The Invisible Army

It has been approximately two days since we departed from the Kingdom, and our journey has taken us through various landscapes such as marshes, villages, and forests. As planned, we have yet to come across any sign of the demon army, no matter how far we travel. While some soldiers have questioned the situation, the esteemed reputation of the Desolate Trio has prevented any significant doubts from arising. They continue to trust the directions provided by the ten scouts without hesitation. We have covered a distance of around 50 miles, which exceeds their usual travel range. Consequently, our resources have dwindled each passing day, and it is uncertain whether we will have enough for the return journey. Nevertheless, this is inconsequential since our primary objective is to impede the human invasion of the demon empire and undermine the Desolate Trio's reputation.

The suggestion spell remains in effect on the generals and scouts. It has been a total of four days since we departed from the Kingdom, and our remaining resources are only sufficient for one more day. With this realization, I believe it is time for us to turn back. "Are you certain the enemy is in this direction? We have limited resources, and continuing further would exhaust our soldiers before they even reach the battle," I proposed to the Desolate Trio. Although they are reluctant to accept advice from a rookie prince who has never led an army before, any experienced general would understand the validity of my concern. "Lucious, where did you obtain the directions?" Morgana inquired in a judgmental tone. They all received the same information from the ten scouts, and they have been sharing it during their general meetings. "From the same source as you," Lucious replied dismissively, spitting on the ground near his horse's feet. Cedric remained silent, quietly sipping water from his leather flask as he observed the two engaged in a dispute. "Cid is correct. We should retreat for the time being," Morgana suggested. It is the first time the three of them have encountered such an issue with inaccurate information. Although Cedric and Lucious were initially reluctant to agree, they ultimately decided to return to the Kingdom.

After three days of travel, the outskirts of the Kingdom finally come into view. If we maintain our current pace, we should arrive home by noon tomorrow. We continue to ride slowly, requesting supplies from small villages along the way since we exhausted our resources yesterday. The people of the Kingdom have shown kindness, providing us with some provisions during our journey back. Judging by the expressions on the faces of the Desolate Trio, it is apparent that they are not pleased with accepting these donations. For them, this may be viewed as "receiving food from peasants.”

After nearly four days of travel, we can finally see the gate of the Kingdom ahead. I continue riding on my horse at a leisurely pace, with Katarina and Valeria following closely behind me, and the Desolate Trio riding on their own horses behind them. Suddenly, a loud noise interrupts the tranquility. I glance back and witness thousands of our soldiers being thrown into the air. The Desolate Trio immediately issues commands, and Katarina and Valeria position themselves in front of me, ready to defend. We can see nothing but chaos and confusion as we survey the scene. After a moment of scanning our surroundings, another group of soldiers is launched into the air. "What is happening!?" Morgana shouts, while the other two frantically search for answers. Katarina and Valeria draw closer, shielding me from potential harm. I gaze around, still unable to discern the cause. The nearby farmers flee from their fields upon witnessing the soldiers being hurled into the air. The small road is filled with shouts and screams as the bewildered soldiers attempt to comprehend the situation.

I’m still looking around, with my 2 bodyguards also looking around. The whole army is confused, or at least what’s left of it, since a couple thousands of the army is now injured with some dead. Then another group of the soldiers got thrown into the air and at that moment, we all felt a huge gust of wind hit us. And at that moment, I unmistakably saw something. A pair of eyes rush above me. I looked at the ground to make sure what I saw was correct and at that time, my soul completely left my body. I saw a caustics body, shaped like a bird, a huge bird, or…a wyvern. I looked around the sky, still trying to find the Wyvern which I just saw and at that moment, I saw a pair of floating red eyes, staring at me.

I continue scanning the surroundings alongside my two bodyguards. The entire army is disoriented, or rather, what remains of it, as thousands are now injured or dead. Suddenly, another group of soldiers is sent flying, and at that moment, a powerful gust of wind engulfs us. In that very moment, I unmistakably see something—a pair of eyes soaring above me. I lower my gaze to the ground to confirm what I have witnessed, and at that instant, my soul seemingly departs from my body. I observe a colossal shadow, reminiscent of a bird or perhaps a wyvern. I peer into the sky, desperately searching for what I just glimpsed, and in that moment, I lock eyes with a pair of floating red orbs, staring directly at me.

"It's a Veiled Wyvern!" I exclaimed, causing a collective gasp among the crowd, including the brave yet ruthless Desolate Trio. "There's no mistaking it; it's a Veiled Wyvern!" I shouted again, and panic spread throughout the entire army. Wyverns were believed to be long extinct, particularly the Veiled Wyverns, which vanished even before other species of Wyverns. I raised my sword and commanded, "Everyone, form the Tortoise formation now!" In response to my order, every soldier raised their shields above their heads. This formation was typically employed to defend against a rain of arrows, but this time, it could serve as a defense against the invisible Wyvern's talons. Despite their panic, the soldiers complied, hoisting their shields, and before long, the air filled with the sound of metal scraping against metal. The Wyvern attempted to strike the soldiers once more but was met with their raised shields instead. "We need to take action!" Lucious exclaimed, to which Morgana replied with a hint of panic in her voice, "Any ideas? This is my first encounter with such a creature!”

In my mind, I rapidly flipped through the pages of all the Wyvern-related books I had studied. Suddenly, a realization struck me. "Everyone! Throw sand at it!" I barked out the orders. While the soldiers shielded themselves with one hand, they scooped up as much dirt and sand as they could with the other and hurled it into the air. After a few minutes of this process, the Wyvern's shape began to materialize as the sand and dirt clung to its body. "Now, form a Phalanx!" I issued another command. The soldiers arranged themselves in lines, with the first row holding out their shields and subsequent rows brandishing spears, repeating this formation throughout. When the Wyvern approached, they attempted to strike it with their spears. We remained in this formation for some time, and eventually, the Wyvern was hit, spewing green blood onto the soldiers at the front line.

"It's not over yet! Now!" I shouted, and at my command, the soldiers hurled their spears and swords into the sky, aiming for the injured Wyvern. Every weapon struck its mark, causing even more green blood to spray from its body. Before long, the creature ceased its movements and crashed to the ground with a resounding thud. The soldiers cautiously approached the fallen Wyvern, its body gradually becoming visible as the life force that had kept it invisible faded away. I walked up to the deceased Wyvern and plunged my dagger into its eyes, removing them and placing them in my bag. According to my studies, Wyvern eyes were considered luxury gifts for royals in many races, including demons. "Let's return home," I said with a sigh. The Desolate Trio, who had doubted me previously, now displayed a newfound admiration after witnessing how I led the army to victory against an invisible foe. With that, we rode back to the Kingdom at a leisurely pace, the soldiers carrying the Wyvern's body behind their horses.