Chapter Fourteen: Assaulting the Valkyr

*

Footsteps crushed foliage underfoot, the darkness limiting visibility. Already, the groups had split towards their own destinations for the raid. Each had their job, and he needed everything to be taken care of. Time and surprise were of the essence, and wasting either would benefit nobody but their enemies.

As much as he wanted to chide his group, the elite hit squad, he made as much noise as them, if not more. His specialty had never been stealthy movement, and to expect their ability to be stealthy when they were selected through completely different criteria would only be a criticism of his ability.

But no, their specialty would be perfect for their mission. The speedsters were with group three, led by James. The hard hitters were with Josh. His group was purely made up of those with more balanced builds and that could meet his stringent standards. As much as he also needed speed and strength, he needed balance more.

Speedsters like James and Olivia were experts at evasion and battles of attrition, and Josh’s team were more like explosives. They could unload their power but would inevitably lose to battles of attrition.

And Aiden had great confidence that this night would become one chaotic battle of attrition with the Valkyr Town as the main stage. With the time available to him, he’d done what he could. Everything going forward would be all about moves and countermoves, attack and defense, adapting and reacting.

Granted, having the initiative helped. Being as outnumbered as they were on the grand scheme of things, he could only hope they could make as big of a splash against the Valkyr with little to no losses on their own.

Which was something he was concerned with. Most of those that were out running the raid were veterans, but killing monsters wasn’t the same as killing Valkyr, Celestials, or the strange wolfish people that allied with the Valkyr. His biggest concern was that when push came to shove, his people wouldn’t be able to do what they needed to do.

After his speech, he’d felt the bloodlust and desire for combat, but plenty of time had passed since then. If those selected couldn’t follow through with what needed to be done, the losses would be catastrophic. He wished he had more time to prepare them, to run exercises against people to teach them how to fight, but that wasn’t something he could afford.

The time to strike was now, and there were no two ways around it. Allowing the Valkyr to fully reform their ranks within the Valkyr Town would be a disadvantage they wouldn’t be able to overcome, and if their forces weren’t whittled down, the inevitability of the Dragonborn falling was simply a matter of time. He could hope they would come to their senses and fight with him, hope that they’d realize that Zion wasn’t their enemy, and take up arms to defend themselves against the looming threat of the Valkyr conquest.

But those hopes were not expected outcomes. The Dragonborn had been on the defensive and had never taken initiative to push out of their territory, which was both good and bad. The Valkyr’s resources grew as their aggressiveness paid off in spades. Even the Celestials, the ones most outfitted to push back the Valkyr and stand up to them, were more defensive in nature.

Only he, with Zion’s support, could do something to prevent an inevitable future where the Valkyr prevailed above all. Remaining idle now would be their downfall, so he had to bet everything there and then.

So as quietly as he could, he led his people from the front, their numbers spread out and vigilant. With Isaac by his side and Shadow behind enemy lines, constantly updating them on the locations of the scouts and defending forces outside of the Valkyr Town, they moved forward, moving as fast as they could without making their enemies aware of their movements.

The trek to the Valkyr Town had taken an hour. Now that they approached, he heard movement and signalled a halt to their advance. Gesturing towards Isaac, he crouched behind the closest tree, summoning Blizzy to his position and back from her advanced position where she’d been scampering around and assassinating those Valkyr closest to them.

“What is it?” Isaac whispered, crouching beside Aiden.

“I need a final update before we push the enemy lines.” His heart beat in his chest, excitement and wariness warring inside. “This will be the last time we talk before I sound the retreat. You know your job here, right?”

“I do, and there’s been little change. Shadow and Blizzy have done well to sneak around and take down the scouts before they were able to sound the alarm and alert the Town.” There was a hint of glee in those eyes, barely perceived in the low light provided by the moon. “As far as we can tell, the Valkyr’s vanguard is still recovering in the Celestial Town. Seems like they’re trying to fortify as best as they can before returning.”

“And how long ago did you receive that information?” Aiden asked, just to be sure there wouldn’t be any surprise interventions.

“Less than half an hour ago,” Isaac reported, looking around nervously and twitching at every broken branch and ruffled leaf. The fact their group made so much sound as they moved clearly aggravated him, but it made sense, being a stealth specialist and all. “The longer we wait, the less time we have to do what we came to do.”

“I know that,” Aiden growled, fighting the urge to call off the raid. “Fine, pass on the message. We move in sixty seconds. Everyone needs to remain as concealed as they can while they fan out. When our cover is blown, stealth goes out the window.”

“Got it,” Isaac said, turning away. He shot a look over his shoulder. “See you on the flipside.”

Then he was gone.

Aiden pet Blizzy’s head and pursed his lips. “This is for the best. I can’t see any other way.”

He counted down in his head, listening to the barely hidden movements of his people fanning out and approaching the edge of the forest. All the trees had been cleared around the Town and were used to bolster the defensive structures or construct different buildings within.

While he had a few seconds, never letting the countdown falter, he took stock of what they had to face. The walls were far shorter than that of Zion’s, but there were three layers. Gates had been constructed offset to each other. The first gate was in front of them, but the second they’d have to progress through was to the left or right. To pass through the second gate, they’d have to travel through a fair distance. This pattern continued for each gate.

Watch towers without a way to ascend stood high above the walls, and Valkyr watched and waited within. Every few seconds, coordinated flashes of light lit up the forest edge.

The Valkyr really took control of this Town. If there were none of the wolfish people, I’m sure there would be no gates at all, he thought with fifteen seconds until their attack began. Looking past the outer layers towards the center, he could see a Valkyr unlike any others, an Angel with a glowing spear of light and flashy silver armor. One of the Valkyr leaders…

Just as he knew she’d be there, the Angel waited with a deep smile as the time ran out. He crept forward as fast as he could with the help of Dancing Winds, stepping out from the concealment of the forest as Blizzy sprinted ahead, her body far better at making pace across the open ground without being seen.

She made such great speed that she reached the tower before he’d made it halfway and leapt as high as she could, furling her wings out and gliding to the bottom of the tower’s basket. Using her claws and the power in her back legs, she ascended and leapt up and over the side, sending the two Valkyr to a quick and permanent rest in a matter of seconds.

Good girl! he sent over their bond.

She continued to make her way across the outer wall and towards another tower, nearly making it before the Valkyr watchmen lit things up and started the raid in earnest. In the tower Blizzy leapt into, a ball of light shot up into the sky and exploded, lighting the Town as if it were daytime.

Each watchtower, besides the one Blizzy had already handled, sent up their own balls of flashing light. The sound of battlecries filled the air as the raiders of Zion earnestly charged.

Aiden rapidly blinked away the stars in his vision as he thrust his palm forward, a prepared Glacial Fang slamming into and shattering what was left inward. The first assailant passed him, leaping through, and was quickly followed by many more.

Above him and some ways down the wall, the other watchtower on this side started their own retaliation. Manifested arrows of light sprang forward from their bows in rapid succession.

Rather than let them go uncontested in their defense, his people returned fire with whatever they could until the watchtower collapsed to the ground in a heap of wooden fragments and different Essential ability residue.

But that didn’t stop the Valkyr as their wings carried them up above and out of range of most of their abilities.

This, Aiden couldn’t—and wouldn’t—allow.

He slammed forward with his left hand, targeting the farther of the two with Arctic Gale who was just barely within range, and launched Hoarspike. He quickly cast Ice Wall to stop the arrows of light from ripping into his combatants, but the wall didn’t hold long. An Ice Shield popped into place in the same area just as the target of his Horspike fell.

Never once had he stopped casting Icy Touch, continuously empowering Silver and its blade made of Arcane Channel and his Ice Discipline. Once he had the bare minimum Shards required, Proliferation doing its due diligence just in time, he sniped down the second Valkyr, looking away before he saw the body land unceremoniously next to its comrade.

Now that their advance would be safe for the moment, he moved within the walls, eyes blazing with fury and bloodlust.

No mercy.

*

Why did I want to do this? I could’ve just stayed back and done nothing!

Tauvar screamed at the top of his lungs as a flash of light burned into his side, but he didn’t stop advancing. The spear at his side shot forward and skewered the offending Valkyr as he turned and blasted out with a Shockwave. Paralysis robbed the enemy combatant of the ability to move.

Approaching, he didn’t allow himself to think as he ran his second spear through their heart. The noise of shrieking armor buckling under his attack, the wet sound of ripping flesh, and the groan of pain as he drove deeper made him want to vomit, to throw down his weapons and run as far as he could.

But he’d asked for this fight knowing the enemies were weak, knowing his group would be massacring these forces.

The concept had been more glamorous than the act itself. Seeing the confusion, surprise, desperation, fear, and regret as the life faded from their bodies made the reality of war crush down on him as he stood in the center of more than two dozen of the Valkyr.

Unprepared couldn’t even describe the enemy forces. They’d fallen like a farmer’s crops during harvesting season, incapable of standing against the overwhelming force of the second group.

Looking around, the dregs of their battle were being rounded up. Those who had surrendered were herded like cattle towards Josh who lorded over them, who watched with unwavering apathy.

Even knowing what would happen, Tauvar couldn’t look away from the bruitish boy, couldn’t look away from the inevitability of the Valkyr’s fates. He wanted to make a suggestion, something that would end the massacre, but he couldn’t find the words or willpower to speak them.

Not when he’d mercilessly killed so many himself. To suggest mercy now?

Foolish.

And Tauvar hadn’t become as powerful as he had in the time he’d been in Midrath by being a fool. Trying to save the lives of the enemy in some kind of honorable act of mercy and righteousness would amount to nothing but trouble.

He could see it in the eyes of the others. The defenseless Valkyr were of no threat, nor had they ever been, and their blood bonded his group together. In more than a few eyes, he could see the realization of what the rest of the night would entail and what the future of Zion would look like.

Them or us, and enemies of Zion deserve no mercy, he thought to himself, though, he couldn’t figure out if he believed those words or if he was lying to himself in order to force the belief upon himself. The image of that guy, Aiden Pearce, the leader of Zion, popped into his mind. He wouldn’t feel this way about enemies, he said so himself. There is no mercy for them. They stand in our way and want to stop us—no, they want to kill us, claim the throne, and invade Earth. War is inevitable, with them or with anybody else who stands in our way.

Clenching his teeth, he schooled his face as the squelching of Bartholomew met flesh and the screams of the remaining Valkyr filled the night’s air.

But like this? His mind whispered those doubts in the back of his mind no matter how hard he tried to push them away. Surely, there is another path. They could’ve been—what, enslaved? Made into allies?

He shook his head as the last Valkyr met its end by Josh’s hand, the massive spiked club leaving little doubt whether or not their enemies survived their execution. Tauvar looked away from the crumbled piles of gory remains, barely managing to keep the contents of his stomach to himself.

However, others weren’t as lucky. The sound of vomiting echoed across their fighting line. More than a few people crumpled to the ground in a hysterical mess of blubbering tears and snot. Tauvar remained standing, though he had to clench his fists tightly to stop his hands from shaking.

Whether or not he agreed with what had happened, they’d come to do what they needed to. Their group’s mission wasn’t over, not by a long shot. He took a deep breath to bark orders to those that had fallen, only to realize Josh and him were the only two still capable of fighting.

Josh’s eyes locked onto him, his face and body covered in layers of blood, sweat, and grime. Those eyes acknowledge Tauvar, recognizing his strength of will and prowess in combat. In those eyes, he saw a kindred spirit, the slight clenching of their leader’s jaw and the tight fists betraying the bruitish boy’s inner thoughts.

He’s like me? Tauvar realized. Nodding towards the other warrior, he turned in the direction of the Dragonborn and sucked in a deep breath. One of us has to go.

“Stop.” Josh’s voice carried across the distant despite being little more than a whispered command. He crossed the distance and stood in front of Tauvar, towering almost a head higher. “We’re not fit to continue the mission. They won’t be of any use to Aiden like this.”

“What are you saying?” Tauvar muttered, his voice surprisingly loud in his ears yet hoarse and strained. “He’s waiting for us to reinforce their position at the Valkyr Town. We can’t abandon him.”

Josh gestured towards the others. “We’d only get in his way, and it’s our responsibility to get them all back safely. That comes before all else, and I know he’d agree with me. Trust me, he’d skin us both alive if we tried to bring them to fight like this.”

Despite how confidently Josh spoke, Tauvar could see and hear the uncertainty in the way he spoke and looked around. He sounded conflicted, like he wanted to rush there now to help but at the same time wanted to return with the rest of the group.

Ever since arriving, Tauvar had looked up to Josh, James, and Aiden as powerful, unwavering people. This raid showed him they might’ve been powerful, but they were people just like him and the rest of Zion. They’d just fought the fight longer than the rest and were more accustomed to the harsh realities.

But seeing Josh then, he knew that this was something even he hadn’t experienced, not like this. This was something they’d all have to carry with them together, even if the cause was just.

“Why did you volunteer to come with this group?” Josh suddenly asked.

“I didn’t want to be left behind, to sit in Zion and wait for an unknown outcome,” Tauvar weakly replied, his eyes wandering to moonlit corpses.

“Do you regret coming now?”

Is this some kind of test? He thought about his answer for several long seconds, shaking his head. “I’m not fond of ignorance, and had I not come, someone else would’ve had to experience this in my stead—maybe Kendra. This is the reality of our situation, no matter how shitty it is.”

Josh did something Tauvar had never seen before.

He smiled.

“I knew I saw something in you. I think we’ll get along just fine, Tauvar.” He held out his hand, and Tauvar took it. “I’m glad you’re out here. Not sure I could handle all this by myself, to be honest.”

“All of what?”

“Well, someone’s gotta round everyone up before native monsters smell the blood, Dragonborn come scouting the border now that the Valkyr aren’t harassing them, or a stray Valkyr patrol comes along us. Wouldn’t want anybody to get themselves hurt or die while feeling too sorry for themselves,” Josh explained, letting go of Tauvar’s grip and turning to the mass of slumped humans wallowing in despair. “I don’t have the patience for this kind of stuff.”

“I get that. You seem more like the type to have eaten nails with sawdust for breakfast as a kid,” Tauvar joked, a small chuckle escaping his lips. “Might’ve even used sandpaper as toilet paper.”

“You know it,” Josh said, turning away. He made it two steps before looking over his shoulder. “Wipe your tears before you round everyone up. I’ll keep watch in case anybody tries something funny.”

Tauvar wiped his eyes, and sure enough, wet streaks had made their way down his face. Within seconds, any semblance of his shame disappeared, and he got to work trying to get everyone to their feet and moving back the way to safety.

Flashing lights exploded in the sky not too from where they were, but he knew their forces wouldn’t set foot there that night. After sending a final prayer for the safety of his people to whatever god, demon, or higher being might’ve been listening, he got to work.

Kneeling, he rested a hand on the shoulder of a girl that looked to be his age. “Hey, I know it’s hard right now, but we’ve gotta move…”