Swoosh. The swarm worm was cleaved in half. Its thick mucus splattering everywhere. Click. The claymore was back in its scabbard.
A geomancer followed up, hardening the muddy ground. Lumberjacks followed up, hacking down trees, sawing their trunks into makeshift bridges.
The convoy continued. Knights, musketeers, geomancers, cannons along with all the supplies they need.
The main cultist stronghold had been found. A joint expedition was levied.
The swamps had claimed many but at last, they reached a cluster of pillars extending into the sky, covered in thick, swamp green overgrowth.
Hikari halted in her tracks, stopping the convoy. "What's the matter?" A knight rode up to her.
"They are right up ahead."
The knight nodded, "That looks like a bloody fortress alright."
"Widen ranks." "Widen ranks." The message echoes down the columns. The geomancers started hardening the ground horizontally. Those with proper swarm cloaks spread themselves off road.
"Brace!" Hikari's voice echoed through the columns. Boom! Boom! The pillars fired a broadside. Too many for hikari to deflect.
She pulled out her bow. Eleven wood, harder than steel. Black smoke marks the targets. Balista bolts, burning with her dark flames, set flight.
Three volleys. Her quiver is empty.
"Raise the cannons!."
"No! Direct fire!" Hikari overruled the command.
The confused cannoners hesitated.
Rumble! Rumble!. The ground shook. Shadowy figures could be seen in the forge ahead.
Fire! Boom! Boom! The roar of cannons. staggered. The musket line opened up.
An army of grotesque miscreations, made from human flesh and untold dark machinations.
The barrage of cannon fire pelted them, but could not stop the oncoming charge.
Another wave of cannon fire rained from the pillars. Two direct hits onto Hikari. But she was unfazed. A wave of flame clearing the front. A small horde reached the musket line on the left wing. Knights clad in steel flanked the mindless walkers, their bite could do nothing against imbibed steel.
Two foot soldiers rushed up to Hikari, pulling a cart behind them filled with ballista bolts. Another three volleys. An infantry line formed up in front of her. Another cart of ballista bolts came up from behind. Geomancers showed up, raising barriers and creating ditches.
Gawk! Gawk! A flock of crows appeared above the battlefield. "Umm.. sir? those crows." "Distracted by crows now are we? Get your ass to the front then!"
Hikari paused. She stared at the crows. There was something off.
Suddenly, the crows set themselves alight and dove at her. A reflex telekinetic blast knocked them away, as well as some infantry men.
"Find the bloody sorcerer!" A commander bellowed from the back. His troops could only glance at each
Hikari expended her mana sense, the ground ahead was full of traps, no sign of the sorcerer. She thought for a bit.
There was a smashed crate of musket balls. Hikari grabbed a handful, sling her arm back and hurled them towards the source of the crows.
The ground ahead was set ablaze with her flames. The stream of Eldritch crows dwindled.
She raced forward. The remaining crows now all funnel towards her. Her signature move, the flaming whirlwind now unleashed once she is unimpeded by friendly infantry.
The summoner was skilled. Hikari was looking for the one mana presence that stands out but she couldn't. She could only brute force, hacking and slashing, destroying everything until she finds it. She thrust her sword into a ritual circle. It was immediately snuffed out. A decoy.
Stab. The last ritual circle. The crow summoning had stopped. No sign of the summoner.
The field got quiet, save for the sound of sporadic musket fire behind her.
The earth rumbled, a massive golem emerged from the earth. A hulk of tortured flesh, vines growing out of its body, the pink flowers. Above its head, a grotesque figure, four arms, two heads, one with long hair.
It raised its massive arms glowing with power and slammed the ground, releasing a shockwave. The dark energy causes the remaining zombies to burst from their insides.
Hikari's claymore struck from above, as the golem was still raising its arms, piercing through the golem's mana shield and into its flesh. Hikari forced her mana through her claylore, incinerating the golem's insides. A flock of crows materialized and dove Hikari. She slid down the other side of the golem, shielding her from the explosions.
Vines gushed out of the golem's flesh, attempting to surround her. Slash! Slash! Hikari slid under the golem. Stab, release. Stab release. The cursed RazenHeir flames stick to the golem, slowly burning its flesh, even the mud that stuck to it.
The golem built up its mana again and raised its arms. Hikari readys her stance.
Slam! Another shock wave ripping the earth apart. The golem looks around and sees no sign of its foe.
It lumbered forward. Stab! The claymore on its back was thrusted fully into its body. A gush of mana incinerating its insides. It flailed and thrashed. Hikari held on tight to her blade handle, continuously channeling the flames.
Flocks of crows close in from all directions, exploding, tearing into the golem's flesh. Its foe slid away again.The burning golem fell on its arms. Its remaining flesh is no longer able to support its weight.
At long last, a clean cut from above. The undead summoners planted on its crown were severed from their place. The hulk's energy gradually dissipated, and then it fell silent.