The Bloodforged Kin

Chapter 199 - 193: Mason - Synergies of the Hellbound and Enchantress

"We're going to the outskirts. Platoon 4 will remain here and guard the mansion. Platoon 1 will go south, 2 will go west, and 3 will go north. Each will be escorted by the Lieutenants and the Enchantresses. Squads will form up in Defensive Formation and will only act if their escorts are in danger or return to the line. In the event that an escort falls all attempts will be made to rescue them. I want to make this very clear - the survival of the escorts is of paramount importance and a platoon that allows their escort to die will be met with Decimation."

More murmurs moved through the ranks and Tom let it play out. He wanted the importance of this mission cemented in their brains and at the forefront of their thoughts. Decimation was a hard lesson to forget. It had only happened twice and none would forget it. The men would be forced to assemble in groups of 10 and pass a bag around between them, each drawing a stone. If you grabbed one of the nine black stones, you got to live to see another day. If you pulled the white stone the remaining nine would beat you to death - literally. It was not a lesson that any wanted to repeat.

"Sir!" One of the squad leaders stepped forward.

"Yes, Jim?"

"Sir, if our paramount order is to keep them alive, but we're also ordered not to interfere, are the orders contradictory? How will we know when to intervene?"

Tom nodded. He picked his squad leaders not just for their martial prowess or magical ability, but also for their bravery. He didn't want glaze-eyed followers, he wanted leaders who weren't afraid to think on their own. This was a fair question, even if it was difficult to ask.

"Fair question, Jim. Use your best judgment, but the order to keep them alive supersedes the order to stay out of the fight. Basically, if your assessment of the situation calls for action, take it."

"But," Jim looked nervously between the escorts, Tom, and the house where they knew Mason was. "If we jump in too quickly…" The 'will we be punished?' hung in the air, not needing to be asked. Tom appreciated harsh response to disobedience but loathed an army that ran on fear. I wish, so much, that a better man than Mason was leading us. He is a morale killer. Tom let the thought die. You dance with the one who brung you, though. No point in complaining about what you can't change.

"I've given the orders," he said crisply. "Follow them as you see fit. If there are any objections to your decisions I will address them myself."

Jim nodded with gratitude and stepped back into line. General Tom was a right bastard, but he was true to his word. They'd all seen him stand up to Mason before.

"Right," Tom continued, "you have your orders. Move out."

Tom's first challenge was in how to array the Lieutenants and Enchantresses. There were three platoons going into the field, but only five Lieutenants and four Enchantresses. He reviewed each of their character sheets, his Dossier skill something he could use for anyone under his command. Now that they had been officially assigned to him by Mason he was able to read through their abilities. He smirked that it came with a physical descriptions - Mason was so incredibly lazy with his skills that The System still had them displayed in their base-level info even though Mason had never needed it. He did have to admit that it really was helpful in matching a skillset to a face when the person wasn't in front of him, though. He noted with curiosity the missing Fourth Lieutenant. Viktor had been killed before Tom had joined Mason, and the lazy bastard hadn't even bothered to reassign their ranks in his mind.

The Hellbound:

First Lieutenant: Blake

Physical Description:

Tall, with a lean muscular build, Blake has a shaved head and a long scar down one cheek.

Weapon:

Customized twin handguns with extended magazines.

Personal Skill:

"Bullet Storm" - Blake can unleash a rapid barrage from his handguns, covering a wide area with a hail of bullets.

Individual Attack:

"Twin Fangs" - Blake's handguns cause targets to bleed, reducing their ability to fight back over time.

Second Lieutenant: Rodrick

Physical Description:

Burly with a beard, Rodrick's presence is as intimidating as his strength. He has tattooed arms that tell stories of past brawls.

Weapon:

A weighted baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire.

Personal Skill:

"Shatter Strike" - A powerful swing of his bat that can send shockwaves through the ground, unbalancing anyone within range.

Individual Attack:

"Quake Slam" - Rodrick smashes the ground with his bat, creating a localized earthquake to knock enemies off their feet.

Third Lieutenant: Elijah

Physical Description:

Short and wiry, Elijah moves with a feral grace. His eyes are keen, and his hands are always twitching towards the blades at his belt.

Weapon:

A set of throwing knives, each blade sharp enough to cut through bone.

Personal Skill:

"Knife Dance" - Elijah throws his knives with deadly precision, able to ricochet them off surfaces to hit unsuspected targets.

Individual Attack:

"Silent Reaper" - Elijah can stealthily approach an enemy and use his knives for a silent, instant takedown.

Fifth Lieutenant: Dante

Physical Description:

Dante is always smiling, with a devil-may-care attitude that belies his deadly skill. His hair is styled into a mohawk, and his arms are covered in colorful tattoos.

Weapon:

A pair of machetes with serrated edges.

Personal Skill:

"Dual Decapitation" - Dante can spin with his blades extended, creating a deadly whirlwind that can sever limbs and heads with ease.

Individual Attack:

"Savage Spin" - Dante creates a spinning barrier of machetes around Mason, protecting him and slicing anyone who gets too close.

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Sixth Lieutenant: Jonas

Physical Description:

Jonas is the silent one, with scars criss-crossing his face. He is always seen chewing on a toothpick, a quiet storm waiting to be unleashed.

Weapon: A heavy-duty chain.

Personal Skill:

"Chain Wraith" - Jonas can manipulate his chain with supernatural speed, creating a defensive whirl around him or lashing out to strike at multiple enemies.

Individual Attack:

"Chain Bind" - Jonas can throw his chain to ensnare an enemy, immobilizing them and making them vulnerable to attack.

The Enchantresses:

Lilith: The Enigmatic Siren

Riding with: Mason

Primary Attack: "Banshee Wail" - Lilith unleashes a piercing scream that disorients enemies, making them vulnerable to follow-up attacks.

Healing Skill: "Siphon Kiss" - Lilith drains the vitality of a fallen enemy, converting it into healing energy for her allies.

Defensive Skill (for Mason): "Mistress's Guard" - Lilith casts a dark aura around Mason that absorbs a percentage of the damage he would take, replenishing her own energy.

Seraphina: The Shadow Temptress

Riding with: Blake

Primary Attack: "Shadow Lash" - Seraphina summons tendrils of darkness that whip out at enemies, slashing them with ethereal energy.

Healing Skill: "Midnight Embrace" - By embracing an ally, she can heal them by accelerating time for their recovery, though it ages the fallen enemy drastically.

Ravena: The Nocturnal Beauty

Riding with: Rodrick

Primary Attack: "Nightfall Gaze" - Ravena's hypnotic eyes cause enemies to become lost in an illusion, leaving them open to attacks.

Healing Skill: "Eclipse Touch" - Ravena draws strength from the shadows, transferring life force from the darkness itself to mend her allies' wounds.

Morgana: The Bewitching Enchanter

Riding with: Elijah

Primary Attack: "Hexing Bolts" - Morgana sends out a volley of cursed bolts that sap the strength and willpower of those they strike.

Healing Skill: "Pact Renewal" - Morgana can bind an enemy's life force to an ally, causing any damage dealt to the ally to heal them while harming the enemy instead.

He finished his review of their abilities and called them together with his squad leaders. He knew that if he was going to have any hope of getting them to obey his commands he'd need to flatter them. He sucked it up - leading people like this always required dirty work.

"Blake, you're with Seraphina. You're fast and highly offensive. Bullet Storm and Twin Fangs will allow you to tear through enemies. Since your combat style focuses on aggression and quick, high-damage output you'll be best complimented by Seraphina. She can provide crowd control with Shadow Lash. Seraphina, you focus on keeping enemies entangled to set up easier shots for Blake. Activate Mistress's Guard to protect him from incoming damage. It should also keep you replenished through energy absorption. You're with Platoon 1."

"Rodrick, you're with Ravena. Shatter Strike and Quake Slam make you a powerhouse that can break through enemy lines and disrupt large groups with your seismic abilities. You'll be engaging the enemy head-on. Ravena, you're more strategic with your abilities. Use Nightfall Gaze to hypnotize the enemies and create openings for Rodrick. Since he'll be up close and personal he's going to take damage, so you will need to use Eclipse Touch to heal him and keep him in the fight. Rodrick, you charge in and disrupt the battlefield, Ravena, you disorient and incapacitate the enemy. You're going with Blake in Platoon 1."

"Elijah, you're with Morgana. You look like you'll be an expert of stealth and precision so I'm going to need you to bring that to the fight - don't get fancy, stay unpredictable and hidden as much as possible. You'll be taking out enemies one-on-one, so stick to the big guys and let the squads handle the smaller crowds of creatures. Morgana, you can enhance his approach by weakening and sapping enemies with your Hexing Bolts. Elijah, don't be afraid to take some damage - Morgana's Pact Renewal will transfer the damage you take to the enemies which will be really useful if you face anything tough. You're with Platoon 2." Elijah didn't look happy with that arrangement and Tom hoped he wouldn't chicken out and miss out on this useful synergy.

"Dante, you're with Lilith. You are basically a whirlwind of destruction and can use Dual Decapitation and Savage Spin to clear out enemies. Your fighting style lends itself to chaotic and aggressive movements, which is perfect for up-close brawls. Lilith, your Banshee Wail will disorient the creatures and make it easier for Dante to get in and attack. Use Siphon's Kiss to drain any enemies that get close - in fact, you should charge that up as much as possible on the lower-level creatures so that it's ready when Dante needs it. You're with Platoon 2 also."

"I've paired you up to best synergize your skills and provide healing for those that are going to be fighting one-on-one, so you need to maximize your abilities if you're going to pull this off."

"What about me?"

Tom looked at the lone Lieutenant without an Enchantress and sighed. "Obviously there aren't enough Enchantresses to go around, so you're with me, Jonas. We're going to break the rules a little for you and have you fight with a squad. You have the best all-around fighting style, and skills that should allow you to take on groups of weaker creatures as well as face any tougher ones. Chain Wraith and Chain Bind will let you create defensive barriers while also striking out at multiple enemies. You're also going to have the support of my best squad to help keep larger numbers off your back. I'll be there in Platoon 3 with you."

He eyed them all in turn. "I know this isn't what you wanted, but it's where we are now, so we need to perform at the peak of our abilities. The squads are there to keep you alive, but that is a last-resort only. I can't stress this enough - Mason wants you to perform, and that's what you're going to do. If glory isn't enough to keep you on the battlefield then fear will have to do the trick. I'm going to give a full report after this and I am not going to pretty it up for him. My ass is on the line to keep you all alive and that's what I'm going to do, but you have to do your part. If anyone has any objections, now is the time to voice them. Once we get out there you will follow my orders to the letter. I will not brook any disobedience on the battlefield. Mason is the one in charge, but when we are out there I am your commander. Is that understood?"

He didn't get the immediate 'yes sir!' that he was accustomed to but he took their silence as agreement. He let the moment pass and nodded. "Good. Then report to your platoons and move out. If things get hairy, retreat behind the lines and let the men get you home safely. You do not have permission to die, is that understood?"

Weak 'yes sir's met him and he shook his head, then turned around in a crisp about-face.