his flesh and mana core alike. Bringing my sword up, I blocked a blade of wind that came hurtling towards me from a near distance. The blood from my previous victim came out and covered the back of my head. A disgusting sensation welled up in my guts, as I tore his body apart in two pieces while swinging my sword in an upward arc, replying to the second Alacryan with a wind blade of my own.

The air carried a piercing howl of anguish as the razor-sharp wind blade found its mark, slicing through the Caster's body with lethal precision. The Caster's form was cleanly cleaved, each half tumbling to opposite sides of the towering tree, on which he had perched, raining down spells after spells. The deafening sound of the impact was soon accompanied by a violent eruption, as the remnants of the Caster scattered in all directions in a macabre display of flesh chunks and blood splatters.

"Take this, you bastards!!!!!!" Darvus' guttural roar echoed like war drums across the encroaching dusk as he ran past me. Kicking the ground, he accelerated, swinging the dual axes in a downward motion. A layer of shield formed in front of the enemy striker. The force made the shade of shield flicker between bright and dim, before solidifying again. Darvus grimaced, his brows twitching in sheer annoyance as he gripped the handles tighter, his knuckles turning white. Mana swelled like an inflated balloon around him as he kept pushing with one axe while he swung the other from the right side, imbuing it with a lot of earthen mana. However, the striker behind the shield moved first.

"Take this. Did you think we are defending for no reason?"

Darvus grimaced, his expressions hardening as he realised that he won't be able to block it in time. Just as the striker's sword was a mere inch away, Caria side-stepped and boxed in their blind spot, punching the striker square in his jaw. His jaw snapped with an audible crunch that I could hear even from this distance.

"And did you think you were the only one protecting your comrades?" She mocked, looking down, her slim frame standing like a sturdy rock.

"Watch out, Caria!" A frail voice behind me spoke in a hushed frenzy. Before I could look back, a huge ball of nothing but compressed flames shot above my head and struck the striker that had somehow bypassed Darvus and Caria's sensory abilities and was about to land a hit on them. Looking back, I saw Stannard, reloading his gun as he hid behind a group of conjurers that were assigned to him by Arisu. She really knew what to do. But this wasn't the time to marvel at her abilities. I could do the same. I wasn't inferior in any aspect.

"Good work, everyone," I commented as Caria looked at me with a smile. Smiling back at her, I bolted forward. There weren't many strong soldiers between this army. However, the sheer number was concerning. In a delayed battle, they would definitely win. But, according to Lance Alea, there was a sudden increase in the number of Regalia holders---the highest mark holders, the day Arthur disappeared.

I don't understand why. I don't care if Arthur was a secret weapon or not. If they were behind Arthur's disappearance.

I would never forgive them.

However, something suddenly clicked in my mind. High amounts of lower-level soldiers who keep coming in the form of waves after waves. But surely, there are a lot of Regalia holders as well. Were they trying to wear us down? If yes, then it surely was working. The soldiers were fueled by sheer adrenaline and were giving it all they had. A lot had fallen. A lot had their mana drained. And a lot of them were nearing a depleted core. If they attacked at this moment... we will be doomed.

Elenoir would be doomed.

Looking around I looked at the humming light. A mage was about to guide the regalia holders here. I'm not entirely sure but seeing as how the trail sort of zig zags around various points leading up North, I don't think it's a single powerful spell but an accumulation of the same spell creating a path. It was just my speculation—rather, it was my hope. The thought of an enemy mage being able to basically nullify the ambient magic of the forest with a single conjuration scared me.

No. Get yourself together, Tessia.

I reminded myself.

The pain I felt in my heart the day Arthur disappeared.

The despair that clung to me like a tangible veil, robbing me of my breath, each one harder than before. The prospective of not seeing those eyes of his---ever again.

It scared me.

But, although it scared me, I still couldn't let myself be affected by it.

'Your weakness is your emotions. As long as you keep your childish tantrums under control, you will have room for improvement.' Arthur's voice ringed in my mind.

I couldn't help but let out a giggle. It was weird to laugh. Yet, I did.

I was guilty for doing so.

My comrades---elves and humans alike fell one after another. Yet, I laughed.

Of course, I mourned them. The weight of the life that's lost, the weight of their families loss... it all weighed down on me.

But it wasn't some unorthodox reason that I laughed. I laughed because I could hear him guiding me even now. His words are harsh and brutal, like polished blades, each word inflicting a titanic amount of pain to self-esteem. Yet, strangely, he was never wrong. No, he IS never wrong. There was always a glint in his eyes. A glint that shone in the darkness that lies inside him. A desire... to see me grow.

I don't want to disappoint him. Never.

I never want to.

Bracing myself for the incoming battle, I steeled my nerves and tightened my grip over the grey hilt of my pale blade. Looking to my right, I saw Curtis, struggling with a group of Alacryans as 3 strikers circled around him while a shield continued to nullify his attacks. A caster stood at the back, firing spells faster than he could deal with him. It wasn't like Curtis' talent was good. He was above average, but Kathyln was leagues above him in mana manipulation. However, it was his bond with an A-Class beast—World Lion that they had started ganging up on him. An icicle whistled past his defences and grazed his cheek. Grimacing he took a step back as a striker wielding a spear came in and plunged his spear towards Curtis. The world lion jumped, sensing the danger to its master and held the spear in its mouth, refusing to let go.

Wiping the trail of blood off his cheek, he roared, "Don't let him go, Grawder." The world lion let out a roar of confirmation as he clutched on to the spear with its razor-sharp fangs, ready to break it any moment. Curtis rushed forward and swung his blade. The Alacryan grinned, his lips curving up in an ugly smirk, "Gotcha!" As soon as he said that, a bolt of lightning conducted through the spear's body as it struck Grawder. Its furry body convulsed, spasming with every jolt of blue lightning tormenting it. Before the sword came down on the alacryan, another striker with dual daggers attacked his side, targeting his liver.

Using a vine, I pulled myself towards them in a near instant. The surprised Alacryan didn't even have enough time to turn toward me before my sword staff sunk deep into his waist. The blood rolled right off as I pulled out my weapon, leaving its pale blade spotless. Curtis had a sour look on his face but his eyes matched mine for a fraction of a second and he nodded. There wasn't much time to discuss. We had to grasp at the little communication and coordinate according to it. "Haap!" With a dash, he went towards the third striker with the sword and started to engage him in a one-on-one fight.

Looking in front of me, I saw a striker, caster and a shield. I have to deal with them quickly and inform the others as quickly as possible. The regalia holders would be here anytime now. That would mark the beginning of the real battle. If even these soldiers are giving such a hard time to even skilled adventurers... then... imagining a whole horde of regalia holders sent a shiver down my spine.

No Tessia. No. I can do it. You can do it. For his sake. Don't let his expectations go to waste. Prove yourself that all the time he spent with you was not wasted on me.

I let out a deep breath.

Keep your senses calm, Tessia. You can do it. Just like you trained.

With a little push, I darted forward like a missile. Bringing my sword forward, it shimmered with an intense light as I augmented it with mana, ready to unleash a storm of devastation upon anyone who stood in my path. My boots pounded against the dense foliage beneath, every step producing a loud crunch as I stepped on dead, withered leaves. Leaving behind a trail of charred leaves, I got close to the striker in an instant. His eyes went wide as he looked at me in front of him. I spun around and swung my sword. However, a shield manifested, blocking the sword instantly as the striker took a step back. "A pretty lady like belongs in the bed, keke." The shield spoke. The mana on my sword pulsated as the shield looked up, revealing his ugly acne-laden face with a vile sneer on it as he looked at me with the same look as others did.

Disgusting.

A vine shot from beneath his legs, impaling him from the crotch and went upwards, coming out from his head. His eyes rolled back, and blood spurted out from his eyes, ears and mouth. Like a pig on a spit, I looked at his lifeless form and then wrapped him in another layer of vine, crushing him in a rotatory motion as his blood started to ooze out from the gaps between the vines. His body---devoid of any blood, left with just a hollow frame fell down with a muted thud, muffled by the ongoing explosions.

"You savages. It was true when they said you are still primal, unable to evolve further." The caster behind where the shield was spoke as he pointed his hand at me, readying a spell.

I tilted my head and looked up at him in disdain, "Unevolved? Us?" I asked, my tone surprisingly condescending as I plunged my thin sword behind and pierced the solar plexus of the striker behind me. His form hunched over my sword, holding the part where it had pierced him with his bloody hands as he screamed, "Finish him, John!" He said and held on to my sword with what remained of his strength. Without chanting or even preparing a spell in its initial form, a huge spear of ice formed, and he shot it at me with an incredible speed. Bringing my palm in front of me, I shot a blade of wind towards him. The blade severed the spear, but it didn't stop there as it went forward and cut his head in a clean way, his head tumbling and rolling over while being wrapped all over by his own long hair in the process. I looked down at the man who was still clinging to my sword.

Desperation was unsightly. Arthur's disdain for such people was visible.

Spinning on my heel, I kicked him in his face, making his neck snap on impact and he fell to the ground. With a disgusted feeling, I pulled my sword and drew an arc, wiping my sword of their blood.

I looked back.

Curtis' sword was buried deep into the spear wielding striker while Grawder had his hand in his mouth while it lowered on two feet, gobbling it up. I nodded in his direction and then ran towards him.

"Thanks for the help, Tessia." He said as he wiped the blood stains off his face.

Not having enough time to exchange words of gratitude, I waved it off. "We don't have time. Tell everyone that Regalia-holders would be here any time soon."

"Regalia-holders? I thought we were fighting them all this time."

"No... no. Regalias give them a chance to fight against even lances. There's no way it's this easy. Tell everyone to preserve their mana."

Curtis nodded and fled back.

"The runaway princess is back," Darvus said with a mocking tone as he crushed Alacryan's skull. He had a cut on his forehead but it didn't look anything major.

"Darvus, it's a trap, we have to fall ba-"

Before I could talk, my ears ringed with an explosion so loud that I could feel my eardrums thrum and come to the brink of exploding. A needle-sharp sound penetrated my ears, followed by a systematic series of timed explosions. As I looked up, I saw a canopy of brilliant lights... like fireworks...

No...

It was a canopy of attack spells; bright red, shimmering white, brilliant green and sickly black---all colours morphed together as they started to rain down on us.

"STOP FIGHTING AND AUGMENT YOUR BODIES! CONJURERS! ACTIVATE BARRIERS!!!!" I screamed atop my lungs, my voice cracking in between as I got near to my teammates---Darvus, Caria, Stannard and Curtis. Pressing the soft soil beneath, I reached out for the deviant mana in my core. A combination of water and earth. Thick vines erupted from beneath and formed a huge dome of protection over a wide area. A number of others barriers from conjurers started to erect while those engaged in close quarters pushed their enemies away, falling back towards the protection. Everyone could feel it now...

The overwhelming amount of mana pressure. It was enough for me to handle but I could see Caria and Stannard shiver. Imbuing more mana into the vines, I augmented it further, making its volume thick.

Cacophonous booms of explosions followed by heart-curdling screams of people—friends and foes alike echoed—in the near distance and just beside me. They didn't care about their own troops. They were just raining down spells.

I bit my lip.

Frustration, anger and a million other negative emotions flooded me to the brim and without a second delay exploded. I let out a seething breath through gritted teeth, biting the inside of my cheek until I felt a strong, metallic taste fill my mouth.

Unforgivable.

(ARISU WATSKEN)

The battle on the wall was still ongoing but the numbers of living had watered down significantly. I flew lower and landed in the middle of two corrupted beasts. One of them was a bipedal monster with arcs of electricity sizzling over its spiked back. The other was a winged beast with each wing spanning almost 3 metres when it fully opened it. An S class and an AA Class corrupted mana beast. The Alacryan who controlled this battalion of mutated beasts was perched on the back of the flying S-Class mana beast.

His face twisted into a sneer, oozing with arrogance, as his eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure. The Dicathian, gasping for air, writhed in agony beneath the huge talons of the beast. It wasn't a swift kill the Alacryan desired; instead, he revelled in the delight of inflicting a torturous death. With calculated precision, he meticulously manipulated the massive creature's weight, gradually increasing the pressure upon his prey.

Each breath he took was pained, each inhalation a desperate gasp for mercy denied. The beast's talons—razor-sharp and unyielding, dug deeper into his flesh and armour alike---shredding sinew and bone with ruthless ecstacy. The victim's eyes bulged, filled with a mixture of terror and excruciating pain. And as the last remnants of life ebbed away, he let out a howl of pure delight, indulging in a weird ecstasy—a twisted conqueror revelling in the macabre spectacle of a drawn-out and merciless demise.

My whole body quivered at the sight. The macabre scene, etched in morbid detail, sent an icy shiver cascading down my spine. It wasn't my first encounter with death. My own hands were stained red with blood. I had killed—humans and beasts alike. But I never had experienced something like this. A human life, slowly and painfully leaving its body while its killer enjoys his last screams like it is some sort of music for their ears. This experience was foreign to me, an unfamiliar abyss that consumed my senses, leaving me unnerved and unsteady.

I couldn't stand it. The people I had killed never even knew what hit them and before they could register it, they had been killed. The S-Class beast heaved its talon up, ripping the limp body apart while his internal organs stuck to its sharp blade like nails, splattering fresh blood everywhere.

My inner turmoil intensified to an abhorrent degree, a swirling maelstrom of revulsion and repulsion. A surge of mana surged around me with a burning rage—an explosive tempest of uncontained energy, yet this newfound horror rendered me motionless—like a statue carved in fear and disquiet.

The bile of disgust rose from the pit of my guts, congealing into a noxious lump that threatened to choke me. I swallowed a hard, bitter lump.

I was paralyzed, ensnared by a maelstrom of emotions and uncertainties.

It might've been easy for Arthur. It might be easy for anyone else. It's easy... even for me. To take life. End it... forever.

But to torment someone in such a way.

Absolutely repulsive.

"Ready to scream like him?" He asked with the same annoying sneer he had on his face as he saw the other man die. There was no humanity left in him. A part of me wanted to torment him, make him go through the same pain.

But...

Well, Whatever. I couldn't be bothered by such feebleness.

I raised my hand up and a small needle made of pure flames formed. Before he could even guide the beasts, I flicked my finger and the needle pierced his skull, killing him in an instant. The giant S-Class beast opened its wings and let out a roar that could've blasted my eardrums if it wasn't for mana augmenting each and every inch of my body. My ears perked up as lightning crackled and I side-stepped, dodging a straight bolt of blue lightning. Looking back, I saw the bolt leave a scorch mark on the foliage beneath followed by an acidic stench.

Decay-type mana.

Suddenly, everything started to fall into place. It was just like how Arthur told me about the retainer he faced and then the one Sylvie and Ethan defeated together. The Asuras of Alacrya—Vritra, were using their own essence as a catalyst to boost not only humans but also beasts' powers. In the case of humans they produced them by breeding with them. While in this case, they must be making these mana beasts' drink some sort of elixir.

I looked around for Alacryan's corpse. There must be something on him. The bipedal shot towards me like a tantrum throwing kid, ignoring the vulnerabilities in its defences. Capitalising on it, instead of running away from its wild charge, I shortened the distance in an instant. Its long neck craned down and opened its wide maw. Lightning conducted between its teeth in a continuous cycle.Dodging the electric fang, I positioned myself above it and brought the sharp end of the staff down. It pierced through its snout and went completely in, severing flesh and breaking bones in one swift motion.

It stumbled back as blood gushed out like a fountain from its jaw. My hair suddenly stood on the edge as the S-Class beast---a pseudo gryphon---blasted a huge ball of pure wind mana at me. Spinning my body in the opposite direction, I backflipped, dodging the attack by a hair breadth. I could still feel a bitter lump in the back of my throat. A regret of how I let a person die in front of my eyes. How I couldn't not only save him but also let him die such a gruesome death.

It wasn't obligated to. I had no reason to save anyone. Yet... I feel bad.

No...

It isn't that I felt bad.

What I felt was... Anger.

The condescending way in which his eyes landed on me. The way he looked at me.

It was truly repulsive.

Leaving the injured bipedal, I focused on the S-Class beast in front of me.

I didn't have enough time for mindless beasts. Arthur wasn't here. Dicathen will fall... sooner or later. All I have is to blindly trust that he will come back to us. I have to make sure that I buy him enough time. I hate to admit this but... it seems like I lost to him.

Or rather... I never stood a chance.

Fake or not, I have admitted it already and come to terms with it.

Letting out a wavering breath, I opened my eyes and a surge of heat waves started to form around me. At first it was a simple sheen around me, like an augmentor. But it started to swell and expand, like a dome as it started to spread over a vast area. Due to the medicine the corrupted beast had lost its sense of reason. As expected, it didn't run away but boxed right in, flying towards me.

I added more fire mana to it.

The closer it got, the smaller its frame became—gradually being burned out due to the dome of pure heat waves. By the time it reached me, all that was left was a one-fourth of its body—charred and unrecognisable. As I stood in front of it, the trees around me fell and countless other mana beasts, majority of them being A-Class and 3 of them being S-Class.

The veil of heaviness on my heart was slowly but surely being neutralised by the rushing adrenaline in my veins, making my heart pump faster but feel lighter. I dug my feet deeper into the mushy soil as I steadied myself. I wasn't weak anymore. I wasn't my past self anymore. I can walk... my heart won't stop this time if I overexert myself. I can do it.

Even if I lost to him... I will try to catch up again. This sole purpose of never losing to someone drove me, like igniting an inferno inside me. My hands caught on fire as I punched the ground with both my fists. The ground splintered and a cobweb of cracks formed and surrounded the whole perimeter around the beasts. The next moment, the flames erected like a huge wall from the cracks engulfing everything in its path.

I just had a weird premonition.

The war is taking a sudden yet sinister turn.

I have to go to the forest of Elenoir...

As quickly as possible.

(3rd PERSON POV)

A sickening miasma of murky black flashed and Tessia's vines were obliterated in a near instant.

She looked up as her eyes widened.

She could feel a burning sensation in the back of her throat.

As much as the Pearl hair accentuated her little petite frame, seeing the black battle robes and two horns protruding from her forehead sent a shiver of inferiority down her spine.

She could sense it already.

She had no chance.

(Author's Note)

A bit late than what I initially said but here's the chapter. Regis can finally read something. Anyways, let me know your thoughts on the chapter and anything that can be improved. Really appreciate the comments reviewing and the ups and lows of the chapter.

Join the discord from the comment to this paragraph and inflate my ego by singing my praises like a siren. And I'll see you all next time.

Here is the art of Arisu doing the last spell. I am really burnt out mentally rn so I couldn't put detailed descriptions. Sorry for that. Take this AI art instead.