The eight girls vs the mercenaries [Dark Forest War - Part IX]

-- POV random mercenarie --

While the leader and the underboss were fighting, my comrades and I were faced with four half-humans who seemed to be a team. There was a snake woman, a cat-like woman with eyes of different colors, a woman with gray wings, and a blonde woman who looked more human than any of the others. We had already been fighting for a few minutes and some had already fallen, so that we were down to 40 against them out of 48.

"Spread out and surround them, we can get them with wear and tear and with our numbers !"

One of my comrades who had decided to lead us took the commands to give us every chance to succeed. Without thinking we all placed ourselves around them to leave no chance of retreat. The feminine looking creatures were using the elements while we were only level 16 mercenaries with swords and bows. In the end, despite our numbers, they were able to protect themselves with masterful coordination.

*Do they have a person who deals with strategies ? How do animals like them manage to fight as well as we do ?*

So many questions in our heads but it was not time for questioning because I could already see the snake muttering something and making her two black spears reappear in her hands. As she twirled them in the air with perfect control, the young blonde woman began to incant her spell as blades of wind appeared before her.

"Don't weaken, get closer little by little so you can reach them ! Those who use bows aim at those who can attack from a distance !"

The temporary leader's orders were clear, simple, precise, and we were all glad to have someone to guide us. We marched as one, as a human tide, as soldiers. The wind blades hit us from all sides while we endured the pain that was not so unbearable thanks to our thick clothes. Some of us fell exhausted and wounded before being pierced by an arrow from the sky.

There were only 38 of us left.

"Advance the lines !"

The leader's voice hung over the wind as we almost reached the women who were giving us hell. The fighters in the front line were finally reaching the snake woman they were greeted by her black fire lances in close combat. The half-human slid across the ground gracefully as she dodged the swords or blocked them with her weapons. She twisted her body left and right, making it impossible for the five who were aiming at her to predict her movements. This snake woman seemed to be an illusion to herself that it was impossible to take your eyes off of her, and she played with them with a smile and a look that would make any man shiver. Suddenly its tail wrapped around one of the men and sent him crashing into a stone pillar with force, killing him instantly. The others panicked and swung at the tail made of scales but they were as hard as steel making their swords bounce off it.

The remaining four didn't even have time to be surprised when two spears cut them down to ash, making the snake woman smile dangerously.

There were only 33 of us left.

On the other side of the battlefield it wasn't glorious either as I could see the blonde woman simultaneously fighting five people with none of us able to go to their aid. The winged creature in the air was raining arrows to cover them and let her ally fight.

"Archers ! Aim that nasty flying beast at me quick !"

Of the 33 who could still fight, only 6 were archers and tried as best they could to aim at the beast but its mastery of the skies was undeniable. The gray-winged creature flew through the skies with incredible ease, its wings were powerful and so precise that the half-human seemed to walk through the air. She even seemed to be enjoying the situation, provoking our archers with a childish smile and a few laughs.

The battlefield was chaotic, the blonde woman was now fighting with her bare hands and managing to catch the swords with her strength. The half-human didn't want to take her time and the blood falling on her clothes seemed to annoy her as she twisted the necks of my comrades with ease. The other two trapped with her by the wall of arrows were shaking and had even started to wet their pants. Without even having time to breathe, I saw their heads roll to the ground as she sliced them with her nails.

There were only 28 of us left.

*What a...what a monster !*

As the fear invaded my heart to the depths of my soul I could see that everyone in our ranks was also beginning to feel this visceral fear. Without uttering a single word, these three monstrous women had created panic and despair. The fourth was nowhere to be found, but there was no time to look for her, as four new beasts arrived to help them. A fox, a woman with butterfly wings, an elf and a dryad.

*Why are they here ? I thought they were fighting the adventurers !*

As most of us looked around with the same idea in mind, a calm and composed voice rose in the air.

"Naïa has neutralized the chief and Persea has tied him up, Emilia is still in her fight but it shouldn't be long before she finishes with her. I managed to free the prisoners and they are all waiting in the forest at the place indicated by the Empress."

Everyone held their breath as the butterfly woman spoke to her allies. How could this be possible ? Grim defeated and Jessica about to be defeated ? The slaves freed ? At that moment we knew it was only a matter of time before we were all dead. We were only 28 mercenaries left with 8 half-human women of the same level if not stronger.

Without even having time to make a move, screams could be heard at the back of the ranks everywhere. Screams of fright echoed behind us without us being able to tell what was going on.

"Who is it ? Why are you shouting from the back ?"

One of our comrades was shouting that his neighbor was dead without him knowing why. Immediately afterwards many voices were raised to declare the same phenomenon among those present next to them. A total of 10 people were on the ground with their throats cut, an expression of surprise still frozen on their cold faces or with an arrow in their skulls. The arrows allowed us to identify the shooter in the sky but the other bodies nobody knew who had killed them. In reality it was the one who had disappeared.

There were only 18 of us left.

"Well it's about time !"

The snake woman had spoken and then uttered a sentence that would make us lose all reason.

"Did you hear the Empress earlier ? Let's destroy them !"

As she finished her sentence, a sadistic smile appeared on the faces of all the half-humans present, as frightening as in our worst nightmares. At that moment there was panic and everyone was trying to run away while fire arrows, wind blades, daggers and brambles were flying everywhere. It was a stampede, no one was coordinated anymore while blood spurted everywhere. Heads were rolling on the ground, people were begging and crying, some had rolled into a ball and others had given up and were standing with empty faces and destroyed minds.

The elf covered the retreat of my comrades running eastward by throwing small daggers filled with poison at them. Those who were hit would instantly convulse with foam in their mouths and blood coming out of their eyes. This scene was horrible, cruel and it terrified me. Was I going to end up like that too ?

The men who had miraculously managed to avoid the poisoned daggers, were immediately caught in what seemed to be an illusion.

"No...let go !!!"

"Monsters !"

"Kill them !"

My fellow mercenaries were swinging their swords in the air, their faces livid and their eyes wide open. They were no longer aware of reality and seemed to be seeing monsters and were delirious, so they were attacking each other while thinking they were fighting one of the monsters. In the confusion I could do nothing for them as I hid under a body to survive. I could see their limbs being cut off with screams from Hell while all around the massacre continued.

There were only 12 of us left.

*Mom...Dad save me !*

Liquid poured from my eyes and nose as I plugged my ears with my hands unable to hear the despair of this clearing, so peaceful only a few hours ago. Bodies were flying in all directions as brambles wrapped around them to crush them to death in huge streams of blood. It was Hell, there was no other word for it. These women were our worst nightmares, women from hell who came with the sole purpose of killing us without mercy.

"..."

Suddenly no more screams could be heard so I decided to discreetly pull my head out from under the corpse that was on top of me. The ground was burned, blood covered everything. The bodies were charred, disemboweled, cut up or in ashes. It was a sight of horror that I couldn't stand while I cursed those filthy half-humans for doing this to us.

It seemed that I was the only one left.

*You...you're just monsters...how can you slaughter us like this without any mercy ?*

As I sniffed I felt a hand grab me by the collar and pull me out of my hiding place. A woman dressed as an assassin, with two black ears, one blue eye and one golden eye. She lifted me up with a disconcerting ease and smiled in a sadistic and amused way.

"Oh !! Look what we have here ! Looks like i've found one more rat !"

*One more ?*

I didn't understand what she meant as the fear came over me, I didn't want to be alone with these psychopaths let alone all of them at the same time. Closing my eyes instinctively, I could feel my feet take off the ground and my heart beat wildly.

*Please...please..please..*

I knew in my heart that thinking no half-human would attack us was foolish. We had beaten hundreds of their kind every day without remorse, even smiling with satisfaction. It was our punishment, but no one deserved to die like that. After all, we had not killed anyone.

Feeling the grip loosen and my body fall to the ground, I slowly opened my eyes to discover that I was not the only one left alive and that there were actually 10 of us. My comrades were bound and gagged like animals, crying and terrified. The 8 half-humans surrounded us, stained with the blood of our allies, with a dominant aura. It was an absolutely frightening scene because it was mixed with the uncertainty, fear, pain and anger in our hearts. What were they going to do to us ?

In our eyes we wanted to die rather than find out what was going to happen next and the reason for our captivity.

"Yo ! Here are two more."

As we were plunged into despair, a brown half-human wolf with red eyes came forward holding her belly from which blood was flowing with her right hand and dragging Grim with her left. She was followed by a female cat who was also dragging Jessica bound, gagged and bloody. Our sub-chief had lost her right arm and despite the makeshift tourniquet, she was still losing blood. Her life did not seem to be in danger but she was livid for some reason. Probably blood loss.

"Then the job is done."

The snake woman spoke these words as the two newcomers threw our unconscious leader and Jessica unceremoniously in our direction.

"Ralph you're hurt ! Let me see that."

The elf with the poison daggers suddenly lunged at the red-eyed she-wolf, obviously named Ralph. She seemed sturdy and was bearing the injury and blood loss rather well as no pain could be seen on her face.

"Ah..this ? It's nothing I'll be f...cough cough !"

The unconvinced elf then took her a little further to heal her while those still present looked off into the forest.

"The Empress is fighting..."

The half-human who had picked me up spoke in a surprisingly respectful voice as the others followed.

"I'm dying to take a little peek. After all, we've never really seen her run amok."

"You...you think we have the right ?"

The half-human Ralph who had returned, had her eyes twinkling as she stated that she wanted to see their Empress in battle while the snake woman seemed to be eager for it as well.

"I must return to the cave where the prisoners are hidden while we wait for her Highness, do what you will after all we followed orders to the letter. Just don't forget your prisoners."

The butterfly woman walked away in the direction of the forest saying her words while each one began to smile with excitement with eyes full of respect and admiration.

"Let's go !"

That was the last sentence I could hear before I was knocked out. I knew that when I woke up I would be facing a monster.

_____

FULL STATUS

Name : Freya

Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old

Sex : Female

Course : Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult

Race : Major Demon

Titles : Blessed by Titania, Goddess of endless Chaos and eternal frozen Hell.

Dragon tamer

Ruthless slayer

Level : 32/70

Exp required for next level: 2 000 / 33 000

HP : 90 000 / 90 000 MP : 45 000 / 45 000

Strength : 340

Defense : 336

Agility : 350

Stamina : 353

Speed : 342

Intelligence : 340

Charisma : 410 (imperial she-wolf)

Attribute points to allocate : 100

Married to: Gaya

Daughter : Shiro

Kingdom (menu)

Subordinates : 133

Humans killed : 128

Elements: Ice / Chaos

Skills (all):

Attack - Demon Claws (Lvl 5)

- Bite of hell (Lvl 5)

- Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 5)

- Fighting techniques (lvl max)

- Mastery of the katana (lvl max)

- Demonic aura of the empress (lvl 3)

Defense - Ice demon wall (lvl 4)

- Demonic cloak (lvl 5)

Pain Resistance (lvl 3)

Attack/Defense - Domain of the Ice Empress "frozen wrath" (lvl 1) - (under condition)

Others - Humanoid form

- Ice creation (Lvl 4)

- Storage of chaos (Lvl 3)

- Devouring chaos (Lvl 4)

- Analysis

- Second soul (Lvl max) - unique

- Telepathy

Passives - Commander (lvl max)

- Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]