Tales Of Darkness And Light
Chapter 16's

The soldiers of Arthorn stood within the field of Radiata City. In front of them Calix, Apple, Linden and a few important people from the city of Radiata stood in battle clothes complete with weapons.

The apple wore a battle suit that Linden prepared with eyes kept covered in cloth. His battle clothes were simple silver armor and on his waist was tucked into a sword. He actually did not want to wear such war clothes at all. However, Calix continued to force her to wear the outfit. Calix even spent nearly half an hour convincing him to wear the armor.

"Castrian Arthorn, I, Calix Ethan Arthorn, thank you for your willingness to fight with me. We will not allow the soldiers of Ormund to do so at will in our homeland. We take and destroy what we have. We are a nation with great dignity and honor. We won't let them destroy us!!" calix shouted in a loud voice while pulling out the sword tucked in his waist.

All the soldiers who were there listened quietly to the words of Calix, their future king.

"The great magician Seraphin predicted hundreds of years ago, 'At some time, darkness and light will fight. If darkness prevails then destruction is all that remains and if light prevails then the world will be at peace'. I'm sure what the prophecy meant was this moment. We have all seen the cruelty of the soldiers of Ormund, we cannot let them win! If they win the destruction is there. Therefore, lend me the strength of you all. All of us together become a light and defeat them to protect our precious possession!" Raising his sword upwards, Calix's voice was heard by all who were there. "For the victorious Arthorn!!!"

"For the jaya Arthorn!" the Arthorn soldiers shouted as they raised their weapons. Their morale was extremely high even though the battle that existed was not in their favor.

The apple said nothing. As usual, he was silent at what Calix said, only, a small smile on his face, though no one noticed it. Calix's speech just now, he really wanted to laugh when he heard it.

Some of the soldiers led some horses to Calix, Apple, Linden and some other important people. Calix swiftly jumped on the horse's back followed by Linden and the others. However, not for Apple, the young man remained standing in his place.

The horse that was prepared for the Apple suddenly neighed and tried to escape while confronting him. The soldier leading the horse tried to calm him down. However, whatever he did was in vain, the horse was completely unwilling to obey orders.

"What's going on?" calix asked the soldier from his horse.

"I don't know, Your Highness Prince, this horse suddenly rebelled and was unwilling to obey orders. It looks like he's scared of something." The soldier replied confused. This horse was a tame and friendly horse, never had he seen it like this.

"I don't need to." Said the Apple from earlier silent a short silence. Not caring for Calix, he walked towards the soldiers in front of him who had moved out of the Radiata City field.

"Apples!" call Calix to stop the Apples.

The apple turned its head back to look at Calix. "I'm not your subordinate and I've said clearly I'm not helping you, I just want to leave this town immediately."

Calix couldn't say anything once he heard Apple's words. He's not trying to stop it anymore. Because he knew, it would be for nothing. Apples are right, they are not superiors and subordinates, not even friends. The young man willing to help now was already something to be grateful for.

Sighing, Calix then pulled his horse. He also had to move immediately out of this field. However, the horse he was riding on did not want to move. Confusion he saw the horse and found it—fear. Not only his horse, even the horse that Linden and the others were riding on were also in the same condition.

"What's this?" calix asked confusedly at the soldier leading the horse.

The soldier did not answer. His face was pale because he really did not know what happened to the horses.

Raising a hand stroking the gentle mane of his horse, Calix tried to win the frightened horse. Then, he realized, all the frightened horses were staring at something. Following the gaze of all the horses present, he saw—Apel.

Apple joined the soldiers who were walking out of the field leaving Calix. He could feel everyone's gaze directed at him, and it seemed like he was ignoring him.

During their journey out of the city of Radiata, the soldiers beside Apple stared at him questionnaires. They had seen him standing next to Calix in the field earlier, and it seemed, he was no ordinary soldier at all. However, why would he join them and walk out? Why did he close his eyes with a cloth? Is he blind?—but, despite questions, no one dared to ask.

Arthorn's men walked out of Radiata City's door and headed east. About ten kilometers ahead of them, Ormund's army of warriors had been waiting.

The numbers of the armies of the two sides were quite different, Ormund's forces were clearly more numerous than Arthorn's. When facing off, the two sides did not move at all, they all stood silently waiting for the cue from their leader.

Suddenly from Ormund's army, a young man about twenty years old who was sitting on a horse came forward. Brown hair along his shoulders flew in the wind, his blue eyes staring at the Arthorn troop with happy sparkling eyes. The face of the man was very similar to that of a woman. But his battle attire was enough to prove he was a man.

"I am Reth, Commander of the Ormumd army," said the man smiling "If I were you, I would not attack. I will surrender immediately because I know, there is no way to win this battle."

Hearing Reth's words, Calix moved forward. The horse he was riding was not as frightened as before and was willing to obey his orders, "Win or lose altogether could not be determined. Giving up before trying is a stupid deed." she replied with a smile.

"Oh, you are His Highness Prince Calix, aren't you? You're as handsome as I heard. If only you weren't my enemy, I'd be happy to make you my girlfriend." Laughter Reth while staring at Calix with both eyes sparkling with attractiveness.

Calix silently silently listened to Reth. The first time in his life, he met someone who dared to say that to him. However, not for Linden and the others, anger was clearly visible on their faces seeing the brazen attitude of the enemy commander.

Stop laughing, Reth smiled sadly. "However, what a pity. You're gonna die here." Pulling out the sword that was on his waist, he pointed it at Calix, "Strike!" his orders.

Hearing Reth's orders, all Ormund's soldiers move forward to attack Arthorn's forces.

Calix does not waste time either. He immediately drew his sword and shouted. "Groan!"

The sound of horseback roaring and footsteps filled the air, within minutes later, the two armies had clashed. The clanging sounds of weapons meeting, magic spells being read out, the sound of arrows being released and also the cries of pain and death.

The apple that was now in the middle of the battlefield did not move. His ears hear clearly what is happening, and his nose can smell the blood it hates. Why would he be willing to participate in this war?—he shouldn't interfere anymore.

Humans are selfish creatures. In order to protect what matters to them, whatever they will do, so will I.

The answer Calix gave him flashed in Apple's mind. Selfish to protect what is important to them. The reason why he wanted to participate was none other than to get an answer would he also be similar to such a selfish human being?— did anything to protect what was most precious to him. But, Apple did not find the answer to his question. Maybe because things aren't the same, because what he wants to protect the most is something he shouldn't have.

The apple then sensed some people approaching it. He could clearly feel the aura and killing lust from them. Without giving them a chance, he moved to attack them.

The soldiers of Ormund who approached Apple did not expect the young man to attack them all of a sudden. Apple's cloth-covered eyes made them think he was similarly unable to see. They thought that the Arthorn Kingdom was so lacking in troops that even the blind men were participating in this war.

Apple easily defeated those soldiers, however, he did not kill them at all. He did not pull out his sword, he attacked all of them with his bare hands. As soon as he saw his friend defeated, some of Ormund's soldiers came back to face the black-haired young man.

On the other hand, Calix fought against Reth. Calix fends off Reth's sword attack and attempts to retaliate. Using his sword to injure the commander Ormund's leg, Calix managed to make the horse lose its balance and fall to the ground.

Calix jumped off the back of his horse. He knew he could not avoid the magic if he remained on the horse's back. But, that also doesn't mean he'll stand by letting Reth use magic. As he landed on the ground, he raised his hand making a gray magic circle and cast a spell. From within his magic circle, a shadow sword darted against his opponent.

Reth evades Calix's magic attack by jumping to the side. However, the shadow sword followed him. Returning to create a brown magic circle and reciting a spell, the ground in front of him suddenly surged up into a wall of earth stopping the shadow sword.

Calix looked at Reth with eyes full of vigilance. His opponent was not an opponent who could not be looked at one eye. He admitted, Reth is a pretty strong and dangerous enemy.

Reth once again made a blue magic circle in front of him and cast a magic spell. From inside the magic circle, water appeared that shot rapidly like a spear towards Calix.

Reth is a powerful magician, he can do magic in a short time. However, Calix was also a magician who was no less powerful. He immediately made a red magic circle and cast a magic spell. From within the magic circle, flames shot rapidly towards the direction of Reth's magic.

Duars!

A loud explosive sound rang out as the two magicians clashed. Concentrating fully, the two of them attempted to surpass the opponent's magic. Calix paid no attention to his surroundings at all, therefore, he could not avoid the arrow that one of Ormund's soldiers had released

The arrow stuck right on Calix's right shoulder and caused him to lose concentration. As a result, Reth's magic won and quickly shot towards Calix and threw him behind.

Trying to get up as he could, Calix did not care about the injuries he received. However, a second later, Reth's sword had been beside his neck.

"I don't really like it that much because our fight is interrupted. But, after all, it should quickly conquer the city of Radiata, therefore—" Reth smiled as he raised his sword. "Sorry."

Calix closed his eyes. He knew, he couldn't possibly dodge Reth's sword. Esthel's laughing face flashed through her mind, couldn't she see that laughter anymore?

Suddenly, a sword darted rapidly against Reth's sword and stopped its action. Regardless of the clasping of the hand, the sword floated down backwards.

Calix and Reth turned to the direction the sword came from at the same time. Not far from them, they saw Apples standing upright with their eyes covered in cloth.

Without wasting any time, the Apples moved to attack Reth. Reth was quite surprised by the speed of the young man's movements, in just a few seconds he had been by his side.

Apples did not use weapons to attack Reth, he attacked him with his bare hands. Reth who was trying to dodge the attacks of the Apples was quite surprised. This young man was not an enemy that could be underestimated, and moreover, there was a strange feeling as he looked at it. Very disturbing feeling because his instinct tells—hazard.

Jumping backwards and making a considerable distance, Reth stared at the Apple vigilantly. What's in front of him? Regulating her breath and controlling herself, she asked, "What are you?"

Apple did not answer Reth's question. The commander Ormund seemed to have realized the awkwardness of him. That is not strange, because Apple itself knows the true identity of the enemy.

Seeing that Apple did not reply, Reth who continued to feel the danger immediately made a red magic circle and recited a spell. It was just that this time, the size of his magic circle was incredible, where it reached around eight meters.

Calix was very surprised to see the size of the magic circle. He had never seen or heard of a witch of this magnitude in the kingdom of Ormund.

From within Reth's magic circle, flames shot towards Apple. Large and possessing incredible speed, everything around them stopped fighting looking at him.

There was not the slightest change in the face Apple saw Reth's magic. Raising his hand, an ordinary-sized magic circle of blue-purple color appeared before him. Reciting the spell, from within the magic circle, water surrounded by electricity shot out. The magic that Apple does is a combination of water magic and lightning magic.

Duars!

The two magic encounters produce a deafening explosive sound. The ground shook violently and the wind blew, bringing smoke of dust, both the soldiers of Arthon and Ormund tried to keep their balance.

The soldiers of Ormund smiled happily, while anxiety filled the heart of the warrior Arthorn. The size of the two magic was simply not comparable. How can they fight witches as strong as commander Ormund?

"Ohhh!!" the voice of someone's agonizing cry suddenly sounded, and all there was was absolutely unable to believe what was happening, because the owner of the voice was not Apple, but rather—Reth.

As the smoke of the blast dust had disappeared, the parajurits of Arthorn and Ormund could see Reth falling backwards screaming with burns all over the body, and the Apple standing firmly unharmed. Winning Apple Magic?—how could this possibly happen. It was obvious that there was a difference between the two of them.

Reth who screamed in pain immediately used healing magic to treat his injuries. The wound did not heal completely, but at least his life was not in danger.

Calix who did not waste the opportunity immediately ran up to Reth. Drawing out his sword at the enemy commander, he stared at him sharply."Get your troops to retreat, right now!"

Hearing Calix's words, Reth who was unable to resist again laughed weakly and said softly. "You think I'm going to order my troops to retreat? Your forces are very few compared to ours, and even if I lose it doesn't mean we lose."

Calix knew what Reth said was true. Apple did indeed defeat Reth, the commander of Ormund's forces. But, Arthorn's army was clearly pressed by Ormund's forces.

Laughing loudly, Reth shouted loudly. "Soldier Ormund, though I am your commander dead, you must not retreat! You'll win!"

Hearing Reth's cry, Ormund's army's spirit did not decrease even if their commander had lost. Starting to attack again, they all believed they would win.

Calix was confused to see what was happening. From the beginning, he was fully aware that this war was difficult for them to win because of their unbalanced numbers, therefore, he was targeting Reth as the enemy commander. If the enemy commander is defeated, then the enemy army will definitely split. But, it seems like he had mispredicted. If this state of affairs continued, Arthorn would obviously lose.

Calix suddenly felt the ground where he stood trembling. The horse's flares and footsteps were clearly heard. Looking at the direction of the sound source from the western direction of the battlefield, he saw a large number of troops approaching towards them.

A smile immediately filled Calix's handsome face. Looking back at Reth, he laughed. "It looks like you won't win."

The approaching force carried the flag of the kingdom of Arthorn, and from the direction it came, Calix knew it was from the city of Cirrion. Esther and the others managed to enlist reinforcements just in time.

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