Watching the large scale battle reminded Ajax a lot of the movents he had seen back during the war ga he had been a part of. While it was clear that there was a lot more pressure now the planning for those battles had clearly been ant to teach so actual battle Skills and experience.
Everything changed however when the first spells started flying. Unlike during their little fake war the spells now were aid properly and actually intended to kill people while the defensive spells were the only thing guarding the heavily armored front line from getting blasted.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Aranor stopped Ajax as he started moving forward.
“I was going to slip inside of our formation.” Ajax answered. While he didn’t want to jump into the fight he did want to be close enough for [Mana Syphon] to be able to weaken the enemy’s attack.
“You think they won’t know you’re there?” Aranor shook his head. “Any help you might be able to give them will an nothing when a champion cuts through our lines to get to you.”
Ajax’s eyes opened wide. He realized he hadn’t thought this all the way through. Sure there was an unspoken rule of people mostly fighting in their own weight class but there was no real care put into it. If a champion happened upon a group of unguarded elites he could wipe them out. Him influencing the battle was fine all the sa,once the enemy focused on him they wouldn’t care about collateral damage.
“Just let this skirmish play out.” Aranor advised. “They won;t take it further than having the elites start to move, they can’t risk pushing it to our level since the people you are replacing haven’t left yet.”
Thinking about it like that Ajax’s view changed and he happened to agree with Aurexion, since they had the numbers now why not force the engagent? The only downside was that their side would have to be the one to push a champion forward first and with the number of champions involved that was pretty risky.
Turning his eyes back on the fight Ajax was stunned by how slow everything seed to him now. “Is this what watching the tournant felt like for you?” Ajax had previously gotten a similar experience when he watched the small fights back in his own duchy but those were all between talented youth of the new generation. It was completely different to watch the sa level of power play out between adults fighting for their life. “I can’t help but feel it's all so… slow.”
“Pure physical fighters have it worse…” Aranor’s words drifted off as they both watch the enemy army approach their own front lines.
“I thought you said they weren’t going to commit.” Ajax said as he pulled his gear to himself and silently cursed as his Mana was still only half way full.
“I’m not sure what they are doing but you’d best get ready.” Aranor said before approaching a large tent where he erged from monts later with his staff and followed by a large group of people.
The people following Aranor felt strong. Ajax didn’t recognise any of the champions there or the people forming the squads but it was clear that one squad ca from Brightstone as well as one champion while the other champion was also from Sylvanthal. The remaining squads were all from the Republic.
“Our orders are to engage if the battle doesn’t die off quickly.” The leader of one of the Republic teams speaks.
Ajax thought the move was smart but he didn’t like the way the captain was looking at him and Aurexion. From the looks of the Brightstone champion he had a bone to pick with the captain as well.
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“I’ll be right behind you, laddie.” Ajax could see the beard move but it was so thick he didn’t see the dwarves mouth at all.
“You’re expecting us to move first?” the heavily armored mber of the team exclaid. “We were going to be moving back because we need to recover.”
Ajax could see that two of the three Republic squads didn’t seem to be in that great of a shape and neither did the champion from Sylvanthal who he was suspecting would also be departing.
“Then you’d best not be giving out orders since we don’t take them from you.” Ajax first suspected it might be a race thing, but he quickly realized it was sothing else that had pissed the dwarf off. He didn’t like taking orders from others who he saw as weaker than himself, at least according to what [Diplomat] was suggesting.
The conversation was cut short as a massive spike of Mana released among their own lines. “Well that’d do it. The lass will force them to retreat or send their elites.”
Ajax recognised the mass of Mana for what it was. Arianwyn’s Winter Domain, it didn’t feel much stronger than it had the last ti he had seen it a year ago but it sohow felt sturdier. She had clearly gotten used to the extra Stats she had gained from delving Gryndor and Deepwood’s dungeons.
“A Domain.” Aurexion’s voice drew shocked looks from the group around them. “That’s quite sothing, odd to see it in one so young and weak.”
Ajax wanted to tell his bond that Lexi had one too but there were too many ears around for that. “Any pitfalls to avoid around Domains that you know of?”
Both Aranor and the other champion instantly snapped their heads towards Ajax as they only just realized the massive implication of Aurexion being able to communicate with them so directly, access to the knowledge of dragons and the Wild Lands.
“There are a few things.” Ajax quickly caught on that Aurexion was teasing the elven champions. “One downside I see is that she seems to be overly reliant on it.”
Much like the dwarven champion predicted, it didn't take long for the enemy elites to quickly move and start blocking the brunt of Arianwyn’s spells. That simple reaction caused a lot of movent in their own positioning as their own squads of elites repositioned as they prepared to join the fight.
“It doesn’t look like they’ll be backing off.” Ajax turned towards Aranor.
As much as he trusted in his bond’s power Ajax knew that the old elf was the real centerpiece of their force. While Aranor might not have the sa endurance as Aurexion his spells could shatter the entire enemy force if he got the chance to cast uninterrupted and protected.
“Lord Starfury, I’ll move to guard the princess.” The elven champion looked young the sa way most elves did, but from how brown his hair was Ajax would say he was the equivalent of his mid forties for a level one. Accounting for a champion’s Vitality he would put him at four to four and a half centuries old.
“You’ll do no such thing.” The sa captain snapped. “You’re a mage, the mont they see you anywhere close to our lines you’ll doom dozens when their champions engage.”
“Ajax, can you get in position close to her?” Aranor asked, and Ajax could see it in the elf’s eyes that despite the tone he did an this as a request.
“Sure.” Ajax said as he started to use a little Shadow Mana to mask his presence. “Aurexion, can you take to the skies? Best if they aren’t looking for
thinking I am in the air.”
Aranor was impressed with Ajax’s stealth, despite not looking away from him he was having issues keeping track of the young Duke as he walked calmly towards Arianwyn’s position.
“My lord, can we trust him?” the elven champion asked.
“The dragon flying up will force the decision on their champions, either they fight or they back off.” The dwarven champion pointed out as he took out his runned hamr. “Best we all get in position.”
Arianwyn didn’t know what changed but she caught a mont of carelessness in the enemy lines. It didn’t matter that they were elites with twenty to thirty levels on her, there wasn’t that large a difference in their Skill levels and with the amount of dungeons she delved she was pretty sure she had more stats from delving than they did. The mont of carelessness was going to cost them.
The presence of the Domain had masked her overcharged spell perfectly, the elites were still distracted by Aurexion taking to the air and were slow to react to the massive wave of ice lances flying at them all of a sudden. Their one saving grace was the champion among them that was already making their way towards the elven princess deciding to block the attack for them.
A runic caster hybrid was the perfect counter to a mage once they got close enough and with a champion’s power the distance to Arianwyn wasn’t that far, blocking the ice lances only slowed him down a little but that little was enough for Regalia to react as she pulled Arianwyn out of the way before the champion smashed into the place she had previously been standing.
“Thanks, Regalia.” Arianwyn thanked her bond, interrupting her chant as she knew there was no way she’d finish her spell before the champion closed the distance between them. She also couldn’t feel Aranor’s Mana with her [Sense Mana] so she knew he wasn’t close enough to protect her. It was always a risk she was aware of and that she’d be a target for her position as princess and she’d made her peace with it.”
Arianwyn had issues even tracking the champion with her eyes as he jumped towards her but was intercepted halfway as another figure clashed with him midair, a hamr infused with what she recognised as Vibration Mana made clean contact with the shield the champion had managed to pull out of his spacial ring in ti to block.
“I’ll take it from here, Arianwyn.” Ajax said as he already started boosting himself with [Mana Syphon] by draining all the spells from both armies, he didn’t take the effort to differentiate between friend or foe as he knew now that champions took the field they’ll all be backing off at a run.
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