Volume 5, Chapter 93: The Ideal Way to Lead
Volume 5, Chapter 93: The Ideal Way to Lead
In order to diminish the attacks from the rebel army, an assault strategy was set in motion from behind the scenes. Because of this strategy, more soldiers gathered in front of the main gate of Ghazalia’s borderline walls.
The preparation of the enemy’s assault, and the advance of the rebel army. This momentum, between the inside and outside of Ghazalia, was like a deadlock. There was still no collision between the inside forces and the outside forces. The deadly fight didn’t happen yet, at least, not on this area, since the other elves were fighting against the rebel humans and elves at the passageway from the Royal Palace. No blood was spilled outside of Ghazalia yet.
Nevertheless, and unmistakably, this place was also a part of the ongoing battlefield. Like the passageway of the Royal Palace, this place was about to became the area of a bloody battle.
“…Hyahhhhhhhhh”.
A strong voice echoed throughout the surroundings. The soldiers were in agony. It was as if their hearts were in distress. Why? Because of the appearance of a demon that could kill a small animal with only a loud noise.
A demon-like monkey beast with a big mouth open appeared here as an enemy of all.
The beast’s appearance was too daunting. It seemed that this monster was created with some kind of wicked intentions, far from the beauty of nature. However, that was not the point right now. This demon beast was born in such a form, and was here, but not as a friend.
This scene looked impossible. This demon beast wasn’t even supposed to be here. In fact, no demon beast ever attacked Ghazalia and its gates for hundreds of years or maybe even longer than that.
The soldiers’ chief-in-command, who was given the task to protect the main gate, felt that his internal organs were boiling with bitterness and frustration. But, why?
「Be ready! Use your arrows! If we can withstand this, reinforcements will come!」
When the chief-in-command declared those words, arrows were let loose from the soldier’s bows, and rained down upon the monkey-shaped demon beast.
In reality, the chief-in-command himself understood that no reinforcements would come.
Right now, Fin Lagias’ forces were fighting against Eldith’s armies at the Royal Palace. Originally, the troops in front of the main gate of Ghazalia’s borderline walls were given a crucial role to aid Fin Lagias’ forces when in need. These troops were like a final decisive blow to the ongoing civil war.
How did it ended up like this? One demon beast deprived these troops of their momentum and prevented them from aiding Fin Lagias at the Royal Palace. Even if they asked for reinforcements, Fin Lagias’ soldiers would determine that the rebel army was an opponent far more important than the demon beast standing out here. They would definitely not come.
However, there was no doubt that these soldiers had enough resolve to protect the main gate against external threats. Besides, there was no doubt that the demon beast was suppressed by their attacks. The eyes of the chief-in-command narrowed as he observed the assault towards the demon beast. Yet, not every attack was successful.
The chief-in-command was swayed by every move of the demon beast. Every time the powerful arm of that monster moved, the trees around it broke apart violently. And every time the monster screamed aloud, the overflowing noise made several lives disappear. Indeed, that monster was a fearsome foe that nobody would like to deal with.
However, the chief-in-command believed that the momentum was a crucial weapon. If these troops could suppress this monster from the top of the main gate, then the course of the story would be different.
Once again, under the chief’s command, arrows covered the sky and poured down against the whole body of the demon beast. Most of them were thrown away like mere pieces of woods every time the demon beast swung around its arms. However, the large amount of arrows was beginning to overpower the strength of the demon beast’s body.
“With this, it should be possible to keep it under control.” The chief-in-command nodded as if he were convinced of the results from his ongoing assaults towards the demon beast.
“But why? Why is that demon beast so agitated?” This sight was extremely odd for both the chief-in-command and the soldiers trying to suppress it from the main gate.
Seeing a demon beast in the forest without its own kind. It was already odd. Moreover, many of them were unapproachable and wary of other animals and people. Therefore, it was unlikely that these type of monsters would be this irrational, agitated and so eager to attack. What happened? Why was this demon beast behaving so bizarrely? The chief-in-command couldn’t find an answer as to why this demon beast suddenly assaulted the main gate.
Something rotten reached the troops’ noses. Did someone instinctively drink alcohol now? The smell of wine was terrible.
“…Hyah! Hyahhhhhhh!”
Then, the demon beast began to scream repeatedly. It shook the life of the surrounding trees and vibrated the foundations of the earth.
However, the soldiers responded quickly because they felt intimidated by that monster’s screams. In order to prepare for the next assault, the bows and arrows were distributed to all the soldiers one after another.
The chief-in-command was the only one who was getting drenched in unpleasant sweat.
“Somehow, that voice was different now”.
It wasn’t a voice that threatened the troops at the main gate. It wasn’t a voice that tried to kill them all. Yes, if one could describe it, this voice was like a signal. Was this demon beast trying to convey something to the surroundings?
It was just a premonition. The chief-in-command wanted to believe that it was all nonsense in his head. However, his fears proved to be true.
Little by little, the faces of the elf soldiers turned pale. One by one, their eyes quivered in fear and despair when they noticed the scene that unfolded right in front of them.
Something came out of the forest. And it was not just “something”. Several monkey-type demon beasts begun to gather in front of the main gate, one after another, after they heard the scream of the injured and agitated demon beast. This scene disturbed the soldiers’ hearts, and they began to fear for their lives.
One great monkey monster, who had decided to make Ghazalia its target, managed to gather more of its kind for this insane battle. Every single one of these monsters began to jump aggressively as they hit the ground strongly. Then, they grabbed giant rocks and aimed at the walls of Ghazalia. Several of these big rocks soared through the sky.
The borderline walls of Ghazalia, where the main gate was located, were a formidable stronghold. However, today, a reflection of weakness swamped the walls.
—
“I want heavy rain to pour down on them. Yes, I want the enemy’s avant-garde* to be blinded to an extent that it will allows us to go forward.”
Lugis spoke these words moments ago. And right now, Lugis’ words were recalled in Filaret’s mind.
Filaret has been aware of Lugis’ intention for some time now. Lugis seemed to think that magic itself was a useful tool that could do anything. Actually, the opposite was the truth.
Magic was nothing more than a human art that could rewrite the structure of the world with mere fingertips. For example, one could be at a place where one could not see anything at all. With magic, one could set a fire in order to see. However, one could have bought a firestone to make a fire, making magic just a secondary solution. Most people couldn’t use magic. However, did they despair because of that fact? No. Most people were independent, and these people managed to live just fine without the properties of magic itself. Summing up, although convenient, magic was far from being absolute.
Filaret knew it well. She understood it so much. Why? Because Filaret knew the pain of being a magic user, a Sorceress. She felt it many times before. Worse, she saw the backs of those who couldn’t reach a certain level. Like herself. Being called mediocre was extremely bitter.
Originally, making rain, and even heavy rain, was out of the question. Thousands of sorcerers affirmed that making rain was impossible. Obviously.
However, Filaret accepted Lugis’ words. It could be impossible to achieve, but Filaret really wanted to show her worth.
Filaret’s viscera became cold, and her throat narrowed so much that almost blocked the respiratory system. She was under intense pressure. These tension and agitation emotions crawled through her spine.
“I don’t want to show him my bad side. I don’t want to betray his expectations. I don’t want him to abandon me.” These types of feelings consumed Filaret’s heart. The reason why she accepted Lugis’ proposal so promptly was because, she felt close to a dependence towards Lugis.
However, apart from that aspect, Filaret had her own determination.
Just as the time when Filaret revived Lugis by fusing the legendary sword into his body. Filaret thought that she twisted and bent the world when she recreated that special magic. Upon saving Lugis’ life, Filaret truly believed in her potential once more. Such thought was finally engraved in her heart.
“If so, then this is the moment. The moment to prove my value.”
Magical power accumulated on Filaret’s fingertips. However, she had never brought much thought into the weather before, much less manipulating a large-scale nature through magic. Therefore, she didn’t know what type of magic formation she had to invoke.
Therefore, all that Filaret could think of was to move her hands towards the heavens. “My hands are mediocre, and I am a lead person. Will I be able to do it?”
Filaret’s mind got clouded. Her black eyes blinked repeatedly.
Caria, was a woman who manipulated the movements of a silvery long sword to her will and showed superhuman determination. She was definitely a genius, but not Filaret.
The sharpness of her sword and the skills of her swordsmanship. It was all astonishing. The decisive power of hers that was cold-hearted, but that gave her the ability to act rapidly in a moment of crisis. Whatever it may be, Caria was someone who was worthy of the title “masterpiece”.
And, Saint Matia. The Supreme Commander who led the Heraldic people with strong charisma. She was someone who people worshipped. Her presence continued to attract the hearts of people, no matter who they were and what they thought.
Filaret thought deeply about it. “I’ve been feeling this for a long time. I am the only one who has nothing. Even though I accompany Lugis on his journey, I am just an ordinary person.”
“I hate this. If I leave it be, I may be left alone, and Lugis will probably leave me in the end.” This anxiety covered Filaret’s chest. She truly hated these feelings.
“Lugis decided that I wouldn’t be lead. Therefore, I have to prove him that I’m capable.” This person named Filaret whispered in her heart, and vowed to become a golden person to match the man who changed her life.
That’s why Filaret accepted that senseless and impossible request without hesitation.
However, no matter how much she improved her magic power, Filaret couldn’t come up with a convenient technique that would bring heavy rain. She knew that they didn’t have much time left. The enemy units could overpower their forces at any time now. Irritation and frustration burned through her throat. Her mouth got distorted and she gritted her teeth.
“Ah, this won’t do.” No matter how eager she was, Filaret knew that the world would never give her another chance. No one would ever realize her worth. Only heroes and talented people were the perfect pieces to be used in a chessboard. The world showed interest in them, because they opened up their hearts to them only.
“…What a hateful world. Such an absurd. That’s right, this world is not interested in me.”
If this was the reality. If this was the truth. Then, there was only one-way.
A magic theory that never came to Filaret’s mind. A conceptual idea that jumped out of reason. Yes, the invention of something unrealistic, something without precedent. “If the world isn’t interested in me, then I have no choice but to transform it.”
Filaret didn’t know exactly what she was doing. She “picked up a pen” in her brain. She wrote a magical structure on an invisible parchment in her brain. An impossible magic theory.
“Yeah, this is the feeling.” Filaret knew that she couldn’t rely in existing magic theories. For the first time, she felt the pleasure of rewriting the state of the world with her own hands. The freshness of unraveling the big iron that held down her body for this long. The so-called and desired freedom.
A new magic was created behind the shining black eyes of Filaret. Ahead of these eyes. She looked attentively at the avant-garde* of the enemy troops mounted on horses.
「…Breach the canopy. Flood, I invoke you to crush the world and pour down here!」
A sound was heard inside of Filaret’s head. It resembled a shattering sound as if something broke apart. Nobody knew what it was.
However, Filaret did create a new magic theory. And this magic was already set in motion.
It was not heavy rain. It was more like a muddy stream. Nonetheless, this muddy stream became like strong waves, which swallowed the avant-garde* forces of the enemy troops in a violent and rapid way.
Filaret La Volgograd. On this day, a piece of lead covering her body came off. Within her skin, an unmistakable gold shined inside.