The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 195

Chapter 195

Chapter 195: Next Stage

STEFFAN VALE

“Oh, Great Vritra,” I muttered under my breath, watching a shield lose his footing, almost getting trampled in the process.

“Shields, keep up those defensive panels! Don’t let any of the beasts stray off,” I barked out before looking down at the mysterious black ore I had been ordered to break once the beasts were all inside the Elshire Forest.

I watched as hundreds of corrupted beasts were herded through the walls of translucent panels casted by teams of shields. It was a peculiar sight as monsters that would normally be nowhere near each other walked sluggishly abreast. hound-sized spiders, large wolves and even serpents with heads on both ends ‘marched’ together, unaware of what was going on. Several unads served to protect each of the shields just in case any of the beasts broke free.

Even unads have their purposes. Better one of them dies than a mage.

I cast my eyes on the ironclad unads wielding ordinary weapons of steel, unable to even strengthen them. Pitiful.

I turned to the sentry assigned to my force, a lanky man with bangs that covered his eyes. “Can you get a read inside the forest?”

He put his palms to the ground before clicking his tongue. “My range is cut to a fourth inside there.”

“Looks like you’ll have to go in with us,” I sighed.

He stepped away from me. “W-What? That’s not what—”

Before he could finish, I grabbed the ‘precious’ sentry by the scruff of his neck. “Look. I don’t care if you sentries think you’re precious because of your perverted voyeuristic magic. You’ll be safe with my personal shield and caster.”

“A-All right, but if anything happens to me...”

The boy’s idle threats were laughable by his trembling.

Merciful Vritra, how can he even see himself as a soldier if he’s scared to go anywhere near a battle.

“You’ll be fine,” I stressed, letting go of his collar. “Now form the mental link with me, and me only. Something tells me you’re not very good at multitasking.”

The sentry nodded, placing two fingers on my temple and concentrating.

‘C-Can you hear me?’ a familiar voice rang directly in my head.

How is it that you stutter even inside your head, I thought.

‘Just so you know, I can only do a one-way line of mental communication so I won’t be able to hear back from you.’

“Okay,” I said aloud, holding back the urge to roll my eyes. Despite his shortcomings, having a sentry is a big bonus in that my shield and caster won’t have to stay as close to me and rely on feedback from the sentry.

Turning my attention back to the task at hand, I watched as teams of mages stood on standby as more and more of the corrupted beasts disappeared into the thick, hazy forest that was home to the elves in Dicathen. As soon as the last of the monsters herded out from the Northern Beast Glades were deep inside the dense array of trees, I held up the black ore.

“Una—nonmages, front line positions with weapons out. Strikers, behind them with your shields and casters nearby. Prepare to charge at a given notice!” I ordered as everyone shuffled into place.

I didn’t know how those corrupted beasts were sedated but the artifacts entrusted to me seemed to work like a charm. As soon as I shattered the ore, releasing the effects of my control, vicious growls, snarls, and roars broke out from within the forest.

Several unads carrying supplies began handing out the vials of rancid liquid for everyone to spray on their clothes. Expensive and temporary, but it was the only way the corrupted beasts would not attack us.

Moments of tense silence ensued as everyone waited for my signal. I flexed my hands, eager to get in some action with my newly unlocked crest. It had yet been even a passing of a season since I had trained my initial mark to form my crest—truly praiseworthy for someone that had just turned eighteen—yet I found myself thirsting for more. Just like my father, I also wanted to be granted the privilege of entering the Obsidian Vault to hopefully acquire an emblem.

I looked forward to returning to Alacrya. I knew my father would survive the trials the Obsidian Vault gave to those that entered and I wanted nothing more than to see what sort of emblem he would come out with.

Perhaps he’ll be blessed with a legendary regalia! If that happens, our House of Vale will soar within all of Vechor, perhaps even within all of Alacyra.

I knew that my father wouldn’t be able to get a regalia. While considered young, he was still only a mid-tier mage after all—the same as me, albeit twice my age. While I respected his strength and talent, he was still a shield. I allowed myself a faint smile that only lasted but a brief second when a loud crash resounded from the distance. With my basic senses enhanced by my crest, I was able to hear faint yells from what could only be by the elves patrolling the area.

Taking a glance behind me to make sure that the signaling artifact was in place to guide us back out of the forest, I readied myself.

“Charge!” I roared out cladding my whole body in mana—another perk of my newly acquired crest.

The nonmages charged without any doubt or reluctance while even the mages strode forth with unusual vigor.

Taking just a quick moment to look down, I realized it was probably the soft glow emanating from my body that filled my troops with confidence. Confidence that stemmed from both my strength and mentality. It didn’t matter if the Dicathiens had strange, versatile magic. For me, this was just a mission to succeed in and to receive more achievements—achievements that will further my blood waiting for me back home.

I weaved through the maze of trees, unable to even see my own feet because of the dense fog. However, it was easy to spot the battle between the elves and the corrupted mana beasts we had let loose on their land.

Though outnumbered, the elves were holding their own fairly well against the rabid beasts. Glowing arrows shot with astonishing accuracy fell beast after beast, small or large. Several elven soldiers were even able to control the trees around them to trap and choke several of the larger beasts.

One enemy mage stuck out. An older female with blonde hair that flowed out of her helmet. She had no weapons but from her hands came out deadly blades of wind that were able to splice several beasts at once.

That was my target.

“Seren, focus shields on me and stay at a distance with Mari. Sent—Ashton, stick close to them and relay my position in case I’m in danger,” I ordered, picking up my pace. Polygonal panels of mana hovered around me, ready to defend against any projectiles while a faint hum sounded from behind as Mari began charging her magic.

I channeled mana through my crest, an action that was as natural as breathing by now. Unsheathing my sword, strengthened by a famed instiller, I ignited the weapon with a jagged fire that tore and seared rather than burned.

I circulated more mana through my crest and out to the rest of my body to strengthen my limbs. Power rushed through me as I dashed forward into the thick of the battle like a true striker. My sword buzzed, glowing brightly like a beacon to my troops as I neared the first elf in my path.

The lean elf with short hair and stern brows turned to me, eyes widening. His mouth moved and wind began gathering around his dual daggers but it was too late.

I guess it’s true that mages of Dicathen, while versatile, were slow. How inefficient and primitive.

My sword tore through the daggers that he had crossed together to defend himself with before slashing into his torso. Unexpectedly, I felt my sword go through a layer of mana.

So even weak mages like him were able to clad himself in mana. How odd.

I didn’t waste another breath as I finished off the impaired elf. Taking a quick moment to look around, I saw that many other of my mages had already engaged with the enemy elves. As predicted, the tides were rapidly turning in our favor. The corrupted beasts were deadly in that they didn’t care for their own safety and viciously attacked anything in their way.