Building A Carnal Empire In The Fantasy World-Chapter 33: Hunters And Prey IV

Hayes began to move, trying to stay in Madam Vex’s blind spot. His armor clinked softly with each step, but the sound was masked by the splash of water and the ring of steel on steel.

Madam Vex was having her own problems. Mills had gotten smarter about using his reach advantage, keeping her at the very edge of his sword’s range.

Every time she tried to close distance, he would back away and force her to come to him.

The constant movement was wearing her down. Her dress, never designed for combat, was restricting her movements, now torn in many areas. Sweat stung her eyes, and her breathing was becoming labored.

Mills sensed her fatigue and pressed harder. His sword snaked out in a thrust aimed at her heart. She twisted aside, but not quite fast enough. The steel point scraped along her ribs, parting fabric and drawing a line of fire across her skin.

"AHHH!"

She gasped and stumbled backward, one hand pressed to her side. Blood seeped between her fingers, dark against the pale fabric of her dress.

"First blood to me," Mills said with grim satisfaction.

But his moment of triumph cost him his focus. He didn’t notice Hayes moving up behind his target until it was almost too late.

Madam Vex caught the movement in her peripheral vision and spun around just as Hayes’ sword came whistling toward her back. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

She threw herself sideways, hitting the muddy ground hard and rolling away from the blade.

Hayes’ sword bit deep into the earth where she’d been standing, sending up a spray of mud and pebbles.

"Two on one isn’t very gentlemanly, you know." Madam Vex observed, coming to her feet with her dagger ready.

"Neither is slave trading," Hayes replied coldly. "The sacred flame doesn’t recognize sporting rules when dealing with abominations like you."

Now she was caught between two opponents, both with longer weapons and better armor. The wound in her side throbbed with each heartbeat, and she could feel blood running down to pool at her waist.

But she was still alive, still fighting. And that meant she still had a chance live this through.

On the other side of the battlefield, Velara was learning just how much difference there was between Level 2 and Level 3 Earth Rank cultivation. Sergeant Cole’s attacks were relentless, each one forcing her to burn more of her dwindling magical reserves to defend herself.

Her earth shields were getting thinner, her stone spears slower and less accurate. The big sergeant could sense her weakening and was pressing his advantage ruthlessly.

"Getting tired?" he taunted, his sword carving through her latest barrier like it was made of paper. "Don’t worry. It’ll all be over soon."

Velara spat blood and raised her hands for another defensive spell. But she was running on empty now, her cultivation reserves nearly exhausted from the lake explosion and the constant fighting since.

The next attack broke through her defenses entirely. Cole’s sword slipped past her hasty earth shield and opened a gash along her left arm from elbow to wrist.

"Aaarrrrghhh!"

She cried out and staggered backward, cradling the wounded limb against her chest.

Blood dripped steadily from her fingers to splash on the muddy ground.

"Surrender now," Cole said, advancing with his sword held ready for the killing blow. "I’ll make it quick. That’s more mercy than you showed your victims."

But Velara outright ignored his words. As the sergeant raised his weapon for the final strike, she dropped to one knee and slammed her good hand against the ground.

Not a big spell this time, she didn’t have the power left for that. Just a simple trick, barely more than a cantrip. But sometimes simple was enough.

The ground beneath Cole’s feet turned to quicksand.

He sank to his knees before he realized what was happening. His sword stroke went wild as he struggled to maintain his balance. Instead of splitting Velara’s skull, the blade whistled harmlessly over her head.

"Clever," he admitted, even as he began to work his way free. "But you’re still dead. Just going to take a few more minutes."

Velara used those seconds to put distance between them, but she was moving slowly now. The wound on her arm was deep, and she was starting to feel light-headed from blood loss.

At the water’s edge, Madam Vex was fighting for her life against two opponents who showed no sign of tiring. Mills and Hayes worked together with the smooth coordination of men who had trained as a unit for years.

When she focused on one, the other would attack from her blind side. When she tried to create distance, they would close in from both directions. Her enchanted dagger was fast and sharp, but it could only be in one place at a time.

A sword point grazed her shoulder, tearing fabric and skin. Another thrust forced her to leap backward, almost into the churning remains of the lake. Her heel caught on a stone, and she nearly fell.

Blood ran from half a dozen small wounds now. None of them serious by themselves, but together they were sapping her strength and slowing her reflexes.

"Vex!" Velara called out, still struggling to evade Sergeant Cole’s increasingly aggressive attacks. "We need to—"

She never finished the sentence. Cole’s sword finally found its mark, the steel point punching through her magical defenses and into her right thigh. She screamed and went down, blood spreading across the muddy ground beneath her.

"Velara!" Madam Vex started toward her fallen companion, but Mills stepped into her path with his sword raised.

"Your friend’s finished," he said. "Surrender now, and we’ll let you say goodbye before the execution."

Madam Vex looked at Velara, writhing on the ground with Cole’s boot on her chest and his sword at her throat. Then she looked at the two soldiers blocking her path, their weapons gleaming with deadly intent.

They were outmatched. Outnumbered. Running out of options.

"Goodbye?" Madam Vex said with a suspicious bloody smile. "Oh, soldier boy. We’re nowhere near done yet."