The cry from a collective of eight people was not to be underestimated. Especially when they all had the same tone, merging to an even grander sound. It sure caught the attention of the combatants. Both the soldiers, who were on their last legs, and the dogs who had too many legs were stopped in their battle against each other.

He hadn't done this unplanned, all along the road he and his clones figured out the best possible strategy to employ.

One thing they had to heavily consider was the safety of Alex. While he could just lay back and let his clones do all the work, it would be increasingly essential to have combat experience with his skills. It was better to do this in the midst of his clones than experience impotence later on.

Alex ran a bit behind his clones, five of them making an appropriate protection from any incoming damage. Behind him were his unarmed clones, they would be a forewarning against any rear attack and may also participate in the battle if they could loot swords from any of the corpses on the ground.

The soldiers in black armor retreated from the battle once they noticed that the dogs were intimidated. The dogs came out of their stupor and tried to bite onto their chins, only for the clones to fend them away with swipes from their swords.

The five upfront clones pointed their swords in front of them in a mock spear wall, and the dogs were indecisive. Alex nodded towards the black soldiers, his rear clones hastily helping in removing their armor and bandaging their bite wounds.

"ALL UNITS!" Alex shouted in the tense silence, getting the dogs to twitch backwards. "Two attack and three defend. Do not let the dogs of Skorn touch your brethren."

Three clones dropped their swords to their chests and retreated to the side of the attackers. The attackers didn't take too long, swiping their swords in a wide arc, making the dogs dodge and snarl.

"Soldier!" Alex barked at the two black armored dudes on the ground. "Are there any reinforcements incoming."

"...no…sir!" The soldier barely got out, the clone tending to him, putting pressure on a neck wound.

"Alright boys. Attackers, do all you can to land hits. Defenders, protect the attackers at all cost, even with your own bodies if Mercy wills it." Alex commanded.

The clones practically lunged onto the five dogs, and while many dogs dodged, one got a nick on his paw. It was at that moment that any pretense of this being an organised battle was thrown out of the window.

Instantly, the dogs jumped onto the clones uncaring for the swords that would be hitting them. The two attacker clones were in the front, and they got the most attention, the first attacker got off lightly with the help of two defenders on his side bashing the dogs away and injuring them greatly.

The other attacker wasn't as fortunate, with the defender only able to block one dog, the other dog attacking him got his jaws onto his legs. A scrambled scream tore from his lungs, and Alex winced for a second before refocusing on the battle.

The battle was already over though, the two defenders and one attack had finished off the three dogs that were attacking them. And the other two dogs were quickly finished off and decapitated.

"Are you good there?" Alex asked the clone that was bit on the leg, and scowled when he saw that there was a fang stuck in his thigh.

"Fuck no!" The clone said through gritted teeth. "Just pull me into a corner and cancel me, better not exist than experience this pain." 

Alex chuckled and the clone beside him dragged the clone to an alleyway, disappearing behind the walls. Moments later Alex twitched his inner limb and watched as the clone brought back the injured clone's clothes, mask and sword.

"Soldier. What the fuck happened? Those dogs could be killed by a mob of malnourished stick wielding children." Alex felt a small bit of vindication at screaming at the soldier. 

"It wasn't…they were more." The soldier, who was able to speak, said. "We were fighting through the streets, and got separated from our squad."

Alex was going to continue when he heard a clone tick his tongue. He saw the clone, the one who was bandaging the other soldiers neck, shaking his head. The soldier had hollow eyes and didn't move anymore.

"Mercy bless him on his journey into her heavens" The clones and Alex all muttered, hanging their heads low to the soldier and then bowing to the ever present Mercy in the sky.

"Soldier, go back to wherever you came from. Your injuries are bandaged to the best of our ability." Alex said and turned to the corpses around. "And tell me which direction I can find the closest enemy."

"Thank you, to all of you. Just go towards the center of the city, and the dungeon hit the Lord's mansion." The soldier nodded to them and skipped along the road on one leg.

"Everyone, give the rites to the dead and loot their bodies of any weaponry, clothes and armor they have." Alex said, and he went to check on the dogs. He didn't forget to summon a new clone to replace the injured one.

He put his hands on their hairless bodies and hoped that this method would still work. He traced with his finger their veins, which were far more protruded than normal, and surprisingly they all clustered upon a specific spot.

Giddily, Alex made an incision with the rapiers and brought out a crystal from their flesh. He smiled and hid the piece of crystal into his pocket. He repeated the process on all of the four dogs nearby.

Alex joined the team five crystals richer, and also noticed that they had equipped themselves with leather armor - though it was covered in blood - and in new weapons. His rear clones now have swords, and he smiled widely when he saw that one of the rear clones had acquired a bow.

"Lads, you all look absolutely deadly. Let us go wreck shit." Alex's fangs slipped from his grin.

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and if you have any critics please send them to me, I would appreciate.

All the love for Mambell, the beta reader for this story.