Reborn: War's Nightmare

by D. W. Jackson

  Once Ash was able to get everyone to calm down, he explained how things went. When they heard the part about him not telling Fay that he was planning to join the mission Celina, and Eun both started hitting Ash and not lightly. After giving him a few bruises, Ash was able to once again calm them down and continue with his story. As Ash told them what had transpired, he felt like a storyteller sitting around a fire with a bunch of kids. With both Ash and Henry returning it should have been clear that everything had went well but at each point in the story Ash could see the worry etched on their faces. When Ash told them about the soldiers stopping them he could have sworn that Li was going to pass out from fright.

  After Ash had finished his story Eun seemed to have remembered something and jumped up from where she was seated. “You should report to General Fay,” She said her voice almost cracking.

  Ash grimaced as he pulled the communication ring from his inventory and looked at it as if it were a snake ready to bite him. Letting his head drop slightly, Ash excused himself and headed to one of the empty rooms in the house. It wasn’t that he really needed to hide anything from the others but he always feared that Fay would scold him and he didn’t think his dignity could take it if the others watched him act like a child who had gotten himself in trouble.

  “Fay,” Ash said lightly as soon as he activated the ring.

  “Ash what in the hell do you think you were doing,” Fay’s voice screamed from the other side of the ring making every muscle in Ash’s body clench.

  “So you heard?” Ash asked in a weak voice.

  “Heard…You wood headed brat. Did you think you could hide it from me? Shortly after you picked up the explosive orbs, sub-commander Huan contacted me out of fear that I had displeased him. I was so mad when I heard that you personally picked up the orbs that I think I left the poor sub-commander crying. What were you thinking?”

  “I didn’t know if I could completely trust Henry so I thought that someone should go with him,” Ash tried to explain.

  “And that someone had to be you?” Fay asked, not giving Ash half a chance to finish what he was saying.

  “I look the most human and I have the inventory ability so I didn’t have to lug a big bag around. Everything worked out…”

  “Just because everything worked out does not make what you did a good idea nor does it make it ok,” Fay said, the anger clear in her voice. For the next half an hour Ash couldn’t get a word in as he was berated like a five year old who had broken a window by throwing a ball in the house.

  “So everything is in place?” Fay asked once she had exhausted most of her anger, though Ash could tell that he hadn’t heard the end of it and he would likely get more once he saw her again.

  “Yes all of the known illusion stones have been attached with explosion orbs,” Ash said weakly.

  “Well at least that is good. Now be a good boy and stay put until I tell you otherwise. If I hear that you so much as stuck another toe outside then I will personally beat you within an inch of your life,” Fay said before cutting off the communication.

  As if all the strength had left his body, Ash dropped to the ground while letting out a deep sigh. “I think it might be a good idea to go into exile for a few dozen centuries,” Ash said to himself.

  12-13

  It wasn’t until later that Ash learned the attack would commence in the morning two days later. After the last brow beating Ash received, he did just as he was told and held tight within the house afraid to even look out the window. He was sure that Fay couldn’t see what he was doing, but for him it just wasn’t worth the risk to find out.

  The two days passed by slowly. There was little to do in the house and each time they heard a noise outside it caused everyone to jump. All it would take was one run of bad luck and everything they had worked for would be over. As the time for the next attack came closer, the tension began to increase until everyone was sitting on needles. The worst out of all of them was Eun who seemed to get mad at the drop of a hat. At the last dinner before the coming battle she nearly hit Ash for chewing too loudly. Normally Ash would have found her actions funny but given that his own nerves were on edge he could no longer find the humor in the situation.

  The last few hours were the worst as all of them gathered in the main room of the house huddled around the small communication ring. Fay had contacted them the night before and laid out the plan for the attack. First the demon army would storm the city reaching Ash and evacuating Henry and Anabel to a safe distance. After that, Ash would meet up with the forward group and the attack on the main force of the enemy would start.

  Just as the light from the rising sun started to trickle through one of the small windows, the ring started to glow and one word rang throughout the silent house. “Incoming.” As soon as the word was spoken, it sounded as if the world itself was collapsing around them as all of the exploding orbs were ignited.

  As soon as the ground stopped shaking, Ash got to his feet and pulled his sword from his sheath then turned to make sure that everyone else was ready. Just as planned, Tolarea went to the back door and opened it just enough so that she could see though without exposing much of her own body.

  Ash was still in the center of the house with the others, though he wished that he could see what was going on outside. The only clues he had were the sounds of bells and shouts as they rang throughout the city. Time seemed to move so slowly Ash was sure that he could cut the dust that was floating through the air with precision. Suddenly like a bolt of lightning, everything began to move again as the house was suddenly filled with demon soldiers. In a flash Henry and Anabel were escorted out of the house by a group of five large demons. Before Ash could register what was happening, something hard hit him in the back of his head nearly bringing him to his knees.

  “Looks like you listened to reason this time,” Ash heard Fay’s voice say as the ringing in his ears subsided. “Get your act together you still have to show that ugly mug to the soldiers. Half of them think the enemy already got their hands on you and it’s about time that you show them different.”

  Following right behind Fay, they left the house for the first time in days. The outside air felt warm and the sounds of battle rang throughout the air. During the previous attack the enemy had the upper hand and it was not hard to say that it was a crushing rout; however, the same could not be said today. The battle plan was simple on the outside but still held a hidden degree of complexity. First the human and demon combined army would rush the wall in three waves just as before. The enemy had reinforced the damaged areas but even with that there was only so much they could do. The reason for the three wave plan was not because they were afraid but because it would allow them the best use of all the hidden trump cards. After the first wave reopened passage into the city, the second wave would start. This was also the largest of the waves. Just before they arrived at the city, the demons would detonate the bombs placed next to the illusion stones. This was the point they were currently at in the plan. Now the army would rush the city but there was still a large number of enemies. Even with the confusion that would be brought about by the sudden destruction of the illusion stones; if the enemy was well trained, it wouldn’t deter them for long. Thankfully a large number of the soldiers were drafted from the large trading and it was expected for them to panic. During this brief break, the army; made up of some of the best fighters within the demon army, would move out and attack the command center of the enemy forces. Ash and Fay were planning to join in this attack and were currently headed in the direction of the center of the city using back roads so they could meet up with the larger concealed force. If everything went as planned, the concealed force would meet with the enemy command center about the same time as the third wave of soldiers would attack the city. The third wave was mostly made up of demons with the ability to fly and would be used to attack the enemy forces that were causing the most damage. Ash had been told of the plan in advance so he was fully aware of what was curre
ntly happening within the confines of the city.

  Fay wore a communication ring on each finger on her hands. Shortly after they left the house she lifted up her hand and tapped her left index finger on the ring on the thumb of her right hand. “Report.”

  A loud and deep voice filled the air. “Entered the city but facing more resistance than expected from enemy forces. Currently two minutes behind schedule.”

  “Don’t force it,” Fay said in a reprimanding tone. “Keeping pushing forward, but don’t be foolish. Commanders must be flexible otherwise you will break your own lines.”

  As soon as she finished speaking, Fay activated another ring. “Report.” The whole time her eyes never wavered, nor did her steps falter. Ash was sure that should an enemy appear in front of her she could kill him without ever missing a step.

  “Everything is proceeding as planned. Have met limited resistance and are currently in route to destination,” a feminine voice sounded out like a bell from the ring.

  “Good,” Fay said her lips curling up into the outline of a faint smile. “We are currently nearing the planned location for the meeting.”

  Almost as soon as Fay deactivated the communication ring, they turned down a thin road and came face to face with a group of about fifteen enemy soldiers who were rushing in their direction. Ash was so surprised by their sudden appearance for a split second his body froze. From what Ash saw, he was not the only one that had been startled as for the briefest moment the only movement came from Fay whose sword danced through the air, immediately cutting off the heard of the two soldiers at the front. His mind clearing, Ash moved up striking a soldier to the left. The soldier was just a bit slower on recovering and was unable to get his sword up in time and Ash’s sword stuck the soldier in the shoulder. The blade sunk deep, only stopping after it had cut through the third rib. Though not dead, the man fell with only a little life left him and little chance left of standing again.

  The road was thin and even standing shoulder to shoulder, it could only accommodate four people. This meant that while the two groups had nearly the same amount of fighters, they couldn’t all be used at the same time. Most the time this would not give either side much of an advantage, but Ash and a few of his wives had abilities that allowed them to attack even if they were not on the front lines. After his first strike, Ash moved back allowing Tolarea and Gena to move up to the front alongside Fay was seemed as if she was doing nothing more than enjoying a dance…A very morbid dance.

  Unlike Ash, his wives didn’t have a large store of MP and were holding back using their abilities until it was absolutely needed. Ash was under no such restraints. Thinking quickly, he started going through all of his abilities that could be used at long range. Most of the like “Wind Slash,” could not be used because they traveled in a straight line and there was too high of a chance for friendly fire. The others abilities such as “Total Destruction,” were dismissed for the same reason. They could only really be used against large groups at a distance. Ash thought of a few abilities that might be of use but even then it was only limited because there was still a chance of friendly fire. He knew that his best choice would be the few skills he had using the darkness element but he was not overly skilled with them. Ash started to berate himself for not training more. Ash watched the three fight while keeping his options in mind, waiting to see if he could be of use.

  While he was trying to find his place in the battle, his wives were seemingly doing much better. Tolarea used her large body and sword to destroy the soldiers that came within her range. Gena, using two short swords deflected and attacked with near perfect rhythm. Eun, who was standing next to Ash, moved whenever there was an opening using her spear with deadly effects. Seia used her bow with pinpoint accuracy killing one of the soldiers who had attempted to flee. Li, who stood to Ash’s other side, healed anyone who received damage. The rest of his wives kept watch on their surroundings. In the end the battle came to a close without Ash needing to do much, which left him feeling somewhat down.

  “Good,” Fay said with a smile as she walked next to Ash while cleaning the blade of her weapon with a piece of cloth cut from one of the now dead enemies. “You noticed that you were not the best choice to fight it such a confined area and moved back to allow others who were more suited to take your place. Next time I would suggest that you allow Celina to replace Tolarea in such situations. Tolarea is big and her movements in a confined space are limited. Celina who can use closer range weapons such as daggers might seem more dangerous, but her maneuverability would be put to a much greater use. I would give you a 75% on the battle.”

  After hearing Fay’s words, Ash felt slightly better but he was starting to understand more about what Fay had been trying to teach him. It was one thing to fight alone and another completely to fight with a small group. Ash had learned that back in the demon kingdom when he was training. The main problem was that, at that time, he was still taking center stage and the others were just playing backup. Ash had mistakenly thought that was his job, but Fay had berated that notion out of his mind. He was a figurehead and while he was meant to be among the warriors, he was not meant to stick his neck out at every occasion. What use was it to have soldiers when one tried to fight every battle alone? It was hard for Ash to pull himself from the forefront of every fight and the guilt and anguish afterward still bothered him but he knew that it was what had to be done.

  With the battle finished, Ash once again took his place next to Fay as the moved forward when a question hit him. “The soldier’s abilities don’t seem very…varied,” Ash said after thinking for a few moments.

  Giving Ash a long look, Fay let out a short laugh. “With the exception of a few ways, the abilities humans are born with are what they will have their entire life. The only way to strengthen themselves is by learning skills which are controlled by the guilds and government. Only those in power get to choose who should learn what. For humans it is all about control.”

  “Are you saying that anyone can learn any ability or skill no matter their job?” Ash asked as Fay’s words struck him hard.

  “Yes and no,” Fay said after a brief moment of silence. “Unlike demons, humans are very versatile. A fire demon cannot learn ice skills no matter how hard they try, but humans can learn both. It all has to do with the person themselves.”

  “I was told that you have to have the corresponding job to learn or create a skill,” Ash said slightly befuddled.

  Fay laughed again, this time though there seemed to be no mirth in it this time. It just sounded mocking. “I won’t lie and say a job has nothing to do with the ease at each one can learn or make a skill, but it is not the do all say all.”

  “What does all that have to do with the soldiers’ abilities?” Ash asked, thinking they were getting off topic.

  “Soldiers of the human lands all join certain guilds and the skills they learn are all the same. The humans believe in everything being uniform. They tend to forget that uniqueness was once humans’ strongest card. It is sad but the only truly strong fighters we will face are those at the top. Those who have had the privilege of receiving the blessing of those in power thus gaining better access to skills. Though there is still the chance of coming across a rare genius who has many self-created skills but the chances of that happening are as rare as finding a man who can do more than two things at once,” Fay said, throwing the last remark in while elbowing Ash in the side making his wives laugh.

  Ash nodded his head as he started to digest the news and what all it could mean. He started to understand why demons were considered to be the highest rank when it came to battle and why the humans had decided to create them. If they had been the obedient little slaves they were meant to be then the mages that had created them would hold the largest power. It also explained how the demons had almost destroyed the human world while working alongside the nearly forgotten empire.

  After making another turn, Ash found that they were coming to a larger street. The no
rth side of which was bare while to the south Ash could see the large group of demon soldiers moving quickly in their direction. Seeing this, Ash knew that soon the idle banter and light feeling that had been building would be gone. He felt a tightness in his chest. Thinking of getting one last barb in, Ash let out a deep sigh and tightened his grip on his sword. “You really don’t like men do you?”

  “I love men,” Fay said with a wry grin. “They have many uses, but thinking is just not one of them,” she added giving Ash a wink.

  When Ash’s group and the hidden army met, the larger army saluted while the two commanding soldiers stepped forward and bowed, “My lord.” Before Ash could say anything, Fay slapped the back of both soldier’s head with the flat of her sword. “Are both of you daft or do you think acting like such and painting a target on the lord’s chest is a good idea? What if there are hidden assassins around…fools,” Fay berated harshly making both soldier’s face turn white. “Enough, we are close to the enemy command center and each second we spend with twiddling our thumbs gives them more time to learn and prepare for our attack…Move out!”

  Having went around the town before with Henry, Ash knew a little about the layout and he knew that Fay was right. The center of the enemy forces was located at the back of the large open area of the market district. He had learned from Henry that the commanders had taken over the trading pavilion to use as their headquarters. It was only a few streets away and even walking slowly, they would reach it within five minutes.

  12-14

  Ash couldn’t help but feel his heartbeat increase once the large merchant square came into view. On the far side, he could see the enemy army formed up and could even hear where they were engaging in small isolated battles. Ash had expected that the main field would already be awash in a large battle, but it seemed that the enemy had adjusted to the loss of their illusion trap faster than expected.