Michael wasn't sure if he was trying to relieve the situation. Ellis and his party had never fought any person from Falden and doubtfully nobody else here has either.
They were going to be fighting it in the total unknown, against new forms of sword fighting, new materials of armor, and probably a new language to understand. Michael never knew Wilmere and Falden had been at war since Ellis had told him last time.
And the way he described it, Falden just sounds more prepared to drive their sword in first.
After a few more minutes of waiting, the archer beside them spotted movements in the horizon and confirmed it matched the silhouette of a band of armed knights on horses.
Ellis gathered every adventurer back to the front and rallied the parties together, not in formation, but spread enough to not impose an immediate threat to the oncoming soldiers.
Michael flanked back with the parties while Ellis and Mave stood out in front. As they waited, the Falden soldiers finally came into view.
Everything they wore fitted the black attire, from the color of their clothes, the shine of their armor, and even the tone of their hair. There were seven swordsmen, all bore the same sword, and their faces matured without an ounce of fear. The three men on horses wore helmets but except one, which was the man in the lead as he had a dark cape fluttering among the pace of his horse.
The soldiers stopped behind with its leader trotting closer to the entrance of the town. Even if he was on his horse, he was still ridiculously tall.
Ellis broke away from the parties and greeted him with a stern face.
The leader looked down on him. "You're not the royal guard."
"Have you come to take over Almore?"
He turned his attention to the parties of adventurers behind Ellis. It was like his gaze was cutting right through them.
"There's nothing for you here, return to where you came from."
The leader turned back his eyes. "Answer me this, why does a puny adventurer believe he can negotiate terms?"
"So you are here to fight."
He rested the reins of his horse. "Are you trying to prevent the bloodshed of your people? Is that the adventuring way?"
"You're wasting your time."
The leader glanced back at his men.
Ellis remained with his stern face.
He scoffed. "We were sent here to kill the royal guards of Almore, then hear the screams and cries of your women and children, to send a nice message to your king from our duke. But now, it appears this worthless town is only left by its adventurers."
"That means you leave. You have no business here anymore."
"I'm afraid not."
Ellis started to step away.
"I assume you are in charge of these people." he gestured. "You must have done great practice in case of our arrival, I commend you, but we would not have come all this way for nothing."
"You don't want this battle."
"But, I do." he slipped on his helmet. "Royal guard or not, this is for my duke."
Ellis hurried back.
The leader swung his hand forward, commanding the wave of soldiers to charge onto the adventurers. The two horsemen galloped through the parties, slashing their swords below as arrows rained from above.
Michael tried to make sense what was happening. Aside from the echoing voice in his head, he had to drown out the roars and yelling from the other adventurers. Has the battle already started? Everything had happened so fast when Ellis tried to talk with the Falden soldiers.
The horsemen galloped back and forth with their caped leader following behind them, plowing through the warriors and easily cutting into the mages that they were supposed to protect. Archers on top managed to land a few arrows but to no avail, their armor protected them from and the way they drifted their horse made them even a harder target.
Michael moved along the fight, carefully inching away from swords clanging against each other and barely whizzing past the raining arrows. It was already hard enough trying to watch his step with the voice bouncing around in his head. He already knew he was in danger, he knew that from the very beginning of his life.
One Falden soldier caught him astray. He swung his sword quickly, cutting his path in an instant.
Michael's eyes widened as he weaved back. He couldn't move his sword in time for a counter. This soldier moved fast, too fast for him to switch on the offense.
But by practicing with Mave everyday, he knew how to move along the trajectory swings from a sword. He just had to find the right time to act.
The Falden soldier slashed again. It wasn't that he was irritated on how much this fight had prolonged, he was rather surprised on how Michael could already adapt to his basic attacks. That was when he chose to treat Michael like a real opponent.
Michael couldn't even see it coming. He fell to the floor within seconds. He was foolish to even think that he stood a chance against a fledged soldier when he couldn't even fight an average adventurer. He watched the gleam travel to the tip of the soldier's blade aiming to thrust right through him.
There was no hesitation on killing a child if it meant to win this battle.
A horse crashed into the soldier. The woman on top tried to calm the animal as it flailed, purposefully running into someone in heavy armor. She reached out her hand to Michael on the ground.
"You idiot!" Mave yelled. "Get the hell on!"
Michael listened to her, pulling himself on the back of the horse.
"Why are you here?!" she yelled, riding away from the battle. "Are you insane?!"
Michael heard the roars and clangor of swords quiet down as she cut the corners of the buildings. He wanted to feel glad that he wasn't going to fight anymore but a part of him wanted to stay. Even if the voice in his head heavily disagreed, it didn't feel right for him to desert a fight that his people were in. He was an adventurer just like everybody else.
Mave shoved him off the horse, completely disregarding if he would hit the ground hard.
Michael was still gripping his sword.
"Stay." she firmly pointed at him. "I'll come back for you when it's over."
"But—"
She rode away, heading right back into battle.
Michael, the voice said, don't even think about it.
Michael hated every moment of it, each quiet second that passed when he wasn't in the fight. He could have died, he totally knew that, but that would've been different if he was more focused.
Don't do this, the voice said, you promised me.
He started to run back to the battle.
The sword flashed in his hand, pulling him to a stop.
Michael suddenly turned. "What the—"
"Michael, don't go!"
He grabbed her hand again. "Turn back into a sword!"
"Oh, really?" she cried out. "Is that what you want?"
Michael stopped to the sound of her voice. He saw her eyes teared up as the grip on his arm loosened.
"You promised me…"
"Evelyn, please, I can't just sit here and do nothing."
"Yes, you can!"
"No, I can't!" he pulled her hand tighter. "They're still fighting out there, waiting for me to help!"
"How could you help?" her voice broke. "You almost died!"
"That…that was different! It won't happen again—"
"Stop lying to yourself!"
Michael gritted his teeth. "Evelyn, please, let me fight."
"And get yourself killed?" she snarled. "I will not!"
He pulled her hand again. "Come on!"
"No!"
"Evelyn!"
"No, I said no!"
She refused to transform, no matter how tight he was holding onto her hand. It was already difficult trying to argue with her as she was just as stubborn as him. Was she seriously asking him to cower back like a good boy and let the grown ups fight? That was something so less of Michael for him to think.
He had a magical sword to fight with, he wasn't going to just do nothing while they risked their lives all the time they were here. He also never understood how strong Evelyn was, even when she was an inch shorter and skinnier than him.
"Woah…" a voice said behind them. "I am beyond lost right now."
They turned their heads to the person. Michael's jaw dropped as he fell, losing the strength in his arms and fell on top of Evelyn.
Stefan stared at the two. "Am I missing something?"