Might & Magic of Emotions - Nijisanji Fantasy

Chapter 9: Desperate Ride

- One hour later... -

Lize and her task force of five thousand Helestan soldiers followed the tracks that the Felgardians have left in their march northward. The footprints are becoming fresher as they move, indicating that the Felgardians are slowing down due to exhaustion. It pained Lize to think that her new friends had to suffer because of all of these scheming. She swore that the real perpetrators will be found and be brought to justice no matter what.

She passed by a field of flowers with her royal guards. Unknown to her, it is the same place where (Falric) and the others discussed their final act of defiance.

Lize and her task force continued to track down the Felgardians, hoping for a quick end to this misunderstanding. They soon found themselves on a grass field with the thick mist not showing any signs of letting up. They briefly slowed down as they saw signs of an encampment being set up some time ago, with some makeshift tables seemingly left behind in a haste. Some of the campfires are still smoking, meaning that they are very close now.

Lize walked around, looking for more signs herself. She accidentally strayed from the bulk of the task force, although she was thankfully escorted by a company of royal guards. This accident, however, led to a curious discovery.

She saw hoofprints on the ground leading away from the suspected camp site. She followed them that there were more than she expected. Then, she noticed that the hoofprints split up into two pathways, with one heading to their west while the other heading to their south.

She became confused and concerned of what this meant. She suspected that the Felgardians are attempting to surround them, but she didn't want to believe it. They have no chance of winning a confrontation, and it's something that she doesn't want to happen.

With no other ideas, she made her way back to the encampment to consult General Rafael. Just as they walked back, one of Lize's guards stopped her.

"Princess, wait!" The guardsman said.

"What is it?" Lize asked him.

"Do you hear that?" The guardsman said.

Lize furrowed her eyebrows. Then, she heard it – rumbling. The rest of the guards finally heard it as well and they looked around, trying to find the source. Some of them murmured and dismissed it as a some tremor, but Lize's mind went back to the hoofprints she saw earlier.

Then, she heard clattering. She turned towards the source and saw one of the makeshift tables with some wooden cups on it, and they seem to be clattering from the tremor that they are experiencing. The tremor is becoming stronger, indicating that something is getting closer.

(Timestamp - 1:08)
On the flower field that the Helestans passed by, the wind blew against each individual flower. Out from the mist, a terrifying sight of horsemen emerged. The horses trampled the beautiful flowers as they went on a full charge towards the southern flank of the Helestans.

Lize's eyes widened in horror as she turned towards the source of the rumbling, to the south. There, a seemingly large force of cavalry emerged from the mist, seemingly out of nowhere with (Falric) Felgarde himself at the helm of the charge, lances and bows on hand and determination in their eyes.

"No... No! (Falric), don't!" Lize yelled in a vain effort to stop them.

(Falric) and his riders let out a powerful warcry as they came closer. The Helestans who were out of formation and caught off-guard panicked and attempted to flee from the horde of monsters behind them. This was futile as the Felgardian heavy cavalry crashed against the Helestan troops, slashing, shooting, and blasting at anyone they get sight of.