Chapter 423 - Impact

Chris

My heart pounded as I commanded the charge forward with my shield raised. The city hadn't sat by and watched as we amassed our forces, and as soon as the section of wall fell, bells began to ring throughout the city.

Soldier after soldier appeared atop the wall in haphazard ranks, strapping on their armor as they hastened to their position. Some even had thick blankets wrapped around them to ward off the cold.

Their bowmen's hands shook as bows were passed out and arrows were drawn. The breath of thousands puffed into small clouds in lines.

[Tundra's Descent] wasn't even needed, but I activated the skill anyway and leaned into it with my Laws. It was already colder than I could leverage my mana to get it, but I could still enhance it with my Law. It made it much harder to ward off with skills when facing Laws.

My first steps toward the wall lengthened, as I called on my Bloodline and grew. My new Body of Copper drank in that energy ravenously, shifting and changing not only quicker, but more exaggerated.

The Jotun Bloodline caused my skin to shift into a pale blue, my hair to turn stark white, and my eyes to blaze with a piercing, icy blue light. The cosmetic changes paled in comparison to the rest.

My body grew over three feet, my muscles increased in size and density, and my bones became as hard as glaciers. My steps thundered with the additional weight, and my gait lengthened to match my increased size.

Even without the highest Agility, I began to outpace those behind me. My height and strength propelling me faster than they could keep up with. My hammer, bound in ways I was just beginning to understand, grew to match my new stature, becoming a true behemoth of a weapon.

My charge picked up pace as I ran through the flimsy wooden stakes and hidden traps with ease. They weren't even enough to get through my ice, let alone harm my body.

The piddly arrows shot by hasty and rushed bowmen did even worse. The inexperience in Smoothrock was showing. A concentrated volley was always better than isolated shots, but then again, I doubt the dozen or so arrows had been ordered in the first place.

When I stepped into range, the Mages were the first real resistance that we met. Which was funny that it was also the only type that I didn't have to do anything to block.

Thick mana shields bloomed over our charge, and the most prominent one, in a nice ocean blue, appeared directly above me. The shield covered dozens of feet and nearly a hundred warriors, and I doubted it took Abigail all that much effort.

That was where Mages excelled, and while she hadn't marched with us in the previous battles, she still showed why she was one of the strongest Mages in Frostheim. That was if her core wasn't already enough. Like Vanessa and Zuri, Abigail had forged Two Circles around her already powerful Mana Core.

The shield rippled under the impact, but held. A few on either side of the line cracked, but none of the spells managed to get through.

Traps exploded under my feet to the same effectiveness as the spells, except this time, my armor was the one to blunt the attacks. Others weren't as lucky, but the Oathbound were strong. The impacts weren't enough to kill outright, but a few did lose limbs because of it.

I trusted in the Healers to get to them quickly.

As our unified charge began to split into three, it was Ashton, Anders, and Hugo who drew a large amount of attention as they wheeled the tower towards the wall, but Gabriel and Meredith inside the tower were more than enough to shield against everything that came their way.

Elliot faced his own troubles, along with Avery, who followed behind him, but they charged toward the gap valiantly.

Surprisingly, I didn't face all that many attacks. There were a few catapult shots that landed near, but none hit me. A few behind me had to dodge out of the way, but I was left free to run unhindered.

Which was a mistake.

They probably thought we didn't stand a chance of getting through the wall. Elliot, who was charging toward the gap, and Anders, who was pushing the tower into place, were much more obvious priorities than the person charging headlong into a solid length of wall.

I called on the ice around me, and it answered freely. [Ice Manipulation], enhanced by my Bloodline, had the snow leaping to obey, and obey it did. The path in front of me began to slope upward as snow solidified into a ramp. My steps sank into it at first, but I condensed the loose flakes into ice, which held my weight much better. It was more mana-intensive, but necessary. It also didn't help my mana that I had to make it two dozen feet wide.

When the defenders saw what I was doing, I quickly became the centerpiece of their attention. I had gone from the lowest priority target to the highest, and not only that, but also the closest.

A large spell circle bloomed in front of one Mage, and the amount of mana he was working with was large. Water condensed further and further, as the spell gained power and grew more concentrated. He lifted his staff only for the water to collapse, falling to the ground.

An arrow had pierced through his chest, leaving a hole thicker than my wrist. I wasn't sure if I should thank Hal or Sydney for the help, but I was appreciative all the same.

My steps were swift, and easily put me ahead of our other two branches of attack.

The ramp built and built, taking more of my energy and attention. Not only did I have to continually manipulate and shape where I was about to step, but keep what was behind me intact for those who came after.

I nearly failed.

Nearly.

My Spirit, the energy that I'd used in nearly every fight, was missing, and in its absence I faltered. I expected my ice to be stronger than it was. I expected it to be more resilient.

It wasn't.

When a catapult landed and broke apart what I had been building, I nearly fell then and there. My steps slid to a halt that nearly pulled me over the edge and down, and the only reason I held on was my instinct to reach out with my aura and grab hold of whatever I could. Like the instinct that came when you teetered a chair too far and started to fall.

Bigger. It needs to be bigger.

If the ice was weaker than normal, then it needed to be thicker. More of it, so that it could withstand what I needed it to.

Arrows pinged off my shield as I fixed what was broken. My gait had been broken, leaving me stationary for too long without reprisal. My shield held under the assault as I reforged the path in front of me.

Layer upon layer of ice rose from the ground, and I restarted my charge toward the walls.

Higher and higher I pushed it. Higher and higher I needed it to go. The walls were tall, taller than they appeared from the ground. Getting over them was going to be a challenge, but it was a challenge I had set out upon.

I wouldn't fail now.

If I failed, those behind me would be sitting ducks. We needed to keep moving. Stopping meant death. As I'd said the words before, the only one to keep that from happening was myself.

I strained [Ice Manipulation] to the limits. My range was large, larger than fifty feet, but the distance caused my strength to wane. Manipulation from further away was like trying to force ten gallons of water through a tiny straw.

Without my Bloodline, I wouldn't have managed it. Without its aid, I would have failed.

The ice continued to rise into the air until I could see the walls no more. Its angle was too sharp, and the wall below its horizon. I'd honestly expected to face more resistance. I'd expected for someone to try something, but no one did.

Twenty-five feet from the wall, my concentration snapped. Not just snapped, but was shattered. I felt my mana brush up against the Formation and get eviscerated. The full force of the Formation wasn't something I could withstand. Not when I was spread so thin in creating what I was.

My charge was quickly running out of runway. I could push the ramp no further or get any closer.

I hope this is enough.

As my foot reached the edge, I leapt. [Charge] and [Dash] activated at the same time.

I was usually so grounded when I fought. Steady and sturdy in my movements. Planted. Rooted.

Now I was flying through the air with the wind whipping by. I had half a mind to part the wind before me with [Wind Manipulation], but I saw that it wouldn't be needed.

My leap was longer than I hoped, my strength greater, and the effects of [Charge] and [Dash] more effective.

The distance between me and the wall closed rapidly.

I saw the soldiers atop it staring at me with varied looks. Some looked at me as if they would a madman. Some saw my large form and heavy hammer and showed fear. A natural reaction, I could only suspect. It was one I was regretfully getting used to.

Some of those who showed fear froze. It was those who showed fear but did not that drew my attention. They powered through the fear and raised their weapons anyway. Bows up and down the wall were all pointed in one direction.

At me.

I couldn't see anything else after I raised my shield and braced. The large slab had reached my knees before, and now it felt so small in my hands. Still, I held it in front of my flight and hoped it would hold. That the Runes would hold. I had forged them myself, but there were still doubts.

The force of the impacts slowed my leap, but they weren't enough to stop it. I had too much weight and momentum to stop like that, but it still hurt. My arm ached as the defenders threw everything they could at me.

My vision blocked by the shield, it was over before I knew it.

The stone ramparts came up and hit me. The fall wasn't high, but the unexpected landing hadn't given me time to brace. Graceful went out the window, and instead, I came in tumbling.

In moments, I was back on my feet to see the confused faces of everyone on the wall. They hadn't expected me to jump over it, and weren't sure whether to draw swords or knock another arrow.

"Attack! Draw-" A man dressed in better armor tried to rally the defenders, but I wasn't about to let that happen.

With a small spin for speed, I threw my shield as hard as I could. The heavy slab of metal spun through the air like a frisbee, but it hit with nothing short of a full blow from my hammer.

Blood sprayed out as the man choked on his orders, and the top half of his body slid off from the bottom. The shield, now painted red, continued reaping two or three more before embedding itself into a tower.

Both hands free, I ripped my hammer around in a wide arc that pulverized everyone within range. The ramparts were turned red as dozens of people died. I heard thuds from behind me.

Valorie and Cole, the two Lieutenants who had followed behind me.

"Cole, Val, go right. I'll go left," I ordered gruffly.

The woman hefted her large sword and fell into step on Cole's right. His shield and mace had a shorter reach than Valerie's great sword, so he stuck closer to the ramparts to give her room. I charged left while Cole and Val cleared the right. Our foothold was gained through blood, and more thuds impacted with every step.

With each, our numbers grew, and we pushed further. Half surged right and fell in line with the two Lieutenants, while the other half pushed left and charged into battle in my wake.

Through the mass of bodies and defenders trying to stop me, I saw the wooden tower push into range and drop its bridge. Ashton was the first out of the tower with his shield raised and glowing. His whole body was surrounded in a bright golden light as he charged headlong into his own line of enemies.

Anders was hot on his heels with his axe raised and ready. His first swing cut through three soldiers standing too close together, reminding me of my own, killing anything it hit.

Hugo came barreling out last, but [Shield Dashed] so far into the enemy lines that he cleared enough room for the next dozen that came after him. The move seemed so practiced that you would never assume he didn't normally use shields.

With me on one side and Anders and Hugo on the other, we fought our way toward each other through all resistance. Swords, axes, and maces were brushed aside with ease as our foothold atop the walls grew.

[Meteor Strike] had my hammer come screaming down, crushing the skull of the woman with her sword raised to strike. The next was a man barely into adulthood who died with his chest caved in. I hadn't even needed to use a skill.

The next was sent flying off the wall into what could only be death's waiting arms. If not from the broken ribs, then the fifty-foot fall. If he'd fallen feet first, maybe, but he'd fallen headfirst over the edge.

The next and the next and the next. Each swing brought death, and those who evaded never did so for long. I gained ground with every step. Every swing widened the ground we had.

Spells rained down on both sides as the fighting continued. The riot of clashes and screams was the same on any battlefield, and it was always chaotic. The stench, too. The blood.

My next strike had to be hastily pulled back as I saw Anders' blood-covered face standing before me. I'd almost mistook him for an enemy.

"I told you we'd meet in the middle, my Lord!" Anders smiled, blood covering his teeth and face. His axe was covered in gore similar to my weapon.

I gazed around me only to see people wearing my own colors. The sounds of fighting had dulled, as my immediate area was now devoid of people to fight. Cole and Val could still be heard behind me, and Ashton was well in front of me. Down below, Elliot's own bout as well.

I quickly gauged where my presence was most needed, and concluded that I was needed down below. It was where the clashes were loudest.

"I'm going to help Elliot. You go help Ashton." I said, walking to the inner side of the wall, looking below. The mass of bodies fought in incomprehensible lines. Some members in blue had pushed deep while others hadn't, leaving the front wavy and hard to decipher.

"The steps are over ther-" Anders' voice was cut off as I vaulted over the ramparts and into the city below.

Mana surged into my hammer as [Shattering Hammer] and [Meteor Strike] surged, and finally [Hammer Reverberation] tacked ontop. My hammer's inner glow caught the eye of a few hapless foes below me, but it was much too late for them.

The ground shook as I landed. Snow, blood, and dust exploded out in a ring around me as dozens died in one strike. I would have swung again, but there was no one close enough to hit that was still alive.

Now, where is the leader?

It was time to end this.