Before There Was Braveheart

Chapter XXV: The Danse Macabre

The rebels and the Crown Ruler's lackeys were head to toe in battle, each aiming at each other's throats. The rebels were careful and only aimed to disarm their opponents, but the feeling wasn't mutual, and they had to protect their lives as they fought.

The group of rebels had decided that there should be no unnecessary bloodshed, and they should avoid killing at any cost, even when they felt like their opponent deserved it. For judgment is for the Everlasting Light only, and they all agreed to put them all to trial once this all ends.

As the battle raged on, Durinn helped the innocent nobles escape from the ballroom. He created a portal that leads to the Söldner's Guild, where they would be safe for a while as Bertram's wife was there on standby. Once evacuated, Durinn closed the portal and joined the fight. His spells hit the soldiers one by one.

Bertram and Kurtis fought back-to-back, the father-son duo who seemed to be on different paths during their service to the guild, finally seemed to be on the same page. As soldiers rushed towards them, the two took turns charging and blocking their attacks. Their swords clanged; their movements mirrored the other.

The tavern owner raised his sword to protect himself from one of the knight's attacks, his hand shook from the intensity of the swing, and he barely managed to block his opponent's sword.

The aspiring adventurer immediately swung his sword at the knight's arm. The knight's grip on his weapon was weakened, and Bertram took this as a chance to parry his opponent's sword before aiming at the knight's shoulder.

What he didn't notice was that another knight was rushing towards him, sword up high and ready to strike.

Kurtis, who just finished disarming another opponent, quickly turned to warn his father.

"Father, watch out!"

As Bertram turned around, a shield formed behind him, protecting him from the attack and giving Kurtis enough time to disarm the knight.

With a sigh, Bertram turned to his saviour and smiled.

"Thank you, Elaine!"

The young head clergy could only yell back a reply.

"Anytime!"

Elaine and Faro supported their allies while the other clergies took care of the wounded. Using the fortification spells taught to them during their training, they gave their allies a few buffs from the sidelines. If any soldier were to get close to them, they would have to go through the wards that they had set up in the corner of the ballroom to protect the wounded.

The head clergy earned her title well, for her eyes and hands moved swiftly from person to person, ally to ally. She acted fast and wasted no time in supporting her allies by giving them shields, a few buffs, and healing scars on the battlefield.

Next to her, the bald clergy aided his allies in any way he could. In areas where Elaine had miscalculated, Faro would fill in the gaps and cast his spells, as he would often help Elaine manage the affairs of Stadtbergen's sanctum.

Unfortunately for them, the other knights noticed that these two clergies were the backbone of the rebels' attacks, and they decided to target them instead. A few soldiers rushed towards them, Elaine and Faro could only hope that one of their allies could take care of them.

Out of nowhere, a knife attached to a long metal chain swung into the scene, hitting one of the knights on the head.

A purple-skinned tiefling pulled the knife out of the knight's head, and a few drops of blood splattered on the floor. She swung the knife at several knights, either targeting their skulls or their necks, all of them ended up lying on the floor with their lifeless eyes staring into the void.