>>5266266Thankfully, you had a way to extend yourself vertically.
Balancing yourself on the branches, you swirl around the curved trees to reach the barrels before they fall, jumping and reaching them at the peak of their height, you dunk them all back with the flat of your weapon, using your afterimages to calculate the exact time in which they would explode, and using the opportunity to feel the enemy's Od attempting to break through the wood barriers.
On closer inspection, it's impossible for your body to have sent all the explosive barrels down at the same time, not even you were that fast to do this while airborne, but just like the afterimages you were so used to seeing, you saw ones of yourself punching and kicking the objects and sending them out below. That attack where your blade and soul were extending farther than your physical range was a sign that you were meant to evolve, but thanks to your limited energy, you are still unable to control at will.
As the Dakas open up a path to exit the tree's trappings, they are welcomed by ear shattering explosions with even more shattering destructive potential. One ignites the other as chunks of Dakas, Kushan and animals were sent flying before collapsing into a pile of splinters.
Exertion finally starts to rear it's ugly head in as you feel the taste of blood on your mouth as you fall, landing on Gunpowder's back and falling on your knees below him.
Your helmet and armor were still intact, their base is in flames and crumbling as Barnham destroyed the remainder of the main army cell.
None of them saw your face under your helm. To them, you were not human, but a nightmare, and as your soul starts to drain power from something other than itself, you realise that maybe shedding so much blood makes you a little less pure than previously...
To those who know you, you are Vlad Santana. But to the few Kushan you got away, you would be known as the earthly impaler, followed by the bear apostle who together took down their forces in only a single night.
...Well, you mostly took care of one small troop while Barnham took care of the battalion, but no one needs to know that part. Eventually you'll probably get on his level to claim this as your feat too...
Hiding on a tree trunk big enough to fit you and your horse, you wait until Barnham is done terrorising the small ones into retreat, and eating the big ones onto a feast.
The screams don't bother you in the slightest, you've grown used to it enough to take a nap with them...
"There you are." Barnham pokes at the roots while Gunpowder neighs loudly to wake you up. Seeing the light coming back to the trees, you realise it's already the dawn of a new day.
"You were fighting the whole night?"
"I was eating the whole night. The strong ones would not retreat, and neither would I. You can guess how that ended out for them."
