The 100 Days War - Chapter 15

“Are you ready?”

The man beside man laughed anxiously and rubbed the back of his helmet. “I’m a bit nervous, my lady.”

“Oh? Are you uncomfortable standing beside me?”

“It’s more like…I don’t know how my countrymen will react to seeing me again?”

“If they even recognise you.”

The man bellowed loudly. “Of course, there’s that too, my lady.” He looked down at the adventurers surrounded by the Machai and crossed his arms. “Is that-?”

“Do your job - I’ll do mine.”

“As you command, Lady Mania.”

“Go. Prove to me that you were worth all the time and effort I took in Awakening you.”

***

Prince Augustus’s men had gained little ground since Kella and Dante’s teams went to flank around the side of the walls.

They had managed to place ladders against the walls, but they were still being pelted with arrows and magic, much more intensely than they had been since breaching the first layer.

Worse, skeletons, led by liches, had descended from the second layer’s walls onto the first's, meaning that there was intense fighting happening all around and the prince’s forces were gaining little ground.

We just need to punch through in one place and we can win this whole battle!

“Countrymen of the Holy Empire, cease your pointless struggles!”

That voice-!

All eyes turned up to the gatehouse of the second layer and the man in all black armour.

His commanding, loud voice coupled with his beautifully decorated evil armour captured the attention of both friend and foe alike.

A sense of unease quickly spread across Prince Augustus’s forces.

It was then, after hearing that familiar voice and seeing that suit of armour that Prince Augustus knew that they had lost.

Lawrence, the Divine Paladin of the Holy Empire of Themis, stood before them as an enemy.

***

To Jessica’s surprise, the adventurers had done well against the Machai.

Almost two hundred had died and another fifty had been badly wounded, but the adventurers themselves had only lost twenty-three of their own and to a few wounded.

It was, to put it lightly, a result Jessica was not pleased with.

The Machai were a precious resource to the Demon Empire and they were meant to be elite soldiers.

To think that common C and B ranked adventurers could handle them so easily! We’ve lost almost three battalions worth already! Jessica bit down on her nails hard, almost breaking one in two.

Despite her earlier intentions to deal with Kella, Jessica had held back after hearing Cain and Lucy struggle against Dante. Then, she had seen the surprisingly good coordination of the adventurers and felt it best to stay out of the fight.

Best to be safe than sorry.

“I’m going to demand satisfaction from Abaddon later.”

Mania’s sudden appearance at her side startled Jessica. She quickly greeted her master and then redirected her attention to the encircled adventurers - no, it was more accurate to say that they were starting to break through.

“I’m sorry, Lady Mania! I thought that four hundred would-!”

“It’s not your fault - Abaddon has over-estimated his soldier’s worth, and our enemies have become stronger than the Holy Legion.” Mania sighed and took her whip off her belt. “Normally, I would worry about how I’d explain this to the Demon Emperor, but I think that Abaddon will suffer the worst punishment for this.”

“…Are the Hysminai much stronger, Lady Mania?”

“They’re disciplined, level-headed and they strike only in tight, perfect formations. I wish his majesty had sent us some to defend Atryus, but it is what it is. Jessica, remember, capture as many of them as you can with your barriers.”

“Of course, my lady!”

***

Kella’s spear pierced another Machai’s skull.

She withdrew it, parried two more Machai’s attacks and let her companions dispatch them.

Numerically speaking, the adventurers were winning the fight as they’d defeated more than they’d lost, but there was one thing they were lacking in when compared to their opponents’ - stamina.

The Machai seemed to have a never-ending amount of energy for the fight, whereas many of Kella’s adventurers were starting to move more sluggishly as they were denied a moment’s rest.

It’s a textbook strategy for Dav-the Demon Emperor to pull, just like he did with Themis. Kella spun her spear around twice and cut down three more Machai. But I don’t understand why they aren’t using their archers to take us down.

Jessica said to try and keep us alive, but they aren’t using any archers or mages. Not to mention. Kella glared towards the priestess talking to a scantily clad woman. Jessica hasn’t moved from that spot either.

Then, the woman and Jessica looked directly at Kella.

I knew it!

The woman wielding a whip leapt into the circle of Machai and, with a single strike, cut down half a dozen adventurers.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Kella - I am Mania, one of the Demon Emperor’s most powerful aides.” Mania licked her lips as she eyed up Kella’s body. “I can definitely see why Master favours you.”

Kella frowned a little, her grip tightened on her spear. “What did he tell you?”

“Nothing, other than he wanted you brought to him alive and well.” Mania giggled and cracked her whip. “If you would just surrender, you’d both save us a bit of time.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Oh?”

“The man I loved is dead and he isn’t coming back.”

Mania purred softly. “I wonder - who is it you’re trying to convince with that lie, little one?”

***

“I am sure many of you know who I am, and I am sure many of you wish to ask why I’m standing with your enemy, but all shall be revealed in time. I was the Divine Paladin of Themis, until the day your old empire fell. After weeks in the care of my emperor’s people, I have awoken to the truth of this world - Aangapea is the rightful property of the Demon Emperor!

“All those who stand in his way and deny him what is his are the evil ones!

“Countrymen!” Lawrence threw one of his arms out to his side, brushing his cloak aside, revealing his now cursed, blood-red holy sword dripping with a sinister aura. “There will be no victory for you this day, nor any other day!

“I see among you many old friends of mine, my former brothers and sisters of the Holy Paladins.” Lawrence smiled beneath his helmet. “I implore you - surrender and join us. Lay down your arms and give yourselves to the Demon Empire, and the promise of a better tomorrow for all of Aangapea!”

“You traitor!” Prince Augustus’s rage could no longer be contained. “You abandoned us, you abandoned your homeland, and dare preach to us about how we’re evil?! To think that one of the great warriors of Saint Themis would turn her back on her empire, and declare himself for the monsters who destroyed our homes. You are not the man I thought you were, Lawrence!”

“I’m hurt by your words, Augustus.”

“That’s Prince Augustus to a traitor like you!”

“…Your words cut me deeper than you know, old friend.”

“Don’t you dare-!”

“If any of you wish to accept my offer, you have until I have finished talking to do so. After that.” Lawrence’s hand wrapped around the hilt of his blade. “I will cut you down without mercy. Even if you should surrender after that point, you will not be spared. Now, who here will join me?!”

A third of the prince’s forces defected as Lawrence spoke.

Almost half turned and ran away with all their might.

Only a fifth of Prince Augustus’s army stayed to fight, at first at least.

Upon seeing their comrades desert or defect, they broke and were routed.

“Such a shame.” Lawrence drew his sword and leapt down onto the battlefield. Within three seconds, he had slain twenty men. “I wish it hadn’t come to this.”

It’s over, Count Barthlow.

No, it’s more accurate to say that you truly did underestimate our enemy.

They knew we were coming and who we were sending where; if they didn’t, how else could they have created the perfect weapon to dispatch us?

With tears in his eyes, Prince Augustus turned his horse around and rode with great haste from Atryus.

The battle was lost.

***

Mania’s whip curled towards Kella’s torso, but the adventurer slid beneath the attack, before breaking into a sprint towards Mania. She thrust her spear at the succubus’s face, but Mania laughed and gently pushed it to one side with her free hand. Then, Mania kicked her heel at Kella’s stomach, but Kella managed to block using her spear’s shaft.

The impact, however, sent Kella rolling backwards several feet and over many of her dead comrade’s bodies.

It’s much harder to fight on a battlefield covered in corpses, she cursed in her mind.

If there was one thing Kella was confident in, it was her ability to fight in fairly open spaces with her spear - she could strike her opponent at a safe distance and manoeuvre without worrying about what she might hit.

However, Kella had to check every step she made, every low cut and sweep she went for.

Mania, however, had enough confidence not to worry about such matters.

Her control with the whip was so masterful that Kella wasn’t sure how to counter her offenses.

That said.

She’s holding back.

“…Why aren’t you fighting me seriously?”

“Little one, I’m sure you already know the answer.”

Kella ground her teeth together and shifted her stance slightly to give herself better footing. “How much did he tell you?”

“Nothing, other than to spare your life. But.” Mania laughed. “I always know what the Demon Emperor is up to.”

The two women charged towards each other again, with Kella unleashing a flurry of swift thrusts, but Mania easily dodged every single one. Then, the succubus sliced her whip three times, each drawing blood, but none of them stopped Kella from fighting.

Kella drew in even closer to Mania, putting herself at a disadvantage, then threw her spear with all her might at the succubus.

Mania reflexively bashed it to one side just as Kella’s second attack, a throwing knife, grazed Mania’s cheek.

With a small shriek, Mania grabbed her lightly cut cheek, staring daggers at the adventurer.

“You bitch!”

Kella smirked and spat to the side. “If you aren’t going to take this seriously, then I’m going to make you pay for it.”

Mania lost all of her playful energy as she stabbed her heel into Kella’s spear, breaking it in two.

Just as she was about to move forward again, someone zoomed over her head and scooped Kella into their arms.

“Dante?! What are you-?”

“It’s over, Kella. We’ve lost.”

They landed just outside the encirclement as Dante used all his remaining arts energy to blow a large gap in the Machai’s ranks, giving the adventurers a chance to escape.

“You won’t get away!”

Jessica raised five large barriers around them, but Dante swung his scythe once, destroying all of them at once.

“Retreat!”

Dante leapt off the walls, Kella still swung over his shoulder, and the remaining adventurers attempted to flee.

Some were captured or killed by the Machai, others Mania cut the tendons in their legs, but almost twenty-five adventurers escaped with their lives.

“Dammit!” Mania leapt onto the walls, ready to pursue them, but she stopped herself before she did.

The Demon Emperor’s orders were clear - repel the attack, let some of the survivors escape with their lives and do not pursue them into the Free People’s territory.

They needed word of the battle to spread and they needed as many horrified witnesses as possible.

I can’t believe Dante and Kella escaped again! Master’s going to be furious with me!

***

It took two days for the last survivors of the invasion to return to the refugee camp.

Prince Augustus and twenty of his knights were the first to return.

They reported that the attack on Atryus had failed.

Then, three of Count Barthlow’s men arrived, exhausted and on the brink of death.

They said that Count Barthlow had been killed and the army routed.

With no other choice, Lord Oliver Bernhamm, the lord presiding over the refugee camp, ordered everyone to pack up and leave immediately for different bases across the west.

Each one was in a different country and one was being built right outside the capital of the Kingdom of Rhodes.

“Did you accept the prince’s offer?”

Kella lazily looked up from her bloodied hands to Dante’s dejected face.

She shrugged and collapsed onto her hospital bed. “I don’t know.”

Dante smiled and sat across from her. “Me neither.” After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, he spoke up again. “I did get another offer though; one I think you might want to take too.”

“Which is?”

“Well, the King of Rhodes sent a messenger for me, saying how he wanted talented people to work as trainers and tutors for the summoned heroes. I mean, of course he’d want me, oh, and he even offered to help me rebuild the Order if I wanted.” Dante chuckled a little. “I really wish I’d done that sooner now. But.” He smiled at Kella. “I think I could recommend you to the king for the program.”

“And he’d accept a normal adventurer, and a commoner at that?”

“He would if I pitched for you. Not to mention, you’ve fought beside me against the Demon Emperor, you’ve seen first-hand what the enemy is capable off, and I don’t think anyone but me has as much fire in their eyes.”

“…I have fire in my eyes?”

“You don’t think you do?”

Kella covered her face with her arms. “I don’t know anymore. I just feel numb now.”

“…Right. But, hey.” He stood up, then sat down on her bed close to her legs. “You might be able to find something worth living for again at the capital. Maybe even with the summoned heroes.”

“…You’re giving me a lot of maybes today, Dante.”

The slayer let out a loud laugh as Kella joined in quietly behind her arms.

“I think it’s worth giving it a go. It can’t be any worse than staying here or at one of the other camps, right?”

“I’m surprised you don’t want to stay.”

“Believe me, I do, but I also know that won’t win us this war. Barthlow said we had a small window of opportunity to stop the Demon Emperor once and for all; we fell into the enemy’s trap and missed that chance. The best thing we can do now is prepare ourselves for the next time we have a chance.”

“So, you’re going to rebuild the Order?”

“…I am. And I’m going to help the summoned heroes when I can.”

“…You’re strong, Dante.”

“I’m not,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m just a stubborn guy who wants to get even - that’s all.”

***

We defeated Count Barthlow’s pathetic invasion, and sent pandemonium back into the Free People’s territory - we’ve won this day, but we lost a great deal too.

Eight hundred Machai are dead, we weren’t able to kill Dante or capture Kella, and, worse, we’ve let our enemies see a weakness in our ranks.

The Machai were not meant to die in such high numbers - they were meant to be some of our strongest, most terrifying soldiers, and they were cut down by adventurers of all people. Even some of the prince’s men were able to take them down.

Mania clicked her tongue as she wrote up her reports for the Demon Emperor, using all of her efforts to frame the battle in a wholly positive light. She didn’t dare right down all of her true feelings about the day for fear of upsetting the Demon Emperor, but Mania couldn’t help but be anxious about the future.

The Demon Emperor predicted that we’d fail with Kella and Dante, and almost everything went according to plan, but I don’t think Master expected us to have this many casualties. The thousands of undead are easy enough to replace, but the Machai are scarce at the moment - scarcer now that we’ve lost so many today!

Damn you, Abaddon! You assured me they were just as good as the Hysminai you took north!

With a heavy sigh, Mania lent back against her chair and stared mindlessly at the ceiling of her office.

We’ve faced fairly strong enemies before, but few compare to Herakles or Dante. However, what concerns me the most right now is the unknown strength of these ‘summoned heroes’.

…I wonder - would it be possible to make them join us; or, failing that, could they be turned into an Awoken?

I’ll talk to Master about this when I next see him.