Accursed Wars of Immortalis

Chapter 11: Brutal, Bloody Battle

"We must hold here until reinforcements arrive!" shouted Kemp. 

The troops quickened their pace, knowing that there stood a hundred demons a few dozen meters away. The entire formation backed up, closer to the cave entrance. Flann was guided by an officer closer to Kemp's crate-stand. Other healers were gathered there, too.

"They haven't moved yet, but it won't be long. Just do your best to keep as many people on their feet as possible," they were told. 

A soldier came from the entrance. He spoke to Kemp. The Cadleder's expression grew grim. He  called his officers forward and stepped down from his crates. He gave them their orders, then moved to the front row. He now stood behind the shield wall; he drew his longsword and hefted a shield. Caron joined him, his platinum scepter glittering in the pale light emitted by the priest's spells. Officers spoke to the light-bearers, sending half of them to the healers.

There were now close to forty priests and priestesses gathered behind the war-band's main formation. Flann watched torches being brought to the front. They were lit and thrown further into the cave. In the relative silence of the next minute, the troops waited for the demons to advance, inhaling the noxious mixture of burnt flesh and still-burning tar from the torches.

Sounds of battle erupted from the cave entrance. Hearing this, the Maledicti in the cave charged. The clash of the two forces was more brutal than Flann had ever seen, thin streams of red and orange sprayed as claw and blade sliced and tore through body and bone. From the relative safety of her new position, she watched anxiously as humans fought desperately against an equally desperate foe; both sides were fighting as dirtily as they could. Flann even saw Ragnhild grab a Maledicti's jaw from within and rip it came off. Her roar was louder than anyone else's. Raging Ragnhild had been unleashed.

Bodies were being carried to Flann and her peers by a handful of priests who had remained near the front. Flann was now busy treating a member of the Steel Brigade whose neck had been sliced open. She almost abandoned him when Walgen was dragged to the healers. His armour had been slashed in multiple places; the plate armour was gashed, as if someone had cut leather with a sword. Exposed bits of mail were also torn and bloodied and the chestplate was red and dripping. Walgen did not move.

Flann finished with the mercenary and tended to Walgen. She mustered all the mana she had – what little remained – and she did what she could to heal his wounds. He had not yet bleed out entirely. By the time she was spent, however, she had yet to fully close the wounds. An officer came along and gave her a shove.

"Don't waste time on him. He won't be returning to battle, even if you cure him," said the officer.  "Go tend to those who are still conscious."

Flann noded, but once he turned his attention elsewhere, she continued her attempt to heal him. The officer noticed.

"Did you not hear me, woman? Leave him be and tend to those who haven't yet failed us!" he yelled. "If you haven't grasped the gravity of the situation, we are about to be slaughtered! We are trapped, with demons on both sides!"

Flann ignored him now, yet she did not have a sliver of mana available for magic. The officer grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her off her feet. She broke free of his grasp.