"Yes, I will!"
"Hey!!, don't accept it on impulse!.... This is driving me crazy!. Why are they beating around the bush? Someone just say it already!.... Giving that bracelet is it like a marriage proposal or something? It's obvious—it seems like something like that. Get it straight! I hate clichéd misunderstandings!"
At that moment, Celestine, who had been watching from the sidelines, interjected with an exasperated tone toward Cassian and Nisha.
"ah!, I'll answer that. Actually, giving our bracelets can have many meanings, including that one, which is indeed the most common. But you can also give it to someone you consider a partner or someone you can trust with your back in battle...And by the way, Miss Nisha, Nahara gave it to our savior with that intention. I was also confused at first, and Sir Yefaziel probably misinterpreted it."
"Oh... I see, what a pity... Well, you have to start somewhere. Oh, my little Nahara is growing up!"
"Isn't that right? I thought the same thing."
Eshaan had finally given the explanation that Celestine and some others had been waiting for.
When he finished, he began talking happily with Nisha, while Nahara's brothers, for some reason, watched him cautiously.
..
"I thought it would be that cliché where someone ends up married by accident because of a cultural difference… though you were close, my subordinate."
"Oh, well, that's true. Hmm, I'll keep that in mind..."
Cassian had not thought about it, as the possibility of a real woman making a marriage deal with him, of any kind, escaped his logical reasoning. Only now, when Celestine mentioned it, did he think about it, and understand what the problem was, proving her right.
He would be more careful next time with anything that looked like a ritual, even if he didn't feel anything wrong.
"Hey… is that okay there? I mean, those two seem to be arguing intensely and—oh! She hit him!"
At that moment, the voice of Naelune arrived, calling his attention. When he looked over at where Nahara and Yefaziel were, he saw that they seemed to be arguing intensely, as she had said, and suddenly, Nahara landed a strong punch on her father's abdomen, taking everyone who was watching by surprise.
But it didn't end there: Yefaziel, in the next moment, did the same, hitting her so hard that he lifted her off her feet. She gritted her teeth and hit him back again.
"Fufufu~."
"Shouldn't we stop them?"
Cassian didn't understand why they were fighting, and even more so, why Nisha, upon seeing this, was just laughing.
"Fufufu~, don't worry. It's their way of getting along."
"Really?!"
"Yes, well, it's always been that way with them, they both have a hard time being honest. More importantly, even if it was only warrior to warrior, I thank you very much for taking care of my daughter from now on, especially in this coming battle. She recently became an adult, and I was very worried. It is a relief to have you around."
"I understand. I'll do my best."
Now he understood the situation, and Cassian responded in kind. He couldn't refuse the request of a beautiful MILF. Besides, Nahara was now his friend.
During their bison hunt, she herself had said that they were already comrades in battle, and that obviously meant being friends.
Cassian didn't refuse; he was more than happy. He had already made two friends in a short time and really appreciated that everything was going well.
And, of course, as her friend, he would take care of her, even if Eshaan and Nisha hadn't asked him to, which was why he had agreed so readily.
In the end, Yefaziel returned, apologizing for the misunderstanding and the discourtesy, while Nahara snorted, still angry.
Nothing more was said about the bracelet, and the banquet continued for quite some time.
..
.
"Well, let's begin the ritual."
Once the banquet was over, the town leader stood in front of the sacred fire. Shortly after, all the children and young people descended into what appeared to be a shelter prepared for situations like this, apparently located beneath the square where the sacred fire was.
Cassian and his group watched everything that was happening from the sidelines. At the leader's signal, a dozen people around the fire, staffs in hand, began to chant in a strange language that Cassian did not yet understand.
It was surprisingly long, and after a while, they all stopped. From what he heard, they were raising some kind of barrier to protect the non-combatants: young people and children.
But he saw nothing, and just as he was wondering what had happened, he heard the leader's voice echoing overhead again:
"Now, warriors, give your blood. Until the last of us falls, this barrier will endure."
All the combatants, without exception, made a small wound on their wrists and let a few drops of blood fall to the ground.
"Huh? Do we have to do that?"
Naelune was the first to ask and seemed to reject the idea. Eshaan, who was nearby, understood and replied immediately:
"No, it's not necessary. It's something that only works with the inhabitants of our village. So it's not necessary."
"Oh, how interesting! Tell me about it, it's the first time I've heard of such a thing."
"Hmm... to sum up, this barrier is now linked to our lives. If at least one of us is still alive, the barrier will not fall."
"Hey! What the hell? Is something like that possible? Is it really impenetrable as long as someone is alive? What are the principles behind this?"
"I really don't know, I'm not a magician. Only my father and they mage know."
"It's really crazy. I guess my magical common sense needs to be more flexible too. Although there must be an explanation, I really can't begin to understand how."
Naelune listened attentively to what Eshaan was saying. Cassian, on the other hand, was relieved that he didn't have to participate, because he really didn't know how to bleed.
He could only think of Celestine's teeth as a precedent, but he knew it would hurt like hell until she finally broke through his skin.
Oh, the blood is gathering... it looks like an evil ritual.
Cassian watched with interest as the blood that had fallen on the ground seemed to move, as if it were alive. It was beginning to move toward the sacred fire.
Once in its vicinity the blood began to transform into strange symbols on the ground, it all looked like some kind of evil ritual; it seemed as if a giant demon or something similar was going to emerge from the flames of the fire.
But what happened was that a kind of dome began to rise and form; with each passing moment and with more blood joining it, it became darker red, and the fire slowly went out.
The magicians around him seemed focused on something.
It seemed that strange rituals existed everywhere; at least this one had nothing to do with him.
This ritual lasted a few more minutes, until it was over. Now, the time to fight had come.
..
.
GRRAAAHHH! ¡Rroooaaarrr!! ¡Grrrrruogh!
"So... I just have to fight, right?"
"Yes, Cassy, Once you're tired or out of energy, you can come back and switch with someone else. Why do you ask? Do you think it's too simple?"
"Well, I don't really know... I've never been in a defensive battle. Hmmm... well, I think it'll work, if it's just head-on."
At last, the time for battle had come. Cassian stood on the east wall, observing in the distance with his keen eyesight the enormous number of beasts moving through the forest. Many trees were falling, and the vibrations and roars of some could be felt and heard.
The beasts were coming from the east, and the whole wall on that side would be the scene of the battle, divided into three fronts: left, center, and right.
Unfortunately, his group was divided by order of the town leader..
Cassian was assigned to the left, along with Lig-Ling. Valeriane, Yefeng, and Ellys were assigned to the center and right; Neleune and Celestine were also assigned, probably following the way they had divided themselves.
After the ritual, everything moved so fast that Valeriane didn't get the chance to discuss the arrangement with the leader.
Unable to do anything about it, she just stayed put, while many members, besides Valeriane, thought it wasn't much of a problem.
Including Cassian, he didn't mind too much; in fact, for him, the more important news was that snakes were rare in the area.
He thought that would be the biggest problem in a place with many beasts, as it had been when he fought in his world. Now that he knew this, he believed everything would be fine
Coincidentally, the group of five residents was on the left front of the battlefield with him, and they explained what was going to happen.
The walls, though sturdy, were not very high - only about ten feet - and, although there was room for one or two people to walk on top of them, that was nothing, with the number of people, not to mention that there are beasts even bigger than that.
Therefore, rather than relying on them, only a few archers or ranged attackers would be on the wall, while the rest would fight from the ground in a relay system.
There was no grand plan or anything: just fight and eliminate as many beasts as possible.
GRRRAAAHHH!, Zzzrrrkk!Clack, brrrunnn…
As if coordinated with the sun setting behind them, the first beasts began to emerge from the forest.
"Well, Cassy, it's time to split up. I feel like I'll be a burden to you, and these guys are dead weight without me. May victory guide your way!"
"What's dead weight?... Well, same to you... may victory guide your way! Hey! Little Nahara, don't go ahead alone!"
"Well, with her strength, she doesn't need any incentive, but may victory guide your way."
"W-what... may victory guide your path!"
"Again, thank you for your efforts. I hope that once we're done with this, we can drink together... may victory guide your path!"
Starting with Nahara, Diona, Marcus, Rowen, and ending with Eshaan, the group of five jumped off the walls, ready to fight.
"Eh... yes, may victory guide your way."
Cassian responded in kind to them before they were far away, as he thought it was a place saying.
Now he stood on the wall, looking at his shadow, where Yeling should have been, who clearly did not want to be in what would soon be a sea of blood.
He understood that and had no problem with it. It was fine if she didn't come out until this was over.
"Well, I guess I'm on my own here... hmm, I just have to take out as many as possible. I guess this is the test."
Cassian thought that and headed to his assigned area at the front; he was clearly told that he only had to kill what came at him, until they stopped coming.