No matter what choices Aaron had made regarding the dark truth about Lumengarde, Felix was in on it as he was more than a fellow Sage to him at that moment. He was a teammate. And Felix wasn't about to sit and watch him fight off an army alone. If they were to get in trouble for it, then they'd might as well serve their punishment together. As a team.
"Lucy, I'm sorry to ask but can you offer your support from this distance?" Felix turned to look her in the eyes.
Though they were up against a powerless army, Felix was sure Aaron didn't plan on killing them, which would prove to be harder than just cutting down everything in his path. This is why a medic would be needed, as there would surely be reinforcements the moment they engaged.
"I—I can try," Lucy replied with a serious nod.
"Are you going with him? I'm coming too." Chelsey chirped.
"No. You'll stay here with Lucy to ensure her safety," Felix declined her request.
"I can take care of myself, you know?" Lucy spoke up.
"There's no place for a pyrokinesis in this battlefield. We're only going to be teaching them a lesson by domination and not wiping out half the city till they submit."
Lucy nodded in understanding, but Chelsey pouted.
"Michael, Ballista, on me. Athenae—"
"Yeah, yeah. I'll stay put 'cause they're too feeble to survive a swing of my sword," Athenae interrupted like she knew what Felix was about to say.
Felix paused to look at her, before he completed his sentence, "Try not to kill anyone. That's it."
Felix drew his sword from its sheath and jogged a distance before leaping onto its side like a skateboard and using the [Telekinesis] skill to pilot it, soaring toward the battlefield, imitating the Sage instructor's flying sword.
"Woah, when did she learn to do that?" Chelsey exclaimed in amazement.
"Why are you so surprised? It's Felix after all," Lucy replied with a blush.
Ballista made a powerful leap from the spot, soaring toward the battlefield. While Michael turned invisible as he dashed toward the battlefield as well.
Aaron had his shield up as the rain of arrows descended on him. But the moment the first arrow made impact with the surface of his shield, Aaron blurred and disappeared from his position, appearing before the chief in command and bashing the side of his shield into his skull.
The soldiers, who were stunned watching him disappear and reappear, swiftly recovered and charged at him with their swords drawn. Aaron didn't run or teleport, nor did he even pull out his gun. Using only his shield, he took them all on regardless of their numbers. Shielding, bashing, knocking over. He was precise and brutal.
When he was cornered from all directions, he released a burst of light and energy that blinded and knocked the soldiers back.
Felix had just arrived, flying on his sword, when the city gates burst open and more soldiers marched out, armored from head to toe. He piloted his sword low to the ground before leaping off and charging right into the reinforcement with a smirk as he clashed swords with the first soldier.
To him, this was more than just beating up the soldiers; it was an opportunity to dominate as many soldiers as possible to make them subjects to his [Dominator] skill. And though they wouldn't be facing as many monsters as they weren't Sages, every kill they made, be it man or monster, would be remitted to him. And the fact that they were Vastorians and didn't have the class system and thereby couldn't grow stronger with kills, did that mean every drop of attributes to be gained from kill would be absorbed by him instead and they couldn't absorb it?
It was an interesting concept Felix was eager to find out.
The [Weapon Proficiency] skill made it easier for her to fence off and defeat the soldiers without having to kill them. It felt natural to her unlike for the others who might find it harder to achieve without a few death tolls.
Ballista was soon by her side, swinging and poking with the butt of his spears. But he was finding it harder and couldn't help but steal glances at Felix, who swung her sword effortlessly, parrying, countering, and knocking out the enemy as she made her way deeper into the enemies' formation. She didn't mind that she was surrounded as she reacted on time no matter where the attack came from, like she had a third eye that oversaw the battlefield from above.
Ballista was impressed. Honestly, being transformed into a woman even if it came with an SS-Rank class system would've messed with his mind and he knew he would not want to be seen and freak out whenever someone stared in his direction. But it was different for Felix. Right from the start he—now she—was always good at what she does, not letting her gender swap get to her. She had his utmost respect, and he hoped he'd live long enough to fight alongside her again sometime in the future.
Michael on the other hand kept accumulating cuts on the bodies of the soldiers with his dagger till they couldn't stand to fight anymore. Though it risked them bleeding out in the battlefield, there were some soldiers who dragged their injured from the battlefield to the backline where there were healers attending to them just beyond the gates.
Neither he nor any of the others attacked those soldiers tasked with helping the injured, even if they crossed paths. It was like an unspoken rule which made Michael feel so much better knowing the future of Vastoria rested on the shoulders of his responsible peers.
But then he was starting to smoke from beyond the city gates like burning buildings and what looked like a panicked crowd running helter-skelter within the city. But Felix who was the closest to the city gates wasn't even that close enough or doing anything extraordinary to cause that much distress amongst the civilians.
It was like they were under attack on the inside. But by who or what? Michael looked in the direction of Aaron for answers, but even after sweeping his eyes through the battlefield, Aaron was nowhere to be found, and only Felix and Ballista were left taking the brunt of over a thousand soldiers.
Aaron had disappeared sometime during the battle and was probably already inside the city. Just what was he up to? But if Aaron had truly gone as far to unleash his wrath on the defenseless civilians leaving the armed soldiers outside, then he couldn't sit and watch that happen.
He knew very well he was no match for Aaron, but the same couldn't be said for a certain someone he knew, Michael thought as he looked in the direction of Felix.