Swords Up

"Sir, they have a mage!" A battalion commander shouts and his peers nod along with him in worry. All of which showed a mix fear and hesitation.

Anders sighs knowing that this was the normal reaction. After all, he had the same reaction once HE suggested this plan.

"I am aware of that but with surprise on our side, I think we can stand a chance." They look at him with reluctance, knowing that this will be a gamble.

"Can't we just run, sir? With the few traitors, we found. We can at least shake them off." A fearful expression appears on his face.

"That's impossible, the scout has already reported them to be a few miles away. And at the rate they are moving, they can be here any minute."

"But This is still quite a gamble, Sir. I don't think we can afford it." Another man spoke with a tone filled with force, irritation of this plan's seemingly optimistic notion.

"Isn't it best to start cutting our losses before we get completely wiped out? Im sure we can leave a few men to buy us time." Another one tries to convince him away from what they perceive as foolishness.

Anders nods in understanding, he looks at them eye to eye, to show his sincerity" I understand all your hesitation, but I don't think we have any control left." He points.

"Sir? What do you me-" An explosion shocks them to their core and they turn their heads and look to a sight all of them will never forget.

A few moments earlier.

"There have been at least a hundred royal guards that left Rosalia a few days ago." Madelaine's voice rings in his head.

Michael taps his chin, "I see, are there any knights? and how armoured are they?"

Madelaine replies, "Based on the information, I could gather, all of them have everything necessary for a heavily armoured knight, they also seem to be quite adept in performing magic."

Michael takes it all in, nodding with himself, "I see, I should probably prepare some countermeasure for that." He mutters to himself, as ideas flew through his head.

Madelaine raises an eyebrow as she asks, "Will you be alright?" Her tone was filled with worry,

He only smiles as he waves it off, "I'll be fine, I promise." Madelaine nods with reluctance as he closes the call.

As the call ends, Michael's face contorts in panic, 'This isn't fine at all!' He screamed in his head, his eyes roam around the area as he continuously scanned it for a plan.

Till he stops his sight at the eastern tree line, lined with overgrown trees and roots, unfit for horseback. His expression turns manic as his eyes glint in excitement and he mutters to himself, "That'll take care of the knights."

He looks to the men, fatigued and weary from the retreat, "But I'll need an army to take care of them." He thinks for a few seconds before he sighs and grunts.

His eyes burn in determination as he exhales heavily, calming himself down. He gestures Alfred towards him, bringing the carriage near him.

He glances at their commanders as Anders explain what he has suggested. Michael takes out the crate of stones and lowers them a few feet behind him and away from the soldiers.

He gestures for Alfred to help him take out the crates containing the swords as all the men look to him in curiosity, curious about what this seemingly out of nowhere merchant is doing.

Michael exhales once and thinks to himself, 'I can do this, I just need to rile them up into battle.' He stands in a piece of and watches the army, his ring lights up as he takes out his gun and points to the crate of stones, he shoots.

An Explosion rings out as panic spreads through the soldiers, they look in its direction, to see a sight they'll burn in their eyes forever.

In front of the fire and smoke stood a human, standing in a piece of wood in the midst of hundreds of swords standing in attention

He shouts, a voice powerful enough to bring everyone to silence, "Is this all that you are!?" The powerful voice spoke as if mocking them, inspiring unquenchable indignation.

He smiles in an expression filled with mocking, "Hiding like peasants, like rats!" The soldiers around him shout in anger as they stood.

Michael shouts "Yes rats!" He points to the smoke, in anger and indignation "Rats! they believe you to be." The crowd returns to silence,

Seeing this Michael shouts, scolding them for their cowardice "You run and run, hiding from every soldier you come across."

He clenches his hands, "How many friends have you lost, how many more will you lose." He slams his hand in the air as the sounds of a hundred swords unsheath, "Instead of fighting for every scrap you can keep, every battle you can win."

"YOU HIDE LIKE FUCKING RATS!"

The soldiers shouted back, "What are we supposed to do!"

"What the hell can we do!" They shout their rage at their fate, at their meaningless lives.

"In the end, we're just humans," Until silent despair encompasses them once more.

Michael's face contorts in anger, "Ridiculous! When has powerlessness stopped great men."

He gestures at them with a flourish, "Why are you here!? Why did you join? knowing your life was on the line you fought! Yet when the time comes for your sacrifice,"

"YOU RUN LIKE FUCKING RATS!"

The ground trembles as every soldier lower their head, ashamed and beaten.

"Have you understood!? Have you understood that you weren't rats because you were humans, you were rats because you were cowards."

Michael flourishes his hand as a hundred swords rush over them, some overcome with grief, some overcome with shame, some overcome with guilt.

Everyone accepting of punishment.

The soldiers lower their heads, ready for death.

"If you understood then,"

The sword stops in front of them, emitting a light nearly blinding, "RISE!"

He takes aim with his gun, "Rise for your family, rise for your friends and rise for your dream of a new future."

a hundred knights shoot off from the clearing,

An explosion erupts as Michael shouts and the soldier grabs their swords as they shout out their rage and indignation against the men who took so much,

"Fight Everyone that stands in your way!"