The commander overwhelmed by the sudden shift in battlefield stood, stunned.
Alana smirks and whispers to skull lord
"I need you to crush that commander, skull lord"
Enough said.
As skull lord locked on to the commander and started to charge to him gradually building speed as he charged.
"What the? Hes coming this way?"
The commander stepped back and acted quickly. He pulled on black steel gauntlets, each bearing a single rune below the knuckles and another on the palm. As he secured them, he closed his eyes and summoned a thin, spherical magical barrier, readying himself for the attack.
Skull lord had 50 skull minions cradled within his shoulder arms, so he used his main arms to reach for the pile being cradled.
The commander stands absolutely still in his battle stance as the runes on his gauntlets start to spark yellow.
"You think you can come here and mess with my town" he muttered under his breath
Skull lord overhanded a skull minion with great force across the battlefield.
Soon after he sent another one with the opposite hand.
The one hit struck, but the barrier held firm, sparks glancing off as the attack redirected into a distant building. Though it bore a few cracks, its strength remained undeniable. The commander, unfazed, stood resolute. Still. Patient.
His gauntlets now brimming with surging power.
"more"
Skull lord got closer as the second skull minion struck the barrier it broke but it merely grazed the commanders form.
As it hit the the wall far behind him.
"more!" he remained single minded.
Skull lord breaking the ground around him and ramming through everything and everyone. Straight to the commander.
"MORE!"
Now face-to-face, the commander leapt from the building, his gauntlet blazing with yellow mana, power surging and vibrating through his left arm.
The Skull Lord lunged, driving his massive right fist forward, necrotic energy oozing into the air around him. Both warriors roared as their fists collided, the impact unleashing a thunderous shockwave.
Rolland's gauntlet held firm, straining but refusing to give way against the crushing force. The commander bellowed, voice raw with defiance:
"I will blow you away!"
He poured everything into the strike, forcing the Skull Lord back step by step—until at last, the undead giant staggered. Victory.
But the Skull Lord was far from finished. In an instant, his secondary claws lashed forward, slashing at the commander while he still hung in the air.
"Dammit—too quick!" the commander gritted his teeth, crossing his arms in a desperate block.
Clack!
The commander opens his eyes with shock but tinge of relief
As two captains appear on each side deflecting the attack perfectly.
"we got you commander" they said in unison
Footsteps are heard along with the clunking of metal, a woman jumps into the air and with two hands, on her weapon slashing down on skull lords middle head…
The force rippled through skull lord body causing the ground to crack, dust and debris, enveloping them.
"Why can't I pull out my sword?!"
She struggled, straining until at last her body sagged, hanging limply from the weapon. A single blue light pierced through the dust.
The Skull Lord's massive hand closed around her, lifting her with brutal ease before slamming downward to crush her into the ground.
But then—
A blur of white mana streaked across the battlefield. In an instant, a figure struck, a savage side-kick crashing into the Skull Lord's wrist midair.
The girl in armour slipped free, dropping to the ground, as the figure twisted through the air with perfect momentum—slamming into the Skull Lord's middle head and hurling the monster backward.
Skull Lord skidded back, one foot carving through stone — but he didn't fall. He held.
The serene now appearing fully her hair flowed quietly in the wind, the sun illuminating her figure as she landed staring skull lord down as he skidded into a building.
The women on the ground looked up shocked and so did the others as they ran to get a better look.
"N-No way"
while on her back, she pointed.
"The steel swan!"
Alana watching.
shifts her focus "well while you deal with them. I will handle the battlefield" she says
She surveys the battle, as both sides fight at the best to stay on top.
Setting her sights on a magic towers, breaking bonewalker groups by casting spells from atop the towers.
One on opposite sides of the town.
"Let me get a better look"
She zips to it.
Many mages stood at the top, hurling spells into the battlefield below.
She hovered silently, her gaze drifting to the massive glass tube running through the platform.
Inside it, a thick blue liquid pulsed and shimmered with raw energy.
She floated closer, feeling the mana radiating from it.
The faint shimmer brushed across her wisp-like form.
"It's supplying them with mana," she deduced.
Her spectral hand emerged from the haze of her body, pressing against the tube.
"Well… let's try this."
She phased through the glass, her form slipping inside.
Since the liquid wasn't pure mana, it didn't reject her immediately.
She strained, squeezing out the energy within herself.
"Come on!"
At first nothing happened—then the liquid began to stir. Wisps of violet crept into the blue, spreading like ink through water. The shimmer deepened, turning the once-pure glow into something darker, unstable.
When the corruption had spread completely, the liquid glowed with a violent purple sheen. She zipped back out, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction as the entire conduit pulsed with her tainted mana.
Alana then thought
*corrupted things act unpredictably if not controlled. I had to use all my concentration in pushing out the mana, so I had no choice what effect it had. *
She floated spectating them from afar.
"Keep firing, we can't stop" one of them shouts
"MANA BOLT!" a few shout
"hey Geralt, do you think there chance we might lose?" one whispers to somone next him
"Don't lose hope. we still have chance as long as these magic towers stay." he whispers back confidently
Another one collapses to her knees, resting her head against a bar in front of her.
"Huh?!"
A man beside her gets to his knees in shock
"Chole wake up!" he grabs on her shoulders and shakes her.
"I feel so weak" she replied groggily
From the other side of the tower
"AHHH THE OTHER MAGE TOWER HAS BEEN TAKING DOWN" he says shaking slowly backing away from his post getting closer and closer to the tube in the middle while shaking.
Everyone else looks "not its not?"
"yes, it is can you guys not see were are doomed!"
Black veins start to show up on his body.
A man with elf ears turns around and pipes up.
"Fuzu we are in battle, focus!"
"no no your all monsters" he falls pointing in all directions, around him.
Fuzu's body now looking really malnourished as his surrounding swirl around him
Now annoyed, the man with elf ears walks closer to him, shouting.
"calm down! And don't get to close to the conduit"
"GET AAWAY FROM ME!! AHH"
Spinning around, he slammed face-first into the conduit. The glass cracked under the impact, and he slid down its side, his body withering as the corrupted mana drained him dry. By the time he hit the floor, he looked like a shriveled husk.
The elf-eared man recoiled in shock.
"What the—?!"
Around him, the mages were beginning to realize the horror.
"Why is the conduit glowing purple?!"
"Help! I'm seeing things—something's wrong!"
"My friend won't wake up—why isn't he moving?!"
"Fuzu's dead—FUZU'S DEAD!"
"We need to run! GET OUT NOW!"
The elf-eared man froze, overwhelmed, staring down at Fuzu's lifeless body. Slowly, dreadfully, he lifted his head—just in time to be sprayed with a jet of violet mana. It splashed across his face, and he screamed as his skin began to melt away.
"AAAHHHH!"
Everyone tried to run but it was too late the mana conduit exploded outside the tube flooding the whole tower.
Even those who reached the stairs were chased and eventually go caught by it everyone died.
In that magic tower.
Alana floated above "well that was easy enough. Time to do it again."
Back to the square
Realising her rudeness.
The girl repositions herself, kneeling planting her sword in the ground.
"Serene the stainless great sword of the Viscura former general of serenity and commander of feal-."
She takes quick look but serene is still facing skull lord's direction.
The women marvels at serene, her thoughts bubbling with admiration.
*she's so cool! I have wanted to meet her, ever since I was child!*
Serene slightly turns her head, in deep thought.
As the women saw this, she quickly corrected herself...
"I mean fealty!"
The nerves start to creep on her "p-please I see your weapon its weak. T-Take mine as I know your better with great swords"
"No…its fine" serene replies calmly
The women's heart drops taking it as instant rejection she bites her lip in shame.
*How did I mess up already! M-maybe I just need to try harder!* she thinks
She holds the sword up presenting it to serene.
Head down, she says "MRS serene it would be an honour if you could use my great sword, its nothing compared to your mighty lunaria but it would do for now!"
Serene turns around at this point, confused as the women actions.
"Huh?"
At this time, commander hands in his pockets walked up with two captains by his sides
"Ah looking as stunning as ever, I see general."
Serene looks up
"Wondering when you would show up" he continues
"Oh, hey Rolland been awhile how did you know I was here?" she smiles scratching her the back of head
He smiles while running his hands through his hair.
"I mean all guilds were told of your resignation. Even those guarding settlements like me were told by alcon specifically to inform our troops to ignore and treat you like a commoner and I had made everyone here aware of that but…"
He says looking down at the women still offering her great sword.
"Some didn't get the memo clearly"
She broke into a nervous sweat, heat rising to her cheeks as the weight of every stare pressed down on her.
One of the captains on the commanders left said.
"Wait so commander you are part of serenity?"
"Yeah, I'm the captain of the Aegis Guild. Didn't I tell you that yesterday?"
"Oh… right," he muttered, eyes dropping in shame.
The captain to his right let out a hearty laugh.
"Anyway, thanks for saving her she can get ahead of herself sometimes. That also reminds me, let me introduce you to my captains."
"This is Altos"
The captain on the left side stuck his long double sided blade into the ground leaned against and lit a cigarette.
He was six foot five inches, red hair, orange eyes and lean with a blue checkered shirt and black pants on with armoured plating under all of it.
He wore black gloves and a thin blue cape that fluttered lightly behind him. His skin was a deep brown, and his hair—wild and tightly curled—framed his sharp features.
"And this is holger"
"On the captain's right stood a towering man, nearly seven feet tall, his broad frame built like a truck. He drove a massive shield—half his height—into the ground, resting his arm against it as he casually twirled a black mace in his other hand. His skin was a deep brown, his dreadlocks thick and twisted, brushing against his shoulders. A green cape draped over his back, but otherwise he wore no shirt, his chest bare and imposing. The only armor he bore was below the waist: heavy black-plated greaves that clanked with every step, their weight betraying the sheer force of his stride. Black gloves covered his hands, completing the intimidating figure."
"Picked up these two Arcos from a jail cell and their talent is truly amazing they achieved peak E rank in just few months with no academy level training!"
"To be fair they were trained by me" he said smugly
Serene rolls her
Then smiling he looks down and confidently says
"and this is Aelizia"
She immediately stands up hearing her name being called.
she stood, a pale white women in her early 20s she had a silver cape pale skin blond with silver highlights hair. blue eyes she stands at 5,8 she wear brown wears a lot armour covering her light heavy armour covering her completely
"She came with me directly from the order, she is my top squad sergeant and most loyal so that's why I took her with me"
Standing firm, holding her sword, she nods
Serene's eyes shifted between them, quietly taking everything in.
He walks forward hands still in his pockets "and the fourth captain is at leave at the moment."
They continued chatting away.
Skull lord at this time completely recovered from the blow and he wasted no time.
And began charging in again while throwing more skull minions.
As serene was about speak.
A flying skull minion appears behind her.
In that split second, she spin kicks it to side, her feet touching the ground.
She shouts, "on me!"
"YES GENERAL!"
she speeds of in front them leaving dust in wake.
They all run after her.
She rushes fast skull minions are being hurled at her she dodges.
Weaving in out of coming projectiles but skull lord didn't relent for even a second.
"Now close enough, she took the opportunity to jump onto a skull minion mid-air and used it to propel herself toward the skull lord's middle head, preparing to hit him. But this time both his claws lashed out at her. She saw the first one, dodging it in the air by spinning upwards. As she flipped forward to hit him, the second one came at her faster than the first, she couldn't react and was snatched and instantly flung behind him, the force sending her straight into a building."
As the others run the commander begins to cast thin barriers on them, as they run at the same pace.
Aelizia eyes widen at seeing serene get flung.
She screams out "GENERAL!" she runs forward away from the group.
Commander yells out "wait up aelizia! we need to charge-"
He gives up as she leaps in the air, all reasoning giving way to burning rage.
'HOW DARE YOU!
As the skull lord reached behind to grab a skull minion with one of his main arms, he easily swatted her to the ground with his other. The collision broke the barrier completely.
Aelizia gets up before that with determination "am not done yet"
Rushes with her sword at skull lords leg trying to push it
"if I can't hit you.. nrghh… I will make you LOSE YOUR BALANCE!" her muscles tensing as she pushes her sword sideways against skull lord leg.
Like a unmoveable mountain skull lord stands unbothered.
He continues to hurl a skull minion toward the others.
Commander understanding the situation.
"Holger distract him, and altos go for those arms holding the large skeletons"
Holger and altos weaving the large skeletons being thrown at them.
Holger smiles running up to skull lord using his shield to deflect each skull minion while swinging his mace on the side.
"Come at me you big dummy!
Drawing all skull lord attention.
Atlos was successfully able to get behind skull lord "Easy enough"
As he spun around threw his double-sided blade sending it spinning as it curved mid-air while spinning up to skull lords shoulder arms and severed both in a straight line cutting through the joints cleanly
Both arms fell to the side but the 30 remaining skull minion fell under him
Two of skull lord's heads turned back as his main was focused on holger trying to smash him with his fists.
Immediately after that skull lord leg started to be moved out of place.
"ARRGGGGHHH!" aelizia finally whole face red, muscles pulsating as she successfully pushed it, making skull lord lose balance but he used pelvis arms to hold him up from falling on his back.
But as soon as he caught himself he didn't let up on aelzia and scooped her up instantly with one pelvis hand.
Leaving one pelvis arm holding him up.
Squeezing her tightly, the skull lord's grip tightened like a vice.
It took all my strength just to push him off balance. Now I don't even have the strength to resist getting crushed. Dammit, how can this be the end?
Her vision blurred as the pressure increased. Each breath became harder to draw. The bones in her ribs creaked under the relentless force.
The commander stood with his eyes closed and his arms stretched out.
Altos shouted, "HOLGER HIT HIM!"
Swinging his mace in circles Holger lunged upward toward skull lord middle head.
Hitting skull lord straight on chin with a short swing.
Knocking him completely of balance but skull lord reacts quick and throws aelizia up into the air then uses two of his pelvis arms to hold himself up.
At this moment a red orangish magic circle appears on ground under skull lord dimly lit.
But this was complete mistake by skull lord as with her sword she falls from the sky *one more time* she tenses her muscles getting ready
Skull lords body facing completely up now being held up completely by his pelvis arms
Aelzia falls from high up in the sky "YOUR FINISHED SKULL GIGANT!"
With all the force of the drop she crashes down on skull lord middle head the impact sending shivers, throughout his body.
But he still stood sturdy.
As alezia tries to pull the sword out.
It doesn't budge.
* The sword is lodged in? and I can't pull it out why does nothing just go my way! *
Then serene appears in the air with her sword upheld in the air she crashes down with her mana pulsing, crashing down were aelizia is.
Pounding skull lord down to the ground crushing all the skull minions underneath him and sending a shockwave straight through the whole town of dust and debris
The commander speaks "Everyone move out the way" his voice booms to them only as he is heard clearly, magic circle that was there earlier starts to glow red orangish through dust and debris skull lord form, only a silhouette.
Everyone now out the way.
Rolland opens his arms wide chanting
"Solar"
The magic circle starts to create a gust of wind blowing all the dust away revealing skull lord for second with his middle head slightly cracked.
He looked up as the sun beamed directly on top of him.
"Shaft" he says confidently as he motions his arms down.
Skull lords 2 other heads open their maws in surprise.
While the main head keeps it closed and braces with his head.
.
The beam pure flame energy coming from the ball roared as it hit the laying skeletal giant even though it was only for few moments looked like eternity the skeletal giant.
.
His silhouette amid the blazing fury the pressure slammed into his frame like a wrathful hammer sending him deep as ground beneath the giant cracked and roared. Stone shattered, earth blasted outward in the bounds of the circle, as it continued to flatten the giants exposed ribcage against the scorched earth.
.
Then it stopped and along with big crater there was smoke billowing out of it.
The commander sits down.
.
Sighing of relief he says "Finally thank the order that necrotic giant is destroyed"
And on the other side
Serene stays on guard for second
Alezia plops her greatsword into the ground sits down while sighing clearly with something else on her mind.
"Finally. We took out the big boss!" said Holger said resting his mace on his shoulder and planting his shield the ground.
"Yeah. Easy enough." altos said calmly relighting his cigarette with sword planted into the ground.
serene now believing everything fine turns around and see's Aelizia
her face turns from the serious too soft as she looks at her
"Hey…"
She put a hand on alezia's shoulder smiling softly
"you did great out there"
"you think?" Alezia looked up at her
"Yeah, you did a great job!!" serene says putting her thumbs up
"but I wasn 't able to finish it by myself. " alezia says looking down.
Serene continues
"That doesn't matter, not every victory has a desirable outcome and not every battle can be fought by yourself. That's why we fought as team where you lack others filled in everyone done their part" she said calmly looking off into the smoking crater.
She starts listening "your right… I just…wanted to do more"
Serene looks back.
"that's fair but don't worry keep working hard and one day you will be smacking away bone giants with ease"
Aelzia smiles briefly but returns to frown while looking at her sword.
Serene sees this and smiles, she holds a salute "ah soilder!"
Aelzia looks up in curious
"I Serene Dawnsnow former general and commander of the order has recognized Aelizia captain of trojan towns guardsmen and top sergeant of the aegis guild, so this former would like grant you ceremony of honour for your determination and good will!"
Aelzia smiles, gets on her knee and lowers her head as serene takes the great sword with one hand and begins to do the ceremony.
The sword hovers over one shoulder,
"The order of serenity is peace brought by penance"
Taps it then goes over her head to the second shoulder.
"And with the power invested in me I give thee an honour not many receive"
Taps it then hovers over aelzia's head
Aelzia begins to tear up a bit as tears fall. *Dream come true! Honoured and recognized by serene the steal swan*
Serene imbues the great sword with her white mana
Then the head as she taps it.
The mana slowly imbues her covering her as she accepts it.
"A warrior titles!"
Then serene sticks the sword into the ground.
"aelzia the graceborn!"
Aelizia speaks "To simple and soft give me another"
"uh how about the pale warden"
"huh?!" aelzia
Serene jumps sweating
"do I look that pale to you?!" aelzia accuses
"no ok ok let me think uhhh" serene panicked
As they bickered & laughed
Altos and Holger's smile while minding their own business
Alana coming back after taking down 2 of the mage towers and overseeing the battle field surprised at first but she then squints her eyes in frustration
"pathetic…."
She said slowly while floating away.