Unwitting Battlefield in the Morning

…

Upon exiting the forest into the plains, nothing can be sighted aside from falconets, culverins, and bombard from Aredanians’ side and mortars firing inland from the opposing force. The Aredanian soldiers are seen in the frontline, they're equipped with whatever equipment available amidst the rush.

Onto reaching a high slope, the party stumbled across the Knight Captain. He appeared to be in a seething rush. Behind him, there are two platoons of soldiers following him.

"Good god! What in the blazes were you people doing out here?!" He stated disbelief. "This field has become a red zone. Get into the tower, now!" The bearded captain yelled at Marco and his friends. He wanted them to leave the area and head onto the tower right away to ensure their safety. The captain signaled his hand forth, followed by his troops going into the battlefield.

The Knight Captain turned at the party, “Go to the tower, please,” he said assuredly. “Leave this to us, knights.”

The Knight Captain and his troops of heavily armored soldiers set out to the northern coast where the fire of war has started. Marco and his friends do what the knight captain said to them: Going to the tower. The tower in mention here was the Areda Tower located to the southwest of the island. The four lifted their foot and headed to the tower without a second thought.

Going to the battlefield now would be suicide. Neither of them had the preparation to fight against the invaders. They also don’t have the proper equipment to enter a battle. So, Marco, Scias, Nina and Aily went to the tower.

The trouble did not end there. They’re walking in the middle of cannon barrages. Fortunately, Areda Island’s terrain is full of slopes both high and low. The party uses this trait as a beneficial factor for them where they can be shielded by the ground. They crawled carefully through the lower slope and dropped into a trench that just made not so long ago. Even crawling through the trench is scary. There is a possibility that the cannon may pierce through and hit them without them knowing.

“Slowly, guys,” said Marco as they moved through the trench lowly. “Talking about these trenches, though… Nina, Aily, did you use this passage to go in and out of the tower?” asked Marco wondrously while maintaining forth sight.

“Obviously there’s no other way around,” said Nina casually. “Then how did you reach us so quickly back in the town?” Marco asked again. “Those cannons weren’t all rampageous before, Marco. That’s why we can move quickly before,” Aily answered.

Along the way, they reached a dead end. “What the—” Marco got startled. “The path is gone…?” Scias muttered softly. “There was a road here before, I swear!” Aily stated seriously. “She’s right, guys. There was supposed to be a path connected to the tower’s main entrance,” Nina confirmed surely.

*BAAAM* All of sudden, a cannonball rocked a high slope near the party’s location causing landslide. The falling dirt covered the trench, thus blocking the way further.

“Ah, great! Yeah, super great!” Marco grunted as he realized what’s making their path disappear. “What do we do now…?” Aily asked full of worry. “If t-there’s no way further, then the only way t-to go… is up!” said Scias boldly. Marco nodded at his statement and proceeds to carefully check the area on the surface.

*WHOOOSH*

“GYAHAHA!” Marco reflexed ducking in surprise behind the cover of the rising dirt from the trench. A cannonball nearly scratched his face. “That was FRICKIN’ INSANE!” he yelled while having a shivering state.

“Marco, you alright?!” Aily asked in worry to him. “Ahh… ahaha, I guess I’m still in one piece, haha,” Marco replied as he tries to relieve from his shivering. Scias patted his head caressingly to comfort him from distress. “Marco, let me use the Ironclad spell on you,” Aily offered.

“How does t-that help?” Scias then asked. “Ironclad is a strengthening magic, right?” Marco added. “Ah! I might’ve not mentioned this yet. Ironclad can make your hand like a literal ironclad,” she explained.

“I don’t get it,” Marco replied. “Ah… t-to put it short, you could be as strong as a t-tough iron,” Aily said in stuttering. She sounded nervous. Her sister then dropped in their conversation, “What she meant is that your vitality will skyrocket once it’s casted on you. Enough rambling around, we must reach the tower.”

Aily then casts Ironclad to everyone thus making the outlines of their body glowing in a dim light. “This is the Ironclad spell, eh?” Marco said smilingly. His shivering has resorted to zero. “ERRGH!” Scias all of sudden smashed the wall beside him with great power. As soon as his fist landed, the rest of the party can feel a slight shake.

“Um… Scias, what the fridges are you doing?” Marco asked funnily.

“…testing,” he answered shortly.

“You’ll bury us here should the ground shambles!” Aily yelled madly at him. “O-Oh, sorry,” Scias apologized stiffly.

*WHOOOSH*

“Kyaah!” Aily quickly takes cover behind her sister. Another cannonball passed by. “Damnations! That ball of fire was too close!” Marco yelled. “Let’s get out of here before this place turned us into sandman!” he added.

“Roger!” the party agreed and began their risky attempt to reach the tower through the surface.

It doesn’t take a minute. Another salvo of cannons greeted them instantly. Fortunately none of them hits the party. “Gah! To think about these cannon attacks… just how far their cannon can shoot?” Marco commented as he eluded the incoming attacks.

“We’re good to go!” Marco signaled the party to move forth. In front of them, the Areda Tower looms in the distance. Their destination is close. The tower has some sort of magical barrier that deflects incoming projectile. Every time a cannonball hits the barrier, they’ll light up in the shape of hexagon and prevented the tower to be damaged.

“Come on! Just a little bit more!” said Marco. But suddenly, another salvo of cannon shots is heard. They attacked faster this time. “What the—

Scias reflectively jumped onto Nina and covered themselves to the ground. *KABOOM*

“GYAAAH!” Aily screamed. The cannon’s shrapnel scratched her. “AILY!” Marco shouted. “M-Marco! The Ironclad magic…” she said while holding her pain as she hugged the ground.

Within a second, one cannon shot is heard again. “AILY!” her sister screamed and tried to reach her, “Stay down!” Scias nearly shouted as he prevents Nina from going.

Without a second thought, Marco reflexes into becoming a cover. “Thunder STEP!” he instantly warped in front of the downed Aily. Jolts of lightning trail can be seen in his afterimage. Marco reaches out his hand to the incoming cannon.

The cannon ball hits his hand directly, smothering it with insane force covered with flame. “Geergh… grrrr!” he tried to hold the cannon ball’s force. “GRRRAAAH!” his defense fruited greatly. The cannonball was deflected into where it came from and landed on the field. His attempt was successful.

“Haah… haah…” Marco gasps as he holds his hand. His palm surface was burned. Nina knocked Scias off her and rushed into the Marco and Aily. She quickly casts Rejuvenation to both of them.

“G-Geez… haah… t-thanks, Nina,” Marco thanked her. “S-Sis… I’m… so sorry,” said Aily sadly.

“Ironclad couldn’t nullify the cannonball’s damage…” said Aily in addition while lying on the ground.

“…they’re infused with magic. Fire magic.”