After the sudden assault last night, most of us were preparing for the incoming storm. We suffered a few casualties but with the arrival of reinforcement from various outposts, we managed to fill back the vacancies.

“Do you think they will breach?”

“Considering what had happened last night, anything is possible. We all should prepare for the worst possible outcome.”

Katarinova and I were at the top of the Watchtower, overlooking at the direction where we can the ominous Cloud of Disharmony, hovering on the far distance.

“Is that what everyone was worrying about?”

Krolve asked with a curious expression while staring at the Cloud. Once you get use of how a tree expressed itself, the suspension of disbelief would eventually be at the tolerated level.

“Aye, Krolve. That thing brings bad monsters and those bad monsters will harm Krolve’s friends.”

Katarinova told him with a gentle tone. Hearing this, Krolve had an uneasy expression.

“Krolve, in the coming battle, you’ll play a vital role so that we can secure victory against them. Steel yourself and be brave like the Lion of Herlfen.”

The Lion of Herlfen was a legend of origin from the world of Kiefy and Vefal. It was about the founder of their empire and many tales of his exploit. Krolve, who seems to get along really well with Kiefy, had always asked Kiefy about the various stories of the Lion. I was also intrigued about it but after hearing some of the stories, it bears some similarity with the Arthurian Legend but some of the stories sound incredulous so to speak. I supposed in order to have a strong foundation for national pride, some feats in the legend was exaggerated.

Krolve, upon hearing about the Lion, showed a valiant smile.

“I will protect those in need and vanquish the evils in the hearts of all living beings!”

He wholeheartedly said the signature line of the Lion of Herlfen stories.

“Then, I’ll apologize in advance because I will be heavily relying on you especially your Soul Weapon.”

“I don’t mind, I am always grateful that I can be of use.”

He’s such a kind and pure soul. Also, Krolve’s Soul Weapon and Special Ability is something that every general worth his salt would want by his side.

There were sounds of footsteps coming up from the stair. Kiefy appeared and stood beside me.

“All the preparations are ready. Everything is in place.”

Kiefy reported.

I nodded while still fixing my sight on the cloud.

“Okay, then go and lead at your designated section of defence. Remember to engage the most threatening of Mal’eur but if it’s beyond your abilities, just retreat back into another bunker.”

The summoned are one of the strongest assets on the battlefield, so Kiefy and Vassil are an indispensable force on the frontline for this battle.

“Right.”

He saluted and left. Vassil was already at his station and also…

“Are you sure you don’t want to be at the frontline?”

“… Yes because as a Royal Guard, it is my duty to keep the general safe.”

Katarinova, once again, wanted to be near me during the battle under the pretence that she was to guard me. I said pretence because during our strategic meeting, I can see that she was conflicted on the inside whether she should be at the front or beside me.

I can vaguely guess why she’s behaving like this but I might be misinterpreting it.

She probably truly wished to honour her vow as a Royal Guard fulfilling her duty towards the commander or she’s a maiden in love that had fallen for me.

The latter was ludicrous for as far as I known her, she’s anything but a love-struck maiden. She’s more like a battle-maiden. I can safely think that probability would be the latter. I didn’t know that merely showing kindness by teaching her would win her trust and loyalty but this also means that I had gained some sort of reliable asset- I mean ally in the future just in case that… after we defended them from the Grand Incursion, what would the rest of us summoned would do?

I put that at the back of my mind as we have this battle to think about first.

“Okay then, if you insist.”

-And the three of us departed near the nearest bunker.

--

The sun had fallen and watching the horizon, there was only the silver lining of the unnatural clouds and the distant howls of various Mal’eurs. The howling had started since yesterday as various Mal’eurs was reported to be convergence also since yesterday. It seems they know what was going happen. Even from here, we can felt that the ground was shaking with subtle vibration.

The battlefield was ready as most of the trees on our side were cleared leaving a very large, open ground while the elevation of the ground was varying with small hills and rolling plains. We made fields of trapping pit spikes and spiked barricades as much as possible surrounding the perimeter of the estimated breach space.

There were about twelve bunkers on each line and there are exactly five lines of bunkers walled and surrounded by spiked barricades that we managed to build in these few days so we can last for quite some times. Each bunker has about a sixty mixed of Warriors and Guardians assigned. The Guardians, specialized in defence would block and engage with any Mal’eur trying to break the line and defend the bunker while the Warriors, specialized in offense would attack the Mal’eurs engaging the Guardians. Each bunker has about five or six Eomancers and two or three Healers.

Everyone was tense as they wait especially the first line of defence. With few Floating orbs of light illuminating the surrounding, it was still a disadvantage in terms of senses even though most of the soldiers were bestowed with ‘Clear Sight’, which was a Light White Eomancy Spell. The unnatural aura that the clouds had casted was distorting the perception around it as I saw the air sometimes blurred or the sound was too loud or too soft. So that was what Kiefy and the others had seen, it was as though the natural law was being played around in its presence.

After several tense minutes, the edge Cloud of Disharmony was clashing with the Leylines. With my developed sensitivity in detecting Eomancy Energies, I felt a faint disturbance in the field of the Leylines.

Several minutes passed, the worst outcome had materialized into reality. As the energy within the field of the Leylines was dissipating or rather driven away, the cries and howling of numerous thousands outside the border was rising and the sound of thousand footsteps raged.

Of course, after such cries, there were beastly cries of pain echoing.

I sighed and prepared myself mentally. Tonight would be a long night. Even from this far, I can still see what is happening with the help of Light White Eomancy ‘Far Sight’ that I had casted on myself earlier.

At the first sign of the disappeared energies that prevent most Mal’eur’s from entering, the first Mal’eur that had broken through the breach and ramming through the traps- A white furred beast resembling a huge lion that was the size of a cargo truck, roared greatly that the wind had violently dispersed and it charged into the first bunker in its sight.

It was followed by numerous other Mal’eurs as they barged in like flooding water, stepping on other mal’eurs that fallen into the traps but none was as impressive as the first Mal’eur.

The White Lion with a speed equalling of a speeding car, was the first one nearing the first bunker of our defence when a single gallant knight suddenly appeared in front it.

The White Lion thought that a bug had appeared in front it had casually swiped with its right claw.

It was stopped.

Even though the swipe looked normal, the force behind should be able to uproot trees and smash boulders but yet the recipient of the attack didn’t even budge even though the ground the beneath had shook and cracked.

Kiefy stood there, holding up his shield, [Arkov] that had blocked the right claw. As I observed, he activated [Dispersion] the moment the claw descended and he had enhanced himself with the same Light Blue Eomancy spell ‘Wind Friend’ that I had used last night by making himself frictionless with the air.

Annoyed, the White Lion blurred out and suddenly appeared behind Kiefy, extending its left claw down on him. Of course, I knew that Kiefy’s [Dispersion] was still on as the claw was fully stopped by [Arkov].

After three seconds, Kiefy bypassed the White Lion by dashing and went behind it. Using the momentum of his movement and as it was the peak of when [Dispersion] would release all its pent-up energy, Kiefy swings [Ravda] in wide horizontal arc from his right. From the moment he swung, an invisible force beam shoot out from the tip of [Ravda].

From Right to left, the invisible force beam shot out at every Mal’eur that had spread out on the ground just a short distance away from the White Lion. Although instead of a beam, it was like the scimitar became a gigantic sword, wielded by a god of war as it stopped shooting out after several metres.

The weaker ones were disintegrated under the sheer force while the ones that could withstand was either seriously injured or blown away at a considerable distance. The White Lion itself was injured as it was pushed back and there were many marks of lacerations on its body and its white fur was stained by its own blood.

It was glaring at Kiefy with wariness.

He must have been charging an initial build-up by hitting [Ravda] against his [Arkov] which was killing two bird with one stone. Although Ravda has a limit on how much it contribute to the build-up.

After he done swinging, Kiefy took a taunting stance and roared loudly at the White Lion. It was a form of the most primal taunts but it was effective on both sides.

Our soldiers roared as one and the whole army was invigorated as they cheered and jeered at the same time.

The Mal’eurs, seeing Kiefy devastating attack, was hesitating as they had almost halted in their advance.

Good job Kiefy. That was a powerful display of boosting the morale and scaring the Mal’eurs.

Now, it’s time to mobilize. Even though we won the initiative, in the end, this is a battle that we will inevitably lose if we don’t do something about that Cloud.

Around me, we were standing at a large space that was filled with materials used for construction back on earth and huge stockpiles of salt bags. There are three groups of Eomancers specialized in group casting, one group of specialized Healers and four small groups of soldiers surrounding us.

Beside me was Katarinova and Krolve was behind me.

As I looked ahead, flocks of flying Mal’eurs could be seen from this far and they were heading our way.

“All right Krolve, it’s time to use your Soul Weapon.”

I looked back at Krolve. With a look of determination on his oaken face, he then readied himself.

“Then I will start, [Sanctuary]!”