Death, blood, chaos and destruction are the only words that can describe the current situation on the front where Finley was sent.
Certainly Necrolimbo's troops are the ones playing with the advantage of terrain, plans, and even magic at times, but still nothing can be done.
"Close the gap, close the. aghe!"
Letting out one last scream before his upper body is devoured by a huge scarlet dog, the hole in the defense looks ready to get bigger, but several people quickly intervene to stop it from happening.
These unlike normal soldiers have an aura full of power around them, while their weapons and armor are more standardized, making them look like a real army compared to the others.
"Jeremy!"
Raising the monstrous one-handed sword, a man with small wrinkles and strands of white hair, points his sword towards the large scarlet dog.
The surroundings seem to fall silent for a few moments, but quickly the sound of air being pierced and a roar of pain escapes from the beast.
It was a virote, a huge bolt pierced the animal's leg with almost surgical precision, leaving the animal completely immobile and lying on the ground.
"Victor!"
"At your orders, old man!"
Shouting loudly as he passes by the so-called "Old Man", Victor charges forward with a spear that is even bigger than he is, making it look comical until he pierces the animal's skull with it.
The animal tries to get up even having its leg pierced by a virote and its skull by a spear, though Victor starts twisting his weapon inside the animal to end its resistance.
"Now, Henrietta!"
"They're mine!"
Cracking the ground with the quick steps she takes, a woman easily six feet tall charges forward with a large shield and axe in hand, giving the sensation of seeing a giant.
He may not be a giant, but he must have a trace of their blood, since his hair is red like fire and from his axe seem to emerge burning embers.
Henrietta with a single leap passes over Victor and falls on the place where the breach had opened, and then closes it with her great shield. Of course, the beasts didn't like this at all, so in full animal will, they pounced on her.
"Gabriel, not yet?"
"Ahh, don't they understand that this is an art! Oh, Golden Tree, give her your blessing!"
Along with the end of the words of the man named Gabriel, a strange golden light begins to surround Henrietta, causing her to smile and let out a fierce cry that fills her with power.
Now recharged with strength, Henrietta raises her axe and lets out a forward slash, slaughtering a large scarlet dog and damaging another.
"Hahaha, more, more, more, come and get me!"
"Aghh, by Queen Marika, do you think I can always heal you!"
"Go to bed if you're horny, now it's time to fight!"
Mocking Gabriel and Henrietta, the leader of this eccentric group lets a fleeting smile show, although it disappears when he notices a golden and red knight approaching.
...Finley pov...
The smell of the corrupted blood of Caelid beasts pierces my senses, while the screams and crashes resulting from multiple battles make me feel at home.
I certainly do not share the incessant craving for constant battle, blood spilled and honor in combat, as do the red-maned Knights following General Radahn.
Still, anyone who was alive during The Great Devastation will understand that battlefields are like home to everyone in those times. It is no longer a matter of wishful thinking, that of feeling at home on the battlefield, as it is second nature to those of us who fight there.
"Burn the bodies of the beasts, also reorganize the front line and replenish the supplies!"
Shouting orders towards the surroundings, and seeing how they quickly put them into practice, I approach the leader of the mercenaries named Marcus.
This is a middle-aged man who is in excellent physical condition, so much so that he almost seems to have avoided the passage of time, except for his face which has some wrinkles and his graying hair.
"Marcus, I never would have thought I would have seen you around these parts again, even more so after that last battle."
"Even I had not thought to return to this slaughterhouse so soon, Finley. But words that were previously mere empty carcasses now do indeed carry significant weight."
Clever old man, now that Leyndell's resurgence and the return of the Circle Lord has been confirmed, yes he is willing to aid in a greater cause to them.
Still I don't judge them at all, each one is mobilized to battle by different factors, be it riches, personal honor or faith in something higher. Besides that they have proven themselves useful, not for nothing are the tiznados a race of strong warriors.
"I see, interests, what moves the world. But you should know that all my words have always carried weight, Marcus."
"Even the ones before?"
"All of them."
Slamming the golden scythe against the blood-stained ground, I raise it again and activate the "Golden Vow" incantation, enhancing the physical capabilities of myself and the nearby troops.
Satisfied with the new amount of strength coursing through my body, I hit the ground with the metal boots and reached the front of the defense line in an instant.
Dozens of scarlet giant dog-like beasts advance forward, looking for the weakest places in the lines of soldiers, at the same time as monstrous crows swoop down and pick off one or another.
"Release the magic bolts!"
"You heard him, Team 6, fire!"
Breaking the rocks that have several magic virots sealed inside them, quickly the sky is covered by a bluish river that knocks down the monster crows.
Seeing all the ravens plummeting down, he brought the golden scythe backwards, and let out several golden rings into the sky. These cut off their black wings, chicken legs and heads, causing scarlet blood to rain down on the battlefield.
"Captain Finley! Captain Finley! Captain Finley! Captain Finley!"
"Silence, eyes forward and weapons raised! The Lord of the Circle has sent us with reinforcements, one last stand and rest will be yours!"
"¡Yes ma'am!"
Listening to the ecstatic responses and watching happy faces of the soldiers, I can only swallow the bitterness I feel internally for knowing what is coming.
I had already had a conversation with Riel, the scout belonging to Marcus' group, she made it very clear that this is merely the froth before the wave... A small prelude before the real bestial wave.
"Why so much worry, wasn't it that your Lord was coming this way?"
"He's coming, Marcus... The thing is how many of our people will fall before then."
Looking easily at the entire surrounding battlefield, I can only shake my head at the possible losses of men... Of comrades who have fought shoulder to shoulder with me, either now or the times before.
"I understand, I don't want to lose any more either... Brothers here. How about we go kill the leaders of the pack, so the boys get some rest."
"Can your old bones even stand to do that crazy thing one more time, Marcus?"
Sneering a bit at this old man who doesn't seem to be remembering his age, I withdrew my straight sword from the scabbard and drew the golden scythe to my right side.
"Hahaha, of course I can give one or two more dances!"
"Crazy old man, I'm sure General Radahn would have been pleased to have you among his ranks."
It is truly amazing how this man's bravery in the face of combat coexists with his cowardice in the face of the mission of the tiznados, although perhaps he simply did not want to carry it out... There were several of that type.