Chapter 3: Black Threat Level Horde and the Fall of the Tree of Life
Two days after setting camp in an open area of the northern territories next to a mountain range ten kilometers. A huge fortress made of wood was constructed overnight by their earth mages. It have ten meter tall wooden walls spanning two kilometres in a square like formation. Many soldiers were patrolling the walls even when the sun Is still up. No one wanted to be greeted by a swarm of supernaturals and some evil practitioners.
In a giant tent in the middle of the wooden fortress dozens of commander level to warlord level figures were currently talking about the battle plan.
Anthony a mascular six foot tall brown guy and black hair with his armor and sword donned seated comfortably in the middle of the long table, silently watching the people on the tent arguing on where to deploy the troops when an elven ranger rushed in the tent gasping for air with a pale complexion.
All of the commanders were displeased especially those from the human side as the arguing became more instense and a mere scout ranger elf dares to barge in without stating his purpose. But no one said a word as they're waiting for what the leader of the army is gonna say.
Anthony with a frown on his face looked at one of the night elf commander. A beautiful male with long pointy ears and golden hair long enough to touch is back was also looking at the elf but it was calmness and not displeasure. He just simple nodded to the elf who was trembling in fear as one after another suffocating auras bombarded him.
Taking a deep breath. " Report!"
Ares the Moon elf commander, and one of the five female commanders in the tent. A beautiful female elf with a heroic bearing, she is different from the other eleven commanders as she had a hair that's just up to her shoulders. Instead of fancy noble and cotton clothes she is wearing a full battle armor even though she is a Ranger type.
"Speak." A melodious voice with some authority in it sounded in the tent. Fierce aura that was emitting from every generals were immediately withdrawn as a sign of respect to this powerful girl. They knew her temper well and especially if her beautiful face starts to frown, her temper is no way near the elegant and beautiful at all. It have a big contrast on the noble and elegant elves who have calm temperance.
Still trembling the elven ranger picked up his courage." We found many feces in the mountain three hundred kilometres away from here."
When the generals heard him almost all of them creased their brows on displeasure. One of the much younger general said in a sarcastic and mocking tone. " Is it that scary to see feces of animals that you would charge in here just to report that? "
Even Ares looked at the elf as if he's an idiot.
The elven ranger was stunned before and immediately corrected himself. "I was not done yet sir!" His face started to turn paler and horror was donned all over his face. " In the next mountain we... we... we saw it. The mountain range were.... They were covered with flying demonic beasts!"
When all of them heard what the elf said, pin drop silence. They were stunned and then their face were full of black lines. They knew what it means! A horde of flying Demonic beasts! And from what the elf reported they could conclude that to cover an entire mountain with flying creatures not to mention to deal with the original dwellers also then it's a Black level threat horde. Hordes that even the oldest commander here saw were just that of crimson level but even still it was a ten million grand demonic beast horde led by A Mountain Ape Titan at the Black threat level!
And those guys just took one smaller mountain while the mountians on the northern parts of the Continent are enormous and trees that are tall, and large that have witness bloody battles since the ancients. The northern part of the Continent is deemed to be the most dangerous because of the endless amount of mountians and beasts. Besides most of the powerful demonic beasts hides within these ranges. Especially the Forbidden Range.
Now a much bigger and maybe the most scary horde appeared near their camp! They haven't even fought with their real enemies and now they're gonna try to fend off against these many flying creatures! It is still possible to hold for many minutes and let the higher cultivator of the army to kill the Horde leader. Since most of the hordes that have no leaders will immediately have a internal strife on the spot.
But if they fight even a million horde type demonic flying creatures then massive amount of deaths were surely insured or even worse and still possible, all of them standing in the fortress will become their food. Especially that they only have nine thousand soldiers and other professions, luckily they have elves that was fomous for their accurate archery. But what can a thousand of elves do in an estimated hundred millions of giant demonic flying creature! They don't even know what demonic threat level ancient creature was leading this massive horde or where they are going.
The commanders expected different kind of scenarios that the warlocks would try to soften their troops up. But it was beyond their realm to expect this massive horde's appearance. Maybe even the warlocks didn't expect this Horde to come out. All of the commanders are starting to have cold sweats as they foreseen on the next events that'll happen.
The wooden fortress that was built to stop supernaturals would be overruned in minutes by millions of different kinds of flying demonic beasts or even if its just hundred thousand demonic flying beasts. Practitioners being devoured alive, birds of prey dive and catch the warriors while elves tries to buy more time for retreat even though it's next to impossible. As if the leader of the horde would reject a free meal.
Although Anthony is also scared he was still the commander of this army hardening his heart he walk out of the tent under the puzzle gazes of his subordinates. He went to the walls and looked at the horizon, the sun was still up and shining brightly to the mountains showing a calm and peaceful scenery hiding the terrifying dangers, he just calmly looked at it till he eventually fall into deep thought.
While the arguing became more intense and there's still no conclusion of either retreat as fats as possible or have a stand till death.
Ares also walk out of the tent with two of her Elven commanders leaving three behind to prepare a "battle plan" to beat the impossible.
She silently walk to the side of Anthony. Anthony just looked at her before a second and he exhaled a breath full of frustration. " You know in our family fighting, killing, winking glory was common." He smiled bitterly. As his muscular stature look lonely and sad when Ares looked at him again. " Great warriors, Hunters, Mages, Generals! My father himself was a great warrior but he was an insignificant high level warrior cannon fodder when that war happened. He was also one of the many who never came back to his family after we've won that tiring war. I still clearly remembered his promise to us his five children! He never breaks his promise! Never but that one is his first time breaking it and it's the last. I still remembered it... the words he said to me after he and the other uncles rode their horses to war. "
" Son, don't worry after we win the war I'll personally teach you how to become one of the best warriors in the Eastern Regions! " A tall handsome middle aged man with a deep long verticall scar on his jawline till neck. The long haired guy with a giant sword on his hand looked at a four to five year old boy lovingly. He laughed heartily before he and the other men rode their horses out of the castle after they bid farewell to their respective families. The boy waited for so long but not one of them came back after peace was insured by the Alliance.
Because of that war many families lost their sons, fathers, brothers, grandfathers.
Taking a deep breath as he remembered those memories he couldn't help but laugh at a self depriving manner." I said to myself that I'll become just like him but I'll survive and teach my son those things that he can't teach me! Those things that I have to learn by myself. Those experiences that I have went through without anybodies help. But from the looks of it... I also can't live up my promise."
Ares and the other people guarding the walls looked at him in puzzlement." Why? Can't you give a full scale retreat? "
" No! I have to bear responsibility for this! I will jot tarnish the reputation and honor of my clan that was obtained by blood, sweat and sacrifices for many generations!
Ares the beautiful elf ranger just looked at him calmly but within those calm eyes that's just like a serene lake were some hidden turbulence. She smiled sadly as she looked at the mighty sun, high up in the sky, one of those who saw many events and will see the present and future." Our family were famous for hunting giant demonic creatures. We Ashiva family were adept at shooting down even at many kilometers away at any beasts accurately. Our family was also one of the twenty great families of elven tribes that witness the beaming life force of the Tree of life and how it fall in the hands of the most powerful demonic beasts. Saint beasts that lives in the tree branches also tried to help but a bird Enormous Giant Black Bird sweep them down one after the other. " She and the other two commanders by her side now have complicated feelings as she told a complete stranger on what happened to the Tree of Life. What really happened and not just the speculations of the humans. A tragic story that was written in an old book that dated hundreds thousand years ago. Written by the surviving elves that have seen and experienced the tragedy.
When Anthony heard what she said he was shook to the core! He have heard some stories of the Famous Tree of life that was once home to Saint beasts of different races and elves! But it was attacked by Ancient Demonic creatures in the ancient times. It was said that the mythological silver dragons in adulthood and earth dragons were protecting the Tree of Life not to mention other strong Saint beasts races like Qilins, Diamond apes and other more. But it was his first time to hear this part since most elf doesn't know. The only ones that really knows were those elders and leaders of the elven races.
The Silver dragon protected it's leaves and trunk while the Earthen Dragons protected its gigantic roots. A dragon itself even have raw strength of any branch to crush mountains and a red threat level dragons of any kind that was on teenage could fight evenly and could kill general level stage warriors!
And two of these types of dragons were guarding the whole Tree but it still fall leaving its former settlers homeless for hundreds of years. That's the only thing he heard when he was a child till adulthood always told by the old librarian of their Clan. But he could never forget this story and now a loving elf was telling him the other parts.
Although excited he still maintained his calm facade as a dignified commander of an army that was about to be swallowed. Nodding his head as affirmation He patently waited for what Ares the beautiful Elf is gonna say next.
Ares who saw his interest was pique immediately continued. " As many of you knew, the world tree was super big that its crown and leaves touch the sky itself in fact so enormous that the elves could only settle in the middle parts of the trunk and can never climb upper. Only the silver dragons who span are big enough can fly towards the sky were the uncrowded Kings of the Tree. Every race viewed them as the rulers next is the earthen Dragons that guard the trees roots. Most of the adult dragons have already lived for thousands of years they guard the Tree Of life against those powerful enough to destroy it. "
Anthony look at her weirdly." At first I thought that you'll say something sentemental that'll make me cry but apparently it's more sentemental than mine as many races were involve. " Smiling smugly Anthony laughed. Ares was stunned before she also smiled.
She continued. " But one day... Ten Ancient sleeping Silver and Earth Dragons foresaw something bad happened to the Tree! A bad omen! They saw the doom of the Tree of Life and the exterminations of many Saint beasts races! The tree was a living being itself it just never mind settlers on its body. But that day it communicated with the two species to help it defend against the incoming threat. An ancient being that have lived at the same time as the world felt threat that will spell its doom. "
Anthony listened in awe he couldn't help but interject." But how did you know this? "
Ares just looked at him as if his an idiot." You think after Hundred thousands of years have past our elders were still alive? It was written by them a book thousands of pages of just the Tree of Life and its fall and its invaders. "
Though elves have long life they still couldn't evade time. Just like the dragons except that dragons could live way longer than elves.
" it was just a blissful and sunny day when the invaders came. They were the Demonic beasts! With the powerful Ancient demonic beasts were their billions of hordes! Every hibernating Saint beasts of every kind in the Tree of life came out of their hibernation and looked gravely at the demonic Horde leaders that led the Billions of Demonic beasts. Although greatly outnumbered just the quality of warriors then the Native settlers were advantageous but in numbers then the Demonic beasts were considered superior at anyway, within the first clash chaos was ensued. After three months of fighting A giant Black Roc that's wings could cover the whole moon and sun joined the attack. "
Ares took a deep breath." Silver dragons were wantonly slaughtered in the sky after the Black Roc joined. Fights of every different kind and level were still happening on the giant trunk and the roots. Earth dragons fought with strong Land Demonic beasts before they were defeated and all killed by a giant demonic beast that was also like the Black roc but two imes larger. At that day our elders and many other elves fought as their life was on the line. Every power they could squeeze out every ounce of strength they poured it just to defend against the invaders but still. The Tree falled and after the Tree also used it's last powers to injure hundreds of Ancient beasts gravely while killing thousands of them and died."
Anthony was oustounded. He never thought that it was like an epic tale. But it happened hundred thousand years ago." So that's what really happened. "
Ares solemnly looked at the Mountains and bitterly said." If I'm not wrong one of the most ancient Demonic Beast that help in the fall of the Tree of life is a giant Black Roc with Hundreds of Millions of Demonic flying beasts as its Horde. "Upon hearing what she said Anthony immediately knew why she shared this to him.
But it's still unbelievable that one of the ancient was still flying freely after it almost exterminated the race of Silver Dragons! They were doomed! If even the famous dragons couldn't resist it then what about them? A seven thousand warriors of different class. He fell into a deep thought.
Anthony looked at the bustling tents and cheerful valiant warriors before looking back at the silent mountain range that has a very huge threat to any sector. After many minutes He slowly but resolutely turned around and shout on top of his lungs. " I Anthony Swordhaven order a full scale retreat! Leave everything behind and run back as fast as you can towards the central lands! Let them know that we faced off an impossible to beat enemy! While those who wanted fend off a hundred million birds shall stay with me here!"
Everyone heard him clearly silence engulfed the camp before uproar and discusions were made. The commanders went out and looked at Anthony strangely before a Middle-age man with a silver armor in the commander tent said loudly." I Elyas Demer Shall stay and help commander buy time for the retreat of the troops."
Another one sighed. "Looks like I'll also stay and get more honor for my family. I Justine third son of the Marlem Family shall also stay and kill some birds!"
Many soldiers also volunteered to stay and stall time for the retreating troops. But Anthony rejected that all of them stayed here to fight for honor since almost none of them wanted to retreat. He selected a thousand soldiers with some brave enough magicians and two other mages and officers. Some are still reluctant to retreat but when he showed his Emblem to the crowd they immediately fell silent and they retreated with heavy heart.
Although Anthony was know in the alliance as one of the most unreasonable he is also a good commander. Good enough that many wanted to fight to death for him. There are times that he made wrong decisions but he'll still admit it and wait for punishment as he never will and never do anything to tarnish the honor and reputation of the Swordhaven family.
The next hour and just as the Sun was setting a line of warriors exited the Fortress in a fast pace. They look back many times to see those who stayed behind looking at them valiantly. They felt bad as no one said anything but you have to make it, spread the news, let them know.
Anthony donned with his gears and ten other Warlord level warriors looked at the retreating warriors at the tall wooden walls with complicated emotions. He looked towards the mountain range with heaviness. A guy with a cloak covering his head suddenly appeared near Anthony, startling almost all of the remaining soldiers. They started to hold their sword handles and tried to encircle the hooded man cautiously. Anthony just dismissed them with a wave of his hands. The nine other commanders looked at him in puzzlement but no one questioned him as they knew that this guy is powerful enough for them to not immediately notice him/her, and the more power the more chances of time for stalling.
"Who would have thought that a cowardly wizaed like yourself Ivan Vansling. Would stay here than be the one to first escape." Anthony sarcastically said side glancing at the cloaked figure.
The hooded figure shook it's head and took off his cloak and revealed a handsome and youthful face. The cowardly Ivan Vansling the famous fire wizard who was known to never go to dangerous areas. A cowardly but powerful mage who was popular for his debauchery and pettiness. Many of who knew his tales look at him with disdain but also admire his strength.
" Who said I wanted to be here. I just want to see if what you said is really true you Boorish fellow." Ivan said mischievously not caring at the expressions of those who heard him. Almost all of the acquaintances of Anthony knew that calling him that will earn themselves a rain of punches. But surprisingly Anthony just laugh. Not minding a word on what Ivan said.
When Ivan saw his reaction he just shook his head. " Haha... to think that I infamous for escaping tricky situations would send myself towards one of the most hopeless defense."
The people who heard him just silently cursed him for his shamelessness in their heart. ' What escape?! You never even went to any battles.'
" You are not the only one mister Vansling." A melodious voice sounded out as an elf with a light leather armor also appeared next to them.
Anthony just mads another side glance towards Ares." I thought that we clearly have an agreement that you'll escort the troops back while we hold them off here? "
Ares just laugh at his comment as if hearing the most funny and hilarious joke. "Don't joke like that it's funny that you think with most of melee fighters and some chivalrous archers and magicians you can fend for a minute against just a thousand or ten thousand demonic creates then your overestimating your soldiers and underestimating those birds ability Commander Anthony Swordhaven. So to buy another ten minutes I'll gladly sacrifice 400 more Elven warriors just to see if I could wound that thing."
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