by Wolfe Locke
The two were forced to stop their conversation as a troll went on the offensive and barreled into a group of cadets that had formed up for defense. It had often been joked that Markus was part troll, but in the face of a real one the joke made a lot less sense.
Markus ran over and stood defiantly in front of it. The troll towered over him. Its gray skin had the consistency and look of granite and it bore tusks that their lessons said could easily penetrate ones armor. In its massive hand the troll was holding an actual tree truck that it had been using as a weapon.
The two of us immediately fell into position beside each other. It was a familiar technique as Cadets at the academy would eventually go on to fight together with other swordsmen on the front lines. As such, teamwork with our fellow cadets was drilled into us almost as often as individual sword techniques were.
Normally, cadets of different ranks would train with cadets of their own rank. There would occasionally be exhibition bouts between upper and lower classmen, but for the most part the classes trained against those at similar power levels.
As an Iron ranker who already had a specialization, I had often been allowed to train with Markus, who was a Silver ranker because of the unique relationship of our two families. Namely, that the Valdanes had always served at the right hand of the Kings of the Kingdom. As such, the two of us had learned a harmony to our fighting styles.
Whereas Markus was a more aggressive near berserker style, mine relied on caution, agility and mobility. We made it work. Mostly because we both liked fighting.
“Spear formation!” Commanded Markus, taking control of the situation and the other nearby cadets.
I immediately sprinted forward. Markus knelt down with his massive sword held in front of me as a shield, and I leaped up onto his shoulder pushed off through the air. I summoned the power within me as I did.
“Lighting Blade!!” I shouted as my body recoiled from the burst of energy. I brought the electrified blade of my Katana down on the troll and sliced halfway through the huge monster’s chest with ease.
In the monster’s death throes, even with the massive damage to its body, the troll was still able to lash out with its makeshift club and sent Markus flying as the cadet tried to block the attack with his claymore. The big cadet hit the ground hard, but I was already back on my feet, running to help him after my attack with the Lightning Blade.
Markus was dazed, but otherwise ok. I was able to defend him from a few smaller monsters while he struggled to get back up. Luckily, the thick steel of his claymore had taken most of the impact of the troll’s attack. Not far away the troll had fallen down, never to rise again.
“Man.” Said Markus as he braced himself with his weapon and pulled himself up. “You really got to teach me that.”
“I can, just ask me again when you’re part the clan. I’ve got sisters.” I replied with a laugh as I helped my friend to his feet.
That in and of itself was an effort. For a moment, my vision went dark, and it was Markus who was supporting me instead.
“Whoa there, are you alright?” The big cadet asked in concern.
“Yeah,” I lied, it’s not like we had any choice but to make it through, I couldn’t exactly stop fighting at this point. “I’ve just had to use a fair bit of Swordcraft tonight.”
In reality, the repeated uses were starting to affect me. I had already been exhausted before the battle had started. Now, I was expending more strength and energy that I didn’t have in reserve every time I used the Lightning Blade. If not for the effects of Saturn’s Crest, I would have passed out already.
If I’d had it already unlocked, this wouldn’t be a problem. I knew that as I grew older and became more accustomed to the power, I would be able to use Swordcraft techniques easier and more often. But for now, I needed to work with what I had, and what I had was a limited energy pool with which to use the abilities.
If only I’d been able master the Crimson Blade instead. That technique, while not as powerful, also took less energy, but required precise control. I would have been able to make better use of it in a battle such as this.
“Good, glad you’re ok” said Markus, bringing me back to the moment. “Looks like we’re going to have a long night ahead of us.”
I looked around and knew that that was true. The dark portal was still open, and monsters continued to pour from it. The rest of the cadets, for their part of things, were holding their own. There were a few scattered bodies like the one of the Bronze ranker that I had first stumbled across, but the number of monster corpses outweighed them.
Still, it was no use if the enemy just kept coming. We have to get that portal closed.
I was forced to watch as a Gold rank cadet was finally overwhelmed after having dispatched a large number of monsters single handedly. She bounced off of the ground as another troll attacked her, she didn’t move after. The only indication that she was still alive the slow rise and fall of her chest.
“Where’s the Cadre?” I shouted at Markus as the two of us were attacked by a group of Imps, but unlike before, I didn’t have to struggle. With the two of us working together in tandem, the flying monsters were much easier to dispatch and destroy.
“Most of them are at the capital.” Replied Markus, reminding me of what I already knew, as he dispatched one of the black creatures. “All of the other Cadre are here on the field with us as far as I know.”
Soon as he mentioned it, I looked around and thought I could make out with effort the scarce number of Cadre that were still with us. I watched as the instructor that had given me stable duty slayed a goatman with a thrust of her gladius.
The battlefield was a mess of moving bodies. Aside from her, I could barely tell a Cadre from an Iron ranker. The only indicator of power difference being the number of monster bodies that they each left behind in their wake.
I knew the truth though; I know the future. The cadets and remaining Cadre fought valiantly, but eventually they would tire. There were only so many of us, and the number of monsters was legion.
After Markus and I had worked to slay a giant spider that tried to trap us beneath a web, unease crept in. The fatigue both of us were feeling became evident on our faces and our bodies.
Markus was a powerhouse and a workhorse, but the amount of power he was putting out was burning through his energy reserves just like the use of the Lightning Blade did for me. Takes a lot of energy for a big person like that to move, much less swing a sword that heavy.
Both of us were starting to show signs of wear. I’d already accumulated several small cuts and blows throughout the ongoing fit and a few not cut so shallow lesions.
It seemed that whenever we cut down an enemy, there was always another to take its place. They are legion.
Markus shouted out to get my attention as a large group of undead surged forward in attack. Although the undead were just skeletal fighters, they were supernaturally strong. Markus had done a good job defending himself from the group that had attacked us earlier, but on this battlefield that had been a lifetime ago already, and the large cadet had mostly exhausted himself.
The undead came on, their intent to kill was evident, but the two of us would not be dissuaded. Together we faced down the undead.
“Show me what you got, Valdanes!” Markus muttered. “Show me what it means to be a blade of the Kingdom.”
“You bet. If you have any tricks up your sleeve now would be the time to pull them out, I know you’ve been holding back.” I replied, half-jokingly but mostly seriously.
“Now that you mention it, I have been working on something,” Markus admitted with a tired grin. “I was hoping to show it at the tournament, but no use now.”
Markus held his massive sword out before him and planted the Claymore between his feet.
“Iron Skin!” He shouted. There was a small rush of magical power as an aura of silver
surrounded the Claymore and traveled up through the handle onto Markus's hand. I watched in awe as Markus’s skin hardened. One of the undead lashed out with a skeletal claw. Rather than block it, Markus allowed the attack to connect.
The talons of the undead broke and shattered against his skin. That was amazing.
“Oh, yeah.” Said Markus with a massive grin on his face. “Now we’re talking. That worked better than I thought it would.”
It was as if Marku’s newly revealed Swordcraft ability had shaken away some of his fatigue because Markus laid into the line of undead like he was completely fresh. I was kidding before, but he would do well in our Clan.
Bones broke and scattered under his onslaught. When a group of Goatmen tried to attack him with spears, Markus took the hits full on and laid into them with casual abandon. He’d become a true battle maniac.
I had heard of the Iron Skin technique before. It was a formidable ability, but it often left the user with the feeling of invulnerability after its effects had worn off. The protective factor wore off before the cosmetic effect did. This had led to the injury and death of many swordsmen before.
That won’t happen to him though. He’s got me to watch his back. I vowed to make sure that the big cadet was careful and pull him back once the Sword Technique started to wane, for a moment, it looked like things were going to be ok, but all at once, the tone on the battlefield changed.
It started out as a low rumble beneath our feet. At first, I didn’t even realize that it was happening. But then the ground began to move and shift. An earthquake? Now?
Not an earthquake. I quickly realized. From the portal came the distinct sound of booming footsteps. Not like those of the giants that were still on the battlefield. This was something bigger, something vast, and something terrible.
With the sound came a gradual aura of dread that spread among us cadets on the field. I felt it deep down in my bones. A feeling that something was very, very wrong.
Something is coming. Something that doesn’t belong in this world.
All of us cadets had stopped to stare in terror toward the portal. Our attention guided toward that feeling of wrongness. Luckily, the monsters were equally transfixed, they had stopped in their tracks as well and didn’t attack. They did not appear afraid like we were. In fact, it looked as if they were waiting.
Then, a shout split the night and I was able to move again, as was Markus and the rest.
“Cadets! Form up! Move now and retreat to the memorial. We will cover you.” A larger-than-life voice called out.
A group of four Cadre had gathered together in a team. It looked as if they had come up with a plan.
The voice of authority that broke the spell on us had come from one of the Cadre. A man I wasn’t very familiar with. I just knew he trained the Gold rankers almost exclusively and wielded a Cutlass. His forceful voice snapped us cadets out of whatever force had been holding us in place.
Even though he ordered and it was on us to obey, I reminded that dream, that future and the mark on my arm burned. This is it, this is where I have to do different. I can’t obey, we need to stay.
“I’m staying. We can’t let these monsters get a foothold.” I shouted and Markus backed me up. The Cadre rather than being irritated nodded grimly, and most of the surviving cadets followed our lead. “If you’ve got a plan, we’ll follow you, but were not retreating.”
Chapter 7: They Who Were Heroes
* * *
“Fine. Glad for the help. Watch our backs, cadets. The four of us are going to close that portal down! Keep ‘em off us.”
The lot of us were confused at first, but we soon sped ahead to join with the Cadre. I hope they’ve got a plan. This is how I prevent that future I saw.
All together we closed ranks around the four Cadre and fought our way towards the front of the portal. We slayed every monster that came close, but it wasn’t a cause for celebration. I could feel it, and so could the others. Something horrible was coming.
The lead Cadre raised a hand into a fist in command for us to stop. “My fellow Cadre, this is it. We know what must be done, that monster can’t be allowed to come through. It begins now.”
In unison they nodded and saluted each other and, the four Cadre rammed their blades into the ground in a square formation and began to chant.
All of us cadets recognized what they were doing. A forbidden Sword Technique that would sacrifice their lives to erect a seal. It would mean their deaths. A hush came over our group. These were our teachers, our mentors, and they were preparing to sacrifice themselves. It was a solemn moment in the midst of violence. These were those who dedicated their lives to training the next generation of swordsmen. They had always been there to guide and help us cadets when needed.
One last time they’re going to help us again. The earth started to rock, and a great white sigil appeared on the ground connecting the four of them in an arcane symbol of protection. The chanting from the four Cadre was drawing power like I had never felt before.
However, while they were occupied with the channeling of the Sword technique, they were unable to defend themselves. The sigil provided them no protection from the onslaught of monsters, that fell on us to manage. It’s time for us to step up.
As the highest-ranking cadet in our group, Markus signaled and together we spread out in a outward facing circle from the Cadre. We would protect them as they performed the ritual.
I just have to hope this Sword Technique goes better than whatever was happening at the ritualist college to set this whole mess off. A flash of memory from the ruined future went through my mind, and I just had to hope it was better than the alternative.
The tempo on the field started to increase and the monsters grew more aggressive. More than once, skeletal hands reached up from the dirt underneath to try and drag cadets down into the depths below. I was almost dragged away that way, but Markus saved me, some of the others were not so lucky.
The hands were not the only threat, imps attacked in groups and the Goatmen tried to break our formation. The only thing we had going for us was that we had at least handled some of the bigger monsters already. Still, I wasn’t sure we would hold. It was as if whatever being or beings had been making their way through the portal knew what the Cadre were attempting. That feeling of dread intensified, and a grim red aura surrounded the monsters around us as they launched into another round of attacks against our formation.
I gripped my Katana tighter as I noticed something about Markus had changed. “It’s wearing off, let it go before you take another hit.” Markus nodded and let out a sigh as his Iron Skin ability faded. He had held it longer than I thought he would, but it had become a liability.
But even then, tired and scared, we cadets of the academy held. This is the legacy of the blade passed down to me from my forefathers, the Valdanes legacy.
New strength flowed through our veins as the chanting of the Cadre continued. Something about seeing our leadership come to the forefront with a plan had relit the fire of our fighting spirit. More and more of the other cadets ran out from hiding places or wherever they had been fighting to join us in guarding our instructors and mentors from the hordes of monsters that their Sword Technique might keep at bay. Better to go out this way anyways than see the academy and the rest of the world destroyed.
All the while, the dread presence from within the portal edged ever closer and closer. The aura was hard to cope with, like ice on the back of your neck, or movement in the dark just outside where you can see. I watched as an Iron ranker dropped his sword and huddled down and started to cry as he rocked himself.
“Keep him out of the way!” Markus yelled and I reached over and dragged the cadet within the sigil and the rest of us covered down on the newly formed gap.
The same debilitating effect started to spread, and I could see more and more cadets drop their weapons, unab
le to fight anymore. Then we will have to manage without them.
We spread out and covered down and continued to beat back the enemy. Enough of the other cadets were able to resist the dread aura. We held, and the Cadre continued.
As we all fought, the power from the cast sigil began to build up as the chanting of the Cadre started to get louder and louder until it was just as much of a tangible force as whatever being was trying to make its way through the portal. We might just beat this thing after.
Just when I thought us cadets would not be able to hold out much longer, the chanting from the Cadre reached a crescendo and the power burst around them. The fear I’d at least been feeling washed away.
From the center of the circle where the Cadre had been kneeling, a dome of glowing energy began to expand up and out from the Sigil. It grew larger and larger, passing over the cadets and the monsters, but as it passed over the monsters, the dread aura that had increased their power dissipated.
The dome kept growing until it encompassed the entire academy and the portal itself. It was the first real display of power on that level I’d seen before.
All of us cadets watched as the opening within the portal began to fade, and with it, the horde of monsters lessened. No more would replace those that were lost to our blades.
From the other side of the portal sounded primal and guttural roar of fury. A roar that traveled across space and time and shook the ground with quakes. The ground shook more frequently as whatever was on the other side started sprinting towards the freedom of our side of the portal. At least, that was my guess.
Before the portal faded, I saw the silhouette of a truly immense being whose size I could not readily comprehend. Even looking at it made me feel dizzy and I started to pass out. But before the entity’s features could become clear, the portal fully closed.