The battleground was chaotic, and the clash of steel, the children’s screams, and the crackling flames creating a symphony of chaos. Pádraig and I led our makeshift group of defenders into the heart of the skirmish, where we encountered a party of rogue knights clad in imposing armor fighting off a band of villagers. Their presence hinted at a well-organized force, and the sight of captured slaves fighting alongside them sent a shiver down my spine.
Without a moment's hesitation, we engaged the rogue knight party. I took a step back, preparing a basic [Wind Magic] spell. Simultaneously, I gathered several stones, loading them up like bullets. Pádraig and the others exchanged confused glances, but they caught on to my strategy as I unleashed the wind-enhanced barrage.
The wind-propelled stones tore through the air, knocking out the unarmed slaves and denting the armor of the unshielded assailants. The force might not have pierced the armor, but the impact inflicted some damage, momentarily staggering the rogue knights. Pádraig and the others seized the opportunity, charging into melee combat and reuniting with the rest of the villagers who were already fighting the rogue knights.
I continued to support from the background, launching stones with precision to avoid hitting our own fighters. The need for accurate aim intensified as the battle raged on, as I couldn’t just randomly shoot a volley of stones without causing friendly-fire. Luckily, this is the best time to use my [Magic Eye] without restraints.
In the distance, I spotted Seamus, guiding a group of women and children away from the heart of the battle. Five young armed villagers attempted to break off any rogue knights pursuing them. The struggle was brutal, with four of them falling, one of them meeting an untimely end. I could see Seamus’ despair over the fallen lad, which momentarily stopped him in his feet.
Just as despair threatened to settle, Eoin emerged, alongside with a band of strong and armed villagers. They had just defeated a group of rogue knights by themselves, but Eoin's heroics were cut short. A knocked-out rogue knight immediately got back up and launched a surprise attack, but he was later struck down. However, Eoin's left eye was lost in the struggle as he attempted to parry the rogue knight’s blade, unaware of the dagger that was thrown afterwards.
The battle's intensity heightened, and as I launched another set of stones, my attention was diverted.
“Pádraig!”
In the midst of the chaos, I witnessed Pádraig's demise. A rogue knight, utilizing what seemed to be a magic-propelled lance technique, pierced through him with deadly precision. Time seemed to slow as Pádraig fell, and the weight of the moment hung heavy in the air. The rogue knight, despite their helm covering their entire face, looked like they savored that moment as they directed their attention towards me. My fellow defenders slowly fell down one upon another, and I was left alone in this battle.
Using my [Magic Eye], I scanned the surroundings and found 21 rogue knights in total. 5 of them were unconscious, 3 of them following in pursuit against Eoin’s group, 9 of them were in combat against me, while the rest were fighting off other villagers across the battlefield.
The situation looked pretty dire to me.
In a daring move, I decided to bait the rogue knight who had taken Pádraig's life. I remained immobile, dropping to my knees. Genuinely feeling a pang of sadness despite the brief time I had spent with Pádraig, I played along with the guise of a warrior with a broken spirit.
As the rogue knight charged with his lance, the rest of the party scattered, some going after the remaining defenders, others pursuing Seamus's band. I kept my head down, concealing my intentions as I secretly conjured [Earth Magic].
Remaining on my knees, I took a moment to glance at my status bar. My mana was depleting rapidly, and the realization struck that I only had so much left before passing out. However, there was no time for hesitation.
[Ferdinand Tamadito]
[Human]
<Mage-Class X>
Level 4
[XP:590/1264]
[Status]
<HP:51/105>
<Stamina:42/127>
<Mana:201/925>
<Satiation:89/254>
Weariness: 72.86%
Fatigue is evident, and the individual may struggle to sustain prolonged activity. Adequate rest and recovery are essential to prevent exhaustion and burnout.
Injured
Wounded. Regeneration rate [75%]
[Attributes]
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 10
Agility: 10
Intelligence: 10 [1,000]
Constitution: 25
Charisma: 10
[Buffs]
<Magician's Blood>
[You hail from a lineage of renowned magicians.]
[Intelligence multiplier +100%]
<Arcane Insight>
[Attains a heightened state of awareness, granting the ability to perceive and comprehend one's own stats with extraordinary clarity.]
<High Weariness>
[You are feeling the weight of exhaustion settling in.]
[Stamina Regeneration -15%]
[Sprinting Speed -10%]
As my [Earth Magic] spell took hold, my mana reserves dwindled dangerously, and I knew that I was on the verge of passing out. Yet, in that critical moment, I released the spell, envisioning a force that would offensively lock the rogue knights in place. The magic surged through the surrounding ground, and the battlefield transformed. Huge spikes of earth appeared from the ground, displacing the bodies of the fallen from where they lay.
The charging rogue knight was the first victim of the spell, his foot impaled by the earth's sharp edges. He stopped abruptly, causing his loss of balance which resulted in his lance to ricochet as it fell in front of him towards the ground, with the lance’s ricochet striking him with deadly force.
The remaining rogue knights were not spared. My [Earth Magic] rooted them in place, as sharpened earth edges pierced through their feet. Agony painted their faces as they struggled against the earthy restraints. The sudden turn of events left them vulnerable for a moment.
I tried to control the spell to avoid hitting the downed villagers who might be just unconscious, but it was too late as some of the ground had already impaled several of them. I couldn’t control it.
[Ferdinand Tamadito]
[Human]
<Mage-Class X>
Level 4
[XP:722/1264]
[Status]
<HP:51/105>
<Stamina:12/127>
<Mana:36/925>
<Satiation:81/254>
Weariness: 87.17%
The person is experiencing severe fatigue and may be at risk of physical and mental exhaustion. Immediate rest and recovery are necessary to avoid detrimental effects on health and well-being.
Weakened
Regeneration rate [50%]
[Attributes]
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 10
Agility: 10
Intelligence: 10 [1,000]
Constitution: 25
Charisma: 10
[Buffs]
<Magician's Blood>
[You hail from a lineage of renowned magicians.]
[Intelligence multiplier +100%]
<Arcane Insight>
[Attains a heightened state of awareness, granting the ability to perceive and comprehend one's own stats with extraordinary clarity.]
<Extreme Weariness>
[You are on the brink of physical and mental exhaustion.]
[Stamina Regeneration -30%]
[Mana Regeneration -15%]
[Sprinting Speed -20%]
“This is ba-“
As his vision blurred and his consciousness slipped away, Ferdinand collapses from his exhaustion, before looking at his status one last time, succumbing to unconsciousness.
Meanwhile, Seamus successfully led the escape towards the outskirts of the village, guiding the women and children and leading the escape towards Eifansdoche. A young woman on horseback was dispatched to call for help from the town and surrounding villages.
Eoin, holding off the pursuing rogue knights, noticed the other rogue knights leaving towards the village. He leaves his detachment of armed villagers to guard the escape party from the pursuing rogue knights while he goes after the other rogue knights.
Rushing after them, he stumbled upon the village’s altered surroundings, which he guessed to have been the result of Ferdinand’s magic, an evidence of the young mage's desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle.
“Boy… what have you done..?”
Despite the smoke from the resulting fire, the village could not signal for help due to the adverse weather conditions. Several armed villagers, who had chosen to remain and fight alongside Eoin, constructed a massive wooden pyre. Their aim was to create enough flame and smoke to alert any nearby patrols, rallying for aid amidst the chaos that had befallen Kilarney.
Eoin, undeterred by the chaos that surrounded him, faced off against the remaining rogue knights attempting to break free from their earthy restraints. With determination etched on his face, he engaged them with lethal precision.
Rushing towards the first group of rogue knights, Eoin wasted no time in severing their attempts to reach Ferdinand, with his strikes swift and unforgiving. Cries of pain echoed through the battle-torn village as he cut down those who sought to inflict harm on Kilarney.
One of the rogue knights, realizing the imminent threat to their life, pleaded for mercy. However, Eoin's demeanor remained resolute and cold. He ignored their desperate plea, delivering decisive blows without a hint of hesitation.
Despite the loss of his left eye, Eoin displayed remarkable agility, evading a sneak attack from one of the surviving rogue knights. With a swift and calculated movement, he retaliated, cutting off their foot with the rogue knight’s own sword and bringing them down to the ground with a powerful strike from his spear.
Turning his attention to the rogue knights stuck on the raised earth, Eoin approached them methodically. With a series of lethal strikes, he eliminated each one, leaving them lying dead on the very ground they had been trapped in.
Eoin remained standing alone amidst a sea of blood, as rain started to pour down. The other village defenders regrouped with him and re-engaged the surviving rogue knights.
