Divine Beast Ascension

Without uttering a word, Eefran and Nixt both let their earth essence run wild all over their bodies. The stallions and wildebeests gathered around them did the same as they kept a close eye on their leaders.

Altogether, they braced themselves against the fort’s back wall and began to push. It took only a second for their combined momentum to push the back wall forward with great speed, sliding under the ceiling of the fort with caution and care.

“HURRY!” a captain shouted, seeing the lava suddenly gain speed as it rushed out of the cracks in the fort walls.

“Escape to the nearest side!” shouted another captain.

Another captain added, “Earth users, create platforms for safety!”

Very quickly, the divided army of nearly four hundred had been divided again and again. Many fled into nearby woods on the far sides of the road while the others struggled to reach the safety of the road at the center via the raised platforms.

.....

But another tragic event startled the captains and the invading army.

Suddenly, a swirling tempest appeared in front of the walls and just above the battlefield. And it began pulling in the charging soldiers with wind affinity, those that had followed orders to storm the wall.

“Take aim!” Hurman shouted, leading the next barrage of attacks.

Everyone atop the fort hurled their attacks into the vortex, surrounding the trapped invaders with attack after attack.

At the same time, the man that the invading army believed to have taken over the charge dropped onto the fort walls. The assistant landed beside Hurman. Yet there was no attack or ill will shown toward the enemy’s commanding officer. Instead, the general’s assistant boosted the size and control of the tempest while standing shoulder to shoulder with the enemy.

“TRAITOR!!!”

Plenty of captains and soldiers cried out in disgust. But other emotion began to fill the hearts of the hired soldiers, doubt. After immediately losing control of the battlefield and falling for two more traps back to back, how could they not question if the battle was worth risking their lives? They weren’t fighting for a noble cause... apart from the select few who claimed wealth as a noble cause.

“We’re glad to have you,” Hurman stated quietly, nodding to the man beside him.

Chuckling, the man replied, “Don’t thank me just yet. I’ve already been paid, so I’m allowed to leave the moment things turn on us.”

“Still, welcome to the cause.”

“Was it money?” A laughing voice echoed as a few figures appeared, climbing the walls with their own affinities. The first to ascend continued to laugh as he threw an attack toward the former assistant and Hurman, “How much was it? Enough to die for?”

“Perhaps!” the former assistant laughed back while jumping in retreat.

Two more men landed beside the first. This quickly put a smile on the former assistant’s face. “I’ll take him. You get the others!” Without giving Hurman a chance to reply, the former assistant dashed toward the leading figure among the three perennials.

While the man jumped down to the center path to create space, the remaining two men chuckled at the sight of the lone perennial atop the fort. One boasted, “You’re the only one? That’s it?!”

“How mad are you?!” boomed the second perennial, grinning from ear to ear. “A newbie perennial? And no one else? An EASY bonus to the job! He’s mine!”

“No, he’s mine!” argued the first.

But a pair of ice blades were thrown at the duo, forcing them to shut up and pay attention. Hurman, unfazed, charged the duo. “Perhaps I’ll claim both your lives!”

The duo separated while they laughed even more. But Hurman’s serious stare showed no hesitation or fear. He could feel their essence being stronger than his, but it wasn’t overwhelming.

“You’ll help me test my new limits, so be good target practice and let me shake off some rust!”

Earth and water essence poured over Hurman as he took out two swords. One was frost blue, a better version of what Johan and Mertin had used in the past. But the other was new. It was the same size and design as the blue one but matched the color of the earth beneath Hurman’s feet. As essence flowed over the blades, one became a swirling saw of water and ice. The other condensed more and more as the blade grew and shrunk continually.

“What a fool?!” laughed the invaders.

But neither of the low-perennials bothered with Hurman, at least not before they targeted the beasts atop the fort.

However, the moment the two perennials were attacked by Hurman was the same moment that the beasts on the fort fled the rooftop, either to the rear or the sides. The thrown lightning and earth essence boulders failed to reach the fleeing beasts, especially as Hurman threw half a dozen ice swords at each of the perennials.

“READY, HURMAN!”

“GO!!”

Before the perennials above could realize the purpose and origin of that shout, Hurman had already answered, verbally and physically.

Without warning, Hurman’s earth-crusted sword tore into the rooftop. Both perennials were caught off guard as the sword not only carved through the roof but created a cutting tremor that demolished the rooftop altogether.

The three men fell but the perennials were shocked to find that the fort was entirely empty as far as their eyes could see. All that remained were three walls, one on each side and one keeping them away from the rest of the battlefield. And there were also no beasts or Iron Army members in sight apart from Hurman.