The Moonlight Swordsman

The group stared at each other in bemusement and disbelief as they attempted to channel their magical abilities but were met with nothing but emptiness. Some even rubbed their eyes, thinking it was a light trick.

"Now let the party begin." David's words served as a signal for the commoners and hunters, who quickly launched an assault on the guards and mages.

The assailants displayed their weapons and even fired arrows from their perch atop the trees. The guards and mages were caught off guard and were forced to defend themselves against the unpredicted attack.

Swarms of David's side's commoners and hunters vastly outnumbered Helen's group, and their sheer numbers allowed them to easily overpower and injure the mages and guards.

David's supporters fought with reckless abandon in the midst of the chaos, with no regard for their own safety.

Cristie's heart raced as she saw the chaos erupting around her.

She assessed the situation quickly and realized they were vastly outnumbered. She dashed towards Lady Helen, her trusted ally, as they fought off the onslaught of commoners and hunters.

As they both worked together to repel the attackers and protect themselves and their people, the sound of blades clashing and bodies falling filled the air.

"My lady, what should we do?" She asked while panting.

"That staff has an unusual crystal; maybe that is the source of this barrier, which has canceled out the mana," Helen replied while cutting the neck of one of the hunters.

"Then I will go sneak at him," Cristie replied.

"Don't kill him; I want to kill him myself."

Cristie's gaze darted towards David as she assured Helen and began weaving her way through the chaotic battlefield. David stood firm near his carriage; his gaze fixed on the ongoing battle.

She saw an opening and moved quickly through the chaos, dodging and parrying enemy attacks. She dashed towards David, gripping her longsword tightly in both hands as she ran.

A sudden movement drew David's attention, and he turned to see Cristie rushing towards him with fierce determination in her eyes.

She gripped her longsword in both hands and swung it down at him with all her strength. David reacted quickly, blocking the blow with both hands with his staff.

David's right hand moved quickly, removing the blade from the staff and delivering a quick downward slash.

Cristie was caught off guard and stunned when the blade sliced through the air and cleanly severed both of her hands.

He shifted his grip on the blade and sliced upward at a diagonal angle, severing her head from her body in one fluid motion.

The sound of battle around them seemed to fade away as everyone turned to witness the gruesome scene asCristie's lifeless body fell to the ground with a thud.

"You fucker, I will rip you apart." Helen charged at David in a frenzy, her saber slaying anyone who got in her way.

David charged towards Helen as well, his own weapon in hand, ready to engage her in a fierce battle.

Helen's saber collided with David's blade as she launched an attack on him, constantly shifting her footwork and speed to make it more difficult for him to predict her moves.

Helen's guards and mages found themselves at a disadvantage as the battle raged around them.

Many of them lacked close-range combat skills and were overwhelmed by the sheer number of their attackers. Furthermore, the archers from David's side were posing a serious threat, their arrows easily piercing through flesh.

Many of the guards and mages were unable to defend themselves effectively and were falling one by one because they lacked the ability to use mana to enhance their bodies.

Meanwhile, Helen was fully engaged in the battle against David, determined to defeat him at any cost. She was gaining the upper hand with each passing moment, her years of experience in close combat giving her an advantage.

Her blows were calculated and precise, leaving deep gashes and puncture wounds on David's body.

Regardless, David was not one to back down, and the battle between the two warriors raged on in a flurry of swords and sweat.

Helen's sword swung down with ferocity, but David deflected it with his own.

He attempted to seize the opportunity and launch a counterattack, but Helen's relentless and unyielding assault made it difficult to find a clear opportunity.

Helen's sword swung in unexpectedly, forcing David to parry it. She shifted her weight and moved closer to him. David could barely deflect her next strike.

He was caught off guard when she unexpectedly kicked him hard in the chest, sending him flying and crashing to the ground.

Helen closed the distance between herself and David as if in a blur, lunging forward with her sword aimed at his right leg.

*groan*

The blade pierced his flesh, making him wince in pain.

As Helen tried to thrust her sword towards David's chest, he deftly kicked her right leg, causing her to lose her balance and stumble forward.

David then rolled to his right side quickly, narrowly avoiding the blade.

As Helen grabbed her sword and advanced towards David, a sudden interruption disrupted her momentum.

An arrow pierced her right shoulder as it flew through the air, causing her to falter in her approach.

David took advantage of the situation and charged at Helen, his blade flashing in the air as he mercilessly swung it at her, not giving her time to recover from the arrow wound.

Another arrow flew past David, striking Helen's knee and knocking her off balance.

Taking advantage of the situation, David lunged forward and thrust his blade straight into her stomach.

David plunged his blade deep into Helen's stomach, and blood began to flow from her mouth and wound. With a tight grip on her shoulder, he drew her closer to him. Her body trembled in pain as she gasped for air, fighting to stay awake.

Helen fell to her knees, and David followed, clutching her close to his chest. Her tears streamed down her cheeks as she struggled to speak to David, her voice barely above a whisper.

"K..Kill... Rosewell..."

"If... wasn't for you, my daughter would be alive..."

David's eyes met Helen's, and he saw a striking resemblance to Katherine in her face. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, wiping away the blood from her mouth with a soft touch.

"I know, I wasn't able to do anything to save her.

"Sometimes I feel like the decision I made was wrong.

"But don't worry, Helen." Tears streamed down David's face, and he tenderly kissed Helen's forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin against his lips. "I will kill every single one of them, no matter what I have to do.

"You can go over to the other side now, to your daughter. Soon I will join you when everything is over..."

The commoners and hunters rejoiced in their victory, having defeated Helen's company, with every guard and mage dead.

The battle had taken its toll, and they had lost some of their own, but it was a rare victory in which they had avoided total annihilation.

The triumphant commoners and hunters turned to face their leader, who had orchestrated the battle that had led to their victory. They stood there silently watching as he held Helen's lifeless body in his arms, his gaze fixed on the skies above.