Chapter 4: First Mission

East of Avilyon Wall

Sixth Tribe of Elren, Bastion

The large houses were built by stones but mostly were small wooden huts that scattered anywhere on the hundred leagues of plain.

After the ‘Rites of weapon’, all those who have obtained Magical Armaments were immediately sent out for a mission.

Fionn was group to a twenty-count brigade, and fortunately for him, it included Artemia and Ajax.

They ride side by side led by General Alaric at the front, heading to the chieftain’s house as ambassadors of Avilyon to help the Bastion tribe upgrade their defenses and military capability as the unseasoned nation requested.

“This is actually such a peaceful place to live” Ajax admitted.

Fionn could not agree more. Though he could see most people doing daily chores, he also noted that their water came from a deep well, they mostly eat vegetables from the large farms. It was as if the community did not have any problem to continue thriving the way it is.

“I don’t think they even use gold here for food and living” said Artemia.

He nods his approval. The tribe is reliant in nature. Fionn thought if all the nations choose to live like this. No chaos. No domination. No killing. No hatred.

But that is impossible. He knew that would never happen.

He now notices Alaric getting irritated as he led them to many wrong houses a few times.

Then a short man riding on a black steed approaches them. Sun-kissed was his skin, his hair braided long on his back, and he had dark stony eyes.

“Such an honor, and happiness swells within me to see you again, Sir Noahrd” he looks to each of the young Paladins, “I am the tribal chieftain, Munik Gared, please to make your acquaintance” his accent was thick, suggesting they have a different language being use.

Alaric nods, “I have been here many times my friend, but I still cannot familiarize the way” he chuckles. “As Avilyon promise, we shall help you as you needed to further established your military army”.

“Yes yes, friend” the chieftain smiled.

“Here are the Paladins who have just recently qualified. Like before, we shall teach them the ways of knighthood is not just about killing and defending” general Noahrd said.

“It is mostly about helping” Gared finishes with a grin.

A loud horn suddenly echoed not far from them.

It rang in the still air like a mighty blast. A warning. The sound of destruction and death like how the dukes of hell were described in the ‘book of endings, when they arrive to bring death and destruction in their wake.

Fionn felt nauseous as he heard the horn resounded. A familiar feeling hit his gut like before. He dropped from his horse.

Ajax went beside him. “Hey! What’s hap-“

His head swirl in a dizzying agony.

The butchered man in the forest. The mutilated flesh of humans scattered. And… the throat of his…

“Get a grip Fionn” Ajax shook him awake.

In his next breath, he was pulled back and realized villagers were already running everywhere in a stampede of haste and panic.

“It’s the Sanguine Daemons!!!” one shouted who just ran past their group.

The Bloody Monsters…

He gets back on his feet and pulls the spear strap on his back.

This is what he has waited for. His hand trembled as he grip the shaft of his weapon all around.

Even Alaric’s attention went to him.

He exhaled. He was no longer the weak and helpless boy he has been before. Now, he had the power to kill the accurse demons.

He started to move towards the commotion. Cries and screams already started to erupt somewhere. Wildfire already scattered throughout the huts.

It was almost as same as he could remember.

Artemia holds his arm, but it was Alaric who shouted at him.

“Fionn stop! where are you going?!” the general grabs him by the collar.

He did not drop his gaze against their leader. “Are you all just going to stand there and watched them all get slaughtered?” his voice trembled as he also turns to each one who also have undecided faces. “When we have the means to stop it?”.

“We retreat now” Alaric commands sharply. “That’s an order”.

Fionn fumes in rage, power seeping again in his body. “Well, then I refuse to obey it”.

“Theos, this is a direct order from the King. Do not engage in any battle, especially to the bloody Templars”.

Fionn nods his head... and runs.

He sprinted away from their group, charging to the nearest Sanguine. He thrusts his spear directed to the heart of the Daemon, the tip of his lance easily impaling bones and flesh. The body instantly drop heavy as its life was extinguished.

His first kill.

'Revenge… avenge every life you saw taken'… the voice caressed his ears.

Another Daemon noticed his fallen comrade and lunges for him with a red blade gleaming in hand.

Fionn swipes his lance horizontally, his weapon breaking the opponent’s blade with unstoppable force. Then he spins the long armament in his palm and shoves it in the monster’s throat.

Two…

“Come at me!!!” he taunted; one which the red eye Templars did not let escape unnoticed.

They all charged at him.

Fionn sweeps his lance to provide himself an arc of defense as two lunge at him ferociously. He manages to cut the other one’s hand off.

But another three followed-up at his back. He manages to turn just in time to impale another one. Two survived which also left a deep scratch on his arm.

Blood immediately flowed down to the ground. Fionn gritted his teeth as searing pain erupted next, he was thankful the adrenaline heightens his tolerance.

Seven daemons with murderous-gazes now circled around him. Creeping towards slowly like a group of predators cornering their sole prey.

He realizes his head was also bleeding as blood drip to his eyes, covering his left vision badly. As he composes his stance when another Daemon readied, a giant figure steps in the bout and swings a massive golden great sword which decapitated the attacker.

“Damn it Fionn!” Ajax curse as he also continued to keep in bay those who tried to close in.

Artemia jumps to the right and slashed at a surprise Sanguine.

There was help, but to Fionn’s dismay another horde of daemons arrived at the sight.

Together, the trio battled against group of Sanguine, beheading, impaling and killing anyone who rushes to them.

As the tide seemed to turned in their favor, a punch suddenly blew on Fionn’s blind-side. He felt some of his ribs cracked as his body was thrown a good distance away. He coughs blood as he rolls on his side.

He wondered how could he survived such a brutal attack, but thought it was of the ‘Awakening’ the caeremonia held. It made their bodies stronger.

He looks up to see the attacker already upon him. A man with a shoulder-length silver-hair, with an all-black leather robe. A gleaming-red symbol of snake was pin on his chest.

Crap. He realizes it was one of the ‘Elder Templars’, the equivalent of a general in their own military.

The Elder raises his hand holding a war mace over his head. As he brought it down to Fionn’s face, Ajax parried the first strike, but the Daemon punches him solidly in the arm.

He could literally hear the bone cracking at his friend’s arm. Then the Sanguine leader shoves his hand at Ajax’s side which penetrated the giant’s gut, before the man could deal the finishing blow, Fionn was already on his feet and he manages to stab the Elder’s hand and pushes him away from his friend.

At the corner of his vision, he saw Artemia leaps in to defend their friend as Daemons swarmed to kill Ajax.

Before he could exhale, another blinding speed of slashes and swings assaulted him with ferocity. Fionn countered as he sacrifices himself taking damages. Then he pierces the man’s left leg, he did not give him time to recover as he kicks him with his remaining strength.

As the distance grew, he aimed his spear at the Sanguine, power building in his hands, “Ashera Phos!” he did not know where he got the name but it was already on his mind. The spear travelled the air lightning fast, a glowing trail of black fire seared its path into muck.

But the Elder proved to be out of his league as he deflected the strike, and charges at Fionn, retorting also with a kick as the elder reaches him within distance.

He blocks at the attack with his elbow but was thrown off again. Dirt and grit covered his palm as he scrapes it in the ground to stop the momentum of him falling.

Blood already covered most of his vision. The adrenaline was also waning as his muscles weigh heavy and his lungs scream in exhaustion.

So, I will die here after all… Without avenging my…

The mace was already upon his face...

A hair’s breadth away... steel against steel spark as they collided in a mighty impact.

A sword stops the deathblow from reaching Fionn.

He forces his eyes to open, seeing Alaric now standing between him and the Elder.

The general continued to push the Templar’s sword down to the ground when the Sanguine was outbalance from surprised of the sudden struggle, Alaric immediately cuts off the sword arm.

A cry of pain bellowed from the Daemon, but the Sanguine was not done, he grabs another blade from his back with his remaining hand and started to regain the offensive position against the general.

Alaric ferociously dance in a clashed of steel. His footwork and balance gaining the upper hand as the other loses blood and had only one hand. But the speed of his opponent still proves to be threatening.

Fionn started to get back up again. If he could take another shot… 'another clean throw'. He knows it would give Noahrd the ample time he needed to end the fight.

He leans on a wall to balance himself on his feet. Even holding his weapon felt so heavy.

His vision was blurred but he could see Alaric already bleeding a lot.

“Ninth Star” he exhales aiming his spear, “Ashera Light!” using up all his remaining strength from his head to toe, Fionn releases the lance from his grasp. Letting it fly aiming for the daemon’s head.

The Elder Sanguine turn to the spear’s direction to block it. It was successfully fended off. But it was, at the same time his mistake. Alaric wasted no moment in the split-second to cut the Sanguine’s head off.

To Fionn’s surprised, as the head rolls to the ground, the remaining Sanguine who is starting to overpower the Paladin Knights stop with their scourging.

One by one they back down from the fight. Fleeing as far as possible.

Fionn hurried towards Artemia who had Ajax’s massive arms on her shoulder to be half-carried.

As he helped her, he asks. “Did we win?”

But it was Alaric who answered.

“No, kid. You have doomed us all”