The air across the battlefield suddenly changed.


    A second roar, as oppressive as the first one, shook the soldiers to their core.


    "PIAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    Corrupted beasts began to move erratically, fleeing in every direction, leaving May and Eric confused.


    "What was that?!"


    "My ears!"


    Many grabbed their heads in agony, as the scream continued for a long while.


    May began to become affected by it too, making it difficult for her to breathe correctly.


    "K-Kh! So... loud!"


    The corrupted insects attacking the army began to collapse one by one, writhing in pain, before dying.


    A few soldiers collapsed on the ground, convulsing from sensory overload.


    When the scream subsided, a bright light took flight further back in the horizon.


    Grey dots appeared to fly alongside it, until the army realized what was happening.


    Far back, at base, Florian and Kamala recovered their senses.


    Even though they farther away than everyone, the overwhelming terror spread with ease, reaching them as if they were on the frontline.


    "The situation has changed. Kamala, we need to move out."


    "You''re right. We can''t let anyone else fight the source of that voice. It''s sounded dangerous."


    They nodded at each other, before rushing out of the tent.


    Right when they stepped out, they were met with a hundred soldiers being dragged out of battle, showing signs of madness.


    "Please! Help!"


    "No!"


    "The voice... The voice!"


    With a grave look on his face, Florian observed the casualties while passing by.


    ''Such powerful psychic attack. What is this thing we''re suddenly against?''


    Kamala seemed to have thought the same thing, as she worriedly stared at him.


    They both ran through the hundreds of soldiers who were losing their minds.


    ''Tch! I have no choice.''


    Removing his glasses, he placed them in his breast pocket, and looked at Kamala running next to him.


    "Grab my hand."


    Florian held his hand toward Kamala. She blinked for a second, questioning him with her eyes.


    "We don''t have the leisure to waste time. Grab onto me."


    With a nod, she threw herself at him in the middle of running. Florian caught her, held her in his arms, and stepped on the ground with all of his strength.


    "Don''t bite your tongue."


    Lightning magic began to cover his body, his pupils flickered to purple, and purple veins branched out everywhere on his body.


    A crackling sound echoed across the battlefield, with Florian as the source. He traversed the terrain while avoiding everyone on his path, and the various corpses of the corrupted laying all around.


    He knew when to decelerate when he noticed burnt corpses, indicating that May was nearby.


    Less than a minute after leaving base camp, Florian and Kamala arrived at the frontline.


    His feet scrapped dirt as he forcefully stopped. Kamala immediately moved away from his embrace, and nervously scanned the surroundings.


    "Where are Eric and May? I can''t see them..."


    All she could see were the gray dots approaching rapidly in the distance.


    "Right here. We went past them."


    Pointing at the two talking to each other, Florian reassured her. With hurried steps, they joined them, and entered the conversation.


    "Are you two alright?"


    "Florian, and Kamala? What are you doing here?"


    Surprised, Eric asked.


    "Answer me."


    "Eh? Huh... Yes, we''re alright. Why? Were you worried?"


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    Kamala stepped in front of him with an angry face.


    "Of course we were! After hearing that roar, how could we not?"


    "I get it, alright? Take a deep breath."


    With a forced smile, Eric placed his hands between him and Kamala in an attempt to calm her.


    "Now that we confirmed your safety, can you explain what happened around here? Why is there no... corrupted beasts?"


    Florian turned around before tilting his head, confused.


    "As you can see. That loud scream killed every corrupted we were fighting. It was so horrifying, it also affected us somehow."


    May silently touched the jewel on her nape with a distressed expression. Kamala noticed this and walked to her, before grabbing her free hand.


    "May?"


    "It''s..."


    Hesitant to speak, May looked down. In the end, she caved and explained her trouble.


    "That thing terrorized the elemental inside of me. I can''t hear its voice anymore."


    The insinuation behind her words made the three perplexed.


    ''She can''t use her fire magic anymore...''


    This was a considerable setback on the battlefield.


    ''We can''t let her fight.''


    They all exchanged silent gazes, until Eric opened his mouth.


    "Then-"


    "I''m not leaving you behind."


    She shook her head, and scowled at his words.


    "But-"


    "Eric, enough."


    Florian placed his arm in front of him as he was trying to persuade her.


    "There''s no time for bickering. If she doesn''t want to go, even knowing the risks, it is her choice."


    "She''s smart enough to know when to retreat, so leave it to her."


    A sigh escaped Eric''s mouth.


    "Fine. Do whatever."


    He turned around and grabbed his earthen axe, before glancing at the incoming wave of enemies.


    "You''re right about the ''no time'' part. Seems like our guests are coming in hot."


    Out of their line of sight, a large gray crane dropped from the sky, aiming to skewer Kamala.


    May noticed it, and impulsively jumped between Kamala and the corrupted, her sword in hand.


    Showing no fear in front of the beast, she waited for the perfect moment to strike.


    As the crane''s beak closed in on her neck, she bent her knees at the last second, and stabbed her sword into its chest, piercing the black core maintaining its life.


    Dark blood spewed out of the creature, as it flailed wildly, before all signs of motion stopped.


    "So, do I need to retreat?"


    "..."


    Eric shook his head in defeat. May slammed the beast on the ground, and pulled her sword from its chest.


    With a wide circular motion, she sprayed the blood dripping from the sword onto the ground.


    "Good. Now, let''s focus."


    Her eyes settled on a white sphere floating in the sky, surrounded by thousands of birds of various shapes and forms.


    First, they were attacked by ground units, and now, by aerial forces.


    "This won''t be easy."


    Said Florian, with resolve painted on his face.


    Answering his words, the others nodded.


    May turned around, and looked at the panicked soldiers watching the backs of their Lords.


    "Retreat! Leave the rest to us!"


    Some of them hesitated to follow her orders, while those who couldn''t endure any longer fled toward the back.


    But, they ultimately turned around, picking up their fallen and injured comrades in the process.


    Satisfied, May turned around.


    ''How long are you going to cower in fear? Either we die here, or we don''t. Are you prepared to die?''


    Calling out the elemental inside her, she tried to bring it back.


    ''---''


    ''Then fight!''


    ''---''


    The jewel shone so bright it made its previous gleam pale in comparison. May smiled while grabbing the steel blade of her sword.


    "We still have a few things to try out. Isn''t that what it means to ''go all out''?"


    The three watched as her blade began to take on an orange hue. Flames accumulated around its edges, before pointing its tip at the sky.


    In a single and swift movement, she pulled the sword behind her, before swinging the sword toward the enemy.


    Eric, Florian, and Kamala were bathed in a terrifying wave of heat. In shock, they watched a literal wave of fire traverse the sky, engulfing the entire left side of the flying corrupted birds in a single strike.


    A thousand burnt corpses plummeted toward the ground, still fuming.


    "Too bad I can''t do that often, again."


    May stabbed her sword into the ground, and dropped to one knee while sweating pea sized droplets of sweat.


    The jewel on her nape dimmed completely, while she struggled to catch her breath.


    "I leave... the rest to you three."


    Her sword began to melt, while she forced herself to stand up. Slowly, she stepped away from the scene, while the three ex-Apostles readied themselves.


    In awe, they praised her.


    "She''s your subordinate, right? Where did you find her?"


    Florian asked, his body changing from the Elemental Mastery.


    "Not anymore. She wasn''t that powerful when working for me."


    The weapon in Eric''s hand changed, as he answered Florian. His axe began to take the shape of a long war hammer. His other hand grasped a piece of rock, which formed a large shield in front of him.


    "That''s what living with Orion transforms you into. Or maybe it''s her feelings for him that made her this strong?"


    While smiling at the thought of May doing her best for the man she loved, Kamala was reminded of herself.


    She also had someone to fight for. As she glanced discreetly toward Florian, her body began to float above ground level.


    A wind spiral formed around her arms and legs, while rings of sand particles revolved around her.


    "Right. Who wouldn''t want to impress the one they love?"


    Kamala swiped widely in front of her, creating spikes of sand and wind blades that flew toward the remaining enemies.


    "May said to go all out, right?"


    Eric slammed his the pointy side of his hammer into the ground, before breaking it apart. As he aimed for one bird, he flung a massive piece of earth in the air, hitting a few birds in the process.


    "Are these creatures stupid? Why don''t they dodge?"


    Florian began to walk in the air. Each step was making him rise higher and higher, until he disappeared from his spot. He reappeared near a corrupted bird, kicked it downward, and vanished once again to attack another.


    The three Lords wreaked havoc on the enemy lines before the white sphere came too close.


    Thanks to May''s awe-inspiring performance a few moments ago, their overall morale was raised like never before.


    They erased hundreds of beasts in record time, while avoiding their attacks.


    "Not so fast!"


    Eric jumped in front of Kamala and blocked a bird with his shield, before bashing it into the ground.


    While Eric acted as Kamala''s shield, she attacked targets unreachable for Florian. Her sand spikes pierced the corrupted, while her wind blades shredded their ranks.


    When the last bird fell to the ground after Florian ripped the dark core from its insides, they all breathed a sigh of relief.


    "All that''s left is the big one. Without the minions, this will be an easy battle."


    Eric nodded to himself. The only enemy left was that bright sphere approaching them.


    "..."


    But Florian wasn''t of the same opinion. He gazed at the ground, and noticed something.


    Kamala noticed his expression, and looked at the ground.


    ''Hmm?''


    A glistening black core caught her attention.


    ''A core?''


    Suddenly, Florian and Kamala realized.


    ''A core outside their body that hasn''t crumbled to dust!''


    Eric caught sight of their panicked expression, and looked in the sky.


    "!"


    His and Florian''s body moved on instinct. Eric postured himself in front of Kamala, his shield raised, while Florian crossed the distance between them instantly, protecting Kamala with his body.


    *Crack*


    Kamala blinked. The world began to flow in slow-motion, as blood appeared in her vision.


    A beam of light pierced Eric''s shield and arm.


    And Florian''s right side.


    The two had stood in front of her, defending Kamala with their precious life.