Chapter 554: The Battlefield (1/2)
Singed in heat, scarlet-colored vapor, mushed bodies, entrails, limbs, brain matter, eyeballs, the list went on without end. Destruction, devastation, a full-bodied massacre. Aside from the giant humanoid gluttons, crawlers (beast-like figures) loomed about, hanging in the shadows to strike. Taller and larger than the average man, a single swing of its sharpened claw made mincemeat of the survivors.
Panic of unmeasured proportion traveled along the walls. Stonegrove and Ground-Zero timed their forces to enter the battlefield in hopes of helping. Instead of coming face to face with the enemy, the Sergeants called in to lead the coming forces were left distraught. How could one fight an uphill battle of undenounced proportion? Any sliver of courage trampled; the mist stopped a kilometer off the walls. Bells rang periodically. Guns, spells, throwing spears, naught but ineffective.
”We're dead, we're dead,” very few escaped. Anna stayed to heal; their party joined with Frost's who aided in the evacuation. Priority was to save those directly below; thing was, the unnamed killing devils, prowled to and fro. Discontent on approaching the wall, yet, if an elevator lowered, the crawler would jump in for slaughter. Bordering the fog, stood the giants, and laying in wait, were the crawlers. A new breed of monster given the rank of Tier-5 Ruby. Not even that, the rank was subject to arguments – so far, no information about their actual combat prowess existed. Those who came face to face were either dead, traumatized, or on the verge of death. Reliving the massacre, seeing friends die in a worthless endeavor was worth the effort as some contemplated ending it all.
”Good,” panted Fletcher stood in the shadows of the lieutenant's quarters, ”-we can have a private talk. Ling, Frost, Anna, I want a report on your parties?”
”I'll go first,” said Frost being tactful around Ling, her howling expression of grief and sorrow could have made the hardest of man – cry. ”We were ambushed after a strange sparkle, the battlefield fogged up and those devils jumped at us. We lost a few men just to retreat.” The distant deathly screams paired with gunfire didn't help either. Thunderous shocks as the next spoke.
”No casualties,” said Anna more or less relieved, ”-we were lucky to make it out alive.”
”What about you?” asked he to Ling. The latter remained silent, thinking, breathing, crying, ”-I asked you a question,” voiced Fletcher sternly. Between the blurred vision of welling tears, her visage lifelessly faced up, ”-Anne's dead. No idea about the rest. I managed to live thanks to Igna and lady Misna.”
”Shit,” winched Fletcher, ”-you're dismissed. Go take a break, Anna, Frost, help the casualties.”
”Over here!” exclaimed an officer, ”-supplies have arrived, any abled body, rush over, we need help!” And so, the three leaders diffused into the hellish scape of oppression and the ultimate display of power.
”Lady Misna!” out in the middle of the piling bodies, ”-might I have a word?”
”Fletcher?” a bloodied-white cloth covered her mouth and nose, ”-what are you doing here?” it lowered with a pinch.
”Out of the way,” yelled another bumping shoulder against Fletcher, who buckled slightly forward.
”Come,” said she moving to the edge, ”-what's the matter?”
”Igna, what happened to him?”
”Oh…” a moment to gather her strength, ”-what if they breach the walls and make for Reforge, worst yet, make for Meke. How bad will the casualties be; these monsters are unlike anything we've seen. Each is a Dungeon-level boss. Imagine what more secrets and death-defying beasts live in just beyond the aurora (the name given to the border of Totrya).”
”Don't avoid the question, I need answers.”
”Fine,” she glanced over, ”-he's most likely dead. We left him to die, the legs were crushed – it was either him… or… us.”
”I get it,” he retained the straight-face, ”-no more need be said. Go on, I won't take much of your time.” Bodies piled even after the two-hour mark; supplies didn't suffice. Those scarred by abandoning comrades – jumped into the battle to only be slaughtered. Revenge, wanting to make a difference. The death-toll and defeat were equal, if not worse than the first-apparition of monsters; second to the Tower of Aris.
'Damn it, my head. Why's everything so dark and hard to see. Am I under a tree?' Sniffles and whimpers murmured to his left. Crawling up the trunk, '-the growls and the murderous gaze of the monsters Vesper summoned move about, this is bad.'
A pale, expressionless girl sat beside him; her hand stretched out as if holding a barrier. ”Kein?” *thud,* ”-hey, are you ok?” a single tap sent her crashing down.
”Don't move too much,” sniffled Lucia, ”-s-she used up her last strength to erect a barrier.”
”Don't talk too loud,” gritted Goldie keeping a strong persona. The trembling hands and horrific stare could have said otherwise.
'They saved me, we're under the same tree. It's faint, but I sense her mana… wait, I sense her mana?' quick to check the legs, '-I'm healed, fully healed. The d-death-elements awakened. Strong, I feel it, each pulse is like a hammer against my body.'
”What's the plan now?”
”Don't know, we wait for backup,” said Goldie.
”What happened to Anne?”
”She was the first to die,” mumbled Lucia pinching her nose and mouth.
'There's only one thing to do,' using the tree as support, ”-we need to escape. I sense the monsters closing in on us. Kein can be saved if we give her a potion. Her breathing is faint, she's just unconscious.”
”We know that already,” gritted Goldie, ”-sit back down, we can't let them see us, ” a defiant glare showed mistrust. ”Just for the record, we did so because Kein begged us to, what now, going to throw away the life she fought to save?”
”No,” said he softly, ”-I'll repay the favor in full.” *CRACK* the barrier broke, a murderous pair of daggers lunged for Igna's neck. '-Don't get so cocky,' a side-step had him under the beast, '-Magical Bullets, good night.' *BANG* a blinding beam of light broke the fog upwards. Those on the wall noticed and stared in terror, the light was the sign of a coming disaster, everyone thought the same.
”WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR!” cried Goldie, ”-now they know where we are, fucking idiot!”
”Guess what,” he smirked, ”-we ought to run now.”
”URGH,” she made for Lucia as he made for Kein.
”Quite courageous, you who trembled like a leaf now running like an athlete, I'm impressed.”
”Shut your damned mouth, I'm scared shitless. My friend died by the hands of those devils; do you have any idea how badly I want to die.”