Sixth Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  Wind shot outwards, so fierce that it created a white wall that no one could see through. Dust, debris and the ground Bai Ping was standing on exploded outwards. A rumbling noise was met with a powerful cracking noise. If one looked up, they could see a tiny line piercing to the heavens.

  A second blast went off as the mage caster, a veteran over the level sixty coughed blood and collapsed.

  A wave of force exploded outwards into the sky, throwing the falling snow away.

  Bai Ping ran out of the dust and debris, his eyes filled with energy.

  "Who told you to stop moving!" His voice was thunder in the ears of his team. They turned and started to run as if a demon was on their heels.

  Bai Ping had a gloomy expression on his face as he released some of the suppression on his body. His arm healed at a visible speed as he held his arm up and used bone fuse before opening and closing his hand.

  Shit, we're not supposed to show our actual power, we don't want to scare them off.

  He kept throwing down traps and picking up the mana barrier formations, running up the main road that led to another gate house. Weapons fired over the wall and into the enemy.

  "You're the last one," A CPD member wearing the gear of a medic had to yell to be heard as Bai Ping passed the gate before she reached out a hand.

  A team from the Grey Peak Sect stepped forward, grunting as they closed the gate before slotting a massive bar across it.

  Bai Ping tilted his head to the side as she put her cupped hand on the side of his neck while they walked away from the gate.

  "Healing well," She pulled out a small spell scroll and tore it. Bai Ping felt refreshed as the aches and pains fell away.

  Mages used spells, on the stone underneath the gate and the walls, it spread over the wooden gate, turning it into another fused section of the wall.

  "Stamina and natural healing booster. Don't beat yourself up about the combat technique, you think the Colonel is going to bust your ass for saving your own life? He's more likely to go down to hell and kick your ass again if you died that way." She clapped him on the shoulder.

  "True, thanks," Bai Ping nodded.

  I wish that I could have saved more people though. Even if I had my full strength unlocked then I wouldn't have been able to get those people caught by the wall breaches.

  "The outer wall and the outer defenses have all fallen, most people are pulling back to the mid wall locations now."

  "What about the second part?"

  "The Institute have their third group of defenders coming out still." She paused her talking as a nearby siege weapon fired down at the Institute.

  She grabbed onto his back so she could keep his ear close to her mouth to hear her.

  "They've established a supply line from Samantha and Emily. They're building up their forces. Command thinks with the next group of reinforcements they'll keep attacking to keep pushing us."

  "Can we hold the mid walls?"

  "Don't know! Might lose some of them. Command moved out army squads to the weaker sections of the wall and have more ready as a quick reaction force with the Grey Peak Sect."

  Bai Ping shot a glance at the mana barrier covering the inner wall as it lit up with power, showing where a spell had impacted.

  "Thanks for the update, I've got to check on my team."

  "No worries, I'll be here if you need patching up." She hurried off towards the medical station while he jogged over to where the rest of his team was waiting for him.

  They all had different looks on their faces.

  Bai Ping ignored them all and pulled out a sound cancelling device, the world turned quiet even as siege weapons just tens of meters away fired, their crews rushing around to bring the weapons back to readiness.

  "Everyone good?" He looked around to see a nodding of heads.

  "Alright, we will be assisting the mid-wall here with defense. Wait here I need to talk to the local commander and find out where they need us."

  Noise returned and Bai Ping jogged through the war camp behind the wall, checking his map that showed where the local commander was set up.

  He reached a covered tent, the sides were open, sound cancelling formations cut off the outside world as Bai Ping went over to a Master Sergeant.

  "Sitrep?"

  "Thirteen people left including me, just back from the outer wall."

  "Alright, you're fighting group Bravo, you move up to the wall in thirty minutes. You'll be under the command of Captain Choi. You are squad fifteen."

  Bai Ping pulled out a pad and pencil.

  "Squad fifteen, command Captain Choi, Fighting group bravo, prep to move thirty minutes."

  "Good!"

  Bai Ping moved to the side and then out of the tent, checking the notes and putting away the pad and pencil.

  He headed for where he had left his team.

  ***

  “Send the mounted reinforcements forward, the breaches have been secured!” Elder Xiao’s orders rang in Mendes’ ears.

  “Send out the waiting groups at the rear camps to support the forward camp and push into Reynir!” Those in his command center started to rush about to carry out his orders.

  “Our people with the covering fire of the attack camps were able to get to the wall with half their number and opened up several outer walls. They’re pushing the defenders back, but they’re in disarray and from the lower realms. It is a matter of time until we push them to the mid wall. We need to push everyone up to capitalize. Hold nothing back.”

  “Yes, Elder Xiao,” Mendes said, his anger was dying down, giving way to a deep sense of anticipation. At the thrill of winning this battle and pushing everything behind Reynir.

  At the rear camps several gates opened and mounted forces and troops rushed out, heading for the forward camps. They were like a black stream as the forward camps sent out reinforcements across the churned up ground to support the vanguard that had pierced into Reynir.

  Now we have a foothold inside there walls we can use the full strength of the higher realm fighters and take Reynir.

  ***

  Jasper was in the command center as he watched the Willful Institute’s attacks hit several outer walls and then breach them.

  “The retreat is going as planned,” Storgaard said. “We’re going to have to pull out units that are located at different lower walls so that they won’t be hit in the rear. We’ll lose the outer defenses unless we take some drastic measures.”

  “Are you not confident in our plan?”

  “I wouldn’t have listened to it if I didn’t get a message from the higher realms saying to not piss you off. Though looking at things it is shaping up nicely. The Institute is sending their reinforcements forward. The first group was hesitant but they’re piling in now. The anticipation is killing me.”

  “Once the fourth group of reinforcements are sent forward, then we strike.”

  “I thought you were an administrator?”

  “I am.”

  “You are handling this whole war fighting business rather well.”

  “It is not the first time I have been in a fight and luckily I have a lot of good support and allies.”

  ***

  “Sir, are you sure about this?” Lieutenant Colonel Zukal broke the rules as he walked over to Domonos who was checking the riding gear on his mount, a grizzled looking panther wearing full armor that had been roughly painted over making it look different from the armor and panthers of the Alvan Army.

  “You will remain here and coordinate supplies and support. I need to be up there to lead our forces. “

  “I knew you would say that but I have one amendment.” Zukal waved two people forward.

  “Two more babysitters?”

  “Ah come on, still sour about me beating you that one time?” Niemm laughed.

  Domonos rolled his eyes and looked at Zukal.

  “Happy now?”

  “Just doing my job, boss.”

  “We won’t let him out of our sight,
” Niemm promised. “Trust us, we trained with Erik and Rugrat.”

  Domonos chuckled and checked his map.

  “They committed their ground troops finally.”

  “Our people have just pulled back to the mid-wall.” Zukal said, half-turning.

  “I won’t keep you. When I see you next we’ll be taking Meokar!”

  “Yes, sir!” Zukal turned and ran off towards their own command center with his guards in tow.

  Domonos looked over the northern area of the city. He saw people’s eyes from within their homes and different buildings. They’d all come here to escape the fighting and to not live underneath the attacks that were smashing against the mana barrier day and night.

  Hidden in the squares men and women of the Alva Military and the Adventurer’s Guild waited, checking their gear, their mounts. All of them were elites from the Fourth Realm.

  Domonos looked at his map again, like a fortune teller trying to read the mysteries of the world and a telepath trying to interpret just what his opponent was thinking.

  At the same time he was listening to the different sound transmission channels, keeping him in the loop.

  “We have pulled back all of our people to the mid wall in sector South Five!”

  “Looks like they’re going all in now,” Niemm said, watching the same information.

  Domonos checked on the walls. The Institute worked quickly to secure their breach and pressure the mid-wall so that they wouldn't be given any surprises.

  Minutes crawled by as the fighting on the walls continued and the Institute's troops continued their onward march

  Domonos opened a sound transmission channel “Mount up!”

  He jumped up onto his mount, looking around the courtyard he was in, men and women with all kinds of mounts finished their preparations and got onto their beasts.

  “Looks like a damn fine army,” Niemm said as they moved forward and out into the market square that was filled with members of the Alva Army and the Adventurer’s Guild mounting up.

  In every road, every open space, grim faced men and women with the Adventurer’s Guild emblem were sitting upon their mounts.

  “Nine thousand battle hardened adventurers that came to right a wrong and a thousand supporting members of the Alva Military. The Willful Institute won’t know what hit them.”

  The Institute’s troops were quickly closing the distance to the outer wall. They passed through the breaching units and moved to the front. They operated in groups, hurling out mana barrier formations to protect their advance.

  "It's time we moved," Domonos looked at it all. He wouldn't get better timing.

  “Lieutenant Acosta, clear out those eyes for me.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He used his command channel.

  "Zukal, we're heading out, be ready with support as we need it."

  "Yes sir."

  Domonos changed to the mounted force. "Move out!

  ***

  Elder Xiao was standing at the peak of his command center, using a spyglass to watch the advance into Reynir.

  One could see the siege fire that spewed out from Reynir, tearing apart the plateau and striking the Willful Institute's barriers.

  "With their walls all over the place it makes it easier to see the battle," An Elder snorted nearby.

  "It makes for a good show," Xiao watched the black snake that pushed into the outer walls, passing through the breaches and spreading out, reinforcing those at the front.

  He could see the faces of the people on the middle walls. They activated their weapons, cast their spells and shot their arrows, draining the power of the mana barriers ahead of them.

  They have strong defensive equipment. But once their power is all used up, then they will collapse. In the fighting, watching the power levels of so many formations is nearly impossible. Once we have locations set up inside their defenses we can coordinate our mana barriers for better protection.

  "Anything from the spies to the north?"

  "There hasn't been any movement."

  "Good, what about from the leadership?" Xiao watched advancing groups moving forwards across the ground. Trap spells went off, killing and wounding people as they advanced. Mana barriers that had used up all their power collapsed as attacks were focused on the unguarded members hiding underneath.

  "Alter our targets, aim for the inner walls. I want to see how many mana stones they're willing to burn!"

  ***

  Lieutenant Acosta let the body drop as she stood up, the stealth sheet attached to her armor as she pulled up her silenced rifle.

  The rocks around her moved as other people stood up with their sheets.

  "Fr-" The scout went silent as she put two rounds into the man, the silence spell on the rounds making it so his body didn't make a noise as it hit the ground.

  She switched targets, climbing over the rocks and boulders firing again.

  Flashes appeared around her, but there was no sound, from the weapons or from their targets.

  Acosta half lowered her rifle, forcing her breath out as she checked the surroundings.

  She saw a member of her team take a knee and shoot one scout that tried to run for it.

  "Observation post one is cleared."

  "Observation post three is cleared."

  "Observation post two is cleared."

  "Understood, good work," Domonos replied.

  Acosta took a knee and raised up her scope, using it to look at the northern gate.

  The guards on the walls moved, opening the three gates.

  Mounted beasts appeared in the streets, coming out of courtyards and market squares that were hidden from the outside.

  They filled the streets, rushing out of the gate in groups. They spread out and lined up, commanders taking charge to create two lines that extended out from the gate. As dozens turned into hundreds and then thousands, the lines got thicker and there were bumps in them, one close to the wall, one furthest away from the gate and a smaller bump in the middle.

  In a handful of minutes they were all lined up.

  The line started to move, a slow canter close to the wall and a quick gallop for those on the outside edge.

  The two lines separated, heading in opposite directions.

  ***

  Heidi Storgaard looked out from the command center at the peak of Reynir.

  Drums started to play across Reynir, sounding out together with low rolling beats.

  Tarps were pulled from weapons laying behind the walls. Crew leaders yelled out orders as weapons were pulled back and loaded. Cannons were rolled forward into position. Reynir was filled with activity as the Adventurer’s Guild and Grey Peak Sect members that had been remaining under the walls now rushed out to carry their duties.

  "Prepare to fire!" Her order passed through all of Reynir. It bristled with weaponry and pent up action.

  "Fire!"

  Reynir seemed to erupt as catapults and trebuchets creaked and groaned, releasing their payloads.

  Mana cannons roared, releasing pillars of mana, that cut across Reynir and slammed into the forward camps.

  All of Reynir was in motion now as they reloaded, rearmed and fired as fast as they could. The fresh crews were nearly twice protected from the wind that those at the top of the wall suffered from.

  "I wonder what they'll think of that," Storgaard spat, staring out at the Institute's camps. She sneered as the later ranks of Meokar troops marching to her outer walls, stumbled as a mana barrier broke, destruction rained down on the road, siege weaponry payloads went off like artillery rounds killing dozens.

  Golems ambled out of the ground in renewed force, changing the golem balance on the battlefield.

  Spells rained down on the forward camps Emily and Samantha, Dust and dirt filled the air, creating a screen around the camps. Lightning storms were summoned as the skies lit up with elemental energies, spells of ice and wind cut down at the Willful Institute. Burning boulders that looked like meteors smashed u
pon the ground. It was a scene of sudden and epic destruction.

  The early morning sun was eclipsed by the sudden attacks. Reynir showed its true strength.

  “Prepare the spell scrolls! I want mages attacking with all they have. Those siege weapons are not to fall silent! Keep their attention on us!”

  Storgaard barked, her eyes turning to the east and the west.

  She saw mages step forward from the Adventurer’s Guild, they stood on top of enhancing spell formations, each of them holding spell scrolls.

  Tremendous streams of mana were pulled into the spell scrolls and rebounded through the spell formation. The mages started to chant, the scrolls in their hands, lighting up with power that had been buried deep inside. The scrolls were not made from normal materials, but rare metals and skins.

  One group of mages finished, their spell scrolls were consumed as their formations let out a rush of power.

  Storgaard felt a disturbance in the air. She couldn’t see through the low lying clouds of lightning storms and frost rains that attacked the Willful Institute.

  She felt fear, down through her mana system.

  The drums, the weapon fire, it seemed to dim as she looked at the origin of where she felt a monumental amount of mana being channeled, then there was a second location, and a third.

  A pillar of air shot down, piercing through the clouds and dispersing them in the surrounding area.

  Silently a massive shard of ice as pure as the finest diamond hurtled towards the ground, gaining speed.

  There was no sound, not even a whistle as the tip of the ice crystal touched the leading edge of Camp Delta.

  She could no longer see what happened as light filled the plateau, making her cover her eyes before a rumbling explosion rolled across the plateaus, chased by clouds of smoke, dust and powdered stone that shot up into the sky.

  The mana barrier of Reynir shuddered at the impact from the waves of dust and fallout, wind howled through the mountain region as Storgaard looked at the two other mage groups that had finished their casting.