NOVEL WEB Chapter 198: Battle of Eastern Maegrath (1)
"Aihh…when will I have something to do?" Hal sighed, glancing in Ennya's direction.
Two days had passed since they were forbidden by Zephyron to leave the camp.
The midget, at the very least, had something to do with the arrival of her new platoon members.
As for him…
"Sigh…"
He could only stare at the gloomy skies that threatened rainfall while sitting on a chair that he placed just outside his tent.
"Come on, boss, this is the third time you sighed, no?" Rocky said, chilling beside Hal with a cup of coffee in his hands. "You should enjoy moments like this more! Like you said, you should've enjoyed the pond more, right? This is because you're living too much in the future! Enjoy the present too!"
Hal didn't react.
However, he found the slightly older man's words quite insightful.
Who knew Rocky could say such meaningful things once in a while?
Nonetheless, he remained bored, though he tried his best to heed his subordinate and friend's advice.
Only then did his heavy heart gradually lighten.
Indeed.
Maybe he should enjoy moments like these while they lasted…
And so, Hal appreciated the somber skies for a while, this time with a slight smile on his face, before shifting his focus to the distant redwoods.
He wanted to kill a few Fell Beasts and earn some sweet Chaos Points.
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait for long, as Zephyron's voice suddenly sounded in the passing breeze.
"Hal Fennec, to my tent, now."
Who would dare cross Stiff Face, the man who slaughtered three Fellkin Warriors instantaneously?
Hal quickly stood up and headed towards Zephyron's meeting tent.
"Boss? Where are you going? Have you finally lost it?" Rocky joked, following his platoon leader with his curious and slightly amused gaze.
"Sir Zephyron is calling for me," Hal explained without looking back.
Rocky noticed that, in the near distance, Ennya Kasai was also heading towards the Wind Magna's tent.
It seemed that the battle council had come to a decision a day earlier than expected.
Unbeknownst to Hal, it was the Fellkin that made a decision for them.
A few moments later, Hal, Ennya, Zephyron, and five other men—all above the age of forty—stood face to face.
There were stern looks on their faces, but at least it didn't seem like the situation was grim.
"Let me make this brief." Zephyron began. "The Fell Beasts are now approaching the valley, and there are around two hundred Fellkin Warriors behind them, mayhaps more hiding in the shadows."
The Wind Magna paused for a bit, scanning his eyes over the two youngsters and ensuring they're taking the matter with an appropriate level of urgency and seriousness before continuing:
"I'll handle the strongest among their ranks. The veteran wizards of the army will deal with the fell race's warriors.
As for you two, Ennya Kasai and Hal Fennec, your job remains the same: kill as many Fell Beasts as you can without endangering your lives.
There will be veteran squadrons and artillery covering you this time. This chapter first appeared on M|V|L^EMPYR.
The only issue is that there are reportedly over five thousand Fell Beasts, which is far more than we expected. It would be best if we could wipe them out, but if that's impossible, at least whittle their numbers down to a fourth.
Any questions?"
Hal and Ennya didn't have any; their mission was as straightforward as it could be.
Finally, the midget had a chance to witness the satisfying extent of her flames' devastation, and Ennya was quite literally fired up.
Watching her crack her fists with an eager glint in her eyes made the stiff-faced Magna nod appreciatively.
As for Hal Fennec, the young man's reactions were as difficult to read as ever, but he was very dependable, so Zephyron wasn't too worried about him.
"Well then, if there are no questions, then Fire and Chaos Prospect Platoons, head out! Take one side of the uplands of Parralen Valley each and work with the veterans and artillery squadrons stationed there."
Hal and Ennya nodded before striding out of the tent—one with unparalleled confidence and the other with vengeful eagerness.
Arriving in front of his tent, Hal blew his unique-sounding whistle that was made from the fang of a beast, given to him by Zephyron.
Hao and the others immediately scrambled to wear their uniforms and dashed out of their tents after hearing the whistle, forming ranks in front of their leader's tent in less than a minute.
They couldn't explain why, but they were a bit excited.
It seemed that fighting the fell race loosened a few screws in their head.
They would rather do battle than laze around all day.
A small distance away, the reformed Fire Platoon was the same, though the new members were evidently a bit uneasy compared to the veterans, who had cold and resolute gazes.
Losing comrades was a surefire way to plant seeds of hatred in one's heart, after all.
Glancing at each other, Hal and Ennya nodded, marching towards Parralen Valley together.
Left, left, left right, left…
Around twenty minutes later, they heard the startling noises of the Manatech Artilleries, firing one spell after another and bombarding the approaching Fell Tide.
The battle has begun, and they've arrived at the battlefield.
While there would probably be a few enemies that would try to climb the uplands of the valley, a majority of the Fell Beasts wouldn't be able to and would have to pass through the valley proper in an attempt to make it to the other side and scatter in random directions.
Those were the orders of the fell that continuously vibrated inside their Fell Cores.
Pass through the valley and run free…
For now, at least…
Their minds and instincts were at their installed core's mercy, and no Fell Beast could defy the orders.
Paying with their insignificant lives was instinctual.
...Hearing the artillery volleys and the distant howls of the approaching beast tide, the Fire and Chaos Platoon members steeled their hearts.
Ennya and her reformed platoon took the left uplands, while the Chaos Platoon ascended the right.
It was time to rain hell upon The Fell.