Steel and Mana

Chapter 255 – War (2)

"Record and transmit! The enemy is heading towards the second crossing point to the south of our main base. The enemy's troops are ten times what our intel suggested, with a flying ship guiding them. Repeat, our intel is off; our enemy's force is in the multiple thousands––"

"This is the full recording, Major." Polo explained, standing there nervously as his Rook was what had received the urgent message from their scouts, relayed in haste. Without hesitation, he rushed to present it to him; there was no time for any delays.

"Is this all?" Pion asked, his face dark. He was looking at the small CC, which contained the voice of his scouts.

"Yes. The accompanying message has confirmed this was all that came through before the transmission was silenced."

"Tell them to try making contact with them in person before retreating to Grayback! We break camp now!"

"Where are we going?" Polo asked, following him out while the others who were with them in the tent began running, shouting orders at everyone. "Are we going to march out and get to their backs?"

"No. A flying ship? Ten times the army size? That means we are facing an invasion force. We alone won't stand a chance. We are retreating to Lothlia! We will defend the city, where we will have ample coverage and the support of more cannons than what we have now. We will hold out in the city until winter is gone and we can receive reinforcements."

"Should we warn the others...? The crossing points?"

Hearing Polo's question, Pion suddenly stopped, looking around his men, the glowing Edmund Lamps and torches illuminating their border crossing in the dark. Many thoughts were rushing through his mind at that moment, but the cold evening weather helped him remain focused as its frigid air coursed painfully into his lungs. Exhaling it was like expelling all the doubts and guilt, coming to a decision that he knew he would have to live with. But... he believed it is what had to be done to buy themselves time.

"No. They will, even if for a little, force our enemy to stop and besiege them. They will be annihilated, but it will buy us the time to reach Lothlia. We will avenge their sacrifice."

"Yes, Major!" Polo saluted, understanding his decision. He rushed to mount his machine, as it would be the one leading their march, plowing the snow away and smoothing the road for his comrades. They had to reach Lothlia as fast as possible, not just to prepare for the invasion. From there, they could warn their Sovereign, maybe even before the city itself goes under siege.

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It was like looking at a frozen lake. The scouts, meeting up where their comrades vanished, could not find their honored bodies to retrieve, but it wasn't a surprise after seeing the devastation. The trees were vaporized or flattened down in a hundred-meter-wide circle, leaving behind a massive impact crater as if a meteor had fallen here from the skies. Yet, there was nothing in its lowest point, as it was magic that caused it.

The heat that briefly turned winter into summer melted all the snow in the area, filling the hole in the ground with water that very quickly froze back into a solid lake of crystal-clear, blue ice. Darek and Arve sacrificed their lives to deliver the crucial message, save their comrades, and warn Avalon of the approaching danger. Paying their respects, they wasted no time leaving after confirming their ultimate fate. The enemy army was already gone, continuing its march, and they had their orders.

No matter how much they wanted to join up with their brethren, they were now too far away to catch up in time. As soldiers, the commands were edicts that had to be followed, so they quickly began moving, heading towards Greyback. They all knew that this was only the beginning. There will be a time when they can avenge their brothers on the battlefield...

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The 10,000-strong army advanced steadily, producing the same type of thundering noise that gave Pion and his men a chance to discover them in time. Otto remained atop the Lawbinger at all times, his eyes fixed on the small outpost ahead of his army, watching it through the Imaginary. It was nothing but a fragile structure that could barely be called a fort, made of wood and... well, snow. It was little more than a hastily assembled barrier meant to slow down invaders until reinforcement came, not repel them. However, it still stood between him and his march to Lothlia, the first city he would raze to the ground. The defenders would be swept aside both here and there soon enough.

"Signal the halt." Otto called to his officers as the army came within a few miles of the border.

The warhorn blared from the Lawbinger, its eerie, deep tone sweeping over the snow-covered plains. Below, the column of soldiers came to a gradual stop, their ranks stretching into the distance like a black serpent worming its way through the snow. Foot soldiers who had been shoveling snow to clear a path for the cavalry threw down their shovels, grateful for the rest, while the mounted knights slowed their horses to a standstill, clouds of steam puffing from the animals' nostrils, neighing in complaint because of the cold air. It was early afternoon, but, as this winter had commanded, darkness was already creeping up on them, along with the coming night's unbearable coldness. They had already lost a few hundred men to it, but Otto didn't care.

From the Imaginary of the flying ship, he could see the border outpost in detail now. The wooden wall that encircled it was sturdy enough for what it was—quick protection thrown together by desperate soldiers trying to delay the inevitable. Behind it, the small garrison of about 2,000 men moved frantically, some running along the parapets, others preparing more makeshift defenses. A few scouts on horseback were galloping away from the outpost, no doubt given orders to inform their superiors of the approaching danger. "Fire." With a thought of his, the formations etched into the ship activated as they fired from the Lawbringer's bow. It was a twin spell of a fireball, arching through the air like a crimson rainbow, landing on the escaping scouts and torching them along with their horses. He wasn't going to let them leave this place.

"Tell the men to rest." Otto exhaled calmly, letting his words echo in the minds of his officers. "We'll begin preparations here."

Down below, his soldiers, after receiving their orders, executed them without waiting for a second to pass. The foot soldiers began to fan out, setting up small fires to melt the snow and warm their hands. They arranged themselves in loose clusters, though the sight of the outpost kept them alert at all times. Despite their fatigue from the long march, a sense of grim anticipation rippled through the ranks. They knew the outpost ahead was not a real obstacle, but it represented the first trial and first actual payday.

Mercenary captains moved among their men, barking orders, thirsty for action because it was finally time to have some fun. Some of the veterans unslung their halberds and pikes, driving the shafts into the snow to test their grip in preparation for the battle ahead. The conscripts, many of whom had never seen actual combat, looked nervously at the wooden walls of the outpost. It wasn't the defenses that frightened them—it was the knowledge that soon, they'd be thrown into the bloody chaos of battle. Was it really a good idea to do this in winter? They saw many of their comrades and friends freeze to death in the evening weather while marching... They were just left behind without burying them. Their morale was visibly lower than those of the mercenaries who knew their gold was already secured. They just had to finish what they were hired for. As for the regular people, many now questioned their choices. The initial grandeur of thoughts and dreams of glory were gone, replaced by the harsh reality.

The heavy cavalry, wearing their mismatched but tough armor, also began to loosen the straps on their helmets, letting the cold air touch their faces. They, too, knew that they had the advantage in the upcoming fight, but there was still a quiet tension in the air. Even the most seasoned soldiers felt a strange unease before the first clash of swords. Not to mention, they would need to push harder to cut through the heavy snow...

Otto's personal guard, clad in their immaculate silvery plate armors, dismounted last, forming a perimeter around the supply wagons trailing at the rear of the army. They were a reminder to all mercenaries that, for Otto, this campaign was not just a mercenary raid—it was a calculated conquest. If they wanted the gold, they had to do their jobs, or they wouldn't be granted access to it at all. With the flying ship above them, for now, none of the mercenary leaders thought of raiding their employers.

As the massive army settled into its resting place, a group of scouting horsemen returned from their brief foray to the edge of the border. They approached one of Otto's captains, their breath steaming from their mouths and noses in the cold air.

"The outpost ahead has about 2,000 defenders." one scout reported, his voice muffled by the thick scarf around his neck. "Ground troops only. Infantry with spears and bows, mostly. Some of them looked like fresh recruits as they fired at us, even though we were out of their range. They are as green as the grass under the snow!"

Their captain nodded after listening to their words, looking back over his shoulder at the vast army arrayed behind him. "They may still put up a fight, but they won't last long. But never forget! A cornered mouse will bite the cat, too."

"I suppose so." The scout nodded in agreement. "Still, it's a wooden wall, nothing that'll stop the siege engines."

"Let them prepare. We'll give them time to think about what's coming and say their prayers to the Gods above."

As the hours passed, the sky became darker, and the snow continued to fall in thick, heavy flakes. The army, somewhat accustomed to the cold by now, stood by their fires, eating salted meat and stale bread from their packs. There was an odd calmness among the troops—many of them believed that the coming battle would be one-sided with their numerical advantage. The outpost was an insignificant bump on the road to Lothlia, and it wouldn't take much to crush it.

On the Lawbinger, Otto stood near the bow of the ship, watching the distant outpost with his own eyes, not through the magic device of his flying vessel. The wooden walls and thin watchtowers looked pitiful compared to the siege weapons his army had brought along. Below him, the massive trebuchets and ballistae were standing prepared, the engineers checking the ropes and weights with precision, their breath coming in visible puffs as they worked. These grand war engines, capable of tearing down city walls, were overkill for a target like this, but Otto didn't care. He would give them a show of force, a demonstration of what his army could do. His magic was reserved for the real enemy... to this... Sovereign.

Turning his gaze back to his prey, the outpost was a dark silhouette against the snow-covered plains, its people visible along the walls. Some of the defenders had lit torches, their flickering light casting long shadows on the wooden ramparts. They looked small and fragile from this distance, like ants preparing for a storm, trying to stop the waves with their useless bodies.

Otto turned to his lieutenant once more, sending down a mental message. "Tonight, we rest." he said, his voice calm and measured. "Tomorrow, we break them."

The lieutenant nodded, turning to relay the orders down to the men around him while Otto watched as the army settled in for the night. Fires dotted the snowy plain, the glow of embers illuminating the dark forms of soldiers huddled around them. The siege weapons, disappearing in the shadows of the darkening sky, became invisible monsters waiting to be unleashed.

The border outpost remained silent through the night, its defenders staring out at the sea of firelights in the distance. They knew that they would face an enemy far larger and more powerful come morning than they could hope to withstand. There was no escape... They knew there was only death that awaited them.

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