Nateaser: Reborn As My Love Interest

Ember - Chapter Forty One

"Lizards everywhere!"

They swarmed us from the Imperial Road to the north or poured out from the western forest, and the goblin captain Avalon struggled to keep his distance on his raptor.

"Hold the line!" He shouted as the first wave of arrows landed behind him. I was eager to fight but didn't expect this much opposition.

"Ember, do something already!" The beastmen Captain yelled at me. Not that I idled around, but he lost his usual cool after hearing about the enemy shamans. Well, I was surprised too, they said three villages were nearby. I expected a hundred or so warriors, but they kept coming, already outnumbering us five to one.

"Firewall!" My arms reached out, and my palms formed a barrier. I materialized it a safe distance from our troops, and a single spark lit them all. With so many flammable materials, it wasn't hard to imagine them burning. And no, I didn't have to announce my spells, but it was so much cooler that way. It helped me visualize the burning flames, the trembling air, and the heat. The things I loved the most in this world.

Some enemies were already too close and got through, the rest running straight into my flames and met their glorious end in the fire. The smell of burnt flesh filled my nostrils, but it wasn't that bad by any means. I wondered how the roasted reptile meat tasted while our vanguard cut down the rest, ogres and hobs did not mess around.

Their next wave stopped before the fire. They tried to flank it from both sides, but most hesitated, giving time to our archers to thin them out. I opened small windows in the fire to observe them, the flames danced the exact way I wanted.

"They are coming around, hold the flanks!" Gorgon yelled next to me. He calmed down a bit, shouting orders to each platoon individually. Beastmen commanders were rare, and our kind who served the Demon Lord in general. I wondered why.

Goblins flocked to him in droves, but they weren't exactly born for combat. Avalon for example was too small and couldn't even hold a large bow. He didn't have an affinity for magic either, lacking any redeeming qualities. Gorgon on the other hand was strong, although he couldn't control his magicules either, but had impressive bull horns and a tail.

He was a rare beastfolk since most of us resembled cats or wolves. He looked almost like a minotaur, which should have warranted a much higher rank for him in my eyes if only he weren't too old for me...

He got me sidetracked in the heat of the battle, but it was time for my next move. If the lizards refused to walk into my flames, I just had to move it for them. They were supposed to like warm things after all...

"Rolling fire," I announced, and the wall expanded. Looking more like a cylinder, it moved slowly toward the enemy lines, burning everything in its path.

"Ember, get down, don't just stand there!" Avalon shouted once he dismounted, taking cover behind a cart, but I couldn't tell what he was on about. I was clearly in control of the entire area until at least one more moment...

A lightning bolt came crashing down near me with a crackle, and I didn't like that...

"Fireball!" I yelled at the clouds that were still forming, dissipating them instantly. The ball of flame appeared like the sun in the night sky, lighting up the battlefield, although I couldn't create one that could rival a celestial body yet.

Some lizards approached from the east. They must have been the ones who chased us earlier, and it annoyed me that I couldn't persuade them to give up on that. Some shamans waited for me to take care of them as well, and as the goblin claimed earlier, they all seemed to be aiming for me now.

"First platoon, keep your position. Second, set up defenses on the right flank!" Avalon shouted, peeking out behind his cover. "Third platoon, archers, eliminate the enemy spellcasters."