The Horseman of Calamity

Chapter 23 - Maturity

The NPRA had now gathered a sufficient amount of their forces to properly protect their city and drive the invaders from whence they came. The forces staying back to deal with the intruders were now regrouping to make sure the inside of the city was safe. Meanwhile, the main force of the army was moving past the walls, preparing to engage with the Legion of Darkness.

A vanguard composed of their strongest soldiers were being sent out to Shitou first. Ordered to keep watch, they have strict orders against supporting Shitou. In fact, their orders are to gauge the main force and only engage if Shitou retreats or is killed.

Their smaller units of the snade riders now had the sky locked down, and with the combined effort from the Beast-class hunter named Tiagur and several of the city's defensive towers, the number of projectiles raining down on the city had been decreased drastically.

Finally, the main force had taken up a wedge formation, with any mages kept in the back and the most proficient calamity users in the front. Smaller units of cavalry were posted to their far sides accompanied by squads of gunmen and archers.

Due to the rushed and chaotic nature of this battle, Goray and Delly had attempted to get through the army to reach Shitou first. However, they were now stuck between all of the soldiers in their march forward, unable to get past them. And due to the chaos, no one had bothered to check for their identities. Goray and Delly might have looked out of place, but the soldiers had more pressing matters to worry about than a few 'civilians' joining the fray.

"Delly, let us move through the sides, then we can make our way past this formation." Goray said, seemingly anxious of the tight groups everyone was in.

"Wait, shouldn't we wait for the others though?"

"No, war doesn't give you the time to wait."

Delly sighed in response, "I know! But that doesn't mean we should increase the risk of us dying."

Goray ignored his friend's pleas, now beginning to move to the side to get past the formations of several units. Delly groaned loudly before kicking a rock, nonetheless, he followed after.

During all of this time, Shitou and Tannabriss had still been locked in a stalemate for the majority of their fight. With both fighters having unleashed their trump cards, the most powerful move in both of their arsenals, an alteration of the land around them.

On one side, protecting the city and its inhabitants was a heavenly field full of peach trees. Warding off the attacks coming from Tannabriss' forces, the sun was beaming down on the ground, turning the grass to an almost amber-like orange. Anyone who stands within this land is filled with immense energy, emboldened by the sweet succulent smell of the peaches, they fear nothing.

On the other side, seeking to drag down Shitou and all who stood in their way were the souls of the dead.  A veil of black mist shrouded this side, having killed even the plant life. By opening a portal to the homeworld of those who had been damned, Tannabriss had allowed for a temporary breach between the two realms. The hands, mouths, and claws of those souls pulled desperately, grabbing onto anything they could to allow for even a moment of rest from the pits of the dead.

"You might as well tell me where Rodriga is right now, Tanny." Shitou calmly said, slamming his staff into Tannabriss' face.

She laughed, slashing her scythe at his face, shouting, "It's not time yet!"

A single slash from Tannabriss' scythe, was powerful enough to cleave through just anything. Being a representation of death itself, her scythe bypasses any and all defenses, and with this power she could even cut stars, causing them to die and burn out in a matter of minutes.