The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 152

Chapter 152

Chapter 152: Way of Magic

Both captains behind me remained in a daze as we all stared at the severed arm—hand still clenching the sword—forming a pool of blood beneath it.

“Soldiers on guard! Stand by for battle!” I roared, projecting my voice as loudly and distinctly as possible to get everyone’s attention.

The soldiers present roused out of their daze at my commands. The new recruits scrambled to their belongings as they fumbled putting on their armor. The veteran adventurers and experienced soldiers, already wearing their under-armor garments, deftly buckled on their protective gear as the screams and sharp clangs of metal continued echoing from above the cliff.

Captain Glory and Auddyr were already dressed in light armor and had snapped back to their senses, both a bit embarrassed by their poor response to the situation.

“Captain Auddyr. The armor on this arm isn’t something a passerby would have—it’s military attire. Didn’t you say your division was stationed up on the cliff?” I yelled out as the camp had grown loud from activity.

The once surly-faced captain paled in horror as he studied the armor one more time. Just as he was about to leap up the cliff, I held him down by his metal gorget that protected his shoulders and chest. “Stay here until the division is ready.”

“Unhand me! My soldiers are under attack without their leader!” Captain Auddyr hissed, no trace of his former haughty and composed self.

Tightening my grip, I pulled him close. “Captain. If you go in alone and are killed, your soldiers will be in a worse position than they’re in now.”

I surveyed the encampment as Captain Glory led her division into an organized formation. Most of the soldiers were already prepared and grouped based on their position. Rather than one large group, Vanesy had split her forces up into separate units, each composed of their own ranks of foot soldiers, augmenters, archers, and mages.

Just from a cursory glance, the ones at the very front of each unit were foot soldiers—regular humans and elves with thick armors and large shields since they’d be taking the brunt of an attack. Along the flanks were augmenters responsible for guarding the conjurers and archers as they fired arrows and spells.

The head—the leader of a unit, like Dresh—was positioned just behind the footsoldiers, an ideal spot for giving orders and protecting the conjurers as well.

Vanesy looked at me and signaled that she was ready. Letting go of Captain Auddyr, I motioned for him to join his fellow captain as I moved toward the rear where the smiths and cooks were grouped.

As the division began making their way up the steep slope up the cliff, I couldn’t help but ponder who was attacking. We were near the southern border of Sapin, where the underground kingdom of Darv began. At first, my mind immediately went to a mana beast attack, but the point of injury on the severed arm was too clean of a cut for it to have been claws or fangs. It was possible that they were attacked by some of the nomadic bandits I’d read about that travelled above the ground along the southern parts of Dicathen. It could also be a radical group that was opposed to the war with Alacrya, but there was no way to know for sure.

“Madam Astera, will you be okay here?” I asked as soon as I’d spotted the head chef who was now wearing plated armor.

“No problems here. Captain Glory ordered some of the augmenters to stay behind to guard us, but I’m also here, remember?” She gave me a confident smirk.

“You’re right. I’ll be heading off then.” I was about to turn back toward the cliff when Madam Astera gripped my arm.

“Arthur,” she said, her expression gravely serious. “You can never be too careful.”

I gave her a quick nod as I signaled for Sylvie to come out. “I hope you practice what you preach.”

‘Is it okay for me to transform out in the open so soon?’ my bond asked as she hopped out of my cloak.

No need to hold back right now. I need to know what’s going on up there and fast.

Sylvie’s small body began glowing and expanded into the form of a mighty dragon. Her obsidian scales glimmered from the morning sun, putting the sparkling ocean to shame. Her translucent yellow eyes looked down at me with intelligence and an animal-like ferocity. The burly cooks and barrel-chested smiths with arms as thick as my torso gawked in reverence as some toppled over like infants learning to walk.

I leaped to the base of my bond’s neck and grabbed onto a ridged spike. I looked over my shoulder once more only to see the awestruck expression plastered on Madam Astera’s delicate face as Sylvie’s large wings beat down to produce a powerful gale.

Sylvie kicked off the ground and swung her wings once more to lift off. The powerful winds produced underneath startled the marching units led by their heads with Captain Glory and Auddyr in the front, but I was already too far up to make out any of their expressions.

I had planned on directly flying over where Captain Auddyr’s division should be but Sylvie instead soared up into the layer of clouds overhead. ‘Arthur, you should know before we engage in battle that I’m limited on what I can do to help.’

Are you talking about the asura’s treaty where they aren’t allowed to help? I asked, afraid that I would not be able to fight alongside my bond.

‘That is an area of concern that Aldir has warned me about, but it’s not just that. With the awakening process that Grandfather Indrath made me undergo for my aether powers, it’ll still take a while before I’m able to assist you with any magic. Until my powers are fully awakened and under control, I’ll be limited to what I can do physically in this form. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.’

I stroked the side of my bond’s large neck, berating myself for not taking into account my bond’s condition. I knew her training was cut short by me, but I never realized what a crucial time it had been for her. No, don’t be. At least I know now.

It didn’t take us long to reach where the sounds of battle were coming from but the fact that a severed arm was able to sail down the cliff made me think that there was something else going on. We could hear the sound of an ensuing battle but it wasn’t until we’d flown below the layer of clouds blocking our view that we realized the severity of the situation at hand.

‘This can’t be possible.’ Sylvie’s thoughts were laced with disbelief by the sight below, but for someone that’d seen the surprises war brought, I could only see this as a miscalculation—a rather severe one.

Down below, in a field of grass stained red and black with blood and smoke, was what could only be the Alacryan army.

Their force of about five thousand strong were currently engaged with Captain Auddyr’s division. The soldiers were no larger than insects from here but it was easy to distinguish them. Unlike the Dicathen army, the Alacryan soldiers seemed to have a standardized color of deep red emblazoned on their dark gray armor.

Sylvie’s back lurched in preparation to dive down but I stopped her. No. Let’s stay hidden here for now.

‘Stay hidden? Allies are dying down there and you wish to stay hidden?’ Anger was evident in her words but I knew she already knew my intentions.

We can’t get involved in every battle. Right now, our priority is knowing what we’re up against. I kept my gaze firmly locked on the scene below, regretting not having any transmission scrolls to communicate with Virion as I gritted my teeth to cope with my idleness.

‘How were they able to make it all the way here without us knowing? They may not have come across a major city yet, but the dwarves should’ve known that an army was marching through their land.’

“Maybe they did know,” I mumbled to myself, taking note of the faint path they’d created during their march. Change of plans. Sylv, can you stay hidden and follow the trail that the Alacryans made on their way here? I’ll help them while blending in as just a regular soldier.

‘What if you get into trouble? I’ll be too far away to help.’ I could hear the disapproval in her voice.

Vanesy’s division is going to arrive soon and I have a bad feeling that even though we outnumber them, it’ll be a losing battle for them without me.

‘More the reason for me to stay and help you,’ Sylvie argued.

Please. If what I’m suspecting is true, this war might not be so simple as us versus them. You’re the only one here that can make the journey and back fast enough. I’ll stay safe, Sylv.

‘Fine. But the moment I sense that you’re in danger, I’m coming back and taking you away whether you’re conscious or not.’ Sylvie let out a grunt.

Thanks. I patted my bond before I let myself fall off her back. The crisp winter air felt like sharp whips lashing at me as I hurtled toward the ground. I intentionally veered away from the battle as to not arouse attention.