Elijah Warend POV
The eerie silence was deafening. I looked to my right and left as I gazed at the two hundred soldiers who stood ready. We were set up on a cliff in Darv, just outside the defensive line in enemy territory. We wanted to push the Alacryans back a little and give ourselves some more breathing room.
I looked down the cliff and observed the large group of Alacryans down at the bottom. The cliff wasn't too high, as we were probably about seventy feet above the Alacryans. We stumbled upon them as we were scouting forward. If we wanted to expand our defensive perimeter, our first step would be to take them out.
"Captain."
I looked to my left as a young human male in worn-out iron armor approached me. He couldn't be any more than five years older than me, though; he certainly looked older from the stress of the war.
"What is it?" I whispered.
"The left flank stands ready." The soldier said.
I nodded as I looked to my right. I could see everyone in a ready position. Though, there was fear on some of their faces. I watched as some of their hands trembled. I couldn't blame them. The Alacryans proved to be a more formidable force than we realized.
"Right flank, are you ready?" I whispered.
Several of the soldiers turned to look at me as they gave a nod. I nodded back before I looked back towards the Alacryans.
'Alright, you Alacryan bastards. Here we come.'
I raised my hand in the air as everyone readied their weapons. I waved my hand down, and everyone let out a battle cry before jumping over the edge.
The Alacryans below looked up in surprise, growing wide-eyed at the sudden noise. Several Dicathen soldiers released a volley of spells mid-decent, crashing into the Alacryans below. I watched as several of the Alacryans were consumed by the variety of spells before their precious shields could react.
The wind mages worked in tandem, creating an updraft and slowing our descent. We all landed safely on the ground but didn't have a moment to waste. We caught the Alacryans by surprise and couldn't waste this opportunity.
"Charge!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.
I created a set of magma armor over myself, and we all charged forward. The Alacryans were quickly rallying and began to run towards us. I scanned the Alacryans and smiled, seeing the volley of spells released earlier dwindled their numbers. Now in front of us stood no more than a hundred soldiers. We outnumbered them two to one. The odds were in our favo-.
Boom!!
The ground shook, and a shockwave vibrated through my body. I went wide-eyed, seeing the ground in front of us collapsed. We all came to a halt as we gazed upon what just happened intently. A large gap in the earth had opened up in a large rectangular shape. The earth in the gap was slanted as if acting as a ramp. We soon started to hear yells coming from the hole in the earth and took defensive stances, not knowing what to expect.
I watched as the Alacryans that were charging at us before stood in an attack formation to the side of the hole. I focused on the gap and went wide-eyed.
Suddenly, a large group of approximately three hundred soldiers began to run out of the hole, yelling battle cries. But what surprised me the most was that they weren't all Alacryans. Several Dwarven traitors stood among them. After Rahdeas' betrayal, several Dwarven families joined the Alacryans.
"Where the fuck did they come from!"
"They ambushed our ambush!"
"Shit, we're outnumbered!" I heard several men yell.
"Stand fast, everyone! They won't let us escape with our lives! Fight to the death!" I yelled.
Several of my men let out battle cries in response.
"Charge!" I yelled, and we all ran towards the Alacryans.
"Casters!" I heard the Alacryans yell as they launched a volley of spells at us.
"Barriers!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.
Water, wind, fire, and earth barriers formed all around us as the Alacryan spells slammed against them. I could feel some of the barriers shake from the impact of their spells. Once the last of the spells hit the barriers, we continued to charge the Alacryans.
"Volley!" I yelled.
Several Dicathen soldiers released their spells of different varieties at the Alacryans.
"Shields!" The Alacryans yelled.
Mana shields formed all around them, blocking our attacks. Our group closed in on the Alacryans as they readied their weapons.
Suddenly there was a large sound of metal clashing against metal as both groups slammed against each other. I slammed my fists into an Alacryans chest and watched as he flew back with his chest badly burnt.
I looked to my right just as a lightning whip wrapped around my torso. I went wide-eyed as I was suddenly yanked forward. I lost my balance and fell face-first onto the ground. I quickly rolled onto my back, and my eyes fell upon a male Alacryan soldier standing over me with a lightning whip in his hands.
I quickly burst the magma out from my armor, destroying the whip that was coiled around me, and the Alaccryan dashed, dodging the magma. I stood up and faced my attacker as he readied his whip. I waved my hands and formed a magma cluster in front of me in the form of a large ball. I shot the cluster forward towards the Alacryan in a lava blast. As the lava blast closed in on the Alacryan, he didn't even flinch as a mana shield formed in front of me. The blast hit the shield, leaving the Alacryan soldier unscathed.
I gritted my teeth and quickly looked around the battlefield around us. My eyes fell onto another male Alacryan who had his hand raised toward my attacker.
'So, that's his shield.'
I waved my hands, forming a magma warrior behind him. The Alacryan with the whip followed my gaze and went wide-eyed.
"Look out!" The Alacryan yelled, trying to warn his teammate, but it was too late. The magma warrior slammed its fists into the shield turning him into a pile of burnt, squished flesh and bone.
"You will pay for that!" The Alacryan with the whip yelled as he turned back towards me.
The Alacryan brought his hand back as he was getting his whip ready. I got into a defensive stance, readying myself for his attack.
Boom!!!
The ground shook as a thunderbolt hit the ground in the middle of the Alacryan formation. Everyone turned towards the sound as a wave of lighting dispersed from the source. Several Alacryans were knocked down, and others who were closer to the blast were disintegrated from the intensity of the blast. I looked at the source and never thought I would smile at the sight.
Lance Bairon stood in the middle as lightning coiled around him. Several Alacryans began to stand up until the gravity around them increased. The Alacryans fell back down flat to the ground as they struggled to move.
"Mica and Bairon are here to help!"
I looked up and watched as Mica descended above us with a large earth mace in her hands.
"Pathetic. Did you really think this little ambush would work? Let me grant you the mercy of putting you all out of your misery." Bairon said as he formed a lightning spear in his hand. Bairon slammed the spear into the ground, and tendrils of lightning shot out and wrapped around the Alacryans, and avoiding the Dicathens. The Alacryans yelled out in pain that quickly subsided as they took their last breaths, with their bodies slowly disintegrating.
"Bairon," Mica scolded as she glared at him.
"What. It was a merciful death." Bairon said with a shrug and blank face.
"How generous."
I felt an immense pressure as I and several others fell to our knees, with it becoming difficult to breathe. Bairon and Mica both went wide-eyed before they looked up. Sitting on top of the cliff opposite the one we jumped from sat a familiar figure who I'd seen before when we defended Burim. I went wide-eyed as fear coursed through my body. I could see Bairon grit his teeth as Mica looked at the figure with malice.
"Mica remembers you, Retainer Sameer," Mica said hatefully.
Sameer smiled sinisterly, "Yes, I remember you too, pipsqueak. You're still as annoying as ever. I wasn't going to join this pathetic display of a fight. That is until you two showed up. With you two here, I might be able to have some fun."
"Mica wonders why you didn't try to save your allies," Mica asked as she clutched her mace.
Sameer scoffed, "They were all weak. I have no use for weaklings."
"If you think you can take us both on, you're sorely mistaken," Bairon said as he formed another lightning spear in his other hand.
"Hahahaha." Sameer just let out a sinister laugh as he stood up. "I guess there's only one way to find out. Right, Lances?"
"I guess s-"
Bairon was cut off as Sameer appeared in front of him at a speed I couldn't comprehend. Bairon went wide-eyed as he got into an attack stance. However, before Bairon could do anything, Sameer just slapped Bairon with a backhand to his face, sending him flying into a wall with a crash.
"Bairon!" Mica yelled as she flew down towards Sameer.
Sameer just looked up at Mica with a raised brow, like she was nothing more than an insect to him. Mica lifted her mace and swung it down at Sameer vertically.
Green liquid poured out of Sameer's right hand and quickly formed a sickly green liquid spear. Sameer thrust the spear forward, striking Mica's mace. The liquid wrapped around the mace, melting it down.
Mica let go of the mace before the liquid could touch her and quickly flew back. She waved her hand, creating another earth mace in her hand.
Boom!
The wall exploded as Bairon came flying out wrapped in lighting, lightning spear in hand. He glared at Sameer as he thrust his spear forward. Mica dashed forward as well, preparing to assist Bairon in his attack.
Sameer just waved his spear and parried Bairon's attack. Sameer quickly moved to the side, dodging Mica's attack as she slammed her mace down into the ground, cracking the floor beneath her.
Bairon didn't give Sameer a second to breathe as he launched a large thunderbolt at Sameer. Sameer adjusted the weight on his legs like he was about to move. Suddenly Mica increased the gravity around Sameer as he lost his balance and stepped forward. Sameer didn't have time to dodge as the lightning bolt hit him in his left shoulder with a loud crash.
I watched as Sameer went flying back, as his left arm was blown off at the socket. Several soldiers cheered as the pressure around us was lifted, seeing our Lances take on a Retainer. Bairon and Mica stood there for a second, breathing heavily, as they gave each other a nod.
"Alrighty everyone, get ready to m-"
Boom!!
The ground exploded as Sameer dashed forward with a face of rage. He closed in on Bairon and Mica at a frightening velocity before they could even react. Sameer punched Bairon in his chest, sending him flying backward. He skidded to a halt on the ground after flying back several feet. Severe bruises blotted his skin in the area where he was punched, indicating severe internal bleeding.
Sameer quickly dashed forward, grabbed Mica around her throat with his right hand, and lifted her into the air. Green liquid poured out from his hand, dripping down her body, melting away her clothes, and leaving burn marks. Mica yelled in pain as she flailed around in his hand.
My eyes flicked to Sameer's missing left arm as green liquid spilled out of it. The liquid quickly took the form of an arm and solidified. I grew wide-eyed, seeing his arm had grown back, looking good as new.
I looked back at Mica with dread as he held her in a choke hold naked, with burn marks across her body.
"B-B-Bai-ron." Mica coughed out.
I could feel the gravity increasing around Sameer, with the ground beneath him cracking, but he just stood there unfazed, holding Mica by her throat.
"What a disgusting little ant you are," Sameer said through gritted teeth.
"Mica!" Bairon yelled as he dashed forward towards Sameer.
Sameer just waved his hand, creating a sickening green dome around him. Bairon crashed into the dome and fell back as he yelled. He looked at his left shoulder that touched the dome and saw his skin had melted a little.
Bairon looked back at Mica and Sameer with dread as he hit the barrier with lightning bolt after lightning bolt.
"Take down that barrier!" I yelled.
Everyone began to fire volley after volley of spells at the barrier, trying to take it down. At looked back at Mica, as more burns formed around her body as green liquid continued to pour over her.
Sameer raised his left hand and coated it in green liquid as he held Mica's throat with his right. He smiled sinisterly as he grabbed Mica's left leg at the thigh.
"Whaaaa aaahhhhhh noooo ahhhh!" Mica cried out in pain as his hand slowly melted through her skin and bones as if it was made of butter. Sameer let out a sinister chuckle as he detached her left leg with a squelching sound that seemed to reverberate through the now-silent battlefield.
Blood fell out of Mica's missing leg as she cried out in agony.
"No!!!" Bairon yelled as we all desperately tried to take down the barrier.
"Scream for me," Sameer said as he grabbed her other leg.
Mica screamed louder as his hand melted through her other leg. I watched in dread and disgust as he detached her other leg and threw it to the ground.
"Mica!!!" I yelled as tears fell from my eyes.
Sameer laughed as he grabbed Mica's right arm and began to melt her skin and bones. I felt myself grow sick as he detached her right arm. He held her right arm in his left hand as he slapped her across her face repeatedly.
"Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself?" Sameer repeated sinisterly.
"Fuck you!!!!!" Bairon yelled in anger.
Sameer looked at Bairon and gave a sinister smile. He dropped Mica's right arm before he grabbed her left. Mica cried out hoarsely as he melted her left arm off. I fell to my knees as everyone looked at what was happening with angst.
Sameer's eyes flicked to Bairon, "You know, I consider myself a nice person. I am willing to end her suffering here and now, Lance." He grinned at Bairon before continuing, making sure not only Bairon but everyone on our side was listening carefully to what he was about to say.
"I would be glad to let her live and will not harm her further as long as you are willing to take her place." Silence ensued after his declaration as everyone looked at the lightning Lance. His eyes were wide, and his breathing was staggered as he succumbed to pure mental anguish. Yet, as everyone in the crowd noted, he didn't say a word.
Sameer shrugged, "Then so be it."
Green liquid began oozing from his hand again, causing Mica's hoarse yet ear-splitting screams of sheer pain to penetrate the silence that was there a moment before.
Sameer chuckled, "The human body is a wonderful thing. Did you know that it will always try to survive, always plugging wounds and trying to heal itself, even when the person is going through abject horror and would rather die? I think I will give yours a hand; that way, we can truly enjoy our time together with one another. Don't you think?"
To our horror, he used his acidic liquid to burn vessels and arteries that were oozing blood from her wounds, slowing down the rate at which she was dying. For the next hour, all we heard were the cries of a dying Lance, begging to be put out of her misery. Yet no respite ever came. Earlier, his methods of torture were brutish in nature, but over time he became more surgical, more methodical. Despite wanting to be anywhere else, I couldn't look away as I saw him plunge his fingers into a specific spot just below her stomach in order to burn a bundle of nerves at their very tips. It wouldn't kill her, but it was clear the action was intended to cause the maximum possible misery.
Sameer held her by her throat, as she had no arms, no legs, no clothes. Blood slowly leaked out of her missing appendages as she just dangled there. She tried to yell but couldn't as she lost her voice from crying out so much.
Sameer lifted two fingers in the shape of a V, with liquid coating them. He plunged his fingers into her eyes as he laughed sadistically.
He slowly pulled his fingers out of her eye sockets as he looked around at us with a proud grin. He looked back at Mica as she dangled there, barely alive.
Sameer laughed as he walked around in a circle, dangling her body in front of everyone, green ooze and crimson blood pouring from the new wounds like buckets to the ground below. Her head dangled loosely from her torso as if it was connected by a mere string rather than the plethora of muscle fibers, bones, and tendons that should have been there.
"I made sure that she wouldn't die from her injuries and may even live for many decades," Sameer said before the most malicious smile he had given yet appeared on his face. "But she will live in unending and immense pain for the rest of her days. My magic still envelops her form and will continue to burn her slowly but surely. Just enough that her core will keep healing the damage and yet cause the maximum amount of agony."
He left the protective dome he conjured to allow him to perform his public display of torture before walking towards Bairon, immediately kicking him to the ground and placing his foot on his chest. We all stood there stunned, unable to move, while Bairon looked mentally broken. A bit of pressure was exerted as the distinctive sound of ribs breaking wallowed through the heavy air, followed by a scream of agony that escaped Bairon's throat.
Sameer leaned in to look Bairon in the eye. "If your pathetic cowardice self has even a shred of dignity, a shred of guilt at what you caused your comrade to go through, you would put her out of her misery yourself. Further stain your hands and soul, and forever remember my face."
Sameer looked up and tossed Mica's dangling body to the side, "Remember this day, Dicathens. This is the true power difference between us. Surrender, or join your pathetic general in death.".
Sameer laughed one more time before he quickly flew into the air dissipating the dome, and left the area at a high velocity.
We all stood there in silence as we gazed upon Mica's mutilated body. Plenty of green liquid still oozed from the areas the retainer held her, burning through her remaining flesh and leaving a puddle of acid and tissue in its wake. Bairon slowly stood up as we walked over to her. He fell to his knees beside her body as he hovered his right hand over her head. Tears fell from everyone's eyes as we gazed upon the horror we had just witnessed.
Bairon gently brushed Mica's hair as he whispered.
"I'm so sorry."
The sound of lightning tearing through flesh echoed through the bloodstained battlefield. And then, silence enveloped it again.