"Is everyone present? Good. I shall now explain your tasks. Red unit, you will be tasked with going around and allocating funds. Here is the schedule of the caravans you will be guarding. Please move out right away," she passed papers to a well-armed man who reluctantly took it, nodding and exiting with a few people following him.

"Next, Blue unit. You will handle reconnaissance in these locations. Please return with detailed information about your findings. It will be crucial in our next plan," she gave orders to a distinguished looking woman, leaving as well, lessening the presence of people in the room.

"Unfortunately, Red, Black, and White units are in recovery, so that leaves us with you and Cecil. Forgive me for this, Laruse, but I will be tasking you with the hardest one. You will be in charge of bringing supplies to Port City Harrick. We failed in our last attempt, but I know that you will succeed. Your mission will only be guarding the caravan while a few others cross Kausten."

"Sounds simple enough. Anything else I need to know?"

"It seems that soldiers have been seen making their rounds near the borders of Kausten, the city that you will have to pass before you can get to your destination. If they prove to be too many, then retreat. The cost of your lives are important to me, no matter how strong you both are."

As Laruse and Cecil finished their preparations, they began heading out, meeting the small group that will be in charge of handling the cargo while they guard them.

But before they could leave, Ophelia showed up, wishing to see them off and bid them good luck on their task.

"Please be careful, Laruse. Things are getting more and more dangerous outside. It's not just soldiers, but monsters as well. Their activities have been erratic, and some have even been spotted close by here."

"I'll come back as fast as I can to make sure that they don't return. Just stay here where it's safe, alright?"

Laruse and Cecil left for Kausten on the backs of a wagon pulled by a horse, drawn by two people from the organization that are in charge of getting the important cargo to Harrick.

A few hours after their departure, they had already encountered many types of monsters, each one boasting their own strengths, yet proving to be no challenge to Laruse, who defeated them single-handedly, inspiring and amazing the two others they were traveling with.

"Hey, how can I get as strong as you? I've never seen someone take a monster, as big as that, down by himself. I always thought that it was impossible," one of their companions spoke out.

"I don't think there's anything special that I've done. Well, there's no use doubting yourself. If you feel like doing it, then go for broke. What's the worst that could happen, right?"

"I guess, you're right about that."

They arrived after hours of travelling, looking over the slope that had the view of the magnificent Port City of Harrick in the distance; stone build walls and structures, ships and strong naval prowess, advanced weaponry, and a strong source of commerce.

From where they were, there lay a battalion lying in wait as magic users bombarded the walls with fire magic and many other types of spells, creating disaster beyond comprehension. But what was more confusing was how their walls still stood despite the powerful barrages being used upon it.

The loud sound of booming spells and impact blocked normal hearing, making it difficult to hear what their two companions had to say.

"There are rumors that the one leading the army is the lord of the revolution himself, the one who started this entire mess in the borders of Independence. And judging from the banner above, he's with the first army, the strongest army in his disposal, led by a powerful female warrior of unwavering loyalty known as General Vista. No one's been able to beat their army, not even Farron's as of yet," they spoke in amazement, feeling the strong breeze blow through, more so that the sight offered freedom far from one's comprehension.

"So how do we get the supplies in the city?"

"We go from the side, or we wait till the attack dies down and they retreat back to their camp. Either way, it's dangerous as of now. I don't think that even you could be able to go against an army by yourself. These are the real deal. Trained veterans and professional killers that have been honed by a woman wielding an iron fist of her own."

"You're making me want to try my luck. Sure, if that's what you believe. But with Cecil here by my side, I don't need an army with me, right?"

"Ehh?! Are you serious? It looks too dangerous for both of us! There's like thousands of them while there's only two of us. Please don't do this to me, Laruse! I still have a lot of things to live for," she pleaded, hiding behind him, looking and feeling the pulse of the strong spells being casted upon the walls, like a hailstorm from the angry heavens above.

"There goes my faith in you. I don't want to wait that long, so I'll improvise. It sounds flashy and egotistic, but I promised someone that I'd be back right away. I don't break promises, not unless there's an exception. So here's the plan," he drew them all in to a circle, huddling as he spoke the plan he thought of as ingenious. yet a bit reckless.

"What do you mean 'a bit reckless!' What you want is utterly reckless! And there's no other way about it! Patience doesn’t sound that bad, in fact it's better than dying! You're strong, so we don't want to lose you for the sake of our lives and the organization. So I say no to your plan," one of them said in concern, crossing his arms in disapproval.

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to agree with my friend. I really do think that you are strong, but I just don't believe that anyone can do what you plan. Maybe a hero, but not someone like you who's not. Please rethink your plan," the one who admired Laruse for his strength in defeating monsters also disapproved.

"How long has the siege been going anyway?" he asked, trying to divert the conversation for a while as he tried thinking of an alternative.

"Months on end. You'd think that a city would fall after that, but no one from the outside knows how they've been able to hold on. Everyone who's not affiliated and are neutral cities like Kausten and Sor and rooting for Harrick to outlast their ordeal, even going as far enough as to send them supplies that they could very well use. But from the looks of it, there isn't a sign of them letting up, giving those out there a bit of hope."

"So what if someone defeated the general of the first army, would that help?"

"Absolutely from my point of view. Though there are many other outcomes. I know for a fact that their army might become disheartened, but who knows what comes afterwards. I don't dare myself to find out."

"Hmm, I might have another Idea," he reached for something in his neck, playing with it as he wracked his brains some more, looking at the organized army standing by a safe distance away from the retaliating army of Port City Harrick, supported by the bombarding mage platoon positioned to the sides of the main army.

"Does it have to do with something like your last plan? Something along the lines of 'I'll act as the decoy while you run to the city gates'? I sure hope that you're thinking of something else," one of their companions expressed his concerns.

"Don't worry, it might be bad, or better, who knows. But This will for sure defeat that mob of an army. It sounds cruel, but there'll be a massacre, possibly," he stood up, taking a necklace, with a small crystal shard on it, from his neck, allowing the shard to shine brightly.

"What is that? It's beautiful," Cecil asked curiously, tranced by the different amount of colors that the light projected from it.

"It's just a little present I got from someone I met in a dungeon at Helia," he smiled upon looking at it.

"What can that shard do? Does it contain a powerful spell that can warp us into the city? Or is it something that can decimate the entire army standing before us," one of them said the latter part sarcastically.

"We'll find out right now. Hey, maybe you'll be amazed as to how far I can throw stuff. Alright, here goes nothing," Laruse faced the direction of where the army was currently waiting in their formation, backing up a bit as he tightly clutched the shard, but not enough to break it.

"Cecil, I want you to channel your energy on this. When it gets near soldiers, I want you to destroy it with your magic. Don't overdo it, just a small fire arrow can do. is that alright with you?" he asked her, explaining that she is pivotal if the plan is to work at all.

"S-sure, I can do that. here, let me touch it for a bit," she placed a finger upon the shard, then closing her eyes for a brief moment. "There, I'm ready."

"Good. Now be ready. If we don't do this properly, we'll have to resort to my original plan," he pressured her with his threat of a plan, making Cecil tense up, but focus in fear of failing, readying her finger as she pointed it towards the soldiers.

With a run, he quickly threw the shard as far as he could, amazingly reaching a height that was unexplainable, but enough to give Cecil ample time to fire the spell.

"Flame arrow!" she spoke the words, invoking a small spark to appear from her finger, quickly shooting through like an arrow, but faster.

"Did you get it, Cecil?"

"I-I think I did. I don't know. Please don't make us charge through the field, Laruse," she pleaded already, not being sure of whether she succeeded of not.

"It doesn't matter. Get over here, Cecil!" Laruse quickly ran and hid behind the wagon for some reason, taking Cecil with him.

"Hey, what's wrong, why were you hiding?" the two of their companions followed as well, nervous since they know little to nothing about his plans, and that they feel something bad amiss.

A moment of silence came, and the bombing seemed to cease, much to the group's surprise.

After another moment of silence, they could then hear loud agonizing yells and painful screams and wails for help, some of those voices screaming out were being cut off, almost like something happened to them.

Laruse inched from the wagon, peeking from the side, which the others did as well, curious as to what it was all about.

The first things their eyes laid upon was a vast field filled with blood and the bodies of the fallen mangled or eviscerated in an inhuman way, giving off a gut-wrenching feel just from watching everything unravel from a distance.

Something, or someone was in the center, whittling out the ranks of soldiers with ease like they were made out of paper.

"What the hell is happening out there?!" the wagon drivers said in disbelief, unable to believe the sight of a massacre happening before them.

There were those that were trying to escape, and there were those that was trying to fight. Both proved useless as they were cut down or impaled without mercy.

"Laruse! This is bad. Just what did you throw?! This is worse than anything I've thought of. What should we do, there's a mad killer on the loose, and whoever it is might go after us as well," Cecil said in a panic, turning away and hiding from the menace on the fields.

There was an immense aura of bloodlust surrounding them, and it petrified evert living being within its circle of influence. They could not move, let alone react to the fear they were being assaulted with.

Even those in the city seemed to have stood silent in the wake of what was happening.

Yet there was a voice that seemed to rally those that still lived, howling commands that seemed to ignore the terror before her.

"Retreat! Back to the camp, starting from the rear! Vanguard, form up and make a defensive line for the retreating soldiers! Don't break formation at any cost! Whatever it is we are dealing with now cannot be explained, but stay vigilant!" she bellowed out, her army already on the verge of being reduced to nothing as the dark gown wearing young girl seemed to waltz from one soldier to another, making it seem like she disappeared and reappeared with such agility that made it impossible for some to see her, let alone catch a glimpse.

"General! There's another one here! - Ack!" a man spoke just in time to alert his superior, but at the cost of his head, which parted from his body, leaving nothing but a fountain of blood to spew forth from the still standing body of the deceased soldier.

"This is a bit worse than I originally thought. C'mon, Cecil. Let's do something about this. She might just end up killing the entire army by herself, then move on to the city," Laruse went forward, yet he could not hear her at all.

"Cecil?" he turned around only to find her not moving, petrified from fear, not even blinking.

He shook her shoulders in an attempt to snap her awake from the daze, but he was unsuccessful, leaving him by himself to resolve his own plan.

"Then I'll have to do it myself then," he said, running off, his jacket fluttering with the wind as he laid his eyes once more upon the horrid sight of a massacre littering the once beautiful fields, not covered in red instead of green.

He quickly reached the one committing all the atrocities of killing mercilessly, saying something as she continued her rampage with a nonchalant face.

"Is he here, sister? Please check. He won't matter if he's dead. I almost thought that he would not call, and I would have to work hard and hunt him down."

"I am a bit occupied, sister. It seems that this one is trying her best to hold her own, and I simply find that amusing. I shall toy with her for a while, then take her life."

He heard them speak to each other, making him think to himself - 'Are they looking for me?' which was predictable, seeing as how she stated that she would find him once the shard was broken.

Just as her other identical copy was about to impale the armored woman, who commanded the army, Laruse called out, immediately distracting their attentions, drawing it to him, also sparing the girl who looked ragged after fighting for a short while against one of the copies; her armor already cracked, her sword, broken in half.

"I can't let you kill her. I've already assumed that you're looking for me, right? Then I'm here," he arrived acting gallantly, facing them both with a small grin on his face; his sword already unsheathed.