9th day of Nardure, 1283

It had been three days since the Magisterium replied positively to our request for reinforcement. We regarded the situation in West Etnovale as dire, and for us to solve the root of this problem, we have to know where it was coming from. And the only way to do that was to request an Offensive Team.

The Magisterium had approved of it. But we became more ecstatic when we realized that one of the Offensive Team’s leaders was someone we all knew. From that moment, we all could not hide how agitated we were in meeting the guy once again. We kept looking on our shoulders, staring longingly at the far horizon, hoping that at some point in time, we would spot their party.

Lord Mikkaelo Sarganse

***

11th day of Nardure, 1283

Somewhere in the afternoon, the front rider from the Offensive Team’s party arrived to announce that the main party might arrive late.

‘The Offensive Team will arrive by late afternoon,’ he told us gruffly as if the man was choking on a mutton that he was eating. The man appeared to be in his thirties with a bearded face that made his appearance menacing, almost barbaric. There were also scars we could see on his tan skin. From his appearance alone, we all could tell that this guy was a tough man. Perhaps he had been sent to almost every corner of the Empire, because where can you even get those pretty looking scars?

I wish I could also have a scar of my own. So, that I could boast about it to a lady when I go downtown to drink. I can even use it to tell stories to my grandsons and granddaughters as I waste my life drinking, spending every bit of my savings on buying ales, beers, and rums.

He told us his name was Gefran, and he had been serving as a member of the Offensive for almost ten years already. Three years of it was under Squad Leader Edmar Elfio de Ostrin. We all glanced at one another when he told us the name of his officer. 

We started asking him questions about his leader. He should have realized from the way how common we refer to his officer (we refer to him as Edmio) that we were pretty close. And that we were expecting him to say nice things about Edmio, but what he told us was every problem and argument that the two of them had fought in the last three years. Most of it he blamed on Edmio’s pampered upbringing. I only wished at that moment that he would just shut his mouth.

All six of us under Lord Andrew’s command were familiar with Edmar Elfio. All of us had met at the Imperial University. We all became close once we joined the birdwatching club that he had built. Though I still remember that he partly forced us to join it since no one finds it interesting to observe birds do their everyday business, which for the most part, was taking a crap.

‘Crap,’ Lady Sheina and Lord Andrew said when we were finally outside.  

‘With that mouth, he should be at least a Grade 3 with Rank 3 Range. I will smack him if he is not,’ Fred said.

‘He should be at least be good with incorporating that sword, whatever his connection with the Stardusts is,’ Lord Andrew said.

But we all know that we cannot doubt the skill of an Offensive Team member in incorporating any weapon with their ability. One of the qualifications of being part of the Offensive Team was someone’s ability to use a weapon and integrate it into battle, even when using the Songs.

We witnessed how good Gefran was when we fought the second wave of Stecars for that day. 

If it was our team, we received the wave by hiding behind the palisade as Lord Andrew and other Enhancers threw the creatures backward using the Song of Propulsion, this song was known for throwing things away from the caster. Since I am a Leecher, I couldn’t do much in this type of strategy unless the Stecars enter my five-meter Range. When they did, I would sing the Song of Attraction. This song would pin the Stecars’ feet on the ground, preventing them from coming close to the palisade.

But as a Leecher, Gefran did it differently. He shaded his eyes as he observed the horizon before him. Then without saying anything, he jumped across the wall. He stood there motionlessly as if he was waiting for them to enter his Range. I wonder how wide his range is?

Gefran started singing the Third Song of Glaciation. The Stecars was six meters away from the palisade. 

The Southern wind crossed the mountains of Andes

I stood day and night watching the water in Port Jihanra

Crystal water freezes fishes and rocks alike

Facing the horizon, I see your face in the clouds

The Third Song of Glaciation can turn everything the caster steps onto crystal. He started walking, and before we knew it, he was already gliding on the ground, moving towards where the Stecars were as he shouted, resembling a Warcry. This guy must really have some lost screw in his head! I will not even think of running towards these creatures even if Lord Andrew threatens me into it.

Gefran slid on the crystal ground, his sword hacking towards the closest body of his enemy. The crystalized ground had made it easy for him to dodge their attacks, at the same time, cause confusion to the arrays of Stecars. It also helped him in escaping dire situations, especially when Stecars decided to chase after him.

He would also throw his sword to the enemy and sing the second line of the First Song of Attraction so that his sword would fly back to his hand. He kept repeating his style, changing from Glaciation and Attraction and sometimes combining both Songs at the same time.

It had taken him just 15 minutes to scared the Stecars away, which would normally take us an hour.

If this is how powerful the member of an offensive team is, how capable can the captain be?

Lord Mikkaelo Sarganse