The Runic Alchemist

With half their forces, Damian, Mira, and seven other captains, along with their units, ventured into the valley to keep the escape route open as the other half evacuated civilians from villages scattered across the valley and kept watch on the river entrance. Even though they were breaking their way through the river cave, they still continued to send monsters at continued intervals.

Damian could already sense the advancing army as he moved further into the forest surrounding the valley, though they were still beyond his attack range. He gestured for the enemy spotted and approximate distance which was transferred from his vice captains to all around him, getting the message as fast as possible to all 7 captains.

From what Damian could sense, their numbers were at least three times that of his own force and he was still sensing more coming with each second. Not to mention, some of the monsters were built like tanks and had huge amounts of mana. Though Damian was glad to see they were not too many, finding that many in this forest would be illogical.

Not just the monsters, they had also found more soldiers in just a day somehow. These damned Ashenvale guys sure were fast in their decisions.

Damian had already used some of the animal skins he had gotten from the beastmen to make temporary runic scrolls, though both the quality of the mana blood ink and the material of the skin was less than adequate. Not all skins could handle heavy runic circles and not all monster's blood was potent enough.

But he had made do with what he could get his hands on and had already set up some traps, to delay the overwhelming numbers of Ashenvale to reach the beastmen valley before they could evacuate in full.

Damian jumped from tree to tree activating his traps of fire pillars, air blades, or just plain exploding arrow spells but used on the parchments so they activated when someone stepped on it, he had to activate them beforehand though. Explosions and screams erupted throughout the forest as Ashenvale soldiers fell prey to his traps.

Damian would have loved to use bigger scrolls and heavier spells but these would have to do with such short notice.

Landing down from the last tree next to Sam, he was also ready, sword drawn, while Einar and Yovan led half the soldiers flanking him. The traps were done, now was the time to face them head on. They all exchanged determined glances as Ashenvale soldiers came in their viewing distance.

"Save your lightning until it's absolutely necessary," Damian advised, gripping his fiery-hot spear tighter.

"I know…" Sam replied, adjusting his lightning blade and preparing for the charge.

"Let's go then… CHARGE!" Damian screamed as his feet dug into the ground and he launched himself at the charging second-ranker in plate armor wielding a two-handed sword. Experience tales with mvl

The forest filled with the battle cries of Eldoris soldiers as they surged forward under their captains' lead. Damian deflected the massive sword strike with his spear, using its reach to pierce another nearby soldier's back. Retrieving his spear, he delivered a powerful kick to the armored man's chest, denting the plate armor.

The second-ranker staggered back, aura blazing, as two fiery projectiles launched from red runic circles near his leg armor. Damian had seen it coming though and without wasting any time used his spear to change the trajectory to throw it back on the group of Ashenvale soldiers.

The second-ranker roared in frustration as his attack failed and backfired, his golden aura flaring even brighter. Leaping high, he attempted to cleave Damian in two with his massive sword, but instead, he was impaled by a field of wooden spikes that erupted from the ground, piercing through his armor and chainmail all together.

His aura flickered, his sword fell from his grip, and blood oozed from his wounds.

Damian quickly stored the fallen sword in his spatial storage. Channeling mana into his spear, he unleashed a deadly circle of flames, incinerating over 20 Ashenvale soldiers who froze in shock at their captain's swift demise. Using the trees for faster travel, Damian dodged incoming spells as he advanced toward the next second-ranker.

Einar cut through the Ashenvale ranks with a more deadly than beautiful swordsmanship, leaving a red trail of red aura and blood in her wake, it was hard to tell which was which. Yovan's team of mages coordinated devastating spells that wiped out waves of soldiers with each attack.

Meanwhile, The half unit that Damian had left in Sam's charge was making steady progress with all the soldiers and first rankers Damian left them with as he charged forward hunting second rankers as if spirit of vengeance came alive, though this spirit cared more about enemy items than the vengeance itself.

He left some second-rankers for Mira and the other captains, who were fighting with abilities beyond his expectations. Mira's strikes were so powerful they toppled entire trees, yet her martial arts technique was as elegant as it was deadly.

Also the young blonde captain with a fierce golden aura who fought with the intensity of a demon unleashed—her noble background evident only in her stance and discipline, her eyes thirsty for blood.

Damian intervened whenever anyone faced multiple second-rankers, swiftly neutralizing threats with his fiery spear. His mana senses proved invaluable, helping him evade spells and aura attacks, though he knew his movement technique still needed improvement. They were successfully stalling the enemy, but for every foe they defeated, three seemed to take their place.

After over an hour of holding ground, they gradually had to fall back, fighting every step.

Finally, reinforcements arrived from the beastmen and Royce's troops, providing relief to the injured and exhausted that had accumulated among their ranks. Damian assisted in securing their positions, personally holding back a large group of monsters to cover the rotation. Yet, even he was beginning to tire now, his mana reserves were waning.

And the fight had just begun. The hour was barely enough time to evacuate everyone and they still had one third of the population to go.

The task was starting to feel impossible.