It wasn't necessary to handle the troll near Fanilly. Only the fact that magic was backing up the barrier of ice prevented it from shattering, merely warping its shape. The true destructive potential of the thick, purple beam of magical power became apparent as it was deflected. Beneath it the ground blazed red hot, solid rock liquifying from the sheer intensity of the magical attack. The troll was engulfed in an instant. Its entire body, skin, flesh, bone, was vaporized in that moment, leaving nothing but a fine mist barely visible to the naked eye. The beam rent its way back towards the treeline, only stopping once it struck the earth itself. In its wake it left a scar of molten rock in the terrain, and a glowing pit at its destination.

Fanilly's eyes widened in shock. Of course, she knew magi were privy to all kinds of spells, but orcs were no magi. And that was no ordinary spell. You didn't have to be a magical expert to know that it was an incredibly powerful offensive spell. And it had been aimed directly at her. It was hardly as if she'd never been in danger, but somehow... somehow this felt different, somehow this felt like...

... Like that time before she was Captain... that time where she... almost...

The blonde knight shook her head.

"Sir Tiral!" she called, "Thank you for the cover! Iron Roses, do not allow another spell to be fired from the treeline! Be vigilant and ready for anything!"

She tried not to make it obvious her voice was shaking. Fanilly was the Captain of the Iron Rose Knights. If she let them notice how frightened she'd become... She couldn't. She wouldn't allow any damage to their morale. No matter what had happened, they were still winning! The Orcish forces were fading fast. Some of them had fled the battle entirely, and the lingering orcs were falling to the Roses.

Heading once more into the fray, Fanilly tried to keep the matters at hand in mind. A magical attack had been mounted on her, but she had already noticed... Sir Indrau? And a pair of other knights had approached the forest. She couldn't allow herself to be distracted in battle for too long, but she had to ensure she didn't lose sight of another potential magical assault. If a beam that strong had struck the bulk of the Roses...

An orc fell dead as Fanilly cut through its throat and upper body, leaving it to hit the ground. Another was pierced through its chest as it raised its weapon, but now the target was the trolls. The trolls had to be slain as soon as possible!

The knight whose life Tyaethe had saved struggled to his feet.

"I... I am fine, Sir Radistirin! I-agh!"

He staggered. Though his face was concealed, by his voice it was likely the oldest knight in the order would recognize him as Sir Avlin, a relatively junior knight who had joined the order in the years after the defeat of Phoran Cal. He was a skilled fighter, but it was clear he had not been prepared for a blow from a troll. And from how he was holding his leg, it looked like he had sustained an injury bad enough to inhibit his ability to walk.

"... Ah, damn, I had to open my mouth, didn't I...?" he commented, with a hollow laugh.

The trolls' numbers had been cut again. Another lay dead, another blinded and wildly flailing, slaying several orcs as it trundled towards the knights, seeming only to locate their location by sheer bloody-minded murderous intent.

For the remaining four, one was still advancing towards the ridge, as the others battled the knights. Ultimately, it was the knights that were approaching victory. The strength of trolls was at its best when they were allowed to rampage, able to bring down crushing blows before their foes could react, fear keeping their enemies from reacting quickly. Eventually, however, the mighty beasts would fall.

At the treeline, the spot at which it seemed the beam had been fired from seemed vacated. But, burned into the bark of a tree and glowing a faint purple was the image of a simple heart.

[hr]

Eyes wide, Lyrie stared in horror at the battlefield. The beam that had erupted from the treeline had burned through the earth, annihilating one of the trolls in seconds. And... had it been aimed at her cousin? The girl had never experience a battle before, let alone against trolls, let alone with the sudden intervention of high-powered magic. Could she help anyone here? Was she any use at all? The small girl shuddered, clutching at herself as she sunk to her knees slowly.

"Wh-what use... c-could I be here? I-if anyone's hurt will... will I even be... be able to..."