《The Special Forces》 Volume 1: A New Era Begins Prolouge : The Plan ¡°How does our army fare in the border?¡± the King asked the General. ¡°Things are deteriorating fast, we have lost over a thousand men in just a week, we cannot continue this Your Majesty¡± said the General. ¡°We indeed cannot, do you have a plan in mind?¡±. ¡°Indeed I do, I intend to change the way we fight our wars Your Majesty. I plan to-¡±. ¡°Do not tell me your plan General, I do not have knowledge about battle, it is useless to tell me and I hope you can keep it secret, there are ears and eyes everywhere¡± interrupted the King.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I understand, then I shall take my leave.¡± ¡°Be careful old friend.¡± ¡°I will, thank you.¡± Outside the throne room, a set of malicious eyes was looking inside. ¡°This goddamned old fool, if you weren¡¯t so dumb I would have know what his plan is. I have to stay in this forsaken place longer¡± As the General left the castle, his Colonel met him and started discussing with him. ¡°So Kaolin, will you proceed with the plan?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me by name outside, and yes we will proceed with our plan. Fighting with large armies are too costly. We need smaller units whose skills are higher than the regular soldiers and-¡± ¡°SHHHHH, we¡¯re in public don¡¯t talk about the plan, I know you¡¯re excited and all but keep it down¡± interrupted the Colonel. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t help it. However we need to find those individuals who can fight and have unique talents now and I have just the perfect idea.¡± Volume 1 Chapter 1: The Scout Volume 1 Chapter 1: The Scout "Hey sis, I''m going out to buy dinner okay?" Eric was preparing to go out and asked his twin sister Erica what she wanted. "I don''t care, buy something that can be eaten." Erica responded with contempt and went back to her own room" ''What''s her problem, she''s been colder to me this past few months. I hope we can resolve this.'' Eric finally finished preparing and went out of his house into the Kingdom of Thurnia
¡°Im not gonna be your girlfriend Ryan, I have never liked you and I never will.¡± ¡°Come on Lyralei, I¡¯m the son of the mayor, I¡¯m rich and I¡¯m pretty strong too with my Skills. What¡¯s not attractive about me?¡± The teenagers were shouting in front of the market causing passers-by to look at them with curious eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t like your attitude Ryan so just drop it.¡± The girl, Lyralei tried to leave however she was stopped by Ryan. ¡°Well then, I guess I just have to take you by force.¡± Ryan started gaining muscle mass and grow taller. He then threw a punch towards Lyralei but it missed her completely.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with Skills and I¡¯ll teach you that you can¡¯t force people just because your powerful!¡± Lyralei¡¯s body started getting blurry and she began to move much faster than a regular person. As Eric was walking to the market, he noticed a crowd forming around two people and decided to ask around as what was happening. ¡°Excuse me miss, what seems to be happening?¡± he asked a woman near to him. ¡°There seems to be two Skill Users fighting and they¡¯re good fighters too.¡± replied the woman who was getting excited from seeing two skilled people fight. Eric turned to look and saw a guy with bulging muscles who was motioning to punch the girl, but the surprising thing was that he couldn¡¯t hit her no matter how hard he tried. ¡°Wow, are the two of them Skill Users? The guy looks like he¡¯s using a body enhancing skill, either that or drugs and the girl seemed to be blurring her body to avoid attacks.¡± replied Eric. ¡°Yeah they are, apparently the boy over there wants the girl to be his girlfriend but she refused.¡± explained the woman. Eric continued watching the fight going on, hoping to see more action.
¡°Why the hell am I not hitting you? What kind of skill is that?!¡± Ryan was getting frustrated at his attacks not connecting. He spent over two minutes punching and kicking to no avail. ¡°My skill prevents any physical attacks. Give up now or I will really beat you up.¡± Throughout the fight, Lyralei was starting to grind down Ryan¡¯s defenses. Although she was not as strong as he, the fact that he couldn¡¯t damage her and her stamina at fighting back made Ryan start to weaken. ¡°So it prevents physical attacks huh? I may not look like it but I¡¯m pretty smart too, I¡¯ll just use magic then!¡± Ryan who was on the verge of losing suddenly stood up straight and chanted. ¡°Coat my arms in the flames of death!¡± Ryan¡¯s body was engulfed in flames and he suddenly started to hurt Lyralei. After repeated hits with flaming arms, Lyralei couldn¡¯t take it anymore and fainted. ¡°For humiliating me, I¡¯m gonna fucking kill you!¡± Eric who was watching all this time, couldn¡¯t bear to see the girl get killed and immediately rushed to the front and shouted. ¡°I summon you, o holy light!¡± Light suddenly enveloped Lyralei and healed her of her wounds however she was still unconscious. Eric carried her and ran away from the area as the police were starting to arrive so that the girl can recover.
¡°Those three show promise. That large guy seem to have attitude problems but the General wants talent first. I guess I need to report this to him and see what he decides.¡± The woman Eric talked to muttered to herself as she left the scene. Volume 1 Chapter 2: Introductions Volume 1 Chapter 2 : The Introduction Eric had run about 4 streets carrying Lyralei when she finally woke up. ¡°Wh-who are you? Where am I? Put me down this instant!¡± Lyralei was panicked after she found herself far away from where she was before, with a person she didn¡¯t know carrying her. ¡°Calm down, I saved you from that guy. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re safe now.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to believe you! For all I know you might be Ryan¡¯s friend!¡± ¡®So his name is Ryan huh¡¯ Eric thought. ¡°I¡¯ll demonstrate my skill to you so you¡¯ll believe me. Is that good enough?¡± Eric finally put her down and took his knife to cut his own arm. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± Lyralei was panicking again after seeing Eric wounding himself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my Skill is a heal. I summon you, o holy light!¡± After Eric demonstrated his Skill, he started to introduce himself. ¡°Well should we start over? My name is Eric, Eric Ross¡± ¡°My name is Lyralei Windrunner, wait did you say Ross?¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. After Lyralei heard a familiar name, she began to start acting excited. ¡°What¡¯s your relation to Erica Ross? You look really like her.¡± ¡°Erica? She¡¯s my twin sister.¡± ¡°Ehh? How come we don¡¯t know she has a brother? She¡¯s like the most famous person in our school.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t go to your school, anyway I have to go, my family is probably worried about me and I also have to buy something.¡± Eric finally left after saying that, leaving Lyralei to think about what had happened.
¡°Hey sis, I¡¯m back.¡± Eric called out to his sister as he entered the house and set down the food. ¡°What took you so long, I¡¯m hungry now. What did you buy?¡± Erica was irritated and didn¡¯t hide it in the way she acted as she went down from her room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there was a commotion outside the market and it delayed me. I bought you you¡¯re favorite food.¡± Eric brought out roasted chicken and buttered corn and set it in front of her. ¡°Hmmph! At least you bought me actual food. Wait what are you eating for dinner?¡± After seeing that only her food was there, she was confused and asked Eric. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We need to cut back on costs, dad didn¡¯t send as much money this month.¡± ¡®Should I offer him part of my food? But I¡¯m supposed to be angry at him. What should I do if he hasn¡¯t eaten a lot.¡¯ As Erica was agonizing over her thoughts, Eric went up to his room. ¡°I¡¯ll go sleep now, wash the dishes you use.¡± Before Erica could even think of a way to discretely give him food, Eric immediately went to his room and slept.
In the headquarters of the Kingdom¡¯s Army A messenger entered the main room of the building bearing a message from the scouts. ¡°General, you have a letter from one of the scouts. Specifically, Amanda from the southern province.¡± ¡°Thank you, let me read it in private.¡± After the General read the letter, he began thinking about his plan. ¡®So even Amanda found 3 potential candidates. Other scouts have also found people with such tremendous talent. If all goes well, my plan might actually work. I have to think of ways to convince and compensate this people. They¡¯re absolutely important for our kingdom to survive.¡¯ The General then began to prepare to meet the first two people the scouts discovered, the two arena fighters in the deserts of Nazir. Volume 1 Chapter 3: The Gladiators Volume 1Chapter 3: The Gladiators ¡°Ha! You call yourself Axe? My blade sings as it cuts you!¡± ¡°Come to me Bradwarden! You inferior beast!¡± Two muscular figures carrying massive battle axes squared off in the field of battle. One was red-skinned with heavy scars all over his body, and bulging muscles. Another was a half man half beast, with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. A so called centaur. Both were fighting an exhibition match for the largest Arena of the continent, the Battlegrounds of Nazir. As the Bradwarden circled aroung the arena looking for an opening, Axe disappeared and suddenly appeared right next to the centaur and taunted him. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got Centaur? The beggars in the streets hit harder than you!¡± As Bradwarden started hitting Axe, he started counterattacking, spinning with his axe whenever he was hit. However, Bradwarden seemed to take no damage and ignored the attacks made by Axe. ¡°Your attacks tickle me Axe, try harder!¡± Axe¡¯s axe seemed to bounce off the skin of the centaur and in fact, it seemed to damage Axe due to it¡¯s toughness.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The two continued the fight, unaware of the eyes, both malicious and hopeful, watching them.
The General picked up the reports and started reading about all the people his scouts have found to have some sort of skill that might prove of use to the war. ¡±Well they¡¯re talented no doubt. I didn¡¯t know there are so many people with such special talents exist.¡± One of his assistants spoke up and handed another set of reports to him. ¡°They¡¯re not the only talent we have seen. New reports have come in and far in the north, there is a bar frequented by people skilled in hand-to-hand fighting . In the deserts, a woman with extreme with fire may be promising and the Temple of Xin and his apprentices might be of help. Amanda also found young talent in the south, one of which is the abandoned son of Lord Taren Ross." "If his son is there, that means his twin sister should be there too right?" "Yes, it seems that he is the servant of his sister." The General took out a profile of Erica and started reading it. "Well, we need to expend efforts in recruiting Ms. Erica Ross, it seems she is one of the best young talent we have." Just as the General finished the report, one of his guards entered and saluted. ¡°General! There is a person outside claiming to be a captain of the Royal Guard sent by the King.¡± ¡°Let him in, I have been expecting him.¡± The soldier led the man inside and he introduced himself. ¡°Good morning General, my name is Fadlan. I am the captain of the Second Squad of the Royal Guard, the Dragon Corps. His Highness sent me and my troops to help you in the execution of your plan.¡± ¡°I have heard of you Fadlan, one of the best and the most trusted by the king himself. You made your name in the fight against the Terror of The Tide did you not? A pleasure to have you here.¡± While they were about to talk about his plan, another messenger barged in and relayed a message to the General. ¡°General! It seems the Empire is about to make a move towards the Battlegrounds of Nazir. The scouts there are requesting aid in order to secure the gladiators!¡± ¡°Damn! Fadlan how long will it take you to reach the City of Nazir?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are the fastest squad in the army due to my Skill, we can reach Nazir in an hour and a half. ¡± ¡°Then I will be right behind you, lead the way Captain.¡± The General and Fadlan rushed outside and started preparing to move to rescue the gladiators. Volume 1 Chapter 4: The Great Escape Volume 1Chapter 4: The Great Escape Just as the battle between Axe and Bradwarden was about to reach it¡¯s peak, an explosion rattled outside the Arena and interrupted them. ¡°Everyone! Please calm yourselves and exit through the emergency doors.¡± The manager of the Arena shouted and took control of the situation in order to stop the panic. He led everyone towards the backside of the arena and started evacuating the spectators out. As everyone was leaving, a person in a hood ran over to the two gladiators. ¡°My name is Nazgrel and I¡¯m from the army, we have been watching over you and believe that the explosion outside is part of a plan by the Empire to capture you. Please follow me so we can escape.¡± As the hooded fellow motioned for them to follow, Axe refused to and stopped him. ¡°Why should Axe trust you? You don¡¯t look like a soldier, how should Axe believe that you are from the army?¡± ¡°I am not a soldier but a scout, a spy you could say. We have been watching over you because we wanted to recruit you.¡± Nazgrel replied to them and showed them his insignia, the badge for the Reconnaissance Company. ¡°Hmmm, I shall believe you stranger but our style of fighting does not fit an army, why would you recruit us.¡± They finally managed to reach outside, only to be met by raging infernos that set the houses ablaze. Nazgrel spotted 10 soldiers all with armors that had no identification and guessed they were from the Empire. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time to explain, let¡¯s just say you two are gonna be part of something greater than an army.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Nazgrel then pointed out to the soldiers and said: ¡°See those soldiers? They are after you. We need to hide until reinforcements come and rescue us.¡± ¡°Hide? Axe does not hide! Axe fights!¡± Just as Nazgrel turned around to run, Axe suddenly rushed towards the enemy with his axe raised high. ¡°That fool! You can¡¯t fight them alone!¡± Bradwarden was forced to follow Axe as he was worried that he would get himself killed but that was proven unfounded. Axe jumped right in the middle of the enemy and started ravaging them with devastating hits from his great-axe. ¡°HAHAHA, Come to Axe!¡± He managed to kill 4 of the 10 before Bradwarden arrived to help him kill the rest. ¡°You done showing off? Let¡¯s go, there are more incoming according to reports from my comrades.¡± Nazgrel led them away from the center of the city and made their way south. ¡°How do you know there are more incoming? Do you have some sort of Skill?¡± Bradwarden questioned Nazgrel as they were weaving throughout the alleys. ¡°I have a hawk hovering around the city. I can use a Skill to make me see what my hawk sees. Get ready, there are 5 approaching in our direction in that intersection.¡± They waited and ambushed the patrol with a Stomp from Bradwarden that stunned them. ¡°Taste my steel!¡± Bradwarden used his own axe to kill all 5 with a single blow and they continued on their escape. ¡°Axe noticed that they are burning the houses. Who are these people?¡± ¡°They¡¯re from the Empire, they¡¯re here for two things. You two and to destroy this city.¡± ¡°Why would they do that? And where are the guards of this city?¡± Centaur asked Nazgrel as he managed to kill two more of the enemy soldiers. ¡°They managed to inflitrate the city by posing as tourists to watch the fights. They smuggled in armor and weapons and killed the guards.¡± Nazgrel stopped in a park and near a boulder, retrieved a greatsword buried near it. ¡°Prepare yourselves, we might need to fight our way out of the city, the gate is guarded by about 50 soldiers.¡± ¡°Then when we reach the gate, I shall use a Skill of mine. I can increase the movespeed of my allies and everyone we hit will get stunned.¡± ¡°Axe will jump in, Axe can kill all of them with my axe!¡± Bradwarden and Axe discussed a plan with Nazgrel until they reached the gate. ¡°Axe shall go in first then! Come to me!¡± Axe ran straight into the enemy troops and taunted them while counter-attacking with his axe. Centaur activated his skill and also ran into the middle, using both his hooves and his axe to wreak havoc on the enemy ranks. Nazgrel stayed on the fringes of the battle, picking off stray soldiers while shouting warning to the two about what he could see from his hawk. Axe and Bradwarden stood side-by-side and destroyed the formation of the enemy and managed to reach the enemy captain. ¡°You will get nothing! Good day sir!¡± Axe smashed down on the captain with his axe, killing him in one strike. This opened up a path to safety and the three of them ran out of the city. Volume 1 Chapter 5: The Rendezvous Volume 1Chapter 5: TheRendezvous ¡°General, I have received a message from Nazgrel. They have escaped the city and are hiding in a homestead 1.7 kilometers southeast.¡± A scout approached the General and relayed a message that was sent by Nazgrel with one of his hawks that were trained for communication. ¡°Send a rider ahead to inform Fadlan and the Dragon Corps about their whereabouts. We will meet them there.¡± As the scout left to do as he was told, the assistants of the General approached him and asked questions. ¡°General, did they really attack Nazir just so we are denied the chance of recruiting the warriors? I do not think that diverting men from the war just to kill some few above average people is worth it.¡± ¡°Judging by the fact that they sent an army instead of assassins, the gladiators are probably not their main goal in the takeover.¡± ¡°Also, the takeover of the city is not gonna last long. They are in unfamiliar territory and dispatching an army is easy for us due to how close Nazir is to our base. This points to the fact that this might be an in and out operation. General, is there something of value in Nazir that we do not know about?¡± The General was shocked for a moment but then shook his head and laughed. ¡°I am truly lucky to have such insightful and smart assistants. If the Battlegrounds is the most recognizable place in Nazir, then the Library is the second. It is to scholars what the Battlegrounds are to warriors. There are rumors that the Library houses an artifact that could help in the war. Even I am unsure of the truthfulness of this rumors but this must be what the Empire is after.¡± ¡°Then we need to hurry up and retake Nazir General. We cannot let the Empire take the Library if an artifact is indeed there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too hasty. An old friend guards the library and I¡¯m sure that he can hold it for at least a week.¡± And thus the army marched towards Nazir preparing to recapture it from the invaders.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°So, was I right about the artifact?¡± ¡°Yes, you have been a great help to us.¡± ¡°Then does this mean I get to be an adviser for the Empire now? I¡¯ve provided you with information about their plans, it¡¯s time for you grant your promise.¡± ¡°Of course, go to the capital. The minister will grant you what you want.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go yet. If they notice I¡¯m missing they might be suspicious. I¡¯ll go there when I get the chance.¡± As the man left, the one who remained suddenly scowled. ¡®You really think I will make a traitor into an adviser? When you go to the capital I¡¯ll have you killed so you don¡¯t get a chance to betray us too.¡¯
It was evening. Fadlan and the corps where rushing towards the city when they received the whereabouts of Nazgrel and the rescued fighters. They turned around and were near the farm when they were ambushed by a patrol of common soldiers. ¡°Really? You lot seek to stop the Dragon Corps? This is a waste of our time.¡± Fadlan¡¯s first lieutenant, Fealryc complained as the Corps proceeded to wipe the floor with the enemy soldiers. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, you don¡¯t send elites out patrolling.¡± Fadlan¡¯s second lieutenant, Emma responded as she pulled her sword out of the chest of the captain of the enemy patrol. ¡°Good job, we are pretty near the homestead according to this map, everyone stay here. I¡¯ll approach alone so I can avoid enemy patrols. I¡¯ll meet them and bring them here and we will wait for the General and his army outside the city. I¡¯ll leave the Corps to you two.¡± ¡°Sir, yes sir!¡± The corps saluted which Fadlan returned before he left.
¡°Captain, I need to go relieve myself. Can I go towards the woods?¡± ¡°Do it fast, we need to move in 6 minutes.¡± The soldier moved towards woods and was about to lower his pants when he saw movement on the woods. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± He shouted out loud while unsheathing his sword. He moved further into the woods and unsheathed his sword. ¡°I know I saw you. Come out with your hands up and-¡± That was all he could say before a dagger pierced his skull and instantly killed him.
¡°Shit, I need to hurry. The people he¡¯s with will notice he¡¯s gone.¡± Fadlan dragged the body behind a rock and retrieved his dagger from the corpse. He started running towards the homestead and arrived there with no problems which he found unsettling. ¡°The Empire¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°Long live the Kingdom.¡± When Fadlan mentioned the code word, Nazgrel walked out and said the response. ¡°My name¡¯s Fadlan, Captain of the Dragon Corps. Are you Nazgrel?¡± ¡°I am Nazgrel. I have heard of the Dragon Corps and all their glory. It is an honor to have you come get us.¡± Fadlan explained the plan of meeting the General outside the city and Nazgrel called out to the two warriors. ¡°Bradwarden, Axe, we need to leave. The General probably needs us to retake the city.¡± ¡°Axe is awake. Axe is ready to leave and fight!¡± ¡°Calm yourself, we still need to wait for the Kingdom¡¯s army.¡± The two gladiators emerged from the darkness and they prepared to move out. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get out of here. My soldiers are waiting for us.¡± Volume 1 Chapter 6: The Retaking Volume 1Chapter 6: The Retaking The four of them made it back to the corps with surprising ease which unsettled both Fadlan and Bradwarden. ¡°We need to keep our eyes open. We are approaching the desert and there is nothing to hide our movements. It is quite easy to spot a platoon like ours moving through. Good thing it is evening or we would have even more trouble.¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely correct Bradwarden. Men turn off the lights. We have to move in complete darkness.¡± Just as they left the woods, they found themselves surrounded by a large amount of enemy soldiers. ¡°You think I will not notice a single soldier disappearing? You make yourselves too obvious. March and annihilate them. Leave none alive!¡± The enemy commander shouted out to them and the enemy started to move towards them. ¡°Everyone! Go into the turtle formation. Axe, Bradwarden, may I ask you to protect our backs?¡± ¡°I have a better proposal. The two of them absolutely dominate when they are in the center of battle. Have your half your corps switch to their ranged weapons and the rest frontline with the two of them. ¡± Nazgrel suggested another course of action which Axe agreed upon. ¡°Axe can fight an entire army alone! Come to Axe!¡± Axe rushed towards the enemy forcing Bradwarden to follow him just like the fight in the city. The two gladiators crashed into the enemy with bloodlust and began a massacre. The enemy tried to collapse into the two however the Dragon Corps rained arrows on them forcing them back. ¡°Emma, Fealryc, divide the corps into two and execute the hammer and anvil maneuver.¡± Emma took half of the corps and drove into the middle of the enemy splitting them apart while Fealryc took the rest and flanked to the right of the enemy. Suddenly, Emma¡¯s group turned to the right and started pressuring that half of the army. The rest of the enemy tried to help however they were intercepted by Axe and Bradwarden, driving them back. Unable to withstand the two-pronged attack from Emma and Fealryc¡¯s groups, the right half of the enemy was eventually routed and destroyed by the corps. ¡°Commander, we cannot keep this up! We need to retreat and inform the General in the city!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, send a messenger up ahead. Everyone else, retreat!¡± Nazgrel noticed a single soldier running up ahead and summoned a wolf. The wolf ran down the soldier in a matter of seconds, killing him instantly before disappearing. ¡°Stampede!¡± The centaur suddenly activated his skill, giving all his allies increased speed allowing them to chase down the remaining enemy. ¡°Tremble before me!¡± ¡°Come to Axe!¡± Bradwarden stomped down stunning all nearby enemies while Axe used his Skill Berserker¡¯s Call, forcing them to attack him. After they finished off the soldiers, Fadlan examined the aftermath of the fight. ¡°Fealryc, how much soldiers died from our side?¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Out of the 40, we lost 3 of them Captain.¡± ¡°List them down, we need to give reparations to their families. Men, we need to move on to the rendezvous point. Move out.¡±
2 hours later ¡°General, we have managed to scout out the city due to our beastmasters'' hawks, here is the gathered intel.¡± ¡°Thank you Fadlan, give me the rest of the night to figure out a plan. Have your men rest now.¡± The General and his army finally caught up to the Dragon Corps and camped out near the city. ¡°We¡¯ll need to move out immediately tomorrow, my friend might be able to keep the Library safe but the citizens must be suffering. Do you have any suggestions?¡± The General then spent the night thinking of a plan with the help of his assistants. 6 hours later ¡°Fadlan, my army will enter through the south gate and distract their army. Take 5 of your best soldiers and accompany Axe, Bradwarden and Nazgrel to the Library. Fire a flare to signal that you have arrived and we will converge there. After the Library is secured, we will then move to liberate the rest of the city.¡± ¡°Affirmative sir, you heard the General men. Ready yourselves, we move out now!¡± Their combined army started their siege of the the city and managed to open the gate in the south wall. ¡°Then we¡¯ll split up here. Nazgrel, guide them towards the Library. Keep safe everybody.¡± ¡°Emma, pick four soldiers and come with us. Fealryc, I¡¯ll leave the Corps under your command.¡± The nine of them then left for the Library, weaving through the alleys. ¡°We should probably help the General in fighting the army. Let¡¯s destroy some of their units to relieve some pressure.¡± Bradwarden suggested a plan after seeing all the soldiers running around which Nazgrel agreed to. ¡°Then let¡¯s do just that. My wolves, to me!¡± Nazgrel summoned his two wolves and ordered them to engage on any soldier they passed through. The wolves ran amok on the enemy, picking off anyone they could find and ravaging them. Axe finished off any enemy who managed to escape the wolves, culling them with one blow. ¡°There¡¯s the Library. Everyone, let¡¯s go do our job! ¡±
This godforsaken soldiers are so useless. They can¡¯t even do a simple job as capturing a building? ¡°Why can¡¯t you people enter the Library yet? It¡¯s just one person! How hard can it be?¡± Why am I leading such an incompetent squad? I should have a higher rank but I¡¯m stuck here babysitting idiots who can¡¯t even kill a single person? ¡°But sir, the hallway he is defending from is too narrow to fit more than a few soldiers. He¡¯s also not your average soldier.¡± ¡°What do you mean not your average soldier? Maybe you all are just too stupid. We¡¯ve been here for 4 hours. 4 hours! And you haven¡¯t even made any progress. Can¡¯t you just mob him till he get¡¯s too exhausted to continue?¡± ¡°We will lose too many men doing that sir!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! My promotion is on the line here. My order is final, go now!¡± ¡°Yes sir. I will do-¡± ¡°Sir! We have been flanked! Our right side was completely caught off guard and has been wiped out!¡± ¡°What! How did this happen? How many are there?¡± ¡°There¡¯s about ten of them sir, and they¡¯re heading right this way!¡± What the hell? This isn¡¯t what I signed up for. The mission was just to take a building. ¡°Follow me, let¡¯s see what¡¯s happening there.¡± When I arrived there, all I saw was all hell breaking loose. A red man who was swinging around an axe while laughing. A centaur stomping around for fuck¡¯s sake! There¡¯s a centaur this far east? Why are there wolves running around too! There¡¯s also soldiers that are systematically destroying us! Why can¡¯t my soldiers be like that? ¡°Everyone, move back! We can¡¯t fight them in the streets! Lure them into an open area! You there, run and get us reinforcements from the headquarters.¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯m from the headquarters. They¡¯re also asking for reinforcements.¡± What the hell is happening, minutes ago everything was falling into place now we¡¯re getting destroyed. ¡°Fuck this shit, I might want a promotion but I value my life more. Everyone we need to retre-¡± That was all he could shout before a sword came out of nowhere to pierce his skull. ¡°Well, that¡¯s all of them. Let¡¯s go to the Library.¡± Nazgrel spoke while taking out his sword from the head of the enemy leader. ¡°Are you the people sent by the General? You have been a great help.¡± Just as they reached the Library, a wiry looking man met them outside. ¡°Yeah we are. We¡¯re supposed to secure the artifact. Is it safe?¡± Fadlan replied to the man while preparing the flare to signal the completion of their mission. ¡°It¡¯s safe. So what¡¯s the plan now?¡± ¡°We wait for the General to finish the job here. Can we wait inside?¡± ¡°Sure, it is a public place. Just not for Empire soldiers.¡±
¡°General, they seemed to have finished their job. The artifact is probably safe.¡± One of the General¡¯s assistants spotted the flare and reported it. ¡°Is that so? Then let¡¯s finish fast, we still have lots of things to do after this. Everyone, if we can finish within an hour you are all getting a bonus.¡± The General nodded and mounted his horse riding towards the battle himself. ¡°You heard that everyone? For the Kingdom!¡± ¡°For the Kingdom!" Volume 1 Epilogue: The Special Forces Volume 1 Epilogue: Future Plans In the city hall of Nazir, the General was sitting in the seat of the Mayor while reading documents when the door suddenly opened. ¡°Sir, Bradwarden wants to speak with you. However, he is unable to enter the building. He is uh, a little too large for the doors.¡± ¡°Hahaha, tell him I will meet him outside. We shall take a walk while talking. Let me finish this first.¡± ¡°Understood sir.¡± One of his assistants, Pharys informed him about a request from the centaur. He then took his leave to inform the centaur. ¡°Now, apparently there is a country of demihumans far to the north of the Empire still untouched by them. I wonder how the two of them are related to that.¡± The General spoke to himself after reading the reports his scouts provided him with about the two warriors.
¡°Your Excellency, the plan to take Nazir failed. We have lost over 75 percent of our troops sent there!¡± The general of the army of the Empire complained to the Regent who looked bored and indifferent. ¡°That plan was doomed anyway. They were only there to figure out where the armies of the Kingdom are stationed. Besides, we figured out what the enemy is planning. Anything else is icing on the cake.¡± ¡°We lost over 1500 men just so you could know that there are demihumans in the Kingdom? This is preposterous, we can¡¯t afford to-¡± ¡°Silence! My word is law, you dare disobey me Iturgen?¡± ¡°No Your Excellency.¡± The Regent then stood up and came closer to Iturgen and whispered to him.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Good, you know what happens to dissenters do you? We have a new plan, it seems like the Order of The All-Seeing One are about to reveal the new paladins they have. Capture these people for me, we cannot let the Kingdom make use of them.¡± The Regent handed over a list of names to Iturgen and when he read it, he was shocked. ¡°Augustine Favors, Eric Ross, Leonardo Rey El Gracia! All of these are sons of well-known nobles, and the last one is the son of the second husband of the Queen! How did you get these names?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say, I have my ways. Now go and prepare, you have 5 months until they are revealed to the public.¡± Iturgen glared at the Regent before finally leaving the chamber.
¡°Well Bradwarden, what did you want to talk about?¡± The General exited the building, meeting the centaur right outside. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about why me and Axe are here. As you know, demihumans are rarely seen here, much less ones with the capability to fight.¡± ¡°Are you from that nation of demihumans then?¡± ¡°Truly your scouts are one of the best in this continent. Me and Axe are from the Alliance of Demihuman Races. We and many others were sent to the surviving nations who oppose the Empire and help them in resisting while the Alliance prepare for, well , an alliance with all of you.¡± ¡°If you are here to help us, then will you listen to my plan. I have thoughts on how to make this war winnable for my country but we cannot do it alone.¡± The General then explained his plan of making elite units of people with special Skills. ¡°That is indeed a good plan. The Alliance has been experimenting with that too. I will join you then. Axe will follow what I decided too.¡± ¡°Then I grant you leadership of my Special Forces then, Bradwarden. Let us go to the Library, I will show you the artifact. It may help us in our future battles.¡± The General and Bradwarden walked towards the Library, passing by the Dragon Corps who were maintaining order on the streets. Soon they arrived inside the Library, where the General¡¯s old friend met them. ¡°Ahh, Dorvak it has been so long.¡± ¡°Indeed it has been Kaolin.¡± The General and the man named Dorvak shook each others hand after which they went inside a heavily guarded room. ¡°This Bradwarden, is codename: Backpack. Don¡¯t be fooled by it¡¯s name, it can store up to 1000 times more than what a regular backpack with the same size can. We found it in the ruins in the forest of Mirkwood. Our magicians are trying to recreate it so we can apply it in military purposes.¡± ¡°Reproducing that will indeed make your plan more feasible. We won¡¯t need a supply line if we have several of those.¡± The three of them then left the room and entered what seemed to be a lounge area for the employees of the Library. ¡°Dorvak, can I use the favor you owe me. Will you help us in this war?¡± ¡°You have helped me much over the years, if that is what you ask, then I shall join your so called ¡®Special Forces¡¯.¡± And thus, the groundwork for the Special Forces has been laid and it¡¯s first members have been recruited. Volume 2: A New Generation (Prologue) Volume 2: A New Generation Prologue ¡°Eric Ross, you have finally finished training. Receive your weapon, the Lightbringer!¡± The Head Priest called out Eric¡¯s name and another paladin handed him a weapon, a warhammer. ¡°Augustine Favors, you have finally finished training. Receive your weapon, the Fearbreaker!¡± The Head Priest shouted the name of the son of General Ryzak and the paladin gave him another weapon, a shafted morningstar about a meter long. ¡°Leonardo Rey El Gracia, you have finally finished training. Receive your weapon, the Dawnsword!¡± Leonardo, the first son of the Queen¡¯s second husband and the second eldest son overall in the royal family was called. He received a greatsword from the paladin. The Head Priest finished calling all the other paladins and bestowing their weapons upon them.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°You shall be the new generation that will carry on the traditions of the Order of The All-Seeing one. Your weapons shall help you serve our faith. They have been blessed to never break, they shall be your identification in our Order. You will receive your assignments in a week. You will have a break until then!¡± The newly ordained Paladins shouted with joy as they left the convent. ¡°Hey Eric, we finally finished training huh! That was a long long year.¡± Augustine put his arm around Eric and they walked over to Leonardo, who was called Leo by his friends. ¡°Yeah, we finally have our own weapons. I can¡¯t wait for my assignment. I sure hope I get to join the army.¡± Eric replied to them while admiring his warhammer. ¡°Before that, isn¡¯t it almost your birthday? You¡¯re gonna be 18 soon huh! We should go out and celebrate.¡± Leo wanted to celebrate his birthday and offered to treat them to food while planning. ¡°Let¡¯s go to that barbecue place and plan Eric¡¯s birthday. You are only 18 once and we won¡¯t get many chances to celebrate anything when we¡¯re on assignment.¡± As they were walking towards the place, they noticed that the roads were suddenly deserted. Just as they tried to look around, they were interrupted by a man riding a horse-drawn carriage. ¡°Well well well, are you one of the new paladins in town? The Empire extends an invitation to celebrate and you¡¯re not allowed to decline! Some of your friends have already accepted!¡± ¡°Who the f-¡± The man then muttered something and all three of them fainted. The man then loaded the bodies and weapons into the carriage before casting a spell that made them invisible. ¡°Let¡¯s see how far our experiments can go before the Kingdom can respond hehe.¡± The man laughed and drove off towards the direction of the Empire. Volume 2 Chapter 1: Magnificent Seven Volume 2 Chapter 1: Magnificent Seven Erica was woken up really early by the doorbell ringing and was irritated when she was heading down. This irritation was immediately replaced by surprise and happiness when she saw who was outside. ¡°Advanced happy birthday Erica! You¡¯re going to be 18 tomorrow aren¡¯t you?¡± A middle-aged woman hugged Erica and kissed her on her cheek after greeting her. ¡°Mother! Thank you for taking the time to visit and celebrate.¡± ¡°Of course dear. I wouldn¡¯t miss your birthday for the world.¡± Erica then turned to the man right standing next to her mother and bowed to him. ¡°Good morning Father. I thought you were busy with your work?¡± Erica¡¯s father hugged her as well, surprising Erica before she returned the hug. ¡°Of course I wouldn¡¯t miss it. You¡¯re about to be 18? What kind of father would ignore his child for his work. I left the management of the territory to my people.¡± ¡°How about older brother and sister? Will they come too?¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to come tomorrow with their families. It took them longer to prepare so we went ahead.¡± Erica then led them inside the mansion and started talking about her plans for her birthday. ¡°Mother, I invited quite a number of people from school. I also sent invites to the prominent people in this city. I¡¯m gonna hold a grand party right here.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s good. I can form ties with the higher-ups in this city, maybe increase our trading.¡± Her father suddenly looked pensive and started thinking. ¡°Stop thinking about business for a second and enjoy this break you have. It¡¯s about to be your daughter¡¯s birthday!¡± Erica¡¯s father suddenly smiled and consoled his wife. ¡°I¡¯m joking of course. Then honey, care to walk us through your plans while we eat breakfast? It was tiring to travel through the night and we need to eat.¡± The three of them ate breakfast together while Erica discussed her plans for the party.
18 hours before (about 12:00 PM Noon) Saying that the Head Priest was angry was an understatement. He looked closer to a demon than the supposed voice of God that he was. ¡±Pray tell, how in heaven did we lose 23 paladins in the span of a day?¡± The acolyte was shivering in fear and was stuttering when he replied. ¡°We don¡¯t know. The watchers were dazed for a second then when they recovered, the boys were gone.¡± Finally, the Head Priest lost his cool. He slammed his fist against the table, destroying it. ¡°What! You¡¯re telling me they just vanished?¡± ¡°Y-yes sir!¡± ¡°Leave now. Don¡¯t inform their families yet. Let me think of something.¡± The acolyte left the room and the Head Priest was muttering to himself. ¡°This could be the work of the Empire. It won¡¯t hurt to inform the army. Kaolin and maybe Ryzak might help us too.¡± The Head Priest took out a pen and some paper, preparing to write a letter to General Kaolin. The acolyte returned to the dorms where his friends were waiting for him. ¡°So? How did it go? ¡± ¡°He¡¯s really mad. Can¡¯t blame him though. I hope Eric and the others are okay. It was gonna be his birthday soon too. We can¡¯t throw the surprise party without the man himself.¡± They sadly laughed and returned to their work.
Eric finally woke up after being knocked out for 2 hours. ¡°Huh? Where am I? OW!¡± He was looking around when he suddenly hit his head in the floor, which turned out to be a carriage. ¡°Ugh, my head fucking hurts. Who was that guy earlier? Hey August, Leo wake up.¡± Eric found out that his hands were tied so he started kicking them. ¡°Five more minu-STOP KICKING ME!¡± Leo rose suddenly, shouting curses at Eric. ¡°Leo calm down. We need to assess our situation. We¡¯ve probably been kidnapped. Wake the others up too.¡± Leo noticed that the three of them were not the only paladins in the carriage. There were 2 others whom he recognized. He woke them up and asked them what happened. ¡°We were walking home together when a guy in a carriage stopped us and next thing we know, we¡¯re here.¡± The other paladins responded with their experience which Eric found eerily similar to theirs. Before he could ponder further the carriage stopped suddenly and the covering opened up, the sun temporarily blinding them. ¡±Looks like you boys are awake. Saves me the trouble of carrying you one by one. Now get up and follow me.¡± The man who they all recognized to be the one who stopped them suddenly appeared and ordered them outside. Once they left the carriage, they saw a large wooden building that appeared out of place in the mountains they were currently in. ¡°This house boys, is where you¡¯re gonna live for the rest of your lives. Not that it¡¯s gonna be long.¡± The man laughed then led them inside. When they entered, they saw everyone of the new paladins there too, all bound in magical rope that restricted magic and movement.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Ah shit, they got all of us huh. Who are you anyway?¡± Eric shouted at the man who was leading them who laughed again and replied. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who we are. Let¡¯s just say we¡¯re researchers from the Empire and we need to experiment with you unique people.¡± ¡°Whatever it is you¡¯re planning, you¡¯re not gonna succeed. The Kingdom will stop you.¡± Augustine threatened them to which the man responded to by pretending to be scared. ¡°Oh no! They¡¯re gonna stop us! HAHAHAHA don¡¯t worry prince, you¡¯ll be long dead before they find you. Also, we know each and everyone of your identities and we already have our precautions. Just sit tight and wait for your turn.¡± Eric started thinking of a plan to escape when he saw the weapons getting carried inside the building. He signaled to everyone else using the code they were taught to use whenever in trouble and dashed towards the weapons. Every other paladin then stood up and caused a distraction. Eric slammed the guy guarding the weapons and touched his hammer. ¡°Repel all that is evil within me.¡± He chanted the spell Repel, which dispelled and protected him from any negative statuses. He then broke the rope with ease after it was dispelled and took his hammer. ¡°Everyone! Get your weapons! I¡¯ll hold them off!¡± Eric was confronted by the guard he knocked down who pulled out a sword. Eric sidestepped the swing and swung his hammer upwards, hitting the enemy on the jaw instantly killing him. He then engaged the other guards to buy time for his friends to get their weapons. ¡°Eric we¡¯re done. Let¡¯s retreat and get the hell out of here.¡± One of the paladins shouted to him so Eric knocked out the guard he was fighting and ran towards the exit. They all managed to exit the building with no problems which made them all uneasy. ¡°You all can run but you can¡¯t hide. I¡¯ll even give you a headstart!¡± The man who captured Eric and the others shouted out to them, furthering their unease. ¡°Everyone! Use the spell Beacon and figure out where the temple is. We¡¯re going to split up for I have a bad feeling about this and we need to increase our chances of escaping, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll let us free that easily. At least one has to escape and inform the Head Priest! I¡¯ll stay here and delay them.¡± All of them activated a spell that showed them the general direction towards the Order which was the very first spell they learned and split up into individuals. They also recasted Repel just in case there were tracing magic casted on them. ¡°Eric! I¡¯m gonna stay here too. I can¡¯t let you fight alone against the dozens they have!¡± ¡°Yeah me too!¡± Some of the paladins volunteered to stay behind so Eric had to amend this plan ¡°Fine, 5 volunteers stay here with me. The rest, run and inform the Order. Don¡¯t worry about us, we can handle ourselves.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay behind too. Augustine, go with them.¡± Leo also volunteered as he didn¡¯t want to leave his friend behind. Eric picked the another 5 who volunteered and they took up their weapons and stood their ground against the enemy who had about 70 soldiers. The enemy tried to overwhelm them with numbers but the seven of them efficiently used their spells to heal each other and used their light magic to ward them off without letting major damage go through. ¡°Healing and harm!¡± Eric casted Purifying Light, which healed the target and damaged any enemy within 2 meters. The 6 other paladins followed his actions and started casting the spell. Anyone caught to close was burned by searing light or hit by one of the paladins with their weapons. One paladin named Leralas was unique in that he used a bow which fired arrows that were made out of light. He wreaked havoc on the back lines of the enemy and took out quite a few of them. Another used a great-axe, who swung it around with such force that he tore one person completely asunder. ¡®I hope they make it. They¡¯re our only hope.¡¯ Eric thought while he busied himself bludgeoning anyone foolish enough to approach his side of the formation.
¡®Why can¡¯t my magic affect them? It must be some spell they used. I can¡¯t believe I underestimated those paladins.¡¯ The man, called Red was worrying over the escape of the paladins. He couldn¡¯t put them back to sleep due to the fact that Repel was canceling out his spell. ¡®Well if we manage to capture the remaining 7 and move immediately back to the closest city of the Empire, we can still finish the experiments. Iturgen is gonna kill me for this. He wanted all of them.¡¯ Red then shouted a command to his soldiers. ¡°Just tire them out, sooner or later they will weaken. Don¡¯t kill them, we still need them for our experiments!¡± His soldiers switched tactics. They were kiting the paladins out and rotated whoever was fighting every 3 minutes. This preserved their strength while completely fatiguing the paladins.
2 hours later ¡°Damn that took too long. Those paladins really are strong huh.¡± ¡°Yeah, we lost too many comrades.¡± Two soldiers bandaged all over their bodies were talking after a long fight to subdue the 6 paladins who remained behind to delay. ¡°Everyone, we need to leave now and return to the Empire. The paladins have probably reached their home and informed everyone.¡± Their leader, Red commanded them to pack up and leave. ¡°Lock those 7 up and leave their weapons here. Can¡¯t have another escape attempt. It doesn¡¯t matter if their friends find the weapons, they can¡¯t fight their way to the Empire.¡± The small army, which was rendered even smaller by the death machine that was the paladins finished packing up and rode their carriages back home to the Empire.
¡°What do you mean you only have 7 paladins? Weren¡¯t there 23?¡± Red met Iturgen in the City of Elzire who was understandably upset. ¡°I underestimated them. What can we do now? Let¡¯s just proceed with the trials.¡± ¡°The results would have been more precise if we had more people. Carry on then and do it fast. We can¡¯t have the Kingdom sieging this city just for some paladins. I¡¯m giving you a week to finish.¡± ¡°Yes General. You can trust me.¡± Red winked at Iturgen before leaving the room. He walked towards the lab where the paladins were held and started giving instructions. ¡°According to the info we have, these people and the other paladins who escaped had no special powers before their admittance to the Order. Figure out what they do to give them powers and try to keep them alive for as long as possible.¡± The scientists all nodded and began testing the paladins with Red overseeing them.
The Head Acolyte, Zendar was walking outside the city when he saw a stumbling man emerging from the road. Upon closer inspection, he recognized him to be Augustine, one of the missing paladins. ¡°Augustine are you all right? Where are the others?¡± Augustine looked like he hadn¡¯t slept or ate during the night. Zendar helped him as they entered the city and into the temple where the Order resided. ¡°Station people¡­ outside the city¡­ the others are arriving.¡± Augustine spoke while breathing heavily before collapsing into sleep. ¡°You heard him, have people meet the paladins outside the city, particularly where Augustine showed up. I¡¯ll inform the Head Priest.¡± Zendar delegated the job to the other acolytes while he went to the room of the High Priest himself. ¡°High Priest, I bring news about the paladins.¡± ¡°What? Enter immediately.¡± Zendar did not waste a second and reported that Augustine has returned and that the others might be following him. The High Priest visibly felt relieved and told Zendar to prepare food and water to receive them. ¡°Let¡¯s ask Augustine what happened after he wakes up. We¡¯ll tell their families what happened when they return. Go rest now, leave everything else to you friends.¡± Zendar thanked the High Priest and left for the dorms. ¡°Zendar, we found three more when you were talking. They¡¯re all resting now.¡± One of the acolytes notified him of the arrival of more of them. ¡±We¡¯ll ask them what happened when they wake up. Tell everyone to work in shifts.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡±
Back to the present time ¡°High Priest, we have found 17 out of the 23 paladins who were missing. Augustine and the others have finished resting and are awake, I think it¡¯s time to start asking questions.¡± Zendar notified the High Priest who agreed with him. Together, they walked towards where the paladins rested. ¡°Augustine, can you tell me what happened?¡± Augustine explained what happened, from the kidnapping to waking up in the temporary base to escaping because of Eric. ¡°That base should probably be near Stonetalon Mountain. Zendar, use one of those communication stones we have. We need to inform the Generals as fast as possible and a letter isn¡¯t fast enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it immediately High Priest.¡± Zendar left to do what he was told and the High Priest continued questioning Augustine. ¡°Only 16 of you returned. What happened to the others.¡± ¡°They stayed behind to buy us time. Eric led them and told us to return and inform you.¡± ¡°Do you think they are dead?¡± The High Priest asked with a grim face to which Augustine replied to with a no. ¡°They told us we were going to be experimented on so I think they¡¯re gonna keep them alive for now.¡± ¡°Good, that gives us a window of opportunity. Let me contact some of my acquaintances, I might need of their services. Let me ask you one last question, do you think they¡¯re from the Empire?¡± ¡°I heard them mention it High Priest.¡± The High Priest moved to leave and told Augustine to rest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let them die. Let me talk to the mercenaries I know.¡± The High Priest left the room and went to where the acolytes where staying. ¡±Go inform the families of the missing paladins. Tell them to wait here until I return. I¡¯ll talk to some of my friends.¡± He left after giving out instructions, preparing money to pay his mercenary friends a visit. Volume 2 Chapter 2: Rescue Approaches Volume 2 Chapter 2: Rescue Approaches When Erica and her parents finished eating, they went to Erica¡¯s room to look at the dresses she could wear for the party. It was only then her parents realized that her twin brother was missing. ¡°Honey, where is your brother?¡± Ana, their mother asked Erica who replied that he hasn¡¯t been home since he left for paladin promotions yesterday. ¡°Hmmph, it¡¯s good then. I hope he knows his place and stays away until at least after the party.¡± Erica glared at her father and complained. ¡°He¡¯s your son too, father. He hasn¡¯t been back since yesterday when he went to the temple.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a disappointment for a son. He contributes nothing to the line of our house. He¡¯s lucky you -¡± Ana interrupted Charles, her husband and tried to change the subject. ¡±Dear, now¡¯s not the time. Let¡¯s pick Erica a dress to wear shall we?¡± Just as they were about to argue, they were interrupted by the doorbell ringing. The three of them went down where they saw a female priest of the Order of The Omniscience. ¡°Miss Erica Ross? The High Priest asks for your time, your brother and other paladins have been kidnapped and he wants to talk to their families.¡± Erica immediately rushed to the temple, leaving her parents with no choice but to follow. When she arrived at the temple, there were people who she recognized to be among the upper class. Even the Second Consort of the Queen was there, Roland El Gracia himself. She then noticed an underclassman from her school, Lyralei and approached her and try to understand what was going on. ¡°Lyralei, why are you here?¡± ¡°Oh Erica! My older brother was a paladin in training here and had just been promoted. He disappeared yesterday and the High Priest called us here to explain. With you being here, does that mean you have family here too?¡± ¡°Yeah, my twin brother Eric. He hasn¡¯t returned as well.¡± Erica watched as Lyralei¡¯s face changed and guessed that she probably knew Eric. ¡°Eric¡¯s a paladin?¡± ¡°You know him ?¡± Lyralei told her how Eric helped her once and that they have been friends ever since. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Eric was also captured. I hope they¡¯re all okay.¡± An acolyte interrupted them when she called for everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°The High Priest is ready to explain what has happened. Settle down everyone.¡±
General Kaolin was overseeing the defense of the eastern border when a message came in from the Order of the Omniscience that had asked for help in order to rescue the missing paladins. He immediately called for a meeting with the generals using long distance communication magics. The magic made projections of the other Generals and the meeting started. ¡°Thank you everyone for making time. I have already told you the reason for this meeting and it is decided that we shall help. The question now is, who can we send.¡± ¡°My troops are busy dealing with raiders and the imperial army. I cannot afford to send anyone to help.¡± The General in charge of overseeing the southern border, Agamand replied to Kaolin which the other generals also repeated. ¡°Well, I ask for your permission to use the troops the Alliance sends then. They are on their way to rendezvous with my troops. We are not pressured as much and we can afford it.¡± Bradwarden had returned to the Alliance to inform them of the agreement of the Kingdom to ally. He promised to return with soldiers in order to establish a foothold against the Empire that could be used in the future to stage attacks. Axe had remained and fought with the Dragon Corps in the frontlines, contributing heavily to the casualties. ¡°Do any of you have any reports?¡± Kaolin, having finished what he needed to do wanted to know the situation regarding the other fronts. ¡°The country to the west of us, the kingdom of Lunala has surprisingly withstood the advances of the Empire. I have heard reports that their priestesses of the moon had found a hero that changed the tide of battle. It might be worth investigating if an alliance would help us.¡± Manadar, the General in charge of overseeing the west was bored out of his mind due to the fact that he was the only General that didn¡¯t have to deal with the Empire. ¡°I will look into it, if that is all then this meeting is adjourned.¡± The General told the magician to end the meeting and start a new one with Bradwarden.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Hail General, to what do I owe the pleasure?¡± The magician used the magic Mind Link which transported thoughts between two people. ¡°Where are you now Bradwarden? I wish to ask for a favor.¡± Kaolin explained what had happened to the paladins and that he wished for them to join the Special Forces that he created. He also relayed the place where the High Priest thinks they are held, Stonetalon Mountains. ¡°Then I shall take a portion of my army myself. The rest will continue marching towards your encampment.¡± Bradwarden took the Shadowhunters, a unit specialized in infiltration and assassination to help in the rescue. ¡°Thank you Bradwarden, I look forward to good news.¡± Kaolin ended the transmission and returned to surveying the maps of the Empire.
After the High Priest explained the kidnapping of the paladins by the Empire, the families were outraged by what had happened. They were complaining about the security of the Empire when they were interrupted by Roland. ¡°Silence! Now is not the time to complain, we need to act to save them. We can complain later when they are safe!¡± Everyone grew quiet in fear of offending the Second Consort himself and the High Priest continued speaking. ¡°I and several of the veteran paladins will go ourselves to rescue them. I have also hired some mercenaries and have asked for reinforcements from the army. You have no need to worry, we shall immediately. You can go home now, I will send priests to inform you of the news of our return.¡± Lyralei suddenly rushed to the front and volunteered to join them. ¡°High Priest, my name Lyralei and I¡¯m the sister of Leralas. I want to join you to and rescue my brother.¡± The High Priest was surprised at first before immediately turning serious and asked her what she could bring to the rescue mission. ¡°While Leralas is a paladin, our family is part of the Rangers of the Woods. I¡¯m trained in archery and the magic that us rangers use to aid in tracking and fighting. I can be a scout and a long range threat as well.¡± ¡°Well then, we leave in 2 hours. Come back here in time and we can immediately head out.¡± Seeing Lyralei volunteer, Erica also wanted to help. Just as she moved to volunteer, her father stopped her. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna help save my brother. He¡¯s my family too.¡± Erica pulled away and also went to the front and asked to join the expedition as well. ¡°High Priest I would also like to volunteer, I¡¯m the sister of Eric and I come from House Ross. I¡¯m the next head of our family so you probably know what that means.¡± ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re the genius of House Ross then? The magician who can use all elemental magic? You certainly will be of help. As I said, we will move out in 2 hours. In the meantime, I will try to get a vision from my god.¡± The High Priest left the room and so Lyralei and Erica went home as well, to prepare for the rescue. While Erica was preparing for the journey, her father was busy trying to convince her not to go. ¡°We can¡¯t have you be in danger. You¡¯re the future of our House! You can¡¯t risk your life for that useless bastard.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my brother! He doesn¡¯t blame me for what happened to him and he helped me a lot in the past year. I haven¡¯t shown my gratitude and I don¡¯t plan for him to die before I can.¡± Before they could fight any further, Ana intervened and stopped them both. ¡°Dear, she can do whatever she wants. She can take care of herself, besides if she¡¯s sure about this we can give her the gifts we prepared.¡± Ana then took out a staff and a robe and gave them to Erica. ¡°Erica, this staff has been passed down for generations in our family. This will help you in casting and making your magic more potent.¡± Erica examined the staff, which was inlaid with multiple gems and made out of precious metals. She then took the cloak that was made of silk and had magic enchantments on it. ¡°This cloak can make you and several others invisible for a short amount of time. Use it when you¡¯re in trouble.¡± Erica was moved by the gifts and thanked her parents for it. ¡°How about your birthday, it might take a few days for you to return.¡± Charles had given up on trying to convince her to not go but was worried about the party. ¡°We can just delay that. Mother, Father please receive my older siblings here when they arrive. Let them stay in the mansion.¡± Erica left the mansion carrying a backpack full of clothes and other necessities while carrying the gifts that her parents gave her. She met Lyralei on the way, who was carrying a bow and a backpack as well. ¡°Where are your arrows? I don¡¯t see you carrying any.¡± ¡°I use magic to create arrows as it is more efficient that way. However, not many Rangers know how to do that so it is a rarity. This bow has enchantments that lowers the magic I need to use.¡± Lyralei showed off her bow that was carved to look like a falcon. When they arrived at the temple they waited as they were early.
The Head Priest was preparing to go into a trance when suddenly bright light filled his vision. The Omniscience himself had come to give instructions. ¡°Eric shall be the next Omniknight! Save him at all cost!¡± As sudden as the light came did it also end, forcing the High Priest to sit down due to head aches. ¡®He¡¯s the next Omniknight? The last time there was an Omniknight was during the War of the Shifting Sands 20 years ago. I was still an acolyte then.¡¯ The High Priest reminisced about the past for awhile before exiting his quarters and summoning Zendar. ¡°Go get the Staff of the Omniscient Light. We might need it in this mission.¡± Zendar was surprised as the Staff was only used during important fights that determine the fate of the Order. ¡°I assume that one of the paladins we need to save is vital to the future of the order? I shall get it with haste then.¡± Even the High Priest was surprised by how accurate Zendar¡¯s prediction was. ¡®Zendar really is scary. It won¡¯t be long before he rises up the ranks fast.¡¯ The High Priest walked towards the common hall where the older paladins were and met Augustine there in full armor and carrying his weapon. ¡°High Priest, I wish to accompany you in this mission. I have recovered enough and I want to personally help my friends.¡± Augustine bowed towards the High Priest, pleading to join the rescue mission. The High Priest was moved by the display of friendship Augustine showed and allowed him. ¡°As long as you are healthy enough to fight then. Everyone, let¡¯s head outside now. The mercenaries have brought the horses.¡± Augustine followed him outside where they met the leader of the mercenaries, Vanessa who seemed to be an archer. Erica and Lyralei was also waiting outside and together they rode out of the city.
¡°Come on everyone, we need to work faster. Begin exposing the subjects to magic and start with ice. We need to find out which god the Omniscience really is. Don¡¯t overdo it and kill them though.¡± Red was giving out instructions when his right hand man, Thurgan approached him and asked. ¡°Do you think we can trust the book the Empire gave? What if it was a hoax of someone trying to play a joke?¡± The book Thurgan was referring to was a book that the Empire discovered in an ancient ruin. It was from a long lost civilization who had lived where the main territory of the Empire now was. It contained stories about gods who gave them blessings which allowed them to use powers. The Empire hoped that by finding the equivalent of the gods of the current orders in the book, they can use the rituals in the book to summon and gain the powers of the gods. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the book states that various blessings react differently to magic, especially dark magic. We just need to expose them to it and see the reaction. If we find out who the so-called Omniscience is, we can be even more powerful.¡± Red went back to overseeing the experiments that was more like torture, taking pleasure at hearing the pained screams of the paladins. Volume 3 Chapter 3: The Omniscience Himself Volume 2 Chapter 3: The Omniscience Himself The group was travelling on the roads leading to Stonetalon Mountain. The mercenaries took the lead and surrounded the group while Erica and Lyralei were in the middle along with the paladins. The paladins had disguised themselves as traders so that the enemy would not realize they were coming if they had spies along the road. However, this drew the eye of a bandit lord who laid in wait, waiting for the chance to ambush them. He sent a man to intercept them in the road in order to buy time for the others to get in position. ¡°Halt! Pay the toll if you want to use this road.¡± The bandit stopped the group alone without fear, threatening them with a sword. Vanessa, the mercenary leader rode up and talked to the bandit with suspicion. ¡°This road is free to use for everyone, who are you to stop us. Get out of here or prepare to die.¡± Vanessa drew her sword and the other mercenaries followed. They were used to these kinds of thing as many a bandit group have done this in the history of them being mercenaries. What they weren¡¯t prepared for was the amount of bandits as dozens of them sprung out when the man in front of her whistled to signal them. ¡°Everyone, get ready to fight. We can¡¯t leave this to the mercenaries alone.¡± The High Priest shouted a command and the paladins disrobed, revealing heavy armor already worn and weapons. The priests also prepared to chant healing skills to support the warriors. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we still outnumber them. Wear them down and we will get their riches and women.¡± Lyralei was enraged and she took out her bow. Channeling magic into it, she drew the bow and fired releasing a magical arrow that pierced multiple bandits before vanishing. Erica, not to be outdone, started a chant for her magic. She created a large ball of ice before throwing it to the enemy and making it explode. The shards of ice pierced multiple bandits and injured them heavily, if it didn¡¯t kill them. The group made quick work of the bandits as they had started to panic upon the reveal that their enemy had magicians. The priests also ensured that none of the mercenaries died while the paladins were untouchable with their own healing magic. ¡®I might have chosen the wrong targets. I need to retreat and live.¡¯ While the other bandits were busy trying to stay alive, the bandit lord tried to escape. He couldn¡¯t escape the eyesight of Lyralei however, trained as she was to always monitor the leader of the enemy in a fight and look for an opportunity to strike. And saw him she did, as when he tried to run away, Lyralei put an arrow right through his neck instantly killing him. The fight after that was just cleaning up, ensuring that none of the bandits escaped and lived to tell the tale.
The group had once again continued travelling after destroying evidence that a fight had occured. Erica herself volunteered and proceeded to burn the whole area with her magic. Lyralei and Erica were talking to each other in order to pass time. ¡°That was certainly impressive Lyralei, it really is convenient not having to carry arrows around.¡± Erica had seen Lyralei¡¯s shooting earlier and was impressed by it. ¡°Just like you use magic to create the iceball earlier, I used magic to create an arrow. The bow is what guides the arrow to the target. More proficient rangers don¡¯t even need a bow to launch the arrows, instead just using their mind to guide them.¡± Lyralei explained how the rangers used magic and then asked about Erica¡¯s magic. ¡°I saw you use both ice and fire magic. You also mentioned you can use all elemental magic. Is there anything else you can use?¡± ¡°I have trained in long-ranged magic to supplement my elemental magic. I am currently training on the other fields of magic as well.¡± Erica explained that she is the next Head of one of the Houses of Magic in the continent, House Ross and therefore had to train to be the best mage in her house. ¡°How about Eric? What magic does he use?¡± Erica¡¯s face turned somber as she explained how Eric had no magic and what that meant for a child from House Ross.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. 14 years ago The twins were 4 years old and they were playing with their older siblings in the mansion of the current Head of House Ross, Byron Ross, their grandfather and Ana¡¯s father. Their parents were their to inform the head of the House about the magic of the twins. ¡°Eric cannot use magic?¡± Byron was slightly angry in his tone as Ana explained that the magician who tested the twins discovered that Eric had no potential for magic. ¡°According to the tester, Eric is like a normal person however Erica has the most potential he had ever seen in the three generations that he had tested for House Ross.¡± Byron¡¯s anger was replaced by happiness as he finally found a worthy successor to him. ¡°The magician theorized that Erica might have the ability to steal magic and stole Eric¡¯s magic in the womb.¡± Charles added what the magician had said when he discovered the wide gap between the skill between the twins. ¡°Well then, your family shall live in this mansion now. I shall make Erica into my successor and the other one shall be dealt with according to our tradition.¡± People who were born with no magic in House Ross were shunned and isolated until they were 12 where they are kicked out and abandoned by the House. The elders who implemented this rule did not want the House to be tainted by them. Charles and Ana trembled and pleaded with Byron. ¡°Father, please exempt Eric. Erica is already more than enough in terms of magic!¡± ¡°Silence, outsider! You have no say in family matters.¡± Charles tried to reason with Byron who sneered at him and told him to be quiet. ¡°I will be the one in charge on how to take care of them. All you need to do is follow instructions.¡± Erica told Lyralei that Eric was separated from the family and was made to live alone, isolated in another part of the mansion. When he was 12, he was made to leave and Erica only saw him again 2 years ago after she moved to the South to study in the Academy. He was found by the Order of the Omniscience who took him in and trained him. Before Lyralei could reply, the High Priest interrupted them. ¡°We¡¯re close now according to Augustine. Everyone stay silent!¡± They arrived to see that the camp had already been abandoned. ¡°They must have already moved back to the Empire.¡± The group searched the camp for any clue as to where they could have gone when they found the weapons of the paladins that were hidden by the subordinates of Red. ¡°I can track where they are based on these weapons. Everyone, this where we stay tonight. We need to wait for the reinforcements to arrive.¡± The High Priest gave out orders and entered one of the temporary buildings to prepare for another trance to ask for guidance from the Omniscience himself.
It was one of the breaks between the experiments and the paladins were separated into individual rooms. Eric was preparing to take a rest as the experiments were starting to take a toll on his body. They were subjected to multiple magics and forced to use the magic that was granted to them and see the reactions. Just as he fell asleep, visions assaulted his senses. ¡°Leave me behind! I¡¯ll hold them off!¡± A paladin shouted to his friends as he stood up against what seemed to be scorpion-like creatures and managed to hold off for a long time before finally succumbing to the enemy. ¡°Guardian! Protect us all!¡± Another scene started and another paladin appeared, this one using a spell that summoned angels that stopped the attacks of the humans he faced. ¡°Fear not, I can bring him back.¡± The previous scene ended and another one replaced it. The paladin comforted a woman and approached the man who was covered in blood. He held his hands above him and they suddenly shone. The man lying down suddenly coughed out and opened his eyes. The visions suddenly ended there and he found himself in a library. There was a man sitting down on a chair in front of him. ¡°Who are you and where am I?¡± Eric was disoriented but he tried to adjust to what was happening. He was wary as to who the person was in front of him and put up his guard. ¡°Now now, is that how you treat your god? I¡¯m what you call the Omniscience in your world and this is the dimension of the gods.¡± The man in front of him dropped a bomb further confusing Eric. ¡°You may not believe it as I myself rarely show personally to my followers. However, other gods do so. Selemene herself appears on the festivals on the Moon Kingdom or whatever it¡¯s called.¡± Eric tried to take ahold of the conversation by asking what the visions he saw meant and why he himself saw it. ¡°The paladins you have seen are what your Order calls Omniknights. They are my personal champions and they can use the skills and magic that I myself personally use. You saw those visions as you shall be the next Omniknight yourself.¡± ¡°Me? Why have I been chosen?¡± ¡°You have shown yourself to be most brave, most faithful, most- just kidding. It¡¯s because you have such a large mana reserve yet it has nothing within it. It is easier for me to grant you the powers as you yourself have none of your own.¡± Suddenly, the Omniscience frowned as he looked around the room. ¡°I fear our time together is ending. Wake up and you shall find new powers within you. Wait for your fellow paladins to come to your aid then reveal yourself. Your sister and that ranger friend of yours are also with them.¡± ¡°Wait, Erica and Lyralei is-¡± Eric suddenly woke up to find out that a few hours had passed. He felt his powers had grown overnight as when he casted a healing spell on himself, it shined brighter than ever before and healed him much faster. Eric then prepared himself for the upcoming experiments with ease in his mind, knowing that help was coming.
¡°Hail High Priest, my name is Bradwarden and I was sent by General Kaolin to aid you. These fellows are the Shadowhunters, adept at scouting and offensive magic. They shall be a great help in this rescue mission of yours.¡± The High Priest introduced himself to the Shadowhunters and bade them inside the building. ¡°My name be Zekhan. I be leading dis unit of Shadowhunter myself.¡± The leader of the Shadowhunters introduced himself and the High Priest led them towards a meeting hall. Waiting there was Vanessa, Erica and Lyralei and together they started planning for their next step.