Chapter 55: Orclands (Part 3)

(Yuon POV)

I quickly made my way to the forest, where they were ambushed. I could still feel faint holy energies coming from the items left by the dead paladins.

It was a mistake to send them on a scouting mission, so lightly armed.

Yuon: "..."

He should be around here. Every Paladin Lord carries a trinket that can be tracked by a spell only known to us.

A small orb of light continues to lead the way for me. It was still dark, and I could hear the Orc drums from afar.

It's a good thing the Oren tried to run away as far as he can. I need to make it there before his body gets burned or worse.

I keep myself alert by continually checking my surroundings. For now, I could only sense living things some distance in front of me.

It must be the savage orcs that killed Oren.

Taking slow steps, I was able to approach them.

I quickly turned off the spell to prevent myself from being caught.

Savage Orc: "(sniff)...(sniff)"

Savage Orc 2: "What is it? Bro?"

Savage Orc 1: "I think someone is here?"

Savage Orc 2: "Really? I don't smell anyone..."

Savage Orc 1: "He's trying to hide it."

One of them has a really keen sense of smell. I'm sure even I can't detect myself in this situation.

Savage Orc Captain: "Get your weapons."

Before they can pick up the bone clubs that were lying on the ground nearby, I made my entrance.

It's something unique that I developed. By putting a spell circle on my throat, I can release a vast mist with my breath.

Yuon: "Hahhh...."

The mist quickly covered the area.

Muffling the sounds around us and reducing visibility to zero.

Except for me.

They might have , but I developed something much better. Something that will allow me to see in the mist.

My eyes were always closed. Only a few know why; Hero and maybe Ganz. And all of my previous men that were dead by now.

I transported my eyes into the ethereal realm with a forbidden spell a long time ago.

My eyes can see things from the perspective of a ghost. The soul, the ground, and all the other spirits... I can see them all.

Savage Orc: "Tsk... Mist."

Savage Orc Captain: "Get closer boys..."

I moved in quickly while they try to protect themselves from the inevitable.

Yuon: "...Futile efforts"

There were 10 of them. With one slash of my katana, I was able to cut down four.

You'll never see my blade until it has already cut you down.

Savage Orc Captain: "Tsk! Run! Make sure one gets away!"

Hmmph. Were you trying to send information to your general?

Yuon: "Not a chance."

All 6 of them ran in different directions. Some were even throwing grenades and smoke grenades to try and distract me.

I tried to kill the one on the right first so that I can work my way towards the left and kill them all.

!

I approached him quickly.

Savage Orc: "Grr... Hiyah!"

He tried to hit me blindly by swinging his bone club behind of him, but of course, He'll never hit something he cannot see.

Savage Orc: "How about this!"

He was carrying a grenade, not just one but bags of them.

Savage Orc: "DIE!"

Booooomm!!!

The mist that I summoned isn't just any regular mist. It's a magical one that I can form and control at my will.

!

Hundreds of arrows made from solidified mist hit three of them and took them down.

Only two left...

Yuon: "..."

Savage Orc Captain: "Hmmph... You coward."

I was already behind one of them even before the volley of was fired.

Savage Orc Captain: "Greaahhhhh!!!"

Blood spurts out from his decapitated body-

Yuon: "Last one..."

The last guy running was already far away from me. He's almost out of the mist already.

Almost...

Yuon:

Suddenly all of the mist around the area turned into a dome trapping the fleeing orc.

He was trapped.

Yuon: "Any last words?"

Savage Orc: "To hell with you, demon!"

Yuon: "How amusing it is, coming from you demon slaves."

Then the dome shrank into the size of a pebble. The small dome turned bloody red.

Finally...

I went back to Oren's body, which was left alone when they ran away.

Yuon"..."

A cart... and chains?

They chained the corpse of Oren, and it also looks like they were trying to bring him somewhere.

Yuon: "No time speculating things. I have to go back."

I put Oren on my back. I cast the spell to get me out of the area as quickly as possible. I'll just run to the beach.

But before I disappeared.

Shhhhhh......

I swear I heard the wind being cut into two. A flaming javelin was suddenly in front of me, threatening to impale me on the tree nearby.

Luckily the spell got me out.

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.

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(Savage Orc Lord POV)

Savage Orc Lord: "Grahhhh!!! LATE BY ONE SECOND!!!"

I know I threw that javelin strong enough to impale him! That cheating worm!

Savage Orc Warchief: "Calm down, Boss Yeknom. You could just take him down later."

Yeknom: "He's such a coward. Taking out my boys like that and then running away. OOHHH!!! If only I weren't eating those disgusting humies over there!"

A pile of dead paladins was seen on the road near the forest. We burned the bodies to prevent them from being resurrected.

Savage Orc Captain: "By the way, Boss Yeknom."

The calm orc assistant handed a paper to the huge red-eyed orc that carried a dragon bone as a weapon.

Savage Orc Captain: "It's from The Warchief."

Yeknom: "Hmm... Ah... I see."

Yeknom hit the ground with his dragon bone.

Yeknom: "Let's go. We have a meeting to attend."

Savage Orc Captain: "Right away, Boss."

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(Hero POV)

Yuon returned much quicker than I anticipated.

Hero: "You have brought back Oren. Thank you for your hard work."

Yuon: "..."

Hero: "Yuon?"

Yuon: "Hmm... Oh. Yeah... Here I am."

He put down Oren's body on the beach and slowly walked away.

Is he... feeling scared? I don't know what could have made him that way. He looks like a depressed warrior.

Anyways...

Hero: "Gather round."

We are actually in a makeshift tent where we are holding the Circle of Light meetings temporarily.

Most of them (Circle of Light members) just stood to watch in the storming of the beach. They were my backup plan if things went wrong.

Hero: "Hmm... Good."

It seems like everyone's present, except for Harb, of course, who was left to guard the Human Kingdom on Haven.

(Gnom): "Did Oren messed up again?"

Gnom, who wields the Sword and Shield, was the first who speak up against Oren. He always believed that Oren was not qualified to be a Paladin Lord.

His sword and shield were treasures from his family.

Well... I know that, but I had my reasons.

(Gnik): "Calm down. The guy already passed away. His body is in an awful state. I can't imagine he'd be resurrected anytime soon."

Gnik is the one who wields the Two-Handed Morningstar. The morningstar was dipped in holy energies, so it looks like something crafted from gold.

Gnom and Gnik are actually a hybrid race of Ogre and Men. So they're much bigger than the usual humans.

(Yob): "Why are we here in the first place, Hero? Is this some kind of funeral?"

He holds his chosen weapon the Scythe on his shoulder. He said he got it from a legendary Reaper before he joined the Circle Of Light.

(Hero): "Good question, Yob. I am here to show you guys an ancient ritual."

But it's more like experimental.

(Yobab): "What is this? Are you suggesting we do necromancy?"

Yobab wields an odd combination of Flail and Chains.

(Hero): "No, Yobab. It's a ritual that involves the holy light. I present to you, the Crusade Avenger."

An angel rose from a golden spell circle. It was huge and heavily armed. It's a very high-level angel that will stay in this realm as long as it's not defeated.

(Yobob): "Is it a new kind of angel? I know we summon powerful angels already. Is this all the meeting's about?"

Yobob leaned on his Ancient Hammer while talking. Yob, Yobab, and Yobob are triplets. They usually go out together when fighting.

Hmm... Rude as usual. And Ganz... He's sleeping in this meeting. Yuon is acting weird. As for the others...

Nep, another Paladin Lord, was juggling his daggers in the corner. And Tero... was sleeping with Ganz.

(Hero): "It's not that Yobob. Here... Witness the power of the holy light."

!

Oren's body was laid in the middle of the meeting room floated, and the Crusade Avenger stood close to it. They glowed at the same time and after a blinding light.

(All) "Ghh...."

It was too bright. But after the light faded. Oren's body was inside the Crusade Avenger.

Before the armor only housed holy energies to maintain its form but now it housed the body of a human

Oren was alive, and his eyes glowed with holy power.

(Hero): "Behold! With this, any servant of the light will be able to fight more than their life permits. By using the life of a summoned angel."

Nep finally spoke.

(Nep): "Isn't this blasphemy? We're using means similar to necromancy."

(Hero): "It is not. It is very insulting to even compare it to that. This ritual will prove our loyalty even beyond death. I showed you all of this because I wanted you to know that your oath is not over with your death."

The others don't seem to be convinced with the miracle that I've shown them.

(Ganz): "I don't care. Resurrect me, Reincarnate me into a weird angel. I just want to be able to crush my enemies."

(Hero): "And Oren... Show them your strength."

(Oren Reincarnated): "...Yes."

A bow made from divine energies formed in his hand, he aimed at the sea.

Boooomm!!! Boom!!!

The arrows that he released from his bow produced great explosions that sent huge waves towards the beach.

He now drew a huge arrow from his bow. The amount of divine energy was terrifying.

Shoooomm!!!

Once, he released it... The sea split in two for a few seconds. Dead fishes and sea monsters floated.

(Ganz): "Not bad..."

The others now looked a bit convinced, or they might just be amazed at the power.

I breathe deeply before declaring.

Hero: "This... will bring us victory against all the races...."

Not just the Paladin Lords, Even the Paladins can be fused Crusade Avengers.

Yuon looked like he was able to return to his senses when he asked me.

Yuon: "So... what do we call Oren then? He's not a Paladin Lord anymore is he?"

Hero: "A Crusade Lord."