SOTBW - 161

Najane gazed up at the pitch-black night sky. The snow, which looked like it had been torn apart from a cotton ball, fell beautifully, unaware of the soldiers’ uneasy hearts.

It was Najane’s first time fighting in the falling snow. Those who had fought in such a winter battle began moving busily even before the sun set.

The field was lit with far more torches than usual, and the group of four young soldiers circled them, trying to hide their anxious expressions, which would occasionally show, revealing their tension.

The flames lighting the field now were all created by Gwyneth’s fire. When it rained or snowed, no matter how much wood was stacked and set alight, it would be ineffective, so on bad weather days, Gwyneth’s flames were used to illuminate the surroundings.

Gwyneth’s sacred flames would never be extinguished, no matter how much snow fell, and they maintained their size without flickering, even in the strongest winds. The holy flames created by Gwyneth were quite special, but if they were moved by another person, they lost their uniqueness.

Najane had always wondered why Gwyneth didn’t join the fight despite being able to control fire, but today she understood the reason. Gwyneth’s flames could not harm living beings. However, once the soldiers carried those flames onto their torches, the sacred power disappeared, allowing them to fight against the Seriths.

Najane stared at the torches the soldiers were holding before looking down at the white snow covering the ground. The snow had piled up too much. This was a kind of battle Najane had never experienced before, so her shoulders stiffened with tension.

Amelia was near the torches, trying to melt the frozen armor with the flame. Despite the sacred nature of Gwyneth’s fire, it would go out if it was trampled on the ground, just like any other fire. The key to today’s battle was how well they could protect the torches on the field while fighting.

Fighting against the Seriths alone would be exhausting, yet the heavy snow kept falling relentlessly. The young soldiers seemed to have difficulty hiding their anxiety about the snowstorm battle, throwing small pieces of wood into the torches with great haste.

Najane kept an eye on the still calm battlefield and slowly approached Amelia. The field was slippery due to the trampled snow, making it hard to move.

As soon as Amelia made eye contact with Najane, she quickly stepped aside. Standing with her back to the torch, her body gradually warmed up.

“Why is it so quiet tonight?”

“I don’t know. Maybe nothing will happen at all.”

“It seems like the Seriths don’t plan on attacking. It’s been a long time since sunset. I wish every night could be like this…”

Amelia, now on her second deployment, shivered at the thought of the Seriths. Seeing her shudder, Najane suppressed a smile.

To be honest, Amelia was quite brave. It wasn’t easy for someone who had never trained in swordsmanship or fought before to perform well on the battlefield after training.

Compared to a rookie soldier who had just joined the order, Amelia actually fought better. That was likely because the Recheo Order had given special attention to her training, but also because Amelia made an effort not to trip Najane up, fulfilling her role.

Najane clenched her fist as she recalled when Amelia had been injured. On the field, anyone could die. Amelia was no exception.

“I heard you were offered the priesthood under Gwyneth’s command?”

Najane asked in a gentle tone so as not to make Amelia uncomfortable. However, Amelia seemed startled by the fact that Najane knew.

“How did you know?”

Amelia hadn’t shared it yet, since she hadn’t decided anything, so she was caught off guard when Najane brought it up.

“I didn’t mean to keep it a secret, Najane. I just don’t know what to do… I was planning to talk about it once I made up my mind. Really!”

Amelia hurriedly explained, flustered.

Najane couldn’t help but smile at her reaction.

“I know. Don’t worry, I won’t misunderstand.”

At Najane’s response, Amelia let out a deep sigh of relief. She pressed her chest as though her heart might have fallen out, and looked at Najane, still with a slightly flushed face.

When Amelia’s eyes questioned how Najane knew, Najane shared how she came to learn of it.

“Gwyneth must have asked that person to release you because he wants to take you with him.”

That person was Maximón. To go to him and make such a request…

Amelia was in awe.

“…I guess he’s really serious…”

If it had been the old Amelia, she would have been overjoyed for days just at the fact that someone of high rank had taken an interest in her. But this time, she couldn’t feel pure happiness.

Gwyneth had not explained why he had offered her the priesthood. He surely didn’t suggest it because he thought she should live a life of chastity, given her rough fate. There must have been a reason, but Amelia couldn’t even guess it, and that left her feeling uneasy.

Gwyneth wouldn’t have suggested the priesthood just to take advantage of a penniless maid. Or perhaps, did he feel pity for her training with the young soldiers?

But it also seemed strange for him to offer the priesthood out of mere sympathy. Amelia, deep in thought, shook her head, as if she couldn’t figure it out.

“Wouldn’t it be better to become a priest than to fight here?”

At that moment, Najane spoke in a more serious tone than usual.

“Fighting on the field is too dangerous.”

Najane looked at Amelia with a serious expression. Amelia, momentarily taken aback by the intensity in Najane’s eyes, nodded awkwardly.

“I think so too, but… I’m not sure.”

“Do you not want to become a priest?”

Whatever the case, it would be better than being a soldier, where you never know when you might die. Why was Amelia hesitating? Najane didn’t know what had driven Amelia to become a soldier, so she silently waited for her answer.

Amelia, with an unreadable expression, kept rubbing her cold hands. The young soldiers, gathered around the torch stands, were whispering to each other about wanting to escape from here.

It was the same for Amelia. This place was too horrifying. No matter how alert you stayed, it was a place where you could become a monster’s prey in an instant…

Najane’s words were a hundred times, a thousand times correct. Becoming a priest was better. Amelia knew that fact well, didn’t she?

Amelia, rubbing her dry hands, let out a bitter smile and grabbed her gloves.

“I don’t want to become a priest, and it feels like I’d be running away again… If I were forced to become a priest by someone else, I wouldn’t be able to give my best. I’m from Bastronia, but I’m not that devout.”

“What’s wrong with running away? Surviving is the most important thing. That way, there will be a tomorrow.”

Amelia chuckled softly at Najane’s comforting words.

“I don’t have any pride, so running away is something I’m used to. I’ve lived like that all my life. That’s why I know how big of an opportunity it is that Gwyneth offered me the priesthood… I don’t want to keep comparing my life to others and regretting it. I’ll think it over carefully and seriously before I make my decision.”

Finishing her answer, Amelia smiled brightly. Her hair, which had been flattened by repeatedly taking off and putting on her helmet, was a little messy, but her smile was brighter than ever. Despite the fear, it seemed that Amelia was determined to endure a bit longer on the field.

Najane wanted to get Amelia out of this place, but if Amelia wanted to stay and see the unclear possibilities within herself, Najane would fight alongside her until that time came.

As Najane’s gaze softened, Amelia, as if to reassure her not to worry, spoke lightheartedly.

“It’s okay, Najane. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be so useless that they’ll tell me not to go out on the field tomorrow. But you’re right. Surviving is the most important thing, no matter what. That’s true. Nothing matters more than that.”

Amelia repeated Najane’s words and put her helmet back on. Seeing her reply, as if determined to survive at all costs, Najane tightly grasped Amelia’s hand.

“I’ll be by your side until you make your decision.”

“…Najane.”

Amelia, touched, was about to say thank you, when a roar, one that could only be heard when thousands of beasts were being slaughtered beyond the great wall, echoed in the distance.

The soldiers, who had been lying near the torches in the snow, jumped up in shock. Najane quickly hid Amelia behind her back and drew her holy sword.

The scream of the Seriths could be heard, but there was an eerie silence beyond the great wall. If the Seriths had approached near the wall, the archers stationed there would have sounded drums or horns and fired flaming arrows.

Feeling something odd, Najane hurriedly glanced at the walls. The knight leading the archers looked flustered as he stared at the great wall, seeming unsure of where to direct the arrows.

It was then.

Although the world had plunged into darkness, there was an illusion that it looked completely white as heavy snow fell. From the distant first great wall, a massive figure, as large as several houses combined, leaped into the air. It was so enormous that it looked more like a meteor crashing down than a living creature.

The moment this colossal Serith, several times the size of the Sacred Body they had fought so far, landed on the field guarded by the Eschus Knights, the ground shook as if there had been an earthquake. The Serith, which landed among the knights and mercenaries, roared so loudly that its skin trembled.

At the sound of this, Seriths began to descend from beyond the great wall, where there had been no sign of life. These creatures fell to the field like giant stones launched from a trebuchet, landing as softly as cats and starting their hunt.

Screams and shouts soon echoed through the once-silent field.

“Amelia, draw your sword! Now!”

Najane shouted and looked up. Through the falling snow, Seriths were descending. Najane sliced through the air with her sword, cutting through the creatures that had reached the rear in an instant.

These creatures were much larger than the ones they had fought the night before. As the newly landed creatures touched the ground, their heads and backs were sliced through by the sword’s blade.

Najane slammed her shield down onto one of the creatures charging at her and then, with another swing, sent a blade of energy toward the sky. The sword’s aura stretched long like a white ribbon, and the creatures coming toward her were sliced in half as they curled into the air.

Blue blood poured down from the sky. The soldiers, now drenched in the monster’s blood, finally came to their senses and drew their swords.

Knights shouted across the field to begin the battle. Amelia, surrounded by the young soldiers and the torch stands, sliced through the creatures charging at them.

The atmosphere was different from yesterday. Unlike the day before, when the enemies were tough but manageable, today the boundaries between the front and rear were completely broken.

The Seriths, falling like boulders, knocked down or crushed soldiers like bowling pins with each landing. Among the Seriths that fell in the rear, there were many Sacred Bodies as well.

Even Amelia, who had only just begun to adjust to the field, could tell that the situation was dire. As countless Sacred Bodies broke through the front lines and reached the rear, the archers on the walls were forced to pull back their bows and fire arrows toward the field.

Flaming arrows, soaked in oil, poured onto the field. Najane deflected the incoming arrows with her shield and looked toward the great wall.

On the great wall, Seriths of a size never seen before crouched like grotesque statues. They looked down at the battle, which was spreading like wildfire below, and in an instant, they leaped, creating havoc on the field.

With each leap of these enormous Seriths, the frozen ground, hardened by the cold air, shook violently as if it would split in two.

The air was filled with the echoes of dying screams.

This was not a battle.

No one would ever call this a battle...

Najane was witnessing a massacre.