Meanwhile, in the village of Selmot, it was a massacre; the enemy was shot down like flies trapped in a barrel; they charged forward only to become stuck against a strange barrier, not only trapping them within range of the archers on the walls but also because there was another barrier blocking their retreat.
"Zilna, kill them all! We must stick to the plan." Qilana's face was stern, but her eyes were filled with sorrow as she clenched the sheath of Eien beside her tightly.
The enemy troops were now surrounded and had nowhere to go. The ones on the left side of the army were already dead, while the ones on the right were being shot at from both sides.
There was no mercy from the soldiers of Selmot. Each woman took revenge for his comrades that had died just yesterday.
They fired upon the enemy relentlessly until every last one was dead.
"This is what happens when you break the law of nature!" Qilana bellowed. "This is what happens when you try to taint this holy land with evil! If you want to bring about destruction, do it somewhere else! But we won't allow you to do so here!"
She felt the anger from her father's betrayal and her mother's wrongful death.
All those that promised to serve her mother vanished as if overnight the moment she was wounded and sick, turning a blind eye to her being poisoned to death that same night.
'You bastards... I will never forgive you!'
Qilana looked up towards the sky. She heard the sound of the demons roaring as her beloved fought to keep them astray, buying her enough time for this momentary revenge; her eyes focused on the bitch queen who now looked stunned, her eyes watching the walls as if obsessively, as her people were quickly dispatched.
Over 15,000 troops were useless as their arrows couldn't hit, and their ballistae were worthless.
Now they ran like headless chickens, terrified by the constant rain of arrows that accurately tore their allies apart, piercing their lungs, throat and eyes, a constant terror of death.
Selmot was no more than an island surrounded by a sea of blood. There were no survivors.
Only the few that managed to survive the first wave of the attack remained behind. They were now a tiny force of around 100, who would be finished off shortly.
An arrow whistled through the air, dropping two of them before anyone could even react, its jagged edges piercing the chest of the traitorous queen as she fell from her throne, landing in the bloody sands, all alone as she begged and reached out for salvation.
Qilana was about to order Zilna to ride out and finish the rest when she realised something odd. The enemy was running away.
[What are you doing? Follow the plan!]
A female voice screamed in her mind; it was strange but echoed in her mind. She looked around frantically.
She saw the demon troops disappear into the distance.
No... They're not...
'Don't make my master's actions worthless!'
"We can win! If we go to help now...."
Shatter!
One of the holy barriers suddenly cracked, as a considerable force suddenly caused every woman on the walls of Selmot to kneel, their bodies sweating profusely as they shivered in fear.
[You can win? You can help!? No, you cannot even lift your hand.]
The voice was louder now and seemed to come simultaneously from everywhere and nowhere.
Qilana tried to stand up, but she couldn't move. She looked around. The other women on the walls were frozen, unable to do anything but watch as the enemy retreated.
Are they afraid or confused?
She hoped it wasn't because of the barrier cracking.
Then her eyes widened, seeing the distant figure of a red woman, her body was sleek but filled with powerful muscles, yet she wasn't ugly, closer to a monstrous beauty, as that woman stepped from a vast black throne of skulls, each step closer, causing the heavy pressure to force her people to kneel, almost crumble.
"!!!"
Qilana felt despair if they felt this from so far away...
Her knees buckled under the weight of her fear, and she sank to the floor. Her feet felt numb, and her heart pounded in her ears.
That's not possible; it can't be...
A dark aura filled the air like the stones were ready to explode.
[There is still hope,] the voice said.
'Follow my master's plan, abandon Selmot... for soon those monsters will destroy it and everything that remains; the master can only buy you a few hours... that's his limit.'
"Then what if he dies!? How can I live without Alexander!"
The voice faded into nothingness as Qilana stood up. She walked over to Zilna, who was looking at the horizon, her arms crossed, a grim look on her face. Qilana knew that Zilna was probably thinking about the same man and how she wanted to go home and see him again.
'Can you promise me that I will meet him again... that you are not lying?'
[As long as I exist in your hands, the master is still alive.]
'Exist in my hands?'
Suddenly she looked at the faintly vibrating black sheath and then realised the voice was his sword the whole time, her eyes looking towards the distance once again before she took a deep breath, watching her tired sister's all trembling in fear as she decided to follow the plan, even if it caused her heart to tighten in pain.
It was Zilna that helped her survive the horrors of the past, and it was Zilna that kept her alive even after she had been branded a traitor by the now-dead traitor of Selmot to this day.
She knelt before her friend and said, "I am sorry, Zilna, but we must leave now..."
Qilana noticed Zilna's jaw was clenched, and tears welled up in her eyes as she looked into her eyes, "Why?"
"If we do not follow his plan... Then he cannot flee to safety either."
"..."
Qilana looked back at the horizon once again.
The black sun was setting as the clouds covered the sky, casting ominous shadows onto the ground and illuminating the silhouettes of the remaining troops, who were now moving disorderly, some trying to run away, others standing still, waiting for reinforcements.
"Zilna, please, follow my orders. Let's get out of here."
"Yes," Zilna replied, her eyes turning to the approaching army.
"Let's go!" Qilana shouted, grabbing the sword and walking towards the gate as Zilna followed.
"Everyone gather vital supplies; they were already arranged near the west gate! We must leave Selmot; there is no path to survival here. Please follow me, and I promise to guide you to safety." Qilana shouted to the tired warriors, winded merchants and fearful farmers.
"How can we follow? Didn't we win!? The traitor is dead!" One merchant shouted before Zilna stepped forward, stopped by Qilana, who took two steps closer to the dirty and sweaty people.
"We have won, but fate is regretful; now, on the northern border, a mass of demons and unthinkable monsters is heading this way; they number over 15,000. Do you still wish to stay here for a few wares?" Her voice was stern, yet with a sense of understanding as the merchant's eyes opened wide, her lips trembling.
"I see..."
"Quickly... get the horses.... anything that can help carry vital supplies."
Qilana watched as the people of Selmot began to gather what supplies and necessities they could before they marched for the west gate. Her mind thought back to when he suggested this plan, for her to take his money, to start a new village and slowly build her forces without worrying about an enemy chasing her; then shortly, she could take it back.
At the time, she thought he was stupid... That those things might never happen, somewhere in her mind, Alexander was this invincible and impossible hero that could achieve anything...
Yet when she saw him speaking, she realised this cruel expectation she placed on him led to this situation... Now he fights, maybe alone, against those horrors while she and her knights can flee... to safety, to a future.
[Do not blame yourself, they are only here because of the master's presence]
'I understand that... I understand, but... I cannot support him... What kind of princess or wife am I?'
[Do you wish to become stronger? Enough to fight beside him in the future and not flee like a powerless ant?]
'...'
"Come on, Zilna."
"Yes, ma'am..."
The people of Selmot began to flee once again, leaving Qilana and Zilna behind as if their roles were reversed.
Zilna turned around, her eyes full of sadness as she looked at Qilna. She seemed to notice a change in her expression and asked, "Is it alright!?"
"Yes... It is..." Qilana smiled gently as she grabbed Zilna by the shoulder and pushed her forward, leading her towards the west gate.
"Just stay strong, okay? You'll be fine."
"I know, Zilna," Qilana whispered as she bowed.
Their eyes met briefly as Zilna nodded, and Qilana turned around to follow the line of fleeing civilians.
She couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty, but her mind was determined, as a fire began to burn in her eyes, the words of the sword now fueling her; no longer would she be his little princess for him to comfort and protect.
'I will; whatever is needed, I accept.'
[Good choice, now accept me completely. I am Eien, meaning eternity, eternally his. Just like you, nice to meet you, my future sister-in-law.]
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