Howls pierced the air from all sides making the Aurelius knight order feel disoriented.

"Just what-"

"There are wolves, bears and even some smaller races." Grand Duke Alarice surmised after listening for a while.

They had stopped before heading straight towards the horde to make sure the Aurelius knights who weren’t used to combat with the shifters knew what they were dealing with.

"It is tricky to beat a shifter, for normal knights it takes around five to beat a single wolf-kin shifter and for a bear it’s harder." Dahlia said, "make sure to watch each other’s backs."

"Considering the numbers and how fast they are moving we will have to split." Alarice said.

Dahlia nodded pointing at the spots on map they had brought along, "That’s right, I will take these towns on the North then."

Alarice placed his fingers on the western side, "Considering what Marquis said they are running awry through towns so, I’ll take this section which joins the North with the western trade routes."

"I’ll take the Northeastern side then," Davian announced confidently.

Rune looked at him, he had only seen Davian fight for a few times so he knew this guy was strong but he had never seen him fight against shifters which made him skeptical of the confidence.

"Then have Young Duke go along." Alarice said.

Rune frowned a little, he was thinking he would be left with his father to take care of the survivors.

"I’m fighting?" He asked making the three Montaire family members look at him.

"If you don’t want to, then that’s fine," Davian said, Rune felt a vein pop in his forehead hearing that.

"Hah? I’m fighting. I’ll go with you." He announced.

"Good," Dahlia said and then they turned to the map discussing a little more.

Alarice gave the knights a few instructions on what they should do and how they should protect themselves before they decided to set off.

Davian rode his black stallion with Rune on his white one. Davian glanced at Rune’s armor before he turned glancing at the army behind him.

Since they had split up the manpower was reduced but it wasn’t a problem since the Montaire family was an expert in exterminating the shifters. Moreover, he could see the sky darkening above them, he wondered if a storm was on its way.

Rune observed Davian whose face carried a blank expression, as if noticing his gaze Davian turned his head.

"Are you scared?" Davian asked and Rune rolled his eyes.

"I am," he said, "I’ll have to answer Marquis Ocean of how you died if your confidence is only a show."

Davian’s lips twitched and a little light gleamed into his amethyst eyes as he heard Ocean’s name and he retorted, "Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you won’t have to and I’ll also keep an eye on your back since I don’t want my dear Master to feel bad seeing you injured."

Rune scowled at him, "Don’t act like you’re close to him."

Davian smirked at that, "And what do you know? Just don’t make me drag your body back, Prince of Frost."

Rune was one step away from drawing his sword and fight him right then and there.

"Worry about yourself, Beast of the Battlefield." Rune spat back with a mocking smile, "Let’s see if you even live up to that grand title or if it was just an exaggeration."

Davian simply gave him a smirk, as he reached up and brushed the mana stone brooch on the inside of his armor.

The thunder flashed above them and before they knew it the drizzle followed. Davian paused for a moment before a smile appeared on his face as he lifted his head letting the rain fall over his face.

Rune watched him with a frown unable to understand what he was doing.

Soon enough, they picked pace, riding fast enough towards Northeast until they came up the carnage that made Rune’s stomach turn.

"What the-"

It was a small town in outskirts, but the buildings and houses seemed like they were ripped apart. And the dead bodies strewn around were badly ripped apart with blood and innards splashed everywhere. The rain was washing away the blood from the streets but it wasn’t enough to remove the thick scent of blood that choked the air.

A few of the knights including Rune covered their mouths while Davian appeared unfazed as he looked around.

"You-" Rune was about to say something but in the next instant, Davian’s head whipped around and the sword in his hand went shooting past Rune’s shoulder.

Rune was stunned for a moment about to shout when he heard the sound of a yelp behind him and some knights shouting.

He quickly turned around but Davian’s horse was already trotting over. There was a large rodent-like creature twitching on the ground with Davian’s sword stabbed into its abdomen.

Rune watched the creature in disgust as its form was nowhere that of a complete rodent nor of a human. Its long arms and legs resembled that of a human’s but the sharp black claws on the deformed hands and feet were that of a rodent. Its face was also hideous with the snout and sharp teeth and beast black eyes.

"Just what..." Rune frowned.

"Don’t get distracted by the surroundings, the attack can come any time." Davian said, pulling out his sword from the creature’s body before stabbing it again with more force this time to kill it.

Rune and the knights didn’t even have enough time to sort their bearings when they felt their horses jumping frantically.

"It’s the mole type shifters. They’re underground." Davian’s voice resounded in their ears but they were too busy trying to cling to their horses that they couldn’t understand what to do.

Davian got down from his horse before he lifted the hilt of his sword, the force of aura oozed from his heart into his arm to his sword. He brought the tip of his blade into the ground, forcing the aura deeper into the earth making the ground tremble.

For a moment everything was silent and suddenly the ground started trembling again as several mounds of dirt started protruding followed by the deformed rodent creatures rushing out.

The knights didn’t stall this time as the enemy appeared and they started cutting each of these swift creatures down. Rune froze a few of those who were too fast to cut and then sliced through them easily.

Davian mounted his horse again before looking up ahead.

"No survivors." One of the knights reported after checking the town.

Rune frowned deeply before looking at Davian.

"Is it always like this? You said these are rodent shifters so, shouldn’t their bodies be completely transformed?" Rune asked.

Davian turned his gaze on Rune, "These aren’t rogue shifters."

Rune tilted his head, "What do you mean?"

"These are the simple rodent-folk who were forced to undergo transformation and then brought here." Davian said.

Rune’s eyes widened, "How is that possible?"

Davian sighed, "I don’t know, but these things are mutated," he poked his sword on the dead body of a rodent, "they’re neither normal shifters, nor rogues."

Rune opened his mouth to ask more but Davian turned his head, "We should keep moving. These things are fast and brutal. If we don’t get rid of them they will wipe out all the towns."

Rune pursed his lips before turning to his knights, fortunately none of them were injured so, they could keep moving.

The army kept moving forth on Davian’s command as the rain poured, everyone was drenched but strangely enough the injuries on the bodies of the knights healed within minutes.

Rune then understood what the rain was. He looked at the sky and simply chuckled as he realised that even after sending everyone to fight their battles, his sister was still watching their backs.

On their way, they came across several other towns which were just the same sight as the previous ones, it was gruesome but also pitiful as there were next to no survivors.

Meanwhile, Rune could only witness with his own eyes as to why the name Beast of the Battlefield was used for Davian as they engaged with the horde of wolf-shifters which like the rodent-kin seemed like they were mutated.

These wolf-kin were standing on their hind legs as their limbs and abdomen resembled that of a human’s while their heads were completely like that of a wolf’s with the snout raised in the air and the two rows of sharp teeth smeared in blood and drool exposed. Fur matted in blood and chunks of dirt covered their large muscular bodies that seemed to be at least 7 to 8 feet tall with large dagger-like claws that could tear through flesh and bone.

The knights were having a hard time so, they relied mostly on Rune and Davian.

Rune used his ice magic to form chunks of ice that rooted the creatures to the ground and then the knights would subdue it. Rune himself was having a hard time, he couldn’t cut through the tough furry skin unless his blade was laced with his mana.

Amid that, he noticed Davian who was taking on three of these mutated shifters at once. He was so fast that Rune had to stop and stare just to see the glimpse of the blade that gleamed violet leaving the arcs in the air as it sliced through the bodies of these creatures smoothly splashing blood everywhere.

Davian was quick and brutal as he moved throughout, his hard expression didn’t change one bit throughout, showing neither hesitation nor mercy.

After finishing around three towns, they headed further in the Northeastern side. Since they had no time to stop, they ate the packed lunches while riding. The small platoon of nearly fifty knights including Davian and Rune were riding through the thick forest. The trees here were densely packed with large, fleshy leaves that blocked most of the light and rain.

Rune took a bite of the sandwich before looking at Davian who rode beside him with a neutral expression. His armor was splashed with blood along with the dried droplets over his face but he didn’t seem to care.

"Why do you think they destroyed the North gate?" Rune asked Davian after he swallowed his bite.

Davian didn’t say anything for a moment as he thought about it while munching on his sandwich, Rune waited until he swallowed.

"The Seraph Knights must have gotten the wind of the movement of so many shifters. They couldn’t have crossed through Frosthail without their knowledge. The Seraph Knights could have hurried through the North gate to provide reinforcements if it were left as is and that could have foiled their plans that’s why they could have destroyed it."

Rune tilted his head, "Are the Seraph Knights so strong?"

Davian looked at him before he smirked with the hint of pride in his voice, "Each one is capable of taking at least one bear-kin on their own."

Rune almost rolled his eyes but then he turned his head, taking another bite out of his sandwich.

"When Master first came to Frosthail." Davian started making Rune look at him, "he worked alongside our Knights and left a great impression on them."

Davian’s head was tilted back, the droplets of rain that slipped down through the leaves fell on his face. His eyes were closed as if the rain was rejuvenating him.

Rune could see the small smile on Davian’s face as he spoke, "He and Lyall were a peculiar pair, we hadn’t seen any other people who could take down the rogue shifters unless they were a part of my family or Seraph Knights."

Rune hummed, "Master Ocean and Lyall are pretty strong."

Davian hummed back, "He is."

Rune’s eyes narrowed watching Davian’s almost giddy looking smile and a thought rose in his head but he quickly shook his head as it was too absurd.

There was no way Davian knew of Ocean and Reina so, it was obvious that this expression only meant reverence and respect and nothing other than that.

Still, he made a mental note of asking Ocean/Reina for an explanation once they returned.