kcfgogbfalgfl
Auto-translated
A long, graceful snake slithered across the cracked, parched earth under the bright midday sun and stopped near the bodies of fallen Lisliar warriors, as if examining them with interest. One of them, likely not just an officer but an aristocrat, judging by the quality of his armor and luxurious cloak, lay face down, and now there was nothing on his once noble face but a grimace of pain and traces of dry dirt. One of his comrades, probably his subordinate, was cut in two, the lower part of his body lying in one place, and the other a few meters away with his arms outstretched, as if in his last moments he was trying to reach something in an attempt to find salvation. The third had a bullet wound in his chest, near his heart; the lead bullet clearly pierced even his armor. It was impossible to determine where the head of the fourth warrior was among the pile of corpses. The fifth sat leaning against a large stone and gasped heavily, periodically coughing up large clots of blood. The sound of approaching footsteps made the snake alert, and it slithered away. Arcisia Lao looked at the enemy warrior with empty eyes and realized that there was nothing she could do for him. The events of recent times reminded her of the days when she was just a mortal, and today's victory of the anti-Lisliar coalition forces was a stark reminder of that fateful moment when she became a valkyrie, an avatar of the Vistarian goddess. Arcisia recited a short Arterian prayer and relieved the Lisliar soldier of his suffering. Looking around once more and confirming that the battle was over, she noticed one of her sisters in the distance. A couple of hours earlier, Cornelia Verben moved among the Lisliars like the wind, cutting their throats before they could understand what was happening. Without wasting time, Arcisia swung her sword and, cutting through the space in front of her, moved to where her battle companion was.
"Has Sharan Aganso still not shown up?"
Cornelia was not the only one concerned about this question. The King of Lisliar possessed enough power to pose a threat to the valkyries of Arteria, and in terms of firepower, he was not inferior to a large army, so his presence on the front lines could play a huge role, which would greatly affect the strategy of the anti-Lisliar forces. Instead of answering, Arcisia mimed a noose tightening around her neck and then sharply lowered her head.
"Okay, if that's the case," Cornelia smirked. "But we both understand that this is unlikely. Given the situation in this country, I would not be surprised if I found out that he had long since moved to another part of the continent, or even beyond it."
She was right; Lisliar's defeat in this war was inevitable from the very beginning. No matter how fiercely the defenders of the western borders of the empire defended their homeland from the forces of Moenia, Shafran, and Reginleif, all their efforts were in vain when the rest of the country was plunged into civil war, with no one ever fully understanding who was on whose side and who was fighting for what.
"Indeed, a bloody tax..." Arcisia captured the results of today's battle in her mind and, with a sigh, lowered her eyes, feeling no joy from the achieved victory. She had lived a very long life, but she had never witnessed a tragedy of this scale before.
"Arcisia, snap out of it!" Cornelia sharply pulled her sister by the shoulder. "Now is not the time to get lost in thought!"
Looking around again, Arcisia realized that something strange was happening. Was the battle not over yet? No, that wasn't it... She refused to believe her eyes: the soldiers of Moenia and Shafran were attacking reinforcements from Reginleif! The valkyries exchanged glances, and Arcisia Lao, using the power of her stigma, moved from place to place in search of the Moenian commander.
Cornelia, meanwhile, was trying to help her comrades but was quickly surrounded by the enemy.
"Blame your own arrogance for this outcome!" Cornelia drew her sword and in an instant struck down all her opponents, but they rose to their feet again, as if the fatal wounds inflicted on them had no effect on them. "Ha... Try to get up after this!" This time, the Valkyrie of the Scarlet Rose hacked her opponents to pieces, and now they did not rise.
"Minerva..." Having covered a significant distance from her battle companion, Arcisia Lao finally stood before the Moenian commander. "You've gone completely mad?" Noticing the malicious grin on Titanius's face and looking around, the valkyrie realized something with horror. "How long ago...?"
"Since the day I lost my right eye." The Consul did not pretend to be foolish or evade the answer, directly confirming Arcisia's fears. "Do you think that those who could not defeat me in battle could take it away? It was proof of my devotion to the righteous cause!"
"So that's how it is..." The valkyrie grabbed the hilt of her sword. "Before I send you to the embrace of the Goddess, let me know your reasons."
"Ha-ha-ha!" Titanius covered his only eye with his palm and threw his head back. "In another situation, I would gladly agree to your offer, but, alas, it is still too early for me to leave this world. Know this, valkyrie of the false cult, that Titanius Minerva's love for Arteria surpasses all his other aspirations, and even gods and demons will not force him to stray from the righteous path!"
"In that case, farewell..."
"I'm afraid that your opponent will not be me."
Arcisia Lao did not have time to react and only saw the tip of someone's spear emerge from her chest. She tried to change the situation with her divine powers, but soon realized that the blessing of Arteria had left her. Turning around, she met the gaze of a white-haired rider, and the look of her cold, indifferent golden eyes was the last thing she saw.
"Has Sharan Aganso still not shown up?"
Cornelia was not the only one concerned about this question. The King of Lisliar possessed enough power to pose a threat to the valkyries of Arteria, and in terms of firepower, he was not inferior to a large army, so his presence on the front lines could play a huge role, which would greatly affect the strategy of the anti-Lisliar forces. Instead of answering, Arcisia mimed a noose tightening around her neck and then sharply lowered her head.
"Okay, if that's the case," Cornelia smirked. "But we both understand that this is unlikely. Given the situation in this country, I would not be surprised if I found out that he had long since moved to another part of the continent, or even beyond it."
She was right; Lisliar's defeat in this war was inevitable from the very beginning. No matter how fiercely the defenders of the western borders of the empire defended their homeland from the forces of Moenia, Shafran, and Reginleif, all their efforts were in vain when the rest of the country was plunged into civil war, with no one ever fully understanding who was on whose side and who was fighting for what.
"Indeed, a bloody tax..." Arcisia captured the results of today's battle in her mind and, with a sigh, lowered her eyes, feeling no joy from the achieved victory. She had lived a very long life, but she had never witnessed a tragedy of this scale before.
"Arcisia, snap out of it!" Cornelia sharply pulled her sister by the shoulder. "Now is not the time to get lost in thought!"
Looking around again, Arcisia realized that something strange was happening. Was the battle not over yet? No, that wasn't it... She refused to believe her eyes: the soldiers of Moenia and Shafran were attacking reinforcements from Reginleif! The valkyries exchanged glances, and Arcisia Lao, using the power of her stigma, moved from place to place in search of the Moenian commander.
Cornelia, meanwhile, was trying to help her comrades but was quickly surrounded by the enemy.
"Blame your own arrogance for this outcome!" Cornelia drew her sword and in an instant struck down all her opponents, but they rose to their feet again, as if the fatal wounds inflicted on them had no effect on them. "Ha... Try to get up after this!" This time, the Valkyrie of the Scarlet Rose hacked her opponents to pieces, and now they did not rise.
"Minerva..." Having covered a significant distance from her battle companion, Arcisia Lao finally stood before the Moenian commander. "You've gone completely mad?" Noticing the malicious grin on Titanius's face and looking around, the valkyrie realized something with horror. "How long ago...?"
"Since the day I lost my right eye." The Consul did not pretend to be foolish or evade the answer, directly confirming Arcisia's fears. "Do you think that those who could not defeat me in battle could take it away? It was proof of my devotion to the righteous cause!"
"So that's how it is..." The valkyrie grabbed the hilt of her sword. "Before I send you to the embrace of the Goddess, let me know your reasons."
"Ha-ha-ha!" Titanius covered his only eye with his palm and threw his head back. "In another situation, I would gladly agree to your offer, but, alas, it is still too early for me to leave this world. Know this, valkyrie of the false cult, that Titanius Minerva's love for Arteria surpasses all his other aspirations, and even gods and demons will not force him to stray from the righteous path!"
"In that case, farewell..."
"I'm afraid that your opponent will not be me."
Arcisia Lao did not have time to react and only saw the tip of someone's spear emerge from her chest. She tried to change the situation with her divine powers, but soon realized that the blessing of Arteria had left her. Turning around, she met the gaze of a white-haired rider, and the look of her cold, indifferent golden eyes was the last thing she saw.