High above the battlefield, two red-tailed hawks soared above the fog. From their vantage point, the ground seemed like a sea of shifting shadows. But the moment the hawks took a steep dive downward and broke through the layers of the fog, the true chaos unfolded—clanging of steel, cries of men and explosions filled the once peaceful atmosphere.
Commanding General Alec's voice booed as he retrieved his spear in one swift, seamless motion and thrust it forward again.
With each thrust, he could feel his spear's blade piercing into flesh.
Loud sounds fell into his ears, a result of the forceful efforts of the barbarians trying to break the shield wall.
Alec's soldiers dug in; their feet shuffled on the soil as they struggled to hold the barbarians' relentless assault, thrusting their spears with brutal efficiency.
This battle was a contest of strength and endurance. Alec had no idea how long had passed, for he knew that a minute was like an hour in intense battles .
Sweat poured down, soaking their undergarments while their eyes remained glued on their targets even as their veins bulged with effort and muscles were pressed against the metal plates.
Each time Alec roared, he could see some of his men who had slowly begun giving up reignite with strength.
He commanded. He fought. He monitored. He strategized. All at the same time.
Yet his eyes remained steady, and his movements were in sync.
This formidable general had mastered a strange, self-taught technique of the six senses! This technique allowed him to be able to do different things like separate a part of his senses to think, to fight, and to monitor his men!
Enos, riding along the periphery of his troop, noticed this.
'The strength of these troops lies in their General. Humph!'
A black mist seeped from his body, twisting and splitting until it formed another figure—a perfect duplicate of himself atop a horse.
They had the same hairstyle, the same stance, and even seemed to be riding the same horse.
The only difference between the two was that this other figure was like the darkness of the night, and his tattoos were glowing purple.
Even his khopesh burned with an eerie purple light.
The shadow rider surged forth, tearing his way through the battlefield. Sometimes, he made his mount jump over other barbarian riders and performed feats that even the most seasoned warriors would deem impossible.
A trail of dirt and dust rose in the shadow's wake.
From the battlements, Asher, along with Sapphira, Aquila and Lambert, noticed the powerful rider charging toward the wall.
Asher's gaze sharpened.
"It's Enos," Sapphira said urgently. "His shadow is impervious to swords and any sharp weapons we can think of. It's even physically stronger than Enos himself. I'm afraid General Alec can't win this battle."
Asher knew she wanted him to send her and the Temple Servants to the frontlines to offer aid.
But that would be reckless. The battle had only just begun. Throwing all his cards down before giving Alec a chance would be unwise.
"Wait…" Asher said softly.
Although concerned, the generals could do nothing but just watch as the shadow approached the wall.
While others spoke, Alec suddenly caught sight of a foreign figure made of darkness itself heading straight toward him.
"Earth mages!" he roared.
The mages behind the archers began to chant spells before they slammed their staffs against the earth. A subtle ripple flowed outward as soon as the staff hit the soil.
In the next moment, over a hundred earthen spikes, hard enough to pierce through steel and a few inches taller than a fully grown man, erupted out from the ground.
Dust rose, and the great sounds and shouts ceased. In just a moment, the entire battlefield had fallen silent.
When it settled, the Grand Aegis soldiers peered through the gaps in the shield walls only to see that the barbarians they had been fighting before were all impaled to death by the jagged stones!
Alec closed his eyes and breathed out deeply, but in that instant, he heard the unmistakable sound of hooves hitting the ground.
A shadow rider burst out of the fog.
Seeing this, Alec didn't hesitate and dashed forward, smashing through the wall as he went—but he didn't seem to care.
The shadow rider's khopesh slashed downward. Alec blocked the blow, but the curved end of the khopesh hooked onto the shield, ripping it from his arm and flinging it far out of reach.
Alec didn't hesitate and retaliated by unleashing a sweeping strike, his strength so powerful that it sent the shadow's horse crashing to the ground!
Before the shadow could react, Alec was already above it, his spear raised, about to plunge down and strike the enemy.
Unfortunately, the shadow reached out for his ankle and hurled him across the battlefield.
Alec crashed against an earthen spike before landing on one knee.
With a single leap, the shadow was before him once again, his khopesh descending to cleave Alec into two halves.
Gritting his teeth, Alec threw himself to the side and drove his spear at the shadow's fourth rib at that very moment.
The impact forced the shadow to retreat as he staggered.
At the rear of the barbarian forces, Enos clutched his rib, grunting as blood stained his lips.
"That cursed knight!" He spat, his eyes turning bloodshot.
Seizing the moment, Alec rose to his feet and closed the gap between them…
But at that moment, the shadow, as if waiting for him, spun before slamming a powerful punch to his face.
The power of the punch sent Alec to his knees, yet with nothing but sheer resilience and will, he raised his spear and blocked the khopesh's follow-up strike.
Clang! Sparks flew as their weapons clashed, their eyes locked in a fierce battle.
"Argh!" Alec roared, shoving the shadow away.
While he was breathing heavily, the shadow, still relentless, closed in again.
This time around, Alec could feel it—the ground rumbling beneath his feet.
Thousands of barbarians were coming. The second wave!
Knowing that he had no time, he grabbed the shadow's khopesh and ground his teeth hard.
"Enos, come face me yourself!" he bellowed.
He slammed his head into the shadow's forehead. The impact sent the dark figure staggering backwards for a few metres before it collapsed and dissolved into nothing.
On the other hand, Enos suddenly fell off his horse. His warriors rushed toward him—only to find his eyes rolled black and blood trickling down from his nose.
"He survived!" Sapphira muttered, her eyes narrowing as she watched Alec retrieve his weapons and walk toward the wall.
Behind him, thousands of barbarians emerged from the fog, some mere meters behind.
"The power of a half-giant should never be underestimated, Lady Sapphira," Asher remarked.
"True," Aquila replied, watching the scene unfold. "But if he doesn't reach the line fast, the barbarians will overrun him. And if the Grand Aegis move out to help their commander, the wall will be destroyed."