The next day, with Taz at the outpost in the late morning.
Taz sat on a wooden chair, crossing her legs and gazed at what remained of the destroyed capital. The sight of the destruction made her smirk warmly and stare at it lovingly.
It was her masterpiece, a chaotic perfection.
Zero strolled to her and sat beside her. He looked at her and asked, "You haven't taken your eyes off those remains. Is there something that makes you happy about it?"
Taz sighed in happiness and asked, "What would you describe the act I did that night?"
Zero stared at her, then said, "Unheard of, it's like seeing a legend manifest before the very eyes. An act of natural forces. A calamity."
Taz rubbed her cup and said, "I may have told a few about this. But in that chaos, I saw my name written on the history pages. Because I have finally achieved my ambition."
"What would that ambition be?" Zero asked.
"To reach the pinnacle of our species, to become equal with the forces of nature. That's the ambition I yearned to achieve," Taz said.
Zero looked at the rubble and said, "That―I testify for. I congratulate you, Tanaz. You have achieved the unthinkable."
Taz laughed, and Zero laughed with her.
A while later, in the tent.
The squad gathered around the table with proud faces. Everyone's confidence smashed through the heavens after their achievement.
Caleb looked at everyone and said, "I'd usually suggest a celebration after a successful mission, but our jobs are not over yet."
Zaria crossed her arms and asked, "Does our leader want us to conquer Bahrata alone?"
They laughed.
Caleb giggled, then said, "Thankfully, no, but the war is far from over. What we have done here has immensely strengthened our armies' morale and delivered a painful blow to the Persians." He leaned on the table, glanced at his squad and said, "We have to be aware that the remnant is making moves soon, and we want to be ready to stop him."
"So, the Jinn never found his corpse in the rubble?" Zaria asked.
Caleb looked at her and said, "No, but we have gained new information about him. Turns out he's a master class lightning user." He looked at Taz and said, "Much like you, Tanaz."
"If that's true, only lightning users can face him," Taz said.
Caleb stood straight, crossed his arms and said, "Which brings us to our second point. The supreme general issued a new joint operation between the arrows and the royal army to stop the remnant from hindering our progress. The arrows will join the legions to aid them in battle and protect them if the remnant appears."
"Which legion are we joining?" Zero asked.
"We'll not go as a squad this time. We've all been specifically selected to certain legions," Caleb said. He pulled out letters and handed one to Zaria.
Zaria looked at the letter and said, "That legion is far back from the front lines?"
"You'll be waiting there for lightning users from the royal forces to arrive; beyond that, follow the commands of the fourth legion's commander," Caleb said. He handed another letter to Taz and said, "The commander of the second legion asked for you specifically; he said you two know each other?"
Taz read the letter, hummed and said, "Major Hilal? This brings back memories."
Caleb looked at Zero and said, "The second legion is on the front lines, prone to every threat you can think of. I'm assigning you with her to increase their chances of success."
Zero nodded.
Caleb crossed his arms and said, "Athir and I will be heading to the third legion." He looked around and asked, "Any questions, people?"
"No," They all replied.
"Good, show no mercy! Show the world why the arrows must be feared!" Caleb said.
Days later, at noon, near the second legion's camp.
Taz and Zero cantered their way to the camp.
Zero looked at Taz and said, "I have to say, major battles are not my specialty."
Taz looked at him and said, "I don't think we'll be placed in the front lines. It would be a waste of our abilities."
They approached the camp's gate and noticed no one was there to receive them. Taz looked at Zero and asked, "What do you think is the reason?"
Zero looked around and said, "It's either they were all killed, or...they're away." He looked at Taz and said, "I smell no blood. They must be in a battle."
Taz wore her mask and said, "Let's go find them!"
They circled the camp while Qareen went to find the missing army. Zero noticed tracks and knew they led north.
He alerted Taz, and they rode at full speed, following the tracks. Qareen returned and whispered, "I found the army; you two must hurry because they're losing."
Taz alerted Zero about the army's direction and notified him about the status of their battle. He told her they should split up and ride to the sidelines as it would give them a better angle to use their magic.
Taz nodded, and they went their separate ways.
She soon reached the battlefield and went behind the army, then positioned on the left side from a safe distance. She galloped parallel to the Persian army and shocked every foe she rode across. But her efforts were quickly blocked as spears began flying her way.
She rode away and muttered, "I can't aid them like this!"
A Jinn flew beside her and asked, "Are you an arrow?"
"Yes! Can you take me above the Persian army?" Taz asked.
The Jinn nodded.
She was picked off and instantly placed above the Persian army. Before she attacked, she took a second to analyze their lines and find where the Persian commander was.
But she was surprised to see that Zero had already snuck behind the Persian commander and slit his throat.
Taz was impressed and said, "That makes things easier."
She charged her arms with lightning and rained lightning upon the Persian lines. She rapidly broke their formation and dwindled their numbers, making it easier for allies to break through them.
Taz glanced at the battlefield and said to the Jinn, "Place me down. I need to join the legion on the ground."
In an instant, the Jinn placed her in front of the legion. She drew her sword and walked forward while she shot every enemy group nearby.
A soldier came at her, and she wasted no time activating her reinforcement magic and cutting him down. Soldier after soldier, she slashed, decapitated, and cut in half. While fighting her foes, she noticed the enemies surrounding her; she had to break out.
She sheathed her sword and placed her fists on the floor as she activated her field. She burst lightning and sparks that killed them all.
She stood, looked around and noticed lightning spewing before her, but the source was barely seen. She figured that Zero was getting surrounded.
She ran to him, charged her arms again and shocked her foes. She stood beside him, drew her sword and said, "How are you doing?"
Zero panted and said, "I've managed to kill the officers and the commander, but I don't think their army realized that. Good thing you broke their lines. It took pressure off our allies!"
Suddenly, a hulk of a soldier approached them.
Zero looked at him and snarled, "That thing keeps chasing me!!"
Taz approached the giant soldier and said, "I'll take care of him. Guard me while I deal with him."
As Taz approached the giant soldier, he tried to smash her with his hammer. She jumped out of the way and zapped his leg in hopes of making him fall.
But the giant soldier shrugged it off and kept coming after her.
"No wonder Zero ran away from him," Taz muttered.
The giant soldier swung his hammer, and she evaded it. She charged her leg with repelling lightning and swiped his legs. But he was too heavy for it to work.
He turned around and tried to smash her, but she quickly evaded. She stepped back and distanced herself.
"How the fuck is he still standing!?" Taz muttered.
She began to realize her lightning tricks wouldn't work on this opponent and had to rely on brute force.
Her foe rushed to her and swung down his hammer. She evaded, then swiftly sliced off his forearms, leaving him defenseless. She capitalized on the opportunity and slashed his frontal thighs, forcing him to the ground.
He tried to protect his neck with what arms he had left, but the master class silver sliced through his thick arms, and the wolf decapitated him.
Taz panted, looked around and noticed the Persians fleeing. It concluded the battle as a Mesopotamian victory.
Zero rushed to her and said, "It's over, we won!"
Taz looked at the fleeing Persians and said, "No, we need captives."
Zero grabbed Taz's shoulders, then turned her towards the Mesopotamian side to make her notice that many Persians had surrendered.
"Halfway through your duel, the Persian army realized their chain of command was gone, and they either surrendered or fled," Zero said.
Taz looked at Zero and asked, "How are our allies?"
Zero headed to the commander's spot and said, "Let's go ask." Taz sheathed her sword and followed him. While on their way, ally soldiers looked at them in awe as if they were mythical heroes. Especially since this was the second time arrows saved this legion.
They reached the command post and found Major Hilal sitting on a barrel, wounded and covered with blood, and his sword was broken.
Hilal looked at Taz and chirped, "Wolf! I would've hugged you if I wasn't so beaten up."
Taz chuckled, then said, "I would refuse with that amount of blood on you. How's the legion?"
Hilal looked around and said, "We haven't counted our losses yet, but the legion is in no condition to move forward."
Zero looked around and said, "That's understandable, considering the mess we stumbled upon."
Hilal looked at Zero and said, "This wasn't supposed to happen. My scouts told me a small army was coming our way. When we arrived, we were surprised by the number of reinforcements."
Taz looked at the battlefield and said, "From what I saw up there, the Persians were ridiculously outnumbering you. You should be more careful since you're getting deeper into their lands."
Hilal chuckled, then said, "We're the spears of this war. The generals entrusted us to clear a path. But to be fair, I thought this was the end for me. I'm glad you two came in time."
Zero crossed his arms and asked, "The arrows and the royal army are reinforcing the legions; why haven't the royal forces arrived yet?"
Hilal looked at them in confusion and asked worriedly, "The arrows and the royal forces together? What's going on?"
Later that day in the evening at the legion's camp.
Taz and Zero sat around a campfire alone while the passing soldiers gave them looks of adoration.
Taz looked at Zero and asked, "How did you sneak behind enemy lines?"
Zero stoked the fire and said, "Stealth magic. I learned it from my old instructor, Safira."
Taz giggled, then said, "Safira? That hag?"
Zero looked at Taz and asked, "You know her?"
"Yes, I trained under her before taking my exam," Taz said.
"How's she these days?" Zero asked.
"Last time I saw her was at the masters' garden, where I got promoted to a master class lightning user," Taz said.
Zero leaned forward and asked excitedly, "You went to the masters' garden!? How was it?"
"It looked like a history museum. Full of statues of previous masters and books about their past," Taz said.
"Did they offer to sculpt your statue?" Zero asked.
"The sculptures sketched me and said they'll make my statue when my turn comes," Taz said.
A soldier approached them and said, "I apologize for disturbing the arrows, but we need one of you to help us with interrogation."
Zero smirked at Taz and said, "If you go, I'll cook extra food for you."
Taz giggled, then said, "How can I refuse?" She stood and went with the soldier to where the prisoner was held.
She ordered the soldiers to leave as she didn't want to be disturbed. She entered the spacious red tent and saw the prisoner strapped to a chair. The tent was well-lit and had a vertical tool table at the entrance. In the middle was the torture chair, and in the back was a small cage.
The prisoner was a young man with a youthful complexion. He had hazel eyes and short, silky brown hair.
The prisoner looked at Taz and said, "The men couldn't break me, so they bring a whore."
Taz smirked at him, approached him, then went behind him, grabbed his shoulders, leaned closer and said softly, "And here I thought you were a polite boy."
"Fuck you!" The prisoner growled.
Taz placed her fingertip at his throat and shocked him. He began gasping and vomited profusely.
She pulled his hair and asked, "Are you going to be polite now?"
The prisoner growled and panted heavily.
Taz stood before him and asked, "You don't look like a high-born Persian. I assume your generals picked you off from your family's home."
The prisoner didn't reply.
Taz chuckled and approached him. She stepped on his sack, gradually stepping harder and said, "You shouldn't ignore a girl when she's talking to you. You're breaking her heart."
The prisoner groaned in pain and said, "You look too old to call yourself a girl."
Taz leaned forward, gripped his cheek, forced him to look at her and said, "Some women age like wine, but I guess you're too young to know."
The prisoner glared at her and asked, "Do you get off on this, you sick woman!?"
Taz giggled, went behind him, grabbed his nape, leaned closer and said, "More than anything in the world." She licked his neck and said, "Seeing pretty boys like you wincing and begging for mercy." She gasped erotically, then said softly, "It makes me melt. It makes me burn, drool and become drenched."
She slipped her hand into his shirt and said, "Do you know what's the funny thing? I never asked why they wanted me to torture you; I simply accepted it."
The prisoner screamed for help, only for Taz to cover his mouth. She giggled, then said softly, "You little pervert! Do you want them to walk in on us?"
He shook and grunted out of fear for his safety.
Taz placed her hand on his thigh, shocked him to deplete his energy and backed away. He panted, sweated heavily and gasped.
A soldier outside the tent called for Taz, saying that Zero had invited her for dinner.
Taz stroked his hair and chirped, "Don't run away." Then she left.
Half an hour later.
Taz returned while holding a small bowl of grapes. She ate one piece, then noticed that her prisoner was asleep. She chuckled, sat on the table's edge, ate all the grapes, and threw the small bowl at the prisoner's head.
He jolted awake, groaned, and looked at Taz.
"I don't recall allowing you to sleep," Taz said.
He glared at her.
Taz crossed her arms and said, "You miss your home. You miss normalcy."
"You don't know me," The prisoner snarled.
Taz ambled in circles before him and said, "I miss normalcy, too. I miss my husband and how things were before I took that damned journey. If only I never accepted the king's favor."
She walked in circles around him and said, "You know when I got married, I was delighted. I kept telling myself that I was now a girl my parents would be proud of; married to a good man, my financial matters were better than ever. I thought to myself nothing could ever go wrong."
She chuckled, then said, "I was naïve, immersed in the fantasy that I found a happy ending like my parents did. Then, I found out I was infertile. My husband tried to hide his disappointment, but I knew. I knew too well."
She stopped behind him, crossed her arms behind her back and said, "It didn't take long for him to change. He became distant and cold. Whenever I asked him for a smile, he would leave and return home late. Until one day, he returned home drunk and found me waiting for him alone."
She placed her hand around his neck and said, "The first thing he did was strangle me, then pin me against the wall as if I were a criminal. But now that I think about it, maybe I am. I broke his heart."
She released her hand, stood before him and said, "He used my body that night as if I was a whore, not his wife. I couldn't fight back; I had already hurt him once, and I couldn't do that again. A part of me hated what my husband did to me, and another accepted it as punishment for not being good enough."
He looked at her and asked, "Why are you telling me this?"
Taz smirked, then said, "I guess I just needed someone to listen. Since I'll kill you, I took the opportunity to vent a little."
The prisoner became scared and gasped, "I thought you fancied me."
Taz pulled out her sword and said, "I fancied the control, not you."
The prisoner quivered and shouted, "I'll speak!!"
Taz approached him and said, "It doesn't matter."
The prisoner looked at her fearfully and pleaded, "I have a family; my mother needs me."
"I couldn't care less," Taz said.
She raised her sword, and the prisoner began weeping like a child.
Taz stared at him and burst out laughing. She sheathed her sword, sat on the table and said, "I love that pathetic sight."
The prisoner looked at her in disbelief, sniffed and asked, "You're not going to kill me?"
Taz smiled, crossed her arms and said, "I will kill you, but seeing you cry like a little bitch is priceless."
"What do you want from me!!?" The prisoner snarled.
Taz shot off his cuffs and said, "Your next move determines your fate."
The prisoner rubbed his forearms, looked at Taz fearfully, and got on his hands and knees.
Taz clapped slowly and said, "You're smarter than you look. I assume you know what you must do next?"
The prisoner kept his head down and said, "I will answer your every question."
"What are those giant soldiers on the battlefield?" Taz asked.
"A human weapon Persia developed to counter the Mesopotamian beast hunters and magic users," The prisoner answered.
"Who's the remnant?" Taz asked.
"An aegis tribesman from the Hayja branch, he works as a hired sword for whoever pays most," The prisoner answered.
"Where's he now?" Taz asked.
"He never gives out his movements. He only disappears, then returns with the heads of his targets," The prisoner answered.
"Does the Persian military know about this camp?" Taz asked.
"Yes, but after the attack failed. It will take time for the military to make another move," The prisoner answered.
Taz approached him, kneeled, gripped his cheeks, forced him to look at her and said, "You did good."
The prisoner sighed in relief.
"But I can't let you live knowing what my husband did to me," Taz said, then held his head and shocked him till she melted his brain.
Taz stood, then left.
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