Egril Sishet thought that the most tumultuous period had just passed. That the storm had just cleared. After all, just a few days ago they had mistakenly fought members of the Arcane Council, and if it hadn’t been for their magnanimous nature they would have died. That had been quite a scare, but by divine intervention the Grand Fortress survived.

  He thought that that was the end of his problems. After all, the demon activity in the area was going down based on reports, not only that but there had been little to no noise in the surrounding settlements; it was undoubtedly a signal of upcoming peace. The only real issue was that their investigation on who had issued the bounty on the Cursed Berserker had stalled, which he feared would incur the wrath of the council members.

  However, the news that the elven Arcane Council member brought him, made him completely freeze.

  “W-What did you just say?”

  He stared at the elf, she had white hair that drifted to an orange color along the length all the way to the tips. She had round silver eyes and a beautiful button nose?. She was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, yet?—

  She roughly snorted, “What? Did ya stuff your ears with shit or what? Did ya not hear? I said: a damn horde of demons is gonna destroy your dumb fortress tonight!”

  ?—yet she had one of the most fowl mouths he had ever heard. It was reminiscent of the elite mercenaries that did nothing but drink at bars and go out of missions. Yet, he could barely pay attention to that fact, because the news she brought were something else entirely.

  “A-Are you truly sure?”

  “Yes, I’m fuckin’ sure. If not for my master’s order I wouldn’t even be barkin’ to ya about it,” She grabbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance before glancing at him. “Look, prepare for battle, lest all your precious civilians are gonna die.”

  He nodded and the elf, seemingly satisfied began to walk away. But as he saw her reach the door, he couldn’t help but ask.

  “What’s the source of this information?”

  She glanced back as she opened the door. “The Arcane Council has decided to aid the Demon of Genesis. So prepare to fight their members too.”

  That shocked him. “Aren’t you a member of the Arcane Council too?!”

  “Our group has different goals, every other member aside from us three is your enemy, remember that.”

  With those words, the elf left, the door closing in her wake as Egril was left to stare at what was the ghost of her figure. Her words ringing in his ears as he tried to process them.

  Every other member except their group is our enemy? He frowned. What? Did that mean their group wasn’t actually Arcane Council members? This was the first time he heard of groups of the council having different goals.

  Shaking his head he got up. Regardless of what he felt now was not the time for worrying; it was time for action. One thing was for certain; the group that arrived in the city were his allies. While the ones to arrive were his enemies.

  Of course, he still remained skeptical of the information, but the possibility of a demon horde besieging the Grand Fortress was something that required preparation. Such information couldn’t possibly be ignored even if it risked being fake.

  “Worst case scenario, I’ll compensate all guards generously for their preparations if nothing happens,” he muttered to himself.

  And so, Egril set out.

  He quickly got his communication artifact to inform all of the guards, but as he held the communicator on his hand he couldn’t help but hesitate.

  How much should he tell his people?

  No, rather why did he believe that elf’s words with such a conviction, she hadn’t even given proof. For all she knew she wasn’t even a member of the Arcane Council and had just been pretending! But as he thought about her gaze and the way she carried herself, he quickly shook her head.

  Her eccentricity did resemble other Arcane Council members.

  Finally, he made up his mind as he channeled his mana into the artifact, bringing it to his mouth.

  “All guards, be on standby at nightfall for a potential demon attack. A scouting party will be sent ahead.”

  With that, he lowered it and he sought out members to form a scouting party. The entire process, from learning that the fortress was in potential danger, to sending out people to investigate took a mere hour.

  There were still at least five hours until the sun set, which according to what the elf had initially said the event would happen around there. While he would’ve loved to take the elf’s words with a massive grain of salt, he himself had a feeling that she was right.

  It was nothing but a sense of impending doom, a mere premonition. But the last time he felt this way was when the capital of the Republic of Mercenaries was completely and utterly annhilated by the Demon of Genesis. At this point it’d be idiotic of him to not trust his gut instincts, so he moved accordingly.

  Leaving someone to stand at guard, Egril set out to the city. The heart of the fortress.

  He wanted to see it. It was like a gem hiding within a rough rock. While the walls of the fortress looked weathered and damaged, the city within was sprawling with life. Kids ran and played, old men and women conversed about their life, and he even saw aspiring youths training to become guards.

  The architecture was colorful, and eclectic, yet it only added to the charm of the place. Born and raised here, Egril couldn’t help but feel a myriad of emotions as he took a look around. But, as he was doing it, he had an unexpected meeting; or rather, someone had sought him out.

  Egril blinked as he stared at the red-haired young woman, Alyssa, the Explosion Mage. She seemed troubled.

  “Egril, I finally found you,” she let out a breath. “I have a message to tell you from those in the Arcane Council.”

  Hearing her, he couldn’t help but tense. He vividly remembered the elf’s words. While he still didn’t understand if she had said the truth, he at least knew they were on his side.

  “What did they say?”

  She met his gaze. “They said to leave the fighting to them, and just focus on defense.”

  “What?” He blinked. “It’s not like I even planned to send any of you to fight into the horde. If the information I received was right, then it’s not like it was possible to do that in the first place.”

  In response, Alyssa showed a helpless smile.

  “That’s what Amber said, she also added that she was itching to kick the asses of some Arcane Council members due to some unsettled debts. Guess the organization has a lot of internal strife, who would’ve thought.”

  Egril frowned as he heard that. He thought of his impressions of the group; about the fact that one of them was actively burning themselves alive, about the elf that had given him strange information; and finally he voiced his thoughts outright:

  “Are you sure if they are even members?

  In response Alyssa simply pursed her lips. As far as Egril knew she had been spending the most time with those three, so she should’ve been the most aware of their circumstances, and yet the fact that she wasn’t saying anything right now was…

  “They are good people, at least I’m certain of that much,” she finally said. “I’m certain that the information you received wasn’t a lie.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  Egril shook his head and departed, ending the conversation. He didn’t even understand why Alyssa was hanging out with those ruffians in the first place, but it wasn’t the time to intrude. Right now, he had much more important things to do. The time to look around had ended, and now was the time to get ready for a potential life or death battle.

  After returning to the battlements, he made his way to his office and began to equip his armor that was on a stand. He secured the straps tightly, he adjusted the chestplate, and after putting on his greaves he turned to look at a flail that was on the wall. It looked almost ordinary, but it was his most priced possession.

  An Ancient Relic-Grade Flail, it was something that even more powerful mercenaries than him would struggle to obtain. In fact, when he got it it was the only one in the entire continent, that’s how rare it was, getting it from a ruin of a long fallen empire. Yet, even when the demons besieged not too long ago he hadn’t needed to wield it, because to wield such a weapon required heavy resolve.

  Taking a deep breath he grabbed it, and simultaneously an ethereal voice echoed in his mind. One that had a certain forbidden allure to it, almost as if it were speaking into the depths of his soul.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  ‘What is it that you desire?’

  His flail was a cursed weapon. Depending on the desire, the flail would take an according amount of lifespan and convert it into power or other effects. However, right now wasn’t the time to make the exchange, so he didn’t answer it. He simply held its heavy weight on his hand and then walked out.

  He didn’t know if the reason he was so tense was because he was wielding this accursed weapon again, or if it was because at this point he had unconsciously convinced himself that the news he had received were fact. Even now, he wanted to doubt, he wanted to think to himself that this wasn’t the case but, his very being compelled him to believe that this siege was truly going to happen.

  Leaving his office, he stood on the battlements, gazing in the sun’s direction. The surroundings were quiet, and while the present guards were at attention it was clear they weren’t all that tense. Unlike him. Even now, he felt almost as if he were delusional. After all, the only thing he had to go off was the fact that the Arcane Council elf came, told him the situation with some curses and left. There had been no proof, no further interaction, nothing else.

  Alyssa had also vouched for them, but was it enough for his heart to feel this heavy? What if his instinct was wrong? What if the intel he had received was wrong?

  He didn’t know. Even now he didn’t know.

  Since he was a child, he grew stronger, all to protect this fortress; all to protect his home. Some of his childhood friends, or children dreamed of becoming famed mercenaries; they dreamed of leaving their marks in the world. But all he ever dreamed about was ensuring that this place continued to thrive.

  At some points, he began to doubt himself. He had been through hundreds of life or death situations, and the situation in the republic was never truly bad. Was his power even needed?

  However, as if answering his doubts that time, the capital of the republic was wiped off the map. And ever since then, it had become his unwavering resolve to protect this place. Maybe it was because of that that he was so tense. Maybe it was because he didn’t dare to entertain the possibility of letting his guard down and suffering for it…

  Because it was his responsibility to ensure the Grand Fortress wouldn’t fall.

  Taking a deep breath, Egril watched the scenery as the time passed. His mind growing increasingly calm as he resolved himself for any outcome possible. One hour went by, two hours, then three, then four and?—

  As the sun began to set, he couldn’t help but feel relief. There had been no signs of demons, and the scouting party was bound to return at any moment.

  Yet if it was wrong wouldn’t the scouting party be back already?

  He frowned, and as he increased his vigilance he saw something on the horizon. With a frown, he grabbed his telescope and peered into it. And what he saw, made his face pale. It was one of the members of the scouting party, running for his life. His entirety body was riddled with injuries and he seemed almost about to collapse.

  “Mages, teleport the surviving scout, immediately!” He roared.

  His voice echoed through the entirety of the battlements, startling the people around. But the elite guards weren’t like that. All of them, including Alyssa began casting, and less than a second later there was a bright flash of light and?— the scout appeared, collapsing on the ground.

  Egril rushed over to him, dashing a great distance in a split second. The man was shaking as he looked up at him.

  “Chief, y-you were right…” He trembled. “The others… t-they?—”

  Egril felt his heart chilling as he met his gaze. “They died, right?”

  Hearing him the scout slowly nodded, trembling as he continued.

  “T-The demons, there are thousands… and they are rushing here…”

  That was all Egril needed to hear. He nodded and stood up, before calling with all his strength, his voice bellowing across the fortress.

  “All guards, prepare for battle! Initiate the defense barrier!”

  Seconds later, bells began to toll as the civilians in the city hid in their homes, and the mages present rushed over to the battlements. Egril, himself, however stood there as the scout was carried away in a stretcher by the weaker guards.

  He was the chief of the Grand Fortress of Sishet, yet even as such a powerful figure his command was hardly needed. Everyone already knew what needed to be done, and their roles. Which is also why his death, wouldn’t actually matter that much, and it was also why, his talents?— truly laid elsewhere.

  With a rough expression, he made his way up the battlements as he gazed over at the horizon where a large horde of demons was coming over to the fortress. It was a sea of grotesque and deformed creatures, yet the chilling sight did not phase him, instead as they approached closer he gripped his flail tighter.

  Once more, the ethereal voice posed its question.

  ‘What is it that you desire?’

  And he finally gave it its answer.

  “What I desire is: Victory.”

  ‘May you forge a crown of blood.’

  The ethereal voice echoed and the flail lit up. Pain shot across his body as five years of his lifespan were instantly taken. His base stats soared by upwards of 50%, and as the demons neared the walls he jumped down.

  Obviously, he wasn’t going to charge in and go to the deepest parts of the horde; as he had said before, the main priority was defense. Allowing such a lage horde of demons to freely crash with the fortress gate would be a recipe for disaster, which is why he was here. And he wasn’t alone.

  Several other warriors joined him, making a frontline for the fortress, and by the second more and more were rallying. Thankfully, the siege was only happening on one direction, if it had been a two or three pronged attacked it would be nothing but disaster.

  Thankfully, they aren’t that smart…

  With a warcry, Egril swung his flail and the demon leading the charge had his head smashed in, brain-matter and bone fragments flying as the blood of his enemy spread over his body. But he didn’t stop there, and carried the momentum of the movement as he smashed the heads of three other demons with a brutal swing.

  His reach wasn’t small, given the flail’s reach that was over 2 meters.

  In short moments, the area surrounding the fortress gate was turned into a bloodbath. Egril with fast and quick movements tore through the large horde, and that wasn’t all, but the few high level warriors there were present also were making considerable impact. It was as if the army of demons was walking right into a shredder.

  It was a shame that there were only a handful of Warriors over level 150 on the fortress, given how difficult that Advancement was for most people. But then again, maybe he should’ve been grateful. The military prowess of the Grand Fortress was possibly one of the highest if not the highest in all of the republic. The fact that a dozen of such warriors were here, along with close to fifty over Level 100, was quite reassuring.

  Yet, even with this fact he dared not be complacent. After all, with the state the republic was in this place could fall at any moment. Especially with the information received in regards to the damned Demon of Genesis, obviously that part remained to be confirmed but by the looks of it, it didn’t seem exactly wrong.

  But there was a massive issue that Egril was noticing.

  If they planned to destroy the Grand Fortress, then why?—

  He tore through five demons simultaneously.

  [You have defeated a [Lesser Cambion. Lvl. 44].]

  [You have defeated a [Lesser Imp. Lvl. 22].]

  [You have defeated a [Lesser Demonserpent. Lvl. 44].]

  …

  Less experience for defeating an enemy as a group.

  …

  ?—why were the besieging demons so weak? Such cannon fodder would have no chance of taking down the fortress even if left unattended. So why?

  Suddenly, he had a bad feeling. His gaze swept over the battlefield, and he took in everything; his warrior group cutting down the demons, the basic fireballs being sent into the swarm from the battlements, the rain of arrows that kept on supporting them by injuring the demons further back in the swarm… but no matter how he looked he didn’t see a single higher level demon.

  The highest level he could spot was level 100, so why did he feel like something was about to go horribly wrong…?

  A moment later he heard a whistling sound and as he turned his gaze in the direction he saw multiple vials flying towards them. That’s when he realized the source of his bad feeling?—

  “Don’t shoot the vials!” his voice boomed.

  But it was too late.

  A fireball hit them. In an instant, an explosion bloomed in the sky and along with it a black mist began to rain down on the battlefield. As soon as it came into contact with him, his expression darkened. He could feel it already. It was a damn weakening curse, quite the strong one.

  His Curse Resistance was quite high, and he even possessed an Artifact that lightened the effects of Curses, however his companions weren’t so lucky.

  Almost immediately, those that were below their third Advancement began to struggle with the demons.

  So that’s how they planned to take down the fortress…

  At the same time he noticed that the demons were beginning to grow increasingly stronger, it probably had to do with the curse effects. After all, curses loved effects that gave a benefit but at the cost of something… a curse tailored to helping demons and harming humans wouldn’t be too strange.

  Egril immediately grew wary.

  He had a bad feeling about the vials, their speed had been to slow, and for any Level 100 mage hitting them would’ve been an easy task, even an experienced archer that had their first Advancement could do it.

  However, if that was everything they had then surely the Grand Fortress would overcome this danger!

  He gripped his flail harder and the familiar voice echoed in his mind.

  ‘What is it that you desire?’

  Just like before, the voice echoed.

  ‘I desire to cleanse?—’

  “Woah, not so fast!”

  Before he could react, a black shadow streaked and his chest dented. Bones shattered. And his mind reeled as he was flung into the fortress gate. Breaking through it immediately. His body rolled across the pavement of the town numerous times, before it was pulled back by some supernatural force.

  With a speed just as fast, his battered body passed through the broken gate and he found himself being held by the collar, facing a man of brown hair. A pendant of the twin moons hanging from his neck.

  Arcane Council member?…

  He had a savage smile as he gazed at him, but rather than fierce he looked excited.

  “Now, now, don’t go dying on me.” He pulled Egril closer. “Come on, whisper to that flail of yours, tell it to heal you~.”

  Egril gritted his teeth, and before he could act. His men acted faster. The four level 200+ Warriors immediately swung for the man, but with a mere snort all of them were sent flying by some supernatural force.

  And that’s when Egril finally saw it. The Appraisal result.

  [Hands of the Arcane [Legacy Branch of Great Brawler of the Council]. Lvl. 382]

  When he saw it, he went pale.

  7th Advancement!

  A true powerhouse, one that was nearing Level 400!

  * * *

  And from a cliff in the distance, a group of four figures in white robes watched the events that were unfolding with some detachment.

  And from the opposite direction a being clad in black flames was also watching, except unlike the other group, that person was trembling with excitement.

  She smiled, as she took out a gigantic sword that was as big as her body.

  “Finally,” she whispered. “A worthy opponent…”

  Then, with a light step she disappeared from her spot.

  The battle that was about to unfold would surely be legendary.

  Next chapter hopefully this Friday. Sorry it's late, I had some personal things come up.