Charlotte let herself collapse into his arms.
Helix spun her around to see the battlefield and access the situation.
"That thing is a beast from the deepest pits of hell." He muttered.
The ballistae the siege builders constructed were in position and shot massive arrows into the beast's skin one after the other.
The mages were shooting wind spells to keep the flames stoked.
Gravity spells tattooed on the ground by Tilo's team began activating after Tilo recovered enough spirit particles to use [Chain Activation].
However, even taking hundreds of different attacks, the beast was still pushing back.
It destroyed every magic circle activated around it with its right hand.
Surrounded by extraordinarily thick skin, its black left arm covered its face and nose from the attacks.
"Helix!" Tyrene called while gliding in the air toward him.
She landed on their hillside gracefully, triggering a wry smile from Helix.
"Are we on the same page?" Tyrene asked with her back to her.
Marie flew across the mountain with the aid of Riley's [Wind Dance].
Helix's heart started beating when he saw his partner flying in their direction.
However, Tyrene caught her with ease, and he let out a sigh of relief.
Riley followed behind gracefully on a gust of wind.
"That abomination will hold out longer than the mages do." He sighed with a dark tone.
"Yeah…. We gravely underestimated this thing's strength." Tyrene replied with a nod.
"So, what is your plan?"
Helix closed his eyes and thought through various scenarios.
A few seconds later, he sighed.
"After seeing this hellish creature's might, I'm not certain we can kill it alone." Helix replied while staring at the trashing Stalkwalker.
"A agree." Tyrene nodded with a serious expression.
"My spirit particle reserve is obscene, but it isn't unlimited.
You all have one major spell left, and I can provide one person with a reload.
That's if I don't perform my duty, so it's an emergency." He warned.
"If we can't kill it here, it could spell disaster.
However, our options are not limited.
We can trap it in a quagmire, freeze it, and retreat.
That's a valid option. Unfortunately, it could flee and have time to heal.
We don't have time to chase it."
Tyrene nodded in full agreement.
"Let's try to avoid that strategy if possible, but not rule it out." She replied.
Helix and his partners nodded.
"Another option is to take turns giving Charlotte spirit particles.
It's the only attack that has wounded it seriously so far.
We'd let Riley stoke the flames and have the mages and support team flood the valley to prevent a large-scale fire.
However, we'll be exhausted if it fails, and we'll risk not being able to run away.
Moreover, we're not much better off on the chasing front." Helix sighed.
Tyrene nodded with a grave expression.
"Lastly…." He began with a hesitant tone.
Everyone watched him with a serious expression.
It was clear that he was struggling with the strategy.
"We can make most of the troops and call a charge to attack it." Helix sighed.
Tyrene nodded and chuckled bitterly.
"That was the point from the beginning.
I'm sure General Lackbolt is sweating profusely right now." She remarked with a wry smile.
"I know I would be."
Helix chuckled bitterly as well.
No one else was laughing.
"The mages won't hold out much longer, and the ballistae have limited arrows." He commented while watching the flurry of lights weakening.
Tyrene closed her eyes after being reminded.
"With our power and everything we've done, it feels wrong to advocate for a strategy that will lead to countless casualties.
I also don't want to be the one to give that order." He sighed.
Tyrene looked at him with pity in her eyes.
She knew how hard it was to lead soldiers into battle as a general.
Imagining what it was like for a young man without battle experience was unimaginable.
However, she knew that he would refuse to let her or General Lackbolt make that call.
In his eyes, handing over the decision was no different than doing it himself.
"But… this was never our fight, to begin with." Helix chuckled bitterly.
"We've saved 1200 people, and god knows how many villagers and future forces from dying.
Having them do what they originally planned isn't wrong."
Tyrene's eyes lit up with surprise, and she let out a breath of relief.
"That's right. You four are too young and haven't seen a battlefield before." Tyrene said with a calm voice.
"If you had, you'd be able to accept that death and war go hand in hand."
The group looked at the Stalkwalker writhing on the ground and the troops' faces.
They nodded in theoretical understanding.
"Look at those soldiers." Tyrene requested.
She pointed to the hundred soldiers on the front line.
Their faces were determined and ready for battle.
"Everyone's talking about what we're talking about." She claimed with a chuckle.
Helix's eyes widened in surprise.
"However, their mindset isn't the same as yours.
Those men and women have seen many people die and planned to die today." Tyrene continued.
"People fight for many reasons.
Some do it because they have nothing else to live for.
Others fight for loved ones that need the money.
However, the largest group are those that fight for glory."
Helix panned his expression to the countless faces filled with resolve.
Tyrene laughed when she saw him studying their faces intently.
"Hah! I'm sure you picked up that rhetoric you used from some book you read." She chuckled.
Helix gave her a wry smile.
"However, it seems you've never considered or understood [why] it works."
He nodded with shame-filled eyes.
"Don't look so gloomy. You were masterful, kid." Tyrene chuckled.
She looked at him with a gentle gaze and her crystal blue eyes.
"The point is, those men and women want to prove themselves.
Everyone wants to fight and earn a place in history." She explained.
"If you don't call them in until it's already dead, you're doing them a disservice."
Helix's eyes widened with surprise.
Then he chuckled bitterly.
"If that's true…. Let's use the soldiers. Then we'll exercise the strategy we talked about."
Tyrene nodded with satisfaction.
"Riley, help Helix and Marie over to the other mountain top." Tyrene requested.
"I'll take care of you and Charlotte."
Charlotte huffed when she heard [take care of you] and realized she couldn't join Helix.
Helix chuckled and patted her head.
"Okay. Let's go, Marie." He requested.
"Whenever you're ready, Riley."
—
Helix and Marie walked into the soldier's area with the most confident posture possible.
When the troops caught sight of the young man and woman, they roared with admiration.
He nodded and made contact with as many people as possible.
She waved her hand and gave everyone appreciative gazes.
Helix and Marie made their way to the communications circle, which housed one of the master circles voices could travel through.
They gave General Lackbolt a nod of respect, and he moved off of the circle in a daze.
He silently obeyed without needing a single prompt.
Helix turned to the crowd and lifted his hand to quiet them.
The silence extended in ripples as soldiers calmed down and awaited his voice with bated breath.
"Do any of you think monsters stand a chance against humanity?" Helix asked with a grin.
—
Power stones and grammatical errors = more content. :)
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