It wasn’t exactly what they expected to hear from it, but they could tell that the monster’s deep, hoarse and bone-chilling tone is mocking them. Everyone was shaking and froze for few seconds before they snapped. There was a clear boundary of strength between it and them in regards to everything they had.

Most of them thought that they finally trapped the enemy, with its inactivity, they thought that the monster had come to the realization that it is useless to protest, but that wasn’t the case. It is too late to judge the result as the monster resigns from stationary and began to move. The cement crackles and their magics were easily extinguished. In a single swing, the flames vanquished. It was unlike any strength they had seen before.

Now that they saw the errors of their plan, they began to murmur about how they failed and now that this will end it. Kazan heard their cry and couldn’t help but to think so low of themselves but suddenly he remembered all of the harsh training, the pounding metals of chains that he used to lift a boulder and pulling it under the radiance of the sun. He felt a surge of emotion that is unlikely he had felt before.

“Everyone! Do not lose your guts over some parlor tricks! Remember that we are the mercenaries of the Glade. We do not yield easily over a cumbersome circumstance; we stand against the odds! Recall everything we had gone through before this! Before this life chosen us! Do not lay down your arms and fight!”

Slowly but everyone gathered their strength and prepared for the fight. It may not seem to be but their spirits lifted over the memories of their past. It is the truth that some of them before is useless, good-for-nothing, slaves, and others that live on so many painful years before they had come here. The Glade changed their lives, but in exchange, they must live in complete discretion and battles. The Glade did not force them to stay here, they were given the chance to choose what they will become, they can live freely if they ever chose to be done in this place, but some others are not, rather they chose the path of blood and money.

It may understatement to claim that they chose to stay because they grew fond of their considered home, but in truth is that they don’t have the luxury of freeing themselves from the shackles of their own prisoner. Kazan is an example of that. At the early age of his life, he is nothing but a slave. They own a villa, somewhere in the province of Ulsyanil from the country of Sheore’a. One day, while he’s doing his chores he saw a glimpse of trailing smoke around the neighboring forest, next to it was a small village that they exported with their wines. The next scene he remembers that day was a cannonball heading towards him. His head felt light and somber, a thundering pain course through his body. He slowly got up on his feet and started to walk sluggishly. His young body and mind are not sturdy enough to withstand the impact of the cannonball, more than over the countless fireballs that falling onto the sky.

Through the piles of rubles and the remaining of their house, he found himself lost. No father, no mother. All was asunder. He gave up finding his parents and decides to save himself first and away in the middle of the battlefield.

He may not be bright like the others, but he knows when to fend off away if he felt that his in danger. His instincts told him to avoid strange people for the next few days.

Unfortunately for him, he was wound and caught by merchants, specifically, hell-bent on slavery. His frail age was not spared by the people and received harsh punishments over some petty mistakes.

He was saved by the directors themselves when they were more physically involved in the matters. Raised and trained by those people who he considered as his mentors; he was able to retain some joy in his life.

They weren’t merciless and soulless as anyone from the outside world would think. Surely, they would assassinate those people who the client deemed to die, but they weren’t going to accept an offer blindly. There were some they accept willingly, but only if they felt it’s necessary.

Seeing that somehow their spirits lifted up, he led them to march.

“Listen, everyone! We have fought stronger bastards than this one, and this lad will be the latest to feel of our fury.”

The cement crackles spreading quickly up to their footing. They felt the pressure centering at the monster’s place. In a split second, the stationary monster leaped and crashed on the ground. Some stumbled and stunned, others were able to get out before getting hit by its sword. There were also unlucky people who felt its tremendous strength.

A mercenary who wore and light metal armor lifted his visor.

“If we fight a similar creature with the same level of this monster, I doubt that we will make it through the week.”

Ken replied. “Bad days are only temporary. We’ll make through it.”

The monster got to his feet and bent lurching towards Alastor’s position. He leaped away, rolled over, and evades the swinging blade. It may have quick reflexes but Alastor clearly able to bridge the gap between their speed.

He raised his hand and conjured three transcendent walls making a distance between the two of them. The other mercenaries saw this as an opportunity to make their move. They bombarded it with magic.

The durability does not equate to mobility, thus the monster remained in the position distracted by the lights that the mercenaries conjured.

“That’s right. Keep it coming everyone!”

Through the smoke, he sees Kazan, who seems to be the one who motivates and leads them all. He grew pensive over his annoying visage and would like to return the favor.

The Deziun Alle lurched forward and aim its sword at Kazan.

The momentum of its speed astounded Kazan but also because of that his body grow called and couldn’t move an inch. The blade was directed at him. Cid and Linda use coercive magic and build walls of fire and ice, but it was useless. With its raw strength, it breaks the walls.

A second it takes to be closer to Kazan. He felt its breath two feet away from him, drawing and wanting him dead. He felt the sharpness of the blade cutting through the air. He closes his eyes and missed to witness a miracle that just happened.

A flash deflected the enemy's attack knocking it down across the field.

Unraveling from the swelling smoke, a daring man appeared wearing a brown tattered robe, underneath was a dark armor and sword hanging on his waist. Another one was a large man who held his giant battle-ax and wore heavy silver armor and an iron helmet that has brown five brown horns that lined from the forehead to the back of the head.

The large man who was around 8 feet came later than the other guy who seems to be energetic and youthful compared to the other one who’s intimidating.

“Whoa, whoa. Easy there, fella. You got some pretty bull power there.”

Who is this guy? Everyone raised the same question as to the identity of these two. It is no surprise, they rarely appeared in the mansion. They never once take a vacation one or two days in the Glade, they were busy traveling across other continents, exploring and gathering information what they can.

He looks at Kazan. There was no malicious intent in his eyes. It seems they look like the reinforcement that the directors asked to come over.

“Are you fine pal?” He asked.

Kazan simply nodded.

“Now that we’re here, you guys have nothing to worry about. Focus on treating the wounded persons. From here and out, we’ll take care of this bullshit.”

His words were filled with confidence.

He shoves his brown cloaked and pulled out his sword from its scabbard.

“Come here you son of a bitch!”

He beckons the enemy from wherever in the forest it landed.