>>6286368
>“We’ll go through the right side.” The goal right now was to make it to the Tower of Illusions. Staying away from the Dagdans would ensure that you didn’t get tangled up in a fight with them, possibly delaying you and complicating matters. The three of you run over towards the rightmost barricades, all while Oswald’s forces continue to cleave straight through the middle path. The men manning the ballista focus fire on the larger group, completely ignoring your party. The prisoners fire two bolts, with no regard for their allies that are caught in range.

The tower nearest you though is unable to get off a shot. Powerful wind magic engulfs the fortification, sending prisoners sailing through the skies and ripping stones from the building’s foundation. The prisoners manning the right barricade stare up in shock as the deadly tornado rips through the fort. Only when you and Uriyan are a mere few feet away do they notice you. Their eyes widen as both your axes come crashing down on the barricade, smashing it several pieces.

“They’re breaking through! We need hel-ack!”

The man who screamed has his head severed clean from his body as Saoirse flies through the gap you and Uriyan created. The prisoners scramble to halt your advance. Those that hadn’t been pulled into that deadly vortex come running over, wielding a variety of weapons from swords to axes and spears. They concentrate their efforts on taking out Saoirse. You watch her, even as you finish smashing up the barricade, eager to get a glimpse at what the so-called First Sword could do. As nearly a dozen enemies head her way, she does something that startles you. She radiates a powerful blue aura, and calls upon none other than the Crest of Indech. In a flash, Saoirse has suddenly appeared behind the enemy, and one by one, they fall to the ground in a bloody heap.

Shit! No wonder she seemed so familiar! She had the exact same Crest as you! You’d heard stories like this before. Supposedly, people who shared the same Crest had a bond of sorts. They could sense others of their kind. You’d never met someone with either Indech or Macuil though. And you certainly never heard anything about people from Sreng having Crests. What the hell was the deal with this girl?

The barricade is reduced to splinters, and you and Uriyan pour through to back up Saoirse. Upon seeing two hulking giants coming to support the swordswoman that just dashed through several of their comrades with ease, many of the prisoners throw down their weapons and begin begging for mercy. Saoirse was right in her assessment. These people were not warriors. Siege magic and Crests were beyond their realm of thinking. They were simply being used as meatshields to stall you so that your time would run out. These Yasha were certainly cruel.