I rushed to the cliff to find our best artillery specialists. Behind me, fiery red flowers bloomed in the middle of our camp, forcing the rest to leave their beds and weapons. A gruesome layer of black smoke has covered the stars. White tents and piles of supplies were set on fire, and no one would be stupid enough to try to stop it. The air is filled with soot and the unsettling aroma of boiled meat.

I left the mage and dalton behind the ridge on the border of the village, believing they were safe now. Our other troops, not so much.

I found Loth in steam armor at the gate of the fortress. From a distance, he resembles a machine, no, a puppet with unstoppable power. The glowing runes on his chest reflect the runes I saw on his skin the day he faced his family. His mask clicked twice.

"Hey, little girl. It's funny, yes. ”

"We're being bombed!"

"I noticed."

"Are those mortars?" How can I destroy them?"

"That's not a mortar, girl, that's a spell from artillery."

"What?!"

Give it a read. Very rare. It takes three casters to work together to operate one, which can be exhausting. ”

"I don't understand. Why don't they use that today?"

Isaac appeared from behind us, announcing his arrival with his disciplined aura.

"Good question, Ariana, we'll answer later. Did you find those teams?"

"There is only one on this side of the coast. They're dead. ”

"Yes, it does, probably as a distraction. Now, the wizards are probably holding their ground and waiting for you, dear. ”

"I'll go."

"We should ...... What?" Are you sure?"

"Yes. They have always relied on the same strategy. Mortals aren't the only ones who can adapt. Don't want to?"

"I have, and I'm coming. I have an account to settle. ”

"I don't believe ......," Isaac said.

"They burned down my house."

The flames reflected ominously on Rose's shiny plate. The fact that he's almost half my size makes him scary. I like that.

"Okay, I'll go find the wizard and Dalton, and then we'll go."

"Good. We will reform the course and move forward immediately. Oh, Ariana, be careful. ”

We nodded quickly and descended to the plains, where we picked up our companions on the way. Most of the magic cannonballs landed on the remaining camp behind us, so for a while, we would be relatively safe. However, this soon changed as drums and trumpets sounded the rallying of troops. It looks like our enemies are about to attack.

"I thought there was no one to fight at night," I said, walking over the remains of today's battlefield, weaving between corpses and discarded equipment.

"Look back," Rose replied.

What I do. Countless fires dotted the land. Surrounded by corpses, we enter a hellish landscape that, if not for the absence of demons, would be the equivalent of a Bosch painting.

“So?”

"Ah, I forgot I'm sorry. Visibility here is good. Those bastards can appear directly on the edge of the camp and shoot down anyone trying to retrieve their gear under the cover of darkness. It's perfect for them. ”

That's why they patiently wait until the evening, so that our people will be defenseless and asleep.

Cunning.

I stopped the men behind the wreckage of a dead horse and eliminated a sentry. Under the light of hell behind us, my companion will appear in a black silhouette and I can't risk it. In the end, our small group found a relatively safe place under the cover of the trees.

Loth and I led the others through the jungle, and our cautious attempts seemed doomed to failure when our magical allies were clearly not athletic. They trek through the bushes like longhorned beasts. They breathe like the bellows of a forge. I admit I had an unfair advantage, but Dalton caught up with me without any difficulty, and even Merritt was sweating profusely. In contrast, Loth was surprisingly quiet, even in a heavy suit.

They look good to start tasty. Well.

Don't Ali, remember, don't eat our allies. They haven't even proven their usefulness yet.

When we reached the other side of the small forest, we saw for the first time the enemy camp and the people inside. The soldiers formed a formation in front of the tent and were harassed by angry officers. I can't help but notice the nervous face, the bandages, the hungry expression. These people are not the core figures of the ruling group, they are ordinary soldiers who have been brought into meaningless adventures by corrupt people. They may wonder why the hell they are here, questioning whether their leadership is wise. I smell weakness. I smell desperation and cohesion fraying at the edges.

They are ripe to be slaughtered, but my hands cannot. My prey was another, someone I had been waiting for for a long time.

"We ...... Have you arrived?" The bald mage panted. Perhaps, if he had spent less time worrying about hygiene and more time moving around, he wouldn't look like a baboon's ass now.

"Nope. Follow up. ”

Useless.

We walked along the edge of the clearing. Luckily, most of the sentinels were distracted by the preparations behind them, and we had a great time without being detected. We followed the smoke trail to the gun position.

I've assisted Loth countless times, and even I'm impressed with their arrangement.

The battery sits atop a hill, in the center of a huge circular bare ground. There are no trees to provide cover for anyone who comes close.

The device itself had a large number of trenches, where people waited in ambush. The smaller cannons were pointed outward, and their servants were ready to open fire on any incoming enemy. Everywhere there are wizards' protective circles and seductive auras. At the top, I could see a group of mages working around the stubby artillery that looked like mortars, like works of art. Their brass surfaces shimmered in the dark with the dark red of burning embers, and the surface of the barrels was carefully carved with rows of malevolent runes.

“Ska

ga

d Firearms. Dve

gu

Job. Loth added helpfully.

"They look expensive."

"They are. You see enough gold to equip a ship. ”

I don't know how much such a ship will cost, and I don't care. It is enough to recognize that the superior party is going all out in this operation.

"We should go around in circles."

Both Loth and Dalton looked worried. There is no doubt that it seems to me that this place is fortified on all sides and looks really formidable. I should be able to survive the direct approach. Loth may also, though probably not unscathed. Mortals will be turned into pureed meat. They will have to support us from afar, if at all.

We quietly turned around and walked almost behind them. The Pirate Fortress was right in front of us, darkness could be seen along the treeline, and to our left, the lights of the Advantage Camp were shining. In the distance and ahead, flames dotted the night, and the air was distorted by heated air, sometimes making it look like the entire city was on fire.

Our target was right in front of us, so close that I could knock their soldiers' heads flying. Even behind them, I could still see that at least one field gun was aimed at the rear, and behind us there was a large group of Britons. At the edge of the field there is also a strange magical structure that beats softly like a lighthouse. It's light and familiar to the touch, and I realize that it fits me, and only me. Only one person can do such a thing, and only one person would brazenly take such a risk.

At last.

The first shield ball hit the barrier that protected the 12-pounder shell outside the sight, courtesy of Loth and Dalton. Before I could remove his head, the chief gunner's eyes widened in surprise. The second ball hit the circle around one of the mortars, and the mage who was powering the defense screamed in pain as I killed two of her companions.

Then the trap snapped shut around me. The shattered circle reactivates and turns silver. All the other casters interrupted their shots with expletives, adding their power to my prison. Hidden in the center of the mountain, men with swords and silver shields rushed forward, surrounding the people they were trying to protect.

A very familiar redhead, dressed in green, walked towards me, her steps majestic, her face sneering.

"It's great to have you join us, vampire."

"Belinda."

"You remember my name. I hope you don't expect me to be impressed, after all, people like you are always better at recalling than coming up with new ideas. ”

The mages gathered looked at me with fear and relief. They were a group of people of all ages, both men and women, who wore expensive-looking red dresses that seemed to be made of some kind of dyed leather, which brought them together. They stared blankly, like children looking at wolves behind bars. They know it kills, just as they know it will never break a cage. Even though there were glittering runes around me, the most primitive part of their brain was still pushing them to run.

They should seize this opportunity when they have it.

This time, I brought everything but a mask, because I wasn't here to intimidate, but to demagogue. Men and women in a row stared at my face, my nose, my lips, expecting to rip it open and reveal the monster underneath, perhaps.

This is not going to happen.

Yes, the blonde girl in front of you is the culprit of the killing at your feet. Look at the corpses. Look at my dagger and claws still stained with her blood. That's really me, no matter how hard it is to reconcile with your expectations.

Belinda was a few feet away from the containment chamber, a statement of power and a trust in herself and her abilities. I imitated her, and we stood a few feet away. When I drink in front of her, she looks at me unhurriedly. She is a mature beauty with big curious eyes, an aristocratic face, and almost no crow's feet. Far from detracting from her charm, this shows that her confidence comes from experience rather than origin, and her impeccable posture reinforces this impression. I note in passing that the difference with Merritt is striking. In comparison, this poor girl looks like a street urchin who is too big-grown.

Our eyes met as she finished her own examination, and she flinched, but persevered. She had an amulet to protect her mind, and I dare say, I didn't even try to cast a spell on her through the barrier. There is no need.

"You look more docile than I thought."

If it had been ten years ago, or if she had caught me off guard, I might have lost my composure. Instead, I slowly turned to the side and walked slowly along the edge of my prison. Then I bent down, and her smile trembled as I pulled up the only surviving mage, who was in charge of the shield.

"Why didn't you tell me what was going to happen next while I was enjoying this appetizer?"

Her mouth opened and closed like a stranded fish, and I carelessly pulled aside the leather coat of the woman I was clutching, stripping her shoulders bare. I recognize the hieroglyphs around me. They are resilient and inflexible at the same time. It was almost impossible to break the trap from the inside, and at the same time they couldn't get close to me. Only sound and light can pass through, and everything else will be blocked, even the air. That means as long as this prison is not violated, I will not either.

The girl I devoured was short and a little chubby, with rosy cheeks and bobs. I can't risk losing the focus that comes with normal feeding, but I do enjoy the process for as long as I can. This allowed me to maintain eye contact with my dearest Belinda, enjoying the impotent anger boiling under the cold mask she was wearing.

She and her companions deprived me of a potential vassal. It is only fair that I should share the pain they have ruthlessly imposed on me.

When I was done, she still hadn't spoken, so I decided to give her a little needle. It is clear from her inner struggles that she cares about her craft sister.

"It's a bit rustic, but it tastes good." I said as I unceremoniously threw down the body.

Ah, delicious, delicious rage. Her voice trembled with anger and sadness. Magnificent. And it's easy, too!

"You...... You will stay here until dawn, when we defeat your allies, and when dawn I will admire your screams of pain and let the sun of purification turn your evil flesh to ashes. ”

"Oh my God, are we getting a little emotional?"

"You're too presumptuous, vampire!" She spat out the word as if it were an insult. "You parasites are a thing of the past. This is the Age of Enlightenment! You will be left behind, leaving behind decaying temples and crazy superstitions. We have to rid this world of all the monsters and curses that our ancestors have unleashed on us. Even your expected rebellion is only a swan song of a dying age. You're just hunting us down again and again in the exact same way, and that's the end of your madness. You fought like a mad beast until you fell into our trap, and now, I'm going to kill you like a beast. ”

As she spoke, three suspicious cries came from the mountain. I needed all eyes to be on me, so I leaned down and, leaning against my beloved breakfast, untied her gauntlet and slowly tied it around my own wrist. My own armor gives the paws free, and it will be quite painful.

"You! You're bluffing! You're not a mage!"

They all instinctively took a step back, which I found funny, considering that the formation around me made it easier to control a mage instead of me.

"Oh no, it's not for spells. This is for isolation. ”

I picked up the last of the three orbs Rose had made tonight and pushed it against the shield. It's not really a mantra, it's a construct, just as the circle around me is a construct. When the two collide, angry blue lightning weaves and dances like an angry snake. Belinda screams and holds her gloves as we push each other, but the barrier is for containment, and the saboteur is for piercing it. It's like pushing a needle away with your bare hands.

It also hurt me badly.

I tried my best to keep the ball in place, but it was so painful that I couldn't even feel my fingertips. I silently gritted my teeth. Only cool determination and the right amount of pride can stop me from throwing this abominable thing in its place.

It hurts my heart. Damn it!

Confederate mages gather around Belinda to add strength to her. The circuit breaker glowed red in my hand, and I let go of it before the bloody thing turned my fingertips into charcoal. It. It hurts my heart. I clamped my jaw so I wouldn't scream.

It took a full two seconds for Belinda to realize that the screams of pain around her were not caused by me.

One moment, two circles of people lined up in a compact formation, focusing all their attention on the monster in their midst, and the next moment the mountain turned into a huge scuffle, with Muscogi men in bright colors and Choctaw warriors in leather rushing towards them with impunity. Supported by the frenzied drums of war, the wailing sound of war trumpets filled the night sky with a glorious cacophony. Flaming arrows fall on unarmored chests. As tomahawks, sabers and bayonets slashed into flesh in desperation, magical white marks from our own ranks struck the shields and wailed.

But we are not dealing with the weak.

Belinda reacted immediately. She retreated under the cover of her two companions, and although the barrier was weakened, it remained. Even in the midst of such chaos, she knew it was the worst thing to do to let me go.

That's why she doesn't flinch when a blue distraction spell hits herself, though her brow only furrows tighter.

When a huge Phillips bolt destroys the chest of the man next to her, she still doesn't relent.

I was impressed, although it was all in vain.

From behind, I heard footsteps, which grew stronger as time passed. The repercussions were so great that even in the midst of the deafening noise of battle, some turned their heads in surprise.

Then the sound stopped.

From above, a roaring steel giant lowered two glowing gauntlets towards my prison. The barrier was not broken, but exploded.

Belinda was pushed back, as were some fighters on both sides. I raised my hands in a protective gesture until the shockwave dissipated. As I lifted them, I saw Loth's smirk.

"Damn girl, long time no see!" YAAAAAA !”

And then he was gone. Unfortunately, a swarthy mage managed to drag Belinda behind a circle in the middle of the mountain, which I guess was the last refuge in case something happened. Those who can join will soon have a green shield to repel bows and arrows and thrown axes.

However, I was running in the other direction.

Am I in the past? Stay? I met my subordinate, who looked a little worried, and I realized that I was laughing too maniacally.

"Lover?"

I smiled and found what I was looking for and got to work.

Inside the last shield station, two pairs of mortar gunners formed two hands, while the shield bearers were repulsed by local fighters. They raised their arms in unison.

"Hell!"

The Choctaws and Muscogees cowered at the fear of the impending wall of flames, yet the scorching heat never reached them. The drums of war reached their climax, and jade-colored turtle scales appeared around the shield, and the explosion immediately stopped. As enemy mages stare at them in horror, their fortifications are slammed by the bloodthirsty Warlords of Dvigur and the ranged shield breakers of our own team of mages. I almost wish it would take long enough because I'm almost done.

Predictable, always with the same strategy, right?

I stopped a few feet away from the battle line. The fighters in front of me saw something standing behind them and fled to the side with their eyes wide open.

Belinda was looking for me everywhere on the battlefield. Our eyes crossed and her pretty mouth formed an "O" in surprise. It beautifully mirrored the 12-pound mouth that had been captured.

"Embrace modernity, you bitch!"

I lit the original charge.

The gun ejected its payload with a loud deflagration. Grapeballs burst through fragile windows like stones.

I saw Belinda fall, and the homegrown warriors rushed forward, desperate for all resistance.

"Gross!"

I was so angry that I forgot the recoil and I was actually pushed back by the moving wheels and was hit to the side. Oh, my poor breasts. You can't even massage it into armor. Oh!

Two heavy boots landed in front of me, and Dalton helped me to my feet. He watched me rub my wounds.

"Hmph. Maybe the timing is wrong, ma'am?"

I shushed and kept walking. Rose has a bad influence on him. But now is not the time. I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

I found the red-haired witch lying on the ground. From the waist up, she is her gorgeous self. Below the waist, I think it's crushed raspberries.

I knelt beside her and pulled her head more comfortably. Her panicked eyes were looking for mine, and I knew they would eventually.

"We will never live in the past, because we are you and will always be you."

I took a bite.

Delicious.

Extraordinary.

With the screams of death, victory finally came. Revenge. The challenge was answered and the insult was fully rewarded.

I remembered the first time I tasted werewolves, at the Lancaster Arena. Ah, what a wonderful scent, what a magical power. That's great.

Nashoba looked a little tired. On the front line, Rose was walking back when we heard a crackling explosion in the distance.

Ah, yes, the night isn't over yet, is it?

I jumped over a line of fighters, causing a shout.

On my side, Loth's face was just a bloody face, and his eyes frantically flashed with red reflections. We don't need to share words.

Led by their war leader, the locals descend the slope leading to the battlefield, where the red and blue armies are vying for supremacy. This time we did not go through the forest, but went straight to them from behind.

Roth walked in front, and the walk turned into a trot. We fly on the wings of victory. We stepped on the corpses of the vanquished on the way here, and the next one knew that death was ahead, just around the corner. I was lost in the breathing and heartbeats of those running around me, filled with the desire to kill, the crazy smiles and the predatory postures. Fresh blood and sweat. Said with a crazy smile. A stolen memory of the smell of hot sand caressed my nose. I could almost feel the desert wind blowing on my skin, dry, hot, and clean. The morning sun kisses my skin, and the noise and singing around me praises the greatest city of all time, and the queen who led it to glory. That's where we belong. As the leader of an army. The wheels of our chariots crush bones, and our spears bite flesh. Let the Sentinels follow us to victory. We are on the front line, and rightfully so, we will be the first to pay the price. No one can stop us. We have no opponents. We are not merciful.

The red-clad soldiers saw us and heard our voices, and they lined up in a phalanx to stop our attack. It was a hopeless attempt.

"Wait, boys, they're all human! It's just ordinary people!"

Stupid mortals.

“semi

amis hia 'lu salta

is !”

Mortals could not understand the ancient battle cry, but they followed anyway. This accusation is irreparable. I broke through their defenses first and went straight to their prince. The giants of the mountains and steel slammed at them like a scythe. His roar of glory deafened their ears, and he pushed his enemies down like shattered toys.

The prince laid something down from his horse and pointed it at me. The courage to face death, admirable, but ultimately futile. I threw him to the ground and punched him in the head with a hard swing. I'm going to let everyone see it so that no one doubts the direction of the battle. The people in red are left behind. Lamentable. Your wife and sisters will be in tears tonight.

“ROAAAR !”

I blinked.

All around me, the orderly and just world collapsed into real war. I realized that I was holding in my hand the head of a severed captain, with a hat over it.

Buzz.

I seem to get a little carried away.

The infantry borrowed by the superior army has collapsed. They were completely defeated, and even the officers were fleeing for their lives. The soldiers laid down their weapons and ran faster, with local fighters trailing behind them. Farther away, the ranks retreated somewhat coherently under the onslaught of the Strand's regulars. A cursory glance didn't reveal the Harbinger and his tower mage, even though they were supposed to be somewhere here.

I'm worried, deeply worried, about what just happened. I'm sure those memories came from Master. I know that my ancestry affects the way I think, not my memory. Is this the result of our relationship? Will it go away after I'm completely independent? Or is it a part of me now?

My worry only lasted for a second, and then the cold part of my mind masked it and resolved it. This doesn't change anything. It will always be a part of me for the foreseeable future, and no one can change that. That's such an important part. The human Ariana could have had a baby and a tan, but instead I had to lead a charge of bloodthirsty warriors, like Boudica or the legendary Amazonian warriors. I can let go, that's... Glorious.

Now I still need to find two people, the Herald and his bodyguards.

They are nowhere to be found. I didn't even see their tent in the British camp, which is now abandoned. I went back to our own place and found people in the midst of a raucous festivities. Avoiding the crowds, I walked to the camp Ve

On the side of the ET, where order and discipline were always maintained, soon arrived at the command tent. Isaac and his lieutenants were present, as were Nashoba, the Mage, Dalton, and Roth, the last of whom was quite drunk. They looked preoccupied, except for Loth, who just looked drunk.

"Ah, here you are. Any news? Isaac, sitting at the head of the table, said.

"I can't find the Herald."

"Ah, I think you're going to find him. A well-thought-out decision. I will let Nasopa speak for this. ”

The shaman looks tired and a little angry. He scolded me as if I were his little sister.

"Before you pounce forward like a wolf that pounces, I was about to tell you that the future is cloudy. I can't cross this intersection, so this conflict is not over. We have to be ready. ”

"Wait, I thought we broke their backs?" I continued to speak English.

"Yes, ma'am. We killed or captured nearly 400 people, which is more than half of their effective force. "They are neutral as a land-based combat force," Ve

ET replied, "But they have ships." They might decide to burn Black Harbor to the ground, and then, if they want, send a search and rescue team to search for all the smoke and rubble. ”

I turned to Loth in surprise. I thought he was an effective deterrent?

"Hey, don't look at me, girl, I'm just one man, and they have a lot of boats. They also have three frigates, and if they are careful, there is nothing I can do about it. ”

"Do you believe this is their plan?" And how do you know how many ships they have at their disposal?"

"Most likely an attack from sea, ma'am. As for the frigates, we chased the survivors all the way to a stream two nautical miles north. They were loaded on transport ships, and the fire cover of their three warships prevented us from crossing their positions. I suspect the Herald is already on board, and it's through this bay that they've deployed the elite mage squad you killed tonight without our prior reconnaissance. ”

"I see. I'm useless in an artillery duel," I said.

Ve

E.T. shook his head.

"Not so, but, ma'am, with your help we have much more to do. We will turn all the artillery to the sea before dawn. I know you've been part of a night boarding operation?"

I cringe.

"We still have to count on ......"

Viné was interrupted by one of his men, who was visibly excited to lift the curtain of the tent.

"Sir, I think you'll want to see this."

We all walked out and saw an English ship moored in the harbor and a rowboat heading for the pier with a lantern shining brightly. At its head, a man holds a white flag.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

I'm now washing every part of my armor robe, which is usually a moment of calm and contemplation.

"What's wrong, Merritt?"

"Are you going to the toilet?"

Yes. That's it. I now understand why we were sent these three people in particular. The Chief Mage wisely chose a spellcaster with considerable magical abilities so that he would not be accused of sabotaging the operation. At the same time, he used the opportunity to get rid of those who were intellectually inferior, as well as those who were habitually placed firmly at the bottom in terms of social affairs. I noticed that Langdon had been awake for about two hours while I was active, and that his companion had been scrubbing himself in the tub for the past hour and a half. I thought Merritt would be on the losing side in this political game, but no, no, she's just an angry imbecile.

I carefully placed my brush on the small workshop in front of me, placed the now clean plate next to the other, and turned to her. I'm thinking if I should put a huge "Do Not Disturb" sign at its entrance with the witch's head firmly stuck on it. It would be a good deterrent.

She still didn't move.

I turned to her, hoping it was a firm rebuttal.

"What did you say?"

"You know, you drink blood, don't you?"

“…”

"So it has to go somewhere, right?" This is the only conclusion. ”

"You know that the law of conservation of mass and energy doesn't apply to magic, right?"

"But I'm trying to find a spell that will keep you from peeing for years!" How can you do it naturally?"

Hi!

"Shouldn't you go anywhere else?" Don't you want to relax? Dalton doesn't want to be accompanied? Don't want to?"

Give, kill two birds with one stone.

"Dalton is helping Ve

et people, so I can't ask...... Rose went away with the washerwoman," her eyes widened in awe, "all three of them are gone!"

Fighting always makes his blood boil.

"You came to me for ......"

"Yasss! With two young ladies!"

"And where's your friend?"

This insult simply goes unnoticed. Her face crumpled with concentration, until her overwhelmed mind realized it profoundly.

"I want to pee!"

"It's amazing. Don't let the lid hit you when you go out. ”

I really can't hold back my anger for long. Me

ITT may be a strange person, but she's a potential source of knowledge for the New World Mage faction, and I might somehow add her to my circle.

While I haven't officially accepted Isaac's proposal, it is clear that I have to. My presence has already caught a lot of attention, and the effects of an important land battle will be felt in the coming months. I've lost my haven, and if I don't manage to find a place to hide, I'll be hunted down and there is no better place to hide than the ancient and venerable House of Rosenthal.

I was packing up my cleansing oil and one last throwing dagger when Dalton knocked on one of the pillars to announce that he was coming, even though we both knew I didn't need it. Ah, politeness.

"Come in."

My vassals look very tired, but otherwise healthy.

"You should rest."

"I will. There is only one thing. We were contacted by Colonel Strand, who said that the British wanted to discuss the conditions tomorrow night. ”

"At night?"

Dalton nodded. His large, amber eyes glittered in the candlelight.

"They know who beat them."

"I think they're going to avoid us."

"Regardless, you and Isaac will ultimately be the ones who make the decision."

Will we? Me? I'm just here to make sure the keys to Villa aren't taken. Isaac involved me in the decision-making process because I was our best weapon against their elite mages. Will he? I should try to make a request once in a while. So far I've been restrained because of him and Ve

ET has taken care of things very well. Now, I'm curious. How important am I?

"I'm going to find him. Now go to sleep. ”

"Right now".

As for me, I'm going to Isaac. We must make an alliance by tomorrow.