The blade of the Silent Lady shimmered with magical force, easily shearing off a cultist's head.
The linen hood rolled to the ground, revealing the face of an impoverished commoner-sallow, gaunt, and malnourished.
These Dakoul Cultists were woefully ill-equipped, without even basic gambesons.
Their weapons were nothing more than everyday tools such as pitchforks, kitchen knives, and woodcutter's axes. Some were even bare-handed.
But there were simply too many of them.
Renato stepped back, dodging a pitchfork swung at him. His longsword swept around in the same motion, striking three cultists trying to surround him in an instant.
Blood sprayed, and heads rolled.
These cultists knew nothing of how to wield weapons, nor did they know how to form ranks and fight together.
This was hardly a battle. It was a one-sided slaughter.
Ordinary people would have been terrified to see their comrades fall like this, perhaps even breaking and fleeing on the spot.
But these Dakoul Cultists showed no fear. They continued attacking in silence, surging forward over their companions' corpses.
I can't retreat any farther. Renato could hear the little mage chanting. Perly was right behind him.
A heavy two-handed flail slammed into Renato's pauldron. His enchanted plate armor dispersed most of the impact.
Renato stepped forward and thrust his longsword straight ahead. Ignoring the enemies attacking him at close range, he first dealt with the one wielding a polearm in the rear.
A cone of flame erupted from Perly's hands, instantly engulfing the cultists in a fan-shaped area to one side.
Her usually dependable Burning Hands failed to produce the expected results this time.
More than a dozen cultists were ablaze, yet they neither dodged nor flinched. They continued silently through the sea of fire toward Perly.
The little mage was stunned by the sight. Backed against