Reborn 10 - Demonic Valor (5 page)

10-8

Ash continued to push forward. After the last hard fight Ash had yet to find another challenging opponent. Most of that was due to the increasing panic of the enemy forces but also because his guards would all aid him the second a fight took more than a couple of blows. So far he hadn’t even really had the chance to use many of his abilities which was more than a little disappointing to Ash.

Just as he was thinking this a large man on horseback broke through the lines of demons swinging a large two handed sword that was only slightly smaller than the one Tolarea wielded. Ash couldn’t contain his smile as a large floating scythe was hanging above the man’s head.

Raising his hand Ash activated light arrow. As a small three inch long arrow flew toward the horse Ash activated the spell three more times. Light arrow was still weak, it was one of the few abilities he had that could be used at a distance of more than fifty yards with any precision.

When the first arrow hit the flank of the horse it reared up allowing the next two to strike at its exposed chest. While the three arrows only caused flesh wounds to the horse it was enough to send it into a frenzy bucking its rider from its back. Ash didn’t care about the horse and used one more light arrow to make it run in the opposite direction. Ash couldn’t help but to cringe when he saw the massive horse trample two soldiers and a demon in its attempt to escape.

Ash rushed forward not waiting to give the man on the ground a chance to regain his footing before attacking. It was true that Ash was hoping for a real fight but when he was faced off against someone marked for death he would rather have it over quickly. That way his target would have no chance to escape. The call of the experience and abilities was just too great to deny.

Before Ash knew what was happening he heard a loud horn signal not too far away and suddenly everything changed. The soldiers were no longer trying to fight but instead they were trying to retreat. Ash was currently at the edge of the battlefield but he just happened to be at the end where all the soldiers had decided to flee toward.

With such a large force rushing toward him Ash had only one choice to keep his prey. Rushing forward Ash used his MP to bring up a wall of earth around him and the other man. Since he had little time to think about it a soldier who was rushing past at the moment got caught in the formation of the earth wall covering all of him but his right arm and part of his head.

Ash could see the man’s face turn red as he was denied oxygen and the feeble attempts to break free as her arm moved wildly. Then as quickly as it had begun the man’s face lost its color and his eye lost slowly dimmed as life left his body.

“A bad way to die,” the enemy soldier said as he got to his feet and shaking his head. Ash looked at his and held his sword tightly ready to attack. The man didn’t move and instead slammed his sword down burying it nearly a foot into the ground. Thinking that he was up to something Ash took a half step back while lowering his center of gravity.

The other man let out a chuckle as his right hand moved to his shoulder and within a few seconds his thick armor banged to the ground exposing a another layer of leather armor. Next the man pulled the helm from his head and tossed it aside. Within the space of a few heartbeats he was standing in front of Ash while his metal armor lay on the ground at his feet.

“I don’t know why you are removing your armor,” Ash said without moving. “Even if you surrender I would still take your head. You have been marked by the goddess for death.”

“Oh,” the man said with a surprised look on his face. “I wonder what I did to gain her ire. Though maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, this war alone would probably have gained me that mark. You don’t have to worry though I am not surrendering it is just hard to fight on the ground when weighed down. It is great on horseback though,” the man said his voice light and carefree as if he were simply discoing the weather over a cup of afternoon tea.

“Shall we get started,” the man said as he pulled his sword free of the ground. “I don’t think I want to wait for the rest of your friends to get here.”

Though the man’s sword was only a few inches shorter than he was and the blade was half as wife, he was able to wield it as if it weight nothing. When the first strike lashed out, ash quickly brought his own sword up to parry but the blow was so heavy that his sword was almost knocked from his hand and even though he had kept hold it he still felt the numbness run from his hand to his elbow.

“Not bad boy,” the man said with a half concealed smile. “Why don’t we try that again?”

This time Ash noticed the bold flashing words, “Heavy strike,” before the man attack. Instead of trying to parry the strike Ash pivoted back on his right leg and let the sword pass by harmlessly.

Not one to play defense Ash countered with his own ability. Activating phantom strike first to make it look as if he was coming in with an overhead blow then quickly activating wind slash and blood strike in quick succession.

The other man didn’t even try to block the phantom strike as if he knew that it could do no damage to him. Instead be placed his heavy sword in front of his body and took the blade of wind head on causing it to break apart. Ash had a devils smile as he lunged forward with his sword but it instantly disappeared when the larger man used his sword to pull himself away from Ash leaving his blade to touch only air.

When Ash saw the smile on the other man’s face he couldn’t help but think that he was enjoying the battle though if a mirror was present Ash would have noticed that the same smile was present on his own face.

“Guard break,” flashed over the man’s head as he jumped forward his sword still sticking in the ground behind him. The man’s elbow struck out so fast that Ash didn’t have a chance to block it hitting him straight in the nose.

Jumping back Ash wiped the blood from his face as tears began to sting his eyes involuntarily. Gritting his teeth Ash tightened his grip on his sword and let out a deep breath as he closed his eyes as he activated flare. Ash couldn’t see the flash of light but from the startled grunt he knew that it had worked. When he opened his eyes Ash found his target and activated blood strike once again.

Though he couldn’t see the other man still sensed Ash’s movements but he couldn’t move well enough to completely evade them. Ash had aimed for the man’s heart but instead his sword buried itself to the hilt in the man’s shoulder as he moved back at the last minute.

With a grunt of pain the man’s hand shot up and grabbed Ash around the throat. The man’s iron like grip kept any air from being drawn into Ash’s lungs. His face slowly turning blue Ash tried to pry the man’s fingers loose but the man refused to let go of his vice like grip. In a final attempt Ash turned the sword and the man grunted in pain again and his grip loosened slightly. Ash took this chance to twist the sword again as he brought up his left foot kicking the man in the shoulder and separating both himself and his sword from the man.

The man fell down to a knee while his right hand went to the wound on his left shoulder that was wounded. Rising his head he looked at Ash with a thin smile as if admitting his loss. At first Ash didn’t understand until he saw the man get to his feet and try to raise the sword into a ready position.

Ash could clearly see the man’s arm trembling under the weight of the sword. Ash took a deep breath and nodded his head in admiration of the man’s skill and determination before moving forward. Ash’s first strike knocked the weakly held sword aside. Ash didn’t even hear as the sword fell from the man’s grasp and landing on the ground as he was so focused on his attack. A second strike chopped down on the man’s leg as he was bringing it up to kick Ash away and Ash’s third strike left a think line across the man’s throat opening it up.

The man raised his hand vainly trying to stem the tide of blood that was pouring from his throat as his face quickly lost it color. Ash had seen a lot of men die before but for some reason the man’s death seemed like such a waste to him. Even if the man was marked by the goddess he didn’t seem evil. He was just a soldier following orders.

“Tring.”

[You have killed a level 42 person marked by the goddess for death. Since the person was more than five levels ahead of you will receive 14,324,101 experience.]

“Tring.”

[You have received the ability break guard, over boost, and flash step.]

“Tring.”

[You have reached level 37.]

Ash didn’t have time to look at his new abilities or place his stat points with a war going on around him. Using his mana manipulation Ash brought down the wall of earth and quickly took stock of what was happening. After a quick scan he found his guards frantically searching for him about fifty yards away. Ash quickly called to them as he moved in their direction.

Though his personal battle seemed like it had taken forever in truth it had taken less than five minutes so the enemy was still in full rout with the demons chasseing behind them.  Just as they reached the designated area the second and fourth mage units moved out forcing them to move in the desired direction. Ash thought about chasseing after them but in truth he was exhausted after his last battle and even if he was added to the fray there was little he could do at the moment.

As they king’s army was moved farther away the flying corps came in from the front firing bows and casting magic to devastating effects. It was at the point many of the soldiers not knowing what to do dropped their weapons and started to surrender. At first it was just a few but quickly there wasn’t a single person left standing against them.

Ash couldn’t hide the smile that spread across his face. They had won though not without cost. Ash looked across the field where they had fought a noticed a number of demon bodies that would never rise again. With a deep sigh Ash forced himself to take a step forward so that he could join the others and decide on the fate of the captured enemies.

Just before meeting up with Uthla Ash glanced back over his shoulder in the direction of the fort to see Emelia looking across the field of battle her eyes focused directly on him. Ash was too far away to see the smile on her face but he could clearly see the way her hair fluttered in the wind.

Emelia had watched the battle with rapt attention though most of her time was spent watching Ash she did move about to check on how her own men were doing.

Just as she had ordered the men held nothing back. Those that could use magic exhausted their supply of MP casting anything they could on the enemies below while the archers fired arrow after arrow so fast that their fingers started to bleed from the strain.

It didn’t take long for the combined attacks from the fort and the unexpected advance of a demon horde to force the enemy to sound the call to retreat. Emelia didn’t have to check on her mean as the sound of the horn reached her ears as the loud outcries of joy were clearly audible.

They had won the day though depending on how things went they still might not win the war so Emelia had quickly turned her attention back to Ash who was currently fighting against a man she knew all too well.

Knight Captain Regan was well known for his skills on the field of battle. He had been given the honorary title of viscount by the king himself after the last war. Emelia had never met the man but when she saw the heavy sword the man used and the crossed talons on its hilt she knew who he was.

Throughout the whole battle Emelia feared that Ash would lose. It was not that she didn’t have faith in his abilities but Regan was a legend so it was hard for her to see her gentle husband winning against such a man.

Emelia was surprised when Ash blocked Regan’s first attack and even more surprised when he launched one of his own. As the battle continued Emelia watched it as if it were a play put on just for her. With each move Emelia found herself cheering whenever Ash struck and holding her breath when he was in danger.

When Ash made the final strike Emelia yelled so loudly that she feared that everyone within the fort had heard her. Blushing Emelia rose from her seat and quickly canceled her ability before running out of the command center.

Outside Emelia found many of the troops cheering while others were having wounds tended but the vast majority of soldiers were still on the battlements watching the fight between the demons and the king’s arm.

There was quick way to reach the battlements. This was done so that anyone who was able to make it over would have a harder time getting below. At this moment Emelia hated the decision to block off the ramps that led up. Cursing herself Emelia climbed the wooden ladder up so that she could look on the field of battle with her own eyes.

What she saw when she reached the top took her breath away. Small wind tunnels mixed with light struck out against the fleeing army forcing them to turn to the north. The majestic army that had been reduced to less than half its previous size and the ones remaining had lost all will to fight.

Just as it looked as if the king’s army had found a path to escape the sky was filled with large forms that almost looked like oversized birds but when a rain of arrows and magic fell down from the sky the last bit of will left to the king’s army broke and their swords started to litter the ground as they raised their hands in defeat.

Seeing the king’s army surrender was something that Emelia had never imagined even in her wildest dreams. Her best hope what that they could hold off the army long enough that they offered pleasurable terms of surrender for her people.