Chapter 330 A Taste Of Battle (1/2)
Arran tensed up as he heard the sounds of battle in the distance Even if he wasn't expected to fight, he knew enough of battle to understand that the situation could change in an instant
Yet to his astonishment, he saw that Captain Kaleesh stepped away from the column and casually walked over to a sly unconcerned, the captain gestured at his commanders
”Get over here!” he called out ”Arran, you too!”
Arran gave Ervin a dued ”Better do as the captain says”
After a moment's hesitation, Arran hurried toward Captain Kaleesh, arriving a few moments after the other three co toward the front of the column ”The first blow has been struck”
Atop the knoll, Arran could clearly see the situation ahead Around two hundred of Rannoc's forces had confronted Kadun's soldiers, and the two sides were clashi+ng at the front of the colu forward to face their enelance, Arran saw that neither side had fully committed to the battle Kadun's forces held the line, but notheh to keep their opponents occupied
”Now look over there, by the tree line,” Captain Kaleesh said, pointing at the hillside a few hundred paces away from the battle
It only took Arran a moment to see what the captain wanted them to see Amid the trees, he saw shapes and roup of Rannoc's forces, ready to strike their ene for?” Arran asked With Kadun's troops already occupied, this second group would be enough to decide the battle in moments
”Us,” the captain replied ”While they don't expect us to act, they want to be certain before they commit If ere to step in now, they would likely break off the attack”
”But we're not doing that,” Lasha said, eyes fixed on the battle ahead
”And give up an opportunity like this?” Captain Kaleesh chuckled ”But look — it seems they've made a decision”
Indeed, Arran could see a second force e from the tree line Kadun's troops noticed it as well, and calls of alarh they formed an ih Not with another force already attacking thean to advance on the flank of the coluhtfully ”Gar, Lasha, join your groups and wait fornow”
While the captain still sounded unconcerned, Arran could feel the tension rise in his body There was a battle happening just a few hundred paces away, and fro
”There he is,” Captain Kaleesh said, ”though I'd expected him sooner”
From the back of Kadun's soldiers' ranks, a solitarytoward the captain and his two re commanders
”We're under attack!” the steward exclaimed as he approached
”So I've noticed,” Captain Kaleesh replied, his face expressionless
Payam faced hi?!”
”You hired us as miners, not mercenaries” Captain Kaleesh sounded indifferent, as if the battle was no concern of his ”If you lose, it only means we'll have to serve another Lord Why should we risk our lives?”
”You…” The steward stared at the captain in horror ”You'll just stand by and do nothing?!”
He glanced back at the battle, where the second group of attackers was onlyKadun's forces It didn't take a practiced eye to see that Kadun's men were in a desperate situation
”A third of e find in the mines,” Captain Kaleesh said ”And we'll stay another two months, but in return, ill have Lord Kadun's blacksht for you — but only once”
Disbelief filled the steward's eyes, but he didn't hesitate for even a second ”Fine! But fight, damn you!”
The captain reroup of attackers bore down on Kadun's troops And as they did, he turned his eyes to the steward ”You have a deal” Then, in an instant, his expression changed ”Gar, Lasha, charge! Sassun, with me! Arran, keep an eye out!”
A ripple of h the ht possible, Gar and Lasha's groups charged at the ene the few hundred paces between theroups of roup led by Captain Kaleesh hied into the back line of the attacking force Meanwhile, Sassun's group remained a few dozen paces behind the others, watchful for any changes in the battlefield
It barely took half a e entirely, and Arran could only watch in awe as the mercenaries struck with practiced precision It was like seeing a master swordsman cut down a drunken robber, and withinRannoc's forces
Yet his aas short-lived
Even with a battle unfolding just a few hundred paces away, he hadn't forgotten about his surroundings And now, he sawthe tree line — more attackers, and as he saw theroup, then cursed again when he realized the commander was fully focused on the battle ahead And with the noise of battle filling the air, calling out to him would achieve little