Enemy A(n)t the Gates

97. The Cavalry Arrives

Hironus Balta bared his blade and executed the blooming flower technique, six consecutive slashes that unleashed a barrage of light so quick, they each flew out like the petals of a single rose. The ants before him were unable to withstand the power of his sword and were driven back or cut through directly. He stepped over the fallen bodies of the insects, allowing those behind him to drive their blades through the carapace and claim the experience.

As a member of the Noble Circle, he was entitled to take it, but the gain from tier four monsters, or worse, tier three, was beneath his notice. All along the line the battle raged, but having broken through the centre, it was only a matter of time until the ants were forced to disengage, lest they be collapsed on and slaughtered.

With no more opponents, Balta took a long breath and centred himself. He’d been placed in the centre for three consecutive battles now, having to re-establish his reputation after the disastrous loss in the earlier assault. To his left and right, ants covered the floor and ceiling, fighting to hold off the golgari who encroached step by step, their coordinated shield wall holding strong.

Just as he prepared to charge to his right and begin collapsing the line, he noticed something subtle. Though chaos reigned, the sound of clashing blades and snapping mandibles filling the air, he could feel something. It took a moment to realise what it was: the ground beneath his feet had begun to tremble.

The current battle was taking place in a wide tunnel with a low ceiling, perfect for the ants to utilise their roof clinging Skills to double their battleline. This particular area also sloped upward toward the surface. Filled with a worrying premonition, Balta lashed out with his weapon, clearing space around him, and charged deeper into the ant’s territory. The farther he Dashed, the more he could see of the slope, and soon he was seeing something that caused rage to flare up within his heart.

The armoured ants! They hadn’t been seen on the front line since his inglorious defeat, something that caused the Low Blade no small amount of ire. They appeared before him once more, charging in unison, a gleaming line of massive insects covered in steel.

Balta set his feet and began channelling energy through his Living Stone blade. With his next strike, he would skewer the lead ant straight through its head! The blade soaked up his intent as he primed the Skill, shining brighter each moment. This was his chance, delivered by the Path itself to help him establish himself once again.

The ants hurtled forward, much as they had the first time, their legs a blur as they ran toward danger. The blade grew brighter and brighter as the distance between the two closed. The golgari exulted in his heart as the moment to unleash his Skill drew closer. So elated was he, that he failed to notice something rather crucial.

“ROOOOAAAAAARRRR!”

An earth-shattering roar split the air throughout the battlefield, blasting away the noise, and for a brief moment, both sides were smothered in complete silence. Shocked, the threads of his Skill unravelled as he shifted his focus off the hated armoured ants. There he saw something that didn’t quite register at first. A titanic bear, eyes ablaze with dark flame and jaws open to reveal enormous, curved fangs.

Only then did Balta recognise that the ants were arranged in a V-formation, the largest armoured figure in the centre, with the gargantuan bear nestled between them. More than that, the bear itself was also covered in thick plates of armour that crackled with Mana. With the metal and sheer mass of the monsters rushing toward him, Balta felt as if a mountain was about to collapse on him.

He abandoned all attempts to charge his Skill and rushed back to the safety of his own lines.

“BRACE!” he bellowed. “BRACE THE LINE! SHIELDS UP!”

Despite not being assigned a position of leadership for this assault, his commanding presence was enough for the golgari in the centre of the line to respond. The shield bearers took position, their eyes firm as they slammed their shields into the ground and activated their defensive Skills in synch. A wall of golden light erupted at once as the powerful Warriors anchored themselves and each other. Mages stepped forward to weave barriers and attempt to modify the terrain, anything to slow and disrupt the coming charge. Immediately they felt themselves contested by a swarm of minds seeking to firm the ground and prevent their efforts.

“There’s more coming!” someone shouted.

Balta looked up to see it was true. Behind the armoured wave of monsters, a scurrying flood of insects followed. Hundreds, maybe thousands of monsters charging along all surfaces of the tunnel made a horrifying sight.

“Stones,” Balta cursed under his breath.

It was clear the ants had planned for the centre of their line to collapse in this battle. Now their reinforcements were coming to shove the golgari back and smash their opponents in the middle of the line. He had confidence, though. After the first battle where the armoured ants showed the strength of their charge, steps were taken to ensure it wouldn’t happen again. The only thing that made him nervous was the fearsome bear. Could this be something the ants prepared for such a situation?

Back amongst his fellow Warriors, Balta grew emboldened and snapped out slashes of blade along with those around him, only to see the armoured figures fight amongst themselves to accept the strikes. Armour was dented, ants stumbled, but the charge did not falter. The bear was growing larger and larger the closer it came, its eyes leaving a trailing streak of flames as it ran.

Balta focused his eyes and realised the monster’s body was wreathed in an ever-strengthening red aura.

“It’s berserking!” he cried.

“ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRR!”

Another deafening roar echoed from the monster’s mouth, the sheer volume making many Warriors flinch. This monster wasn’t a tier four ant, something they didn’t fear, but at least tier five, possibly tier six. Clearly, it was powerful.

“HOLD!” Balta yelled as he set his body alongside those around him, helping to brace the shield line.

In the final moment, the ants accelerated across the last few metres all at once, smashing their bodies against the golgari line, heedless of any risk to themselves. There was a thunderous impact, and at first, it seemed as if the shields would hold. Then came the bear. Bellowing with rage, it leapt over the armoured ants and collided with the barrier like a collapsing building.

Surrounded with a bloodred aura of rage and madness, the bear shattered the shields and landed amongst the golgari, who had but a moment to gather themselves before they were under attack. Claws and teeth snapped and flashed before Balta’s face as he wove a defensive pattern of light with his blade. A few seconds later, the second wave of ants crashed amongst their lines and the fight was on for real.