Tale of Four

Issac looked up at the dark clouds. Although the worst of the rain had passed, a light drizzle still hit his face. After a few days of retreating, he was finally in a position to begin his plan. Covering his eye and placing the crystal on the other, he looked through the Sky Eye at Lord Hipply’s position. Having crossed further up the Clearstream with a small cavalry force no larger than two hundred, he was a half-day ride away; the remaining eight hundred secured the crossing of the Clearstream to block Lord Duskin’s forces in.

’He didn’t overcommit.’ If there was one thing Issac couldn’t prepare for, it was Lord Duskin’s caution. Whilst a quarter of his forces gave chase, the rest held position beyond the clearstream in the Inbetween Fort, waiting for reinforcements. Even if he didn’t commit everything, he still outnumbered Isaac’s forces and allowed the chase.

’They know I’m here; I’ve hardly hidden my presence, but I wonder if they believe because it rains I cannot use my power.’

Smirking to himself, Issac raised Suntear and turned around. Behind him, a shield row formed. Scattered by their sides were numerous sets of caverly. There was going to be no parley. Waiting, Isaac let his commanders take their postion, as he sat at the front. Micromanaging the entire front was pointless, and only those whom he chose as his personal guard stood by his side for his command; a force no larger than a hundred strong of heavy infantry, made up of the best of the Hills. First, second, third sons, commoners, disgraced merchants. It didn’t matter; if they were skilled, they were allowed it, so long as they swore loyalty.

Covering his eyes and looking through the Sky Eye again, he watched as it followed the path back to him and flew over Lord Duskin’s pursuing force. ’Four hours at their pace. Maybe longer if the weather gets worse.’ With a rough calculation, Issac jumped off his sword. Walking foward everyone watched him as he separated himself and took a foward position alone before turning around. Seething SunTear, he held both hands into the sky, and the burning inferno in his eyes flared.

”HELIOS!” Isaac’s voice boomed. It was quiet in comparison to the audience he was trying to reach, but those who couldn’t hear his voice saw what he was doing. From his hands, streaks of white fire flew up, forming a ball. The rain that hit it instantly vaporised, and Issac felt his hands slowly begin to burn. Their power was Helios’ own. Even if the Sunflares were blessed by the Lord of the Sun, they were still human, with only a resistance to the fire. His fingertips were the first to show signs of change, turning black under the white flames that formed between his fingers and rose.

Yet Issac showed no change, not allowing the pain that slowly got worse to show. ”WE URGE YOU TO BRING VICTORY TO OUR CAUSE!” Screaming, the ball of fire above him grew more ferociously, barely being held together, looking like a small sun. Issac closed his eyes, unable to look at it any longer, and his arms shook, the pain worsening. ”YOUR GRACE IS BLOCKED BY THE STROMS, BUT YOUR POWER IS EVER CLEAR! BRING UPON OUR ENEMIES FIRE! BRING UPON OUR ENEMIES PAIN! BURN THOSE WHO TRY TO BLOCK YOUR LIGHT! BURN THOSE WHO BELIEVE YOUR LIGHT DOESN’T REACH ALL!”

Unable to cope with the pain any longer, Issac released the small sun he had formed, the ball of fire dropping atop him and spreading across the ground. Gritting his teeth, he felt his entire body be burned alive for a few seconds, the fire trying to destroy the natural resistance of his body but failing, before spreading out across the field, rushing towards his men. The ground below was scorched where the fire ran, and those closest stood firm, not daring to run before the fire of their Lord.

Just before they were burnt, the fire extinguished, and Issac looked at the long black streak of burnt land. ”WE DO NOT RETREAT FROM HERE, MEN! THIS LAND HAS BEEN CLEANSED AND BLESSED WITH THE LORD’S FIRE! THE CLOUDS ABOVE DO NOT HIDE OUR LORD, FOR I STAND WITH YOU! HELIOS’ POWER IS WITH YOU, AND IT DEMANDS YOU HONOUR HIM! COWARDICE IS UNFORGIVABLE! MERCY IS A LUXURY YOU DO NOT HAVE! PRAISE HIM WITH THE LANGUAGE HE KNOWS! DELIVER UPON OUR ENEMIES THE WRATH OF THE SUN!”

Across the field, the army slammed their feet into the ground, shields with their swords and chests with their fists, crying out in response. Issac nodded, able to see his men were getting in the mindset for battle. Walking back to his horse, he placed a hand on it before deciding against saddling it and handed it to a soldier of his guard he knew could ride and ordered him to join the other cavalry units. Whilst skilled at horse combat, if he used his power, it would only result in burning the beast alive.

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Issac felt it before he saw. The slight rumbling of the ground announced the arrival of his enemy. Next was the sound of thousands marching. Closing his eyes, order flew out all across. for Issac, there was no order to be given. He and his men knew what their role was. They would be the spear point, the one to lead the assault and cause the breakthrough.

Minutes dragged by, and finally, in the distance, over the horizon, they saw their enemy. Lifting SunTear, Issac held the blade high, waiting until the enemy got close enough. They were all tired and hungry, even if they had been waiting hours, but compared to their enemy, their condition would be better.

”MEN!” Issac called out to his personal guard just before ordering the charge, ”DO NOT STAND NEAR ME IN THE BATTLE TO COME!” There was a chorus of laughter from his guard, and a small smile broke his aloof face. Despite the humour his men found in his order, they all knew he was being serious. Within Veston, the Sunflare power was the most well-known and also the most destructive.

Whilst there were slight differences in each Sunflare’s fire, it was always still fire. As for Issac, he had been both blessed and cursed. His fire was unlike his fathers nor his family’s, burning far hotter than most. It was a weapon of destruction, yet it threatened to burn him if he wasn’t careful.

Lowering his sword, Issac braced himself. The charge from his enemy was slow, but it had no effect on his men, who held firm. The horses moved first, from the flank, charging out to hit their enemy from the side to slow the charge, and Issac stepped foward. Minutes passed, and just as they got close, Issac cried out.

”BRACE!” The heavy shield wall moved to intercept the enemy, placing themselves before Isaac, and the eruption that followed signalled the start of the battle. Issac watched, waiting for his enemy to be completely committed. Once he was sure, he yelled again, ”SPLIT!” The command was only for those before him, but hearing their lord, they slew those in front of them before creating a path for Issac.

Holding his hand out, White flame coiled around his fingers. The nipping of the fire burned his hand black, and before his skin began to melt, he released the flames, sending them foward, scorching the enemy before him. Like it was alive, the fire coiled around them like a snake, digging through the gaps of their armour, and incinerating them. Issac charged foward.

Even if they were going to hold a line, he and his forces would be a spearhead that was used to attack. Taking the lead, white flames ran down his sword. Unlike normal blades, the steel with an orange streak through it didn’t weaken under the intense heat; rather, the orange metal running down the blade glowed, accepting the fire.

SunTear was a special sword, not only for the material it was made from, but also becuase of how it interacted with the flames of the Sunflare family. Whilst how it was forged or what it even was forged with had been lost, that truth had never changed. Swinging down, his blade was a white blur of heat, cutting through metal armour like butter, evaporating the blood that touched it.

Those who wished to attack Isaac jumped back in horror, terrified of the heat of the blade, and Issac didn’t give them a chance to collect themselves, cutting them down. As he fought, his eyes scanned around. His personal guard understood their role, and although they acted as a spear with him, they made sure to keep a distance. Realising they had cleared enough distance, Issac took a deep breath. Letting go of the blade with one hand, he blocked an incoming strike and held it, watching as the steel sword clung to his own blade began to heat and bend.

In his free hand, a ball of fire formed. Issac bit his lip, cutting down the man who attacked him and twirling to avoid a second strike. Cutting another down, the smell of charred corpses began to fill the air around him as those who wished to slay the Lord of the Hills hesitated. The hesitation was the opening he needed. Closing his fist around the ball of fire in his hand, Issac shook with pain, his skin melting.

”AHHHHH!” A scream drowned out by the rest across the battlefield escaped his lips, and just before he completely lost the use of his hand, he released the condensed orb of fire. Its appearance confused everyone who saw it, looking like the sun given form, sleek, unlike the fire around Isaac’s blade that danced. Throwing it foward, it flew over the heads of numerous men who didn’t acknowledge the small white orb until it landed.

Lifitng his sword to block another strike, his vision abruptly changed, as if the brightest sun to exist suddenly broke through the clouds. All noise within the battle ceased for a moment, silence due to the impending explosion, and when it came, it shook the ground. From within the enemy line where the white orb fell, a grand inferno of white flames, with the sole desire to consume all in its path, spread. Twisting and collapsing in on itself, it cared for nothing but destruction.

Those close by died instantly, unable to stop the flames of Helios consuming them; the rest who could still react ran from the fire that seemed to chase them. Breathing deeply, Issac stepped back, his burned hand sending waves of pain throughout his body. Before him, he saw the horrified looks of his enemy, staring at him not as a person but as a demon.