Anticipation and tension... the pace of the battle intensified between the two sides because of the duel taking place far behind the Oukosian lines.
Both teams burned with a psychological longing for victory. The challenging commander and his formidable opponent knew the weight of this confrontation. This was not just a fight of one against another; it was a battle for the pride of West Oukosia and its superiority ..against Questia, which was playing the card of surprise—the role of the dark horse.
A gust of wind swept across the battlefield. The Commander stood tall, his cloak dancing in the wind's direction. Casper was in a fighting stance, fists clenched, regaining some of his arrogance. With a provocative smile, he challenged:
"I may have miscalculated, thinking I could end this in seconds before my supply of Lumen ran out... but you miscalculated by thinking I couldn't face you without my Grace."
He lunged toward the Commander, launching a barrage of punches that gained him some ground and pressure against his opponent, who grew more skillful with every punch he evaded.
When the Commander found a gap in Casper's wave of strikes, he swung his sword with lightning speed, almost invisible to the eye. Casper noticed the opening and retreated, but he received a nasty wound on the right side of his torso.
As the fighting paused momentarily, Casper placed his hand on the wound. The situation was bad; his breathing grew heavy. Worse than that was the look from his opponent—a serious gaze with no superiority or arrogance in it. A gaze that accepted Casper as a true rival.
"I saw you storm the ranks and knew you were giving everything—a suicide attack, but a calculated one. Your experience isn't bad. It was easy to sense your loss of patience and read your desire, so I wanted to give meaning to your recklessness. An opportunity you were dying to get and the exit you wished for, but..."
The Commander rushed toward him in a low stance, his sword grazing the sparse grass on the ground.
"In truth... you have come seeking your death, Mr. Mercenary."
Casper defended himself using the iron bracers tied around his forearms.
But the Commander's speed and flickering strikes took their toll on Casper. A small hit here, a wound there; his leg, thigh, and torso all suffered under the edge of the Commander's blade.
He tried to retreat and wait. The Commander wanted to stay in a good position and press further, but Casper threw his entire weight into a kick that the Commander escaped by a miracle. Even he couldn't believe he was on the verge of having every bone in his body shattered. The fight between the two men raged on.
Soldiers surrounded Vandall in the middle of the battle's chaos.
"What's his problem?! Doesn't he stop?!"
He was wreaking havoc among them. Everyone around him was in a state of confusion, exhausted and drained. As for him, he grew more active every time he pounced on an opponent.
Nokio was with him, striking with daggers in both hands—low, precise, cutting strikes that brought many down.
"Are you still counting, Vandall? It seems I'm far ahead of you." He provoked his comrade to fire him up.
Vandall didn't care much for the comment.
He gripped his sword and exploded again toward his exhausted enemies and the lines disrupted by Kasper's impact, seeking to strike the factor of confusion they were in and penetrate the flank entirely.
"...I wonder," Vandall spoke to himself. "What is it that I don't see?!" He reviewed his thoughts, wanting to reach something new.
He struck right and left. His eyes didn't miss a person without noticing them. He left nothing unread, and his sword left no clear target unstruck.
Deputy Commander Kidman followed him with close attention. He, too, had left the rear ranks and launched forward to support his soldiers.
"Come on, men... this time..." He took a deep breath and shouted as loud as he could: "This time, the victory will surely be ours!!!"
Kidman's voice ignited his men. Words like these were considered a great sacrifice; if the attack failed and they failed to maintain the pressure, these words would backfire with a negative effect. But the men did not fail him.
They intensified their attacks and pressed hard against their opponents. Flying spears, chaotic arrows, breaking swords, screams of pain, and mud. The conflict intensified. The fighting since morning had been exhausting, and the final engagement had to end in favor of one of the two parties. Both sides wanted that feeling for themselves.
"Come on, you fools!! Let's go!! Do you want the army men to take all the glory for themselves?!" Nokio shouted in his annoying voice.
"Shut up and die, Nokio!" one of his comrades replied.
But his words, in turn, produced a result. The line coming from Questia was working to win at any cost. Either now, or never. Either here, or nowhere. Death or victory.
"Casper..." Vandall thought. "Please... don't die."
He finished off an opponent and stopped for a moment to take a breath.
"Don't let these men down, Casper," he said, looking at him from afar. He could barely see him, but he was there. He knew he was there.
He returned to the fight by dodging an attack from behind and cutting down the attacker, sinking back into the mire of combat.
The words Vandall said to himself, Casper knew well. The words everyone was saying in their souls. He could almost hear them.
"Shut up, you idiots," he said with a calm smile. "I know very well..."
But... Casper had lost his right hand. It seemed he wasn't in good shape. Not in good shape at all.
"Forgive me if I don't make it."
The opponent, the Commander, looked at him, checking him thoroughly.
"What are you muttering to yourself?! Do you want to leave a will?"
"I thank my comrades for their trust, Mr. Commander, whoever you are."
"Fine. My name is Leopold, Mr. Mercenary. At least your killer will have a name you remember in the next world."
With defiance, Casper gripped his remaining fist. With firmness and arrogance, he smiled, pointing his fist toward the Commander.
"As for me, my name is Casper... Mr. Leopold."
Commander Leopold returned the smile and rushed toward him.
It seemed they were seeking to lower the curtain on today's clash.
The exchange of blows and maneuvering from both sides grew more intense, faster, and more precise.
To himself, Casper said, "Thank you... you too, Commander."
Leopold's sword strikes found Casper's solid muscles an easy target.
"...I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Leopold felt his victory approaching; it seemed as if he was salivating with longing to win this deadly duel.
But Leopold didn't notice something..
Casper retreated and staggered, falling with his weight to the ground. Leopold advanced, jumping high, preparing and raising his sword.
A look of longing and thirst met a smile from the man fallen on the ground.
In a moment of confusion, the look seeking victory vanished.
Yes... there was certainly something Leopold had failed to notice.
With his glowing left hand—glowing from the heat—Casper grabbed the iron chest-plate of his easy prey in mid-air.
A smile full of evil and cunning.
Leopold screamed from the pain and heat.
"I thank you, Mr. Commander Leopold, for cutting off my hand.."
Casper said as he squeezed his opponent, melting his armor and the flesh beneath that armor.
"Even I didn't know that the regeneration of Lumen would double in my left hand."
The Lumen ended, and the heat radiating from Casper's palm stopped.
But it had done its duty and more.
"Less than five seconds of heat were produced... Since my Lumen ended the first time."
The Commander had almost lost consciousness from the intensity of the screaming and pain.
But Casper was in a good mood to talk..
"If it had been distributed between two hands, I would have ended up dead."
Pus and blood flowed through the holes of Leopold's melted chest-plate.
Drops of the disgusting mixture fell on Casper's face.
"But thanks to you... all the produced Lumen was concentrated into one hand."
Casper got rid of Leopold, tossing him aside.
He moved toward the discarded sword and picked it up. He looked at him,in a mess of burns and blood.
He plunged the sword into one of the cracks in the armor. The sword pierced Leopold's heart. It was over. Casper released Leopold from his suffering.
He threw the sword and turned toward the two armies, who hadn't quite realized the situation. Some had seen it, but it wasn't possible to be certain.
Casper raised his left hand and clenched his fist. He took a deep breath and let out a thunderous roar that shook the place with its power. Everyone noticed. Finally... the duel over there had ended. Vandall and those with him rejoiced; they smiled. So did the men of the Questian army.
"Time for the slaughter, then," Commander Wilhelm said in the back. He cleared his throat.
"Men of Questia! Soldiers of King Alphonse! Mercenaries standing with us, you who shared our fate! Advance!! Attack!! Strike!! Tear them apart!! Scatter them!! Your enemy has fallen!!!!"
The collapse was clear in the Oukosian ranks. Confusion... loss... defeat. The Questian soldiers and the mercenaries struck the scattered lines. The retreat began; they fled with all they could, leaving their swords and armor behind. Survival became the only mission. The lynchpin had fallen; Leopold's fall settled the matter. The numbers that fled were large, but their scattering did not allow for reorganizing the ranks. No one was there to reorganize them, gather the soldiers, or calm their terror.
Leopold lost his bet. From far across the river, the Oukosian commanders watched the aftermath of the massacre.
"Damn you! Damn you! Damn you, Leoooopollllld!!!!!!!" one of the commanders shouted in rage and bitterness.
The tension moved to the Western camp. Upon crossing the bridge and returning to their tents, the soldiers collapsed from exhaustion and terror. The hour of war was bitter; it had to be so. It had always been so.
Tension and despair would begin to spread like a malignant disease.
The men standing on the other side were in a state of peak euphoria. Some were picking up swords, armor, and anything of value, while others were killing those in their death throes.
Casper was being treated urgently. His condition didn't allow for waiting until they returned to camp.
"That's enough, it's fine," Casper stopped the man who was tightly tying bandages around his severed right forearm.
"You were the surprise element you talked about, Casper," Vandall said.
Around him were Nokio and other mercenaries, as well as men from the army, including Kidman.
"I exceeded your calculations, didn't I?!" He mocked Vandall.
"Well... you could say you were a surprise element for both sides," Vandall accepted Casper's provocation.
"Haaaah, won't you get angry?! Get angry a little, come on. I don't want your stupid, frowning face right now."
The atmosphere had completely changed in the Questian ranks. Laughter and eyes burning with excitement and confidence. Everyone wanted more of this feeling.
Under the gaze of Deputy Commander Kidman, everyone prepared to leave for the camp. Things were going well. Kidman joined his commander.
"It seems we won't be arguing today."
Commander Wilhelm's thick mustache curled into a smile. "It seems so, unfortunately."
_______
The Royal Capital, Lesser Questia, remained alive and glowing at night. The Citadel as well... in the royal palace, inside the room where commanders and nobles met,or what everyone knew as the "Authority Command Office"
Vanguard met with a small number of commanders.
"We succeeded in advancing in the middle legion. Thanks to the effort of one of the mercenaries, we broke the advance of the West Oukosian army to reclaim the lands they lost."
Vanguard discusses some details. Beside him stood a handsome young recruit.
"But because of their legion's retreat in the North, we know perfectly well they will focus on the middle and won't let us keep the pressure across the river."
One of the commanders raised his hand to intervene. Vanguard gave him the chance to speak. "My Lord Head of Authority... we also desperately need to strike the middle and break the last line. The royal capital, 'Calipsia,' will be in our grasp."
"Thank you for the intervention, Commander Clermont. You are right. We will do our part by moving our ranks from the North toward the middle front."
Vanguard rose from his place and stood beside the handsome young man, introducing him.
"Also... we will appoint the new talent, Rodeln from the Inckhardt house, to the South camp, which has completely stopped in a state of anticipation and stalemate."
Everyone looked at the young man who appeared noble. His black uniform was new, and its details looked luxurious and suited him. He cleared his throat to introduce himself.
"I am Rodeln Inckhardt. I will offer my Lumen and my blood seeking the glory of Questia!" The young man spoke with some tension and lack of experience.
"Oh, Lumen? Has the Inckhardt family finally produced a Grace?!" a noble said.
They seemed impressed by him. He looked promising. Even Vanguard looked at him with excitement. The meeting ended with approval of the upcoming plans and movements.
Vanguard bid everyone farewell and wished them luck, among them the boy Rodeln.
"Remember well, Commander Inckhardt... do not pressure your soldiers, for they may rebel against your young age. And do not exhaust your Grace, for it is the source of your strength."
Rodeln smiled at Vanguard's advice and headed toward his horse. Finally, he was rid of the pressure of appearing before the commanders and nobles.
As he passed through the living streets of the capital, he headed toward one of the palaces. The giant gate opened for him. The talented young man would sleep for the last time amidst his family and luxury before setting off to see the horrors of war.
The war that he would ignite in the South.
The war that had swallowed many promising talents like him.
The war that had extinguished many burning looks like the one on his face.
The war that still hides much.