The main force was getting ready to move.
Erin stood on the cliffs near the Sionelle border, staring down at the army that had amassed there. The sea that separated the nation of SIonelle and the Ellurian Alliance typically hindered a large scale land invasion, but it was clear from the long line of ships in the water that the army had been shipping troops for the past week. Likely since the border patrols had been reduced to the protect the Capital after the terrorist attacks. Taking advantage of the weakened surveillance, the Sionelle army had slowly moved soldiers over to the enemy's shore, and were now ready to advance further inward. Ships continued to sail between the two nations, carrying more troops.
Erin looked south, sighing as she caught sight of the burning wreckage of a fort. That had likely housed the remaining soldiers from the Ellurian Alliance. Erin wondered if anyone had survived the attack, but couldn't spare the time to go check. Besides, even if there were injured people, with her lack of healing magic, what was the point?
As the troops began to move, Erin frowned, her brow furrowing with frustration. The main force was going down the largest mountain path, like she had predicted, but there were multiple groups that had split off and were taking alternate routes. With this, how was she supposed to catch them all?
Just as she was puzzling over this, she heard a familiar voice call out.
"Need a little help?"
Surprised, Erin turned, only to catch sight of Gerald, Matthias, Olivia and Frederick.
"Wha- What are you guys doing here?" Erin stuttered, her eyes wide with shock.
"Oh we're just out here taking an afternoon stroll." Frederick rolled his eyes. "Obviously we're here to help you stop an invasion."
"But... How...?"
"Matthias told us you were up to something dangerous. After that it was fairly simple to find you, given my level 5 insight ability and your powers shining like a beacon right now." Gerald's gaze was solemn as he stood quietly near her.
"... Why did you come?" Erin looked miserable as she shook her head slowly.
Olivia ran up and hugged her. "I came because I'm your best friend, idiot!"
"And I'm in love with you, so..." Gerald winked.
"Same." Matthias added quietly.
"..." Everyone turned towards Frederick, who shrugged. "Eh... I was bored."
Gerald gave him a slight push and turned back towards Erin. "Were you really not going to say anything?" His voice carried quiet disappointment.
"I didn't know what to say."
Frederick chuckled at that. "I don't know, how about: 'Hey guys, I'm about to take on an army by myself... can I have a little help?'"
"I didn't want you guys to get involved... get hurt."
He shrugged. "Sorry that you're so shortsighted, but we were involved from the moment you decided to risk your life."
"This isn't a school fight, or a competition." Erin swallowed her eyes anxious, "This is a war. Against our own country's army. You should head back."
Gerald reached out a gentle hand, brushing her hair from her face. "Don't worry about the details. We're in this together."
"So enough with the mushy friendship and romance crap!" Frederick grinned. "Tell us what to do, team leader!"
Erin studied them carefully. It was true, with their help, she had a much better chance of pulling this off. But...
Can I trust them?
The demons of her past howled in the back of her mind, making her want to run away. Everyone she knew and loved had left, betrayed or used her. Could she really just... She looked at their expressions, and all she saw were the faces of her friends.
Slowly she nodded.
"I have a plan."
Olivia used her wind abilities to quickly move down the mountain path towards the border fort. Looking at the wreckage and the flames, she felt doubt in her heart that she would find anyone still alive. But she had to try.
"See if there's anyone from the Ellurine Alliance still left in the fort. If so, heal them, and send them back to the Capital to let them know about what's happening. With an eyewitness, they can deploy the army appropriately to prepare for the invasion in case I fail." Erin had told her with a worried look. "Of course, you guys could have warned someone as well..."
Gerald had shook his head at that. "If we delayed at all it would have been too late to save you."
"Idiots." Her tone was harsh but she had been smiling.
How many times had Olivia seen Erin smile? She thought back, but it was hard to think of many examples. She had been so stoic when they were growing up. Slow to trust anyone, never talking about herself or her family. Even with Olivia, her best friend, there had always been a distance.
Olivia heard footsteps and hid behind some rubble, her heart beating quickly in her chest. She had almost no combat ability, if she was captured... She shook her head.
Erin trusted me to do this mission. Olivia reminded herself. I can't fail her.
Dodging enemy patrols, she searched the broken rooms, almost giving up before coming across a pile of slowly shifting stone.
THERE!
She dug out some of the rubble, revealing a broken, bleeding soldier with a dazed expression. Olivia winced at the sight of him. Some of the damage was so terrible, it was hard to believe he was still alive.
HE's still bleeding. She reassured herself. Bleeding means a heartbeat, means I still have a chance.
She placed her palm on the soldier's head, focusing her powers. Feeling his injuries with her magic, she shook her head. It would take everything she had to heal this one soldier. She hoped it would be enough.
Good luck, Erin. I'll do everything I can from here. She thought with a smile.
Matthias stood right at water's edge, looking out at the ships that were on their way with more troops. The seawater was cold as it lapped around his ankles in small waves. In his hand was clutched a silver amulet, the one Erin had given him to help seal his out-of-control abilities.
"Will you really help me? After what I said to you?" Erin had been confused when it was time to give Matthias his instructions.
He had nodded. "I will."
"It won't change how I feel about you... I don't want to lie or lead you on." Erin's eyes were worried, a pity that hadn't sat well with him all too apparent on her face.
"I know." His voice had been calm. "I'm doing this because of how I feel, because I want to. Like you said:" His grin was self mocking, "No one can tell me who to love or not love. You don't have to return my feelings, but I don't have to stop having them either."
"Are you sure..."
"Erin." His tone was resolute. "I'm helping. Tell me what to do."
She had let out a long sigh. "Stop the ships from transporting more troops. Can you do it?"
He thought it over carefully, before nodding. "Yes."
Now he stood there, clutching the restriction amulet in his hand so tightly it dug into his skin. He remembered how he had felt when he first realized what this artifact meant to him, and how much he had been overwhelmed by his feelings towards Erin at that time.
Maybe she was right. I was in love with how I pictured her in my head, not the real her. Because I was so near sighted, I almost caused her to hate me.
Matthias thought of the girl who suffered like him, but kept moving forward. Of how she cared about her friends, protecting them from harm even if it cost her everything. How she had worked to protect him too, despite his selfish words.
It's not all fake, Erin. His smile was tinged with sadness. I really do love the real you.
With that thought, his hand slowly opened up, dropping the amulet into the sand. Immediately he felt his freezing magic course through his body, the all too familiar pain of his skin and muscle being destroyed by ice making him wince. Reaching out with his pale, trembling hands, he placed them in the cold water, focusing. Starting from this point, a wave of white pushed outwards, the water hardening into ice until all of the ships slowed and stopped, trapped. He shivered, the magic already slowing his heartbeat, trapping the air in his lungs, cooling his blood.
I'll hold it as long as I can, Erin. I'll leave the rest to you.
Gerald and Frederick moved along the rocky mountain paths, keeping a close eye out as they quickly tried to get ahead of the troops in the many winding mountain paths. Gerald used his insight ability to keep track of the soldier's locations, while Frederick quickly modified artifacts from his pack.
"What will these do?" Gerald finally asked, after watching him plant an artifact on each of the paths in front of the marching troops.
"Accomplish the task Erin gave us." Was the short answer he was given. After placing the last one, Frederick grinned and added. "Let's get back up to the cliff to watch the rest."
Once they were seated, Gerald started getting restless. "Frederick...the troops are still separated. Erin wanted us to push everyone to the main path. Are you sure your artifacts will work?"
The other boy looked offended. "Seriously? You are really asking me this?" He sighed and shook his head. "Unlike you, who's brain is filled with worthless things like love and how to keep proposing to your girlfriend unsuccessfully, I have actually worked to master my craft." He grinned and started counting off on his fingers. "And you will see the result of that in three... two.... one." At his last word, explosions appeared from multiple locations; everywhere they had left an artifact. As the smoke and rubble cleared, large stone walls could be seen blocking the alternate paths. From their perch on one of the higher cliffs, the troops converging towards the main path could clearly be seen.
"Nice. Dual fire and earth artifacts?" Gerald nodded in approval.
"You make it sound so simple.... But yes." He stretched, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. "Are you sure we caught all the troops?"
"My insight doesn't lie. Everyone's been diverted to the main path. Now... it's all up to Erin."
"Can she do it? I mean, she's tough; she even beat ME in a fight. But..." He looked worried. "This is an army we're talking about."
Gerald chuckled. "You haven't seen Erin's real abilities yet."
"You mean she's stronger than eight abilities at level 3 and 4?" Frederick's eyebrows rose.
" Just watch." He was smiling, but even the cheerful expression couldn't completely conceal the worry in his eyes.
Come back to me safe, Erin. Please.
Erin stood at the stop of the main path, calmly watching the hundreds of soldiers marching her way. A slight smile flickered for a moment across her face, as she saw that there were more than there had been on her initial look.
Gerald and Frederick must have been successful. She idly wondered if Olivia and Matthias had been able to complete their tasks as well. To her surprise, she believed deep down that they had.
When did I start to trust people?
Erin couldn't dwell on that thought, however, the soldiers were close enough to see her standing there now.
It was time.
She formed a wind spell, carrying her quiet words to the ears of each and every person that stood in front of her.
"I am here to bring destruction and death. If you retreat, and return to your country, I will spare your life. All who stay will make their grave here."
Part of her hoped they would take her up on it. The blood that was about to be spilt weighed heavily on her heart. There was a moment of silence as the soldiers paused, processing her warning.
A wave of laughter came from the army. All they saw was a young woman, slightly tall but outweighed by even the smallest among them. In her hands was a single sword, her only weapon. Their thoughts were easy to see:
Who did she think she was, to stand alone in front of a large army?
Erin sighed. She had given them the chance. But now it was too late.
She lifted her sword, and the valley that held the mountain path descended into hell.
Blue-green flames filled the area, causing screams of agony as many of the men caught on fire. The smoke filled the air, making it difficult to see, difficult to breathe. The men tried to move forward, but they were boxed in, unable to advance, unable to dodge.
Death had come for them, and there was no escaping anymore.
Erin coated herself in red gold flames, looking for all the world like a demon who had escaped the pits of hell, determined to drag as many souls as possible back with it. Even her sword caught flame, the light from the blade lifted up in the air catching the attention of the soldiers, who stared at it as if in a trance.
She moved, and with wind and physical enhancement at a catastrophic level, there was no way to follow her with the naked eye. She slipped between the men, and the only way to determine her path was the wide trail of bodies she left behind. It was a dance of death, and wherever she moved people fell to the ground, lifeless.
The flames kept burning, forcing the men closer. Blood sprayed in the air as her sword sliced through flesh, and even this fluid was formed into spears by water magic and flew into the crowd, taking more lives. With a loud rumble the mountains on either side of the path shifted, and began to fall down, crushing tens of soldiers beneath each enormous bolder that struck the ground.
The screams of the dying filled the air, but still the slaughter continued.
Erin spun, wind blades moving outward from her sword, cutting through skin, muscle and bone as if it were paper. Waves of death moved out from her location, and soon the remaining survivors began to panic. There was one small gap in the flames, a single path backward that led to the ships that had brought them.
Driven mad with fear, some managed to slip out, running full speed back with the goal of never returning to this cursed land again. One soldier stumbled, falling to the ground just outside the flames. With a whimper of fear he looked behind him, and the sight was carved into his memory for the rest of his life.
A burning figure stood on a pile of corpses, her head slowly turning as she looked at the carnage around her. Slowly, the flames around her body died out, leaving a young woman with dark hair and eyes, her facial expression calm. He felt a shiver go down his spine as her eyes met his own.
She wasn't human. He thought desperately, scrambling backwards to put more distance between himself and the field of death.
A goddess of destruction, maybe. A demon or a witch. Some sort of monster, wearing the skin of a girl.
But definitely not human.
He made it onto the ship, the captain looked at the small huddled group of survivors in shock. Hundreds of men had marched out that day. Now there were less than 20.
"Where are the rest of them?" He asked the group, gaining only wide eyed stares of fear in return.
One shook his head, indicating that they were gone.
"Who did this?" He whispered.
Only one man spoke up, the one who had fallen before and looked back. His face pale, his hands trembling, he looked the captain in the eye and responded quietly.
"The devil."
As if the sea had heard his words, a path of water opened up in the ice before them. They were being allowed to retreat. With a solemn shake of his head, the Captain guided his ship and his few passengers back to Sionelle.
"We need to tell them to cancel the invasion plans." He muttered to his first mate. "This nation is much stronger than we were led to believe.
Gerald and Frederick looked at the three still forms on the ground before them. Olivia, Matthias and Erin all slept quietly, looking tired and drained. With a sigh, Gerald replaced the silver amulet he had found by the other boy around Matthias's neck, nodding when he seemed to regain a small amount of color.
"They all overdid it." Frederick shook his head quietly. "What idiots."
"We all did our best." Was Gerald's only reply.
"But Erin... she's... I mean, that's ... how?" Frederick stopped himself, and shrugged. "Never mind, I'll ask her myself when she's awake. If she trusts me enough, hopefully she'll tell me the story behind this."
Gerald's tone was noncommittal. "Maybe."
"But, are you okay with this? I mean, your girlfriend is on the level of a natural disaster... with that kind of power, she could crush you in an instant if you pissed her off."
"I know."
"And..."
"It's fine." He smiled. "I love her."
Frederick groaned. "Well, good luck to you buddy."
"Thanks."
They stared at the unconscious three, and sat down, quietly waiting for them to wake up.