Chronicles of the Exalted Sun Child

Book 8-5.3: Counterstrike

Battlefield Prescience. It was Commander Frederik Holster’s most prized ability. It was a technique he learned from his bond, an ancient map table, handed down by his family for nearly a hundred years. The ability to foresee movements on the battlefield just before they happened would have been priceless for an army commander.Unfortunately, despite the name, it could do little more than provide Frederik with bumps of intuition.

However, the ability did have a more useful aspect. As long as he connected with the map and spent Animus, the table, which was filled with sand, pebbles, and bits of metal that should represent military forces, would shift and change to reflect the battlefield. The time it took to reflect these changes depended on how much Animus or distilled Chaos he was willing to spend. So this morning, when the Verdanians finally answered with battle, his instincts screamed at him.

He used the map table, but couldn’t pinpoint where the problem was. It was only when he received urgent reports from the bunkers that he realised that he’d been looking at the wrong spot. Then, with the help of Commander Nikolas Campbelle’s battlefield connection, they found the threat and moved to neutralise it.

The news that the cannons were destroyed hit him hard, but he would fall to the Abyss before he let the Sorcerer take out the rest of the bunkers. With such a powerful Animus signature, the ancient map was able to reflect the enemy’s position easily.

He had to rush to the nearest bunker while letting Nikolas handle the fight. It took several minutes, but he got there while the enemy was still fighting. Foolish not to retreat or move on to the next target.

“Commander.” A gray-haired woman, with an unlined face, grease-stained arms, and with a physique that put him to shame, greeted him as soon as he entered the bunker. Siege Cannoneer Hilaera Salazar was from Ekelus City, and she was in charge of the weapons that City State had lent them.

“Enemy attack. Melissandra reported the cannon’s destruction. She’s keeping the enemy occupied. I need you to drop cannon shells on him.” He said fiercely.

Hilaera’s eyes widened and her broad lips thinned in anger. “Coordinates?”

“Here,” Frederik said as he gestured to his bodyguards to unfold the map table.

He infused it with nearly half of his remaining Animus and directed it to focus on the easternmost bunker. The sand shifted to reflect the terrain, including the river and the bunker. Several pebbles shifted to reflect his people, while he tossed a gold coin, worth hundreds of Shekels, on the surface. The coin spun until it settle on an edge, then moved towards the river bank.

“They’re about to escape!” He growled.

“Don’t worry, the cannons, they are ready,” Hilaera said. She closed her eyes and Animus rolled off her back in waves. They focused on the three cannons that were there and sunk into the chambered shells. “Shift cannon one’s angle by five degrees, two’s by six, three’s by eight. On my mark, get ready to launch. Now.”

The two of them eagerly watched the table, anticipating at least some reaction. But…nothing. Instead, the coin slipped into the river and moved north.arget, sending sunshards and an arclight from her arming sword. All the while, Fri’Avgi was held in one hand, resting on her shoulder. As soon as she slashed with the arming sword, she dropped it from her hand and caught it with her kinesis. If floated behind her as she channelled Animus into its reservoir so that it would be ready for another strike.

Her target was torn to shreds. What remained of him, or maybe her, was just red mist, scales, feathers, and broken bits of leather. The remaining riders spread out but kept trying to pepper her with bolts. Where was their Knight leader? This would be nothing but a massacre if she continued.

A jolt of disquiet hit her all of a sudden, and she turned to look. At her brother.

Marron’s and the archer’s battle had heated up. Both were attacking with their most powerful skills. Yuriko ran towards them. She could see that both had several wounds already, and their protective Fields were riddled with holes. There were several paper talismans stuck on Marron’s body, Niamh’s healing charms.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Why did she get that dreadful feeling?

Eyes widening, she raised her hand and activated her Adamant Guardian Seal. Several cannon shells struck her, were blocked by the Seal, and sprayed its fiery payload around. At the same time, Marron roared and a powerful crescent shot blasted towards the archer. Then he made the mistake of turning to look at Yuriko.

The archer released an arrow that blazed with Animus straight at the crescent shot, in an attempt to deflect it.

The projectiles passed within inches of each other. The crescent plasma bolt sheared off the archer’s arm and shattered her recurve bow.

The arrow…struck Marron just as he turned his head back towards the archer. His neck snapped back and he fell, the arrow sticking out of his face.

Red light replaced Yuriko’s gold.