The air at the top of the wall was frigid, impregnated with the stench of battle. The rumble of steel clashing against steel, explosions, and cries of desperation flooded the valley.
The shattered body of Marcus was raised like a flag atop the highest part of the wall. His bloodshot eyes observed the development of the battle as he trembled and groaned in pain.
Ethan did the same.
There, his own legion fought bravely, using the narrow valley to fight against an army of men that seemed infinite. They were few and inexperienced, but even so, they managed to finish off hundreds of them and even made them retreat.
However, they would never be able to win a battle like that. No matter how powerful their weapons were, many of them were completely inexperienced, supported only by Seraphina's training.
That lack of experience would be what condemned them in the battle.
But that was also fine.
Before his eyes, one of the soldiers, full of himself, separated from the group to pursue a wounded enemy. His movement was crude and slow, but even so, his armor managed to resist several attacks and his sword cut down several before he was surrounded and decapitated.
His head flew through the air, separating from his helmet and falling onto the cold, stone-covered ground. He was the old man Goran was about to murder when they first arrived at the valley.
Ethan exhaled heavily.
"Y-You are a hypocrite, Thorne. Not even we would send a group of farmers to fight a lost battle."
Marcus's voice sounded at his side, followed by a heavy cough. Blood escaped through his reddened lips.
"That is the problem, Marcus. They… are no longer farmers. They are warriors thirsty for revenge, warriors who fight with honor and bravery. They fight for a free world. That makes them more heroic than those who fight in your ranks."
Marcus laughed. "Heroes? Before I did not want to believe it, but now I am sure. You have become a monster, Ethan; the Void consumed you just as it did those poor idiots."
Ethan looked at him for a few seconds, his purple eyes flashing with a murderous hunger. But he restrained himself. In its place, a worn sword appeared in his hands.
"Enough talk, Marcus." He lifted his sword; the Void wrapped around its edge right before it fell, severing one of Marcus's fingers.
"Aaaagh!"
A soul-piercing scream escaped his mouth, the sound amplified by the power of the Void, reaching the deepest parts of the valley.
For a few hundredths of a second, the battle stopped. Their gazes rose and met their commander, hanging and screaming in pain while his enemy tortured him.
"AAAAAGH!"
Somewhere on the field, Seraphina deflected an axe imbued with electricity, then lifted her gaze toward the wall.
In that instant, a greatsword stabbed into her side. Her spear moved at the speed of lightning just to deflect it. Both remained static for a few seconds.
"I do not recommend that you get distracted, precious." The emerald eyes of the heroine were flecked with blood.
Seraphina frowned, lifted her spear—and with it the greatsword—then kicked the heroine, sending her to the ground.
The hero with the axe appeared at her side to catch her like a blue flash. Both looked at each other, covered in blood and wounds.
The hero advanced and pushed his legs, imbued with electricity, to clash against the Valkyrie. The heroine stuck her greatsword into the ground; leaning on it, she got up and roared with all her strength:
"Do not look away! That is the true face of the Void! A tyrant who plays with the flesh of his enemies and sends his people to the slaughterhouse! If we do not take his head today, tomorrow your wives and children could suffer the same fate! We cannot allow someone like that to get away with this! Advance and tear out the heart of that bastard! Save your commander!"
The soldiers fired up, lifting their swords and spears, shouting in unison: "For the Tree!"
In the next instant, the battle took a complete turn. The Aleskra soldiers took total control, pushing the legion and ending the lives of several of them.
The Void Legion was reduced to a critical point, where Aleskra managed to corner them, surrounding them little by little.
Seraphina's voice resonated over the valley.
"Retreat!"
Each soldier began to move toward the interior of the wall while their enemies pursued them.
Malphas emerged from the shadows, his mask broken in half, revealing a face shrouded in darkness with a purple flame where his right eye should be. His body was covered in wounds and his suit was torn, his chest rising and falling heavily.
Even so, his posture remained firm and upright. His shadows gathered at his back like a wall of thorns, and the half-smile on his blood-covered mask seemed to widen right before he launched himself toward the enemy soldiers.
The Valkyrie's breath was heavy; her muscles were tired, but her gaze remained firm.
Her enemies were no better—in fact, they were worse. Both were bloodied: one with exposed flesh, and the other with multiple wounds and burns on the skin where armor used to be.
"You are a surprising warrior for Aleskra," she spoke, not even paying attention to the hero of the axe.
"You are as well, little angel. I have never had so much fun," the heroine smiled cynically.
Seraphina lifted her spear with a smile. Suddenly, her body was imbued with a tremendous power. The air around her grew heavy, and the rocks on the ground exploded into a thousand pieces as her pupils vanished.
"However, it is a pity that I cannot forgive you." Her voice sounded distorted, as if thousands of volts were cutting the air.
The heroine's hair bristled.
"Monster," she murmured softly. Her hair filled with static and began to rise; then, a gale passed by her side.
A stifled cry escaped her companion's mouth. When she turned, her eyes widened like saucers.
The Valkyrie was there, her hand driven into her companion's chest. Her eyes, covered by an electric torrent, stared at her fixedly while the hero's body fell. His still-throbbing heart was in the hand of the Valkyrie.
"A moment ago, you said you wanted to tear out the heart of my Sovereign. That is unacceptable."
The heroine's legs were shaking uncontrollably. She took a step backward but then squeezed her greatsword with more strength.
Seraphina turned toward her legion and toward Malphas.
"I will wait for you."
The sound of thunder followed as the Valkyrie disappeared in a flash.
The heroine fell to her knees.
"Monster."