Green's point of view

We are still making the walls for our defense… None of them have been attacked yet… They should just attack us. They outnumber us over 4 to 1. What fucking cowards. As I think that. I hear the lookout yell.

“Enemies approaching! Something is… Wrong with them!”

The wall we had made is a 10 foot tall wall. Even if they do attack, they'll have to run all the way around to get to us. I head to the wall to see the enemies… They are rushing straight towards us at an insane, inhuman pace. Some rushing at us in a non humanoid running style, down on all fours rushing like an animal. Blood and fresh cuts cover the creatures. This is all I can see before they hit our wall. Scaling it almost instantly, I yell out.

“Elementalists back off! Let the archers pick them off! If we must, we'll fight!”

...That is so unlike me but in this case it is an enemy I don't understand. I would normally be all for rushing in but as I am leading them… I have to think of the group before I go rushing in to fight. The enemies come barreling at us as we retreat. Arrows fly very close as a few dozen archers pick off the enemies. Some have an almost uncanny dodging ability. Dropping back and rushing forwards just as an arrow would strike them. The sheer amount of arrows is the only reason they are being struck by any. They still make it through the rain of arrows to us, the ones pelted with arrows were barely slowed down.

“FUCK! TURN AND FIGHT!”

Just as I say this one of my men get pounced on by 2 of the enemies. I spike through one with an earth pillar but the one remaining tears at the elementalist's throat with his teeth. They had long since abandoned their weapons, choosing to fight like animals instead of humans. I see no life in his eyes… It is as if he is dead and being driven by something else other than life… He is an actual monster.

A few attempt to attack me but I repel them, my men don't fair as well as myself… 2 of my elementalists are killed… 3 injured in the attack… I call for a healer but when they try to heal the bites and scratches… They don't heal over… Instead the flesh only rots away almost at an unbelievable pace. SHIT! My men have survived the front lines of war only to die here on the battlefield! I can't believe this! SOMEONE SAVE MY MEN! As I think this… I hear a small child's voice call out.

Kite's point of view

What the fuck were those things!? I start to become more panicked at the sight of them. Instead of being rendered useless by my poison they instead became some form of undead monster. This has to be Gold's doing… Shit! How do I respond to this… The first thing I should do is try and convince them to not eat the food. That they should be judging this leader as corrupt because of what just happened… I call out.

“What was that!?”

The blood knight calls out to the crowd.

“I… I don't know! Someone had broken into the food storage room earlier and they must have planted something to make the men freak out like that! I'm not sure what they've done but the enemies are far to dangerous to be taken lightly. We must remain vigilant in our fight or this will continue to happen.”

That isn't true at all. They are using my destruction of their food as a more nefarious method of turning weak soldiers into undead elite soldiers with no fear of death… The difference from the men eating the food was extremely vast… I wish I knew more about it but now isn't the time to be fascinated by something. I need to think of something that will show that it is their leader that is doing it. I've already placed propaganda down stating that she is a lich… So it wont be odd for me coming to the same conclusion as a pirate.

“That isn't right! Those were undead creatures! The papers we saw said that our leader is a lich now! Without proof that she isn't a lich, it makes sense that she was the one who caused it! Those weird zombies ran off towards the enemies! She obviously sent them to attack them! Without proof that she isn't a lich, I am heading over to their base and begging for my life so I don't starve to death on this island!”

I hear some mutters of agreement behind me. This might have been the thing needed to stop this war from becoming more bloody. I think that too myself as someone emerges from the main building.

Gold's point of view

What a fool. Not only did they play into my hand several times already but the enemy has also stated the fact that the meat we were serving was human. Without that piece of information, it would have been impossible for the men to change into ghouls. The process takes the knowing consumption of the flesh of another human, also some of my necromancer magic. The process takes a very long time and is very difficult to do without the proper set-up. Whoever this leader is fell right into my hands.

I exit the main building. One of my subordinates is adept as an illusionist, he made me appear as my old self except some slight differences. On my neck is a huge fresh scar from where the enemy had cut me. I walk with a cane now even though I don't need one to play into the sympathy as my men. As this battle goes on it becomes a war of attrition. My men will cave into eating the tainted food. They will rush off to fight the enemies with an insane, unprecedented strength. Die, hopefully taking a few with them then repeating the process. All of the corpses piling up on both sides become fodder for war later on.

The longer this battle plays out, the better it is for me. I come out and address my men. The one making a fuss must be a spy. I had expected this much but I have to play the weakling for now so I wont make a big deal about him. If I act as if I know he is a spy right now, my men will perceive that I know more than I am letting on… I start to drain siphon his mana… This mana is similar to the man who tried to kill me… So rich and delicious. His mana is like drinking a fine wine. All of the mana from my other men taste like liquid shit compared to his mana source. I don't know why his mana is so special though, if I can. I would like to make him a prisoner so I can drink from him every day. I address my people… Talking in a very low tone as I clear my throat to emphasize the fresh scars on my neck.

“Men… I have come to address you today because we are under threat by a serious enemy. One that will not pull a single punch against us. Not only did they attack our food, our equipment, and our boats. They also attacked me while I had slept. I didn't want you to see me like this… But the current situation has become this desperate. The enemy is now using these new dangerous tactics to gain more allies. Those ghouls didn't run off to fight against the enemy. They ran off to join their master. If you leave now, you'll be turned into one of those creatures to fight in their army as an undead abomination.”

I turn to look at the food, picking it up and sniffing it as if I am disgusted by it. I cough slightly as if my throat scar is in pain.

“This food, it is laced with some odd type of poison… The mere smell makes me slightly sick… The enemy has also infiltrated our ranks. They are spreading false rumors to try and get you to leave and join them. If they were just trying to fight us normally, I would have no problem with surrendering to them and listening to their demands. But because they have chosen such a deceitful way of fighting they are obviously in it for nefa… THAT MAN THERE IS ONE OF THEM! He is the one who attacked me!”

I point at the red head now wearing a set of armor he had stolen from us. All of my men close to him turn to face him. He looks slightly worried trying to think of a response. If he attempts to fly my husband will launch more blood weapons at him. His mana should be close to completely drained by now. I feel far stronger after soaking up his mana. I await his response.

Kite's point of view

S-shit! How do I respond to being spotted! How did she know it was me!? I was wearing a mask when we fought! I try to think quickly as the men surround me. I go to turn into my dragon form to run but I can't! SHIT! I knew she could drain mana why didn't I anticipate this. I will have to bluff as I think of something else.

“What are you talking about!? I've joined your army several months ago. I am no spy.”

The men have me completely surrounded now. Of course they would believe their leader over some random person. This is bad! I remember all the things I had previously thought about. If I get caught then I could be tortured. The men are too close to me now. Even if I pull out my weapon, I doubt I could swing it with enough force to hurt anyone. No mana to use any of my magic, it will take time to use mana recovery… I guess I'll have to improvise a strategy.

“If I was a spy why would I question your orders? Wouldn't that bring intense scrutiny to myself?”

Some of the men turn to face her and she says.

“Detain him.”

Before they can turn back around I jump into the air and kick two in the face. Being so close range, the only thing I can do is use my unarmed fighting experience. I start dancing to avoid the attacks. Throwing in leg sweeps to the people in front of me while jumping passed them to get out of the building through an opening. If I make an attempt to run towards our base on the island or our ships, I wont make it.

I jump down from the second floor of the building landing on the ground, I hug the wall as several other pirates jump down to chase me… It will be far more difficult to strike me from the second floor now. With my cover blown I half expected Lance and Leon to jump in. Leon must have held Lance back because they didn't act. They know they're more helpful as spies right now. I rush along the wall as more people continually jump down from the second floor. I need to get to a different side of the building or I wont last against the enemies jumping down. Using my superior movement speed I stay outpaced of everyone falling behind me… Still the amount of people giving chase is far too many to shake off.

As I run I punch my way through the ones who landed in front of me, not slowing down at all. A cluster of pirates jumps right in front of me. I wont be able to punch my way through this crowd and if I take too long fighting the ones chasing me will catch up. I could possibly jump over them but if any can read where I'm going to land they could easily throw something where I am going to be. Or even get into place to attack me if they can run fast enough. I check my mana... Just enough. I guess I need to pull out one of my trumps. I hope Lance and Leon aren't watching this fight.

I throw a flash bomb at their feet, continuing to run towards them I shield my ears with my hands and close my eyes. Men fall down screaming in agony as I get pelted in the back with several blood weapons. The blood knight had thrown them before the bomb went off. The attack ate up most of the mana I had left. I'm looking in bad shape. His attack also struck some of his own men, his accuracy is awful with it but just the sheer number of blood weapons thrown... I jump up towards the second floor of the building. I'll run through it now that the people who have seen my face have all jumped down to catch me.

I'm in bad shape already… This armor isn't well made. If I had my own crafted gear it would have helped stop some of the weapons but almost half a dozen are still dug into my back. Even with him losing sight of me he still controls the weapons. I feel them dig more in my back as I rush towards the opposite side of the base. I might have recovered enough mana to change into dragon form by then.

The swords continue to dig in… it feels like they are spreading out now… Almost soaking into my blood to poison me. My health continues to slowly drop… If I reach 10% I might pass out… I need to focus on getting away as I cut the blood weapons out of my back with my heirloom sword before putting it away. I start yelling.

“HELP! They found a spy over on that side of the base. They need all the help they can get!”

The few people who have seen my face might not take a second look at the person calling for the capture of the spy. I rush through the base and jump from the second floor and fall down onto my side. The blood weapons have the same effect as poison but can actually effect me. The little I still have left in me is starting to spread out and shut down my limbs… Potentially my organs unless I get treated… I have enough mana to try something but… Do I change into dragon form or try to use control blood to force the blood poison out of me…

If I pass out I'm done for. I start to force the liquid that doesn't feel right out of my body. If I hadn't practiced this yet I would be in a very bad spot. I force it out and almost black out from blood loss. I had bitten down on my hand and I think the pain is the only thing that kept me awake. I crawl to my feet and start moving towards one of the freshly constructed walls, I still wouldn't have enough time to use mana recovery. Some pirates have just rounded the corner of the building… I'm not sure how long removing the blood poison had taken.

I feel lightheaded, this is bad… I can't run my full speed and I feel them getting closer. I could throw out a heal in a few more seconds. I'm getting closer to the wall, I need to make it their… I turn and check dozens of pirates are now chasing me. Turning back around, I trip over a stone. FUCK! SOMEONE HELP ME!

Gobber appears in my vision and yells out.

“ARCHERS!”

Several dozen automatons poke their head up over the wall now and fire at the pirates. A dozen pirates mowed down in the same volley. They start to retreat as they aim another volley. Very few pirates make it back to their base who had chased me… I breath a sigh of relief before casting a heal on myself and stand up to jump the wall. I'll have to rethink my strategies now that this has happened.