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“Capitan Eula! Hostile forces are headed this way!”
Every atom in Eula’s body snapped to attention as the voice pulled her out of her daze, urgency quickly thrumming through her veins. Mika stood in the middle of the half-open tent flaps, crossbow in one hand and spear in the other. He looked thoroughly and utterly panicked.
“From which direction? Humans or monsters?” she demanded, rising from her chair.
“Northeast, abyssal monsters.”
“Abyssal?” Eula muttered to herself. Then, to Mika, “Tell everyone to prepare for battle. Do not evacuate the camp.”
“Yes, Capitan!” The Cryo user turned to leave, but seemed to remember something and spun on his heel. “Oh! Um, Miss Amber and I ran into each other just before I spotted the monsters. She went out as an advance guard…”
“What? Why in the world would she do that?”
“I-I don’t know, Capitan. I couldn’t stop her.”
“Mark my words… Vengeance will be mine.”
Mika nodded carefully, then excused himself to sprint around the various tents. Eula watched him work for a brief moment before preparing herself for the incoming battle. Of course, the abyssal beings could always choose not to attack, but they had never done that in known history. Whenever Abyssal monsters see humans minding their own business, they took that as grounds for an attack. Eula despised them.
She had to put Amber at the back of her mind to keep herself focused. Amber, although sometimes reckless and headstrong, could handle herself. Eula would have to believe that she would be okay. As Reconnaissance Company Captain, she had a duty to her troops, first and foremost.
When she emerged from her tent to arrange battle formations, the hoard could already be seen on the horizon. Though Eula would never admit it, unease shivered down her shoulders. They only had two Allogenes, both Cryo users. Eula could already see the pale blue glow of Cryo Abyss Mage shields. Not good.
“Formation Boreas!” she barked, striding to the front of her Company. The other members fell in behind her. “Prioritize life over anything else. Do not retreat unless as a last resort. Form up!”
Bows drawn and swords at the ready, Eula and the rest of the Reconnaissance Company could only watch as the Abyss spilled over the hills and into their camp.
.
Eula didn’t count the numbers. She didn’t want to know how many they were up against, though she knew how small her platoon was. They were not built to be fighters. They were not trained as fighters. But evacuation was not an option, so all they could do was fight.
She quickly realized how futile it all was. Even the highly skilled will falter against sheer numbers, and while her troops were the best when it came to reconnaissance, they were not prepared for a battle like this one.
On the bright side, no lives had been lost. Anyone who had been injured fled with their life, and Mika had gone to tend to the wounded at an unknown rendezvous point. On the not so bright side, Eula was the only one still fighting.
In the end… Even the highly skilled will falter against sheer numbers…