Debauchery of a Soul-Eating Wraith
Chapter 92 - 92: Be Trampled... For The Sake Of Survival

***

The Larnak Estate was in a state of disarray.

A recent debilitating theft that had stripped them of their coffers, the death of multiple Knights, and the demise of a Captain lost during one of their ill-advised attack on the Stygian border, had them down on their luck.

The defining factor of this slump was clear; Evian Stygian.

His ability to infiltrate their walls and even the secured structure of their Vault stronghold made him a wild card they had no real means to deal with. The use of Enchanted bounds would require seeing him first and getting the slightest bit close enough to wrap them around him and he was as sneaky as was to be expected of someone with his ability.

Herbert called it cowardice but the Larnak Relatives called it 'smarts'.

Anyway, with their situation in such dire straits, and the entire mass of their forces drawn back to only be within a 30-foot radius of the Larnak Estate, the last thing the Larnaks needed was an attack. Least of all from both sides of the border.

Alas, their luck was about to take a turn for the worse.

Lordess Frida Renan allowed a third of her Knights to storm the Larnak Territory led by Four Captains.

At the front line of the Advancing Knights, Evian stood confidently, his Spear in hand, the double silver ends gleaming with stabbing potential. It was a good day for Soul Eating.

To his sides were Ember, Carleine, Gryon, and Gillert, all of whom had asserted their desire to see this to the end.

"We started this," Carleine said gripping her dagger tight, "We sure as hell should be here to finish it."

"Absolutely," Ember said with a nod.

Gryon showed his agreement by activating his Strenght-enhancing tattoos that caused his large frame to get even larger while he grunted with malice and slammed his fist into his palm. Those were his weapons.

Looking at him, Evian was reminded of a curiosity he had towards those tattoos; How did Gryon get them? Were they drawn on his skin or as branded as they looked? Of course, that would have to wait.

Gillert said nothing. Armed with a sword, his eyes were focused on staring ahead. It looked like he was itching to make up for his previous loss to a certain Captain.

Evian hoped he would be present when that happened. A thousand soul points should certainly not go to waste.

Speaking of which,

'Assistant, Status?'

-

[Decadence: Fallen Wraith {1100/800 Soul Points}]

-

'Increase my Decadence.'

[As got wish.]

The points were deducted, Evian closed his eyes at the increase that always accompanied such an upgrade and when he opened them, he laid his sights on the holographic screen still in front of his eyes,

-

[Decadence: Condemned Wraith {200/900 Soul Points}]

-

'Before the day is over, I shall be Unholy,' he vowed solemnly.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH..."

The war cry was loud as everyone charged forward and of course, reacting to the threat nearing the home of their Lord, the Larnak Knights, whether Elites at the Third Order or capable at the Second, all met the opponents with very little care for their lives.

--

Within the walls of the Larnak Estate, news of the ambush reached the ears of Herbert and his relatives. Surprised that the Renan Territory would get involved at all, roused surprise and then fear in everyone but Herbert.

With the crazed look of a man with a death wish, Herbert summoned his Captains, intent on sending them to face the oncoming horde even when his relatives clamored for surrender.

The way they saw it, they had been pushed and pressed much too hard to confidently mount an attack. Any external support they could call would need at least a week to be rallied. Their connection to the Martial Temple thanks to the two Larnak Youngsters currently studying the Martial ways there, was much too weak to provide them any standing.

"We need time!" they all decided and with how ferocious their opponents were and how many subsequent losses they had suffered in recent times, they could not have that time unless they were ready to lay down and be trampled upon. For the sake of survival.

Alas, to Herbert, Surrender sounded like the worst possible step, and he refused to acknowledge such a plan.

'How can they be so blind?' he wondered, his eyes wide with maddened resolution, 'How can they not see attacking with equal mettle as the path forward?'

"We can win!" he insisted and when he looked around at the faces of his summoned Captains, he frowned at the faraway look in Amira's eyes as well as her uncertain expression,

"Is there something you wish to say?" he asked her, his voice akin to a growl backed by an imposing feel sponsored by his pressure.

Amira shook her head,

"No, My Lord," she said hurriedly.

Herbert stared at her for a few seconds and when he finally looked away, he started giving out orders. He kept three Captains in the Estate with him and sent the others out.

Among those he kept in the Estate, was Amira, and among those he sent out was Donan, the Spear-wielding Captain.

Donan was one of the few in the hall who did not have the slightest bit of doubt about their Lord's erratic decisions and he led his colleagues out of the Estate grounds to face the infidels who dared attack their grounds.

--

With the support of an Army, the Crew members held their own well. Never were they overwhelmed and so they had room to thrive.

Gryon could charge head-on into multiple opponents without having to worry about a sneak attack from behind.

Reminiscent of when they had fought together at Viyeen Complex, Ember and Carleine were never too far from one another, and the few times Evian paid attention to them, he was impressed with their mastery of their weapons. There was technique no matter how little.

Ember didn't simply swing and thrust her weapon as Evian used to do when he wielded a sword, instead, she was refined. Her hacks and slashes had an hint of grace. It was interesting to watch her flourish.

Gillert hung back along with the Renan Knight Captains. They all saved their strength for the Captains they were no doubt going to face.

They didn't have to wait too long...

... And when the Larnak Captains arrived, they did so with the unanimous release of their Fourth Order Pressure aimed specifically at the Third Order Renan Knights that led the line.

Evian had just stabbed his Spear into the chest of his fifth victim of the day when the unleashed pressure forced him back. He made sure to eat the departing soul before he raised his head towards the new arrivals. His eyes specifically on Donan who glared at him with a vendetta.

The Captain took slow steps forward, swinging his Spear casually before his eyes finally fell on the weapon in Evian's hand.

"That Spear-" he mumbled as his mouth gaped in the realization that this Thief had the audacity to wield his Lord's property in battle against the Estate.

Evian chuckled,

"You like?" he asked in a goading tone while pointing one of the bloody spearheads at Donan's angry face.

"Rarrr!"

With a yell of intent, Donan stabbed his Spear towards Evian who promptly sank into the ground, surfacing precisely behind the Captain to retaliate with a stab of his own into an unprotected back.

*Clang*

Moving swiftly as should have been expected of a Knight with his martial prowess, Donan placed his Spear at just the right angle to deflect Evian's hit.

"Ack."

The contact was so impactful, it numbed Evian's shoulder and staggered his stance.

Donan looked to take advantage only to shift into the defensive when Evian conjured two Whiron Barbed Spears whose forceful impacts required focused deflection.

The moment Donan had knocked the two spells aside with his Spear, he faced yet another danger in the form of Gillert's sword swinging at his neck.

With eyes widened in surprise and a quick reaction that could only be attributed to his impressive reflexes, Donan moved out of the Sword's path and deflected the next jab that came at him.

*Clang*

Gillert kept his stance after the deflection and confidently, he stepped between Evian and Donan with his eyes on the Spear-wielding Captain,

"Stay back, Evian," Gillert said solemnly, "He's mine."

Evian smirked,

'And miss out on a tasty soul? No chance!' he thought.

"I won't be far," Was what he actually said.

--

The idea of trapping the Larnak Estate from both sides worked splendidly.

Quite lacking in numbers already, the bulk of the Larnak Knights' measly strength in numbers was focused on the threat of the Renan Knights and once the Stygians arrived, they had all the time and space they required to pick their battles.

Lord Stygian stood with his Captains in a battle robe and a large sword in hand. His image was imposing thanks to his impressive build as well as his Pressure which he released with such intensity, that it was almost stifling.

Had Evian not been too engrossed in his battle, he would have been treated to his first-time look of his Father with impressive battle spirit and an expression that held a readiness to go all out.

He would have also been treated to the delectable sight of a black-dressed Arcanist who had come along with the Stygian forces, standing calmly atop her movement Circle.