The clash of steel and cries of war echoed across the battlefield, filling the air with the stench of blood and sweat. The ground beneath Valiz's boots was soaked with the life force of fallen comrades and enemies alike. But the pain, the suffering, the countless dead—it all faded into the background. His focus was solely on one thing now: revenge.
Tondir's lifeless body lay in a pool of blood, the arrow still protruding from his chest. His friend, his ally, gone in an instant. The grief hit Valiz like a tidal wave, but there was no time to mourn. He clenched his sword tighter, his knuckles turning white, and his eyes burning with an unrelenting fury.
So they all betrayed us?
Valiz's thoughts spiraled as he scanned the chaos around him. His sharp eyes caught a glimmer of movement—a figure standing at a distance, an elf with a bow raised, a cruel smirk on their face. His heart stopped.
An elf… Valiz's thoughts raced. Dwarves make bows like that, those kinds of blades attached to the string. Only the dwarves could craft weapons like that, and those warriors with strength like beasts… Alchemists. This is all part of their plan.
His chest tightened with the weight of the realization. They had been betrayed by those they had once called allies. The dwarves, the elves, the alchemists—all of them working together to destroy his people. His clan. His family.
Gritting his teeth, Valiz bellowed in rage. He charged forward, his sword flashing in the air, cutting down any soldier unfortunate enough to be in his path. Blood splattered across the ground, painting the battlefield in horrific strokes. A soldier's head flew off as Valiz swung his blade in a wide arc, his movements a blur of fury.
I will make them pay for this! His thoughts were consumed by the need for vengeance. Every swing of his sword, every slash through armor and flesh, was driven by his grief, by his desire to avenge those who had already fallen. His own body was drenched in the blood of his enemies, his every breath heavy with the smell of death.
But despite his relentless assault, the enemies kept coming. They were endless, like waves crashing upon a shore, unyielding and relentless. The Pope's forces seemed to multiply with every passing moment, the chaos growing more and more unbearable.
On the other side of the battlefield, Marissa, Valiz's wife and one of the strongest necromancers, was struggling to keep control of her undead summons. She stood at the center of the field, summoning the power of the dead to fight back against the endless tide of enemies.
A massive ogre, its skin green and mottled, swung a club through the air, crushing enemies beneath its heavy blows. At her side, Heynas, a vicious undead creature, bit and tore through the enemy ranks, its teeth snapping with savage fury.
But despite her efforts, the battle was slipping further and further from their grasp. The warriors of the Pope's army were unrelenting, their strength bolstered by alchemical enhancements. The priests among them were a constant threat, healing the wounded and dispelling her undead summons with ease.
"Ma'am!" one of her commanders shouted. "We tried to destroy the Mecha Magic Disruptors, but the orcs are shielding them. We can't get close. Our people are being slaughtered!"
Marissa gritted her teeth in frustration. "Those fuckers!" she spat, her voice thick with anger. She focused on her summoning once more, reaching into the ether to pull forth more undead warriors, but the air was thick with the unnatural mana fluctuations from the disruptors, and the magic was weakening.
As she struggled, her focus shattered. A long, razor-sharp claw slashed across her face, raking through her flesh. Pain exploded through her mind as she stumbled back, her vision blurred. She cried out in agony, but the words never left her lips.
"Milady!" The shout came from the butler, rushing to her side. He tried to reach her, but just as he did, an enemy blade pierced through his chest. He staggered, his blood spilling across the ground, but he didn't fall immediately. He kept moving, trying to reach Marissa, but the strength left his body. He collapsed beside her.
Marissa looked down, her heart breaking as she saw the life drain from her butler's eyes. "No," she whispered hoarsely. "Not you, too."
Valiz, still fighting, felt the tension in the air shift. He heard the cries, the shouts. He turned, his heart pounding in his chest, and saw it: Marissa, his beloved, crumpling to the ground. The butler, too, fallen beside her.
His mind refused to accept it. He couldn't lose her. Not like this. The pain in his chest was suffocating, a grief so overwhelming it threatened to break him. But there was no time for weakness. Not now.
Tears mingled with blood as he fought his way toward her, cutting through the enemies in a frenzy. His legs felt like lead, his body screamed for rest, but he pushed forward, driven by a burning need to save the woman he loved.
But as he reached her, it was already too late. Marissa's breath had stopped, her body still. The butler lay beside her, his own life extinguished.
Valiz's knees buckled as he fell beside her, his sword clattering to the ground. His tears were unstoppable now, his grief flooding him. I'm sorry, he thought, I should have been stronger. I should have protected you.
"I will kill you all!" Valiz shouted, his voice hoarse, filled with a raw fury. "Every last one of you!" His hands trembled, but his determination only grew stronger. He wouldn't let them win. Not after everything they had done.
He focused his mana, pulling every last ounce of power he had left into his body. His heart hammered in his chest as a surge of magic coursed through him, building up like a storm ready to break.
Everyone around him stopped, sensing the raw power building in the air. The Pope's voice rang out across the battlefield. "Careful!" he shouted, his tone filled with urgency. "He's trying to escape! Kill him before he can teleport!"
Valiz barely heard the words. His focus was singular. With all the strength he could muster, he unleashed his power in a circle of pure energy.
An arrow flew through the air, striking him in the shoulder. The pain was sharp, but it didn't stop him. He gritted his teeth and completed the spell.
A brilliant flash of light enveloped him, and in a blink, Valiz vanished, the teleportation spell carrying him to safety—barely.