Manifest Fantasy

Chapter 8: Hardale

Amidst the fray, a lone figure stood out, marked by a feminine grace. She fought on the outskirts of the village, drawing attention away from the congested chokepoint. Clad in armor that gleamed with a silvery-golden sheen, her green cloak flapped wildly amidst the melee. Her silvery-blonde hair whipped around as she pivoted, revealing mesmerizing purple eyes that were unmistakable even from a distance. It was Seraphine ad Sindis, the magic swordswoman from the Adventurer Test.

Sera's movements were almost a blur, but one thing was clear – her swordplay was effective. Dashing forward with inhuman speed, she thrust her blade into the thick hide of a Hobgoblin Grunt, piercing it before fluidly transitioning into a wide arc that cleaved another assailant in two. Her movements were far too swift, mirroring the physical enhancement Henry had seen from the Sonaran knights.

In tandem with her swordsmanship, Sera's mastery of magic was a sight to behold. With a flit of her left hand, she conjured a spike of compacted soil from the ground directly underneath a squad of Goblin Warriors. Long, sharpened stalagmites burst from the ground and impaled them, leaving bloody corpses hanging in the air.

With a swift incantation, her sword's edge shimmered with an icy aura, frost spreading along the blade. As she slashed through a Fenwyrm Spawn, the blade trailed wisps of condensation in the air. The gash left in the wake of her blade crystallized, the flesh now cold and black. The creature recoiled, the icy wound hindering its movement and its flesh visibly cracking around the frozen cut. Seraphine moved on to her next target, her blade a blur of silver and white as she eviscerated a treant.

Henry took a deep breath. As entertaining and cool as the scene was, Sera and the villagers couldn't possibly handle all of those enemies on their own. "Alpha Team, engage at will. Prioritize hostile fauna near civilians. Watch your fire." With Sera busy near the barricade, he would have to adjust their line of fire. "Owens, bring us around to the right side. Let her handle the monsters over there. We'll take on the ones further out."

The .50 cal machine gun atop the MRAP roared to life, echoing through the clearing. Henry tapped the trigger methodically, picking off a few of the monsters along the way as Ron repositioned. He steered the vehicle deftly, keeping it at a steady 20 MPH while avoiding obstacles and providing Henry with a stable firing platform.

Dr. Anderson called out distances and bearings, aiding in target identification as he took a few shots out the window. "Five Goblins, 11 o'clock, 50 meters, behind the Treants!"

Henry shifted his aim, the turret's hydraulic servos whirring as it turned to face the group. He fired short bursts at the Sapling Treants, completely shredding them with .50 cal rounds. The towering creatures staggered under the impact, splinters of wood exploding from their forms. The goblins behind died the moment the covering treants were ripped apart, reduced to smears of gore before they could even question how they were torn to shreds behind a sturdy defense. He couldn't help but compare this scene to his training simulations against the PLASF – those were predictable; this was anything but.

The treants died as inexplicably as they existed. Suffering critical structural damage, their 'faces' and branches stopped moving. If Henry didn't know any better, he would've thought these were shattered trees with faces carved into them, rather than the shells of animated vegetation. Their demise was a positive development for the villagers, but a detriment for Henry's continued assault. "Ron, hard left and flank. Can't see past the treants. Need a clean line on those Hobs up ahead.," Henry commanded.

"Adjusting position," Ron confirmed as he turned the wheel to the left, avoiding the bodies and debris that cluttered the ground below.

The Hobgoblin Grunts past the treants were taller than their Goblin cousins, boasting more robust physiques and weapons of greater sophistication. They wielded swords, spears, and an assortment of bows with proficiency – more so than their lesser-skilled kin. Though not a match for Sera, it was enough to threaten the villagers. If they broke through, it would be a slaughter.