Chapter 113: Lessons In War
"Lord Ravan-" Rocky said most piously, falling to his knees as he kowtowed to the great being before him.
He expected Ravan's presence to cause a huge stir in the battlefield, especially in the eyes of Paladin Patrik and the other religious fanatics, however, to his surprise, apart from him, nobody seemed to be kneeling down to the Vampire Monarch.
"Hey, get up, it's quite un-warriorly to kow-tow in an active battlefield, you represent the Gemini brand now, can't have you looking like a bitch" Ravan said, as Rocky immediately got back to his feet and scanned his surroundings.
While Paladin Patrik was giving him an odd look, nobody else seemed to be focused on him or what he was doing, as surprisingly nobody seemed to be looking in the direction where Lord Ravan was standing.
"Is it that no one else can see you, my lord?" Rocky inquired, his voice tinged with caution. After giving it some thought, he concluded that the only explanation for everyone else's calm demeanor was that they couldn't see him at all.
"Indeed, Nobody else can see me, because I'm technically not here at all-" Ravan said with a big smile on his face, as Rocky nodded in understanding.
"I'm like a system panel, something that only you can see. However, just like how the system panel doesn't have an actual physical presence, I don't either.
I'm just a live projection" Ravan further explained as he walked over to a nearby paladin and passed his hands through his body to demonstrate.
"My lord please help Earth win this battle, as things stand, our situation doesn't look very good" Rocky pleaded, as Ravan smiled in response.
"In this bloody battlefield, if my real body descended, I could settle this war with a snap of my finger.
However, that's not my job.
You humans often confuse what we gods are supposed to do for you. But while you want us to protect you. That's your wish and not something we are obligated to do.
Think of it as an ant praying to you to protect it from other ants in its colony.
The ant may believe that because she prays piously to you, you should help her in her time of need.
However, should you help her, Rocky?
Do you care enough?" Ravan asked, his blood red eyes gleaming with a murderous aura which sent shivers down Rocky's spine even though he wasn't physically present here and wasn't influencing the aura at all.
"No-" Rocky responded honestly, as if he did put himself in that position, he wouldn't even know that an ant is praying to him, much less care for it.
But even if he did, he would most likely never interfere in internal matters of the ant colony unless the ant praying to him was somehow really precious and important to him.
"Exactly…. Saving these people here is not my job. But showing you how to fight wars is…." Ravan said with a smile on his face as a projection of two swords magically appeared in his hands.
"Beware Rocky, just projection swords, not real ones. I've sworn not to pick up real weapons for my beloved wives.
A few True Gods might stop existing the day I finally pick up a weapon-" Ravan said casually, as although he was saying these words casually, Rocky could see the intent behind them.
While he did say it as a joke, he wasn't joking at all. If he wanted to, several True Gods would die at his feet, however, Ravan just chose not to create unnecessary trouble.
"While my elder brother is more of a twin blade fighter. I think I'm a better warrior overall.
Today is your lucky day, because I'll become the training simulation you need to just copy…. So follow closely behind me and fight like I teach you.
It's time for you to stop wondering what impact you can make on this war and start behaving like you are the Champion Of Gemini" Ravan said, as Rocky felt his mouth go agape.
"My lord?" He questioned, as he still could not wrap his head around the scenario where he would be receiving a one on one training session with the greatest war god ever!
"Come on, chop chop, you were not my choice for a champion so this is your chance to impress me.
Show me what my brother sees in you. Afterall, you carry both of our names with you" Ravan said, as he urged Rocky to snap out of his stupor and get on with it.
"I'm right behind you, my lord" Rocky said with a confident smile on his face, as he stopped second guessing himself.
At this moment Rocky felt like a kid in Disneyland as he understood that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
He was going to learn how to fight in wars with the war god Ravan himself! This was undoubtedly the greatest opportunity ever for a beginner like him.
***********
"Alright, first step is to rally your men around you.
When you become a strong enough fighter, you won't need additional support, however, for now you do need people to cover for you" Ravan instructed as his whole demeanor changed.
"Paladin Patrik! How strong is your faith in Gemini?" Ravan said authoritatively, pointing his right sword towards Paladin Patrik, as Rocky mirrored his stance and his tone.
"Paladin Patrik! How strong is your faith in Gemini?" Rocky asked, as momentarily Paladin Patrik was taken aback by this sudden question.
"Why the sudden question my lord?" Paladin Patrik asked sounding surprised as Rocky waited for Ravan's response.
"It's a time for answers Paladin Patrik, not questions" Rocky said, mirroring Ravan's words as Paladin Patrik fell into deep contemplation.
"My faith for Gemini is deeper than the deepest oceans. Even if you ask for me to forfeit my life now, this Paladin won't hesitate" Paladin Patrik said emotionally, as he picked up his sword and pointed it towards his chest.
"Haha. Your life is too cheap Paladin Patrik, what I need is your support. I'm heading into this war….. now it's up to you and your men to support me" Rocky said in an extremely arrogant tone as after saying those words he began charging towards the frontlines without looking behind him.
"My lord please wait-" Paladin Patrik requested, as he felt conflicted on what to do next, as before the war began, he had been given explicit instructions by Pope Cole to not endanger Rocky's life.
Unfortunately for the Pope however, Rocky did not stop after saying those words as he jogged towards the front lines with a unilateral resolve.
Soon, Paladin Patrik and the rest of the unit jogged alongside him, as they seemed to have decided to put their faith in the Champion Of Gemini.
"Lesson one on how to fight a war-" Ravan said, jogging infront of Rocky as he began giving his invaluable insights.
"Is how to carve open the front lines. The goal is to create space between yourself and the next opponent. However, it's difficult to do so at the front lines where everything is so packed together and hence you always start with a big move... to carve space and enter the war safely" Ravan instructed as he he began swinging his arms wildly, producing thick sword slashes that only Rocky could see.
*Slash*
*Slash*
*Slash*
*Slash*
*Slash*
Mirroring Ravan to the best of his abilities, Rocky ran while wildly swinging his sword.
He swung with such power and intensity that he could feel his arms ready to fall off, however, he did so regardless as massive sword slashes emerged out of his sword damaging a few undead skeletal warrior's that were 20 meters ahead of him.
"My lord, you have unlocked sword projection?" Paladin Patrik asked in surprise as he joined Rocky and unleashed a massive sword slash of his own.
Unlike Rocky who could only damage one skeleton at once, his sword slash cleaned house it caused dozens of skeletal warrior's to disintegrate.
"Lesson, two. Read the battlefield" Ravan said, as he leaped into the air and seemed to pass through a durahal, aiming at its neck.
*Jump*
Mirroring his movements, Rocky jumped into the air as well, coming crashing down upon a skeletal horseman who was unable to stop Rocky's downwards momentum.
*Crunch*
Once the skeletal horseman lost his head, his limp body fell off the horse as it slowly disintegrated to ashes.
"Notice how the few skeletal warrior's around you have became less organised the second their captain is down.
The simple rule of fighting a war is to pick off the generals first, so that the underlings become easy pickings" Ravan instructed, as he continued to simulate fighting skeletal warrior's with ease as Rocky continued to massacre as projected.
"Is that the lords first ever war? He's such an excellent fighter" Paladin Patrik noted as he and the entire unit was surprised to see Rocky fighting so casually.
There was not an ounce of hesitation on him…. All his movements seemed completely natural, as if war was his natural environment.
"Reading the battlefield is most important…. Currently as I read it, the humans about 200 meters to your left are struggling in holding their line.
They can't take out the undead champion that's fighting them and if not helped soon, they will wiped out.
Let's start from there, let's help them take out the undead champion, so that without the leader, the rest of the troops become easier to pick off.
The goal is to turn the tide, one area at a time" Ravan said, as he dedicatedly began carving open a path to rescue the unit that was 200 meters away from them.