Aether Beasts

It took us far longer to return to camp than it had for us to reach the gathering area, mainly because many of us couldn't move at full speed due to injuries or having to carry those who could not move, although we still made good time, but not good enough.

The sound of clashing metal, shouting, and screaming reached us as we neared the steel heart, and we didn't need to see to know what was happening. The twin horn had done as Sandra had predicted. Instead of waiting, or healing their injured, they'd pushed on, and the main battle had begun.

"Those with injuries who cannot fight moved around until you are at the back of our forces," I ordered. "As for the rest of you?"

I took a deep breath as my bark armor formed around my body and spikes hot up from the bark around my hands. "We fight."

There was a roar of agreement from the others and we picked up our pace, leaving the injured behind and those carrying the injured behind. I wished we could help them, but we needed to join the battle, and as long as they took it slow and didn't stray from the course, they'd make it back, but to what? That depended on the outcome of things, and I tried to push those thoughts away as I focused on the battle ahead and nothing else.

Both Sandra and Misty ran beside me, both with looks of determination on their face, and I noted that Misty eyes seemed to be glowing slightly while darkish black smoke was rising from around Sandra. It was nowhere near the amount I'd seen when she'd been fighting the moss troll, but I guessed that was because she could control that much yet.

At our increased pace we made it to the battlefield in less than half an hour. We were met by a scene of chaos.

Steel heart and twin horn arcanists fought as steel clashed and clanged while techniques of all kinds and affinities flew. People fell by the dozens and my ears were overwhelmed with the sounds of fighting.

"We need to bolster the front!" I shouted as we charged into the fray.

So far, it looked like we were winning, or at least killing more of them than they were of us, but their forces were far larger than ours, and they kept on coming even as the steel heart pushed them back. The army trailed back all the way down the path and so far into the distance that I couldn't see its end.

"So many," Misty shouted from beside me.

"There cannon fodder," I replied. "Don't expend too much energy, they're strongest are probably in hiding or waiting for the chance to strike."

I pulled aether from my core, formed three impact seeds, and let them loose just as we were about to crash into the side of the twin horn army. My seeds sent arcanists flying and opened up a gap for us. Our group charged in and tore our way to the front of the steel heart line and cheers and shouts of joy rang from the defenders as we moved ever closer.

I fought tooth and nail, striking at any twin horn disciple in range. None put up much of a fight, and it was once again clear that these were nothing but grunts. Disposable soldiers with no talent or skill.

A fireball flew towards me, but I dodged it easily, formed a lashing vine and sent it to wrap around a nearby twin horn arcanists neck. I bolstered my strength using my aether burst technique then spun, pulling the arcanist with me. I used him as a flail to create more space around our group. One of the arcanists on our side took advantage and smashed both fists into the ground. A wave of spiked earth rose up and smashed into an advancing group of twin horn arcanists. Their screams were cut off as they were bruised but none of us had time to gawk at the gruesome display.

More techniques shot towards us, and we blocked, dodged, and retaliated.

Sandra moved around the enemy with speed and agility, sending sharp tendrils cutting through flesh and bone alike. Blood and viscera rained down from the skies.

Misty for her part fought like nothing I'd ever seen before. She moved with such blinding speed that all I saw was a crimson blur. When she stopped long enough for me to catch a glimpse of her, I saw that her eyes were glowing bright and she was using the aether claw technique Zirani had taught her. They looked to be a foot long and vicious. She mowed down enemies with ease, sending more blood flying. I tried to not get soaked, but it was useless. There were too many bodies too tight together, and no matter how many we killed more and more came. We could open up a space, but it would quickly be filled with more enemies the moment we stopped attacking or our techniques ended.

Eventually, we managed to make our way to the front of the steel hear defense, but we didn't join up with the line. Instead, we acted like a vanguard or bolstering force. Wherever it looked like help was needed we would go, and fortify the position.

The fighting must have gone on for over two hours before they finally showed their faces. Twin horn arcanists of a much higher quality burst out of the endless crowd of grunts and charged us, most likely thinking us tired or weak, which no doubt some of us were. But a weak steel heart was greater than a fresh twin horn.

We met them with no hesitation and each of us clashed with one of theirs. Mine was a muscular-looking man with a mask on his face that had two curved horns. He fought like an animal, swinging at me with wild haymakers and strikes, but what he lacked in elegance he made up for in strength and defense. My strikes seemed to bounce off him and when I sent my lashing vine to wrap around his limbs he simply tore them off.

He sent another wild punch at me slower than before and I suspected he was trying to bait me but I wasn't going to fall for it

Unfortunately, a nearby steel heart arcanist saw his false opening and tried to take advantage.

"No don't!" I shouted, but it was too late.

The masked twin horn arcanist increased his speed and grabbed the steel hear disciple. I tried to move to help, but before I got to him, I heard a loud crack and pop as the masked arcanist broke my allies neck.

"Son of a bitch," I growled, and shot two impact seeds at him.

They struck true, but did little but push him back. This guy had quite a defense, although I couldn't tell if it was armor underneath his robes or a technique I couldn't see or hadn't noticed yet. Whatever it was, I needed to get rid of him fast, but I already had a pan for that, something I'd tried once before. It would be risky but could end this quickly. I just needed to get caught with a hand close to his neck as there was nothing protecting it at all.

I shot forward toward him and jumped, raising a leg to kick him. He blocked and sent a punch at me, but I ducked and moved in close and grabbed his neck.

He laughed and I felt his hands wrap around me and begin to squeeze. I groaned, but my bark armor seemed to be holding up, though, from the creaking sound, I wouldn't have long.

I focused and then created a spike in the palm of my right hand, but the pattern was different than I normally used t. It was a little change I'd figured out by myself. The spike formed normally but shot out far quicker than normal. The masked arcanist's eyes widened in shock and he tried to push me away, but it was far too late. Another spike formed on my other palm, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as they tore through his throat before I savagely ripped them out, decapitating him.

His head fell and rolled on the floor, but defeating him didn't give me any time to rest like I'd' hoped and almost immediately more grunts were on me.

I took them apart easily, but they were just replaced by more, and I knew if this kept up, I'd be done for.

"Aiden." Zirani voice warned.

"I can do this," I replied. "I can think of something."

There had to be something I could do, maybe if we killed enough they'd stop or retreat. Maybe our elders would prove better than theirs.

"Aiden, it's over," Zirani said somberly, "If you keep fighting, you will be overwhelmed within the next hour or so."

I let out a roar of frustration as I skewered the head of a charging enemy with one of my spikes. "Damn it!"

I screamed and roared out as I tore the arcanists around me apart. I couldn't run, could I? Leave all these people to die?

"We've spoken about this Aiden," Zirani said. "Don't let the battle blind you."

I was about to respond when I heard a loud horn-like sound. The battle around me seemed to stop as everyone turned to see what it was.

There atop the hill to the west was the vanguard of what seemed to be a large army. One that I couldn't recognize. There were riders atop beasts and many of them held up flags that waved in the wind with crests and symbols I wasn't familiar with, but then the sound of a steel heart disciple rang out.

"Orton! That's the flag of Orton!"

More shouts.

"The Amelias crest! That's the Amelias crest!"

"And the Hiden!"

"The city's come to our aid!"

I felt a wave of relief wash over me as I processed the words. A roar spread through the ranks of the steel heart disciples as the army charged down the hill and into the fray.

Help had come.