49 Chapter 49 - One-sided Massacre (1/2)
Gren woke up from his sleep when he heard a loud explosion.Gren pulled open the curtains and saw the village that he grew up in.It was already destroyed before but now it had become a battleground.While Gren was away the bandits had built a wooden barrier around the village; the spikes facing outward to prevent cavalry from charging in.
Gren recognized the two groups that were fighting.The bandits that Gren was captured by were defending against an army wearing the same armor that the soldiers of Adierton had on.The explosion happened closer to the attacking soldiers but due to the army being spread out there weren't that many casualties.
”Good, you're awake.”Gren heard Georgia's voice from behind him and turned around.”The Duke's army has yet to enter Newton.We made it just in time.”Georgia sat down in the carriage and shut the door.”It's best not to draw attention to ourselves right now.The bandits are overwhelmed and shouldn't last that long.”
”What was that explosion?”Gren was reminded of the injuries that Annie had.Estella was muttering about how Annie was attacked by her own people when he first met her.”Do the bandits have a magician?”
Georgia shook her head.”That explosion should be from a cannon; I remember hearing that a group of bandits stole one a few years ago.I don't think that any magician capable of doing that amount of damage would become a bandit.”
Gren watched as a group of soldiers made their way to the wooden barrier.The shields in the front row were raised up to defend against arrows while spearmen in the back prepared to strike any bandit defending the blockade.The group of soldiers worked together as if they were a single organism.After getting close to the barrier and taking out a few bandits, the soldiers suddenly started to retreat; shields up and walking backwards.
A large black box was left behind near the blockade.The black box made some movements that Gren couldn't quite make out from their current distance.”It can't be!”Georgia's yell surprised Gren.
”What is it?”Gren massaged his right ear since it received the most damage from her sonic attack.Before Georgia could respond, Gren watched as the box unfurled itself and started moving.
”An automaton.A metal creature created to kill indiscriminately.”The metal arranged itself vaguely into the shape of a human before it attacked the wooden spikes.It ripped the wood apart with its sharp claws and lunged towards the bandits on the other side.”I've only seen it in drawings but the way it transforms is exactly the same as it's depicted.”
The soldiers that deployed the automaton had already returned to where the rest of the army was located.The Duke's army was waiting for the automaton to finish their job for them.Gren and the other spectators lost sight of the automaton once it tore its way into the village.
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The noise outside of the tent signalled the beginning of the battle.Jane knew that it wasn't safe for them to stay but it was too late for the girls to leave now.Her father could be heard shouting commands to his men and what she heard didn't sound good.