Kitsune of the Blue Sun

Chapter 80- End of the Defense

[Keeno POV]

Freya and I were told to rest for a while behind the defense line.  While doing so, we watched as the fight continued in front of us.  The monsters were throwing themselves against the wall of adventurers and knights in a mindless manner, like they wanted to die.  Even if that was the case, our side was also facing its own casualties.  Every now and then, people would run past the defense line and grab someone that had gotten severely injured or even fallen in the battle and brought them back inside, where a little while later, they would run back out after being healed.

“How much you want to bet most of these people running back into the fight were healed by Pram?” (Keeno)

“…Is it really a bet if we’re both betting on Pram?” (Freya)

“…Ok that’s fair.” (Keeno)

Above us, another volley of magic and arrows was released and shortly after, the explosions from the magic sounded.  When the dust cleared, the battlefield was littered with carnage.  Seeing this, some monsters turned tail and ran away, though a majority continued to run headfirst to their deaths.  As we watched, I started to feel a little rumbling coming from beneath my feet, different to the rumbling of the horde.

“Freya, get ready, I think something is coming from underground.” (Keeno)

Freya nodded and summoned her Soul Weapons, and I did the same.  A few minutes later and, in a spot a little away from us, something burst out of the ground.  It was a monster with a catlike head with two long canines, like a sabertoothed tiger from my past life.  A little down from the head was a large body with two long, muscular legs ending in feet with extremely sharp looking claws.  The rest of the body was snakelike, with no hind legs, but a slender, spiny tail.  It had sickly, yellow-colored scales all over its body with a brownish-red underbelly.  From its mouth and the tips of the spines in its tail dripped a poisonous yellow-green looking liquid.  It opened its mouth and let out a hiss-like roar that sounded like nails on a chalkboard and then lunged toward the backs of some of the adventurers, the poisonous looking liquid flying everywhere.

Seeing that, I made a solar arrow and fired it at the monster.  It hit and the monster’s lunge was interrupted.  When it hit the ground, it started to writhe around like a snake with its head cut off when some of the liquid touched the flames from my magic.  It caught like oil and started to let off an acrid looking smoke.  Seeing that I started to panic when one of the mages on the wall shot a big water spell on the burning poison, putting it out.  At the same time, the muscular dark elf that was leading the adventurers yelled out over the battlefield.

“TATZELWURMS!  BE WARY OF THE GROUND!”

“Okami, watch where you hit those things with fire.” (Freya)

“Yeah, I kind of figured that out.” (Keeno)

Seeing as we now had enemies coming from underground, Freya and I decided to rejoin the battle.  As we ran, the ground rumbled more and several more tatzelwurms burst out, spitting poison everywhere.

“Gaaah!  I’m not suited to fight these things.” (Keeno)

“Just use your Death magic.” (Freya)

“That’s what I’m doing, but it’s still annoying.” (Keeno)

All the while dodging poison, Freya and I began killing tatzelwurms.  While my Soul weapons wouldn’t be safe to use on these things, Freya’s were fine since she didn’t imbue them with flames.  I was shooting off small balls and beams of Death magic.  We were also joined in this fight by several more people that were behind the defense line, the dark elf among them.  I saw him roaming this part of the battlefield in armor made of stone.  Every time he encountered a monster, he’d punch it and once his fist made contact, numerous spikes made of rock would explode out of the unlucky monster.

Hours went by while we fought.  At some point during this time, the main horde’s numbers started to dwindle, and more and more monsters started to flee.  The tatzelwurms that had appeared earlier had also slowed to a trickle, though they still periodically shot out of the ground and tried to attack someone.  Freya and I were still on the lookout for them, though at this point we were both exhausted.

“…Freya…to your left.” (Keeno)

A tatzelwurm burst up from the ground near us and whipped its tail, sending spines and poison at us.  Freya blocked the spines with her Soul Weapons while I dealt with the monster with my magic.

“……This is getting too close for comfort…I don’t know how much longer…we can last out here…without some time…to catch our breath.” (Freya)

Freya and I stood back-to-back as we surveyed our surroundings.  I could tell just how tired she was by the weariness in her voice.  Once again, I felt the rumbling underneath us and turned to see the tatzelwurm burst from the ground right in front of me.  It swung its tail at me midair.

“Down.” (Freya)

I ducked just as Freya’s sword swung.  It severed the tail that was aiming for us.  Freya then jumped to the side to dodge the poison that came from the severed tail while I moved the other way.  When the monster hit the ground, I summoned a spear of Death magic and skewered the monster before it could start writhing around.

“You good?” (Freya)

“Yeah, you?” (Keeno)

“Yeah.  Though I wish they’d just give up now.” (Freya)

“Same.” (Keeno)

As we backed up to each other again, a voice called out from on top of the wall.

“THOSE BETWEEN THE VANGUARD AND DEFENSE LINE, RETREAT!  EARTH MAGES, READY YOURSELVES!”

Heeding this warning, me, Freya, and the rest of the midguard hurried past the defense line.  Once all of us were there, the voice from earlier called out again.

“EARTH MAGES, OUR FORCES HAVE MADE IT TO SAFETY!  REALEASE THE TACTICAL MAGIC!”

As soon as the command was issued, it was like the ground pulsed like a heartbeat.  A second after that, spikes of varying size burst from the ground.  Nearly as fast as they appeared, they vanished, just to burst from the ground again.  This process repeated several more times before finally stopping.  Once the ground returned to normal, the bodies of tatzelwurms and a few other monsters littered the area, holes of varying sized spotting the bodies.

“…Why didn’t they do that earlier?” (Keeno)

“It’s tactical magic.  It takes a very long time to cast.  If anything, this is commendable for how fast it was cast this time.” (Freya)

“I see.” (Keeno)

As we surveyed the battlefield again from our position, we saw even more monsters starting to run away from the main vanguard.  At this point the number was so small that it didn’t take long for them to finish them off.  When the last monster was killed, someone blew a horn.  The sound was very deep, and it echoed off the battlefield like thunder.  When the sound of the horn finally faded, everything was silent for a moment before the area erupted into cheers of victory.

“Finally.” (Keeno)

“Yeah…Good work out there today.” (Freya)

“Same to you.” (Keeno)

As the two of us stood there, taking a moment of well-earned rest, the main gate started to fully open.  Once it was fully open, healers started to rush out and find anyone injured.

“Do you know the rules to these kinds of things?” (Keeno)

“Not really.  Why?” (Freya)

“I’m about to head to the inn, clean up, and sleep for the next week.” (Keeno)

“Oh…I like that idea.” (Freya)

While the two of us were moving toward the gate, Pram rushed out and, once she saw us, ran in our direction.

“Are the two of you hurt!?” (Pram)

Freya and I tiredly shook our heads, causing Pram to sigh in relief.

“I’m glad.  Now, you two should head inside.  The one in charge of the healer squad should be waiting at the gate.  Tell him you both got the all clear and you should be allowed to head to the inn.  I’ll get back once I’m done with my part out here.” (Pram)

We both nodded our heads and started to shuffle to the gate.

“Huginn, stay with Pram.” (Keeno)

“Caw.” (Huginn)

Huginn flapped out of one of my tails and onto Pram’s shoulder.

“Why didn’t you let them out to fight today?” (Freya)

“I didn’t want them to get mistaken as enemy monsters and get hit by arrows or magic.  Though I do feel bad for them since they were with me when I was doing my thing earlier.” (Keeno)

“Now that I think about it, how are they both not cooked raven at this point?” (Freya)

“I don’t know, I never questioned it and right now, I’m too tired to think about it.” (Keeno)

“Fair enough.” (Freya)

At that, we got to the gate where we were met by a wrinkled old man in white robes with green trimmings.  On his head was a funny looking hat that looks like something a pope would wear.  He was talking with another adventurer who looked just as exhausted as we were.  After a few more minutes of talking and a few pokes and prods, the adventurer was let through the gate.  The old man then turned his attention to us.

“Have you to been seen by a healer yet?”

“Yes, our party member Pram gave us the all-clear.” (Keeno)

“Ah.  That snow leopard lady is your party member.  She’s an amazing healer for someone so young.  She must have had very good teachers if she is this proficient at it…but let me stop there before I start rambling.  Head inside and get some rest and thank you for your help in defending our city.”

We both nodded and walked inside.  We then slowly made our way to the inn we were staying at.  It took a lot longer than I care to admit, but once we were there, Freya and I took turns cleaning off in the bathroom before we flopped down on our respective beds.  Freya fell asleep instantly.

{Good job today, Keeno.  You did very good out there.}

“Thanks, Ama…I’d love to chat more, but I can barely think right now, let alone talk much more.” (Keeno)

{Heheheh.  Sleep well, my beloved.  I’ll talk to you again once you wake.}

I managed to stay awake long enough to hear what Ama said before succumbing to sleep.

Chaos Realm:

Luna: Whew.  I’m glad the fight with those worm things didn’t go the way I expected.

Tamamo: I agree.  I was also surprised by that tactical magic.  It looked so…slow.

Luna: I agree.

Neither of you can say anything about that.  Especially you, Luna.  You were able to fire off tactical magic at even higher levels than that like it was nothing.  They are all mortals, and they don’t have the help of a status system like you do.

Luna: …I-

Nope, you never had common sense like that.  Though that’s what made watching your journey enjoyable.

Tamamo: He’s right, Luna.

Luna: I know, and I’m proud of that.  I was just going to ask if what Keeno did earlier was also considered tactical magic.

Oh…I’m gonna say no.  It’s more a unique spell that only people with enough control can use than tactical magic that needs a large group of people to use.  If, say, Keeno and Fia did that spell together and amplified the effects even more, then it could be considered tactical magic, but then again, that’s the same with a lot of magic in general.

Luna: I see…

Tamamo: Then what about Keeno’s dragon breath?

…Also a unique spell.  Tactical magic in Keeno’s world is only able to be preformed by several people.  If Keeno and another dragon got together and did a breath attack at the same time and the beams combined, it would be considered tactical magic.

Luna: Now I really want to see that.

Tamamo: It would be interesting.

…It would, wouldn’t it.  Hehehe.

Luna: Fufufufu.

Tamamo: Ufufufu.