“I had no idea those damned mushrooms were capable of that!” Elia breathlessly said. “The one Commander Maleh used as a test did nothing compared to… this.”

“I suspect their reaction to increased magic is exponential, rather than gradual.” Mage Nadun said, a little more collected. “Fire magic for the red spheres… I find myself wondering what would happen if I were to hit the green ones with an acid derived Spell. Based on their nature… hmm.”

Acid Spells.

Jack filed that away for future reference, as he watched the enemy lines.

“I must say, Village Head Elia, if we make it out alive, I believe The Barony will have quite an interest in these substances.”

Elia only gave a nervous laugh in response. Trade? Surviving was the main priority right about now.

Though they weren’t handling that too badly. A fifth of the enemy’s forces had just went up in smoke. That being said, they’d also used their trump-card and now the only mushroom spheres remaining could only be found in the possession of Jack’s little group and on Ava’s special arrows. And with the exception of Ava, the others only had two red ones and two green ones a piece.

“Mage Nadun.” Elia said. “I believe you are now the acting commander of The Barony’s forces. What are your orders?”

That seemed to shake the man up a little bit.

“Commander? Surely not. Maleh will be up and about in a moment or two. He never stays down for long.”

“This time he will.” Morn said, from his place, kneeling at Maleh’s side. “He’s no longer bleeding and the injury is closed, but the wound still feels tender. It might reopen under stress.”

“Then give him a Healing Potion.” The man said.

“I did. One of yours, so it was a good one. Even so, unless you have an artifact-grade potion lying around, there’s a limit to what you can achieve by them. His health is stable and I’ve numbed his pain. We should take him inside the village to recover.”

“What?” the mage shouted. “We can’t do that! We need him.”

“Why?” Jack asked. “I mean, if he’d be alright, I might understand that, but he’s out like a light.”

“Because we need his Skills, lad! We are already outnumbered. If we had his Skills and his leadership, maybe we could have evened the odds, but without him… No. Use another potion!”

“No.” Moran categorically said.

“Use another potion, boy! We need him to get up.”

“I said no. Or do you have a healer Class that I don’t know about? No? Well, I do. And I say to fastest way to have him back among us again is to let him rest.”

It looked like a staring contest between the two, though the mage didn’t look all that inclined to back down. Jack could understand it. He was a sergeant, not a commander and it wasn’t even his primary Class. If he had a Class, that is. Of course he’d feel desperate facing down Amenor’s army without his superior.

“Mage Nadun.” Jack said, laying a hand on the man’s shoulder. “We can’t risk doing any more harm to Maleh. Moran says the quickest way to get him back is to let him rest. I trust him. Elia, get two soldiers and have them take Maleh into the village. And… is there any remedy a |Herbalist| or |Potioner| could try that’d work better than a Healing Potion?”

“Not better… but maybe it will add something. Reinvigorate…”

She broke off, mumbling to herself, while she went to find a couple of Helmrest’s soldiers.

“Until he comes back,” Jack continued “you are the leader here. Maleh said you are a Sergeant. Do you have a Class for that?”

“I do… though its not as high level as my Mage Class.” He said, grimacing for a second. “I’m afraid that its confidential. Military doctrine.”

“I’m not asking to know any details. I’m asking if you can lead.”

The normally serious, even distant man, was looking a little frazzled. His eyes jumped about, from Jack to the enemy lines to the ground. His mouth opened and closed a few times, as if he wasn’t sure of the answer.

Brom trying to help, by pointing out the obvious, didn’t help matters.

“They’re moving.” The dwarf said.

It was true. Groups of soldiers started moving towards them. Not a full line, but squares of infantry. The moved slowly at first, then faster and faster.

“Nadun!”

“I don’t know.” The man burst out. “I wasn’t trained for this. My |Sergeant| Class… Damn it! I can lead small groups in combat. Preferably magic users. But not a full army. Not reliably.”

Damn it.

Jack turned to Elia, who had just returned, but his friend just shook her head.

“I might be able to come up with a good idea or two, but I can’t lead an army. Especially not a foreign army. If I must, I’ll try and lead Helmrest’s forces.”

There went option two. All this time, Amenor’s men started to advance. They were steadily making their way across the field, nearing the halfway point. Jack looked around. Th Barony’s soldiers nearest to them heard and saw what happened, but they were professional enough not to fold up under pressure. Yet, looking at the back lines, Jack saw unrest among Helmrest’s forces.

We need someone to lead. Or at least do something. These two are out, there’s not another good option out there… no one capable…

Then again, Jack didn’t consider himself capable either. But he did have a leadership Class. Low Level as it was. The enemy was at the gates. There was no one to lead them. Why not him?

This is suicide.

“Alright, I’m taking charge.”

That seemed to get a mixed bag of responses. Nadun looked incredulous, while Elia only seemed resigned. The most positive responses came from his friends, though he wasn’t sure if Ava’s maniacal laughter truly counted as positive.

“But I need a moment to think. I need time… Nadun! Have your men listen to me.”

“Wh- Are you mad? I can’t just relinquish command to a foreign citizen! You’re not even from the military!”

“Do you have a better idea?” Jack shouted, finally losing his nerve. “Or maybe you want to take charge yourself? Well?”

Nadun hesitated, feeling the stress, but finally raised his voice.

“Soldiers of The Barony. I am temporarily relinquishing command to Jack of Helmrest. My commands still supersede his. Yet, if I do not counter his orders, you fill follow them.”

There was a rustle among the soldiers, perhaps many of them disbelieving themselves. Funnily enough, the exact response came from Helmrest’s own soldiers, who gave out a cheer.

Good to know I have some support.

“Archers.” Jack shouted. “Just as before, aim your arrows to fall in front of the advancing enemy groups.”

The soldiers did as they were told, though they were a little hesitant. After all, they were out of clay spheres. This trick wouldn’t work a second time.

“Draw! Ready! Fire!” Jack commanded.

The arrows flew and, like before, impale themselves on the ground in front of Amenor’s advancing soldiers. Who not only stopped advancing, but also started to retreat to a safe distance. Which was exactly what Jack hoped would happen.

It didn’t matter that the trick wouldn’t work twice. It only mattered that the enemy thought it would.

“Ha!” Nadun laughed. “It worked.”

“Won’t last long.” Brom graveled. “Sooner or later, someone will try and light those patches of earth on fire.”

“I don’t need it to last forever, Brom.” Jack said, adrenaline coursing through his veins. “Just long enough to make a plan.”

Jack looked around himself. Four friends. Adventurers. Elia, his Village Head. Nadun, a mage as well as a sergeant. The Barony’s cavalry, specialized in firing arrows from horseback. They carried shorts-swords too, so they were probably decent in a melee. Better than Amenor’s soldiers, though? Mages. More than Amenor brought, even with the size difference. Mercenaries. Well paid and hand picket by Elia, but… mercenaries. Would they run? They haven’t so far. And Helmrest’s own troops. The Village Watch to be. Men and women with more heart than steel. These were his assets. This is what he had to turn this entire ordeal into a win.

Well then. Better get started.

“Ava.” Jack said, shooting his eyes open. “Can you shoot from horseback?”

“Uhm… uh, I can try.”

“Good. You and me will lead The Barony’s Cavalry. If use these archers the wrong way, I expect you to tell me.”

“Got it.” The Satyr said, serious and surprised.

“Nadun, I know you said you can only handle small groups, but you’re the only one that knows what your mages are capable off. Can you handle the entire mage line?”

“…I can. I will.” The man said, steel starting to creep back into his voice.

“Brom and Mrk. You two will lead the mercenaries and The Barony’s foot soldiers. If they have any one among them that’s high level or has a leadership Class, let them take charge, but… somehow, I doubt it. Mrk, if any if the mercenaries try to run, knife them. Do it publically.”

“Mrk will knife.” The ratling said, grinning.

“Understood.” Brom responded.

“Elia, I know you’re not a wartime leader, but you’re the one the villagers picked. You’ll have to handle Helmrest’s troops. Most of them have bows from what I saw. So, if you can, try and hit enemy soldiers from a distance.”

“Right. I can do that. Nooo problem.” The woman said, visibly shaking.

Jack didn’t have time to offer her more than a smile, before turning to Moran. Out of the corner of is eye, he saw movement from the enemy troops. What few mages they had came to the front, starting small fires. Fires that were used by the archers who had walked up to the frontline too, to light their arrows on fire.

“Moran, you’ll stay here. Use the command tent next to the gate. Treat any and all wounded that come your way, but prioritize battle prowess. If it gets too much, retreat inside the village.”

“Wish I could come with you.” The young man said, but nodded.

“That makes two of us.”

The first part of the plan was ready. And not a moment to see. A wave of arrows shot out from Amenor’s archers and landed on the patches of ground that their own arches had loaded with arrows before. Unsurprisingly, nothing happened. A great cheer came from the enemy and this time no splintered groups of soldiers came towards them. Instead, Amenor’s troops deployed an entire battle line of infantry and sent it forward.

“Here’s the plan.” Jack started talking again. “Brom and Mrk, have your soldiers move upfront, before forming a square. The outer line should be comprised of The Barony’s infantry. The inside line will consist of mercenaries. Nadun, your mages will be at the center. Rain Spells on the attacking soldiers. Try to shield ours as well.”

They were all listening intently, not contradicting him in the slightest. That was either a very good sign or a very bad one.

“Ava and me will first lead a charge, trying to break that line of soldiers in two.”

“Really?” Ava asked.

“Yes.” Jack exasperatedly said.

“Cool.”

“Very. After we do that, we’ll double back. Try and hit the soldiers attacking the square from a distance. Keep mobile, so when the other lines attack, and they will, we’ll be able to relieve you of the pressure. You just have to hold.”

“And me?” Elia asked, though she sounded like very much wanted not to be here.

“You and the villagers will stay back. When Ameron’s forces completely cover our square, have the villagers open fire on them. Shoot any stranglers that come towards you. But do not advance.”

“Right. Yes… I got it.”

“Have faith in yourself, Elia. I do.”

Jack would have said more to her, but there wasn’t much time left. The enemy had almost reached mid-field. They own troops needed to move soon.

“This is it. This is where we make our stand. Any final words?”

No one said anything. That might have been because they didn’t have any objections. Or, it might have been because Ava’s final act was to step forward and kiss Moran, before jumping on her horse.

…what just happened?

Silence reigned after that. Ava stared straight ahead, refusing to look at them, while Moran just grinned and went behind the lines, to his post. Jack got on his horse as well, but didn’t manage to say anything.

“Not a word about this.” Ava snapped, red faced.

“Alright.”

“That counts as a word!”

…

“You know there’s nothing to be awkward about, right?” Jack asked her. “I’m happy for you two. And I think I can safely bet we all are.”

Ava remained silent.

“Well, that’s all I wanted to say on the matter.”

Jack almost spured his horse ahead, when Ava croaked.

“Thanks.” She said quietly. “I was the one who wanted to keep it secret, even if I teased Moran about it. He didn’t care.”

“And nor should you.”

“Yeah.” She finally smiled and took a deep breath. “Nothing like impending death to put your priorities in order. I’ll tell you guys all about our secret tryst, yeah? After we’re done with… all of this.”

“You bet.” Jack laughed. “Now, are you finally ready?”

“I am.” She grinned.

“Good. Then, let’s go!”

They charged ahead, with the cavalry streaming behind them. They didn’t look back at the others. They had to have faith that they would get into position by themselves. It was long past time they could afford to hold anyone’s hand. All of them had to handle things on their own.

As they charged, Jack raised his voice.

“Any of you got Skills they could share with the others?” he asked the riders.

He saw them shaking their heads.

Just individual Skills. Great.

“Ava. Other than your |Piercing Shot| Skill, do you have any other Skill that might help us?”

“I’ve got other Skills. |Enhanced Vision|, |Quick Draw| and |Rapid Targeting|. But those are all passive Skills.”

That only meant he didn’t have many aces up his sleeves for the upcoming fight.

“Uh, Jack? Those soldiers are getting pretty close.”

She was right too. They had been advancing at almost full speed towards the enemy infantry. Jack could see them slow down, raising shields and spears. Not always the same weapons, though… That probably meant they were fresh conscripts. Relatively new. Good. At least that meant the chances of them having Skills was pretty low.

Feeling his Skill burning inside him, ready to be used, Jack shouted.

“Short-swords out! We’re going to ram them!”

“Sir!” a voice called out. “We’re not that type of cavalry!”

“You are now! |Basic Charge| Forward!”

It should have felt foolish to yell out such a… well, basic Skill. Should have. But it didn’t. Jack felt the Skill at the same time as he saw its effects manifesting. His horse sped up and the riders around him sped up as well. Their formation, which hadn’t even existed until now, took on a spear-tip like shape. And he could feel something too. He felt like his horse could jump through a wall. Like he new exactly how to sit in a saddle and prepare for an impact.

It was a very low-level Skill. And against a group of soldiers led by even a lowly general, it would have been completely ineffectual. Weirdly enough, though, these soldiers had no leader. At least, that was what Jack though, after the experience passed. Since he didn’t do much thinking while it was happening.

“Oh, shit!” he grunted.

His horse met the enemy line and made it go away almost explosively. The second he dared raise his head and take a peek he saw soldiers either flying around him or felt them trampled under his horse’s hooves. Around him, The Barony’s soldiers were doing the same. The entire affair must have only lasted a few seconds. Well under a minute. They punched through the first line before Jack even had a chance to get his breathing under control.

He looked back and saw two things. One was that most of his soldiers had wetted their swords, now dripping red with blood.

Forgot to take out my axe. Damn it, Jack. Hope nobody saw that.

The second was that they had created a massive gap in the enemy line. He guessed the formation his Skill made them adopt was a pretty wide one. Either that, or it changed depending on the enemy. Whatever the case, around a quarter of that line had been obliterated and Jack saw few soldiers getting back up. Though quite a lot were squirming on the ground. Even from a distance, it made his stomach churn.

“First time seeing blood? Er, sir?” A soldier asked him, adding the latter almost as an afterthought.

The man was probably twenty years older and he was calling him ‘sir’.

“No. Just not… like this.”

“It passes.” The man said. “First time’s always the hardest.”

“Yeah, we’ll all puke our brains out later.” Ava grumpily said, bringing her horse next to his. “Jack, what’s the next move? Also, this horse hates me.”

“Wait until it gets to know you.” Jack laughed, but then thought quickly.

They could circle around. It would mean catching the survivors between their mounted archers and Nadun’s mages, themselves protected by infantry. It would mean quick work. But they’d lose the advantage. Jack saw the next enemy line still didn’t have they shields up and Jack had momentum on his side.

Have to trust that Brom and Mrk will handle things on their own. Can’t play this safe.

“We continue the attack. Half of our forces comes with me, the rest follows Ava. Try and fake a charge, before cutting to the side. While we’re running parallel to them, open fire. Don’t focus on precision, unless you see a commander of sorts. Just rain arrows on them.”

The soldiers nodded and Jack turned to Ava.

“You’re going to want to use the mushroom arrows.”

“Is that what we’re calling them? And you can’t be sure that-“

“Don’t. Save them. I’m pretty sure they’ll have some surprises for us later on.”

Ava looked a little disappointed, but nodded.

“Alright. Everyone, let’s go.” He said, before raising his voice and yelling. “Charge!”

It should be mentioned that during their entire conversation, the never stopped advancing. They only did it slowly, as if figuring out their next move. Which, to be fair, was completely true. Now though, they spured their horses to a gallop, advancing at speed.

Jack could see the soldiers directly in front of them dropping spears and raising shields. They saw what happened to the first line of infantry. They wouldn’t let it happen to them. The soldiers to the left and right of those were slightly advancing, perhaps hoping to catch them in a pincer attack.

Wrong play.

“Good luck, Ava!” he shouted.

“Bite their heads off, Jack!” the satyr laughed.

Then, without giving any visible signal, the advancing cavalry split into two prongs and veered to the sides. They raced across the ground, near enough to the enemy lines to shower them with arrows, but too far for them to do anything about it.

Whoever that soldier had been, who told Jack that they weren’t the charging type of cavalry, was right. They weren’t. Jack’s Skill, basic as it was, was all that allowed them to punch through the enemy soldiers. Of course, them being quite weak helped. But firing arrows from horseback was where The Barony’s mounted archers shined.

“|Quick Shot|”

“|Double Arrow|”

“|Shrapnel Shaft|”

“|Incendiary Arrow|”

“|Two Shot|”

Most of them were normal Skills, not very high-Level, with the odd damage-inducing Skill thrown around. But the main thing was that most of The Barony’s soldiers had at least one such Skill. Jack figured they were probably around Level 10, most of them. Again, not very powerful Skill. But when used en masse?

Devastating.

Fuuuck….

Jack saw almost the entire front row of the enemy line be hit by arrows. Maybe not all of those soldiers would die, but it should surely put them out of the fight. Healing potions weren’t that cheap, right? He kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but so far it just seemed like his plan worked.

He was about to signal the soldiers and have them turn around to regroup with their sister force when he noticed movement from the enemy line. The wounded soldiers were being dragged back and were being replaced with fresh troops.

Do they just treat all their soldiers like cannon fodder?

Jack knew what his next moves should be. Regroup with Ava’s riders. Ride back and relieve Brom and Mrk from any pressure remaining. Get in position for the second charge. He could already feel his Skill recharging. But Amenor’s soldiers looked like they actually wanted to get shot down. It was too good to be true.

Right?

***

Brom’s day was pretty good, all things considered. Sure, they were being besieged by an entire enemy line. Though that wasn’t entirely correct. After Jack’s stunt and that too-stupid-to-not-work charge, perhaps only four fifths of the enemy soldiers remained. Maybe three quarters. And Brom happily found out that they were all green.

He didn’t think any of them had Classes. Or if they did, they were very low-Level. Which just meant that The Barony’s infantry, coupled with the mercenaries, dealt with them easy enough. Oh, they still took casualties. That’s what happened when you were outnumbered twenty to one. But those who got wounded were pulled inside the circle and sent along to Moran.

The process was simple. The enemy infantrymen would attack, sometimes even remembering to attack as a group. Their own forces would try to simply stop them in their tracks. Not do damage back. Just keep them in position. Because that was when Nadun’s mages would hammer them with Spell fire. Which often included actual fire.

And if the enemy refused to attack, like they did when they were left with just a fifth of their forces? Well, Brom had an answer for that as well.

“Send out soldiers to each side! Make sure they don’t flee back to their army. Have them running towards Helmrest.” He said to the soldiers around him, before raising his voice. “Mage Nadun! Can you make sure they don’t flee towards Helmrest?”

Brom saw the other man gulp down a Mana Potion before responding.

“Yes, but not if they get very far. Our range’s not infinite.”

“Good. Do that. And once they start running towards Helmrest, bombard them!”

“Understood.” The man called back, before adding. “To the best of our abilities.”

The need to be exact amused the dwarf. Very much like his own kind. Well, some of them.

“It’s time. Those around me, follow me. Those around Mrk, follow him. Open the formation and remember. We need to have them retreating towards Helmrest!”

Once they nodded, he moved. He wouldn’t have dared split open the formation in any other case. Not when enemy soldiers could have used that moment to charge through or if he had seen any sign the line of soldiers he had been fighting possessed better tactics. But in this case? If he waited, those soldiers would have found a way to make their way back to their army.

Unacceptable.

“Charge!” the dwarf shouted.

Around and behind him soldiers and mercenaries screamed. He saw the frightened looks on the enemy’s faces and what had been a defensive formation opened up and turned into an aggressive one. Brom didn’t have a chance to wet his axe further. Those soldiers took one look at them and one at the surroundings.

Their path towards their own army was cut off by Brom’s and Mrk’s attacks. Them going out further to the sides wasn’t an option, since the ground there was being rained on by Nadun’s mages. And attacking the remaining part of the square was an exercise in futility, since it would get them the same place it had gotten them before. Nowhere.

Perhaps the smartest and calmest among them figured it out. Saw what Brom and Mrk were doing. But they ran anyway. The herd instinct was strong and once a few of them started running, the rest followed.

They didn’t last long. Only a few managed to get out alive from the bombardment sent out by Nadun’s mages, by exiting their range. Which only got them in range to Elia’s archers. Brom saw the last soldier be shot down perhaps fifteen feet away from her group. Though the soldier was more crying than running.

This is war. There is no helping it.

Steering his thoughts away from such matters, Brom focused his attention on the horse coming his way from Elia’s group. It reached him fast and Brom saw a… boy, perhaps not even eleven, bow his head at him.

“Uh… uh, sirs Brom and Mrk. I have a message from Village Head Elia.”

Mrk?

Brom turned his head a fraction and saw his friend standing just back and to the side from him. That cloak of his, coupled with his Skills, really made a difference. The ratling caught his gaze and simply shrugged, grinning.

“She told me to tell you to never to that again. Or at least warn her. Uhm, that is… all.”

“Thank you, lad.” Brom said to the clearly nervous boy. “Tell her I will attempt to warn her next time. If I can”.

The boy bowed his head again and took off.

“Brom scared Elia. Made she thinks she has to fight enemy group.” Mrk laughed.

“It was unfortunate, but necessary. Informing her of my plan risked letting the enemy know what we intend to do.”

“I knows. Just thinks is funny.”

They made their way back into formation, coming to stand at the front of it again. Brom, a little ahead, in charge of The Barony’s infantry and Mrk, a little in the back, watching the mercenaries.

“It looks like Jack’s doing a bit of damage.” Brom said, seeing Jack’s mounted archers give fire, after splitting into two groups.

“Good. More damage maybe means they go home.”

“I would not bet on it. They are here and sent by their |Lord|. With the exception of us inflicting upon them a massive amount of casualties, I see no-“

“Jack!” Mrk suddenly shouted.

Brom broke off from his long answer to turn his eyes back at the field. What his saw made his stomach sink. Both Jack’s and Ava’s groups had suddenly collapsed, almost in their entirety. Even from this distance Brom could see the blood, welling out from people and animals both.

And worse than that? The next infantry line had just started advancing.

“Jack, run!” Mrk shouted, though Brom knew there was no chance his voice would have reached him.

Brom knew that even if the fastest among them started to run, there was no chance they would have reached him, before the enemy did.

All Brom could do was watch.

And hope for a miracle.