Bab 34: Chapter 34: Lizardmen ambush!
"Right you sorry shits! It's time to move out." The drill instructor shouted as he readied the men.
Lucian and the others all fell into line while the commanded positioned his horse at the front.
"On my order. March!" He shouted, leading the way out of camp.
All of the men started to match behind him, each of us equipped with the standard sword and shield, while some had bows and a small few spears.
It didn't take long to enter into the swamplands and out of the large camp. Soon the hard ground turned soft as we entered into the black water and mud.
"Why the hell are we even fighting for a shithole like this." One of the men said under his breath.
Another agreed with him, with more slowly muttering under their breath.
"Shut it!" The drill instructor shouted, overhearing some of the men chattering.
The men quickly shut their mouths at his word, all of them knowing what would happen if they didn't.
Lucian was still in his own world, not being able to stop thinking how wrong things had gone during his time here.
Slowly he turned his attention to the surroundings of the swamp. Seeing nothing but marshland, trees and rivers all over.
With his sharpened senses, Lucian could make out the sounds and movements of the surrounding life, now understanding why the Empire would want it for its natural resources.
"Keep an eye out men, those lizards are sneaky fuckers." The drill Sargent shouted, making sure to keep everyone in line marching.
So far there was no sign of anything, nothing seeming out of the ordinary as the men continued to march through the swamp.
"I heard some of the other men talking back at camp before we set out," Bal said to Lucian.
"Apparently, they make all the new recruits head out on a patrol to the black marsh to get some action. Most don't make it back, so they say." Bal then said, making sure no one else could hear him.
Lucian nodded, still looking around while listening to him speak.
"Is that so..." He said, not really interested.
All he wanted to do was finish this so-called war quickly so he could try and rescue Hestia.
Suddenly his ears picked up a small rustling sound coming from the long grass on either side of them. There was also deep water on their left, deep black water for what the swamp was named.
Lucian focused his senses, letting them work overtime as he concentrated.
"Ambush!!!" He suddenly shouted, doing his best to alert the others best he could.
Not a moment later, spears and other projectiles suddenly burst from the long grass, taking the troops off guard.
"Shields!!!" The drill instructor shouted, rushing to the commander as he drew his sword.
"Argh!!!" Men screamed as they were impaled by the spears, ripping through their armour due to the force at which they had been thrown.
Lucian tilted his head to the side as a spear skimmed the side of his helmet, scratching it all down the side of the facepiece.
Lucian quickly drew his sword and raised his shield, falling into formation with the others lucky enough to have avoided the rain of spears.
Suddenly it went silent as the attack stopped, the only sounds now being the men either moaning as they died, or trying to ready themselves for another attack.
"Get ready!" The commander shouted as he galloped his horse behind the men, all of them looking to the long grass.
Lucian was also looking at the grass, holding his shield high as he stood ready with the others. All of them watched the grass waiting for any sign of movement.
"Steady men!" The drill instructor shouted, taking his place with the men on the front line.
"This is what you were trained for! Don't let these scally fuckers get the better of you!" He shouted, trying to keep his men's morale high.
Only a small moment of time passed, but for the soldiers, it felt like an eternity, each of them waiting to see what monsters could emerge from the darkness.
"RROOOAAARRR!!!"
The sound of the lizard men's battle cry suddenly sounded, alerting everyone to their attack. Huge lizardmen suddenly burst out from the large grass, each of them being large and well built, wielding swords, spears and knives.
Their scales were also a different range of colours, some red, some green and others yellow, however, all of them were just as furious as the next.
"Kill the humans!" They roared, charging in with all of their might.
"AARRGGHHHH!!!" The men shouted as they too returned their battle cry, charging in to meet them in battle.
The Lizardmen were huge and powerful beasts, easily smashing their way through the ranks of soldiers like they were nothing. The screams of battle sounded and the scent of blood filled the air as swords clashed.
Lucian held his position as he cut down two lizardmen with relative ease, using his power to slice ones arm clean off, while he blocked another attack with his shield.
The lizardman seemed surprised that Lucian had stopped his attack with such ease, but he didn't have much time to think about it as Lucian rammed his shield into its chest, knocking it off its feet and onto its back.
"Hold the line men!" The drill instructor shouted as he had also taken one of the beasts down, taking its leg out and then slicing its head clean off.
"Go for their knees!" He shouted before he was suddenly hit with a large club, knocking him through the air and crashing into the ground.
All of the men watched as he hit the ground, feeling their hope fade and slip away.
"It's no use, they are too strong!"
"We need to retreat!" Another screamed in fear, already on his back foot getting ready to run.
Lucian was still fighting at the front, holding his position along with Bal and a small handful of others.
"Lucian, the drill Sargent is down!" Bal shouted as he ducked under a slash that would have taken his head clean off.
Lucian blocked another attack before taking a step to the right and avoiding an overhead slash. Using his speed he quickly slashed clean through the lizardman's torso, his sword ignoring its scales thanks to his physical strength.
"Shit." Lucian thought as he looked through the skirmishes towards the Sargent.
"Fall back with the others, I'll get the Sargent!" Lucian shouted to the others.
They didn't argue, having already seen how strong he was.
"You heard him lads, reform!" Bal shouted, forming a shield wall with the others.
Lucian quickly made a break for it, dashing clean through the battlefield towards the Sargent and cutting down any lizard that got in his way.
"Look out!" Lucian shouted as he watched one of the lizardmen's claws rip through a set of armour like butter, however, he was too late to save the soldier and instead rammed the point of his shield into the lizards head, killing it on impact.
The drill Sargent slowly got up, having already seen that the commander had long since high tailed it out of here.
"Coward..." He muttered under his breath, using his sword to lean his weight on, watching as a much larger and stronger looking lizardman came walking towards him.
"Well fuck... You're a big one." He said as he spat out blood, still refusing to back down to the end.
The large lizard had blue scales, a very large and wide back and also stood a full head above the others, clearly being their leader.
"You human scum will never take our swamp." It said, raising its club above its head, getting ready to deliver the final blow.
The Sargent could tell his end was here, but he refused to go out without a fight, picking his sword up as he took a stance.
"Come on!" He roared, getting ready to try and do something, anything he could that would give him a warriors death.
The lizard commander also roared, showing its large fangs as it was about to crush the drill Sargent with its club.
"Die!!!" It roared.
However, at the last second, Lucian tackled the beast as he speared his body and shoulder into it. The Lizard was taken off its feet from the force and crashed to the ground with Lucian on top of it.
"I don't think so!" He shouted as he postured up and punched it in the face with all of his might.
The lizard commander was surprised at how strong Lucian was, feeling the power of his punch as it rocked its brain.
"Why you!" It roared, using its razor-sharp claws to slash Lucian down the chest, cutting through his armour with ease, knocking him off of its chest.
Lucian rolled back and stood to his feet already feeling the scratch marks on his chest healing over.
"What are you..." The Lizard said as it too stood to its feet, clutching its club as it did.
"You're about to find out!" Lucian said, as he extended his hand and let his magic flow freely.
"Fireball!!!"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone