Chương 41: Blinding Lands

They all emerged out unto the new land awaiting them.

Their march unimpeded, they moved onwards with a growing lust to fight.

As they marched on, Venator noticed small streams going down the lower parts of the grasslands, water flowing through in small portions scattered everywhere. The streams split off to multiple directions, but all were connected to each other.

The General noticed the odd water, but continued marching with his army, raising his sword in case of an attack.

With him, the infiltrators walked, all looking to him for orders.

"Begin advancing farther, take out any you see in the fields. Once you arrive, under no circumstances at all shall you retreat until you have completed your order." He said with a tone of seriousness.

The infiltrators ran past Venator, moving through the air as if they were as light as feathers.

The infiltrators were long gone, Venator slowly approached closer towards the formidable silhouette of a fortress in the distance, walls rising high up, but the place had no torches nor light shining from it.

As they walked, steam began rising from the small streams of water flowing on the dirt.

Suddenly, large clouds of steam blinded the entire army, surrounding them in a hissing cloud of white smoke. Venator moved back, looking around trying to see what just happened.

"Prepare formation!" The General yelled in a gruff voice.

"Venator, get behind me now!" Venator ran towards the small square of shields formed around the General, quickly parting to let him enter.

All around them, the water had turned to steam, becoming impossible to see alongside the limited light.

As they looked around in silence, finishing their formations as the shields faced outside and upwards, dots of orange light can be seen through the steam.

In seconds, hails of arrows darted towards them, they struck the shields rapidly, a few passing through and hitting the grass below as the soldiers hastily tried to cover up any open spots.

A few yelps from the rear were heard, soldiers struck by the constant rain of arrows as they bounced against the shields leaving a loud banging sound.

The armies were cut off from each other, the steam had turned them to individual units than a combined force.

As he stayed under the safety of metal shields, the General began unlocking his chains.

"Change of plans, they know were here. I want you to hunt them down, if there is anyone outside that is. I have faith that you will accomplish this. Once the area has been cleared, we'll breach the fortress in front of us once and for all." The General spoke out, yelling as his voice was nearly drowned out by the barrage of arrows slamming into their shields.

"Soldiers! Begin marching forward!" The General yelled at the top of his lungs, nearly breaking his voice.

The wall of shields began marching slowly onward as arrows continued besieging them.

"Ready?" The barrage slowed, letting the shields slowly part to see the outside. Nobody was present, but the area beyond the steam was still blocked off. He pushed the sheathe and book into Venator's chest, with it was the bottle.

"I have no idea what's in this bottle, but it seems useful to you. Bring us closer to victory." Venator took his gear, quickly strapping it to him as he looked out at the wall of steam in front of him.

"Go!" Venator ran out, above him arrows pierced the steam as they came crashing down to his location. All around him they crashed into the dirt, he ran faster and faster with each second, the barrage slowly becoming intensifying.

With little thought or fear, Venator jumped through the wall of steam, feeling the heat hit his skin and clothes.

On the other side, a square area of grass awaited him, empty but deafening.

Figures jumped out of the steam, all meeting Venator as they locked eyes with one another through their cloaks, silently looking at one another in deep focus. Venator's hand stayed on his sheathe while his book hid under his robe.

Pulling it out without a second though, Venator ran towards the mages that had grouped together, his empty hand filled up with an orb of frost and cold while he ran.

He began forming ice pillars in front of him, the ground beneath him soon became wet with foot deep water, each stomp splashing water around while he continued to run. Hiding behind pillars he continued a relentless assault.

His sword slammed into the mage's own, forcing the others back in shock, not expecting such a swift move.

Mages bearing water and fire surrounded him. In a quick and strong move, he drove the blade into the mage's throat.

Blood quickly flooded out as the mage choked. Crimson dripped onto the water soaked dirt below followed by the clattering metal sword.

In seconds, a ripple of water rose up as Venator dashed through the water to the next mage.

The blade quickly met its mark on the mage, attempting to move back upon seeing the sudden move.

Around him, the rest took our their own weapons for combat, from swords to axes.

The frost soon shifted to fire, aiming it at the mages behind him, fire darted to their direction as water met it in the air, locking them while Venator continued assaulting the other mages, now finished with the one in front of him.

In swift strikes and sparks flying, the short fight ended, now leaving the mages fighting for their lives against a moving streak of flame.

Stopping the fire to attack, water pushed through the dissipating flame, striking Venator in the chest as he crashed into the ground.

He spawned a pillar in front of him, rushing to get back up. The mages started running around the pillar to flank. Venator wasted little time, charging forward with his sword.

Water slammed into his cloak donned face as he neared one of them, his blade met them just in time. The mage clattered back, ceasing the stream of water.

Held by both hands, Venator drove the sword into the mage, leaving 1 more mage in the fight.

Fear struck the lone mage, seeing the dead in front of him, trying to piece together what happened.

Terror quickly overtook the young magic user, stepping back slowly, he shifted quickly to a full sprint towards one of the walls of steam, rushing to escape.

Venator ran towards the retreating mage, grabbing him by the back, he drove the sword into his back, blood dripped out as he removed it, dropping the now lifeless body on the dirt.

"These mages really lack order." Venator spoke with disgust, in the chaos he failed to notice an arrow lodged into his back, the pain slowly rising after the battle ended.

He split the arrow in half, throwing it away with a desire to continue forward unimpeded.