"Go!" Commanded Thorne.
His voice reverberated in the field, certainty eminent as he commanded his group.
He, along with the other leaders, chose to rebel rather than fight to their deaths. Sure, they were destined to die fighting the army of green monsters, but if they were to choose their death, they would rather die fighting, not exploited.
"Interesting," muttered Abel. "Daren, finish this, will you? We shall see their resolves."
"Yes, my lord," Daren bowed, his voice steel. "All troops, prepare for battle! Archers and mages, focus your attack on the mercenaries!"
"YES—"
His command immediately triggered the senses of the whole army; the archers and the mages prepared their weapons, and the warriors and knights under his command entered a formation.
BAM!
"Kael! You take the front! Damon will focus his spells to shatter their vision! Everyone, follow me!" Thorne yelled.
In no time, explosions filled the air, confusion ran amok from the sides of the enemy lord.
The explosions from the mages hovered over the field, each one an impending disaster that was much rather avoided.
BOOM—
The plains ran in trails of blood.
The orc lord's army, confused, rejoiced at the situation as their supposed enemy started bombarding their own faction with attacks, and decided to follow the lead of mercenaries, mindlessly and immediately.
One by one, the mercenaries fell, but nevertheless, they didn't waver
… "CHARGE!!"
His voice caused the hearts of Abel's army to waver, it was Kael.
"YOu damn bastard! Stop hiding behind your fodders!"
"HAAAAAAAAAA—" he bellowed.
With a howl, he swung his axe, resentment crackling down as if lightning.
Multiple arrows have been raining down upon Kael, but he did not care. Bathed in blood, his eyes bloodshot, he didn't feel pain; rather, he felt notoriously crazed.
"HAHaHA! Is that all that there is!? Abel, Daren!"
His calling answered him with an explosion.
Clouds of dust filled the air where Kael stood. Out of the smoke, a hand burst, clutching Kael's throat
"Shut your mouth, lowlife," Daren snarled, dragging Kael from the dust like a butchered carcass. "Don't you dare insult My Lord!" he paused, his tone angered.
"Besides,"
Daren clicked his tongue, he spat in disdain.
"You aren't even worthy of his notice."
AghGHH—
Kael struggled fighting Daren's arms desperately as they clung deep into him like the whispers of death. But his struggles proved no results but to instill fear in the others who, along with him, decided to rebel.
SWOOSH—
"Kael! Thorne roared. He dashed towards them, sword gripped like a lifeline. One wild swing, desperate and furious, hoping to break Daren's grasp.
"Hahh HAHA," lost in thrill, Daren laughed as if a maniac. "Weren't you going to kill me?" He paused, his face forming a wicked smile full of mockery. "I guess it's to be expected. You're weak, after all."
Cough— Cough—
Kael went through a series of choking, while Thorne stood in front of his towering stature, along with Damon, who was behind.
He had already deployed a shield to temporarily defend them.
…
Amidst the chaos, further back from the frontlines, Kreig breathed heavily, surrounded.
"This is bad." Kreig, who had watched the scene, muttered. "To think that Daren would be so strong to vanish and clutch Kael's throat in almost an instant… I didn't think he'd defeat Kael so overwhelmingly…"
It was not only that that caused his reaction.
He has found himself surrounded by multiple goblins.
"Tskk, die!" He lunged forward, the spear tip slicing the air, aimed at the goblin's throat.
Gushh—
Blood gushed from its throat, unlike humans, it was green and goey.
Kreig didn't get complacent from his kill; in fact, he has been wounded quite a lot already, and his body is racing the exhaustion.
"I can't fall just yet… I've already come this far, there's no way I will die in this place…" He said, tightening his grip on the spear.
He's got the pleasure to stay on the back side now, facing the almost unending army of goblins. He didn't know whether to be thankful for it, but he savored it, for at least at this time, he could at least fight without dying from a random stride of arrow that rained down.
Little by little, he felt exhaustion. Seconds felt like hours, the torment he'd feel from the heaviness of his body, which became even heavier after being drenched in blood.
"Opportunity… I need an opportunity to escape!"
The number of mercenaries has dropped from 205 to 97, while on Abel's side, the army he brought only went down by 18. The difference was obvious, given the positional advantage of his army, plus the dominance against mere mercenaries. As for the Orc's lord army, it has dropped down to 3,479 through the hard work of the mercenaries.
Most of the Orc's lord army consists of goblins; they can be defeated by the mercenaries, but the problem lies in their overwhelming numbers. In addition, they were not intelligent monsters, as commanded by their lord, they succumb to their deaths as they rush as tides towards their enemies.
Along with them were some orcs, towering like giants, throwing heavy stones like artillery. Then the elementalists, who numbered a few, after the assassin mercenaries swiftly killed numbers and fled.
"Enough."
A single word—but it swept through the battlefield like a divine decree. Even the goblins paused, instinctively cowering under the sheer weight of his command.
"That should be enough, Daren."
The voice was Abel's, commanding at once for his army to halt.
"Y-Yes, My Lord," said Daren with a pause, then he stared at Kael and the others. "You lots are lucky that my lord is merciful…"
Confused, Thorne replied, redirecting his gaze to Abel.
"What fuckery is this, Lord Abel!?"
He gnashed, teeth gritting in anger.
"We all went here… so then we can make a living… but what is this!? Is this what you've been planning all along!?"
He paused, looking in all directions—green tides of monsters swarming at them, slowly catching those left behind.
"Help!!"
"Please have mErcy!"
"Plea—"
Drums filled with desperation filled the air, each beat a voice of defeat, wavering the presence inside the formations formed by the leaders.
"Ha, HA STOP!! I-I don't taste good! So please… Leave me ALojne!"
The atmosphere grew colder as the mercenaries got sandwiched by the horde of goblins.
Clang—
The sound of a sword reverberated, it clamored unexpectedly, threatening Kael's head, which was just in front of Thorne.
"You bastard!" Daren snapped, his sword unsheathed as if with a single pull, he'd cut the head.
"Daren."
"You dare disrespect the lord like that!?"
"Daren!"
Abel's voice sliced through the battlefield like a whip.
And the sword froze mid-air.