Epilogue

  Unicus slides Vanilla's sword across the floor towards her. “Vanilla. take your sword. I want you to fight back now!”

  Vanilla picks up the sword that's sliding towards her, “Mommy will do her best.” Fixing her clothes, she sprints towards the mercenaries.

  She immediately starts chanting, “O silent force that binds the stars, Let weight wane and burden bow. Rise, fall—Gravitas Shift!” The red jewel in her sword starts shining dimly, enough to notice.

  The mercenaries around her seem confused by her chanting, “What? Another magic swordswoman? Just how many does this village have?...” They all try to gang up on her, but suddenly a chair falls over one of the mercenaries.

  Russell takes her side, “She isn't alone. Let's do this, Vanilla.” She responds, “Yes! You protect the other villagers from their attacks as always.”

  Russell nods and runs off towards the other villagers, “Anyone who is afraid of battle hides along with me. Come on people. Quickly.”

  He quickly casts a barrier spell, “Stone and soil, rise and stand, A shield of earth by my command — Emberward Bastion!”

  A sturdy barrier of stone and compacted earth rises before Russell, infused with a faint inner glow of orange, amber, or ochre hues. The glow is a result of latent magical energy coursing through the minerals, giving it a resilient and slightly warm aura.

  The remaining few brave villagers around 5, picked up their weapons as well ready for an attack. Now Vanilla with other 5 villagers stand before Russell's barrier ready to defend it.

  Vanilla herself readies her sword for an offensive attack, she lunges forward, her head held high. “I'll make you people regret coming to our village.” Roaring, she enters the battlefield.

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  The 10 mercenaries in the room immediately react to her, they all step forward to attack her, fearing for Vanilla's safety one of the villagers also steps forward.

  Vanilla immediately diverts 6 of the mercenaries out of the group making them focus on her, Vanilla skillfully parries their blows each time they come closer. Since none of them were as skilled as Airy, the fight was much more handleable for Vanilla who is using a rune stone.

  The villager who stepped up to be the front line fighter is also doing his best but he seems to be struggling a bit, Unicus still an analytical child as always steps in to help the villager by throwing whatever he could get his hands on every now and then breaking their coordination.

  Vanilla is thinking, I should finish them soon or I'll get tired soon.

  Mercenary 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are coordination is on point pinning Vanilla hard, as they slowly start gaining the upper hand, “Women like you have no place in the battlefield. Let's end this soon”

  All six of them dance around pushing Vanilla down, but Vanilla doesn't give up as she pushes back on them. Her strikes, slowly gaining momentum, she pushes forward as she strikes one of them down first.

  Then Vanilla takes a few steps back and warms them, “If the remaining 5 of you don't wish to die. Get out of here!” She shouts.

  Hearing that 2 of the mercenaries run away from the place, screaming “The advance is enough for me. I don't wanna die yet” and the other says, “So do I.”

  The remaining 3 mercenaries lock their gazes on Vanilla, “You won't get away with tainting our pride.”

  “Yeah our mercenary group was known for being undefeated.”

  “I totally agree. I call for revenge. Unlike those cowards who ran away we have guts to continue the battle”

  Vanila smiles at them, “I commend your resolve to fight. It's regrettable to meet such proud warriors on this battlefield… because I'm fighting to kill.”

  Then the battle continues, with Vanilla charging again.

  ◇ ◇ ◇

  Unicus throwing whatever he could get his hands on in the frenzy feels the exhaustion.

  What the hell? This battle is dragging on for far too long.

  His eyes can see mellona struggling to fight Airy towards his right and Vanilla handling three mercenaries like it's not a big deal diagonally to him.

  Unicus chuckles, “My family. It's quite something, isn't it? All of my family members are quite proficient in battle. Is it just a coincidence?...”

  He wonders, but his chain of thought was interrupted by the villagers getting in trouble again, he throws a chair dragging it across the floor, he launches it towards one of the mercenaries, ruining his footwork.

  I'm not sure how long the body of a child can last. But I'll use every last ounce of my strength here …

  As the time was passing the tide of the battle was slowly changing. Vanilla is gaining the upper hand as she is effectively overpowering them slowly, she is getting injuries in the process but she heals them up getting back on her feet, fighting back again and again.

  Then during the midst of all that Unicus's gaze shifts over to Mellona, she was already struggling but now she is fighting back relentlessly, but it seems reckless.

  Airy throws her sword towards the ceiling and Mellona lunches, kicking off the wall, Unicus immediately senses bad signs as Airy lips curves into a smile.

  Unicus's voice breaks, “That idiot …” and he runs over to Mellona trying to help. As he runs his vision is blanketed into white as it blinds him.