Carving Through

The horns sounded loud and grim, slowly rolling over Tristan's walls like a funeral drum. Beyond the gates, the blood soaked plains churned with living shadows. The restless hunger forcing the corrupted beasts and twisted corpses to gather once more. 

The city still stands, but only for now.

The gate to the north cracks open slightly. Smoke bleeding out of the crack, carrying with it the stink of oiled metal, sweat, blood, and fear.

Lines of knights formed a arrow formation, ready to carve a path through the Black Tide, lead by Lieutenant Lance and his students. Behind them stood parties of Adventurer's specifically recommended by Xenon, each volunteers ready to help with covering the escape and retreat of the knights after they have successfully sent off the Crimson Crows and Gryphon party.

The sound of a metallic heartbeat echoed out, as it's eyes shone light into the field. Atop his motorcycle was Reiji and Nraltia, next to them Souma was riding Kiba. 

The five adventurers of Gryphon each atop their own modes of transportation. Vaelen sat upon a Winged Lion. To his sides were Sable and Kaldin each abroad a giant wingless bird. Behind them was the elf twin sharing a armored Bicorn.

The eight of them were situated inbetween the knights at the front and the adventurers at the back.

Looking down at them from the paraphets, the Guildmaster addresses those below him, each word weighing heavily on their hearts.

"Look around you, at our Tristan. The city yet stands because its people chose to bleed for it, we chose to bleed for it. But we can't stay our hands just yet."

He leads with heavy words, the weight of them reminding those below him what they've fought for.

"You've all seen it first hand. The horrors from 500 years ago, happening right before your very eyes. As a survivor, I assure you that the Black Tide doesn't break. It doesn't tire." He lets the words sink in, eyes hard and steady, a flame burning inside.

"With its commanders defeated, they have been reduced to nothing more than a mindless army. But with time, new commanders will rise, and their numbers will swell. For everyone of us that falls, a new enemy joins them. Commanded by something twisted, something evil."

The defenders lower their heads, fist clenched around their weapons, their brows scowling in frustration, yet non dared to meet the eyes of Xenon. 

Taking in their reactions, his tone deepened, not a warning - but a vow.

"We're not hiding. We're cutting to the heart. Every step we take forward, every strike we deliver, brings us closer to the one behind it all... So steel yourselves. We charge forth, to deliver a final strike into the enemies heart." 

Raising his sword in a deft motion, he barks each word loudly, each sound a spark of flame igniting in the defenders hearts.

"The Crimson Crow party and Gryphon party step forward. Do you swear to be our swords against evil, our heroes to end this corruption?"

The eight of them raise their head, their eyes alight with determination, as they clasp their fist to their heart. "We do!" They roared in unison.

"Then go forward. We will carve the path through the black tide, when the way is clear, charge ahead... Our hopes are with you."

With those final words, the gate swings open, fully revealing the field before them. The defenders smashing their weapons together, ringing the echos of war, as they charge forward, ready to lay down their lives in the hopes of a tomorrow.

Flaming arrows rained outwards, fire tracing arcs through the night. War-cries bellowed from the walls and the charging defenders, pulling the Black Tide towards chaos.

“Charge!”

The first line of defenders crash into the Black Tide. Their spears and swords hacking and slashing, their shields shoving the beast back. They moved with extreme precision, guided by Lance and his students at the spear tip. Each movement of their Ki and mana covered weapon blowing away any beasts that dared stand in their way. 

“For Tristan!” Lance yelled at the top of his lungs, as his aura flared massively, as he and his students unleash a combined strike. Their downward slash, creating a massive wave of energy blasting back the Black Tide.

Reiji surges forward with his companions, his fist blazing black and white, trailing behind him as he shot forward. His fist smashing into a slavering wolf like beast, its skull snapping back in a thunderclap of blood and bones.

Nraltia with one arm around his waist, weaved together strings of spells, lighting up the dark. Blades of ice and fire slashed through the air, cutting down winged monsters - half bat half bird, before they could descend.

Souma disappeared from Kiba’s back, diving in and out of beasts shadow, his lightning blades slashing through each beasts, swiftly beheading them before reappearing on Kiba. 

The Gryphon members work more cohesively, each move creating an opening for another party member to make use of. Vaelen charges forward, slashing his giant warglaive, the beasts are forced backwards, some of them split in two. Using the gap Sable and Kaldin would launch attacks of their own, finishing off the wounded beasts with bullets and arrows. The Elvish twin would then weave their magic to support the party, healing them or blasting another group of enemy to give time for Vaelen to rush them. 

As the Knights pressed forward ahead of them, a gap opened in the writhing mass of evil. With support from the other adventurers, Crimson Crow and Gryphon party, split off, charging through the gap, Reiji at the front, barreling through with his indestructible motorcycle. Any beast that survived the initial crash would be swiftly crushed by his fist.

Nraltia held on tight, her spell slinging fired non stop, turning the motorcycle into a moving turret.

As the two parties broke through, the defenders gathered changing formations from offense to defense. “Hold this position! Don’t let any of them through! We only need to hold out for half an hour. If any of you are going to die, wait until we’re back inside Tristan!” Lance yells as he commands the defenders to form up around him.

The carnage was short, as the two parties broke off, finally pushing through the Black Tide. Within a few moments they were able to see the path towards the Hierophant Empire, their way forward illuminated by the stars and moons above.

Although their path wasn’t devoid of corrupted beasts, compared to the sieging Black Tide, it was like comparing grains of sand to an entire beach.