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HELLIONS PHASE

COMMENCE

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Seeing the swarm of enemies closing in on the hulking figure of Balathu, a tiny voice in Siris's mind—echoing his father’s cautious training—whispered that this could go south quickly. But that voice was swiftly drowned out by the roar of his own bravado. As Balathu slowly backed away to avoid being surrounded, Siris charged forward, a grin spreading across his face. There was only one way to came to his mind to save his ally Balathu from being massacred by the bandit squadron

Siris: "Balathu, my friend, stand aside! This is where I shine!"

Charging headfirst into the thick of the enemy squad might have seemed suicidal to anyone else, but Siris was no ordinary warrior—he was Siris, after all, and no one could best him in combat even if he was wounded; or so he thought. His confidence surged, swelling into a near-delirious certainty. How could anyone stand a chance against drastic odds if they did not at the very least have complete confidence in oneself?

Siris: "Don’t worry, I’ve got this! These fools are no match for me!"

Instead of drawing his sword, Siris opted for his twin daggers—reliable companions in a fray like this. Without the burden of his heavy armor, he felt himself to be a blur of motion, his speed his greatest weapon against the mob. His eyes locked onto the first target—a scout who had somehow slipped through his grasp earlier.

Siris: "Ah, you slippery rat! Escaped me once, did you? Yet you chose to plunder a village right under my nose? A fatal error, one you’ll not live to regret!"

Before the bandit could fully turn, Siris had already unleashed one of his daggers. It sailed through the air and buried itself in the bandit’s throat, silencing him instantly. As the body crumpled to the ground, Siris noticed a book tumble out of the bandit’s satchel. He made a mental note to examine it later, after he'd finished the fight.

Pulling another knife out so he once again had one in both hands, Siris turned his gaze to the remaining bandits, the dull ache of his recent wound all but forgotten in the extreme rush of battle.

Siris: "One down, three to go! Now, come on! Show me you're worth the effort of this warm-up!"

Iddin takes deep breaths, trying to calm down a bit as his mercenaries charge recklessly into the enemy. Fortunately, Balathu retreats directly to Iddin's position. The priest seals his wounds quickly, but with far more care than applied to Zarif.

Iddin: "Feel the embrace of Zuzu! Be repaired, so that you may be the vanguard of his might!"

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_{AKMAAN moves to J-34 and attacks CAVALIER #4 with his BRONZE BATTLE AXE but misses! Cavalier #4 counters dealing 4 damage! Savage Blow activates! CAVALIER #4 takes 4 damage!}

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HELLIONS PHASE

COMMENCE

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As Siris readied himself for the three opponents advancing on him, his eyes caught the sight of the two closest ones— a bandit swordsman and a mage—abandoning their charge to pursue Zarif instead. For a fleeting moment, Siris stood in disbelief. It was rare for someone to risk their life to save him, especially by themselves. Most soldiers he'd encountered in his life lacked such boldness, and those who did often paid with their lives. But Zarif, a merchant by trade, had stepped into the fray not to flee, but to fight for him. He was a man who wasn't a soldier, who competed with the trained Siris on the battlefield, and who now was risking his life for him. This bizarre turn of events stirred feelings he hadn't felt in a long time, acknowledgement with a hint of rivalry. Zarif wasn’t just a companion on the battlefield; perhaps he was more-mayhaps someone Siris could count on. A small smile creeped on Siris's face

Siris: Not bad.

But the moment was fleeting. A whistling sound drew Siris's attention back to the fight as an axe hurtled toward him. He barely dodged, quickly launching his dagger at the brigand who’d thrown it. The distraction caused his aim to falter, and the brigand dodged, though it left him off-balance. Seizing the opportunity, Siris charged, feinting a strike at the throat but instead driving his other blade into the bandit's leg. As the brigand cried out in pain, Siris turned his attention back to Zarif, who was now in dire straits—wounded by the swordsman and being scorched by the mage at close range.

With a yell, Siris sprinted toward the pair.

Siris: Ignoring me? Insulting me on the battlefield will cause you to have a painful death!

While moving he saw Balathu moving in to engage the swordsman, now revitalized thanks to Iddin’s healing. Siris now knew where his focus was needed. Sword in hand, he dashed at the mage, who barely had time to react thanks to Siris's yelling. With a swift slash, Siris carved a wound across the mage's chest, taunting him with the promise of a swift death if he accepts his fate.

In desperation, the mage unleashed a torrent of flames. Siris braced himself, reversing his grip on his sword and using it as a shield over his forearm. He places both his arms and sword in front of his face as protection. He sprinted through the fire, eyes squinting against the heat as his body instinctively shielded his vital areas. Relying on intuition, he slashed through the flames, severing the mage's arm. With a fluid motion, Siris adjusted his grip and slashed across the mage’s chest, then spun his sword upward in a final, brutal strike that sent the mage collapsing into a pool of his own blood.

After a deep breath or two, Siris glanced down at his chest, where a previous wound had been cauterized by the mage's flames. The pain was intense, but for now, it was distant—a mere echo beneath the surge of adrenaline. His shirt had a more unfortunate fate however, having been turned into cinder.

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HELLIONS PHASE

COMMENCE

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The priest regains his composure, no foes left in sight. He strides forward with a slight limp, not immune to his own injuries, and thinks on the geography of the battlefield. The others had slipped out of his sight and hopefully had better fortune.

Iddin: "Stay alert! Press forward and look for any enemies concealed beyond the mountains."