LRAB 22 – A Flaming Strategy
22 – A Flaming Strategy
Jacob sheathed his sword, droplets of blood cascading down the sharp edge and intermixing with the muddy sludge, a direct cause of the thunderous rain that had lasted through the night and origin of much of their problems.
Right beside him stood his acolytes, each nearing the peak of E-Rank and holding the banner of the Red Tower, a subsidiary of the Tower of Spirituality and under direct supervision of Sir Zeke, a genuine Rank-A Knight of the Royal family of Eirland.
He felt his mana reserves in a diminished state, a result of the constant battle they had had to face throughout their march from the wall. Running into a group of Dire-Wolves had been a serious cause for concern, but thankfully he had received assistance from two guilders.
Yet the duo that stood before him was an interesting combination of a human and a vampire, the latter of which was a scarcity in the Kingdom. But what he couldn't understand was why they would be within the area they were handed the responsibility for, instead of the southeastern region.
More than anything, though, it was the fact that they genuinely seemed to hold no impression of their current predicament and the looming calamity they were trying to ward against. Three days within the End Forest, they had claimed. But he found himself hard-pressed to believe them.
"Ahem." Jacob cleared his throat and recounted the tale that had led them into their current situation.
Yesterday, he had been lounging near the gates of the Tower after providing an intense and thorough workout to his acolytes. He had been expecting to spend the rest of the day providing much relief to his body but instead had received a call to the arms.
A direct order from Adrian Ravencroft for Sir Zeke to lead his soldiers and assist the guild in Erdwatch. The monsters of the End Forest were swarming the guilders, and they needed as much assistance as could be provided.
By the time they arrived at the city, a rainy curtain encompassed the heavens, obscuring their view of the forest deep. Julian Ashford had been beside himself at their arrival, welcoming Sir Zeke with open arms, as was befitting a welcome to a friend.
They had learned the monster tide had been growing in intensity and needed as much help as possible. The night had been spent under the torrential downpour fighting the monster in the messiest manner possible. Death had been beside the corner, claiming men and beasts alike.
Then the dawn broke and the rain hummed to a light drizzle. The monsters were still packed to the brim, but it was determined that continuing fighting in a similar manner would incur heavy loss among their ranks.
With the two A-Ranks at the helm, the battle should've been easier, especially considering the fact that none of the monsters came close to A-Rank. That said, the walls spanned for miles on end, covering nearly half of Rosenthal County and a quarter of the Feylance Barony. Even with that advantage, the guild found itself stretched too thin.
That's when Jordan, 198th ranked on the kingdom's top 200 hunter rankings, made a proposition. Being a B-Rank hunter, his words couldn't be ignored even by Julian. The proposition was simple—if Sir Zeke and Julian were spread too thin trying to cover the entire battlefield, why not shrink the area itself?
The idea was to simply corner the monsters and force them into a single or two spots, where Sir Zeke and Julian would be waiting with their weapons drawn. With the amount of power the duo possessed, it would only be a matter of time before the monsters were rounded and chopped up. A simple and efficient strategy.
Of course, the plan was easier said than done. How would they manage to corral the monsters into a concentrated spot? Was that even possible?
That's where the lesser guilders and soldiers came into the picture. Before leaving the Tower, Sir Adrian, a prestigious re
"Do you think you can handle B-ranks?" The boy asked.
Jacob almost tripped over a stone but managed to catch himself before he could eat mud. Yet the shock he felt from hearing his words put his heart on a racing track. Even more shocking was the reply he heard.
"B-Ranks could pose some trouble, though I can handle the low-ranked ones."
She could handle B-Ranks. A B-Rank hunter!
B-rank hunters didn't grow on trees; they were prestigious personalities known throughout the kingdom. And there only existed 142 of them. In the entire Eirland Kingdom. Each one was known and accounted for.
But who was this? A wannabe vampire who claimed she could defeat one, even if they were low rank. The 200th ranked on the Top Hunter List, Brandon of the Hunter's Guild was a low-level B-Rank hunter. Could she handle him?
Jacob laughed and shook his head. Kids these days...
And continued walking.
Hmm? What's that? He thoughtfully looked ahead, spotting a massive shade lying with its innards spilled all over the grounds.
A Saber-Tooth Tiger!