"This is.."
"We have to fight those. They don't even look like normal monsters. They look like ghosts."
The students muttered as they looked at the devastation caused around them. The entire smooth plain field before them has been filled with cracks and craters.
Under faint moonlight, they could see a sea of monsters and beasts. The monster and beasts were black in color and their eyes were burning with green flames as if they were dispatched by someone and following the orders, they had set on to destroy everything that lay in their path.
The captain of Aler guards was currently engaged in sorting out the commands and assigning the positions.
Lucas stood on the walls of the fortress and observed the scene. He felt the cool breeze as his hair fluttered. Before he was the huge wave of threat and behind him was a city that was shining with dazzling lights and people who were enjoying daily lives and taking rest after their daily work a few moments ago but now, the entire city was dead silent.
People had already been evacuated, deep inside the city while the ones outside the fortress had narrowly escaped their death still many of the locals were badly injured.
If not for Lord Alabaster's quick actions most of them would have already lost their lives.
"So are these the ones, You and Charles were talking about earlier. " Fredrick asked standing beside Lucas.
"Yeah, all of you make sure, not to get bitten or scratched by them. They have been affected by some kind of dark miasma. If got hit or cut by the monsters, you will be in trouble." Lucas explained to every student present out there. He had already informed about it to Lord Alabaster.
"By the way, do you have the potions I gave?" Lucas asked.
"Yes, I have diluted it to a certain aspect and distributed it, "Fredrick answered looking around all his classmates.
Lucas threw a few bottles of intermediate potion and said" Use them wisely."
At this time he can't bother to save the experience.
"It is going to be a long night," Charles spoke as his gazes landed on the monsters. Seeing the huge crowd of monsters, he clenched the sword.
"A dreary one, on top of that," Parth added and he looked at Charles for a moment and asked, "Charles, with your knights around, isn't it better to leave and escape with them."
Everyone present there looked at Parth and glared at him.
'Why are you adding fuel to the fire and provoking him unnecessarily, isn't he standing to fight with them. Moreover, if the reinforcement of Warren Dukedom left, wouldn't we will be the first one to be in danger.'Everyone thought the same thing at moment and glared at Parth.
Parth took a step back seeing their fiercer gaze.
For Charles's safety, Duke Warren had sent 3 6-Star warriors and 20 5-Star warriors. Without their strength, the students who departed from the class wouldn't be found. Their strength will play a very crucial part in the survival of this city.
Charles looked at Parth and smirked"At least, I am helping in some way, by lending knights, unlike certain someone who is wasting his time in spouting bullshit"
Parth choked unable to refute Charles's words.
"Everyone get ready," A knight said as he loaded an arrow on his bow"The monsters are on their way. Archers load your bow. Mages start casting your spell."
The archers standing on the walls, under the knight's order loaded their bows and aimed at the railing monsters.
Their strategy was to take down as many as they can, using the long-range attack at first followed by knights going out of the fort to clear the monsters closing in in rotating squads.
It was at that moment, they felt the ground tremble as if it was the onset of a minor earthquake. From afar a black tide with green flames burst forth. The roar of beasts and shrieks of several monsters reverberated in the air as they charged to the Fort of Aler to trample it.
The knight pulled the string of his bow to the fullest and waited until the monsters reached the strike zone. The moment they reached the mark he shouted "Fire!!!"
Arrows flew straight towards the point. The monsters that passed the mark look up to see many black dots appearing.
The sound of whistling echoed above the fort walls as hundreds of arrows rained on the monster from above.
Tick...Tick...Tick.
The first wave of arrows pierced the monsters nailing them down on the ground.
The loud shriek of an eerie echoed across the vast plains in the mid of the night can make anyone shudder in fear. The monsters and beast thrashed around in pain as the arrows directly penetrate their defence and as if to add further followed by a rain of arrows, the light of various colours flew from the fortress and wall and rained at them.
Boom...Boom.....Boom
Many small bursts of explosion took place, illuminating the area like the daylight light as the spells fired by the mage collided with the waves of monsters.
The combined might of the archers and mages' long-range joined attacks decimated all the creatures into pieces and turn them into asses as they passed through the strike zone.
This was how the battle began with no one knowing what the ending would be like and how much time will the battle last.
.....
When the archers almost ran out of arrows and the magicians were almost ran out of mana, following them, the next team of archers and mage took the place.
The archers who had run out of arrows immediately went to the rear to restock the arrows while the mage took some rest to recover the mana.
The Vice-Captain in charge of the place alternated the teams between attack and retreat so that they wouldn't overexert themselves at the beginning of the battle.
Although the mages and archers students from the horizon lacked battle experiences and coordination, under the guidance of the mages and archers of Aler's, they were able to perform their roles satisfactorily.
Lucas decided to stay in the long-range attack group in the first half of the battle to observe the situation from far and later go onto the frontal assault team.
Fredrick, Charles and Parth don't have long-range attack skills like Lucas, so they decided to head out into the battle first.
Although Lucas's ice spikes and fire glow doesn't cover a long-range, with the use of his telekinesis, he can increase the range of his attacks by certain margins.
Although the mage's initial offensive barrage was impressive in the first few minutes, they ran out of mana within half an hour from casting spells. This sudden break in the attack created a gap for a large number of monsters to break through the bombardment of ranged attacks from the defenders.
Though the archers were still firing with all their might without the large scale damage spells, they weren't able to keep the monsters away for a long time.
"It's time to head out," Lucas muttered as he geared up wearing the chest plate and shoulder blade which have large pointy spikes that can be used offensively in battle. His battle suit already took heavy damage from fighting the Drank goblin which was beyond any use now.
Lucas headed down to the fort where the headquarters of the entire operation was held.
Inside the fort, the knights who went out to fight, have already returned and some were resting to recover their strength while others are getting treatment for their injuries. Gracia was present there trying to mend off the injured knights.
The entire place is filled with blood reek and the agony of the warriors.
It was the first time, Lucas had seen such a scene and he almost turned away from it, but he knew it was a path he couldn't avoid if he has to live in this world.
It's just like the saying, you can kill thousands of enemies without blinking an eye but a single drop of blood from your loved ones is enough to make you shudder.Though the people here are strangers to me but least they will be my comrade in this battle,so it was natural to be worried about their safety.
It just looks like a scene from the movie where victims of wars were being treated.
"How much is the damage?"
Lucas found Lord Alabaster inspecting the situation.
"Yes! The first unit has withdrawn due to several injuries, the second unit is currently engaging and the third unit is ready to head out to provide support."
"Thank you stand down, Third unit prepare to head out, "Alabaster ordered.
Lucas decided to head out with the third unit.
As Lucas was in deep thought, someone patted him on his shoulder.
Lucas turned back and saw the person soaked in blood from head to toe and he was about to scream in fright when the person spoke "It's not my blood."
Lucas almost choked on his words on hearing the familiar sound.
"Parthh, You...You"Lucas cursed, he was frightened to his core, the moment he saw this bloody person and thought this person would drop dead at any moment.
" Can't you wipe the blood and then talk?"Lucas spoke taking a step back.
"Ohh! Sorry, we have just returned." Parth spoke.
"Where are they?" Lucas asked raising his brows.
"Oh! They just went to clean themselves. " Parth answered.
"Unlike certain someone," Lucas muttered.
Parth laughed bitterly and tried to change the topic"Is it your turn now?"
Lucas nodded in response to Parth's question.
"Lucas be careful, it's more dangerous than the time we head out, The support of mages has stopped for a while so your squad have to face more monsters than us," Parth spoke with a worried voice.
"Yeah, you should also recuperate and replenish your strength. Soon, everyone has to fight without any rest." Lucas spoke with a solemn expression.
He knew this play of rotating squadron wouldn't last long.
