Loopbreaker

"TO ARMS! EVERYONE TO POSITIONS!"

Francis watched as his brother and the other two roused from their sleep. He had already woken up, aware of when it would happen, and was trying to recall everything he had done the previous time.

"It's happening... It's really happening," Michael muttered.

"If I die," Henry said, "know I'm the one who slept with Sarah."

Francis watched as Gregory turned on his brother, mouth open and eyes wide.

"You! You're the one who slept with her! Mother of the gods! I knew it! I didn't want to believe it, but--"

"GET IN LINE AND SHUT IT!" The same officer cut off the brothers' spat.

"Guess we'll never have that problem," Michael said as they followed the other two.

"One can only dream," he replied.

The horns came, and the sound Francis had been expecting washed over them.

"Warriors! Know that your King honors your bravery! Survive and be rewarded! Find wealth and a new life by proving ourselves today! Rest assured, victory is guaranteed as four masters and one grandmaster are with us today, lending their power and skill! So fight for our kingdom! Be the wolves that tear our enemies to shreds! Be the hero we need!"

When the king's voice stopped, a loud cheer rose across the army, and this time, Francis was finally able to refrain from joining in with them.

[ Mental Resist Check Success ]

[ Mental Resist Skill Increased - 20 ]

The itch was still there, but instead of being consumed by it, Francis could sense the pervasive aura that affected everyone. When the shouting had died down, Michael gave Francis a perplexed look as he stood there, not looking excited at all.

Two loud peals of horns echoed, and the moment everyone dreaded began.

"Warriors! Advance!"

***

Moving with purpose, Francis managed to stem the flow of mistakes from the first time they’d fought, helping to keep Henry alive as they warred against the horde of beastkin. He was ready when the mental pressure came several minutes into the fight, telling them to flee.

The wolf that had originally killed Gregory was dead, its head missing from Francis’s sword strike, which had come just seconds before the fear effect had washed over the army.

“Run away! Flee!”

[ Mental Resist Check Successful ]

[ Mental Resist Skill Increased - 21 ]

As soon as the wave of intimidation or whatever it had come, Francis slapped each of his friends and his brother.

The three stood there in shock, looking at him, their mouths open and eyes wide.

"We… we should run!" Henry exclaimed, glancing over his shoulder toward where they had come from.

"Behind you!" Michael called out.

Spinning, Francis moved without thinking and almost forgot what was about to come next.

A tiger-kin came, so Francis lifted his shield, blocking the one attack while his sword parried the other claw.

Henry and Michael moved, thrusting and slashing, hacking the tiger-kin, who, it appeared, hadn’t expected them to react, was defenseless and unable to avoid their strikes.

"We need to move! There is something in the woods trying to scare us!" Francis shouted as he finished off the beast they had helped with.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gregory yelled back as he moved and glanced around, waiting for their next attacker.

"The effect of the voices in your head!” Francis yelled back. “Can't you—"

"DO NOT FLEE! STAND STRONG!"

The calming sensation washed over him, but Francis shrugged it off with almost no effort now.

Gregory, Henry, and Michael shook their heads, their eyes widening as people in their army ran past them. Those who ran were sliced down from behind by wolf and tiger-kin. Slowly, the fleeing army turned; the effect of the King’s magic broke them out of the feared state.

"I picked up a Mental Resist skill at the start of the battle! I can feel the attack coming! That's why I keep slapping you all. I’m trying to help everyone resist it! We need to go as a group and try to eliminate what’s causing it, or this will continue to happen. But just the two of us going in there won’t be enough."

Gregory and Henry looked at each other and frowned.

"We can't... the dishonor...” Henry said. “Besides, that's such a strange request. What if you're wrong? We'll be labeled as traitors and murdered!"

They don’t believe me… how can I…

A wolf-kin interrupted his thought, requiring the four of them to work together. Their small group seemed to be doing better than the other pockets of warriors amidst the chaos. The lessons Phillip had beaten into them, along with Francis’s new strength and improved skills, made killing these beasts possible. Francis couldn’t help but grin as they ended the life of a second one that came.

"Michael?" Francis asked when they had a moment of peace.

His brother winced and nodded slowly. "I… I don’t want to leave, but I can see you won’t stay. You know the rule. We always go together."

“Listen,” Francis growled at the pair. “Stay and die. Or come with me, and maybe we die, maybe we don’t, but regardless, we’re going to have to try. Look at the other lines coming for us. Do you really believe we can survive?”

Both brothers glanced around at the chaos. They stood in a small bubble of safety, most of the creatures ignoring them and taking advantage of the other warriors, who were dazed from the constant barrage of mental attacks.

“Fine, but if I die, I’m going to haunt you,” Gregory replied.

Grunting, Francis nodded and motioned them to follow.

Every time Michael or the others slowed down due to the fear effect, Francis pushed as before, slapping them or calling out their names and forcing everyone forward.

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[ Mental Resist Check Success ]

No skill up that time... well, that sucks.

Reaching the edge of the line took less than half an hour and was much easier than the first time he had experienced this. Francis remembered more of the fights from before, easily slicing down the enemies that came, their small pack leaving a trail of beastkins either dead or wounded as they moved. In about twenty minutes, they stood at the edge of the men, with the same hundred yards of open space between them and the forest.

"Do you trust me?" Francis asked after disemboweling a wolf-kin that had been chewing on another soldier’s head.

"Yes! Why?" “Michael replied.

"We need to run, don't stop. Ignore what your mind says. No matter what, we move!"

"You're certain this is right?" his brother asked, chewing his lip in worry.

Francis gave a playful grin. "Have I ever been wrong?"

"Every day," replied Michael as he grinned for a moment.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Once we start moving, we can’t come back. Our own would cut us down.”

“Francis… you’re certain?” Gregory asked.

He nodded at Gregory and watched the teen grab his brother’s arm and pull him close.

“Then let’s go,” Gregory said.

Shouts came from the line as they raced toward the woods.

Halfway there, the presence struck them.

"DO NOT FLEE TO THE WOODS!"

This time, all three of the other teens stumbled, steps slowing, and Francis turned immediately. He left another red mark on their faces, having smacked them more times than he could remember. "Let's go!"

"I... I... I couldn't breathe. My brain... It hurts... But I… I got a new skill,” Henry gasped.

"Mental Resist,” Francis replied. “It's how I know where we need to go."

“How?” Gregory asked.

Pointing into the woods, Francis motioned to the area they had been before. "Later. We need to hurry. It’s this way."

The darkness wasn't as bad as it had been last time. Francis was almost certain that it was due to his increased stats. He ignored every skill announcement that came and focused on keeping his small group alive instead.

"Stay close, step where I step, and don't talk," Francis whispered. "We're going to reach a circle of trees and must go in quietly. There will be other creatures that show up when we do. Just follow my lead. When we find what we're facing, stay to the right of it.”

"That's… very specific," Henry replied. "Like super specific. How can you..."

“I have dreams, and they come true sometimes. That’s how I know all of this.”

The pair stared at him, then at Michael, who gave a half-smile and shrugged.

“Believe him or don’t, we’re not able to turn back now.”

“You… we… Francis, are you certain?” Gregory asked. “I thought perhaps you were just trying to escape and get away, but you’re serious, aren’t you?”

“I am. There is only one way we’ll survive, and that’s together. Trust me, I don’t want anyone to die.”

"I... Okay,” Henry replied, shaking his head for a moment. “Just promise me I'll be fine."

Smiling, Francis put a hand on the teen’s shoulder and squeezed.

"I promise everything will work out if you do what I say."

They began to move once more, the youngest setting the pace and path for the four of them.

Soon, the circle of trees appeared, so Francis held up his hand, resting his sword against his leg and motioning that this was the spot. Picking up his weapon, Francis crept forward.

Once we get close, those others are going to come. Hopefully, Gregory and Henry can buy Michael and me some time to kill that caster.

At the edge, he pointed at the pair of brothers to watch the outside.

When he looked inside, Francis saw the same creature for the third time, its purple body shrouded in shadows.

Pointing to the right, Francis stepped back a few steps into the clearing and nodded, running before hitting the barrier he knew was there.

The moment he stepped inside the ring, the shimmering wall appeared, and the eyelid flung open, revealing the yellow pair of glowing eyes. The animal's head snapped in Francis's direction.

"Now!” Francis yelled.

Michael and Francis raced toward the lizard as it pointed the staff at them. The purple-and-black orb at the end began to shimmer as power built up.

A cry came from Henry and Gregory as the catkin Francis knew was hiding advanced.

“FRANCIS! There are three cat-kin!” Henry called out.

Francis wasn’t focused on the guards. He needed to see what he was up against.

The same aura as before was building up at the end of the staff, and it felt like another wave of power was about to escape.

Unlike last time, Francis had speed on his side, since the previous time he had been caught off guard by the hidden enemies. His sword came in contact with the lizard’s shoulder, cutting off the words it was speaking and causing the aura that had built up around the top of its staff to retract into it before exploding outward.

Pieces of purple material flew everywhere, and the shrapnel struck both him and the caster.

A sharp pain filled every inch of his body, and upon glancing down, Francis noticed that his vision wasn't working as expected. Only his left seemed to work. The front of his body was riddled with holes.

Falling to his knees, a sound came, and Francis turned. He could barely see the multiple purple chunks that impaled Michael. Blood seeped out all over his brother’s armor.

"Fra... Francis..." Michael barely got out.

Almost at the same time, both of them fell to the ground.

The darkness took over again.

***

The sound of the morning bell jarred Francis from his bed.

Once again, Francis grabbed his chest as he sat up.

"It's earlier than usual," Michael grunted as he sat up. "What gives?"

Even with no physical injury, Francis still felt pain from where he had been impaled.

What the hell?! How… how am I supposed to defeat that?

Seeing his brother looking at him – and knowing he had a scowl on his face - Francis expressed his frustration and anger in a different direction.

"Yeah, that asshole probably wants to mess with us like always. Come on, let's get dressed so we're not the last ones to line up."

Let’s see how much has changed since last time.

[ Status ]

Francis Lancaster

Age 17

Strength: 14

Endurance: 17

Agility: 13

Wisdom: 13

Perception: 11

Magic: 10

Skills

Swordsmanship (Common) – 19 Novice

Shield Use (Common) - 17 Novice

Tracking (Uncommon) - 11 Basic

Stealth (Uncommon) - 11 Novice

Traps (Uncommon) - 3 Basic

Rock Throwing (Common) - 7 Basic

Mental Resist ( Uncommon ) - 21 Novice

Blood of the Undying ( Unknown )- 100+ Sage

Fast Learner - 1 Basic (Locked)

How the hell am I going to kill that thing? Is there a way to overpower it? Even if there is, with those guards around it, all four of us are probably going to die.

Frustrated Francis put on his boots, almost tearing the weak leather that was held together by a single thread. As he headed out the door, he set his mind on the things he knew needed to be done to avoid missing out on a helm or extra silver.

The rest of the time was spent considering a plan that might actually work.

I will repeat everything I can: get fifteen silver, get a metal helmet, ask about touching the bird feather, and make sure that Michael doesn't die. How hard can that be?

***

"I wish I had a helmet like that," Michael said before yawning. “It seems unfair that the rest of us are stuck with crappy leather."

"Win your own silver by being faster next time," Francis replied with a grin. "Now get to sleep. We got a fight in the morning."

Lying there as most of the army slept, Francis couldn’t rest. His mind was trying to figure out the best way he could use his new skill and power to overcome their enemy and keep Michael alive.

How many times have I learned that knowledge is power? The problem is, who can I tell what I know and not be labeled as a fool?

Slowly rising from his cot, Francis felt his mind considering doing something stupid.

If this works, then maybe we’ll succeed. If not, I guess I’ll just be back here soon enough.

Watching his brother sleep, Francis wanted to pray to whatever god had given him this chance to save Michael. Yet deep inside, he knew that what had changed his life wasn’t something his people worshiped. Whatever that thing was, Francis felt scared at what people might think if they learned about it.

Better to pretend my skills are from our gods and hope no one finds out otherwise.