Andraus
The last survivor of the Freelands
The Breakthrough at Warden Hill
Not every battle during the raids was a total victory for the forces of the Demon King, such as the Battle of Warden Hill. Here, the forces under warlords Lexus Mazoku, Mizuki Ishikawa, and Rashna Moemoto, of the Moemoto clan, were ordered to abandon the frontline to reinforce the capitol of Alethea. With Ferris and Chalondra focused on taking Gallica Pass, their forces managed to break through, but at great personal cost…
Lexus would just look at the approaching Knights under Lord Brooke, who were surrounding Warden Hill. Lexus, Mizuki, and Rashna were exhausted, as they had been marching with their forces to arrive at to the Capitol for three days without rest. Most of their forces did not survive the trip here, and to make matters worse, Mizuki had taken an arrow to the lower left side of her chest. The bleeding was steadily getting worse, as the arrow had been laced with an unknown poison.
“This is bad...We cannot fail our King! We must break through the enemy lines, and reach the capitol. “Lexus said, trying to think of a strategy to get out of the town. The fires were quickly spreading, and soon they’d engulf the small park they were currently residing in.
Mizuki would look up, her hair cut short to allow for ease of movement. She had refused to stop for her wound, opting to rush as quickly as possible to aid the king back at the capitol, so she could return to her sister. Getting up, she would begin reloading rifle.
Rashna would just kneel down next to Mizuki, helping her up. “Lady Mizuki, You’re hurt. We need to treat your wounds before-”
Mizuki would hold up her hand, before looking towards Rashna. “I’ve survived worse than this, Rash. Ferris may kill me for letting myself get injured, But I won’t die by a human-inflicted wound, that’s just insulting!”She said indignantly, before getting up.
Lexus would look towards the battlefield, before scanning the town. “I think I may have an idea. If we cut through the town, and block the ways behind us, they’d have to either cut through the alleyways, or go around the town, to reach us. “Lexus said.
Mizuki would nod, before hoisting her rifle up proper, placing in a fresh crystal. “What are we waiting for, then?! Let’s go!”
Rashna would nod, before holding up his Scythe, walking forward. “I’ll lead the advance! Let’s move!” He said, his grip tightened on the weapon.
The Trio would then make their way deeper into the town. The fighting had spread throughout the streets, the Demon forces attempting to beat back the Knights, but were having little luck. Lexus decided that, if they were to escape and be of best use to their King, they would have to rally their remaining forces, and make a break for the capitol. The streets were thick with smog from the burning buildings, dead bodies, and discarded weapons.
Their first of two stops: Hasashi Yugoi, a Hunter for the Ishikawa Clan. He was currently in battle, along the rest of his remaining men, against two units of Yunakanian Knights. Taking his spear, Lexus would stand it into the ground, launching a kick straight into the blade of one of them, sending them into the nearby building. Lexus would then press his back to the hunter, looking around as his men would engage the knights superior numbers.
“New Orders, Hasashi! We’re pulling out of the town, making a break for the capitol!” He yelled, taking his spear, and jabbing it through the eye-slit of a knight's armor, yanking the body so that it flew into another knight, causing them to stumble to the ground, allowing Lexus to jab his spear into his gut with no trouble.
“Are you sure, Lord Lexus!? I- GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!” Hasashi would be cut off, as a knight attempted to tackle him to the ground. He would hold up his bladed crossbow, before stabbing the ends into the knights throat, using him to balance the crossbow as he fired a bolt into a soldier's back, killing them. “HAHAHA! ONE FOR ME- Uh, I mean, I’m not running out of bolts or anything!”
“Yes I am sure! We need to move!” Lexus said, blocking a sword swing with the staff of his spear.
Hasashi looked disappointed, but would yell out the order. “Alright men! You heard the boss, we’re pulling out!” As he yelled, the remaining hunters would gather up, and begin moving behind him, heading towards the exit as planned for the withdrawal.
Continuing on their path, Mizuki would take her rifle, and point it at a trio of barrels underneath a watch tower. Firing, The watchtower would collapse, blocking the way behind them. Their next step was to link up with Xiahai Cao, an Arcane Warrior of the Mazoku clan. However, as they were running through the field, Rashna would see a group of demons in combat with a large number of human knights.
Rashna would rush in, and sweep with the scythe, slashing across the back of three of the knights, allowing the unit of demons to regroup with the rest of the fleeing forces. Rashna would then take his scythe, and sweep it upwards, catching the Knight-captain with the blade by the chin, and slamming him down into the ground, breaking his back.
However, Rashna would be cut off by Human reinforcements. Rashna would attempt to cut through, but as he raised his scythe to cut through moe, Rashna would get hit in the neck with an Arrow by an archer. The wound was fatal, and would kill Rashna almost instantly.
Mizuki would see this and curse. “Rashna! Shit, he’s gone! “She said, taking aim and shooting the archer that killed Rashna in the head. She would then look towards Lexus. She would then take a dagger from a fallen corpse, and fling it in a curved arch, hitting a knight in the neck with the blade.“We need to hurry and punch through! That bastard Brooke is advancing his forces faster than we can slow them!”
The remaining two warlords would finally arrive to find Xiahai in combat with Rose Kingdom reinforcements. Xiahai would take one of the two javelins, and stab it into a soldier's leg, using the other pierce the soldier's throat. Yanking them out, he would deftly block an attack by a nearby Knight with one his javelins, and stab him in the stomach, killing him slowly.
As they approached, Mizuki would grab a fallen spear from the ground, and run it into a soldier approaching Xiahai’s back, quickly taking aim and firing at another. “Sir Cao! Orders are to abandon the city, and break for the Capitol!” She yelled, blocking the attack by one of the soldiers swords with her rifle.
Xiahai would nod quickly, before running his javelin through the neck of Mizuki’s assailant, holding up the other and yelling. “Warriors of the Mazoku clan, We are pulling back! Guard your lord with your life! For the Honor of the clan!” He yelled, as the soldiers of lined up move towards the exit, along with the ishikawa hunters.
With their troops in full retreat, the two leaders were nearing the exit of the town. Mizuki, however, would slow down near exit, and would start coughing. Looking at her hand, she would see blood, but as she made her way towards the exit, an arrow would hit the back of her leg, causing her to fall to the ground.
“AGH! Dammit! You specks of filth! How dare you injure me!” She yelled, pulling up her rifle, and hitting three approaching shoulders. She would yank out the arrow, before looking towards the fleeing group, and the two kingdoms forces. Taking an emergency option, she would pull out the nearly depleted fire crystal, before tossing it towards the gate at the exit, firing at it with her rifle. The gate would collapse, thus preventing the forces from chasing after the retreating army...but also preventing Mizuki’s escape the same way.
Lexus saw the gate fall, and would run over, trying to pry it open, but to no avail. He would then yell. “Mizuki! What in the nine hells are you doing?!”
Mizuki would just hold up her rifle, as she kept firing at the approaching soldiers, trying to hold them back as much as possible. “You need to get out of here, Lex! I’ll draw their forces off as long as I can, but you get your ass back to the capitol!”
Lexus would just look down, before looking back up. “For the Infernal King! Give them hell for us, Mizuki!”
Mizuki would shoot him a smile, before yelling. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine! She yelled, before she ran out of view.
Lexus would just lower his head, as he’d look towards the remaining forces: Roughly three hundred men and woman of the raids. Pointing with his spear, the remaining soldiers would rush into the forest, aiming to reach the capitol. Unbeknownest to them, Mizuki would be rushing back towards Gallica Pass, aiming to aid her sister in the siege...
