Joking and playing around was over. Each and every Blade Spirit got really serious. They were not bringing their hybrid children out to fight. It was not out of any care or concern for them. The children simply had not met the higher standards the spirits had set for them. The Blade Spirits did not want to be held back. The servants were another story they were being ordered to accompany them on the field of battle. As they were recently spawned in for their roles, they had 0 kills to their names. Regular humans with no mana could not see them. Their houses were occupied by ghosts essentially. The wives of Rook and Knight were by themselves. With a real war raging towards us, the spirits no longer needed their chosen champions. They were powerful enough to wield themselves in battle. The champions were largely warriors. It would be shameful to not fight. They got the finely made replicas from the Battleville shrines. The spirits gave them permission and the servants allowed them to be taken out for battle. Getting them bloody would be a great honor for the warriors.
Killing with the weapons might even awake them as spiritual weapons in their own right as well. The first major challenge we faced was when the first centurion from their eastern mountain range came. The way the valley fell, it meant they came to us first. This was where Clemens was from originally. The western mountain range was there the other threat would come from. He was flanked closely by 2 of his lieutenants. They came to make their demands of the town. We naturally refused them. Now seeing that there was resistance, they left. It would not be long before they came back to fight us. It was fine with us. The mercenaries were going to defend their homes they had finally found here. I was looking forward to the battle. It would be something exciting to be apart of. When they came a week in-game later, there were all 100 of them. They had the intent of sieging the town until we were starved out and forced to surrender. We would not let them do that. All those fighting sallied out the walls. The intrepid 105 strong fighting force went in. I had no clue if they were strong.
Losing was not an option for them. 6 Osna champions and 18 Blade Spirits joined them in the fight. It was a battle on sight. We went out in the evening just as they were busy making camp. Having surprise on our side, we had advantage over them all. The Blade Spirits were extremely vicious. Especially the servants. The humans had no clue what was going on. To them, there were just floating weapons. Weapons that hacked and slashed their way out of their comrades. I personally saw Rook and Knight kill 5 men each. Henan's Heroes were actually pretty weak. They were getting torn into. I had to go over and bail them out. I was a kusarigama. I swung the kunai at the enemies' throats and faces. In close combat, I used it to stab while binding soldiers with the chain. That got me through the squad of 6 hassling the men. My chain had the healing property. I crouched down and yelled "Grab onto the chain if you're hurt!" 3 soldiers were bleeding on the ground. I was able to heal them. It was not a lot, but it stabilized them. They would all live. I moved onwards. We won a battle.
