The Runic Alchemist

"How is it?" Einar asked from atop his horse, glancing at Sam, who was doing his best to stay alert, trying to see any movement in their surroundings at the back of the army. It was exhausting to maintain such vigilance for so long.

"Nothing yet, it's the same... Yovan?" Sam responded.

"He's set up some traps and prepared a few spells for later, but it won't be enough," Yovan answered grimly.

"It's just for a few hours till we reach another village," Sam said, revealing his plan. "Then we can leave this lot behind if necessary."

Einar nodded in agreement. Neither of them was eager to die, especially in a fight beyond their capabilities. Once their task was complete, they could leave the captain and his second-in-command behind and focus on what they had truly come for—searching for Maximus. Sam hoped to get closer to the main battlefield, but this would have to do for now.

Sam took his place again at the rear of the group, keeping his senses sharp as they moved through the dense forest. At least here they didn't have to worry about the heat, though the thick foliage made it easy for enemies to hide. He noticed the little girl giggling in her mother's arms, and despite the tension, a small smile crept onto his face.

But he quickly pushed aside any unnecessary thoughts, refocusing on the task at hand.

Then it happened—the moment they had feared. Sam suddenly felt a presence above him. His instincts screamed danger, and he immediately looked up. He heard a swooshing sound, like something falling through the high trees. Sam drew his sword, his hands had never left the hilt ever since the first signs of mana were detected, and raised it high.

'Skhshhh...'

His blade struck something. To his surprise, a man dressed in Ashenvale colors and light armor materialized, impaled on his sword. Blood poured from the man's chest, and he gurgled in agony.

'Damn, it is them.' Sam thought, his heart racing.

In the next instant, more enemies appeared, seemingly out of thin air, attacking the soldiers protecting the villagers. One charged at Sam with a spear, but Sam deftly deflected it, stepping forward and twisting his blade to find a gap in the man's leather armor, sinking his sword into the ribcage.

Another dead.

Sam yanked his sword free and assessed the situation. It wasn't good. Einar had leapt from his horse and was cutting down enemies with blinding speed, his sword leaving red streaks in the air as he dispatched one after another. But for every enemy they killed, more took their place. Yovan, somewhere in the fray, was cursing as he unleashed fire arrows, his voice barely audible over the chaos.

The front lines were also under attack, Sam realized, though it felt like something even worse was waiting for them up ahead. Pushing those thoughts aside, he focused on cutting down any enemy in his path, using every sword technique he had learned. His only goal was to reach Einar and Yovan.

It took time and considerable effort, but eventually, the three of them reconvened, standing back-to-back, facing wave after wave of attackers.

Their comrades were falling like leaves in autumn. Yovan desperately tried to shout commands, urging everyone to form a defense, but the soldiers were scattered. Those who managed to fend off attackers either fled into the forest, only to be struck down by enemy spells, or tried to find a better vantage point to keep fighting.

Yovan was running low on mana, but he continued casting spells, while Sam and Einar fought like it was their last battle. It very well could be. The more their comrades died, the more enemies surrounded them, making survival increasingly difficult. Somehow, they held on. Yovan's traps were triggered, giving them brief respites, while Einar unleashed a ferocious display of swordsmanship.

Sam pushed beyond his limits, stringing together attacks in a fluid motion, each kill leading into the next.

Some of the villagers picked up weapons to fight, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the Ashenvale soldiers, meeting swift deaths. The rest huddled in the center of the fray, terrified and defenseless as the battle raged around them.

It was brutal, bloody, and nearly impossible, but they did it. They slashed down every Ashenvale soldier that came their way, whether they were ordinary fighters or first-rankers. They couldn't have done it alone, but the three of them fought as one, saving each other's lives, covering each other's backs.

And at last, when the dust settled, they were the only ones left standing, drenched in blood and sweat, gasping for breath—but still very much alive.

'Thud...'

Before they could even catch their breath, another group of soldiers in Ashenvale colors approached them slowly. One of the men threw something on the ground in front of them. Sam glanced down and felt a surge of anger and despair—Captain Valen's lifeless head stared back at him.

'Damn you, you bastard... Why didn't you listen?'

As the crowd of enemies parted, Sam felt a domineering presence approaching. But instead of attacking them, the leader of the group walked over to a woman from the village. He grabbed her by the hair, pulling her roughly against his body, leering at her in a way that made Sam's blood boil.

"Stop it, damn you! Let her go!" Sam shouted, unable to stand the sight any longer.

The leader turned toward him, surprised and amused. He shoved the woman aside and began walking toward Sam, Einar, and Yovan, pulling out an axe unlike any Sam had ever seen. It was covered in glowing runes, and the blade hummed with energy, radiating a purple aura.

Even though tired to their bones, Sam gripped his sword tighter, Einar released his own humming red aura blade he had mastered who knew when in preparation. Yovan, bleeding and nearly out of mana, struggled to stay upright.

However suddenly, five water blades shot toward the leader, he easily deflected them one by one. Sam turned to see where they came from and spotted the white-haired, plus-sized kid he had saved recently.

'Fool, should have just run away,'

With the leader momentarily distracted, Einar charged, and Sam followed right behind him. But Sam barely lasted two seconds before a blow from behind his head knocked him out cold.