Oh, how wonderful it is to sit cross-legged atop a hill, head resting on my hand, as I watch what is practically the end of the world.
“Hey, Peine. Why are you so damn relaxed?”
“The best defense is sitting very far back in a safe position, I’ll have you know.”
Odysson plods his way towards me, sleep clearly still in his eyes.
“I had the worst dream... I could swear a piece of the palace wall was flying at me.”
“Ha ha! Welcome back to our nightmarish reality, my friend.”
The second demon did in fact rip up the palace’s walls and started flinging them at us like some sort of terrible joke, killing dozens and injuring three times as many. Our morale has, frankly, bombed out.
But even so, our forces haven’t broken. Lady Kuroi is fighting at the forefront, too, so everyone is gritting their teeth and manning up. Faith can make up for a lack of skill, which explains why our ragtag band is standing its ground.
“Damn... Missed my chance to die again.”
“Don’t say that. If you died, I wouldn’t be able to go on.”
This guy’s another serious one. He sits next to me, groaning in pain. He’s clearly injured and exhausted. He should be resting.
“Well, death would be its own sort of release.”
I survey the battlefield, where the demon that ripped through our lines is thrashing about. Is this what you’d call a superb view? I believe we have the advantage. Agias Willow the hero’s tactics are ever-changing and unrelenting. He’s so fast; he makes the demon look slow and stupid. Origis isn’t so bad, either. He tends to flirt with danger too much, but he’s also making the demon falter, so I can’t be too harsh.
Even so, they’re still human, and their enemy is a monster. That beast has enough physical and magical strength to crush their speed and turn the tides of battle in one strike. But it’s okay. I can watch without worry, for there is a reassuring army at their backs.
“Wh-Whoa... Wow, what the...?! Is this even possible?” exclaims Odysson in shock.
“Hard to believe, isn’t it? The foot soldiers and cavalry are in perfect sync, forming a complete circle of destruction. Such tactics are...”
These reddish-black warriors are nearly silent, neither shouting their names for glory nor playing war drums... yet the cunning in their tactics is clear as day. Their coordinated offense and defense is a sight to behold.
“...a hallmark of General Bandkan and his fort army.”
They’re all so gallant, battling the greatest of enemies... I can’t begin to express how envious I am. Seriously, they’re just showing off. Fighting alongside their general, they are... were the peak of humanity. Is there a space left for me? It feels like all I can do is sit and twiddle my thumbs.
However, I can’t join them yet. Their formation is too strict, too disciplined to accept someone who didn’t try their best to live. I have to fight, doing my best to survive before I can be considered worthy.
Hm? Their siege is dispersing. It must be a tactical choice; demons are just too strong. Even with the fire magic of the Bomber Knights, killing it is no mean feat. Any sort of vital point is far too high up. Leaping on it and climbing up isn’t a realistic plan, either.
Oh! Lady Kuroi’s returned... but something’s odd. She hasn’t summoned more of her ember army, yet it’s so hot. Her mana is raging out of control, enough to make it hard for me to breathe. Odysson’s gasping like a goldfish, too.
So, what’s the plan...?
Her summoned soldiers gather, blending into a chaotic mix, like embers coming together to form a flame. Then, that flame combines with other flames, forming an inferno. Now it’s... standing? It’s got legs and arms, and at full height it rivals the gigantic demon. It’s... an armored knight! The thousands of ember soldiers combined to form one giant ember knight. It slides across the earth, closing the distance... and then draws. A huge sword flashes through the air, slicing the demon’s torso. Flames rage across its body, as if to swallow up the shrieks of pain. The pillar of fire is so great that I think it could even consume the palace.
Ash dances on the wind... What a magnificent battle. What a stirring demon slaying.
“Legion...” Odysson manages to eke out between his puckered lips gasping for air.
Ah, I see. So this is our God’s higher familiar? Not even the holy book speaks of such a thing. The Demon God has demons; the Dragon God has dragons; and now, the Devil God has a legion. The fact that such a fearsome being has been summoned unto our mortal plane must mean...
“This... This really is the war to end all wars.”
This isn’t the time to be joking, let alone smiling. I’m shaking so much I can’t even stand. Yet still, I instantly smile defiantly. I will fight gallantly, smiling the whole time. My father, brother, the General, those soldiers... they were all heroic until their last moments, I’m sure. This faith gives me the strength to fake it till I make it. I can’t help it, I must fight!