Chapter 185: Death March, Part 6.

With how deep we were in the depths, and with the ever-increasing density of the magical energy in the air, we had plenty of time to get the preparations for the assault underway.

The biggest hurdle was getting Orion ranked up, luckily with all of us able to devote everything, it didn’t take too long. That, and due to the magic density, we recovered faster as well. So, it didn’t take nearly as long as it would have topside.

When it came to planning the timing of the assault, I left it up to Morrigan. Using her crows, she was able to map out the patrols, where they were at certain times, and over the days simulated how they’d act. Granted, she’d done a lot of this on her own end before her first attempt on the death knight. That didn’t take away from the sheer amount of work that had to be put into this plan.

Ophelia was useless during all this. “The area, I’m not sure what it is, but the fog and maybe the darkness make it hard for me to sense anything.” Was her answer, which is partly why she was so gung-ho with acting as a distraction, as she felt bad for failing me at such a crucial moment. That, and she really did want to prove that she was worth investing in.

Then came analyzing our enemy, coming up with the battle plan, making contingencies.

The more it all came together, the more I started to feel like… something was off. Coincidence upon coincidence, perhaps it simply was serendipity, a fortunate confluence of events. Only, something in my bones said otherwise.

This was going too well. The pieces were too easily falling into place. So, I insisted on us checking over everything, pulling double, triple duty to pull together a plan. The result?

Nothing. Sure, there were issues with the plan itself. Everything was contingent on events occurring as we imagined them.

“They’re undead though, they don’t typically think outside the box. They follow memory and instinct first and foremost.” Was Morrigan’s response to my gnawing worry.

Which, to be honest, was true. Undead were typically incapable of outside the box thinking. Not unless they were of a certain level of strength, but even then, it didn’t come to them naturally. Undead didn’t really feel as we, living beings did. Without a beating heart to keep them in check, time itself was meaningless to them, to an extent.

So, despite the plan having far too many failure points for my like, that wasn’t the issue. Perhaps instead, it was just how this whole scenario was playing out? I’d thought we could simply move about uncontested. Battling the enemy upfront, and routing them with relative ease, or at least, a fair amount of challenge.

In reality, barring the initial moments, we had been put on the run. Fleeing like rats. Now, with Morrigan’s help, we’d hardly moved up in the world. Instead of fleeing, we were skulking, like thieves in the night. Doing our best to plan a proverbial heist, rather, an assassination of sorts.

I have seen heist movies, seen how complicated plans come together, how individual hiccups turn what should have been something perfect into a series of fumbling mistakes. Not unlike how a domino falls, taking another with it and starting a chain reaction.

There were too many variables for my liking. And unlike previous instances, or previous encounters with something similar, our lives weren’t on the line. At least, in theory.

Before, I had no choice but to gamble. Facing the dragon in the third event, the tribal chieftain during the second event, and even the heart in the first event. In all those situations it was either do or die. Well, for the most part.

Here, it felt like we were tempting fate. As if we were just asking for something to go wrong. And no matter how many contingencies were made, like safety lines during a hike, I had a feeling that if we fell, none of it would matter.

Perhaps I was simply being sensitive on the issue. Morrigan seemed to agree on that front. Talia, usually the voice of reason was silent. Ophelia was committed to giving her all to her task. Shi and my knights, well, they didn’t care. Rather, they simply would do as they were told.

I had half a mind to simply call this off. This instinct, this feeling, real or not, I was beginning to realize, was likely a manifestation of my growing talent for dance. Like Éclair had pointed out, at some point, I’d begun to view everything as if it were a play. With a director in the wings slowly guiding us to some unknown conclusion.

Yes, the parts we played were dependent on us, but our destination was always decided for us.

And clearly, the director had to be the mascots.  But could their plans be so far reaching? Were they truly omnipotent, capable of seeing the future as it is? How then did they account for free will? Did I even have free will?

Was I simply a doll, strung up with silver strings and led about on a stage for others’ amusement?

These questions gnawed at me, but no matter what I thought, no matter how I looked at the hand dealt to me, I realized something.

I had no choice but to go forward. No choice, but to once more gamble. If only because, if I were to go back now, to give up now, I wouldn’t be able to look my division in the eyes. I’d never be able to say to them with a clear conscience that I truly did all I could.

So, despite everything, the best I could do was hedge my bets.

“Ophelia… I will reiterate this. Your first priority is survival. That is all. Compared to you, Orion’s life is worth next to nothing. If something were to go wrong, do not hesitate to discard Orion, if it will give you a better chance of surviving. Am I understood?” Was what I said before we split.

Ophelia had nodded, understanding full-well the gravity of my words. As for Orion, he took my words as a challenge. To prove himself capable enough that discarding him would be a detriment to Ophelia’s chances.

Not that I cared, after all, this was in a way Orion’s punishment for acting out of line. Live or die, it didn’t matter. Not now.

Now, we were waiting for the signal. Having crawled through the streets, working our way between patrols and sneaking about, after all that, we were now finally at the garrison building. It was a smaller stone building, it looked more like a fort, with a singular watchtower jutting out where a skeleton soldier stood watch, bow in hand.

The grounds themselves were filled with more soldiers, going about training regimes. Mostly done out of habit, then for any real purpose as they went about a semblance of a daily routine. Some even cycling to rest in the garrison upon old stone beds.

We waited, and I checked my watch. It was officially Thursday morning. Regardless of outcome, this was likely to be the only attempt. I lacked time to have another go, and I wasn’t sure staying here during the blood moon was the wisest idea.

And at best, I should head back and see how the division did without my presence. Perhaps they pulled something together, some kind of miracle?

I couldn’t help but laugh. No, that was unlikely to happen. Best to focus on what I can. The here and now.

Minutes continued to tick by, until finally, according to schedule, the garrison commander made himself known. Stepping out of the stone building, he lumbered forward. Wearing heavy armor with spikes, wielding a large great sword that crackled with cold, leaving a faint glittering mist where it went.

Their armor flickered with etched sigils, magical runes, enchantments that glowed red. Only adding to the perceived difficulty of the fight to come.

Then came the commander’s retinue. Wearing heavy armor, much like the commander was, the Dullahans acting as the commander’s guard followed in formation. Five in total. Headless, with a pale flame that flickered where the knight’s head would be, each of them wielded heavy blades in one hand, the other occupied by their detached heads.

A Dullahan was a strange thing. Not quite undead, not quite a spirit. Something between. A remnant? A promise of sorts? An embodiment of a fundamental law, perhaps…

Either way, they were an odd sort. Clearly silver rank, but technically a sort of hybrid. However that works. The head itself was capable of using spells and curses and controlled the body. Left alone, it would become a serious hindrance, especially if it was allowed to bolster its body, and hinder us with impunity. If ignored, they were even capable of casting powerful magic that could directly kill people, even take their soul.

At least, as a magical girl, I’m sure I have some kind of defense against it, but better not to give them a chance to use it.

The book, spoke on them in length. Rather, the knowledge I had gained from that book on necromancy book I had gotten during the first event. Knowledge that really was getting its mileage in.

It made me prepared for what was to come, and in some ways, it made me somewhat prepared for the fight with the death knight as well. Though, not in nearly as much detail.

As we made the final checks, we heard it. A distant, shrill shriek of a whistle. Followed by another, and another. Announcing that the hunt was one.

Morrigan didn’t hesitate as she shot forward, we followed right after.

First step, before any of them could react, grenades were hurled about, covering the entire mustering grounds. The chaff were immediately obliterated, with the survivors and the bronze ranks being handled by Shi and Talia.

I paid little attention to the pair as my knights crashed into the Dullahans’ formation. Fathom’s bulk was enough to not only push them back but also separate them from their commander. With the commander separated, Morrigan was able to tie him down, and gave us the chance to accomplish the next part of our task.

The death knight radiated a piercing chill, but my own rime kept it at bay. A volley of smoke grenades immediately dulled its passive aura that bolstered its fellows. Despite being undead, suddenly losing their enhancements created an opening for us to exploit.

With Fathom at the front, and Estrella and Luna hemming them in, I was able to slip in through the cracks, silver bayonet affixed on my rifle. The blade carved through their bodies with ease. Aiming for joints, and places that were less armored. Old chainmail parted with no issue. Limbs were swiftly crippled, and after that, they were beat down by my knights.

Once the body was weakened enough, I made a go for the head cradled in my target’s hands. With a thrust, the bayonet pierces through the helmet and right into its skull.

That very same moment, the Dullahan’s body lost all strength and fell to the ground. One down, four more to go.

With the death of their colleague, the surviving four immediately formed up, or tried too. Fathom body checked them, throwing himself into their midst to keep them apart. Accruing injuries in the process but succeeding in his task. Luna and Estrella followed right after, thrusting and stabbing weak points to keep them from fully punishing Fathom, and buying him some room to breathe.

I attempted to strike out at another Dullahan, but they were wary of me now. Choosing instead to take hits from my knights then let me get close. Which gave me the space to start shooting them. Piercing rounds easily punched through their armor. Riddling them with holes. I aimed for joints, for the head they kept protected. Forcing them to keep on their toes.

As the clock ticked, as they began to familiarize themselves with the current situation, as our advantage began to slip Then, Shi and Talia joined the fight.

With them, it was easier to isolate and eliminate the Dullahans, one by one. One was killed by a sudden spear appearing at an odd angle, thrusting right into a Dullahan’s detached head. Killing them instantly.

The surviving trio immediately moved to break away. Talia smashed right into one of them, her axe radiating flames carved right through one Dullahan’s armor, leaving a molten gash. I followed up with a piercing round to the knee, and Fathom barreled in, smashing his cleaver right into the Dullahan’s body, crushing the head held in its grasp in the process.

Ending yet another Dullahan’s un-life.

The surviving pair were able to group up, but too little too late. We outnumbered them, and with sheer force of arms, we dismantled and killed them.

All according to plan.

From the watchtower above, a shrill whistling shriek filled the air. Alerting all to our presence. More shrieks echoed out, but they were distant, nowhere near. We had time.

With one last check, we confirmed there were no skeleton mages, or additional chaff to bother us, with Talia and Shi both having cleared them out with the assistance of my surviving soldiers and the silver captain. Without even collecting the coins, or any of the potential loot, we joined Morrigan.

In just the few moments since she had engaged with the death knight, she was already riddled with worrying wounds and gashes. Every cut oozed, the wound festering in the death knight’s presence. The knight regarded our entrance with apathy. As if unbothered with the fact it was now outnumbered.

As to why it was unbothered, with a thrust of its blade into the ground, undead burst from the earth. Clambering into being. Simple undead, zombies, durable, but not very dangerous. Their only benefit was their numbers.

Each of them took quite a beating, but my silver bayonet helped me carve a path to Morrigan’s side. The moment I fell in, Morrigan slipped back, aiming for Talia to get her wounds cleansed, and to get healed. Leaving me alone with the death knight as my knights made their way through the surrounding pack.

Uncaring for the change in opponent, the death knight moved with surprising grace and skill. My bayonet easily met its blade, but with every clash, the metal whined. The edge dulled, the metal cracking as my bayonet found itself outclassed by the superior corrupted metal.

Just before it broke, Shi came in with a thrust of her spear, pushing the death knight back. Letting her take the front, I followed a step behind, angling for a good thrust, opening fire with piercing rounds when allowed.

Despite Shi’s physicality, the death knight was able to cut her with his blade. The wounds though, did not fester. If anything, they were bloodless and cold, causing the death knight to slow a beat. Long enough for me to thrust my bayonet into its side.

It grunted, dead flesh hissed and sizzled on contact with my silver bayonet, and before I could press my advantage it pulled back, disengaging. Yet, it doesn’t get far as Shi continues to pursue.

Her uniform offsets most of the damage, and even with my assistance, I feel her rapidly approaching her limit as her injuries accrue, as the knight continues to deftly avoid her spears. Luckily, just before I am forced to pull her back, my knights enter the fray.

The death knight’s blade bites deep into Fathom’s shield. Yet catches just before carving it in half. Using that chance, Fathom pulls the death knight in and swings his blade down. The death knight takes the blow with his arm. A dull metallic crack sounds out from the meeting of Fathom’s blade and the death knight’s arm.

With a twist, and a rough kick, the death knight manages to not only push back Fathom, nearly sending him toppling over in the process, but also succeeding in freeing his blade from Fathom’s shield. Estrella and Luna come from the sides, but the death knight immediately pivots, deflecting one thrust with their sword, and allowing the other blow to glance off their armor.

Spears burst from the ground, courtesy of Shi, seeking to impale the knight, but the sigils carved into the death knight’s armor glow a bloody red, and it moves with a sudden burst of speed, shattering the spears and giving itself some distance in a single series of movements.

The moment the death knight was clear, the bloody light oozing from the sigils in its armor dim, and in fact, are dimmer than when we started.

The armor... silver ranked perhaps? Instead of a passive boost, it had an active ability to bolster his abilities. Good to know. As for the weapon, I wasn’t sure, but… Morrigan mentioned it was gold rank, and I could see why she thought that.

The sigils on the face of the blade glowed the same bloody hue as the death knight’s armor. The only difference was, with every strike, the hue grew ever more striking. As if it were charging itself with every drop of blood it drank in.

If so, I could see why Morrigan wanted it. If it truly resonated with her weapon, then perhaps that effect could be carried over? A question for later.

For now, Morrigan rejoined the fight. Talia stood in the back, keeping an eye out for trouble and performing triage. Her current patient was Shi, as she helped heal her wounds and provided her with freshly drawn blood we had prepared for this.

While that happened, we continued to hem in the death knight. Each time we nearly succeeded in pinning him down, his armor would glow, granting him a burst of speed that allowed him break free. Though, in doing so, his sigils glow dimmed. Until the point where they were nearly dark.

In contrast… the death knight’s blade glowed brighter than ever. Every exchange, every escape drew blood. With Talia in the back, we were able to cycle, but each of us accrued injuries and wounds. And as the battle went, we were forced back to the forefront before we were fully recovered as the seconds ticked by.

Orion was still alive. I felt that much as we continued, the sound of enemy soldiers was still distant. We still had time, and the death knight was nearing their end, only, as they came closer to their inevitable final death… they also became infinitely more dangerous.

Their blade now carved through anything and everything with ease. Barring our weapons, which would be left with gashes and knicks. Even Morrigan with her ability to avoid blows found herself taking far too many strikes as the death knight’s speed gradually picked up.

The blade had the same effect as the armor, only passive, and grew with each drop spilled. Something Morrigan hadn’t mentioned. Which was an interesting ability, but…

Something didn’t feel right. Morrigan said it was gold ranked, it felt like a gold ranked weapon. Yet… its effect hardly seemed fitting for a gold rank…

Regardless of my thoughts and concerns, the fight quickly came to an end. With their body ruined by countless wounds and strikes, the Death knight finally succumbed and slumped to the ground.

All that was needed was a final decapitating blow. Morrigan made to go forward, to fulfill her role as the executioner…

Except… It was more a feeling. No, a flicker unease that pushed to its fore, that demanded I give a warning, “MORRIGAN!” I shouted, cutting through the silence.

Was it because she sensed something too? When I shouted her name, Morrigan immediately pulled back, not just abandoning her strike, but throwing her weapon way instead of following through.

And only because of that, she survived.

The blade glowed, a bright crimson. Blinding, bright, washing away everything else. It crawled from the tip of the blade, up the death knight’s arm and through its body. Where the crimson light passed, ruined flesh and broken armor mended.

It was a moment, a flicker, an instant. With a sudden surge of speed nobody, not even I, could react too, it lunged. It should have thrust right through Morrigan’s throat, but instead, because of her actions, my warning, it sliced through the side of her neck, nearly decapitating her.

Her hand clutched her neck, and I saw the telltale signs of her uniform fading as she choked on her own blood.

Fathom shut forward to check the death knight, but with monstrous strength, the death knight took the body blow and sent Fathom rebounding back. Luna and Estrella followed, but the blade easily sliced through their shields, and into their bodies.

The wounds were severe. Both immediately pulled back, the death knight made to follow, but spears barred the way, only to shatter on contact with his form. Shi moved to intercept, but I was already before him. Knowing full-well that if Shi faced him, she’d die.

With hardly a glance, the death knight swung in my direction, the first strike cut through my bayonet, the second left a gash on my rifle. The third was blocked, as one of my surviving soldiers threw himself into the path of the strike, granting me space. Ending their life.

How many seconds had it been? Had it even been a full second?

The Death knight pushed in. Talia stepped forward. The blade smacked into her shield, only to hit a barrier of magic, and proceeded to carve through anyway. A blast of magic erupted out, pushing back the death knight.

Not without cost.

Talia’s arm was ruined. Wound festering, fetid blood gushing out. She stifled a cry, and readied herself, but we were already pulling out. I grabbed her by the shoulder and threw her back while the death knight was disoriented and we ran.

Nobody spoke. The death knight chased. I glanced back and saw the silver captain chuck the last surviving soldier into the death knight, slowing him enough for him to escape, and like that, we made it out.

We didn’t stop until we were back at the rest area. Even then, we were on edge. Shi had, under my orders slipped in and grabbed Morrigan as I had confronted the death knight. Currently, Morrigan didn’t have a good look on her face, as her hand rested on her neck, where the death knight had struck.

In silence, we sat inside the tavern. In silence we contemplated a simple truth.

That we had failed.