Still mounted on his trusted steed, Nireus asked one of the knights to report the situation. His face twitched. He felt like a failure as a commander hearing about the number of casualties. But, it wasn't the time to drown in shame as they heard the ongoing battle against the still unknown giant beast.
Arsen checked on his brother, mother, and his knights as soon as he arrived. He was glad that none of them fell to their demise, but also saddened that a lot of people he knew did.
The lord of Arsida, Nireus Chronis, weighed his options. He could send the researchers and squires to the village of Mene, but the amount of maddened beasts they encountered made him doubtful of their safety even with knights protecting them.
"Sir Donos," Nireus said.
"Yes Chiliarch?"
"Lead the other knights and remain here. Protect the noncombatants."
Donos replied with a nod then a Panteran bow.
Nireus then asked Linus for aid, he had a serious expression and responded with a nod. He told the warrior from Mene serving as Helice's guide to rush back and report the situation to his father. He was confident that he could slip past any maddened beast with a wolf accompanying him.
"The rest of you, o Proud Panteran knights, follow me to battle!"
The knights cheered, roaring to the skies, wanting to let the Proud Lion hear them.
"I'll go with you, father," Theresa said.
Although the lord of Arsida was reluctant, he could see the determination in his daughter's eyes. And as a knight himself, he knew that he had to agree.
They were about to leave when Aeneas blurted, "W–wait, Chiliarch!"
Nireus signaled Helice to go ahead. She led her unit and all the other remaining knights. Including Arsen and his squad which both Rhene and Haemon rejoined.
"What is it, young Aeneas?"
Reluctant, "I… I think I can help," the boy replied.
Lyra tried to stop him from speaking any further. But, he already caught the lord of Arsida's interest.
"How?"
"Aenie could see something we couldn't. He's tried to warn everyone of the dark red mist, father." Tiriara butted in the conversation.
"Dark red mist?"
Aeneas stared at his mother. Although she was hesitant for a few seconds, she told him to go ahead.
The boy explained what he saw. About the human figures in the woods and the dark red mist, he started to conclude as the chaos energy itself. He continued to say that when the knights cut the monster's head off and were on the ground, the dark red mist became so dense around the red gem on the monster's forehead.
"I see," Nireus said. Then, he thanked the boy and went ahead to battle.
When Nireus arrived at the meadow while riding his trusted steed, he saw one of the Chiliarch of silver, Irus Thoas the lord of Byllenes, already fallen in battle. Only a portion of his face remained unscathed, while the entirety of his body was charred. Many others were without limbs, crushed to their deaths, or turned to black ashes for those who were burnt to nothingness by the giant beast's black flame. Screams of both battle and agony rippled to the Guardian of Arsida's ears.
Nireus was filled with grief at the sight of his fallen comrades. But, like he didn't have the time to feel shame, a time to mourn is less available. He stared forward, his eyes brimming with determination to avenge them.
Nireus saw the beast appear as if it was unharmed, while his knights were on the brink of despair and exhaustion, still, their heads remained held high looking for an opening to defeat the great adversary in front of them.
Linus, Fen, the other Chiliarchs of Silver, and Arsen were the ones leading the fight on their side even though most of them had just arrived. Though, with the absence of the moon, the power of Linus's Zeal was weaker. And the great damage everyone else dealt, aside from Arsen, would heal within seconds. Wounds made by Arsen's sword, the Hopebringer, stay minutes longer before they heal.
Nireus sped, "O hear the Proud Lion's roar!" He shouted at the top of his lungs as he unsheathed his sword. His Zeal never shone as bright, his expression was never as serious.
Hearing their commander, the knights took a short glance in his direction. Then, all of them chanted the next lines of the battle song.
"
To the lands, to the skies as it soars.
For the might of his light,
bring his foes to a fright.
"
As the knights continued to chant, their Zeals became brighter paired with the glowing of their eyes.
"Let the Zeal of his power glow!" Everyone shouted.
Nireus leaped out of his steed. He was covered with his flame that would burn anyone that would go near. Holding his sword with both his hands, the lord of Arsida aims for the red gem on the beast's forehead.
But, he didn't go unnoticed, the giant beast spun, hitting the knights below with its tail. Then, it turned in Nireus's direction covered its clumped fist with its black flame and went to punch him. Still midair, the lord of Arsida swung his sword downwards. Their flames nullified each other. With his gritted teeth, Nireus backed his sword with all his strength.
The knights below didn't waste a second to stand up and attack.
Still, in a standoff, Nireus squeezed any remaining power from his Zeal. It glowed even brighter with his invigorating scream. In that split second, the lord of Arsida overpowered the giant beast and sliced its thick hand covered in black flame. He then spun forward and used the beast's hand to once again leap towards its forehead.
At the same time, Linus realized that Nireus was planning to attack somewhere in the head. He asked Fen for both of them to attack the monster's legs. With their combined power, they managed to crush its legs making the enemy lose its balance.
Presented with a great opportunity, Nireus swung his sword with all his might toward the red gem. He noticed some sort of barrier protecting it, but it was destroyed by his strength. Then, as the gem cracked, the monster screamed, and great force was unleashed from it, shoving Nireus, Linus, and all of the knights below away from the beast.
The crack on its red gem remained, but all of the monster's injuries healed. No one could see it but the chaos surrounding the giant beast spread further past the meadow. Then, the ground rumbled with hundreds of maddened beasts of all kinds rushing to the area.
A lot of maddened beasts found their way to Aeneas's side as well. With Donos in the lead, the knights were holding them back, slaying anything that drew closer to them. But, the surge of beasts appeared endless with the newer ones, more powerful than the last. Even the researchers who could cast magic, and the squires who could fight assisted the knights. Yet, none of them could see the end of their predicament.
Back at the ongoing war, Nireus and his knights were swarmed by maddened beasts. The monster leading them also became furious, chasing every knight near it and trying to crush them with its black flame-infused hands. It also continued to shower them with its balls of black flames from above.
Furthermore, the sun was on the verge of setting. With the majority of them bearing the Proud Lion's Zeal, the absence of sunlight would greatly diminish their fighting capabilities. And that includes Arsen, the Chiliarchs, and their commander, Nireus Chronis.
They were in the gravest situation none of them could have ever predicted happening. Even some of the proud Pantera knights had lost hope and could feel their impending demise.
More died when the sun finally left the horizon. What's worse was that the place became darker. The only source of light was the moon and their Zeals of power. But the former was blocked by huge clouds, and the latter became dimmer.
"Do not lose hope!" Nireus shouted. He forced his Zeal to glow brighter, cast a great flame toward the rushing maddened beasts, and raised his sword, "We are knights of Pantera, we live and shall die by the sword!"
Nireus then commanded the others to assist his charge while the others fended off the maddened beasts. Aktis, Brygos, Arsen, and Theresa followed him while Cylon and Helice led the other knights.
It was their final attempt. Adrenaline made it possible for them to pass through several maddened beasts. As they reached the giant monster, Linus and Arsen launched Nireus to its head.
Again, the monster tried to hit him with its clenched fist covered in its flame. Nireus tried to dodge it in midair by spinning his body. But, it caught his left leg, severing it. A fact that didn't matter for the lord of Arsida for his eyes were set to ending the calamity in front.
As Nireus swung his sword against the red gem, he realized that it was covered with more layers of a similar barrier. Again, he squeezed every bit of power he could from both his Zeal and himself. Blood was bursting from his ears, eyes, and mouth, still, his goal remained true. To him, dying didn't matter as long as he brought the beast along with him.
Linus and the others made sure to entertain the monster's limbs, severing it as soon as it healed.
All barriers shattered, and the red gem exposed, Nireus shouted with one last battle cry. The hard red gem was close to shattering into tiny bits of pieces, but someone from behind the beast and inside the darkness of the tall trees cast black flame magic towards Nireus, adding injuries to the lord of Arsida and pushing him away.
With a severed limb and an unaccomplished objective, Nireus gritted his teeth as he fell to the ground. He was never someone who felt hopeless even once before. And even on the verge of defeat, Nireus was still thinking how he could end the monster.
Still while falling, the Guardian of Arsida's eyes widened when a familiar sword with a reddish gleam covered in intense red flame flew past him and toward the gem, shattering it.